Originally posted by Slick
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CPU Cooler:
I wouldn't bother investing in a AIO cooler unless it's Swiftech's H220-X/H240-X because these coolers can be expanded to include the GPU. Also, most AIO coolers have mediocre cooling performance, so if you're trying to make use of every dollar you have, get a ~$30 air cooler like the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO or the Enermax ETS-T40-TB. There is no significant cooling difference by going with a liquid cooler; maybe a 2-5°C difference that you will never notice because temps are constantly changing.
Memory:
16GB is really unnecessary. A lot of people feel like they need 16GB of RAM, but truth of the matter is,
most people won't even fully utilize 8GB of RAM. If you monitor your memory usage and know for sure you need 16GB of RAM, then go for it, but I would rather invest that money in something else. 8GB of RAM is around ~$50, so if you went with 16GB and don't even touch the last 8GB, it would be a waste of your $50.
Storage (SSD):
Me, personally, I'd rather get a 120GB Samsung 850 EVO.
Storage (HDD):
You already have a SSD for high-speed performance, so it would be better to go with a 1TB WD Blue instead of the Black. The only time you'll notice a difference between the WD Blue and the WD Black is in synthetic benchmarks. In real-world performance however, there is no noticeable difference between the two drives. Only go with WD Blacks if you want more than 1TB on a single drive and not be limited to the 5400RPM of WD Greens/Reds; or you can just go with a different manufacturer such as Seagate. A lot of people say Seagates are less reliable. While it may be true, I feel like it's an overexaggerated statement.
Video Card:
Nothing wrong with the GTX 970 (I own a ACX 2.0 GTX 970), but if you carefully allocate your money, you could get a GTX 980 TI to fit in the budget.
Power Supply:
I wouldn't go with any of the SuperNOVA NEX PSUs. Their build quality is pretty decent, but they have terrible voltage regulation, and the 650W model failed to pass the 80+ Gold standard at all load levels. While they aren't super crappy and won't blow up, they are overpriced and mediocre. You can get much better with your money.
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CPU: You must login or register to view this content. ($229.98 @ NCIX US)
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Motherboard: You must login or register to view this content. ($115.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: You must login or register to view this content. ($43.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: You must login or register to view this content. ($67.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: You must login or register to view this content. ($52.45 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: You must login or register to view this content. ($649.99 @ Amazon)
Case: You must login or register to view this content. ($64.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: You must login or register to view this content. ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: You must login or register to view this content. ($236.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1568.34
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Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-04 03:43 EDT-0400