Hi all, after many years on laptops, I'm done with the constant whine of fans...
So I'm back in the hunt for a 'workstation' and a quiet one. I'm using linux; arch/mint on a thinkpad, I cannot decide which I prefer, probably arch in the long run. Going forwards I'm likely to use windows for some gaming, but linux will be the main OS.
Last time I built systems, my office hummed along to the sound of AMD Athlon Thunderbirds ( 2000> ish ). So you could say I'm a little out of touch
The dark years since I swapped to a mac pro in 2006, which is now long in the tooth.
All that aside, I'm looking for quiet air to be used for virtualisation, docker, web development during the day and for evening light hearted gaming. I'm not after 4k or SLi, but I am driving a 34" 1440p 21:9. Titles I own but cannot play, Star Citizen, EliteDangerous and I really need to finish halflife2
Storage is not listed below, I have a few SSD and other sata 1.0Tb drives from various nas/thinkpad upgrades. Most of my storage is on freenas hp mini servers with WD reds.
So far I've gotten the following combinations from reading reviews and builds here & there.
My basic shopping list so far:
Short list:
CPU: i7 6700(k)
Ram: 2x(2x8Gb) DDR4-2133*
Cooler: Scythe Kotetsu
Very open to suggestions
GPU: 960 | 980 ~ wait**
PSU: e.g. Seasonic x series 460w 80+ platinum modular fanless
Case: Rajjintex Styx | TJ08-E | Silverstone PS07W
Mobo:
I'm kind of tempted by usb3.1 and recycle my NAS, so that's none of those mobo's.
I wasn't planning on over-clocking
/burnhim, so avoiding the k&z170 saves a few pennies... but gosh, so many shiny options too.
I was toying with a M2 boot device on my thinkpad, so why not on this too
Which I believe edges the ASRock boards over the MSI's. I used to only buy Asus, but that was also when I used to only use windows. Only 'avoiding' due to bios pwm management, which I'm happy to hear differently on.
On that, as I'm using linux mostly, I think asus fan utils won't be much use. Anyone views or experince of using a pwm splitter?
Is this preferred over a 'bay' fan controller with temp sensors?
*Mobo drives ram, msi capped at 2133, asrock boards claiming ,longer life span. In reality, as I recall, upgrade cycles on ram normally came along with new motherboard socket anyway.
**I own a evga GTX660 from a rescue job connected to a i3 which works on a basic level.
I have thought about the other path, a 5820k for 6c/12t, not sure about that yet.
That's as far as I got before getting a little tab blind on the options.
Any insight or STOP thoughts, please do shout up. I've also considered going back a generation or 2 for safer linux support, but reading here and there, mostly it seems to 'work'.
Hoping to basket/collect from ocuk before month end
Thank you for reading and helping an old one back into thermal paste hell. Reckon I'll be needing a new tube of that too
So I'm back in the hunt for a 'workstation' and a quiet one. I'm using linux; arch/mint on a thinkpad, I cannot decide which I prefer, probably arch in the long run. Going forwards I'm likely to use windows for some gaming, but linux will be the main OS.
Last time I built systems, my office hummed along to the sound of AMD Athlon Thunderbirds ( 2000> ish ). So you could say I'm a little out of touch
The dark years since I swapped to a mac pro in 2006, which is now long in the tooth.All that aside, I'm looking for quiet air to be used for virtualisation, docker, web development during the day and for evening light hearted gaming. I'm not after 4k or SLi, but I am driving a 34" 1440p 21:9. Titles I own but cannot play, Star Citizen, EliteDangerous and I really need to finish halflife2
Storage is not listed below, I have a few SSD and other sata 1.0Tb drives from various nas/thinkpad upgrades. Most of my storage is on freenas hp mini servers with WD reds.
So far I've gotten the following combinations from reading reviews and builds here & there.
My basic shopping list so far:
Short list:
CPU: i7 6700(k)
Ram: 2x(2x8Gb) DDR4-2133*
Cooler: Scythe Kotetsu
Very open to suggestions
GPU: 960 | 980 ~ wait**
PSU: e.g. Seasonic x series 460w 80+ platinum modular fanless
Case: Rajjintex Styx | TJ08-E | Silverstone PS07W
Mobo:
- ASRock Z170
- MSI H/B150
I'm kind of tempted by usb3.1 and recycle my NAS, so that's none of those mobo's.
I wasn't planning on over-clocking
/burnhim, so avoiding the k&z170 saves a few pennies... but gosh, so many shiny options too.I was toying with a M2 boot device on my thinkpad, so why not on this too
Which I believe edges the ASRock boards over the MSI's. I used to only buy Asus, but that was also when I used to only use windows. Only 'avoiding' due to bios pwm management, which I'm happy to hear differently on.
On that, as I'm using linux mostly, I think asus fan utils won't be much use. Anyone views or experince of using a pwm splitter?
Is this preferred over a 'bay' fan controller with temp sensors?
*Mobo drives ram, msi capped at 2133, asrock boards claiming ,longer life span. In reality, as I recall, upgrade cycles on ram normally came along with new motherboard socket anyway.
**I own a evga GTX660 from a rescue job connected to a i3 which works on a basic level.
I have thought about the other path, a 5820k for 6c/12t, not sure about that yet.
That's as far as I got before getting a little tab blind on the options.
Any insight or STOP thoughts, please do shout up. I've also considered going back a generation or 2 for safer linux support, but reading here and there, mostly it seems to 'work'.
Hoping to basket/collect from ocuk before month end
Thank you for reading and helping an old one back into thermal paste hell. Reckon I'll be needing a new tube of that too