New to Gaming PC (Overkill?)Post Date: 2022-01-25 |
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Slickninja005 
Newbie 
Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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 Topic: New to Gaming PC (Overkill?)Posted: 25 Jan 2022 at 12:29pm |
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Budget:
$5000-$6000 Expectations: I will be using the PC with the new Alienware 38 Inch Curved Monitor (bought during Black Friday) Usage: 25% Work (Email/Excel), 25% Photo editing, 50% Gaming (Call of Duty, Counter Strike, possibly Cyberpunk) We recently moved into a new house and I finally get to have my own man cave. I want a computer that is future-proof for a couple of years and also a showcase piece. With my current desk setup, Vlox/Aventum is not a good fit because my computer needs to be on my right side. Lumos seems to be the best option. For my usage, I know the i9 and GPU over 3080 will be overkill. Per my spec below, will it be too excessive to have Hydrolux Pro Custom Cooling system? Even though the computer would look really nice  .
If I opt for the AIO, based from my reading, we can request for different AIO and just pay the difference. I was thinking of: NZXT Kraken Z73 RGB 360mm Not sure if there will be a compatibility issue. I have messaged the Digital Storm Sales Department and hoping to hear back from them. I currently have an order placed with ************ and would like to cancel the order and consider Digital Storm. From what I read, ************ doesn't really test their build before sending out to customers. Any comments or suggestions on my build would be appreciated. Configuration Code: 4275764 Specifications: Chassis Model: Digital Storm Lumos Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7-12700K (4.9 GHz Turbo) (20-Thread) (12-Core) 3.6 GHz (Alder Lake) Motherboard: MSI MPG Z690 Carbon (Wi-Fi) (Intel Z690 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E) (No SLI) (DDR5) <br><strong></strong> System Memory: 32GB DDR5 5200MHz FURY Beast (BACKORDERED ETA FEBRUARY) <br><strong></strong> Power Supply: 850W Digital Storm Performance Series (Modular) (80 Plus Gold) <br><strong></strong> Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Optical Drive: - No Thanks Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (2TB Samsung 980 PRO) (NVM Express) (Gen4 PCIe) <br><strong></strong> 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 RTX 3080 10GB (VR Ready) <br><strong></strong> Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio HPC Processor: - No Thanks Extreme Cooling: H20: HydroLux PRO: Exotic Custom Cooling System (1x Graphics Card + CPU) <br><strong></strong> HydroLux Tubing Style: Copper Tubing (Requires HydroLux PRO Custom Liquid Cooling System) <br><strong></strong> HydroLux Fluid Color: Clear Fluid + Clear Tubing (Requires HydroLux Liquid Cooling System) <br><strong></strong> Cable Management: Exotic Cable Management - Black - (Cable Combs with Custom Color Sleeved Extension Cables) <br><strong></strong> Chassis Fans: Cooler Master MasterFan Halo (RGB Fans) (Remote Control Only) <br><strong></strong> Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled Advanced LED Lighting System (Multiple RGB Color Modes) 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 <br><strong></strong> 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 11 Home (64-Bit) Recovery Tools: USB Drive - Windows Installation (Format and Clean Install) Virus Protection: Windows Defender Antivirus (Built-in to Windows) 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 14-21 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement) ... competitor name removed ... Edited by Snaike - 25 Jan 2022 at 2:15pm |
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Snaike
Moderator Group 
Just a dude trying to keep the spam away 
Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9459 |
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Posted: 25 Jan 2022 at 2:14pm |
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Welcome to DS! The Smart Guys® will be along shortly to help you with your configuration. They're really good at what they do and are very helpful.
Until then let me point out three things that I can see from your build.... 1) Only 2Tb storage? With your specification of "future proofing" I believe you're really going to have to re-evaluate how much storage you have. 2) OC'ing is not really necessary from what I understand from the configuration gurus. I may be wrong. 3) Digital Storm has a policy that we do not name the competitors as a professional courtesy. Neither as an off-hand mention, to berate and belittle nor to compare. Your mentions have been removed. Other than that, again, welcome to DS. The Smart Guys® and the Digital Storm themselves should be getting back to you soonest.  
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Slickninja005
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Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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Posted: 25 Jan 2022 at 3:17pm |
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Thank you so much! I'm so sorry I'm new to the forum and will not mention any other companies in the future.
1) That's a great question and I never gave too much thought about the storage. I figure if I ran out, I can always add extra storage later on or use an external SATA drive. 2) Really stupid question, what is OC'ing? I look forward to the additional feedback :). |
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Snaike
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Just a dude trying to keep the spam away
Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9459 |
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Posted: 25 Jan 2022 at 4:06pm |
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My apologies. Over-Clocking. DS calls it "Boost". From this line....
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Slickninja005
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Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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Posted: 25 Jan 2022 at 7:18pm |
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Cretae
DS Veteran 
Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7330 |
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Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 5:38am |
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This is a really good job designing for what you want to do. It will master all the different tasks without a problem.
Here's a couple of ideas. I would get a 500GB 980 PRO at Storage One for your primary drive. That will allow your "C" drive to be compact enough that scans and backups will be a breeze. It will still be plenty big enough for the productivity apps and work you do from them. Get the 2TB 980 at Storage Two for your games library. Fact is, storage above 1TB tends to cost more than you can get online, so I prefer adding storage as needed later. It's easy to do, and it seems you have some experience with that. As far as the overclock goes, it is not recommended for gaming only, as the Turbo feature kicks in on the occasions you need it for a game. You don't need it for the mundane like e-mail and spreadsheets if they're not super-complex. It will be a help for editing, because then you will be using all the cores your proc can bring to bear. In gaming use, it seems silly to overclock all the cores when most of them are not used. For 25% of your use, it's up to you if you want that extra. I'm the wrong guy to ask about custom cooling. In computing, I like to keep things as simple as I can, and custom cooling is anything but. Here are the facts: if you do not overclock, the temperature difference will hardly matter at all. The loop can leak. You absolute must maintain your cooling system regularly vs never having to do a thing to an all-in-one. In my experience, every system is a bit different as to how much maintenance has to be done. Some rarely have to top off coolant, others more frequently. It will very likely require you to entirely flush and refill the system at some point, but not often. I'd rather not sign on for something where so many things could go wrong, and so much maintenance is inevitable. To pay a whole pile of money for those "pleasures" isn't in my DNA. Up to you. IMHO, you may need a 3080 to run all that monitor real estate, and you have the budget for it. But disabuse yourself of the notion of "future proof" in video. Each new generation is adding, and will continue to add, more innovative features that will enhance everything beyond what you can get today. The days of each new gen simply getting faster and faster are long gone. Now each gen brings a whole new set of advances and upgrades to the table. Just sayin'. 
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Slickninja005
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Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 11:22am |
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Thank you for the suggestion on the Storage options. Really appreciate it.
The overclocking was free (current promotion). Figure no harm to add that. But definitely take that into consideration. On youtube, you see a lot of sexy custom water cooling Pc's and it's really enticing. But in reality, I think the best course for me is to keep it simple and not have to deal with maintenance and potential leakage. Thank you for your candid suggestion. Technology is never ending and you are right. Once I get my rig, i Just have to remove myself from youtube and not get enticed or distracted from all the new stuff coming out..lol. |
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JamesAstro
Senior Member 
Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 624 |
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Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 12:34pm |
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A few thoughts:
• The RTX 3080 is not overkill for a 38" ultra-wide monitor. I have a 38" LG monitor, and my goal was to play games at 90 - 100 FPS on Ultra-High settings. My RTX 3090 handles that very well, and is frequently up in the 120 FPS range. I imagine the 3080 would be around 100 FPS most of the time. If you want more future proofing, the 3080 Ti would be a little overkill, but would last you longer. (The 3090 is overkill for gaming.) •Yeah, overclocking the CPU isn't needed these days. In fact, some games even run a tiny bit slower when overclocked. It's counterintuitive, but it's happens sometimes, probably because overclocking dumps a lot of extra heat into your case. • Liquid cooling your system is a personal choice. It looks really awesome, and I used to do that in all of my previous systems from 2008 - 2021. However, I went with air cooling in my latest Velox purchase. I really enjoy the simplicity of air cooling. I also asked Digital Storm to install some custom Noctua fans, and a Noctua air cooler for the CPU. Those coolers are quiet, but also very effective. That being said, liquid cooling just looks great. Either way, you'll have a great machine. |
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Velox, Intel Core i9 11900K, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
32GB RAM, 1TB Samsung 980 Pro NVME RTX 4090, 38" Ultrawide LG-38GL950G Noctua NH-D15S cooler and NF-A14 fans, Corsair AX1600i PSU |
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Slickninja005
Newbie
Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 2:58pm |
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Appreciate the feedback and suggestion :) |
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Cretae
DS Veteran
Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7330 |
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Posted: 27 Jan 2022 at 3:32am |
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It's a pleasure to be of help.
Just to be clear, I think the 3080 is the right card for that monitor and your budget. At these prices, and given that the new gen will bring Ray Tracing 3, DLSS 3, even more memory enhancing tricks, and who knows what else, you will regret overpaying for a card destined to be obsoleted by the new offerings by the Fall. Today's 3070 is better than last gen's top end 2080 Ti, because of advances from gen 1 to gen 2, better memory and other differences. That will happen again and again. IMHO, it's always been the right move to buy just what you need now, and upgrade when it suits you and the tech overwhelms. Now more than ever. Again, just sayin'.
https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-RTX-3070-vs-Nvidia-RTX-2080-Ti/4083vs4027 Edited by Cretae - 27 Jan 2022 at 3:40am |
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Slickninja005
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Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
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Posted: 27 Jan 2022 at 12:49pm |
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It's always about "Wants" Vs. "Need" :). Hopefully, GPU and Ram pricing will come down to Earth when the supply chain issues are fix.
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Cretae
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Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7330 |
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Posted: 28 Jan 2022 at 3:37am |
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I'm convinced we will get moderation. Probably the biggest thing is that Nvidia has designed new cards specifically for crypto mining, so they will keep their mitts off our gaming cards. They've been nerfed for that.
How much moderation in supply and price is a guess, but there should not be thousands and thousands of cards disappearing down the black hole of mining, and that's got to help.
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hoserator
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We don't need no stinking "Avatars" !
Joined: 08 Oct 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7960 |
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Posted: 28 Jan 2022 at 1:32pm |
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Crypto mining might not use up regular gpus but the chip shortage will keep supply down and prices up. Just basic economics of supply and demand.
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