Best products from r/buildapc

Here, have an upgrade guide. This is mostly oriented for gaming, but I tried to make it as general purpose as possible.

First off, if you're trying to survive gaming on an older system and are wanting to upgrade, remember to check out the PC Gaming Wiki as well as the Low Spec Gamer YouTube channel and /r/lowendgaming. There are lots of tips and tricks to get games running better, and if you discover your own, don't forget to share them!

• If you have a motherboard older than DDR3, save and upgrade to a new platform. It's not worth investing in a platform that old for anything other than novelty purposes.
  
  
• If you want to upgrade your motherboard (like if you're looking at buying an unlocked CPU but have a locked motherboard), save and build a whole new system, unless you happen to come across exactly what you want for cheap. Used motherboards are usually just as expensive as new ones so it's not really worth investing that much into an older platform.
  
  
• If you have an Intel motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, see my reply to this comment. Character limit, woo!
  
  
• If you have an AMD motherboard, I'm not as experienced with this but upgrading to an 8320 or 8350 Black edition would be good.
  
• I'll do some research and put some detailed information here later; like I did for Intel processors. Again, after the aforementioned good night's rest.
  
  
• When buying any used processor, especially on eBay, be very wary of scams. Any price that seems too good to be true or is from a seller with very little feedback is something of which you should be very wary.
  
  
• If you have less than 8GB of RAM, buy a 2x4GB kit. Dual channel actually makes a difference these days. If you want more, well, divide the amount you want by the number of slots you have. 16GB / 4 slots = 4GB sticks, so get a 4x4GB kit. PCPartPicker is a good resource for this, although new DDR3 is getting more expensive. It might be worth looking at the used market, but be careful you don't buy ECC RAM (server memory) unless you have a motherboard and processor that support it.
  
  
• If your system isn't using an SSD as its boot drive, buy an SSD and reinstall your OS onto it. I don't know if I can recommend a SSD smaller than 250GB considering how cheap they're getting. Brand doesn't matter a whole lot but make sure to do a little research first. PCPartPicker, again, is a great resource for this. Filter by the minimum capacity you want and sort by lowest price, then go from there. Samsung is expensive but reliable; I don't know a lot about other brands.
  
  
• If you're running out of space, 2TB HDDs are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Here's a Seagate one, although I couldn't find Western Digital's equivalent for some reason.
  
  
• I don't really know much about graphics cards other than they're hard to buy new these days. If you buy new, I can't recommend anything with less than 4GB of VRAM, because modern games are getting better at using it. If you buy used, try not to go less than 2GB. Other than that, pick what fits your budget and performance needs, and remember you dont have to run everything on max settings. Dropping the settings a little can allow older cards to still compete today. I still run a 7870 and haven't found any unplayable games yet; 99% of games I get a solid 60, and once I upgrade to an e3-1240v3 that's in the mail I expect that to go to 99.9%.
  
  
• Make sure you have a good PSU. You can get really solid ones for $50 or less these days. Don't forget this one when upgrading your system, unless you already have a good PSU. This is the SeaSonic one I've been recommending a lot. Fully modular and 80 Plus Bronze seems pretty good to me. PSUs are a topic of a lot of controversy, though, so make sure to do your research.
  
  
• Similarly, investing in a case you like will last you a long time and significantly improve a build's appearance. Not its frames, though, so this isn't a priority. Pick one with all the features you want, good cable management options, something you don't mind looking at, that kind of stuff. Look up a review (google "[case name] review") where someone builds a computer in it so you can get an idea of what kind of issues people run into when building in it and if those issues are dealbreakers for you.
  
  
• Optical drives aren't really used this day but if you don't have one it can be worth it to pick one up. Blu-ray drives are getting cheaper, too. PCPartPicker -> optical drives -> filter by features -> sort by price.
  
  
• Monitors I cant speak much on, but if you're gaming at all, get one that goes at least 120hz at its native resolution, and don't get one lower than 1080p. If you don't do any gaming, make sure you get an IPS panel. I personally can't recommend any resolution other than 1080p (1920x1080) because compatibility issues are annoying and most software is either designed to work at 1080p, or have workarounds to run at 1080p. 4k is the next jump worth taking since that seems to be the next big standard (again, in my opinion), but hardware is still a generation or two out from that being mainstream.
  
  
• Multiple monitors are a thing. I don't think I can live with less than 3 monitors again. It's so nice to have a game on the center monitor, a webpage on the left, and a voip program on the right. You can kind of do this with window snapping, but, well, you can also do that with 3 monitors for much more information when you need it.
  
  
• Invest in good network gear. I cannot stress this enough. It will cost a chunk of money but will make your life so much better. If you're renting a modem from your ISP, or your modem/router has your ISP's logo on it, you need to upgrade. I'm currently running the Netgear R7000. If you're on cable internet, get a Motorola SurfBoard and something like the R7000. If you're on DSL, there's a variant that has a phone jack for dialing in. If you have fiber, the ONT that you have isn't replaceable but it's probably fine (but you'll still want to replace the included router). For all of these, you'll probably need to look up a guide on switching and it will probably involve calling your ISP. Expect to spend $200ish on the equipment, but seriously, you won't be constantly rebooting your router, wondering why the WiFi isn't working this time, etc. And a good modem will let you know if it can contact the network or not so you'll know if the internet is actually out or not. And if you're renting a router, you'll save money in the long run.
  
  
• If you're using WiFi, get a good network card. I saw this one linked on this subreddit the other day and it looks pretty good. I've personally found USB WiFi dongles unreliable, but YMMV.
  
  
• Don't forget to upgrade your peripherals. Check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, /r/steamcontroller (it's about more than just the Steam Controller there, the name is a little misleading TBH), and the YouTube channel Rocket Jump Ninja (he does mouse reviews). I think /r/emulation has had some good threads on controllers, too. There's fun stuff like Mayflash adapters for GameCube controllers, or you could pick up a bluetooth dongle for a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 (or WiiMote passthrough in Dolphin). There's lots of fun to be had in the peripheral department.
  
  I think that's about everything. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll include it.
  
  edit: Updated some stuff and tried to include more details.

Looks like a really good build. I will put part links in the end of the post. Here's some tips to save a bit of money if you're open to it:

1. Power supply: 550 watts is a great amount for this system. You could save some money by passing on the 80+ gold rating (although it's great to have a super efficient power supply, you don't need 80+ gold) and get a power supply that has an 80+ bronze efficiency rating. A power supply being fully modular isn't a must either, for me at least. A good semi-modular pick would be the Rosewill Hive 550, I have it and it has has sleeved black cables for about $55. If you want to save more money on the PSU, though, the EVGA basic 550W unit has all black cables and goes for around $43. Otherwise, the 600B from EVGA is a great 600W unit for around $50. Changing your power supply with these options might save you around $30-$40.
   
2. RAM: there are 16GB kits out there that are cheaper than the ones you selected, some are even in red to match your color scheme. I know there is a kit from Corsair that goes for around $80, so that might save you $20-$30 there. Otherwise, if you can't afford 16GB at the beginning of the build, 8GB will suffice until you upgrade. Just make sure if you get 8GB, get a single stick so you can throw another one in later. 8GB instead of 16 GB may save you $30-$40.
   
3. CPU cooler: The i5 6500 comes with its own stock cooler, so you can save around $25 by not paying for a CPU cooler right away. Otherwise, the 212 Evo is a superb cooler and also comes in a red LED fan version for a few bucks more :D
   
4. GPU: The GTX 1060 is a great option for a video card, but the RX 480 from AMD might be able to save you a few bucks right now and down the road. When you look to purchase another monitor, options with FreeSync (AMD adaptive sync) are normally cheaper than monitors with G-Sync (Nvidia adaptive sync). Adaptive sync monitors will make your gameplay smoother. Also, if you get a motherboard that supports crossfire, you can throw another RX 480 in your rig in the future. I will recommend you a motherboard for this at the end, and it won't cost you much more than your current one. An RX 480 8GB starts at around $230. Also, RX 480's are said to be better in DX12, another "future proofer".
   
5. Motherboard (minor): H110 is a budget chipset, and a Micro ATX one will save you a bit of money. BUT, if you want another RX 480, you'll need a motherboard with 2 PCIe slots to house them. An ATX motherboard will fill your case better, not look as awkward as a mATX one, and will let you put another RX 480 card in your rig in the future. A good ATX motherboard that would work for this build would be the Asus B150-PLUS for $95. This may be a bit expensive, but you could spend your saved money on this part. I highly suggest you exercise this option.
   
6. Storage: if 250GB is enough for you, then you could save some money by not getting a Samsung SSD. An SSD comparable to this would be the Crucial MX300 275GB for around $80. Also, the SanDisk z400s is $75 and is 256GB. If you want more storage, though, I would recommend a 120GB SSD like the PNY CS1311 for $40 and a 1TB hard drive like the WD Blue for $50.
   
   TL;DR: cut back on PSU efficiency ratings, look for different 16GB or even 8GB RAM kits, ditch CPU cooler (or keep if you want), get an RX 480 for saving money on future monitors, you can also put another RX 480 in your build in the future with a different motherboard; an ATX motherboard would fill your case and add capability for a second RX 480, a non-Samsung SSD could save you some money, while for $100, you can get an SSD and a 1TB hard drive.
   
   Links:
   EVGA 550W "basic" http://amzn.to/2gbEbeQ
   Rosewill Hive-550 http://amzn.to/2gbBtGe
   EVGA 600B http://amzn.to/2gtvZcH
   Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO LED http://amzn.to/2fJ7mHM
   RX 480 http://amzn.to/2gbIUgI (choose which one you like)
   Asus B150-PLUS http://amzn.to/2eVnuqj
   Crucial MX 300 275GB http://amzn.to/2fidOoq
   SanDisk Z400S 256GB http://amzn.to/2fifFtk
   WD Blue 1TB http://amzn.to/2fJcPhK
   
   I hope my advice helped you and that this didn't overwhelm you. If you save enough money, you could throw in a red LED PWM fan, which adjusts its speed based on your computer's needs. I had a lot of fun making this, thanks for posting, and happy gaming :D
   
   
   

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $299.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | Asus Z97-P ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $110.47 @ Amazon
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory | $83.98 @ Newegg
Storage | Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $47.99 @ Newegg
Video Card | PNY GeForce GTX 970 4GB XLR8 Video Card | $329.99 @ Amazon
Case | NZXT Phantom 240 ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | CoolMax 600W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply | $39.99 @ Amazon
Optical Drive | LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer | $12.99 @ Newegg
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) | $119.98 @ Newegg
Other| Asetek High Efficiency 120MM| $55.00
Other| Tt eSPORTS Talon Gaming Mouse| $20.00
Other| Tt eSPORTS Backlit| $30.00
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1220.37
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-30 06:12 EST-0500 |

OP's build on website (roughly).

OP WELCOME. I am always so happy seeing new people looking into getting a quality computer! Welcome to the community! I am going to give you my advice and take it with a grain of salt. I am biased and my mentality is get best bang for your buck but if it cost 20-30$ for quality than jump on that!

First off OP, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend building/picking your own parts on retailers websites or PCPP (pcpartpicker.com). You will save loads of money compare to buying from a site like the one you were on. Also, knowing you built your own PC just makes it even better! You will cherish it more! So lets get to it...

RAM: Yes they are offering a promo for a "FREE" upgrade but the promo is a bit scary. They don't even tell you all the specs on the RAM! Serious bothers me. You could get a DDR3 2133 with CAS of 9-11. Even though this isn't that big of a deal, it still matters a bit! Why pay 83$ when you could spend 5$ dollars for the better quality one. Also, the RAM they chose is a bit pricey at the moment. I would suggest going with something cheap like DDR3 1600-1866 with CAS 9 or 10.

Storage: Doesn't even give a brand or even model! This scares me a bit because they could just throw you a cheap brand with a model that could be shit. I just chose the cheapest 1TB at 7200RPM with 32 cache.

Video Card: Again doesn't even tell you the brand. You won't even know the clock speed or what type of cooler it has! This might not seem much to you but it is a big deal.

PSU: 600W 80+ PSU sounds good to new people but you could do soooo much better. If you throw like 10-20 dollars at the PSU you could easily get 500-650Watt GOLD or even if you wanted to save I know Corsair has some cheap BRONZE PSUs.

Optical Drive: They just chose the cheapest one and at the moment it is LG. There is a better one out there for the price/performance (ASUS).

OS: I highly recommend taking an OS on an older computer if you have one and using that product key for your new computer. If you don't have that option than actually 60$ for Windows 8.1 isn't bad. Although if you are a student you could get it cheaper from Microsoft. I pray in the future Microsoft makes their OS free. Would help so many builders out.

Keyboard: I couldn't even find that model. I don't even know if it is a mechanical keyboard. I just put 30$ just because that's how much it looks like. (If you don't know about mechanical keyboards come over to /r/mechanicalkeyboards. Great community and they have lots of information regarding mechanical keyboards.)

Mouse: I don't know too much about it so I won't comment.

Cooler: The cooler you chose is so old and to be honest it probably doesn't even perform that well. You could do better.

SSD: I seriously love the EVO and the MX100. Such great SSDs for the price. However, at the moment this baby is killing it. SanDisk Ultra II:

Overall OP build your own computer. I even limited parts to Amazon and Newegg and also turned off rebates and it was cheaper. For basically a 1260$ build you could buy all your parts now and get better quality for the same price than buying from that website. I bet you could even fit a monitor in there if you bought your parts on sale!

I HIGHLY recommend buying your parts over time if you can. There is really no reason to buy them all at once unless you are in need for a computer. Come over to /r/buildapcsales. We have such a wonderful community and everyone is very helpful.

i5s tend to perform a bit better than equivalent Ryzen CPUs for gaming, and the motherboards are a bit cheaper. So I'd go with an i5 7500 and a B250 motherboard. If you have your own Skylake CPU to use to update the BIOS in the motherboards, go with a H110 or B150 motherboard to save ~$15-20 per computer, but otherwise, the B250 is the best choice. (You don't want to risk getting an older motherboard that isn't updated to boot with the newer CPUs)

I'd swap out the 2 x 4 GB of RAM for 1 8 GB stick so that you can add more in the future when games start needing more than 8 GB of RAM.

A SSD isn't really necessary at this budget, as they're low on storage and all they do over a cheaper HDD is reduce boot times by 30 seconds and load times by 15-60 seconds in some games. A 1 TB WD Caviar Blue is $50, so you save some money over the SSD and get over 4x the storage space.

I switched the RX 480 model to a very similar one because the one you picked doesn't have a price showing. Just get the cheapest 8 GB RX 480 from a reputable brand and site.

The EVGA PSU went up in price, so I changed it to a very similar model that's $20. You could switch the PSUs with 420W Seasonics if you want better durability and build quality.

For a Wi-Fi adapter, I added a $20 USB TP-Link ac adapter. You're probably better off with an ethernet network switch/splitter if your cousins have a wired connection in their house/apartment, though.

> Personalized cases (doesn't need to be extravagant, something like personalized LEDs for each computer?)

Maybe get these RGB LEDs? They're fairly cheap

This build, which uses my suggestions above, ends up saving you about $100 per PC excluding the RGB LEDs and Wi-Fi adapters which add $40 per PC. So you're at $4200 total for the 5 PCs with RGB and Wi-Fi.

> Mice (4)

This is up to personal preference. I use the Logitech G502 but it's a bit expensive at ~$70-80 USD each if you're buying 5 of them. I'd recommend looking at Logitech's gaming mice in the $40-50 range. The G602 is on sale for $40, and the G502 is on sale for $60, so I'd get one of those two. The G602 is wireless, and the difference doesn't seem to be too big, so I'd go with the G602.

> Mousepad (4)

I'd heard good things about the Steelseries Qck and Qck+, and the Glorious PC Gaming brand of mousepads, which are more affordable. I personally use a Logitech G240 mousepad, which I've had for a few years, though the rubber coating on the bottom had started to fall off, so I'm planning on replacing it with a Glorious PC Gaming Extended mousepad. The advantage of the Steelseries mousepads seems to be that they are from a more reputable brand, but the Glorious mousepads are stitched at the edges to prevent the rubber part from falling off (Which seems to be common with cloth mousepads after a lot of wear), and are a bit cheaper.

> Keyboard (4)

I personally use a Corsair STRAFE. If you want to get a mechanical keyboard, the Corsair Vengeance K65 keyboards seem to be a great budget choice at $60 each.

> Monitor (5)

I'd get 23/24" 1080p monitors with low response times (Preferably 5 ms or lower). At $85 each, this 23.6" Acer seems good.

> Microphone and Headphones/ Or Headset (4)

Headsets tend to be overpriced with poor sound quality. Something from the r/headphones wiki in the below $50 range for headphones should be excellent for the price.

Mic-wise, a cheap clip-on mic such as this one for just under $10 should be fine.

If you want to cut down costs more, you could use onthehub.com to get cheaper Windows keys if your cousins' schools are on there. It's a site partnered with Microsoft to give discounts to students and teachers. I personally used it for Windows 10 and I haven't had any problems with my OS (I've been using the key for about 6 months now.)

After peripherals, if you spend $40 per each pair of headphones, and $87.89 on Windows, you're at $1085 per PC or $5425 total. You save $270-320 or so total if you can get the Windows keys from onthehub for $10-20 each. Here's the parts list excluding the mics, headphones, keyboards, monitors, mice, and mousepads.

I'd go with /u/RatchetRussian's suggestion of using Jet.com. I'm Canadian, so I've never used the site, but it seems to be pretty reputable.

> Should I build the computers myself or ask a professional?

You can build it yourself easily with a good YouTube tutorial. I'd recommend this Newegg tutorial or this PCPer tutorial from the sub's sidebar.

> Should I gift them individually or all at once? Christmas or random summer day?

I'd just give them all at once when you finish all of the PCs so that everyone can start playing at the same time, but do whatever you think is best.

I'd also go with /u/Clintosity's suggestion of making sure that there's enough room for 5 PCs. If there's issues with space, you can switch the cases to mATX cases and build smaller PCs.

Hopefully this helps, and good luck with the PC building!

Yes it would be, I just asked because it would sense to invest in what you would use more, no sense pouring money into something you won't use all that much. And not necessarily, but some of the prices of my "go-to" gear has increased a little bit, which did make this just a little bit harder.

Okay so, this is what I came up with. Speakers are usually $40 but they are $50 right now for some reason, so that is why it's about $8 dollars over. also if you had any of these cables lying around it would definitely put you under $100.

Speakers - Dayton Audio B652 Amazon | Easily the best ~$50 book shelf speakers out there. Loud, with great sound quality, good imaging, and just all around outstanding for the price. They are kind of big though, so take into account desk space.

Amplifier - Lepai 2020A+ Amazon| You will need these to power the speakers, connected with speaker wire. It's a great little amp. It's buit out of metal, which is great given it's price tag, and the knobs feel great. Has tone controls that has a button that lets you toggle between using them or bypassing them. Provides ample power for speakers in this listening situation. It isn't really made for "party level" volume so just be careful, as you CAN blow speakers if you crank it too high on the AMP/computer. I personally use this and works great. Price is also a little higher than what I've seen them go for ($15).

Cables/Wires Amazon, cable Amazon, wire- A standard 3.5mm male to male cable that will connect the amp to the computer, and 50FT of 16 gauge speaker wire to connect the speakers to the amp. If you have a 3.5mm cable already you won't need to buy another.

Headphones - Sennheiser HD201 Amazon | Sennheiser makes great headphones, from their $1000 HD800 right down to the $20 HD201. Great headphones for music, and okay for gaming. They are closed back, which means the sound stage will not be as broad, but they will isolate outside noise. $10 dollars more will get you these Superlux HD681s which are open backed, which will result in a bigger sound stage, which is helpful for the directional aspect of audio while gaming. they sound pretty good too! Both headphones will perform well for music, and gaming when you use them. Not the best but they're better than most "gaming headsets".

Mic - Zalman Clip on Mic Amazon | A basic mic that clips on to your headphone's cable. what's great about this is you can use them for any pair of headphones, or when you're not even using them! the clip can also hold it to your shirt.

Total cost is about $108. If you are diligent/patient the speakers may drop back down to $40 sometime.

Overall this is great value for a little over $100, and will offer you much more all around than an $100 speaker set. The great thing about this is that everything is modular. If you want to upgrade your speakers you don't have to buy a new amp, and vice-versa. If you want to add a sub down the line, you don't have to ditch everything and get a new set; you just add it into the "chain". Headphones broke? No need to buy a new mic. Want nicer sounding headphones? No problem! Mic broken or lost? Don't need to buy a whole new headset. As you can see it is very flexible, and very easy to upgrade things as you go, which I feel is completely worth the $8 over your budget you gave me.

Sorry this took a while to get to you, lots of writing, linking, and searching! Hope this helps!

2. This is heavly debatable on what the best option is and I encourage you to do some extra research yourself. However, I would go with the Noctua NH-D15 as a premuim cooler. If you dont plan on heavly OCing you could grab a cheap but effective cooler like 212 evo and save some cash.
   
3. Going with a single card is almost always the better becuase it: has better power efficiency...will generate less noise and heat
   ...will be able to achive similar preformance in all games and does not run the risk of xfire or sli not being supported fully.
   Running a 1070 will save you alot of hassle and provide you with consistant performance similar to 2 rx 480s. AMD has a reputation for squeasing more power in their cards as time goes on. However until amd releases vega they have no single card that can compete with anything above a 1070. The closest amd card that can maybe be a substitute is the fury x and even that gets beaten. These small improvements are nice but wont make up for that much preformance gain. Its really up to you on when you want to upgrade. Video editing is mainly cpu dependent and wont change alot if you swap the gpus around.
   I will finish answering your other questions in a bit. (im on mobile so sorry for any grammatical errors)
   
4. I assume you want 2 monitors for productivty purposes. I recommend getting A: a single ultrawide 1440p monitor that is great for gaming and productivity due to its massive size B: Grab either a 144hz or 1440p monitor and buy a cheaper 60hz 1080p monitor as you will probably be only be gaming on 1 monitor. If you go with option b choose a 144hz monitor if you play alot of games where speed and smoothness are key (cs go, lol, dota). 1440p monitors shine in impressive games(gta, witcher, skyrim). I personally own a 144hz monitor and it is fabulous. I cant strongly suggest any 1440p monitors but just look for good reviews. As for 144hz monitors the https://www.amazon.com/Asus-VG248QE-24-inch-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00B2HH7G0?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0 is great. As a rule of thumb when looking for a monitor look for a name brand(asus, acer, benq) and choose one with good reviews. Also, IPS pannels have better colors then TN pannels. For gaming you will want a monitor below 5ms response time.
   
5. I honestly don't know much about network adapters but I would just do a quick google search on witch ones are the best.
   If you have any further questions feel free to ask. Wait for deals on the U.K buildapcsales before purchasing parts, otherwise I can help you bring down the price abit if you want.

If I may make a recommendation, try to go for 24", which suits 1080p better. 27" is still good, but it doesn't look as sharp. Also, I would strongly encourage getting a monitor with adaptive sync. ("Freesync" monitors if you have an AMD card, and "Gsync" monitors if you have an NVIDIA card.) It makes a huge difference.

Looks like you have a GTX 1070. In that case, I would recommend also upgrading to 1440p like /u/KarlofDuty said. I use a 980 Ti for 1440p@144hz w/ Gsync, and it does the job very well. A 1070 should do it even better.

The options you selected are all quite a bit overpriced for what they offer, in my experience. As for affordable better options, I use the Dell S2716DG, which meets all these critera and you can often find for about $450-500 -- check /r/buildapcsales often, because this monitor pops up there every other week. You can get a monitor multiple times better for the same amount that you're already willing to spend.

Please note that it is a TN panel, which is a type known for having washed-out colors. I own two different monitors with TN panels, and you can adjust color settings to make it still look great. The main benefit is that TN is usually much cheaper than the better alternative, IPS. (So, if you're willing to spend an extra couple hundred bucks, you can get an IPS panel instead. If accurate color is that important to you.)

You may be thinking, "but that's a 27"." The key difference is that 1440p looks great at 27", while 1080p looks best at 24" in my opinion. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Other note: there's a new release from Dell coming soon, which is basically the same thing but scaled down to 24" for better sharpness and increased the refresh rate to 165hz. I don't know how much it will cost, but if you're interested it might be worth waiting a little while.

CPU - This is a perfectly fine CPU for gaming and there isn't any reason to change it.

Motherboard - This is a solid board, and it's a plus that it's a Gigabyte board. Make sure to keep in mind that this board doesn't support SLI, so if you ever plan on getting a second GPU you should go a different route.

Memory - You should seriously just get the cheapest RAM you can find since you can't utilize XMP. RAM is the only computer components that is actually created equal, other than manufacturers with high failure rates.

SSD - Don't get that SSD. It's faster than any HDD out there, but at the same time slow for an SSD. I know it's tempting to cheap out on a few parts like the SSD, but it's certainly worth it to spend a bit more. I'd recommend this SSD.

HDD - Do you really need 2TB of storage? I don't hear many bad things about Hitachi, but I still think you'd be better off with a Western Digital HDD. If you really do need/want the 2TB hard drive, it looks like it's quite a nice deal for that price and I wish you luck with it.

GPU - You're gaming at 1080p60 and expecting "high settings". This card is overkill. Do yourself a favor and get an RX 480 or a GTX 1060. On the other hand, if you don't plan to upgrade for 4-5 years, the GTX 1070 is perfectly fine. As far as aftermarket cards go: For AMD, I'd recommend PowerColor/XFX and for NVIDIA I'd recommend EVGA.

Case - Solid case, but I think you could stand to spend a bit more for a Fractal Design Define R5 if you decide to buy a less expensive GPU. I'd recommend it anyways, but the less you spend the better, I assume.

PSU - At this point, I recommend no PSU other than this one. The PSU is a very important PC part that you shouldn't cheap out on, and this PSU in particular is one of the best.

I apologize. Let me do my best to break it down clearly for you here. Because it's a lot of stuff I was confused too, so I made a document that I hope clearly details my build and the associated costs. For the sake of this, I'm excluding peripherals, because I can't buy them from Memory Express anyways. If you're interested in what I've chosen I can link those too.

So, to begin, ME is holding on to their last 1060 for me, if I do my full system build with them (due to miners, they won't sell it to me alone). As a result, I can price match any of my items with them -- including the video card (of course, I'll be hard-pressed to find the GPU for less than they're listing it for). That's why I listed PCPP -- according to the associate I spoke with, they're willing to price match with any of the sites on there, so long as they have the GPU in stock. This is the most up-to-date build I have -- I've for now excluded the peripherals and the RAM.

****

The CPU is the same as before:

Intel Core i3 8100 3.6Ghz, 6mb

Price Match w/ Vuugo @ $147.25

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX68268

**

The motherboard I think I managed to get the same one from a different ME, and it's being transferred to my local one.

MSI Z370-A Pro

Price Match w/ Newegg @ $149.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX68590

****

The RAM I'm still iffy about. The one I have on the build right now is a Kingston 2x4 GB for $125. I wasn't given a product number and forgot to ask, but through some digging on their website, I found this and I think it's that one because the price is the same (it's the only one at exactly that price). If not, they have it in stock and I can switch it out for this one.

As far as I can tell, it's identical to the one you linked. What do you mean by expandability? As far as I can tell, my motherboard has 4 memory slots. Can I not just add more RAM? Unless I need to use those to connect stuff like my HDD and SSD, but I thought those used PCI-e slots.

If 8 gb will do me fine then I'm happy, I just don't want to have to upgrade any time soon. The 16gb version of the same one is less than $100 more so it's something I'll have to consider. If it was you, what would you do? The choices:

Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $117.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX64812

OR

Kingston HyperX Fury 2x8GB

Price Match w/ Vuugo @ $218.50

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX66968


**

From what I could tell, ME had the best price on my SSD.

Samsung 850 Evo SSD 500GB

Memory Express @ $179

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX55510

I think I've decided on 500GB. More storage is always better, and again, I don't want to have to switch, transfer, or upgrade later. I aim to put only my OS and most of my games on there, so it will be dedicated to that.

*****

The HDD I went for 2TB. It's a $20 difference from 1TB so I figured the same as above.

Seagate 2TB BarraCuda HD Sata III w/ 64 M Cache

Price Match w/ ShopRBC @ $72.25

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX63178

*

The GPU I had to change from EVGA, because ME doesn't have that one in stock anywhere. This one, according to the salesperson and the Internet, has two fans and a higher speed. I figured that would end up being better anyways, but again, let me know if I'm causing a problem for myself here.

Asus GTX 1060 3GB

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $364.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX63930



The case I had to switch a bit to get one they had in stock. It's effectively the same as far as I can tell.

IN WIN G7 ATX Mid Tower Case, Black

Memory Express @ $59.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX52221




Same with the PSU. Think I used the filter to grab this one, sorted by Memory Express.

Corsair TXM Gold 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $94.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX65812



The monitor they have in stock. I was looking to get a cheaper one at about 120Hz but apparently nobody has those.

ACER GN246HL 24in Full HD 144Hz LCD LED

Price Match w/ Amazon.ca @ $249.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX64422



So the total price of all of the above comes to:

$1446,44 if I choose to go with 8 GB of RAM, OR

$1546,95 if I choose to go with 16 GB of RAM.

Prices may fluctuate a bit depending on the prices I'm matching with (I'll review as I get closer to picking up the parts) and tax etc.

I hope that was enough. Please let me know if there's any more info you need. Sorry for the late response by the way, trying to get some homework done at the same time, haha.

Once more, thank you for your help. You've gone above and beyond what anyone would have asked of you, and I appreciate your help very very much. This kind of thing is why I love Reddit.


***

I've added the details on my peripherals below, just for fun. You can totally ignore this if you want, but if you're interested, here's the extra stuff I'm looking to get.

Fasteners

$13.97

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-106457-Fastening-Cable-Black/dp/B004AFUJZC/ref=pd_bxgy_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6JVF3PB6QH9VKNGJ9Z50

CM Masterkey Pro S RGB Cherry MX Brown

$139.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01D3BDN60/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2Q9BUBJBGLQRF&colid=27HBAHJXQ3YZ9&th=1

TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, Up to 500Mbps, Plug and Play

$49.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00AWRUICG/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3UXQO0VKJJAHK&colid=27HBAHJXQ3YZ9&psc=1

Mionix Ambidextrous Mouse (AVIOR 8200)**

$79.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00D3F7D86/?tag=pcp0f-20

I am sure the title was a joke, but just in case: A better PC isn't going to help you with teamwork, which is the main reason people get stuck in 'Elo Hell'.

Moving on. If you want to build a PC that might actually improve your gameplay, you bought the wrong monitor. Especially if you play first person shooters as well, you should get a 144Hz monitor.

A 1080p, 144Hz monitor with a TN panel: http://www.amazon.com/VG248QE-1920x1080-DisplayPort-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00B2HH7G0

You'll also want to consider your peripherals. A mechanical keyboard with MX Browns, MX Reds, or custom manufacturer switches resembling either of those will be a huge improvement over the typical membrane keyboards. (I use the Logitech G910)

A responsive and comfortable mouse will help as well. (I use the Logitech G502)

For playing with all of your resources available, you'll also want a good, comfortable headset or a nice set of speakers. You can often hear ability sounds before you can see the animations. This can help you respond faster to situations. (I use the Logitech G35)

Once you have all of those things squared away: Everything in your build is fine. The only thing I want to add is that you do not need to overclock to play League, so you could probably save some money by buying a locked processor and a motherboard that doesn't support overclocking. I would recommend a better GPU, especially if you end up replacing your monitor with the one I recommended. A r9 390 will be a worthy investment now and for the future.


When this build is done, you'll no longer have any excuses for being bad at League of Legends....so you should start watching some streams of professional players while you are waiting for your parts to ship. I personally recommend twitch.tv/valkrin as he is very informative.

Always see this. You get a fantastic graphics card and then don't get a display to go along with it. Go ahead and get the 680 or a 770, as was already mentioned, but for the love of all that is holy get a monitor than can make use of good GPU technology.

Asus VG249QE great monitor. I'm using one right now. 144 hz, 3D enabled, 1 ms response time (gtg). Its great.

Korean IPS is also a great option. 1440p, 27" screen, overclockable to 100 hz. Check out this before you buy anything.

I'm not saying the monitor you picked was bad but you are building a great machine.. why not make your link between the hardware and your experience as good as the equipment you are putting in there? Makes sense doesn't it.

If you're a student you can get windows 8 for free or cheap. Check your campus IT website or go to Microsoft's website because they offer deals like this. Or find a student and give him 20 bucks or a case of beer to get you a serial key. Takes them like 5 seconds.

I strongly discourage a microatx motherboard. They aren't as efficient as mid atx mobo's because they dissipate heat less efficiently.

Why get an aftermarket cpu cooler. You are getting the non 'k' version of your cpu, so you can't overclock it and thus the stock cooler that comes with intel cpu's will be more than enough.


Good choice on the PSU and SSD. The case is nice as well.

Final note. Don't get that ram. It's 1333 and theres no point in not spending the extra 10 bucks to get ddr3 1600 ram. Get this or approved equivalent.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

That is a pretty solid build, congrats. These are my feedbacks:

The only thing that stands out negatively is the USB WiFi adapter. There's no need for a USB card when you can have a PCI-E card. I suggest this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A

You may not need the dual band but trust me, it's handy and the difference in price makes it worthy, since with that card you'll be future proof even if you get Google Fiber.

I'd personally get a better case. The 200R is a good case, don't get me wrong, but with a budget like that I'd get something better: the Cooler Master 690 III for example, which is pretty much the best mid tower case available on the market:

http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/ncixus/cooler-master-case-cms693kkn1

I also have no experience with EVGA PSUs. However I know that the best PSU manufacter on the market is SeaSonic. Some PSU manufacters buy SeaSonic parts and use them for their PSUs. I don't know if EVGA does it, but XFX is one of them, and I'd get this PSU:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I5HF0KU/?tag=pcpapi-20

650W, Fully Modular, Gold Certified, same price as yours.

This depends on your habit but you could save on the Optical Drive (who uses DVDs anymore?), and if you don't want to you could get a OD from an old build/an old PC since as long as it's a SATA drive it'll be fine.

I'd also recommend Windows 8 instead of Windows 7 since it's SSD optimized and it boots a lot faster. You don't have to use the Start Menu if you don't want to, or you can use it to store your desktop applications like I do.

The rest of the build is fine to me, congrats on your rig man.

Let me go over my picks for you.

Number 1 best value: Acer 240HY. 23.8", IPS, and almost no bezels. 60hz, so pretty great for the price, with HDMI.

Number 1 best 144hz gaming monitor: Viewsonic XG2401/2701. It has freesync, the best color of all sub $300 monitors, and can rotate into portrait mode if needed. This monitor is fantastic if you have an AMD graphics card. If you do not, however, you'll either want a G-sync monitor (Much pricier) or go for a Benq and save money, since those lack freesync (Which doesn't benefit Nvidia cards anyway) but still have fantastic ratings.

Speaking of which, this is the best 144hz monitor without Freesync or Gsync. BenQ XL2411Z

Want a fantastic cheap Freesync monitor? Look no further than any size of these Viewsonics. Viewsonic VX series. All are 60hz but overclockable to 75hz (Nice!) and they all have freesync. I'd still recommend the #1 monitor I listed first, since IPS will probably be a lot better on your eyes, but these are great alternatives if you want a cheap gaming monitor and have an AMD card.

Want 144hz gaming but you're a cheapskate? No problem. Either buy the AOC G2460PF (Freesync!) which doesn't look quite as good as the Viewsonic I mentioned second but is $60 cheaper, or go for the Atron Vision AVF24 for an alternate, highly rated but lacking Freesync monitor. You can even get them used off Amazon for $150ish too!

Personally, I think for you, the first monitor I listed is your #1 best bet, BUT you can, if you really want to pinch pennies, go for the Acer H236L 23" monitor and buy it refurbished for almost exactly $100. It's also a bezel-less monitor, looks okay, and has high ratings. Personally, based on my research though, if you're going to buy this one new, go instead for the Acer I listed at the top, since it's IPS and this one is LCD. It still seems the better deal.

Happy shopping!

1. My first instinct was to guesstimate around $850. That's mostly because of the extra things to get started that you need. The monitor, keyboard/mouse, etc.
   
   
2. It's very easy to get it up and going, the hardest part really is just the cable management. This wire goes here and there, but the wires and where you plug them in should be labeled. Building a PC is kind of like hooking up a console. Controllers only go in the controller slot, power plug only goes into the power slot. Things just will not fit in the space they're not supposed to, so don't force them. :)
   
   
3. I don't have any experience doing this, but I know that you definitely can. IMO, I'm probably just biased because I'm a big time PC guy but I can't really think of a lot of games where you would want to use a controller instead of a keyboard and mouse. There's sidescroller games, point and click games, stardew valley and some others.
   
   
4. You'd probably like CS:GO, There is GTA and other similar games. Check out Steam and the Humble Bundle as that's where you'll probably get most of your games. :)
   
   
5. I'm sure there are some PC exclusive games that you and your son would enjoy together. It just depends on what you guys like.
   
   

6. You basically build it and that's it, there will be dust in there but it shouldn't get too crazy. Just clean it whenever it looks dirty enough to where you should spray it out. Probably every six months to a year. I like to use this PC Vacuum, it advertises as a vacuum but it's just a loud air pusher, you'll save money with that instead of buying something like this.
   

   
   

   Computer maintenance outside of hardware/physical stuff. There's free anti-virus and other programs like that. Windows 10 comes with Microsoft Defender.
   

   
   

   PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
   

   
   

   Type|Item|Price
   

   ----|:----|:----
   CPU | Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $199.00 @ Amazon
   Motherboard | MSI H110M Pro-VD Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $52.95 @ Amazon
   Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $49.99 @ Amazon
   Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.00 @ Amazon
   Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB GT OCV1 Video Card | $249.99 @ Amazon
   Case | Corsair 100R ATX Mid Tower Case | $39.99 @ Amazon
   Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $79.99 @ Amazon
   Monitor | Asus VX228H 21.5" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor | $119.99 @ Amazon
   Keyboard | AmazonBasics KU-0833 Wired Standard Keyboard | $11.32 @ Amazon
   Mouse | Logitech SBF-96 Wired Optical Mouse | $8.70 @ Amazon
   | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
   | Total | $860.92
   | Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-14 18:14 EST-0500 |
   
   A little overbudget lol :)

$2000 for everything?

I had fun with this one, enjoy your browsing :)

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $328.99 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler | Scythe SCMG-2100 74.2 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $42.98 @ Newegg
Motherboard | MSI P67A-G45 (B3) ATX LGA1155 Motherboard | $147.86 @ Newegg
Memory | G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $99.99 @ Newegg
Hard Drive | Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $54.99 @ Newegg
Hard Drive | Western Digital RE4 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $66.99 @ Super Warehouse
Hard Drive | Western Digital RE4 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $66.99 @ Super Warehouse
Video Card | XFX Radeon HD 6970 2GB Video Card | $339.98 @ Newegg
Power Supply | Corsair 850W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply | $149.99 @ Newegg
|| Total
| (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.) | $1298.76
Additional Items | -- Items not available in System Builder -- | --
Case | Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Mid | $109.99 @ Newegg
Optical | Random Lite on DVD burner | $22.99 @ Newegg
Monitor | ASUS VW246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms | $218.98 @ Newegg
Mouse | Razer Lachesis 5600dpi | $68.61 @ Amazon
Keyboard | Razer BlackWidow Mechanical | $77.48 @ Amazon
Surface | RAZER Goliathus Fragged | $17.98 @ Newegg
Headset | Audio-Technica Import ATH-AD700 | $93.90 @ buy.com
Mic | Zalman Microphone Zm-Mic1 | $12.21 @ Amazon
|| Grand Total
| (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.) | $1920.90

brief:

Not all games make use of the hyper threading in the 2600K but some do and many more will follow. Your budget allows for it so do it. Additionally, it's still the faster CPU per core so all games will benefit and this is your most powerful option.

You have a budget that can allow for the luxury of silence. Fractal Case and Scythe heatsink will keep everything cool, quiet and classy.

Motherboard is Crossfire ready and so is the power supply. Why skimp on our upgrade powers when there's some flex space in the budget?

8gb of ram so you can stream or record your games so while your kicking ass with this new rig everyone else can know about it. I made sure they had low heat spreaders as well so they'd fit under the massive scythe heat-sink.

High quality, fast response, 24" monitor.

Dual RE4 250gb hard drives with 64mb cache for a 500gb RAID0 to boot from. The fastest and most stable platter drives you'll find. SSD if you want but this will let you store all your games and provide better stability. 1tb Spinpoint for other storage because it's cheap and fast. We're spending big but we don't need to waste on a storage drive.

The new Lachesis (not the one with problems) and a mechanical keyboard for the smoothest play you've ever had. Round it off with a Goliathus mouse surface for the ultimate experience.

Audio Technica AD-700 headphones: if you take everything out of my build you better keep these. These are, hands down, the best headphones for gaming I've ever used. Huge sound stage and great for games where you want to hear your enemies coming.

* Zalman ZM-Mic1: don't let the price fool you, this is a pretty awesome mic with exceptional clarity for a fair price.

That cleared things up, thanks.

• Going with the 1070
  
  
• So I can look at 1080p images in 1440p but the images are still 1080p themselves. For games, this just means I need to turn up the resolution to make use of the 1440 right?
  
  
• Just found out DropBox only gives 2GB free storage. How am I going to transfer the files I want to keep? Pay $9.99 for a month of 1 TB? (Just realized I'm a dingus and this case or at least the 200R will have 2 drive bays)
  
  
• I just read that Hz translates into what you should keep your FPS at. Isn't 144 Hz a bit much if FPS benchmarks for high end cards like the 1070/1080 are at a consistent 80-120 FPS? Does Hz matter as much if your FPS doesn't reach it?
  
  
• Think I'm gonna give up the 1440p for a more practical 1080p, I need to remember I only occasionally play games where graphics matters and that I'm still a part-time student. Asus vs BenQ vs Acer w/ G-Sync? I don't think 1080p needs G-Sync but I'm also uninformed. (A lot of pros/tech sites use and endorse the BenQ, plus it mentions eye comfort. But the Asus' colors look a lot better here)
  
  
• Was also thinking about headphones since my current setup is earbuds that only reach up to one ear. I found the M50x was well known, #1 best seller on Amazon and had great reviews. It's not too expensive ($120) so I think it's the sweet spot.
  
  (is the "HD" in the Acer is just for show? It has the same resolution as the other monitors)
  
  
• Can you find what display type my monitor is? I assumed it was TN since it was cheap but whites don't look pinkish
  
  
• Are most games not cpu-bound? It looks like it only causes a negligible FPS difference for most games.
  
  
• I assumed the motherboard was really important given the name and the fact that it's the core of the computer but I read a higher quality mobo just has more ports?
  
  If they're not weak links, don't fix what isn't broken I guess.
  
  

• A week or two from now, just going to buy these from the cheapest provider listed on PcPartPicker and play Overwatch, H1Z1, Skyrim, The Forest, etc. all set?
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $194.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Motherboard | ASRock B150M Pro4S Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $69.99 @ Newegg
  Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory | $59.88 @ OutletPC
  Storage | PNY CS2211 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $79.98 @ Amazon
  Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $47.49 @ OutletPC
  Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Superclocked Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card |-
  Case | Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case | $47.99 @ Micro Center
  Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $74.99 @ Amazon
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit | $108.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Monitor | Asus VG248QE 24.0" 144Hz Monitor | $248.00 @ Amazon
  Headphones | Audio-Technica M50x Headphones | $119.95 @ Amazon
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1062.25
  | Mail-in rebates | -$10.00
  | Total | $1052.25
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-06-09 22:03 EDT-0400 |07 21:55 EDT-0400 |

> They are about the same price, while the Radeon seems to have a little bit better performance, while the GTX 960 uses less power. What do you think on that?

The difference in performance is not that small. I'd go with the R9 380 – apart from the higher energy use it has no drawback.

> A lot of reviews said, that the i3 is definitely faster, but not future proof since it only has two cores.

2 cores but 4 threads, which so far means that all games that rely on more than two cores run perfectly fine. The i3-6100 is a great gaming cpu and will be faster than the i5-6400 in many games, as it has a higher clock. Not that the i5-6400 would be too slow in practice.

> I don't really know a lot about chipsets and how taking the best one are relevant in a gaming PC.

They aren't. The problem with H110 boards is that they have only two ramslots, maxing out your mainboard with your two 4GB sticks, which will be an issue later. Get 1x8GB, and better a B150 board with 4 ramslots to not have this problem.

> Corsair VS 450W ATX Power Supply

That's not a good idea

> Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB - 62€

That's too expensive for that SSD. The 120GB model of the Sandisk Plus is a great budget pick for 40€. but 62€ is too near to the better SSDs, like the UltraII or Samsung 850 Evo.

Altogether, I think this would be a good build for your friend:

pc-kombo shared list

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i3-6100 | EUR 118,50 @ Amazon.de
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-B150M-DS3H | EUR 73,90 @ Cyberport
Memory | Crucial CT8G4DFD8213 (8 GB) | EUR 26,01 @ Amazon.de
SSD | SanDisk Ultra II 240 (256 GB) | EUR 65,99 @ Amazon.de
Video Card | Radeon R9 380 | EUR 188,28 @ Amazon.de
Case | Cooler Master N300 | EUR 45,70 @ Amazon.de
Power Supply | Super Flower Golden Green HX (450 W) | EUR 69,21 @ Amazon.de
| Total | €590.58
| Generated by pc-kombo 23.05.2016 |

Be aware that AMD might (paper-)release new gpus on the 1th of June that could replace the R9 380 with a faster alternative. Doesn't matter if you want a PC now, but something to check if it takes some time.

The R9 390 is much, much cheaper and offers same or better performance. I made a few changes. Here's each change, and why.

i5-4690k: can still be overclocked, but since you mentioned nothing about streaming, the i7 is pretty much unnecessary. The price difference between the i5 and i7 is not big enough to warrant so much money unless the i7's hyperthreading really benefits you. In most games (recently, poorly optimized games like fallout 4 have been wanting an i7), the i7 will offer little, if any benefit.

Cooler: Less noise. Lower temps.

RAM: Cheaper. Same performance, still a reliable brand and 16gb.

SSD: Newer. Better in all ways.

Video card: Literally the best card on the market right now. If you're staying at 1080p, I recommend the AMD R9 390, but this GTX980ti is top of the line and there's pretty much nothing better that isn't called a Titan. Offers huge 1440p performance.

PSU: Not overpriced as hell, but still provides efficiency and good power delivery and stability. Also, you could proooobably add a second 980ti if you want to play at 4k and have to buy a new PSU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $227.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.50 @ Newegg
Thermal Compound | Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste | $4.55 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $139.89 @ OutletPC
Memory | G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $62.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $84.88 @ OutletPC
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card | $596.99 @ NCIX US
Case | Corsair 500R Black ATX Mid Tower Case | $109.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $101.99 @ NCIX US
Optical Drive | Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer | $17.78 @ OutletPC
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $89.99 @ NCIX US
Case Fan | Cougar Vortex PWM 70.5 CFM 120mm Fan | $14.89 @ OutletPC
Case Fan | Cougar Vortex PWM 70.5 CFM 120mm Fan | $14.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1551.30
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-09 16:44 EST-0500 |


Wifi card that supports bluetooth: http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bluetooth-Expansion-Components-GC-WB867D-I/dp/B00HF8K0O6

Just my opinion, I am no expert, but these seem like the best choices as they are popular, and consideration how much work it would take to design them.
Also check the most popular on Amazon, Newegg and PC part picker.

CPUs from one socket look almost the same right?
So a LGA 1151 and AM3+ CPUs.

For RAM, classic PCB with black chips, maybe another one with a very simple heatspreader in different colors, as it would take quite a lot of work to create realistic heatspreaders for little benefit IMO.

Any HDD, they all look similar.

For SSDs, Samsung are the most popular and very simple to do.

Three most popular CPU coolers prolly are CRYORIG H7, Hyper 212 EVO, and Corsair H100i, maybe with addition of a single fan AIO like Corsair H55.

GPUs are tougher:

• definitely MSI twin frozr, they use them for most cards
  
• ASUS new strix
  
• Gigabyte G1 Gaming as for 1070 and 1080 and Windforce for smaller cards
  
• EVGA hates you, it seems like they have a different design for every card, but the most popular for enthusiasts could be ACX 3.0 used with 1070 and 1080
  
  Motherboards and cases: the hardest parts to pick, almost every one part is completely different from the other.
  Just go by the most popular.
  
  Anything I forgot?

Yeah I believe that H7 would be a step to right direction, but honestly I would go with somethin like this
https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NH-D15-heatpipe-NF-A15-140mm/dp/B00L7UZMAK

Or this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HPX7J4K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494584874&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=be+quiet+dark+rock+pro+3&dpPl=1&dpID=41f-YJuctCL&ref=plSrch

They are really expensive, that is true, but they pack serious cooling power. You have quaranteed silent operation and possibility of overclocking as much as you want. These two coolers THE best ones around beating all of the $150 aios too. It's just cool to have that I7 running over 5ghz with good temps and silently. But yeah that cryorig is surely going to let you oc till something like 4,6ghz still staying reasonably quiet. Choise is yours.

Your pc just literally has the best components available, I feel like it would deserve good cooler to keep it cozy;)

Ps funny thing about those noctua fans is that they alone cost 20 bucks a piece, and are seriously awesome fans, quiet, efficient and long lasting, I'm running two of the indusrial versions on my build

I will assume 1440p/144hz. Be aware - With AAA, you'd be hard-pressed to get a build that pushes solid 144fps at max settings. The 1080 will get you close, but not there. Of course you can adjust your settings as little adjustments will lead to big improvements without much sacrifice in quality.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD - RYZEN 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor | $313.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | MSI - B350 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard | $107.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $132.66 @ Jet
Storage | Crucial - MX300 525GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $149.49 @ OutletPC
Video Card | Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB WINDFORCE OC 8G Video Card | $499.99 @ Amazon
Case | Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case | $89.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $89.49 @ SuperBiiz
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $86.88 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1480.48
| Mail-in rebates | -$10.00
| Total | $1470.48
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-05-06 17:01 EDT-0400 |

Changed the GPU to a 1080 (non-blower). You'll be fine with the 1080.

Changed SSD to something way cheaper in terms of price/GB. Yes Ik Samsung has a bit of a reputation of being one of the best in quality and reliability when it comes to SSDs. But between the 850 Evo and MX300, there is little performance difference with the 850 Evo just pushing the MX300 out by a margin. The quality and reliability is basically the same. So I went with the MX300 as its way cheaper and has a bit more storage. Just wanted more budget headroom for the monitor.

Frequently on /r/buildapcsales you see great monitors that go on sale.

For this build I would recommend seeing if you could find:

Acer Predator XB271HU - 1440p/144hz/1ms/IPS/GSYNC. Frequently goes on sale for around [$525 refurbished] (https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/68mbtd/monitor_acer_27_wqhd_2560_x_1440_4_ms_xb271hu/). Can find new for less than $700 when on clearance or random deals like [this one] (https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/69kwn4/monitor_acer_xb271hu_27_gsync_1440p_165hz_ips/) on Amazon.

Dell S2716DG - 1440p/144hz/1ms/TN/GSYNC - Albeit TN panel, it has colors that come close to IPS quality when calibrated correctly (Of course theres still the fact that IPS is better color quality and view angles overall). But the Dell does make a compelling argument for being one of the cheapest monitors with its specs, especially with GSYNC. Can regularly find this monitor on sale for $479 +/- at either [Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Gaming-S2716DG-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B0149QBOF0) or [Best Buy] (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-27-led-gsync-monitor-black/5293502.p?skuId=5293502).

Dell S2417DG - 24" variant of the one above. Same specs. Can regularly find on sale for around $400 or less at various places like [here] (https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/69mo59/monitor_dell_s2417dg_1440p_165hz_1ms_39999/).

Again /r/monitors is a great place to get recommendations/suggestions with people more experienced in this field.

To cheapen the price of the build:

Get cheaper RAM. I will quote what I said before:

> if you're not the type to care about high speed RAM, then get the Gaming 3 back and pair it with the a cheap 16GB set like the [Team T-Force/Night Hawk 16GB] (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Kgx9TW/team-t-force-night-hawk-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3000-memory-thwd416g3000hc16cdc01). You'll probably get around 2666 speeds. And its $30 cheaper.

Change storage configuration. Quote:

> You can always go 250GB SSD + 1 TB HDD instead of one big SSD. Its cheaper than a 500GB SSD and you get more storage headroom. You can put the OS and other programs on the SSD to achieve those load times and use the 1TB HDD for mass storage (documents, videos, photos, etc. Things that don't need those loading times).

Change case to non-tempered glass variant. Or just get a cheaper case in general.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $229.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard | $141.97 @ Newegg
Memory | Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $114.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $128.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $62.99 @ Amazon
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card | $259.99 @ Amazon
Case | BitFenix Prodigy Mini ITX Tower Case | $79.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply | Silverstone Strider Plus 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply | $74.99 @ Amazon
Optical Drive | Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer | $16.99 @ Newegg
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $1097.91
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-24 22:16 EDT-0400 |

This is a pretty nice computer. I just ordered a computer nearly the same as this yesterday, only with a larger hard drive, a Zalman CPU cooler, and a blu-ray burner instead of a DVD burner.

Here are some of my thoughts on the above parts:

CPU: It has the most powerful Intel i5 CPU that was just released in June. It's an overclockable CPU and it's probably the most popular CPU on /r/buildapc.

GPU: It has the nVidia GTX 760. This graphics card is a great deal for the price. It's just slightly less powerful than the GTX 670 from the previous generation, but it's $100 cheaper. It should be able to play most games at 1080p at at least 60 frames per second.

SSD: Samsung's 840 Pro series has the best controller in the industry. This is considered to be the most reliable line of solid-state drives. It has great read and write speeds.

Case: The BitFenix Prodigy is a fairly popular case. It's stylish and available in several colors.

Motherboard: The GA-Z87N-WIFI has a built-in 802.11n wifi card, Bluetooth 4.0, five USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and 5.1 stereo audio output. It supports up to 16 GB of RAM and is overclockable.

RAM: This 16GB kit is a good deal at $115. At 1600 MHz it is the fastest supported by the above motherboard. This RAM is low-profile to ensure it won't physically block any CPU cooler upgrade you may want in the future.

* PSU: This Silverstone power supply is fully modular, and it's only 140mm long, which will hopefully make it easy to install in the smaller PSU compartment of the BitFenix Prodigy case.

spain, huh?? amazon.es will be your best bet, trust me (I'm also from spain, and the best prices I've seen here are amazon's)

Also, that build is good, very good for a mid-term gaming PC, as long as you are sure you want to stick with intel. I mean, you have pretty good AMD CPU's out there, better than that intel and for less money, say, THIS is one of the best (affordable) CPU's out there... and is cheaper than the intel. sure there are better CPU's but cost at least twice!! (I'm thinking of unlocked i7's, which are the only that can offer 8 threads... ) 4 threads are good for right now, but may be not enough in a FEW years (I'm used to plan ahead and make my rigs useful for at least 4 years... last one lasted like 7 years with minor (GPU) upgrades.)

GPU-wise, the 270X is only like 10€ more, and could be worth it. just take a look at videocardbenchmark.net and compare the performance of both of them. (note: they also have CPU data, so take a look at it!! )

also, you need to think about the HDD. you'll want a big and fast one, probably a 2Tb WD caviar blue would be good enough (I'm using the caviar green and while EVERYBODY will tell you is slow as hell, since it's not even a 7200rpm drive... it works good enough for me). I don't recommend reusing an old HDD, for two reasons:

one, HDD's life is "limited", I wouldn't trust a drive for more tan, say, a few years (5 or so). I myself use them for way longer, but my old seagates are in a raid 1 (mirror). else I wouldn't be trusting them, and they would be gathering dust.

and two, HDD's are cheap enough... and for a gaming PC you'll wat a big one (at least 1 Tb, trust me, it seems much but it will get filled sooner than you think) WD caviar blue 1 Tb even a raid 0 of those would be good (note I can't find the 2 Tb caviar blue right now, not sure why.... a green could do, or else, a raid 0 of blues would be even faster.) Also, a system SSD would be nice, but not essential.

The best and relatively easiest ways to address poor aesthetics in the CPU are a modular or semi-modular PSU and replacement sleeved and color coordinated cables from said PSU, or if they are too expensive (and they are) sleeved cable extensions look just as good and are way cheaper, but create additional cable management.

​

Regarding a cooling system you should definitely still have one even if you are not OC'ing. If you want to go cheap, get a solid air cooler like the Hyper 212 Evo. If you are more concerned about looks, maybe consider an AIO, like the EVGA CLC240. It's more expensive, but looks nice.

​

Not 100% sure what you mean about the front facing fan, but if you are asking about fan placement, then yes at the front of the case is fine just make sure it isn't going against the airflow of other fans. If you mean fan orientation, like intake/exhaust, then that is also fine, with the same caveat. Generally speaking you want your airflow coming in the front/bottom and exhausting out the top/back.

​

PSU:
EVGA 600BQ Semi-Modular (MB power is the only non-modular) https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Bronze-Modular-Warranty-110-BQ-0600-K1/dp/B01MTJTO2O/ref=sr_1_1?crid=244UIDUJ0IXE&keywords=600+watt+power+supply&qid=1556624118&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_36%3A2500-6000%2Cp_89%3ACorsair%7CEVGA%7CSeasonic%7Cbe+quiet%21%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A6906985011&rnid=386442011&rps=1&s=pc&sprefix=600+watt+p%2Caps%2C136&sr=1-1

One thing to keep in mind about PSU's is they tend to go on sale more frequently and at better discounts (percentage wise) than many other PC components.

​

Cable Extensions:

Antec Sleeved PSU extension cables

https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Supply-Sleeved-Extension-Length/dp/B07C6CLXW8/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=antec+psu+cable+extensions&qid=1556624318&s=electronics&sr=1-3-fkmrnull

​

CPU Cooler:

Hyper 212 Evo (Air cooler-Cheap and functional, not pretty)

https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RR-212E-20PK-R2-Direct-Contact/dp/B005O65JXI

CLC 240 (AIO water cooling- Pretty and functional, not cheap)

https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Liquid-Cooler-Cooling-400-HY-CL24-V1/dp/B074WH52BW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=clc+240&qid=1556624855&s=electronics&sr=1-1

​

​

Hope this helps!

> IDK why it's cheaper.It even has decent reviews so I wouldn't think it's bad RAM.

Alright I think I'll go with that RAM then. The mobo seems to support it, with 1600 being the maximum.

>Don't where you heard that my fellow redditor but I myself had a Seagate Barracuda HDD for 5 months now and it is still working so I wouldn't think it's crap.

Hmm I just read it around on reddit and /g/ that Seagate was a bit iffy, as well as on the amazon pages. The Seagate one is less popular and has worst reviews than the WD one, so I'm not too sure.

> Crossfire support and 4 RAM slots.Plain and simple.

Right so this mobo only has two slots. So it can only fit a 2x4GB in there? Bit of a stupid question but a 2x4gb does covers two slots, right? Would you say this motherboard is better? Or should I perhaps get a 1x8gb ram? And I'm not exactly sure what crossfire is, but I've looked it up and apparently it's to do with having more GPUs I believe? If so, I'm not sure I will have more than one, as it seems more expensive and I'm not sure the case will be big enough. It's a possibility though.


>It's okay but I recommend going with my build instead as it has free shipping on all parts while also having a better mobo.

Right yeah. The mobo definitely is better, but I'm not sure if it's worth nearly £30 more. I might consider the other motherboard though, as a potential upgrade for RAM seems like a good idea. You changed the GPU to a different vendor, but Novatech does delivery for free as well I believe. And I forgot to change the case to the same vendor as yours, as yours did have the free delivery.

that build will work but you can get better performance for less if you haven't purchased parts yet

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor | $168.99 @ NCIX US
Motherboard | ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $49.99 @ Micro Center
Memory | Corsair XMS3 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $24.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Corsair XMS3 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $24.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $104.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.88 @ OutletPC
Video Card | HIS Radeon R9 290 4GB IceQ X² Video Card | $243.98 @ Newegg
Case | Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case | $43.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $39.99 @ Newegg
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $751.79
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-31 04:36 EST-0500 |

- Intel offers much better single core performance which is more important in games

- due to a sale this is the cheapest 8GB you can get

- Newer better performing SSD

- you didn't have any HDD, 256GB will fill up really fast

- There is no reason to go Nvidia if all you want is performance, AMD offers better performance per dollar right now

- no reason to go ATX for a single GPU

- higher capacity, cheaper higher quality PSU

- Didn't include keyboard as there are too many variables however I don't recommend the Razer Blackwidow. If you want help choosing a better option just ask and i'll bombard you with a bunch of questions to help you decide what you should get

- Since you saved on the other parts i'd suggest getting a 144hz monitor like an Asus VG248QE. A 144hz monitor will be better in FPS games like CS but less useful in games like LoL where twitch reactions make less difference

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you, but I had classes at school all day. Here is a build for you in all Euros.

CPU: $218

MOBO: $119

RAM: $92

SSD: $70

HDD: $40

GPU: $480

OS: $23

Case: $117

PSU: $104

CD Drive: $21

TOTAL: $1284

I realize that this is over your initial budget, but you mentioned that you could add an extra $100. Now for the explanations:

• I did not change your CPU, but instead just found an actual link.
  
  
• You do not need to buy thermal paste, as your CPU comes with a stock heatsink, which has thermal paste pre-applied.
  
  
• I changed your motherboard to a compatible one, and then changed it again (when making the list in euros) for price reasons. Also keep in mind that Z series motherboards (as in Z97) are meant for overclocking. This is a method of getting better performance from your CPU. However, it requires specialized parts, like a Z series motherboard, and an unlocked CPU (shown with a K as in 6600K). These parts are more expensive. Because of that, I recommend you don’t overclock, which means you do not need the fancy, Z series motherboard. Instead I went with a H170.
  
  
• Because I went with a different motherboard, different RAM was needed.
  
  
• You chose a GTX 970 GPU. I switched it to a 1070. The reason for this is that it is a newer card with better performance. The 9 or 10 in the front shows which series the card is in, and the 70 shows which version of that series it belongs to, with a higher number meaning better performance. So therefore, a 1080 is better than a 1070 or 1060, and a 1070 is better than a 970 or 870.
  
  
• You chose a Fractal Design R4 for your case. This case is the older version. I upgraded it to the R5.
  
  
• Lets talk PSU’s. These can be very confusing. Obviously, you need to pick one that can supply enough watts to power your PC. You did that just fine. However, there are other things to consider. When it comes to PSU’s, not all watts are created equal. Two PSU’s may provide the same amount of power, however be very different in price. The cause of this comes down to the build quality of each. This affects 4 (main) things, noise, reliability, modularity, and efficiency. Hopefully the first 2 are self-explanatory. If a PSU is fully modular, that means that all of the internal cables that attach to your motherboard or GPU or hard drives or whatever can be completely removed from the PSU itself. This is very useful as it allows you to manage them much better. Efficiency means that less of the power you draw from the wall is being lost as heat. This not only reduces your electricity bill, but also means that your PSU will be cooler, creating less heat for your CPU and GPU. Efficacy is rated using the 80+ scale, which you can see here. Because of these 4 factors, I went with a higher-quality PSU.
  
  Hope all of this helps! If you have questions, related or not, feel free to message me!
  

Are you gonna liquid cool? I ask because that case is generally for liquid cooling. The airflow of that case it not that great. Here's another option, a lot better suited for air cooling: HAF X.

For CPU cooler, here's a pretty good one, the Hyper 212 Plus. It's not much more than the one you listed and it's regularly considered one of the best air coolers, especially for the price. If you can, try to pick up a 2nd 120 mm fan and do push/pull with it.

Also if you are doing serious heavy duty video editing, I'm always a proponent of getting as much RAM as you can. May want to think about getting the 16 gb kit.

Besides that it looks pretty good. Some might say it'd be better (and cheaper) to get 2 Samsung F3 1 tb drives and run it in RAID. Also there's people out there who might have some issue with the 590 card (either say it's overkill, or better to get two 580s) but I don't have a particularly strong stance on either position so I'll leave that to them.

Just a sidenote though, if you can afford to add it to your system, I'd highly recommend getting a SSD as a boot drive/program drive. It was the most noticeable change I ever got from a single component upgrade. I'd recommend at least a 128 gb if you're gonna put all your programs + windows on it. You could probably get away with 64 gb but you'd always have to be super frugal about space. My personal recommendation is the Crucial M4. Just make sure you update the firmware to revision 9 before you start installing anything on it (google it, it's super easy to do).

EDIT: Also was looking at your motherboard. From everything I could see, this Gigabyte board seems to be pretty much the same features wise and cheaper to boot.

So this is just my opinion; take what you want from it.


Main build parts look great. They will easily crush OW, RL, and RS:S. CS:GO is the only one that looks a bit concerning. From my personal experience and benchmarks I have looked at, there is a direct correlation between the cpu clock speed and the peformence (csgo is largely cpu based). If you're not planning to play a lot of AAA games (don't worry, you'll still be able too), I would wait a bit and get the RX 470 instead of the 480. This will let you run the CPU intensive games you seem to want at a higher framerate (think CS:GO at 300fps, which is what people aim around for very competitive play). More info on why you would want 300 and not 144 can be found here. Keep in mind that youtube video does have some extra stuff in it that is specific to CS:GO.

Ram seems to be good. I have the same ssd and hard drive as you put on that list, and I love them. Friend got the case you put down (talked to him and he said he loves it). He also said the same about that psu (he has the 650w version).

Now lets move on to the peripherals. Monitor is good. I have a slightly different monitor with the same panel inside that works flawlessly. The one gripe you may have with that monitor is you can't swivel and turn it with the included stand. Nothing hard to fix up with a stand from monoprice (costs $20 though :/). Zowie fk2 is great. I got a different zowie, but they are all absolutely wonderful. Qck+ (used to have but moved on) is good for a couple months (6 or so) and then gets a little worn out and worse for tracking. Damn they are a good price though. I do not know much about headphones, nor know someone who does, so I don't have much to comment on them. I feel like you could get better, but I have no clue.

The mic and the keyboard. Welp! the mic seems incredibly overpriced TBH. Unless your gonna be using it to stream on twitch regularly, I don't really feel it's worth the price. I got THIS one, and have been using it for a year with no issues at all. Absolutely wonderful for skype and in game chat. TEST AUDIO FROM MIC

Now the keyboard isn't that great. With a cheaper mic and gpu you can get a better one for a reasonable price. Also check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards (an absolute amazing sub).



BASED ON ALL OF THAT THIS IS WHAT I RECOMMEND
even though it's more expensive you can feel free to take bits and pieces of my recommendations and not others :)
now I'm going to bed

anybody feel free to critique me cause I'm not perfect

Let me first say im not an expert in Air coolers for cpus, I have always used All in one(AIO) water coolers. AIO are definitely more expensive, but easier to install, have better cooling ability, but can be louder than Air coolers.

Air coolers tend to have better price/performance and are cheaper but tend to be harder to install.

These two below are two of the most popular due to price/performance so they are worth looking at on the AUS side of things to.

https://www.amazon.com/CRYORIG-Tower-Cooler-Intel-CPUs/dp/B00S7YA5FQ
https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI

This article also has some good info on both types and good suggestions at different price points
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-cpu-coolers,4181.html

The only other thing would be to try and get a EVGA G series psu or a Seasonic G series(What i have, caught it on sale tho). If you cant find one of them Corsair makes some cool ones too. You want to get a Bronze 80 rated PSU at the very least. They are one of the most important parts of the pc and one going bad can cause damage or a lot of instability once your gpu/cpu starts kicking in.

Im not familar with the cases you choose but its important to look at the manufacturers website of the case to see how much clearance each case provides for air coolers since they can be big as hell.

That all being said I think the UMART build is the best out of the three with the PC CASE GEAR coming in second.

The UMART is only $100 AUS more than the others according to the image but with that build you get better performance with the ability to overclock later down the line if you need more power eventually.
Plus you get slightly faster ram so overall it looks better.

Remember that you can upgrade to a better case, GPU or cpu fan etc down the line if you outgrow your current selection but the CPU/PSU, and Motherboard will be fine for a lot of years so its worth spending a little more on them now.

Also sheesh man those AUS prices are no joke, that 470 would only be around $160-180 in the states

Just a few suggestions here:

• HD 6950 2 GB for roughly the same price, which you can unlock to a HD 6970 relatively easily.
  
  
• You're probably better off just getting 2 of these, as it'll perform roughly as well as the Western Digital Caviar Black for a lower price, and the Seagate you chose is really mediocre. Also, you could even try to get an SSD and a relatively slow 2 TB HDD for storage. I don't know much about SSDs though, so I won't make any uninformed suggestions.
  
  
• That memory is extremely overpriced, and the differences between 1333, 1600, and 1866 (crazy..) are more or less negligible. Here's 4 GB of DDR3 1600 RAM for a good price.
  
  
• 850 watts is overkill unless you plan on Crossfiring two of the HD 6950s. If you're just gonna use one (which will perform admirably at 1920x1080), you're better off with a cheaper power supply >500 watts. This is a good power supply at a decent price after rebate.
  
  
• Here's a cheaper ~~23" monitor ~~better 23" monitor which should be just fine.
  
  
• Here's a cheaper wired mouse with very good ratings.
  
  
• Here's the same HAF 922 case, for cheaper and with free shipping. The only difference is that the case fan LED is red instead of blue.
  
  
• You really only need the six-core Phenom II if you mess around with multi-threaded applications a lot, and you would be better off going with a Core i5 or i7 in that situation anyway. That said, the Phenom II x6 is still a great CPU. If you feel like downgrading just a tad bit, a Phenom II x4 955 is still an amazing CPU, which can be overclocked easily to 3.7 GHz or higher. A recommended heatsink would be the Cooler Master Hyper 212+, which will guarantee low temperatures.
  
  EDIT: There's currently a pretty decent 5% off, with a $10 gift card deal, for the Phenom II x4 1090T.

IPS stands for in plane switching. It's a newer panel technology, as opposed to traditional TN panels(don't actually know what that stands for). Anyway, TN panels are the kind that your laptop or current monitor has, in that if you aren't looking at it dead on, the colors shift and get all weird. IPS panels don't do that, and they have noticeable better color quality.

As for longevity, a 970 will last you a long time at either resolution(years). And in stead of turning down the resolution, you should turn down things like filters and texture quality. You want to run your monitor at it's native resolution regardless.

As for value, if sub $300 is your price range, I suggest a 1080p/144hz monitor, unless you're comfortable buying an overclockable 1440p monitor on ebay(QNIX is the brand). I can't personally recommend that because I have no experience with it, but lots of people around this sub recommend them. You aren't really going to find any major brand IPS 1440p monitors until about $400 or over, so it sounds like a really solid 1080p monitor is the way to go for your budget. Regardless, if you're coming up from 720p/30FPS, you're definitely going to be awe struck by the quality of 1080p.

Hope that helps, good luck! This is the 1080p/144hz monitor I recommend: amazon link to the Asus VG148QE

It's by far the best possible 1080p combo with your 970. It's a G-Sync monitor, which for lack of a desire to get technical is magic nVidia smoke that makes for a simply amazing gaming experience. Trust me, get this monitor.

With the Coolermaster Elite 130 case you don't have to worry as much about graphics card size as it does have quite a bit of space that will fit a majority of graphics card sizes.

The only thing you really have to worry about with Mini-ITX cases is airflow and heat dissipation.

The main advantage of a Mini-ITX case is that is can literally fit anywhere you need it to be without much issue. It will also be very easy to move and take to a friends house if you want to show off how much better your PC is than his console.

If you really want to "show off" your PC to your friends / family, than a Mini-ITX computer is not going to be very impressive.

Honestly, the most upgrading that you are going to be doing in the next 4 years is most likely going to be a graphics card, and that would be as easy as taking out the old, and plugging in the new and then updating your graphics drivers for the new card.

Now if you really want to take pride in your computer every day, go with the latest build that I posted, as it has a case with a window, so you will be able to see all of your components and it will also allow you to see the dust accumulation without actually opening the enclosure and know when to clean the computer regularly.

I would suggest investing in a MetroVAC electric duster whenever you need to buy "compressed air" to clean your computer.

https://www.amazon.ca/METROPOLITAN-VACUUM-CLEANER-CO-ED500/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465152702&sr=8-1&keywords=datavac

You would be surprised how expensive compressed air becomes when you need to clean your components and ensure that no dust sticks around for very long which could impede the cooling efficiency of the entire computer.

If you want you could just purchase all of the components now except for the graphics card. You will be able to do some light gaming with the i5-6500 onboard graphics and also save up some more money while you wait for the graphics card to come out.

You will want to invest in an aftermarket CPU cooler at some point like a Hyper 212 EVO. The stock CPU cooling fan that comes with Intel processors is quite lackluster, very loud and will be one of the first components to go bad in your build and need replacing.

Hey. That's quite a... detailed list you've got there. I'll clear up what I can. I'll go through your issues one by one.

First off:Motherboard. Addresses in problem #7 #5.
-Bluetooth. Most motherboard don't have a built in Bluetooth module. If you want Bluetooth anyway I recommend you to check out this:
https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Adapter-Computer/dp/B00HF8K0O6
This also comes with wifi. Bonus points for convenience.

-Motherboard:Your 6700k is an unlocked processor, which mean it is designed for a Z170 chipset motherboard, which enables CPU overclocking, you can learn more about it in Google. Considering your concern about audio quality I recommend either an:

+ASROCK Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4

Or a

+Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 3

Both of which comes with the newest onboard audio codec [ALC1150] but I generally prefer the Z170X Gaming 3 because it has better build quality and comes with an Op Amp. Solid choice overall.

Secondly:Performance related issues. As addresses in problem #2 and #3

-Ram:32GB of RAM is all you need, most of the people who run out of 64gb RAM are the ones who work on hi profile project like BF1 and AAA titles. Don't sweat it.

-Storage:1TB SSD is pretty pricey but is worth it if you can pay the bucks. If you can't, then opt for a 120gb or 240gb SSD and then get 3x500GB HDD and run it in Raid 0 configuration. This feature is supported by the aforementioned motherboards, this makes the HDD faster while still having fast boot time and low cost.

Third: Comfortability. This one is small so I'll keep it short.

-Keyboard:It depends on your need. If you want a quiet and tactile, go for Brown switch. If you don't use the keypad much but can use some extra money and space they get a TKL keyboard, it all depends on your preference. My recommendation:
https://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Tenkeyless-Mechanical/dp/B007VDKLLM?th=1&psc=1

-Monitors:Are you multitasking? Do you want to watch porn while playing GTA5? Then get 2 1080p.
If you prefer quality instead, I recommend an ultra wide 1440p monitor. The 1070 isn't powerful enough to hit a steady 144fps at max settings.1080 also has a hard time hitting it so just stay with the 1070 and SLI later for extra performance. My recommendation:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VBNQJSM/ref=as_li_tl?tag=amazon0251-20&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00VBNQJSM&linkCode=as2&linkId=DXJX3BVD7T5PL252
There is enough real estate for multiple windows when you're not gaming. So if you can spare a few buck then this may be cool for you.

-Case: Just go with what the community considers best: the NZXT S340. Simple and efficient.

-Installation: You do indeed need to buy a Phillips screwdriver if you want to assemble the PC. The rest is just adult Lego.

Hope I cleared that up. If you don't understand anything feel free to ask me.

1 TB Western Digital $58

1 TB Seagate $53

2 TB Seagate $83.50

3 TB Seagate $102.80

Any of those would be good choices. Like others mentioned, WD Blues only go up to 1 TB. WD blacks are pretty much over priced, so Seagate is the better choice above 1 TB. The Seagate 1TB drive actually performs a little better than the WD 1 TB. As for WD being more reliable than Seagate, I don't really know if that's true or not.

Things to consider: Cache size, RPM and platter density. Seems like 64MB cache, 7200 RPM and 1 TB platter size is the best bang for the buck right now. All those drives above share those specs.

ABSOLUTELY.

The fact that it can even be done with stock parts (although granted it won't be aesthetically pleasing given the case restrictions), drives the point home, but that also limits profitability by the manufacturers, and like i said also makes them ugly, so it makes sense that companies like Valve are designing integrated-system boxes that can run smaller and trim the fat, thus making room for profit.

The other major sticking point is Windows, which is precisely why we have steamOS. I hope it catches on. Windows is a great general purpose OS, don't get me wrong, but it eats resources that could be used in gaming, and also would devourer $100 of your build unless you uh, have connections.

That being said, allow me to demonstrate:

PC Case & PSU: $50

CPU: i3-4150: $120

MOBO: MSI H81M-E33: $50

4GB Ram: Crucial: $36

WD Blue 1TB HDD: $60

MSI GT 640: $84

Grand total: $400

I'd bet that total it would smoke a ps4 or an xbone, too.

Edit: I can't math, I'm $16 over with the GT650. So here's a GT640 that makes it work. Still beats a console.

Edit 2: regarding lifespan, that's a silly restriction. First, I've gone through FOUR xboxes in 8 years. The last one has only lasted becuase i mainly switched to a PS3 in the last few (edit 3: Three PS3s, but IIRC only one was due to death, the first got sold). Having said that, I have every confidence the build above will last 8 years, provided it doesn't die in the first 3 months. PCs are like that. Either they croak right away because you did something wrong like not provide enough airflow or have a bad part, or they last forever, like the dell desktop I have sitting in my office with a Core 2 Duo from 2007, or the studio-pc my old band used to record our album that I'm SURE the singer never updated, and is running a Pentium 4 and Windows XP (he's of the if it ain't broke variety).

Besides, what someone else down the line said, if you're going to compare apples to apples, add xbox live/psn sub fees for 8 years in, that automatically adds another ~$400 to the cost of the machine. That's a HELL of a lot of headroom for upgrades. And this isn't even taking into account the general cheapness of games on PC vs. consoles. Games usually start $10 cheaper on PC and will tend to drop immediately after launch - if you can wait a day or a week, you can usually get most games for $35 or less, so figure an average of $25/game savings, lets say 4 games a year (hah), and we're talking ANOTHER $800 saved over the lifespan you are suggesting.

TLDR: PC is cheaper, but requires more commitment (duh). There is something to be said about the console's ease-of-use where even my 3-year-old son can figure out how to turn on the PS3 and watch a cartoon on Amazon or play Pacman, or turn on the Wii U and play NSMB or Pikmin 3.

He has some good advice. But for the love of all that is holy. Please do not buy a "gaming" headset.

Invest in a good pair of headphones and attach something like a Antlion Mod-Mic to it. You'll end up with far better sound, a similar if not better mic, for around the same or cheaper price as those "high end gaming" headsets.

Something like this: Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 $99 + Antlion ModMic $32 or Zalman Zm-Mic1 Clip-On Mic $6.99

Gives you a set of incredibly good sounding headphones for both music and gaming, and a mic comparable to the one you are going to find on any headset out there (no matter how expensive, unless you want to go super high end).

If you don't like the look of the ATH-AD700s, then browse through this wonderful thread/font of knowledge on headphones at Head-Fi.org: Link.

As for mechanical keyboards, the Steelseries 6Gv2 Cherry MX Black is a good choice.

In terms of mice, I suggest you go to your local computer shop and try out mice there with your hand. You need to find one that fits the way you like to grip your mouse and one that is fit for you. I'd even recommend the same with the mechanical keyboards. A place like Frys is a great place to test them out as the regularly have the mechanical keyboards out on display to test.

TL;DR For ultrawide, go for the LG29UM67 or AOC Q296PM. For 16:9, check out the AOC G2460P or BenQXL2411Z. Check /r/buildapcsales for deals.
-

You should choose based on your budget, how you plan to use the PC, your gaming preferences, and what GPU brand you end up using.

With the GPU choices you can make in your budget, you should probably stick to 1080p monitors.

If you have an AMD card, you should look for a monitor with freesync, which will smooth framerates below 60hz. If you have NVIDIA, you can look into GSync, which is the proprietary NVIDIA version of freesync (with some extra features), but that will probably raise the price of a monitor by several hundred dollars.

If you want more productive space and greater immersion in your games, look into a 21:9 ultrawide. I use a LG29UM67, which has Freesync if you use and AMD GPU. The AOC Q296PM is another great choice. Look for sales; I got mine for $270. Many games have 21:9 support, but there are some glaring exceptions, which would leave you playing in 1080p with black bars on the sides. I wouldn't recommend going less than 29" with 21:9. Also, most lower-budget 21:9 monitors only give you around 60Hz refresh rate, so if you're getting more than 60fps in a game, your monitor won't display it.

If you will be playing with higher framerates or want a smaller screen, then you should opt for 16:9, which is the current standard. Then you can go for something with a high refresh rate, around 144Hz. If you want the best picture quality, you could go for an IPS panel instead of a TN; what I'll recommend below is TN.

So, for a good 16:9 monitor at a budget price, I'd recommend the AOC G2460P, especially if you have and AMD GPU. The BenQXL2411Z is another great choice, but it has no freesync.

Make sure you check /r/buildapcsales for deals. Monitors go on sale fairly frequently.

I actually already asked this question to /r/pcgaming and got some excellent feedback.

I ended up purchasing a 1440p 60hz monitor for the resolution later that day, and just picked up a 1080p 144hz recently, so I have the advantage of playing with both of them side by side to give you an accurate insight.

The 1440p has much higher color quality and makes games look ridiculously beautiful. The fact that you're at 2k 1440p means you really don't need much, if any AA to get smooth models. The desktop work space is very nice to have outside of gaming, especially if you work on editing video or do graphics design. This thing is BRIGHT. I had to turn the brightness almost all the way down just to keep it at a comfortable level, especially at night.

What I've noticed with my 1440p is if you're running a rig with a 970 or a card of equivalent or lesser performance, playing 2k 1440p resolution with ultra settings will yield framerates under 60 in most AAA games.

It also is a double loss in performance because the games you do have that pump out over 100 fps tear badly on 60 hz monitors. The lack of consistency in frames per second in general is noticeable enough to degrade the entire gaming experience. This can be somewhat fixed by enabling vertical sync, but it doesn't work well in every game, causes input lag sometimes, and from what I've observed it's there just to do what it can.

In a nutshell, 1440p didn't match up with my system's performance output at all. I had to actually turn down games in order to get a substantial, fluid frame rate. And even then, it was still capped at 60 fps max. I even overclocked my monitor to 75hz, and it looked worse even though it read 75 fps in-game. And turning down the game's resolution to 1080p on the 1440p monitor obviously didn't look good at all.

The 1080p 144hz monitor isn't as great in the color and clarity department on the desktop (in-game there is a smaller, noticeable difference, however it is not a deal-breaker), but holy cow when I first connected it, the difference was night and day. The game was so much more fluid and played more "live" if that makes any sense. Every single game looked and played like it felt like it was supposed to, some even better.

I wanted to cry when I first played CS:GO at 275 fps. It was that beautiful.

In all seriousness though, being at 1080p vs 1440p meant my graphics card could pump out much higher framerates above 60 at ultra settings with AA, where it was having trouble staying in the 50s in Witcher 3 at 1440p with some things such as foliage distance, shadow quality, nvidia hairworks, draw distance, and terrain quality turned down or off completely. I love my 1440p monitor and its resolution, but it just doesn't do well for gaming on this rig.

And the biggest difference? I was actually able to SEE the frames at 100+ fps. I play games exclusively on my 144hz monitor now while the 1440p is great for a second monitor with a large desktop workspace.

At 1080p@144hz, you will get higher and much more consistent, fluid frame rates that won't screen tear at higher ultra with AA. Games look so much better, I cannot stress that enough. OR at 1440p you'll get lower frame rates at lower graphics settings at the cost of a higher resolution, and will have bad screen tearing in games pumping out over 100 fps, forcing you to enable vertical sync.

After playing with both of them for many hours, if I had to go back and pick one, I'd pick the 1080p 144hz hands down. Actually if I could have an extra $1200+ to throw down, I'd pick up a 1080 pascal and a 1440p@144hz monitor.

TL;DR Don't get a 1440p unless you have the rig to back it up. If you want to push 1440p for gaming, you'll need a rig running a 980/i5 or better, and a 1440p monitor with 144hz to get the minimum performance necessary for games to look as good as you paid to play them at that quality. Otherwise, go 1080p@144hz.


My rig for those wanting details:

Edit: Duh, forgot to include the monitors in the pcpartpicker:

• Asus VG248QE 24" 1080p@144hz
  

• Acer G257HU 25" 1440p@60hz
  

  
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
  CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler |
  Motherboard | MSI H110M Gaming Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard |
  Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory |
  Storage | Sandisk Ultra II 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive |
  Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card |
  Power Supply | Corsair Gaming 700W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply |
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit) |
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total (before mail-in rebates) |
  | Mail-in rebates |
  | Total |
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-03 09:18 EDT-0400 |

It really depends on what your brother is playing for games. If they are gaming casually and want it to look amazing this would be a good.

That looks like a good 4k monitor. That 1080Ti could push 4k pixels but only at 60fps max for many games.

If your brother is playing competitive or fps games I would recommend a 1440p monitor. It is known to be the best sweet spot resolution for 27" monitors. Below is a great 144Hz, 1440p, g-sync, IPS monitor. A gaming monster. Having a g-sync monitor is a gamers dream. It keeps everything buttery smooth without any tearing.
Acer Predator XB271HU 27" https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=24-106-004

IPS monitors are great with awesome colors but can be expensive. Dell makes a very similar monitor that is a TN panel which has worse colors and viewing angles but is cheaper.
Dell Gaming S2716DGR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0149QBOF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HsWIBbD73QJ2K

You can save almost a hundred bucks and get your monitor on ebay unless its something that you already own. I have that monitor and bought it from Green-Sum and am happy with it. Then if you wanted to you could use the money you save and buy a clc cpu cooler (i use the corsair h110 for my i5).

Also, i cant speak for the headset, but it seems that a lot of people generally prefer to get good quality headphones + a mic over a headset. I have a Logitech G930 that i bought like 4 years ago and i decided to give new AudioTechnica m50x a shot and paired it with the standard zalman mic. My setup is no longer wireless, and i do miss having a mute button, but overall i am happy with it.

One thing that i would suggest is that if you have the money/wiggle room, to go for a 250g SSD. The 120 will "work", but now i can comfortably install games on it and it just makes the loading so much nicer.

Your PSU is pretty good and will let you pick up a second 780ti in the future and work with no problems so thats good.

Overall its pretty solid. I guess one last thing that i would mention would be to think what you are using your PC for and decide whether the i7 is necessary. I personally dont think that it is worth it for gaming (as in, performance per dollar over compared to the i5), but if youre wanting to stream or do 3d modeling or whatever people get i7's for, then stick with it. Just a thought.

Be sure to post pictures of your BattleStation once its built! And good luck with the cable management.

Depending on what you mean by 'media' that 2500K is pretty overkill. You can get nearly identical gaming performance from the significantly less expensive i3-2100.

I wouldn't call that Zalman cooler superfluous, but I wouldn't pick it over the favored 212+ unless you have solid evidence showing how quiet it is. You should see what sites like SilentPCreview and Guru3D consider the leaders in quiet cooling at the moment.

You can definitely save a good deal of money with any one of these ASRock micro ATX motherboards. That Asus is enormously more expensive than you need.

The GTX 560TI is a good choice. You should consider this MSI twin frozr 6950 2GB card for only ten bucks more. It is the more powerful card in nearly every case. MSI also makes some of the coolest cards around, which is of primary importance for a microATX build like this one.

You probably don't need all 16 GB of that RAM. You should stick with this set instead.

You also won't need that 650W power supply. With a single mid-range GPU, at most you'll need is 500W. I would recommend finding a well reviewed, modular unit around 500W instead.

He's right. Do you WANT to play at 14440p/144? If you don't care about playing at 1440p, then don't worry about getting a 1440p monitor.

I recommend you do, though. I just built an EVGA 1080FTW/i7 6700k build last week, and I'm absolutely glad that I got a 1440/144 monitor since the 1080 has enough power to make it worth it.

I play Overwatch, Rocket League, Borderlands 2 on maximum graphics at 1440/144 easily, at a nice and cool 67 degrees or so. I can also get Battlefield 1 at a stable 100 FPS on Ultra at 1440/144 as well. I have not overclocked.

I would have hated myself if I had gone for a 1080 monitor with the ability to go higher and still have amazing graphics and butter smooth FPS.

>Which one is cheaper and better?

Cheaper? 1080/144. Better? 1440/144.

Go with 1440/144. You'll kick yourself for settling for less when you get playing with that 1080 card.

---

I personally recommend this monitor. It's the one I have, and a friend of mine who built first recommended it to me. It's 1440p, 144 refresh rate, with GSync. It's also rather huge at 27", but I love it.

It IS a TN panel, not IPS, but once you adjust it based on suggestions, it's just as good as an IPS for a lot cheaper.

Watch the sales on it. It's "retail" $800, but I never once have seen it even remotely that high. I got mine for $449 from a Best Buy sale, and I frequently see it on sale at /r/buildapcsales. Otherwise you can take a look at jet.com and see if you can find one there for cheaper with the discount codes. Such as right here. Pay by debit card and opt out of free returns (can still return if damaged/defective, and can pay to return if you just don't like it) and add in the $50 max SHOP10 discount code, get it for $450 new.

tl;dr - Get a 1440p/144 monitor.

I think the monitor upgrade is the perfect idea. Upgrading to a 24 inch 1080p monitor will make him sooooo happy if he spends even a little bit of time in front of the computer. If you are looking for the best bang for your buck in your price range of $200-300 I can give you some suggestions.

If your boyfriend is using his computer for mostly FPS gaming, I would check this one or this one out or this one out. These monitors are great for FPS gaming because it has a refresh rate of 144hz and a great response time which helps in fast pace games like FPS games.

If you want to go above $300 but stay below $400 for the sake of getting a 27 inch gaming monitor as opposed to a 24 inch (which the three above are), check this one



If you boyfriend only games some of the time, mostly plays non-FPS games or uses the computer for any kind of photo editing or video editing I would check this one out. Dell Ultrasharps are top of the line monitors. I personally have owned 3 of for 2 years and have loved them to death. This monitor is an IPS monitor, while the above is a TN monitor. IPS monitors have better color accuracy and viewing angels and are better overall except for refresh rate. Unless you need a 27 inch monitor, this is far and away the best all around monitor in your price range.

There are also some good gaming monitors monitors in the 150-200 range as well if you don't want to blow your entire budget on a monitor. For hardcore gaming check out this [one] (http://www.amazon.com/BenQ-Gaming-Monitor-RL2455HM-24-Inch/dp/B007HSKSMI/ref=zg_bs_1292115011_4). It doesn't have has high of a refresh rate as the other gaming monitors but is sub $200.

Let me know if you have any more questions

For sure! As I said, I ran the Ryzen 1600 + RX 580 setup previously and every game I played I always put on ultra high settings with no stuttering or frame rate drops. I play a lot of League of Legends and even though it gets me over 350fps. I capped it to 144fps just for consistency purposes and it will usually hover around the 140-144fps range during a big late game team fight.

I also forgot to answer your last question about the monitor, my best advice would be to not get a 1440p monitor. Instead get a 1080p 144hz monitor with Freesync (supported with Radeon GPUs). I'm not sure if you have experienced the difference between 60hz and 144hz but I made the switch a couple months back and the difference in visual smoothness is MIND BLOWING especially for fast reaction games like CS:GO. The Freesync is just a cherry on top for even more visual heaven.

I highly recommend the AOC G2460PF it is the monitor I bought with my setup and it is quite hard to find any monitors with these specs for under $200 anywhere else. Here's a quick link to where I purchased it.
Here

Sorry for the long reply I am just still amazed by the great performance of those parts I bought in a price to performance perspective.
Good luck with your build :)

Motherboard: That will work just fine. I believe the quote you listed is telling you to buy an add-on card which connects to your motherboard through a PCI slot and gives you extra USB ports like this. That mothboard has 4 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports and your case has two front panel USB ports. This brigns your total USB ports up to 8. If you need more than 8 then you can buy an add-on card or back plate that attaches to the USB connections on the motherboard. The latter looks like this. The black thing obviously goes to the motherboard.

CPU: Depending on how much video editing you do you might be able to drop down to the 2500K. The 2600K will be better for video editing, but if you really need to save money and don't edit enough to justify the price increase then you can get the 2500K.

GPU: The 570 is pretty good and you would want to get an EVGA card because they have a lifetime warranty. You can also get the 6950 which is slightly worse (maybe 10% less FPS) but costs about $80 less.

Hard drive: Switch to the Samsung Spinpoint F3. It's cheaper, faster (the 6 Gb/s on the WD is crap, HDD can't even get up to 3 Gb/s), and more reliable. If you have extra money then get an SSD. One of the best upgrades you can give your computer. They are crazy fast

Everything else looks good. Make sure to get an aftermarket CPU cooler if you overclock. The Cooler Master Hyper 212+ is great.

PCpartpicker seems to err on the side of caution, but I don't trust it 100%. Newegg is probably the best in terms of parts specifications, they list cooler and ram heights and how big of a cooler each case can accept. Amazon will tell you too but sometimes you have to dig through the questions. The best source is probably the specifications at the manufacturers website.
I just built a gaming pc a few months ago, and like you I wanted function over form. 8700k processor with the best performing air cooler I could buy - https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NH-D15-heatpipe-NF-A15-140mm/dp/B00L7UZMAK
If you end up getting that you need low profile ram. I bought two of the better cooling cases from that gamersnexus link to test the cooler fit, the Silverstone RL06 and Rosewill Cullinan. Supposedly the RL06 was like 5mm too narrow to accept the D15 cooler, but it actually does fit (however it touches the window). The Cullinan I bought as a backup because it was slightly deeper and that was the one I ended up using but it didn't like my tall Strix video card, had to fight it.

I don't know what price range you'd like to spend. But for me, I got the cheapest option, and it came with 3, making it even cheaper (well, sunk cost, so might as well consider them cheaper). And they turned out to have some nice sound quality.

Personally, the decision was based fully on price, the ModMic and Sony might have a better sound quality than the Neewer and Zalman, but that doesn't mean the Neewer and Zalman has poor sound quality, they're actually really nice sound as compared to most gaming headsets. Since the sound quality of the cheap ones are in my liking I went with the cheapest I found (you can search the models up on YouTube or something and find audio recordings from them).

Here's a long summary breakdown:

1. If you want the cheapest mic on the block, get the Neewer Mini Lapel Mic, I would recommend these as they sound nice and is really cheap, came with 3 as well, although I'm not sure why you'd need 3.
   
2. If you want to try the popular pick, that'd be the Zalman Zm-Mic1. I believe this is what most people uses, but I haven't personally tried them out, so I don't know about the build and sound quality of it. But it's what most people would recommend, so there has to be a certain credibility to them.
   
3. If you want a better build quality one, really small and slick, go with Sony. Sony products will be a bit pricier but they are good products for sure.
   
4. If you want to go full on premium mode, you can check out the Antlion ModMic. They're hella expensive though....

I think most of this sub is in agreement that a higher refresh rate monitor is better for gaming than a higher resolution monitor. Look for a 1440p 144hz monitor with gsync. Dell makes a classy looking one. Though I'm sure you can find something cheaper than $600.

With this budget you should be getting something from the top tier of PSUs. Any of EVGA G2, Corsair AX, or Seasonic Platinum series 650W+. [Consider this one.] (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9q4NnQ/evga-power-supply-220g20650y1) Though I would really like to see something like this in there.

edit: A note for that case: it comes with the three front LED fans only. No exhaust fan(s) included. You'll definitely want to buy at least one extra of those fans to use as exhaust. This is the exact fan that comes with the case. The LED hub can support up to 6. Your MOBO probably doesn't have 6 fan headers though, so look into a solution for that if you end up getting a total of 6 fans. Your CPU cooler will need at least one fan and it won't be LED unless you buy one. With an all glass case you might want all your fans to be uniform LED. The fans are bad ass and I love that case.

Also with a glass case you might be interested in braided power cables that look a lot nicer than generic PSU cables. Check out cablemod. Also a lot easier to work with.

I must say it's very enjoyable working with high budget builds. I get to recommend all the cool stuff.

> I'm using an R9 280x

You've got a few options:

• single 1080p 120/144Hz
  
• triple 1080p 60Hz
  
• single 1440p 60Hz
  
  Now, you also don't want anything over 24" and you don't want to spend more than 400€ (551,60$). So I'd probably go with the first option...a single 1080p 120/144Hz. You probably won't saturate that monitor but that's ok because then you won't have any frame tearing issues. You'd be looking at around 60fps for Crysis 3 on high settings, and you're pushing 100fps for BF3 on ultra. So you would be able to take advantage of a 120/144Hz monitor.
  
  >And is there such a big difference between 60Hz and 120/144
  
  Yes. It's going to look a lot smoother the higher the frame rate, so if you're playing something like Civ V you probably won't notice a difference at all, while something like BF3 or CounterStrike where there's a lot of movement and fast paced things going on you'll be able to see it.
  
  This monitor looks like it fits the bill nicely. It's 24" 144Hz 1080p and comes in at $280. Sorry that it's an Amazon link, but you can just take the model and search it on whatever site that you want to and it'll probably be pretty close in price.
  
  If you want other monitors that you don't want to game on, I'd suggest you just go with a 1080p 60Hz monitor since you won't be utilizing the speed. Something like this. 24" 1080p 60Hz at $180.
  
  Unless you're planning on triple monitor gaming, or if you're a productivity guru you probably don't need a third screen. If you do want three screens I'd get three of the 1080p 60Hz one since you probably won't be able to take advantage of three 120/144Hz monitors with a single 280x.

This looks like a really solid build.

I would however recomend air cooling instead of water cooling, water cooling can be tricky to put together and it's not a whole lot better, plus it's more expensive. I recomend the ''Hyper 212 EVO'', It's the most efficent cooler for the money out there, it's only 35$ and keeps my I7-4790K around 70 degrees while overclocked to 4.7Ghz.

Hyper 212 EVO: http://amzn.com/B005O65JXI

Also, I don't know about you, but if you want to be able to put dvd's and such into your pc, which can be really helpful for installing drivers and such, you shouldn't forget the optical drive, they are only 20$!

Asus Optical Drive: http://amzn.com/B0033Z2BAQ

Other than that this looks like a really strong build, will max out almost everything, if you want more storage I would recommend the 4 Tb Western Digital Green, the green is twice as cheap as the black and sees almost no difference, (in my opinion). 750GB won't last forever, and if you want to be comfortable being able to record and download how much you want, mass storage can be a good thing.

WD Green 4TB: http://amzn.com/B00EHBEUZO

Welcome aboard the pc master race!

I see you've already come pretty far with your research.
The Ryzen 5 2600x is indeed a great value, but when you plan on manual overclocking the Ryzen 5 2600 (non-X) is even better. It will achieve the same overclock as the 2600x (so the exact same performance), while costing less.

As for the Motherboard, here is the generally accepted Quality Tier List of the many AM4 motherboards. I'd recommend checking out the Mid-, Highrange and Top end Boards and see if one of them fits your needs and budget.

Corsair LPX DDR4 is very popular for good reason. I've personally used it in 4 Ryzen builds and it has not dissapointed. I would recommend however to go with 3000MHz instead of 2666MHz. The higher the clockspeeds, the better performance you will get out of your Ryzen processor. 3000MHz is widely considered the sweetspot in price to performance

I would like to point out that the new Ryzen 3000 series is expected to launch at the end of this month/start of June. This will mean that you can either get a more powerfull Ryzen 3000 cpu for the same price as the current 2600. OR get the 2600 at a significant discount. (the discounts are already happining at different retailers as they're clearing stock in anticipation of the new 3000 series.) So if you can wait for just 1 month to, I'd recommend doing that.

Yes you will need a network adapter, http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WDN4800-Wireless-Express-Low-profile/dp/B007GMPZ0A/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
That is the #1 on amazon.
Although might I suggest getting a better motherboard with the rest of your left over budget? The one you have is good, and will do the job, but for relatively not much more, you can get one with many more options available to you for the future.

BTW, something also to think about, mouse, and keyboard, what type are you going to use? I mean, my thinking is, why buy a sports car (gaming PC) but have seats like a school bus. A cheap mouse and keyboard get the job done perfectly well, but you can get some pretty nice ones (let's be honest, we like to spoil ourselves).

Warning: THIS IS BUILDAPC, where we will always, even by accident, try to convince you "Hey if you spent just a LITTLE bit more, it would be so much better for you!"
I ended up planning my build with a 660, to a 760, and now I am debating if I NEED a 770 just because everyone else is getting one XD.

The most important things with RAM (besides being the right type for your computer, such as DDR4), are: size (GB), clockspeed (mhz), and CAS timing (typically some number between 8-20).

The bigger the size the better, but these day 16GBs of ram is recommended, 32GB max for most users. The higher the clockspeed the better, but typically you get the most bang for your buck around 3000mhz or 3200mhz, over 3200 you tend to get diminishing performance returns for far higher cost; Also, make sure your motherboard supports the given clockspeed. CAS timing, this is a little complicated, but long story short the lower the timing the better, and the ram's actual performance is based on some equation of like clockspeed divided by cas timing or such. For 3200MHz ram, the typical cas timing is 16 (specifically "16, 18, 18, 18, 36", but don't worry about those other numbers, just the first one).

For good highspeed DDR4 ram that isn't crazy, I would recommend these.

Worth noting, if you have different ram in your computer running at different speeds, all of your ram will run as slow as the slowest ramstick. For that and some other reasons, it is best to keep all the ram in your PC the same type, so that they will all perform the same.

https://smile.amazon.com/Asus-VG248QE-24-inch-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00B2HH7G0?ie=UTF8&tag=pcpapi-20

If your budget is up to $250 that ASUS monitor supports up to 144Hz so if you are playing more competitive/eSports type games they will be much smoother if your GPU is capable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236722&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Is similar to the first option, but offer FreeSync, if you are using an AMD video card. Also just a little be more expensive and may be out of your budget.

https://smile.amazon.com/ViewSonic-VX2757-MHD-DisplayPort-FreeSync-Technology/dp/B01A0ZRRCI?ie=UTF8&tag=pcpapi-20

Two options from ViewSonic 24" for $160 and 27" for $220. Both are 1080p so be aware that the larger screen isn't higher resolution. This doesn't make a huge difference in gaming, IMO, but windows and text in a browser might seem larger than typical if used to a 24" 1080p monitor.

Both support FreeSync and go up to 75Hz. Obviously not as high as 120 or 144, but its still a noticeably and welcome improvement to 60Hz.

https://smile.amazon.com/AOC-G2460PF-24-Inch-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B01BV1XBEI?ie=UTF8&tag=pcpapi-20

Final option here, AOC 24" 1080p with FreeSync and refresh rates up to 144Hz. If refresh rate is a high priority this is the most affordable option to get the highest refresh rates available today. It also comes with a pretty robust stand that allows it to be raise quite high, and rotated vertically. Seems to hit all the features for a great price and reviews seem to be quite favorable.

If you want the absolute best reception possible, a PCIe card is the best choice. Not too expensive.

If you want something that'll save you money and still offer solid reception, there's USB adapters.

Alternatively, depending on how old your house is (I'm not sure of how the logistics go; you'd have to search around on that), powerline adapters are the next best thing to a wired connection.

Wired > Powerline > PCIe > USB

USB isn't bad, but PCIe is a good sweet spot if a powerline adapter wouldn't work.

So roughly $10-40 for WiFi. It's well worth it over purchasing a motherboard with it built-in.

---

With your budget? Yessir. Hardware before luxuries.

---

It's not hard at all. There are plenty of instructional videos and articles on how to do it.

tl;dr Make a bootable flash drive (at least 4GB on the drive; might as well have a bigger one, though), put the Windows ISO on there (make sure your Windows is tied to your Windows account; not as a local account either), install it to the SSD, boot up, sign in with the same Windows email as before, and activate it. Easy as that.

Make sure you wipe your hard drive, too.

What GPU do you have? AMD or Nvidia because then you will know if your going with free sync or g sync (make sure to get g sync... if you dont know what it does it stops frame tearing (look it up), and makes the game smoother with less input lag and less stutter. Even though its a bit more expensive, once that warranty runs out, your going to be wishing you didn't go with AOC. Then for your secondary monitor. Your also gonna have to ask yourself do you need it now or can it wait, and do you really need 2 monitors. obviously its gonna take a good video card, but thats why you have the nice 144hz monitor. Now to ask yourself... what res do you want to be playing at and do you really need 144 hertz. Competitive games like CS:GO your going to need to 144 hertz because of how smooth everything is and how much it really will effect you. but if you know your not playing games like CS:GO and you know your not gonna be getting a super high fps, then i would say get a nice 1440x2160 or 4k (depending on what video card you have and if you can run it). If you know your gonna use 144 hertz,

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-VG248QE-24-inch-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00B2HH7G0

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Monitor-P2415Q-24-Inch-LED-Lit/dp/B00PC9HFNY
it will either be about 390 dollors for the 24 inch, or about 490 for the 27 inch. Do some research yourself and see what would suit you better, 24 or 27 inches.

and thats only if your photo editing and doing that kind of stuff. unless your doing that then i would say stick to 1440x2160

reply back for any help!
GL

> but which one should I buy, considering a Wi-Fi adapter?

The TP Link WDN-4800. It's very popular on this subreddit and gets recommended very often.

For cpu and Mobo I'd go with the I5 4690 and the ASRock H97 Pro4.

> Which 750w PSU for my GPU? (I'm talking about compatibility for pins)

Most 750W power supplies come with the necessary cables for the computer. I know for sure that this XFX Pro Series 850W has all the cables you need.

> About the RAM, I'd go for the faster CL9 I put in description

There is no scenario where you'll even notice the difference between CL9 and CL10... It might, just might improve when doing something like rendering / 3D-modeling.
So you can save yourself about 8,- that way.

> and same thing for the SSD 840 Pro, which has better read/write speed.

When only considering the read/write speeds you'd see 1 maybe 2% performance improvement over the 840 Evo. While the 840 Evo is ~30% cheaper.
If you think performance is important get the Samsung 840 Evo 120GB twice and put them in Raid 0. It improves performance up to 100%! And is still cheaper than the 840 Pro.

Headsets are generally regarded as inferior to standalone headphones with a desktop/clip-on microphone. And the headsets in the price range you specified are pretty awful in both build and sound quality. So the only reason you would get a headset at that price range is to have the convenience of having an all in one solution, and a crappy one at that.

If going for a bang for your buck solution I would recommend The Superlux hd681 Evo along with a Zalman ZM-MIC 1 clip-on mic. The Headphones themselves are kind of bulky and the plastic construction is a bit so so, but for desktop construction quality is totally fine. And the sound quality of these cans are really something for the price(£30). The phones are open for a better soundstage that helps when playing fps games and also has clear mids and highs. It also has a couple of desirable features like a detachable cable and swappable velour earpads.

The mic that I recommended is average but really cheap coming in at around £5. The Zalman ZM-MIC 1 can clip on to your headphone's cable to make it like a headset...Thats about it really.

These are the options I use and it worked much better than my previous Steelseries Headset and it was cheaper! Would thoroughly recommend to those on a tight budget.

Superlux hd681 Evo

Zalman ZM-MIC 1

I highly recommend investing in good headphones instead if sound quality is at all important to you. They would be an investment and can be used for much more than gaming.

Is noise isolation important to you? If not, I'd recommend open cans which are, in my opinion, often more comfortable and provide great soundstages for gaming. I have the Sennheiser HD598 (~$250), but the Audio-technica AD-700 (~$100) is quite popular among gamers.

You then have a choice of different microphone options: a nice desktop mic, the modmic, or something like the zalman clip on mic.

Sorry, I don't have experience with the V-modas - they do look cool though haha. These are closed headphones, however.

For your $150, you will have vastly superior sound, a better microphone, and headphones which are more versatile than a headset.

This is the wrong take, OP didn't ask for best bang for the buck PC, he asked for the best PC.

Cooler: Air is usually cooler and quieter than AIOs, in your machine you want the noctua nh-d15 though.

Your memory is not the best it can be for Ryzen (you want 3200c14 or 3600c16). Remember you have 4 DIMM slots, you can go 4x8 if you want, but I don't think they are cheaper than the 2x16 kits.

3600c16

or

3200c14

I personally have the latter one, Samsung b-die for good overclocking potential.

Storage: Don't put mechanical in this build for the love of god. Your "boot drive" is fine w/ the 860 evo, consider the m.2 version for slight (and I mean slight) performance gains and less wires:

also consider it's bigger brother the 970 Evo

For your "data drive", get a 2tb mx500, If you buy a mechanical drive for this build you will be banned :).

The video card situation is a weird one right now. nVidia keeps the good bins of their cards and sells the rest to AIBs. If you want the best 2080ti, you want the founders edition

But nVidia has probably the worst customer service, and 3rd party cards offer better cooling. It's a decision that's up to you. I personally went with a Founders Edition card for my build (2080 Super though).

Get an 80+ platinum power supply

This is a hot take, but consider a wireless mouse. The offerings today have no lag and gaming without cable drag is fantastic. Some suggestions:
Logitech G Pro Wireless


Logitech G703

Note that I have not owned the following, but based on budget and reviews they seem to be solid options, pending your setup.

USB Go Mic Plugs directly into USB slot, so if tower is next to you this may be a solid option. $40

--

You could consider using a clip on mic like a Sony or Zalman and clipping it to a surface near your desk or your shirt.

--

Unfortunately, at the price range you gave me that's about the best I can do. Consider shopping around for deals at Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, etc. Good luck!

Quick Edit: If you can spring for the extra money, I still recommend Blue and the ICE microphone is pretty quality. It is directional and looks to be about $50 right now.

Do you already have a pair of headphones? If so I'd recommend this I already spent a bunch of money on a good pair of headphones but wanted to have the ability to chat online still, I almost settled for worse sound quality to have the ability to talk but instead I came across this mic. It's currently less than 10 bucks, the build and sound quality is amazing.


Super simple, it just plugs into the mic input with a super longer cable and has a little clip to attach to the cord on my headphones.



My friend has the same set up as me and the Skype quality is superb.

3- wd blues are great drives, and i've been running one solo for the past 2 years, but about to buy an ssd for my os and important programs. 1tb and 2tb. also note that the 1tb drive is 7200 rpm vs 5400 rpm in the 2tb, but since you aren't running the OS on that and just using it for storage, it's nothing to worry about.

4- stick everything in here. that's there recommended wattage psu to get, but its probably worth it just to get something 50 watts over that.

5- obviously, ethernet is the best choice, but if that's not available you can get something like this. one of my friends has powerline, and its really weird for him. some outlets he gets good speeds, and others are absolute trash. turning off and on the lights repeatedly causes a little lag while gaming, but overall he still likes it and uses it.

6- 27 inches is really huge, and you're not going to find a 1440p, 144hz, 27in, and gsync monitor for less than that.

I think this is a great build. If you want to spend a little more money, I would say upgrade the power supply to an EVGA G2 550W. It is pretty much the gold standard for power supplies, and with a staggering 10 year warranty, you'll have it through many upgrades and potentially another build. Other than that, I might upgrade to a better SSD but the one you picked is probably fine.

For monitors, I'd personally recommend this for you: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BV1XBEI/?tag=pcpapi-20

It's a 1080p 144hz freesync monitor. While you might not be able to push 144 FPS at high settings in every single game you play, you can definitely get it in league, and even if you are below 144 FPS in more demanding games you'll have the freesync.

If you want to spend less then go for a 1080p 60hz monitor. I'm sure you can get one for $100 or less. But I really think you'll like the 144hz; it helps give you that competitive advantage. Even just typing on it and moving your mouse around is really pleasing.

Hello everyone!

I've been thinking of upgrading my dual monitor setup. Currently I own 2x BenQ RL2455HM.

---------

My PC's Specs

• ASUS G75VW
  
• Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium
  
• Intel i7-3610QM (2.30GHz)
  
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M
  
• 24GB Ram (8GB onboard & 2x 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1866MHz)
  
  My Gaming Habits:
  
  
• I play a wide variety of games, but at the moment I've been playing quite a bit of Diablo 3, Dark Souls 2, League of Legends, Civilization V, FPS games, Planetary Annihilation, and Rust.
  
  Cost
  
  
• Cost isn't too big of a deal for me, but I would like to stay around the $200-300ish (per monitor) price range.
  
  Other Considerations
  
  
• While response time is of great concern to me, I'm also looking for a monitor that has great picture quality in terms of clarity and color.
  
  Monitors I've been researching:
  
  
• BenQ XL2420Z
  
  
• ASUS VG248QE
  
  -----------
  
  So what do y'all recommended as far as a potential monitor upgrade for a person like me?
  
  Thanks.

To give you a couple items as a ballpark for your shopping:

Monitors
==========

• $100: One of many simple 1080p 60 frames. Nothing too fancy. They are honestly fine for gaming.
  
  
• $210: AOC G2460PF has 144 frames per second and Freesync. The high frame rate means that visuals look better in motion. Have someone with a high refresh rate monitor show you testufo.com, even at slow speed it's just so much clearer looking. The Freesync is for AMD cards; it eliminates vertical sync issues, which aren't that big of a deal on 144Hz monitors, but it doesn't make the monitor more expensive. Note the great stand on this one.
  
  
• $400: Samsung U24E850R has 4K resolution PLS at 60 fps and Freesync. The high resolution (4 times 1080p) means that your graphics will be world-class. In motion it will suffer slightly by only having 60Hz. The PLS panel type is very similar to IPS panels and means it has more expressive colors and better viewing angles than traditional TN panels. This one will look gorgeous if your graphics card can drive it :). Also has a good stand.
  
  Keyboards
  ==========
  
  
• $110: K70 Red Switches Red LED. Red switches are the most produced switch as they are the gaming switch. This is an alright price, I bought this keyboard (with Brown switches) for $85 a few months ago but it basically never goes that low. If you wait a few weeks you might find one for $100.
  
  
• $90: K95 Red Switches White LED. The K95 is a premium version of the K70, including a bunch of macro keys on the left. This one is a lower price because Corsair is selling it as certified refurbished: someone got this brand new, returned it for some reason, and Corsair determined the reason to be minor/fixable. If you wanted to buy now I say go for this one since you're getting a better deal than the current K70 prices.

I have a 144hz Asus monitor and a IPS Dell Monitor.



After using calibration profiles for both, the IPS easily has better color depth, accuracy, viewing angles, and etc.


HOWEVER, the monitor I ended up using more is the Asus, because I play competitive CS. Actions feel much more responsive and fluid even on 64 tick servers, but much more-so on 120 tick+ servers. I play on the lowest settings, and on high digital vibrance, so the IPS beautiful screen is useless.


Any game that couldn't utilize the 144 hz, was a bummer to play on the Asus. Even after calibration, the colors felt over-saturated and or washed-out. I don't know much about color accuracy or what-not, but the IPS definitely looked better on games, movies and and even browsing.


Depending on what your doing, could highly influence which monitor type is better, but I think 9/10 if cost isn't an issue, the IPS is a better choice. And, if money still isn't an issue, and you want the best of both worlds, those overclocking IPS monitors from Korea is always an option.

Honestly I never really researched the best RAM, I just grabbed some of this corsair RAM because it was cheap and quick enough. You benefit a little from 3200 over 3000, but I think the improvement is very small on Intel systems. Really I'm not the most knowledgeable in this subject, but I did manage to spend less than $80 on RAM and it works great so if you want to save money and get something trustworthy I'd recommend the basic LPX sticks.

Wow, I'm literally about to order the same build. I'm getting a H100i cpu cooler, the Maximus VI Hero instead of the Z87 pro mobo, and a Seagate Barracuda 1TB instead of a Caviar Blue 1TB HD. I'm also getting the red/black version to match my mobo. Everything else is the same even the same brand GTX 770. Please let me know how it runs, especially how quiet it is.

You have a lot of fans and an overclockable CPU. I would recommend you get an aftermarket CPU cooler to take advantage of these features. As I said above, I'm gonna try the Corsair H100i, but it is pretty expensive. Some less expensive air coolers that I think would look good in this build are

[Phanteks TC12DX](http://www.amazon.com/Phanteks-U-Type-Heat-Sink-Cooler-PH-TC12DX_BK/dp/B00AXUTKEE/ref=sr_1_10? fs=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1393992252&sr=1-10&keywords=phanteks+ph-tc14pe) for $60 on [sale for $40 + shipping] (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7616870) right now

Enermax ETS-T40 for $50 (also has leds on the stock fans)

And of course, the [Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo] (http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1393992767&sr=1-1&keywords=hyper+212+evo) for $35 which doesn't match as well but is cheap.

Great job on cable management (it's supposedly easy in this case) and I agree that it need a light on the inside. Let me know what light you end up getting because now I want one too.

Well, not every CPU can handle 3000Mhz. That's why yours tells you 2666Mhz. You can put 3000mhz sticks in there but it won't go any faster than 2666Mhz. It would be spending some extra cash for nothing but future proofing incase you upgrade later. When installing the RAM you should also refer to the manual for best dual channel placement. I recommend you use two sticks of 8 rather than one 16 stick.

[This is what I currently have](Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3000MHz C15 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B3000C15) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0134EW7G8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NBkCCbQ80SFBZ), but my CPU can handle 3000Mhz

This article is easy to read and helpful here as well.

Good luck mate

I have an NZXT Phantom 630 but it's above your price and it's too expensive, thankfully I got it on sale. So if the case looks good and you've done your research on it, it should be fine for you.

I like my bigger monitor because I think I can work better/faster on it and I think it is better for gaming. I would highly recommend putting a little bit more in your monitor and go with this one. http://www.amazon.com/VG248QE-24-Inch-Screen-LED-lit-Monitor/dp/B00B2HH7G0/

It has a higher refresh rate at 144hz and it is bigger at 24 inches and it's not terribly expensive. Plus it always has the option for 3d if you eve r wanted to get into that, so this is a great choice if you don't want to go up to 27, but still want a great monitor.

I bought 2 monitors less than a week ago, [here] (http://www.amazon.com/AOC-G2460PF-24-Inch-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B01BV1XBEI?ie=UTF8&keywords=Monitor%20aoc&qid=1463849652&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4)
but just found this... For cheaper and... Possibly better? 60hz vs 144hz. Then higher resolution, and it's an IPS...? I don't currently have a GPU to push either but plan to upgrade in the next 6 months or so...

Possible better cheaper monitor I might want [instead] (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?sdtid=8766539&SID=deada3281f7311e6ad6e1614fd76521c0INT&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16824025212&cm_sp=)

I play mostly Blizzard games, I like 2 monitors to play on one and either surf the web on the other or watch a streamer. If I play FPS games they are usually the solo campaign. Dark Souls, Witcher, Metro. I don't play a ton of huge FPS like battlefield etc. I wasn't sure what my priorities should be. Higher resolution vs higher Hz? Do I want to hold out for a 4k? I think most of these questions are personal opinion, but I'm just not sure what I should be valuing given the types of games that I play.

For 20$ you should get a cooler master hyper 212+, it has a bigger fan (120mm vs. 92) and will easily allow you to reach the max "on air" overclock of that chip. The stock heatsink will easily allow 3.4 GHZ, possibly more. throw in a coolermaster 4 pack of 120mm case fans, put one on the other side of the hyper 212+, and three in the case. all your cooling needs taken care of for 30$ shipped

for 30$ you might as well get 2x4GB ram. these ones are great

the case and psu are good quality, though you can get the antec bp550w, which is modular, for 10$ more.

170$ for that video card seems pretty standard, with 140$ being even better if you get the rebate to come through.

Reading reviews of that mobo, it seems that the compatible ram list is pretty small, and ram issues seem to happen a lot to that board. in the 100$ range there are several am3+ mobo's which would fit your needs. I suggest going with one that has 2 pci-e x16 slots and runs them at (x16, x8) in crossfire or sli. the one you currently have is x16,x4 which will give less performance if you sli/crossfire down the road. if you don't think you'll crossfire, don't worry about that.

• 
  CPU: check
  
• 
  CPU cooler: I have and love this one
  
• 
  Motherboard: check
  
• 
  Hard drive: I have and love the 64gb version of that hdd!
  
• 
  Video Card: I have and love this one. I suggest you get this one since you want more power. EVGA is always the best way to go for graphics cards.
  
• 
  Case: I have and love the red version of that case. It reaallly keeps everything cool. I have never seen my graphics card go above 75c, even after hours of gaming.
  
  PS: Keep on keeping on destiny! As a gold level player, the most valuable lesson I got from your stream was "forget about everything, focus on mechanics". Glhf!

Mouse Pad - Reflex Lab Pro

I've used this everyday for over 6 months now and it's holding up well. One of my favorite purchases, having so much space for my mouse hand is great for competitive FPS games.

Mouse - Zowie EC1-A

This mouse is the real deal. Great responsiveness, feels great in my hand, a button with 4 DPI settings that I can't accidentally press in the middle of play, and no annoying software to install. Very simple with just 5 buttons.

Keyboard - Corsair Vengeance K65 Mechanical

Wasn't my first choice of keyboard, but I have no regrets. Keys feel great with red switches, although it's very loud without any dampeners. Recommend o-rings if you have an open mic.

Wrist Rest - Glorious Gaming

Despite the cringey name, they seem to have a decent reputation for their products, and though I've had mine for a short time, it's lasted well and has been very comfortable. I was unsure of the thickness at first, but I find I prefer a thicker wrist rest.

Headphones - Superlux HD681 EVO

I'm not anything close to an audiophile, so I can't comment too much on the sound. They're plenty loud enough, and sound decent enough to me. More importantly, for me anyway, is their durability and comfortability. They've lasted me nearly 2 years now and the foam pieces are only just starting to crack and wear down with heavy use. They even included a spare pair, which I haven't felt the need to use yet. They're great to use for extended periods of time as well. They don't start to bother me unless they're not sitting right, or I've just spent too long at the computer.

Microphone - Zalman Zm-Mic1

Has a 10ft wire and is under $10. It's kind of hard to beat, as far as mics go. Very durable, mine is 5 years old. I even spilled rum and coke in it once, still works fine. The sound quality is rather lacking, but that's to be expected from a mic this cheap.

Gamepad - Xbox One controller for emulators, Steam Controller for everything else

Well I just picked up some Audio Technica ATH-M50s for $110 and you can get a $7 cliopon mic from zalman that works fine or splurge for the modmic which is not too much more than that. Will work better than comparable headsets and it's modular. I use them for places that I want good isolation. My first pair of ATs and their nice, not as nice as my sennys but still good quality. (granted it's hard to compare across price points)

I personally use Sennheiser HD598s with my icemat clipon mic from my "gaming headset" days. I've had very good experience with Sennheisers but most of the good ones are outside the 100 price range. Sennheisers are very comfy.

If you want something that is going to be comfy for long periods and gaming I would say you need some ciuurcumaural headphones as in my experience those are much more comfy. Open air headphones will give better soundscape, but will lack in the deep bass, while closed air will be more punchy but lack the wide soundscape. If you're worried about bass, then get closed.

What I would do if I were you, is I would probably grab the Audio Technica AD700s as their universally known for being an awesome deal and a clipon mic, like this zalman one. If you wanted closed air ones, then I would grab some M50s, but I much prefer open air for gaming. (downside to the clipon mics are that they usually will pick up some excess sound, modmic solves this. Plus the modmic would be more like what you're wanting anyway, boom etc.)

If you are concerned about noise and want to spend that much on a CPU cooler I would suggest either the Noctua NH-D15 or the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 which is my personal favorite and in my current rig though it seems to be hard even to get here in the states right now so I'm guessing availability in Canada will be even tougher. If you will not be doing lots of video editing or heavy processing things then I think the 6600k will be fine. If you just want a quiet PC and some light overclocking and want to bring the price down then I would also suggest you look at something like the Cryorig H5 cooler which is about a sub $50 cooler in the U.S. but PCPartPicker seems to not be able to find any Canadian retailers for it. It would be my midrange suggestion for a cooler. The H7 has been very popular lately as well and that goes for about $35 USD or for less than that there is always the fan favorite Cooler Master 212 EVO. I see nothing wrong with the motherboard. I own a similar Gigabyte motherboard myself and it is great. All you really miss out on with that one is no SLI support. As for monitors in the future I would personally go for 144Hz over 1440P but that is personal preference. IPS would also be preferable to TN for photoshop but a 144Hz IPS will be very pricy (like $500+ and that's looking at prices here in the U.S.) and since it sounds like gaming is your primary use and Photoshop is your secondary use I would go with a 144Hz TN over a 60Hz IPS.

I would definitely go with 1440p for just gaming. I have a 4k monitor at work at a 1440p one for personal use. I can't really notice a difference with gaming between 1440p and 4k unless you put them side by side doing the same thing. I think 1440p would fit better into your budget and requires far less graphical power to drive. There is a massive difference between 4k and 1440p for viewing lots of text on the screen at once so you if you anything like that it might be worth it. I would also recommend that you take a look at IPS panels and adaptive refresh rate monitors (g-sync for nvidia). IPS is slightly slower (it won't matter unless you play very competitive games) and costs more. However, it will display more colors and will display them more accurately. G-sync allows your graphics card to dynamically set the refresh rate of your monitor which leads to a far better gaming experience, especially when your frame rate is below 120hz. My personal monitor has both of these technologies and they make a big difference.
The monitor you picked out has a 60hz refresh rate, that's fine for casual gaming but I recommend you pick out one with a higher refresh rate before you get one in 4k.

Reccomendations:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01IOO4SGK/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all
This one is 1440p, g-sync, 144hz, and TN. It's a little out of your budget but regularly goes on sale. My friend has one for cs-go and loves it.

https://www.amazon.com/AOC-AG241QX-2560x1440-Adjustable-DisplayPort/dp/B01NCTHS6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519152011&sr=8-1&keywords=1440p+120hz
This is a 1440p, freesync (you'll need an amd gpu to take advantage of the adaptive refresh), 144hz, TN monitor. It's a little bit cheaper than the last one.

The cooler you chose doesn't appear to be 1155 compatible; I'd recommend the other Cooler Master cooler.

$200 is a bit much for a system at this budget level. This is a much more reasonably priced SLI MB.

You can get a much faster Spinpoint F3 for the same price.

For that kind of money, you can get a much better case, like a Lian Li Lancool, Antec Dark Fleet DF-10 -- or use that money saved on the motherboard to bump up to a HAF 922, NZXT Whisper, a CM690 II Advanced, Thermaltake Armor, Dark Fleet FD-30, or a higher-grade Lian Li.

Corsair's CX series power supplies have a mixed reputation. For that price range, I'd recommend something like an XFX Core Edition. But we'd still have money left over after switching to that MSI board and getting a better case. So you can just get a nicer Corsair if you like, or take advantage of a July 4th sale and get this Antec HCG for $55 after a rebate and promo code EMCKCKJ43.

I also agree about bumping that video card up to a 560 Ti.

avoid gaming headset, buy a good pair of headphones and a seperate microphone, you'll get much better sound quality for the price, especially in the headphones department.

For $70, I would recommend the Samson SR850 headphones with these Velvet earpads because the stock earpads are pretty bad, but the headphones sound GREAT for the price. Build quality is average.

For a mic, the Zalman ZM Mic1 is a common mic. It sounds great and it easily attaches to your headphones cable (those Samson) have a pretty thick cable so it won't fall off).

ALTERNATIVELY:

Superlux HD 668b Identical sounding to the Samsons, but are designed differently, sometimes are cheaper, those earpads are still recommended)

Superlux HD 681 or 681 EVO They basically sound like the 668b/SR850, but just a little worse overall, but you won't beat them for $30. The earpads are still recommended.

You can save $5 by grabbing your mobo and OS together. Alternatively, buy it from Superbiiz along with your HDD and use the coupon code CHEERS to get $20 off the order.

Save yourself some more and grab the Hyper 212+ or Corsair A70. If you're buying your CPU from Newegg, grab the i5/A70 combo.

You can save yourself some money by grabbing a nice 8GB RAM kit and 6870 combo.

If you're dropping that much on a case, you might as well grab the nicer Antec P280.

Your PSU is overpriced. You can save money and get a better PSU with this FSP Aurum.

Lastly, if you really want to save some more, you can cut out the CD drive and install your OS with a flash drive.

GPU: GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 GAMING OC EDITION, GV-N970G1 GAMING-4GD

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125684



MONITORS: ASUS VG248QE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2HH7G0/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0?th=1


I was just informed in my thread that my GPU can only support 4 monitors anyways, so I'll have to be either upgrading my GPU, or adding another GPU.

I don't do gaming, but I do sometimes deal with large data sets, and regularly use live stream data, and watch multiple sports games on different screens. Lots of multi-tasking, so the extra monitors are pretty necessary.

I'm not too good with this stuff - what components are compatible with what, etc - but do you have any idea what my options would be to get to all 6 monitors going? Adding a little processing power wouldn't be too bad either. I'm going to have to buy an additional/replacement GPU anyways, as apparently my current GPU only supports 4 monitors.

Here's a thread that I posted last night with all of my computer specs, if you are interested in helping in any way I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks for your time

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/6z6bas/adding_3_more_monitors_to_my_3_monitor_setup/

Finally, after all these reviews, i'm going to buy these pieces and build my masterpiece-wannabe.

I would like to thanks /u/Raffles7683 for his dedicated, nice and smart help ! Also, thanks to /u/DIK-FUK and /u/golli123.

That's it, the final configuration, which is 2€ cheaper than the first one. WHAT A SAVE. But it's all the way better. I finally picked a I7-6700k as a CPU since nobody seems to know at which point a I5-6600k will bottleneck the GTX 1080, even with a 4.5 Ghz overclock. The debate is running litteraly everywhere and no one has the same point of view. So... I guess i can throw 100€ by the window to be sure and to overlock a i7 to 4.4 Ghz.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU |Intel Core i7-6700K | €325.79 - Amazon.it
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | €34.99 - Amazon.it
Motherboard | Asus Z170-P ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | €109.61 - Amazon.fr
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | €126.04 - Amazon.it
Storage | Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | €74.00 - Amazon.es
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | €53.44 - Amazon.fr
Video Card | KFA2 GeForce GTX 1080 EXOC 8GB Video Card | €560.00 - French shop
Case | Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case | €76.32 - Amazon.de
Power Supply | Corsair CSM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | €78.99 - Amazon.es
Wireless Network Adapter | Asus PCE-AC56 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter | €48.00 - Amazon.de
Monitor | Acer XB271HU bmiprz 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor | €699.90 - French shop
| Total | €2187.08



The CPU has been edited according to /u/Raffles7683's review and /u/DIK-FUK's build suggest. And updated, because no one knows what is a bottleneck, in real world.
The RAM / SSD has been edited according to /u/Raffles7683's review, again.
* The case has been edited according to /u/golli123's review


I will provide some news in the future with, probably, in build photos :)

Allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllrighty. "Gaming headphones" are a dangerous field to mess around with. So called gaming headphones are usually low quality and don't sound all that great. It is easier to pick up a set of gaming headphones if ease is more important than audio fidelity. For this see: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-kraken

However, Razer stuff is hit or miss, and can be, you know, a piece of crap.

I would recommend regular headphones and a microphone. I recommend these: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

And a little cheaper here: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/audio-technica-ath-m50x-headphones

The massdrop link might go out of stock soon.

The Audio Technica headphones I linked are LOVED by headphone enthusiasts, I've heard nothing but good marks. I know it's a little overbudget, but it will save you money when they DON'T break within the next years.

As for a microphone, I personally use this: https://www.amazon.com/Floureon-Condenser-Recording-Broadcasting-Microphone/dp/B00Q4RGQHY

This mic is okay, but needs to be close to your mouth for passable audio to come through, right on your mouth. A mic for gaming is not too important, shop around, make sure the reviews say the mic is good for gaming. Don't get these: https://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ

Good Luck!

I would head over to r/monitors for a ton of good advice. Some quick tips would be pay attention to resolution, your 1070 should have no trouble running 1440p which a step up from many common HD TVs and monitors. Next is refresh rate. Higher refresh rate, put simply, makes most things much smoother. I'm not 100% but you should be able to play plenty of games @ 144hz with slightly lessened graphics settings. I run a 1080 with 1440p @144hz and that card is only a step above yours.

My monitor is the https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Gaming-S2716DG-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B0149QBOF0. It can regularly be found on sale for ~$450 USA. Another thing to look out for is TN vs IPS which are common types of panels monitors use. TN is known for having lesser colors and viewing angles but is vastly cheaper and doesn't suffer from the many quality control issues that IPS monitors do. Just check out some amazon reviews on popular IPS models. Not saying they aren't fantastic looking, but you will pay more and there's a chance you'll have to send it back a few times. My monitor is a TN and it looks and plays incredibly. If you go with this one, download anow aftermarket color profile.

Lastly, G Sync. It basically is there to remove screen splitting. It's a great feature but you will pay more for it. Makes game play buttery smooth and pairs well with a high refresh rate monitor. Freesync is AMD's version so look out for that because you don't want to be paying for a feature you can't utilize. You want G Sync for a Nvidia card.

Hope this helps!

>If I buy a USB adapter, can I choose somewhere to disable the in-build adapter and use the plugged in one instead?

Yeah! You sure can disable the on-board adapter. Then it defaults to the other one. We can help too. but it's in device manager in windows.

>Is this a good idea?

Powerline? powerline. Yeah. Is powerline a good idea? Trick question it's always a good idea. It basically bridges a pair of ethernet with your buildings electrical wiring. You just need 2 ethernet cables and physical access to the router. If you're at home or apartment and just can't run a cable through 3 rooms this is great. If you're at a uni or work and lack physical access to the router, then this doesn't help. But powerline is going to be lowest latency, highest reliability, etc.

PCIe adapters are also a good idea. USB adapters are an okay idea. Onboard wifi is really most useful in mITX when you a) need wifi and b) don't have room for a PCIe card.

USB works okay too but frequent dropped connections on most of the USB adapters I've tried. by the time you spend enough for a good one you could have just bought a pcie card!

A USB adapter for WiFi is generally not going to be as good as something like a PCI one.

Currently, you have High Power Signal King 48DBI, which is USB. I'd recommend a dedicated wireless card that uses PCI/PCIe. Your motherboard (MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING) doesn't have a PCI port, just PCI Express, so you could get something like this. It comes with a generic antenna which may be good enough, but you could pair it with a better antenna in the future (benefit of dedicated wireless cards!).

Or, spend a bit more money (though you could save a lot of money elsewhere...) and get one that has multiple antennas, which can all be upgraded for fantastic wireless experience.

you've got a good start, there are a couple of easy upgrades you could make to optimize your build.

you can upgrade your hard drive to a samsung f3 1TB for $5, and you could upgrade your graphics card to a GTX 560 for $20. both of those upgrades are worth it, and neither costs alot.

if you're planning on overclocking your 2500K, i would definitely add a CPU cooler like the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus. even if you're not overclocking, it's a good upgrade to keep your system's temperature down.

Don't forget to get a optical drive, especially if you plan on installing your OS from a disc. this is a cheap read/write drive, however if you want to play blu-rays; you'll need something like this. but you won't be able to burn discs with that drive.

if you're looking to save some money, you won't need 8GB of RAM unless you plan on dealing with large/complex files. 4GB is plenty for gaming. if you're going to be doing heavy video/photo/vector/3D editing, then 8GB is worth it. However; RAM is cheap right now; 8GB is no longer unreasonable for average users.

If you want to connect to a wireless connection, you'll need an adapter

don't forget your peripherals! unless you already own them, you'll need a keyboard, mouse and monitor.

you'll also need an OS; newegg carries all versions of windows 7. they have a good deal on 64-bit home premium OEM. I don't recommend getting a 32-bit operating system, 64-bit systems can emulate a 32-bit OS to run any 32-bit applications you may need. it is possible to install apple software, but it is a legal gray area. consult /r/hackintosh for more information.

have fun building, let me know how it goes!

Good choice on the cpu. It is fantastic for gaming but you are paying for the K at the end.

You probably know already, but if you do not, intel's K series have an unlocked core multiplier meaning you can easily over clock them.

But in order to do so safely, you will need an aftermarket cooler. I suggest the CM-212 Plus. If you don't plan on the overclock, the locked core i5-2500 saves you a little bit.

I have that ram, and its great but if i did it again I would go with something like Crucial Ballistix which have better timings.

And finally, I would highly suggest the crucial m4 of Plextor m3 instead of the corsair.

EDIT: Here is my go-to $600USD list which might equate to around the price you are looking for.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor | $116.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | ASRock Z77 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard | $102.55 @ Newegg
Memory | Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $41.99 @ Amazon
Hard Drive | Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $118.99 @ eCost
Video Card | XFX Radeon HD 6870 2GB Video Card | $179.99 @ Newegg
Case | Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case | $49.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply | $34.98 @ Amazon
| | Total
| Prices include shipping and discounts when available. | $645.48

You shouldn't need a cooler unless you're planning to push for high overclocks. The stock cooler is said to be pretty damn good even at moderate overclocks. Also https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0143UM4TC/?tag=pcpapi-20 would save you five bucks in memory on amazon. I'm waiting for the last part to arrive on a nearly identical rig, and several reviews mentioned this ram getting the box speed on the 2600x/tomahawk so that's what I went with.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/sjVDYT

I would also put serious consideration into a 750w PSU. I almost went with the EVGA 750 G3, but a great seasonic went on sale. Should only cost $10 more than your 650.

As for monitors, i love my (not an IPS) Dell S2716DG. I went with gsync over IPS to save money, and I honestly don't think I could do without anymore.

Honestly, that's not a bad monitor. I don't think you'd see much of a visual improvement with any modern 1080p monitor.

120-144hz is always a worthwhile upgrade in my opinion, especially in games like CSGO and DOTA2. Something like this Asus would do the job nicely.

I would stay at 1080p as your system will have a hard time running most games at a higher resolution.

Edit: I totally forgot about Freesync! If you get a new monitor, definitely get one with Freesync; I use G-Sync on a daily basis and it's amazing. This looks to be a good one

The stock Ryzen cooler is surprisingly competent so I'd drop the third party one.

The motherboard is pricey but I assume you want something from it. Otherwise the MSI B450 that was suggested in another comment is a solid option for a lot less money.

Do you need the black series 1TB? The WD Blue EZEX 1TB spins at the same rotation rate and is pretty much neck-and-neck in performance but costs far less.

Not a bad price on the PSU if you actually plan on doing the rebate. If not, drop that down to a 550 or 650 and you'll be fine.

Use the savings above to switch to an RX580 or a GTX 1660 or stronger if you want to splurge a bit. Just keep in mind that going too much further than that will not have as much of an effect while you're using a 1080p 60hz screen, as the two options I posted will cap the framerate easily on max settings. If you plan on picking up a new screen with higher refresh rates or resolution in the near future then disregard.

I don't have any specific model recommendations but I'll say I've been happy with my monitors from Dell and Acer over the years, and I hear good things about Asus and BenQ models.

Maybe one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Gaming-VG27BQ-Monitor-155Hz-DisplayPort/dp/B07WPFP6S4

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Monitor-S2417DG-24-Inch-Response/dp/B01IOO4SGK (24" and 27" versions on this page)

24" vs 27" for a 1440p screen is kinda a personal preference thing. 24" is less area for your eyes to sweep for enemies, but also can cause scaling issues for text in windows at default settings, some legacy apps might be very tiny. But it also has great pixel density kinda like a phone or 4k screen does and will look very crisp.

27" is less dense but still pretty dense, and is nice and big so if you aren't sitting super close, still easy to see.

Alright so here's my recomendations. I used https://www.productchart.com/monitors/ by the way, so you can do your own research if you'd like.

24" 1080p 60Hz IPS - 130 USD - Super easy for a 1070 to handle, this is standard run of the mill today.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-SE2416HX-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B01717TLMM?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJ76EIXAV3V6D6JEQ&tag=globalnetwork-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01717TLMM

25" 1440p 60Hz IPS - 300 USD - Ideal load for a 1070, better for games with a focus on graphic quality over smoothness and/or are not competitive.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-U2515H-25-Inch-LED-Lit/dp/B00SPWPF1O/ref=pd_sim_147_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00SPWPF1O&pd_rd_r=H73A8JMDBX9R9WJMCRNV&pd_rd_w=6T2Lk&pd_rd_wg=FR5eC&psc=1&refRID=H73A8JMDBX9R9WJMCRNV

24" 11080p 144Hz TN - 250 USD - Ideal load for a 1070, better for games with a focus on smoothness over graphic quality and/or are designed to be competitively played.
https://www.amazon.com/VG248QE-1920x1080-144Hz-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B00B2HH7G0?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJ76EIXAV3V6D6JEQ&tag=globalnetwork-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00B2HH7G0

What you've got to realise is the RX 480 is meant for 1080p60fps ultra, we haven't even seen AMD's RX 490/490X yet and those cards will be aimed at competing with the GTX1070, so ideal for 1080p 144hz.

So anyway, asking the RX 480 to do 144hz isn't the best idea UNLESS the games you play aren't very demanding. HotS for example isn't, neither is CS:GO, LoL, Dota and other competitive games. So if you want 144hz in those types of games then that's easy enough as they're made to run on older hardware well so more people can play them, so throwing a brand new powerful GPU at them will get you well into the 100 fps area easy enough.

So it's literally down to this.

If you are going to mainly be playing less demanding games, you can get a XFX GTR RX 480 8GB for $230, which is the best model RX 480 you can buy for $60 cheaper than usual, then get this AOC Freesync 1080p 144hz for $210 to go with it.

But if you want to play demanding games, Witcher 3, GTA V etc., then go for a GTX 1060 6GB because it's faster than the RX 480 at 1080p and will provide a better experience.

EDITED:

Save $110 by getting a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo instead of the Liquid Cooler. I saw a few youtube benchmarks (comparing the 212 Evo to the h100i) that the 212 Evo only lags behind the liquid cooler by 1*C. If you don't want to use the stock CM fan on the 212 Evo, just buy one Corsair SP120 for $13 on Amazon, and you'll still save $97. Liquid cooling is great until it leaks all over your $3000 setup Google-> h100i leaks (and other models).


....
You also wouldn't need the Thermal Compound if you buy the 212 Evo siince Cooler Master ships you some (Saves $6)

....
Also save $420 and get the EVGA GTX 1080 Ti instead of the Titan Xp. EVGA is the best brand for NVidia cards.

....
You would save a total of ~$536 and have extremely similar performance (basically unnoticeable).

The build looks really solid! With that good case airflow the dark rock pro 4 should handle overclocking really well. The best gaming overclock would be on your GPU. Look into MSI Afterburner and it's auto OC scanner. It works really well at getting you a stable GPU OC.

As for a really good 1440p monitor I have a Dell S2417DG 1440p 165hz, 1ms response time with Nvidia GSYNC. It is amazing. Absolutely beautiful with no blur or tearing with GSYNC. And it's only $319! (Lol I spent $360 on mine back in January) https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Monitor-S2417DG-24-Inch-Response/dp/B01IOO4SGK

I'm need more storage space after building my pc. I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST1000DX001/dp/B00EIQTOFY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456897118&sr=1-2&keywords=sshd

and it's been working great on boot up. However, I feel like my games are taking while to launch but its manageable. But anyways i'm running low on storage and I'm looking for 1tb hard drive (ssd's are to expensive for me at the moment) My question is should I get the same SSHD as above or

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Desktop-Hard-Disk-Drive/dp/B0088PUEPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456897277&sr=1-1&keywords=wd+caviar+blue

WD blue seems to get a lot of praise but idk if it is better than the sshd?

Thanks for the help

Sorry, I worded a lot of this wrongly for I was quite rushed. I also left out some info for fear of the text box disappearing when I left my tab since I'm using my mobile device atm since I'm away from my desktop.

The power supply is the EVGA 500 W1, 80+ WHITE 500W, which was one that EVGA reccomended after I used the tool they have for picking which one to use, but I'll also look into the one you selected since it seems to be decent.

When I said "plug into my Alienware," I meant the graphics card because, not lying, I used to plug my monitor into the Intel graphics card instead because I didn't understand that that HDMI port was the wrong one. This time, I meant that I don't know how my case works and whether the tower/case comes with a way to plug in a DisplayPort cord since I know that DVI-D and HDMI don't allow 144hz.

I'm strictly Nvidia, sorry, but I'm not into AMD. Also, I want to try out ShadowPlay (I currently use DxTory) and the GTX 555 sadly doesn't support that. I know AMD has amazing products, but I am the type of person that sticks with what they're used to unless something different is so much better that it would totally blow my mind (why I switched from iCancer to Android phones (the OnePlus 3T is such a phenomenal phone for such a low price, like woah)).

That whole optimization thing was something from a long time ago that I don't quite remember, but I think he said something along the lines of having to mess around with the processor or something to get the most out of the RAM I installed. Idk, I just know I took the old RAM sticks out and replaced them, turned my PC on, and it said I had 16 GB, so I was happy (although Chrome uses a good 30-50% depending on how many running tabs I have).

Also, I'm not 100% about the power supply I currently have. I just know the unit is probably about twice the size of an Xbox 360 power supply unit, if not 1.5x bigger.

Oh, and lastly, with the SSD partition or whatever it's called, I just know that it is the stock that it came with, so I think it's just an internal HDD. I would actually love to get an SSD for Windows and applications to work faster and speed up copying times, but I don't think I'll spend money on that yet. I'll probably upgrade that once I do a full upgrade to my PC, processor and everything. I'll probably do that in 3-5 years time or whenever 4K replaces 1080p in the gaming standard and 120 fps becomes the new basic benchmark for PC and even console gaming if the peasants decide to actually put effort into making their gaming experience more than just mediocre. Although mouse and keyboard will always beat controllers unless you're talking about Rocket League since that's a bit easier on controller.

So yeah, thanks for the extra help and listening to my elementary knowledge in the field of PC gaming rigs. Other than the AMD vs Nvidia change, do you think you can change anything from my change list that could potentially help my rig last for even more years to come?



Here are the links to the various upgrades I was looking at before making the original post:

GTX 1060 SC
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Support-Graphics-06G-P4-6161-KR/dp/B01IPVSLTC?th=1&psc=1

Acer 144hz monitor w/ G-Sync
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B2HH7G0

EVGA 500W Power Supply
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-WHITE-Warranty-Supply-100-W1-0430-KR/dp/B00H33SFJU?th=1&psc=1

And yes, I'm not a true Redditor since I don't know how to do hyperlinking and other things to these links on mobile version or even desktop tbh. Sorry about the shitty links.

1. I have the 290x with 8GB VRAM, and the only fans I have running are 3 case fans, the 3 card fans, and an aftermarket CPU fan(which doesn't really count). It runs quietly and hasn't overheated. My temps have been fine.
   
   
2. Dual monitors require a good GPU. You don't need to go overkill, but the 290 should definitely be fine. I'm sure Google will tell you if you can handle more than one monitor, if you still aren't sure.
   
   
3. It depends on the old monitor. If it's not an old monitor it should be fine (mine is actually a 32" Sony Bravia TV with 60 Hz and full 1080p display. That's nothing special for gaming, but it's the standard nowadays). If you want a new one, look at one like this one:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B2HH7G0/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-6623318-3232867?tag=blurbust-20#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1426020278067
   Find something with specs like these. 144Hz refresh rate, LED, full HD, anything like this if you don't want to spend too much but you want something nice.

Germany is pretty expensive for computers.

Amazon UK and Amazon DE have free shipping to germany on some hardware over £25 / EUR25. Just tick the "free super saver delivery" box.

Completed PCs will usually be pretty expensive. I have just started my own company for that, but I'm not completely done setting up shipping arrangements yet, and since I'm situated in Denmark, shipping to Germany is not yet an option.

You could try using Amazon UK and Amazon DE to get a cheap:

Corsair CX or XFX PSU

B75 (Intel) motherboard or FM2 (AMD) motherboard in Micro ATX size. Get from Asus, MSI, AsRock or Gigabyte (the 4 best brands).

Cheap Pentium 2020 (or higher) CPU (Intel) or an Athlon II 760K from Amazon UK (AMD).

Cheap 4GB DDR3 240-pin RAM module. If you have a motherboard with 4 RAM slots, you can also get 2x2GB (which is often cheaper).

Cheap ATX or mATX case (at least the same size as your motherboard) with at least 1 case fan. Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharkoon-VS3-V-Chrome-Optical-Drives/dp/B00B1MU6YQ/ref=sr_1_41?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377069838&sr=1-41

or the USB2 version:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharkoon-VS3-S-Chrome-Optical-Drives/dp/B00B1MU7WW/ref=sr_1_39?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377069838&sr=1-39

Or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HEC-Compucase-Cougar-Spike-Micro/dp/B00BP6NHRQ/ref=sr_1_55?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377069969&sr=1-55

Or perhaps:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Xigmatek-CCC-AE45TS-U01-Asgard-III-Chassis/dp/B004IKDYBU/ref=sr_1_66?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377069969&sr=1-66

_

Then add a cheap HD7770 (or HD7750 with GDDR5 memory) graphics card:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-HD7750-Retail-PCI-E-Graphics/dp/B00761YFPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377070099&sr=1-1&keywords=HD7750

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-7770-Graphics-GDDR5-PCI-E/dp/B008FPJ8DC/ref=sr_1_9?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377070170&sr=1-9&keywords=HD7770

_

Go with this 1TB WD Blue HDD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-internal-Hard-Drive/dp/B0088PUEPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1377070264&sr=1-1&keywords=1tb+wd+blue

I'm not sure how cheap this is, but it doesn't get much cheaper in Europe, unfortunately. Remember to add OS if you haven't got Windows.

Looks solid to me, not familiar with Solid Works though so I can't comment on that. You probably won't see more than a few dollars savings dropping to a lower wattage PSU and the 750w does give you the option of adding a second card for SLI in the future without having to upgrade it as well. Well worth the extra $5-10 in my opinion.

For keyboards, I have a
Microsoft Sidewinder X4 and for me at $40 with free shipping it would be tough to beat. It's not mechanical, but mine has lasted 3 years and still works beautifully (and I'm not that much of a fan of mech keyboards)

Mouse, I have a Roccat Kone that I love and at $40 is a decent price as well. Especially for the features that you get.

If you can squeeze it into your budget, a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO would help keep noise down and is only $30 on Amazon

Noctua has a good reputation for having some of the best performing fans though they are a bit pricey maybe because of the demand for them if spending $20 or more per case fan is too much going for cheaper fan's wouldn't be the worse idea as replacing a fan is easier these fan's are pretty cheap and it comes with 3 of them Noctua also has some of the best CPU Coolers

Here's a couple of CPU coolers if they cost too much there's a couple others I can think of

Noctua NH-D15 one of the best coolers by noctua the FSP case may have trouble mounting this.

Noctua NH-U14S a more budget cooler but still capable might be a bit louder then the D15 the FSP case may have trouble mounting this

Dark Rock Pro 4 one of the most recommended CPU coolers I've seen at the moment probably because of it's price for a dual heat sink tower cooler the FSP case may have trouble mounting this

​

Corsair H115i a very high end Liquid cooler it's expensive but it'll definitely get the job done might have better overclocking performance as AIO cooler's don't suffer from stark changes in temperatures with an air cooler you may see temperature spikes for example your CPU is sitting at 40 C and it jumps up to 50 C for a second and then quickly climbs back down this is pretty rare for an AIO Liquid cooler

with all the clearance issue's with the FSP case you could look into this case it would be wide enough to fit all cooler's I mentioned here while also not being too expensive

Sennheiser HD650s with an O2 amp, and E-DAC. I have a Zalman ZM-MIC1 as a mic, which is great although I'd recommend a free standing one to most people.

I love them, great for what I listen to. Very good for gaming too. You pretty much forget you are wearing them.

I have a Ryzen 5 build paired with a GTX 1080 and that same case (mobo too), so about half of what I say will come from personal experience.

1. I tried a USB dongle with my PC, sure it worked (kinda 70% wired speed at 10m away althought it was USB 2.0), but aesthetically, it's awful. I'd recommend this PCIe wifi card w/ bluetooth for less than that dongle. It was a slightly difficult install after having everything built and running. If you install it beore installing the mobo, it'll be a 30 second install easy. Plus you get 90% speed from 10m away AND bluetooth for LESS.
   
2. I'd opt for a larger SSD because the OS will be at least 25 GB, and having a larger SSD for games helps (since game files can be large).
   
3. I wouldn't buy an ITX version graphics card for an ATX build (they heat faster, thermal throttling, etc.) Opt for full size. Actually made this mistake with my build and returned the ITX card for a full-sized one.
   
4. This case comes with 2 120mm fans that I used for outtake. I personally recommend buying 2 140mm fans for intake--helps maintain positive pressure and keeps the case WAY cooler for OC'ing, PC health, etc.
   
5. Double check that the 1060 6GB is going to meet your needs @ 1080p144hz. Also, that's a pretty decent price for a 1060 (considering mining craze).
   
6. Ryzen will comfortably OC to 3.7-3.9 GHz (depending on your luck) with good temps.

Here is what I built last month.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor | $369.99 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Corsair - H100i PRO 75.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $109.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | ASRock - Z370M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard | $126.88 @ OutletPC
Memory | Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $142.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital - Blue 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $149.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB SC2 Video Card |-
Case | Phanteks - Enthoo EVOLV ITX TG (Black) Mini ITX Desktop Case | $86.98 @ Newegg
Power Supply | SeaSonic - FOCUS Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $78.20 @ B&H
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $94.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1209.81
| Mail-in rebates | -$50.00
| Total | $1159.81
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-10-17 09:12 EDT-0400 |


I originally had the Hyper 212 EVO just as you do on your list but found it to not be sufficient enough for the 8700K, especially if you overclock it (otherwise just get the 8700). You can get an NH-D15 or something similar from CRYORIG or be quiet! but they'll be bulky and make getting in to replace RAM or do other things more difficult, as you will most likely have to take off the cooler to get to your components. I found the H100i Pro from Corsair to be easy to install and it makes the inside look much more appealing than having a huge heatsink in the middle of everything. This was my first time using water cooling and it being an AIO, made everything hassle free and much easier to install than the Hyper 212 EVO, whose brackets make it a pain sometimes to install. I also like that using the iCUE software, you can have the H100i PRO change color according to its temperature, so it makes monitoring temps during games easy, as you can just look at the color of the AIO and you know if it is staying cool or hot. Lastly, and most importantly, the temps are much lower using it than the Hyper 212 EVO so if you have the extra money, you might want to go that route as it has many advantages.

Solid build.

But you might want to consider not getting a Z97. Try to find a better deal on something else. You don't need it but if you can't it's fine to keep it cause it is a nice deal.

GPU will be suffice for what you want it for. Good price too.

Maybe this PSU to save 10 bucks.
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Continuous-Warranty-Supply-100-W1-0500-KR/dp/B00H33SFJU

There are little things that you can do to save a little here and there, but other than that you're good.

I don't know if this is necessarily a "Simple Question," but I'm always nervous to make posts, so hopefully this doesn't cross the rules, if so I'm sorry. Also if I need to add more info, please let me know, I'm new to this.

I think I want to upgrade my CPU and GPU.

My current setup:

GPU: XFX PCI-Express Video Card R7-360P-2SF5

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K Black Edition CPU Quad Core FM2+ 3700Mhz 95W 4MB AD860KXBJABOX

I don't know if the rest of the stuff matters but here it is:

Case+PSU: ROSEWILL Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case with PSU, Steel Computer Case + 400w Power Supply, Front I/O: 2x USB 2.0 and Audio In/Out And 90mm Rear Case Fan (R363-M)

HDD: WD Blue 1TB Desktop Hard Disk Drive - 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD10EZEX

Motherboard: Gigabyte AMD FM2+ A68H SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 mATX ATX DDR3 2133 NA Motherboards GA-F2A68HM-H
Ram: Ballistix Sport 8GB Single DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) UDIMM 240-Pin Memory - BLS8G3D1609DS1S00

And I do want to say, that currently, it works great already. I just can hardly run the new Injustice 2 Beta, and a few other games, and now that I have the money, I'm looking to upgrade. I've been looking for hours, and I just want to make certain that these parts will work still, and that they are significantly worth it.

These are the parts I'm looking into:

GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 GAMING, 2GB GDDR5, DX12 OSD Support (PXOC) Graphics Card 02G-P4-6150-KR

CPU:

Either:

AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler (YD1200BBAEBOX)

or

AMD Ryzen 5 1400 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler (YD1400BBAEBOX)

So please, help me out, let me know if you need more info. Either CPU is in my price range, but I don't know if the 5 is worth the extra money compared to the 3. I believe everything will work with my computer. I think I want the 5, just sorta want confirmation, y'know.

Hello - I currently have a GTX 960 and I am looking to upgrade to a better card. I am curious to hear what would be recommended for me. I currently have two 144hz monitors - this one below:

ASUS VG248QE 24" Full HD 1920x1080 144Hz 1ms HDMI Gaming Monitor

I am looking for the best graphics card for these monitors. I'm not that worried about cost, i'm searching for the best for these monitors because i love them and want to get the most out of them. thanks!

​

I am starting a PC build and my friend linked me two amazon deals that sound interesting

RAM

and

Cpu Cooling

My question is, would these both fit properly together on a motherboard (cooling is pretty big), and if yes what type/example of motherboard would be a good choice?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Better monitor See Below edit 2

Your monitor is the best entry level 1440p monitor probably, but it will hold you back sometimes. 1070 is in a weird place between 1440p 60hz and 1440p 144hz.

Maybe drop down to the 650w G2 PSU to save 10-20 bucks. otherwise looks fun! Enjoy!

edit ignore all that putz about the monitor i linked a 1920x1080 one, let me try to find one give me a few minutes.

edit2 1440p G-Sync Monitor As I mentioned before it's pricier, but G-Sync is super awesome.

There's some differences between these monitors that are fairly important. The Acer is an IPS monitor, while the BenQ is TN. TN is older technology, but is usually able to boast better response times, which in general is better for gaming. The BenQ you have listed is 2ms response time. The Acer has a response time of 5ms.

However, IPS monitors have way, way better viewing angles, and are better at color reproduction, which generally make things look nicer (and as a personal anecdote, make things seem "brighter").

Basically it's a choice of whether you want the slightly faster response time vs the IPS panel. I have 2 of the Acer monitors, because they have a very small bezel they look good in a dual monitor setup. However, I swapped one out for a 144hz monitor and I'm not going back to 60hz. It's obviously more expensive, but if you're going to drop $500-1000 on a computer, you shouldn't be bottlenecked at the monitor.

> Seems like a unbelievable price to performance return point.

It really is, ever since AMD released Ryzen 1000 series, Intel's been feeling the heat. Well priced products that perform great is always good for competition.

As far as cases, I've been eyeballing this one because it has good cooling, with an acceptable price. Only real drawback is that it doesn't have a slot for an optical disk drive. Coolermaster has one with an ODD, but it isn't sold in the USA.

You may be able to re-use your case, unless it's from a prebuilt computer (particularly Dell / Alienware) your new board should fit in it just fine.

I was going to recommend This mATX case, but decided against it because I don't think your video card will fit. If you've got a stubby / short 1060 it might work, but I wouldn't bet on it.

This case is the cheapest case I can find that I'm confident will fit everything you have. $40ish.

8 GB RAM is what you need if you're gaming. 4 GB will bottleneck. If you get a 2X4 GB combo now, you can upgrade to 16 GB later with an additional 2X4 GB kit. In the meantime, look up how to take advantage of "Dual Channel RAM" on your motherboard. Also, make sure you get 3000mhz RAM, the speed makes a considerable difference on AMD CPUs.

2X4GB (8 GB total): [link] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0157UPYZ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WXmiDbH8KM7MB). You can select 2X8GB (16 total) if you want, but you don't need it for most games now, and if you prefer older games anyhow, it's a waste of your budget.

If you're going to splurge on anything in your new build, I highly recommend it being your PSU, especially since your old PSU likely killed your motherboard. A modular PSU will look much more tidy, since you can unplug cables that you don't need. I personally trust Corsair's RM series, though the lowest wattage (cheapest) one is still $130: Link.

If that's too much, or if your case doesn't have a Window and aesthetics don't matter, and old 500 watt PSU will do fine. 600 watts if you want some breathing room. Keep a look out for anything with a 3-5 year warranty from the manufacturer (look on their website for this info, don't trust Amazon); those are typically built better and are less likely to fail.

This is the cheapest PSU that I'd personally recommend. 500 Watts is fine for what you have, I think 450 watts is pushing on the "too low" side though.

Edit: All my links are ugly, give me a few minutes to tidy up.

Edit of edit: links tidied up. Also, 450 watts, not $450. (Near the end.)

Following the "modesty is best policy" principles I would recommend a few things here:

• Go with the really good main monitor, looks like you got the 27 inch 1440p 144hz Acer. (This is freesync btw. I recommend the Dell S2716DGR for the G-Sync - AMD vs Nvidia) and pick up a 1080p side monitor.
  
  
• Ditch the liquid cooling. It's an unnecessary hassle for anyone other than PC enthusiasts in the OC communities. A Cooler Master or the Noctua (if you have enough room in your case.) Both will provide ample cooling and your CPU will last just as long as with a liquid cooling kit.
  
  
• In combo with the above, my favorite case so far (after 4 PC builds for myself and family) is the Corsair Carbide 540 High Airflow ATX Cube. Lots of room for cables in the back and gives your components a nice display with LOTS of airflow.
  
  
• I would, however, recommend going to an M.2 SSD, which is significantly faster than a standard SSD. Not much of a price jump there.
  
  I see others have spoken about overclocking your CPU and such already. My opinion is to skip overclocking. For the standard gamer wanting a quality experience that is getting a top of the line CPU, there's zero need to OC. I went with the i7-7700 non 'k' version and have been plenty happy. It saved some money too.
  
  Keep in mind your peripherals. Usually those are overlooked when upgrading your PC, but maybe it's time for a new mouse/keyboard, new controller, headphones, etc.
  
  Also if you're dad is giving you a budget, is he giving you the money to spend, or buying the stuff for you? If you don't get the remaining money from $3k, maybe you should include those things now instead of later.

I use this https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-450Mbps-Wireless-Express-TL-WDN4800/dp/B007GMPZ0A/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475178432&sr=1-3&keywords=wifi+card

I don't know if its the best, but it works great for me. I play games pretty competitively (csgo, battlefield,dark souls), and have never had a problem. I sit rather close to the router, not sure if that makes a huge difference. I recommend.

Should've got a 390. /s

Here is what I'd say about this:

If you are planning to overclock, I'd change the CPU cooler to a more cheaper one such as the Hyper 212 EVO from Cooler Master just to save some money. It works great, and is known to be one of the best Air Coolers

If you don't plan to overclock, save yourself some money and get the i5 6600(non-K). Here is lengthy post why. You can either save yourself some more money by going stock cooler or Hyper 212 EVO.

EDIT: About your storage solution(500GB SSD), you could save some money by going an SSD + HDD combo. $67.99 850 EVO 120GB(for OS, few games and programs) + $53.99 WD Blue 1TB (for EVEN MORE GAMES, and some other random stuff) = 121.98. Of course, you could find some deals on other SSDs over at /r/buildapcsales, and make it even cheaper.

EDIT2: PCPP list

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6600 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor | $215.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $29.49 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock Z170 Pro4S ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $82.98 @ Newegg
Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $63.99 @ SuperBiiz
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $67.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $46.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card | Purchased For $0.00
Case | be quiet! SILENT BASE 600 w/Window (Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case | $94.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | Inwin 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | Purchased For $0.00
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $79.99 @ NCIX US
Monitor | BenQ XL2720Z 144Hz 27.0" Monitor | $359.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1042.39

Personally i would recommend changing your power supply to [this] (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371073&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=)

Personally i would get rid of that garbage CX series power suppy and go for the one i linked instead. It has 5 year warranty and very good build quality. It will be futureproof in case you ever decide to upgrade.

The 750W may seem like overkill now but it will last you a long time with great performance.


If you don't want to spend the $69.99 i would recommend getting the EVGA 500W B power supply which is $40.

You could also save roughly $26 with this instead of the ssd you listed above. It has pretty much the same performance.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ARGVNV6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N5IB20Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ICLGJF8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2XOC34F7KPTGN&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D7KR2Y8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078Y32P1W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HS4XS93/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HHLX1R8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?smid=AFXON1SGSPLH4&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0134EW7G8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=A2KXDAC5Y6BNRJ&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07M7PJ3M3/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

Im sorry. I know im posting here for the 5th time but heres a config from amazon uk i think is nice. Id say you can just get a 480 gb kingston ssd for a bit more money. The kingston ones are on sale.Just dont change out the gpu. for this pricepoint this is the best thing right now since its a rtx 2060 on sale for 330 pounds. The ideal thing you could do is just buy the parts some of us reccomended from america since electronics in europe are much more expensive. Promise i wont bother you anymore.

I would also advise a memory upgrade, also double check your memory’s compatibility!

I'm just after returning some Corsair RAM that wasn't fit to match the speeds it was advertised as. You can check the motherboard's QVL list under the specification section usually (My RAM wasn't listed). That Ryzen is going to love fast ram.

I'm also in the middle of my build, at the moment I have settled for a 1050 ti which is running 1080 very nicely, I would say it is currently one of the best 1080 gaming cards out there, but running at 2k is fine but like other's have also said you will need to reduce settings greatly for smooth gameplay on larger games I find.

Also, you should consider an ultrawide screen can increase the stress on GPU.

I'm just holding out, hopefully the market will look good by September for a new line-up of GPU's!

Edit: getting some feedback 'it's not the best..bla bla'

To clarify it's an awesome GPU for the price also it's aimed for 1080 market

Hmm - I think I might want 1080p ONLY because I'd rather put the money toward a calibrated monitor for my color grading work in the future. Are there any solid ones there for $400 that are comparable to those but not 2k? (and 24 inch is ... fine I guess :( ...). Calibrated one is $1500-2500 so I think I'll save up for that instead since it's something I can use to make money back.

It'd be nice to have a 1080p/144hz one with G-Sync just so whatever games I do play are fantastic looking and have high frame rates.

A friend recommended this https://www.amazon.com/VG248QE-1920x1080-144Hz-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B00B2HH7G0

Won't get 2 since I still need a black magic decklink card and my second monitor would be the color one anyway.

Oh great, I can get away with a 620W PSU? That card looks like it will fit what I'm doing perfectly.


For the air cooler, will a $20 fan cause any noise?

Thanks for your suggestions!

edit: Would this fan do well?

Here's what I would do: MSI Krait edition motherboard + Corsair Dominator Platinum Series RAM sticks. It is a better overclocking mobo and you get the style points for a black/white build. Also, the RAM is faster so you're a little bit more futureproofed. The Cryorig H7 is replacing the 212 in terms of the go-to air cooler, otherwise the Corsair water cooling kit is a great option as well (also fits color scheme). I'm personally recommending 240GB since I've filled up my 120GB with games and programs twice now before I had to do some cleaning. I also like this case better, plus you can remove drive bays to make room for larger GPUs, if you are still undecided about which one you want. I wouldn't worry about M.2, I got that SSD and never ended up using it. If you do end up building this, please do take pics :)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $345.99 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING 3X ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $149.99 @ Amazon
Memory | Corsair Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz | $109.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.99 @ Amazon
SSD | Kingston SV300S37A/240G | 67.86 @ Amazon
Video Card | Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card |-
Case | Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case | $54.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $89.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | ~$903.80
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-14 19:36 EDT-0400 |

Ah I see. Well the 480 is good regardless of the free game or not, but that sweetens the deal.

I wouldn't use an m.2 adapter, just go for the gigabyte $30 PCI-E 1x adapter. It has bluetooth and AC wifi. Certainly don't bother with the USB dongles, those are horrid.

As per freesync, absofuckinglutely. As long as you remember to actually activate it in the drivers/monitor, it's a beautifully smooth experience. You never need to turn vsync on again, I absolutely love it.

MATX or ATX is up to you, I prefer smaller cases now so I'd go MATX due to price. You could also perhaps find a decent ITX motherboard with built in wifi, but those tend to cost more. It might be about the same in price if you factor the $30 wifi card.

Here's a $200 24in Freesync monitor. There are cheaper and much more expensive options at all ends of the spectrum. Personally, I use a 144hz 1440p with my rx470 and have had great performance out of it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BV1XBEI/?tag=pcpapi-20

ha yeah 8gb of ram should be good, not 16 didn't notice that :)

Yeah I was trying to figure out if it was worth the xtra $70 to go from the I5 to i7.

Monitors yeah was looking at 2 price ranges here. For example a more budget level one like the http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B2HH7G0?ie=UTF8&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&tag=ezvid02-20&creativeASIN=B00B2HH7G0

or a more higher end like http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009C3M7H0/?tag=bgm05-20

Just need to figure out if I'll get the benefit out of the nicer monitor for the level up comp build I'm making here.

Also will this build easily support a 2nd monitor if I decide to put one on it? I'm assuming it will with no prob.