Medium Gaming/General Rig Advice

[ozymandius42]

Hello all, first time poster here, looking for advice on building a new rig.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for: Gaming, Word Processing, General Web surfing.

2. What YOUR budget is: 950-1050 USD

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from: USA, primarily using PCPartPicker

5. IF YOU have a brand preference: No preference really, but would prefer an AMD gpu, all things being equal.

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are: YES, am going to be using an existing keyboard, mouse, monitor, headphones and DAC.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds: No overclocking, default only.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using: 1920x1200

9. WHEN do you plan to build it: Will start ordering next week, so pretty much immediately.

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software: YES, planning to buy Win7 x64 Home Premium.

So the specs are as follows:

1. CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core $179.99
2. Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver Arctic Alumina Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic 1.75g $3.99
3. Motherboard: ASRock Z77E-ITX Mini ITX LGA1155 $139.99
4. Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 $68.46
5. Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" SSD $90.99
Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM $99.99
6. Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB $175.66
7. Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower $69.99
8. Power Supply: Silverstone 500W ATX12V / EPS12V $74.99
9. Optical Drive:Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer $16.98
10. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) $89.98
TOTAL: 993.01 USD

I'm still slightly unclear as to the Video Card. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I've being using a MSI 5870 on my other rig and that has not caused any problems over the last 3 odd years. My other options were:

1.MSI R7850 Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card (199 USD)

2. MSI R7870-2GD5T/OC Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card (209 USD). Either of those 2 would be in budget. But really, anything around the 170-210 USD mark would be fine. I'm looking to game mostly at native resolution, with medium-to-high settings. Games I'm going to be using on this rig are Dark Souls (and sequel soon, woot!), Witcher3, a lot of less graphically intensive games, and some RTS's. What I'm most concerned about is heating. Which is why the Twin-Frozr seemed a good option.

That's about it. Thanks a lot!

 

[Termie]

Welcome to the forums, ozymandius42.

First things first: PCPartPicker is not a store, so you can't buy anything there. It's a website that provides links to stores. This forum is an alternative to PCPartPicker, so if you want to support this forum, you'll want to use links provided here.

Otherwise, just about everything looks great. You are building a Mini-ITX rig, which is more expensive than an ATX rig, but it's smaller. Just make sure that's what you meant to buy. Also, you seem to be using some older parts. There's no reason to use a 3350P and Z77 motherboard when you could get a faster system and a lower price with a 4430 and B85-ITX motherboard. You don't need Z77/Z87 if you're not going to overclock. B85 motherboards are $50 less than the one you chose. Finally, you do not need Arctic Silver. The CPU comes with thermal interface material that will work fine.

By the way, the Sapphire HD7870 is a great pick. I'd stick with that one. It's 20% faster than the 7850 you listed for less money. I have both the Sapphire 7870 and the 7850 Twin Frozr. Yes, the Twin Frozr runs cooler, but that's in part because it's not nearly as fast. Even at maximum overclock it doesn't reach stock 7870 speeds. The Sapphire is still well within its temperature limits.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Is there a reason you're getting thermal compound but not getting a non-stock HSF? If you just want to use the stock intel cooler, you don't need to get separate thermal compound.

Also, I think you could afford the most recent Intel CPU Haswell if you don't want to OC. Check out this CPU+HDD combo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1397417
Then step down the MoBo to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157390

Your original CPU + MoBo + HDD = $420, so these changes would save you ~$30 AND get you a stronger CPU! Especially nice if you're sure you won't be overclocking.

That video card is a great pick! If you wanted to spend +$55 you could step up to the HD7950 for $225 shipped, AR. It also gets you Gold Tier AMD rewards, if that's worth anything to you. That is to say, if you don't already own the games W/ the savings on the CPU, MoBo, and HDD you'd still be under budget, but you'd be over 1K. That being said, at your resolution, I don't know that that gpu would perform dramatically better than the 7870 you were already looking at.

 

[ozymandius42]

Hey Essence and Termie, many thanks for the advice. Yes, PC partpicker, I realized in retrospect, was probably not the best option for these forums. Apologies to all, new to this sort of stuff.

Based on this, I'll just stick with the Sapphire card, think the 7950 may be overkill for my needs. Glad to know it's got good reviews from senior members here. I'll switch to the B85 and Haswell combo Essence pointed out as well. That should do it. I realize I was probably picking one generation older parts, but hadn't really read up on the new Haswell lines and mobos. The thermal compound was a left-over from a 'overclock' build I was thinking of doing before laziness set in . That will be deleted. Thanks for the tips again. This really is a great forum!

edit: Termie, yes, I am thinking of a mini-ITX build. Am pressed for space and plus the Prodigy looks really nice. Cost should be fine. BTW, does anyone think there is a mini-ITX case better than the Prodigy out there? It looked roomy and I'm pretty clumsy when it comes to cable management, so figured a slightly larger case might be best. Thanks again guys.

edit2: Sorry for the repeated editing, but I was just looking over the B85 mobo on the newegg link, and it doesn't seem to have Wifi onboard. Is there either an option for a b85 mini-ITX mobo with wifi or a good external dongle/adapter anyone would recommend?

 

[Essence_of_War]

The prodigy is probably the roomiest mitx case you can find. That could be a feature or a bug. It really is as big as some mAtx cases, but requires you to have an mitx MoBo. It's very aesthetically pleasing, but it occupies sort of a strange space that straddles matx and mitx, and sort of forces you to pay the extra money for the mitx MoBo, but not get the benefit of the tiniest form factor.

If you're not sold on mitx in particular, but you like the idea of a much more compact build, you could get the same MoBo for less in matx, and get a very nice matx case for less than the prodigy also.

It's a trade-off.

Aside, I'd also consider switching the power supply to mfenn's find-of-the-week:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139020
Stellar unit for only $65!

 

[Termie]

Essence - I agree with everything you say, but note that the Corsair Carbide 200R you linked to is an ATX case, not a mATX case.

If the OP is pressed for space, the Prodigy is probably not the best option. I'd either go much smaller (Silverstone SG05), or perhaps larger, given that the OP is not confident in his building skills. Mini-ITX is definitely more difficult. So in the mATX range, I'd suggest something like the very affordable Rosewill Line-M: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147166

How amazed would you be if I told you it was smaller than the Prodigy? Well, it is - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24%24%24%24%24

As for wireless adapters, there are many great options. If you get a mATX board, however, you can just use a PCIe card, like this Rosewill dual-band model: http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellS...6-_-08192013_4

One last thing - I'm not a fan of the B85 motherboard Essence linked to because it only has two expansion slots. I'd get this B85 board instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157389

 

[Essence_of_War]

but note that the Corsair Carbide 200R you linked to is an ATX case, not a mATX case.

mind = blown. I could have SWORN that the 200R was an matx case!

I'll give several thumbs way-up to the Line-M though! As you said Termie, compact, affordable, and it looks pretty nifty too.

 

[lehtv]

To me the current favorite in bang for buck in mATX cases is the Cooler Master n200. It's only a bit more expensive than a Fractal Design Core 1000, but the improvements are vast: bottom mounted PSU, dual fans by default, lots of fan slots, wide enough for decent cable management and a 160mm CPU cooler. It's one of the best budget cases I've seen come out recently.

EDIT: Moving on to the rest of the build...

1. CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core $179.99
2. Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver Arctic Alumina Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic 1.75g $3.99
3. Motherboard: ASRock Z77E-ITX Mini ITX LGA1155 $139.99
4. Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 $68.46
5. Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" SSD $90.99
Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM $99.99
6. Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB $175.66
7. Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower $69.99
8. Power Supply: Silverstone 500W ATX12V / EPS12V $74.99
9. Optical Drive:Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer $16.98
10. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) $89.98
TOTAL: 993.01 USD

1. That's last gen, buy Haswell.
2. Unneeded
3. Last gen and I would suggest mATX on this budget
4. Correct specs, but let's see if we can find anything cheaper
5. I would get a 5-yr warranty Plextor drive instead of a 3 year warranty drive with less durable NAND; HDD is ok
6. Should be able to get at least a 7950 on this budget
7. N200
8. overpriced
9. ok
10. ok

Here's what I'd build
i5-4570 + Seagate 2TB $282
Asrock Z87M Pro4 $100 AR (because of the rebate... if not for that, a B85 board would be ideal in terms of bang for buck)
2x4GB G.Skill 1866 $59 with promo code GSKILLBTSAUG
XFX 550W $56 AR
Cooler Master N200 + MSI 7950 $247 AR
Plextor M5 Pro 128GB $102
Lite-On DVDRW $18
Win 7 $91

= $955 AR AP

Optional: upgrades...
Arctic i30 $30
N200 + PowerColor 7970 $311 AR
Samsung 840 250GB $165

 

[Termie]

To me the current favorite in bang for buck in mATX cases is the Cooler Master n200. It's only a bit more expensive than a Fractal Design Core 1000, but the improvements are vast: bottom mounted PSU, dual fans by default, lots of fan slots, wide enough for decent cable management and a tall CPU cooler. It's one of the best budget cases I've seen come out recently

That's not a bad pick, but it's a 1/2 wider than the Line-M and 2 inches deeper, meaning it's "inching" towards ATX territory. It's basically a very large mATX case. Always trade-offs...

 

[lehtv]

It's the same size as Prodigy

Volume measured from external dimensions:
prodigy = 2212 cubic inches
n200 = 2075 cubic inches

 

[Termie]

It's the same size as Prodigy

Volume measured from external dimensions:
prodigy = 2212 cubic inches
n200 = 2075 cubic inches

Ha, ha - although I think a lot of that Prodigy volume is on the OUTSIDE of the case!

By the way, awesome build above - way to work the combo deals. Wow!

 

[wb182]

I was considering a prodigy ITX build as well, but then realized it was defeating the purpose being such a large case with the handles, so I leaned more and more towards an mATX build with this Corsair Obsidian 350d. It's extremely well reviewed.

Of course, I ultimately didn't end up buying, and instead going back to ITX with the NCASE M1, which has the big downside of not being delivered to me until January

 

[lehtv]

Obsidian 350D is an excellent case as well, though I'm not sure if it's better than a Fractal Design Define Mini. They have a lot in common, but Fractal Design is more sturdily built and a bit quieter. Unfortunately both are quite expensive and have no combo deals on them - they are far far away from the bang for buck of the N200.

 

[wb182]

Yeah, I'd certainly agree with that lehtv. I guess for me though, the case is easily the 1 component where I am not necessarily looking for biggest bang for the buck. Unless it's tucked away somewhere, it's what you're staring at every day and really defines your build.

 

[lehtv]

I wouldn't say a 350D or a Define Mini is really any more better looking than an N200, so the visual aspect is not really relevant here. No doubt about the N200 being inferior to the other two though - I could probably justify paying for a Define Mini if I wanted a very quiet build or had a bigger budget and other components didn't require more spending on

 

[Essence_of_War]

Hmm...perhaps this is a good chance for a side-question?

It was my understanding that the Obsidian series were intended for water-cooling, and that their airflow isn't too great. Is that correct? Or am I under a misapprehension?

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Hmm...perhaps this is a good chance for a side-question?

It was my understanding that the Obsidian series were intended for water-cooling, and that their airflow isn't too great. Is that correct? Or am I under a misapprehension?

Airflow is normal (compared to every other case).

If I recall, the Obsidian series was for enthusiasts (including watercoolers). Even for a case that is meant for watercooling, the airflow is going to be good, since they have to account for the radiator space (meaning more fan space and space to put 38mm fans)

 

[mfenn]

Games I'm going to be using on this rig are Dark Souls (and sequel soon, woot!), Witcher3, a lot of less graphically intensive games, and some RTS's.

Based on this, I'll just stick with the Sapphire card, think the 7950 may be overkill for my needs.

We wont know The Witcher 3's requirements until it comes out, but if The Witcher 2 is any indication, there will be no such thing as "overkill" for that game. The Witcher 2 was absolutely punishing when it came out, and still is to some extent. I agree with lehtv's recommendation to get a 7950.

 

[Essence_of_War]

The Witcher 2 was absolutely punishing when it came out, and still is to some extent.

Truth. There are parts of the game (the beginning of the campaign, for example), and settings choices that brutalize even recent mid->upper tier GPUs.

 

[frozentundra123456]

To me the current favorite in bang for buck in mATX cases is the Cooler Master n200. It's only a bit more expensive than a Fractal Design Core 1000, but the improvements are vast: bottom mounted PSU, dual fans by default, lots of fan slots, wide enough for decent cable management and a 160mm CPU cooler. It's one of the best budget cases I've seen come out recently.

EDIT: Moving on to the rest of the build...

1. That's last gen, buy Haswell.
2. Unneeded
3. Last gen and I would suggest mATX on this budget
4. Correct specs, but let's see if we can find anything cheaper
5. I would get a 5-yr warranty Plextor drive instead of a 3 year warranty drive with less durable NAND; HDD is ok
6. Should be able to get at least a 7950 on this budget
7. N200
8. overpriced
9. ok
10. ok

Here's what I'd build
i5-4570 + Seagate 2TB $282
Asrock Z87M Pro4 $100 AR (because of the rebate... if not for that, a B85 board would be ideal in terms of bang for buck)
2x4GB G.Skill 1866 $59 with promo code GSKILLBTSAUG
XFX 550W $56 AR
Cooler Master N200 + MSI 7950 $247 AR
Plextor M5 Pro 128GB $102
Lite-On DVDRW $18
Win 7 $91

= $955 AR AP

Optional: upgrades...
Arctic i30 $30
N200 + PowerColor 7970 $311 AR
Samsung 840 250GB $165

That's a nice bundle price on the HDD and processor!

 

[lehtv]

Looks like it's $272 now as well, not sure if I mistyped it earlier or if it changed.

 

[ozymandius42]

Awesome, many thanks for all the tips and the great discussion guys. Many apologies for not replying sooner, but had to rush out of town for work and was basically swamped for the week. Just got back and checked on the thread!

Well, seems like mATX is the way to go. I think I'll go with the Line-M and the picks suggested by lehtv. Will go over the parts more over the next couple of days.

Re: Witcher2. Well, I managed, with my 5870, to run the game pretty smooth on medium settings. Especially after a couple of patches, it ran pretty smooth. Am not a big fan of day-one purchases etc., so usually wait for patches, which generally help performance. It seems the 7870 really is fine for medium settings. Though, budget permitting, will think about the 7950. Thanks for the tips again people, much appreciated!

 

[ozymandius42]

So after going through the parts list and checking availability, I've decided on the following:

1. Case: Rosewill LINE-M Micro-ATX Mini Tower Computer Case, Dual USB 3.0, come with Dual Fans, Support up to 4 Fans, 12.5" card

2. MoBo: ASRock B85M LGA 1150 Intel B85 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

3. GPU: SAPPHIRE 100354OC-2L Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 CrossFireX Support Video Card

4. PSU: XFX Core Edition PRO550W (P1-550S-XXB9) 550W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified ...

5. CPU: Intel Core i5-4570 Haswell 3.2GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I54570

6. Storage: SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

7. RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBXL

8. Optical Drive: LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - OEM

9. Wifi Adapter: Rosewill 300Mbps 802.11 b/g/n Wireless Adapter (RNX-N250PCe)

10. OS: Win7 Home Premium OEM

That's coming to around 925 USD after rebates, combos and stuff (though the links are just to the parts, I'll add in the combo/rebate options when ordering).

lehtv, that 7950 combo you pointed out was awesome, but the 7950 is sold out on newegg and without the combo it';s really pushing the budget to the 1000USD limit. I like the 7870 and it seems sufficient. Just one question for all the experts, is there a decent modular PSU which is within budget for me?

edit: Regarding the Plextor v. Samsung. I put in a 840 on my parents PC at home and really liked it. Plus, it's about 10 USD cheaper than the Plextor. Is there that huge a difference between the two? Everyone around seems to really like the Samsung for reliability/performance, which is why I bought the first one.

Once again, thanks a ton people! Really appreciate the help.

 

[ozymandius42]

Double post, deleted. Apologies.

 

[lehtv]

Check out these combos

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1393095
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1417341
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1398440

Also, getting a single 8GB stick allows you to upgrade to 2x8GB (that board is limited to two DIMMs)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148540 $50

Or maybe you could that module in a combo with this 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1410997