$2,700 Gaming PC Build, Any Good?

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Matthew A

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Hey guys so I am saving up around $2,500 for a gaming PC, monitor keyboard and everything. My goal was to make a super beefy gaming PC that can play anything I want on max settings with 60+ frames. I want it to be able to at least do this in 2K graphics as I know 4K can be expensive.

Now I'm posting this thread to see what you guys thing of this build. It's my friend's PC that he just recently built and I was going to base mine around his and I was hoping you guys could maybe critique the build and let me know if I can do anything better to it and if it'll satisfy what I was looking for.

This is the PC build

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sxDzK8/intel-core-i7-8700k-37ghz-6-core-processor-bx80684i78700k) | $369.99 @ Amazon
**CPU Cooler** | [NZXT - Kraken X62 Liquid CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bqBrxr/nzxt-kraken-x62-liquid-cpu-cooler-rl-krx62-01) | $178.98 @ OutletPC
**Motherboard** | [Asus - ROG STRIX Z390-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MW...x-lga1151-motherboard-rog-strix-z390-e-gaming) | $235.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/yb...b-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3200-memory-f4-3200c16d-16gtzr) | $144.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/P4ZFf7/samsung-970-evo-500gb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v7e500bw) | $129.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Samsung - 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/yzfhP6/samsung-860-evo-1tb-25-solid-state-drive-mz-76e1t0bam) | $147.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [Asus - GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8 GB ROG STRIX Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/62...rix-video-card-rog-strix-gtx1070ti-a8g-gaming) |-
**Case** | [NZXT - S340 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3TYWGX/nzxt-ca-s340w-b3-atx-mid-tower-case-ca-s340w-b3) |-
**Power Supply** | [EVGA - SuperNOVA P2 650 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/6p8H99/evga-power-supply-220p20650x1) | $109.89 @ OutletPC
**Operating System** | [Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wtgPxr/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $98.89 @ OutletPC
**Case Fan** | [Enermax - T.B. RGB (3-pack) 47.53 CFM 120mm Fans](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/F4448d/enermax-tb-rgb-3-pack-475-cfm-120mm-fans-uctbrgb12-bp3) | $56.61 @ Newegg
**Monitor** | [Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/CwgPxr/dell-s2417dg-238-165hz-monitor-s2417dg) | $339.99 @ Newegg
**Keyboard** | [Corsair - K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE Wired Gaming Keyboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/KW4NnQ/corsair-keyboard-ch9101014na) | $169.89 @ OutletPC
**Speakers** | [Logitech - Z623 200 W 2.1ch Speakers](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/svBv6h/logitech-speakers-980000402) | $99.99 @ Newegg Business
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $2113.19
| Mail-in rebates | -$30.00
| **Total** | **$2083.19**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2019-02-03 20:38 EST-0500 |

They didn't have the cost of the graphics card so the total price is more around $2,700

Friend bought most parts on sale so he spent more around $2,400.

Thank you guys for your time and energy. :)
 
You can get Windows 10 Pro CD-Keys from eBay for like $3. They're legit too. That motherboard might be a little overkill. That's also a very expensive keyboard. I see no mouse? Try to spring for a 1080 Ti at least. I'd look for a used one online. If you can wait a few months, wait for AMD Zen 2 to come out. I wouldn't buy anything from Intel at the moment.
 
I agree with fullvietFX, motherboard seems a bit overkill, granted Z370E Gaming is probably gonna cost you about the same. I feel like you can do much better with 2700 especially some parts can be had for cheaper if you go other brands like MSI or Gigabyte. If you don't mind AMD, 2600X can be had for half the price of 8700K for the same amount of cores and threading while take a 5% hit in FPS and Rog Strix X470-F Gaming is about 50 bucks cheaper. You can take that money you save from CPU and mobo and put it to GPU where it will make up more than the 5% you lost.
 
Here is the list I came up with, I kept some of your components you want but change some other ones.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H110i 113 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($115.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus - Prime X470-Pro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($161.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 1 TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($134.85 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB DUKE Video Card ($739.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT - S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($70.46 @ Newegg Business)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($78.90 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($98.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Enermax - T.B. RGB (3-pack) 47.53 CFM 120mm Fans ($56.61 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair - K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE Wired Gaming Keyboard ($169.89 @ OutletPC)
Mouse: Corsair - DARK CORE RGB SE Wireless Optical Mouse ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Speakers: Logitech - Z623 200 W 2.1ch Speakers ($99.99 @ Newegg Business)
Total: $2607.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-02-05 02:43 EST-0500

Since Radeon 7 is coming out soon, you can exchange the RTX 2080 to Radeon 7 for the same price if you want an all AMD build.
 
fullvietFX said:
You can get Windows 10 Pro CD-Keys from eBay for like $3. They're legit too. That motherboard might be a little overkill. That's also a very expensive keyboard. I see no mouse? Try to spring for a 1080 Ti at least. I'd look for a used one online. If you can wait a few months, wait for AMD Zen 2 to come out. I wouldn't buy anything from Intel at the moment.
Click to expand...
I didn't realize you could get codes for so cheap, I'll keep a lookout for them, thanks for the tip. As for intel, is there something wrong with there products at the moment? I'll be able to wait because I won't have all of my budget until 2 or so months so I'll defiantly check it out when it comes.

BlueLineSwinger said:
Why did you start a new thread? The previous thread for this topic/build was still running.
Click to expand...
This time I actually had a build so I was hoping to get some critique on it.

Chimpee said:
I agree with fullvietFX, motherboard seems a bit overkill, granted Z370E Gaming is probably gonna cost you about the same. I feel like you can do much better with 2700 especially some parts can be had for cheaper if you go other brands like MSI or Gigabyte. If you don't mind AMD, 2600X can be had for half the price of 8700K for the same amount of cores and threading while take a 5% hit in FPS and Rog Strix X470-F Gaming is about 50 bucks cheaper. You can take that money you save from CPU and mobo and put it to GPU where it will make up more than the 5% you lost.
Click to expand...
I'll definitely look into it, I was just always under the impression the the i7-8700k was a "monster" which is why I haven't looked around too much in the department but thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.

Chimpee said:
Here is the list I came up with, I kept some of your components you want but change some other ones.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H110i 113 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($115.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus - Prime X470-Pro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($161.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 1 TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($134.85 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB DUKE Video Card ($739.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT - S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($70.46 @ Newegg Business)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($78.90 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($98.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Enermax - T.B. RGB (3-pack) 47.53 CFM 120mm Fans ($56.61 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair - K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE Wired Gaming Keyboard ($169.89 @ OutletPC)
Mouse: Corsair - DARK CORE RGB SE Wireless Optical Mouse ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Speakers: Logitech - Z623 200 W 2.1ch Speakers ($99.99 @ Newegg Business)
Total: $2607.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-02-05 02:43 EST-0500

Since Radeon 7 is coming out soon, you can exchange the RTX 2080 to Radeon 7 for the same price if you want an all AMD build.
Click to expand...
I like this build a lot, I agree that the rtx 2080 would be a better choice over the 1070 ti and especially since they're so close in price. Do you think it would be better to wait for the Radeon 7 or no? how big is the difference? As for the CPU is it a big hit to take the switch from i7-8700k? Thanks for your input.

magda said:
Geez, what is that keyboard made of ? Gold? o_O
Click to expand...
yes
 
Matthew A said:
I didn't realize you could get codes for so cheap, I'll keep a lookout for them, thanks for the tip. As for intel, is there something wrong with there products at the moment? I'll be able to wait because I won't have all of my budget until 2 or so months so I'll defiantly check it out when it comes.


This time I actually had a build so I was hoping to get some critique on it.


I'll definitely look into it, I was just always under the impression the the i7-8700k was a "monster" which is why I haven't looked around too much in the department but thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.


I like this build a lot, I agree that the rtx 2080 would be a better choice over the 1070 ti and especially since they're so close in price. Do you think it would be better to wait for the Radeon 7 or no? how big is the difference? As for the CPU is it a big hit to take the switch from i7-8700k? Thanks for your input.


yes
Click to expand...

The 8700K is a good CPU, have it myself, but it can run pretty hot since it uses thermal paste TIM instead of solder TIM, especially with aggressive MCE (Multi Core Enhancement) on motherboard these days, it can get hot pretty fast due to high voltage use on these MCE (applies to both AMD and Intel CPU). Since you are working with a set budget, you benefit more having a more powerful GPU that will offset any performance loss due to having a slightly weaker CPU especially if you game on 1440p resolution.

If you brand agnostic, I say get the RTX 2080 since there shouldn't be any huge difference in performance between Radeon 7 and RTX 2080. If you don't mind buying use, a GTX 1080Ti can be had for around $500 if you don't care for Raytracing or DLSS and you get about the same performance. Radeon 7 being so close to release, cannot hurt to wait a couple more days to see where the performance lies.

Also, look around when you shopping for parts, right now, you can get a K70 Keyboard for 100 bucks at Amazon.
 
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Chimpee said:
The 8700K is a good CPU, have it myself, but it can run pretty hot since it uses thermal paste TIM instead of solder TIM, especially with aggressive MCE (Multi Core Enhancement) on motherboard these days, it can get hot pretty fast due to high voltage use on these MCE (applies to both AMD and Intel CPU). Since you are working with a set budget, you benefit more having a more powerful GPU that will offset any performance loss due to having a slightly weaker CPU especially if you game on 1440p resolution.

If you brand agnostic, I say get the RTX 2080 since there shouldn't be any huge difference in performance between Radeon 7 and RTX 2080. If you don't mind buying use, a GTX 1080Ti can be had for around $500 if you don't care for Raytracing or DLSS and you get about the same performance. Radeon 7 being so close to release, cannot hurt to wait a couple more days to see where the performance lies.

Also, look around when you shopping for parts, right now, you can get a K70 Keyboard for 100 bucks at Amazon.
Click to expand...
OK, do you recommend me maybe trying to invest more in a better cooling system to avoid overheating of the CPU. My budget is flexible, I wouldn't mind waiting a little longer and saving up a little more if it makes a difference, I wanna make make this PC right. As for the keyboard I'll check it out, thanks for the advice! :)
 
Matthew A said:
OK, do you recommend me maybe trying to invest more in a better cooling system to avoid overheating of the CPU. My budget is flexible, I wouldn't mind waiting a little longer and saving up a little more if it makes a difference, I wanna make make this PC right. As for the keyboard I'll check it out, thanks for the advice! :)
Click to expand...

Nah, the cooling is fine, just my stance on MCE is, it should be disable on your bios setting since I feel like it is more trouble than it is worth. You might want to get better quieter fans for H110i or if you don't mind 240mm radiator, you can get this

Corsair H100i Platinum
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16835181151

This comes with very very good fans. Here is [H] review of H115i Platinum which still uses the same fans. (correction, not same fan but similar fans since both use Magnetic Levitation).

https://www.hardocp.com/article/2018/10/31/corsair_h115i_rgb_platinum_allinone_cpu_cooler_review/

But if you are feeling cheap on cooler but still want an AIO, Coolermaster ML 240R is pretty good too.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2YM-0004-00015

Also [H] review, https://www.hardocp.com/article/2018/01/29/cooler_master_ml240l_rgb_aio_cpu_review
 
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Chimpee said:
Nah, the cooling is fine, just my stance on MCE is, it should be disable on your bios setting since I feel like it is more trouble than it is worth. You might want to get better quieter fans for H110i or if you don't mind 240mm radiator, you can get this

Corsair H100i Platinum
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16835181151

This comes with very very good fans. Here is [H] review of H115i Platinum which still uses the same fans. (correction, not same fan but similar fans since both use Magnetic Levitation).

https://www.hardocp.com/article/2018/10/31/corsair_h115i_rgb_platinum_allinone_cpu_cooler_review/

But if you are feeling cheap on cooler but still want an AIO, Coolermaster ML 240R is pretty good too.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2YM-0004-00015

Also [H] review, https://www.hardocp.com/article/2018/01/29/cooler_master_ml240l_rgb_aio_cpu_review
Click to expand...
I like the H110i, thanks for the input! I'll definitely add it to the build, especially if I get the i7-8700k.
 
Matthew A said:
I like the H110i, thanks for the input! I'll definitely add it to the build, especially if I get the i7-8700k.
Click to expand...

No problem, if you are planning to overclock, do it manually and don't rely on MCE for either AMD or Intel CPU, the voltage spike on it makes me cringe.
 
Hey guys, I've been doing some research but I can't come to a conclusion. What do you think? Should I get the GTX 1070 Ti or the RTX 2080 for what I want?
 
Matthew A said:
Hey guys, I've been doing some research but I can't come to a conclusion. What do you think? Should I get the GTX 1070 Ti or the RTX 2080 for what I want?
Click to expand...
If you want a super beefy gaming pc for 60+ fps at 2k I would get the 2080 over the 1070 ti
 
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This build is way more of a top shelf experience for the money

https://hardforum.com/threads/1600-all-in-gaming-build-quick-gut-check.1976067/

Better monitor, better graphics card, better case, better overall experience —- better where it actually matters — no question and almost $1k cheaper. (For longevity consider buying an 8 core/16 thread CPU as a minimum at this point. Why? the next gen consoles by both Microsoft and Sony are confirmed to be using a 8 core Ryzen, and also the fact that DX12 loads all CPU cores/threads better. I wouldn’t buy a hex core right now at those prices with a 5 year horizon - as you don’t want less hardware spec than the next gen consoles that the next gen gaming engines are being designed for)

High hz gaming monitors are overated 75-100hz is all you need IMO. And 34” ultra wide vs 24” high hz? Get out of here. I’d wager 10 out of 10 gamers would pick the 100hz ultrawide over a 24” 165hz monitor. I personally can’t tell the difference with Freesync or Gsync on between 75Hz and 144hz - so chasing this high refresh rate TN panels is a bad choice IMO. I’d rather have IPS or VA panel than TN panel’s bad colors and bad viewing angles.

I’d defiantely pick up a 2080 over a 1070ti. That’s a no brainer, but the more relevant price comparison would be a 2060 or 2070 against a 1070ti.
 
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Matthew A said:
Hey guys, I've been doing some research but I can't come to a conclusion. What do you think? Should I get the GTX 1070 Ti or the RTX 2080 for what I want?
Click to expand...
2080 but I like to know your reasoning behind not coming to a conclusion, this will give us insights how we can help you.
 
Archaea said:
This build is way more of a top shelf experience for the money

https://hardforum.com/threads/1600-all-in-gaming-build-quick-gut-check.1976067/

Better monitor, better graphics card, better case, better overall experience —- better where it actually matters — no question and almost $1k cheaper. (For longevity consider buying an 8 core/16 thread CPU as a minimum at this point. Why? the next gen consoles by both Microsoft and Sony are confirmed to be using a 8 core Ryzen, and also the fact that DX12 loads all CPU cores/threads better. I wouldn’t buy a hex core right now at those prices with a 5 year horizon - as you don’t want less hardware spec than the next gen consoles that the next gen gaming engines are being designed for)

High hz gaming monitors are overated 75-100hz is all you need IMO. And 34” ultra wide vs 24” high hz? Get out of here. I’d wager 10 out of 10 gamers would pick the 100hz ultrawide over a 24” 165hz monitor. I personally can’t tell the difference with Freesync or Gsync on between 75Hz and 144hz - so chasing this high refresh rate TN panels is a bad choice IMO. I’d rather have IPS or VA panel than TN panel’s bad colors and bad viewing angles.

I’d defiantely pick up a 2080 over a 1070ti. That’s a no brainer, but the more relevant price comparison would be a 2060 or 2070 against a 1070ti.
Click to expand...

Coming from a 27inch 144hz GSync 2k monitor to a 34 inch Ultrawide at 100hz, I agree with you.
 
pooloffire said:
One recommendation is to not use the S340 Elite. Horrible cooling. The front is very closed off and will hinder your intakes. My wife has it and we ended up taking the front off the case. Look for something with a mesh front. Much better for your front intakes. For the price of that case you could get this. https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Maste...549420259&sr=1-5&keywords=cooler+master+h500m
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Ok I didn't realize the case might be an issue, I like this case and I'll look around for some that are better with cooling and space management. (I dont have a ton of space because I am living in a dorm but really any medium size case is fine. Thanks for your input.

Archaea said:
This build is way more of a top shelf experience for the money

https://hardforum.com/threads/1600-all-in-gaming-build-quick-gut-check.1976067/

Better monitor, better graphics card, better case, better overall experience —- better where it actually matters — no question and almost $1k cheaper. (For longevity consider buying an 8 core/16 thread CPU as a minimum at this point. Why? the next gen consoles by both Microsoft and Sony are confirmed to be using a 8 core Ryzen, and also the fact that DX12 loads all CPU cores/threads better. I wouldn’t buy a hex core right now at those prices with a 5 year horizon - as you don’t want less hardware spec than the next gen consoles that the next gen gaming engines are being designed for)

High hz gaming monitors are overated 75-100hz is all you need IMO. And 34” ultra wide vs 24” high hz? Get out of here. I’d wager 10 out of 10 gamers would pick the 100hz ultrawide over a 24” 165hz monitor. I personally can’t tell the difference with Freesync or Gsync on between 75Hz and 144hz - so chasing this high refresh rate TN panels is a bad choice IMO. I’d rather have IPS or VA panel than TN panel’s bad colors and bad viewing angles.

I’d defiantely pick up a 2080 over a 1070ti. That’s a no brainer, but the more relevant price comparison would be a 2060 or 2070 against a 1070ti.
Click to expand...
I was a bit worried about the monitor because it was a TN panel and if the hz dont matter so much 100+ then I'll definitely look into some other monitors, I know the build you recommend has a monitor in it but what would you recommend to be a better option? Thanks for your input.

Chimpee said:
2080 but I like to know your reasoning behind not coming to a conclusion, this will give us insights how we can help you.
Click to expand...
Well I was under the impression that the GTX 1070 Ti was one of the top contenders but when I saw the comparison between the RTX 2080 and the GTX 1070 Ti the difference was clear. My only draw back was that it was decently more expensive but thats not too big of deal, I'll just need to save a little more, worth it in my option. Thanks for the input.

Also one thing I didn't mention before that I should mention now is that upgradability is important to me. If a few years down the line I want to switch out a part for a better one I would like to do that without too much complication. I just wanted to make that remark. Thanks for taking the time to look at this it really helps. :)
 
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If you check out slickdeals.net you can find a rtx2080 for $600-640 regularly.

My opinion doesn’t change in this budget ball park. Maybe you pick up a 2700X vs. a 2700.

I think you should buy an 8 core / 16 thread CPU for the reasons I outlined above, and that gets expensive on Intel side. Pay double for the motherboard and pay more than double for the CPU — all for not much performance difference at 3440x1440 or 4K or even 2k. The GPU is the limiting factor more than the CPU. Maybe a couple FPS different at those higher resolutions.

Ryzen 3 should be better fleshed out in six months and it’s supposed to be a budget performance monster. Might be worth waiting to see what that’s about — but then not anything wrong with Ryzen second gen and it’s here and cheap now and you can likely upgrade to Ryzen 3 if you buy a X470 based motherboard without swapping anything else. AM4 is supposed to be the standard AMD platform through 2020.

That MSI monitor is like 80-85% as good as my Alienware AW3418DW subjectively after using both — The Alienware is considered the best ultrawide in the market right now. The MSI is 50% the cost. You’ll have to figure out the value of that trade off.
 
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Id go rtx 2060 or higher 1070 isnt worth it nowadays

id go seasonic psu hands down cant be beat at all thats it
 
Matthew A said:
Well I was under the impression that the GTX 1070 Ti was one of the top contenders but when I saw the comparison between the RTX 2080 and the GTX 1070 Ti the difference was clear. My only draw back was that it was decently more expensive but thats not too big of deal, I'll just need to save a little more, worth it in my option. Thanks for the input.

Also one thing I didn't mention before that I should mention now is that upgradability is important to me. If a few years down the line I want to switch out a part for a better one I would like to do that without too much complication. I just wanted to make that remark. Thanks for taking the time to look at this it really helps. :)
Click to expand...

I was wondering if you were thinking 1080Ti, as that was the top performance card sans Titan line for the 10 series, the RTX 2080 and GTX 1080Ti have relatively the same performance if you don't account for DLSS or Raytracing. A 1070Ti is decent for 2k gaming, may not able to push high FPS if you like to max setting but to me, that is a starting point for 2k gaming. Depending what games you play, a 1070Ti maybe more than adequate for you, while you don't have to spend so much on GPU. But if you planning to get an ultrawide 1440p monitor, I don't think a 1070Ti will cut it since you pushing 1.3 million more pixels, unless turning down settings.
 
Archaea said:
If you check out slickdeals.net you can find a rtx2080 for $600-640 regularly.

My opinion doesn’t change in this budget ball park. Maybe you pick up a 2700X vs. a 2700.

I think you should buy an 8 core / 16 thread CPU for the reasons I outlined above, and that gets expensive on Intel side. Pay double for the motherboard and pay more than double for the CPU — all for not much performance difference at 3440x1440 or 4K or even 2k. The GPU is the limiting factor more than the CPU. Maybe a couple FPS different at those higher resolutions.

Ryzen 3 should be better fleshed out in six months and it’s supposed to be a budget performance monster. Might be worth waiting to see what that’s about — but then not anything wrong with Ryzen second gen and it’s here and cheap now and you can likely upgrade to Ryzen 3 if you buy a X470 based motherboard without swapping anything else. AM4 is supposed to be the standard AMD platform through 2020.

That MSI monitor is like 80-85% as good as my Alienware AW3418DW subjectively after using both — The Alienware is considered the best ultrawide in the market right now. The MSI is 50% the cost. You’ll have to figure out the value of that trade off.
Click to expand...

Just curious, do you experience any ghosting effect on the MSI panel, I know that is a common issue for VA panels.
 
Chimpee said:
Just curious, do you experience any ghosting effect on the MSI panel, I know that is a common issue for VA panels.
Click to expand...
No. The MSI doesn’t have that problem and I know exactly what you are talking about.
Here’s the minor nit picks I have against it in comparison to the very nice Alienware I have.

Colors are one small step down, a very small step down.

Stand is a big step down, it’s too short and there is no VESA mounting holes. It’s sturdy, but it’s only lifting the monitor a few inches off the table. My Alienware stand has my monitor lifted 8.5” off the table, and I’d prefer it was just a bit more. I’m tall though so that might matter less to some folk.

The other thing is on the MSI only the user setting looks good to me. The precanned settings like Game, Cinema, Video have sharpness cranked way too high. It’s disturbing. User looks good though, i don’t think i have a huge preference towards the Alienware screen when both are setup. The VA lacks IPS glow (a good thing!), and it doesn’t have a problem with black to white, white to black ghosting, which as you mentioned is a pitfall of VA panels. I played some Path of Exile with it which is a game that usually looks bad with VA panels because item drops have fine white text on moving darker backgrounds. (When your character is walking) No problems!!!

100hz works great on the MSI, and when the 1080 wasn’t able to maintain 100FPS and dropped to the occasional 60FPS level, even without Freesync or gsync my friend and I didn’t notice any obvious screen tearing in PubG. We both commented that observation was somewhat surprising in our limited testing.

Gsync to Freesync works, but there are some bugs in the current driver revision I think. I saw the frame rates drop to 48 FPS with gsync and Freesync on several times and stay there artificially, When with that variable refresh rate tech disabled it never dropped below low 60s in PubG with the Nvidia 1080 card. Who knows if that bug will be fixed by Nvidia future driver updates - or if it’s game specific. I suspect that problem wouldn't exist with an AMD graphics card, my personal experience with Freesync front to end with my pair of AMD Fury X cards and my three HP Omen 32 was excellent. The pendulum gsync demo works well on the MSI fed by NVidia 1080 and does what it’s supposed to do with Freesync turned on. It looks noticeably smoother on as expected. More evaluation is needed on this subject, but I no longer have the monitor to test further. Basically consider variable refresh handshake between NVidia and this Freesync panel as a big YMMV right now, and it's probably app/driver specific. Probably smarter to just plan to use it with a AMD card with Freesync front to end until further testing confirms the bugs are fixed if variable refresh rate tech is a absolute must.

In my opinion the MSI is a steal at <$400 in the current market (Microcenter price). Motion is really good even without variable refresh rate tech on, viewing angles are good with the curve (no problem), colors and picture are good on the preset/customizable "user mode", and the monitor I tested had no backlight bleed or pixel issues. Therefore, I recommend the MSI heartily, if budget or financial sense disallow the kingpin Alienware monitor --- which clearly costs over double at it's current $850 saleprice range.
 
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Archaea said:
If you check out slickdeals.net you can find a rtx2080 for $600-640 regularly.

My opinion doesn’t change in this budget ball park. Maybe you pick up a 2700X vs. a 2700.

I think you should buy an 8 core / 16 thread CPU for the reasons I outlined above, and that gets expensive on Intel side. Pay double for the motherboard and pay more than double for the CPU — all for not much performance difference at 3440x1440 or 4K or even 2k. The GPU is the limiting factor more than the CPU. Maybe a couple FPS different at those higher resolutions.

Ryzen 3 should be better fleshed out in six months and it’s supposed to be a budget performance monster. Might be worth waiting to see what that’s about — but then not anything wrong with Ryzen second gen and it’s here and cheap now and you can likely upgrade to Ryzen 3 if you buy a X470 based motherboard without swapping anything else. AM4 is supposed to be the standard AMD platform through 2020.

That MSI monitor is like 80-85% as good as my Alienware AW3418DW subjectively after using both — The Alienware is considered the best ultrawide in the market right now. The MSI is 50% the cost. You’ll have to figure out the value of that trade off.
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I'm looking around for MSI VA 2k monitors and they're starting to seem like a pretty sweet deal, thanks for the tip, I'll post the one I'm looking at to see what you guys think of it. As for the CPU this computer is going to primarily be a gaming PC, do you think I'll benefit much from the extra cores and threading or should I stick to my 8700k?

Chimpee said:
I was wondering if you were thinking 1080Ti, as that was the top performance card sans Titan line for the 10 series, the RTX 2080 and GTX 1080Ti have relatively the same performance if you don't account for DLSS or Raytracing. A 1070Ti is decent for 2k gaming, may not able to push high FPS if you like to max setting but to me, that is a starting point for 2k gaming. Depending what games you play, a 1070Ti maybe more than adequate for you, while you don't have to spend so much on GPU. But if you planning to get an ultrawide 1440p monitor, I don't think a 1070Ti will cut it since you pushing 1.3 million more pixels, unless turning down settings.
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Now that I've done more searching and for what I want I think the RTX 2080 might be a better fit for me (max graphics, 2k). It's not ridiculously overpriced and it'll last me a long time not to mention those good frames lol. I don't really care about ray tracing because from what I hear is that it's kinda a mess.

what do we think of this monitor? You'll have to pardon my lack of knowledge when it comes to monitors, I'm a bit ill versed in them so you'll have to work with me on this lol. I don't think I want any bigger than a 27 inch because I have limited desk space in my dorm.

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Non-Glare-Resolution-Optix-MAG27CQ/dp/B079NGSWRL?th=1

Again thanks for taking the time to respond. Have a great day! :)
 
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Matthew A said:
I'm looking around for MSI VA 2k monitors and they're starting to seem like a pretty sweet deal, thanks for the tip, I'll post the one I'm looking at to see what you guys think of it. As for the CPU this computer is going to primarily be a gaming PC, do you think I'll benefit much from the extra cores and threading or should I stick to my 8700k?


Now that I've done more searching and for what I want I think the RTX 2080 might be a better fit for me (max graphics, 2k). It's not ridiculously overpriced and it'll last me a long time not to mention those good frames lol. I don't really care about ray tracing because from what I hear is that it's kinda a mess.

what do we think of this monitor? You'll have to pardon my lack of knowledge when it comes to monitors, I'm a bit ill versed in them so you'll have to work with me on this lol. I don't think I want any bigger than a 27 inch because I have limited desk space in my dorm.

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Non-Glare-Resolution-Optix-MAG27CQ/dp/B079NGSWRL?th=1

Again thanks for taking the time to respond. Have a great day! :)
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After using a 27inch QHD to a 34inch UWQHD, it is really hard for me to justify going back to 27inch due to all the real estates I have. Granted, there will be games that won't support UWQHD (especially old ones), but those that do, it definitely feels much more immersive.

But that MSI monitor does look good but for the same price you can also get the 34inch ultrawide, but if space is a concern, 27inch is suitable though I do feel like you can do better in pricing, maybe wait for Newegg sale or if you lived near a Microcenter, they have pretty good sales too. The only unknown is the compatibility between RTX 2080 and that monitor when enable adaptive vsync.
 
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Chimpee said:
After using a 27inch QHD to a 34inch UWQHD, it is really hard for me to justify going back to 27inch due to all the real estates I have. Granted, there will be games that won't support UWQHD (especially old ones), but those that do, it definitely feels much more immersive.

But that MSI monitor does look good but for the same price you can also get the 34inch ultrawide, but if space is a concern, 27inch is suitable though I do feel like you can do better in pricing, maybe wait for Newegg sale or if you lived near a Microcenter, they have pretty good sales too. The only unknown is the compatibility between RTX 2080 and that monitor when enable adaptive vsync.
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Ok, thanks for the tip, believe me I would get a 34 inch if I could but on my little desk it would practically be falling off! As for compatibility between monitor and GPUs I didn't realize there could be issues with that, how would I find that out?
 
I already mentioned why I personally wouldn’t build a hex core right now, so I won’t go into that again. Suffice to say I think it’s a short term gain, long term loss. You make up your own mind given your own intuition.

Don’t buy a 27” instead of a 34” at the same price. A 34” IS a 27” with but just with extra width on the side. The vertical height is identical both physically and in pixel count. There is zero reason to a 27” 16x9 unless you are trying to fit the monitor in some sort of built in wooden hutch or cabinet structure that isn’t possible to modify.

You will appreciate the 34” for CinemaScope movies (21:9 aspect ratio), for school work (word doc and a web page side by side with plenty of pixel room for both), for gaming because the extra width adds much to the perception of immersion. It also is an advantage in games as you see more of the game world.
 
Archaea said:
I already mentioned why I personally wouldn’t build a hex core right now, so I won’t go into that again. Suffice to say I think it’s a short term gain, long term loss. You make up your own mind given your own intuition.

Don’t buy a 27” instead of a 34” at the same price. A 34” IS a 27” with but just with extra width on the side. The vertical height is identical both physically and in pixel count. There is zero reason to a 27” 16x9 unless you are trying to fit the monitor in some sort of built in wooden hutch or cabinet structure that isn’t possible to modify.

You will appreciate the 34” for CinemaScope movies (21:9 aspect ratio), for school work (word doc and a web page side by side with plenty of pixel room for both), for gaming because the extra width adds much to the perception of immersion. It also is an advantage in games as you see more of the game world.
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If they're the same price I'll have to go for the 34 inch, I'll check out it's size in person and see how it fits. As for the CPU I'm doing some more research and I have a question on something I haven't really been able to get a straight answer for. When comparing the 2700X to something like the 9700K, what's the difference between the threads? The 2700X having 16 threads and the 9700K 8 threads along with the same amount of cores, the 9700K always gets put on top for performance for gaming so how important are the threads? I get the importance of the cores but not so much on the threads. Not to mention something like the 8700K despite having 6 cores and 12 threads gets put above the 2700x in gaming. Why is this?
 
Matthew A said:
Ok, thanks for the tip, believe me I would get a 34 inch if I could but on my little desk it would practically be falling off! As for compatibility between monitor and GPUs I didn't realize there could be issues with that, how would I find that out?
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Nvidia does have a list of monitor they tested for compatibility already, but it is currently a bit lackluster since they just started supporting freesync monitors.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/products/g-sync-monitors/specs/

Here is someone else experience using MAG27CQ with Nvidia.


Also, since you are looking to build your computer on a medium size case, just be aware of internal space available, especially if you install AIO and fans, you may run into clearance issue when installing the GPU.
 
Chimpee said:
Nvidia does have a list of monitor they tested for compatibility already, but it is currently a bit lackluster since they just started supporting freesync monitors.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/products/g-sync-monitors/specs/

Here is someone else experience using MAG27CQ with Nvidia.


Also, since you are looking to build your computer on a medium size case, just be aware of internal space available, especially if you install AIO and fans, you may run into clearance issue when installing the GPU.
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Thanks, thats very helpful, I'll look into it some more. thanks for the tip!
 
Matthew A said:
If they're the same price I'll have to go for the 34 inch, I'll check out it's size in person and see how it fits. As for the CPU I'm doing some more research and I have a question on something I haven't really been able to get a straight answer for. When comparing the 2700X to something like the 9700K, what's the difference between the threads? The 2700X having 16 threads and the 9700K 8 threads along with the same amount of cores, the 9700K always gets put on top for performance for gaming so how important are the threads? I get the importance of the cores but not so much on the threads. Not to mention something like the 8700K despite having 6 cores and 12 threads gets put above the 2700x in gaming. Why is this?
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2700X has 8 actual cores and 8 SMT where as 9700K only has 8 actual cores and no SMT, that is only available on the 9900K. There certain programs that can take advantage of using SMT and help speed up certain task, most of these advantage are generally use is productivity programs (editing or rendering programs). Games are slowly adopting to use more thread and probably why Archaea view the 2700 or 2700X is a better buy. 9700K usually wins in games since it is still king in IPC and still have a clock advantage, though this will probably change with the release of Ryzen 3000 series in the 2nd half of 2019.
 
Chimpee said:
2700X has 8 actual cores and 8 SMT where as 9700K only has 8 actual cores and no SMT, that is only available on the 9900K. There certain programs that can take advantage of using SMT and help speed up certain task, most of these advantage are generally use is productivity programs (editing or rendering programs). Games are slowly adopting to use more thread and probably why Archaea view the 2700 or 2700X is a better buy. 9700K usually wins in games since it is still king in IPC and still have a clock advantage, though this will probably change with the release of Ryzen 3000 series in the 2nd half of 2019.
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Ok so I see, if I get a 8700k or a 9700k it'll be good for now but If I go for the 2700x it'll be a better long term investment for the games coming out with 8 cores and more threads in mind? I was getting tripped up on the benchmark comparisons. Thanks for the clarification. :)
 
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Matthew A said:
Ok so I see, if I get a 8700k 9700k it'll be good for now but If I go for the 2700x it'll be a better long term investment for the games coming out with 8 cores in mind? I was getting tripped up on the benchmark comparisons. Thanks for the clarification. :)
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Whether it is a good investment or not really depends on use case but at the same price as a 8700K or 9700K, a 2700X is a very attractive CPU, you lose about 5% in FPS while gaining 2 extra cores and SMT. Is it the best? No, a 9900K performs better but at a cost of a pretty penny. You also get a decent air cooler for the 2700X that you can use or just have it as a backup. Sorry for not really answering your question but it is really depend what you use your computer for.
 
Chimpee said:
Whether it is a good investment or not really depends on use case but at the same price as a 8700K or 9700K, a 2700X is a very attractive CPU, you lose about 5% in FPS while gaining 2 extra cores and SMT. Is it the best? No, a 9900K performs better but at a cost of a pretty penny. You also get a decent air cooler for the 2700X that you can use or just have it as a backup. Sorry for not really answering your question but it is really depend what you use your computer for.
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No worries, you definitely clarified it for me. As for what I'll be using this PC for will be primarily and maybe even almost elusively gaming. Thanks!

Also found the 32 inch for only $10 more, does free sync work with g sync? and if not is that a big deal?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824475015&Description=32 inch 144hz&cm_re=32_inch_144hz-_-24-475-015-_-Product

(Also glad to hear the ghosting isn't really an issue with this, I was nervous about that with the VA panels. and response time, 1ms, sounds great to me.)
 
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Matthew A said:
No worries, you definitely clarified it for me. As for what I'll be using this PC for will be primarily and maybe even almost elusively gaming. Thanks!

Also found the 32 inch for only $10 more, does free sync work with g sync? and if not is that a big deal?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824475015&Description=32 inch 144hz&cm_re=32_inch_144hz-_-24-475-015-_-Product

(Also glad to hear the ghosting isn't really an issue with this, I was nervous about that with the VA panels. and response time, 1ms, sounds great to me.)
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This monitor hasn't been tested yet by Nvidia, but you can force Gsync on Freesync monitors now, though your YMMV when it comes to using it. At 32 at 1440p, your ppi will be 93, while a 27 inch at 1440p, your ppi is 109, from a gaming perspective, an image looks sharper having a higher ppi though text will look smaller.
 
Chimpee said:
This monitor hasn't been tested yet by Nvidia, but you can force Gsync on Freesync monitors now, though your YMMV when it comes to using it. At 32 at 1440p, your ppi will be 93, while a 27 inch at 1440p, your ppi is 109, from a gaming perspective, an image looks sharper having a higher ppi though text will look smaller.
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Ok, I see. How important is g sync and free sync at high frames, just curious if maybe I should be looking for a monitor that supports g sync fully if its really important. Thanks for the input.
 
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