Suggestions on a reasonable gaming desktop

[Rokabur]

What do you mean everything is liquid? Everything from ibuypower? You don't really need 'steady' hands to do this, but if you don't want to try, that's fine. Check for barebones systems at newegg, amazon, and tigerdirect.

Memory makes more difference than anything else in day to day stuff, except things where no matter how much you have, it's not enough -- like transcoding huge video files. SSDs or a good RAID make a bigger difference there. If whatever you're doing is small enough to fit inside the memory you have, then it's not going to the disk (SSD or not).

 

I looked at some of those barebone kits. I'd spend just much as I would at iBuyPower. At the iBuyPower, every processor cooling option is liquid CPU cooler with fans.

[Thorham]

You only need more RAM if your system in using virtual memory a lot. With eight gigabytes I'd wait and see if software starts to slow down. With day to day things it seems unlikely that that's going to happen. A bit of internet and some games won't cause this. You can always add more RAM later.

[JerseyWalrus]

Nvidia cards, as well as Intel CPU's, don't really expend that much heat unless you're overclocking them to a vast degree and even then, I doubt that would require liquid cooling. And with liquid cooling, the water would have to be replaced every 4-6 months which can turn out badly if you don't know what you're doing. A simple fan with a heatsink (like the Cooler Master 212 EVO), paired with Arctic Cooling gel, could keep CPU temps low. 

[Rokabur]

Finally able to purchase the desktop I wanted for under 2 grand. No overclocking for me. I don't need that much performance plus desktops have much more giddyup then laptops. Depending on how you look, the newest game I have is either Path of Exile or Skyrim. Least now I can finally play some games with max settings. With Path of Exile had the texture jacked down as low as it went and was still only getting around 20fps lol. I didn't need that much power plus what I have should be sufficient for the next Elder Scrolls game  that should be announced either fall of this year or fall of  '15.

[JerseyWalrus]

I doubt Elder Scrolls VI is going to be announced by next year. Fallout seems to be the next game since Skyrim went into production immediately after Fallout 3 was released and I doubt they would neglect to cash in on more Fallout success. 

[Rokabur]

I doubt Elder Scrolls VI is going to be announced by next year. Fallout seems to be the next game since Skyrim went into production immediately after Fallout 3 was released and I doubt they would neglect to cash in on more Fallout success. 

 

I was just 'guess-timating' about 5 years since Morrowind was released in '02, Oblivion was released in '06 and Skyrim in '11.

[JerseyWalrus]

lol "guess-timating." I've never heard someone say that 

 

I would like to hear of a new ES to learn where it'll take place. Hopefully Hammerfell or the Black Marsh

 

Glad you have a new rig coming in though Excitement when it comes in will be infinite

[Rokabur]

I'll be glad to be able to actually play games not on minimal settings. Skyrim and Oblivion have always been jacked to Lowest settings. Some fights in Path of Exile were impossible on this craptop. Was barely ekking out 5 fps cause of all the various effects going on.

[JerseyWalrus]

I always try to go for 60 FPS on medium settings. That way the game still looks pretty decent and has a really nice framerate. Except in Fallout. I always try to go for High. Which i can. Just not at 60 FPS when outside cx

[zzz72w3r]

I am probably too late but the config list has some serious flaws:

 

1. Intel i7 4820K for a gaming PC with budget constraint is a gross miss-allocation.  i5 or AMD CPU will save you enough to get a 760 or even 770 GPU.  Your 750 will be choking way before a game can challenge the limits of i5 or equivalently priced AMD CPU.

 

2. Cheap water cool is much worse than a good fan system in reliability and noise.  Desktop chip thermal and case circulation are night and day vs. laptops.  You will need a really cheap case and crappy fan to notice the noise in today's desktops.  Any built shop that insist on water cool only is either catering to serious money for premium rigs or shops that use tricks to goose margins. 

 

3. Xonar is an overkill unless you are an audiophile.  X79 on board sound is more than plenty for the speakers on your list.

 

No responsible custom built outfit will recommend this config list.  In addition to the points I list above the other red herrings are: Apotop SDD and nameless PSU.  I've never ordered from iBuypower but these are all signs of a shop more interested in making money than looking out for its customers.

[Rokabur]

Just perfect...... Anybody now how good the game Watch Dogs is and if its worth playing? Desktop I built had a free promotion of $150 in-game currency for 3 seperate games ($50 for each game) including Path of Exile which I play. Just got notice that they ran out of the vouchers and I'm stuck with a game coupon for a free copy of Watch Dogs instead.