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"I need a New PC!" 2013 Part 2. Haswell = #IntelnoTIM, but free online. READ THE OP.

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AFAIK, the general consensus is that is should be avoided ATM.
Don't know if the latest beta drivers fixed the issue, though.
Yeah this is what I'm trying to find out. Trying to see if microstutter is truly a thing of the past and if so, if the solution they used has any drawbacks to it.
 
so what are the chances that by the end of this console generation that high end pc's will be running games at 4k?

I mean if you compare this gen to last gen, the resolution push from 720 to 1080p wasn't even being discussed until a few years into the generation.

Right off the bat now Sony is already pushing 4k with their most recent set and I think the push towards that will only get bigger as time moves on.
 

kennah

Member
so what are the chances that by the end of this console generation that high end pc's will be running games at 4k?

I mean if you compare this gen to last gen, the resolution push from 720 to 1080p wasn't even being discussed until a few years into the generation.

Right off the bat now Sony is already pushing 4k with their most recent set and I think the push towards that will only get bigger as time moves on.

Depends on what you mean. Will high end pcs be running it - sure. Will it be the norm? no way.
 
so what are the chances that by the end of this console generation that high end pc's will be running games at 4k?

I mean if you compare this gen to last gen, the resolution push from 720 to 1080p wasn't even being discussed until a few years into the generation.

Right off the bat now Sony is already pushing 4k with their most recent set and I think the push towards that will only get bigger as time moves on.

Sony talked quite a bit about Full HD 1080p at the start of last generation.
 

Crisco

Banned
So my last two builds I bought a DFI Lanparty motherboard. They were the most rock solid boards I ever bought. Unfortunately they exited the consumer market a couple years back. So who makes the best boards these days? My feeling is it doesn't even matter as much as it used to since basically everything important is on the CPU die these days.
 

Addnan

Member
So my last two builds I bought a DFI Lanparty motherboard. They were the most rock solid boards I ever bought. Unfortunately they exited the consumer market a couple years back. So who makes the best boards these days? My feeling is it doesn't even matter as much as it used to since basically everything important is on the CPU die these days.

Reliability across pretty much all boards is great these days. Can't really go wrong with an MSI, Asus or Gigabyte. On an OC3D review I was watching the guy mentioned that MSI military class motherboards have the lowest RMA rates I guess that might say something.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Yeah this is what I'm trying to find out. Trying to see if microstutter is truly a thing of the past and if so, if the solution they used has any drawbacks to it.
http://techreport.com/review/25167/frame-pacing-driver-aims-to-revive-the-radeon-hd-7990

That'll give you definitive answers.
So my last two builds I bought a DFI Lanparty motherboard. They were the most rock solid boards I ever bought. Unfortunately they exited the consumer market a couple years back. So who makes the best boards these days? My feeling is it doesn't even matter as much as it used to since basically everything important is on the CPU die these days.
There's no single best board maker, each series has had some standout stuff. I'd rank it like this.

X58 - EVGA
P55 - ASUS
P67/Z68 - ASUS, everyone else had some weird issues, MSI next best though.
X79 - ASUS>ASRock, IF 3930k/3960X then MSI p'good, but doesn't work with 3820s.
Z77 - Gigabyte>MSI>ASUS>ASRock
Z87 - Gigabyte/MSI>ASUS>ASRock

In terms of specific favorite boards per series, mine would be

X58 - EVGA Classified
P55 - Maximus III
P67/Z68 - Maximus Gene-Z
X79 - Rampage IV Gene, Sabertooth, Rampage IV Extreme
Z77 - Gigabyte Z77X-UP7, MSI MPower
Z87 - MSI GD45 Gaming, Gigabyte Sniper M5.
 
Update on prospective build:

Your Current Specs: Running on a laptop atm, but I'm looking to upgrade to a custom built desktop for the first time. Current relevant specs are 8GB RAM, i5-2410 2.30GHz, and Radeon 6490M, but being a laptop it's not terribly useful here.
Budget: I'm looking for something in the $1000 range.
Main Use: Gaming - 5, Emulation - 4, General Usage/Video playback - 3, everything else is moot. Also, as much future proofing as is reasonably possible.
Monitor Resolution: 1080p. I'll be mainly using the HD TV I've already got, as this thing will double as an HTPC
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: at the very least 30FPS on max settings for anything on the market currently, short of maybe Crysis 3. As I said, I want something that'll be future proof, that'll be able to at least minimally run the latest games 4-5 years from now. 3D is not a priority however. I'd also like something that'll be able to pull it's weight in emulation, 60FPS in dolphin/PCSX2, so CPU clocks are also a must. Finally, being also an HTPC, being as wireless as possible is a huge plus, so that includes long range mouse/keyboard/wifi, as well as having a good sound card/surround sound option later on.
Looking to reuse any parts?: as I've said above, I've got a TV already that I'll be using this thing on, but other than that I'm starting from scratch, essentially. Wondering if I can just reuse the windows 7 install disk that came with the laptop though?
When will you build?: This is me planning way ahead for my Christmas/birthday present to myself, but I'm willing to wait maybe another few months past december if there are any major chip/card releases that may be worth my while.
Will you be overclocking?: if it doesn't cost significantly more, sure.

I'd also like to add that I foresee a consumer version Oculus Rift in my future, so I'd hope that this pc would still be up to snuff in that case (with a reduction in graphical detail, of course)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.98 @ Outlet PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($265.91 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($22.90 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AC-GP 69.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.98 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq Plus 550W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Logitech K750 Wireless Slim Keyboard ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech M510 Wireless Laser Mouse ($28.25 @ Amazon)
Total: $1103.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-06 13:02 EDT-0400)

Mostly followed the excellent Haswell build in the OP, with a few minor tweaks and a few extra $ spent here and there (for smaller CAS and 1866MHz RAM, slightly higher MHz on the GPU) I know the RAM has a heat spreader on it, but is it that big a deal if it isn't low profile? It's the best price I could find on that spec RAM. The keyboard is also a bit of a luxury, I mainly wanted it for the solar/ambient light recharge so I don't have to deal with batteries as much. I know with that HYNIX fire that a few part prices have gone up for about $30 total, but if I'm understanding the situation correctly the damage was not serious and production/prices should return to normal within a month or two. Hoping with BF/Christmas deals that this build gets pretty close to that $1k sweet spot.

Also, while I'm leaning pretty heavily towards Nvidia because I've been on AMD for this laptop and have had a horrid time with driver updates plus I like Nvidia's featureset a bit more (the upcoming Shadowplay expecially), I may also take a second look once the 9000 series comes out.
 

maneil99

Member
Update on prospective build:



I'd also like to add that I foresee a consumer version Oculus Rift in my future, so I'd hope that this pc would still be up to snuff in that case (with a reduction in graphical detail, of course)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.98 @ Outlet PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($265.91 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($22.90 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AC-GP 69.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.98 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq Plus 550W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Logitech K750 Wireless Slim Keyboard ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech M510 Wireless Laser Mouse ($28.25 @ Amazon)
Total: $1103.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-06 13:02 EDT-0400)

Mostly followed the excellent Haswell build in the OP, with a few minor tweaks and a few extra $ spent here and there (for smaller CAS and 1866MHz RAM, slightly higher MHz on the GPU) I know the RAM has a heat spreader on it, but is it that big a deal if it isn't low profile? It's the best price I could find on that spec RAM. The keyboard is also a bit of a luxury, I mainly wanted it for the solar/ambient light recharge so I don't have to deal with batteries as much. I know with that HYNIX fire that a few part prices have gone up for about $30 total, but if I'm understanding the situation correctly the damage was not serious and production/prices should return to normal within a month or two. Hoping with BF/Christmas deals that this build gets pretty close to that $1k sweet spot.

Also, while I'm leaning pretty heavily towards Nvidia because I've been on AMD for this laptop and have had a horrid time with driver updates plus I like Nvidia's featureset a bit more (the upcoming Shadowplay expecially), I may also take a second look once the 9000 series comes out.
You might have clearance issues with the cooler and ram
 

Addnan

Member
I think the Ripjaws work fine with Hyper 212.

This google image suggest it should clear.
LqHlGJbl.jpg

2Z0odCT.jpg


Use wired mouse and keyboard :p
 

kennah

Member
Is there any way to figure that out for sure? What if I just soldered the thing off?

20-231-538-Z02


That ram is fine. It's only the ones with the huge ridiculous heatsinks that you need to worry about.

The bigger problem is that the colour doesn't match your motherboard.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Update on prospective build:



I'd also like to add that I foresee a consumer version Oculus Rift in my future, so I'd hope that this pc would still be up to snuff in that case (with a reduction in graphical detail, of course)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.98 @ Outlet PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($265.91 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($22.90 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AC-GP 69.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.98 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq Plus 550W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Logitech K750 Wireless Slim Keyboard ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech M510 Wireless Laser Mouse ($28.25 @ Amazon)
Total: $1103.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-06 13:02 EDT-0400)

Mostly followed the excellent Haswell build in the OP, with a few minor tweaks and a few extra $ spent here and there (for smaller CAS and 1866MHz RAM, slightly higher MHz on the GPU) I know the RAM has a heat spreader on it, but is it that big a deal if it isn't low profile? It's the best price I could find on that spec RAM. The keyboard is also a bit of a luxury, I mainly wanted it for the solar/ambient light recharge so I don't have to deal with batteries as much. I know with that HYNIX fire that a few part prices have gone up for about $30 total, but if I'm understanding the situation correctly the damage was not serious and production/prices should return to normal within a month or two. Hoping with BF/Christmas deals that this build gets pretty close to that $1k sweet spot.

Also, while I'm leaning pretty heavily towards Nvidia because I've been on AMD for this laptop and have had a horrid time with driver updates plus I like Nvidia's featureset a bit more (the upcoming Shadowplay expecially), I may also take a second look once the 9000 series comes out.
We have no idea what the final specs on the consumer OR might be. The 760 would probably not cut it though.

Do you need a wireless adapter? If not, drop it. If so, look into Powerline if you have decent wiring.

Not a fan of wireless kb/m, but that's probably not an issue if input lag/competitive gaming aren't priorities for you.
 
We have no idea what the final specs on the consumer OR might be. The 760 would probably not cut it though.

Do you need a wireless adapter? If not, drop it. If so, look into Powerline if you have decent wiring.

Not a fan of wireless kb/m, but that's probably not an issue if input lag/competitive gaming aren't priorities for you.

Yeah I figured as much. 760 is about as high as I'm willing to go for cost/performance ratio. I'll probably have to crank things down a lot, but I figure most of those running PC's built this year will probably have to do the same, even with some of the higher end cards.

And yeah I'd rather have the wireless card. I know powerline setups have issues with latency when the two sockets aren't the same circuit, and with the router downstairs I can't guarantee that won't be the case.

I've been using a wireless mouse for a while now and really haven't had any issues. Unless it's significantly worse on keyboards for some reason I think I can cope.

In any case, thanks for the help everybody!
 

Artofwar420

Member
I would say get an i3, but you'll have to be more specific.

You mean for what purpose? Basically I want to squeeze as much performance from the 560 ti as I can. I have a an E8500 dual core 3.16 GHz CPU and I notice not great performance. Everyone I ask said the CPU is bottlenecking my gfx card, so perhaps a better question is:

What is the most cost efficient CPU to pair with a 560 ti?
 

Addnan

Member
You mean for what purpose? Basically I want to squeeze as much performance from the 560 ti as I can. I have a an E8500 dual core 3.16 GHz CPU and I notice not great performance. Everyone I ask said the CPU is bottlenecking my gfx card, so perhaps a better question is:

What is the most cost efficient CPU to pair with a 560 ti?

What's your budget. You can pair a 560Ti with pretty much any CPU.
 

Zeth

Member
I need a headset/mic. Looked into Mod Mic but it's back-ordered and I need kind of want something now.

Any recommendations, especially from those with larger heads would be appreciated! I tend to be sensitive to the clamping force on certain headphones.

edit: re OP, anyone know if the Sennheisers are tight on the head? My hd 280 pro's are.

How is the Razer Kraken? Avoid Razer? Kind of in a hurry, might have to limit myself to a brick and mortar bestbuy nearby.
 

Azulsky

Member
Yeah this is what I'm trying to find out. Trying to see if microstutter is truly a thing of the past and if so, if the solution they used has any drawbacks to it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/catalyst-13.8-frame-pacing-crossfire,3595.html

Seems like it is gone.

Truth be told since multi-gpu setups have been in existence I have seen way more issues with ATI/AMD than with Nvidia. Considering you are married to the company when you buy a video card, this is why I avoid AMD in my builds and builds for clients.
 

kennah

Member
You mean for what purpose? Basically I want to squeeze as much performance from the 560 ti as I can. I have a an E8500 dual core 3.16 GHz CPU and I notice not great performance. Everyone I ask said the CPU is bottlenecking my gfx card, so perhaps a better question is:

What is the most cost efficient CPU to pair with a 560 ti?

Bottlenecking doesn't work the way you think it does.

Stuff that is cpu dependent will be slowed by a slow cpu
Stuff that is GPU dependent will be slowed by a slow GPU.

You'll still see gains no matter what. You could put a Titan with a Core 2 Duo if you wanted, and still see improvement over other cards.
 

Azulsky

Member
so what are the chances that by the end of this console generation that high end pc's will be running games at 4k?

I mean if you compare this gen to last gen, the resolution push from 720 to 1080p wasn't even being discussed until a few years into the generation.

Right off the bat now Sony is already pushing 4k with their most recent set and I think the push towards that will only get bigger as time moves on.

What are you considering high end pc? Like 1 top shelf gpu?

You can run games at 4k now. It just takes about 2k in video cards.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Bottlenecking doesn't work the way you think it does.

Stuff that is cpu dependent will be slowed by a slow cpu
Stuff that is GPU dependent will be slowed by a slow GPU.

You'll still see gains no matter what. You could put a Titan with a Core 2 Duo if you wanted, and still see improvement over other cards.
This.

I recommend the i5 K series to pretty much anyone looking to get stellar performance. If you're not too fussed about that sort of thing, then an i3 would be up your alley.
so what are the chances that by the end of this console generation that high end pc's will be running games at 4k?

I mean if you compare this gen to last gen, the resolution push from 720 to 1080p wasn't even being discussed until a few years into the generation.

Right off the bat now Sony is already pushing 4k with their most recent set and I think the push towards that will only get bigger as time moves on.
PC's can already run games at 4K, so I'm not sure what you mean. As in, like a more accepted standard?
 

Lum1n3s

Member
Wait so... am I seeing things or are pc items generally cheaper at the Micro Center??? Because I'm seeing some phenomenal prices especially on their processors!!!
 
I know it's impossible to predict the future but with what we know should a i5 3570K last the duration of this upcoming console generation? My buddy is asking questions and I don't want to mislead him about his upgrade future but I would imagine with that CPU with a reasonable overclock, he should be good with just a graphics card upgrade maybe sometime down the road.

Wait so... am I seeing things or are pc items generally cheaper at the Micro Center??? Because I'm seeing some phenomenal prices especially on their processors!!!

In store CPU deals are amazing if you have one near by. Unfortunately for me, the closest one is like 3 hours away.
 

Tantric

Member
So I've been getting the upgrade itch. What CPU coolers would any of you recommend for:

Asus MAXIMUS VI GENE (mATX)
4670K
Corsair 350D

Assume I'm willing to de-lid. I have a CM 212 I could use already.
 

mkenyon

Banned
So I've been getting the upgrade itch. What CPU coolers would any of you recommend for:

Asus MAXIMUS VI GENE (mATX)
4670K
Corsair 350D

Assume I'm willing to de-lid. I have a CM 212 I could use already.
You want a closed loop cooler or a big heat sink?

Mostly a choice of aesthetics and accessibility to your components (less in the way). H60/H100i, or something Noctua.
The ASUS VG248QE is still the 120hz monitor to get if we are concerned about IQ? Are there newer models I should be considering?
That's the one. Still waiting for something with a gloss panel. We'll see.
 

Tantric

Member
You want a closed loop cooler or a big heat sink?

Mostly a choice of aesthetics and accessibility to your components (less in the way). H60/H100i, or something Noctua.

Aesthetics are not the biggest concern since I am planning to get the 350D version without the window. I just want it to be tidy and quiet. Easier to work in is always a plus. Thanks!
 

mkenyon

Banned
Aesthetics are not the biggest concern since I am planning to get the 350D version without the window. I just want it to be tidy and quiet. Easier to work in is always a plus. Thanks!
Noise will always be dependent upon the fans used.

If you're not trying to OC to insane levels, my personal choice is the H60 with the fan speed set low.
 
I know it's impossible to predict the future but with what we know should a i5 3570K last the duration of this upcoming console generation? My buddy is asking questions and I don't want to mislead him about his upgrade future but I would imagine with that CPU with a reasonable overclock, he should be good with just a graphics card upgrade maybe sometime down the road.

In my experience a CPU holds out for about 4 years before becoming a concern, assuming you bought it near release.

Upgrading to 4k is going to be a double whammy investment for most people. An expensive new monitor and an expensive graphics card to run games at a respectable framerate. Don't worry about it until his next PC build after this one.
 

Addnan

Member
Re the 4K argument. 4K could be a reality if devs gave a shit. Most games look like shit and when you bump up the res it's super demanding. Max Payne 3 is an incredible looking game, just tried it at 3840x2160 with everything at the highest didn't dip below 45. This is on 3570K and GTX770. Which is a decent PC, but not 4K decent you would think. There are games that run well at 4K and are great looking games. Plus they don't require the dual/triple Titans to run. Unless I am crazy and quite possibly talking out of my arse, devs will need to optimise their games better for 4K like Max Payne 3. Possibly talking out of butt though :p.
 

maneil99

Member
You want a closed loop cooler or a big heat sink?

Mostly a choice of aesthetics and accessibility to your components (less in the way). H60/H100i, or something Noctua.

That's the one. Still waiting for something with a gloss panel. We'll see.

212+ is already as fast as a H60, you'd need a H80 or Noctua to see increase In heat dissipation
 

danthefan

Member
Could anyone recommend some decent, and quiet 120mm cooling fans? I have three in my case at the moment and between they make a complete racket.
 

mkenyon

Banned
212+ is already as fast as a H60, you'd need a H80 or Noctua to see increase In heat dissipation
You're probably thinking of the older model. It was greatly improved for the 2013 version. The fan they use is also top notch, which is a big part of my recommendation for it.
Could anyone recommend some decent, and quiet 120mm cooling fans? I have three in my case at the moment and between they make a complete racket.
Case or heatsink/radiator? Price range?
 

Tensketch

Member
OK PCGaf, you guys have never steered me wrong so far and this is a big one.

So my cousin wanted to join in on the PC fun and as a result bought a PC, it's nothing special but it gets the job done. However, his PC is upstairs and his router is downstairs. So he bought himself the first wireless adapter he found in a supermarket for double the price that you can get online and it's awful. It never works, if it does, it will work for about 30 minutes before his connection grinds to a halt. After looking online I discovered that the little USB adapter overheats and starts to shut down. Meaning it is completely useless for playing games (or doing anything, 2 days ago he told me that AVG had a hard time updating).
Anyway, since it's happened, he barely uses it, meaning there's a £400 machine sat in his room gathering dust that he hates using.

So I need solutions, within some obvious guidelines:

- £400 is a lot for him to throw down, to the point that he doesn't wanna spend much more fixing it (so no suggesting £100 hardware, it's gotta be affordable, £25 is kinda pushing it)
- It's his parents house, they want no wires running through the house. So a really long ethernet cable is out.
- He bought this shitty USB adapter without asking me first, he just grabbed the first thing because he wanted to get online and play games as soon as possible. So please, I want suggestions from people who have actually tried and tested them, not 'this is what I found after googling for 30 seconds...'
- He doesn't mind a wireless solution, providing it works. Preferably something that doesn't decide to shut down because he tried to watch a youtube video at 720p.

Help me, PCGaf, you're my only hope.
 

kharma45

Member
OK PCGaf, you guys have never steered me wrong so far and this is a big one.

So my cousin wanted to join in on the PC fun and as a result bought a PC, it's nothing special but it gets the job done. However, his PC is upstairs and his router is downstairs. So he bought himself the first wireless adapter he found in a supermarket for double the price that you can get online and it's awful. It never works, if it does, it will work for about 30 minutes before his connection grinds to a halt. After looking online I discovered that the little USB adapter overheats and starts to shut down. Meaning it is completely useless for playing games (or doing anything, 2 days ago he told me that AVG had a hard time updating).
Anyway, since it's happened, he barely uses it, meaning there's a £400 machine sat in his room gathering dust that he hates using.

So I need solutions, within some obvious guidelines:

- £400 is a lot for him to throw down, to the point that he doesn't wanna spend much more fixing it (so no suggesting £100 hardware, it's gotta be affordable, £25 is kinda pushing it)
- It's his parents house, they want no wires running through the house. So a really long ethernet cable is out.
- He bought this shitty USB adapter without asking me first, he just grabbed the first thing because he wanted to get online and play games as soon as possible. So please, I want suggestions from people who have actually tried and tested them, not 'this is what I found after googling for 30 seconds...'
- He doesn't mind a wireless solution, providing it works. Preferably something that doesn't decide to shut down because he tried to watch a youtube video at 720p.

Help me, PCGaf, you're my only hope.

Homeplugs

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004INVKP4/
 

mkenyon

Banned
You can just slow down the H80 fans using controls on your motherboard. They're good enough that they don't really warrant replacing. For case fans, my choices in order of least to most expensive would be Arctic Cooling F12, Cougar Vortex, Corsair AF120, and Noiseblocker eLoops.

OK PCGaf, you guys have never steered me wrong so far and this is a big one.

So my cousin wanted to join in on the PC fun and as a result bought a PC, it's nothing special but it gets the job done. However, his PC is upstairs and his router is downstairs. So he bought himself the first wireless adapter he found in a supermarket for double the price that you can get online and it's awful. It never works, if it does, it will work for about 30 minutes before his connection grinds to a halt. After looking online I discovered that the little USB adapter overheats and starts to shut down. Meaning it is completely useless for playing games (or doing anything, 2 days ago he told me that AVG had a hard time updating).
Anyway, since it's happened, he barely uses it, meaning there's a £400 machine sat in his room gathering dust that he hates using.

So I need solutions, within some obvious guidelines:

- £400 is a lot for him to throw down, to the point that he doesn't wanna spend much more fixing it (so no suggesting £100 hardware, it's gotta be affordable, £25 is kinda pushing it)
- It's his parents house, they want no wires running through the house. So a really long ethernet cable is out.
- He bought this shitty USB adapter without asking me first, he just grabbed the first thing because he wanted to get online and play games as soon as possible. So please, I want suggestions from people who have actually tried and tested them, not 'this is what I found after googling for 30 seconds...'
- He doesn't mind a wireless solution, providing it works. Preferably something that doesn't decide to shut down because he tried to watch a youtube video at 720p.

Help me, PCGaf, you're my only hope.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004INVKP4/
 

danthefan

Member
You can just slow down the H80 fans using controls on your motherboard. They're good enough that they don't really warrant replacing. For case fans, my choices in order of least to most expensive would be Arctic Cooling F12, Cougar Vortex, Corsair AF120, and Noiseblocker eLoops.

Cool, thanks. Might get the AF120s.
 

Katyusha

Member
I received my 2nd RMA for my Twin Frozr 7950 yesterday and it just so happened that it was DOA...So what should I do?

Request another RMA? Call up MSI and complain?
 

mkenyon

Banned
I received my 2nd RMA for my Twin Frozr 7950 yesterday and it just so happened that it was DOA...So what should I do?

Request another RMA? Call up MSI and complain?
You try it on multiple PC's?

It's unlikely that they would send it out if it weren't working.
 
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