"I need a New PC!" 2011 Thread of reading the OP. Seriously. [Part 2]
- Thread starter Hazaro
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Hm, didn't see BitFenix's before, and had read poor reviews of LianLi's internal USB 3.0 adapter. So...·feist· said:
I request advice on a case.
The motherboard I'm getting is a Gene Z, which among its features has 2x USB 3.0 and 4x USB 2.0 internal headers.
The case that looks the best for this is the Rosewill Blackhawk, which has a front panel with 2x USB 3.0 and 4x USB 2.0, plus a nifty eSATA bay on top. It goes for $100 but I'd need to get the ($10) BitFenix internal USB 3.0 adapter to take advantage of (or wait until November when the new version rolls out).
The Blackhawk has like a million fans: two front (included), one bottom, one side (included but will move to bottom for 212+ clearance), one rear (included), two top (one included), so it has 3 (4) intake fans and 2 (3) exhaust fans. The Gene Z has 2 4-pin CPU fan connectors and 3 4-pin case fan connectors.
I want my case to have positive air pressure, which the Blackhawk seems designed for, but I also don't want my case to be too loud. To that end, I'd like to connect as many fans as possible to the motherboard so they're regulated rather than full-on when connected to the PSU. Can you stack fan connectors on a motherboard? I googled but the results are years old and not entirely conclusive.
Also, can you disable LED lights without damaging a fan? I prefer subtlety, and since I'd be using my PC for both gaming and occasional HDMI-out for movie watching on the TV, I'd rather not have it lit up like a blue birthday cake.
I had been considering just sticking with the Rosewill Challenger U3, which has 2 USB 3.0 on the front panel (no adapter needed) and no frontal USB 2.0, but it costs $60.
The Challenger has 1(2) intake and 2(2) exhaust (plus a side fan slot I can't use with the 212+), so less fans and only one of them is LED (I dislike LED). But this setup looks like it'll create negative pressure, so I'd need to buy an extra fan for the side panel (and maybe spring for a 5.25" bay cooler).
The Challenger doesn't take full advantage of the Gene Z's internal headers, leaving those 4 USB 2.0 untouched, but the Gene Z has like a million rear USB 2.0, so I'll probably survive.
So... to that end:
1. Can I stack fans on a motherboard's fan controller?
2. Can I easily disable LEDs on fans, or do I need to remove the fans and get new ones?
Well the jump from 5 series it 7 series power is small, but power reductions and features are good.Jin34 said:
I'd just like some extra oomph. The power draw figures if correct are incredible though. nVidia is heading in this direction as well and I personally seem them reacting to the 7 series and just have their GPU die 20% bigger and 20% faster while using more power tbh.
You can but I wouldn't. some mobos don't like it, daisy chain 4 pins is good.Caerith said:
Crush LEDs in the fan with pliers iirc.
Big Papa Husker
Member
Is there a "best" thermal grease I should get? I see Arctic Silver 5 and MX-2 on Newegg.
Splash Wave
Member
I think I may be buying my friend's old gaming PC for a few hundred dollars, which will be my first in over 6 years. It was quite a beast at the time--a pre-built computer from Doghouse with 8GB of RAM, two Radeon HD 4800s (?), and an Intel Core 2 Duo clocked at 3ghz. I don't think I'd buy a PC if I wasn't getting it for so cheap, but I'm wondering if you all think this'll last me awhile. I figure I'll upgrade the processor first, but not immediately. He seems to run most new games fairly well. How's the video card?
Mr Nightman
Banned
depends on how much he is selling it for. But for a game such as bf3, that cpu will most likely hold you backJimmy Stav said:
i recently installed new drivers for my ATI video card. The drivers work fine but no matter what i do, i cant get Catalyst Control Center or AMD vision engine control center to launch. I've been googling and trying all sorts of things, but no matter what I do, i'm failing
any suggestions?
any suggestions?
Tallshortman
Member
Jimmy Stav said:
You're going to have to be specific on what GPUs he has, specific CPU, and price he's asking for.
Splash Wave
Member
Mr Nightman said:
But everything else is decent, right? A new CPU wouldn't be terribly expensive, but I'm not planning on playing BF3 anyway (we'll see). I can't imagine he'll charge me more than 300 for it.
Splash Wave
Member
Tallshortman said:
Everest only listed it as a "Radeon 4800" which I'm now realizing isn't actually a card, but a series. To be more specific, the processor was listed as "E8400."
EDIT: I said it in the post above, but I assume somewhere around $300.
Tallshortman
Member
Jimmy Stav said:
Pretty decent buy at $300 for the whole rig. E8400 is a capable enough dual core still. There are many variants in the 4800 family so I can't really say for sure what you're getting is great but it should be capable of running modern games at a reasonable resolution with medium settings.
EDIT: nvm not sure why I thought you said you wanted to play BF3
Mr Nightman
Banned
yea It is a capable machine nonethelessJimmy Stav said:
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
punkypine said:
Reinstall CCC.
Hazaro said:
Hey TDP numbers are important to some of us, don't want to buy a new PSU to be able to use some of these cards (Corsair 450W here). And it was about time they got a huge cut in power as some of these cards were getting really out of hand. I'm sure they'll go back to upping the TDP for more power (probably when Wii U, PS4, 720 gen is fully rolled out) but they really needed a reset.
Finnish the Fox
Member
·feist· said:
Looks impressive. Ballpark figure, anyone know how much performance gains over the 6970 are we looking at for both cards?
7970 40% - 50%?
7950 25% - 35%?
Possibly more?
I mean molex connector fans, not a 4 pin motherboard fan.Caerith said:
You can get some molex to 2/3 pin fan adapters.
It may very well be fine to daisy chain some of your fans, but I know those ports don't give a lot of power in most cases.
A NEW CPU upgrade (not used) is something like $180 so it would be pretty pricey.Jimmy Stav said:
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Please don't buy either of those, let them die in peace.Big Papa Husker said:
MX-4 is a good choice. Personally, I'd get Shin Etsu x23-7783d (might be rebranded), or If you're crazy you can get Indigo Xtreme. I don't know if anything has beaten that yet but it's... different. It also doesn't work on all CPU coolers so you'll have to check for compatibility.
crimsonheadGCN
Banned
·feist· said:
Sorry for taking so long to answer.
Yes, I can enter and leave sleep and hibernate without it rebooting or having to force a reboot.
No, I'm not getting an option to force any conflicting programs.
All my devices are recognized and I believe everything is installed correctly. I'll check tomorrow and reseat everything.
Yes, I've looked at the BIOS and I've even loaded the default Optimized settings for the Gigabyte board as they suggested in the manual.
Also, Device Manager isn't showing any warnings for drivers or anything.
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I decided to load up HWMonitor and there was something odd that was showing up. The voltage measurement for the CMOS (VBat) has decreased again in the last month. Last month, the battery was at 3.3V, last week it was at 3.22V, and, after I installed the new equipment, it is down to 3.15V. Could this be a problem?
Could my problem be a short circuit? Or would something like that result in me being unable to turn it on?
Big Papa Husker
Member
Wheres the best place to buy it? Newegg has it for $13 a tube, while Amazon has it for $10. Any other places I should check?TheExodu5 said:
I'm likely going to be selling my existing low-end laptop to someone for $350 and use that money to start building a gaming desktop. Since I'm very much ignorant about PC components and such, I'm going to rely heavily on this thread to help me build a solid machine while staying on a fairly tight budget.
Right now I'm looking at building Hazaro's $514 machine from the OP chart with maybe a tweak or two depending on funds. So here's a couple of questions:
1) Will this machine be able to competently run The Old Republic? This game is one of the main reasons I'm looking at building a gaming PC.
2) I've been looking at processors (which have always been the weakest link of my previous pre-built rigs). What are threads? Is it worth the $100+ to jump to a quad-core machine with four threads over the dual-core one?
Right now I'm looking at building Hazaro's $514 machine from the OP chart with maybe a tweak or two depending on funds. So here's a couple of questions:
1) Will this machine be able to competently run The Old Republic? This game is one of the main reasons I'm looking at building a gaming PC.
2) I've been looking at processors (which have always been the weakest link of my previous pre-built rigs). What are threads? Is it worth the $100+ to jump to a quad-core machine with four threads over the dual-core one?
Sounds about rightBig Papa Husker said:
Driver Sweeper?punkypine said:
I can't imagine it not.Pre said:
Thread means virtual core. A single physical core and show up as 2 and sometimes this can help with some applications, but only if the program can take advantage of it.
If you go with the $500 build you can pop in an i5 2400
Or upgrade the motherboard to that Biostar and put in a 2500K and overclock to 4.3Ghz.
If that is not a big concern to you a 2400 is a very capable CPU.
If you aren't interested in emulation I'd suggest waiting around till the end of the month and see what AMD Bulldozer has in store.
childplease
Banned
Wonder if its even possible to run crossfire 6950s + a Sound card + a capture card :/
gibon3z said:
Depends on the mobo probably. You'd need four slots for the 6950's, then two more for the sound card and capture card.
Do you really need a soundcard though? Video cards can output to a receiver these days over HDMI, and onboard audio is a lot better than it was in the old days.
I assume you have a specific purpose for the capture card in mind?
cartman414
Member
Wowzers at the new 7000 series. Intriguing how the 7900s use XDR2 DRAM though. I thought Rambus was mostly a footnote by now.
I'm on the lookout for a new gaming monitor, as my 4 year old 21" Samsung 215TW is starting to show its age. Brightness isn't uniform across the whole screen anymore and it's pretty annoying, especially with darker games.
I've been reading a bit about the new IPS panel tech. It's supposed to bring wider viewing angles and richer color but at the cost of response times and increased motion blurring. One IPS panel that's caught my eye is the Eizo FS2331. Anyone who has this, or any other IPS monitor, care to give some input on the blurring?
I'm willing to spend a maximum of 250. Any tips for a good monitor, whether it's TN or IPS, is welcomed.
I've been reading a bit about the new IPS panel tech. It's supposed to bring wider viewing angles and richer color but at the cost of response times and increased motion blurring. One IPS panel that's caught my eye is the Eizo FS2331. Anyone who has this, or any other IPS monitor, care to give some input on the blurring?
I'm willing to spend a maximum of 250. Any tips for a good monitor, whether it's TN or IPS, is welcomed.
Thanks to everyone who commented for the input.
I've changed the setup to this:
CPU: Intel Core i7 2500K
CPU Fan: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B
Mobo: Asus P8Z68-V PRO
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
Main HD: Crucial m4 CT256M4SSD2 256GB
Data HDD: Samsung EcoGreen F4EG HD204UI, 2TB
Video card: 1x MSI 580GTX Lightning Extreme 3GB
Optical drive: LG GH22NS70 dvd burner
PSU: Corsair AX1200
Case: Cooler Master HAF X or Silverstone FT02
About 1700 euros for the entire thing. Not bad, I think.
Even though I use virtual machines at work I don't plan on bringing that work home (yet
). So indeed some of my choices from before were unneeded for a mainly gaming rig. I could always add another set of 4gb to expand for that, too.
The lock ups, blue screens etc. reported for the ocz vertex 3 ssds are a bit scary. Even though I read about some potential fixes, I don't want to go through too much hassle. I won't be the only one using this PC either.
The reason I went with a 1200w power supply is that I want to keep the option for SLI open. For the likely event modders release high res texture packs for my favorite games.
The price increase over a 1050 HX isn't substantial and I want to be certain I have an excellent PSU.
Same goes for the cases, as mentioned by others they provide better options for cooling if needed. Just have to check which one fits better in my desk, size wise.
I'm a little sad that I can't be DennisK4's rig buddy anymore, though.
Thanks again to all who commented. I learned a lot.
Pending any additional comments I'll order these parts later in the day.
I've changed the setup to this:
CPU: Intel Core i7 2500K
CPU Fan: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B
Mobo: Asus P8Z68-V PRO
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
Main HD: Crucial m4 CT256M4SSD2 256GB
Data HDD: Samsung EcoGreen F4EG HD204UI, 2TB
Video card: 1x MSI 580GTX Lightning Extreme 3GB
Optical drive: LG GH22NS70 dvd burner
PSU: Corsair AX1200
Case: Cooler Master HAF X or Silverstone FT02
About 1700 euros for the entire thing. Not bad, I think.
Even though I use virtual machines at work I don't plan on bringing that work home (yet
). So indeed some of my choices from before were unneeded for a mainly gaming rig. I could always add another set of 4gb to expand for that, too.The lock ups, blue screens etc. reported for the ocz vertex 3 ssds are a bit scary. Even though I read about some potential fixes, I don't want to go through too much hassle. I won't be the only one using this PC either.
The reason I went with a 1200w power supply is that I want to keep the option for SLI open. For the likely event modders release high res texture packs for my favorite games.
The price increase over a 1050 HX isn't substantial and I want to be certain I have an excellent PSU. Same goes for the cases, as mentioned by others they provide better options for cooling if needed. Just have to check which one fits better in my desk, size wise.
I'm a little sad that I can't be DennisK4's rig buddy anymore, though.
Thanks again to all who commented. I learned a lot.
Pending any additional comments I'll order these parts later in the day.
Ok, i finally upgraded my PC and i went with this spec:
Intel Core I5 2500K
Mobo - GIGABYTE - GA-Z68XP-UD3
4GB - 1666Mhz - Corsair CL9
GIGABYTE - GTX560Ti
So far i played Crysis 2, AC:Brotherhood - All settings maxed out on 1920X1200 and it runs with no frame drop.
Can`t wait for RAGE, SKYRIM and more.
Thanks all for the assistant.
Intel Core I5 2500K
Mobo - GIGABYTE - GA-Z68XP-UD3
4GB - 1666Mhz - Corsair CL9
GIGABYTE - GTX560Ti
So far i played Crysis 2, AC:Brotherhood - All settings maxed out on 1920X1200 and it runs with no frame drop.
Can`t wait for RAGE, SKYRIM and more.
Thanks all for the assistant.
DiabolicalBagel
Member
Doesn't CCC only enable it for OpenGL games? Also, D3DOverrider is not part of Rivatuner, but it would have been installed with it. Just look in RT's install folder, under tools.ACE 1991 said:
And why can't Bulldozer be here already? Sitting here, dying to build my new PC but I want to know how those octo-cores stack up against SB.
VibratingDonkey
Member
The quirks of my current PC grow ever more bothersome the closer the arrival of my future one gets. Mainly the one quirk where the HDD stops to think about something for 30 seconds every now and then. This started happening after I defragged it. So that's good, right?
There's other weirdness too. Wouldn't be surprised if it had croaked in a couple of months. Admittedly I have been terrible at maintenance.
Anyway, an SSD is going to be two worlds of difference, and I can't wait.
Also being able to play games released after 2007 again. Might miss the absolute silence of the 5450 though.
There's other weirdness too. Wouldn't be surprised if it had croaked in a couple of months. Admittedly I have been terrible at maintenance.
Anyway, an SSD is going to be two worlds of difference, and I can't wait.
Also being able to play games released after 2007 again. Might miss the absolute silence of the 5450 though.
AndyMoogle
Member
I'm planning on getting a 2500K, but what are the chances of Intel lowering the prices once Bulldozer is released? Though at this point I might as well wait another two weeks and see what happens.
Bulldozer is supposed to be around the levels of Sandy Bridge, right?
Bulldozer is supposed to be around the levels of Sandy Bridge, right?
So I'm having kind of a dilemma..
So what I have is:
CPU: AMD X6 1100T BE
Mobo: Crosshair V
Gpu: GTX 580 x2 (SLI)
Now my concern is that on the unigine heaven benchmark I get a 55 average FPS with EVERYTHING to max (x8/x16) and extreme tesselation at 1920x1080
But when I run the concrete jungle just cause 2 benchmark with everything on very high and 32x CSAA and 16x AS and I get an average of 34 FPS through the benchmark..
I googled this and saw older rigs running tests from like a year ago or within a couple of months ago with cards like the 280 or 460 and they are getting like 50+ FPS on the same benchmark (concrete jungle) with older hardware..
I've attributed this to the 280.26 nvidia drivers, but I would really like some kind of second opinion on what could be going on?
SLI is activated without a doubt, and I'm starting to think that just cause 2 just hates AMD CPUs
So what I have is:
CPU: AMD X6 1100T BE
Mobo: Crosshair V
Gpu: GTX 580 x2 (SLI)
Now my concern is that on the unigine heaven benchmark I get a 55 average FPS with EVERYTHING to max (x8/x16) and extreme tesselation at 1920x1080
But when I run the concrete jungle just cause 2 benchmark with everything on very high and 32x CSAA and 16x AS and I get an average of 34 FPS through the benchmark..
I googled this and saw older rigs running tests from like a year ago or within a couple of months ago with cards like the 280 or 460 and they are getting like 50+ FPS on the same benchmark (concrete jungle) with older hardware..
I've attributed this to the 280.26 nvidia drivers, but I would really like some kind of second opinion on what could be going on?
SLI is activated without a doubt, and I'm starting to think that just cause 2 just hates AMD CPUs
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Alright GAF. As you might already know, I want to build a new PC. I don't have much disposable income at the moment, so I want to build something that runs games like The Witcher 2 and Crysis 2 very well at 1680x1050 res, as well as being easily upgradeable in the future.
I also want to salvage my HDD and PSU if possible, just to save a bit more money. No need for a monitor, keyboard, speakers, or mouse.
Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
Now, I'm looking at Hazaro's "Standard" PC build in the OP, and was wondering if my 400w PSU would be able to power it. Also, will that PC meet my aforementioned gaming needs? And finally, if I build that standard PC, is it easily upgradeable to the enhanced one in the future? That's also important to me.
I also want to salvage my HDD and PSU if possible, just to save a bit more money. No need for a monitor, keyboard, speakers, or mouse.
Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
Now, I'm looking at Hazaro's "Standard" PC build in the OP, and was wondering if my 400w PSU would be able to power it. Also, will that PC meet my aforementioned gaming needs? And finally, if I build that standard PC, is it easily upgradeable to the enhanced one in the future? That's also important to me.
I need some advice.
The Red Orchestra 2 beta runs like garbage on my machine, and I don't see that changing much with the final build. I also want to be able to run Battlefield 3 decently.
Can I get away with just a GPU upgrade, or do I need a whole new PC. I would hate to bottleneck a new GPU.
Current PC:
Phenom II X4 940 (3.0 ghz)
Radeon HD 4870
4GB Ram
edit: I play at 1920x1080
The Red Orchestra 2 beta runs like garbage on my machine, and I don't see that changing much with the final build. I also want to be able to run Battlefield 3 decently.
Can I get away with just a GPU upgrade, or do I need a whole new PC. I would hate to bottleneck a new GPU.
Current PC:
Phenom II X4 940 (3.0 ghz)
Radeon HD 4870
4GB Ram
edit: I play at 1920x1080
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Okay, new idea. I'm really considering that "Damn Capable Build" in the OP.
Like I said, I have a Corsair 400w PSU and I have that exact HDD. That's $90 in savings right there, bringing the total down to $426. All I would need is a non-flashy case and I'd be good to go, right?
Again, would a build like that max out The Witcher 2, Crysis 2, and Battlefield 3 at 1680x1050? And why is a 460 preferred over the 6850? I'm also kind of worried about that motherboard. A lot of poor reviews.
And maybe something like this for a case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153
All together, with the case, the build would run me $475. I'm only worried about the GPU brand and type (isn't a 6850 better than a 460?) and the motherboard. I would be willing to replace those two brands with better ones (if there are any) as long as the total stays between $450-$500. Also, I need to make sure my 400w PSU can handle everything (I'm sure it can if the 430w is recommended).
Thoughts?
Like I said, I have a Corsair 400w PSU and I have that exact HDD. That's $90 in savings right there, bringing the total down to $426. All I would need is a non-flashy case and I'd be good to go, right?
Again, would a build like that max out The Witcher 2, Crysis 2, and Battlefield 3 at 1680x1050? And why is a 460 preferred over the 6850? I'm also kind of worried about that motherboard. A lot of poor reviews.
And maybe something like this for a case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153
All together, with the case, the build would run me $475. I'm only worried about the GPU brand and type (isn't a 6850 better than a 460?) and the motherboard. I would be willing to replace those two brands with better ones (if there are any) as long as the total stays between $450-$500. Also, I need to make sure my 400w PSU can handle everything (I'm sure it can if the 430w is recommended).
Thoughts?
Pai Pai Master
Banned
Anyone have any trouble with a new build using the Asrock P67 Extreme4?
My machine's been giving me a hell of a time in the last week. My first attempt, the motherboard was not powering on. No post, no video, nothing coming up on the board. I went to MicroCenter for a replacement (same model) and this time it does power on, but the Dr. Debug display shows "00" as an error code. Scouring the internet it would appear this usually comes from the motherboard being bad, but I'm hoping I'm not so unlucky to get two DOA units in a row. Anyone have any experience with this crap?
I'm using an EVGA GTX570, a Core i7 2600k and the Ripjaw RAM from the OP build. I've tried booting with minimal hardware connected and a bunch of other configurations, but I always get the same result; no post, no video or boot noise, just the "00" code on the Dr. Debug display.
My machine's been giving me a hell of a time in the last week. My first attempt, the motherboard was not powering on. No post, no video, nothing coming up on the board. I went to MicroCenter for a replacement (same model) and this time it does power on, but the Dr. Debug display shows "00" as an error code. Scouring the internet it would appear this usually comes from the motherboard being bad, but I'm hoping I'm not so unlucky to get two DOA units in a row. Anyone have any experience with this crap?
I'm using an EVGA GTX570, a Core i7 2600k and the Ripjaw RAM from the OP build. I've tried booting with minimal hardware connected and a bunch of other configurations, but I always get the same result; no post, no video or boot noise, just the "00" code on the Dr. Debug display.
Caerith said:
Thanks for the input. I found a real nice Gigabyte I'm going to opt for that has a 3.0 Header on it. $60 more than the entry biostar, but worth it for that and some other nifty trinkets on it. Here's the case I'm getting that has the header cable if you still need a recommendation. Can't comment as I don't have it yet though.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352007
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