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[scogoth]

I've been having a lot of fun playing XCOM

Spoiler

on my 2009 MacBook Pro

It still lives! \(^_^)/

Forget dick size measuring with the Ps4. That pc won't cut it against the Ps4.
Decent budget build though but just make it a round $500.
*get a better psu*
*get windows 7 cheaper from r/
*Get a bigger harddrive.
*try and get a i3.

Got that backwards, the 750Ti is far and away better than ps4/xbone

Hey guys, I've usually done all the legwork myself really diving into it and reading everything but I figured I'd use GAF's collective intelligence for this one since this is the first time I'm considering upgrading over starting from scratch with an entirely new PC.

Currently have this:

i7-920
HD5870
ASUS ROG Rampage II GENE motherboard
8GB Corsair XMS3 1333Mhz, which I just found out is only recognized as 4 by my PC.

I'm not sure what the developments have been on the CPU department and I'm not sure if my RAM is really a bottleneck so that's why I'm checking here. People buying 16 gigs of RAM always seemed excessive to me but maybe it's considered more important now?

I'll start doing my research on GPU's too but is the general consensus to wait for the next generation that's coming end 2014? I've ordered the Oculus DK2 and I can wait if the leap is worth the wait. I'm also not sure how important it is to replace the motherboard? This one has treated me fine but I just figured I'd ask. Basically, if anyone could give me a breakdown of what I should replace or if I should just start from scratch that'd be fantastic.

You need to install 64-bit windows to use all 8GB of RAM which is enough. Since you are on x58, which is triple channel memory, you could grab another 4GB stick and have 12GB total which is more than enough. If you haven't already, overclocking your 920 to at least 3.5Ghz.

GPU is definitely holding you back so I would buy that first. If that upgrade with the other adjustments doesn't give you the performance you are looking for then wait a couple months and see what Haswell-E and the new *supposedly* fixed Haswell line brings. Then you can decide between the enthusiast or consumer route depending on what your budget/reviews say.

 

[RumblingRosco]

I'm looking into getting into PC gaming with the The Division coming out in the future and I want to do a lot of emulation, PS2, Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, and the Original Xbox.

I can go from $1,500-$2,000. I have no idea where to start. Specs for the Division isn't a must because I can just play it on my ps4 but I really want to do the PS2 emulation. Can anybody help me out on which graphics card to get and stuff like that? I want to have something that's future proof, I don't want to upgrade with in the next two years.

Just a heads-up, but I can do GameCube and PS2 emulation pretty reliably with my $1,400 PC that I built in early 2011... and that $1,400 included the cost for everything; nice speakers, a good monitor, Windows 7, keyboard, mouse, etc. I only did the PS2/GCN emulation briefly just to see how my rig could handle it, but I suspect a modern day $1,500+ will absolutely dominate emulating PS2/GCN games.

 

[TalentBurke]

Thank you, I'm not buying a monitor. I'm going to use my tv and my dual shock 4 to play on. I'm thinking I should get one of those Nvidia 780 graphics cards. B

 

[scogoth]

Thank you, I'm buying a monitor. I'm going to use my tv and my dual shock 4 to play on. I'm thinking I should get one of those Nvidia 780 graphics cards. B

GPU doesn't really do much for emulation. Get a 4770K and overclock it as much as you can, Haswell kicks ass for emulation.

 

[Pachimari]

Is that the only cable coming out of the reader?

I am at my fathers place now and looking at the card reader and that is the only cable yes.

What should I do?

In the meantime I'll look for a USB header on the motherboard.

EDIT:

So I found this little blue thing on a USB POWER on the motherboard:
Do these have any function if they're not even wired?
(Also, I removed it).

It was sitting on this USB POWER:

There's only 3 pins on it but the cable to the card reader have 4 holes.

Should I try it out?

 

[flyinpiranha]

Is there any chance the GPUs are going to be a bit more reasonable in a couple months? I'm looking to upgrade from my HD 6870 but I do not want to spend $650 on something. I'd want to keep it around $400-450. I need something that will help with the Oculus DK2 so they say minimum is a 770.

I was thinking either a R9 290X or a 780 (non Ti). But both are over $500 at this point. Is this normal for these cards?

 

[TC McQueen]

I've been doing some work on my PC and been thinking about upgrading the CPU cooling on my i5-3570K, since it seems like the thing will last me at least until the end of the decade unless some sort of revolutionary change to PC hardware is made. I already know the Hyper 212 Evo is the golden child of CPU coolers, so it's not a question of what's the best cooler, it's a question of whether it'll fit without messing something up:

As you can see, I've got an M-ATX board, so I'm not sure I have enough clearance between my GPU and my 200mm fan for a huge block of metal and a 120mm fan. I can move the RAM to get some extra forward clearance if needed.

Also, some cable management tips would be appreciated, because I upgraded the fans in the front, side, and back, and it now sounds like someone is running a leaf blower in the distance.

 

[b0bbyJ03]

1TB samsung SSD $459

http://www.rakuten.com/prod/samsung...ata-internal-solid-state-drive/252289754.html

 

[scogoth]

COMPUTER THINGIES!!!

Hopefully will get to it today and take some pics. Cleaning/redoing loop and adding a second pump.

 

[scogoth]

I am at my fathers place now and looking at the card reader and that is the only cable yes.

What should I do?

In the meantime I'll look for a USB header on the motherboard.

EDIT:

So I found this little blue thing on a USB POWER on the motherboard:
Do these have any function if they're not even wired?
(Also, I removed it).



It was sitting on this USB POWER:



There's only 3 pins on it but the cable to the card reader have 4 holes.

Should I try it out?

No don't try it out. Thats a jumper to change how power is delivered to the USB header. It is not itself a USB header. Put it back on. Position 1-2 is regular and 2-3 is USB with power during standby

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Question: GTX 770 4gb or GTX 780 3gb?

This would normally be a no brainer since the 780 is a better card but the insane textures in Titanfall has gotten me thinking. Will be using 1080p monitor

 

[scogoth]

Question: GTX 770 4gb or GTX 780 3gb?

This would normally be a no brainer since the 780 is a better card but the insane textures in Titanfall has gotten me thinking. Will be using 1080p monitor

6GB Titan Black

 

[kennah]

A 3GB 780 will perform way better than a 4GB 770.

 

[Ocho]

COMPUTER THINGIES!!!

Hopefully will get to it today and take some pics. Cleaning/redoing loop and adding a second pump.

Ah, I now know who will help me set up WC later this year. Perfect.

 

[mkenyon]

While I wait on my video card, I have a question on behalf of my father.

He sent his computer in for repair, and now the card reader don't work. This is how it looks on the inside:



I noticed the card reader is connected to "speaker" on the motherboard - is this correct?

You plug it into one of the rows on a USB header:

Those headers are designed to be connected to two-port devices, so each row supports a different port. The card reader just goes on one of the two rows on a single header.

Ah, I now know who will help me set up WC later this year. Perfect.

The torch has been passed!

 

[riflen]

Question: GTX 770 4gb or GTX 780 3gb?

This would normally be a no brainer since the 780 is a better card but the insane textures in Titanfall has gotten me thinking. Will be using 1080p monitor

Forget Titanfall's bizarre memory requirements. Insane setting is simply all textures at maximum definition at all times. It's really dumb.

The next setting down is much more sensible as it will dynamically change the resolution of the textures, giving the highest definition to those closest to the player's view. You don't need 4k textures inside a building 100 yards away.

 

[scogoth]

Ah, I now know who will help me set up WC later this year. Perfect.

mkenyon?

I joke, I'll fly down and help.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

While I wait on my video card, I have a question on behalf of my father.

He sent his computer in for repair, and now the card reader don't work. This is how it looks on the inside:



I noticed the card reader is connected to "speaker" on the motherboard - is this correct?

I am not certain, but I think you just connect that to the longer row of pins for USB on the motherboard, leaving the smaller pins alone above them.

I could be wrong though so someone please scream if I am giving bad advice.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

You can reduce the Windows 7 price down to ~$20 or so by buying a key from a trusted seller on r/softwareswap. Only adds the extra step of burning the DVD and saves a lot of money.

Wow! thank you for this

Forget Titanfall's bizarre memory requirements. Insane setting is simply all textures at maximum definition at all times. It's really dumb.

The next setting down is much more sensible as it will dynamically change the resolution of the textures, giving the highest definition to those closest to the player's view. You don't need 4k textures inside a building 100 yards away.

So the game loads all the textures into your VRAM? They might patch this later right?

My concern is moving forward if VRAM is going to be an issue. I've been hearing about BF4 needing lots of VRAM as well

 

[Pachimari]

You plug it into one of the rows on a USB header:



Those headers are designed to be connected to two-port devices, so each row supports a different port. The card reader just goes on one of the two rows on a single header.

The torch has been passed!

I am not certain, but I think you just connect that to the longer row of pins for USB on the motherboard, leaving the smaller pins alone above them.

I could be wrong though so someone please scream if I am giving bad advice.

First I tried this but that didn't work:

And now I tried putting it in one of these because it says USB6 and USB7 above them:

And the one suggested above doesn't seem to have enough space for it but that's what I'm gonna try out now.

 

[PaulLFC]

It will cost a whole lot of money. Unless you have too much money to spend I would not recommend it.

Thanks, yeah I assumed it would be expensive. I'm not in the position of having too much money, but I didn't want to buy a DDR3 based system only to find a month or two later that the gains from DDR4 are absolutely huge, and my 'new' system would basically be outdated almost immediately. I guess there's always a degree of advancement no matter when you upgrade a PC, though.

 

[Pachimari]

I can't seem to figure it out. This is all the ports which are available on the motherboard:

 

[mkenyon]

I can't seem to figure it out. This is all the ports which are available on the motherboard:

The USB headers are listed as #15, 16, and 17 here:

Use those.

 

[riflen]

Wow! thank you for this

So the game loads all the textures into your VRAM? They might patch this later right?

My concern is moving forward if VRAM is going to be an issue. I've been hearing about BF4 needing lots of VRAM as well

Who knows what they'll do? This is a developer that chooses to install 30GB of uncompressed audio onto your disk, regardless of your PC spec, because playing compressed audio is considered too stressful on old CPUs.

BF4 runs brilliantly with 2GB VRAM. It's also built on an engine that scales visuals depending on the VRAM available. You wont "run out of VRAM" or anything.

In 3 years, things might be different, but then current cards will be too slow to play games with high settings by then anyway.

 

[Pachimari]

The USB headers are listed as #15, 16, and 17 here:

Use those.

I tried 15 and 16 but that doesn't work either. When I pop in a card they aren't recognised.

Could it be a driver issue? I don't even know which model his card reader is.

 

[mkenyon]

I tried 15 and 16 but that doesn't work either. When I pop in a card they aren't recognised.

Could it be a driver issue? I don't even know which model his card reader is.

They're USB, which means no drivers required. It's essentially a fancy dongle that you would plug in the back of your computer in a USB port, except the connection is internal.

If it doesn't work plugged into any of the USB headers, then these are the possible issues:

1) You aren't plugging it in right, flip it around, try the other row, etc.

2) You need to possibly restart the computer.

3) The USB headers are disabled in BIOS.

4) The card reader is not operational.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

I tried 15 and 16 but that doesn't work either. When I pop in a card they aren't recognised.

Could it be a driver issue? I don't even know which model his card reader is.

If the connector in the USB port doesn't work 1 way, 180 it and try it that way. Look to see if Windows detects anything. If so and it still doesn't work, then it might be drivers.

 

[industrian]

I'm looking into getting into PC gaming with the The Division coming out in the future and I want to do a lot of emulation, PS2, Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, and the Original Xbox.

I can go from $1,500-$2,000. I have no idea where to start. Specs for the Division isn't a must because I can just play it on my ps4 but I really want to do the PS2 emulation. Can anybody help me out on which graphics card to get and stuff like that? I want to have something that's future proof, I don't want to upgrade with in the next two years.

From my understanding, a i5-4670K will be sufficient. I priced an mITX build around that CPU at around $1150. The GPU I used was a GTX760, so you could probably spend a bit more in that department.

 

[TalentBurke]

From my understanding, a i5-4670K will be sufficient. I priced an mITX build around that CPU at around $1150. The GPU I used was a GTX760, so you could probably spend a bit more in that department.

I can get an i7 with a GTX 780 right? And ill probably still be around $1,400? I'm only trying to game at 1080P 60FPS for now.

 

[RabidTanooki]

Hey guys, building a new pc here and looking for a little insight as far as GPU's go. I'm building a 4770k with 16gigs of ram, what would be the best GPU in the $300 dollar price range? I was thinking about maybe a 760, but what is AMD currently offering that would be comparable or maybe even more bang for my buck?

 

[Ocho]

mkenyon?

I joke, I'll fly down and help.

Skype/Mumble is all we need.

 

[cyen]

Hey guys, building a new pc here and looking for a little insight as far as GPU's go. I'm building a 4770k with 16gigs of ram, what would be the best GPU in the $300 dollar price range? I was thinking about maybe a 760, but what is AMD currently offering that would be comparable or maybe even more bang for my buck?

A 280X would be a better option, or even a 290 if you got a good discount (or a 770 if you prefer NV). (At least in Europe, dont know if the prices are still inflated from bit minning crazyness)

 

[mkenyon]

I can get an i7 with a GTX 780 right? And ill probably still be around $1,400? I'm only trying to game at 1080P 60FPS for now.

The i7 doesn't offer any additional performance when it comes to gaming. It is multi-threaded, which means that each core has two threads, emulating an 8 core CPU. It's beneficial in random windows tasks like zipping files, and in multimedia creation.

 

[Cidd]

Ah yeah.

Goodbye GtX 570

 

[Jibbed]

Ah yeah.



Goodbye GtX 570

Welcome to the club bro, came from a 560Ti myself.. it's quite the jump!

 

[TalentBurke]

The i7 doesn't offer any additional performance when it comes to gaming. It is multi-threaded, which means that each core has two threads, emulating an 8 core CPU. It's beneficial in random windows tasks like zipping files, and in multimedia creation.

Well I'm glad I came to this thread, I thought it was essential to get an i7. Thanks a lot.

 

[Cidd]

Welcome to the club bro, came from a 560Ti myself.. it's quite the jump!

Thanks man, This card is beautiful to look at, glad I got the reference model.

 

[S0N0S]

I'm pretty confident these are the parts I'm going with, but I thought I'd post the list here as a sanity check.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($73.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-Pro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($167.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($108.00 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB Video Card (Purchased For $0.00)
Case: Antec P280 ATX Mid Tower Case ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.98 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) (Purchased For $0.00)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan ($19.70 @ Amazon)
Total: $1029.62
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-21 11:28 EDT-0400)

Along with some HDDs and a soundcard, the 660ti and 840 Pro 128GB SSD come from my current machine, which is a haggard Core 2 Quad Q9450 (OC'd @ 3.6GHz) I stubbornly kept around for way too long. Still looking at case fans, and I'll add another 256GB Samsung SSD for games and a new GPU later this year.

 

[industrian]

I can get an i7 with a GTX 780 right? And ill probably still be around $1,400? I'm only trying to game at 1080P 60FPS for now.

Here's some prices for my M-ITX build adjusted for you (I assume you're based in the United States so I used Newegg prices):

Intel Core i7-4770K - $310
Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI IMPACT - $220
Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2 x 8GB) - $240

A 780 TI can be had at around $730

That's $1,500 right there.

Add an SSD, 3TB HDD, case and PSU and you'll be close to the maximum end of your budget. But that build will last you for quite some time.

 

[mkenyon]

Here's some prices for my M-ITX build adjusted for you (I assume you're based in the United States so I used Newegg prices):

Intel Core i7-4770K - $310
Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI IMPACT - $220
Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2 x 8GB) - $240

A 780 TI can be had at around $730

That's $1,500 right there.

Add an SSD, 3TB HDD, case and PSU and you'll be close to the maximum end of your budget. But that build will last you for quite some time.

You should check out the SFF guide in this thread, third post.

I'm pretty confident these are the parts I'm going with, but I thought I'd post the list here as a sanity check.

I'd suggest swapping the P280 for a Define R4, and the Noctua heatsink for one of the CoolerMaster 212 units. Would work out to the same price, and end up being more quiet with a much better case.

Also, swap the PSU for a 650W version of the same one, save a little extra. I'd suggest the Seasonic G series, but I assume you went with the RM for how quiet it is?

*edit*

Also, with only the 660 Ti and a consumer socket CPU putting heat into the case, you definitely do not need any additional case fans. The fans on the Define R4 are basically silent. They're not nearly as efficient as some of the nicer case fans out there, but you don't really need them to be with the tiny amount of watts needing to be moved out.

 

[TalentBurke]

You should check out the SFF guide in this thread, third post.

I'd suggest swapping the P280 for a Define R4, and the Noctua heatsink for one of the CoolerMaster 212 units. Would work out to the same price, and end up being more quiet with a much better case.

Also, swap the PSU for a 650W version of the same one, save a little extra. I'd suggest the Seasonic G series, but I assume you went with the RM for how quiet it is?

*edit*

Also, with only the 660 Ti and a consumer socket CPU putting heat into the case, you definitely do not need any additional case fans. The fans on the Define R4 are basically silent. They're not nearly as efficient as some of the nicer case fans out there, but you don't really need them to be with the tiny amount of watts needing to be moved out.

I went and checked the post. I liked the SIlverstone RVZ01, Enthusiast build. What do you think about that?

 

[Pachimari]

They're USB, which means no drivers required. It's essentially a fancy dongle that you would plug in the back of your computer in a USB port, except the connection is internal.

If it doesn't work plugged into any of the USB headers, then these are the possible issues:

1) You aren't plugging it in right, flip it around, try the other row, etc.

2) You need to possibly restart the computer.

3) The USB headers are disabled in BIOS.

4) The card reader is not operational.

If the connector in the USB port doesn't work 1 way, 180 it and try it that way. Look to see if Windows detects anything. If so and it still doesn't work, then it might be drivers.

Thanks.
I went home already but I'm gonna try these when I visit him on Sunday.

 

[mkenyon]

I went and checked the post. I liked the SIlverstone RVZ01, Enthusiast build. What do you think about that?

I of course think it's a great build!

If there's any room in the budget, use it to get the biggest SSD you can. Snipe one on sale.

 

[Pachimari]

I really think I'm gonna format my SSD and install Windows 7 again. It just bothers me it takes up that much space.

But first I'm gonna install my new and DRY GeForce GTX 780!

 

[TalentBurke]

I of course think it's a great build!

If there's any room in the budget, use it to get the biggest SSD you can. Snipe one on sale.

Thanks a lot, man. I'm on PCpartpicker now trying to pick out everything.

 

[jfoul]

Heads up for anybody looking for a GTX 780 ti. This is the last day for the $50 rebate on this card.

TigerDirect - GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB - $599.99 after $50 rebate w/ Daylight

 

[scogoth]

Skype/Mumble is all we need.

I only take Tequila as payment

 

[TalentBurke]

CPU Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core $299.99
CPU Cooler Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid $54.99
Motherboard Asus Maximus VI Impact Mini ITX LGA1150 $223.98
Memory Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 $156.99
Storage Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" SSD $199.00
Video Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB $649.99
Case Silverstone RVZ01B Mini ITX Desktop $84.99
Power Supply Silverstone 450W SFX12V $94.99
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) $84.99

What I've cooked up so far. If anyone has any suggestions on this please let me know. I don't know if I'll need the 780 ti GPU. Remember I'm mainly going to be doing emulation on this.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Who knows what they'll do? This is a developer that chooses to install 30GB of uncompressed audio onto your disk, regardless of your PC spec, because playing compressed audio is considered too stressful on old CPUs.

BF4 runs brilliantly with 2GB VRAM. It's also built on an engine that scales visuals depending on the VRAM available. You wont "run out of VRAM" or anything.

In 3 years, things might be different, but then current cards will be too slow to play games with high settings by then anyway.

Makes sense. Thanks for your help

 

[Pachimari]

So I have just installed the GTX 780 in my computer but how can I see it is activated and installed correctly?

Currently I'm running it through HDMI but it's recognised as "Generic Non-PnP Monitor" - why?

I'm also now installing the video drivers from the cd.