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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
For the sake of $20 get an MSI TF3 or something like that, better cooler and a better reliability reputation.
I haven't seen reports of quality issues with XFX, but that doesn't mean that I think this is untrue. Care to elaborate?

As to the original question, that Powercolor should work great.
 

ATF487

Member
I'm reading up on ram voltages and am still unsure about the whole 1.65v vs 1.5v ram. It looks like certain CPU's only play nice with a range of voltages for rams? I just ordered some 1.65 V ram and it shipped, was hoping for an answer earlier before the order shipped but now its on its way. Its possible for me to undervolt the ram through the bios, correct?

I bought similar Kingston ram, and from my elementary understanding, the 1.65v thing is a gimmick.

http://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KHX1600C9D3B1K2_8GX.pdf (the ones I bought)

They're tested to run at 1.65v but their default is 1.5v.
 

kharma45

Member
I haven't seen reports of quality issues with XFX, but that doesn't mean that I think this is untrue. Care to elaborate?

As to the original question, that Powercolor should work great.

It's mainly anecdotal stuff from comments on other forums about their GPU reliability and the fact that they've basically no RMA service here in the UK at all, could of course be totally different in the US.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Should have a good bit of content right off the bat within a week or two. Once I get that bench up and running, I'm going to do an article on real world gains from OC'ing. Will do a host of benches on esports titles and synthetic benches at stock, 3.8, 4.0, 4.2, 4.4, and 4.6. Going to do avg, min, and frame latency.
 

Ty4on

Member
ok i know the double d xfx cards are hated in here, but stay with me here. would you rather have that(this one in particular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-150-609) or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131473

The PowerColor 7870 PCS has gotten nice reviews and some pages back the powercolor cooler was the second most quiet behind the Asus. Asus GPUs are usually more expensive and this one used three slots while the PowerColor used only two.
 

Lkr

Member
It's mainly anecdotal stuff from comments on other forums about their GPU reliability and the fact that they've basically no RMA service here in the UK at all, could of course be totally different in the US.

their support/warranty in the US is top notch. double life time warranty on their cards.
 

DTKT

Member
Should have a good bit of content right off the bat within a week or two. Once I get that bench up and running, I'm going to do an article on real world gains from OC'ing. Will do a host of benches on esports titles and synthetic benches at stock, 3.8, 4.0, 4.2, 4.4, and 4.6. Going to do avg, min, and frame latency.

So, I have a gripe with most benchmarks. Most of the site I've seen use the in-game benchmark or some kind of scene they can easily replicate. Thing is, games tend to have scenes that use way more resources than what a benchmark might show. For example, BF3 MP is in another league when compared to any of the singleplayer missions.

In the end, the data I get from benchmark is somewhat inaccurate.

Just a minor pet peeve of mine. :p
 

Tilian

Banned
Hi, need some help picking a new video card.
I want to spend around US$300.00. Any ideas on what the best would be based on my specs?

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
RAM: 8GIG DDR3
Board: Asus M4A88TD-M/USB3
OS: W7 Home 64-bit
Current GPU: GeForce GTX 460

Cheers.
 

Lkr

Member
Hi, need some help picking a new video card.
I want to spend around US$300.00. Any ideas on what the best would be based on my specs?

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
RAM: 8GIG DDR3
Board: Asus M4A88TD-M/USB3
OS: W7 Home 64-bit
Current GPU: GeForce GTX 460

Cheers.

you'll need a new cpu/mobo to notice a difference with a new graphics card
 

Sullichin

Member
Really like my new Rosewill Cherry MX keyboard but I'm missing the media/volume controls that were on my old crappy one. Is there some third party app I can get that I can use to assign some keys to my volume control system wide?
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Well this is fucking hilarious. Apparently my current computer that I've had for 4 years must have realized I'm soon replacing it (I wasn't going to get rid of it). It now will not get past the initial bios splash screen. I can't even access a single bios option because of it. It was doing this at first like a week or two ago where it would happen once, I'd reset the power, and it would work again. I've power cycled it 20 times now and nothing.

Must be a PSU, Motherboard, or RAM issue. I just think this is hilarious because of the proximity to when I'm building my new one. Well this kind of screws up my two days off I have....
 

kakashi08

Member
What is the best headphones for Gaming anyone can recommend?
Under $200.
Like top 3 headphones?
I don't know anything about them. I use my iPhone headphones. Lol
 

Exuro

Member
It's pretty much the same thing as a CPU cooler with more screws. Think of the PCB as a motherboard, and the GPU as the CPU.

You might have to look into some heatsinks for the VRAM, which stick on with some thermal tape. Let that stuff cure for at least a day or they *will* drop off.
Where would I look for this? I see assortments of VGA coolers on newegg but this is fairly alien to me.
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
What is the best headphones for Gaming anyone can recommend?
Under $200.
Like top 3 headphones?
I don't know anything about them. I use my iPhone headphones. Lol
ATH-AD700's for $100.

The soundstage is amazing. They are really comfortable. Downsides are that they have literally like no bass, because they are open type headphones other people nearby can hear what you are listening to, and their look might not be your thing.
 
What is the best headphones for Gaming anyone can recommend?
Under $200.
Like top 3 headphones?
I don't know anything about them. I use my iPhone headphones. Lol
I have the Audio Technica ATHM50 and Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. I would go for the M50s since they don't need an amp like the Beyers do(high Ohm/impendance means they need more power for best sound). The M50s are very sonically accurate and they have great instrument separation along with wonderful sound on the lower end. Very good price and you won't find good sound like this on regular store shelves. They are very sturdy and closed so you don't leak sound as much. This means the sound stage is smaller, but going from iphone buds to these cans is like going from a fast food joint to a four star restaurant. Audio Technica's other sub $200 headphones are great as well, but they are open like the Beyers which might annoy folks nearby.
 

Bleether

Banned
I have the Audio Technica ATHM50 and Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. I would go for the M50s since they don't need an amp like the Beyers do(high Ohm/impendance means they need more power for best sound). The M50s are very sonically accurate and they have great instrument separation along with wonderful sound on the lower end. Very good price and you won't find good sound like this on regular store shelves. They are very sturdy and closed so you don't leak sound as much. This means the sound stage is smaller, but going from iphone buds to these cans is like going from a fast food joint to a four star restaurant. Audio Technica's other sub $200 headphones are great as well, but they are open like the Beyers which might annoy folks nearby.

I can Second the recommendation for the Audio Technia ATH-M50.
I own these as well and they are absolutely amazing. True they dont need to be amplified, but hook them up to a Fiio E17 and you will be blown away. I dont think any closed can headphones in this price bracket can even compete with these set of cans.

For open cans check out the AKG- K701. They sometime dip below the $200 range if you can find a deal.
 

Mangotron

Member
Hi, need some help picking a new video card.
I want to spend around US$300.00. Any ideas on what the best would be based on my specs?

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
RAM: 8GIG DDR3
Board: Asus M4A88TD-M/USB3
OS: W7 Home 64-bit
Current GPU: GeForce GTX 460

Cheers.

If you can overclock your processor to 3.6-4.0GHz, you should be able to go up to a 6950/7850 without experiencing a huge bottleneck in performance. Obviously it's going to depend on the game, but you WILL see a difference.

To put in in perspective, the old 635 that I have clocked up to 3.8 was smooth in BF3 with a 5770, unless there was a ton of explosions right by me, at which point it would drop for a second or two into the low 30's-20's. I'm imagining you might have a better experience with your computer since a 6950/7850 is basically 100% faster than a 5770.
 

zychi

Banned
Anyone have any recommendations for a HDPVR. Don't care if it's internal or an external box. I am completely clueless on these things and am trying to drop Comcast's DVR and cable boxes. I'm going to continue to pay for the HD signal because it comes with one free HD box.

Basically I'm looking for a PVR that can:
Be able to record Comcast TV via an analog(from wall, preferred) or HDMI signal(from cable box) in HD

I'd prefer an internal one, but I'm not positive if it'll fit in my PC's case after I purchase my new video card.
 

AkIRA_22

Member
I've got a Logitech K200 keyboard. It's fine for typing and being used as a keyboard, so that's great, but I have one issue...

iqOVd0EWcU6Vv.jpg


This useless key between the right ALT and CTRL keys. It seems to bring up the right click menu in the corner of the screen if I push it while I'm at the desktop... Very useful.

Is there a way for me to rebind it's function to say, a second Windows key or something?

There is a registry alteration you can do. Just Google registry disable keyboard key. I did it for the Windows button... Works a treat.
 

mkenyon

Banned
What is the best headphones for Gaming anyone can recommend?
Under $200.
Like top 3 headphones?
I don't know anything about them. I use my iPhone headphones. Lol
If a mic is important (like, competitive online gaming chat) then Sennheiser PC-350/360. If not, then go to headphone GAF and get a shitty zalman mic.
 

Squall-25

Neo Member
Just ordered a new Gaming Rig

Case- Coolermaster Silencio 650
Power Supply- Seasonic 760W 80 plusGold
Motherboard- Asus P9X79 pro
CPU- Intel I7 3930k
CPU cooler- Noctua NH-D14
Video Card - MSI GTX-680 Lightning Edition
RAM- G.Skill 32GB Ripjaws 1700mhz
SSD- OCZ Vertex 4 256gig
HDD- Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB
Optical Drive- LG Blu-Ray Combo Drive

A bit of feedback would be appreciated. Got the Silencio case because I have the computer in the bedroom so I need it to be as quiet as possible.
 

Chairhome

Member
Not getting a new PC, but I just got a new SSD and I need help.
- I used EASEUS partition manager to copy my OS partition to the SSD
- Can boot into SSD which is mapped as E:
- Want to delete old OS partition from HDD and change SSD (E:) to C:

Can I do this without getting into a big mess? I would simply try to delete the old OS partition and change the Drive letter through EASEUS Partition Manager, but I'm afraid it'll cause an error in the MBR or maybe make something worse. Remember that my E: is a clone of C:...

Thanks in advance.
 
Would it be worth it to sell off my 660ti and pay off the difference for a 680, or should I just wait for Nvidia's 700 series? I'm even considering a 7970.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Just ordered a new Gaming Rig

Case- Coolermaster Silencio 650
Power Supply- Seasonic 760W 80 plusGold
Motherboard- Asus P9X79 pro
CPU- Intel I7 3930k
CPU cooler- Noctua NH-D14
Video Card - MSI GTX-680 Lightning Edition
RAM- G.Skill 32GB Ripjaws 1700mhz
SSD- OCZ Vertex 4 256gig
HDD- Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB
Optical Drive- LG Blu-Ray Combo Drive

A bit of feedback would be appreciated. Got the Silencio case because I have the computer in the bedroom so I need it to be as quiet as possible.
Vertex 4 is a bit questionable, and there are some better silent cases (Silencio 650 not bad though), but it should be fine. I assume you went with the 3930K/X79/32GB of RAM as you are doing multimedia work?
Not getting a new PC, but I just got a new SSD and I need help.
- I used EASEUS partition manager to copy my OS partition to the SSD
- Can boot into SSD which is mapped as E:
- Want to delete old OS partition from HDD and change SSD (E:) to C:

Can I do this without getting into a big mess? I would simply try to delete the old OS partition and change the Drive letter through EASEUS Partition Manager, but I'm afraid it'll cause an error in the MBR or maybe make something worse. Remember that my E: is a clone of C:...

Thanks in advance.
Try unplugging your old HDD when you boot up, then remap, then plug it back in.
Would it be worth it to sell off my 660ti and pay off the difference for a 680, or should I just wait for Nvidia's 700 series? I'm even considering a 7970.
Only you can really decide that. You won't be getting a big performance jump unless you use AA or have a large resolution monitor >1080p.
Been looking at possibly getting my brother a new case. He wants to eventually build a new pc but he has a really crappy cyberpower case that has a broken front panel.

I've looked for a while and I think this is the best one/deal I could find. Thoughts?

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=60585&vpn=BFC-SNB-150-KKW1-RP&manufacture=BitFenix&promoid=1310
One of my favorites. It needs more fans for anything more than a single card though.
 

mkenyon

Banned
It is a waste unless you already have a 4GB card and want to play at higher resolutions. Or if you have a 120hz monitor.
 

AkIRA_22

Member
After a slight delay, I under estimated how little clearance there was between the cards, there isn't enough for two compression fittings! So I express posted a bitspower SLi fitting.

So it's all in and connected, with fluid flowing and I'm just leak testing (hence the paper towel) I'll have full tests for you all tomorrow, 3D mark/vantage 11 tests as well as BF3 and Metro 2033 FPS scores.

I tell you what, after staring at it all weekend I'm bugging out, but I must be strong and ensure the leak test is OK before applying power to the whole PC.

A reminder, I bought the second 7970 with the block installed, Hence why it's copper and not Nickel. I also had to buy the fatty 140mm Rad to cope with the extra load, it's a black ice and it's dense.... bloody dense. I might have to buy some high static pressure 140mm fans to cope (any one know any good ones?)

DSC_0016.jpg

DSC_0017.jpg

DSC_0019.jpg
 

Momentary

Banned
Guys and gals, could use some help in the Cooled PC competition. Need votes to solidify a solid 6th/7th place. I only ask a few minutes of your time to register if you don't like the Facebook integration. http://www.cooledpc.com/build/237

I put a vote in. Is this website sponsored or ran by EK? Seems to be that way. Is there anything special I need to do after signing up with my Facebook account to be able to join in on the competitions?

I won't be building anything until Maxwell hits, but since computer cases don't really go down in price that much over time (like the 800D) I figured that the next time the Cosmos II goes on sale I can go ahead and purchase it to do s paint job on it. How difficult is it to try and get an automotive grade paint job done on a chassis (or whatever companies like OriginPC do for their custom painted towers.) Really want to try some form of white after looking at your build and I think it would look amazing on the Cosmos II. If there is a tutorial on an enthusiast website somewhere I can hop on there and check it out.

Might wait until 2013 to see if Corsair, CoolerMaster, Silverstone or BitFenix brings out another sleek full/ultra tower. I was looking at Little Devil, but I'm not very knowledgeable on how to handle bare-boned towers and the prices for their towers are definitely expensive. Though, it does seem like they would be easier to paint than the other mainstream towers.
 
Just checked Microcenter and their prices are still the same in December for the i5 3570k so that's all good. Now I just have to wait until they restock. Hopefully it's this week. I want to build this thing!
 
Oh well, it would seem my i5 3570k and Gigabyte GTX 670 have been lost in the mail,
or to be more accurate, stolen.
At least Amazon have decided to resend them via a proper courier service and not Royal Mail, thank god, which means I now have a tracking number. I still can't understand why they sent nearly £500 worth of gear through Royal Mail with no tracking number.

Hopefully, I should have them by Thursday, but this whole experience has been incredibly frustrating, I just want to finish off building my PC.
 
I still can't understand why they sent nearly £500 worth of gear through Royal Mail with no tracking number.

We've had these problems frequently with them. Prime subscriber too, yet often they send large expensive orders via RM which can be extremely hit or miss. Having pushed it for a legit explanation after a good few situations like this, it seems that it really just boils down to the deals they have with various couriers and RM, and fulfilling the right quota of business between them all. Unfortunately if they're still looking to hit their number with RM and you put in your order, they'll do their best to get away with that.

Pretty bad, but for where I'm at, Amazon Prime is the best option by far, even with the RM use (who typically never deliver their segment of stuff that I buy on time). Hopefully things like this though will get the message through to them since it's hit their wallet.
 

Munin

Member
I've been looking to build a mini ITX system for around €1000-1300 that can run all current games at 1080p and high to max settings. Is this feasible?

I've been looking at the Bitfenix Prodigy barebone bundles of this company (Sorry, in German, but just scroll to the bottom to see them and the specs are right there), which they overclock and configure for stability, so that would seem like a decent idea to me. But I haven't followed PC hardware in years. I wonder if you guys could tell me whether it's a good idea to get one of these plus a decent graphics card, or if they're overpriced, or if it makes sense to wait for the new Intel CPUs at this point...I'd really appreciate if somebody could help me out, because I haven't dealt with this stuff in ages...
 
Just wondering if anything has changed on the keyboard and mouse front since the OP was written. My age old Logitech G5 and Saitek Eclipse are beginning to fail me and I was thinking I'd get something new in time for the holidays.

Any recommendations are welcome, especially if they're part of a sale!
 

abunai

Member
Just wondering if anything has changed on the keyboard and mouse front since the OP was written. My age old Logitech G5 and Saitek Eclipse are beginning to fail me and I was thinking I'd get something new in time for the holidays.

Any recommendations are welcome, especially if they're part of a sale!

I recommend the Logitech G400 or roccat kone+ for mice. Membrane keyboards aren't going to vary a whole lot in terms of typing quality/feel, so the natural suggestion would be mechanical keyboards (but they are usually 100£/$+). The apple keyboards or logitech K series boards are pretty good by membrane/scissor switch standards. If you do want to go for a mechanical board though, I would suggest Filco or ducky keyboards (although steelseries and razer have released some mechanical keyboards lately which are good, too).
 

DagsJT

Member
Can anyone recommend a case that the IceQ Boost will fit into? It's 29.5cm long and doesn't fit into my Fractal Design R3.
 

Xdrive05

Member
24 hour sale on Newegg today gives us this gem for $264 after rebate w/ Assassin's creed III:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ..._mmc=EMC-GD120312-_-index-_-Item-_-14-121-656

The cooler looks good. Good brand for a 660ti? I had just decided to hold off on a new video card purchase until March but this is a pretty decent price.

Damn. I've been wanting to hold off for the 760, but that price is effin right.

Might have to bite then flip the 660 about this time next year.
 
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