New PC recommendation?

[AqD]

I'm about to upgrade my poor PC again because of recent experience with R2TW and Java coding.... Please give me some opinions!

My current spec:

• CPU: i3-3240 (3.4GHz)
• RAM: 2 x 8GB RAM
• HDD: 2 x 256GB SSDs (500/300MB/s and 200/200MB/s) plus one 500GB 2.5" HDD as backup
• GPU: newly-bought GTX760, which will be kept.
• small form mini-ITX case

Expectation:

• Old PC will be given away; I'll keep GTX760.
• M&B: micro-ATX. Which one should I choose for cheapest OC M&B?
• CPU: i7-4790K or better.
• RAM: 2 * 8GB RAM. Does 2166 matter? And the latency?
• HDD: 2 * 256GB plus one HDD 2TB at least. What's the cheapest 500/300 yet reliable SSD?
• GPU: no upgrade.
• CASE: SilverStone FT03, or anything else that can fit on 24x30cm speaker stand.
• Power supply: is 500W enough for i7-4790K + GTX760?
• Budget: about $1000, could be higher.
• Expansion slots: I expect to buy 2 more RAM sticks (max 32 or 64Gb) and one additional 4TB HDD later. Cost for them doesn't count but I need the space first.

Should I upgrade now or next year? Before DDR4 become mainstream? Before the next-gen 14nm CPU? Would I need anything other than bigger heat sink for i7 OC? Is there anyone else making tall FT03 like cases? (the bottom is nearly square, which fits my place best)



EDIT: Made a list myself.

LOWEST:

• CPU: Intel i5-4690k: $243
• MB: Gigabyte Z97M: $100
• RAM: Kingston DDR3-1866 HyperX 8G*2: $150
• Heatsink: Enermax T40-BK: $43
• DVD: Silverstone SOD02: $77 (has to be slim & slot loading)
• Case: Silverstone FT03: $166
• PSU: Silverstone SST-ST55F-G (gold): $87
• SSD: EZLINK T-34 256GB 500/300 * 2: $93 * 2 = $186
• HDD: Segate ST3TB 7200RPM: $110

total $1162


HIGHER:

• CPU: Intel i7-490k: +100
• MB: Gigabyte Z97MX: +50 (benefit for OC?)
• RAM: Kingston DDR3-2400 HyperXSavage 8G*2: +50 (benefit?)
• Heatsink: Silverstone HE-01: +30 (benefit?)

total $1392, but worth it? What about SSD? I don't need high-speed but reliability still matters.

[Alkaline Earth]

A higher priced computer will perform better (doh), so it is up to you. I wouldnt wait for a new cpu or gpu update, because those are annual. However waiting for a new ram happens every 4+ years, so since it is coming soon, waiting might be justified

[AqD]

ty! I'll wait until DDR4 then!

[Goofy]

DDR4 costs a fortune right now and, from what I have gathered, it is mainly meant for servers at this point. If you care about your money, just go grab some DDR3. It's not like DDR4 is a lot faster anyway. You'll be fine off with DDR3 for years.

[AqD]

What's the difference between cheap Z97 MBs and expensive ones? I don't need any feature but CPU OC. Is there any reason to pay more?

[Goofy]

What's the difference between cheap Z97 MBs and expensive ones? I don't need any feature but CPU OC. Is there any reason to pay more?

I haven't had to overclock so far so I'm not an expert, but basically the more expensive the motherboard, the better its overclocking capabilities are. More expensive motherboards also give you the option of SLI/CrossFire (multiple GPUs in the same rig), more PCI-E and DIMM slots and so forth, along with some other features. Based on a quick Google search this ASUS board might be worth a look. There are countless of good options though so just pick one. I would not get a motherboard under $120 for gaming purposes really.

If you are going to use OEM Windows I'd definitely suggest buying a good motherboard because you can only activate an OEM OS on one motherboard.

Regarding your other plans, I'd recommend the following:

RAM: 2 * 8GB RAM. Does 2166 matter? And the latency?

Just keep the RAM you have, provided it is 1600 MHz CL9. 16 GB is more than enough. I'm doing fine with 8 gigs so far.

CPU: i7-4790K or better.

i7 is pretty much overkill unless you're doing heavy image/video editing. I5-4690K is better value for most people, seeing as it performs almost identically in games while being a lot cheaper.

As it comes to CPU cooling, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is probably the best value for the money out there.

HDD: 2 * 256GB plus one HDD 2TB at least. What's the cheapest 500/300 yet reliable SSD?

If you're on a budget just get a 128 GB SSD, or if you don't mind paying 40 bucks more, you can also get a 256 GB one. There's no real difference between HDD and SSD apart from loading times (Windows, games). That being said, definitely get a SSD. They're lovely. Crucial MX100 SSDs are quite affordable and I have read good things about them. That's why I got one for myself as well. The most reliable brand is probably Intel, but Intel SSDs are also damn expensive.

Power supply: is 500W enough for i7-4790K + GTX760?

I'd say 550W is the minimum you need. 600W would be better since you are going to overclock. Also, get a Corsair if you can.

If you're considering getting another GTX 760 for SLI at some point, get a 700+W PSU.

Expansion slots: I expect to buy 2 more RAM sticks (max 32 or 64Gb) and one additional 4TB HDD later. Cost for them doesn't count but I need the space first.

The additional RAM is a waste of money, frankly. As for the HDD, it depends on whether you really need 4 TB. Personally I've never exceeded 400 GB so far but then again I'm not a hardcore gamer, really, nor do I download a lot of stuff.

[Totalheadache]

Yep cant argue with the the above +1. I'd get a k cpu and i'd spend more on the cpu cooler...but then know what am doing re ocing and it's pretty straightforward.

I should add this to my sig...but I always say better spend/save a bit to then later discover "oh wait this ocing lark is easy but damm I skimped on the cpu/cpu cooler and am restricted somewhat". Still nothing wrong with rebuilding selling parts etc. I chopped and changed a fair bit whilst was learning..

[AqD]

Thanks, but RAM and HDD are all hard requirements. My PC is expected to run games as well as my development tools at the same time hosting 1-2 VMs, GIS services and databases / cubes, and large SSD is for open-source code where I need to do search through files instantly.

I actually want more (64G) but seems there is no such option for now. So I should settle with mid-range MB, 550W power, and the cooler (seems 8cm tall only?).

[Goofy]

Thanks, but RAM and HDD are all hard requirements. My PC is expected to run games as well as my development tools at the same time hosting 1-2 VMs, GIS services and databases / cubes, and large SSD is for open-source code where I need to do search through files instantly.

I actually want more (64G) but seems there is no such option for now.

Well, of course you know better as it comes to what you need, so if you think it's necessary, go ahead by any means.

So I should settle with mid-range MB, 550W power, and the cooler (seems 8cm tall only?).

Yeah, no reason to buy a more expensive motherboard than that. 550W power supply should be fine, but make sure you get a good brand - the PSU isn't the best part to cheap out on, considering a bad one can seriously damage your machine. I don't know if Silverstone power supplies are any good but based on the price you posted I'd assume they are decent enough at least. As for the cooler, I think its height is actually 6.2 inches so it's around 15.5 cm tall. The Silverstone chassis you're planning to get has enough room for a 167 mm one though so the cooler should easily fit in.