Newbie in Building and Need Help Building First Computer

[TimIsABat]

I haven't been active much on this forum for a while because of life, and I haven't bought anything new for my collection cause I have other things to pay for, but I figured this is the best place to go for help in my situation.

I have been using a crappy Samsung Ultrabook 5 that Seton Hall gave to students my year, but I still am a heavy gamer (CS:GO and starting to get into FFXIV). I really need a computer that could run some of the newer games and FFXIV without too much issue. I haven't been able to play many games because of my laptop and would love to play even CS:GO with better graphics. I really need some advice as to a good budget computer setup that could run these games with pretty good graphics with FPS being about 30-60 at the least. I'm really split as I don't know whether it would be worth building a computer or getting a Lenovo laptop as I am returning to school part-time next semester. I would love your guys advice and miss everyone. Thank you all in advance!

[themagicat]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/x2Prbv

[tp4tissue]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

[Fire Brand]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Max cs:go is hardly demanding

[hwood34]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Max cs:go is hardly demanding

cs:go is all on the cpu though. but yeah still i5 totally works for what you need and will last a little while

[Badwrench]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Pentium, Max cs:go is hardly demanding

Fixed that for you 

Realistically though, I would go i5 for the other games you want to play.  Might as well build something that will last a couple years and not have you kicking yourself for spending a little more. 

I am a huge fan of ITX builds and for what you intend to use it for (traveling to school), this would fit the bill quite nicely:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($165.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($329.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($37.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $960.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-27 13:07 EDT-0400

You could drop $100 by going from the 970 itx to a 960 itx if you don't have the funds.  Also, I went with a single larger SSD since the price has come down so much.  There are cheaper SSDs out there, but the Samsungs have the best software going and a great warranty.  Other than that, this would be a tiny build that will be nearly silent and be able to travel with you. 

[TimIsABat]

Thanks guys! Keep me coming! I'll be running by these with some of my friends who build for fun as well just cause I am indecisive and like to spend a lot of research and getting multiple opinions! I'll let you know what build I'll go for.

Just in case I decide to go with a laptop what's a good budget yet game intensive laptop (so far I'm looking at Lenovos but other suggestions would be great)?

[Badwrench]

Thanks guys! Keep me coming! I'll be running by these with some of my friends who build for fun as well just cause I am indecisive and like to spend a lot of research and getting multiple opinions! I'll let you know what build I'll go for.

Just in case I decide to go with a laptop what's a good budget yet game intensive laptop (so far I'm looking at Lenovos but other suggestions would be great)?

$ for $, a gaming laptop will be blown out of the water by a desktop in gaming.  The cheapest 1080p gaming laptops are right around $1k and that is with a 950m/960m gpu.

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GTX-970-vs-GeForce-GTX-960M

That, and you still need to carry around peripherals and play at a desk plugged in as it will kill the battery in short order. 

[dutC4]

 

[cmadrid]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Pentium, Max cs:go is hardly demanding

Fixed that for you 

Realistically though, I would go i5 for the other games you want to play.  Might as well build something that will last a couple years and not have you kicking yourself for spending a little more. 

I am a huge fan of ITX builds and for what you intend to use it for (traveling to school), this would fit the bill quite nicely:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($165.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($329.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($37.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $960.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-27 13:07 EDT-0400

You could drop $100 by going from the 970 itx to a 960 itx if you don't have the funds.  Also, I went with a single larger SSD since the price has come down so much.  There are cheaper SSDs out there, but the Samsungs have the best software going and a great warranty.  Other than that, this would be a tiny build that will be nearly silent and be able to travel with you. 

If you are comfortable with overclocking your pc (it is pretty easy) you shouldn't get this

[TimIsABat]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Pentium, Max cs:go is hardly demanding

Fixed that for you 

Realistically though, I would go i5 for the other games you want to play.  Might as well build something that will last a couple years and not have you kicking yourself for spending a little more. 

I am a huge fan of ITX builds and for what you intend to use it for (traveling to school), this would fit the bill quite nicely:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($165.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($329.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($37.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $960.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-27 13:07 EDT-0400

You could drop $100 by going from the 970 itx to a 960 itx if you don't have the funds.  Also, I went with a single larger SSD since the price has come down so much.  There are cheaper SSDs out there, but the Samsungs have the best software going and a great warranty.  Other than that, this would be a tiny build that will be nearly silent and be able to travel with you. 

If you are comfortable with overclocking your pc (it is pretty easy) you shouldn't get this

What do you suggest?

[fohat.digs]

Get a really good case, as large as you can reasonably make room for. Get several fans and figure out a good air flow pattern.

With that in place, you can change out and upgrade all the other components one-by-one, and your rig will grow and evolve as time and money allows.

[cmadrid]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Pentium, Max cs:go is hardly demanding

Fixed that for you 

Realistically though, I would go i5 for the other games you want to play.  Might as well build something that will last a couple years and not have you kicking yourself for spending a little more. 

I am a huge fan of ITX builds and for what you intend to use it for (traveling to school), this would fit the bill quite nicely:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($165.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($329.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($37.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $960.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-27 13:07 EDT-0400

You could drop $100 by going from the 970 itx to a 960 itx if you don't have the funds.  Also, I went with a single larger SSD since the price has come down so much.  There are cheaper SSDs out there, but the Samsungs have the best software going and a great warranty.  Other than that, this would be a tiny build that will be nearly silent and be able to travel with you. 

If you are comfortable with overclocking your pc (it is pretty easy) you shouldn't get this

What do you suggest?

I'd go with an i5 4690k and a z97 motherboard so that you can overclock.  A lot of 'free' performance there, and you can literally push one button and get a decent overclock with a lot of current motherboards on the market.

[tp4tissue]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Pentium, Max cs:go is hardly demanding

Fixed that for you 

Realistically though, I would go i5 for the other games you want to play.  Might as well build something that will last a couple years and not have you kicking yourself for spending a little more. 

I am a huge fan of ITX builds and for what you intend to use it for (traveling to school), this would fit the bill quite nicely:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($165.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($329.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($37.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $960.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-27 13:07 EDT-0400

You could drop $100 by going from the 970 itx to a 960 itx if you don't have the funds.  Also, I went with a single larger SSD since the price has come down so much.  There are cheaper SSDs out there, but the Samsungs have the best software going and a great warranty.  Other than that, this would be a tiny build that will be nearly silent and be able to travel with you. 

If you are comfortable with overclocking your pc (it is pretty easy) you shouldn't get this

What do you suggest?

I'd go with an i5 4690k and a z97 motherboard so that you can overclock.  A lot of 'free' performance there, and you can literally push one button and get a decent overclock with a lot of current motherboards on the market.

The performance isn't "free"  but you get a better performance to PRICE ratio if you do go the overclocking route.. 

It's not free because you will still have to buy a **** ton of extra parts or higher build quality parts to keep things stable and operational for a long time

[tp4tissue]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Max cs:go is hardly demanding

cs:go is all on the cpu though. but yeah still i5 totally works for what you need and will last a little while

CSGO go needs a minimum of a 4.8ghz 4690k..  The reason is..  you want the maximum- "Minimum frames per second" possible..

That is achieved through CPU because the graphics is not the bottle neck..

If you decide to stream your games however,  you will absolutely need the 4790k, because the hyperthreading gives you very good encoding performance which the streaming service might need

[Badwrench]

This is all pro level stuff, not applicable to someone that just wants to play some games.  Also for most games you see almost no difference from an oc of the cpu.
[URL][http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/191479-fps-difference-between-i5-4690k-stock-speed-vs-overclockd/URL].  I had my 4670k at 4.0 and just recently went back to stock as I was seeing little to no improvement in fps (0-3 fps difference).  The games I play feel exactly the same.  An oc on the gpu on the other hand will net you more performance.  Also, its very easy to just keep adding parts but without a budget stated, I built to the most usable rig for the $ and focused on the stability and portability. 

[TimIsABat]

I forgot to mention that it doesn't need to be portable. I am going to keep it at home, and just use my laptop for light gaming like CS:GO (cause it works) on the go. Idk if that helps. I don't see the necessity of overclocking for me either. I just want something that I could get my hands on in the next 2-3 paychecks with some money to spend on the side.

[tp4tissue]

This is all pro level stuff, not applicable to someone that just wants to play some games.  Also for most games you see almost no difference from an oc of the cpu.
[URL][http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/191479-fps-difference-between-i5-4690k-stock-speed-vs-overclockd/URL].  I had my 4670k at 4.0 and just recently went back to stock as I was seeing little to no improvement in fps (0-3 fps difference).  The games I play feel exactly the same.  An oc on the gpu on the other hand will net you more performance.  Also, its very easy to just keep adding parts but without a budget stated, I built to the most usable rig for the $ and focused on the stability and portability. 

You will not see the difference through benchmarking..

Minimum frame rate is highly dependent on Single core IPC performance.


You also won't see a difference when you just walk around and look left and look right.


HOWEVER,  when things get busy, there's a few granades,  many people on screen,  THIS is where your CPU is taxed the most.. 

Higher CPU speed gives you an advantage during the Fire FIGHT,  where it COUNTS.

[Fire Brand]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Max cs:go is hardly demanding

cs:go is all on the cpu though. but yeah still i5 totally works for what you need and will last a little while

CSGO go needs a minimum of a 4.8ghz 4690k..  The reason is..  you want the maximum- "Minimum frames per second" possible..

That is achieved through CPU because the graphics is not the bottle neck..

If you decide to stream your games however,  you will absolutely need the 4790k, because the hyperthreading gives you very good encoding performance which the streaming service might need

Again TP if you read his first post he only need it to play somewhere between 30-60 FPS so he really does not need to pay the extra Ł50-Ł100 for a i7 when the i5 will be MORE than enough for his needs Stop trying to get everyone high end things silly also he needs to get it within 2 paychecks worth of money ideally the one Bad post before is pretty nice though just grab the K part instead and your golden

[Badwrench]

4790k   overclocked to 4.8ghz

Good for the next 5 years ..

Ignore that its overkill for what you need, i5 Max cs:go is hardly demanding

cs:go is all on the cpu though. but yeah still i5 totally works for what you need and will last a little while

CSGO go needs a minimum of a 4.8ghz 4690k..  The reason is..  you want the maximum- "Minimum frames per second" possible..

That is achieved through CPU because the graphics is not the bottle neck..

If you decide to stream your games however,  you will absolutely need the 4790k, because the hyperthreading gives you very good encoding performance which the streaming service might need

Again TP if you read his first post he only need it to play somewhere between 30-60 FPS so he really does not need to pay the extra Ł50-Ł100 for a i7 when the i5 will be MORE than enough for his needs Stop trying to get everyone high end things silly also he needs to get it within 2 paychecks worth of money ideally the one Bad post before is pretty nice though just grab the K part instead and your golden

I totally agree with getting the k cpu if it falls within your budget.  The main issue is that in most markets the price dif is $50+ over the base model i5 and performance for $ doesnt scale.  Also the additional need to buy a z series mobo which usually bumps the price around 20% or more. 

[dutC4]

 

[TimIsABat]

This is all pro level stuff, not applicable to someone that just wants to play some games.  Also for most games you see almost no difference from an oc of the cpu.
[URL][http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/191479-fps-difference-between-i5-4690k-stock-speed-vs-overclockd/URL].  I had my 4670k at 4.0 and just recently went back to stock as I was seeing little to no improvement in fps (0-3 fps difference).  The games I play feel exactly the same.  An oc on the gpu on the other hand will net you more performance.  Also, its very easy to just keep adding parts but without a budget stated, I built to the most usable rig for the $ and focused on the stability and portability. 

You will not see the difference through benchmarking..

Minimum frame rate is highly dependent on Single core IPC performance.


You also won't see a difference when you just walk around and look left and look right.


HOWEVER,  when things get busy, there's a few granades,  many people on screen,  THIS is where your CPU is taxed the most.. 

Higher CPU speed gives you an advantage during the Fire FIGHT,  where it COUNTS.

He said he only needs 30-60 which tells me he probably doesn't play a lot of CSGO because if you get under 64 frames on Valve's servers there is client side data you are not sending and server side data you are not drawing. That doesn't mean he needs a high price CPU with an inefficient overclock though, especially when it's an old game that even while unoptimized, regularly gives me 400 FPS in smaller areas and 1k+ when I stare at a wall - and I've got a 4670k with no OC because I'm lazy and don't need the extra heat and electricity cost. It's been a while, but I've read that heavily overclocking Intel CPUs eats up enough electricity that its not very effective in price/performance over time, so if you pay your own utilities and money is an object, that's a good thing to consider. If suddenly someone finally made a proper CS game on Unreal 4 and it was demanding and I couldn't pull the frames to at least match the servers tickrate, I would be right there with you and say a setup like that is the only way to play, but until then he could play it like he wants to on a turkey sandwich and play it well on something budget like a 6300 - but an i5 is no waste, if he plays anything beyond Source games, LoL, etc., it's what I recommend.

Um...I did not say I only need 30-60 fps for JUST CS:GO. I need at least 30-60 fps for other games like the ones I have mentioned (FFXIV, Metal Gear Solid V, Grand Theft Auto V as examples). I know that playing CS:GO visually you might not tell the difference between 60 fps and maybe 144 fps, but game play wise it may mean being quick enough to get that AWP kill or getting killed by the opposing AWPer. ANY setup better than my crap Ultrabook would definitely bring home more than 60 FPS to CS:GO.

I'm not looking to play everything on a 4k monitor or something that goes beyond 1440p. Would be great, but I really don't have a budget for all that. Again, just something that is mid-tower size that could run the newer games and play CS:GO on max and efficiently if that helps.

[dutC4]

 

[Badwrench]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

[tp4tissue]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

let me xplain why that's a bad deal..


for $550


that cpu is worth $200,  gpu $100-150

The rest of the parts are all junk..

especially that motherboard,  you should NOT overclock a 4690k on that board, it's a budget low phase design, which means it's only got something like 4 phases with a doubler.

So the thing COULD DELIVER the amperage required for OC,  but the voltage will not be nearly as stable/ clean/responsive , and the vrms are pulling heavy duty because there are so few.

Which means durability will be a problem..


Ontop of that,  you still need to spend money on a new cpu cooler..

[blueangel2323]

Personally I'd keep the ultrabook and build a desktop for gaming instead of having to lug a heavy gaming laptop around. But that also means you can't play games on-the-go, if that matters to you.

Any i5 or i7 machine is fine for gaming. Minimum 8GB of RAM. You can buy used parts and put the money you save towards the best video card you can afford. Everything newer than Sandy Bridge feels pretty much the same speed. Get a Samsung SSD too.

[tp4tissue]

Personally I'd keep the ultrabook and build a desktop for gaming instead of having to lug a heavy gaming laptop around. But that also means you can't play games on-the-go, if that matters to you.

Any i5 or i7 machine is fine for gaming. Minimum 8GB of RAM. You can buy used parts and put the money you save towards the best video card you can afford. Everything newer than Sandy Bridge feels pretty much the same speed. Get a Samsung SSD too.

I can feel the difference between sandybridge and haswell..


It's probably due to the increased memory bandwidth making everything just a tad more snappy.



This is assuming both are clocked equivalently and LOCKED..



If the clocks are not locked or minimum cpu ratio set,   the sandy will actually feel snappier than the haswell,  because  sandy minimum is 1600mhz while haswell goes to 800..

@ 800, haswell will choke on certain things that suddenly puts a demand on memory/ cpu performance.


Overall,  you wouldn't buy a sandy TODAY,  because it'd pretty much cost you the same as a new Haswell..

You might as well get haswell..

UNLESS you're a n00ber and is too afraid to delid,    because haswell can't OC very reliably without delidding..


Only very expert people will be able to OC a Haswell without delidding,  it's a serious PIA to cool it.

[Badwrench]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

let me xplain why that's a bad deal..


for $550


that cpu is worth $200,  gpu $100-150

The rest of the parts are all junk..

especially that motherboard,  you should NOT overclock a 4690k on that board, it's a budget low phase design, which means it's only got something like 4 phases with a doubler.

So the thing COULD DELIVER the amperage required for OC,  but the voltage will not be nearly as stable/ clean/responsive , and the vrms are pulling heavy duty because there are so few.

Which means durability will be a problem..


Ontop of that,  you still need to spend money on a new cpu cooler..

I see no junk in that build.  Case is basic and HDD is run of the mill Caviar Blue 1tb, but nothing wrong with them.  Psu is a 500w EVGA bronze unit which is plenty for that build.  And actually, you pointed out a good price negotiation point with the mobo, I overlooked that it is actually an H97, not a Z97 (OP you could probably talk the guy down $30 to $40), so no overclocking, but still a quality board with vrm cooling.  No need for an aftermarket cooler without overclocking.

Here is that exact build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($22.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card  ($166.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H22 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($42.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHDS118-04 DVD/CD Drive  ($13.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor  ($155.00 @ B&H)
Total: $872.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-28 23:39 EDT-0400

[tp4tissue]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

let me xplain why that's a bad deal..


for $550


that cpu is worth $200,  gpu $100-150

The rest of the parts are all junk..

especially that motherboard,  you should NOT overclock a 4690k on that board, it's a budget low phase design, which means it's only got something like 4 phases with a doubler.

So the thing COULD DELIVER the amperage required for OC,  but the voltage will not be nearly as stable/ clean/responsive , and the vrms are pulling heavy duty because there are so few.

Which means durability will be a problem..


Ontop of that,  you still need to spend money on a new cpu cooler..

I see no junk in that build.  Case is basic and HDD is run of the mill Caviar Blue 1tb, but nothing wrong with them.  Psu is a 500w EVGA bronze unit which is plenty for that build.  And actually, you pointed out a good price negotiation point with the mobo, I overlooked that it is actually an H97, not a Z97 (OP you could probably talk the guy down $30 to $40), so no overclocking, but still a quality board with vrm cooling.  No need for an aftermarket cooler without overclocking.

Here is that exact build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($22.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card  ($166.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H22 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($42.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHDS118-04 DVD/CD Drive  ($13.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor  ($155.00 @ B&H)
Total: $872.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-28 23:39 EDT-0400

All of those parts should not have been bought together with that CPU and GPU.

Poorly conceived build..

[blueangel2323]

Personally I'd keep the ultrabook and build a desktop for gaming instead of having to lug a heavy gaming laptop around. But that also means you can't play games on-the-go, if that matters to you.

Any i5 or i7 machine is fine for gaming. Minimum 8GB of RAM. You can buy used parts and put the money you save towards the best video card you can afford. Everything newer than Sandy Bridge feels pretty much the same speed. Get a Samsung SSD too.

I can feel the difference between sandybridge and haswell..


It's probably due to the increased memory bandwidth making everything just a tad more snappy.



This is assuming both are clocked equivalently and LOCKED..



If the clocks are not locked or minimum cpu ratio set,   the sandy will actually feel snappier than the haswell,  because  sandy minimum is 1600mhz while haswell goes to 800..

@ 800, haswell will choke on certain things that suddenly puts a demand on memory/ cpu performance.


Overall,  you wouldn't buy a sandy TODAY,  because it'd pretty much cost you the same as a new Haswell..

You might as well get haswell..

UNLESS you're a n00ber and is too afraid to delid,    because haswell can't OC very reliably without delidding..


Only very expert people will be able to OC a Haswell without delidding,  it's a serious PIA to cool it.

I don't know what the prices for a Sandy or Ivy Bridge chip are like vs. Haswell as I haven't been in the market for computer parts for a long time. I assumed that you could snag a used Sandy Bridge for much cheaper than a new Haswell and almost the same performance. But if prices are close then obviously go with the newer chip.

The Ivy Bridge i5-3570k and i7-3770k were famous for their overclocking capabilities. Haswell chips seems to have much more limited OC overhead.

[missalaire]

Budget:
More specific use (what games, what programs):
Planned time until purchase:
Do you need an Operating System?:
Do you have any specific preferred components?:
Do you need a sound or wireless card?:
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?:
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?:
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs):

[TimIsABat]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

let me xplain why that's a bad deal..


for $550


that cpu is worth $200,  gpu $100-150

The rest of the parts are all junk..

especially that motherboard,  you should NOT overclock a 4690k on that board, it's a budget low phase design, which means it's only got something like 4 phases with a doubler.

So the thing COULD DELIVER the amperage required for OC,  but the voltage will not be nearly as stable/ clean/responsive , and the vrms are pulling heavy duty because there are so few.

Which means durability will be a problem..


Ontop of that,  you still need to spend money on a new cpu cooler..

I see no junk in that build.  Case is basic and HDD is run of the mill Caviar Blue 1tb, but nothing wrong with them.  Psu is a 500w EVGA bronze unit which is plenty for that build.  And actually, you pointed out a good price negotiation point with the mobo, I overlooked that it is actually an H97, not a Z97 (OP you could probably talk the guy down $30 to $40), so no overclocking, but still a quality board with vrm cooling.  No need for an aftermarket cooler without overclocking.

Here is that exact build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($22.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card  ($166.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H22 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($42.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHDS118-04 DVD/CD Drive  ($13.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor  ($155.00 @ B&H)
Total: $872.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-28 23:39 EDT-0400

All of those parts should not have been bought together with that CPU and GPU.

Poorly conceived build..

TP what's your suggestion as far as a build?

[missalaire]

Have you considered something like this i5 build on CL in your area?  For the $$ this is a pretty good build considering it includes windows.  Just take it apart and clean up that ridiculous wiring job and this would be good to go.  I would make sure the windows coa is registered before you gave the $$ though and see if he has any of the boxes or receipts for parts for warranty issues.   

let me xplain why that's a bad deal..


for $550


that cpu is worth $200,  gpu $100-150

The rest of the parts are all junk..

especially that motherboard,  you should NOT overclock a 4690k on that board, it's a budget low phase design, which means it's only got something like 4 phases with a doubler.

So the thing COULD DELIVER the amperage required for OC,  but the voltage will not be nearly as stable/ clean/responsive , and the vrms are pulling heavy duty because there are so few.

Which means durability will be a problem..


Ontop of that,  you still need to spend money on a new cpu cooler..

I see no junk in that build.  Case is basic and HDD is run of the mill Caviar Blue 1tb, but nothing wrong with them.  Psu is a 500w EVGA bronze unit which is plenty for that build.  And actually, you pointed out a good price negotiation point with the mobo, I overlooked that it is actually an H97, not a Z97 (OP you could probably talk the guy down $30 to $40), so no overclocking, but still a quality board with vrm cooling.  No need for an aftermarket cooler without overclocking.

Here is that exact build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($22.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card  ($166.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H22 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($42.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHDS118-04 DVD/CD Drive  ($13.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor  ($155.00 @ B&H)
Total: $872.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-28 23:39 EDT-0400

All of those parts should not have been bought together with that CPU and GPU.

Poorly conceived build..

TP what's your suggestion as far as a build?

Not TP, but if you fill out what I posted above I can help you out..

[TimIsABat]

Budget:
More specific use (what games, what programs):
Planned time until purchase:
Do you need an Operating System?:
Do you have any specific preferred components?:
Do you need a sound or wireless card?:
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?:
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?:
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs):

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

[tp4tissue]

Budget:
More specific use (what games, what programs):
Planned time until purchase:
Do you need an Operating System?:
Do you have any specific preferred components?:
Do you need a sound or wireless card?:
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?:
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?:
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs):

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

If you just want a newbputer,, buy one of those 4790 cpu Dells for $600 , throw a gpu in it, and call it a day..

the hp envy with 4790 also goes on sale for similar price..

check slickdeals that's where they post these deals.


but be aware,  your competition haz better computers for the same money because they're willing to put in the time to properly overclock.


That in itself is a cost,    so the overall difference between a newbputer and a 1337 machine, is that educational barrier.

[TimIsABat]

Budget:
More specific use (what games, what programs):
Planned time until purchase:
Do you need an Operating System?:
Do you have any specific preferred components?:
Do you need a sound or wireless card?:
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?:
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?:
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs):

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

If you just want a newbputer,, buy one of those 4790 cpu Dells for $600 , throw a gpu in it, and call it a day..

the hp envy with 4790 also goes on sale for similar price..

check slickdeals that's where they post these deals.


but be aware,  your competition haz better computers for the same money because they're willing to put in the time to properly overclock.


That in itself is a cost,    so the overall difference between a newbputer and a 1337 machine, is that educational barrier.

I mean down the road when I get out of school I'll be able to afford a more expensive and higher performing build, but I need a computer that can at least run the games listed without too much of a problem and with graphics that will please the eye.

I know people that have similar setups to mine and still own the **** out of the kid who got his parents to buy the really expensive stuff.

Returning to college with a job that only pays $10 an hour and need to feed my vaping habit (or I might kill someone due to lack of nicotine), as well as parts of student loans, and to top it all off, I have a girlfriend that loves the occasional gift (and with our 3 year anniversary coming up and holidays). Just trying to look for an affordable and well performing machine.

EDIT: Basically give me a Honda Civic for now that I can play around with that will at least get my feet wet until I can afford a WRX STi.

[Badwrench]

Budget:
More specific use (what games, what programs):
Planned time until purchase:
Do you need an Operating System?:
Do you have any specific preferred components?:
Do you need a sound or wireless card?:
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?:
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?:
Zip code/location? (Shipping costs):

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

If you just want a newbputer,, buy one of those 4790 cpu Dells for $600 , throw a gpu in it, and call it a day..

the hp envy with 4790 also goes on sale for similar price..

check slickdeals that's where they post these deals.


but be aware,  your competition haz better computers for the same money because they're willing to put in the time to properly overclock.


That in itself is a cost,    so the overall difference between a newbputer and a 1337 machine, is that educational barrier.

I mean down the road when I get out of school I'll be able to afford a more expensive and higher performing build, but I need a computer that can at least run the games listed without too much of a problem and with graphics that will please the eye.

I know people that have similar setups to mine and still own the **** out of the kid who got his parents to buy the really expensive stuff.

Returning to college with a job that only pays $10 an hour and need to feed my vaping habit (or I might kill someone due to lack of nicotine), as well as parts of student loans, and to top it all off, I have a girlfriend that loves the occasional gift (and with our 3 year anniversary coming up and holidays). Just trying to look for an affordable and well performing machine.

EDIT: Basically give me a Honda Civic for now that I can play around with that will at least get my feet wet until I can afford a WRX STi.

If that is the case, go a little cheaper and focus on 1080p with everything maxed out, much better experience than just edging into 1440p.

Something like this will max out 1080p and even get you into the 45-60 fps range in 1440p with good settings. 
Also there are better deals on ebay for monitors. 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($175.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($91.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($37.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($87.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card  ($204.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake Core V21 MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($52.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer GN246HL 144Hz 24.0" Monitor  ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $992.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-30 04:02 EDT-0400

[tp4tissue]

I say, we're barely grazin' 2560x1600... the only game that actually haz those big textures is oblivion through mods, and that's literally it.. 

In most other games You'd buy all that horsepower mainly to render some high res shadows which are rather expensive computationally, but make very little difference on screen.

[filphil]

I notice you're from New Jersey.  How far are you from microcenter in Paterson?  Look up their deals on open-box motherboards and combine it with their savings on mobo/cpu combo deals.  I've picked up an asus sabertooth/i7 4770k for less than $300 after tax two years ago? 

[missalaire]

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

I suggest you wait til a week or so when you are actually ready to buy and then bump this thread. I'll give you the link to the build I think works best for what you want, but it's kind of pointless since you aren't buying it right now and prices on parts will change a lot in 3-4 months.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7YNRmG

I'm not that familiar with wireless cards, but there should be enough of your budget leftover to get one of your choosing or if someone else wants to recommend one. Also, sound cards are inferior to an external dac/amp. If you're looking for 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, I believe there are some that can do that.

[TimIsABat]

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

I suggest you wait til a week or so when you are actually ready to buy and then bump this thread. I'll give you the link to the build I think works best for what you want, but it's kind of pointless since you aren't buying it right now and prices on parts will change a lot in 3-4 months.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7YNRmG

I'm not that familiar with wireless cards, but there should be enough of your budget leftover to get one of your choosing or if someone else wants to recommend one. Also, sound cards are inferior to an external dac/amp. If you're looking for 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, I believe there are some that can do that.

Thanks missalaire! I like this build and the price point is solid.

I'm about an hour to an hour and half away from Microcenter in Clifton and I used to work by there. I definitely would like to see what I am getting so. Before I start ordering online I will probably go there and see what I can get and see if I can get it for cheaper.

[missalaire]

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

I suggest you wait til a week or so when you are actually ready to buy and then bump this thread. I'll give you the link to the build I think works best for what you want, but it's kind of pointless since you aren't buying it right now and prices on parts will change a lot in 3-4 months.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7YNRmG

I'm not that familiar with wireless cards, but there should be enough of your budget leftover to get one of your choosing or if someone else wants to recommend one. Also, sound cards are inferior to an external dac/amp. If you're looking for 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, I believe there are some that can do that.

Thanks missalaire! I like this build and the price point is solid.

I'm about an hour to an hour and half away from Microcenter in Clifton and I used to work by there. I definitely would like to see what I am getting so. Before I start ordering online I will probably go there and see what I can get and see if I can get it for cheaper.

Microcenter should price match most online retailers. Keep in mind what you get taxed on though as some online retailers might not charge tax in your state.

[Badwrench]

Budget: $1000-$1200
More specific use (what games, what programs): Counterstrike GO, FFXIV, Phantom Pain, Fallout 4
Planned time until purchase: 3-4 months
Do you need an Operating System?: yes
Do you have any specific preferred components?: i5, and Nvidia graphics card for the most part
Do you need a sound or wireless card?: yes and yes
Do you want stock cooling or do you plan on overclocking?: stock cooling
Do you need a monitor? mouse? keyboard?: monitor
Zip code/location? (Shipping): 07728

I suggest you wait til a week or so when you are actually ready to buy and then bump this thread. I'll give you the link to the build I think works best for what you want, but it's kind of pointless since you aren't buying it right now and prices on parts will change a lot in 3-4 months.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7YNRmG

I'm not that familiar with wireless cards, but there should be enough of your budget leftover to get one of your choosing or if someone else wants to recommend one. Also, sound cards are inferior to an external dac/amp. If you're looking for 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, I believe there are some that can do that.

Thanks missalaire! I like this build and the price point is solid.

I'm about an hour to an hour and half away from Microcenter in Clifton and I used to work by there. I definitely would like to see what I am getting so. Before I start ordering online I will probably go there and see what I can get and see if I can get it for cheaper.

You will get some of the parts cheaper - specifically the cpu/mobo.  You can get a k series cpu and z mobo for less than locked and H series.  If you are willing to gamble a little bit and know what to look for, they usually have a ton of open box motherboards, but you don't get the combo deal with the processor.  I was able to walk out of there with an anivarsary Pentium and Asrock H97M for under $100 after tax.  They also usually have some pretty good deals on SSDs.  I will always recommend an SSD for any build no matter the budget since it makes such a huge difference in how the rig feels on a daily basis (very little difference in games except for shorter load times). 

I definitely agree with missalaire about waiting until you are ready to buy as prices change daily (except for those mobo combos from Microcenter - those are very consistant). 

http://www.microcenter.com/site/brands/intel-processor-bundles.aspx

[cmadrid]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

[fohat.digs]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

I have bought virtually ALL of my computer gear at Micro Center for at least 15 years. Best store in the world.

[cmadrid]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

I have bought virtually ALL of my computer gear at Micro Center for at least 15 years. Best store in the world.

Pretty much the only store I enjoy going to just to browse around..

[Badwrench]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

I have bought virtually ALL of my computer gear at Micro Center for at least 15 years. Best store in the world.

Pretty much the only store I enjoy going to just to browse around..

I have purchased most of the main components for my last 3 builds from them.  The only reason the earlier ones weren't from them was that I was buying used and in a constant state of upgrading.  I finally figured out it is way better to just do a complete build without the goal of upgrading individual parts (it never happens) other than the gpu as needed. 
I wish mine was closer, it's about 1.5 hours away.  I still enjoy browsing around Fry's though, especially now that they price match internet prices. 

[TimIsABat]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

I have bought virtually ALL of my computer gear at Micro Center for at least 15 years. Best store in the world.

Pretty much the only store I enjoy going to just to browse around..

I have purchased most of the main components for my last 3 builds from them.  The only reason the earlier ones weren't from them was that I was buying used and in a constant state of upgrading.  I finally figured out it is way better to just do a complete build without the goal of upgrading individual parts (it never happens) other than the gpu as needed. 
I wish mine was closer, it's about 1.5 hours away.  I still enjoy browsing around Fry's though, especially now that they price match internet prices.

It would actually be great going with a bunch of people from here that are from Jersey so I know exactly what I should get from Microcenter. If I do go, I'll probably hit up PunksDead as well. We would all probably end up massing at the keyboards section, too.

[cmadrid]

Hard to beat the deal you get on cpu/mobo from microcenter!  can't go wrong there

I have bought virtually ALL of my computer gear at Micro Center for at least 15 years. Best store in the world.

Pretty much the only store I enjoy going to just to browse around..

I have purchased most of the main components for my last 3 builds from them.  The only reason the earlier ones weren't from them was that I was buying used and in a constant state of upgrading.  I finally figured out it is way better to just do a complete build without the goal of upgrading individual parts (it never happens) other than the gpu as needed. 
I wish mine was closer, it's about 1.5 hours away.  I still enjoy browsing around Fry's though, especially now that they price match internet prices. 

No Fry's in my area.. but the Microcenter is only about 20 minutes away, and we just got an Ikea like.. today

[tp4tissue]

The only thing you want to get at Microcenter is the CPU + Motherboard..

Everything else is cheaper online.