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gaming pc between 850min - 1100max

C

c0d3ster

n00b
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
60
I built my first computer about 5 years ago, and haven't really been in the scene since.. I am looking to help a friend build a computer that will run well with battlefield 4. I'm thinking an i5 with a GTX670 and a 23" monitor, maybe 8 gigs of ram if posssible.. I have a 1 year old kid and don't have the time to research things like I used to.. I appreciate any advice/ help i can get!! Thank you!

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Mostly gaming / watching movies (especially Battlefield 4)
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
850-1100
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Camarillo, California
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word
"Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Case, CPU, RAM, Video card, Hard drive, Monitor,
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
no parts being re-used
6) Will you be overclocking?
probably not
7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Need to buy.. looking for a 23"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
now
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
Looking for SLi support.. Possibly starting out with a GTX670
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Will need to purchase.. hoping for 64bit :)

Thanks for your help
 
I was hoping to get a gtx670. Is that motherboard compatible with it?
I definitely want the option to be able to upgrade easily down the road in say 3-5 years or so (different cpu/ gpu's)
I like the CPU though :) I was thinking the i5 4670K would be sweet
 
Wait to purchase the video card until next week when AMD releases the new 2XX series.
 
Don't get any of Carl224's recommendations. They're not suitable for your needs. Especially the poor choice of the Core i75 4670K when you're not oveclocking at all. I'll be back later today with a build list for you.

Also, FYI, the GTX 670 is outdated by the cheaper GTX 760.
 
All right, now that I'm home, here's what I recommend:
$200 - Intel Core i5-4570 CPU
$95 - MSI Z87-G41 PC MATE Intel Z87 ATX Motherboard
$70 - Corsair CMX8GX3M1A1333C9 8GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$260 - Gigabyte GV-N760OC-2GD GTX 760 2GB PCI-E Video Card
$65 - Western Digital Blue WD10EZEX 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$85 - Seasonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W Modular PSU
$50 - Corsair Carbide Series 200R ATX Case
$89 - Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit OEM
$160 - Asus VS238H-P Black 23" LCD Monitor
--
Total: $1074 plus tax

Since you're not overclocking, no reason for you to go with the Core i5 4670K. Also, you're not playing at a resolution where you would need SLI. The GTX 760 will be more than enough. As said earlier, the GTX 760 performs roughly the same as the GTX 670 while being cheaper.
 
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with that $95 - MSI Z87-G41 PC MATE Intel Z87 ATX Motherboard, would I have the option to upgrade to SLi down the road if I wanted to? I want to keep that option open, as sometimes it is cheaper to upgrade to a second card than to buy a really expensive, nice card..

Is that true or am I mistaken?

I really like everything else you have chosen though Dangman, thanks!
 
c0d3ster said:
with that $95 - MSI Z87-G41 PC MATE Intel Z87 ATX Motherboard, would I have the option to upgrade to SLi down the road if I wanted to?
Click to expand...
No. You would need to spend another $35 or so for SLI capability. You would also need to spend another $15 to $25 for a larger PSU capable of SLI. Considering that we're already over your budget once we factor in CA sales tax, it's probably not a good idea budget wise to get SLI capability.
c0d3ster said:
I want to keep that option open, as sometimes it is cheaper to upgrade to a second card than to buy a really expensive, nice card..

Is that true or am I mistaken?
Click to expand...
It depend. There are some situations where going SLI doesn't make much sense:
- A new single GPU performs as well as your planned SLI setup while using significantly less heat and power
- That second GPU is pricey for the performance increase you're getting
- The game you're playing exceeds 2GB of VRAM,
- It's more cost-effective to sell your old GPU, combine that with the money you're about to spend on the second GPU, and just buy one brand new GPU.
- The games you're playing won't benefit from SLI

There are some where it makes good sense to go with SLI
- There's no single GPU upgrade that'll outperform your planned SLI setup for the money you can spend
- The game you're playing will absolutely benefit from SLI at your 1080P resolution,
- Extremely good deal on the second GPU,
- The game you're playing won't exceed 2GB of VRAM
- You're playing games with three monitors at once.


In other words, there's a bunch of factors that determine whether or not SLI is a good idea.
 
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