Need Help with building a PC

[Darnell Jacobs]

Here's my list for a gaming PC, should you want to spend close to your budget.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor ($489.99 @ Memory Express)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake - Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 40.6 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($169.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Asus - ROG MAXIMUS X HERO (WI-FI AC) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($336.99 @ PC Canada)
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-4000 Memory ($394.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($318.25 @ shopRBC)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Black 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($222.95 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card ($959.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: Thermaltake - View 71 TG RGB ATX Full Tower Case ($249.99 @ Memory Express)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - PRIME Titanium 750W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Monitor: Acer - Predator XB1 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor ($830.99 @ PC Canada)
Total: $4184.12
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-14 11:50 EST-0500



I don't know what you like in terms of aesthetics, or what kind of monitor size/resolution you want so I just chose some parts that I think would work pretty well together.

Some of the above parts are a bit excessive and cost can easily be scaled back without sacrificing much power.

You don't need an internal sound card if you're going to be using the FiiO unit, because it functions as an external sound card.

Personally I haven't burned a cd in many years, I just use usb sticks. If cd burning is a big thing for you you're either going to need a different case and a dvd/cd drive, or a usb connected dvd drive.

I decided that I'm not going to get rgb ram, case and cpu cooler. I still need money for speakers.

 

[Craig234]

Wait, what? what is rgb ram, and you need ram and case at least and cooler is cheap.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

sorry I'm still learning these new words

 

[Craig234]

You probably also want to watch some build guides if you're building it. For example, to see how to apply CPU paste (which you'll also need to pick out and buy if you don't get CPU paste with the CPU you want to use).

 

[ch33zw1z]

A PC for gaming, everyday use, and music playback is like trying to buy a car that holds 8 people, does 0-60 in 6 seconds and gets 32 MPG - it ain't gonna happen.

Music playback is all about:
1.) The quality of the source material (MP3 is not quality)
2.) The quality of the DAC (Digital Audio Converter) - at least $500
3.) Having at least a quad core CPU.

Gaming is all about money.

not being an acute audiophile, its possible.

ive built pc's that do all that for 20 years now.

i dont ain for the audio thing quite as much, as its not cost effective to use a pc when a handheld device can play music just as well.

 

[Billb2]

...when a handheld device can play music just as well.

Hmmm

You and I have a different concept of "just as well"

 

[ch33zw1z]

Hmmm

You and I have a different concept of "just as well"

indeed, im not an audiophile. my phone play music just as well as my pc. i notice no difference, and thats due to not having sound gear to make it sound better.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

You probably also want to watch some build guides if you're building it. For example, to see how to apply CPU paste (which you'll also need to pick out and buy if you don't get CPU paste with the CPU you want to use).

I looked at some guides and they said the best thermal paste application is the dot or pea method or the line method.
I think I'm going to get the Noctua NH D15S. In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2ouPgYoY2w at the 6:40 mark he says accessories tube nhph 1. is this the thermal paste?

 

[UsandThem]

I looked at some guides and they said the best thermal paste application is the dot or pea method or the line method.
I think I'm going to get the Noctua NH D15S. In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2ouPgYoY2w at the 6:40 mark he says accessories tube nhph 1. is this the thermal paste?

The included thermal paste model number is NT-H1, and Noctua includes it in all their retail coolers. It's very good stuff.

 

[Craig234]

I looked at some guides and they said the best thermal paste application is the dot or pea method or the line method.
I think I'm going to get the Noctua NH D15S. In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2ouPgYoY2w at the 6:40 mark he says accessories tube nhph 1. is this the thermal paste?

A good guide I saw compared 16 styles, and found the best was an 'X'.

Two small lines to make an X spread out for best coverage.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

The included thermal paste model number is NT-H1, and Noctua includes it in all their retail coolers. It's very good stuff.

Oh ok. I still have lot of questions left about the parts posted here. I'm still not sure what case to get. This one was posted here. It has good reviews and its not that
expensive.Its for airflow and watercooling. But it doesn't have optical drives. So I'm not sure if I should get it. https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...ractal_design_define_s-_-11-352-055-_-Product. What about just getting a case for airflow only. Water cooling is a bit too complicated for me.

 

[ch33zw1z]

thermal paate application is not as tricky as most noobs think.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/methods.html

artic silver has instructions for each typeof cpu. you dont need their paste to use the method. its more about how the cores are orientated under the IHS.

the goal is a nice thin layer

 

[Craig234]

You don't need water cooling, and cases don't come with optical drives, you buy that separately.

 

[UsandThem]

Oh ok. I still have lot of questions left about the parts posted here. I'm still not sure what case to get. This one was posted here. It has good reviews and its not that
expensive.Its for airflow and watercooling. But it doesn't have optical drives. So I'm not sure if I should get it. https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...ractal_design_define_s-_-11-352-055-_-Product. What about just getting a case for airflow only. Water cooling is a bit too complicated for me.

That case is a fine choice. It just depends if you want a case where you don't want a 5.25" drive installed (DVD or Bluray). Most cases today accommodate water cooling, but it doesn't mean that you have to do that.

If you want to install one of those, look at a case like the Fractal Design R5.

 

[Craig234]

He said he does want an optical drive - but he can get an external easily.

 

[UsandThem]

He said he does want an optical drive - but he can get an external easily.

I quickly read back through this thread and didn't see that. All I saw was this:

Its for airflow and watercooling. But it doesn't have optical drives. So I'm not sure if I should get it.

But regardless, you are correct. If he doesn't want to use an internal drive, he can buy an external one.

 

[Craig234]

He brought up optical drives before that, I said many don't get them anymore, he said he wanted to install programs from discs.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

That case is a fine choice. It just depends if you want a case where you don't want a 5.25" drive installed (DVD or Bluray). Most cases today accommodate water cooling, but it doesn't mean that you have to do that.

If you want to install one of those, look at a case like the Fractal Design R5.

Is this the fractal case ur talking about?
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...actal_Design_DEFINE_R5-_-11-352-048-_-Product


Fractal Design R5 has
9 - fan positions (2 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 140mm fans included)

And here it says

• Front: 2 – 120/140 mm fans (included is 1 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fan, 1000 RPM speed)

• Rear: 1 – 120/140 mm fan (included is 1 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fan, 1000 RPM speed)

I'm kind of confused by this

So how many front fans and how many rear does the case come with?
Here is a link
http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black

I quickly read back through this thread and didn't see that. All I saw was this:



But regardless, you are correct. If he doesn't want to use an internal drive, he can buy an external one.

Yeah I think Il just get an external one.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

Now I have a question about SSDs
Will this one be compatible with my motherboard https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...&cm_re=samsung_850_evo-_-20-147-373-_-Product
It has model name MZ-75E500B/AM

or this one
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...&cm_re=samsung_960_evo-_-20-147-594-_-Product
Model name MZ-V6E500BW

And is this one compatible for internal storage
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...re=western_digital_4tb-_-22-235-128-_-Product

 

[daveybrat]

Now I have a question about SSDs
Will this one be compatible with my motherboard https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...&cm_re=samsung_850_evo-_-20-147-373-_-Product
It has model name MZ-75E500B/AM

or this one
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...&cm_re=samsung_960_evo-_-20-147-594-_-Product
Model name MZ-V6E500BW

And is this one compatible for internal storage
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...re=western_digital_4tb-_-22-235-128-_-Product

Both would be compatible with your new motherboard. Personally though with the budget you've suggested, i'd go with the Samsung 960 EVO NVMe drive. It's much faster and mounts right on the motherboard.

 

[UsandThem]

Is this the fractal case ur talking about?)

That's the one. There are different versions of it (like a version with a window). Just check out Fractal Design's website).

• Front: 2 – 120/140 mm fans (included is 1 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fan, 1000 RPM speed)

• Rear: 1 – 120/140 mm fan (included is 1 Fractal Design Dynamic GP14 fan, 1000 RPM speed)

I'm kind of confused by this

So how many front fans and how many rear does the case come with?

It comes with one fan in the back, and one in the front. You can add more, and there are reviews out there on the case (including YouTube videos), so check them out to see its features/options.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

That's the one. There are different versions of it (like a version with a window). Just check out Fractal Design's website).



It comes with one fan in the back, and one in the front. You can add more, and there are reviews out there on the case (including YouTube videos), so check them out to see its features/options.

Ok thanks for clearing that up. Right now I will just try to watch more youtube videos. Ill come back to this thread if I need more help. Thanks for everything

 

[AMDisTheBEST]

right now is a very bad time for building a gaming pc, everything is so exorbitant priced.
gpu prices are just utterly ridiculous thanks to miners.
Ram prices are too just ridiculous thanks to Apple and other smartphone oems buying them all.
intel coffeelakes cpu are nothing but paper launch. The ones available, like core i5 8600k are selling for i7 prices of $300.
AMD Ryzens 1600 are the only newest chips atm that arent priced beyond their gaming values. The top end chips does not increase gaming performance in any meaningful way.

In other words, if you to build the best, the current market is not very price friendly.

 

[Darnell Jacobs]

I have a question. In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbRJmZKtrZA&t=11s at 7:47, He says 3 pci express 16x slots Then it shows in white writing 2 x PCIe 3.0 x 16 (x16 or dual x8) and
1 x PCIe 3.0 x 16(at x2 mode). What does this mean?

And also on this web site https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z370-H-GAMING/overview/
it shows
3 x PCIe 3.0 x 1 What is this slot for?

Couple more things
This power supply Corsair - HX Platinum 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply that was mentioned here I cant find it here https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z370-H-GAMING/HelpDesk_QVL/
When I go to
ROG_STRIX_Z370-H_GAMING_Devices_QVL
That model is not listed there.

And this HD that I posted here
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...re=western_digital_4tb-_-22-235-128-_-Product
When I go to ROG_STRIX_Z370-H_GAMING_Devices_QVL
Its not listed in the HD Sata 6G Model

 

[fralexandr]

1) The x16 slots can physically fit any x16 slot length cards, but some of them will only work at x2, x8, or x16 performance/speeds given the listed constraints. (i.e. when using 2 GPU's typically for crossfire/SLI they will run at x8 x8 speeds.)
For example, a performance limited slot is sometimes represented as x16 physical slot, x8 electrical.

Pci-e x1 slots are typically used for networking cards, sound cards, and various other low bandwidth add-in cards.

2) Consumer power supplies aren't normally included on QVL lists, since recent PC components all use the same connectors and voltages. I think the last time motherboard connectors changed was around the transition from Pentium 4 to Core 2?

I've also likewise never really seen a QVL for consumer hard drives...
the QVL list is mostly a list that the vendors have taken the time to verify as working with the motherboard. Usually the compatibility has to do with CPUs and bios revisions (i.e. newer CPU support for that socket), or performance RAM speeds/timings.

-----

what kind of speakers are you looking for?
are you thinking 2.0/2.1 or 5.1/7.2/etc?

2.0/2.1 setups should work fine on your USB DAC, since they only need 1 3.5mm port.
if you're going with stereo, I'd recommend budgeting between ~$100-500 for some active/powered monitor/studio speakers.
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...12,130,573,234&sort=price&page=1&X=4082,61969

if going with surround you might want to look at getting a receiver + some cheapish home theater speakers/htib.
for 5.1+ i'd recommend ~$600-1000... given your ~$4500 budget.

-----
I also kind of agree that building a computer isn't very price effective at the moment due to mining, increased NAND/RAM costs, and poor availability of Coffeelake...
At least in the US, going with a prebuilt computer on sale is significantly cheaper .
it's possible to get full computers on sale for practically the sale price of just the CPU, GPU, windows 10, and RAM...