Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

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justice99
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Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:43 am

Hello guys,

I'm about to upgrade my current setup, I need a smaller case and a better GPU:

Fractal Design Node 304 Black
Asus H110I-PLUS
Intel i5-2500k
Be Quiet ! Pure Rock Slim
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Mini ITX OC, 3 Go
Crucial MX300, 525 Go, SATA III
Crucial 16GB DDR4-2133 UDIMM
Seasonic X Series 750W


CPU and PSU are from my old setup.

I'm not an hardcore gamer, I use madVR for watching movies (GTX1060 seems fine, 0db at idle) and Autocad for working from home (16GB of ram needed).

HDD will be into a NAS.

What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance.

Vicotnik
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by Vicotnik » Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:08 am

Your Intel i5-2500k (LGA1155) will not go with the Asus H110I-PLUS (LGA1151).

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:38 am

Vicotnik wrote:Your Intel i5-2500k (LGA1155) will not go with the Asus H110I-PLUS (LGA1151).
Thanks Vicotnik.

Should I also upgrade the CPU since Mini ITX 1155 are kind of hard to find new with USB 3.0 ?

I may go with the Intel Core i5-6400.

Vicotnik
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by Vicotnik » Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:12 pm

Yeah, it shouldn't be hard to sell the i5-2500k. It's still a very good CPU.

CA_Steve
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by CA_Steve » Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:08 pm

The Node 304 supports up to a 165mm cooler. While the Be Quiet! Pure Rock Slim is very quiet, the cpu will run ~8-10C hotter than a reasonably priced taller cooler with a 120mm fan.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:03 am

justice99 wrote:What do you guys think?

The Fractal Design Core 500 Black might be slightly smaller, quieter, cooler and cheaper than the more refined Node 304: given that you have no mechanical drives to fill the vertical Node's bays, the Core 500 might be a better pick.

Similar thoughts come for the SPCR-tested Lian Li PC-Q10, while some different trade offs may be done with the ~13litres Silverstone pizza boxes (already tested by SPCR in different flavours), or with the 13litres Raijintex Metis already seen on these forums (look for edh's build). Some expensive specialties are worthy too, in order to squeeze the dimensions (Ncase M1, Dan A4, and similar initiatives).

About the GPU, if you don't game a more frugal (cooler) GTX 1050ti looks like enough for accelerating MadVR.

I second what Steve adviced about the CPU cooler: a slim tower (Kotetsu, NH-U12S, TrueSpirit 120i, Shadow Rock Slim) is what you need for the shoes box-style enclosures.

Eventually, if you can resell with ease your already owned parts, the X-750 looks like a tad unjustified overkill (a waste of low load efficiency and space): a smaller 300-400W unit is what such a rig deserves.

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:09 pm

Thank you so much for these advices,

The Design 500 is smaller and cheaper, the 1050Ti is also cheaper and better for my use.
I will choose a bigger CPU cooler. Regarding the PSU I'm not sure of the power, it's probably 600W and I may keep it.

Below my new desktop:

Fractal Design Core 500
Asus H81I-PLUS
Intel Core i5-4460 (3.2 GHz)
Be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti D5, 4 Go
Crucial MX300, 525 Go, SATA III
DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, Rouge, 8 Go, 1600 MHz, CAS 10
Seasonic X Series 750W

At the end I will be buying a completly new desktop...

Thanks again guys!

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:56 pm

justice99 wrote:Regarding the PSU I'm not sure of the power, it's probably 600W and I may keep it.
I'm not sure to have well understood you.
With such a planned rig you're in the 100W ballpark draw, under heavy loads (and the half on average): a relatively cheap Silverstone ST-30SF V1.0 or Be Quiet Straight Power E10 400W (BN230) are more typical candidates for such a low power rig.

justice99 wrote:Asus H81I-PLUS
Intel Core i5-4460 (3.2 GHz)

Just out of curiosity: why did you look for past generation hw? Do you own it? Or can you grab it with substantial savings?

justice99 wrote:DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws X, Rouge, 8 Go, 1600 MHz, CAS 10

I'd avoid tall RAM modules, they just give you compatibility issues: about DDR3 RAM, check for instance the G.Skill Ares or the Crucial Ballistix Sport VLP.

justice99 wrote:At the end I will be buying a completly new desktop...

I'm afraid that if you need a different form factor (ITX) and different, newer I/O ports, then you're likely going to renovate the whole build.

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:25 am

Thanks quest_for_silence, I'm not an expert, it's nice to learn everyday:

Fractal Design Core 500
Asus H110I-PLUS
Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3 GHz)
Be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti D5, 4 Go
Crucial MX300, 525 Go, SATA III
DDR4 Crucial, 8 Go, 2133 MHz, CAS 16
Be Quiet ! Pure Power 9 CM, 400W

The Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3 GHz) is at the same price as the Intel Core i5-6600K, should I pick the K edition?

The PSU will be super quiet right? It has an 120 mm fan.

Thanks again.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:51 pm

justice99 wrote:The Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3 GHz) is at the same price as the Intel Core i5-6600K, should I pick the K edition?
You need a Z170 motherboard (like the ASUS Pro Gaming) to exploit the K edition potential, so it does not come for free: it's up to your call (budget).

justice99 wrote:The PSU will be super quiet right? It has an 120 mm fan.

I don't like the Pure Power 9 series: IMO it's heavily overpriced for its technical merits, and I can't recommend it.
The Straight Power 10 400W is my recommendation (which is also quieter).

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:59 pm

Ok I get it, something like the Asus Z170M-PLUS then.

Regarding the PSU, the Straight Power 10 400W is not modular, it wont be a problem to fit all cables into the little case?

Thanks in advance.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:23 am

justice99 wrote:Ok I get it, something like the Asus Z170M-PLUS then.

No, it's a mATX board, so it won't fit the Fractal Design Core 500.
For an ITX enclosure you need something like an ASUS ROG Strix Z270I Gaming or an ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming.

justice99 wrote:Regarding the PSU, the Straight Power 10 400W is not modular, it wont be a problem to fit all cables into the little case?

Mostly no, as seen in the relevant SPCR review, and using tightly secured zip ties you can pack any unused cable tidy and cleanly.

If you mandatorily want a modular one, you have to look for the Straight Power E10 500 CM (BN234): the relevant drawback are mainly two, it is noticeably more expensive (+40% here in Italy over its smaller sibling, whether that matters), and likely a tiny bit less efficient at your expected loads (albeit admittedly not a huge con).

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:29 am

Perfect, then it should be good:

Fractal Design Core 500
ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming
Intel Core i5-6600K
Be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti D5, 4 Go
Crucial MX300, 525 Go, SATA III
DDR4 Crucial, 8 Go, 2133 MHz, CAS 16
Be Quiet ! Straight Power 10 400W

Right?

Thanks again.

CA_Steve
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by CA_Steve » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:23 pm

cpu cooler

Also, I'd lean toward a dual fan gfx card for another $10. Plenty of room for it in the case. If you like Gigabyte, the next step up is the GV-N105TOC-4GD. It's another un-reviewed card, but the product page says it's passive @ idle.

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:41 pm

CA_Steve wrote:cpu cooler

Also, I'd lean toward a dual fan gfx card for another $10. Plenty of room for it in the case. If you like Gigabyte, the next step up is the GV-N105TOC-4GD. It's another un-reviewed card, but the product page says it's passive @ idle.
You are right about the GPU, the GV-N105TOC-4GD is also 0db at idle, thanks.

What CPU cooler should I get then?

Thanks.

CA_Steve
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by CA_Steve » Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:27 pm

Ah - didn't look close enough to see the Pure Rock Slim got replaced by the Shadow Rock Slim... that'll work ok. Don't know what prices are like where you are, but the Scythe Kotetsu is a few $'s more and is a bit better for thermal and noise. If you plan to OC, then consider a bit more mass and get the Mugen 5, if available, or the Ninja 4 if not. Note that Scythe ships these little washers specifically for Skylake builds...you may or may not need them depending on the thickness of the mobo.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:40 am

justice99 wrote:You are right about the GPU, the GV-N105TOC-4GD is also 0db at idle, thanks.

With reference to what Steve said, maybe you overlooked the sentence «It's another un-reviewed card».

As a sound-wise safety measure, it may be better to look to already reviewed cards, the quietest likely being the MSI Gaming X and the ASUS Strix at the moment.
If they are more expensive than the Gigabytes, you may think to further downgrade the GPU, from a 4GB 1050 to a 2GB 1050: given that you don't use it for gaming at high resolution, but as an HTPC card, it should be a well comfortable trade off.
Downgrading to a 2GB card, you may also think to re-invest that possible savings in more RAM (you have just 2 DIMMs, so getting 16Go of RAM may be worthwhile for some applications, like photo or video editing), or perhaps in a larger SSD (750GB or 1TB).

justice99 wrote:What CPU cooler should I get then?

He just mistook the cooler: the Shadow Rock Slim is a good pick, as well as the other three I mentioned earlier in the thread.
For an oc'ed Core i5 like the 6600K, IMHO those four coolers are still good, as this CPU is about 10°C cooler on load than an oc'ed Core i7 (which would require a beefier cooler, like the Ninja 4 or the Thermalright Macho, IMHO).

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:01 am

Hello guys,

I've been a bit busy these days, I've finally decided to go with a "high-end" setup:

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K
COOLER: be quiet! Pure Rock Slim BK008
RAM: Corsair RAM DDR4 16 Gb CMU16GX4M2A266​6C16 (2x8GB)
MOBO: Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce 6G
CASE: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini-ITX
PSU: Seasonic X Series 650W

What do you guys think? It's more or less what you have advised me earlier.

Again thanks for your precious help.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Sun Mar 26, 2017 9:51 am

justice99 wrote:What do you guys think? It's more or less what you have advised me earlier.

Not exactly: the cooler is not what we adviced, while the PSU, albeit really good, is overkill.

Personally I'd spare on the PSU (picking a Be Quiet ! Straight Power 10 400W, for instance) and invest something more on the CPU cooler (I mean, picking a proven - not better, just proven! - one, like Be Quiet ! Shadow Rock Slim BK010 or Scythe Kotetsu).

But if you rather to do differently, I don't think you'll make any big mistake. :wink:

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:25 am

No! :-)

I already have the PSU, I know it's overkill but eh! Even with a 1060 6GB and an overclocked i5 it's too much?
I may upgrade the GPU after 3/4 years.

Regarding the cooler, it's really that important? I mean a cooler is a cooler, these models are twice more expansive.
In the worst case I change the fan no?

Thanks.

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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by CA_Steve » Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:30 pm

Welcome back:

Here's the question that needs to be answered before deciding on a CPU cooler:
- Are you planning to overclock your CPU?

If no, or if just a slight overclock with zero overvolt, then stick with the cooler you've selected. It should be fine.

If yes, you plan to overvolt as part of an overclock, then you'll want a higher performance cooler like wev'e mentioned earlier in the thread.

A performance cooler is more than just a hunk of metal and a fan. It's got to have
- great contact/thermal transfer from the CPU.
- great fin and heatpipe layout to transfer the heat from the base as well as a certain amount of surface area in proportion to the CPU TDP
- great fan characteristics so that it can push enough air through the fins in order to keep the CPU cool while maintaining an inaudible profile.

PSU: If you have it and it's silent, keep using it.

GPU: Did you pick the Gigabyte for a specific reason (cheaper than MSI Gaming, for example)?

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:56 am

justice99 wrote:Even with a 1060 6GB and an overclocked i5 it's too much?
More than three times what's needed ("Even with a 1060 6GB and an overclocked i5").

justice99 wrote:I may upgrade the GPU after 3/4 years.

That doesn't mean that much, right?

justice99 wrote:I mean a cooler is a cooler,

What a shabby excuse: then stick with the stock cooler, it's free.

justice99 wrote:these models are twice more expansive.
In the worst case I change the fan no?

Are you german? Usually germans misspell expensive as expansive. BTW, more expensive but by how much? 10 euros? 20 euros? You're spending more than 600 euros for the GPU + CPU + RAM, are those 10-20 euros a real difference? Personally I'd say no.

Well, justice, please be gentle: you actually disattended most of our advices, the GPU, the PSU, the cooler... about the PSU, ok, you already have it so no further questions, it's a good unit, and if it works well it may be wise to stick with it. But about GPU and cooler, we just won't recommend what we don't know. Here on SPCR we try to recommend not what we think is "the best", in absolute terms, but mostly what we know works well for real.
Speaking about the cooler, is that BK008 enough good in your scenario? Who knows! As adviced before, if you don't want/can't comply our honest advices, there's no problem whatsoever: do what you think best, I guess you shouldn't make any big mistake (nor could blame us, particularly if we don't fully agree). :wink:

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:13 am

Ok ok, It's fine.

The Gigabyte 6Gb is 100€ cheaper than the MSI 6Gb, that's why i pick this model (0db at idle).

Selling my old PSU will be easy, I have the box and everything, the cooler will be hard, I will try.

So the final version:

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K
COOLER: Be Quiet ! Shadow Rock Slim BK010
RAM: Corsair RAM DDR4 16 Gb CMU16GX4M2A266​6C16 (2x8GB)
MOBO: Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce 6G
CASE: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini-ITX
PSU: Be Quiet ! Straight Power 10 400W

I will post a review as soon as the build is ready, thanks guys, I'm a bit picky yes when it comes to hardware, I don't want to make any expensive mistake.

I'm French btw :)

quest_for_silence
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by quest_for_silence » Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:02 am

justice99 wrote:Ok ok, It's fine.

The Gigabyte 6Gb is 100€ cheaper than the MSI 6Gb, that's why i pick this model (0db at idle).

Selling my old PSU will be easy, I have the box and everything, the cooler will be hard, I will try.

Dear french friend, I feel you got me (and maybe Steve) a bit wrong.

Just to be overzealous: I didn't say you will make a mistake with a BK008 or an X-650, Steve didn't say you wrongly picked the Gigabyte GPU.

You don't need to sell your X-650: perhaps you MAY sell it JUST if you gain some money more than the money needed to buy a new PSU, AND you need that money too.

You don't need to buy a Kotetsu or a BK010: at the same time, I can't advice in favour of the BK-008, because I don't know how good it is.

About the Gigabyte 1060, 100 euros are lots of money for the same GPU, so you may legitimately pick that GB card: at the same time we can't advice in favour of it because we have no data/direct knowledge about.

That's why I commented your phrase "What do you guys think? It's more or less what you have advised me earlier." You did your homework, and that's good, it's just not "what you have adviced me earlier".
That's why I wrote seriously that I guess (I think) you should not make any big mistake (likely you're not going to make any big mistake) if you buy the parts YOU selected.

But the most important part is: You did your homework, and that's good, i.e. you don't need our approval/endorsment of those picks, you have just to accept that. That's not being picky about hw, just (maybe) a bit insecure, but take note that no external advice may save you from making expensive mistakes in your life, and definitely there's no "hw authority" out there.

justice99 wrote:So the final version:

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K
COOLER: Be Quiet ! Shadow Rock Slim BK010
RAM: Corsair RAM DDR4 16 Gb CMU16GX4M2A266​6C16 (2x8GB)
MOBO: Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce 6G
CASE: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini-ITX
PSU: Be Quiet ! Straight Power 10 400W

It's a collection of SPCR tested / well renowned parts, that's what I can say about.

Besides, enjoy your upcoming build, whichever it will be! :wink:

justice99
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Re: Upgrade my system : GTX 1060 - Fractal Node 304

Post by justice99 » Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:05 am

The last time I opened a thread like that, it was for my current computer, all part are still working great, it's been more than 6 years I think.

That's why I decided to ask you again what should I buy. I'm on the budget and I will be selling my previous desktop, so I really prefer to listen to your advice than buy random stuff.


"What do you guys think? It's more or less what you have advised me earlier."
: I should have read again your previous posts, no big deal, it was my mistake.

I will review this GPU as soon as I buy it.

Thanks again!

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