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[mkenyon]

90% of my gaming is competitive stuff, so I have no need for more than a single 120hz monitor. Granted, most of the stuff in this build isn't needed, but going to a second 690 puts you in watercooling territory that gets stupid expensive. I'm taking upwards of $800 just in case/radiators/fittings/blocks. That's not counting the $1K for a 690 in the first place. I also don't like large cases at all, and it would be required to be able to cool all of that. $1800 for zero gain in perceived performance, plus all of the headaches of quad SLI is a bad deal. That's a whole watercooled itx build to have around.

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately the Spectre Pro's don't come in white. They're basically silent while having a ton of static pressure and decent CFM. There's nothing I can get that is in their territory without a fan controller, which I don't want to deal with. The fan is clear, but white LED mostly for illumination. Hoping to enter this at a LAN case mod competition.

I don't really like HDD cages either. Storage is for servers, not workstations. Plus, there's going to be a 240mm radiator in the bottom there where the cage would go. The SSD is going have a twin right next to it for a bit of a more symmetrical look.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

90% of my gaming is competitive stuff, so I have no need for more than a single 120hz monitor. Granted, most of the stuff in this build isn't needed, but going to a second 690 puts you in watercooling territory that gets stupid expensive. I'm taking upwards of $800 just in case/radiators/fittings/blocks. That's not counting the $1K for a 690 in the first place. I also don't like large cases at all, and it would be required to be able to cool all of that. $1800 for zero gain in perceived performance, plus all of the headaches of quad SLI is a bad deal. That's a whole watercooled itx build to have around.

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately the Spectre Pro's don't come in white. They're basically silent while having a ton of static pressure and decent CFM. There's nothing I can get that is in their territory without a fan controller, which I don't want to deal with. The fan is clear, but white LED mostly for illumination. Hoping to enter this at a LAN case mod competition.

I don't really like HDD cages either. Storage is for servers, not workstations. Plus, there's going to be a 240mm radiator in the bottom there where the cage would go. The SSD is going have a twin right next to it for a bit of a more symmetrical look.

Sounds like this is an absolutely perfect system for you, then. There was a lot of thought put into each component to make it "yours", and I respect that 100%. I can definitley understand why you'd stick with one 690. It's more than anyone, anywhere, needs. A second is just entirely overkill. Just wasn't sure if you happen to be one of those who likes a little (a lot of) overkill ;p Like I said, my suggestions were nitpicky in the first place. I sure as hell can't wire that well, and the actual aesthetic and color coordination looks freaking fantastic.

Congrats on the new build, and enjoy! I'm certainly jealous!

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

Hey guys! First off - Thanks for all the recommendations!

I just did my first ever PC build today, and I was wondering what everyone uses to monitor the heat inside the case, particularly the CPU.

I have the i2500k

Also, I have this fan that I installed as an extra (it is a rocketfish rf 120 fan), and it has this 4 pin connector (very small, not the large peripheral 4 pin connector, smaller than that) and I have absolutely no idea where it should go. I have all my other fans plugged into the 4 pin connectors. One other thing, should my fans all be running a constant speed? I know my CPU fan kicks in when I start a game, but the rest are always the same. Do these have to plug into the Mobo somehow?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[LordAlu]

Thanks for the tip, but I did all that and it didn't work.

Is anyone with an Ivy Bridge on an Asus motherboard able to play The Witcher?

After you disabled it, did you disable/uninstall the device from Device Manager as well to prevent any conflicts?

I do have Witcher on Steam but it's a 15GB download and my internet connection seems pretty poor this morning

 

[Yoshiya]

256GB Crucial m4 en route. I was surprised crucial.com shipped to Australia, certainly saved me a lot over buying domestically.

 

[Hazaro]

The i5 2500k is completely compatible with Z77 boards, correct? Also, would I have to completely wipe my hard drive to use it in a new build?

Yup, compatible.

Windows 7 you can just swap it over and it should pickup most things fine. Make sure you have your drivers in a downloaded folder to install (or your mobo setup disc).

Very pretty and personal setup. I'd be proud to have put something like that together.

Hey guys! First off - Thanks for all the recommendations!

I just did my first ever PC build today, and I was wondering what everyone uses to monitor the heat inside the case, particularly the CPU.

I have the i2500k

Also, I have this fan that I installed as an extra (it is a rocketfish rf 120 fan), and it has this 4 pin connector (very small, not the large peripheral 4 pin connector, smaller than that) and I have absolutely no idea where it should go. I have all my other fans plugged into the 4 pin connectors. One other thing, should my fans all be running a constant speed? I know my CPU fan kicks in when I start a game, but the rest are always the same. Do these have to plug into the Mobo somehow?

Thanks in advance for your help!

small 4 pin connectors go on the motharboard. If your 3 or 4 ones are filled already you can buy a large 4 pin power adapter to one or two of the smaller ones that will fir your fan.

Depending on your motherboard it will or won't have fan speed control in the BIOS, and only over some fans which support it.. Usually CPU fan will change and the rest run at a constant speed.

You can toy with Speedfan a bit, and check your motherboard options for fan control.

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

Yup, compatible.

Windows 7 you can just swap it over and it should pickup most things fine. Make sure you have your drivers in a downloaded folder to install (or your mobo setup disc).

Very pretty and personal setup. I'd be proud to have put something like that together.

small 4 pin connectors go on the motharboard. If your 3 or 4 ones are filled already you can buy a large 4 pin power adapter to one or two of the smaller ones that will fir your fan.

Depending on your motherboard it will or won't have fan speed control in the BIOS, and only over some fans which support it.. Usually CPU fan will change and the rest run at a constant speed.

You can toy with Speedfan a bit, and check your motherboard options for fan control.

Just found it in my bios. I was wondering, is there a way to view the internal temps, and CPU temp at all times? Like a desktop monitor gauge or something?

Also, is there a way to view bios without restarting and hitting f2?

 

[Label]

This is possibly the best place to ask. I finally decided to overclock my Q9400 to 3.4GHz up from 2.66GHz, even at full load the temps never rise above 45c so all is good and stable. The only problem is two of my old sticks of RAM were not able to cope with the overclock so I had to take them out.

Bumping me down to 4GB of RAM. Is the increase of the CPU speed worth the loss of 2GB of RAM? I only had a couple of 1GB sticks in there that were just laying around so I thought I might as well use them in my rig.

 

[Hazaro]

Just found it in my bios. I was wondering, is there a way to view the internal temps, and CPU temp at all times? Like a desktop monitor gauge or something?

Also, is there a way to view bios without restarting and hitting f2?

Restart for BIOS.

Utilities are in the OP.

This is possibly the best place to ask. I finally decided to overclock my Q9400 to 3.4GHz up from 2.66GHz, even at full load the temps never rise above 45c so all is good and stable. The only problem is two of my old sticks of RAM were not able to cope with the overclock so I had to take them out.

Bumping me down to 4GB of RAM. Is the increase of the CPU speed worth the loss of 2GB of RAM? I only had a couple of 1GB sticks in there that were just laying around so I thought I might as well use them in my rig.

Check your memory usage every so often. If you close things when you are done you shouldn't have an issue.
Perhaps loosen your timings on the memory to see if it can keep up with the MHz?
1:1 is good, but you can run 5:4 or 4:5 timings as well.
iirc I did some testing and the performance impact that I saw was pretty minimal, but that was a long time ago.

 

[Sethos]

That is a sexy, sexy setup mkenyon - Colours are amazing.

 

[n0n44m]

After a ridiculous amount of time getting my loop to not leak (alphacool barbs don't like bitspower fittings at all), it is done save for my second SSD.

compression something something :>

but I like it! a lot ... color scheme is really cool shame you had so much issues with that reservoir pump thing

I just ordered two Watercool GTX680 blocks for my 670 cards, should start modding everything in a Define XL after my exams on Wednesday ... probably going to be a mainly functional mod with lots of noise isolation and no windows ...

 

[DyslexicAlucard]

So, Canadian PC GAFers, I just got my tax return (finally) and I'm wondering where the best place to get a GTX670 right now is. I have a $20 NCIX giftcard, so I'll get it and price-match it there, but where should I price-match it from?

Also, what should I look for in one? Should I avoid certain makes? Does a few Mhz really make a difference between them? If it does, is the price difference worth it? I've heard it's really good at overclocking, so should I be sure to get one with additional fans on it?

 

[Pandaman]

okay, this is what i've cobbled together.

power supply: Antec BP550 Plus 550W
case: HAF 912
hdd: SAMSUNG F3 1TB 7200 RPM
ram: G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB
mobo: BIOSTAR TZ77B LGA 1155 Intel
cpu: i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz
gpu: EVGA GTX 560 Ti 448 Cores
cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
other: ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X DVD Burner
$919.91 CAD

thoughts:
- went with ivy because i've heard that at conservative overclocks it noticably outpreforms the 2500k and frankly i dont think id be super comfortable overclocking beyond biostars toverclocker utility.
- kind of thinking im cheaping out on the mobo, but im not sure if i am or not.
cpu socket matches, it has the pci express slot for the gpu, but im terrified im missing something stuble but important; like the 212 wont fit with a gpu on the board or something.
-would everything fit the case nicely?
- <3's to haz

 

[kharma45]

okay, this is what i've cobbled together.

power supply: Antec BP550 Plus 550W
case: HAF 912
hdd: SAMSUNG F3 1TB 7200 RPM
ram: G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB
mobo: BIOSTAR TZ77B LGA 1155 Intel
cpu: i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz
gpu: EVGA GTX 560 Ti 448 Cores
cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
other: ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X DVD Burner
$919.91 CAD

thoughts:
- went with ivy because i've heard that at conservative overclocks it noticably outpreforms the 2500k and frankly i dont think id be super comfortable overclocking beyond biostars toverclocker utility.
- kind of thinking im cheaping out on the mobo, but im not sure if i am or not.
cpu socket matches, it has the pci express slot for the gpu, but im terrified im missing something stuble but important; like the 212 wont fit with a gpu on the board or something.
-would everything fit the case nicely?
- <3's to haz

The only thing I'd consider changing is the 560Ti 448 to a 7850 as it's a better card (uses less power, more VRAM, overclocks like a demon) and you can get one cheaper (even the ones with the custom OEM coolers where you get the great overclocks) too.

Just an idea for an alternative, worth a look at least.

 

[Caesar III]

My new hardware is half-complete but already up and running (with partly old parts (Graphics Card) and partly borrowed ones from my mediaserver (RAM))

Will post some pictures in the coming days when the RAM has arrived (and perhaps the 680GTX (no shipping date yet).


A few quick question regarding SSD usage:
I bought one of those Intel ones and used the majority of it for Windows and Programs. A smaller part (~55GB) I'd like to dedicate to games I play atm to improve loading times. (Max Payne 3, Battlefield 3 for me right now). The third partition is for my virtual pc.

Is it hurting the SSD bad when I let the Virtual PC run off of it? (it suspends to disk everytime I close it).

I deactivated indexing those three drives already. I deactivated defrag. I'll change folders for Temp (windows' own, windows' userspace temp, firefox temp) when the copying is done later today.
What else is helping the lifetime of the SSD?

Oh, and is there a way to deactivate (un-delay) the windows load-animation? I have the feeling that the SSD is faster than this logo and I have to wait until it was played once


BTW: someone mentioned in here that with the usage of his new SSD his internet was getting faster. I can second that even though I don't get it.

 

[Veal]

I have a couple of questions and I'm hoping someone in here can help me out! I'm planning on building a mITX rig in the future and planning to move to an SSD. I already have two 1TB HDDs in my current system. Would I be able to install Windows onto the SSD and have it be the boot drive with no problems, or would I need to format the other two drives first? What would happen to my DRM'd content on the HDD?

 

[kkg1701]

The i5 2500k is completely compatible with Z77 boards, correct? Also, would I have to completely wipe my hard drive to use it in a new build?

Don't remember what it's called atm but there is a way to "reset" a windows 7 install so that there are no old drivers left. When your hdd is put into a new config all you do is install the new drivers instead of the entire OS.

 

[Piercedveil]

Yup, compatible.

Windows 7 you can just swap it over and it should pickup most things fine. Make sure you have your drivers in a downloaded folder to install (or your mobo setup disc).

Don't remember what it's called atm but there is a way to "reset" a windows 7 install so that there are no old drivers left. When your hdd is put into a new config all you do is install the new drivers instead of the entire OS.

Will it make a difference if the hard drive is out of an HP desktop? I would not mind backing up my hard drive and doing a completely fresh install of Windows, but I don't really have a way of backing it up anywhere (like an external hard drive).

Also, will Microsoft swap my Windows 7 to a new motherboard/chipset via phone no problem?

Thanks, guys.

 

[faceless007]

After you disabled it, did you disable/uninstall the device from Device Manager as well to prevent any conflicts?

I do have Witcher on Steam but it's a 15GB download and my internet connection seems pretty poor this morning

The onboard video doesn't show up in Device Manager anyway. I never installed the drivers for it.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

I would have used white tubing. Cleaner look with all the white cables. Looks somewhat out of place with green water. Unless you are going to put a blacklight or something in the case.

 

[MWS Natural]

Yup! I'd recommend getting the low profile RAM listed in the OP (ARES/Vengeance) or the 30nm 1.35V Samsung Sticks.

Ok, I figured the memory heatsinks would help dissipate heat in my SFF case.

 

[2San]

Building a PC for my brother. I have a 500W PSU somewhere. Would that be enough, I am planning to overclock it to like 4,3~4,5 GHz. Would be really nice if he could save that 65 euro, he's kinda tight. Also anywhere else, where I can save money. I didn't go for 2500k, because the 3570k is only 6 euro more expensive. He has 64GB SSD he wants to use on it as well.

The system requirements of the XFX HD6870 seems to mention 500W, but because I'm over clocking I'm not sure. Maybe it's better to get a cheaper card and that draws less power?

 

[mkenyon]

That is a sexy, sexy setup mkenyon - Colours are amazing.

Thanks!

compression something something :>

but I like it! a lot ... color scheme is really cool shame you had so much issues with that reservoir pump thing

I just ordered two Watercool GTX680 blocks for my 670 cards, should start modding everything in a Define XL after my exams on Wednesday ... probably going to be a mainly functional mod with lots of noise isolation and no windows ...

Wasn't the barbs that leaked, but specifically the alphacool barbs would not seal with the bitspower rotary adapters. Plumbers tape fixed it. And that alphacool res, what a piece of garbage. Makes me sad too, as I was hoping it would work out for the Lian Li V700/V750.

Thank you, your compliment means a lot coming from a seasoned modder!

By chance, did you see that Noctua is making noise CANCELLATION fans? Thought that would be right up your alley.

Ok, I figured the memory heatsinks would help dissipate heat in my SFF case.

They literally do nothing. Some, like the high end corsair/patriot stuff actually do. DDR3 at stock voltages runs insanely cool though.

Building a PC for my brother. I have a 500W PSU somewhere. Would that be enough, I am planning to overclock it to like 4,3~4,5 GHz. Would be really nice if he could save that 65 euro, he's kinda tight. Also anywhere else, where I can save money. I didn't go for 2500k, because the 3570k is only 6 euro more expensive. He has 64GB SSD he wants to use on it as well.

The system requirements of the XFX HD6870 seems to mention 500W, but because I'm over clocking I'm not sure. Maybe it's better to get a cheaper card and that draws less power?

Drop the DVD drive, to a 2500K, and reduce the power supply. Should be pretty close to 65 euro. Could get a smaller HDD too.

 

[Lulubop]

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any recommendations on an inexpensive office chair?

 

[2San]

Drop the DVD drive, to a 2500K, and reduce the power supply. Should be pretty close to 65 euro. Could get a smaller HDD too.

What I meant by saving 65 euro, is that the PSU in the current build is 65 euro(the 700W one). I have a 520W PSU I could give him. If I go to a 2500k, would a 520W PSU be enough(I am overclocking to 4,3GHz~4,5GHz)? Good point on the DVD drive I have one lying around somewhere as well.

 

[mkenyon]

What I meant by saving 65 euro, is that the PSU in the current build is 65 euro(the 700W one). I have a 520W PSU I could give him. If I go to a 2500k, would a 520W PSU be enough(I am overclocking to 4,3GHz~4,5GHz)? Good point on the DVD drive I have one lying around somewhere as well.

Whats more important are the amps on the 12V rail. 520 is plenty though. Whole system will be drawing ~300W even overclocked.

 

[MrBig]

Updated to the 1015 asus z77 bios and was able to get up to 4.4ghz at 1.9v, 6 hours stable in prime95 at 64-72c. Much better

Also fixed the issue of my fan profile not loading at boot.

 

[cartman414]

After a ridiculous amount of time getting my loop to not leak (alphacool barbs don't like bitspower fittings at all), it is done save for my second SSD.

Once EK 690 blocks and the Shinobi XL White is out, will transfer the whole rig to that and add a second radiator.

Specs:
i7 3820
Gigabyte G1.Assassin 2 X79
4x4GB Corsair LP Vengeance
2x128GB Crucial M4 SSD's
EVGA GTX 690
Corsair AX850
Bitfenix Spectre Pro 120 fans (3 top, 1 rear, 2 front)
Corsair 600T SE
XSPC Dual Bay D5 Black Nylon Reservoir
Alphacool VPP655 D5 Pump
XSPC Raystorm Block
Alphacool barbs, Bitspower Rotary fittings
Primochill 7/16 ID clear tubing
Mayhem's Pastel Green concentrate w/ UV Yellow Dye added
Alphacool ST30 360mm radiator

Stress testing to come soon!

Nice. Are you planning on upgrading to Ivy Bridge-E down the line?

 

[littleworm]

Ugh my BSOD failures continue to plague me. I updated my drivers, and went a while with no failures but they have started up again. Ran a memory test twice and passed both times. Then I ran prime95 and had a failure within a minute. Ideas on how to proceed?

I hate to self-quote, but I am at a loss here.

 

[2San]

Whats more important are the amps on the 12V rail. 520 is plenty though. Whole system will be drawing ~300W even overclocked.

I have no idea what that means.

But it's this PSU:
http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=2685

 

[knitoe]

I hate to self-quote, but I am at a loss here.

Are you overclocking the CPU? If yes, try running stock and test with prime95.

 

[littleworm]

Are you overclocking the CPU? If yes, try running stock and test with prime95.

No. I'm just running the stock speed.

 

[knitoe]

No. I'm just running the stock speed.

If the computer is having issue(s) even at stock, going to be hard to find out. It could even be a bad CPU or MB. Do you notice it happens more offen under load, like running Prime95? Have you tried doing storage device check? Reinstalling Windows?

 

[littleworm]

If the computer is having issue(s) even at stock, going to be hard to find out. It could even be a bad CPU or MB. Do you notice it happens more offen under load, like running Prime95? Have you tried doing storage device check? Reinstalling Windows?

The failures, during normal usage are "seemingly" random, though I would say that most of the failure happen while I am playing a game, though that could be just a product of me gaming the majority of the time I am on my desktop. Though every time I do run Prime95 I get a failure within minutes. As for the other two questions I haven't tried either but I could.

 

[NoRéN]

What's the general consensus on the best 2x4gb RAM for a standard build?

 

[Hazaro]

okay, this is what i've cobbled together.

power supply: Antec BP550 Plus 550W
case: HAF 912
hdd: SAMSUNG F3 1TB 7200 RPM
ram: G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB
mobo: BIOSTAR TZ77B LGA 1155 Intel
cpu: i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz
gpu: EVGA GTX 560 Ti 448 Cores
cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
other: ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X DVD Burner
$919.91 CAD

thoughts:
- went with ivy because i've heard that at conservative overclocks it noticably outpreforms the 2500k and frankly i dont think id be super comfortable overclocking beyond biostars toverclocker utility.
- kind of thinking im cheaping out on the mobo, but im not sure if i am or not.
cpu socket matches, it has the pci express slot for the gpu, but im terrified im missing something stuble but important; like the 212 wont fit with a gpu on the board or something.
-would everything fit the case nicely?
- <3's to haz

Prices seem high. Check NCIX. As someone else brought up, the 7850 looks like a better buy in your region. If you want nVidia though you should try for the 560Ti 448 if you can.

Not really cheaping on the mobo. Don't use the auto OC because on the BioStar boards iirc it is not good at all. It's really quite easy to OC and you should do it manually.

I have a couple of questions and I'm hoping someone in here can help me out! I'm planning on building a mITX rig in the future and planning to move to an SSD. I already have two 1TB HDDs in my current system. Would I be able to install Windows onto the SSD and have it be the boot drive with no problems, or would I need to format the other two drives first? What would happen to my DRM'd content on the HDD?

OS's and HDD's are not my strong point, but you should just be able to install Windows on your SSD, boot from that, and attach your older drives just fine. Make sure you install with the SSD alone first, then have the SSD booting first in the BIOS.

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any recommendations on an inexpensive office chair?

I'm still looking.

I've found these recommendations, but haven't bought anything. My chair is about the WORST POSSIBLE THING and I should have replaced it 2 years ago.

• CostCo Eco Leather Chair
• Ikea Verner Chair
• Lorell 86200

I have no idea what that means.

But it's this PSU:
http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=2685

6870 sips power. That's 520W and modular? Should be more than 100% fine. SB/IB OC adds like 40W You are looking at 300W PEAK draws tops.

Also that RAM seems really expensive unless it's 2x8GB or something. Geil and Mushkin might be cheaper for you and are just fine.

The failures, during normal usage are "seemingly" random, though I would say that most of the failure happen while I am playing a game, though that could be just a product of me gaming the majority of the time I am on my desktop. Though every time I do run Prime95 I get a failure within minutes. As for the other two questions I haven't tried either but I could.

Tough to say if it's failing at stock. Run with 1 stick and test Prime95 and see if you fail, then test the other stick of RAM. Memory tests are not the end all. CPU failures are incredibly incredibly rare, so I'd be guessing it's some mobo power stability issue under load possibly in combination with your PSU. But, test your memory first.

What's the general consensus on the best 2x4gb RAM for a standard build?

It says any 1.5V for a reason. It's all the same. The two in the OP are fine choices.
Low Profile, 1600Mhz, 1.5V
Same prices, same performance, same limited lifetime warranties.

If you are overclocking and comfortable overvolting your memory you can buy the Samsung 1.35V 30nm sticks.

 

[NoRéN]

It says any 1.5V for a reason. It's all the same. The two in the OP are fine choices.
Low Profile, 1600Mhz, 1.5V
Same prices, same performance, same limited lifetime warranties.

If you are overclocking and comfortable overvolting your memory you can buy the Samsung 1.35V 30nm sticks.

Good to know. Thank you.

 

[Jibbed]

Quick question guys - i5 2500k with say, a GTX 670. Minimal PSU wattage required?

 

[2San]

6870 sips power. That's 520W and modular? Should be more than 100% fine. SB/IB OC adds like 40W You are looking at 300W PEAK draws tops.

Also that RAM seems really expensive unless it's 2x8GB or something. Geil and Mushkin might be cheaper for you and are just fine.

Sounds good.

Mushkin Silverline 2 x 4GB(1333MHz - 1.5v, 9-9-9-24) are 45 euro, are they good? For 2x4GB(1333/1600MHz - 1.5V), 40 something euro seems to be the going price over here.

 

[n0n44m]

Quick question guys - i5 2500k with say, a GTX 670. Minimal PSU wattage required?

I'm running 2600K @ 4.8 with 670 SLI on a Corsair HX650 lol

so minimal wattage required? I'm pretty sure sub-500 could still work, but looking at today's prices and the choices available I'd just grab a quality 500~550W PSU

Wasn't the barbs that leaked, but specifically the alphacool barbs would not seal with the bitspower rotary adapters. Plumbers tape fixed it. And that alphacool res, what a piece of garbage. Makes me sad too, as I was hoping it would work out for the Lian Li V700/V750.

Thank you, your compliment means a lot coming from a seasoned modder!

By chance, did you see that Noctua is making noise CANCELLATION fans? Thought that would be right up your alley.

hehe but why deal with the adapters? both alphacool&bitspower have plenty of rotary barbs available right?

but yeah the reservoir thing sucks ... all I got from alphacool are some rotary compressions and they work fine for 1/3rd of the price of a bitspower rotary but then again I don't trust acrylic products in general ... although I'm probably going for the EK multioption res now due to less drive bay space and some easier fillport plumbing

the noise cancellation thing seems cool, but from what I read they mainly offer more air flow at the same noise levels. Still I'm gonna watercool the VRMs now as well, so I'll have a total of 1 casefan soon hehe

 

[mkenyon]

hehe but why deal with the adapters? both alphacool&bitspower have plenty of rotary barbs available right?

but yeah the reservoir thing sucks ... all I got from alphacool are some rotary compressions and they work fine for 1/3rd of the price of a bitspower rotary but then again I don't trust acrylic products in general ... although I'm probably going for the EK multioption res now due to less drive bay space and some easier fillport plumbing

the noise cancellation thing seems cool, but from what I read they mainly offer more air flow at the same noise levels. Still I'm gonna watercool the VRMs now as well, so I'll have a total of 1 casefan soon hehe

Not rotary barbs, but angled barbs, yeah. I prefer the rotary ones because they're a bit more forgiving as far as getting them both tight and lined up. Just turns out the alphacool barbs in particular don't work well with the bitspower ones. XSPC and bitspower barbs both stayed leak free. I just didn't have enough of them.

Those multioption res's are sweet. As far as ease of use and general usage goes, I think bay reservoirs are much worse than your standard case mounted reservoirs. My choice for the bay ones is 100% aesthetic. I really dislike the 'tubes everywhere' look, even when done well with angled fittings/adapters and minimal tubing length. With a good portion of it hidden by the bay wall, I think it comes out with a much more clean look.

Nice. Are you planning on upgrading to Ivy Bridge-E down the line?

If it's good. If not, no. Part of my reason for 2011 justification was that option down the line. If it's the same thing that we've seen with SB -> IB, most definitely not. I have this 3820 sitting at 4.9ghz right now, maxing out at 59C.

 

[DyslexicAlucard]

So, Canadian PC GAFers, I just got my tax return (finally) and I'm wondering where the best place to get a GTX670 right now is. I have a $20 NCIX giftcard, so I'll get it and price-match it there, but where should I price-match it from?

Also, what should I look for in one? Should I avoid certain makes? Does a few Mhz really make a difference between them? If it does, is the price difference worth it? I've heard it's really good at overclocking, so should I be sure to get one with additional fans on it?

Anyone?

 

[DeVeAn]

So when I boot the PC 2 of the USB ports on the mobo seem to drop my USB mouse during start up. As soon as I press the left mouse button is make the plugged in sound and connects. Other ports never drop the device during start up. What could be the issue?

 

[TouchMyBox]

Anyone?

shopbot.ca

type in GTX 670

Sort by Price (low to high)

Profit.

As far as factory overclocking, I wouldn't pay a premium for it. Only pay premiums for upgraded cooling.

 

[DyslexicAlucard]

shopbot.ca

type in GTX 670

Sort by Price (low to high)

Profit.

As far as factory overclocking, I wouldn't pay a premium for it. Only pay premiums for upgraded cooling.

Is there a 670 that people recommend above the others? That has really good cooling/fans, maybe?

 

[TouchMyBox]

Is there a 670 that people recommend above the others? That has really good cooling/fans, maybe?

ASUS DirectCU II is always a winner.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Thanks to everyone that helped me out in my Brand New Computer Crisis.

One reinstall was all it took, and honestly should have been my first call. Instead, I spent $70 for Best Buy to tell me that it was my PSU (which was sort of the truth but not really) and sell me a new one (which I'm returning tonight).

 

[TheThunder]

Is there a 670 that people recommend above the others? That has really good cooling/fans, maybe?

Get either the ASUS or the Gigabyte one.

 

[widgetraf]

So I'm looking at this build, would appreciate any comments:

PSU: Thermaltake 650W
Case: Antec Six Hundred
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
RAM: G.SKILL Sniper 2x4
Mobo: MSI Z77A-G45
CPU: i5-2400
GPU: Palit GTX 580 1.5GB
Cooling: Cooler Master V8

I know the CPU is a little slow, but i figured I'm not going to OC anyways so I didn't go for the 2500K.

GPU and case I'm buying off a friend. For the GPU, I'm not that familiar with Palit but I think they are strong in UK or Asia but please correct me if I'm totally wrong.

 

[riceandbeans]

So I'm looking at this build, would appreciate any comments:

PSU: Thermaltake 650W
Case: Antec Six Hundred
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
RAM: G.SKILL Sniper 2x4
Mobo: MSI Z77A-G45
CPU: i5-2400
GPU: Palit GTX 580 1.5GB
Cooling: Cooler Master V8

I know the CPU is a little slow, but i figured I'm not going to OC anyways so I didn't go for the 2500K.

GPU and case I'm buying off a friend. For the GPU, I'm not that familiar with Palit but I think they are strong in UK or Asia but please correct me if I'm totally wrong.

It looks like a good budget build, but I would've gone with an i5 3450 processor and an Ivy Bridge build instead. The 3450 is almost the same price, has newer IB improvements, and uses less power.