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Configuration Help Needed

Post Date: 2015-01-10
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Grumbly View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Configuration Help Needed
    Posted: 10 Jan 2015 at 9:07pm

Budget:$4000

Expectations:
Cheaper obviously would be nice, however, I'm looking mostly to get bang out of my buck. Not afraid to spend my max budget if it means substantial increases. (Ie, not spending a few hundred bucks more for a little change).

Usage:Gaming

Special Needs:
Looking to purchase a monitor (aprox 27") and keyboard with the Office Home Business pkg (or if its cheaper to buy separate I will)

I am confused with all the different Home PC choices and looking as everyone is for the best bang for my buck. I have built computers before but alas I am now to lazy to keep up with all the number crunching on what is best etc.

Looks like DS has a good rep and I am very interested in trying one of their builds.
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 3:22am
Hi Grumbly.... Welcome to the forums.

Here's a good place to start.   The case selection can be personal but the Apollo, Corsiar 760t, is a roomy, well cooled pick.

Whether you need the sli, 2x gtx 980 or just a single card depends if the monitor is 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 and if you want all games to run on ultra settings.

The Sabertooth mobo is sli capable and has a 5 year warranty because of its quality components.

Config# 1130445.        Cost$ 3397

Can't paste right now so just plug in the config # up top.

Hope this helps and good luck.
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 4:22am
Hi Grumbly,

Here is bprat22's build so everyone can see it. I am just helping out bprat22 since he couldn't post the configuration.

Frank


Configuration: 1130445 Cost $3397

Specifications:

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Apollo
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 4790K 4.0 GHz (Codename Devils Canyon) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK2 (Intel Z97 Chipset) (Military-Grade TUF Components)
System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 850W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Western Digital - Black Edition)
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H100i 240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
Portable Gaming: - No Thanks
Branded Gear: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 4:30am
Hi Grumbly,

Here is bprat22's build using a Velox case instead of the Apollo case incase you like it better.

Frank

Configuration: 1130457 Cost: $3584

Specifications:

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Velox
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 4790K 4.0 GHz (Codename Devils Canyon) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK2 (Intel Z97 Chipset) (Military-Grade TUF Components)
System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 850W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Western Digital - Black Edition)
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H100i 240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
Portable Gaming: - No Thanks
Branded Gear: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)


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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 5:18am
Thanks for the help, Frank. Big%20Smile
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 9:19am
Glad to help.

Frank
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Grumbly View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 3:56pm
Thank you both for taking the time to come up with these builds.

Difference between Apollo and Velox is looks? or cooling?

I am in the market for a Monitor and new keyboard, any suggestions?

Thanks again
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Posts: 4314 		  Quote ArkansasWoman777 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 5:37pm
A lot of people recommend the Asus VG248QE and as for keyboard are you a fan of mechanical keyboards?

You could try looking at the Corsair ones, the logitech ones, tesoro, etc and see which you would like the most Grumbly
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i5 3570k

Ordered: 11-27-12
Stage 1: 11-29-12
Stage 2: 12-2-12
Stage 3: 12-2-12
Stage 4: 12-4-12
Stage 5: 12-4-12
Stage 6: 12-10-12
Stage 7: 12-12-12
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Posts: 1674 		  Quote  Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 11 Jan 2015 at 5:54pm
Velox may have a little more airflow, but they should both be good for cooling.

Velox is a case designed by Digital Storm and built at a metal shop local to them; whereas the Apollo is a Corsair Graphite 760T.

I gave some advice on monitors here.

For keyboards, there are a few factors to consider. You should definitely consider layout...standard, ergonomically shaped, compact/condensed. You're probably familiar with the standard 104 key layout with the num-pad on the right side of the board. You may also be familiar with different ergonomic designs, such as split keyboards that angle the keys out so your wrists are in more of a natural position when using them. For compact condense there are numerous variations: Ten-keyless (TKL) where the num-pad is removed, 75% where the arrow keys are moved in with the other keys and condensed a little more than TKL, 60% where the F-keys are removed and no arrow keys are used, and 40% where the number keys are removed and is condensed as much as possible. Function keys which give keys additional function make up for removal of some or all of the keys.

Switch type is another important factor; there are typical deformable rubber/plastic dome types, mechanical, etc...a fairly extensive list of switches. Generally you want a linear switch for gaming (for rapid repeated strokes) and a clicky switch for typing (assurance of stroke), but everybody has their own preferences. Key roll-over is another factor...how many keys you can simultaneously press at a time (good for those games where you need to be holding down many buttons at the same time).

If you want macros where you program multiple keystrokes or other actions to happen at the click of a button, there are a couple options. You can get a keyboard with dedicated macro keys. There are also hardware and software solutions (ie ASUS's Keybot usb controller where you can assign macros to buttons on the keyboard).

Lastly, there is lighting on the keyboard. The latest trend is to have RGB LEDs behind each key and have them all be independently controlled. Obviously this has cost associated with it, but you can have crazy lighting effects on your keyboard with it.

Personally, I have a Cooler Master Quick Fire Stealth (I've had to return it a couple times due to a Cherry switch failing (it can happen) and the Caps Lock and Scroll Lock LEDs not functioning; but they've had fairly good RMAs) and I just picked up a Noppoo Choc Mini-2M wireless keyboard. Both have Cherry MX-Red light force linear switches in them (my preference).
Bolt II Review (and now some modifications!)

Configuring a Computer
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 19 Jan 2015 at 8:49am
Hi Grumbly,

Are you still thinking about your DS computer?

The Velox is a better case if you want to air cool the GPU or CPU. First off the mother board is rotated so the GPUs are at the top of the case and the CPU is below. In the Apollo the GPU is on the bottom and the CPU is on top. If you wanted to air cool the CPU the Velox has a front 140mm fan that would blow directly into the CPU cooler. The CPU cooler is located so the expelled air from the cooler blows directly into an exhaust fan.

With the GPUs at the top of the Velox you have a front 140mm fan blowing directly onto the GPUs. Then there are two top 140mm fans and two side 140mm fans that can be arranged for great air cooling of the GPUs.

The Apollo can't match this setup but still gives good cooling. The question then becomes, how much cooling do you need. Nothing wrong with the Apollo cooling, I just like the flexibility of the Velox. If you go water cooling on the CPU and air cooling on the GPUs then the difference between the two is closer. If you go full water cooled on the CPU and the GPU then the two cases are much closer.

The two things I really don't like about the Apollo is the looks of the case and the plastic parts. Neither one of those two things makes a difference in performance. Just personal preference.

Frank
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Grumbly View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 19 Jan 2015 at 1:46pm
Yes I am still thinking about getting a DS Computer and I am leaning towards the Velox Case setup.

Only thing holding me back (and I am sure I am not the only one) is the financing. Just wish DS had some financing options other than the PayPal one.

I wanted to thank all that have responded and helped.

Grumbly
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 19 Jan 2015 at 2:26pm
Hi Grumbly,

Understand. We are here to help if you need us.

Frank
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Grumbly View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Feb 2015 at 1:51pm
I appreciate everyone's input and was wondering if this build is still my best bang for my buck?

Looking to use some refund cash to supplement what I have saved.

My original post and expectations still stand.

Thanks again for your time and patience.
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Feb 2015 at 2:21pm
Hi Grumbly,

If you are going for the best bang for the buck the Apollo build is your best choice. The Apollo case is cheaper than the Velox. I would go with SLI 970 GPUs instead of the 980s. You will take a 15% performance hit with the 970s but they are the best performance for the dollar. Then if you really want to save some more money go with an i5 4690 CPU. It gives good gaming performance for a savings.

I am not necessarily suggesting you make the above changes. These are just ways to get good performance for less money. If you really want the best bang for your buck then the Vanquish II level 4 is the best performance you can get for your dollar. With the Vanquish II you can't make any changes to the build.   Everything with the Vanquish is a compromise between performance and cost.

Frank     
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Posts: 297 		  Quote michaeljhuman Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Feb 2015 at 2:42pm
I would also agree 970 seems to be better bang for buck than 980

For CPU, not sure what they charge for 4790K, but based on factory speed alone, it's a good buy IMO. Out of the box it will do 4.5 Ghz turbo. Fastest clock on Intel CPUs I know of. A cheaper processor may very well do as good, it's luck of the draw with the overclock.

For gaming, the GPU is really where it's at, which is why some people suggest i5. The hyperthreading benefits of the i7 don't seem to matter much for most games. I presume in the future more threads will help, so it's a matter of whether you want to spend more for that capability

See this, somewhat dated article on i5 vs i7 -
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7189/choosing-a-gaming-cpu-september-2013/10

If it was me, I would go with the 4790K because the i5s are not a lot less money if you are looking at multiplier unlocking K versions

If it was me, trying to save some money, I would get 970s, but I would see if DS could special order EGVA FTW 970s, because I have had good luck with them. That would take you into custom build territory, so perhaps you should ignore what I would do :)

"The other day, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. What an elephant was doing in my pajamas, I will never know"
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Grumbly View Drop Down
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Feb 2015 at 7:18pm
Configuration: 1130457 Cost: $3584

Is this configuration still optimal for that price range?
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FrankW View Drop Down
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Posts: 2254 		  Quote FrankW Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Feb 2015 at 5:46am
That is a great build for a stage 1 OC.    

Frank
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Feb 2015 at 6:49am
I 2nd that. Strong  Excellent rig with quality parts that come with longer warranties.  The Sabertooth mobo, Evga 850 SuperNova, Western Digital Black HDD and 850 Pro SSD all are tops. 

Nice. Big%20Smile
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Posts: 492 		  Quote Ariktu Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Feb 2015 at 7:10am
The system looks great.

Since you never mentioned that I saw what uses or games you are going to use the system for and what resolution you will be running I honestly have zero idea if the system is really right for you.

Buying a DS system is a great idea. I just wish I knew if this system would really be the right choice for you.
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 09 Feb 2015 at 11:14am
As far as games go I just want to enjoy the latest and greatest out there without worrying if my rig is going to burn up.

A couple questions that someone might help me with.

Configuration Code:     1146071

I changed to the better fans and Windows 7 Ultimate 64 operating system (cant seem to get the hang of Win8)

Is there any advantages in running Win8? If so I am sure I can adapt.

This is primarily an air cooled unit (CPU is water cooled?)? Will it be noisy and should I opt for the Noise reduction package?

Als will the extra fans on the Chassis Mod's help keep the over all components cooler? (I have had cooling issues before and tho it might be overkill will it really help much?)

I am also in the market for a real nice monitor for this system but dont want to spend a mint. Any suggestions?

Thank again for you time
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Posts: 297 		  Quote michaeljhuman Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 09 Feb 2015 at 11:53am
At some point Win7 will no longer be supported. But that is 5 years away last date I saw. It's also nice to learn Win 8 if you need to use computers with Win 8 on them. Otherwise, Win 7 seems preferable :) A buddy of mine, PhD in Physics and excellent software engineer likes Win 8. So it can't be too bad ( he's a gamer to, so he must not have too many gaming issues with Win 8)
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Posts: 297 		  Quote michaeljhuman Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 09 Feb 2015 at 11:58am
Originally posted by Grumbly

As far as games go I just want to enjoy the latest and greatest out there without worrying if my rig is going to burn up.

A couple questions that someone might help me with.

Configuration Code:     1146071

I changed to the better fans and Windows 7 Ultimate 64 operating system (cant seem to get the hang of Win8)

Is there any advantages in running Win8? If so I am sure I can adapt.

This is primarily an air cooled unit (CPU is water cooled?)? Will it be noisy and should I opt for the Noise reduction package?

Als will the extra fans on the Chassis Mod's help keep the over all components cooler? (I have had cooling issues before and tho it might be overkill will it really help much?)

I am also in the market for a real nice monitor for this system but dont want to spend a mint. Any suggestions?

Thank again for you time


I already covered Win 8 :) Air cooled units don't have to be noisy. Depends on if you overclock, and on things like the PSU, number of fans, fan "quality" and RPMs and such

Extra fans might keep a case cooler. There's a lot of variables IMO. Airflow in the case, ambient air temp near the intakes ( which could depend on where the case is sitting.)

In other words, it depends. I can't believe so many people are so sensitive to a bit of fan noise. Heck, I like it. I like background music too. If you really want dead silence, go liquid cooling, but it's not cheap

When I am not overclocking my rig, I barely notice the fans. You can even underclock your PC and adjust fan profiles and such to make it pretty quiet. Some PSUs can be fanless at normal temps. Liquid CPU cooling is cheap compared to a full liquid cooling solution due to using Corsair loop coolers IMO. I go that route in my own built CPU (DS is on order.)
"The other day, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. What an elephant was doing in my pajamas, I will never know"
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 09 Feb 2015 at 12:14pm
Im not the one that cares about fan noise (lol with current system it lets me know its still working at times even though screen is blank). I was mostly just asking for the sake of others in the room because I will have my headset on anyway.

Currently it will sit atop my corner desk unit and might not have the best ambient airflow but it will not be blocked on any side.

As far as windows 8 I can bite the bullet and learn how to use it like we have on all new operating systems.

Thank you for your time and replies.
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 10 Feb 2015 at 6:05am
So this is the system I am aiming to buy. Config Code:1146495

Any Ideas on a good affordable monitor for this system?
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Posts: 9 		  Quote Grumbly Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 12 Feb 2015 at 8:58am
Once again thanks to everyone for taking the time to configure a system for me.
Unfortunately I have just received some bad news and might not have a job next year.

So I still would like to get a new computer but my budget has been sliced in half. (aprox. <$2500)

Looking to run games like Dragon Age : Inquisition on high and smoothly and anything that is coming out in near future that might demand some extra GPU power.

So I either build my own or get one here (I would prefer one from DS).

Any guru's have some ideas?
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 12 Feb 2015 at 9:26am
Sorry to hear. Cry

Here's a build with a single gtx 980 .   It'll play great on a single 1080p monitor and even decently on a 1440p.  You won't max out gaming, but even games on High settings look real nice.

Also only need the i5-4670k over the i7-4790k for gaming. 
The mobo doesn't allow for sli.

Config # 1147687    Cost $ 2374

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Apollo
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i5 4690K 3.50 GHz (Codename Devils Canyon) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS Z97-P (Intel Z97 Chipset) (No SLI Support)
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 750W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Western Digital - Black Edition)
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H100i 240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
Portable Gaming: - No Thanks
Branded Gear: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)

If you want sli, then for a little over the budget you can change mobo to the Gigabyte Sniper and change the gtx 980 for sli gtx 970.  About  $2555.

The sli 970 will give you much better frames than a single 980, especially if you go with a 27" 1440p monitor. 
.

Hope this helps.  Big%20Smile


Edited by bprat22 - 12 Feb 2015 at 9:29am
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Kaelara View Drop Down
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Posts: 67 		  Quote Kaelara Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 12 Feb 2015 at 4:56pm
Originally posted by Grumbly

Once again thanks to everyone for taking the time to configure a system for me.
Unfortunately I have just received some bad news and might not have a job next year.

So I still would like to get a new computer but my budget has been sliced in half. (aprox. <$2500)

Looking to run games like Dragon Age : Inquisition on high and smoothly and anything that is coming out in near future that might demand some extra GPU power.

So I either build my own or get one here (I would prefer one from DS).

Any guru's have some ideas?


Sorry Man to hear about the job situation I have had some of the same issues, infact had to make do with a 7 yr old laptop that could only play WoW for 20-40 mins at a time and only at low settings for nearly a year because I had lost my job. I just recently got my new build from DS.. and can vouch for the Quality of their product and work

Bprats build looks good..I can not improve on it without adding to cost.

Edited by Kaelara - 12 Feb 2015 at 4:57pm
Kaelara

Velox
Asus X99 Rampage V
Intel i7-5820k 3.3
16G DD4 2800Mhz Ram
2x SLI Dual Nvidia Geforce GTX 980 4GB Asus Strix Edition
Corsair H110 280mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler


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Joined: 28 Oct 2014
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Posts: 1674 		  Quote  Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 12 Feb 2015 at 5:51pm
The good thing about desktops is that they are very configurable. I took your config above and down-spec'd some stuff and brought it down to just over $2509:

Configuration URL:     https://www.digitalstormonline.com/configurator.asp?id=1147974
Specifications:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Velox
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i5 4590 3.30 GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK2 (Intel Z97 Chipset) (Military-Grade TUF Components)
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 850W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: - No Thanks
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H100i 240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Fans: Upgrade All Fans to Corsair Airflow Performance Edition (Up to 6 Fans)
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
Portable Gaming: - No Thanks
Branded Gear: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)

For the processor, I chose the 4590. I have it in my Bolt II and it serves me very well (with my GTX 970 FTW: Assassin's Creed Unity at 1080p very high settings except low AA, The Crew at 2160p very high settings except low AA, Dirt 3 2160p ultra settings except low AA). You can upgrade to a Broadwell-K later on when they are released.

Also, single GTX 980...you can get a second 980 later on and put them in SLI.

8GB of memory is good enough for now. You'll have two open DIMM slots for additional memory if you want to add any more later on.

Removed the HDD...if you have any hard drives already, you can add them, otherwise you can get some more storage later on down the road when you need more. 256GB is decent space and is usable so long as you don't go nuts with a ton or games or media.

Base version of Windows...Windows 10 is going to be a free upgrade when it comes out.

Otherwise kept it the same, including the Velox chassis, so you'll have the stuff you can build up your dream machine with and not go all-in right off the starting blocks.
Bolt II Review (and now some modifications!)

Configuring a Computer
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