Couple questions

Hello, my budget for this pc is about $6,000.  I've been saving for awhile and want a top of the line machine but only in performance, I do not want to spend extra doing anything cosmetic.

I will use this pc for casual gaming and for programming projects that I like to do.  These projects will often run on all cores %100 for hours at a time so performance is a big factor to me.  So what I am mainly looking for is the fastest pc I can get in my price range.  here are my questions for you guys:

1.  I noticed the aventum II model and the hailstorm II models with similar specs are a few hundreds dolars apart in price, is this all in the case?  how much does the case actually matter?  is there a cheaper case option that keeps the system cool and expandable  just as well as these?

2. I'm wanting to get the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 5960X processor with stage 2 overclocking.  What would the difference be between getting 2666mhz ram vs 2800mhz ram?  would picking one over the other allow a higher multiplier on the processor?

3.  I would like to save money by getting just 1 video card and upgrading to 2 in SLI later.  what is a good high end video card that has good value for the money?

4.  is there anything I should know about picking a motherboard?

Thanks for any help, this is the configuration I'm currently considering: 1139722

Hi zreeve,

Here is a suggested system that will do the job for you.

There is no reason to go with an Aventum II or Hailstorm II cases. Here is a build on the Velox which has liquid cooling on the CPU and air cooling on the GPU. The liquid cooling is a closed loop and requires no maintenance.

The 5960X is a power house CPU but you state you will be running it 100% for long periods of time. Running 100% on all cores for extended times is a heck of a load and if it was me I would stay with the stage 1 OC.

You are way over powered for the system you have configured. I put in a 1050w unit but according to your future requires you might even get by with a 850w.

Frank

Configuration Code: 1139779 Cost: $4978

Specifications:

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm Velox
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 5960X 3.0GHz (Eight-Core) (Extreme Performance)
Motherboard: ASUS X99 RAMPAGE V (Intel X99 Chipset)
System Memory: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Corsair Dominator Platinum DHX (Extreme-Performance)
Power Supply: 1050W Corsair HX1050
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Western Digital - Black Edition)
Storage Set 3: - No Thanks
RAID Config: - No Thanks
RAID Card: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX)
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H110 280mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Airflow Control: Digital Storm Thermal Management Control Board & Software
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Boost Graphics Card(s): - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows CD)
Virus Protection: FREE: McAfee AntiVirus Plus (1 Year Service Activation Card) (Not Pre-installed) ($35 Value)
Office: - No Thanks
Game: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)