I came from /r/headphones. I did respond a similar question the other day, so, trying to help, I'll paste my previous answer, if you don't mind.

Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...


What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?


What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?


If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.


So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:


HyperX Cloud (70$)


Sennheiser G4me One (170$)


Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.


BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.


Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must either use a desk microphone like this, use a modmic like this one. or if your budget is tight, something like this. The first one requires desk space. The second and third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.


Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).


You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the origin of one sound).


If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.


Some closed back cans:


Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.


Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, very recommended.


Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Amazing soundstage (for a closed headphone). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.


Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!


As for open cans:


Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for,


Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone.


Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.


Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.


Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.


All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.


Welcome to the rabbit hole.

Absolutely.

For your controller needs, if you want to use a DualShock4, DS3, Wii U Pro Controller or WiiMote, all you need is a mini Bluetooth dongle and a driver such as DS4Windows (google "[controller] driver windows"). With the proper driver they should be supported under most games, but they might require a button mapping tool to work with some stuff (we can help you with that).

If you want to go the easy route and have a controller supported by most games with no driver configuration as soon as you plug it in, an Xbone controller is your choice. However, it will require a special M$ dongle to work wirelessly, and be warned that this dongle only works under Windows 10. Alternately, if you can live with some inferior design features, you can get a 360 controller (which still works with nearly all controller games) and its corresponding dongle, which has the added benefit of working with all Windows's back to XP. However, be aware that both of these controllers require AA batteries rather than the rechargeable packs found in DualShock/Nintendo. You can buy a rechargeable pack for Xbox controllers but it obviously costs extra.

All of the aforementioned controllers will also work over USB with any operating system.

Now to the second part of your question. I assume that you mean you want to play on your TV–this can be accomplished one of two ways and is easy to setup. The first and most obvious way is to simply keep your PC in your entertainment center and hook it to your TV over HDMI, in much the same way that you would your PS4. Steam's Big Picture mode tries to emulate the homescreen of a console to make controller navigation easier, and does a pretty good job of it. Coming from the PS4 interface I'm sure you'll feel right at home–but you do still need a KB+mouse to get in Big Picture from a cold PC startup. This shouldn't be an issue as there are many cheap wireless keyboards with inbuilt trackpads on offer.

The second way is to use a Steam Link. This is a very handy little set-top box that will stream video input over the internet from a PC in the house–if you've ever heard of the PlayStation TV, this is similar. In order to use the Link you must have fast (at least 10mbps; check using speedtest.net) Ethernet on both ends (your PC and the Link) and a controller that connects over USB (either thru a USB cable or a USB wireless receiver. The Xbox receivers mentioned in a previous paragraph currently don't work with the Link but Valve says they are looking into it). It's very simple to setup–hook the Link to internet, plug in your controller and HDMI cable for TV connection, and pair it with your PC. Then you'll have total access to all your controller-supported PC games from the couch, with no loss of graphics.

Also, as a PC gamer, I have a word for you–there are some games that do play better with KB+M, especially shooters. Trust me, once you try something like Call of Duty with a mouse, you will never be able to go back to aiming with controller sticks. If you want this benefit but still find KB+M uncomfortable, there is the Steam Controller which features a more accurate trackpad in place of the right stick, and will work with most of the games that an Xbox controller works with.

One final word. If you are actually, legitimately serious about getting into PC gaming–please for the LOVE OF GOD do not buy a pre-built one. BUILD. YOUR. OWN. Seriously, if you are looking to surpass consoles and get value for money, I CANNOT stress this enough. Although it may seem daunting at first it's really little more than high-tech LEGOs–/r/BuildaPCforMe will furnish you with a parts list so you don't have to bother with that, and then the build will take two hours tops (even if you're inexperienced). There are tons of great videos on YouTube that will show you how–this is my personal fave, although I do advise you not to use any of those parts since that vid is considerably old.

If you have any questions feel free to reply to this and I can help you out.

There's a lot of different builds you could look at.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $229.99 @ B&H
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.88 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING 3X ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $114.89 @ B&H
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $61.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.78 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING Video Card | $399.99 @ B&H
Case | NZXT S340 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case | $66.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $74.99 @ NCIX US
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1033.50
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-24 03:27 EST-0500 |

The above is just /u/motionglitch's build put into reddit markup.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $189.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING 3X ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $114.89 @ B&H
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $43.99 @ Newegg
Storage | PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $64.99 @ Jet
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.78 @ OutletPC
Video Card | *MSI Radeon RX 470 8GB Gaming X Video Card | $209.99 @ B&H
Case | Phanteks ECLIPSE P400 ATX Mid Tower Case | $60.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $84.99 @ NCIX US
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $90.72 @ B&H
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $910.33
| *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-24 03:26 EST-0500 |

I slightly altered his build, I felt I made it slightly more entry-friendly. I'll go through it one by one.

___

CPU - 6600k vs 6500. The main difference is the clocks. The 6500 is 300mhz slower than the 6600k. The other difference is that the 6600k is overclockable unlike the 6500. Overclocking is reasonably simple, but it's not for everybody. There is a risk (not very high, but it's there) to damage your CPU. I set you with a non-overclockable CPU first so that you can get the hang of building a computer first.

CPU Cooler - The overclockable CPUs from Intel don't come with a cooler, so for his build he needed to get a cooler. The non-OCable come with the regular stock cooler, which is (arguably) easier to install.

Motherboard (MOBO) - I kept the same motherboard, so that if you feel the need to upgrade your CPU to an overclockable model, you can just sell the 6500 and buy the 6600k/6700k + cooler.

RAM - I just got cheaper RAM, there's not going to be a huge impact on performance.

Storage - Our builds both have a 1TB hard drive, but I added in an SSD (solid state drive) to put your operating system and programs on. The main advantage of SSDs are speed, when used as the main system drive, it makes the system much more responsive. The main disadvantage of SSDs (as a rule of thumb) is that they do not handle writes very well. This means you'll mostly want to refrain from moving files back and forth. They aren't super fragile, but always exercise the "better-safe-than-sorry" principle (it'll save your ass more than a few times).

Video Card/GPU - I added a filter (I'm not very good at them :P) on this one. My main goal was to let you pick the performance that you'd want/need. The sweet spot for GPUs is the $150-$300 usually, but since AMD doesn't have a performance competitor for NV (Nvidia) past the 1060/$250, the 1070 is the next step up at about ~$400 (just over budget, but if you get some of these parts during sales you'll be able to fit it in your ~$1000 budget) I kept the VRAM (Video-RAM) capacity locked at 6GB/8GB, as I think Star Citizen would like to use all it can get :) Plus it'll increase the longevity of your card if you decide to keep it for a while.

• Add-On Here's some game benchmarks for the 480 4GB/8GB vs 1060 3GB/6GB. The 3gb 1060 is close enough to the 470 that you can consider them equal. Unlike the 480, the lower VRAM or capacity 1060 actually has a lower amount of cores, resulting in lower performance. There also is a factor I find a lot of people forget in the AMD vs NV debate; if you're planning on buying or upgrading to an adaptive-sync monitor, those that support AMD's version (Freesync) are on average, cheaper than their same specced NV (G-Sync) counterparts. See MG278Q@ $485 vs PG278Q@ $715 or the G2460PF @ (what should be) $200 G2460PG @ (what should be) $379
  
  Case - I personally prefer the P400 over the S340 as it's the case I'm using at the moment, but both are wonderful cases and I'd suggest you look around to find the right case for you, they're highly subjective :)
  
  
• Add-On A great place to go looking at these cases would be the Hardware Canucks channel, they even just released a "Top Cases of 2016" video.
  
  Power Supply (PSU) I just got a higher wattage PSU from the same line, they're good power supplies and should last you for a good few builds. More wattage was mainly for the "better-safe-than-sorry" principle.
  
  Operating System (OS) Just added Win10 into the cost. If you're a dual-credit/college student, you're probably able to sign up for Microsoft Imagine/Dreamspark which gives you a few free Windows products, including Win10.
  
  ___
  
  There are some really great channels out there that put out wonderful content, I'll list a few of my favorites here.
  
  LinusTechTips.
  
  Paul's Hardware.
  
  Techquickie.
  
  Hardware Unboxed .
  
  He's a smaller channel, but I like MindBlank Tech.
  
  Digital Foundry
  
  I hope this helped :D

Here's a few options. Depending on where you are in the world some might be more feasible than others. I'm talking from a UK perspective, YMMV.

• Sennheiser HD598 + Antlion ModMic. Can't speak for the quality of the modmic but I own the HD598's and adore them, they're almost unbeatable. The ModMic is essentially a headset mic with velcro pads included so that you can stick it onto pretty much any set of headphones that has space for it.
  
  
• Phillips Fidelio X2 + V-Moda Boompro mic. This is a good option because the Fidelio X2's have a standard 3.5mm port meaning you can plug any 3.5mm mic into it, including the V-Moda Boompro which is essentially a headset mic that can be unplugged (though of much better quality imo). Again, can personally attest to quality as I own both. The X2's are £130 on Amazon rn which is a goddamn goddamn steal in my opinion, but they're better for music than gaming (again, my opinion, it's slightly subjective). They'll still thrash any headset but they don't quite compare to the HD598's for competitive gaming.
  
  
• Speaking of Phillips and 3.5mm ports, a cheaper option than the X2's would be the Philips SHP9500/00. Same benefits as the X2's, but in this case they + the V-Moda Boompro will run you about as much as the X2's alone would. Can't speak for sound quality, haven't tried them, but I hear they're very good.
  
  
• Another option would be the Audio Technica AD700x; from what I have heard this is pretty much the end game for gaming cans. They're legendary, beating out the HD598's by a small margin; small enough that really it's personal preference as to whether you go for these or the Sennheisers. Both will do you proud. Again, an Antlion ModMic would be your best option here, you won't be able to fit a V-Moda Boompro as like with Sennheiser, the AD700x uses a proprietary port.
  
  
• Finally, if you got the cash, you could go for the Audio Technica ATH-ADG1X; essentially Audio Technica have cut out the need for a third party mic by adding their own; it's a headset. The downside to this is that it's expensive for what it is, and you probably leave yourself open to the kinds of issues you'd have with standard headsets (more likely to fail, harder/more expensive to fix if they do). Not really sure how much you'd have to worry about this since it's genuine quality; not the £15 of components stuffed into a £100 headset that passes for "gaming headsets" these days. TimTheTatMan uses one of these on Twitch if I'm not mistaken.
  
  So that's what I recommend. Any option you pick here will theoretically last you a great many years, if not a lifetime, and will outperform any gaming headset. This is because manufacturers of these headsets will spend a tiny amount of cash on the components and a large amount of cash on marketing them, meaning when you buy a gaming headset you're really paying for them to sell it to you. Stuff like I've listed above is all word of mouth; passes the savings onto the consumer who gets a quality product at a good price.
  They're all open backed, meaning they leak sound out and allow outside sound in; the benefit of this is that you get a wider soundstage, which in regard to gaming essentially means better 3D positioning. You can pick out things like footsteps and locate where they're coming from with a great degree of ease.
  
  HD598: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-598SR-Over-Ear-Headphone-Black/dp/B06WLGRYSF/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521973971&sr=1-1&keywords=HD+598
  
  Fidelio X2: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-X2-Headphones-Over-Ear-Cushions-Black/dp/B00MRUPSHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974003&sr=8-1&keywords=Fidelio+x2
  
  Phillips SHP9500/00: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-SHP9500-00-Headphone/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974021&sr=8-1&keywords=shp9500
  
  Audio Technica AD700X: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-backed-Hi-Fi-headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1521974053&sr=8-1&keywords=ad700x
  
  Audio Technica ADG1X: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-ADG1X-High-Fidelity-Open-Air-Headset/dp/B01AYZZP5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521973470&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+headset
  
  V-Moda Boompro: https://www.amazon.co.uk/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974126&sr=8-1&keywords=v-moda+boompro
  
  Antlion ModMic: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone-Uni-Directional-Muteless/dp/B00R98O6R4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974091&sr=8-2&keywords=antlion+modmic

If you ask a question, and someone answers it correctly, reply with a thank you, but include this checkmark: ✓ ( or if you cannot enter Unicode, use !check instead )

This will score the user whose comment you replied to a 'point'. Currently the points will unlock special flair that will show in all Daily Simple Questions threads.

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In case you missed it, click here for yesterday's Daily Simple Questions thread.
There may be some questions still unanswered! Below are a selection of questions with no replies. See if you can help them out.

If you don't want to see this comment click the little [-] to the left of my username to collapse this comment.

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> Looking for a great VR while sitting down and have thick-ish glasses. I have an 1080ti, 32gb of RAM and an 8700K.
>
> What is the best sitting experience that's cheaper than buying a vive pro?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eaj43u4/

----

> Hey guys, I built my pc a few years ago but i am now in college and am unable to ship it here. I am about to buy a mid tier prebuilt pc + peripherals for my dorm room. I just want to make sure everything is compatible and i have everything i need, i dont want to realize that i am missing some important cable or something is not compatible. Links below!
>
> ​
>
> Ive already done a fair bit of research so i think im good to go, but just wanted to get some other opinions! FYI I am pretty set on buying everything from amazon. Thanks guys!
>
> ​
>
> PC
>
> ETHERNET CABLE
>
> HEADSET
>
> MOUSE
>
> KEYBOARD
>
> MONITOR

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eajdvc8/

----

> Can RGB RAM be used with any motherboard as long as it's not super basic? I'm helping a friend build but have never used RGB. We're looking at Corsair Vengeance RGB RAM.
>
> Examples of motherboards -
>
> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/qXCrxr/msi-z370-krait-gaming-atx-lga1151-motherboard-z370-krait-gaming
>
> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/HLvZxr/msi-z370-tomahawk-atx-lga1151-motherboard-z370-tomahawk
>
> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/ffYWGX/gigabyte-z370-hd3-rev-10-atx-lga1151-motherboard-z370-hd3-rev-10
>
> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/4hnG3C/msi-z370-pc-pro-atx-lga1151-motherboard-z370-pc-pro

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eajjgd1/

----

> I need immediate help please.
>
> I was browsing and got bluescreen "kernel security check failure". Blue screen got stuck at 55% and i restarted. Now pc gets power, shuts down and restarts. And does this continously without reaching bios.
>
> I need to send my homework in 4 hours please help...
>
> EDIT: I DID IT! When I removed the ram, computer didn't shut down immedieatly but it didn't send anything to the monitor. I thought ram died but i inserted it into DIM2 and it works. Any idea why that happened? Is it a problem with DIM1 slot I used for 4 years? I was expecting to buy another 8GB ram and there is no other slot on the motherboard.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eak5ikv/

----

> Recommendation for good coolers to at least slightly overclock a Ryzen 5 2600? Shouldn't be over 50€

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eak6k6r/

----

> OCing my MSI GTX 970 and temperatures hit 91°C after 2 minutes in Kombustor ?
>
> Hello, here is a screenshot of all the settings : https://i.imgur.com/UcV6hvb.png
>
>
> I first put the power limit at 110%. Then bumped the Core Clock +40Mhz same for Memory Clock until I reached +120Mhz.
>
> The fan stays at 70% but after about 1:45min the GPU reaches 91°C on kombustor and then the fan becomes really loud probably at 100% ?
>
> Is there something I'm missing here ?
>
> SPECS :
>
> GPU : MSI GTX 970 4GD5T OC
> CPU : i7 3770k 3.5Ghz
> * mobo : MSI BIG BANG MARSHALL B3
>
> EDIT : If I put Core Clock at +40Mhz and run Kombustor same thing happens.
>
> EDIT 2 : If I put Core Clock at +0Mhz same thing happens.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eak72qo/

----

> Is there a way to make certain programs always launch as high priority in Windows 10?
>
> I ask because I tire of manually setting games to high in the task manager every time I launch them.
>
> Also, I've heard it's not optimal to set games to real-time. What's the reason for this?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eak7x9r/

----

> I got a wierd problem that occurs like once every 2 hours or so: Only the main screen (the other 2 stay normal) goes black/shuts off and then as it comes back takes a sec to readjust the resolution (the screen jumps up half a sec). This usually goes ok with many games (exept it, you know, goes black for a good 3 sec) and comes back exept for AC odyssey which crashes. I have reinstalled the gpu card (gtx 1070) drivers which doesn't change anything.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/a0jn5d/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_26_2018/eaka5go/

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User | Points
-----|-------
A_Neaunimes | 463
badillin | 432
Luminaria19 | 389
zakabog | 338
thatgermanperson | 314
Sayakai | 306
saldytuwas | 249
095179005 | 222
motionglitch | 207
Excal2 | 164


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Well, thats a beast of a rig!

With this you could cut a few corners... for example, are you planning on overclocking? if not, there is no need for a K processor, so you could get the 7600 (no k) and with no overclockeable cpu there is no need for a z170 motherboard... but the price difference may not be all that big.

You could get a cheaper PSU, but again, thats a really good and reliable one, the price difference might not be worth it if you are not on a very tight budget.

Essentially i think you have an excellent rig and the things you could "cheap out" on, might not be worth doing so, as in, if you have the extra $ better to have this than the slightly cheaper versions.

A thing i would add is a regular HDD at least 1tb, and use it as storage, if for any reason you need/want to format your pc, you could just wipe the SSD and all your downloaded games/pictures/videos/documents would be safe in the other drive. Only games with long loading times benefit from being installed on a SSD, so no need to have them all in one (i dont have any games on my SSD for example, only Windows and windows programs).

You should post your specs on /r/pcmasterrace with a title like "can someone check my build?" so you can get more opinions, i might not be seeing something!


-------------------------------------------------

What monitor do you have, or what resolution (1080p/1440p) and refresh rate (60hz/144hz) are you planning on gaming on?

If you are getting a new monitor, and keeping a AMD Gpu, consider one with FREESYNC (or one with Gsync if you change for a more powerful nvidia card, but expect a $200 price increase as Nvidia taxes manufacturers that use their tech) people say it makes a considerable difference... i havent had one so i couldnt really give my opinion on that.

Now for GPU, With the rx480 you are on the sweetspot for 1080p 60hz gaming.

the next step up would be an nvidia 1070 for either 1440p 60hz or 1080p 144hz

and the next one would be a 1080 for 1440p 144hz

-------------------------------------------------

Also do you have mouse/keyboard??

Personally i love Logitech Mice, Want top of the line and arguably the best wired/wireless Mouse there is, but also quite pricy? go for the g900, or one of the most loved and better reviewed is the g502 just ask /r/G502MasterRace

i have a g700s that can be used wired or wireless but the battery life is crap. around 1 week, so i invested on rechargeable batteries, it can be charged via the cable, so not all that annoying, but the g600 battery lasts for around 6 months... (The g600 is wireless only though.) i went for the g700s because of button placements.

And for the keyboard... well there is no dispute, get a Mechanical Keyboard, only thing is that you might be overwhelmed because of the huge ammount of options... but basically get one with CHERRYMX switches, there are others switches, but these are the best there are, no contest. Just decide on the color of the switches, as each one has different characteristics, some are clicky some take more pressure etc... a tester

https://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4

would be useful to decide what kind you want, i went for the Cherry Mx Browns and i have to tell you, i couldnt be more satisfied, honestly one of the bestest buys ive ever made for my PC, Why do you think my answers are so lengthy? i look for excuses to write on mine, thats how satisfying it is. You might not feel this way the moment you get it, but after a month using it and you get accustomed to your Mech, and then type on a common membrane keyboard, youll ask yourself how the hell did you use that crap for so long.

/r/MechanicalKeyboards is where you should go ask as there are a huge amount of options to choose from.

Thats all i can think of right now!

Sennheiser GAME ONE Black $130 - back ordered 2-4 weeks

Sennheiser GAME ONE White $150

Kingston HyperX Cloud II - $98

Kingston HyperX Revolver - $108

Astro A40 - $150

Of those I'm partial to the Sennheiser GAME ONE's, and the Astro A40. I've used exclusively Sennheiser headphones for the last 7 years and have loved them. The GAME ONE's are open back though so you will get a little less bass but a more open sounding sound stage. The Sennheisers are also far better for music than anything from Kingston, Razer, Logitech, or SteelSeries. Also in my experience, Sennheiser headphones are always quite comfortable. The mic quality is also very good on the GAME ONE.

The Astro A40's are just really good all around. Good sound quality, good mic quality, good overall build quality. Very solid option around the $150 range.

If it were me buying it, I would go with the Sennheiser GAME ONE, my second choice would definitely be the Astro A40's though. The SteelSeries Siberia 350 hasn't been getting the best reviews from actual users. I don't put as much stock into professional reviews because they never account for longevity of the device and are based more on technical specs than actual real world use.

It really depends on what your priorities are though. If you're concerned more with the sound quality, the Sennheisers or Astro A40's are the way to go. If you're more interested in extra features, some of the other brands like Corsair, Logitech, and SteelSeries will have some other features (like RGB lighting for example).

>Hello people of the PC master race

I'm not much of a representative, but hello to you as well.

>Firstly I'm looking for some headphones that connect to the computer via USB port

Please no. That will limit your quality to whatever DAC the manufacturer wants to put in, which is usually sub-par.

What I'd recommend is getting yourself a DAC on a budget, like this, or just simply plug a pair of cans into your built-in mobo DAC.

>separate volume sliders for chat and the game itself.

What? Like using a slider for one application and one for another?

>Secondly I just want the headphones to come with a good quality mic, and or course, pretty good quality audio.

You will get the better bang for your buck with a pair of headphones, and a stand-alone microphone.

>My budget ATM is $60

Might have to eat Ramen for another few weeks, then.


If you would like decent gaming gear, you might have to expand your budget a little bit.

A decent (^^as ^^in, ^^over-the-par ^^quality, ^^not ^^audiophiliac ) pair of headphones start at around $150, (like the HD598s on sale, which are a steal great for the price right now.)

If you would like a good mic with that, you might want to look at the ModMic.

Although the price right now is a tad bit high, it will really benefit you in the long run.




If I have misinformed information, or had missed something, please let me know.

edit: tfw I've typed up something large and someone else had posted something earlier. Maybe I'll recycle this later?

You can have a killer setup for under $500.

Mic: Audio Technica AT2005 - A great mic that a lot of let's players use (draax, zueljin, kingdaddydmac, etc.). It also accepts xlr or usb inputs (more on that at the end). I use the atr2100, which is the same mic, just different color and warranty. The at2005 is cheaper by about $25 right now, so buying today, that's the one I'd get. It's a dynamic mic, so it blocks out sound that's not in front of it. Much better for noisy environments. Condenser mics like the blue yeti will pick up a lot more background noise. Other mics I've used are the V-Moda Boompro, which works with most headphones that have detachable cables (in my case the M100s) and sounds good, but changing the cable for when I didn't want to use the mic became old pretty fast. You can leave it attached, but then the boom mic is there all the time. I've also used the antlion modmic 4.0 and can't recommend it. It has white noise unless you use a usb soundcard, the cable is stiff and it's kind of expensive compared to full fledged mics. $56

Stand: Pyle PMKSH01 Suspension Boom Scissor Microphone Stand - A decent cheap stand. Nothing special, but it comes with an integrated xlr cable. I use this one, but may upgrade to the Rode PSA1 ($100) later on. The shock mount will not fit the at2005 however. $21

Shock Mount: On-Stage MY420 - A great shock mount that fits the at2005/atr2100. Shock mounts reduce noises from bumping your desk or tapping on your keyboard; things that may reverberate to your mic. It might not even be necessary if you're not a heavy handed gamer or if your desk is made of a thick, dense material. $25

Wind Filter: On-Stage Foam Ball Windscreen - Reduces wind/breathing noises as well as minimizing plosives. Not a complete necessity, but extremely cheap and it does help, so why not? $3

Cable management: Velcro One-Wrap Cable Wraps - I use these for keeping the usb cable for the mic attached to the stand. Extremely useful and cheap. $6

Headphones: Very subjective to user preference. I prefer closed vs open for noise isolation. Here's what I've used:

Audio Technica ATH M50: Good (not great) headphones for ~$100. Considered the standard by many, but to me they're just good. $155

V-Moda M100: Excellent sound with very potent bass. They make the M50s sound muddy in comparison. HOWEVER, the M100s have a design flaw where the "wings" (the parts above where you adjust the headphones) will crack over time. It happened to two pairs of my M100s. Unacceptable for the price of these headphones, regardless of how good they sound. $222

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm: Amazing. Potent bass like the M100s, but even a bit clearer. Very wide soundstage for closed headphones. I paid $219 for mine and don't regret it a single bit. I might grab another pair at the price they're currently at. $150

All that adds up to around $261 + tax choosing the DT770s, and will be a killer setup for gaming. Far better than any "gaming" headset, and it even opens the option of streaming or let's play videos (the reason I got my setup). There is one more thing I'd add though, given the budget if you're serious about mic quality, and that's the $99 Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen. It's a usb audio interface that accepts xlr mics. It gives you a bit more control over the audio coming out of your mic and cleans up the signal so you get less "noise" from the usb interface. Quality is good without it, but with it, it's noticeably better.

Hope this helps some! I spent quite a while researching things when I put my own setup together. :)

If you want a simple set of starter peripherals, I'd go for Logitech G402 for a mouse, SteelSeries 6Gv2 for a keyboard and HyperX Cloud II for a headset.

The best option for a mouse would be for you to make a list of features that you require (how many buttons? Ambidextrous/ergonomic design? Wired/Wireless? Lighting preference?) and come back here for a list of mice that satisfy all or most of your requirements. Then you would go to a shop to test how each of those mice feel in your hand and choose the one that is the most comfortable. Buying a mouse on a recommendation is likely to end with you getting a mouse that is not comfortable.

For a keyboard, as a beginner, a standard layout mechanical keyboard would probably be the best bet. However, mechanical keyboards come in various switches, so it would be best for you to spend a few bucks to buy a keyswitch tester online and find which you like best. From there, you could come here or /r/MechanicalKeyboards for suggestions.

For your headset, HyperX Cloud II is an excellent choice and will be pretty much impossible to beat for the price. And any better headset will cost you twice what the HyperX Cloud II does, making it an even better option. In fact, I got the HyperX Cloud II as a Christmas present for my little sister. Meanwhile, if you had other uses for headphones, buying a more expensive pair of headphones with something like the Antlion ModMic would be a good choice.

Edit:
>The g502 looks like a transformer

How about Zowie EC1-A then? I have owned an older version of that mouse for close to 3 years and it still works flawlessly. It is also an extremely simple mouse, with no drivers or firmware of any kind to trip you up.

I strongly disagree. M50s are one end of the spectrum, and they're very polarizing. They don't sound bad, but they're certainly not what I'd consider fun headphones. They put sound inside you.

Philips SHP9500s, on the other hand, are cheap, and very reminiscent of HD600s, which is pretty universally considered to be a very good thing. They sound great, they're supremely comfortable, they have a standard 3.5mm detachable cable, and they're very affordable.

The point is, if you need headphones under $200, the SHP9500 is the way to go.

> Is now the right time to buy a PC or should I wait because new cards are coming out and they will lead to price drops? But how long until those price drops will even come into effect?

I would wait slightly, prices of the older cards will not fall (in the used market they will. But new cards, not so much.) so just wait for the price gouging of the new cards to stop and pick up one of those.

> Also, when building a PC what parts do I need to connect to Internet/Wi-Fi? A wireless network adapter? Or do motherboards come equipped with being able to connect to WiFi? And what do you look for when choosing a wireless network adapter if you need them?

Some motherboards do come with Wi-FI adapters built in, but these are typically in a price range that it's not worth it to most of us. If wifi if your only choice your best bet is to get a PCI express Wifi adapter. Something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Adapter-Computer/dp/B00HF8K0O6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466008737&sr=8-1&keywords=pci+express+ac+wifi
When you're shopping just make sure the adapter supports the best wifi standard your home router/AP does (AC, N, etc)

> Finally, when looking at Graphics cards, e.g. the GeForce GTX 1070, I saw they were sold by various manufacturers like EVGA, Zotac, MSI etc. Does it matter which manufacturer you buy from (apart from price differences)? Does it affect performance or anything of the card or can I just relax and buy from any company?

There are differences in each of the cards from the companies. You will want to read reviews for the cards you may be interested in. One card may run quieter than the others, one may have higher clocks and therefor perform better.

If you don't mind coming just over your budget, These headphones are about the best money can buy (at least for the price point, you'd be hard pressed to find better even at twice the cost.) They are very easily paired with this microphone that just plugs into the headphones. Of course it's very expensive, but it's basically the best combo for this much money.

If that's too much (and I like to stay cheap too), you can always pair the microphone with these Superlux headphones which I own and love, but you have to replace the pads. These are the pads I suggest. I have some HM5 pads on mine and they're awesome but oh man do they not fit well. The Hifiman pads should fit near perfectly. You need a female to female 1/8" adapter to use the V-moda microphone, but it'll work. If you want to cheap out on the microphone, get any lav mic you can find (some only cost a few dollars) and clip it to the headphone cable.

Blue is the loud clickity clackity switch. A lot of people like the noise and try to associate it with mechanical keyboards, but if you're like me and prefer a less noisy experience avoid them. When a friend of mine was still living at home, his mom made him get rid of his blue switch keyboard because it was so loud she couldn't sleep at night being in the next room. He also didn't have o-rings so she had to deal with the clicky noises and the clacking from bottoming out.

Browns are basically quieter versions of Blues. Great for typing without all the noise. Has a tactile bump for actuation without the click noise and great for typing. I use these for both gaming and typing and I love them.

Reds are linear switches. Little quieter than browns. Easier to bottom out if you don't have o-rings because there isn't a bump or click for actuation and they have little resistance. Typically used more for gaming, but doesn't mean you need them for gaming.

All three are commons choices and at the end of the day it completely comes down to preference. If you're unsure what switch you'd prefer, go to a computer store with some on display and try them out. If none are available, there are switch testers to you can order to test out the different choices.

http://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4 For example.

Also, http://www.amazon.com/Max-Keyboard-Keycap-Cherry-Sampler/dp/B00E71W4O8 cheaper option with less switch choices.

Browns with o-rings are my personal favorite. Brown for the bump without the click, and o-rings to avoid the clack. I also really love the way Black switches feel, but admittedly they're a bit too stiff for me to game with so I stick with brown.

A lot of this depends on your budget. Wanting to step up from 25€ still doesn't tell us how much you are willing to spend. All dollar amounts listed below are in USD:

Sub $20 - Tascam TH02. $18. Similar to the HD201 from Sennheiser, but easier to find and much cheaper.

Additionally, the Monoprice HiFi Studio Headphones are another excellent choice around $25.

$30 to $50 range - Koss Porta Pro. $33. I've always heard great things about these headphones, plus they have a sweet look.

$70ish range - Philips SHP9500S. These are closer to $75, but are extremely comfortable and have amazing sound for the price.

Most of these headphones won't require an external amp/DAC, but it won't hurt to have one either.

I am perfectly aware that other countries exist. (And I know what you are trying to say. Many people forget that online, people come from all over the world) Also I play a lot of online games and talk to people all over the world, I'm also well aware that most Europeans are very blunt and come off as assholes to others. I don't dislike that.

But it's not just the USA. It's the same in Canada, the UK, Australia. Basically everywhere there is an Amazon or any other large online distribution.

Using your link: https://www.amazon.es/gp/aw/d/B00SAYCVTQ

That's 85 not 50 (I'm not sure if there is an added shipping charge or not, but probably is)

If you got them for 50, that's called a sale. You can't compare a sale price (and very good sale at that) to the full price of another piece of hardware.

https://www.amazon.es/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUQW8

Something like this + a modmic would come out to around 100 euros or so. Only 15 euro more and again better headphones and better mic and the added freedom with upgrading.

Of course nothing would beat a insanely good sale on a hyperX cloud.

You can go over to /r/headphones and probably get even better recommendations than I could ever provide.

HyperX Cloud

63€ but better quality than most 100€+ headsets. One of the most popular headsets, 4.4 stars on amazon, everything you need included (extension cable, another pair of earpads, airplane adapter, a very good little bag to put your headset in, 2 to 1 adapter for PS4/Xbox controller etc), very nice sound, most comfortable headset i've ever had, customer support flawless and so many extras for only 63€

When you're looking into headphones, you should at least determine what you personally like audio wise and what are you going to use the headphones for. Do you like a lot of bass or do you prefer clearer audio? Also will you be using them to play only stereo content or would you be utilising a wide soundstage?

If your definition of a "PCMR headset" is something like a comfortable fit with adjustable leds that screams gaming, I'd recommend Steelseries siberia 650 for example.

HOWEVER, the quality of the "gaming" headsets is pretty much shit compared to what you can get with the same money outside of the gaming franchises. Especially the built in mics in gaming headsets have pretty terrible quality in all of the models on the market compared to proper microphones.

Personally I don't care about the leds and stuff and enjoy good quality audio, so I went with quality AKG studio headphones I already owned and bought an Antlion modmic 4.0 to go with them. I've been very pleased with this setup and the best part is, you can choose the quality headphones that suit you best and slap that quality mic onto any model or brand.

If I didn't already have my AKG 272HD's and had to buy the entire setup, I would probably have gone with the modmic + Sennheiser HD 558. That setup has a pretty amazing price to quality ratio and most of all it's comfortable and sounds great. To go even further the Sennheiser HD 598's are basically the same headphones but with a better soundstage and less bass. Just my 2 cents.

TL;DR: Would seriously recommend to make your own quality headset out of a modmic and some good quality studio headphones for the price of a lower quality "gaming" headset.

>What does open/closed mean?


There's a full explanation on /r/headphones somewhere but I'll give you the gist of it.


Basically, open headphones open up the sides that aren't facing your ears, this means the soundstage is physically far wider, typically giving all around improvements in comparison to closed headphones.


The downsides? quite obvious. If you listen to something at high volumes and there's someone in the room with you, they'll likely hear it. That, and open headphones block out VERY little sound, you can hear most things around you as if you had no headphones on, it's a positive for some, a negative for others. Generally I'd say get open unless you plan on using them in public at high volumes and/or you're typically in a noisy environment and you don't like raising the volume to block it out.


Worth noting, open headphones also have somewhat less bass, since the drivers can't vibrate around the housing it creates less of a 'head-shaking' affect, but I feel as long as it's not TOO weak (beware: devices that aren't capable of driving said headphones WILL make bass sound awfully weak) it actually sounds better, more of a quick, smooth 'punch' in comparison to a slower punch that vibrates your head so to speak.


>Whats a removable cable?


Literally just a removable cable, as in you can disconnect the cable from the headphones, it's great if you have a cable routed behind your desk for instance as you never need to move that cable, it's overall just convenient, it also prevents your cable from ruining your headphones (as in, cable gets cut/damaged, headphones are useless to a degree).


>Portability?

How small and well, portable they are. Only really matters if you intend on traveling with them.



>And prefernce in terms of sound?


Different headphones have different sounds obviously, some are more bass heavy, some are very neutral, some focus more on the mids and dim the lows/highs etc, there's a lot of differences here and there, I generally strongly prefer neutral headphones, though it's preference.



So, do you really NEED wireless? because, wireless will generally sound dreadful in comparison to a good set of wired headphones, at ~$100 you can get a pair of Phillips SHP9500s which sound superb for the price. I'd strongly advise against wireless as well, obvious reasons. As for a mic, there's a ton of cheap clip-on mics, or you could simply get a desk mic if you cared enough. A modmic is pretty good in terms of quality, though they're like $50.

Also, I'm 99% I replied before you edited your post to add in the bottom part, unless I'm simply fucking blind. Possible.

Sorry for the late response, but I appreciate all the help you've offered so far. If it's cool I still have some questions.

I currently have that Zalman mic you linked and getting the white noise with it. Do you think the onboard soundcard I have on my z97 board is the issue? (MSI SLI Krait z97 if it makes a difference)

Would getting a microphone with a little plastic buffer like this help the issue, or would spending the money on a cheap sound card be more beneficial?

I was also looking a condenser mic with stand or maybe a gaming headset like these G430s on sale.

Any and all help would be appreciated!

You're already somewhat scraping the barrel when it comes to budget parts.

What you could do if you find them is step down the GPU to a 1050 or 460 and it won't hurt you too much, if I remember correctly I saw someone reviewing the 460 and it performed extremely well with Rocket League on ultra. Edit part 2: I forgot I mentioned this to some one else but EVGA's B-stock is nice if you don't mind refurbished parts. Usually they're cards that RMA'd for something minor or they lost the silicon lottery with a low overclock.

A thing with windows, is that if you're a student attending a university, the institution might have a deal with Microsoft and allow you to use their products -like windows- up to 100% off. So make sure you check there. You could also take the shady route and pirate it but don't tell anyone I said that.

Another, is that your monitor can be a little cheaper. If you're ok with 60Hz on the dot, the Acer R240HY is something I can wholeheartedly recommend. It's a little light so it wiggles around when you touch it, but otherwise its a perfect budget monitor.

Aaaand lastly, you can check out r/buildapcsales to see if theres anything higher tier at the price point you need.

Edit: for your LED strip, there are a lot of choices, so really its best to pay attention to reviews or see what other people say they use on like r/battlestations or something similar.

Powerline works just like ethernet, but over the power wiring in a building. It won't work in this situation because you're not going to have a physical connection to a switch in a data closet. You're going to need to stick to wireless. I'd recommend getting something like an Intel 7260 / 8260 or an Atheros AR9462 series based card. Usually they're Mini PCI-e cards in a PCI 1x or 4x adapter card.


Here are some examples from Amazon:


Intel Branded PCI-E Card


Gigabyte Card using Intel's 8260 chipset


Gigabyte Card using Intel's 3160 chipset


All are dual band and I believe all support Bluetooth as well. Get something like this instead of a USB adapter. These last longer and will provide much better performance. Alternatively, you can take an old router and if it supports DD-WRT, use that in wireless bridge mode. Hook up an Ethernet cable from you PC to the router and you'll have a very powerful wireless adapter.

Reposting because I forgot to remove the Amazon affiliate code in one of the product links and AutoMod removed my comment

Personally I'd steer well clear of Apple. They're kinda overpriced and rather anti-consumer (Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3).

• For reference: The MBP 13 inch base model has a Core i5 8259U (4 cores, 2.3GHz), 8GB DDR3, Intel Iris 655 (integrated GPU. No discrete graphics card), a 256GB SSD, and 4 Thunderbolt 3 (Type C) ports. That costs $1800. Reference
  
  Some things I came up with off the top of my head:
  
  
• Razer Blade 15: Core i7 8750H (6 cores, 2.2GHz), 16GB DDR4, GTX 1060 Max-Q (significantly better for games and rendering (CUDA acceleration) than an Intel integrated GPU), 256GB SSD plus a 2TB HDD, 3 USB-A 3.1 (traditional USB ports), Ethernet port, 1 Thunderbolt 3 (Type C) port, HDMI and Mini DisplayPort. That also costs $1800. Reference
  
  
• MSI G65 Stealth Thin: Very similar to the Razer Blade 15. Same CPU, same GPU, same RAM, 256GB SSD (albeit no HDD this time), even basically the same I/O. However, this one has a 144Hz panel. Also $1800. Reference
  
  
• ASUS GL503-DH74: i7-7700HQ (slightly older, 4 cores, but still holds up nicely), 16GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, full desktop GTX 1070, 144Hz display but with Nvidia GSync this time. GSync is variable refresh rate for your display. If your games can't hit 144FPS consistently, then the display scales the refresh rate with the FPS to eliminate the stuttery feeling. $1900. Reference
  
  
• Acer Predator Helios 300: Bit on the chunky side, but incredible value. i7 7700HQ, 16GB DDR4, GTX 1060 (full desktop, not Max-Q), 256GB SSD + room for HDD to be added later, unfortunately no 144Hz or GSync. But wait... It's $1050. Reference
  
  All of these laptops will 100% perform better than a MacBook Pro in almost all situations. The better CPUs will have an advantage for video rendering. Their GPUs blow the Intel Iris iGPU out of the water. Sure, they might be overkill for what you want to do, but they're the same price (or less) than a MacBook with inferior specs.
  
  Hey, it's your money. If MacOS is a huge selling point for you, then get a MacBook. But for the applications you mentioned, a MacBook doesn't seem like the best option.
  
  If you have any questions, I'm happy to help.

Uh oh, I see I'm finding another subreddit to join... because I love typing.

Good comments from the other replies here. I love my K68 and my K63. I have one at home, where I work often typing up compliance letters, policy docs, emails and PowerPoints for my company. And never ending meeting notes. Loved my K68 so much at home I got the compact K63 for work.

That being said, be sure you get something you're happy with, even if you end up returning another keyboard. I love MX switches. You might want to check out Romer-G switches on Logitech, much newer design and I hear people rave about them. I'm sure someone will correct me: I think MX switches are from the '80s? I love them and type all day on my two Corsairs with reds, even though they are more "for gaming than typing." So, yes, I think you'll get used to them if you keep the K68 but if you have the option to find something you'll really love, that should be the keyboard you get. Sounds like you don't love the reds.

There's also stuff like this switch tester out there: Cherry MX Switch Tester on Amazon

Edit: Fixing link

I have the Redragon Centrophorus which is very cheap but surprisingly good, I really like it and so do my friends. If you want RGB there also is the NEMEANLION which is very similar but I haven't tried it myself. All mice by Redragon are pretty cheap but because I really like my mouse from them I'd recommend taking a look at it.

Hey guys, I built my pc a few years ago but i am now in college and am unable to ship it here. I am about to buy a mid tier prebuilt pc + peripherals for my dorm room. I just want to make sure everything is compatible and i have everything i need, i dont want to realize that i am missing some important cable or something is not compatible. Links below!

​

Ive already done a fair bit of research so i think im good to go, but just wanted to get some other opinions! FYI I am pretty set on buying everything from amazon. Thanks guys!

​

PC

ETHERNET CABLE

HEADSET

MOUSE

KEYBOARD

MONITOR

My rig is overkill for 1080p at 60hz. I may be in the market for a monitor (depends if I end up liking the Vive I'm going to demo this Thursday).

Currently I am fairly certain this is my best option: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MSOND8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RGYGxbT59H390

But also, Best Buy has a Samsung 4K 28" monitor for only $400! Sounds like a killer price to me. I'm just wondering which would be the best. My main game is CSGO which I can pull well over 100fps in 4K super sampled. Then again 144hz is amazing in competitive games. So many choices!

Desk: IKEA Linnmon/Oddvald. Pretty solid desk for the price, although leg room is a bit lacking, probably upgrading soon.

Chair: DXRacer Formula Series, really helped my posture and got rid of my back pain. Plus I'm a huge gear-head so it's very much my style.

Keyboard: Das Keyboard Professional w/ Brown Switches. This keyboard is fantastic, it's a treat to use every day, feels buttery smooth to type on and build quality is superb. I also have a CM Quickfire Ultimate that I use at work, also browns.

Mouse: Zowie EC2-A. Replaced my old Logitech G400 when it started intermittently cutting out, I think I like this mouse even more.

Mousepad: SteelSeries QcK+ for all that low DPI goodness.

Headset: Kingston HyperX Cloud II. I love this headset, it's super comfortable and has good directional sound.

Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 FFP. I use my headset mainly but these are good enough for when I need them.

Monitors: BenQ XL2411Z flanked by two ASUS VS247H-P mounted on an Ergotech Triple Monitor Stand. Finally got the monitor stand this year after using two boxes to hold up my side monitors for far too long. However, the BenQ is probably my favorite purchase out of all of these, would've bought three if it served any real benefit to me.

Random Peripherals: uxcell extended power switch. I keep my computer under my desk so this is handy so I don't have to crouch under my desk to turn on my computer.

Inateck PCI-E to USB 3.0 5-Port PCI Express Card. My motherboard came with a fairly low number of USB ports so this allows me to plug in my printer and external hard drive, etc.

Don't get Razer headsets. Trust me. I and many others have had bad experiences with Razer products.

I would recommend the Logitech G430, which is a very popular choice. You can find it for 50-90 USD on Newegg or Amazon, and it has pretty good audio quality as well.

If you would like something for some better quality, but a little more of a cost, I also recommend the HyperX Cloud II

Message me if you need any more recommendations for cheaper or better quality headphones (:

Edit: If you're looking for a dedicated mic, get the Blue Yeti or Blue Yeti Pro

Honestly bro I don't know anything about what makes a good IPS display, but I can sort of help. First of all I would recommend selling both displays. A dual monitor setup works best when both of the monitors are the same. Second piece of information is that many people don't realize that when searching for a monitor the advertised response time isn't how long it takes before you button press registers on the screen (factor in ping if you are playing a game). The response time they advertise is actually just how long it takes to for a pixel to change from one color to another. They usually test this by changing it from one shade of gray to another (you'll after see this referred to as GtG which stands for gray to gray). The metric that they don't publish is how long it takes the monitor to process the digital signal and display it. DisplayLag.com is a good place for this information, but they don't have every monitor there because it takes lots of time and money to do the tests because monitors ain't cheap. The Asus PG279Q seems like a good choice. Watch out for the PG279QZ though. Looking around it appears people are saying that it isn't as bright as the PG279 despite Asus claiming it is. It's something about how back-lighting is handled or something I don't really know.

I've heard good things about the HyperX headsets, that's a shame they broke in such a short time. I show you what I use for my headset/headphones, they might not appeal to everyone but I'm very happy I went this route. It will be a bit more expensive than the HyperX headsets.

So for headphones, I got the Philips SHP9500. They're $75 on amazon as I write this, and they're just wonderful headphones. Open back, amazing sound, easily the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, and a detachable 3.5mm cable which is what makes using these as a headset so appealing
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW

To turn these into a headset, you also gave to get the V-MODA BoomPro Mic, which is another $30. Because of the detachable 3.5mm cable on the headphones, the V-MODA BoomPro just plugs directly into the headset
http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK

So again this is more expensive and probably not for everyone, but I will personally never buy another gaming headset ever again after using a pair of these headphones

A 2080 might even be overkill for 1080p depending on what games you play, but it should last you a long time and also leaves you the option to upgrade to a 1440p monitor if you so desire.

I'm not that knowledgeable about mice and keyboards, but for a mouse you can't really go wrong with a Logitech G502.

For (mechanical) keyboards there is a lot of choice in the $50-150 range, depending on what features you want such as RGB, I know Corsair makes good ones and I've got a CoolerMaster myself that I'm quite happy with, but there are a lot of other manufacturers. You could ask the folks over at /r/MechanicalKeyboards for advice, but be warned that it's a rabbithole, before you know it you'll be looking at $250 keyboards with custom keycaps. ;)

One thing I would do when it comes to mechanical keyboards is figure out what switches you prefer, there's a lot of variation. The ones that are used the most are Cherry MX, which come in several colours denoting their function. Reds are more silent and offer no resistance, Browns are more tactile, Blues are clicky like a typewriter and Blacks are like Reds but require a bit more force push down. Those are just the most common ones, and afaik most gamers stick with Reds or Browns. A switch tester like this can help you decide, you can find them much cheaper on Aliexpress though.

> my issue is how far apart the keys are, total size, keysize and shape, weight, lack of dedicated macro keys

You can find most of these online. On the weight: This is a stretch and would just add to the budget, but there are desk mats for that which you can get pretty cheap. If not: Rubberized feet all the way! Also that sounds like you are abusing your keyboard, maybe you dont want blues but some heavier switches instead? When you buy a new mech, make sure to ask over at /r/mechanicalkeyboards! We love helping.
About macro keys: AutoHotKey! ;) I pretty much abuse Ctrl+F-Keys for that.
>Hadn't heard of the scimitar, but it seems one of the main complaints is that if your thumb is big, it will drag while pressing the buttons, naga has this too, but it seems to be worse on the scimitar, the naga is still returnable, so i might go try the scimitar in store and see if i like it more.

I havent tried it and I'm not even the typical PCMR Corsair fanboy (I'm actually pretty critical on their products), but the Scimitar looks effin' sweet! I wouldn't have thought that it has such problems as it is made to be used by pretty much every person.
>I looked into standalone mics and headsets, but the entry price seems about 195-260 total which is a lot more expensive than the 149 i payed.

Well, uhhhh...
I wanna add that Ive now had 3 pairs of headphones in that price range and the SHP9500 stood out BY FAR. They had such a clear sound, it was amazing.

I would recommend this monitor: https://www.amazon.com/VG248QE-1920x1080-144Hz-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B00B2HH7G0 It served me well with my 980ti. I'm a firm believer in being able to max out the refresh rate at a given resolution, instead of going for a higher res monitor you can't max out.

Currently rocking a 1080 ftw 1 with this guy https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1486857496&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+rog+monitor


ymmv, but moving from 60 to 144hz is a bigger difference for me than moving from 1080p to 1440p. (I also admittedly play FPS primarily so once again, ymmv) Best of luck my friend!

> What do you think would be the best switches for me? MX Brown?

That's something you need to answer for yourself, if you can try and find a store that stocks Cherry MX switch keyboards and try them out.

> I also like my friend's Logitech Orion G810 keyboard, but I don't know the cherry MX equivalent to Romer-G.

Somewhat like a mix of red and brown.

I love my WASD Code keyboard with Cherry MX Brown switches, Amazon sent me this tester accidentally with one of my orders and it actually convinced me to get a Cherry MX Brown keyboard (after feeling how wonderful mechanical keys felt I needed to buy one.)

A good alternative to "garbage" gaming headsets would be a pair of headphones and a mic to go with it. Can't really tell what price point you mean by not to expensive is but because I have them I recommend Phillips SHP9500's. Now there are other great headpones out there made by Sennheiser, Audio-Terchnica, etc... but I have only used the SHP 9500's so I don't have an opinion on there quality. For a mic you can get something like a mod mic, v-moda boom pro(recomended for shp 9500) or a zalman clip on mic. Now I would advise looking up some headphones and find a headpone/mic combo in your budget and not just go shp9500/v-moda right away because I recommend them. Now for a soundcard the one in your mobo is good enough. Here is a post about this topic from a while back to shed some more light on it. https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/4nabvv/gaming_audio_and_you_why_995_of_gaming_headsets/

Here is my build list formatted for reddit

Group | Name | Price | Quantity | Total | Link
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Pc | (Everything Inside the case) | | | |
$1,601.62 | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $347.00 | 1 | $347.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012M8LXQW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Cooler Master Hyper D92 54.8 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler | $44.80 | 1 | $44.80 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NXLYE4G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Gigabyte GA-Z170X-UD5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $171.49 | 1 | $171.49 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012N6EW6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $129.99 | 1 | $129.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OTJZTZE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $97.99 | 1 | $97.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Hitachi HD​S723020BLA​642 | $58.00 | 3 | $174.00 | EBay
| EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card | $459.99 | 1 | $459.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I60OGUK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| EVGA 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $90.39 | 1 | $90.39 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KYK1CC6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| XFX AMD Radeon HD 5450 1GB | $29.99 | 2 | $59.98 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IUW7YE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| PWM Female to 4 x PWM Male Computer Case Fan Splitter | $6.50 | 2 | $13.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYQRFY6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Sabrent 2.5" SSD & SATA Hard Drive to Desktop 3.5" | $12.99 | 1 | $12.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UN550AC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 80MM 5000RPM Fan | $0.00 | 2 | $0.00 |
| 92MM 5000RPM Fan | $0.00 | 4 | $0.00 |
Monitors | | | | |
$744.66 | Seiki Pro SM28UTR 28-Inch 4K UHD 3840x2160 | $195.69 | 1 | $195.69 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013XWQF28/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| AOC e2460Sd 24-Inch Widescreen LED Monitor | $142.99 | 3 | $428.97 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C99MUHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Dell 17" 5:4 | $30.00 | 4 | $120.00 | EBay
Cables | | | | |
$137.77 | Cable Matters Gold Plated DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable 10 Feet | $11.99 | 1 | $11.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005H3Q5E0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Cable Matters Active DisplayPort to DVI Male to Female Adapter | $19.99 | 2 | $39.98 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EDT01TO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| DVI Male to Female 90 Degree Adapter Connector | $4.43 | 3 | $13.29 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008X0ZJZ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 15ft 28AWG CL2 Dual Link DVI-D Cable - Black | $10.47 | 3 | $31.41 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10209&cs_id=1020902&p_id=2760&seq=1&format=2
| 15ft Super VGA M/M | $5.69 | 4 | $22.76 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10201&cs_id=1020101&p_id=3622&seq=1&format=2
| 15ft USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Extension | $1.87 | 5 | $9.35 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030304&p_id=5435&seq=1&format=2
| 25ft hdmi cable | $8.99 | 1 | $8.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SKVMHI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Desk Accesseries | | | | |
$263.49 | Perixx PX-5200 Cherry MX Blue | $72.91 | 1 | $72.91 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NY45NCY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Logitech C310 Webcam | $31.93 | 1 | $31.93 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LVZO8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Lapel Mics | $6.50 | 1 | $6.50 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DJOIHE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| FingerPrint Reader | $12.58 | 1 | $12.58 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HHHP7C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Mouse Pad | $8.99 | 1 | $8.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GB0IF50/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Headset Func HS260 | $79.99 | 1 | $79.99 | https://www.amazon.com/FUnc-FUNC-HS-260-1ST-fUnc-HS-260/dp/B00HH3H83U
| Altec ACS 54 - Speaker | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 |
| Logitech G700S | $50.59 | 1 | $50.59 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BFOEY3Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Audio Accesseries | | | | |
$58.33 | BEHRINGER MICROAMP HA400 | $24.99 | 1 | $24.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIPT30/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 5-Pack 6.35mm Male to 3.5mm Female Adapter | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XAQD4YA/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3.5mm Male to 2 x 3.5mm Female Splitter Cable | $3.99 | 1 | $3.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081ZBNI4/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Coupler 3.5 mm Female - 3.5 mm Female Stereo or Mono | $3.93 | 1 | $3.93 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O4N/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3 feet Slim 3.5mm Stereo Audio Cable - M/M | $2.71 | 2 | $5.42 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G3UK5C/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Male to Female Extension Cable, 5-Pack | $12.01 | 1 | $12.01 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SWOJLSS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lighting | | | | |
$86.88 | Studio Designs Swing Arm Lamp Black | $24.75 | 2 | $49.50 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2S7MHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Lutron TT-300NLH-BL Credenza Lamp Dimmer Black | $14.83 | 1 | $14.83 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00024BJZE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Triple Outlet Swivel Adapter, White | $3.27 | 1 | $3.27 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJBENG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Daylight LED Light Bulb 15W | $9.64 | 2 | $19.28 | https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-GVRLA1850ND-Great-Value-LED-15W-A19-Light-Bulb/38596922
Cable Managment | | | | |
$18.81 | 100 Velcro Ties | $5.00 | 2 | $10.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1Y5O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 100 Releasable cable ties | $2.47 | 3 | $7.41 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=105&cp_id=10520&cs_id=1052012&p_id=5795&seq=1&format=2
| Cable Clip nais | $0.70 | 2 | $1.40 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=105&cp_id=10520&cs_id=1052006&p_id=5834&seq=1&format=2
Power | | | | |
$53.13 | Monster MP AV 750 Audio Video PowerCenter | $18.99 | 1 | $18.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ETIKH8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| AmazonBasics 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip 2-Pack | $12.99 | 1 | $12.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TP1BWMK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3 Outlet Single-Tap Wall Tap | $4.00 | 2 | $8.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XQORTO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 15ft 16AWG Power Cord Cable | $5.20 | 1 | $5.20 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5287&seq=1&format=2
| 10ft 18AWG Right Angle Power Cord Cabl | $2.65 | 3 | $7.95 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022809&p_id=7677&seq=1&format=2
Network | | | | |
$33.98 | TP-LINK 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch | $22.99 | 1 | $22.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EVGIYG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 5-Pack, Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable in Blue 3 Feet | $10.99 | 1 | $10.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C2B81K6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Monitor Mount | | | | |
$215.27 | Arm wall mount | $17.54 | 3 | $52.62 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=12232&seq=1&format=2
| Top wall mount bracket | $4.80 | 4 | $19.20 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=3005&seq=1&format=2
| Center Monitor Mount | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=4564&seq=1&format=2
| 2x8 | $7.47 | 3 | $22.41 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Top-Choice-Common-2-in-x-8-in-x-10-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-7-25-in-x-10-ft-Lumber/4082916
| 2x4 | 2.55 | 1 | $2.55 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-2-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-3-5-in-x-8-ft-Stud/1000074211
| 3" clamp | $5.98 | 6 | $35.88 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-QUICK-GRIP-3-in-Clamp/50214643
| 4" Hinge | $2.81 | 2 | $5.62 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gatehouse-4-in-H-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-Interior-Exterior-Mortise-Door-Hinge/4772785
| Wood Screws | $9.00 | 1 | $9.00 | Lowes
| Assorted brackets/hardware | $25.00 | 1 | $25.00 | Lowes
| Case Rack Mount | $35.00 | 1 | $35.00 | EBay
Misc | | | | |
$35.97 | Steam Link | $19.99 | 1 | $19.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XBGWAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Bluetooth Adapter | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | GRANDCOW Bluetooth 4.0 USB Adapter Dongle for Windows 10/ 8.1 / 8/ 7 / Vista / XP
| 19 Key Numeric Keypad | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DJSAAU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1. Control - PWM (4pin) vs Voltage based controllers (3pin and molex)
   
   
2. PWM Fan hubs are small and cheap, I personally have 2 in mine and have 14 fans running off of them. Since they are PWM controlled, they increase in speed according to a fan curve that I have set, if the CPU and GPUs heat up. I use this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNW556I
   
   
3. RGB fans are pretty expensive, and I honestly don't like that most are not PWM controllable. I would rather use a single LED fan, or no LED fans and use other sources for lighting. Corsair AF 120 quiet editions, or SP 120 quiet editions are nice, effective, quiet, and cheap.
   
   
4. 120mm are fine, what you want is a good balance of CFM and dB. CFM being how much airflow is pushed, dB meaning how loud they are.
   
   

OK, I came up with a few suggestions:

$100-150 sennheiser hd558, ath ad700x, akg k612

$150-200 sennheiser hd598,
ath ad900x, akg q701, beyerdynamic dt990

(both akg k612 and beyer requiers an amp, makes the price go up with about $200 if you dont already have an amp), you dont necessarily need an amp for the akg q701, but be ready to crank volumes up to maximum to get a comfortable volume level without an amp, and some people think that the volume is just too low without it.

Should be noted that if you have the cash to go with the beyer, it should perform almost as amazing as the ad900x and q701 with positional sound, but also has among the best bass in the market at sub $500

I use the Logitech G430s. They're $40 on Amazon at the time this comment was typed. I've had them for the past few months and they're great.

The 7.1 surround sound is awesome, and there's a pretty nice amount of bass. The ear cups are removable and washable, and the headband has a sort of memory foam as cushion. They feel good to wear for long periods of time and they don't make me sweat at all. It also comes with an above average mic. I can recommend them in a heartbeat.

I recently went on a cable management spree myself. I looked at baskets but ended up going with a cable box and Velcro ties.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019T0J9S/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1453832556&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bluelounge+cable+box&dpPl=1&dpID=31X9MbzH8jL&ref=plSrch

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001E1Y5O6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453832946&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=velcro+cable+ties&dpPl=1&dpID=31SGEFLLv%2BL&ref=plSrch

These are aweomse and highly recommend them to anyone trying to tidy up their station.

Anyway, congrats on a clean station, op, it's looking really awesome.

Seeing as how you're going in for engineering, I imagine gaming isn't your primary concern (but I wouldn't be surprised if you were a gamer). For that reason, I'd look into a business-class laptop with a strong processor and dedicated graphics, since you don't need a gpu to run CAD or similar programs. Ditching the gpu will drop prices a lot, but your budget is pretty damn high from my point of view (you could get a fairly beefy gaming computer for like $1,200 if you know where to shop). Really, it's down to your preference:

• Business-class laptop with no gpu, dedicated graphics. Also, since it doesn't need to be beefy, it'll be slimmer and lighter which is much better seeing as how you'll have to lug it around with you all day. Unfortunately, I have next to 0 experience with this realm of laptops and I can't really recommend anything to you.
  
  
• If you're interested in a gaming computer, they can easily do 3d modelling stuff (that's pretty much what gaming is, after all). To give you an idea of the price point you're working with, here's a laptop I want to get that's $1,050 on Amazon

I have two very similar looking mice to that one. They're pretty great. Side buttons are squishy, and they are very light (easily fixed with a screwdriver + something heavy + glue). Great scrollwheel (better than MS or Logitech office-type mice) and good left + right buttons.

Not my favourite cheap gaming mouse (that is the red dragon, cause it's got adjustable weights, and really precise feel to the buttons with a good level of force and plastic texture. It's legit almost as nice as my Logitech G402).

Do you realise that 5.1 and 7.1 are pure marketing gimmicks?

Stereo is better at positional audio for headphones/headsets, Here and Here are examples of what can be done with stereo.

Here are some good headphones that will easily beat any headset, well under budget too. For a mic try Modmic or the Zalman.

Edit: The best for positional audio below like $500 is this. For durability the Audio Technica M50x and Beyerdynamic dt-770 are good.

For LANs, I recommend the Logitech G430s. For home, I recommend something like the Sennheisher HD 598s if you have a large budget and play alone in a room (due to them being open back) and pair it with a dedicated mic like a Blu Yeti. I, personally, would stray away from both of the headphones you have listed due to the fact that they are both marketed towards gamers, and generally, headsets of the sort will be of poorer quality (more on that here). If you're on a tight budget, but still want high quality sound, I'd recommend a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50Xs' with the Blu Snowball. I also saw you mention the kinds of headsets used by professional gamers. Pros usually are sponsored by certain brands, and in turn, use the brands gear (such as mice, keyboards, headphones, etc.). Additionally, pros generally use 2 separate pairs of headphones, one pair of in-ear monitors, and one pair for noise cancellation. The pair used for noise cancellation is generally one own of their sponsors. As you continue to search for a pair, please consider what I have mentioned, and feel free to ask me any questions.

Switches are the thing that tell when you press the key, certain switches do certain things. Blue ones tend to be loud but satisfying. Red ones are sort of in the middle between quiet and loud. This is a guide. If you are planning on spending a lot on a keyboard you can get a tester kit and test each switch to see which would suit you best. You could also make a trip out to best buy or your local tech store to try out the keyboard they have on display.

The simulated surround sound completely warps the audio, I wouldn't recommend enabling it.

The included USB dongle can improve your sound quality significantly for both headphones and microphone if your motherboard has bad onboard sound, or your case's front panel audio connectors are of poor
quality (like mine!)

The microphone is really good, has built-in noise cancellation that filtered out the noise of my huge box fan a few feet away blowing directly on me, and my several case fans, without messing up my voice.

The padding is very comfortable, especially if you have a big head, and the earpieces can be rotated 90°, so you can quickly pull them down and they hang comfortably around your neck.

Sound quality isn't audiophile-level, but it's pretty decent, if a bit bassy, like almost all gaming headsets.

All in all, these headphones are excellent, ESPECIALLY for $40.

for the love of god don't get a headset, get headphones and a separate mic. What is your budget? If you are a foot step fanatic like me, I HIGHLY recommend this pair of open back headphones. Get a Vmoda boom pro if you want a headset like mic, or for a traditional mic get a Fifine one, they have an amazing budget line up.

Open back:

• SHP9500
  
  
• Sivga SV004
  
  
• Fidelio X2HR
  
  Semi open:
  
  
• ATH-WS1100iS
  
  
• Fidelio L2
  
  Closed back:
  
  
• BeyerDynamic Custom Studio
  
  Any of these will pair with a VModa BoomPro if you want a good modular boom mic.
  
  If you'd like to consider a desktop microphone, you could expand the list of headphone options that work well for gaming, and music if that's a consideration for you.
  
  Amazon links used for convenience. Shop around for best pricing. The used market is also an excellent option for headphones.

Under $100 there's a lot of options from what I've seen. Among open-backed ones (generally better sound, but lacking noise isolation) the commonly backed ones are the Philips SHP9500s, Sennheiser 5x8 series on sale (I personally use the 558, great value), Audio-Technica AD500X (mind the wings, some people like or dislike them), etc.


Obligatory /r/headphones plug. But the SHP and 5x8 are both compatible with some boom mic cables as well for about $30 extra (V-Moda BoomPro and generic for the SHP/5x8 respectively).


EDIT: Besides some comfort complaints (can be modded to a degree), it looks like people enjoy the 668B though. If you're strapped for cash go for it.

These headphones + This mic would give you better quality than any of the headsets you mentioned.

You don't have to go with that exact pairing, that is only a popular example at a great entry price.

Decent headphones + mic, will be better than any "gaming" headset, in both sound quality in gaming, and in voice quality for chatting.

If you must go with a gaming headset, this is the best you'll get.

G502 for the mouse, as for keyboard, youre going to want to start getting into the mechanical keyboard game.. And there are many types of switches with different feels to them. Get yourself a switch tester and try out the different kinds of keys and see which one you like the feel of the best.. My personal favorite are browns, but it varies widely from person to person. After that, check out the folks over at /r/mechanicalkeyboards they are pretty helpful and super knowledgeable on the topic.

Acer R240HY bidx 23.8-Inch IPS HDMI DVI VGA (1920 x 1080) Widescreen Display https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_y-DsxbXYAW6SW it's not 120hz sadly but I have it over clocked to 75hz. It's great. Anti-glare, great color and sharpness. I recommend it!

Headsets lose out to head phones every time, I recommend getting a pair of good headphones and a mic.

I would go with [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1479683905&sr=8-1&keywords=hd+558&condition=new) and this this


or [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00ENMK1DW/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1479684063&sr=8-1&keywords=shp9500&condition=new) with this

they sound pretty good and the best bang for your buck. Hope this helps

edit: actual mic

Get this build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor | $179.89 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $76.98 @ Newegg
Memory | G.Skill NT Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory | $30.98 @ Newegg
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $47.49 @ OutletPC
Case | Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case | $44.54 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $39.99 @ Amazon
Other| EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 GAMING ACX 3.0 Graphics Card| $439.99
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $859.86
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-19 08:13 EDT-0400 |

Then you have ~$150ish for a keyboard + mouse + monitor. Put ~20 for a nice keyboard & mouse bundle. (You don't need anything fancy much, trust me. Plus, in the future, you can always upgrade your peripherals while it's harder to upgrade components!) Logitech Desktop MK120 Mouse and Keyboard Combo is 18.50 on Amazon. (I use the keyboard, my dad uses the mouse. Both are fine for gaming!)

Some nice 1080p monitors at the ~129.99 point include the Acer R240HY (recommended) and the ASUS VS239H-P

Cheers!

https://www.amazon.com/PG278QR-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519782698&sr=8-2&keywords=165hz%2B1440p&th=1

Definitely go for the 1440p 165 hz. The refresh rate is godly and will make all games run better and look exceptional. I have sli Titan X with a 1440p 144hz monitor myself, and it is truly the most glorious experience. I have also used 4k before, definitely not worth the money if youre playing games

Hey guys!

I'm about to start college and due to efficiency and mobility I'm looking at laptops so I can take it to class and such. I'm looking at something within the 1000~ range and hoping that it has decent specs that can run most games and also last me the 4 years I'm going to spend here.

So far, I've found this this and it seems like a very nice laptop and the 256 ssd isnt too much of an issue because most of my stuff is saved onto google drive or my icloud.

If anyone has any recommendations let me know thanks!

The Sennheiser HD598 were on sale last year for $99 and the HD598 SE were on sale a week ago for the same price. They're probably the best you can get for that price, and they generally sound loud enough without an amp. Lot of other solid stuff between $50 and $100, you should check out /r/headphones if you're interested. But if you want my advice, you can skip a lot of the entry-level stuff in favor of a nice 2.1 setup with a pair of monitors and a subwoofer (if you have the space and money and can afford to play music through speakers).

My wife's looking for a secondary monitor that is excellent for colors. I assume she's around the $125 range at 20" or more based on this monitor she linked me to. I'm shit at colors and pretty easy going with monitors so I was curious if anyone had any good suggestions. She does graphic design for games as well as digital paintings. Any insight is helpful. Thanks.

Budget and use case would help.


Do you enjoy competitive shooters / mobas, or single player spectacle games?




If you have a golden duck that shits out money, the best of the best currently is the ACER xb270hu

(from what i've heard has better QA than the ASUS PG279Q - of which has the same specs.)



But it's highly unlikely that you'll reach 144fps at 1440p in any reasonably intensive titles with a 970.

Philips SHP9500

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lwEDzbZN6FCRA

V-MODA BoomPro Gaming

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EzEDzb5RSK2HY

Good entry into decent can. Super comfortable for long gaming sessions. Don't need an amp to drive them. Mic is decent, better than most built in headsets. And all on a nice budget.

RGB is dependent on the user, but when you go mechanical you never go back. Invest in one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4

and determine your favorite type. For gamers, it's usually red or brown switches. Reds don't have a "bump", but just go straight down with no resistance. So I recommend browns.

The K70 has both red and brown options. They feel quite different, so don't just pick one randomly. If you have any questions, PM me or post to /r/mechanicalkeyboards where we'd be glad to help.

How bout [these?] (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Surround-Gaming-Headset-Technology/dp/B00CQ35C1Q)

I have 2 pairs of this headset and enjoy it. Sound is good in games that support 7.1 and logitech support is the best imo.

get the cloud 2's
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SAYCVTQ/ref=psdc_172487_t1_B00JJNQG98
I have them and there SOOOOO good, super comfy, good sound/mic and also they're great quality. Also you English isn't that bad

Logitech G930 Wireless with USB recharge (can run plugged in) for $99

Logitech G430 Wired, USB for $65

Both are 7.1 Surround, super comfortable, and the mic quality is spot on.

The Logitech Software suite is also very nice and easy to use.

The wireless range and quality on the G930 is top notch. I've been using mine for around 18 months. I recently replaced the ear pads for $8 and they're good as new. They also take a beating, built very sturdy.

So, I spent a lot of money on building my PC and have had an amazing gaming experience for over 2 years now. But during my entire career of PC gaming, I’ve always used 60 hertz, basic-type monitors.

Just last month I took the RISKY, SCARY, EXPENSIVE plunge into the “G-Sync, high quality gaming monitor world”. I purchased this.

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM

And believe me, I had the same questions you are asking. Is this worth it? Do I get an IPS panel? Or save money and get the TN version? Will I see a difference with 144hz? What about 165hz?

When I plugged this monitor into my PC, enables the 144hz through NVIDIA Control Panel (that part is important) and launched a game.... it sounds so cringey and nerdy, but I almost cried. It’s a whole different world dude. It feels like you’re opening a door into a world you’ve ALWAYS wanted to be in. If you have a high end gaming PC, you are doing yourself a DISSERVICE by not owning a G-Sync (or even FreeSync) monitor with 144hz.

Just do yourself one huge favor. Do not compromise on quality and price. Look for the brand names and read reviews. Search YouTube for reviews. Ask friends. And never forget... always buy the extended warranty on high priced tech. These things are not perfect and will “go out” eventually.

Long winded answer. Yes. You go out and buy one as soon as you can. It will change your gaming experience forever. I’m NEVER GOING BACK.

M50x. Honestly some of the better headphones I have ever owned. They're not amazing for glasses, but that's why I recommend alternatives too.

As an alternative, tons of people also recommend HD598s for a lot of comfort and frequency response reasons.

While the clouds are okay, their audio drivers are less the focus of the product so you're going to get significantly worse drivers for the money.

Go for a modmic or some other microphone setup, as you can get a lot more customization from your setup (like what we usually praise pc for) if you don't get something prepackaged.

That sag... I'd recommend buying a brace. I know motherboards are designed with sag in mind, but sag really worries me. I picked up this brace and it looks clean and provides plenty of support. Awesome build though, very clean.

Mounts are downright cheap. here's my setup

dual monitor mount is $28 on amazon. Height isn't adjustable on the fly and both monitors are fixed to the same center height, but for the price it works great! Once you set the height you want at the start it has great in/out and tilt for both screens.

I was just about to edit my original post they are actually the 9500s and apparrently they went up in price from when i bought them but these were the headphones i had before i bought the 9500s and they are semi open backs so they kinda split the difference between closed an opened but if you wan to take full advantage of open head phones these audio technicas are closer to the price range and are pretty good quality as well

My current peripherals:

Mouse: Logitech G502

Headphones: Sennheiser HD 598. I prefer the open cans, but that's just me. I also only paid $100 for them.

Keyboard: Corsaid K70 Blue Switches. Switch color is completely up to you, but I would definitely go with a mechanical keyboard of some type. The K70 is really a solid choice.

Microphone: Blue Yeti: Blackout. I won't really recommend the microphone at its current price unless sound quality is incredibly important to you. The only reason I got mine was because I got an amazing deal on it.

I don't have any speakers yet. I live in an apartment, so I like to keep things on the quiet side.

HyperX Cloud have good sound for the money, but note that they are closed, so they are harder to wear than open ones.

I generally recommend getting a pair of open headphones like those (amazeballs value for the price) and a separate mic like modmic or v-moda boompro.

And purely for CS:GO you don't need an expensive pair.

Basically you have 3 classes of gaming laptops.

1. Dell/HP level that are affordable but use their own less than enthusiast parts (HP mobo, HP ssd, HP ram, etc.) that may not be as great as the cpu/gpu combo they ship with.
   
   ​
   
   
2. MSI/ASUS/Acer/etc. that use higher class components (asus mobo > dell mobo) and mix and match from other vendors (kingston/western digital ssds) but are still oriented towards a 1-size-fits-all theme.
   
   ​
   
   
3. OriginPC/Digital Storm/iBuyPower/etc. boutique laptops that are based around shells (Clevo, Sager) that lets you pick the components in them as well as laptop designs. These tend to be tested before they ship to you so you're less likely to get a dud, which is worth the added price tag for some.
   
   ​
   
   Basically you pick a class and then find a best in class model for it. I left out Razer and Alienware intentionally. You might want to start with the Acer Helios 300 and try to figure out if you want anything more than it offers. It's a decent value even if you check the i7 8750H 144hz model version. https://smile.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-7700HQ-1060-6GB-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C/

> Xstar 1440p monitor (over clocked to 96hz)

haha I meant as in studio monitors

I guess it's pointless to say it, but getting that sound card was a waste of money (unless you had a legitimate reason).

You should upgrade from those turtle beaches! I remember rocking turtle beaches for years and years all while being happy, then a buddy of mine hooked me up with some Sennhieser HD 598 headsets and it blew my mind how much better everything was.

If you have $70 to blow, the Philips SHP9500 is a fantastic headset for the money. It's often compared to $200 headsets.

Any new laptop can play Minecraft, even cheap low end ones. If money is an issue, something like this could easily play minecraft: Amazon Link. If they want to go with something better: Amazon Link 2 or Amazon Link 3. However, neither of these are gaming laptops. If all he's playing is minecraft, by the time he moves on to more graphically intense games, his laptop (gaming or otherwise) will probably be outdated anyways. But here is a good entry level gaming laptop: Amazon Link 4

This is on the cheaper end. i5 and a 940mx for 550. You could bump it up to 700 for an i7, but I would not recommend.

This has a better gpu, and a bit higher price. But it's easily up-gradable for ram and storage. There is a version with an i7, for a bit more money.

Right now, the prices seem to be going up on amazon, so you might look elsewhere. I always suggest looking at amazon warehouse, you tend to find good deals there.

TV's are not bad monitors for gaming but there are pros and cons. TV's are generally cheaper per inch than most gaming monitors, and they come in larger sizes. The down side is none of them will be G/free-sync, though only a third of monitors are (makes a big difference). The response time plays a big roll too. Some TVs have very slow responce times compaired to monitors, and you feel the difference sometimes to an unplayable point. A lot of TVs have a game mode that turns off a lot of post processing TVs do for better picture and that lowers the response time a lot, though it may not always be enough depending on the TV. Also you wont find a TV that goes over 60FPS for external input. TVs that say 120, 240, 480hz ect.. are not that same as gaming monitors that say that. This is because when a TV does it, its simulated using predictive frames that smooth out the picture making a 24FPS movie run at higher refresh rate, as where monitors are actually taking a higher than 60 FPS image and displaying it legitimately.

Having said that, to answer your specific question. If you don't mind 60FPS and the TV you might get has a fast response time at least in a "Game Mode", Than it could be worth it as a living room upgrade. However, you can get (See link below) and have an amazing 27in gaming monitor that will really show off your games.

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1494156897&sr=8-7&keywords=asus+144

You will not find a laptop for under 300 capable of gaming well, at least not without looking at used ones. 500-600 is the minimum when looking for a laptop capable of gaming and even then you will probably have to turn down alot of settings to get good fps. This is the best budget gaming laptop I was able to find.

VELCRO Brand - ONE WRAP Thin Ties, 8 x 1/2-Inch, 100 Count, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E1Y5O6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SphaBbVD4R8ZR

WireTamer Cable Management Tray (2 Pack, Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BVYW7UY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-rhaBbAYX7GVF


I used these two of Amazon to make all my cables disappear and for pretty cheap 30$. Both products are amazing I've for no issues with either one. Good luck hope this helped.

And also, if you were to get a close headphones, m50xs should be perfectly fine, but if you change your mind and want to get an open headphone (which is better for gaming because sound stage) These should be perfect.

Yes this is a beast of a PC, if you have the money you might as well go for a 4TB drive.

Go at least for a 1440p high refresh rate monitor with the 1080, everything less is a waste of a perfectly fine graphics card.

I recently recommended this monitor for the 1080 if you can afford it, it would be a great match.

Agreed. If you got a desk mount that attached to the rear of your desk you could probably fit two monitors at some point if you pushed your tower flush with the wall. I've been using:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009S750LA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

for the last year or so and I've been really happy with it. It has clips to secure your cables and allows for you to adjust your monitor pretty much infinitely on an xyz plane.

[http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Surround-Gaming-Headset-Technology/dp/B00CQ35C1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420265315&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+g430] (there are pretty good. Sound great, good mic, and comfy)

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-7700HQ-1060-6GB-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C

If you're wanting a gaming laptop that's a good price. Seems pretty good for a grand. Not a lot of storage, though. You'll fill it up fast with a few AAA titles. Not to mention the OS is on it as well.

I've been browsing some really cheap gaming mice for myself, and haven't been able to decide on which one I should get. I play overwatch mostly, so can someone help me decide/suggest a mouse? (I've asked this before but I would like to get a few more opinions before I make a purchase)

Redragon M601


HAVIT HV-MS672 Ergonomic Wired Mouse

TeckNet Raptor Gaming Mouse

E-3lue Cobra EMS109BK High Precision Gaming Mouse

I really can't decide on one. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

If you could save up more [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-15-6-Inch-Windows/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1486268718&sr=1-3&keywords=Gaming+laptops) would be an excellent choice, at your price range you don't leave many options for a dedicated graphics card. If you built a desktop you would have a much better time.

Anyone have good suggestions for 27" Monitors? In the market for a new primary monitor and hoping to snag something during black friday sales.

Ideally something I could mount on this frame (want to reclaim desk-space eaten up by monitor stands)

Honestly the most important criteria is response time. I play a decent amount of fighting games so that's where my priority is.

Logitech G430's are awesome. They fit well and the build quality is great. If you use the included USB sound card, you can enable Dolby digital 7.1 surround sound in the Logitech gaming software.

There are some pretty strong Acer's out there.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DT4A2R4/ref=pd_aw_sbs_147_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=30SK0QWD7MJMDKNQYRQM

This one comes with a Skylake i5 and a dedicated nvidia GPU. I think it is the same price point as the ones that you put up. It is a strong laptop for the price.

I love my mouse. The only thing is that it is kinda heavier compared to other mouses. For headset, I would suggest getting something like an M40x and a modmic. This way, you'll get better sound and a better microphone. Unless you want a headset then I would say the Cloud II.

http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/

This describes the different types of cherry switches fairly well, which are the most common brand you'll run into, it's really a matter of how "clicky" you want it to be, in other words, how much resistance/feel do you want, and how much noise do you want or are willing to tolerate.

If you don't mind investing a little more, you can get a switch sampler like this

http://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4

To see what kind of feel you like best

(And you could always return it for a refund after you decide...)

I've never used one myself, but I've heard good things about the HyperX Cloud and it has great reviews on Amazon.

WINNER: Acer Predator XB271HU bmiprz 27-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) NVIDIA G-Sync Widescreen Display

LINK:https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-27-inch-Widescreen/dp/B0173PEX20

Acer is the King of gaming monitor manufacturers, look at the reviews and just so you know it is highly speculated that 4K resolution 144 Hz monitors will be revealed and released this summer along with AMD's Vega and Nvidia's 1080 Ti. there are a bunch of articles online that can guide you in your quest for an incredible 144 hz monitors and most of the reputable ones will tell you the same information that I'm posting here.

Have fun and happy gaming.

Nice battlestation! There's not much to improve but maybe more monitors for Elite: Dangerous ? :)

About the headphones I would suggest Sennheiser HD 598, they're fantastic headphones and arn't that pricey. They're actually about half price right now for 160$ so if you can spend 10$ more I would definitively get these. You can save the money by buying a Samson Meteor Mic(Yes, Samson not Samsung) instead of the blue yeti which is IMO a little overrated and bulky.

For sub 150$ cans I would look into Sennheiser HD 558. These headphones are meant to be used in a quiet environment since they're open, if you have childrens of dogs always making an awful lot of noise I would consider closed/noise canceling headphones :)

So I have this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009S750LA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_5ogrzbB5PVHTD

It works, It holds my monitors haha. But I find them stil and really lacking when it comes to movement. But they work and they're cheap enough. And the shaking isn't too bad at all when typing, I hardly notice it.



However:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VHN8DPI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_.ogrzbGY6ZTX0

I friend on mine has these, and the flexibility is MUCH better although the build quality is just okay.

All gaming headsets are junk. You're better off having a dedicated pair of headphones and mic. They sell good mics that pair well with headphones. For sub $100 I recommend the Philips shp9500 (currently on sale for $55) with a vmoda boom pro mic.

Philips SHP9500 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oEG4Db83VC5YB


V-MODA mic https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cFG4DbZYEQ5S9

I tried building a good $1000 computer.

This is what I got

At a cursory glance I can get this laptop for pretty much the same $1000.

It seems to me that their performance would pretty much be identical. However the laptop has a huge benefit in the portability section. Plus I get to sell my old laptop.

Now I'm leaning towards a laptop again. Am I missing something?

Hold on, if you're willing to go dual core and 940M, there's the Acer. It should do Civ 6 nicely though

Check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-Laptop-Windows/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480348237&sr=1-1&keywords=acer&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A2423841011

It'll be very happy with mainstream titles, but not much power for demanding games like Witcher or GTA V. But, it should suit you quite ok. Your pick (The Dell) would be better in everything still (except for battery life perhaps)

Acer Predator XB271HU


Highly recommend. Also purchasing off Amazon is great because of their amazing return policy.

Crazy good headset for the price and recommended by a lot of reviewers, but as said in this thread getting a pair of good headphones and a seperate mic is best.

http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-H3CL/dp/B00JJNQG98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421431615&sr=8-1&keywords=hyper+x+headset

1200+ reviews and an average of 4.3 stars... lol yes it's a good monitor.

For 40 bucks more this would have better colors, but the one you linked is good as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=psdc_1292115011_t1_B014EUQ046

These are what I have for around $70 and I love them. Comfortable, good sound quality, decent mic, overall I give 'em a 4.5 / 5. Hope this helps :)

edit: missed a word

Here and here. For reference, I have a 2016 Razer Blade w/ a GTX 980M, i7-6700HQ, and 16 GB of RAM. I can barely scratch anywhere past 50 FPS with medium-high settings. Or, if you think you could do it, find a briefcase-sized computer case and cram some better components in it, find a small screen that supports HDMI, and carry that around with you. It's obviously gonna be kind of chunky, but you'd be carrying around a desktop-grade PC with you. I saw that in this video at around the 15:55 mark, there's a tiny desktop PC shown that's supposedly around $800 new and can "blow consoles out of the water."
I think that's all I have. Good luck with your search.

A320, B350, X370, it all works the same vs Ryzen 2.
And unless you have a Ryzen3 and want to get a Ryzen 7, there will be probably minimal incentive to get the newer gen once it's there.

>The main things I wanted out of changing mobos was better VRMs, better features

yeah I read that the first time.
Again, this will give you no performance boost, so it's essentially a useless upgrade, that you end up paying money for.
As for the "more fan headers", just get a fan hub and be done with it.

So reds and blues are very different from each other, and are extremely easy to press (I was pressing them without realizing a lot) I personally ended up loving mx blacks (the hardest to press). But of these choices it is almost impossible to figure out without trying them before deciding. If you cannot find a store or someone who has a mechanical keyboard to try them, I would recommend getting a switch test board like this

Audiotechnica headphones are great for gaming.

For audiotechnica i'd recommend This and This

I also recommend these by sennheiser

These will give you much better audio for gaming then a gaming headset ever could.

Hyper X Cloud 2 or Hyper X Cloud are great. I have the original Clouds and it is great. I read the only thing different between the two is that the 2's have virtual surround sound.

Monster stickers, which make my computer go faster. /s

Try out Greenshot. Free program that sits in your tray and can quickly capture regions for screenshots. Has some other neat options too.

Get a headphone stand. Banana stand works too (I heard there's always money in them?).

If you want neat shit to fidget with while waiting on loading screens (like me!) consider a Cherry MX Switch Tester. Literally thinking of buying one for myself while writing this out. Seems like a neat little thing.
http://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4

In my humble opinion the current "meta" for monitors are the 2k 144hz IPS panels. Running 980ti SLI you should have no problem reaching those god tier framerates on such a panel.

I don't think they have quite hit that point on Ultra-wide yet but this is pretty fucking dope if you want to drop serious cash on a monitor. 100hz OC is nice, but I don't have much experience with monitor OC so for me this is probably king at the moment.

It is personal preference though, some people prefer 4k to higher framerates. Personally I do a lot of competitive online gaming so I like trading a bit of resolution for better refresh rates.

Which will be better for playing WOW? debating if the SSD is worth the extra $$$ being that the $459 has a faster processor.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-15-6-Inch-Windows/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1486247411&sr=8-4&keywords=E5-575G-55KK&th=1

or

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834315713&ignorebbr=1

Hyper X Cloud 2s are really good. http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-PS4/dp/B00SAYCVTQ

Comes with a free game as well. :)

How big do you want? Are you planning on going dual or triple? Do you need ultra wide or 4K?
If your answer is:
Not too too big
Yes
No
Then you are like me: I'm planning on getting 3 eventually and LOVE this monitor: EXTREMELY small bezels!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0148NNKTC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1459094703&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=acer+monitor&dpPl=1&dpID=519rzl-wIQL&ref=plSrch

I've heard good things about the HyperX Cloud 2 gaming headset.
Personally, I will never go for a headset again.
Rather a Headphones + Mic combo.

But I was about to buy those as well, since reviews were good, too :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiIwNJuVmoU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64wnwW0Y6n8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B7mB4pDzMk

This is a pretty popular support bracket to help with GPU sag.

I had browns and blues and LOVED both of them. I like the clicky ones so I sold my keyboard with browns for the one with blues, but it's all personal preference. If you wanna test all the switches that are in mainstream Cherry MX keyboards you might wanna get this to see which is best for you

What games will this computer be able to play or what's the max that it can probably handle because on my current $300 prebuilt computer from bestbuy can barely run League of Legends. Also another friend said that I should get an SSD so things can load faster, do I need an SSD? Also thanks for the advice on the case, I'll try to find a better one. Sorry to be bombarding you with so many questions but what is your opinion on this monitor, is it good for gaming and watching tv shows/asian dramas? If not, any recommendations? budget is maybe $100-150.

Looks pretty good, and the rgb ram is pretty sweet. If you don't mind spending the money then I would say all is good here but imo your motherboard is crazy expensive. I know you are trying to future proof but as long as you have a board with ddr4 slots and pcie that's all you need. When it comes to cpus chances are the slot type is going to change and you're going to have to buy a new board anyways. This being said this build will last you easily 5+ years.

Might I make a suggestion for a better monitor at a lower price?

https://www.amazon.com/SWIFT-PG278Q-27-inch-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C

I'd always recommend trying them out in a shop; for sound, but esp. for how it fits. Check some reputable brands like AKG, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic etc. . If you can get an older model for a discount, even better. You won't miss out on any technological advances by buying an older model at that price point.

Edit.: Someone else recommended those: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW/

I'd much rather recommend this. Acer laptop. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_F9kvyb0BS4039 it's $500 and comes with a Nvidia 940MX. Not the best gpu but a good improvement over integrated graphics, and you could probably even do more demanding games if you turn down the settings.

Edit: whoops I thought you said your budget was $500. This Asus laptop has an A10 APU, which has better integrated graphics than Intel's chips (save for their Iris lineup but that's more high end stuff) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KC4NLJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_CblvybTF9J7NT

OP, if you're interested in compairing what keys to test out without forking out a lot of money there are testers for around $15 that let you try out what switches you want before buying. its pretty handy I gotta admit.

I myself went from browns to greens, and I'm switching to blues pretty soon by grabbing an ak33 keyboard when I can afford it.

Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop - $1049.00

• Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU
  
• 16GB RAM
  
• 256GB SSD
  
• GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
  
• 15.6" 1920x1080p
  
  I have it, it's my college laptop. It's pretty good, great performance.

For those who are curious :

Amazon Links to the Cable Management stuff:

Cable Management Raceway

Velcro Strips

And then I just grabbed some 3M double sided adhesive for my power bricks and such

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $241.98 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler | Corsair H110i GTX 104.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $99.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $92.98 @ Newegg
Memory | Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $36.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ NCIX US
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ NCIX US
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card | $313.98 @ Newegg
Case | Fractal Design Define S w/Window ATX Mid Tower Case | $79.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $79.99 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $84.99 @ NCIX US
Monitor | Samsung S24D300H 24.0" 60Hz Monitor | $180.98 @ Newegg
Keyboard | Corsair STRAFE RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard | $144.99 @ Amazon
Mouse | Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse | $44.76 @ Amazon
Headphones | Audio-Technica M50x Headphones | $119.99 @ Micro Center
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1663.57
| Mail-in rebates | -$50.00
| Total | $1613.57
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-06-08 00:31 EDT-0400 |

That Acer laptop is the exact same one I got. This one you linked to. I got it for $350 during black friday, I was pumped.

But anyway, the 940m inside them is the epitome of ehh. I'm able to play War Thunder and Star Wars: The Old Republic on low to medium settings@1920x1080 at 60FPS. If you put the settings on potato, you'll be able to play pretty much anything besides the newest of titles, especially if you like "competitive" games (CS:GO, Dota, League of Legos, Overwatch, etc.). I haven't played any of those on it but I know for sure that it would be able to run any of those without a problem. I was able to run them on my old laptop that had an AMD vision processor and no GPU.

Newer games like Fallout 4 and Doom probably wouldn't work too well on it. Even on the lowest settings you'd probably struggle to get even 30 FPS, but for the price I think it's the best you're going to get for your price point.

Edit: This one looks like it's actually better. It has an SSD, and 940MX, and is cheaper.

That looks like a solid option, but my only concern is it says "product first available on Amazon August 26, 2014". Is that still their newest model? It seems like there should be an updated version now that it's been out for two years.

Edit: looks like this is the newer one, but it's way more expensive. Figures.

ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q 27" 2560x1440 IPS 165Hz 4ms G-SYNC Eye Care Gaming Monitor with DP and HDMI ports https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kxySzb9KW8AXJ


This is the one I've used for the past few months. Love it

I'd say go for 1440p 144hz G-Sync, it's a good middle ground resolution and you will LOVE the increased refresh rate. Check out the Asus ROG Swift

Ah, that explains it. Probably safe to say those different 4pin headers are set to different speeds. If you want them all going the same speed you should be able to change them all in the BIOS.

You could also purchase a pwm fan hub like this one, or you could purchase a commander pro which is connected via usb and controls your fans through iCue.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, Beechuras, for your submission. Unfortunately, your submission has been removed for the following reason(s):

Breach of Rule #5 - Referral or affiliate links are not allowed.

> More information about Rule 5



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---

Your link should be:

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-Laptop-Windows/dp/B01DT4A2R4/

Edit your post, reply to this comment, and well get your post back up and running.

Thanks.

Everything is tied and stuffed behind the back panel. There are a lot of zip ties as well as these awesome Velcro ones I got from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1Y5O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just took a look at your case and even with a non-modular PSU. You shouldn't have an issue keep thing neat. Your case has so much room for activities.

Thanks. I think I've settled on the Acer-R240HY. It looks great and is overclockable to 75hz, which is nice.

I've got this one that I still use attached to my work computer. It's actually a pretty decent and comfortable mouse. Still going strong a year later.

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-CENTROPHORUS-2000-Gaming-Buttons-Weight/dp/B00HTK1NCS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1478655937&sr=1-1&keywords=reddragon+mouse

https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Adapter-Computer/dp/B00HF8K0O6
a little more than 40 but im sure you can find it on another site. Probably the best one ive ever used after burning through so many dongles

Any combination of these is good, I've also included a deal on amazon USA that has audio technical awesome audiophile headhones 199$ -> 70$;

---------------head phones-----------------

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUQW8/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205349&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=audio+technica&dpPl=1&dpID=41EDeh-wXKL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0001ARCFA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205717&sr=1-2&refinements=p_36%3A1253505011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=41iu1l-OAvL&ref=plSrch

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00001WRSJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205768&sr=1-16&refinements=p_36%3A1253505011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=41ADlzRP9hL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ENMK1DW/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205768&sr=1-15&refinements=p_36%3A1253505011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BX-iFa0PL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004FEEY9A/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205768&sr=1-21&refinements=p_36%3A1253505011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=41ljcZIdgGL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009S332TQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205768&sr=1-20&refinements=p_36%3A1253505011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=41kFstqC55L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUQW8/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205349&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=audio+technica&dpPl=1&dpID=41EDeh-wXKL&ref=plSrch

---------------------mics---------------------

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002HJ9PTO/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205474&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=lav+mic

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058MJX4O/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205474&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=lav+mic&dpPl=1&dpID=31l%2BOAM-HdL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015R1U5XS/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205429&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=neewer+nw&dpPl=1&dpID=51LxsbISrEL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XOXRTX6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503205393&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+nw&dpPl=1&dpID=41yPNjD%2BW6L&ref=plSrch

The Sennheiser 518s are only $45 right now. Get some of those and a clip on mic and you are golden.

Philips SHP9500s are also $75 on amazon right now and from what I hear are outstanding for their price point and very comfortable even for people with big heads, which I have. When I get some extra bank I am heavily considering getting a pair and moving on my from Corsair Voids. You will also need a mic to go along with these though.

I haven't looked into it too much yet. Theres actually two same specs similar price points.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-27-inch-Widescreen/dp/B0173PEX20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=psdc_1292115011_t1_B0173PEX20

I probably wouldnt notice the 3ms difference and would love it to be fast, no tearing, AND look amazing, y'know? lol

I bought them in my local czech eshop, but as far as I can see, you can buy them pretty much everywhere

http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-H3CL/dp/B00JJNQG98

And it seems like there is a worldwide 20% discount. I also bought mine with the same discount as is on Amazon.

With 3000 euros to spend (3442.80 USD), you have more than enough to buy everything you want.

Here is a beautiful case you might be interested, I believe it has SLI support but if it doesn't there should be a similar case from the same company that's a little bigger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u55m3Hp_p8k&list=PL8mG-RkN2uTyCzihhSq-kQZCRggWoWQZ5

This is a great 144Hz 1440p Monitor

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-PG278Q-27-Inch-G-SYNC-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C

And the Corsair K70 RGB Gaming Keyboard with Cherry mx switches.

http://www.amazon.com/MODEL-Corsair-Gaming-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B00N2ROO2S.

I'm not too great on picking out pc components themselves but these should get you started.

Well, I'm currently rolling the dice on...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HTK1NCS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So far I love the actual feel of the mouse. We'll see how long it lasts. :)

https://www.amazon.com/Puget-Systems-Universal-Acrylic-Brace/dp/B019ZZQVK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480807868&sr=8-1&keywords=puget+gpu+brace

This is the one I got. It's kind of a bitch to put together because the little block attachment isn't threaded (so tough to screw in), but once it's together it seems pretty sturdy to me. I'm sure there are other options too. I've seen some people just stack legos up and hold their GPUs also.

Congrats on your first build!

what about the hyper x cloud 2? The mic isn't retractable, although it's detachable. Any interest in desk mics? The blue yeti is pretty good, and if you really don't want it on the desk, you can get a mount to put it a bit out of the way

There is nothing wrong with gaming headsets, and I am a bit of an audiophile.

I just recently bought the Logitech G430 for $59 and I'm honestly really happy with the sound, ease of use, and build. After installing the Logitech software and hearing the surround sound test, I was extremely happy.

I still have the setup I used in my peasant days. Sennheiser HD595 (I paid $250), and the Astro Mixamp, but they're sitting in a box. It's just not convenient, and there are a ton of extra wires and adapters to get everything up and running. I'll use these headphones at night when I'm watching TV because I can just plug the 1/4" headphones into my A/V receiver.

When I'm gaming, I like the simplicity of gaming headsets. They may not sound as good as audiophile headphones, but that doesn't mean they're crap or a poor value. There is a difference, but it's not a night and day difference. For me (and many others), the convenience trumps relatively small increases in sound quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-Laptop-Windows/dp/B01DT4A2R4
Not sure if this is in your price range but this one isnt over expensive and its decent. I saw a review on it and it can play games like Overwatch and GTA V or something like that.

If I may, I'd like to offer a counter statement. Full disclosure, I don't like Razer, but I'm wiling to give them some leniency.

Don't get 7.1 headphones because it's not actually physical 7.1, everything is on the software side. For that reason, you should be able to mimic similar sound with the correct software. and a quality stero headset.

I'd recomend buying a Kingston HyperX Cloud, which currently is $10 cheaper than the Logitech G35 on Amazon.

Then download a copy of the Razer Surround Software. It should be able to mimic virtual 7.1 on any headphones. I don't own a headset with build-in 7.1 drivers but I think it's alright.

Long story short, you can save $10, and still get some kickass hardware and virtual sound.

Had a few minutes while I wait for this clone to finish....

Can't find the part that I was hoping for, in the meantime, found this:
https://www.amazon.com/Puget-Systems-Universal-Acrylic-Brace/dp/B019ZZQVK8

What I was looking for is MUCH better -- used in a few server chassis that I've worked on. Was 2 bars that mounted at the top and bottom of the case and were joined in a few spots with crossbars, and had little... 'feet' or other grippers that you'd push down onto the card, then tightened a nut on the back and it would lock it exactly where it is. Was nice.

I like my Acer Predator Helios, is it the best? Meeeh, hell no. But it has done its job when I am traveling around.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-i7-7700HQ-1060-6GB-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C


Good luck over there, if you need a care package just ask away!

Just got these: http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-PS4/dp/B00SAYCVTQ

And I think they're great. Haven't had them for more than a day yet but they've been doing great.

I just re-did all of the external cable management on my setup, and after cutting about 20 zip ties, decided that I needed a better solution. I found these, and they're glorious:

velcro-loops!

I prefer brown switches for the feedback, if you want a clean press go with red switches. If you have a micro center by you or any high end PC parts store they usually have keyboards out to try. Fry's generally has testers too. You can also buy one of these to try at home for yourself Good luck!

Atlas Graphics Card Brace Support. A Video Card Holder, GPU brace, for custom Deskto Pc Gaming. a GPU stand case mod. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DQK7DDW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kI9YzbH87M7TA

I've got this one. Works well and looks awesome!

If you want both go for this. But If youve tried 120/144 on a game, youll never go back to 60 fps. FPS helps create a more beautiful and smooth image...theres your quality

http://www.amazon.com/PG278Q-27-Inch-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421770083&sr=1-1&keywords=rog+swift

Friend has this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HTK1NCS/ also have seen it around this sub quite a bit, yea it's really cheap and has the GAMER look but it seems to hold up pretty well. Just don't expect too much out of it.

Acer R240HY bidx 23.8-Inch IPS HDMI DVI VGA (1920 x 1080) Widescreen Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TTCEDb91QP162
Been using this one for about 18 months. I think it’s amazing for $100, but then again I upgraded from a 19” 900p monitor so everything looks amazing after that.

You need a controller receiver hooked in your PC to use the controller (unless the controller is wired), but yes, you can use it in any game as long as it supports a gamepad.

Receiver for Xbox 360
Receiver for Xbone

Portal and Half-life will run fine. Skyrim, probably not.

So does the headphone you mentionated has virtual 7.1? Wait, all headphones have 360º sound? So does this one has it too?

http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blasterx-h5


Like I said before, I just want something that is as good or better than my old one, which supposedly has virtual 7.1, which is fine to me, and that is more durable, the only problem I have with yours is that I have to buy separatedly, and I have to use amazon for that, since shops near me dont have it.

My local store has this one:

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-PS4/dp/B00SAYCVTQ

It is spending 100 euros on that, or going your way and over 170€, and having to deal with online shipping (which will probably had in total at least 20 more euros).

Out of those, the last one is the most powerful since it has a dedicated gpu and an i3. Keep in mind you won't be playing fallout on any reasonable settings with any of those laptops on the list. If you have the money, get this one for $550 . It has an i5 and a way more powerful gpu.

Hey, welcome to /r/pcmr

I suggest the Kingston HyperX cloud headset i've had mine for 4 years and havent had a single issue, though the white gets a little dirty after i touch it with my hands 10000 times. If you can find a Gen 1 it might be cheaper. However they only sell the 2nd generation these days. It's a Little over your budget at $80 USD. However, you mentioned you might consider spending more to make sure its more Futureproof.

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Gaming-Headset-KHX-H3CL-WR/dp/B00JJNQG98

This is a little closer to your budget while being an Amazon Best seller. https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Stinger-Headset-HX-HSCS-BK-NA/dp/B01L2ZRYVE/ref=pd_lpo_147_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YQY9AJK8MQV146X7WGF3

Not sure about the comment below with the Dell U2414H.

But for a lot cheaper, and very nice as my side monitors..

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=pd_cp_147_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=03BMX5PZF34EQ5Z6WXZV

You'll get yourself 24" of IPS Glory. $130 USD. Not sure the Quid conversion.

But just search the Acer R240HY :)

if you can stretch it by 100 USD - http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-15-7559-laptop/pd

I bought and MSI laptop last year and while it isn't used for gaming it is pretty capable. you may want to look at their offerings or check http://www.productchart.com/laptops/ to help you pick a system.

I would say this laptop seems to meet your needs according to that site. http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-NVIDIA-Windows-E5-575G-53VG/dp/B01DT4A2R4%3Fpsc%3D1%26SubscriptionId%3DAKIAJ76EIXAV3V6D6JEQ%26tag%3Dglobalnetwork-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB01DT4A2R4

Personally I'd go with a $100-$150 pair of Sennheiser headphones. My HD280 Pros have lasted me since my freshmen year of college (2006 I believe), and they're still in great shape. Audiotechnica is also a great choice (Sennheiser and them are pretty much the best in the business), but I personally prefer Sennheiser's sound signature.

The HD598s looks so damn comfy http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0042A8CW2/ref=pd_cp_MI_2

this exact mount is like $50 on amazon, pretty cheap for a dual arm vesa, according to a few folks in the thread it works really well too

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B009S750LA/

As far as monitor goes, you can use an HD TV as one, and you can often find older LCDs at thrift stores, craigslist, or garage sales for not too much.

And for peripherals, you can get an acceptable mouse and keyboard for really cheap. Mouse, Keyboard

Here's a monitor as well Although I really would recommed getting it on the cheap.

Please note, I just looked these up on amazon and checked a few reviews. A little more research could possibly find a better option.

Drop the headset. You're already getting a pretty damn good mic, so I'd recommend the hd598 if you listen to more traditional music, crossfade LP if you like electronica or rap srh440 if you don't care and just want something that sounds totally neutral, like in a studio.

Probably get a mechanical keyboard instead of the apex, I recommend the CM Quickfire TK, Logitech g710+ or the Corsair K70.

Uh... Until ryzen laptops are out, you’re gonna want an intel laptop, especially if you’re gonna game on it. Nearly everything worth a damn has near 1tb of storage and 8gb or more of ram. Everything that’s not a mac has windows 10 these days.

That being said, Acer Predator Helios 300
Is pretty good spec wise with the 1060-6gb

It's all personal preference, one isn't objectively better than another (if we're talking about CherryMX). I find a lot of people use Reds, but that also might be a result of keyboard manufactures making more Red switched keyboards then any other type. I have blues, a brown keyboard, and a red. I really like the blue. I'd recommend getting a sample switch from amazon, and trying them all out.

TL;DR

Since my main focus is gaming, over time the most common upgrade for me is a new GPU. Ya know how some people will say "buy the 970 now and if it isn't good enough, SLI it later"? And other people will go "No, you'll just end up never doing that and it will be a waste, wait a month to save up for a 980ti"?

Well, I'm actually the person who really goes from single to SLI builds over time. My history is:

• GTX 275
  
• GTX 275 SLI
  
• GTX 570
  
• GTX 570 SLI
  
• GTX 760
  
• GTX 760 SLI
  
• GTX 970
  
• GTX 970 SLI
  
  When I got the first 760, I bought one of those braces from Puget Systems. I used it until I went to SLI. Then put it back in again for my single 970. I had to pull it out again for SLI, obviously, but when I upgrade next I'll put it back in again. It's worked great for me.

I would recommend an acer predator Helios 300. It's a pretty good build for how much it costs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4GZS9C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uZIDzbY5YPN3R

Coming from someone who bought an X34 and returned it because I received a bad panel, I wish I would have exchanged it (instead of refunding it).
Instead, I purchased the Acer Predator XB271HU (27", 1440p, 144hz, G-Sync, IPS).

While I love this monitor, not every game I play can take advantage of the 144hz. I usually hover around 100FPS (depending on the game). With that said, if you can afford the X34. Get it. It's definitely worth it.