Any thoughts on my first pc build?

[pcbuilder9595]

Hey guys,

I am an engineer that works with 3D modeling software and at times require some rendering and video editing for some projects. In the free time I enjoy playing games. I have always been a tech fanatic, and I always had to have the newest and best that was out there. Today, compared to 4-5 years ago, that ceiling seems to have risen noticeably, and the cost for the absolute newest and top components significantly out of my budget. For the 4-5 years, I have been using my Asus G75VX notebook for work and play entirely, however this year, I have decided it was time to upgrade, and to a desktop.

The build:

 

PSU: Corsair HX1000i or Corsair AX 860i
Monitor: Asus ROG PG279Q
CPU Cooler: Corsair H115i
Case: Fractal design define S
MB: Asus x99 Strix
CPU: Intel I7-6850k
GPU: Asus Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 A8G
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (4x8GB) DDR4 2400 MHz
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3.5 inch 2TB 7200 RPM
Storage: Samsung SSD 1TB 850 Evo Sata

Fans: Noctua NF-A14 --- x 4

Keyboard: Razer blackwidow ultimate stealth 2016

Mouse: Razer taipan
OS: Windows 10

 

I would like to explain my thought process on each of the components and why I would need them for my work and play. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Any potential compatibility issues, unnecessary components or bad experience with any, please do let me know, it would help me greatly! 

 

PSU: I chose Platinum+ standard to ensure maximum efficiency and longevity of the computer. A lot of expensive parts that I would hate to go to waste due to this. However, Im still not sure about the total wattage required. I do intend to upgrade to another 1080 A8G in SLI eventually down the road in 2-3 years time. I also, plan to add 1-2 more HDD and the new Samsung 960 PRO M.2 PCIe when it is released for EU marketplace. Would the AX860i be enough?

 

Monitor: I chose this monitor, because it has both IPS and a high refresh rate for gaming and work needs. Only worry I have here is the back light bleed. I've been informed that it's due to the size of the screen. Most of the 25 inch monitors do not suffer from this. My other option would be to settler for 25 inch monitor in the similar category of specs. Should I be concerned about the back light bleed, or just go for it?

 

CPU cooler: I simply cant justify the price of the 6850k unless going for the best AIO cooling option here. The never ending debate of wind vs water cooling brings the AIO water cooler ahead with my fear of the RAM and other components potentially not fitting on the board with a noctua 15 CPU cooler. Also, additional heat dispersion within the case. The AIO water cooling solution seems to be elegant and effective at the same time.

 

Case: Simple design, but sturdy. The Cooler master master case maker 5 was my primary candidate since the beginning, but the internal fan controller and LED strips which I simply have no need of dissuaded me from perusing it. the Cooler master is by far a lot more pleasing to the eye then the define S, but I cant justify paying 2x the price for multiple added items and I/O's that I have no need for.

 

MB: Out of all the X99 MB's that I've gone over, this one seems to have the best price to performance ratio. Not sure what more to say here. If you guys thing there are better candidates in the same price range, do please let me know. For future SLI and M.2 upgrades.

 

CPU: first I considered the i7 7700k. Constant over-heating issues and build quality concerns. Second, and longest candidate, the i7 6700k, mainstream CPU, great ratio of price to performance. Finally I've come across some additional funds and decided to go for the i7 6850k. I've deiced to upgrade the CPU and the MB mostly with the added investments as I think that 6+ core utility in my line of work, is extremely useful, and support for games, will eventually come through. The 6850k with it's faster threads compared to the 6800k will perform better on the gaming end as well. If I was to stick with the i7 6700k, in what would you advice me to invest the excess 400 USD?

 

GPU: I chose one of more mainstream GTX 1080's considering if I do decide to go SLI, I want to be able to find one in 2-3 years time on the market.

 

RAM: I dont really have any intention of OC'ing any of my components, as such, I cannot justify paying more for the Dominator platinum line. The i7 6850k supports up to 2400 MHz, as such, this pack of 4x8GB pack feels perfect for the task on hand. I still have 4 slots on the x99 strix to add more if need be in the future.

 

Storage: For now I am getting the massively sold Seagate 2TB. I will probably be adding a couple more as the memory fills up, and I will be in need of more. I do have multiple large external memory's on hand (as I do work with limited space on my Asus G75VX laptop).

 

Storage: I am well aware that new line of Samsung SSD's will hit the market in eminent future, however this option seems to be ideal. The 1TB is the perfect volume for that I use it for. A lot of programs and some games that take up several hundred gigabytes of space. It has a good warranty. I am waiting for the Samsung 960 PRO M.2 PCIe to be released, to make that my bootable drive when it is released in the EU marketplace.

 

Fans: I chose the Noctuas as Linuses #1 advice for case fans. They are strong and get the job done quietly. Ill have 3 in the front, one at the back, with the H115i at the top.

 

Keyboard: I already own the Razer taipan (im left handed) and this keyboard just seems to fit perfectly with my other peripherals. 

 

I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback on my build. This is the first time im transitioning from a laptop setup to desktop and this is certainly one of my biggest investments to date so I would like to be as sure as possible with my decision. 

[Blackhole890]

seems nice but i would recommend wait for ryzen benchmarks and prizes

[The Sloth]

i suggest a bigger case like the air 540 for your build. 

get a better mouse for your work i suggest a mx masters 

get a better keyboard i suggest a k70/95 

 

[pcbuilder9595]

18 minutes ago, Blackhole890 said:

seems nice but i would recommend wait for ryzen benchmarks and prizes

Unfortunately I need a stronger computer by the end of this week, as I have some pretty serious projects coming my way. I was considering your option to be honest, but that's not possible unfortunately.

[dizmo]

Hey, welcome to the forum!

For builds, we generally like to use PCPartPicker. Just keeps things uniform, and nicely laid out.

 

Looks like a solid build. I'd go for the 860w PSU, as video cards are generally getting more energy efficient, and by the time you want to upgrade it will likely make more sense to simply get one new card, not invest in SLI. If you're really worried about efficiency you need to focus more on the wattage being used, not the efficiency classification. Most PSUs are most efficient at 50% load.

 

If you're not adverse to used components you could look around for a 6850k that way. You should be able to save a decent chunk of change, and you'd have warranty until Q2 2019. The only CPUs I've had fail have been DOA units, and as you say, you don't plan to OC, so strain is next to nil.

 

The higher priced RAM isn't worth it. Go with the cheapest RAM, in the color and brand you like.

 

Would you use the m.2 drive for video work? I think it'd have a bigger impact doing that, then simply using it as a boot drive.

The differences in load times between programs isn't as great as, say, an HDD vs an SSD.

I haven't looked into it but might be worth checking out what their video work encoding times are like, and utilize it for that.

 

You don't need that many fans. Maybe one at the front, and one at the back. After that they just generate more noise than anything.

 

If you're really worried about case temps (I assume that's why you have so many fans) then I'd strongly consider a larger case. This would be tight with what you have now, let alone another graphics card and more HDDs taking up airflow space.

 

 

 

[pcbuilder9595]

4 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Hey, welcome to the forum!

For builds, we generally like to use PCPartPicker. Just keeps things uniform, and nicely laid out.

 

Looks like a solid build. I'd go for the 860w PSU, as video cards are generally getting more energy efficient, and by the time you want to upgrade it will likely make more sense to simply get one new card, not invest in SLI. If you're really worried about efficiency you need to focus more on the wattage being used, not the efficiency classification. Most PSUs are most efficient at 50% load.

 

If you're not adverse to used components you could look around for a 6850k that way. You should be able to save a decent chunk of change, and you'd have warranty until Q2 2019. The only CPUs I've had fail have been DOA units, and as you say, you don't plan to OC, so strain is next to nil.

 

The higher priced RAM isn't worth it. Go with the cheapest RAM, in the color and brand you like.

 

Would you use the m.2 drive for video work? I think it'd have a bigger impact doing that, then simply using it as a boot drive.

The differences in load times between programs isn't as great as, say, an HDD vs an SSD.

I haven't looked into it but might be worth checking out what their video work encoding times are like, and utilize it for that.

 

You don't need that many fans. Maybe one at the front, and one at the back. After that they just generate more noise than anything.

 

If you're really worried about case temps (I assume that's why you have so many fans) then I'd strongly consider a larger case. This would be tight with what you have now, let alone another graphics card and more HDDs taking up airflow space.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your through input. Ill make sure to use PPP in the future for component build presentation to the forum.

 

As far as the PSU goes, the system would need somewhere between 450 to 550W of power. for the HX1000i that that puts it right around the 50% load mark. would that not be ideal? the AX860i would be somewhere between 55% to 65% load.

 

Personally, I would be super stressed dealing with used components. I would rather pay the extra for peace in mind...

 

Ill take a look at some cheaper options for ram, tnx for that one

 

As far as the M.2 goes, yeah, I have a fair amount of work with Adobe premiere. Many project require some virtual reality walk through, so I do animations within the 3D modeling software, as it has integrated plugins, and export and do final edits in Adobe Premiere. The currently released 960 EVO seems to be a solid peace of tech, however the price jump does not seem to be so different to the 960 PRO, just sadly it's not available to me at the moment. I can always upgrade later.

 

Good point for the fans. I could potentially then use one for the front and one in the back. the two extra I could swap the stock Corsair H115i fans for the radiator with the Noctuas.

 

Ill bring up the case size tomorrow when I head down to my IT dealership to to discuss further expansions and air flow issues.

 

Once again, thanks a lot. Truly appreciate it

 

[Qwweb]

1 hour ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

I am an engineer that works with 3D modeling software

What software? different software is more CPU intensive than others but very few take advantage of more than 4C/8T CPUs unless you are working with fluids or aerodynamics (aerospace engineering). I would suggest that you stick with a 7700K unless you absolutely need the 6850K for some reason. Personally I would suggest you go with a 5820K and X99. I will whip up a quick parts list.

[dizmo]

9 minutes ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

Thank you so much for your through input. Ill make sure to use PPP in the future for component build presentation to the forum.

-snip-

 

If you're quoting large blocks of text, please snip it like I did above. Just saves a fair bit of space in the thread

 

You could, depends on how much you want to budget. IIRC Gold and Platinum aren't terribly different when it comes to efficiency terms, and if you're looking for quality components I'd say it's more important to thoroughly research the unit before making the purchase. There are some seriously solid Gold rated units.

 

fwiw I've never had a problem with the 4 used CPUs I've purchased. I've had 2 new ones DOA.

 

Just keep in mind that the drives really bog down the fuller they are. Also, some people with the 960 Evo have seen massive slowdowns after extended use (same process, not overall time) dipping all the way down the double digits. Apparently it wasn't caused by thermal throttling either, not sure if that's still an issue.

 

No worries, enjoy! I can't wait until my next build.

[pcbuilder9595]

3 minutes ago, Qwweb said:

What software? different software is more CPU intensive than others but very few take advantage of more than 4C/8T CPUs unless you are working with fluids or aerodynamics (aerospace engineering). I would suggest that you stick with a 7700K unless you absolutely need the 6850K for some reason. Personally I would suggest you go with a 5820K and X99. I will whip up a quick parts list.

My work mostly involves structural and procedural documentation. So no Fluids or aerodynamics applications. However, I do plan on adding another monitor for increased productivity. One thing I've kept at the back of my head for most of my research was future-proofing. Software can easily adapt and add support for more then 4 cores.

[Qwweb]

1 minute ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

My work mostly involves structural and procedural documentation.

Ok, what is your budget? I can make a pretty good approximation of what you will need as both of my parents work in the field of architecture with the exact same workload.

8 minutes ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

So no Fluids or aerodynamics applications.

Fluids and aerodynamics suites in Solidworks and Autodesk are some of the only CAD programs that see a benefit for more than 4C/8T processors.

3 minutes ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

 Software can easily adapt and add support for more then 4 cores.

Not really how that works. But I will still include a 6C/12T CPU that will last for a while and is a much better deal than a 6850K.

[Qwweb]

20 minutes ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

-snip-

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7gdGHN

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($369.99 @ SuperBiiz)        (performs similarly to the 6850K and 6800K while being $100-200 cheaper)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H115i 104.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($114.99 @ Newegg)       
Motherboard: Asus SABERTOOTH X99 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($294.99 @ Jet)            (extremely durable mobo)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory  ($158.28 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung 960 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($329.00 @ B&H) 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.80 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.80 @ OutletPC)         (RAID 1 configuration of HDDs for redundancy)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1080 8GB TURBO Video Card  ($586.89 @ B&H)                      (cheaper than most other 1080s and performs similarly also slightly better for SLI unless you are planning a water loop)
Case: Corsair Carbide 400C ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Best Buy)                                       (easily serviceable case that doesn't break the bank)
Power Supply: Corsair 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($149.99 @ B&H)      (Tier 1 PSU)
Total: $2243.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

[Qwweb]

1 hour ago, pcbuilder9595 said:

Asus ROG PG279Q

...

Monitor: I chose this monitor, because it has both IPS and a high refresh rate for gaming and work needs. Only worry I have here is the back light bleed. I've been informed that it's due to the size of the screen. Most of the 25 inch monitors do not suffer from this. My other option would be to settler for 25 inch monitor in the similar category of specs. Should I be concerned about the back light bleed, or just go for it?

I would suggest a separate monitor for work as opposed to gaming, that monitor has pretty crappy out-of-box color accuracy and has been known for slight backlight bleeding issues. While being fine for gaming, it is hardly worth the money if you are counting on it for work. As a work focused addition, I would suggest the Dell U2717D as it is a 1440p IPS monitor that is factory calibrated to 100% sRGB coverage and 98% Adobe RGB coverage. The Dell also has some of the thinnest bezels that you could imagine (thinnest on the market) if that is a concern.

[pcbuilder9595]

3 minutes ago, Qwweb said:

The Dell also has some of the thinnest bezels that you could imagine (thinnest on the market) if that is a concern.

I 100% agree. And that is definitely step 2 of my plan. The price of any component in my country, is quite different then the ones you have stated in your proposed build. I would still be paying approximately 50% more, due to EU tax regulations. The budget that I have is what it is for the time being. As a start, I chose to go with a monitor that will be able to perform well in both aspects, both fun and work. Then later in the year, im definitely planing to upgrade to a dual monitor setup. The one you have mentioned is a strong candidate to fit the build.