Silent-ish gaming build hardware advice (list included)

[MassMan]

Hello, old SPCR enthusiast here, finally ready to upgrade from his old trustworthy core2. I plan to keep the new setup for at least +3 years, perhaps boosting the longevity with a GPU upgrade down the road. I do not plan on doing any crazy overclocking. Any input is greatly appreciated

I based my list on http://www.pcgamer.com/best-gaming-pc/ with silent components recommended on SPCR. As I live in Denmark, replacement hardware is limited by what is available on http://www.edbpriser.dk/


CPU: Core i5 I5-6600K 3.5 GHz
Universally recommended so seems a nobrainer.

Heatsink: Noctua NH-U12S
Availability and price is good for that product around here.

Mainboard: ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING
There are freaking +10 different Asus Z170 versions (why?), I have no idea... Just picked the one PCgamer recommended.

GPU: Probably keeping gtx660 for now
Waiting for next nVidia lineup.

RAM: Kingston HyperX FURY 2 x 8 GB PC4-21300
According to anandtech, ram manufacturer doesn't matter much, so I just picked what was available. 16gb instead of the recommended 8gb because the additional cost is neglible and improves longevity.

PSU: Corsair RMi Series RM650i
Thanks for the reccomendation, review here: http://www.eteknix.com/corsair-rmi-seri ... view/all/1

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Black
Black is the new black.

Extra case fans?
One for dual front fans like in the SPCR review, and one for the heatsink?

Storage: Samsung 830 SSD 256gb and WDC WD20EARS
From my current computer, I assume they'll hold up fine? If not, they are easily replaced now or later.

Any input is greatly appreciated

[ggumdol]

Well, I think you have qualifications as an SPCR enthusiast. The list looks brilliant and you might just give it a go. If you allow me to chime in:

CPU: Core i5 I5-6600K 3.5 GHz
Universally recommended so seems a nobrainer.

Yes, it's a no-brainer and I suggest that you go for a Skylake build due to its power effiency.

Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
This is what I was most uncertain of, options are limited by availability from here: http://www.edbpriser.dk/hardware/koelin ... y&rlm=List

It will be rather trivial to cool a Skylake i5. As such, you don't need to be too picky about aftermarket coolers. Though you don't seem to be pursuing absolute silence/quietness from what I gather from your list, Noctua fans can rotate at lower rpms when connected via their proprietary LNA adapter (which reduces maximum rpm to 1100-1200 rpm). This can come unexpectedly handy when you use ASUS motherboards where the minimum duty cycle is quite high, 30-40%, at which figures, Noctua fans rotate at around 350-450, which is virtually silent. Also, Noctua fans are known for their absence of clicking noise in low rpms. I think you can go for some Noctua coolers with their 120mm fans.

Mainboard: ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING
There are freaking +10 different Asus Z170 versions (why?), I have no idea... Just picked the one PCgamer recommended.

Unless you are planning to overclock, it will be more economical to opt for H170 or even Asrock motherboards, famous for their full-fledged BIOS fan control functionality. Also, ASUS motherboards are a bit notorious for their exquisite (controversial?) CPU temperature sensors. You can google this. Having said that, for an i5 Skylake, it won't matter that much as long as you use fans with low rotation speeds (e.g., Noctua fans).

GPU: MSI GTX 970 GAMING 4G
Seems to be the sweetspot in performance/price and runs pretty quiet.

I would go for GTX 960 and invest more into Nvidia Pascal. GTX 960 suffices 1080p gaming unless you are a heavy gamer. If you prefer to max-out settings, GTX 970 will be necessary.

PSU: eVGA SuperNOVA 550 G2
Getting ok reviews, was recommended in a thread on SPCR. is 550W enough?

If you want to ensure some level of quietness in idle states (non-gaming states?), you might want to consider Corsair RMi Series. 550W is more than enough. I have failed to turn on the fan on my Corsair RM650 even with my GTX 970, which implies that total power consumption in my main rig (which is clearly lower than yours) is less than 650*0.4=260 Watt, at which point the the single fan of RM650 is supposed to be turned on. In fact, I haven't seen it rotating ever.

[Button_Mash]

CPU: Core i5 I5-6600K 3.5 GHz
Universally recommended so seems a nobrainer.

Yep, a Core i5 K Series CPU is on pretty much every gaming build guide I have read. If you can live without overclocking support you could also go for a non-K series 6600.

Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
This is what I was most uncertain of, options are limited by availability from here: http://www.edbpriser.dk/hardware/koelin ... y&rlm=List

It seems like the Scythe Kotetsu is available from the site you linked. It is slightly cheaper and is one of the top heat sinks on SPCR's recommended list.

Mainboard: ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING
There are freaking +10 different Asus Z170 versions (why?), I have no idea... Just picked the one PCgamer recommended.

Makes sense. ASUS is often recommended for their fan controls and the model you listed is one of the least expensive models with a focus on gaming. If end up going with a non-K series CPU you could go for the ASUS H170 PRO GAMING motherboard although it wouldn't support the faster speed of the memory you have chosen.

GPU: MSI GTX 970 GAMING 4G
Seems to be the sweetspot in performance/price and runs pretty quiet.

MSI and ASUS seem to be the top 2 manufacturers for quiet stock coolers so that is good. Personally I am not planning to spend much on graphics at this time as I am waiting to see what the next generation NVIDIA GPUs have to offer, as ggumdol suggested.

RAM: Kingston HyperX FURY 2 x 8 GB PC4-21300
According to anandtech, ram manufacturer doesn't matter much, so I just picked what was available. 16gb instead of the recommended 8gb because the additional cost is neglible and improves longevity.

I think 16GB is overkill just for gaming but since you are comfortable with the additional cost, it's a non-issue.

The rest of the parts I can't really comment on as I am still trying to decide what to purchase for those components in my own build.

[ggumdol]

1. I think Noctua coolers (e.g., NH-U12S) are relatively competitively priced in Scandinavia, partly due to their high availability. Another no-brainer?
2. A few recent AAA game titles indeed started using more than 8GB memory though it's more associated with loading time, which could be a peripheral issue for many (not me though). Nowadays, it's quite justifiable to recommend 16GB DDR3/4 memory.

[MassMan]

If you want to ensure some level of quietness in idle states (non-gaming states?), you might want to consider Corsair RMi Series. 550W is more than enough. I have failed to turn on the fan on my Corsair RM650 even with my GTX 970, which implies that total power consumption in my main rig (which is clearly lower than yours) is less than 650*0.4=260 Watt, at which point the the single fan of RM650 is supposed to be turned on. In fact, I haven't seen it rotating ever.

Thanks for the recommendation, I've changed to a Corsair RMi 650 after your mentioning, me googling and finding this review: http://www.eteknix.com/corsair-rmi-seri ... view/all/1

1. I think Noctua coolers (e.g., NH-U12S) are relatively competitively priced in Scandinavia, partly due to their high availability. Another no-brainer?

Yep, I didn't know that old socket coolers worked on LGA1151, so I thought NH-U12S wasn't possible. But changing to a NH-U12S now

Personally I am not planning to spend much on graphics at this time as I am waiting to see what the next generation NVIDIA GPUs have to offer, as ggumdol suggested.

Thanks both of you for the heads-up. Considering emminent arrival of new nVidia stuff, I've decided to stick with my gtx660 for the time being, instead of buying a temporary gtx960 or a soon-to-be-overtaken gtx970/980. And then getting a gtx1070 or whatever Pascal will be named. Updated the original post after your input