The end has come… for my old PC rig. It was my first custom build and I’ve seriously enjoyed the last 5 years I’ve been using it. We’ve seen some great times together – from my first headshots in Battlefield 3, to my more recent escapades as a space explorer in Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous. However, the hardware keeps getting older, and I’m finding myself replacing more and more stuff just to keep it somewhat up to date. It’s time for something new.
So for my new build, I set out with a few requirements in mind:

1. I want it to be ready for Intel Optane devices!
2. I have to be able to stream/record at 1080p, as well as some light video editing.
3. Needs enough power for dual video cards (eventually).
4. It’s gotta be quiet!

Right out of the gate, I can rule out an AMD system since the Intel Optane devices will only work on the latest generation of Intel Processors, “Kaby Lake.” It’s important for me that it be ready for Optane since I work at the facility that these chips are being manufactured at – OF COURSE I need to have it in my system!

Requirement #2 should need no explanation. I’m a gamer!

I’ll be transferring my current MSI RX 480 8GB graphics card from my old PC since I’ve only had it a few months, and it should handle the latest gaming titles while still holding up to my FPS requirements.

And lastly, the PC I’m gaming on right now is actually somewhat noisy. I originally built it thinking it would be pretty quiet, but I put in a closed-loop water cooling system and the radiator needed a few fans. While the CPU temps have been amazing, it puts out enough noise to disrupt voice recordings/chat regularly. I’ll be foregoing the water cooled system in favor of something a bit less noisy.

I did take a couple of liberties when picking out my parts, like the 64 gigabytes of Corsair Vengeance DDR4 RAM with LED’s, but hey, this build is about being future proof!

I should have everything ordered and delivered in the next few weeks, and I’ll be recording a video build log.

Parts List:

• CPU: Intel “Kaby Lake” i7-7700K Quad-core 4.2GHz
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus IX Code
• Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 480 Gaming 8GB
• CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 Tower Cooler
• RAM: 32GB GSkill TridentZ DDR4-3200MHz
• Power Supply: Corsair RMx 850W Full Modular
• Case: Corsair Obsidian 450D
• OS: Windows 10 Pro 64bit