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$2,000 Full Gaming Setup (Skylake i5, R9 390, 16 GB DDR4 RAM) Version 2.9

Note: This build guide is mediocre and outdated.

I felt that this build guide deserved an update. Especially since it went over $100 over the budget for it.


CPU - Intel Core i5 6600

"What?" You say aloud. "What sorcery is this?!" you exclaim. Well, it's a non-overclocking processor. But guess what? A recent BIOS update from ASRock (and possibly others, I don't know) will let you overclock locked processors through the BCLK. ASRock claimed to get a 30% OC, which would be about 4.3 GHz. Not too bad. While you can certainly get higher with a 6600k, I went with the 6600 to stay well in budget and give room for price changes. But feel free to switch to the 6600k if you really want that extra 400MHz or so. This is a quad-core processor of the newest Skylake architecture. cpu.userbenchmark shows an 8% improvement in performance over its predecessor. Games should run smoothly and shouldn't have any issues with this processor, even less when overclocked.


CPU Cooler - Cryorig H7

Arguably the best overall cooler under $35 USD. It excels in all areas when compared to similarly-priced coolers like the CM 212 EVO. Great RAM clearance, great cooling for the price, and nice looks.

You can read a review here.


Motherboard - ASRock Z170 Pro4

Look in the CPU part of the description involving overclocking the i5-6600. Support for DDR4, ability to overclock, plenty of VRM heatsinking, good amount of power phases, 6 USB 3.1 Gen1 (formerly called USB 3) ports, and also black and orange. A couple notable downsides to this motherboard are the lack of USB 3.1 Gen2, USB-C with 3.1 Gen2, and lack of SLI support. Feel free to get a more expensive motherboard, though.


RAM - G. Skill NT Series 16 GB

It's black, OK? There was no black and orange RAM to fit the motherboard and case. 16 GB is overkill for only gaming, yes. But with this high of a budget, I believe it made sense.

And you can easily use more than 8 GB. Let's do some quick math.

OS - About 1 GB

Web browser - 2-4 GB

Hardware monitoring, Skype, Steam, antivirus (depends) - Another 1-2 GB or so

Demanding game - About 5 GB

So, you can get around 12 GB of RAM use. Lots of it depends, but it's definitely possible. The extra RAM will also serve to be good for the future, especially since it's DDR4 and will likely be relevant for a while.


SSD and Hard Drive - Samsung 850 EVO 250GB/Toshiba P3300

This SSD is possibly the most popular one, and for good reason. Few standard SSDs can rival the 850 EVO in performance. Your operating system and commonly used programs can go here. The hard drive is a whopping 3 TB hard drive for storage. Things like your Steam library, movies, pictures, and whatever else your heart desires can go on it while still having extra space. The seek time sucks on this hard drive, however, so be wary.

Edit: Changed Crucial BX200 to 850 EVO because the BX200 apparently sucks.


Graphics Card - PowerColor R9 390

While a Sapphire R9 390 Nitro would have been the preferred choice, it's also a bit more expensive right now. Considering the low price this is the next best thing. The cooler is effective and reported temps are often only about 70C under load in reviews for this card. The noise comes in at around 38-42 dBA, which isn't that bad.

You can read a review for this particular card here.


Case - be quiet! SILENT BASE 600 Orange w/ Window

This case isn't very well know. I chose this for a color scheme of black and orange to fit the motherboard. A built in fan controller, some sound dampening, a good warranty, and two preinstalled pretty expensive case fans are some noticeable things you would get with this case. Designed in Germany. Germans always make good stuff.


Power Supply - Seasonic X Series 850W

I would've gone with the EVGA 850W G2, but that was more expensive and this was also a great choice. Great performance, excellent quality, efficient, and fully modular. In a hardwaresecrets review, they were able to pull 1000W from this unit. Impressive. Another bonus is the fact that it operates fairly quietly. This is definitely one of those power supplies that gives Seasonic its reputation. Should allow for crossfiring the R9 390.

You can read a review here and also here.


Operating System - Windows 10 Retail USB

It's Windows 10, the newest operating system from Microsoft. Has Directx12 support and many new features over Windows 8.1 and 7. It will be supported by Microsoft longer than either, too. I chose the retail version because it can be transferred from motherboard to motherboard. USB so you don't need an optical drive in this computer or any computer to install it. For whatever reason Windows 10 gets a lot of hate for... I have no idea.


Antimalware - Malwarebytes Premium and Anti-Exploit Premium

Great protection, no bad weaknesses from what I can tell. Anti exploit actually does its job, too.


Case Fans - Cougar Turbine 120 4-pack

User reviews, anyway, indicate that they're effective and fairly quiet. Having this many fans in total is probably overkill, but it will ensure good airflow.

Here's an article where they look into the effects of the amount of case fans and their positions on temperatures of the chipset, CPU, and GPU. There is a huge difference between no fans and a bunch of fans, so airflow is important.


Monitors - AOC i2267Fw and G2460PF

For a gaming monitor we have a 24 inch 1080p Freesync 144Hz monitor. I believe this describes itself well enough. The higher refresh rate will also be better taken advantage of if the GPU is crossfired, which will definitely be possible in the future as an upgrade. On the side there is two 1080p IPS monitors for multitasking and whatever else. The two monitors are not intended to be gamed on.


Keyboard - Logitech G710

A nice keyboard with MX Brown switches, backlighting, and programmable buttons.


Mouse - Logitech G300s

A nice optical mouse that doesn't look like a torn-up transformer. Optical for precision and for making sure you won't have tracking issues with certain surfaces. Also, programmable buttons, which is always welcome.


Headphones - JVC HA-RX900

I'll be honest: I'm wearing these right now. So far they've exceeded my expectations in build quality and durability. I'm not sure about the sound quality since I haven't heard anything better than these, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was better. The cord is very long - about 12 feet so I can walk halfway across a living room while still plugged in. They are generally comfortable, but can get warm when worn for long periods so take a two minute break every half hour or so. They are a big improvement over my previous JVC HA-RX300s in nearly every way. So if build quality and comfort are high priorities to you, then these are good headphones. I haven't noticed the sound leaking people complain about, though. Not sure what they're doing.


So, a summary:

This is a setup meant to offer high visual quality settings and good upgradeability.
Multitasking is also possible thanks to a couple extra monitors and extra RAM.
The user experience is a priority with peripherals that go an extra step with a FreeSync high refresh rate monitor and a mechanical keyboard.
This build is meant to be relatively quiet, topping out at about 43dBA on max load. This will also be lessened thanks to the case.

Compatibility: See notes below.

Component Selection Base Promo Shipping Tax Price Where
CPU Intel Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor Intel Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
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CPU Cooler CRYORIG H7 49 CFM CPU Cooler CRYORIG H7 49 CFM CPU Cooler
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$116.64
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$116.64
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Motherboard ASRock Z170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ASRock Z170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
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Memory G.Skill NT Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL15 Memory G.Skill NT Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL15 Memory
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$148.00
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$148.00
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Storage Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
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$139.99
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$139.99
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Storage Samsung 850 Evo 250 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive Samsung 850 Evo 250 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
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Video Card PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8 GB PCS+ Video Card PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8 GB PCS+ Video Card
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Case be quiet! Silent Base 600 ATX Mid Tower Case be quiet! Silent Base 600 ATX Mid Tower Case
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$999.00
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$999.00
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Power Supply SeaSonic X 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply SeaSonic X 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
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Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit
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Software Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium + Anti-Exploit Premium (1 Year Subscription) Software Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium + Anti-Exploit Premium (1 Year Subscription) Software
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Case Fan Cougar Turbine 60.4 CFM 120 mm Fan Cougar Turbine 60.4 CFM 120 mm Fan
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Monitor AOC i2267Fw 22.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor AOC i2267Fw 22.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor
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Monitor AOC i2267Fw 22.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor AOC i2267Fw 22.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor
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Monitor AOC G2460PF 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor AOC G2460PF 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor
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$387.49
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$387.49
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Keyboard Logitech G710 Plus Wired Gaming Keyboard Logitech G710 Plus Wired Gaming Keyboard
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$299.69
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$299.69
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Mouse Logitech G300S Wired Optical Mouse Logitech G300S Wired Optical Mouse
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$14.99
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$14.99
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Headphones JVC HARX900  Headphones JVC HARX900 Headphones
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$66.23
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$66.23
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Total: $2172.03
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Compatibility Notes

  • A

    Note: A 3.5" to 2.5" bay adapter is required.

  • B

    Note: The be quiet! Silent Base 600 ATX Mid Tower Case supports video cards up to 413mm long, but video cards over 294mm may block drive bays. Since the PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8 GB PCS+ Video Card is 305mm long, some drive bays may not be usable. The be quiet! Silent Base 600 ATX Mid Tower Case hard drive bays are positioned where some of the bays may be physically blocked when using longer video cards.

  • C

    Disclaimer: Some physical dimension constraints are currently not checked, such as CPU coolers and RAM clearance.

Part List Price History

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    Comments

    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    DigitalFoundry now has a video comparing an overclocked i5-6500 (at 4.5 GHz) to the i5-6600k and the i7-6700k in games. Here's the link.

    denizboy1
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    why would you need 16gb of ram when you could get like 10gb and get a 980 with an i7

    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    Because i7s are $300+ and 980s are $425+?

    Mr_Majestic
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    This should be called "How not to build a computer" The only things i see that arent a problem are the monitors, the headphones, the RAM, the SSD, the PSU and the OS

    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    What's wrong with the rest, then? Some things like the keyboard, mouse, and case are all personal preferences and can't necessarily be wrong.

    Mr_Majestic
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    The 6600k will overclock so much easier and better and you'll still stay in your budget

    Cpu cooler is okay but there is better in that price range

    Ive never owned an ASRock MOBO that didt die within a few months

    Toshiba drives are so slow and unreliable.

    I personally have always found powercolor GPUS to be significantly worse than similar GPUs in the price range

    The case i really have never dealt with anything from be quiet! but that name just screams generic garbage

    And the peripherals are all just preference issues with me

    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    The 6600K is $56 more. It'll go out of budget. It'll only be a 400MHz difference as I acknowledged in the description.

    What better cooler is there?

    And when was that? What motherboards? What uses? How many motherboards? There's many factors here. You could've gotten a low-budget motherboard and thrown a high-TDP processor on it and ran it 24/7 for all I know. There's nothing inherently wrong with them from what I've ever seen. It's not something that can just be placed on ASRock, or any other big name motherboard manufacturer like that because of many determining factors (unless they really are bad, like Foxconn). There's also the RMA rates for motherboards in 2013/2014 if that counts for anything showing each company within 1% of each other. However, RMAs don't tell too much I'll admit that.

    Slow or not, it's a storage drive in this PC and its speed won't matter as much as long as it isn't unreasonably slow. Unreliable... Is there a study that shows that then?

    That PowerColor is perfectly fine. It's one of the quietest and (relatively) coolest R9 390's I've seen according to in-depth reviews - and it's one of the cheapest, too. Many of the one star newegg reviews are completely stupid so don't cite that to back up your claim. The best one that I know of - the Sapphire Nitro, is $40 more IIRC and I don't think is worth the extra price for slightly lower temps and noise. You shouldn't judge every card based off a few others happening to be badly priced.

    Be quiet! is a German company known for their CPU coolers and case fans, which are some of (as their name suggests) quietest compared to the competition. Judging based on the name of the company alone and not their products is just a bad idea. The case, while it has its disavantages as with all cases, is definitely a great quality case with good parts and things like dust filtering.

    [comment deleted]
    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    May I ask, why?

    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention, this Toshiba hard drive isn't very slow.

    http://hdd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Seagate-Barracuda-720014-1TB-vs-Toshiba-MD04ACA300-3TB/1849vsm31118

    That's comparing it to the Seagate Barracuda 1 TB, which is one of the fastest consumer budget drives. Rivals the Seagate in read and write speeds while winning in random read and write. Look at the average bench. Although that IS only one drive, it still gives an idea of what to expect.

    Mr_Majestic
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    What im looking at here is a computer that loads things slow, but plays them a good framerate, and then dies after 2 months

    shadow42085
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    hes paying almost $500 in monitors itself so he's buying a complete system not just the the tower so cutting out other things is common but I would go with a i5-k cpu and a msi or asus mobo force OC a none unlocked chip is just asking for trouble and the HD is fine for the most part I would Recommend a WD Black or a WD RED over the Toshiba

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    526christian
    • 6 years 4 months ago

    It's mostly good as much of it is down to personal preferences (and doesn't have any significant flaws or low bang-for-your buck parts), BUT:
    If the user reviews are any indication, that graphics card has heat issues, problems of not turning off/on, and noise.

    Sort