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[mrklaw]

Can someone with a 2500k tell me how much the difference in FPS (games) is between stock and overclocked speeds? Is it really worth it?

Not really worth it for games I don't think. I've had some issues with my over clock not 'sticking' with an ASUS P67 motherboard, so i'm just running stock for now.

Unless someone shows me benches that show meaningful and noticeable improvements overclocking a 2500k I'm not too fussed. I don't do any heavy CPU stuff yet

 

[CrankyJay]

Looks like the new Intel SSDs are out: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/28/intel-outs-ssd-510-series-with-6gbps-sata-interface-500mbps-tra/

 

[Big Chungus]

Are there any mid sized PC cases out there that have a carrying strap/handle?

I'd like to move my gaming pc from my desk to my tv or bring it over to a friends house with ease.

 

[Velion]

Are there any mid sized PC cases out there that have a carrying strap/handle?

I'd like to move my gaming pc from my desk to my tv or bring it over to a friends house with ease.

This is the only one I know of Here.

 

[MisterNoisy]

Are there any mid sized PC cases out there that have a carrying strap/handle?

I'd like to move my gaming pc from my desk to my tv or bring it over to a friends house with ease.

NZXT Vulcan - mATX/mITX only, though.

Cooler Master Storm Scout - it has a handle, but it's pretty frickin' heavy due to being built like a tank.

My two most recent builds were in these cases, and I liked both quite a lot.

 

[mkenyon]

Are there any mid sized PC cases out there that have a carrying strap/handle?

I'd like to move my gaming pc from my desk to my tv or bring it over to a friends house with ease.

Coolermaster Scout. I frequent LANs and this thing has been a godsend. Great case too. If you have a mATX board, you could go for the LianLi V354 and install a carrying handle on it. The aluminum is easy to work with.

*edit* Also, the LANboy Air. I *really* dislike Antec products though. Bit too cheap for my taste.

 

[Yeef]

I'm looking for a good front panel (5.25" or 3.5") IR receiver so that I can use my harmony remote with my PC. I had (and still have) a usb one that I used back when i was still on XP, but it doesn't have 64-bit drivers. Besides that, I'm tired of having things hanging out of my computer.

All I've been able to find on my own was the Antec VERIS Multimedia Station family, but looking around the web most of the reviews are middling to bad for them. I don't really need anything too fancy, just a simple IR receiver that allows me to customize the inputs.

Any suggestions?

 

[Dynamic3]

Looks like the new Intel SSDs are out: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/28/intel-outs-ssd-510-series-with-6gbps-sata-interface-500mbps-tra/

Is there a release date for the Vertex 3 yet?

Edit: Shipping end of April.

 

[Data West]

Posted this in another thread, but

Dual Intel Core E8500 @ 3.16
4 GB Ram
Crossfire ATI HD 4850s(one at 512 mb the other at 1 GB)

Ran okay in 1280x1024 but mad choppy in native(1680x1050) any upgrade ideas? I'm currently on an XPS 630i I was gifted/paid half for graduation so not sure if it accepts PCI Express 2.0 or anything. Need to upgrade for BF3 eventually, anyhow.

 

[mkenyon]

Posted this in another thread, but

The choppiness is probably a result of old and outdated cards in crossfire that don't have recent drivers.

The proc is great for most games. If you want a quad core, look at the 9xxx series of procs. Go to newegg, search processor, then select socket 775. Those are your choices.

If you can splurge, grab a GTX560. Otherwise, a 5870, or GTX460 are decent choices as well.

I bet a solid reformat, driver update, and vid card upgrade would make a huge difference though

 

[Naked Snake]

Would an IPS display ALWAYS be better than a TN display?

I think I might be buying one of the new and cheap LG IPS monitors, it's the only IPS monitor I could find locally.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/09/lg-does-the-ips-dance-with-ips2062t-ips226v-ips236v-and-ips231/

Review: http://www.digitalversus.com/lg-flatron-ips226v-p357_10200_35.html

Comparision to Dell U2211H: http://www.digitalversus.com/lg-ips226v-vs-dell-u2211h-p974_10284_93.html

And it seems like Frys is the first place to sell it in USA: http://www.frys.com/product/6535723

Amazingly it's a little cheaper to buy here (Jordan) than at Frys.com

 

[EarsOfASnake]

Would just like to say thanks to everyone in this thread. Built my PC today, everything worked first time as well! Glad I decided to finally build my own and get it exactly how I wanted. Oh Windows 7 on an SSD is insane! It loads up quicker than my iPhone. Now to wait for the crysis 2 demo to put it through it's paces.

Quick question actually. Is there any way to have audio come out of the headphone jack on the tower as well as out the back too my speakers? Would love to be able to just plug it in the front rather than switching stuff at the back.

 

[Deleted member 1159]

Your Current Specs: Core 2 Duo E6750 @ 3.20 GHz / 6.0GB DDR2 / aBit IP35 Pro / GTX 260
Budget: $900-1,000 MAX, USA
Main Use: Gaming, Emulation (PS2/Wii), 720/1080p playback
Monitor Resolution: 720p for now
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Portal 2, Crysis 2, Episode 3lol
Are reusing any parts?: I'll probably just reuse my one of my drives (1TB) for storage and buy a new SSD for OS/main apps, I'd like to keep my current rig up and running. I'll be using my current copy of Windows 7x64 and moving the old rig to Linux or something.
When will you build?: Before or around Portal 2's release
Will you be overclocking?: Absolutely.

I'm not a n00b at building, been doing it for about 10 years, but I am pretty out of the loop as far as what components I'm looking for.

So here are my thoughts: My current rig's core components (CPU/mobo/RAM) are pushing 3.5 years old at the moment, and the GTX 260 is about 2. They've served me well, but I think it's time to move on. If I could get another 3 year life span out of my CPU, I'd be very happy, and if I have enough power to abandon my Wii and PS2 for high res emulation, even better. Also, my current display is only a 720p 32" LCD TV, and I probably won't be upgrading that to a bigger, 1080p display for another year or so. These factors make me think I should invest more in the CPU side of things right now, and get a mid-range card that I can simply upgrade at the same time as my display (again, ~year away). My new rig will be in comfy couch mode, hooked up exclusively to the TV, with the old rig being relegated to my girlfriend's web browsing/documents/every day computer stuff in the kitchen, or occasional multiplayer gaming if I have friend over or something. I will be overclocking, so cooling is important in my HS/fan and case selection. But I'd also prefer the quiet side of things, so big fans/low RPM are preferred. I also abhor the blue glow my current case gives off, so no/few LEDs.

In a nut shell: I'd like to stay practical, but I also don't want to skimp, if that makes sense.

 

[Data West]

The choppiness is probably a result of old and outdated cards in crossfire that don't have recent drivers.

The proc is great for most games. If you want a quad core, look at the 9xxx series of procs. Go to newegg, search processor, then select socket 775. Those are your choices.

If you can splurge, grab a GTX560. Otherwise, a 5870, or GTX460 are decent choices as well.

I bet a solid reformat, driver update, and vid card upgrade would make a huge difference though

Would a GTX560 work on that motherboard? It's DDR5 and I see no listing for that on my system info

edit: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J68FFI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

this look good?

 

[teh_pwn]

Just snagged an open box ASUS P8P67 PRO on newegg.

They're marked down. I'm assuming their old b2 boards with the bug that were sent to ASUS and repaired with B3. I hope anyway. Otherwise I'll be avoiding the SATA2 ports.

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

I tried to install the Asus GTX 460 in my current build, but it's too big for my Core 2 Duo mobo

There's some kind of cover or shield on the GTX that butts against the white RAM slot tabs, so that I can't push the graphics card into its slot. Do you think I should try forcing it, or should I just wait until I get a Sandy Bridge mobo? I'm pretty bummed

My mobo: http://www.nix.ru/autocatalog/motherboards_intel/66442_top.jpg

The shield on the card: http://i.imgur.com/uTZnQ.jpg

More specifically, that black tip going through the GTX shield hits the white RAM tab if I try to push the GTX into its slot.

 

[knitoe]

Just snagged an open box ASUS P8P67 PRO on newegg.

They're marked down. I'm assuming their old b2 boards with the bug that were sent to ASUS and repaired with B3. I hope anyway. Otherwise I'll be avoiding the SATA2 ports.

Pretty sure, it's just a return item and newegg is just resaling it. Like other open items, maybe missing things, cables, manual, retail box and/or etc.

 

[teh_pwn]

Pretty sure, it's just a return item and newegg is just resaling it. Like other open items, maybe missing things, cables, manual, retail box and/or etc.

Pretty sure as in it includes the B3 fix? I know it's open box.

There's open box for practically every ASUS model:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...BESTMATCH&Description=P67+motherboard&x=0&y=0

I've had this bookmarked for weeks, checking it daily. All of the sudden within the last 2 hours all ASUS models suddenly are in stock for open box. I'm thinking ASUS sent a batch of fixed boards and did an exchange with the original owners?

Looks like newegg also deleted the old MSI/ASUS/Intel product pages and reviews. They're clearing the ratings to start from scratch from the B3 new items, which haven't been created yet.

 

[knitoe]

Pretty sure as in it includes the B3 fix? I know it's open box.

There's open box for practically every ASUS model:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...BESTMATCH&Description=P67+motherboard&x=0&y=0

I've had this bookmarked for weeks, checking it daily. All of the sudden within the last 2 hours all ASUS models suddenly are in stock for open box. I'm thinking ASUS sent a batch of fixed boards and did an exchange with the original owners?

Looks like newegg also deleted the old MSI/ASUS/Intel product pages and reviews. They're clearing the ratings to start from scratch from the B3 new items, which haven't been created yet.

Doubtful, it has the version B3 fixed. I am on the Asus exchange list and haven't been contacted. Either, have I heard of anything from computer forums I read daily.

 

[teh_pwn]

Doubtful, it has the version B3 fixed.

I'm not a grammar nazi, but you aren't using commas correctly.

This is what I think you mean to say:

"Doubtful that it has the version B3 fixed."

I find it odd that newegg would halt all sales of sandy mobos and CPUs only to sell them used with the same bug that created the recall. Whatever, I'll mitigate.

Edit: They're selling out most models already.

 

[knitoe]

I'm not a grammar nazi, but you aren't using commas correctly.

This is what I think you mean to say:

"Doubtful that it has the version B3 fixed."

I find it odd that newegg would halt all sales of sandy mobos and CPUs only to sell them used with the same bug that created the recall. Whatever, I'll mitigate.

Good luck grammar nazi.

 

[Ecto311]

Just snagged an open box ASUS P8P67 PRO on newegg.

They're marked down. I'm assuming their old b2 boards with the bug that were sent to ASUS and repaired with B3. I hope anyway. Otherwise I'll be avoiding the SATA2 ports.

I noticed the same thing about an hour ago. I never check newegg but was surprised to see any 1155 motherboards. I ordered another asus LE sandy bridge motherboard - I had one before but it died completely when swapping out a power supply. Hopefully this one will last - I figure the return policy is good enough to get by for now till new ones come out if this one dies. I hope anyway.

 

[teh_pwn]

I noticed the same thing about an hour ago. I never check newegg but was surprised to see any 1155 motherboards. I ordered another asus LE sandy bridge motherboard - I had one before but it died completely when swapping out a power supply. Hopefully this one will last - I figure the return policy is good enough to get by for now till new ones come out if this one dies. I hope anyway.

Thinking about it some more, there's 2 possibilities here:
1. They are B2, and for some reason newegg waited until they had enough to resell as products pages. Probably cheaper to do this than create a product page for every board that arrives.

2. They were B2 mobos that were in ASUS's warehouse or were in transit to retailers when the recall hit. They were the first to be fixed as B3 because of logistic reasons, and were sent as "open box" to retailers. They got to newegg before replacements because they were sent before the customers even requested a replacement.

Assuming it's #1, there' s 5-15% chance that over the course of 3 years the SATA 2 ports will fail. If that happens, I'll just buy a replacement motherboard and call MS for activation if it's an issue. It shouldn't be. MS's stance is that mobo replacement or nearest available equivalent is okay with OEM. No biggie.

Supposedly there's some ASUS specific BIOS bug that is resolved by a BIOS update. So remember to update BIOS.

Really late edit: I didn't realize the Pro had 4 internal SATA 6 Gb/s and 2 external ones. I really won't be affected by the recall bug because I won't ever need to use Sata 3 Gb/s ports.

Card has been charged, but still "processing". Hoping it goes through.

 

[rocK`]

PROs are out :\

 

[BuddhaRockstar]

Finally got my girlfriend's PC ordered, and I think I did pretty well price/performance wise-

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 820 Deneb 2.8GHz
Cooler:COOLER MASTER Hyper TX3 RR-910-HTX3-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" 92mm CPU Cooler
MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-880GM-D2H AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
GPU: HIS H577FK1GD Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB
Case:LOGISYS Computer CS301BK Black solid 6.0mm SECC metal ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 480W Power Supply
PSU:COOLER MASTER eXtreme Power Plus RS-500-PCAR-A3-US 500W ATX12V v2.3 Power Supply
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM
+Sony DVD+RW

After rebate total- $430

Everything but the GPU, DVD drive, and cooler came in a bundle that was a Newegg shell shocker deal. I was debating trying out the 480W PSU that comes with the case, but apparently a lot of no-name brands over-state the actual wattage, so better safe than sorry. She'll be using my old 1440x900 monitor so I think it should perform pretty admirably.

 

[Snuggles]

two dumb questions on one topic:

I'd like to make my PC easily compatible with my TV. This won't be a major issue for me, since my tower is only like 7 feet from my TV.

1. My PC doesn't have any built-in blu tooth support, so what type of dongle would you guys recommend for someone who wants to use his dualshock 3 wirelessly through MotioninJoy?

2. Super stupid, but what is the name for the type of cord that you plug and 'screw' in that is used for PC->monitor connections? My PC doesn't have an HDMI cord so I'm hoping I can find a long version of one of those so I can run it from my PC to my TV, which conveniently happens to have a port for it.

 

[teh_pwn]

2. Super stupid, but what is the name for the type of cord that you plug and 'screw' in that is used for PC->monitor connections? My PC doesn't have an HDMI cord so I'm hoping I can find a long version of one of those so I can run it from my PC to my TV, which conveniently happens to have a port for it.

Blue=VGA
White=DVI

 

[LiquidMetal14]

two dumb questions on one topic:

I'd like to make my PC easily compatible with my TV. This won't be a major issue for me, since my tower is only like 7 feet from my TV.

1. My PC doesn't have any built-in blu tooth support, so what type of dongle would you guys recommend for someone who wants to use his dualshock 3 wirelessly through MotioninJoy?

2. Super stupid, but what is the name for the type of cord that you plug and 'screw' in that is used for PC->monitor connections? My PC doesn't have an HDMI cord so I'm hoping I can find a long version of one of those so I can run it from my PC to my TV, which conveniently happens to have a port for it.

Are you in the states?

I bought this one from Meijer's in the midwest. Was 20, I know, not the cheapest but worth it for my immediate needs.

Works and doesn't need any drivers for windows. All you do is plug it in and load the driver via motionjoy and you have to pair it with the DS3.

 

[Snuggles]

Are you in the states?

Yes sir.

Thanks pwn, guess I need a long DVI cable from monoprice now.

We have a Meijer but their PC selection is slim, still worth a look but I'll just find something online if they dont have what I need.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Yes sir.

Thanks pwn, guess I need a long DVI cable from monoprice now.

We have a Meijer but their PC selection is slim, still worth a look but I'll just find something online if they dont have what I need.

Their selection is crap but that's the only one they had and it worked with no issue as opposed to the bigger name brand on I messed with for an hour at Walmart.

 

[BuddhaRockstar]

Yes sir.

Thanks pwn, guess I need a long DVI cable from monoprice now.

We have a Meijer but their PC selection is slim, still worth a look but I'll just find something online if they dont have what I need.

If your TV has an HDMI input you could also get one of these if you already have an HDMI cable lying around (DVI to HDMI converter)-

 

[Slavik81]

So. I was told to wait for February to get an SSD. What are the results?
Also note that I'm stuck with SATA-II.

 

[Router]

Ok, so after an evening of gaming at a friends house I feel even more hatred towards my shitty iMac. While I love my PS3 and Xbox I need to get back into PC gaming. I only have a smallish budget of around AU$1000 but this is whet I was looking it basing it around...


CPU - AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.80Ghz, 6MB Cache, Six Core - AU$219
Mainboard - Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H - AU$179.00
Memory - Corsair 4GB Kit (2x2GB), PC-10600 (1333MHz) DDR3, XMS3 - AU$59
GPU - Gigabyte Radeon HD6850 Overclocked (820Mhz), 1GB GDDR5 (4000Mhz), PCI-E 2.1 - AU$239 (I'll add another one a bit later on when I have some spare cash.)

Not sure if I'll be using a monitor or outputting to a 40" Bravia X series I have. Just need to decide on storage, power and all the rest.

 

[JackEtc]

Ok, so after an evening of gaming at a friends house I feel even more hatred towards my shitty iMac. While I love my PS3 and Xbox I need to get back into PC gaming. I only have a smallish budget of around AU$1000 but this is whet I was looking it basing it around...


CPU - AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.80Ghz, 6MB Cache, Six Core - AU$219
Mainboard - Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H - AU$179.00
Memory - Corsair 4GB Kit (2x2GB), PC-10600 (1333MHz) DDR3, XMS3 - AU$59
GPU - Gigabyte Radeon HD6850 Overclocked (820Mhz), 1GB GDDR5 (4000Mhz), PCI-E 2.1 (I'll add another one a bit later on when I have some spare cash.)

Not sure if I'll be using a monitor or outputting to a 40" Bravia X series I have. Just need to decide on storage, power and all the rest.

How much more would the 1090t set you back? It may be worth the extra boost to 3.2GHz.

 

[Router]

How much more would the 1090t set you back? It may be worth the extra boost to 3.2GHz.

AU$275.00 I think id be better off going wit that rather than the 1055T

 

[JackEtc]

AU$275.00 I think id be better off going wit that rather than the 1055T

Yeah, you might be. It (the 1090t) can also easily OC to 3.7GHz, which is more than enough speed.

If you can afford it, I would go with the 1090t. I have it, and I love it, great processor. Runs games great, and if you are using multi-core applications (Adobe After Effects, Vegas Pro), it's even better.

 

[The Elite]

Ugh, why did I request ground shipping from Vancouver. My computer is going to take forever to get here.

 

[Wazzim]

Finished building my 2500k rig, everything worked at once
CPU idles on 28 degrees even without side panel (with cooler) on, pretty nice. I will overclock it and my GPU and post the results later.

 

[Realyst]

Guys, does it make much sense to build a rig with an i7-950 right now?

I really want to get back into gaming (thanks to ES:V and BF3). I don't exactly want to go all out, but I was considering purchasing a GTX-580 in the hope that I can run most things "very high" @ 1920x1080 ~30-60 fps. I chose the 580 because I want to purchase the N3D vision kit, as well (and run at a decent framerate). I found a bundle on newegg with the 950 for about $740 (case, mobo, i7, sata, mem, disc drive, psu). My question is: is the 950 necessary? Would a lower-spec processor be ok? Keep in mind, I want this setup to last me for AT LEAST 4-5 years (well, at least the mobo). Not counting the vision kit, monitor, and gpu, my budget for the setup is around $500-$700. Thanks everyone!

 

[Wazzim]

Running Prime I get 56 as max temp on stock, time to overclock!

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Running Prime I get 56 as max temp on stock, time to overclock!

How long did you run it? Try Intel Burntest. Run a 5 pass on max, should take about 20-25 minutes. Also download Realtemp if you haven't done so already.

Prime95 is good but you should run it for an extended period after your OC. You have stock cooling?

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

I currently don't have a rig at all.

I'll plan to add either an Asus or an ASRock motherboard to this. Depending on the price. I'd buy now but the 1555 motherboards aren't avaliable yet.

I don't want a SSD yet as I plan to do that for my next upgrade when the technology matures and prices go down. And yes I know it doesn't have a DVD Drive. I want to go all digital.

I want the core build of this to last me around 4 years while the video card and hard-drive will be replaced in 2.

 

[Somnid]

Looks like the new Intel SSDs are out: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/28/intel-outs-ssd-510-series-with-6gbps-sata-interface-500mbps-tra/

Fuck. I was planning on grabbing one of todays shellshockers and I see this. I still think I'll go with the deal because these are about $100 more but I really hate this about building, there's never a good time.

 

[CrankyJay]

Fuck. I was planning on grabbing one of todays shellshockers and I see this. I still think I'll go with the deal because these are about $100 more but I really hate this about building, there's never a good time.

These are still pretty pricey I think for mainstream users. I would bite at about $1.70/GB or less, but over $2 is too rich for my blood.

 

[Somnid]

These are still pretty pricey I think for mainstream users. I would bite at about $1.70/GB or less, but over $2 is too rich for my blood.

Yeah that's my reasoning.

 

[derder]

Guys, does it make much sense to build a rig with an i7-950 right now?

I really want to get back into gaming (thanks to ES:V and BF3). I don't exactly want to go all out, but I was considering purchasing a GTX-580 in the hope that I can run most things "very high" @ 1920x1080 ~30-60 fps. I chose the 580 because I want to purchase the N3D vision kit, as well (and run at a decent framerate). I found a bundle on newegg with the 950 for about $740 (case, mobo, i7, sata, mem, disc drive, psu). My question is: is the 950 necessary? Would a lower-spec processor be ok? Keep in mind, I want this setup to last me for AT LEAST 4-5 years (well, at least the mobo). Not counting the vision kit, monitor, and gpu, my budget for the setup is around $500-$700. Thanks everyone!

Why not just wait a few months if you want to play ES:V and BF3?

I wouldn't put much money into a cpu, in general. There is a good probability that those two games could benefit from more cores and I personally am waiting to upgrade after the initial benchmarks come out for those two games.

 

[Wazzim]

How long did you run it? Try Intel Burntest. Run a 5 pass on max, should take about 20-25 minutes. Also download Realtemp if you haven't done so already.

Prime95 is good but you should run it for an extended period after your OC. You have stock cooling?

Ran for just a half hour on stock clock, used coretemp. I'll try Intel Burntest after setting an OC clock. And no, using the 212+.

EDIT: The ASUS bios may have put the BCLK to 103 or something though..

 

[Data West]

I'm thinking about buying a GTX 560 and just replacing my video card with that, but at the same time...

I'm really tempted to build a new computer with my tax return.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Ran for just a half hour on stock clock, used coretemp. I'll try Intel Burntest after setting an OC clock. And no, using the 212+.

EDIT: The ASUS bios may have put the BCLK to 103 or something though..

I would leave that alone and just start with a base of like 42 or 44. I wouldn't jump into the upper 4ghz area. Even at 4ghz, you will be lightning fast.

And I have the 212 as well. Idle temps are the same if not a little lower than yours. My load temps peak in the 65C range @ 4.480ghz.

 

[Realyst]

Why not just wait a few months if you want to play ES:V and BF3?

I wouldn't put much money into a cpu, in general. There is a good probability that those two games could benefit from more cores and I personally am waiting to upgrade after the initial benchmarks come out for those two games.

Yeah, that's why I was wondering if now was a good time. I said that I would wait til closer to release to build it. That makes a lot of sense to just wait on the benchmarks. Thanks.

Edit: Also, I want a mobo (w/ a good processor) that will last. I looked up some reviews of the 950 and 2500k i7's. The negligible difference between them is what's making me want to go with the 950.