Intel "Coffee Lake" Builders Thread

[Crono]

It seems like we could use a builders thread now for everyone planning out and building Coffee Lake-based systems, given it's just a little over a week before launch. Post your build specs, motherboard and chipset questions, issues you run into or are aware of, and other practical Coffee Lake build info here.

I'll post in a bit - for now keeping the space below clear for any important PSAs, useful links, and other pertinent resources.
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Coffee Lake CPU lineup and pricing announcement (AnandTech)
Z370 Motherboard Roundup (Videocardz)

 

[VirtualLarry]

I don't know if I'll have any money to buy parts next month, but when I can get money, if I can find a "cheap" (but not horrible, probably no Biostar) Z370 board, under $150, I might be in for one of the i3 quad-cores, just to play with. Not sure why, since I already have 6C/12T Ryzen rigs, but what the hey, I like playing around. At least this hobby is cheaper than a drug habit. (Wouldn't know, technology is my drug of choice.)

Edit: Heck, this time around, I might just go mini-ITX, for a "fun build". Could replace my HTPC, or maybe I could build it out slightly, and test out multi-gigabit Intel WAN load-balancing, a quad-core i3 big-core Intel CPU should be able to handle that kind of throughput.

 

[Arachnotronic]

I don't know if I'll have any money to buy parts next month, but when I can get money, if I can find a "cheap" (but not horrible, probably no Biostar) Z370 board, under $150, I might be in for one of the i3 quad-cores, just to play with. Not sure why, since I already have 6C/12T Ryzen rigs, but what the hey, I like playing around. At least this hobby is cheaper than a drug habit. (Wouldn't know, technology is my drug of choice.)

Hah, PC hardware is cheaper than a drug habit for sure -- and probably far more fulfilling (though, like you, I wouldn't know for sure -- have never done drugs).

 

[Torn Mind]

I don't know if I'll have any money to buy parts next month, but when I can get money, if I can find a "cheap" (but not horrible, probably no Biostar) Z370 board, under $150, I might be in for one of the i3 quad-cores, just to play with. Not sure why, since I already have 6C/12T Ryzen rigs, but what the hey, I like playing around. At least this hobby is cheaper than a drug habit. (Wouldn't know, technology is my drug of choice.)

Edit: Heck, this time around, I might just go mini-ITX, for a "fun build". Could replace my HTPC, or maybe I could build it out slightly, and test out multi-gigabit Intel WAN load-balancing, a quad-core i3 big-core Intel CPU should be able to handle that kind of throughput.

Because the barrier to you obtaining an i5 is not there: price.
There's also the blazing fast single-threaded performance that will be subtly, but still noticeably, faster than Ryzen.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I went looking for Z370 mini-ITX boards, and came across some "scoops" and a YT video, but not much info. The TPU article, said that the pictures had been removed, per ASRock's request.

 

[StinkyPinky]

So what do you guys think is the best price to performance m2 ssd? 960 Evo?

 

[Arachnotronic]

So what do you guys think is the best price to performance m2 ssd? 960 Evo?

960 EVO for sure.

 

[crashtech]

I'm pretty sure I'm in, so this will be my spot to post my build later. I might shoot for something like the ASRock Z370 Extreme4 and 8700K, unsure on the RAM as yet.

Edit: Poor availability of the 8700K has caused me to change my mind. Maybe in a couple of months, we'll see. For now I am buying a new GPU instead.

 

[Crono]

So what do you guys think is the best price to performance m2 ssd? 960 Evo?

I'm still figuring out parts, but that's likely what I'll use for my build because it has a pretty good edge against everything else.

Planned specs so far:

 

[Bouowmx]

I'm interested in getting more than 6 SATA ports on Intel client platform. Intel 100, 200, and 300 series chipsets for socket H, except the Xeon ones (starting with 'C'), provide 6 SATA ports.

Is there a significant difference between a PCI Express to SATA expansion card (most of the cheap ones look pretty meh) vs the very same controller on that card integrated into motherboard, as with ASRock Z[123]70?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is there a significant difference between a PCI Express to SATA expansion card (most of the cheap ones look pretty meh) vs the very same controller on that card integrated into motherboard, as with ASRock Z[123]70?

Generally, I don't think so, as they generally use the same drivers, but quality-control, and quality-of-implementation could be a factor.

 

[MBrown]

I was planning on getting an i5 8600k, but the leaked benches that have come out are not as good as I was expecting. I will wait to see the full reviews before I make my decision when some bugs have been worked out.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I was planning on getting an i5 8600k, but the leaked benches that have come out are not as good as I was expecting. I will wait to see the full reviews before I make my decision when some bugs have been worked out.

That's a good point. If the i3-8100 is slower than the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU (overclocked), then it would be mostly pointless, except for the fact that currently, Ryzen rigs require a dGPU, and in an ITX form-factor with an USFF case, that's a problem.

 

[TahoeDust]

If you are going to buy into Coffee Lake @VirtualLarry, do yourself a favor and get a K series chip. You need to enjoy some of that 5.0GHz+ goodness. The responsiveness of huge ST performance is addictive.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you are going to buy into Coffee Lake @VirtualLarry, do yourself a favor and get a K series chip. You need to enjoy some of that 5.0GHz+ goodness. The responsiveness of huge ST performance is addictive.

Yeah. I was talking about getting an X299 rig, and secretly, I wanted to end up with a 6C/12T (or 8C/16T, if rumors are to be believed) CFL-X CPU, with quad-channel DDR4-3000 RAM. (Would upgrade the RAM in some of my Ryzen 5 rigs to some RAM that is actually compatible with Ryzen, and pull the DDR4-3000 Team Vulcan sticks.)

I think that I should choose one or the other, between X299, and Z370. This would be made easier, if someone could point to a DEFINITE roadmap, showing CFL-X on X299, with either 6 or 8 cores.

 

[Bouowmx]

Coffee Lake-X as in Coffee Lake-S 6+2, with integrated GPU, transplanted from socket H onto R, and integrated GPU disabled, or Cascade Lake, refresh of current Skylake-X (no integrated GPU, 4-channel memory, 28+ PCI Express lanes): both are easy to predict their arrival. One year after initial release of Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X.

OR

The recent rumors of Coffee Lake-S 8-core for socket H, who knows? (rhetorical) What seems like a thousand different, inconsistent bits of info came out about Intel's future.

 

[ozzy702]

I'll be watching this closely. 8700k all the way. I'm not too worried about the mobo, I'll probably go $175-$200 ASUS or AsRock ATX but I am curious on the memory since just like with Skylake/Kaby Lake, Coffe lake should love fast memory for gaming. It sounds like the sky is the limit with DDR4 speeds now, hopefully most mid to high end mobos will take advantage.

 

[slashy16]

This is the most excited I have been about new hardware in more than 5 years. Finally I have something worthy to replace my 990x@4.6ghz, that will not break the bank. I was seriously considering ryzen but, dreading the horrible single/dual threaded performance of which most of my PC tasks are. I am hoping for 5.0-5.2 ghz on two cores and 4.6ghz on all cores after I delid.

1) Z370 version of the Asus z170i programing
2) 8700K
3) 32gb DDR4 3200 GSKILL

 

[VirtualLarry]

This is the most excited I have been about new hardware in more than 5 years. Finally I have something worthy to replace my 990x@4.6ghz, that will not break the bank. I was seriously considering ryzen but, dreading the horrible single/dual threaded performance of which most of my PC tasks are.

Not sure where you read that. While it's true, that a 5Ghz OCed Intel 6th / 7th / 8th-gen Core chip will likely have better IPC and better ST speeds than Ryzen, Ryzen is FAR, FAR from "horrible" ST performance. It's not like BullDozer and friends. It's quite snappy, my OCed Ryzen 3 1200 (@3.80Ghz) is faster than my G4560 (@3.50Ghz, stock).

 

[imported_bman]

I am tempted to go forward with a mATX or maybe a mini-ITX build with a 8700K. If I do go forward I am leaning toward ASRock Z370M Pro4 mATX since I have a Xonar Essence STX I would like to carry over to a new system. Though I am also thinking my 3770K can hold out until 2018 when various features and tech starts showing up (PCIe 4.0, 4k 120Hz monitors, Volta, cheaper 64+ layer 3D nand, and maybe 8-core Icelake). I have more than enough older games to keep me busy, but that upgrade itch...

 

[Glo.]

Core i5 best price/performance 6C/6T CPU that fits in 35W TDP, or 4C/8T 35W TDP CPU from Core i3 line, if will be available.
16 GB 2666 MHz Corsair Venagnce RGB/G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB 3000 MHz
ASRock H370 mITX Mobo
275 GB Crucial MX300 SSD
GTX 1050 Ti, and then update to 2050 Ti
Corsair SF450 450W PSU
Raijitnek Metis Plus black.
Cryorig H7 Quad Lumi
Acrylic glass

I think I will settle with it, but it depends on the prices also.

 

[R0H1T]

I'm still figuring out parts, but that's likely what I'll use for my build because it has a pretty good edge against everything else.

Planned specs so far:

Two 1070Ti? A single 1080Ti or superclocked 1080 would be better.

 

[Zucker2k]

For the early builders, I'd go for very high frequency RAM; I think it'll become very important down the line. I can see RAM manufacturers licking their chops already, but I think Coffeelake is poised to break some RAM records. SKL-X has quadchannel so no worries there.

 

[epsilon84]

Not sure where you read that. While it's true, that a 5Ghz OCed Intel 6th / 7th / 8th-gen Core chip will likely have better IPC and better ST speeds than Ryzen, Ryzen is FAR, FAR from "horrible" ST performance. It's not like BullDozer and friends. It's quite snappy, my OCed Ryzen 3 1200 (@3.80Ghz) is faster than my G4560 (@3.50Ghz, stock).

IPC is independent of clockspeed, Intel simply has better IPC than Ryzen, and not by an insignificant amount either. That, combined with a 20% clockspeed advantage (5GHz vs 4GHz avg max overclocks) means ST is not 'likely' to be better, it is a certainty. Pure ST performance of Intel is FAR better than AMD, unless you are saying a 30 - 40% deficit is not significant?

Does that make Ryzen 'slow' for ST performance? Well, that depends on your definition of 'slow'. Even my 6 year old 2500K @ 4.5GHz has equivalent or slightly better ST performance than a 4GHz Ryzen.

 

[R0H1T]

IPC is independent of clockspeed, Intel simply has better IPC than Ryzen, and not by an insignificant amount either. That, combined with a 20% clockspeed advantage (5GHz vs 4GHz avg max overclocks) means ST is not 'likely' to be better, it is a certainty. Pure ST performance of Intel is FAR better than AMD, unless you are saying a 30 - 40% deficit is not significant?

Does that make Ryzen 'slow' for ST performance? Well, that depends on your definition of 'slow'. Even my 6 year old 2500K @ 4.5GHz has equivalent or slightly better ST performance than a 4GHz Ryzen.

Here you go again, can any of the mods check this falsehood