PC Builds and Command Center setups

nobodythank you

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So I figured, after looking over the gaming thread, that posting some pc and desk setups might help those less experienced members to up their game or just see the competition. For us PC gamers (aka Master Race), our rigs and desks are sacred and holy. Plus, moding your PC has become a new hobby for many enthusiasts. I have one friend that uses a Lazy-Boy as his chair and loves it. What do you have setup? How is your rig setup? AIO water cooling or custom loop? AMD or Intel? AMD or Nvidia?

I'll start, my rig stats are below, just finished putting her together. I got all the parts on and around Black Friday (saved all year for this and actually exceeded Visa's daily transaction limit lol :sneaky::rolleyes:).
Case: Thermaltake View 31
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (wifi)
Processor: Intel i7 8700K 3.7ghz
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB 3200mhz DDR4 4x8GB
CPU AIO: Corsair H150i Pro
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti SC GAMING
GPU AIO: ID-Cooling ICEKIMO 240VGA RGB Sync (*not pictured yet, enroute)
SSD: Samsung 860EVO 1TB
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x
Power Backup: APC UPS 1500VA
Monitors: Acer KG271 27" x2
PC rig small.jpg

Now, don't look at a PC and think "holy shit that is too much money" because it really isn't. Not counting the monitors, this setup can cost you less than 2k (not counting the monitors, backups, desk, and network devices) and will last for at least 5 years. 2k spread out over 5 years is a pretty good investment. The last rig I had could play damn near any game for almost 5 years and was under 1.5k in cost. Plus, I do a lot of gaming and personal work involved with co-running a gaming community. Additionally, this setup will more than keep up with future school work I plan on doing. With new and more stable water cooling out, that life expectancy is dramatically increased so you stay valid and current (future proof). Also what is cool is that with new monitoring software you can monitor your computer's health (heat, power fluctuations, cooling, fans, etc...) and make adjustments fairly easy. I chose to go with an AIO water cooling setup because it was cheaper, less maintenance, and easier to install when compared to a custom cooling setup. For my system, I priced out a custom loop kit for almost 800. That was insane. Additionally, I would have had to assemble it all and test it and ensure there would be no leaks that helped the magic smoke escape. The AIO kit was less than 300 and there is little setup with no loose liquids. Additionally, I never have to swap out the liquids or drain the system every year or two. While the custom loops are much more aesthetically pleasing, they are a pain IMHO. If I had experience with assembling them I might be of a different mind. However, I am at the stage in life where I just want my shit to work.


command center small.jpg

I was going to do a 3 monitor setup like @Ranger Psych , but I couldn't justify the need for 3 monitors, and my OCD wouldn't let the two be side by side so I decided to try the stacking method. If you wonder why more than one, it makes gaming so much easier when trying to keep comms with your team or look up information during a lul in the fight. Plus it makes the desktop feel less cluttered for me. The chair is old but comfy, once it wears out I will look into getting a dedicated gaming chair. Also not pictured is I just got Gigabit internet and upgraded my infrastructure to support full gigabit throughout the network. The means shielded cat 6 throughout the house, shielded connectors, and an upgraded modem (Netgear Gigabit modem) and router (ASUS AC3200RT) to handle the speed. The router is in the middle of the house so I have excellent wifi coverage throughout, without the need for extenders. I even managed to terminate the cat 6 into the walls with plates and the works. Overall I am set electronically for several years, and since I did all this around Black Friday, when it comes time to replace everything, it should fall around the same time and hit the same deals all over again.

What are the pros and cons of your setup? Questions? Judging by the Gaming thread we have a lot of gamers here, so If you don't know then just ask and you will get several answers. Pick the ones that work best for your setup.
 
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Lul, Only a few differences between your system and mine, mostly attributable to the time since I bought it in 2016 . For brevity, here are the differences:

7700K CPU in mine
2X Samsung EVO 1TB SSD (RAID 1)
1X Samsung EVO 500 GB SSD (Paging)
4X Corsair 16 GB RAM (not RGB)
28" Acer Monitors are side by side, not top and bottom
Razer mechanical keyboard, Logitech g900 mouse and Corsair RGB Mouse Pad
Oh, and I have all of my previous hard drives in there also, but those are not in daily use.

BTW, download the EVGA GPU Clocking tool. Even if you aren't going to overclock, it's still a cool display to go with your other monitoring..
 
I currently run:

Fractal Design ARC Midi R2
i5-4690k
ASUS Z370A
EVGA GTX 770
8GB of something RAM

I'm bumping that up to an i5-9600K, some Z390 mobo, and new RAM.

My game cube overseas has a GTX 1060. I'll migrate it to the home rig when I'm done for good or if the 1070 prices ever drop. I love gaming, but suck, and don't have a need for a high end system.

Anyone looking to spec their own PC needs to go here:
Pick parts. Build your PC. Compare and share. - PCPartPicker

A mega cool media center type setup is on my bucket list. Thanks for the pics and hardware layout.

I run an Intel NUC for a media system. It works really well, is small, and cost less than building something. I know guys who run all of their media through an Xbox or Playstation. There are a billion ways to skin that cat.
 
Predator 1070Ti installed.jpg

Case: Fractal Design Define R2
Mobo: ASRock z97 Extreme9
CPU: i7-4770K OC'ed to 4.6Ghz
RAM: 32GB, non matched non fancy it frigging works bite me
C: 256GB M.2 PCI-E SSD (Samsung XP941)
E: 1x 1TB Western Digital drive for extra space for bullshit
R: 2x 2TB Hitachi drives for network RAID array as I haven't bought another NAS to have as dedicated network storage
Video card: EVGA 1070Ti FTW. Does everything I ask of it without hesitation, like a good little private wait I mean video card. Had 2x 4GB GTX 780's in SLI but one crapped out. Excuse for significant upgrade found. Executing....... Done. :D
Power Supply: Seasonic....1kw? It works, it's quiet, zero anything.

No ups yet, I want a rack mount grade/size one and I have to find out where the hell to get one at a reasonable price as well as the following question of where the fuck I am gonna put this damn 4U thousand pound battery pack...

Air cooled primarily, Corsair h110i for the CPU, Corsair Commander controlling the rest in a positive pressure filtered intake air-plan. Intake's front and bottom through the case's filters, exhaust out the top and backside. 3 intake 2 exhaust. All fans converted to Noctua NF-A14 iPPC-3000 fans. They are quieter than Fractals at the same RPM and push more air at the same RPM.... but have another 1800 RPM to spin up for more cooling when necessary, as my house isn't air conditioned. I can't rep Fractal's cases hard enough, this was THE easiest for me to deal with for all my electronic eccentricities. Non window non fancy as it lives in the CPU cave in my desk, if it was going to live on the desk then I'd spring for a window model. I prefer the sleeper look anyway, surprise bitch you got fragged.

Predator Desktop.jpg

3x Dell U2414H monitors, as they have the thinnest bezel I had found when I was building the system initially. Now they have the ultrawide displays, and while I'd like to upgrade, it's not huge on the list. This works. A massive span would make my e-peen bigger but I'd need a bigger pole in back and more bracketry so I could put these 3 displays above the one, if I didn't divvy them up amongst the family in a trickle-down technology dispersal. They have Displayport, Minidisplayport, HDMIx2, and a DP out for daisy chaining. Also have usb 3.0 onboard hubs as well as a charging port off the backside. Pretty slick.

Keyboard/mouse vary, I used to swear by Corsair, but *channels Darth* they have failed me for the last time, so right now I have a Logitech keyboard and mouse. g502 mouse is boss tier, and the keyboard is a G810. I also have a SteelSeries Apex 350 keyboard I'm using right now, as the Logitech needed to dry out after a distilled water rinse from a sad accident with beer.

@AWP spend the money, get the 1070ti. It may actually help your gameplay, but above all else you'll futureproof nevermind being able to play everything at maxed so your death screens are beautiful.

@medicchick bite my shiny metal ass

ETA: Controls......so many controls.
Saitek X-55 Rhino Stick and throttle set (BOSS FUCKING TIER DOGFIGHT ME BITCH I PWN U)
Saitek X-52 stick and throttle (Still a decent set, but nowhere near the amount of controls as the 55)
Saitek Yoke for standard aviation use
Saitek throttle quadrants x2 for full throttle/pitch/mixture control of a twin engine bird, or tweakage for more as needed
Saitek rudder pedals (cannot recommend, couldn't survive mungo trying to do gun runs with a hammerhead return the first time out of the box)
VoiceAttack Voice Command software so I can yell CHAFF FLARES MAX REAR DEFLECTORS MAX ENGINES MAX WEAPONS FIRE ALL THE THINGS and concentrate on maneuvering/engaging without having to take my hands off the control inputs
TrackIR for head tracking in 3d cockpits

Example of the X-52 and VoiceAttack utility:

Pre-1070ti SLI'ed setup fan demonstration and random blathering:

Another showoff desktop video from when I was ALLCORSAIRALLTHETIME... part of why I don't do it anymore is they're trying to go to a One Program To Rule Them All but didn't include the full functionality they had IN the programs they're replacing, as well as zero component level support for hardware repair.. spend 200 bucks or so on a keyboard and it dies in a year, oops buy a new one... then I'll buy a cheaper one that does the same and be ahead next year if it fails on me.
 
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Forgot to add, anyone who doesn't overclock, you can run a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo as your CPU cooler. ~$30 and works like a champ.
 
I will say after using the above system while RP is away working and I'm doing dispatch 3 screens is NICE. I have various e-mail clients open, various load boards, tracking program, and a general fuckery browser window while waiting on brokers to send papers over. It also makes it easier for the random "Hey MC look this up for me" or "What's X÷X?" Add in it has a good headset and when brokers are closed for the night and Bibby is home it's nice for movies.
 
Forgot to add, anyone who doesn't overclock, you can run a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo as your CPU cooler. ~$30 and works like a champ.

@racing_kitty has a system I constructed for her a couple years ago using one if I recall correctly. Picked up that system, yoinked the RAM and CPU, slapped my old ones in there and we both profited from upgrades in computing utility. Great cooler.
 
My current comp which I built in 2014 for $1,035 w/ monitor:

Case: Cooler Master HAF912
Mobo: Mobo: ASUS m5A97 R2.0 AM3+ AMD 970
CPU: AMD FX-6300 Vishera 6-Core 3.5 GHz
RAM: 8GB (4x2) G.SKILL RipjawsX
C: 256GB SATA SSD (SamsungEVO)
E: 1TB Western Digital
Video card: Radeon R9 290X
Power Supply: Raidmax Hybrid 630W Modular
Monitor: Open Box ASUS VE247H 23.6"

This was my first build, I had pretty much no idea what I was doing. My first R9 270X fried, so AMD sent me a new 290X. This thing doesn't really get frames, I play most FPS on low graphics which works since I get over 100 frames in CSGO and 50-70 in pubg. I dual monitor and have a 144hz for my main, and the above is the secondary. I don't really have any issues being competitive in FPS games. But, there are certain games/things I can't really run well so I tend to avoid until the below gets here (Tarkov etc).

I recently (last week) upgraded my computer, this thing should haul when I get it:

Case: IN WIN 101 Mid Tower w/ 3xtra 120mm fans
Mobo: GIGABYTE Z390 Gaming SLI ATX
CPU: i9-9900K 3.60GHZ
RAM: 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4/3200MHz Dual Channel Corsair Vengeance LPX (B/W)
C: 1TB WD Blue Series M.2 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD
E: 1TB WD Blue Series SATA-III 6 GB/s SSD
Video card: EVGA GeForce(R) RTX 2080 XC
Power Supply: Corsair RMi Series RM750i 80 PLUS GOLD
Fan: Corsair Hydro H100i PRO 240mm
Monitor: ASUS VG278Q 27" 144hz
Peripherals: QCK heavy mousepad ; deathadder chroma mouse; HyperX Cloud Revolver S headset; steelseries 6G v2 mechanical. I have more unboxed peripherals in storage, probably 2-3 more mechanical keyboards and maybe 3-4 mice that I don't use but have won, been given, etc. If any of the above craps out, I just grab one and continue on.
 
Lol I still got my old system kickin that I built when I was 13

AMD 8350
AMD 270x (I think)
8gb G.skill ram, Ripjaw
Some 650w psu
Some asrock mobo
Some zalman case
Couple red LED fans

I really need to build anew, but money’s supports my insane food needs and car parts
 
Last of my parts will arrive Friday so I can finish the upgrade ONCE MY WIFE RELEASES ME FROM MY HONEY DO LIST. "You just flew 19 hours to see me. Welcome home! Here's some shit to do..."

i5-9600k
16 GB of DDR 4 3000 MHz RAM
ASUS TUF Z390-Plus Gaming WiFi
Samsung 970 250 GB M2 SSD

Prices are coming down on the new RTX 2060's which perform as well or better than the current GTX 1070's. Something to think about for those of you just looking to upgrade your GPU.
 
Upgrade complete and it took a bit of work, more than I anticipated. Updates are DL'ing as I type this.

Anyway, the "learn from my fail" portion:
- I forgot to install the I/O plate. Fortunately I had enough slack I only had to unscrew the mobo and slide it back to give me enough space to pop in the plate.
 
Pics or it didn't happen.
But why tho? It's a computer, it's not Sophie Turner or my third grade teacher in lingerie. Or is this some computer fetish thing?:ROFLMAO:

Add on: When I think of computerphiles, "Yeah! I'm gonna boot up your hard drive so bad! Then I'm gonna install a bunch of ram in you and overclock your cpu until you overheat. Awww yeah... those graphics are smooth as hell.".
 
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