New build pulling the trigger today

[jpinks]

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($578.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($108.58 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Black Edition EATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($468.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($134.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 290X 4GB Tri-X Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($563.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 290X 4GB Tri-X Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($563.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)

This is the build. Only thing is a case. I am worried about CF 290x's heat. I was thinking Corsair 760T or 750D to keep things simple using the H110 or H100i as CPU cooling. I don't want or have time for a custom loop. Please throw me a bone if you can spot any problems.

 

[Ultima99]

To me the weakest link here is your mass storage. Seagate under 3TB has been shown to have higher failure rates than a HGST or Western Digital. At the minimum I'd recommend a model with high expectations of reliability but really with the money you're spending 2 drives in RAID 1 isn't a bad idea.

 

[drklu]

idk If I would get into 2011 so late in it's life cycle.
http://thepcenthusiast.com/intel-broadwell-skylake-release-date-revealed/

Also, I would opt for some Trident X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...31589&ef_id=U58oaQAAAEzT@YXI:20140616172457:s

Lastly, using those tri x coolers in sli may generate a lot of heat in your case.

 

[jpinks]

Yeah the Tri-X in CF does concern me. IF IF I can get the wife to swing for it R295x how much more Power supply will I need?

 

[tiraides]

You need to upgrade the operating system to either Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 (it doesn't matter whether you choose Pro or non-Pro). Windows 7 Home Premium has a 16GB memory cap that reads GDDR memory first and DDR3 RAM last -- in other words, Windows won't recognize that you have 16GB of DDR3 RAM.

Before I go any further, what are you using this for? Which games are you playing? At what resolution? I really don't want to recommend things that you may not need. (And if you created this thread just to get spur-of-the-moment comment, that doesn't really help you or us.)

 

[jpinks]

Eyefinity setup 3 25inch 19x12. I do some media encoding so that why I want the 3940k. I thought the memory limit was only on 32 bit windows7 not 64.... I do plan on gaming I Battlefield Star Citizen Elite Dangerous lots of different games LOL.

Someone threw a Monkey Wrench at me by pointing me out the 295x2 I had written it off but I do worry about having 2 hairdryers inside my case LOL. But I have to admit the whole 665 watts coming into one that I read about today makes me wonder if the EVGA G2 1000 would handle switching to it so I don't have to fight the heat from CF.

Oh no I have been working specs for a while now. LOL and I want to get a system I wont need to worry about for a few years. Since I wasn't considering the 295x2 but now am I really am really thinking about it again because of HEAT!!

 

[defaultluser]

You need to upgrade the operating system to either Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 (it doesn't matter whether you choose Pro or non-Pro). Windows 7 Home Premium has a 16GB memory cap that reads GDDR memory first and DDR3 RAM last -- in other words, Windows won't recognize that you have 16GB of DDR3 RAM.

Absolutely false. I'm running 16GB + Win7 Home Premium + 1GB video card, and it can see all of it.

See here for more proof:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1612605

http://www.overclock.net/t/751494/windows-7-home-premium-max-16gb-of-ram

The 4GB TOTAL memory limit was an issue with the memory wall at 32-bit, but if you use a 64-bit-supporting motherboard + CPU + OS (pretty much anything non-Atom built since 2009), you will have no issues seeing the entire memory space.

The 16GB limit is a purely artificial limit imposed by Microsoft to get you to pay extra for Pro (Pro supports 192GB!). It's the same sort of bullshit as you see with Home Premium supporting as many cores as you can buy in a single processor, but only ONE SOCKET. There's nothing magical about multiple sockets, as The Pro version supports two, and server versions support even more.

So yes, he will be just fine giving Microsoft the finger with 16GB RAM + 12GB of video cards in his system, and YES he should fucking give Microsoft the finger for charging an additional arm for flipping a few bits

 

[jpinks]

So what is the thought now that we have cleared the Ram and OS issue. I have to admit the reading of reviews is kinda mixed on the 295. Some say it cant be OC'd others say it can. Not that you would need to anytime in the next year or 2 I would hope. My biggest only concern is when I OC the CPU which I think will be far sooner than the 295, would the 1000wt Evga G2 be enough with this monster?

 

[tiraides]

Absolutely false. I'm running 16GB + Win7 Home Premium + 1GB video card, and it can see all of it.

See here for more proof:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1612605

http://www.overclock.net/t/751494/windows-7-home-premium-max-16gb-of-ram

Thanks for the reading material. I'll stop the misinformation campaign.

 

[Dangman]

So what is the thought now that we have cleared the Ram and OS issue.

Not quite: Do you have any plans whatsoever to use more than 16GB of RAM? If so, that stills means you should be getting Windows 7 Pro 64bit or Windows 8.1 64bit.

I have to admit the reading of reviews is kinda mixed on the 295. Some say it cant be OC'd others say it can. Not that you would need to anytime in the next year or 2 I would hope. My biggest only concern is when I OC the CPU which I think will be far sooner than the 295, would the 1000wt Evga G2 be enough with this monster?

It will be enough but just a little too close for comfort once you start overclocking the CPU. Check this out:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/amd-radeon-r9-295x2_9.html#sect0

That system is basically your future system but overclocked: A hex-core COre i7 CPU OC'd to 4.8Ghz and the R9 295X2 was around 833W while playing Crysis 3. So there's a possibility that you might see even higher power usage if you overclock the video cards or playing a significantly more demanding game than Crysis 3 in the future.

Personally, for me, that's a bit too close. So I'd upgrade the PSU to a 1200W model like this Seasonic SS-1250XM 1200W PSU:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00607JLWU/?tag=extension-kb-20

 

[jpinks]

Hmm Star Citizen springs to mind as something with that potential. But what do you think of the rest of the build? OK I am kinda lost on the Pro issue. I thought that 64 bit OS did away with the limitation. I cant think of any reason NOW for using more than 16GB.

 

[Dangman]

Hmm Star Citizen springs to mind as something with that potential. But what do you think of the rest of the build? .

Well as I noted earlier, you should be looking at a larger PSU. As for the rest of the parts:
The CPU, SSD, HDD, and planned case choices are fine. But the motherboard is a bit overpriced IMO. I recommend getting the cheaper Asus Sabertooth X79 motherboard instead.

That RAM is just overpriced IMO since DDR3 1866 RAM and quad-channel doesn't offer any sort of noticeable improvement to justify an extra $30 over RAM like this:
$150 - Kingston HyperX Blu KHX316C10FK2/16 16GB DDR3 1600 RAM

As for the OS, well...

OK I am kinda lost on the Pro issue. I thought that 64 bit OS did away with the limitation. I cant think of any reason NOW for using more than 16GB.

As defaultluser said in his first post in this very thread, that 16GB limitation is an artificial limitation (as in the OS could easily support more RAM with a few changes in code) made by Microsoft to get people to pay more money for Windows 7 Pro or (nowadays) to switch to Windows 8.1.

Now, for gaming, you won't need more than 8GB of RAM unless you're planning on multi-boxing MMORPGs. With that said, if you ever plan on using your PC for a lot more than gaming, then 16GB of RAM may not be enough. I myself can easily go over 16GB of RAM when I do some 3D modeling work, some GIMP work, and extensive browsing all at the same time. So for me, Windows 7 Pro was the best choice.

 

[jpinks]

Well as I noted earlier, you should be looking at a larger PSU. As for the rest of the parts:
The CPU, SSD, HDD, and planned case choices are fine. But the motherboard is a bit overpriced IMO. I recommend getting the cheaper Asus Sabertooth X79 motherboard instead.

That RAM is just overpriced IMO since DDR3 1866 RAM and quad-channel doesn't offer any sort of noticeable improvement to justify an extra $30 over RAM like this:
$150 - Kingston HyperX Blu KHX316C10FK2/16 16GB DDR3 1600 RAM

As for the OS, well...

As defaultluser said in his first post in this very thread, that 16GB limitation is an artificial limitation (as in the OS could easily support more RAM with a few changes in code) made by Microsoft to get people to pay more money for Windows 7 Pro or (nowadays) to switch to Windows 8.1.

Now, for gaming, you won't need more than 8GB of RAM unless you're planning on multi-boxing MMORPGs. With that said, if you ever plan on using your PC for a lot more than gaming, then 16GB of RAM may not be enough. I myself can easily go over 16GB of RAM when I do some 3D modeling work, some GIMP work, and extensive browsing all at the same time. So for me, Windows 7 Pro was the best choice.

Thanx Dangman I didn't realize the the Home edition of Win 7 64 was limited. I do some Media encoding and I play with some modeling. I quess I should swallow my pride and go to Winblows 8, BUT GOD I HATE IT!!!! My mother bought a new laptop and I finally put a shell on it so she could use it LOL. Why did they have to fix something that wasn't BROKE!!