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PC Build Advice/First post
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01-11-2014
12:05 AM
- last edited on
03-05-2024
11:55 PM
by
ROGBot
Been lurking around the forum for a few days now and have found tons of great advice and info on building PC's from lots of you that know much more than me about the latest PC components. Been wanting to build another PC for years but haven't had the time or extra cash... Until now 🙂 My last system was a liquid cooled P4 540 with a Radeon X300 back in 2005 😄
My sons new ZIDAX X-6 showed up today and I need help choosing parts to build one that's faster. His is an i5-4670K overclocked to 4.4Ghz, 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX770 GPU on a MSI Z87-G45 in a Corsair 750D case with a BENQ XL2420TE monitor and Razer mouse and keyboard.
My build list will include the items listed below. Please share opinions on better parts as I've not bought anything but a Corsair Vengeance K95 keyboard and Logitech G700 mouse so far.
Budget: $2500 (less monitor, mouse, keyboard)
Main uses of intended build will be gaming of all kinds and some video editing as well as general use of MS Office, internet and email.
CPU - i7-4770K
Motherboard - ASUS Sabertooth Z87, Maximus VI Hero, or Maximus VI Formula. Have not considered another brand. I plan to overclock slightly, maybe to 4400hz and would like Wi-fi, Bluetooth, SLI/Xfire but may not really need all that... Don't plan to use Wi-Fi and not sure what I would use bluetooth for anyway.
GPU - EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX-780Ti or maybe dual GTX-760's in SLI? A bit concerned using dual GPU in single monitor setup, could be convinced to possibly use dual monitors if it's that much better for gaming and performance of the dual 760's (or other option).
RAM - 16GB (2x8) G.Skill Trident X series model #F3-1866C8D-16GTX
PSU - Seasonic SS-860XP2 or a Corsair AX860
Case - One of the following (please help narrow down my long list): Fractal ARC Midi R2, Cooler Master Storm Enforcer, Thermaltake Level 10 series, Cooler Master HAF 912, Corsair Graphite series 600T. Or maybe a Cooler Master Cosmos SE or Fractal Design ARC XL.
SSD (boot drive) - Samsung 840 Pro series 256GB 2.5" model #MZ-7PD256BW
HDD (storage) - 2TB 7200GB 64MBC Seagate model #ST2000DM001 or Western Digital Black model #WD2003FZEX
Optical drive - ASUS model #BW-16D1HT 16x SATA Blu-Ray Burner
CPU Cooling - Corsair H100i model #CW-9060009-WW
Sound card - Do I need one? If so, what model would you pro's suggest?
OS - WIN 8.1 64b
Monitor resolution: 1920x1080 using either a ASUS VE278 or a BENQ XL2420TE
Storage requirements: 2TB HDD and a 256GB SSD
Plan on adding some color of neon to this build. My son has red neon, I'd like blue but it seems that I've chosen lots of red parts so maybe I'll do red as well.
Thanks for the help in planning my kids computer crusher with me 🙂
My sons new ZIDAX X-6 showed up today and I need help choosing parts to build one that's faster. His is an i5-4670K overclocked to 4.4Ghz, 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX770 GPU on a MSI Z87-G45 in a Corsair 750D case with a BENQ XL2420TE monitor and Razer mouse and keyboard.
My build list will include the items listed below. Please share opinions on better parts as I've not bought anything but a Corsair Vengeance K95 keyboard and Logitech G700 mouse so far.
Budget: $2500 (less monitor, mouse, keyboard)
Main uses of intended build will be gaming of all kinds and some video editing as well as general use of MS Office, internet and email.
CPU - i7-4770K
Motherboard - ASUS Sabertooth Z87, Maximus VI Hero, or Maximus VI Formula. Have not considered another brand. I plan to overclock slightly, maybe to 4400hz and would like Wi-fi, Bluetooth, SLI/Xfire but may not really need all that... Don't plan to use Wi-Fi and not sure what I would use bluetooth for anyway.
GPU - EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX-780Ti or maybe dual GTX-760's in SLI? A bit concerned using dual GPU in single monitor setup, could be convinced to possibly use dual monitors if it's that much better for gaming and performance of the dual 760's (or other option).
RAM - 16GB (2x8) G.Skill Trident X series model #F3-1866C8D-16GTX
PSU - Seasonic SS-860XP2 or a Corsair AX860
Case - One of the following (please help narrow down my long list): Fractal ARC Midi R2, Cooler Master Storm Enforcer, Thermaltake Level 10 series, Cooler Master HAF 912, Corsair Graphite series 600T. Or maybe a Cooler Master Cosmos SE or Fractal Design ARC XL.
SSD (boot drive) - Samsung 840 Pro series 256GB 2.5" model #MZ-7PD256BW
HDD (storage) - 2TB 7200GB 64MBC Seagate model #ST2000DM001 or Western Digital Black model #WD2003FZEX
Optical drive - ASUS model #BW-16D1HT 16x SATA Blu-Ray Burner
CPU Cooling - Corsair H100i model #CW-9060009-WW
Sound card - Do I need one? If so, what model would you pro's suggest?
OS - WIN 8.1 64b
Monitor resolution: 1920x1080 using either a ASUS VE278 or a BENQ XL2420TE
Storage requirements: 2TB HDD and a 256GB SSD
Plan on adding some color of neon to this build. My son has red neon, I'd like blue but it seems that I've chosen lots of red parts so maybe I'll do red as well.
Thanks for the help in planning my kids computer crusher with me 🙂
Trickpony
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01-11-2014 02:29 AM
go for one single card ( graphics ).
sound card, try the onboard first, if you dont like that then go for the sound card 🙂
case? well thats personaly choise i would say.
"Don't plan to use Wi-Fi and not sure what I would use bluetooth for anyway." well you can connect your cell to it for backups or free wifi so you dont have to use the traffic on the phone.
mobo? i would go for either hero or formula, i have the previous formula board and im happy whit it.
when you get around to order the parts get a tube of TIM ( termal paste ) -> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3769/thr-02/Arctic_Alumina_Premium_Ceramic_Thermal_Compound_-_175_... <- just an example of how it can look like.
the versions between 770 and down and 780 and up you can almost say its like 2 diffrent type of cars ( in my opinion ).
770 down = 2000 mod 90HP volvo, and 780 up = 2014 mod 160HP volvo ( just to set it in perspective ( i know its weird ) ).
the 770 and down have the previous GPU CPU then what the 780 and up have.
it all depends on what games one play too.
ssd: try not to fill ut up, it will act like a HDD when it gets filled up and slow down, and lifespand MAY get reduced.
hdd: save large programs and games on this ( to prevent filling up ssd )
get another ssd down the road to save games on to speed up load time ingame.
just to have told you, get the amount of ram you need and dont add on to the kit you have now, if you are going to add extra you have to buy a new kit of the amount you want in it ( this to prevent problems even how similar the ram looks and is on paper they may not work together )
sound card, try the onboard first, if you dont like that then go for the sound card 🙂
case? well thats personaly choise i would say.
"Don't plan to use Wi-Fi and not sure what I would use bluetooth for anyway." well you can connect your cell to it for backups or free wifi so you dont have to use the traffic on the phone.
mobo? i would go for either hero or formula, i have the previous formula board and im happy whit it.
when you get around to order the parts get a tube of TIM ( termal paste ) -> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3769/thr-02/Arctic_Alumina_Premium_Ceramic_Thermal_Compound_-_175_... <- just an example of how it can look like.
the versions between 770 and down and 780 and up you can almost say its like 2 diffrent type of cars ( in my opinion ).
770 down = 2000 mod 90HP volvo, and 780 up = 2014 mod 160HP volvo ( just to set it in perspective ( i know its weird ) ).
the 770 and down have the previous GPU CPU then what the 780 and up have.
it all depends on what games one play too.
ssd: try not to fill ut up, it will act like a HDD when it gets filled up and slow down, and lifespand MAY get reduced.
hdd: save large programs and games on this ( to prevent filling up ssd )
get another ssd down the road to save games on to speed up load time ingame.
just to have told you, get the amount of ram you need and dont add on to the kit you have now, if you are going to add extra you have to buy a new kit of the amount you want in it ( this to prevent problems even how similar the ram looks and is on paper they may not work together )
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01-11-2014 07:01 AM
Welcome to the ROG forums, Trickpony.
You have pretty much chosen most of your components already and your build is looking very powerful. There will be no compatibility issues.
The Maximus VI Hero is the perfect motherboard for a budget gamer. I've been using it for a while now and I see no faults with it. Now if you need the Wifi/Bluetooth feature or you are planning to watercool, the Maximus VI Formula is ideal for you. Other than that, the Hero holds it's own against the Formula.
Grab the GTX 780 Ti. It will be overkill for 1920x1080. I personally tested the exact model you've chosen in various games. At 1080p with Ultra Settings, I was getting more than 80FPS in most of the latest games. And besides, grabbing one powerful GPU allows you to add in another later when you decide to game at higher resolutions. Remember that the Hero and Formula only supports 2 way SLI configurations. If you choose a SLI of GTX 760, you'll be rolling with that configuration until the end of time. LOL
Very good choice on the TridentX RAM. I see that you've chosen the 1866MHz variant of the TridentX 16GB kit. If I were you, I'd pay $10 more and grab the 2400MHz kit. Not many games take advantage of higher frequency RAM at this moment, but they will in the future.
For PSUs, I will only use Seasonic. After playing with the Seasonic SS-860XP2 for a few months, I can clearly say that this is the best PSU in the 850W range. And besides, Seasonic is the OEM behind the AX860. So that says alot. 😉
It's a matter of preference when it comes to cases so I won't comment on that one. LOL
For a SSD, the Samsung ones are just top notch. Given your budget, I'd grab a bigger one to be honest. I wouldn't get anything smaller than a Samsung 840 EVO 500GB. Trust me. Those Steam games fill up your SSD very fast. And I don't like having my games on a platter drive.
You have pretty much chosen most of your components already and your build is looking very powerful. There will be no compatibility issues.
The Maximus VI Hero is the perfect motherboard for a budget gamer. I've been using it for a while now and I see no faults with it. Now if you need the Wifi/Bluetooth feature or you are planning to watercool, the Maximus VI Formula is ideal for you. Other than that, the Hero holds it's own against the Formula.
Grab the GTX 780 Ti. It will be overkill for 1920x1080. I personally tested the exact model you've chosen in various games. At 1080p with Ultra Settings, I was getting more than 80FPS in most of the latest games. And besides, grabbing one powerful GPU allows you to add in another later when you decide to game at higher resolutions. Remember that the Hero and Formula only supports 2 way SLI configurations. If you choose a SLI of GTX 760, you'll be rolling with that configuration until the end of time. LOL
Very good choice on the TridentX RAM. I see that you've chosen the 1866MHz variant of the TridentX 16GB kit. If I were you, I'd pay $10 more and grab the 2400MHz kit. Not many games take advantage of higher frequency RAM at this moment, but they will in the future.
For PSUs, I will only use Seasonic. After playing with the Seasonic SS-860XP2 for a few months, I can clearly say that this is the best PSU in the 850W range. And besides, Seasonic is the OEM behind the AX860. So that says alot. 😉
It's a matter of preference when it comes to cases so I won't comment on that one. LOL
For a SSD, the Samsung ones are just top notch. Given your budget, I'd grab a bigger one to be honest. I wouldn't get anything smaller than a Samsung 840 EVO 500GB. Trust me. Those Steam games fill up your SSD very fast. And I don't like having my games on a platter drive.
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01-12-2014 09:10 PM
The Formula has 3 x pci express 3.0 slots.
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01-12-2014 09:12 PM
Chino wrote:
Welcome to the ROG forums, Trickpony.
You have pretty much chosen most of your components already and your build is looking very powerful. There will be no compatibility issues.
The Maximus VI Hero is the perfect motherboard for a budget gamer. I've been using it for a while now and I see no faults with it. Now if you need the Wifi/Bluetooth feature or you are planning to watercool, the Maximus VI Formula is ideal for you. Other than that, the Hero holds it's own against the Formula.
Grab the GTX 780 Ti. It will be overkill for 1920x1080. I personally tested the exact model you've chosen in various games. At 1080p with Ultra Settings, I was getting more than 80FPS in most of the latest games. And besides, grabbing one powerful GPU allows you to add in another later when you decide to game at higher resolutions. Remember that the Hero and Formula only supports 2 way SLI configurations. If you choose a SLI of GTX 760, you'll be rolling with that configuration until the end of time. LOL
Very good choice on the TridentX RAM. I see that you've chosen the 1866MHz variant of the TridentX 16GB kit. If I were you, I'd pay $10 more and grab the 2400MHz kit. Not many games take advantage of higher frequency RAM at this moment, but they will in the future.
For PSUs, I will only use Seasonic. After playing with the Seasonic SS-860XP2 for a few months, I can clearly say that this is the best PSU in the 850W range. And besides, Seasonic is the OEM behind the AX860. So that says alot. 😉
It's a matter of preference when it comes to cases so I won't comment on that one. LOL
For a SSD, the Samsung ones are just top notch. Given your budget, I'd grab a bigger one to be honest. I wouldn't get anything smaller than a Samsung 840 EVO 500GB. Trust me. Those Steam games fill up your SSD very fast. And I don't like having my games on a platter drive.
The formula is 3 way SLI capable with 3 x pci express 3.0 slots. The hero is 2 way SLI capable with 2 x pci express 3.0 slots.
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01-12-2014 09:27 PM
Nate152 wrote:
The formula is 3 way SLI capable with 3 x pci express 3.0 slots. The hero is 2 way SLI capable with 2 x pci express 3.0 slots.
Although the Maximus VI Formula has 3 PCIe 3.0 slots, it only supports 2 way SLI configurations. 😉
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01-11-2014 09:57 AM
Thanks for the replies kkn & Chino!
Per your recommendations I'm going to go with the ASUS Maximus VI Formula motherboard and the 2400Mhz G.Skill RAM. And the Seasonic PSU.
Would it be worth getting 2 256GB SSD's and put in RAID 0 or would one 500GB SSD be just as good?
Monitor question - Would a ASUS Model #PB278Q 27" monitor be better than a BENQ XL2720T or ASUS VE278 1920x1080 or is there a better 2560x1440 one for under $600?
Per your recommendations I'm going to go with the ASUS Maximus VI Formula motherboard and the 2400Mhz G.Skill RAM. And the Seasonic PSU.
Would it be worth getting 2 256GB SSD's and put in RAID 0 or would one 500GB SSD be just as good?
Monitor question - Would a ASUS Model #PB278Q 27" monitor be better than a BENQ XL2720T or ASUS VE278 1920x1080 or is there a better 2560x1440 one for under $600?
Trickpony
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01-11-2014 10:10 AM
Trickpony wrote:
Thanks for the replies kkn & Chino!
Per your recommendations I'm going to go with the ASUS Maximus VI Formula motherboard and the 2400Mhz G.Skill RAM. And the Seasonic PSU.
Would it be worth getting 2 256GB SSD's and put in RAID 0 or would one 500GB SSD be just as good?
Monitor question - Would a ASUS Model #PB278Q 27" monitor be better than a BENQ XL2720T or ASUS VE278 1920x1080 or is there a better 2560x1440 one for under $600?
If this is primarily a gaming build, go for the single 500GB one. You won't notice the difference. And having a RAID array adds a few seconds to your boot time.
If you'll be doing some crazy 3D work or rendering where you constantly write gigabytes of data, go with the RAID.
Can't help you with the monitor there, mate. Not my field of expertise. LOL
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01-11-2014 10:01 AM
Welcome, Trickpony.
The seagate is cheaper, and the drives are practically identical so I would grab it. As far as SSD goes, if you won't have budget problems with the rest of your components then I would recommend the Samsung 840 Pro series 256GB SSD. The Samsung 840 Pro series is the fastest series of SSDs on the market. If you will have trouble fitting it in your budget, I would recommend the 250GB Samsung 840 EVO. It is still much faster than most SSDs on the market, and the EVO series is affordably priced.
For your motherboard, I would recommend the Maximus VI Hero or the Maximus VI Formula, as kkn did.
As far as RAM goes, I would recommend grabbing a higher clock as some more intensive games like Crysis 3 or BF4 perform much better with higher clocked RAM. Try the 2400MHz clock Trident X RAM.
Though a sound card is not required, considering that the Maximus VI series of motherboards have great onboard sound, it would still boost your sound quality with a sound system that IS NOT USB PLUG-IN! If you will use USB headphones, then a soundcard will be useless!
The seagate is cheaper, and the drives are practically identical so I would grab it. As far as SSD goes, if you won't have budget problems with the rest of your components then I would recommend the Samsung 840 Pro series 256GB SSD. The Samsung 840 Pro series is the fastest series of SSDs on the market. If you will have trouble fitting it in your budget, I would recommend the 250GB Samsung 840 EVO. It is still much faster than most SSDs on the market, and the EVO series is affordably priced.
For your motherboard, I would recommend the Maximus VI Hero or the Maximus VI Formula, as kkn did.
As far as RAM goes, I would recommend grabbing a higher clock as some more intensive games like Crysis 3 or BF4 perform much better with higher clocked RAM. Try the 2400MHz clock Trident X RAM.
Though a sound card is not required, considering that the Maximus VI series of motherboards have great onboard sound, it would still boost your sound quality with a sound system that IS NOT USB PLUG-IN! If you will use USB headphones, then a soundcard will be useless!
Say hi to the next generation.
Peace is a lie, there is only Passion
Through passion, I gain strength
Through strength, I gain victory
Through victory, my chains are broken
The Republic of Gamers shall free me
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01-11-2014 10:14 AM
I would PM HiVizMan.
Say hi to the next generation.
Peace is a lie, there is only Passion
Through passion, I gain strength
Through strength, I gain victory
Through victory, my chains are broken
The Republic of Gamers shall free me
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