x99 mATX build in FT03 (watercooled)

[Chocol8milkman]

Hey all - I'm diving into the deep end with this one.

 

Expertise: I've never built a pc before, but I am quite adept at "tech-stuff" in general as I have built and have been using an external GPU (i.e. "eGPU") using thunderbolt for years now. See eGPU setup here >> Thunderbolt eGPU. So, my questions will range quite wildly...

 

The Plan: I'm planning on building a x99 setup that will last for quite a few years. I'd like to use a mATX form factor and have been eyeing up the Silverstone FT03 case as a possible solution. I'd also like to venture into watercooling and don't think that an AIO is a solution for me as I like the look and feel of higher-quality components and upgradeability/customizability.

 

The Purpose: Gaming with graphically intense applications. I'd like to be able to push 4K in the future, but might end up using one of those 21:9 ultra-wides from LG for now.

 

The Parts:

• x99 chipset mATX motherboard - not sure which to choose as only EVGA, Asrock, & MSI have boards out or should I wait for Asus or Gigabyte?
• Intel Core i7-5930K - the 5960K is absurdly expensive
• Gefore GTX 980 - I like that it has much lower power requirements
• Antec Earthwatts 450W Platinum e - should be sufficient with new haswell-e architecture
• RAM - no idea here...
• Watercooling - would like to pick up a complete kit (but not AIO) with nice aesthetics
• Silverstone FT03 - unless there's another case option that's better...

 

Also - need to know where removing the stock cooler on a GPU voids the warranty??? I see this all the time and have a hard time believing that people would void their super expensive GPU warranties... I have an MSI GTX670 that I put an arctic accelero xtreme iv on as I thought it was over-heating with the stock cooler on - turns out that it's just a crappy card.

 

Am I missing anything??? Anything that I should know???

 

Thanks!

 

All suggestions and recommendations welcome.

[Pineapple Wolf]

If you're doing intense gaming, z97 i7 4790k will serve you a lot better. There is absolutely no need to do x99. You can still do a micro atx z97 build if you want so you can still keep the form factor.

[Chocol8milkman]

If you're doing intense gaming, z97 i7 4790k will serve you a lot better. There is absolutely no need to do x99. You can still do a micro atx z97 build if you want so you can still keep the form factor.

 

Thank you Pineapple Wolf

 

As previously mentioned, I'd this build to last for years to come. Hence the idea of purchasing the latest chipset, an x99 setup, would ensure the longest product life. Is this correct or should I really be using a z97 board? The idea here is "future-proofing" as much as possible. I can upgrade the CPU later... but the entire platform is much more difficult - no?

 

Also - correct me if I'm wrong, but not many (or any at all) z97 board allow for SLI at x16/x16... I'm not sure about this, but I've only found x8/x8 SLI z97 motherboards. The new x99 boards allow for x16/x16 right out of the box for when I add an additional card in the future.

[Zeke]

Also - correct me if I'm wrong, but not many (or any at all) z97 board allow for SLI at x16/x16... I'm not sure about this, but I've only found x8/x8 SLI z97 motherboards. The new x99 boards allow for x16/x16 right out of the box for when I add an additional card in the future.

You don't need x16/x16 SLI mobos, especially since PCI-E 3 is almost mainstream now. Hell, 90% of the time you'd be okay with x8/x8 PCI-E 2.

 

Also PSU... That's not gonna handle two cards so if you're planning to SLI in the future you'd have to get a new one as well as the card.

 

 

Also - need to know where removing the stock cooler on a GPU voids the warranty??? I see this all the time and have a hard time believing that people would void their super expensive GPU warranties... I have an MSI GTX670 that I put an arctic accelero xtreme iv on as I thought it was over-heating with the stock cooler on - turns out that it's just a crappy card.

IMO you should remove your stock cooler only if you're going with custom watercooling and you want to install the waterblocks yourself. In any other case it just makes more sense to get a card with a decent non-ref cooler (MSI TwinFrozr V or Gigabyte Windforce or something like that).

[Aibohphobia]

Like Pineapple Wolf said, it may be more hassle but it's more cost effective to go with a more modest build and upgrade more often.

 

That said, if you want to go X99 I can try to answer your questions. I have a EVGA X99 Micro, 5820K, and dual GTX 980s (reference coolers) in SLI. I've posted some info about it here: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/219343-which-x99-build-would-you-recommend-3-way-sli-970-vs-2-way-sli-980/#entry3013680

 

You'll need a bigger PSU if you want to run SLI down the road, at least 650W but preferably 750W.

 

You may also look into 5-slot cases because you could space the cards out on the EVGA. First card in the top slot and second card in the bottom slot, leaving the middle slot open. This only applies for air cooled cards though, if you block them it won't matter.

 

Here's all the suitable 5-slot cases I know of:

 

Corsair 350D

 

BitFenix Prodigy/Colossus/Phenom M

 

BitFenix Pandora

 

In Win Dragon Slayer

 

Fractal Node 804

[Faa]

Thank you Pineapple Wolf

 

As previously mentioned, I'd this build to last for years to come. Hence the idea of purchasing the latest chipset, an x99 setup, would ensure the longest product life. Is this correct or should I really be using a z97 board? The idea here is "future-proofing" as much as possible. I can upgrade the CPU later... but the entire platform is much more difficult - no?

 

Also - correct me if I'm wrong, but not many (or any at all) z97 board allow for SLI at x16/x16... I'm not sure about this, but I've only found x8/x8 SLI z97 motherboards. The new x99 boards allow for x16/x16 right out of the box for when I add an additional card in the future.

Few things; X99 isn't going to live longer than Z97. There's no such thing as futureproofing a PC, more cores aren't futureproofing anything and a 8core means nothing when the singlethreaded performance gets outdated. I'm not sure what you mean by "graphical intensive applications", if you don't do any cpu intensive tasks and assuming they are multithreaded you're nothing with X99. 16x/16x in SLI is pointless atm, no gpu's actually leverage that bandwidth. Better off spending that money you're spending on X99 on a 2nd GPU no? Also I'd take the 970 over the 980.

[Chocol8milkman]

@Zeke

• I already own that 450w PSU... but was banking on upgrading when I go SLI or Crossfire...

 

@Aibohphobia

• Upgrading from z97 will be cheaper in the long-run? I never thought of it that way. I'll have to make some adjustments to my assumptions. I guess upgrading every 2/3 years versus every 4/5 years would justify the price difference.
• As for the cases - I was thinking about the BitFenix Phenom M as well!!! Good call on that one. Plus, I never knew about the Pandora. Looks pretty slick. I'll probably stay away from the other ones for purely aesthetic reasons though.

 

@Faa

• z97 will have longer life than x99? That's an interesting idea... I'd like to understand why if you don't mind elaborating.
• I fully understand that there's no such thing as future-proofing, hence the use of quotes in my original post and the following sentence "The idea here is 'future-proofing' as much as possible."  Where "as much as possible" means exactly that.

 

I'm also thinking about going full AMD. Been reading up on the R9 300 series on 22nm and it looks really promising, but AMD's usual price/performance bargain has yet to be disclosed to my knowledge. I guess we'll know more on Thursday. That might change my platform entirely, but I'll likely stay with the mATX form factor and high-end GPU.

[Faa]

z97 will have longer life than x99? That's an interesting idea... I'd like to understand why if you don't mind elaborating.

Think you misunderstood me, X99 isn't going to live longer than Z97. They'll be outdated at the same time, I'm not saying z97 will live longer.

I wouldn't go with AMD CPU's these days though but their GPU's are usually great in terms of price/performance but atm in USA the 970 is cheaper/quieter/consumes less power and slightly faster than the 290 so it would be my choice.

[Chocol8milkman]

There are some things that tell me that x99 will be around a little longer than z97

• DDR4 RAM
• Native M.2 support
• x16/x16/x8 support
• Support for GPUs is better in all respects (see link below)
• Reduced power consumption (important for smaller mATX/mITX builds as it reduces heat)
• More cores << the least convincing argument for me

There's a ton more.

http://wccftech.com/intel-haswell-e-processors-feature-upto-8-cores-20-mb-l3-cache-feature-ddr4-memory-support-x99-wellsburgx-pch/

 

I guess that it's obvious that I've drank the cool-aid... but Haswell-e just hits all the right buttons for me. When is the next intel X-series chipset going to come out; in another 4/5 years? I guess we could debate this for the next 4/5 years until the next x-series comes out... 

 

The additional cores will be useful for me utilizing this comp as a background processor of large data files... << again least of my concerns - maybe a home server?