Gaming/Streaming Build Help

[Sharkbaitgaming]

Hey everyone Sharkbait here!

As I'm sure plenty others are doing the same, my tax return is coming and it's healthy enough that I'd like to build a new pc gaming setup. Finally I can do away with this crappy Dell Inspirion PC i bought at Walmart lol.

I'd like to build a decent gaming PC that can have the potential to stream on twitch with 720p settings or higher if possible. I do live within an hour reach of a MicroCenter and I do have Amazon Prime if that helps the budget any

I'd like to have an SSD in the build for OS and main games that I'll be playing frequently.
Feel free to ask any questions to help expedite a build and I'm open to all suggestions.

Budget - $1000 - $1300 give or take
Resolution - 1080p
Games / Settings Desired - WoW, LoL, Minecraft, Hearthstone, Steam games, etc on Ultra/Max. *Can be negotiable as I've been playing on the lowest settings for many years.
Any other intensive software or special things you do (Frequent video encoding, 3D modeling, etc) - Possible streaming capabilities, maybe some low end video editing but that can be a later addition.
Country - USA
Parts that can be reused - None
Do you need an OS? Yes
Do you need peripherals (e.g. monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc)? - I need a dual monitor setup and keyboard.

Thanks guys/gals and I look forward to your advice!

[Deleted]

You're not going to get a dual-monitor setup withotu seriously compromising your rig. This build comes in at just shy of $1300 after rebates/discounts:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool LUCIFER 81.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Savage 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($121.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($326.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-I Epic Edition (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Logitech MK120 Wired Slim Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($10.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1298.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 04:38 EST-0500

It's $1420 before all the discounts. IT's also likely the best bang for your buck.

[Deleted]

As above poster said you have to up for budget for dual monitors. This is the lowest decent build i could come up with dual monitor in it (with plenty of rebates):

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 87.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($49.90 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($101.48 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($101.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($326.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($62.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($158.62 @ TigerDirect)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($158.62 @ TigerDirect)
Keyboard: Logitech MK120 Wired Slim Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($10.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1434.10
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 11:31 EST-0500

[Sharkbaitgaming]

Would I be able to use 2 monitors from tenangrychicken's build? Seems a little cheaper. Also couldn't I sub in a Hyper 212+ cooler? Just wondering where I can make adjustments. How will this build run games or stream? Just want to make sure it's able to run 1080p on max. Thanks for the builds, I'm definitely looking into them

[Sharkbaitgaming]

Still looking for more build ideas if anyone has any

I'm wondering if I could upgrade to an i7 and just adjust my budget elsewhere? I really would like to have full blown potential on this pc build.

[Deleted]

Still looking for more build ideas if anyone has any

I'm wondering if I could upgrade to an i7 and just adjust my budget elsewhere? I really would like to have full blown potential on this pc build.

Sure...if you can up the budget to $1500, you can just about squeeze in dual-monitors and an i7.

[Sharkbaitgaming]

Sure...if you can up the budget to $1500, you can just about squeeze in dual-monitors and an i7.

Can I sub in the Hyper 212+ which is a cheaper cooler? I'd like to stay under $1500 but of course I know the build that I'm wanting can get steep.

[Deleted]

What kind of steam games are we talking about?

Because if those aren't AAA titles, you could potentially just drop the 970 for a 290, 280x, or 960.

[Raphtheone]

Are you gaming on both monitors or just on one, and having chat etc on the other one? In which case the second screen can pretty much simply be the cheapest one you can find at the preferred size.

Things you can do to lower the cost:
*Ask yourself if you need more than Hyper 212+ can offer
*Assuming you want to OC the CPU, pick the cheapest well reviewed MB (I'm not uptodate, so can't give specific suggestions) with functionality you want, and few functions you don't want/need (as they add on to the cost)
*Consider getting a smaller SSD if you don't intend to install more games than you can semi-regularly play
*Consider getting a larger HDD if you intend to store recordings / a lot of source files for video editing
*Ask yourself if you really need 4Gb of GDDR5
* Contemplate a reliable lower wattage PSU, unless you want to pay for a 630W PSU for a 88W+145W (+<~50W misc) system.

The chassi is important, as it's the one part you can sink the most money into, or save the most on, in terms of how much (little) it affects the computers performance. It's mostly about taste, and/or added functionality/value. You can store your computer in a ~20$ case that does little for airflow, cable management and acoustics, like the Thermaltake vl80001w2z, or you can easily drop ~$200+ for a better looking chassi, like NZXT Phantom 630 or Silverstone Raven. Basically, if you'll want to do some personal input into the system, browse around the chassis and pick one you like, and then come here, say why you picked that one and ask for comments.

Paraphrasing what Zeara said, if you wish to stream AAA titles the 970 is a good option, otherwise a 960 is more than enough. Also, if you're going to game, for the love of God get a decent quiet (read: non-loud) anti-ghosting keyboard without long traveltime for the buttons. You will thank me. The MK120 is for old people who use the computer occasionally and for casual facebooking use.

[Sharkbaitgaming]

What kind of steam games are we talking about?

Because if those aren't AAA titles, you could potentially just drop the 970 for a 290, 280x, or 960.

Well, I planned to play just about any games that could potentially be worth streaming or just playing myself. Games like The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot, H1Z1, DayZ, etc. I'm not sure what AAA titles means, so forgive me on that part. How much difference in performance are we talking about with the 970 vs the 960? Because price-wise I've seen around $100-150 difference respectively.

- - - Updated - - -

Are you gaming on both monitors or just on one, and having chat etc on the other one? In which case the second screen can pretty much simply be the cheapest one you can find at the preferred size.

Things you can do to lower the cost:
*Ask yourself if you need more than Hyper 212+ can offer
*Assuming you want to OC the CPU, pick the cheapest well reviewed MB (I'm not uptodate, so can't give specific suggestions) with functionality you want, and few functions you don't want/need (as they add on to the cost)
*Consider getting a smaller SSD if you don't intend to install more games than you can semi-regularly play
*Consider getting a larger HDD if you intend to store recordings / a lot of source files for video editing
*Ask yourself if you really need 4Gb of GDDR5
* Contemplate a reliable lower wattage PSU, unless you want to pay for a 630W PSU for a 88W+145W (+<~50W misc) system.

The chassi is important, as it's the one part you can sink the most money into, or save the most on, in terms of how much (little) it affects the computers performance. It's mostly about taste, and/or added functionality/value. You can store your computer in a ~20$ case that does little for airflow, cable management and acoustics, like the Thermaltake vl80001w2z, or you can easily drop ~$200+ for a better looking chassi, like NZXT Phantom 630 or Silverstone Raven. Basically, if you'll want to do some personal input into the system, browse around the chassis and pick one you like, and then come here, say why you picked that one and ask for comments.

Paraphrasing what Zeara said, if you wish to stream AAA titles the 970 is a good option, otherwise a 960 is more than enough. Also, if you're going to game, for the love of God get a decent quiet (read: non-loud) anti-ghosting keyboard without long traveltime for the buttons. You will thank me. The MK120 is for old people who use the computer occasionally and for casual facebooking use.

I planned on playing on 1 monitor and having anything else on the other such as stream software, dashboard, youtube, chat, iTunes, etc. I am currently using a 20" Dell Monitor with the pre-built PC from Walmart I'm using which was an upgrade from a 19" laptop so honestly between 20"-24" would be ideal for my monitors to start off with.

From all the reviews, specs and such I've read about the Hyper 212+ I think it would be enough for just minor OC'ing without the need for water cooling. But if I could get a decent case with potential water cooling later on, that would be nice. I just want to get a "future-proof" build made at the decent price right now and upgrade it with better parts and such as I progress.

I want to try and go with an ASUS board as I've heard they're great for BIOS functionality and stability. Would a z97 be too expensive or just not appropriate for a starting build?

I would like to have an SSD that has at least 256GB as the OS takes up plenty of space on it and WoW is 30GB+ itself. I know Kingston makes cheap SSDs for the price point per GB but of course as with anything there are mixed reviews.

I planned on getting a case with a decent amount of hard drive bays that I can utilize several HDDs. I plan on getting multiple HDDs 3-5TB space along with an Optical Drive ($20), 1-2 SSDs (2nd can come later).

I doubt I'll be needing the latest in RAM (DDR5), I'd rather just go with 8-16GB of DD3 1333-1600 as it's plenty of room for multi-tasking. G-Skill or Corsair is what I was shooting for as far as brand.

I would like to get a decent PSW with the 80 gold certification like the CORSAIR HX series HX650 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply for $109.99.

As far as case goes I was looking at the Cooler Master HAF 912. Of course I would love to get the full size HAF 932 Blue edition but it's far more expensive than I want to drop on the case right now. I would much rather pay more attention to the crucial parts being the CPU, Motherboard, GPU, RAM. I do want some cable management sleeves and ties, can you recommend some? I've seen mostly white sleeves in builds, they look really clean.

Keyboard - I'd like to go with a mechanical keyboard with MX brown switches ( I believe those are the ones that are quietest? ). It doesn't have to be colorful or have some insane things added to it. But of course I don't want the MK120 and consider myself an old guy yet :P

[Raphtheone]

AAA is a title that has millions and millions of dollars thrown at it. Large scale productions. It's the ones with the greatest visuals, made with the latest technology etc. AAA can refer to games as well as movies.

Do you want to buy two monitors, or are you okay with keeping your current one as your secondary?

The latest in RAM is DDR4, but it's so new DDR3 is still king of the mainstream hill. I was talking about the VRAM (on the graphics card), aka GDDR5. They're different with different strengths and weaknesses (which is why one is used for GPU's and the other one for the CPU). I'm still waiting a bit to see how the "new gen" console ports are behaving on PC before determining how much VRAM you need, but right now I'm not convinced major titles punish you for 2Gb @ 1080p. I'm more worried about the atrocious CPU requirements.

Regarding regular RAM, in terms of performance you can simply get the cheapest of whatever speed you're aiming for. Assuming you don't intend to showcase your computer at LAN events, or OC the RAM, etc. Word to the wise, if you intend to do a lot of video editing (as in, when you edit, you do a ton of stuff), I'd suggest you at least consider 16Gb of RAM. I've had my video editor crash at times due to too much action at once, using 8Gb. Outside that, even with gaming at Ultra, 8Gb is more than enough. No idea how high quality streaming affects the computer, or how much, so can't comment on that part.

About the PSU, what's wrong with SeaSonic S12II 520W? Does the Corsair HX650 offer something I'm unaware of that makes it worth spending those extra $35-40?

You can get a nice motherboard that supports overclocking for like $50 cheaper than what the two above suggested, and I promise you that you won't get double the FPS with their suggestions. Gigabyte has generally made some great value boards in the past, I haven't checked the past few gens though.

If you double the price on the HDD you get x3 more space. If you want numerous HDD's you should care about the $/Gb, especially if you can afford it.

Tip on cable management accessories: zip ties. They come bundled in plenty with any decent chassi, just check reviews for the unboxings to make sure.

Sidenote, crucial parts of a gaming build is GPU and CPU. You can skim a lot on the motherboard and RAM. And everything else, pretty much. You won't notice the 2-3 lower FPS, but you will notice the extra few hundred bucks in your wallet. Which you then can spend on better CPU/GPU and get higher FPS than in the first place. Just don't pick a dirt cheap PSU.

[Sharkbaitgaming]

I do wish to purchase two monitors as the one I'm currently using just isn't what I want in a gaming experience. The whole PC I'm currently using will be given to my girlfriend who plays less than demanding games.

Honestly as far as VRAM 2GB-4GB is optimal in my eyes as far as GPU performance. So I'd like to shoot for that and see how the budget adjusts compared from 2GB-4GB.

I do want to get 16GB RAM and I'm willing to spend a little more for that flexibility in multi-tasking because yes I am aware that heavy video editing, encoding, capturing and such does require the extra resources. I might even decide to add in a dedicated Capture card like from AverMedia, resulting in a big higher on the budget but able to process and encode on its own instead of weighing down the CPU.

As far as the PSU I'm shooting for better power consumption so the 80 Plus Gold is where I'd like to put my money in a good PSU.

I plan on adding more HDD's the more space that will be required over time. My goal is to get the best $/GB and WD has great HDD choices and options that I'm currently looking into.

I do agree zip ties are needed but I'm leaning a lot more towards sleeves as well because I do like the sleekness and space saving that it provides for better air flow especially with going non-water cooling from the get-go.

[Raphtheone]

Since I'm waiting for a render to complete I figured I'd take my first stab at the PCPartPicker.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($74.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Value 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($114.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Corsair Force LS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($91.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($324.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($42.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard ($86.00 @ Mechanical Keyboards)
Total: $1160.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 09:56 EST-0500

Things to note:
0) I tried following any mentioned favor towards specific brands and/or items.
1) For a $1k+ system, I consider the foundation is the 4690K, Hyper 212 and 970, and then you build around that, and alter the list according to needs.
2) Since you mentioned Asus z87 motherboard, G.Skill RAM, HAF912 and brown switch mechanical keyboard I included them to the best of my ability, but I don't think you have the budget for your entire wish-list. I don't see the point to waste the money on a gold-certified overkill PSU, for instance.
3) You can still save like $10 here and there by opting for similar, cheaper items.
3.1) If you can live without a mechanical keyboard for instance, and/or you want the numpad, Logitechs G-series are excellent compromises. They don't click, either.
3.2) You can save even more on switching the motherboard, RAM and chassis.
4) The Windows 7 is only there to offer an alternative to the previous suggestions, you can pretty much pick whichever option from any list and mix-match to make a system you like.
5) AFAIK the HAF 912 doesn't have front USB 3.0 ports. Keep this in mind.
6) I chose alternatives for Micro Center whenever I could.
7) I didn't pick monitors since it's a huge difference between 20" and 24", 60hz and 144hz, etc. You need to give more detail if I'm to help you. It's not about giving a list of things I like, but about tailoring a system to your specific wants and needs.
8) This list is a WIP, don't order it expecting everything to work out fine.

And now the render is complete, so I'm off to work. Toodles.

Edit:
Forgot to add reviews:
Motherboard
SSD and second review

[Deleted]

Change the Builder PSU to something like the Seasonic S12II 620 or the XFX Pro 650 and I'd call that a good deal.

[Lathais]

Are you gaming on both monitors or just on one, and having chat etc on the other one? In which case the second screen can pretty much simply be the cheapest one you can find at the preferred size.

This. My main monitor that I game on is a nice 23" monitor. My second monitor, which is just for chat or web or videos while playing is an old 19" Viewsonic 1440x900 monitor. Could you not just use your current monitor as the second monitor and go with the first build?

[Remilia]

Well, you'd need to also change the MoBo to a Z97 otherwise the Haswell Refresh just plain won't work without going through the hassle of a bios flash (if you even can).
Again, not fond of Corsair to begin with, so both PSU and SSD is out. PSU is bad. Crucial MX100 has better features, especially the surge protection and performs better. LS is also out of date as well. Also it requires a rebate to get to that price.

[Sharkbaitgaming]

Well, you'd need to also change the MoBo to a Z97 otherwise the Haswell Refresh just plain won't work without going through the hassle of a bios flash (if you even can).
Again, not fond of Corsair to begin with, so both PSU and SSD is out. PSU is bad. Crucial MX100 has better features, especially the surge protection and performs better. LS is also out of date as well. Also it requires a rebate to get to that price.

I agree, I'd rather go with a Kingston or Crucial SSD rather than a less than worthy Corsair. They make great peripherals, just not fond as well of their internal parts.
Is there a Z97 board that you'd recommend? Are you saying to pair it with an i7 Haswell or just referring it to the i5-4690k?

In regards to the monitors, as I stated this whole PC is being given to my girlfriend so the monitor attached to it is going with it as well. Therefore I will need 2 monitors between the sizes of 20"-24" preferably with 1-2+ HDMI ports. It doesn't have to be an IPS but if it's at a great price, why not.

As far as the case not having front USB 3.0 I can always swap in a peripheral added with it to the front. I believe I've seen something somewhere that can add it, just have to locate it.

Keyboard - I'll find one with the keypad as well. I'll posting here soon what parts and pieces I'm looking to build with based on suggestions and research. But feel free to contribute ideas, recommendations and reviews of what I'm looking into. Love all the tech support here as this will be my first real gaming/streaming PC build.

[Raphtheone]

PSU is bad.

You don't happen to have a source on this?

[Remilia]

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=239
Albeit it's for the 430 the CX platform is the same. They all use samxon and teapo capacitors. Not the worse but not great. CWT being CWT with the soldering.

[Raphtheone]

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=239
Albeit it's for the 430 the CX platform is the same. They all use samxon and teapo capacitors. Not the worse but not great. CWT being CWT with the soldering.

From the summary of the review you linked:

I don't compromise on build quality, no matter how cheap a unit sells for. In this case, the soldering is the elephant in the room, even though it's not nearly bad enough to be a problem.

The PSU goes ahead and scores 10/10 on Functionality and Value, and 9/10 on Performance, with a final score of 9/10. How do you translate a 9/10 great value PSU as "bad"?

The reason I asked for a source is because I'm the go-to guy in my friend circle (and their friend circles, frankly) when it comes to building computers. In the past 4 builds since the summer I've opted for the CX430, including my brother's latest build (family = important to get it right!), just because of its great value, ability to feed a single GPU setups without breaking a sweat, silence and reliability. I always get in touch and ask for feedback, to make sure I got it right. If they have any type of problem with their computers, I'm the first one they notify. Theoretically anyway, as they haven't yet (not counting that one time a friend of a friend insisted he'd build it himself, bought 1x4Gb RAM instead of 2x and complained that the computer was slow when doing lots of stuff on it).

When you said the PSU is bad I thought I had missed something big (as frankly, it's an excellent PSU). Sidenote: I only suggested the CX500 due to its lower price, so I'm totally fine with a review on the CX430. Sidenote2: I don't have a CX-series PSU myself as I'm partial to the Fractal Design PSU's, but the CX series are much better in terms of value.

Regarding the SSD, MX100 is better, yes, but also more expensive. The only drawback of the LS is the drop in write speed. As you get an SSD for its awesome read speed, it doesn't really matter if it takes 3 minutes or 4 minutes to install a steam game, once. This is assuming you're sitting on a terabit line, as you can't install something faster than you can download it anyway. Also, age isn't a disfavor on the SSD market, it's a favor. It means it's proven technology and any kinks that a drive might have has been found out. It's the new ones you should be wary about (at least open to the possibility it might have issues with firmware, etc). You don't have these issues with proven technology.

Just my opinions, take them for what they are.