New Gaming Rig - Seeking advice

It's been over 12+ years since I've gone pre-built, but given work and a new addition to the family, time to build just isn't there. To be honest, I'm fine with this now that I've found Digital Storm. I've been doing the build and re rebuild and add to the cart, but can't seem to land on a build I stumbled on the forums here and folks seem very receptive to helping those of us stuck in the world of indeciveness haha.

In addition, I'm seeking advice on a monitor to match my specs. The monitor is not part of this budget. I'm and RPG and strategy gamer first followed by FPS. I love games like Fallout 4, Total War, Xcom but will dabble a little Battlefield 1 and some other FPS games. I'm competitive, but not a pro and realize that my skills are t what they use to be lol.

Budget:
$3000, but happy to spend less if performance is negligible with a $2500 rig 😜.

Expectations:
Looking for something that's quiet, cool and be able to sit on a desk. Very interested in the Bolt III, but am open to other options.

Usage:
Primarily a gaming rig, but will also be a home PC for web browsing, lite photo editing etc

Specifications doesn't include current special offers)
Digital Storm Desktop - Config ID 1521429          $3,190.00     $3,190.00
      
System Configuration:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Pre-built Digital Storm Bolt 3
Exterior Finish: Black Brushed Aluminum Hairline Finish
Side Window: Edge to Edge Premium Acrylic
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700K 4.0GHz (Codename Skylake) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS Z170I PRO GAMING (Intel Z170 Chipset) (Mini-ITX) (Up to 1x PCI-E Device)
System Memory: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Digital Storm Performance Series
Power Supply: 750W Lian-Li PE-750 (Platinum Rated) (Supports up to GTX TITAN X)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 8x / CD-Writer 8x) (Internal)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (1TB Samsung 850 EVO)
Storage Set 2: - No Thanks
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 (NVIDIA Founders Edition) (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: Digital Storm HydroLux PRO (CPU Only)
HydroLux Tubing Style: Flexible Tubing (Requires HydroLux Liquid Cooling System)
HydroLux Fluid Color: Red Fluid (Requires HydroLux Liquid Cooling System)
Cable Management: Premium Cable Management (Strategically Routed & Organized for Airflow)
Chassis Fans: High Static Pressure - Corsair Air Series SP120 Fans (2x 120mm)
Internal Lighting: Software Controlled Internal + Front Panel RGB LED Lighting (Requires Airflow Control Upgrade)
Airflow Control: Digital Storm Thermal Management Control Board & Software
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 2: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.8GHz (Depends on Cooling and Motherboard)
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Factory Reset Feature (Restore Windows + Drivers) (Partition up to 25GB of Storage)
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)

Thanks for the help everyone!

Edited by Theciscokid - 14 Nov 2016 at 2:38am

Originally posted by DST4ME first lets firgure out your monitor so that we know exactly what you need to max out games on that monitor, that way you get the best bang for your buck. so what is the budget for monitor please? I don't care for bolt it has no airflow, I like a case with good air flow.

Thank you for the reply.

I've struggled with this as well, I'd say $400-500. I'm leaning 27" IPS 1440p based on previous monitors I've owned and it seems like a nice sweet spot for gaming. My main rig right now is a laptop, so anything will be an improvement. I still have a Dell U2410 that has served me well for years, but it's showing it's age. And back to budget, I guess I could go all out but it will be a very hard sell and I'm just not to sure I really need a $700 monitor. I've gone back and forth on a 1070 to a 1080 because of this.

Monitors in my radar:
Asus PB278Q
Dell Ultrasharp U2715H
Asus MX27AQ
Acer G257HU
BenQ GW2765HT

And the obvious big hitters:
Acer Predator XB271HU
Dell Gaming S2716DG (but it's a TN)

The bolt has my attention because of the looks, but keeping components cool and quiet is important. I'm comfortable with overclocking and can forgoe some esthetics for better airflow. The Apollo has my interest, but with the Coridium case. And I'm starting to take notice of the Velox, looks huge but very well designed. Does it come
with the color rimmed fans or is that extra?



Edited by Theciscokid - 14 Nov 2016 at 3:13pm

Thanks, the Coridium seems a bit more my speed and I do like the look. I'm all for saving $ too for other parts too.

Here's my revision for gaming at 1440p. I changed the motherboard to the Asus z170-A and am thinking of white cabling and fans for a cooler look. I can swap this out for better components too based on advice. I also plugged in the Evo since I actually do have a Sandisk Extreme Pro that I will snag from my laptop.

Digital Storm Desktop - Config ID 1522241          $2,733.00     $2,733.00
      
System Configuration:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Coridium
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700K 4.0GHz (Codename Skylake) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS Z170-A (Intel Z170 Chipset) (Up to 4x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Digital Storm Performance Series
Power Supply: 750W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: - No Thanks
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (500GB Samsung 850 EVO)
Storage Set 2: - No Thanks
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 (EVGA ACX 3.0) (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H115i - 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler (Fully Sealed + No Maintenance)
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: Exotic Cable Management - White - (Cable Combs with Custom Color Sleeved Extension Cables)
Chassis Fans: Corsair Airflow Performance Edition Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 1: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.4GHz (Depends on Cooling and Motherboard)
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Factory Reset Feature (Restore Windows + Drivers) (Partition up to 25GB of Storage)
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)


Edited by Theciscokid - 14 Nov 2016 at 3:44pm

Originally posted by hoserator Please note that the warranty for parts is only for 1 year and 1 year flies by before the computer gets warm.

Doesn't the Black Friday deal for a free upgrade to the four year warranty include two year part replacement outside of manufacturer warranty? Thanks!

Any other advice? I'm looking to place an order by end of day today.

Edited by Theciscokid - 15 Nov 2016 at 7:24am

Originally posted by DST4ME Sorry I'm late, few questions: 1. where are you putting extra fans on the cordium? I don't see where they would go. 2. with the z170-A mobo look at the number usb ports you get its much fewer than the gaming pro. 3. yes 2 year part warranty is free for now till the sale ends.

1. Gotcha on the fans. Sounds like they don't replace what's on the Corsair radiator. I'll remove to cut costs. I'm assuming the existing fans can all be hooked into the motherboard so Bios can control?

2. Didn't even look at USB ports. Change made.

3. Awesome in the two year warranty.

I'm very close to wrapping this up. Just need to finalize the monitor, so many options! I just want good color for mainly RPGSs and AAA title, I'm ok with not maxing everything as long as it looks good ;).

Thank you!

Originally posted by DST4ME Not sure why you would change the fans on the cooler, if you want to do that, then you want quiet fans not loud ones, also the extra fans here are for case not rad. The two front fans I'm not sure you can control on cordium, the corsair cooler goes on top, and you have an exhuast fan already so there is no where to add fans, at best all that would happen is that your front fans will be replaced with the corsair fans, not a great idea IMHO. with the 1080 gtx you should be good to on 1440p monitor, for gaming go for a ips 144hz monitor. Go here and look at the specs, look at Resolution, Panel Type, Response Time, Viewing Angles and Refresh Rate, and then look at the rest.

I completely overlooked TFT, great site. I've sifted through some great reviews and am close to a decision.

I'm also close to moving forward on the Coridium, the Apollo case is neat but I'm thinking no LEDs for now. What is also interesting is the Silverstone Fortrss case, looks pretty darn cool. Is it better than the Coridium?

Thanks again man, this is a huge help!

Edited by Theciscokid - 16 Nov 2016 at 6:26am

Thank you everyone, ordered just placed! I decided to go with the Corsair AF fans. A little extra, but I wanted the white trim and just a little extra air moving. I also went with the Hero VIII and exotic white cabling. Again a little extra, but I decided to add a few things since I already have a 1TB storage SSD I'm going to add.


System Configuration:

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Coridium
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700K 4.0GHz (Codename Skylake) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO (Intel Z170 Chipset) (Up to 5x PCI-E Devices)
System Memory: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Digital Storm Performance Series
Power Supply: 850W EVGA SuperNOVA
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: - No Thanks
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (512GB Samsung 950 PRO) (NVM Express) (Extreme Performance)
Storage Set 2: - No Thanks
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 (EVGA ACX 3.0) (VR Ready)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
HPC Processor: - No Thanks
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H115i - 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler (Fully Sealed + No Maintenance)
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: Exotic Cable Management - White - (Cable Combs with Custom Color Sleeved Extension Cables)
Chassis Fans: Corsair Airflow Performance Edition Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Airflow Control: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 1: Overclock CPU - Up to 4.4GHz (Depends on Cooling and Motherboard)
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Factory Reset Feature (Restore Windows + Drivers) (Partition up to 25GB of Storage)
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)

Originally posted by Theciscokid Originally posted by DST4ME Not sure why you would change the fans on the cooler, if you want to do that, then you want quiet fans not loud ones, also the extra fans here are for case not rad. The two front fans I'm not sure you can control on cordium, the corsair cooler goes on top, and you have an exhuast fan already so there is no where to add fans, at best all that would happen is that your front fans will be replaced with the corsair fans, not a great idea IMHO. with the 1080 gtx you should be good to on 1440p monitor, for gaming go for a ips 144hz monitor. Go here and look at the specs, look at Resolution, Panel Type, Response Time, Viewing Angles and Refresh Rate, and then look at the rest. I completely overlooked TFT, great site. I've sifted through some great reviews and am close to a decision. I'm also close to moving forward on the Coridium, the Apollo case is neat but I'm thinking no LEDs for now. What is also interesting is the Silverstone Fortrss case, looks pretty darn cool. Is it better than the Coridium? Thanks again man, this is a huge help!

My pleasure

your system looks great, if its the cordium you like then thats what it is.