New PC Build - What Do You Think About These Parts?

[Graysull]

Hi,

I am planning on building my first custom PC. I am new at this, and I would like to know your feedback on my choice of products.

What I need a PC For: Internet Browsing, Multitasking, Movie Watching, Occasional Gaming with Eye Candy.

Note: I hardly ever overclock, I won't use water cooling, I won't use SSD's (too expensive).

Parts:

CPU: Intel i7 4790k
RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance
Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Anniversary
Case: Corsair Obsidian 350D with Side Window
PSU: Corsair CX750W Builder
HDD: 1 TB Western Digital HDD
Graphics: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X
Fans: 3 Rosewill 120mm Blue LED
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

Stuff I Already Have:

Mouse: Razer Mouse 2014
Keyboard: Razer Deathstalker
Headset: Razer Kraken 7.1 USB
Optical Drive: Asus 12X BD-ROM
Monitor: 2x Asus 1440x900, 1x Vizio TV 1080p

 

[Solarstarshines]

I would get the 290x why go for the 280 when everything has dropped in price also suggest investing in a SSD

The ram i would probably would go with Gskill Trident series if your paying that much for ram might as well get the best 2400mhz mater of fact

 

[GeneO]

+=1 on the SSD. It makes a big difference.

You will also want a decent CPU air cooler. The Intel stock one sucks even if you aren't going to overclock.If you do plan to do an OC, I would get an NH-D14 or equivalent cooling capacity. If not OC, then something like a CM Hyper 212 Evo. The RAM you have listed is tall, so you might have to change that or pick a cooler that sits high enough for the RAM to fit under. .

I would go for Windows 8.1. Windows 10 will be out late this year and should be a good deal.

Have fun!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What I need a PC For: Internet Browsing, Multitasking, Movie Watching, Occasional Gaming with Eye Candy.

Note: I hardly ever overclock, I won't use water cooling, I won't use SSD's (too expensive).

Parts:

CPU: Intel i7 4790k
RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance
Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Anniversary
Case: Corsair Obsidian 350D with Side Window
PSU: Corsair CX750W Builder
HDD: 1 TB Western Digital HDD
Graphics: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X
Fans: 3 Rosewill 120mm Blue LED
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

The above parts come to about $1170 through reliable sources in the USA.

There's clearly nothing wrong with what you've chosen.

I would quibble at the margins and allocate the same $1170 somewhat differently.

You say "hardly ever overclock", which I take to mean that you sometimes do and thus need a K processor.

For about the same price, can you find a power supply with a bit less wattage (550 to 650) from Corsair in their AX or HX series? How about XFX, EVGA, or Seasonic brands?

The case comes with a 140 mm intake and a 120 mm exhaust fan. I'd build it with those fans and use the saved money elsewhere. If I later decided I needed more fans, I wouldn't buy those Rosewills, certainly not 3 of them. You aren't likely to need more than 3 case fans total and your case comes with two. I'd build with the included fans and then evaluate, buying more fans only if temperatures or noise levels were too high.

I'd change the CPU to the i5-4690K (3.5 GHz) unless you can make the case that you need the hyperthreading feature of the 4790K.

I'd spend any savings from the changed case fans, processor, and PSU on an SSD, probably 120 to 250 GB in size. I'd put the operating system and applications on it and put data on that Western Digital 1 TB.

If you can tear yourself away from overclocking entirely, you can save even more on the motherboard and CPU.

 

[Graysull]

Hi,

In the future, I am planning to purchase a better heat sink fan for the CPU. I also, in the future, wanted to buy the Rosewill fans for their look. I am set on Windows 7, a HDD, 16GB of ram, and an i7 processor. I am willing to not use overclocking; I found an Intel i7 3770 for $35 less. Is this a better choice if I do not want overclocking? Also, is there any money I am spending that I don't need for my uses?

Thanks

 

[Pauly]

No SSD on a rig like that is crazy, buy one, fit it, love it

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Hi,

I am set on Windows 7, a HDD, 16GB of ram, and an i7 processor. I am willing to not use overclocking; I found an Intel i7 3770 for $35 less. Is this a better choice if I do not want overclocking? Also, is there any money I am spending that I don't need for my uses?

If you don't intend to overclock, you can look for a motherboard that has an H97 chipset, rather than Z97. As far as I know, there's no reason you can't use an H97 board with an i7.

The 3770 is the previous generation of Intel processors. Nothing at all wrong with it, but what about the i7-4790 or i7-4770?

If you aren't overclocking, there's no particular reason to get a K processor (like the i7-4790K). An overclocking person would normally buy a K processor and a Z97 motherboard.

If you have no overclocking intentions, there's no reason to buy another CPU cooler, unless you'd do so for reasons of lower noise or "looks" or maybe you feel a compulsion to reduce temps from maybe 36 to maybe 32.

You ask "is there any money I am spending that I don't need for my uses?" after having said you are locked into an i7. I'd say yes to your question, but you say so what, I'm locked in to i7.

You'd notice the benefit of an SSD constantly and quite possibly never notice the benefit of an i7, but if you are locked into it for your reasons that we don't know about, then knock yourself out.

 

[Graysull]

The reason I will not use an SSD is because they are too expensive for me, at least at this point in time. I will consider an i5 as it is a decent amount cheaper. I checked and it seems that an H97M version of the one I chose is about the same price?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Graysull,
Respectfully you only use the ssd for the OS and vital and large programs like Office and Photoshop and maybe a few games so a 128gb ssd is huge and these days you can easily score one for as little as $60.00.....for that money why wouldn't you enjoy the speed of boot, program opening and closing, plus less wear on the spinner and less energy and heat !

 

[Graysull]

Ok, I will consider an SSD. Right now I have used 300GB of my 1TB HDD, but I am not sure how much of that I really need. Do you think I should get an SSD for OS and games and get a HDD for file saving and such? I also will now probably be going with an i5-4690 as it is less pricey and is probably more suited for what I need.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

The i5 will fly, I built a mini-itx build with a i5 it's a beast and over clocks very well with a H80i. Yes you should clean install W7 on a 128gb ssd like these:

Crucial MX100 CT128MX100SSD1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

Mushkin Enhanced MKNSSDCR120GB-7 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

SAMSUNG 840 EVO MZ-7TE120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

Then just use the 1TB for data, music, videos and games.

 

[Graysull]

Ok, I will consider getting an SSD. Thanks

 

[linnemeyerhere]

It may seem like we're ssd sales people but when you see first hand how fast they are you'll understand and thank us !

 

[N00berG00ber]

TBH, i would always want to buy an overclockable CPU. you dont have to OC, but 3 years down the road, instead of buying an entire new CPU and MOBO, just overclock and buy a heatsink and it will be good for a while. plus, one dosent have to OC much at all to gain a decent amount of performance. you can most likely OC a 3770k to 4.0-4.2GHz on all cores with stock or less then stock voltage while also keeping the same temps roughly

 

[GeneO]

Hi,

In the future, I am planning to purchase a better heat sink fan for the CPU. I also, in the future, wanted to buy the Rosewill fans for their look. I am set on Windows 7, a HDD, 16GB of ram, and an i7 processor. I am willing to not use overclocking; I found an Intel i7 3770 for $35 less. Is this a better choice if I do not want overclocking? Also, is there any money I am spending that I don't need for my uses?

Thanks

Just be aware that your RAM and case selection will affect what air CPU coolers that you can install. That RAM is awful tall and not many air coolers can clear it. The case looks OK though.

Also as far as CPU choice - I would go with the 4790k, especially if you do not plan to OC right away - since it is 4GHz stock. The rub is the cooler supplied with it isn't adequate at high loads.