I need a new PC for college

Extreme Gamer

僕はガンダム!
Vendor
1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run?
Ans:
Playing video games primarily, listening to music and watching videos, some light workstation work such as 3D modelling, rendering etc.
Games I play range all the way from the light indie titles to the graphically intensive ones such as Crysis 3.
Rendering software I will use include the Autodesk suites, Zbrush, blender etc.

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans:
As low as possible and as high as necessary. Preferably in the Canadian $1600-$1700 mark, and lower if possible without compromising performance.

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans:
Yes. But only slightly. ~4 or 4.2Ghz to a haswell chip. Decided on Noctua U12S heatsink because of it's excellent performance without intruding with RAM. Alternatives welcome.

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans:
Dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 8.

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans:
I am reusing ye olde HDDs and SSDs.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.
Ans:
Yes. Size not more than 24", but resolution must be at least 1080p/1200p, and there should be good colour clarity and performance. Asus PA series monitors or equivalent preferred (like PA238Q, PA248Q). 10-bit colour space not needed. Factory calibration preferred.

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans:
HDDs, SSDs, PSU, ODD, OS, mouse.

8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans:
After moving to college, i.e. in september.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans:
All assembly to be done myself.

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?
Ans:
I live in Kolkata but I am moving to Toronto in late August for college. So naturally, my purchases will be done in Canada.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans:
Yes.
  • I will need a new Keyboard. Thinking of getting the Cherry MX Red switches version of Steelseries 6GV/2.
  • Please look at canadian prices when advising. I'm open to all manufacturers and companies for products.
  • Also need a very cheap and very tiny laptop exclusively for college work (taking notes and finishing assignments). Planning to run a frugal linux distro on it, so preferred without OS. Laptop screen should be as small as possible and laptop should be easy to carry around campus. Please advise on distros I should check out for this. Distro should be able to run libreoffice or something similar.
  • Note that I will be bringing the desktop home with me during holidays so a small case is preferred. Monitor and keyboard will go into luggage and the system will be carry-on luggage.
  • I will use this setup for my entire four college years. So please do not advise against a 780 just because a GTX 770 can handle today's games at 1080p just fine.

I've designed two systems at PCPartsPicker.com, but I want to decrease costs over there without losing performance:

MicroATX: *ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/duelistgamer/saved/1UDh
Mini-ITX: *ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/duelistgamer/saved/1VPF

Note that the parts marked with a $0.00 price tag are those that I will reuse from my current setup.

Also, all parts other than laptop should be within the specified budget. For laptop, go as cheap as you are able to while also keeping the size small.
 
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OP
Extreme Gamer

Extreme Gamer

僕はガンダム!
Vendor
Why don't you get a laptop instead for college?

Will also get el cheapo laptop exclusively for studies. Desktop gaming is way better than laptop gaming.

Think about it: on a laptop the highest I could probably go (by budget) is an i7 4700MQ + GTX 770M + 8GB RAM setup, while on a desktop I could do an i5 4670k OCed + GTX 780 + 16GB RAM. Resolution remains same for both (1080p)

There is no competition between a GK110 based GTX 780 and a GK106 based GTX 770M. The laptop does not seem to have the mileage to handle 4 years of extensive gaming.

Don't think I didn't consider a laptop: I thought of getting a laptop with above specs and an additional keyboard, but felt that I didn't want the compromise. Besides, I have a lot of HDDs to reuse (2 SSDs, 3 3.5" HDDs).

I also checked boutique laptops like the ones from XoticPC, Sager/Clevo (sager is a rebrand) and a few others. They seemed to have VFM laptops. But like I said, I don't think the compromise is worth it. Besides, I don't want to give the impression that I'm showing off (flashy laptops and ****).
 

Cilus

laborare est orare
Actually we need some Canadian Online stores to get the prices. Do you know any good ones?
 

Jaskanwar Singh

Aspiring Novelist
Actually we need some Canadian Online stores to get the prices. Do you know any good ones?

Newegg Canada - Computer Products, Laptops, Electronics, HDTVs, Digital Cameras, Cellphones and More!
Amazon.ca: Online shopping in Canada - books, electronics, Kindle, home & garden, DVDs, tools, music, health & beauty, watches, baby, sporting goods & more
TigerDirect.ca - Computers, Computer Parts, Computer Components, Netbooks & Electronics
 
OP
Extreme Gamer

Extreme Gamer

僕はガンダム!
Vendor
Actually we need some Canadian Online stores to get the prices. Do you know any good ones?

Apart from the ones JSingh mentioned, there are:

NCIX.com - Canada's Premier Computer Store - Online PC Discount Store, Buy Computer Accessories
Canada Computers | Computers, Computer Parts, Laptops, Hard Drives, PC Hardware & Accessories Sales

There are also a few others. If you open both my parts lists posted in the OP, you will find everything and all the different sellers.
 
taking NewWgg.ca as referrece:

i5 4670k ($249.99)
Asus Z87-A ($149.99)
Mushkin Enhances Silverline 8 GB ($68.49)
Gigabyte GTX770 2 GB ($409.99)
Corsair 600T ($169.99)
LG 27EN43V ($269.99)

total: ~$1110
 
OP
Extreme Gamer

Extreme Gamer

僕はガンダム!
Vendor
taking NewWgg.ca as referrece:

i5 4670k ($249.99)
Asus Z87-A ($149.99)
Mushkin Enhances Silverline 8 GB ($68.49)
Gigabyte GTX770 2 GB ($409.99)
Corsair 600T ($169.99)
LG 27EN43V ($269.99)

total: ~$1110

Bro how is that $1110 or even near it? According to my calculations that is 1318.44...

Besides, 600T is too big to carry on a plane. Can't go above microATX honestly. Also, don't you think 27" is too big?

Check these two:

Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, Xigmatek CCC-MD26TA-U01 (Black) - Canada Desktop - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada
Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, BitFenix Prodigy (Black) - Canada_Desktop_Alt - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada

Which areas do you think I can shrink costs?

track ncix.com they have some unmatchable offers

Yeah I've been doing that for a while now.
 
Bro how is that $1110 or even near it? According to my calculations that is 1318.44...

Besides, 600T is too big to carry on a plane. Can't go above microATX honestly. Also, don't you think 27" is too big?

Check these two:

Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, Xigmatek CCC-MD26TA-U01 (Black) - Canada Desktop - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada
Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, BitFenix Prodigy (Black) - Canada_Desktop_Alt - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada

Which areas do you think I can shrink costs?



Yeah I've been doing that for a while now.

Changes:

Monitor: Asus VS228H-P 21.5" Monitor (VS228H-P) - PCPartPicker Canada

Bro how is that $1110 or even near it? According to my calculations that is 1318.44...

Besides, 600T is too big to carry on a plane. Can't go above microATX honestly. Also, don't you think 27" is too big?

Check these two:

Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, Xigmatek CCC-MD26TA-U01 (Black) - Canada Desktop - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada
Intel Core i5-4670K, EVGA GeForce GTX 780, BitFenix Prodigy (Black) - Canada_Desktop_Alt - duelistgamer's Saved Part List - PCPartPicker Canada

Which areas do you think I can shrink costs?



Yeah I've been doing that for a while now.

Changes:

Monitor: *ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-monitor-vs228hp
 

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
^^somehow missed that.still there should not be much difference quality wise between monitors of same series based on same panel type.you might want to read this before buying Asus though:
Asus PA238Q IPS Review
 
OP
Extreme Gamer

Extreme Gamer

僕はガンダム!
Vendor
^^somehow missed that.still there should not be much difference quality wise between monitors of same series based on same panel type.you might want to read this before buying Asus though:
Asus PA238Q IPS Review

Argh...now I'm TOTALLY confused about the bloody monitor :|

I seriously do not know what to get. Picture quality and relatively lag free experience comes first.
 

ramm

Right off the assembly line
You should definitely try ncix.com I am long time subscriber of their youtube channel they have some awesome pc's. recently they showcased pc called slingshot which comes in your price range link NCIXPC SLIngshot powered by dual EVGA GTX 760 Superclocked in SLI - YouTube .
It's a shame if your not already there in canada, they are doing Vancouver ware house sale yesterday & today where they offer components at half or less than half the price... I saw death added mouse for 10$ and gigabyte ud3h for 50$ ...good luck with your studies.
 
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