Havent built a new PC from scratch since 2009 so this one has limped around long enough so want something pretty beefy.

AMD vs Intel?
SSD or M.2 hard drive?
Best video card in the $500-1000 range?
How much ram and what speed?

AMD for price wise
SSD for boot/programs, Spin for storage
no clue, haven't looked in just as long as you lol
16gb atleast. 1600's work fine for me but you may want 18 or 20+, all up to you and your wallet.

http://www.tomshardware.com/t/build-your-own/

If you're talking bang for the buck:

• Intel. More expensive but significantly better from what I've read
• SSD >>> HDD, M.2 > SSD. Bang for the buck wise an SSD is sufficient. I went M.2 to be future proof but the incremental performance vs incremental price is probably not really worth it, especially if you're coming from a maching with only an HDD.
• Best single video card is a GTX 980 Ti I believe. There are supposed to be some big leaps forward this year in GC tech that will allow for more 4k gaming, but it will be expensive. Here's a handy guide: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gpus,4380.html
• I'd probably go 16 Gigs, DDR4. Don't know how much difference memory clock really makes so I would go with 2000 or 2400 or whatever. I think anything above 2400 requires special settings or something so you might want to do more research.

I'd go Intel processor. i5 for affordability if that is the concern.

Video card - as mentioned, 980ti is quite good but also quite expensive. The new Pascal cards will be out sometime soon though and you might wait to see if the 980ti (or other cards) has its price drop in relation to that. Bang for buck wise the gtx970 or the amd r290/390 (can't remember which one) are probably the best options at this current moment.

Hard drive - definitely SSD. Will more than suit your needs. No reason as of yet to upgrade beyond that.

Check out /r/buildapc for lots of advice on these subjects

I've found (for me) it's worth it to just customize from www.ibuypower.com or www.cyberpowerpc.com and have them build it. It's still really affordable, comes with a warranty, and I don't have to spend the time putting everything together. I've bought my last 3 PCs from IBuyPower.

Websites to use while researching:

http://cpuboss.com/

http://www.logicalincrements.com/

http://pcpartpicker.com/

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc


Website to use to install all the programs you need easily

https://ninite.com/


And a gif" />

• Agreed with Intel - i7 if you do any sort of video/graphic editing, but otherwise I think you'll be fine with i5.
• If you have a Microcenter nearby, they usually have good CPU/Mobo combo deals. And if it's not on sale, wait a week.
• If you really want to future proof, look for a mobo with a M.2 slot that uses PCIE 3.0 x4
• Use an SSD as your boot drive, standard HD as a data drive
• I'd go 16GB (or more) - memory is cheap right now (I'm a fan of G.Skill)

CPU - Intel as pretty much everyone else has said, i5 if you want to save some money and don't plan on doing heavy video editing or transcoding, go with an i7 if you do plan on doing those things or just want to get the best performance

System disk - M.2 PCIe drives are significantly faster than even the fastest SATA SSD, I didn't believe it either until I upgraded myself, the 256 GB Samsung 950 Pro screams and is 2-3 times faster than the 850 Pro, the 256 GB version can easily be found in the $180 range, the 512Gb version is even faster (fastest consumer drive on the market) if you can afford to spend another $140 on it

My new build will be using the 512GB 950 Pro as the system/game install drive and then a 4TB Seagate SSHD (hybrid drive) that can be found for under $150 for basic storage.

http://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Samsung-950-NVMe-PCIe-M2-256GB-vs-Samsung-850-Pro-256GB/m38570vs2385

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/10/950-pro-review-samsungs-first-pcie-m-2-nvme-ssd-is-an-absolute-monster/

http://www.custompcguide.net/the-differences-between-samsung-nvme-950-pro-vs-850-series/

Video card - GTX980Ti in the price range you mentioned

RAM - At least 16GB, I like the Corsair Dominator Platinum PC4-25600 and you can get 32GB of it for around $200, remember to buy in pairs, so if you do get 16GB now, I'd buy two 8GB sticks so you can easily upgrade to 32GB later if you so choose

What about gaming at resolutions beyond 1080p? Whats the sweet spot for monitor size vs resolution, especially as it pertains to font size for desktop usage? I will measure when i get home, but with the hutch I have, I may not be able to go much bigger than 27-28 inches on the monitor. Dont want to go 4k and not be able to read anything.

I haven't seen it first hand but I suspect a 27" 1440p monitor would be a lovely gaming experience. More pixels = more GPU demand though.

I have a Dell 24" IPS display at home and sit pretty close to it and have no complaints.

Here is a reference I would use when buying a display:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/top-best-computer-monitors,3917.html

quote:

---

What about gaming at resolutions beyond 1080p? Whats the sweet spot for monitor size vs resolution, especially as it pertains to font size for desktop usage? I will measure when i get home, but with the hutch I have, I may not be able to go much bigger than 27-28 inches on the monitor. Dont want to go 4k and not be able to read anything.

---

At 27", I'd probably go with a 2560 x 1440 monitor, preferably one that supports G-sync. At 27", 4K (AKA UHD), would make the text pretty tiny without scaling up the whole UI.

One of my buddies just got the ASUS PG278Q and loves it. After seeing it, I'd strongly consider it when I finally replace my dual 24" setup.

http://www.asus.com/us/site/game-on-incredible/displays/PG278Q/

http://www.amazon.com/PG278Q-27-Inch-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411062295&sr=8-1&keywords=pg278q

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474098,00.asp

http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-rog-swift-pg278q-gsync-gaming-monitor-review,1.html

quote:

---

I haven't seen it first hand but I suspect a 27" 1440p monitor would be a lovely gaming experience. More pixels = more GPU demand though.

I have a Dell 24" IPS display at home and sit pretty close to it and have no complaints.

Here is a reference I would use when buying a display:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/top-best-computer-monitors,3917.html

---

Based on the Tom's Hardware list, I'd look at the ASUS PG279Q as well (updated, more expensive version of the PG278Q I mentioned). It goes up to 165Hz, supports G-sync and is a higher quality IPS panel versus the TN panel on the PG278Q. The PG278Q is still an excellent monitor for $150 less.

This has awesome reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/PB328Q-2560x1440-DisplayPort-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00XI4PAD2/?&tag=bom-tomshardware-20&ascsubtag=[site|thaus[cat|[art|[pid|B00XI4PAD2[tid|1460558716585230[bbc|LEPRIX

Wondering how to strike a balance between screen size and refresh rate. Is >60 Hz really necessary for gaming? I've been playing on my 60 Hz monitor and don't really feel like I'm missing out.

quote:

---

This has awesome reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/PB328Q-2560x1440-DisplayPort-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B00XI4PAD2/?&tag=bom-tomshardware-20&ascsubtag=[site|thaus[cat|[art|[pid|B00XI4PAD2[tid|1460558716585230[bbc|LEPRIX

Wondering how to strike a balance between screen size and refresh rate. Is >60 Hz really necessary for gaming? I've been playing on my 60 Hz monitor and don't really feel like I'm missing out.

---

If you've got a good enough graphics card isn't locked at 60fps at the native resolution of your monitor, you'll likely get noticeable screen tearing. The G-sync and Freesync (AMD tech) prevent that by syncing the refresh rate of the monitor to the frame rate. If you are going to do graphic/video and light gaming, that monitor is great. If you've got a card that supports G-sync or Freesync and your focus is gaming, I'd look for a monitor that supports that as the screen tearing becomes even more obvious at larger screen sizes/resolutions.

I doubt you'd be unhappy with that monitor either way.

I'm not a hardcore gamer (mostly play rocket league and strategy games) but I do have a Gsync enabled card I believe. Decisions decisions...

The detailed review makes it sound like it does well at gaming and that the 75 Hz is enough for most gamers. And theres a "Used - Very Good" model on Amazon for about $100 off...so tempting.

being a motherboard reviewer for Tom's Hardware, I know a thing or two. First off, what is your budget and typical usage scenario?

AMD vs Intel is heavily in Intel's favor right now, but later this year AMD will be releasing their Zen architecture along with new motherboard chipsets. I would be willing to bet that they will price their procs somewhere around the i5 pay grade to stay competitive.

Memory is sort of a wash right now. Link. There's no problem with going with DDR4 if your processor supports it, but don't assume that making that jump will buy you crazy performance.

I've noticed more and more budget boards are starting to implement M.2 in their boards (2 of my last 3 990FX/970 AMD boards have it). Heck, if I recall even some of the APU AMD boards support it.

If you have any specific questions, shoot me an email.

Pretty serious gamer and like to have pretty strong rigs to run at or close to max on typical games I play. For instance, when I built a rig back in 2009, i had an i7-860, 8Gb of DDR3, SLI GTX465 and supporting doodads. Up until recently I have been able to run pretty strong, but have started to bottleneck on modern games.

Budget can be ~2,000 to 2500 or so for a complete redo.

That is a damn nice monitor for the price, especially for $100 less. It really boils down to extra screen real estate vs performance, compounded by the larger screen being cheaper.

I might have to pick your brain in the near future too!

I've been a pretty big ASUS fanboy and my last few builds have been the Maximus series (current one is a Maximus V Extreme). They've treated me well and I've had issues with other manufacturers when doing builds for friends with hardware failures.

The issue is that they are getting REALLY pricey ($450+ range now), but I'm hesitant to try other manufacturers or product lines from ASUS.

Are you going to reuse your case, power supply and cooling setup? That could save you $250-$500 dollars pretty easily.

quote:

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Are you going to reuse your case, power supply and cooling setup? That could save you $250-$500 dollars pretty easily.

---

Depends on dimensions of new mobo, gpu, and soundcard. I have an Antec 850W modular psu that I would love to repurpose and a pretty nice Antec case with good cooling features. Im about 99% sure the majority of any new components would fit as I was easily able to fit two graphics cards, sound card, two HDDs, optical drive, ram, fans, and all the cables with no issues.

quote:

---

quote:

---

Are you going to reuse your case, power supply and cooling setup? That could save you $250-$500 dollars pretty easily.

---

Depends on dimensions of new mobo, gpu, and soundcard. I have an Antec 850W modular psu that I would love to repurpose and a pretty nice Antec case with good cooling features. Im about 99% sure the majority of any new components would fit as I was easily able to fit two graphics cards, sound card, two HDDs, optical drive, ram, fans, and all the cables with no issues.

---

Pretty much any mid/full tower of the last 5-10 years should have enough mounting space and screw holes to use any current MOBO. My CM Storm Scout worked fine for my new MOBO a MSI 970 Gaming edition and i bought it 5+ years ago. Your GFX card may be an issue but if you check the specs first and order one with correct dimensions it should work. Each maker has more/less plastic and cooling on the cards taking up more or less space. Your PSU should be ok, it might be getting close to the top though depending on how power hungry your other components are. I would recommend a 1k PSU with any modern gaming set up.

I would also recommend moving up to water cooling if you haven't already, Plenty of all-in-one set ups for cheap and can still build your own top of the line one for 100-150.

quote:

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

Are you going to reuse your case, power supply and cooling setup? That could save you $250-$500 dollars pretty easily.

---

Depends on dimensions of new mobo, gpu, and soundcard. I have an Antec 850W modular psu that I would love to repurpose and a pretty nice Antec case with good cooling features. Im about 99% sure the majority of any new components would fit as I was easily able to fit two graphics cards, sound card, two HDDs, optical drive, ram, fans, and all the cables with no issues.

---

Pretty much any mid/full tower of the last 5-10 years should have enough mounting space and screw holes to use any current MOBO. My CM Storm Scout worked fine for my new MOBO a MSI 970 Gaming edition and i bought it 5+ years ago. Your GFX card may be an issue but if you check the specs first and order one with correct dimensions it should work. Each maker has more/less plastic and cooling on the cards taking up more or less space. Your PSU should be ok, it might be getting close to the top though depending on how power hungry your other components are. I would recommend a 1k PSU with any modern gaming set up.

I would also recommend moving up to water cooling if you haven't already, Plenty of all-in-one set ups for cheap and can still build your own top of the line one for 100-150.

---

Agreed on the power supply and water cooling recommendation. I'm a big fan of the Corsair power supplies and also their self contained water cooling rigs. I think my currently build has an AX1200 PSU and the H100x water cooling setup. The newer H115i water cooling setup runs just over $100.

Never used water cooling before. Does it mount external, have to change out water periodically? Or is it like a self contained radiator?

quote:

---

Never used water cooling before. Does it mount external, have to change out water periodically? Or is it like a self contained radiator?

---

The corsair ones are completely sealed. There is a radiator, tubing and pump/waterblock that come pre connected. The various models basically differ in regards to the radiator. Just pick the model that with the radiator that fits the fan mounts in your case, screw on with the fans, attach the waterblock and power cable. No maintenance and works far better than any crazy air cooling rig I ever used.

I have the model that has a radiator that is designed for two 120mm fans as my case has a spot for three of them in the top of the case. The fans and radiator mount directly inside the case like I would mount just the fans (though obviously twice the thickness of a single fan). There are no external signs that I'm using water cooling as the hoses just run straight to the pump/waterblock that attaches to the CPU like a standard CPU cooler. The system is powered by a moles connected and has a plug for the fan mount on the motherboard for monitoring.

There are single fan models if you only have a spot on your case for a single 120mm or 140mm fan.

Crucial 240GB SSD goes for $60 on Amazon. They're getting cheap. I'd get that for your OS and base programs. Then get a 1TB HDD for $50.
8 GB RAM save room for another later.
Intel i5
NVIDIA Card the 980s support VR but they run you about $500.

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Looks like a damn fine gaming rig to me!

Solid case choice as well.

Torn on the case. May go for the 760T instead as it is a touch smaller. Not sure.

Any reason to get Ram that is any faster than DDR4-3000? $250-300 for 32 Gb is cheap.

Not really unless you plan on overclocking. Most of that faster rated RAM is just the same RAM, just rated faster with slower settings on some of the other timings. That Dominator Platinum can overclock pretty decently if you want to do that.

Also, if you do plan on messing around with overclocking and you're already spending in that price range, check out the EVGA 980 Ti Classified. It's about $30 more than the FTW version you have selected (also great choice) and is basically the same card except that it has 14+3 phase power instead of the 8+2 phase power on the FTW version that will provide cleaner, more stable power for more aggressive overclocking. If you don't plan on going crazy with overclocking, the FTW will suit your needs.

Just wanted to give a plug for Fractal Design cases. Build with liquid cooling in mind, very clean lines, and super quiet.

There's a deal on dealnews.com today for the cpu, $320 free shipping just FYI

quote:

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Just wanted to give a plug for Fractal Design cases. Build with liquid cooling in mind, very clean lines, and super quiet.

---

Yeah, the Define R5 is a very nice case for the money, though a little on the small side to me.

Built it per above except with the 760T case. Posted on first powerup and zero issues so far.

First pic. Better ones later.