Fuck so it is, dunno what I was looking at.
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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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Fuck so it is, dunno what I was looking at.
killertofu
Member
Around 30 pounds, no? I haven't had a chance to pick mine up yet
I'm trying to quiet down my rig and I'd like to move it to a new case. I've been comparing the Fractal R4 and the Corsair 550D. The reviews seem to indicate that the 550D runs quieter and cooler, but I trust our experts here more so I'd like to hear if it's worth the extra $25
Dave_6
Member
That's what I just ordered. You get the windowed one?
Yeah. I didnt expect the weight when I picked it up. Feels good.
No window.
Now I just need June to get here so I can actually build in it
killertofu
Member
I'm kind of surprised at the lack of deals on President's Day.
lowrider007
Licorice-flavoured booze?
What are we all doing for PC upgrades this year?, what with ati proabably not releasing a 8000 series anytime soon and Nvidia dragging their heals, what is coming out this year that will give the PC platform a substantial boast in terms of performance?
I guess this is a byproduct of the extended console generation but I'm feeling the upgrade bug, I'm not sure I can take a whole year with nothing substantial being released for PC, the only options it seems this year is to go dual gpu and I'm really not sure I'm prepared to go down that route.
Anyone else feeling the same atm?
I guess this is a byproduct of the extended console generation but I'm feeling the upgrade bug, I'm not sure I can take a whole year with nothing substantial being released for PC, the only options it seems this year is to go dual gpu and I'm really not sure I'm prepared to go down that route.
Anyone else feeling the same atm?
Koroviev
Member
What's your current setup?
30 lbs without components installed. It's monolithic.
The R4 is an excellent case. You can't go wrong with it unless you're looking to do a SFF build.
This might sound like a stupid question but I'm curious to hear GAF's opinion. I'm currently thinking about building myself a cheap gaming PC, my budget would be around $800-$1000. With the "next-generational" leap in consoles in transition, would it be wise to build a gaming PC now or should I wait a few months until after the new Xbox/Playstation are released?
Koroviev
Member
PC gaming is already next-gen. Build and be happy.
lowrider007
Licorice-flavoured booze?
i5 @ 4.4Ghz,
o/c'd gtx670
2tb WD Black HHD
And I'm upgrading to 16gig ram this week purely because it's cheap atm.
Koroviev
Member
I would get an SSD instead. World of difference.
SloaneRisette
Member
Just got an email from Amazon that my computer's case (Fractal Design Define R4) will be getting here on Thursday instead of some time within the first half of March. I'm super excited! But this is now giving me all the more pressure to get the rest of my parts together ASAP...
Koroviev
Member
Happen to live near a Fry's or a Micro Center? And fwiw, Best Buy also does Internet price matching.
ss_lemonade
Member
Is that crucial ssd a good one? After seeing that, I've been thinking of just grabbing that 256gb ssd and using an external hdd for all my other stuff. Helps me save some money by not purchasing a hdd anymore. Good idea?
Its also on sale at newegg btw, for $10 more
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148443
Its also on sale at newegg btw, for $10 more
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148443
Koroviev
Member
Yes, it's a very reliable drive, although the 840 Pro is newer and faster (not that you'll probably notice). If you get a 256gb drive for ~$200, then you've done well.
So i spent the weekend learning how to OC my CPU, so i followed the guide specific
for Asus Mobo's, made some changes to prep my mobo, then changed my voltage to 1.2
and the multiplier to 46. Safe to say the clock is stable after nearly 7hrs right?
I tired bumping to 47 But got a Bsod instantly when running prime so i bumped up the Voltage to 1.205 and prime has been stable for 10 minutes now.
This seems almost too easy, is there anything else im missing here? (first time OC'ing)
for Asus Mobo's, made some changes to prep my mobo, then changed my voltage to 1.2
and the multiplier to 46. Safe to say the clock is stable after nearly 7hrs right?
I tired bumping to 47 But got a Bsod instantly when running prime so i bumped up the Voltage to 1.205 and prime has been stable for 10 minutes now.
This seems almost too easy, is there anything else im missing here? (first time OC'ing)
Koroviev
Member
I have a 460 I'd be willing to let go of for cheap.
Hmm. I was wondering the same thing. Youre tipping me towards the Crucial even though I was hoping for an 840 Pro.
Koroviev
Member
Yeah, but again, it hardly matters. All SSDs look like greased lightening compared to HDDs.
Not sure where your pricing differs, but this is very similar to my build, which cost me just under $2,000($1,982.82+free shipping+no tax[Newegg]).
My list was as follows.
Logitech K400 USB RF Wireless keyboard w/touchpad(already have a gaming kb/mouse)
Arctic Silver Thermal Paste
Microsoft (360)Wireless Controller for Windows(includes controller and wireless dongle)
Win 7 Home Premium
3 x Cooler Master 140MM Case fans
MSI Z77 MPOWER
ASUS GTX680 2GB GDDR5(DC2-2GD5)
Corsair HX Series HX750(PSU)
i7-3770K
Corsair Vengeance 16GB(4x4GB) DDR3 1600
Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB SSD
WD Green(WD20EARX) 2TB
LG Black 14XBD-R /2x BD-RE /16x DVD+r/12xBD-ROM/3D Compatable
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU cooler
Fractal Design Define R4 Artic White.
------------------------------------------------
Just seems like you should be getting more for that price....but what do I know, I'm a noob.
BTW, love my build, runs games great and keeps things cool. I'll overclock later on, but right now when I'm encoding(100% CPU usage) I've yet to go over 52c in temp.
ss_lemonade
Member
Thanks, sounds good to me. My old computer had a samsung 830 128gb and that was one fast drive. I guess I'll just take advantage of the 256gb drive offer for now
Final build details, hours away from ordering everything and still switching stuff around:
Seasonic SS-660XP vs Corsair HX650...? (Going with Seasonic atm)
ASUS GTX 660 vs EVGA 660ti....worth the extra now even if I plan to upgrade again in a year or so to a 680 or 690 anyway?
And I really really really couldn't care less about my boot times. Is an SSD worth starving for two weeks over? I know everyone swears by them, but I feel like just waiting for the 500GB units to come down in price and switching out the HDD for one then instead of a 60GB now. Feels like a waste of time.
Fitting this a Fractal Arc Mini. Love that case.
Seasonic SS-660XP vs Corsair HX650...? (Going with Seasonic atm)
ASUS GTX 660 vs EVGA 660ti....worth the extra now even if I plan to upgrade again in a year or so to a 680 or 690 anyway?
And I really really really couldn't care less about my boot times. Is an SSD worth starving for two weeks over? I know everyone swears by them, but I feel like just waiting for the 500GB units to come down in price and switching out the HDD for one then instead of a 60GB now. Feels like a waste of time.
Fitting this a Fractal Arc Mini. Love that case.
SloaneRisette
Member
I live about an hour from a MicroCenter, that's where I'll be getting my CPU.
Boot times aside your entire computer will be peppier. It is a huge difference from regular hard drives.
Get the seasonic if you can afford it and go for the non-Ti if you are just going to upgrade soon anyway
Koroviev
Member
I would avoid EVGA and other reference card models unless you plan to install aftermarket cooling. Have you looked at the competitive AMD options? Generally better in the $200-300 price range.
I consider SSDs a necessary component of a modern PC but the lowest capacity I would recommend is a 128GB drive. They are worth the extra money. They drastically improve not only boot and load times, but also overall PC responsiveness.
That was my thinking. Still hesitating on the SSD as that would put me over the $1000 barrier I gave myself and just plan to switch my HDD out for one in a year or so when prices are cheaper. But...maybe...ugh.
GHG
Member
No, its never worth it. A 660 is only 5-10% below a 660 ti in all scenarios and you can overclock a 660 to beyond 660 Ti performance levels in most cases.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_660_Direct_Cu_II/27.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_660_Direct_Cu_II/30.html
I facepalm everytime I see someone saying they are buying a 660 Ti. Save your money.
Koroviev
Member
That's not a bad idea. The 840 Pro goes on sale frequently and SSD prices overall are trending down.
crisdecuba
Member
Okay, so on my current computer I am running Windows 8 Pro, which I upgraded to from Windows Home Premium.
I just got a new SSD that I want to install and use as the primary drive instead.
I have three questions about how this would work:
Thanks in advance!
I just got a new SSD that I want to install and use as the primary drive instead.
I have three questions about how this would work:
1. Do I need to "deactivate" my OS so I can install it on a new SSD? If I don't, will I run into problems when it comes time to activate it?
2. On the new drive will I need to first install Windows 7 and then upgrade again to Windows 8, or can I do a straight install of 8?
3. Any tips (aside from backing up my stuff) that I should keep in mind as I do this?
2. On the new drive will I need to first install Windows 7 and then upgrade again to Windows 8, or can I do a straight install of 8?
3. Any tips (aside from backing up my stuff) that I should keep in mind as I do this?
Thanks in advance!
Koroviev
Member
1. Nope
2. No, there is a work around for this. You just need to edit a registry value and run a command line.
3. Boot from a USB if you can.
In those links the base 660ti is 15% better than the base 660. They're reviewing the Asus top factory OC version. And sure, you can OC the 660 to a 660ti level. But you can OC a 660ti as well......
If you can get a 660ti for 270 or less, I'd think it's worth it. 15% more money for 15% more power.
Price. PhysX. Preference.
When I bought my 660ti it was 40-50 cheaper than the 7950. I haven't been following the price since then, it AMD dropped the price then it'd be different. That bundle rocks too.
Right now, I can get both at the same price.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
Anyone selling a Crysis 3 key from one of the GPU promos? Would pay a little (25~)and offer a game in exchange.
Koroviev
Member
The 7950 is only $300 right now and it's not compromised by a 192-bit bus. PhysX isn't present in the majority of games, so it's a fairly moot point for the time being. Preference... If you prefer to spend more money and want to SLI, but then we're probably not talking about the midrange anymore.
I honestly don't think it'd make THAT much of a difference, especially if your 7950 is overclocked.
And you'll be sacrificing the 3gb 384-bit for 2gb 256-bit, unless it's a 4gb 680 (which still has a 256-bit bus.)
But that all comes down to what resolution you're playing at and whether you'll be downsampling...etc
Don't do it
Only $300 vs having bought my factory OC'd ASUS 660ti for ~$260. That's 13% price difference for comparable performance. Granted most of them are $280 right now which is a smaller difference. Still, cheaper is cheaper for similar performance. That $40 can be put into a new $250 card when the performance finally deteriorates.
PhysX is around and cool. It's a consideration.
I know much todo is being made about the 192-bit bus but frankly right now it doesn't make any difference. Hardocp did a nice comparison of 2gig vs 3gig nvidia cards and there were no performance gains to be had at any resolutions for the extra gig of memory.
Maybe a few years down the line we'll be seeing some serious handicaps from the memory but I strongly suspect by the time that happens, it'll be time for a new card anyways.
edit: Bottom line, the 7950 is a better buy at this point. But there are still reasons to pick up a 660ti if you so desire. AMD has come a long way with their drivers and the 7950 is putting out better numbers for only a little more money at this point. The bundle pushes it over the top.
Save your money.
Thanks Koroviev for the reassurance, I'll go with the R4. I'm moving from an Antec p182 that is neither quiet or cool, so I wanted to make sure.
My next order of business is my videocard. I have an MSI GTX670 that's reference design that I posted up for sale but noone seems to want to bite on it. Since it seems I might keep it, I was thinking about putting one an aftermarket cooler. I'm looking at the Accelero Twin Turbo II, is there any other cooler that won't break the bank that I should consider?
My next order of business is my videocard. I have an MSI GTX670 that's reference design that I posted up for sale but noone seems to want to bite on it. Since it seems I might keep it, I was thinking about putting one an aftermarket cooler. I'm looking at the Accelero Twin Turbo II, is there any other cooler that won't break the bank that I should consider?
That thing looks huge, but thanks I'll consider it. Will that fit in an R4? What fans would go well with it? I see comes with thermal compound, should I use that or buy something else, I would use it on the CPU as well.
GHG
Member
He specified the ASUS version of the card and that is a review of the ASUS version... Yes the 660Ti can be overclocked as well but the point is the price difference of the cards and the performance per dollar at the mid-range level in the Nvidia lineup.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_660_Direct_Cu_II/29.html
The Ti version is a waste of money to be frank, you wont notice any difference in most scenarios as you'll most likely be gaming on a single 1080p monitor max.
As discussed above, the 7950 is a far better buy in the mid range if you aren't planning on doubling up and going SLI (Crossfire is still not great these days from what I'm reading).
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