Criticize My Rig

[NominalNumenorian]

This system is going to be meant for 1080p gaming at 75+ FPS at high/ultra graphics settings. The form factor is mini-ITX

 

[PCPartPicker part list](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/k72BCy) / [Price breakdown by merchant](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/k72BCy/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----

**CPU** | [Intel - Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/gx648d/intel-cpu-bx80662i56600k) | $228.98 @ OutletPC

**Memory** | [Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MYH48d/corsair-memory-cmk16gx4m2b3000c15) | $154.89 @ OutletPC

**Video Card** | [EVGA - GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB SC GAMING Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tJyxFT/evga-geforce-gtx-1060-6gb-sc-gaming-video-card-06g-p4-6163-kr) | $274.89 @ OutletPC

**Other**| Corsair Bulldog 1.0 Barebones Kit| $299.99 **link**:http://www.corsair.com/en-us/bulldog-high-performance-pc-kit-motherboard-version-na

 | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
 | **Total** | **$958.75**
 | Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2017-09-16 14:01 EDT-0400 |

 

Please note that the barebones kit that I have included in this rig comes with a Corsair SF600 PSU, a Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI motherboard, a H5 SF AIO cooler, and the Bulldog case.

 

 

[PCGuy_5960]

Don't get a 6600K! Get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a B350 board, it's much better

 

EDIT: Why get a Barebones system? Building it yourself is cheaper

[themctipers]

Just now, PCGuy_5960 said:

Don't get a 6600K! Get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a B350 board, it's much better

but no mitx motherboards

 

or did like 10 more release.. 

[Lurick]

Fixing the formatting for you

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($225.70 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($154.89 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB SC GAMING Video Card  ($274.89 @ OutletPC) 
Other: Corsair Bulldog 1.0 Barebones Kit ($299.99)
Total: $955.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-16 14:17 EDT-0400

 

 

Why a 6600K and not a 7600K or 7700K?

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

Don't get a 6600K! Get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a B350 board, it's much better

It's a barebones system, it's got a Z270 motherboard in it already.

[vanished]

My main concerns would be that you might want to go up to a 7700k and a 1080Ti, but obviously that might be out of budget, idk

[aneil1998]

8 minutes ago, Lurick said:

It's a barebones system, it's got a Z270 motherboard in it already.

You could get the barebones system without the motherboard for $100 less and buy an am4 mini-itx mobo for $115 here

 

EDIT:

I suck at reading. Though it was mini-itx

 

EDIT 2:

I really suck at reading. Here is the mini itx mobo  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073PWKSP6/ref=twister_B071DXYGQ6?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

[NominalNumenorian]

2 minutes ago, Lurick said:

Why a 6600K and not a 7600K or 7700K?

It's a barebones system, it's got a Z270 motherboard in it already.

The Bulldog 2.0 has a Z270 mobo, but I'm looking at the first version, which is $100 cheaper, but only has a Z170 mobo. Also, 6th gen I5 for price to perf. also, avoiding AMD at all costs, since CPU/GPU drivers that work with Linux are really hard if not impossible to come by.

[NominalNumenorian]

4 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

My main concerns would be that you might want to go up to a 7700k and a 1080Ti, but obviously that might be out of budget, idk

yes, 1080ti is far and above out of budget, considering I'd need to get at least a 1440p monitor to get full use out of it, since I have no interest in mining ethereum. also I will be using this rig primarily for gaming/maybe streaming, which will *not* get full use out of the 7700K's potential.

[NominalNumenorian]

oh and I'm avoiding Amazon like the plague, since they now charge sales tax in my state.

[vanished]

Just now, NominalNumenorian said:

yes, 1080ti is far and above out of budget, considering I'd need to get at least a 1440p monitor to get full use out of it,

Well if you intend to push ultra settings at high framerates (120+) you might be surprised how much 1080p can still load it down  

Just now, NominalNumenorian said:

 also I will be using this rig primarily for gaming/maybe streaming, which will *not* get full use out of the 7700K's potential.

Gaming alone has shown to benefit from more than 4 cores lately, whether that means 4 + HT (like an i7) or just 6 cores, like Ryzen 1600x (for example) and if you're going to do streaming too, well that just adds to the load.

[Lurick]

Not sure of your overall budget but I would still go with something like this:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($154.89 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ Amazon) 
Other: Corsair Bulldog 1.0 Barebones Kit ($299.99)
Total: $1288.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-16 14:29 EDT-0400

[NominalNumenorian]

1 minute ago, Lurick said:

Not sure of your overall budget but I would still go with something like this:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($154.89 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ Amazon) 
Other: Corsair Bulldog 1.0 Barebones Kit ($299.99)
Total: $1288.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-16 14:29 EDT-0400

$1000 USD hard limit.

[NominalNumenorian]

5 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Gaming alone has shown to benefit from more than 4 cores lately, whether that means 4 + HT (like an i7) or just 6 cores, like Ryzen 1600x (for example) and if you're going to do streaming too, well that just adds to the load.

Can you get me some source on that? There was a Linus video that I recently watched that showed very little significant improvement on a price/perf scale from 6600K to the 7700K.

[dizmo]

Is there a particular reason you went with the Bulldog case?

Are you open to other cases, or you only want that one?

Also, I believe you meant critique, not criticize.

 

22 minutes ago, aneil1998 said:

You could get the barebones system without the motherboard for $100 less and buy an am4 mini-itx mobo for $115 here

 

EDIT:

I suck at reading. Though it was mini-itx

 

EDIT 2:

I really suck at reading. Here is the mini itx mobo  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073PWKSP6/ref=twister_B071DXYGQ6?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

That motherboard has horrible, horrible VRMs.

[vanished]

21 minutes ago, NominalNumenorian said:

Can you get me some source on that? There was a Linus video that I recently watched that showed very little significant improvement on a price/perf scale from 6600K to the 7700K.

Here you go 

I've got it starting around 4 min in since it's just fluff and other tests that aren't relevant.  But a TL;DR is they go through a variety of games comparing a 7600k (4 cores) to a Ryzen 1600x (6 cores + SMT, but actually slower in single-threaded, so therefore any improvement in fps (or even getting the same level) means the game really does want more than 4 cores) and while far cry does still prefer a fast i5, the rest all preferred ryzen.  Now, that's not to say I recommend ryzen for you  - the 7700k is still the king in gaming which they show at the end - but the point is this proves that games can use more than 4 cores.

[NominalNumenorian]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

Is there a particular reason you went with the Bulldog case?

Are you open to other cases, or you only want that one?

Also, I believe you meant critique, not criticize.

 

That motherboard has horrible, horrible VRMs.

I mean, there's a version of the kit w/o the mobo for $199.99 USD that I could use, if you could recommend a good z170/z270 mobo. a +$10-$20 delta on a z170 mobo won't kill me, but I think that I will stick with the case, simply for the deal. I mean you try finding a solid case, 600W PSU, and an AIO for under $200 without a sale. I mostly want the mini-ITX form factor, without the hassle of cable management, though that may just be my laziness talking. I can do cable routing okay, I guess, but it's been a few years since I was really into building rigs.

[NominalNumenorian]

Oh yeah, I completely forgot to mention that I most likely will not be playing any FPS games (at least not in multiplayer), so FPS isn't paramount, but a decent 60-75 will still be nice.

[NominalNumenorian]

Oh, good going, I forgot the main reason I was going for the Bulldog case in the first place. It supports liquid cooling your CPU and GPU in a mITX form factor without breaking the bank. I do plan on upgrading to a liquid-cooled 1080 Ti in the future, but $800 for just a GPU is out of my price range for right now.

 

[Jrasero]

Old thread, but just got a Corsair Bulldog 2.0 and swapping my Gigabyte BRIXGB-GZ1DTi7 Gaming GT because I found the system got too hot and loud when gaming.  The Gigabyte on paper was a great system since it was 10L in size, i7 6700K, GTX 1080, 16GB, 240 M.2 SSD, 1TB HD.  

 

Anyways put the CPU, M.2, 2.5" HD, into the Bulldog.  I am selling my GTX 1080 and since the system has room for water cooling and a larger 600 watt PSU I just ordered an EVGA GTX 1080 Ti SC2 Hybrid.  The ram I had to buy since the Gigabyte system ran laptop memory but I sold that for $100, but unfortunately the CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 16GB was $204!

 

In all the Bulldog builds online no one ever was provided or used an M.2 SSS, but it is supported and located on the bottom of the motherboard, which isn't a problem besides the fact that there is now bottom access bay.  So you have to unscrew the graphics card divider and the motherboard to access it.  While I was inserting the M.2 the bottom water cooling bracket must have popped out, so while I was installing the CPU cooler I had to also unscrew the motherboard again and pop back in the bracket.  I have installed countless amounts of ram but on my system you really have to push those suckers in.  I went to startup my system and I kept getting no signal.  I noticed the ram LED lights were not on and jammed the sticks in until they clicked.  Wiring is a mess but this is closed system so it's not a huge deal.  While I have not yet installed my water cooled GPU I did try out my old GTX 1080 to see how hard it would be to install a card.  Wiring again is a mess a bit cramped but a 2 slot card under 12" should fit fine in there.  

 

The Bulldog does have some panel cabs and while it is compact it is somewhat big, but styling was a lot more approachable compared to my Brix GT.