So many questions....
###Build Help:
Have you read the sidebar and rules? (Please do)
Yep
What is your intended use for this build? The more details the better.
Mostly gaming and annoying my husband with the pretty colors. I suppose if I must, work related spreadsheets and schoolwork.
If gaming, what kind of performance are you looking for? (Screen resolution, framerate, game settings)
I mostly play rpg's. I would love to see the Witcher 3 at 1440p not be horrid to play at max (ambivalent about hairworks). Fallout 4, Skyrim, and next month ME Andromeda at max would be nice as well.
What is your budget (ballpark is okay)?
$1800 is the absolute max I can go and it depends on whether or not my work bonus comes through. If that isn't what I'm hoping, $1500.
In what country are you purchasing your parts?
USA
Post a draft of your potential build here (specific parts please)..
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
Provide any additional details you wish below.
I'm probably going to build this beginning of or around mid March (bonus dependent). I want something colorful, but I can sacrifice all that for better performance as I don't plan on upgrading for at least 5 years. We don't have any plans to upgrade to 4k for a while so I'm not factoring that into the equation. We are planning on getting a VR headset by years end.
Questions:
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Which case is better? NZXT s340 elite or the Phanteks I have picked. I love the look of both and am leaning towards the Phanteks due to the fans and overall it seems to be better at cooling, but some reviews say the RGB lights on it won't mesh well with the hue +. They are the same price so that's not a factor. The s340 is also more VR friendly.
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Would dropping down to the i5 impact my performance in a major way? Close friend swears I need the i7, but the net says I can get by with the i5. I don't do any photo or video editing at all. But I do want something to last 5 years. I know Ryzen is coming out soon and around the time I'll be building, but it's all speculation right now and I can't really factor it into anything. I have never had a computer with AMD anything in it, but I'm willing to try it.
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Would switching to thermaltake be a dumb move? I see so many conflicting reviews on it. It is cheaper, by pennies really, but I have to factor in my bonus not being what I want. I do think the LED's look better, but then again so many reviews say they aren't that bright.
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Is there an air cpu cooler that doesn't look horrid? All of them look so big and bulky. I'm going with the kraken x62 simply because I love the aesthetics. I plan on overclocking eventually, but I do realize for my purposes it's a bit overkill.
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How hard is it to add things like the NZXT fans and hue + after a build? I can knock that off and save up if I have too I guess. I'm a first time builder. In the past I've managed to change out video cards and PSU's, but that's the extent I have with hardware. My husband is Jon Snow and knows nothing. He's a console only guy, which I know is grounds for divorce, but everyone has their flaws right??
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And if do get the hue+, do I need that internal USB thing to go with it or does my mobo have enough 2.0 ports to run all the crap I want to add?
I'm sure I'll have more. But as soon as I know my final budget, I'm going to start purchasing items. Any help would be appreciated!!
Posted Feb 17, 2017, 3:35 AM UTC