Built a gaming rig. Need advice on further upgrades and configuration

L

Lachrystic

New Member
So I dropped around $1000 into building my own computer, and I'd like some advice on what I could/should do next.

Here are my specs:
  • Motherboard: MSI Z87-GD65 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s Extreme OC
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 3.5GHz LGA 1150
  • RAM: Team Elite Plus 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
  • HDD: Western Digital Blue 1TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
  • GPU: MSI R7 260 1GD5 OC CrossFireX Ready
  • PSU: CORSAIR CX series CX430
  • Chassis: Corsair Carbide Series Spec-01
  • OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

So what I would like to know is whether I should get a mSATA or SATA III SSD for my boot drive. I would also like any input on further upgrades and tips on ways to configure the system to make it faster and suitable for overclocking. This is my first time building my own PC, and input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :)
 
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As you have pointed out, an SSD such as the 840 EVO or 850Pro will be the greatest improvement in general computing. If you want a better improvement in gaming, you would need to upgrade the GPU and depending on which one, possible the PSU as well.

What performance issues are you having / performance areas want to increase, and what is your budget?
 
Well the GPU handles games pretty well. I've been able to play Star Citizen, Mechwarrior Online, Gmod, and every other game on max settings with no problem. I use the Afterburner program to OC the GPU, but only for in-game recording.
Loading most programs seem to take more time than it should, and sometimes the system hangs for minutes at a time when loading a large batch of files (like when I load Gmod with all my addons) I figure it's because of the HDD I'm using.
Also, would overclocking the CPU be worth it? My budget isn't really a problem. I can always work overtime for that. I'm most interested in improving response time and speed in general. I'm looking for any tips, suggestions, and ideas in general really.
 
That's pretty much the SSD, it will greatly increase performance.

Check all your temps, sometimes if something is too hot, it causes the system to hang
 
To be clear, SSD's will not increase your actual game performance in terms of framerate. If you have your OS installed on the SSD the overall responsiveness of the OS will be quicker and will boot faster. Any programs you install on there (including games) will load a lot faster as well.

Honestly your system is kind of unbalanced. You've got a med-high end processor but you stuck it with an entry level (at best) gaming card. However depending on the games you play, this won't matter as much. From the games you mentioned the 260 is probably fine.
 
Darren said:
Honestly your system is kind of unbalanced. You've got a med-high end processor but you stuck it with an entry level (at best) gaming card. However depending on the games you play, this won't matter as much. From the games you mentioned the 260 is probably fine.
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Which graphics card would you personally suggest?
 
If you've got a somewhat flexible budget I would get at least an R9 280X or a GTX 770 (or 970 if you can afford it). You can always go up from there also such as an R9 290 or a GTX 980.
 
Darren said:
To be clear, SSD's will not increase your actual game performance in terms of framerate. If you have your OS installed on the SSD the overall responsiveness of the OS will be quicker and will boot faster. Any programs you install on there (including games) will load a lot faster as well.

Honestly your system is kind of unbalanced. You've got a med-high end processor but you stuck it with an entry level (at best) gaming card. However depending on the games you play, this won't matter as much. From the games you mentioned the 260 is probably fine.
Click to expand...

But for the games he plays, the card is okay.

If all someone does is surf the web, even a 250x is fine.

But yes, your graphics card may be bottlenecking your CPU, a r9 280x would be a good choice
 
ninjabubbles3 said:
But for the games he plays, the card is okay.
Click to expand...

Darren said:
Honestly your system is kind of unbalanced. You've got a med-high end processor but you stuck it with an entry level (at best) gaming card. However depending on the games you play, this won't matter as much. From the games you mentioned the 260 is probably fine.
Click to expand...

You need to read stuff a bit more carefully. ;)

OP, if your content with gaming performance and just want an overall more snappy experience, get an SSD.
 
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