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Hello techreport-forum-users!
I am following the techreport since I saw Scott appearing in linus videos quite a while back and I am really enjoying the content here, even though I am a bit sad that Scott is gone, I still think this site provides top-notch info! Really appreciate the work and the community here (forum lurker, first time poster myself).

I read all the posting guidelines and sticked with the provided layout.
The build is nearly done and I want mostly to get some feedback on a few specific parts - just to gather a few product names / suggestions that I can check out in detail in the next 1-2 days before ordering. I am upgrading from a 2500k due to two reasons
a) new PC is required for family member, thus will pass my 2500k along down the line (light office / multi media work)
b) wanted to get better single core performance for a while and now it feels like an upgrade makes some kind of sense, since with the i7-7820x you get the single core performance while also being kind of future proof with the 8 cores - with the added benefit of making video editing/streaming/multiple programs at once working smoother.
Since graphic cards are super expensive right now and I am not the typical gamer (don't need best graphic card for the titles I play for the foreseeable future), I will continue to use my 960 4gb for 6-12 more months. I will also keep using my headphones (sennheiser 650) / keyboard/mouse and my monitor (Asus PG278 - 144Hz, GSync, 27" 2560*1440) but I am looking to buy one additional monitor since the one I am using as #2 monitor will also be passed down the line with the 2500k.

I really hope you guys can provide me with some useful infos (especially case / mobo / and maybe also m.2 SSD / RAM / power supply / #2 monitor).
If you could just toss in same product names (that might be a good fit for the corresponding slot) with a few hints, that would be great! I will check those in more detail.

Kind Regards and thanks for your help!
Sabott

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1 Parts:
http://pcpartpicker.com/list/xfVJ4C (need to remove the space before the com, since I am not allowed to post links yet)
Copy/Pasted below:

CPU
Intel - Core i7-7820X 3.6GHz 8-Core Processor
€574.85 FREE €574.85 Mindfactory

CPU Cooler
Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
€87.99 €87.99 Aquatuning

Motherboard
Asus - PRIME X299-DELUXE ATX LGA2066 Motherboard
€391.95 FREE €391.95 Mindfactory

Memory
G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory
€284.99 Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime €284.99 Amazon Deutschland

Storage
Samsung - 960 EVO 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive
€425.33 FREE €425.33 Mindfactory
Western Digital - Black 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
€252.87 FREE €252.87 Mindfactory
Western Digital - Black 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
€252.87 FREE €252.87 Mindfactory

Video Card
Asus - GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card
€0.00 (Purchased)

Case
Corsair - Carbide Clear 600C ATX Full Tower Case
€132.84 FREE €132.84 Mindfactory

Power Supply
be quiet! - Dark Power Pro 11 650W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
€149.45 FREE €149.45 Mindfactory

Operating System
Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro Full - USB 32/64-bit
€20.00 Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime €20.00 Amazon Deutschland

Monitor
Asus - ROG SWIFT PG278QR 27.0" 2560x1440 144Hz Monitor
€655.13 Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime €655.13 Amazon Deutschland

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2. intended usage:
- Gaming: Some indi / less optimized titles with the need for strong single core performance // Some titles which can make use of 2-4 cores.
- Streaming: Occasional streaming
- Video editing: Occasional video editing
- Browsing: Usually Opera and Chrome open at the same time. Around 50-100 tabs open.
- Data Storage (in addition to backups on another machine)
- Working with spreadsheets / multiple programs at once (making use of all monitors available)
Many of the above mentioned tasks will be executed at the same time: e.g. gaming/streaming/browsing/video playback or video editing/browsing

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3 / 6. Checking vendors / Location: I will buy from 1-2 German retailers (not the ones that part-picker choose, prices are similar) I have already a track record with - no issues in the last years.

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4. Budget: The current build is around €3368.27 which is already a bit pricey.
Depending on the feedback here I am willing to spend around 500€ more if there are some worthwhile parts to switch around.

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7. Specific parts (I am asking anyways, since I just need a few options, will do the in-depth digging after that).

CPU Intel - Core i7-7820X 3.6GHz 8-Core Processor
Seems like good combination of max single core performance while also providing 8 cores for added utility. Don't intend to overclock till the CPU is at the end of its life cycle. Also provides plenty of PCIE lanes for the desired connectivity.

CPU Cooler Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
I don't want to get a water cooler and NH-D15 seems to be the best air cooler around.

Motherboard Asus - PRIME X299-DELUXE ATX LGA2066 Motherboard
Not really sure about the different options for X299. I need a mobo with a decent sound card, plenty of connections (USB/Sata) and good build quality.

Memory G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory
Memory seems kind of expensive right now. My current rig has 12GB and this is usually used up to 80-100% depending on browser/games I am using. Eventually I want to get 64GB and use the quad channel interface but if I want to go down that route it seems to make more sense to get two decent 16GB sticks and then upgrade later. Would hate to buy 4*8GB and then being "stuck" (=resell and buy new 4*16BG sticks), even though I could make use of the quad channel interface immediately.

SSD and/or Hard Drive Samsung - 960 EVO 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive + 2* Western Digital - Black 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
M.2 PCIE SSD with 1TB for windows and programs/games seems the right way to go. The 2*6TB are used for video storage (new and old) / backup storage from another PC and all programs that don't fit on the 1TB SSD. In my current rig I am using 2*3TB+1TB HHDS and 250GB SSD. Pretty much all used to 80% of their capacity.

DVD and/or Blu-ray Drive
First PC I am not including one of those. Might end up using the one from my old PC or maybe buy an external one.

Backup Device
Relevant data is backed up on another PC.

Video Card Asus - GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card
Using my 960 till new gen comes out / prices are reasonable again. Not bottle-necking me on the games / programs I use.

Sound Card / Network Card
Built-in mobo

Power Supply be quiet! - Dark Power Pro 11 650W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
I rather want to heave some headroom here since I had a lot of (low quality) power supplies die on me in the past. Also efficiency plays a slightly higher role since the energy prices in Germany are rather high.

Media Card Reader / Cable Management
Not needed / using cable ties / relying on case.



Outside the Case

Case [placeholder at the moment] Corsair - Carbide Clear 600C ATX Full Tower Case
Really need some input here. I don't need any RGB/glass - how it looks (and weights) it totally not a concern for me. I need a big case (to fit the Noctua - NH-D15 and potentially a larger graphic card in the future, as well as enough space for the HDDS (potentially more to come later on)). I need good air flow and preferably already installed / included fans. On top of that noise was an issue for me in the past, so some kind of decoupling of the HDDS might prove useful. Given all those needs I also don't want to spend more than 150-200€.
Dust filters and good cable management options are also important for me.

Keyboard _____________________ Keep using my G510 (making use of all the macro keys)
Mouse ________________________Keep using my G502
Speakers ______________________Keep using my sennheiser HD650
Monitor _______________________ Keep using my Asus PG278 - 144Hz, GSync, 27" 2560*1440 // Looking for a decent (and less pricey) option (27" 2560*1440 minimum, or bigger) as #2 monitor.
Operating System ______________ Win 10 Pro - will buy OEM key for 10-20€ and see if that works.

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8. System is pretty much ready to be ordered in the next 1-2 days - just want to get feedback on a few specific parts.

Get i9 7900X if you can.

That's all I can say.

Your build looks fine to me! Noctua is good, never have had one of their fans wear out yet they last forever and the NH D15 performance is good.

Sabott wrote:

Video Card Asus - GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card
Using my 960 till new gen comes out / prices are reasonable again. Not bottle-necking me on the games / programs I use.

Good plan. Opinion is Volta should launch at the end of the year.

Sabott wrote:

Parts: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/xfVJ4C

Motherboard: Asus - PRIME X299-DELUXE ATX LGA2066 Motherboard €392
Not really sure about the different options for X299. I need a mobo with a decent sound card, plenty of connections (USB/Sata) and good build quality.

That seems like an expensive motherboard. What features does it offer that make it more attractive to you than another X299 motherboard from Asus or Gigabyte?

Sabott wrote:

Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory €285
Memory seems kind of expensive right now. My current rig has 12GB and this is usually used up to 80-100% depending on browser/games I am using. Eventually I want to get 64GB and use the quad channel interface but if I want to go down that route it seems to make more sense to get two decent 16GB sticks and then upgrade later. Would hate to buy 4* 8GB and then being "stuck" (=resell and buy new 4* 16GB sticks), even though I could make use of the quad channel interface immediately.

You could also start out with 4x 8 GiB today and add another 4x 16 GiB later for 96 GiB, total.

For the use case you're describing, the x299 platform seems kind of overkill -- everything in there could be easily done on a z270 or any of the RyZen platforms for substantially less money.

How much of a hurry are you in? We know that Intel will be releasing 6 core CPUs in their mainstream platform (whatever it ends up being called) in a few months, and of course you can also get 6 or 8 cores in a RyZen system today. Both of those would save you a load of money over x299.

Worth considering since you do mention the overall price tag is higher than you would like.

Thanks for all the advice - really appreciate it!

@SkyWarrior: i9 7900X would be overkill for me. I won't need 44PCIE lanes, will be fine with 28 for my setup. The 2 more cores don't help that much with my use case and the price difference between both processors is quite significant.

@Kougar: Agree with the fan and your info on graphic cards. I will probably buy NVIDIA, since my monitor has GSYNC but I will decide that once the next generation of cards launches.

@JustAnEngineer: Good call on that motherboard. I will need to check those out in a bit more detail. Was also looking forward to see the revision of one of asus boards, since it will feature a better heatsink for the VRMS iirc. Additionally good point about the ram. I re-evaluated my plan about it and think I will be fine with 32GB total. So 4*8GB it is. When I would follow your plan - to upgrade to 8 modules later on - would that disable quad channel then?

@K-L-Waster: I have to agree with you about the price/performance aspect but I am willing to bite that bullet. I considered the 6 core intel mainstream option as well but it seems like the singlecore performance does not change much (leak from today talks about 4.7GHz compared to the 4.5GHz on the i7-7820x. The power draw is with 95W definitely much less and probably easier to overclock as well but since I am not looking for a high overclock this is not really an issue for me. About the RyZen: I would have loved to buy RyZen but I don't want to sacrifice single core performance for it - so unfortunately this is not an option. Overall valid points!

Thanks again everyone! If you have some recommendations about a case (functional, no-nonsense - as described in my post above), let me know. I will now check for other motherboard options and then I am pretty much good to go.

Kind Regards
Sabott

Sabott wrote:

I think I will be fine with 32 GiB total. So 4* 8 GiB it is. When I would follow your plan - to upgrade to 8 modules later on - would that disable quad channel then?

Definitely not. The drawback to running two DIMMs per channel (8 DIMMs total) is that it puts more electrical load on the CPU's memory controller, and may therefore require looser timings and/or running with 2T vs. 1T command rate.

If you could stand to wait for Coffee Lake and Z370, I agree with K-L Waster that the yet-to-be-announced Core i7-8700K would probably provide equal performance for your use cases for many fewer Euros than Skylake-X and X299. However, if you have identified the need for a new PC this week, what's coming at the end of the year isn't relevant.

Components are now on the way.
I switched to the Fractal Design Define R5 since the other case was too small to fit the Noctua - NH-D15.
Mainboard stayed the same after extensive research since it offers a lot of connectivity compared to the other solutions.

https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/XgcXwV

Thanks again for your help!