Switching from console to PC gaming. Would like help on my part list/build

Hardware Build a PC
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I have decided to make the switch from console to PC gaming. I have never built a PC before, and I don't know a lot about parts and stuff like that. I'm also new to the forums, so I'm just going to follow the "General Guidelines" post and try to be as specific as possible.

 

Budget - No specific budget, but I wouldn't mind getting it for cheaper that what it on my PcPartPicker list if it'll still be able to accomplish what I want it to do without sacrificing anything

Country/Currency - USA/USD

Retailer - No preference

Peripherals-  Yes. I already have a Ducky Shine 3 Green LED MX Red's Mechanical Keyboard along with a Razer Blackwidow Mouse, a copy of Windows 8.1, and a Astro A40 Headset. I am not worried about speakers since I already have a headset that I am happy with. I am currently using a laptop that has a 2.5 inch 750GB WD Black HDD. I know that a desktop PC uses a different size but I am hoping that I won't have to buy another and I will somehow be able to use the current HDD that I have on my new build. 

What will I be using the PC for - Gaming. I don't do rendering or video editing. All I will be using it for is gaming and surfing the web. 

Overclocking - Possibly. I don't 100% understand overclocking to be honest.

Watercooling - I have no clue. Once again, possibly. I've heard it's costly though, so if fan cooling will be sufficient then there is no need for watercooling unless it's absolutely needed.

Game settings/FPS - I want to be able to play at max settings with graphical mods with a really good FPS and absolutely no lag at all. 

Resolution - 1080p. I am not interested in 4k at the moment, but I might be interested in dual monitors. Not quite sure though, I'd be fine with a single monitor at the moment since this is my first build.

Kind of games I like to play - FPS games like Battlefield, DayZ, Counter Strike, Rust and possibly Arma 2 and 3. Also other games like Minecraft, Skyrim, Dark Souls, Fallout: New Vegas, Garry's Mod, Half-Life, and I would really like to be able to play the new games coming out like GTA 5, Witcher 3, Dead Rising 3, Metro: Redux, The Evil Within, Dying Light, Tom Clancy's The Division, Assassin's Creed Unity, Far Cry 4, the list could go on and on. 

 

With all that information in mind, here is my list that I currently have. 

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/T0XlCZ/saved/1uiL

 

Thanks in advance. 

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Thanks for all the info!  You can indeed use a 2.5" HDD in a desktop(in most cases).

Your build actually looks pretty decent.  However, you could probably get more performance with cheaper components.  Also, the stock cooler on the GTX 780ti is nice, but a bit loud and inefficient.

Air cooling can be perfectly fine.  Custom water cooling is indeed expensive.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xJGD7P

i5-4690K + Z97: Newer silicon.

Noctua NH-D14: Very effective and quiet cooler.

16GB of DDR3 RAM.  Probably more than you need for gaming, but it will definitely last you awhile.

MX100.  Very good performance for the price.

EVGA 780ti w/ ACX cooler.  Better than the stock cooler.

Define R4.  You don't need a full tower.  A mid tower is plenty of space for this rig.

XFX 850W.  Enough wattage for 2 780tis if you decide to upgrade in the future.

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Thanks for replying. I have a few questions though. 

Why did you pick some of the parts you picked? What I mean by that is, on my list I picked the most popular parts in that category like, on Newegg the most popular SSD is the one I picked, and so is the fan. I would just like a comparison between the ones you picked and the ones I picked.

Second, is the monitor that I picked good? 

And third, will your list be able to play ALL the games I said on 1080p with graphical mods with a really good FPS and no lag at all?

 

Thanks in advance, and sorry for seeming like a noob if I do, I'm really new to all this.

4

Made a few tweaks/changes to the build - saving you about $350-400 but retaining nearly the same level of performance. ;)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GGcvdC

Reasons for the changes:

H100i AIO (all-in-one) CPU cooler - Ever since switching to an AIO myself, I'm now a huge advocate for using them, especially if you're thinking you may overclock. Even if you don't they still do a fantastic job of keeping the CPU cool, regardless. IMO, they are worth the extra cost and with your budget, there isn't really an issue of cost.

MSI Z97-G45 Gaming - Really nice motherboard for the price. You'll be able to do some decent overclocking on this board, it's full of features and has proper crossfire/SLI support with two PCIe slots that run at 8x each when both are occupied with a graphics card, rather than 16x/4x as on other, cheaper boards. IMO, you really don't need to spend much more than this to get a really good Z97 motherboard. I really don't get why people spend upwards of $180+ on motherboards, unless they need specific features only offered on those boards.

8GB of ram (2 x 4GB) instead of 16 - 8GB is still plenty for gaming on any level. I've yet to max out my own system ram (8GB) with piles of programs running and chrome tabs open while running demanding games like Crysis 3. Later on you can easily double the ram.

Crucial MX100 256GB SSD - This one is still fast, though not the fastest, but provides really great value per dollar giving you 256GB storage for only $110, compared to others that cost far more but won't really give you any tangible benefit over this one.

1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD - Usually laptop 2.5" HDD's run at lower rpm (5400-5900 compared to 7200 on 3.5" desktop HDD's) and thus provide slower performance, in general. This Barracuda is pretty fast for an HDD (use one myself), games and programs will load in seconds, where as you'll be waiting a little longer with the laptop HDD. You can still add your 2.5" drive for additional storage as well if you want.

Coolermaster N600 - The case is really up to you as individual taste for aesthetics is subjective. I chose this case because it's understated and clean-looking, has a nice big window to show off all your nice components (which are colour-matched btw), has nice air flow and has room for the H100i CPU cooler.

XFX 850w PSU - Good quality, 80+ bronze with more than enough power at a good price. Not much else to say here.

XFX R9-290 Double Dissipation Black Edition - Performs close to that of the 780 and will nip at the heals of the 290X/780ti once you overclock it. Costs FAR less than the 290X/780ti. This is the point where diminishing returns really kicks in. IMO, there's really no need to go with the 290X/780ti, unless you simply want/must have the best GPU and don't mind throwing another $150-200+ at your build without really seeing any benefit. With the 290 you're basically getting 85-90% (90-95%+ when overclocked) of the performance of a 290X for about 20-25% lower cost.