Dual Boot // Creative Workstation // Quiet Machine

[soopadrive]

Hey everyone, I've been an Apple user for 28 years, ever since I could hold my own sippy cup. This is the first time I've ever thought I could take on the task of building my own computer, thanks to countless hours of YouTube tutorials from the likes of Linus and others.

I've already ordered the parts with help from a build made on PCPartPicker, and the items are below:

NZXT H440 MidTower Chassis

Intel Core i5-4670k

EVGA GeForce GTX770 (02G-P4-3771-KR) w/ backplate

ASUS Sabertooth Z87

ASUS PB278Q

Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (4x4) 1866MHz

NZXT Kraken X60

Cooler Master V850

Phanteks PH-F140XP (x2) - for X60 cooler

Samsung 840 Pro 128GB (x2)

Seagate 2TB Solid State Hybrid Drive

Dual boot I'm looking at a Linux/OS X or Windows/OS X combo, we'll see. I'm a little intimidated with all the cabling and fan connections, I'll just have to take it one step at a time. Any advice, pointers, feedback, or smack for this first time builder? Thanks for this tremendous resource by the way, great site!

*Parts arrive Tuesday!

[helping]

Change that X60 to a PHTC14PE, NDH14, or DRP2/3

 

Get a non reference GPU if you're not going to put a G10 on it. No point in building a silent PC and throwing a leaf blower in it. In the event that you DO plan on buying a G10 bracket, ignore the previous statement and go with an X60 and h55/h60 or what have you low end AIO. 

 

Take the saved money from that X60 and put it towards a 2x8GB RAM kit. 

 

If you're buying two 840's to put in RAID0, don't bother. Buy one 256 or use the two 128's separate.

 

Other than that, looks good. 

[CartertheCOCguy]

If you want really quiet try an air cooler! The pump noise I hate on aio's

[Wtalk2]

Great part selection. I would love to see if a build log if you get a chance

Building a computer can be daunting but is quite easy as long as you read the instructions (Hell I am 13 and I can build one no problem )

For dual-booting as long as you already own a Apple computer so you can get a copy of OS X you should be fine, otherwise you may have some problems but I am sure everyone here at LTT is willing to help you with anything

[Tea1337]

Change that X60 to a PHTC14PE, NDH14, or DRP2/3

 

Get a non reference GPU if you're not going to put a G10 on it. No point in building a silent PC and throwing a leaf blower in it. 

 

Take the saved money from that X60 and put it towards a 2x8GB RAM kit. 

 

If you're buying two 840's to put in RAID0, don't bother. Buy one 256 or use the two 128's separate.

 

Other than that, looks good. 

He's already ordered the parts...

[helping]

He's already ordered the parts...

ffs

 

i usually make assumptions when I see a parts list in NB&P

 

 

 

 

well so much for that

[soopadrive]

Change that X60 to a PHTC14PE, NDH14, or DRP2/3

 

Get a non reference GPU if you're not going to put a G10 on it. No point in building a silent PC and throwing a leaf blower in it. In the event that you DO plan on buying a G10 bracket, ignore the previous statement and go with an X60 and h55/h60 or what have you low end AIO. 

 

Take the saved money from that X60 and put it towards a 2x8GB RAM kit. 

 

If you're buying two 840's to put in RAID0, don't bother. Buy one 256 or use the two 128's separate.

 

Other than that, looks good.

Thanks for the recommendations, I did get the reference card so I can eventually liquid cool it. For now, I've maxed my budget.

I researched that using two separate SSDs for a dual boot system is a better alternative to partitioning them--please correct me if I'm wrong. Otherwise I would have gladly went with the single SSD.

[EthanMcL]

Did you do your research to make sure those parts played nicely for a Hackintosh?  If one thing makes a hissy fit, you can be in for hours of pain trying to get that Hackintosh install to work perfectly.

 

I have been there.

[helping]

Thanks for the recommendations, I did get the reference card so I can eventually liquid cool it. For now, I've maxed my budget.

I researched that using two separate SSDs for a dual boot system is a better alternative to partitioning them--please correct me if I'm wrong. Otherwise I would have gladly went with the single SSD.

Yes that would probably work better. I wasn't sure if you were going to raid them or not. 

[EthanMcL]

The 2 SSDs would probably be best.  Dualbooting from the same SSD can sometimes be a pain.  Especially with a hackintosh involved.

[Wtalk2]

Did you do your research to make sure those parts played nicely for a Hackintosh?  If one thing makes a hissy fit, you can be in for hours of pain trying to get that Hackintosh install to work perfectly.

 

I have been there.

I don't know much about Hackintosh but I have heard it usually plays nicely with Intel and Nvidia

 

PS: I also think it would be a good idea to have 1 SSD for just Windows or Linux and 1 for just OS X to avoid confusion

[soopadrive]

If you want really quiet try an air cooler! The pump noise I hate on aio's

Yea I really considered an air cooler for the longest time. If the pump noise is too much, I will return and go with an air cooler.

Thanks!

[EthanMcL]

I don't know much about Hackintosh but I have heard it usually plays nicely with Intel and Nvidia

That very much could be true!  I haven't done a Hackintosh in ~3 years so lots of things could have changed!  Best of luck to the OP, and PM me if you hit any roadblocks.  I could try to help or at least point you in the right direction!

[soopadrive]

Did you do your research to make sure those parts played nicely for a Hackintosh?  If one thing makes a hissy fit, you can be in for hours of pain trying to get that Hackintosh install to work perfectly.

 

I have been there.

Yes, thank you for asking. I am reasonably confident through other user builds I've seen online. I have not seen any Hackintosh builds with the X60, otherwise other parts do appear compatible with Hackintosh sites I've used to help in my research efforts. The GTX 770 would be fully compatible with the latest release of Mavericks.

[CartertheCOCguy]

Yea I really considered an air cooler for the longest time. If the pump noise is too much, I will return and go with an air cooler.

Thanks!

the noctua nh-d14s should have similar performance to the x60 :-)

[Wtalk2]

the noctua nh-d14s should have similar performance to the x60 :-)

Yep the Noctua NH-D14 is a great cooler, same with the Phanteks PH-TC14PE.

[soopadrive]

the noctua nh-d14s should have similar performance to the x60 :-)

The Noctua's were definitely on my radar, I think the only thing that prevented me from going with an elaborate air cooler like the d14 is the high profile ram modules--I was worried it might not fit. It wouldn't have been world changing for me to swap out the platinum's with a lower profile module, my wife thought the platinum's might give it a nice clean look versus the Vengeance LP series.

Thanks for the feedback!

[CartertheCOCguy]

The Noctua's were definitely on my radar, I think the only thing that prevented me from going with an elaborate air cooler like the d14 is the high profile ram modules--I was worried it might not fit. It wouldn't have been world changing for me to swap out the platinum's with a lower profile module, my wife thought the platinum's might give it a nice clean look versus the Vengeance LP series.

Thanks for the feedback!

the lp's still look pretty sick if you have 4 moduals