Monstrosity-i7 (New Build)

[ZaLiTH]

Thanks Paul, I'm loving this board so far hey.. Taking a bit of getting used to with the higher keys, especially compared to my rather flat (and cheap) A4Tech board. But I love the fact that I can now easily do my late night coding with the lights off.. I've already setup one profile with only the "standard" keys and numpad lit.

Jeannie, I have no experience with the G510s so I can't really compare them. But I will admit these mechanical keys feel vastly different to any other board I've touched.. I suppose that feeling may not really work for everyone.

 

[paulpicks21]

Are you waiting on much more stuff before the build can commence? I would be itching to get it up and running!

 

[ZaLiTH]

...I would be itching to get it up and running!

Oh you have no idea... Unfortunately I'm having some trouble finding the PSU though, looks like I might need to look for a few alternatives. This makes me very sad as I've never seen any PSU stand up to jonnyGURU's "hot box" tests quite like the SS-1000XP2 does. However, once I do get a decent PSU and a CPU cooler, I can at the very least do a box-on-the-desk setup and see how she runs..

I need to do some mods to the case before I move the parts in, one of my good friends is going to help out with a custom milled aluminium handle. Later I'll be swapping out the perspex side panel for a tinted and branded piece, but that can be done without stripping anything.

All I'm missing from the core build is a PSU, CPU cooler, case and monitors. So I'm getting there..

 

[ZaLiTH]

So this is taking too long now.. Grrr.. I want it! I want it now!! *epic flail*


Ahem... Right, I feel better now.

I'm in the middle of negotiations with a rather resourceful supplier to get the missing parts, if all goes well I should get most of them in about 2 to 3 weeks. However it looks like I might need to wait 4-6 weeks (at least) to find either the SeaSonic or EVGA 1000w PSU. I'll find out more soonish.. Most important part is that it's getting there, slow and steady.


Hmmm... I wonder if the lights will dip when I power it up.

Lol.

 

[paulpicks21]

Man, 4-6 weeks for a PSU, that is crazy stuff! Is there nobody you know in another Country that could order one for you and then ship it to you?

 

[ZaLiTH]

Hmmm.. I could check with my brother over in Qatar, and I think I have a distant uncle (in more ways than one) who stays in USA, but we haven't spoken in years...

Depending on the news I get tomorrow, I may actually settle on the EVGA in place of the SeaSonic anyway. From some of the reading I've done, it actually seems like they're pretty much on par. Besides, it will probably be a long time before the innards actually push it's limits.. I've seen posts on other forums of people running 780Ti's in 3-way SLI on a 1000w PSU with no issues, so either one should keep me going for a good while.

 

[paulpicks21]

Well I hope you get good news tomorrow ZaLiTH, you have a lot more patience than me that's for sure! Best of luck

 

[paulpicks21]

This looks to be a very nice PSU too - SuperFlower Leadex Platinum 1200W Fully Modular "80 Plus Platinum" Power Supply - Black [SF-1200F14MP black]

 

[ZaLiTH]

This looks to be a very nice PSU too - SuperFlower Leadex Platinum 1200W Fully Modular "80 Plus Platinum" Power Supply - Black [SF-1200F14MP black]

I keep seeing people mention SuperFlower online, but I honestly don't know that much about them.. It's getting a bit late this side of the world, so that can be a research mission for tomorrow.

That PSU definitely has the looks though, nice clean lines.. And the black/white even matches the colour scheme I'm going for. Thanks for the link.

Edit: Couldn't resist a quick check...

...which is indicative of SF selling them to EVGA at affordable prices.

(Source) Does this mean they manufacture some of EVGA's PSUs..? Including the one I'm considering? Hmm.. Definitely worth some more reading then.

 

[Layback Bear]

Something to take a look at.

Introducing the new AX1500i Digital ATX Power Supply

I took a look at the 750D. Very nice and a 280 radiator should work great in the top.
You will like the ability of moving the drive cages around. With todays use of SSD's you can also just leave out the the drive cages out.

 

[ZaLiTH]

I took a look at the 750D. Very nice and a 280 radiator should work great in the top.
You will like the ability of moving the drive cages around. With todays use of SSD's you can also just leave out the the drive cages out.

I can't even count the number of case reviews I went through before I settled on the 750D.. Naturally, I skipped all the alien spaceship lookalikes, the plan from this start was to make this a crisp and clean looking build.

Absolutely love my 600T and I've had a chance to fiddle around inside a few other Corsair cases, so if my personal experience with them is anything to go on, I doubt I'll have any regrets there..

For the record though, the TT Water 3.0 Extreme is only a 240 RAD. The case will allow for a 240, 280 or 360 in the top, but since I'm not planning any major OC, I'm opting for the more compact route to save on weight. Besides, I still need to leave some leeway to attach a handle...

Got some very sad news though.. Apparently the Phanteks I'm after are incredibly rare in SA, so unless I can find a good online deal with international shipping, I may have to use something else. Then again, the fact that they're so rare just makes me want them even more!

 

[smarteyeball]

...and this:

I figured I'd use the K95 and G700s on my current machine in the meantime, so I've been playing with the custom lighting settings on my keyboard. Turns out you can select exactly which keys do and don't light up in each of the three profiles... Pretty darn sweet hey?

Good to see more people switching to mechanical keyboards


~3 yrs ago options were rather limited by comparison to today. Especially backlit and/or macro enabled. Now there are heaps to choose from.

There's really no reason not go for a mechanical board these days.

 

[ZaLiTH]

Good to see more people switching to mechanical keyboards


~3 yrs ago options were rather limited by comparison to today. Especially backlit and/or macro enabled. Now there are heaps to choose from.

There's really no reason not go for a mechanical board these days.

One of the most helpful checks for me when trying to find the right mechanical board was watching board comparison videos on YouTube. Other than the technical aspect of how much force the keys need, whether they're "clicky" or linear, etc etc, they're all useful to know... But the way a board sounds tells a lot more about how it's going to feel.

The only minor gripe I have with the K95 is the height of the keys. I would have much prefered slightly lower keys, perhaps even with a slightly shorter stroke (3mm instead of 4mm). But with that said, I've never used a more smooth or stable keyboard in my life before, definitely can't complain.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The more I see that keyboard, the more I wish I had gone for it instead of the G510s.

 

[paulpicks21]

The more I see that keyboard, the more I wish I had gone for it instead of the G510s.

It's a real beauty isn't it! I would even go as far as to say its the nicest looking keyboard I have ever laid my eyes on.

 

[ZaLiTH]

The more I see that keyboard, the more I wish I had gone for it instead of the G510s.

I don't have any experience with the G510s, so I can't really compare them.. But unfortunately from the reviews I've seen online, that seems to be the all round consensus. Personally I don't have any need for a display on the keyboard or for different colour options, so those weren't really factors for me in picking a board.

It's a real beauty isn't it! I would even go as far as to say its the nicest looking keyboard I have ever laid my eyes on.

Thanks Paul, it most definitely is gorgeous. But the brushed aluminium recess behind the keys shows every tiny hair and spec of dust that falls, even more so when the keys are lit. A good blowing does get it all clean again with minimal difficulty though. The keys themselves don't show up fingerprints at all, so that's a nice bonus there. The palm rest on the other hand, well.. Lets just say I know exactly when I need to go wash my hands. Combined with my bad smoking habit, let's just say I find myself getting some good lung exercise these days.

I have to be honest, it's far from perfect. The LEDs are insanely bright, so I spend most of my time with it at the lowest brightness (33% according to the software) and my "default" profile only lights up the standard typing and numpad keys. Still, I'm glad Corsair gave the option of different brightness levels and selectable lit keys, very nice touch.

I should also note that the cable is extremely thick and difficult to lay flat on a desk. Once you get it to the point where you're happy with where it wants to lie, you pretty much never want to move it again. It's a bit of a trade-off though, because having a USB pass-through port on the back is incredibly useful, especially with how short some external drive cables are these days.

 

[smarteyeball]

One of the most helpful checks for me when trying to find the right mechanical board was watching board comparison videos on YouTube. Other than the technical aspect of how much force the keys need, whether they're "clicky" or linear, etc etc, they're all useful to know... But the way a board sounds tells a lot more about how it's going to feel.

When I bought my first mechanical board, I also did a lot of youtubing. Sound and comparisons really helped me a lot as well.

My first board was a Ducky with MX Brown switches. I then bought a Leopald FC500R with MX Reds. Next was the Ducky Shine with MX Blacks. Then came the Filco Ninja TKL with MX browns (with PBT keycaps) and the last, and favourite, a Topre Realforce. (Not a cherry switch and the board looks like a plain Jane from the early 90's, but it's a very sweet board to use despite it's boring looks. They're normally around $300 here but I managed to get mine in a sale.)

Pics here:

Tbh, I personally didn't really like the MX Reds or Blacks as much as the browns. Reds too light, the Blacks too heavy for typing and long sessions. Blacks really are a FPS switch. Although I found the Reds to be the closest in feel to membrane boards. Overall I like the tactile feel of the browns. Everyone ends up with a favourite switch type

I gave my dad my original Ducky and bro-in-law the leopold. I mainly use the realforce and the Filco TKL in my cockpit setup because space is limited. I've even been toying with getting a Ducky Shine 3 TKL... (They get addictive and there's so many new boards to choose from now.)

I know what you mean about brightness too. I can only use my shine on the lowest levels. On the highest setting it can be used as a light.

The palm rest on the other hand, well.. Lets just say I know exactly when I need to go wash my hands

heh heh, yeah. The one downside to choosing the white version of the Realforce and putting yellow keys on the Filco is that you soon tell which keys you use the most... And brushed aluminium is a demon for fingerprints.

The more I see that keyboard, the more I wish I had gone for it instead of the G510s.

At least when it comes to replacement time, you now know there are some really good alternatives out there

 

[ZaLiTH]

Yay... Update time.

This morning I received two nice big boxes of goodies (a whole 45KG's worth, mind you). And in my excitement I accidentally cut my hand getting all the wrapping off... Nothing bad, but it will teach me to be a bit more gentle next time round.

Anyways, the boxes contained three gorgeous 27" LG monitors, one incredibly sexy Obsidian 750D, and a surprisingly heavy ThermalTake Water 3.0 Extreme. These pics plus a few more have also been added to the galleries linked in the OP.

Had a small problem with the 750D though... To simplify shipping, the TT Water 3.0 was packed inside the case with bubble wrap to pad everything, but I think it was a bit too tight a fit, because the back of the case bent out ever so slightly.

However, a bit of creative pushing and pulling straightened it out perfectly, so fortunately there was no lasting damage. It's gone back in it's box for now though, it will still be a little while before I start building everything.

These monitors blow my mind though! I feel almost like that hotel guy from Fifth Element when he meets the Diva in the hallway... "Welcome to.. wow.. tall.. uh.. your room is.."

Suffice to say I've found a monitor that makes a two seater couch look small.

...and makes my Graphite 600T look even smaller. (excuse the missing front cover, I haven't fixed the front 200mm mounting problem just yet). Naturally I couldn't resist the urge to test a monitor, so I think I'll be running one of the 27" beasts on my current rig in the meantime. My 24" can be packed away safely in it's box until it's needed again.

Right, so.. I think it's now time to get myself a bigger desk.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I wish I had room for three 27" monitors! Lookin' good!

I would test all three monitors, one at a time, while you still can return them to the vendor if one is wonky.

 

[ZaLiTH]

I wish I had room for three 27" monitors! Lookin' good!

Hehe.. Thanks, must admit it's nice to finally be joining the ranks of the elite with their monstrous rigs, rather than looking at pictures of them and drooling all over my keyboard.. Now thanks to the bigger monitor, I can sit further back while I drool.

I can't wait to get all three hooked up side by side, but all in good time. Right now I'm still somewhat blown away by only one of them. Dodging oncoming traffic in NFS is incredibly easy all of a sudden.

Who knew there would be such a difference between a 24" and this..

I would test all three monitors, one at a time, while you still can return them to the vendor if one is wonky.

I'm planning to do just that first thing tomorrow morning.