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Beginning to Design a New PC

Post Date: 2019-11-07
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sbradfor View Drop Down
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Beginning to Design a New PC
    Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 6:18pm
Budget:
$2,000 - $3,000. Would prefer to spend closer to $2,000

Expectations:
I'm getting ready to have DS build me another new PC (I get one every 3 years) mainly for gaming.

Usage:
I play a fair amount of video games with friends. Most of it FPS games, like Red Dead Redemption 2, Borderlands 3, or the Division 2, but I also play some strategy games sometimes. I also do some photography with my Nikon Z7 (which is why I want 32 GB of RAM) and some video stuff but not a lot. I do quite a bit of web browsing too.

Special Needs:
None.

Saved Ticket #: 2700581

Specifications:

This is really early in the process for me which is why'd like like some input but I'm looking at the following so far:

Specifications:
Chassis Model: Antec Performance Series P101 PRO

Processor: Intel Core i7-9700K (4.9 GHz Turbo) (8-Core) 3.6 GHz
Motherboard: MSI MPG Z390M GAMING EDGE AC (Wi-Fi) (Intel Z390 Chipset) (microATX) (Up to 2x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 3200MHz Digital Storm Performance Series
Power Supply: 850W Corsair RM850x (Fully Modular)
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) (Internal)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (1TB Digital Storm M.2 Performance Series)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (6TB Seagate / Toshiba)
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 RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 1: Digital Storm Vortex Liquid CPU Cooler (Single Fan) (Fully Sealed + No Maintenance)
Cable Management: Premium Cable Management (Strategically Routed & Organized for Airflow)
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled Advanced LED Lighting System (Multiple RGB Color Modes) <br><strong></strong>
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: Option Not Available
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.7GHz on All CPU Cores
Boost Graphics Card(s): Yes, Overclock the video card(s) as much as possible with complete stability <br><strong></strong>
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: USB Drive - Windows 10 Installation (Format and Clean Install)
Virus Protection: Windows Defender Antivirus (Built-in to Windows 10)
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 4 Year Limited Warranty (4 Year Labor & 2 Year Part Replacement)

I'm particularly curious what people think about my choice of:
CPU
Motherboard
Video card
Case

I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to give me advice.

Shannon





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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 8:13pm
I forgot to mention my monitor resolution. It is 2560 x 1440.
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HockeyBuck View Drop Down
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Posts: 1608 		  Quote HockeyBuck Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 8:23pm
Welcome back...I’ve ordered four DS rigs since 2011, but I wish I could get a new one every three yrs...lol. Here’s my take on your build.

Case...OK if this is mostly a gaming and photo rig with some budget restrictions, then you really need to squeeze every bit of performance out of your components by max cooling them in a roomier better airflow case.    Suggest Lynx, or Lumos as roomier far better airflow cases with more case fans working for you to keep things cool.

CPU...Excellent I7-9700K 8 core 8 thread top gaming processor.   Overclocks very well, and will do the job well.    Stage 1 Overclock is free, and only $99 gets you max Stage 2 CPU performance if cooled properly with a Stage 2 cooler..

CPU COOLER...move up to the better performance Corsair H100i 240 mm AIO sealed cooler, or bigger stronger performing Corsair H115i 280 mm AIO sealed cooler.    Both are Stage 2 AIO coolers, so you could OC the CPU to Stage 2 if desired, and offer longer Corsair warranties.   Intel K Class processors are engineered by Intel to be fully Overclocked.   The I7-9700K is well known as an easy Overclocking processor.

Mobo....With so many better full ATX cases to choose from, there’s no need to use a smaller budget Micro ATX size mobo with reduced features.    Move up to Asus Z390-H ROG Strix ....or if you need WiFi then MSI Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon with WiFi.

RAM...a small up charge gets you 32 GB Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB with life warranty that beats the DS 1 yr parts coverage.

PSU...Good gold efficiency choice...longer Corsair 5 yr warranty

Storage...Upgrade Drive 1 to a 1 TB Samsung 970 Evo Pro M.2 NVME SSD.    M.2 NVME SSD CAN GO 5X faster than standard SATA III SSD like the DS model because they utilize the way faster video PCIE bus on your mobo.

Video card....The RTX 2070 Super has 8 GB VRAM and is the do everything well midrange choice for strong performance at 1080P on high game settings, and good performance on medium game settings at 1440/2k.    If you need to play at 4K, then you will best use the stronger RTX 2080 Super 8 GB VRAM that has lots more GPU cores...or the best 4K GPU...the RTX 2080 Ti with 11 GB VRAM and even more GPU cores.   For photography, NVidia has turned on Adobe Creative line color features this year that only their way pricey commercial Quadro GPUs previously could access.   Good news for photogs.

Case Fans....Again, better performance and longer 2 yr warranty Corsair LL Series RGB case fans are extremely quiet, and best 5 yr warranty Corsair ML Series RGB case fans are the most quiet and longest lasting case fans as they use magnetic levitation bearings.
The stock DS case fans only have a 1 yr system warranty and will generate more noise than either Corsair choice.

So there’s some stuff to consider...See what you think....

Edited by HockeyBuck - 07 Nov 2019 at 8:26pm
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 8:29pm
Thanks a lot HockeyBuck. That helps a lot!

I will definitely take a long look at the Lynx or Lumos cases. I'm having trouble getting info on these. Any suggestions?

I'm just starting to look at Mobos. I was already leaning toward the Asus Z390H ROX Strix. No need for wifi.

Good point on the ram and SSD.

My resolution is 2560 x 1440.

As to case fans, I didn't want to spend the extra $$ but maybe it is worth it if they are quieter/last longer.

Thank you again for the advice!
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Posts: 1608 		  Quote HockeyBuck Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 8:51pm
Lynx is a proprietary DS mid tower ATX design.    Decent air and room to work. More use of acryllic & plastic, but a good case for airflow.

Lumos is actually the Corsair Crystal Series 570X mid tower ATX case.
Look on the Corsair website at this hugely popular case.    All tempered glass, fan filters, larger and roomier than Lynx.     Excellent quiet case with great airflow, and with a Corsair LL or ML fan upgrade it’s quite an RGB show case.      The LL fans have more led lights, a dual light ring to design more effects.     ML is the top of line, but only have 4 LED in the hub to play with.     I have a 2019 Lumos my son uses and it’s amazing the endless lighting designs with the LL fans.   You would use Corsair iCue software to control and synchronize colors and special effects of all Corsair RGB components onboard.

Don’t forget the free DS RGB case lights...

Saw you will play 1440p.. .The RTX 2070 Super will do that well, but if the budget can handle it...move up to the RTX 2080 Super for much stronger game settings at 1440p and it would keep up for longer.

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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 8:59pm
Thanks again HockeyBuck. Your advice is solid.

I'm heavily leaning toward doing exactly what you recommended on the fans, CPU cooler, RAM and SSD. It all makes sense.

I LOVE the Lumos case, but it opens from the right doesn't it? I need one that opens from the left sadly. The right side of my case will have a desk wall/leg covering it.

Regarding motherboards, is their any reason to go beyond the Asus Z390-H ROG Strix? It looks like a solid board.

Thank you again for all the very useful input!
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 9:06pm
Hold on a sec! Looks like I was wrong about the door being on the right for the Lumos case! Great! I'm going with the Lumos!
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 9:15pm
Here is my new updated build:

Configuration Code: 2700864
Total Price with Instant Savings: $3,347.00

Direct Load URL: https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=2700864

Specifications:
Chassis Model: Digital Storm Lumos <br><strong></strong>
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7-9700K (4.9 GHz Turbo) (8-Core) 3.6 GHz
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z390-H Gaming (Intel Z390 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E Devices) <br><strong></strong>
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 3000MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro (RGB Light Bar) <br><strong></strong>
Power Supply: 850W Corsair RM850x (Fully Modular) <br><strong></strong>
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: - No Thanks
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (1TB Samsung 970 PRO) (NVM Express) (Extreme Performance) <br><strong></strong>
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (6TB Seagate / Toshiba) <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 RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB (VR Ready) <br><strong></strong>
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H115i PRO - 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler (Fully Sealed + No Maintenance) <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: Corsair ML PRO Series (High Static Pressure) (Magnetic Levitation) <br><strong></strong>
Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled Advanced LED Lighting System (Multiple RGB Color Modes) <br><strong></strong>
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.7GHz on All CPU Cores <br><strong></strong>
Boost Graphics Card(s): Yes, Overclock the video card(s) as much as possible with complete stability <br><strong></strong>
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (64-Bit Edition) <br><strong></strong>
Recovery Tools: USB Drive - Windows 10 Installation (Format and Clean Install)
Virus Protection: Windows Defender Antivirus (Built-in to Windows 10)
Office: - No Thanks
Mouse Pad: - 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)
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HockeyBuck View Drop Down
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Posts: 1608 		  Quote HockeyBuck Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 9:28pm
Much better build.   Very solid gaming chops you will enjoy using.
You will like the Lumos and it will keep everything very cool and quiet.

Don’t forget, for spending $3k you will get $300 off in the transaction cart , and that would pay for a GPU upgrade to the 2080 Super....!lol.

Forgot to mention...While we encourage full Stage 2 CPU Overclocking with Stage 2 liquid CPU cooling, we generally do not suggest the GPU OC when the GPU is just air cooled.     Less to gain in GPU performance versus greater card stress and heat.



Edited by HockeyBuck - 07 Nov 2019 at 9:38pm
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 5:33am
Good to know. Thanks again HockeyBuck.

I'm close to being ready to buy. I want to spend some time looking over the motherboards more closely. Is there any reason to go with the MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON AC over the ASUS ROG Strix Z390-H Gaming?

Thanks again!
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Posts: 7331 		  Quote Cretae Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 5:46am
The RTX 2070 is THE price/performance card for 1440p gaming. The 2080 is overkill, and only for folks with plenty of $$ that simply MUST have 144 frame rates no matter what. If you know the difference between the two cards is 15%, is it worth $290?

Don't wanna take my word? How 'bout "Rock Paper Shotgun"?

"If you’re mainly buying a card for flawless 2560×1440 gaming, however, then the RTX 2070 Super is definitely more than enough right now. Able to hit a consistent 60fps in practically ever game going (or damn well near it), the only possible reason why you might want to upgrade to an RTX 280 Super here is if you have a high refresh rate gaming monitor – but even then I’m not sure the boost you gain here is really worth it."


For the games you have cited as typical of your play, the 2080 is a waste. Division 2 on Ultra at 1440p is 73 fps vs 78 fps. 'Nuff said?
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 5:47am
I'm planning on getting the RTX 2070.

Any thoughts on motherboards?
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Posts: 7331 		  Quote Cretae Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 5:58am
I have the ROG Strix, (year and 3/4) and no issues. I also like the Gaming Pro Carbon, but if you don't need wi-fi, it's dubious there's $55 in value there besides that.



Edited by Cretae - 08 Nov 2019 at 6:00am
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 6:27am
That's pretty much the same conclusion I came to as well Cretae.

Thank you for the input!
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Posts: 118 		  Quote sbradfor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 6:54am
My system with the above configuration has been ORDERED!

Thanks to all who helped!
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Posts: 1608 		  Quote HockeyBuck Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 10:14am
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Posts: 7331 		  Quote Cretae Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 09 Nov 2019 at 5:59am
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