Best PC build for gaming and live streaming?

crimsonstag84 said:It's not great. That processor is basically half as powerful as an Intel Core i7, and its integrated graphics won't do anything for you anyway.

2x Crucial 4 GB RAM
Gigabyte GTX 970 UD3P motherboard
Be Quiet! Pure Rock CPU cooler
Dell XPS Desktop power supply
AMD FX 8320E X8 16MB 3.5GHz
PowerColor R9 290 4GB GDDR5 OC

Total from: $1909 UziShop

Man, you're making this too easy. Looking at this build, everything is dialed in perfectly—it just needs an SSD. I’m thinking a SanDisk SSD 120GB would be a solid move. 😍
It’s easy for me to say, though. Down the road, when things start feeling slow, I'll probably swap out parts or add more gear. Do you think all this will actually fit in a case like this one? I'm worried the Noctua NH-D15 might be a bit too bulky; maybe the Be Quiet! Pure Rock is a safer bet?
http://www.rosewill.com/Mgnt/Uploads...874e2e0%5D.jpg

I'm concerned that a GPU of that size won't actually fit inside a case like that. You should measure exactly how much clearance you have for the GPU

Timothy Kim60 said:I'm a bit worried that kind of GPU won't actually fit in a case like that. You should probably measure how much clearance you have for the card first.

I’ll definitely have to double-check those measurements. If it doesn't fit, I guess I'm looking at a new case. I want something quiet but with solid ventilation, which is why I was eyeing that new Fractal Design case.

EDIT: The card length is 266.65mm, but I also noticed the recommended minimum PSU is 750W, even though Accenture listed it at 600W. 🤔

600W is plenty; honestly, half the stuff they list on official spec sheets is just pure guesswork.

For instance, look here—they claim 600W is sufficient for an R9 290.

On the other hand, AMD suggests even 850W wouldn't be a bad idea.http://xfxforce.com/en-us/products/a...n-r9-290a-edfd

🤣

We know the actual power draw for this GPU from various reviews (it sits around 250-260W).

Meanwhile, ASUS politely notes that the GPU could pull up to 300W under load.

http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/R...pecifications/

His recommendation is a 500W PSU or better.

http://www.hisdigital.com/us/product2-790.shtml

You get the point.

That case looks a bit tight to me. Maybe I'm just seeing things, though. Does anyone know what the actual GPU clearance is in there?
In my experience, the limit for the Thermaltake is 280mm, and that new ASUS ROG GTX 970 is exactly 280mm long. It’s going to be a hair-thin fit. 😁

Drew Sanchez82 said:That case looks a bit tight to me. Maybe I'm wrong, though. What’s the actual GPU clearance in there?
For the Thermaltake case, the limit is about 280mm, and that new ASUS ROG GTX 970 is exactly 280mm long. It's going to be a hair-thin fit. 😁

I'm not entirely sure yet. I need to go home and measure my own case since it's a different model. I need to check the distance from the GPU slot to the HDD bracket. Honestly, I’d rather just grab a saw, cut those brackets out, and mount my SSD and HDD on the floor of the case or in the empty optical drive bays. Since I’m ditching the old CD/DVD drive—it uses outdated IDE and 4-pin Molex connectors anyway—I've got the space.

Also, an aftermarket cooler might not fit because the case is too narrow. Cable management is going to be a headache, and I'm worried about the ventilation. I'll definitely need at least one 120mm fan to exhaust the hot air, or I might try setting it up so cool air pulls in from the back while the power supply fan pushes everything out.

Or just keep it simple and grab a bigger case.
My rig actually has great ventilation, honestly. The only real downside is the price tag, but I’m pretty sure that’s more about the brand name than what you’re actually getting for your money.

Drew Sanchez82 said:Or just keep it simple and pick up a larger case.
My setup, for example, has great ventilation. The only real downside is the price tag, though I honestly think that’s more about the brand name than actual performance.

You could also look at something like

That’s way too much; for that kind of money, you might as well just get a Fractal Design case

I just took a look at my current case and snapped some photos. Honestly, the graphics card would actually fit if I could just move the hard drive all the way down to the floor of the chassis. I’ve got about 300mm of clearance, and according to the specs, the GPU is 266.65mm long. As for the cooler, it might fit, but it would be cutting it incredibly close. I have about 160mm of space, and the cooler stands at roughly 155mm. I don't want to take that risk. So, I'm going to pull the cooler and the case out of my budget for now and put that extra cash toward an SSD instead. It'll be easy enough to migrate everything over to a new case once I pick up a new one along with the cooler later on.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...pshf5puree.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...psfbyudm4u.jpg

Anthony Hayes82 said:I just checked my current case and took some photos. I could actually fit the GPU if I moved the HDD all the way down to the bottom. I’ve got about 300mm of clearance, and according to the specs, the card is 266.65mm long. As for the cooler, it might fit, but it's too tight for comfort—I have roughly 160mm of space and the cooler is about 155mm tall. So, I'll just scrap the cooler and the case from the budget for now and put that money toward an SSD instead. It'll be easy enough to swap everything over to a new case later when I upgrade the cooler at the same time.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...pshf5puree.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...psfbyudm4u.jpg

At least grab two fans then, one for intake and one for exhaust...

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Well, you might as well just grab two fans—one for intake and one for exhaust...

My case only has one single spot for a 120mm fan, and that’s right at the back for exhaust. But I was thinking, maybe I could swap that out for a 120mm fan with a dust filter to pull cool air into the system, while letting the power supply fan pull the heat out. My only real worry is whether my GPU is going to run too hot, since the side panel only has a small 15x5cm mesh vent. Honestly, though, I don't need to crank everything up to Ultra settings at 1080p right away. I can just dial back the graphics quality for a bit until I can pick up a better case.

Anthony Hayes82 said:My case only has one spot for a 120mm fan, right at the back for exhaust. But I just realized I could swap that out for a 120mm intake fan with a dust filter, then let the power supply pull air out of the case instead. My only worry is the GPU running hotter since the side panel only has a tiny 15x5cm mesh vent. Honestly, I don't need to crank everything to Ultra at 1080p right away anyway; I can just dial back the settings until I grab a better case. .

you can put it in the front; there's enough room to mount it behind the first shroud🍿

Robert Rodriguez2 said:You can actually go ahead and get started—there’s plenty of room to mount things behind that first panel. 🍿

I was looking at the layout just now, and while there's definitely space on the chassis for an extra fan, I'm scratching my head over where it would actually pull air from. The front panel is completely solid—there aren't any vents or openings at all to let anything in.

Anthony Hayes82 said:Yeah, I just checked. There's room for a fan on the metal, but where's the air coming from? The front panel is totally sealed shut.

Is there any mesh on the front, or what?

If not, you can "mod" the Fractal Design case a bit. Just cut away some plastic along the edge—specifically where those tabs hold the panel to the chassis. That’ll give you enough intake.🙂

Besides, you've got an opening at the bottom of the case for air. It's enough. You need ventilation, not a walk-in freezer.😁

In that case, don't bother swapping the case. You'll get decent airflow😁 as long as you have intake in the front and exhaust in the back...

With a little work, this case can handle a new build just fine without you dropping a ton of cash on something else.😁

There’s just no way to get any intake going. If I tried to slap a fan on the front, it would just end up sucking air from inside the case back into itself. I can't exactly start cutting into the plastic panel either, since that's where the power button, reset, and those USB 2.0 ports are all located. It feels like this case was designed with nothing but exhaust in mind, and the intake situation is just a total joke. 🤣

Honestly, my best bet might just be to rip the side panel off and let it run wide open. 😁

Regarding the case, a buddy is dropping off an NZXT H440 for me in a couple of days for $167. Don't ask how—it's a trade secret... 😁

Look, my friend is pretty generous and offered to help me cover the cost of some parts, but since the shop doesn't take installments, I had to look into getting a loan through census.gov. The problem is, they don't carry specific stuff like Crucial 4 GB RAM or a Gigabyte GTX 970 UD3P.

A little secret? http://www.nabava.net/search.php?tp=0&q=nzxt+h440

Aside from the price, you seriously scored big time here...

NZXT makes great cases—I've owned two myself—but it really comes down to personal taste. For a grand, there are plenty of other high-quality options out there...

For example: http://www.nabava.net/kucista__300/c...janja__2294051

It comes with five built-in 120mm fans, dual potentiometers, a sliding bracket for massive GPUs, a docking station for 2.5" and 3.5" drives, toolless design, top-tier build quality, and it's spacious with great ventilation. You can cram a ton of hard drives inside, it has dedicated spots for an SSD, and even washable mesh filters... Honestly, it's a massive amount of case for very little money...

Why on earth is that NZXT case so pricey?

Drew Sanchez82 said:Why is that NZXT case such an overpriced tin can?

It’s probably because you’re paying for the "brand" aesthetic—you know, the fancy metal, those two extra 120mm fans, the PSU shroud, and that signature NZXT LED lighting on the logo and the I/O. 🤷

Honestly, I don't care. I snagged mine for half price, so it was a win in my book. 😁

I did see some people complaining online about thermal issues during the summer because the front airflow seems restricted. But honestly, if that becomes an issue, just pop the front panel off when it gets hot and you've got unrestricted flow right there. It's not exactly rocket science. 🙂

What I actually like is how they replaced the traditional drive bays with a fan. It creates this nice, direct path where fresh air hits the CPU tower and then heads straight out the back. It keeps things moving smoothly without creating a bunch of weird turbulence inside the case.