PC Sherdog PC Build/Buy Thread, v6: My Power Supply Burned Down My House

Thanks for all of the feedback. I'm not worried about peripherals. I have them already and don't mind using TVs occasionally. I do know how to image a computer/install an OS. If it's true that I won't lose much in performance, though, I will reconsider a laptop. Would it be very difficult or impossible to throw an additional HDD in the first laptop you mentioned? It looks like a great laptop, but 500gb won't cut it for me. I usually have a silly number of games installed.
Ah, good to know. I will factor that in when I review the potential SFF builds tonight or tomorrow.

Yeah, storage is usually one of the issues with laptops, but it appears you can:
Comment search results
Q: How would I add another hard drive?
A: You can unscrew the bottom panel and add in a SATA drive. There is only room for a single M2 drive and a single SATA drive.
By Angel Vidal on January 25, 2019

Q: Can anyone explain why there are two drives - one is 1 tb hard disk drive, the other one is 128 gb solid state drive? why not just one?
A: cuz the speed of solid state drive is much quicker than hard disk drive but more expensive. So you can put files which demand high speed in ssd (like game or system) and other in hard disk drive.
By CaoYebo on October 12, 2018
These commenters mention that there is room for one m.2 drive and one (2.5") SATA drive. Furthermore, other comments discuss a different configuration of this same laptop that must have previously sold with a 1TB HDD in it by default.

I couldn't find a service manual for this exact model number, but HP's site took me here via a Google query:
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06219881
As you can see all HP laptops that carry the "15-dc00..." prefix listed here support dual drive configurations (pp. 9 & 10).

Otherwise, you can contact HP directly to ask that with the precise model number listed in the sale:
15-dc0045nr
 
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@Canned Tuna
Okay, I took a closer look this morning, and you will definitely score a much better value building.

Here is a $1000 reference build (includes Tax & S/H to Missouri, and doesn't subtract a few rebates available on these parts):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6Vk4TB

For this this budget reference blueprint I used the tried & true Fractal Define Nano S case.
https://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-nano-s
  • ATX PSUs up to 160mm deep (shorter PSUs recommended for easier cable management)
  • Graphics cards up to 315mm in length with front fans mounted (Cards wider than the dual slot bracket are not recommended)
  • 17 - 35mm of space for cable routing behind the motherboard plate
  • Velcro straps included for easy cable management
There are a lot of other cases you might consider. It's always case to case, but I would recommend Fractal & Silverstone among the large manufacturers for really compact cases. The NCASE M1 and Dan A4 are the stars of the boutique world. Another case with highly positive feedback I would flag for your consideration that is about $50 more than the Fractal Define Nano S is the Lian-Li PC-TU100:
Small%20(2%20of%2010).jpg

maxresdefault.jpg




Notes:
  • CPU
    • I chose the R5-2600 because it is virtually identical to the i7-8750H in those laptops, it has a 65W TDP which is lower than the Coffee Lake Intel K processors, and it is the best bang-for-your-buck on the CPU market (along with the R7-1700); especially since the Wraith Stealth that comes with it is sufficient. It can also overclock though that isn't the intention of this build.
    • If you really want to make sure you have a bulletproof build without heat issues the i7-8700T is a 35W TDP CPU that is also roughly identical in performance to these two. That carries a severe premium.
    • Obviously the 8700K (6c/12t) and 9700K (8c/8t) will have the best performance, but either is going to be well over $400 once you add a CPU cooler. The 9900K is the best of all, but at $509 without a CPU cooler I think it's not advisable for a build with a budget ceiling of $1500. You'll be giving up too much elsewhere.
  • MOTHERBOARD
    • This MSI is probably the best reviewed and most economically sensible B450 motherboard on the market. It comes with 802.11ac WiFi built in. For ~$30 more you might consider the Asus ROG Strix board that also carries Bluetooth 4.2 natively, but this motherboard appears to enjoy much more positive feedback.
  • GPU
    • I chose the Zotac Mini because it was one of two with the lowest entry price point ($300) among GTX 1070 cards even though this case could comfortably fit larger sizes. If you try going with a really tiny case the MSI Aero ITX is the choice 1070 for $40 more. With your budget of $1500 you could easily spring for bigger and better. Examples: Gigabyte RTX 2070 8GB Mini ITX for $495; EVGA RTX 2080 8GB Black for $700.
  • RAM
    • I went with these Corsair LPX units because they are 3000MHz CAS15, and their heat spreaders really don't add much of anything to their height. Nevertheless, you also might consider the RAM sticks without heat spreaders if you are willing to sacrifice a bit of power to save money, to reduce your heat load, and to shave off probably even a bit more height. There are a few that are 2400MHz CAS15 for $85 I saw that run at 1.2V, not at 1.35V. You can always undervolt whatever RAM you have, but there is the potential for stability issues, and you usually have to reduce frequency anyway, too. Might as well save money getting it out of the box with the intent to run that way. Thought I'd mention the option.
  • Storage
    • The Crucial MX500 offers a really nice value. You could save a bit of money with a 256GB size, but this is clearly the SSD sweet spot now. I chose the cheapest bang-for-your-buck HDD to couple with it for game storage. Together they cost ~$125. I would urge you to consider going a more premium route, and abandon the HDD altogether. The Intel 660p 2TB m.2 SSD offers NVMe performance levels (3x-4x this SSD) for $250.
  • PSU
    • I could have chosen a cheaper PSU, but as it says for this Fractal case there, and this will be true for most mini-ITX portable cases, standard ATX PSUs eat a lot of space and are inconvenient. So I chose this EVGA SFX fully-modular gold-efficient PSU to optimize space-saving. It has a $20 rebate right now, bringing it to $90, so for any build you consider right now I will recommend this PSU.

Obviously there is a lot to spare with $500 in reserve while I didn't even factor in rebates. This was just a reference.
 
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@Canned Tuna
Okay, I took a closer look this morning, and you will definitely score a much better value building.

Here is a $1000 reference build (includes Tax & S/H to Missouri, and doesn't subtract a few rebates available on these parts):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6Vk4TB

For this this budget reference blueprint I used the tried & true Fractal Define Nano S case.
https://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-nano-s

There are a lot of other cases you might consider. It's always case to case, but I would recommend Fractal & Silverstone among the large manufacturers for really compact cases. The NCASE M1 and Dan A4 are the stars of the boutique world. Another case with highly positive feedback I would flag for your consideration that is about $50 more than the Fractal Define Nano S is the Lian-Li PC-TU100:
Small%20(2%20of%2010).jpg

maxresdefault.jpg




Notes:
  • CPU
    • I chose the R5-2600 because it is virtually identical to the i7-8750H in those laptops, it has a 65W TDP which is lower than the Coffee Lake Intel K processors, and it is the best bang-for-your-buck on the CPU market (along with the R7-1700); especially since the Wraith Stealth that comes with it is sufficient. It can also overclock though that isn't the intention of this build.
    • If you really want to make sure you have a bulletproof build without heat issues the i7-8700T is a 35W TDP CPU that is also roughly identical in performance to these two. That carries a severe premium.
    • Obviously the 8700K (6c/12t) and 9700K (8c/8t) will have the best performance, but either is going to be well over $400 once you add a CPU cooler. The 9900K is the best of all, but at $509 without a CPU cooler I think it's not advisable for a build with a budget ceiling of $1500. You'll be giving up too much elsewhere.
  • MOTHERBOARD
    • This MSI is probably the best reviewed and most economically sensible B450 motherboard on the market. It comes with 802.11ac WiFi built in. For ~$30 more you might consider the Asus ROG Strix board that also carries Bluetooth 4.2 natively, but this motherboard appears to enjoy much more positive feedback.
  • GPU
    • I chose the Zotac Mini because it was one of two with the lowest entry price point ($300) among GTX 1070 cards even though this case could comfortably fit larger sizes. If you try going with a really tiny case the MSI Aero ITX is the choice 1070 for $40 more. With your budget of $1500 you could easily spring for bigger and better. Examples: Gigabyte RTX 2070 8GB Mini ITX for $495; EVGA RTX 2080 8GB Black for $600.
  • RAM
    • I went with these Corsair LPX units because they are 3000MHz CAS15, and their heat spreaders really don't add much of anything to their height. Nevertheless, you also might consider the RAM sticks without heat spreaders if you are willing to sacrifice a bit of power to save money, to reduce your heat load, and to shave off probably even a bit more height. There are a few that are 2400MHz CAS15 for $85 I saw that run at 1.2V, not at 1.35V. You can always undervolt whatever RAM you have, but there is the potential for stability issues, and you usually have to reduce frequency anyway, too. Might as well save money getting it out of the box with the intent to run that way. Thought I'd mention the option.
  • Storage
    • The Crucial MX500 offers a really nice value. You could save a bit of money with a 256GB size, but this is clearly the SSD sweet spot now. I chose the cheapest bang-for-your-buck HDD to couple with it for game storage. Together they cost ~$125. I would urge you to consider going a more premium route, and abandon the HDD altogether. The Intel 660p 2TB m.2 SSD offers NVMe performance levels (3x-4x this SSD) for $250.
  • PSU
    • I could have chosen a cheaper PSU, but as it says for this Fractal case there, and this will be true for most mini-ITX portable cases, standard ATX PSUs eat a lot of space and are inconvenient. So I chose this EVGA SFX fully-modular gold-efficient PSU to optimize space-saving. It has a $20 rebate right now, bringing it to $90, so for any build you consider right now I will recommend this PSU.

Obviously there is a lot to spare with $500 in reserve while I didn't even factor in rebates. This was just a reference.
I don't know if this is fun for you or if you're just a saint, but thanks!

If I was to use this build or something very similar do you think it would be better to go with the 2tb SSD and a 2080 or the 2tb SSD, a 2070, and more RAM? I'd like to get 4 years of gaming out of it and wasn't sure if 16gb of RAM would be the way to go moving forward.
 
I don't know if this is fun for you or if you're just a saint, but thanks!

If I was to use this build or something very similar do you think it would be better to go with the 2tb SSD and a 2080 or the 2tb SSD, a 2070, and more RAM? I'd like to get 4 years of gaming out of it and wasn't sure if 16gb of RAM would be the way to go moving forward.
If you're after raw performance the GPU upgrade will definitely matter more, so the 2TB SSD & RTX 2080.

More RAM doesn't help performance beyond the limit. It's an, "Is there enough?" issue. Either 16GB is enough, or it isn't. Right now no game in existence requires more than 16GB of RAM even at Ultra settings (to which I am aware). Additionally, those with the highest demands are at 4K, but the RTX 2070 really isn't a suitable 4K card for the games that would be the biggest RAM gobblers on Ultra settings. No current GPU is, sadly.

You could buy 32GB to future proof your system, but that tends to be a fool's errand. Furthermore, the latest stuff I've seen suggests DDR5 RAM won't even hit the market until late 2019 or 2020, which means if you do want to upgrade in a few years when you have an actual need for it there will likely still be very good prices on what will be even faster DDR4 RAM sticks because they will still be in production. It usually takes a few years after a new standard is introduced before an old standard goes out of production.

The speed of RAM is where you will see differences in framerates. Pursuing better performance above 3000MHz/CAS15 or 3200MHz/CAS16 RAM right now is a terrible price-performance pursuit. You get virtually nothing out of higher bandwidth, especially in terms of practical framerates, while you spend an arm & a leg to get it. You can try to find a pair of "B-die" RAM, but even the cheapest ones won't be worth it. No, your alternative there is less performance with less heat.

That's why I mentioned the sacrifice in performance if you look at the RAM without heat spreaders. You'll notice on PCPP that if you choose from RAM without heat spreaders there is a single pair of sticks above 2400MHz that have a CAS below 19. When factoring in price the 2400MHz/CAS15 sticks are the best of that world. But RAM generally doesn't give off a lot of heat, and the LPX sticks are low-profile, with a phenomenal reputation across a gajillion sales, so I think they're the ones to get. The farther north of 3000MHz you go the physically bigger the RAM sticks get, you'll notice, because they need more metal to disperse the heat.

CAS refers to latency. MHz refers to frequency. As a general rule of thumb latency divided by frequency equals cycle time, and that tells you how strong a stick of RAM really is.
  • CAS16/2133MHz = .00750

  • CAS17/2400MHz = .00708

  • CAS15/2133MHz = .00703

  • CAS16/2400MHz = .00667

  • CAS14/2133MHz = .00656

  • CAS15/2400MHz = .00625 (no heat spreader)

  • CAS13/2133MHz = .00609

  • CAS16/2666MHz = .00600

  • CAS14/2400MHz = .00583

  • CAS15/2666MHz = .00562

  • CAS15/2800MHz = .00536

  • CAS16/3000MHz = .00533

  • CAS18/3600MHz = .00500

  • CAS16/3200MHz = .00500

  • CAS15/3000MHz = .00500

  • CAS14/2800MHz = .00500

  • CAS12/2400MHz = .00500

  • CAS16/3400MHz = .00490

  • CAS13/2666MHz = .00488

  • CAS16/3333MHz = .00480

  • CAS17/3600MHz = .00472

  • CAS15/3200MHz = .00469

  • CAS14/3000MHz = .00467

  • CAS16/3466MHz = .00461

  • CAS17/3733MHz = .00455

  • CAS18/4000MHz = .00450

  • CAS16/3600MHz = .00444

  • CAS14/3200MHz = .00438 (b-die RAM timing that tends to have the best price)

  • CAS16/3666MHz = .00436

  • CAS17/4000MHz = .00425

  • CAS15/3600MHz = .00417

  • CAS19/4600MHz = .00413
 
If you're after raw performance the GPU upgrade will definitely matter more, so the 2TB SSD & RTX 2080.

More RAM doesn't help performance beyond the limit. It's an, "Is there enough?" issue. Either 16GB is enough, or it isn't. Right now no game in existence requires more than 16GB of RAM even at Ultra settings (to which I am aware). Additionally, those with the highest demands are at 4K, but the RTX 2070 really isn't a suitable 4K card for the games that would be the biggest RAM gobblers on Ultra settings. No current GPU is, sadly.

You could buy 32GB to future proof your system, but that tends to be a fool's errand. Furthermore, the latest stuff I've seen suggests DDR5 RAM won't even hit the market until late 2019 or 2020, which means if you do want to upgrade in a few years when you have an actual need for it there will likely still be very good prices on what will be even faster DDR4 RAM sticks because they will still be in production. It usually takes a few years after a new standard is introduced before an old standard goes out of production.

The speed of RAM is where you will see differences in framerates. Pursuing better performance above 3000MHz/CAS15 or 3200MHz/CAS16 RAM right now is a terrible price-performance pursuit. You get virtually nothing out of higher bandwidth, especially in terms of practical framerates, while you spend an arm & a leg to get it. You can try to find a pair of "B-die" RAM, but even the cheapest ones won't be worth it. No, your alternative there is less performance with less heat.

That's why I mentioned the sacrifice in performance if you look at the RAM without heat spreaders. You'll notice on PCPP that if you choose from RAM without heat spreaders there is a single pair of sticks above 2400MHz that have a CAS below 19. When factoring in price the 2400MHz/CAS15 sticks are the best of that world. But RAM generally doesn't give off a lot of heat, and the LPX sticks are low-profile, with a phenomenal reputation across a gajillion sales, so I think they're the ones to get. The farther north of 3000MHz you go the physically bigger the RAM sticks get, you'll notice, because they need more metal to disperse the heat.

CAS refers to latency. MHz refers to frequency. As a general rule of thumb latency divided by frequency equals cycle time, and that tells you how strong a stick of RAM really is.
  • CAS16/2133MHz = .00750

  • CAS17/2400MHz = .00708

  • CAS15/2133MHz = .00703

  • CAS16/2400MHz = .00667

  • CAS14/2133MHz = .00656

  • CAS15/2400MHz = .00625 (no heat spreader)

  • CAS13/2133MHz = .00609

  • CAS16/2666MHz = .00600

  • CAS14/2400MHz = .00583

  • CAS15/2666MHz = .00562

  • CAS15/2800MHz = .00536

  • CAS16/3000MHz = .00533

  • CAS18/3600MHz = .00500

  • CAS16/3200MHz = .00500

  • CAS15/3000MHz = .00500

  • CAS14/2800MHz = .00500

  • CAS12/2400MHz = .00500

  • CAS16/3400MHz = .00490

  • CAS13/2666MHz = .00488

  • CAS16/3333MHz = .00480

  • CAS17/3600MHz = .00472

  • CAS15/3200MHz = .00469

  • CAS14/3000MHz = .00467

  • CAS16/3466MHz = .00461

  • CAS17/3733MHz = .00455

  • CAS18/4000MHz = .00450

  • CAS16/3600MHz = .00444

  • CAS14/3200MHz = .00438 (b-die RAM timing that tends to have the best price)

  • CAS16/3666MHz = .00436

  • CAS17/4000MHz = .00425

  • CAS15/3600MHz = .00417

  • CAS19/4600MHz = .00413
Great, thanks. Well, if I can successfully get all that into a sff case and keep it cool, it would certainly be a massive improvement over the $1500 laptops out there.
 
Everyone remember this piece of comedic performance art gold?


Well, Vox Media & The Verge moved with a "copyright strike" against Bitwit over the video. Apparently they have also published comments since the internet roundly mocked this video alleging the pile-on was racially motivated:







In short, fuck The Verge and fuck Vox media. In the past I have recommended or linked the former's articles pertaining to smartphones since they've generally done well with Android coverage. That is over. They're free to copyright strike Bitwit, I guess. I'm also free to strike them from my Google News and Flipboard feeds so that nothing they ever publish shows up for me, and so that I never direct any traffic to their websites.

I importune any who see this to join me in that effort.
 
Last edited:
Everyone remember this piece of comedic performance art gold?


Well, Vox Media & The Verge moved with a "copyright strike" against Bitwit over the video. Apparently they have also published comments since the internet roundly mocked this video alleging the pile-on was racially motivated:







In short, fuck The Verge and fuck Vox media. In the past I have recommended or linked the former's articles pertaining to smartphones since they've generally done well with Android coverage. That is over. They're free to copyright strike Bitwit, I guess. I'm also free to strike them from my Google News and Flipboard feeds so that nothing they ever publish shows up for me, and so that I never direct any traffic to their websites.

I importune any who see this to join me in that effort.


Paul usually doesn't get involved in stuff like this, but it's always epic when he does.







 
They fucked with Linus and Bryan also, I watched about 30 secs of Linus stream video on it but got bored.

I had already watched a few vids on it at that point already last night.

Do a shitty build video, get called out on it.

Live , learn and laugh. Don’t go out issuing strikes.

That’s just going to get you even more neg coverage.
 
@Canned Tuna
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zRTwQZ

Since it looks like you're steering towards the RTX 2080 8GB I thought I would issue one last caveat. I don't think they've released the Mini ITX variants for its reference design, so all of them may be double-slotted cards, and none of the Mini-ITX motherboards has more than a single PCIe slot. This doesn't necessarily mean that you can't fit a double-slotted card, but looking at the MSI motherboard, the overhang could be an issue that makes installing it impossible. It's a good idea to run your blueprint by the SFF enthusiasts over at Reddit before you order:
(PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot is on the far right)
index.php


This is what it looks like with the Wraith Stealth and RAM installed, but no GPU yet:
index.php

A Ryzen Mini ITX build with an RTX 2080 is certainly possible. This builder even did it with an ATX PSU and a much smaller case. He used the Silverstone Sugo SG13B case, a Gigabyte B450i Aorus Pro Wifi Mini ITX motherboard, and an NVIDIA Founder's Edition RTX 2080:

  • Silverstone Sugo SG13:
    • 222mm (W) x 181 mm (H) x 285 mm (D)
    • 8.74" (W) x 7.13" (H) x 11.22" (D)
    • 11.5 liters
  • Fractal Design Define Nano S:
    • 275mm (W) x 485mm (H) x 420mm (D)
    • 10.83" (W) x 19.09" (H) x 16.54" (D)
    • 26.8 liters
  • NVIDIA Founder's Edition RTX 2080
    • 116mm (H) x 267mm (L)
    • 4.56" (H) x 10.51" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Dual Fan, 1.8 GHz Boost Clock
  • EVGA Black Edition RTX 2080 ($699)*
    • 111mm (H) x 270mm (L)
    • 4.38" (H) x 10.62" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Dual Fan, 1.71 GHz Boost Clock
  • Gigabyte Turbo OC 8G RTX 2080 ($689- $20 rebate)
    • 114mm (H) x 272mm (L)
    • 4.47" (H) x 10.71" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Blower Fan, 1.785 GHz Boost Clock
I selected the EVGA Black Edition for your build because it combines dual fans with the most conservative clocks which should produce the least amount of heat, but also the weakest performance by several fps on average. High temps have been an issue with the new RTX cards, so I'm just playing it safe with my recommendations due to the paucity of review material out there for the series.


rH5p7fE.jpg


ulfKzYH.jpg


yQAbErR.jpg


d51SvQ3.jpg


Here was a jpeg I found listing all of the RTX 2080 lengths, but unfortunately not their widths or height:
5iv7eb9fu1p11.png

Also, while the R5-2600 is definitely the best bang-for-your-buck, especially since it carries a stock 3.4GHz base clock, the one potential CPU upgrade you might consider for this blueprint is the R7-2700 (+$65), but you're at $1502 after the $20 rebate with the build we have for you:

 
Hey experts .. what are the best free adware / spyware removal programs?
 
haven't looked in years, but avira/avg/avast were good for basic 'antivirus' and spybot search and destroy was good to supplement with.

disclaimer: like i said, haven't paid attention to this in a while.

@Tobacco


edit: spybot s&d is not so good, anymore.
 
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haven't looked in years, but avira/avg/avast were good for basic 'antivirus' and spybot search and destroy was good to supplement with.

disclaimer: like i said, haven't paid attention to this in a while.

@Tobacco
Damn I haven’t heard anyone talk about spybot in a long ass time, is it even still around.

Used it way back in the day
 
@Canned Tuna
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zRTwQZ

Since it looks like you're steering towards the RTX 2080 8GB I thought I would issue one last caveat. I don't think they've released the Mini ITX variants for its reference design, so all of them may be double-slotted cards, and none of the Mini-ITX motherboards has more than a single PCIe slot. This doesn't necessarily mean that you can't fit a double-slotted card, but looking at the MSI motherboard, the overhang could be an issue that makes installing it impossible. It's a good idea to run your blueprint by the SFF enthusiasts over at Reddit before you order:
(PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot is on the far right)
index.php


This is what it looks like with the Wraith Stealth and RAM installed, but no GPU yet:
index.php

A Ryzen Mini ITX build with an RTX 2080 is certainly possible. This builder even did it with an ATX PSU and a much smaller case. He used the Silverstone Sugo SG13B case, a Gigabyte B450i Aorus Pro Wifi Mini ITX motherboard, and an NVIDIA Founder's Edition RTX 2080:

  • Silverstone Sugo SG13:
    • 222mm (W) x 181 mm (H) x 285 mm (D)
    • 8.74" (W) x 7.13" (H) x 11.22" (D)
    • 11.5 liters
  • Fractal Design Define Nano S:
    • 275mm (W) x 485mm (H) x 420mm (D)
    • 10.83" (W) x 19.09" (H) x 16.54" (D)
    • 26.8 liters
  • NVIDIA Founder's Edition RTX 2080
    • 116mm (H) x 267mm (L)
    • 4.56" (H) x 10.51" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Dual Fan, 1.8 GHz Boost Clock
  • EVGA Black Edition RTX 2080 ($699)*
    • 111mm (H) x 270mm (L)
    • 4.38" (H) x 10.62" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Dual Fan, 1.71 GHz Boost Clock
  • Gigabyte Turbo OC 8G RTX 2080 ($689- $20 rebate)
    • 114mm (H) x 272mm (L)
    • 4.47" (H) x 10.71" (L)
    • Double-Slot
    • Blower Fan, 1.785 GHz Boost Clock
I selected the EVGA Black Edition for your build because it combines dual fans with the most conservative clocks which should produce the least amount of heat, but also the weakest performance by several fps on average. High temps have been an issue with the new RTX cards, so I'm just playing it safe with my recommendations due to the paucity of review material out there for the series.


rH5p7fE.jpg


ulfKzYH.jpg


yQAbErR.jpg


d51SvQ3.jpg


Here was a jpeg I found listing all of the RTX 2080 lengths, but unfortunately not their widths or height:
5iv7eb9fu1p11.png

Also, while the R5-2600 is definitely the best bang-for-your-buck, especially since it carries a stock 3.4GHz base clock, the one potential CPU upgrade you might consider for this blueprint is the R7-2700 (+$65), but you're at $1502 after the $20 rebate with the build we have for you:


Thanks, I'll definitely run it by them first. I'm comfortable assembling the PC, but I'd rather not make alterations (cutting/drilling) to the parts if I don't have to. It seems like the hardcore sff guys do quite a bit of altering.
 
Damn I haven’t heard anyone talk about spybot in a long ass time, is it even still around.

Used it way back in the day


i actually used it until a few months ago or so. but their current website/etc look pretty shady and i presume they're not doing well/probably isn't actually worth using now.
 
@Madmick

I just got a job offer that won't require flying or staying in hotels, so portability just became a lot less important. My rig is 5 years old, though, so I'm still looking to do a $1500 build. I'm just looking at mid sized towers now.
 
I see your latest comment. Final thoughts on your ITX ambitions first.
Thanks, I'll definitely run it by them first. I'm comfortable assembling the PC, but I'd rather not make alterations (cutting/drilling) to the parts if I don't have to. It seems like the hardcore sff guys do quite a bit of altering.
Well, the alternative there would be to get that RTX 2070 Gigabyte Mini ITX ($499) instead:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/DD...-2070-8-gb-mini-itx-video-card-gv-n2070ix-8gc

That shaves $200 off your total. It sacrifices ~15% GPU performance, but since this was destined for the hotels and whatnot with variable TVs, I don't see the benefit to the RTX 2080 except potentially for longevity in meeting minimum/recommended requirements for games way down the road. The RTX 2070 is a much better value. Additionally, you could use that reserve cash for the R7-2700 upgrade and to up your RAM to 32GB out of the gate. Such a build would prove better prepped for the inevitable GPU upgrade which is always the first component that ages out of relevance, anyway, and also better for streaming if you happen to dabble in that, so this strategy seems more sensible than the potential longevity advantage the RTX 2080 alternative promises.

Unfortunately, the lowest price on the R7-2700 I'm seeing just shot up $25, but that constantly fluctuates, so I'm sure you'll see it back down around $225 (or lower) inside of the next several weeks-- sales are frequent with Ryzen. Also consider that the R7-2700 comes with the Wraith Spire by default, not the Wraith Stealth. It runs ~4C cooler under peak loads, but it's also bulkier:

Know that the G. Skill Flare X RAM shown in that picture I posted previously already installed (along with the Wraith Stealth) in the MSI Mini ITX motherboard I picked for you are 40mm tall. That's only 3mm shorter than the G. Skill Ripjaw series which are top performers that often inhabit the best price point among 3000MHz+ sticks. The Stealth has a solid clearance. The Corsair LPX, by comparison, are just 31mm tall, so they are a safe low-profile choice, and offer more breathing room, but probably not necessary:
index.php

I see your most recent comment, and the shift in the core build strategy. I gotta say I was really intrigued with the idea of a Lian Li PC-TU100 build. Here is one Redditor's phenomenal spreadsheet listing most of the Mini ITX cases on the market right now. It's really handy to be able to see the dimensions and volumes/footprints all listed side-by-side along with the max GPU length, max CPU cooler height, supported PSU types, and drive expansions:

@Madmick

I just got a job offer that won't require flying or staying in hotels, so portability just became a lot less important. My rig is 5 years old, though, so I'm still looking to do a $1500 build. I'm just looking at mid sized towers now.
In that case life becomes easier, but not much changes as far as your component selection. The biggest gain comes with the PSU since you could get the same power & quality for quite a bit less selecting a normal ATX-sized unit. You could also get a cheaper viable motherboard feature-for-feature unless you want to keep native 802.11ac WiFi capability, but I think $120 is an appropriate starting price point for a build containing an RTX 2080. You'll want ample power delivery and a quality VRM even if you aren't overclocking.

PSU
PSU Tier List
PSU Review Database

The cheapest 650W PSU of a really high caliber I'm seeing right now is the Rosewill Capstone Gold 650W. Don't let hate against lesser Rosewill series deter you. The Capstone is manufactured by Superflower, and won a Silver Editor's Award recommendation from Anandtech. You'll notice it is slotted into "Tier B" by the PC community above thanks to reviews like this. If you want more power in a Tier A PSU the Corsair TXM 850W is just $18 more right now. Great deals. The most desirable thing these two don't promise is a fully modular design to really reduce cable clutter. I'm used to seeing the EVGA G2 PSUs offering the best price for that, but right now the Thermaltake Toughpower is the best choice. Finally, if you want a "Tier S" PSU, despite that the Tier list categorizes the EVGA P2 series as only Tier A, but I'd ignore that. The EVGA P2 650W received a 9.8 from JonnyGuru and a perfect performance score from Tom's Hardware which is higher than the Antec HCP-Platinum series PSUs, for example.


MOTHERBOARD
The ASRock B450 Pro 4 is your entry point. You can add WiFi & Bluetooth with PCIe/USB adapters, but it isn't any cheaper for a solid choice among these even though you'll have the space, and the convenience of having it built in is nice, so I think the Gigabyte B450 Aorus Pro WiFi (rev 1.0) is a great choice. The ASRock X470 Master SLI/AC is there if you want to step up to an X470 board with way more ports. All can overclock, but none are great choices for ambitious overclocking though that is really more the province of Intel CPUs these days.

CASE
The case we had selected for you isn't pricier than the any advisable Mid ATX tower (not a whole lot smaller, either, btw). Aesthetics becomes a more prominent factor. Tons of choices. Companies renowned for build quality and/or innovative design, or who are routinely awarded in Case Roundups or with Editor’s Choice selections (I use these to filter in PCPP):
  • Bitfenix
  • be silent!
  • Cooler Master
  • Corsair
  • Fractal Design
  • InWin
  • NZXT
  • Lian Li
  • Phanteks
  • Silverstone
  • Thermaltake

The Rosewill Challenger and Corsair Carbide 200R are barebones budget hallmarks, but a bit older designs.
The Corsair 270R and Corsair 275R are bettered contemporary versions of the latter.
The Corsair Carbide 400C, NZXT S340, and NZXT H500 are attractively priced a step above those.
The Fractal Design Meshify C, Cooler Master H500, Cooler Master H500P, and Silverstone RL06 Pro are top airflow cases.
The Fractal Design Define C, Fractal Design Define S, Fractal Design R5, Fractal Design R6, Be Quiet Pure Base 600, and Be Quiet Dark Base Pro 900 Rev2 are top noise-dampening cases.
The Lian Li PC-011 Dynamic won the Gamer's Nexus 2018 case of the year, but know it is a Full ATX case.


CPU
R5-2600 or the R7-2700. Simple. The former is a better buy with the current prices. Still, if you have to choose at this juncture between upgrading to the R7-2700, or getting 32GB of RAM, I think upgrading the CPU makes far more sense. There is reserve budget for neither with an RTX 2080 GPU and the Intel SSD we have chosen for you.

GPU


With an ATX case you shouldn't have to fret about issues with the double-slot width of any RTX 2080. There's almost no difference in framerates between the various RTX 2080s at stock. I'd just shoot for the highest base clock at the best price point with a double or triple fan design. The Founder's Editions are known to run hot, so I'd consider avoiding those and their clones despite strong reviews for the latter (ex. MSI Ventus). The Asus ROG Strix, EVGA XC, & EVGA XC Ultra units are the most in demand, but come at a stiff premium because of that.

STORAGE
No need to change the Intel 2TB m.2 SSD for $240 because it's just a spectacular value ($60 per 500GB of NVMe-level SSD performance). You can get a lot more storage for less with HDDs, but load times and overall snappiness with this drive will just be bliss. It's also tiny in that m.2 socket. I love this selection.

RAM
You could look at the G. Skill Ripjaw V series without as much concern for space, but I don't see a better option than the Corsair LPX sticks. I did upgrade to the 3200MHz CAS16 sticks. Same cycle time, but slightly higher bandwidth binning.


Mid ATX Build Blueprint
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/v7PVzY
 
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