Building noob here, with $3K to build a PC of my wet dreams. Pls help a fellow out!

[ReallyFriendlyPerson]

Hi all! Go team Linus!

 

PC building noob here, but one with ample ambition. Pls help a fellow out!

 

So, I have a budget of <3K USD for my first-ever-time build. If anyone out here could help me navigate this clusterfuck of an info field of endless options, I would be really most grateful. 

 

First, allow me to bore you with some TLDR bs. (feel free to skip this part)

Spoiler

What my goals are: I want this machine mainly for AAA gaming and heavy web browsing (with tons of tabs with multimedia open in my fav browser Vivaldi, which is a pretty system-taxing one), as I normally use my current but old-and-since-its-inception-shite-for-gaming MacBook Pro for all the work-related stuff. I do, however, also want to set up a VM with MacOS locally in order to be able to sync my iPad, use Airdrop, restore from a laptop backup if need be and just generally sync up with my hereditary Apple ecosystem. I first thought about building a dual-boot windows/hackintosh PC, but cut the idea loose because it feels like running a VM is almost the same, but w/o the headache of having to choose and get only appropriate hardware. I feel like I’ve had enough of Apple locking me into my hardware over the years as it has. If a suggested build supports hackintosh, it will be a plus in my book, but I want no sacrifices made on the hardware side of things to achieve that. I expect to also sometimes be using Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop for some of my work-related tasks, also I dabble a bit in 3D design, so I will need the system to easily deal with any sort of project I throw its way from this side of things as well. I also tend to keep my machines running around the clock seldomly powering them off (normally just reboot manually maybe once or twice a week), so cooling is important, but as the system will be sitting in my bedroom, quiet operation is also a must. Thus, I am considering getting the thing watercooled. 

 

So, in summary: 

Use-cases: (n.b.: case 2 can be used with all other cases, 3 - with all but 1st one, 1, 4 and 5 will never run with each other)

1. AAA Gaming @ [planning to get a 1440p ultrawide] (I am currently sporting a BENQ XL2730 Freesync monitor: I know, I know, I was hyped about Vega too)
2. Heavy web browsing and watching a ton of YT, Netflix, Twitch and the likes
3. MacOS on VM
4. Adobe Ps/Ai/Id, a bit of 3D design
5. Video encoding probably as well every now and then. 

 

Desired build features:

• Quiet & cool operation (I’ve had a longstanding watercooling fetish for years, but I’m not certain I have it in me to make a custom loop this first time I ever build a PC. AIO packages seem more promising)
• 32GB RAM (I’m not sure if I will ever need 64GB or even 32GB for my aforementioned use cases within the lifespan of the hardware, feel free to advise me on that)
• 1080ti 11Gb for graphics with an open exhaust config
• I do want the Samsung 960 EVO 500GB M.2 SSD (hence, need an M.2 NVME-compatible slot on mobo)
• Also, I would like to have a spare PCIe x16 hub for a second 1080ti in SLI when time comes. (in mb 1-2 years’ time)
• Major support for USB 3.1, type C and if Intel, Thunderbolt 3
• Well, aesthetics are a big factor too, so RGB is also a plus, cause I expect my PC to rest on top of my table (not just to show off, but also cause central heating runs all below my work desk for like half of every year), so it better look badass. I would like a predominantly blue - dark blue palette on the future system.

 

My experience: 

I put an aftermarket M.2 Sata SSD on an adapter into my Mac recently and that’s about as much computer hardware tech fixing experience as I’ve had. Nevertheless, I feel pretty comfortable with the whole concept and am able to follow instructions to the letter. (Big LEGO fans will get me). I am also very friendly with the IT dpt at my company, so they should be able to give me some tools, general unobtrusive guidance and fix some noob mistakes as I'm building this thing.

 

What I don’t need

• Much storage. Aside from the 500GB M.2 SSD I would only get maybe 1TB internal HDD tops. I’ve got extra storage now
• Any other peripherals. 

 

Here’s a build I assembled on PCPP based around Ryzen 7 1800X. I assume it would be plenty good enough for all of the aforementioned use-cases, but I am mainly wondering about two things:

1) Is it really worth getting a CoffeeLake I7 and an Intel-based build vs the Ryzen one? Thunderbolt support is not enough of a selling point for me here, but extra budget probably would be

2) Is there a way to make my build cheaper without perceptively sacrificing performance in the use tasks above? I do have $3K to spare, but you know, it always feels better to stay under rather than float on top of the budget

 

Some more questions: 

1) Is the 960 EVO (not PRO) I chose an NVME SSD?

2) [Mentioned above] Is 32GB RAM too much for me? I've been sitting at 8GB for a long time, so I might be too emotional with my pick 

3) Is it worth making a custom watercooling loop with a 1080ti Poseidon f/ex for better performance and/or OC and/or money savings?

4) Will my PCPP hardware fit in the case I selected? 

 

I am respectful to every opinion and I am very detail-oriented, so don’t hesitate to throw too much info out there at me. I like that shit

 

Thank you all in advance for taking your time reading this and maybe helping me as well. I really appreciate and respect what this community has been able to achieve.

Edited October 7, 2017 by ReallyFriendlyPerson
Removed all the TLDR under a spoiler

[JusticeBeaver]

There really isnt a big need to run a AIO with Ryzen from what I have read. Air Coolers work great for them. I would run a Noctua over that. Unless you want the aesthetics of the AIO. I think a GIANT air cooler is still cool, but I'm old school.  

 

Me personally I use RDP from my desktop all the time, so I like Windows 10 Pro, but if you don't need the features you don't need them. 

 

As for the CPU pick your brand, there so close now, its not like it was prior generations of AMD. As for MOBO I really like the AsRock Fata1ty the 10gbe is a huge plus for me and having two 1gbe also is a thumbs up, but that fits my need for my home network.

[Sanctorum]

Your 1440p monitor is not 1440p ultrawide FYI. Watercooling, especially AIOs are not the way to go quiet. High end air coolers are quieter than watercooling. A custom loop could be a good idea, but definitely not for your first PC build.

24 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

1) Is the 960 EVO (not PRO) I chose an NVME SSD?

Yes, and also not necessary.

 

24 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

 

2) [Mentioned above] Is 32GB RAM too much for me? 

Yup. 16GB would be plenty and you can always EASILY add more RAM in the future.

 

26 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

 3) Is it worth making a custom watercooling loop with a 1080ti

Nope.

 

27 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

1) Is it really worth getting a CoffeeLake I7

Yes

 

27 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

2) Is there a way to make my build cheaper without perceptively sacrificing performance

Yup.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($59.90 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($213.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($171.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($169.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($749.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro M Tempered Glass ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: BitFenix - Whisper M 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.59 @ SuperBiiz) 
Headphones: Kingston - HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($94.99 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Total: $1675.19

 

Get an 8700k, you'll be right around the $2k mark with the i7. Oh, and you'll need a 750W unit at least for SLI 1080Tis, but 850W is advised.

[seon123]

Since you have the budget, maybe a HEDT platform? 16GB RAM, but you can add more, you can change the CPU to the 7900X or add a 1080 Ti. A 6 core option would be Coffee Lake 8700K. AiOs are a bit silly imo. A good air cooler will be more reliable and quieter, and perform just as well. 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7820X 3.6GHz 8-Core Processor  ($574.99 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($79.39 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Asus - TUF X299 MARK 2 ATX LGA2066 Motherboard  ($248.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($171.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Crucial - MX300 525GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($147.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($749.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro M Tempered Glass ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($97.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $2150.70
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-05 19:28 EDT-0400

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

Some more questions: 

1) Is the 960 EVO (not PRO) I chose an NVME SSD?

2) [Mentioned above] Is 32GB RAM too much for me? I've been sitting at 8GB for a long time, so I might be too emotional with my pick 

3) Is it worth making a custom watercooling loop with a 1080ti Poseidon f/ex for better performance and/or OC and/or money savings?

4) Will my PCPP hardware fit in the case I selected?

1. NVMe SSDs have the performance benefits in terms of read and write speeds when exporting large amounts of data/files
2. 32GB RAM is enough, 64GB would significantly raise the costs (16GB of RAM is plenty and you can easily upgrade the RAM in the future)
3. If you are going to be heavily overclocking your 1080ti, than the watercooler is good for keeping temps down, although, the watercooling components would significantly raise the cost
4. If something doesnt fit in your case, PCPP will notify you with an incompatability issue, from looking at your build, everything fits nicely in your chosen case

Some things I would recommed:

• Get the Noctua NHD-15, noctua coolers are very reliable and when it comes to cooling, they are great air coolers and are very quite. AIO liquid coolers can be louder when under load and considering that its your 1st build, the air cooler will do the job just fine
• Windows 10 OEM keys can be found cheap on kinguin.net, ususally in the 20-$30 price range

 

[Armakar]

Okay, first of all, edit this wall of text down; few people are going to bother reading all of that. You mentioned a "tl;dr" then proceeded to write an essay.

 

Second, I think with someone with a tiny amount of hardware history to go out and build like (what sounds like) a open-loop watercooled system is potentially a recepie for disaster.  You are better off with a large AIO, atleast 240mm.

 

Third, there's pretty much no reason to buy an 1800X atm. The 1800X is a trash price/performance processor compared to the 1600, 1700 (which performs almost the same lol) and even the new covfefe lake 8700k. atm it's better to either get a 1700 / 1700x , an 8700k or a threadripper ,the 1800x is just an awkward buy it's not worth the 100$ at all

 

It sounds like you just want to build a completley un-needed system. I think anyone spending more than 2K on a system who isnt A) gaming and streaming in 8k or triple 4k or something like that or B) professional editing  is just building for the sake of spending money. None of the tasks you mentioned require a $3k pc; you can builld a PC for the spec you wanted easily for 2k; I can't see how you would utilize a 3K PC for the listed tasks, unless it's a professional workload (splatting for example).

 

 

You should ask yourself if you really want to spend an extra $1000 just to be overkill, it's not exactly a small amount of money

 

 

 

[brob]

6 hours ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

...So, in summary: 

Use-cases: (n.b.: case 2 can be used with all other cases, 3 - with all but 1st one, 1, 4 and 5 will never run with each other)

1. AAA Gaming @ 1440p ultrawide (I am currently sporting a BENQ XL2730 Freesync monitor: I know, I know, I was hyped about Vega too)
2. Heavy web browsing
3. MacOS on VM
4. Adobe Ps/Ai/Id, a bit of 3D
5. Video encoding probably as well every now and then. 

 

Desired build features:

• Quiet & cool operation (I’ve had a longstanding watercooling fetish for years, but I’m not certain I have it in me to make a custom loop this first time I ever build a PC. AIO packages seem more promising)
• 32GB RAM (I’m not sure if I will ever need 64GB or even 32GB for my aforementioned use cases within the lifespan of the hardware, feel free to advise me on that)
• 1080ti 11Gb (preferably watercooled together with CPU)
• I do want the Samsung 960 EVO 500GB M.2 SSD (hence, need an M.2 slot on mobo)
• Also, I would like to have a spare PCIe x16 hub for a second 1080ti in SLI when time comes. (in mb 1-2 years’ time)
• Major support for USB 3.1, type C and if Intel, Thunderbolt 3
• Well, RGB is also a plus, cause I expect my PC to rest on top of my table (not just to show off, but also cause central heating runs all below my work desk for like half of every year), so it better look badass. I would like a predominantly blue - dark blue palette on the future system.

...

Here’s a build I assembled on PCPP based around Ryzen 7 1800X. I assume it would be plenty good enough for all of the aforementioned use-cases, but I am mainly wondering about two things:

1) Is it really worth getting a CoffeeLake I7 and an Intel-based build vs the Ryzen one? Thunderbolt support is not enough of a selling point for me here, but extra budget probably would be

2) Is there a way to make my build cheaper without perceptively sacrificing performance in the use tasks above? I do have $3K to spare, but you know, it always feels better to stay under rather than float on top of the budget

 

Some more questions: 

1) Is the 960 EVO (not PRO) I chose an NVME SSD?

2) [Mentioned above] Is 32GB RAM too much for me? I've been sitting at 8GB for a long time, so I might be too emotional with my pick 

3) Is it worth making a custom watercooling loop with a 1080ti Poseidon f/ex for better performance and/or OC and/or money savings?

4) Will my PCPP hardware fit in the case I selected? 

 

I am respectful to every opinion and I am very detail-oriented, so don’t hesitate to throw too much info out there at me. I like that shit

 

Thank you all in advance for taking your time reading this and maybe helping me as well. I really appreciate and respect what this community has been able to achieve.

Answers to questions:

1. Yes the Samsung 960 Evo is an NVMe drive.
2. 16GB would be fine, but given the budget 32GB should provide a touch better performance especially when running a VM and doing heavy web browsing.
3. No, especially on a first build.
4. Yes.

Comments on PCPP build:

• The cpu cooler comes with thermal compound. No real need to buy more.
• The Windows 10 OEM license does not permit use in DIY builds.
• If the plan is to allow for a second gpu, the psu does not have sufficient capacity. An 850W unit would be better.
• However, in two years time it will probably make sense to replace the existing gpu with whatever is the latest tech. IOW, you will probably want the then best gpu rather than settle for what is the best today in SLI.

But I would suggest you give serious consideration to a Z370 build. Early benchmarks suggest the i7-8700K cpu is living up to the hype. At its price point it is the best gaming cpu available. It will also prove to be the best cpu for lightly threaded applications like Photoshop and AfterEffects. Because of the higher IPC, it seems to be competitive with the R7 1800X in rendering and other workstation tasks.

 

Here is a suggested z370 build. You will notice I include an 850W psu to allow for adding a second gpu, even though I think it an unlikely occurrence.

 

The Kraken X62 cpu cooler is quieter and cooler than the Celsius s36.

 

Intel platforms do not have the memory concerns still present in Ryzen. So going with 16GB memory modules is not a problem and will allow for an upgrade later, (as unlikely as that might be).

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor  ($380.00) 
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($154.79 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: Asus - MAXIMUS X HERO (WI-FI AC) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($279.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: G.Skill - TridentZ RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($396.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($233.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($45.69 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($804.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro M Tempered Glass ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.90 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit  ($109.98 @ B&H) 
Headphones: Plantronics - RIG 500E 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $2746.18
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-06 00:27 EDT-0400

 

[ReallyFriendlyPerson]

Thanks very much to all for responding, you really switched my insight quite a bit with some of your remarks.

 

Especially: 

On 06/10/2017 at 2:29 AM, Sanctorum said:

High end air coolers are quieter than watercooling.

This really opened my eyes in terms of cooling config

 

About NVME SSD solution

On 06/10/2017 at 2:29 AM, Sanctorum said:

Yes, and also not necessary.

Don't want to seem dismissive, but let me have it

 

On 06/10/2017 at 2:29 AM, Sanctorum said:

1) Is it really worth getting a CoffeeLake I7

After so many comments about the virtues of CL I've decided to wait for that one, thanks.

20 hours ago, brob said:

The Windows 10 OEM license does not permit use in DIY builds.

This point is unclear to me, unfortunately

 

20 hours ago, brob said:

However, in two years time it will probably make sense to replace the existing gpu with whatever is the latest tech. IOW, you will probably want the then best gpu rather than settle for what is the best today in SLI.

Makes sense, esp seeing how later gen GPUs outperform previous-gen SLI setups

 

So now, due to choice of a -giant- air cooler (either Noctua or a the be quiet! - Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM) and due to the size of the case I chose I am concerned about the aesthetics of my build. I am worried that if I stick with my current case choice (with a tempered glass side panel) the inside of it will just look empty and lacking. Now, I still want to be able to see what's inside my PC and all the RGB effects, but will this system be able to fit into a smaller case without too much airflow restriction affecting thermals badly? I don't really need storage/optical drive bays and the original case I went with has a metric fuckton of them compared to my needs.

 

Some more questions that arose: 

• Will a compatible system perform faster with a 4x8GB RAM setup compared to 2x16GB RAM sticks? (HZ being equal)
• I've been looking at the bq Dark Rock 3 and DR3 Pro coolers (can't stand the sight of those Noctua fans) and can't seem to grasp why they're both rated @ 67.8 CFM even though one has twin cooler fans. Is there an explanation?

As of now, I have modified my build to accommodate for these new developments: 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Other: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor ($380.00)

CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($59.90 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($379.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($233.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($45.69 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($764.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: BitFenix - Whisper M 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.59 @ SuperBiiz) 
Headphones: Plantronics - RIG 500E 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 
Other: ASUS Expansion Card for Z170 & X99 Motherboards ThunderboltEX 3 ($70.00)
Total: $2454.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-06 23:23 EDT-0400

[HZapperz]

22 hours ago, brob said:

Answers to questions:

1. Yes the Samsung 960 Evo is an NVMe drive.
2. 16GB would be fine, but given the budget 32GB should provide a touch better performance especially when running a VM and doing heavy web browsing.
3. No, especially on a first build.
4. Yes.

Comments on PCPP build:

• The cpu cooler comes with thermal compound. No real need to buy more.
• The Windows 10 OEM license does not permit use in DIY builds.
• If the plan is to allow for a second gpu, the psu does not have sufficient capacity. An 850W unit would be better.
• However, in two years time it will probably make sense to replace the existing gpu with whatever is the latest tech. IOW, you will probably want the then best gpu rather than settle for what is the best today in SLI.

But I would suggest you give serious consideration to a Z370 build. Early benchmarks suggest the i7-8700K cpu is living up to the hype. At its price point it is the best gaming cpu available. It will also prove to be the best cpu for lightly threaded applications like Photoshop and AfterEffects. Because of the higher IPC, it seems to be competitive with the R7 1800X in rendering and other workstation tasks.

 

Here is a suggested z370 build. You will notice I include an 850W psu to allow for adding a second gpu, even though I think it an unlikely occurrence.

 

The Kraken X62 cpu cooler is quieter and cooler than the Celsius s36.

 

Intel platforms do not have the memory concerns still present in Ryzen. So going with 16GB memory modules is not a problem and will allow for an upgrade later, (as unlikely as that might be).

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor  ($380.00) 
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($154.79 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: Asus - MAXIMUS X HERO (WI-FI AC) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($279.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: G.Skill - TridentZ RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($396.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($233.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($45.69 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($804.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro M Tempered Glass ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.90 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit  ($109.98 @ B&H) 
Headphones: Plantronics - RIG 500E 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $2746.18
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-06 00:27 EDT-0400

 

Since he has a 3k budget, mby isntead of a hdd get a 500gb ssd?

[brob]

1 minute ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

Thanks very much to all for responding, you really switched my insight quite a bit with some of your remarks.

 

Especially: 

This really opened my eyes in terms of cooling config

 

About NVME SSD solution

Don't want to seem dismissive, but let me have it

 

After so many comments about the virtues of CL I've decided to wait for that one, thanks.

This point is unclear to me, unfortunately

 

Makes sense, esp seeing how later gen GPUs outperform previous-gen SLI setups

 

So now, due to choice of a -giant- air cooler (either Noctua or a the be quiet! - Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM) and due to the size of the case I chose I am concerned about the aesthetics of my build. I am worried that if I stick with my current case choice (with a tempered glass side panel) the inside of it will just look empty and lacking. Now, I still want to be able to see what's inside my PC and all the RGB effects, but will this system be able to fit into a smaller case without too much airflow restriction affecting thermals badly? I don't really need storage/optical drive bays and the original case I went with has a metric fuckton of them compared to my needs.

 

Some more questions that arose: 

• Will a compatible system perform faster with a 4x8GB RAM setup compared to 2x16GB RAM sticks? (HZ being equal)
• I've been looking at the bq Dark Rock 3 and DR3 Pro coolers (can't stand the sight of those Noctua fans) and can't seem to grasp why they're both rated @ 67.8 CFM even though one has twin cooler fans. Is there an explanation?

As of now, I have modified my build to accommodate for these new developments: 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Other: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor ($380.00)

CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($59.90 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($379.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($233.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($45.69 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($764.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: BitFenix - Whisper M 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.59 @ SuperBiiz) 
Headphones: Plantronics - RIG 500E 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 
Other: ASUS Expansion Card for Z170 & X99 Motherboards ThunderboltEX 3 ($70.00)
Total: $2454.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-06 23:23 EDT-0400

I would suggest an AIO cpu cooler. Air towers are not necessarily quieter than AIO when providing the same level of cooling. They also top out a little earlier than good AIO. But the reason I suggest an AIO is that it will not hide a third of the motherboard and therefore makes for a better looking build. AIO also allow for better looking memory modules while still providing excellent cooling. Consider something like the NZXT Kraken X62 Rev 2. Check out the data at https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/8109/nzxt-kraken-x62-liquid-cpu-cooler-review/index7.html and http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/nzxt_kraken_62_review,12.html.

 

4x8GB and 2x16GB memory kits of the same speed and timings will perform the same. IOW, there is no performance difference.

 

The Windows 10 OEM license, which one agrees to by installing a Windows 10 OEM license, specifies that it is only to be used by those who make a living building and selling systems. It specifically excludes Do It Yourself builders, i.e. those building their own system.

 

If you are looking for a quiet 650W psu, the Bitfenix Whisper M is not it. See https://uk.hardware.info/reviews/7323/7/600-650w-power-supplies-review-46-models-compared-noise-levels. Corsair RM650x is quiet and of excellent quality.

 

The case will not look empty with an ATX motherboard.

 

 

[brob]

10 minutes ago, HZapperz said:

Since he has a 3k budget, mby isntead of a hdd get a 500gb ssd?

Good thought. Maybe could even fit a 1TB ssd into the build.

[Sanctorum]

47 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

About NVME SSD solution

Don't want to seem dismissive, but let me have it

Why though? It's a waste of money for no reason. It's a 60%+ price increase from a good SATA SSD for no noticeable performance increase in your situation.

 

48 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

After so many comments about the virtues of CL I've decided to wait for that one, thanks.

No need to wait, it's out.

 

48 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

Makes sense, esp seeing how later gen GPUs outperform previous-gen SLI setups

If you want SLI support, go for it. It doesn't hurt. There are plenty of reasons to go SLI. Maybe you get a sudden influx of cash and want to treat yourself. Maybe you get a 1080Ti, a year later the 1180Ti launches and offers comparable performance to SLI 1080Ti's but you can get a 1080Ti for less than half the price of an 1180Ti. Or maybe, like what happened with Pascal, you have a 980Ti, the 1080 launches and offers worse performance than SLI 980Ti's but 980Ti's dropped from $650+ to under $300.

 

51 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

So now, due to choice of a -giant- air cooler (either Noctua or a the be quiet! - Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM) and due to the size of the case I chose I am concerned about the aesthetics of my build. I am worried that if I stick with my current case choice (with a tempered glass side panel) the inside of it will just look empty and lacking. Now, I still want to be able to see what's inside my PC and all the RGB effects, but will this system be able to fit into a smaller case without too much airflow restriction affecting thermals badly? I don't really need storage/optical drive bays and the original case I went with has a metric fuckton of them compared to my needs.

This is super confusing. A large air cooler will make your system look empty? What? Also, the P400S is essentially the same case as the Enthoo Pro M, just with different styling.

 

52 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

• Will a compatible system perform faster with a 4x8GB RAM setup compared to 2x16GB RAM sticks? (HZ being equal)

Not unless it makes use of quad channel memory, and even then the difference is negligible. 

 

57 minutes ago, ReallyFriendlyPerson said:

Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($379.99 @ Newegg) 

This is just stupid overpriced for no real reason. You can get the same RAM in a 3000MHz kit for $45 less;

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Q3M323/gskill-tridentz-rgb-32gb-4-x-8gb-ddr4-3000-memory-f4-3000c15q-32gtzr

or for even $30 less than that, you can get a 2400MHz 2x16GB kit;

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fBKhP6/gskill-tridentz-rgb-series-32gb-2-x-16gb-ddr4-2400-memory-f4-2400c15d-32gtzr

which even gives you room to upgrade.

 

Again though, 16GB is more than adequate and you can get 16GB RGB RAM for $160-170 easily;

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/NctWGX/corsair-vengeance-rgb-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-2666-memory-cmr16gx4m2a2666c16

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sHQRsY/gskill-tridentz-rgb-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3000-memory-f4-3000c15d-16gtzr

[Sanctorum]

41 minutes ago, brob said:

I would suggest an AIO cpu cooler. Air towers are not necessarily quieter than AIO

Yes, they are. High end air coolers are objectively quieter than AIOs. Sure, a high end AIO is likely to cool a bit better, but something like a Dark Rock(Pro 3) is going to be undeniably quieter than something like an H100i.

 

42 minutes ago, brob said:

I suggest an AIO is that it will not hide a third of the motherboard and therefore makes for a better looking build.

Entirely subjective.

[brob]

3 minutes ago, Sanctorum said:

Yes, they are. High end air coolers are objectively quieter than AIOs. Sure, a high end AIO is likely to cool a bit better, but something like a Dark Rock(Pro 3) is going to be undeniably quieter than something like an H100i.

 

Entirely subjective.

https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/nzxt_kraken_62_review,12.html

 

Yes it is subjective.

[Sanctorum]

20 minutes ago, brob said:

https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/nzxt_kraken_62_review,12.html

No Dark Rock (Pro) 3 there, but it actually seems like acoustic difference between the DR(P) 3 and X62 would be margin of error. That said, you can easily tune an air cooler to be quieter than an AIO, which if you're aiming for silence, you are going to do this.

[ReallyFriendlyPerson]

Sanctorum, look, I really appreciate your input, and your awareness of price-to-performance ratios is undeniable, but I am not just building a "best bang for buck" rig as much as "best bang that I like & want for the buck" one. Thus, some of my choices do seem inefficient and I realise that. I suppose I've decided to not chase the couple hundred dollar differences and just get what I like best and what will fit into my current room aesthetic best as well. 

 

On 07/10/2017 at 7:28 AM, Sanctorum said:

It's a waste of money for no reason. It's a 60%+ price increase from a good SATA SSD for no noticeable performance increase in your situation.

Well, then, I guess I'm just having it because I can and because I have no sense. It may be overpriced, but I don't know yet what my situation will be in 2-4 years. Hopefully I will be able to actually benefit from the insane speeds. 

 

On 07/10/2017 at 6:47 AM, brob said:

See https://uk.hardware.info/reviews/7323/7/600-650w-power-supplies-review-46-models-compared-noise-levels. Corsair RM650x is quiet and of excellent quality.

Thank you very much, build updated.

 

On 07/10/2017 at 7:28 AM, Sanctorum said:

If you want SLI support, go for it. It doesn't hurt.

Fair enough, might as well. It's true, only time will show how good next-gen gpus will be.

 

On 07/10/2017 at 7:28 AM, Sanctorum said:

A large air cooler will make your system look empty?

On second thought, after seeing a build with it installed I changed my mind. This cooler actually does look pretty sexy inside a case. Plus, it will reflect RGB lights from my RAM sticks. 

On 07/10/2017 at 7:28 AM, Sanctorum said:

No need to wait, it's out.

Yeah, I was aware, but I will still have to wait cause I live in Europe in a non-EU country which name starts with "R" and ends with "ussia".. So these CPUs will take a while to get here. As well as some of the other parts, for that matter, actually

 

Cooler-wise, after seeing this review that Linus made of the Dark Rock Pro 3 cooler I chose to go with, I found out that the Phanteks case doesn't actually support coolers this tall. Both the DR3 and Noctua will be too tall by several mm. Before discovering that, I also learned I wouldn't've had enough space to install the relatively high-profile TridentZ RGB ram (@44mm), as well as concerned (due to the review) about the real-life performance of this thing. More than 3 degrees difference vs the x61 is actually quite significant. 

 

Thus, I changed the case to accommodate the required coolers. I also like the smaller form factor of the chosen case, but I am a bit concerned with the air cooling configuration in it. Do you think I will be able to install 2x140mm top fans in this case with the motherboard I have? It feels like it should be possible, but it never hurts to doublecheck.

 

As for RAM, I find it quite difficult to be able to fit it in with the cooler. I really like Gskill's RGB Ram (it's the only one around that lets you have different colours on same stick), so I will probably just opt for 2x16 sticks and just have the two slots closest to the CPU blocked out by the cooler since I imagine there's little to no difference in running similar clocked ram in different configurations, be it 4x8 or 2x16 apparently.

 

I might later use the slots if I decide to treat myself to a custom cooling loop or something. 

 

Also, will I be able to install the Thunderbolt network adapter I chose into the bottom-most PCIe slot and have the necessary expansion slot in the case available for it?

 

I modified my build accordingly and am already sincerely looking forward to being done with this build hah

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($59.90 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: G.Skill - TridentZ RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($396.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($233.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($66.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card  ($764.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Corsair - Carbide 400C White ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: Corsair - RMx 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM 107.4 CFM  140mm Fan  ($27.95 @ Amazon) 
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM 107.4 CFM  140mm Fan  ($27.95 @ Amazon) 
Headphones: Plantronics - RIG 500E 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 
Other: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor ($380.00)
Other: ASUS Expansion Card for Z170 & X99 Motherboards ThunderboltEX 3 ($70.00)
Total: $2578.49
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-10-08 21:02 EDT-0400

[brob]

@ReallyFriendlyPerson

 

I'm a little confused by the cpu cooler thoughts. The Dark Rock Pro 3 cooler overhangs all four memory slots, see the photo from this Techpowerup review.

 

There is 34.9mm clearance under the fan and 39mm under the fins. Trident Z modules are about 44mm tall. 

 

Besides, what is the point of RGB memory if it is going to be entirely covered by a cooler?

[ReallyFriendlyPerson]

17 hours ago, brob said:

what is the point of RGB memory if it is going to be entirely covered by a cooler?

Guess you're right. I'll just put some CVengeance sticks then

https://pcpartpicker.com/user/ReallyFriendlyPerson/saved/QWv3FT