Need Help speccing a new build

[Jayfunk]

Hi All,

Help would be very welcome as I am speccing for a new build but have not done so since building an athlon x3 five or so years ago.

The main aim is gaming probably at 2560x1440 but am considering 3960x2160. I will be getting one 980 ti to power the graphics side of things.

I have a Define S won in a Hexus competition and 3 additional fans, so I will be air cooling thus: one bottom to top. 3 front to back. With one exhaust at the back.

I will keep the roof closed.

Otherwise, I need to purchase everything else.

I thought I'd get the most bang for buck with 1150 chipset, but am open to moving to 1151 if that makes sense.

I'm thinking:
CPU - i5-4690K
Cooler - Noctua-NH-C12P - the case is windowed and I like that the fan is facing.
MOBO - AS-Rock Z97 Extreme 6
RAM - G-Skill Ripjaws x series 2x8 2400mhz - Add 2 more down the line or 4x4 straight off?
Storage:
SSD 128GB for windows
Windows 7 professional
Barracuda 2tb 7200rpm - another later for raid 1
another SSD later for games
PSU - EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX

Questions

MoBo = So many boards around this level. I want to OC to probably 4.4 or so and have quality components but not much else. Don't need lots of storage connections as can have max 3 HD's + 2SSD's or 5 SDD's due to DEFINE S limitations + maybe an M.2 option down the line. Also possible SLI down the line.
Is this a good choice?

RAM - Do I need a higher rating RAM for an OC? Or are these ok? (I have 8GB 2x4 basic for the interim I can use if funds dry up)

PSU = probably overkill any comments? Definitely want modular and this is top rated.

Would I be better off going skylake? Although I'm looking for good dependable kit as it will probably be another 5 years before I upgrade again moving to skylake might mean a 970 vs the 980ti. and my heart is set on the 980ti

Also monitor recommendations will probably go in cheap on a monitor and upgrade in 12-24 months.


Appreciate your comments

[Jayfunk]

Hi I'm not meaning to double post on my own thread but although I'm awash with options and somewhat floundering in the choices I do have an update and would appreciate advice even if it's highlighting my ignorance.

My update - I'm thinking, definately switch to 6600K - I don't build often so I should take the chance to build in the latest chipset to maximise my future proofing???

Wifi option would be preferred but can be done without.

So Mobo with wifi ASUS Deluxe
without wifi - ASUS Hero VIII
Any better/equivalent boards?

Do I really need the 980ti at 2560x1440?
i'm happy to build and use current 1080 until I get a gsync 144hz 1440 monitor somewhat later (decide i'll save for the ASUS ROG Swift). maybe I need the 980ti to support this monitor?

I'll also switch to 2x8 DDR 4 RAM

I've read so many similar reviews on Mobo's +GPU I'm starting to think that only colour choice matters long term.

I need a reality check, please Hexites!

[TechZilla]

if you're gaming at 1440p, a 980 should be fine unless you want to do high refresh rate gaming then get a 980ti

[gupsterg]

Currently Sapphire R9 290X Tri-X is £202 ish pounds via Amazon.fr, my HUK deal post. Looking at Bit tech review of GTX 980 and online price currently of about £360, I can't see the performance is there for the £ vs the 290X.

The i5 4690K can be had for about £157 from Amazon.fr vs say £190 ish for a 6600K, I'd be tempted to get the i5 4690K on price/performance scenario, IIRC from a review I read approx 5% performance difference.

I would carefully price up a 6600K rig and compare vs 4690K, unless your using features Z170 chipset has brought to table a Z97 platform is not gonna be behind it in performance hugely.

As to future proofing i5 6600K / Z170 platform vs i5 4690K / Z97 platform, I can't see it if you not using features now. IMO by the time you may want a new CPU the socket will probably have changed, therefore new mobo.

I'd go 2x8GB vs 4x4GB.

[Adamvg]

Not bad at all, but as gupsterg said try and price up a Haswell build. I think you should get an i7 with that budget though, seems silly to have that much invested into a graphics card and not an i7. RAM, SSD and PSU are all good, I have the 850 G2 myself which is gold and not platinum, and can vouch that it is awesome. Good luck with the build!

[Jayfunk]

Thank you for the responses. The build changed somewhat over the course of black Friday. I went with a i7 6700k and an amd 390 both at about £220 each.

I will need to wait for a new monitor so freesync 2560x1440 will probably be the sweet spot for what I have and i'll stick wit my curgent 1980x1080 for now.

The i7 will help in the graphic design work I do.

I'll post my pcpartpicker link in the next day or so.

I did go for 2x8 ddr4 ram rather than 4x4.
My only concern is recent reports of coolers bending the skylake chips as I have got the top end phanteks cooler which is 1.4kg. I read reports it's user error over- tightening but I have concerns...

As part of my build is Xmas presents I will not build till Xmas week so will post pics at that time.

Thanks again for input.

[gupsterg]

In the Hexus news article Intel have stated Skylake 50lbs and in same sentence states as prior generations. Which to me seems like "spin" as I checked LGA1150 socket/cpu tech data and it isn't 50lb and don't think I've read information wrong. Info I read from page 110 of 4th gen CPU datasheet.

IMO if I was investing in Skylake rig I may not go air cooling, unless a heatsink specifically states how much static pressure it applies. I'd opt for perhaps either AIO or full blown custom water loop. To me it would seem that high end heatsinks maybe applying higher pressure and would have technically be designed taking say past CPUs into consideration.

[Jayfunk]

Thanks for the information.

I've got to admit I don't clearly understand those tables and I'm worried.

The Case will not move from where I have it so I don't expect much stress caused by movement, but in order to remove the base filter you do need to move the case as it slides out from the back. I'll need to be really careful I guess... I hope...

[zaph0d]

If you want good bang-for-buck performance the old X58 platform with the Xeon X56X0 chip is a good combo, it's basically the same chip as a i7-980X and can be had for about £55. Triple channel ddr3 is more than fast enough for anything, 6 cores + hyperthreading is good for DX12 when games supporting it roll around and the xeon overclocks to 4GHz+ with all power saving and hyperthreading enabled whils staying within the 1.35v intel spec voltage.
If you're really brave you could get the dual socket server X58 mobo, mod the bios and run 12 cores . But you'd really have to mod the bios yourself by hand. Still the server mobo's are cheaper, have more ram capacity (192GB no probs)