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Hello all, I am a fairly novice PC builder who has only really done econo boxes for the family and friends and I'm having some trouble dipping into the higher end of the spectrum.

My goal is to craft a competent gaming PC for less than $2,000, but still have a PC that will be future resistant ( Future proof really isn't a thing )

Ofcourse I would like to play next-gen games like BF4 and whatnot on ultra settings, but from what my friends, who are self proclaimed "PC Gaming Gurus" tell me, that's really just not possible for below $2,000.00 So for the sake of this thread, lets just say I'm aiming to play next-gen games at 1080p at stable framerates, and not have them look like chopped liver.

So I've kind of mashed together this AMD build, it looks good to me. But to you, maybe not so much?

UPDATE: Build revised based on the recommendations of the amazing community!

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z87
Memory: 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD + Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD
Video Card: Not locked in yet, waiting on reviews for 780ti and R9 290 (non-x)
Case: BitFenix Ghost (Black)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80 PLUS Gold
Optical Drive: DVD/CD Writer
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (64-bit)

CPU: AMD FX-8320 ( I believe I can manage to OC it to be comparable to an 8350 )
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X40
Motherboard: Asus Crosshair V Formula-Z
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB SSD + Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD
Video Card: R9 290x
Power Supply: OCZ Fatal1ty 750W 80 PLUS Bronze

Anyhow, I guess what I'm looking for is some help determining:
Where I went wrong
Where I went right
And what components I should be looking at now that won't become useless in the next year or two.

I guess I am just seeking some insight or general wisdom in regards to system building at this point in time.
Should I be waiting for next year? Should I be considering slamming down the dough for an i7? Should I just go prebuilt?

Also, bonus question: What Next-Gen gaming rig would you put together, given a budget of less than $2,000.00?

First of all, 290x can play BF4 at highest settings at 1080p just fine. I know that because I just played it a few hours ago So can GTX780, which costs about the same in factory-overclocked form, with a much better cooler (like EVGA's ACX coolers) and lower power consumption, so don't limit yourself just to a single GPU brand

Second of all, why such strange choice of storage - a smallish SATA SSD and a single large HDD? Are you planning to store all your games on HDD? That would be a total waste... Better and less expensive option might be to get motherboard with mSATA slot, buy a 32 or 64GB (maximum supported size) mSATA SSD and use it in "SRT" caching mode. That way all of your most-frequently used games can benefit from faster loading time, without manually moving them around (from HDD to SSD and back). Or if money are not an issue - just buy a single 500+ GB SSD. Modern games will just keep increasing in size...

Hi JohnC, thanks for the reply.

I have tons of faith the 290x can cut the mustard when its coming to next-gen games, its CPUs I'm worried about, I'm trying to dial in on one that will last me a long time, but also wont shatter my bank account.

Second, the strange storage choice was recommended to me by my friends who are currently using SSDs, this build will be my first foray into SSDs so I'm jaded as far as that goes.

Could I bug you for your systems specs? I'm always interested in seeing what others are running.

on a budget of $2k, and you want it somewhat future-proof-ish? spend $1k now, put $1k in the bank account and withdraw it two years from now to spend on upgrades. a $1k gaming PC can easily get you 1080p gaming.

even TR's Sweet Spot build is more than enough: http://techreport.com/review/25250/tr-b ... em-guide/4

prices for a few of those components have probably dropped since then, too.

CT_Messiah wrote:

CPU: AMD FX-8320 ( I believe I can manage to OC it to be comparable to an 8350 )
Motherboard: Asus Crosshair V Formula-Z

With your budget, let's look at a quad-core Haswell porcessor (e.g.: Core i7-4770K or Core i5-4670K) and a Z87 motherboard (e.g.: ASRock F* Z87 Killer (ATX) or Z87M Extreme4 (micro-ATX)).

CT_Messiah wrote:

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB)

Let's get 2x8 GiB of memory (e.g.: Crucial BLS2K8G3D1609ES2LX0 or AMD AP316G1869U2K).

CT_Messiah wrote:

Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB SSD + Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD

I'd be inclined to make that a 240-256 GB SSD and a 3.0 TB Barracuda.

CT_Messiah wrote:

Video Card: R9 290x

Here, I'd save a Benjamin and get the Radeon R9-290 (non-X) that's coming out next week.

Do you already have a WQHD (or larger) monitor like this one from Monoprice?

Yeah - I'm inlclined to agree. I'd really like to be voting for the red guys but right now the haswell i7 is the best gaming processor on the market. At least if you want a faily turn-key solution.

If you play at 1080p the 290 (non X) should be more than enough for a few years. But if you have a 2000$ budget you can certanly throw in a 290X or wait for the 780ti to come out. I'm waiting for my new 280x and I'm confident that will crack BF4 at 1080p on max detail without any problems

CPU - Intel Intel Intel. Even if you find an AMD processor with comparable speed, Intel processors run much, much cooler.

Memory - with your budget, you might as well go with a 2x8GB kit.

Storage - 128 is probably fine, but 256 would get you more wiggle room.

Video Card - Just say "no" to the 290X. It's a fast card, but it runs hot, and the GTX 780 is almost as fast for $50 less (and that will run cooler). If you want more power, you can wait until we see reviews on the 290 and 780 Ti and where those stand in the lineup.

Case - for that budget, check out Corsair's 650D. I didn't see a case listed, but my newest machine sits in this case and it was a joy to build in and has been very silent (at least it has been since I turned my CPU fan down from 100% XD).

Heat is an issue to consider. Hot components take more effort to cool, which means more noise in your system--unecessary noise when there are alternatives with similar speed. This gives Intel a massive edge on the CPU front. As for GPUs, like I said, the 290X is a fast card, but AMD gave it that speed by pushing it to the limits. With Nvidia's price cuts, I don't see any reason to pick up a 290X over a 780. This might change depending on where the next two high-end GPUs fall (the 290 and 780 Ti), but if you were to buy components today, go with the 780.

As for build your own vs. pre-built, that's up to you. Go with someone like CyberpowerPC, since their prices are typically $50-$150 above buying all the components on Newegg. At that point, it really just comes down to whether or not you want to build it yourself.

Now, we did fail to ask the important question. Does this budget include a copy of Windows, a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers/headphones? Those can easily eat into your budget, and it makes a difference on the components we'll recommend...if we think $2,000 is just for hardware, we'll put together an awesome system, but you'll be lacking everything you need to use it

CT_Messiah wrote:

I would like to play next-gen games like BF4 and whatnot on ultra settings, but from what my friends, who are self proclaimed "PC Gaming Gurus" tell me, that's really just not possible for below $2,000.00

The R9 290X churns out 67fps @ 1080p, Ultra Settings, 4x MSAA. I'd say that's silky smooth. I agree with others here that the R9 290 will be plenty and save you some $ to put into an Intel i5 / i7.

JohnC wrote:

Second of all, why such strange choice of storage - a smallish SATA SSD and a single large HDD?

I have a 120GB SSD in my gaming machine and I've always had free space (everybody is different). Of course, back when I bought it, it was $180. I do agree that for this budget a ~256GB SSD makes the most sense.

Intel Core i5-4670K
G.SKILL Ripjaws X
GIGABYTE GA-Z87X
Seagate Barracuda 1TB
SeaSonic X-SERIES X-1050W
LIAN LI PC-K65
SAMSUNG 840 Pro 256GB MLC
ASUS R9 290X
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Grand total: 1644.91

- Regardless of what PSU you buy always test it to see if it has coil whine or if it otherwise produces any kind of electric noise. If it does, replace it right the way.
- Regarding the video card, although i believe it's the best in this price range, you should wait for the custom cooled versions and choose one of those.
- As for the CPU cooler, i'd actually recommend the Thermalright Archon but newegg.com doesn't seem to have it. Note that the Cooler Master 212 Evo might now allow you to install RAM with tall heatspreaders in the RAM slot nearest to the CPU socket. Also, before purchasing any CPU cooler, check the manufacturer website and see if it's compatible with the specific motherboard you intend to buy and that it will fit in your case. Note that mobo compatibility involves more than socket support.
- The case is something that besides functionality, it has to appeal to the user. If you like something else feel free to choose whatever suits you.

Swap the CPU for a 4670k or 4570 (or 4770k if you're feeling a bit rich), AMD's current architecture offers poor per-thread performance and that's what matters most for gaming. Processor performance improvement and system requierments have both stalled so it's reasonable to expect that whatever you buy now will last a very, very long time. I was a big AMD fanboy right up until Sandy Bridge happened, but they just aren't bringing it right now.

If all you care about is a single 1080p at medium to high display settings you would be fine with a GTX 760 or R9 270x, bump it up one notch if you want omgwtfgigahardcore settings. 290X is a fine card but it's mad overkill for a single 1080p display, it's intended for two monitors or much higher resolution.

Switching to an mATX motherboard is a very easy way to save money without losing any relevant functionality. The Intel side of the fence has nicer mATX offerings than AMD, including some fancypants gamer boards like the Z87 Gryphon.

If future-proofing is a key priority, do not watercool no matter what other choices you make. WC solutions are much more prone to failure than simple fans, and are usually only attempted by those who enjoy overclocking and expect to burn their hardware out after a year or two.

NovusBogus wrote:

If future-proofing is a key priority, do not watercool no matter what other choices you make. WC solutions are much more prone to failure than simple fans, and are usually only attempted by those who enjoy overclocking and expect to burn their hardware out after a year or two.

Is that also true of the closed-loop systems? I understand the custom solutions (which are of questionable reliability), but I had not heard the same thing from the "complete" units from people like Corsair.

It may sound like a broken record but the Intel 4770k is the way to go. More and more games along with free custom video playback software already do and more will take advantage of hyperthreading. So as for future proofing you definitely want 8 threads over 4 threads even if they are fakish threads they do make a pretty big difference in many applications.

As for a case I love the Cooler Master HAF 922 series. I own one albeit it is going on 3 years old but you are hard pressed to find a more airy case that comes with twin 200mm fans along with a 120mm fan and space for another 200mm fan or a 240mm radiator. I have 2 200mm fans on mine one front intake and a top set up as exhaust but can hold a 240mm rad with no problems. On the side panel I am running 2 120mm intake Cougar fans and on the back I have a 120mm AIO radiator setup with 2 cougar fans in a push pull exhaust configuration. Keeping my overclocked 2600k well under 70c. The honeycomb grill/grating on the HAF 922/932 etc does keep the panels strong yet let tons of airflow in since honeycomb has about the least wind resistance compared to round or square holes. But it can get dirty inside if you live in a dusty/smokey environment. Also the 922 is under $100 and the front led on the 200mm fan can be turned off. I love that.

As for a power supply 850watts should be plenty giving you headroom even if you crossfired 290x cards or titans. My Corsair tx850 has served me well for almost 3 year 24/7 and they are still pretty inexpensive but have decent quality. I believe they might be up to a v3 version now. Mine is not modular but I have no complaints since there is plenty of room behind the right side panel to hide cabling.

As for a AIO cooler I would go with the silverstone td-02 with its "All Metal" Pump/heatsink plate and patented 240mm radiator fin design along with a nice framework around the radiator making it look sharp, it also performs very well . I cannot wait to get the money for one for myself since my 120mm radiator is on the thin side and is goin on 3 years old.

JAE suggestions are great as always like a 240gb ssd etc.

As for the video card I love the 290x also but not a fan of the 90c+ temps it runs at. I hope some partners release some custom cooler models for them soon but I am sure you will be able to find a Arctic Cooling Solution in the near future that will keep it cool and quiet.
I also am looking forward to seeing how the 780ti performs in less then a week.

Wow everyone, thank you so much for the overwhelming responses, tons and tons of good information here!

superjawes wrote:

Now, we did fail to ask the important question. Does this budget include a copy of Windows, a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers/headphones? Those can easily eat into your budget, and it makes a difference on the components we'll recommend...if we think $2,000 is just for hardware, we'll put together an awesome system, but you'll be lacking everything you need to use it

Budget wise, the only thing I would need is a copy of windows slapped into it all. I'm currently set up pretty well with a nice keyboard, mouse and a headset/speaker combo.

NovusBogus wrote:

If all you care about is a single 1080p at medium to high display settings you would be fine with a GTX 760 or R9 270x, bump it up one notch if you want omgwtfgigahardcore settings. 290X is a fine card but it's mad overkill for a single 1080p display, it's intended for two monitors or much higher resolution

I do most of my gaming on my 40" 1080p display, but I do have a smaller 17" utility display I wouldn't mind finding a use for, but I think I'm going to listen to the others and wait for the reviews on the R9 290 and the 780 ti before I lock in a GPU.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

With your budget, let's look at a quad-core Haswell porcessor (e.g.: Core i7-4770K or Core i5-4670K) and a Z87 motherboard (e.g.: ASRock F* Z87 Killer (ATX) or Z87M Extreme4 (micro-ATX)).

I like the sound of the 4770k and that ASRock board, I alway used ASRock when building for my family, mainly because they are what my local shop seems to carry, but I've grown to trust them over time.

vargis14 wrote:

It may sound like a broken record but the Intel 4770k is the way to go. More and more games along with free custom video playback software already do and more will take advantage of hyperthreading. So as for future proofing you definitely want 8 threads over 4 threads even if they are fakish threads they do make a pretty big difference in many applications.

Despite sounding like a broken record, I think everyone sounds that way for a reason, even some of my co-workers are pedalling the benefits of an i7 to me

`

Well thank you all so much for your input everyone! You've convinced me to piece together a different build:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K (If it wasn't good, it wouldn't of been so heavily recommended, am I right?)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 (Local shop carries them) But I am open to other recommendations!
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer (Looks like it has everything I want from a MOBO)
Memory: 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1866mhz (I plan on getting 8gb at first, and then moving to 16gb later, as to dampen the initial entry cost. Is this a bad idea?)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD + Seagate Barracuda 1TB (I've got about 500gb in externals sitting around, so I don't think I'll need much more HDD space)
Video Card: Wait and see, I'll be watching the r9 290 (non-x) and the 780 ti before I make a decision, although I will be buying the system soon, so the graphics card will just be late to the party.
Case: NZXT H2 Classic Silent White (My close friend owns this case, he gave me the tour, I sort of fell in love. My only gripe was it seemed to not have the best ventilation? Can anyone provide some insight towards that case?)
Power Supply: My buddy at the local shop is offering me a deal on a NZXT HALE82 650W 80 PLUS Bronze but I don't know if thats the best choice I can make.

With windows included the build seems to roll in around $1,800 - 1,950.00 (With assumed pricing on the GPUs) but if I space out the RAM and GPU purchases I should still be able to afford Xmas gifts for the family

Thoughts on my new mock up? Once again, thankyou all! I had no idea how helpful TR would be, but I am so glad I came here!

Check out the memory deal on the front page:
http://techreport.com/news/25597/deal-o ... s-and-more

You should also look at the Editor's Choice build in the latest system guide, hot off of the virtual presses:
http://techreport.com/review/25584/tr-f ... em-guide/4

Finally, when you're shopping at Newegg, check out the combination deals.

DPete27 wrote:

JohnC wrote:

Second of all, why such strange choice of storage - a smallish SATA SSD and a single large HDD?

I have a 120GB SSD in my gaming machine and I've always had free space (everybody is different). Of course, back when I bought it, it was $180. I do agree that for this budget a ~256GB SSD makes the most sense.

What kind of games do you play, and how often? My Steam folder alone is about 200GB, this is not counting Origin-enabled games or any MMORPG games (both "final" versions as well as few betas still under NDA ).

superjawes wrote:

Video Card - Just say "no" to the 290X. It's a fast card, but it runs hot, and the GTX 780 is almost as fast for $50 less (and that will run cooler). If you want more power, you can wait until we see reviews on the 290 and 780 Ti and where those stand in the lineup.

True that - an EVGA GTX780 SC (factory-overclocked and with custom cooler) is $494.00 right now at Amazon, with extra $10 rebate. Unless anyone blindly believes (or has a personal financial interest in making other to believe ) that AMD has enough money to force every game developer to use their Glide API - there is no good reason to buy 290x right now, not for its current price and with its crappy stock cooler.

I want to comment on your build, but working with quotes and multiple browser tabs and copy/paste is really laggy, crashy, and generally bad on my old android phone. I'll make a more coherent reply when I get home tonight. Your build looks pretty bad from here, at least given the budget you quoted...

[edit] Didn't see the updated build. Looks nice! I'm going to shut up and go to bed now. ˓(¦:ɝ[▓▓]

CT_Messiah wrote:

Budget wise, the only thing I would need is a copy of windows slapped into it all. I'm currently set up pretty well with a nice keyboard, mouse and a headset/speaker combo.

Gotcha. So we'll include $100 for Windows 8 (it's got some issues, but I wouldn't necessarily spend more just to get Windows 7 )

CT_Messiah wrote:

Memory: 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1866mhz (I plan on getting 8gb at first, and then moving to 16gb later, as to dampen the initial entry cost. Is this a bad idea?)

Basically, no. You get better memory performance by maximizing the memory in your primary channels rather than spreading it all out. You can add more down the road, but it would probably be easier just getting 16GB right off the bat, especially with a good budget (my new machine has 16 GB inside, and I spent closer to $1100).

CT_Messiah wrote:

Case: NZXT H2 Classic Silent White (My close friend owns this case, he gave me the tour, I sort of fell in love. My only gripe was it seemed to not have the best ventilation? Can anyone provide some insight towards that case?)

If you're worried, you can probably just add some case fans and force it. On the choice, it is important to have a case that you like. I will still recommend the 650D (even over the cheaper 750D), but if that's what you want, go for it. You can get more information about how to set up case fans either online or here when you're at that point

CT_Messiah wrote:

Power Supply: My buddy at the local shop is offering me a deal on a NZXT HALE82 650W 80 PLUS Bronze but I don't know if thats the best choice I can make.

Someone please post the power calculator so I can finally bookmark it...

CT_Messiah wrote:

Thoughts on my new mock up? Once again, thankyou all! I had no idea how helpful TR would be, but I am so glad I came here!

No problem!

CT_Messiah wrote:

CPU: $340 Intel Core i7-4770K (3.5 GHz quad-core with hyper-threading)
CPU Cooler: $70 Corsair Hydro H60

The "K" chips are the only Haswells that can be overclocked. If the budget is tight, you'd still like to get at least a $175 Core i5-4430 (3.0 GHz quad-core). If you're not going to overclock, you might want the $300 Core i7-4770 (3.4 GHz quad-core with hyper-threading) (which offers VT-d support that the "K" processors lack).

Do consider the $36 CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo (or for $31½) as a less expensive cooling option.

CT_Messiah wrote:

Memory: 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1866mhz (I plan on getting 8 GiB at first, and then moving to 16 GiB later, as to dampen the initial entry cost. Is this a bad idea?)

If your budget isn't as large as you initially proposed, you can start with 2x4 GiB for $68 now and then add another 2x8 GiB in a year or two if you need it. However you do it, start with two identical DIMMs at the beginning and leave your other two slots free for future memory expansion. Not only is a pair of higher-density DIMMs less expensive, it also puts less load on the memory bus, so you can run with tighter timings than you can when all of the memory slots are populated.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

CT_Messiah wrote:

CPU: $340 Intel Core i7-4770K (3.5 GHz quad-core with hyper-threading)
CPU Cooler: $70 Corsair Hydro H60

The "K" chips are the only Haswells that can be overclocked. If the budget is tight, you'd still like to get at least a $175 Core i5-4430 (3.0 GHz quad-core).

Bad idea. You should have at least a quad-core CPU with hyperthreading (if it is an Intel one) for next-gen games like BF4, which just LOVES using all the extra cores, both physical and logical/virtual.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

If you're not going to overclock, you might want the $300 Core i7-4770 (3.4 GHz quad-core with hyper-threading) (which offers VT-d support that the "K" processors lack).

Excellent idea. I've been using my i7-2600 for a long time, still do, never had the need to overclock it and definitely appreciate the money saving it provided (hey, money are money, regardless of an amount or personal wealth ).

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Do consider the $36 CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo (or for $31½) as a less expensive cooling option.

Also an excellent idea. Watercooling is for hipsters who want to sacrifice the personal wealth, time and safety of their hardware (leaks can always happen, regardless of how many clamps you put on a hose) for online e-penis waving Good aircooling with proper case airflow is perfectly fine for all gaming needs.

I only read the OP's post and I sense that you're more of the AMD type. Having said that, why not spend just a few bucks more and go with the FX-8350? You can probably OC the FX-8320 to FX-8350 speeds but an FX-8350 is an FX-8350, right? And with your budget just $40 more is a no brainer. I have an FX-8350 myself (as the world+dog knows) and I'm very happy with it. Been using it for about 11 months now.

If you have any DDR3 now I would suggest limping along with that for a few months, this is a terrible time to be buying memory because one of the big manufacturers had a factory fire and now everyone's milking it for all they can.

650 watts should be a sufficient power supply as long as you don't go with the gluttonous Titan or 290x or do significant overclocking. None of the stuff in your list is a big power drain.

ronch wrote:

I only read the OP's post and I sense that you're more of the AMD type. Having said that, why not spend just a few bucks more and go with the FX-8350? You can probably OC the FX-8320 to FX-8350 speeds but an FX-8350 is an FX-8350, right? And with your budget just $40 more is a no brainer. I have an FX-8350 myself (as the world+dog knows) and I'm very happy with it. Been using it for about 11 months now.

I'm much more keen on recommending an unlocked, Hyper-Threaded Intel chip, but I'd really like to see some updated benchmarks using AMD's best. Particularly, I'm finding BF4 easier to drive than BF3, CPU-wise, in multiplayer use. My 2500k at 4.5GHz doesn't seem particularly challenged, and I'm betting that games optimized for the upcoming consoles just might do well on a quad-module/eight-threaded AMD CPU like the FX-3820.

Now, as for the OP: with a $2,000 budget, there is literally no reason to skimp on anything, period. Do it right, the first time, you can afford to.

And answer this: what resolution do you want to play at? What games do you want to play now, and what games are you looking forward to?

Last, a few pieces of advice:

-You do not need a super-massive PSU. If you're going for a single top-end GPU, say GTX780 or R9-290X, a top-quality Corsair or Seasonic 650W unit would be the right kind of overkill. I run two GTX670's and my overclocked CPU on an older Seasonic 650W. Doesn't break a sweat.
-Get that hard drive, but also look toward a 240-256GB SSD. You won't need all of it, and there are ways to set up Windows (7 or that will allow you to prevent things like downloads or dropping something on your desktop from accidentally filling up your system drive, but SSDs have gotten cheap enough that getting a mid-size, high-quality drive should be a priority.
-Get Windows 8. It's the best OS under the skin, and the skin can be dealt with using programs like Start 8 that restore most or all of the classic Windows Start Menu if you need them. But you probably won't.
-Don't go overboard on the motherboard. You'll want one that's been vetted as a stable overclocking base, but there's just not that much to these things unless you're running multiple GPUs or you need some specific feature like Thunderbolt. Also, don't go crazy for things like mSATA slots, hyped-up audio, or built-in WiFi. All of these things will be substandard compared to spending just a few dollars on a real solution.
-When it comes to cases, the H2 is a good one, as is the Fractal Design Define R4 (I have the R3, and prefer it). The bigger issue, though, is finding something that you actually like, that's not too difficult to work in, and that can support the combination of parts you're getting. Remember that fans can be added easily; I added four to my R3 and run them very low.
-For the CPU cooler, the CM Hyper 212+ is the budget favorite, but if you're going to go better than that, look closely at Corsair's H80i for a robust, but quiet, solution for an overclocked CPU.

Couple deals of the week are applicable, including 8GB RAM sticks for $60 a pop. Heck, they've even got this 240GB SSD for $175. This is what my Windows image sits on.

But for cases there's also the 350D for $80. You'll have to bump down to a mATX board, which isn't really sacrificing much unless you have dreams of SLI/Crossfire builds. The common complaint of this case (and probably Corsair cases in general) is that it's larger than most in the mATX class, but it does feature some of the nice builder-friendly features of the larger cases.

If you're going with the full $2,000 budget, you might as well get a "full" size motherboard and case, but it might allow you to trim a little bit here and there, and like I said, mATX really doesn't limit you unless you want a multi-GPU setup (or need lots of expansion cards). Worth the consideration, at least.

EDIT: Oh hey, I found that Power Supply Calculator! Okay, I ran this with a 290X, 4770K, some extra fans, USB devices, and PCI components with 20% capacitor aging. The resulting recommendation was 600 W, so 650 W is probably good. If you are considering future SLI/Crossfire (which typically isn't worth it), you can bump up the wattage, but you're probably safe where you are.

Wow guys, just wow.
Everytime I return to this thread I am floored with the amount of awesome and helpful information. I love this place!

I've revised the build once again opting for a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO over a liquid cooling solution.
Many have also recommended ditching the K series CPU in favour of saving a few dollars. I'm not so sure I will follow this advice, I do believe I will end up OC'ing the system, and the extra 30 or so dollars just means a couple dinners at home rather than eating out.

Also, it seems like its being pushed that going for 2x8gb sticks will be more beneficial to me. So I will also take that advice.

The build will be updated in the original post to reflect the changes made. If there is anything that still needs tweaking or I missed, please, by all means, feel free to chime in!

Once again, I thank you all!

For the case I would definitely go with whichever one you like the appearance of the most. Fancy internal features are nice but not something you will be dealing with very often. Airflow and noise properties are good to know about but greatly overhyped and only truly pertinent to serious overclockers.

Also, don't forget that if you live near a Microcenter or know someone who does you can get a stupid good deal on the CPU and possibly the motherboard.

Newegg's got Windows 8.1 Pro for $20 off this weekend. It's $120 with code "EMCYTZT4744". The plain version is still $100. Since they raised the RAM limit from 16 GiB in Windows 7 Home Premium to 128 GiB in Windows 8 and 8.1, there's probably no need for the "Pro" edition.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ ... fault.aspx

I despise Windows 8 but I vaguely recall reading somewhere that one of the new features was a way to legally reuse an OEM key on an upgraded system. If true that would make it a much better value than 7, which requires a much more expensive retail key in order to swap motherboards.

The main differences between HP and Pro are that Pro can host RDP and has an option to sideload WinRT apps. It might be worth hedging $20 in case WinRT ever become relevant, but what's holding it back is the insane software model so this restriction would almost have to be eliminated before it matters.

I had a carefree moment today, while on break at work, so I placed the order for some parts... No turning back now.

CPU, Cooler, Mobo, SSD, PSU and Case are on the way.

NovusBogus wrote:

If you have any DDR3 now I would suggest limping along with that for a few months, this is a terrible time to be buying memory because one of the big manufacturers had a factory fire and now everyone's milking it for all they can.

I'm going to limp along by transplanting the 6gbs of DDR3 from my current system into this one, along with a 560 ti I've got already.

I figure I can pick up an optical drive, HDD and a copy of Window's once everything arrives.

I look forward to the build and I will post a write-up with some pictures once everything is wrapped up!

Wish me luck!