P3D build for home cockpit

[amorealex 0]

Hi all,

 

I've just pulled the trigger and ordered some parts to start building my B737 home cockpit. While waiting for parts to arrive, I have to build my main PC which will be used for P3D, add-ons and ProSim.

I'm leaning towards the following hardware:

 

• Case: Cooler Master Mastercase5
• M/B: Asus ROG Maximus VIII Impact
• CPU: i7 6700K 4 GHz
• RAM: G.Skill RipjawsV (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz
• GPU: EVGA GTX 1070
• PSU: Corsair 650 W 80+ Gold CS650M Modular
• Cooler: Corsair Hydro H80i GT
• SSD 1: Samsung 750 EVO 120 GB (for OS only)
• SSD 2: Samsung 750 EVO 250 GB (for P3D, add-ons, ProSim)

My questions:

1. I will overclock the CPU to 4.5 - 4.6 GHz. Is the cooler enough to handle it or should I choose a bigger one?
2. I want to use 3 monitors 24" or 2 monitors 40" only for outside view. Will that be possible with that hardware?
3. Will Windows 7 run ok with that configuration or should I go for Windows 10?

All opinions and suggestions are much appreciated.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Alex

[martin-w 3,234]

 

Hydro H80i GT

 

 

 

It's not as cool or as quiet as my favoured cooler. [NH-D15S]

 

Good post here...

 

http://www.overclock.net/t/1539308/corsair-h80i-vs-noctua-nh-d14

 

And this is with the older D14. D15S is even more superior.

 

Will it handle 4.5 - 4.6. I would assume so, but I'm pretty sure it would be noisy. If you are set on AIO, then bigger rad would be better.

 

1. Will Windows 7 run ok with that configuration or should I go for Windows 10?

    

    

Yes, but a bit less straightforward that W10. 

[martin-w 3,234]

Forgot to mention, I went for W10. Getting along great with it.

 

If you do go for W10, I'd advise W10 Pro. The nice thing about Pro is that you can use "Group Policy" to set up W10 so that it tells you when updates are available, but doesn't download or install them. Last thing I wanted was W10 doing it's own thing and installing updates without my permission.

 

With non Pro, there are other ways, like setting a metered connection.

[amorealex 0]

Thank you for all the info martin-w.

 

So, I change the Hydro H80i GT for the D15S and go for W10 Pro.

 

How about the views? Will it be possible to drive 2 or 3 monitors?

[martin-w 3,234]

AIO water cooler or air cooling is a decision you must make. Don't go for air cooling and the D15S just because it's my preference. Best thing to do is consider the advantages and disadvatages of both technologies. And look at the reviews etc. I don't mind sharing the reasons why I prefer big air, so let me know if you want to know why, but its you that must decide your preference.

 

Same for W10, just because I went for 10, doesn't mean you should. For example, I don't sim much these days, so any issues with 10 and the sim aren't a big deal for me. So check if there are any.

Re multi-monitor, no experience I'm afraid. Single monitor for me.

[amorealex 0]

As far as the OS, I can make tests with both Win7 and Win10 and then decide which of two serves my setup better.

 

For the cooler, I don't have any experience.

If D15S is cooler and quieter (as I have read in most reviews), I will go that way.

Hydro is preferred for extreme overclocking and I will not go beyond 4.5-4.6 on 6700.

[sluihn 68]

Might want to go bigger on Prepar3d SSD,  My new build I'm using 480 gb.  If your like me, Orbx everything (well almost) lots of third party airports, ai traffic,  ect...ect...ect... add up to space needed. Came close to filling my 250gb on my system that went boom...  Now new system similar build to yours just want to make sure when i fill up prepar3d  there is plenty of head room.

 

Good Luck

Steve 

[Ian S 214]

Might want to go bigger on Prepar3d SSD,  My new build I'm using 480 gb.  If your like me, Orbx everything (well almost) lots of third party airports, ai traffic,  ect...ect...ect... add up to space needed. Came close to filling my 250gb on my system that went boom...  Now new system similar build to yours just want to make sure when i fill up prepar3d  there is plenty of head room.

 

Good Luck

Steve 

+1

 

I have a 250GB drive with only 40GB free so will be investing in a larger SSD soon.

[martin-w 3,234]

Hydro is preferred for extreme overclocking and I will not go beyond 4.5-4.6 on 6700.

 

 

 I'm running a 6700K at 4.6 GHz, with the D15S. In Aida 64's stress test I see 63 degrees max. Even if I hammer it, and set it to FPU, so running AVX, it only hits the low 80's.

 

In BF4, mid 50's. In P3d, 51C. So yes, the NH-D15S can iondeed handle a 4.6 GHz overclock, that's for an average chip.

 

This is with a 25C ambient at the moment in the UK.

 

The reason I prefer big air over water is as follows... no pump to fail, no pump to wear and become noisy, zero chance of leaks, no moving parts. Lasts forever. If AIO water coolers do indeed allow a tad higher overclock, it's actually pointless, simply because overclocking is linear in a well balanced system. So in essence, a 100 MHz or so equates to less than one frame per second at thirty frames per second.

 

A good reason to adopt AIO water cooling is for aesthetic reasons. Some people just don't like a large cooler in their systems, visible through the side window. I think the D15S looks great to be honest, some don't.

 

Some point to better air flow through the enclosure of course, as a result of no big air cooler blocking airflow... it terms of the D15/15S or the D14 it's not true. All of the aforementioned Noctua coolers have a centrally mounted fan that's oversized, blasting a considerable volume of air across the motherboard, cooling the VRM's. Cooling the VRM's better than a system with an AIO cooler to be honest.

 

For me, if I were to adopt water, it would probably be a full blown custom loop.