Jumping back into PC gaming - Need some advice

[Blastdad]

Finally made the decision to jump back into PC gaming after only having a mac laptop for work purposes - so I'd like a few pointers on builds. Used to be a PC gamer back in the BF2 days (~2006), so I'm not completely PC illiterate.

Firstly, I'm planning on putting a computer together for the first time, so I'm wondering if theres any tools I'll need (that aren't likely listed in an online guide) or "tips" anyone can offer to a first timer.

Now for the build itself. I'm looking for a machine that'll run BF3, Guild Wars, and Borderlands 2 comfortably on high, that'll have a useful-life of at least 3 years (games on ~medium running), and will be used for programming/ video editing.

I won't be needing a monitor, mouse, or keyboard, and I'm willing to spend anywhere up to $1400. Live in west PA, so a lot of the small computer part stores aren't an option.

If anyone can lay out a build for me (I'm completely out of the loop as to what's good/ bad/ should/ shouldn't be put into a build parts wise), I'd appreciate it!

[Deleted]

Do you have any parts that can be reused?

[Toffie]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($186.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($73.52 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($429.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1271.41
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-22 08:50 EST-0500)

Very strong build, should last quite awhile running maxed.
You need windows by the way?

[Skarsguard]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($186.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($73.52 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($429.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1271.41
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-22 08:50 EST-0500)

Very strong build, should last quite awhile running maxed.
You need windows by the way?

Since you are using the computer for programing and editing this build seems ok I would change the Ram, and case for ram I would get 16gigs since your doing other stuff besides gaming and I would get a better built tower.

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233197 16gig Corsair vengeance LP
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352025 Fractal Design R4

[Lathais]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.69 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($176.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($369.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: NZXT Source 220 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1247.56
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-22 09:00 EST-0500)

[Deleted]

Don't you need low profile ram when using the 212? Honest question. I'm not sure.

And a case is very personal. Choose one with decent cable management and one that aesthetically pleases you.

By the way, do you do enough video rendering to warrant getting an i7? Gaming-wise you won't notice any difference between the i7 3770k and i5 3570k.

[Skarsguard]

Don't you need low profile ram when using the 212? Honest question. I'm not sure.

And a case is very personal. Choose one with decent cable management and one that aesthetically pleases you.

By the way, do you do enough video rendering to warrant getting an i7? Gaming-wise you won't notice any difference between the i7 3770k and i5 3570k.

It depends he said he was doing video rendering and programing that's why I was thinking he might want to get the I7 but if he doesn't do it much then yeah best to drop to the I5. You only need the low profile if you're going to do 4 sticks usually only the 4th slot is covered by the 212 or that has been my case in builds, I do prefer LP anyways though which is why I linked them.

[Deleted]

It depends he said he was doing video rendering and programing that's why I was thinking he might want to get the I7 but if he doesn't do it much then yeah best to drop to the I5. You only need the low profile if you're going to do 4 sticks usually only the 4th slot is covered by the 212 or that has been my case in builds, I do prefer LP anyways though which is why I linked them.

Ah, didn't notice you had linked the RAM. See it now, my bad. I've never actually installed a 212, been years since I installed any aftermarket cooler really, so it was an honest question. But yeah, I guess for any form of future proofing memory wise, using LP from the start would be a good idea.

[Toffie]

There is no need for 16 gb, he will never use that amount unless he opens 20 WoW tabs + video rendering. I have 8 gb for gaming & video rendering and Autocad and it's perfect.
I don't see the point by spending 50 $ for a case that have the same cooling performance as the 690, It's quality build and is fine anything else would go over budget.

As for the 212, he will be fine if he uses dual channel and just add them to the right

Not sure if microcenter is in palm beach else you'd have to add 85 $ extra to the build i provided.

[Blastdad]

Thank you for the responses! I only do programming/ editing as a hobby, so those aren't of paramount importance, so I take it the i5 would be sufficient.

I noticed two of you linked different video cards ( geforce 670 vs radeon 7970), what are the pros and cons? I remember a few years ago GeForce cards were the best, not sure the ranking of cards now.

[Skarsguard]

Thank you for the responses! I only do programming/ editing as a hobby, so those aren't of paramount importance, so I take it the i5 would be sufficient.

I noticed two of you linked different video cards ( geforce 670 vs radeon 7970), what are the pros and cons? I remember a few years ago GeForce cards were the best, not sure the ranking of cards now.

yeah if it's not very often go with the I5 3570k. As far as the video card you can't go wrong with either after the lastest drivers from AMD the 7970 ghz pull's ahead of the 670 and is on par with the 680. I would say it's more of a preference then anything really. @Toffie right now there probably isn't a reason for 16gigs but ram is so cheap why not and in 2-3 years 16 gigs might be the norm I remember when people said you don't need 8 gigs there is no point of going past 4 gigs. I put 16 gigs in mine because of 2 things one it was cheap two I don't feel like pulling of my cpu cooler and putting in more ram at a later point in time but mainly it was reason 1. Also the useless heatsinks on those gskills are ugly and well useless and in the way unless your trying to push your ram to 2100 or 2400 there is no point.

[Lathais]

Thank you for the responses! I only do programming/ editing as a hobby, so those aren't of paramount importance, so I take it the i5 would be sufficient.

I noticed two of you linked different video cards ( geforce 670 vs radeon 7970), what are the pros and cons? I remember a few years ago GeForce cards were the best, not sure the ranking of cards now.

i5 will be more than enough unless of course you want the i7. It can speed up rendering and encoding times by as much as 20-30%. Another poster here always says though, if you are not using it to make money and it will not make you back the extra $100 in 6 months to a year, you probably shouldn't buy it. I tend to agree, if it's just a hobby you can set it to render then go to bed and it will be done in the morning regardless. However, if it's for work and you have a deadline to meet, that extra time is useful.

On the cards, besides personal preference, some games favor some cards more, so it kinda depends on what you play. Either one will likely max out most games in a single 1080p monitor build though, so it's kinda up to you. If you play WoW, Rift or really most AAA MMOs, they heavily favor nVidia cards though, so something to take into consideration. The AMD cards are typically better price/performance though.

[Toffie]

I noticed two of you linked different video cards ( geforce 670 vs radeon 7970), what are the pros and cons? I remember a few years ago GeForce cards were the best, not sure the ranking of cards now.

7970 GHz is on par with a high end 680 and will provide higher fps in almost all games right now.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A...rmance/20.html

[Blastdad]

One last question. I've always been hesitant about building due tot the thought in the back of my mind of "what if it doesn't start?" So, what happens if you build it, and either a part fails, or it simply won't work? Are all the parts warranties fairly good, etc.?

EDIT: Also, opinions on Windows 7 vs 8? I can get either for free through my University.

[Deleted]

One last question. I've always been hesitant about building due tot the thought in the back of my mind of "what if it doesn't start?" So, what happens if you build it, and either a part fails, or it simply won't work? Are all the parts warranties fairly good, etc.?

EDIT: Also, opinions on Windows 7 vs 8? I can get either for free through my University.

Most parts that have a decent chance of being dead on arrival can be RMA'd. If you end up having problems when everything is built, make a new topic here and people can help you find out what it is.

As for windows, it's hard to make a recommendation. What everyone hates in 8 is the new Metro interface, which can be changed back to the normal UI with a few tweaks here and there. Win8 boots faster, and handles a few things better. Then again, I personally always wait a while before jumping on the bandwagon with a new OS. Personal preference. I don't like change.

I advice you to look into the specific games you'd like to play on your new computer. I've heard a few stories of certain games not liking windows 8 very much. No idea how far that goes..

[chazus]

Another poster here always says though, if you are not using it to make money and it will not make you back the extra $100 in 6 months to a year, you probably shouldn't buy it.

This statement is preposterous. Who would say such a thing.

>.>

<.<

On topic, though. I hated Win8 when it first came out (tried it during beta). I then picked up a few copies while they were still $15, and ditched the Metro UI with Classic Shell, and have been loving it since. At first I thought it was just another "Same thing, different name", but there have been some actually very pleasant improvements over 7, believe it or not.

I would say... 7 isn't a bad choice. It's a good one, however if you're like me, and ride an OS into the ground and then some (I was on XP up until Nov 2012), 8 will last updates longer.

[Deleted]

If you're more into aesthetics and want a quieter PC then you can opt for

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($223.79 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.48 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Crucial M4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($186.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($98.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($382.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($86.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1403.13
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-23 05:41 EST-0500)

I've removed microcenter as a vendor just to give you a good picture of overall pricing if you opt for online vendors only.

I've included a slightly larger capacity SSD in the Crucial M4. You can swap this out for the cheaper Samsung 840 (non pro) if you want to stay slightly under budget. Both are excellent consumer SSDs.

The GTX 670 will trade blows with a 7970 (non Ghz edition) graphics card. They both represent the No.2 spot in single GPU benchmarks, which is true if we only focus on the high-end mainstream graphics market. We are ignoring any GPU that you have to pay $1000 for btw. If we include the very expensive enthusiasts cards, such as the Geforce Titan, The GTX 690 and AMD's 7990 the rankings become a little muddled but these are cards you can happily ignore with your budget.

The case is expensive, but it's an excellent case with sound dampening. Very sleek and with a professional expensive look. There are cheaper options that will perform better in terms of thermals, but they won't be as quiet. If you want a cheaper case with good aesthetics then I can also recommend the Bitfenix Window cases which are around $20 cheaper. Or you can opt for the Corsair 300R at $60 which is significantly cheaper, looks great but you will certainly hear your components buzzing around. The choice is ultimately upto you. If you're happy just to simply house your components, then by all means go cheaper. A good case however will last you for ages and you could easily fit in a new build 2-3 years down the line.

Since you're rolling with an SSD I've included a 5400rpm 2TB HDD. The speed of the drive will not matter since you'll be using this as a storage drive.

RAM, it's low profile. Kingston make excellent RAM and it's a popular brand here in the UK. It's all personal preference of course. RAM prices are getting worryingly higher. Atleast with the price of SSD's sinking ever so slightly it all balances out.