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"Fragbox Build"
onemanarmy900
Member Posts: 1
Looking for some input on putting together a fragbox type desktop.
I don't even know if thats the proper term but I want a desktop that is small scale and a workhorse. Hopefully one that will be a "full graphics machine" for a least two years.
My previous desktop has an i5-2500k, asus, motherboard with an unlocked radeon 6950(3gb special edition). I built it in 2011 and it is still running strong but the dang thing takes up most of the desk. A few things that may be helpful, I very rarely overclock, I'll leave that to the experts. From a thermal standpoint I do not see the performance to reliability ratio ever being worth it.(convince me or educate me if you disagree)
I'm not FRAPSing my games, I do not record myself playing games ever.
I strictly want a machine to Play games on maximum settings(for 2 years like my current build has) and to render Solidworks and autocad 3d with little to no load times or processing/render time. I figured the two go hand in hand because my current setup does both wonderfully.
I do not know where to start as far as building a small pc when it comes to sizing components etc. so any input there would also be very valuable. Thanks for your help!
Budget is 1200-2000. (Wide range here, money isn't really to big of an issue I just can't justify more than 2 grand on a computer, I'd rather spend the money elsewhere at that point.)
Comments
If desk space is the concern, how about putting your old computer under the desk? Or getting a bigger desk?
If you want a smaller case, you can get a case built for Micro ATX motherboards without giving up too much other than multi-GPU support. Or you can go much smaller and get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163187
That comes with a built-in power supply and requires a Mini ITX motherboard and a thin optical drive and it prefers an external exhaust video card. But it does let you fit a real gaming desktop into a very small space.
If you could care less about potential watercooling, to include CLC sytle coolers, then the one Quiz linked is about as good as it gets for a quality product in that form factor. That is without spending a decent bit more on custom or crowd sourced cases.
My case would be an example of what I mean, the NCASE M1 ver 1. They are working on ver. 2 right now. My current gaming rig is quite capable, near silent, and takes up very little space. It gives me the option to liquid cool it should I decide to go that route, thought currently I have no need. It's all aluminum and nearly every panel can be removed with tools.
The down side is that is costs quite a bit of money given it's size and ultimately costs more than many other similarly sized cases (though the others aren't as capable in the liquid cooling department) because to get the most out of it you will need specific hardware (powerful SFX PSU, Silverstone currently leads this department). It also doesn't leave much room for cable management so people usually pay for custom shortened sleeves, or make their own.
For me, it is quite literally the perfect case, but if you never plan to water/liquid cool a system and paying extra for an aluminum case really isn't worth it then the Silverstone SG-08 is the case for you.
http://www.ncases.com/
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1717132
EDIT: mITX form factor has come a LONG way and I can attest to the fact you can certainly build a very competitive gaming PC within one. The following are my current specs in the case I listed above:
CPU: Intel i7-4770k
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L12
MB: ASRock Z87E-ITX
GPU: EVGA GTX 770
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport VLP 8Gb (2x4Gb sticks)
SSD: Crucial M500 240Gb
PSU: SIlverstone ST45SF-G
OS: Windows 8.1
The i7 is overkill for gaming but I got it for a steal along with the MB through a Microcenter sale in November. I went with 8Gb of ram because 16Gb is not necessary for a purely gaming PC, however in your case it might make sense and is definitely possible. At the time I put this computer together the GTX 770 was the best bang my buck in the higher end GPU department. The price/performance difference between it and the GTX 780 or GTX 780Ti weren't favorable enough to consider and AMD based cards were still outrageously overpriced. Don't let the 450 watt power supply fool you. It's been proven to run everything I have in my current system with a GTX 780 Ti (instead of the GTX 770) without issue what so ever thanks to being 80 plus gold. But if it is a concern for you Silverstone is releasing a 600 Watt SFX PSU later this year. I currently have no need for a storage drive but I can easily add a couple if I wanted to, same goes for a DVD/CD drive.
A lot of PC gamers simply have no experience with the kind of build you can squeeze out of a mITX system these days and assume you can't game on them the same as the more common mATX or standard ATX systems. The reality is if you are going to be gaming on one GPU then this form factor can offer the same performance as the others. Larger form factors tend to offer very specific advantages over mITX that 99% of the populace that purchase them never fully take advantage of, or even know how to for that matter.
EDIT 2: Please do yourself a favor and listen to Asmkm22 and I when it comes to building a gaming PC in a smaller form factor. Nothing against those on these threads who have more experience with PC's over the years but the reality is in the past decade (well to be honest a bit less than that but still...) the focus has been on efficiency rather than raw power which means placing that same raw performance in a smaller form factor has been key. You only need to look at the temps boasted by Asmkm22 to realize if you are only using a single GPU setup there really is not reason to worry about anything larger than what he/she is using.
Mini ITX might be difficult to build a gaming system around due to space limitations and power limitations. It is possible, though.
I intend to use a Silverstone SG10 as my next gaming PC case. It is MicroATX and it is probably the most space-efficient design possible for a gaming PC. It can even fit an aftermarket CPU cooler for mild overclocking.
Don't be afraid of overclocking. If you have just about any aftermarket cooling, it can handle a small overclock on your CPU. I wouldn't overclock a GPU as those are more difficult to get aftermarket cooling for due to variations in card designs. Computer components are generally protected from overheating and motherboards can detect if a component is preventing POST if you overclocked too much.
That's what I would recommend as well. Your parts are all still relatively good - such that you may see a bit of a bump on the GPU if you replaced it (and spent more than $300 US in doing so), but practically nothing on the CPU or anything else no matter what you spent.
You can find some smaller full-sized ATX cases that can work with your existing setup that have a smaller footprint. A micro or mini ATX case is certainly a possibility even with your CPU and video card with just a motherboard (and possibly power supply) replacement - and that is likely what your thinking of as a fragbox. If you do replace the motherboard, you may likely need a new copy of Windows.
Here's a thread I did last month about something kind of relevant.
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/408491/HTPC-Case.html
It's about the size of a console. It's pretty beastly as well. Details in the thread I linked.
You make me like charity
Avoid half height cases like the plague. Aside from that its entirely possible to build a system in a smaller case. PCs really don't take as much space as they once did, the only real concern is heat dissipation a large case offers. When picking parts for a smaller case get ones that work at lower temps. For instance my CPU runs between 40-65C, and GPU hits 95C under full load. These are probably not components you would want to use. You can also try a water cooled case, but building that out would take some research.
Thermaltake Armor A30i
Its a bit larger than the case Quizzical linked to but it does do a couple things that may be nice.
The GPU is pretty much separated and the PSU above the CPU. This gives intake, exhaust, and space for a the GPU. It also allows you to pick out your own PSU that is exhausting out of the back, but the PSU and CPU will be fighting for the same air.
You can also try the Rosewill Legacy Cube cases which look nice and take up a 10" cubed space, however getting the GPU for that and installing the OS will be tough.