Mid-Budget Workstation/Gaming Build

[RandomBK]

After many years of waiting, I have finally decided to upgrade my software development/gaming setup. It's been many years since I last built a computer, so It'll be great if I can get some feedback on this build.

 

Budget & Location

Excluding monitors, peripherals, and storage, I'm looking to spend less than $1200 USD on this build (tax included - California). While this is not a hard cap, there'll need to be some very good reasons to increase the budget.

 

Aim

The system will be a hybrid programming/gaming machine.  I will be running Linux as the host OS, with Windows gaming done through GPU Passthrough to a VM.  I make heavy use of virtual machines, so memory capacity is quite important. I will be using BTRFS as my primary filesystem (without ECC memory).

 

On the programming end, my use cases focus around large memory capacity - I have need for both high single-core performance and large thread count (though not simultaneously). For gaming, I'm interested in a system that can play new games at high graphics at 1080p 60fps for at least the next 4-5 years. The games I play tend to be CPU-heavy. VR capability would be a nice plus. I don't plan on significant upgrades for 4-6 years.

 

Monitors

I'll be using two 1080p 60Hz monitors with this build, with a potential upgrade to 2K a few years down the line - nothing crazy.

 

Plan

 

Current Parts List: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/RandomBK/saved/PdbGXL

 

Notes on some of the decisions:

CPU: i7-7700K

Already purchased at $333.24 incl. tax.

I plan to OC this hopefully to 4.8Ghz on air. Probably a bit lower during hot Californian summers.

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard

Low-priced overclockable motherboard with onboard gigabit memory and USB3 headers. Cheap, simple, and fits my needs.

Memory: G.Skill Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory

Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2133 Memory

Only using two of the 4 slots on the board for the moment - this is probably the only part I will be upgrading in the future, so I want to leave some room for expansion.

GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card

I'm not entirely sure which 1070 to get, but any low-priced, reliable, 8GB 1070 works for me. I will probably also try to overclock this.

Does anyone have experience with the manufacturer refurbished cards on NewEgg? They're slightly cheaper, but are there any issues with them?

Power: Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

Corsair CXM 450W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply

Given my plans to overclock, is this enough?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Guest]

That PSU is shit, get a Corsair CXM or Seasonic S12ii instead

Better yet save up for a GQ or G2 from EVGA

If you plan to OC get a Cryorig H7 instead, or a H5 much better than a 212 Evo

 

[RandomBK]

7 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

That PSU is shit, get a Corsair CXM or Seasonic S12ii instead

Would this one be better?

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020101na

[8-Bit Ninja]

The motherboard will need a bios update before it works with that CPU, MSI should be able to send you a new flashed chip for free, but just be aware 

[Guest]

Just now, RandomBK said:

Would this one be better?

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020101na

yeah

[stealth80]

5 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

After many years of waiting, I have finally decided to upgrade my software development/gaming setup. It's been many years since I last built a computer, so It'll be great if I can get some feedback on this build.

 

Budget & Location

Excluding monitors, peripherals, and storage, I'm looking to spend less than $1200 USD on this build (tax included - California). While this is not a hard cap, there'll need to be some very good reasons to increase the budget.

 

Aim

The system will be a hybrid programming/gaming machine.  I will be running Linux as the host OS, with Windows gaming done through GPU Passthrough to a VM.  I make heavy use of virtual machines, so memory capacity is quite important. I will be using BTRFS as my primary filesystem (without ECC memory).

 

On the programming end, my use cases focus around large memory capacity - I have need for both high single-core performance and large thread count (though not simultaneously). For gaming, I'm interested in a system that can play new games at high graphics at 1080p 60fps for at least the next 4-5 years. The games I play tend to be CPU-heavy. VR capability would be a nice plus. I don't plan on significant upgrades for 4-6 years.

 

Monitors

I'll be using two 1080p 60Hz monitors with this build, with a potential upgrade to 2K a few years down the line - nothing crazy.

 

Plan

 

Current Parts List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xnTdzM

 

Notes on some of the decisions:

CPU: i7-7700K

Already purchased at $333.24 incl. tax.

I plan to OC this hopefully to 4.8Ghz on air. Probably a bit lower during hot Californian summers.

Motherboard: MSI Z170M Mortar Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard

Low-priced overclockable motherboard with onboard gigabit memory and USB3 headers. Cheap, simple, and fits my needs.

Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2133 Memory

Only using two of the 4 slots on the board for the moment - this is probably the only part I will be upgrading in the future, so I want to leave some room for expansion.

GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Windforce OC Video Card

I'm not entirely sure which 1070 to get, but any low-priced, reliable, 8GB 1070 works for me. I will probably also try to overclock this.

Does anyone have experience with the manufacturer refurbished cards on NewEgg? They're slightly cheaper, but are there any issues with them?

Power: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply

Given my plans to overclock, is this enough?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Change the PSU to EVGA G2/G3 etc. I would also get some faster ram.

 

Also be aware that if that board isnt flashed, you're gonna have problems running that 7700k on it 

[8-Bit Ninja]

1 minute ago, RandomBK said:

Would this one be better?

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020101na

Slightly off topic, but please use white text, as dark text makes its unreadable for night theme users such as myself

[RandomBK]

 

6 minutes ago, stealth80 said:

I would also get some faster ram.

Are these any good?  I couldn't find any reviews on PCpartpicker

G.Skill Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory

[Add2017]

14 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

Would this one be better?

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020101na

He means you need a more powereful psi not that the one you had selected was particularly poor quality

[Add2017]

7 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

 

Are these any good?  I couldn't find any reviews on PCpartpicker

G.Skill Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory

Should be but you might want to overclock it to a decent speed 

also it's a shame you have already bought the processor as a ryzen would have been much better especially with virtual machines 

[Aereldor]

21 minutes ago, 8-Bit Ninja said:

Slightly off topic, but please use white text, as dark text makes its unreadable for night theme users such as myself

 

And white text will make it unreadable for day theme users, you absolute bampot. People should use 'automatic' so that it's black for day theme and white for dark theme.

Verify your claims so you don't give out terrible advice again.

[RandomBK]

16 minutes ago, stealth80 said:

Also be aware that if that board isnt flashed, you're gonna have problems running that 7700k on it 

Do you know if the BIOS can be flashed without a running CPU (will I need another CPU to flash the BIOS, or can I do it from a USB)?

 

3 minutes ago, Add2017 said:

He means you need a more powereful psi not that the one you had selected was particularly poor quality

I see. How much more would I need?  PCPartPicker lists the current power usage at 334W, and I won't be OC'ing this by that much.

 

2 minutes ago, Add2017 said:

it's a shame you have already bought the processor as a ryzen would have been much better especially with virtual machines 

I'm interested in stability more than anything else. From what I gathered, IOMMU (GPU Passthrough) on Ryzen didn't seem quite ready.

[Add2017]

O

3 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

Do you know if the BIOS can be flashed without a running CPU (will I need another CPU to flash the BIOS, or can I do it from a USB)?

 

I see. How much more would I need?  PCPartPicker lists the current power usage at 334W, and I won't be OC'ing this by that much.

 

I'm interested in stability more than anything else. From what I gathered, IOMMU (GPU Passthrough) on Ryzen didn't seem quite ready.

You should always use the outer vision psi calculator for oc it takes a considerable amount of extra power to oc and always leave a 10 - 20 percent margin for safety

[stealth80]

9 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

Do you know if the BIOS can be flashed without a running CPU (will I need another CPU to flash the BIOS, or can I do it from a USB)?

 

I'm not sure i've never had to do it, but I wouldnt risk it, I would just pay a little more and get a Z270 board, the MSI Z270 tomahawk is a great board and is like $133

but it is full ATX so would need a different case also 

 

I would put a little more $$$ into it and go with something like:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  (Purchased For $333.24) 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: MSI Z270 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($133.89 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($209.97 @ Jet) 
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (Purchased For $0.00) 
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($379.99 @ Jet) 
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($88.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1237.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-03-23 19:54 EDT-0400

 

 

[RandomBK]

8 minutes ago, Add2017 said:

You should always use the outer vision psi calculator for oc it takes a considerable amount of extra power to oc and always leave a 10 - 20 percent margin for safety

I see.  I've swapped it out with a Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

[RandomBK]

24 minutes ago, stealth80 said:

I'm not sure i've never had to do it, but I wouldnt risk it, I would just pay a little more and get a Z270 board, the MSI Z270 tomahawk is a great board and is like $133

but it is full ATX so would need a different case also 

 

I would put a little more $$$ into it and go with something like:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  (Purchased For $333.24) 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: MSI Z270 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($133.89 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($209.97 @ Jet) 
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (Purchased For $0.00) 
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($379.99 @ Jet) 
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($88.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1237.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-03-23 19:54 EDT-0400

 

 

How about something like this?  I'd like to keep the build close to $1200 post-tax if possible.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  (Purchased For $333.24) 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($28.28 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($125.67 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($213.97 @ Jet) 
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (Purchased For $0.00) 
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($417.03 @ Jet) 
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($46.08 @ NCIX US) 
Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($49.82 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1214.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-03-23 20:19 EDT-0400

[stealth80]

12 minutes ago, RandomBK said:

How about something like this?  I'd like to keep the build close to $1200 post-tax if possible.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  (Purchased For $333.24) 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($28.28 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($125.67 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($213.97 @ Jet) 
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (Purchased For $0.00) 
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Mini ITX OC Video Card  ($406.05 @ Amazon) 
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($46.08 @ NCIX US) 
Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($49.82 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1203.11
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-03-23 20:06 EDT-0400

That should work, I wouldn't get the mini 1070 though, I would get a full size card

[RandomBK]

7 minutes ago, stealth80 said:

I wouldn't get the mini 1070 though, I would get a full size card

Changed.  Thanks for your help!

[stealth80]

no problem