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

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mkenyon

Banned
Going to build 2 systems soon.

1 new gaming pc, mine is fron 2010 and just does not hold up anymore.
I play games on my tv in 1080p so I do not need a huge expensive system.
I'm fairly familiar with what is going on and what I need so I'll do that build myself with some GAF advise when I have my list.

BUT:

Need some case advise.
Need a new home server case.
I want to be able to put AS MUCH 3.5 inch drives in it as possible,
Don't care about how it looks etc just want to able to put as many hard drives it in as possible.

And then I need a motherboard that can support LOTS of active hard drives at once.

Thank you guys in advance.
TJ04 can fit nine HDDs. The Lian Li PC-A75/A76 can fit 12. The D600 can fit pretty much however many you want. You can go cheaper if you are looking for less though.

For a motherboard that can handle that, you're basically going to have to get a specialized RAID card. My knowledge of that stuff is super limited. All I know is that onboard memory for the RAID controller is good, and you really do get what you pay for with those.

If you're looking for something more simple, the Synology Disk Stations are really highly regarded. The software is super cool, and you can get them to do really neat stuff like grab .nzb's off a queue.
Does anyone have any good recommendations for cases?

I was thinking about getting this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345010

It's listed in the OP as a quiet option.

Are there any better deals available?
It's a great case, but is really light on the airflow. I wouldn't recommend having anything other than a 760/7870 in there unless you replace the fans. The Fractal Define R4 is $75 on newegg right now. http://promotions.newegg.com/cases/13-5746/index.html?icid=222283
 
Sorry for reposting my question, but it seems to have gotten lost in the last few pages.

Given the parts in this build (everything else I already have and am happy with), is the extra $50 worth it for the 4GB GTX 760 vs. the 2GB GTX 760? I am planning to OC the processor, hence the aftermarket cooler, and I'm interested in downsampling some somewhat modern games, like modded Skyrim or Civilization V.

For reference, I'm currently running a Phenom II X4 965, a Radeon HD 5870 1GB and 16 GB of ram off of an ASUS M4A89GTD PRO

Thanks!
 

kharma45

Member
How is this card?

Top for the price. I've had mine around 20 months and I've been happy with the performance so far. Most overclock pretty well too.

Sorry for reposting my question, but it seems to have gotten lost in the last few pages.

Given the parts in this build (everything else I already have and am happy with), is the extra $50 worth it for the 4GB GTX 760 vs. the 2GB GTX 760? I am planning to OC the processor, hence the aftermarket cooler, and I'm interested in downsampling some somewhat modern games, like modded Skyrim or Civilization V.

For reference, I'm currently running a Phenom II X4 965, a Radeon HD 5870 1GB and 16 GB of ram off of an ASUS M4A89GTD PRO

Thanks!

If you're into modded Skyrim 4GB is arguably the one to go for.
 
It's impossible to get the best parts for the best prices for everything you buy. There's always better things on the horizon and prices are always changing. Don't let it get to you.

Yea that's true and I don't want to keep waiting for the best prices. I was just curious if there's a big difference between the two. As I said I killed my initial budget so I was trying to wait out for some deals. The 300R looked quite nice tho, so I jumped on it.
 

kharma45

Member

mkenyon

Banned
Sorry for reposting my question, but it seems to have gotten lost in the last few pages.

Given the parts in this build (everything else I already have and am happy with), is the extra $50 worth it for the 4GB GTX 760 vs. the 2GB GTX 760? I am planning to OC the processor, hence the aftermarket cooler, and I'm interested in downsampling some somewhat modern games, like modded Skyrim or Civilization V.

For reference, I'm currently running a Phenom II X4 965, a Radeon HD 5870 1GB and 16 GB of ram off of an ASUS M4A89GTD PRO

Thanks!
You'd get huge performance gains with a new processor. I'd definitely start saving up for that asap.

When I first went from my AMD 970 @ 4.2GHz to a 2500K, Civilization V was like a whole new game. So buttery smooth, and the late game end turns were a lot faster.

But to directly answer your question, the 4GB variant will be very helpful in modded Skyrim.
 

aasoncott

Member
I'd lean towards the 7870 unless you need CUDA or want the likes of G-Sync.

Maybe? I do some video editing, so having CUDA for Premiere would be nice, but not necessary. I'm a little worried about getting a card without PhysX--it made so many games so my prettier, but I understand it's on its way out. So, I'd lean a little toward the 660.

I know the stock 660 isn't supposed to be as fast as the 7870, but the Gigabyte card I linked is slightly overclocked--does that mean I'd end up with similar performance?
 

kharma45

Member
Maybe? I do some video editing, so having CUDA for Premiere would be nice, but not necessary. I'm a little worried about getting a card without PhysX--it made so many games so my prettier, but I understand it's on its way out. So, I'd lean a little toward the 660.

I know the stock 660 isn't supposed to be as fast as the 7870, but the Gigabyte card I linked is slightly overclocked--does that mean I'd end up with similar performance?

That 7870 is also slightly overclocked so it'll still edge it in most games.

PhysX is pretty no doubt but I wouldn't class it as a selling point, CUDA is a lot more of one. Far more useful.
 

Azulsky

Member
Anyone seen the WD4003FZEX on sale anywhere?

I might be getting foolishly hopeful as its only been out for a month, but a man can dream right?
 
Yea that's true and I don't want to keep waiting for the best prices. I was just curious if there's a big difference between the two. As I said I killed my initial budget so I was trying to wait out for some deals. The 300R looked quite nice tho, so I jumped on it.

Haha, to be honest, I also had the same thought this morning because I ordered a 300R for my nephew when that rebate was still going a few days ago, but what's done is done. It could be worse though. It's not like we're breaking the bank on the case here.
 

AJLma

Member
1st post!

I've been a lurker on this site for the longest time, and this thread in particular has been one of my most frequently visited, especially since this past few months as I've been building a gaming PC/box for SteamOS. This is the first PC I've ever built from scratch.

Big thanks to the OP for the starter advice, although I decided to go the all AMD route instead of Intel/nVidia. Mostly due to the architectural similarities of the new consoles and the promises that SteamOS and Mantle will breathe some new life into these GPU and CPU architectures that are going on 2 years old now. I'm also placing bets on GPU compute being more important in games in the future, and AMD cards seems to dominate in that field currently.

So with advice from this thread, PCPartPicker and a lot of deal shopping on eBay and Newegg, this is what I've come up with. Everything is ordered, but there's still time to swap 1 part for another.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6350 3.9GHz 6-Core Processor (Purchased For $112.58)
Motherboard: ASRock 990FX Extreme3 ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard (Purchased For $99.99)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (Purchased For $49.99)
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $109.99)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (Purchased For $219.99)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN722N 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter (Purchased For $9.99)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $25.99)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $50.00)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor (Purchased For $105.00)
Total: $783.52
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-28 15:10 EST-0500)

The only regret I've got right now is not waiting until Black Friday to get the FX-8320 for $130. Not a huge loss I don't believe, as I can always sell the FX-6350 and upgrade for $60 or so if I need to.

Does anybody foresee any potential issues with these parts?

Also, my case only has one fan pre-installed, the rear fan. There's space for 3 more. Do I need to be concerned with filling every fan slot?
 

Anton668

Member

ya know, I have absolutely no need for 750W. but...


For $40 after rebate it's a fucking steal. It'll power two 770s yeah.

yeah... kind hard to pass up at that price...


Also, my case only has one fan pre-installed, the rear fan. There's space for 3 more. Do I need to be concerned with filling every fan slot?

concerned? no. but youre prolly gonna want more than just the 1. pretty much you need whatever # of fans/cooling to keep your temps at an acceptable level.

I would just add 1 in front and 1 on top and see where your at.
such as these Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition


also also...

if you shop newegg via moble site you can save 5% off your entire purchase for the next 6 hours with code MBLBF5
 

Norua

Banned
Hi everyone. I need advice about which Motherboard / CPU to buy to upgrade from my current specs. My budget for both is around 300€ ($410). Is it doable? I never also never changed a Motherboard or CPU before so I hope it's not too much trouble.

My main goal is to optimize my gameplay experience when I play Battlefield 4.
In time, I also want to buy a SSD and a new keyboard, probably a QPAD MK-50 Red. So any information / advice on these are also welcomed.
Anyway, thanks in advance.


Here is what I currently have:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
Motherboard: M4A77T/USB3
RAM: 8gb
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 7970 OC 3GB Sapphire

HDD: Hitachi ATA 500gb
Monitor: Samsung SyncMaster P2370
OS: Windows 7
 

kharma45

Member
Hey Gaf. I'm looking to buy my first gaming PC, but alas, I'm not much of a tech wiz so I'm much more comfortable buying one already build and start adding from that framework.

Question: What do you guys think about Newegg deal? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=7060520&SID=

:)

It's pretty poor.

Hi everyone. I need advice about which Motherboard / CPU to buy to upgrade from my current specs. My budget for both is around 300€ ($410). Is it doable? I never also never changed a Motherboard or CPU before so I hope it's not too much trouble.

My main goal is to optimize my gameplay experience when I play Battlefield 4.
In time, I also want to buy a SSD and a new keyboard, probably a QPAD MK-50 Red. So any information / advice on these are also welcomed.
Anyway, thanks in advance.


Here is what I currently have:

Where you live can you get a 4670K and a Gigabyte Z87 UD3H in that price range?
 

aasoncott

Member
That 7870 is also slightly overclocked so it'll still edge it in most games.

PhysX is pretty no doubt but I wouldn't class it as a selling point, CUDA is a lot more of one. Far more useful.

Awww, I went to pull the trigger on the 7870 and just barely missed it. Hopefully a deal hits tomorrow that makes me happy I failed.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
1st post!

I've been a lurker on this site for the longest time, and this thread in particular has been one of my most frequently visited, especially since this past few months as I've been building a gaming PC/box for SteamOS. This is the first PC I've ever built from scratch.

Big thanks to the OP for the starter advice, although I decided to go the all AMD route instead of Intel/nVidia. Mostly due to the architectural similarities of the new consoles and the promises that SteamOS and Mantle will breathe some new life into these GPU and CPU architectures that are going on 2 years old now. I'm also placing bets on GPU compute being more important in games in the future, and AMD cards seems to dominate in that field currently.

So with advice from this thread, PCPartPicker and a lot of deal shopping on eBay and Newegg, this is what I've come up with. Everything is ordered, but there's still time to swap 1 part for another.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6350 3.9GHz 6-Core Processor (Purchased For $112.58)
Motherboard: ASRock 990FX Extreme3 ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard (Purchased For $99.99)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (Purchased For $49.99)
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $109.99)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (Purchased For $219.99)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN722N 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter (Purchased For $9.99)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $25.99)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $50.00)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor (Purchased For $105.00)
Total: $783.52
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-28 15:10 EST-0500)

The only regret I've got right now is not waiting until Black Friday to get the FX-8320 for $130. Not a huge loss I don't believe, as I can always sell the FX-6350 and upgrade for $60 or so if I need to.

Does anybody foresee any potential issues with these parts?

Also, my case only has one fan pre-installed, the rear fan. There's space for 3 more. Do I need to be concerned with filling every fan slot?
That's an extremely good budget part hunted build.
On fans: Check the fan cooling article in the OP. Basically just a rear exhaust and an intake will net you the most benefit. Buying 1 or 2 fluid bearing PWM 120mm is your best bet.

And you are very welcome.
 

Anton668

Member
Rosewill posted earlier is a better buy.

question to you(and all the knowledgeable PSU folk here)..

when researching the Hive I came across this The Power Supply Unit tier list. agree or disagree with list? It lists the Hive series in the same tier as the CX series.

In a few other reviews I saw the Hive series uses the Taiwan capacitors instead of Japanese ones (even though the product description say Japanese) to which a number of ppl stated there is currently a shortage on the Japanese ones. is this correct? if so, any idea why?

all said, the Hive series was still recommended as a great value at its price point.
 

kharma45

Member
question to you(and all the knowledgeable PSU folk here)..

when researching the Hive I came across this The Power Supply Unit tier list. agree or disagree with list? It lists the Hive series in the same tier as the CX series.

In a few other reviews I saw the Hive series uses the Taiwan capacitors instead of Japanese ones (even though the product description say Japanese) to which a number of ppl stated there is currently a shortage on the Japanese ones. is this correct? if so, any idea why?

all said, the Hive series was still recommended as a great value at its price point.

I'd disagree with it, the 'not ideal for serious overclocking' thing is crap. Those Be Quiet! Dark Power, Straight Power and Pure Power along with the Rosewill Hive are perfectly fine for that, as is the Antec Basiq 550w that we have in the OP.

The Hive does use Taiwanese capacitors but it seems to have a fairly good reliability record from what I've seen of it thus far and seems to go wrong a lot less than the Corsair CX units so I've not much worry in recommending them when they're on offer, which they frequently are. Of course Japanese capacitors throughout would be nice (the Hive series only has it for the modular cabling bit) but at this price it's not the end of the world.
 
Hey guy, quick question.

Had my PC for well over a year and just recently it started not waking up from sleep. I'll leave and come back later and hit buttons to wake it up and nothing happens (then I have to cold restart it which I hate doing). Did a virus scan, no problems. Reset power plan to defaults, still does it.

Anybody have any ideas?

EDIT: Seems if I lock my PC first it will wake up, but if I don't, it wont.
EDIT: Jk, still happens :(
 

AJLma

Member
That's an extremely good budget part hunted build.
On fans: Check the fan cooling article in the OP. Basically just a rear exhaust and an intake will net you the most benefit. Buying 1 or 2 fluid bearing PWM 120mm is your best bet.

And you are very welcome.

concerned? no. but youre prolly gonna want more than just the 1. pretty much you need whatever # of fans/cooling to keep your temps at an acceptable level.

I would just add 1 in front and 1 on top and see where your at.
such as these Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition


also also...

if you shop newegg via moble site you can save 5% off your entire purchase for the next 6 hours with code MBLBF5

Thanks. That article is great.

Looks like I'll be picking up a couple of fans then.
 

Aruarian Reflection

Chauffeur de la gdlk
I picked up some orders at Newegg yesterday. Apparently they're opening a showcase inside the SoCal will call center (excuse lousy phone pics). Had Xbox One, PS4, an assortment of cameras, phones, and computers set up to play around with.

uNghccA.jpg


kMyonQX.jpg


s3XT6A5.jpg


QNdF9rU.jpg
 

Lich_King

Member
I was wondering if this is a good Black Friday deal from iBUYPOWER:

AMD FX Ultimate Black
AMD 8-core FX-9590 CPU
8GB DDR3-1866 Memory
AMD Radeon HD 7990 6GB
1TB HDD
12X LG Blu-ray Reader
Windows 8.1
FREE WIFI + Bluetooth
FREE Gaming Headset

$1399

I know everyone hates prebuilt, but I don't think I can build a similar pc at this price, though I don't know anything more about the components. Any recommendations?

Disclaimer: I bought my last pc in 2008, so I don't know too much about current trends.
 
I was wondering if this is a good Black Friday deal from iBUYPOWER:

AMD FX Ultimate Black
AMD 8-core FX-9590 CPU
8GB DDR3-1866 Memory
AMD Radeon HD 7990 6GB
1TB HDD
12X LG Blu-ray Reader
Windows 8.1
FREE WIFI + Bluetooth
FREE Gaming Headset

$1399

I know everyone hates prebuilt, but I don't think I can build a similar pc at this price, though I don't know anything more about the components. Any recommendations?

Disclaimer: I bought my last pc in 2008, so I don't know too much about current trends.

You can build a better pc for less, just look in the op
 
If you're into modded Skyrim 4GB is arguably the one to go for.

You'd get huge performance gains with a new processor. I'd definitely start saving up for that asap.

When I first went from my AMD 970 @ 4.2GHz to a 2500K, Civilization V was like a whole new game. So buttery smooth, and the late game end turns were a lot faster.

But to directly answer your question, the 4GB variant will be very helpful in modded Skyrim.

Thanks for the answers! I'll go with the 4GB one, then. Now I just need to figure out how to sell this to the wife... Early Christmas present, maybe?
 

Kraftwerk

Member
So I got my new PC, and I have a question.

Can I get a 27" monitor for around $200-$300? I mainly play WoW and I would like to play it widescreen 1920 x 1080.

Open to all recommendation.
 
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