I would like to purchase a new pc. I checked E-College Pc and this is the Pc I plan to buy. I play mostly RPG games. My budget is 2,000 dollars. Should I change any of the components?

Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5Ghz 8MB Cache Quad-Core
CORSAIR Cooling Hydro Series H60 120mm Water Cooler
ASUS Z87-PLUS (Intel Z87, HDMI, DVI, 3xPCI-E, 8xSATA, 4xDDR3)
16GB (8GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
2TB Western Digital Black 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/LG Software
2GB GeForce GTX 770 GDDR5 PCI-E Dual-DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional 64bit
Microsoft Office 2013 Home and Student w/Word, Excel, Power Point
Apevia Black/Blue X-Sniper2 (3 5.25, 5 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB 3.0
750watt Corsair Modular TX750M 80 PLUS CERTIFIED | Onboard LAN included
Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D PCI-ex Internal All in 1 Card Reader
2x 120mm Case Fan
12in Blue Neon Light
Wires and Cables ran behind case and tied up for maximum airflow
3 Year Warranty + Three year hassle free pickup and return

It looks good to me except for
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional 64bit

I'd get Windows 7 Pro 64bit if it's possible.
There are a few older games that work in Windows 7 but not Windows 8 (like Still Life). I'm not that familiar with RPG's, but there could be some with the same problem. Of course if you're only planning to play new games that shouldn't matter.

I don't like the interface on Windows 8, but if you've tried Windows 8 and don't mind it, that shouldn't be an issue.

Hope you enjoy it.
You may want to wait for input from others like Inland and Draclvr, who probably have more familiarity with newer components than I do.

It all looks great to me, especially if you play a lot of RPGs. I haven't had any problems with any of my RPG games on Windows 8.1 - even older ones like Vampire Redemption from 1999. Like Jenny says, if you mostly play newer games, that shouldn't be an issue. I would say Windows 7 vs. Windows 8.1 is a personal preference in a PC like this one. But I do agree with Jenny that if you aren't familiar with Windows 8.1, you should do a little research on it see if you want to go that route. But if you're familiar with it and like the interface, then go for it.

Since you're selected a water cooling system, you may not need those two extra fans. You can always email Mike at eCollegePC and he will help you out with any questions like that. I've heard very good things about that sound card!

I can't add too much to what's already been stated - it's a nice rig. I do agree that you should consider running Windows 7 though. Microsoft is already developing Windows 9, which should be available by the end of the year. And that little piece of info says a lot about the general acceptance of Windows 8.

I agree with Windows 9 saying a lot about Windows 8. But the last I read they were looking at 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2015. Maybe they've put it on a fast track though... might be smart if they do! I grabbed an couple of extra copies of Windows 7 Home Premium when Newegg had it on sale for $80. I still have two people who are on XP due to finances and I would NEVER put them on Windows 8.1 when they switch - hopefully in couple of months.

Yep, 2015 was the rumored date but I've heard talk that Microsoft want's to leave the Windows 8 thing behind them as soon as they can (like Windows 2K, Millennium & Vista). If it takes longer, so be it, as long as they return some of the "desktop" components.

I'll probably see it in my MSDN account by the end of the year, at least I hope so.

I hope so too...

Thank you all very much for your replies and regarding Wondows 8.I checked it, don't like it and decided to switch to Windows 7 instead. I use it at work and am familiar with it. I am currently using XP on my old PC.
I'll check on the extra fans with Mike at eCollege PC.

Good move on the Windows 7... Unless you like and are already comfortable with Windows 8, then Windows 7 is the way to go. Microsoft will support it until 2020 and it doesn't get any better than Windows 7!

I think you have picked out a very good computer which will serve you well for gaming and everything else for a good long time.

EDIT: I just noticed something that I missed before. I notice you have picked out a Core i7 4770K processor. The "K" behind the numbers indicates the processor is ready for overclocking. If you don't plan to overclock your processor, you can save yourself $40 and select the Core i7 4770.

The description of the H60 liquid cooler wasn't available, so I looked it up elsewhere. It's a very good one for the processor, but I would stick with those extra 120 mm fans.

I gather that all of you believe this is also an excellent unit for adventure games or no???

Mr. Bill

Yes, though if money is a consideration it's more than you need to run adventures.

Thank you Jenny.

What would you change if all of this power is not needed for adventure games? Is E College PC a good place to shop?

Thank you again.

Mr. Bill

Some have had good experiences, other not so good. The absolute best rigs are hand-build by the user, but if you don't feel comfortable building your own they'd probably do an adequate job.

I've had eCollegePC build 7 computers for people and so far, so good. I like them for their customer service. I would do a search on the internet for ratings for the company.

Here's an example of a pretty good computer for adventure gaming. Instead of $2,000, this one is $849. If you enter the Black Friday code at checkout you get another 5% off which would take it down to close to $800. Shipping is free. The Nvidia GTX 650Ti video card was recently rated as a best performance for the money in that price range by Tom's Hardware.

Intel Core i5-4430 3.0Ghz 6MB Cache Quad-Core
Stock Intel LGA1150 Heatsink and Fan
GIGABYTE GA-B85M-D3H(Intel B85, HDMI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
1TB Western Digital Black 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/LG Software
1GB GeForce GTX 650 Ti GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Cooler Master Black Elite 430 (3 5.25, 6 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

I'll refer you to Draclvr for that question.
She is the queen of eCollege configurating.


Anything can happen in the mail, but they seem to give good value for price and give good support.
They have an excellent record at
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/eCollegePC

Thank you Draclvr.

What would be your ultimate (and mine) if you wanted this machine to be able to play new adventure games for a number of years to come? Would you still go with the one for $840 or so. Id be willing to go more like I did for my last Alienware. What would be a good sound card to attach surround sound? Is Creative still a good brand? Sound is important to me - I don't know if I would be satisfied with on board speakers.

Would you choose a different video card, etc.

Again thank you.

Bill

You're fun, Mr. Bill! This is what I would get if money wasn't tight. You could go even higher... This one is $1,638. I picked a Gigabyte Z87 UD3H board because I've used 3 of them and they've been great. ASUS also makes very good motherboards. I added liquid cooling for the Core i7-4770 processor and a 64 GB solid state drive. These boards have a feature called Smart Response Technology. It uses the small SSD as a cache drive and greatly speeds up all your most used programs. eCollegePC will set it up for you if you ask them to. I set it up on a rig that I built with my grandson and it's really fast - plus you still have 1 TB for all your programs and data. I grabbed a 4 GB Nvidia GTX 770 video card and the ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 sound card. I've never used one, but I've heard they blow Creative out of the water. I also splurged on the Corsair Carbide white case. But, a white case is something of a personal preference - plus this thing is HUGE! You might ask Greyfuss here at GB how he likes his. They have many, many cases to choose from. I think I'd also have them do more cable management in a computer like this for an extra $19. It's all about how much you want to spend! This one would play all the latest and greatest shooters and RPGs without a hiccup. The other one would play adventure games for some time to come.

Intel Core i7-4770 3.5Ghz 8MB Cache Quad-Core
Cooler Master Seidon 120V Liquid CPU Water Cooling System 120mm
GIGABYTE GA-Z87X-UD3H (Intel Z87, HDMI, 3xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
1TB Western Digital Black 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps
64GB Sandisk SDSSDP-064G-G25 SATA3 SSD
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/LG Software
4GB GeForce GTX 760 GDDR5 PCI-E Dual-DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Corsair White Carbide Series 500R (4 5.25, 6 3.5) 4 Fans, Audio/USB 3.0
650watt Corsair CMPSU-650TX V2 80 PLUS CERTIFIED
Onboard LAN included
ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 PCI-ex
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

Thank you Draclvr.

Is the Corsair White Carbide thingy the case? Is this the same as a tower and does it come in black? I think of something white as reflecting too much light.
Maybe affecting the mood of the game?

Again thank you.

Bill

I was just going crazy there, Mr. Bill! What you should do is go to the website and look at the cases they offer and get something that appeals to YOU.

Is there an advantage to choosing the WD 1TB HDD as opposed to the 2TB unlisted brand HDD for $1 more?

Given the option to have a 64GB SSD for a Smart Response drive OR an Nvidea 2 GB Geforce 760 graphics card, which would be preferable for playing games - adventure/RPG?

If I get the SSD I will have to settle for the 2GB 650ti graphic card.

The hard drive would depend on the specs for each - If they have equivalent transfer rates, RPM and cache, I'd probably opt for the 2TB hard drive just for the additional storage capacity. SSD's are neat little devices, you'll definitely see an improvement in boot time. But… you'll have to train yourself to keep all but the essentials on the mechanical drive.

The 760 is the better of the 2 video cards, but either would do for Adventure/RPG gaming.

If she selects a motherboard which supports Smart Response Technology, it is set up as a cache drive, not a boot or data drive. All it does is make commonly used programs and links open up much faster - and it really does work. But it's certainly not a requirement. If it was me, I'd go for the 2TB HDD and the better video card and forget the SSD cache drive.

And, Heidi, did you see my post here about NOT getting the Core i7 4770K? The K means the CPU is unlocked for overclocking. If you don't plan on overclocking your CPU, you can save $40 and get the Core i7 4770.

I haven't had a chance to play with one of these yet. Sounds interesting, but I agree - a 2TB drive is probably the way to go.

I'd get the one with the better video card.
The video card is more important for games.

As for a nameless brand drive vs a WD brand, see if you can find out what the unlisted brand drives might be and what sort of warranty they might have. It's not likely you'd need more than 1TB unless you save movies on your hard drive.

Thank you for your advice, Inland, Drac and Jenny. The HDD is listed as 2TB 64MB Cache 7200 RPM. So I will go with the 2 TB HDD. As for the SSD drive or the better video card, IF I have the money to get it I will definitely get the 760 video card.

Thanks again for the information. If all goes well, (knock on wood...) I will be able to get a new inexpensive system the beginning of next month. My budget is for $840 for sure and might be stretched to $940 or even $1040. That won't be known till the last minute. I can't wait to order it. I'm trying to be patient.

Depending on how much money I have available, the system may have to be scaled down and compromised. This is what I'm hoping I can get.

Intel Gaming Series Configurator : Intel Core i5-4670 3.4Ghz 6MB Cache Quad-Core
Stock Intel LGA1150 Heatsink and Fan
GIGABYTE GA-Z87-HD3 (Intel Z87, HDMI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
2.0TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps (Major Brand)
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/LG Software
2GB GeForce GTX 770 GDDR5 PCI-E Dual-DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Apevia Black/Blue X-Dreamer 4 (4 5.25, 5 3.5) 5 Fans, Audio/USB 3.0
600watt Thermaltake TR2 W0388RU
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

If I can't go that high, I will swap out the 770 video card for the 650ti. If I need more power I have a 700W power supply I can swap out. I have the OS already. This will be purchased from eCollege. However I am still keeping an eye on Cyberpower for the deals they have at the time.

Let me know if you see any improvements I can or should make.

Sharon