Planning my 2020-2030 build

[Okjoek]

I've been running this i5 3450 for ~6 years now. It originally came as part of an Alienware X51 pre-built system, but the original MB, GPU and HDD all bought the farm and I was forced to evolve the system into the cheapo ATX tower it is today.

 

As 2020 nears I would like to build a new system just before the dawn of the new decade with the intention of it seeing me through to 2030 with or without repairs along the way. My goal is just that the same CPU will be working by the end of the journey. So I'm betting some hope on AMD to launch Zen 2 before the end of 2019 with an 8 or even 12 core mainstream platform CPU.

 

Case:

I want this build to be professional looking. Almost like a sleeper, but I do want a window. I also want something cheap and easy/ low risk to mod.

My current best contestant is this:

https://www.amazon.com/ROSEWILL-Computer-computer-transparent-FBM-X1/dp/B072F29JP4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1521218278&sr=8-8&keywords=matx+case

Using my Dremel I will likely cut out some of the front drive cage to make GPU and front case fan installation/modding easier.

I would also like to add carrying handle(s). Possibly something like this:

https://mnpctech.com/pc-case-lan-party-gaming-carry-top-server-tower-handles/pc-bar-handles-black.html

 

I will also be using a white LED strip of some kind to keep with the professional look ( I don't want RGB or any "gamer" aesthetics. That modding site I linked above has some white LEDs, but I'm curious if you guys recommend anything different.

 

Air Cooler:

For cooling I want something like the popular Hyper 212, but smaller and a little cheaper. Any suggestions?

[Crunchy Dragon]

8 minutes ago, Okjoek said:

8 or even 12 core mainstream platform CPU.

Ryzen 7 is technically mainstream platform. In all honestly, even a Ryzen 5 1600 should last a decade, I'd be incredibly disappointed if it didn't. Last I heard, Zen 2 was coming in April so you should be in luck, although I doubt AMD will double core counts.

[emosun]

Build/buy a server if you want a guaranteed 10 years of service. That's what they are designed to handle.

 

While it's obviously not impossible for consumer grade hardware to still work after 10 years , it's usually very slow. Servers tend to be far more upgradable and get faster as time go on as programs/operating systems support more and more cpu's and cores.

if you can find a quad socket board and run it with a single cpu , then add more and more cpu's to it as the years go on that'll ensure it can still keep pace.

a 10 year old server today would be something like a dual socket 771 system which would be much faster than a single 775 system from the same time.

[Liquid_Z]

2020 is nearly 2 years away... Tech will change by then and there will be new cases, water cooling options and more available by that time. Not sure how much help anyone can really be hear except provide some general tips. Might be better to record your journey on a blog? Anyway, best of luck on your pursuit though and happy building.

[Astrotek]

I think it is hard to plan that far ahead. You cannot predict the future of where tech is going or even how fast it will get there. I have an 8700k and a GTX 1070, I hope this lasts me a good 5 years or so at my current 1080p gameplay. That 1070 might not always carry 1080p though. One day new particle rendering or texture resolution increases might make it not good enough to power my gaming needs. 

[Mnpctech]

Wow, I really like that mini case, wonder if anyone's done a review on it yet? 

 

and good choice for the handles ;-)

[Okjoek]

On 3/16/2018 at 2:50 PM, Liquid_Z said:

2020 is nearly 2 years away... Tech will change by then and there will be new cases, water cooling options and more available by that time. Not sure how much help anyone can really be hear except provide some general tips. Might be better to record your journey on a blog? Anyway, best of luck on your pursuit though and happy building.

Oh, I'm never going to water cool. As for cases I mean it's possible, but I don't expect anything groundbreaking for mATX fast forward a year from now. IDK if it's just me, but mATX doesn't seem to get that much love. I think all the enthusiasts want SFF (ITX) stuff or HEDT ATX stuff.

On 3/16/2018 at 3:35 PM, Astrotek said:

I think it is hard to plan that far ahead. You cannot predict the future of where tech is going or even how fast it will get there. I have an 8700k and a GTX 1070, I hope this lasts me a good 5 years or so at my current 1080p gameplay. That 1070 might not always carry 1080p though. One day new particle rendering or texture resolution increases might make it not good enough to power my gaming needs. 

I think it depends on what applications your computer runs and what performance you expect. I'm extremely minimalistic and easy to please. I'll wait and see AMD's next GPU line, but for now a 75W GPU with 4GB of GDDR5 to me has been a fantastic replacement for the GTX 555  that died from the alienware prebuilt that my CPU came from.

7 hours ago, Mnpctech said:

Wow, I really like that mini case, wonder if anyone's done a review on it yet? 

 

and good choice for the handles ;-)

I found one of this exact case that looks like they might have used some of your fan grills in a mod:

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/3FP323

Spoiler

 

Ed from Techsource made a build in one too:

And here's the only actual review I found:

Only other "mods" I have planned are to get something like this:

Cause I can't tell you how much cringe it brings to look up at my PC and see that power cord arcing downward to the floor from the PSU's position at the top of my case.

 

I might also might consider instead of getting a better SD card reader + USB hub get one that could occupy the 5.25" drive bay at the front of the case like this: