2560x1440 Gaming Build - AMD or Intel

[NikoDG]

Here's a build I'm thinking of putting together for desktop use with my Asus PB278Q 1440p monitor. My goal is to be able to play all modern games at Ultra settings at a minimum of 45 FPS (60 would be better though), one of the main games I'll be spending my time with is heavily modded Skyrim (200+ mods, and ENB).

 

Build

Case: CM HAF XB

PSU: Silverstone Strider Gold Evolution 1200W

Optical Drive: Lite-On Black 12x Blu-Ray Burner

Fan Controller: NZXT Sentry 2 (5 Channels @ 10W each)

2x 80mm Fans: SilenX EFX (1700RPM, 32CFM, 15DBA, running off single controller channel)

120mm Fan: Xigmatek FCB (1500RPM, 61CFM, 20DBA)

4x 140mm Radiator Fans: Cougar Vortex (1200RPM, 71CFM, 19DBA, split between two fan channels)

200mm Fan: Xigmatek FCB (800RPM, 76CFM, 18DBA)

Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming

CPU: Intel i5 4670K

CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60

GPU: MSI GTX 780 Ti Gaming

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X 2x4GB 1866MHz 9-10-9-28

OS Drive: Samsung 840 Evo 120GB SSD

Steam Drive: OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS 120GB SSD

Media Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB HDD

Cache Drive: OCZ Vertex 3 60GB SSD

OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

 

Cost

HAF XB Evo - $104.99

NZXT Sentry 2 - $26.99

MSI Z87-G45 Gaming & Intel 4670K & G.Skill Ripjaws X (Combo) - $481.99

MSI GTX 780 Ti Gaming - $759.99

2x SilenX Fans - $14.98

Xigmatek 120mm - $10.99

Xigmatek 200mm - $29.99

2x Cougar Fans - $31.98

 

Subtotal - $1,461.90

Shipping - $41.35

GST - $75.16

PST - $105.23

 

Total - $1,683.64

Edited January 30, 2014 by NikoDG

[Black64]

I don't think you need to RAID 0 SSDs, I've heard it's not worth the small speed increase.

 

As for the 780Ti, I would get one, see how well it performs and only if needed, buy another one.

[NikoDG]

You think I'd be better off with a single 1TB SSD?

 

Edit: 1TB runs almost $90 cheaper than 2x500GB, good call!

Edited January 24, 2014 by NikoDG

[Gremlin]

! 780 GTX is good for 1440.. I have a GTX 580 and it runs 1440 fine for most games except for the ones that are graphic heavy like metro.. 

[NikoDG]

I am now looking at switching the 4770K for an FX-9590, I edited my initial post with the alternative build and some new questions. Any input you guys have would be awesome.

[WarWeeny]

I am now looking at switching the 4770K for an FX-9590,

 

Don't, if you do get an amd processor, get the 8350, it is the same chip but on normal speeds lol.

[NikoDG]

Okay, so I should save the $150 difference and buy an FX-8350 to overclock to 5 GHz myself?

[KillaCam]

For strictly gaming machines, I would recommend the 4670k.  It is about a hundred bucks cheaper than a 4770.  Granted it is a bit more than an 8350, the extra cores in an 8350 and hyperthreading with the 4770 really don't grant much of a gaming performance increase.  I have an older i5 2500k with a decent overclock and have that same Asus 2560x1440 monitor.  The i5 with my gtx780 are an awesome combo.  The games I currently play (Day-z, SC2, LoL, Borderlands 2) all run great on max.  

[wevsspot]

And I would go with a 2x8Gb memory kit instead of 4x4Gb

 

Populating all the DIMM slots with high speed memory can be challenging sometimes and going with a two dimm kit can make things more "plug & play".

[NikoDG]

Okay, so I'm leaning towards the 4670K. I read that the FX-8350 has abysmall single threaded performance hurting it in some games (like Skyrim!).

 

As for the memory, I'm looking at a G.Skill Trident X 2x8 GB Kit, 2400 @ 10-12-12-31. It's not listed in the motherboards QVL though, that won't be a problem will it?

[IVIYTH0S]

Why not get a 4770K, with a more reasonable motherboard that'll perform/OC just as well, and then drop the RAM to the cheapest set of 1600mhz CL9 memory to make up the difference between the pricing of the 4670K and the 4770K??

 

The rest seems just fine IMHO

[VaporX]

There is a lot here to talk about, lets do last post first. Skryim plays FINE on a 8350, hell it plays fine on a 6800K. While it might not beat an Intel chip in pure FPS or benchmarks it does MORE than get the job done, it gives an awesome play experience.

 

Now to the original post, a 2 TB drive for media, what do you do rip every movie you find and store them? The 120 for the OS and the 1TB for the Games is even overkill. You have to store a LOT of games to need a TB. My entire Steam Library of 73 games on uses about 650 gig, unless you plan to have your entire library, that means a lot of you are likely not playing, on the drive always I doubt you need a TB SSD.

 

On the RAM the earlier suggestion is right, get 2x8 for the RAM so you have room for expansion later if you want. Personally I get Kingston, they have never failed me but you the RAM make of your choice.

 

As for Intel vs AMD, when you are actually playing the games it is next to impossible to tell the difference in pretty much every game made without a FPS counter going all the time.

 

Now on video, I can play my entire game library, which includes a modded Skyrim at 1440, and do regularly, at high settings with a 280X. So that performance range and up is what you want to look for. I would suggest a 290 or a 780 as being the best bang for the buck for gaming at 1440, either will easily give you a great gaming experience.