Help on building compact gaming PC

[alinescoo]

After dropping the idea to get a Intel Skull Canyon and then a DeskMini, I've trying to test the waters on compact desktips.

I plan to use the PC for at least 2 years and I want it to be as small as possible.

 

So far I've decided to get:

- Samsung 960 EVO m2 NVME SSD 250GB for OS+Software, I have no need for extra drives as I own a NAS

- 16 GB RAM

- i7 7700 CPU, non K

 

The rest of the requirements are as follow:

- since will be sitting on my desk, I want it as silent as possible

- a cube case as small as possible. So far from reviews I saw,  I've liked Silverstore SG13 

- a mITX motherboard with M2 SSD slot to fit the 960EVO  with good audio chipset

- a video card that allows me to play games at 1080p, nothing too expensive, 1050/1060 maybe? I did not get a chance yet to take a look at the current graphic cards and their performance. The main idea is to be silent enough while not playing games

- maybe a custom CPU cooler? 

- a PSU which should allow removing its cables. Basically since the SSD is M2 powered I only need to power the motherboard and the graphic card if the case, so no need for extra HDD/SATA cables

- no DVD or other sort of drives.

- no monitor.

 

Basically I don't have a budget, but I am looking at a good performance/price ratio. The desktop is used 80% for other purposes than gaming.

Many thanks.

[MrMcMuffinJr]

a good case would be a fractal design node 202 or 304

[Guest]

So something like this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.69 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG C7 40.5 CFM CPU Cooler  ($27.45 @ Newegg Marketplace)
Motherboard: ASRock H270M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($129.99 @ B&H)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($82.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon RX 480 8GB GTR Video Card  ($259.99 @ Jet)
Case: Silverstone RVZ02B HTPC Case  ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply  ($117.11 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1192.19
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-31 09:10 EST-0500

[DocSwag]

Don't get an m.2 ssd unless you do video editing or something. It doesn't improve boot times or app launch times at all.

[Megazero]

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.69 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($60.66 @ Jet) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H270N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($91.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($129.99 @ B&H) 
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB WINDFORCE OC 6G Video Card  ($254.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Silverstone Sugo SG13B Mini ITX Tower Case  ($45.98 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1073.28
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-31 09:17 EST-0500

 

[alinescoo]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I really like the Asrock MB, has a good price and I've used their products in the past.

How about 1050Ti? Seems quitet, cheap, games work, doesn't need extra power cable?

[Exprima]

How about this?

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.69 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 45.0 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($18.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock H270M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2800 Memory  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($129.99 @ B&H) 
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB AMP! Edition Video Card  ($269.99 @ B&H) 
Case: Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ITX Mini ITX Tower Case  ($69.99 @ NCIX US) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1060.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-31 10:30 EST-0500

 

[Cody_53027]

54 minutes ago, alinescoo said:

Thank you all for your suggestions. I really like the Asrock MB, has a good price and I've used their products in the past.

How about 1050Ti? Seems quitet, cheap, games work, doesn't need extra power cable?

I would suggest an RX470 or 1060 3GB for only a few $$ more. I recently built in an NCASE M1, its pricey but full featured and beautiful. It is super portable too!

[alinescoo]

@deXxterlab97 Thank you very much for your time. I like the confix except for video card and case

 

@Megazero Thank you very much for your time. Why liquid cooling? From what I've read that product is a bit on the noisy side. Why Gigabyte and not AsRock?

 

@Exprima Thank you very much for your time. Case too big for my needs

 

I'd like to go with Silverstone SG13 but I'd prefer the one with solid front, not mesh and I am a bit worried on the cooling of the components. Not sure if it fits well.

I am still not convinced if I should go with 1050Ti or 1060. In my country, a 1060 with 3GB RAM is a bit more expensive than 1050Ti 4GB. However the 6GB version is over 100$ more expensive... So go with 3GB 1060 or 1050Ti?

 

I think  CRYORIG C7 40.5 CFM CPU Cooler  makes for a good cooler, as @deXxterlab97 mentioned.

 

[Megazero]

2 hours ago, alinescoo said:

@deXxterlab97 Thank you very much for your time. I like the confix except for video card and case

 

@Megazero Thank you very much for your time. Why liquid cooling? From what I've read that product is a bit on the noisy side. Why Gigabyte and not AsRock?

 

@Exprima Thank you very much for your time. Case too big for my needs

 

I'd like to go with Silverstone SG13 but I'd prefer the one with solid front, not mesh and I am a bit worried on the cooling of the components. Not sure if it fits well.

I am still not convinced if I should go with 1050Ti or 1060. In my country, a 1060 with 3GB RAM is a bit more expensive than 1050Ti 4GB. However the 6GB version is over 100$ more expensive... So go with 3GB 1060 or 1050Ti?

 

I think  CRYORIG C7 40.5 CFM CPU Cooler  makes for a good cooler, as @deXxterlab97 mentioned.

 

Corsair AIO cooler is quite good, except that their default fan is kinda noisy, you might want to buy a Noctua fan to replace it for like 5-10 bucks more. Why liquid cooling? In a case so small like a mITX case, the airflow isnt really great making aircooler work not as well, so with an AIO cooler you can position the radiator/fan right next to the air vent (u have to anyway) to allow for better airflow for the CPU as well as not affect the air inside the case all that much.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Megazero said:

Corsair AIO cooler is quite good, except that their default fan is kinda noisy, you might want to buy a Noctua fan to replace it for like 5-10 bucks more. Why liquid cooling? In a case so small like a mITX case, the airflow isnt really great making aircooler work not as well, so with an AIO cooler you can position the radiator/fan right next to the air vent (u have to anyway) to allow for better airflow for the CPU as well as not affect the air inside the case all that much.

yeah but 7700 is not ocable anyway 

[alinescoo]

My budget suffered a bit of drop and I've decided to go with

- i5 7500 as CPU

- GeForce 1050Ti as GPU.

 

I am trying to fit the build within the max limit of 1000 EUR in Europe.

 

I was thinking of having a 120mm fan in front to take out the air from the case, but also I want the silverstone case with plastic front, not mesh. 

I have concerns on the effectiveness of cooling given the position of PSU over the CPU. Would a stock intel cooler + front vent be enough?

The GPU does not require extra power. I also only have a M2 SSD drive, so basically the PSU would only power the MB and that's all, no extra cables inside. 

 

At the moment config is like this:

- CPU i5 7500 
- MB MSI B250I GAMING PRO AC 
- CASE Silverstone SG13 
- RAM Kingston HyperX FURY Black Series DDR4, 2x8GB, 2133 MHz, CL 14, Single Rank
- SSD Samsung 960 EVO 250
- GPU Zotak Geforce 1050Ti Mini 4 GB RAM
- PSU Corsair ECX450M, 450W, 80 PLUS Bronze 
- CASE VENT quiet! Pure Wings 2 120 mm 1500 RPM 

 

I've also noticed I've just noticed http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx-elite-series/elite110/  which is a bit bigger but also cheaper.

Any thoughts on it?