New build help

evolad · 10 Dec 2023 at 11:37

Hi Guys,

I'm really struggling to come to a final decision on a new build system, well I say new build but i will be using my drives, psu and my 980Ti (Temporary). My current Pc doesn't do much gaming anymore but I keep getting blue screen of death every now and then so I thought it was time to rebuild.
I cant decided on a CPU or cooler. Im looking at either a I7-14700KF or a I9-14900K. I know its overkill as I'm only going to do bits of editing, gaming and possibly some streaming. Is the £170 difference worth it?

Im looking at the fractal define 7 case and not sure which cooler to use? AIO or air? Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks

Tetras · 10 Dec 2023 at 13:43

evolad said:
Im looking at either a I7-14700KF or a I9-14900K. I know its overkill as I'm only going to do bits of editing, gaming and possibly some streaming. Is the £170 difference worth it?

For "bits of editing, gaming and possibly some streaming"? No, almost certainly not. It would be worth it if you spend many hours waiting around for stuff to complete.

evolad said:
not sure which cooler to use? AIO or air?

For light usage you can air cool these CPUs, even a peerless assassin can manage it if they're power limited. If you're doing 100% usage heavy load for long periods then you'll need a very hefty air cooler or higher-end AIO. The power consumption of these CPUs is very high if allowed to run unlimited. If your usage is as light as it sounds, I'd recommend you downgrade to a 13600/14600K or 14700 non-K (not released yet), which are easier to handle with modest cooling.

evolad · 10 Dec 2023 at 13:58

Tetras said:
For "bits of editing, gaming and possibly some streaming"? No, almost certainly not. It would be worth it if you spend many hours waiting around for stuff to complete.

For light usage you can air cool these CPUs, even a peerless assassin can manage it if they're power limited. If you're doing 100% usage heavy load for long periods then you'll need a very hefty air cooler or higher-end AIO. The power consumption of these CPUs is very high if allowed to run unlimited. If your usage is as light as it sounds, I'd recommend you downgrade to a 13600/14600K or 14700 non-K (not released yet), which are easier to handle with modest cooling.

Thanks for the reply! Id probably stick with the i7 14700k. I would rather air cool but not sure what will fit in that case. was looking at the Noctua NH-D15 but I read it might need a different bracket for the cpu so unsure.

mickyflinn · 10 Dec 2023 at 14:57

evolad said:
Thanks for the reply! Id probably stick with the i7 14700k. I would rather air cool but not sure what will fit in that case. was looking at the Noctua NH-D15 but I read it might need a different bracket for the cpu so unsure.

The fractal 7 has a max CPU cooler height of 185mm so any air cooler will fit, go for the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 we have slots the performance king for £30.

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE Review: Incredible, Affordable Air Cooling Performance

Shockingly cool and quiet, less than $40!

www.tomshardware.com

evolad · 10 Dec 2023 at 15:43

mickyflinn said:
The fractal 7 has a max CPU cooler height of 185mm so any air cooler will fit, go for the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 we have slots the performance king for £30.

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE Review: Incredible, Affordable Air Cooling Performance

Shockingly cool and quiet, less than $40!

www.tomshardware.com

Looks good! And the price is Great. Tried and tested by many on here?

mickyflinn · 10 Dec 2023 at 16:10

evolad said:
Looks good! And the price is Great. Tried and tested by many on here?

Yes and Highly regarded .

What you have to remember is the 14700k is going to produce a lot of heat under full load and a 360mm aio would be slightly better dealing with that over sustained period.

But if you set on air then the Assassin is what I would choose.

evolad · 10 Dec 2023 at 17:25

mickyflinn said:
Yes and Highly regarded .

What you have to remember is the 14700k is going to produce a lot of heat under full load and a 360mm aio would be slightly better dealing with that over sustained period.

But if you set on air then the Assassin is what I would choose.

I was looking at the NZXT Kraken 360 - RL-KN360-B1. I`ve never had a aio before so a bit unsure

mickyflinn · 10 Dec 2023 at 19:26

evolad said:
I was looking at the NZXT Kraken 360 - RL-KN360-B1. I`ve never had a aio before so a bit unsure

I've had aio for years without any problems but I like the simplicity of air cooling also.

There are pros and cons to either but you gotta feel comfortable with your decision.

The NZXT are decent coolers and I like the be quiet aio also as there usually very quite but read reviews before you decide.

There's no wrong choose with either coolers

evolad · 10 Dec 2023 at 20:08

mickyflinn said:
I've had aio for years without any problems but I like the simplicity of air cooling also.

There are pros and cons to either but you gotta feel comfortable with your decision.

The NZXT are decent coolers and I like the be quiet aio also as there usually very quite but read reviews before you decide.

There's no wrong choose with either coolers

Thanks for the the advice! Will look into it a little more