Building new gaming desktop

JDR13 said:

They weren't released at the same time. The K version is a newer CPU. I'm surprised they're even still producing the non-k version.

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Thanks for the clarification. I really haven't ever looked at the non-k versions as I always overclock.

JDR13 said:

No, there's still a difference. The K version is 400mhz faster, runs cooler, and contains some new instruction sets although I don't know how useful they are.

In short, it's worth getting if the price difference isn't significant.

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Well, that's good to know. Hm. No I'm in doubt as to which to get, hehe.
Prices in Belgium are a little higher for computers and the like. The i7 k is about a 100€ more expensive than the i5 k one. I am willing to splurge a little on this thing (my prev desktop is about 8 years old), so maybe I'll go for it.

Moriendor said:

Finally, since you asked about RAM, there is some pretty nice and perfectly affordable low voltage 1.35V, low latency, low profile Crucial Ballistix RAM that is highly recommendable. Here is the 16GB variant. The low voltage makes sure it stays cool, the low latency 8-8-8-24 is great for performance reasons and the low profile keeps it clear from huge CPU heatsinks. And Crucial = Micron so it's definitely a quality RAM kit.

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Thanks, I'll grab that set.

Here's my updated list:
GPU: MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G - € 398,90
PSU: Corsair RM Series RM550 - € 114,90
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 2x8GB DDR3 1600 MHz - € 144,90
CPU: Intel Core i5 4690K/3.5 Ghz - € 254,90 OR Intel Core i7 4790K/4 Ghz - € 363,50
MoBo: MSI Z97 GAMING 5 - € 150,49
SSD: Samsung 850 Pro Series MZ-7KE256BW - € 156,99
Case: Cooler Master CM 690 III - € 79,50
DVD-drive: Samsung SH-224DB - € 17,93

So, in total it's € 1427,10 for the i7 setup, € 1318,50 for the i5 one.

Any more thoughts?
I'll skip on a network card for now, I can always shove one in later if I feel like I need it.

wiretripped said:

Well, that's good to know. Hm. No I'm in doubt as to which to get, hehe.
Prices in Belgium are a little higher for computers and the like. The i7 k is about a 100€ more expensive than the i5 k one. I am willing to splurge a little on this thing (my prev desktop is about 8 years old), so maybe I'll go for it.



Thanks, I'll grab that set.

Here's my updated list:
GPU: MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G - € 398,90
PSU: Corsair RM Series RM550 - € 114,90
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 2x8GB DDR3 1600 MHz - € 144,90
CPU: Intel Core i5 4690K/3.5 Ghz - € 254,90 OR Intel Core i7 4790K/4 Ghz - € 363,50
MoBo: MSI Z97 GAMING 5 - € 150,49
SSD: Samsung 850 Pro Series MZ-7KE256BW - € 156,99
Case: Cooler Master CM 690 III - € 79,50
DVD-drive: Samsung SH-224DB - € 17,93

So, in total it's € 1427,10 for the i7 setup, € 1318,50 for the i5 one.

Any more thoughts?
I'll skip on a network card for now, I can always shove one in later if I feel like I need it.

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Why do you need a DVD drive? I know its only $17 but I haven't used dvds for couple of years now.

lostforever said:

Why do you need a DVD drive? I know its only $17 but I haven't used dvds for couple of years now.

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To install Windows? Office? Game?

I don't use em much anymore either but if you don't have one and you have a disk, whatcha going to do?

My new laptop doesn't have one but I got a USB one as I already had Windows and Office on a disk.

Toff said:

I got a USB one

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I definetly suggest buying external USB DVD drive just for sakes of old discs so you're safe till you convert everything into digital copy and ditch those erroneous media (Steam, GOG, uPlay, Origin) and besides all photos and stuff you should have already transferred onto supercheap USB flash drives and clean the house from hundreds of scratched CDs you never even browsed again after burning.

I like your choice of the i5; running one in my current system and if it hasn't already been discussed the i5 is the sweetspot cpu for gaming.

I also use Crucial Ballistix RAM and Corsair power supplies. It looks like a very good set-up.

Toff said:

To install Windows? Office? Game?

I don't use em much anymore either but if you don't have one and you have a disk, whatcha going to do?

My new laptop doesn't have one but I got a USB one as I already had Windows and Office on a disk.

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For windows, I have bootable USB. Office and all my old games were ripped and have them as iso, so as I said, i never needed dvd drive and was wondering why someone would need dvd drive...

DVD drive can come in handy, that's why I added one to my build.

Here's my latest build that I just bought a week ago. I LOVE it. The computer is super fast and tackles even the most CPU and GPU intensive things (games run flawlessly, video encoding of 1080p, large video files is super fast as well).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311330992870?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

(P.S. It actually came with a 750w power supply and a 4690 CPU. A SoundBlaster RX 7.1 soundcard was added later)

Highly recommend the computer, as well as Adamant for building it for me. The thing was built to a high quality standard and I couldn't be happier with the end product!

wiretripped said:

Hey guys,

So, I'd like to build my own desktop, simply because I cannot find the configuration I want from any of the big manufacturers (Dell, HP, Asus, …). I am, however, a total n00b at this, so I was wondering how hard it is?

Here's what I had in mind, roughly:
Case: Cooler Master Midi Tower CM 690 III ATX
Processor: Intel Core i5-4690K, or an i7-4790
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600
Motherboard: MSI Z97 Gaming 3
GPU: MSI Nvidia GTX 970 4GB
PSU: Seasonic M12II EVO 520W, Modular
256 GB SSD (I have a spare WD Black 2TB lying around I intend to throw in too)
DVD drive
Network card

What do you think? Can you guys give me advice on brands? Is that all the components I need? Do I need separate cooling (keeping in mind I don't intend to OC)?..

… Thanks for any advice!

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Hello there!

My two cents as a former IT technician who is still somewhat up-do-date .

CPU
You don't need i7 for gaming in a strict sense. i5 is a gaming CPU. However if you have a lot of applications running at the same time then sure, it'll help a lot. For example I typically have - all on at the same time - several browser windows, one Adobe program (Illustrator or Photoshop), a music player, one Office program, one video game, sometimes Ableton or Cubase instead etc.

Case
That's a good case. Nice potential for cable management and nice air flow.

RAM
Do you really need 16GB? I doubt you'll need more than 8GB. You don't do server virtualization.

MB
Good chipset, however I'd stay clear off MSI. Get another manufacturer like Asus or Gigabyte.

GPU
Good card, however I'd *definitely* stay off MSI. Go Gigabyte (Windforce is very nice cooling) or Asus (cards tend to be monster big and sometimes noisy but good performance).

PSU
You'll need a lot more wattage. No less than 700W. And go Cooler Master (super silent), Chieftec (old favorite), or even Thermaltake (low quality of secondary components as most but tends to have long warranty periods on their PSUs). Most good ones are modular anyway.

Optics
You don't need an optical device e.g. CD/DVD player, trust me.

Water cooling
You don't need it.

SSD
They vary in transfer speed but any SSD is a quantum leap from HDDs. Most people typically use them for the system partition, in which case don't go too low in capacity. 256 GB is far more than you'll need for that, so it might be optimal to just grab a 128GB one for System.

HDD
WD Black sounds perfect.

Monitor
Plenty of dope ones to chose from if you hail from the West. Obviously no need to go for less than 23".

Cheers and have fun!

Well, the DVD drive is mostly for convenience. Most my games are digital — I tend to limit myself to Steam and GOG — but I still have plenty of old fashioned movie DVDs I wouldn't mind being able to watch on my desktop if need be. Plus, it's cheap, so I don't really see any reason not to throw one in.

luj1 said:

Hello there!

My two cents as a former IT technician who is still somewhat up-do-date .

CPU
You don't need i7 for gaming in a strict sense. i5 is a gaming CPU. However if you have a lot of applications running at the same time then sure, it'll help a lot. For example I typically have - all on at the same time - several browser windows, one Adobe program (Illustrator or Photoshop), a music player, one Office program, one video game, sometimes Ableton or Cubase instead etc.

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Alright, noted.

luj1 said:

RAM
Do you really need 16GB? I doubt you'll need more than 8GB. You don't do server virtualization.

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Well, I want to be ready for the future, (as far as I can be on my budget), so I figure more RAM would help me there. This desktop needs to last me a while.

luj1 said:

MB
Good chipset, however I'd stay clear off MSI. Get another manufacturer like Asus or Gigabyte.

GPU
Good card, however I'd *definitely* stay off MSI. Go Gigabyte (Windforce is very nice cooling) or Asus (cards tend to be monster big and sometimes noisy but good performance).

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Any reason for the MSI dislike? I thought they were supposed to be a decent brand? You would recommend Gigabyte then, for both MoBo and GPU?

luj1 said:

PSU
You'll need a lot more wattage. No less than 700W. And go Cooler Master (super silent), Chieftec (old favorite), or even Thermaltake (low quality of secondary components as most but tends to have long warranty periods on their PSUs). Most good ones are modular anyway.

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Hm. Maybe you're right. The GeForce GTX970 specs state a 500W min system power requirement, so maybe 550 is cutting it a bit close. Do I really need 700 though?

EDIT: Thanks for all the sage advice everyone, by the way.

I'll second the power supply advice... don't go below 700W, I have seen the perfect system builds with too weak power supplies.. and they are not fun.

I have 600W PSU and works like a charm. But I don't have titan GPU nor it's younger 9 series sisters so can't be sure if it'd be enough there. Perhaps I should buy titan to test it?
I don't have two cards, just one like him - that's why I believe 550W will be enough in his case.

Up there avoiding MSI was suggested, I'll say I had in one old machine MSI motherboard and it worked like a charm. It was ages ago though, recent two mobos I used were both Asus and they earned my trust so I'll probably buy Asus mobo in the future too.
For GPU it's once you try Gainward Phantom, you'll never want another. Happened to me. After GTX560 Phantom, 760 was again - Phantom. And when I decide to buy a new GPU, it'll definetly be another Phantom.

wiretripped said:

Well, the DVD drive is mostly for convenience. Most my games are digital — I tend to limit myself to Steam and GOG — but I still have plenty of old fashioned movie DVDs I wouldn't mind being able to watch on my desktop if need be. Plus, it's cheap, so I don't really see any reason not to throw one in.

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Go for it then. Grab an external one for better airflow. Your case is perfect for cable management and maximizing airflow. Notice the perforated surface design. A really good case, probably best you'll ever need.

wiretripped said:

Well, I want to be ready for the future, (as far as I can be on my budget), so I figure more RAM would help me there. This desktop needs to last me a while.

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It wont hurt.

wiretripped said:

Any reason for the MSI dislike? I thought they were supposed to be a decent brand?

You would recommend Gigabyte then, for both MoBo and GPU?

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Exactly, MSI is just decent. It's down a notch from those two. Especially in GPUs. Asus or Gigabyte for a MB is a matter of preference, you can't really go wrong with either.

As for GPU, I prefer Gigabyte's. Better cooling technology, less noisy, and smaller. But you won't make a mistake with Asus either. Just stay clear off second-grade GPU manufacturers like MSI or Gainward.

wiretripped said:

Hm. Maybe you're right. The GeForce GTX970 specs state a 500W min system power requirement, so maybe 550 is cutting it a bit close. Do I really need 700 though?

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Yes. I'd even go for 800W. With PSUs and gaming workstations you should always get 50-100W more than what you need.

wiretripped said:

EDIT: Thanks for all the sage advice everyone, by the way.

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Cheers champ .You should also get a CPU cooler. You don't need to pay more than $30-40 for it. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is excellent.

I would definitely consider ASUS instead of MSI for the mainboard depending on one's previous experiences with the brand. I personally prefer ASUS. Awesome build quality, never had any serious issues and their support is stunning. You still get BIOS updates years after the board has gone EOL.
However, I don't doubt that MSI is also decent and a good choice so if there is a good reason for wiretripped to go for MSI then why not...
One advantage of going with ASUS would be you get an Intel NIC (network "card") on board on just about all of their Z97 boards instead of the "Killer NIC". Many people consider the Intel NICs superior though it's unlikely you will really ever feel a difference if you're just a regular Internet/LAN user.

Regarding the GPU though, I have considered buying a GTX 970 a few months back, too, and it occurred to me during my research that the MSI 4G gaming model simply is hands down the best GTX 970 model that money can buy. I would definitely get it.
I went for the MSI 4G GTX 980 and it has the same TwinFrozr cooling solution as the 970 which is plain awesome. The fan only spins up beyond 60°C. It's totally passive and silent most of the time. You need to throw some serious DirectX 11 full glory gaming at the card to push it beyond the temp threshold. In many older and less demanding games it stays in passive mode all of the time.
The Gigabyte cards are screamers by comparison and the ASUS Strix is nice but its cooling performance seems to be very dependent on airflow in the case. So if you prefer a silent PC all around then the MSI is the better choice since it will perform well even in low airflow conditions.

I have got a MSI H97M-E35. Didn't encounter a problem yet, but I only have it for a year.
http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/385561/msi-h97m-e35/specificaties/

If you're in Europe. Club3d has some good value gpu's.

Moriendor said:

One advantage of going with ASUS would be you get an Intel NIC (network "card") on board on just about all of their Z97 boards instead of the "Killer NIC". Many people consider the Intel NICs superior though it's unlikely you will really ever feel a difference if you're just a regular Internet/LAN user.

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Asus board with an Intel NIC - that's what I'd choose if I were buying right now.

I think Asus products are a little overpriced unless it specifically has something you need that you can't get elsewhere. That's just my opinion. I've got an MSI Gamer 7 now and I like it a lot. My last mobo was also an MSI that I had for almost 5 years and was rock solid.

Just get what suits YOU though. Don't worry too much about what name brand it is.

Personally, I always go Asus. I went Intel once (yes, intel board), and God did I regret it.

My evga 670 ftw is starting to show its age w/ ENB setups, so tempted to buy a new card… but, damnit, I'm going to wait. I doubt I'd see a marked improvement with the iterative tech Nvidia's been pushing out lately.

Drithius said:

My evga 670 ftw is starting to show its age w/ ENB setups, so tempted to buy a new card… but, damnit, I'm going to wait. I doubt I'd see a marked improvement with the iterative tech Nvidia's been pushing out lately.

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Wait for the 980 Ti if you can. It's supposed to be the first really significant performance boost for Nvidia in a long time. It's said to be nearly 50% faster than the current high end cards.

JDR13 said:

Wait for the 980 Ti if you can. It's supposed to be the first really significant performance boost for Nvidia in a long time. It's said to be nearly 50% faster than the current high end cards.

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That seems very doubtful to me. Where did you pick that up? The 980Ti is just going to be another version of the 28nm GM200 chip that is currently found on the TitanX. The 980Ti is rumored to get less VRAM (6GB instead of 12GB) and possibly higher clocks which might put it slightly above the TitanX but it remains to be seen whether all shader clusters will be active on the Ti or if nVidia will be using partially defective GM200s for the 980Ti. Any increase in clock speed might be mitigated by less shader clusters in that case.

The last time I heard a rumor of +50% was with regard to AMD's 390X but there was another report later that it will only have +50% faster memory performance because of its HBM and not generally +50% performance in games or other applications.

Anyway, nVidia's next huge splash is not due before next year. Pascal should be a very interesting GPU when finally, after all these years, 28nm will be left behind. nVidia has recently struck a deal with Samsung for 14nm production but that will probably just cover their Tegra lineup. The GPUs will be made by TSMC in 16nm.
So if anyone can wait at all, then I'd wait for (hopefully early) next year when -finally- the 28nm lid is coming off the bottle. We should be seeing some huge performance boosts from both, the red and the green camp, then.