Need help with a gaming build!

I need some help with my build.
I've put this together, and now I'm looking for ways to trim the budget if possible:

Core i7 4790K
Asus H97 Pro Gamer
Corsair 2x8 1600 C9 Ven
Asus GTX970
SSD Kingston HyperX 3K Box

$3285
This is already getting pretty pricey, and I haven't even factored in a secondary 1TB hard drive, fans, a case, or a DVD drive yet.

Where can I cut costs?
Can I save on the CPU by picking something with similar performance but without integrated graphics?
Or maybe on the motherboard?
Also, what fans and case would you recommend for good cooling?

Alternatively, if there's a similar setup that includes a solid GPU—must be Intel based. A decent i5 would work too if it doesn't sacrifice too much performance.
I'd love to get the whole tower down to around $1,200 or less.

Joshua Wright70 said:I need some help with a build.
I put this together, but now I want to see where I can cut costs if possible:

Core i7 4790K
Asus Z97 Pro Gamer
Corsair 2x8 1600 C9 Ven
Asus GTX970
Kingston HyperX 3K Box SSD

$3285
It's already getting pretty expensive, and I still don't even have a secondary 1TB hard drive, fans, a case, or a DVD drive.

Where can I save money?
Can I save on the CPU if I go with something similar but without integrated graphics?
Or maybe on the motherboard?
And finally, what fans and case would you recommend for good cooling?

Or if possible, a similar configuration with a decent GPU included—keep it Intel only. A solid i5 would work too if it doesn't waste much time.
I'd like to bring the total price for the whole setup down to $120 or less.

Whew, you threw a lot of info at me. 🙂 Using a K-series processor with a Z97 chipset makes sense, but if you're looking at this price range and thinking about overclocking, you should definitely stick with Z. Otherwise, if you're just building a gaming rig, you don't really need an i7, so I’d suggest something like this.

1 x ASRock H97-PRO4, s1150, Intel H97, 4 x DDR3, 1 x PCI Express
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 (3.20GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Gigabyte GTX970 WF3 OC 4GB GDDR5, GV-N970WF3OC, 256 bit,
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x Intel 120GB SSD 520, 2.5", SATA III-600, R/W:550/520MB/s
1 x XFX 430W P1-430S-XXB9 PSU, TS series
1 x LG GH24NS DVD writer, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard

$2407 reddit.com

You've got a solid motherboard base, an i5 processor that's plenty for gaming (you could swap to an i7 if you really wanted, but it's overkill), the same beastly GPU you picked originally, and I saved some cash on the SSD because $433 spending that much on an SSD is a bit much if your main goal is saving money. 🤣 This build won't pull much power, so this XFX unit will be totally fine, but if you want to be safe, you could grab something beefier (like an XFX 550W) right away in case you want to upgrade later, along with a high-quality, well-ventilated case. I didn't include an aftermarket cooler since this CPU isn't meant for overclocking, but you could always add one just for better temps, though the stock one handles this Intel chip just fine. CLICK CLICK - you can pick any of them; you won't go wrong. 🙂

EDIT: I didn't even ask what you're actually using this PC for. I just assumed it was for gaming, so I suggested 8 GB of RAM since 16 GB really isn't necessary for that.

Thanks for the breakdown, though some links would have been nice... but no biggie.
I’m not really feeling this processor. A 3.20GHz clock speed and 6MB cache seems pretty weak to me. Is there an i5 out there hitting at least 4.0GHz with 8MB of cache that isn't overpriced? I need it to be compatible with this motherboard.

Joshua Wright70 said:Thanks for the breakdown, though some links would have been nice... but whatever.
I'm not really feeling this processor. A 3.20GHz clock speed and 6MB cache seems pretty weak to me. Is there an i5 out there hitting 4.0GHz with at least 8MB cache that won't break the bank?

Just check the admin page; everything you need to know about them is listed there. You still haven't answered my question, though—is this PC primarily intended for gaming?

It’d be my primary, though maybe not my main powerhouse. I’m still planning on using it for music production and compiling apps, so I’d definitely want to beef up the processor a bit—even if both tasks could technically run okay on this one

Joshua Wright70 said:It would be my secondary setup rather than my main rig, since I’d still be using it for music production and compiling apps. Because of that, I’d probably beef up the processor a bit, even though both could technically handle those tasks just fine.

Look, it really comes down to how much you want to spend on your music, right? 😬 The i7 is definitely the more powerful chip—there's no debating that. If you want, feel free to go with NJEGA, but just keep in mind it’s going to cost $333 more 🙂. You could also opt for OVO; it's a step up from the 4460 with a slightly higher clock speed, though the cache stays the same. It's essentially the same architecture just clocked higher, so it'll be pricier $100. Ultimately, it's your call based on your budget 😉

I haven't decided yet. To be honest, that cache performance matters even more to me than the clock speed...
Would you? Hey! So, I checked out that motherboard, and if I were to go through with it—would that 450W power supply actually cut it?
So, regarding option two—can I get the same motherboard that supports the K-series processor for the same price? I’m looking to hit that 4.0 GHz clock speed, and from what I can see, you only get those speeds if you go with a K model.
Maybe I could put something together—keep the current GPU and just bump the RAM up to at least 8GB. Might be worth a shot. $0.00I'm gonna push that clock speed and crank the cache up as high as they'll go.

Joshua Wright70 said:I’m not sure yet, I need to think about it—that cache is actually more important to me than the clock speed...
would this one work on that motherboard? And if so, is that 450W power supply enough?
Or under option 2, can I get a motherboard that supports the K-series processor for the same price, so I actually get that 4.0 GHz clock since only the K version reaches that?

Yeah, it works, and that power supply should be plenty. I already sent you the link for that CPU in my last post. 🙂 I think you're missing my point. The difference between a 4790 and a 4790K is just a few hundred MHz, which doesn't matter, and the main thing is that the K-series has an unlocked multiplier. Having an unlocked multiplier means you can overclock. Sure, you can put a 4790K on this board, but the problem is this specific motherboard isn't built for overclocking, so you won't be able to actually push that much more expensive CPU $100 because of that unlocked multiplier. So, if you aren't planning on overclocking, DON'T waste $100 extra cash on a K-series chip just for an extra 400 MHz; it's honestly not worth it. You're overthinking the numbers too much. An i5 would be perfectly fine for you, yet you're stressing over 400 MHz and the fact that it's 3.6 GHz instead of a rounded 4.0 GHz. Even if AMD's FX processors can hit 5 GHz with overclocking, they still can't touch an i7 running at 3.6 GHz. 🙂

Alright, thanks for the help. I’ll just go with the 4790 and call it a day.
Quick question though—if you know or if anyone here has experience with monitors—I'm not sure what to prioritize. Is it better to hunt for a higher aspect ratio, faster response times, or maybe specific LED support...
I'm looking for a solid FullHD display with decent specs, ideally with LED up to $667, without having to pay extra for built-in speakers or other junk I won't actually use.

Joshua Wright70 said:Alright, thanks for the help. I'll just go with the 4790 and call it a day.
One more thing—if you know or if anyone here has experience with monitors, I'm stuck on what matters most. Is it better to hunt for a higher contrast ratio, faster response times, or LED support?...
I'm looking for a solid 1080p monitor with decent specs, ideally with LED up to $667, without paying extra for built-in speakers or other junk I won't even use.

Definitely a great value. CLICK

Will those 8ms actually make a noticeable difference when I'm gaming or watching 1080p movies?
Just thinking out loud here since I'm not going over $0.00 budget-wise, so I guess I'll just stick with this monitor.
Anyway, thanks a ton—you really helped me out, and I'm stoked with how this setup turned out.
I did spot an LG UltraHD somewhere with a 0ms response time, though it didn't have LED support and was sitting at $4,500... honestly, paired with my current GPU, that would be the dream. Maybe one day.

One more thing: how is a 1080p movie going to look on a 1920x1200 resolution? I'm trying to avoid that weird picture-in-picture effect I get now when I'm running at 1050p.

Joshua Wright70 said:Does that 8ms response time actually make a noticeable difference during gaming or when watching 1080p movies?
This is just an info session at this point since I'm not going over $10 $0.00, so I'll just have to settle for that monitor.
Anyway, thanks a lot, you've been super helpful and I'm happy with the setup.
I saw some Samsung 4K monitor somewhere with a 0ms response time but no LED support, though it costs $4,500... with my current GPU, that would be the dream... maybe one day.

One more thing, how will a 1080p movie look on a 1920x1200 resolution? I want to make sure I don't end up with a picture-in-picture effect like what I get now on 1050p.

4K monitors are a whole different beast. If you go with a 4K screen, can you even imagine what kind of rig you'd need to run games smoothly at that native resolution? 😵 Honestly, that response time isn't even that big of a deal. Do you really think you'd notice the difference between 8, 5, or 2 milliseconds?