Configuring a Bolt X

Budget:
Flexible, but would prefer $2000-2400 total.

Expectations:
Nothing out of the ordinary. VR down the road. Upgradability is a must.

Usage:
Gaming, machine learning (TensorFlow), transcoding (HEVC), and image-upscaling (Waifu2x, SRCNN, etc.).

Saved Ticket #:

1940022 (my "realistic" build)
1940029 (my dream build, price no object)

Specifications:
[Please Type Here]

#1 - The 1070 Ti here is around $700. If I get "none" and buy my own to install, I save 200-250 at the moment. BUT I'm fairly sure that if I don't get a video card, I can't order custom water cooling for the CPU and GPU... Correct me if I'm wrong?

#2 - I wanted the Ryzen 2700X, but I'm currently using a still-adequate i5-760. Even the puniest Ryzen 3 curb-stomps that, and saves another 250+. My current plan is to "just get by" with a lesser Ryzen until the Zen 2 CPUs are released in 2019. But again, if I do this, will this cause problems with a custom cooling loop? This seems less problematic than #1.

#3 - I'm not opposed to saving money out the gate by getting an all air-cooled machine, even though I'd prefer water cooled. Would I be able to add a custom loop to the Bolt on my own? If it's not possible, for whatever reason, does Digital Storm offer upgrade purchases? Could I ship the machine back to have them install new parts, iow?

#4 - Finally, does the Bolt X have decent thermals air cooled? Could I get by with just the CPU AIO cooler? I haven't seen any reviews posting thermals for CPU or GPU. If a 1070 Ti doesn't throttle on air, I'm comfortable getting an AIO for just the CPU. If it throttles, I want to plan on either getting water cooling, or upgrading to it.

Any help and suggestions you folks have would be appreciated!

-Tim

I used italics for quotes - not elegant, but I haven't used a message board in so long, I don't remember how to properly quote :-P EDIT - Hah! Found the "quote" button... I'll get it right next time.

Custom water won’t fit in the Bolt. Just no room for separate reservoir, pump, etc.   the closest you can come, is the Pro Lite , which is the Swiftech x220/240 unit.   It’s an AIO with the ability to break the loop for adding in a video card.

OK, that's what I gathered - I saw the Swiftech units and figured it'd be possible, perhaps challenging, but possible to install myself.

If you swap out a cpu, assuming it’s compatible with mobo, you’d need to reinstall cpu water block and paste.      

Yeah, the Ryzen 2 CPUs should still be AM4 compatible, and work fine in the X470 mobo I'm looking at. I've installed air coolers before using thermal paste, never a water block, but I imagine it's much the same procedure. Should be doable!

DS does have an upgrade option, meaning you send them the unit and you pay for new parts.   I think labor is on them. No credit on older parts last I heard.

Awesome!

Thanks a bunch!

      

Edited by TPiatek - 27 May 2018 at 7:09am

Sounds about right - anything's possible with enough ingenuity!

This is the configuration I've settled on for now:     1940455
URL:     https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=1940455

My purchase window is mid-July, so if the GTX 1180 shows up for MSRP (+/- $50 or so), I might end up with that...

Otherwise, I'll be happy with a 1070 Ti. Sounds like air-cooling for the GPU should be fine, and down the road, I should have options.

Now the hard part - waiting!

He selected No thanks for video card. Click Change above the Multimedia for gpu selections.     Does look strange without card selected.   

Originally posted by Cretae Maybe I'm blind, but I don't see a video card in that config. It's supposed to be just above the Sound Card in the Multimedia block. Baffled where it went, but I didn't think you could get a 1070 Ti in a custom build for less than $1900!

Yeah, after saving 145 by "No thanks" for the video card, and avoiding the $530-ish upsell to the 1070 ti, I save almost $700. At the moment, I've seen 1080s for less than 500, and 1080 tis for less than 600 (though very little of the latter).

I'd LOVE to have DS install the card for me - one less hassle - but for 200 bucks or more, I can't justify it.

Our pleasure. come back and let us know what you got!