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[tehbible]

Total: 901.25

Particularly the SSD and Power Supply, as they are different from Hazaro's build completely, and the graphics card.

Also, I am NOT planning on doing any overclocking, if that makes a big difference. I just want to be able to run games at decent settings without too much hassle on my part.

If you're not planning overclocking there is no point in getting the K series CPU.

I made some modifications to your build so that you have a better gaming experience. Namely, I decreased your 2TB to 1TB for external storage. Also, I upgraded your GPU from a 7850 to a GTX 670 which would give you a good performance jump in terms of gaming. I also chose your CPU to be the i5 3470 since you are not overclocking.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SuVU

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)

Motherboard: MSI B75MA-E33 Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($56.98 @ Outlet PC)

Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.20 @ Newegg)

Storage: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($72.51 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.98 @ Outlet PC)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($349.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Case ($40.04 @ NCIX US)

Power Supply: Sparkle 650W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($71.25 @ Newegg)

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)

Base Total: $936.73
Promo Discounts: -$35.53
Shipping: $2.52

TOTAL: $903.72 (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Not heard of Logisys, but you're risking $500 on a $20 PSU?

I'm going to change it to a better PSU. Build price will go up but it will have to do. I just don't want to downgrade GPU at all costs.

 

[Terbinator]

Do we have a F/S thread here on GAF? I need to shift my 680 (and the block too) and was looking for around £220 + delivery for the 680.

 

[Petrie]

Do we have a F/S thread here on GAF? I need to shift my 680 (and the block too) and was looking for around £220 + delivery for the 680.

I know there used to be one, let's see:

http://neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506332

There it is.

 

[JehutyGR]

Why is everyone prefering Intel processors over AMD 8350?

 

[Terbinator]

I know there used to be one, let's see:

http://neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506332

There it is.

Thanks.

 

[Ken]

Tried two different motherboards and two different WD HDs but Amazon refuses to ship any of them to me.

 

[kharma45]

Why is everyone prefering Intel processors over AMD 8350?

Stronger performance generally across the board, very few cases where AMD is better.

8350 is still a good CPU mind.

I'm going to change it to a better PSU. Build price will go up but it will have to do. I just don't want to downgrade GPU at all costs.

Sensible move. 650 Ti Boost was a decent option as it's only marginally slower than the 660 relatively

But if you can afford to put more money towards a better PSU whilst keep the rest of your build then do it.

 

[Valnen]

All my parts should be coming in today according to UPS. Very exciting. My first real high end PC. I can't wait.

 

[tehbible]

Sensible move. 650 Ti Boost was a decent option as it's only marginally slower than the 660 relatively



But if you can afford to put more money towards a better PSU whilst keep the rest of your build then do it.

It's actually better to get the 660 right now since it's priced at $199. 650 Ti Boost is $169. imo it's worth the extra $30 for the performance.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-650-ti-boost-gk106-benchmark,3463-4.html

I took your advice and got a better PSU and reduced RAM to 4GB. 4GB is plenty for gaming.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Sv2H

Total comes out to $522 for a gaming rig that can play most games at max settings.

 

[kharma45]

It's actually better to get the 660 right now since it's priced at $199. 650 Ti Boost is $169. imo it's worth the extra $30 for the performance.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-650-ti-boost-gk106-benchmark,3463-4.html

I took your advice and got a better PSU and reduced RAM to 4GB. 4GB is plenty for gaming.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Sv2H

Total comes out to $522 for a gaming rig that can play most games at max settings.

I'd probably get an Antec VP 450 over that

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IZN3K2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Would trust Antec more.

 

[tehbible]

I'd probably get an Antec VP 450 over that

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IZN3K2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Would trust Antec more.

nice psu. i missed this one somehow. i'll look into it. thanks for the tips.

I updated the build and instead going to get the Cooler Master Elite 350 + 500w psu combo for $56 + s/h. Hovers around the same price at $521 which is what I'd consider a ~$500 gaming rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Sv6E

what's considered a good internal 7200rpm drive these days?

 

[kharma45]

nice psu. i missed this one somehow. i'll look into it. thanks for the tips.

I updated the build and instead going to get the Cooler Master Elite 350 + 500w psu combo for $56 + s/h. Hovers around the same price at $521 which is what I'd consider a ~$500 gaming rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Sv6E

what's considered a good internal 7200rpm drive these days?

The WD Blue from the OP is what I'd go for.

That Cooler Master PSU you'd be getting is also junk.

 

[Anton668]

I had a cooler master PSU once....

never again...

 

[kennah]

How much would you be looking to get out of it? Looking to replace my g/fs families various Dells circa 2005 and anything I can get would be an improvement.

Looking for shipping and that they go to a needy home. Gaf has helped me out just wanting to pay it forward. I am in Canada so i reckon it could be up to $40-$50 to the states

 

[MedIC86]

The rumours of new nvidia cards (very soon) are getting stronger by the day

Fudzilla


Looks like the 8xx series will be real "next-gen"

 

[Bisnic]

How good are the GPUs in todays laptops? Are they similar to the Geforce GTX 560 Ti that I have in my current PC?

I've been thinking in the past weeks to maybe buy a laptop, and with the weird graphical glitches happening on my PC, I thought that if todays laptops sold around 600-700$ are just as good as my 2-3 years old PC, then I might just as well go with that for now.

 

[kharma45]

I had a cooler master PSU once....

never again...

They have had a handful of good ones. Silent Pro series was good.

The rumours of new nvidia cards (very soon) are getting stronger by the day

Fudzilla


Looks like the 8xx series will be real "next-gen"

Still feels too soon for some reason.

How good are the GPUs in todays laptops? Are they similar to the Geforce GTX 560 Ti that I have in my current PC?

I've been thinking in the past weeks to maybe buy a laptop, and with the weird graphical glitches happening on my PC, I thought that if todays laptops sold around 600-700$ are just as good as my 2-3 years old PC, then I might just as well go with that for now.

They're OK, take the 7970m for example. It's about on par with a 7850 desktop. 680m is 660 levels or so iirc.

 

[Bisnic]

They have had a handful of good ones. Silent Pro series was good.



Still feels too soon for some reason.



They're OK, take the 7970m for example. It's about on par with a 7850 desktop. 680m is 660 levels or so iirc.

Yeah, but i'm not looking to spend over 1000-1500$ for a laptop, and that's the kind of price I see while searching for laptops with such GPUs. Maybe I should ask Laptop-GAF for more advice, I just saw that thread exist.<


Or.... I suppose I could just save myself hundreds of dollars and simply buy a 7850 for my PC. :lol

 

[Willectro]

The rumours of new nvidia cards (very soon) are getting stronger by the day

Fudzilla


Looks like the 8xx series will be real "next-gen"

I really hope the dates for the 780 in that article are true. That is when I will be building a new rig.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Does the Corsair H100i require any maintenance? Is cleaning it as simple as wiping it down or is there more to it?

 

[MMBosstones86]

Looking for some advice for a build for my parents. We're talking pretty basic internet/desktop stuff. The most gaming would probably be solitaire. I look a combination of the small form factor and basic builds and removed the GPU. Came up with the following :

Case : CM Elite 120 ($39.99)
Mobo : ASRock H61MV-ITX ($59.99)
CPU : Intel G2020 ($64.99)
RAM : G.Skill 2x2GB ($34.99)
HD : WD Blue 500GB ($59.99)
PUS : Antec VP450 ($44.99)
DVD : Asus DRW-24B1ST ($19.99)

Brings the total to roughly $300 w/o Windows and shipping. I may switch the HD for a 64GB SSD, depending on how much they need. How does that look? Trying to keep it as close to 400 as possible (w/ windows, shipping, etc.).

 

[kharma45]

Looking for some advice for a build for my parents. We're talking pretty basic internet/desktop stuff. The most gaming would probably be solitaire. I look a combination of the small form factor and basic builds and removed the GPU. Came up with the following :

Case : CM Elite 120 ($39.99)
Mobo : ASRock H61MV-ITX ($59.99)
CPU : Intel G860 ($69.99)
RAM : G.Skill 2x2GB ($36.99)
HD : WD Blue 500GB ($59.99)
PUS : Antec VP450 ($44.99)
DVD : Asus DRW-24B1ST ($19.99)

Brings the total to roughly $300 w/o Windows and shipping. I may switch the HD for a 64GB SSD, depending on how much they need. How does that look? Trying to keep it as close to 400 as possible (w/ windows, shipping, etc.).

Looks fine, although I'd look about going for an Ivy Bridge Pentium instead http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116886 ASRock website says that H61 board is IB compatible too which is handy http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H61MV-ITX/?cat=CPU

 

[t-ramp]

Does the Corsair H100i require any maintenance? Is cleaning it as simple as wiping it down or is there more to it?

No maintenance required, per se, but you might need to blow out the radiator occasionally.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

No maintenance required, per se, but you might need to blow out the radiator occasionally.

Thanks, is there an illustration or something that shows how? I'm a dummy with things like this.

 

[MMBosstones86]

Looks fine, although I'd look about going for an Ivy Bridge Pentium instead http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116886 ASRock website says that H61 board is IB compatible too which is handy http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H61MV-ITX/?cat=CPU

updated. thanks!

 

[t-ramp]

Thanks, is there an illustration or something that shows how? I'm a dummy with things like this.

Installing it is the most complicated part, the only maintenance that should be required is blowing out dust with canned air or something. If you have filters in your case it might not even be a problem.

 

[kharma45]

updated. thanks!

Cheaper RAM too, those Pentium CPUs only go up to 1333 RAM so no point going for 1600 http://www.macmall.com/p/7907655?dpno=9330111&source=zwb12166

 

[Teggy]

Noob question here:

If I am running The Witcher 1 and during certain scenes my GPUs (660Ti SLI) are only running at around 50% but I am still not getting 60fps, does this mean that my CPU is a bottleneck?

Thanks...

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Installing it is the most complicated part, the only maintenance that should be required is blowing out dust with canned air or something. If you have filters in your case it might not even be a problem.

I didn't install it, I bought the PC pre-built as my disability would have hindered the build if I did it myself.

My case is a 550D which does have filters, to be honest I've only removed the top slat as it doesn't sit flush to the rest of the case and it was making me twitch and the dust filter has been left alone.

 

[snack]

Haswell prices leaked:

http://www.wccftech.com/intel-haswell-desktop-cpu-prices-leaked-flagship-core-i74770k-cost-327/

 

[kharma45]

updated. thanks!

Also to add to my other suggestion above, with that money saved you could change than Antec VP 450 to a Seasonic 360W 80PLUS Gold if you wanted a higher quality, quieter unit.

 

[MMBosstones86]

Cheaper RAM too, those Pentium CPUs only go up to 1333 RAM so no point going for 1600 http://www.macmall.com/p/7907655?dpno=9330111&source=zwb12166

Also to add to my other suggestion above, with that money saved you could change than Antec VP 450 to a Seasonic 360W 80PLUS Gold if you wanted a higher quality, quieter unit.

Thanks!

I've updated the RAM. Will keep that PSU in mind and see how much money is left over.

 

[MedIC86]

Haswell prices leaked:

http://www.wccftech.com/intel-haswell-desktop-cpu-prices-leaked-flagship-core-i74770k-cost-327/

Nice, they are kinda the same as they are now (at least in the euro region)

 

[Effect]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a Full ATX Tower Case between $50 and $100. Really trying to stay under $100 if at all possible but $5 or $10 over isn't a deal breaker.

I currently have a mid-size tower and it's pretty cramped in there. I figure I'd move everything over to a larger tower to give things breathing room and to make cleaning it easier. Also because my current tower is just old and I'd like to replace it for something else before I try to add (or in this case squeeze) another hard drive into it.

I was thinking this but if anyone has a better suggestion I'm all ears.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811322006

 

[mkenyon]

I think you might be surprised how roomy modern large mid towers are.

Define R4:

 

[twentytwo22]

I appreciate the insight above. I've refined my build a bit.

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 Quad-Core Processor 3.2 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 - BX80637I53470
188.79

Motherboard: MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33
59.99

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB kit (4GBx2) DDR3-1600 1.5V 240-Pin UDIMM BLS2CP4G3D1609DS1S00
63.20

Graphics: MSI N670GTX-PM2D2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 670 2 GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (N670GTX-PM2D2GD5/OC)
369.99

HDD: WD Blue 1 TB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache - WD10EZEX
65.90

Power Supply: Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 550w Power Supply (RS550-PCARE3-US)
56.63

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower Computer Case with High Airflow RC-912-KKN1-AMZ
59.99

Drive: Asus 24xDVD-RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)
22.79

SSD: Crucial m4 64GB 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s with Data Transfer Kit CT064M4SSD2CCA
89.99

Total: 977.27

Anything I could do to trim the total by about $150 without a big hit in performance? Note: I can only use Amazon, due to gift cards.

 

[plainr_]

Haswell prices leaked:

http://www.wccftech.com/intel-haswell-desktop-cpu-prices-leaked-flagship-core-i74770k-cost-327/

4770k is going to be hard to resist. Fuck me, I need to get out of this thread.

 

[Effect]

I think you might be surprised how roomy modern large mid towers are.

Define R4:

Wow that's really nice and a lot roomier then what I have now. If that's the case then a full tower won't be needed. Especially since I'm just running a single graphics card.

Thanks.

Edit: Found it on NewEgg. Thought it looked weird at first but then realized some of the drive bays can be removed to open it up more. Nice.

 

[mkenyon]

If you want something with a bit more airflow, then they also offer the Arc Midi R2. Same chassis, just designed for more airflow rather than silence.

 

[kharma45]

I appreciate the insight above. I've refined my build a bit.

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 Quad-Core Processor 3.2 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 - BX80637I53470
188.79

Motherboard: MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33
59.99

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB kit (4GBx2) DDR3-1600 1.5V 240-Pin UDIMM BLS2CP4G3D1609DS1S00
63.20

Graphics: MSI N670GTX-PM2D2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 670 2 GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (N670GTX-PM2D2GD5/OC)
369.99

HDD: WD Blue 1 TB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache - WD10EZEX
65.90

Power Supply: Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 550w Power Supply (RS550-PCARE3-US)
56.63

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower Computer Case with High Airflow RC-912-KKN1-AMZ
59.99

Drive: Asus 24xDVD-RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)
22.79

SSD: Crucial m4 64GB 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s with Data Transfer Kit CT064M4SSD2CCA
89.99

Total: 977.27

Anything I could do to trim the total by about $150 without a big hit in performance? Note: I can only use Amazon, due to gift cards.

Change the 3470 to a 3350p http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0093H8NBY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Drop the DVD drive and change to a 660 Ti? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008SBX6GI/?tag=neogaf0e-20 or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UG2W20/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Also you'll want to change that PSU too, it's really not a good unit http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/969. The Antec VP 450 would suffice http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IZN3K2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Demon Ice]

My new ~$500 Gaming Rig. This is probably the best that I can do for a $500 constraint.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SuCH

Total: $517.11 (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Drop the GPU down to a GTX 650 Ti Boost or HD 7850 so you can get a more reliable PSU.

Edit: Beaten by a bit.

 

[brentech]

Just ordered a handful of Corsair fans last night. Need to replace the stock fan that comes on the 212 EVO, it's making a faint clicking noise (at least I'm pretty sure it's that fan). But I'm replacing all the fans in the case since they're all sleeve bearing.

So replacing top (2) 120mm, the front and back 140mm that come with the R4, adding a second front fan, and the Evo fan replaced.

Will also be interested to see if it quiets the case down even more so.

 

[twentytwo22]

Also just curious, why don't any builds listed here include a wireless card?

Is this a decent choice on the cheap?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034CL2ZI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[kharma45]

Also just curious, why don't any builds listed here include a wireless card?

Is this a decent choice on the cheap?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034CL2ZI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Wired connections are preferable, or Power Line adapters.

 

[MMBosstones86]

how many fans are considered 'overkill' or is it more of a temp thing?

Just moved things over to my new case which has 2x140 in the front and 1x120 in the upper back. I have 3 left over 120s, but my temps are around 50-60s under load.

I think only spot left is a 120 on the side by the GPU, but I don't even know if it would help THAT much.

Only played XCOM (2013) since I moved it, not the best barometer...

 

[abunai]

Also just curious, why don't any builds listed here include a wireless card?

Is this a decent choice on the cheap?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034CL2ZI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Wifi is subjected to radio re-transmissions depending on your adapter's signal strength, resulting in way more latency, way more packet data loss and way more choke in online games. It sucks for online gaming, basically.

TP-link produce relatively good stuff so you should be fine with that card. There's probably not going to be a major difference in "connection" quality from wifi card to wifi card, due to the wireless nature. Anything over 15$ or so and you'd be set. Wired is always preferable.

how many fans are considered 'overkill' or is it more of a temp thing?

Just moved things over to my new case which has 2x140 in the front and 1x120 in the upper back. I have 3 left over 120s, but my temps are around 50-60s under load.

I think only spot left is a 120 on the side by the GPU, but I don't even know if it would help THAT much.

Only played XCOM (2013) since I moved it, not the best barometer...

The thing with fans is the CFM of the fan over how many you have. Solid 120mm fans can have the same CFM as 2 cheap 120mm case oem fans. What CPU (and cooler) do you have? 50-60 is a fairly normal temperature if you're rocking a newer Intel chip that's overclocked. Either way, size and number of fans have diminishing returns. You can end up with a really noisy case after even 3 fans.

 

[brentech]

Also just curious, why don't any builds listed here include a wireless card?

Is this a decent choice on the cheap?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034CL2ZI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I went with. Little higher model of the same brand.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I have a good wireless connection, but as kharma pointed out...wired oft gives a better latency, via Ethernet or power line.
My router is installed next to my home theater though, lots of power there and it just didn't make sense for me. My connection via wireless is great though. Never had problems really with my old wireless card, but this card really shines.

how many fans are considered 'overkill' or is it more of a temp thing?

Just moved things over to my new case which has 2x140 in the front and 1x120 in the upper back. I have 3 left over 120s, but my temps are around 50-60s under load.

I think only spot left is a 120 on the side by the GPU, but I don't even know if it would help THAT much.

Only played XCOM (2013) since I moved it, not the best barometer...

Can't remember if it's in the OP or I just came across it somewhere, but there is a nice article out there that tests heat against quantity of fans.
I can't remember if it's 3 or 4 fans, but one of the 2 is the sweet spot of value. Anything more and you have pretty heavy diminishing returns.

 

[scogoth]

how many fans are considered 'overkill' or is it more of a temp thing?

Just moved things over to my new case which has 2x140 in the front and 1x120 in the upper back. I have 3 left over 120s, but my temps are around 50-60s under load.

I think only spot left is a 120 on the side by the GPU, but I don't even know if it would help THAT much.

Only played XCOM (2013) since I moved it, not the best barometer...

Its really just law of diminishing returns. Going from 1 fan to 2 fans greatly greatly helps cooling but going from 10 to 20 fans(extreme example) will do almost nothing. Depending on your build anywhere between 3-6 fans are enough.

 

[twentytwo22]

Okay, final question...

I think I've finally settled on what I want to buy. My only question is regarding cables, as this is the first time I've completely built a computer on my own. If I buy the following setup, will I need to buy any additional cables for power/etc? Do Power Supplies come with the power cable itself? It looks like the drive doesn't come with a SATA cable, so I've already thrown one in my order. (Edit: Looks like the mobo comes with SATA cables.)

I'd like to get it all at once and not have to make another order for a forgotten cable!

Thanks for all the help.

---

Intel Core i5-3470 Quad-Core Processor 3.2 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 - BX80637I53470

MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33

Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB kit (4GBx2) DDR3-1600 1.5V 240-Pin UDIMM BLS2CP4G3D1609DS1S00

MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 Graphics Card N660 TF 2GD5/OC

WD Blue 1 TB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache - WD10EZEX

Corsair Builder Series CX 500 Watt ATX/EPS  80 PLUS (CX500)

Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower Computer Case with High Airflow RC-912-KKN1-AMZ

Asus 24xDVD-RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)

Crucial m4 64GB 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s with Data Transfer Kit CT064M4SSD2CCA

 

[brentech]

Its really just law of diminishing returns. Going from 1 fan to 2 fans greatly greatly helps cooling but going from 10 to 20 fans(extreme example) will do almost nothing. Depending on your build anywhere between 3-6 fans are enough.

.

As I said on previous page and scogoth pointed out....

Here is the article, it was in OP: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/02/10/the-big-cooling-investigation/1

Adding the 3rd fan was last step of drastic cooling differences, but the 4th still knocked it by 2-3C degrees.
Have a read.
They tested up to 6 fans in Define R3 case.