Last Few Component Undecided

[tenub]

Trying to figure out my motherboard, memory, and case. Current items are here. This will mainly be used for gaming, streaming, archiving (compressing/decompressing), light Photoshop use, etc. I have no limit to my budget, although I'd like to keep it under my tax refund amount (~$2300) if possible. I'm currently running two Acer G235H monitors (usually gaming on one and streaming video on the other).

I am heavily leaning towards ASRock Z87E-ITX, Corsair Vengeance LP 2x8GB DDR3-1600, and Corsair 250D, but would like to know if a different form factor may be more beneficial. I'm not planning on doing any huge overclocking, although I would like to do a decent amount if it's possible. I of course consider reliability and stability over performance and take noise, temperature, and weight/portability into great consideration (listed with importance in descending order).

1. Would a microATX build or a standard ATX build in a small mid tower case be more advisable in my case?
2. Regardless, are there any recommendations over my current selections?
3. Also, is 16GB memory overkill? I figure it might be if games / general computing aren't utilizing the majority of it before DDR4 becomes a recommended standard.
4. Should I consider monitor replacement / addition? This QNIX QX2710 looks awfully enticing from the threads that have popped up in these forums. However, the major question is: is it actually worth getting one and running it alongside my current monitors (or possibly two to replace my current monitors) or should I save my money?

 

[Dangman]

1) Well, you can get reliability and stability in pretty much any platform/case available these days. So consider that a given. As for noise, ATX is going to be your best bet for cost-effective low-noise cases. For portability, mITX obviously. Are you planning on doing any sort of SLI/CFX? Any potential to need more than 16GB of RAM?

2) That RAM is overpriced for sure. You can get similar performing RAM for less:
$149 - Kingston HyperX Red 2 x 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM

3) Depends on what exactly you're using the PC for. For just gaming, web browsing, and media playback, 16GB of RAM is a tad overkill. But still worth getting IMO if you have a large enough budget. If all you're doing is gaming, web browsing, and media playback, 16GB of RAM is more than enough for years to come. AS such, that would make the mITX route you've proposed (assuing that you do the RAM change) a good idea.

4) N/A.

 

[tenub]

I would only SLI if required by my displays. If I get the QNIX to game on and run the other two monitors to the sides for streaming, other tasks, etc. I still think a GTX 780 Ti would suffice, yes?

I only selected that RAM because I gravitate towards Corsair and G.Skill when it comes to memory. Plus I'd like some low profile black heatspreaders to match the case / motherboard.

Thanks for the opinion. I'm guessing mITX is the right path until I get any objections in this thread with good reasoning; by the time I have use for over 16 GB memory DDR4 will probably have already been well-matured and a new build will have long been warranted. That or if someone convinces me that gaming on a 2560x1440 resolution display is totally worth it and a GTX 780 Ti would not be sufficient for current / near-future games - then I would consider SLI on ATX.

 

[Dangman]

I would only SLI if required by my displays. If I get the QNIX to game on and run the other two monitors to the sides for streaming, other tasks, etc. I still think a GTX 780 Ti would suffice, yes?

As long as you don't have any demanding performance requirements, yes.

I only selected that RAM because I gravitate towards Corsair and G.Skill when it comes to memory. Plus I'd like some low profile black heatspreaders to match the case / motherboard.

I get the color preference but for $20 more for just a different color? That's just not a sane decision IMO.

Thanks for the opinion. I'm guessing mITX is the right path until I get any objections in this thread with good reasoning; by the time I have use for over 16 GB memory DDR4 will probably have already been well-matured and a new build will have long been warranted. That or if someone convinces me that gaming on a 2560x1440 resolution display is totally worth it and a GTX 780 Ti would not be sufficient for current / near-future games - then I would consider SLI on ATX.

Well what monitors do you have now?

 

[tenub]

Well what monitors do you have now?

Ahem, original post.

Edit: also, the Corsair LP can be had for $148.50 after the 10% coupon from NewEgg which expires in a day or so, making it only a few dollars more than the Kingston HyperX.

 

[Dangman]

Ahem, original post.

Ahh. Hmm..

AS long as you stick with 1080P, the 780 Ti will be fine. With that said, when I jumped from 1600x900 to 1920x1080P, that was a big difference in overall game-view and WOW factor. IMO. So the jump from 1080P to 2560x1440 might yield that same "WOW" factor.

Edit: also, the Corsair LP can be had for $148.50 after the 10% coupon from NewEgg which expires in a day or so, making it only a few dollars more than the Kingston HyperX.

If you can buy it before it expires, go for it. Otherwise, poor buy.