2022 Pro-workstation build - Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H - i7 4770

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Kiriakos GR:
I was after slightly modernizing my older workstation build, but this was not possible any more, I was had to switch at a fresher INTEL platform.
My cash flow at this period of time this is not limited but neither unlimited, and I did my upgrade by selecting best computer parts from the era of 2014 ~ 2016.

After few months of research (ending of 2021) I did finalize my wish list.
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H the perfect candidate for a Pro workstation, up to ten SATA ports, Double INTEL 1000 LAN ports, 16 power phase stages, DDR3 2400 support.
BIOS of 2018
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z87X-UD5H-rev-1x#ov

Intel Core i7 4770 Processor 8M 3.40~3.7~3.90GHz TDP 84W https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/75122/intel-core-i74770-processor-8m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html

Mushkin Enhanced - Blackline DDR3 2400 16GB Tested Latency: 11-13-13-13 (2015 production of double sided DDR3 2400 T1 ) http://www.poweredbymushkin.com/Home/index.php/catalog/memory/blackline?cm=0&f_speed=16&f_capacity=29

CPU cooler: Prolimatech Armageddon along dual GELID Silent 140mm PWM http://www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=2150&subid=2306#showtab

Creative X-Fi Music PCI with drivers of 2019. The most excellent in sound quality sound card ever.

VGA NVIDIA: MSI GTX 1060 6GB OC (2016)

My old CORSAIR CX750 (2013) this is not able to keep up due it age, and so getting a newer PSU this is now at my plans.

This topic represents a walk-thru guide of how to properly setup such a build in software and hardware, and many details are going to follow. ;)

Kiriakos GR:
Part 1: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H electrical modifications.

While this GA-Z87X-UD5H motherboard, has six connectors for DC Fan, only the CPU-FAN header this deliver PWM signal.
All other five Fan-headers they deliver adjustable voltage control.

At my CPU cooler, Prolimatech Armageddon, I wanted to add dual DC fan these both be driven by PWM signal, but they should be also capable to give RPM feedback independently.
And I did make my very own DIY 2x PWM fan bridge PCB. :)

The end product this is a solid tiny gadget, that becomes invisible as soon all DC fan connectors get attached to it.

Kiriakos GR:
Part 2: Prolimatech Armageddon High-Performance cooler of 2010.

Back in 2010 we (Performance Enthusiast) knew that Prolimatech Armageddon, after this be tested and reviewed, that is advanced engineering and a true winner at heat dissipation.
Prolimatech never gave a clear answer of actual TDP capability, or of thermal resistance measurements.

But in the real world, the Armageddon succeed to deal successfully with all Intel 130 W TDP CPU (even the overclocked ones).

(Thermal Design Power (TDP) represents the average power, in watts, the processor dissipates when operating at Base Frequency with all cores active under an Intel-defined, high-complexity workload. )

Prolimatech Armageddon, this is not just a six heatpipe cooler tower, even the mounting brackets, this is another one mechanical structure with heat dissipation properties.
And therefore, entire structure of this cooler, base and body both designed to have heat dissipation properties.

The product design engineer of this cooler, he is a true expert and a bright example of ingenuity.
Too bad that we will never learn his name.

Best DC fan for the Armageddon?
Armageddon was designed and tested so to be a perfect pair with Prolimatech Blue Vortex 14
140x25x25mm, Sleeve bearing, 1000±100RPM Max, 87 Max.CFM (65 CFM)

In the real world, I have never see in the past, Blue Vortex 14 to be able to deliver more than 890RPM as max, and so this specification this is rather generous.

My best find as Prolimatech Blue Vortex 14 upgrade this is GELID Silent PWM 140
140x25x25mm, hydro bearing, 750~1200RPM, 74.5 CFM.

By combining two GELID DC fan, the total CMF this now gets 74.5 x 2 = 149 CMF
But it has been proven that the actual thermal design of Armageddon, this does not take any advantage of any higher airflow than 100 CMF.

And therefore in my application, these two GELID DC fan, will help Armageddon this to receive enough airflow, along more silent operation than if it was just one DC fan in use.

Here is a link of my older year 2020, partial PC hardware upgrade.
https://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1615.0

Kiriakos GR:
Part 3: Intel Core i7 4770 Processor 8M 3.40~3.7~3.90GHz TDP 84W

For approximately ten years, I was happy by using my Intel Q6600 quad core (C4/4T) CPU, it shown powerful for anything other than video editing.
As soon I upgraded my graphic card to Nvidia GTX 1060, the Intel Q6600 this started to shown as not sufficient so to aloud the GTX1060 this to deliver it best.
My next though was to upgrade to Q9650 ( the king of socket 755), I did enjoy 25% improvement than Q6600, but GTX1060 this was in need for an even faster CPU.

Slow, Fast, these are confusing terms, if you are not aware of what makes an Intel CPU special in our times.
And this is the number of supported instruction set, Intel i7 4770 and the Haswell series, they include or support CPU instructions (packages), that gaming industry now taking advantage of them too.
While at the older Quad core series (LGA 775), their instruction set, was in use as acceleration engine of Microsoft DirectX alone, and also for other math calculations.

4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 Processors
Every coin has two sides.
Side one = marketing
Side two = real world performance.

Haswell series 4770, 4790 ( Basic line along K models) they came to serve computing needs by delivering their best right out of the box.
The youth had the expectation that this is just another Intel series, that you can discover hidden performance by raising the clock speed.
The ones feeling as Car Racers, they found these news as disappointing. :)

Haswell series 4770, 4790 has tiny internal differences, not measurable ones.
Even so this is a generation of CPU designed to serve 1080P gaming, at high frame rates up to 135 FPS.

Haswell CPU series this has another strong advantage over older series and this is DDR3 2800 support as Max.
DDR3 1600 this is considered as Natively supported specification for this CPU.
Top Tier FCLGA1150 motherboards they claim DDR3 3000 support.

But the truth this is somewhere in the middle.
Today I am happy to report that my fresh build this works stable and super fast, by the use of 2x8GB of DDR3 2400 (double sided component), at Command Rate of 1T.

Beginning of the year 2015, and at a timing that Haswell CPU's these was not that popular and neither DDR3, leaders as is Hynix and Kingston they did release top tier DDR3 at 2400, and then switched their priority to DDR4 production.

Mushkin Blackline FROSTBYTE 997123F -> JEDEC: DDR3 1600 / XMP: 2400 / CL11-13-13 @1.65V

HyperX HX324C11SRK2/16 SAVAGE -> JEDEC: DDR3 1600 / XMP: 2400 / CL11-13-14 @1.65V

I got very lucky by finding a pair of Mushkin Blackline 997123F , even as used here in Europe.
This is truly exceptional DDR3 memory which it does boost Intel Core i7 4770 performance at highest levels regarding bandwidth. 8)

Kiriakos GR:
Part 4: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H the most features rich motherboard so to host an Haswell

Gigabyte this armed GA-Z87X-UD5H with several features that a professional workstation can take of advantage too.

ULTRA Durable 5: Further improved PCB for an further extended product lifecycle.
16 Power phases: By the use of fresh technology of MosFet, lesser consumption, lesser self heating, smart Mosfet control circuit = lesser power consumption at low loads.

Double INTEL LAN NIC's: Capable for parallel operation (Teaming) and 2000 Mbit/s bandwidth.
Double SATA controllers : Both capable for RAID configuration, and or Ten SATA devices in total.
Double USB 3.0 controllers: Intel Z87 along uPD720210 (driver-less USB 3.0 HUB developed by NEC-Renesas Japan)

Double BIOS Chips
PCI legacy Slot: Something of greatest importance to me, my Creative X-Fi music an sound-card of retail value of 120 Euro, this is now again part of my build.
PCI-e 3.0 x16
USB 2.0 ports.
Serial Port.
Six DC fan headers.
Boot sequence Diagnostic LED display (two digits).

What Gigabyte product designers they did wrong on this motherboard, this is that they dare to interfere and alter the behavior of the HDD activity indicator LED.
The LED instead to be off at lowest HDD activity, this blink at a steady rate of once per second.
They probably though to add some sort of modernization, when in the reality they did found a good way to irritate other people nerves.

Latest BIOS available this is 10F ( of 2018) and you have to request a copy due Gigabyte customer support team.