"I need a New PC!" 2013 Part 1. Haswell, Crysis 3, and secret fairy sauce. Read da OP

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mkenyon said:
Everyone is engineering for mobile.

PowerEfficiency-650.png


Look at Intel processors too. Modest gains every single time, but continued focus on power efficiency.

Nevermind the more elaborate responses above, this is really the most accurate.
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I mean, a bit of it comes naturally with the die shrinks, not accounting for offsets like voltage leakage.
 
What kinds of cases are best for non-reference cards? I've always preferred Silverstone cases, especially the TJ08-E, but they are all designed with reference cooling in mind.
 
Damn this little guy is blowing my mind:

blade-14inch-gallery-14-v6.png


Dat abysmal Razer longevity scares me to death; but outside of that it's a damn near perfect laptop. If it had a 1080p screen, I honestly could have seen myself splurging on it.

I'm really, really hoping the new 15" Retina Macbook Pro gets a decent GPU update too, in June.
 
After having tested 5 different cases over the last few weeks, I have finally decided on the Silverstone Grandia GD08 which arrived today from Newegg. This is my build log for any of those interested in HTPC style cases. The biggest challenge with this case was getting the H60 cooler to fit.

Here are some pics of the build with the Silverstone Grandia GD08.


  1. I took out the drive/optical cage and started to strategize how I was going to add the H60 cooler first due to my motherboard.
  2. I then moved the fan in the upper left hand corner to the right side.
  3. One thing I do not understand here is that why weren't the optical drives placed to the right side of the case.

700


  1. I had to first insert the H60 Cooler and Corsair SP120 fan into the second fan slot pulling in air.
  2. Then had to slide in the motherboard, but couldn't place the two motherboard screws under the H60.
  3. I placed two Cooler Master 80mm fans as rear exhausts. I used a Y splitter for these fans to the motherboard.
  4. I placed the 660 Ti FTW 2gb Sig 2 card in since you can't install the card with the drive cage having been installed first.
  5. I wired the front two fans, which are setup as intake fans to pull air into the case from the front. I also used a Y splitter for these two fans to the front of the motherboard.
  6. I installed the Corsair CX600M PSU and started to route some of the cables to where they are not as messy using ties.

700



  1. I installed my two hard drives into the right drive cage, a few inches to the right of the 660 Ti. One drive is a 500gb and the second is a 1TB HDD.
  2. I want to eventually replace that 500gb with a SSD either 128gb or 240gb when prices come down a little bit more, especially for this case.
  3. I installed the USB 3.0 to 2.0 adapter to the USB 3.0 cable for the front header.

700



The modded drive cage

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A look inside the rig.

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The front of the case.

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Side/Top view

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On the AV Stand

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Overall this case has been a real pleasure to work with, except some of the minute little issues that I ran into because I was trying to fit a water cooler in here that wasn't part of the design spec. I am considering adding a fan possibly on the outside of the case in the open fan slot to the left pull air out.

I did spend a good 30-40 minutes trying to figure out how and where I was going to add that water cooler. I didn't want to go back to air cooling so I had to find a way to make it work, even though I would prefer a push/pull style of setup like I did in my previous case. I had to cut the optical drive cage to get the entire drives cage to fit in. Silverstone should of placed screws on each cage to make them removable by the user based on their needs. Picture to come of my cage having been cut to fit.

I also want to get some black sleeves to stay with the black color theme that I have going to cover up some of the cables.

I also have a Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold 1200W PSU laying around, been debating about putting that in here but seems like its too much for my rig.
 
Skel1ingt0n said:
I'm really, really hoping the new 15" Retina Macbook Pro gets a decent GPU update too, in June.
Click to expand...

I hope you're right too, but I have very little hope considering that Haswell is probably all that Apple asked for (and chances are half the specs for it are driven by Apple requests.) I hope they do one more gen of discrete GPU, but I would honestly be a little surprised.
 
MisterNoisy said:
I kinda wanna build a new box in a 350D, but having just finished my mITX box and with nothing good graphically on the horizon until '14, I'm forced to wait. :/

Crap in a hat.
Click to expand...

It's just really big for a mATX case. I love the TJ08-E, but it has flaws, mostly with air flow to the GPU(s)
 
So, I'm getting a bit serious with Counter-Stike again. I've been happy with my Sony 32" TV as a monitor up until now...the colors and blacks are great, but there is a bit of input lag and it's not the fastest panel around. I'm strongly considering picking up a 27" 120Hz monitor. Any suggestions?

There is a 144 Hz Asus monitor but I'm worried what it might mean for games that only support 60 Hz. It's also a TN panel which is going to be a serious downgrade from my TV. There appears to be a 23" IPS Asus out there but I don't think I can live with a monitor that small.

edit: this seems too good to be true:
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_700_1104&item_id=055720

$330 for a 27 inch 3D Monitor. Maybe it's just passive 3D and therefore only 60Hz?
 
TheExodu5 said:
So, I'm getting a bit serious with Counter-Stike again. I've been happy with my Sony 32" TV as a monitor up until now...the colors and blacks are great, but there is a bit of input lag and it's not the fastest panel around. I'm strongly considering picking up a 27" 120Hz monitor. Any suggestions?

There is a 144 Hz Asus monitor but I'm worried what it might mean for games that only support 60 Hz. It's also a TN panel which is going to be a serious downgrade from my TV. There appears to be a 23" IPS Asus out there but I don't think I can live with a monitor that small.
Click to expand...

If you mean the VG248QE it's fine and still offer a really good response time if input lag is a reason you're getting it. Try out lightboost, it maybe 120hz but the picture sharpness is something not many lcds can offer or compete with.
 
TheExodu5 said:
So, I'm getting a bit serious with Counter-Stike again. I've been happy with my Sony 32" TV as a monitor up until now...the colors and blacks are great, but there is a bit of input lag and it's not the fastest panel around. I'm strongly considering picking up a 27" 120Hz monitor. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I knew this day would come.

Exodu5, I need you to trust me on this one despite whatever you were hoping your monitor would be. Trust.

ASUS VG248QE. Lightboost hack. You will feel like you are cheating in the game. There is no better esport monitor in the world.

Also, a lot of games that only support 60hz can be easily fixed to go to 120+.
 
mkenyon said:
I knew this day would come.

Exodu5, I need you to trust me on this one despite whatever you were hoping your monitor would be. Trust.

ASUS VG248QE. Lightboost hack. You will feel like you are cheating in the game. There is no better esport monitor in the world.

Also, a lot of games that only support 60hz can be easily fixed to go to 120+.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...I guess at 24 inches I could easily just keep it to the side of my TV and use it when I go to play CS.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_1195_700_1103&item_id=057347

$280 doesn't seem so bad. My biggest issue now will be the physical setup. My desk is only 4' wide so things might be a bit cramped.
 
mkenyon said:
Exactly. Use the big boy as your productivity and big picture monitor. Use the ASUS as your scrub destroying monitor.
Click to expand...

You've convinced me. This will keep my costs low and it will be more convenient having a 24" monitor for LANs. I'll miss the big size, but I'll only be using it for competitive gaming so it shouldn't be too bad.

My wish is still a 30"+ 120Hz IPS monitor, but that's still probably quite a few years away.
 
Could look into the Overlord Tempest OC.

*more edits*

Look into some industrial wire racks. They're entirely modular and vastly increase the amount of desk space you have. I was able to squeeze a Samsung S23A750D with a Crossover 27Q into a fairly small space.
 
Wire racks wouldn't really help. It's horizontal space I lack more than anything, since my TV takes up 32" horizontally. That leaves me with 16". What I'm thinking is that I'll leave the monitor vertical during normal use, and switch it when I go to play CS.

I wonder if I get get some sort of arm that would let me easily position it and move it around. Buddy is showing me this:

SwingSide_Neutral_lg.jpg
 
Heh, it's funny. I hadn't experienced 120 Hz at all until about 2 months ago. I was hooking up my PC to my DLP projector, and as soon as I moved the mouse on the desktop I just said "holy shit". It's night and day. It feels so good. I really look forward to having this for CS, since my TV has about 40 ms of input lag on top of being 60 Hz...this should be a massive improvement.
 
I'm in the market for a new headset, after my current pair broke. Im looking for something in the 100-150 range if possible, with an integrated mic. Any suggestions Gaf?
 
The fan unit on my Hyper 212 EVO is making weird noises during the first minutes after boot. It's getting quite annyoing and I want to replace the bugger.

What's a good-quality alternative for the fan unit? I intend to keep the heat sink, though. So I guess it's just a 120mm fan I need?
 
So I'm considering getting a new GPU. I currently have a GTX 570, and am considering either a GTX 770/780. I'd love a Titan, but the 780 is pretty comparable in performance, that I don't think it's worth the extra cash.

Do you think it's worth the upgrade, or should I wait a while longer?
 
Brand doesn't really matter all that much if you're going with a reference card. For non reference, I'm a fan of Asus, personally, as I like their cooler designs.
 
Mogwai said:
The fan unit on my Hyper 212 EVO is making weird noises during the first minutes after boot. It's getting quite annyoing and I want to replace the bugger.

What's a good-quality alternative for the fan unit? I intend to keep the heat sink, though. So I guess it's just a 120mm fan I need?
Click to expand...
Any PWM and Fluid Bearing 120mm is good. Pick a color you like.
Horse Detective said:
Can anyone answer this?
Click to expand...
I like Gigabyte and ASUS for their coolers. Gigabyte for pricepoint. MSI for colors and dual 8 pin.
TheExodu5 said:
Heh, it's funny. I hadn't experienced 120 Hz at all until about 2 months ago. I was hooking up my PC to my DLP projector, and as soon as I moved the mouse on the desktop I just said "holy shit". It's night and day. It feels so good. I really look forward to having this for CS, since my TV has about 40 ms of input lag on top of being 60 Hz...this should be a massive improvement.
Click to expand...
Enjoy the 144Hz. Going to be glorious.
 
subtleglitch said:
So I'm considering getting a new GPU. I currently have a GTX 570, and am considering either a GTX 770/780. I'd love a Titan, but the 780 is pretty comparable in performance, that I don't think it's worth the extra cash.

Do you think it's worth the upgrade, or should I wait a while longer?
Click to expand...

I made a jump from 580 to 780 now everything is buttery smooth and I finally feel ready for next gen. If you can afford it I'd make the jump. Grid 2 looks on par with watch dogs with everything blown to the max.
 
FAO SixFourMike and Addnan, Amazon has got back to me.

They said,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have checked the item description and product image and I can confirm your findings.

However, to properly check on this issue, I’ve requested that someone from our Fulfilment Team carry out a physical check of the item in our Fulfilment Centre.

We’ll get back to you within 2 business days with an update on this.
Click to expand...
 
I'm looking to replace my dying AMD HD5850 with something like a HD7970 or GTX770. I have a few questions:

  1. I have a Silverstone FT02 but I don't know which brand of GPU cooler will work vertically. Does anyone know which brands (i.e. Gigabyte Windforce, MSI Twin Frozr III) will work in this orientation without performance loss? Stock coolers are impossible to find :(
  2. I game on a 2560x1440 monitor and I'm fairly sure that 2GB will not be enough to last me three years. How much of a hit will I take if I have insufficient VRAM? Which would be the better card in the long run?
 
kharma45 said:
FAO SixFourMike and Addnan, Amazon has got back to me.

They said,
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update, guess we will know by the start of the week. I want to get excited, even went digging in the shed and found the second PCI-E cable :D


edit: damn, I didn't realise just how quiet the windforce are until I stuck this evga 560 into my PC, so loud :/
 
I'm really getting jealous, because off all that lightboost talk. I need a Nvidia GPU. :| I need to start looking for full-time time work for the summer vacation I guess. ;_;

So what's up with the GTX780 6GB variations? I don't see them in the Netherlands, at least.
 
2San said:
I'm really getting jealous, because off all that lightboost talk. I need a Nvidia GPU. :| I need to start looking for full-time time work for the summer vacation I guess. ;_;

So what's up with the GTX780 6GB variations? I don't see them in the Netherlands, at least.
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There isn't a 6GB version and there hasn't been news of there being one.
 
Hi guys, so I'm tempted to get a 780 but I'm concerned that 3GB is not going to be enough when the new console gen kicks in. Can someone tell me if 3GB VRAM is likely to cause me problems in the next few years? I plan on getting a 1440 monitor at some stage.
 
Help :o

I need help with this riddle.

I need to guess a technology device and these are the clues given

1. It's smart
2. Do, Re, Mi

Those are the vaguest clues ever :(
 
Damn, I was going to grab a 7950 but after reading all the reviews for the 770 it seems like a far better upgrade for next gen coming from a 6950.
 
any guidance for travelling with a PC to avoid damage in transit? Thinking to take my bitfenix prodigy to an office 100 miles away, and possibly my parents' house to show them the oculus rift. Just want to make sure it arrives intact.

Watercooled CPU (H60) so should be no issues with needing to secure a large cooler? do I need to secure the GPU somehow?
 
Addnan said:
There isn't a 6GB version and there hasn't been news of there being one.
Click to expand...
Ah ok, I'm afraid of next gen games and I'm not feeling my unlocked 6950 anymore. I'm not feeling it because of lack of lightboost hack and I want to hit higher framerates than 60fps.
 
Addnan said:
Thanks for the update, guess we will know by the start of the week. I want to get excited, even went digging in the shed and found the second PCI-E cable :D


edit: damn, I didn't realise just how quiet the windforce are until I stuck this evga 560 into my PC, so loud :/
Click to expand...

Just got this reply from Amazon

I'm writing about your recent enquiry regarding your order.

I'm sorry but we have no Amazon stock of this ASIN in the UK to bin-check.

I’m sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause.

I hope this helps. We hope to see you again soon.
Click to expand...
 
mrklaw said:
any guidance for travelling with a PC to avoid damage in transit? Thinking to take my bitfenix prodigy to an office 100 miles away, and possibly my parents' house to show them the oculus rift. Just want to make sure it arrives intact.

Watercooled CPU (H60) so should be no issues with needing to secure a large cooler? do I need to secure the GPU somehow?
Click to expand...

The Bitfenix Prodigy is actually specifically designed for transportation. Bitfenix solved the GPU and CPU shear force problem by mounting the motherboard flat on the floor.

If you're still worried, I would actually take the GPU out and pack it separately. I believe NCIX does this because knocks and bumps exacerbate an already hefty shear force on the PCIe 16x slot. Besides that, just use the original box if you still have it. From the sounds of things, everything else will be screwed in tight.
 
So as someone looking to buy a gaming PC for the first time with a budget of around £800 - £900 would I be better to get something like a 660ti/670 or hold out for the 760ti/770?

Will be my first foray in to PC gaming and would be nice to be able to pick up any game without having to think can I run it?
Coming from a 360 and PS3 I look forward to seeing the other side and how games should look.
 
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