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[TheExodu5]

Corsair Obsidian 650D Mid-Tower case is up on Newegg right now. Just ordered mine.

Link

Would totally get this if I didn't just buy a case.

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

Yep. Click here.

Needlessly snarky but thank you all the same

 

[mkenyon]

Teach a man to fish and all that...

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

Teach a man to fish and all that...

In all seriousness though, that has pretty much confirmed my 6950 purchase. My build is starting to shape up nicely.

 

[Quicksilver4648]

The Asus MAXIMUS IV EXTREME (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 is now on Newegg and in stock. Wow, it costs a pretty penny.

 

[mkenyon]

You can OC to 5ghz with changing 3 options on that board. Plus, RoG connect is about the coolest thing ever. I love OC'ing my system remotely with my netbook. Gives you some really cool readouts as well.

Click "load OC profile", change volts to 1.55, 50x multiplier, and 100 bus speed. Blickow.

If you like to tinker, it's the board you *must* have.

 

[iNvid02]

You can OC to 5ghz with changing 3 options on that board. Plus, RoG connect is about the coolest thing ever. I love OC'ing my system remotely with my netbook. Gives you some really cool readouts as well.

Click "load OC profile", change volts to 1.55, 50x multiplier, and 100 bus speed. Blickow.

If you like to tinker, it's the board you *must* have.

lol really?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

lol really?

U MAD?

 

[iNvid02]

yeah i was my motherboard let me do that, piece of shit makes me sit at my desk and do it

 

[cackhyena]

Friend said I should hold off for Ivy Bridge before building on account of something something real DX11gpu or something. Gaf thoughts?

 

[TheExodu5]

Friend said I should hold off for Ivy Bridge before building on account of something something real DX11gpu or something. Gaf thoughts?

I have no idea what he's talking about. Ivy bridge is probably going to be similar in speeds to Sandy Bridge, but with 6, and eventually 8 cores. If you don't mind waiting, then sure, waiting is always better. If you want to buy now however, it's still a fantastic time to buy. Sandy Bridge is still blazingly fast when OC'ed, and you really won't be CPU limited in almost anything (except rare situations, like end game Civ 5).

 

[cackhyena]

Well, I can't build right now, but I am wondering how close Ivy Bridge will be to coming out by the time I can build. I honestly never heard of it till 20 minutes ago.

So, knowing I'm not anywhere near as tech savvy as a lot of you, I have no reservations asking what overclocking actually does. I guess I was just always under the assumption that I shouldn't do it because it might cause stability issues...or something? I dunno.

 

[mkenyon]

lol really?

Might sound silly, but you can be tweaking performance as you are running a benchmark on the PC to see what is stable and actually *see* the difference. Pretty rad.

 

[woober]

Have there been any news on whether current LGA 1155 will support Ivy Bridge?

 

[Hazaro]

Have there been any news on whether current LGA 1155 will support Ivy Bridge?

Different socket types so probably not.
Intel might throw Sandy Bridge users a bone and make an updated revision, but Ivy is more for the boards (along with Z68) which allow for OC and onboard video/out. It'll be some small tweaks, but mainly the 6 and 8 core versions of SB.

Might sound silly, but you can be tweaking performance as you are running a benchmark on the PC to see what is stable and actually *see* the difference. Pretty rad.

Blasphemer! All OC should be done in BIOS.
Also 1.55V is madness.

Hey guys, I'm looking for a laptop recommendation, here are my requirements:

- sub $1,200
- can play lots of games (although honestly, it'll really mostly be used as a portable Starcraft 2 machine)
- less than 15 inches
- not super ugly, since it will be used for work occasionally as well

Right now I'm looking at HP Envy and Dell XPS. Which gets the gaf seal of approval, and are there any others I might be overlooking?

In the OP: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386622

 

[mkenyon]

Blasphemer! All OC should be done in BIOS.
Also 1.55V is madness.

You must step into the light. GUI (UEFI)BIOS and remote OC'ing is the future!

Also, I thought the same thing about 1.55 volts. ASUS's RoG squad swore that it was safe and very stable though. They were doing tutorials on it to test out the Maximus IV, and I think they were running an H50 on a torture rack/testbench. Pretty low temps IIRC.

*edit*
Something else of note, every single one of those USB 3.0 ports is full power. Pretty ridick.

 

[scorcho]

I have no idea what he's talking about. Ivy bridge is probably going to be similar in speeds to Sandy Bridge, but with 6, and eventually 8 cores.

I believe Intel has stated that the jump from sandy to ivy would offer roughly the same per-clock improvement that we saw from sandy to first-gen core processors.

 

[Hazaro]

You can use your fancy mouse and buttons all you like.
I will spam the delete key.

Even RoG says 1.55V is ok, how long have they been testing it? Just the thought of putting 1.55V in a 32nm chip strikes me as ridiculous. I only used 1.3V on my E7200.

 

[PantherLotus]

Can't remember if I've asked already, and if I have it's probably been too long.

Here's what I need. Please understand some of these are un-technically-savvy-wife requirements*:

1. $499 before tax
2. pre-built desktop (no monitor needed)
3. would prefer to pick it up in person or pay no shipping.*
4. I live near a microcenter.
5. Windows
6. Would prefer not having a lot of bullshit loaded pre-loaded on my purchase. Just windows please. I can do the rest.

I'm purchasing THIS WEEKEND! I already have a beeautiful 24" 1080P HD Dell Monitor. My desktop will be used for 5+ Firefox windows and tabs open at once, Photoshop CS4, Excel 2007, GChat, and Youtube and/or iTunes running all at once. (yes, I know, these are requirements from around 2005, but w/e. I can't do these all at once on my current POS without the sound going haywire.

Oh yeah, it has to run CIV5.

Help?

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

You must step into the light. GUI (UEFI)BIOS and remote OC'ing is the future!

Also, I thought the same thing about 1.55 volts. ASUS's RoG squad swore that it was safe and very stable though. They were doing tutorials on it to test out the Maximus IV, and I think they were running an H50 on a torture rack/testbench. Pretty low temps IIRC.

*edit*
Something else of note, every single one of those USB 3.0 ports is full power. Pretty ridick.

Two questions:

1. With a decent HSF and decent (but not as good as the ASUS Extreme) P67 board what sort of OC can I expect on an i5 2500k?

2. Are you saying that the USB 3.0 ports on other mobos are somehow deficient?

 

[mkenyon]

Two questions:

1. With a decent HSF and decent (but not as good as the ASUS Extreme) P67 board what sort of OC can I expect on an i5 2500k?

2. Are you saying that the USB 3.0 ports on other mobos are somehow deficient?

1. 4.8-5.0 is easily attainable.

2. Generally, each hub of paired (or even 4 together) use the same bandwidth and power. This is the only motherboard I've heard of that has done differently. It's something exceptional about this one, not that other motherboards are deficient.

 

[OG_Original Gamer]

Do you have a link to how to do it? I've never flashed, well, anything before.

I flashed my 6950 this morning before leaving for work, and then overclocked it and its stable. To be safe, I increased the fan speed. Tried out Crysis Warhead, at 1600x900 with enthusiast settings. I noticed when cloaking transistion was quicker and smoother.

 

[PantherLotus]

Any help is appreciated!

 

[The Elite]

So I received my custom built computer with everything already assembled except for the graphics card which they were worried would be damaged in shipping. I just slid it into the appropriate slot but I noticed that it has connectors to hook it up to the power supply. Yet the instructions don't mention hooking it up.

For reference it is a MSI GeForce GTX 460.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mkenyon]

Any help is appreciated!

Look for something by ASUS in that price range. I really don't know much about pre-built systems, but ASUS is the king of all components.

So I received my custom built computer with everything already assembled except for the graphics card which they were worried would be damaged in shipping. I just slid it into the appropriate slot but I noticed that it has connectors to hook it up to the power supply. Yet the instructions don't mention hooking it up.

For reference it is a MSI GeForce GTX 460.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Step one: Locate power supply, that's the thing that your power cord is plugged into from the back of the computer.

Step two: Look at cords coming out of power supply that are inside of your case.

Step three: Locate unused plugs that look like they could go into the side/rear of the graphics card.

Step four: Plug those into the graphics card.

Done!

 

[scorcho]

NewEgg has begun their RMA process!

Dear Valued Customer,
Great news! In early February, we sent you an e-mail notifying you of a design issue with the Intel Sandy Bridge compatible motherboard model you recently purchased from our site. We are pleased to announce we expect to receive a new batch of replacement motherboards soon and, based on your purchase date, you are eligible to request your replacement at this time for the specific order and item information provided below.

Sales order number: XXXXX
Item number available for replacement at this time: XXXXX
Item description: MB GIGABYTE|GA-P67A-UD4 P67 LGA1155

To guarantee your replacement, please reply to this email within the next 7 business days. We currently have a very limited supply of replacements and unless we hear from you within that time frame, we will release unclaimed units to the next in line.

At Newegg, we are committed to making this process easy and convenient for you. Please note the options below and reply to this e-mail with your selection in the subject line:

A. Regular RMA
Regular RMAs are shipped once we receive your original unit. Once we receive your e-mail, we will create an RMA and send you a free return shipping label. Once we receive the original item from you, Newegg will ship the replacement to the original shipping address.

B. Advanced RMA
Advanced RMAs allow us to ship the replacement to you promptly and gives you 30 days to return the original unit. Once we receive your e-mail, a Customer Service Representative will contact you within 2 to 3 business days to process your RMA. Advanced RMAs require a Credit Card authorization: in the event we do not receive the defective replacement within 30 days from the date the replacement is shipped, the credit card you provide on the phone will be charged in the amount of the product retail price. Please include the best phone number to reach you at in your email but do NOT include your credit card information.

C. Not Interested
If you are not interested in a replacement, or have initiated a replacement with the manufacturer, you can either reply with "C" or "Not Interested" in the subject line, or simply disregard this email.

If you do decide to return your product, please send back the original retail box (if available) and all accessories originally included. Your replacement is a brand new item and is equipped with new accessories. All replacements will be mailed to the original shipping address unless otherwise specified in your e-mail.

We appreciate your patience in this matter and thank you for your patronage!

Sincerely,
Newegg.com

I'm so glad I didn't bite on the MicroCenter bundle now.

 

[Trojita]

No server people here I guess?

 

[mkenyon]

No server people here I guess?

I am, but desktop-built Linux servers (as in, not rackmounted dual-xeon esque servers). That what you're looking for?

 

[The Elite]

Look for something by ASUS in that price range. I really don't know much about pre-built systems, but ASUS is the king of all components.


Step one: Locate power supply, that's the thing that your power cord is plugged into from the back of the computer.

Step two: Look at cords coming out of power supply that are inside of your case.

Step three: Locate unused plugs that look like they could go into the side/rear of the graphics card.

Step four: Plug those into the graphics card.

Done!

Yes. Just discovered them. One was labeled PCI-E. I've hooked up both cords but the one labeled PCI-E has another, smaller connector coming off of it and I see no place for it to go on the graphics card. Is that used for anything else?

Edit: This box is a beast!

 

[wandering goat]

Yes. Just discovered them. One was labeled PCI-E. I've hooked up both cords but the one labeled PCI-E has another, smaller connector coming off of it and I see no place for it to go on the graphics card. Is that used for anything else?

Edit: This box is a beast!

Yeah, that's normal. Some cards have 8 pin connections instead of just 6 pin, but the 460 doesn't.

[edit] Both cords should be PCI-E, btw, unless one is just a PCI-E converter hooked up to a pair of Molex connectors. Perhaps the other just wasn't labeled.

 

[PantherLotus]

Look for something by ASUS in that price range. I really don't know much about pre-built systems, but ASUS is the king of all components.

Done!

You know, I'm not even sure if "pre-built" means something different, but I meant "no assembly required," like a Dell or something.

 

[MisterNoisy]

Just spotted this on dealnews.com:

Free motherboard with purchase of select AMD processors at MicroCenter - In-Store pickup only.

Wish I had one nearby - some of the 'step up' options are pretty good deals, too (~$10-100).

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

You know, I'm not even sure if "pre-built" means something different, but I meant "no assembly required," like a Dell or something.

Just go to Microcenter and buy the cheapest system you can find. A netbook can do the tasks you desire.

 

[mkenyon]

You know, I'm not even sure if "pre-built" means something different, but I meant "no assembly required," like a Dell or something.

Yeah, we're on the same page. ASUS makes fully built systems akin to Dell.

Check this out.

 

[PantherLotus]

Got it. Thanks mkenyon.

And :middlefinger to the dick rec'ing a netbook.

 

[The Elite]

Yeah, that's normal. Some cards have 8 pin connections instead of just 6 pin, but the 460 doesn't.

[edit] Both cords should be PCI-E, btw, unless one is just a PCI-E converter hooked up to a pair of Molex connectors. Perhaps the other just wasn't labeled.

One wasn't labeled pci-e but was clearly meant to be used with the card. NCIX did a great job with cable management. Very clean.

Busy right now but I look forward to setting it up later.

 

[K.Jack]

I'm not so sure those fulfill the "must play CIV5" requirement. Does it run on integrated gfx?

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Just installed my C300 256GB SSD with a clean install of windows and my word, boots up in like 10 seconds. Unbelievable. Everything just feels generally snappy too. For example, on Windows load, it's done as soon as you see your wallpaper/home page. All drivers etc in play (for me Nvidia display, Huey Pro calibrator etc). Pre-SSD I always had to wait several seconds for everything to kick in and for my calibration settings to be applied. Now I don't even get to see what it looks like pre-calibrated settings.

Next up, testing games performance followed by Premiere Pro (with CUDA) and CS5 (Photoshop, Flash, InDesign etc) load/work/file saving!

how many games will you put in?

 

[·feist·]

1.55v on a 32nm 24/7? No thanks.

Got it. Thanks mkenyon.

And :middlefinger to the dick rec'ing a netbook.

Great way to get help in this thread.

Corsair Obsidian 650D Mid-Tower case is up on Newegg right now. Just ordered mine.

Link

The lucky few have been picking these up for the last week or so, but they keep selling out everywhere. I'm waiting for them to show up at Micro Center before I finally decide whether or not to pick one up.

 

[mkenyon]

I'm not so sure those fulfill the "must play CIV5" requirement. Does it run on integrated gfx?

I didn't see that last bit. He wants a $450 pre-built rig that plays Civ V? I'm not sure that exists. That is without a doubt the most taxing game I have ever played.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Hyperbole much? Top of the line would be Lian Li, Corsair, Danger Den, some Silverstones.

Just as a guy who's built a *lot* of cases, Antec has always struck me as bottom-tier. So much plastic crap, I've seen many Antecs break after just a few years. They always have the checklist of stuff an amateur would appreciate; windows, "toolless design", lots of fans, and the like. They've just always come up short where it counts like intelligent cable routing, solid materials, and precise machining. When brought up against their competitors like Coolermaster, some lower-end Lian Li, and Fractal, I just don't ever see the incentive for buying one. I see them more along the lines of NZXT or Rosewill.

I think I was exaggerating a bit as well, which may have prompted your response. They're not utter crap, but more accurately, I think they just never compare to similarly priced cases.



Seriously, as a 28 year old young man, I had the same sort of flashback when the RoG team were demonstrating their new mobos and UEFI BIOS at PDXLAN!



I was the most curmudgeony bastard when it came to jumping on the SSD bandwagon. I was all about the RAID0 array for a speedy OS, with my fileserver acting as a failsafe for my networked rigs. I made the choice to upgrade my OS drive with a Vertex 2 about 6-8 months ago, and it just blew me away. I got so used to regular usage with the SSD that I've since upgraded my netbook, HTPC, mini-gaming rig, and my new scratch build with the same drive.

However, I'm not rich enough to blow tons of money on them for lots of usable space. I still stand firmly behind the 2-3 500GB-1TB WD Black/Spinpoint F3s for a gaming drive. Having every single one of my 70+ games on Steam installed and ready to rock is a wonderous thing.

plastic doesn't mean crap you know, and I'd disagree on the amount of it as it is. to disregard is bad advice, they are a very solid choice, as far as aesthetics, that's really personal choice isn't? I mean, it's getting down into the one nerd making fun of another type of talk. and you didn't even consider price into the equation.

 

[Kadey]

Are there any ways to get rid of the windows power save message that keeps popping up? I'm trying to install an OS on a new drive but I keep getting that. It's getting annoying and I have to reboot a billion times to the point where I can't even install the OS now. Is it because my GPU is running hot or something? Or the monitor I'm using? The fan sounds like some train. I'm using a 4870x2.

 

[Shambles]

plastic doesn't mean crap you know, and I'd disagree on the amount of it as it is. to disregard is bad advice, they are a very solid choice, as far as aesthetics, that's really personal choice isn't? I mean, it's getting down into the one nerd making fun of another type of talk. and you didn't even consider price into the equation.

I guess you're just not a real PC gamer unless you spend 200$ on something that you'll only open up twice a year Anything above 60$ for a case is a waste in my books.

 

[iNvid02]

I guess you're just not a real PC gamer unless you spend 200$ on something that you'll only open up twice a year Anything above 60$ for a case is a waste in my books.

nah, glad i got the hafx, the air flow is great and its so easy to work inside

 

[Shambles]

Reading that again it might sound a little hostile. For those with the income go nuts. Just in my own world anything over 60$ for a case means that another component has to be cut back on and since the case has almost nothing to do with performance it's priority for me is set according to that.

 

[commissar]

Hey guys,

Just to confirm, as I'm a little confused: PCI-Express slot is exactly the same from v1-3, but it's the chipset which makes a difference right?

I'm looking into a 16x extender cable, but want to make sure that it'll work for v3.0 speeds when that finally hits.

Thanks

 

[Trojita]

I am, but desktop-built Linux servers (as in, not rackmounted dual-xeon esque servers). That what you're looking for?

I bought a T110 from Dell. It's got a 3340 2.55 ghz Xeon Processor.

I was asking for advice earlier about what server OS I should load on it. If I should use ESXi.

 

[MisterNoisy]

plastic doesn't mean crap you know, and I'd disagree on the amount of it as it is. to disregard is bad advice, they are a very solid choice, as far as aesthetics, that's really personal choice isn't? I mean, it's getting down into the one nerd making fun of another type of talk. and you didn't even consider price into the equation.

I just wish Antec would make it possible for me to mount the PSU fan-side down without cutting a hole in the case myself.

 

[MacAttack]

Make sure the ram runs at 1.5V. Some people experience problems running ram voltage above that on sandy bridge MBs.

No problems running at 1.65v here, however the bios did warn me not to set the voltages any higher than that.

On another note, I read an article somewhere about running write benchmarks on your SSD can effect the lifespan of the drive. The article mentioned a testing app that only checked read speeds. Anybody know one that does that?

Also I used this guide to set up my boot drive, might be useful to some other folk who are interested in a 40-80GB SSD boot drive (worth putting in OP?):

http://www.overclock.net/ssd/664738-how-setup-ssd-boot-drive-secondary.html

 

[scorcho]

my computer is set up this way (120GB SSD = OS and Apps, 1TB HDD = User folder and Steam games) and it works swimmingly. Win7 automatically disables defrag on the OS drive, but keeps it enabled for the other HDDs in my system.