The Byte - The High End Build
The Byte - The High End Build
This system is focuses on those die hard gamers unwilling to compromise on the image quality. This means that the target resolution would be at least 1080p (1920x1080 Full HD) but the aim is 1440p (2560x1440 Quad HD) with virtually all eye candy enabled in the game. This system can also be used by those who are into multi-monitor gaming. If you would like to seek out game specific tweaks/mods, head on over to our game forum.
CPU - Intel Core i7-6700K | Intel Core i7-6800K | Intel Core i7-6850K
Would you be interested, if I told you that you can get similar gaming performance of Intel Core i7-6950X which costs about 1,700 EURO by spending only 650 EURO? Those answering yes would fit into the uber user category. By purchasing Intel Core i7-6850K, you get virtually most benefits of Intel Core i7-6950X without the need to sell your kidney, arm, liver and a leg (review). Just raise that multiplier a little and boom, yes six-cores! We choose the Intel Core i7-6850K as it it a six-core processor and needs to be paired with a X99 chipset, this will bring 40 PCIe lanes, DDR4 quad channel, and more awesomeness into your system. You could opt the even cheaper, 450 EURO Intel Core i7-6800K of course, but if you plan on multi-gpu gaming, with 40 PCI-Express lanes the Intel Core i7-6850K just makes more sense. If you stick to one graphics card, the Intel Core i7-6800K would be a very valid choice, it has 28 PCI-Express lanes available and is clocked merley a notch lower.
If pricing is a concern then we do understand that X99 is expensive as a platform, look into getting an Intel Core i7-6700K for 350 EURO and pair it with a decent Z170 motherboard. Do note that "older" Intel Core i7-5000 & Intel Core i7-4000 CPUs can still be used but if you're making a system from scratch, it's better to use the latest and greatest so it will last you for a while.
 |
|
Small tip: For high end users that desire X99, Core i7 Haswell-E is still the way to go... the Core i7 5820K and 5930K are appealing price performance wise - both with six-cores and overclockability. We recommend Haswell-E over Broadwell-E (Core i7 6900 series) as they tweak better and have lower load temperatures when overclocked. Aside from more cores performance the per core perf is nearly the same. If you want the most cores - the Core i7 6950X is the way to go with it's 10 cores yet daunting € 1.749 pricetag. |
CPU Cooler - Corsair H110i GTX | EK Predator 240
To squeeze out all the CPU cycles you possibly can, you would have to tweak the voltages. This means that the heat being generated by the CPU will need to be dissipated rapidly in an efficient manner. You can achieve this by using Corsair H110i GTX (Review) would comes at a reasonable price tag of only 145 EURO or add an extra 30 EURO and pickup the EK Predator 240 (Review). The dual 120 mm fans and a 240 mm radiator, can be installed in a few minutes. After that, you can tweak the CPU frequencies to your heart's content. If you want something bigger or smaller to fit in your case, there are plenty of AIO LCS to choose from (Details).
GPU - Nvidia GTX 1070 | AMD Radeon R9-Fury X
If you want one of the fastest GPU for gaming needs without taking out a mortgage on your house, then Nvidia GTX 1070 (Review) is the answer. With 8 GB of VRAM and excellent power consumption, this beast will obliterate any game you throw at it and will mock you for your futile attempt at overpowering it. Of course, this beast could be yours for only 450 EURO! Within the same price range, you can also get the AMD Radeon R9 Fury X.
Those wanting to have the highest end single GPU for unmatched performance can check out the 680 EURO Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (Review). Of course, if the odds that your wallet would survive such a price impact are slim, you could opt for a dual GPU set up (SLI/CF/CFX) by using mainstream GPUs which would increase your performance considerably while not leaving your wallet shattered in ashy pieces. Brand preference is a big thing these days so you choose... wisely ;)
 |
|
The MSI 1070 is lovely in performance, low noise levels and power consumption (Read). |
Motherboard - ASUS Maximus VIII Formula | ASUS X99 Deluxe (II) | MSI X99S Gaming 9 AC
One of the most critical hardware piece in the system is the motherboard. The reason is that all other components are connected to it. Hence, choosing the right motherboard for your needs is paramount along with ensuring that all other components are compatible with it and that no major issues are there. Luckily, if you stick with reputable brands, you are far less likely to encounter issues then choosing a nameless brand. There are many quality motherboards for the LGA1151 socket and LGA2011-3 socket out there. The ASUS Maximum VIII Formula (Review) will cost you ~340 EURO and is a powerhouse. The Asus X99 Deluxe (Review) is another powerhouse with a somewhat decent tag of ~385 EURO. It has everything one can possibly dream of and more.
Great alternatives come from MSI, ASRock and Gigabyte. Be sure to dig through some of our reviews to help you choose... the one (Details).
System Memory (RAM) - DDR4 8 GB (2x 8 GB) @ 2,400 MHz | DDR4 16 GB (4x 4 GB) @ 2,400 MHz
When it comes to RAM, always make it a point to check with the motherboard if the RAM is compatible or not (quality vendors do provide this service). It is much cheaper and quicker for you to find the right product by browsing through the supported memory list on the motherboard site than buying the kit and later learning that it is incompatible. Of course, you must have a 64-bit OS to use the 16 GBs of RAM. Do note that higher frequencies doesn't necessarily translates to better real world performance. It all depends on the specific applications that you use. Most games may not benifit from DDR4 3,200 MHz but some RAM intensive applications might. Since this system is targetted towards gamers, rather than spending additional money towards the higher frequency RAM, spend it on the GPU where it really counts.
Z170 motherboards have dual-channel memory. 2x8 GB is sufficient by any standard when it comes to gaming. Of course, you can go higher if you use your system for content creation.
X99 motherboards have quad-channel memory, hence you should use 4 DIMMs. Now yes, 16 GB is a little over the top, but hey, memory is cheap and this is the more high-end build of course. So go for a little extra, quite handy while transcoding video's or doing some content production (when you are not gaming of course).
 |
|
DDR4 Dual/Quad Channel Memory |
Storage - M.2 512 GB SSD | SATA 1 TB SSD
Consumers in this category would have gotten their hands on a SSD quite a while ago. However, the issue that they faced then was the extremely limited sizes (remember those 32 GB, 64 GB SSDs?). Thanks to technological advancements, that it no longer the case. You can now get an affordable 1 TB SSD for your OS and main applications. Two names that have made quite an impact in the consumer market are; Crucial BX100 1 TB and Samsung 850 EVO 1 TB (Review). The price ranges from ~300 EURO to ~400 EURO. Something that wasn't imaginable few years ago. A Crucial BX100 500 GB for example can be yours for 155 EURO. Moreover, opting for a previous generation SSD is budget friendly while not sacrificing the performance too much. You can also mix things up, install a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD and install a nice 4 TB HDD for your larger storage needs. Just run your OS from that SSD and watch your system fly.
Given the rapid rate of innovation in the SSD field, SATA3 connection was being a bottleneck. Thus, a new standard was created which uses the PCI-E lanes to obtain and even higher performance than SATA3! That's where your M.2 connection steps in. There is also U.2 connection which isn't as popular as M.2 but provides similar performance. The quality Z170 motherboards will have M.2 connection along with the refresh of X99 motherboards. When it comes to M.2 SSDs, look no further than Samsung 950 Pro M.2. SSD series (Review) for pure performance. While Samsung has the crown of performance, there are other vendors offering similar performance so do have a look to find something that suits your choice (Details).
Depoending on how much you are willing to spemd a nice 512 GB NVME enabled M2 SSD combined with a large HDD for 'cold' storage remains the recommendation.
PSU - 650 Watts To 700 and 800 Watts (or more) with multiple GPUs
Having the right PSU can make a difference between a stable or an unstable system under heavy load. Thus, make sure that you always purchase a PSU from reputable brands like EVGA, Corsair, OCZ, Antec, Seasonic, etc. Moreover, it is common for a PSU to be re-used when building new systems so having one with some extra wattage is good insurance policy. Just make sure that you are getting a high efficiency one which will help you reduce your power bill in the long run. Also, if you are planning to overclock say the CPU and/or GPU(s), be sure to get a bit more wattage as overclocking requires higher voltages which may increases your power consumption significantly. Here is the list of PSUs we have reviewed over the years (Details).
Odds & Ends
Now that you are familiar with the inner daemon, The Byte, here are some other components for you to think about:
- Chassis: Always ensure that the chassis can support all your components and is of the right size. Moreover, a well ventilated chassis helps increase the life-span of the components by preventing build up of hot spots and allows faster heat dissipation. A selection of chassis that we have reviewed is a good place to start (Details).
- Sound card: The on-board sound card gets the job done. However, with a system like this, you don't have any excuse to not have a dedicated sound card. So do your ears a favor and consider getting something like the ASUS Xonar Phoebus (Review) which targets gamers. Optionally, browse our reviews of sound systems and pick something that suits your taste (Details).
If you ever wondered what it would be like to build a system without ever considering the price-tag, then check out The Megabyte...
