VGFacts

Hello all ! The time has come for me to take the plunge and build my very own PC.
The thing is, I'm not very well versed in the world of technology and don't know what's best for me.

I've made a build that seems to fit the bill for my gaming and video processing needs, but I'd love the input of you folk who are much better at this than I am.

Here's the build. My budget is around $1,100 - $1,200 (not counting Windows or any screen/keyboard/etc.).
The formatting went crazy for this one, so bear with me.
[spoiler]
CPU 
Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor[1] $261.98 @ Amazon Canada


CPU Cooler 
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler[2] $32.21 @ DirectCanada

Motherboard
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard[3] $144.50 @ Vuugo

Memory
G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory[4] $83.02 @ DirectCanada

Storage
Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive[5] $115.98 @ DirectCanada

Storage
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[6] $54.98 @ DirectCanada

Video Card
MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card[7] $249.99 @ NCIX

Case
Enermax ECA3290A-G ATX Mid Tower Case[8] $39.99 @ NCIX

Power Supply 
SeaSonic 660W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply[9] $149.99 @ NCIX

Optical Drive
Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer[10] $19.95 @ Vuugo


Total
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
$1152.59
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-22 13:52 EST-0500
[/spoiler]


Someone suggested this to me for around the same price

[spoiler]PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($239.89 @ DirectCanada) 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($32.21 @ DirectCanada) 
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($154.98 @ DirectCanada) 
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($174.98 @ Newegg Canada) 
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($115.98 @ DirectCanada) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ DirectCanada) 
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card  ($289.99 @ NCIX) 
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($48.99 @ NCIX) 
Power Supply: Corsair CX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($74.99 @ NCIX) 
Total: $1186.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-22 19:18 EST-0500[/spoiler]


I know the basics behind a graphics card and whatnot, but I have some questions : 

• Is the i5 good enough for gaming, or if there's an affordable i7 option for the CPU.
  
• Is that 4GB graphics card recommended to me a good one ? I never expected 4GB of graphics to be so cheap.
  
• What's all this business about "bronze certified semi-modular" ? I have no idea what that means.
  
• Is my build any good. As I said, I don't know much about this and would appreciate any help for you fine folk :)
  

- SERIOUSLY

Nvidia is better for gaming (drivers, they are working with developers for extra features too...) and i'm not saying that AMD is bad :p.

-The GTX 770 with 4GB is recommended if you want to use 2 screens (if you need to stream for exemple).
-8GB is enuff actually

I'm using:
GTX 770 MSI Twin Frozr 2GB
i7 4770K
8GB Ram
Z87 Pro

Don't remember the rest but i can tell you tomorrow about that^^

Everything run smoothly with this and i think i'm gonna change my graphic card during 2017.

As much as I dislike him, follow my man here, he'll get you what you need

On topic though. If you're going to spend around 1000$ on a PC you can most likely assume you've done well, and it will last this generation at least. (Unless the next gen is crappy then you'll probably this gen and the last half of the next gen or so)

In all honesty, you could probably get a little bit better for cheaper. But if you don't mind the price you're paying then forget I said anything.

(11-23-2014, 11:21 AM)retrolinkx Wrote: [ -> ]As much as I dislike him, follow my man here, he'll get you what you need

On topic though. If you're going to spend around 1000$ on a PC you can most likely assume you've done well, and it will last this generation at least. (Unless the next gen is crappy then you'll probably this gen and the last half of the next gen or so)

In all honesty, you could probably get a little bit better for cheaper. But if you don't mind the price you're paying then forget I said anything.

I followed that video's advice but managed to summon Satan. The awkward silence in my living room is getting uncomfortable :(

Any reduction in price is more than welcome if you have advice. As I said, I don't know much about this. Most of my choices were "weigh the bigger numbers on PcPartPicker and the price of these to reach a nice compromise". I have no idea if a 1.1Ghz 2GB GPU is much better or not at all comparted to a 1Ghz 2GB GPU for $50 less (example and random figures plucked out of the air).

^

Well, I can look around for those infographics I've accumulated over the years which show comparisons to current gen consoles. If I remember correctly, there was one showing that the PS4 was quite low in terms of the cards you could obtain, some being very high up and costing around 300-400$ or so.

I'll just have to see, I'll post them here when I do find them.

Get a few of these while you can, as you'll likely need them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...3ZT1HB6735

(11-25-2014, 08:56 PM)G-Haven Wrote: [ -> ]Get a few of these while you can, as you'll likely need them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...3ZT1HB6735

I stick them in the spare RAM slots, right ?

---

(11-24-2014, 07:22 PM)retrolinkx Wrote: [ -> ]^

Well, I can look around for those infographics I've accumulated over the years which show comparisons to current gen consoles. If I remember correctly, there was one showing that the PS4 was quite low in terms of the cards you could obtain, some being very high up and costing around 300-400$ or so.

I'll just have to see, I'll post them here when I do find them.

Please do !

Basically showing you the different graphic cards you can acquire and how powerful they are.

You can see the PS4 right down at the bottom.

Thanks ! I have now built my PC (from which I'm writing this message :D)

I ordered the graphics card (Radeon R9 R290x) two weeks ago because there was an amazing sale bumping the price down to CA$255, and that's the only component that hasn't arrived.
I cancelled my other order from the same, dumb company because they didn't actually have stock and were only going to receive it in two weeks at the earliest. Not too much of a problem for my graphics card, as I don't need it just to use my PC regularly, but for the SSD I just said "refund me, cancel my order" and I ordered off Amazon and got it in 48 hours.


So specs !

CPU - i7-4790k (4-core/4GHz)
MoBo - ASRock Z97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150
RAM - 16GB (2x8 DDR3-2133)
SSD - 240GB
HD - 1TB
GPU - 4GB Radeon R9 R290x
etc etc :)

Can't wait for my GPU to arrive so I can start playing !

Let me know when you're ready for the epic gaming times.

Yeah, add me on steam dude, we can play some vidya.

http://steamcommunity.com/id/psychospacecow

Come at me bro!

Damn straight !

I think I created an account a while back so I'll have to dig it up when I have my GPU. Can't wait :)

Feels good :)