Thoughts on this build please

[KirkEnriched]

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 912 PLUS MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME Z270-P: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
32GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080 - DVI, HDMI, 3x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
3TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
2nd M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
RAID
RAID 0 (STRIPED VOLUME - 2 x same size & model HDD / SSD)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)

 

[Oussebon]

What's the build for, and what's the budget? If gaming, what monitor are you using it with?

 

[KirkEnriched]

Looking to upgrade my dinosaur with something which will hopefully last a few years. Main use home theatre but would like to play games as well. I posted the wrong spec, it should have been as follows:
Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 912 PLUS MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME Z270-P: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080 - DVI, HDMI, 3x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 3.5" SSHD, 7200 RPM (64MB + 8GB SSD CACHE)
M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
2nd M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
RAID
RAID 0 (STRIPED VOLUME - 2 x same size & model HDD / SSD)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
DVD Recovery Media
Windows 10 (64-bit) Home DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor
AOC I2369VM 23" Widescreen IPS Monitor - 1920 x 1080, DP, HDMI
Monitor Cables
1 x 2m DisplayPort Cable - DP (M) to DP (M)
Keyboard & Mouse
LOGITECH® MK270 WIRELESS KEYBOARD & MOUSE COMBO
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price £2,171.00 including VAT and delivery

 

[ubuysa]

SSHD drives are IMO a waste of money if you're using them as a data drive, most application data doesn't gain much benefit from being on a SSD even, so an SSHD isn't a wise choice. I've not checked the price differences but a good 7200rpm drive will provide just as good performance.

Striping those M.2 SSDs seems to me a very expensive way of getting what is likely to be unnoticed (and possibly even unmeasurable) performance gains. Those SSDs are blisteringly fast in any case (I have one) and I think striping two of them is over the top. It's your money though.

 

[KirkEnriched]

Thanks for your advise. I'm sure from the build you can see I'm a newbie! I'm still learning but appreciate not striping, more so for the safety aspect. Basically I want to get this build right so I don't have to tinker with it for a good few years. I have a few main questions:

1. Is it overkill for a gaming pc? I've read people don't usually exceed i5's for gaming.
2. The recommended cpu seemed low (550). Is 750W excessive?
3. Is 32gb RAM necessary? Most threads say 16gb is more than enough.
4. What advantages would I get from a better mother board?

Thanks again for any input, there are just so many options!

 

[ubuysa]

Thanks for your advise. I'm sure from the build you can see I'm a newbie! I'm still learning but appreciate not striping, more so for the safety aspect. Basically I want to get this build right so I don't have to tinker with it for a good few years. I have a few main questions:

1. Is it overkill for a gaming pc? I've read people don't usually exceed i5's for gaming.

I'm not the best person to ask about gaming use (I don't game) but I'm sure others will help with this.

2. The recommended cpu seemed low (550). Is 750W excessive?

The configurator won't let you select a PSU that can't cope. That said, a bigger PSU gives you ample room for expansion in the future.

3. Is 32gb RAM necessary? Most threads say 16gb is more than enough.

32GB is way overkill, I very much doubt you'll actually use most of that. 16GB is more than enough, 8GB will just about do.

4. What advantages would I get from a better mother board?

Again I'm not the best person to ask about this, but others are much more experienced and knowledgeable in this area.

Thanks again for any input, there are just so many options!

No problem, it's important to get it right before you have it built!

 

[Wozza63]

Thanks for your advise. I'm sure from the build you can see I'm a newbie! I'm still learning but appreciate not striping, more so for the safety aspect. Basically I want to get this build right so I don't have to tinker with it for a good few years. I have a few main questions:

1. Is it overkill for a gaming pc? I've read people don't usually exceed i5's for gaming.
2. The recommended cpu seemed low (550). Is 750W excessive?
3. Is 32gb RAM necessary? Most threads say 16gb is more than enough.
4. What advantages would I get from a better mother board?

Thanks again for any input, there are just so many options!

1. An i7 pairs fine with a 1080. I always think it's a good idea to future proof the CPU as best as possible because graphics cards are very easily replaced. If this is something you would consider in the future. An i7 is likely going to keep up with another high end GPU in 3-4 years and it saves you from upgrading multiple parts of the system.

2. 750w is probably a little bit excessive. Unless you are planning on adding a second GPU through SLI, then 550W or 650W for more headroom would be just fine. In recent years, GPUs have reduced their power draw huge amounts and other components have also improved. It's doubtful that in the future, a GPU is going to require considerably more power than a 1080.

3. 32GB is definitely excessive at the moment. But it's worth getting 2x8GB sticks so that you have that flexibility in the future if you feel you are in need of an upgrade.

4. Motherboards are generally something where you can just stick to the cheapest unless there are specific features that you want on a higher end board. Requirements might include more PCIE lanes, SLI/CrossFire support, more USBs, more M.2 slots etc.

On the subject of SSHDs, I have a different opinion. Having 2 machines each with a 2TB HDD with one being an SSHD I appreciate the performance bump. It's not at the level of an SSD of course but it's a good cheap improvement for mass storage.

I'd also recommend going with a 500GB Pro Evo M.2 SSD instead of those older SM961s. The performance gains would be most likely unnoticeable.

And surely you want something a little better than a standard 1080p monitor for such a high end system? 1440p @144Hz refresh rate is my personal preference but you may wish to go to 4K!

 

[Oussebon]

1) If you'll be gaming on the AOC 2369vm then the GPU is overkill. A 1070 would be generously more than enough. Even a 1060 would be fine if you wanted to save £.

There are some other things I'd suggest changing though

4) Better motherboards have more features, such as USB 3.1, better onboard sound, more sata ports, etc. I don't find the Z270-P to be a very good mobo as it is already very expensive and has no USB 3.1 and only 4 sata ports. For your kind of budget I'd suggest the Z270E. No point getting the more expensive ones in general as they're focused more on extreme overclocking.

Here's what I'd suggest, based on your spec above:


Case
FRACTAL DEFINE R5 BLACK QUIET MID-TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache

FREE VR Game Bundle with select INTEL® CPUs!
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GB, Wi-Fi - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 2800MB/R, 1600MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor
AOC I2369VM 23" Widescreen IPS Monitor - 1920 x 1080, DP, HDMI
Keyboard & Mouse
LOGITECH® MK270 WIRELESS KEYBOARD & MOUSE COMBO
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,961.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z270-pc/WJ8yuCCUk5/

The case you picked doesn't have front-facing USB 3.1 as it's a very old design. I switched the case to the Fractal R5, which is a good performer for thermals and has noise-dampening material in the case. It also has a basic fan speed controller to slow and thus quieten the case fans.

There's no real point to RAID 0 SSDs for your use in my opinion.
+ it's technically faster
- it's not faster in real terms for a lot of things http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-raid-benchmark,review-32689-13.html
- using up both your M.2 slots
- double your chances of hardware failure

RM850x PSU as it's the quietest of the lot (mostly silent with passive cooling) and if it's for home theatre I guess you want the PC quiet. It's also much better quality.

You might want to buy the DP cable elsewhere. It's £19 from PCS. You can get them for £6-7 quid.

One thing to note is that the specific make and model of GPU that PCS will use for their GPUs will vary according to what they can source. Some GPUs have coolers that don't turn off when the card's under low load (typically blower coolers - like the lower GPU in the pic). Many other models have twin fan coolers than to turn off when the card us under load load:

 

[KirkEnriched]

Thanks guys, you lot really know your stuff.

I've taken out the monitor and cable as I'll be getting a different monitor from elsewhere - Acer R241Ybmid, seems a bit better for the same price. Also the cable will be cheaper from this company!

That case you mentioned looks great with the sound proofing so I've swapped for that one.

I've also reduced the solid state drives until a need for more is necessary.

Here is the revised spec :

Case
FRACTAL DEFINE R5 BLACK QUIET MID-TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GB, Wi-Fi - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
1x 120mm Apache Black Quiet Fan (fitted to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
DVD Recovery Media
Windows 10 (64-bit) Home DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

Thanks once again for any input. So far you guys have really helped me and I am very grateful.

 

[Oussebon]

Extra Case Fans
1x 120mm Apache Black Quiet Fan (fitted to extract from rear/roof)

I would personally avoid buying extra cooling fans with the Fractal. This is because PCS tend to fit them on the roof, which means they remove the moduvent covers (the things with the sound dampening foam that cover the spare fan ports) and so it lets the sound out. The two fans the Fractal comes with as stock should be more than sufficient anyway, but you can always buy an extra fan in the future and fit it yourself if you decide you want a 2nd front intake fan.

Otherwise it's looking good and seems to weigh in a good deal less than your initial spec