Graphic design/Gaming rig,help needed!

[wiz4aoe179]

PROCESSOR + MOTHERBOARD
i5-4690k
Asrock Anniversary
MSI Z97m-g43
MSI Z97 Guard Pro/PC Mate
($450~)

GPU
Palit GTX 970 jetstream ($480)
Zotac GTX 970 normal. ($480)
Might try and get 2nd hand ones.

RAM
4GBx2 G.Skill Ripjawsx 2133MHz ($123) (Might just get 1600 just to save 20$)
8GBx1 Curial 1600 DDR3 CL11
CT102464BA160B
($70)
Might get 2nd hand ones.

PSU
Seasonic S12II-620 620W BRONZE 80 PLUS POWER SUPPLY
($99) (Looking at possible OC in future upgrades/SLI)

CASE
??
WINDOWS
Windows 8.1

HDD
Using my old harddrive.

Budget 1.2k below!

Currently I am thinking of getting the processor, mobo, psu, case and windows at the same shop. Then I will install windows my by myself at home. For GPU and RAM probably gonna try buy 2nd hand to save a few dollars.. My budget was actually 1.1k but due to not wanting to change processor and GPU, I really have little option for the rest of the stuff..

I am looking at having 2 screens in the future and OCing.. And not gonna have to change anything for aleast 5yrs

And anyone know anything about the Curial ram? I saw someone selling it at this forum.. Kinda skeptical because of the price..

Also kinda need help picking a casing might push my budget if the casing is really good and can keep reused. Same goes for PSU might consider adding abit more, but 620 should be enough if I want to SLI/Crossfire in the future? Or is 970 good enough for 2 monitor and won't require SLI?

Also for the motherboards they all have about the same price but which is better?

Please give me some of your opinion and thanks in advance!

 

[Alternative X]

1) Name all software that you are using with this rig.

2) What are you going to use the two screens for?

3) It would be a better idea to drop any idea of OC since you have a tight budget. OC stuff are not cheap, you know.

4) Do you realise that the mobos on your list are incapable of SLI? The Asrock Z97 Anniversary Edition does not even have enough PCI-E X16 slots for a Crossfire setup. Besides, by the time you actually need to SLI/Crossfire the GTX 970, there would likely be a single GPU solution that is probably much faster than 2X SLIed GTX 970s.

5) A 620W PSU is incapable of supporting a SLI/Crossfire setup unless you are using a SLI/Crossfire setup with 2X GTX 760/R9 270 GPUs. (Or the future equivalent of these GPUs.)

6) Crucial is one of the more established brands of RAM. Would also suggest that you use ValueRAMs to save $$$.

7) Do note that Windows 8.1 has a rather different GUI and it is best that you try out Windows 8.1 at a electronics superstore nesr you before deciding to get Windows 8.1.

8) Any ATX casing is good enough for reuse throughout different builds.

 

[wiz4aoe179]

Thanks for replying!
1) Gonna use for Games, photoshop, basic video rendering and watching movies.

2) Normally I have Firefox with 5 or more tabs on.. 1 or more games on. If I am playing mmorpgs maybe even more. Plus photoshop I guess.

3&4) Yes the listed mobo don't support SLI but in the future I might change it when I need to SLI. But since u say when the future comes there will have a single better GPU I might just drop the idea of SLI option.
For overclocking I know it's expensive but really want to have the option.

5) Ic, should I just reduce it to a 500w instead? I was thinking of getting a 700w so in future upgrades I won't have to get them again..

6&7) Thanks I guess I would just find value rams instead! Yep I saw the 8.1 GUI but it can also go back to windows 7 form right?

8) alright I will go check out the atx cases

Really thank you for helping! I know it's kinda ridiculous trying to squeeze so many stuff under 300. But if the item is gonna be future proof, like I don't have to get them anymore if I were to change builds I don't mind squeezing out abit more.
Like the 620 isn't gonna help with SLI I might just change it to 500 or 700 just in case I might want to SLI or something..

 

[enenyi]

Thanks for replying!
1) Gonna use for Games, photoshop, basic video rendering and watching movies.

2) Normally I have Firefox with 5 or more tabs on.. 1 or more games on. If I am playing mmorpgs maybe even more. Plus photoshop I guess.

3&4) Yes the listed mobo don't support SLI but in the future I might change it when I need to SLI. But since u say when the future comes there will have a single better GPU I might just drop the idea of SLI option.
For overclocking I know it's expensive but really want to have the option.

5) Ic, should I just reduce it to a 500w instead? I was thinking of getting a 700w so in future upgrades I won't have to get them again..

6&7) Thanks I guess I would just find value rams instead! Yep I saw the 8.1 GUI but it can also go back to windows 7 form right?

8) alright I will go check out the atx cases

Really thank you for helping! I know it's kinda ridiculous trying to squeeze so many stuff under 300. But if the item is gonna be future proof, like I don't have to get them anymore if I were to change builds I don't mind squeezing out abit more.
Like the 620 isn't gonna help with SLI I might just change it to 500 or 700 just in case I might want to SLI or something..

For a gaming/photoshop/video editing rig, a basic rig will do. Spend more money on a good monitor since you will be staring at the monitor and not the CPU components for most of your time. I dun have the time to hunt thru the pricelists for pricing, but roughly this is wad u shld get:

CPU+MB: An i5 4690k and a decent Z97 mobo. If u r not liquid cooling your CPU (which u dun need if u wun b doing intensive video rendering), overclocking to 4.2GHz on an i5 is better than spending money on an i7.

RAM: 16GB RAM. Photo/video editing consumes a lot of RAM usage. Get valueRAMs if u dun have budget to buy the expensive ones.

GPU: Any GTX 970 will do. Stick to Nvidia cards coz u can use both CUDA and OpenCL, whereas AMD cards only allow OpenCL. Enable CUDA for GPU hardware acceleration on Adobe Premiere Pro/After Effects to speed up rendering times. And dun bother about SLI since 970 can handle most games at max settings. By the time u have money for SLI, the performance from buying another 970 for SLI would be so marginal that u would rather upgrade to another single-GPU solution in future.

SSD: Any cheap 256GB SSD will do. Crucial MX100 256GB or OCZ Arc 240GB are worth the try.

HDD: Use back current.

PSU: 600W to 700W will do. Recommended brands are Seasonic and Corsair.

Casing: Personal Preference. Go down Sim Lim to see for yourself or search via google.

OS: Windows 8/Windows 8.1. Your preference, though I would still stick to Windows 7.

Monitor: Use the remaining budget to splurge on a good monitor. Depends on whether u wan 1080p or 1440p. Dell monitors would be the best for photo/video editing since they have the most accurate factory-calibrated color settings. At most, buy a calibration meter (Spyder Elite 4 or something else) to maintain the color consistency when u edit photos/videos.

Wad i've learnt in building my own rig is that even if u can build the most powerful CPU rig but buy a monitor (like my Philips 27" 1080p monitor) that has washed-out colors, your photo/video editing will still be negatively affected.

 

[wiz4aoe179]

For a gaming/photoshop/video editing rig, a basic rig will do. Spend more money on a good monitor since you will be staring at the monitor and not the CPU components for most of your time. I dun have the time to hunt thru the pricelists for pricing, but roughly this is wad u shld get:

CPU+MB: An i5 4690k and a decent Z97 mobo. If u r not liquid cooling your CPU (which u dun need if u wun b doing intensive video rendering), overclocking to 4.2GHz on an i5 is better than spending money on an i7.

RAM: 16GB RAM. Photo/video editing consumes a lot of RAM usage. Get valueRAMs if u dun have budget to buy the expensive ones.

GPU: Any GTX 970 will do. Stick to Nvidia cards coz u can use both CUDA and OpenCL, whereas AMD cards only allow OpenCL. Enable CUDA for GPU hardware acceleration on Adobe Premiere Pro/After Effects to speed up rendering times. And dun bother about SLI since 970 can handle most games at max settings. By the time u have money for SLI, the performance from buying another 970 for SLI would be so marginal that u would rather upgrade to another single-GPU solution in future.

SSD: Any cheap 256GB SSD will do. Crucial MX100 256GB or OCZ Arc 240GB are worth the try.

HDD: Use back current.

PSU: 600W to 700W will do. Recommended brands are Seasonic and Corsair.

Casing: Personal Preference. Go down Sim Lim to see for yourself or search via google.

OS: Windows 8/Windows 8.1. Your preference, though I would still stick to Windows 7.

Monitor: Use the remaining budget to splurge on a good monitor. Depends on whether u wan 1080p or 1440p. Dell monitors would be the best for photo/video editing since they have the most accurate factory-calibrated color settings. At most, buy a calibration meter (Spyder Elite 4 or something else) to maintain the color consistency when u edit photos/videos.

Wad i've learnt in building my own rig is that even if u can build the most powerful CPU rig but buy a monitor (like my Philips 27" 1080p monitor) that has washed-out colors, your photo/video editing will still be negatively affected.

Thanks for your opinion!
Actually I already have mouse keyboard monitor etc. so the budget is just for the rig itself only. By decent mobo are the one I listed good enough? Like asrock anniversary, msi pc mate and guard pro.

I guess I have a decent idea on what to get, now just left with comfirming the mobo, psu and case.

 

[enenyi]

Thanks for your opinion!
Actually I already have mouse keyboard monitor etc. so the budget is just for the rig itself only. By decent mobo are the one I listed good enough? Like asrock anniversary, msi pc mate and guard pro.

I guess I have a decent idea on what to get, now just left with comfirming the mobo, psu and case.

I think AsRock Z97 Pro4 would better suit u. The 2 MSI mobos u mentioned seem short on features, and AsRock Anniversary i doubt is brought into local stores.

 

[wiz4aoe179]

I think AsRock Z97 Pro4 would better suit u. The 2 MSI mobos u mentioned seem short on features, and AsRock Anniversary i doubt is brought into local stores.

If I can get asrock anniversary locally with local warranty isit worth it? Because I saw it at simlim in one of the store. What kind of features that are missing are we talking about?

 

[enenyi]

If I can get asrock anniversary locally with local warranty isit worth it? Because I saw it at simlim in one of the store. What kind of features that are missing are we talking about?

Google for the boards that are mentioned and compare them side-by-side. The Asrock Z97 pro4 has more pcie x4/x8 slots and i dunno if the boards u mention can SLI or not, given that they only got 1 pcie3.0 slot. And the usb ports, sata ports, depends on your usage actually. For me,i would go for the Pro4 since it carries more features at just abt $20 more expensive.