Build Thread

[ShadySands]

I swear Dell used to offer more customization

 

I'm thinking of just forking over a little more dough and getting a 290X instead of a 280X, any thoughts on that?

 

I really appreciate everyone's help and will let you know what I get

[Humanoid]

Yeah, despite the naming scheme, the 290 series is a generation ahead and so is a worthwhile bump in performance. I specced a 290 above as it's a good value proposition, the X version somewhat less so (and it competes with the 780 at its price point)

[ManifestedISO]

Bonkers overkill if you're playing at a resolution of 1080. You mentioned multiple monitors, and in that case the 290 is good value, I just don't see how anyone can stand two black vertical monitor frame bezels in the center of their gameplay. One display, one life, right.     

[Bryy]

CPU Cooler : still looking into options. 

The Corsair Hydro Series is amazing.

 

Just make sure your tubes are not bent. I recently untwisted one of my cooling tubes, and it gave me an extra twenty degrees temperature difference.

[ShadySands]

Bonkers overkill if you're playing at a resolution of 1080. You mentioned multiple monitors, and in that case the 290 is good value, I just don't see how anyone can stand two black vertical monitor frame bezels in the center of their gameplay. One display, one life, right.     

 

I usually play on the left screen in windowed fullscreen mode and work or surf the web on the right screen

[Guest Slinky]

 

CPU Cooler : still looking into options.

The Corsair Hydro Series is amazing.

 

Just make sure your tubes are not bent. I recently untwisted one of my cooling tubes, and it gave me an extra twenty degrees temperature difference.

 

 

I'd imagine Gorgon has found his cooler since last October.

 

 

Edit: Oh and Shady, you can fiddle around with AnandTech GPU charts to get an idea how graphics cards differ.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Slinky

[Bartimaeus]

I'm thinking of just forking over a little more dough and getting a 290X instead of a 280X, any thoughts on that?

 

290 might be worth it, depending on the person buying...but there's little benefit for paying an extra $100-150 for a 290X, IMO.

 

I feel like we're not really helping you enough - is there anything you specifically need help with? (As a side-note, I'd suggest the Gigabyte UD3H vs the Gigabyte HD3 motherboard - little more expensive, but 8 true phases vs the 4(+1?) the HD3 has. Additionally, you may want to look at the EVGA G2 750W instead of the Seasonic unit - both units are fully modular, as well as very well renowned, but you're not paying a $20-30 premium for the Seasonic unit).

[ShadySands]

Thanks all

 

This is what I currently have selected

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kwgFbv

 

Any thoughts? I went all out on RAM because I had budget and my wife will likely be stealing my gaming machine for her graphics stuff

 

I'm still 100 bucks under budget which will be a nice savings but it's there in case I need to tweak things some more

[Gfted1]

When you buy a PC from a place like that does it come with an OS?

[ShadySands]

The OS is extra but the site seems to just scour the web for the best prices and give it to you in one nice neat place

 

I'll get the OS for free or nearly so from work anyway since we have crazy employee purchasing programs and MS is one of our biggest customers

[Sarex]

Thanks all

 

This is what I currently have selected

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kwgFbv

 

Any thoughts? I went all out on RAM because I had budget and my wife will likely be stealing my gaming machine for her graphics stuff

 

I'm still 100 bucks under budget which will be a nice savings but it's there in case I need to tweak things some more

 

I would only go for a better cooler, especially since you went for the "K" CPU. Personaly I would go for the Noctua NH-D15, or if you want to go a little cheaper grab the Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 (it comes with PMW controlled fans unlike the vanila NH-D14).

 

You can check the clearances (for RAM) on the noctua web site.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sarex

[Bartimaeus]

Uh, do you ever plan on Crossfiring? I didn't realize you weren't going to get dual video cards at all. If you're not planning on Crossfiring, like, ever, drop to a lower wattage PSU. You probably need an absolute minimum of...500W, (I don't think I'd be comfortable cutting it that close, personally, though), with 550W being fairly comfortable, and 600W being very comfortable, (this is probably what I'd get...and not just because 600 is such a nicer number than 550, ).

 

And...uh, I know you mentioned *why* you're planning on getting that much RAM...but...uh, are you sure? I mean, I feel like most everyone could get away with 8GB...with 16GB being a little ridiculous but understandable for some cases...but 32GB for a regular desktop computer? That's server level amount of RAM. Are you *really* sure you need that much?

Edited July 15, 2014 by Bartimaeus

[Guest Slinky]

 

Thanks all

 

This is what I currently have selected

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kwgFbv

 

Any thoughts? I went all out on RAM because I had budget and my wife will likely be stealing my gaming machine for her graphics stuff

 

I'm still 100 bucks under budget which will be a nice savings but it's there in case I need to tweak things some more

 

I would only go for a better cooler, especially since you went for the "K" CPU. Personaly I would go for the Noctua NH-D15, or if you want to go a little cheaper grab the Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 (it comes with PMW controlled fans unlike the vanila NH-D14).

 

You can check the clearances (for RAM) on the noctua web site.

 

 

I disagree. While Noctua coolers are really good, that Scythe is half the price and more than capable to keep that CPU cool. I'd pay for Noctua only if I really wanted to overclock to the limit.

[Sarex]

I disagree. While Noctua coolers are really good, that Scythe is half the price and more than capable to keep that CPU cool. I'd pay for Noctua only if I really wanted to overclock to the limit.

 

To each their own I guess, I agree that the Scythe will keep it on normal temps, but if he wants to overclock, which is the only reason to even go for a "K" CPU, then he should get a better then decent cooler and if he really wants to push the clocks to the limit then he should go for a water cooling loop (not the premade crap).

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sarex

[Guest Slinky]

Normally yes, but I don't think there is a cheap Xeon competing in the same league as 4790k, and non K is slower. I'd go for 4790k even when there is no intention to overclock.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Slinky

[Sarex]

Normally yes, but I don't think there is a cheap Xeon competing in the same league as 4790k, and non K is slower. I'd go for 4790k even when there is no intention to overclock.

 

Hmm, my bad thought that there was a non K variant, there usually is for the consumer line.

[Guest Slinky]

There is non K version, but it's 3.6/4.0GHz against K versions 4.0/4.4GHz.

[Gorgon]

The OS is extra but the site seems to just scour the web for the best prices and give it to you in one nice neat place

 

I'll get the OS for free or nearly so from work anyway since we have crazy employee purchasing programs and MS is one of our biggest customers

Sometimes no OS is extra because of the OEM stranglehold Microsoft enjoys. 

[Sarex]

Nvm, I'm dumb.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sarex

[Humanoid]

With a single fan installed on each, the Scythe isn't just a value proposition, it beats the D15. With its second fan installed, the D15 wins by about 1 degree. Read SPCR's conclusion, which is to say, what they think despite their recommended award.

 

Noctua makes nice products, but it's mostly marketing that has them being perceived as superior to some of their direct competitors when in reality they perform at the same level but with a large price premium. They're the Apple/Monster Cable/Bose/etc of heatsinks.

 

 

P.S. While you're going all out on RAM, may as well play it safe by buying something with low profile heatspreaders. Heatspreaders are really only there for show and make bugger-all difference to cooling performance, so you might as well maximise compatibility, both for now and for the future should you need to reuse the sticks elsewhere.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Humanoid

[ShadySands]

Thanks again all

 

Any suggestions on good RAM with no or lower profile heat spreaders?

Edited July 16, 2014 by ShadySands

[Humanoid]

Well the G.Skill Ares series for one is likely to be the exact same thing as the Ripjaws, except with a different heatspreader, so that'd work out just fine. The Sniper series is also lower profile than the Ripjaws, although it's a dumb shape regardless: memory shaped like a gun? Really? At least you could probably file off the 'sights' easily. Looking down the price-sorted list, there's the Patriot kit here for a little more.

 

(That said, I do run Snipers myself, but that's only because they were the only DDR3U/1.25V set I could find, and then only 1600MHz)

[ManifestedISO]

Thanks all

 

This is what I currently have selected

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kwgFbv

 

Any thoughts? I went all out on RAM because I had budget and my wife will likely be stealing my gaming machine for her graphics stuff

 

I'm still 100 bucks under budget which will be a nice savings but it's there in case I need to tweak things some more

 

How fun, that looks like a primo rig, for sure. Positively oceanic levels of RAM. 

 

Something I've always wondered with blu-ray writers, is whether you can take screenshots from commercial discs--or if the HDCP, or whatever, prevents that. All my favorite movies are on blu-ray, and I enjoy capturing screens for avatars and stuff, but DVDs are just too low-res. 

[Sensuki]

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_rog_swift_pg278q.htm

 

:wowey:

[Sarex]

Personally, I would rather have this:

 

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_up3214q.htm