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"I need a new PC!" 2010 Edition

Hey guys! I was wondering what would be better, an H50 corsair CPU water cooler or the the hyper 212? I know the hyper is way cheaper, just wanted to know if they'd be the same, I'll be running an i7 930 2 weeks away from ordering my parts finally! ( And If I pick up the hyper I can get triple channel memory instead of dual channel too, so I was wondering if that trade off would be worth it )
 
itxaka said:
Edit: This guide seems much more awesome that the one at the OP!

BTW, how is AMD? Been on Intel my whole life, know shit about the current state of their CPUS. Same with ATI, no idea about them.
AMD is fine so is ATi (besides some occasional wonky drivers)
Depending on what you will be doing an i5 750 + http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412 might be a better choice.

I'd also get a 460 over a 5850 if they have it in stock where you are.
vicktormerv said:
Hey guys! I was wondering what would be better, an H50 corsair CPU water cooler or the the hyper 212? I know the hyper is way cheaper, just wanted to know if they'd be the same, I'll be running an i7 930 2 weeks away from ordering my parts finally! ( And If I pick up the hyper I can get triple channel memory instead of dual channel too, so I was wondering if that trade off would be worth it )
Hyper 212. The H50 is a novelty item for people who want to say the are water cooled.
On the plus side is looks neat and is self contained (so no leaks) but at $80 it is not $50 better than a 212.
Both rely on which fans you put on them so saying the H50 is quieter (especially when it has a pump) isn't right. The stock 212 fan is probably louder however. You'll probably want dual fans on both if you are overclocking to 3.8 or higher.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/corsair-h50-cpu-cooler-review/6
http://blog.corsair.com/?p=987

*Sticking with 4GB is fine. Real world has no benefit from triple channel right now.
 


how does this look to you?

I am planning to build something like this. Over time, of course...

Could you suggest where I could save some money, but still be able to upgrade later on, please?
 
Lkr said:
$400 hard budget, $300 preferred
Build for my brother
NEEDS:
case
cpu
mobo
power supply
OPTIONAL but probably needed video card

He currently uses an 8800gt 256mb video card. His computer is an unupgradable dell xps 400(lga 775 board but 945 lakeport chipset that is incompatible with core 2).

Plays at 1680x1050

Doesn't need to be anything crazy of course, given the budget. Wants to run Fallout 3 and the new Vegas game with the best performance
Just wanted to update I have an old 939 board but I doubt a 939 athlon x2 is possible to find :s
 
Ciccio_Drink said:


how does this look to you?

I am planning to build something like this. Over time, of course...

Could you suggest where I could save some money, but still be able to upgrade later on, please?
If you want CPU upgradability on the same socket AM3 is the best choice. If you don't want AMD get an i5-750 and clock it.
12GB is wasteful unless for some reason you need it. Get 4 or 6 GB.
1000W is far too much. A good 750W will SLi 2 GTX460's. 5970 gross waste of money right now.
WD Blue 128GB a good alternative drive if in stock.
Get a Asus Sonar over an X-Fi.
Swap in a Hyper 212 instead of the H50.

That's £400 saved right there. I'd look at some other cases as well. Shave off another £80.

*Reposting*
1)Basic Desktop Questions
Budget: Price Range + Country
Main Use: Gaming, Video editing, or just general usage
Monitor Resolution: What resolution will you be playing your games at? Are you going to upgrade later?
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Self Explanatory

2)General Guide on what to buy (Summer)
Hazaro's buying guide (July, 2010)
De facto internet standard. Accept no substitutes :D
Tech Report Builders Guide!
A very good basic guide that has been updated for Summer. Has alternative options and many price points.
 
What is the best bang for your buck i7? With the amount of VMs I tend to run simultaneously I think I will benefit from the hyper threading. I5 sounds nice but unsure if it has enough lift to handle my load.
 
MiniBossman said:
What is the best bang for your buck i7? With the amount of VMs I tend to run simultaneously I think I will benefit from the hyper threading. I5 sounds nice but unsure if it has enough lift to handle my load.
Pure speculation from me but I feel that having another 2 physical cores will boost performance much more than HT would.
I'd check some VM resources and forums about it though.
Also I'd get an 860 since you can save a bit on the mobo. If you intend to run 2 GPU's later get a 930 from Microcenter and a 1366 board (preferably with usb 3 and sata 6gbps, expensive).
 
MiniBossman said:
What is the best bang for your buck i7? With the amount of VMs I tend to run simultaneously I think I will benefit from the hyper threading. I5 sounds nice but unsure if it has enough lift to handle my load.

i7 930 for $200 probably (at microcenter, in-store pickups).


Hazaro said:
Pure speculation from me but I feel that having another 2 physical cores will boost performance much more than HT would.
I'd check some VM resources and forums about it though.
Also I'd get an 860 since you can save a bit on the mobo. If you intend to run 2 GPU's later get a 930 from Microcenter and a 1366 board (preferably with usb 3 and sata 6gbps, expensive).

Yea, I was thinking along those lines, but VMWare has specific support for HT, so it probably would tip it in favor of the 8 cores over the 6, even if they are virtual, you can run more VMs before all your cores are tied up.
 
/
Budget: 500-600 US.
Main Use: Gaming
Monitor Resolution: Gonna be playing on my bedroom TV so only 1360x768
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Final Fantasy XIV, Starcraft 2 at decent settings.
I have a microcenter near me, so buying from there is an option

The lower the price, the better. I just want to be play games at a decent Framerate. I have no idea where to start :lol
 
Hazaro said:
AMD is fine so is ATi (besides some occasional wonky drivers)
Depending on what you will be doing an i5 750 + http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412 might be a better choice.

I'd also get a 460 over a 5850 if they have it in stock where you are.

Hyper 212. The H50 is a novelty item for people who want to say the are water cooled.
On the plus side is looks neat and is self contained (so no leaks) but at $80 it is not $50 better than a 212.
Both rely on which fans you put on them so saying the H50 is quieter (especially when it has a pump) isn't right. The stock 212 fan is probably louder however. You'll probably want dual fans on both if you are overclocking to 3.8 or higher.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/corsair-h50-cpu-cooler-review/6
http://blog.corsair.com/?p=987

*Sticking with 4GB is fine. Real world has no benefit from triple channel right now.
Alright! I'll pick up the 212, and pick up a second fan, thank you! ill throw up my specs later before ordering, thanks! Also, 4 gigs it is, ill figure where to invest the extra cash
 
Ok so the heatsinks I got from Amazon arrived. Going to place 4 of the small ones on the video card tonight. I got a lot more than 4, should I use these anywhere else? I've never done something like this.
 
asdad123 said:
/
Budget: 500-600 US.
Main Use: Gaming
Monitor Resolution: Gonna be playing on my bedroom TV so only 1360x768
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Final Fantasy XIV, Starcraft 2 at decent settings.
I have a microcenter near me, so buying from there is an option

The lower the price, the better. I just want to be play games at a decent Framerate. I have no idea where to start :lol
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=19717308
Buy a Hyper 212 from Microcenter for $27.
DONE

Oh and pop in one of these mobos (If the GB is not back in stock):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130275
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131651
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131647

The MSI is best value (price and has 16/4 PCI-E)
Cheaper ASUS has 1 PCI-E
More expensive ASUS has 16/4 PCI-E

All good boards. I'm super preferential towards stuff I know works and would probably get the $109 ASUS if I had to pick personally. MSI is coming a very good way into the overclocking biz though.
demosthenes said:
Ok so the heatsinks I got from Amazon arrived. Going to place 4 of the small ones on the video card tonight. I got a lot more than 4, should I use these anywhere else? I've never done something like this.
RAM if you can fit them. Otherwise anything that looks flat and is black :lol
 
Hazaro said:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=19717308
Buy a Hyper 212 from Microcenter for $27.
DONE

Oh and pop in one of these mobos (If the GB is not back in stock):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130275
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131651
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131647

The MSI is best value (price and has 16/4 PCI-E)
Cheaper ASUS has 1 PCI-E
More expensive ASUS has 16/4 PCI-E

All good boards. I'm super preferential towards stuff I know works and would probably get the $109 ASUS if I had to pick personally. MSI is coming a very good way into the overclocking biz though.

RAM if you can fit them. Otherwise anything that looks flat and is black :lol

How would this MB do?

Microcenter has a deal where you buy a X4 630 for $89.99 and get the Mobo for free.
 
feeling the Starcraft 2 hype..and would actually like to catch up on some PC exclusives that i have missed throughout the past 5 years or so.

1)Basic Desktop Questions
Budget: 1-2k USA
Main Use: strictly Gaming...i have a laptop for work and other things.
Monitor Resolution: I'll probably need a new monitor, but i don't have to buy it right away. I have a 1080p TV, but won't be using it for the pc, but i'd probably like to keep that res for the pc monitor that i eventually get....i honestly don't know what res i want or need.
Are you going to upgrade later? The reason that i want a desktop is so that i can upgrade pieces of it at a time and keep it going as my Gaming unit.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: 360 is my main platform and i don't see that changing. Also have a PS3, so i'm mostly just interested in PC exclusives...specifically RTS and strategy games which shouldn't be too intensive, yet i would like to max them out.
My list of interested titles:
Starcraft 2
Diablo 3
The Witcher 2
Civ 5
Company of Heroes
Dawn of War 2
Age of Empires 3
maybe Team Fortress 2 since i didn't get into it much on the 360, but i hear the pc experience is much better.

of those, i'm expecting the Witcher 2 to be the most taxing. Anyways, i would like something that can max games like the ones i listed out for the next few years. Is 2k possible? i may build, but i've never done it before...a well priced pre-built system would be ideal. I looked at the Dell Studio XPS 7100 that was mentioned a few pages back. Would that work?

Edit: this one
PROCESSOR & GRAPHICS CARD AMD Phenom™ II X6 1055T + ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB edit
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English edit
MEMORY 6GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 DIMMS edit
HARD DRIVE 1.5TB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 1.56MB Cache edit
OPTICAL DRIVE Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD) edit
MONITOR No Monitor edit
SOUND CARD THX® TruStudio PC™ edit
WIRELESS Dell 1525 Wireless-N PCIe Card edit

Total: $1,150
would upgrading to 8gb of memory for $60 help any?
 
asdad123 said:
How would this MB do?

Microcenter has a deal where you buy a X4 630 for $89.99 and get the Mobo for free.
MC seems awesome :[

Yeah that will work just fine. Supports the x6's as well with a BIOS update. No updated SATA ot USB but it's a good board that will work.
REV 09 said:
feeling the Starcraft 2 hype..and would actually like to catch up on some PC exclusives that i have missed throughout the past 5 years or so.

1)Basic Desktop Questions
Budget: 1-2k USA
Main Use: strictly Gaming...i have a laptop for work and other things.
Monitor Resolution: I'll probably need a new monitor, but i don't have to buy it right away. I have a 1080p TV, but won't be using it for the pc, but i'd probably like to keep that res for the pc monitor that i eventually get....i honestly don't know what res i want or need.
Are you going to upgrade later? The reason that i want a desktop is so that i can upgrade pieces of it at a time and keep it going as my Gaming unit.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: 360 is my main platform and i don't see that changing. Also have a PS3, so i'm mostly just interested in PC exclusives...specifically RTS and strategy games which shouldn't be too intensive, yet i would like to max them out.
RTS games are actually taxing since they push the CPU very hard.
And because you say RTS I have to say to go with an i5-750. Overclock it to 4+Ghz.
Add on this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621
and upgrade the PSU to a Corsair 750w (SLi GTX 460 later)
http://i.imgur.com/m1nHQ.jpg

Value wise a 1GB GTX460 will run most games at 4xAA, high/max settings/60FPS @ 1080p. Is that acceptable for $230? IF not you can upgrade now, but value wise it's not the best thing you can do. If you only want to run 1 card you can save a bit on the mobo also and get something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412
You can also keep the PSU down to the 650W version.
If you have some spare money you can toss in a 80 or 128GB SSD (Intel,C300, or WD Blue), or can wait for the prices to come down near the end of this year.

Something to note is that Socket 1156 is probably going to see a refresh of current hardware, but not entirely new CPU's. However for pure gaming and especially RTS I don't expect AMD to have a more powerful 4 core solution soon.

*Also the GTX460 can output video and audio via HDMI so playing on your HDTV is entirely possible if you like. Monitor wise a 22-24" 1080p will run you about $150-$180 for a TN panel from ASUS/ACER/Samsung
 
So I finished building my PC last night, and to my surprise everything worked the first time I powered it up! :lol My goal for today is to get the cables organized then finally close the case up.

Quick question: If I were to install a second fan on the Hyper 212, which way should it be blowing?
 
Nightz said:
So I finished building my PC last night, and to my surprise everything worked the first time I powered it up! :lol My goal for today is to get the cables organized then finally close the case up.

Quick question: If I were to install a second fan on the Hyper 212, which way should it be blowing?

I'm pretty confident that the stock fan is an intake fan (it should be pretty easy to check). The next one is an exhaust fan.
 
Nightz said:
So I finished building my PC last night, and to my surprise everything worked the first time I powered it up! :lol My goal for today is to get the cables organized then finally close the case up.

Quick question: If I were to install a second fan on the Hyper 212, which way should it be blowing?
Awesome! Please post pictures or everything even if your cables are messy.

One fan should be blowing air into the HS and one should be sucking it out of the HS.
Push-Pull configuration. Both blowing in the same direction (to the back of your case).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/mikeysg/P1000189-1.jpg
 
Nightz said:
So I finished building my PC last night, and to my surprise everything worked the first time I powered it up! :lol My goal for today is to get the cables organized then finally close the case up.

Quick question: If I were to install a second fan on the Hyper 212, which way should it be blowing?

Blowing away of course :P you don't want 2 fans blowing in as its not too efficient. The cooling that a second fan brings isn't really noticeable. What you can really notice is using two fans at lower speeds that won't be as noisy as the default one. I only have one fan on mine and I have an acceptable noise level at full load of 50 degrees.
 
REV 09 said:
Edit: this one
PROCESSOR & GRAPHICS CARD AMD Phenom™ II X6 1055T + ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB edit
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English edit
MEMORY 6GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 DIMMS edit
HARD DRIVE 1.5TB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 1.56MB Cache edit
OPTICAL DRIVE Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD) edit
MONITOR No Monitor edit
SOUND CARD THX® TruStudio PC™ edit
WIRELESS Dell 1525 Wireless-N PCIe Card edit

Total: $1,150
would upgrading to 8gb of memory for $60 help any?
I don't think Dell has this system at that price anymore. I was spec-ing it out yesterday and it's at least $200 more now (due mainly to the Blu-ray drive, Wireless N and extra .5TB HDD).
 
kagete said:
Blowing away of course :P you don't want 2 fans blowing in as its not too efficient. The cooling that a second fan brings isn't really noticeable. What you can really notice is using two fans at lower speeds that won't be as noisy as the default one. I only have one fan on mine and I have an acceptable noise level at full load of 50 degrees.
Running 2 fans can help reduce temps 2-5C so it can help a bit.
Putting 2 lower noise fans is the best way to go though. High CFM doesn't do much, especially when you solve the flow problem by adding a second fan.
manngc said:
I don't think Dell has this system at that price anymore. I was spec-ing it out yesterday and it's at least $200 more now (due mainly to the Blu-ray drive, Wireless N and extra .5TB HDD).
The lower model you can spec out for a bit less since it has 4GB and a 1TB HDD.
I'd still go for an Intel build in his case. The Dell is a nice value though.
 
Hazaro said:
RTS games are actually taxing since they push the CPU very hard.
And because you say RTS I have to say to go with an i5-750. Overclock it to 4+Ghz.
Add on this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621
and upgrade the PSU to a Corsair 750w (SLi GTX 460 later)
http://i.imgur.com/m1nHQ.jpg

I have the i5-750 in now w/ a stock fan. H212+ is already on its way. I wasn't thinking over over clocking much past 3 ghz to avoid voltage increases (still new to this). The Turbo tech of Intel would take the 3ghz OC to 3.8 ghz when it needed it too. Is that what you mean by 4ghz or do you mean base?

This is off of a guide I read on Tom's Hardware.
 
Hazaro said:
MC seems awesome :[

Yeah that will work just fine. Supports the x6's as well with a BIOS update. No updated SATA ot USB but it's a good board that will work.

How would this work?
AMD Athlon II X4 630 Processor Boxed
Biostar A785G3 Socket AM3 785G mATX Motherboard
OCZ Technology Gold Series XTC Cooler 4GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10666) Dual Channel Memory Kit (Two 2GB Memory Modules)
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7,200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Antec Three Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case
Sony Optiarc 24X SATA DVD Burner - OEM
Coolmax M-500B 500 Watt ATX 12V Power Supply
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Universal CPU Cooler

390 after tax - 30 in rebates = 360 without video card

ASUS EAH5750 FORMULA/2DI/1GD5/A Radeon HD 5750 1GB - 115 after rebate
or
ASUS EAH4870/2DI/1GD5 Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 - 120 after rebate
or
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100273L Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 - 85 after rebate

So I could get it for as low as $445 with the 4850. I already have windows so thats not a problem. Would it be worth the extra $30 for the 5750 or the extra $35 for the 4870?
 
Hazaro said:
Running 2 fans can help reduce temps 2-5C so it can help a bit.
Putting 2 lower noise fans is the best way to go though. High CFM doesn't do much, especially when you solve the flow problem by adding a second fan.

The lower model you can spec out for a bit less since it has 4GB and a 1TB HDD.
I'd still go for an Intel build in his case. The Dell is a nice value though.

5 degrees eh? Looks like I know what I'll be doing with my spare 120mm CoolerMaster fan later tonight :D Although maybe it won't be much help... I already have my 212 pointing upwards, maybe 4 inches away from 2 top 120mm exhaust fans.

I think I've got the upgrade/builder's bug again :( I keep on wanting to tinker or do something else with my new PC. If there was any new PC accessory or doohickey out there that I didn't already have I'd buy the shit out of it. Seriously, videocard heatsinks, extra fans, new webcam, card reader... I just want to buy new stuff and tinker
 
kagete said:
I think I've got the upgrade/builder's bug again :( I keep on wanting to tinker or do something else with my new PC. If there was any new PC accessory or doohickey out there that I didn't already have I'd buy the shit out of it. Seriously, videocard heatsinks, extra fans, new webcam, card reader... I just want to buy new stuff and tinker

I get in that mood too. I was going to wait until winter to start putting together a water cooling solution, however yesterday I found my shopping cart was full of water cooling gear. Does anyone have a couple decent references for a total beginner or any good online stores that deal with water cooling (Canada). I usually deal with NCIX and they have some stuff...
 
demosthenes said:
I have the i5-750 in now w/ a stock fan. H212+ is already on its way. I wasn't thinking over over clocking much past 3 ghz to avoid voltage increases (still new to this). The Turbo tech of Intel would take the 3ghz OC to 3.8 ghz when it needed it too. Is that what you mean by 4ghz or do you mean base?

This is off of a guide I read on Tom's Hardware.

I bet you could get that i5 750 up to somewhere around 3.5 ghz without really increasing the voltage.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i5-750-overclock,2438-3.html

They reached 3.6 ghz with the default voltage of 1.25v. Of course, it ultimately depends on your chip but i5 750s seem to overclock great.
 
I was tinkering around with that SSD the other day and now Im constantly looking for any little tweaks that I can make as well just so I can open my case again and mess around. Its kind of relaxing to me and I dont know why.

Im thinking of getting the Hyper 212+ as well. I never gave overclocking much thought but it is bound to be the next thing I dabble in so might as well get a better cooler. Anything beats the stock Intel cooler.

What about an extra fan? WOuld any of those 120mm coolermaster fans on amazon work? Like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O8I474/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 
asdad123 said:
How would this work?
AMD Athlon II X4 630 Processor Boxed
Biostar A785G3 Socket AM3 785G mATX Motherboard
OCZ Technology Gold Series XTC Cooler 4GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10666) Dual Channel Memory Kit (Two 2GB Memory Modules)
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7,200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Antec Three Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case
Sony Optiarc 24X SATA DVD Burner - OEM
Coolmax M-500B 500 Watt ATX 12V Power Supply
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Universal CPU Cooler

390 after tax - 30 in rebates = 360 without video card

ASUS EAH5750 FORMULA/2DI/1GD5/A Radeon HD 5750 1GB - 115 after rebate
or
ASUS EAH4870/2DI/1GD5 Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 - 120 after rebate
or
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100273L Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 - 85 after rebate

So I could get it for as low as $445 with the 4850. I already have windows so thats not a problem. Would it be worth the extra $30 for the 5750 or the extra $35 for the 4870?

I'd spend the extra for the 4870
 
asdad123 said:
How would this work?

Coolmax M-500B 500 Watt ATX 12V Power Supply


390 after tax - 30 in rebates = 360 without video card
So I could get it for as low as $445 with the 4850. I already have windows so thats not a problem. Would it be worth the extra $30 for the 5750 or the extra $35 for the 4870?
Yeah I'd get the 4870.
There's also a 5770 for $135 AR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102873
The 4870 is the faster card in most games however.

Swap out the power supply for something more reliable. (Get an Antec 300+430W, or Antec Sonata + 500W combo)
demosthenes said:
I have the i5-750 in now w/ a stock fan. H212+ is already on its way. I wasn't thinking over over clocking much past 3 ghz to avoid voltage increases (still new to this). The Turbo tech of Intel would take the 3ghz OC to 3.8 ghz when it needed it too. Is that what you mean by 4ghz or do you mean base?

This is off of a guide I read on Tom's Hardware.
Bah turbo, if it runs at 4.4Ghz all the time you don't need turbo!
kagete said:
5 degrees eh? Looks like I know what I'll be doing with my spare 120mm CoolerMaster fan later tonight :D Although maybe it won't be much help... I already have my 212 pointing upwards, maybe 4 inches away from 2 top 120mm exhaust fans.

I think I've got the upgrade/builder's bug again :( I keep on wanting to tinker or do something else with my new PC. If there was any new PC accessory or doohickey out there that I didn't already have I'd buy the shit out of it. Seriously, videocard heatsinks, extra fans, new webcam, card reader... I just want to buy new stuff and tinker
Well in my case it was 3C (Note that the TRUE 120 has some of the densest fins), but I don't have super awesome top exhaust ports. Probably will drop 1-2C for you if at all (under load).
I have the bug as well. My dual core and GTX 260 running XP is perfectly fine! I don't need to upgrade! :[
Salaadin said:
I was tinkering around with that SSD the other day and now Im constantly looking for any little tweaks that I can make as well just so I can open my case again and mess around. Its kind of relaxing to me and I dont know why.

Im thinking of getting the Hyper 212+ as well. I never gave overclocking much thought but it is bound to be the next thing I dabble in so might as well get a better cooler. Anything beats the stock Intel cooler.

What about an extra fan? WOuld any of those 120mm coolermaster fans on amazon work? Like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O8I474/?tag=neogaf0e-20
http://www.petrastechshop.com/12yalod1cafa.html

But any 120mm would work fine.
*Wait a 4pack at low dBa? Seems alright to me
 
I hadn't thought about turning off Turbo :lol

Assuming I have the H212+ on the CPU, is increasing the voltage and worrying something might happen just unfounded worry b/c I've never done it before?
 
demosthenes said:
I hadn't thought about turning off Turbo :lol

Assuming I have the H212+ on the CPU, is increasing the voltage and worrying something might happen just unfounded worry b/c I've never done it before?
Only if you leave it on auto.
Manually set CPU voltage and keep RAM voltage below 1.65V and you are fine.

Just watch temps on idle / load and don't increase your voltage so a safe amount you think you will run daily (Maybe 1.3V-1.35V) or so (1.3V is all you should need to hit something around 3.8Ghz) you can then enable turbo/c1e/speedstep and see if it stays stable.
 
demosthenes said:
I hadn't thought about turning off Turbo :lol

Assuming I have the H212+ on the CPU, is increasing the voltage and worrying something might happen just unfounded worry b/c I've never done it before?

There are acceptable thresholds, which vary a bit depending on your comfort level. I personally try to keep it relatively low. I managed to reach 3.85 Ghz at under 1.25v. I reached a stable 4.0 ghz but I didn't think the increase in performance would justify the increased voltage and heat. In the end, I think it depends on what you feel comfortable with and the more you research the more comfortable you'll be.
 
Minsc said:
i7 930 for $200 probably (at microcenter, in-store pickups).




Yea, I was thinking along those lines, but VMWare has specific support for HT, so it probably would tip it in favor of the 8 cores over the 6, even if they are virtual, you can run more VMs before all your cores are tied up.
From what I have read in my research vmware will make use of HT and it makes a noticeable difference. Thanks guys. I am inching closer to my final build.
 
Felix Lighter said:
There are acceptable thresholds, which vary a bit depending on your comfort level. I personally try to keep it relatively low. I managed to reach 3.85 Ghz at under 1.25v. I reached a stable 4.0 ghz but I didn't think the increase in performance would justify the increased voltage and heat. In the end, I think it depends on what you feel comfortable with and the more you research the more comfortable you'll be.
That's pretty impressive. I'm at the same way with my 45nm chip.
3.8Ghz needs 1.3V, but 4.0 needs 1.38V

*If you just leave it at like 3.4 I'm pretty sure leaving turbo on will be fine. I'm just saying when you are testing an OC it's easier to pinpoint stability issues with the less factors you have.

Also I don't think Turbo would work on a 4.4Ghz OC. I might be wrong.
 
Hazaro said:
That's pretty impressive. I'm at the same way with mt 45nm chip.
3.8Ghz needs 1.3V, but 4.0 needs 1.38V

I actually think I lucked out with a kick ass chip. I can keep the voltages quite low, even at 4.0 ghz, it was stable under 1.30v but my max core temps went just past 80C while running stress tests and I just didn't think 150 Mhz was worth the an extra 7-8C.
 
Question. My build is done. Haven't installed the OS yet but in the Bios I noticed my CPU was running at 39-40C. I have a Phenom II x4 945, and I am not sure if this is to high..
 
BrassMonkey1010 said:
Question. My build is done. Haven't installed the OS yet but in the Bios I noticed my CPU was running at 39-40C. I have a Phenom II x4 945, and I am not sure if this is to high..
Fine for BIOS idle right now. Check it with software after you install and see if its different.
Stock cooler or no?

Eitherway as long as your are under 70C load you are good.
demosthenes said:
I don't think I'll be going over 4ghz :lol
See you'd think this before you start.
You might even think this if you hit 3.4Ghz.

But then you wait and think about it.
Then you go back and clock it higher, then higher. Then it doesn't go.
Then you decide to bump the voltage just a liiiiiiiiitle bit more.

It's all downhill from there!
Before you know it you'll be rubbing sandpaper on your processor, putting 99.7% diamond paste on it, and sticking dual 130CFM fans that use 27w each on your heatsink.
 
Salaadin said:
I was tinkering around with that SSD the other day and now Im constantly looking for any little tweaks that I can make as well just so I can open my case again and mess around. Its kind of relaxing to me and I dont know why.

Im thinking of getting the Hyper 212+ as well. I never gave overclocking much thought but it is bound to be the next thing I dabble in so might as well get a better cooler. Anything beats the stock Intel cooler.

What about an extra fan? WOuld any of those 120mm coolermaster fans on amazon work? Like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O8I474/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I have that same 4 pack (thats why I have extras lying around now) and yes, they will fit on the 212. Oh and when adding that 2nd fan to the 212, make sure you put the 4 rubber strips on the mounts to decrease the vibration a little. It's in the instructions but might be hard to miss.


Hazaro said:
But then you wait and think about it.
Then you go back and clock it higher, then higher. Then it doesn't go.
Then you decide to bump the voltage just a liiiiiiiiitle bit more.

It's all downhill from there!
Before you know it you'll be rubbing sandpaper on your processor, putting 99.7% diamond paste on it, and sticking dual 130CFM fans that use 27w each on your heatsink.

This is sooo true. I'm at a very stable 3.7Ghz on my 955BE but it did boot when I tried 3.8+ and i'm sure it can handle 4.0 as my multipliers, voltage, and clocks aren't anywhere as aggresive as other people i've seen posting in other forums. Right now I'm trying to condition myself to aim for lower noise instead of a massive OC but the urge to hit those limits is still there...
 
Hazaro said:
Fine for BIOS idle right now. Check it with software after you install and see if its different.
Stock cooler or no?

Eitherway as long as your are under 70C load you are good.

See you'd think this before you start.
You might even think this if you hit 3.4Ghz.

But then you wait and think about it.
Then you go back and clock it higher, then higher. Then it doesn't go.
Then you decide to bump the voltage just a liiiiiiiiitle bit more.

It's all downhill from there!
Before you know it you'll be rubbing sandpaper on your processor, putting 99.7% diamond paste on it, and sticking dual 130CFM fans that use 27w each on your heatsink.

NO NO NOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo :lol
 
Honest question here: How much better are the new Intel processors over Core2? My processor is over 3 years old and I was pretty shocked to see the specs on Newegg were pretty much identical. 65W TDP on 2 core, 95W TDP on Quad core. The clock speeds are identical. About the only advancement is DDR3 is now mainstream.

For identical clockspeeds, how much more performance are we really getting from these? I was thinking maybe I'd hold off and build a new PC next year (4 years at that point) and stick with my current setup, but if performance has stood still I'm just going to buy a GTX 460 and ride my system till it breaks.
 
Salaadin said:
How much does overclocking improve FPS when gaming? Is it worth it when the majority of my PC time is spent gaming?

I overclocked my 1GB Gigabyte GTX 460 to 865mhz and I noticed a huge performance increase. I also overclocked my i5-750 to 3.8 ghz. All on air and all temps stay at or under 70c at load. Of course, I paid about $40 in fans and I have 4x120mm fans for optimal airflow (for my specific case). I also never changed any voltages. That's where I draw the line personally.
 
1-D_FTW said:
Honest question here: How much better are the new Intel processors over Core2? My processor is over 3 years old and I was pretty shocked to see the specs on Newegg were pretty much identical. 65W TDP on 2 core, 95W TDP on Quad core. The clock speeds are identical. About the only advancement is DDR3 is now mainstream.

For identical clockspeeds, how much more performance are we really getting from these? I was thinking maybe I'd hold off and build a new PC next year (4 years at that point) and stick with my current setup, but if performance has stood still I'm just going to buy a GTX 460 and ride my system till it breaks.
They're a lot faster however a new architecture and new sockets are coming late this year or early next year so you'd be better off saving your money and getting those when they come out.
 
Salaadin said:
How much does overclocking improve FPS when gaming? Is it worth it when the majority of my PC time is spent gaming?
Depends on: The game, your res, your settings, etc.
Usually you will see a minimum FPS boost which is nice. Of course you should overclock for gaming.
1-D_FTW said:
Honest question here: How much better are the new Intel processors over Core2? My processor is over 3 years old and I was pretty shocked to see the specs on Newegg were pretty much identical. 65W TDP on 2 core, 95W TDP on Quad core. The clock speeds are identical. About the only advancement is DDR3 is now mainstream.

For identical clockspeeds, how much more performance are we really getting from these? I was thinking maybe I'd hold off and build a new PC next year (4 years at that point) and stick with my current setup, but if performance has stood still I'm just going to buy a GTX 460 and ride my system till it breaks.
Eeeeeeeeeh
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/56?vs=143
 
Amneisac said:
I overclocked my 1GB Gigabyte GTX 460 to 865mhz and I noticed a huge performance increase. I also overclocked my i5-750 to 3.8 ghz. All on air and all temps stay at or under 70c at load. Of course, I paid about $40 in fans and I have 4x120mm fans for optimal airflow (for my specific case). I also never changed any voltages. That's where I draw the line personally.
865MHz stock volts?
I'd overvolt that GTX460. Probably get 930Mhz out of it. :D

*3.8 on 1.25V? Or is it set on auto in BIOS? I'd double check with CPU-Z to make sure unless you already have of course.
 
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