# Help with gaming PC build



## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

I'm looking at putting together a gaming PC which can handle end games at good graphics
My budget is 2000 dollars but I do not require a monitor / keyboard / mouse / speakers / os 

I need help because it is my first time doing this and I do not have a clue as to what is compatible with what. 

Is 8 gb ram enough ? And will a nvidia gtx 660ti 2gb graphics card be enough to get me through high end gaming for the next few years.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated


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## Novulux (Nov 27, 2012)

I'll assume you are from the United States.
What resolution is the monitor you plan on gaming on?
Yes, 8 GB of ram is enough for purely gaming.
While the GTX 660Ti is a good card, your budget looks like it'll provide for so much more, and I don't even know how to suggest a single card build that will make use of all of that.
Are you opposed to getting an GTX 690 or crossfire (2x) HD 7970s?


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## silapakorn (Nov 27, 2012)

Frankly 660 will not be suffice for the next few years. 
I use two 670s in SLI and some games start to demand more than these cards can handle, e.g. AC3 and Hitman. I'm talking about max setting at full HD and 60+ fps, no compromise though.

RAM should not be a problem, because they are cheap like hell. Last week I just put in another 8GB of RAM at a cost cheaper than my internet monthly fee.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> I'm looking at putting together a gaming PC which can handle end games at good graphics
> My budget is 2000 dollars but I do not require a monitor / keyboard / mouse / speakers / os
> 
> I need help because it is my first time doing this and I do not have a clue as to what is compatible with what.
> ...



with a 2000 budget you could get a GTX680 or HD7970.

Heres a good build:

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turb...
GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP4 TH LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SA...
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR...
GTX680: EVGA SuperClocked+ 02G-P4-2684-KR GeForce GTX 680 ...
or
HD7970: SAPPHIRE 100351SR Radeon HD 7970 3GB 384-bit GDDR5...
CORSAIR HX Series HX750 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2...
For OS: SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD128BW 2.5" 128GB SATA...
For Games: Western Digital WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB...
CPU Cooler: CORSAIR Hydro Series H80i Water Cooler

Ill let you chose a case. Any mid tower or full tower will do. Comes down to personal preference on the looks.


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## cdawall (Nov 27, 2012)

For $2000 you can have one heck of a PC.

COOLER MASTER HAF 932
Rosewill LIGHTNING-1300
CORSAIR Hydro Series H100i
SAMSUNG 830 Series 128GB 2 of these
Seagate Barracuda STBD2000101 2TB
AMD FX-8350 Vishera 4.0GHz
Wintec One 8GB (2 x 4GB) (2 of these)
ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0
EVGA 04G-P4-2686-KR GeForce GTX 680 4GB

Comes out to $1855 total. I could probably play around with the case and SSD's to squeeze in a second GTX680 if you really wanted one.

Here you go comes out to $2075.89, but has $65 in rebates so almost $2000 on the nose!

COUGAR Evolution Black
Rosewill LIGHTNING-1300
CORSAIR Hydro Series H55
ADATA Premier Pro SP900 128GB
Seagate Barracuda STBD2000101 2TB
AMD FX-8320 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.0GHz Turbo)
Wintec One 8GB (2 x 4GB) (2 of these)
ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0
EVGA 04G-P4-2686-KR GeForce GTX 680 4GB (2 of these)

Had to drop down a model on the CPU, but considering both clock about the same not really any loss in that one. The ram chosen is Samsung HYK0 based which clocks quite well (2400+) and the Powersupply is recommended by JohnnyGuru as its a great unit built by SuperFlower.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

cdawall said:


> For $2000 you can have one heck of a PC.
> 
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932
> Rosewill LIGHTNING-1300
> ...



I wouldn't go AMD with a 2000 budget... For gaming at least. Why did you go with Vishera way?


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## Jack1n (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> I wouldn't go AMD with a 2000 budget... For gaming at least. Why did you go with Vishera way?



I agree he should get atleast a 3570k for that budget.


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## cdawall (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> I wouldn't go AMD with a 2000 budget... For gaming at least. Why did you go with Vishera way?



The newer games are multithreaded a lot better than before bf3 in its own shows zero performance difference and from the looks of it crysis 3 will be the same. With the less expensive fx 8320 there is wiggle room to run a second GTX 680 which will make more of a realistic difference in games than a single GTX 680 and 3770k. I am sure you could play with an Intel build to get it to work but it's really simple with AMD.

I also would never recommend a 3570k over an fx 8320/50. Any game it shows a performance gain in shows he same gain with a highly clocked I3. Now I don't see any recommendation for an I3 in here so why recommend a cheapy quad core that isn't going to last with the new games coming out that are more and more multithreaded. Remember the new PlayStation is based off of a piledriver chip...don't think that won't influence game design...


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Novulux said:


> I'll assume you are from the United States.
> What resolution is the monitor you plan on gaming on?
> Yes, 8 GB of ram is enough for purely gaming.
> While the GTX 660Ti is a good card, your budget looks like it'll provide for so much more, and I don't even know how to suggest a single card build that will make use of all of that.
> Are you opposed to getting an GTX 690 or crossfire (2x) HD 7970s?



I am from australia.
My current screen resolution is 1920 - 1080
What do you mean by pure gaming? 
No, not opposed, I am open to all suggestions !


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> I am from australia.
> My current screen resolution is 1920 - 1080
> What do you mean by pure gaming?
> No, not opposed, I am open to all suggestions !


I would recommend you go with pccasegear.com
By pure gaming, he means it is enough if gaming is the thing you mainly want to focus on. If you are doing CAD, or rendering, you would want more.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

cdawall said:


> For $2000 you can have one heck of a PC.
> 
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932
> Rosewill LIGHTNING-1300
> ...



Ive heard that two graphics cards can burden eachother. Any knowledge on this?


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## Jack1n (Nov 27, 2012)

cdawall said:


> The newer games are multithreaded a lot better than before bf3 in its own shows zero performance difference and from the looks of it crysis 3 will be the same. With the less expensive fx 8320 there is wiggle room to run a second GTX 680 which will make more of a realistic difference in games than a single GTX 680 and 3770k. I am sure you could play with an Intel build to get it to work but it's really simple with AMD.
> 
> I also would never recommend a 3570k over an fx 8320/50. Any game it shows a performance gain in shows he same gain with a highly clocked I3. Now I don't see any recommendation for an I3 in here so why recommend a cheapy quad core that isn't going to last with the new games coming out that are more and more multithreaded. Remember the new PlayStation is based off of a piledriver chip...don't think that won't influence game design...



I strongly disagree,goings from a phenom 2 to an ivy bridge sky rocketed my FPS in BF3 even when the 3570k was clocked at stock speeds which puts it at the same clock speeds as the phenom.(saw no fps gain from overlocking since i only have one 7950)


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Ive heard that two graphics cards can burden eachother. Any knowledge on this?


Some games can have issues with dual Graphics cards, though not that many nowadays, they are ironing out most driver issues.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Would an Ivy Bridge Intel core i7 3770K3.5GHz Overclocked to 4.2-4.4 GHz be a good cpu and within my budget with some of the builds posted.


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## cdawall (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Ive heard that two graphics cards can burden eachother. Any knowledge on this?



Nope. If a game lacks an sli profile you can force sli or disable it. They will never cause worse performance.



Jack1n said:


> I strongly disagree,goings from a phenom 2 to an ivy bridge sky rocketed my FPS in BF3 even when the 3570k was clocked at stock speeds which puts it at the same clock speeds as the phenom.(saw no fps gain from overlocking since i only have one 7950)



Well considering actual websites agree with me and have benchmarks showing the fx8350 outperforming the 3770k as well as 3570k I fail to see your point in plugging know the 100% different phenom II architecture.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pLoU

2 graphic cards will make each other hotter as they throw hot air into the case, but that won't be a problem as long as you have decent cooling and air circulation.


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## cdawall (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Would an Ivy Bridge Intel core i7 3770K3.5GHz Overclocked to 4.2-4.4 GHz be a good cpu and within my budget with some of the builds posted.



Anything is within your budget just depends what you do or don't want. I can tell you it will be next to impossible to pull off a rig with dual GTX 680's and one.I can also tell you the games that show a single GTX 680 and 3770k beating an fx 8320 and pair of GTX 680's are beyond few and far between.


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

Pc case gear does an awesome build. Just the parts list as an idea. http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1411_1446&products_id=21422
CPU: Intel Core i7 3770K
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 Motherboard
Graphics: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 680 2GB Overclocked 1137MHz
Memory: Corsair Vengeance CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
Solid State Drive: SanDisk Extreme Solid State Drive 120GB
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 2TB ST2000DM001
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-222BB SATA DVDRW
Case: Corsair Graphite 600T Special Edition White Case
Power supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 750W ST75F-P


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

cdawall said:


> Anything is within your budget just depends what you do or don't want. I can tell you it will be next to impossible to pull off a rig with dual GTX 680's and one.I can also tell you the games that show a single GTX 680 and 3770k beating an fx 8320 and pair of GTX 680's are beyond few and far between.



I made you a list with a i7-3770k and 2 gtx 670. The gtx 680 is a waste of money IMO, the gtx 670 is so close and the price difference is 100, 200 with SLI, so I'd go dual gtx 670 and i7-3770k.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> I made you a list with a i7-3770k and 2 gtx 670. The gtx 680 is a waste of money IMO, the gtx 670 is so close and the price difference is 100, 200 with SLI, so I'd go dual gtx 670 and i7-3770k.



I didn't see that lol, I thought it was a reference site to your info about dual graphics cards. Thanks, great build.

Alot of different power wattages have been suggested (by everyone). What is a base power wattage I should look at?


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

silapakorn said:


> Frankly 660 will not be suffice for the next few years.
> I use two 670s in SLI and some games start to demand more than these cards can handle, e.g. AC3 and Hitman. I'm talking about max setting at full HD and 60+ fps, no compromise though.
> 
> RAM should not be a problem, because they are cheap like hell. Last week I just put in another 8GB of RAM at a cost cheaper than my internet monthly fee.



What would you recommend for me then?


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> I didn't see that lol, I thought it was a reference site to your info about dual graphics cards. Thanks, great build.
> 
> Alot of different power wattages have been suggested (by everyone). What is a base power wattage I should look at?


Minimum 550. I'd recommend around 700 so you have room to upgrade.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

If you go with SLI I would say at least 800w. Crossfire 900W. But is is always best to have headroom because PSU start to be less efficient at their maximum capacity. With your budget you could get a modular one, from a respected brand, with 1000w, leaving room to upgrade easily.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

If I Go with AMD CPU is it recommended to use amd Graphics or it doesnt make a difference?


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> If I Go with AMD CPU is it recommended to use amd Graphics or it doesnt make a difference?


No difference that I know of.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> If I Go with AMD CPU is it recommended to use amd Graphics or it doesnt make a difference?



Doesn't make a difference at your price point. You could do dual graphics at a budget entry, but this is not the case. Look, the fx-8350/8320 is a great cpu, it is, and good value too, but the i73770k just beats it in gaming and especially in single threaded operations, plus it does it consuming less power and producing less heat,


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Any thoughts on intel 3930K Hexa core?


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Any thoughts on intel 3930K Hexa core?


On a 2K budget? HELL NO. Serves no additional purpose. Might aswell spend the extra money on a better GPU.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

And how do i go about overclocking?


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Any thoughts on intel 3930K Hexa core?



For gaming no real use. Even quad cores today you could count with your fingers the amount of games that you need a quad core for, most games just aren't yet optimised, but it is the future. The only upside I see to it is you get a platform that isn't doomed yet. The 3770k is the best you can ever get for it's platform


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## ALMOSTunseen (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> And how do i go about overclocking?


GPU or CPU? You want a good cooler. You can do it via the BIOS, or most motherboards have presets you can use.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> And how do i go about overclocking?



With Intel or AMD?


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## Jetster (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> If I Go with AMD CPU is it recommended to use amd Graphics or it doesnt make a difference?



No, Ether way is fine

Just my two cents. Go with a single GPU. Its his first build so keep it simple. A single 7970 or 680 would be plenty of horse power combined with a i7 CPU but an AMD 8350 would be just as nice. But pick a motherboard with two slots so if you want to add a second later you can. Also get a quality PSU that can handle two as well. Cases are a personal thing. I perfur a Corsair 550d or 650d. I dont like the look of a Haf case

And run it for month before you overclock. Just to make sure


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## MxPhenom 216 (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> And how do i go about overclocking?





ALMOSTunseen said:


> GPU or CPU? You want a good cooler. You can do it via the BIOS, or most motherboards have presets you can use.



You should get the system built first before worrying about overclocking. For CPU i linked to the Corsair H80i closed all in one liquid cooler that will do perfectly fine on a 3570k or 3770k. You could also look at the H100i also.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Ive seen an intel 3770K overclocked to 4.4Ghz on a premade desktop
So for short, on intel


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## MxPhenom 216 (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> Ive seen an intel 3770K overclocked to 4.4Ghz on a premade desktop
> So for short, on intel



it can do 5.0ghz granted you have a good motherboard and cooling to do so. And a decent chip. 

Also you have a high budget, I wouldnt get an AMD chip. If you had a $1000 budget or below, then id probably recommend an AMD build.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

You just change the multiplier... Just make sure you end up getting a K chip, as they are unlocked. Depends on the cooling solution, but I would not advice overvolting your CPU or your GPU by that matter right away. No need for it really.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

cdawall said:


> For $2000 you can have one heck of a PC.
> 
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932
> Rosewill LIGHTNING-1300
> ...



So you recommend 2 4 gb 680s , or is it overkill?


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

Specify the resolution you want to play at. For more than 1080p or heavy mods 4gb, anything else 2 is more than fine


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## Raw (Nov 27, 2012)

*Spend a few bucks and get the Intel, and sleep well*



helpme said:


> I'm looking at putting together a gaming PC which can handle end games at good graphics
> My budget is 2000 dollars but I do not require a monitor / keyboard / mouse / speakers / os
> 
> I need help because it is my first time doing this and I do not have a clue as to what is compatible with what.
> ...



I myself would go with a Intel CPU. 

Here is more information to help you make a decision...
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173979&highlight=AMD


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> Specify the resolution you want to play at. For more than 1080p or heavy mods 4gb, anything else 2 is more than fine



Sorry, as you can tell im quite stupid when it comes to this lol. 
I hear things on other forums like overclocking for eg., get excited and run here to ask.
Ill be playing at 1080p


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

So far ive decided on intel core i7 3770k 
gigabyte geforce gtx 680
256 ssd
2 tb hdd
and the sabertooth 990 FX motherboard
Can anyone recommend a cooling system if i need one?
And am i missing anything else? besides a case and power both still undecided


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

Well, that's what forums are for anyways 
At 1080p skyrim with 100 mods is the only game I can think where 2 gb is not enough, but it is your call. In the build I listed for you, I put in 4 gb because the price difference is not that large and I believe it is one more way of trying to future proof a bit


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> So far ive decided on intel core i7 3770k
> gigabyte geforce gtx 680
> 256 ssd
> 2 tb hdd
> ...



You need ram xD
corsair hydro h100i . the led is soooo cool, this option for style, if you go with a windowed case and want to brag
noctua nh-d14 for high performance quiet air cooling.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> You need ram xD
> corsair hydro h100i . the led is soooo cool, this option for style, if you go with a windowed case and want to brag
> noctua nh-d14 for high performance quiet air cooling.



Hahaha, woops, ok got ram got my cooling, any ideas for a case? that looks good but doesnt rip my wallet in half
And that everything I have will fit in?


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

Case is a matter of personal choice, more than anything. Personally I like Corsair, they just can't build a bad case. I have a corsair carbide 500r and love it, makes it really easy and enjoyable to mount and do cable management. 
If you go with liquid cooling or the h100i do yourself a favor and buy windowed, maybe corsair obsidian 800D.
Take a look at NZXT also, or Lian Li.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

what about audio?


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## THE_EGG (Nov 27, 2012)

Audio, I prefer Asus because I listen to quite a lot of movies and music but gaming I'd choose Auzentech or Creative. Probably a creative x-fi titanium or something like that. If you like music and movies then I'd suggest an Asus Essence ST/STX.


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## Caspase (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> what about audio?



What sound system/headphones do you have?


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## craigo (Nov 27, 2012)

Hey buddy, you will have to change the cpu or motherboard as the 990x based sabertooth will not support an intel cpu.


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

craigo said:


> Hey buddy, you will have to change the cpu or motherboard as the 990x based sabertooth will not support an intel cpu.



Oh thanks, umm, any suggestions?


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## helpme (Nov 27, 2012)

Caspase said:


> What sound system/headphones do you have?




I have a logitech Subwoofer with left and right speakers


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## RCoon (Nov 27, 2012)

helpme said:


> So far ive decided on intel core i7 3770k
> gigabyte geforce gtx 680
> 256 ssd
> 2 tb hdd
> ...



cant put an intel chip in a 990fx motherboard 
if its the sabertooth you want, there is a Z77 Sabertooth.
I would highly recommend the corsair H80/100, my H80 is more than ample cooling for my overclock. As for power, 80Plus bronze 850watt and above is a good thing to go by, gives you the option of a 2nd gpu if you feel like it in the future. If you want to spend the big bucks, Lian Li cases are nice, but NZXT, HAF X and corsair cases are also very nice.


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## Caspase (Nov 28, 2012)

Asus xonar dg for gaming then. For audiophile grade xonar essence st/stx


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