[Krulani]

I want to build a computer for my brother, reusing some parts from my old computer, with a few stipulations. I'd like as much value as i can get cheaply. He's not much of a gamer currently, but part of my motivation for this build is to give him the ability to PC game if he decided he wanted to. It only needs to perform at 1080p, and I don't need it to run things on "Ultra". Medium to high is fine. A Wifi module on the mobo is not required, but if it is available without sending the price through the roof, that could be useful.

I want it to have, non-negotiable:
1.) i5 4670k
2.) ITX, he moves around a lot and i'd like something he can seatbelt into the back seat and carry from place to place with 1 arm.
3.) Some CPU overclock capabilities, nothing crazy. Probably 4.2Ghz at the most.

These are the components + peripherals I can reuse:
1.) Corsair HX750, I don't mind paying to replace this as it's probably too big.
2.) 16gb Ripjaws 2133
3.) Zalman CNPS9500A 92mm fan CPU cool, replacing this is probably a good idea.
4.) Corsair Force GT 120gb SSD
5.) Windows 8, installed on the above SSD. Looking back at my reciept when i bought it, it says Full Version. I think this means i can reuse it on a new mobo?
6.) Western Digital 1TB Black
7.) EVGA GTX 680 4GB, I could reuse this or sell it. 4gb's of VRAM seems like overkill. Maybe a recommendation on should i sell it and downgrade to 760 or switch to 770 2gb? I don't want to add money to the budget on the GPU.
8.) Some random 1080p HP monitor. I don't know the model# offhand.
9.) A keyboard

So OCN, can you "fill in the blanks" and provide me with some cheap options for the rest of the parts? I think a Fractal Node 304 is a nice starting point because it comes with all the case fans it needs. I'm open to all suggestions though!

 

[JambonJovi]

What sort of a budget do you have for the upgrades ? You in the US ?

Basically you're looking to get the CPU, ITX mobo, cooler, Case and possibly a GPU replacement?
An SFX psu might be handy too and would give you a bit of extra space in the Node.
The rest seems fine to me.

 

[Krulani]

Yes, I live in the US. California to be precise, and mentioning that i'm a member of Amazon Prime is probably worthwhile too. I guess i should have put a budget on it. Let's say ~$600

 

[JambonJovi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krulani

Yes, I live in the US. California to be precise, and mentioning that i'm a member of Amazon Prime is probably worthwhile too. I guess i should have put a budget on it. Let's say ~$600

I'd go for something like this.

The motherboard has wifi and would OC well with the H80i.
My second option would be the AsRock Z87E-ITX
Overclocking the Asus GTX 760 you're getting even, if not better performance,
than the 680 at 1080p while slightly lowering the power consumption.
Selling the 680 is a good idea IMO. You would easily get the money back for the 760,
if not more. 4GB versions maintain their price better than 2GB.
Add to that a SilverStone 450W SFX PSU for $79.99 and you're looking at about $600.
If you have spare $$$ then go for the GTX 770.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($259.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 Mini ITX Tower Case ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $784.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-24 11:00 EDT-0400)

 

[Krulani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JambonJovi

I'd go for something like this.

The motherboard has wifi and would OC well with the H80i.
My second option would be the AsRock Z87E-ITX
Overclocking the Asus GTX 760 you're getting even, if not better performance,
than the 680 at 1080p while slightly lowering the power consumption.
Selling the 680 is a good idea IMO. You would easily get the money back for the 760,
if not more. 4GB versions maintain their price better than 2GB.
Add to that a SilverStone 450W SFX PSU for $79.99 and you're looking at about $600.
If you have spare $$$ then go for the GTX 770.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($259.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 Mini ITX Tower Case ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $784.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-24 11:00 EDT-0400)

Just out of curiosity, which cooler would do better on a delidded 4670k: The H80i you recommended (with the stock fans), or a CM 212 Hyper EVO? I hadn't considered doing one of the AIO coolers because they are more expensive, but if i did an H80i I could use the CM Elite 130 Case which is cheaper than the Node 304 and could offset the cost-hike from air cooling. I had my eyes on the Node because it had enough overhead room to fit a cheap "tower" air cooler, whereas the CM Elite 130 didn't.

I think i will, in fact, go ahead and sell the GTX 680 4GB. I believe a 760 with a factory overclock should be enough for gaming at 1080p, and I might have a little extra money for the other parts.

 

[mdocod]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright AXP-100 44.5 CFM Ball Bearing CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87E-ITX Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($259.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Lian-Li PC-TU100B Mini ITX Tower Case ($105.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Gold 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Samsung SN-208FB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($27.20 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $913.13
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-25 13:02 EDT-0400)

I'm figuring sell the GTX6804GB to "solve" the difference. The little TU100 case is probably the most portable you're going to find. Make sure to install the CPU-HSF with the fan assisting the PSU fan since they will be basically butted directly up against eachother.

 

[Krulani]

I had no idea the ASRock Z87E-ITX was only $130 (after 10.00 rebate). Amazon has it listed around $180, which now I assume is because it's out of stock and people/companies are gouging the price. Newegg is out of stock as well. I would love to use this board if it comes back in stock. That's my 2nd favorite ITX board after the Maximus VI Impact, which is too expensive for the purposes of this build.

The Lian-Li TU100 is definitely the most portable case i've seen with that handle, great suggestion. I have to admit though, I think it is ugly as sin. I definitely won't be using that one, but I really appreciate the suggestion.

Now i've seen a MSI 760, and an Asus 760 suggested. I've always been a bit partial to EVGA, so of the 3 of them is there a clear winner for quality?

 

[toyz72]

i dont think replacing he 680 for a 760 is such a good idea? the 760 is more on par with a 670 at best.

 

[mdocod]

The reason I suggested the specific GTX760 that I did there is because it is an "ITX" length GPU that will fit in these cases that are very compact. I'm not sure if EVGA makes a "shorty/ITX" version of the GTX760 or not. I also would tend to prefer an EVGA card, but honestly unless it's being BIOS-MODDED and pounded with voltage/overclocks under water the differences between GPU brands are largely insignificant these days in terms of reliability. EVGA probably offers some of the most robust high end cards for doing serious 500W+ suicide level overclocks, but for a stock-BIOS GTX760, whatever "fits" is probably going to be fine.

I think the little TU100 is totally steam-punky awesomeness-factor. Personal preferences though

See what your brother things of it, hehe.

 

[toyz72]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdocod

The reason I suggested the specific GTX760 that I did there is because it is an "ITX" length GPU that will fit in these cases that are very compact. I'm not sure if EVGA makes a "shorty/ITX" version of the GTX760 or not. I also would tend to prefer an EVGA card, but honestly unless it's being BIOS-MODDED and pounded with voltage/overclocks under water the differences between GPU brands are largely insignificant these days in terms of reliability. EVGA probably offers some of the most robust high end cards for doing serious 500W+ suicide level overclocks, but for a stock-BIOS GTX760, whatever "fits" is probably going to be fine.

I think the little TU100 is totally steam-punky awesomeness-factor. Personal preferences though

See what your brother things of it, hehe.

i see where your going with it now. with all the choices on itx cases out there, i wouldn't limit myself to size to much in case of future upgrades. but thats just me.

 

[Krulani]

Pretty much any GPU i've seen will fit in the Fractal Node 304, and I've decided that's what i'm going with. I'm also selling the EVGA 680 4GB for sure. At this point i'll buy either a gtx 760 or 770 to include in this build.

Since I'm doing the Fractal Node 304, I decided to use the Silverstone Strider Gold 550W PSU because it is so short without being SFX (It's also one of the recommended PSU's in OCN's Node 304 club), and the Strider series is very nice for sleeving, which I might do for this

At this point the only question marks remaining are which Mobo i'm going to go with, and which cooler.

I like the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, which will fit in a Node (height-wise). BUT, I don't know if it will fit on a Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI, Impact, or ASRock Z87E-ITX. Will it hit the GPU on the GB board? Does it hit the VRM's on an Impact? I think it would definitely work on the ASRock, but i don't see those in stock for the correct price.

If I can't get the Hyper 212 EVO to work out with these ITX mobo's, I will probably just a H80i but i'd rather not have to.

Thanks for all the help everyone! OCN always impresses me.

 

[mdocod]

The only reason I would sell the GTX680 is if it won't fit in the case. If you're picking a case that will fit the GTX680 then there's no good reason to sell it only to turn around and buy a GTX770 (same card).

 

[Krulani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdocod

The only reason I would sell the GTX680 is if it won't fit in the case. If you're picking a case that will fit the GTX680 then there's no good reason to sell it only to turn around and buy a GTX770 (same card).

Good point. So let's say the 770 is out, because you're right; The 680 and the 770 are basically the same card.

At this point the choice would be between the 680 and the 760. 680>760, but is a 760 "good enough" to run current games on medium or high (not ultra) at ~60 frames (With a 4670k @ ~4.2Ghz)? Selling the 680 4GB for ~$350 and buying a GTX760 for $260 would help pay for other parts.

I only have a 60 htz 1080p monitor to give him, so I don't think he'd need 4GB's of VRAM and GTX680 power. Am I overestimating what the 760 is capable of though?

 

[JambonJovi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krulani

At this point the choice would be between the 680 and the 760. 680>760, but is a 760 "good enough" to run current games on medium or high (not ultra) at ~60 frames (With a 4670k @ ~4.2Ghz)?

Yes it can. Check out the Techpowerup review of the Asus DCU II

In BF3 @ 1080p on ULTRA for example, it runs at 73.5fps
and when OC'd performs nearly as good as the stock 770.

 

[Krulani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JambonJovi

Yes it can. Check out the Techpowerup review of the Asus DCU II

In BF3 @ 1080p on ULTRA for example, it runs at 73.5fps
and when OC'd performs nearly as good as the stock 770.

Which is perfect! He doesn't need any more than that right now. If he ever decides he does want better, then he can upgrade the GPU and/or monitor on his own dime and my purchase was effective.

Also, another family member now wants to chip in $200 on top of what i was spending. Now I've got some wiggle room in the budget. I might go with the H80i now and get some good 92mm intakes for the front of the Node 304. I thought about the Noctua 92mm's but those are PWM and I'd prefer 3-pin fans so the intake is steady.

 

[JambonJovi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krulani

Which is perfect! He doesn't need any more than that right now. If he ever decides he does want better, then he can upgrade the GPU and/or monitor on his own dime and my purchase was effective.

Also, another family member now wants to chip in $200 on top of what i was spending. Now I've got some wiggle room in the budget. I might go with the H80i now and get some good 92mm intakes for the front of the Node 304. I thought about the Noctua 92mm's but those are PWM and I'd prefer 3-pin fans so the intake is steady.

Ya it's a great little card alright. I'll be getting one myself once I scrape the money together.

Go for the cooler I says! You'll easily be able to OC the 4670k even beyond 4.2GHz

 

[mdocod]

The GTX760 is ~75% of a GTX680 (6 x SMX vs 8 x SMX), though strapped to the same number of ROPs and memory bandwidth, it achieves excellent workload saturation on the SMXs in gaming workloads. The result of which is performance that is often within 80-90% of the GTX680.

 

[Krulani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JambonJovi

Go for the cooler I says! You'll easily be able to OC the 4670k even beyond 4.2GHz

Now that the budget for this project has grown, I will go ahead and get the H80i. Plus I already have a pair of SP120 Quiet's to replace the stock fans with

That + delidding should make for a solid overclock with great temps.
Quote:

Originally Posted by mdocod
The GTX760 is ~75% of a GTX680 (6 x SMX vs 8 x SMX), though strapped to the same number of ROPs and memory bandwidth, it achieves excellent workload saturation on the SMXs in gaming workloads. The result of which is performance that is often within 80-90% of the GTX680.

That sounds perfect. Thank you for the insight.