New Gaming Build

[Tremeaus]

My current computer just turned 10 years old, so I think it's probably about time to get a new one. Yes, you read that right, ten(!) years old. According to Moore's Law, the new one should be something like 2^5=32 times more powerful. I'm really looking forward to it. Most recent games either run extremely poorly or not at all.

I'm not expecting my new computer to last me another ten years, but I would like it to at least run most games (on low settings if necessary) for a good number of years with minimal upgrades. I'm not the sort of person who won't play a game unless it's running on max settings. If anything, I'm the opposite. I play games for the gameplay, the storyline, the adventure, the strategy, etc., and sweet graphics are really just a nice added bonus. The bottom line is that I'd like to build a pretty solid gaming computer that is upgradeable but also won't require upgrading very often. I'd also like the computer to run quietly, if possible.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, video streaming, web browsing, word processing, dual-boot Windows/Linux

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
I'd like to get a good gaming system that will last me a while, but I'd also like to keep the cost down as much as is reasonable. Total cost is less of an issue to me than "bang for the buck." Ideally I'd like to keep the cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000-1200, but I could be convinced to go up to ~$1500 if there was a good reason. As I already mentioned, I'm looking more for "good deals" than an absolute price cap.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Maryland, US. Definitely within driving distance of Microcenter.

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.
The entire machine (Case, Fans, PSU, Motherboard, CPU and cooler/heatsink, GPU, RAM, HDD/SSD, CD/DVD Drive, Sound Card) and a monitor.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
None.

6) Will you be overclocking?
Still trying to decide. I guess it might depend somewhat on how much additional cost it will add.

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
My old monitor just died, so I need a new one. I'm planning to use one monitor for right now, but I would like to have dual-monitor support for the future. For the new monitor, I'm thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 23/24 inches, ideally with a stand that allows it to swivel 90 degrees so I can view long documents more easily. I also personally dislike the 16:9 aspect ratio for use with a computer because there's not as much vertical space.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Starting now, but I'm not in a huge hurry. If there's a big sale coming up soon or something, I can wait for it.

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.
USB 3.0

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No, my only license is for Windows XP.

 

[Dangman]

How long is the drive to Microcenter? The cost of a new OS key is part of that $1200 budget, correct?

 

[Tremeaus]

The drive to Microcenter is ~20-30 minutes as long as you avoid rush hour, so it's really pretty close.

As for the OS, I guess I hadn't completely thought out all the costs, so how about I update the budget to ~$1400-1500.

 

[tiraides]

Here's one "bang for the buck" build:

$310 - Intel Core i5-4670K and Asus Z87-A Micro Center bundle
$30 - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU cooler
$70 - Crucial Ballistix Sport 2x4GB DDR3 1600 CL9 1.5V dual-channel kit
$260 - Gigabyte GTX 760 2GB PCI-E video card
$169 - Samsung 840 Series 250GB SSD
$92 - Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
$16 - LG GH24NS95 SATA DVD burner
$68 - Corsair CX750 750 watt power supply
$44 - NZXT Source 210 Elite ATX mid-tower case
$90 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium or Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit OEM
=====
$1149 - Subtotal (not including shipping, taxes, or rebates)

Head to Micro Center to grab the processor, the motherboard, the RAM, the CPU cooler, and the optical drive. Go to Amazon for the rest of the parts.

As you know, Micro Center has some of the best prices on processor/motherboard bundles and the i5-4670K is more than enough for your needs. The Asus Z87-A has a good assortment of features including USB 3.0, six SATA 6Gb/s ports, and SLI and CrossFire support. (If you're not a fan of Asus, a couple of good alternatives are the MSI Z87-GD65 and the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD4H.)

Onboard sound has improved significantly from ten years ago, so try the onboard sound out first before searching for a sound card.

Every other part was chosen as from a price/performance perspective. I added on the Hyper 212 EVO as an easy way to start overclocking. The recently released GTX 760 performs about the same as the GTX 660 Ti and the HD 7950, which makes it a better value.

I believe that 2TB of hard drive space for under $100 makes the Seagate Barracuda a much better value than the 1TB WD Blue or the faster WD Black. But the WD Black has a five-year warranty, which may interest you if you're concerned about the long-term reliability of the HDD.

Since you prefer a 1920x1200 resolution, two good options are the Dell U2412M and the Asus PA248Q. Since there is no such thing as a "perfect" monitor, however, I suggest that you read some reviews (and try them out at Micro Center, if they're available) before deciding on one or the other.

 

[Tremeaus]

Thanks for your recommendations. Everything you said makes sense to me. My only question is about the RAM. As someone who currently runs Windows XP, I have no concept for what it really takes to run stuff on the newer OS's. It looks like I can double my RAM from 8GB to 16GB for about $50. Will I notice any difference with the extra memory (now or in the future) or will it not really matter? If it will be helpful in the future, I think I'd rather just get the memory now instead of upgrading later.

 

[Dangman]

Thanks for your recommendations. Everything you said makes sense to me. My only question is about the RAM. As someone who currently runs Windows XP, I have no concept for what it really takes to run stuff on the newer OS's. It looks like I can double my RAM from 8GB to 16GB for about $50. Will I notice any difference with the extra memory (now or in the future) or will it not really matter? If it will be helpful in the future, I think I'd rather just get the memory now instead of upgrading later.

Largely dependent on how you use your PC. For me, I can easily hit 8GB of VRAM with more than two dozen web browser windows each with several tabs. But not everyone browses the way I do all the time. And that's before I start playing a game or launch one or two virtual machines. Though if you're the type that only opens like two web browser windows with less than a dozen tabs between the two, 8GB of RAM will be enough.

If you can afford it, I recommend going for the 16GB of RAM since RAM prices have been going up over the past few months. At one point, 8GB of RAM was close to $35. Now it's nearly double that.

But just to make sure, what 16GB of RAM set were you looking at?

 

[Tremeaus]

It sounds like I should definitely go for 16GB of RAM then. I have a tendency to have many tabs open at once, so the extra memory should be helpful. As for which RAM to buy, I was initially just looking at the 16 GB version of the RAM that tiraides recommended. However, if you have another recommendation, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Dangman]

No, the RAM you linked is fine.

 

[Tremeaus]

One more question: is there any reason I might want to get a more expensive case? I noticed some other cases have more USB ports and other features, but cases are pretty much the one area I really have no clue what I'm looking for. Any advice?

 

[Dangman]

One more question: is there any reason I might want to get a more expensive case? I noticed some other cases have more USB ports and other features, but cases are pretty much the one area I really have no clue what I'm looking for. Any advice?

Generally, more expensive cases tend to be have better cooling, more room/space, better cable management, extra little features, better quality, lower noise (depending on the case), better mounts for water cooling setups, and/or even better looks.

Some cases to look at:
$60 - Corsair Carbide Series 200R ATX Case
$87 - Corsair Carbide Series 300R ATX Case
$100 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$100 - Antec 1100 ATX Case
$100 - Fractal Design Define R4 Arctic White ATX Case
$112 - Fractal Design Define R4 with Window Arctic White ATX Case
$110 - Antec P280 ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li PC-7HX Black Aluminum ATX Case
$105 - Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case
$100 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Gunmetal Black ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Arctic White ATX Case
$150 - Corsair Graphite Series 600TM ATX Case
$135 - Fractal Design Define R4 with Window Black Pearl ATX Case
$135 - Fractal Design Define R4 with Window Titanium Grey ATX Case
$140 - Corsair Obsidian Series 550D ATX Case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-W ATX case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-WA ATX case
$154 - Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$168 - Silverstone TJ04B-EW ATX Case
$167 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
$230 - Silverstone FT02B-USB3.0 ATX Case
$250 - Silverstone FT02S-W-USB3.0 ATX Case

 

[rpchip]

Danny, the corsair 400 is on sell from newegg's e-blast for $90 with $20 rebate. They now require you to put in you email address before allowing you to apply the e-blast code.

 

[Tremeaus]

OK, so my life unexpectedly got really busy, and I didn't have time to buy/build my new computer yet. Has anything changed significantly? I'm planning to buy everything this weekend.

 

[tiraides]

The Micro Center bundle cost less, but the price of RAM overall has jumped.

Out of curiosity, which games did you plan on playing?

 

[Tremeaus]

In general, I tend to play a variety of different types of games, ranging from turn-based strategy to first-person shooters to RPG's (MMO and single-player) to real-time strategy to space combat sims to arcade, etc. However, I honestly have been far too busy to play any games at all for the past few months, not that I could anyway because my current computer is 10 years old and dying.

At this point, I really need a more functional computer to make grad school studying easier, but if I'm going to get a new computer, I figure I should get something good that can handle most of my gaming interests for a while to come. Even though I haven't had time lately, I do expect to find some time to play games off and on throughout the next year and beyond. I'd also really like to avoid upgrading anything on the system for a few years if possible since I have enough other things to worry about already.

So, to answer your question specifically: I don't have any games in particular currently in mind, aside from Europa Universalis IV and Skyrim. I'll likely decide which other games to buy and play depending on my mood when I actually have time to play them.

 

[tiraides]

The prices from Amazon fluctuate as often as daily, so I can't give you a completely accurate picture as to what became cheaper and what got more expensive since last time. The only significant change from my view is the power supply; it's jumped to around the same price as some better quality alternatives. Instead, I recommend that you either go with one of those alternatives or settle on a cheaper power supply.

Oh, I forgot: The RAM's cheaper online.

The rest of my parts recommendations are still valid. Micro Center is crucial as you'll save the most money on its parts bundle and in-store specials.

 

[Tremeaus]

I noticed that the alternative supplies you suggested have lower wattage ratings than the one you originally suggested. From what I've heard about power supplies, the quality of the power is more important than the actual wattage rating, at least to a point, but I wanted to double-check that I'm not going to run into power issues using a PSU with a lower wattage rating. I understand power supplies conceptually, but I don't have enough experience with actual power usage numbers to know what I need.

Am I also correct in thinking that Gold-rated PSU's are more energy efficient, or do they just produce more stable power when the load changes suddenly? One thing I liked about the SeaSonic PSU you suggested is that one of the reviews mentioned that it's silent when the load is low. I don't mind some fan noise when I'm pushing the system while playing a game, but ideally I'd like it to be pretty quiet while it's just idling.

I've gone ahead and ordered most of the stuff on Amazon or reserved it for in-store pickup at Microcenter. I only changed two things: I upgraded to 16GB of RAM, and I got the Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case that Danny linked to. Now I just need to make a final choice on the PSU and the OS. I'm still going back and forth between Windows 7 and 8. In certain ways, 8 makes sense since it's newer/more secure/faster/etc. but I've really hated the interface the few times I've had the occasion to use it. Any comments or thoughts on OS choice? To be honest, I even found it a chore to close programs in Windows 8, but perhaps I'm missing something?

 

[Dangman]

I noticed that the alternative supplies you suggested have lower wattage ratings than the one you originally suggested. From what I've heard about power supplies, the quality of the power is more important than the actual wattage rating, at least to a point, but I wanted to double-check that I'm not going to run into power issues using a PSU with a lower wattage rating. I understand power supplies conceptually, but I don't have enough experience with actual power usage numbers to know what I need.

You are indeed correct in that the quality of the power supply itself is more important than the actual wattage rating. Since you are not overclocking, have no plans for SLI, or planning ot have 20 hard drives, you don't need a 750W PSU. Any of the PSUs that Tiraides recommended will be just fine for your needs. With that said, I'd go for the Seasonic myself.

Am I also correct in thinking that Gold-rated PSU's are more energy efficient, or do they just produce more stable power when the load changes suddenly?

Gold PSUs are suppose to more energy efficient. However, I wouldn't bother factoring the 80Plus rating for the PSU since they're effectively useless:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/10/04/80_plus_irrelevant_to_you_when_buying_psu/#.Uf8s8pJiRjs

I'm still going back and forth between Windows 7 and 8. In certain ways, 8 makes sense since it's newer/more secure/faster/etc. but I've really hated the interface the few times I've had the occasion to use it. Any comments or thoughts on OS choice? To be honest, I even found it a chore to close programs in Windows 8, but perhaps I'm missing something?

Honestly, I've only used Windows 8 for about an hour total. So that's not exactly a good basis for my OS recommendation. With that said, I hated the entire hour I had to spend with Windows 8. However, from what I hear, there are ways to get around the crappy Windows 8 UI. It just requires some extra time. For more info about Windows 8, I recommend hitting up our Operating System subforum and just look around there. Pretty sure there are dozens of threads about Windows 8 there.

I will give MS props for doing away with the artificial RAM limitations with Windows 8. Before, Windows 7 Home Premium only allowed for a max of 16GB of RAM. You would need Windows 7 Pro in order to use more than 16GB of RAM. The regular Windows 8 version lets you 32GB of RAM and more.

 

[Tremeaus]

You are indeed correct in that the quality of the power supply itself is more important than the actual wattage rating. Since you are not overclocking, have no plans for SLI, or planning ot have 20 hard drives, you don't need a 750W PSU. Any of the PSUs that Tiraides recommended will be just fine for your needs. With that said, I'd go for the Seasonic myself.

So, you're right about all of those things, except possibly overclocking. Will I be unable to overclock with those PSU's? Thanks for your awesome clarification on the rest of the points; it was really helpful.

 

[Dangman]

You could still overclock with the PSUs mentioned.