[Gaming Rig] What would you change?

[Yonix]

Hey guys,

Last August I decided to build a new gaming rig. It was something I hadn't done in eight years, so I was pretty excited to get my hands 'dirty' after all these years.

The setup, and hardware I decided on, after extensive research, was the following:

• CPU - Intel Core i5-4460 (Haswell);
• MB - Gigabyte G1.Sniper B5;
• RAM - Crucial Ballistix Tactical 8GB, PC3-12800 (DDR3-1600);
• GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD7950 3GB DDR5 With Boost;
• HDD - Seagate Desktop HDD, 1TB;
• SSD - Crucial MX100, 128GB;
• O/D - Samsung SH-224DB, Black;
• PSU - XFX Pro. 550W;
• Case - Cooler Master N300.

But after a couple of weeks of gaming I knew I wanted more 'bang', so I changed a couple of hardware parts. The GPU was replaced by a more powerful Sapphire Radeon R9 290X TRI-X 4GB DDR5, the PSU was replaced by a Seasonic S12II-Bronze 620W, the stock Intel-cooler was replaced by a Scythe Mugen 4, and I placed an extra 120mm case fan in the Cooler Master N300.

So, I am typing this message on the following rig:

• CPU - Intel Core i5-4460 (Haswell);
• CPU Cooler - Scythe Mugen 4;
• MB - Gigabyte G1.Sniper B5;
• RAM - Crucial Ballistix Tactical 8GB, PC3-12800 (DDR3-1600);
• GPU - Sapphire Radeon R9 290X TRI-X 4GB DDR5;
• HDD - Seagate Desktop HDD, 1TB;
• SSD - Crucial MX100, 128GB;
• O/D - Samsung SH-224DB, Black;
• PSU - Seasonic S12II-Bronze 620W;
• Case - Cooler Master N300 (+ extra case fan).

The system is great, and it all works wonderful in combination with Windows 8.1 Professional, but I've sold my PlaySation 4 today and was wondering if there is something else I can add or change to make it even better. ^_^

So, my question for you guys: What would you change or add?

My budget: $425.

PS And this is exactly why I haven't build a gaming rig in over eight years, the building/upgrading never stops.

 

[Essence_of_War]

If you're not planning on Xfire/SLI in the near future, you could switch to a Devil's Canyon CPU and an inexpensive Z97 MoBo and try to get a nice OC going with the Mugen 4.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($75.66 @ Newegg)
Total: $315.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-05 08:57 EST-0500

You're well into diminishing returns at this point though. Hopping from a mid-range i5 to a high-end i5 in the same generation is nearly the definition of diminishing returns.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I'd up the budget $25 and get a 1 TB EVO 840 SSD. Either that, or maybe a nicer monitor. No reason to change any of the internals of your system.

 

[Essence_of_War]

I'd up the budget $25 and get a 1 TB EVO 840 SSD. Either that, or maybe a nicer monitor. No reason to change any of the internals of your system.

This is a good point. What kind of monitor do you have right now?

Also, have you considered a decent KB, mouse, headphones, or speakers? You can pick up a solid mechanical KB for between 70-170 depending on exactly what features you want, and you can get a very nice mouse for ~$60, a great set of headphones for $85.

At the point you're at with hardware, nice peripherals will probably contribute more to your enjoyment of your gaming/desktop experience than any internal upgrades.

 

[Cerb]

I second the monitor suggestion.

 

[Yonix]

This is a good point. What kind of monitor do you have right now?

Also, have you considered a decent KB, mouse, headphones, or speakers? You can pick up a solid mechanical KB for between 70-170 depending on exactly what features you want, and you can get a very nice mouse for ~$60, a great set of headphones for $85.

At the point you're at with hardware, nice peripherals will probably contribute more to your enjoyment of your gaming/desktop experience than any internal upgrades.

At the moment I'm using a Iiyama ProLite X2483HSU-B1 monitor (1080p @60Hz) with an A-MVA-panel; great contrast, colors and viewing angle, but some games show tearing because of the 'low' refresh rate. Solution: V-Sync or a framecap (60fps).

Peripheral wise I have a Logitech G105 illuminating gaming keyboard, a Logitech G602 wireless gaming mouse, and a Logitech X-230 2.1 speaker set.
Next to that I have three headsets I use from time to time: a Logitech F540 wireless headset, a Sony Wireless Gold headset and a Sennheiser HD 205 (wired).

So, peripheral wise I am covered. I also have no interest in a mechanical keyboard, since I am not a hardcore/professional gamer.

I have been looking at the Intel Core i5-4690K to get some extra boost, but I am not a big fan of OC'ing. It is good to have the option though. Will I get a considerable boost if I just upgrade the CPU without OC'ing?

And I haven't thought about a Crossfire-setup in the future. And it could be something to look into. If so, what is a good Crossfire motherboard?

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Yuriman]

+1 for mechanical keyboard, it's a pleasure to type on. If you don't ever type much either, that's a fair reason not to spend money on one, I suppose...

Speakers and headphones look like your weak link to me, or your monitor. If you feel you need to get a drop-in replacement to increase performance without overclocking, the only chip I can recommend you is a 4790K. At stock, it will turbo to 4.4GHz. I'd upgrade the 'cans or screen first though, if it were mine.

 

[Yonix]

+1 for mechanical keyboard, it's a pleasure to type on. If you don't ever type much either, that's a fair reason not to spend money on one, I suppose...

Speakers and headphones look like your weak link to me, or your monitor. If you feel you need to get a drop-in replacement to increase performance without overclocking, the only chip I can recommend you is a 4790K. At stock, it will turbo to 4.4GHz. I'd upgrade the 'cans or screen first though, if it were mine.

What kind of speakers and screen would you recommend?

 

[Termie]

If this system is primarily used for gaming, there is no better upgrade that a 120Hz/144Hz monitor. It will change your gaming experience. Asus, Philips, AOC and BenQ make nice models. Choose the one available in your area.

You don't need to upgrade anything else in that system, and I'll be honest with you - both your power supply and CPU cooler upgrade were unnecessary given the system you're using. I would avoid the urge to upgrade additional components that will provide you with little benefit.

 

[Yuriman]

The X-230's you have are rated at 32w, vs the 500w of the system I'm running, and due to the very small satellite speakers almost all of your middle bass and even some of the mids will be coming from the sub, which is very bad for soundstage. I'm running a very old set of Logitech Z5500's with some added tower speakers, and quite happy with them. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a new king of PC speakers, but I haven't kept up with them. You could piece together a system yourself though, based on recommendations from an audio forum, rather than buy a prebuilt system.

This is a very old image of my setup, but the details of the speakers haven't changed:

Note that my desk is made from two speakers and a door.


If I were to pick up a new monitor, I'd get one of the 27" IPS panels that can be overclocked to 100-120hz, with minimal inputs to cut down on input lag. 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 I'm not picky about. I have no specific recommendations as I haven't kept up with them lately either.

EDIT: Check this out: http://overlordcomputer.com/collections/27-monitors/products/tempest-x270oc-glossy

 

[Zorander]

I second the peripherals suggestions.

A new monitor if you primarily game or edit images.

Better speakers or headphones if you listen to music, etc.

They will outlast your system and future ones. I know mine have.

 

[Yuriman]

I second the peripherals suggestions.

A new monitor if you primarily game or edit images.

Better speakers or headphones if you listen to music, etc.

They will outlast your system and future ones. I know mine have.

I'm on the same screen I bought in 2005, and the same speakers I got in 2002, and only recently have I been even mildly enticed to upgrade my screen.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Might as well upgrade to a 4790k for the 4.0 GHz base clock then if you have that money to spend and want a CPU upgrade.