Node 304 Virtualizaiton Lab/Gaming Build

[ejm_110]

Budget: US$1500 (estimate)

 

Location: Japan, all items will be bought from amazon.co.jp

 

Aim/Purpose: Virtualization Lab (XenServer and/or ESXI as Hypervisor/OS on HDD), Gaming, Overclocking just for fun

 

Monitors: 1 display @1920x1080

 

Misc constraints:

1 SDD for windows

HDD not required, have a spare lying around

cd/dvd/bd drive not required

monitor not required

peripherals not required 

must be small (mini-itx), should fit on check-in luggage

must be quiet

GPU will be bought separately on different time

Air Cooled

small psu size, reference size is corsair cx series

will not use node 304 fan controller, all PWM

 

The Build:

CPU: Intel Haswell i5-4670K

Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

MOBO: Gigabyte Z87N-WIFI Mini-ITX

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8) DDR3-1600

PSU: Corsair CX600M 80+ Bronze Semi Modular

SSD: Samsung 840 120GB

Case: Fractal Design Node 304

Case Fans: 2x Gelid Silent 80mm PWM for intake, 1x Gelid Silent 140mm PWM for exhaust and some PWM splitter cables.

 

GPU: Asus DirectCU GTX770 *not priority, will wait on AMD 9XXXX.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1rKq3

 

Some of other brands/products are not available in this country so I am kinda stuck on these brands I chose.

 

Question 1: Is it okay to use pwm splitter to an exhaust and a cpu fan?

Question 2: Should I dedicate a fan header to cpu fan?

Question 3: What really is the difference between system fan header and cpu fan header? Do they detect same temps? or System for case temp and cpu on cpu temps only

Question 4: If you are doing this build for same purpose, what would you name it?

 

I am very open on critics, suggestions and questions too. I know that colors will not pair good.

 

Okay, what would I play? For now SimCity(don't laugh), probably BF4 and good games on the future. Priority is Virtual lab.

[MrSuperb]

Q1: yes

Q2: I would. The node 304 has a simple voltage fan control, that you could use with your case fans

Q3: I have the Z77n-Wifi. The difference is only that the CPU fan header uses the CPU temp and the sys header uses the system temp (I guess chispet temperature?).

[davidvu396]

I'd suggest a better PSU.

[ejm_110]

Q1: yes

Q2: I would. The node 304 has a simple voltage fan control, that you could use with your case fans

Q3: I have the Z77n-Wifi. The difference is only that the CPU fan header uses the CPU temp and the sys header uses the system temp (I guess chispet temperature?).

 

That was pretty informative. Thank you very much for you answers.

 

I'd suggest a better PSU.

 

What and why?

 

Please take note of this:

 

 

Misc constraints:

1 SDD for windows

HDD not required, have a spare lying around

cd/dvd/bd drive not required

monitor not required

peripherals not required 

must be small (mini-itx), should fit on check-in luggage

must be quiet

GPU will be bought separately on different time

Air Cooled

small psu size, reference size is corsair cx series

will not use node 304 fan controller, all PWM

 

 

[ejm_110]

bump

[NERV]

For the PSU you could try the Silverstone Strider Plus since it's pretty small and get the short cable kit to help with cable management.

 

Although I am not sure if they have those on amazon.co.jp  :(

[WoodenMarker]

I'd suggest a better PSU.

His current psu is fine.

 

Have you considered the 7970? It's nearly neck to neck with the 770, has more vram, and is significantly cheaper.

[ejm_110]

For the PSU you could try the Silverstone Strider Plus since it's pretty small and get the short cable kit to help with cable management.

 

Although I am not sure if they have those on amazon.co.jp  :(

 

I did consider that one first but the placement of plugs are better on the Corsair one. Thank you for input.

 

 

His current psu is fine.

 

Have you considered the 7970? It's nearly neck to neck with the 770, has more vram, and is significantly cheaper.

 

No not yet, I am quite locked on Nvidia. I will buy GPU later on, possibly December or January. By that time AMD 9xxx series is already released, I will then reconsider which GPU to buy. Thank you for inputs.

[davidvu396]

That was pretty informative. Thank you very much for you answers.

 

 

What and why?

 

Please take note of this:

CX series of corsair are the basic models. I'd rather spend a bit more on the PSU because u mainly have high end products. ans since the psu is powering all of these, i would spend a bit more on better ones. Plus, i heard that the CX series have coilwhine.

[WoodenMarker]

CX series of corsair are the basic models. I'd rather spend a bit more on the PSU because u mainly have high end products. ans since the psu is powering all of these, i would spend a bit more on better ones. Plus, i heard that the CX series have coilwhine.

Just because they are basic doesn't mean they are bad. The CX line has very solid psus. The CX series does not inherently have coil whine and it can happen to any psu.

[QuadrupleDeke]

How sure are you that the Gigabyte Z87N-WIFI has enough room between the CPU socket and the PCIe slot to ensure that the Hyper 212 EVO won't touch the GPU? I've seen some reports that it touches and some reports that it doesn't, but either way it's very very close. Finding a decent mITX Z87 board that allows for a 120mm cpu air cooler is proving very difficult.