medic1030 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Here's my plan for my new FSX computer build... Should be a huge improvement over the laptop I'm currently using (and have been using for the past year). I've been doing a bunch of research and lurking in several forums, and this is what I've come up with for my build using PCPartpicker. I’m hoping the experts on here can spare some time to take a look and give me some feedback. I’m reasonably handy and can self-teach pretty well, but by no means am I computer-savvy and I have never built my own system. I’m just looking for some general feedback about the list or any glaring errors I may have made, and then I also have a few specific questions listed below the specs… CPU – Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core CPU Cooler – Noctua NH-D14 Motherboard – Asus Z97-Pro (Wi-Fi ac) ATX LGA1150 Memory – G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-2133 - (9-11-11-31 - 1.6v) Storage - Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5†SSD - (for OS and other basic programs – ie office, adobe, AV, etc.) - Crucial MX200 250GB 2.5†SSD – (for FSX and all addons) - Western Digital Black 1TB 3.5†7200RPM HD (for storage/everything else) Video Card – Asus GeForce 970 4GB STRIX Case – Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 ATX Mid Tower Power Supply – EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Gold Certified ATX OS – Windows 7 Home Premium My questions: 1- I plan to overclock modestly to 4.4-4.5GHz. This CPU already has a "turbo" rating of 4.4GHz, but my understanding is that this is only with one core under load. I’m hoping it'll be a relatively straightforward overclock process to get it to a steady 4.4-4.5. Am I right in this assumption, and more importantly will my selected cooler be adequate for this? 2- With regards to the memory; pcpartpicker gives me a warning that, at 1.6v, the Ripjaws exceed the recommended 1.5v as per the Intel CPU specs, and that it may not run at the specified frequency as a result. Is this something I have to worry about? Will it cause any problems with the CPU, and will it actually run at less than 2133? I’m hoping not since there’s no point buying 2133 RAM if it will run at a lower speed. Also with regards to the memory, would there be a significant improvement if I went to the 2400 (10-12-12-31) Ripjaws over the 2133 (9-11-11-31), and would there be any logical reason to go to 2x8GB instead of 2x4GB? 3- Re the video card; Would there be any worthwhile improvement if I went with the GeForce 980 (at nearly double the cost) instead of the 970? 4- Finally, regarding the case, it comes with 3 built-in fans but lists space for 5. Are the 3 it comes with enough, or should I look at getting 2 more? Thanks in advance for the help. This site has been a great resource for me over the past year as I got into flight simming! Corey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Django Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 It looks like a good build. Just curious, what's making you go for the Asus Z97-Pro? What about the Asus Z97-Pro Gamer or Maximus VII Ranger? Regards, Django EGLL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic1030 Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 I have no reason in particular. What would be the advantages/disadvantages of those 2 other boards vs the pro? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Django Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 The Asus Z97-Pro looks like a solid mid range board with useful BIOS utilities. The only thing to note is that there are no legacy PCI slots but that's typical of modern boards. There is a version with onboard USB3.1 but I think that's a bit of a gimmick on Z97 boards - the USB3.1 slots will be sharing bandwidth with other devices. In case you're interested, my head is spinning with trying to select a board for my new 4790K build. I don't need SLI for flightsim, and M2 and SATAe are not mature enough technologies (e.g. you can't use an M2 drive as a boot drive under Win7). I'm even considering Z87 boards since my main concern is good voltage regulation for overclocking. Regards, Django EGLL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS616 Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 I'd recommend getting one the tier one or two power supplies from this list: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html The one you have listed is tier 3 which is ok, but you can do better for your new computer, remember power supplies deteriorate with age so it's a good idea to start out with a better unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Django Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Re your PSU, I'm considering a Seasonic S12G-750 750W for my build: http://www.seasonic.com/pdf/datasheet/NEW/Retail/S12G-450-550-650-750%28FDB%29.pdf There's also a similar modular version (in there somewhere!): http://www.seasonic.com/product/pc_retail.jsp Re your cooler, in reviews it seems the NHD15 is a maybe 3 or 4 degrees cooler than the NHD14 under load, it has better RAM heatsink clearance too. Anyway you might consider: Noctua NHD15 http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=68&lng=en Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme http://www.thermalright.com/html/products/cpu_cooler/silverArrow_sb-e_extreme.html Phanteks PH-TC14PE https://www.phanteks.com/PH-TC14PE.html Also cooler performance = heatsink + fans + paste (+ good install technique!). What thermal paste will you be using? I use Arctic Cooling MX-4 (their MX-2 spreads easier): http://www.arctic.ac/eu_en/mx-4.html Regards, Django EGLL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Django Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Re your case, what made you settle on the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2? Have you looked at the Cooler Master N500 or N600? http://eu.coolermaster.com/uk/case/mid-tower/n500/ http://eu.coolermaster.com/uk/case/mid-tower/n600/ Regards, Django EGLL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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