First Time Builder

[BettytheBuilder]

I got really spoiled using my roommates custom builds for gaming but now I live alone. Solution: I am going to try building my own system for the first time. Cue extreme excitement and anxiety.

I have done some research on parts via online sites and youtube, and have come up with build specs that I would like to run past the community here. I am hoping to get a feel for how the system looks to someone more experienced with actually building a pc. PCpartpicker says there are no compatibility issues, but I have also heard that the site isn't always the most accurate. So if you have any advice on how to make my build more cost efficient (without sacrificing much in game play), more compatible, or anything else really feel free to let me know what you think. I would really appreciate any advice.

One final note before I list the specs. I am doing a white/black build so for some items I chose them over a slightly cheaper item with the same performance value simply because of the aesthetics. I am going to list everything here, even the purely aesthetic components, in case you have any advice on improving that part of the build as well. Oh! Also, the HDD is added because I download a ton of movies/music/etc and I didn't want to store that on the primary SSD. Thanks!

CPU: Intel i7-7700k
MOBO: GIGABYTE AORUS GA-Z270X-Gaming K7
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING OC 11GB (White)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200 (White LED)
SSD: Samsung 960 EVO Series - 500GB NVMe - M.2
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green 3 TB SATA III
CPU Cooling : NZXT Kraken X62 All-in-One
Extra Fans: Corsair Air Series SP120 (Do I need these? Is there a better alternative?)
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G2, 80+ GOLD 750W
Extra: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I REV Bluetooth 4.0/Wireless AC Expansion Card
Wiring: Phanteks 24 Pin/ 8pin (4+4) M/B, 8pin (6+2) PCI-E Extension Cable Kit 500mm Length, (White)
Lights: CableMod WideBeam Magnetic Hybrid LED Kit
Monitor: ViewSonic XG2700-4K 27" 60Hz IPS 4K UHD 2160p FreeSync Gaming Monitor
OS: Windows 10 Home (64)

For the casing I am torn between the Corsair Carbide Clear 400C (White) and the NZXT CA-S340W-W2 S340 Elite (White) so if anyone is familiar with either case and has any advice that would be greatly valuable as well.

All of this on Amazon comes out to about $2,840 (before tax).

Again, thank you so much for any advice you could offer me!

 

[RARRAF]

can get EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G3 I got 7year garentee for it might be worth it.

 

[junii421]

Nice build now don't screw up by causing a short some how. Look at linustechtips on youtube for some nice tips.

 

[Carnaxus]

Don't use wifi for gaming if you can help it. Buy a good router and some extra Ethernet cables instead. Your motherboard has two (!) 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports built right into it.

Do you know for a fact that you'll need the Phanteks cable kit? Most PSU's these days have cables that are easily long enough for all but the biggest cases.

One final note: I've heard some people mention that WD Green drives are pretty bad for gaming; you might want to upgrade to a Black instead.

Other than that it looks great, excellent CPU, plenty of DDR4 RAM, top-tier GPU, PSU that has power to spare, and even a good cooling system. What case are you planning to get?

 

[BettytheBuilder]

Don't use wifi for gaming if you can help it. Buy a good router and some extra Ethernet cables instead. Your motherboard has two (!) 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports built right into it.

Do you know for a fact that you'll need the Phanteks cable kit? Most PSU's these days have cables that are easily long enough for all but the biggest cases.

One final note: I've heard some people mention that WD Green drives are pretty bad for gaming; you might want to upgrade to a Black instead.

Other than that it looks great, excellent CPU, plenty of DDR4 RAM, top-tier GPU, PSU that has power to spare, and even a good cooling system. What case are you planning to get?

Thanks for the reply Carnaxus!

The wifi isn't for gaming. I really wanted the card added for the bluetooth capability because I don't think the mobo has that on it's own. The bluetooth just makes it quicker when I want to transfer things from my phone or other devices (like my bluetooth camera) without having to plug the item into the machine.

The Phanteks cable kit is for aesthetics. I want the white cables so that the build itself fits the aesthetics, and it seemed way simpler to buy them than trying to make custom cable covers.

Do you happen to know the difference between Green &Black drives? I am so glad you said something because I had no idea there was a difference. If Black is better then I will definitely switch, or if you have another suggestion then I'd love to hear it.

I am not sure about the case. I have narrowed it down to the 2 mentioned above but haven't decided. The pictures on Amazon don't do a great job of showing the interior of the cases, and the descriptions don't cover a lot. If you have a suggestion between the Corsair or the S340 Elite I would be very open to hearing it.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

 

[BettytheBuilder]

can get EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G3 I got 7year garentee for it might be worth it.

Thanks. Do you know what the difference is between the G2 & G3?

 

[RARRAF]

G2-G3 no I do not know the difference between the two

 

[Carnaxus]

Ah, the wifi card's just for Bluetooth connectivity, and the Phanteks cable is aesthetics. Gotcha.

From what I've heard, the difference between WD Green and WD Black is in both spindle speed and overall reliability. Black drives tend to be more reliable overall. Here's a side-by-side comparison of a 3TB Black and a 3TB Green. Note that the Green's spindle speed is 5400RPM, while the Black's is 7200RPM. 7200RPM is generally considered the best consumer- and gamer-level spin speed. Server drives go up to 10k or even 15k, but they also cost a small fortune and aren't really that much of an upgrade for a gamer.

As for the cases, if Amazon doesn't have any good pictures, go straight to the manufacturer's website. Here's the NZXT S340 Elite, and here's the Corsair Carbide Clear 400C.