Help me create a beast.

[Inspirational]

Hello amazing community!

I need help building a desktop!

 

Information about myself, and how I plan on using the desktop:

Hello! I am a young graphics designer which means that I use software such as Photoshop and Illustrator on a regular basis. I also make video renderings with Sony Vegas. With that being said, I am also a gamer. I want a graphics card, CPU, and RAM that can handle having multiple heavy software open at once such as Photoshop running in the background with a video being rendered at the same time, and still be able to use the computer without lag. Now it doesn't have to be perfect, I know rendering really kills the speed of a computer, but I hope you get what I mean. I want to be able to multitask without having to worry too much about the computer slowing down.

I also want to be able to finally run games on max settings. The new Battlefield 1 game is coming out soon, and I really look forward to playing it, on max settings. I also want the graphics card and CPU to last a long time without needing to upgrade it. Therefore I am willing to spend a large percentage of the money on those 2 parts. 

I assume that the multitasking will require a decent amount of RAM and a multi-threading CPU such as the Intel Core i7 (what about Intel Core i5?). The games will require a decent GPU to run them on max settings.

 

 

 

So recap:

• A pc that will (reasonably) last the test of time.
• A pc that can play new AAA games on max settings.
• A pc that can multitask with heavy software running in the background (for my profession).
• I am in Australia!

 

Information on Specs:

• Budget
  • $2500 AUD
  • $2350 AUD with operating system...
     
• Monitor
  • Around $200 AUD (it can go above or lower)
  • 22-24 inches in size.
  • Slim with the least amount of plastic on the sides such as this:
    <  https://www.pccasegear.com/products/36461/aoc-i2481fxh-23-8in-slim-widescreen-ips-monitor >
     
• CPU
  • Intel Core preferably - I don't know, Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7?
     
• Cooling System
  • I don't know if I should get a fan (that isn't the stock one the CPU comes with) or go for water cooling... Please advise me on this dilemma with consideration to what I want from my desktop.
     
• Graphics Card
  • I prefer Nvidia (happy with their performance + customer loyalty :P)
  • I want the majority (%) of the money going into a strong GPU.
     
• RAM
  • Minimum 8GB.
     
• Motherboard
  • A strong motherboard that will last a long time (in terms of outdated performance)
     
• Tower
  • Minimum mid tower size
  • I want really good airflow
  • I don't care about aesthetic appeal (I did last time, but it turns out that the majority of the time, you look at your monitor, not your tower. Shocking news, I know!)
  • Preferably a cheap costing tower.
     
• Keyboard
  • Cheap (under $60 AUD), but not risky quality, as I plan on using it for years...
  • I honestly don't care about a fancy keyboard or one that makes the clicking sound.
  • Must have some sort of lighting so I can see the keyboard letters at night time if the lights are closed.
  • Preferably has some sort of etc keys that can be keybinded (those macro ones) - only preferred, not a must.
  • It must have a numpad.
  • I found this one, let me know what you think about it 
    <  https://www.pccasegear.com/products/29701/tt-esports-challenger-prime-gaming-keyboard >
     
• Harddrive
  • I want to have both a solid state drive and a normal hard drive.
  • The SSD I want to be about 100GB.
  • Harddrive minimum 750GB.
     
• All the other components such as the internet chip etc.
  • Things such as power supply
  • Note this desktop will be using Wifi, not cable
  • I already own a mouse and mousepad!
  • Etc

[Zach TOm]

PCPartPicker part list: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/cDtmD8
Price breakdown by merchant: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/cDtmD8/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($463.00 @ Shopping Express) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($99.00 @ CPL Online) 
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($235.00 @ IJK) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($99.00 @ Newegg Australia) 
Storage: Kingston Savage 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($195.00 @ Umart) 
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING Video Card  ($649.00 @ CPL Online) 
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case  ($145.00 @ Centre Com) 
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($149.00 @ PCCaseGear) 
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN3800 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Adapter  ($39.00 @ CPL Online) 
Monitor: BenQ RL2460HT 24.0" 60Hz Monitor  ($139.00 @ CPL Online) 
Total: $2212.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-21 16:16 AEST+1000

[Zach TOm]

and then get this k65 rgb, better quality than that one. https://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35424&cPath=257&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=export_feed#googlebase

[Inspirational]

On 21/09/2016 at 4:18 PM, Zach TOm said:

and then get this k65 rgb, better quality than that one. https://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35424&cPath=257&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=export_feed#googlebase

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks! I'll check out all the recommendations!  However, that keyboard doesn't have a numpad, which I really need. 

[Zyndo]

This is a bit over budget, but based on your description of what you want, this is the computer you need. Its going to run you a bit over budget, but not much. I know you said you didn't care for aesthetics, but as it so happens I was able to arrange a good looking black and white build without sacrificing money or performance, so i figured why not. This build doesn't have a keyboard, but those should be reasonably cheap and i left them up to you since I don't know exactly what you need. Your wireless is built into the motherboard. I know you said you wanted most of your money spent on a GPU, but with a monitor budget of roughly 200 AUD, that limits you to 1080p at 60hz. a GTX 1060 can max out any game on a monitor like that (the highest preset at least), so its all the horsepower you need in that area. the benefit of having a cheaper GPU is now your CPU has 6 cores, 12 threads, and should be a really good investment for what you desire, especially if you overclock (which you really should do). 32GB of RAM should help with your production and heavy multi-tasking as well an SSD paired with 3TB of mass storage should be enough for whatever it is you are doing on your computer. Your monitor has slim bezels as requested, and is an IPS panel (bonus). There is a cheaper option from BenQ if you don't care about IPS or don't want an IPS monitor or wanna save some money (about $50 cheaper).

 

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/X2h6D8

 

@Inspirational Like i said, you are a little over budget (by about ~100 AUD) but based on what you asked for, this is the computer you need. The only thing you're really missing is some faster RAM. for about an extra 50-70 AUD (about the same cost difference if you switch to the non-IPS BenQ monitor) you could get some 3200MHz RAM which could help you out in some of your CPU bound or multitasking situations: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/product/ZBjWGX/corsair-vengeance-lpx-32gb-4-x-8gb-ddr4-3200-memory-cmk32gx4m4b3200c16w

For reference, this is the BenQ monitor to which I am referring: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/product/DjPfrH/benq-monitor-ew2440l

[zMeul]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($422.00 @ Shopping Express) 
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H170 Performance ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($149.00 @ IJK) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($249.00 @ IJK) 
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($122.00 @ Umart) 
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($89.00 @ IJK) 
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING Video Card  ($649.00 @ CPL Online) 
Case: Thermaltake Chaser A71 ATX Full Tower Case  ($79.00 @ CPL Online) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($145.00 @ CPL Online) 
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($129.00 @ Umart) 
Wireless Network Adapter: Intel 7260HMWDTX1 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter  ($79.00 @ CPL Online) 
Monitor: Asus MX239H 23.0" Monitor  ($289.00 @ CPL Online) 
Total: $2401.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-21 16:44 AEST+1000

[Inspirational]

Hello everyone! Thanks for the interest! 

After hours and hours of research and comparing (with all of your recommendations + my friends' recommendations) I have come to this build:

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/sDV6QV

 

It is not final, and I am still looking for ways of saving money on it... Also, I need a case too.

Please let me know what you think, and where I can improve this build (in terms of money/efficiency)!

[antondan]

5 hours ago, Inspirational said:

Hello everyone! Thanks for the interest! 

After hours and hours of research and comparing (with all of your recommendations + my friends' recommendations) I have come to this build:

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/sDV6QV

 

It is not final, and I am still looking for ways of saving money on it... Also, I need a case too.

Please let me know what you think, and where I can improve this build (in terms of money/efficiency)!

Here are my thoughts (Wow the fact that it's AUD is really confusing): 

• Good CPU choice
• Cooler is pretty good. 
• I think the mobo is a bit overblown. You wont use 4 Sata3 nor 2 sata express, unless you plan to add more high speed drives in the future. 
• RAM is too slow for a power build with your needs. 3200 or 3000Mhz would do better
• SSD is solid. Regaring the HDD, any reason you chose Toshiba over WD? Cause I've been using WD since forever and they've never failed me, I trust them more. 
• Nice GPU choice. 
• PSU is a bit of an overkill, you can save some money there.
• That wireless adapter is quite expensive. You could get a cheaper one. 
• With your job I would buy a better monitor. Sadly at your budget a Widescreen 21:9 monitor isn't an option but it would be nice if you could afford one. 
• The corsair K70 is an amazing kb (in fact I own the exact one you picked). But I think you could save some money by getting the Quickfire TK and invest somewhere else. 

What do you think of this?

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/TwdDjc

 

• I got a cheaper mobo. It's pretty much the same with the one you picked but has 2 Sata 6GB/s and one Sata Express (instead of 4 and 2) but I don't think you'll be limited in any way. 
• I upgraded your ram to 3200Mhz from 2133MHz it should help quite a bit. 
• I changed the HDD from Toshiba to WD. Same price, but honestly I trust WD a bit more. (You can change it back if you wish)
• Got a PSU with same or better quality, lower price but less power output. 
• Slightly downgraded the Wireless adapter. You could downgrade even more without having any problems.
• Grabbed a much better display, however at 269$ it's your choice whether you'd like to keep it. 
• Got the Quickfire TK instead. Quite less expensive, still mechanical, still backlit but does not have an aluminum "front" plate or media keys. (You can select a different switch type if you wish but I went with blues since you chose blues for your k70)

So you should now have faster memory and a better display but it's 20$ cheaper. Still no case though. Maybe you should look at some Fractal Design and Corsair cases, see if you find something you like. 

[Inspirational]

1 hour ago, antondan said:

What do you think of this?

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/TwdDj

 

 

Hello! The list I had there is was a tad out-dated, as I had made a few changes to it. 

This is my latest build set-up. Keep in mind that my budget is $2500 AUD.

 

Looking at what you have said...I decided to ditch the idea of getting a AIO liquid cooling unit as the cheap liquid cooling units are prone to breaking down, and I am building this PC to last a long time. Ultimately, after installation, I don't plan on opening the case for years (with the exception of cleaning). With that being said, I am currently looking for a CPU fan that is max $120 AUD. I want it to be the best one possible, and don't care if it sounds like a jet engine. As long as it fits in the case and doesn't clash with any of the other parts (like the RAM, some fans are too big), then I am happy. My main concerns are performance and reliability. I have no interest in the aesthetic appeal of parts that go inside of the tower. So if you know of any that fit my needs, please let me know!

 

Moving on... I'm still new to building PC's and so I am not fully aware of how motherboards work... Could you explain to me what the SATA 6/GB and SATA Express does? Also, if you haven't already, have a look at my current build (the one linked in this post [first paragraph]) and let me know if everything can connect into the PC. Make sure everything has the right amount of cables, room, power etc... Also, for your information, I plan on initially running 1 SSD, and 1 hard drive. However, I also have another hard drive from awhile back that I may connect in the near future... 

 

Yes! Max out that RAM!

 

Yea I had changed the hard drives from the one you had seen... Starting with the SSD, instead of going for Samsung, A member of the forums found another brand that is apparently also reliable, for about double the storage, but same price. Along with this, I changed the HDD to a Western Digital one.

 

Coincidentally, we had the exact same PSU lol. 

 

As for wireless adapter... I'm not sure how to work around it. The one you found is $10 cheaper, and if that's the case, I might as well put in the $10 and get the best one that will probably be stronger and last a longer time right? I'll probably stick to the current one, unless you convince me otherwise.

 

As for the Monitor, I went for something that is about 24", has a response time of under 5ms, supports 16:9 ratio, minimum 60hz, and 1080p. I thought this would be the best one underneath a 4k monitor... With that being said, I also really liked the design of the current one as there is minimal plastic on the sides of the monitor. I had a look at the one you suggested, however, it's about the same as my one, just more expensive... Oh and it also has a better design. You said that it was a "much better display," but it is 1ms slower than the one I had, and quite expensive... So what's making that display "much better"? Let me know (in a little bit more detail) why you chose that monitor.

 

As for the keyboard, I did heaps of research and looked around at the prices etc. I finally came to the conclusion that I am willing to spend $170 on a keyboard. With that, I found the K70 which I really like the design of, and you can't really go wrong with Corsair either. 

 

Also do check out the tower that I am planning on purchasing. It's in the link I provided.

 

Thanks for your interest!

[antondan]

5 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Moving on... I'm still new to building PC's and so I am not fully aware of how motherboards work... Could you explain to me what the SATA 6/GB and SATA Express does?

Sata 6 Gb/s is SATA 3. It basically is a connection with a higher speed than SATA 2 (@ 3Gb/s). What does that mean? Well if you connected your SSD on SATA2 the connection would throttle it, since it supports up to about 300MB/s (megabytes per second) and the SSD is faster than that. However a normal and especially an older HDD could be connected with a SATA 2 interface while experiencing close to none impact on performance. 
Sata Express is something even more advanced (even thought it's dying because of the M.2 interface drives), its meant to be used with certain PCIe SSDs and can achieve even greater speeds. 

 

16 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Yea I had changed the hard drives from the one you had seen... Starting with the SSD, instead of going for samsung, I found another brand that is apparently also reliable, for about double the storage, but same price. Along with this, I changed the HDD to a Western Digital one.

 

Not a bad choice. ADATA drives are ones that I frequently recommend (mainly on low budget builds), they are reliable but you should expect less performance than the Samsung 850 EVO in return for that extra storage space.
 

18 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Along with this, I changed the HDD to a Western Digital one.

Good choice, WD and Hitachi drives have great reputation and I trust them too.  
 

19 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Coincidentally, we had the exact same PSU lol. 

 

Yup, it's a great PSU. 

 

20 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

As for wireless adapter... I'm not sure how to work around it. The one you found is $10 cheaper, and if that's the case, I might as well put in the $10 and get the best one that will probably be stronger and last a longer time right? I'll probably stick to the current one, unless you convince me otherwise.

The thing with wireless adapters is the more you pay, the more features you get.  For example when it comes to a motherboard you probably wont gain performance but you'll get stuff like more PCIe lanes, more SATA3 and USB3 ports, inbuilt wireless adapters, RGB lighting and more. But, do you need these features or will you be wasting money?
The reason I picked an adapter only 10$ cheaper is because I didn't know which of these features you would need. For casual use such as connecting to a simple WiFi router and surfing the web, playing online games etc you could get away with a 40$ receiver and still get keep the reliability.

That is however how far my knowledge on this matter extends, I would prefer if one person with more experience regarding wireless network adapters suggested a quality adapter suiting your exact needs without that resulting in you blowing your money away. 

 

28 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

So what's making that display "much better"? Let me know (in a little bit more detail) why you chose that monitor.

Monitors belong in the same category as headphones and speakers regarding their quality. And by that I mean you cannot compare monitors by comparing their numbers and looks, yes it's an important factor but the fact that one monitor has 2million more colors in its spectrum and has lower response time doesn't make it better than the second one. 
It's the actual image quality and color accuracy that makes it better, especially for artists and content producers. 

Now let me get into a bit more detail, I chose the LG monitor for the following reasons:

• I trust LG more. They have more experience and keep creating amazing displays. Especially at that budget (at more expensive monitors there is much more competition), whenever I compared an LG monitor to another one of the same price (let alone lower) it came out with a better overall image quality. 
• LGs policy regarding burnt pixels, I know of cases with friends and relatives that received a display that had one or more burnt pixels. LG immediately, complete replaced them. So it's a thing to consider when buying a monitor even if it is not by any means the most important factor.
• The stand. That AOC stand looked really flimsy, I have not used that monitor but it looks like a monitor that would shake during "intensive" gaming sessions and that can cause stuff like nausea or simple discomfort. This is not a fact but a concern. 

Yes, me saying it's a "much better display" may have been overblown, but I still believe it's a better monitor. One other thing you can do is grab what you picked, or an even cheaper monitor and then upgrade to a 21:9 monitor, something like this for example. But it's your call, it wont impact performance so in the end you should choose what monitor suits your need the most.
 

1 hour ago, Inspirational said:

As for the keyboard, I did heaps of research and looked around at the prices etc. I finally came to the conclusion that I am willing to spend $170 on a keyboard. With that, I found the K70 which I really like the design of, and you can't really go wrong with Corsair. 

 Well indeed it's an amazing keyboard. 

 

1 hour ago, Inspirational said:

Also do check out the tower that I am planning on purchasing. It's in the link I provided.

Remember, the new k processors do NOT come with a stock cooler so you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler. Since you don't care about looks, maybe something like this? It will probably interfere with one of your RAM slots so if you plan on buying 2 more ram stick in the future (for a total of 4 ram sticks) you'll have to remove one of the fans or reorient your cooler. 

That's a bit weird choice for a case. You have black and red components, red leds on your keyboard but the case has green leds? But otherwise it looks great, it has room for gable mangement, detachable filters and overall a nice design. There is a grey and red version of that exact tower, but it's ... grey so your call. 

 

 

[AdmiralMeowmix]

8 hours ago, Inspirational said:

Hello! The list I had there is was a tad out-dated, as I had made a few changes to it. 

This is my latest build set-up. Keep in mind that my budget is $2500 AUD.

 

Looking at what you have said...I decided to ditch the idea of getting a AIO liquid cooling unit as the cheap liquid cooling units are prone to breaking down, and I am building this PC to last a long time. Ultimately, after installation, I don't plan on opening the case for years (with the exception of cleaning). With that being said, I am currently looking for a CPU fan that is max $120 AUD. I want it to be the best one possible, and don't care if it sounds like a jet engine. As long as it fits in the case and doesn't clash with any of the other parts (like the RAM, some fans are too big), then I am happy. My main concerns are performance and reliability. I have no interest in the aesthetic appeal of parts that go inside of the tower. So if you know of any that fit my needs, please let me know!

 

Moving on... I'm still new to building PC's and so I am not fully aware of how motherboards work... Could you explain to me what the SATA 6/GB and SATA Express does? Also, if you haven't already, have a look at my current build (the one linked in this post [first paragraph]) and let me know if everything can connect into the PC. Make sure everything has the right amount of cables, room, power etc... Also, for your information, I plan on initially running 1 SSD, and 1 hard drive. However, I also have another hard drive from awhile back that I may connect in the near future... 

 

Yes! Max out that RAM!

 

Yea I had changed the hard drives from the one you had seen... Starting with the SSD, instead of going for Samsung, A member of the forums found another brand that is apparently also reliable, for about double the storage, but same price. Along with this, I changed the HDD to a Western Digital one.

 

Coincidentally, we had the exact same PSU lol. 

 

As for wireless adapter... I'm not sure how to work around it. The one you found is $10 cheaper, and if that's the case, I might as well put in the $10 and get the best one that will probably be stronger and last a longer time right? I'll probably stick to the current one, unless you convince me otherwise.

 

As for the Monitor, I went for something that is about 24", has a response time of under 5ms, supports 16:9 ratio, minimum 60hz, and 1080p. I thought this would be the best one underneath a 4k monitor... With that being said, I also really liked the design of the current one as there is minimal plastic on the sides of the monitor. I had a look at the one you suggested, however, it's about the same as my one, just more expensive... Oh and it also has a better design. You said that it was a "much better display," but it is 1ms slower than the one I had, and quite expensive... So what's making that display "much better"? Let me know (in a little bit more detail) why you chose that monitor.

 

As for the keyboard, I did heaps of research and looked around at the prices etc. I finally came to the conclusion that I am willing to spend $170 on a keyboard. With that, I found the K70 which I really like the design of, and you can't really go wrong with Corsair either. 

 

Also do check out the tower that I am planning on purchasing. It's in the link I provided.

 

Thanks for your interest!

if you want a good cooler the Cryorig R1 Ultimate  is rather good especially for the price. Noctua will obviously make the best of the best but unless you like their ugly color scheme the cyrorig one can outperform some AIO's

[Inspirational]

10 hours ago, antondan said:

Sata 6 Gb/s is SATA 3. It basically is a connection with a higher speed than SATA 2 (@ 3Gb/s). What does that mean? Well if you connected your SSD on SATA2 the connection would throttle it, since it supports up to about 300MB/s (megabytes per second) and the SSD is faster than that. However a normal and especially an older HDD could be connected with a SATA 2 interface while experiencing close to none impact on performance. 
Sata Express is something even more advanced (even thought it's dying because of the M.2 interface drives), its meant to be used with certain PCIe SSDs and can achieve even greater speeds. 

6

I see. So in my case I would need one that has 2 SATA3 cables for my main SSD and HDD, and one spare SATA2 cable for my HDD that I may add in the future? Also, just a quick question, when installing the OS onto a new desktop, should I use the SSD as the main storage unit (for system applications etc), and install anything else (such as my own software) onto the HDD? So basically, should I run the OS from the SSD or HDD?

I assume software that will require good speeds should be installed onto the SSD too: such as Photoshop and AAA games. 

10 hours ago, antondan said:

The thing with wireless adapters is the more you pay, the more features you get.  For example when it comes to a motherboard you probably wont gain performance but you'll get stuff like more PCIe lanes, more SATA3 and USB3 ports, inbuilt wireless adapters, RGB lighting and more. But, do you need these features or will you be wasting money?
The reason I picked an adapter only 10$ cheaper is because I didn't know which of these features you would need. For casual use such as connecting to a simple WiFi router and surfing the web, playing online games etc you could get away with a 40$ receiver and still get keep the reliability.
 

At the end of the day, I am simply looking for a wireless adapter that will give me fast connections (since I cannot use cable), is reliable and will hopefully last a long time without needing an upgrade/repair... I don't really care about any "features" that it may come with. I just want a strong connection.

10 hours ago, antondan said:

Yes, me saying it's a "much better display" may have been overblown, but I still believe it's a better monitor. One other thing you can do is grab what you picked, or an even cheaper monitor and then upgrade to a 21:9 monitor, something like this for example. But it's your call, it wont impact performance so in the end you should choose what monitor suits your need the most.
 

I liked the one that you originally linked, however, the price would really kill me. Also, keep in mind that I don't really care about the size of the monitor. I am perfectly fine with sitting on a 24" screen for the rest of my life. I have been using a 14" screen for 4 years now (I have a laptop). So that's why I would prefer to have a "decently" sized monitor - 24" - with a sleek design (minimal plastic on the edges) and really crisp display.

10 hours ago, antondan said:

Remember, the new k processors do NOT come with a stock cooler so you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler. Since you don't care about looks, maybe something like this? It will probably interfere with one of your RAM slots so if you plan on buying 2 more ram stick in the future (for a total of 4 ram sticks) you'll have to remove one of the fans or reorient your cooler. 

 

Ahh, a nice dilemma. I really want to avoid covering up one of the RAM slots simply in case I want to improve the desktop's RAM in a few years, I would be forced to get a new fan for the CPU too. Yes, I don't care about the looks inside of the tower. However, I do keep  efficiency in mind.  

10 hours ago, antondan said:

That's a bit weird choice for a case. You have black and red components, red leds on your keyboard but the case has green leds? But otherwise it looks great, it has room for gable mangement, detachable filters and overall a nice design. There is a grey and red version of that exact tower, but it's ... grey so your call. 

4

I plan on getting the grey and red version, the link I provided u was the only one available on that website, so sorry about the tad of confusion. I will most likely get the tower from PCCG which has all of the colours (or in my case, the grey and red)  

 

3 hours ago, AdmiralMeowmix said:

if you want a good cooler the Cryorig R1 Ultimate  is rather good especially for the price. Noctua will obviously make the best of the best but unless you like their ugly color scheme the cyrorig one can outperform some AIO's

 

The  Cryorig R1 Ultimate won't fit in my tower as it can only go up to 160mm  

[Inspirational]

11 hours ago, antondan said:

stuff like more PCIe lanes

Can you please explain PCI-E X16, X8, X4, X1 work?

And which one of those I require (minimum) for my build?

[stconquest]

1 hour ago, Inspirational said:

Can you please explain PCI-E X16, X8, X4, X1 work?

And which one of those I require (minimum) for my build?

Think of those as lanes on a highway.  16 lanes/8 lanes/etc...

 

Those are the lanes your CPU and PCI-E slotted components use to transport data.  The more lanes, the more data can be sent all at once.  Modern GPUs need a minimum of 8 lanes on the Nvidia side and 4 lanes on the AMD side.

 

Z170 CPUs allow for up to 28 lanes to be made available.  That is more than enough for your needs.

 

Your build:

 

The Samsung 840 is old.  There are much better and cheaper drives available.

 

The 120mm radiator is no better than a decent little air cooler like the Be Quiet! Pure Rock, or the Cryorig H7.  Both those coolers will do the same job and are cheaper and quieter.

 

The 1080p/60Hz monitor you selected can be driven by a GTX 1060 easily.  I would want more than 1080p for a GTX 1070.

 

The 6700K/Z170 platform supports faster than 2133MHz RAM.  ... and yeah it matters, even for gaming.  The cost is not much more and well worth it.

 

Comparative build:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($463.00 @ Shopping Express)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H5 Ultimate 76.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($189.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($130.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($122.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($65.00 @ IJK)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card  ($679.00 @ Shopping Express)
Case: Phanteks ECLIPSE P400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: SeaSonic EVO Edition 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($135.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($129.00 @ Umart)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-AC56 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter  ($68.20 @ Skycomp Technology)
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 61.2 CFM  140mm Fan  ($16.00 @ PCCaseGear)  <<Front intake
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 61.2 CFM  140mm Fan  ($16.00 @ PCCaseGear)  <<Front intake
Monitor: Dell U2515H 25.0" 60Hz Monitor  ($439.00 @ Shopping Express)
Keyboard: Corsair STRAFE Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($138.00 @ CPL Online)
Total: $2757.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-24 17:42 AEST+1000

[Inspirational]

4 minutes ago, stconquest said:

Think of those as lanes on a highway.  16 lanes/8 lanes/etc...

 

Those are the lanes your CPU and PCI-E slotted components use to transport data.  The more lanes, the more data can be sent all at once.  Modern GPUs need a minimum of 8 lanes on the Nvidia side and 4 lanes on the AMD side.

 

Z170 CPUs allow for up to 28 lanes to be made available.  That is more than enough for your needs.

1

 

EDIT: Thanks for your explanation! But to clarify some things, are individual PCI-E slots used to store individual components such as each graphic card?

4 minutes ago, stconquest said:

Your build:

 

The Samsung 840 is old.  there are much better and cheaper drives available.

 

The 120mm radiator is no better than a decent little air cooler like the Be Quiet! Pure Rock, or the Cryorig H7.  Both those coolers will do the same job and are cheaper and quieter.

 

The 1080p/60Hz monitor you selected can be driven by a GTX 1060 easily.  I would want more than 1080p for a GTX 1070.

 

The 6700K/Z170 platform supports faster than 2133MHz RAM.  ... and yeah it matters, even for gaming.  The cost is not much more and well worth it.

 

Comparative build:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($463.00 @ Shopping Express)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H5 Ultimate 76.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($189.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($130.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($122.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($65.00 @ IJK)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card  ($679.00 @ Shopping Express)
Case: Phanteks ECLIPSE P400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: SeaSonic EVO Edition 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($135.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($129.00 @ Umart)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-AC56 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter  ($68.20 @ Skycomp Technology)
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 61.2 CFM  140mm Fan  ($16.00 @ PCCaseGear)  <<Front intake
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 61.2 CFM  140mm Fan  ($16.00 @ PCCaseGear)  <<Front intake
Monitor: Dell U2515H 25.0" 60Hz Monitor  ($439.00 @ Shopping Express)
Keyboard: Corsair STRAFE Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($138.00 @ CPL Online)
Total: $2757.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-24 17:42 AEST+1000

 

Please refer to the build on my signature (under this post)

[stconquest]

2 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Please refer to the build on my signature (under this post)

Better.  You are still overdoing it with a 1070 driven 1080p panel, but better than "underdoing" it.

[Inspirational]

1 minute ago, stconquest said:

Better.  You are still overdoing it with a 1070 driven 1080p panel, but better than "underdoing" it.

Well, the idea is to get the components that are inside of the tower to last as long as possible. Additional monitors/keyboards etc can be purchased in the future, so I don't worry about them too much  

Thanks for your response by the way!

[stconquest]

6 minutes ago, Inspirational said:

Well, the idea is to get the components that are inside of the tower to last as long as possible. Additional monitors/keyboards etc can be purchased in the future, so I don't worry about them too much  

Thanks for your response by the way!

..and to answer your question:  Slots are allotted lanes by the motherboard manufacturer.  PCI-E 1 will have 16 lanes for the GPU.  If you add another GPU, it could be x16/x8 or x8/x8 for PCI-E 1/PCI-E 2.  As long as the total lanes equals 28 or less being available for use.

[antondan]

9 hours ago, Inspirational said:

I see. So in my case I would need one that has 2 SATA3 cables for my main SSD and HDD, and one spare SATA2 cable for my HDD that I may add in the future? Also, just a quick question, when installing the OS onto a new desktop, should I use the SSD as the main storage unit (for system applications etc), and install anything else (such as my own software) onto the HDD? So basically, should I run the OS from the SSD or HDD?

I assume software that will require good speeds should be installed onto the SSD too: such as Photoshop and AAA games. 

OS goes to the SSD.
Now when it comes to Photoshop and AAA games it would be better if you kept them in your HDD. However, since you purchased a 240GB SSD feel free to install photoshop and a couple of games that have a LOT of loading involved (ex. Fallout 4, Skyrim). Just remember not to waste SSD space with programs/games that won't have any noticeable performance increases. 

Also keep in mind that your user directory will be created in the SSD so you'll have to create your own folder/partition in one of your HDDs and store most of your files there. 
 

9 hours ago, Inspirational said:

At the end of the day, I am simply looking for a wireless adapter that will give me fast connections (since I cannot use cable), is reliable and will hopefully last a long time without needing an upgrade/repair... I don't really care about any "features" that it may come with. I just want a strong connection.

Well, I got a simple cheap adapter 6 years ago and it still works without any problems (even though I'm using the PC an average of 10 hours a day for the past 3 years). 
Now in your case it also depends on your network speed, but at high network speeds (100Mbps+) you might want to look at wired connections.  
This is a frequently suggested card,  it should have everything you need + bluetooth and is fairly cheap.  (I could not find any retailers in the au partpicker but it's a pretty good deal if you manage to find it somewhere else (iirc the price in US partpicker is below 30$). 
There's also this option but it has inbuilt antennas so I am not sure how well that would work out. 
 

9 hours ago, Inspirational said:

I liked the one that you originally linked, however, the price would really kill me. Also, keep in mind that I don't really care about the size of the monitor. I am perfectly fine with sitting on a 24" screen for the rest of my life. I have been using a 14" screen for 4 years now (I have a laptop). So that's why I would prefer to have a "decently" sized monitor - 24" - with a sleek design (minimal plastic on the edges) and really crisp display.

The second display I linked isn't 29" 16:9. It's an ultrawide 29" monitor. Which means it has the same height as a 24" monitor, just more horizontal space. 
The result is you can easily stack two windows next to each other and they will still be pretty close to a maximized 24" 16:9 window (about 75% of the width and same height). 
The result being you can have your reference on one side of the screen and photoshop on the other (also creates more space for UI elements when running an application like After Effects, Premiere or Photoshop). Not only that but since the pixel count is quite a bit more than a normal 1080p screen you'll be using your GTX 1070 more, which is a good thing. The ultrawide ratio also brings a more immersive feel in games (most games support the 21:9 ratio).  

I was simply suggesting the Ultrawide monitor for future upgrade. 
 

9 hours ago, Inspirational said:

Ahh, a nice dilemma. I really want to avoid covering up one of the RAM slots simply in case I want to improve the desktop's RAM in a few years, I would be forced to get a new fan for the CPU too. Yes, I don't care about the looks inside of the tower. However, I do keep  efficiency in mind.  

This cooler should not block any slots, it's reliable and should give you room to overclock a bit, it's also cheaper. However it's not as silent as the noctua coolers. 
 

[Inspirational]

Awesome! I'll have a look at all of your suggestions now!

[antondan]

1 hour ago, Inspirational said:

Awesome! I'll have a look at all of your suggestions now!

Btw, since you're so tight on budget, take a look at this case.