Advice for a new PC

[viper37]

I prefer method #4 - pay someone to do it.   

I tried that last week.  I was charged 70$ and told I need to format my drive and reinstall Windows.  Veeeryy useful.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I need a new machine.

AMD.
Lot's of fast ram, SSD, decent (not expensive) video, dual video cards.

Idears?

[viper37]

I need a new machine.

AMD.
Lot's of fast ram, SSD, decent (not expensive) video, dual video cards.

Idears?

RAM:
16 gb should be plenty enough for now. I have this kit here, but I heard G-Skill has some interesting models too.  Just make sure it's DDR3 1866mhz, it will leave you some room for overclocking.


CPU:   
AMD FX-8320 or higher (9370 and 9590 are the two latest models and they are very pricey for the performance you have, I don't recommend it for now).

Motherboard:
If you plan on doing some serious overclocking, go for Asus Sabertooth 990FX v2.0.  Otherwise, most 990FX boards will offer similar performance, at better price, but they will have reduced overclocking capacities/easyness.

Video card:
Radeon R9 270x would be decent (north of 200$).  Ideally, 280x (north of 300$).  I personally don't see the need for dual video cards unless you have more than one monitor for gaming?

SSD:
Samsung 850Pro or OCZ Vector 256gb, for both.  OCZ Vertex 4 is still a good SSD, but it's over a year old, so it will most likely not receive any future firmware updates.  Depends on the price you find

[Norgy]

The G-Skill sticks are the best ones I have had. Far easier to get to work properly than Corsair or Kingston RAM.

They cost a bit, though.

[DontSayBanana]

The G-Skill sticks are the best ones I have had. Far easier to get to work properly than Corsair or Kingston RAM.

They cost a bit, though.

Kingston are alright, provided you stay away from the VR models.  Corsair might as well be radioactive, though.  While I was servicing PCs, you wouldn't believe how many problems I saw come through due to dead sticks of Corsair.

I'll second the G.Skill recommendation, though- the Ripjaws in my current rig haven't given me any trouble, ever.

[Norgy]

Think I have the Ripjaws as well. Low profile 1866 mHz ones.

So Corsair basically ship out crap? Good to know for later.

I notice there's a new Z97 series out in motherboards and an i7 4790k. I am tempted to spend money on: Stuff I don't really need.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Do it NOrgs. Do. It.

[viper37]

Stuff I don't really need.

But you do.  It will please you.  Pleasure is good.  Ergo, just do it

[Norgy]

As much as I would like to, I have a hard time shelling out the sums they demand for the better Z97 motherboards. I paid a premium for my current one.

The processor is a different matter, as it seems as if Haswell Refresh ones run a bit cooler than the original Haswell ones. The 4770K that I have would've fried if not for watercooling. Still even with that, it gets dangerously warm when overclocked to anything above 4.2-4.4 gHz.
Of course, performance-wise, it's the best thing I've seen.

[viper37]

As much as I would like to, I have a hard time shelling out the sums they demand for the better Z97 motherboards. I paid a premium for my current one.

Unless I have an urgent need, I usually try to wait 6-8 months after the release of the new chipset.  Most bugs are fixed in BIOS upgrades and prices are a tad lower.

[Grey Fox]

I need a new video card but the 970s are too expensive

[viper37]

I need a new video card but the 970s are too expensive

I got a Radeon 290x for a little under 400$ on E-bay the other day.  Check the deals there.
Right now, they are between 300-400$ on the low side.

What is your budget?

[Grey Fox]

~230$ plus tax.

[viper37]

Look for a Radeon 280x on Ebay.
Like this one

Or:
230$ + 5% GST on NCIX

[Grey Fox]

It's going to be an hard pill to swallow, getting an AMD card.

Going to wait for the Black Friday deals.