PC build/upgrades

[-Ice]

Thanks to the excellent help and advice I got from these forums, I have narrowed down the specs on my PC upgrade.

Here's what's on my christmas list:
i5 6600K
Gigabyte GA-Z170X Gaming7
Noctua NH-D15 Dual Radiator CPU Cooler
Corsair Vengeance LPX Black 3000MHz CAS 15-17-17-35 XMP 2.0 1.35V 16GB (2x 8GB)
EVGA GTX 980Ti Classified Gaming ACX 2.0+ 6GB 7010MHz GDDR5, 1190MHz GPU, 1291MHz Boost
EVGA SuperNOVA G2 850W 80+ Gold Full Modular

It seems like everything's set now... only issue I see is that my iiyama ProLite X2783HSU monitors only have DVI-D and HDMI inputs while my iiyama ProLite T2250MTS only has DVI-D input. I'll use the 980 Ti's DVI to power the touchscreen and will probably have to buy DP-to-DVI converters? My current HD 7970 GHz Ed. card has mini-DP-to-DVI active adapters. Does DP-to-DVI have active and passive adapters?

I went with the more-expensive motherboard because I initially wanted to try out M.2 SSDs. I could opt for a cheaper board but I like having 2 M.2 ports for a future upgrade, maybe a year or two from now. Same reasoning for the 850W PSU; I like having the option to SLI later on.

I'd appreciate any comments on the build before I pull the trigger on it tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[EarthDog]

Holy cow, another thread about this build, LOL! Comments about the parts are in each of your individual threads you created for the parts... or, in other words... good to go as you mostly selected what was suggested.

Although, not sure why are getting the Classified... there isn't a point, IMO, to pay the premium for that model when you are not using half the features it comes with... Save your money and grab the ASUS Strix, MSI, EVGA, or Gigabyte that was suggested in the thread.

You can also save a few bucks by getting the 750W model of that PSU. As was stated in one of your threads (see why its best to keep it to as few as possible?) a 750W will be plenty for SLI 2 980Ti's.

 

[Witchdoctor]

because of my recommendation .......

It is one heck of a card regardless of the cooling solution bro

 

[EarthDog]

Agreed, but there is no need. Dude isn't benching.

That said, the MSI also has a much more robust VRM section as well as the Strix and is a lot cheaper than the Classi.

 

[-Ice]

Haha! Apologies for that, ED, but I thought this would be a good place to post it for other builders to look at.... rather than finding my other threads individually.

I just realized what Witchdoctor meant when he mentioned "Classy," I did not realize he meant the Classified Gaming card. The options were either the EVGA Classified Gaming ACX 2.0+ or the Zotac AMP! Extreme or the Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming. I decided to go for the Classified due to the cooler recommendation and the bigger OC.

Although, not sure why are getting the Classified... there isn't a point, IMO, to pay the premium for that model when you are not using half the features it comes with... Save your money and grab the ASUS Strix, MSI, EVGA, or Gigabyte that was suggested in the thread.

You can also save a few bucks by getting the 750W model of that PSU. As was stated in one of your threads (see why its best to keep it to as few as possible?) a 750W will be plenty for SLI 2 980Ti's.

First off, I would like it to be clear that I greatly appreciate everyone's suggestions and input in my (many) threads. Please don't think that I ignored anyone's contribution. However, what I did was to take the recommendations, try to learn what I can about them, then compare the recommended part against others that I'm looking at to decide what to get. I also look at the price difference and decide whether I'd like to pay extra, whether I think/feel the extra features is worth the extra cost. This is why I opted for the Gaming 7 motherboard instead of the recommended Extreme 6 (one more M.2 slot) and why I opted to go with the G2 compared to the RMi PSU (G2 850W being £4 more expensive than the RM750i).

Reviewing my figures, I can save £9-24 by opting for the MSI G6 or the EVGA SC+. I can save another £15 if I opt for the G2 750 or £4 for the RM750i. Going to the Extreme6+ motherboard will cost me an additional £2.50. Best case scenario, I can save £39 by going with the EVGA SC+ and the G2 750. At the back of my mind, that's the cost of one movie date with the wife and my boys. One movie. The hardware, I expect it to last me the next 3-5 years. A little over for my needs? Maybe. But like I said on one of my threads, I'm splurging enough as it is so what's an extra £39?

In comparison, when I was deciding whether 6600K or 6700K, I did not feel that the extra features of the 6700K was worth the extra £130 price difference. Same thing when deciding whether to go from 8GB to 16GB... I felt that the £40 I was spending would be worth it but the £117 needed to go from 16 to 32GB was too much.

So, while my baseline is still "best bang for my buck," I'm also after a bit of overhead/future proofing/overkill. After all, I'll be stuck with this hardware for a good while.

That said, the MSI also has a much more robust VRM section as well as the Strix and is a lot cheaper than the Classi.

While I'm okay for paying a bit extra, is the MSI VRM that much better? You said so yourself that there is little difference between cards at this level in terms of performance. I stayed with the Classified due to the bigger GPU/Boost OC even though it loses out on the RAM OC.

 

[EarthDog]

While I'm okay for paying a bit extra, is the MSI VRM that much better? You said so yourself that there is little difference between cards at this level in terms of performance. I stayed with the Classified due to the bigger GPU/Boost OC even though it loses out on the RAM OC.

There is little difference in terms of performance. That isn't the point. The point was in regards to the more beefy VRMs that Witchy mentioned... I just noted that the cheaper Strix and MSI Gaming cards are also more robust than reference and, in my country, $30 cheaper than the Classified.

So, while my baseline is still "best bang for my buck," I'm also after a bit of overhead/future proofing/overkill. After all, I'll be stuck with this hardware for a good while.

I get that... and you can still accomplish those goals with the less expensive hardware... which was my entire point in many of your threads.

Enjoy your build, and be sure to post up pictures when its built!!

 

[-Ice]

Ah, what exactly does the "beefy VRMs" do? I think you are looking at tech sheets here, correct? Could you explain what they do?

You also mentioned that there are features on the Classified that I might not use... what are those?

Unfortunately, on the site where I am buying stuff from, the STRIX Direct CU III OC is £598. Like I said, I'm not bothered by paying £9 more for the Classified but if I can save £9 and get better components (VRMs), then it's really more of the better components than the money saved that would convince me to go for the MSI.

 

[-Ice]

Okay... read up a bit on VRMs so I know they are like the GPU's PSU, but still don't appreciate how you can choose a GPU based on VRM... unless we are talking quality VRMs vs cheap knock-offs....

 

[caddi daddi]

we like to punish our gear here in this forum, the boards, gpus and such have to have better quality vrms and also be able to deliver the amps and voltage we want, moar phases= moar better.

 

[EarthDog]

Vrms are more of a filter than a psu. They don't make power.

 

[-Ice]

Thanks for the input guys!

Just bumping another one of my questions:

It seems like everything's set now... only issue I see is that my iiyama ProLite X2783HSU monitors only have DVI-D and HDMI inputs while my iiyama ProLite T2250MTS only has DVI-D input. I'll use the 980 Ti's DVI to power the touchscreen and will probably have to buy DP-to-DVI converters? My current HD 7970 GHz Ed. card has mini-DP-to-DVI active adapters. Does DP-to-DVI have active and passive adapters?

 

[caddi daddi]

more like mosfets.

 

[-Ice]

Huh?

 

[-Ice]

Pulled the trigger on this build! Thanks again to everyone that gave their input!

In all the excitement, and despite me asking the question, I **STILL** forgot to order the monitor cables. Luckily, I seem to have caught it in time and they're adding the cables to my shipment now. I ordered three displayport to DVI passive monitor cables. I just hope the passive one works. I'm currently using two mini-DP-to-DVI ACTIVE adapters.

 

[Joe88]

I think passive adapters should work if both devices are digital and not down converting to analog