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[simtmb]

For my new build, from a recommendation i ended up getting the Antec One. So discrete and simple, i love it. Quite light too, i don't really like anything flashy either so it ended up being a great buy with plenty features.

Intel i7-3770k
Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
2 x G.Skill Ares F3-2133C9D / 16GB @ 2133
Silverstone Strider Plus 750W (ST75F-P)
Gigabyte GTX660Ti Windforce OC version
Intel 520 (240GB)
Antec One Case

 

[Salsa]

What cases are you guys using? I want to replace my 550D but I can't make up my mind lol.

a fugly Thermaltake V4 that I should change right now

 

[Panzon]

So Im currently trying to get a pc since I don't really play consoles anymore and need a home desktop anyway. I figured I might as well build one and make it mostly for gaming since I dont do much on the web anyway. Just read forums and basic internet browsing, email, etc. Been doing a lot of research on the parts but it's so much to choose from.

So far all I'm sure I want in this build is the following:

-COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case

-Intel i7-3770K Ivy Bridge

My budget is $3000 BUT would like to spend a little less for a high end gaming pc if possible.
Please give me suggestions, advice or feel free to build one for me.

Due to work it can sometimes be a little difficult to reply so please don't think I'm ignoring you & feel free to PM me. Thank you

 

[Jzero]

So Im currently trying to get a pc since I don't really play consoles anymore and need a home desktop anyway. I figured I might as well build one and make it mostly for gaming since I dont do much on the web anyway. Just read forums and basic internet browsing, email, etc. Been doing a lot of research on the parts but it's so much to choose from.

So far all I'm sure I want in this build is the following:

-COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case

-Intel i7-3770K Ivy Bridge

My budget is $3000 BUT would like to spend a little less for a high end gaming pc if possible.
Please give me suggestions, advice or feel free to build one for me.

Due to work it can sometimes be a little difficult to reply so please don't think I'm ignoring you & feel free to PM me. Thank you

Dude with $3000 you can build a dream machine.

 

[CatPee]

So Im currently trying to get a pc since I don't really play consoles anymore and need a home desktop anyway. I figured I might as well build one and make it mostly for gaming since I dont do much on the web anyway. Just read forums and basic internet browsing, email, etc. Been doing a lot of research on the parts but it's so much to choose from.

So far all I'm sure I want in this build is the following:

-COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case

-Intel i7-3770K Ivy Bridge

My budget is $3000 BUT would like to spend a little less for a high end gaming pc if possible.
Please give me suggestions, advice or feel free to build one for me.

Due to work it can sometimes be a little difficult to reply so please don't think I'm ignoring you & feel free to PM me. Thank you

Good god. 3770K is a major waste if you're not doing anything besides gaming that's CPU-intensive. 3570K will be just fine. Follow the Enthusiast build in the OP, then grab 3 120Hz monitors and you should be good to go.

 

[Garou]

I would be glad for some recommendations on my future rig:

CPU Core i5 3570K ¥18,571
MSI Z77A-G43 ¥8,981
CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 ¥3,580 + ¥525
Xonar DG ¥2,909
Crucial m4 128GB ¥7,616
WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB ¥5,870

Total of ¥48000 or U$610....

Now I think I need a GPU, power supply, heat sink and a case.

For the GPU I'll probably for the GTX670, I need to read more about the brands, but the cheapest ones here it's the Zotac, Zotac with twin cooler and the JETSTREAM form Palit. Each one for like ¥32,000 or U$410.

I'm currently using a gaming notebook Asus G73JH. According on professional reviews, the noise level in IDLE is 34 dB and in high load is like 40dB...

So I'm looking for some quiet solution (if I can have some...)

Hyper 212 EVO looks like quiet and cheaper. Do I have any better options? Maybe the pre-made watercooling things?

I never thought that the case was so expensive, was trying to get one for like U$60 but I think I won't :U

What I'm thinking so far:
CORSAIR Obsidian 550D ¥12,000 U$152
Fractal Design R4 ¥11,000 U$140
ANTEC P280 ¥10,000 U$130
Fractal Design R3 ¥9,000 U$115

For the power supply, coudn't find anything at the OP list, so...

Where do you live? If possible go to Akihabara, several stores do combo-bundles like "buy case, save 5000¥ off PSU" or "save 3000¥ when buying board+CPU".

 

[Panzon]

Good god. 3770K is a major waste if you're not doing anything besides gaming that's CPU-intensive. 3570K will be just fine. Follow the Enthusiast build in the OP, then grab 3 120Hz monitors and you should be good to go.

i don't want 3 monitors. All i need is one great one and I'll be good with that. I do want the best possible looking game though. It also needs to run super smooth and lag free. Also it'd be great if the computer didn't sound like theres an airplane in my house

 

[Jzero]

i don't want 3 monitors. All i need is one great one and I'll be good with that. I do want the best possible looking game though. It also needs to run super smooth and lag free. Also it'd be great if the computer didn't sound like theres an airplane in my house

Dude at least get 2. You don't know what you're missing out on when you only have 1.

 

[mkenyon]

Are there some PC gaffers in Japan? It would make my year to have an Abee case shipped to me. Other than the X900, the Abee cases are my Unicorn.

 

[big_z]

What cases are you guys using? I want to replace my 550D but I can't make up my mind lol.

Why would you replace that case? It has solid reviews.

 

[jwhit28]

I'm finally feeling held back by my Phenom IIx4. When is the next Intel "tick" release expected? Will I have to factor in transitioning from DDR3 to DDR4?

 

[Celcius]

Why would you replace that case? It has solid reviews.

In my opinion, it's ugly (bland) and cramped. Plus, I have to remove/open the front door or my videocard idle temps go up 10C lol.

I think I've got an idea of your tastes between the FT02 and 550D. Give me a budget and I'll give you your best options.

I'm not really a fan of the 550D, I just bought it because I wanted to try out a silent case lol. The FT02 was cool, but I did get tired of removing the top every time I needed to open my pc and being limited in videocard choices. My 650D looked nice, but the top of the case was unnecessarily open and I hated having the mesh across the front fan (also, replacing the front fan required me to move the hdd cage back, which limited the number of drives I could use and length of psu). My Haf X was nice and big, but it didn't cool as well as you'd expect from all those huge fans (and I admit, it was somewhat ugly. One person asked me if those were speakers on the top of it lol). I upgraded to my original FT02 back in the day because I thought my raven 2 was ugly lol. I've also owned a 700D, but it was horrible for air-cooling (though it looked gorgeous). I never should have sold my Stacker 830 back in the day lol. Too bad I can't just design my own case...

There's not really a price limit, but I'd prefer not to spend a crazy amount. Plus now that I live in an apartment, I'm not so fond of receiving such huge packages so I'll probably just dig around on craigslist or see what my local Fry's has in stock.

 

[Panzon]

Dude at least get 2. You don't know what you're missing out on when you only have 1.

Nah I'd rather use that money for something else if I don't need to spend it. Plus i don't want my wife all in my ear asking why I got 2 monitors for one computer.

 

[jwhit28]

Nah I'd rather use that money for something else if I don't need to spend it. Plus i don't want my wife all in my ear asking why I got 2 monitors for one computer.

2 monitors is the easiest thing to explain away with work

 

[Jzero]

Nah I'd rather use that money for something else if I don't need to spend it. Plus i don't want my wife all in my ear asking why I got 2 monitors for one computer.

Dude multitasking is awesome. Now i even want a third monitor.

 

[MrBig]

Nah I'd rather use that money for something else if I don't need to spend it. Plus i don't want my wife all in my ear asking why I got 2 monitors for one computer.

You've got a huge budget. Much much more than you need. Get the Excellent or Enthusiast build from the OP.

S23A950D, perhaps, if you only want one monitor. Or a U2412M or S2440L. 2 or more monitors is pretty much essential if you're doing production stuff, not so much gaming and web browsing.

 

[Garou]

Are there some PC gaffers in Japan? It would make my year to have an Abee case shipped to me. Other than the X900, the Abee cases are my Unicorn.

I live next to Akihabara and am familiar with all major PC-stores there. I actually built my HTPC and Desktop last year with stuff I bought there (nothing special though).

Which case are you looking for? I could help out if you need something.
http://kakaku.com/pc/pc-case/ma_672/

 

[Panzon]

You've got a huge budget. Much much more than you need. Get the Excellent or Enthusiast build from the OP.

S23A950D, perhaps, if you only want one monitor. Or a U2412M or S2440L. 2 or more monitors is pretty much essential if you're doing production stuff, not so much gaming and web browsing.

Don't do any production stuff or anything like that. Just wanna game and maybe learn how to mod certain games just for my entertainment

 

[Salsa]

S23A950D, perhaps, if you only want one monitor.

keep in mind that (as I have been adviced in this very thread), 1080p on 27 inches might be too low a res for that big a monitor

the one I was eyeing (S23A700D) is the same panel on 23 inches

 

[MrBig]

keep in mind that (as I have been adviced in this very thread), 1080p on 27 inches might be too low a res for that big a monitor

the one I was eyeing (S23A700D) is the same panel on 23 inches

S23A is the model (23") and the suffix denotes the input options only, I believe.

 

[Salsa]

S23A is the model (23") and the suffix denotes the input options only, I believe.

makes sense

I think there's dvi-only and display port options

 

[mkenyon]

I live next to Akihabara and am familiar with all major PC-stores there. I actually built my HTPC and Desktop last year with stuff I bought there (nothing special though).

Which case are you looking for? I could help out if you need something.
http://kakaku.com/pc/pc-case/ma_672/

Acubic T180, in specific.

I think they might be available through their e-store, most of what I know is pieced together from a few sources. Chocolat Brown would be the cherry on top, though I'd love to get one in any color.

I'm finally feeling held back by my Phenom IIx4. When is the next Intel "tick" release expected? Will I have to factor in transitioning from DDR3 to DDR4?

Haswell, late Q1 or early Q2 next year. I've heard conflicting things about DDR3 and DDR4, but I generally stay away from the rumor mill. Maybe Feist will show up in here with some good information since I posted an Abee picture.

I'm not really a fan of the 550D, I just bought it because I wanted to try out a silent case lol. The FT02 was cool, but I did get tired of removing the top every time I needed to open my pc and being limited in videocard choices. My 650D looked nice, but the top of the case was unnecessarily open and I hated having the mesh across the front fan (also, replacing the front fan required me to move the hdd cage back, which limited the number of drives I could use and length of psu). My Haf X was nice and big, but it didn't cool as well as you'd expect from all those huge fans (and I admit, it was somewhat ugly. One person asked me if those were speakers on the top of it lol). I upgraded to my original FT02 back in the day because I thought my raven 2 was ugly lol. I've also owned a 700D, but it was horrible for air-cooling (though it looked gorgeous). I never should have sold my Stacker 830 back in the day lol. Too bad I can't just design my own case...

There's not really a price limit, but I'd prefer not to spend a crazy amount. Plus now that I live in an apartment, I'm not so fond of receiving such huge packages so I'll probably just dig around on craigslist or see what my local Fry's has in stock.

Story of my life. I can't resist a new case. I really think it defines the overall computer use more than any single part. From noise to aesthetics to general tinkering, it's always a factor.

Some options to check out

Lian Li A75X

BitFenix Ghost

CaseLabs SM8

Little Devil PC-V7

Silverstone FT04 might be out within the year. This is an early prototype, but I like where they are going with the design. Reverse ATX rather than 90 degree was a great way to go.

Though it is sitting in the corner of my room right now (needed to put my video capture PC in the Define R4 for silence), I do love the crap out of my V700 still.

Then of course the BitFenix Shinobi XL, Switch 810, and CM Storm Trooper, which seem to be the top three cases in the $100-$200 range recommended. Silverstone TJ04 and TJ07 are always good picks too.

 

[CatPee]

i don't want 3 monitors. All i need is one great one and I'll be good with that. I do want the best possible looking game though. It also needs to run super smooth and lag free. Also it'd be great if the computer didn't sound like theres an airplane in my house

Ok, SLI 2 680s and you're good to go. There's nothing more powerful than that for gaming (except more 680s).

Seriously, a single 670 is good enough to get 60fps at 1080p out of 99% of PC games in existence anyway. With your budget, you could build a monstrosity.

 

[Salsa]

Ok, SLI 2 680s and you're good to go. There's nothing more powerful than that for gaming (except more 680s).

Seriously, a single 670 is good enough to get 60fps at 1080p out of 99% of PC games in existence anyway. With your budget, you could build a monstrosity.

id say get a 680 now and get another one in a while when you need to upgrade from that. They'll be cheaper

 

[mkenyon]

SLI isn't a good option unless you are a tinkerer. There will always be slight issues, SLI profiles missing or needing to be altered, and all sorts of little things.

Single best card you can afford, and then replace it again with the single best card you can afford when you aren't satisfied with performance.

 

[CatPee]

SLI isn't a good option unless you are a tinkerer. There will always be slight issues, SLI profiles missing or needing to be altered, and all sorts of little things.

Single best card you can afford, and then replace it again with the single best card you can afford when you aren't satisfied with performance.

I was thinking super smooth + lag free = 120Hz monitor = dual cards.

 

[Kipp]

SLI isn't a good option unless you are a tinkerer. There will always be slight issues, SLI profiles missing or needing to be altered, and all sorts of little things.

Single best card you can afford, and then replace it again with the single best card you can afford when you aren't satisfied with performance.

Out of curiosity, does the 690 suffer from the typical SLI difficulties?

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, its SLI 680s. Supposedly the onboard PLX chip reduces microstutter, I've never been sensitive to it in the first place. As far as getting good performance out of games, if its a beta I generally have to disable one of the GPUs. If its a new title I have to create custom profile. I don't mind it, but a lot of people do.

In games where 120hz/fps matters, you don't need SLI because you can just turn down the graphics settings. Competitive games are what I'm talking about. In games where smoothness is really nice, like Skyrim, even 90 fps feels a ton better.

 

[yn-neko hates a cat]

So I'm about to hit buy on this build and I need some feedback and suggestions please

Some Background
I do a lot of development and virtualization which tend to eat up significant amounts of RAM and I'd like to get some gaming in every now and then. I use some pretty hungry applications as well since I deal with graphics related content in my development. One of the reasons I chose the video card is because of the amount of RAM I'll be able to carve off to VMs. Another reason for the storage and CPU is because I'm trying to reduce my build times. The most internal conflict I had in making this build is whether or not going LGA 2011 is a good idea but I really wanted the hexacores. I still would have loved an Ivy Bridge hexacore but I can't wait till June. Also games: I feel, I hope, that the video card will drive my gaming setup fine. I have another machine I can pump full of roids but I'm hoping this will be the only upgrade I'll have to do. I really only game on one monitor and it’s a 1920x1200 resolution so I'm not trying to push 4K or anything. Please let me know what you think or just general buyer beware sort of stuff. I also like quite so the only bane of my existence will be the video card but the Galaxy shouldn't spin too loudly in normal situations.... I hope.

Build

• Video Card: [$480] Galaxy 67NQH6DN6KXZ GeForce GTX 670 GC 4GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
  
  
  
  
• Power Supply: [$160] Rosewill SilentNight Series SilentNight-500 500W,80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified,Fan-less,Modular Design,Single +12V Rail,ATX12V v2.3/EPS12V v2.92,SLI Ready,CrossFire Ready,Active PFC Power Supply
  
  
  
  
• Memory: [$155] CORSAIR XMS 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX32GX3M4A1600C11
  
  
  
  
• Motherboard: [$210] ASRock X79 EXTREME4-M LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
  
  
  
  
• CPU: [$570] Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73930K
  
  
  
  
• Case: [$170] SilverStone Fortress Series FT03B Black Aluminum / Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case
  
  
  
  
• Storage: [$272] OCZ Technology Revo Drive 3 Series 240GB PCI Express 8 GB-s Slim - RVD3-FHPX4-240G
  
  
  
  
• CPU Cooler: [$70] Thermaltake WATER2.0 Proformer Closed-Loop All In One Liquid CPU Cooler Dual 120mm PWM Fans 120x27mm Radiator CLW0216
  
  
  
  
• Optical Drive: [$70] Silverstone 12.7 mm SATA Interface Slot Load 8X CD/DVD RW Drive SATA 3.0 Gb-s Optical Drive SOD02B - Black
  
  

TOTAL: $1,992

 

[inyue]

Where do you live? If possible go to Akihabara, several stores do combo-bundles like "buy case, save 5000¥ off PSU" or "save 3000¥ when buying board+CPU".

I'm in Shiga :U

I got all these prices from kakaku/coneco.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Does PC GAF have any favorites/recommendations for a UPS? I'm looking at a 1000VA FSP. Not sure if 850VA is enough

i3-2100
HD5850 (factory OC'd) (sometimes I OC even more)
2x4GB DDR3
DVDRW
20" LCD monitor
2x HDD, 1x SSD

edit: Looking at the pics... the eff... I can only plug the monitor?

My PSU uses this (but I broke the ground pin off)

While my PS3 and laptop uses this:

 

[Jzero]

This is the next one i'll be getting. Unless i find a better one by the time i have money.

If i get this case what 120 mm Red LED fans do you guys recommend?

Should i get more of the one you gave me Mkeyon?

 

[Ty4on]

• Video Card: [$480] Galaxy 67NQH6DN6KXZ GeForce GTX 670 GC 4GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
  
  

• 
  
  Heat pipes have a liquid which boils at a low temp at the GPU core and condensates in the heat pipes. The problem with long heat pipes in a case like the FT03 the liquid will get stuck in the heatpipes at the bottom unless they use fancy heat pipes. That's why silverstone recommends blower cards (one fan blowing air out of the case).
  
  Need some help, anyone have experience with the FTW cooler for 670? The stock cooler for the 670 doesn't get that noisy, but it has a really annoying buzzing sound. The FTW has a 680 cooler which should be quiet at idle and not that noisy at load. The 670 is just a 170W card after all.

 

[kvn]

What cases are you guys using? I want to replace my 550D but I can't make up my mind lol.

This is my new one:

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=99

So good.

Bunch of expensive stuff

TOTAL: $1,992

Okay...first question: what the hell are you going to do with this?

 

[Garou]

I'm in Shiga :U

I got all these prices from kakaku/coneco.

In that case that is unfortunate

If you have no store close to you, you can always check the respective homepages, in some rare cases they have those promotions also on their site.
I would check
http://www.ark-pc.co.jp/
http://www.dospara.co.jp/
http://shop.tsukumo.co.jp/
http://www.twotop.co.jp/
http://www.sofmap.com/product_list/exec/_/gid=PS00000000

 

[beje]

What cases are you guys using? I want to replace my 550D but I can't make up my mind lol.

I'm currently using a Thermaltake M5

I think it's discontinued but the V9 is almost the same with a different top.

And the next one will most likely be a Thermaltake Commander Snow Edition:

Sorry but I'm a sucker for flashy things and LEDs in my PC cases

Edit: by the way, are those small, self-contained CPU water coolers worth the price (around 60€ for the basic Corsair and Antec models) and actually durable/reliable or I'm better with just a good regular heatsink unless I want to do extreme OC'ing?

 

[yn-neko hates a cat]

Heat pipes have a liquid which boils at a low temp at the GPU core and condensates in the heat pipes. The problem with long heat pipes in a case like the FT03 the liquid will get stuck in the heatpipes at the bottom unless they use fancy heat pipes. That's why silverstone recommends blower cards (one fan blowing air out of the case).

Dude thanks man This is the reason why I came here... these kind of information isn't easy to deduce by one's self without some pain and expense. I'll look for a suitable update. Any idea on what kind of blower style cards are low on noise?

EDIT:
How about this?

EVGA 04G-P4-3673-KR GeForce GTX 670 FTW+ 4GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Okay...first question: what the hell are you going to do with this?

So my basic workstation configuration consists of 2-3 virtualized environments runing doing the following:

1. Windows 7 64 Bit workstation running SqlServer and A full Visual Studios Premium. This actually mirrors my "real" environment because of code analysis but essentially, this eats resources working on it on an underpowered machine is painful... this is why I'm moving to the SSD solution specified. Co-workers have expressed noticible improvement on lesser SSD solutions.
2. I run an Unbuntu Client for virtualized web browsing. I got rooted once so I try to keep my main environment on lock-down and use a virtualized system to do casual web browsing. This is always on and though Unbuntu is fairly nice with resources... browsers are not and I'm a heavy browser typically taking up about 1.5 GB in a session easy.
3. Virtualized Windows Server 2012 to test out build deployments. This isn't always running but can be demanding when it spins-up

The the thing the guys all have in common is that they take a fair bit of system and video RAM to run their best. I have a god-aweful number of concurrent processes running at any given time in both the real and virtual environment. Also speeking as a developer, I'm constantly doing builds, tracing and code analysis so the faster I can execute these tasks, the better. This is why I didn't wan to spare any expense when it came to reducing bottle necks.

As for as the esthetics of the matter, I like nice small quiet things so it took me a while to find that case and things that would fit into it.

I did do some fairly heavy soul searching when deciding whether I wanted a hexacore Sandy-EE or a nice cool Ivy Bridge CPU. I wanted to save myself 250 dollars like the next guy but I felt that the 2011 socket and Quad-Channel memmory would be more future proof (or atleast I hoped). Based on noise and what would work with the CPU, I did my best to stay cheap when picking the other components.

I did all this because being able to spec out a workstation that just happens to be "adiquate" for gaming seemed like an oportune thing to do... its for work after all

 

[ithorien]

Don't do any production stuff or anything like that. Just wanna game and maybe learn how to mod certain games just for my entertainment

The moment my second monitor died I had a heart attack. You don't understand what you're missing. It's the ultimate convenience.

 

[mkenyon]

So I'm about to hit buy on this build and I need some feedback and suggestions please

Some Background
I do a lot of development and virtualization which tend to eat up significant amounts of RAM and I'd like to get some gaming in every now and then. I use some pretty hungry applications as well since I deal with graphics related content in my development. One of the reasons I chose the video card is because of the amount of RAM I'll be able to carve off to VMs. Another reason for the storage and CPU is because I'm trying to reduce my build times. The most internal conflict I had in making this build is whether or not going LGA 2011 is a good idea but I really wanted the hexacores. I still would have loved an Ivy Bridge hexacore but I can't wait till June. Also games: I feel, I hope, that the video card will drive my gaming setup fine. I have another machine I can pump full of roids but I'm hoping this will be the only upgrade I'll have to do. I really only game on one monitor and it’s a 1920x1200 resolution so I'm not trying to push 4K or anything. Please let me know what you think or just general buyer beware sort of stuff. I also like quite so the only bane of my existence will be the video card but the Galaxy shouldn't spin too loudly in normal situations.... I hope.

First, you'll be glad to know you can just drop in an Ivy-E Hexacore when they're out. I'm definitely going that route if it has good OC'ing potential.

Second, you need to get a reference card with the FT03 unless you know specifically that model works okay in the case. Anything with multiple downward fans over heatpipes doesn't work well in 90 degree rotated cases like the FT03.

Other than that, looks good. You need those IOPS from the Revo drive? I like the idea of an 830 or two in RAID over it.

*edit looks like Ty4on has you covered on the video card deal.

Sorry but I'm a sucker for flashy things and LEDs in my PC cases

Well at least conisder NZXT instead. They actually put a little bit of effort into design and build quality.

 

[The Lamonster]

When possible I'd still swap in a VP 450 though.

This comment has me kind of nervous about installing my new 7850 tonight...what's the worst that could happen if my PSU cannot handle it?

I think I found the right thing on Amazon...how difficult is replacing the PSU? How do I know this would even fit in my system?

 

[mkenyon]

PSU sizes are standardized, so it'll fit.

You replace it by unplugging everything its connected to, unscrewing it from the chassis, putting the new one in, and replugging everything into the new PSU.

The worst that could happen if your PSU is bad is that it could kill the new GPU, motherboard, or anything its plugged into. That's unlikely. Whats most likely to happen is that your computer would just shut off under load. Assuming that it can't handle it, I mean.

 

[Shambles]

This comment has me kind of nervous about installing my new 7850 tonight...what's the worst that could happen if my PSU cannot handle it?

I think I found the right thing on Amazon...how difficult is replacing the PSU? How do I know this would even fit in my system?

It should simply crash/turn off if it can't get enough power from the PSU. I might be nervous about a cheap no-name power supply but your machine should be safe with a dell PSU (It's still a terrible PSU as far as performance goes but it should be safe). I have one of those crappy 180W dell PSUs running my parents machine that does not have discrete graphics and haven't had any issues. You may still have issues with how weak that 12V rail is but you might as well wait until you have problems before spending the money to replace the power supply.

 

[The Lamonster]

PSU sizes are standardized, so it'll fit.

You replace it by unplugging everything its connected to, unscrewing it from the chassis, putting the new one in, and replugging everything into the new PSU.

The worst that could happen if your PSU is bad is that it could kill the new GPU, motherboard, or anything its plugged into. That's unlikely. Whats most likely to happen is that your computer would just shut off under load. Assuming that it can't handle it, I mean.

Sounds simple enough, thanks!

It should simply crash/turn off if it can't get enough power from the PSU. I might be nervous about a cheap no-name power supply but your machine should be safe with a dell PSU (It's still a terrible PSU as far as performance goes but it should be safe). I have one of those crappy 180W dell PSUs running my parents machine that does not have discrete graphics and haven't had any issues. You may still have issues with how weak that 12V rail is but you might as well wait until you have problems before spending the money to replace the power supply.

Are you saying the PSU I linked to is a cheap no-name PSU? What would you recommend instead?

 

[Shambles]

Are you saying the PSU I linked to is a cheap no-name PSU? What would you recommend instead?

Sorry I just scrolled back and saw your post with the picture of the Dell PSU. Let me find the one you're looking at.

Edit: The VP-450? It's a great PSU that could power a lot more than a 7850. If the Dell PSU doesn't work the VP-450 makes a great choice. I'm worried about your machine though. If your whole computer is a Dell like your power supply is they make it hard as hell to re-use any components in the system. It's very possible that a standard PSU will not fit in a Dell case, and that your motherboard won't work in a standard case. Depends on your machine though, some Dells are better than others. For example my HTPC is an old dell where they mirrored the motherboard so that it can't fit in a normal case, the PCIE slots are upside down so I had to cut back some motherboard heatsinks to fit in a double slot GPU. The motherboard uses non-standard plugs to the case for power/reset/headphones etc... And that's not everything. This is why we always say build your own machine in here. When you buy an OEM when one component dies or needs upgrading it's likely your whole machine is garbage. Once I get sick of the crappy CPU performance in my HTPC I'll have to throw out the cpu, motherboard, case, and power supply from it since none of them will work with any thing else.

 

[The Lamonster]

Sorry I just scrolled back and saw your post with the picture of the Dell PSU. Let me find the one you're looking at.

Edit: The VP-450? It's a great PSU that could power a lot more than a 7850.

Well shit, if that's considered "great" and only $36 and easy to install, I'm just going to get it to be safe. Thanks again Gaf.

 

[yn-neko hates a cat]

First, you'll be glad to know you can just drop in an Ivy-E Hexacore when they're out. I'm definitely going that route if it has good OC'ing potential.

Second, you need to get a reference card with the FT03 unless you know specifically that model works okay in the case. Anything with multiple downward fans over heatpipes doesn't work well in 90 degree rotated cases like the FT03.

Other than that, looks good. You need those IOPS from the Revo drive? I like the idea of an 830 or two in RAID over it.

*edit looks like Ty4on has you covered on the video card deal.

IOPS is the name of the game for me. Visual Studio SSDT devours it for our insane database with over two thousand unique objects being merged at roughly 10 GB of text data (and then there's the application that consumes it :S).

As far as heat pipes go, I hear ya. Another poster called that to my attention and I'm going to be, at the very least, replacing the heat pipe video card with a blower. I am considering going full water cooling but it’s expensive and I have no experience with those though I may be willing to learn. The latest FT03 models have space for up to 4 expansion bays unlike the older ones and I've seen walkthroughs of people using 480s and 570s in them so I'm hoping and praying. (man... it sure does seem like a water-cooled video card would make all my problems go away but gawd they're expensive D: )

 

[The Lamonster]

Sorry I just scrolled back and saw your post with the picture of the Dell PSU. Let me find the one you're looking at.

Edit: The VP-450? It's a great PSU that could power a lot more than a 7850. If the Dell PSU doesn't work the VP-450 makes a great choice. I'm worried about your machine though. If your whole computer is a Dell like your power supply is they make it hard as hell to re-use any components in the system. It's very possible that a standard PSU will not fit in a Dell case, and that your motherboard won't work in a standard case. Depends on your machine though, some Dells are better than others. For example my HTPC is an old dell where they mirrored the motherboard so that it can't fit in a normal case, the PCIE slots are upside down so I had to cut back some motherboard heatsinks to fit in a double slot GPU. The motherboard uses non-standard plugs to the case for power/reset/headphones etc... And that's not everything. This is why we always say build your own machine in here. When you buy an OEM when one component dies or needs upgrading it's likely your whole machine is garbage. Once I get sick of the crappy CPU performance in my HTPC I'll have to throw out the cpu, motherboard, case, and power supply from it since none of them will work with any thing else.

I had read that the XPS 420 does have a mirrored motherboard. Hope I don't run into any issues because the old card is one slot but the new one is two. I know nothing about modifying anything inside my computer so this may be quite a challenge

I might have to post some pics and need help later tonight if there is stuff in the way of the second slot...


edit: found this on a forum regarding installing a new GPU in the Dell XPS 420:

1) The service manual here (http://support.ap.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/xps420/en/OM/HTML/parts.htm) describes the process of installing new PCI Express cards.
2) The little blue tab can be pushed to one side, to free the card.
3) There is also a card retention mechanism that comes with the XPS 420 - its the L-shaped blue plastic thing that swivels up from the floor of the case to the card.
4) My new card did not let this retention mechanism close, so I removed it.
5) My new card - despite being plugged in correctly - did not sit well with the card retention door that is present on the bottom rear right of the case, I had to use some force to close that, so I could put the lid back on.
6) I chose the 6850 because my research indicated that anything more would result in games being CPU bound, and the fact that I didn't want to replace my PSU.

 

[Shambles]

I had read that the XPS 420 does have a mirrored motherboard. Hope I don't run into any issues because the old card is one slot but the new one is two. I know nothing about modifying anything inside my computer so this may be quite a challenge

I might have to post some pics and need help later tonight if there is stuff in the way of the second slot...

Here is an image of the inside of my HTPC. This is a mirrored motherboard. The PCIE slot is on the very top of the board so that it is physically impossible to put a card in that took up two faceplates. Because of this the best thing I could stick in was a radeon 7000 series card since even though it takes up two slots inside the case, it only has a single slot faceplate. You'll want to check this on your machine as the 7850's take up two faceplate slots. Dell specifically did this with my machine to prevent people from put in dual slot cards. You can also see the spiky heatsink above the card. I had to look for the thinnest 7750 in order for the fan and shroud to infringe as little as possible on the heatsink. I still have to mess with the heatsink to get it to fit.

 

[beje]

Well at least conisder NZXT instead. They actually put a little bit of effort into design and build quality.

Not many models available around here. Nice. But expensive! Will check them in detail though! And thanks, now I'm in love with a 93€ case instead T_____T

 

[Mangotron]

[*]Optical Drive: [$70] Silverstone 12.7 mm SATA Interface Slot Load 8X CD/DVD RW Drive SATA 3.0 Gb-s Optical Drive SOD02B - Black

I'm having a hard time understanding why this drive is $70. It seems too small for your case (isn't it a laptop drive?) and you can get 24x ones for under $20.