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"I need a New PC!" 2013 Part 1. Haswell, Crysis 3, and secret fairy sauce. Read da OP

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M

mere_immortal

Member
Made some changes, should be ready to order on Thursday.

Case: Fractal R4
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V LK
CPU: i5 3750K
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE
GPU: Gigabyte 670 Windforce
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB
SSD: OCZ Vertex 4 256GB
HDD: WD Black 1TB
PSU: Corsair TX650M
Some OEM optical drive

Think it's looking pretty good but any thoughts?
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
mere_immortal said:
Made some changes, should be ready to order on Thursday.

Case: Fractal R4
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V LK
CPU: i5 3750K
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE
GPU: Gigabyte 670 Windforce
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB
SSD: OCZ Vertex 4 256GB
HDD: WD Black 1TB
PSU: Corsair TX650M
Some OEM optical drive

Think it's looking pretty good but any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Strictly an opinion but you should consider the Asus DIRECTCU II or MSI Twin Frozr IV 670. In my research, the Windforce fan plastic casing has a tendency to bend. Some have cut off the parts that bend. It's rather crude and should not be a measure you have to take with a GPU. Also, with temps, many of the reviews give the nods to the ASUS and then ultimately score the MSI cards really well. Some of the MSI cards come with a cap in the back of the PCB for better power delivery for greater OC potential as well. The cooling and features are very hard to ignore when it comes to MSI. Besides, the MSI 670 and ASUS 670 are right around the same price. I made the same decision as you initially but reading many reviews done by legit sites and reading consumer reviews on many forums turned me off on the Gigabyte cards. I did buy a reference 6970 but I modded in cooling. Separate story there.

Hell, you can buy this Gigabyte 7970 for 10 dollars more than your chosen card. That card should OC and give you damn near or exceed 680 performance levels based on games. Especially if you want to downsample or play at higher resolutions. That 7970 has 3GB of memory. Something to always keep in mind. Consider the options.

That CPU cooler, there are some slightly cheaper options for you but I'm going to give you the benefit of a doubt and say you researched that heavily. You are up there in price range and many possibilities open up from the 50-100 range when it comes to CPU cooling.
 
M

mere_immortal

Member
LiquidMetal14 said:
Strictly an opinion but you should consider the Asus DIRECTCU II or MSI Twin Frozr IV 670. In my research, the Windforce fan plastic casing has a tendency to bend. Some have cut off the parts that bend. It's rather crude and should not be a measure you have to take with a GPU. Besides, the MSI 670 and ASUS 670 are right around the same price. I made the same decision as you initially but reading many reviews done by legit sites and reading consumer reviews on many forums turned me off on the Gigabyte cards. I did buy a reference 6970 but I modded in cooling. Separate story there.

That CPU cooler, there are some slightly cheaper options for you but I'm going to give you the benefit of a doubt and say you researched that heavily. You are up there in price range and many possibilities open up from the 50-100 range when it comes to CPU cooling.
Click to expand...

I switched from the ASUS before due to potential RMA worries really. ASUS UK aren't as good as ASUS US so switched to Gigabyte. Suppose it's kind of a toss up though, the potential for a DOA is low so might just take the risk.

And yeah the cooler came about after a fair bit of looking. Was going to go with a Noctua at first but it seems the Phanteks had a few degrees in it temperature wise but keeps the noise down at the same level. Picked the R4 because I wanted a quiet case too.
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
I can understand if you are from a different part of the world. I did link that Gigabyte 7970 up there. You need to give that one some serious thought. It outperforms a 680 in many scenarios. That 3GB memory is going to get you farther at higher resolutions and in my opinion, you're only going to be missing out on PhysX.

And just so I'm understood, I'm getting an nvidia card because I can afford it (MSI Lightning 680) but I fully endorse AMD GPU's. They are ahead in some fields and close to nvidia on others. These days, most issues from from CF setups which nvidia has it's share of issues in SLI as well so don't be deterred because it's an AMD/ATI card.

If it was my money, I would spend a little more for the Gigabyte 7970. Even though I still think the Windforce cooling solution is nowhere near as good as MSI's Twin Frozr IV solution. And so you know, MSI does make Radeon GPU's with Twin Frozr IV cooling as well so think these options over.

With any of these GPU's, try and keep in mind that some of the PCB's take up more space than others. They are not super longer cards and with your case, you should have options to remove HDD bays if that option of a monster 18" GPU were to ever come up :p
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
mere_immortal said:
Hmmm that 7970 does seem like a bit of a beast.

People think building PCs is shard, they should try choosing parts!
Click to expand...

How much money vs the performance they offer while adding in analysis on build quality are all things to consider. You want to maximize your dollars as much as you can. Good luck. It's fun and anxiety filled but the end results are worth it. Consider it like making a meal that takes hours to cook. TLC and all that make it all the better.
 
M

mere_immortal

Member
This is the same card right? Pretty sure, think the only other one is slightly faster VRAM.

If it is it's the same price as the 670 2GB, seems like a no brainer to grab the 7970.
 
Dave_6

Dave_6

Member
mere_immortal said:
Hmmm that 7970 does seem like a bit of a beast.

People think building PCs is shard, they should try choosing parts!
Click to expand...

This is my main problem and this will be my first PC build. I keep changing my mind on which parts I want to buy, sometimes day to day lol.
 
H

Hydrogen

Banned
I tried to get some feedback some pages back without success. Please someone check if my pc seems fine, it's the first time I'm doing this!

I want a very small and silent case to hook to my tv in the living room (1080p). Mostly casual use, but also playing some games and emulators. Perhaps leaving it on 24/7. I want to get only high quality parts that will last a long time.

Parts as follow:
i5-3540s ("s" version to keep it cool, I hope) http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16819116507 $199
Gpu HD7850 1Gb (sapphire or gigabyte. is Asus worth $20 more?) http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16814202004 $179
Asus mini itx mobo http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16813131841 $109
2 x 4Gb DDR3 Kingston HyperX Black http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16820104387 $53
SSD Samsung 120gb http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16820147188 $109
WD green 1tb hd http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16822136939 $79
Case sugo sg05 (450w psu) =http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16811163208 $129

Total $830

How is it?
 
U

Uthred

Member
How's the Dell U2412M for gaming? I read somehwere that the u2312hm is a little smaller but has a much better response time?
 
W

Whiteshirt

Member
They're both basically the same. Maybe you're thinking of input lag? TFT Central's input lag result for U2412M is wrong, I believe both have negligible input lag. They're fine for gaming, you can't expect miracles from 60hz monitors.
 
U

Uthred

Member
Whiteshirt said:
They're both basically the same. Maybe you're thinking of input lag? TFT Central's input lag result for U2412M is wrong, I believe both have negligible input lag. They're fine for gaming, you can't expect miracles from 60hz monitors.
Click to expand...

Ah yeah it seems I was thinking of input lag, cheers
 
M

mere_immortal

Member
If I want to use the current HD I have in this machine in my new build for media storage, would it be better to format it before I move it over or after?
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
Out of boredom, I started putting together some of my parts and took snap shots of other pieces I have thus far. I just got my 80mm fan, 4 sticks of Samsung DDR3 1600mhz "wonder ram", Arctic Silver, and 2 more SP120 fans for my push/pull setup on the H100i. I took these on the Vita so blame that on the IQ :p

2013-01-26-124757y4i5b.jpg


2013-01-26-124807nuiil.jpg


2013-01-26-124814qmikf.jpg


2013-01-26-125232phfug.jpg


2013-01-26-125333mjeqa.jpg


2013-01-26-125347vqf4z.jpg


2013-01-26-130348mjdyw.jpg
 
K

kharma45

Member
Dave_6 said:
Well I just ordered my first component: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00592002W/?tag=neogaf0e-20

:)
Click to expand...

holygrail.jpeg


Hydrogen said:
I tried to get some feedback some pages back without success. Please someone check if my pc seems fine, it's the first time I'm doing this!

I want a very small and silent case to hook to my tv in the living room (1080p). Mostly casual use, but also playing some games and emulators. Perhaps leaving it on 24/7. I want to get only high quality parts that will last a long time.

Parts as follow:
i5-3540s ("s" version to keep it cool, I hope) http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16819116507 $199
Gpu HD7850 1Gb (sapphire or gigabyte. is Asus worth $20 more?) http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16814202004 $179
Asus mini itx mobo http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16813131841 $109
2 x 4Gb DDR3 Kingston HyperX Black http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16820104387 $53
SSD Samsung 120gb http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16820147188 $109
WD green 1tb hd http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16822136939 $79
Case sugo sg05 (450w psu) =http://m.newegg.com/Product?itemNumber=N82E16811163208 $129

Total $830

How is it?
Click to expand...

Change your RAM to this magical stuff http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147096

If you want a high quality SSD btw change your 840 to an 840 Pro. The Sapphire 7850 isn't bad but I rate the MSI and ASUS better.

LiquidMetal14 said:
Out of boredom, I started putting together some of my parts and took snap shots of other pieces I have thus far. I just got my 80mm fan, 4 sticks of Samsung DDR3 1600mhz "wonder ram", Arctic Silver, and 2 more SP120 fans for my push/pull setup on the H100i. I took these on the Vita so blame that on the IQ :p

http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-124757y4i5b.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-124807nuiil.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-124814qmikf.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-125232phfug.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-125333mjeqa.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-125347vqf4z.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.abload.de/img/2013-01-26-130348mjdyw.jpg[img][/QUOTE]

Was about to comment about the quality of the images until I read Vita :P
Click to expand...
 
K

Kipp

but I am taking tiny steps forward
Jotamide said:
Hey GAF, what do you think about this listing on craigslist? Is it a good deal?
Click to expand...

That seems accurately priced IMO. Not necessarily a good deal or bad deal, just an appropriately priced used computer. If $650 is your budget and you would prefer not to have to shop around for good deals then I see no reason why you shouldn't get it. Also, since it's Craigslist you could probably barter a bit and get it down to $600.
 
M

mkenyon

Banned
mere_immortal said:
Made some changes, should be ready to order on Thursday.

Case: Fractal R4
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V LK
CPU: i5 3750K
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE
GPU: Gigabyte 670 Windforce
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB
SSD: OCZ Vertex 4 256GB
HDD: WD Black 1TB
PSU: Corsair TX650M
Some OEM optical drive

Think it's looking pretty good but any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Looks amazing. I'd swap the RAM with something low profile, and the SSD for a Crucial M4, 830, or 840 Pro.
Dave_6 said:
This is my main problem and this will be my first PC build. I keep changing my mind on which parts I want to buy, sometimes day to day lol.
Click to expand...
That's what the OP is for!

Not kidding that it's probably hundreds of hours of refinement in order to maximize performance and reliability and minimize cost. IMO, best guide on the internet.
 
K

kharma45

Member
mkenyon said:
Very nice! Grats on the purchase :p
Click to expand...

I hope you're proud that I managed to resist going AMD despite my illogical urge to do so :p

Was a good price for a new 2500K I thought, a new one (or a 3570K) is around £35 more which I didn't see the point in paying if I could get this.

Now to start getting the rest together! :D PS it might be worth adding that Z75 board to the OP, seems a great price especially for you lot in the USA and TweakTown seemed to like it in their review.
 
S

sorijealut

Member
Dave_6 said:
This is my main problem and this will be my first PC build. I keep changing my mind on which parts I want to buy, sometimes day to day lol.
Click to expand...

As someone that just built my first PC, choosing parts was the most fun part for me! I love looking at cases and reading reviews lol. So enjoy!
 
K

knitoe

Member
LiquidMetal14 said:
Out of boredom, I started putting together some of my parts and took snap shots of other pieces I have thus far. I just got my 80mm fan, 4 sticks of Samsung DDR3 1600mhz "wonder ram", Arctic Silver, and 2 more SP120 fans for my push/pull setup on the H100i. I took these on the Vita so blame that on the IQ :

2013-01-26-124807nuiil.jpg
Click to expand...
Turn the PSU so it's facing down and getting cool air from the bottom of the case.
 
J

Jotamide

Unconfirmed Member
Kipp said:
That seems accurately priced IMO. Not necessarily a good deal or bad deal, just an appropriately priced used computer. If $650 is your budget and you would prefer not to have to shop around for good deals then I see no reason why you shouldn't get it. Also, since it's Craigslist you could probably barter a bit and get it down to $600.
Click to expand...

Broadbandito said:
if its a 2500k yes

edit: well actually the 6950 only has 1gb.. So maybe
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, I'll see if I can bring it down a bit. It's still within my budget range so it's good.
 
K

knitoe

Member
Koroviev said:
I'm confused...don't PSUs generally serve as exhaust fans?
Click to expand...

With old cases, they were use at the top and partial exhaust. Generally, you want airflow going from front/bottom to backtop. In new cases, the PSU sit at the bottom. You no longer need them for extra exhaust work. Having them suck air down is counter productive to the airflow. Also, PSUs last longer, perform better and are more efficient when running cooler. Thus, facing them down and getting cooler air from the outside bottom is the the better route.
 
Koroviev

Koroviev

Member
Shambles said:
The fan on the inside of the case is your PSUs intake. The PSU exhausts hot air out the back on the same side the power plugs into.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

knitoe said:
With old cases, they were use at the top and partial exhaust. Generally, you want airflow going from front/bottom to backtop. In new cases, the PSU sit at the bottom. You no longer need them for extra exhaust work. Having them suck air down is counter productive to the airflow. Also, PSUs last longer, perform better and are more efficient when running cooler. Thus, facing them down and getting cooler air from the outside bottom is the the better route.
Click to expand...

And now that makes sense.
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
So I clarify, I am aware that the PSU is not supposed to be an exhaust. It actually increases heat and decreases airflow for the PSU if it's exhausting straight down onto the floor/carpet. I got this :p

These PSU's are designed with certain fan airflow and facing it down is considered a no, no. If you are wondering of another indicator, the leads that supply power to everything should be facing right side up so you can read them without having to turn your head upside down. Basically that's how it's meant to sit.

Different cases have PSU's sitting in different spots but most that have the PSU resting at the bottom (a norm these days) always have airflow pushing up in the case and out one of the top or back rear exhaust fans.
 
D

DTKT

Member
How is the cable management for the 500R? My current one, Antec 900, is pretty bad when it comes to space for cables. It's just a mess.
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
DTKT said:
How is the cable management for the 500R? My current one, Antec 900, is pretty bad when it comes to space for cables. It's just a mess.
Click to expand...

Having just looked at all the cables and room, it's VERY GOOD. It has nice looking angular bulges on the sides so you can cable manage without feeling like you will have things too tight to get the right side (behind the MB) panel back on. Plenty of cables and the case comes with cable ties. By the time you get the PSU and MB, you should have at least 6-8 cable ties and the Seasonic comes with some nice Velcro straps. I will take a few more pics in 10.

EDIT- Wife is using the Vita but I have things sitting on my desk. There's 3 Velcro straps, 5 zip ties that come with the Seasonic X850, 3 zip ties plus 2 sticky hook ties for "hanging" cables, tons of screws and longer screws to mount fans onto the case from the top.
 
K

knitoe

Member
LiquidMetal14 said:
So I clarify, I am aware that the PSU is not supposed to be an exhaust. It actually increases heat and decreases airflow for the PSU if it's exhausting straight down onto the floor/carpet. I got this :p

These PSU's are designed with certain fan airflow and facing it down is considered a no, no. If you are wondering of another indicator, the leads that supply power to everything should be facing right side up so you can read them without having to turn your head upside down. Basically that's how it's meant to sit.

Different cases have PSU's sitting in different spots but most that have the PSU resting at the bottom (a norm these days) always have airflow pushing up in the case and out one of the top or back rear exhaust fans.
Click to expand...

PSU exhaust toward the back of the PSU / case. The fan facing up or down sucks air in. As I already mention, you want it facing down so the PSU can suck in fresh cooler air. Thus, the PSU will be running at lower temps which leads to longer life and more efficiency, but if you want it to suck hot air instead, your choice.
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
knitoe said:
PSU exhaust toward the back of the case. The fan facing up or down suck air in. As I already mention, you want it facing down so the PSU can suck in fresh cooler air. Thus, PSU will be running at lower temps which lead to longer life and more efficiency.
Click to expand...

I get all that but I went on and read plenty on how the PSU should be seated.

Here's a small pic

powersupply_airFlow.gif


With the right advice and all that, I am apt to switch it around but I read tons on just placement a few days back.
 
Manp

Manp

Member
i'd go for fan on the bottom, but only if you can put a dust filter on the bottom of the case if the case doesn't already have one.

:)
 
H

Hydrogen

Banned
kharma45 said:


Change your RAM to this magical stuff [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147096[/url]

If you want a high quality SSD btw change your 840 to an 840 Pro. The Sapphire 7850 isn't bad but I rate the MSI and ASUS better.
[/QUOTE]

Thank you. Mind commenting what exactly is magical about that ram?

Also, is using a small SSD for OS and mains software and HDD for storage a good idea?

And finally... What's a good very low profile CPU cooler?
Click to expand...
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
Manp said:
i'd go for fan on the bottom, but only if you can put a dust filter on the bottom of the case if the case doesn't already have one.

:)
Click to expand...

The 500R comes with a fan filter on the bottom :)

Hydrogen said:
Thank you. Mind commenting what exactly is magical about that ram?

Also, is using a small SSD for OS and mains software and HDD for storage a good idea?

And finally... What's a good very low profile CPU cooler?
Click to expand...

The Samsung ram OC's well and doesn't require as much voltage. Some have got it up to 2800mhz (with the right MB and settings).

Low profile.......if you're looking at air, stock coolers on most CPU's will be fine. Closed loop coolers like the H100i are super nice as they don't sit high up on top of the CPU but maybe an inch up.
 
K

knitoe

Member
LiquidMetal14 said:
I get all that but I went on and read plenty on how the PSU should be seated.

Here's a small pic


With the right advice and all that, I am apt to switch it around but I read tons on just placement a few days back.
Click to expand...

A quick google will tell you people are saying the something as what I have been saying.
 
LiquidMetal14

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
knitoe said:
A quick google will tell you people are saying the something as what I have been saying.
Click to expand...

I sent a PM but prior to reading this. I will have to raise it but am open to having it as an in-take.

sorijealut said:
I would say no, but it's worth a try. They've denied me before.

Only the white one is on sale though, the black looks better :(
Click to expand...

The black is nice. Will take a few pics in a minute as the wife is done with Vita.
 
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