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

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So looks like Amazon sent me an opened and returned i5. Factory sealed sticker was completely gone, the bag holding the processor was opened, and there is dried thermal paste on the fan and processor.

*sigh* Off to chat with customer service.

I mean I don't have a problem with returned and 'like new' used stuff, but paying full price for it? no dice.

Edit: Amazon gave me a small credit and confirmed that the warranty is still the same. It looks like someone opened it and found a better deal, so I'll plug it in when I get my new motherboard and go from there. I don't want to deal with sending the item back, getting a credit, and waiting for the new item to get here.. Possibly waiting a week to 2 weeks, since it'll be the fourth here soon.
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.39 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($5.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock B75 PRO3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($82.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased)
Video Card: ECS GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Video Card
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply ($38.18 @ Amazon)
Total: $450.06
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-02 13:44 EDT-0400)

--------------

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($193.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.39 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($5.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock B85 Pro4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($85.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased)
Video Card: ECS GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Video Card
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply ($38.18 @ Amazon)
Total: $457.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-02 13:38 EDT-0400)

Trying to decide between these two. Decided I don't want to overclock, so I'm wondering if it's worth it to get the Haswell or not.

Any notes?
 
I've just been told at work that they've pre-ordered a bunch of Asus PQ321Q (the 4k monitor), and depending on how many actually turn up and when, there is a chance I can have one (but I'm pretty far down the list).

Is it worth me being cheeky and pushing for one? I've already had my mind set on a ITX build (just waiting for the Maximus VI Impact), so I'll probably have to scrap that and go ATX?

How is the support for 3840 x 2160 in modern games, good or will it be a constant hassle getting things to run? If the support is there, is it possible to estimate what it would take to run most games at 60fps with medium/high settings?

If I have to SLI 780's or something, I'll probably leave it because I can't afford it and I'm quite happy with my U2713HM.
 
Considering buying a new PC this summer.
Current PC specs (not really important): Core 2 Duo E8400 @ stock, 4GB DDR2, Asus P5Q Pro, Radeon HD7850 2GB, Corsair HX 520W, 2x Samsung 7200RPM 1TB HDDs, 2x Samsung 5400RPM 2TB HDDs. I will probably pass this PC on to my sister, but I'll carry over the two 2TB drives for some extra storage. So don't re-use parts from this otherwise.

Budget: ~€1500 (excl. monitor/keyboard/mouse/speakers), the Netherlands
Main use: Gaming (5), general usage (4), streaming games in HD (1)
Monitor: Currently using a 1920*1200 display, might upgrade to a 2560*1440 or 2560*1600 one, but I'm worried that might cost me too much performance locking me into an upgrade cycle that is a bit too frequent for my tastes.
Apps that must run well: Europa Universalis IV (:P), generally I want to be able to run the standard console port stuff well enough for this computer to last at least a few years without upgrades and without resorting to the 'low' setting. 30fps is fine. I don't know the impact of the other things well enough to judge (PhysX/SuperSampling/CUDA)
Looking to reuse any parts?: Two Samsung 5400RPM 2TB SATA drives.
When will you build?: No deadline, but I feel my current PC is really on its last legs in most areas of performance, anything but GPU stuff really (my 4870 512MB broke last year and I got a good deal on the 7850).
Will you be overclocking?: No. Power consumption and heat matter to me enough for me not to want to do that.

I was thinking of something like this:
Case: Fractal Design Define R4
CPU: Intel Core i5 4670k
CPU cooler: Any suggestions on something quiet? I'd be fine with paying a little extra for something that is going to be really quiet.
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87P-D3
Memory: 4x Corsair Vengeance 4GB 1600Mhz
GPU: Gainward GTX 770 Phantom 4GB
SSD: Samsung 840 series 500GB
DVD drive: Some Samsung thing. I don't own a DVD player other than my 360, so I want this. I know you can use USB to install Windows etc., doesn't matter.
HDD: WD Green 3TB
PSU: Corsair HX650

Also a new wired 360 pad (because I'm quite confident there won't be a wired Xbone pad) and a new mousepad, but that stuff is not important for this thread ;). Think that covers it no? Oh, I will probably be buying from Azerty.nl, and be getting them to do the assembly as well.
 
LAUGHTREY said:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($5.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock B75 PRO3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($82.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased)
Video Card: ECS GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Video Card
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply ($38.18 @ Amazon)
Total: $421.67
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-02 13:38 EDT-0400)

--------------

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($193.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.39 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($5.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock B85 Pro4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($85.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased)
Video Card: ECS GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Video Card
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply ($38.18 @ Amazon)
Total: $457.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-02 13:38 EDT-0400)

Trying to decide between these two. Decided I don't want to overclock, so I'm wondering if it's worth it to get the Haswell or not.

Any notes?
Click to expand...

Get the Haswell. Haswell only becomes an issue with overclocking and getting hot.

You don't need the extra cooler, unless you are getting it for noise reasons.

Get the 650Ti, the price should be similar.

Will you be needing any extra storag? SSD can run out quickly.
 
Addnan said:
Get the Haswell. Haswell only becomes an issue with overclocking and getting hot.

You don't need the extra cooler, unless you are getting it for noise reasons.

Get the 650Ti, the price should be similar.

Will you be needing any extra storag? SSD can run out quickly.
Click to expand...

I have my extra storage, just not listed, and I already have the 550ti in my current PC and Will probably grab the 650 down the line or whenever I need it. (I only play WoW really, so i'm not too worried about it yet)

I wanted to grab the cooler just because I thought it may be a good idea to have to reduce the heat anyway...My room gets pretty hot as it is. Would it not make a difference?
 
LAUGHTREY said:
Should I still get the thermal compound and scrape off the stuff on the stock cooler then too?
Click to expand...
Nope.

When people say there are issues with the TIM on Haswell, they mean the stuff between the actual processor and the heat spreader. As in this stuff:

34f7bcf2_fe5mny.jpeg
Click to expand...
 
Anyone have any suggestions on this monitor?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...MC-070213-Index-_-LCDMonitors-_-24236331-L07B

ASUS VS24AH-P Black 24" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor IPS 300 cd/m2 80,000,000:1

I have the Asus VW246H, but I'd like to go with an IPS panel and something that's 1920x1200 (hopefully this will help with some motion sickness I've felt since switching to a 16:9 monitor).

Having a hard time finding many reviews of this panel. It's $209 on sale until tomorrow.

How would it compare to the ubiquitous Dell U2412M?
 
Say I was ballsy enough to get the unlocked i5 and overclock my stuff because it turns out I had more money than I thought and 1150 motherboards don't have digital audio out anyway and I think that's stupid:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.39 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($109.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.46 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply ($38.18 @ Amazon)
Total: $499.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-02 14:46 EDT-0400)

Anything I should know or start buying parts?
 
mkenyon said:
Nope.

When people say there are issues with the TIM on Haswell, they mean the stuff between the actual processor and the heat spreader. As in this stuff:
Click to expand...

Current wisdom is that the TIM itself is actually fine, but the black goo glue around the edges of the inside of the IHS is too thickly applied and causing an air gap between the Die and the IHS.

Stock TIM is generally quite good for what its meant for, sticking on and leaving alone for 5+ years, you get a whole lot of extra longevity in return for the 3-4 degrees extra heat.

I've had to sort out a few PC's from friends & family that used AS5 or similar aftermarket TIM but then had rapidly rising temps a few years later, not realising that those TIM's don't last as long as the stock TIM does.
 
mkenyon said:
Judging audio based on a youtube clip isn't a good idea.

Dolby Headphone and SB 3D surround options are both really popular. The SB-Z and Titanium are so similar that the price difference just isn't worth it unless you have audiophile cans.
Click to expand...

I know that but one sounded horrible, the other did not. Guess which one I bought? That echo of the Xonar has little to do with quality of the sample.
 
I'm getting ready to order the parts for my new PC. I've never done this before and the big, complicated model numbers are a bit overwhelming, so I'm kinda nervous... can anyone check these links to make sure I'm getting the right stuff?

From Hazaro's PC Builds, the Excellent - Best Overall for $1000+

- CPU recommended: i5 3570K 4C/4T @3.4
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2373004&sku=I69-3570K

- Motherboard recommended: ASUS P8Z77-V LK
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2522311&CatId=6976

- RAM recommended: 1.35V / 1.5V 2x4GB (8GB)
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=40739&CatId=4534

- GPU recommended: GTX 760 2GB
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8297773&CatId=7387

- Power Supply recommended: BP550 Plus 550W

- HDD recommended: WD WD10EZEX 1TB
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...dsPerPage=5&body=REVIEWS#CustomerReviewsBlock

- Monitor recommended in OP: ASUS VS247H-P
- I found: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236174

The case, heatsink, and optical drive were a little easier, so I won't post the links for those. I hope I'm getting decent prices. They seem to be close to the ones on Hazaro's list.
 
Addnan said:
OCZ PSU are a bit dodgy. The BP550 will be enough for your build. Its a good little PSU.

Change up the RAM to some low profile stuff just to avoid any issues with heatsinks. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Oh and buy a heatsink http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099 Will allow you to overclock if you ever want to. 3570K is very easy to.
Click to expand...

At the bottom of my post I mentioned I'm getting a heatsink. ;) Same as the one you posted, in fact! So that's a good sign.

For the PSU, are you 100% sure it will be fine? My friends were really adamant that 550W is like the bare minimum to run this PC. But in Hazaro's spreadsheet he says the 550W should be good up to the GTX780, which is a couple notches above the GPU I'm getting. I feel like the ignorant kid stuck between two more knowledgeable adults with dissenting opinions...

What do you mean by low-profile RAM? Like, actually physically smaller? I can't tell if those red ones are actually smaller from the pictures, but since it's the same price I'll take your word for it and order those ones instead.
 
Kabouter said:
Depends what exactly you want in terms of warranty and if you want a full build or partial:
http://azerty.nl/8-255/assemblage.html

And I like Azerty because I can easily pick stuff up by car and pay there, which I prefer to having an order that big shipped.
Click to expand...

Totally get that. Too far from me. That's why I figured making 2 or 3 separate orders. On the other hand that's 2/3 times the chance something can go wrong. Assembling is also part of the fun for me (and dying when you see a black screen at the first boot up). My first order from them arrived safe and sound. They are competitively prized and have a lot in stock.
 
Luap said:
At the bottom of my post I mentioned I'm getting a heatsink. ;) Same as the one you posted, in fact! So that's a good sign.

For the PSU, are you 100% sure it will be fine? My friends were really adamant that 550W is like the bare minimum to run this PC. But in Hazaro's spreadsheet he says the 550W should be good up to the GTX780, which is a couple notches above the GPU I'm getting. I feel like the ignorant kid stuck between two more knowledgeable adults with dissenting opinions...

What do you mean by low-profile RAM? Like, actually physically smaller? I can't tell if those red ones are actually smaller from the pictures, but since it's the same price I'll take your word for it and order those ones instead.
Click to expand...
Yes it will work ;). You could get away with less!

The Gskill should be low profile, but the fins do look a little scary. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186 These corsair are definitely low
 
Luap said:
What do you mean by low-profile RAM? Like, actually physically smaller? I can't tell if those red ones are actually smaller from the pictures, but since it's the same price I'll take your word for it and order those ones instead.
Click to expand...

Physically yes. I bought Crucial Ballistix Tactical 1600Mhz CL8, they are VERY low profile and pretty inexpensive.
 
Luap said:
At the bottom of my post I mentioned I'm getting a heatsink. ;) Same as the one you posted, in fact! So that's a good sign.

For the PSU, are you 100% sure it will be fine? My friends were really adamant that 550W is like the bare minimum to run this PC. But in Hazaro's spreadsheet he says the 550W should be good up to the GTX780, which is a couple notches above the GPU I'm getting. I feel like the ignorant kid stuck between two more knowledgeable adults with dissenting opinions...

What do you mean by low-profile RAM? Like, actually physically smaller? I can't tell if those red ones are actually smaller from the pictures, but since it's the same price I'll take your word for it and order those ones instead.
Click to expand...

Power consumption has been going down not up. 550W is lots. I'm using 450W in a rig that is basically the same as yours but one generation older (thus using more power).

You only need to get more powerful PSUs if you're going to be going multiGPU.
 
OK GAF, I've started formulating a plan.

Currently:
Decent old-ish PC in office with 2 crappy monitors. PS3/XBox connected to 60" 120hz TV (soon to be PS3/PS4).

The dilemmas:
I want to be able to use Steam big picture mode on the TV, but sometimes I want to be able to use keyboard/mouse for FPS games.
I really want to be able to more easily use my Macbook Pro in my office which has 2 mini-displayports can can drive 2 external monitors. Current monitors have single DVI inputs, connected to PC.

The proposal:
First I'm going to buy 2 of these bad boys and a USB switch (for keyboard/mouse). Dell 27" IPS
This will let me switch between up to 3 machines with full digital connections (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI).

Then, I will buy a Shuttle SZ77R5 + CPU + RAM. I'll swap my GTX560ti from my PC to the new shuttle case and downgrade back to the GTS250 that used to be in it. I will nuke & reformat my PC to run Ubuntu, and install my Win7 copy on the Shuttle.

End result:
PC running Ubuntu for surfing, watching video and some casual gaming.
Macbook pro driving the two external displays when I desire.
Gaming SFF for shooty games with k/m, can be easily moved back and forth to TV for couch gaming.

What say you?
 
Trouble said:
OK GAF, I've started formulating a plan.

Currently:
Decent old-ish PC in office with 2 crappy monitors. PS3/XBox connected to 60" 120hz TV (soon to be PS3/PS4).

The dilemmas:
I want to be able to use Steam big picture mode on the TV, but sometimes I want to be able to use keyboard/mouse for FPS games.
I really want to be able to more easily use my Macbook Pro in my office which has 2 mini-displayports can can drive 2 external monitors. Current monitors have single DVI inputs, connected to PC.

The proposal:
First I'm going to buy 2 of these bad boys and a USB switch (for keyboard/mouse). Dell 27" IPS
This will let me switch between up to 3 machines with full digital connections (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI).

Then, I will buy a Shuttle SZ77R5 + CPU + RAM. I'll swap my GTX560ti from my PC to the new shuttle case and downgrade back to the GTS250 that used to be in it. I will nuke & reformat my PC to run Ubuntu, and install my Win7 copy on the Shuttle.

End result:
PC running Ubuntu for surfing, watching video and some casual gaming.
Macbook pro driving the two external displays when I desire.
Gaming SFF for shooty games with k/m, can be easily moved back and forth to TV for couch gaming.

What say you?
Click to expand...

Can't answer your question, but check this deal out for some monitors:

http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/980...711-sips-2560x1440-lcd-monitor-w-premiercolor
 
Hi PC GAF. I'm wondering, it's possible to build a PC that can play current gen games at 1080x60 and endure a bit of next gen with a max TDP of 300W?
 
TizioVerde said:
Hi PC GAF. I'm wondering, it's possible to build a PC that can play current gen games at 1080x60 and endure a bit of next gen with a max TDP of 300W?
Click to expand...
Yes.

i5 + 660Ti. That'll put total power consumption around 220-240W at full load.

TDP =/= total power draw though. TDP means 'thermal design power'.

The thermal design power (TDP), sometimes called thermal design point, refers to the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate.
Click to expand...
Trouble said:
OK GAF, I've started formulating a plan.

Currently:
Decent old-ish PC in office with 2 crappy monitors. PS3/XBox connected to 60" 120hz TV (soon to be PS3/PS4).

The dilemmas:
I want to be able to use Steam big picture mode on the TV, but sometimes I want to be able to use keyboard/mouse for FPS games.
I really want to be able to more easily use my Macbook Pro in my office which has 2 mini-displayports can can drive 2 external monitors. Current monitors have single DVI inputs, connected to PC.

The proposal:
First I'm going to buy 2 of these bad boys and a USB switch (for keyboard/mouse). Dell 27" IPS
This will let me switch between up to 3 machines with full digital connections (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI).

Then, I will buy a Shuttle SZ77R5 + CPU + RAM. I'll swap my GTX560ti from my PC to the new shuttle case and downgrade back to the GTS250 that used to be in it. I will nuke & reformat my PC to run Ubuntu, and install my Win7 copy on the Shuttle.

End result:
PC running Ubuntu for surfing, watching video and some casual gaming.
Macbook pro driving the two external displays when I desire.
Gaming SFF for shooty games with k/m, can be easily moved back and forth to TV for couch gaming.

What say you?
Click to expand...
Look at the OP for the SFF build guide rather than looking at the Shuttle.

Pushing a 1400p monitor for gaming is pretty tough though. Your 560Ti will choke on that.

*edit*

Also, your TV can't push 120Hz signals, which is a bummer. Would be nice for gaming if a TV finally accepted something other than HDMI.
 
What are the most eloquent solutions for using a monitor for basic browsing and stuff, and using my TV for gaming? Could I just hook my monitor to one video output and run another hookup to my TV?
 
Luap said:
I'm getting ready to order the parts for my new PC. I've never done this before and the big, complicated model numbers are a bit overwhelming, so I'm kinda nervous... can anyone check these links to make sure I'm getting the right stuff?

From Hazaro's PC Builds, the Excellent - Best Overall for $1000+

- CPU recommended: i5 3570K 4C/4T @3.4
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2373004&sku=I69-3570K

- Motherboard recommended: ASUS P8Z77-V LK
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2522311&CatId=6976

- RAM recommended: 1.35V / 1.5V 2x4GB (8GB)
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=40739&CatId=4534

- GPU recommended: GTX 760 2GB
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8297773&CatId=7387

- Power Supply recommended: BP550 Plus 550W OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
- My friends highly recommended that I look for a little more power than 550W, so I went for a 600W instead.
- I found: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

- HDD recommended: WD WD10EZEX 1TB
- I found: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...dsPerPage=5&body=REVIEWS#CustomerReviewsBlock

- Monitor recommended in OP: ASUS VS247H-P
- I found: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236174

The case, heatsink, and optical drive were a little easier, so I won't post the links for those. I hope I'm getting decent prices. They seem to be close to the ones on Hazaro's list.
Click to expand...
This is the card I purchased yesterday. $20 more for twice the RAM.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130937
 
PoweredBySoy said:
I lived with a 120GB and BF3 for many months. It suuuuuuuuuuuuucked. Had to constantly shuffle games in and out.
Click to expand...

Zaph said:
Don't do it to yourself. I went from a Crucial M4 128GB to a Samsung 840 Pro 256GB because it became too frustrating. Maybe I'm wrong, but people don't always play games in a linear order, so constantly using Steam Mover becomes a hassle.

The money you'll spend on the 120GB you'll regret more than the extra money you spend on the 256GB .
Click to expand...

Shadowhaxor said:
Nope. Pretty sure many people and elsewhere use their SSD as an OS drive, since the OS is the main concern when it comes to reads & writes. Never really bothered with an SSD as a gaming drive since I'd want at least 512GB and hell if I'm paying $300-$500 for a SSD that *small* for that price.

Though if you got the money then HELL YES, do it!



No, it won't cause any issues but you won't get to see those blinking leds on HDD activity. Nothing more.
Click to expand...

250gb it shall be.
 
Mutagenic said:
This is the card I purchased yesterday. $20 more for twice the RAM.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130937
Click to expand...

Hmm, that seems like a good deal. What does more RAM on a GPU do? And I noticed that the card on my list has 2 big fans to cool it, while this one only seems to have a little vent. Will I have to worry about overheating without the fans?

To go back to my conflict over the 550W vs 600W PCU, my friend wanted me to share his email to me with you:

My friend said:
I believe 550 will work, what I’m most concerned about is power supply degradation over three years of use. But, get a 550w. I was really just trying to play it safe. You also have to consider using a GPU with a higher power demand. Tell them on the forums that you may plan on upgrading your GPU in the future and you would like to not have to replace the Power Supply as well. Your planned GTX 760 has a relatively low power demand (160 Watts max from torture-testing) while the GTX 770 (the next upgrade) is at 246 Watts (an extra 86 Watts – (50% more) ). Mention that to them.

For your (and their) reference: http://media.bestofmicro.com/E/H/389321/original/Power-Consumption-07-Torture.png

Good catch on the low profile ram. It’s mostly that heatsink on the RAM that will cause that problem, RAM without a heatsink won’t have a clearance issues.

I don’t remember what heatsink you are using but I am using a Hyper 212 Evo and G-Skill RAM with heatsinks and I don’t have clearance issues. I’d have to look at the board layout and heatsink to see if that will happen to you. Either way, no heatsink on your RAM is fine for you. If it’s the same price go with low profile.
Click to expand...
 
Luap said:
Hmm, that seems like a good deal. What does more RAM on a GPU do? And I noticed that the card on my list has 2 big fans to cool it, while this one only seems to have a little vent. Will I have to worry about overheating without the fans?

To go back to my conflict over the 550W vs 600W PCU, my friend wanted me to share his email to me with you:
Click to expand...
8GB GDDR5!!!!

But seriously, having more VRAM allows the card to store more data on it. It's questionable as to whether it will actually be important with how intelligent a lot of engines are with caching game data, but with that little bump in price, it's a good safety precaution.

PCs run pretty cool and quiet these days. Overheating won't be an issue.

*edit*

Also, OCZ PSUs are generally not good options. 550W is plenty. Power consumption is going down, not up. You could run a Titan on a good 550W PSU.
 
mkenyon said:
Also, OCZ PSUs are generally not good options. 550W is plenty. Power consumption is going down, not up. You could run a Titan on a good 550W PSU.
Click to expand...

Agreed with the bolded.

I generally check out if a brand/model of PSU has a review at Jonny Guru's site, absolutely ace for full, indepth PSU reviews. (And his "Death of a gutless wonder" reviews are hilarious!) :D
 
Question time - I'm on the hunt for a new monitor but I have absolutely no clue where to start. A few things:

-I'll be using this for PC and PS4 play
-23" or 24" is probably sufficient as I'll be taking it to college with me
-1080p, and I don't plan on playing above 60FPS on any games
-Priced under $300 is what I'm after, $200 would be great

So, what am I looking for? I have no clue really about contrast ratios, refresh rates, etc. Can you guys point me in the right direction?
 
mkenyon said:
@Scogoth, Dennis, Sk3tch, Sethos, & Smokey:

900x900px-LL-18006cb3_56150.png


TIME TO UPGRADE.
Click to expand...

Wow...

If I threw in 3 Titans into a rig and started a game up to see a sub-60 frame rate I'd drink myself silly then cry tears of pure vodka :P
 
Osiris said:
Wow...

If I threw in 3 Titans into a rig and started a game up to see a sub-60 frame rate I'd drink myself silly then cry tears of pure vodka :P
Click to expand...

Seriously, haha. Blowing 3 grand on GPUs and getting lower than 60fps would demoralize me forever I think. Hopefully in a few years 4k becomes a more attainable resolution for the average enthusiast as opposed to only the top of the line gamers it is currently.
 
After getting some pretty awful fps in Metro: Last Light, I have come to the conclusion I need to upgrade my Radeon 5870 to something more powerful.

My problem is that I'm not quite sure what I am looking for in a graphics card specs-wise. My aim is 60 fps maxed out on current games, though anywhere between 30 and 60 is fine. I guess my price range is in the $300 range max.

Just in case, I have a AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Processor (3.2 GHZ, not overclocked, don't know why I haven't) and 8 GB of RAM. The rest of my parts are fine, my graphics card is my only real bottle neck.
 
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