> I'll work on setting up a pcpartpicker build for you to look at sometime this week.
This week, a month later, what's the difference?
So, here's a higher-end build with some future-proofing in mind (higher watt power supply than you need in case you upgrade CPU/GPU or add more drives, higher clock speed RAM, overclocking, etc):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cxgRV6It won't run everything at 144 Hz 1440p, but it'll run most everything at 144 Hz 1080p on high settings, although not on max settings for newer games like The Witcher 3.
If, however, you feel your money burning a hole in your pocket and would like to have a top of the line build, this is what you should look at (and is pretty close to my build, with the exception of the processor):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MV4Kq4You'll notice a couple consistencies between the two builds so far: the monitor and the CPU cooler.
I honestly can't recommend that monitor enough. I've had the GN246HL for three years now and have never once had a problem with it. The only issue you could potentially run into is that the monitor doesn't support HD video quality through the DVI port (what you need to plug your video card into for 144 Hz refresh rate), and on HDMI it doesn't support 144 Hz refresh rate (but does display HD video). Newer monitors have a DisplayPort port, which can handle both at the same time and seems to be where the future is for monitors (all of my 10 series Nvidia cards have these ports, as do my older 970 cards). It's not really a death sentence, but it's kinda annoying if you care about picture quality when watching movies.
The CPU cooler is there for two reasons. First, the new Intel CPUs (like the i5 and the i7 in those builds) don't have stock coolers, so you need an aftermarket one to install (and boy are they absolute PITAs to install). Second, they're the cheapest highly-reviewed aftermarket CPU coolers I found in my research, and I've been using mine for about 4 months now without issue. It definitely works better than a stock cooler did on my older Xeon CPU.
Let me know if you have any questions about those builds/parts.
And last but not least, we have the budget build!
This will still play games (including newer games) at 60 FPS 1080p on medium to high graphics depending on the game, but, well, it's a budget build, so don't expect it to be a workhorse.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/csm4pGAnd full disclosure, this isn't a "true" budget build; it's still fairly new when it comes to the motherboard, CPU, and RAM. Reason being that Microsoft recently got with Intel and the motherboard manufacturers and made it so new series Intel CPUs don't support Windows 7, only Windows 8 and newer. Older CPUs/motherboards support Windows 7 and 10, but they don't support DDR4 RAM, so it's all kind of a big clusterf**k of part compatibility.
Let me know if you want a
true budget build, but I suspect you don't.
Also, you can choose whatever case you want, I just picked whatever wasn't ludicrously expensive due to stupid RGB lighting, but if that's your thing, have at it.
General Discussion / Entertainment