Is this build too ambitious for a first-time builder?

Moleyman

Moleyman

Moleyman

Associate
Joined
29 Mar 2015
Posts
97
Location
Norwich, Norfolk
Good afternoon everybody,

As I have mentioned in a couple of previous threads I am really keen to build my next machine myself (vs getting it built by someone else and paying £200ish for their skill and expertise).

I've never built a PC from scratch but I have no problem swapping hard drives in and out, the same for video cards and case fans and also - my crowning glory - swapping the noisy fans on my H100i for a brace of Noctua fans!!!

One thing that is concerning is the cost of the components that I am hoping to use (around 2.5K-3K) and that I'm not that great at traditional DIY tasks so I do not have a great deal of confidence; if something didn't work I would wonder if it was originally faulty or did I kill it :-)

The build is on hiatus until the 1080ti variants arrive. It will be used for everything from email and web to gaming to 4K video editing and Photoshop RAW conversions. I would like to be able to OC the CPU but have no idea where to go past changing the multiplier to 42 or whatever (I'm OK with GPU thanks to Afterburner).

I am looking at something along the lines of:

Fractal Define R5 case
Asus x99 Deluxe II mobo
Intel 6900K CPU
1080ti GPU
EVGA P2 750W PSU
32GB Corsair Dominator/Vengeance RAM
U.2 or M.2 boot drive (have SSD from 250Gb, 500GB and 1TB for storage)
AIO water-cooling for the CPU (not sure which one to go for yet though - recommendations very welcome!)

I'm pretty confident about installing the RAM and GPU. The particular things I am nervous about are installing the CPU and cooler heatsink on the CPU, the motherboard in to the actual case, the U.2/M.2 drive and all the front panel panel connectors. I'm sure to you guys this is all child's play but this will be my first time :-(

Also, I have seen recommendations to build outside of the case for testing first which is fine but is it wise to attach the AIO outside of the case and then try and fit it all inside the case afterwards? Or do you test with the AIO in place and then take the AIO off to install the mobo in the case and then reattach the AIO again afterwards (needing me to clean up the CPU and apply new thermal paste)?

The more I think about it the more I really want to do it and then in the next thought I think that having someone else do it for me would be the better idea :-) I wish I had a mate who could guide me through it with me actually doing it and him shouting STOP when I'm about to do something stupid.

Actually, thinking as I type, does anyone know if there is a PC user group type thing in the Norwich/Norfolk area? If so, would be worth me paying a visit there to see what advice I could get.

Anyways, I'm rambling - I'm sure you all get the general gist of my concerns by now.

Any advice, tips and gotchas would, as always, be gratefully received.

All the best,

Moley
 
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Nothing in that build is especially difficult. Just take it easy, check what you are doing and should be fine. :) Plenty of info on building on google/youtube.
 
You'll be fine :)

A few pointers for you - firstly, route the PSU cables around behind where the motherboard will be before installing the motherboard (the space between the case back and the back of the motherboard). That'll save you a few potential headaches later and ensure a tidy/clean look. Also, don't forget the I/O backplate for the motherboard before the motherboard goes in- done that a few times myself and also, don't forget the motherboard stand-offs :D

As for AIO recommendations I myself have a NZXT Kraken and Raijintek Triton in 2 of my systems. After singing the Triton's praises since buying it the reservoir cracked 2 days ago, a common fault I thought I'd escaped so I cannot recommend that one. The Kraken is excellent but is expensive. Corsair do some good ones that are generally well regarded.

Enjoy building it, I always do. And much like you I can't put a shelf up straight yet have built lots of computers over the years. Just take your time and you'll be fine :)

If you are unsure then post here - we've all been where you are so don't worry about looking silly.
 
There's nothing especially tricky about your proposed build. The only thing of concern is that you will be building with expensive top-end components and with that much money invested you're bound to be a bit nervous / edgy about doing the right thing. Building a PC should be an enjoyable experience, which it might not be if you're too worried about what might go wrong. So I would suggest finding a way to practise on something less crucial first.

Your suggestion about joining a user group is a great idea. Or alternatively if you have a friend who has some experience with builds and can oversee things.

Something else you could do is obtain a cheap old PC as a project to strip down and rebuild, to get a feel for how things fit together. Anything from the last 10 years is good, not that much has changed really. Even a non-functioning PC can teach you how things fit together, although it's best if it does work as then you can test that you put it all back together properly.

The key things with any build are preparation (reading manuals, watching videos etc) and allowing yourself plenty of time and uncluttered space to do your build. It's definitely a case of steady and methodical wins the race.
 
Wow - thank you all for the very quick replies.

I really do like this forum - just about everyone is very helpful and not condescending at all so thank you again.

I have been looking at the mobo manual and one initial question that I do have is regarding the CPU power (as opposed to the mobo power). On the mobo there is an 8-pin 12v eatx socket AND a 4-pin 12v eatx socket above the CPU socket. On the PSU there are CPU 1 and CPU 2 connectors. So do I only need to use the 8-pin eatx 12v connector on the mobo connected to CPU 1 on the PSU? Is the 4-pin eatx 12v CPU socket only for extreme overclocking needs? Or will I need to connect the CPU 2 PUS connector to the 4-pin eatx 12v socket on the mobo as well because I will be OC hopefully to around 4.2 or 4.4?

Also, on the surface of it does this look like a balanced build? I'm hoping that it will last me a good 5-7 years if not more.

Thanks again everyone.

Moley
 
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i done my last pc myself. was very daunting task but it was well worth it.

the only thing you need to worry about is making sure you connect all the wires to the correct places. also the cpu is the only real delicate part, apparently you can bend the pins by dropping it when trying to put it into the slot. that was the only thing i worried about.

i moved my current (current at the time) pc into a new case. then i bought completely new pc and doen that from scratch. then a month or so later i watercooled it all. was well worth it and i enjoyed it lots but now i feel the need to buy new stuff all the time.
 
I can't add anything more than the already great advice you've recieved from the above posts, I just wanted to say how pleased I am to hear that you like this place, and that I am really quite painfully jealous of you for being able to put together a quite frankly smashing PC for your first own build.

Enjoy it and keep us posted!
 
Moleyman said:
I have been looking at the mobo manual and one initial question that I do have is regarding the CPU power (as opposed to the mobo power). On the mobo there is an 8-pin 12v eatx socket AND a 4-pin 12v eatx socket above the CPU socket. On the PSU there are CPU 1 and CPU 2 connectors. So do I only need to use the 8-pin eatx 12v connector on the mobo connected to CPU 1 on the PSU? Is the 4-pin eatx 12v CPU socket only for extreme overclocking needs? Or will I need to connect the CPU 2 PUS connector to the 4-pin eatx 12v socket on the mobo as well because I will be OC hopefully to around 4.2 or 4.4?

Also, on the surface of it does this look like a balanced build? I'm hoping that it will last me a good 5-7 years if not more.
Click to expand...

You need to supply power to every connector the motherboard manual tells you to. Glancing over the manual for the x99 Deluxe II this means all three of EATX12V_1, EATX12V_2 and EATXPWR. For EATX12V_2 you may need to split a 4+4 connector, depending on your PSU.

As for the build, looks balanced to me. You'll get people telling you 32GB ram is overkill, which it is currently, but if you're looking to get 5-7 years out of your system it's no bad thing to have (I put 32GB in my Z170 build and don't regret it).
 
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