The following post is an almost verbatim copy/paste of this Build Guide on pcpartpicker.com : http://pcpartpicker.com/guide/gkbtt6/msi-build-your-dream-pc-guide-red-nib
Thanks to MSI and PCPP for this awesome contest! These sorts of contests are the best for our community of gamers as it will likely bring people who can’t otherwise afford to join us or, simply, have no previous knowledge of computers.
If I win this, I’ll be keeping the new PC for myself and giving away the parts from my current build (i7-4770/gtx660 mITX) to friends and family. I’ve been gaming all my life and work in the IT field as general as it sounds. I’ve been known as the “Nerds in Black” and MSI’s gaming line has a color scheme of red/black, hence the name, Red NiB (blog is at theNiB.org although I haven’t updated it in ages).
Now, on to the hardware:
i7-6700k – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80662i76700k
Do I need the insane amount of power behind this processor? Absolutely not, however, this is a dream build, so why not go balls out on the processor. As the heart of this beast, if I get the best of the best (of the best, sir!) right now, then it’ll be futureproof for a minimum of two, maybe three years.
Corsair H75 – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-cpu-cooler-cw9060015ww
I don’t plan on overclocking or doing anything too crazy with this build other than basic gaming, so this CPU cooler will be more than enough for my needs. In fact, I could probably get away with the included OEM retail fan just like I have on my current build, but I figure with the added room of an ATX sized build, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t get a closed loop CPU Cooler.
MSI Z710A Gaming M5 – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z170agamingm5
Ideally, I would’ve gone with the Gaming M8/M9 (https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z170agamingm9ack) or even the Gaming Titanium Edition (https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z170axpowergamingtitaniumedition) but due to the budget constraint of $2000 for the entire build, a minor downgrade on the motherboard is not a huge deal
Kingston HyperX Black 16GB – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/kingston-memory-hx421c14fbk216
This is pretty self-explanatory. I’ve had no issues with Kingston brand memory in the past, 16GB is a pretty standard benchmark for gaming and still leaves me with 2 slots open for future upgradeability.
Kingston HyperX 3k 480GB – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/kingston-internal-hard-drive-sh103s3b480g
I currently have a HyperX 3k 120GB SSD in the build I use every day. With the decreasing ratio of GB/$, this is more than enough for everyday gaming. I didn’t include a TB media/spinning drive just because I can easily transplant the one that I already have from my existing system.
MSI GeForce 980 TI 6GB – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx980tigaming6g
As this is a gaming PC, I wanted to throw the best of the best again for my graphics card. Both computing power and graphics power is maximized in this build to ensure future-proofing. Also, with this card, I would easily be able to use this for the next two to three years.
be quiet! Silent Base 600 – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/be-quiet-case-bgw05
I actually already own a “be quiet! Silent Base 800” (https://pcpartpicker.com/part/be-quiet-case-bgw02) ready to go for my next build, so I just chose their budget model in order to satisfy the Rules of the giveaway.
SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold – https://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ss650km
Same reasoning as the case. I already have a “be quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 850W 80+ Platinum” PSU (https://pcpartpicker.com/part/be-quiet-power-supply-bn603) ready to drop into whatever was going to be my next build. I also chose a PSU at random, but one that would also make sense for this build if I were planning on using all parts of the build to finish a full computer.
Because I already own or have spare parts from previous/future builds on my workbench, I maximized this build for power (aka, the CPU and GPU). The rest of the build is so that I can satisfy the T&C of the giveaway. Arguably, I should have a better motherboard, but that was not the focus of my build. If one were to buy all the parts in my build, there would be no issues with it running perfectly fine for the average or even enthusiast gamer.
I would appreciate any and all feedback on my build. And would greatly appreciate if you liked and commented on the build at pcpartpicker so that I can have a higher chance of winning the contest! If not, I won’t hold it against you, but you know…karma? If you go ahead and enter as well, post a comment here or PM me, I’ll be happy to look it over, give my opinion, and like/comment on your post too!
The link to my entry to comment/upvote is as follows: http://pcpartpicker.com/guide/gkbtt6/msi-build-your-dream-pc-guide-red-nib
Free stuff? Why not!
-The NiB
PS, my referral link is as here, so if you use it, I get a bonus entry!
Nerds in Black 