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[The Lamonster]

Anybody have any surge protection advice? I've done a bit of research and I'm trying to decide between these two models:

APC P11VT3 3020 Joules Performance SurgeArrest 11 Outlet with Phone Splitter and Coax Protection, 120V

Tripp Lite ISOBAR8ULTRA Isobar Surge Protector Metal 8 Outlet 12 feet Cord 3840 Joules

 

[opticalmace]

I just had an APC model crap out on me. Random anecdote, but if it were my money I would go for a different brand.

 

[RGM79]

Well I don't live in the US (I live in Malaysia), so finding quality parts is harder.

http://www.compu-zone.com/index.php...erything-windows/pc-hardware-downloads-in-pdf (its in PDF format)

Here's the build I'm thinking of, mostly for 1080p gaming and maybe some 3D modeling.

CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VIII Ranger (couldn't find a Z170-A, and I need a motherboard with an optical out & DTS Connect for my speakers)
RAM: Kingston D4 Hyper Fury 2666 8GB X 2
Graphics: MSI GTX970 4G OC (Tiger)
SSD: Transcend 370 512GB (thinking of getting a Samsung 850 Pro 512GB but its very expensive, around 100USD more)
Storage: 1TB Western Digital Blue WD10EZEX
Power Supply: Cooler Master V750 (should I switch to V650?)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX
Optical Drive: Asus DVD RW
Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212X (couldn't find a Hyper 212 EVO, and I think this is an updated version of EVO)

Oh, they have Super Flower brand power supplies at a lower price. Those are all likely to be high end and excellent models, even better than the Cooler Master models. The PDF price list doesn't say what model they are, but I highly recommend you look at them. If you can ask the show what model of Super Flower PSU they are, we can figure out specifics.

Hi,

Im thinking about buying a new computer now with skylake (I got 920 now and it's time to upgrade).

Is there some kind of prefered motherboard supplier? What is the difference?
Some of my friends says that MSI is at the lower scale but without any proof. Says they have larger change for failure and they dont use top grade components. I call BS...

Does it matter if you have the same supplier for the motherboard and GPU?

My budget is around 2000$ but why use more then needed.

It's kind of illogical to write off an entire brand with vague and broad claims of "low quality and high failure", I'd say. Each motherboard manufacturer has to have some percentage of their motherboards failing, and failure rates for high, middle, and low end motherboards would be different. If you want to check a motherboard's performance and feature set, then look at professional reviewsk, but if you want to gain some insight into whether a specific motherboard model is likely to fail or not, then look into the user reviews. Skylake just came out a few months ago so it's still somewhat new and there aren't a lot of reviews out yet..

But for example you can look at this Newegg link for the Asus ROG Maximus VIII Hero Z170 motherboard. After 35 reviews, it only has a middling 3/5 star review average. Looking at the one and two star reviews, most of the negative feedback is directed toward the BIOS being weird, audio chipset issues, and the motherboard being dead on arrival. Sounds like it's not a sure buy. Oddly enough on Amazon the same motherboard has a 4.5/5 star average rating and with a far fewer percentage of negative reviews. Maybe they're different production batches from different factories. Who knows.

As a counterpart to your friend's claim of MSI being poor quality, consider the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard. On Newegg the user feedback averages 4/5 stars after 23 reviews, and on Amazon the same motherboard has 4.3/5 stars after 10 reviews. Although there are fewer reviews in total, the percentage of negative reviews are also far lower. Seems like MSI is doing a better job of quality control? Again, who knows.\

Both are ~$230 motherboards, but one would seem to be better built than the other. Not that I'm trying to steer you toward MSI or steer you away from Asus, but I'm basically saying that if you're gonna choose a motherboard, a bit of research helps. And no, you don't need to have the same brand for motherboard and graphics card, it does nothing for performance, but it is nice if you care about keeping consistent looks for your PC.

Can you fill in the questionnaire from the first post of this thread? That will help us determine what sort of parts to recommend to you. Other things you might want to consider are the size of the PC and whether you care about silence or if you want specific looks (subdued design? gamer aesthetics? industrial look?) or anything else you might want to say about the kind of PC you want.

Anybody have any surge protection advice? I've done a bit of research and I'm trying to decide between these two models:

APC P11VT3 3020 Joules Performance SurgeArrest 11 Outlet with Phone Splitter and Coax Protection, 120V



Tripp Lite ISOBAR8ULTRA Isobar Surge Protector Metal 8 Outlet 12 feet Cord 3840 Joules

Ha, that APC surge protector is the exact one I have at home and have all my stuff plugged into. It's been going strong for at least 8 years, I think I got it back in 2007.

 

[The Lamonster]

I just had an APC model crap out on me. Random anecdote, but if it were my money I would go for a different brand.

I see this a lot...

Ha, that APC surge protector is the exact one I have at home and have all my stuff plugged into. It's been going strong for at least 8 years, I think I got it back in 2007.

Wirecutter says it's the best, although they didn't test the Tripp Lite.

 

[knitoe]

Anybody have any surge protection advice? I've done a bit of research and I'm trying to decide between these two models:

APC P11VT3 3020 Joules Performance SurgeArrest 11 Outlet with Phone Splitter and Coax Protection, 120V



Tripp Lite ISOBAR8ULTRA Isobar Surge Protector Metal 8 Outlet 12 feet Cord 3840 Joules

I would go with a good sine wave protection battery backup, especially if you live in a place with often power fluctuations. Although power surge is very bad, sudden power loses could cause issues too. Currently, I am using 2 Tripp Lite 900W, one for PC equipment and one for living room TV equipments.

Makes little sense. Spend hundreds / thousands on computer hardware, but only spend $20 to protect it.

 

[Nemaides]

I had this build recommended here and I was going to buy the components today but the motherboard seems to be out of stock. Would this one be a good replacement?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (€163.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (€52.70 @ Amazon Espana)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Blue 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (€41.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€46.30 @ Amazon Espana)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card (€218.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Case: Cooler Master N300 ATX Mid Tower Case (€48.02 @ Amazon Espana)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€64.80 @ Amazon Espana)
Total: €633.82

 

[RGM79]

I had this build recommended here and I was going to buy the components today but the motherboard seems to be out of stock. Would this one be a good replacement?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (€163.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (€52.70 @ Amazon Espana)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Blue 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (€41.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€46.30 @ Amazon Espana)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card (€218.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Case: Cooler Master N300 ATX Mid Tower Case (€48.02 @ Amazon Espana)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€64.80 @ Amazon Espana)
Total: €633.82

That motherboard seems ok, but I'd maybe recommend the Gigabyte GA-H81M-HD3 as it seems to have better reviews.

 

[Alexm92]

That was an early report. The original remark is from the German website gamestar.de, and although a bunch of websites repeated the line about the GTX 980 being able to deliver 60FPS on ultra settings with Hairworks, nearly everyone failed to mention that the article also says there was still stuttering drops in denser places like cities.

Independent testing results from places like Techspot have shown that on ultra settings at 1080p with Hairworks enabled, the GTX 980 gets 56FPS which is just a little bit shy of 60FPS, and dips as low as 28FPS at some points.

I guess I was nitpicky about d3vnull's question, though. If he doesn't mind occasional stuttering and framerate drops, then a GTX 980 will be just enough to run The Witcher 3 maxed out at 1080p, or he could turn down some settings and enjoy TW3 with a more consistent framerate. Otherwise, a GTX 980 Ti would be needed for both best possible quality and framerate. Didn't mean to correct you like you were out of line or anything.

Ah I guess thats the problem then, I didnt read anywhere that there are drops and stuttering in denser places. I should have known anyway considering they said a 970 is enough for max without Hairworks and when I put it to the test with my overclocked 970 I was getting drops and had to turn down shadows and draw distance to very high in order to keep up 60fps. And even then, there were a couple of places where it would drop to the low 50's, .

No worries RGM, I guess I should'nt listen to Nvidia anymore when it comes to what card is needed to max out a game.

 

[GooeyHeat]

Hey guys, new to this thread.
I'm currently hoping to make a small form factor gaming PC/HTPC. Right now I have a laptop that has a dedicated video card, but it's showing its age and a gaming laptop isn't something I'm super-interested in. However, I do want to keep this laptop for general use and light/indie gaming, so I don't really need something for general use.
I understand the basics of video cards and RAM and a few other parts but I'm really pretty lost on things relating to form factor (what fits in what, etc.), which is why I don't really have any suggestions yet. I'll look around on my own but any help in advance would be greatly appreciated.

Budget: $700 maximum, ideally closer to 500, though nothing's really set in stone (USA)
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: Light Gaming: 3, Gaming: 5, Emulation (PS2/Wii): 3 or 4, idk, Video Editing: 1, Streaming games in HD: 2, 3D/Model work (and what program): 2, in case I get into it at some point, General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback): 1.
Monitor Resolution: I'd probably play at 1080p on a TV.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Street Fighter V at 60FPS is a must. Beyond that, I'm looking forward to the new Doom. A solid 60FPS framerate is more important to me than graphical effects, PhysX, SuperSampling, etc.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I have nothing to reuse.
When will you build?: probably mid-2016, depending on how long saving money takes and how much I need
Will you be overclocking?: Maybe (which, I'm told, means yes )

Thanks in advance for the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[RGM79]

Hey guys, new to this thread.
I'm currently hoping to make a small form factor gaming PC/HTPC. Right now I have a laptop that has a dedicated video card, but it's showing its age and a gaming laptop isn't something I'm super-interested in. However, I do want to keep this laptop for general use and light/indie gaming, so I don't really need something for general use.
I understand the basics of video cards and RAM and a few other parts but I'm really pretty lost on things relating to form factor (what fits in what, etc.), which is why I don't really have any suggestions yet. I'll look around on my own but any help in advance would be greatly appreciated.

Budget: $700 maximum, ideally closer to 500, though nothing's really set in stone (USA)
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: Light Gaming: 3, Gaming: 5, Emulation (PS2/Wii): 3 or 4, idk, Video Editing: 1, Streaming games in HD: 2, 3D/Model work (and what program): 2, in case I get into it at some point, General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback): 1.
Monitor Resolution: I'd probably play at 1080p on a TV.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Street Fighter V at 60FPS is a must. Beyond that, I'm looking forward to the new Doom. A solid 60FPS framerate is more important to me than graphical effects, PhysX, SuperSampling, etc.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I have nothing to reuse.
When will you build?: probably mid-2016, depending on how long saving money takes and how much I need
Will you be overclocking?: Maybe (which, I'm told, means yes )

Thanks in advance for the help, I really appreciate it.

Given how there's still like 8 months before you plan to build, we should wait until a week or two before you're ready to buy to recommend you a parts list. Prices can and will definitely change during that time, and new graphics card may be released or will be coming soon at that point. If you have any specific questions about anything, feel free to ask. Or you can occasionally keep an eye on developments in this thread.

As for form factor, there are a few major standards for that. Read here for more information about the most common form factor size. If you're gonna have your PC in the living room (assumed because you're hooking it up to a TV) then you will probably want a home theatre/small form factor/cube style case in the mATX or mITX size.

 

[Majine]

Is it worth it to upgrade from an i5-4460 3.2 GHz to i7-4790K 4 GHz?

 

[GooeyHeat]

Given how there's still like 8 months before you plan to build, we should wait until a week or two before you're ready to buy to recommend you a parts list. Prices can and will definitely change during that time, and new graphics card may be released or will be coming soon at that point. If you have any specific questions about anything, feel free to ask. Or you can occasionally keep an eye on developments in this thread.

As for form factor, there are a few major standards for that. Read here for more information about the most common form factor size. If you're gonna have your PC in the living room (assumed because you're hooking it up to a TV) then you will probably want a home theatre/small form factor/cube style case in the mATX or mITX size.

Okay, thank you. The form factor standards are the most helpful thing. I'll keep an eye on things and probably stop back in this thread once I'm ready to buy.

 

[The Lamonster]

Just found out that the three-prong plug I've been using for my PC is not grounded (according to the surge protector plugged into it).

How big of a problem is this? I've been using this plug for over a year without issue. Can an electrician easily ground the outlet or would that require a full re-wire of the house?

 

[Detox]

I just installed a new gpu, power supply and additional ram. My motherboard is gigabyte ph67 ud3. I get 17 continuous short beeps, does it mean the power supply is completely dead?

All the fans are spinning.

Edit: nvm I got it working with the old ram. The new ram hyper x fury does not work at all in any configuration. Is it broken?

 

[Woorloog]

So, the audio crackling issue i had? It was caused by the fucking WLAN adapter. Guess i bought a shit model.

Oh, well, i guess i have to use a wired connection now, which is fine except it is a bit unreliable.

 

[Lys Skygge]

Your Current Specs: Starting from scratch. Formally an Apple user. Below is a parts list I've put together, I just have a few questions about it.
Budget: $900 for PC only. I have a separate budget for the monitor. United States
Main Use: Photo Editing 5
Video Editing 4
Gaming 3
General Use 5
Monitor Resolution: Looking to edit video at 4K. Games I can play at 1080p
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects. Maybe a few games on Ultra @30fps.
Looking to reuse any parts? No
When will you build?: By the end of November would be nice
Will you be overclocking?: Yes


Hello,

I'm looking to build my first PC; however, it's not primarily for gaming. It'll mainly be used for photo editing, 4K video editing, and eventually gaming. I've been told because I want a PC used primarily for photo/video editing I can initially skip the GPU and put more into the CPU (I'll eventually get a nice GPU). After a bit of research I found the Intel i7 6700 is supposedly great for editing so I put together a build around that.

Here is the parts list:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DX9X6h
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DX9X6h/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H DDR3 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($68.40 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.66 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.70 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Dell P2715Q 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($502.11 @ Amazon)
Total: $1203.62
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-30 18:29 EDT-0400

So my question is is this a good build for what I want? Will this setup work with a 4K monitor without a GPU?

My goal with this build was to have an i7 while keeping it under $900 so I can afford a decent 4K monitor.

 

[Skii]

Maybe it's just an issue with Win10? I declined the upgrade to W10 on my machines because it was breaking so many things it wasn't worth the effort. It could be anything from hardware malfunction to poor Windows 10 driver support.

I'm almost sure it's a problem with Windows 10 but I can't do anything about it now as I've already installed the OS. Other people have similar problems with Windows 10.

Post the results of LatencyMon

Thanks a lot for offering to help

Here are the stats after playing around 5 minutes of The Witcher 3 (loads of crackling is heard but it oddly takes about a minute or two to actually kick in from what I can tell):

CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. Also one or more ISR routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. At least one detected problem appears to be network related. In case you are using a WLAN adapter, try disabling it to get better results. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:04:47 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name: DESKTOP-OA7C0PN
OS version: Windows 8 , 6.2, build: 9200 (x64)
Hardware: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC., Z170-A
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600K CPU @ 3.50GHz
Logical processors: 4
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 16293 MB total


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed: 3504 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 1 MHz (approx.)

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

WARNING: the CPU speed that was measured is only a fraction of the CPU speed reported. Your CPUs may be throttled back due to variable speed settings and thermal issues. It is suggested that you run a utility which reports your actual CPU frequency and temperature.



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 779.397944
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 1.771806

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 777.936755
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 0.703172


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 2515.777397
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: HDAudBus.sys - High Definition Audio Bus Driver, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.136993
Driver with highest ISR total time: storport.sys - Microsoft Storage Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.394737

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 376270
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 158
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 1
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 2986.269406
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ndis.sys - Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS), Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.080078
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0.289174

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 1448129
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 143
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 5
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 2
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: shellexperiencehost.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 518
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 190
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 47942.171804
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 0.014284
Number of processes hit: 13


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 9.632526
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 2515.777397
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 4.496032
CPU 0 ISR count: 372521
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 2986.269406
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 3.058265
CPU 0 DPC count: 1364732
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.096748
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 445.212329
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.039585
CPU 1 ISR count: 3823
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 489.002283
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0.111978
CPU 1 DPC count: 28815
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.010278
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 19.655251
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000159
CPU 2 ISR count: 85
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 158.015982
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0.061849
CPU 2 DPC count: 24230
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.010761
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 570.247146
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.090698
CPU 3 DPC count: 30502
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I can also tell you that it's definitely not my sound card as I've used my wireless gold PS4 headset and it reproduces the same problem. I will also say that I've rolled back the drivers on my WLAN card and it has stopped the audio volume from fluctuating as that was a problem as well.

Why does this sound a bit like a problem i have.
Func HS260 headset, sound is crackling.
Right now i'm trying to listen music from youtube but the crackling is kind of annoying. Doesn't seem to be about the audio jacks.

Right now i'm installing MWO, and the installer is very resource-intensive....

EDIT Apparently Realtek Audio Driver issue.
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?74188-Z170-Pro-Gaming-audio-popping-(Realtek-issue)
(I have Asus Z170-A so i assume what applies to the ProGaming version applies to my mobo...)

EDIT I'm going to try reinstalling the latest driver for my mobo... if that doesn't work, i'll try Windows' driver.

Unless this is about the WLAN connection... it would be awkward. I cannot be without internet connection after all.

I have the same motherboard as you. I don't know if that means anything.

 

[Woorloog]

Right. So the audio crackling isn't gone completely. The WLAN adapter was a large part of the issue but not all of it...
There's something else fishy here.

EDIT here's my data from 6 minutes, mostly MWO. http://pastebin.com/Y30Nw4BB
Can post data from other tabs if necessary.

EDIT Yeah, well, of course the crackling is back. The fucking Realtek Driver decided to reinstall itself.

EDIT I'm trying to reinstall the latest version of the driver... after i've removed the old one completely. If that doesn't work, i'll probably order a proper soundcard. I mean, i'd imagine getting one might help, no?
(the Xonar DGX, as suggested in the build guides.
Though there are reports that it too has crackling...

Perhaps i should try the mobo's audio jacks, not the front panel's? EDIT no effect.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

I'm a first time PC builder and I'm currently shopping around for parts. I've decided on what I assume to be a microATX build, but I want opinions on whether extra cooling fans/whatnots are needed to keep it running. I'm not too worried about noise, just don't want it to blow up on me. Everything's already bought except for Storage and a GPU. I just want opinions on whether default cooling is okay when playing games.

CPU: i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600
Storage: Still deciding, but probably a 250SSD with an external hard drive to store all the big stuff.
Video Card: Still deciding. Torn between GTX 970, or Radeon 390s or a tier lower for cheaper. All'd depend on whatever deal I see first, I suppose.
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

This whole process is pretty scary though. All these mail in rebates and discount codes and whatnot. Hopefully it doesn't explode cause it wouldn't be a cheap fuck up.

 

[LilJoka]

I'm almost sure it's a problem with Windows 10 but I can't do anything about it now as I've already installed the OS. Other people have similar problems with Windows 10.



Thanks a lot for offering to help

Here are the stats after playing around 5 minutes of The Witcher 3 (loads of crackling is heard but it oddly takes about a minute or two to actually kick in from what I can tell):



I can also tell you that it's definitely not my sound card as I've used my wireless gold PS4 headset and it reproduces the same problem. I will also say that I've rolled back the drivers on my WLAN card and it has stopped the audio volume from fluctuating as that was a problem as well.



I have the same motherboard as you. I don't know if that means anything.

If you have the Realtek audio driver package installed for the onboard audio, uninstall it.

This was my issue with dpc latency
https://communities.intel.com/mobile/mobile-access.jspa#jive-content?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv3%2Fcontents%2F246118

And just so you are aware, it could be any driver causing latency giving the audio issue, so it doesn't matter what your audio output is.

 

[Samaritan]

Want some advice on a build I'm working on. Was toying with the idea of just upgrading my GTX580 and doing a fresh Windows install, but at this point I think I'm better suited to just starting over.

These specs are still pretty early and I intend to trim some fat to get the price down where it makes sense, I'm mostly just looking for advice on compatibility and if there are better alternatives to what I have marked down here, but if anyone has advice on ways to save money or cheaper alternatives to what I have, by all means! The only thing I'm not wanting to budge on really is the 1TB SSD. Everything else is up in the air though, so long as it's quality.

I'm also looking for case-buying advice. I'm kind of overwhelmed by the number of cases on the market these days and how there doesn't seem to be a clear choice on what's best. In the past, my systems have tended to run a little warm for one reason or another, so I definitely want to prioritize airflow over anything else.

Anyway, here's my build as it stands now:

PCPartPicker List

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core (Amazon: $254.99)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing (Already Own)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 (SuperBiiz, After Rebate: $107.99)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 (Newegg: $129.99)
Storage: Crucial BX100 1TB 2.5" Solid State (SuperBiiz, After Rebate: $299.99)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ (SuperBiiz, After Rebate: $649.99)
Case: ???
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX (Already Own)
Optical Drive: Some Samsung drive I've had for years
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) (SuperBiiz, After Rebate: $90.00)
Monitor: Samsung P2370HD 60Hz 23.0" (Already Own)

 

[Woorloog]

If you have the Realtek audio driver package installed for the onboard audio, uninstall it.

This was my issue with dpc latency
https://communities.intel.com/mobile/mobile-access.jspa#jive-content?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv3%2Fcontents%2F246118

And just so you are aware, it could be any driver causing latency giving the audio issue, so it doesn't matter what your audio output is.

Uh, if it must be uninstalled, how does one get Windows generic driver to replace it, and how does one prevent the Realtek one from reinstalling?

 

[LilJoka]

Uh, if it must be uninstalled, how does one get Windows generic driver to replace it, and how does one prevent the Realtek one from reinstalling?

Well the Windows driver will actually install automatically as it detects the hardware again. I never install the Realtek driver because they offer me nothing extra but bloat and bugs.

You may have to do some trickery in Windows update to stop it installing the Realtek drivers automatically. You could try disabling Windows update temporarily. Something you'll have to look up if your running win 10.

 

[zidigan]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this thread, although I lurk from time to time and dream about when I'll finally be able to build a new PC again and that time has finally come so I'm here for a bit of help.

Budget: $1500, United States
Main Use: Gaming - 5, Emulation - 4, Video Editing - 1, Streaming games in HD - 2, 3D/Model work (and what program) - 1, General Usage - 4.
Monitor Resolution: 1080 is fine, I plan on doing a two monitor setup plus my TV for gaming. I currently have on monitor and my TV and not sure if adding a second will change what I need.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Mainly Fallout 4 (I'm so hyped) dota 2, and h1z1, but I play a bit of everything. I like to run at 60 fps with most settings high, but I'm not too crazy about stuff.
Looking to reuse any parts?: Nope, passing my current rig down to my daughter.
When will you build?: Looking to order everything sometime this weekend.
Will you be overclocking?: No plans for it.

Side notes: I'm looking to build something around Haz's Enthusiast build, but I've always ran AMD GPUs and not sure if I want to stick with them or move to nvidia so looking for some input there and also on what would be the best for my needs.

Thanks for the help in advance, I'm just excited to build again, been 4 years since my last one.

 

[Mystic654]

Few more pics of my new PC

 

[Woorloog]

Well the Windows driver will actually install automatically as it detects the hardware again. I never install the Realtek driver because they offer me nothing extra but bloat and bugs.

You may have to do some trickery in Windows update to stop it installing the Realtek drivers automatically. You could try disabling Windows update temporarily. Something you'll have to look up if your running win 10.

Running Win 7 actually.

So, if i remove the Realtek driver, and manage to stop its reinstalling, what will happen? Will Windows use a generic driver then? Or will i be without audio?


EDIT Also, could updating BIOS help? I don't dare to do that unless necessary but i wonder...

 

[LilJoka]

Running Win 7 actually.

So, if i remove the Realtek driver, and manage to stop its reinstalling, what will happen? Will Windows use a generic driver then? Or will i be without audio?


EDIT Also, could updating BIOS help? I don't dare to do that unless necessary but i wonder...

Ok on win 7 it's easy, just uninstall the Realtek package. Windows will automatically install the default Microsoft audio driver. No need to mess with anything.

BIOS will be last resort, DPC latency is 99% driver issue.

My bet is Intel lan driver or Realtek driver.

 

[Woorloog]

Ok on win 7 it's easy, just uninstall the Realtek package. Windows will automatically install the default Microsoft audio driver. No need to mess with anything.

BIOS will be last resort, DPC latency is 99% driver issue.

Well, i've uninstalled the Realtek package... it keeps getting reinstalled still.

But looks like i may have found a better solution:
I connected my headphones to my display... which is connected to my R9 390 via DisplayPort connection.
So, the audio is coming via AMD High Definition Audio driver...

I'm not one hundred percent sure this will work... But right now, it sure produces good results.

LatencyMon is still finding issues though i hear no crackling.

 

[LilJoka]

Well, i've uninstalled the Realtek package... it keeps getting reinstalled still.

But looks like i may have found a better solution:
I connected my headphones to my display... which is connected to my R9 390 via DisplayPort connection.
So, the audio is coming via AMD High Definition Audio driver...

I'm not one hundred percent sure this will work... But right now, it sure produces good results.

Go to device manager, find the Realtek audio device, right click uninstall, select yes I want to delete the driver. I assume you uninstalled from control panel add and remove programs too?

If NDIS is the problem in latency mon then see the link I posted regarding the Intel lan driver.

 

[Woorloog]

Go to device manager, find the Realtek audio device, right click uninstall, select yes I want to delete the driver.

/facepalm. Basically, i've been disabling the device, not uninstalling it... I feel stupid.
Oh, well, i'll test this other thing for now.


EDIT NDIS. I read some parts of the thread, looks like 19.1 is the only good driver? I'm not sure i have problems with NDIS... I did download the older drivers just in case though but i have no idea where to find the newer ones (for deletion) as the older ones can't be installed over new ones.

 

[LilJoka]

/facepalm. Basically, i've been disabling the device, not uninstalling it... I feel stupid.
Oh, well, i'll test this other thing for now.


EDIT NDIS. I read some parts of the thread, looks like 19.1 is the only good driver? I'm not sure i have problems with NDIS... I did download the older drivers just in case though but i have no idea where to find the newer ones (for deletion) as the older ones can't be installed over new ones.

Just uninstall from control panel -> add and remove programs. Do the same for the Realtek drivers too.

 

[Skii]

If you have the Realtek audio driver package installed for the onboard audio, uninstall it.

This was my issue with dpc latency
https://communities.intel.com/mobile/mobile-access.jspa#jive-content?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv3%2Fcontents%2F246118

And just so you are aware, it could be any driver causing latency giving the audio issue, so it doesn't matter what your audio output is.

So if I delete the driver, will I still have audio? Or will I be without it after that? Does disabling act the same as uninstalling for testing purposes?

 

[Woorloog]

Just uninstall from control panel -> add and remove programs. Do the same for the Realtek drivers too.

I can't find NDIS there...
I could have rolled a 1 one spot check though.

 

[LilJoka]

So if I delete the driver, will I still have audio? Or will I be without it after that? Does disabling act the same as uninstalling for testing purposes?

Disabling should be the same in terms of unloading the driver. But uninstalling the Realtek drivers from control panel will cause the default Microsoft drivers to be installed, this will result in working audio.

 

[LilJoka]

I can't find NDIS there...
I could have rolled a 1 one spot check though.

Look for Intel LAN drivers in control panel. NDIS.sys is what you may see in LatencyMon, and it's latency is caused by Intel lan drivers.

 

[knitoe]

I can't find NDIS there...
I could have rolled a 1 one spot check though.

If you don't need the Realtek audio, just disable it in the Bios. No need to remove/disable hardware and uninstall drivers in Windows.

 

[Woorloog]

Look for Intel LAN drivers. NDIS.sys is what you may see in LatencyMon, and it's latency is caused by Intel lan drivers.

Network Adapters has Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) I219-V

Otherwise there's nothing that looks like it could be what i'm looking for.

In any case, it looks, er, sounds like the AMD driver provides crystal clear audio so i probably won't have to deal with the other thing.

My thanks for all the help though.

 

[OldAsUrSock]

Is it worth it to upgrade from an i5-4460 3.2 GHz to i7-4790K 4 GHz?

Nope. If your mobo is capable overclock your i5. If not then still dont upgrade.

 

[Woorloog]

So. Audio via display's headphone jack.
Pretty good except i'm lacking a microphone capability now (not that i use voice chat much but still...) and there's something odd in the audio. It is as if it is lacking bass, perhaps, and some sounds are much more quiet than others.

Sound devices section says about the display/AMD driver that "max number of channels: 2". What does this mean? Is this the reason for the odd audio?
Or does this mean it can support 2 speakers at most?

EDIT Yeah... the audio is rather tinny and lacking bass... Wonder if there's an equalizer somewhere i could try to use to correct this..

 

[solid mike]

Your Current Specs: Here is what I have canvassed so far. These are all available in my country. Looking for comments and further recommendations.

CPU - Intel Core i5 4590 3.3-3.7Ghz 4-Core
RAM - Gskill RipjawsX 8GB Dual DDR3 1600 CL7 Ram (F3-12800CL7D-8GBXM)
Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H
GPU - MSI GTX 960 Twin Frozr Gaming 2GB 128Bit DDR5
PSU - Seasonic M12II-620 EVO 620W 80Plus Bronze Fully Modular
Case - Cooler Master N400 Clear Side +2 Fans Casing
HDD - 1TB Caviar Blue WD10EZEX
SSD - Crucial BX100 250gb sata (CT250BX100SSD1)
Wi-Fi Adapter - TPLink TG-3468 Gigabit PCI Express Network Adapter

Budget: $1000, Philippines

Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest:
5 - gaming
4 - watching movies in HD. That's about it, no 3D rendering or video editing.

Monitor Resolution:
What resolution will you be playing your games at? 1080p
Are you going to upgrade later? Probably not anytime soon
Are you buying a new monitor? Yes, looking at the BenQ GW2255 Black 21.5&#8243;; LED Monitor

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:

Games
The Witcher 3
Fallout 4
MGSV
Just Cause 3

Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 120? I would prefer 60 FPS
How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA to you? Not important
Looking to reuse any parts?: No.

When will you build?: First week of December this year

Will you be overclocking?: No, I have not done enough research on how to do it properly so as not to possibly damage my potential unit.

Appreciate it, guys

 

[Woorloog]

Okay, this fucking sucks.
Now this fucking thing thinks there's a subwoofe or something, and it breaks everything.
I have no idea how to get rid of it.

This happened after uninstalling the Realtek driver and trying out Windows own drivers.

 

[Woorloog]

Okay, after re-installing all sound-related drivers, and playing with settings, i managed to fix the odd sounding audio.

Crackling? Still fucking there.

Can't use the display port really. Sigh...

And i cannot use Windows default drivers, they seem to break something (indeed, i suspect they messed up the sound in the first place).

So what options do i have?

 

[RGM79]

I just installed a new gpu, power supply and additional ram. My motherboard is gigabyte ph67 ud3. I get 17 continuous short beeps, does it mean the power supply is completely dead?

All the fans are spinning.

Edit: nvm I got it working with the old ram. The new ram hyper x fury does not work at all in any configuration. Is it broken?

Do you have another computer to test the RAM in? It may be that your motherboard requires a BIOS update in order to support that particular RAM. Here's the download page for the latest BIOS revisions. Here are some basic instructions, I recommend you use the Q-Flash feature if your motherboard has it.

Your Current Specs: Starting from scratch. Formally an Apple user. Below is a parts list I've put together, I just have a few questions about it.
Budget: $900 for PC only. I have a separate budget for the monitor. United States
Main Use: Photo Editing 5
Video Editing 4
Gaming 3
General Use 5
Monitor Resolution: Looking to edit video at 4K. Games I can play at 1080p
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects. Maybe a few games on Ultra @30fps.
Looking to reuse any parts? No
When will you build?: By the end of November would be nice
Will you be overclocking?: Yes

Hello,

I'm looking to build my first PC; however, it's not primarily for gaming. It'll mainly be used for photo editing, 4K video editing, and eventually gaming. I've been told because I want a PC used primarily for photo/video editing I can initially skip the GPU and put more into the CPU (I'll eventually get a nice GPU). After a bit of research I found the Intel i7 6700 is supposedly great for editing so I put together a build around that.

Here is the parts list:


So my question is is this a good build for what I want? Will this setup work with a 4K monitor without a GPU?

My goal with this build was to have an i7 while keeping it under $900 so I can afford a decent 4K monitor.

I suggest you go for a Z170 motherboard instead of B150 seeing as you want to overclock. That will add to the cost of the build, though. I don't recommend that you go with DDR3, DDR4 is more future-looking and non-low-voltage DDR3 compatibility is something that's not quite certain with Skylake. DDR3 may or may not also be a bottleneck for Skylake. Better safe than sorry. I recommend a build like this instead:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($369.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.66 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.80 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Dell P2715Q 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($506.56 @ Amazon)
Total: $1375.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-31 00:24 EDT-0400

That build should still run under $900, monitor not included.

I'm a first time PC builder and I'm currently shopping around for parts. I've decided on what I assume to be a microATX build, but I want opinions on whether extra cooling fans/whatnots are needed to keep it running. I'm not too worried about noise, just don't want it to blow up on me. Everything's already bought except for Storage and a GPU. I just want opinions on whether default cooling is okay when playing games.

CPU: i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600
Storage: Still deciding, but probably a 250SSD with an external hard drive to store all the big stuff.
Video Card: Still deciding. Torn between GTX 970, or Radeon 390s or a tier lower for cheaper. All'd depend on whatever deal I see first, I suppose.
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

This whole process is pretty scary though. All these mail in rebates and discount codes and whatnot. Hopefully it doesn't explode cause it wouldn't be a cheap fuck up.

Given that you have a small case, I'd recommend the GTX 970 because it produces less heat than the R9 390. Default cooling should be ok, it shouldn't overheat.

Want some advice on a build I'm working on. Was toying with the idea of just upgrading my GTX580 and doing a fresh Windows install, but at this point I think I'm better suited to just starting over.

These specs are still pretty early and I intend to trim some fat to get the price down where it makes sense, I'm mostly just looking for advice on compatibility and if there are better alternatives to what I have marked down here, but if anyone has advice on ways to save money or cheaper alternatives to what I have, by all means! The only thing I'm not wanting to budge on really is the 1TB SSD. Everything else is up in the air though, so long as it's quality.

I'm also looking for case-buying advice. I'm kind of overwhelmed by the number of cases on the market these days and how there doesn't seem to be a clear choice on what's best. In the past, my systems have tended to run a little warm for one reason or another, so I definitely want to prioritize airflow over anything else.

Anyway, here's my build as it stands now:

Compatibility is fine. I'd recommend a slightly more expensive motherboard like the Asus Z170-A or Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI because they include USB 3.1 which is a good improvement over USB 3.0, but if you don't need it then the ASRock motherboard should be alright. You could also look for some cheaper RAM, either 2800MHz or this 2x8GB kit of Team Group 3000MHz DDR4 RAM ($110).

As for the case, I recommend Fractal Design's Define S. It's great for both airflow and sound dampening, the only drawbacks would be somewhat limited room for storage drives (2 SSDs and 3 HDDs) and no room for DVD drives if that is important to you.

 

[opticalmace]

Hm, so what does it mean when you have low CPU and GPU usage yet it's still not as high in FPS as you'd want it?

I'm talking about TF2 here, CPU and GPU usage are both maybe 20-25%.

 

[RGM79]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this thread, although I lurk from time to time and dream about when I'll finally be able to build a new PC again and that time has finally come so I'm here for a bit of help.

Budget: $1500, United States
Main Use: Gaming - 5, Emulation - 4, Video Editing - 1, Streaming games in HD - 2, 3D/Model work (and what program) - 1, General Usage - 4.
Monitor Resolution: 1080 is fine, I plan on doing a two monitor setup plus my TV for gaming. I currently have on monitor and my TV and not sure if adding a second will change what I need.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Mainly Fallout 4 (I'm so hyped) dota 2, and h1z1, but I play a bit of everything. I like to run at 60 fps with most settings high, but I'm not too crazy about stuff.
Looking to reuse any parts?: Nope, passing my current rig down to my daughter.
When will you build?: Looking to order everything sometime this weekend.
Will you be overclocking?: No plans for it.

Side notes: I'm looking to build something around Haz's Enthusiast build, but I've always ran AMD GPUs and not sure if I want to stick with them or move to nvidia so looking for some input there and also on what would be the best for my needs.

Thanks for the help in advance, I'm just excited to build again, been 4 years since my last one.

How does a build like this look? Wasn't sure if you needed to leave some room in the budget for a copy of Windows and maybe some peripherals, so I limited it to roughly $1400.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($254.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H5 Universal 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.66 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($636.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.80 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1413.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-31 00:57 EDT-0400

Nope. If your mobo is capable overclock your i5. If not then still dont upgrade.

The i5 4460 cannot be overclocked. Only unlocked K-type processors can be overclocked.

Your Current Specs: Here is what I have canvassed so far. These are all available in my country. Looking for comments and further recommendations.

CPU - Intel Core i5 4590 3.3-3.7Ghz 4-Core
RAM - Gskill RipjawsX 8GB Dual DDR3 1600 CL7 Ram (F3-12800CL7D-8GBXM)
Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H
GPU - MSI GTX 960 Twin Frozr Gaming 2GB 128Bit DDR5
PSU - Seasonic M12II-620 EVO 620W 80Plus Bronze Fully Modular
Case - Cooler Master N400 Clear Side +2 Fans Casing
HDD - 1TB Caviar Blue WD10EZEX
SSD - Crucial BX100 250gb sata (CT250BX100SSD1)
Wi-Fi Adapter - TPLink TG-3468 Gigabit PCI Express Network Adapter

Budget: $1000, Philippines

Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest:
5 - gaming
4 - watching movies in HD. That's about it, no 3D rendering or video editing.

Monitor Resolution:
What resolution will you be playing your games at? 1080p
Are you going to upgrade later? Probably not anytime soon
Are you buying a new monitor? Yes, looking at the BenQ GW2255 Black 21.5&#8243;; LED Monitor

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:

Games
The Witcher 3
Fallout 4
MGSV
Just Cause 3

Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 120? I would prefer 60 FPS
How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA to you? Not important
Looking to reuse any parts?: No.

When will you build?: First week of December this year

Will you be overclocking?: No, I have not done enough research on how to do it properly so as not to possibly damage my potential unit.

Appreciate it, guys

Your parts look alright, but some optimizations can be made for better cost. For example..

You don't need a Z97 motherboard unless you plan to upgrade to an overclockable K-type processor (like the i5 4690K or i7 4790K), and you don't plan to overclock so you should look for an H97 motherboard instead, it may be cheaper. You don't need an ethernet adaptor card, the motherboard already has an ethernet adaptor built in.

If you want to hit 60FPS and have high-ish graphics settings on those games, I highly recommend you get a GTX 970 if possible. Otherwise the GTX 960 is ok, but also consider the R9 380 if that is available for you. Look for a 4GB VRAM version of the GTX 960 or R9 380 if possible, that will be worth it in the long run so the graphics card won't be bottlenecked in the future by a lack of VRAM.

Hm, so what does it mean when you have low CPU and GPU usage yet it's still not as high in FPS as you'd want it?

I'm talking about TF2 here, CPU and GPU usage are both maybe 20-25%.

Is it possible your PC's power settings in the control panel are not set to high performance? Your PC might be set to balanced, or even power saver. Does any other game act like that?

 

[Lys Skygge]

Snip

Excellent! Thank you! Now my next question is would waiting for blackfriday/cyber monday be a good idea? They're just around the corner and I'm just wondering if it's worth it to wait until then or if I should pull the trigger on the parts now.

 

[opticalmace]

Is it possible your PC's power settings in the control panel are not set to high performance? Your PC might be set to balanced, or even power saver. Does any other game act like that?

Thanks, it was actually. Now it is using about 40% GPU and up to 60% CPU. Wonder why I can't get it higher though. I tried turning off/on multicore rendering, didn't seem to change much.

I'm using a 2500k @ 4.3GHz and a 970 at 1450-ish MHz at 1440p.

I will have to try out another game to see. Maybe it's just a source engine/tf2 thing.

 

[RGM79]

Excellent! Thank you! Now my next question is would waiting for blackfriday/cyber monday be a good idea? They're just around the corner and I'm just wondering if it's worth it to wait until then or if I should pull the trigger on the parts now.

That's up to you. I sort of remember last year's sales being somewhat disappointing, but there were still some deals. It's up to you to keep an eye on sales and get in on any bargains you see. Don't get suckered in by inflated "regular" prices, PCPartPicker's database also has a price tracker chart on all of the stuff they list so you can refer to that to see if it's actually at a decent discount, just scroll down from the list of prices.

Thanks, it was actually. Now it is using about 40% GPU and up to 60% CPU. Wonder why I can't get it higher though. I tried turning off/on multicore rendering, didn't seem to change much.

I'm using a 2500k @ 4.3GHz and a 970 at 1450-ish MHz at 1440p.

I will have to try out another game to see. Maybe it's just a source engine/tf2 thing.

As I understand it, not all games will need or have to run at nearly 100% CPU usage - your CPU is processing other things than just the game, of course. Same thing for the GPU, although games should be taking more advantage than just 40% for the GPU. If you're not getting the performance you expected, something else must be wrong.

 

[zidigan]

How does a build like this look? Wasn't sure if you needed to leave some room in the budget for a copy of Windows and maybe some peripherals, so I limited it to roughly $1400.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($254.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H5 Universal 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.66 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($636.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.80 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1413.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-31 00:57 EDT-0400

That looks really good actually... I wasn't really sure about what processor to go with so I like the i5, but I am really torn on the video card because of the 980 vs 970 because of the $300 jump in price for it. Do you think it's worth it or would I be fine with the 970? If I go 970 I'll end up jumping to a 500GB SSD and maybe a 2 TB HD. That's my only question, otherwise it looks great.

Also I don't need a windows key, but I think I'm gonna use $120 or so on another monitor, but I'll be keeping my current keyboard/mouse so the room there was perfect.

 

[Samaritan]

Compatibility is fine. I'd recommend a slightly more expensive motherboard like the Asus Z170-A or Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI because they include USB 3.1 which is a good improvement over USB 3.0, but if you don't need it then the ASRock motherboard should be alright. You could also look for some cheaper RAM, either 2800MHz or this 2x8GB kit of Team Group 3000MHz DDR4 RAM ($110).

As for the case, I recommend Fractal Design's Define S. It's great for both airflow and sound dampening, the only drawbacks would be somewhat limited room for storage drives (2 SSDs and 3 HDDs) and no room for DVD drives if that is important to you.

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't even thought about USB 3.1 but I'm definitely going to want that, so thank you for catching that.

I actually landed on that exact case in the time since I posted that but wasn't exactly sure what people thought of it outside some reviews. I've also come across a most peculiar case, a SilverStone Raven RV05.

The whole case is built to orient the motherboard 90º clockwise so that the I/O plate as well as the exhaust point upwards instead of backwards. It's very strange but I kind of dig the idea of having easy access to ports, as well as ventilation going up instead of into my wall. Thoughts?