Building a gaming PC? First time? Here are some build ideas.

[Theocnoob]

I thought I'd put together a few builds within different price ranges to save people some time of putting together their own and asking "is this good?"
These are the directions I would go in for the following amounts of money:

For (just under) $2500 US:

Intel Core i7-4770K $339
ASUS Z87-A $129
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 1866 $156
ASUS GTX780 GeForce GTX 780 Ti $699
CORSAIR CX series CX600 $69
SAMSUNG 840 EVO MZ-7TE1T0BW 2.5" 1TB $549
WD BLACK SERIES WD2003FZEX 2TB $146
Random DVD/RW $19
Corsair Obsidian Series 450D $119
NHD14 $78
$2314

For $1000 US:

Intel Core i5-4670K $239
ASUS Z87-A $129
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600 $74
SAPPHIRE 100363L Radeon R9 280X 3GB $299
CORSAIR CX series CX500 $59
Western Digital WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB $59
Random DVD/RW $19
Corsair Carbide Series 200R $59
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO $34
$971

TBC

 

[Witchdoctor]

Is this just and excerise ? or are you building a gaming rig

Two very different budgets ?

 

[EarthDog]

I think this is for that ever so frequent question...that he said it covers in the first post.

Cool as it is, budgets, wants, and needs vary significantly by person. We did this quarterly or so on the front page a year or two ago. It's a good start, but the vast majority will need a lot of tweaking. Id build something completely different for 2.5k though.

 

[Theocnoob]

I think this is for that ever so frequent question...that he said it covers in the first post.

Cool as it is, budgets, wants, and needs vary significantly by person. We did this quarterly or so on the front page a year or two ago. It's a good start, but the vast majority will need a lot of tweaking. Id build something completely different for 2.5k though.

What would you do for 2.5k?
Let's make this a community thing.

 

[EarthDog]

4930k
X79 mobo
256gb ssd

I don't know. Seems like a travesty to have a z87-a mobo in a $2500 build regardless if it will be fine. Most people don't need 1tb worth of ssd either. I mean with that you can put your music and some movies on it, and who really needs that?

But again, everyone's needs will be different.

 

[Theocnoob]

4930k
X79 mobo
256gb ssd

I don't know. Seems like a travesty to have a z87-a mobo in a $2500 build regardless if it will be fine. Most people don't need 1tb worth of ssd either. I mean with that you can put your music and some movies on it, and who really needs that?

But again, everyone's needs will be different.

This was intended to be an "epic gamer" PC where dozens of large games would be installed simultaneously, necessitating massive fast storage. Epic gamers don't need a 4930K.

 

[EarthDog]

That is the first time I have seen "epic" gamer with "dozens of games" installed... Seemed like a beginner's guide to quailty parts for a gamer considering your verbiage in the first post. When I think epic gamer, I don't think TB ssd.

That said, put your favorite 5/6 games on the 256gb ssd, the rest on the spinner. Grab 2 4gb 770s or 2 290s and smoke the 780ti. That's more epic of a gamer to me than 1tb worth of ssd storage if you are going to poopoo the 4930k in a $2.5k rig.

 

[Lvcoyote]

I'd have to agree with EarthDog, I'd build something completely different for $2500, epic game machine or not.....LOL

 

[Theocnoob]

Lock this thread EarthDog. I can't stand to bear the shame of my failure any longer. #overdramatic

 

[Twiggz]

Lock this thread EarthDog. I can't stand to bear the shame of my failure any longer. #overdramatic

Lol.

 

[wingman99]

I would also build vary differently 2.5k.

 

[Witchdoctor]

I was blind, but now I can see.
I will put one together for fun

If you get a lot of participation possibly move all the builds to the 1st post for easy reference.

 

[Witchdoctor]

Here's one

Case = NZXT H440 - $ 133.98 (Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146149
CPU = Intel 4770K - $ 286.18 (Micro Center Combo)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...op+>+Feature+2+>+Processors+Intel/AMD+-+Top+2
MB = Z87 OC Formula – $ 286.18 (Micro Center Combo)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/416848/Z87_OC_Formula_LGA_1150_ATX_Intel_Motherboard
Stix = Team Xtreem 16GB DDR3 2666 - $ 149.99 (Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313321
SSD = SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series 256GB - $ 218.98 (Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2W00ZD1539
Spinner = WD BLACK SERIES 1TB - $ 84.99 (Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236625
Video Cards = (2x) ASUS DirectCU II OC R9290-DC2OC-4GD5 = $ 859.98 (Newegg) + (3) free games
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121840
Power = EVGA SuperNOVA 1300 G2 Gold = $ 194.49 (B&H)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...CIqu9sWXl74CFaVQOgodhVoAmg&is=REG&A=details&Q
CPU Cooler = Thermaltake Water 3.0 Extreme = $ 85.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106220
Total = $ 2,300.75 shipped with tax/ less rebates
Add $ 320.00 to bump the cards to DCU 290x’s for a 4K environment

No optical, I can not come up with a reason to include one