Opinions on New PC Build

[Dangman]

So anything more than 4 cores is not worth it for any PC gaming applications?

At current pricing, yes.

Well my current PC is pretty quiet so Id like to stick to that for the new build. So the liquid cooling will not hike up your energy bill that much more over using a hs/fan?

No. The light bulbs in your home uses more power.

 

[Pivo504]

Thanks for the responses dangman. Will liquid cooling allow me to OC the CPU a lot more than air? & is there a liquid cooler that is somewhat silent and not noisy? Wow the corsair 450D is sold out..

 

[Dangman]

Thanks for the responses dangman. Will liquid cooling allow me to OC the CPU a lot more than air? & is there a liquid cooler that is somewhat silent and not noisy? Wow the corsair 450D is sold out..

It increases your chances of a higher OC but no guarantees as your luck can be bad and you got a dud overclocking CPU. As for a quiet liquid cooler, can't vouch for any of them being near silent. Not to mention that my tolerance for noise is different.

 

[tiraides]

You're second-guessing all of my choices, despite my best efforts to meet your demands and keep everything within your original $2000 budget.

Here's what I need to know before I can offer any more help:

1) What's the final budget? You're asking for a complete PC tower plus:

-- Monitor
-- Gaming keyboard with macro buttons
-- Gaming mouse (possibly wireless)
-- Gaming headset with a built-in mic
-- Printer (inkjet? Laser? Multi-function? Color?)
-- Computer desk
-- Chair

Are you sticking with your original $2000 budget for everything? If not, what's the new total?

2) You want to heavily overclock the processor but you also want a quiet system. If you have to choose one (heavy OC versus quiet PC), which do you prefer?

3) What was your gaming performance with the GTX 660? And when was the last time you used any AMD or ATI video card?

4) What does the "perfect" printer, desk, and chair look like to you?

5) Do you have a surge protector or an UPS (uninterruptible power supply)? If so, what do you have? How old is it?

 

[Pivo504]

The budget can be tweaked but yes all those parts are needed. I do not want to go cheap on any part and it be a bottle neck. Didn't mean to second guess but just want the best parts. The 512ssd is likely over kill so going 256 should be good enough having that 2T as back up saving money there
1.Well currently i ocd 2.6 to 3.8 air with hardly any noise so if it's possible I would like to oc higher if using liquid cooling or it's not worth it. I've never used liquid or know how much noise it produces..What can these processors oc to?
3. It worked great I have an Asus. I have not used an ati/amdgpu since before they were bought out by amd same goes for amd cpus. I'm not bias to either but like having the best performance for the price but drivers and software matter to. It always seemed nividia was ahead in gpus and Intel was ahead in cpus so I always went with Intel/nvidia
4.Just want a nice desk with drawer and cabinet with ample space from the monitor and chair. The chair comfy and can recline and height adjustment. My current desk/chair is from office depot. I need a printer scanner combo bc this pc will also be used for business purposes. My current printer is a Canon mx700 scans well and prints. A printer with auto feed scanner to pc is a must.
5.A surge protector is needed

 

[tiraides]

You need to better explain to us what "comfy" means. You used that word to describe your primary need for the headset and your office chair, but "comfy" is a very subjective term.

 

[Pivo504]

comfy meaning it wont hurt my ears after long hours of use...As far as the chair one that has good padding can recline back enough and can be raised up or down. TiraidesL I responded to your msgs but did not receive a response back on Sept 7th would like to hear your input Thanks.

 

[tiraides]

Tiraides I responded to your msgs but did not receive a response back on Sept 7th would like to hear your input Thanks.

It's taking me a while to find items that meet your "perfect" requirements, and that's on top of my work and other priorities this week. I'll respond when I have something to respond about.

 

[Pivo504]

Thanks. Just didn't want to miss out on those combos and sales that's all.

 

[tiraides]

I'm throwing some stuff on the wall to see what sticks....

$138 - Monarch Specialties 48 inch computer desk
$121 - Calico Designs Rolling File Cabinet
$132 - Alera Fraze leather high-back swivel/tilt chair
$70 - Logitech G430 7.1 surround gaming headset
$140 - Epson WorkForce WF-3620 color inkjet multifunction printer
$22 - Belkin 12 Outlet 4156 Joules Home/Office Surge Protector

I don't know if you'll like these choices as I'm going off my perspective rather than yours. (Using subjective terms like "comfy," "nice," and "good" don't help matters.) I went with a separate desk and file cabinet instead of a desk with built-in storage because you implied that you wanted space on your desk (and legroom down below). You could use the top of the file cabinet to house the printer, which meets your requirements (color, ADF, multifunction). I chose some of the more popular (based on Amazon reviews) choices for the office chair, gaming headset, and surge protector.

Since some of the earlier deals have expired, here are some "replacement" parts for the case, video card, CPU cooler, and power supply:

$110 - Fractal Design Refine R4 Blackout ATX mid-tower case
$380 - EVGA 04G-P4-3774-KR GTX 770 4GB
$100 - Corsair H100i liquid CPU cooler (plus $10 discount with promo code EMCPAWW42, limited offer)
$110 - SeaSonic G Series SSR-750RM 750 watt modular power supply

Ignore the low Amazon rating on the power supply. The rating is based off of two reviews and one of them was a one-star review for a DOA product. The NewEgg reviews and the positive JonnyGuru review on the 650W version tell a more detailed story. (Plus, it's on sale... along with the Corsair H100i.)

Since you're concerned about low noise, I swapped out the Corsair case(s) for the Fractal Design Refine R4, which has built-in soundproofing materials to reduce sound.

I swapped out the R9 290 for the 4GB GTX 770 due to your Nvidia preference. It will provide great frame rates at 1920x1080 and it's much better than the GTX 660 it replaces.

Please explain why you need a Blu-ray drive. You weren't leaning towards it earlier.

For better performance (yes, really), replace the Crucial MX100 SSD with this:

$250 - Samsung 840 EVO 500GB SSD

Here's the great big caveat I forgot to add in my first post:

I can't vouch for any of these items because I use an entirely different setup at home. I also can't quantify how "nice," "good," or "comfy" these items are because my preferences aren't the same as yours.

If you don't like these items, then you need to give us more details on what you're looking for. There are a million different items out there and none of us have the time to go through all of them to find something we think you would like.

 

[Pivo504]

Thanks for the reply I will look into it. I will most likely check for computer desk/chair at local stores so we can take that off the list.
I would like to first get the PC parts narrowed down such as the monitor. Also, I recently read that there are new GPUs coming to the market this month. How true is this?
Also, I almost forgot but will I Need a sound card?

 

[tiraides]

Fine, let's focus on the PC tower one more time....

$210 - Intel Core i5-4690K quad-core processor
$180 - Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD5H ATX motherboard
$175 - Corsair Vengeance Pro 2x8GB DDR3 2133 RAM
$100 - Corsair H100i liquid CPU cooler (plus $10 discount with promo code EMCPAWW42, limited offer)
$380 - EVGA 04G-P4-3774-KR GTX 770 4GB video card
$250 - Samsung 840 EVO 500GB SSD
$84 - Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
$18 - LG GH24NSB0B DVD burner
$110 - SeaSonic G Series SSR-750RM 750 watt modular power supply
$110 - Fractal Design Refine R4 Blackout ATX mid-tower case
$91 - Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM DVD
$6 - AmazonBasics HDMI v1.4 2m/6.5ft cable
=====
$1714 - Total before taxes

I gave in and focused on your desire to overclock the processor. As Dangman mentioned earlier, there's no guarantee that you'll reach the highest speed possible with the Haswell processors -- most people can get about 4GHz, but very few can reach a stable 4.8GHz -- but remember that the i5-4690K at 3.5GHz (its stock speed) is much faster than your overclocked i5-750 at 3.8GHz.

The head honcho at [H] reviewed the Gigabyte Z97X-UD5H. The summary of the review is that it's good for overclocking.

Try the onboard sound out first before deciding on whether or not you actually need a sound card.

Do you need the Corsair Vengeance Pro for overclocking? IMO, no. Then again, many people use faster RAM for overclocking and you're not paying an arm or a leg for DDR3 2133 RAM in this case. (I'll let Dangman continue to sway you against that RAM.)

I also incorporated my earlier parts changes from a few hours ago.

I didn't include a monitor this time because you didn't like my last choice (even though it was better than your current monitor). Help us out here:

- Do you want a resolution larger than 1920x1080?
- You talked about wanting a "better looking" monitor. Are you talking about a thin-bezel or a no-bezel monitor?
- Your monitor uses an e-IPS panel. Do you want to stick with IPS? Or would you be fine with a TN panel monitor for gaming (worse color quality, but faster response time and higher possible refresh rate)?
- What else do you want on your monitor? Do you already have a particular one in mind?

If you decide to buy anything this weekend, remember that the prices for all of the parts fluctuate. That's why you don't see any combo deals or promotion codes used in this round of parts recommendations. What's on sale today may (or more likely will) go up in price by this time Monday.

 

[dodonpachi]

In terms of a chair that is "comfy",not terrible for your back, and actually okay for prolonged sitting periods - I would seriously recommend looking for a 2nd hand Herman Miller Aeron on Ebay. All my back twinges vanished when I went to this after years of sitting on £100 or so Ikea office chairs. It worth spending some money on and they are fairly plentiful 2nd hand from production houses/new media companies that sell off their old stuff. They are popular at these places for a reason.

 

[Pivo504]

tiraides: thanks for the quick response. Lets start from the top.
CPU: is it possible to order from a website that guarantees certain stepping codes that are known to overclock up to 4.5ghz and higher 5ghz? Will it matter if I buy from newegg or amazon?
Corsair ram: is this really needed seems to be priced a bit higher than the previous ram you mentioned.
Gigabyte : same with this MB its priced a bit higher than the previous Asus you posted & wondering if such expensive MBs are needed for OCing? Im currently using a cheaper gigabyte board & got the CPU 2.6@3.8 also using cheaper GSkill ram.
GPU: How does the EVGA 770 compare to the previous gigabyte r290 you mentioned bc they are both around the same price currently. I didnt see a response about wether or not the new GPUs were coming this month or soon to hold off on this?
PSU: is this a reliable psu seems to have gotten bad reviews on newegg too along with the 2TB hdd.
Ive never used onboard sound how does it compare to a dedicated sound card? Ive always used a audigy 2.
When I said better looking I meant how the colors, ect looked not the actual monitor bezel. I feel going larger than 1920x1080 will mean Im going to have to upgrade parts more often to be able to run native res of the monitor so its prob best to stick to that resolution. I do not want a TN panel but something with a bit better color quality , faster response time, and higher refresh rate than my current Dell.

 

[Dangman]

CPU: is it possible to order from a website that guarantees certain stepping codes that are known to overclock up to 4.5ghz and higher 5ghz? Will it matter if I buy from newegg or amazon?

AFAIK, no. No. AFAIK, you pretty much have to go in-store to a place like a Microcenter or Fry's if you want to choose which stepping/batch to get.

Corsair ram: is this really needed seems to be priced a bit higher than the previous ram you mentioned.

Nope, not needed unless you just want to show off your higher synthetic benchmark scores.

Gigabyte : same with this MB its priced a bit higher than the previous Asus you posted & wondering if such expensive MBs are needed for OCing? Im currently using a cheaper gigabyte board & got the CPU 2.6@3.8 also using cheaper GSkill ram.

Needed? Not really. But if you want to increase your chances of a higher overclock, then yes more expensive mobos tends to give you that option. If you truly don't care about getting the highest overclock possible, then go with the cheaper Asus.

GPU: How does the EVGA 770 compare to the previous gigabyte r290 you mentioned bc they are both around the same price currently. I didnt see a response about wether or not the new GPUs were coming this month or soon to hold off on this?

The R9 290 is faster. Hold off on the GPU until the end of this month however as Nvidia's new GPUs are due out then.

PSU: is this a reliable psu seems to have gotten bad reviews on newegg too along with the 2TB hdd.

Yes it's a reliable PSU. People who have problems tend to bitch more than those who don't. Though the bad Seagate reviews has some validity to it though.

Ive never used onboard sound how does it compare to a dedicated sound card? Ive always used a audigy 2.

For the average user with cheap speakers, they probably can't tell the difference. If you're more or less an audiophile and have very nice speakers and/or headphones, a separate sound card is usually your best bet.

 

[Pivo504]

Unfortunately there is no frys or microcenter around this area. (New Orleans, Louisiana) I would hate to get a dud considering Im going for water cooling and all...I remember back in the day there was a website that guaranteed certain steppings but I cant remember where..
I am a prime member at amazon however this corsair http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8E9334/?tag=hardfocom-20 is priced only a few dollars higher than Tirades previous post of going with the kingston ram http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6E5KMA/?tag=hardfocom-20 If the corsair linked above is the correct ram that you and tirade mentioned would it be much better for overclocking than the slower kingston? I also came across this corsair which is rated 2400mhz for only 8 bux more http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Venge...M2A2400C11R/dp/B00EUPV2RQ/ref=zg_bs_172500_19
HDD&PSU: so which hdd & psu should I go with that will be 100% reliable?
MoBO: I noticed the asus linked earlier has gone up in price to 144. I was looking into the different features of each motherboard and really like this ASUS Wi-Fi GO! http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132117 It links your PC, android, TV all together which is something I really wanted to do. But which asus mobo or any mobo can do this while also being a great overclocker?
Sound card: one thing I wanted to do is have both external speakers & headphones. Now to run both I need both dedicated sound card for headphones & also a sound card on the mobo for external speakers? If so what is a great sound card that can beat my current audigy 2 and priced well?
Monitor: When I said better looking I meant how the colors, ect looked not the actual monitor bezel. I do not want a TN panel but something with a bit better color quality , faster response time, and higher refresh rate than my current Dell & IPS. What options are there in the 27" 1440p monitor IPS? I was looking into the Eizo but not sure if its worth the price
Other parts I missed are a good router & cable modem.
Would like to put in an order on some parts before the deals are gone again...

 

[tiraides]

You are seriously overthinking things. Stop that. No one here is trying to make you choose bad items that would barely last more than a month.

Nothing we recommend is going to be "perfect." Some of the items we like and oftentimes recommend you'll end up hating. Other items will arrive DOA and we won't know why. The good thing is that both NewEgg and Amazon have excellent 30-day return policies so if you decide to return something, you can do so without any trouble.

I am a prime member at amazon however this corsair http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8E9334/?tag=hardfocom-20 is priced only a few dollars higher than Tirades previous post of going with the kingston ram http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6E5KMA/?tag=hardfocom-20 If the corsair linked above is the correct ram that you and tirade mentioned would it be much better for overclocking than the slower kingston? I also came across this corsair which is rated 2400mhz for only 8 bux more http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Venge...M2A2400C11R/dp/B00EUPV2RQ/ref=zg_bs_172500_19

Go with this instead:

$143 - Crucial Ballistix Sport 2x8GB DDR3 1600

That RAM is just as good quality-wise as the Corsair and Kingston DDR3 1600 RAM. If you're serious about overclocking and want to eliminate any chances that the RAM is holding you back -- though it shouldn't, since you'll mainly overclock using the processor's unlocked CPU multiplier -- get some DDR3 2400 RAM, which shouldn't cost you more than $190 for a 16B dual-channel kit.

HDD&PSU: so which hdd & psu should I go with that will be 100% reliable?

NOTHING IS 100% RELIABLE. If everything was, you wouldn't have warranty periods.

If you want a "reliable" hard drive, go with Western Digitial. WD drives have fewer complaints than Seagate, but you'll pay more for WD's Desktop Mainstream drives than Seagate's Barracuda OEM drives.

If you want to preserve your data, regardless of which hard drive you choose, then you need to start planning a good backup system with multiple options. It won't be cheap nor can it happen quickly but you'll have more peace of mind in the long run.

As for the PSU, I still stand behind the SeaSonic SSR-750RM. SeaSonic makes a lot of the good PSUs that other companies sell, including Corsair. $110 is a very good price for a 750W PSU from a quality manufacturer.

MoBO: I noticed the asus linked earlier has gone up in price to 144. I was looking into the different features of each motherboard and really like this ASUS Wi-Fi GO! http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132117 It links your PC, android, TV all together which is something I really wanted to do. But which asus mobo or any mobo can do this while also being a great overclocker?

Do you mean the Asus Z97-PRO? The Asus Wi-Fi GO! is simply a proprietary wireless adapter that works with certain Asus motherboards. (The majority of the other motherboard manufacturers use mini PCI-E wireless adapters for their "built-in wireless.") You're not going to "connect" to your smartphone or your HDTV without the wireless router (more on that in a moment).

I think you're better off hard-wiring the cheaper Asus Z97-A into the router with Cat5e cable. You'll have a faster, more consistent internet connection that way.

Sound card: one thing I wanted to do is have both external speakers & headphones. Now to run both I need both dedicated sound card for headphones & also a sound card on the mobo for external speakers? If so what is a great sound card that can beat my current audigy 2 and priced well?

You can connect both the speakers and the headphones through the motherboard's onboard audio chip, though the onboard sound oftentimes prioritizes one over the other. What I mean is that, for example, whenever you connect your headphones through your computer, the onboard audio "disables" your speakers to prevent any sound from playing on both devices.

What do you have for speakers? That will determine whether a sound card is the preferable option.

Monitor: When I said better looking I meant how the colors, ect looked not the actual monitor bezel. I do not want a TN panel but something with a bit better color quality , faster response time, and higher refresh rate than my current Dell & IPS. What options are there in the 27" 1440p monitor IPS? I was looking into the Eizo but not sure if its worth the price

For your needs, you shouldn't look at the Eizo monitors.

If you want faster refresh rates, you need to consider TN monitors. Even though the colors aren't as good as IPS, TN is great for gaming as it offers refresh rates up to 144Hz (if not higher) and faster response times than IPS. Speaking of visual quality, TN panels have improved over time to the point that many people can't tell the difference between a TN monitor and a cheap e-IPS monitor.

Do you really want a 27 inch 2560x1440 monitor? For high frame rates while gaming at that resolution, the GTX 770 becomes the bare minimum video card you should look at.

Other parts I missed are a good router & cable modem.

I'll keep things simple:

$87 - ARRIS/Motorola SurfBoard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem
$99 - TP-LINK Archer C7 V2 AC1750 dual-band Wireless AC gigabit router

Simply put, the Motorola SB6141 is one of the best cable modems you could buy. The TP-LINK Archer C7 V2 is cheaper than other popular AC1750 and AC1900 routers.

(The AC number is determined by combining the maximum connection power of the 2.4GHz and 5GHz ranges. For the TP-LINK router, it can connect to the 2.4GHz range at up to 450Mbps and the 5GHz range at up to 1350Mbps. Again, these are maximum rates; you probably won't notice much when you connect your TV or smartphone through the router.)

Would like to put in an order on some parts before the deals are gone again...

Deals come and go all the time. You need to decide on what you're buying before you figure out where you could find it for less. There's only so much we can do to help you.

 

[Pivo504]

Cooler: is the hydro really needed the cooler master you posted earlier is a bit cheaper
Monitor: Ok lets stick to IPS panel 24 inch that will look a lot better than my current Dell and a bit faster if possible which would fall into that category?
Mobo: Is that asus better than this MSI:http://www.amazon.com/MSI-DDR3-Moth...HDMI+SATA+6Gb/s+USB+3.0+ATX+Intel+Motherboard
PSU: are there any psus that come out the box with good sleeving?
Speakers: I have not narrowed down any speakers or headset yet..but what sound card will be a lot better than my current audigy 2 for a good price range? Also one that might have extra inputs so I can run head set and speakers at the same time
Currently Im running the Zoom 5341 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem 5341J & the ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance. Is the two you mentioned better than the above in terms of speed and reliability?
Having a hard time choosing case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E16811854003&gclid=CL6bl-Pb3cACFUiGfgod7zgA6A
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042 newegg offered to sell the corsair for 99 so both are the same price

 

[tiraides]

Cooler: is the hydro really needed the cooler master you posted earlier is a bit cheaper

If you're serious about overclocking, the H100i is better than the H80i and both are better than the Seidon 120V.

Monitor: Ok lets stick to IPS panel 24 inch that will look a lot better than my current Dell and a bit faster if possible which would fall into that category?

I can't tell you which monitor looks better than the Dell U2311H right out of the box. Many of them aren't really calibrated properly prior to shipping.

Mobo: Is that asus better than this MSI:http://www.amazon.com/MSI-DDR3-Moth...HDMI+SATA+6Gb/s+USB+3.0+ATX+Intel+Motherboard

For overclocking, the Asus Z97-A is better than the MSI Z97-G45. If you want a good (versus great) MSI board, start with the Z97 Gaming 5.

PSU: are there any psus that come out the box with good sleeving?

I don't know off the top of my head and I'm too tired to search for one right now.

Let me know if you find one so I can check whether or not it's a quality PSU. Is PSU sleeving really one of your showstoppers?

Speakers: I have not narrowed down any speakers or headset yet..but what sound card will be a lot better than my current audigy 2 for a good price range? Also one that might have extra inputs so I can run head set and speakers at the same time

I'm not recommending any sound card for you. You need to decide on the headphones and the speakers first.

Currently Im running the Zoom 5341 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem 5341J & the ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance. Is the two you mentioned better than the above in terms of speed and reliability?

I've never heard of the Zoom 5341 before, but its download and upload speeds are on par with the Motorola SB6141. Do you own the modem or are you renting it?

Since you have a working router, I suggest that you keep it since none of your devices use 802.11ac. I recommend buying the SB6141 only if you're renting your cable modem (most cable companies recognize it as meeting their standards).

Having a hard time choosing case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E16811854003&gclid=CL6bl-Pb3cACFUiGfgod7zgA6A
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042 newegg offered to sell the corsair for 99 so both are the same price

Flip a coin.

 

[Pivo504]

I will be leaving all the current parts I own so I need a totally new build. I really want to put in an order on a few parts this weekend (ASAP) before the deals are over...corsair hydro h100i is on order could not pass on the 89 shipped deal
How does the ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance compare to the TP Link you mentioned?
Headphones can anyone recommend some that are good SQ and fit comfortably. Ive looked into the Asus Xonar but I havent bought a sound card since the audigy 2..
Mobo: How does the Z97 Gaming 5 compare to the Asus in reliability & OCing since they are so close in price?
Monitor: Based on the specs which would be best that is IPS and faster response than what I have?
PSU: Came across these two not sure if they are better or not over seasonic? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182264
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139055
Narrowed down the case to these two : what do you guys think would be best? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352034
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042 There are issues with both but the fractal seems to have issues with the dust filters with no replacement I want a fully diary proof as possible case...I plan to keep this case for many years but seems the corsair has quality issues while fractal seems very well built. Wish I could see both in person to get a better idea..

 

[tiraides]

I really want to put in an order on a few parts this weekend (ASAP) before the deals are over...

I can't help you.

I don't know what you want and after two weeks, I'm not convinced I made any recommendation you like.

 

[Pivo504]

You have helped alot as I stated earlier I've already made a purchase that you recommended. We've narrowed down alot of the parts. I posted earlier asking what's best out of two items to choose but no-one responds. I've made it clear I want the best bang you can get money wise that's great for OCing & very reliable products.

 

[Dangman]

How does the ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance compare to the TP Link you mentioned?

Tiraides answered that already:

Since you have a working router, I suggest that you keep it since none of your devices use 802.11ac.

To spell it out for you: Unless that Asus router isn't working for you or you plan on having a ton of 802.11ac based devices, just keep using your current Asus router. Although just to be clear: when you said you'll "be leaving all the current parts I own", were you including the modem and router as well?

Headphones can anyone recommend some that are good SQ and fit comfortably. Ive looked into the Asus Xonar but I havent bought a sound card since the audigy 2..

You're basically going to have to physically try out the headphones as some of the best quality headphones aren't comfortable for everyone. Again, stop looking at the sound card and look at the headphones first. Here's a start:
http://techreport.com/review/26961/tr-august-2014-peripheral-staff-picks/3

Mobo: How does the Z97 Gaming 5 compare to the Asus in reliability & OCing since they are so close in price?

Both are new motherboards so their long-term reliability haven't been established yet. They both overclock about the same IIRC.

Monitor: Based on the specs which would be best that is IPS and faster response than what I have??

Hit up the Displays subforum for that question.

PSU: Came across these two not sure if they are better or not over seasonic? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182264
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139055.

The Capstone is a good quality PSU that's basically almost as good as the Seasonic. However, I'm not a fan of Rosewill's customer support. While Corsair's customer support is superb, the Corsair RM750 is not that good of a PSU as HardOCP showed:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/11/13/corsair_rm750_750w_power_supply_review/#.VBWCoPldXt8

So again, stick with the Seasonic.

Narrowed down the case to these two : what do you guys think would be best? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352034
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042 There are issues with both but the fractal seems to have issues with the dust filters with no replacement I want a fully diary proof as possible case...I plan to keep this case for many years but seems the corsair has quality issues while fractal seems very well built. Wish I could see both in person to get a better idea..

Well for one thing, that Fractal Design case is completely incompatible with any of the motherboards we've recommended since that Fractal Design case is a mATX case. So that's out. What do you mean by "diary proof"?

I've made it clear I want the best bang you can get money wise that's great for OCing & very reliable products.

Yeah I can see how Tiraides is getting frustrated since it really does look like you're questioning every single recommendation without really offering a good reason for said questioning besides being extremely nitpicky. Basically, it looks like you're on the verge of having analysis paralysis which is pretty frustrating to deal with.

 

[tiraides]

I made two mistakes on my earlier recommendations.

My first mistake is that the Asus VS248H-P is not an e-IPS monitor; it uses a TN panel. I found that out through follow-up research Friday night/Saturday morning. It's part of the reason why I didn't recommend a monitor in my last build.

Simply put, if you want a better monitor than the Dell U2311H, you have to decide whether you want better picture quality (e-IPS or AH-IPS) or faster refresh rates and response times (TN). You can't have both.

The second mistake is with the router: the TP-LINK Archer C7 V2 isn't as good as initially advertised. I found that out after reading reviews from PC Magazine and SmallNetBuilder.

If you really need a new router, just buy the same one you had before. You shouldn't spend the extra money on an AC router as you don't have any AC devices.

One quick question: What does the Corsair 450D have that the cheaper 300R doesn't?

 

[Pivo504]

Dangman: Yes I need a new router/cable modem. Therefore, I'm asking what is much better than my current setup in range & signal strength. What are considered AC devices? I ask this bc I was thinking of getting the Sonos wireless speakers (I do not want any wired speakers) unless there is a better alternative? I also own 2 smart TVs & an android phone.
I linked the wrong one ATX Mid Tower: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352031 No idea why the bigger one is actually cheaper...Its only 89 shipped while the Corsair 450D is currently 119 plus 9 shipping
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438017 This one is very highly rated w/10 yr warranty and same price as seasonic.
Ive read the CORSAIR Hydro Series H100i is not as reliable as the CORSAIR Hydro Series H110 is this true & which is louder?
Out of the two motherboards which one offers better software support for OC?
I meant dust proof
I would rather go with better picture quality AH-IPS as response times are fine with my current dell.
Well its mainly the clean brushed aluminum look of the 450D (hate plastic on PC) & I really like all the dust proof making it easy to clean.
BTW how future proof is this motherboard in terms of simply putting a 6 core or higher later on down the road ?

 

[Dangman]

Dangman: Yes I need a new router/cable modem. Therefore, I'm asking what is much better than my current setup in range & signal strength. What are considered AC devices? I ask this bc I was thinking of getting the Sonos wireless speakers (I do not want any wired speakers) unless there is a better alternative? I also own 2 smart TVs & an android phone.

Any device that uses the AC standard is an AC device. The Sonos is still useing the 802.11g standard. So it is not an AC device. As for better alternative, I'm willing to bet that pretty much any wired speaker in that price range will be way better in sound quality than the Sonos. Not to mention going with the Sonos means that you're worrying too much about the sound card since you're just going to stream the audio anyway. So a dedicated sound card isn't needed in that scenario.

I linked the wrong one ATX Mid Tower: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352031 No idea why the bigger one is actually cheaper...

Unless you're using 8 hard drives, I'd still recommend the 450D over that Fractal Design case.

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438017 This one is very highly rated w/10 yr warranty and same price as seasonic.

Fine, just go with it. Jeez.

Ive read the CORSAIR Hydro Series H100i is not as reliable as the CORSAIR Hydro Series H110 is this true & which is louder?

Not really true. The H110 is louder.

Out of the two motherboards which one offers better software support for OC?

They're the same.

I meant dust proof

Even with cases that have fantastic fan filters, the PC can still get rather dusty. So dust-proof (or even 80%) is pretty damn impossible unless the pC is in a sterile clean room.

BTW how future proof is this motherboard in terms of simply putting a 6 core or higher later on down the road ?

Not at all. You're going to spend significantly more money right now if you want six-cores.

 

[Pivo504]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231589 Just came across this ram cheaper than the corsair posted earlier in thread plus faster. Good pick or am i missing something?

As far as the sonos I just thought it would be nice to have speakers anywhere I like instead of running wires all over the place...?

 

[Dangman]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231589 Just came across this ram cheaper than the corsair posted earlier in thread plus faster. Good pick?

No. RAM voltage is too high. 1.5V is better. Not to mention that the tall RAM heatsinks are a pain in the ass.

 

[Pivo504]

Ahh glad I posted..which is best to pair with the CPU & asus board?
Been reading up on this CPU & says that the extra 4 threads make a big difference in performance...Is this true? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117369

 

[Dangman]

Ahh glad I posted..which is best to pair with the CPU & asus board?

So just go with the cheapest RAM that we've mentioned in this thread. It doesn't really matter in the end.

Been reading up on this CPU & says that the extra 4 threads make a big difference in performance...Is this true? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117369

Are you reading marketing shit? If so, ignore it. You are not doing any of the tasks where the extra 4 threads actually makes a difference. Unless you half-assed your answer to question 1, you're fine with a Core i5.

 

[Pivo504]

Dangman your prob right I read about it on a forum which is why i posted here. BTW my dell http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=corp&sku=320-9270 is a IPS not eips based on the tech specs on Dell website.
I started a thread in monitor section like you suggested and got this result: http://gaming.eizo.com/products/foris_fs2434/ http://www.amazon.com/FS2434-BK-23-8-Inch-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00KQGO77U
Would be nice to have a 24 inch display with best IPS screen
Came across this just now:http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...&cid=281056&lid=5327799&acd=12309204758460810
Not sure if this is the same one not sure if this is the same monitor but a lot cheaper here :http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009X6FFSY/...SIN=B009X6FFSY
Heres another: http://www.amazon.com/PA248Q-24-Inc..._sbs_pc_8?ie=UTF8&refRID=08403XYFBSJTX2S2E5T3

 

[Dangman]

Actually read through the threads over in the Display subforum for more info on certain monitors. Do you need me to spell out exactly how to do research in the Display subforum for monitors?

Also keep all the monitor stuff over in that thread. Let's focus on the actual hardware.

 

[Pivo504]

was asking for advice from you.
Not sure if you guys noticed this but: Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM DVD posted earlier says: Additionally, this single license will not allow for a change to a different model motherboard once installed...so if I upgrade mobo I cant use this same windows...

 

[Dangman]

was asking for advice from you.

That's my advice: Do research in the Display subforum. There's a lot of info to cover.

Not sure if you guys noticed this but: Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM DVD posted earlier says: Additionally, this single license will not allow for a change to a different model motherboard once installed...so if I upgrade mobo I cant use this same windows...

And Google says:
http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/lic...ensing-for-personal-use.aspx#fbid=z51of09SiMA

Even if Amazon was right, not a real big issue anyway since a simple phone call worked.

 

[Pivo504]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mainstream-gaming-z97-motherboard,3824-20.html This benchmarks shows the asus is a bit slower vs the other boards. Asrock rated higher and MSI a bit more than both in games

 

[Dangman]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mainstream-gaming-z97-motherboard,3824-20.html This benchmarks shows the asus is a bit slower vs the other boards. Asrock rated higher and MSI a bit more than both in games

Yeah, you're really nitpicking this: The performance differences are so small that you won't even notice them the majority of the time.

 

[Pivo504]

Not necessarily..Just looking for best price-performance Mobo & the Asus doesnt seem to be it based on reviews..

 

[Dangman]

Not necessarily..Just looking for best price-performance Mobo & the Asus doesnt seem to be it based on reviews..

It's your money. If you want to buy based on your own anxieties and relatively useless metric/rubrics, go for it. At this point, we've already told you all the mobos that we'd personally use or recommend to others.

 

[Pivo504]

Just want the best for the money spent that's all. Is there a better psu for OCing to buy at the same price or even little more than the sea sonic posted? Haven't read much good reviews on it?

 

[Fix Me]

Just want the best for the money spent that's all. Is there a better psu for OCing to buy at the same price or even little more than the sea sonic posted? Haven't read much good reviews on it?

Here are two really good reviews:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=348

"It's really getting to the point now where anything with the Seasonic name on it is worth buying, isn't it?" - Oklahoma Wolf

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/10/30/seasonic_gseries_g750_power_supply_review/9#.VBdEuZRdUVV

Both HardOCP and Jonnyguru like the Seasonic, so you can rest easy if you buy it. Now stop worrying and start purchasing.