When using this resource, please read the opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly.
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Mostly WoW, Skyrim Online, EvE, and other upcoming MMORPGs. Oh, and of course...SC2!!! I don't need max settings, just high. I'd rather have clean FPS with a better CPU than prettier graphics with a high end GPU. And, I would like to stream games at a reasonable frame rate and video quality. Stream is not that important but I would love to have this option without it hindering performance in game.
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Only gaming.
Do you intend to overclock?
Nope.
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
If possible and if it is better, sure!
Do you need an operating system?
Nope.
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Nope.
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
I've been here before and I got really good tips and advice last time, so I am here again asking for help. I trust your input so you can just disregard what I found and suggest what you feel is better. Things like the case, I do not care if it is an ugly cheap box, so I would like to save money on things like that. But I am hoping to build a computer does not suffer from CPU issues and frame rate drops. I know that it is impossible to run SC2 on max settings and not see FPS drops in 4v4 or max 200/200 battles...but I want to get as close to that as possible. To stream that kind of sc2 content would be magical though. I feel like SC2 is the ultimate CPU test.
Thank you.
edit: I really like http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-03gp42784kr and http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54670k. I think these will be my two main parts. However, I want to know what you guys think about getting a much cheaper GPU and go for a even better CPU? Or does the build need to be balanced? It's just that I've had an experience where I bought a super GPU and a cheaper CPU, my graphics looked great but I had FPS issues. So I am thinking about getting a bit lower end GPU in favor of a super CPU. Or does it not work like this? Sorry for so many questions!
I would agree with that last part. At this budget and for such CPU needs, overclocking is really recommended. The initial links you posted aren't working for me.
Either way, if you're going to play SC2 at high settings/FPS and stream at the same time, you'll definitely be wanting at least an overclocked 4670k. 4770k is another option, since it'll help with the video encoding stream demands, however it's $100 more expensive than the 4670k and all it really offers is a slightly bigger cache (which, admittedly, is good for SC2) and hyperthreading. Hyperthreading is good for video encoding aka streaming, but hyperthreading doesn't do anything for gaming, especially for a game like SC2 which is poorly optimized for running on several cores.
In your case, I would probably opt for the 4670k, as it's quite capable of using a streaming program such as OBS (which uses x264 to encode, which is efficient). You're really going to want to overclock the 4670k as that's what's going to help to get high FPS and in playing SC2 in general.
Cyro will doubtlessly add that having fast RAM helps, though his knowledge of cache/RAM speed for SC2 is much more detailed than what I know, so I'll leave that part to him. Still, getting some fast RAM is beneficial for playing SC2 if I'm unmistaken. Something like this should do, it's not even that expensive compared to slower RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231653
8 Gb should be sufficient, unless you're talking über stream at 1080p 48 fps with lots of programs floating around everywhere. In which case get 16 Gb (and a 4770k xD). But 8 should be fine (unless EVE online is also a game that demands lots of RAM?).
GTX 780 is overkill for every game you mentioned; however if you want a high end GPU that can max any game at 1080p and won't be obsolete for quite some time, go for it. It's a good card, people like it. In fact, you could even SLI in the future and having some amazing GPU horsepower (when the 780 is cheaper at a later date, obviously).
One last note on the motherboard and cooler. If you're going to overlock the 4670k, get the GA-Z87X-D3H. It's a great motherboard, one of the best at this price range, it'll let you overclock the CPU quite nicely and overall it's the go-to board for overclocking Haswell CPUs. There's an excellent guide on oc.net for overclocking Haswell processors if you choose this route, I can link you to it.
For a cooler, a nice high end would be nice. There are a few coolers to choose from, from Noctua (one of the best being NH-D14, though it's big) or Thermalright (Silver arrow). Ask around this thread, I can't remember all the good coolers off the top of my head.
Be sure to get a case that will fit big-ass coolers.
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Mostly WoW, Skyrim Online, EvE, and other upcoming MMORPGs. Oh, and of course...SC2!!! I don't need max settings, just high. I'd rather have clean FPS with a better CPU than prettier graphics with a high end GPU. And, I would like to stream games at a reasonable frame rate and video quality. Stream is not that important but I would love to have this option without it hindering performance in game.
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Only gaming.
Do you intend to overclock?
Nope.
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
If possible and if it is better, sure!
Do you need an operating system?
Nope.
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Nope.
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
I've been here before and I got really good tips and advice last time, so I am here again asking for help. I trust your input so you can just disregard what I found and suggest what you feel is better. Things like the case, I do not care if it is an ugly cheap box, so I would like to save money on things like that. But I am hoping to build a computer does not suffer from CPU issues and frame rate drops. I know that it is impossible to run SC2 on max settings and not see FPS drops in 4v4 or max 200/200 battles...but I want to get as close to that as possible. To stream that kind of sc2 content would be magical though. I feel like SC2 is the ultimate CPU test.
Thank you.
edit: I really like http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-03gp42784kr and http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54670k. I think these will be my two main parts. However, I want to know what you guys think about getting a much cheaper GPU and go for a even better CPU? Or does the build need to be balanced? It's just that I've had an experience where I bought a super GPU and a cheaper CPU, my graphics looked great but I had FPS issues. So I am thinking about getting a bit lower end GPU in favor of a super CPU. Or does it not work like this? Sorry for so many questions!
Intel processors don't fit in AMD motherboards for future reference...
Not sure why you have a bad 1000w power supply selected because you'll never come close to using that amount of power with a 4670 and a 760. If you want a modular unit than get an XFX XTR 550 for $90. If you don't care about modularity than just get a Rosewill Capstone 450 for $60.
You know, this is just a personal opinion, but there's something to be said about getting an overkill PSU for your rig. Yes, it's obviously more expensive, however that premium you're paying is basically silence.
I made the mistake of buying a 600W PSU for an HD 7970 + i5 4670 set up. Its fan almost never spins. It's slightly warm, but not warm enough to make the fan spin, even when the 7970 is under full load (I mine a bit here and there, for fun).
I'd obviously not advise getting a 1000W PSU, especially not a bad one, for an undemanding rig. However, if you have money, you're able to dish out just a tad more and get an overkill PSU, which will in turn be quieter than a PSU more adapted to your needs. This was a happy mistake on my part.
So I am thinking about getting a bit lower end GPU in favor of a super CPU. Or does it not work like this?
4670k >IS< the super cpu, there's nothing better on singlethreaded performance
780 is kinda overkill for 1080p60hz, though much of its performance margin over 770 isn't realized if you leave it at stock, because gk110 is clocked really low by default (like below 1100mhz, while gk104 is stock mid 1200's often) and they both have the same clock potential, nvidia just likes underclocking stuff to meet power windows.
^There is no game that i play that i can't meet 120hz easily with that's not CPU bound, that's often with some settings turned down though. If you're chasing max settings on flagships with MSAA and want high FPS, it can be a bit different.. but there's little reason for that, IMO. Having 1/12'th as much motion blur with a 120hz strobe backlight monitor is far more notable than having stuff look a little prettier
^look at FPS bottomright there with a 770.. Really need a card 1.5x as powerful for 60hz? By this point, i'd honestly start looking into peripherals/screen etc over raw hardware, if you can afford a $500 gpu. Screens and such are super cheap in the US, they cost 1.7x as much here
I don't see point of >8gb ram for almost anyone, my friend complains of only having 16 but then again i've only passed 6gb of RAM since 2010 while running planetside 2 with a bunch of other stuff, encoding takes basically no RAM, i keep my "attention span" down to like 15 browser tabs at a time, rather than loading google chrome to 50 tabs, opening a new chrome, opening 70 tabs and then loading three different games, so dunno how i would use >16gb of RAM or even >8gb
Could write a ton more, but tired.
Edit: You wrote no for OC? That's not good choice IMO, especially for such list of games and budget. I thought you was overclocking since you linked 4670k
What games do you intend to play on this computer? What settings?
Mostly WoW, Skyrim Online, EvE, and other upcoming MMORPGs. Oh, and of course...SC2!!! I don't need max settings, just high. I'd rather have clean FPS with a better CPU than prettier graphics with a high end GPU. And, I would like to stream games at a reasonable frame rate and video quality. Stream is not that important but I would love to have this option without it hindering performance in game.
What do you intend to use the computer for besides gaming?
Only gaming.
Do you intend to overclock?
Nope.
Do you intend to do SLI / Crossfire?
If possible and if it is better, sure!
Do you need an operating system?
Nope.
Do you need a monitor or any other peripherals and is this part of your budget?
Nope.
If you have any requirements or brand preferences, please specify.
I've been here before and I got really good tips and advice last time, so I am here again asking for help. I trust your input so you can just disregard what I found and suggest what you feel is better. Things like the case, I do not care if it is an ugly cheap box, so I would like to save money on things like that. But I am hoping to build a computer does not suffer from CPU issues and frame rate drops. I know that it is impossible to run SC2 on max settings and not see FPS drops in 4v4 or max 200/200 battles...but I want to get as close to that as possible. To stream that kind of sc2 content would be magical though. I feel like SC2 is the ultimate CPU test.
Thank you.
edit: I really like http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-03gp42784kr and http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54670k. I think these will be my two main parts. However, I want to know what you guys think about getting a much cheaper GPU and go for a even better CPU? Or does the build need to be balanced? It's just that I've had an experience where I bought a super GPU and a cheaper CPU, my graphics looked great but I had FPS issues. So I am thinking about getting a bit lower end GPU in favor of a super CPU. Or does it not work like this? Sorry for so many questions!
I would agree with that last part. At this budget and for such CPU needs, overclocking is really recommended. The initial links you posted aren't working for me.
Either way, if you're going to play SC2 at high settings/FPS and stream at the same time, you'll definitely be wanting at least an overclocked 4670k. 4770k is another option, since it'll help with the video encoding stream demands, however it's $100 more expensive than the 4670k and all it really offers is a slightly bigger cache (which, admittedly, is good for SC2) and hyperthreading. Hyperthreading is good for video encoding aka streaming, but hyperthreading doesn't do anything for gaming, especially for a game like SC2 which is poorly optimized for running on several cores.
In your case, I would probably opt for the 4670k, as it's quite capable of using a streaming program such as OBS (which uses x264 to encode, which is efficient). You're really going to want to overclock the 4670k as that's what's going to help to get high FPS and in playing SC2 in general.
Cyro will doubtlessly add that having fast RAM helps, though his knowledge of cache/RAM speed for SC2 is much more detailed than what I know, so I'll leave that part to him. Still, getting some fast RAM is beneficial for playing SC2 if I'm unmistaken. Something like this should do, it's not even that expensive compared to slower RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231653
8 Gb should be sufficient, unless you're talking über stream at 1080p 48 fps with lots of programs floating around everywhere. In which case get 16 Gb (and a 4770k xD). But 8 should be fine (unless EVE online is also a game that demands lots of RAM?).
GTX 780 is overkill for every game you mentioned; however if you want a high end GPU that can max any game at 1080p and won't be obsolete for quite some time, go for it. It's a good card, people like it. In fact, you could even SLI in the future and having some amazing GPU horsepower (when the 780 is cheaper at a later date, obviously).
One last note on the motherboard and cooler. If you're going to overlock the 4670k, get the GA-Z87X-D3H. It's a great motherboard, one of the best at this price range, it'll let you overclock the CPU quite nicely and overall it's the go-to board for overclocking Haswell CPUs. There's an excellent guide on oc.net for overclocking Haswell processors if you choose this route, I can link you to it.
For a cooler, a nice high end would be nice. There are a few coolers to choose from, from Noctua (one of the best being NH-D14, though it's big) or Thermalright (Silver arrow). Ask around this thread, I can't remember all the good coolers off the top of my head.
Be sure to get a case that will fit big-ass coolers.
Thanks for taking the time to write this! I will go with a 4770k as I always have multiple programs running when I play, I will also get 16 Gb of RAM because it's pretty cheap and there are many good deals. I would also like to do SLI in the future, that is why I got the PSU and the motherboard. However, if I go with the 4770k instead of the I5 core, would I have to change the motherboard or PSU? I am worried that my build will not fit. As for the GPU...I think my budget allows for the 780 everyone tells me is so good (plus I will get another one when it is cheaper). Thank you.
Want to double check with you guys and see if all the parts are compatible. Any suggestions with better parts? I am pretty dead set on the core and GPU. And I want a SSD (first time buying one) and 16 GB RAM, but if there are better replacements for those then I would love to know. Thank you! In the future I will be doing SLI.
No idea what direction you want to go in as your build just seem like random things thrown together.
Unless you're multi-boxing, you're not even going to use 8GB of memory for gaming so why waste money on 16GB unless of course you're making a RAMDisk.
Rosewill Capstone or Corsair RM are better choices than Antec High Current Gamer-M.
Unless you just want an SSD for your operating system and two to three games, it's probably a better idea to get a 250GB SSD. Go EVO instead of Pro unless the two extra years of warranty matters to you or you're benchmarking because you're not going to notice the difference between the two in day to day activities without benchmarking or doing a side by side comparison.
ASUS Z87-Pro not worth it over a less expensive board like the Gigabyte Z87X-D3H unless fancy wi-fi is worth $40+ to you.
If you're getting a 840 Pro and a GTX 780, you might as well pay slightly more for a Noctua NH-U14S or NH-D14 instead of Thermaltake.
On February 02 2014 08:45 skyR wrote: No idea what direction you want to go in as your build just seem like random things thrown together.
Unless you're multi-boxing, you're not even going to use 8GB of memory for gaming so why waste money on 16GB unless of course you're making a RAMDisk.
Rosewill Capstone or Corsair RM are better choices than Antec High Current Gamer-M.
Unless you just want an SSD for your operating system and two to three games, it's probably a better idea to get a 250GB SSD. Go EVO instead of Pro unless the two extra years of warranty matters to you or you're benchmarking because you're not going to notice the difference between the two in day to day activities without benchmarking or doing a side by side comparison.
ASUS Z87-Pro not worth it over a less expensive board like the Gigabyte Z87X-D3H unless fancy wi-fi is worth $40+ to you.
If you're getting a 840 Pro and a GTX 780, you might as well pay slightly more for a Noctua NH-U14S or NH-D14 instead of Thermaltake.
I will get the Noctua. Thank you. The mboard and PSU is for sli in the future. The GPU is the one I want and I am choosing the i7 because I run a lot of programs at once and multibox. Yes, I will look into a bigger SSD. Anything else I should change?
I would say the 270 is better value than the 270X.
The only difference between both cards is the amount of power you can put in them. Otherwise, everything else in terms of architecture is exactly the same: VRAM, memory width, texture units, ROPs, etc.
At stock, the 270X is clocked faster, though this can be easily circumvented by overclocking the 270 yourself, as you said.
Overall, the 270X will overclock "higher" because you can step up the voltage that much more. I don't think so. It would be interesting to see the difference in overclock performance between the 270X and the 270, I don't think it's enough to justify the extra price however.
I would recommend the 270 with a good cooler. A good cooler gives you headroom for overclocking. The companies with the best coolers would be Gigabyte's Windforce, ASUS's DCUII, MSI's Twin Frozr.
Not sure about Sapphire cards, their Tri-X cooler has the reputation of being one of the the best coolers (if not the best) you can find for high end cards like 290/290X/280X. You won't find one on a 270 though, they probably have Dual-X which are all right.
Edit: Yeah, all things considered, I doubt you'd get over 100 extra MHz overclocking a 270X over a 270 and that amount of clock speed probably isn't worth $60. As Cyro said earlier in this thread, clock speed is nice but it isn't the most important aspect of a GPU, the architecture is. As the 270 and 270X have the exact same architechture, I'd say go with the 270 and use that extra $60 for something else. Just get a good cooler.
On February 02 2014 08:45 skyR wrote: No idea what direction you want to go in as your build just seem like random things thrown together.
Unless you're multi-boxing, you're not even going to use 8GB of memory for gaming so why waste money on 16GB unless of course you're making a RAMDisk.
Rosewill Capstone or Corsair RM are better choices than Antec High Current Gamer-M.
Unless you just want an SSD for your operating system and two to three games, it's probably a better idea to get a 250GB SSD. Go EVO instead of Pro unless the two extra years of warranty matters to you or you're benchmarking because you're not going to notice the difference between the two in day to day activities without benchmarking or doing a side by side comparison.
ASUS Z87-Pro not worth it over a less expensive board like the Gigabyte Z87X-D3H unless fancy wi-fi is worth $40+ to you.
If you're getting a 840 Pro and a GTX 780, you might as well pay slightly more for a Noctua NH-U14S or NH-D14 instead of Thermaltake.
I will get the Noctua. Thank you. The mboard and PSU is for sli in the future. The GPU is the one I want and I am choosing the i7 because I run a lot of programs at once and multibox. Yes, I will look into a bigger SSD. Anything else I should change?
Yes I did read that you wanted SLI. I don't understand why you want to pay more for the Z87-Pro over the Z87X-D3H when both have the same PCI-E x16 spacing and don't have PLX chips? If you're looking for a board with a PLX chip to do tri-SLI than you need to look at $200+ boards like a Z87 Deluxe because a Z87-Pro doesn't have a PLX chip.
On February 02 2014 08:45 skyR wrote: No idea what direction you want to go in as your build just seem like random things thrown together.
Unless you're multi-boxing, you're not even going to use 8GB of memory for gaming so why waste money on 16GB unless of course you're making a RAMDisk.
Rosewill Capstone or Corsair RM are better choices than Antec High Current Gamer-M.
Unless you just want an SSD for your operating system and two to three games, it's probably a better idea to get a 250GB SSD. Go EVO instead of Pro unless the two extra years of warranty matters to you or you're benchmarking because you're not going to notice the difference between the two in day to day activities without benchmarking or doing a side by side comparison.
ASUS Z87-Pro not worth it over a less expensive board like the Gigabyte Z87X-D3H unless fancy wi-fi is worth $40+ to you.
If you're getting a 840 Pro and a GTX 780, you might as well pay slightly more for a Noctua NH-U14S or NH-D14 instead of Thermaltake.
I will get the Noctua. Thank you. The mboard and PSU is for sli in the future. The GPU is the one I want and I am choosing the i7 because I run a lot of programs at once and multibox. Yes, I will look into a bigger SSD. Anything else I should change?
Yes I did read that you wanted SLI. I don't understand why you want to pay more for the Z87-Pro over the Z87X-D3H when both have the same PCI-E x16 spacing and don't have PLX chips? If you're looking for a board with a PLX chip to do tri-SLI than you need to look at $200+ boards like a Z87 Deluxe because a Z87-Pro doesn't have a PLX chip.
Capstone and RM are both better still...
Hmm I picked that board because there was a deal for it and the 4770k. Also, I would like wifi since I move around a lot. Yes sir, looking into changing my PSU to a brand you suggested. And the case...is there a better option for me?
On February 02 2014 11:25 Golgotha wrote: Corsair H100i has a lot more fan rpm than the noctuas. Is there a catch? It's not that much more expensive, and if it's a lot cooler, id take it!
I redact my statement. You obviously want to say your an enthusiast. Go ahead you can always buy yourself there.
On February 02 2014 11:25 Golgotha wrote: Corsair H100i has a lot more fan rpm than the noctuas. Is there a catch? It's not that much more expensive, and if it's a lot cooler, id take it!
I redact my statement. You obviously want to say your an enthusiast. Go ahead you can always buy yourself there.
Yeah I know very little about building pcs, that is why I am asking for help. I know I have a lot of questions, and I never said I was anything more than what I am. Cant a bro get some help?
I think it's because higher RPM is actually a bad thing generally, because it means more noise. The noctua coolers (I have a D-14) are silent most of the time, and at max load they're still barely audible. This is because they have low RPM but tons of surface area and big fans, resulting in a high rate of heat transfer from the processor to the case/outside.
I think H100i is a closed-loop cooler, right? I've heard that they're louder, and that would make sense. Fans look small, and if they run at a higher RPM then they'll be louder.
But I don't know that much either, if I'm wrong please correct me!
Edit: Size difference is negligible, but Noctua is cheaper than the water. I assume that the H100i would cool better than the D-14, but probably not by much/not enough to justify $30 unless you want the "cool" watercooling.
CLC's don't use water. They use Ethylene Glycol which is the main reason they are terrible. Then they use cheap case fans instead of radiator fans and thus have to sound like jets to push any air through the radiator.
On February 02 2014 11:25 Golgotha wrote: Corsair H100i has a lot more fan rpm than the noctuas. Is there a catch? It's not that much more expensive, and if it's a lot cooler, id take it!
I redact my statement. You obviously want to say your an enthusiast. Go ahead you can always buy yourself there.
Yeah I know very little about building pcs, that is why I am asking for help. I know I have a lot of questions, and I never said I was anything more than what I am. Cant a bro get some help?
16 gigs of RAM is pretty overkill. I run SC2, MS, iTunes, Firefox, Skype, and random misc apps on my MSi GT60 and at most I use like....3.8 out of 16 gigs of RAM. That said, if you're throwing money on a GTX 780, you're obviously too rich for 8GB of RAM.
Doing multiple things is great on an i7 but it will also be great on an i5. You mentioned that the computer will be used specifically for gaming, so an i7 is completely pointless. If you plan on creating and rendering using multiple computer media programs, then okay go for an i7.
Seeing how you don't really know how to build a computer, I'm skeptical whether you will even overclock it. Overclocking is not free. You pay a premium for the motherboard, a premium (sometimes) for the unlocked CPU, and a hefty price for an aftermarket cooler. The worst scenario is a rich kid buying all these expensive computer parts to brag but not use. Sometimes they get scared of overclocking but mostly, they are too lazy to overclock. I have 3 friends with unlocked CPUs and OC motherboards. Only 1 of which purchased an aftermarket cooler and none of which have even attempted to overclock (their computers were purchased in summer 2013).
Don't use the excuse that you will overclock in the future so you will match the power of future CPUs. No one buys that excuse. If you're not going to overclock when you get your machine, you're not going to overclock a year down the road.
On February 02 2014 11:25 Golgotha wrote: Corsair H100i has a lot more fan rpm than the noctuas. Is there a catch? It's not that much more expensive, and if it's a lot cooler, id take it!
They're completely different types of coolers so you can't compare with stuff like this, on top of that, i don't understand decision for 4770k or 780 or 16gb of RAM.
If you don't know much about building a computer, why do you want an EVGA CLASSIFIED 780? Are you going to be benching in the 1400mhz range on air with a custom bios on it? If not - get one of the other cards. Likewise if Hyperthreading isn't a big gain for you, you don't want it. Your core clocks on the CPU will be 200mhz lower with it on due to heat, so you'll lose performance in a lot of cases - i've had HT off half of the time on my 4770k so that i could throw an extra 0.1vcore at it, and i use HT all the time for stuff that a lot of people don't.
I have 3 friends with unlocked CPUs and OC motherboards. Only 1 of which purchased an aftermarket cooler and none of which have even attempted to overclock (their computers were purchased in summer 2013).
These people are everywhere
Regarding the GPU, I am trying to find which 780 is best.
"best" means "handles itself best when you use a voltage that is unsuitable for 24/7 gaming load, for the use of temporarily increased performance while running 3dmark11", basically.
If you don't want that, the only real difference between the cards are >noise profiles< since it's somewhat difficult to cool 300 watts on a single pcb and i see many people with one 780 run 15% lower performance than another all of the time simply due to not being able to deal with the GPU temperatures because of not liking fan noise, or not having ideal case/case airflow etc.
^If you really care about the difference between one 780 model and another (which is almost entirely irrelevant for 24/7 operation), then stuff like delidding CPU is far more important. Both are way into enthusiast level, which you can do if you really want to, but requires a lot of looking for knowledge and pushing components, and you can't get there simply by spending a lot of money, as much as a lot of people try to. The differences do matter to such people (and to me) but if you're not going to be spending days or weeks at a time reading up on components and pushing them, it just won't make a difference to you.
i7 > i5 is one of the most commonly done budget mis-allocations IMO, you need to really, really justify 16gb of RAM (because 8gb is a lot!) and then if you're going past 770/280x on a 1080p60hz to the tier of "supercards" above them, you need to really, really justify that too, otherwise you can extremely easily fall into a situation of making a build for 1.5x the cost of what you actually want, with no real benefit at all
I love 780/780ti and even 290 but if you're gonna leave them at stock clocks, they're somewhat questionable decisions. If you're going to pay a ton extra for a "great" or "best" model without pushing it to limits, it's a flat out bad economic decision, unless epeen has a dollar value to you, likewise for 4770k, if you can't list at least some of your programs that would benefit from hyperthreading, you're probably just shooting yourself in the foot. In an expensive build the cost difference isn't much, but throwing stuff in "just because" does not make the best value builds
This is a build of a friend of mine, the one who did not even OC yet (i talked him almost everything on that list, though he was going to go to 850 on the gpu for kingpin card (limited edition liquid nitrogen benchmarkinging version of classified) for an example of what you have to be careful to avoid
EPT
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/OULiXr5.png)
