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[Nelo Ice]

That's a great price, do it.

Alright I'll get to ordering it then, also do I need to get an aftermarket cooler if I'm looking into OC'ing my Nvidia GTX 460 1GB? Curious since if I'm going to OC my 2500k I may as well OC my 460 since I plan on using it until at least 2013 or whenever Nvidia releases the 2nd gen of Kepler GPUs.

edit:also my psu is an antecp bp550 plus, will there be any probs When I OC both my GPU and CPU?

 

[Kryptonic]

are 3gb 580 lightnings still $700ish? I didn't see any for sale on newegg, that's how much I saw them for on amazon.

$599 was the cheapest i could find at TigerDirect

 

[AzureSkies]

Thought I might as well ask here as I have no clue where to really ask.

I have an ATI Radeon HD 6770 1GB and I have two monitors, one is at 1336x768 and one is at 1920x1080 (would be used as a main monitor, it's a HD TV Monitor with VGA input) how is performance with the 6770 at 1920X1080? Specifically with games like Battlefield 3 I'd love to get an upgrade but I really can't at the moment.

Computer Specifications:
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6770 1GB
AMD Phenom B60 X4 @ 3.3Ghz
8GB DDR3 RAM
Windows 7 x64

If it's too large of a performance difference I'll just use the 1336x768 monitor, but it'd be nice to use both really and just to clarify, I would only be using the second monitor for programs and such, nothing like eyefinity.

 

[catabarez]

Can somebody help me find the best GPU that doesn't require external power? I'm helping my brother look for one.

 

[Sarcasm]

Can somebody help me find the best GPU that doesn't require external power? I'm helping my brother look for one.

What is the specs its going in? Whats its gonna be used for? Budget?

 

[catabarez]

What is the specs its going in? Whats its gonna be used for? Budget?

Well it's a pre-built dell.

I'm pretty sure this is it actually:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KP7HA6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

The most he's really willing to spend is around $100

 

[catabarez]

Can we even do much with that set up? lol I'm not even sure.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Alright I'll get to ordering it then, also do I need to get an aftermarket cooler if I'm looking into OC'ing my Nvidia GTX 460 1GB? Curious since if I'm going to OC my 2500k I may as well OC my 460 since I plan on using it until at least 2013 or whenever Nvidia releases the 2nd gen of Kepler GPUs.

edit:also my psu is an antecp bp550 plus, will there be any probs When I OC both my GPU and CPU?

No and no. You'll be fine. Just make sure your case has adequate cooling.

 

[Smokey]

I do have a small problem...

For some reason when I press the power button on the machine it will not come on. Most of the time. I usually have to go to my power supply and flip the switch on and off a few times. Then when I press the power button I'll see it flash for a second, like it's suddenly getting power. Another press after getting that and the machine will usually come on. All of the power plugs are in correctly on the motherboard, so the only thing I can think of is my extension cable that I ordered is causing this to happen? I have never had this issue before...

It's a pain because when this happens it's like the BIOS resets and I get asked to go to the setup screen. All my settings are set back to default etc....

 

[FoolsRun]

All of the power plugs are in correctly on the motherboard, so the only thing I can think of is my extension cable that I ordered is causing this to happen? I have never had this issue before...

Have you tried plugging it in without using the extension cable? If I recall correctly, you got the extension because the stock cable wasn't long enough when trying to route it cleanly behind the motherboard. Forget about prettying up the case for now and just plug it in directly to see if that helps.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Would it be dumb to buy an EVGA 560Ti 2GB for £215.99 vs a Zotac 560TI 1280MB (448SP) for £227.99 ? Part of me wants the 2GB to be a bit future proof (Doesnt BF3 eat up VRAM ?).

 

[TheExodu5]

this is sexy smokey. well done.

now next issue at hand.
which do i go with gents?
smokey's silverstone FT02
or a fractal designs R3

note: i have the same non reference gtx 580.

someone decide for me. i cant choose dammit.

Both are very nice cases, but both are probably ill suited for an aftermarket GPU cooling solution (though for different reasons).

I think the FT02 is an awesome case, but the fact that some aftermarket coolers don't function properly in it is a shame.

 

[FoolsRun]

Has anyone used the NZXT Sentry Mesh fan controller? I'm thinking about getting it for my Fractal R3, since it's one of the few controllers without protruding knobs that won't get in the way of the front door. I've heard that some of NZXT's older models like the Sentry 2 touchscreen caused certain fans to buzz, but I haven't found anything negative about the newer mesh model. It's only been out since July, so it doesn't have a long track record.

 

[Smokey]

Have you tried plugging it in without using the extension cable? If I recall correctly, you got the extension because the stock cable wasn't long enough when trying to route it cleanly behind the motherboard. Forget about prettying up the case for now and just plug it in directly to see if that helps.

Will try this when I get home from work. That's the only thing I can think of that is causing the issue.

Both are very nice cases, but both are probably ill suited for an aftermarket GPU cooling solution (though for different reasons).

I think the FT02 is an awesome case, but the fact that some aftermarket coolers don't function properly in it is a shame.

When I had the DCII before I sold it to ICE RAVEN (lol), I don't recall having any temp issues. In fact I remember being amazed at how cool it was. When I went SLI that's when the issue became more pronounced in the FT02 due to the extra heat that was given off by the two cards.

With that said as much as I'd love to help IR out with a nice GAF discount, I can't in good faith sell my case to him knowing that the FT02 doesn't jive particularly well with our style of cards. Look at me being a upstanding citizen!

On the 500r...love the case and glad I went with it. I feel much better now about having fans around the case keeping my machine cooler. I need to change the orientation of the 200m fan on the mesh to be an intake and fix my power issue, but other than that I think it's nice and very sleek looking. Shame I missed out on some good deals on it. Heard it was going for $99 on newegg around Thanksgiving week. I still feel incomplete without a push/pull setup on my H100 though...need to figure out a way to make that happen.

 

[·feist·]

Asus Rampage IV Gene & ROG Intel X79 Roadmap

*click for 957px × 716px

Has anyone used the NZXT Sentry Mesh fan controller? I'm thinking about getting it for my Fractal R3, since it's one of the few controllers without protruding knobs that won't get in the way of the front door. I've heard that some of NZXT's older models like the Sentry 2 touchscreen caused certain fans to buzz, but I haven't found anything negative about the newer mesh model. It's only been out since July, so it doesn't have a long track record.

No personal experience, but you may want to also consider something like the BitFenix Recon, or an external like the NZXT Sentry LXE.

Apart from that, you can do what most Define owners do: buy whichever controller you like, and mount it slightly back in the bay, so as to clear the door. Or, mount the controller of your choice in reverse, with the nobs facing the inside of the PC. There are plenty of other ways.

 

[EphemeralDream]

Yeah I'm thinking I fried the motherboard. I don't think I took it out with the pc actually on, but psu was still on/connected. I am still getting power to the fans.

If I already cleared the cmos using the jumper, I guess there is no point in removing the battery?

Have you fiddled with the ATX 24 and the ATX 8 cable? If it gets dislodged, the mobo wouldn't boot. May want to try reinserting it before replacing the whole thing.

 

[JVIDICAN]

What would be a good fan(120mm?) for replacing the one that comes with the hyper 212 Plus?
The stock fan is kind of loud to begin with and in addition, I must have f'd it up a bit while messing around in the case. It makes a constant clicking noise now. Not really loud yet, but still annoying.

 

[kitch9]

Well it's a pre-built dell.

I'm pretty sure this is it actually:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KP7HA6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

The most he's really willing to spend is around $100

Knowing Dell, they will have welded the graphics card in so it cannot be removed.

 

[TheExodu5]

When I had the DCII before I sold it to ICE RAVEN (lol), I don't recall having any temp issues. In fact I remember being amazed at how cool it was. When I went SLI that's when the issue became more pronounced in the FT02 due to the extra heat that was given off by the two cards.

With that said as much as I'd love to help IR out with a nice GAF discount, I can't in good faith sell my case to him knowing that the FT02 doesn't jive particularly well with our style of cards. Look at me being a upstanding citizen!

On the 500r...love the case and glad I went with it. I feel much better now about having fans around the case keeping my machine cooler. I need to change the orientation of the 200m fan on the mesh to be an intake and fix my power issue, but other than that I think it's nice and very sleek looking. Shame I missed out on some good deals on it. Heard it was going for $99 on newegg around Thanksgiving week. I still feel incomplete without a push/pull setup on my H100 though...need to figure out a way to make that happen.

I do know certain aftermarket heatsinks were supposed to work fine with it...one user on [H] had dual 5870 with Accelero Xtremes, I believe, and was reporting ~60C temps, IIRC. I guess it just didn't jive with the Twin Frozr cooler.

Actually, looking at the Accelero:

It kind of makes sense that it would mostly work fine with the FT02. If gravity were pulling the liquid, it would still propagate it away from the contact plate and towards the long end of the heatsink.

The Twin Frozr III by comparison:

Since the heatpipes are actually bent in a U shape, it's possibly that gravity can screw with the design even more than the Accelero.

 

[RS4-]

Some people have mentioned that the Shaman works well with the FT02 as well

 

[mug]

Well it's a pre-built dell.

I'm pretty sure this is it actually:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KP7HA6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

The most he's really willing to spend is around $100

Radeon 6670 - make sure you pick up the DDR5 model. It should be around $100 and definitely less after rebates. Zotac is planning to release a downclocked fanless GTS 450 but I'm not sure when or what the performance will be. At the moment I think the 6670 is the way to go.

 

[Smokey]

Well when the GTX 600s are announced and I can't resist....I could still have my FT02 and throw them in there . That doesn't sound like a bad plan actually.

On the H100...I let my Asus auto OC my 2600k to 4.5ghz just to see the type of clocks I would get. If I remember correctly the voltage was 1.3 something. I'm sure I could do much better with manual clocks, but I just wanted to see temps. Ran the Prime test using RealTemp and max temp was 66-67.

I've no idea how good that is, but I know with my H70 the temps during the test were around the 73-74 range in the FT02 in a push/pull config (exhaust). This is with my fans set as exhausts in my current setup. I feel I could do a bit better if I had them as intakes since it would bring fresh, cooler air into the case. Kind of want to get two more fans to set up top the radiator for a push/pull intake setup on the 500r. Only thing is I wouldn't be able to use the mesh cover to close the top since there would be two additional fans on top of the radiator.

 

[mkenyon]

You gain ~1 degrees in a push/pull setup. You'll have better gains getting non-corsair fans with high H20 pressure ratings just pushing. Grab some Yate Loons or Scythe GT's if you can find some.

@Feist, though I appreciate your posts a ton, I'm thinking I need to you put you on ignore for the sake of my bank account.

 

[RS4-]

No personal experience, but you may want to also consider something like the BitFenix Recon, or an external like the NZXT Sentry LXE.

Apart from that, you can do what most Define owners do: buy whichever controller you like, and mount it slightly back in the bay, so as to clear the door. Or, mount the controller of your choice in reverse, with the nobs facing the inside of the PC. There are plenty of other ways.

Damn, the Recon looks interesting.

I was close to getting the Sentry LXE but reviews were across the board in re: to the touch screen.

 

[JJBro One]

Any good hdd deals I should know about? Looking for one for my brother's build. I've bought a 1tb for $80 haven't seem anything worhwhile since.

 

[Celcius]

Asus Rampage IV Gene & ROG Intel X79 Roadmap

At first I didn't see why they put the two x16 slots right next to each other on the bottom of an mATX board, but I guess it could help if you plan to run sli with dual 3-slot cards...
(though the bottom card would be hanging off the edge of the motherboard)

 

[mkenyon]

Could also be for folks who want to run trifire/3xSLI with waterblocks. That's what I envisioned when I looked at it.

 

[mug]

Quick question to experts on Windows 7. I just bought a new motherboard and CPU. I'd like to install Windows from a backup image if that's possible. I'd prefer not to re-download BF3, L4D2, etc. Will Windows 7 install from backup with different hardware (mobo/cpu/ram)?

 

[Gritesh]

I'm running a phenom x6 right now with a hd 5850 card, I'm looking to get better fps in games on ultra but not sure what upgrade route I should go....is it worth going to a i5 2500k or what? Also any info on nvidia 600s at all?

 

[Kiyamon]

• Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $115
• Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I52500K - $215
• GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $130
• EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $250
• COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $60
• Seagate Barracuda 1 TB 7200 RPM 3.5" Hard Drive - $55 (now $150)
• CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply - $90
• G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL - $45
• Asus 24x DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD+/-R Burner - $20
• Windows 7 Pro - $130

Ok, I am in the process of putting this together. As things go on sale I have been pruchasing them. So far have: Case, RAM, CD drive, Power Supply, HDD. Have had some very good deals.

So I am now thinking of the set up. What would you guys recommend that I use the SDD as the booting device (i.e. install Win on the SSD) or utilize the Intel Smart Response SSD ability of the motherboard (Z68). Some ok deals on 128 GB SSD drives, worth to buy one of those and use as OS and frequently used apps (gaming, internent, etc.) use the HD as a slave drive; or would it be better to go for a much cheaper 64GB and use as a cache of the frequently used data files (i.e. use the Smart Response).

Thoughts? Anyone? Anyone?

Thank you.

 

[scogoth]

I'm running a phenom x6 right now with a hd 5850 card, I'm looking to get better fps in games on ultra but not sure what upgrade route I should go....is it worth going to a i5 2500k or what? Also any info on nvidia 600s at all?

The 2500k isn't going to do anything over the phenom. You're GPU limited right now.

The 600m series released today but there not actually 28nm parts. Latest rumours have the desktop 600 series out in Q2 of next year and the high end boards coming in Q3, Q4 and Q1 2013

 

[mkenyon]

Samsung 470 128GB SSD on sale for $150 right now. Supposedly these are some of the most reliable SSD's.

So I am now thinking of the set up. What would you guys recommend that I use the SDD as the booting device (i.e. install Win on the SSD) or utilize the Intel Smart Response SSD ability of the motherboard (Z68). Some ok deals on 128 GB SSD drives, worth to buy one of those and use as OS and frequently used apps (gaming, internent, etc.) use the HD as a slave drive; or would it be better to go for a much cheaper 64GB and use as a cache of the frequently used data files (i.e. use the Smart Response).

Thoughts? Anyone? Anyone?

Thank you.

The Smart Response SSD tech only works on drives smaller than 40GB iirc. Maybe less than 60, but I think 40.

Going to the next size up is worth it. 90-100 seems to be the sweet spot for OS and main apps, no games. 128 is a good place for OS, main apps, and a select few games.

 

[Nemo]

This is the one you want. Only differences between the latter two are an extra 2 SATA ports on a marvell controller and maybe a different audio chipset. The difference between the first and second is (hopefully) ivy bridge compatibility, as well as PCI-E 3.0 slots.


Heatsink is probably not seated properly.

Hey mkenyon, I wanted to thank you again. I checked the heatsink mounting out and it turns one part was indeed a bit lifted above the processor. Did it properly and applied some AS5 and it's running 40 idle and 60 at load now. Much better

Although it seemed to be a bitch to mount the heatsink properly though. I don't know what the hell was up but every screw had to be turned in a different way (so not one side with the arrow) before they could come underneath the mobo. I got it after 20 mins but I still dunno if all the brackets are locked in correctly.

Hope I didn't break anything

 

[brotkasten]

New X79 boards in January, huh? Any dates for mid-range S2011 CPUs like the 2500k? Or is that the Ivy Bridge version that is supposed to come out in Q2?

 

[FoolsRun]

So I am now thinking of the set up. What would you guys recommend that I use the SDD as the booting device (i.e. install Win on the SSD) or utilize the Intel Smart Response SSD ability of the motherboard (Z68). Some ok deals on 128 GB SSD drives, worth to buy one of those and use as OS and frequently used apps (gaming, internent, etc.) use the HD as a slave drive; or would it be better to go for a much cheaper 64GB and use as a cache of the frequently used data files (i.e. use the Smart Response).

I fooled around with SRT when I built my PC in October, and it's certainly the easiest way to incorporate an SSD into your rig. You install everything to the HD and let it worry about caching what it wants to. If your SSD goes belly-up at any point, your HD is still the primary source, and you can just turn SRT off without worrying about losing your OS.

SRT works best if you have a handful of applications that you use frequently; you want the cache to be relatively static, as the the file access is actually slower the first time a file is cached. If you jump between a lot of applications your cache turnover will be high and you won't see as much benefit.

As for size, SRT can use a maximum partition size of 64 GB, but Intel found the sweet spot to be around 40 GB, if I recall correctly.

If you don't mind doing a little extra tweaking, you'll generally get the best performance by using it as a regular drive and not using SRT at all, which is what I wound up doing.

 

[Kiyamon]

Samsung 470 128GB SSD on sale for $150 right now. Supposedly these are some of the most reliable SSD's.

The Smart Response SSD tech only works on drives smaller than 40GB iirc. Maybe less than 60, but I think 40.

Going to the next size up is worth it. 90-100 seems to be the sweet spot for OS and main apps, no games. 128 is a good place for OS, main apps, and a select few games.

Thanks for the response. Would it be better if the SSD was SATA III? Looking at this one Kingston 128GB SATA III

 

[mkenyon]

Thanks for the response. Would it be better if the SSD was SATA III? Looking at this one Kingston 128GB SATA III

Reliability > everything on SSD's.

 

[mug]

Quick question to experts on Windows 7. I just bought a new motherboard and CPU. I'd like to install Windows from a backup image if that's possible. I'd prefer not to re-download BF3, L4D2, etc. Will Windows 7 install from backup with different hardware (mobo/cpu/ram)?

Anyone? Not wanting to spam but I really need to reinstall asap.

 

[FoolsRun]

No personal experience, but you may want to also consider something like the BitFenix Recon, or an external like the NZXT Sentry LXE.

Apart from that, you can do what most Define owners do: buy whichever controller you like, and mount it slightly back in the bay, so as to clear the door. Or, mount the controller of your choice in reverse, with the nobs facing the inside of the PC. There are plenty of other ways.

I think those two controllers are a bit more complicated than what I was looking for. I have to deal with technology all day at work so I like to keep things simple when possible when I get home. The more bells and whistles you have, the more things can break. They do look neat, though.

I've seen at least one picture of a Fractal R3 with a recessed fan controller in the 5.25 bay. I'll probably poke around a bit more before I make a decision.

 

[Gritesh]

The 2500k isn't going to do anything over the phenom. You're GPU limited right now.

The 600m series released today but there not actually 28nm parts. Latest rumours have the desktop 600 series out in Q2 of next year and the high end boards coming in Q3, Q4 and Q1 2013

Is it worth going with a new gpu now or wait for the new cards a year from now. Also I have two monitors I game on one at 1920x1200 and run desktop on the other, if I was to get a Gtx 560 should I go with 1gb or spend 30 more for a 2gb?

 

[JJBro One]

Any thoughts on this psu? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...7256041&RandomID=1851476105523820111207103248

I'm really liking the price but is it good for my build? I plan on overclocking. Here's my build http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2NgM

 

[mkenyon]

Anyone? Not wanting to spam but I really need to reinstall asap.

It can have all sorts of random issues, not the least of which is all sorts of chipset driver incompatibility. That's if it works in the first place. Start fresh.

 

[mug]

It can have all sorts of random issues, not the least of which is all sorts of chipset driver incompatibility. That's if it works in the first place. Start fresh.

K thanks, is it possible to restore programs or games from backup on a fresh install?

 

[mkenyon]

K thanks, is it possible to restore programs or games from backup on a fresh install?

Steam has a backup utility. Don't know if Origin does or not, didn't install that Trojan on my computer.

 

[mug]

Steam has a backup utility. Don't know if Origin does or not, didn't install that Trojan on my computer.

Sigh... Yeah I'm aware of the faults of Origin but I gotta have my BF3 fix. Thanks for the info.

 

[Smokey]

With AMD's latest troll today being the "unveiling of their new mobile GPUs" (aka rebranded cards from last gen) I'm starting to think the next round of GPUs for desktops are further away than we think.

Buy GPUs now!

 

[mkenyon]

With AMD's latest troll today being the "unveiling of their new mobile GPUs" (aka rebranded cards from last gen) I'm starting to think the next round of GPUs for desktops are further away than we think.

Buy GPUs now!

Agreed. Turns out my inside guy from Sapphire was telling the truth. He said they were having yield issues and they'd be launching sometime Q2.

Even then, it's not like current gen cards are slouches. Almost bought two Hydro Copper Classified 580s yesterday. The thought of what was to come with the 79xx made me hold off. Now they're out of stock. FML. Should have trusted my gut.

 

[Gritesh]

They are saying late next quarter but what's a good current gen gpu for dual monitor right now?

 

[mkenyon]

They are saying late next quarter but what's a good current gen gpu for dual monitor right now?

Second monitor isn't taxing at all. Windows does all sorts of neat stuff while in a game to make GPU usage minimal. How much are you looking to spend?

 

[Gritesh]

200 to 300

I'm thinking nvidia over ati and with the current deals at NCix I'm not sure what card is a great deal