New Gaming PC Build - $4500 Budget

[t2r4ne]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to build upgrade my gaming PC which i had for almost 2 years now. Ive never done overclocking before but i will start as soon as i complete my new build. My target resolution is 2560x1440; 60 hz (still trying to choose the best monitor for it), I heard about the yamakasi catleaps but Im scared that there will quality issues or what not. But an overclockable to 120hz A- IPS 27inch 2560x1440 sounds amazing but too much of a hassle i think? :S

(out of curiousity is there any difference between an A- IPS and the IPS models from dell, samsung? Can you really spot the quality change in the images, resolution and stuff?)

These are the three monitors Im currently looking at:

Samsung S27A970 27" PLS Panel
Samsung S27A850D 27" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001523
Samsung Series 8 SyncMaster S27A850T http://www.cnet.com.au/samsung-ser [...] 336768.htm

I might possibly get a 23 inch 120 hz monitor later, but currently I just want the new eye candy from 2560x1440 IPS/PLS panels

P.S: I Really hate the anti-glare coating on the dell u2713; So that is out of the question for me!
[Any recommendations would be much appreciated!]

Theres are my current computer specs:

CPU: QuadCore Intel Core i5-2500k @ 3.3ghz

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3

Memory: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9

Storage: HGST Deskstar 3.5-Inch 500GB 7200RPM SATA II 16MB Cache Internal Hard Drive [I had an external harddrive too but i might have lost it]

Video Card: MSI N580 GTX Lightning

Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio (Internal High defintion Audio Bus)

Power Supply: Not sure since I havent open the box to check! lol: but i know i need to buy a new one since ill be running 2560x1440 resolution + having SLi Video Card Setup

Optical Drive: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-222AB ATA Device

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

Monitor: Acer S231 HL

Keyboard: Levatron Mech 5

Mouse: Mamba 2012 Elite Ergonomic Wireless Gaming Mouse

New Parts Im Considering:

CPU: Not sure if i should upgrade to i5-3570k since its not really worth it even though its next gen compared to my i5-2500k. Apparently its better to keep the i5-2500k and choose a great motherboard? & maybe wait it out with my i5-2500k till haswell comes out in 2014. (Suggestions????)

Motherboard: These are the 5 ones ive chose and considering (Really not sure what are the differences!)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131818
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131819 (not sure why the difference in price!)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131854
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131821
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157299

Memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820233337 (4 x 8gb sounds awesome but pricey )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820233305
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820233286 (two 8gbs and four 4gbs?.. which is better?)

Storage:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136792 (I only looked at this one; im clueless about storage devices)

Video Card: Will Be Doing SLi or maybe even 3-way in the future
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130801 (not sure which GTX 680 is the best but this has apparently good reviews)
http://www.microcenter.com/product [...] Video_Card (this is my 2nd option because im buying all my computer parts from microcenter and i think the classified is out of stock)

Power Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817182251 (this thing is a beast! but so expensive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817207017
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139011

CPU Cooler::
My first option is to do a custom water loop (going to pay microcenter to do it for me since i dont know squat about it lol)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835181032 (2nd option)

GPU Cooler::
http://www.evga.com/Products/Produ [...] CU-G680-B2 (getting two of these)

Optical Drive: Do I need a new one?

Sound Card: I have surround speakers so not sure i need this too.

Operating System: Perfectly happy with Windows 7 unless windows 8 is superbly awesome (Any recommendations?)

Case: Suggestions? (Note that i will be travelling internationally soon and would be bringing along my PC; so hopefully not a big tower case but top quality one for all my parts to function properly)

Since Im a total newb at all this, I really would appreciate any help!.. But Ill be mostly using the computer for gaming, surfing, and downloading watching movies/tv shows. And Of course I want to MAX OUT Everything on ULTRA on all my games+future games [Like GTA V!!] with fps 60+ on my 2560x1440 resolution with no issues whats so ever. I probably wont need to spend as much as $4500 but I am willing to! I want the BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BEST Parts for my budget!

 

[t2r4ne]

Also heres what someone suggested to have for this build in another forum. Just want a second opinion over it. (probably a bit of an overkill; but it will have a lot bragging rights lol!

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler ($79.71 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($377.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Value 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($88.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($188.06 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX Titan 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($1005.91 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX Titan 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($1005.91 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced ATX Full Tower Case ($171.10 @ TigerDirect)
PSU: SeaSonic Platinum 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($214.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Samsung S27A850D 27.0" Monitor ($679.21 @ TigerDirect)

Total: $4311.69
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-28 18:35 EST-0500)

The 3770K & Gigabyte motherboard are just spacers for the New Haswells coming out by June 2nd.

With your budget you must get the SLI Titans. They are smoother than anything else out there, including the Ares II. Two Titans will give you a far better gaming experience than the Ares. And for only $500 more. The Titans are far quieter, draw far less power, and don't microstutter. Read up on Nvidia Titan SLI reviews and you will see how great they are.

With the Haswell coming out in three months, you may want to just stick with your current motherboard & processor until it comes out. The Haswell has many nice features that will show up over time with better and better multi-threaded applications. They operate with less power, yet have a greater power rating. Look for them to be quite overclockable.

These are two mobos that are cheaper but not sure about their efficiency

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128559
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813130660

Also for the case: keep in mind that i will be travelling internationally; and the HAF 932 is a huge case!. so i was thinking Corsair C70?

The only problem with titans is that directx12 might launch with new features that 2 overpriced Titans can't use. It was like when dx11 hit and all dx10 GPU's were locked out of features like tesselation even though they were powerful. Is this true?

It would be a shame to waste $2000 worth of GPU when this happened and have to buy new cards with new features anyways

 

[Sleepingforest]

Sir. Please, do not throw away your money like this. There will be cards competing with the Titan for less than half the money in just a few months--in fact, the $440 Radeon 7970 GHz Edition already does in many cases, for example.

Here's my post in an identical, $4500 budget thread:

I just did a $3000 build for this sort of thing at Ars Technica. Throw in a joystick and upgrade the screen to a 30" Dell 1600p and your sitting at $3400 or so.

• Intel i5-3570K = $229.99
• Asrock Extreme4 = $124.99
• Scythe Ninja 2 = $24.99
• G.Skill 2x4GB DDR3-1600 CL9 1.5V = $52.99
• Radeon HD7970 = 2*$399.99 = $799.98 (before $60 across 2 MIRs)
• Samsung 840 Pro 512GB = $444.99
• Samsung SH-224BB DVD Burner = $15.99
• NZXT Phantom 630 = $179.99
• Corsair CX750 Bronze = $74.99 (before a $10 MIR)
• Dell U2713HM = $699.99
• Audio Technica ATH-AD700 = $99.95
• Creative X-Fi Titanium HD Soundcard = $159.99
• Logitech G400 = $39.99
• Cosair Vengeance K90 = $119.99
• Total = 2,918.81 (after $70 back across 3 MIRs)

Those 7970s are already at the 1GHz mark right out of the factory. The Phantom 630 is said to be excellent by Anandtech. The ATH-AD700s are supposed to have a superior soundstage and impeccable directional accuracy, which is important for FPSs. It's basically like having wallhacks on once somebody shoots. The weakness here is bad bass, but the trebles are very clear. If you want more bass but equally good (or better) precision for gaming, look for the $300 or so AKG Q 701s

Anyway, we don't really recommend spending a bunch on the actual computer since it's pretty wasteful and peripherals don't really get outdated.

The U2713HM fixes the antiglare issues of the U2711.

 

[giantpandaman2]

The Dell U2713H has good pixel response times.

Terrible input lag, though.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2713h.htm

Not fast enough for gaming an FPS. Talking at least 2 frames of lag. This can easily destroy a person's aim.

In the 27" range I'd say get the HP HPZR2740w for the lower lag. http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hp_zr2740w_v2.htm
The lack of color adjustment doesn't matter because color adjustments can be done in the GPU settings.

Either that or go with 3 23" eyefinity/surround.

 

[DSF]

As mfenn really concisely pointed out in another thread, bragging rights in the computer world are very short-lived. In as little as 12 months any bragging rights you had from your high-end setup have already died out.

At that point you either have to drop another $1000-1500 if you really want to be able to brag about the latest and greatest, or you have to confront the fact that your machine is now barely better than a midrange rig of similar age even though it cost 2-4 times as much.

There isn't much to say about the suggestion you got on the other forum beyond that it's a colossal waste of money.

 

[TapWater]

truer words have not been spoken.. Alienware with i975X and then i980X cost around $6000.

Look at them now, yeah I can play Crysis 2 consistently at 60FPS on Ultra, but its only on DX10.. you see systems now cost not even $3K can do that eyes closed.. its a great feeling upgrading and Im glad I did it properly at least once in my life.. but yeah, its short lived thats for sure!

Ps I still love my computer no doubt

 

[t2r4ne]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($213.79 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler ($79.71 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z77 MPOWER ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($198.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Value 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($88.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($157.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($186.90 @ Amazon)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($226.82 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1457.65
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-01 18:52 EST-0500)

So basically this is final decision on these parts; ive upped the mobo for now so that there wont be any bottlenecking problems for my GPU selections.

Im sticking with the i5-2500k. The monitor im deciding now between the samsung 850d & the yamakasi catleap 2B. (i think ill get a catleap off ebay or sth since a lot of people are recommending me those monitors; i think ill be happy with it).

For the GPUs: Im still very effy on dropping $2000 just on the GPUs so i might go with GTX 680 4Gb classified since i cant find the Ares II anywhere. But i dunno i might just end up getting the two Titans heehee :kaola:

I know i know its pointless, dumb and a pretty bad decision; but i think im happy with this . But please comment on the choices so far (not advice on spending than i need to and stuff; i just really feel like the upgrade will satisfy me for a year or so) just advice on any compatibility problems or what not (with the case, ram, mobo, cpu, gpu)

Also i dunno if 2TB is a little too much?.. i can settle for one TB but why not just buy a 2TB now and never worry about space again i suppose.

But please tell me you guys think!

 

[Sleepingforest]

Two 670s will give you only 5% less performance than two 680s; furthermore, if you wanted to spend extra, you should get the MSI Lightning because the voltage is unlocked.

For 2 GPUs, you only need 750W at most--670s need only 650W.

Furthermore, I'm not sure why you're getting the 2500k when the 3570k is faster per clock and costs the same.

 

[TheStu]

Two 670s will give you only 5% less performance than two 680s; furthermore, if you wanted to spend extra, you should get the MSI Lightning because the voltage is unlocked.

For 2 GPUs, you only need 750W at most--670s need only 650W.

Furthermore, I'm not sure why you're getting the 2500k when the 3570k is faster per clock and costs the same.

He already has a 2500k.

OP, why are you buying a new mobo? What about your existing one is holding you back?

You do NOT need new RAM, or a new motherboard. The case and optical drive are up to you, but I assume you already have a case.

 

[DSF]

Yeah, I'm really unclear what you mean about the motherboard bottlenecking the GPU.

 

[mfenn]

As mfenn really concisely pointed out in another thread, bragging rights in the computer world are very short-lived. In as little as 12 months any bragging rights you had from your high-end setup have already died out.

At that point you either have to drop another $1000-1500 if you really want to be able to brag about the latest and greatest, or you have to confront the fact that your machine is now barely better than a midrange rig of similar age even though it cost 2-4 times as much.

There isn't much to say about the suggestion you got on the other forum beyond that it's a colossal waste of money.

Agree. Add to the fact that the OP is going to be traveling internationally with this thing and it becomes and even more colossally bad idea. The chances of a $4500 computer being destroyed or stolen are quite high.

 

[mfenn]

He already has a 2500k.

OP, why are you buying a new mobo? What about your existing one is holding you back?

You do NOT need new RAM, or a new motherboard. The case and optical drive are up to you, but I assume you already have a case.

Agree.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Actually, I'm unsure why he's upgrading at all. His computer should be fine as is for 1440p, particularly since the Lightning edition overclocks well. At most, a new case and possibly an SSD may be necessary.

 

[t2r4ne]

Well another reason why im upgrading is that i might actually have two different gaming systems (one in the states) and one where i actually reside. Therefore, im buying mostly everything all new again; probably bring one of them back home if i do leave internationally.

Plus i have some extra money lying for me to just spend on computer parts and i figure ill just do the maximum upgrade i can possibly do. I am a little bit of an OCD when it comes to getting the best of the best lol. So i figured why not.

And Finally i dunno when i will actually ever upgrade again. So this could be my main PC system for about at least 3 years+.. so im just gettin the best of the best right now.

Haswell CPU/mobo would probably be my last upgrade ive decided. So there you go