My First Venture Into A High-End PC Build - Seeking help & advice with parts, please

[Tim Stryker]

Hi there, Thank You for taking the time to stop by & hopefully impart on me some very wise, helpful info to keep me going forward in the right direction. ( :

Also, a quick TY to Tom, whomever he really is, for this site, as Ive gotten lots of useful info here in the past for other tech related stuff...& to the other users here, whove taken their time to post their contributing info here as well.

K, so on to my reason for my first time posting here...

( BTW, This turned into a longer post then I expected, so for the TLDR LSSV, you can just skip " MY CURRENT SYSTEM: " & can instead start with " MY CURRENT THOUGHTS FOR NEW BUILD & PERSPECTIVE PARTS & COMPONENTS LIST: - " located a little further down, to cut to the chase. )


WHAT IM ASKING FOR & WHAT IVE DONE SO FAR:

I can really use some knowledgeable guidance & info & opinions on picking out all the best/correct parts for my build. Ive done countless hours of research already & have a fairly good idea all around...but I wish to fill in some more advanced aspects that Im not yet familiar or very comfortable, knowledge-wise with & figure out a couple parts yet, that Im not sure about & ultimately save me from having to spend, even yet, countless MOAR hours researching to fill in those blanks.

Im currently heavily vested into researching & scrutinizingly & methodically cherry picking out components; piece by piece, step by step; omw to a hopefully near-perfect, high-end gaming/multi-task & w/e else kickass rig. Not to mince words or definitions on that term either, cuz strictly speaking, idk that when its all said & done, some people would consider it "high-end"...compared to say...a $10k - $20k build...

But to me, it will be high-end, regardless... since Im coming from the following:
ˢᵖᵉᶜᶦᵃˡ ᵗᵉʳᵐˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶜᵒⁿᵈᶦᵗᶦᵒⁿˢ ᵐᵃʸ ᵃᵖᵖˡʸ
¹ᴵⁿᵗᵉⁿᵈᵉᵈ ˢᵃʳᶜᵃˢᵐ ᵐᵃʸ ⁿᵒᵗ ⁿᵉᶜᵉˢˢᵃʳᶦˡʸ ᵇᵉ ᶦᵐᵐᵉᵈᶦᵃᵗᵉˡʸ ᵒᵇᵛᶦᵒᵘˢ


MY CURRENT SYSTEM:

OS -
Windows - OS 7

INTERNAL STORAGE -
PNY CS1311 - SSD - 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive

From my research, ranging from 10% - 40% less efficient, performance wise, for certain tasks, compared to the Samsung Evo 850, but still beats the heck out of a standard Hard Drive...& still pretty good bang for the buck overall...

CPU -
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E8400 - 3.0 Ghz
- ...¹Jealous much?¹

GPU -
Nvidia GTX 750 Ti - Video Card

Bought this appx 6 months ago, without doing any real research, just word of mouth basically...to replace my then current, ¹Super Steller Deluxe Version Nvidia 8800 GT - Card¹ ...thinking it would be a much better card performance wise VS my old card & also worth getting for the foreseeable future as well - ( future proofing I think is the term? ) ...admittedly, yes its much better then the 8800 GT I came from & even having bottle-necking issues against my ¹super hardcore¹ duo CPU...lesson learned...research - research - research.

RAM -
4x - 2 GB DDR2 RAM - 8 GB total RAM
- ...¹Super Jelly even more??¹

MOTHERBOARD -

...Idk off hand...RAM is MOBO capped at 8GB tho...so nuff said?

PSU -

Dont recall atm either...its prolly about 10 years old by now...if not a lil more, 450 Watts.

CASE -

...Ehh...some kind of mid-sized - vertical standing tower...used over from my very first ever, pre-built PC I bought, from the - ¹¹¹¹¹¹Ever so lovely & always a pleasure to work with, Dell company¹¹¹¹¹¹ - ( *Cough ) Ehh-Hem...

MONITOR -
ASUS PB278Q 27" Monitor - WQHD - 2560x1440 - 60 Mhz refresh rate

K, now that weve all had a good laugh at my current specs ( ; lets move on...


WHAT IVE LEARNED SO FAR & WHATS IMPORTANT TO ME IN MY BUILD & MY BUDGET:

Ive got the majority of parts already picked out for the new build...some of them somewhat tentatively, or more kinda like temp placeholders... as Im not very sure about them atm...& some parts I really could use some help with picking out yet.

Im going for appx a $1500 total build cost. If it ends up being $200 - $300 over that, thats fine if its warranted. Minus the cost of a new, better Video Card, as Im going to use my existing card for now, till Im able to fork out an additional $500 - $700 for a very good one to compliment the rest of the build.

I also want to find a Motherboard that will not only support the intel 7700K CPU, but also allow for hopefully up to 4000 Mhz RAM & at least allow up to 32 GBS of Ram, 64 Gigs is nice if it doesnt add too much more $ to the cost. There seems to be some confusion & either misinformation or lack of info in regards to whether or not a 7700K CPU can effectively utilize more then 2400 Mhz of RAM...more on that noted below. Also Id like AS MANY 3.0 USB ports as possible. And also Soundblaster would be nice.

Whats also really important to me for my Build is - N~O~I~S~E ~~~~~~~
Dont want it, dont need it, dont like it. I want my PC as quiet as possible, while still performing at MAX possible performance at all times/when needed.

Ive spent many several hours researching this particular aspect of a PC build, alone. Most of it sadly on cases lol...which youll see listed below as my most likely case choice. Im literally like 99.9% sure bout what case im going with, unless someone is able to impart on me some important piece of logic that Ive not realized yet.

But I also understand that CPU cooler & case fans will play the definitive role in determining overall noise level at any given time. To this end, I feel very lost. Theres a mountain of different fans out there, not to mention going with liquid or regular fans. AIO liquid or setting it all up yourself....ehhhh...

From what Ive found, seems regular fans can be 97% just as good & efficient as liquid counterparts, so long as youre not doing extreme overclocking. And wanting to OC is where liquid coolers start to excel & become more beneficial.

Also with the right fan setup & the right ones ( since not all fans are created equal ) you can still manage to keep noise levels protruding from your case, very minimal. What I dont quite get is whether to focus on positive or negative pressure...forced outtake or intake...etc. How many fans for the case? If I understand it correctly, its better to have 6 fans running at 500 RPM, instead of 3 fans running at 1000 RPM; for ex. Do I want/need manual fan switches/controllers? And w/e else Im not aware of yet, that I cant even think about figuring out yet, since idk...what all idk about it yet...

So far all things considered...Im thinking Ill end up going with normal fans, as either way:
1. liquid coolers seem to be a bit of a pain to install & setup
2. Theres always a slight chance of a seal breaking or the liquid evaporating over time, lessening the efficiency
3. Ive read contradicting statements that even tho in theory, liquid coolers can be quieter then fans, the pumps themselves can generate noise so normal fans still have the possibility to be quieter if setup correctly.
4. I dont really think Ill ever want or need or care about overclocking my CPU.

Sooo...is there any real practical reason I may still want to do liquid coolers instead of normal fans? Specifically for the sake of me wanting to make a very quiet build & still maintain effective cooling for everything?

Sooo...all that being said...heres where I stand on my ideal build & my thinking on this stuff...


MY CURRENT THOUGHTS FOR NEW BUILD & PERSPECTIVE PARTS & COMPONENTS LIST:

OS -
...Reluctantly... 90% sure...
Windows 10

Bottom line - I personally loathe & detest certain aspects of Corporate Americas business ethics, policies & business practices in todays modern world. Specifically & mostly, when it comes to consumer based technologies, services & products offered to the public & the informational gathering practices & polices that are forced upon consumers for wanting or choosing to use those services & technologies based products.

From what Ive heard & looked into so far, seems OS 10 has taken their already overly intrusive ways & doubled or tripled it with OS 10, making one have to dig even deeper now into the system to find & turn off all those hidden "optional participations" that windows uses to essentially spy on you & gather "limited" batches of your personal info, usage habits; etc; etc & more etc...not to mention all the bugs & issues Ive heard about, but to be fair, the kinks are apparently getting worked out at a decent pace...but alas I figure I might as well get the latest OS, rather then have 7 become obsolete & unsupported in the next few years. Welcome to Windows...enjoy your stay - Muwahahahaha!

Anyway, dont want to turn this into a different thread & this isnt just Microsoft pulling this BS, but my point is, If there were other decent & comparable OS choices out there, rather then the - ¹Ever so lovely & consumer privacy rights conscientious, oriented & minded Microsoft¹, Id definitely consider it.

And from the small bits I understand about Linux, seems theres far too many games & programs out there that arent supported properly as they are with Windows. So, until the day inevitably comes when people finally get sick & tired of the way CA & other similar big brother entities continues to increasingly invade our lives at an alarming rate & instead people finally decide to rise up into a 10 million strong singular, clear, loud, unified voice & say NO......then for the sake of convenience, Ill have to just go with the masses & get Windows OS 10 it seems, less I want to disappear off the grid & go live in a cave somewhere deep underground with my tin-foil hat on, which I dont lol. While I do like playing survival/crafting/building games, I dont want to live one in RL. ( ;

PS. Youre welcome Google, add that lil snippet of personal gaming preference into my personal profile.

If someone can offer up advice on that &/or including other OS alternatives that are comparable to Windows, without sacrificing too much performance & compatibility with most other games/programs, that would be great.

INTERNAL STORAGE -
- 100% sure
Samsung 850 EVO-Series - SSD - 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive

Cuz its the very best performing SSD for the $? - aka - best bang for the buck/performance ratio & 1 TB will give plenty of breathing room for games & frequently used programs.

CPU -
- 99% sure
Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor

Ive never really cared about AMD...but apparently theyve steadily been closing the gap with intel last several years & a buddy uses them & prefers them over Intel for the more reasonable costs, so I checked out the AMD Ryzen CPU with 12 cores & 24 threads which seems like really an overall very good CPU...but from my understanding, the 7700K will still outperform it for single core tasks with the higher Ghz & w/e other stats that are above my head. So for now I feel 99% sure about the 7700K for any & all gaming & any other PC related wants/needs.

GPU -
- 100% sure...for now
Nvidia GTX 750 Ti Video Card

Just going to use my existing - Nvidia GTX 750 Ti - Video Card - for now. When I have another $500 - $700 dollars to blow, Ill get a better card at that time. Im expecting that I wont see the full potential of my new build using that card...but Id think it should still be a huge difference from my current setup. Any solid ideas about any decent priced video cards to compliment my new build & take full advantage of it would be appreciated.

RAM -
- 70% sure
G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz

From the specs POV, Ive read the intel 7700K technically only supports up to 2400 Mhz RAM, but 3 different sites Ive read through say otherwise. Using the 7700K, that with the right Motherboard & Video Card, were able to get the RAM to 3600 Mhz & one site claimed the full 4000 Mhz were used. Something to do with changing bios settings XM or something...Saw a few posts on this site as well, one stating was at least ok to get a 3000 Mhz RAM card/s. I dont mind paying $200 for 4000 Mhz RAM VS $120 for 3000 Mhz RAM, if theres even just a small performance boost.

If anyone knows anything solid about this for sure, any real insight would be great.

MOTHERBOARD -
- 50...ish % sure?
Asus ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO ALPHA ATX LGA1151 - Motherboard

Im kinda thinking this might be a lil overboard for me. I really know next to nothing about MOBOS & whats REALLY important to have including the right specs, chips etc. Dont even know what chips do exactly...What really attracted me to this particular board was the price...that old adage you get what you pay for...at $250 bucks, it sounds impressive with all the stats; etc. Including 3.1 USB Ports, which idk how that compares to 3.0. Also I keep seeing something about needing a Z10 board... or something, in relation to the 7700K CPU...really confused on that too...

Heres a recap on what Im really wanting in a MOBO ( & thinking I need ) -

Motherboard that will:

1. Support the Intel 7700K CPU

2. Allow up to 4000 Mhz RAM & at least allow up to 32 GBS of Ram; 64 Gigs is nice if doesnt add too much more $ to the cost. There seems to be some confusion & either misinformation or lack of info in regards to whether or not a 7700K CPU can effectively utilize more then 2400 Mhz of RAM...but as noted above under the RAM section...Ive seen several sights say it can be done.

3. Provide AS MANY 3.0 USB ports as possible.

4. Soundblaster included would be nice.

5. Provide the best & fastest speed & performance possible for the overall system...idk how MOBOS equate in the regard...Im not sure if theres much difference in how good or how fast your system will work in relation to the specs or "how good" the MOBO is...

6. Any other relevant & important info that a MOBO NOOB would need to be aware of & account for, all things considered...anything that Im possibly & probably forgetting or dont know about..?

PSU -
- 50...ish % sure?
EVGA SuperNOVA G2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX - PSU

Mehhhhhhhhh...kinda not so sure at all...didnt really spend much time looking into all the ins & outs of PSU specs & system requirements. I feel like Im overall pretty aware of the main ins & outs to it, but again not an expert so not sure if theres things Im not realizing I should need to know...

I read something about the connectors of other PSUs either being cheap or good or bad or reliable...& this unit got some good reviews... I guess cuz of the gold connectors if that makes any real difference? I was initially going to go with a EVGA SuperNOVA 750 - 750 Watt power supply, but then saw the 850 for only like $20 bucks more AND with the gold connectors + 100 extra watts & also had very good reviews, thought that one might be better overall...I also know you should go by listed Watts, not amps...which has to do with the number of rails...or something...which I know nothing about...rails...

Only things I can think of that will draw power besides all of the internal components would be -

1. 5-6 External HDs - but those are all larger capacity units & are all externally powered...so idk if that would still use power from the PSU or not...

2. 2 PC monitors & a large flatscreen TV...again all externally powered...

3. Just other normal typical stuff; mouse, keyboard, USB extension strip for added USB ports...

CASE -
- 99% sure
Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case

Looked at tons of different cases, as per noted at the top of this post, Noise being the main concern. This case has built in noise blocking pads on the inside of the casing. Also has a very nice, conveniently located dust filter along the entire underside of it that pulls out from either the back or front of the unit. Also looks pretty nice aesthetically. And seems to be plenty spacious enough for anything & everything I want/need, including enough room for liquid coolers...if I ever decided to go that route. Also has a very nice cable managing system. Drive bays are all removable, greatly opening up the insides to allow for very good airflow.

CPU COOLER/HEATSINK -
- 0% sure

No Friggin idea...as detailed above, at the beginning of this post...idk whether to go with liquid cooling or a normal fan for the CPU...same thing pretty much applies to the CASE FANS, as noted directly below...

CASE FANS -
- 0% sure

From all the fans I have looked at so far, 2 of them seem most favorable...atm

1. Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition (2-Pack) 39.9 CFM 120mm Fans
2. Noctua nf-f12

Those both seem to be highly rated for efficiency & reduced noise level...but really idk if Im missing anything here...& as noted at the very top, idk much about how many fans & where to install them exactly & intake VS outtake, positive VS static or negative airflow; etc...

MONITOR -
- 100% sure
ASUS PB278Q 27" Monitor - WQHD - 2560x1440 - 60 Mhz refresh rate

Ill just be using my existing Monitors.

K...so I think thats just about it lol...sorry if this is an overly long post...not sure how else to word everything to to explain what I do know VS dont know & what Im looking for; etc...

Thank You very much for reading & any help anyone can offer. ( :

 

[Tim Stryker]

Quick Update. Did several more hours of research yesterday & think I pretty much figured out what CPU cooler I wanna go with.

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler.

From what Ive learned, seems to be the best fit for me, has a lot of good reviews on the cooling & silent factor. But also has been called a beast, lol. And speaking of fit, what Im also now concerned with is, Im also thinking on getting the - G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-4000 Memory RAM sticks, but Ive read a few things saying the cooler is so big that it could cause probs with over-extended RAM...referring to the heat-spreaders that come off that thing...

Idk yet if Ill even end up getting those RAM cards or not, as still waiting for some answers to the question posed above, in my original post, about whether or not its possible to actually fully or at least mostly utilize the 4000 Mhz to begin with. But if so, then Id like to figure out if they will fit properly with my new build, rather then getting them & having to find out the hard way.

So, with A:

Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid Tower Case - & a

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - & a

G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-4000 Memory Cards -

Does anyone know for sure or have any educated guesses or thoughts on whether I could get that all to fit ok?

 

[ZSparda]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

 

[Tim Stryker]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

 

[ZSparda]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

 

[Tim Stryker]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

 

[adiec]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

 

[Tim Stryker]

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

Yeah, thats one aspect I wasnt sure of. Never messed with BIOS before, other then to tweak a few basic settings in it. But with the intel 7700K & being as I do plan to get some kind of Z270 MOBO - Sounds like that wont be an issue. ( :

Just still have to try to figure out what MOBO to get exactly yet. There does seem to be quite a few differences between the lot of them. Some big, some others more subtle little nuances that Ive yet to figure out how they would impact my overall happiness with it.

 

[ZSparda]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

 

[Tim Stryker]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

Its all good ( ; .............I was about to say, yes, by PSU, I mean Power Supply Unit...which IS what I was referring to...... but then I stopped...& caught myself...I was incorrectly thinking of the PSU, when in fact I was initially trying to say the CPU Cooler...but somehow along the way I got the PSU stuck in my head...sorry about that... ) : Just goes to show you how much of a noob I am yet lol...sorry.

But yes, what I really meant & should have said was the - be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - ...Thats what Im concerned about getting in the way of the longer then normal RAM cards. The CPU Cooler sits directly on top, above, w/e lol...the RAM slots on the MOBO, from the things Ive looked at & the videos Ive seen. So everything Ive said in the last few posts about this is correct, just replace the PSU with the CPU Cooler lol...again sorry bout that.

 

[adiec]

i think you're confusing the psu the the cpu cooler.. it's usually the cooler that is the problem when it comes to ram clearance problems

edit: i see you have just posted about this at the same time as me ! sorry OP.

 

[ZSparda]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

Its all good ( ; .............I was about to say, yes, by PSU, I mean Power Supply Unit...which IS what I was referring to...... but then I stopped...& caught myself...I was incorrectly thinking of the PSU, when in fact I was initially trying to say the CPU Cooler...but somehow along the way I got the PSU stuck in my head...sorry about that... ) : Just goes to show you how much of a noob I am yet lol...sorry.

But yes, what I really meant & should have said was the - be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - ...Thats what Im concerned about getting in the way of the longer then normal RAM cards. The CPU Cooler sits directly on top, above, w/e lol...the RAM slots on the MOBO, from the things Ive looked at & the videos Ive seen. So everything Ive said in the last few posts about this is correct, just replace the PSU with the CPU Cooler lol...again sorry bout that.

Np haha, aidec guessed it at the same time Well, the Trident Z's are 44mm tall if Im not wrong, but I have no idea what the RAM clearance of the Rock Pro 3 is :/

 

[adiec]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

Its all good ( ; .............I was about to say, yes, by PSU, I mean Power Supply Unit...which IS what I was referring to...... but then I stopped...& caught myself...I was incorrectly thinking of the PSU, when in fact I was initially trying to say the CPU Cooler...but somehow along the way I got the PSU stuck in my head...sorry about that... ) : Just goes to show you how much of a noob I am yet lol...sorry.

But yes, what I really meant & should have said was the - be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - ...Thats what Im concerned about getting in the way of the longer then normal RAM cards. The CPU Cooler sits directly on top, above, w/e lol...the RAM slots on the MOBO, from the things Ive looked at & the videos Ive seen. So everything Ive said in the last few posts about this is correct, just replace the PSU with the CPU Cooler lol...again sorry bout that.

Np haha, aidec guessed it at the same time Well, the Trident Z's are 44mm tall if Im not wrong, but I have no idea what the RAM clearance of the Rock Pro 3 is :/

won't it depend on which type of board he pick too.. atx will have more room between socket and ram slot ? been a long time since i used an atx board ha!

edit: i know that a micro atx is still an atx .. but i mean a full size atx

 

[Tim Stryker]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

Its all good ( ; .............I was about to say, yes, by PSU, I mean Power Supply Unit...which IS what I was referring to...... but then I stopped...& caught myself...I was incorrectly thinking of the PSU, when in fact I was initially trying to say the CPU Cooler...but somehow along the way I got the PSU stuck in my head...sorry about that... ) : Just goes to show you how much of a noob I am yet lol...sorry.

But yes, what I really meant & should have said was the - be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - ...Thats what Im concerned about getting in the way of the longer then normal RAM cards. The CPU Cooler sits directly on top, above, w/e lol...the RAM slots on the MOBO, from the things Ive looked at & the videos Ive seen. So everything Ive said in the last few posts about this is correct, just replace the PSU with the CPU Cooler lol...again sorry bout that.

Np haha, aidec guessed it at the same time Well, the Trident Z's are 44mm tall if Im not wrong, but I have no idea what the RAM clearance of the Rock Pro 3 is :/

Yeah lol...Im going to have to edit & Ctrl+F this thing, to find all the " PSU/'s " in the last several posts & update that to " CPU Cooler " so no one else rummaging through this monster of a thread has to endure a brain aneurysm trying to figure out what the hell Im talking about lol.

And yeah thats the problem...Id really like to try to figure out how to account for the precise measurements BEFORE I get all the parts in my physical possession & have to end up returning the RAM or CPU cooler......which would prolly have to be the RAM, cus that CPU Cooler is a quiet, gentle, but at the same time, beast, from what Ive researched on it. I just really really want to avoid that scenario of getting the parts & the ensuing headache that would follow, if at all possible lol...

 

[Tim Stryker]

i think you're confusing the psu the the cpu cooler.. it's usually the cooler that is the problem when it comes to ram clearance problems

edit: i see you have just posted about this at the same time as me ! sorry OP.

Yeah, Imma have to update the previous threads from PSU to CPU Cooler, to avoid further confusion lol. ( ; Good looking out tho, thank you ( :

 

[adiec]

ok to keep a better track of your build .. use https://pcpartpicker.com/list/

 

[Tim Stryker]

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

the major issue with the z170 and it is a major issue .. is that your pc will not boot with a kaby lake cpu unless you update the bios.. and unless you own a skylake cpu you won't be able to update the bios .

The Dark Rock Pro 3 will fit in the Define R5, since it has 163mm height, and the Define supports coolers up to 180mm. Im not completely sure about the ram tho, the Trident Z modules are 44mm tall, and I think the RAM Clearence of the Dark Rock is 40mm. Im not 100% sure about this last thing tho.

You can see full specs of all those products on their pages:
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/482
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black
https://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4000c18d-16gtzkw

I would really get the 4000mhz sticks, I prefer the 3000/3200Mhz ones, but thats just personal preference.
Oh, and about the mobo, the Maximus VIII Hero has a Z170 chipset, you'll need a BIOS update in orden to run the Kabylake CPU (7700k)

Hi ZSparda ( : Thank You for taking the time to respond. Ive never put together a PC from start to finish, so what I am sure about is that, theres probably some technicalities or logistics that Im not sure about yet & havnt experienced first hand yet when it comes to a new build from scratch...so Idk if there might be some possible factors that would contribute to the clearance issue...? Good or bad? In other words, some minor aspects that one would only know about or could anticipate/foresee, from practical hands on previous experience from previous builds theyve done.

For ex...from what Ive read on the Define R5 case, it has a larger then normal/typical 1-1.5 inch gap between the enclosure & putting the case panel back on... I wonder if that would possibly be enough room to ...shift or move ( or w/e would be the apt term ) the PSU out just a few MMs to make more room for the RAM? But then would those few MMs affect the airflow in any meaningful way? Or if that would even be possible? Ive watched a few hours of videos on doing a new build...but again without hands on practical experience, Idk if thats 'even a thing' or not...

Or for Ex...differing variables involved here...like the case for Ex...is gonna be very different then a ton of others out there, in terms of where the parts are placed & spaced...in relation to where the final resting place of the PSU will be...its just Idk all these things yet & too many variables for a noob to account for lol...without having any real prior experience yet...

But if any of that makes sense, I wonder if theres a way to try to figure all that out ahead of time, just from the specs & measurements on the stuff..if so Im not sure if Id know how or where to begin in figuring that out...cuz again, while for some experienced builders, it might seem easy to think about, myself having never done it before, I cant really visualize anything like that yet.

Also...is doing a Bios update easy? Are there any pros or cons to having to do that VS just getting a different MOBO thats already fully compatible? Prolly a noob question there too, but Im really only vaguely familiar with the term BIOS & basically that its what effects the background settings of the OS or w/e.

And somewhat in relation to that, I still need to figure out if I even really need/want that MB or if its simply overkill & I could end up getting a different MB that would still be just as good.

First of all, I havent build or touch a Define R5 so I dont really know how it is to work with it, although as It is a big case I'd say its pretty comfortable. When you mean "Move to PSU to make place for the RAM", they are in different locations, they dont even touch each other (I dont know if thats what you meant to say, if not, srry, my bad).
And then about the CPU, If you building from scratch, I'd pick a Z270 motherboard, since that will allow you to get all the new features that kaby lake offers, becasue of the chipset.

Hi ZSparda. Apologies for a delayed response. I literally spent another good 15+ hours in 1 day researching & looking stuff up since my last post so needed to give my mind brain a break from all this for a while lol. I am however feeling a LOT smarter about all this stuff now lol...& learned quite a bit more about Motherboards & a little more bout Fans then I previously did. But still 3 components evade me & Im a little unsure of yet...which as far as proper posting etiquette here goes...Idk if its acceptable to double post a separate, more compartmentalized update on that, rather then just throw it all in this post @ you lol...but Im NOT going to bother researching that atm lol...Im done with that... for a while. ( :

To clarify on the point I was trying to make about the placement of the PSU, in relation to the RAM; is that from my understanding, per some tower building vids I watched, the PSU sits directly in front, ( or above depending on my noobish way of wording it ) the Motherboard & its accompanying RAM slot...so that with a RAM card inserted into the Mobo slot, that RAM card protrudes, vertically upwards from the MOBO & comes close to touching the PSU, itself.

Seems like with a normal RAM card, without the Heat-sink fins/spreaders, its already a tight fit...but again I just dont know enough about this stuff to make an educated guess, or even better & most preferably, a calculated assessment of the precise measurements needed to determine, if the Heat-sink fins/spreaders on the RAM Im interested in, will be too tall, to still allow for proper, or even possible placement at all, of the PSU.

So to come full circle on that & to reiterate; Im wondering if the RAM Im really interested in - ( G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 - RAM - 4000 Mhz ) ,with the added height of the fins, will touch the PSU, or even be too tall to even allow to fit the PSU in its normal spot in the case, without the PSU crunching down on the top of the RAM Heatsink fins/spreaders. And if so, then to that end, if it is then possible, to adjust the PSU placement a little bit, to give just a few extra MMs clearance that would be needed. Like I said, Idk if thats, even a thing, or not. When you put a PSU in, is there any "wiggle room"? Can you somehow finagle or adjust the standard, typical placement of the PSU, to give just a little extra clearance room? But also, & most importantly, I guess is; Is there a way to figure all that out ahead of time, including the exact, precise ( down to the MM ) measurements, in relation to my fore-mentioned concerns?

And yeah, I didnt really have a clue about Z270 VS Z170 motherboards or what Z123, H456 etc, even meant lol. But now, Ive got a much better idea about chip-sets, CPU overclocking, PCI Express slots, etc. And yes, I totally agree with you about getting a Z270 Mobo while Im doing a complete new build from the ground up, instead of getting a 170.

Doesnt seem like theres anything too extra special about Z270 VS Z170, cept the added PCI-E lanes & the ability for Intel Optane ( & maybe more USB capability & I dont have to do a BIOS update? ). Which tbh, Idk if that matters for the Intell 7700k CPU Im planning on getting...but either way since Im doing a new build, might as well lol.

Yeah, go with a Z270 motherboard, but... I still cant get your problem with the PSU and RAM, I mean, with PSU you mean Power Supply right? If so, as I said earlier, they dont even touch each other. If I missundestaood you again, then sorry xD

Its all good ( ; .............I was about to say, yes, by PSU, I mean Power Supply Unit...which IS what I was referring to...... but then I stopped...& caught myself...I was incorrectly thinking of the PSU, when in fact I was initially trying to say the CPU Cooler...but somehow along the way I got the PSU stuck in my head...sorry about that... ) : Just goes to show you how much of a noob I am yet lol...sorry.

But yes, what I really meant & should have said was the - be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler - ...Thats what Im concerned about getting in the way of the longer then normal RAM cards. The CPU Cooler sits directly on top, above, w/e lol...the RAM slots on the MOBO, from the things Ive looked at & the videos Ive seen. So everything Ive said in the last few posts about this is correct, just replace the PSU with the CPU Cooler lol...again sorry bout that.

Np haha, aidec guessed it at the same time Well, the Trident Z's are 44mm tall if Im not wrong, but I have no idea what the RAM clearance of the Rock Pro 3 is :/

won't it depend on which type of board he pick too.. atx will have more room between socket and ram slot ? been a long time since i used an atx board ha!

edit: i know that a micro atx is still an atx .. but i mean a full size atx

Yeah, I was wondering that myself too...if perhaps different variations in size & design & layout, between different MOBOs would matter, but Im waaay too unfamiliar with the overall scope of trying to figure that out AND still get the exact MOBO I want, spec & performance wise AND then the prospect of how that would all tie & fit together with the case Im getting. As Ive said, Ive never put an entire pc together from start to finish, so theres definitely some basic aspects & fundamentals that I cant even imagine yet, that might actually be helpful in figuring this out lol, or at least even taking an educated guess on. Ive just recently learned a lot more about MOBOs & some of the stuff that really matters & is important, in picking the right one...still have a few things to figure out on that end yet.

 

[adiec]

i would go with low profile ram if you're going to use this cooler . i am reading about a lot of issues with ram clearance.. and with it being your first build even though the front fan of the cooler is height adjustable you might want to give yourself less headaches ! this ram is 31mm in height https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nDcMnQ/corsair-memory-cmk8gx4m2b4000c19r

 

[Tim Stryker]

ok to keep a better track of your build .. use https://pcpartpicker.com/list/

Yep, good advice, thank you. Ive already been using that site since the beginning, well over a month now in fact lol...

Definitely very handy & it does have a supposed part-checker incompatibility built in, but I kinda question how thorough or accurate it is...& Id be surprised if its gets so finite, as to take into consideration the distance from the MOBO to the CPU Cooler for the RAM cards.

But still a very good site. Ive got all the parts picked out & lined up in it, except the PSU ( & yes I mean PSU this time lol ) which for now Im only about 50-60% sure about & is more of a placeholder...same with the RAM till I can, not only figure out if I can get it to fit in properly, with the be quiet! CPU cooler, but also if my system will even be able to use all or even most of the 4000 Mhz RAM. And The MOBO, Im still unsure about...cept of course itll be a Z270.

 

[Tim Stryker]

i would go with low profile ram if you're going to use this cooler . i am reading about a lot of issues with ram clearance.. and with it being your first build even though the front fan of the cooler is height adjustable you might want to give yourself less headaches ! this ram is 31mm in height https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nDcMnQ/corsair-memory-cmk8gx4m2b4000c19r

Hi there ( ; Just replied to your previous post & saw this one. Yeah, Ive been thinking about that possibility of getting a low profile set...but really been keeping that idea as a last resort only fallback option. That 4000 Mhz is just calling my name lol...even tho I dont know if my system will be able to use most or all of it...thats the other prob Im faced with, for the RAM. Ive read conflicting stuff about intel 7700K CPU being able to use that much Mhz from the RAM or go past its default of like 2400 Mhz or thereabouts...but then saw a few different solid benchmarking reports that stated & showed otherwise...so with that & the fitting it in properly issue, Im really wanting to hold on to getting those 4000 Mhz cards...as long as hopefully, both of those issues prove to be good news.

 

[ZSparda]

Here there's a build with the Dark Rock Pro 3 and the G.Skill TridentZ https://pcpartpicker.com/b/96sZxr
That should help you