NZXT Build questions

[emildaae]

Part list:
CASE
NZXT S340 Elite Matte Black - Might rebuild in H500 later
CPU
INTEL Core I7 8700K 3.7/4.70GHz 6 Cores 12 Treads Coffee Lake
MB
NZXT N7 Z370 Matte Black - Intel Z370 - Intel LGA1151 socket - DDR4 RAM - ATX
AIO
NZXT Kraken X62 280MM
RAM
CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB (2X16) 3200MHz DDR4
GPU
ASUS GTX 1080TI Turbo 11Gb SSD
Samsung 970 EVO SSD M.2 2280 - 500GB
HDD
Seagate Ironwolf 3TB 3.5'' NAS HDD
POWER
Cooler Master GM 750W

Monitor
BenQ 2546 DyAc 24,5" 240Hz

Extra parts
0,5 meter SATA Cable
Tools

It is my first build, and quite an investment, so I want to make it perfect.
Looks are important, as you can see by my choices. I will play record, edit and maybe stream FPS games, and would like to be able to get as high frame rate and smoothness as possible while recording 60 FPS 1080p. I also settled on this 240Hz monitor because I'm gonna record 1080p for now anyway, and it seemed to have a slight edge in smoothness and price compared to a 1440p 144Hz.

Questions:

• 
  ■ Dual Blower style fans seem too have better FPS, but will it matter? I like the look and back end exhaust of the Turbo.
  ■ I might want to do a small overclock if I feel the need for more performance. What is a safe OC range for this kind of build?
  ■ Do I have enough power?
  ■ Will I need to buy extra cables to have everything visual in black?
  ■ Lastly, I might switch out the case for the new H500 when it's out. Will I need do make any other changes for that case?

Answer to any of these questions are greatly appreciated!

 

[superninja12]

1) no not really, minor improvents , Card A will be 1-2db lower, card B will be 2fps fasper , card C will be 3c lower...
2)lottery, watch alot of oc guide but 5 ghz for sure.
3) powersupply sucks , wattage is enough. evga supernova g3 or seasonic focus/prime or corsair rmx rmi is recommanded.
4) no altough custom psu cables from cablemod might be easier to work with.
5)no.

last I strongly recommand against nzxt mobos, I recommand the asus maximus hero/ Asrock tachi/ if you have got the money..
else the asus z370-a for isntance.

cheers man

 

[emildaae]

last I strongly recommand against nzxt mobos, I recommand the asus maximus hero/ Asrock tachi/ if you have got the money..
else the asus z370-a for isntance.

cheers man

Cheers for the answers
What makes you warn against the Nzxt mobo?
It's mostly for the complete look and because the board seem to have what it needs. I know the manufacturer isn't popular, and that I'm not gonna do crazy OC's, but haven't seen any bad reviews.

 

[superninja12]

I don't trust them . the are case makers for now..
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12215/the-nzxt-n7-z370-motherboard-review

sure the board works lets get that out of the way, but long mb manufacturers like gigabyte msi asus and daughter company asrock, are in the market for so long. they have got better compability, BIOS system , MOSFET conductors.

im happy for new competition, but I would look at the motherboards I suggested earlier

any colour your want in particular?

 

[Frag Maniac]

1. There's no such thing as "dual blower style fans". Aftermarket coolers on non reference design GPUs use propeller style fans. Your ASUS has a blower fan, as it's a reference design.

The FPS you get is more due to the clock speed and power circuitry of the GPU and PCB than the cooling style, but excessive heat can also limit OCing. If the GPU is OCed at all, it comes down to how good the chip and power circuitry can handle higher clocks and voltage. It also has to do with how efficient the chip you get is at using vs leaking current, which is also called ASIC Quality. For some odd reason, Nvidia did something to block 3rd party tools like GPU-Z from reading ASIC Quality on their 1000 series GPUs. No one knows why for sure.

I prefer a combination of an extremely well ventilated case, and an aftermarket cooler. The reference blower coolers blow the heat out the back of the case, but they are far less efficient at cooling. This also causes a problem in summer if you have a small living space like I do with no air conditioning, as the room fills up with warm air exhausted from your GPU if you game at all in warm weather.

I just upgraded to an EVGA GTX 1080 SC. It has a reference PCB, but the cooler is an aftermarket two fan style, and the fans don't even turn on until it hits 55c. I was a bit worried after reading parts burning out on some of their GPUs with these ACX 3.0 coolers, but EVGA resolved it by isuing a BIOS update which changes the fan profile, and installing better thermal pads between the VRMs and heatsink.

There were mixed reviews about the result of the upgrade, some claiming an average load temp of 75-78c, but mine never goes above 65c, and idles at about 35c. Both idle and load temps for me are way lower than what some are reporting though, so I may have just lucked out and gotten an exceptionally efficient chip.

2. I really doubt you'll need to OC the CPU or GPU. They are both very high end parts and at 1080p, will provide ample performance. If you so much as change the W10 power plan to High Performance vs the default Balanced, your 8700k will idle at 4.3GHz vs 800MHz. This will cause excess heat and noise and wear. Under gaming load a 8700k seamlessly turbos to 4.3GHz on all 6 cores, which is plenty to run any game at 1080p. The same is true for even a reference 1080 Ti, though they run at much lower clocks than the CPU of course

3. You only need a decent 600w PSU for a 1080 Ti, so that 750w is plenty adequate. It's not the best on performance, but the 650w one scores 8.5/10 on performance at jonnyGURU, and they dinged it half a point just for being Bronze rated. I prefer brands like Seasonic, EVGA, XFX, and at least silver rating. My XFX 850w Black Edition is still going strong after 6 years and it was rated a perfect 10/10 on performance at jonnyGURU. It's way more powerful than I've ever needed though, as I was considering eventually going SLI, but never did.

4. On the cables, it really matters whether the MB you got has any extra ones, and what color they are. Definitely hold onto any black right angle ones, as they can come in handy with modern MBs that have stacked SATA ports, especially if you are diligent about stuffing the excess cable behind the MB for a neater look and better airflow.

Lastly, I agree that an NZXT MB might be an iffy thing. It was the first thing on the list that stuck out like a sore thumb. The other, to much lesser degree, was the PSU brand and model, which is not the latest model btw. I prefer name brand MBs, and have had good experiences with ASUS, so I stick with theirs. The only thing besides brands on MBs is it's not a good idea to buy a new model within the 1st few months of it's release, especially if it has a new chipset model. In can take several BIOS updates to work out any glitches, which often takes a few months. The Z370 chipset has been out a while now though. This is also why you have to read between the lines regarding reviews of MBs that were purchased within a few months of launch with new chipset models.

 

[emildaae]

I don't trust them . the are case makers for now..

any colour your want in particular?

I get that, but ECS is the manufacturer behind the Nzxt design as far as I understand, and they have a bit more experience. Maybe not with gaming boards, but that's where Nzxt come in I guess. Not an expert though.

Yeah, looking for something black/dark grey, preferably matte or brushed metal.

 

[superninja12]

ECS Biostar Evga can't compete with with motherboards on the level msi asus gigabyte asrock do in my opinion.
they're not experienced enough in the field, they build motherboards for prebuild acers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: ASRock - Z370 Taichi ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($214.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $214.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-05-24 19:45 EDT-0400

this seems to fit in your colour scheme

 

[Frag Maniac]

I don't trust them . the are case makers for now..

any colour your want in particular?

I get that, but ECS is the manufacturer behind the Nzxt design as far as I understand, and they have a bit more experience. Maybe not with gaming boards, but that's where Nzxt come in I guess. Not an expert though.

Yeah, looking for something black/dark grey, preferably matte or brushed metal.

Yes, but you have to understand ECS has always been a budget brand in MBs, like Biostar. It doesn't make much sense to pair budget components with an Intel 8700k and ASUS 1080 Ti.

That said, it could be NZXT is having them build a more enthusiast gamer type MB, but that's not a good thing to speculate on. Plus ECS haven't the experience at such things like the bigger names do.

Warranty wise, I have to feel much of the component reliability thing is kinda moot on build house vs custom user builds, because they usually use OEM vs retail box parts, which lack the retail box warranties. When selecting decent parts on a user built rig, you can get 3-5 yr manufacturer warranty on everything but case and DVD drive.

Now granted some budget build houses will say you get a 3 yr warranty, but I am very skeptical how that process really works. You often hear horror stories about being put on hold for long duration, having to make several calls, denials of components being bad, or being sent used or different model/brand replacement parts.

 

[emildaae]

The same is true for even a reference 1080 Ti, though they run at much lower clocks than the CPU of course

I prefer name brand MBs, and have had good experiences with ASUS, so I stick with theirs.

A lot of good info, thanks a lot.

I will swap out the psu, and hold on to all the cables!

The case is limited when it comes to air flow options. The X62 on the front intake with 1 120mm fan exit on the back and top. This made me think that the reference designs back exhaust wouldn't be such a bad fit. The smaller size and look is a bonus. I live in a tempered climate, in a new building, so hot days won't matter much I think.

I'm gonna research the manufacturers reputation to make a decision about the board i think. The software in the MB that makes the fans and lights play together sounds nice and seemless, but a wifi board could be nice too.

 

[emildaae]

Yes, but you have to understand ECS has always been a budget brand in MBs, like Biostar. It doesn't make much sense to pair budget components with an Intel 8700k and ASUS 1080 Ti.

That said, it could be NZXT is having them build a more enthusiast gamer type MB, but that's not a good thing to speculate on. Plus ECS haven't the experience at such things like the bigger names do.

Warranty wise, I have to feel much of the component reliability thing is kinda moot on build house vs custom user builds, because they usually use OEM vs retail box parts, which lack the retail box warranties. When selecting decent parts on a user built rig, you can get 3-5 yr manufacturer warranty on everything but case and DVD drive.

Now granted some budget build houses will say you get a 3 yr warranty, but I am very skeptical how that process really works. You often hear horror stories about being put on hold for long duration, having to make several calls, denials of components being bad, or being sent used or different model/brand replacement parts.

Makes sense that the quality has to be lower for NZXT to get a cut at a competitive price. I will look at other options.

Is it common to have parts that act up? Haven't focused too much on warranties. I'm buying parts with my company, so I will get a tax return on the value lost on the parts, as they wear out.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Is it common to have parts that act up? Haven't focused too much on warranties. I'm buying parts with my company, so I will get a tax return on the value lost on the parts, as they wear out.

It can happen with any brand, but you're less likely to be left out of luck if it happens with a big name brand that has more cash flow to handle warranties. Plus they often use higher grade parts, which is one reason other than design, why their products cost a bit more.

Now granted a lot of the cost on the enthusiast models is things that are personal preference, like RGB lighting, wifi, dual LAN, high power circuitry for extreme OCing, SLI support, quality of the onboard audio chip, etc. The thing with MBs is making sure the features fit your needs, without going overkill, while also picking a reliable product. A MB is something that is a real hassle to have to replace unexpectedly.

Note that some manufactures like ASUS also have a Premium Service warranty for specific products, like their ROG series. In the first year when you get an RMA approved they will send out a new MB before you even ship back the bad one. This way you don't go so much as a day with your system down.

 

[emildaae]

Now granted a lot of the cost on the enthusiast models is things that are personal preference, like RGB lighting, wifi, dual LAN, high power circuitry for extreme OCing, SLI support, quality of the onboard audio chip, etc. The thing with MBs is making sure the features fit your needs, without going overkill, while also picking a reliable product. A MB is something that is a real hassle to have to replace unexpectedly.

Yeah, would be a nice part to future proof. I have looked around a bit, and the ASRock Z370 Taichi seems like it has everything, I like the design and will save 40$ in my country, compared to nzxt and 100$ compared to ASUS Maximus Hero X.

 

[emildaae]

One more question. Will i be able to add an thunderbolt to the 340 elite, the MB has a port for it. And what would i need to buy?

 

[Frag Maniac]

One more question. Will i be able to add an thunderbolt to the 340 elite, the MB has a port for it. And what would i need to buy?

Some MBs, like that AsRock Z370 Taichi you're interested in, have a 5-Pin Thunderbolt header at the bottom of the board. That makes them Thunderbolt ready. You have to buy an add-on Thunderbolt 3 AIC card, which plugs into your bottom Pci-Ex slot and then you plug the Thunderbolt header cable it comes with into the 5-pin header on the bottom of the MB and bottom of the AIC card.

I would check for compatibility on these devices though as some have said they are hit and miss as to whether they work or not. Theoretically there's less risk if MB and AIC card are same brand, but none the less it's the type of thing you should probably buy from a trust worthy vendor with good return policy, like Newegg or Amazon.

(Detailed diagram mounting instructions on bottom of page.)
http://www.asrock.com/mb/spec/product.asp?Model=Thunderbolt%203%20AIC

AsRock's Where to Buy page for this product lists, Newegg, Microcenter, Outlet PC , and SuperBiiz as etailers, but only Newegg shows it and it's out of stock. There are other brands but they cost like $140.

Note this Giga one is cheaper, and has better reviews. One person said it even works on his AsRock MB. Not even sure if the compatibility charts can be taken totally seriously as these all use Intel's Thunderbolt technology. The critical thing seems to be which slots they plug into (Pci-Ex x4, x8, or x16). Only certain Pci-Ex slots support it depending on the model of MB. But as far as brands go, I would almost say any MB with a Thunderbolt 3 header would accept any brand AIC card.

https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Thunderbolt-Components-GC-ALPINE-RIDGE/dp/B0722SV69N/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527234616&sr=8-2&keywords=Thunderbolt+3+AIC

 

[emildaae]

Some MBs, like that AsRock Z370 Taichi you're interested in, have a 5-Pin Thunderbolt header at the bottom of the board. That makes them Thunderbolt ready. You have to buy an add-on Thunderbolt 3 AIC card, which plugs into your bottom Pci-Ex slot and then you plug the Thunderbolt header cable it comes with into the 5-pin header on the bottom of the MB and bottom of the AIC card.

I would check for compatibility on these devices though as some have said they are hit and miss as to whether they work or not. Theoretically there's less risk if MB and AIC card are same brand, but none the less it's the type of thing you should probably buy from a trust worthy vendor with good return policy, like Newegg or Amazon.

Thank you again!