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[SnakeSlashRO]

Just so I'm clear:

1: Do you have another power supply you could use to test?
2: Do you have another video card?
3. Does the video card fan spin (sorry if this has been covered)
4. Does the CPU fan spin?

Just in case, swap the single stick of RAM for another stick.

We're getting into the unfortunate territory where it is probably either the mobo or the CPU. I think mobo failure rates are much higher than CPU failure rates, so that would be my first bet. You may very well have killed it by not using all the standoffs.

Did you buy local, or did you buy online? If you know of a store with a decent return policy, you could go get another mobo, and test it out. Otherwise, you'd need to RMA and wait. If it still didn't work, you'd have to RMA other parts, until you found the one that was busted.

If you have another PSU, try it. If you have another video card, use it. If you know anyone that could lend you either, ask them.

I do not have a another power supply or another video card.
The video card and the fan for the CPU spin ( I got the other fans to spin a while ago), I forgot to connect something.

So yeah same issue even outside of the case. Maybe I did fry the MoBo... but the Mobo was an open box item from frys.... and the CPU was reallllly cheap on amazon, it wasn't open when I got it... but lol.

Im thinking about trying to go take it back to frys........ dunno how that will go, I already used all that paste on the CPU and heatsink

 

[LordCanti]

I do not have a another power supply or another video card.
The video card and the fan for the CPU spin ( I got the other fans to spin a while ago), I forgot to connect something.

So yeah same issue even outside of the case. Maybe I did fry the MoBo... but the Mobo was an open box item from frys.... and the CPU was reallllly cheap on amazon, it wasn't open when I got it... but lol.

Im thinking about trying to go take it back to frys........ dunno how that will go, I already used all that paste on the CPU and heatsink

All...that...paste?

How much are we talking here? You shouldn't have used more than a grain of rice size (or a pea size, depending on who you ask).

What CPU model?

 

[black_vegeta]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

LMAO

ALL DAT PASTE.

Hopefully not >_>

 

[chaosblade]

All...that...paste?

http://i.imgur.com/3mudA.jpg

:lol

But yeah, if you can get it swapped out hopefully you'll have better results. If it was an open box item they might not let you return it though, which would totally suck. At least it's local so you won't have to deal with return shipping.

 

[LordCanti]

Just don't mention the part about how you may have fried the motherboard by not using the standoffs.

 

[Ludovician]

So I did decide to go for the Gigabyte GTX 570 SOC (can't recall if I posted that) - this HP computer has the strangest PSU, so I can't change it, and decided to have another one run as auxilery power for the GTX 570. It's a 360W.

When I start a game, about half the times it'll go well, the other half, my computer shuts down. I'm guessing this is a PSU problem (I already swapped from 300W to 360W). Is there anything that can explain this? Does the card have a huge random draw for a split second when starting 3D drawing? I've run Unigine benchmark and 3dmark Vantage time and again, and Vantage gets usage up to about 380-400W total (with monitor), and none of the games I've played stay around such a big load. If it persist, I'm gonna try moving the secondary PSU to another circuit, to see if it is any sort of load fluctuations on the powernet that causes the reboot.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Warnen]

Got my Alienware Aurora Desktop a few days ago and it wonderful. Even though I bought it scratch and dent they only thing that was scratched was the box it came in. Not a blemish on the entire thing including the upgraded mouse and keyboard that came with it. Really feels I got my money's worth with this one. Great build quality, super quite and the Witcher 2 runs flawlessly with setting maxed. Couldn't be happier.


My m11x should be here on monday, coming from apple stuff I was afraid the build quality wouldn't be up to snuff but I'm glad I was wrong.

 

[AwesomeSauce]

Don't worry about returning open box items at frys. People buy gpus and pc parts all the time there and have no idea what to do with it hence a lot of parts at frys are open box returns.

Also I read someone mention placing the mobo on plastic. I heard that is a big no no due to static build up from the plastic. If you meant the anti static bag the parts come in then that is fine.

 

[iSurvivedTheOutage]

wait wait..u bought an opened box mobo?

 

[LordCanti]

So I did decide to go for the Gigabyte GTX 570 SOC (can't recall if I posted that) - this HP computer has the strangest PSU, so I can't change it, and decided to have another one run as auxilery power for the GTX 570. It's a 360W.

When I start a game, about half the times it'll go well, the other half, my computer shuts down. I'm guessing this is a PSU problem (I already swapped from 300W to 360W). Is there anything that can explain this? Does the card have a huge random draw for a split second when starting 3D drawing? I've run Unigine benchmark and 3dmark Vantage time and again, and Vantage gets usage up to about 380-400W total (with monitor), and none of the games I've played stay around such a big load. If it persist, I'm gonna try moving the secondary PSU to another circuit, to see if it is any sort of load fluctuations on the powernet that causes the reboot.

Any other suggestions?

That isn't really how power works. You likely need more amps on the 12v rail than a 360w PSU can provide, to run a GTX 570 properly (not to mention the mobo, ram, etc). Trying to go half and half with two weak (likely poorly made) PSU's is a recipe for disaster.

It's a tough pill to swallow, but I'd get a beefier PSU, before you kill any components.

 

[Ooccoo]

I'd like a new rig, so here's my info. Any help greatly appreciated, I know almost nothing about computer parts. Gaming only.

Basic Desktop Questions:
Your Current Specs: I only have a laptop
Budget: around $1500 CDN (Canada) => will buy monitor, keyboard, mice separately
Main Use: Gaming
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 (planning on getting this http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236117 unless you have a better suggestion)
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Left 4 Dead 2, Diablo III, Dead Island, Skyrim
Are reusing any parts?: no
When will you build?: ASAP before the Fall madness begins!
Will you be overclocking?: Yes if possible

Also please tell me if it's possible to get the PC assembled before it ships as I'm REALLY not good at this.

 

[LordCanti]

I'd like a new rig, so here's my info. Any help greatly appreciated, I know almost nothing about computer parts. Gaming only.

Basic Desktop Questions:
Your Current Specs: I only have a laptop
Budget: around $1500 CDN (Canada) => will buy monitor, keyboard, mice separately
Main Use: Gaming
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 (planning on getting this http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236117 unless you have a better suggestion)
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Left 4 Dead 2, Diablo III, Dead Island, Skyrim
Are reusing any parts?: no
When will you build?: ASAP before the Fall madness begins!
Will you be overclocking?: Yes if possible

Also please tell me if it's possible to get the PC assembled before it ships as I'm REALLY not good at this.

NCIX will build and test a computer for $50-ish, and they are based in Canada. I would start with the $1000 build in the op, and maybe substitute a GTX 580 for the GTX 570 (if you are determined to get close to $1500). You'll have to include an OEM copy of Windows 7 as well. You may have enough left over for an SSD (I'm not sure of pricing in Canada).

 

[chaosblade]

So I did decide to go for the Gigabyte GTX 570 SOC (can't recall if I posted that) - this HP computer has the strangest PSU, so I can't change it, and decided to have another one run as auxilery power for the GTX 570. It's a 360W.

When I start a game, about half the times it'll go well, the other half, my computer shuts down. I'm guessing this is a PSU problem (I already swapped from 300W to 360W). Is there anything that can explain this? Does the card have a huge random draw for a split second when starting 3D drawing? I've run Unigine benchmark and 3dmark Vantage time and again, and Vantage gets usage up to about 380-400W total (with monitor), and none of the games I've played stay around such a big load. If it persist, I'm gonna try moving the secondary PSU to another circuit, to see if it is any sort of load fluctuations on the powernet that causes the reboot.

Any other suggestions?

I'm not sure I get what you're saying, are you using two PSUs? One for the main PC and another one is set up just to power the video card? I don't think that works, as the second PSU is never getting any sort of signal to tell it when to add more power. That comes from the motherboard, not the GPU.

Edit: Beaten while I was trying to make sure that's what you were saying.

 

[Sethos]

Appreciate your replies, LordCanti. I will up the clock by 200 whenever I pop by Bios and Prime it, then I'll stay below 60-65, my goal is just 4.5. Haven't built a PC in quite a while so it's nice to have somewhere to brush up on the rusty skills.

Oh and EFI Bios is actually pretty sweet.

 

[Clydefrog]

I hate waiting! I ordered a Corsair Carbide 400R case on August 3rd, not realizing that it won't ship until the end of the month! I already have all my other components sitting in the closet. ARGH

 

[LordCanti]

I'm not sure I get what you're saying, are you using two PSUs? One for the main PC and another one is set up just to power the video card? I don't think that works, as the second PSU is never getting any sort of signal to tell it when to add more power. That comes from the motherboard, not the GPU.

Edit: Beaten while I was trying to make sure that's what you were saying.

You can use two PSU's by using a cable like this (http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...e=product_info&cPath=34_186&products_id=21193) but it is absolutely not recommended, and almost no cases have support for two PSU's.

Or you can use a paperclip to jump the PSU alive. Again, not recommended.

 

[black_vegeta]

wait wait..u bought an opened box mobo?

LOL

 

[Ludovician]

That isn't really how power works. You likely need more amps on the 12v rail than a 360w PSU can provide, to run a GTX 570 properly (not to mention the mobo, ram, etc). Trying to go half and half with two weak (likely poorly made) PSU's is a recipe for disaster.

It's a tough pill to swallow, but I'd get a beefier PSU, before you kill any components.

Problem is, it's the strangest PSU. There is no 24-pin on the mobo. There's a 6 pin, that looks exactly like a 6 pin gfx card power connector, but it has a different pin-out. There's another 6 pin that looks like a fan-connector (small, flat connector) that has the cmd pins. SATA power even goes THROUGH the motherboard, so there are SATA-power connectors coming from the mother-board. It's the strangest thing. Problem is I won't likely be able to get my hands on a PSU, lest HP has one for me.

They shouldn't be poorly made, but the question is how much power is drawn from the PCI-E and how much is drawn from the 8 and 6-pins. I'm currently measuring that.

I'm not sure I get what you're saying, are you using two PSUs? One for the main PC and another one is set up just to power the video card? I don't think that works, as the second PSU is never getting any sort of signal to tell it when to add more power. That comes from the motherboard, not the GPU.

Edit: Beaten while I was trying to make sure that's what you were saying.

Having had some electronics courses and soon having a computer degree, my best guess is that there's no negotiation going on. The card doesn't ask for more power, it just draws more power - that's why systems crash when the PSU can't handle it. Power is just the product of ampere and voltage. If you draw more, you get more.

I agree, LordCanti. It is by far no optimal solution. I'm gonna continue measuring how much power is drawn from which PSU. If the primary PSU draw is around 150W (on a 350W rating PSU), and I get a better PSU for the auxilery, would that put your mind at ease?

 

[Ooccoo]

NCIX will build and test a computer for $50-ish, and they are based in Canada. I would start with the $1000 build in the op, and maybe substitute a GTX 580 for the GTX 570 (if you are determined to get close to $1500). You'll have to include an OEM copy of Windows 7 as well. You may have enough left over for an SSD (I'm not sure of pricing in Canada).

I'd think I'd prefer more RAM. 4GB DDR3, is it really enough? Most builds seem to opt for 8GB.

Also, how easy it is to upgrade the $1000 build in OP?

 

[LordCanti]

I wouldn't put it past one of their employees to put a broken motherboard back on the shelves. We'll never know if it was DOA or not, thanks to the standoff mishap.

Either way, yeah, I'd return that bitch in a second. May have a lot of cleanup to do, if he used the whole gat'damn tube of thermal paste though.

I'd think I'd prefer more RAM. 4GB DDR3, is it really enough? Most builds seem to opt for 8GB.

Also, how easy it is to upgrade the $1000 build in OP?

Upgrading the video card would be a matter of taking it out, and putting the other one in (and swapping drivers, potentially). The CPU socket may remain the same for Ivy Bridge, but beyond that, no one really knows.

The PSU could be dropped down to a 650w model without issue for a bit of savings. Use that savings to pick out the case you like (The Fractal Design R3 is pretty well loved around here, as are the HAF models in the op).

It's about as upgradable as a $1500 PC can be. The CPU is likely to last a very long time (especially overclocked, which is simple to do), and the video card is either second to top of the line (GTX 570) or top of the line (GTX 580).

Edit: Oh, and yeah, you can go for 8gb if you want. Just select a 2x4 set like this (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231308) or this (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311)

 

[chaosblade]

You can use two PSU's by using a cable like this (http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...e=product_info&cPath=34_186&products_id=21193) but it is absolutely not recommended, and almost no cases have support for two PSU's.

Or you can use a paperclip to jump the PSU alive. Again, not recommended.

Yeah, that doesn't seem safe at all. Plus I thought the signal from the GPU to tell the PSU it wants more power was sent through the PCIe slot universally, and never from the cable. That seemed like the bigger issue to me, the second GPU would never know when to provide more power so the system shuts down because the GPU isn't getting it.

Edit: Or not, seems like he has that covered.

I hate waiting! I ordered a Corsair Carbide 400R case on August 3rd, not realizing that it won't ship until the end of the month! I already have all my other components sitting in the closet. ARGH

Seriously thinking about ordering one of these next year. If nothing more appealing comes along, it will be my new case.

I'd think I'd prefer more RAM. 4GB DDR3, is it really enough? Most builds seem to opt for 8GB.

Actually most go for 4GB. Most of the people getting 8GB are either just getting it to have it or they are running some heavy stuff where the extra RAM helps. For gaming and general usage, you're good with 4GB. Of course, with a $1500 budget, you might as well go all out.

 

[iSurvivedTheOutage]

goin on 5 and UPS still hasnt delivered...GRRRRRRRR

 

[Tonner Cyn]

OK, it is getting very close to the time when I won't be talking about this any more but actually doing it. I should be putting in an order for a new PC in a month, maybe less. I have decided to go with CyberPower as I have used them before and have never built my own (and don't really have the time to put into it). Here's what I am looking at:



Case: CoolerMaster Elite 430 Mid-Tower Gaming Case with Side Panel Window [-11]
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 [-10]
Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
Motherboard: * [CrossFireX] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+10] (Kingston HyperX)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+197] (EVGA Superclocked)
Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply [+14]
Hard Drive: 96 GB Kingston 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+87] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+68] (Single Hard Drive)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST 12X Blu-Ray Combo DVDRW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: Logitech B100 3 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical 800 dpi Mouse (Black Color) [+4]
Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer [+10] (BLACK COLOR)
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)
Price: $1152

Some thoughts:
Case - I looked up a number of the options they have on Newegg and many of them were pretty highly rated. At one point I was going to get a CoolerMaster 690 II Advanced but that was $47 more and I didn't see the need since I was not using 240mm liquid cooling. If anyone wants to check their cases out and notices something that is significantly better that would be cool, but otherwise I think this is a solid option.
CPU - In this configuration I have gone with the base 2500 as opposed to the unlocked 2500K. I've never messed with overclocking and I don't see myself doing it now, though for $10 more I could easily go ahead and get it just in case.
Memory - I know some people have said 4 gigs is enough but I'd rather have a little too much than not enough. Going with 2 sticks also allows me room to expand down the road and was only $10 more.
Video Card - This is another one of those places I didn't want to skimp. The 560 ti seems like the right card for me right now. It comes overclocked for free right now as part of their special but if it was just the base model I'd be okay with that as well. The 2 GB 560 Ti is $49 more and the 1.2 GB GTX 570 is $86 more. Both are within my budget but if I don't have to spend everything I'm willing to that would be nice.
Power Supply - The configurator recommends the 700 watts. It has 43A split over two 12v rails (21+22) which seems like more than enough power to my uneducated eye. There is a 600 watt with 35A (17+18) for $10 less or a 500 watt with max numbers of 38A (18+20) for $14 less. While I don't need to go overboard here, the price difference isn't too much so I want to play it safe. Unless you guys tell me otherwise...
HDD - I was leaning towards the Intel 320 80 GB SSD but I read some worrying stuff about it. The Kingston got a good recommendation from one article I read and is larger at 96 GB to boot.
Data HDD - I could save a few bucks by going with a smaller drive, but it is fairly marginal unless I go with a 500 GB one. Since the mobo allows for SATA-III I figure I should go ahead and get a like hdd.
Sound - Any reason to put money into a sound card?
Misc - Should I go ahead and spend the $19 to get the professional wiring done? Saves me the hassle and should help make the airflow better.

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[childplease]

Tried a little overclocking. Is this modest overclock safe to run permanently.

Here are the temps at idle

one more thing does this look right to you guys. Shouldn't it be 1600 ?

 

[Ludovician]

You can use two PSU's by using a cable like this (http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...e=product_info&cPath=34_186&products_id=21193) but it is absolutely not recommended, and almost no cases have support for two PSU's.

Or you can use a paperclip to jump the PSU alive. Again, not recommended.

I have jumped the PS ON and COM/GND on the secondary PSU, or not jumped as much as I've made my own switch for it, which I have mounted underneath my desk to be able to turn that on and off. If I could be bothered, I'd remake the 6 pin pwd cmd on my mobo to this psu, but it doesn't seem worth the hassle.


So I measured the power-usage by the auxilery PSU under heavy load (3DMark Vantage) - it was around 170W. That leaves less than 150W on the main PSU under heavy load. Th 12V rail on the secondary PSU has an amp rating of 18A, which means 215W max (W = I * V) on the 12V. 6 and 8 pins both utilize 5V, too - of course, it's hard to say how much of which it draws from - but that has a rating of 35A max, which is 175W max.

Suffice it to say, even if all the load comes purely from 5V or 12V, that still isn't enough to make the PSU buckle. Build quality aside (I didn't pick this PSU at random), each can take its load, and it has shown, by how rock steady the system has been while running games and benchmarks. So I am still satisfied that my choices of running two PSUs are not unfounded by reasoning and sustainability, but the only problem is that something happens when it transitions to 3D draw mode. Hence why I asked if a big power-draw happened just as it transitions, which would explain why the PC reboots sometimes while starting a game and other times not.

 

[knitoe]

Tried a little overclocking. Is this modest overclock safe to run permanently.


Here are the temps at idle

Are those max numbers running Prime95 with small fft? If yes, it's perfectly fine to run 24/7. Lock the BLK (bus speed) = 100.

one more thing does this look right to you guys. Shouldn't it be 1600 ?

For DDR1/2/3 ram, 2 X 800 = 1600mhz. It's running at the right speed.

 

[childplease]

Are those max numbers running Prime95 with small fft? If yes, it's perfectly fine to run 24/7. Lock the BLK (bus speed) = 100.




For DDR1/2/3 ram, 2 X 800 = 1600mhz. It's running at the right speed.

Thanks man.

Ok nothing to do now but wait on a video card to arrive. Daam neweggs slow shipping. Atleast the price was right.

 

[fuzzyreactor]

Need some advice. So my build has been micro stuttering and having bad game performance and like a idiot i havent checked the problem. SO i found out my pc is ruining really hot. my CPU temp idles at 60-70c and my GPU at 60c. Its been running like this for months and now im going to add some fans and a aftermarket cooler. Do you think the stuttering was because the high temp and did i do any perm damage. sorry for grammar on iphone

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Solved my CPU heatsink issue. It turns out the black wire was snagged around the plastic tab that initially held the wires in place, and the fan didn't run because of this. I even took the heatsink out and put it back in and didn't notice it!

I can't believe that I've done everything else in my first build without running into a single problem, and I got tripped up by something that mundane!

Sorry if this post seems a bit unneeded, but the feeling of relief I'm having at the moment as windows is installing is fucking awesome.

 

[n0n44m]

Need some advice. So my build has been micro stuttering and having bad game performance and like a idiot i havent checked the problem. SO i found out my pc is ruining really hot. my CPU temp idles at 60-70c and my GPU at 60c. Its been running like this for months and now im going to add some fans and a aftermarket cooler. Do you think the stuttering was because the high temp and did i do any perm damage. sorry for grammar on iphone

your CPU heatsink probably isn't correctly attached/installed, the GPU temp is on the high side for idle (depending on the model)

if it idles 70c in Windows, then it'll most likely overheat and throttle under load(games) , and yes that causes stuttering

permanent damage ... well it wouldn't be healthy to do so for years but the throttling is there to avoid permanent damage, so don't worry it'll run fine once you get those temperatures down

 

[Septimius]

Need some advice. So my build has been micro stuttering and having bad game performance and like a idiot i havent checked the problem. SO i found out my pc is ruining really hot. my CPU temp idles at 60-70c and my GPU at 60c. Its been running like this for months and now im going to add some fans and a aftermarket cooler. Do you think the stuttering was because the high temp and did i do any perm damage. sorry for grammar on iphone

I am pretty sure there's pretty much no chance of CPU damage due to heat, this day and age. It should slow down and eventually shut off if it's too hot. Prolonged high temperature for the GPU is a bit different, though. From what I seem to recall, too hot GPU results in lock-up and reboots, while too hot gfx memory results in artifacts, with a both having a chance of doing the other. I'd say graphics card is the thing that could be susceptible to permanent damage, if that's possible. I doubt this would manifest itself as anything but artifacts (white dots on the screen), though, although I can't really say for sure.

 

[fuzzyreactor]

your CPU heatsink probably isn't correctly attached/installed, the GPU temp is on the high side for idle (depending on the model)

if it idles 70c in Windows, then it'll most likely overheat and throttle under load(games) , and yes that causes stuttering

permanent damage ... well it wouldn't be healthy to do so for years but the throttling is there to avoid permanent damage, so don't worry it'll run fine once you get those temperatures down

its a 5770 which is low temp GPU. Im hoping that the lower temps will fix the stuttering. Really dont wanna buy a new gpu right now.
Another question; Today i wa messing around with the fans and i noticed if i tugged on a wire the fan would lose connection. Is this normal? something i should be concerned about?

 

[fuzzyreactor]

I am pretty sure there's pretty much no chance of CPU damage due to heat, this day and age. It should slow down and eventually shut off if it's too hot. Prolonged high temperature for the GPU is a bit different, though. From what I seem to recall, too hot GPU results in lock-up and reboots, while too hot gfx memory results in artifacts, with a both having a chance of doing the other. I'd say graphics card is the thing that could be susceptible to permanent damage, if that's possible. I doubt this would manifest itself as anything but artifacts (white dots on the screen), though, although I can't really say for sure.

think im clear than. I get no artifacts or freezing/shut downs just stuttering in games.

 

[Coldsnap]

someone here linked me a great monitor calibration page, I lost it though ;;
It had a dark grey background, was really well written and had a bunch of slides.

 

[childplease]

someone here linked me a great monitor calibration page, I lost it though ;;
It had a dark grey background, was really well written and had a bunch of slides.

http://www.bestgamingmonitor.net/featured/asus-vw246h/

that site ?

 

[MisterNoisy]

OK, it is getting very close to the time when I won't be talking about this any more but actually doing it. I should be putting in an order for a new PC in a month, maybe less. I have decided to go with CyberPower as I have used them before and have never built my own (and don't really have the time to put into it). Here's what I am looking at:



Case: CoolerMaster Elite 430 Mid-Tower Gaming Case with Side Panel Window [-11]
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 [-10]
Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
Motherboard: * [CrossFireX] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+10] (Kingston HyperX)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+197] (EVGA Superclocked)
Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply [+14]
Hard Drive: 96 GB Kingston 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+87] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+68] (Single Hard Drive)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST 12X Blu-Ray Combo DVDRW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: Logitech B100 3 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical 800 dpi Mouse (Black Color) [+4]
Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer [+10] (BLACK COLOR)
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)
Price: $1152

Some thoughts:
Case - I looked up a number of the options they have on Newegg and many of them were pretty highly rated. At one point I was going to get a CoolerMaster 690 II Advanced but that was $47 more and I didn't see the need since I was not using 240mm liquid cooling. If anyone wants to check their cases out and notices something that is significantly better that would be cool, but otherwise I think this is a solid option.
CPU - In this configuration I have gone with the base 2500 as opposed to the unlocked 2500K. I've never messed with overclocking and I don't see myself doing it now, though for $10 more I could easily go ahead and get it just in case.
Memory - I know some people have said 4 gigs is enough but I'd rather have a little too much than not enough. Going with 2 sticks also allows me room to expand down the road and was only $10 more.
Video Card - This is another one of those places I didn't want to skimp. The 560 ti seems like the right card for me right now. It comes overclocked for free right now as part of their special but if it was just the base model I'd be okay with that as well. The 2 GB 560 Ti is $49 more and the 1.2 GB GTX 570 is $86 more. Both are within my budget but if I don't have to spend everything I'm willing to that would be nice.
Power Supply - The configurator recommends the 700 watts. It has 43A split over two 12v rails (21+22) which seems like more than enough power to my uneducated eye. There is a 600 watt with 35A (17+18) for $10 less or a 500 watt with max numbers of 38A (18+20) for $14 less. While I don't need to go overboard here, the price difference isn't too much so I want to play it safe. Unless you guys tell me otherwise...
HDD - I was leaning towards the Intel 320 80 GB SSD but I read some worrying stuff about it. The Kingston got a good recommendation from one article I read and is larger at 96 GB to boot.
Data HDD - I could save a few bucks by going with a smaller drive, but it is fairly marginal unless I go with a 500 GB one. Since the mobo allows for SATA-III I figure I should go ahead and get a like hdd.
Sound - Any reason to put money into a sound card?
Misc - Should I go ahead and spend the $19 to get the professional wiring done? Saves me the hassle and should help make the airflow better.

Thanks in advance for your input.

I like the HAF 912 or the Zalman case more than the 430, but that isn't going to be an issue either way. Definitely upgrade to the 2500K - it's only $10, and being able to OC and not having to is much better than the reverse. I also like the CM V6GT, but I'm not familiar with the cooling option you selected, so that's sort of a wash.

My biggest issue is with the PSU - I have no idea what the specs are for the one you listed, but I'd really look at the 650W Corsair option, despite the price hike. There are places where you can cut corners in your build, but the PSU is not one of them. I'd drop to standard mechanical HDDs before I bought a cheap PSU.

 

[Kadey]

Guys. You think this is good for Ocing? I overclocked my thingy by 400mhz more. Should I do more? I'm primarily using this PC for streaming.

http://i.imgur.com/mSWiS.jpg

 

[black_vegeta]

Guys. You think this is good for Ocing? I overclocked my thingy by 400mhz more. Should I do more? I'm primarily using this PC for streaming.

http://i.imgur.com/mSWiS.jpg

That's perfect. 4.4 - 4.5Ghz is the money spot.

That will be more than enough powah for your streaming and other applications to run smoothly simultaneously if want.

 

[Coldsnap]

http://www.bestgamingmonitor.net/featured/asus-vw246h/

that site ?

Nope

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

Special delivery for my PC builder brothers: Esther from NCIX overclocking her PC! Pretty hot video =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7-gt-VVcWA#t=2m

 

[Ludovician]

I've found some residual pieces of ATI drivers that I'm going to ensure are gone. I've been monitoring the power-usage, and nothing but either a driver error or huuge power-draw at some random point can explain the random reboots I'm suffering.

 

[black_vegeta]

Special delivery for my PC builder brothers: Esther from NCIX overclocking her PC! Pretty hot video =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7-gt-VVcWA#t=2m

She mentioned that she disabled the Turbo Boost function so it won't make it unstable.

I have mine enabled, should I disable it as well. It has been stable at 4.5GHz ever since.

 

[AwesomeSauce]

She mentioned that she disabled the Turbo Boost function so it won't make it unstable.

I have mine enabled, should I disable it as well. It has been stable at 4.5GHz ever since.

Isn't Turbo Boost for when an application only uses 2 cores, it will automatically overclock the cpu? Like stock 4 cores runs at 3.2ghz but if an app is using only 2 cores it will overclock to like 3.8ghz.

If so that would be much on an overclocked processor so I would turn it off.

 

[black_vegeta]

Isn't Turbo Boost for when an application only uses 2 cores, it will automatically overclock the cpu? Like stock 4 cores runs at 3.2ghz but if an app is using only 2 cores it will overclock to like 3.8ghz.

If so that would be much on an overclocked processor so I would turn it off.

Gotcha, like a power saver.

 

[Ludovician]

I changed where the double molex->6/8 pins went. I figured it'd be better to use each of the two molex connectors on a different "branch" coming out of the PSU. Turns out everything works fine now that I changed the 6 pin to be on one branch and the 8 pin to be on another. I'll still swap out the secondary PSU for something a bit more juicy.

EDIT: There's something about this that I feel could be explained by KVL, but whatever, it works!

 

[PGamer]

Finally got my Intel 510 SSD in today. Can you install these just like a regular hard drive or is any software required?

 

[Septimius]

Finally got my Intel 510 SSD in today. Can you install these just like a regular hard drive or is any software required?

Like any other HDD! Are you installing your OS on it? Remember to set AHCI mode in BIOS before you do so - the rest of the tweaks you can read about after the installation from OP.

 

[RS4-]

Finally got my Intel 510 SSD in today. Can you install these just like a regular hard drive or is any software required?

Install the Intel SSD Toolbox; but for the most part the Intel drives are already configured and everything.

But other things like moving your internet cache to a different location, just read OP and google.

 

[iSurvivedTheOutage]

Just wanted to say thanks PCGAF! I m in the BIOS of my computer and everything looks fine! Going to install windows n a bit and post from the new PC!

Have to say being able to use my mouse in BIOS feels weird. My last desktop was in 2003 so this is a huge Jump! Will post pics soon!

-Asus ROG Maximus IV Gene Z

- Asus GTX560 Ti Direct CUII

- Rocketfish CPU cooler with 2 fans installed

- WD 500GB HDD

- Corsair TX 750

 

[mtommy]

someone here linked me a great monitor calibration page, I lost it though ;;
It had a dark grey background, was really well written and had a bunch of slides.

http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/
http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/