General Chat Thread

onlyabloke

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Jul 22, 2016
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For anything that doesn't quite deserve a topic as well as just general informal chat.

Figured since most forums have one for BS Chatting and this one doesn't, I'd start it.

So yeah, what's up folks?! I'm building what must be my ninth list on PCPartPicker.
 

onlyabloke

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The current draft of my proposed build. // Updated with other builds - differences highlights. The Graphics cards will most likely be replaced by the new GTX 1060.

Also, these builds could eventually end up scrapped altogether so take all this with a grain of salt. I'm experimenting.

Build One
CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB SC GAMING Video Card
Case: RAIJINTEK Metis (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Gold 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply
Case Fan: CRYORIG QF120 Silent 44.0 CFM 120mm Fan
Total: $960.81
Build Two
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: be quiet! SHADOW ROCK LP 51.4 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB ITX Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Define Nano S
Power Supply: Silverstone 450W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply
Case Fan: be quiet! SilentWings 2 50.5 CFM 120mm Fan
Total: $1099.73​

Build Three (More of a budget)
CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: be quiet! SHADOW ROCK LP 51.4 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: MSI B150I GAMING PRO AC Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory *
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card
Case: RAIJINTEK Metis (Silver) Mini ITX Tower Case
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply
Total: $738.92
*Difference between Crucial standard and selected is $5, not enough for me to worry about.
 
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BirdofPrey

Standards Guru
Sep 3, 2015
797
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The GA-Z170N sure does seem to be a popular board. I almost got one myself, but went with the H170 instead.
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
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May 9, 2015
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This topic has derailed before it even started :D

But I don't see a problem with a general chat topic, although we do already have fragmented topics like the "What did you do today ?", "Because we should laugh at least once a day", "Show your new toys Topic" and "What games are you playing?", which for me covers a lot of stuff I'm willing to share.

A few suggestions I'd like to make on your list:
- a Z170 board has not much use if not paired with a overclocking-enabled CPU (i5-6600K or i7-6700K), since every board from the H110 to the Z170 will perform exactly the same. It's features and extras that remains if overclocking isn't needed. As @BirdofPrey mentioned you could look into a H170 board that has probably the same feature set but costs considerably less.

- The FuryX RAM is pretty, but it's wasted money. Just get the cheapest pair of 2133 or 2400MHz (about the same price) with CAS Latency at 15ms or lower with as low-profile heatsinks as possible (or none at all) because these are an unexpected enemy in SFF world, giving problems with CPU cooling in general. "Crucial Ballistix Sport" and "G.Skill Value F4" seem like good choices.

- Potentially with the money saved on these two previous items, you can buy a larger SSD if needed.

- the ST45SF-G power supply is a noisy one, I'd much rather recommend the Corsair SF450.
 

onlyabloke

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Jul 22, 2016
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The GA-Z170N sure does seem to be a popular board. I almost got one myself, but went with the H170 instead.

I'm still leaning towards the ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Impact, or the other one they released, B150, I think? But I'm just trying to find the best bang for my buck. I'll have some money at the end of the year (CD Maturing) to spend. Using some of it to buy a computer. Would like to keep it under $2k with the OS/Monitor, etc. Rest will be rent/furniture/back into another CD.

This topic has derailed before it even started :D

But I don't see a problem with a general chat topic, although we do already have fragmented topics like the "What did you do today ?", "Because we should laugh at least once a day", "Show your new toys Topic" and "What games are you playing?", which for me covers a lot of stuff I'm willing to share.

Another forum I'm on it's called the Whore Thread, lol. People just hop in the thread and chat about non-sense all day. Biggest thread on the form. Figured since this one is pretty new, instead of having to hunt and create a new thread for every single little comment, might as well have one big one.

A few suggestions I'd like to make on your list:
- a Z170 board has not much use if not paired with a overclocking-enabled CPU (i5-6600K or i7-6700K), since every board from the H110 to the Z170 will perform exactly the same. It's features and extras that remains if overclocking isn't needed. As @BirdofPrey mentioned you could look into a H170 board that has probably the same feature set but costs considerably less.

I'll take a look! If I go with the above build (I have a few others that do list the 6600K) it'll be a starter build that I'd upgrade overtime. So I'd like to stay with a motherboard that I could use the 6600K with if I so desire to upgrade.

- The FuryX RAM is pretty, but it's wasted money. Just get the cheapest pair of 2133 or 2400MHz (about the same price) with CAS Latency at 15ms or lower with as low-profile heatsinks as possible (or none at all) because these are an unexpected enemy in SFF world, giving problems with CPU cooling in general. "Crucial Ballistix Sport" and "G.Skill Value F4" seem like good choices.

My build is going to be a lot aesthetics. As much as I like the massively tiny frames/towers/cases that you folks here use, they wouldn't really be much good to me. I'm aiming to make something I can look at everyday and enjoy. One of my builds features the NZXT Hue+ and the Crucial Vengeance LED RAM. Yeah I know, get the pitchforks out! I'm starting with the Raijintek Metis and using these two builds as inspiration.

Mod 0 by Newbtek (PCPP) - http://pcpartpicker.com/b/hPCypg



Bombate ITX by Bloob002 (PCPP) - http://pcpartpicker.com/b/stjcCJ



If I can't get the Metis to look and feel how I want it to, I'd probably move into either a Fractal Design Define Nano S, a EVOLV ITX, or a Geeekstore A10 if I can get my hands on one. Something a bit large with more room to experiement. Originally I wanted a Manta, but since I don't plan on doing any massive water-cooled loops it's not really needed.

- Potentially with the money saved on these two previous items, you can buy a larger SSD if needed.

I have a couple of them sitting around the house, so I'm not too worried about it.

- the ST45SF-G power supply is a noisy one, I'd much rather recommend the Corsair SF450.

I'll take a look, haven't done much in the way of power supplies just yet. I'm still looking around for good deals and whatnot on them, but seeing as how it won't be till the end of the year I have to bide my time.
 
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onlyabloke

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Jul 22, 2016
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Double post because I haven nothing better to do. Also updated the build post with costs and additional builds.

If the Metis fails and I go to a bigger case, mine would probably look something like this, space wise. Which isn't terrible but I'd probably end up filling the negative space with something.

EVOLV ITX - http://pcpartpicker.com/b/CVJV3C



EVGA Hadron (I don't like the built in PSU) - http://pcpartpicker.com/b/2sqkcf
 
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Phuncz

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May 9, 2015
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I like the design very much, it looks very OEM-like and can be used as such considering the 1U PSU and reference card support (as a maximum). I do like the front I/O with the HDMI connector, which is very handy for VR headsets. The only thing I dislike is the window, I would prefer a push-pin metal panel with perforations.
 

iFreilicht

FlexATX Authority
Feb 28, 2015
3,243
2,361
freilite.com
What do you guys think? I think it looks really nice, it's basically a sleeker implementation of the Hydra Defcon One layout:

Waaait the Hydra Defcon One actually got funded? Huh, and the builds they delivered looked quite good, too. But yeah I like the Orthrus a lot more, too. It will be super-expensive though, the risers alone cost 160$.

The only thing I dislike is the window, I would prefer a push-pin metal panel with perforations.

I think that implementation was well-chosen, though. Pushpins mean that acrylic windows are much more complicated to mount and allow less freedom to the user, and would've increased the cost of the case quite significantly. The way it is now, the user can get measurements for the side panel and have an acrylic piece cut at a local shop to fit the fans of their GPUs perfectly.
 

onlyabloke

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Jul 22, 2016
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Got bored of GTAV and decided to take another look at the build. This is V2! For now.

Took the advice of a few people about the CPU Cooler. I'm not dead set on overclocking but I'm not against it either so I'm leaving my options open and keeping the Z170 board (also the H170 version is only about $10 cheaper). Since there's only a few dollar difference between the i5-6600 and the i5-6600K, if I decide to upgrade or change my mind to the 6600, it'll be the K series anyhow and I'll get a bigger fan. However if I stay with the 6500, I'll keep the listed fan or the Cryorig C7, depending on which look I decide I like more. Also debating the Be Quiet Shadow Rock LP as well.

Link to PCPP: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/3gFf9W
CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12LS_BK 53.3 CFM
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1151
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400
Storage: A-Data SP900 M.2 128GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB SC GAMING
Case: RAIJINTEK Metis (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Gold 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX
Case Fan: Phanteks PH-F120MP 53.3 CFM 120mm
Total: $986.90​

All of this should fit inside the Metis comfortably. Might even have room for an White LED or two for lighting and viewing. Naturally if I mod the case for more fans I'll have to include a fan controller as well (most likely the NZXT Grid+). The PSU should be more than enough since PCPP is estimating about 261w for this build.

Really can't wait to start on this build, I'm starting to get itchy fingers haha.
 
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jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
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M.2 drives are not all created equal. That AData SP900 is of the M.2 form factor, but uses a SATA interface and thus is not any faster than the 850 EVO you have in the list.

It's debatable how much real-world benefit there is to the high-performance M.2 drives, but if you want one looks for the Samsung 950 Pro or even the SM961 if you're feeling daring.
 

onlyabloke

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M.2 drives are not all created equal. That AData SP900 is of the M.2 form factor, but uses a SATA interface and thus is not any faster than the 850 EVO you have in the list.

It's debatable how much real-world benefit there is to the high-performance M.2 drives, but if you want one looks for the Samsung 950 Pro or even the SM961 if you're feeling daring.

Got it. So if I stay with the M2 (which with the limited space it'd be nice to free up a little) I should go with Samsung?

Might just wait on it and see how much space is actually left inside the Metis. 500GB Samsung M2 is $180. I like the build being less than $1k, but we'll see how I feel come build time.
 

jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
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There are several M.2 drives from other manufacturers on the horizon: https://smallformfactor.net/news/computex-2016-ssd-roundup

The only good, high-performance M.2 drives available today though are the Samsung 950 Pro, one of the OEM Samsung drives (SM951, SM961, etc.), the OCZ RD400, and the Kingston HyperX Predator.
  • Of those drives, the Samsung 950 Pro is my recommendation for you. It's well supported by Skylake motherboards, it's fast, and no oddities with the warranty.
  • The SM961 is even faster yet cheaper, but it's an OEM drive so mobo support is not guaranteed and Samsung will not warranty it. RamCity is the only place selling it right now and they will warranty it themselves, but that still leaves the question of mobo support.
  • The OCZ has good performance but it's not much cheaper than the Samsung and to me they have yet to prove themselves as trustworthy after the Vertex drive failure fiasco.
  • The Kingston is a good alternative to the 950 Pro. It's slower but it's also cheaper.
But like I said, it's debatable if you'll really benefit from these drives versus a good SATA SSD like the 850 EVO and all these M.2 drives come at a price premium compared to normal 2.5" drives.
 

Phuncz

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Besides @Aibohphobia 's valid points, the main (tangible) advantage of M.2 SSDs right now is the lack of two cables and need for 2,5" drive mount, which matters to SFF builds.
 

GuilleAcoustic

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Jun 29, 2015
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I'd go with a Corsair SF450 PSU, those are way quieter than the Silverstone. Also, a K CPU is kinda useless for me.

Save money with a cheaper H or Q series motherboard (don't know of any ITX Q170 though) and invest in a bigger SSD or some storage solution like a NAS, which is a must have if your doing photo. At least big enough m.2 for OS + app and 2x 2.5" HDD in mirroring for photo (will provide a basic redundancy but will still need regular backups).
 

PlayfulPhoenix

Founder of SFF.N
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Feb 22, 2015
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Does anyone have any specific recommendations for a NAS?

I've been living off of a 512GB SSD for years now, but my photos and creative projects have grown to the point where it really makes sense to keep those off of my primary drive... I'm debating whether or not to get large drives (with a cache drive) or smaller, faster SSD's for such a thing, though.
 

onlyabloke

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I'd go with a Corsair SF450 PSU, those are way quieter than the Silverstone. Also, a K CPU is kinda useless for me.

Save money with a cheaper H or Q series motherboard (don't know of any ITX Q170 though) and invest in a bigger SSD or some storage solution like a NAS, which is a must have if your doing photo. At least big enough m.2 for OS + app and 2x 2.5" HDD in mirroring for photo (will provide a basic redundancy but will still need regular backups).

The H series motherboard of the same type is barely cheaper, so in my book it's not worth it and this motherboard allows me to upgrade to the 6600 should I feel the 6500 isn't quite what I want. Which works for me because I'm extremely indecisive on things like this (I've changed this build about thirty times in two days). Also that PSU and the case I'm using are apparently not compatible.

As far as a NAS goes, I feel like that might be a bit over my head for the time being. I'd have to do some research to see how to make it all work and keep it hidden away from sight, being that I'm in a very small apartment and space is limited. Don't get me wrong though, a NAS would be awesome for my photos and music and all that, but I'm just not sure how I'd make it work. Best I could do would probably be on of the WD ones that are similar to a External? I don't know.

EDIT: Okay, so I've been looking at NAS solutions and now I'm intrigued. Would it be better to buy one that's already set up and ready to go, or build one? For a 4TB WD NAS it's like $300 and some change. The only issue I have with that is that it's "cloud technology". I don't really need my information to be accessible from anywhere and I don't like the middle man anywhere. So would it be more practical to build my own that I can upgrade as I need? Had a case like this in mind - http://www.u-nas.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17610&cat=0&featured=Y
 
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