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"I need a New PC!" 2012 Thread. Ivy, SSDs, and reading the OP. [Part 2]

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mkenyon

Banned
Hey can anyone give some more good headset opinions? I tried the Plantronics one listed in the OP, but they were horrible. Constant squeaking noise, and my teammates kept saying they could hear themselves through them.
Yikes, I'll have to revisit that. Budget?
 
I definitely share your feelings, as well.

My roommate has the G9x and I have the Xornet, and it's shorter and flatter than G9x. (iirc)
Also, you can't ignore the ring finger holder groove - it's very much a make or break deal depending on what you prefer.

Me personally, I wish the ring finger had more freedom.
But you do kind of forget about it once you start playing and get used to it. comparison picture I found online

Thanks for that. Seems comparable sizewise. It's definitely reasonably priced. I'll keep it in mind if I get too sick of the G9x.
 

mkenyon

Banned
side note: Since I am all out of working video cards now I am using the integrated GPU.

Problem is my Crossover will not display a signal despite windows making the new monitor attached chime.

Could it be the cable?
I've seen it happen before.
 

Azzurri

Gold Member
Hey can anyone give some more good headset opinions? I tried the Plantronics one listed in the OP, but they were horrible. Constant squeaking noise, and my teammates kept saying they could hear themselves through them.

I just bought the Logitec 930 Wireless and I love them so far. Amazon had them for $70, they're originally $140
 
If your planned motherboard supports USB 3.0 headers (and any new motherboard should support this now) then it should be easy to plug in a USB 3.0 front panel.

Yea, I'll make sure the mobo has support for USB 3.0, but like you said that's pretty standard now. I went ahead and went with the Rosewill Challenger since the reviews were good on Newegg, the price was low at $29 after rebate, and it's GAF approved :)

It'll be a few months before I start to seriously look at putting things together but I'll continue to watch the sales and will make some purchases on a few components if I find good deals on them. I'm sure I'll look for feedback on other components that I am interested in. Thanks again!
 

mkenyon

Banned
How did I miss this today?

NCIX Cyber Monday Deals

Gigabyte 670 for $350, Pair of Scythe GT's for $25, Shinobi w/ window for $60, Bitfeinx Ghost for $75, Noctua NH D-14 for $60, Corsair Vengeance 1500 for $60, ASUS DCII 7870 for $230.

Lots of other good deals, those just stood out.

@sorijealut

That BitFenix Ghost is a $100 case, and a great one. Super quiet, good airflow, lots of upgrade options. I'd bite if I were in the market.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Hey can anyone give some more good headset opinions? I tried the Plantronics one listed in the OP, but they were horrible. Constant squeaking noise, and my teammates kept saying they could hear themselves through them.
That was one of the budget options. I PM'd you.

How much are you willing to spend? Would you buy a headset + mic?
 
@sorijealut

That BitFenix Ghost is a $100 case, and a great one. Super quiet, good airflow, lots of upgrade options. I'd bite if I were in the market.

Wow, thanks a lot for letting me know on that deal!

The looks are superb and it looks like it's a very recent model (with USB 3.0s).
I just might bite it!
I am only concerned for its lack of fans though - does it only have one?
 
Are there any mirrors for Nvidia drivers? I just got my EVGA step-up'd 670 in the mail, but the frigging 310.61 drivers are downloading at 30kbps and every alternate link I can find points back to Nvidia -_-
 

Salsa

Member
does this look like a videocard related issue to you guys?

http://youtu.be/1Mr58OnEEUQ

im guessing no one played that so I doubt anyone can check. It only happens on a certain part of the game (afternoon) and when facing the direction where there's sunlight so im guessing its an issue with the lighting. Reason I worry if its card-related is because it kicks in after playing for a few minutes, not right away.

Havent encountered any issues in other games so far..
 

mkenyon

Banned
Wow, thanks a lot for letting me know on that deal!

The looks are superb and it looks like it's a very recent model (with USB 3.0s).
I just might bite it!
I am only concerned for its lack of fans though - does it only have one?
Two, one front, one back. Should be plenty for most systems. If stuff is running warm, let me know and I can supply you with an extra.
does this look like a videocard related issue to you guys?

http://youtu.be/1Mr58OnEEUQ

im guessing no one played that so I doubt anyone can check. It only happens on a certain part of the game (afternoon) and when facing the direction where there's sunlight so im guessing its an issue with the lighting. Reason I worry if its card-related is because it kicks in after playing for a few minutes, not right away.

Havent encountered any issues in other games so far..
Looks like the effects I get when I'm doing OC runs and there's not enough voltage.
Are there any mirrors for Nvidia drivers? I just got my EVGA step-up'd 670 in the mail, but the frigging 310.61 drivers are downloading at 30kbps and every alternate link I can find points back to Nvidia -_-
I don't think so, and that is really weird. That's actually one of the things I do to test bandwidth as they always seem to saturate my connection.
 

Shambles

Member
I think you just didn't take the time to read everything. You can say Windows 8 is shit all you want but your previous statement regarding accounts is invalid.

ibvwOuAB0kLWHu.png

Yeah, I've since looked into that and yes that does show up when adding a new user. While I wouldn't be surprised if I had not noticed it in that one occasion even I am usually
lol?
not that dim to not notice it after staring at the screen for extended periods of time. You'd think between an enthusiast like myself and my friend who programs for a living that we'd be able to figure this shit out but I guess not. I'm still going to insist that the option wasn't there during installation though just so I can live with myself. It's just been a hell of a frustrating time after going through so many issues with other software/hardware problems on top of it all. Another icing on the cake (That ate another hour of my time) is that if you make a bootable upgrade USB and during the process go into the advanced partition mode there is a bug that doesn't let you progress any further. You can erase and make new partitions but when you click on next it says that it is unable to use a new or existing partition. The solution? Pull your USB stick out. If the computer has a USB storage device attached it prevents you from finishing the installation.

I'm not sure if that happens in every case or if I just won the bug lottery.

The bane of my Existance. (Also the wife playing GW2 on Windows 8). The case does take more planning for installation but I like it quite a bit overall. Had an old 4870 running for a bit in there. I threw it in the top x16 slot because it was easier but had to move it down because it started pushing 100C. I am amazed how much more efficient hardware is now.
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
Okay this is what I have so far which should, for the most part, be my final system save Windows which I might be able to get elsewhere. I've never built a PC before so I don't really know how good this price is. I'll probably take a look at a comparable system at Dell.com or something just to see the difference.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/RedSwirl/saved/#savedbuild_201863

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core
Mobo: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155
RAM: Samsung 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" SSD
GPU: Asus Radeon HD 7850 2GB
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower
PSU: Antec 550W ATX12V
Optical Drive: Sony DDU1681S-0B DVD/CD Drive
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire Pro
Mouse: Logitech SBF-96 Wired Optical
And a couple of USB extension cords.

I'm not buying a monitor because I intend for this to be an HTPC.

Combined Estimate Price: $985.86

Would this be a good base system for the next four years of gaming (assuming I upgrade the GPU sometime down the line)?

Below is my current system. It's a pre-built Dell:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
RAM: 3GB DDR2 (I think)
GPU: HD 6850 1GB
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit

What kind of immediate performance boost would I see if I made this upgrade?
 

MinkTANK

Banned
I'm new to all this computermabobble, is this a good build for gaming/sound programming with a £900 budget ??
I can push to £1k, but only if you deem it necessary.

http://pcpartpicker.com/uk/p/pdtH

I'm going to go back to the first page and read this whole thread in hopes of learning something, but I will check for replies to help with my retardation.

Thanks in advance.
 

mkenyon

Banned
40-80% boost
Wat? Even with a 6850 in there? Not a huge jump to 7850. Certainly in some games, but definitely not in stuff like BF3 where there's very little impact from the CPU.

It will definitely FEEL smoother though, thanks to the much lower frame latency.
I'm new to all this computermabobble, is this a good build for gaming/sound programming with a £900 budget ??
I can push to £1k, but only if you deem it necessary.

http://pcpartpicker.com/uk/p/pdtH

I'm going to go back to the first page and read this whole thread in hopes of learning something, but I will check for replies to help with my retardation.

Thanks in advance.
Swap the card for a 7870 or 7950, the PSU for an Antec BP550, and try to find a good deal on a 128/120GB SSD, as it makes it so there's a lot more breathing room. They go on sale all of the time as of late. Looks good otherwise.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
I'm new to all this computermabobble, is this a good build for gaming/sound programming with a £900 budget ??
I can push to £1k, but only if you deem it necessary.

http://pcpartpicker.com/uk/p/pdtH

I'm going to go back to the first page and read this whole thread in hopes of learning something, but I will check for replies to help with my retardation.

Thanks in advance.
Looks pretty solid.

I'd upgrade to a 7950 unless you need CUDA or really want PhysX
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/3gb-...-5000mhz-gddr5-gpu-880mhz-1792-cores-hdmi-mdp

PSU to this: http://pcpartpicker.com/uk/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9
Not modular, but better quality.
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
Wat? Even with a 6850 in there? Not a huge jump to 7850. Certainly in some games, but definitely not in stuff like BF3 where there's very little impact from the CPU.

It will definitely FEEL smoother though, thanks to the much lower frame latency.

Well yeah I imagine most of the boost will be noticed in CPU-intensive games: GTA IV, Skyrim, Dark Souls, ArmA, etc.
 

Kurdel

Banned
So I ordered a new PC beause of the Steam sale and this thread. I was gaming on a 2009 13 inch MacBook Pro with Bootcamp, so you can imagine how psyched I am!

One question, did I go overboard buying a 27 inch screen? I do plan on having a desk/armchair hybrid setup, where I could relax with a controller or move into that KBM lean. I am just scared that being too close to the 27 inches will only give me a one way ticket to pixel town.
 

DTKT

Member
So I ordered a new PC beause of the Steam sale and this thread. I was gaming on a 2009 13 inch MacBook Pro with Bootcamp, so you can imagine how psyched I am!

One question, did I go overboard buying a 27 inch screen? I do plan on having a desk/armchair hybrid setup, where I could relax with a controller or move into that KBM lean. I am just scared that being too close to the 27 inches will only give me a one way ticket to pixel town.

I guess that depends on how much you can handle. For general computer use, 27 inch is waaaaay too big for me. It's like a small TV.
 

ATF487

Member
Nice, Microcenter's deal on the i5 3570k seems to last until December 2nd. I think I'll start my PC build this Friday!

I was wondering though, does anyone use a build similar to the enhanced one in the OP with emulators like Dolphin/PCSX2? I think the PC might be overkill for my steam library, which mostly consists of older stuff I've picked up on the cheap, but I think I could get some use out of it immediately if it ran my PS2/GC stuff in 1080p.
 

MinkTANK

Banned
One question, did I go overboard buying a 27 inch screen? I do plan on having a desk/armchair hybrid setup, where I could relax with a controller or move into that KBM lean. I am just scared that being too close to the 27 inches will only give me a one way ticket to pixel town.
If it helps, I play on my Xbox at a desk on a 27" monitor and as long as I'm about 2ft away it's great. Any closer than that is bad for business though.
 

Kurdel

Banned
I guess that depends on how much you can handle. For general computer use, 27 inch is waaaaay too big for me. It's like a small TV.

huge-mistake.gif


Screen is 1080p. There is also a 23 inch version at the store...

Fortunately the return policy is pretty generous for the holidays, and I will have until the 9th of January to test it out!

My next fight is convincing my fiance that a mechanical keyboard will not keep her awake at night!
 

TheD

The Detective
Yes, but those games traditionally do not place the bottleneck on the CPU. Efficiently coded games like BF3 and Civ V place the bottleneck entirely on the GPU. Games/Engines where FPS is highly tied to CPU performance are single and dual threaded. Starcraft 2 and UE3 are the main culprits.

Ass creed 3 is very multi threaded and often CPU bound.
 

t-ramp

Member
huge-mistake.gif


Screen is 1080p. There is also a 23 inch version at the store...

Fortunately the return policy is pretty generous for the holidays, and I will have until the 9th of January to test it out!
My 23" feels ideal for KB+M on a decent sized desk. 27" is pretty close to too big for traditional PC gaming, I'd say, but if you have a deep desktop or play a lot sitting back in your chair with a controller it could work fine.
 

Kurdel

Banned
The 23 inch will have better PPI, so I could just slide it closer if I want that laid back experience...

Thanks for your screen tips, I am really new to this. My last time playing a PC game was 15 fps XCOM on a 13 inch hot plate burning my thighs, so that screen was probably a cathartic "fuck you" to my last few years of squinting.
 

TheD

The Detective
I have a 24 inch 16:10 monitor (about the same height but not quite as wide as a 27 inch 16:9 screen) and frankly, it still feels too small for me.
 

Lkr

Member
Ordering the case, but the Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply is $31.64 on NCIX, but on back order... :(

DAMMIT I DON'T WANT TO PAY SHIPPING!!

damnit frankman, i can't look at you when you're in a thread other than the nba thread!

why is there hate on the antec 300?
 
Intel Core i3 3220 Dual Core Hyperthreading Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Ivy Bridge 3MB Retail Box is coming up $109 but shows as 126.40. Promo is either busted or something. great....

Dunno, but I'm already at a estimated voltage of 260 currently...

Did you use the savings code? Might need to enter it somewhere...

Savings Code 75429-1030. SAVE $16.41 off our regular price of $126.40 if you buy today! Special price ends 11/28/2012. Limit 2 per customer.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Crosspost from B/S/T

Fully built monster gaming rig - $1300


ASUS Sabertooth P67
Intel 2500K running at 4.5Ghz (can set lower if you'd like)
8GB Corsair Vengeance LP DDR3 1600.
Corsair Force GT 120GB
Corsair H60
ASUS RoG Matrix 7970 running at 1190 MHz (~15% faster than a 680)
ASUS Xonar DX
2xSamsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Fractal Define R4
2x140mm Fractal Fans
2x120mm BitFenix Spectre Pro Fans
Seasonic X750 w/ Psychosleeve Braided Cables

The RoG Matrix is only in the dark picture above. Others are with the DCII 7970 which is almost the same size. This runs quieter than my fully watercooled build, no joke. Basically silent even at load.

I'd be willing to drop some parts to drop the price on it a bit, but the Motherboard and CPU gotta go. Thought I'd put the whole thing up to see if there's any bites though.

Alternatively, I'd sell the 2500K, H60, and P67 Sabertooth for $300. Not really wanting to part out anything else though.

Need to start getting funds together to buy a PCI-E 3.0 test bench. Have things in the works to start going pro.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
damnit frankman, i can't look at you when you're in a thread other than the nba thread!

why is there hate on the antec 300?
I'm not a case expert, I defer to people and post my experiences with the ones I do get to use (Source 210, CM 690, HAF 912, Arc Midi, and others not made anymore).

In my non-educated view a ton of cases work perfectly fine and look fine.

However there are things like build quality, cable management options, how well certain mechanisms lock or work in the case, the ease of installing aftermarket items, cleaning fan filters, or adding fans that are taken into consideration.

Cases have evolved a ton in the past 5 years to the point where anything now you can get from the OP or similar will definitely do the job, but not might be overall as nice as something else.
 

Bleether

Banned
Alright im pretty excited about building my new PC,so i need help fine tuning the MOBO and My Video Card. I plan on cooling my computer with liquid, only going to run a single Video card, and i doubt i will ever run two cards.

The GPU i picked is about $100 more than i want to spend. Any suggestions on a good card for liquid cooled around $300? Also is the MOBO i picked overkill if only running 1 GPU?

Thank guys.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pJqY
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Alright im pretty excited about building my new PC,so i need help fine tuning the MOBO and My Video Card. I plan on cooling my computer with liquid, only going to run a single Video card, and i doubt i will ever run two cards.

The GPU i picked is about $100 more than i want to spend. Any suggestions on a good card for liquid cooled around $300? Also is the MOBO i picked overkill if only running 1 GPU?

Thank guys.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pJqY
I have that mobo and I have to say it's pretty great to use. Is it overkill for most, sure. But it's got a lot to it, some good tweaking software, and you'll want what it offers if you are putting your rig under water.

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147096
Crosspost from B/S/T

Fully built monster gaming rig - $1300

ASUS Sabertooth P67
Intel 2500K running at 4.5Ghz (can set lower if you'd like)
8GB Corsair Vengeance LP DDR3 1600.
Corsair Force GT 120GB
Corsair H60
ASUS RoG Matrix 7970 running at 1190 MHz (~15% faster than a 680)
ASUS Xonar DX
2xSamsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Fractal Define R4
2x140mm Fractal Fans
2x120mm BitFenix Spectre Pro Fans
Seasonic X750 w/ Psychosleeve Braided Cables
Sell it to an art museum running a modded game for $5,000. Fully endorsed sale.
Quick question:

Would this PSU power this card just fine?
That PSU could be half that and power your rig fine.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Can't believe the Fractal R4 is a mid tower case. My Antec 900 is mid tower but has nowhere near as much empty space as yours does.
It's a little less than an inch bigger in the three dimensions. The empty space is because I removed the middle HDD cage and I have really nice cable management :p
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
I'm going with an i3(hopefully 3220), shouldn't matter right? Thanks dude!
It'll sip like 200W full load (don't quote me on that)
*sigh* I'm going to put off on buying the NCIX items then since the Power Supply is on Back Order and the CPU deal is apparently dead. Annoying because the Case is there but $49.99, 1 cent shy of free shipping.

Moving onto the Memory and Motherboard.
Add some PK1/2/3 or MX-2 thermal paste

mobo and ram are good
 

mkenyon

Banned
Alright im pretty excited about building my new PC,so i need help fine tuning the MOBO and My Video Card. I plan on cooling my computer with liquid, only going to run a single Video card, and i doubt i will ever run two cards.

The GPU i picked is about $100 more than i want to spend. Any suggestions on a good card for liquid cooled around $300? Also is the MOBO i picked overkill if only running 1 GPU?

Thank guys.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pJqY
I'll help you nail down a watercooling cart when you're ready for that portion of it too. You do mean this kind of watercooling, right?


Looks like a solid build, but if you are watercooling I assume you have some preference on aesthetics. You should swap out the PSU for a corsair AX unit so you can buy some fully sleeved power cords like in my build above. The R4 takes a bit of modding to watercool in as well. You'll need to create some kind of mounting bracket in the front for a radiator, and the top one will need to be offset in order to clear the motherboard. If you want a mid tower and want to watercool, the HAF XM, Fractal Arc Midi, and CM 690II will provide the most ability with zero modding. Going up in size, the BitFeinx Shinobi XL, NZXT Switch 810, and CM Storm Stryker/Trooper are great picks. You could also go with the Arc Mini, and put a 240mm radiator in the roof and in the front.
 

Bleether

Banned
I have that mobo and I have to say it's pretty great to use. Is it overkill for most, sure. But it's got a lot to it, some good tweaking software, and you'll want what it offers if you are putting your rig under water.

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

Thanks for the reply, and Jeeeeze, not only is the GPU you found really awesome its $179 cheaper than the one i picked.

Okay here is the updated list reflecting Hazaro's suggestion on the GPU.

Suggestions, things you would change, any constructive criticisms appreciated. Gonna build this with your guys advice. Thanks!

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pJOm
 
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