OK, here we go.
eCollege's website does not allow one to save a configuration or shopping cart, so I have to rebuild these from scratch each time I visit. I appreciate comments comparing these two configurations, as well as whether you think either one is a good idea or if I should keep on shopping. Any suggestions for trimming a few bucks would also be welcome, if you think I upgraded things that don't need upgrading.
This first one uses the short case that they recommended. It's only 344mm (13.5") tall, so let's call it Shorty.
Here's the configurator page, and this is what I wound up with:
Intel Core i7 8700k 3.7Ghz (4.7Ghz Turbo) 12MB Cache Six-Core | (+$185)
CORSAIR Cooling Hydro Series H60 120mm Water Cooler | (+$69)
Gigabyte B360N Wifi (Intel B360, HDMI, PCIe, 1xM.2, 4xSATA, 2xDDR3, Wifi) |
16GB (8GBx2) G.Skill Ripjaws DDR4 3200Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty | (+$40)
500GB SAMSUNG 860 EVO Series MZ-75E500B/AM SATA3 SSD | (+$138)
1TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps Toshiba P300 |
6GB GeForce GTX 1060 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI/DP (Major Brand) | (+$104)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64bit (Includes DVD + COA) |
Fractal Design Define Nano S w/Window (2 3.5, 2 2.5) Front Audio/USB 3.0 |
550watt Corsair CX550 80 PLUS CERTIFIED | (+$24)
Onboard Wireless AC |
Onboard 7.1 Channel Audio |
Wires and Cables ran behind case and tied up for maximum airflow |
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty |
Standard processing time: Ready to ship within 5 to 7 Business Days
Bottom line: $1,576 + tax.
Shorty Notes:
-I know nothing about motherboards, so I just went with the most basic one for this case. Could be persuaded to step this up. I don't want to find out that it won't accept modern components five or six years from now.
-I chose hydro cooling because my current system has chronic heat problems. I have an unusually dusty office, so beefing up the fans is not the best solution. However, this is another thing I don't know much about and my mind can be changed. Could also be persuaded to add another case fan.
-The CPU is the mid-level i7. I could save $40 by dropping to the low-level i7 or $111 by going with the top-level i5.
-I chose to pay a little extra for faster RAM. Could save $40 by dropping from 3200 MHz to 2400. I do not know how much of a practical difference this really makes. 16GB is enough, right? The mobo only has two RAM slots, so upgrading later would mean replacing both modules rather than adding another.
-SSD is another component I don't know much about. 500GB seems like a lot, especially if this will primarily be the OS drive with games living on the hard drive. There is potential to save money here by downsizing. If people typically only use the SSD for the OS, I could save big bucks by dropping to 240GB.
-1TB hard drive seems like plenty to me. Could change from Toshiba to Western Digital for $24, if anyone things WD are significantly better.
-Moving up from the 1060 to the 1070 video card would add nearly $200. A 1060 will handle all or most games on the market today, right? This is something I can easily upgrade in a couple of years, when prices on the 1070 and 1080 will presumably fall.
-I spent $24 to get a name-brand (Corsair) PS, and bumped it from the default 430w to 550W.
-I'm assuming that the onboard wireless will be satisfactory. The configurator does not give me an option to add a wireless card. Should this concern me?
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The second machine has a taller case - 399mm (15.7") tall. It approaches my height limit of 16.25". Let's call this one Big Guy; its configurator page is
here. I like that it uses all of my available space and gives me more room. I do not like that it costs $200 more.
Intel Core i7-7800X Skylake-X 3.5GHz (4.0Ghz Turbo) Six-Core |
CORSAIR Cooling Hydro Series H60 120mm Water Cooler | (+$39)
MSI X299 RAIDER (Intel X299, 4xPCIe, 8xSATA, 2x M.2 8xDDR4) |
16GB (8GBx2) G.Skill Ripjaws DDR4 3200Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty | (+$199)
500GB SAMSUNG 860 EVO Series MZ-75E500B/AM SATA3 SSD | (+$138)
1TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps Toshiba P300 | (+$48)
6GB GeForce GTX 1060 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI/DP (Major Brand) | (+$322)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64bit (Includes DVD + COA) |
Fractal Design Define C Mini Tempered Glass (2 3.5, 3 2.5) 2 Fans, Audio/USB 3.0 |
550watt Corsair CX550 80 PLUS CERTIFIED | (+$24)
Onboard 1Gbit LAN included |
Wireless B/G/N Dual Band PCI-Ex Adapter 600Mbps | (+$33)
Onboard HD 7.1 Sound included |
Wires and Cables ran behind case and tied up for maximum airflow |
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty |
Standard processing time: Ready to ship within 5 to 7 Business Days
Bottom line = $1,779 + tax. This is substantially over my budget, but I could stretch that far if you think this is significantly superior to Shorty.
-Again, I'm taking the basic motherboard. This one apparently has eight (!) slots for RAM, so adding memory later would be a breeze.
-This CPU is the base model. No downgrades are possible here.
-Same SSD and HD as above.
-Same video card as above.
-Same PS as above.
-No onboard wireless, so had to add this. I am more comfortable with a wireless card anyway.
-Same water cooling. Feedback welcome.
So...is Big Guy worth $200 more than Shorty? Any corners I can cut to bring its price down? Do you feel like both of these machines are good deals, or should I forget about eCollege and keep on shopping?