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[mkenyon]

I'd be using Sony Vegas.

Baseline of your computer should consist of:

16GB of this RAM - $90
i7 3770K - $330
AMD videocard 7870/7950/7970 (they work way better in Vegas for rendering) - $250-400
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 (if the case allows for it) or CoolerMaster Gemini II (lower profile)
ASRock Z77 Pro4-M - $110
Seasonic M12II 620W PSU - $90
Optical drive of your choice

The case is a tricky choice. If you go down to an ITX form factor, you get a lot more options in terms of cases as it's a really small motherboard. However, the price goes up to $150 for the motherboard. HTPC cases (the horizontal ones) are generally more expensive than standard cases. What you can do is just get a standard case and put it on its side. If that doesn't sound appealing, then you're looking at $100-150 for a case. If you allow for a bit more wiggle room on case design, there's a number of options out there. Take a gander at:

Silverstone PS07, TJ08, Lian Li PC-A04, PC-V351, Fractal Arc Mini, Define Mini. If this isn't happening for a few months, then maybe this will be out, which should come in around $100.

The reason why I put the 3770K in there is that it is a lot better at rendering video than the 3570K. If shaving off time here and there for rendering isn't worth $100 for you, then you can drop it down to the 3570K.

HDDs is the other touchy part, as prices are still stupidly high. Do you currently have a storage system on your network, or will you be looking to use this PC to store most of your videos?

Hey all, looking for a bit of advice, this might be a long-ass post but I'll try to keep it succinct.

I am looking to build a PC for the living room, mainly for 1080p mkv video playback, along with game emulation up to N64/PSX-era games, and some Steam gaming -- indie titles, and maybe some new ones at low-details. I realize getting emulation for Dolphin will push it way beyond my budget, so I'm stopping at N64/PSX.

Since this is for the living room, case size does matter, I'm probably going to need mini-ITX, but i might be able to get away with mATX depending on how small/discreet the case is.

Budget: Max $450 - 500, the lower the better though - I do have plenty of 3.5" hard drives lying around, so that should save a bit of budget space. The pc would be streaming media from a NAS, so large on-board storage isn't necessary, just enough for OS / some games.

Now, I'm looking at a few options....

Option 1
Zotac AD04-U (E-450 based)

Option 2
Take the lowest-budget PC builds from the OP, and modify the motherboard/case to fit into a mini-ITX form factor...

Option 3
Salvage an old PC I have with:
Q6600
Gigabyte P35C-DS3R (ATX )
4gb DDR2 800
etc.

The problem with this option is that I'd need to buy a mini-ITX socket 775 motherboard, and case, and graphics card, so at that point it might not be worth it to invest in the dated 775 platform for the sake of using the q6600 :/

-------------------------------

Any suggestions welcome, I can't really find benchmarks on how the e-450 would even handle N64 emulation, but I'm itching to play OOT / MM with my girlfriend, so that's a must!

Go for the budget build in the OP, but swap the motherboard for an H67/H77 itx board. I have the P8H77-I coming soon for a rebuild on my HTPC, looks like a good option.

 

[Echoes of Pink]

Building off of my post earlier:

Which graphics card would be a good replacement for GTX 260:

I was thinking either GTX 660 or HD 7850. $225 is about my range.

What do you guys think?

 

[Jo-El]

Building off of my post earlier:

Which graphics card would be a good replacement for GTX 260:

I was thinking either GTX 660 or HD 7850. $225 is about my range.

What do you guys think?

It's out of stock right now, but Newegg has a really good deal on a 7870(with Sleeping Dogs).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121624

 

[Echoes of Pink]

It's out of stock right now, but Newegg has a really good deal on a 7870(with Sleeping Dogs).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121624

Yeah I saw that when I was looking, but it was OOS when I got there. Thanks though.

 

[brotkasten]

I finally did it.

My Power Mac G5 case is finally mATX compatible!

 

[Big Papa Husker]

What is the best benchmark software these days? I was going to run benchmarks on my machine before I upgraded my GPU to see the difference.

 

[n0n44m]

What is the best benchmark software these days? I was going to run benchmarks on my machine before I upgraded my GPU to see the difference.

Unigine Heaven 3.0

3Dmark 11

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Benchmarking/

 

[Finn of Ooo]

Ok so I figured out what my problem was, my wiring was off. Luckily I have a friend more inclined for this sort of thing and he was able to help me out.

 

[kennah]

I finally did it.

My Power Mac G5 case is finally mATX compatible!

Pics!

 

[cametall]

Dang. I like the 7950, but I would have held off had I thought the 670 would get that cheap.

Oh well.

 

[Kane Zakharov]

So, I bought the Antec VP450 and just found out it has only one 6-pin adapter for a graphic card, would it be OK for me to use a 2 molex -> 6-pin adapter? The graphic card I'm going to use is a GTX 560.

Or better yet, would a SATA -> 6-pin adapter work as well?

 

[mkenyon]

I finally did it.

My Power Mac G5 case is finally mATX compatible!

Pics or it didn't happen.

So, I bought the Antec VP450 and just found out it has only one 6-pin adapter for a graphic card, would it be OK for me to use a 2 molex -> 6-pin adapter? The graphic card I'm going to use is a GTX 560.

Or better yet, would a SATA -> 6-pin adapter work as well?

You can double check the manual, but both should come off the 12V rail, so either should be fine.

 

[Varna]

Anyone in here have a Corsair H100 cooler? I'm really debating investing in one... How hard are these things to install and maintain?

 

[mkenyon]

Anyone in here have a Corsair H100 cooler? I'm really debating investing in one... How hard are these things to install and maintain?

It's an aesthetics choice. There are a number of air coolers that are right there with it in terms of performance.

They are generally noisy at first while it is working air bubbles through the pump and settling down. As far as maintenance goes, they are maintenance free.

There are a number of custom loop kits that are marginally more expensive, but allow for eventually adding in your video card(s), which I think is the real benefit of watercooling.

One thing to keep in mind is that the H100 radiators have really high FPI (fins per inch), which means you have to use high pressure/RPM fans to get decent performance. Essentially, you want to add about $30-40 in fans if you want it to run quietly with good fans like the Noctua NF-F12 or Corsair SP Quiet Edition.

 

[Thraktor]

Baseline of your computer should consist of:

16GB of this RAM - $90
i7 3770K - $330
AMD videocard 7870/7950/7970 (they work way better in Vegas for rendering) - $250-400
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 (if the case allows for it) or CoolerMaster Gemini II (lower profile)
ASRock Z77 Pro4-M - $110
Seasonic M12II 620W PSU - $90
Optical drive of your choice

The case is a tricky choice. If you go down to an ITX form factor, you get a lot more options in terms of cases as it's a really small motherboard. However, the price goes up to $150 for the motherboard. HTPC cases (the horizontal ones) are generally more expensive than standard cases. What you can do is just get a standard case and put it on its side. If that doesn't sound appealing, then you're looking at $100-150 for a case. If you allow for a bit more wiggle room on case design, there's a number of options out there. Take a gander at:

Silverstone PS07, TJ08, Lian Li PC-A04, PC-V351, Fractal Arc Mini, Define Mini. If this isn't happening for a few months, then maybe this will be out, which should come in around $100.

The reason why I put the 3770K in there is that it is a lot better at rendering video than the 3570K. If shaving off time here and there for rendering isn't worth $100 for you, then you can drop it down to the 3570K.

HDDs is the other touchy part, as prices are still stupidly high. Do you currently have a storage system on your network, or will you be looking to use this PC to store most of your videos?

I'd like to supplement this by saying get an SSD! Arguably the most important component of a modern video-editing rig.

 

[mkenyon]

I would have suggested it, but he said he didn't want one in his first post.

But yeah, SSDs are amazing.

 

[widgetraf]

Whats the consensus on a good gaming mouse? Should I even get one or will a $10 mouse do fine? I want something thats good for most games, and the only "features" I really want are 2 side buttons.

 

[mkenyon]

Whats the consensus on a good gaming mouse? Should I even get one or will a $10 mouse do fine? I want something thats good for most games, and the only "features" I really want are 2 side buttons.

If you play competitive games even partially seriously (any level of Dota 2/QuakeLive/T:A/Smite counts as a 'yes' here), then you need to buy the Steelseries Sensei Raw. Close second goes to the CM Storm Xornet/Spawn if you use a claw grip.

If you play mostly MMO's, the Razer Naga or Naga Hex are the way to go.

If you play an assortment of games, then whatever mouse fits your hand the best.

 

[Sethos]

Whats the consensus on a good gaming mouse? Should I even get one or will a $10 mouse do fine? I want something thats good for most games, and the only "features" I really want are 2 side buttons.

Splurge and get a G700. Best mouse available.

 

[widgetraf]

Splurge and get a G700. Best mouse available.

But its wireless?

Yeah been looking at the Razer Deathadder and SS Sensei Raw, those are actually my 2 choices atm. They look pretty similar with side buttons for MMOs.

Razer Naga looks just too cheesy with loads of buttons on the side. That just screams "virgin" to me.

And yes, mostly play Dota and Guild Wars now. Then the occasional SC2, WoW, and whatever FPS is interesting at the moment.

 

[diztrukted]

is there guide to liquid cooling (water blocks, pumps, reserves, custom loops)...?

 

[Sethos]

But its wireless?

Optional. Just plug in the cable and it's a wired mouse. Plus it's decent quality, unlike those cheap gaming brands.

 

[mkenyon]

is there guide to liquid cooling (water blocks, pumps, reserves, custom loops)...?

Overclock.net, and OC3D.tv have a ton of good information. If you have questions in specific, I will be able to answer them. Available on gchat for speedy response as well.

But its wireless?

Yeah been looking at the Razer Deathadder and SS Sensei Raw, those are actually my 2 choices atm. They look pretty similar with side buttons for MMOs.

Razer Naga looks just too cheesy with loads of buttons on the side. That just screams "virgin" to me.

And yes, mostly play Dota and Guild Wars now. Then the occasional SC2, WoW, and whatever FPS is interesting at the moment.

Get the Raw. There's a reason why the Xai/Sensei is the most commonly used mouse in any sort of serious league/tourney. There is no better one out there.

The Deathadder, while okay, is inferior in almost all respects.

 

[EatChildren]

Previous monitor upgrade plans fell through. 120hz will have to wait, finances and all that.

In the meantime, I'd like to grab a converter to use HDMI cables with my monitor, of which sadly does not have any HDMI ports. All I've got are DVI.

So, if I grab a simple female HDMI to male DVI adapter, would that work fine? Main things I'm worried about are signal conversion resulting in input lag, bad image quality, etc etc. I don't really know the technical bits ans pieces in what goes on with an adapter like that and what kind of quality loss I'd be looking at, or what I should watch out for with a purchase.

 

[diztrukted]

Overclock.net, and OC3D.tv have a ton of good information. If you have questions in specific, I will be able to answer them. Available on gchat for speedy response as well.

I don't need a speedy response but thanks anyways. I've been looking at nvidia cards (namely a 680) but liquid cooling solutions are either non-existent or way out of my price range.

If I were to go down to lets say the recently announced 660 would I be purchasing one that says something like HYDRO COOLING or something? Would I be able to just buy a waterblock of some sort?

I guess my question is a bit gpu specific. I'll check overclock.net for cooling guides but I've always felt overclock.net was either really convoluted or just an overload of information.

thanks

 

[Hazaro]

Previous monitor upgrade plans fell through. 120hz will have to wait, finances and all that.

In the meantime, I'd like to grab a converter to use HDMI cables with my monitor, of which sadly does not have any HDMI ports. All I've got are DVI.

So, if I grab a simple female HDMI to male DVI adapter, would that work fine? Main things I'm worried about are signal conversion resulting in input lag, bad image quality, etc etc. I don't really know the technical bits ans pieces in what goes on with an adapter like that and what kind of quality loss I'd be looking at, or what I should watch out for with a purchase.

HDMI to DVI and back are fine. It's the same image tmk. HDMI just combines it with audio and a smaller connector.

I don't need a speedy response but thanks anyways. I've been looking at nvidia cards (namely a 680) but liquid cooling solutions are either non-existent or way out of my price range.

If I were to go down to lets say the recently announced 660 would I be purchasing one that says something like HYDRO COOLING or something? Would I be able to just buy a waterblock of some sort?

I guess my question is a bit gpu specific. I'll check overclock.net for cooling guides but I've always felt overclock.net was either really convoluted or just an overload of information.

thanks

Usually the Hydro editions are offered on very select cards (Usually eVGA top end cards for $800).

Anything else usually you buy a regular GPU and then a waterblock kit separately.

 

[EatChildren]

HDMI to DVI and back are fine. It's the same image tmk. HDMI just combines it with audio and a smaller connector.

Magic. Thanks.

 

[NinjaTehFish]

I dont know if this has been posted but i need to share:

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=416&products_id=21438

 

[Lone_Prodigy]

What's the difference between Gigabyte, MSI, and EVGA? All the same price ($140 AR).

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=61236&vpn=GV-N56GOC-1GI&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1267
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=61239&vpn=N560GTX-M2D1GD5&manufacture=MSI/MicroStar
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=61198&vpn=01G-P3-1463-KR&manufacture=eVGA&promoid=1267

 

[EatChildren]

Okay, I didn't think this through forgot HDMI transmits audio whereas DVI does not. Whoops.

Sooo what I'd need is an adapter with a female HDMI port that lets me use a male DVI plug for video, but separates the audio into a standard stereo headphone jack.

I suspect my plans for a simple adapter have now turned into an amplifier. Anybody have any tips? Does what I want exist at all?

 

[mkenyon]

I don't need a speedy response but thanks anyways. I've been looking at nvidia cards (namely a 680) but liquid cooling solutions are either non-existent or way out of my price range.

If I were to go down to lets say the recently announced 660 would I be purchasing one that says something like HYDRO COOLING or something? Would I be able to just buy a waterblock of some sort?

I guess my question is a bit gpu specific. I'll check overclock.net for cooling guides but I've always felt overclock.net was either really convoluted or just an overload of information.

thanks

For the most part, you will want to buy a reference card and put on your own block. As Haz said, there are a few high end cards that come with them pre-installed. There's also a few cases where you will see a water block maker release a block for a non-reference card, but again only for high end OC cards like the Lightning series.

In general, a custom loop is comprised of
-Waterblocks (CPU and GPU)
-Pump(s)
-Radiator(s)
-Reservoir
-Tubing
-Fittings connecting parts to tubing

There are some brands that sell complete kits, but that means buying sub-optimal parts. XSPC sells really nice kits, but I wouldn't use the included fans, tubing, or fittings. There are also better radiators out there. Their blocks, pumps, and reservoirs are top shelf though.

With all of that said, water cooling a 660 is kind of pointless unless you are extremely sensitive to noise. They draw so little power that the really nice air coolers will run almost inaudibly at load. They can't match the temps though. My OC'd 690 doesn't ever go above 42 C, for example.

 

[CambriaRising]

Okay, I didn't think this through forgot HDMI transmits audio whereas DVI does not. Whoops.

Sooo what I'd need is an adapter with a female HDMI port that lets me use a male DVI plug for video, but separates the audio into a standard stereo headphone jack.

I suspect my plans for a simple adapter have now turned into an amplifier. Anybody have any tips? Does what I want exist at all?

You might be better off just buying separate speakers.

 

[TheExodu5]

Okay, I didn't think this through forgot HDMI transmits audio whereas DVI does not. Whoops.

Sooo what I'd need is an adapter with a female HDMI port that lets me use a male DVI plug for video, but separates the audio into a standard stereo headphone jack.

I suspect my plans for a simple adapter have now turned into an amplifier. Anybody have any tips? Does what I want exist at all?

The video card should transmit audio over its own DVI output, if you're using a DVI-HDMI adapter, if that's what you're wondering. If it's a relatively modern video card, that is.

 

[EatChildren]

I should clarify: this is not for my PC (I use a DVI cable there). This is for my consoles. I'd like to toy with plugging in my consoles to my PC monitor, but it has no HDMI input. DVI converter solves the video problem, but leaves me stuffed for audio.

 

[CambriaRising]

I should clarify: this is not for my PC (I use a DVI cable there). This is for my consoles. I'd like to toy with plugging in my consoles to my PC monitor, but it has no HDMI input. DVI converter solves the video problem, but leaves me stuffed for audio.

For PS3 you can use the Composite/component/optical cables to connect to an outside audio source. You can set it to play through those in the Audio menu. For 360 you would need one of these dongles:

And a pair of RCA audio cables, or an optical cable.

 

[diztrukted]

For the most part, you will want to buy a reference card and put on your own block. As Haz said, there are a few high end cards that come with them pre-installed. There's also a few cases where you will see a water block maker release a block for a non-reference card, but again only for high end OC cards like the Lightning series.

In general, a custom loop is comprised of
-Waterblocks (CPU and GPU)
-Pump(s)
-Radiator(s)
-Reservoir
-Tubing
-Fittings connecting parts to tubing

There are some brands that sell complete kits, but that means buying sub-optimal parts. XSPC sells really nice kits, but I wouldn't use the included fans, tubing, or fittings. There are also better radiators out there. Their blocks, pumps, and reservoirs are top shelf though.

With all of that said, water cooling a 660 is kind of pointless unless you are extremely sensitive to noise. They draw so little power that the really nice air coolers will run almost inaudibly at load. They can't match the temps though. My OC'd 690 doesn't ever go above 42 C, for example.

Thank you so much.

XSPC has a few video tutorials that really show the work involved (not much lol). I'll check out overclock as well.

 

[mkenyon]

No problem!

OC3D.TV has an overview of the XSPC kits and a few 'Intro to Watercooling' type of videos that do an amazing job of covering a lot of the basics. It is intimidating at first, but its really simple once you understand all the components involved.

If you are the type that likes reading technical articles and hard data, check out Martin's Liquid Lab and Skinnee Labs. They are full of information that you'll start wondering about once you get your bearings.

 

[Logical Disconnect]

I have some fairly specific requirements for a case that I'm hoping someone can help me out with.

I'm going to be running 2 x Windforce 670s and a 3770K, with 4 x 3.5" HDDs and 2 x 2.5" SSDs. It will all be air cooled, and I want to use a Noctua D14 for the CPU. I'm planning to overclock both the CPU and GPUs moderately (at least 4.5 GHz on the CPU, hopefully up to 1200MHz on the GPUs).

I'm looking for a case that will fit all of that comfortably, that has good airflow and will run quietly. I also want something fairly minimalistic -- black, no side window, no crazy lights. I'm thinking full tower or large mid-tower given the HDDs at the front.

In terms of what I've already looked at:

• I was really interested in the Silverstone FT02/RV02 but since my GPUs are non-reference it supposedly won't work well. I've already bought one of the Windforces so I'm stuck with that decision now.

• Fractal R4 looks good but I'm not sure about airflow and it's quite small.

• The upcoming Bitfenix Ghost is bigger and should also be quiet, but again, worried about airflow.

• On the other hand, the Coolermaster HAFs look like they would fit the bill in terms of cooling, space and probably noise, but I really dislike the design.

• The Xigmatek Elysium has a decent look but I think it's too big given that I'm just planning to air cool.

I'm leaning towards something Lian Li, maybe the new A75X, which is exactly the kind of look I want. But it's a little hard to swallow paying more than double the price of something like the Ghost or HAF XM, so I'm interested in whether there might be something suitable that's a little cheaper.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Remember the $100 2TB Caviar Black I mentioned that I was gonna get before some other guy?

That guy went to the seller's house to get it hours before I did. Bastard. V_V

Oh well, at least I found someone selling $100 2TB Samsung F4s (not Seagate rebadge).

 

[Ty4on]

[...]
I'm leaning towards something Lian Li, maybe the new A75X, which is exactly the kind of look I want. But it's a little hard to swallow paying more than double the price of something like the Ghost or HAF XM, so I'm interested in whether there might be something suitable that's a little cheaper.

Have you looked at Lian Li PC 90? Anandtech got low temps with it. It is a little expensive and can only fit 6 HDDs, but it has excellent airflow because the HDDs are on the side giving the CPU and GPU clean air. The downside is that the HDDs won't get that much air.

Whatever case you go for I would say paying a little extra is worth it for the extra cooling, especially when you're getting two GPUs. Also remember that the case will last much longer than the CPU and GPU.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Is it safe to use a vacuum and/or blower to clean out the insides of my pc? Some people say that its dangerous due to static electricity build up or something, while others say its safe. I would use compressed air canisters but I can't seem to find one anymore near my place.

Just need something to quickly clean my v6gt heatsink without removing the whole thing out of my case.

 

[AndyD]

So I was finally assembling the new PC last night, and I think the motherboard is a dud.

I got a Asrock Z77 Pro4 from Microcenter to go with a 3570. It has no reaction when I press the power switch. Took off everything except the CPU, no reaction. Tried shorting the power supply on by itself, works fine. Tried shorting the power switch pins on the board in case the case button is broken, no luck. Tried resetting the bios with the builtin pins, no luck.

Now that I think about it, I am thinking it may have been opened before me. For one, there was no seal on the box, it just opened. Second, the antistatic bag was not sealed, and third, there is only one SATA cable in the box, unlike the two shown in pictures on various websites.

Any suggestions of what else to try? The board does not have an LED of any kind does it?

I had installed the 212 on there too, that thing is massive!

Bah, now to jump through the RMA hoops.

 

[cackhyena]

That sucks, man. I wouldn't take any chances, just send it back. Get what you pay for, not that bullshit.

 

[mrklaw]

Strange, I actually didn't read the review on NCIX, I read reviews of e-350/e-450 on anandtech, and they seemed generally positive. They did note that 1080p stuttered using YouTube/Flash, but that isn't really what I'd be using it for. But if that owner is having trouble with 1080p mkv, maybe I just scratch that option altogether.

I wonder how hard it'd be to fit Hazarro's cheapest build into mini-ITX, hmm.

not even sure if going with Hazaro's build would make sense for a dedicated HTPC. Couldn't you look at passive PSUs and GPUs and focus on media playback? Then just scale the CPU based on whats needed for the emulators

 

[mkenyon]

I have some fairly specific requirements for a case that I'm hoping someone can help me out with.

I'm going to be running 2 x Windforce 670s and a 3770K, with 4 x 3.5" HDDs and 2 x 2.5" SSDs. It will all be air cooled, and I want to use a Noctua D14 for the CPU. I'm planning to overclock both the CPU and GPUs moderately (at least 4.5 GHz on the CPU, hopefully up to 1200MHz on the GPUs).

I'm looking for a case that will fit all of that comfortably, that has good airflow and will run quietly. I also want something fairly minimalistic -- black, no side window, no crazy lights. I'm thinking full tower or large mid-tower given the HDDs at the front.

I'm leaning towards something Lian Li, maybe the new A75X, which is exactly the kind of look I want. But it's a little hard to swallow paying more than double the price of something like the Ghost or HAF XM, so I'm interested in whether there might be something suitable that's a little cheaper.

When your concern is maintaining good airflow without too much noise, fans are vastly more important than the actual case. With a great set of fans, that would run cooler in a mATX case than it would in a big tower with passable fans.

I think I get where you are going in terms of aesthetics, so my short list for you: Shinobi XL, Fractal Arc, Define R4, Lian Li PC-90 (consistently on sale for $100 or so), and *maybe* the Ghost. I only say maybe as I'm hesitent to recommend anything I haven't played with myself.

For fans, BitFenix Spectre Pros, Corsair AF Quiet Edition (my new favorite fans), Noiseblockers, or Noctuas. With some of the cases listed above (Fractal and BitFenix) you can get away with adding a few fans while retaining the stock ones. I think the R4 is the first case where I have actually done that in years.

Is it safe to use a vacuum and/or blower to clean out the insides of my pc? Some people say that its dangerous due to static electricity build up or something, while others say its safe. I would use compressed air canisters but I can't seem to find one anymore near my place.

Just need something to quickly clean my v6gt heatsink without removing the whole thing out of my case.

Leaf Blower is okay if you do it from 10+ feet, and vacuum is okay as long as you never touch any PCB or anything that carries voltage. If you slip and accidently hit your mobo, there is a chance it could fry.

Best is to use a can of compressed air (or the DataVac Duster which is a mini air compressor), Isopropyl Alcohol, and some cotton swabs.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Leaf Blower is okay if you do it from 10+ feet, and vacuum is okay as long as you never touch any PCB or anything that carries voltage. If you slip and accidently hit your mobo, there is a chance it could fry.

Scary. Well I'll just sucking up dirt from the v6's heat sink anyway so I don't see myself hitting anything else.

 

[mkenyon]

not even sure if going with Hazaro's build would make sense for a dedicated HTPC. Couldn't you look at passive PSUs and GPUs and focus on media playback? Then just scale the CPU based on whats needed for the emulators

Unless I misunderstood him, there was going to be some light gaming involved. If it's *just* for an HTPC, the E-350/450 is a great way to go. Even something simple like Limbo might be unplayable though.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Uhh... got my Samsung F4. I just found out that Crystal Disk Info will refuse to detect F4s because of a firmware bug which I never heard of, but was apparently big.

I don't know if my F4 is fixed already. I had a friend read the sticker just to confirm that it is indeed manufactered Nov 2011. I don't know if that's from a fixed batch since that's a little over a full year since it was released.

 

[DJ Lushious]

Is a 660ti going to be a worthy upgrade from a 6950? Current setup is a 3930k, Rampage IV Formula, 16GB RAM. I am looking for something to get more performance out of WoW, in preparation for Mists of Pandaria.

 

[paperspace]

Slightly OT, but I don't know where else to put it: with a fresh installation of Windows 7, I have about 50 processes that starts at startup. I've boiled it down to 39 via services.msc/autoruns but I still think it's too much considering my previous PC had about 15 IIRC.

Is this normal? Can I do anything about it? How many do you guys have?