Coffee Lake ITX build - w. questions

[blaznee]

Hi guys and gals,

Planning to build a new ITX based Coffee Lake gaming pc.

Due to space and girlfriend requirements, I'm trying to build small, quiet and nice. I have never build anything but full ATX builds, and it's been awhile.

So I'm pretty much going all in here.

CPU: 8700k
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z370i (possibly the MSI mini-atx z370 instead).
Memory: So here's the first one where I'm struggling.. With the 8700k cpu, is it better to utilize 4x DDR4 slots or not? Also.. I'm not a big OC'er, I usually just stick with whatever autooverclock the mobo gives me.. Should I aim for something above 2666mhz DDR4?
GPU: I'll just stick my 980 in it until Volta based ones come out. So it'll be full length
HDD's: If possible I'm sticking with just 2 Samsung 960 1TB NVMe drives. Are those bootable? Or do I need an normal SSD for that?
PSU: Depending on the case.. Anything Gold rated and above, pref. modular.. If the case requires SFX sized PSU, is this even possible with the above build? I max out at 600-650w with what's available to me with SFX sized PSU's..
Case: So I'm digging the In Win Gaming Cube A1 - but it's not near coming to market.. I need something small that fits a full size GPU.
CPU cooler: I prefer silent air cooling like Noctua.. But I'd like some recommendations fitting the cases you guys recommend..

As small and silent as possible..

 

[Flaky]

You get only 2 RAM slots on ITX boards.
3000+ memory gives benefits depending on game you're playing.
There is no point in getting NVMe drive just for gaming - there is almost no gain in load times.

 

[blaznee]

You get only 2 RAM slots on ITX boards.
3000+ memory gives benefits depending on game you're playing.
There is no point in getting NVMe drive just for gaming - there is almost no gain in load times.

That's why I'm considering the MSI Micro-ATX - if the 4 slots has any benefit

Oh, and thanks for the heads up on the NVME.. I just did a quick look in to it, and yes the NVME's are faster, by 0/100's to 0/10's of a second.. Sooo, not worth it.

Any recommendations for 1TB SSD's?

And I like Evga customer service, this actually puts the micro-atx evga z370 into contention

 

[Flaky]

115x platforms have dual channel controller.
Using 2 dimms per channel may marginally improve performance, but at the same time it makes running memory stable at high clocks much more difficult.
If you want fast ram, stick to two modules.

Not really sure what is available at your location. Crucial MX300 might be a good choice. 2.5 inch or M.2 form factor - no difference here.

 

[silentbogo]

It looks good so far.
The only few things I wanted to add:
1) Stick with ASUS. MSI z370i boards may be cheaper, but they suck in terms of quality of components and quality of engineering.
2) no need to overspend on 2xNVME drives. Just get a 256 or 512GB boot drive and store your games on SATA SSD.
3) Don't worry about a PSU. Just get a reputable 80+ Gold unit with 500W of power and you should be fine even with overclocking. Seasonic G-550 or EVGA SuperNova 550W G3 is the way to go.
4) Your case can fit any 120mm tower cooling (160mm available). If you like Noctua, then U12S is the way to go, but in that chassis even something like Hyper 212 will do.
5) 4 RAM slots is not a necessity for you. Coffee lake only does dual-channel, and you can use up to 32GB DDR4 in those two slots. 32GB is more than enough for the next 5-6 years at least. Just get a 2x8GB kit and sell it when you decide to upgrade.

 

[londiste]

When doing an ITX build, M.2 SSD might be worth it just for the form factor. It's incredibly small and compact, you won't have to find a place for 2.5" drive and two cables...

 

[ppn]

Yeah, why would you need 8700K. and Z370.
8700 and MSI H310 - Q1 2018
best value DDR4 >2666
Lian li 21B case
Corsair SF450 - 0 fan under 100 W
get rid of 980 full lenght, get ITX 1060 or 1070 Ti with 0RPM fans in Idle.

And it wil be noizy, it will need some tinkering for the fans, so I cant fully guarantee for that. I havent tried the future ITX GPU yet.

 

[blaznee]

Yeah, why would you need 8700K. and Z370.
8700 and MSI H310 - Q1 2018
best value DDR4 >2666
Lian li 21B case
Corsair SF450 - 0 fan under 100 W
get rid of 980 full lenght, get ITX 1060 or 1070 Ti with 0RPM fans in Idle.

And it wil be noizy, it will need some tinkering for the fans, so I cant fully guarantee for that. I havent tried the future ITX GPU yet.

I get your points, but this is supposed to be a high-end gaming pc for the next 3 years. I will upgrade the GPU to what's supposed to be GTX 2080 or whatever the name will be. Midrange GPU's won't do. The 980 is only there until that new GPU shows up. I may even wait with buying until those are available..

I did consider the i8400 cpu, but I'm betting hyperthreading will have an impact in gaming performance during the lifetime of this PC. The basis for this will span 2 high-end GPU lifecycles.. So 2080 and likely 2 generations more.

I do know that a SFF high end gaming pc will not be SILENT.. But I want to be "noise conscious" ..

 

[ppn]

I mean 8700 Non-K and 8700K as far as framerates and experience goes, the difference between those will be negligeable.
Both are 12 threads. Clocked at 4.4 Ghz all cores, and the other 4.7 with Autoclok. You cant expect ITX VRM to power 200 watt beast at 5.3 Ghz or something.

The upcoming Z390 and 8- core next year will redefine high end yet again, That is very soon I think.

And DDR4 is expensive right now, double, just take the best you can that doesn't cost double for 200 Mhz more. Yeah you will need 16GB x2 modules for futureproof..

I hope that 1070 Ti will be better than next Midrange. You can always go for Volta when it is available..
I understand why you lean towards triple fan cards, but this is not ITX at all.
The avoidance of true ITX versions is justifiable, since sometimes they appear a lot later.
like MSI 1070 Aero for example, being released now as part of a dead product line.

The thing with ITX trend is that most of the time they take a bigger than normal ATX case and cut it in half an rotate it vertical, and make it wider therefore killing the idea. I don't see how this solves the problem of space, there were some good variants but are being sold very expensively and still need a lot of optimisations, and riddled by drawbacks for the money they ask.

 

[phanbuey]

for footprint size you might want something like an http://www.phanteks.com/Enthoo-Evolv-Shift.html

height usually doesnt matter as being able to cram it somewhere inconspicuous.

evga hardron air is another good one.

 

[ppn]

I made a mistake by suggesting the locked CPU among other things. Apparently it will be TDP limited and not be able to sustain as high clock as expected all the time unless down volt is applied or something. Go ahead with the K-cpu.