How to Build a Core i7 Gaming_Editing PC
### Article: Building a New Editing Rig - A Step-by-Step Guide
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#### Introduction
Hey everyone, I'm back! Apologies for the delay—I didn't have my editing rig for quite some time and didn't feel like editing on this Lenovo 100s. If you're curious about that experience, you can check out the card above me. But today, I’m excited to share with you the process of building an entirely new editing rig from the ground up. This video is dedicated to the build itself, so if you’re subscribed to my channel, you might already know some of this, but it never hurts to get a nice refresher. Plus, you’ll get to see the rig being assembled from scratch, which is pretty cool!
Let’s jump right into the building process. Got your pens and notepads ready? Here we go.
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#### Parts Overview
Here's a basic rundown of the parts you'll need:
- **Motherboard**: We're using an Asus Z170A ATX board.
- **Processor**: Intel Core i7 6700K, an LGA 1151 CPU clocked at 4 GHz out of the box with 8 MB of L3 cache and hyperthreading for a total of eight threads.
- **RAM**: 16 GB of 3,000 MHz DDR4 (G.Skill in this case).
- **Cooling**: NZXT Kraken X61—a 280 mm radiator with two 140 mm PWM fans.
- **Power Supply**: EVGA 750W Bronze Supernova, modular and reliable.
- **Storage**:
- 1 TB Western Digital Black hard drive for general storage.
- PNY 120 GB solid-state drive (SSD) for a snappy OS.
- **Thermal Compound**: Arctic Silver 5 (or any 5th to 6th generation thermal paste).
- **Graphics Card**: AMD Radeon R9 390 (for now, but more on that later).
- **Case**: Corsair Carbide 400C. You can check out my review of this case in the card above me.
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#### Step 1: Start with Your Motherboard
The Asus Z170 is a great choice for several reasons:
- It supports overclocking.
- It has plenty of voltage regulator modules (VRMs).
- It comes with a dedicated sound driver for 5.1-channel audio.
- It offers native SLI and CrossFire support.
The motherboard also features an excellent color scheme. While I kept the default colors, you can paint the heat sinks white, as I did in my build. Check out my painting tutorial if you’re interested (click the card above me).
The rear IO ports are impressive too: 5.1 audio, USB 3.1, Type-C connectors, DVI, VGA, HDMI, and DisplayPort support, plus two USB 3.0 headers and two USB 2.0 counterparts.
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#### Step 2: Install the CPU
Next up is the processor—the Intel Core i7 6700K. This top-of-the-line LGA 1151 CPU is clocked at 4 GHz, with a stock frequency that can turbo boost up to 4.2 GHz thanks to its 14nm Sky transistor architecture.
Here’s how to install it:
1. Pull the lever to the right of the socket until the door stands upright.
2. Identify the "Golden Triangle" on the CPU and align it with the one on the motherboard.
3. Rest the CPU in the socket gently—do **not** force it, as it only slides in one way.
4. Lower the retention arm once you’ve secured the chip.
The socket cover should pop off easily. Store it somewhere safe in case you need to remove the CPU later.
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#### Step 3: Install RAM
RAM installation is straightforward but requires a bit of unorthodox force:
1. Pull out both DIMMs and note the notches at the bottom.
2. Align these notches with slots 2 and 4 on the motherboard (for dual-channel support).
3. Push each DIMM into its slot firmly, starting from one side and then securing the other.
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#### Step 4: Install the NZXT Kraken X61 Cooler
The NZXT Kraken X61 is a 280 mm radiator with two 140 mm PWM fans. We’ll orient these fans so that air flows through the radiator into the case and out the back. While you could reverse the fan orientation to exhaust air from the front, this isn’t recommended by NZXT.
To secure the fans:
- Use eight included washers and long screws.
- Tighten each fan securely—loose fans can be loud and prone to breaking sooner.
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#### Step 5: Assemble the Case
Let’s move on to assembling everything into the case (Corsair Carbide 400C in this build):
1. Remove the bottom basement from the case using the three screws at the back.
2. Mount the radiator to the front of the case using eight washers and low-profile screws.
3. Secure the power supply to the back of the case with included screws.
4. Snap the IO shield into place in the rear.
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#### Step 6: Secure the Motherboard
1. Use the small parts box included with the case (usually located in the hard drive bay) to secure the motherboard to the chassis using the provided screws.
2. The center standoff doesn’t require a screw, so align the holes on the rear bracket with the standoffs at the back of the motherboard.
3. Slide each placeholder toward its centermost position and secure it through the hole at the back.
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#### Step 7: Mount the Cooler
1. Apply Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste to the CPU heat spreader (a modest amount is sufficient).
2. Secure the water block to the CPU by aligning the four threads from the standoffs with the inside holes of the front bracket.
3. Tighten all four corners until the screws build up significant resistance.
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#### Step 8: Install Storage Devices
1. Remove the hard drive cage for better access to modular ports on the power supply.
2. Secure your 3.5-inch hard drive by aligning its holes with the pins in the bay.
3. Reinsert the cage and secure it from the back with included screws.
4. Mount the SSD in one of the three SSD trays integrated into the case.
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#### Step 9: Connect Power Cables
1. Connect the 24-pin power cable and the 8-pin CPU power connector to the motherboard.
2. Connect the USB 3.0 header using ASUS’s included front IO assistant, matching positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative leads.
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#### Step 10: Install the Graphics Card
1. Remove the plastic from your graphics card (in this case, an AMD Radeon R9 390).
2. Clear two PCI slots at the back of the case.
3. Engage the lock on the top large slot and secure the graphics card to the back with included screws.
4. Connect the power cables (one 8-pin and one 6-pin in this setup).
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#### Step 11: Final Assembly
1. Connect SATA cables from each drive device to the motherboard, ensuring your SSD is inserted into the "OS Drive" header.
2. Remove the dust filter at the top of the case and add any extra fans you have lying around. I’m using two Fantex 140 mm fans oriented downward for positive air flow.
3. If you’re using a fan hub, secure it to the case (e.g., with Velcro adhesive) and connect its four-pin lead to a CHA1 or CHA2 header on the motherboard.
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#### Conclusion
There you have it folks! The process isn’t as complicated as it may seem—especially if you follow this guide closely. Even someone who’s never built a PC before can do this, though it might feel daunting at first. Just take my word for it: if you can disassemble and reassemble an old computer, you’ve essentially built one (albeit not from scratch).
If you’re curious about the performance of this PC, be sure to check out the benchmarks I prepared but didn’t include in this video. The i7 6700K paired with the R9 390 is a unique combination, and we’ll soon be comparing it head-to-head with AMD’s RX 480.
Stay tuned for more exciting content, including my attempt to play games on an extremely old PC (under $100!). For updates, follow me on Twitter at @scstSalazar.
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This concludes the build process. Thanks for learning with us! If you have any questions or want to share your own build experience, feel free to comment below. Stay tuned for more awesome videos coming soon!
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