Budget Build - 1500

[tdc]

Hello Everyone,
I am currently in the need of a massive computer upgrade. I Have built computers in the past, just not in the last 6 years or so. I do request to have an SSD, even if it is only used for booting up etc. Looking to purchase within the next week or so.

Some information you will need/want.

Budget: 1300 (1500 Max)
Resolution: 1920x1080
Games: WoW/Battlefield/LoL/D3 etc
Settings Desired: Ultra if at all Possible
Any other intensive software or special things you do (Frequent video encoding, 3D modeling, etc) : Fraps
Country: USA
Parts that can be reused: None
Do you need an OS? Yes, Windows 7 Preferred
Do you need peripherals (e.g. monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc)? Yes, but not to be included in the 1300 (1500 Max) Budget. I have a separate budget of $350 for Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse.


Thanks

[Deleted]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 3 113.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($118.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($76.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 300R Windowed ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.20 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($66.66 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell P2414H 60Hz 23.8" Monitor ($209.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1464.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

This is with a monitor.

No reason for Windows 7 anymore, updates will stop in 5-6 months. If you need W 8.1 to look like 7 it's easy with a few adjustments or install Classic Shell

[tdc]

Thank you for putting together this list. Since you have included the Monitor, is there any major upgrade that could be done that would be significantly worthwhile for ~$200?

[Xuvial]

For WoW, LoL and D3 that build is pretty much overkill, but we tend to give the best build possible within your budget (futureproofing!).

For another $200 you could go for an i7 4770/4790K or a 780 or a 290X or a 144hz monitor. Since Notarget's build is so well-rounded it's ultimately your decision of what you value more.

An i7 definitely makes a difference in BF4, but in WoW/LoL/D3 you'd most likely see no difference in framerates. A 780 or 290X would net you higher framerates in BF4, but in the other 3 games it wouldn't really matter.

As for 144hz monitor, I know that games like LoL and D3 are a joy to play at ultra-smooth framerates. For something like Battlefield there's just no way I'd go back to 60hz.

[mitbrandir]

An i7 definitely makes a difference in BF4

An i3 performs about as good as an i7 in bf4, with the differances being about ~ 2 fps, which is within the margin of error.
Another note: overclocking doesn't a lot either in this game, as differance of 4 fps between an i7 4770K at 2.5 GHz and one at 4.5 GHz.
I'd personally stick with an i5 cpu, and put that extra money in an even stronger GFX