2K Spec Check - I'm here to learn!

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 00:22

Hey,

Looking for advise and all that with a new build I'm due to purchase. I'm getting as much advise now to learn before I'm able to buy. I'll be buying in a couple of weeks.

Needed: full tower build, monitor, OS (speakers if budget fits).

I currently have a Deathadder and a Logitec G110 which I will use for now until I decide to upgrade these. I also have a BluRay drive which was from my old PC. Before anybody asks, no I will not be using old parts from the PC. My aim with that PC is to replace the parts for cheap and build a family PC to replace the pre-built rubbish they bought!

Did I miss anything?

Firstly a few things: I'd like to game at 1440p, preferably Gigabyte G1 980 (I would be buying another within the next year), budget wise is around £2000. Also note: I will be OC'ing once I've researched enough about it.

Since this is going to be mainly a gaming PC, with maybe some work on Photoshop here and now, with very little video editing.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 G1 Gaming 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card £499.99
1 x Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-BK - Devil's Canyon Core i7 4790K CPU & Motherboard Bundle **£15 Saving + Gigabyte Free Upgrade ** £409.98
1 x TeamGroup Xtreem LV 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-21300C11 2666MHz Dual Channel Kit (TXD316G2666HC11CDC01) £149.99
1 x Cooler Master HAF X Gaming Tower Case - Black (RC-942) £129.95
1 x SuperFlower Leadex GOLD 850W Fully Modular "80 Plus Gold" Power Supply - Black £119.99
1 x Samsung 250GB SSD 840 EVO SATA 6Gb/s Basic - (MZ-7TE250BW) £104.99
1 x Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-Bit DVD - OEM (WN7-00614) £77.99
1 x Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache - OEM (WD1003FZEX) HDD £62.99
Total : £1,555.86 (includes shipping : ).

So from my own build I put together, it comes outs at around 1.5k without a monitor. Now I was very interested in the ROC Swift.

I've been playing around with specs for around 2/3 weeks nows. Reading up on the forums and watching other spec threads. I might be a newbie when it comes to purchasing and building a PC but I'm here to learn as much as I can also.

I can't be sure AMD will release any new cards or monitors by the time I actually purchase the PC, I've already got the time booked off work so I need to time the delivery for the start of my holidays.

Thanks.

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 07:51

Do coolers make a considerable difference to the temps?

What are the differences between the two cards? G1 and Windforce? I notice the Windforce is considerably cheaper.

The actual system does look nice, I notice you have taken things as more or the same (or slightly below) spec for a cheaper build?

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 09:19

Doomedspeed said:
*snip*

Your spec wasn't bad, at all... But stulids is better...

I don't doubt his specs. I've been around browsing long enough to know his specs are highly regarded :cool:

Thanks for the extra information, I'm glad you piped in

I wondered why the GPU had a higher clock speed. It does make sense to save the money and put the OC on myself. In regards to GPU's, what does it means when a graphics card is named as a reference card?

I'm guessing the same situation was also for the RAM? As in my RAM was just OC'ed where as it can be done myself? RAM speeds is something I'm not really sure on, is the higher the number, the faster the RAM performs?

Main reason for picking out the WD is that the make are well known and I have a mate that recommends them.

The SSD, what sort of tasks require the higher write speed?

Oh and monitor/speaker spec at 1440p?

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 10:25

stulid said:
RAM, well the ones you listed are faster speed out of the box, they will be using single sided HynixMFR chips which are good if you want to get a max memory validation in CPU-Z, but in realworld benchmarking will not be as good as say dual sided Samsung ICs

http://hwbot.org/newsflash/2125_the...kill_tridentx_8gb_ddr3_2933_memory_kit_review

The Kingston beast is still more than likely using HynixMFR, it is just that they were cheaper and black to match the board.

If you want Samsung ICs then these are more likely to be using them,

YOUR BASKET
1 x Avexir Golden Blitz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-19200C10 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit (AVD3U24001008G-2BZ1SE) £139.99
Total : £149.59 (includes shipping : £8.00).

Notice the timings are that bit lower, which is again better.

Interesting, in regards to the GPU I'm unsure what I'm looking at. I've never seen a 980 graphics card naked to compare.

This is a quote from that RAM article:

there are only two things I find impressive about MFR-based kits. One, getting the highest frequency record, something mostly (only) extreme overclockers are interested in. Two, having the highest clocked mass-production memory kit available in the market.

So looks like the single sided MFR kits are mainly for those looking to overclock everything to the max? Is there an easy way to identify between MFR and Samsun IC's when shopping on the product page? Will IC's generally be more expensive or cheaper?

stulid said:
SSD and write speeds will help with video editing and creativity, gaming is more read speeds as you are loading maps and data.

My video editing won't be on a regular basis, just now and again when I feel like it. So the read speeds should be more important over the write speeds. So I could easily sacrifice a bit of write speed to save a little extra.

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 11:41

Looks like the Windforce is currently on This Week Only at £431.99.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 WindForce 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card £431.99
1 x Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-BK - Devil's Canyon Core i7 4790K CPU & Motherboard Bundle **£15 Saving + Gigabyte Free Upgrade ** £409.98
1 x Avexir Golden Blitz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-19200C10 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit (AVD3U24001008G-2BZ1SE) £139.99
1 x EVGA SuperNova G2 850W '80 Plus Gold' Modular Power Supply £109.99
1 x Corsair Obsidian 450D High Airflow Mid-Tower Case (CC-9011049-WW) £93.95
1 x Crucial MX100 256GB SATA 2.5” 7mm SSD + 9.5mm Adapter (CT256MX100SSD1) £86.99
1 x Cooler Master Nepton 240M AIO Cooling Solution £79.99
1 x Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-Bit DVD - OEM (WN7-00614) £77.99
1 x Toshiba 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6GB/s 64MB Cache - OEM (DT01ACA200) HDD £61.99
Total : £1,492.86 (includes shipping : ).

+8 for difference in the cards price now and later:

Total would be £1500.86. Even though I can't purchase all items just yet, wold it be worth purchasing if these items come on sale like the Windforce? or just wait and buy in bulk?

So a system build for £1500. What can be done about a monitor/speakers?

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 12:05

That's a saving of £60 on that monitor :eek:

. How much of a difference does it make being on a 4ms monitor rather than a 1ms?

Spacedeck · 14 Jan 2015 at 14:13

I guess it wouldn't matter too much for me, maybe. Games I'll be playing on the off once built are games like WoW and Skyrim. So games which aren't going to be FPS based.

I guess I could get this monitor. Considering I only currently game on a 32" Samsung LCD TV with a pretty high input lag. Think it might be around 6/8ms. So compared to this it should feel like a big improvement, right?

Then later on I can purchase a ROC Swift to use as my primary. Maybe I'm just overthinking this situation :rolleyes:

Any experience with the various speakers OCUK offer?

Spacedeck · 23 Jan 2015 at 11:29

Stulid, already bought my monitor and looking to buy the GPU tonight!

Currently the Windoforce can be had for £429.95, and the G1 is available for £469.99. I understand you said that is pretty much just an OC'ed version of the Windforce but I was wondering something. What difference / is there to gain from having a card with a backplate?

I'm still leaning to the Windforce unless the extra could provide considerable amount extra.

Spacedeck · 23 Jan 2015 at 12:24

Thanks, I've tried doing some research around the Gigabyte 980 cards. Discussions regarding the 980's aren't all too easy to find but I found a comparison somebody was asking about the 970's Windforce vs the G1 editions:

No backplate, no binning, lower clocks, plastic cooler vs metal and less heatpipes. Thats about it.

Is this the same situation for the two different 980's?

Since I already saved on my original budget and I still have money left over, I'm tempted to go with the G1 for the ease of mind.

Spacedeck · 23 Jan 2015 at 13:34

stulid said:
Yes the clock speeds are suppose to be higher. But the way that GPU boost2.0 works means the card bases its speeds on temperature.

So my G1 for example runs at stock at a higher boost speed than what gigabyte claim it should out of the box anyway.

Sorry Stulid, I hate to sound like a newb but sometimes it's a must to learn :rolleyes:

So I take it you are running at Boost 1329Mhz and a Clock of 1178Mhz? Is this an issue? Like what exactly will a higher Boost / Clock gain you? I understand it is a faster running card, but what is involved in this? A better frame rate? speed increase?

I would guess a higher Boost / Clock adds additional heat over a reference card?

Sorry if I ask too much...

Spacedeck · 23 Jan 2015 at 16:09

Thanks mate, you've been a big help in me deciding my parts. I'm just about to order the G1 as to me it seems like the wiser choice.

I'm also pushing forward the rest of the purchase hopefully into the first week or maybe second week of next month. The only issues currently are that the cooler is now out of stock

and the PSU has had a slight up in price and is very low on stock. Hoping they come back through before I get to buy.

Would you keep the same PSU or opt for a cheaper one?

Spacedeck · 28 Jan 2015 at 12:29

In search of Mr. Stulid

As we know, the Cooler you suggested in now out of stock. I emailed OCUK this morning to try and find out of any ETA. I've just received a reply and apparently the system is showing up with an ETA of March.

I'm sure you know this is no use for my build, so what others do you recommend?

Also that case you suggest, will it house everything while still providing enough airflow? Including my 980 G1 Gaming GPU and possibly another addition later on?

Spacedeck · 28 Jan 2015 at 13:30

Doesn't sound promising

What options do I have? How would the system perform without one until they get them back in stock? Would that be feasible?

EDIT: I could buy just that item from a competitor. They seem to have them instock and for competitor price.

Spacedeck · 29 Jan 2015 at 13:32

Quartz said:
If you have yet to buy your GTX 980, be sure to buy one with a reference (blower) fan. This is because you intend buying another later. The other fans just blow the hot air around inside the case but the reference / blower fans vent the hot air outside the case.

Already had my Gigabyte 980 G1 Gaming delivered mate. I'm sure Stulid wouldn't steer me wrong with the case and make me buy one that wouldn't fit the GPU or provide enough air...

On a plus note I get paid tomorrow and at perfect timing, most of my remaining items are either on sale or can actually be had for cheaper

YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-BK - Devil's Canyon Core i7 4790K CPU & Motherboard Bundle **£15 Saving + Gigabyte Free Upgrade ** £397.98
1 x Avexir Golden Blitz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-19200C10 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit (AVD3U24001008G-2BZ1SE) £131.99
1 x SuperFlower Leadex GOLD 850W Fully Modular "80 Plus Gold" Power Supply - Black £104.99
1 x Crucial MX100 256GB SATA 2.5” 7mm SSD + 9.5mm Adapter (CT256MX100SSD1) £79.99
Total : £724.55 (includes shipping : £8.00).

SSD and RAM are on this weeks sale. The PSU which was out of stock, I've managed to change to a Superflower 850w which is also on this weeks sale. Then the CPU and MB have had a slight price reduction

Then just to source the cooler elsewhere since it's out of stock

.

So should be able to order the remaining items tomorrow.

Spacedeck · 30 Jan 2015 at 10:36

Stulid, call me paranoid or whatever you like...

Final items left to order:

YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-BK - Devil's Canyon Core i7 4790K CPU & Motherboard Bundle **£15 Saving + Gigabyte Free Upgrade ** £397.98
1 x Avexir Golden Blitz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-19200C10 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit (AVD3U24001008G-2BZ1SE) £131.99
1 x SuperFlower Leadex GOLD 850W Fully Modular "80 Plus Gold" Power Supply - Black £104.99
1 x Corsair Obsidian 450D High Airflow Mid-Tower Case (CC-9011049-WW) £93.95
1 x Crucial MX100 256GB SATA 2.5” 7mm SSD + 9.5mm Adapter (CT256MX100SSD1) £79.99
1 x Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-Bit DVD - OEM (WN7-00614) £77.99
1 x Toshiba 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6GB/s 64MB Cache - OEM (DT01ACA200) HDD £61.99
1 x OcUK Mega Mat XXL Gaming Surface & Elite Mug Bundle £14.99
Total : £963.86 (includes shipping : ).

As you know I already have the GPU and the Cooler is set for a Monday delivery.

is that everything or have I missed anything? and everything will fit together yes?

So GPU fits into the case, cooler can be easily added to case, all connectors for everything are correct and will work with each other?

Sorry, I worry too much :rolleyes:

but it's better to worry now, rather than worry after buying. I'm ready to hit order!

Spacedeck · 30 Jan 2015 at 18:04

Well just got of the phone to my bank and my order for the remaining items now placed!

I can't wait to get building and thanks for everyones input

it's really appreciated.

Spacedeck · 3 Feb 2015 at 08:53

Ok so everything arrived yesterday and I couldn't wait to get home. But I must rant my rage :mad:

not at anybody else, just myself. Myself, for being incompetent to do a simple task as building a computer. Yes, I got the CPU, CPU Cooler, RAM, MB, HDD and BR Drive into the computer case minus all the wires.

This is as about as far as I can get, trying to build this gave me a massive headache and hours just questioning myself over and over again, before eventually I gave up and went to bed leaving it on the desk for another day.

I became confused with all the different wires for fans and such, it never looks like there is enough room and while the MB is labelled, it can be confusing.

Another gripe is I was watching some videos on how to install the Cooler... I followed this one video to the very end... just for the guy to turn round and mention an issue he had with some of the standoffs which killed his MB!!! Wouldn't this be something to know beforehand so it can be avoided? :mad:

Anyway, to cut a long story short. I've failed and now asked if my cousin can come up tonight to try and help me finish building this thing.

I just hope now that none of my components are damaged and everything will actually work...

/rant over

Spacedeck · 4 Feb 2015 at 00:27

Ah just seen this. I appreciate the help mate but it's now up and running.

I battled this system with my amazing mate over Steam who helped me as and when I asked. The experience has been up and down. My heart started beating more when it was time to powerup. When I got life I couldn't have been happier.

After the first day, I was determined I wouldn't be beaten, it got me pretty good though. I finally complete my first system! This feels amazing! Already planning to complete the next system for my family and show me brother how to build a system.

Need to sleep now but once my room is sorted and everything is in place, I'll show of some pictures.

Again, thank you everybody for this experience!

Spacedeck · 4 Feb 2015 at 13:32

lee32uk said:
Get some pics up so that we can rip your cable management skills to bits

I'll get some up tonight. Only wires really all over the place are fan wires from the case fans / my cooler. When the side panels gets put on I'm sure it will hide most of the bulk coming out of the cable management.

When I inserted my graphics card, it's up and working... but it slighty starts to dip towards the end? Is this just because of how heavy the card is and there is nothing to support that end? Should I be worried?

Spacedeck · 5 Feb 2015 at 08:55

Sorry guys, pictures are a little delayed. Had an issue last night with temps when testing. Lucky for me my mate is amazing and always on hand. I wouldn't have known any better but he noticed while testing with Intel Burn Test / Prime95, the temps would be reaching very high 90's! Volts would also be 1.4v @ 4.4GHz! He said this isn't right so after some work, trying different things, he showed me how to update the BIOS. As soon as this was complete the temps just dropped. IBT / Prime was showing we was now hitting 1.2v @4.4GHz and the temps would be hitting a maximum of 75 under full load.

Does this sound about right now?