My Dream Rig :)

Budget: $6000-$7000

Expectations: 2nd Time Buyer Here @ Digital Storm. I loved my first computer with them (an old ODE Level 3) and I'm here to build my dream machine within reason.

Usage: Internet Browsing & Gaming with the ability to enjoy them on a 4k Ultra-High Def monitor.

Special Needs: I am currently looking for the right monitor using the Geforce G-SYNC list Nvidia has provided. Let me know of any recommendations you might have. I have come up with these monitors so far:

Acer Predator X27 $1799 atm
Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ $1264 atm
MSI Optix MPG341CQR $750 - this can work with G-Sync but its not certified by NVIDIA (yet)
Acer Predator XB321HK $1199

Saved Ticket #: SKU ID 2564181

Specifications:

Digital Storm Desktop - Config ID 3059342     
      
System Configuration:
Chassis Model: Aventum X
Exterior Finish: Black Metallic Matte Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i9-9900K (5.0 GHz Turbo) (16-Thread) (8-Core) 3.6 GHz
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) (Intel Z390 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 3000MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro (RGB Light Bar)
Power Supply: 1000W Digital Storm Performance Series (Fully Modular) (80 Plus Gold)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: - No Thanks
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (1TB Samsung 970 EVO PLUS) (NVM Express)
Storage Set 2: 1x SSD (2TB Samsung 860 EVO)
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): 2x SLI NVLink Dual (GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8GB (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: HydroLux PRO: Exotic Custom Cooling System (2x Graphics Cards + CPU)
HydroLux Tubing Style: HardLine Tubing (Requires HydroLux PRO Custom Liquid Cooling System)
HydroLux Fluid Color: Blue Fluid + Clear Tubing (Requires HydroLux Liquid Cooling System)
Cable Management: Exotic Cable Management - Blue - (Cable Combs with Custom Color Sleeved Extension Cables)
Chassis Fans: Corsair LL Series (RGB Fans) (Software Controlled Effects) (14 Fans Total)
Internal Lighting: Digital Storm LED Lighting System
Airflow Control: Corsair Commander PRO Management Control Board & Software (3x Boards)
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 2: Overclock CPU - Up to 5.1GHz on All CPU Cores
Graphics: Yes, Overclock the video card(s) as much as possible with complete stability
OS Boost: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
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, 6 Week Ship Estimate After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)

Things I would like to discuss:

Which Motherboard would be better for me the Asus ROG Maximus X1 Hero with Wi-Fi or the Asus ROG Strix (has good value)? I know the Maximus is consistent and has well balanced performance. If I can knock a few $$ off lets do it. What exactly is the Wi-Fi function for?

Memory - I wanted to get 64GB, but after reading the forums there is no reason to get it. If there is a better option than I have selected please let me know. Always willing to knock a few more $$ off.

Power Supply - I would hope 1000W would be good enough even if I added things down the road. I rather be a bit overpowered than on the low end.

Internet/Network Access - Just using the standard High Speed Network Ports here. I have no idea what the other options can provide or if they are even needed. Please enlighten me if there is something worthy.

Graphics Card - I am wondering if one Geforce RTX 2080 11GB would be better for running high end games on a 4k UHD monitor than 2 Geforce RTX 2080 8GB running SLI? What's the thought process about this at Digital Storm?

Solid State Drives - I have done enough research, but it all sort of blends together. My desires are as followed: I want 1GB SSD to start up windows QUICK and a 2nd SSD for my games for lightning load times etc.. I just picked these out. If there is a better combination I would greatly appreciate your input especially to save a few more $$.

Cooling - H2O HydroLux Pro is the way to go. I love the piping on the Hard Line Tubing. Is this the best way to go? I want to cool both graphics cards and the CPU. Whats the thoughts on the regular tubing? It doesn't look bad either!

Lighting - I am curious as to what exactly the DS LED Lighting System is and what are its capabilities. What do I have to do to have DIGITAL STORM LIT UP on the side of my rig? That's what I want.

Thank you for letting me get all this off my chest. I have always been impressed with your companies work ethic, the fit and finish of the product, and even better yet the best support in the business! I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Config ID 3059342





Edited by Adrock67 - 04 May 2020 at 11:35pm

After reading your post Cretae, there is a lot of wisdom there and I'm definitely open for some changes. My current rig has seen better days and I'm not sure I can wait until Nvidia's September release. With that being said, I'm always going to be paying premium prices for the latest thing out. What would I do in September besides buy the latest and greatest? Are you suggesting buying a 2080 TI in September when there is a decent price drop or still purchase the new 3080 then?

As far as the monitor, what you said makes sense. I think that is the way to go now especially if there isn't much of a difference to the naked eye and not alot of support for that medium right now. Might as well run a good 2K monitor like you said. Just curious, is the 2080 TI 11GB that much better than the 8GB?

As far as the lighting goes, are you suggesting not getting the DS lighting in lieu of just the LL Series RGB fans?

What would you use for your 2nd SSD to hold games etc..?

I changed a few things:

Digital Storm Desktop - Config ID 3060565     
     
System Configuration:
Chassis Model: Aventum X
Exterior Finish: Black Metallic Matte Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i9-9900K (5.0 GHz Turbo) (16-Thread) (8-Core) 3.6 GHz
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) (Intel Z390 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 3000MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro (RGB Light Bar)
Power Supply: 1200W Corsair HX1200i (Digitally Controlled Power)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: - No Thanks
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (512GB Samsung 970 PRO) (NVM Express)
Storage Set 2: 1x SSD (2TB Samsung 860 EVO)
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 2080 Ti 11GB (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: HydroLux PRO: Exotic Custom Cooling System (1x Graphics Card + CPU)
HydroLux Tubing Style: HardLine Tubing (Requires HydroLux PRO Custom Liquid Cooling System)
HydroLux Fluid Color: Blue Fluid + Clear Tubing (Requires HydroLux Liquid Cooling System)
Cable Management: Exotic Cable Management - White - (Cable Combs with Custom Color Sleeved Extension Cables)
Chassis Fans: Corsair LL Series (RGB Fans) (Software Controlled Effects) (14 Fans Total)
Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled Advanced LED Lighting System (Multiple RGB Color Modes)
Airflow Control: Corsair Commander PRO Management Control Board & Software (3x Boards)
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 2: Overclock CPU - Up to 5.1GHz on All CPU Cores
Graphics: Yes, Overclock the video card(s) as much as possible with complete stability
OS Boost: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
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, 6 Week Ship Estimate After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)

Any thoughts? Thanks for your valuable input. Just wanted get a good conversation going. Thanks!

Your decisions have changed the game considerably for you. Eliminating 2x NVLink means you no longer need an overpowered PSU. The 850W unit will be plenty.

I'm going to suggest a strategic move that might seem to blow the whole "Dream Rig" idea , but hear me out. For gaming at 1440p, the RTX 2070 is the price/performance pick. That means best bang for the bucks. It will get you near or over ~100 fps at high settings on a vast array of games. Slot that into your build now, save a TON of cash, and when the new cards do come out, you can make a move based upon where you want to be going forward. I would bet a lot that the 3080 (or whatever they call it) would beat out the 2080 Ti at a price point that would be much closer to what the 2080 SUPER costs. Having experienced what the 2070 SUPER can do, you might decide the 3070 is all you'll need. It could give you the best of both worlds: get up and gaming ASAP, but be in position to get that superior performance you were looking for with NVLink without breaking the bank to get it.

One caveat: the 2070 can't be liquid cooled, but that's not going to be a deciding factor IMO. You could still OC the 2070 on air if you want, and get it close to the performance of a 2080. Perfectly safe for the short term. When the new cards are out, make your choice without expecting to overclock the new card.

Whaddya think?

BTW, the sound from your Maximus Hero is going to be pretty killer. Might be you scratch the sound card, too and add one later if you don't agree.

If you go along with those changes, you just saved a little north of $1600. Might could get one of those 1TB M.2 NVMEs for secondary storage and have that blazing speed on hand for your games. Still have enough left over to do anything you'd like with the new cards when the time comes.

Just a thought.

I fully support Cretae's suggestions on the 2070 Super. Hopefully without sounding too repetitive from another thread I just posted to, I have the RTX 2070 Super running with the i7-9700K to power a 34" 1440P monitor. I play Digital Combat Simulator at max settings with no stutters at all with this setup.

So, yes, give that 2070 Super a try and save a chunk of cash. If you don't like the onscreen performance at 1440P, then go ahead and upgrade to a new GPU when the new models come out this fall. However, I think you will be more than satisfied with the 2070 Super on a 1440P monitor.

-Sound card- no prob, enjoy!

-Power supply- you'll have about 350W in reserve! it's in there for the long haul.

- LOVE the all-NVMe storage.

-No cooling problems. I have a case about the same size with standard fans and an all-in-one CPU cooler, and there's one mobo sensor at 56C (TMPIN4 wherever that is) and EVERYTHING else is in the 40's or lower, including my 1070 on air. Lots of overhead to a still very safe 70. Overclocking the GPU is safe, but it may result in the fans spinning up more often and louder than you want. That's the main reason we don't usually recommend that on air. If it gets that way, you can always drop the OC. DS support will help you.

-Always the "Velox disclaimer"! The window is on the right side, so to display the innards, they're upside down. I wouldn't want that to be a surprise! Lotta people love that case, but the look has changed a tad lately. IIRC, the window side is now all glass.

-I don't relish advising such a personal choice as a monitor, but there are several fellows here who have recommended the Alienware 34" AW3418DW that I think is Bob 100's unit; Asus ROG Swift PG279Q; and the Acer Predator XB271HU. Good reviews from our group.

I think you will be pleased with your build. What's changed since the last time you got one is that the tech has taken quantum leaps forward, and everything is lightning fast without a lot of strain. Your RTX 2070 is a tad BETTER than the last gen's GTX 1080... the top card until the 1080 Ti. I'm really excited to see what is coming.

All our best, and it was our pleasure to be of any help!

As long as it's "only" $300 more, you will have no regrets.

For many, that $300 is a hurdle that means cutting more impactful parts someplace else, that may really affect the whole experience. I, for one, always recommend the best bang for your bucks so you can get the strongest base platform you can at the time. There's nothing inherently wrong with stretching beyond that if you're able.

Adrock67

I am considering the Alienweare AW3420DW monitor, so any feedback once you are up and running would be greatly appreciated...thanks and good luck.

Originally posted by MarkT Adrock67 I am considering the Alienweare AW3420DW monitor, so any feedback once you are up and running would be greatly appreciated...thanks and good luck.

Hello Mark,
     I just wanted to give you an update on the new Alienware AW3420DW monitor and to let you know I haven't forgotten about you. I've had the monitor for 9 days and I am so impressed with it. I haven't had a chance to hook my rig up to it yet (currently in Stage 7 now at DS & about to ship this week), but I do have a nice laptop and it has been pushed a bit trying to run games at a good clip. The monitor comes well packaged and it didn't take long to set up. The colors are outstanding and the menus are very easy to use. The lighting can be configured very easily through the menus using the AlienFX Lighting option. This changes the color for the Alien logo on the back, the light in the stand, the downlights, and the power button. This monitor has lots of little surprises too. The more I play with it the more I love it. So there are two USB ports underneath the front of the monitor. They are split by a speaker plug in. The speaker jack worked great, but I will be using an alternate way for sound. It also has a sound option to raise and lower the volume using the menu option. As for the USB jacks, the one USB port on the right will charge your phone or any other peripheral, but the one on the left will NOT work (I found out through trial and error) unless you have the included USB cable coming from the monitor's USB upstream port to the computer. I'm hoping that my main rig will be able to accommodate all the USB devices and I won't need any of the monitor's USB ports. Either way, its nice to have the option if needed. The downlight in front of the monitor is toggled on/off by a very light touch. Works perfectly. Obviously, to get the best speed from the monitor you are gonna want to utilize the DisplayPort which provides 3440 x 1440 @ 120 Hz. I'll give you another update sometime soon once I get my rig this week. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Take care for now.

Adam

Edited by Adrock67 - 15 Jun 2020 at 7:24pm