Gaming Desktop ~ $1.5k

[need2hyde]

Advice for Gaming Desktop ~ $1.5k (approx)

Dear all,

Finally saved up sufficiently to bite the bullet and get my gaming PC.

MSI B85 G45 Gaming + i5-4460 ~ $335

G.Skills DDR3-1600MHz 8GB (2X4GB) ~ $77
or
G.Skills Ripjaws 1600mhz 2x4gb kit ~ $114

Crucial mx100 256gb ~ $159 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $143.10)
or
Samsung 250gb 840 Evo ~ $165 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $148.50)

SAPPHIRE R9 290X 4gb ~ $499 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $449.10)
or
Palit GTX970 Jetstream~ $528 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $475.20)

Bitfenix Neos-Gold Black + Superflower HX600 ~ $149 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $134.1)
or
Bitfenix Neos-Red Black + Superflower HX600 ~ $139 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $125.1)

Samsung ODD ~ $21

Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM ~ Reuse
or
Windows 8.1 OEM ~ $115

Sorry about all the options... Not too confident whether it will all hang together.

Like to play Total War 2: Shogun, SIMS 4, and Dragon Age: Inquisition and future games for the next 2-3 generations if possible.

I have a Samsung 24" SD300 LED Monitor, and I'm reusing my Toshiba HDD 2TB.

I'm not too sure whether to stick with the 600w Superflower PSU or upgrade to a 650W Superflower PSU as I have 2 external HDDs running.

I hope bros here can give me some advice which components to keep or choose, thanks! ^^

 

[Alternative X]

1) I do not think that ValueRAMs are that cheap. A set of 2X4GB RAMs should cost around $90+ currently.

2) Get the MX100, the difference in SSD read speeds are not significant enough to be noticable.

3) Not the Sapphire R9 290X. The GPU is a reference card model, which has rather insufficient cooling and will throttle at load unless you turn up the fan, but the GPU will also end up sounding like a turbojet if you turn up the fan.

4) Continue to use Windows 7 unless you are feeling adventurous enough to try the rather different GUI in Windows 8.

5) If running a GTX 970, a 600W PSU should be more than enough to run everything, including your 2 HDDs as the GTX 970 is a relatively power sipping card.

6) You are paying an extra $10 for just the gold colouring. However, if you like gold casings, then go ahead.

7) Other than that, you rig is fine. Do note that true futureproofing is impossible in the fast changing techonological enviroment today and there is no guarantee that you will be able to play future games at max settings or even high settings if more poorly optimised games are to come out in the future.

 

[need2hyde]

1) I do not think that ValueRAMs are that cheap. A set of 2X4GB RAMs should cost around $90+ currently.

2) Get the MX100, the difference in SSD read speeds are not significant enough to be noticable.

3) Not the Sapphire R9 290X. The GPU is a reference card model, which has rather insufficient cooling and will throttle at load unless you turn up the fan, but the GPU will also end up sounding like a turbojet if you turn up the fan.

4) Continue to use Windows 7 unless you are feeling adventurous enough to try the rather different GUI in Windows 8.

5) If running a GTX 970, a 600W PSU should be more than enough to run everything, including your 2 HDDs as the GTX 970 is a relatively power sipping card.

6) You are paying an extra $10 for just the gold colouring. However, if you like gold casings, then go ahead.

7) Other than that, you rig is fine. Do note that true futureproofing is impossible in the fast changing techonological enviroment today and there is no guarantee that you will be able to play future games at max settings or even high settings if more poorly optimised games are to come out in the future.

Thanks Bro,

So it sounds like I should be going for the following build then?

MSI B85 G45 Gaming + i5-4460 ~ $335
Gskills Ripjaws 1600mhz 2x4gb kit ~ $114
Crucial mx100 256gb ~ $159 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $143.10)
HDD 2TB ~ Reuse
Palit GTX970 Jetstream~ $528 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $475.20)
Bitfenix Neos-Red Black + Superflower HX600 ~ $139 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $125.1)
Samsung ODD ~ $21
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM ~ Reuse

Total ~ $1213.40

So it sounds like I can still get my Swans M10 2.1 Speakers ~ $108 (Cybermind) and still come in under my budget of $1.5k... Right?

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks Bro,

So it sounds like I should be going for the following build then?

MSI B85 G45 Gaming + i5-4460 ~ $335
Gskills Ripjaws 1600mhz 2x4gb kit ~ $114
Crucial mx100 256gb ~ $159 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $143.10)
HDD 2TB ~ Reuse
Palit GTX970 Jetstream~ $528 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $475.20)
Bitfenix Neos-Red Black + Superflower HX600 ~ $139 (10% off Lazada Mondays ~ $125.1)
Samsung ODD ~ $21
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM ~ Reuse

Total ~ $1213.40

So it sounds like I can still get my Swans M10 2.1 Speakers ~ $108 (Cybermind) and still come in under my budget of $1.5k... Right?

Oh, and the B85-G43 Gaming + i5 4460 combo should cost around $400, but your total purchases will not exceed your budget unless you want to buy more things. Do note that Mastercard discounts are capped at $50 per transaction and you may need to buy the things seperately.

 

[need2hyde]

Thanks for your advice bro.

I've checked via Tradepac pricelist, the MSI B85 G45 Gaming + i5-4460 ~ $370 (corrected as of 22 Nov)

I am just wondering if its too much to aim for a red/black color theme as well? Lol ^^

Just a vanity issue, I know... But might as well eh? ^^

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks for your advice bro.

I've checked via Tradepac pricelist, the MSI B85 G45 Gaming + i5-4460 ~ $370 (corrected as of 22 Nov)

I am just wondering if its too much to aim for a red/black color theme as well? Lol ^^

Just a vanity issue, I know... But might as well eh? ^^

Not really. You happy can already.

If you want red and black theme, can get a MSI GTX 970 for the red and black cooler. Costs about $50+ more.

 

[need2hyde]

Thanks bro ^^

I think I would stick with the Palit GTX970 Jetstream... Go for a Black/Gold color scheme instead, lol ^^

Was looking through reviews for the Bitfenix Neos, sounds really bad... Guess I should go for the Fractal Design Define R4 Black w/Windows instead...

Any advice on this?

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks bro ^^

I think I would stick with the Palit GTX970 Jetstream... Go for a Black/Gold color scheme instead, lol ^^

Was looking through reviews for the Bitfenix Neos, sounds really bad... Guess I should go for the Fractal Design Define R4 Black w/Windows instead...

Any advice on this?

The R4 is kinda expensive at $169 for the windowed version. The HX 600M costs $108.

If you want Black and Gold (or light yellow), and assuming that you want to buy from Tradepac, can get Corsair Vengence 2X4GB kits for $112 and get an Asus B85 Plus ($352 with i5 4460) or Asus H87 Plus ($349 with i5 4460) to fit your theme. (I have no idea why the H87 board is cheaper than the B85 board, you will have to ask the Indians at Tradepac.)

 

[need2hyde]

Went down for a quick snoop at SLS just now. What's the diff between the motherboards? Any diff paying $370 for the MSI B85 G45 Gaming vs the cheaper Asus B85 or Asus H87 recommended beyond the color? Would the H87 MB be a better choice?

I'm thinking of getting the Define R4 Case via Lazada... Cheaper than $169 but it's a god-d**g huge case.... Lol. Should I switch to the NZXT H440 or Phantom 410 instead?

 

[Alternative X]

Went down for a quick snoop at SLS just now. What's the diff between the motherboards? Any diff paying $370 for the MSI B85 G45 Gaming vs the cheaper Asus B85 or Asus H87 recommended beyond the color? Would the H87 MB be a better choice?

I'm thinking of getting the Define R4 Case via Lazada... Cheaper than $169 but it's a god-d**g huge case.... Lol. Should I switch to the NZXT H440 or Phantom 410 instead?

1) The MSI B85 Gaming has Killer Ethernet for supposely lower latency internet connections and better audio capacitors for supposely better audio. The Asus B85 Plus does not have any of these features but the Asus H87 Plus comes with RAID support. (Don't think that you will be needing RAID, though.)

2) The NZXT H440 ($199) does not comes with an external 5.25'' bay for your DVD-RW and the Phantom 410 ($155-$169, depending on colour) is noted by some users here for plasticky build quality and various other issues. (May want to wait for further responses or go to SLS to see for yourself.) Can consider the Fractal Design Core 2500 ($89) if you want something smaller. No side windows though.

Can also consider the Corsair 200R if you want a smaller case. Think PC Themes may have one with a side window. (Better check with the shop first though.)

 

[shadow84]

I recommend getting one without killer lan. The software has issues. Most ppl just dl the drivers only. If so, might as well get intel lan. Like b85m g43.

 

[zenniz]

Do research on killer lan vs intel lan. From what i know, killer lan doesn't really perform better than intel lan.

Just buy a cheaper motherboard that fulfill your needs.

 

[need2hyde]

Thanks bros,

In which case, which Mobo should I go for?

i5 4460 with Asus H-87 Pro?

Or should I just go for more? As in more powerful processor and perhaps H97 Mobo? What's the diff? Been reading online... Since I'm not over clocking, seems like the basic B85 monos wld do? Correct?

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks bros,

In which case, which Mobo should I go for?

i5 4460 with Asus H-87 Pro?

Or should I just go for more? As in more powerful processor and perhaps H97 Mobo? What's the diff? Been reading online... Since I'm not over clocking, seems like the basic B85 monos wld do? Correct?

If you still want a black and gold color theme, the Asus B85 Plus with the i5 4460 will be good enough for your needs. The H87 Plus is perfectly optional as you are highly likely to never use RAID, but is worth considering only because it is a few dollars cheaper than the B85 Plus.

 

[need2hyde]

Thanks bro,

So it's starting to sound like I'm better off with the Asus B85-Plus and that I should not bother w the MSI B85-G43 Gaming, is that right?

In that case, should I use the $18 saved to 'upgrade' my CPU to an i5 4570 instead?

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks bro,

So it's starting to sound like I'm better off with the Asus B85-Plus and that I should not bother w the MSI B85-G43 Gaming, is that right?

In that case, should I use the $18 saved to 'upgrade' my CPU to an i5 4570 instead?

Pointless. The 0.2 Ghz difference will only translate to an increase in 1-2 FPS at best. I would rather take the $$$ and put in bank.

 

[need2hyde]

Lol! Thanks for the info bro! ^^