Would they work/are there better options?: I'm recycling current system into a new build + secondary compact PC

Fiztandantibus

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Mar 27, 2010
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Hello,

I am seeking to upgrade my current PC (build 2010) into something capable of running some of the next upcoming games (namely Star Citizen) and lasting a while for all my other uses too; my current rig fullfills all my non-gaming needs albeit a little slowly when rendering so its mainly a gaming upgrade.

At the same time I am looking to downsize the current PC, and all components that I will not incorporate into the new build, into a tiny compact mini-ITX build that I would use as a guest/travel desktop PC.

I have browsed and done my research and come up with the following key components, could you advise whether there may be better options (or outright incompatibilities I have missed) for my wallet without having to compromise on valuable performance for a long-lasting system?

Project time-frame
Between 4 months and up to 1 year from now. Currently finishing degree and will consider this once I have a job and income.

Budget
About £1000 +/- 2-300 if worth it for the new rig. I am not one to want to throw money in the wind but I do like to invest into my build to make it last, but I will happily avoid overkill. The secondary compact PC would be something I would assemble over time finding the best price buys later on with no great hurry.

What I use my computer for:
Work, art (digital painting in photoshop), some video editing, now and then rendering models and graphics 3Ds Max, gaming.

My Location
London UK

Current components:
Case: ThermalTake Element G + some average fans
Mobo: Asus P7P55D-E PRO
CPU: Core i7 860 (LGA1156)
RAM: Memory G-Skill Ripjaw 2x2GB 1600MHz CL7
PSU: Antec TruePower 750W Modular 80 plus Bronze rating
GPU: MSI R5870 Lightning
Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev B
HDD: 2 mediocre 1x500GB and 1x400GB
SSD: Samsung 250GB 830 SSD SATA

New system "wishlist" thus far
Case: yet to be found, I am looking for something low profile with good cable and space management, I prefer a mid tower and I may recycle my current ThermalTake Element G one for now.
Mobo: X97 chipset so far considered Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO (£165)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (£265)
RAM: 16GB high bandwidth so considered G.Skill Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory (£121)
PSU: recycle Antec TruePower 750W Modular 80 plus Bronze rating
GPU: 1xGTX 980, I am more partial to nVidia cards vs AMD. I do not wish to SLI. (£449)
Cooler: recycle Scythe Mugen 2 Rev B
SSD+HDD: recycle all previous drives may add a 1TB drive.
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Current total (£1002 + cost of case)

Key: items in this colour are recycled

Overclock Yes

SLI: No

New compact system
The idea is to have a mini ITX system:

Case: Lian-Li PC-TU200A or B.
CPU: Recycled Core i7 860 (LGA1156)
Mobo: mini ITX, considered: Zotac H55ITX-C-E or Intel DH57JG (huge variation in price I have found them for ~£60)
PSU: Silverstone Strider Gold 450W 80+ Gold Certified considered as it is fully modular and slim. (£79)
RAM: recycled Memory G-Skill Ripjaw 2x2GB 1600MHz CL7, though I may want to upgrade to 2x4GB (~£54)
GPU: recycled MSI R5870 Lightning unless there are slight upgrades for not too much (less than £100).
Cooler: unsure about dimension wrt case and such, would use the stock from i7 860 as I still have it.
SSD/HDD: 1xSamsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" SSD and 1xHitachi Travelstar 1TB 2.5" 7200RPM (~£190)
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Total: £383

OS Already have Win 7 for them

Notes My end desire is to have a silent new system that can run at decently low idle temps with motherboard that can control fan speeds as soon as I request power from it. Case wise I am still looking but would prefer a Mid Tower that is very minimalistic and equipped or equippable with dust filters, preferably not black or white. I would appreciate suggestions on what I could look out for as a better more cost effective option for both rigs though I would like to compromise least on the new rig.

I appreciate your help. Thank you in advance.

TL;DR would these rigs work for my use or are there components that would be overkill and I could easily save on?
 
Solution
the msi night blade is badass and no i dont have a favorite broad for the lga 1150 socket. anything from asus msi is going to be your best bet though
im not really sure what you want form us to answer but i think you should reuse most of your old parts being your cpu psu ssds and hdds and just go compact. i would like to see you try a build in the corsair 380t thats compact and looks bad ass
 
Thank you for your answer, and happy holidays to you.

I guess it is a bit of a confusing question after all, the end question would have been is the new rig build good or can I use other . I wish to upgrade many of the components in my computer as the Mobo doesnt allow me to control my casse fans at all making my case a dust vacuum that needs monthly cleaning. Also my mobo/case combo seems to have a problem with static energy which I can't seem to pin point (despite various efforts) and it ends up causing my microphone to crackle.

My current CPU is decent but my decision to not recycle it into the new build is based around the guest PC idea. I want to make a mini build PC for travel because I may eventually ship it to my dad who will need a desktop that has portability. This is the cheapest way to make that happen.

I was also considering making a mini build for my computer but I haven't researched into small Mobos. Are there any small Mobos capable of working as well as the full scale ATX's? Is a small build more expensive than a normal mid/full tower build?
 
Again thank you for your contribution, much appreciated.

Are you referring to my current motherboard (Asus P7P55D-E PRO)? If so I completely agree. I forgot to mention that I also find the Corsaire 380t a pretty bad-ass case with style!

Out of curiosity, do you have a favoured X97 chipset LGA1150 socket mobo?
Do you know of any nice cases/manufacturers with a minimal look (none of those flashy lights and disco ball effects) that isn't just a black box? I think I am going towards something colourful or stylish like maybe brushed metal, just having trouble finding a good one, Fractal and Silverstone make some nice ones, kinda tempted to find out how 90 deg rotation works for a computer build.