NB: Silent Gaming & Workstation Computer

[Tobbe]

Hi,

So I will FINALLY build together a new Stationary PC around March/April 2014. It was over 10 years since I last built a stationary rig DIY style and my god. How much progress have been made.

Anyways I need some help piecing together Silent but Perfoming computer that I will OC but not to the extreme.

Budget: 5000-5500usd
Main uses of intended build: SILENT Gaming & Working (Photoshop PSD Layers, HD Video Editing, Editing 16mb+ .raw Photos)
Parts required: New rig from Scratch.
Previous build information: Keyboard & Mouse
Monitor resolution: 3 monitors will be used but don't know what res to run at.
Storage requirements: 2x SSD Raid 0 for Boot & Edit 1x Storage Mechanical drive.
Will you be overclocking: yes
Any motherboard requirements (no. of USB, Xfire/SLI, fan headers):
Extra information about desired system:

The nr1. Goal is to have a Silent High-Performing rig. The Computer IS NOT intended to be a Bling Bling "show the goddies" with a window etc. rig. If that could be had without compromising noise levels then I'll consider it but the rig needs to be QUIET.

I will be doing a custom Watercooling loop.

Additional Note:
Below I will list the parts I am thinking about so far. Please not that in my Budget I am looking at having 1 monitor included. The other 2 I can buy afterwards. Cost for Watercooling not included in Budget (treated as extra).

Chassi: Fractal Design Define R4
PSU: Unkown, will go High end. Main goal is Quiet, High energy efficiency. I'm thinking somthing from or similar to Be Quiet?
MOBO: Maximus VI Formula (use onboard crosschill with watercooling)
CPU: i7-4770K
RAM: 32GB - Need suggestion on Brand, Type & Speed (Goal is to prevent bottleneck) - Possibly use Ramdisk.
GPU: 2x EVGA Geforce GTX 780ti Hydro Copper
SSD: 2x Samsung SSD 840 PRO 512gb (Raid 0)
HDD: WD Desktop Green 3TB
MONITOR: Need suggestion for 3-monitor setup for Gaming & HD Video Editing. I spend A LOT of hours behind the monitor.

WATERCOOLING:
Suggestion needed. I don't need the nr1 focus to be Ultimate Perfomance. My main goal is Silent High Performance. Clear (non Dyed) fluid. Solid color tubing / or clear.

I have also been thinking about using the same overall build as above but do a
MOBO: Rampage IV Extreme - Black Edition
CPU: i7-4930K

I am not sure what would be the better Alternative for my needs. RIVE or Maximus?

Any feedback and help on this matter is greatly appreciated. It's A LOT of money
but I've been holding back for YEARS due to a Bad Debt that is finally paid off so
I can allow myself to go a bit "Overboard" 🙂

[Tobbe]

kkn wrote:
if thats an option then i would guess so.
if i remember ill try and see if i can switch over the doors on mine later today.
just remember the 900d case is huge.
i have mabye 1 or 2 fans thats making noice and they are connected to the mobo and not to the fan controller so that may be the problem whit me as of now.
where are you going to buy parts from??

It would be completely fantastic if you could check and see if the 900D right panel fits on the left side. That would solve quite a few things for me. I searched High and Low and there just isn't any "900d" sized Silenzed cases on there. Well I guess I could move up to a full blow rack fridge but that obviously isn't the answer.

I don't know where I will be buying all parts from yet. First I need to get clear on what parts to buy 😉

[Tobbe]

[Silent Cooling 900d]
So I am going to go ahead and have a serious look at the 900d. Components will be as mentioned above (I am still undecided on the mobo but overall config should look the same).

[Water cooling Radiators]
So if I understood things correctly I can have 1x480 rad at the top and 1x480 rad at the bottom.
Will this be overkill or adequate for the build I have in mind?

I'm thinking 2x480 HW-Labs Black Ice
or
2x480 Alphacool NexXxoS UT60

[Fans for the Radiators]

I'm thinking undervolted
8x120mm Noctua NF-A14 FLX

I'm not to worried about the looks of the Noctua Fans. I wont be able
to see the components from where I will place the rig.

How does this look so far?

[Tobbe]

[Silent Cooling 900d]

So I am going to go ahead and have a serious look at the 900d. Components will be as mentioned above (I am still undecided on the mobo but overall config should look the same).

Water cooling Radiators
So if I understood things correctly I can have 1x480 rad at the top and 1x480 rad at the bottom.
Will this be overkill or adequate for the build I have in mind?

I'm thinking 2x480 HW-Labs Black Ice
or
Alphacool NexXxoS UT60

Fans for the Radiators

I'm thinking undervolted
8x120mm Noctua NF-A14 FLX

I'm not to worried about the looks of the Noctua Fans. I wont be able
to see the components from where I will place the rig.

How does this look so far?

[Tobbe]

[MOBO Showdown!]

So I am quite torn when it comes to what MOBO to pick. I have narrowed it down to

Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition vs Maximus Formula or Maximus Extreme.

Becides the obvious differences in CPU I wonder what the real difference is between these motherboards?
What are the PRO's and CON's of the respective board?

I've tried studying up on it but my head is spinning as it is...

[Tobbe]

Tobbe wrote:
[MOBO Showdown!]

So I am quite torn when it comes to what MOBO to pick. I have narrowed it down to

Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition vs Maximus Formula or Maximus Extreme.

Becides the obvious differences in CPU I wonder what the real difference is between these motherboards?
What are the PRO's and CON's of the respective board?

I've tried studying up on it but my head is spinning as it is...

So I have decided to go ahead with the Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition.
Here are my reasoning behind it.

Reasons for choocing the RIVE BE

• Corsair Obsidian 900D is needed to do my Water Cooling. It has room for the RIVE BE so I will take advantage of the space.
  
• The RIVE BE Supports up to 4-way SLI fullspeed. The Maximus Formula doesn support full speed on all PCI Slots. The Maximus also doesnt support 4-way SLI
  
• RIVE Can have 64gb of Ram. Maximus Only 32. This way I can run a Bigger RAMDISK with RIVE and also have a longer lifespan on the board. (If programes and games requires more then 32GB memory in the coming years).
  
• The Maximus comes with cross-chill hybrid cooling. It has aliminium on the onboard waterblock. Despite having taken actions to ensure that doesnt becomes an issue, I much rather decide what Watercooling blocks to add to the RIVE and not taking a risk with the System.
  

[kkn]

im sorry but i havent had time to test the doors yet.
try non padded first and see how it is.
the monsta on top i cant say for shure, but i use a 360 / 45mm rad there and 480 +240 on bottom ( all 45mm tick ).
look at www.aquatuning.de and take a look. frozencpu.com is one too ( us based ).

[kkn]

doors fits on each side.

[Tobbe]

kkn wrote:
doors fits on each side.

Super thanks for trying this out KKN. Just to confirm that I have understood
you correctly. The Solid right door panel works on the left side as well?

[kkn]

yes. tested both doors on each side.
test before buying extra door so you dont trow away your monney.

[Tobbe]

kkn wrote:
yes. tested both doors on each side.
test before buying extra door so you dont trow away your monney.

That is awesome news 🙂

I will definitely start by building the rig without an extra solid door panel or sound dampening materials
attached to doors etc. Depending on sound levels I may or may not go ahead with the "dampening project"
off the 900D. That is if my curiosity doesn't get the better of me that is.


I haven't seen that much in the way of 900D Watercooled OC Perfomance rig with a similar approach.

I don 't think there will be a need for dampening when doing normal "office like" work. I guess what will
determine the need or not to dampen it up comes from how the machine performance acusticly under load 🙂

I really can't thank you enough for checking this. It has really confirmed that going 900D for this build is
the right choice 🙂