Looking for advice on a new system [OVERKILL]

M4R105D34TH

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First time posting on Tom's...I have been reviewing the site for quite some time, gaining as much knowledge as I possibly can before making my next purchase. Very impressed with what I have read so far, but would like some additional help/clarification before going forward.


I will be using this computer for mostly gaming, possible CAD work in the future as well as general use (school work etc). Also I wanted this to be very highly future proofed as I didn't want to have to dish out cash on a regular upgrades. So pretty much I've compiled a build which I am very pleased about but I wanted some final advice/ feedback before I started purchasing the components. I am also going for a red and black theme for this build.This is what I have got so far:

System:
Intel Core I7 4770k
NZXT Kraken x60 (configured in push/ pull)
Asus Maximus VI Formula LGA1150
16 GB Corsair Vengeance 1866mhz
2x SLI GeForce 780Ti 3GB WINDFORCE
Samsung 840 EVO 250GB
Western Digital 2TB Caviar Black
Antec Pro Platinum 1000W 80+ Platinum
NZXT H440 Red/ Black (This is what I have the most concern about in terms of airflow)
2x Corsair SP120 120mm High Performance Edition (2- Pack)
2x Noctua NF-A14 140mm
2x Corsair Air series AF140 140mm

PCPartPicker: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/3PUFA


Other:
I currently own a Logitech G600 mouse (which I love)
and a TT ESports Challenger Pro (which I will probably upgrade in the near future).
As well as this I love the AOC 29" Monitors which I will probably purchase as well.
(found here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824160162)

In terms of fan configuration I was planning for:

Front: Intake
(drive cages)
Noctua ---> Kraken ---> AF140 --->
Noctua ---> Kraken ---> AF140 --->

Top: Exhaust
3x SP120 120mm

Rear: Exhaust
1x SP120 120mm


Ok so thats what I've got so far please let me know your thoughts/ opinions. I'll aim to answer your responses as fast as possible :)

Thanks
 
Solution
If you want an overkill build i'd get this :
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($385.00 @ PCCaseGear)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($148.00 @ CPL Online)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($9.00 @ CPL Online)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($280.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($219.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($175.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Storage: Western Digital...

M4R105D34TH

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May 24, 2014
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Yeah I wanted it be crazy as I didn't wanna have to upgrade all the time.

What would be the benefits of changing it to the Pro series?
Also do you think airflow/ temps will be a big problem?
 

M4R105D34TH

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May 24, 2014
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I see where you are coming from, however I would much rather overkill on graphics than on the CPU as I hear the 4770k is more than enough for everything I plan on doing, especially gaming. But thanks for sharing your opinion, not really what I am aiming for though :)
 

andrei65

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If you want an overkill build i'd get this :
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($385.00 @ PCCaseGear)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($148.00 @ CPL Online)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($9.00 @ CPL Online)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($280.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($219.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($175.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($169.00 @ CPL Online)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 295X2 8GB Core Edition Video Card ($1799.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: NZXT H630 (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($175.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider 1500W 80+ Silver Certified ATX Power Supply ($335.00 @ CPL Online)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN3800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($35.99 @ Mwave Australia)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($29.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($29.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF140 Red 66.4 CFM 140mm Fan ($18.50 @ CPL Online)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF140 Red 66.4 CFM 140mm Fan ($18.50 @ CPL Online)
Total: $3824.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-25 22:16 EST+1000)

1500w for a second 295x2 if you're ever going to do that
But like the others said i'd rather wait another 2 weeks for the 4790k
This build features a z97 mobo , and the price of the mobo wasn't included in your build ^^
 
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M4R105D34TH

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May 24, 2014
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Ok I'll look into the 4790k, in terms of monitors I do plan on a UHD setup of some sorts. Any recommendations in terms of monitors available atm? There have been a few UHD ones on Linus Tech Tips which look rather noice :)
 

M4R105D34TH

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Wow! thanks for that man!

Also I didnt even notice the mobo wasn't included in the price, my bad :3

In terms of the 295X2, would that be a stronger setup compared to the SLI 780TI's?
Also I would prefer to go down the Nvidia route rather than the AMD, but if there are significant benefits etc of AMD i would be happy to reconsider...
 

andrei65

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The amount of VRAM that the 295x2 has would help in ultra hd gaming and it is watercooled otherwise they're kinda fighting against each other , but the 295x2 is fairly cheaper than the two 780 ti's and will always leave space for a second one , rather than getting another ti later which won't increase performance at all in most games at the moment , or even decrease performance in some games
the 295x2 is basically 2 290x's in one clocked a bit higher and watercooled
2 in one basically ^^
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1073?vs=1187
it's up to you though , it consumes more power but runs cooler than two 780ti's

EDIT : For the UHD monitor i'd get a samsung one like this one :
http://au.pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-monitor-u28d590d
If i remember correctly they should be realeased june first , if they aren't released yet !
 

M4R105D34TH

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hmmm, is there a reason for this? or is it just down to personal preference?
 

andrei65

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Usually a 290 is cheaper than a 780 , and a 290x is cheaper than a 780ti , and they are usually performing exactly the same , but sometimes one is better than another , but not by much .
I guess that's why ?
But if you get a 290/290x you better watercool it because they get really hot !
And i mean REALLY hot !
 

M4R105D34TH

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Yeah that is one of the reasons I wanted to steer clear of the higher end AMD cards, especially seeing as the case I have chosen doesn't have the greatest airflow etc. Also I would be a bit hesitant water-cooling... Is it as hard/ risky as a lot of people say? And the 295x2 is water-cooled from factory so I guess that wouldn't be a massive problem right?

But I do see where you are coming from in terms of price/ performance etc :)

That monitor does look nice as, but it doesn't have mounting bracket things on the back, which I am looking into (monitor arm setups) etc and even if I am not certain it does limit what I can do with it :/
 

CTurbo

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The GTX760 outperforms the 270x but it costs a little more
The GTX770 outperforms the 280x but it costs a little more
The GTX780 does not outperform the 290 even though it costs more
The GTX780ti does not outperform the 290x even though it costs more


Not all 290/290x have cooling issues. The Sapphire Tri-X runs perfectly fine on it's on.
 

Ninjamilez

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Sorry for the length. I've posted this as an answer in another thread so it some of it won't apply to you.

"That's very similar to the build I'm planning. I'll post my build here so you can compare:

CPU: (Read below)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E Extreme
Motherboard: Asus Z97-PRO (Wi-Fi AC)
Memory: G.Skill RipjawsX Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200RPM
Video Card: (Read below)
Case: Corsair Vengeance C70 ATX Mid Tower
Power Supply: Corsair 860W 80+ Platinum
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-118BB DVD/CD Drive
Operating System: (Read below)
Sound Card: (Read below)
Wireless Network Adapter: Read below)

Estimated Total (read below): £1550

I've removed the prices because I've looked around elsewhere to find cheaper deals (i.e. eBay) because I've found that PCPartPicker doesn't always show the best deals.

The reason I've not listed a GPU is because I'm going to wait until Maxwell is released and then get two GTX 880s.

Will he be going more than 2-way SLI? If not then the 860w PSU that I've listed will be enough, even for over-clocking. If he is going 2 or 3-way SLI then 1200W will be fine but the top-of-the-line PSU out there at the moment is the Corsair AX1500i 80+ Titanium.

http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/ax1500i-digital-atx-power-...

A similar thing applies for my CPU. I'm waiting for Broadwell. I'll probably be getting an i7 and over-clocking that. For gaming, the i7-4770K is probably the best CPU right now (on LGA1150 sockets), that is if future games take advantage of the hyper-threading. Bear in mind that some people are saying that the i5-4670K can over-clock slightly better than the i7-4770K.

I've not listed a Wi-Fi adapter because the Asus Z97-PRO Wi-Fi AC comes with the Wi-Fi Go! module and a dual-band antenna. If he wanted to get the Asus Z97-PRO Wi-Fi AC he would need to get an LGA1150 socket CPU like the i5-4670K or i7-4770K (or Broadwell when it's released). The Z97 Pro has automatic over-clocking and '5-Way Optimisation' if your friend isn't comfortable coverclocking himself. It's one of the reasons I'm getting it.

A video demo of 5-Way Optimisation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J81qFsUbROE

The cooler that I've listed is regarded as one of the best air-cooler on the market, if not the best. It performs about as good as the Corsair H100i closed-loop water cooler, as some videos that I've watched have proven. It's a bit cheaper than the H100i, I think.

I've also not listed the 4 extra Cooler Master JetFlo 120mm PWM fans that I'm buying (£32). The case on my list already has one 120mm and two 140mm fans already installed. Four PWM fan splitters are also not listed (£12).

I've not listed an operating system because I already have a copy of Windows 8.1 that I can use. He might want to consider getting hold of a copy of Windows 8.1 without spending any money.

I don't need to buy a sound card because I already have an external Sound Blaster Recon3D USB (~£90) that outputs virtual 5.1 and 7.1 surround. I wouldn't advise getting a gaming headset since the audio is crap on them. A good pair of stereo headphones and an external sound card like mine will save some money. You can even get the Razer Surround software that does it for free: http://www.razerzone.com/gb-en/surround The ASUS Xonar DG is a good sound card from what I've read.

The case you listed is good. The main reason I want the Corsair Vengeance C70 is because I'm getting a Corsair Vengeance M65 mouse and a Corsair Vengeance K70 keyboard. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

As for RAM, if he's over-clocking, then I'd advise a 2x8GB kit instead of a 4x4GB kit because I've read that over-clocking is more stable with two DIMMs. Also, I'd definitely ask your mate to consider getting the G.Skill RipjawsX 2x8GB 1866MHz because, for gaming, you don't need high speed RAM. 1866MHz is more than enough. Yeah, you might see a difference with higher speed RAM but it will be about 2 or 3 FPS maximum, is that worth the extra £25?

Have a look at this comparison:

1866MHz: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/bulldozer-ddr3-overclocki...
2133MHz: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/bulldozer-ddr3-overclocki...
2400MHz: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/bulldozer-ddr3-overclocki...

...and also this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWgzA2C61z4

The G.Skill RipjawsX 2x8GB 1866MHz should be able to over-clock to 2133MHz if he really wants the higher speed. Be wary that the RAM you buy, whatever it is, will fit under the CPU heat sink. I'm quite sure that the RipjawsX RAM will fit under the Thermalright Silver Arrow.

The system I'm building will be used with a 1080p monitor. 1080p is overkill on this system but I want to be able to hit 120FPS on maximum settings so I can take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate. The monitor is the Eizo Foris FG2421. It doesn't have G-Sync but with the high FPS the system will be able to push it won't really matter. It also has a VA panel as opposed to an inferior TN panel so it has a much better contrast ratio and viewing angles. The Eizo Foris FG2421 is probably the best 1080p gaming monitor out there.

If he wants G-Sync 1080p and 144Hz then the AOC G2460PG will probably be the best. It's not out yet but it will be soon,

G-Sync with 1440p and 144Hz then the Asus PG278Q is probably the best. Again, not out yet but will be soon.

4K G-Sync: Acer XB280HK No word on the refresh rate but it could be 120Hz.

I should say that I've spent days comparing stuff for my build, asking around on different forums and watching YouTube videos. I'm pretty sure that the system I've listed is totally killer and there isn't really much that can be improved within my budget.

The whole thing, including monitor, keyboard, mouse/mat comes to £2130.

P.S. I apologise for assuming you don't know too much about PCs with all the 'did you know' type of things I said. It doesn't hurt to put it in just in case. :)

P.P.S I hope you appreciate all the extra information.

P.P.P.S inb4 TL;DR.

Edit: That Cooler Master V8 looks badass, though. If he wants the aesthetics, go for it. If he wants performance, get the Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E Extreme. It's more expensive, though. The Silver Arrow looks nicer to me anyway.

An Aerocool Strike-X GT would go with that cooler. I'm not sure if it would fit because it's a mid-tower. It's the case I was going to get before the Corsair Vengeance C70.

It would fit the Strike-X ST, though. That case is a full tower. You can fit about 21 fans on it, lol."
 

M4R105D34TH

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