Out of the silent loop for awhile; looking for build advice

[Koldun]

Hi guys,

I haven't been paying much attention to computers over the last few years, but I am thinking of upgrading my old Sandy Bridge system since it is 6-7 years old. I've selected the following parts:

- CPU: Intel i5-7400 (don't care about overclocking, don't do video editing or other CPU-intense activities)
- Mobo: Asus Prime H270-PLUS (one of the cheaper ASUS mobos. Never tried ASUS so I thought I would give them a go)
- Case: Corsair 400Q (reasonably inexpensive and seems to do the job well)
- Cooler: No idea, to be honest. One of the high end Noctuas?
- SSD: Samsung EVO (Crucial is also an option, but the Samsung seems to have better performance/dollar)
- Fans: Noctua Redux S12Bs? (Is it worth spending a few extra dollars for the newer models?)

I'm keeping the following from my old build:

- GPU: GTX 1060 (pretty new, no reason to buy another)
- PSU: Super Flower Golden Silent (I think that's the name...~500w fanless Super Flower. It's a few years old now, but it seems to be working okay)
- RAM: Some random Patriot sticks

How do my current choices fare in the modern market? I'd like my computer to keep reasonably cool under modern gaming loads, but obviously it needs to be as quiet as possible. I live in Australia and it gets very hot during summer, so this is also a concern.

[CA_Steve]

Some quick feedback for now...can't reuse the RAM. Sandy Bridge was DDR3, current gen is DDR4.

Also, if audio quality matters and you use the mobo audio, the low end Asus boards use an older audio codec solution. They also have a Realtek codec vs Intel higher up in the mobo stack.

What case are you using now and what temps were you seeing in the summer with your Sandy Bridge/fanless PSU/GTX 1060 setup?

[CA_Steve]

more stuff:

cooler: Scythe Kotetsu
case fans: Try the two included fans (with the front one placed near gfx card) and see if you like the temps and noise. If not, you can always add another Corsair front fan or replace them all.

[Koldun]

Thanks for the help, Steve.

I didn't notice the DDR3/4 change, tragic. Looks like I will have to invest a bit more.

Audio quality isn't a real issue for me, as long as things don't sound 8-bit. If I was looking for a board that had a better codec, could you please recommend one? I don't think I have any fancy requirements so anything should be fine. Are ASUS boards still the best for fan control software?

I'll take a look at the Scythe coolers. They seem more affordable and do better than the Noctuas in SPCR's reviews anyway. How's the installation, though? I currently use a 212+ and it was a nightmare to install. I'd gladly pay extra to avoid such a hassle again.

I'm currently using an FT02. It's a nice case, just too big and not really customisable. I've also got it sitting right next to me, so the fans are blowing right out the top of the case next to my ears. At the moment, Core Temp is reading high 30s / low 40s at idle/browsing. It craps itself under load, though. There could be something wrong with the mounting (maybe the thermal paste dried out, dunno) but I can't be bothered with troubleshooting parts that are going on 7 years.

Is there another case out there I should consider? I probably will have one HDD for storing things, though I plan to add a large capacity SSD.

[CA_Steve]

Audio quality isn't a real issue for me, as long as things don't sound 8-bit. If I was looking for a board that had a better codec, could you please recommend one? I don't think I have any fancy requirements so anything should be fine.

If audio quality isn't a big issue, then the codec on the H270-Plus should be good enough. If you wanted to go further up the Asus stack for a better codec, , there's the ROG STRIX H270F GAMING for ~$35 more. Plus it has an Intel NIC for LAN.

Are ASUS boards still the best for fan control software?

The biggest change over the last 7 years is the advancement of BIOS level fan control. All of the big 4 have done a pretty good job here. There are some differences in application amongst them, but Asus will work well...and you don't have to use the additional windows based s/w.

I'll take a look at the Scythe coolers. They seem more affordable and do better than the Noctuas in SPCR's reviews anyway. How's the installation, though? I currently use a 212+ and it was a nightmare to install. I'd gladly pay extra to avoid such a hassle again.

Installation is straight forward.

I'm currently using an FT02. It's a nice case, just too big and not really customisable. I've also got it sitting right next to me, so the fans are blowing right out the top of the case next to my ears. At the moment, Core Temp is reading high 30s / low 40s at idle/browsing. It craps itself under load, though. There could be something wrong with the mounting (maybe the thermal paste dried out, dunno) but I can't be bothered with troubleshooting parts that are going on 7 years.

The FT02 is a great case for airflow. It and the old '212 cooler should be good enough for the load..my guess is your CPU isn't mounted well (unless ther's some overclocking/overvolting going on) causing your load temps to go high..and maybe you are running the case fans faster/louder to try to compensate.

Is there another case out there I should consider? I probably will have one HDD for storing things, though I plan to add a large capacity SSD.

Take a look at the Fractal Design Define series. Define S, Define C, for example. Or, if you want to drop into mATX form factor, Define Mini C.

[Derek Semeraro]

- CPU: Intel i5-7400 good choice. 7600k is always an option if you want to spend a bit more for more longevity.
fine for (don't care about overclocking, don't do video editing or other CPU-intense activities)
- Mobo: Asus Prime H270-PLUS (make sure it has enough inputs for your fans)

- Cooler: No idea, to be honest. One of the high end Noctuas? if you're not overclocking, you probably don't need to go too high-end. its better for power efficiency and performance to go with a higher end CPU than a higher end cooler.

- SSD: Samsung EVO (Crucial is also an option, but the Samsung seems to have better performance/dollar) there's no such thing as a bad ssd (from a good company) so go with the cheaper one

- Fans: Noctua Redux S12Bs? (Is it worth spending a few extra dollars for the newer models?) from a price to decibel reduction standpoint, probably not

I'm keeping the following from my old build:

- GPU: GTX 1060 (pretty new, no reason to buy another) good choice

- PSU: Super Flower Golden Silent (I think that's the name...~500w fanless Super Flower. It's a few years old now, but it seems to be working okay) sounds great

- RAM: Some random Patriot sticks not a problem

How do my current choices fare in the modern market? very well.