Gaming desktop

[Yardem]

After careful consideration, I've decided to not order the Vulcan X01 review system, but go with a spec closer to last year's Define X1.
Will look for a gaming monitor with G-Sync and QHD resolution.

Case: FRACTAL DEFINE S BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Overclocked CPU: Overclocked Intel® Core™i7-7700k Quad Core (4.20GHz @ up to 4.8GHz)
Motherboard: ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: LGA1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GB, WiFi - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM): 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card: 8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080 - DVI, HDMI, 3x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk: 2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive: 256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
Power Supply: CORSAIR 650W TXm SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Processor Cooling: Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste: ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND

The main use will be gaming, and some video transcoding.
The budget was supposed to be around £1800, which this system only barely exceeds. The Vulcan would have been a massive stretch, and I think this system gives more value for the money.

Opinions?

 

[Oussebon]

Looks good to me - if you're sure the video transcoding will use more than 16gb RAM? Gaming definitely won't.

 

[Yardem]

Thank you for your help, Oussebon. I have to say I learned a lot by reading your replies on this forum over the past year or so.
From what I read, my system, currently on the 3rd working day of pre-production, will not be built for another week or so.
Should I decide to add some RGB strips and/or extra case fans, will it affect the time it takes to get to build?
Do you think I need extra case fans for the above? I hear that the Kaby Lake CPUs are running somewhat hotter than the Skylakes.

Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated.

BTW, I bought an Acer Predator XB271HUA, the 27in TN panel with 1440p @ 144Hz and G-Sync. Not to be confused with the much more expensive XB271HU, the IPS panel with similar parameters.

 

[Oussebon]

Should I decide to add some RGB strips and/or extra case fans, will it affect the time it takes to get to build?

You'd need to ask PCS but I very much doubt it.

Do you think I need extra case fans for the above? I hear that the Kaby Lake CPUs are running somewhat hotter than the Skylakes.

I don't think you need extra fans, and in fact I'd probably suggest not buying them. PCS will generally fit extra fans to the roof, which (cue my usual moan) means taking panels off the roof. This lets noise out and dust in, and somewhat spoils some of the nice features of the Define S (i.e. sound dampening and decent dust filters).

I suggest you buy it with the basic fan configuration. You can always add an extra fan yourself as a 2nd front intake if you want it (help feed the GPU cool air) - or add some to the roof yourself if you feel it's necessary.

I'd be very surprised if you did, though. Plenty of people seem to have bought Define S + Noctua + 7700k OCed and not needed extra fans.

And you're too kind

 

[Yardem]

Went to amend my order to include Fast Track. However, it says such change means the PC will have to be shipped to my billing address (home), instead of desired shipping address (office). Well, the reason I chose to ship it to the office is because I'm not home when they deliver!
Did an order amendment anyway: halved the RAM to 16GB and doubled the SSD to 500GB. But will still have to wait in the queue for the build

 

[Oussebon]

What SSD are you getting? 960 evo?

 

[Yardem]

500GB SAMSUNG 960 EVO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3200MB/R, 1900MB/W)

 

[Oussebon]

At least you have a tasty SSD to look forward to then :tt1:

 

[Yardem]

Now I know why PCS make us wait so long for a build: gives one time to amend the order, spend more money on the system.

After watching you recommend the Define R5 to people, I've gone and watched a few reviews for it on YouTube, and now I've amended my order to ditch the Define S in favour of the R5. I really like this case, gives you so much flexibility inside, plus the two 5 inch bays behind the front door and extra USB ports at the top. I lose the glass window, but I didn't care much about that anyway.

You will say this was stupid, but I also changed the Noctua cooler with the H100i V2 with ultra quiet fans.

 

[Oussebon]

It's a plastic window in the Define S afaik, so even smaller loss.

Hopefully PCS will give you the moduvent covers with the order so you can reposition the rad to the front and block the holes at the top if you decide you want to.

 

[Yardem]

Do you think they will mount it at the top? Isn't that bad for CPU temperatures, when the fans would push hot air from inside the case through the radiator?

I contacted PCS, they said my PC is estimated to be built on Monday. Should I ask them to put the radiator in the front?
Also, if the case comes with two fans, one mounted as extractor at the rear, where would the second one go?
I assume there would be no more room at the front, and with the top covered, there would be no more room for extractor.
I don't think there would be any room on the floor to pull air through the bottom.

They might have to take a slice of the top off anyway, to install a second extractor. Right?

Then, if they do two extractors, I'd have to deal with the negative pressure, sucking dust through all the gaps and crevices.

 

[Oussebon]

Ultimately this is the nit-picking level of detail.

when the fans would push hot air from inside the case through the radiator?

I imagine they set it up as an intake, to pull cool air from outside over the radiator. But I'm not sure, since they do like regular fans there to be extractors.

Do you think they will mount it at the top?

They appear to have a strong preference for doing so. Maybe because it's easier to do builds that way for a number of reasons (e.g. not having to reposition front case fans). You could probably make a thermal argument for it too, but in real terms I don't think that's an issue because lots of people have front mounted radiators - Jerpers on this forum got an R5 and H100i and repositioned it to the front iirc

Also, if the case comes with two fans, one mounted as extractor at the rear, where would the second one go?

Probably in the default position at the front as an intake, I imagine on the lowest fan slot though I haven't checked. It would be feeding the GPU cool air this way.

They might have to take a slice of the top off anyway, to install a second extractor. Right?

If they were to put the rad at the front, it's possible.

Jerpers said they included the moduvent covers with his R5, so it's possible they've started doing that for every build (I didn't get them with my R4 in 2012). You could just ask them to make sure they include the moduvent covers. It's not like they have any use for them.

The worse case scenario I suppose is that you have to buy them as spare parts from Fractal for £2 each + £15 postage, or whatever it is these days. I was very annoyed at having to do that, but it didn't bankrupt me...

You could just as likely get the R5 with the cooler at the top, and not be remotely bothered by any additional noise or dusting.

 

[Yardem]

Well, that does it...
After being postponed for the third time today, I've cancelled my desktop order and asked for a refund.

They said 8 to 10 working days, and I waited patiently. Then last week, on the 10th day, I asked, and was told it would be built on Monday.
Then on Monday, I was told Thursday. Now, it's Thursday and they say "early next week". That would be 16th working day at the earliest.

I don't mind waiting, but I hate being lied to. I'm done with PC Specialist, I'm taking my business elsewhere.

 

[Oussebon]

While I'd hope that the dates you were given were offered with the best of intentions and that the person giving the info had every expectation that what they told you was accurate, that doesn't make the delay any shorter or the lack of clarity over dates any more confidence-inspiring. It's a shame, I know you were looking forward to the system.

I'm sure they'll have got the message by you cancelling the order, but it may be worth dropping them an email with the feedback too.

Hope you can get what you're looking for soon anyway

 

[Stephen M]

That is very poor customer service and hard to understand why they did it. I hade a 30+ day wait for a laptop but knew when I ordered it some parts were on order and PCs were honest with me saying they had no idea when some were going to be available, I much prefer an answer like that, it is still annoying to have to wait but at least they were honest with me. I hope they take this into account when training the customer service crew.

Hope you have better luck elsewhere.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I'm sorry, Yardem, that sucks. I think it's a good idea sending them a message to point out your frustrations and that you were a repeat customer let down by customer service, that adds weight. The more of these they get the more they'll take notice.

 

[Yardem]

They called before processing the cancellation request.
"We might be able to begin the build later today"

That sounded to me even less reassuring than the original "estimated to be built on monday", or the subsequent "updated estimated build date of Thursday 24th".
Sounded more like the BS I was served by email earlier today: "I would expect for this to be built early next week".