Looking for a new build

I purchased an i7 950 @ 4GHz (Still running OC to this day) with x58 mobo from DS maybe 5yrs ago and it has been wonderful; recently I upgraded the video card to a 780ti but I'm looking to replace my entire system if the gains are going to be significant...

Budget:
5,000.00 US

I don't need a monitor, keyboard, mouse or speakers...

Expectations:
Amazing multi-purpose PC that I won't feel the need to upgrade/replace for another 5yrs!

Usage:
1. Gaming on high settings with 100+ FPS
2. VM environment for testing/debugging software (Typically have 2-3 VMs running at a time while testing so 32GB of memory is needed.)
3. Web broadcasting via OBS while gaming or demo'ing VMs
4. RAM drives for various testing


Special Needs:
1. Must have 32GB memory
2. Must have dual NICs

Saved Ticket #: Currently don't have one

Specifications:
I've been looking at the 4790K as a possible upgrade spot. The reason this chip appeals to me is the single and dual core performance edge over the new 5930K and 5960X chips as most applications and even games that I run tend to be written specifically for single/dual core usage.

As for motherboard, this is where I'm lost... there are so many choices. I've been happy with eVGA in the past but I've always wanted to try Asus.

I've never tried SLI before so I would be interested in this if it's worth the performance boost while gaming.

Games that I play are:
World of Warcraft
Guild Wars 2
SWTOR
Diablo 3

With plans on playing EverQuest Next and Star Wars Battlefront when they are released...

Hi Dorf,

What resolution will you be using? Also what use do you have in mind for the Dual NICs? Will dual LAN ports on the mother board work or do you need dual NIC cards? Do you have a server that will inter face dual cards or ports? Need to know your setup a bit. Are you thinking one port up and one port down or just two parallel ports?

It seems to me that you would be better off with the X99 platform for your work. One thing I would be concerned about is the 4970K only has 20 PCIe lanes. Are you thinking about a PCIe SSD as a primary drive for the operating system and your work programs?

Your resolution will tell us a lot about what GPUs you might need. Are you locked in on your budget of $5000? Do you have a case in mind? You may have to get a Workstation Motherboard for the dual LAN connections if you don't use dual NIC cards. I am not sure what software you would need to operate dual NIC cards. Maybe you all ready know what software you will be running for dual NIC cards.

Frank

Edited by FrankW - 04 Jul 2015 at 8:45am

Hi Dorf,

I know you were interestering in the 4790K CPU but I didn't see a motherboard that gives duel LAN ports with the ASUS software. They may be available but I didn't see any in a quick look. The motherboard in this build provides duel LAN ports and software. I have never worked a duel LAN setup but I think this will give you what you are looking for.

This is a general build that you can start with. You can load the configuration and adjust your memory, SSD choices and HDD choices. I thought you might want a bigger HDD for storage unless you use off board storage or the CLOUD.

The Apollo case is about the same size as the 750D but has more plastic in the construction. The 750D is a good choice but you will probably have to special order it. DS has the Hailstorm II (900D) but it is more oriented to a full liquid cooling system. If you wanted a mid-sized case then DS offers the Coridium which is the 450D. Or, the Slade that is a 550D. Lots of choices in the Obsidian series. One of my favorite DS cases is the Velox especially with air cooled GPUs.

I hope this gets you off to a good start.

Frank

Configuration Code: 1235288   Cost: $4357

Specifications:

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Apollo
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 5820K 3.3GHz (Six-Core) (Unlocked CPU)
Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS (Intel X99 Chipset) (Workstation Class)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Corsair Vengeance LPX (High-Performance)
Power Supply: 850W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Western Digital - Black Edition)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H110i GT - 280mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme Performance)
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (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
Portable Gaming: - 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


Edited by FrankW - 05 Jul 2015 at 2:27pm

Hey Frank, I ended up buying this build today: https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=1239321

It's not the X99 or 5th gen proc but after reading some reviews on the 4790K and Z97 Asus-Deluxe it seemed to fit my needs.

I went with the 980 Ti's over the 980s; not really sure why but it happened... lol

I hope I didn't screw it up.

I agree with Frank. Real nice rig.

Nice. Enjoy.