Support NeoGAF

[Sethos]

Where'd ya pick up those multicolored keycaps?

Picked my keyboard up from here, http://www.getdigital.de/products/Das_Keyboard_Model_S/lng/en where I also got the "WASD Key Set Ultimate".

Might have to get these as well http://www.getdigital.de/products/Panic_Key/lng/en + http://www.getdigital.de/products/Any_Key

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Inwant a rainbow multicolor pixeleized keyboard.

 

[kharma45]

Hi there, first time builder. Here is my mid-range build, any help would be appreciated. Have I missed something that I should have or are any of the parts incompatible with each other? Also, are there any cheaper alternatives? I am mainly buying from amazon.co.uk and overclockers.co.uk

Budget: £700 + UK
Main Use: Gaming - 4/5
Emulation (PS2/Wii) - 2/3
HD Streaming - 5
General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback) 5
Games: BF3, Skyrim w/mods, Gtaiv w/mods, maybe diablo 3
When will you build?: Looking to build next week, however if any of the parts above are set to go down in price, I will be willing to wait.
Will you be overclocking?: No

CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.10GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail : £146.93
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 560 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card : £112.97
PSU: Powercool Modular 550W ATX PSU 80+ Dual 12V V2.2 : £34.95
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit : £44.99
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-M Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard : £88.99
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache - OEM : £69.98
SSD: Crucial RealSSD M4 64GB 2.5 SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive : £62.99
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS90 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM : £16.99
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus Mid-Tower Case with Fan Controller - Black : £44.99
Total price: £623.79

Thank you for any help in advance.

For roughly the same money this would be a lot better build and still comes in well under £700. I've sourced all the parts from eBuyer just for handiness sakes

Of course shopping around will get you a better deal, you could use something like PCPartPicker to help with that.

For the extra £60 of my build you're getting a much, much better graphics card, better SSD, bigger HDD, faster CPU with overclocking ability and a far better PSU (I have a Powercool myself and whilst there is nothing wrong with it it's best not to skimp on it).

What you could do to cut costs if you really wanted would be to take it down to a 1TB HDD (although for the price difference the 2TB is better value), drop down to a 6850 (Overclockers sell them for £90) and drop down the PSU to say the modular 500w version of that one or a non-modular 600w one.

The two biggest things in your build I'd change is the PSU and the GPU for starters, and you've chosen a Z77 motherboard which gives the ability to overclock yet a locked Intel CPU, hence my recommendation to change to a 3570K.

 

[Tess3ract]

Why is that a shame? The ultimate looks beast

It's the same design, just there's no labeling on the keys. Sure that's okay for your basic keys but I'd rather have the keys labeled so I don't confuse myself which is the page down or multiply sign.

 

[Sethos]

It's the same design, just there's no labeling on the keys. Sure that's okay for your basic keys but I'd rather have the keys labeled so I don't confuse myself which is the page down or multiply sign.

You just aren't hardcore enough with a keyboard then

 

[Salacious Crumb]

I wish they'd make a Das with a matte finish, I can't handle all the finger prints, dust and scratches that show up on glossy plastic.

 

[Gav47]

Got the new power brick for my 27Q and everything is working great now. Its a really nice monitor, the panel is amazing with great colour reproduction and viewing angles and the build quality amazing for what is essentially a budget monitor.

 

[Flunkie]

That Shinobi XL case made me change my mind to a Shinobi Window. BitFenix seems to be a quality case maker.

Would've gone Antec, but the cheaper ones don't have painted insides :/

 

[scogoth]

The Bitfenix Shinobi XL White came in on Friday. Started a build log for those interested as well.

Out of curiosity, is anyone interested in a step-by-step guide on how to setup a custom water loop? Thought about doing one alongside the build log. Kind of over the top, but this is GAF. Home of dueling 4-GPU crazies like Arken and Sk3tch.

Yes water loop guide would be very helpful. And yes im sure i need a dvd drive.

 

[cametall]

You just aren't hardcore enough with a keyboard then

Those of us with the Ultimate are undercore.

Confident in our understanding of the way of the keyboard (ie we know where all the keys are).

Welcome brother.

 

[saltinekracka]

Just an FYI to all those who are pricing parts, if it hasn't been said yet, prices on Newegg vary WILDLY almost from day to day. If you have a parts list, just keep your eye on them for a little while. It's already saved me tons.

 

[saltinekracka]

The Bitfenix Shinobi XL White came in on Friday. Started a build log for those interested as well.

I was curious about the ventilation of these cases. Where I see tons of fans on other cases, this one has two. Considering you bought it, is it a non-issue?

 

[cametall]

Another few questions regarding SSDs:

1. If I use imaging software to transfer Windows from the HDD to the SSD will I need to reformat the HDD to get rid of Windows? Does it matter?

2. Is it OK to leave Windows on the old HDD or does this cause boot issues (dual booting)?

3. Is it worth it to use this software "Paragon Migrate OS to SSD 2.0" ? Does it actually work?

4. Should I just clean install Windows on the SSD and wipe the old hard drive starting fresh?

I've been scouring Google but find conflicting answers regarding Windows on both hard drives. It starts to get confusing about whether I should clean install or transfer and whether I need to delete Windows from the old HDD.

I'd like to get these details nailed down so when I do bite on an SSD my transition goes smoothly

 

[kennah]

Another few questions regarding SSDs:

1. If I use imaging software to transfer Windows from the HDD to the SSD will I need to reformat the HDD to get rid of Windows? Does it matter?

2. Is it OK to leave Windows on the old HDD or does this cause boot issues (dual booting)?

3. Is it worth it to use this software "Paragon Migrate OS to SSD 2.0" ? Does it actually work?

4. Should I just clean install Windows on the SSD and wipe the old hard drive starting fresh?

I've been scouring Google but find conflicting answers regarding Windows on both hard drives. It starts to get confusing about whether I should clean install or transfer and whether I need to delete Windows from the old HDD.

I'd like to get these details nailed down so when I do bite on an SSD my transition goes smoothly

Starting fresh is your best bet.

 

[cametall]

Starting fresh is your best bet.

I figured. Thanks!

 

[Flunkie]

Trying to get my parts ordered today, as some items' I'm buying sales end tomorrow.

Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply - will this be enough for dual 670s in the future?

 

[Gav47]

Trying to get my parts ordered today, as some items' I'm buying sales end tomorrow.

Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply - will this be enough for dual 670s in the future?

Yes

 

[kharma45]

Trying to get my parts ordered today, as some items' I'm buying sales end tomorrow.

Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply - will this be enough for dual 670s in the future?

Yeah plenty of power.

 

[Flunkie]

Good deal, thanks.

 

[cametall]

This deal any good on a Corsair SSD or do other reliable brands go on sale for less?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057QETGS/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Basically $120 with a $30 mail in rebate, so $90 in the end.

 

[MrBig]

This deal any good on a Corsair SSD or do other reliable brands go on sale for less?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057QETGS/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Basically $120 with a $30 mail in rebate, so $90 in the end.

I sent a rebate in to Corsair about 3 months ago and still haven't gotten it back. I got an Asus rebate back after about a month and a half. Just go for the lowest price at checkout and don't waste your time.

 

[Flunkie]

Alright, I have it finalized I think!

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K Processor 3.4 4 BX80637I53570K ($214.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 SLI 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 2PCI SATA3 DisplayPort USB3.0 Motherboard (195.99 @ NCIX)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue 16 GB DDR3 SDRAM Dual Channel Memory Kit ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Graphics: GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply (I want to SLI in the future) ($149.99 @ Amazon)
SSD: Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Bitfenix Shinobi Window ATX Mid Tower Case Black 3X5.25EXT 8X3.5INT No PS Top USB3.0 Audio ($64.99 @ NCIX)
OS: Windows Premium 64 bit ($90.08 @ NCIX)

Total: ~$1403

Look good?

 

[mkenyon]

That's a gorgeous case! Speaking of which, mine shipped today!
Goddam. You're really gonna get a 690?

Thanks! I actually already have a 690, bought it on launch day.

damn that is a nice looking case ... I like how the window sits flush with the side panel

really happy with how it is turning out, but I did have some quality issues with the Define XL ... quite a lot of plastic and quite wobbly without the side panels attached ... not to mention the missing or loose rivets. Nice case but for 130 euros I shouldn´t have to replace their rivets with my own right

Looking good. I would say that the only downside of Fractal right now is quality control. The build quality is outstanding but they seem to have issues catching when something goes wrong. Seemingly not nearly as much as Corsair, but that just might be due to quantity differences.

Finally I can get rid of the awful Corsair K90 and hellish SteelSeries 6Gv2

Das übermeister has arrived *bows*

Delicious, which switches did you go with?

Yes water loop guide would be very helpful. And yes im sure i need a dvd drive.

You can lie to me but you can't lie to yourself.

I was curious about the ventilation of these cases. Where I see tons of fans on other cases, this one has two. Considering you bought it, is it a non-issue?

It comes with three, two 230mm fans and one 120mm fan. The Shinobi cases are ostensibly designed around silence. I would say that in general, people have way too many fans on their cases. The only time that more than three or four 120mm is necessary is when you have multiple video cards which are exhausting heat inside the case rather than out the back.

I am replacing them with three 120mm for the top radiator, four (two on each side) on the front radiator, and then replacing the rear with a single 120mm.

Alright, I have it finalized I think!

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K Processor 3.4 4 BX80637I53570K ($214.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 SLI 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 2PCI SATA3 DisplayPort USB3.0 Motherboard (195.99 @ NCIX)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue 16 GB DDR3 SDRAM Dual Channel Memory Kit ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Graphics: GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply (I want to SLI in the future) ($149.99 @ Amazon)
SSD: Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Bitfenix Shinobi Window ATX Mid Tower Case Black 3X5.25EXT 8X3.5INT No PS Top USB3.0 Audio ($64.99 @ NCIX)
OS: Windows Premium 64 bit ($90.08 @ NCIX)

Total: ~$1403

Look good?

Get the Corsair AX750 or Seasonic X750 instead for PSU. Still tons of overhead for SLI, and a much better part.

Also, PM me your address and I'm going to send you the extra 120mm Spectre that came with my XL. The mid-tower Shinobi needs a bit more in terms of cooling performance.

 

[laika09]

Alright, I have it finalized I think!

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K Processor 3.4 4 BX80637I53570K ($214.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 SLI 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 2PCI SATA3 DisplayPort USB3.0 Motherboard (195.99 @ NCIX)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue 16 GB DDR3 SDRAM Dual Channel Memory Kit ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Graphics: GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular Power Supply (I want to SLI in the future) ($149.99 @ Amazon)
SSD: Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Bitfenix Shinobi Window ATX Mid Tower Case Black 3X5.25EXT 8X3.5INT No PS Top USB3.0 Audio ($64.99 @ NCIX)
OS: Windows Premium 64 bit ($90.08 @ NCIX)

Total: ~$1403

Look good?

This is more or less identical to the build I'm about to pull the trigger on, so I hope so!

I'm going for the Thunderbolt version of that board, a 256 M4 and slightly smaller power supply.

 

[Flunkie]

Gah, I must really fail to grasp knowledge when it comes to the PSU.

 

[Sethos]

Delicious, which switches did you go with?

Comes with Cherry MX Blue per default

 

[mkenyon]

Figuring out which PSU I am going to buy goes like this.

Step 1) What wattage will my PC be pulling?
Step 2) Do math to make that <80% of the PSU total wattage rating.
Step 3) Get the Seasonic Gold/Platinum version closest to that number.

Comes with Cherry MX Blue per default

I moved a MX Blue board for my wife to use after I got my dual MX Red KB's. It's only when you're not the one using it do you realize how insanely loud it is.

Feels good though. That click is like a built in reward mechanism for hitting keys. It's almost as if the board is thanking you for typing on it.

 

[Yaska]

Ok, so I built a pc for friend, wired it right and all, but now when I'm pressing the power button nothing happens. I've tried to see if i had wired the front panel wrong, and also tried with different power chords. Any help? PSU is OCZ ZT, chase is Zalman z9

 

[mkenyon]

Ok, so I built a pc for friend, wired it right and all, but now when I'm pressing the power button nothing happens. I've tried to see if i had wired the front panel wrong, and also tried with different power chords. Any help? PSU is OCZ ZT, chase is Zalman z9

1) Is it plugged in?
2) Is the power button on the PSU on?
3) Reverse the power switch connected to the motherboard.
4) Jump the two pins with conductive metal on the motherboard.

 

[Flunkie]

Ok, so I built a pc for friend, wired it right and all, but now when I'm pressing the power button nothing happens. I've tried to see if i had wired the front panel wrong, and also tried with different power chords. Any help? PSU is OCZ ZT, chase is Zalman z9

I heard/read you have to connect the faceplate to the power for those to work. Or something.

 

[Yaska]

1) Is it plugged in?
2) Is the power button on the PSU on?
3) Reverse the power switch connected to the motherboard.
4) Jump the two pins with conductive metal on the motherboard.

plugged in, power button on, tried reversing the power switch, haven't jumped the pins yet. It's a UK PSU and we're trying with PAL chord so could it be that?

 

[Leunam]

Before I start looking into individual components I was wondering if anyone has any experience with buying gaming PC's from the US vendors lists in the OP. I've never built a computer before so I may go that route but it seems like I would get better bang for the buck starting from scratch.

I should clarify, I am looking for a gaming PC, maybe some 3D work, my budget tops out at $1k. I was looking at the fourth build in the OP.

 

[Atruvius]

I'm buying a new computer. The current PC I have is 5 years old and was under powerd even back in 2007. The computer would be for gaming and school work.

Here's a link to the specs, it's in finnish but you'll get the gist.

I know nothing about computers so I ask you, GAF, for advice.

-Should I pick Intel i5-3570K or Intel i7-3770K (+ &#8364;77)
-Should I get a 64GB SSD (&#8364;97). Bigger ones cost too much.
-What's the difference between Windows 7 Home Premium and Pro

Depending on these the cost will be around &#8364;1400 and &#8364;1550.

Edit. http://www.silentrig.com/product/2297/ranger-high-power I think I'll buy that one. Costs &#8364;1179 and then I'll buy an SSD with it, which they will put in, too.

 

[mkenyon]

The problem I've seen is this:

Everything outside of the Alienware X51 gouges you on price in areas that are worthless, and skimps in the most important areas. To get something equivalent, you have to bring up the price to ridiculous numbers. If you get it custom built by a company designed to offer such services, then you pay a huge premium. If someone had $2k to burn, didn't want to take the time to learn how to build, and wanted a killer gaming rig, that's a good position. If there's any sort of hard budget though and you really want to get the most for your money, it's an easy decision.

If you're Pac NW local, I offer my services for free to GAFers as well.

 

[Leunam]

Figured as much. I'll start basing something off of the guides in the OP soon. Thanks.

 

[BolognaSoup]

My Crossover 27Q came in! AW even included 2 Korean scarves as a gift. How cool?!

Right out of the box this thing is beautiful and very solid. I have to wait until after class tonight to build the PC and fire this thing up!

 

[mkenyon]

I'm buying a new computer. The current PC I have is 5 years old and was under powerd even back in 2007. The computer would be for gaming and school work.

Here's a link to the specs, it's in finnish but you'll get the gist.

I know nothing about computers so I ask you, GAF, for advice.

-Should I pick Intel i5-3570K or Intel i7-3770K (+ €77)
-Should I get a 64GB SSD (€97). Bigger ones cost too much.
-What's the difference between Windows 7 Home Premium and Pro

Depending on these the cost will be around €1400 and €1550.

Edit. http://www.silentrig.com/product/2297/ranger-high-power I think I'll buy that one. Costs €1179 and then I'll buy an SSD with it, which they will put in, too.

Both look great actually.

1) 3570K
2) 64 is plenty for OS, applications, and a few games.
3) The latter is for businesses built around servers, and has some networking stuff that makes it possible.

 

[Dirtdog07]

Decided to put the 680 SLI to good use and went with the Dell U2711. Just finished setting it up and booted up a Skyrim save. I was really shocked just how much better it looks at this resolution. Thanks for all recommendations.

 

[Smokey]

Decided to put the 680 SLI to good use and went with the Dell U2711. Just finished setting it up and booted up a Skyrim save. I was really shocked just how much better it looks at this resolution. Thanks for all recommendations.

You are now Elite

 

[Celcius]

Decided to put the 680 SLI to good use and went with the Dell U2711. Just finished setting it up and booted up a Skyrim save. I was really shocked just how much better it looks at this resolution. Thanks for all recommendations.

Got any pics of Skyrim running on the monitor?

 

[MrBig]

Decided to put the 680 SLI to good use and went with the Dell U2711. Just finished setting it up and booted up a Skyrim save. I was really shocked just how much better it looks at this resolution. Thanks for all recommendations.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/525/img0309tl.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Nice, you're going to love the panel. Too bad about that huge bezel and AG coating, same problem I have with all Dells.

 

[larvi]

-What's the difference between Windows 7 Home Premium and Pro

Here's a link to the feature chart from MS:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/compare?T1=tab15

I upgraded mine to Pro because I wanted the XP mode functionality for compatibility with older programs. If you already have a valid retail XP version you can essentially duplicate the XP mode functionality under the Home Premium version as well by installing MS Virtual PC and a couple of addons which are free downloads.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Alright, so it's time for me to get a new PC, as mine is an absolute dinosaur. I'm not a PC gamer at all, and won't be using it for any sort of gaming outside of maybe some indie stuff. I want to stick to a $500 or so budget. What would be the best PC I could get for that price, keeping in mind the whole "not a gaming PC" thing?

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

why do people not read the 1st page?

 

[Seraphis Cain]

why do people not ready the 1st page?

Oops. My bad. :lol

 

[Atruvius]

mkenyon and larvi, thanks for your replies. I think I'll get the cheaper model and Windows 7 Pro. Then a week's wait and my first plunge into Steam!

 

[BolognaSoup]

How much pressure does the arm on the CPU bracket really take? I have the 3570k set on my P8Z77 V Pro with the notches lined up and the arrow towards the bottom left.

I feel like I'm getting way more resistance than what I see in the Tested video even to the point of hearing it creak before I stop. What might I be doing wrong??

*nevermind I got it. Man that was scary. More resistance than Will Smith made it look like in their video.

 

[scogoth]

why do people not read the 1st page?

There's a first page O_O?

 

[BolognaSoup]

Where do the HD AUDIO/AC 97 plugs go? They are connected together. I see a spot near where the power supply will be for the HD AUDIO plug but nothing nearby that the AC 97 would fit to.

 

[MrBig]

Where do the HD AUDIO/AC 97 plugs go? They are connected together. I see a spot near where the power supply will be for the HD AUDIO plug but nothing nearby that the AC 97 would fit to.

Nothing, let it dangle.