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ShoeMaker

ShoeMaker

ShoeMaker

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Joined
25 Jul 2007
Posts
13
It has been 8 years since my previous £2k+ PC build (2007, below) and I think it is nearing the limit of its feasible lifespan... But hell did it have a good run, and I have the expertise of people at OC to thank for that, so I'm here again for it now!

I'm again looking to spend ~2k on a self build but despite reading up on the latest tech, I am woefully behind on developments. Any advice on good combinations of processors, motherboards, memory and GPU's that may last another 8 years would be fantastic. Throw me links to articles that are relevant if that is easier. :D The peripherals I'm not too worried about.

With the exception of the GPU, my current system is all original, so I doubt very much is salvageable though I would like to keep what's still usable if at all possible:

Case: Coolermaster COSMOS 1000
Processor: Intel Core2 Quad Q6600, 2.4GHz (not OC'd anymore)
MTB: Abit IP35 Pro
RAM: 8GB 332.5 MHz
GPU: GTX 660
Power: 750w

Shoemaker
 
I suggest replacing the PSU as it's 8 years old. Indeed, I suggest complete replacement as that will allow you to have an emergency backup machine or one that you can redeploy as a server or something.

So, let's get the ball rolling by ascertaining your requirements!

What resolution screen will you be using?
Which games will you be playing?
What ergonomic factors are relevant? (size, noise, etc)
Will you be overclocking?
 
Case: Unlikely that I'll keep it, the missus already requested something smaller than a full tower :(

PSU: Enermax Infiniti 720W - given Quartz's suggestion, unlikely I'll keep it.

Overclocking: Yes :D I see 4.2-4.4GHz is doable for around that price bracket. Not experianced with watercooled systems, but willing to go for whichever solution offers the best bang for buck.

Screen: 1x 1080p
Currently dont plan on 1440p or 4k, but would like the build to be capable of them.

Games:
  • Star Citizen
  • Farcry Primal
  • Doom
  • Mass Effect: Andromeda
  • Dues Ex: Mankind Divided
  • City Skylines
  • GTA 5
  • Witcher 3

Ergonomic Factors:
  • Carried easily (grips, weight not an issue)
  • Quiet
  • Tidy
  • Dust filters


I figure the greatest hurdle is knowing whether to go Haswell or Skylake. Once thats clear and the specific chipset chosen, it's much about getting the best matching MTB and RAM to match, no? Or have things changes significantly since last?
 
It sounds like you want something small that could be put in a padded grip bag. Something ITX-based like a Shuttle SZ170R8 or Cougar QBX. Since OCUK don't sell the former:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,654.82
(includes shipping: £0.00)
​


​

I've chosen the EVGA 980 Ti despite the extra cost because of the superior performance and warranty.

I've chosen 32 GB as you're going to be playing Star Citizen, which I understand enjoys the extra RAM. You will need to get OCUK to confirm that the RAM will fit under the CPU cooler.

I've included a Windows 10 licence and an external USB HDD so you can back it all up.

We're well under budget so you could have a larger capacity SSD.

You may want to add a couple of quiet fans to aid cooling but I'm not an expert there so I'll leave recommendations for that to others. A strip of red LEDs would bling it up nicely.
 
Hi Quartz,

Many thanks for the spec :) Definatly concur with the 980Ti and the 32GB of RAM, that should put me in good stead with any single screen setup!

Perhaps a slightly larger case combined with a kraken would work better for space and cooling? Or is that me unknowingly jumping on a bandwagon?

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Honestly hadn't expected a Skylake setup given the predominance of Haswell-E builds at the moment. Is the 1151 socket more future proof than the 2011? Dispite several articles, I can't fathom why Skylake and all the supporting components, the newer generation of tech, is priced lower than Haswell-E... am I missing something here?
 
There's no such thing as being future-proof.

X99 builds are good for CPUs with many cores and for systems with multiple GPUs thanks to the extra PCI Express lanes.
 
Quartz said:
There's no such thing as being future-proof.

X99 builds are good for CPUs with many cores and for systems with multiple GPUs thanks to the extra PCI Express lanes.
Click to expand...

True, however I'd like to ensure that the processor, socket, MTB chipset and RAM will be best placed to take advantage of upcoming tech (Direct X12 for example) and that they will be able to upgrade within the next few years without having to start from scratch again.

Whilst I'm not entirely set on either X99 or Z170, I've at least chosen the build for each:

Z170

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £579.98
(includes shipping: £0.00)
​

X99

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £675.48
(includes shipping: £10.50)
​

Independent of these, I think I'll go for the following:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £2,809.51
(includes shipping: £14.70)
​

This is way in excess of my original budget and may need to be trimmed down. Could save ~£200 on the next best GPU alone. Benefits of higher speed RAM on Skylake systems seems negligible as well according to this, so that could be reduced to save ~£50-75 I suppose.

Principal cost is the storage which has come leaps and bounds since my last build (pre SSD!) and I'd like to experience the PCIe bandwidth as much as possible. With a M.2 512GB for the OS and other core programmes, an 800GB Intel 750 PCIe for games and 2x1TB raid0 850 EVOs for the rest. A 5TB HDD for backups of all the others.

May reduce the M.2 to 256GB to save another ~£125, which should still be plenty. Also debating whether 4x500GB 850 EVOs will work better in raid0 than 2x1TB... or whether 3-4x1TB 850 EVOs should be used instead of the Intel 750 PCIe.

Anyone with some wisdom to help on the decision making?
 
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