KSP1 Computer Building/Buying Megathread

[KocLobster]

I don't think that power supply has enough power for that system. Why does the GTX 970 require a lot more than the 980?

Using Newegg's power supply calculator, it basically suggests at least a 700W power supply.

Edited March 14, 2016 by KocLobster

[Alphasus]

That 970 recommendation is a PSU size recommendation. The 980 recommendation is a usage estimate of the GPU alone. The 970 is fine with a 550W or 500W PSU. I know because I use it with one. I measured usage with a kill-a-watt, and with unigine heaven and handbrake running to max my CPU and GPU, I did not hit more than 300 watts. You may need 50 watts more for that cpu, which is a very high estimate(realistically 20). You don't need a huge PSU.

[KocLobster]

Thanks for the clarification and all the help you've provided me

I really really like the case you picked, but smaller would be cool too. When I looked on Newegg, it says it's a microATX case anyways, though..which seems plenty small.

 

Also, for the PSU, I decided on what you picked, but the G2 series instead of GS. It's only an extra ~$20 and I hear better things about it. There are a lot more reviews (and I assume purchases) for the G2 series as well. If you're absolutely positive 550W is enough, I picked this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438053

Is that PSU also good enough if I wanted to double the RAM in the future, from 16GB to 32GB? Would there ever be a need to do this?

[Alphasus]

22 minutes ago, KocLobster said:

Thanks for the clarification and all the help you've provided me

I really really like the case you picked, but smaller would be cool too. When I looked on Newegg, it says it's a microATX case anyways, though..which seems plenty small.

 

Also, for the PSU, I decided on what you picked, but the G2 series instead of GS. It's only an extra ~$20 and I hear better things about it. There are a lot more reviews (and I assume purchases) for the G2 series as well. If you're absolutely positive 550W is enough, I picked this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438053

Is that PSU also good enough if I wanted to double the RAM in the future, from 16GB to 32GB? Would there ever be a need to do this?

That RAM increase wont increase power usage by more than 10 watts at worst. But you only have 2 ram slots so you will need to replace all the RAM.

[KocLobster]

This is what I ended up choosing, which is very little deviation from what you chose. I hope you don't mind, but I used Newegg instead of Partpicker; because I already plan on ordering everything from Newegg.

Case: Fractal Design Define S with Window Side Panel Silent Computer Case
HDD: WD Black 3TB Performance Desktop Hard Disk Drive - 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD3003FZEX
SSD: SAMSUNG 850 EVO 2.5" 250GB SATA III 3-D Vertical Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-75E250B/AM
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 970 GAMING 4G
PSU: EVGA 220-G2-0550-Y1 80 PLUS GOLD 550W ECO Mode Fully Modular NVIDIA SLI Ready and Crossfire Support Continuous Power Supply
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2133 (PC4 17000) Intel Z170 Platform / Intel X99 Platform Desktop Memory Model F4-2133C15D-16GVR
MB: GIGABYTE G1 Gaming GA-Z170MX-Gaming 5 LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 6M Skylake Quad-Core 3.5 GHz LGA 1151 91W BX80662I56600K Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 530
Fans (x6): Rosewill RFA-120-BL - 120mm Computer Case Cooling Fan with LP4 Adapter - Blue Frame & 4 Blue LED Lights, Sleeve Bearing, Silent
Heatsink/CPU fan: Noctua NH-L9i 95mm SSO2 CPU Cooler
Thermal paste: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM

Please tell me what you think of this final build, if you see any problems or compatibility issues, etc. Are those fans fine? I got 6 because that's how much room there is in the case, since the case comes with 2 fans already. It's probably overkill and unnecessary, so let me know if I should get X amount instead? Thanks for your help and patience

10 minutes ago, Alphasus said:

That RAM increase wont increase power usage by more than 10 watts at worst. But you only have 2 ram slots so you will need to replace all the RAM.

Why would I only have 2 ram slots? This MB has room for 4 slots, 32GB total.

Edited March 14, 2016 by KocLobster

[Alphasus]

Those Rosewill fans were very loud, at 30 dB. This computer should never go above 20 dB, with those Noctua fans, without taking into account the case's sound dampening foam. That should make it quieter.

I thought you went with the MSI mATX board.

Also, take maybe 4 fans of this type(that case takes 140mms, which have better airflow):Noctua NF-A15

Also, that cooler should probably be upgraded. If I'm correct, you plan to over clock. And anyways, that has a higher TDP. Try this:Noctua NH-U14S

That should be a lot of cooling on all ends. Those fans also have the ability to work in tight spaces rather well. So, location shouldn't matter as much.

@KocLobster

Edited March 14, 2016 by Alphasus

[Alphasus]

Oh yes, and use arctic mx4 thermal paste.It is about 1 degree cooler and comes in a larger quantity. It also spreads better.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Alphasus

[KocLobster]

23 minutes ago, Alphasus said:

Those Rosewill fans were very loud, at 30 dB. This computer should never go above 20 dB, with those Noctua fans, without taking into account the case's sound dampening foam. That should make it quieter.

I thought you went with the MSI mATX board.

Also, take maybe 4 fans of this type(that case takes 140mms, which have better airflow):Noctua NF-A15

Also, that cooler should probably be upgraded. If I'm correct, you plan to over clock. And anyways, that has a higher TDP. Try this:Noctua NH-U14S

That should be a lot of cooling on all ends. Those fans also have the ability to work in tight spaces rather well. So, location shouldn't matter as much.

@KocLobster

Thanks again for the help! I think you got those two links switched around, but I still got the gist of it. I changed my order and got rid of the other fans, and got four of those instead, plus the upgraded heatsink/fan you just suggested. Sort of irrelevant to the build, but I'm also getting:

Monitor:ASUS VE278Q Black 27" 1920x1080 2ms Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 300 cd/m2 ASCR 10,000,000:1
DVD/CD drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM
 

I don't have a keyboard or monitor, and just have crappy earbuds, so I need a new keyboard, monitor, and headphones too. I've been reading, and I'm not sure if a mechanical keyboard really sounds all that necessary or great, or worth the increased price. I was just going to get a general gaming keyboard, maybe Devastator II LED Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo Bundle with Blue LED Edition by Cooler Master, but if I really got convinced mechanical is worth it, I was looking at Corsair Gaming STRAFE Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Cherry MX Red. I like the look of both. If I went with the mechanical, I hear the cherry MX red is fairly silent and doesn't require a lot of force, unlike some other types which do, and can be much louder.

As for headphones, I don't know jack about them, nor do I really care about supreme audio quality. I'm just fine with a relatively cheap, standard gaming headset. Same goes for the mouse, which is why I don't plan on buying a new one (the Logitech I have was $30 and works awesomely). This are the two headsets I'm looking at: Razer Kraken Pro Over Ear PC Gaming and Music Headset- Green and SteelSeries Siberia v2 3.5mm Connector Circumaural Full-size Headset - White

[Alphasus]

Ok, I'm passing the rest of this off to someone else.

@Camacha

@cantab

If either of those could run over the specs of the machine, and do final checks then you would have a second set of eyes. If you need mouse advice I'm still here but that's where my peripheral knowledge stops.

5 minutes ago, KocLobster said:

Thanks again for the help! I think you got those two links switched around, but I still got the gist of it. I changed my order and got rid of the other fans, and got four of those instead, plus the upgraded heatsink/fan you just suggested. Sort of irrelevant to the build, but I'm also getting:

Monitor:ASUS VE278Q Black 27" 1920x1080 2ms Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 300 cd/m2 ASCR 10,000,000:1
DVD/CD drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM
 

I don't have a keyboard or monitor, and just have crappy earbuds, so I need a new keyboard, monitor, and headphones too. I've been reading, and I'm not sure if a mechanical keyboard really sounds all that necessary or great, or worth the increased price. I was just going to get a general gaming keyboard, maybe Devastator II LED Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo Bundle with Blue LED Edition by Cooler Master, but if I really got convinced mechanical is worth it, I was looking at Corsair Gaming STRAFE Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Cherry MX Red. I like the look of both. If I went with the mechanical, I hear the cherry MX red is fairly silent and doesn't require a lot of force, unlike some other types which do, and can be much louder.

As for headphones, I don't know jack about them, nor do I really care about supreme audio quality. I'm just fine with a relatively cheap, standard gaming headset. Same goes for the mouse, which is why I don't plan on buying a new one (the Logitech I have was $30 and works awesomely). This are the two headsets I'm looking at: Razer Kraken Pro Over Ear PC Gaming and Music Headset- Green and SteelSeries Siberia v2 3.5mm Connector Circumaural Full-size Headset - White

 

[KocLobster]

Thanks for all of your help anyways

[Alphasus]

Just now, KocLobster said:

Thanks for all of your help anyways

You are welcome. Do you still want that laptop with the rest of the machine? Because that laptop is still on the table too.

[KocLobster]

No, I'm pretty much approaching the limit of my budget at this point. Right now we're looking at just over $1700 because of the extras I have to buy as a result of getting a desktop ($200+ monitor, $50-100 headphones, $30-100 keyboard). I still need to go to IKEA or somewhere and buy a computer desk/chair as well, and I was trying to keep my budget at around $1800 at a maximum. You, and others, convinced me a laptop really isn't necessary, and the more I think about it, the more I don't want a laptop. I don't want to game anywhere but the comfort of my own home. Therefore, I can use the crappy laptop I own already to do anything else outside of my house, and admittedly that is very little, except maybe needing to bring it to school next quarter. Thanks again for all your help though! Can you provide a specific link to the thermal paste you mean? I could not find it on Newegg..

Edited March 14, 2016 by KocLobster

[Alphasus]

1 minute ago, KocLobster said:

No, I'm pretty much approaching the limit of my budget at this point. Right now we're looking at just over $1700 because of the extras I have to buy as a result of getting a desktop ($200+ monitor, $50-100 headphones, $50-100 keyboard). I still need to go to IKEA or somewhere and buy a computer desk/chair as well, and I was trying to keep my budget at around $1800 at a maximum. You, and others, convinced me a laptop really isn't necessary, and the more I think about it, the more I don't want a laptop. I don't want to game anywhere but the comfort of my own home. Therefore, I can use the crappy laptop I own already to do anything else outside of my house, and admittedly that is very little, except maybe needing to bring it to school next quarter. Thanks again for all your help though! Can you provide a specific link to the thermal paste you mean? I could not find it on Newegg..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186038

Here we go then. That thermal paste is quite nice. If you feel you dont need it, some ok thermal paste comes with the cooler. But, the expense is $8, so negligible in an $1800 build.

[KocLobster]

7 minutes ago, Alphasus said:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186038

Here we go then. That thermal paste is quite nice. If you feel you dont need it, some ok thermal paste comes with the cooler. But, the expense is $8, so negligible in an $1800 build.

Ah okay, the problem was that I was only looking at Artic Silver brands.

[Elthy]

Any reason you choose a low-profile cooler for a normal size case? Also you wont necessarly need to buy extra thermal paste, it comes with the cooler. Maybe not enough for several applications, but you can allways buy more if you realy need it...

[Alphasus]

1 minute ago, Elthy said:

Any reason you choose a low-profile cooler for a normal size case? Also you wont necessarly need to buy extra thermal paste, it comes with the cooler. Maybe not enough for several applications, but you can allways buy more if you realy need it...

Meh. That paste is arguably the best on market. I chose low profile(the u14) because skylake seems to have issues with heavy coolers.

[Elthy]

Is 2-3K (and thats optimistic) that important if you even choose a low-profile cooler? It would make sense if he would hunt for the best benchmarks or highest clocks, but in such a "casual" (dont be mad) the quality of application will be cheaper to optimize...

[KocLobster]

32 minutes ago, Elthy said:

Is 2-3K (and thats optimistic) that important if you even choose a low-profile cooler? It would make sense if he would hunt for the best benchmarks or highest clocks, but in such a "casual" (dont be mad) the quality of application will be cheaper to optimize...

I know you weren't directing you question at me, but what are you referring to by 2-3k?

[Alphasus]

34 minutes ago, Elthy said:

Is 2-3K (and thats optimistic) that important if you even choose a low-profile cooler? It would make sense if he would hunt for the best benchmarks or highest clocks, but in such a "casual" (dont be mad) the quality of application will be cheaper to optimize...

The NH-U14S is a very nice cooler... I don't consider better temps than an h100i in quiet mode to be shabby or weak. Also, it is $7 off of an $1800 build. An h80i in balanced settings, and lower temps than an NH-D14 NON low profile cooler is not a bad cooler...Here, the benchmark. It is also quieter than any water cooler in that test.

[Alphasus]

Also, the U14S needs to be horizontal, not vertical. Otherwise, it will block the top PCI-E slot.

@KocLobster

Edited March 15, 2016 by Alphasus

[Camacha]

On 14/03/2016 at 11:59 PM, Alphasus said:

Ok, I'm passing the rest of this off to someone else.

@Camacha

@cantab

If either of those could run over the specs of the machine, and do final checks then you would have a second set of eyes. If you need mouse advice I'm still here but that's where my peripheral knowledge stops.

I am rather busy this week, but do not mind taking a look when I have some time.

 

On 13/03/2016 at 11:15 PM, KocLobster said:

@Camacha

I appreciate the advice and support. [...]

 

Thanks. Though I am certainly not in it for the praise, people seem to underestimate how much a simple word of thanks means when you try to help them out

Edited March 16, 2016 by Camacha

[KocLobster]

4 hours ago, Camacha said:

I am rather busy this week, but do not mind taking a look when I have some time.

 

Thanks. Though I am certainly not in it for the praise, people seem to underestimate how much a simple word of thanks means when you try to help them out

You're welcome that's just how I was raised. I'd appreciate your input, I still don't know about my choice of peripherals like keyboard and headphones. I'm leaning towards cheap at this point, but that's also why I'm asking for suggestions.

In month or so when i get everything and build it, I'll take pictures along the way. If anybody is like me, they always enjoy seeing brand new hardware being put together.

[Camacha]

5 hours ago, KocLobster said:

 I still don't know about my choice of peripherals like keyboard and headphones. I'm leaning towards cheap at this point, but that's also why I'm asking for suggestions.

In month or so when i get everything and build it, I'll take pictures along the way. If anybody is like me, they always enjoy seeing brand new hardware being put together.

Looking at the configuration in this post I do not see any obvious flaws. You seem to have circumvented the common pitfalls. It is a pretty balanced system without any weirdly over- or under-dimensioned components. The PSU is pretty beefy for this system, but we have had that discussion a couple of times now, so I will not bore you any further. A couple of minor points:

- Is noise a concern? As other people mentioned, you might want to pick a tower style cooler. Be sure there is some airflow across the motherboard (and specifically the VRM's surrounding the CPU socket) whatever you decide.
- Regarding noise: a WD Black is relatively loud. Something like a WD Red will be slightly slower, but much quieter. Since you will likely be using it for bulk data, speed is not that relevant. You will save a buck too. The WD Black is not a bad choice, though.
- AS5 is not really the TIM of choice any more. There are more modern options available for the same or less money that will be easier to apply.
- Some people are not too fond of the GTX 970 because of memory shenanigans. It is a pretty fiercely contested subject, so I will leave it at that, but you might want to look into it to see whether you feel it might be relevant for you.
- The Samsung EVO hard drives have a decent track record. They do use TLC, though. An SSD like the Crucial MX200 uses MLC memory cells (and even SLC when partially written to). The MX series also has added protection features in case of power loss. Do not get fooled by the silly performance numbers you see for the Samsung drives, I could write an article about those, but the long story short is that they are both massively inflated and irrelevant. Neither would be a mistake to buy, but personally, I would pick the option with the more reliable technology.
- Your memory is not on the QVL. Generally that is not an issue and a lot of very similar memory sets from the same brand are on there, but I just wanted it to be mentioned. You really have to be a winner of the unlucky lottery to run into any sort of trouble.

Mind you, even though it is long list, they are all relatively minor issues Regarding the headset and keyboard: expensive versions can be fun, but are also somewhat unnecessary. I have a mechanical keyboard at home and a bog standard rubber dome keyboard at work. While I do enjoy the experience of typing on my mechanical keyboard, I cannot say switching is a big deal. Yes, there is a noticeable difference, but no, that does not make the rubber dome experience unbearable all of a sudden. A mechanical keyboard simple is a nice-to-have (and I know some people will lament me saying this ). If you go the mechanical route, be sure to find out about different switch types before you pick a keyboard. I ended up disappointed, until I switched to a key I liked. There are 20 dollar tester boards with different keys to get a feel for them. Finding a store and trying a couple of options is even better.

Regarding gaming headsets: they are pretty much all overpriced when it comes to bang-for-buck. Normal headphones are much cheaper, though lack that gamer flair (and sometimes the microphone). That largely makes it a matter of wanting, rather than needing. Also be aware that clicky mechanical keyboards and gaming with an open microphone can annoy some people listening to your audio feed.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Camacha

[rottaro]

Hello Everyone on this thread,

 

I'm really excited about the upcoming 1.1 release and really want to get a an upgrade on my machine to be able to play for all its glory. I'm working on budget here so I a have a trade off to make. I know KSP is a CPU intensive game so is it better to spend money on a good CPU or a good GPU? Right now I am considering this build:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7kdHYJ

It has an Intel Core i3 6100 which I know is a good "bang for your buck" but a very light graphics card (Zontac GTX 750 Ti 2GB). What I also like about this is that the motherboard has an LGA 1151 socket so I can have the ability to upgrade to another future Intel CPU. And the same goes for the PCIe 3.0 ports and DDR4.

Would I be better served by buying a cheaper CPU and spending more on graphics? (ie. any Core 2 Duo or an AMD) And for the record, I couldn't care less how it plays other games; I only want to optimize it for KSP. Everything else is a bonus.

 

Also just to follow the thread rules, I live in the US and can buy parts from Newegg but I do not have any Microcenters near me. My budget to be exact is $500 not including OS which I get for free. Also, my backup option should this computer not really work out is to buy an Alienware Steam Machine. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

 

Thanks so much in advance for your help.

[Camacha]

9 minutes ago, rottaro said:

I'm really excited about the upcoming 1.1 release and really want to get a an upgrade on my machine to be able to play for all its glory. I'm working on budget here so I a have a trade off to make. I know KSP is a CPU intensive game so is it better to spend money on a good CPU or a good GPU? Right now I am considering this build:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7kdHYJ

Two things: wait for the 1.1 release. We do not know how the renewed engine will respond to various set-ups and, so it is impossible to tailor a system to fit the bill. Also, even though the same applies to the GPU, the expectation is that less will change there. Larger ships will mean more to render, but not so much more that the GPU load will wildly change. This means that the GTX 750 Ti will run KSP perfectly fine, since much less powerful cards will already run KSP well. You might want to base your GPU choice on other games as well, even if you are not planning to play those just yet. Building a system exclusively for KSP might hurt you in the future, though you can certainly build a system that has a wider use, while keeping KSP in mind. If 1.1 delivers what it promises in a reasonable fashion, KSP requirements and those of other games will probably become quite a bit more similar.