Part list/rationale

CPU: Intel i7-3930k

I need a really beefy processor so that I can handle streaming at a high quality (1080p@48fps) while being able to play without suffering a major loss in performance. Even though Ivybridge/Haswell are out now, the raw power I get from two additional cores is more beneficial to me than increased IPC from a newer CPU that only has 4 cores.

Cooler: Swiftech H220

I’ve heard amazing things about this cooler. The radiator pump is better than the Kraken x60, the loop allows customization if you want to add a GPU block down the line, and the block that sits on the CPU is 100% Copper. I replaced the two Swiftech fans on the radiator with four SP120 fans from Corsair in a push-pull configuration.

Motherboard – ASRock X79 Extreme9

There’s no great reason to go with this board over the comparable Extreme6. This one comes with its own sound card, though, and has excellent support for overclocking, which I plan to do a lot of.

Memory – G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 32GB (4x8GB)

32 GB of RAM is huge overkill, but the LGA2011 platform supports quad-channel memory and throwing 4GB sticks into a $2,500 system seems kind of silly.

SSD – Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB

Amazing SSD with an amazing controller using amazing NAND.

GPU – MSI GeForce GTX 780

Single card solutions are superior for streaming than crossfire or SLI set-ups, otherwise I would probably be running crossfired 7970’s. The 780 is superior to the Titan when you consider the price point, as the Titan barely outperforms it, they are built on the same GK110 chip, and the Titan is far more expensive ($1050 vs $650).

Case – Switch 810

This case is, hands down, the best case I’ve ever worked with in my entire life. Plenty of cooling, zero problem getting the radiator installed, abundance of assistance for cable management and a nicely sized window so I can look in and see all of my beautiful parts.

PSU – SeaSonic 850W

What can I say? SeaSonic makes excellent power supplies and 850 watts is plenty of power for my system.