How's my Battlefield 4/Excel/Web Browsing Mini ITX build? (<$1000)

[tracerit]

I'm considering getting a desktop to complement my laptop instead of a whole new laptop. My primary use of the desktop would be:

1. Web Browsing (i love to open multiple tabs in Chrome to queue my reading sprees when I get home from work)
2. Setting up a file syncing method to backup my family videos across two hard drives (was thinking of syncing files from my dad's desktop to my external HDs (via USB) across our network) My desktop would be always on.
3. Excel (use a lot of formulas and processing).

I'd like to setup my desktop to be a home server for my dad's computer yet for me to be able to still use it as a primary. My laptop would not be used when I'm at home.




Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352027

Corsair TX 650W ATX12/EPS12V Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

CORSAIR Vengeance LP 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233309

GIGABYTE GA-Z87N-WIFI LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128615


Intel Core i5-4570 Haswell 3.2GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116896

MSI R9 270 GAMING 2G (V305) Radeon R9 270 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127769



Total comes out to about $800. I'll be reusing my Crucial M4 256GB SSD drive and monitor. I only plan on playing Battlefield 4 for the next year and probably that's it. Other than that I don't play too many games. Is my video card more than I need for the game? Is the i5 too much for my type of workload using Excel?

 

[Blain]

At that price point, I would opt for the Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 996988 (2x4GB) or Enhanced Stealth 996988S (2x4GB), if clearance is an issue.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I love your name.

 

[Freddy1765]

If you intend to leave the computer on 24/7, perhaps it'd be worthwhile looking into a Gold or Platinum rated PSU? I would think something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182066
or an equivalent would do it.
Look at the power consumption of the GPU you've chosen here:
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_r9_270x_gaming_review,8.html
It's pretty low, the PSU you've chosen is certainly overkill, and you can get a more efficient unit with lower (but still sufficient) wattage for the same amount.
Just a thought.

 

[Termie]

There's no way you'll get that PSU to fit

Frankly, unless you go modular, you're not going to be happy. This new Gold unit from Corsair will work just fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...orsair%20cs550

Also, if you don't have BF4 yet, you should buy this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150686

By the way, neither the CPU or GPU is overkill. In fact, they're the minimum I'd recommend for your uses.

 

[Meghan54]

There's no way you'll get that PSU to fit

Frankly, unless you go modular, you're not going to be happy. This new Gold unit from Corsair will work just fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...orsair%20cs550

Also, if you don't have BF4 yet, you should buy this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150686

By the way, neither the CPU or GPU is overkill. In fact, they're the minimum I'd recommend for your uses.

So true about the Corsair TX. While Fractal mentions a ps up to 160mm "will fit", bet it's hell trying to fit a decent gpu inside.

In addition to the Corsair ps you posted, I'd like to throw this Silverstone into contention:

Silverstone Strider ST55F-G, 550W gold modular. Got a 9.2 overall score over at JG.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256085
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story7&reid=328

 

[mfenn]

At that price point, I would opt for the Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 996988 (2x4GB) or Enhanced Stealth 996988S (2x4GB), if clearance is an issue.

I'd say to not bother with that price point. $90 is certainly too much to be paying for 8GB of DDR3 1600. This Team kit is $65. It's taller than standard, but not aggressively so.

 

[Sleepingforest]

If you intend to leave the computer on 24/7, perhaps it'd be worthwhile looking into a Gold or Platinum rated PSU? I would think something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182066
or an equivalent would do it.
Look at the power consumption of the GPU you've chosen here:
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_r9_270x_gaming_review,8.html
It's pretty low, the PSU you've chosen is certainly overkill, and you can get a more efficient unit with lower (but still sufficient) wattage for the same amount.
Just a thought.

This is a false impression many people have. Most PSUs aim at passing the 80 Plus grade so they can advertise; therefore, efficiency drops like a rock under 20% load. For example, the Seasonic X-560 and Seasonic S12II have around 82.4 and 82.3 efficiency at below 100W.

For a mITX build, your priority should be to get things to fit. I'd definitely go with a SFF PSU in this case, like the Silverstone Strider series.

My only other concern with this build that hasn't been covered is that the motherboard you chose is Z87, but the CPU isn't capable of overclocking. You might want to look into another (cheaper) motherboard if you don't plan on overclocking, or look into getting an unlocked CPU and a HSF.

 

[ThaBaldYeti]

I have the Node 304 that I use for gaming.

It was tough to make it all fit but it does.
z77
3570k@4.0
CM Hyper 212 Evo
MSI 7950@1100 1.15v
1tb HDD 128gb SSD
Non-modular season 620w psu
8gb Corsair LP Vengance DDR-1600

If the ram was literally any taller the HSF would not have fit in the orientation I needed to make sure the GPU fit. My temps are probably higher than someone with an open case but I never see anything dangerous.

Great little case.