PLEASE HELP!!! *first custom build for gaming*Post Date: 2013-08-04 |
Post Reply
|
Page 123> |
Author | |
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply
Topic: PLEASE HELP!!! *first custom build for gaming* Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 8:52am |
Hi! I'm looking to order my first custom build and I'm pretty much clueless about all these new parts/technology. My last custom build was 10 years ago (gave specs needed but didn't actually pick parts myself) and so please bear with me if I happen to ask any "stupid questions". I got some advice about recommended specs and went from there but I would love feedback on this actual build. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
My Budget: $1600 (originally budgeted less but this current build is right around $1600 and I don't mind spending that much for a really decent build) Expectations: I would really like a PC that I can use for at least 2-3 years without upgrading. I want to be able to run current games at max settings. Other Notes: Also, I'm not planning on buying a monitor yet - just going to hook up the PC to an LCD TV for now. Mouse and keyboard to follow depending on how much I eventually end up spending on the PC. I would appreciate any suggestions here as well - do I need an actual gaming mouse and keyboard or can I just use standard ones?). This is the current build I'm looking at... Hoping for advice on whether the parts I selected are optimal/critical or whether I could do with any downgrades and/or upgrades. I'm also concerned with the Power Supply - not sure what wattage I would need - is the 750W enough for this build? I would appreciate any feedback! Thank you very much! I started from one of the Ode systems and then downgraded from there - also switched out the Chassis for the cheaper VIRTUE. Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm VIRTUE Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 4770K 3.50 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS Z87-C (Intel Z87 Chipset) System Memory: 16GB DDR3 2133MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) Power Supply: 750W Corsair CX Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (1TB Western Digital Caviar (7200 RPM) (Model: Black Edition) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: ASUS Blu-Ray Player/DVD Writer (Play Blu-Ray and Burn DVDs) (Model: BC-12B1ST) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB (Includes PhysX) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler) H20 Tube Color: - Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks CPU Boost: Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Memory Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: - No Thanks Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty Edited by wolfwind - 04 Aug 2013 at 10:33am |
|
fstcvc
DS Veteran Joined: 06 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2551 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 10:57am |
Welcome to DS wolfwind! Most us would agree that you've come to the right place to purchase your next computer.
Your build looks solid and for your requirements should work well over the next couple of years. Don't forget your FREE t-shirt! |
|
HailStorm II
i7 4770K @ 4.5GHz Asus Maximus VI Extreme 16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 3xSLI EVGA SuperClocked GTX TITAN Samsung 840Pro SSD 256GB+512GB HydroLux+XSPC CPU/MoBo/GPU Liquid Cooling |
|
danjw1
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 667 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 11:18am |
These two are not compatible, the Z87-C is a standard ATX form factor motherboard. The case is a Corsair 350D, which only supports micro-ATX and mini-ITX. So to get you to a motherboard that would work in the case I cut it down to the ASUS Z87M-PLUS: http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z87MPLUS/ For a budget gaming build you should be fine with an i5-4670k. Memory faster then 1600MHz has quickly diminishing returns. So making these adjustments I got it down a bit for you to $1,501.00: 857333 With shipping that gets you probably a bit below what your budget is. And the T-Shirt is free, so you might as well add that in your size. ;-) I do fine gaming without a "gaming" mouse or keyboard. Edited by danjw1 - 04 Aug 2013 at 11:27am |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 11:34am |
Oh wow!!! Thank you so much for pointing that out!!!
The reason I went with the i7 is because a friend said that if I wanted to save a little more money, I should downgrade the RAM from 8GB to 16GB instead of downgrading the Processor because it would be easier to upgrade the RAM down the road compared to the Processor? What if I chose a different case and kept the original Processor and Motherboard (how hard is it to upgrade the Motherboard later?)? Would the Cooler Master 942 HAF X work? I really like how it looks and wouldn't really mind the upgrade :) Also, thank you and fstcvc for mentioning the free T-shirt! I never would've thought to check that LOL |
|
danjw1
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 667 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 11:58am |
The motherboard is the basic building block of the system. If you change it, then the CPU and graphics cards will need to be moved over to the new system. Graphics cards and memory are easy to move from one system to another, CPUs are a bit harder. With the CPU you will need to cleanup both it and the heatsink and then apply a thermal interface before re-installing in the motherboard. You will also have to connect power and drive cables to the new motherboard, which shouldn't be that big of a deal. As far as the HAF X, yes that is a standard ATX case can support any of the motherboard options. In fact it will even support larger then the standard ATX motherboard. I haven't ever had a HAF X case, but I know a lot of people really like them. The big thing that the CPU would do in the games you play would be the RTS games and mostly for larger maps and large armies. So if you like the big maps and really big armies then the i7 might be the right choice. If you don't want to CPU overclocked then you really don't need a 'k' variant. But it might cost more to get DS to get you one then the difference in price. Edited by danjw1 - 04 Aug 2013 at 12:14pm |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 12:27pm |
Hi wolfwind. danjw1 has shown you a real nice build. I would take it a step further, and drop to 8GB ram, all you need for gaming and put the savings into the Z87 Gryphon motherboard. It has sli, 2x gpu capability and carries a 5 year warranty as opposed to 3 years with z87 C or M plus. Also, change the 750W CX psu to the EVGA 750W SuperNova Gold psu. A better unit with a 10 years warranty vs 3 years for the 750cx. Plus the EVGA 750w psu is fully modular, meaning if you ever have to change it, no cables to mess with. They just unplug from the psu. The CX would require all the cabling to be replaced also.
Go with danjw1's build and make these changes and you have a dynamite rig. Hope this helps and best of luck. Just another way to go. I forgot to put in the stage 1 overclocking. It does help . And free t-shirt. Here's his build with the tweeks. Config # 857353 Cost $ 1502 Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm VIRTUE
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i5 4670K 3.40 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS Gryphon Z87 (Intel Z87 Chipset) (Features Thermal Radar) (MATX) System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) Power Supply: 750W EVGA SuperNOVA Gold Rated (Dual SLI Compatible) Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (1TB Western Digital Caviar (7200 RPM) (Model: Black Edition) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: ASUS Blu-Ray Player/DVD Writer (Play Blu-Ray and Burn DVDs) (Model: BC-12B1ST) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB (Includes PhysX) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler) H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks Boost Processor: Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: - No Thanks Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty Edited by bprat22 - 04 Aug 2013 at 12:42pm |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 12:44pm |
THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS!!!
I'm so glad I came to the forums and asked. There's so much I have to learn! I definitely feel more confident about ordering now... I was actually looking for a local computer shop to build my PC but of the 2 I found (I live in a small town), I just didn't feel comfortable going with either of them. I'd rather go with a reputable company that knows what they're doing and Digital Storm was the only one I found with great reviews and reliable customer support. |
|
fstcvc
DS Veteran Joined: 06 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2551 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 1:45pm |
bpratt22's build is really good on the options. And gives lots of room to grow. The 4670 is a great gaming CPU! I missed the mobo issue that danjw1 pointed out (was thinking is was the PLUS). Teamwork!!
|
|
HailStorm II
i7 4770K @ 4.5GHz Asus Maximus VI Extreme 16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 3xSLI EVGA SuperClocked GTX TITAN Samsung 840Pro SSD 256GB+512GB HydroLux+XSPC CPU/MoBo/GPU Liquid Cooling |
|
danjw1
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 667 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 1:56pm |
I agree, I think bpratt22's build is the best value, with room to grow. |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:03pm |
Between the three of us, we have wolfwind covered.
Once he pulls the trigger, DS will cover his back with a great rig and awesome support. |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:16pm |
You guys are wonderful!!! I'm a woman, BTW :D I do have a few more questions though... haha, I showed my husband the 2 different cases - Virtue AND the Cooler Master 942 HAF X and he wants the Cooler Master because the Virtue looks a little "blah". LOL. We've never had a gaming PC because he has always been a console gamer (Xbox and PS3) so we really needed the advice :D He's the one who will be playing strategy games on the PC but I'm the one who will be using it most of the time. Since we're going with the Cooler Master, would you still suggest the ASUS Gryphon Z87 or a different standard ATX? Does size matter in this case? Is a standard ATX usually better than a micro? Also, about the CPU again - what situation would justify getting the i7 over the i5? Just curious since you suggested the i5 for me :) Also, we're planning on using a 32" LCD TV as a monitor - is this as simple as using an HDMI cable to connect PC to TV or something more complicated? Edited by wolfwind - 04 Aug 2013 at 2:29pm |
|
gloryofthesky
Groupie Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 152 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:22pm |
Yikes, I agree with everyone else. But now that you mentioned a 32" LCD Tv, You might need some more gpu power.
What is his target of FPS? 40+ or 25-30? Im no expert here, but I do think the GTX 770 is a bit low for a 32" TV. Also, Is he gaming on the TV? If not you should be perfectly fine. But you will have to check with the other forumers. Edited by gloryofthesky - 04 Aug 2013 at 2:23pm |
|
Tio
Groupie Joined: 03 Jul 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 400 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:27pm |
Ya had me worried there for a sec bpratt ...thought you were gonna miss the Free T-Shirt roflmao but,seriously,good build between the two of ya should give the most especially with the inclusion of the EVGA "Modular" power supply.very nice build.
|
|
Hailstorm II
Intel 3970K Corsair 1200i 32gig Corsair Dominator Platinum Samsung 512gif 840 Pro SSD 4tb Western Digital Black HD Blue-Ray and DVD Burn/Player 3xSLI EVGA GTX Titan Hydro Copper Video |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:27pm |
I don't think he's that particular - he really just wants to be able to play the new Rome game without lagging. He's currently playing the first Total War on a 3-year old laptop (I'm not sure of the specs) and it actually crashes quite a bit, especially during big battles - it just can't handle the game. For me, I just don't want to compromise picture quality because Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is such a beautiful game. |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:30pm |
The HafX case is still the best air cooled case and is a great choice. If you go HafX you could stay with the MATX Gryphon or better yet, get the Sabertooth. The difference is size and Pcie slots. The Gryphon has 4 Pcie slots and if you go sli, then all slots are covered by todays double wide video cards. No room for addon cards like WIFi or audio. The full size Sabertooth has plenty of room for sli and addons. If you never plan on sli or addon cards then no real difference.
The i7 had hyperthreading whick means 4 core/ 8 threads and helps with alot of everyday tasks, even Windows will use it. The i5 is 4 core/ 4 thread and for most games is all you need. Real world difference is about 10-15% between the two for apps that can utilize HT. If in the budget, get the i7 for longevity and faster processing, especially as games in the future might use it. Might but not sure. Overall, the i7 is just a bit smoother computing in general. Yep. HDMI from video card to TV. |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:35pm |
Tio.. I did ALMOST forget the tee. Shame on me. Must be the lack of sleep last nite.
Edit..... wolfwind... just saw the 770 mentioned. If you stay with gtx760 then the 750w psu is good for any sli if you feel the need. If you go gtx 770 then I would up the psu if sli is a possibilty. It might be my ole school thinking but don't push a psu past 80% of rated power. Ripple, etc. rears its ugly head after 80%. Edited by bprat22 - 04 Aug 2013 at 2:48pm |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 2:56pm |
Thank you so much for all the great suggestions and info!!! I've already learned so much today... and getting really excited about going back to PC gaming! :D
I'm going to see how far I can up our budget and possibly get the i7 and Sabertooth as well ;) Almost forgot to ask! With the possible CPU and Motherboard upgrade, would it be worth it to upgrade the RAM to 16GB now? If yes, which one would you suggest? Or should we just wait to do this down the road? And what about GPU? Is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB a good choice? :) I tried to do some research on this but I'm not well-versed in the tech-speak and don't know how the specs translate to performance :( Edited by wolfwind - 04 Aug 2013 at 2:58pm |
|
Tio
Groupie Joined: 03 Jul 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 400 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 3:33pm |
to bad it's not in the budget ....because with the last revelation I would upgrade to the GTX 770. It is a great build but with driving 1920x1080 over a 32" display @60hz (which I am taking for granted here that its not 120hz)....then again its only for an RTS (but even some of them can be visually demanding especially some of the newer ones) and I am not very knowledgeable in the area sooooo this is ....just a thought.
|
|
Hailstorm II
Intel 3970K Corsair 1200i 32gig Corsair Dominator Platinum Samsung 512gif 840 Pro SSD 4tb Western Digital Black HD Blue-Ray and DVD Burn/Player 3xSLI EVGA GTX Titan Hydro Copper Video |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 3:42pm |
8gb is really all you need. Plus., easy to add later.
I' m on a tablet so can't get into raster units, CUDA., etc between the two but in general the gtx 770 is about 20-25% better gaming and a more powerful card. Here's a link to compare 760 to 770. Might help. http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/854?vs=829 ) |
|
Tio
Groupie Joined: 03 Jul 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 400 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 3:52pm |
I agree -w- your thinking on the PSU if there is an increase in the GPU to the GTX770 (even if SLI isn't in the future upgrade path) and that's a nice link there as well (hadn't seen that one).still of the thought that the GTX770 would be the better GPU for this particular build (if it can be done -w-in your budget) and would provide a much better "Future" up grade path and generally much more enjoyable computing/gaming experience.
|
|
Hailstorm II
Intel 3970K Corsair 1200i 32gig Corsair Dominator Platinum Samsung 512gif 840 Pro SSD 4tb Western Digital Black HD Blue-Ray and DVD Burn/Player 3xSLI EVGA GTX Titan Hydro Copper Video |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 3:57pm |
Hmmn... Now I'm a little worried. I will be using this PC more than my husband - for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. These are the specs for the game: MINIMUM OS: Windows® Vista 32/64bit, Windows® 7 32/64 bit Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo 3GHz Memory: 2GB (4GB recommended for 64bit OS) Hard Drive: 20GB Graphics: NVIDIA® Geforce® 8800 or higher, ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 or higher Screen Resolution: 1280x720 Internet: Broadband connection Sound Card: DirectSound® supported sound card (DirectX® 9.0c or higher) DirectX®: DirectX® 9.0c or higher RECOMMENDED OS: Windows® 7 64bit, Windows® 8 64bit Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 2.66GHz Memory: 4GB Hard Drive: 20GB Graphics: NVIDIA® Geforce® GTX 660 or higher, AMD Radeon™ HD 7950 or higher Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Internet: Broadband connection Sound Card: DirectSound® supported sound card (DirectX® 9.0c or higher) DirectX®: DirectX® 9.0c or higher * NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFire™ support will be available at release. ______________________________ Now the upgrade to i7 and Sabertooth is becoming more and more tempting by the minute. I'm starting to think that it might be a good idea to hold off and save a little more so I can get a better build - just because I'm spending a lot of money anyway, might as well get the most out of it? Maybe play FFXIV on the PS3 in the meantime while I save (I pre-ordered both versions). What do you think? Edited by wolfwind - 04 Aug 2013 at 3:58pm |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:19pm |
With this in mind, do you think I'd be better off just getting a gaming desktop with the specs to run the specific game I want - in this case FFXIV (specs posted above) and then investing in a dedicated PC monitor instead of using the 32" LCD TV? I mean, I looked at the cheapest gaming desktop that Digital Storm sells and it looks like Vanquish Level 1 http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadvanquish.asp?id=827176 can run this game with no problems... I was just of the mind that if I was going to get a gaming PC, it's better to get the best that I can get. I'm so confused Maybe I should just get the Vanquish Level 1 for $699 + tax/shipping then buy a monitor, gaming mouse and keyboard? I'm getting a little overwhelmed with the upgrade possibilities. But I don't want to experience buyer's remorse by getting something over the top that I don't really need. Does that make sense? I love the idea of a gaming desktop with all the bells and whistles but if the $699 PC will do just as well, maybe I'm better off getting that for now - still thinking of the 2-3 year no-upgrade time frame? Or will it cost me more to upgrade down the road when games start needing more resources? Edited by wolfwind - 04 Aug 2013 at 4:21pm |
|
danjw1
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 667 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:41pm |
Personally, I would just change the case, if that is what your husband was worried about. A full ATX case does have more expansion slots, but either way you can't do more then 2-way SLI. There isn't really much else you need to put into expansion slots, these days. It used to be that audio cards were significantly better audio, but not so much any more. I think anyone short of an audiophile is wasting money on an audio card. The Gryphon is a really good motherboard with a really good warranty. The processor has decent on board video capability. The motherboard has a video output on it. If you want, you can skip the video card for now and just go with the CPUs video. Then when you are ready you can buy a video card. I think that would be the better route. The motherboard has an HDMI and DVI outputs. HDMI is a TV standard and support audio as well as video; DVI is a computer standard and only supports video. Edited by danjw1 - 04 Aug 2013 at 4:51pm |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:44pm |
I do agree that trying to get the best for the buck can be overwhelming. The money piles up as more options are investigated. It never seems to end.
In my opinion, for that game and a decent 1920x1080 monitor, the Vanquish 1 will play it but not at the recommended requirements. Turning some settings down will still give good gaming. I would try for the Vanquish 3 if possible. Its i5 cpu and 760 card will give just that much more longevity and higher settings. But, in the end, money does decide. The Vanquish 3 is a big step above the lower 2 añd would be worth it, in my book. Good luck and let us know. |
|
Tio
Groupie Joined: 03 Jul 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 400 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:54pm |
In my opinion ,if you would like to have the greatest playability and future enjoyment with your new DS Machine ...get the system you really want,the one that gives you future upgradability while addressing your current needs for FFXIV and computing needs.The GTX770 is going to be a better GPU solution for the Display you are using .You are going to be spending the money for either a better GPU or,a different Display/Monitor.the builds that have been built for you (and the last one in particular -w- the addition of the GPU I suggested) would be great for anything you may want to do. Sorry to have muddled up your choices there as it wasn't intended at all..
|
|
Hailstorm II
Intel 3970K Corsair 1200i 32gig Corsair Dominator Platinum Samsung 512gif 840 Pro SSD 4tb Western Digital Black HD Blue-Ray and DVD Burn/Player 3xSLI EVGA GTX Titan Hydro Copper Video |
|
Tio
Groupie Joined: 03 Jul 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 400 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:56pm |
bpratt and I are saying basically the same thing .....in different ways .
|
|
Hailstorm II
Intel 3970K Corsair 1200i 32gig Corsair Dominator Platinum Samsung 512gif 840 Pro SSD 4tb Western Digital Black HD Blue-Ray and DVD Burn/Player 3xSLI EVGA GTX Titan Hydro Copper Video |
|
danjw1
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 667 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:56pm |
Yes that is a solid system and she would get it quick! Since those are not really configurable and would ship quickly. And it leaves room in the budget for a monitor. |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 4:57pm |
*whew... Thank you for being so patient with me!!! I really, really appreciate it
I'm going to take a break, sleep on it tonight and see how I feel about it tomorrow :) |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 5:04pm |
I just got all deflated and sad when I started putting in all the upgrades in a new build and ended up with this:
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=857419 To put it in perspective, I actually started with a budget of less than $1000 and then I kept finding something else that was better and it just kept adding up... I got really overwhelmed. I mean, I've spent $3500 on a top-of-the-line laptop before waaay back in the early 2000s but now it's not just a gaming PC that we put money into... We use so many electronics (computers, smartphones, TVs, video game consoles, etc.) that it's getting harder and harder to justify spending thousands on just one thing. |
|
fstcvc
DS Veteran Joined: 06 Jul 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2551 |
Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2013 at 10:06pm |
I know your feeling. I'm the KING of upgrading my system and adding more parts (mine's nearly doubled since I ordered it! - just ask Tio & Subxero!). bprat22 brought up a good point - for what your current needs are - a Vanquish Level 3 would work well. The system you put together is honestly in another league over this, thus priced accordingly (double the $$). Only spend what you are comfortable in spending your computer. A Level 3 Vanquish puts you a lot nearer your original budget of around $1k and will give you a lot of bang for your buck! |
|
HailStorm II
i7 4770K @ 4.5GHz Asus Maximus VI Extreme 16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 3xSLI EVGA SuperClocked GTX TITAN Samsung 840Pro SSD 256GB+512GB HydroLux+XSPC CPU/MoBo/GPU Liquid Cooling |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2013 at 9:24am |
I'm truly amazed at how helpful people online are - especially on this forum ^_^ You guys are wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and explaining how stuff works. Okay... here's where I stand right now: After talking this over with my husband and looking over our budget / expenses, we've decided we can definitely spend $2,200 with longevity and upgradability in mind. This will be our last big electronics purchase for the year and with getting at least 2-3 years of use and not having to spend more on it within that timeframe, I think the $2k+ would definitely be worth it. I really want something that can keep up with whatever new software we decide to use in the next couple of years - maybe even an OS upgrade and definitely future game upgrades. With that, I would really love to get your opinion on that last build (with bpratt22's upgrade suggestions): http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=857645 Did I choose the best components for the $2,200 price point? I went with the i7 CPU and Sabertooth Motherboard as bpratt22 suggested but wasn't sure about the Power Supply - I believe Tio suggested an upgrade to accommodate SLI in the future so I chose the 1050W Corsair Pro Silver 1050HX. For GPU, I still have NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB because if I understood correctly, this would be easier to upgrade later, right? That way, I can save some more and then when the time comes, get a multi-GPU setup. I'm also sticking with Air Cooling no matter what because I'm just not comfortable with the idea of liquid anywhere near my PC. On that note - I had OC set to Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz BUT I've been jumping back and forth between just the Standard Intel Turbo Boost option because I'm a little worried about how overclocking affects the life of the system. I've read how it can actually shorten the life of your components and how maybe it really isn't needed? AND my one last concern... I've been told to stick with Windows 7... but I'm also thinking that wouldn't it be better to upgrade to the latest OS? I've heard mostly bad reviews about Windows 8 though so I'm really concerned about switching. Edited by wolfwind - 05 Aug 2013 at 9:49am |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2013 at 10:03am |
Hi wolfwind.. You put together an awesome build. Quality components like the i7-4770k chip, Sabertooth mobo, the best air cooled case, a quality psu with very good warranty and an SSD for real quick boots. Nice.
For the gtx 760 in sli, the 750w psu would do it, but if you can swing it, stay with the 1050w. Lots of headroom and no worries. Better safe than sorry, because if a psu starts to falter, you'll get BSOD, crashes, and restarts in the middle of gaming and the psu is the last thing people think of. I would go with stage 1 overclock which will be about 4.3 with that chip. Problem with TurboBoost is that the 3.9 oc, I think it is, is only on a single cpu core and DS oc'ing is across all 4 cores. Better gaming. Done right and DS is conservative and does it professionally, it won't effect longevity at all. Someone else can speak of Win8, I still have Win7, but IMHO, if you're going to buy a new rig, get the latest OS to go with it.. It does work. This setup can easily be upgraded to another 760 in sli. Good luck and stay in touch, letting us know how it goes. Edit.. I haven't seen any results of the Hyper 212 cpu cooler with the new Haswell chips.( i7-4770k, i5-4670k). The new Haswell does generate a little more heat, but the Hyper shouldn't have an issue. DS will let you know when they bench stress test the rig. Edited by bprat22 - 05 Aug 2013 at 10:06am |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2013 at 10:22am |
I couldn't have done it without you!!! Those were your picks! I did forget one last upgrade!!! Pretty important one at that LOL. I absolutely need WiFi because we move around a lot (we're a military family) and I don't know how our next setup is going to be. So...should I go with the WiFi upgrade / add-on or just get a USB WiFi adapter? In our current house, I can move furniture around so the PC will be right near our router but our next house might not accommodate this setup (we're due for a move, probably early next year and we have HUGE furniture, LOL). I took your advice about Overclocking and chose Stage 1 :) I LOVE knowing that I can count on Digital Storm tech support if I run into problems... That alone is worth the higher price tag - especially for me who has zero experience building computers. And uhmn..this is purely unnecessary but I love blue lights and was thinking of adding on the internal lighting system... Yes or no? I also added the Advanced Recovery Kit because I don't want to risk it - it's like the universe was giving me a sign. My current laptop is showing signs of needing an overhaul (touchy laptop - it's like it knows it's about to be replaced, LOL) and after troubleshooting for 3 days, I'm ready to do a factory reset. Pfft. This puts me over at $2,262 BUT I added the build to my cart and it says there's an instant $50 off so... Almost there... Here's my updated build: http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=857667 Going to do a little bit more research about Windows 8 - hopefully hear back from other people in the forum as well... then I will be ordering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edited by wolfwind - 05 Aug 2013 at 10:24am |
|
bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2013 at 10:32am |
Yes, get the internal lighting. It looks great for little money. You can select a single color, like red to go with front fan, or blue like you said, or get the Remote LED to play with all the colors.
You could get the internal WiFi card or do what a lot do... get an external WiFi USB dongle. Easy to hook to any USB port and can be swapped between pc's if needed. DS has them as options. Advanced Recovery kit is a good idea. They still give you the CD in case the drive crashes and burns, so why not. You did an awesome job. You and your husband are gonna love it. |
|
wolfwind
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32 |
Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2013 at 10:55am |
I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called Digital Storm customer support and was very happy to get connected to someone fairly quickly. I asked if they could look over my build and they suggested: * Windows 8 * Removing the Advanced Recovery Kit and just going back to the Windows Recovery Toolkit * and no overclocking (he said that OC'ing does put a lot of stress on the system so for longevity's sake, it's better not to OC) Going to show hubby the final build when he gets home and then I will probably be ordering first thing tomorrow! Will post when it's official / ordered! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!! |
|
Post Reply | Page 123> |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You can vote in polls in this forum |