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[memecomplex]

Ok so I guess a 670 is the better choice (I'd like to move back to nvidia for a change). What about 2gb vs 4gb 670? Not worth it too?

Yes if you can stretch for it go for the 4GB. You might want to install lots of Skyrim mods, run Rage's 16K textures, or you might want to run at higher res to downsample. Remember just because your monitor is limited to 1080p doesn't mean you have to run it at that res, downsampling restores fine details that might be lost otherwise and produces amazing quality images approaching pre-rendered GFX (check the PC screen shots thread). It really taxes the system though (high res + AA eats up VRAM), so you might want to consider getting another 670 down the road to SLI.

Basically if you are a gamer and want to be wowed by the PC and you can afford it, you should go for the top end (GTX680 4GB). You won't regret it.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I just got paid for my PC sale in advance (seller is a good friend and trusts me). Can anyone tell me if these specific components are on sale anywhere in the US (preferably a reputable known seller like Newegg, Tigerdirect, Amazon, etc)....

-Seasonic X 850w PSU
-Samsung NEOGAF RAM
-Corsair 500R (I see this is on sale on Newegg right now for 109 after rebate). May pull the trigger since this is the most guaranteed purchase out of a PC build. Seems you get a free USD drive too.....interesting
-ASUS X79 Sabertooth ((f anyone has experience with Sabertooth MB's, opinion is welcome)
-INTEL 3930K - Would love to save some money on this and am willing to go outside of normal sites to get it cheap. I don't want ebay though

 

[The Albatross]

PC Gaf --

What's the deal with SSDs? Any reason why these builds don't suggest them? I'm dumb, have an old (self built) computer from several years ago and looking to build a new one. Figured I'd go with SSD these days and spend a little extra, then have a 1 TB drive for other stuff. suggestions?

 

[kharma45]

I just got paid for my PC sale in advance (seller is a good friend and trusts me). Can anyone tell me if these specific components are on sale anywhere in the US (preferably a reputable known seller like Newegg, Tigerdirect, Amazon, etc)....

-Seasonic X 850w PSU
-Samsung NEOGAF RAM
-Corsair 500R (I see this is on sale on Newegg right now for 109 after rebate). May pull the trigger since this is the most guaranteed purchase out of a PC build. Seems you get a free USD drive too.....interesting
-ASUS X79 Sabertooth ((f anyone has experience with Sabertooth MB's, opinion is welcome)
-INTEL 3930K - Would love to save some money on this and am willing to go outside of normal sites to get it cheap. I don't want ebay though

According to PC PartPicker this is the cheapest places for the PSU, CPU, RAM and case

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/yff5

If you've a Microcentre nearby it seems you can save a fair chunk on the CPU.

PC Gaf --

What's the deal with SSDs? Any reason why these builds don't suggest them? I'm dumb, have an old (self built) computer from several years ago and looking to build a new one. Figured I'd go with SSD these days and spend a little extra, then have a 1 TB drive for other stuff. suggestions?

The builds in the OP? I presume it's down to them being a luxury and not a necessity.

SSD wise go for the Samsung 830 or 840 Pro.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Thanks for that.

I think I am going to pick up the case and RAM today from Newegg (CASE) and Amazon (RAM). I am thinking about the Corsair H100i as well but I don't know when the new Swiftech H220 closed loop cooler is coming but I have a little under a month to buy parts as that's my deadline for picking parts up.

Unfortunately I don't live anywhere near a Microcenter anymore. Used to live about 1.5 hours away from the Madison Heights one in MI.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I'm looking at getting the RAM today as well. The x79 support quad channel memory. If I get 2 of the Samsung kits, will they run in quad channel? Or do I need specific quad channel memory to do that? I'm hoping it's just some marketing talk since I could get 16GB in 2 dual channel kits instead of a 16gb quad channel kit for 130~.

 

[Cute Dragon Here]

I'd probably go for the A10, both CPUs are reasonably close performance wise so that's not an issue, and the A10 should have enough GPU grunt for 720p couch gaming.

A10 likes fast memory, that 1600MHz stuff should do well but if you can OC it you'll get a performance jump http://www.legitreviews.com/article/2106/1/

Hmm... I'll make sure to tell him about that.

I wonder how bad single-threaded load will it be for the A10, though.

 

[Dave_6]

Yes if you can stretch for it go for the 4GB. You might want to install lots of Skyrim mods, run Rage's 16K textures, or you might want to run at higher res to downsample. Remember just because your monitor is limited to 1080p doesn't mean you have to run it at that res, downsampling restores fine details that might be lost otherwise and produces amazing quality images approaching pre-rendered GFX (check the PC screen shots thread). It really taxes the system though (high res + AA eats up VRAM), so you might want to consider getting another 670 down the road to SLI.

Basically if you are a gamer and want to be wowed by the PC and you can afford it, you should go for the top end (GTX680 4GB). You won't regret it.

I'm still in the decision making part of my build but I believe you have talked me into splurging on a higher end GPU. This will be my first ever build and I like to do things right the first time.

 

[kharma45]

I'm looking at getting the RAM today as well. The x79 support quad channel memory. If I get 2 of the Samsung kits, will they run in quad channel? Or do I need specific quad channel memory to do that? I'm hoping it's just some marketing talk since I could get 16GB in 2 dual channel kits instead of a 16gb quad channel kit for 130~.

Pretty sure they will going by this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-002-SA

Edit - Did a quick Google, four sticks will give you quad channel it seems.

Hmm... I'll make sure to tell him about that.

I wonder how bad single-threaded load will it be for the A10, though.

Anandbench has some comparisons http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/675?vs=677 Don't forget too you can OC the 5800K if needed, although it still may be slightly behind in single threaded tasks on the CPU side.

 

[memecomplex]

I'm still in the decision making part of my build but I believe you have talked me into splurging on a higher end GPU. This will be my first ever build and I like to do things right the first time.

If you have the budget go for 680s in SLI right away!
With a pair of 680s most games will run above or at 60 fps in 2560 x 1440 with a healthy dose of AA and all the bells and whistles. For some older/simpler/console ported games e.g. Tomb Raider Underworld, Portal 1 & 2 you can run at nearly 4K resolution at 60 fps. It's like an instant HD remaster that gives old games new life and gives you a reason to wait for those dirt cheap Steam sales. The old Valve games in particular look phenomenal.

Don't skimp on the CPU either, a lot of games, especially multiplayer ones are CPU limited (most sites only test single player benchmarks, which can be misleading). At the moment I recommend the 3770K, unless you want to wait for Haswell.

 

[mkenyon]

guys, I need your help.

I want to build a second PC for LAN play (THIS TIME FOR REAL), but every time I do any configuration I end up with 1500$ monster because I can't restrain myself.

So I need your help. Please propose some configuration for 500-700$ which could play all current gen at high specs at 1920*1080. Constant 60 fps isn't a requirement, I won't play on this machine.

Check out my Small Form Factor Guide.

I think the enhanced is generally going to be worth it.

Thanks for that.

I think I am going to pick up the case and RAM today from Newegg (CASE) and Amazon (RAM). I am thinking about the Corsair H100i as well but I don't know when the new Swiftech H220 closed loop cooler is coming but I have a little under a month to buy parts as that's my deadline for picking parts up.

Unfortunately I don't live anywhere near a Microcenter anymore. Used to live about 1.5 hours away from the Madison Heights one in MI.

Last gen H220 is already out. The new one will be out in February, 3rd or 4th week. Units are already in the hands of testers if you want to wait for reviews. I'd expect OC3D.tv to have one up.

I'm still in the decision making part of my build but I believe you have talked me into splurging on a higher end GPU. This will be my first ever build and I like to do things right the first time.

The only information we have about 4GB cards is a little test that HardOCP just did about 670 4GB vs. 670 2GB. The testing procedures are flawed, so we don't know for sure whether the end result is accurate. But, it seems that when that memory can be properly used, the card is already chugging so hard that the amount of memory makes no difference.

 

[hwalker84]

-ASUS X79 Sabertooth ((f anyone has experience with Sabertooth MB's, opinion is welcome)

I just built something similar
Intel 3930k
Asus Sabertooth X79
Seasonic X850
2x Gigabyte 670GTX
Fractal R4
Asus Xonar STX
Intell 520 Series 480GB SSD
32GB's of Samsung 30nm Ram
Corsair H100i

The only problem child in this build was the Sabertooth. It took my 3rd one from Newegg to work. Now that I have a working one I must say the motherboard is awesome. Still would only give it a 3/5 because I had to return it twice.

 

[mkenyon]

Damn, that is some unlucky business there.

 

[Dave_6]

Nah, don't have the budget (or the know how) to do SLI. No way. This will be my first EVER gaming PC so I have a LOT to learn but that is why I want to put it together myself. Most of the talk in this thread looks like a foreign language to me

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Last gen H220 is already out. The new one will be out in February, 3rd or 4th week. Units are already in the hands of testers if you want to wait for reviews. I'd expect OC3D.tv to have one up.

Looks like I may go with the H100i or a good air cooler. Sending PM as I sent on earlier to kharma and would like your take on it.

I just built something similar
Intel 3930k
Asus Sabertooth X79
Seasonic X850
2x Gigabyte 670GTX
Fractal R4
Asus Xonar STX
Intell 520 Series 480GB SSD
32GB's of Samsung 30nm Ram
Corsair H100i

The only problem child in this build was the Sabertooth. It took my 3rd one from Newegg to work. Now that I have a working one I must say the motherboard is awesome. Still would only give it a 3/5 because I had to return it twice.

Damn, that is some bad luck. I may have to reconsider this but I also want a good OC'ing and stable motherboard. I have a Biostar (a MB which no one I know buys) and it has been solid with my 2500k for 2 years now.

The Sabertooth also goes for 320 USD. If there is a better MB for the same price or cheaper, I'm all ears.

 

[Hawk269]

Nah, don't have the budget (or the know how) to do SLI. No way. This will be my first EVER gaming PC so I have a LOT to learn but that is why I want to put it together myself. Most of the talk in this thread looks like a foreign language to me

Well there is no "know how" for SLI. You plug the card in, you provide power to it, you connect the two cards with a SLI bridge and then you enable SLI in the Driver and that is about it. If you can add one GPU to your rig, you can add two, the only extra steps are the SLI bridge and enabling SLI in the Driver. Probably the easiest thing to do to a rig other than turning the power on!

 

[hwalker84]

I should've said. I received the first two from Newegg.

The first had the Abnormal Ram slot issue you can google.
The second had a clump of bent pins and wasn't even worth my time.

I said screw Newegg and got the third one from Amazon.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I should've said. I received the first two from Newegg.

The first had the Abnormal Ram slot issue you can google.
The second had a clump of bent pins and wasn't even worth my time.

I said screw Newegg and got the third one from Amazon.

Those are rather abnormal. I would expect some component on the MB to be the issue and not some apparent shipping or unexpected issues like you faced on your first 2. I may consider going with Amazon on the MB then. Thanks for the input.

 

[kharma45]

Check out my Small Form Factor Guide.

I think the enhanced is generally going to be worth it.

Thanks for that link, been toying with ITX build myself with an Elite 120 as the base, but I'm in two minds if there is the possibility that Haswell will allow for Pentium's to be overclocked.

 

[mkenyon]

Well there is no "know how" for SLI. You plug the card in, you provide power to it, you connect the two cards with a SLI bridge and then you enable SLI in the Driver and that is about it. If you can add one GPU to your rig, you can add two, the only extra steps are the SLI bridge and enabling SLI in the Driver. Probably the easiest thing to do to a rig other than turning the power on!

Not exactly. There's a lot of games that don't release with SLI profiles, or have wonky ones that need to be screwed with. Even a AAA title like BLOPSII didn't work right in SLI for a few weeks.

 

[memecomplex]

Check out my Small Form Factor Guide.
The only information we have about 4GB cards is a little test that HardOCP just did about 670 4GB vs. 670 2GB. The testing procedures are flawed, so we don't know for sure whether the end result is accurate. But, it seems that when that memory can be properly used, the card is already chugging so hard that the amount of memory makes no difference.

I've hit the Vram limit on my 2GB 690s more often than I'd like, mostly from applying degrees of AA at 3200 x 1200p (Rage is no go with 16K textures at 1080p). Also my Skyrim mods are running uncomfortably close to the 2GB limit at 2560 x 1440p. And with SLI, there's definitely a lot more horsepower to take advantage of the extra 2GB of memory.

Not exactly. There's a lot of games that don't release with SLI profiles, or have wonky ones that need to be screwed with. Even a AAA title like BLOPSII didn't work right in SLI for a few weeks.

There's a learning curve, but it not a big deal thanks to forums like this. If SLI screws up the game, you just need to disable it until the drivers get updated, or someone like Maldo gives you the correct SLI bits

 

[memecomplex]

Nah, don't have the budget (or the know how) to do SLI. No way. This will be my first EVER gaming PC so I have a LOT to learn but that is why I want to put it together myself. Most of the talk in this thread looks like a foreign language to me

I just put together mine a couple of months back and it's pretty much my first PC build in over a decade. It's really fun and much easier now, I'm sure you'll enjoy the process!

 

[mkenyon]

I've hit the Vram limit on my 2GB 690s more often than I'd like, mostly from applying degrees of AA at 3200 x 1200p (Rage is no go with 16K textures at 1080p). Also my Skyrim mods are running uncomfortably close to the 2GB limit at 2560 x 1440p. And with SLI, there's definitely a lot more horsepower to take advantage of the extra 2GB of memory.

2x690s =/= 1 or 2 670s. The comparison doesn't mean anything.

 

[memecomplex]

2x690s =/= 1 or 2 670s. The comparison doesn't mean anything.

Yes, a single 670 may not be able to utilize the extra 2GB effectively (it will in some cases, e.g. RAGE's 16K texture mode), but if you're looking to SLI in the future then 4GB should be seriously considered.

 

[mkenyon]

Again, I don't like their testing procedures, but this is the best data we have out there. I'm planning on running my own frame latency tests, as those tend to pick up significant latency due to loading new textures that are otherwise gobbled up in second based FPS polling. I just need to disassemble my loop to be able to take out one of my 4GB 670s to compare it to a standard 2GB I have around.

The slight bump in performance a 680 gets seems to be more significant than additional memory, despite using well over 2GB.

 

[memecomplex]

Ah yes that's a multi monitor setup and only running 2x AA. My reasoning is based on a single monitor at 1800p with 8x/16x or more AA. I don't remember exactly but I remember hitting my VRAM limit well before hitting the limit on what I think the GPUs are capable of pushing.

 

[Astra]

My 660 ti arrived!

My case still hasn't been delivered. Seems like Monday, according to Purolator.
So I have every component and no case yet. I'm getting impatient to start PC gaming!

 

[memecomplex]

My 660 ti arrived!

My case still hasn't been delivered. Seems like Monday, according to Purolator.
So I have every component and no case yet. I'm getting impatient to start PC gaming!

You can start assembling and testing it without a case, you probably should anyway. Google bread boxing

 

[Astra]

You can start assembling and testing it without a case, you probably should anyway. Google bread boxing

Haha, that's pretty interesting. Unfortunately my setup isn't ideal for doing that.
It sucks, but I'll wait until Monday.

 

[C.Dark.DN]

Edit, nevermind. Thanks if you were gonna reply.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Yes if you can stretch for it go for the 4GB. You might want to install lots of Skyrim mods, run Rage's 16K textures, or you might want to run at higher res to downsample. Remember just because your monitor is limited to 1080p doesn't mean you have to run it at that res, downsampling restores fine details that might be lost otherwise and produces amazing quality images approaching pre-rendered GFX (check the PC screen shots thread). It really taxes the system though (high res + AA eats up VRAM), so you might want to consider getting another 670 down the road to SLI.

Basically if you are a gamer and want to be wowed by the PC and you can afford it, you should go for the top end (GTX680 4GB). You won't regret it.

So 680 4gb then? The problem I have with the 680, especially the 4gb models is the big price difference. I might end up buying a 120hz monitor though since I've never used one before (how are those benq 2420 monitors btw? Keep seeing them around as nice monitors to have if you want 3d vision/120hz). With the latest games, can a single 680 hold 120fps at 1920x1080 with decent settings? Is it even required to keep the games at 120fps when using a 120hz monitor?

 

[kharma45]

I see AMD has released an official uninstaller+sweeper for their drivers

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx

 

[LiquidMetal14]

CORSAIR 500R ordered! You even get a USB 3.0 16GB thumb drive free. With the 10% off coupon it knocked the price down to 107 and I get the 20 dollar rebate too later as well.

I am holding off on everything else for now as I am pretty confident the case will be the one thing I know will surely work. I'm tempted to get the memory, PSU and all that but I won't have all the money for everything until mid February and don't want to sit on potentially defective parts for a month.

With that, the great PC build of 2013 (for me) has begun! It's actually happening lol

I see AMD has released an official uninstaller+sweeper for their drivers

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx

OH, that is cool. Will keep that handy for 13.1-2 and all future refreshes. Crap, ran it and I thought it was an installer but it appears to be a nicely self contained exe. Cool.

 

[2San]

I see AMD has released an official uninstaller+sweeper for their drivers

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx

Ah good, was sad that driver sweeper went commercial.

 

[Dave_6]

Well there is no "know how" for SLI. You plug the card in, you provide power to it, you connect the two cards with a SLI bridge and then you enable SLI in the Driver and that is about it. If you can add one GPU to your rig, you can add two, the only extra steps are the SLI bridge and enabling SLI in the Driver. Probably the easiest thing to do to a rig other than turning the power on!

I never planned on running SLI but I can't say I wouldn't mess with it later on if I got the itch.

I just put together mine a couple of months back and it's pretty much my first PC build in over a decade. It's really fun and much easier now, I'm sure you'll enjoy the process!

I'm excited to do it if I can ever make up my mind on which components I want to use. I've gone back and forth many times over the past week.

The only information we have about 4GB cards is a little test that HardOCP just did about 670 4GB vs. 670 2GB. The testing procedures are flawed, so we don't know for sure whether the end result is accurate. But, it seems that when that memory can be properly used, the card is already chugging so hard that the amount of memory makes no difference.

So I honestly would be better off saving some $ and not get a 4GB card? What about using a 7950 or 7970 over one of the Nvidia cards? (I was originally planning on getting a 2GB 670)

 

[kharma45]

OH, that is cool. Will keep that handy for 13.1-2 and all future refreshes. Crap, ran it and I thought it was an installer but it appears to be a nicely self contained exe. Cool.

Ah good, was sad that driver sweeper went commercial.

Whether it's really needed or not is debatable, and it is causing some users on Win8 some issues too.

Also if anyone has seen the AMD 13.2 drivers leak, don't download them as there is the proper versions coming next week.

 

[mkenyon]

There isn't enough data to say either way, unfortunately.

 

[2San]

Whether it's really needed or not is debatable, and it is causing some users on Win8 some issues too.

Haven't tried it yet, but I understand it may need some refinement. However driversweeper helped me a lot with weird graphical glitches.

 

[mkenyon]

I've not ran into any problems with the system of uninstalling everything, deleting everything in either C:\AMD or C:\NVIDIA (where the exe's unpack all of the data), restarting, and then installing the new drivers.

I think that's a pretty safe system. But, I do have friends that reformat whenever they update drivers and swear by it.

 

[memecomplex]

In my experience, I am hitting VRAM limits with 2GB and would prefer a 4GB card if I had the choice. Of course you could run lower res, have less AA, use less mods or run lower textures YMMV.

AMD cards have more bandwidth than Nvidia cards so they run better at higher res/more AA, but Nvidia has much better AA options, namely SGSSAA, and from what I hear much better multi GPU implementation (hardware frame metering to minimize microstuttering), so if you're thinking of adding cards down the line Nvidia is the way to go. Oh and PhysX is pretty neat.

 

[Count Snackula]

Im thinking of upgrading my 1gb 560ti. Would it be wise to buy a 4gb 680 now or wait a while for new cards? Has nvidia said anything about the 7xx lineup?

 

[fatty]

I have an old HP xw4300 Workstation given to me from work that I'm using as the family computer for the kids. Problem is I bought a new monitor for myself and I moved my old Acer 1680 x 1050 (model AL2223W) to the family computer, but the computer won't support that resolution, only 1280 x 1040 which stretches everything.

The graphics card is a nvidia quadro fx 540 but when I download and "update" the drivers (this is the one I used) nothing happened. Not sure why it won't recognize the driver.

If anyone has any recommendations, please post. I'm also just been thinking about getting a better (and very cheap) video card to replace it. Any recommendations for a cheap PCI Express x16 card?

 

[kharma45]

Im thinking of upgrading my 1gb 560ti. Would it be wise to buy a 4gb 680 now or wait a while for new cards? Has nvidia said anything about the 7xx lineup?

What res are you at that you'll need 4GB for? Obviously it'll depend on your situation but the 670 might well be a good suit, it's only 5-10% slower than the 680.

 

[FallingEdge]

What application do you guys use to monitor VRAM?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

What application do you guys use to monitor VRAM?

MSI Afterburner.

 

[2San]

I've not ran into any problems with the system of uninstalling everything, deleting everything in either C:\AMD or C:\NVIDIA (where the exe's unpack all of the data), restarting, and then installing the new drivers.

I think that's a pretty safe system. But, I do have friends that reformat whenever they update drivers and swear by it.

That doesn't remove all the display drivers afaik. I'm not a fan of reformatting, so these sweepers have made my life a bit easier.

 

[mkenyon]

In my experience, I am hitting VRAM limits with 2GB and would prefer a 4GB card if I had the choice. Of course you could run lower res, have less AA, use less mods or run lower textures YMMV.

AMD cards have more bandwidth than Nvidia cards so they run better at higher res/more AA, but Nvidia has much better AA options, namely SGSSAA, and from what I hear much better multi GPU implementation (hardware frame metering to minimize microstuttering), so if you're thinking of adding cards down the line Nvidia is the way to go. Oh and PhysX is pretty neat.

Nearing VRAM limit doesn't mean very much though. Most games where this is a concern (like BF3) intelligently cache data to where it doesn't even affect performance when new textures are loaded in.

What I'm saying is that 'I near my limit' is a really limited reason to push for more VRAM. I'm not saying 4GB isn't worth it, but there's no data to say that it is.

 

[Dizzy]

Any UK gaffers know what power cable I will need?

I've ordered this psu - http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/powersupplies/p1-750x-xxb9.html

I've heard some people say get a 13A plug, others say get a 5A plug. Would either be fine? seen one on amazon where the plug is rated 13A but the cable is rated 10A.


It's all so confusing for me.

 

[knitoe]

Nearing VRAM limit doesn't mean very much though. Most games where this is a concern (like BF3) intelligently cache data to where it doesn't even affect performance when new textures are loaded in.

What I'm saying is that 'I near my limit' is a really limited reason to push for more VRAM. I'm not saying 4GB isn't worth it, but there's no data to say that it is.

Games are designed for 2GB or less. To see the difference, you need to play games with addon mods. Try playing Skyrim with mods that push VRAM to >3GB then you'll wish you had a 4GB video card. The constant stuttering from data loading into limited 2GB VRAM will drive you insane.

 

[kharma45]

Any UK gaffers know what power cable I will need?

I've ordered this psu - http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/powersupplies/p1-750x-xxb9.html

I've heard some people say get a 13A plug, others say get a 5A plug. Would either be fine? seen one on amazon where the plug is rated 13A but the cable is rated 10A.


It's all so confusing for me.

Has it been dispatched yet? What are you hooking it up to? You can get a 650w Seasonic X-Series for that money

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/650w...gold-90-eff-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-fan-cooling

Or the G-Series for £10 less

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/650w...ld-120mm-silent-fan-eps-12v-quiet-fan-atx-psu

Also, surely the supplied cable should be good enough?