Christmas gift build.

Zando_ · October 31, 2017

Alrighty, so I'm gonna try and build a PC for a friend for Christmas. He loves CS:GO and Assassin's Creed, and currently only has a crappy laptop that gets 20 or so fps in CS:GO. I already have a mobo (ASUS Z170-K) and RAM (16GB Patriot DDR4) lying around not doing much, so I'll add $600-800 or so, whatever I can afford after Christmas gifts and some clothes, and his mum will see what she can come up with, probs something around $300 or so. So total budget of $900-1000. I'd like to build him the most awesome rig I can with the money. @Damascus has a GPU available, and I'd love to see if I can edge some water-cooling parts in there too. I'm not too worried about an SSD, since it doesn't impact gaming performance, and it's annoying when you accidentally install a game or something on it and run out of space. I'm looking around for an i7 6700K on craigslist (I refuse to drop to an i5, 4 threads just is not enough for newer games, especially Assassin's Creed Origins, which he will be playing). So what all ideas you got?

(and anyone who says that's a lot of money to spend on a friend, I was planning to build a rig like this for myself, but then it would sit around and not do much, since my current PC is already a beast. So I still get to build it, but since I'm giving it to him, it won't be taking up more space in my already cluttered room)

EDITS:

Note one: I'm pretty much set on a Fractal Design Meshify C, defo not getting any case without tempered glass (I have a case with an acrylic window, and compared to TG it's meh). And for a monitor, I'll get him the same one I have, it's a 5ms 1080p 60Hz IPS display I can get for $99)

October 31, 2017

9 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Alrighty, so I'm gonna try and build a PC for a friend for Christmas. He loves CS:GO and Assassin's Creed, and currently only has a crappy laptop that gets 20 or so fps in CS:GO. I already have a mobo (ASUS Z170-K) and RAM (16GB Patriot DDR4) lying around not doing much, so I'll add $600-800 or so, whatever I can afford after Christmas gifts and some clothes, and his mum will see what she can come up with, probs something around $300 or so. So total budget of $900-1000. I'd like to build him the most awesome rig I can with the money. @Damascus has a GPU available, and I'd love to see if I can edge some water-cooling parts in there too. I'm not too worried about an SSD, since it doesn't impact gaming performance, and it's annoying when you accidentally install a game or something on it and run out of space. I'm looking around for an i7 6700K on craigslist (I refuse to drop to an i5, 4 threads just is not enough for newer games, especially Assassin's Creed Origins, which he will be playing). So what all ideas you got?

(and anyone who says that's a lot of money to spend on a friend, I was planning to build a rig like this for myself, but then it would sit around and not do much, since my current PC is already a beast. So I still get to build it, but since I'm giving it to him, it won't be taking up more space in my already cluttered room)

EDITS:

Note one: I'm pretty much set on a Fractal Design Meshify C, defo not getting any case without tempered glass (I have a case with an acrylic window, and compared to TG it's meh). And for a monitor, I'll get him the same one I have, it's a 5ms 1080p 60Hz IPS display I can get for $99)

get a 6700k if possible, and possibly a 1070 or 1080. Maybe even wait for a 1070 Ti

Zando_ · October 31, 2017

2 minutes ago, NovaMan01 said:

get a 6700k if possible, and possibly a 1070 or 1080. Maybe even wait for a 1070 Ti

Yep, I'll be going for an i7 6700K, 6700, or the 7700 counterparts (though I worry about overheating when overclocking). But @Damascus has an R9 290x he may sell, and I think he has a block for it as well. And for 1080p, it should run both CS:GO and AC:O ezpz.

October 31, 2017

Just now, Zando Bob said:

Yep, I'll be going for an i7 6700K, 6700, or the 7700 counterparts (though I worry about overheating when overclocking). But @Damascus has an R9 290x, and I think he has a block for it as well. And for 1080p, it should run both CS:GO and ACI ezpz.

itll crush CS GO, but Origins could hurt performance. Invest in a $50 120 mm AiO for overclocking insurance and possibly throw in another 290x for crossfire

bowrilla · October 31, 2017

I wouldn't be so sure about it handling Assassin's Creed that easy. I wouldn't expect more than 1060 3GB or even 1050 ti level of performance. It will probably struggle in Assassin's Creed. You could hunt for a 980 or 980 ti if you want to go used or a 1070 or 1070 ti new.

P.S.: yes, quite a big gift but also a great move!

Zando_ · October 31, 2017

6 minutes ago, NovaMan01 said:

itll crush CS GO, but Origins could hurt performance. Invest in a $50 120 mm AiO for overclocking insurance and possibly throw in another 290x for crossfire

Don't think I could afford that. And from benchmarks, after turning off volumetric clouds and putting everything on medium, even a 970 can keep 60fps pretty much everywhere. And coming from 20fps CS:GO on a laptop, med 1080p will still be awesome. Though if I could get a 1070, that'd be dope.

3 minutes ago, bowrilla said:

I wouldn't be so sure about it handling Assassin's Creed that easy. I wouldn't expect more than 1060 3GB or even 1050 ti level of performance. It will probably struggle in Assassin's Creed. You could hunt for a 980 or 980 ti if you want to go used or a 1070 or 1070 ti new.

P.S.: yes, quite a big gift but also a great move!

Yep, if I can afford a 980 Ti or 1070 I will defo go for one. I have a 980 Ti and they're awesome GPUs. And yep, great move, because who doesn't want more homies gaming?

Damascus · October 31, 2017

I can pitch a full loop their way, take away the need for an aio

~~I have a 5.25" Pump/res unit, I could include 1 ddc v3.5. It's a pain to fill but a solid performer~~

Meshify has no 5.25" bays, I can give you a bare pump and a multi Z 100 (you'll need to get a pumptop)

4 feser company 3/8" ID 5/8" OD Nickel coated and 4 nice 1/2" barbs (all with replacement bitspower UV O-rings) Male to male G1/4 for connecting Pump to res

Raystorm block (blue led)

as mentioned, the 290X and WB (EK FC)

Various stoppers for res and GPU block

Heres the Performance PC's pricing on each, BRB

Quote

Product Name
Weight
Unit PriceQtySubtotal

XSPC RayStorm RGB WaterBlock (Intel) V3

* Good stock

1.5 lbEdit$55.95$55.95Remove item

Black Ice Nemesis 240GTS® XFLOW Ultra Stealth Cross-Flow Low Profile Black Carbon Radiator

* Good stock

5 lbEdit$50.95$50.95Remove item

Bitspower Water Tank Z-Multi 100 (POM Version)

* Good stock

1.6 lbEdit$36.50$36.50Remove item

Enzotech High Flow Stubby 1/2" Fitting G 1/4 Thread - Wide Channel

* Good stock

0.02 lbEdit$3.49$6.98Remove item

EK-FC R9-390X TF5 - Nickel

* Low Stock 4 left

2.7 lbEdit$139.99$139.99Remove item

Koolance PMP-400 High-flow DDC Pump

Pump Cable

No changes (stock, unsleeved)

Sleeve Color

Allure Premium Black Sleeving

Heatshrink Color

Black

* Good stock

2 lbEdit$69.95$69.95Remove item

Total Weight: 12.84 lb

Zando_ · October 31, 2017

19 minutes ago, Damascus said:

I can pitch a full loop their way, take away the need for an aio

~~I have a 5.25" Pump/res unit, I could include 1 ddc v3.5. It's a pain to fill but a solid performer~~

Meshify has no 5.25" bays, I can give you a bare pump and a multi Z 100 (you'll need to get a pumptop)

4 feser company 3/8" ID 5/8" OD Nickel coated and 4 nice 1/2" barbs (all with replacement bitspower UV O-rings) Male to male G1/4 for connecting Pump to res

Raystorm block (blue led)

as mentioned, the 290X and WB (EK FC)

Various stoppers for res and GPU block

Heres the Performance PC's pricing on each, BRB

So total for the loop and GPU? And it'll work with LGA1151, and I shouldn't need anything else other than coolant, right? Oh, and tubing.

Damascus · November 1, 2017

19 hours ago, Zando Bob said:

So total for the loop and GPU? And it'll work with LGA1151, and I shouldn't need anything else other than coolant, right? Oh, and tubing.

I have a price in mind, what are you thinking? Also, you'd need a DDC pumptop like this

Super cheap

http://www.performance-pcs.com/phobya-ddc-light-laing-ddc-plexi-top.html

Inexpensive, solid option

http://www.performance-pcs.com/ek-xtop-ddc-acetal.html

Gorgeous Heatkiller

http://www.performance-pcs.com/heatkiller-ddc-case-lt.html

If you get these two you can screw the Z multi res directly on to this if you want the seamless pump/res look

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-premium-laing-ddc-acrylictop.html

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-ddc-top-tank-adapter-seat-acrylic-edition.html

This is a good thing to have, DDC like to be cooled down

Bitspower