Gaming PC build: Upgrading with old parts for under $750

frozenridge2 said:I don't have that exact case at my place, but I've got one that's pretty close (it's black) though mine is a bit wider and the power supply sits right up at the top. Plus, it's only got one vent for a bottom radiator... It actually features two radiators on a side panel that pops off with a key!

So you're saying it's basically the same thing, just repainted black, with the front ironwork sprayed white, some LEDs tossed in there, and the door taken off just to get a good shot for the photo? 😁😁

jadebison17 said:Core i7 6700 hits 3.4 GHz plus 4.0 GHz Turbo.
The Core i7 6700K does 4.0 GHz, jumps to 4.20 GHz Turbo, and you get that unlocked multiplier.

If I were building a rig, I’d be pairing an AMD chip with an Intel motherboard.👍

And how does that even matter? It doesn't. In any real-world scenario, you won't notice a difference.
Synthetic benchmarks are a different beast entirely.

Plus, he's looking at an extra $150-$200 depending on the retailer, maybe more. He won't need an aftermarket cooler or an overclocking board either. It's just money piling up for stuff he doesn't actually need.

Corpse-eater was originally just looking for a gaming rig, then later tossed in virtualization and streaming requirements on the fly...

Bottom line: I think this Xeon is a massive opportunity while they still have stock in the local shops—they've got branches out in places like Chicago and NYC too. Other i7 variations are going to run nearly a third more expensive. You can take those savings from the CPU and put them toward a Samsung 850 EVO 250GB plus

Grab 16GB of DDR3 and a motherboard like this, this or this and you'll be golden. For a cooler, go with this one. You might even snag a 3% discount if you mention your profile from the US tech forums

wiredotter14 said:jadebison17, you're comparing a "garbage" Core i7 950 to a 65W chip when that CPU pulls over 100W—overclock it slightly and that i7 is hitting at least 150W.

Man, someone on eBay is selling a Core i7 6700 for like $250.

That would definitely be worth it.

Anyway, it all comes down to the budget and how you mix parts. For what you need (since it's not just gaming), grabbing a Haswell i7 beats getting a brand new i5.
So, either go with a non-K i7 like Smartic suggested, or spend a bit more for a Haswell i7K if you plan on overclocking.

But a Core i7 6700K is pricey, and it makes zero sense with that motherboard jadebison17 picked out. This isn't about GPU bottlenecking like he thinks; you just need raw CPU power for your workload. Buying a K-series chip just to leave it unlocked is a waste. Not to mention, buying a new motherboard after seven years is just crazy.

What Smartic suggested with the Core i7 4790 is a steal for that price.

signature

Thanks, everyone. That purchase probably wouldn't even happen for at least another month—maybe a bit longer, actually, since I don't expect to be moving until then. Once the move is set, there's the whole process of hunting down a decent apartment that isn't immediately available, getting the phone line set up, ensuring the high-speed internet is solid, and all those other logistics.

I'll likely circle back and update this thread once the move is officially underway. I just needed a rough idea of the timeline for now, and I don't anticipate much changing before then. We'll see if any new graphics cards hit the market later this year... 👍