Kalm's no-compromises gaming-only rig?

[Kalm_Traveler]

Hey guys I have been MIA with school and traveling (prepping to move next summer) but I'll try to be active again for a bit. Still rocking the 7960x dual Titan RTX rig but I'm getting the yearly winter itch to make a new machine and kind of kicking myself for selling last winters 9900k + Titan RTX machine...

 

Anyway... I'm debating pulling the trigger on a new 9900ks-based rig to really go for a no-compromises best possible gaming rig for an early Christmas present and have a few questions that I bring to you guys for input if you don't mind.

 

1. MB selection - I've read about crappy VRMs, to be fair last years rig was using an Asus Maximus XI Code and it seemed fine running the direct-die 9900k at 5.2ghz all-core on 1.325v but I'd rather go for overbuilt if possible so I'm thinking to get the Extreme since it has more phases (and seems to be a more featured board all around). Will this be more than good enough? Shying away from an MSI board because I like Asus bios more.
2. As far as overclocking a 2080 Ti, am I understanding correctly that the Nvidia-imposed power limit can be higher if the card has 3 8-pin connectors instead of the standard 2? Asking because I want to get a 2080 Ti if it will be able to clock higher than the Titan RTX's I've been using since even after replacing the shunt resistors to increase actual max draw to 434w they are still power limited when I do benchmarks in sub-freezing ambient. If this theory is correct, which 2080 Ti would I want to go for that can be water cooled?
3. Case is proving difficult - I want/wanted to do 1 loop with 1 radiator and I already have two EK 480mm (120mm quad) XE rads laying around from my old Thermaltake Core X9 builds but the only two cases I can find still for sale that are designed to support one of them (not two) are some old Phanteks Enthoo that has non-removable HDD/ODD cages, and a Thermaltake Core x71. I don't mind going with the Core x71 but if there's another normalish-type case that could fit a very thick 480mm rad on the top or front I'd love suggestions.
4. Given that it's been nearly a year since Nvidia released a top end card, should I maybe wait until December to see if they release a tweaked 2080 Ti 'super' or Titan RTX 'super' type of card?

 

Anyway hope you all are doing well and look forward to your input. Not to offend any AMD folks but  I just want to make a total balls-to-the-wall best-possible-gaming rig so definitely sticking with the 9900k/ks and 2080 Ti / Titan RTX for this thing.

[Jurrunio]

1. Asus: Look, that's why a solid fan base is good. Why bother with muscular VRMs when some makeup will do

 

2. Kingpin 2080ti, I think LN2 BIOS goes up to 520w

[Kalm_Traveler]

47 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

1. Asus: Look, that's why a solid fan base is good. Why bother with muscular VRMs when some makeup will do

 

2. Kingpin 2080ti, I think LN2 BIOS goes up to 520w

haha I thought the Maximus XI Extreme has 'muscular VRMs' ? looking at the specs it seems like its 5 phase IR3555's are much better than the 4 phase SiC639 on the lower models (which I believe is what I had on the XI Code?) but point well taken. Honestly I've just never had any issues whatsoever with Asus boards, so they have loyalty from me for that.

 

ah yes the beloved Kingpin 2080 Ti. EVGA quit selling the waterblocks for it several months ago  

[Jurrunio]

1 minute ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

ah yes the beloved Kingpin 2080 Ti. EVGA quit selling the waterblocks for it several months ago  

they're watercooled themselves in the first place, guess that's not enough?

 

1 minute ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

haha I thought the Maximus XI Extreme has 'muscular VRMs' ? looking at the specs it seems like its 5 phase IR3555's are much better than the 4 phase SiC639 on the lower models (which I believe is what I had on the XI Code?) but point well taken. Honestly I've just never had any issues whatsoever with Asus boards, so they have loyalty from me for that.

Gigabyte and MSI flexes with their 8x2 phase TDA21462 (Xtreme & Godlike)

Asrock decides to bury its head into the sand

[Kalm_Traveler]

12 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

they're watercooled themselves in the first place, guess that's not enough?

 

Gigabyte and MSI flexes with their 8x2 phase TDA21462 (Xtreme & Godlike)

Asrock decides to bury its head into the sand

it does have the attached 240mm AIO, but that's not exactly compatible with a custom loop  as in the first post, my goal is to have everything running in a single loop with a single 480mm thick radiator (since I already have two of them laying around)

[Kalm_Traveler]

@Jurrunio what are your thoughts about the Cooler Master Cosmos C700P ? I was considering accepting defeat and going with a 2-radiator setup for this thing, and that looks like it might work fine with a 420mm rad up front and 240mm on the bottom (with the front plastic thing removed for half-decent airflow of course).

 

Also might just say screw it and get either a FE 2080 Ti to power mod and put a block on, or go the really lazy route with an EVGA block pre-installed FTW3...

[Jurrunio]

53 minutes ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

240mm on the bottom

why not the top?

 

53 minutes ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

Cooler Master Cosmos C700P

Big, stupid heavy (call me weak for not willing to lift a 50 pound case with maybe another 50 pounds worth of components and fluid), a ton of air filers... I dont see why not if you're going all out, just note that it's not just on money, but also on your body.

[Kalm_Traveler]

1 hour ago, Jurrunio said:

why not the top?

 

Big, stupid heavy (call me weak for not willing to lift a 50 pound case with maybe another 50 pounds worth of components and fluid), a ton of air filers... I dont see why not if you're going all out, just note that it's not just on money, but also on your body.

haha I do appreciate your commentary just fyi   my main rig is in the TT Tower 900 so I'm use to heavy.

As far as not the top... with bottom + front both as intake they will both pull in colder air and not be fighting thermodynamics (hot air wanting to rise and all that), if the 240 was on the top as intake it'd technically be pushing against the warmer air in the case from the front rad, though I guess with bottom exhaust fans that would still work well enough.

[Kalm_Traveler]

would it be stupid to have the 2080 Ti Kingpin on its 240 AIO and the 9900ks on a custom loop?

[Kalm_Traveler]

Having conflicting thoughts about this still. Ready to pull the trigger any time, but part of my brain is arguing that it seems a little silly to spend ~ $5k on a rig that while it would be in the category of "best possible gaming performance", would fall behind most other tasks to a Ryzen 3950x build. 

 

Granted my current main i9 7960x rig handles everything just fine (especially with 4.8-5ghz OC), so non-gaming isn't really the point if I make another PC.

 

Should I just stay focused on the purpose and not worry about it being sub-par at non-gaming use?