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NZXT S340 Razer Edition Build

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Post

philip Sept. 11, 2015

Moving into the new office, we decided to build Jack a new dev machine. Jack helps with coding the site, but also loves to play games - "It's compiling!" he says... So this build is a mix of productivity for software development and gaming. We received the new NZXT S340 Razer Edition case, so given Jack's affinity for Razer we decided to use it for his work system.

PCPartPicker part list

Type Item Price
CPU Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor $239.99 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler $127.29 @ Newegg
Motherboard Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard $169.99 @ Newegg
Memory Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory $104.99 @ Newegg
Storage Samsung 850 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive $174.99 @ Amazon
Video Card MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB 100 Million Edition Video Card $352.98 @ Newegg
Case NZXT S340 - Designed by Razer ATX Mid Tower Case $99.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply $115.98 @ Newegg
Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit) $199.99
Case Fan Thermaltake CL-F038-PL12GR-A 40.6 CFM 120mm Fan $16.97 @ Amazon
Case Fan Thermaltake CL-F039-PL14GR-A 51.1 CFM 140mm Fan $18.99 @ Amazon
Case Fan Thermaltake CL-F039-PL14GR-A 51.1 CFM 140mm Fan $18.99 @ Amazon
Case Fan Thermaltake CL-F039-PL14GR-A 51.1 CFM 140mm Fan $18.99 @ Amazon
Monitor Dell S2240T 60Hz 21.5" Monitor $328.58 @ Newegg
Monitor Dell U3415W 60Hz 34.0" Monitor $782.00 @ Amazon
Keyboard Razer DeathStalker Chroma Wired Gaming Keyboard $91.99 @ Amazon
Mouse Razer Mamba Tournament Edition Wired Laser Mouse $89.99 @ Amazon
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total $2952.69

Comments Sorted by:

Nexofedex_99 1 Build 1 point 42 months ago

WAAAAAW xD

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rhali8 2 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

Wow!

winks

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danieltoruno 1 Build 1 point 42 months ago

This is a sexy build! I'm liking how pcpartpicker is working hard to produce some quality content for PC enthusiasts and people looking to get started.

This video in particular is a great example to show people starting out that they CAN indeed create an amazing build themselves and that its not an impossible task! PcPartPicker just keeps getting better! :)

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 3 points 41 months ago

Glad you are enjoying the new videos! Though I'm not sure how Philip expects me to get any work done when I can just sit and gaze upon this lovely machine.

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Jglanville 1 Build 1 point 42 months ago

Two questions about the fan controller shown in the video. 1) Price? I didn't see the fan controller on the part list. 2) Why not use the 2 out of 3 case fan headers on the motherboard for the out take fans and the 2 cpu fan headers for the two intake / radiator fans?

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

The NZXT GRID+ V2 runs about $30. NZXT kindly provided it for us to use in this build. I've been playing around with it using the CAM software and have been pretty happy with how well it works. It was incredibly simple to get basic or even custom fan profiles set to keep the rig quiet when possible so it can be admired with minimal noise that might otherwise break the trance induced by staring into the lovely green pools of light.

That said, yes -- you could get by without it if you really wanted to.

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pegotico 2 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

so how is the software? Heard many ppl complaining it was buggy... I guess that by now NZXT must have a more stable version of it..

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

So far it seems stable, but I'll try to report back after I give it a more in-depth run through and spent more time using it. For the most part, I've only done some basic fan setup and left it up on the second screen to monitor temps/fan RPMs.

I had last played with CAM when during it's beta and early 1.0 release. It definitely appears to have some nice improvements since those early days. I'm also interested in playing with the app remote control and notification features when I get a chance.

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KeepItHard 1 point 41 months ago

Do you NEED the program? sorry if thats a stupid question im a beginner in PC building

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Quickie 1 Build 1 point 41 months ago

I have the v2 . It was working just fine ....until I put in an x61. I have all the fans running off the v2 and now randomly it will turn off and turn on the v2 and ramp the fans up and down till I restart the computer. Hopefully the controller just went bad and a quick replacement will fix it.

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Memo1010 1 Build 1 point 42 months ago

Seems a bit weird to have an i5 in a (almost) 3000 USD build...but is is Skylake...i would have got an i7 and gone cheeper with other things. Also might have skipped the cheeper monitor and got a better GPU.

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

I hear ya, but the i7 just wasn't something I considered necessary for this system given the extra cost. The i5/GTX 970 combo is more than sufficient for development and the occasional round of Rocket League or BF4.

The primary monitor is definitely a big expense, but there's nothing like all that extra screen real estate when coding. Comparing this with two 1440p monitors (with bezels to stare at as you switch between them) doesn't push the budget all that far for the improvement.

As for the "cheaper" monitor, note that it is actually a touch screen I use to help with mobile development. I picked the same screen up a couple years ago for use on my dev system at home. It turned out to be pretty helpful, so I requested another for my office setup. It's one of the few I have found that actually has glass to the edges, making it feel more like a large tablet than a monitor.

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Russkie69 3 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

You probably could of got a EVGA G2 either 750w or 850w PSU for that prices also all the cables are sleeved on the G2 series, and it would have been ideal if you have plans to SLI the 970 in the future. I believe the G2 series also made by SeaSonic as well.

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Russkie69 3 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

Also I was browsing through fans earlier today and saw these clear led fans from NZXT. I am not not sure how they would look compared to the ones you chose, but they show to have much more CFM on both their 120mm and 140mm fans in comparison to those Thermaltake fans.

Fan Size: 120mm CFM: 59.1 https://store.nzxt.com/products/fz-led-performance-airflow-fan?variant=920531499

Fan Size: 140mm CFM: 83.6 https://store.nzxt.com/products/fz-led-performance-airflow-fan?variant=920534587

Overall I really thought it was a clean build. I just wish we could have a variety of colors to choose from with motherboards and parts in general, rather than ones they gives that are either black & red or white & black without having to mod them ourselves and more importantly voiding our warranty for these parts.

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

It's definitely a different visual effect and I really liked the "ring" lighting. I think the air flow should be fine, though I was more focused on noise level since I really wanted the system to be pretty quiet since it sits next to me on the desk.

Color schemes are always fun. I went back and forth on the motherboard a lot for that very reason, but I finally went with the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming board despite it's red color scheme since it had the features I wanted and its (quite nice) LED effects can easily be disabled in the UEFI. The BitFenix magnetic LED strip also helps by casting everything in its soft green glow. The one remaining red LED you can still see (a power indicator) will probably get covered with a small plastic cap before I'm completely happy.

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piemancoder 1 point 41 months ago

SO MANY VIDEOS!!! THANK YOU!!

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piemancoder 1 point 41 months ago

Can you put the ultrawide monitor in portrait mode please?

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

That seems like something that might lead to neck strain...

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vikingXcore 4 Builds 2 points 41 months ago

He didn't say to use your neck to do it xP

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piemancoder 1 point 41 months ago

Probably.

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PotatoAssassin15 1 point 41 months ago

Why not a 390?

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piemancoder 1 point 41 months ago

Probably for how pretty that 970 is.

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

As theorized by piemancoder & Spycrab, the color scheme was a big part. I mean, did you look at that card? So pretty.

It's also got a good reputation for noise level. While the 390 would fit in line with the budget/performance I was targeting here, I was a bit worried on heat and fan noise for my office rig. When Ryan pointed me towards the MSI 100 million edition, it was pretty much game over.

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PotatoAssassin15 1 point 41 months ago

That is a beautiful card. I don't blame you

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pegotico 2 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

sad to see that gigabyte sniper board isn't available yet :(

it would have looked gorgeous in this build!!!! Gigabyte decided to return to the green color in the sniper series

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5564#ov

very nice build!

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KeepItHard 1 point 41 months ago

Is the regular S340 the same as the Razer one? (except the razer logo and LEDS) so could i buy a normal one and use this biuld anyway? :)

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

I actually spec'ed this build to the normal S340 for compatibility then swapped it out once the Razer edition was available. The differences for the Razer version are mostly cosmetic: tinted window, green USB ports, Razer logos, and underglow.

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KeepItHard 1 point 41 months ago

Thanks alot, gonna make this build ;)

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RSCakeBomb 1 point 41 months ago

xkcd. Now that's a reference I haven't heard in a long time.

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TheRevolutiooN 1 point 41 months ago

Looks awesome, is it good as a first time build? :)

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rhali8 2 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

Damn son, where'd you find this?

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Quickie 1 Build 1 point 41 months ago

How did you already get the case? Also does the pump gurgle since the air bubbles go to the top of the radiator?

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

NZXT was kind enough to provide us the case for this build.

pump gurgle? Nothing I've noticed. It's been really quiet so far.

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snorkel12068 3 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

The i5 6600k is a great choice, from looking around and the "benchmarks" there is not a huge difference, especially in games. The differences start showing up in games that use the CPU more.

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vikingXcore 4 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

What a lovely rig you have there! This is super nice and the cables were done great. I didn't get to watch with audio with being at work, but what where the cable extensions used?

That video card is so smexy. Definitely jelly right now.

I hope you get some productivity done and all, seeing as you had made an earlier comment about playing the occasional game of Rocket league. That game is almost as addicting as Super Smash Bros imo.

Also hat tip to the staff for this video! I hope to see more! Maybe another crazy mITX build with the nano (if you can even get your hands on one that is?)!

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 2 points 41 months ago

Glad you enjoyed it! The extensions are Blake's handiwork. You can check out the first video in his series on custom sleeving to see how they were made.

And I can stop playing Rocket League anytime I want.. at least, that's what I tell myself.

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vikingXcore 4 Builds 1 point 41 months ago

Sorry what was that? Been watching youtube videos of people playing Rocket League. ^ ^

Great to know! I did see his video the other day. I didn't realize it was for this rig! Yes, he did a great job.

Enjoy bicycle-kicking like Liu Kang! Wataaa!

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SeanEXE 1 point 41 months ago

Is there a reason in you initially choosing to go with the Dark Rock PRO 3 over the NZXT Kraken x61? I'm building a rig very similar to this and I was debating on the the Dark Rock 3 (Non-Pro) or the NZXT Kraken x61.

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 2 points 41 months ago

The original intent was simply to use an air cooler and I liked the Dark Rock 3 for it's noise profile and looks (imagine those Riing fans on that puppy). Unfortunately, we had trouble finding it in stock from US retailers at the time, so we opted to use the Kraken since we had it on hand. It doesn't hurt that the Kraken's lit CPU block made the result look even better... (subjective bias noted). :)

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SeanEXE 1 point 41 months ago

Would this power supply work in the build? I'm building a rig very similar to this but I opted to go with this PSU instead because it was on sale: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220gs0550v1

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BoyScout staff 21 Builds 2 points 41 months ago

You should be fine with that power supply, given roughly the same partlist. I think the wattage requirements were actually pretty low as-is (below 400W).

I mostly gave myself extra headroom to allow for (let's call it) "benchmarking" the occassional power hungry video card(s) that might pass through the PCPP offices from time to time.

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