Support NeoGAF

[specialguy]

AMD has really good deals now. Seeing 7950 for 299, 7870 as low as 229 for one model. 7850 209 (shame those 189 sapphire's with great cooling price went back up). All those no rebate prices currently!

The 7870 for example runs very close to the 660Ti in every game that matters save BF3 imo. For $50-70 less.

I've had my eye on 7850 for a while but at these prices I'd rather go 7870. I have a feeling the extra punch may be very useful in Crysis 3, the only game I'm really buying for anyway. The current $20 difference between cheapest 7850 and 7870 at newegg is a no brainer.

Still will probably wait for even more super deals. One things for sure we're hitting that point in the GPU gen where the deals are really coming.

 

[RibbedHero]

AMD has really good deals now. Seeing 7950 for 299, 7870 as low as 229 for one model. 7850 209 (shame those 189 sapphire's with great cooling price went back up). All those no rebate prices currently!

The 7870 for example runs very close to the 660Ti in every game that matters save BF3 imo. For $50-70 less.

I've had my eye on 7850 for a while but at these prices I'd rather go 7870. I have a feeling the extra punch may be very useful in Crysis 3, the only game I'm really buying for anyway. The current $20 difference between cheapest 7850 and 7870 at newegg is a no brainer.

Still will probably wait for even more super deals. One things for sure we're hitting that point in the GPU gen where the deals are really coming.

AMD have been getting really aggressive with their pricing. Hopefully Nvidia will respond with drops too and I can pick up a second 670 on the cheap.

 

[Mareg]

Awesome, really helpful OP. Used Hazard's "Excellent" build as a starting reference and went from there. Ordered my parts today for my first PC build, can't wait. Even watched Carey Holzman's Youtube video, about as newbie-friendly as it can be.

Your Current Specs: i5 3570K / 8GB RAM / MSI Z77A-G43 mobo / HD 7950 / Rosewill 550W 80plus single +12V rail PSU
Budget: $1000, USA
Main Use: Gaming only
Monitor Resolution: haven't decided yet, will use my neglected TV with HDMI for now
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Guild Wars 2
Looking to reuse any parts?: no
When will you build?: next 1-2 weeks
Will you be overclocking?: No

Three questions from this newbie:
1. The OP highly recommends a custom cooler with the HD7950 3GB. But I don't intend on overclocking right now (just want the thing to work). Will the reference fan on the i5 3570K be sufficient?

2. With the MSI Z77A-G43 motherboard that comes with ClickII BIOS UI, do I really need to change any settings? Don't want to mess with anything if I don't need to. If everything is working fine after OS installation, is BIOS Live Update still recommended?

3. I'm going to use a TV for my monitor for now and hook up via HDMI. My computer will detect this on first boot, right?

Appreciate any help, thanks.

1. I think there is two questions in this... General rule is if you don't plan on overclocking and your case airflow setup is somewhat decent, you can get away with the supplied cooling solution. I heard the reference i5 cooler are actually nice. Not great but they do the job at an acceptable noise level.

2. You can get away with the MSI default settings. The only thing I would recommend is to put the 2.4 bios on a thumb drive (USB) and update the bios. MSI got some negative reviews based on a crippled 2.3 bios. With default options in the bios, you will get every necessary options turned on. Some unnecessary one too but they won't affect the stability (like serial/para ports ... who use those anymore ???).

3. I think so yeah. But you might get a croped image before you can fully load a basic driver from windows.

 

[Cindres]

if its a little noisy, later on you can replace case fans with quiet ones - check quietpc.com. Not sire how quiet the 212 cooler is? I used a noctua CPU cooler with slower fans and it was really quiet

I hear the 212's somewhat quiet? I assume quieter than the stock cooler anyway. Silence isn't my primary issue but I would like to be able to sleep in the same room as it with it on.

7850 is also £160 at Novatech now, and Overclockers

http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/...ium=affiliate&utm_campaign=1018132_HotUKDeals

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-154-MS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

The Sapphire one is even cheaper again with OCUK but I'd spend the extra £4 to get the MSI.

Damn that thing's getting super cheap now, thanks for the pointer. I'm definitely sticking with the MSI.

 

[TomcatTheLion]

SanDisk Extreme SSD 120 GB SATA 6.0 Gb-s2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SDSSDX-120G-G25

I think I'm going to pick this up. It'll be my first SSD and seems like a steal at $90.

 

[ccbfan]

How does this hd

Western Digital AV-GP WD20EURS 2TB 64MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136783


compare to this one

Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARX 2TB 64MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136891


Newegg has a 15 percent off sale this weekend.

I'm using this as purely as a data drive.

I already have a Samsung 830 128gb for my OS/heavily used apps drive and a Black for my games and lessor used apps.

 

[justjustin]

Hey, sorry if there's a general PC tech support thread I didn't notice, but a friend of mine has been having some serious issues with his hardware, and I'm wondering how safe it is to let him use parts from my PC to test stuff out.

It started with games crashing and blue screens, then progressed to random restarts while in windows, and eventually his computer would either boot up and immediately restart or boot up and just not display a picture. In the first stages of these problems he replaced his video card. No go. He then replaced his power supply. Issues remained. He got so fed up he's just used his laptop for the past 6-7 months. He tried using his PC again the other day; it will not detect ANY harddrive plugged into it.

My feeling is it's the motherboard that's the issue, just because that's more likely than 2 harddrives, 2 PSUs and 2 video cards going bad. But what's the best way to go about troubleshooting this for sure? My PC has been working great since I put it together about a year ago, and I suggested we could just swap parts to see if the motherboard really is the issue.

However... now I'm not too thrilled about taking everything apart and I'm wondering if it's necessary or even safe to do this to really tackle the problem. Is it possible a bad motherboard can damage other parts or are only PSUs capable of doing that?

In general, would it be an efficient and safe troubleshooting method to swap hardware between each others' PCs, or is there an easier way to find the problem? If you need more specific details I can get 'em. I'm just wondering what your impressions are, or what you would do if you were in his/my shoes. Thanks.

 

[Akkad]

How does this hd

Western Digital AV-GP WD20EURS 2TB 64MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136783


compare to this one

Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARX 2TB 64MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136891


Newegg has a 15 percent off sale this weekend.

I'm using this as purely as a data drive.

I already have a Samsung 830 128gb for my OS/heavily used apps drive and a Black for my games and lessor used apps.

The second one should be faster if you have a motherboard with SATA 3 (6.0 Gb/s). However it will still work with SATA 2, but not at 6.0 gb/s.

 

[mkenyon]

The second one should be faster if you have a motherboard with SATA 3 (6.0 Gb/s). However it will still work with SATA 2, but not at 6.0 gb/s.

The bandwidth it is capable of using has zero effect on the speed. There aren't any 5400/7200rpm drives that are capable of saturating SATA I, let alone II or III.

 

[Akkad]

The bandwidth it is capable of using has zero effect on the speed. There aren't any 5400/7200rpm drives that are capable of saturating SATA I, let alone II or III.

So it's only useful with SSDs I guess.

 

[Infinite Justice]

I guess the Radeon cuts are finally official on newegg since they now near to the prices that were revealed (give or take some bucks since some have those non reference coolers and/or they are overclocked a bit).

Sadly the sapphires are not at the crazy prices like before but now in line with everything else. Next is the promo to get Sleeping Dogs

 

[mkenyon]

For those looking for a new video card, I still have:

EVGA GTX 670 - $360 shipped

Powercolor 6950 2GB - $160 shipped

 

[Hazaro]

For those looking for a new video card, I still have:

EVGA GTX 670 - $360 shipped

Best Air cooled Powercolor 6950 2GB in the Americas- $160 shipped

Fixed

 

[Arsin]

I had a quick question about case fans. I was looking at buying at least one 120mm and a 200mm. I read the guide in the OP and I have settled on the Noctua NF-P12-1300 for the 120mm, but what about the 200mm? Quite would be nice, but looking for the best airflow more than anything. Thanks for the help GAF ^_^

 

[mkenyon]

P12 is intended for radiator/heatsink duty. The S12B is better suited for case airflow.

As for 200mm fans, the Spectre Pros move a ton of air. The standard Spectre is much more quiet, basically inaudible, but moves 1/3 of the air.

 

[storybook77]

I'm in a similar boat. I just upgraded to a 7850, but I'm stuck on AM3 with a Phenom II 550.

I wanted to go the i5 route, but damn--it's expensive (like almost $500 for a full cpu+mobo+ram swap). After much research, I settled on the Phenom II 965 (which is clocked just a bit higher than yours). Ordered a nice cooler with it and will try to OC it to 4 ghz.

We'll be slightly bottlenecked by the CPU, but on most games it's more of a difference of 80-90 FPS vs 60-70 FPS. In other words, it will be tough to even tell the difference.

I don't get caught up in how many FPS I get in a game. I just want a smooth, stable frame rate at the highest settings at 1080p. That's good enough for me.

 

[Shambles]

Not when games now routinely have 20+ GB install sizes. I'd feel uncomfortable getting anything smaller than 120GB.

For a gaming PC I wouldn't go any smaller than 240GB. I don't have a huge collection but after installing my programs and games I'm down to about 12 Gigs left on my 256GB drive. I put a 120GB drive on my wifes PC. She only have 4-5 games on her machine and after programs and the OS she's down to about 10 gigs free space. All of our media is kept on separate mechanical drives.

 

[Arsin]

P12 is intended for radiator/heatsink duty. The S12B is better suited for case airflow.

As for 200mm fans, the Spectre Pros move a ton of air. The standard Spectre is much more quiet, basically inaudible, but moves 1/3 of the air.

Awesome info, thanks for the help. Now I have the Corsair 600T case with the H-100 "water cooling" system. I know I don't really need the water cooling system, but I wanted to spoil myself. Anyways, with that case and cooling system in mind, which of the 200mm fans would be best? Would the extra airflow help that much, or could I go with the quiter ones? Also should I replace the 120mm fans that came with the H-100 or are te ones that come with the system work well enough?

 

[mkenyon]

Awesome info, thanks for the help. Now I have the Corsair 600T case with the H-100 "water cooling" system. I know I don't really need the water cooling system, but I wanted to spoil myself. Anyways, with that case and cooling system in mind, which of the 200mm fans would be best? Would the extra airflow help that much, or could I go with the quiter ones? Also should I replace the 120mm fans that came with the H-100 or are te ones that come with the system work well enough?

The stock ones are fairly loud. Corsair SP quiet edition fans are a good choice, as are the Noctua P12s and F12s. I have some extra 200mm spectre pros I can send you, PM me your address.

 

[Ocho]

What's the difference between the BENQ XL2420T and the XL2420TX (besides the $100+ price difference)?

 

[mkenyon]

3D emitter.

 

[Ocho]

3D emitter.

Is it worth it? I don't plan to 3D.

 

[RibbedHero]

Is it worth it? I don't plan to 3D.

If you don't plan on using/playing in 3D then it's not worth it at all.

 

[DMB4237]

I think I may bite the bullet today and get my first gaming computer. I did a couple changes to a build I configured like a month ago.

http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/p/frpM

Can someone double-check this for me to know I'm not gonna blow something up? Also harsh recommendations are accepted. I just don't want to spend much more than what I have now.

 

[mkenyon]

$200 Lian Li full tower on sale for $70.

If you need a new case, you'd be silly not to buy it.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112349

Edit*

There is a number of their cases on crazy discount right now. Just go to newegg->cases->Lian Li

 

[RibbedHero]

$200 Lian Li full tower on sale for $70.

If you need a new case, you'd be silly not to buy it.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112349

Edit*

There is a number of their cases on crazy discount right now. Just go to newegg->cases->Lian Li

Grrr, you Americans getting all these crazy deals. For most components there's parity (when you factor in tax) but cases tend to be much cheaper across the pond.

 

[storybook77]

I'm not sure I'd want to have a case with a front facing motherboard. I don't like the idea of more wires coming out the front.

 

[Infinite Justice]

$200 Lian Li full tower on sale for $70.

If you need a new case, you'd be silly not to buy it.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112349

Edit*

There is a number of their cases on crazy discount right now. Just go to newegg->cases->Lian Li

Whats with Lian Li cases and their less than imposing look? Looks so plain LOL.

 

[gokieks]

I'm not sure I'd want to have a case with a front facing motherboard. I don't like the idea of more wires coming out the front.

Yeah, even at that price I don't really want it. And it would look especially bad if you were using multiple monitors.

 

[MisterNoisy]

$200 Lian Li full tower on sale for $70.

If you need a new case, you'd be silly not to buy it.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112349

Edit*

There is a number of their cases on crazy discount right now. Just go to newegg->cases->Lian Li

Holy fuck, that's an amazing deal. I'm not looking to swap out my Phantom just yet, but I've got the bug for a new box pretty bad, so why not? Thanks for the heads up!

 

[kennah]

Hugs his 12 year old PC-60

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, even at that price I don't really want it. And it would look especially bad if you were using multiple monitors.

They don't come out the front. They are routed to the back. The opening is just so you have access to the I/O.

 

[MisterNoisy]

Yeah, even at that price I don't really want it. And it would look especially bad if you were using multiple monitors.

There are grommets to allow you to route the cables from the front of the chassis all the way through to the back. It's a seriously well-thought-out design:

 

[gokieks]

They don't come out the front. They are routed to the back. The opening is just so you have access to the I/O.

Oh... it would probably be nice if there was a picture of that - I glanced at a few reviews and none of them actually shows what the completed system would look like, so I just had to guess as to how the cords worked.

It is an interesting design. Kind of wish it offered some connectivity options outside of the motherboard IO, but for $70, that's tempting.

 

[AndyD]

I think its time for an upgrade.

What's the difference between an i5 2500 and a 3570. From what I can tell the 35 is newer and has smaller die and uses less power at a comparable price point. Am I wrong?

 

[MisterNoisy]

I think its time for an upgrade.

What's the difference between an i5 2500 and a 3570. From what I can tell the 35 is newer and has smaller die and uses less power at a comparable price point. Am I wrong?

3570K is faster per clock and 2500K overclocks higher - if you're willing to overclock, it's a wash and may slightly favor the 2500K. If not, get the 3570K.

 

[AndyD]

I am leaning towards stock, including using the stock cooler. What is the difference in K vs non K? Is it the unlocked multiplier for overclocking?

 

[MisterNoisy]

I am leaning towards stock, including using the stock cooler. What is the difference in K vs non K? Is it the unlocked multiplier for overclocking?

Yup. That's it. Even if you don't overclock and just buy a non-K proc, you should drop the extra $20 for a Hyper 212, if only because it won't sound like there's a beehive in your case.

 

[Fjordson]

Hey guys, what's your solution for using a 360 gamepad on PC? Is there a dependable adapter out there to use with my two wireless pads? Or should I just grab a wired one? I sit fairly close to my PC so either way would work fine.

 

[Smidget]

Anyone know if I could add another 6870 to my computer?

Corsair CX430 V2
Z68 motherboard
i5-2500K
Hyper 212+ HSF
4x4GB of RAM
128GB M4 SSD
3 SATA HDDs
1 SATA DVD+-RW
1 6870

I did some power supply calculators, but I don't know how "legit" they are if they're mostly on sites that sell power supplies

Ordered one of those Korean 27" screens and realized playing at lower than native resolution might not be too fun...

 

[·feist·]

Still think the original "Hammer" looked better. They had to make some obvious concessions, but they went the Bad Lian Li route, instead of the attractive/functional/well implemented Lian Li route.

Not bad for two years old, and unfinished.

Holy fuck, that's an amazing deal. I'm not looking to swap out my Phantom just yet, but I've got the bug for a new box pretty bad, so why not? Thanks for the heads up!

Dual-socket workstation case for $70. Have fun, Noisy.

 

[Emperor Bohe]

okay, I'm about to purchase these parts. This selection was helped formed by you guys a few months ago, but I just want one final opinion. I'm looking to build a monster gaming PC, something that can run "next-gen" games for the next few years (stuff like Star Wars 1313, Unreal engine 4 games, etc...). I'm also going to run Mac OS on it (with Windows 7 as the main OS), so I had to choose certain parts that are compatible. These are the parts..

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K

CPU Cooler: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z77-DS3H LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Memory: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9R

HDD: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 ST2000DL004 2TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

SDD: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

GPU: EVGA 02G-P4-2678-KR GeForce GTX 670 FTW 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi Black High Performance PC Computer Case w/ USB 3.0 and 3 x Fractal High Performance 140mm fans

Power Supply: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V

Optical Drive: ASUS Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS

Monitor: ASUS VH242H Black 23.6" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor W/Speakers

OS: Windows 7 and Mountain Lion

Wi-Fi Adapter: TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 PCI Express x1 Wireless N Dual Band Adapter


I'm probably going to pull the trigger by tonight as some coupons expire, so lemme know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[·feist·]

Hey guys, what's your solution for using a 360 gamepad on PC? Is there a dependable adapter out there to use with my two wireless pads? Or should I just grab a wired one? I sit fairly close to my PC so either way would work fine.

Wired is fine, or...

Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HZFCT2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Anyone know if I could add another 6870 to my computer?

Corsair CX430 V2
Z68 motherboard
i5-2500K
Hyper 212+ HSF
4x4GB of RAM
128GB M4 SSD
3 SATA HDDs
1 SATA DVD+-RW
1 6870

I did some power supply calculators, but I don't know how "legit" they are if they're mostly on sites that sell power supplies

Ordered one of those Korean 27" screens and realized playing at lower than native resolution might not be too fun...

I wouldn't try to run two 6870s on a CX430. A higher wattage, and/or higher watt unit would be my choice.

 

[AndyD]

Yup. That's it. Even if you don't overclock and just buy a non-K proc, you should drop the extra $20 for a Hyper 212, if only because it won't sound like there's a beehive in your case.

Cool thanks. Looks big and heavy but also quiet. I think I may have to jump in very soon.

 

[MisterNoisy]

Still think the original "Hammer" looked better. They had to make some obvious concessions, but they went the Bad Lian Li route, instead of the attractive/functional/well implemented Lian Li route.


Not bad for two years old, and unfinished.


Dual-socket workstation case for $70. Have fun, Noisy.

I want it as my replacement HTPC/comfy couch gaming case, and it'll be perfect in that role and significantly less garish than the LAN party box I had in a NZXT Vulcan I had in that role before.

 

[teiresias]

I'm really thinking about looking for another monitor to replace my HP ZR24w - the anti-glare coating is starting to get to me. I don't necessarily want glossy, but just something less aggressive than the one on this monitor. I'd also like a 120Hz screen - mainly for desktop use since I generally game on my plasma tv - but ugh, they're all TN panels and aside from the IPS glow I don't know if I could go back to TN from IPS since I do a lot of photo editing.

I also can't decide on Sleeping Dogs or Dark Souls, but that's another issue. Hehe.

 

[·feist·]

I want it as my replacement HTPC/comfy couch gaming case, and it'll be perfect in that role and significantly less garish than the LAN party box I had in a NZXT Vulcan I had in that role before.

You seem to like the more adventurously styled enclosures. Good replacement, though. Even if you find it somewhat boring, it'll blend in better in that role.

okay, I'm about to purchase these parts. This selection was helped formed by you guys a few months ago, but I just want one final opinion. I'm looking to build a monster gaming PC, something that can run "next-gen" games for the next few years (stuff like Star Wars 1313, Unreal engine 4 games, etc...). I'm also going to run Mac OS on it (with Windows 7 as the main OS), so I had to choose certain parts that are compatible. These are the parts..


*list*


I'm probably going to pull the trigger by tonight as some coupons expire, so lemme know what you guys think. Thanks!

Mobo is very low end. Few more $$s goes a long way. Try OP recommendations.
If it matters to you, that GPU has a limited warranty. If it isn't a coupon deal you may want to switch to another EVGA, or custom cooled 670 from another vendor. Rest looks fine so long as the pricing, and deals aren't suspect (pricing mark up, followed by OMG super deal coupon), or better priced elsewhere.

 

[FunkyMunkey]

I already have an evga gtx670 ftw and the temps are great. I'm thinking of getting another for SLI. Would the second have to be evga? Just thinking in case I find a better deal for a different brand.

Also, from I read, air cooling should still be sufficient for two 670s, but does anyone here have an sli set up for them? How does it fare? And what minimum wattage for the psu?

I'd upgrade my case fans for better airflow at the very least if I went this route.

 

[MisterNoisy]

I already have an evga gtx670 ftw and the temps are great. I'm thinking of getting another for SLI. Would the second have to be evga? Just thinking in case I find a better deal for a different brand.

RAM quantity and chipset have to be the same. Beyond that, go nuts.

 

[Rand0m TAG]

Grrr, you Americans getting all these crazy deals. For most components there's parity (when you factor in tax) but cases tend to be much cheaper across the pond.

not sure about that. ncix and directcanada have some pretty good deals, not to mention that they price match. directcanada also has free shipping for purchases above $100. also check out pricebat.ca . it gives you a nice list of prices