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[TriniTrin]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all your advice and help in this thread!

I have been considering upgrading my videocard (560Ti) because I feel like my system is being held back by it. I'll be playing at 1080p tops and was considering getting a 7870 because of the free games (which I planned to buy anyways). Then, when I need more power, I can just crossfire with another 7870 and be ok for next gen (maybe). I can't afford to spend 400+ on a vid card so i figure if i spend 250 now, get 2 free games and then get another one later, it would be just as good as waiting 8 months or so to get a 400$ card. What do you think?

Specs:
i5-2500k (oc to 4.6)
16GB DDR3
3 x 64GB SSD's
600w PS

 

[DagsJT]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all your advice and help in this thread!

I have been considering upgrading my videocard (560Ti) because I feel like my system is being held back by it. I'll be playing at 1080p tops and was considering getting a 7870 because of the free games (which I planned to buy anyways). Then, when I need more power, I can just crossfire with another 7870 and be ok for next gen (maybe). I can't afford to spend 400+ on a vid card so i figure if i spend 250 now, get 2 free games and then get another one later, it would be just as good as waiting 8 months or so to get a 400$ card. What do you think?

Specs:
i5-2500k (oc to 4.6)
16GB DDR3
3 x 64GB SSD's
600w PS

I'm not sure Crossfire is that great, might be better saving up money and getting a 7950/70 I guess?

 

[garath]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all your advice and help in this thread!

I have been considering upgrading my videocard (560Ti) because I feel like my system is being held back by it. I'll be playing at 1080p tops and was considering getting a 7870 because of the free games (which I planned to buy anyways). Then, when I need more power, I can just crossfire with another 7870 and be ok for next gen (maybe). I can't afford to spend 400+ on a vid card so i figure if i spend 250 now, get 2 free games and then get another one later, it would be just as good as waiting 8 months or so to get a 400$ card. What do you think?

Specs:
i5-2500k (oc to 4.6)
16GB DDR3
3 x 64GB SSD's
600w PS

If you're spending $250 already, just wait for a sale on a 7950 or a 660ti. The 7950 is a little ahead in terms of raw performance but the 660ti is still generally cheaper. You can find one in that price range and it'll be about a 40-50% bump in performance if I recall correctly.

But honestly I'd probably hold off until next generation if I was in your position. There really aren't any cutting edge games that are pushing the envelope where a 560ti is going to struggle at med-high.

 

[Infinite Justice]

Another question regarding my CPU. I overclocked my 2500k to 4.4ghz. Would I need to upgrade to an Ivy anytime soon?

Nope the one you will want to look at is Haswell tbh

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all your advice and help in this thread!

I have been considering upgrading my videocard (560Ti) because I feel like my system is being held back by it. I'll be playing at 1080p tops and was considering getting a 7870 because of the free games (which I planned to buy anyways). Then, when I need more power, I can just crossfire with another 7870 and be ok for next gen (maybe). I can't afford to spend 400+ on a vid card so i figure if i spend 250 now, get 2 free games and then get another one later, it would be just as good as waiting 8 months or so to get a 400$ card. What do you think?

Specs:
i5-2500k (oc to 4.6)
16GB DDR3
3 x 64GB SSD's
600w PS

Just get 50 bucks more for a 7950 which iirc will have the same game bundle and a powerful card that has been getting great praise as a "bang for the buck card" .

for example

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026

Skip CF due to the extra work that you would have to deal with (profiles, etc)

 

[Smokey]

But honestly I'd probably hold off until next generation if I was in your position. There really aren't any cutting edge games that are pushing the envelope where a 560ti is going to struggle at med-high.

crysis 3..?

 

[SloaneRisette]

It's intended for enthusiast builds. 2-3 GPUs, people who push their CPUs to the limit, overclocking RAM, that sort of thing. If you just want to put something together and have it work great, the Extreme 4 or P8Z77V-LK is the way to go.

It's overkill.

So you're just saying I should go with one of those other cards then? Are they comparable at all? I would love to learn more about PC building, but like I said, I'm new at this and mostly just need to know what works right/really well.

 

[kennah]

You know, in looking at motherboards this week...

There just aren't enough with guns on them.

 

[Jabba]

Laptops included?

Blah delete this post.

 

[kharma45]

Laptops included?

Nope, look here http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=504567

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

So I want to play and install some steam games but my ssd is almost full.
I know I now can install games on other HD's but what I wanted to know from pc GAF.

is their any software to see what makes up the biggest files/programs on a hard drive?
So I can see if I have anything installed that I can delete?

Thanks in advance

 

[dragonballjoseph]

Bleh. Now I'm thinking of picking up a 7870 instead of a 7970 simply because I want Tomb Raider and not Crysis 3. T_T

 

[DJ_Lae]

Bleh. Now I'm thinking of picking up a 7870 instead of a 7970 simply because I want Tomb Raider and not Crysis 3. T_T

You could probably trade with someone.

Tomb Raider is currently only $34 at the moment too.

 

[mkenyon]

does the extra fan on the Hyper 212 really help out?

I'm not talking about an extra, but a replacement of the stock one. Yes, replacing the stock one with one of the ones I listed would both mean quieter operation and better temps. Fans can have as much or more to do with the cooling ability than an actual heatsink itself.

Another question regarding my CPU. I overclocked my 2500k to 4.4ghz. Would I need to upgrade to an Ivy anytime soon?

Nope.

I just did a sidegrade from a GTX 670 to an HD 7950 and I'm getting better performance.

I'm a huge fan of the $erformance that AMD is offering, but this is just bogus. *Maybe* if the only game you are talking about is modded Skyrim. Otherwise it's a wash or the 7950 comes out behind.

You know, in looking at motherboards this week...

There just aren't enough with guns on them.

I've got an E-ATX SB-E one if you're interested

It even warns users that the gun can not be assembled into a firearm!

 

[TriniTrin]

crysis 3..?

This is the game I figure will kill my card, I may have to go with the 7950 for 50$ more, like this one
http://microcenter.com/product/384118/GV-R795WF3-3GD_AMD_Radeon_HD_7950_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

Thanks for all the advice guys!! Also, Do you guys think this is a good deal on a 7970?

http://microcenter.com/product/3960...x_Version_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

Does the Brand of videocard really matter (Diamond over Gigabyte, ect.)

 

[Kipp]

is their any software to see what makes up the biggest files/programs on a hard drive?
So I can see if I have anything installed that I can delete?

Thanks in advance

http://windirstat.info/

 

[dragonballjoseph]

You could probably trade with someone.

Tomb Raider is currently only $34 at the moment too.

Ah. That is a possibility.
That and I could also wait for TR price to drop a bit more (that backlog).
Though either way would be cool for me.

 

[Akai__]

A liitle OT, but:

Finally downloaded OBS in order to stream from my Xbox 360, with my Black Magic Intensity Pro, but I don't get sound at all. Searched in the official forum and there was an other guy, who had the same problem, but the admins couldn't help either, it seems.

 

[iavi]

I'm a huge fan of the $erformance that AMD is offering, but this is just bogus. *Maybe* if the only game you are talking about is modded Skyrim. Otherwise it's a wash or the 7950 comes out behind.

If they've OCd it, that's not hard to believe

 

[CrashPrime]

The MSI Z77 MPOWER LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard is a good one, right? I'm just about to buy it, but looking at the reviews, a lot of the one star ones are talking about how it dies quickly. I know the motherboard is recommended for the Enthusiast build (what I'm basing my computer off of) but I want to make sure this is a good one before I bite and order.

It is a good one. So is the Asus Maximus V Gene, so is the ASRock OC Formula. Those were the boards that I came down to last month (I also was considering the Asus Sabertooth Z77 for its devilish good looks). I picked the MSI, and couldn't be happier.

mkenyon already nailed it tho. If you think $200 is a lot to spend, and you aren't trying to overclock the hell out of an enthusiast build, just stick with the ASRock Extreme4. ~$120 and has what you need for a stable system with some overclocking choices if you want.

 

[dragonballjoseph]

A liitle OT, but:

Finally downloaded OBS in order to stream from my Xbox 360, with my Black Magic Intensity Pro, but I don't get sound at all. Searched in the official forum and there was an other guy, who had the same problem, but the admins couldn't help either, it seems.

I'm basing this off of the Capture card that I have (Avermedia), but when you look at your audio settings, does your Black Magic appear as a drop down option? And have you installed the drivers?

 

[mkenyon]

If they've OCd it, that's not hard to believe

Considering that the 7950 still barely outclasses the 660Ti, it is quite hard to believe.

 

[SloaneRisette]

It is a good one. So is the Asus Maximus V Gene, so is the ASRock OC Formula. Those were the boards that I came down to last month (I also was considering the Asus Sabertooth Z77 for its devilish good looks). I picked the MSI, and couldn't be happier.

mkenyon already nailed it tho. If you think $200 is a lot to spend, and you aren't trying to overclock the hell out of an enthusiast build, just stick with the ASRock Extreme4. ~$120 and has what you need for a stable system with some overclocking choices if you want.

Is the ASRock Z77 Extreme4 reliable? That and how well it stacks up compared to the other are what matters most. Though the 80$ to save is really nice sounding, and I might go with that since it seems to be well-recommended here.

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

http://windirstat.info/

Thanks for that works like a charm!

 

[Akai__]

I'm basing this off of the Capture card that I have (Avermedia), but when you look at your audio settings, does your Black Magic appear as a drop down option? And have you installed the drivers?

Yeah, it does. Latest drivers, too. Works with XSplit and Flash Media Encoder, but wanted to make the switch.

 

[iavi]

Considering that the 7950 still barely outclasses the 660Ti, it is quite hard to believe.

Ah, in terms of frame latency. Ok.

 

[Infinite Justice]

So you're just saying I should go with one of those other cards then? Are they comparable at all? I would love to learn more about PC building, but like I said, I'm new at this and mostly just need to know what works right/really well.

Boards you mean and yes thats what he's saying since that board is more for an enthusiast who loves to push his/her PC to the limit. But for others who just wants a nice PC the other options he mentioned are more suited and also cheaper (value for money is usually very important).

As for the comparision between those 2, they are on the same level for the most part (one may have a extra fluff feature the other doesn't) and you cant go wrong with either choice.

For your final question check the build sheet in the OP since each of them is a full PC but based on what you want to do with it (normal machine for email/internet, games machine, media creation ie music/graphics/video ,etc). Just choose a case and you are ready to start.

When building the thing there are videos also in the OP that helps plus you will have us in here to assist if you end up with an issue.

I'm not talking about an extra, but a replacement of the stock one. Yes, replacing the stock one with one of the ones I listed would both mean quieter operation and better temps. Fans can have as much or more to do with the cooling ability than an actual heatsink itself.

hmmmm

now i'm slowly diggin that hole, thanks a lot man

 

[dragonballjoseph]

Yeah, it does. Latest drivers, too. Works with XSplit and Flash Media Encoder, but wanted to make the switch.

I guess it may be a compatibility issue then, which shouldn't be too surprising since OBS is still in Beta (ish) stages.

 

[mkenyon]

Ah, in terms of frame latency. Ok.

You just said, "In terms of accurately measuring performance, OK."

 

[JoseDFrog]

Sorry, I wasn't talking about frame latency, just fps. I don't really do much testing so listen to mkenyon for advice.

 

[mkenyon]

Sorry, I wasn't talking about frame latency, just fps. I don't really do much testing so listen to mkenyon for advice.

It's the same thing. It's not about the end data, it's about the method for capturing said data.

Just divide 1000 by the "frame time" number to arrive at a FPS figure.

 

[JoseDFrog]

It's the same thing. It's not about the end data, it's about the method for capturing said data.

Just divide 1000 by the "frame time" number to arrive at a FPS figure.

I know that frame latency gives you more accurate data since there can be many spikes in frame latency just within one second. It's why I said you're right, I shouldn't have made the recommendation base on my anecdotal evidence based on my settings and OC level.

BTW, I'm at work itching to put my rig back together, just took out the parts out of the P182 during lunch, with the sexy ass XL R2 just waiting to be assembled.

 

[cartman414]

There are two things that make Haswell a possible leap.

1) The VRM is being moved to the die itself, which will allow for an extremely precise power delivery. This means possible huge increases in overclock headroom.

2) There have been rumors that the BCLK will be adjustable which means overclocking of non K chips.

It's speculation, and nothing we will know for certain until release.

That, and the new transactional memory instructions might improve multithread/core performance. Maybe not so much for games.

 

[SloaneRisette]

Boards you mean and yes thats what he's saying since that board is more for an enthusiast who loves to push his/her PC to the limit. But for others who just wants a nice PC the other options he mentioned are more suited and also cheaper (value for money is usually very important).

As for the comparision between those 2, they are on the same level for the most part (one may have a extra fluff feature the other doesn't) and you cant go wrong with either choice.

For your final question check the build sheet in the OP since each of them is a full PC but based on what you want to do with it (normal machine for email/internet, games machine, media creation ie music/graphics/video ,etc). Just choose a case and you are ready to start.

When building the thing there are videos also in the OP that helps plus you will have us in here to assist if you end up with an issue.

Yeah, meant board, my bad. And yeah, I checked the builds in the OP, currently got most of the parts for an Enthusiast computer, just need the board, PSU (both of which I'll probably order today), CPU, and video card. Just need to decide between ASRock Z77 Extreme4 or the P8Z77V-LK.

 

[neonille]

Thinking about upgrading my fx6100
from what i understand, it sucks for gaming.

Is it worth getting a fx8350 instead??

i know that intel is the way to go but im not really in the mood for buying a new motherboard right now...

 

[mug]

Thinking about upgrading my fx6100
from what i understand, it sucks for gaming.

Is it worth getting a fx8350 instead??

i know that intel is the way to go but im not really in the mood for buying a new motherboard right now...

If you're just using it for gaming you probably won't notice a difference.

 

[neonille]

If you're just using it for gaming you probably won't notice a difference.

But here's the thing. I get bad slowdown in many games

Example: whenever i enter solitude in Skyrim, my frames goes from 60 to 28, if i stand on the stairs to the jarls house and look out over whiterun, same thing.

In borderlands 2, whenever i enter a big enemy base or a town (especially when i have a overview of the town/settlement) same thing, goes from 60 to 30 sometimes even lower.

same thing in Alan wake, sometimes when i look in a certain direction i get some framdrops as well.

Is this not because of the cpu? if it is..will a upgrade not help?

My specs btw
fx6100
8 gb ram
Gtx 680

I don't have a problem with small framedrops, they will always exist, however going from 60 to below 30 is not cool...

 

[Kipp]

Thanks for that works like a charm!

No problem! Glad to help!

 

[Data West]

How long do you guys think something like this would last me?

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770 processor (up to 3.90 GHz)
Windows 8, 64-bit, English
8GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 6.0 Gb/s
AMD Radeon™ HD 7570 1GB GDDR5

and should I switch the 7570 with a NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 640 1GB GDDR5(copy and pasting stuff for maximum assurance)


Immediately, it would mostly be for like SimCity, but I'd probably want to play Witcher 3 on it or something.

 

[kennah]

How long do you guys think something like this would last me?

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770 processor (up to 3.90 GHz)
Windows 8, 64-bit, English
8GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 6.0 Gb/s
AMD Radeon™ HD 7570 1GB GDDR5


Immediately, it would mostly be for like SimCity, but I'd probably want to play Witcher 3 on it or something.

As we've covered in this thread many times - don't buy that HP or Dell. You can build a better computer with less money if you do it yourself. That video card would likely not be able to run Sim City.

 

[mkenyon]

But here's the thing. I get bad slowdown in many games

Example: whenever i enter solitude in Skyrim, my frames goes from 60 to 28, if i stand on the stairs to the jarls house and look out over whiterun, same thing.

In borderlands 2, whenever i enter a big enemy base or a town (especially when i have a overview of the town/settlement) same thing, goes from 60 to 30 sometimes even lower.

same thing in Alan wake, sometimes when i look in a certain direction i get some framdrops as well.

Is this not because of the cpu? if it is..will a upgrade not help?

My specs btw
fx6100
8 gb ram
Gtx 680

I don't have a problem with small framedrops, they will always exist, however going from 60 to below 30 is not cool...

Going to a 8350 and then OC'ing it to it's limits will help the exact problem you describe. Since you're already on the platform, it's not a bad way to go.

 

[neonille]

How long do you guys think something like this would last me?

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770 processor (up to 3.90 GHz)
Windows 8, 64-bit, English
8GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 6.0 Gb/s
AMD Radeon™ HD 7570 1GB GDDR5

and should I switch the 7570 with a NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 640 1GB GDDR5(copy and pasting stuff for maximum assurance)


Immediately, it would mostly be for like SimCity, but I'd probably want to play Witcher 3 on it or something.

That won't last a day. The graphics card is awful, especially for that price...

 

[neonille]

Going to a 8350 and then OC'ing it to it's limits will help the exact problem you describe. Since you're already on the platform, it's not a bad way to go.

Thanks. What kind of cooler do you recommend for OC?

 

[Data West]

As we've covered in this thread many times - don't buy that HP or Dell. You can build a better computer with less money if you do it yourself. That video card would likely not be able to run Sim City.

I have a physical health problem with my wrists where building a pc is pretty much impossible.

and a gift card.

 

[kennah]

Is it the Spend $1000 get $100 off card?

 

[SloaneRisette]

About to order my PSU (thanks to the PC-GAF members who recommended this to be a few weeks back) on Amazon, just need to decide on the motherboard before I make the purchase cause I want to get that too. Between the P8Z77-V LK or the ASRock Z77 Extreme4 what would be the best board between those two to buy?

 

[kennah]

About to order my PSU (thanks to the PC-GAF members who recommended this to be a few weeks back) on Amazon, just need to decide on the motherboard before I make the purchase cause I want to get that too. Between the P8Z77-V LK or the ASRock Z77 Extreme4 what would be the best board between those two to buy?

They are pretty even. Pick which colour you like better.

 

[mkenyon]

I have a physical health problem with my wrists where building a pc is pretty much impossible.

and a gift card.

Can you get an Alienware X51?

 

[neonille]

I have a physical health problem with my wrists where building a pc is pretty much impossible.

and a gift card.

There are many websites out there who (for a fee of course, but it will still be cheaper) can put together your computer for you. All you need to do is select the parts.

 

[Data West]

Can you get an Alienware X51?

I can, but would that be a good investment?

Is it the Spend $1000 get $100 off card?

No, it's a literal 200 dollar gift certificate

 

[mkenyon]

Alienware X51 offers the best $erformance in the pre-built world.

The one with the GTX660 specifically is really great value.