Blue mATX build, your thoughts?

[atomiku]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/KDd9Hx

 

Edit: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vfBjMp Changed RAM

 

Do your worst!

 

My roommate has decided it's time to join the Glorious PCMR and has asked for my help. As I always do when helping someone do a build, I turn to you guys for help.

 

Goals for this build:

-Portability, we live in the midwest right now, but he's moving to the west coast and would like something that is pretty small, but has options for expanding

-Be at or around $1500 not including OS, Keyboard, Mouse, or monitor

-Great for gaming, but also in general a mini-workhorse

-Have a blue theme (his favorite color)

 

With a budget like his there are a ton of options, so this is just revision 1, I look forward to reading and implementing your feedback!

[1Scotty1]

Very good pick on parts, nothing wrong to say about it

[atomiku]

Very good pick on parts, nothing wrong to say about it

 

Good to hear, should wreck just about anything he can throw at it games-wise!

[1Scotty1]

Good to hear, should wreck just about anything he can throw at it games-wise!

Definitely

[beach_boy98]

Just a thought. A windforce 980ti would be a better colour imo.

[atomiku]

Just a thought. A windforce 980ti would be a better colour imo.

 

Also $20 more for a fairly minor difference, but I appreciate the input. Either card would work, I'll ask him and see what his thoughts are.

[atomiku]

Only thing I haven't included is a CPU cooler, but I think he'd be better off spending the money on performance now and then picking up a better cooler when the money comes along, or I just might get him one for his upcoming birthday.

[Nonco]

Seems like a solid build! Should be all gucci Just make sure that your GPU fits in that case (Im pretty sure it does but just to be safe!)

[Kinraka]

A cpu cooler would help but if your not looking to overclock you could go for a cheeper cpu

[atomiku]

Seems like a solid build! Should be all gucci Just make sure that your GPU fits in that case (Im pretty sure it does but just to be safe!)

 

Trust me, I had to dig for clearance info...

 

HiTechLegion says it has room for a 260mm or 400mm with "HDD cage removed." I have no idea how removing the "HDD cage" (which appears to just be a slab of metal over the cpu) would affect that, so I'm guessing they mean the ODD cage. Either way, this card should fit under the ODD cage when in the top slot.

[atomiku]

A cpu cooler would help but if your not looking to overclock you could go for a cheeper cpu

 

Mentioned earlier, holding off to spend on performance now, plus, I'd like to see how much clearance we have until the HDDs with them installed.

[atomiku]

I think the 4690k only supports up to 2133 MHz RAM, if so, you're wasting your money on the 2400 stuff. There isn't much of a real-world difference anyway as the higher the speeds, the higher the latencies in general

 

Any recommendations on 2x8GB kits that are blue and cheaper?

[NationsAnarchy]

Really solid build, you nailed it dude !

Blue RAM then you can't go wrong with the Kingston HyperX Fury (seems that someone said that already while I was typing this lol)

[Kinraka]

Any recommendations on 2x8GB kits that are blue and cheaper?

could try kingston fury both 1600 and 1866 are cheeper (i think everyone likes the fury lol)

[atomiku]

HyperX Fury 1866 2x8

 

Also, as for cooling, there is a 280mm rad spot in the top for slim rads, something like a C110, or if you need slimmer, a CoolerMaster Nepton 240m will fit and serve the build well, just remember to put it in exhaust

 

I'm not sure he wants to do liquid cooling, might be an option though. And I'll check out that RAM, thanks for the input!

 

Really solid build, you nailed it dude !

Blue RAM then you can't go wrong with the Kingston HyperX Fury (seems that someone said that already while I was typing this lol)

 

Sure did, thanks for the reply!

[atomiku]

could try kingston fury both 1600 and 1866 are cheeper (i think everyone likes the fury lol)

 

Swapped it based on the input of others, thanks!

[atomiku]

in a small case with a high performance GPU and a CPU that gets warm anyway when overclocked, I don't think air cooling will be quite enough. I don't know how much room you'll have but for low profile, a NH-L12 is fairly good unless you can fit a hyper 212. But honestly, AIO liquid cooling will give it a big benefit and let it run cooler. The GPU will be drawing fresh air and the CPU will have a higher efficiency cooling method to combat the hot air from the GPU

 

Haha, you don't have to sell me on liquid cooling, pal. H100i user here!

 

I was already trying to talk him into an h80i in exhaust on the rear. Depending on how much he can spend, we might do the new H110i up top.

[Razarza]

@atomiku

 

Since you have already changed the RAM around the only other thing I'd change is the storage, get a 2TB Barracuda for $72, 'performance' HDDs are a waste of money, if you want performance get an SSD. I'd also change the SSD to an A-Data SP600. Other than that everything is all good.

 

in a small case with a high performance GPU and a CPU that gets warm anyway when overclocked, I don't think air cooling will be quite enough. I don't know how much room you'll have but for low profile, a NH-L12 is fairly good unless you can fit a hyper 212. But honestly, AIO liquid cooling will give it a big benefit and let it run cooler. The GPU will be drawing fresh air and the CPU will have a higher efficiency cooling method to combat the hot air from the GPU

+1 Also AIO watercooling looks much nicer than a massive air cooler.

[Razarza]

we might do the new H110i up top.

dooo eeet

[Kinraka]

+1 Also AIO watercooling looks much nicer than a massive air cooler.

unless its a dark rock

[atomiku]

I'll buy Noctua fans the day they don't look like butt. Corsair SP fans are also excellent, quiet, lots of SP, and best of all, with that blue ring on they would match up nicely with the theme.

[atomiku]

IPPC noctuas look nice. the stock fans on the 110 GT don't have square frames, so you're gonna loose static pressure and therefore cooling performance

 

I'll take non-square frames over even the best looking Noctuas.

[Prysin]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/KDd9Hx

 

Edit: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vfBjMp Changed RAM

 

Do your worst!

 

My roommate has decided it's time to join the Glorious PCMR and has asked for my help. As I always do when helping someone do a build, I turn to you guys for help.

 

Goals for this build:

-Portability, we live in the midwest right now, but he's moving to the west coast and would like something that is pretty small, but has options for expanding

-Be at or around $1500 not including OS, Keyboard, Mouse, or monitor

-Great for gaming, but also in general a mini-workhorse

-Have a blue theme (his favorite color)

 

With a budget like his there are a ton of options, so this is just revision 1, I look forward to reading and implementing your feedback!

get a 250 GB samsung SSD, its like 27 USD more expensive but has twice the storage capacity.

Not sure if you can get them where you live, but these lights are pretty ballin

https://www.komplett.no/akasa-vegas-led-strip-light-blue/764712

https://www.komplett.no/nzxt-sleeved-led-kit-cable-2m-blue/635590

ignore the prices, those are in NOK, which is 8 times that of that of the US price, + 25% taxes ontop of US price (if you can find them in the US)

[atomiku]

get a 250 GB samsung SSD, its like 27 USD more expensive but has twice the storage capacity.

Not sure if you can get them where you live, but these lights are pretty ballin

https://www.komplett.no/akasa-vegas-led-strip-light-blue/764712

https://www.komplett.no/nzxt-sleeved-led-kit-cable-2m-blue/635590

ignore the prices, those are in NOK, which is 8 times that of that of the US price, + 25% taxes ontop of US price (if you can find them in the US)

 

The SSD upgrade is only worth the money if he'll use it. I'm a pretty serious power user and I've still got 40+GB free on my 120GB drive.

 

As for lights, I'm sure they are nice, but on a case that doesn't have a Window it's a little useless. He'll crack this thing open and show it off only once in a while, and when he does, it will be off, so the lights won't even be on.

[Prysin]

The SSD upgrade is only worth the money if he'll use it. I'm a pretty serious power user and I've still got 40+GB free on my 120GB drive.

 

As for lights, I'm sure they are nice, but on a case that doesn't have a Window it's a little useless. He'll crack this thing open and show it off only once in a while, and when he does, it will be off, so the lights won't even be on.

well, you lack "power" as a power user then, i filled mine up pretty quickly, and i have no games on my boot drive. I have many other programs. However 120GB is so little considering how cheap the 250GB one is. The best bang for your buck is still the 500GB, which is slightly cheaper then half that of a 1TB drive, and slightly cheaper then 2x 250GB drives... But yes, he wont need that much storage for a while.

forgot the Prodigy doesnt have a window