Advice for components of a new beefy and watercooled mATX build (~$2K budget)

[SirM2X]

Hello all!
I'm in need of some advice about components for a new build that I want to undertake anytime between now and the next 2 months. I was heavily into PC building/overclocking about 12 years ago. Went cold turkey, and haven't built anything since unfortunately. Here's more information about what I need.

Usage:
Heavy C/C++/CUDA programming. Some game development with Unity and Unreal engines. May also develop AR applications/games. Also, who wouldn't want to game with such a capable machine?

I have several goals in mind for this build:
1) Must be compact. I've settled down on mATX for now but willing to change my mind. Currently set on Fractal Design Node 804 for the case.

2) Due to extensive use of C/C++, I need a beefy CPU with at least 6 cores. I'm seriously considering Core-i7 6800K.

3) Based on the form factor and the CPU, ASUS X99-M WS seems to be a good choice.

4) Currently planning to get a GTX 1080 card. Haven't decided about the board/brand yet. Also will probably not add a second card for the time being.

5) I would not need peripherals (monitor, keyboard/mouse, speakers). I currently have a 1080p screen. If the build costs less than $2K, I will consider getting a Dell Ultrasharp (but it's not top priority).

6) I do plan to overclock the hell out of it (considering the mATX constraints of course!). As such, I plan on doing a custom water cooling loop (CPU + GPU). It's been 12 years since my last journey into the water cooling world, so I'm very behind on the latest and the greatest! I see EK has some nice blocks but would love to hear suggestions.

7) 16 GB of RAM should be sufficient, don't know what modules/configurations to get in order to get the most out of the 6800K.

8) A 512 SSD would be plenty storage for me. I'm considering Samsung 950 Pro but I'm not sure if it will be bottlenecked by the motherboard.

What do you people think about the component list so far? Any suggested changes? What RAM and HDD do you recommend? How about the GPU?

I greatly appreciate each and every feedback. This build is very important for me as it helps a great deal with my job. Let me know if there's any details missing (I tried to adhere to the build advice guide as best as I could).

 

[CTurbo]

This got over $2000 fast

1. done

2. done

3. done

4. done

5. ok

6. May I ask why? Overclocking is not what it used to be. I would not dump a lot of money here because it's simply not going to make a lot of difference in the end.

7. 16GB is fine for now. The X99 supports quad channel memory so 4x4GB is the obvious choice.

8. I do not think that 512GB is enough for anybody these days. As awesome as the 950 pro is, it's REALLY expensive. You could save a lot of money here by going with a traditional ~250GB ssd + 1-2TB hdd.



PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6800K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($429.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($61.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus X99-M WS Micro ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($317.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Founders Edition Video Card ($698.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2094.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-06 02:13 EDT-0400

 

[SirM2X]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to post a response!
Yeah that got out of hand fast =)

6. I'd like to overclock for fun mostly! But even if I end up deciding not to OC, I'd hate to have a loud PC (especially because it's so compact). If what was the case in the past still holds, a custom loop would be much quieter than the constant "woosh" of air coolers...

7. I see... Fair enough

8. That is really enough storage for what I do. I don't store much on the PC and I have a 2 TB USB 3.0 storage HDD that I use for storing things that I don't immediately need. Nevertheless, I could probably go with something cheaper...

Thanks for creating the PCPartPicker list. A few questions remain:
Is that monster PSU really necessary? I was under the impression that I could get away with a smaller one considering no immediate plans for a second GPU. Also, any particular reason for the GSkill 3GHz RAM and the MSI graphics board?

Thanks again

 

[smorizio]

on your build have you looked at intel xeon cpu. the newer brodwell-e server chips are muilt core cpu and may be cheaper then the gaming cpu. on power supply when you do the sizing it not the total wattage you have to look out for it the amp and wattage ratting on the 12v rail that the cpu and gpu use. if you use a online power supply cal and it says you need 500-550w min unit. then go to a larger 650-750w unit. the extra wattage will keep the power supply cooler..less chance of it rippling out under heavy load and it keep the power supply fan from running at 100 percent all the time and give you room when the caps in the power supply age. also there are newer level of power supplys from 12 years ago. bronze (entry level). silver (gold) platium units. as you go up the chain they start using better caps and parts. whe nlooking at power supply look at toms hardware tier list and look at any review that load tests units. good units seasonic for the price...low doa units. on the ram intel newer cpu do run better on faster ram. so it a trade off for speed/cost. you can buy costly ram and not get your money worth from the ram.
on skylake the intel memory controller base speed is 1.25v at 2100. if you can fine 3000 speed for same price as 2100 you get a speed bump from the cpu.

 

[SirM2X]

Thanks for the input!
I did look at Xeon processors, they are not only very expensive (the only one in my budget range being E5 2630) but have lower clock speeds than those Core i7 E CPUs.
Thanks a lot for the info on power supply.
I know that the 3GHz ram would be faster, I was wondering if there's any thing above 3GHz that doesn't make me go bankrupt
Also, I did read some reviews on those Ripjaws V RAMs and they seem decent. But I hate those red colors unfortunately... I'm going for a black/green build here (don't laugh... I know it sounds stupid ) With that Node 804 being a window case, those reds will stand out pretty badly
Back in the days, I remember Crucial Ballistix series were top notch and had a lot of head room for OC... Any good performing alternatives to those G.Skill modules?

Thanks again

 

[CTurbo]

I took out the air cooler, switched the RAM to black and swapped the 850w psu for a 650w psu.

I went with 850w because you alluded to the possibility of running 2 1080s in the future.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6800K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($429.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus X99-M WS Micro ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($87.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($317.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Founders Edition Video Card ($698.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA P2 650W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($85.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1991.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-06 12:59 EDT-0400

 

[SirM2X]

I took out the air cooler, switched the RAM to black and swapped the 850w psu for a 650w psu.

I went with 850w because you alluded to the possibility of running 2 1080s in the future.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6800K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($429.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus X99-M WS Micro ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($87.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($317.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Founders Edition Video Card ($698.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA P2 650W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($85.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1991.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-06 12:59 EDT-0400

That's fantastic! Thanks a lot.
One last question: I saw a Corsair Carbide Air 260 on a coworker's desk out of the blue. It looks super cool (compared to Node 804). Any thoughts about replacing that with the Corsair case? In terms of watercooling space, I found a bunch of custom loop systems with Air 240 with a simple Google search. However, there was one YouTube review that said the case's ceiling didn't have enough clearance for a radiator....
Any thoughts?

Thanks again in advance!

 

[CTurbo]

The Corsair 260 is a nice case. I couldn't tell you about the water cooling capability though.