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[mrklaw]

ASUS P8P67-M PRO Motherboard B3 $189 - Any benefit to going with the more expensive PRO?

not sure. I had a look at some side by side comparisons and couldn't work out the difference. I just bought the standard P8P67, still has the extra SATA ports, built in bluetooth etc. I'd save the money personally

8Gig (2x4Gig) G.Skill Ripjaws $139 - Seems like the sweet spot for RAM

I thought 4GB was the sweet spot for gaming, but if you have the cash, go for it.

Samsung F4 2TB $105 - More than enough storage

quite big for a main drive. You could put a smaller drive for your OS and a few apps, with an eye on replacing that with an SSD in the future, then leave the 2TB drive for games/steam data etc?

ASUS Xonar DG $39 - Still have no idea about audio, so many conflicting opinions

Go for it

A huge part of my upgrade is for the audio. I have a 6 month old son and the computer is in the living area so I have to game using headphones. I would love a solution for PC/PS3/360 like the Turtle Beach X41 but even that will require DDL apparently. So what I am asking is with the setup above what is the best way for me to have a great gameplay experience with headphones on my PC? Will the DG allow me to plug in headphones and get surround sound instantly or should I get the DX? Is there a multipurpose solution for all gaming devices, possibly wireless and not having to change everything everytime I move from the 360 to the PC? Would a different motherboard be a cheaper solution?

DG will give you dolby headphone no problem. It'll also give you dolby digital live so the built in optical port can connect up to a receiver/amp if you like.

Also I currently use a Logitech X-530 5.1 setup (when no-one is home). How does that factor into the headphone/soundcard situation? This seems like it will be harder than putting the damn thing together.

How does it connect up currently? If optical, then the Xonar DG has optical out (and dolby live) which will connect fine. If it uses 3 sets of 3.5mm jacks, then you'd need to connect those up to the back. If it has a headphone output you should be able to plug your headphones in there and still be able to switch to dolby headphone (won't be automatic)

 

[TheExodu5]

I installed Windows and almost everything was working fine.

See whenever I rebooted my computer the BIOS claimed that I had no hard-drive. I had to go into the BIOS and force boot from the hard-drive. After that it would work perfectly. However there was another small problem. Only one of the RAM was recognized (turns out one of them weren't pushed full in). So I turned off my PC, moved the SSD to the SATA 1 port, and tightned one of the RAM sticks.

And all of a sudden I can't get video signal on my TV. What's worse is that my computer restarts after ten to fiftheen seconds, however after that it stays on, but I still get no video signal.

Can anybody help me solve this problem please?


EDIT - It's also worth noting that I updated my drivers on Windows right prior to this.

What CPU and video card are you using? There is a rare incompatibility I've seen with AMD CPUs and higher end NVidia cards that causes a similar issue (which may or may not be the cause of defective video hardware).

 

[Ace 8095]

I'm looking at buying a new laptop and was wondering how much a difference there is between a first gen i5m and a second gen i3m. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[JaseC]

Samsung F4 2TB $105 - More than enough storage

Are you aware that it's a 5400rpm drive?

Go for it

DG will give you dolby headphone no problem. It'll also give you dolby digital live so the built in optical port can connect up to a receiver/amp if you like.

Is it a general consensus that the DG is a noticeable step up from onboard audio? The last time I had anything other than typical on-board audio was when I had an nForce 2 board with SoundStorm.

I'm looking at purchasing a build within the AUD$1700~$2k ballpark some time within the next fortnight or so and now, after spending an hour analysing reviews in an attempt to decide between the GTX 570 and HD 6970 (I ended up flipping a coin - GTX 570 it is), a sound card is the one component I've yet to lock down.

I suppose, for $40, you can't go wrong.

 

[Quicksilver4648]

Oh Come On! I wake up this morning to see Amazon taking back orders for the Asus P8P67 Pro board for $189. I click 'Add To Cart' and everything is fine. I then click 'Proceed to Checkout' and then a message appears saying there are no long any more available. When I went back to the page all traces of Amazon selling the board are gone. I literally missed my opportunity to order a P8P67 Pro by a few seconds/minute.

 

[mrklaw]

Are you aware that it's a 5400rpm drive?



Is it a general consensus that the DG is a noticeable step up from onboard audio? The last time I had anything other than typical on-board audio was when I had an nForce 2 board with SoundStorm.

I'm looking at purchasing a build within the AUD$1700~$2k ballpark some time within the next fortnight or so and now, after spending an hour analysing reviews in an attempt to decide between the GTX 570 and HD 6970 (I ended up flipping a coin - GTX 570 it is), a sound card is the one component I've yet to lock down.

I suppose, for $40, you can't go wrong.

do you want or need surround sound from your games? If yes, then you need a soundcard, or possibly a gigabyte UD4 motherboard which apparantly supports dolby digital live.

plus the DG has a headphone amp so should sound better with good headphones than onboard sound.

 

[mrklaw]

Oh Come On! I wake up this morning to see Amazon taking back orders for the Asus P8P67 Pro board for $189. I click 'Add To Cart' and everything is fine. I then click 'Proceed to Checkout' and then a message appears saying there are no long any more available. When I went back to the page all traces of Amazon selling the board are gone. I literally missed my opportunity to order a P8P67 Pro by a few seconds/minute.

get the standard? why do you want/need the pro version?

 

[JaseC]

do you want or need surround sound from your games? If yes, then you need a soundcard, or possibly a gigabyte UD4 motherboard which apparantly supports dolby digital live.

Surround sound would be most welcome.

plus the DG has a headphone amp so should sound better with good headphones than onboard sound.

Good to hear. My current el-cheapo pair of headphones are slowly dying, but I've allocated myself a budget of $150 for the next pair.

Cheers for the reply.

 

[Hazaro]

Alright I will finally post asking some advice on a build after trying to take in as much as possible these last few years lurking. I'm currently running on a 6 year old rig that has had bits and pieces replaced over the years. I plan on dumping the whole thing (replacing the 460 with the 9800GTX+ it replaced) on my parents so I don't have to hear from them every week about problems. Currently Q6600, 4 gig RAM, 460 with slight OC, 700Gb HDD space, 1Tb External, crappy PSU and crappy 6 year old case.
Remembering I am Australian here is the build I have been looking at for some time;

ASUS P8P67-M PRO Motherboard B3 $189 - Any benefit to going with the more expensive PRO?
Samsung F4 2TB $105 - More than enough storage
Future SSD when they release

M is micro-ATX version. Generally if you have ATX case get ATX. A non-Pro version will be just fine.

Also YOU MUST UPDATE THE 2TB DRIVE FIRMWARE. IF you are not comfortable downloading and making a bootable USB to flash it, then just get a WD Black 2TB or F3 1TB's.

Are you aware that it's a 5400rpm drive?

Is it a general consensus that the DG is a noticeable step up from onboard audio? The last time I had anything other than typical on-board audio was when I had an nForce 2 board with SoundStorm.

I suppose, for $40, you can't go wrong.

5400rpm, but platter density is very high so it is not impactful and is actually on equal footing.

DG is pretty noticeable for me.

 

[mrklaw]

M is micro-ATX version. Generally if you have ATX case get ATX. A non-Pro version will be just fine.

Also YOU MUST UPDATE THE 2TB DRIVE FIRMWARE. IF you are not comfortable downloading and making a bootable USB to flash it, then just get a WD Black 2TB or F3 1TB's.

5400rpm, but platter density is very high so it is not impactful and is actually on equal footing.

DG is pretty noticeable for me.

Can you put something in the OP about how you probably won't get surround sound with games and onboard soundcards, so if thats something you want, you might want to consider a budget soundcard like the Xonar DG?

 

[Palette Swap]

Alright I will finally post asking some advice on a build after trying to take in as much as possible these last few years lurking. I'm currently running on a 6 year old rig that has had bits and pieces replaced over the years. I plan on dumping the whole thing (replacing the 460 with the 9800GTX+ it replaced) on my parents so I don't have to hear from them every week about problems. Currently Q6600, 4 gig RAM, 460 with slight OC, 700Gb HDD space, 1Tb External, crappy PSU and crappy 6 year old case.
Remembering I am Australian here is the build I have been looking at for some time;

i5 2500K $269 - Planning on 4.0 overclock with stock fan
ASUS P8P67-M PRO Motherboard B3 $189 - Any benefit to going with the more expensive PRO?
8Gig (2x4Gig) G.Skill Ripjaws $139 - Seems like the sweet spot for RAM
Samsung F4 2TB $105 - More than enough storage
Future SSD when they release
Corsair TX-750 $149 - Unsure if this is the v2 model, couldn't find any information about a release in Australia but I emailed to find out. This is for if I go SLI with my 460 in a year or so
CM 690 II Advanced $129 - Looks sexy and suitable for SSD/SLI
ASUS Xonar DG $39 - Still have no idea about audio, so many conflicting opinions
?

Be careful about that PCI sound card if you go the M pro route: that mobo doesn't have any PCI slots. The regular M does.

From what I've read, the difference between the M and M Pro models are mostly SLI, 2 more USB ports and 2 more SATA 3 drives for the pro.
The regular M has 1 PCI slot and the ability to plug a PATA drive.
And yes, there's no point going the M way if you don't have a case constraint. Going micro-atx is mostly a trade-off between features and a smaller case form factor. If you intend to use a regular sized case, stick with ATX.

The ATX sized P8P67 cards seem to allow for better overclocking thanks to DIGI+ VRM (except for the gimped LE version).

edit: to be fair, the M Pro also has a TPU seemingly dedicated to help overclocking. The regular M doesn't. I don't know how efficient this is, though.

 

[mrklaw]

Be careful about that PCI sound card if you go the M pro route: that mobo doesn't have any PCI slots. The regular M does.

From what I've read, the difference between the M and M Pro models are mostly SLI, 2 more USB ports and 2 more SATA 3 drives for the pro.
The regular M has 1 PCI slot and the ability to plug a PATA drive.
And yes, there's no point going the M way if you don't have a case constraint. Going micro-atx is mostly a trade-off between features and a smaller case form factor. If you intend to use a regular sized case, stick with ATX.

The ATX sized P8P67 cards seem to allow for better overclocking thanks to DIGI+ VRM (except for the gimped LE version).

I have a standard ATX P8P67 and it has crossfire (not sure about SLI) and spare PCI card slots

 

[coopolon]

Can you put something in the OP about how you probably won't get surround sound with games and onboard soundcards, so if thats something you want, you might want to consider a budget soundcard like the Xonar DG?

Can't mobo soundcards still output surround over the discrete analogue cables? It won't be dolby digital or dts, but it should still be surround if you have set up windows properly.

Or alternatively if you are buying a new GPU, it should be able to output surround sound over HDMI as well without an additional sound card.

 

[EMBee99]

Pulled the trigger on this. Skimped a bit on storage/SSD as most of my media lives on external drives. Thoughts?

 

[mkenyon]

I have a little fact and rumor to share with everyone.

Fact: ASUS just released a BIOS update for the Crosshair IV to make it compatible with AM3+ procs.

Rumor: Because of this and ASRock's new mobo, word on the street is that all 890FX chipsets can be AM3+ compatible.

 

[Wazzim]

edit: to be fair, the M Pro also has a TPU seemingly dedicated to help overclocking. The regular M doesn't. I don't know how efficient this is, though.

I don't think the difference is that big, my M does 4,5ghz easy@1.3 volt.

 

[scogoth]

Need a 1155 B3 motherboard.
I'd also look at the cases in the OP. Rosewill also has a similar case to what you linked.

I'd be hesitant to buy a Hitachi 3TB drive right now. Very hesitant in fact. F3 1TB or WD 2TB for storage.

I'd swap the GPU for something with a better cooler like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121429

Get a 2600K with a UD4 or P8P67 PRO. Get some G.Skill or Corsair DDR3 that is 1.5V with low heatspreaders (like the sniper series).

Add a heatsink like a CM 212+, get a Seasonic or Corsair 850W V2. If you want fans get some Scythe Kama's or Noctua fans.

...and get some Taido Yoon or Verbatim DVD-R for your DVD's

C'mon haz a three slot card? Wheres your sli upgrade path love

Also @riverbed you might want to look at getting a 2500k instead of 2600k. Its a $100 cheaper for 95% of the gaming performance. You can spend that $100 on a ssd for a boot drive which will make a much bigger difference then the 2600k.

 

[JaseC]

5400rpm, but platter density is very high so it is not impactful and is actually on equal footing.

DG is pretty noticeable for me.

1) themoreyouknow.jpg

2) Great!

 

[·feist·]

Pulled the trigger on this. Skimped a bit on storage/SSD as most of my media lives on external drives. Thoughts?


http://www.denuology.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Picture-2.png

If you don't plan on going dual GPU in the future, that PSU is more than you need. The Fractal Design R3 doesn't have a wealth of space to neatly hide your extra wires, so I'd go for a modular 650w unit with at least 80+ Bronze rating.

I have a little fact and rumor to share with everyone.

Fact: ASUS just released a BIOS update for the Crosshair IV to make it compatible with AM3+ procs.

Rumor: Because of this and ASRock's new mobo, word on the street is that all 890FX chipsets can be AM3+ compatible.

Just some points of clarification here.

Until AMD officially rescinds their "no BD on AM3 socket" comments, I wouldn't take anything to the contrary as fact. Asus has been on about this, and even released a supposed compatibility list:

http://event.asus.com/2011/mb/AM3_PLUS_Ready/

ASRock has been showing models like their 890FX Deluxe5 AM3+ for some time now. There has been a lot of speculation about the status of the new 900-series boards, but the only known reason that the Deluxe5 and other boards of its type will certainly be compatible (possibly at the expense of some features) is that they're using AM3+ sockets on the older chipsets.

Asus can claim what they want. Unless AMD is going to change Bulldozer 1, or release both AM3 and AM3+ versions of some/all chips, there are some issues there. It would be a different story if this was dealing with server parts.

A few more 800-series AM3+ boards:

ASRock 890GM Pro3 R2.0
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=890GM Pro3 R2.0

Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD5 rev.3.1
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3781#ov

 

[Ecto311]

I am installing windows 7 onto an SSD (corsair f60). I needed the disc for the Ethernet drivers, the asus p8p67 disc that came with the motherboard.

There are a lot of options for things on that disc aside from the Ethernet driver, what should I install and avoid? Does the PC benefit from intel drivers or realtek sound drivers?

Thanks again for any advice.

 

[mkenyon]

Yes, you should install all the chipset drivers. But, the general rule of thumb for drivers is: if you don't notice a problem, don't install anything.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

What CPU and video card are you using? There is a rare incompatibility I've seen with AMD CPUs and higher end NVidia cards that causes a similar issue (which may or may not be the cause of defective video hardware).

i5 2500k and 6850 video card.

Try 1 stick of ram.
Try moving the video card to 2nd slot.

If you manage to boot up, what is the bios firmware? You might need to update it.

I haven't tried moving the video card to the second slot.

I left the CMOS battery out over night so hopefully that might work.

 

[knitoe]

I am installing windows 7 onto an SSD (corsair f60). I needed the disc for the Ethernet drivers, the asus p8p67 disc that came with the motherboard.

There are a lot of options for things on that disc aside from the Ethernet driver, what should I install and avoid? Does the PC benefit from intel drivers or realtek sound drivers?

Thanks again for any advice.

You need both the intel chipset, intel Rapid Storage and realtek drivers. Although, there maybe newer drivers directly from intel and realtek website. Also, install the USB drivers.

 

[Slavik81]

A friend wants to upgrade his 9800GT. I have no idea what size his case is or what power supply he has.

Are you able to recommend anything based just off that?

 

[rocK`]

Just ordered this for my i7 2600k, was the only mobo I liked in stock:

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

Thoughts?

 

[Weenerz]

Just ordered this for my i7 2600k, was the only mobo I liked in stock:

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

Thoughts?

Board looks great, but I'm reading some of the comments regarding it on the Newegg site and they seem kind of negative and it's unavailable to purchase. Is this the old one with the bad sata ports? Have they updated it with the chipset fixes?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_re=sabertooth_1155-_-13-131-702-_-Product

 

[opticalmace]

A friend wants to upgrade his 9800GT. I have no idea what size his case is or what power supply he has.

Are you able to recommend anything based just off that?

Price?

 

[Majeh]

M is micro-ATX version. Generally if you have ATX case get ATX. A non-Pro version will be just fine.

Also YOU MUST UPDATE THE 2TB DRIVE FIRMWARE. IF you are not comfortable downloading and making a bootable USB to flash it, then just get a WD Black 2TB or F3 1TB's.

5400rpm, but platter density is very high so it is not impactful and is actually on equal footing.

DG is pretty noticeable for me.

Eh, that depends, I contacted Amazon (UK) when I bought one of the Samsung 2TB F4's and they replied with this:

Thank you for contacting Amazon.co.uk

Samsung have confirmed that any drives with a build date after 11-2010 will have the new firmware pre-installed. Please feel free to contact the manufacturer of this item should you require more techinical information.

Samsung contact number: 1(44) 207-3654-193

 

[ithorien]

Board looks great, but I'm reading some of the comments regarding it on the Newegg site and they seem kind of negative and it's unavailable to purchase. Is this the old one with the bad sata ports? Have they updated it with the chipset fixes?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_re=sabertooth_1155-_-13-131-702-_-Product

All the 1155 boards are getting updated, if you look at the Asus site, it's updated to B3 revision.

I've been eyeing this board too, but whenever I update I'll need COAX out of the board unless I get an audio card (which most likely won't be in the budget).

 

[luiztfc]

Quick question:

What's the best way to transfer all the music files from a mac itunes to a pc itunes? The idea is to transfer the cover art and other info as well.

Thanks!

 

[Corky]

Alright GAF you win I give up, I can't wait until Q4 for a new pc. Just waiting 3 days ( THREE ) since I sold off my last rig has been horrendous.

Does this look ok? I thought I'd stick to my guns and keep with the 2600k since I'll most likely benefit from it while doing CAD and stuff.

The things I'm not sure about

1) the motherboard, I know nothing about ASUS. I'd pick gigabyte but apparently they stuck to the old BIOS ui while asus and msi went for UEFI. But that aside, which one is more stable and best for OC? Also stores are terrible at telling you WHY you should go higher up the ranks within the same motherboards series.

2) The ram. I can't for the life of me find 1.5V ram that will fit in the case alongside a noctua-dh14. So I'll be going 1.65V, problem brewing?

3) The gpu, ooooh this fucking ordeal with the gpu. 6970 CF? 570 SLI? 6990? In the end it looks like I'll be going with a 580 sli build, but I'll start with just 1 card and upgrade down the line.

Anywho

Here is the list.

edit :

also, I'll refrain from buying an SSD, will pick up a vertex 3 when prices are lower. And I'll be getting my OS from uni.

 

[mkenyon]

580, 2600K, yet no SSD? Crazy talk, IMO.

The big 3 mobo companies probably all have around the same failure rates, and relatively similar tech support. There are going to be praises and horror stories of all 3, but it's all anecdotal. The UEFI BIOS is a big win for me though, I love using that.

The Noctua heatsink is both overkill and outdated for you.

If I were you, I'd switch to a 2500K, 570/6970, and a less expensive heatsink. Either take that money to the bank, or put it back into an SSD and a better (see: mechanical) keyboard.

 

[Corky]

580, 2600K, yet no SSD? Crazy talk, IMO.

The big 3 mobo companies probably all have around the same failure rates, and relatively similar tech support. There are going to be praises and horror stories of all 3, but it's all anecdotal. The UEFI BIOS is a big win for me though, I love using that.

The Noctua heatsink is both overkill and outdated for you.

If I were you, I'd switch to a 2500K, 570/6970, and a less expensive heatsink. Either take that money to the bank, or put it back into an SSD and a better (see: mechanical) keyboard.

Oh I know the benefits of an SSD alright, afterall my last rig had a 280mb/s write/read vertex 2 E in it. But since I don't want to make the same mistake, which was buying a way too small ssd ( 60gb ) I'd rather wait and upgrade when prices are low.

Good to know about the motherboard, though as I suspected the tech is similar. Also what do you mean with that the noctua dh14 is outdated? And overkill? I plan to go for a hefty OC on the cpu. Even though I know I'm being optimistic, I really do want to hit a 5ghz OC. And that won't be possible with your run of the mill cooler I reckon.

Or am I wrong?

 

[Kenka]

Well, I've tried to go the budget route but I want to make sure that my RAM and case are able to last for the next years or so. I am about to pull the trigger tomorrow on that :

It is what it is. A budget rig meant to play The Witcher 2 and Skyrim @ 45-50 FPS @ 1080p. I also want to play other less demanding games like Dead Space 2, RIFT, Tera, Dolphim emulation and PS2 emulation. The problem is, I don't know if all the componants go well along together. The mobo supports SATA-3 but I have no idea if overclocking will be a possibility. Also, will the OC GPU make my overall consumption explode ? I actually doubt if my 520W PSU can handle the all thing, especially if overclocking is a possibility.

Also, do I need thermal psate for the CPU cooler ?

 

[iNvid02]

i would go for some 1.5v g-skill sandy bridge RAM, i have 8GB and it fits perfectly underneath the D14.

Also get an SSD, 128GB is the sweet spot for a boot drive. If you want everything now go for the C300 128GB.

Your system is pretty similar to mine actually

EDIT: sorry that was directed at corky

 

[Kenka]

i would go for some 1.5v g-skill sandy bridge RAM, i have 8GB and it fits perfectly underneath the D14.

Also get an SSD, 128GB is the sweet spot for a boot drive. If you want everything now go for the C300 128GB.

Your system is pretty similar to mine actually

I don't want to sound unthankful but I think that these suggestions are shooting the price a bit too high. It is important to me that I can keep the budget line. I'll upgrade to a much powerful system once the Ivy Bridge hits retail and when I actually get decent money.

Also, if HDD, case, GPU and RAM can last some other builds, it's all good. The mobo and CPU purpose is to last two years of gaming. I am a lot more worried about potential incompabilities betwen the components.

 

[InertiaXr]

Well, I've tried to go the budget route but I want to make sure that my RAM and case are able to last for the next years or so. I am about to pull the trigger tomorrow on that :

It is what it is. A budget rig meant to play The Witcher 2 and Skyrim @ 45-50 FPS @ 1080p. I also want to play other less demanding games like Dead Space 2, RIFT, Tera, Dolphim emulation and PS2 emulation. The problem is, I don't know if all the componants go well along together. The mobo supports SATA-3 but I have no idea if overclocking will be a possibility. Also, will the OC GPU make my overall consumption explode ? I actually doubt if my 520W PSU can handle the all thing, especially if overclocking is a possibility.

Also, do I need thermal psate for the CPU cooler ?

It looks like you have 2 mobos. Also get spinpoint f3 instead of a caviar blue. I'm not sure what your prices are converted to USD, but $80+ for a 520W Season (not Corsair) seems expensive and you would have to replace it if wanting to upgrade or add things in at a later date. If your looking to run at 1080p a 460 won't last you all that long at higher settings, look for a 560 Ti.

 

[mkenyon]

Also what do you mean with that the noctua dh14 is outdated? And overkill? I plan to go for a hefty OC on the cpu. Even though I know I'm being optimistic, I really do want to hit a 5ghz OC. And that won't be possible with your run of the mill cooler I reckon.

Or am I wrong?

There are less expensive and smaller coolers that achieve more or less the same results as the noctua. Also, yes, you are wrong. They can hit a stable 5.0 on an H50 cooler in a simple push configuration. I've seen it in person even.

What makes you think that prices will come down on larger sized SSDs? Might happen, but it might also not happen once the new gens are released. Retailers will keep old tech at the same price for quite awhile, despite the newer and faster stuff being about the same price. Check out LGA775 procs or 5870s if you want to see that in action.

Also, I still think you're being unrealistic and silly on your graphics card.

 

[Shambles]

I don't want to sound unthankful but I think that these suggestions are shooting the price a bit too high. It is important to me that I can keep the budget line. I'll upgrade to a much powerful system once the Ivy Bridge hits retail and when I actually get decent money.

Also, if HDD, case, GPU and RAM can last some other builds, it's all good. The mobo and CPU purpose is to last two years of gaming. I am a lot more worried about potential incompabilities betwen the components.

If you're planning to upgrade to Ivy Bridge you should consider the possibility that it might also be socket 1155 and you might be able to reuse a sandy bridge motherboard. While the i3 2100 is a dual core it is still no slouch and will probably net you the same experience as the AMD chip you have selected. Nothing is certain but at this point it's looking pretty likely that IB will be on 1155. You'll end up paying a bit more on the motherboard now but save a lot more in the long term.

 

[Kenka]

It looks like you have 2 mobos. Also get spinpoint f3 instead of a caviar blue. I'm not sure what your prices are converted to USD, but $80+ for a 520W Season (not Corsair) seems expensive and you would have to replace it if wanting to upgrade or add things in at a later date. If your looking to run at 1080p a 460 won't last you all that long at higher settings, look for a 560 Ti.

I thank you much for this insightful comment. Yeah, I made a mistake with the second mobo, and no, a Cooler Master 520W does indeed cost that much. 1 CHF = 1 USD by the way.

SO, I tweeked and....

ended up with this. Again, if no visible compatibility problem or annoying choice, then this will be mine tomorrow. But again, do I need thermal paste ?

 

[Wazzim]

I thank you much for this insightful comment. Yeah, I made a mistake with the second mobo, and no, a Cooler Master 520W does indeed cost that much. 1 CHF = 1 USD by the way.

SO, I tweeked and....

http://i56.tinypic.com/2zipno4.png[IMG]

ended up with this. Again, if no visible compatibility problem or annoying choice, then this will be mine tomorrow. But again, do I need thermal paste ?[/QUOTE]
The 212+ has good thermal past included.

 

[Kenka]

If you're planning to upgrade to Ivy Bridge you should consider the possibility that it might also be socket 1155 and you might be able to reuse a sandy bridge motherboard. While the i3 2100 is a dual core it is still no slouch and will probably net you the same experience as the AMD chip you have selected. Nothing is certain but at this point it's looking pretty likely that IB will be on 1155. You'll end up paying a bit more on the motherboard now but save a lot more in the long term.

Again, thank you. So I might have to give a bit extra and pay for a i3-2100 + P8P67.
So, do you something that should be changed ? Compatibility problems ? P67 mobo is just in case as Shambles said.

The 212+ has good thermal past included.

You guys keep delivering. I am grateful

 

[Ecto311]

You need both the intel chipset, intel Rapid Storage and realtek drivers. Although, there maybe newer drivers directly from intel and realtek website. Also, install the USB drivers.

Ok thanks, would slimdrivers find updates or would I be better off doing it manually. The pc is running fine without the drivers but I just want to do this once and not have to worry later.

 

[Shambles]

Again, thank you. So I might have to give a bit extra and pay for a i3-2100 + P8P67.
So, do you something that should be changed ? Compatibility problems ?

You guys keep delivering. I am grateful

I'm really hesitant to say it's definitely going to go one way or the other. Initially it was reported that Ivy Bridge would be using the 1155 socket. Later on it was stated that even with the same socket the older Cougar Point chipset on P67/H67 motherboards would not be compatable so you would still need a new motherboard. Afterwards back in February it was then stated that the new P67/H67 motherboards -would- work with Ivy Bridge. Possibly because of the new revisions of the boards that were released since the earlier chipset failure when SNB released.

The moral of the story is that until we see some definite proof it's possible that Intel could flip flop back again. Personally I would take the risk if I was in your position as things look to be working out that way. Either way though the i3 2100 is a definite performance step up over the athlon x4 so even if it doesn't work out you're going to have a CPU that can perform better. I assume you're building this primarily for gaming which the 2100 also excels over the 640. If you're using this for multi-core professional video editing suites that utilize multi-cores the 640 will give you greater performance. The 2100 will probably run about 20 CHF more than the 640 but the change in motherboard will likely be more of a price increase depending if you want a unit that supports SLI or has an onboard USB 3.0 header. You'll also have to decide if you want a P67 motherboard that allows overclocking (The 2100 is not unlocked so you won't be able to overclock much, but down the line if you buy an unlocked Ivy Bridge CPU you'll probably still need a P67 board), or an H67 motherboard that allows you to use the integrated GPU (which probably isn't needed but it's nice to have that backup and the H67 boards will likely be cheaper).

Take a look at what the price difference is going to be, then take a look at some reviews to see the performance differences, and then decide if the price increase justifies the performance increase and if not does it justiry the chance that it will save you a motherboard upgrade later in the year.

Edit: Looking at some benchmarks even the dual core i3-2100 comes out ahead or even over the X4 640 in a lot of CPU tasks, even those that are multi-threaded. If you're editing stuff you'll have to look at benchmarks for the exact programs you're using.

 

[scogoth]

580, 2600K, yet no SSD? Crazy talk, IMO.

The big 3 mobo companies probably all have around the same failure rates, and relatively similar tech support. There are going to be praises and horror stories of all 3, but it's all anecdotal. The UEFI BIOS is a big win for me though, I love using that.

The Noctua heatsink is both overkill and outdated for you.

If I were you, I'd switch to a 2500K, 570/6970, and a less expensive heatsink. Either take that money to the bank, or put it back into an SSD and a better (see: mechanical) keyboard.

I disagree, if you can afford the NH-D14 it performs much better then an H50. I'm running a 930 and the H50 couldn't hold steady temps (<80) at anything over 3.5GHz. With the NH-D14 temps are <50 at 4GHz and is much quieter then the corsair fan.

Mechanical keyboards are a preference thing, sidewinder x4 is a friend of mine's favourite.

For GPUs you're paying a premium for the best (580/6970) but if thats what you want go for it.

I do absolutely agree on the ssd, once in game its not a big deal but everything else outside of gaming will feel snappier. Its worth it to invest in an ssd even if its only a boot drive.

 

[Kenka]

I'm really hesitant to say it's definitely going to go one way or the other. Initially it was reported that Ivy Bridge would be using the 1155 socket. Later on it was stated that even with the same socket the older Cougar Point chipset on P67/H67 motherboards would not be compatable so you would still need a new motherboard. Afterwards back in February it was then stated that the new P67/H67 motherboards -would- work with Ivy Bridge. Possibly because of the new revisions of the boards that were released since the earlier chipset failure when SNB released.

The moral of the story is that until we see some definite proof it's possible that Intel could flip flop back again. Personally I would take the risk if I was in your position as things look to be working out that way. Either way though the i3 2100 is a definite performance step up over the athlon x4 so even if it doesn't work out you're going to have a CPU that can perform better. I assume you're building this primarily for gaming which the 2100 also excels over the 640. If you're using this for multi-core professional video editing suites that utilize multi-cores the 640 will give you greater performance. The 2100 will probably run about 20 CHF more than the 640 but the change in motherboard will likely be more of a price increase depending if you want a unit that supports SLI or has an onboard USB 3.0 header. You'll also have to decide if you want a P67 motherboard that allows overclocking (The 2100 is not unlocked so you won't be able to overclock much, but down the line if you buy an unlocked Ivy Bridge CPU you'll probably still need a P67 board), or an H67 motherboard that allows you to use the integrated GPU (which probably isn't needed but it's nice to have that backup and the H67 boards will likely be cheaper).

Take a look at what the price difference is going to be, then take a look at some reviews to see the performance differences, and then decide if the price increase justifies the performance increase and if not does it justiry the chance that it will save you a motherboard upgrade later in the year.

Edit: Looking at some benchmarks even the dual core i3-2100 comes out ahead or even over the X4 640 in a lot of CPU tasks, even those that are multi-threaded. If you're editing stuff you'll have to look at benchmarks for the exact programs you're using.

The very definition of a thoughtful, genuine and knowledgeable answer. The P67 move doesn't seem to be too expensive, changing the PSU helped to keep the price down, the 560 Ti only added 50 CHF to the build and the CPU is 20 CHF more expensive. And what you said about the benchmarks is indeed true.

Then, overall, I spent a bit more but I got a lot of good things in return. Of course, the P67 won't help right now but may have a chance to come handy if I upgrade to a Ivy Bridge CPU in some time. All in all, I have big chances to save me the purchase of a mobo, a PSU, and a GPU in a two years time frame.

Awesome advice, this build is basically the new well-thought, future-proof, budget-conscious gaming rig.

Of course, in the US, the same thing would cost about 25 % cheaper

 

[scogoth]

Quick question:

What's the best way to transfer all the music files from a mac itunes to a pc itunes? The idea is to transfer the cover art and other info as well.

Thanks!

Copy the entire iTunes folder in music over to your pc. Hold shift while opening iTunes on your PC and select the library file in the iTunes folder. It'll update the library file and everything should be the same as it was on your mac.

 

[DeadRockstar]

I disagree, if you can afford the NH-D14 it performs much better then an H50. I'm running a 930 and the H50 couldn't hold steady temps (<80) at anything over 3.5GHz. With the NH-D14 temps are <50 at 4GHz and is much quieter then the corsair fan.

What? My H50 has my i7 4ghz at <50C

 

[mkenyon]

I disagree, if you can afford the NH-D14 it performs much better then an H50. I'm running a 930 and the H50 couldn't hold steady temps (<80) at anything over 3.5GHz. With the NH-D14 temps are <50 at 4GHz and is much quieter then the corsair fan.

Mechanical keyboards are a preference thing, sidewinder x4 is a friend of mine's favourite.

For GPUs you're paying a premium for the best (580/6970) but if thats what you want go for it.

I do absolutely agree on the ssd, once in game its not a big deal but everything else outside of gaming will feel snappier. Its worth it to invest in an ssd even if its only a boot drive.

I wasn't suggesting the H50, just looked over my post and am not sure how you came to that conclusion. I did not add the clause, "Even a cooler as crappy as an H50 on just push configuration could....", which may have cleared it up for you. The thermaltake frio, for example, has the same benches as the D14, but is half the size and $30 less. V6GT, same thing. There's been some huge advances in the CPU cooler market over the past year, and the D14 is frankly outdated.

Mechanical keyboards are not a preference thing, they're objectively better. Mainly, because through a PS2 connection, they will register every single actuation. I can hit the entire home row at once and every character comes up, which means zero-ghosting. When you are WASD'ing, plus a q, maybe a CRTL and spacebar at the same time, a keyboard will freak out. I can't tell you how many times in Warsow/Q3/Tribes/CoD I died due to keyboard malfunction prior to upgrading. The feel of them is a secondary benefit, and entirely subjective. I haven't met someone who likes membrane keyboards more than my MX Blues after feeling it out for a bit, however.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I pulled the trigger tonight. Put my mobo, RAM and GPU up on Ebay.

6950, here I come!

The mobo has already sold and I hope the 5850 will go soon as I put it at a very reasonable price (£20 below everyone else just for a sale!)

Man, even though it's not a huge upgrade, I feel quite excited. I'm such a loser.