My wife used to tell me that I’m the only person she knew who could relax after working all day in front of a computer, sitting in front of a computer.
She doesn’t know IT geeks well does she. 😉
She’s right. I’ve recently re-discovered computer-gaming, and PC building in general…just for grins decided I was going to build myself a no-holds-barred monster PC for both Gaming and work-related stuff.
So what I ended up with:
CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor
Motherboard: MSI X99A GAMING 7 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Storage: 3xSamsung EVO850 500GB 2.5″ Solid State Drives
Storage: 3xSeagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5″ 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Case: Nanoxia NXDS6B ATX Full Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 1300W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
Optical Drive: Sony BD-5300S Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
Monitor: LG 23MP55HQ-P 60Hz 23.0″ Monitor
Monitor: LG 23MP55HQ-P 60Hz 23.0″ Monitor
Monitor: LG 23MP55HQ-P 60Hz 23.0″ Monitor
Keyboard: Logitech G910 Orion Spark Wired Gaming Keyboard
Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse
Speakers: Logitech Z313 25W 2.1ch Speakers
UPS: APC BX1500G UPS
Custom Water Loop:
XS-PC Raystorm CPU Block
2x XP-PC Memory Waterblock
2x XS-PC Razor GTX980 Blocks / Blackplates
XSPC Photon 170 Reservoir D5 Pump Combo
XSPC 360mm Radiator
XSPC 280mm Radiator
So a couple of interesting bits. I started out with a Single GTX980 and an All-In-One watercooler for the CPU only. Then the upgrade bug hit and I took it the rest of the way. Second GPU, customer watercooling loop (Including for some reason RAM Coolers, which are pretty but don’t do a lot) then adding a third GPU, then backing that out because 3-Way SLI isn’t as stable as I would have liked it to be, and most importantly, modifying the case to add a window which for some reason wasn’t available in the case I purchased.
The Nanoxia Deep Silence 6 is an amazing case. all 1mm steel, weighs a ton, but quiet as hell. I got sick of my office sounding like a server room so opted for more passive cooling options. (The WC is quiet, just a couple of fans that all run at slow speed unless I’m gaming.)
End result is a computer that runs Rise of the Tomb Raider on Ultra graphics across a 5670×1080 “Surround” display without breaking 55 degrees.
Next to replace the 3x 23″ monitors with 3x 27″ 4K Monitors. 🙂 (MIght need the third GPU for that, good thing I kept it) 🙂
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- That New GPU Smell…
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- The barest of bare bones.
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- Early Iteration 1 – All-In-One CPU cooler and Single GTX980 Video Card
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- Single GPU..
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- Chose the GTX980 Reference card for versatility..
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- Crucial Ballistix 8GB Stick
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- A heat-gun to take the old spreaders off
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- heat-tape is sure easier than thermal paste.
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- One custom RAM stick
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- x4 (8 actually)
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- CPU Block.
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- RAM Watercooling block (1of2)
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- More heat tape for the backplate on the GPU.
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- GPU Cooler
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- This was a hot mess for a while.
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- Big slow fans are the secret to a quiet computer.
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- Draining/Refilling
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- leak check!
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- First time I added the second video card.
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- XSPC makes some nice waterblocks.
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- The whole loop.
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- Casemod1
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- Cutting the window
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- I made a hole!
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- Sanded and re-powder-coated…
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- a little glue to hold the plexi in place.
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- And finished
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- Finished2
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- No leaks
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- The first finished product
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- My workstation.
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- Drained to add a new reservoir and change the color.
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- New cylinder Res..
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- All set up.
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- Finished product (for now)
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- A little back-end cable managment..
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- 3rd GPU required more power
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- Adding the 3rd GPU for 3-way SLI
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- Fully Loaded.
1 comment
The Smart-UPS is APC’s business line and should be “smart” no matter where it is installed. It’s perfectly valid for a prosumer to buy a business-class device because s/he needs business-class performance.