In flux, probably always TBD

 

Current: JUL 31 2022

 

Motherboard Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 LGA 1151
CPU Intel Core i7 8700K - 6 Core
GPU EVGA RTX 3080 - 10GB FCW3-ultra
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U14S - single fan
System Memory G.SKILL Ripjaws 4x8 GB DDR4 3200 MHz
PSU CORSAIR HX 750 Plus Platinum
Case Lian Li PC-B70
SSD Samsung 860 Evo 1 TB
HDD WD 2TB Blue
HDD WD 3TB Blue
HDD WD 1 TB Caviar Black
Optical Drive ASUS 24X SATA 24B1ST/BLK/B/ASX
Mouse Kensington Expertmouse Trackball
Mouse ET Model T9 RGB
Input WACOM Intuos 3 GraphicsTablet
Monitors Samsung 32, Dell U2713HM
Printer Canon Image CLASS D420 Laser printer/scanner
Audio Realtek
Speakers Logitech Z2300 THX 2.1

 

reviews & prices & building guides Tom's Hardware & Store
reviews & prices The Tech Report
reviews & prices CNET

 

The Tech Report System Guide is an invaluable tool/guide for the home-builder.

 

All of the sellers I use have a high rating on the Web (e.g. Newegg, amazon, eBay). That is important to me. I rather pay a few dollars more for an item, than spend days of anguish trying to get things straightened out with an uncooperative merchant. So, while price is important, don't let it be the sole motivator for your purchases.

All the components I use are either already Editor's choice or reviewer award winners, or at least supported by large numbers of positive reviews.


After you finally have your new computer up and running make sure that you revisit the component manufacturers to see if there are BIOS or driver upgrades available.

 

 

CPU M2

It was time to replace some components. The problem was, after nearly going nuts, trying to see the NVMe SSD in the BIOS, I ran across a detailed review of the motherboard that explained the limitations. This was one. It didn't work here. A future MoBo upgrade with all of the rest, CPU, possibly DDR5, will let me use this NVMe 970 EVO
s

 

mobo

The Z370 AORUS populated with the i7 8700K CPU, the Noctua CPU cooler, and 32 GB (4x8) G.Skill 3200 Mhz RAM

 

 

Motherboard, PSU, and CPU cooling fan now in place. The convenient locking mechanism (arrow) became a real headache, when trying to install the graphics card.

 

power hooked up

Definitely not as pretty as some, but this is not a beauty contest, and here all power cables are where they are needed

 

PSU wiring

The Corsair HX 750W modular PSU safely strapped down

 

Finally, in July 2022 I moved from the GTX 1080 to a RTX 3080 - works great with the existing components

 

This all-aluminum Lian Li case is really huge. A detailed Review is at the link. I made fun of the size relating it to the black alien monoliths from the movie '2001' Kubrik/Clarke

 

As shipped, with all of the mounting hardware in the box

 

my setup
Current, 2021, temporary setup

Adding the Samsung 860 EVO SSD

After looking around my enclosure, I decided to use the former floppy disk compartment for the SSD. Once installed in the housing, the included software from Samsung let me migrate everything from the current C drive partition, containing the Windows 7 OS to the SSD. Easy. One of the reasons I went through this exercise was that the WD 640 GB Black, my original C drive, was failing. It sounded grindy and kept asking to have a check disk (chkdsk) run over and over. The replacement is a WD 1TB Blue, 7200 rpm. That way I can move anything I don't want in the system partition on the SSD, to that drive.

 

With the drive I had purchased a bracket. You see here the SSD in the bracket and the floppy disk compartment

Combining everything and securing it together

And back in the case, where a floppy was originally supposed to go

SSD

The SSD (arrow) connected to the SATA cluster on the motherboard

 

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