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"I need a new PC!" 2010 Edition

Yeah, I think I'm going to buy two new 120mm fans and put one on each side of the heat sink for my 212 plus. That should get the air moving around in there.

IMG_1038.jpg


IMG_1040.jpg


Right now I just have the stock Cooler Master fan on the 212 plus and I have the stock Antec TriCool in the back of the case, I have it set to high right now but it's really loud. I'm shopping around for some quiet fans that will move enough air for me.

I figure with two fans on that CPU cooler though feeding right into that 120mm out the back I should have quite the nice airflow.
 
That's looking pretty chilly there...

And I've gotten my first reminder of the part of PC gaming that sucks! Crysis at first wouldn't launch on Win 7 64 bit, so I ran it in compat. mode and it worked, but it runs in a window and if I try to make it full screen or detect optimal settings the game crashes.
 
Amneisac said:
That's looking pretty chilly there...

And I've gotten my first reminder of the part of PC gaming that sucks! Crysis at first wouldn't launch on Win 7 64 bit, so I ran it in compat. mode and it worked, but it runs in a window and if I try to make it full screen or detect optimal settings the game crashes.
Start it windowed, then press Alt+Enter until you get it to run fullscreen. Hopefully that works for you. I know a few people with a similar issue, and it seems like that's the only way to fix it.
 
I think I'm finally ready to get an SSD, but I want to make sure Intel won't be releasing the 2010 models right after I do so.

Have there been any rumors (or official announcements) as to when this year's SSDs will be released?
 
Have they announced a release date for the 1GB EVGA 460? On that note, can someone recommend a good modular psu for powering two 460s?

I had to move and ended up missing out on the previous mobo deal I posted, so it looks like I'm going to have to go with this one. Can someone help me pick out the ram once again?

Thanks guys.

So far:

MB - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R | $199.99
CPU - Intel i7-930 | $199.99
CPU Cooler - ? | ?
GPU - EVGA GTX 460 1GB | ?
RAM - ? | ?
SSD - ? | ?
CD - ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS | $18.99
Case - Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced | $89.99
PSU - ? | ?
Monitor - ? | ?

Total (so far) | $508.96
 
botkiller said:
I think I'm finally ready to get an SSD, but I want to make sure Intel won't be releasing the 2010 models right after I do so.

Have there been any rumors (or official announcements) as to when this year's SSDs will be released?

Been in the same boat as you. I'm convinced 2 weeks after buying an SSD, the larger model will go on sale for the same price.
 
Dynamic3 said:
Have they announced a release date for the 1GB EVGA 460? On that note, can someone recommend a good modular psu for powering two 460s?

I had to move and ended up missing out on the previous mobo deal I posted, so it looks like I'm going to have to go with this one. Can someone help me pick out the ram once again?

Thanks guys.

So far:

MB - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R | $199.99
CPU - Intel i7-930 | $199.99
CPU Cooler - ? | ?
GPU - EVGA GTX 460 1GB | ?
RAM - ? | ?
SSD - ? | ?
CD - ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS | $18.99
Case - Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced | $89.99
PSU - ? | ?
Monitor - ? | ?

Total (so far) | $508.96

If you want a triple channel kit, this is what I would pick up after a quick look at Newegg's selection. Low voltage, DDR3 1600 and the user reviews are positive.
 
Hey guys! I got all my parts today, and I'm in the process of putting it together right now. Unfortunately, it looks like I don't have the cable to connect my hard drive to my mother board:

Hard Drive
Motherboard

Was I required to purchase an additional cable here? Or did I just somehow misplace the cable? Thanks guys for all your help.
 
lordy88 said:
Hey guys! I got all my parts today, and I'm in the process of putting it together right now. Unfortunately, it looks like I don't have the cable to connect my hard drive to my mother board:

Hard Drive
Motherboard

Was I required to purchase an additional cable here? Or did I just somehow misplace the cable? Thanks guys for all your help.
You need a SATA cable. Should've come with either your motherboard or your hard drive unless they were both OEM.
 
Toki767 said:
You need a SATA cable. Should've come with either your motherboard or your hard drive unless they were both OEM.

After going through the entire packaging and searching everywhere I gave up and took a seat from afar. Then I saw a bright red cable at the base of my chair across the room :D Thanks for your help anyway :lol
 
Hey guys, another question.

So with my Cooler Master GX series 650w PSU, I have 2x PCI-e 6 pin + 2 cables. Should I put both of these into my XFX 5850 GFX card or just one?
 
Question. I am in the middle of my first build.
Is it okay for my motherboard to have one extra hole in it then hole in the case? There just isn't a hole in the case where the last hole in the motherboard is. Is this this safe?
 
My Hyper 212+ has a variable speed CPU fan on it. I'd like to replace it with a quieter fan. I recently got 2 Noctua 120mm and 1 Noctua 140mm fans, but they aren't CPU fans. So, a few questions..

1. Can I use one of those on the hyper 212+?
2. If not, does Noctua make a standalone CPU fan I can buy? (I couldn't find one).
 
fugimax said:
My Hyper 212+ has a variable speed CPU fan on it. I'd like to replace it with a quieter fan. I recently got 2 Noctua 120mm and 1 Noctua 140mm fans, but they aren't CPU fans. So, a few questions..

1. Can I use one of those on the hyper 212+?
2. If not, does Noctua make a standalone CPU fan I can buy? (I couldn't find one).
Not sure why you wouldn't be able to use the Noctua fans for your cooler. How are you making the distinction between CPU and non-CPU fans? I have four Noctuas in my case, including two (soon to be three) on my heatsink.

I'm assuming your 120mm fans are this model and your 140mm is this model. For a Hyper 212, you should be fine with any 120mm fan.
 
Crunched said:
Not sure why you wouldn't be able to use the Noctua fans for your cooler. How are you making the distinction between CPU and non-CPU fans? I have four Noctuas in my case, including two (soon to be three) on my heatsink.

I'm assuming your 120mm fans are this model and your 140mm is this model. For a Hyper 212, you should be fine with any 120mm fan.
My MB has a "CPU fan" spot that has 4 pins where one is a control pin (to dynamically adjust fan speed). The Hyper 212+ currently plugs into that and the speed of the fan is then adjusted dynamically based on the CPU core temps.

Do I not want that?
 
fugimax said:
My MB has a "CPU fan" spot that has 4 pins where one is a control pin (to dynamically adjust fan speed). The Hyper 212+ currently plugs into that and the speed of the fan is then adjusted dynamically based on the CPU core temps.

Do I not want that?
Your Noctua fans will function identically if they're attached to the CPU fan header. You might be able to adjust the fan speed in your BIOS, as well. I know Noctua fans typically come with low-noise adapters if you're willing to sacrifice a little performance for a quieter set up.
 
OatmealMu said:
My computer no longer posts, so it's time for an upgrade. I'm only looking to replace the mobo, CPU, and RAM. My sweet spot is $300. Also, I originally built the computer to be quiet and would like the upgrade to stay the course.

Here's what I'm looking at:

GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870
Crucial 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
AMD Athlon II X4 635
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus

This all comes in at $311.52 with shipping. Any thoughts? I'm still running XP, BTW.
You really should have 4GB of RAM. Otherwise looks good. You might want to replace the 212+ fan with a medium speed Yate Loon.
http://www.petrastechshop.com/12yalod1cafa.html
Gritesh said:
I ended up going the AMD X6 1055T route.

Which I am happy to report I have it OC'd to 3.7Ghz right now on air, not stock air, aftermarket. Holds at 41 degrees under full stress which is, in my opinion, awesome.
I'm very skeptical of that temp unless its 2C in your room.
What are you using to load? What is your vCore? Use realtemp AND coretemp to check cpu temperature.
chixdiggit said:
Can any one recommend a good gaming mic that's not also headphones?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836111601

You can also find them on eBay and elsewhere by searching for "Logitech USB (mic / skype) or the model: AK5370. Can find refurb on eBay for $13 or so.
Note that it is a USB mic so if you plan on streaming games with audio via Livestream or what have you, you'll need to mux streams together. Alternatively if you just want mic or game music you are fine. But not both.
Amneisac said:
Yeah, I think I'm going to buy two new 120mm fans and put one on each side of the heat sink for my 212 plus. That should get the air moving around in there.
I'm shopping around for some quiet fans that will move enough air for me.
I figure with two fans on that CPU cooler though feeding right into that 120mm out the back I should have quite the nice airflow.
Two medium fans should do the job fine. Or you can have a nice 120x38mm in front and the second fan won't help that much. I fooled around a bit with my TRUE and airflow was not that much of a big deal.
http://www.petrastechshop.com/12yalod1cafa.html
darthbob said:
Think my temps are okay guys?
What are you using to load? Use realtemp AND coretemp to check cpu temperature.
A good idle would be 22-30C, a good load for stock? As long as its under 65C don't worry about it. Programs are in the OP.
BrassMonkey1010 said:
Question. I am in the middle of my first build.
Is it okay for my motherboard to have one extra hole in it then hole in the case? There just isn't a hole in the case where the last hole in the motherboard is. Is this this safe?
As long as the motherboard is stable you are fine. Normally there are 6 or 7 holes on an ATX mobo. Make sure you are screwing the motherboard into the brass standoffs and not the case itself.
 
Crunched said:
Your Noctua fans will function identically if they're attached to the CPU fan header. You might be able to adjust the fan speed in your BIOS, as well. I know Noctua fans typically come with low-noise adapters if you're willing to sacrifice a little performance for a quieter set up.
Sweet. Just swapped out the cooler master fan for the noctua. So. Much. Quieter.

No joke, after replacing the two antec case fans (120mm, 140mm) and the hyper 212+ fan, this thing is almost silent. All for about $50.

(Regarding temps, they seem to be pretty much the same. 36C main core idle, 30C cores 1/2/3. Considering it's about 28C in this room right now ... not bad.)

Anyone have an opinion on whether or not I should block out this side vent on the antec three hundred? It currently isn't housing a fan.
 
I'm going to Microcenter with a friend to pick up some parts to build a PC this week. I'm a bit flexible with the budget so I'm open to suggestions that come out to a bit more than what's listed below.

Budget: ~$1000 (not including monitor) US
Main Use: Gaming, software development, and some video editing
Monitor Resolution: 1920 X 1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: StarCraft 2, Portal 2, Diablo 3, FFXIV

The i7-930 at $200 is really tempting but I don't know if/how the differences will benefit me. What would offer me better upgrade options in the future? Is there a particular brand I should go with in regards to video cards? It looks like the GTX 460 is the card to get right now for my budget but I don't know what to look for when it comes to the different card manufacturers.
 
Gribbix said:
So I'm going to Microcenter with a friend to pick up some PC parts this week. I'm a bit flexible with the budget so I'm open to suggestions that come out to a bit more than what's listed below.

Budget: ~$1000 (not including monitor) US
Main Use: Gaming and some video editing
Monitor Resolution: 1920 X 1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: StarCraft 2, Portal 2, Diablo 3, FFXIV

The i7-930 at $200 is really tempting but I don't know if/how the differences will benefit me. What would offer me better upgrade options in the future? Is there a particular brand I should go with in regards to video cards? It looks like the GTX 460 is the card to get right now for my budget but I don't know what to look for when it comes to the different card manufacturers.

I have the same interest in games. I recently built...

i7 860, XFX 5850, 4GB Crucial, Gigabyte UD4P, 1TB HD

It was under 1k, and I'm running a 30" monitor at 2560x1600 or whatever. I can seem to run SC2 at Ultra settings without issue. I imagine you'd have the same luck at that lower res. That said, with the 460 just coming out, ATI might be dropping the 5850 price.

If you do get a 460, get the 1GB version, not the 768.
 
Gribbix said:
I'm going to Microcenter with a friend to pick up some parts to build a PC this week. I'm a bit flexible with the budget so I'm open to suggestions that come out to a bit more than what's listed below.

Budget: ~$1000 (not including monitor) US
Main Use: Gaming, software development, and some video editing
Monitor Resolution: 1920 X 1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: StarCraft 2, Portal 2, Diablo 3, FFXIV

The i7-930 at $200 is really tempting but I don't know if/how the differences will benefit me. What would offer me better upgrade options in the future? Is there a particular brand I should go with in regards to video cards? It looks like the GTX 460 is the card to get right now for my budget but I don't know what to look for when it comes to the different card manufacturers.
http://i25.tinypic.com/33cafl2.jpg
Something similar to that. Alternative cooler is the Hyper 212+.
Swap the board for a discounted 1366 board at MicroCenter. (With USB3/SATA6Gbps)

Alternatively you could go with a 1055T system for future upgrade ability. However in the now and, I think, for a couple years the i7 will give the AM3 platform a run for its money in value. Right now the i7 would be faster than the 1055 in the things you want to do. Only the upgrade in a year abouts could offer something better.
If I was in your situation I'd probably stick with the i7.

Nab a GTX460 1GB while you can. I'd personally jump at the MSI version on newegg right now if I didn't have to shell out tax. (And I have a GTX260 already).
 
filipe said:
Been in the same boat as you. I'm convinced 2 weeks after buying an SSD, the larger model will go on sale for the same price.

Me too. Everything I read basically says Intel is the best so thats what I want. Its soooo damn hard to justify the price though. The speed increases are amazing but Im not sure that 10 seconds is worth 200 bucks to me.

But at the same time, it is :(
 
Curious question. Later on this year, I'm planning on building a new pc from scratch and going to install windows 7. Will I need to install 3rd party SATA drivers for a SATA HDD or are they included with Windows 7?
 
TheUsual said:
Curious question. Later on this year, I'm planning on building a new pc from scratch and going to install windows 7. Will I need to install 3rd party SATA drivers for a SATA HDD or are they included with Windows 7?

They should be included. SATA's standard business now.
 
A quick thanks to everyone that helped with my PC build. Here it is...

qxp9uf.jpg


I call it the Boner Enrichment Center or BEC for short.

We are running pretty good right now, TF2 runs pretty great, Torchlight is awesome. I am only have one problem with Left4Dead (Event ID: 41, Task Category: 63 failure causing the machine to reboot during play) but that is for another thread.

Thanks again.
 
So my cheap ass PSU just died a day after installing my 5870, my own fault I know T_T

Need GAFs recommendation on a new one (I read a lot of Corsair suggestions but think at a the high wattage I need it'll be expensive?). Here's what I need running off it:

- x 2 DVD drive
- Wireless LAN card
- Floppy and card reader drives
- x 4 SATA2 HDDS
- x1 5870 GPU
- EX58-UD5 motherboard with i7 920 processor
- 6 gig DDR3

+ overclocks

Any suggestions?


edit: the psu that died on me was 600w
 
Hey guys currently contemplating on building a pc soon, still need some money but here's what I'm looking for. Don't need a monitor included with the desktop yet. I want rig that'll be able to run most of today's games at at least high settings.(Doesn't have to include Crysis)

Main Use: Gaming via Steam, I want
Budget: 700-850
Monitor Resolution: 720 to 1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Half-Life 2, L4D 1 and 2, Portal 1 and 2, TF2, anything Valve, Starcraft 2, Dragon Age, maybe Crysis but doesn't have to max or high settings.
 
Just wondering but don't processors ship with those little square case badges/stickers anymore? I was looking in the box and manual for my Phenom 955 and couldn't find anything. :( This really saddens me for some reason
 
Gritesh said:
So I was reading on Overclockers.net that Bulldozer will be a nine core processor. 8 Cores at 64 bit, and the 9th will be 128 bit.

For those of you who don't know, Bulldozer is the codename for the new AMD processors that are going to be launching that WILL support AM3 socket.

More information: http://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/768771-bulldozer-inside-information-15.html
Disappointing. I was hoping it would be more focused on performance.
Hopefully they include TurboBoost on the cheaper models.
Reallink said:
What's up with Mini HDMI, who would want that and why?
It's cute. Maybe they couldn't fit a full HDMI on it. Either way its the same as HDMI.
Salaadin said:
Newegg just emailed me. The Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB is in stock.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357

I can only find one review of this that seemed to praise it HERE
Would this be a good SSD for the OS + FFXIV + any FFXIV expansions?

140 bucks is a really nice price for this sort of thing. Only thing that worries me is the write speed but I really have no idea if thats good or bad tbh.
Write speed is on par with the slower parts of a 640GB drive. I wouldn't worry about it all all especially when you are going to mostly be reading from it. Looks good to me.
Canti said:
So my cheap ass PSU just died a day after installing my 5870, my own fault I know T_T

edit: the psu that died on me was 600w
Must of been a really bad 600w. Hope it didn't take out any of your other components.

You should just plunk down $80 or $90 on a Corsair 650 or 750w.
grkazan12 said:
Hey guys currently contemplating on building a pc soon, still need some money but here's what I'm looking for. Don't need a monitor included with the desktop yet. I want rig that'll be able to run most of today's games at at least high settings.(Doesn't have to include Crysis)

Main Use: Gaming via Steam, I want
Budget: 700-850
Monitor Resolution: 720 to 1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Half-Life 2, L4D 1 and 2, Portal 1 and 2, TF2, anything Valve, Starcraft 2, Dragon Age, maybe Crysis but doesn't have to max or high settings.
http://i28.tinypic.com/2nu6pgn.jpg

Swap in a 212+ from Amazon.com ($30)
Toss in a GTX 460 1GB ($230). And you are set.
Pre-Total: $730
jkoch said:
Sorry, I'm looking for something for low end gaming.

I don't think that 9800GT will fit in my case or run on my PSU.
Eh... you are asking for something not ideal at all.
You'll be running a slow CPU with a slow clocked low profile GPU... Not exactly the best combination.
Dizzy-4U said:
What PSU would you guys recommend if I intend to do a crossfire/sli? Thermaltake, Coolemaster? I'm pretty lost here.
What cards?
Corsair 750w is a nice place to start.
 
Thanks for the reply Hazaro, just purchased a 650w Corsair, trouble is in Europe they're more like $120 US >: Hope this will be the end of my problems anyway :)
 
A general question about bottlenecks and overclocking:

My new computer has an i5-750 and it's getting the 1GB Palit 460 tonight. So, obviously the CPU can outperform the card, should I still overclock the CPU? I mean the bottlenecking at the GPU isn't that literal right? It isn't like I can't still gain performance from a faster CPU because the GPU is going to be the limiting reagent in my games' performance, right?

I have my i5-750 at 3.5ghz right now and load temps haven't gone past about 62, but I don't really want to push it too hard if I don't really need to.
 
Canti said:
Thanks for the reply Hazaro, just purchased a 650w Corsair, trouble is in Europe they're more like $120 US >: Hope this will be the end of my problems anyway :)
Link me to the store you nabbed it from. I'll check if there's any decent alternatives (Probably not in that price range).

Sucks because it's only $80 AR here.
Amneisac said:
A general question about bottlenecks and overclocking:

My new computer has an i5-750 and it's getting the 1GB Palit 460 tonight. So, obviously the CPU can outperform the card, should I still overclock the CPU? I mean the bottlenecking at the GPU isn't that literal right? It isn't like I can't still gain performance from a faster CPU because the GPU is going to be the limiting reagent in my games' performance, right?

I have my i5-750 at 3.5ghz right now and load temps haven't gone past about 62, but I don't really want to push it too hard if I don't really need to.
Yes of course you should overclock.
CPU bottleneck = more GPU does nothing (Most commonly seen in RTS/MMO games) TO A DEGREE. It may be that your CPU limits you to 60FPS. However if you turn on 2560x1650, 16xAA, and Ultra settings you'll hit 45 FPS. At that point you are GPU limited.

It's not a big thing to worry about in most cases if you have a recent processor running 3Ghz +

You could probably take your i5 to 3.7 or 3.8 on the same voltage so give it a shot if you want to.
 
Hazaro said:
Write speed is on par with the slower parts of a 640GB drive. I wouldn't worry about it all all especially when you are going to mostly be reading from it. Looks good to me.

Bought. Paid for the faster shipping too so Id have it before the weekend if they get it processed today. I hope :D

Im really hoping the 64GBs isnt going to lead to space issues later. Are SSDs the same as HDDs where the advertised space is more than what you actually get? How much usuable space will I get with 64GB SSD?

Windows 7 is what? 16 GBs? That leaves me with 48 GBs of working space. SHould be enough room for FFXIV and a few other programs.
 
Hazaro said:
What cards?
Corsair 750w is a nice place to start.
I don't have any yet since I'm building a pc. I was thinking of buying one xfx 5970. In the future, like one year from now, I intend to buy another 5970 or a newer one to crossfire it. 750w is enough you say?
 
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