Yet another gaming/encoding build


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Yep, another build thread. Just wanted to ask for some opinions on a few parts. Want to get back into PC gaming and will also be doing encoding/media server.

I'm hoping to see any information regarding better combinations, incompatibilities, parts fitting, etc.

Here's my list

- Intel i5 4690K (or non K, but K is a few bucks cheaper on Amazon atm)

- What motherboard would you recommend? Was looking at Gigabyte H97 Express or ASUS H97 PLUS but since 4690K is cheaper I'll spring for a Z97 board so if I ever decide to overclock I can. I'd like a solid board and to try UEFI. Any recommendations?

- Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3 1600MHz. I'll grab another stick later.

- ASUS GTX960 2GB. Is this good price:performance ratio? Or is there a better option for a bit more?

- Corsair Carbide 300R. Anything that'll fit these parts really. Feel free to recommend a cheaper one, just want a solid build and space for tidy wiring

- Corsair CX600M. Open to recommendations.

- Solid state drive. Haven't had one before. Open to suggestions.

- Plenty of other miscellaneous things I'll grab later unless recommended to grab now. Fans/coolers in case this build will run hot, Blu-ray burner, etc.

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Noted. I'll check it out.

What are some of the differences the 970 has over the 960? I'll probably just do 1080p for now but I was hoping for ultra settings and quality AA in recent games.

Performance is the main difference.

You won't get what you've just said you wanted with a 960. You will with a 970.

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Anyone have an ASUS Z97-A? I'll probably pair that with the 4690k and 16GB Corsair Vengeance. I'll grab the Hyper 212 Evo and probably struggle a bit installing it lol.

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SSD: I'd suggest the Crucial MX100, best value for the money. Or Samsung 850 EVO, slightly more expensive though.

 

PSU: Quality brand, modular, hybrid fan. Plenty of options there.

 

RAM: Get DDR3-1866mhz.

 

Motherboard: I usually look for one that has a debug LED which makes it easier to troubleshoot issues. ASUS Z97-A looks like a good choice if you don't want to overspend though.

 

Overall criticism: too much money on the CPU vs the graphics card if this is to be a gaming build. It's really sad to pair up pretty much the best CPU you can buy with something slow like the GTX 960. I'd say get an R9 290(X) or GTX 970. Lots of cheaper CPUs would do the trick and you could go with an H97 cheaper motherboard instead if you're on a tight budget.

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thenut, on 23 Feb 2015 - 05:50, said:

Yep, another build thread. Just wanted to ask for some opinions on a few parts. Want to get back into PC gaming and will also be doing encoding/media server.

I'm hoping to see any information regarding better combinations, incompatibilities, parts fitting, etc.

Here's my list

- Intel i5 4690K (or non K, but K is a few bucks cheaper on Amazon atm)

- What motherboard would you recommend? Was looking at Gigabyte H97 Express or ASUS H97 PLUS but since 4690K is cheaper I'll spring for a Z97 board so if I ever decide to overclock I can. I'd like a solid board and to try UEFI. Any recommendations?

- Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3 1600MHz. I'll grab another stick later.

- ASUS GTX960 2GB. Is this good price:performance ratio? Or is there a better option for a bit more?

- Corsair Carbide 300R. Anything that'll fit these parts really. Feel free to recommend a cheaper one, just want a solid build and space for tidy wiring

- Corsair CX600M. Open to recommendations.

- Solid state drive. Haven't had one before. Open to suggestions.

- Plenty of other miscellaneous things I'll grab later unless recommended to grab now. Fans/coolers in case this build will run hot, Blu-ray burner, etc.

 

I initially wanted the Gigabyte last year on my build. However, it is not stable with more than 1 GPU so I stuck with an Asus sabertooth Mark edition. Besides gaming do you plan on doing anything else? If you mean encoding as in video editing why don't you aim for an i7? The hyperthreading will help or go with the x99 if money is more plentiful (as in $1600 range) as those i7s can go 6 - 8 real cores and 12 - 16 virtuals for 4k video? The 960 is a basic card for non 4k gaming. Great for MMOs and the occasional gamer who need also a good work pc too.

 

SSD man they are worth if if you have a budget. Wont help encoding as this is just 1 file but games with 5 minute load times go in 40 seconds now or less! OS boots in 25 seconds and is quiet etc. Just do not get a munshkin or Samsung evo as they slow down over time for some reason. I own a pair of Samsung 850 pros in raid 0 but I do virtualization work for my certs and web development so I/o triumped graphics for me :-)

 

I also boot from a sansdisk and I notice no difference even if benchmarks show it. Compared to a disk it is like comparing hard disk speeds to 5 1/2 floppy drives. You will be blown away either way.

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