New build suggestions.

[ThatsABigOne]

A person on facebook wants a new computer and has a 2k USD budget.

This is his build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1WxaW
but change the CPU to i5 4670k.

I have advised him to save on cooler costs by going to Hyper 212 and use the money saved for i7 4770k.

Please give insights on whether is 'balanced' and if the parts list could be optimized for the budget.

Thanks!

 

[mfenn]

So we are proxy advice givers for people on Facebook? Can you convince that person to come and register over here?

I think the CPU choice is one of the less questionable thing in that build (assuming a gaming PC).

- CPU: Non-overclockable CPU with Z87 mobo doesn't make much sense. Switch to a 4670K for $240
- HSF: Giant cooler on a non-overclockable CPU also doesn't make much sense. An Arctic Cooling Freezer i30 will get a moderate overclock for $40.
- Mobo: That motherboard is a little high for a normal gaming build. The ASRock Z87 Extreme3 has the necessary features for $120.
- RAM: DDR3 2400 is of minimal benefit for gaming. A normal Crucial DDR3 1600 kit costs $64.
- SSD : Good at $170
- HDD : The only advantage of the Caviar Black over the Blue at $60 AP is a 5-year warranty. The drives themselves are similar, with the Blue using slightly newer platters.
- GPU: I don't really see the point in a 7870 Crossfire. For $2K, you can do a lot better. For example MSI GTX 770 SLI for $660.
- Sound: Skip the $140 sound card and use straight digital out from the motherboard. If your sound system isn't good enough to have digital input, it's not good enough to benefit from a sound card.
- PSU: Too expensive for what it is. A good Seasonic-build XFX Core 850W costs $95 AR
- ODD : Fine at $50 AP assuming you really need to play Blu-Rays
- Case: I think that's kind of overpriced for what it is. For a gamer-style case, I'd rather have a Phantom for $80 AR AP
- Monitor: Now the coup-de-grace. A normal 1080p 60Hz monitor does not justify any kind of multi-GPU setup. Get a 120Hz+ monitor like the VG248QE for $280 or a 27" 1440p IPS display for $375

 

[ThatsABigOne]

So we are proxy advice givers for people on Facebook? Can you convince that person to come and register over here?

I think the CPU choice is one of the less questionable thing in that build (assuming a gaming PC).

- CPU: Non-overclockable CPU with Z87 mobo doesn't make much sense. Switch to a 4670K for $240
- HSF: Giant cooler on a non-overclockable CPU also doesn't make much sense. An Arctic Cooling Freezer i30 will get a moderate overclock for $40.
- Mobo: That motherboard is a little high for a normal gaming build. The ASRock Z87 Extreme3 has the necessary features for $120.
- RAM: DDR3 2400 is of minimal benefit for gaming. A normal Crucial DDR3 1600 kit costs $64.
- SSD : Good at $170
- HDD : The only advantage of the Caviar Black over the Blue at $60 AP is a 5-year warranty. The drives themselves are similar, with the Blue using slightly newer platters.
- GPU: I don't really see the point in a 7870 Crossfire. For $2K, you can do a lot better. For example MSI GTX 770 SLI for $660.
- Sound: Skip the $140 sound card and use straight digital out from the motherboard. If your sound system isn't good enough to have digital input, it's not good enough to benefit from a sound card.
- PSU: Too expensive for what it is. A good Seasonic-build XFX Core 850W costs $95 AR
- ODD : Fine at $50 AP assuming you really need to play Blu-Rays
- Case: I think that's kind of overpriced for what it is. For a gamer-style case, I'd rather have a Phantom for $80 AR AP
- Monitor: Now the coup-de-grace. A normal 1080p 60Hz monitor does not justify any kind of multi-GPU setup. Get a 120Hz+ monitor like the VG248QE for $280 or a 27" 1440p IPS display for $375

No idea why you made it invisible to see your text until I quoted your post.

EDIT:NVM, now it works.

EDIT2: Yeah, thanks for the advice. I would agree on many counts.
Regarding the CPU, would it be a good idea to splurge for 4770k since new games are showing clear benefit of 8 threads vs 4 or 6 threads?

 

[mfenn]

You may have caught the post before I edited it. Sorry about that.

While many games will be CPU-limited given a GTX 770 SLI setup, the 4670K is fast enough to get more than 60 FPS. So I wouldn't consider it with the 60Hz 1440p setup (that's sitting right at $2000 anyway).

The 144Hz setup is about $100 less expensive, so you can fit a 4770K in there without going over $2000. You would also, at least theoretically, be able to see a difference between, say, 100 FPS and 120 FPS.