Build Help:
What is your intended use for this build? The more details the better. This is to be both my play and work rig.
For work, primary needs/activities include: * VR - I'm a content creator, and consult for a number of other, larger creators. So I'm running VR environments that folks have sent to me for feedback/testing/etc., and I'm creating my own (this primarily means Unity, Unreal, Blender, etc., but also Adobe, Autopano Giga, and Mettle software). I need to be set to run VR at top quality for some time. * Video - I'm a filmmaker, and often have the entire post-production process run from my home (even when hiring another pro to edit, it often happens on my rig). So I need fast reliable rendering and encoding at high definitions/frame rates. Primarily using Premiere, After Effects, and sometimes Maya, Blender, etc. Occasionally, Final Cut Pro X. * Multi-tasking - I do a lot of corporate consulting, often in Ops or IT, and set-up/administrate systems for automation, tracking data, and lots of managing big databases and serving information, doing statistical analyses, finding trends, etc. I often have numerous spreadsheets open, referencing each other, and I do some light SQL. * Research - for all of those work things, as well as my writing, I tend to have dozens of tabs open at once. Multi-tasking is crucial here, I won't change my many windows/tabs ways anytime soon, and need to make sure my rig doesn't get bogged down.
For play: * Gaming - I do play AAA titles, like Witcher 3, Overwatch, The Division, and I occasionally will hop on COD. Also looking forward to the new Assassin's Creed, Destiny 2, Dusk, Prey, and GR: Wildlands. I like them to look pretty, but I'm not any kind of obsessive fps watcher, and honestly, so long as there's no ghosting or other latency/lag/distracting artifacts or whatever, I probably won't notice the difference between high and ultra settings in games. However, most of my (non-VR) gaming time is actually spent doing stuff like: Kerbal (gotta have my KSP!), Civ 6, Ashes of Singularity * VR Gaming - If it's out on steam, the Rift store, or Viveport, I probably own it, and want it to run flawlessly. (I do own both Rift & Vive, partially because of professional obligations -- also might shortly be receiving a Meta to play with for an upcoming project!) * Surfing the web, watching videos, streaming content, etc. - you know, all the usual stuff people actually use computers (the internet) for outside of gaming -- between work & play, there are often a bunch of windows open with MS office software and Adobe CC software, as well as browser tabs with youtube videos, and Google Docs/Sheets.
If gaming, what kind of performance are you looking for? (Screen resolution, framerate, game settings) See above. Highest settings are ideal, but I'm not obsessive so long as it looks good. Currently using a standard HD (not 4k) monitor, but looking to upgrade, either along with this build, or before the end of the summer. Looking at various combinations of G-sync, IPS, 1440, etc., and will accept advice on monitor purchase, too!
What is your budget (ballpark is okay)? Started off thinking ~$2k would be ideal, but as been doing more research, clear will have to spend closer to ~$3k. Let's say the ideal is to keep it under $3k. Willing, however, to go a little over, especially if that might include a monitor, which I know is at the very least, going to be a probably $600 addition.
In what country are you purchasing your parts? USA. I'm in NYC, have Amazon Prime, and have a local MicroCenter
Post a draft of your potential build here (specific parts please). PCPartPicker part list /
Price breakdown by merchant Provide any additional details you wish below. Some notes/thoughts: * CPU - I'm pretty well sold on Ryzen 7. I'm conflicted though on whether it's worth going with the 1800x... I keep hearing that the 1700 is really capable of practically the same performance? Would love some thoughts on this. Note that I'm a bit nervous about overclocking, simply as it's not something I know much about, and in my years of building my on PCs, have never actually bothered/needed to try and do on my own (once bought a pre-built tower that cam factory overclocked, but that's the extent). I'm interested, and willing to do it, but not until I've spent more time researching the process, and feel more confident. * Cooler - could just as easily be the H110i, I just kind of like the aesthetic of the Kraken. Not married to anything here, so feel free to suggest something else. * MoBo - I don't have any strong feelings about MoBo. Liked the reviews for the AX370, and it was strongly suggested on the
Logical Incremements chart. Seems to be good for overclocking, too, if I want to have the ability to play with that. Once again, open to any suggestions/thoughts re: MoBo * Storage - No question I want an SSD for boot drive. Picked this guy for reviews/price -- just want no less than ~500GB. Plan to set up the HDDs in a RAID array to mirror, but could be convinced to do something different, or go with different hardware. I like the idea of the hybrid drives, though -- unless you tell me it's all hype and I should spend the $ instead on more capacity. * GPU - I'm pretty well set on the 1080 Ti, but as far as which version to buy, I don't have a strong notion. If you have a reason I should go other than the MSI, or simply have a better selection for the $, then please let me know. Also, I
do plan to buy a 2nd card and SLI in the future -- you know, when having hi-speed SLI will actually affect VR rendering (which, I know it won't for the immediate future, possibly longer). * Case - I think this is a handsome case, but in particular I keep coming back to it because of the front hdmi port -- super useful for VR headsets! My only question is about the best way to keep things cool... I've added 2 140mm fans to put into the front of the case to draw air in (since the top & back will be exhaust), however this might be the wrong idea. Does the fan unit for the CPU cooler actually take up some of that space? I've never used a liquid system before on a CPU, so I'm a little unclear as to where in the case I'm supposed to mount the pump/fans unit for the Kraken, and whether that changes how I should plan to mount other fans in the case. * PSU - went with the 850w to make sure I have room for potential future 1080 Ti card. without it, the system will draw a little over 500w. * Monitor - wasn't planning to include a monitor when I was looking at pre-built rigs and was going to clearly spend ~3K for a comparable system on it's own, but now that I'm back to buying parts and building a PC, I think I can budget the new monitor into the order! PcPartPicker helped me find this Dell, but probably I'm better off going with
this 27" Asus guy I really appreciate any and all feedback/thoughts/advice/help
Thanks!
