Gaming Machine Build - Halp!

[MajesticFudgie]

Hi there stranger(s),

You've stumbled across this post and you're probably going to think I'm a lunatic.

Don't worry. I am.

 

I've been planning to build myself a new machine for quite a while now.

I could upgrade my existing machine cheaper but my sister is in need of a decent PC.

My current PC is perfect for her, so I'll be selling it to her.

 

I've upgraded this PC here and there but I've not touched the GPU or CPU+mobo.

I want to take a chance at getting my feet muddy with custom PC building.

 

I'll tackle the points listed in the build thread posted by Windspeed36.

 

1) Budget & Location

I'm a brit so I'll be using GBP, anything part wise I will need to be able to receive from within the UK.

I don't really have a budget. Sky really is the limit. So I'll aim for £2,000 as my max.

I'd rather spend a bit more if it will ensure I'll have some stability and not have random parts failing me early on.

 

2) Aim

This is a messy one.

I run my own little youtube channel and occasionally live stream. I'll be needing this PC to handle livestreaming with something such as OBS but support video editing with Premiere Pro.

I'm not too sure if it makes a difference between the two. But they're my needs.

 

Video editing and Gaming.

 

Gamewise, I want to play the latest titles and hope that a crazy setup like that will allow me to play most titles for the years to come.

I really want this rig to last me as long as possible. At least 5-10 years with upgrades in between. But at least 5 years without me needing to replace the GPU.

 

I've been eyeing up the following GPU

 

GeForce GTX Titan X

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVGA-GeForce-GTX-Titan-X-SuperClocked-12GB-GDDR5-Graphics-Card-12G-P4-2992-KR-/182043817108?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

 

You guys may be able to help me find parts to find around it or a better suited GPU for my needs.

But I really want to enlarge my epeen.

 

3) Monitors

I'm currently using two monitors, one is a TV running at 1080p and the other is a tiny monitor 1280x1024

I plan to stick to two monitors. I plan to make it two TVs running at 1080p. However I will most likely be limited to HDMI.

I have yet to see any tv with a display port on. I'd be willing to look into a curved monitor?

 

I really appreciate my working space so I can be editing on one monitor and reading a script on the other etc.

Or watching videos while playing a game. A good example being me reading the Build thread on the right monitor while I type this.

 

4) Peripherals

I plan on upgrading my keyboard to a Razer Black Widow Chroma.

I'm pretty much going full out there to have a show off rig.

 

I plan to stick to having my current main monitor (A 1080p TV) but am certainly willing to replace the 2nd monitor with another 1080p TV/Monitor

or replace both with a wide monitor. I like the one Linus uses, I don't know the price tag though.

 

I'll be sticking to my current mouse, a R.A.T. 5 which appears to work as plug and play.

I currently have a USB hub so USB ports isn't a major issue.

 

I plan on using Windows 10 Pro as my main operating system.

I'd not say no to being able to dual boot hackintosh (Am I allowed to say that?)

But doing so may require an Intel CPU, I've had a crap experience getting it to run on an AMD CPU.

 

Additional:

In regards to USB ports and storage,

I'm wanting to at least have a few USB 3.0 ports. I've got a USB 3.0 hub that doesn't play all too well with my crappy USB 2.0 ports.

 

Storage wise, I'm wanting to at least have 1TB SSD for my programs and a select few games that I want to run fast such as GTA5.

However I have no quabble regarding an extra HDD. I currently have a 2TB NAS as my extra storage and a 120GB SSD that I've filled up

 

5) Why are you upgrading?

Other than being the aforementioned lunatic, I really want to muddy my feet in pc building and see how far I can push it.

I want to build a multipurpose PC that can last me as long as possible.

 

Additional:

 

6) Case

Cases slightly worry me, I'm pretty knowledgeable and left on my own I could build a decent PC. But I'm not too familiar with different motherboard sizes and screw locations.

I however don't fancy messing around because I found a case that has the screw fittings in the wrong place. I know its difficult to but I'm pretty good at messing up small details.

 

Case wise, I'm not a crazy gamer whom wants their case to look like a jet engine is stuck on the front. I like a minimal case. Something I can light up around the front.

Maybe something that's got black brushed metal on it? I'm not familiar with many cases. I've only seen a select few. I currently have a GLite case which I like a lot right now.

 

Cooler Master Elite 430 Black

http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mid-tower/elite-430-black/

 

I'd love to try and get a case that has a mini display showing temps.

 

7) Fancy Shiz

I like fancy and boy do I like colours.

I've been planning on lighting my case up in a purple colour (See my profile cover for the colours I mean)

I don't know how this will affect my choices on cases and motherboards. I'd love to alter the colours of the lights if possible from within my OS.

 

That's all!

 

I'm trying not to be a demanding whore, but I can't always help being a whore.

As mentioned, I really do want to step into the PC building community. But I don't fully trust myself to make the right decisions. I really don't like the idea of spending a ton of money on a part and messing it up or ending up with a PC that likes to derp out. A great example is my current PC lacks working ports on the front of the case.

 

I really hope you guys can give me a hand to choose the right parts.

I'm open to ideas regarding what CPU to buy and how much RAM I get. I won't say no to 32GB.

 

Let this be a project between myself and the rest of the community to build a cool PC.

I'll promise to record a build video and give you ALL a massive thankyou in the end title as well as a shout out at LTT in general.

 

Have fun!

Fudgie

[HPWebcamAble]

You don't need a Titan X. The 980 ti is cheaper and outperforms it in most situations.

 

Here's my suggestion:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TWLVsY

(You might go for a 500 gig SSD if you don't need that much storage)

[MajesticFudgie]

1 minute ago, HPWebcamAble said:

You don't need a Titan X. The 980 ti is cheaper and outperforms it in most situations.

 

Here's my suggestion:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/TWLVsY

(You might go for a 500 gig SSD if you don't need that much storage)

 

Ah, I completely forgot about Storage, I was aiming towards 1TB actually

Regarding the 980 Ti,

Would an 8GB Card be enough for current release titles and release titles in the future years?

It's certain a cheaper rig you've put together.

 

I'll edit the post to include some extra information.

Would the Motherboard you've recommended have USB 3.0?

What can I do regarding case lighting with RGB?

 

Although case lighting and being able to control it with a program on the OS is a whole forum thread on its own

 

Many thanks!

[Ex0Thermic]

Here is what i would aim for myself

you need to add windows 10 pro on to this

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/P3QCf7

 

if you want rgb lighting you can get a cheap kit of ebay

or get something like a NZXT Hue like this

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-hueplus-advanced-pc-illumination-rgb-led-controller-in-matte-black-525-bay-1x-sata-power-with-n

 

as for a monitor those ultrawide's are about £700 plus from what I have seen
you might want to get a nice gaming monitor to pair with your tv. you can some nice 144hz 24" monitors from £180ish

[HPWebcamAble]

3 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

Ah, I completely forgot about Storage, I was aiming towards 1TB actually

Well, for vid editing, I'd recommend at least a 2 TB HDD, and a 250 GB SSD.

SSD is just to improve boot and load times, but it's a good idea to have one in that expensive of a rig.

 

5 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

Regarding the 980 Ti,

Would an 8GB Card be enough for current release titles and release titles in the future years?

The 980ti has 6 gigs, which will be fine for 5 years at 1080p.

 

8 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

Would the Motherboard you've recommended have USB 3.0?

Yep

 

8 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

What can I do regarding case lighting with RGB?

Woops, forgot about that. You can find some RGB strips that plug into your MOBO (probably USB 2 headers) to allow you to control them from the OS.

[MajesticFudgie]

Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it.

 

Liking what you've put together GeekThief,

The case is more up my alley, I'll poke around on the internet and see if I can find anything along the lines of what I want.

My current case is quite tall and I have plenty of room under my desk for a massive case. So I'm fine with anything that may end up with large areas for radiators for liquid cooling.

 

You've both added a GTX 980 Ti, One is MSI, the other Gigabyte.

Whats the difference between the two?

 

Both GPUs worry me regarding outputs. both appear to have only 1 HDMI.

What can I do about that? My current setup uses 1 HDMI and a DVI->VGA adapter.

 

I'm loving the NZXT Hue, I'll certainly look at getting that

 

I'll also probably keep to 1TB SSD and a 3TB HDD, I'm a storage whore and I fill it quickly with a lot of stuff.

 

Many thanks guys!

[HPWebcamAble]

12 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

You've both added a GTX 980 Ti, One is MSI, the other Gigabyte.

Whats the difference between the two?

Color scheme is the main difference. Their performance is almost the same.

The MSI version is a bit quieter but SLIGHTLY less powerful.

 

17 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

Both GPUs worry me regarding outputs. both appear to have only 1 HDMI.

What can I do about that? My current setup uses 1 HDMI and a DVI->VGA adapter.

Display port to HDMI cables are relatively cheap:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812529092

 

Display port to VGA is also relatively cheap, but it is an older standard, I'd recommend DVI or HDMI if your monitor supports it.

[MajesticFudgie]

Would this case be a suitable case for either of the setups mentioned?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/corsair-obsidian-750d-airflow-edition-black-full-tower-chassis-with-window-aluminium-steel-9x-expans?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKEAiAmY-3BRDh7pjvg46p1iYSJADQ78gNZUl361-YKqmYWQwzztzWCt8YDc1gT9LCTJ6zOJWEwRoCVbnw_wcB

 

It appears to have the ports on the front just as I liked and looks large enough.

My worry is putting a liquid cooler in, would it fit?

 

While writing this reply, I also got recommended this case:

https://www.nzxt.com/products/h440-black-windowless

 

Thanks Cldfire on Spigot's IRC

 

I REALLY REALLY like this one, however I'd probably find myself trying to fit in the strips next to the vents to light up the edges of the machine,

which would be my favourite type of lighting.

 

My worry with that case is fitting in liquid cooling.

 

I do want to have a liquid cooled CPU as I pushy my machine pretty hard.

I have no clue how its not died yet.

 

p.s. I've not read any replies between my last reply and this reply

[Ex0Thermic]

Both the Corsair 750D and NZXT H440 are great cases.

Both case will take a 240 rad/all in one water cooler with no problems

 

I'm using the 350D myself which is the 750D's little brother and i have a h100i in it.
if you google these cases you will see people have put some really nice builds in them

[MajesticFudgie]

The NZXT case will probably be the one I go for,

It looks really nice and sleek.

 

However If I choose to light it with RGB strips, how would I be able to do that?

I really want them to light up the vents nicely. But this makes me worry about how I could be affecting the cooling.

[HPWebcamAble]

6 minutes ago, MajesticFudgie said:

I really want them to light up the vents nicely. But this makes me worry about how I could be affecting the cooling.

You could get fans with LEDs in them.

 

By 'affect the cooling' do you mean the lights will generate heat or restrict airflow?

LEDs output almost no heat. And I doubt you could acutally change the case temp at all by sticking them in front of a fan.

See this LTT Video: 

 

[Ex0Thermic]

I'm not to sure how you would go about lighting up the vents.
from the reviews I have seen, you'll mostly block or restrict the air flow through the vents...

I've not build in a H440 myself so I'm just guessing; but maybe light up fans might be the way to go unless you want RGB ??

[MajesticFudgie]

Just now, HPWebcamAble said:

You could get fans with LEDs in them.

 

By 'affect the cooling' do you mean the lights will generate heat or restrict airflow?

LEDs output almost no heat. And I doubt you could acutally change the case temp at all by sticking them in front of a fan.

See this LTT Video: 

 

Oh, I'm referring to LED strips.

If I wanted to put them behind the vents or something so they'd effectively light the case.

but they could partially block the vents.

[MajesticFudgie]

I were thinking I could look at putting the lights on the underside of the inner lid and front panel.

they'd be pointing down across the vents. So they may not put out much light?

[HPWebcamAble]

1 hour ago, MajesticFudgie said:

Oh, I'm referring to LED strips.

If I wanted to put them behind the vents or something so they'd effectively light the case.

but they could partially block the vents.

Well, the video demonstrates that you could literally stick a few shirts and boxes in you computer without affecting the temperatures.

A few thin LED strips won't do anything.

 

In terms of light output, that's a good question. If you have a dark room, I'm sure it'll be very impressive, but during the day it won't be as noticeable. Maybe look up some videos on YouTube about LEDs in that case?

[MajesticFudgie]

Yeah.

Many thanks guys.

 

I'll follow up shortly with my proposed build. Hopefully a mix of both of your suggestions.

 

Regarding the RAM suggested. Whats the major difference? Packaging?

[MajesticFudgie]

I've combined some of the parts from both lists you guys have suggested me with some help from some friends of mine on an IRC Network.

 

This is what I've come up with:

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/hLJzzy

 

PC Part Picker doesnt spot any issues so I should be fine.

 

Will I need to buy anything extra such as cables and thermal paste?

[MajesticFudgie]

10 days later!

and 6 hours of building.

 

I've ran into a massive issue.

I've built the PC from all the parts I've ordered.

 

I've come to power it on to install the OS and such and it doesn't boot up.

Fans spin up, the motherboard lights up. everything seems to be online.

However the monitor doesn't see any signal. Nothing beeps or anything.

 

The machine just sits there doing nothing except being lit and spinning fans.

Any idea what could be the issue?

 

I've checked the seating of the GPU and its fine. It has plenty of power running to it. both hard drives are connected.

I'm completely lost.

 

I can only assume it doesn't like the amount of ram or the CPU is having an issue.

[MajesticFudgie]

I dont wish to bump this thread, but in the event anyone stumbles across it I'll provide some useful advice based on the build I went with.

 

I'd like to preface this post by thanking those helped me choose parts.
I ended up going with this selection of parts: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/TMFKSOFT/saved/mdgV3C

 

It's been over a year since I built the machine and so far it's served me absolutely fine with a few hiccups along the way.

 

Problem #1:

I resolved the non-booting issue, turned out I had to plug more than one power connector in. The CPU wasn't recieving enough power to boot the system.

A simple rookie mistake chatting to friends on IRC helped resolve this.

 

Resolution:

If you build a machine with a demanding CPU ensure you plug in both CPU1 and CPU2 power connectors.

 

Problem #2:

The motherboard I chose only has one USB 2.0 connector on that's spare. This I chose to plug my liquid cooler into.

Doing so resulted in having no headers to plug my NZXT Lighting strip into, the motherboard lacks any lighting headers and only had USB 3.0 headers remaining.

Luckily for me, my case has rubber gromits on the back that I were able to run cables out of (No idea the actual purpose, liquid cooling maybe?)

I chose to run a USB cable out of the back and into a free USB port in order to use my lighting (This is a bad idea, I caught the cable and destroyed my NZXT's USB port and ended up soldering on a USB port seperately in pure jank fashion in order to carry on using it)

 

Resolution:

I ran a USB cable out of my case and into a free USB port, a possible proper resolution would be some form of USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 header adapter. If you don't go with liquid cooling you'd be able to use the USB 2.0 header that the liquid cooler would be using for usb communication.

 

Problem #3:

This isn't much of a problem for most, I chose to not go with a DVD drive. This occasionally is a pain. It's a great idea if you want to declutter and not have DVDs and CDs hanging around as it pushes you to move towards digital distribution. However I occasionally have old disks with photos on that I can't read anymore and end up using my laptop to transfer them to my NAS. God forbid I purchase anything with a CD Installer (I'm thinking the usual Chinese junk)

 

Resolution:

Get a DVD drive and a case with a DVD drive slot. Even if you go for a case where the front opens and closes to reveal or hide the drive bay.

 

Pro's and Cons of my build:

The case is great and I couldn't be happier. It's a nice sleek case and I love it a ton because of this. The downside is that it's a larger case. I have plenty of space under my desk for the case but those who dont should really consider the size of the case they purchase.

 

Really heavily consider whether you're actually ready to make the full leap from physical media to digital media when it comes to games and films. If you choose to do this like I have, it may be worth investing in a USB DVD drive in the event you need to read a disk, then consider making a digital backup of that disk to access in future.

 

When buying parts not only ensure they're compatible but ensure you have enough connectors. In my case I fell short of one USB 2.0 header leading to a janky work around that ended up breaking my NZXT Hue+ (Which I then repaired in an even more janky way)

 

I ended up opting for a 1TB SDD, this is technically overkill but suits the fact I have a lot of programs. I'm really happy with my decision to get 5TB of secondary storage. This was a great idea and I've yet to fully fill all my storage. If you purchase a Samsung SSD you may be able to speed it up with the Samsung Magician application. My read/write speeds are pretty crazy now. Though this may shorten the lifespan of your SSD.

 

Conclusion:

Do your research heavily, it's a good idea finding compatible parts but its also another thing ensuring they'll actually go together. Nothing worse than buying parts and finding out you dont have enough space for them all. Really take a moment to decide if you're happy with your system and whether you still will be 12 months down the line. I am certainly happy although I'm left with a janky setup for my NZXT Hue+ and dealing with CD's is a chore.

 

After thoughts:

I enjoyed properly building my own system from scratch. I've built a few before from spare parts but generally always started out with a predefined CPU, Motherboard and PSU. It's a great experience to build something yourself that's unique. Few people out there have the same setup as I do. It's entirely custom and all mine.

 

I really recommend building your own system purely for that. Not everyone can make a wooden cabinet or repair a car or something complicated but a lot of people can slot parts together and have a working system. The satisfaction that is sitting back at the end of the day and playing your favourite game on a system you built cannot be put into words alone. It's a great feeling and experience.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Notes:

To those above, I thank you once again for helping me out. I recorded a build video which I really should edit. The audio was terrible and I decided to scrap the video in the end. However I should pull it out of the dirt and clean it up. Maybe some nice music, cuts and narration could do it justice.

 

Moderators, feel free to lock this thread. Apologies for bumping an old thread, I couldn't resist thanking those who helped and providing some advice for first time builders like myself. Admittely a large majority of the above is worth its own thread. However, this thread has served its purpose.

 

There's no promise I'll be posting my build video. I'd like to.

If I do, it can be found on posted on my LTT Forum profile along with images of my build.

 

The build video was recorded before I invested in a lot of camera gear that would've drastically improved the video and images I took.

 

You learn something new every day.