New system build

[DebenPoison]

Hi all,

I haven't built a gaming rig in a couple years, so I'm a little out of the loop on the latest hardware out there.
Nevertheless I'm relocating overseas to British Columbia, Canada from South Africa and want to build myself a gaming system. I've priced up some components from newegg.ca but perhaps I can do better or save some $$$ where possible. Perhaps there's better sites for me to order from?

The total comes to around CAD $1900 which to me seem's pretty steep considering I've gone easy on the CPU and GPU but there is a 27" monitor included in here..

Please give me some advice on the following hardware I've picked out so far:

CPU: Intel Core i5-7500 Kaby Lake Quad-Core 3.4 GHz LGA 1151
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...2280.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

Motherboard:
MSI B250M GAMING PRO LGA 1151
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...9289.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2400
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...3642.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

GPU:
ASUS GeForce GTX 1060 DUAL-GTX1060-O6G 6GB
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...6616.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

Storage:
SAMSUNG 850 EVO 2.5" 500GB SSD
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...3642.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSHD 1TB SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5"
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...3642.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207


PSU:
CORSAIR CX-M Series CX750M 750W 80 PLUS BRONZE
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...6616.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207


Chassis:
Fractal Design Define S Black Window Silent ATX Midtower
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...6616.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

Monitor:
BenQ GW2760HS Black 27" VA 4ms (GTG) LCD/LED Monitor
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...0971.29415699.1503770958-764617033.1497796207

OR

AOC - 27" Widescreen Flat-Panel IPS LED HD Monitor
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/aoc-27...or-piano-black-silver/6293177.p?skuId=6293177


Comments & suggestions please

 

[thebluebumblebee]

Welcome to TPU!

The first Core i7 and Core i5 "Coffee Lake" desktop processors could launch alongside compatible motherboards based on the Intel Z370 chipset, some time in October, 2017.

I would recommend against building a system right now until we see what Intel has in store with "Coffee Lake". I don't think the "B" series motherboards will be available this year, so that might push your cost higher.
About the FireCuda drive, the 3.5" version will be considerably faster.
There's nothing wrong with the Define S, but I would suggest looking at the Define Mini C instead, unless you are planning a custom water cooling loop in the future.
You don't need a 750 watt PSU. A 450 watt PSU will do just fine.
Nothing wrong with that GPU, but I would suggest one a little bit higher on the product stack. A MSI gaming would also look nice with your motherboard and RAM.
You could just drop the SSD ($200!) and go with a 2 TB Firecuda. An SSD does not make games run faster.

My bias? Small and quiet.

And there's no reason to not consider a Ryzen build...

 

[eidairaman1]

Might aswell drop the processor down further, a Ryzen 3 or equivalent.

 

[DebenPoison]

Reasons for dropping the CPU or switching to AMD? Purely cost savings? Last time I checked, Intel was certainly taking a substantial lead against AMD in terms of their CPU performance..

I currently have a core i5 4670K CPU with a Z87 MSI board here in SA, I could bring the CPU with me and then simply look for a socket 1150 board when I'm there. Do you still get them and would you guys recommend this rather than buying new?

 

[Caelestis]

Well, in this case I would buy a new board. There is not a big difference between the 4670k and the 7500, if any at all. Furthermore I would buy a smaller SSD for the OS and a few programs. 160GB should be enough. In addition a slightly smaller PSU (550/650). You can spend the saved money for a 1070 instead of a 1060.

 

[thebluebumblebee]

I'm a little out of the loop on the latest hardware out there.

Reasons for dropping the CPU or switching to AMD? Purely cost savings? Last time I checked, Intel was certainly taking a substantial lead against AMD in terms of their CPU performance

Things have changed. Intel's still ahead, but barely.

I currently have a core i5 4670K CPU with a Z87 MSI board here in SA, I could bring the CPU with me and then simply look for a socket 1150 board when I'm there.

I just checked Newegg USA. All of the socket 1150 motherboards that they have are of the CSM variety - meant for business use. I'd sell the system there and start over here.

 

[Countryside]

I see no point in switching form i5 4670K to 7500 if you want a new system my recommendation is get a ryzen 1600 it has a discount & ASUS PRIME B350-PLUS

or wait and get the Coffe lake.

Reasons for dropping the CPU or switching to AMD? Purely cost savings? Last time I checked, Intel was certainly taking a substantial lead against AMD in terms of their CPU performance..

With Ryzen 3 and little bit of OC you get the best price to performance ratio and in my book it makes the current i3 obsolete and its not far from an 7500 and you save up to 80$

 

[DebenPoison]

Interesting inputs so far ... thanks guys... I've decided if I do go ahead with this build, I'll definitely be dropping the 5400rpm firecuda and upgrading to a GTX 1070. Found a decent EVGA GTX 1070 for CAD$ 580.

WTR to the 4670K, I will be selling my complete system here, so I'll be fetching around $500 - $650 here that will be put in to my new system.

AMD I'm not big on, guess I'm slightly bias towards Intel, so I'd be hard pressed to convince myself to go with an AMD system though I will consider it.

Regarding the 27" LED monitors, whats the opinions? Go with something like the BenQ 27" LED @ CAD $200 which is spoken highly of, or go with an AOC 27" IPS monitor? Leaning towards the AOC @ CAD $170 at this point.

Pity I can't share my entire Wishlist from newegg here so you could see the updated build I've chosen.

Lastly and its a big one, I know black friday is big in the States & Canada and I know that its coming end of November. Perhaps its worth waiting for this period to build a machine? Does newegg etc often offer big discounts on PC components around black friday and cyber monday?

Thanks again for the replies!

 

[thebluebumblebee]

Pity I can't share my entire Wishlist from newegg here so you could see the updated build I've chosen.

Use pcpartpicker.com
This would really blow the price through the roof, but it would really be nice if you could get a high refresh rate, 1440P, G-sync monitor. I do not like 27" 1080P monitors - I can see the individual pixels. 24" is the biggest for 1080P, IMO.
IMHO, Newegg uses Black Friday as a clearance sale.
If you're going to be traveling through a US city on your way, you night check if there's a MicroCenter close by to see if you could dash off and grab one of their CPU/motherboard deals.

 

[DebenPoison]

Thanks Bumble, I'll check out the 1440p monitors...Here's my revised build without a monitor - https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/mzDmtJ

Unfortunately no I won't be going via the US.

Edit: I think the 500GB SSD will come in handy. I have a second hand 1TB 7200rpm HDD which I'll install in the PC.

This looks gorgeous - http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...us-black-open-box-29um58-p-aus/10484292.aspx?

 

[thebluebumblebee]

This is why there have been suggestions to go with Ryzen. Note that all Ryzen CPU's are unlocked.
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.3621234

I think the 500GB SSD will come in handy.

SSD's are nice. Systems almost jump to life with a SSD. But if the SSD is not big enough to run off of , the advantage goes away. It's the first thing I cut from a system when trying to save some money. That FireCuda drive basically has an 8 GB SSD built in, so boots are fast, and over time it learns what programs you use and launches them from the "SSD" for improved speed. Just my 2 cents.

This looks gorgeous - http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...us-black-open-box-29um58-p-aus/10484292.aspx?

It still a 60 Hz monitor and that 14 ms response time is terrible.
Monitors is where the greatest changes have and are happening. You might want to read: https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Acer/Predator_XB271HU/

 

[cucker tarlson]

This looks gorgeous - http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...us-black-open-box-29um58-p-aus/10484292.aspx?

Don't buy this one. I've seen it live and the super thick inner bezel absolutely ruins it. Look how thick and ugly the inner bezel is.

Plus I can't say the sharpness was that good. Even though 21:9 29" monitors are ultrawide versions of 23.5 16:9 displays and should have a decent dpi, I can't say that about this particular LG one. Maybe it's the panel, maybe it's the coating, but running at native 2560x1080 the image wasn't clear enough for me.

 

[DebenPoison]

Thanks for the replies,

Bumble you and the others that posted earlier seem to be right on the money with your advice,

Seems like a Ryzen build is a good plan after all, that extra money I can then throw in to something else... like these damn expensive Gsync and 144hz monitors!!!

Regarding, the monitors - I've done a bit more homework on them now so thanks for your last reply Bumble!

Definitely seems as though a 1440p 27" monitor is the way to go now. Gsync seems like a bonus (albeit a really nice one) and 144hz would be great, but the cost of these monitors is sole destroying!

I'm sort of thinking that it might be worthwhile settling for a 60hz 1440p 27" IPS monitor... but if there's a good deal out there for a 144hz unit then please point the way Perhaps that black friday/cyber monday special might present the right deal!

 

[cucker tarlson]

Get this:

New core i3 (4c/4t=former i5)
Vega56 Nitro
this monitor https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824022485

This will require some patience as non-reference V56 cards might pop up as late as October, but it's worth the wait.

 

[EarthDog]

Id only grab vega56 at 399, or if you want to pay for the games that come with the 499 one for 'free'.

On a budget, you cant go wrong with amd. If you want to squeeze every last % of performamce out and have more overclocking headroom, go intel.

Also, budget allowing, get 4c/8t cpu.

 

[ikeke]

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/VXBjd6

(or wait a bit, if the rumors about GTX1070Ti are true it'll be the best choice in this price bracket)

 

[DebenPoison]

Hey guys

Been finding my feet since getting over here therefore haven't bought anything as yet.

Thanks for last post ikeke...

I've put together this https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/NYd7QV which is a mix of what some of you have suggested and what I've come across from reviews and other forums as good buys

Opinions?

There's no screen on there yet as I've got a screen I can use in the meantime while I wait for a special or something I like... but for now, this looks like the parts I'm going to order

 

[thebluebumblebee]

I realize that the Zotac - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Mini is much cheaper than many of the other GTX 1070's, but I'd encourage you to read this review of the GTX 1080 version of that card, and then compare that with the ASUS Strix (1080 review) or MSI Gaming X or EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SuperClocked and you will find that the latter cards are MUCH quieter and will most likely OC better. The rest of your build should be quite quiet so putting a noisy GPU in there would sorta be a shame.

FYI: The GPU's that you're looking at don't come with analog out. That means, unless you purchase a separate adapter, your monitor must have a DVI, HDMI or Display Port connection.

I see you went with a Ryzen build. Did you check that the RAM you chose is on the QVL list for the motherboard? They're kinda picky at this stage of the game.

Grrr, that case. Spent some time watching a video on Youtube only to, once again, find that Cooler Master doesn't understand air flow on their cheaper cases. The only place that the front fans can pull outside air from (at 7:40) is the top and bottom of the front panel. IMHO, NOT ENOUGH!

Edit: Case suggestions: Fractal Design Focus G, Fractal Design Define Mini C, Fractal Design MESHIFY C ( sorry, kinda stuck in a rut, aren't I)

 

[DebenPoison]

Bumble,

I checked into the memory and its not listed on the QVL as you said. I found quite a few memory modules from CORSAIR are on that list and then found these via partpicker.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01HKF56JW/?tag=pcp0f-20

However again the part number for this module doesnt seem to be on the QVL. Should I take a chance on them or go with something else? Any suggestions what would work instead?

The GPU - havent had a chance to look at yet... will do though.

As for the case, I love that cooler master chassis and even after watching your review still found that its the one I want

 

[thebluebumblebee]

Can you wait a month? Intel is launching its 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" processor family on October 5th, and Nvidia is reportedly set to release the GTX 1070 Ti by the end of October. Both of these products will cause a change in performance or price with the build that you're looking at. We can also watch to see if there's a price drop on the 1070's before the 1070 Ti comes out.

 

[DebenPoison]

Hey guys,

Just an update - I ordered up the parts I eventually decided on and built the rig and its a beauty!

Thank to you everyone who assisted me and offered input!

Specs:

Gigabyte AB350 Gaming 3 Motherboard
Ryzen 5 1600 3.2Ghz CPU
Gskill Ripjaws V 3000Mhz 16GB DDR4
WD Blue 512GB SSD PCIe NVMe
Zotac GTX 1070
EVGA 550W Gold Plus Modular PSU
Coolermaster Master box 5
MSI Optix G27C2 144Hz Curved Monitor


Pictures are attached.

 

[NumberCruncher]

Well, it's been a little while. How do you like your new setup?

 

[DebenPoison]

In summary, very happy with it!

Thebluebumblebee was correct with regards to the Zotac 1070 mini, it's quite loud and is one of the few complaints I'd have about my build.

Other than that, I'm happy with everything else. Although its fairly noisy (Haven't had another 1070 so not sure how noise levels would compare) the performance of the 1070 card is very good.

I wanted a 1440p 144hz screen but the prices are ridiculous and I'm very happy with my MSI 1080p 144hz monitor (Having a curved screen isn't a must - but it's freaking sexy when you do have one!)

Have yet to do any overclocking, but its definitely something I'll be messing with in the future. For now, performance of the machine on anything I play is excellent so I don't feel as though I'm missing out on anything by not overclocking.