WiFi Desktop Gaming Build Final Review

[Bopd]

Buying parts today! I would really like to hear what people have to say about this build as a whole for gaming with WoW(mainly bgs/arena) on ultra settings. Any opinions on its overall performance is appreciated.

Also I would like to know what people think about the CPU I'm going with as well as the SSD, I could get a 240gb crucial ssd for 2 dollars cheaper... but I keep reading that Samsung's SSDs perform much closer to their advertised performance and last longer. A major question I have is the Samsung EVO ssd vs the Pro, will I be happy with the EVO? Is it just as easy to install? And should it generally last around 5 years?

Regarding the CPU I need something that can run wow at high/ultra settings high frames with addons while also being able to browse because I use resources like google, wowwiki, forums, ect while I play. As far as applications other than the browser they will all be closed while i play. I am open to saving money on this to improve other areas of the build or spending more on this to ensure I get the results i'm looking for.

Apparently the current CPU will not require a fan, so if you suggest a different one please let me know whether or not a cooling system will be necessary.

Any feedback is welcome! My budget has a decent amount of room to flex. I appreciate all the support I have received thus far this is a great forum that has taught me a lot already!


[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/YzV2TW) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/YzV2TW/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54460) | $169.98 @ SuperBiiz
**Motherboard** | [ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-...oard-h97mitxac) | $89.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-...12800cl8d8gbxm) | $59.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung...ive-mz7te120bw) | $64.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB Dual-X Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphir...o-card-100373l) | $159.99 @ Newegg
**Case** | [Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-...case-rc130kkn1) | $34.99 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-po...ly-100b10500kr) | $32.99 @ NCIX US
**Optical Drive** | [Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung...ve-sh224dbbebe) | $14.98 @ OutletPC
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $627.90
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-01 10:05 EST-0500 |

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So what do you all think? Do I have a pretty solid build? What would you change if this was your build?

[Jimson]

What would you change if this was your build?

I'd get a 250 gig SSD. The Crucial SSDs are getting a lot of good mentions on this site. If you want to stick with Samsung, their 250GB is ~$110, if memory serves.

If you wanted to flex your budget a little more you could swap to a i5-4690k and pick up a corresponding motherboard (a Z97 rather than the H97 above). Little higher stock clock and OC'able as well.

[Bopd]

Hey thanks for the suggestion on both the SSD and CPU/mobo. On the SSD I would definitely prefer to go with the crucial 250 but I have read mixed reviews about their performance, I think I will opt for the higher storage card though its actually cheaper.(edit: the price on the crucial 240s just went up 20$... :/)

The problem I have had with the MoBo is finding an overclockable one with built in WiFi, any suggestions?

Wouldnt this require a cooling system if i were to overclock as well?

[Jimson]

I'm on my phone so can't give you a link, but Asus has a comprehensive comparison tool for their Z97 boards. You can quickly see which have WiFi.

Edit: Here's a link to Asus.

You would want a cooler if you overclock. I don't plan to do anything more than play around with mine so I went with a Hyper 212 Evo. I know I've seen some other, probably better recommendations around here, but they escape me at the moment.