Help choosing build please! (Art & Gaming pc)

your budget is going to make it difficult to reach a 6, 8, or 10-core cpu but any of those would be ideal (for the work that you do) over a 4-core cpu.  32GB of system memory is a good amount (16GB min.).  it really all boils down to speed and how many different workloads/apps you're running at one time.  now, the 5820k (6-core) cpu is slightly more expensive than 6700k (4-core) so you might spring for it.  i've seen rendering/editing tests done with it compared to Xeon 10-core procs and it does a really good job.  

what do you plan to do about storage?  do you have large external storage options?  or do you need/want to include that internally?  i'd opt for a fast ssd for your OS+games and rendering/editing work you are currently working on and large (4TB units) external drives (which are quite cheap comparatively) for long term storage.  perhaps you can find room for a 1TB Samsung 850 Pro in your budget?   

i'd wait until DS has the new vid cards up as well.  a 1070 will work really well in your build.  

The Apollo level 3 is a good place to start. Any of the cases will work, but the Apollo is a good all around pick. It's the Corsair 760 T if you want to google it.

Change the default power supply to the 750 watt that's $34 more. Better supply, more efficient and much longer warranty.

Storage is up to you, and I'd also wait for the gtx 1070.

Its always our pleasure.   Gotta put you into a great gaming rig and make sure you get your bucks worth. 

The Vanquish is the best for your buck, performance wise, but if the budget allows, a custom with your pick of storage, power supply, etc can give you better components for a bit more.    No bad picks.   

i wouldn't worry about any of the DS builds for reliability reasons.  it's just a matter of finding what you want/need for the usage you intend within your budget.  my impression was that this build was more oriented towards workstation+gaming.  if you can stretch your budget to around $2500-ish you can get an Apollo built around the X99/I7-5820K.   the 1070 is essentially a Titan X performance for $600 less.  amazing? yes! 

you'll still need 1 internal storage drive.  it's your choice on capacity.  the OS takes up about 20GB or so.  springing for high speed pcie drives are going to chew thru your budget, but you can still get a fast SATA drive.  the more system memory you can get the better.  it doesn't have to be anything special.  don't worry about the speed, capacity is more important.  i'd say a min. of 32GB for your usage. 

Hi guys!

Sorry, just wondering if there is a 'specific' motherboard I should be looking at? Seems everything else is covered, but when I do the build editing there are various X99 versions and i'm not sure what I should be going for?

Thank you!

Hahaha thanks bprat22. Based on what you've said (and some research just now) I'm pretty sure I can stick with the standard. X99-A. The price jumps up quite a bit for additions that I don't require. Thank you :)

Hi guys! How long does it usually take for custom cards to appear on DS?

I've been advised to hold off buying a new machine until the custom cards release, but I don't really have an idea of how long i'll be waiting. I'm trying to resist buying a founders edition 1070, but do need a new machine relatively soon.

The Chat box popped up so I asked Digital Storm, but the reply was 'I work from home and don't know' lol so thought i'd ask here :)

Ah ok thanks! I'll take a look over the next couple of weeks.

Hey there!

Thanks a lot for the build advice! Yes since the original post I actually got a work bonus so am planning on getting a build around the 2700-2800 mark now so am now anxious to get it ordered! :D

i wouldn't advise going by what DS markets as "good" or "better".  far too general and misleading because it really matters what your usage is that should define what's "better".

also, it doesn't always reflect current market value of said components.  for instance, there are times when the 4-core I7-6700K is more expensive than a 6-core I7-5820K due to stock surplus or popularity. 

the 40-lane 6-core 5930K is only worth it if you plan on utilizing those extra pcie lanes.  and i wouldn't spend extra for the 6800K over the 5820K for roughly the same performance. 

oc the cpu to 4.4GHz, I would change cpu cooling to either noctua or hydrolux lite.

IMHO the possible extra 8fps from gpu oc is not worth the heat but that is upto you, others will disagree, but I don't want to add all that stress to my gpu for 8fps for 5fps for a mild oc.

But that is just me.

the noctua is a great air cooler but the hydrolux will do better job at cooling, which is why it cost more.

Well the oc is dependent on a lot of things, mainly the cpu itself, each chip is different, the cooling used makes a big difference.

stage 1 oc of 4.4GHz for example is upto 4.4GHz you could endup with lower, with 6800 you could be at 4.0 to 4.4GHz IMHO. LC will get you more to 4.4, noctua more to 4.0-4.2GHz on this cpu.But those are just guesses, it can be lower or higher.

Noctua is a great cooler, its really upto you and how high of an oc you want.

Okay, thanks again guys! I wasn't sure how easy it is to overclock cards yourself, but looks like it's doable if we want to later down the line.

So here is what I have as an updated build (Please pretend the 1080 is a custom 1070 lol!)



Configuration Code: 1449059
Total Price with Instant Savings: $2,747.00

Direct Load URL: https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=1449059

Specifications:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Apollo (White)
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 5820K 3.3GHz (6-Core) (Unlocked CPU) <br><strong></strong>
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-X99-SLI (Intel X99 Chipset) (Up to 4x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series <br><strong></strong>
Power Supply: 750W EVGA SuperNOVA (750 B1)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) (Internal)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (1TB Samsung 850 EVO) <br><strong></strong>
Storage Set 2: - No Thanks <br><strong></strong>
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 1x GeForce GTX 1080 8GB (ASUS Turbo) (VR Ready) <br><strong></strong>
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H115i - 280mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler <br><strong></strong>
HydroLux Tubing Style: - Not Applicable, I do not have a custom HydroLux liquid cooling system selected
HydroLux Fluid Color: - Not Applicable, I do not have a custom HydroLux liquid cooling system selected
Cable Management: Premium Cable Management (Strategically Routed & Organized for Airflow)
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.4GHz (Depends on Cooling and Motherboard)
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
Branded Gear: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)



I'm not sure if I need more than one storage set, but think I was advised one will do? (although i've picked EVO as PRO was a lot pricier)

Also not sure whether ASUS or EVGA card is better. Price seems to be higher for EVGA, but i've heard good things on other forums about the ASUS cards.

And I guess cooling could be dropped to Noctua as you say that's good enough.

Hopefully this looks good although i've likely made some errors haha! What do you think?

Ah ok thanks, i'll knock it back to a noctua. I'd definitely rather not worry about things like leaking!


Hmm, I think misunderstood db188's previous advice on storage. I was under the impression i'd need one ssd (a large one based on my PC needs for work)

Here are the previous posts from db188:

db188- what do you plan to do about storage? do you have large external storage options? or do you need/want to include that internally? i'd opt for a fast ssd for your OS+games and rendering/editing work you are currently working on and large (4TB units) external drives (which are quite cheap comparatively) for long term storage. perhaps you can find room for a 1TB Samsung 850 Pro in your budget?
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you'll still need 1 internal storage drive. it's your choice on capacity. the OS takes up about 20GB or so. springing for high speed pcie drives are going to chew thru your budget, but you can still get a fast SATA drive. the more system memory you can get the better. it doesn't have to be anything special. don't worry about the speed, capacity is more important. i'd say a min. of 32GB for your usage.
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Hopefully db188 sees this and will be able to clarify as I think i've completely misunderstood what I need haha! :( (Sorry db188) I'd mentioned that i'd be using external storage too.




Edited by Ryokosama - 07 Jul 2016 at 5:11pm

some people prefer to keep a number of open projects in onboard storage and keep older/completed work on the larger capacity exterior drives.  that's all i was recommending, to have at least one onboard large capacity ssd for that purpose.   hope that clarifies things.