High-End Streaming/Gaming/Digital Art/3D Modelling Rig -- Opinions needed!

[Violet915]

Hi everyone, would be my first time diving into the DDR4 and new generation, been on high-end DDR3 all my life. I have a really good idea of what I want and how I should do this, but I thought I'd do something I never usually do and get a set of different opinions for a change. So, here's what I have in mind and I'll be buying all or most of this by September 2016.

Worth noting that these components are likely to change if any new technology is released between now and the fall of this year. May even hold off on some things.


Current Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV EXTREME
Upgrading to: ASUS Rampage V EXTREME

So I did a bit of pondering on the LGA 2011-v3 chipset and compared it with Skylake. If someone could fill me in with a good detailed summary between these two chipsets, I'd be glad. Take into consideration I'm building this computer for not just gaming but CPU and memory intensive software like ZBrush, 3dsMax, Cinema 4D etc and 720p+ streaming and YouTubing.

The Intel Skylake chipsets only allow for a memory speed of 2100MHz according to their specs, now some people say going above 2133 or whatever the exact speed, is bad. Could someone elaborate?


Current CPU: Intel Core i7 4820K 4th Generation
Upgrading to: One of the new X99 Broadwell-E's coming in a few weeks. Will update this when they release.

CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i - Do not plan on upgrading this unless the new CPU's demand it. Will be disappointed if I have to because this is only a few weeks brand new lol!


Current GPU: EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0 (2-Way SLI)
Upgrading to: [strike]HEAVILY CONSIDERING[/strike] GTX 1080 Titanium when they are available.

Reasons being... an issue related to what I believe to be my current SLI or, harder to believe, a lack of power to my 2K/144Hz display setup. My post still seeking help with said issue is here.




Current Memory: G.Skill RipJawZ 16GB (4x4) 1600MHz Quad Channel
Upgrading to: Still under heavy speculation but I am aiming for Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) Vengeance LPX DDR4 Black 2400MHz C14



Current Case: CoolerMaster HAF X
Upgrading to: Unsure yet, want something huge that will not only fit this rig but enough for future upgrades and additions as well as being easier to clean and access. Nothing worse than trying to fit a Watercooling block with freshly manufactured stiff pipes, scared my H80i was going to break. Open to recommendations.


Current Displays:
Upgrading to: ASUS ROG Swift 2560x1440/144Hz/1ms (Main Display) and an Iiyama ProLite G2773HS 1920x1080/60Hz/1ms (Secondary)

Do not plan on upgrading or changing either of these, no need. I just pray I do not get the problems with this rig that I experienced with my current one, again here.


So that's it for now, don't think I need to discuss mouse or keyboard changes with anyone, but for those curious I have my eyes on the Overwatch Razer DeathAdder and BlackWidow Chroma set. Eye candy they are, just wow.

 

[Anarkie13]

The difference of CPU is basically the user base. The standard 1150-1151 socket series are primarily to the clock speed market. Gaming/Standard usage/Consumer where the 2011 series is more for the core based user audience rendering, heavy multi-tasking, modeling, programming and simulation.

Based on your list, I'd say to go with the 2011 series as it will save time on rendering and modeling, and still is a capable gaming CPU. It'll be outperformed by a 6600k on single thread operations, but that's about it. The time saved modeling and rendering will be worth more.

For the GPU part, the 1080 will be the best balance for what you need. Though I'd suggest a FirePro or Quadro if you weren't gaming as they will render better and faster. But this is one time where the gaming part still does good enough but a rendering card really can't game well in comparison.

For RAM, I've always had good luck with G.Skil but my corsair set did good as well. I'd aim for a higher clock though 2666 or 2800. Every little bit helps and the increase is nominal in price. Beyond 2800, the cost goes up too fast.

Hope any of my personal insight helps.

 

[Violet915]

The difference of CPU is basically the user base. The standard 1150-1151 socket series are primarily to the clock speed market. Gaming/Standard usage/Consumer where the 2011 series is more for the core based user audience rendering, heavy multi-tasking, modeling, programming and simulation.

Based on your list, I'd say to go with the 2011 series as it will save time on rendering and modeling, and still is a capable gaming CPU. It'll be outperformed by a 6600k on single thread operations, but that's about it. The time saved modeling and rendering will be worth more.

For the GPU part, the 1080 will be the best balance for what you need. Though I'd suggest a FirePro or Quadro if you weren't gaming as they will render better and faster. But this is one time where the gaming part still does good enough but a rendering card really can't game well in comparison.

For RAM, I've always had good luck with G.Skil but my corsair set did good as well. I'd aim for a higher clock though 2666 or 2800. Every little bit helps and the increase is nominal in price. Beyond 2800, the cost goes up too fast.

Hope any of my personal insight helps.

Fantastic advice right there. I agree with the 2011 socket, always liked it. Been using the first generation of it since like, 2012-2013? Never had a problem, not once. Rendering speed and multi-tasking is also a +1 for gaming while streaming and of course the creative arts. With power like this I won't have trouble running the latest engines and games on ultra quality anyway, there's not much difference in the Skylake at all as you said. The rendering is also worth a ton more.

The GPU part, I would agree if only I wasn't looking to turn my PC into a home-studio. I only want this PC powerful enough to do university studies and home projects. Anything that graphically intensive I will only do in an actual studio which will provide all the equipment for me, I hope haha. But still, great advice yes. A single 1080 will be a nice upgrade from two 970's, though I'd probably sell the 970's on eBay or something because one of them is still very brand new and the other in very good condition and both kept clean. No faults at all so far. I'd love to at least get some money back on them because the 970's are kind of the budget gamer's go-to right now and that's not likely to change unless the 1080 goes even lower in price. This also gives them a higher reliability to sell quickly and well.

RAM i was nervous about, I've heard mixed reviews claim that higher clocks isn't as effective as having a higher amount of RAM. Also higher clocks can cause problems with games and softwares and results in BIOS tuning which I really do not like doing. I will consider 2666 and 2800, but buying 32GB of those can't be cheap. We'll see.

Either way, GREAT advice and thank you very much Anarkie13. I will see what others say before I conclude this.

 

[smorizio]

with the ram ddr3 or ddr4 intel make a non overclock max speed for there memory controller that built into the cpu. on the older haswell is 1600 at 1.5v the newer ram controller is 2100 at 1.2v as ddr4 is on the market longer your going to see the faster speed ram drop from 1.35v to 1.2v. the 1.35v will work but it may shorten the life of the cpu. on intel cpu the kurby lake cpu for 1151 is dropping in a few weeks. on the 2011-3 mb the brodwell cpu is the last cpu for that pin out. the newer skylake is going to use another mb. myself i would keep your cpu and mb combo and pick up newer gpu. then wait for the next cpu after skylake. make sure use a ssd as boot drive and a good drive for a scratch drive.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1. From a gaming perspective, Skylake is the better platform when using up to 2 GFX cards. With workstation apps, the X99 platform oft has the advantage, but it is very application specific. If you are waiting for a new platform, this discussion will need to wait until the platform exists and has been benchmarked.

2. Hooey. The claims about RAM speed a dn voltage are false. These only apply to JEDEC specification profiles. Intel has XMP and fully supports the speed and voltages on their **certified compatibility** lists
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/extreme-memory-profile-xmp.html

Among the other myths spouted about gaming is that faster RAM has no impact. More Hooey. Yes, you can prove that it doesn't by using a game like Metro 2033... and then you can show that faster RAM is 11% faster by using a game like F1

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/32-gb-ddr3-ram,3790-10.html

With the workstation apps, the faster RAM has a big impact. When shopping, I usually look to Mushkin. It is oft a THG Editors Choice, but the main reason I choose them is they start with the best available OEM sources for their models lines and, over time as yields improve, they don't switch to an alternate lower cost supplier. Corsair and Gskill did that w/ their DDR3 2400 lines resulting in difficulty when you wanted to add a 2nd set later on down the line. If I can't get Mushkin because of high demand / low stock, will turn to the Gskill Trident / Corsair Vengeance Pro lines.... tho Avexir is also catching my eye of late.

Can't pick a RAM set at this time. As you're waiting for the new platform, what set makes the most price / performance sense will change between now and then.

3. The cooler is the weakest component in your current build. I would not carry it forward. CLCs contain aluminum rads and copper water blocks violating the 1st rule of water cooling ... never mix metals as it creates a galvanic cell. The use of inhibitors stalls galvanic corrosion but these lose their effectiveness over time. Here's what happens when different metals are used in the same loop.

https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/corrosion-explored/

Other reasons to avoid CLCs are the high noise (a result of the need to use high rpm fans to make up for the low heat transfer of the alum. rad and weak 0.11 gpm pump), inability to expand the loop and this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/281843-29-corsair-exploded

If you want a AiO, grab Swiftech's H240-X

http://www.swiftech.com/h240x2.aspx
http://www.hitechlegion.com/reviews/cooling/22-liquid/42047-swiftech-h240-x-open-loop-280mm-cpu-cooler-review?showall=&start=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL8DxuUth7U

4. I'd lean to the 1070 or the 1080 Ti.... historically, once the x80Ti's come out, the x80 becomes a forgotten stepchild. And yes, choosing a large enough PSU of the upgrade to SLI is a wise choice. Those cards will do well @ 1440p today but 18 - 24 months down the line will struggle a bit. BTW, the two 970s in SLI are no slouch (6% faster than a Titan X and faster when all OC'd). No rush here, I'd keep them to the 1080 Ti comes out and make a decision then.

5. The HAF-X was on our "recommended buy" list for years. Recently however, we look to Phanteks 1st for all our users case needs. Some reviewers have claimed that the Entho Luxe is the best price / performance ratio case that has ever been released. That's a claim I'd be hesitant to make but it's gotta be in the top 3. We have the Phanteks Enthoo Primo, Enthoo Luxe and Enthoo Pro here in our own offices and look to them 1st for every build ... Primo for custom loops, Luxe for AiOs. Phanteks has taken home "Case of the Year" awards from Computex 3 years running.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/6574/phanteks-enthoo-luxe-full-tower-chassis-review/index8.html

The biggest problem with the Luxe is that the flawless fit and finish just doesn't get captured in photographs. The white one is just gorgeous.

 

[Violet915]

1. From a gaming perspective, Skylake is the better platform when using up to 2 GFX cards. With workstation apps, the X99 platform oft has the advantage, but it is very application specific. If you are waiting for a new platform, this discussion will need to wait until the platform exists and has been benchmarked.

2. Hooey. The claims about RAM speed a dn voltage are false. These only apply to JEDEC specification profiles. Intel has XMP and fully supports the speed and voltages on their **certified compatibility** lists
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/extreme-memory-profile-xmp.html

Among the other myths spouted about gaming is that faster RAM has no impact. More Hooey. Yes, you can prove that it doesn't by using a game like Metro 2033... and then you can show that faster RAM is 11% faster by using a game like F1

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/32-gb-ddr3-ram,3790-10.html

With the workstation apps, the faster RAM has a big impact. When shopping, I usually look to Mushkin. It is oft a THG Editors Choice, but the main reason I choose them is they start with the best available OEM sources for their models lines and, over time as yields improve, they don't switch to an alternate lower cost supplier. Corsair and Gskill did that w/ their DDR3 2400 lines resulting in difficulty when you wanted to add a 2nd set later on down the line. If I can't get Mushkin because of high demand / low stock, will turn to the Gskill Trident / Corsair Vengeance Pro lines.... tho Avexir is also cathing my eye of late

3. The cooler is the weakest component in your current build. I would not carry it forward. CLCs contain aluminum rads and copper water blocks violating the 1st rule of water cooling ... never mix metals as it creates a galvanic cell. The use of inhibitors stalls galvanic corrosion but these lose their effectiveness over time. Here's what happens when different metals are used in the same loop.

https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/corrosion-explored/

Other reasons to avoid CLCs are the high noise (a result of the need to use high rpm fans to make up for the low heat transfer of the alum. rad and weak 0.11 gpm pump), inability to expand the loop and this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/281843-29-corsair-exploded

If you want a AiO, grab Swiftech's H240-X

http://www.swiftech.com/h240x2.aspx
http://www.hitechlegion.com/reviews/cooling/22-liquid/42047-swiftech-h240-x-open-loop-280mm-cpu-cooler-review?showall=&start=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL8DxuUth7U

4. Can't pick a RAM set at this time. As you're waiting for the new platform, what set makes the most price / performance sense will change between now and then.

5. I'd lean to the 1070 or the 1080 Ti.... historically, once the x80Ti's come out, the x80 becomes a forgotten stepchild. And yes, choosing a large enough PSU of the upgrade to SLI is a wise choice. Those cards will do well @ 1440p today but 18 - 24 months down the line will struggle a bit. BTW, the two 970s in SLI are no slouch (6% faster than a Titan X and faster when all OC'd). No rush here, I'd keep them to the 1080 Ti comes out and make a decision then.

5. The HAF-X was on our "recommended buy" list for years. Recently however, we look to Phanteks 1st for all our users case needs. Some reviewers have claimed that the Entho Luxe is the best price / performance ratio case that has ever been released. That's a claim I'd be hesitant to make but it's gotta be in the top 3. We have the Phanteks Enthoo Primo, Enthoo Luxe and Enthoo Pro here in our own offices and look to them 1st for every build ... Primo for custom loops, Luxe for AiOs. Phanteks has taken home "Case of the Year" awards from Computex 3 years running.

You're going to have to simplify this for me. You just royally scared the shit out of me with your stuff on Water Cooling... I'll definitely be doing some extensive research in this area, I don't want to go back to fans because they are a bloody nightmare.... but we'll see.

RAM Speed and voltages, I never really understood any of this from the start and you've just scrambled my brain even further. I clearly have a lot to learn still, despite building pc's since I was only 10 years old haha. So what you're saying is the Corsair Vengeance is a good line of RAM to be investing in, and higher speeds are indeed a good option? So you're saying I should go for 2800MHz of DDR4?

I definitely agree with you on the 1080 series, SLI has been nothing but trouble for me since I picked up a second 970 and I never wanted to really do it in the first place. However it was necessary to run my 2K monitor at a decent frame rate, my other problem I'm having here is likely to be a result of SLI again and it's just driving me nuts. Would you mind taking a look at my other post and seeing if you can't help me with that problem? You seem to know a lot about this stuff Jack 😛. But further relevant, I will indeed wait for the 1080GTX Titanium as I always loved one card better than two and I don't think realistically, I would ever need TWO 1080GTX Titaniums, especially if I have three display ports and a single HDMI on just one. Overkill is good but not always good.

Will take a good glance at the Phantek.

Thanks for all the advice again guys, to everyone.

 

[okcnaline]

Current Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV EXTREME
Upgrading to: ASUS Rampage V EXTREME

So I did a bit of pondering on the LGA 2011-v3 chipset and compared it with Skylake. If someone could fill me in with a good detailed summary between these two chipsets, I'd be glad. Take into consideration I'm building this computer for not just gaming but CPU and memory intensive software like ZBrush, 3dsMax, Cinema 4D etc and 720p+ streaming and YouTubing.

The Intel Skylake chipsets only allow for a memory speed of 2100MHz according to their specs, now some people say going above 2133 or whatever the exact speed, is bad. Could someone elaborate?


Current CPU: Intel Core i7 4820K 4th Generation
Upgrading to: One of the new X99 Broadwell-E's coming in a few weeks. Will update this when they release.

CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i - Do not plan on upgrading this unless the new CPU's demand it. Will be disappointed if I have to because this is only a few weeks brand new lol!


Current GPU: EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0 (2-Way SLI)
Upgrading to: HEAVILY CONSIDERING a single GTX 1080 with possible SLI a loooong way down the road, reasons being... an issue related to what I believe to be my current SLI or, harder to believe, a lack of power to my 2K/144Hz display setup. My post still seeking help with said issue is here.


Current Case: CoolerMaster HAF X
Upgrading to: Unsure yet, want something huge that will not only fit this rig but enough for future upgrades and additions as well as being easier to clean and access. Nothing worse than trying to fit a Watercooling block with freshly manufactured stiff pipes, scared my H80i was going to break. Open to recommendations.

1a) Broadwell-EP is more suited for video editing and 3D modeling.
1b) Biggest difference is support for more cores. LGA1151 only supports up to 4 cores and 8 threads. LGA 2011-v3, along with the support for 22 cores and 44 threads, also supports dual processor, allowing for 44 cores 88 threads.

2) Air coolers are better... Especially, needed for the build I will list.

3) Not worth it. 3D modeling programs doesn't even see the cards in SLI. Better to pick a Quadro. Or perhaps waiting for GTX 1080 would be worth it. Also, it's in the best practice to look up which GPUs are certified for the programs you use. That'll ensure the full functionality of the program. (acceleration, faster rendering, different rendering engines, etc.)

4) Perhaps the Phanteks Enthoo Pro?

Here's what I would go with for a workstation. Of course you can game on this thing... The game starts up and runs, right?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 2.1GHz 8-Core Processor ($404.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 2.1GHz 8-Core Processor ($404.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($61.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($61.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Supermicro MBD-X10DAL-I-O ATX Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($301.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 32GB (2 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($167.98 @ Directron)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($85.79 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX Titan X 12GB Video Card ($999.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define XL R2 (Titanium Grey) ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($161.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2798.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-19 12:00 EDT-0400

 

[Violet915]

Current Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV EXTREME
Upgrading to: ASUS Rampage V EXTREME

So I did a bit of pondering on the LGA 2011-v3 chipset and compared it with Skylake. If someone could fill me in with a good detailed summary between these two chipsets, I'd be glad. Take into consideration I'm building this computer for not just gaming but CPU and memory intensive software like ZBrush, 3dsMax, Cinema 4D etc and 720p+ streaming and YouTubing.

The Intel Skylake chipsets only allow for a memory speed of 2100MHz according to their specs, now some people say going above 2133 or whatever the exact speed, is bad. Could someone elaborate?


Current CPU: Intel Core i7 4820K 4th Generation
Upgrading to: One of the new X99 Broadwell-E's coming in a few weeks. Will update this when they release.

CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i - Do not plan on upgrading this unless the new CPU's demand it. Will be disappointed if I have to because this is only a few weeks brand new lol!


Current GPU: EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0 (2-Way SLI)
Upgrading to: HEAVILY CONSIDERING a single GTX 1080 with possible SLI a loooong way down the road, reasons being... an issue related to what I believe to be my current SLI or, harder to believe, a lack of power to my 2K/144Hz display setup. My post still seeking help with said issue is here.


Current Case: CoolerMaster HAF X
Upgrading to: Unsure yet, want something huge that will not only fit this rig but enough for future upgrades and additions as well as being easier to clean and access. Nothing worse than trying to fit a Watercooling block with freshly manufactured stiff pipes, scared my H80i was going to break. Open to recommendations.

1a) Broadwell-EP is more suited for video editing and 3D modeling.
1b) Biggest difference is support for more cores. LGA1151 only supports up to 4 cores and 8 threads. LGA 2011-v3, along with the support for 22 cores and 44 threads, also supports dual processor, allowing for 44 cores 88 threads.

2) Air coolers are better... Especially, needed for the build I will list.

3) Not worth it. 3D modeling programs doesn't even see the cards in SLI. Better to pick a Quadro. Or perhaps waiting for GTX 1080 would be worth it. Also, it's in the best practice to look up which GPUs are certified for the programs you use. That'll ensure the full functionality of the program. (acceleration, faster rendering, different rendering engines, etc.)

4) Perhaps the Phanteks Enthoo Pro?

Here's what I would go with for a workstation. Of course you can game on this thing... The game starts up and runs, right?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 2.1GHz 8-Core Processor ($404.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 2.1GHz 8-Core Processor ($404.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($61.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($61.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Supermicro MBD-X10DAL-I-O ATX Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($301.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 32GB (2 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($167.98 @ Directron)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($85.79 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX Titan X 12GB Video Card ($999.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define XL R2 (Titanium Grey) ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($161.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2798.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-19 12:00 EDT-0400

A lot of people seem to be agreeing with the 1080, so that's definitely going to be a certain. However I do not want to build a studio PC, this thing is just for home projects while I'm in University and doing a Masters in a few years as well as keeping up with the top performance and quality in all games. A Quadro would be nice but it's too overkill 😛

I'll do more research on air cooling, definitely getting nervous just having this H80i in my rig now...

 

[Violet915]

I'm not sure if this will be possible because of course, the 1080 GTX Titaniums are yet to even be announced with specifications, though I suspect that won't take NVIDIA long at all. What's everyone's opinions on running the 1080 GTX as my main graphics source but keeping my newest GTX 970 in SLI under the condition that such a mixture is even possible, like I said before we'll have to wait for specs and benchmarks. The GTX 970 could be setup in SLI to power the PhysX rather than my CPU, further improving performance and FPS in games supported. I just find it such a waste to see a 3 month old 970 GTX (currently) go down the drain so quickly. I don't exactly have money to throw away yet 😛

 

[JackNaylorPE]

You're going to have to simplify this for me. You just royally scared the shit out of me with your stuff on Water Cooling... I'll definitely be doing some extensive research in this area, I don't want to go back to fans because they are a bloody nightmare.... but we'll see.

If you are familiar with boating, bots usually have what are called "sacrificial zinc anodes". Idea being, the corrosion will result in a loss of mass (corrosion) from $2 anode instead of you $300 propeller. Two things happen, aluminum being the less noble metal will shed electrons which will use the coolant to "move" to the CPU block. The aluminum rad corrodes, and the "beloved patriot" winds up in the CPU block microchannels blocking water flow. The martins article explains in in detail.

RAM Speed and voltages, I never really understood any of this from the start and you've just scrambled my brain even further. I clearly have a lot to learn still, despite building pc's since I was only 10 years old haha. So what you're saying is the Corsair Vengeance is a good line of RAM to be investing in, and higher speeds are indeed a good option? So you're saying I should go for 2800MHz of DDR4?

I am saying...

a) I see no reason to fear naysayer warnings about the pitfalls of high speed RAM. If Intel certifies the RAM as compatible, then if I have a problem, I'll have Intel solve it. Everybody has the CYA statement about overclocking CPUs, GPUs, RAM but how many posts do you actually see where something actually broke. Can you fry a componnet,yes.... but you'd have to try really hard or so sumthin totally silly.

b) there are many good suppliers of RAM, and they all but the modules from the same suppliers... the main differences between models is oft the fancy painted heat sinks. Be aware that the only cooling function of those tall, toothy heat sinks is to "look cool". Like PSUs where the name on the box is almost never the name of the company who made the internals, what is important here.... with DDR3, the modules we all wanted were made by Hynix ... looking at the 2400 DDR3 line, you could tell when Gskill and Corsair stopped using them as the timings went from 10-2-12-28 to 10-12-12-31. That was a small difference, with the main value being, it tipped you off to what was inside. Hynix had better overclockability and better stability and serious overclockers reported taking them up to 1.94v w/o issue.

I definitely agree with you on the 1080 series, SLI has been nothing but trouble for me since I picked up a second 970 and I never wanted to really do it in the first place. However it was necessary to run my 2K monitor at a decent frame rate,

Im not sure we do.... we build every box with SLI in mind. While today most of our builds are SLI from the getgo (given the relative pricing of 970 versus 980 - 980 Ti), avery build leaves witha PSU capable of handling SLI down the road.

my other problem I'm having here is likely to be a result of SLI again and it's just driving me nuts. Would you mind taking a look at my other post and seeing if you can't help me with that problem? You seem to know a lot about this stuff Jack 😛.

I answered in your other thread... I have never had those issues with SLI. One thing I would do is peruse the Asus forums looking fr others in the same boat with the RE4. The board had an unusually low satisfaction rate base dupon newegg board owners (28% 1 egg) and must have set a record with an RMA rate that is just under 10%.

But further relevant, I will indeed wait for the 1080GTX Titanium as I always loved one card better than two and I don't think realistically, I would ever need TWO 1080GTX Titaniums, especially if I have three display ports and a single HDMI on just one. Overkill is good but not always good.

Yes your 970s are certainly still capable of anything currently out there at this time.

Will take a good glance at the Phantek.

Best fans on the market (F140-SP)
Built in Fan Controller hub provided PWM control of DCV fans
Built in external case LED (10 color)
Built in LED control system
Optional internal LEDs
Fan mounts on back of HD cage (use Phanteks 120mm MP series)
PSU Shroud hides everything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkRJsjuvQVY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Y1Cr_uJdo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQOPK-OgvnM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayq0Ad8A0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdWXLAmmSjc

 

[Violet915]

Thanks for everything Jack, you've been great. I have another reply on my FPS problem and I think there's something there you'll find interesting.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Again ... your build has to be somewhat of a compromise ... when using as workstation (depending upon specific apps used), X99 / Quadro makes the most sense. When gaming, Z170 SLI makes the most sense. What yu ultimately pick will depend the relative use of each scenario.

If you go w/ the Luxe, I may have some picks of our last build w/ the Swiftech cooler and twin 970s.

 

[Violet915]

Again ... your build has to be somewhat of a compromise ... when using as workstation (depending upon specific apps used), X99 / Quadro makes the most sense. When gaming, Z170 SLI makes the most sense. What yu ultimately pick will depend the relative use of each scenario.

If you go w/ the Luxe, I may have some picks of our last build w/ the Swiftech cooler and twin 970s.

Noted carefully, thanks again. We'll just have to see what happens with the 1080's first, but never too early to start your research right? lol