Finally building my own rig

DarkDusk

Hi guys,

I'm buying parts for my PC for gaming and game engine rendering purposes within the next month hopefully. I'd like some advice on what parts to buy and any advice on where/when to buy (is there any scheduled price drops coming soon?). Currently hardwareversand is my choice of retailer.
I'm really considering going with a 1440p monitor so I would like some advice going down that route also.
Budget for PC is 1200 roughly (not incl. monitor, keyboard, mouse or Windows).

Currently my parts list:
GTX 970
8GB Ram
Xeon E3-1231 v3 3.4Ghz
H97 (upgrade needed for 1440p gaming/SLI)
250GB (maybe 500gb) SSD
2TB HDD
NZXT H440 Razer Case

I filled this out:

1. What is your budget? 1100-1200 Euro roughly

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Mainly gaming, also 3D modelling and rendering with game engines

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? YES

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? NO

5. Do you need a monitor? YES (buying this at a later stage as I have a basic monitor for now)

5a. If yes, what size do you need. 24 inch for 1080p and 27inch for 1440p

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? NO

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? No, but I will be interested in SLI if needs be for 1440p gaming

8. How can you pay? Credit Card, Bank

9. When are you purchasing? Next month or so hopefully

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? Building myself

Notes:
Basically I need advice on current parts list and guidance on going for 1440p gaming. Is it worth it? Will it be costly down the road? wIf I need to SLI another GTX 970 in the future that'd be no problem at all. I want this PC to last be a long time which is why I'm spending a good bit on it.

Cheers!

Digital Solitude

Get an R9 290X for 1440p

If you want an SLI/CF board, ASRock Extreme3 is a good one to start with, fairly cheap but you likely won't need to CF 290x for a while

DarkDusk

Another thing I forgot to mention, I really want to play with VR in the future. Given the recommended specs by Oculus, it looks like 1440p may not be a good idea for me in the long term. Which is ok I guess, being able to play VR is a much better trade-off for me.

Do you guys still think SLI'ing a GTX 970 would be worth it in the future (so worth getting a better MB)?

DarkDusk

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Get an R9 290X for 1440p

If you want an SLI/CF board, ASRock Extreme3 is a good one to start with, fairly cheap but you likely won't need to CF 290x for a while

Why not the GTX 970?

BloodBath

I'd go with the 970 to be honest especially if you are considering dual cards down the line. The 290x's are just too hot to run crossfire.

DarkDusk

BloodBath wrote: »

I'd go with the 970 to be honest especially if you are considering dual cards down the line. The 290x's are just too hot to run crossfire.

Do you think it is worth going SLI with that card, given that I have to buy another card and sell both in the future? As opposed to selling the 970 and upgrading with a newer card.

Digital Solitude

SLI will outperform a single card in most cases.

If you'll be going 1440p, I'd still recommend the 290x, good case with nice airflow you'll be fine for heat. There's someone on here CFs them, crazy benchmarks.

At 1080p, definitely go 970s. You won't have to SLI for a while yet anyways

BloodBath

That depends. For 1440p @ 60hz I think a single high end overclocked 970 is fine. It will average 60fps in most games.

If you're going for a 120/144hz 1440p monitor then SLI/Crossfire is the way to go.

DarkDusk

I think I'll have to settle for 1080p to be honest because I really want to buy a VR headset next year.

But wait... It just came to me that the monitor wouldn't matter for VR gaming, as all the gameplay will be displayed through the headset, am I right?

Does this mean I could get the best of both worlds, VR and 1440p gaming?

BloodBath

Yeah but the headsets will be demanding. You're looking at higher demands than a 1440p monitor. At least with the HTC Vive headset.

Resolution of 2160x1200 @ 90hz on the Vive vs 2560x1440 @ 60hz of a typical 1440p monitor.

You should probably keep the option of SLI open if you want to get into VR next year.

I think a single 970/290x will still be ok. We'll have to wait and see.

Digital Solitude

Spoill on a good board then, Extreme3 probably isn't worth it for VR, don't have any recommendations though.

BloodBath

Looking at the types of games that will be good with VR and that will support it, Star Citizen springs to mind.

That's already a bitch to run at 1440p. If you want maxed out visuals in this game with VR and 90fps it's definitly going to require SLI/Crossfire.

I'd say most other games won't be as demanding as this though.

DarkDusk

BloodBath wrote: »

Looking at the types of games that will be good with VR and that will support it, Star Citizen springs to mind.

That's already a bitch to run at 1440p. If you want maxed out visuals in this game with VR and 90fps it's definitly going to require SLI/Crossfire.

I'd say most other games won't be as demanding as this though.

Star Citizen is no where near the consumer version yet though, and a lot of work is needed to get it to that stage.

Do any of you think it's worth going with 1440p? Have you seen a monitor in action is there much noticeable difference? I like the idea of having a lot more room for productivity.

BloodBath

Nah it's still in Beta but VR is still at least 6 months to a year away so I'm hoping it all comes together around the same time.

It's worth going 1440p alright. I think 4k is still a couple of years away from mainstream. A high refresh rate 1440p IPS display seems to be the way to go but it all depends on budget.

I still haven't pulled the plug on one myself as I want to run it off as single card if possible. Waiting to see what AMD brings to the table soon before deciding. There are lot's of 1440p users on here who will vouch for it though.

There's also FreeSync and G-Sync to consider if you are planning on spending a decent amount on the monitor or the cheap Korean monitors if you want to do it on a budget. There's a thread on this forum about those.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056587214&page=159

There's also these if you are on a budget. Wider aspect ratio and higher than 1080p resolution but lower than 1440p. A single high end GPU will easily run one of these.

http://www.hardwareversand.de/en/73+cm+%2829%29/212343/LG+29UM55-P.article

DarkDusk

What I think I'll do is build for VR gaming and make a decision on the monitor around the end of August. This will give some more time for price drops hopefully.

Is hardwareversand the best option for the price then? Would any of you recommend buying from eBay (trusted sellers of course) if the price was good?

BloodBath

I updated my post above with a good LG monitor option that's cheap and will run great off of a single 970 and give you extra real estate for productivity.

Hardwareversand is your best bet. Use Geizhals.de to get a discount on the prices. You can save 5-10% on most items.

Asus are also doing a cashback promotion on their cards. You can get an Asus Stryx 970 for €335 after the geizhals discount and the €35 cashback.

https://www.asus-insider.de/aktionen/vgacashback/#cb_form

MagTuired

DarkDusk wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm buying parts for my PC for gaming and game engine rendering purposes within the next month hopefully. I'd like some advice on what parts to buy and any advice on where/when to buy (is there any scheduled price drops coming soon?). Currently hardwareversand is my choice of retailer.
I'm really considering going with a 1440p monitor so I would like some advice going down that route also.
Budget for PC is 1200 roughly (not incl. monitor, keyboard, mouse or Windows).

Currently my parts list:
GTX 970
8GB Ram
Xeon E3-1231 v3 3.4Ghz
H97 (upgrade needed for 1440p gaming/SLI)
250GB (maybe 500gb) SSD
2TB HDD
NZXT H440 Razer Case

Wow, this is pretty much what I'm building for my first one.

Same case, I5 though - decided to upgrade to a Z97 too. 2T hard-drive and a 250 GB SSD with 8GB ram. Can't afford a GTX 970 sadly, so I'm getting a GTX960. Can't wait to order the parts and get cracking.

DarkDusk

MagTuired wrote: »

Wow, this is pretty much what I'm building for my first one.

Same case, I5 though - decided to upgrade to a Z97 too. 2T hard-drive and a 250 GB SSD with 8GB ram. Can't afford a GTX 970 sadly, so I'm getting a GTX960. Can't wait to order the parts and get cracking.

Same case too?

Also, what PSU would you guys recommend? Would a 600w be quiet 7 do the job if I wanted SLI in the future?

Digital Solitude

BeQuiets are lovely PSUs, 600w is okay for SLI 970s I think

DarkDusk

Here is my part list from HVS with discounts, let me know what you think guys! I went with 700w just to be safe so I don't have to worry about upgrading to multiple drives, ram and maybe water cooling in the future (which I probably will!).

[IMG][/img]

Digital Solitude

Need in a Z97? Run the parts through geizhals.de

After that, its good

DarkDusk

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Need in a Z97? Run the parts through geizhals.de

After that, its good

I want to SLI in the future for future proofing 1440p gaming and for VR. I already ran them through

Also, it's my understanding that it's 30 euro for shipping for the whole lot?

Digital Solitude

€12 back In Feb anyways

BloodBath

Looks good. Very solid build.

DarkDusk

The only thing I could change now is the case but I still love the H440 Razer edition (LOVE). Is there any other case in the price range that could win my heart over or is the H440 a solid choice?

MagTuired

DarkDusk wrote: »

The only thing I could change now is the case but I still love the H440 Razer edition (LOVE). Is there any other case in the price range that could win my heart over or is the H440 a solid choice?

I picked the H440 because of its internal layout - I've been told, and it seems like it would be be easy to do your first build in. The cables are kinda tucked away, and there's a something like a cowl around the PSU, so it deflects some of the heat from the rest of the components rather than just circulating it freely into the rest of the case.

It also has pretty nifty little drive sleds and those thumbscrews that don't pop all the way out of the case.

Plus it's all steel pretty much, so I am hoping I'll have this thing for a quite a while. Good expansion options too, and it can be water-cooled - but I hear the 4 fans are good enough for everything but some overclocked beastie.

The Razer edition also offers the option of LEDs, not enough to make it look like some boy racer's wet-dream but enough that if you get bored of a plain, sleek black case you can turn them on.


Welp, that's what I think anyhow...

SterlingArcher

Quick look up of the razor version of this case shows alot of problems with leds not working. Just so you're aware. Maybe get off amazon less hassle return.

Personally think the original white h440 was way nicer than this razor edition. but each to their own.

Fact is the h440 is good looking, but not great cooling or noise. And even less appealing to me Specially at that price tag for a cheap easily scratched new paint job ( noted in more than one review)

You are building this rig with the intention of vr gameplay yes? so wont even see it as you'll have a headset on. Maybe aim for better cooling and above all better Noise. Last thing you want in your vr experience is a desktop humming loudly beside you, because the razor case has fans on full blast setting always and probably for good reason Ie not good Cooling.

MagTuired

SterlingArcher wrote: »

Quick look up of the razor version of this case shows alot of problems with leds not working. Just so you're aware. Maybe get off amazon less hassle return.

Personally think the original white h440 was way nicer than this razor edition. but each to their own.

Fact is the h440 is good looking, but not great cooling or noise. And even less appealing to me Specially at that price tag for a cheap easily scratched new paint job.

Good sleuthing! However from my reading (I did a lot of research on this case) many of the problems with the LEDs actually came down to the fact that the owners did not realize that the LEDs can be turned on and off via a switch tucked away in the case. :pac:

SterlingArcher

MagTuired wrote: »

Good sleuthing! However from my reading (I did a lot of research on this case) many of the problems with the LEDs actually came down to the fact that the owners did not realize that the LEDs can be turned on and off via a switch tucked away in the case. :pac:

I can tell you have your heart set on the case which is not a bad thing, and good you doing your research. Just putting some potential cons out there which when paying that much on a case you should be Aware of.



Apart from case, Rig looks solid, good choice of parts.

MagTuired

Not a worry! I'm not trying to rush to its aid or anything, I'm sure there's flaws - but to be honest not one case I've seen is perfect. Over-all build quality seems pretty good at least.

I think the cooling issue shouldn't be too big a deal; could upgrade it to a water-cooling system or install an additional fan (or possibly swap out the existing ones). From what I've read and heard from owners, unless you're planning on really taxing the system with mad overclocking, overheating is not an issue. Seems to me most people complaining about the case don't own it, and quite possibly fan boys (pun intended) devoted to some other case or brand.

As far as noise and cheap paint job, really didn't hear many (or any) complaints about that. I like the white one too, but anything white seems to be a magnet for dirt. We recently knocked out our kitchen floor because of that very reason. So much mopping, oh god...the nightmares!

.G.

I've got a black and red H440. I chipped a corner of the powder coat when closing the case the first time It also marks up pretty easily with finger prints etc but I still love it. Great layout inside. It is defo hotter than my older case but not loads.

BloodBath

I have the white H440. No problems with the paint job.

There is a 10 port fan controller at the back but no variable speed on it so any fans connected to it will be stuck at full speed without modding it or connecting it to a fan controller.

Airflow isn't great but can be improved with additional fans up top.

A Xeon and 970 shouldn't need great cooling anyway. Neither will produce much heat or noise.

You should be able to get it virtually silent if you mod that fan port to keep the fans at 7V instead of 12V.

DarkDusk

Thanks for info guys.

Donne

_

Donne

Sorry about this question, but I'm a bit of a dummy as regards cpus!

Why should you go for a Xeon as opposed to an i7 4790K or even an i7 5820K?

I thought they were usually used for CAD apps etc.

Digital Solitude

Donne wrote: »

Sorry about this question, but I'm a bit of a dummy as regards cpus!

Why should you go for a Xeon as opposed to an i7 4790K or even an i7 5820K?

I thought they were usually used for CAD apps etc.

Price/Performace.
Xeon can run at 3.8ghz you need a well watercooled i7 to hit the likes of 4.8ghz, so air cooled, you're looking at about 4.4-4.5ghz, which isnt worth an extra €150 for the performance gained.

The 5820k is will priced, but sucks up over €300 more of your budget as you need an X99 board and DDR4, so on budgeted builds, its OP

DarkDusk

Does anyone know anything about this promotion from HVS? http://www.hardwareversand.de/pc-zusammenbau-rabatt

Digital Solitude

From my understanding, if you get them to build the machine, yoiu get €10 back with a 970, €20 with a 980 and €50 with a Titan

You get the games with the cards anyways.

They charge €30 for building, so its a small discount on that

DarkDusk

Digital Solitude wrote: »

From my understanding, if you get them to build the machine, yoiu get €10 back with a 970, €20 with a 980 and €50 with a Titan

You get the games with the cards anyways.

They charge €30 for building, so its a small discount on that

Do codes for the games come inside the boxes for the cards?

Digital Solitude

No, you've to contact HWVS after you buy with a proof or purchase

DarkDusk

Just made the order! I went with the Asus Z97-Pro Gamer motherboard as it turned out to be a little cheaper than the AsusRock with the discount, happy days!

MagTuired

DarkDusk wrote: »

Just made the order! I went with the Asus Z97-Pro Gamer motherboard as it turned out to be a little cheaper than the AsusRock with the discount, happy days!

Brilliant, should be making my order on Friday. First comes the wait. Then assembly. I've the fear of god in me.

DarkDusk

Here is a 20 euro voucher for HWVS you can use also, just create a new account and use it when making the order!!! https://www.gutscheinpony.de/gutscheine/hardwareversand#

MagTuired

DarkDusk wrote: »

Here is a 20 euro voucher for HWVS you can use also, just create a new account and use it when making the order!!! https://www.gutscheinpony.de/gutscheine/hardwareversand#

Not ordering through them, but sound :cool:. Have a lad who gets a wholesalers discount who's buying things in for me. I can always use a discount on something else though!

DarkDusk

Just to let you all know that my parts arrived today and my PC is built and ready! Currently downloading Far Cry 4 (32GB :O) and moving stuff onto my huge 2TB HDD. The SSD is zippy fast I booted earlier in less than 10 seconds!!! I can't wait to fully unleash the power of my rig!

BloodBath

Congrats. Yeah SSD's are great. Enable Fast Boot in the Bios to make it even faster or ultra fast boot if using windows 8.