Assumptions:
Screws, thermal paste, and other consumables are already included
Room temperature is controlled (68F~76F)
Monitor(s) are separate from the build
Motherboard/RAM/CPU clearances are fine
Compatibility has been tested (feel free to tell me something's not actually compatible >.<)
Reviews were partially ignored
Software not included in builds (OS, etc)
Build Concepts:
New, everything must be new for future proofing
Intel platform (because I've not research in ages and it's easier for me to understand)
Known brands are a must (it's easy to save money and cry later)
Assume a gaming focus, but leave enough room for general use
Include performance breathing room on core components when under load
Dual HDMI displays
Stick to the "No less than a Quad Core" personal motto
Utilize the new M.2 tech
Room to grow
Stay under @GM Tahquitz's $700 mark (pre-tax) 😛
General Comments:
Originally, I wanted to start with an i5 for performance, but there was no way I was going to fit one And have a new chipset in this price range. I intentionally kept the price in the lower 30% when looking, but that was skewed by the Known Brand clause. I could have gotten away with 8Gb of RAM, but TBH I think 16Gb is best for a gaming focused device. That and the price difference wasn't worth it. I decided early on to choose a motherboard with the new M.2s I've been reading about and was shocked when that Didn't break the bank on either board or storage. Mind you, IDK what the actual performance of these is, so there may have been a sacrifice, but I doubt it'd be any less than a standard SATA3 SSD. I didn't do any power calculations, so I switched from a 500W to a 750W just in case (GPU says 300+). I wanted to max out the Fan capacity, but I'm minus one with the multi-pack. I wasn't sure if I should have a higher inlet air or exhaust, but figured the extra exhaust was worth it.
Build: $679.72