Is this a good gaming/content creation build? Build quality check please.

Vicious1939

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So, I am finally ready to begin my next build, and I have a budget of $2300-$2400. Pcpartpicker.com states no issues/incompatibilities with this build (besides a note stating that HD cages need to be removed to make room for the GPU in the case, which is fine since the case is fully modular).
Since I will be going for higher end parts this time around, I just wanted someone knowledgeable to look over the part list before I commit. Rig will be for mainly gaming/ some content creation. All suggestions are welcome, and THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

CPU: i7 7700K

CPU COOLER: Corsair H100i v2

MOBO: Asus STRIX Z270F ATX LGA1151

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4-3200

HDD: SanDisk Extreme Pro 960GB SSD (already owned. Will be going with M.2 for boot drive in near future, but for now it will serve as both boot/storage.)

GPU: Asus GeForce GTX 1080Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING (was going to go with Maximus IX Hero, but it is more expensive and practically same features, correct me if wrong please.)

CASE: CoolerMaster MasterCase Pro 5 ATX Mid Tower (only gripes is it's heavy. Really wanted something where the H100i is mountable up top, without blocking mobo too much, and this fits the bill. But suggestions welcome.)

PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Fully Modular ATX(already owned)

OS: WIN 10 x64 Full

MONITOR: BenQ RL2455HM 24" 1920x1080 60Hz (already owned. Will be going either 1440p or 4k soon, and want to be ready.)

PERIPHERALS (already owned)
KB: Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth
M: Razer DeathAdder Chroma
 
Solution

Dunlop0078

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Well depending on what they mean by content creation 32gb may be helpful to the OP. The Z270F is a strix board the z270a is a prime board, they are similar but the strix has better onboard audio and all the RGB stuff, I think the VRM is similar or the same.

You dont need 850watts that would go to waste, 650watts would be plenty. Also depending on what you mean by content creation a ryzen cpu may be a better choice for you. The ryzen 1700 for example would crush a 7700k in most workstation tasks that can make use of all of its cores and threads.
 

Vicious1939

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I did consider that, but I plan to do content creation at some point, so I wanted the ram to be slightly overkill for multiple programs/ video editing. This pc will be mainly for gaming though.

PS the parts labeled "already owned" I plan to keep, since they are all quality parts from my last build, which is where I'm saving a little money. Finances are not really an issue, so I dont need to cut back on parts so much. Just need a double check of the parts list as is, to make sure everything will get along well together.
 
Ryzen and 32GB of RAM for sure, no doubt about it.
At resolutions above 1080p Ryzen actually performs on par with a 7700k in gaming.
The case is dead silent, has a tempered glass panel, and the quietest fans around with noise dampening foam and wireless Qi charging built into the top.
The Strix GPUs are wildly overpriced, the cheapest one is $789 I believe, and is only clocked at 1.49GHz base.
EVGA's cards have much higher build quality, and the FTW will run much faster, and will be cool and quiet.
Their support and customer service is also the best around, with a 3 year warranty on that card from memory.
Given you're set on RGB i've put that in too.
Also left room to account for the SSD you've already got.
The Dark base 900 also allows for top rad support up to 420mm, so you're set with anything.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.49 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($159.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus - CROSSHAIR VI HERO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($236.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card ($764.98 @ Newegg)
Case: be quiet! - Dark Base Pro 900 (Black/Silver) ATX Full Tower Case ($238.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: LG - 27UD58-B 27.0" 3840x2160 60Hz Monitor ($339.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2337.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-09 09:47 EDT-0400
 
If you're going to stick with 60 Hz gaming, then a Ryzen build will be far better. It'll perform at par with the 7700K, and will absolutely crush the 7700K in content creation. Here's a good build for content creation+60 Hz 4K gaming:

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VnZFkT
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VnZFkT/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700X 3.4GHz 8-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI - B350 GAMING PRO CARBON ATX AM4 Motherboard ($133.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($314.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: SanDisk - Extreme Pro 960GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB STRIX GAMING Video Card ($784.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master - MasterCase Pro 5 ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($139.95 @ Adorama)
Monitor: BenQ - RL2455HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1913.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-09 09:58 EDT-0400

This'll be much more suited for your needs - the 7700K only leads the Ryzen platform in general at high refresh rate gaming, which doesn't seem to be your need. Stick to 60 Hz and Ryzen, and your content creation will go much better.
 
The key part being here that the monitor situation is temporary, and refresh rate doesn't affect performance in any way.
The 1080 Ti for 1080p 60Hz would be overkill. See above for GPU too, overpriced for what it offers, PCB compared to the FTW is also lacklustre, especially at that price.
Case is also pretty poor. CPU is moot, paying $35 more for a chip which when both are overclocked will perform identically.
 

Dunlop0078

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I would rather have the FTW3 than the asus strix for the money but I would not call the strix's pcb lackluster, its actually quite good. The main reason to buy the FTW3 in my opinion is they have thermal pads between the main cooler and pretty much every component that produces heat on the board and the ICX temp sensors.

FTW3 PCB analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UURdOEMrCA

Strix PCB analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Bb5ys14NA
 

Mike3k24

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Since you'll be playing in 1440p or 4K soon, this is probably the best for your budget
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.49 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI - X370 GAMING PLUS ATX AM4 Motherboard ($116.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($126.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: SanDisk - Extreme Pro 960GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($779.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($779.99 @ B&H)
Case: Cooler Master - MasterCase Pro 5 ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($92.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: BenQ - RL2455HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $2401.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-09 12:24 EDT-0400
 

Vicious1939

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Good suggestions, I particularly liked Shektron's because it doesn't force me to change too much about the build, and Chugalug_'s suggestion of the FTW3 looks solid.
Couple of things: say I would prefer to stay with Intel, and not to go SLI for the time being. Let's also assume now that all the PC will be used for is gaming, and I will upgrade to a higher res 144hz monitor eventually. Would also like to stay away from full sized cases, as my space is limited. Mid Tower cases have always worked well for me, and provided decent airflow. My only gripe with the MasterCase pro 5 is im not a huge fan of the looks, and I hear it weighs a ton. Need a good mid tower case that can mount 240mm rad up top, as I don't much like the idea of putting a rad in front as intake. All these thing considered, will the build work well as originally specified? I'm really just concerned with compatibility here mostly, how reliable is pcpartpicker as far as compatibility goes?
 

Mike3k24

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Any reason for wanting to stay with Intel?
 

Vicious1939

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Long time Intel customer, I haven't used AMD since athlon dual core. Intel's reliability and single core performance is great. All of these components are top rated so I'm sure they will play nicely together, I just wanted someone with more knowledge than myself to double check it. Thanks everyone for your suggestions regardless. :)
 

Mike3k24

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Revamped a bit, change mobo, gpu, added HDD, and case.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.49 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX B350-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($116.89 @ B&H)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($126.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: SanDisk - Extreme Pro 960GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card ($779.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT - S340 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($92.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: BenQ - RL2455HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1687.12
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-09 18:47 EDT-0400
 
@Vicious, AMD haven't made processors for a while, but there is practically 0 reason to go for a 7700k over a Ryzen 1700, especially given your application. Let me know what you think your final list will be, and i'll be happy to justify choices. :)
SLI is absolutely dreadful value in this price range, also note I included the cost of a good 4k 27" IPS monitor.
 


Glad you like the build :).

Firstly, don't go for SLI anyway - it's a complete and total waste. Also, as has already been said, for what you want to do, Ryzen 7 1700 is a good choice(or 1700X if you don't mind the extra costs). Of course, if you want to do 144 Hz gaming, then an i7 7700K is currently your best bet. If you do want 144 Hz gaming, then the build you originally posted would be fine, it has good components.

The build you've posted originally will work perfectly fine. There are no incompatibilities as far as I can tell. Unfortunately I can't help with the case issue you have there. Really hard to remember cases' radiator compatibility, and they aren't easily listed anywhere either. You'll either have to find one that you like and then check for its radiator compatibility, or just compromise with the MasterCase Pro 5.

As for the 7700K vs 1700 debate, here's a short version: if you want to play at 144 Hz and don't mind upgrading the CPU within 3 years, then get the 7700K, and if you don't want to upgrade anytime soon, or you want to stick to 60 Hz, or you want to do content creation, or you want to stream while gaming, then get the Ryzen 7. All you need to do now is prioritize your needs/wants, and decide accordingly :).
 
Solution
Like I've said previously(I don't think you were part of that thread though), higher clock speed does make high refresh rate a tad bit easier. Which is why the i7 7700K has a slight edge over the Ryzen 7 1700 in 144 Hz, or higher, gaming. And no, refresh rate does not have 0 affect on performance. Maybe the difference is not night and day, but a Ryzen will have problems reaching 144 FPS in CPU-intensive games, while the 7700K will do it in more scenarios.

As for 1700 being a no-brainer, if he wants to go at 144 Hz then the 1700 might not be the best option out there. We might not want to count out Skylake-X just yet. It's buggy as of now, but there's still time. If it gets fixed, that platform is going to put Ryzen to shame everywhere except in its value/cost.
 
Why do you think the 7700K performs ever so slightly better in terms of FPS in most CPU-intensive but limited to 4-core games? Any 7700K vs Ryzen 7 1700 video concludes with the same line: the 7700K is still king for gaming, but for either content creation or a mix of both, the Ryzen 7 1700 is better. Since OP can't seem to decide whether he wants one or the other(or both), I highlighted both the options for him, according to his priorities.

I don't know if this is a legit source for you, but this guy here says it quite clearly:

https://youtu.be/dghksPKsRrk?t=16m38s

Highlighted the place where he says it so I don't waste your precious time by telling you to watch the whole thing. You can if you want to, of course, but he's says the point I'm trying to make here quite clearly.
 

Mike3k24

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Yeah we all agree the 7700k is the king for gaming, there's no question. But the OP clearly wants to get into content creation and gaming, the 1700 will make his life 10x easier. Also what's the point in paying the premium for the 7700k's slight gain in 144hz when you can get practically the same performance for less? The 1700 will last him longer and have better upgradable options down the line. He won't even have to change his mobo for the next few years.
 

Vicious1939

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I understand the value of an 8 core vs a 4 core cpu for content creation, so all your arguments were correct and compelling. Shektron is right though, the issue is I'm gonna be using the pc 98% of the time for gaming, at least for the time being. My fault for prioritizing content creation in the title if I'm still unsure of what I want, my apologies. All your arguments did prove enlightening though, so thanks to everyone for that. :)

After reading, I believe the build will stay more or less like I picked it originally. I did check mobo QVL, and to my surprise the ram i picked wasn't on there even though pcpartpicker said no incompatibilities, glad I caught that. For 3200mhz for this mobo it must be vengeance led, and in 4x8 format. Dont like the LED, so I will be getting 16-32gb of vengeance 3000 ram, which IS on the QVL. Should be no difference.
 

Vicious1939

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@SHEKTRON - You have answered my question directly, in the way I needed, and explained well. Which is exactly what I was hoping for. My hats off to you sir, you are a scholar and a gentleman, thank you! I will now select the best answer, and this topic may be closed. Thank you all again for your help! :)
 


My contention here is that with newer fixes and optimizations, the 1700 performs practically identically to the 7700k with only 1-2fps difference either way in most benchmarks save for ROTR which was buggy for a while but is now fixed.
I used to think the 7700k was better up until about a week and a half ago when I got shown more recent benchmarks.
There's 0 reason to go for the 7700k atm, and 4x8 will give no advantage, and will actually be worse off than 2x16GB since it runs in dual channel, and it will just put more stress on the memory controller.
I'll try to find the video later with the new ryzen benches.