New build doubts, need advise please (gaming + photography)

[TheArtista]

Hello!,

I'm planning on buying a new system soon but I'm having several doubts with some of the components.

My plans in the near future include getting the Acer Predator XB271HU (currently own a Samsung 226CW @ 1680x1050).

I'll play mostly BF3 / 4 (FPS in general), TPS's (Hitman and the likes), and occasionally some racing games (NFS, GRiD, etc).

Usually i use Photoshop, Illustrator and Lightroom quite a bit for my photography work (no video editing).

I just want to play games as close to max as possible, and I never use any anti alias, so that setting can be ruled out.

Also, i don't update often and tend to use the same system for several years (at least 5); i've been using my current build since the beginnings of 2010 or late 2009.

I can't decide if i should get a 6500, 6700, or either the 6600k or the 6700k (i have NO idea how to OC a CPU, but I've read that doing OC on K's is easy enough without fiddling much).


The rest of the components:

- Asus Z170M-Plus (is it a good and reliable enough mobo?)
- 16GB (2x8) DDR4 2400Mhz Gskill Ripjaws-V
- Samsung 250Gb 850 EVO
- WD Blue 1Tb sata3
- Zotac GTX 980 Ti 6Gb GDDR5 AMP! OMEGA
- CoolerMaster CM690 III
- CoolerMaster Hyper T4 (here i'm also not sure if i should get the hyper 212 EVO instead)
- SeaSonic 750W M12II 80 Plus Bronze Modular (is it a good PSU ?)

Thank you very much!

 

[turbopixel]

This looks like a good build. If you want overclock the CPU, then you need a "K" in the cpu name. Also you need the right motherboard with a "Z" in the name, otherwise you can't overclock a CPU regardless of what type it is. The "M" in the name of a motherboard marks it is a mini variant with limited options to upgrade later. Here are some to choose from:
> http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#sort=a8&page=1&c=110&f=2

The SeaSonic M12II is a good tier two Bronze psu. Look here
> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html
If you have some more money, I recommend to get first class top tier + Gold certification. Otherwise, this is a good one and you can overclock with it. SeaSonic and SuperFlower are making the best psus. My recommendation would go to:
EVGA SuperNOVA P2 750W 80+ Platinum
This unit is made by SuperFlower and Tier One in the ranking I linked above. It also is Platinum rated, VERY efficient (there are also Gold rating between Bronze and Platinum too). Cables are fully modular, not semi too. With the mail in rebate at NCIX US, this costs your just 99 dollar.
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220p20750x1

 

[BadActor]

Since you're using Adobe and intend to keep the system for quite awhile, I would use the i7 6700/6700K and pair it with the Asus Z170 A. It is an ATX motherboard which the case supports. Overclocking isn't necessary for what you're doing, but can extend the life of the processor if you anticipate keeping it for a long while. With the 6700, you could use the stock cooler. If you choose the 6700K you will need a cooler and the CM 212 EVO or Cryorig H7 are both good quality air coolers that will allow for a decent overclock. The rest of the parts look good, and I really like the PSU, good quality.

 

[turbopixel]

Overclocking can be dangerous if taken on the extreme. I would buy an oc capable build and just start overclocking 4 years later when it is needed. OC decreases lifetime of cpu and other parts.

 

[TheArtista]

This looks like a good build. If you want overclock the CPU, then you need a "K" in the cpu name. Also you need the right motherboard with a "Z" in the name, otherwise you can't overclock a CPU regardless of what type it is. The "M" in the name of a motherboard marks it is a mini variant with limited options to upgrade later. Here are some to choose from:
> http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#sort=a8&page=1&c=110&f=2

The SeaSonic M12II is a good tier two Bronze psu. Look here
> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html
If you have some more money, I recommend to get first class top tier + Gold certification. Otherwise, this is a good one and you can overclock with it. SeaSonic and SuperFlower are making the best psus. My recommendation would go to:
EVGA SuperNOVA P2 750W 80+ Platinum
This unit is made by SuperFlower and Tier One in the ranking I linked above. It also is Platinum rated, VERY efficient (there are also Gold rating between Bronze and Platinum too). Cables are fully modular, not semi too. With the mail in rebate at NCIX US, this costs your just 99 dollar.
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220p20750x1

Hello turbopixel, ty for replying!

The thing is i don't live in the US (sry, didn't mentioned it), so i have to conform with what i find.

I'm aware that the "K" processors are overclockable, i just can't figure out if i'll really see a difference for the use i intend to give to the build, if I choose a "K" or a "non-K" cpu. Also can't decide if i should get an i7 or an i5 (in both cases, K or non-K)

The mobo i listed, even though it is a mini ATX like you said, it does have a "Z" doesn't it ? "Asus Z170M-Plus". What kind of limited options would i have for upgrading later ?

As for the PSU i don't have that many options (good ones at least), see the list:
http://www.tecnohards.com.ar/fuentes.php

EVGA 600W (600B) 80 Plus Bronze

Isn't a Bronze PSU good enough, or should i really get a Gold one ?
I might be able to get a "Seasonic 850W X-850 80 Plus Gold Full Modular", though i think it's way more than i need, and obviously more expensive.

Like i said in the OP, i don't have a clue as to how to OC, and probably won't be doing it either... MAYBE within 5 or 6 years if i really start seeing i can't run thing properly, but generally speaking is not an option (which doesn't change the fact that maybe a "K" cpu might still be better than a non-K, dunno).

Ty!

 

[TheArtista]

Since you're using Adobe and intend to keep the system for quite awhile, I would use the i7 6700/6700K and pair it with the Asus Z170 A. It is an ATX motherboard which the case supports. Overclocking isn't necessary for what you're doing, but can extend the life of the processor if you anticipate keeping it for a long while. With the 6700, you could use the stock cooler. If you choose the 6700K you will need a cooler and the CM 212 EVO or Cryorig H7 are both good quality air coolers that will allow for a decent overclock. The rest of the parts look good, and I really like the PSU, good quality.

Hello BadActor, thank you for replying!

Well that's precisely my inquiry, whether i should get a K or non-K, and which one, 6500, 6600, or the 6700?

I'd rather have the CM 212 EVO instead of the T4, but i don't know if the T4 might be enough for what i need, or get the 212 just in case i decide to OC at some point?

Ty for your input on the PSU, it's a component that's worrying me a bit ATM.

 

[BadActor]

For maximum longevity and performance, the 6700K wins hands down. You'll have to decide whether you're going to overclock or not, though. I can tell you that what you're doing right now doesn't require it.

 

[TheArtista]

For maximum longevity and performance, the 6700K wins hands down. You'll have to decide whether you're going to overclock or not, though. I can tell you that what you're doing right now doesn't require it.

Ok thanks for the suggestion! I'd love to get a 6700k but it would be out of my budget i think.
But how about this? (i changed the cpu, mobo, psu and cooler):

- Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5Ghz (3.9Ghz Turbo Boost)
- Asus Z170-P
- 2x8Gb DDR4 2400Mhz Gskill Ripjaws-V F4-2400C15D-16GVS
- Samsung 250Gb 850 EVO MZ-75E250B-AM
- WD Blue 1Tb sata3 (6Gb/s) 64mb buffer WD10EZEX
- Zotac GTX 980 Ti 6Gb GDDR5 AMP! OMEGA (ZT-90504-10P)
- CoolerMaster CM690 III
- Seasonic 850W X-850 80 Plus Gold Full Modular
- CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO

Bare in mind that I intend to replace my 1680x1050 monitor for this Acer 27" 144hz g-sync in the near future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbX9C3Nk0AQ
Thanks again!

 

[BadActor]

Good looking build. You didn't have to change the PSU unless you plan on SLI in the future.

 

[TheArtista]

Good looking build. You didn't have to change the PSU unless you plan on SLI in the future.

I wasn't sure, since the other Seasonic psu was a 750w Bronze, and this is Gold... i did it only because of that reason. Should i save money and keep the 750 Bronze in your opinion ?

Will i be able to game in high or very high settings at 2560x1440 with this build?

 

[BadActor]

The color only pertains to efficiency and doesn't really have anything to do with quality. The difference between a Gold rated PSU and a Bronze rated PSU amounts to maybe a few cents a day for most people. I think the 750 is really more than you need anyway, so I would stick with that. You'll be able to run most games on Ultra @ 1440p with the 980Ti.

 

[TheArtista]

The color only pertains to efficiency and doesn't really have anything to do with quality. The difference between a Gold rated PSU and a Bronze rated PSU amounts to maybe a few cents a day for most people. I think the 750 is really more than you need anyway, so I would stick with that. You'll be able to run most games on Ultra @ 1440p with the 980Ti.

Great ! Thank you very much for your help and your time!!

 

[TheArtista]

Hello again, sry for the revive but i'm having second thoughts and would appreciate guidance again.

I found another place where they have the ASUS Z170-A Intel Z170. I remember you suggested i buy that model, is this the one?
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=440&controller=product

Also, they sell only Corsair PSU's, and i'd like to know which of these is good (if any):

- CORSAIR CSM Series CS750M 750W 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=283&controller=product

- CORSAIR CX series CX750M 750W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=377&controller=product


So far, my build would be this one:

- CPU: i7 6700k
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=399&controller=product

- MB: ASUS Z170-A Intel Z170
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=440&controller=product

- RAM: Gskill Ripjaws V 16gb (2x8 GB) ddr4 2400mhz
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=429&controller=product

- GPU: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP! Omega Edition 6GB
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=396&controller=product

- SSD: SAMSUNG 850 EVO 250GB
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=359&controller=product

- HD: WD Blue 1 TB
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=61&controller=product

- COOLER: CM Hyper 212 EVO Cooling Fan
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=476&controller=product

- PSU: CORSAIR CSM 750 W GOLD Modular or CORSAIR CX series CX750M 750W 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=283&controller=product
http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_product=377&controller=product

Or should i stick with my previous PSU choice?: SeaSonic 750W M12II 80 Plus Bronze Modular ??

And i'm now debating if i should get the 980ti or wait for Pascal... i intend to game @2560x1440 (eventually), so i'd like to "future proof" the GPU as much as possible... suggestions?

Thank you very much!

 

[BadActor]

Stick with the Seasonic PSU, it's much better quality and good insurance when you're going to use an expensive graphics card. Rumor is that Pascal cards will released around the end of May and the first cards to be released will be the 970/980 replacements.

 

[TheArtista]

Stick with the Seasonic PSU, it's much better quality and good insurance when you're going to use an expensive graphics card. Rumor is that Pascal cards will released around the end of May and the first cards to be released will be the 970/980 replacements.

Ok, i'll keep the Seasonic PSU, thx !

As for the GPU, will the 980 replacements include the "Ti" version or will they be just the plain 980?

Is the mobo the one you were talking about? Is it good?

Also, what's the difference between a Samsung SSD EVO and the PRO ? Is it worth going for the PRO ?

Ty!

 

[BadActor]

The mobo choice is good. Unconfirmed on the which Pascal cards are coming first, but looks like the 1070/1080, no Ti. The 850 Pro may be slightly faster than the EVO, but there's really not a lot of difference. The key selling point for the Pro is a longer warranty.

 

[TheArtista]

The mobo choice is good. Unconfirmed on the which Pascal cards are coming first, but looks like the 1070/1080, no Ti. The 850 Pro may be slightly faster than the EVO, but there's really not a lot of difference. The key selling point for the Pro is a longer warranty.

Cool, thanks a lot for all the info... guess i'll wait a bit more on Pascal, if i can hehe.

 

[TheArtista]

Hello again, i'm still wondering about the PSU. I can get for the same price, a "Corsair CSM 750w Gold", or the "SeaSonic 750W M12II 80 Plus Bronze" (both of them modular).

I checked the PSU list and in Tier 2 i see the Seasonic M12 mentioned, but it also says "EVO", and i don't know if the one i'm being offered is still reliable, since i don't see "EVO" written anywhere.

See >> http://www.seasonicusa.com/M12II-Bronze-650-750-850.htm

Also, in the PSU list, i couldn't find the Corsair?

Ty!

 

[BadActor]

The EVO editions superseded the original M12 PSU's, kind of like a version 2. The original M12's are still very good, not sure exactly what changed. The Corsair CSM is a Tier 3.

 

[Helicity]

It sounds like you are going to have at least a couple of games on your PC and high quality photos can take up a lot of space pretty quickly. I would go with a bigger SSD so that you aren't running into storage issues. The Samsung 850 EVO 500GB should work just fine.

 

[TheArtista]

The EVO editions superseded the original M12 PSU's, kind of like a version 2. The original M12's are still very good, not sure exactly what changed. The Corsair CSM is a Tier 3.

Ok thanks for the clarification, i'll keep the Seasonic as i initally thought then!

It sounds like you are going to have at least a couple of games on your PC and high quality photos can take up a lot of space pretty quickly. I would go with a bigger SSD so that you aren't running into storage issues. The Samsung 850 EVO 500GB should work just fine.

Yeah thank you for the advice!, i'll also get a 1TB WD Blue, plus i already have another 1TB HD, and i plan on also using the 120GB SSD i have my OS installed ATM, so i think storage issues shouldn't happen

 

[TheArtista]

Hello again, ATM where i plan to buy most of the components they don't have the Asus Z170-A in stock, but they do have the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming and the price difference between the two is small (hence my doubts).

Which one would be better ? For what i've read the Pro Gaming has better audio, but i'm honestly not sure if i'll hear the difference (i do have pretty expensive headphones though). Also, the comments in Newegg are kinda mixed... should i wait for the Z170-A, get the Pro Gaming, or get a different brand/model ?

Ty!

 

[BadActor]

The Pro Gaming is a good alternative, no problem.

 

[Bearmann]

I went with the i5 over the i7 for my Photoshop build, though I think the price differential has come down a bit since I purchased. An overclocked i5 is nearly the same frequency as an overclocked i7 and it's not clear that the hyperthreading is of any benefit to Photohsop/Lightroom. There hasn't been much testing that I have found, but this test appears to support the i5 as an equal, even without overclocking.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/skylake-intel-core-i7-6700k-core-i5-6600k,4252-5.html

 

[TheArtista]

The Pro Gaming is a good alternative, no problem.

Great, thanks again for your answer!

I went with the i5 over the i7 for my Photoshop build, though I think the price differential has come down a bit since I purchased. An overclocked i5 is nearly the same frequency as an overclocked i7 and it's not clear that the hyperthreading is of any benefit to Photohsop/Lightroom. There hasn't been much testing that I have found, but this test appears to support the i5 as an equal, even without overclocking.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/skylake-intel-core-i7-6700k-core-i5-6600k,4252-5.html

Yeah, i've read similar articles and i'm still unsure too (thanks for the link btw, still reading).
The thing is that within my budget i can get the i7 (granted, i could save some money and go for the i5 instead), and since i don't have a clue on OC, and don't know if i'll ever try it, i'm considering getting the best i can... although i've seen on YT that these Asus boards have kinda like an "idiot-proof overclocking" app.

Anyway, what i mean is that IF i ever consider OC i could just use that app and see what happens, but i doubt i'll be needing it any time soon with this build.

For the past 6 years or so, i've gotten used to working and playing with an i7 960, 12gb DDR3 and a Radeon HD 5850 1GB, so the jump coming from that should be considerable i suppose. I've never played anything on "ultra" that i can remember, nor do i care that much really, since i think at "very high" games look great to me. I'm already used to not using any type of AA (been playing like this for the past 4 years and i'm perfectly fine with it).

My only 2 real concerns are:

- Will the new rig be future proof enough to run whatever i want with most settings at "very high" or "high" (let's say one step below ultra), at 2560x1440 on a 27" 144hz+G-sync for the next 5 years or so? (after building the new rig, i plan on upgrading from 1680x1050, and probably will stay forever at 1440 since 4k to me isn't appealing for computer use),

- Considering what i wrote above, should i wait, or not, for Pascal? (and IF i did, we might be talking about a long time until a 980ti equivalent comes out).

EDIT:
They've added more brand options for MB's (Asrock, MSI). I'm going nuts trying to decide which one i should get, help!

>> http://www.gameron.com.ar/index.php?id_category=84&controller=category&n=50