New possible PC Spec - advice please

[films&games]

Hi,

I have configured the following two specifications for a PC that will be used for both gaming and general usage.

PCSPECIALIST Spec #1

Case
ZALMAN Z11 PLUS BLACK MID TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE 3.5" SSHD, SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM (64MB + 8GB SSD CACHE)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Super Quiet Titan DragonFly Heatpipe Intel CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,625.00 including VAT and delivery.

PCSPECIALIST Spec #2


Case
ZALMAN Z11 PLUS BLACK MID TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB HyperX PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SEAGATE 3.5" SSHD, SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM (64MB + 8GB SSD CACHE)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Super Quiet Titan DragonFly Heatpipe Intel CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,616.00 including VAT and delivery.

Should I change the hard drive for a high performance WD2003FZEX or anything else on either spec? Is there any big performance difference between ASUS ROG series and Gigabyte Motherboards?

Will there be a big performance difference between the following.

32GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)

32GB HyperX PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (2 x 16GB)

Any advice would be great, please.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

Will there be a big performance difference between the following.

32GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)

32GB HyperX PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (2 x 16GB)

No but the more important factor is that for gaming and general use you will not need anything above 16gb RAM. 16gb RAM is generously enough.

Is there any big performance between ASUS ROG series and Gigabyte Motherboards?

You shouldn't buy a super expensive motherboard unless you have a specific need of particular features it offers that another motherboard does not. The Z270E is feature-rich (two M.2 slots, SLI support, RGB lighting, USB 3.1 types A and C, etc etc) and much cheaper. Motherboards have virtually no impact on performance, beyond the features they offer.

Should I change the hard drive for a high performance WD2003FZEX or anything else on either spec?

Personally I would swap to a regular HDD as both the SSHDs and WD blacks have large price premiums. I'd then buy an additional solid state drive (e.g. SM961 or PM961 from the M.2 SSD dropdown menu) to put my OS and programs on. If you're not familiar with SSDs, this is illustrative of the kinds of performance difference VS HDDs:
View attachment 9591

Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence

If you don't specifically need features from Win 10 Pro (e.g. bitlocker) you can stick with Win 10 Home.

e.g.

Case
ZALMAN Z11 PLUS BLACK MID TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 2800MB/R, 1600MB/W)
1[SUP]st[/SUP] DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,569.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z270-pc/yj8aDBevBn/

 

[films&games]

No but the more important factor is that for gaming and general use you will not need anything above 16gb RAM. 16gb RAM is generously enough.
You shouldn't buy a super expensive motherboard unless you have a specific need of particular features it offers that another motherboard does not. The Z270E is feature-rich (two M.2 slots, SLI support, RGB lighting, USB 3.1 types A and C, etc etc) and much cheaper. Motherboards have virtually no impact on performance, beyond the features they offer.
Personally I would swap to a regular HDD as both the SSHDs and WD blacks have large price premiums. I'd then buy an additional solid state drive (e.g. SM961 or PM961 from the M.2 SSD dropdown menu) to put my OS and programs on. If you're not familiar with SSDs, this is illustrative of the kinds of performance difference VS HDDs:
View attachment 9591 View attachment 9592

If you don't specifically need features from Win 10 Pro (e.g. bitlocker) you can stick with Win 10 Home.

e.g.

Case
ZALMAN Z11 PLUS BLACK MID TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 2800MB/R, 1600MB/W)
1[SUP]st[/SUP] DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,569.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z270-pc/yj8aDBevBn/

OK, thanks for your advice and suggestions.

Just wondering what brand the regular HDDs are and how the performance compares with high performance Western Digital HDDs?

What is the difference between the ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING Motherboard and the ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO Motherboard?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

It seems to be mostly Seagate or Toshiba. This article has some good comments on various drives, comparing the WD Black to the old WD Blue (which is roughly equivalent to one of the 7200RPM Seagate or Toshiba drives).
http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1741-wd-blue-vs-black-comparison-best-drive-for-gaming

In short, while it may be somewhat faster, since you have an SSD for your OS, programs and select files like savegames and junk you keep on your desktop, not having a WD Black as a storage drive isn't that big a deal. It would be the last thing on my shopping list after all the rest as above. I think WD Blacks are mostly intended for professionals who might be using the drive for media production or whatever.

What is the difference between the ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING Motherboard and the ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO Motherboard?

If you're asking that question then you probably don't need the Hero.

But to answer your question, you can compare the two here: http://www.asus.com/uk/Product-Compare/?products=dbHksGBreBRGHFBy,KKuAp9d2jGnDWqzC&b=0

The Hero is really designed for enthusiast overclocking, having stuff like an "LN2" mode, which I believe is designed to cope with CPUs at sub-zero temperatures due to liquid nitrogen cooling. The Hero also lacks onboard wifi and Bluetooth.

 

[films&games]

It seems to be mostly Seagate or Toshiba. This article has some good comments on various drives, comparing the WD Black to the old WD Blue (which is roughly equivalent to one of the 7200RPM Seagate or Toshiba drives).
http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1741-wd-blue-vs-black-comparison-best-drive-for-gaming

In short, while it may be somewhat faster, since you have an SSD for your OS, programs and select files like savegames and junk you keep on your desktop, not having a WD Black as a storage drive isn't that big a deal. It would be the last thing on my shopping list after all the rest as above. I think WD Blacks are mostly intended for professionals who might be using the drive for media production or whatever.

If you're asking that question then you probably don't need the Hero.

But to answer your question, you can compare the two here: http://www.asus.com/uk/Product-Compare/?products=dbHksGBreBRGHFBy,KKuAp9d2jGnDWqzC&b=0

The Hero is really designed for enthusiast overclocking, having stuff like an "LN2" mode, which I believe is designed to cope with CPUs at sub-zero temperatures due to liquid nitrogen cooling. The Hero also lacks onboard wifi and Bluetooth.

WD Black HDDs are stated as being more noisy than for example, a WD Blue HDD. But how much noisy would they be compared to a regular HDD with the same 7200rpm?

I would like to have a system that has fast boot up time and all round performance. In addition to having loads of space for apps, games and some space for general file storage.

Because of the i7 7700k, is there any major performance gain if overclocking with the ASUS Hero Motherboard?

Any advice would be appreciated, please.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Stephen M]

I have never had a problem with noise on WD Blacks, although I only use them for storage and have the OS and man programmes on an SSD.

 

[Oussebon]

The noise is definitely a subjective thing as to how much of an issue one might find it. I've known people to replace their WD Blacks because of the noise. I wouldn't go that far, but I've never had a louder internal HDD and WD do specify a noise difference in the datasheets. Other people may not even notice it.

But for me it's not really about the noise, it's just that for general use they're not necessarily worth the cash - i.e. a ~£50 premium at the 2TB level.

Buy one if you want, they are certainly very good drives and I don't at all regret owning one, but only if you can afford it without cutting back on other parts of your build.

 

[films&games]

The noise is definitely a subjective thing as to how much of an issue one might find it. I've known people to replace their WD Blacks because of the noise. I wouldn't go that far, but I've never had a louder internal HDD and WD do specify a noise difference in the datasheets. Other people may not even notice it.

But for me it's not really about the noise, it's just that for general use they're not necessarily worth the cash - i.e. a ~£50 premium at the 2TB level.

Buy one if you want, they are certainly very good drives and I don't at all regret owning one, but only if you can afford it without cutting back on other parts of your build.

How does a WD Black HDD compare with a Seagate SSHD for noisy and performance? I will also be using the system for gaming as well.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

If you're using it for general storage then get the WD Black over the Seagate. The WD black would be a bit louder no doubt but from a performance point of view there's not much point buying an SSHD as a secondary storage drive, though I'd still just get a regular HDD in preference to either.

Storage speed has 0 effect on FPS.

 

[films&games]

Hi,

Case
ZALMAN Z11 PLUS BLACK MID TOWER CASE
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked Intel® Core™i7-7700k Quad Core (4.20GHz @ up to 4.8GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212X (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,615.00 including VAT and delivery.

With this changed spec, will there be any performance problems or bottlenecks?

How much of a system performance gain will there be using an i7 7700k overclocked upto 4.8GHz compared to the same CPU not overclocked at 4.2GHz?

I will be playing the latest games, including the upcoming Ghost Recon: Wildlands.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

As above, it is a total waste to buy 32gb RAM for gaming. 16gb is more than enough. And if you don't need the features of the IX Hero get a mobo like the Z270E instead. There are no inherent gaming performance advantages to a more expensive mobo.

Those changes alone would save you enough for an upgrade to GTX 1070.

How much of a system performance gain will there be using an i7 7700k overclocked upto 4.8GHz compared to the same CPU not overclocked at 4.2GHz?

That depends on the game. If overclocking I would strongly recommend the Noctua cooler instead as it is much more effective.

 

[Stephen M]

Ditto re the RAM, 16GB easily enough but worth spending a fiver on the silver warranty if you are getting a 1,500+ rig.

 

[films&games]

Hi

Thanks for the advice, can you check my last two specs, please?

Case
SHARKOON BD28 GAMING CASE (Green LED)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-7700k (4.2GHz) 8MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Super Quiet Titan DragonFly Heatpipe Intel CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,589.00 including VAT and delivery.



Case
SHARKOON BD28 GAMING CASE (Green LED)
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked Intel® Core™i7-7700k Quad Core (4.20GHz @ up to 4.8GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,640.00 including VAT and delivery.

How stable will the overclocked CPU be with this Motherboard?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

How stable will the overclocked CPU be with this Motherboard?

PCS will test the overclock (and the system generally) before sending it to you such that it should be entirely stable. Reviews indicate that the motherboard is very capable for overclocking:
https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Mothe...ng-Launch-Preview/Overclocking-and-Conclusion
https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/asus_strix_z270e_and_z270f_review_comparison/20

Let's not forget that the Z270 is already a pretty high end gaming motherboard - its retail price (according to google shopping) is ~£180-200.

I might be tempted to get an extra case fan or two with that case to help with airflow if going for the overclocked build. Or just get the Zalman case you had before, it's rather good for cooling apparently.

Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence

If you don't have a specific need of Pro for features like bitlocker etc, you can stick with Win 10 Home.

 

[films&games]

PCS will test the overclock (and the system generally) before sending it to you such that it should be entirely stable. Reviews indicate that the motherboard is very capable for overclocking:
https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Mothe...ng-Launch-Preview/Overclocking-and-Conclusion
https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/asus_strix_z270e_and_z270f_review_comparison/20

Let's not forget that the Z270 is already a pretty high end gaming motherboard - its retail price (according to google shopping) is ~£180-200.

I might be tempted to get an extra case fan or two with that case to help with airflow if going for the overclocked build. Or just get the Zalman case you had before, it's rather good for cooling apparently.

If you don't have a specific need of Pro for features like bitlocker etc, you can stick with Win 10 Home.

I have checked and because I have selected the Geforce GTX 1070 graphics card, the Zalman case is too compact.

I have chosen the ultra quiet case fans instead of the standard ones.

With the two final specs I have posted, how much life will get out of the overclocked i7 7700 CPU and how long will it last compared to the same CPU @ 4.2GHz?

If the performance will depend on the game that is being played, is it worth getting the overclocked CPU?

Case
SHARKOON BD28 GAMING CASE (Green LED)
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked Intel® Core™i7-7700k Quad Core (4.20GHz @ up to 4.8GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z270H GAMING: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX PREDATOR DDR4 3200MHz X.M.P (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Hard Disk
2TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W CS SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Apache Black Quiet Fan (fitted to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £1,636.00 including VAT and delivery.


Thanks in advance.

 

[Oussebon]

If the performance will depend on the game that is being played, is it worth getting the overclocked CPU?

The only actual cost difference of the overclocked system vs the non-overclocked system is about £10. For otherwise-matched components the cost is the same. So I usually say that at this kind of budget level where you're buying the expensive components required for overclocking anyway it's worth it.

In terms of overclocking and lifespan, my usual blurb on it is here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-to-last-5-yrs&p=381434&viewfull=1#post381434

There are some examples of a few games and the kinds of benefits you might get here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?52305-New-Gaming-PC&p=380010#post380010

Basically the PC is much more likely to be obsolete due to extreme old age long before the CPU's lifespan, even overclocked, will be a factor.