Introduction

4K Ultra HD is a new frontier for high-end gaming desktops. This resolution pays heavy dividends with visual quality, and on a 28-inch monitor with it, the pixels are so small (with a 150+ dpi pixel pitch) that you practically don't need anti-aliasing. You get to max out texture details (and yes, game developers are dumping some very detailed textures into their games these days).


Image Source: LogicalIncrements

An equally valid high-end gaming PC resolution is 2560 x 1440 at 120 Hz with adaptive-sync technologies, such as G-SYNC or FreeSync. Yet that resolution would need lighter hardware than what it takes to keep framerates above 60 fps at 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), and we'll cover it in a separate article next week. We recommend setting aside at least $3,500 to build a gaming PC for smooth 4K gaming. Adjusted with inflation, this is the same kind of money you'd spend to build a desktop that gamed at the highest resolution five years ago, or even a decade ago. 5K (5120 x 2880) is a very rare resolution, and would escalate hardware requirements to kingdom come.

For this build, our hardware choices will be utilitarian. We won't pick hardware for extreme overclocking or cheap hardware that falls apart in a year.

Processor

Intel Core i7-6700K - $360
Surprise! You don't need a 6-8 core HEDT chip, such as the Core i7 "Haswell-E," or its cumbersome platform. The quad-core Intel Core i7-6700K based on the company's latest "Skylake" architecture will still make the cut with games at 4K. The per-core performance of the i7-6700K is higher than that of the i7-5960X, and at $360, the chip is a bargain when you factor in its platform costs. A $150-ish motherboard with two PCI-Express slots and a dual-channel DDR4 memory kit are sufficient firepower for gaming, compared to the $220 you need to spend on a decent quality socket LGA2011v3 motherboard without the quad-channel memory.

Cooling

DeepCool GamerStorm Captain 240 - $109
The i7-6700K doesn't come with a stock cooling solution, so be sure to set aside some dough for a good cooler. The GamerStorm Captain 240 from DeepCool is earning good reviews among buyers and the community at large, in offering top-notch cooling performance at a good price. This AIO liquid cooler combines a cyberpunk styled pump block with a reasonably thick 240 mm x 120 mm radiator and two PWM controlled 120 mm spinners. That makes it our pick.