The Byte - The High End Build

The Byte - The High End Build

This system is focuses on those die hard gamers unwilling to compromise on the image quality. This means that the target resolution would be at least 1080p (1920x1080 Full HD) but the aim is 1440p (2560x1440 Quad HD) with virtually all eye candy enabled in the game. This system can also be used by those who are into multi-monitor gaming. If you would like to seek out game specific tweaks/mods, head on over to our game forum.

CPU - Intel Core i7 6700K - 5930K | Intel Core i7-5820K

Would you be interested, if I told you that you can get similar performance of Intel Core i7-5960X which costs about 1,100 EURO by spending only 540 EURO? Those answering yes would fit into the uber user category. By purchasing Intel Core i7-5930K, you get virtually most benefits of Intel Core i7-5960X without the need to sell your kidney, arm and a leg (Review). Just raise that multiplier a little and boom, yet six-cores. We choose the 5930K as it it a six-core processor and needs to be paired with a X99 chipset, this will bring 40 PCIe lanes, DDR4 quad channel, and more awesomeness into your system. You could opt the even cheaper Core i7-5820K of course, but if you plan on multi-gpu gaming, with 40 PCI-Express lanes the 5930K just makes more sense. If you stick to one graphics card, the Core i7-5820K would be a very valid choice, it has 28 PCI-Express lanes available and is clocked merley a notch lower.

If pricing is a concern then we do understand that X99 is expensive as a platform, look into a Z97/Z97 motherboard with a quad-core Intel core i7-4770K processor at roughly 360 EURO for the processor. Alternatively, you could get Intel Core i7-6700K and pair it with a decent Z170 motherboard yet these are a bit more pricy at the time of writing this article.

For high end users, Core i7 Haswell-E is the way to go... the Core i7 5820K and 5930K are appealing price performance wise - both with six-cores and overclockability.

CPU Cooler - Corsair H110i GTX

To squeeze out all the CPU cycles you possibly can, you would have to tweak the voltages. This means that the heat being generated by the CPU will need to be dissipated rapidly in an efficient manner. You can achieve this by using Corsair H110i GTX (Review) would comes at a reasonable price tag of only 145 EURO. The dual 120 mm fans and a 240 mm radiator, can be installed in a few minutes. After that, you can tweak the CPU frequencies to your heart's content. If you want something bigger or smaller to fit in your case, there are plenty of AIO LCS to choose from (Details).

Corsair H110 LCS

GPU - Nvidia GTX 970 | AMD Radeon R9-390

If you want one of the fastest GPU for gaming needs without taking out a mortgage on your house, then Nvidia GTX 970 (Review) is the answer. With 4 GB of VRAM and excellent power consumption, this beast will obliterate any game you throw at it and will mock you for your futile attempt at overpowering it. Of course, this beast could be yours for only 340 EURO! Within the same price range, you can also get the AMD Radeon R9 390.

Those wanting to have the highest end single GPU for unmatched performance can check out the 690 EURO Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti (Review) or the 590 EURO AMD Radeon R9 Fury (Review). Of course, if the odds that your wallet would survive such a price impact are slim, you could opt for a dual GPU set up (SLI/CF/CFX) by using mainstream GPUs which would increase your performance considerably while not leaving your wallet shattered in ashy pieces. Brand preference is a big thing these days so you choose... wisely ;)

The Gigabyte GTX 970 is exemplary in performance, low noise levels and power consumption (Read).

Motherboard - ASUS X99 Deluxe | MSI X99S Gaming 9 AC

One of the most critical hardware piece in the system is the motherboard. The reason is that all other components are connected to it. Hence, choosing the right motherboard for your needs is paramount along with ensuring that all other components are compatible with it and that no major issues are there. Luckily, if you stick with reputable brands, you are far less likely to encounter issues then choosing a nameless brand. There are many quality motherboards for the LGA2011-3 socket out there. However, one of them is guaranteed to get your overclock freak on. The Asus X99 Deluxe (Review) comes to mind with a somewhat decent tag of ~390 EURO. It has everything one can possibly dream of and more.

Great alternatives come from MSI, ASRock and Gigabyte. Be sure to dig through some of our reviews to help you choose... the one (Details). 

ASUS X99 Deluxe Motherboard

System Memory (RAM) - DDR4 16 GB (4x 4 GB) @ 2,400 MHz

When it comes to RAM, always make it a point to check with the motherboard if the RAM is compatible or not (assuming that the vendor does provide this service). It is much cheaper and quicker for you to find the right product by browsing through the supported memory list on the motherboard site than buying the kit and later learning that it is incompatible. Of course, you must have a 64-bit OS to use the 16 GBs of RAM. Do note that higher frequencies doesn't necessarily translates to better real world performance. It all depends on the specific applications that you use. Most games may not benifit from DDR4 3,200 MHz but some RAM intensive applications might. Since this system is targetted towards gamers, rather than spending additional money towards the higher frequency RAM, spend it on the GPU where it really counts.

X99 motherboards have quad-channel memory, hence you should use 4 DIMMs. 16 GB is a little over the top, 8 GB is sufficient by any standard. But hey, memory is cheap and this is the more high-end build of course. So go for a little extra, quite handy while transcoding video's or doing some content production (when you are not gaming of course).

DDR4 Dual/Quad Channel Memory

Storage - 500 GB SSD | 1 TB SSD

Consumers in this category would have gotten their hands on a SSD quite a while ago. However, the issue that they faced then was the extremely limited sizes (remember those 32 GB, 64 GB SSDs?). Thanks to technological advancements, that it no longer the case. You can now get an affordable 1 TB SSD for your OS and main applications. Two names that have made quite an impact in the consumer market are; Crucial BX100 1 TB and Samsung 850 EVO 1 TB (Review). The price ranges from ~330 EURO to ~400 EURO. Something that wasn't imaginable few years ago. A Crucial BX100 500 GB for example can be yours for 165 EURO. Moreover, opting for a previous generation SSD is budget friendly while not sacrificing the performance too much. You can also mix things up, install a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD and install a nice 4 TB HDD for your larger storage needs. Just run your OS from that SSD and watch your system fly. 

Also should you go with a Z170 motherboard, please do check out the Samsung 950 Pro M.2. SSD series okay ?

PSU - 800 Watts To 1,000~1,500 Watts with multiple GPUs

Having the right PSU can make a difference between a stable or an unstable system under heavy load. Thus, make sure that you always purchase a PSU from reputable brands like EVGA, Corsair, OCZ, Antec, Seasonic, etc. Moreover, it is common for a PSU to be re-used when building new systems so having one with some extra wattage is good insurance policy. Just make sure that you are getting a high efficiency one which will help you reduce your power bill in the long run. Also, if you are planning to overclock say the CPU and/or GPU(s), be sure to get a bit more wattage as overclocking requires higher voltages which may increases your power consumption significantly. Here is the list of PSUs we have reviewed over the years (Details).

Odds & Ends

Now that you are familiar with the inner daemon, The Byte, here are some other components for you to think about:

1. Chassis: Always ensure that the chassis can support all your components and is of the right size. Moreover, a well ventilated chassis helps increase the life-span of the components by preventing build up of hot spots and allows faster heat dissipation. A selection of chassis that we have reviewed is a good place to start (Details).
2. Sound card: The on-board sound card gets the job done. However, with a system like this, you don't have any excuse to not have a dedicated sound card. So do your ears a favor and consider getting something like the ASUS Xonar Phoebus (Review) which targets gamers. Optionally, browse our reviews of sound systems and pick something that suits your taste (Details).

If you ever wondered what it would be like to build a system without ever considering the price-tag, then check out The Megabyte...