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[Woffls]

Nearly picked all my parts, just missing some DDR4
5820K - £279.99 from eBuyer - lowest price I've seen so far.
MSI X99S SLI Plus - £158.48 from More Computers - Never used them before. Any good?
Fractal Define R4 - £64.98 from eBuyer

£503.45 so far, including free slow ass delivery. Just need to find some memory.

This G.Skill Ripjaws 4 16Gb 4x4 DDR CL15 looks really good for £178.20 but I don't know when it will be out. Second choice is Crucial Ballistix Sport, as above but CL16 for £180 and out on the 10th... [oh the G.Skill is out on Friday. Neat. Will probably just wait for that.]

 

[mkenyon]

Which motherboard for my 4970k build?
Comparison

Get a no frills board that is less expensive, and use the difference to buy a proper sound card. Even the best onboard audio options don't hold a candle to something as simple as an ASUS Xonar DGX.

The Gigabyte UD3H is more than $100 less than most of those, and offers just as many features. The UD3H Black Edition is really pretty too, and one helluva stable board.

The Z97-A is also a great pick.

 

[LilJoka]

Nearly picked all my parts, just missing some DDR4
5820K - £279.99 from eBuyer - lowest price I've seen so far.
MSI X99S SLI Plus - £158.48 from More Computers - Never used them before. Any good?
Fractal Define R4 - £64.98 from eBuyer

£503.45 so far, including free slow ass delivery. Just need to find some memory.

This G.Skill Ripjaws 4 16Gb 4x4 DDR CL15 looks really good for £178.20 but I don't know when it will be out. Second choice is Crucial Ballistix Sport, as above but CL16 for £180 and out on the 10th... [oh the G.Skill is out on Friday. Neat. Will probably just wait for that.]

Be safe:
http://www.dabs.com/products/msi-x99s-sli-plus-s2011-intel-x99-ddr4-atx-9Q24.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc%20product%20search&utm_campaign=Components%20and%20Storage%20-%20Motherboards%20and%20Processors%20-%20Motherboards

 

[N-Forced]

Okay, that makes sense, I'll think about it.

And as for getting Windows, I know you can get a student discount for an upgrade, but that won't work for building a new PC right?

Thanks for the help!

That works fine, I used the upgrade disc license key to install a fresh copy of Windows 8.1 on my recent build and it worked like a charm, only thing you need is a generic key to install, then once the os is installed switch the generic key with the upgraded one.

 

[Woffls]

Be safe:
http://www.dabs.com/products/msi-x99s-sli-plus-s2011-intel-x99-ddr4-atx-9Q24.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc%20product%20search&utm_campaign=Components%20and%20Storage%20-%20Motherboards%20and%20Processors%20-%20Motherboards

Probably a good idea. The delivery is 1-3 days and I've used dabs for a loonnggg ass time as well. I always forget that it's important to choose a good retailer in case you need to return items. Can't make too much fuss over a fiver!

 

[kennah]

There's always this one.

Don't fight it Durante! Let the GB love flow through you.

*edit*

Also just got a neat email back from CaseLabs. I've been throwing around ideas on how to get a gaming/video editing machine in the same box as a streaming machine for a pal.

Turns out, with the correct chassis top, you can mount two Mercury S5s to each other.

That's awesome. Get one in white and one in black then mix and match all the bits.

 

[kharma45]

For fuck sake, I ordered a XFX Pro Series 750W Black edition PSU over the weekend from Scan, just got home from work to see they've managed to somehow mess it up and send me a XFX XTR Series 750W instead. What. The. Fuck. Honestly, why is it so difficult to order stuff from the UK these days? I've had to return 2 monitors and a PSU over the past month.

So this is Novatech, Scan and CCL online who all seem to lack the basic skills required to simply ship items people order from them. Seriously, this is honestly putting me off of PC building. EVERY time I order something I dread opening the box incase they fuck it up.

A lot of bad luck for one person, did you happen to break a mirror? Don't let a few bad experiences put you off. It's just a freak experience.

Hello everyone! I've never built a PC, though I've wanted to for a long time, and I've finally decided to give it a shot.

• Current Specs: I've been using a laptop for the past couple of years so I feel like virtually anything will feel like a big upgrade to me.
• Budget: Planning for around $900, capped at $1000 US
• Main Use: Light Gaming - 4, Gaming - 5, Emulation - 3, Video Editing -1, Streaming games in HD - 1, 3D/Model work - 2 (Maya or Blender) , General Usage - 3.
• Monitor Resolution: I have a 1080p monitor that I plan on using
• Games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: I've been holding off on playing games like Skyrim, Sleeping Dogs, and The Witcher 2 until I had a more capable PC, and I think 60fps sounds nice, but I've gotten used to playing games at <20 so hitting 60 isn't absolutely necessary.
• Looking to reuse any parts?: None other than peripherals.
• When will you build?: Hoping to do it within the next couple of weeks.
• Will you be overclocking?: I don't think so...

Also, because I'm moving around fairly frequently, I think I want to go for MicroATX. If that's a bad idea for a first build let me know. I also just generally like the idea of a smaller form factor.

Here's a possible build I threw together, but I'm not sure if that all works together or not.

Also I read that Nvidia is announcing new stuff soon so I probably shouldn't buy a video card right away, but I just wanted to get a build down on paper.

Thanks for any help or feedback!

If you aren't overclocking, how about something like this?



You could go ahead and build without the GPU, then see what Nvidia does with the 900 series in a month or so.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280 3GB DirectCU II Video Card ($189.25 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $970.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-08 15:03 EDT-0400

Your suggestion has the GTX 760, which I have to always advise against. It is a poor value. Radeon 270X drivers have seen it improve, and shockingly, it has reached 760 performance. And it's substantially cheaper. Then you have good deals for Radeon 280s around the same price as a 760, and they have always been faster.

This review is new:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-r9-285-tonga,3925-14.html



I'm not an AMD fanboy, and I understand that some people prefer Nvidia for their own personal reasons, but the 760 has no meaning at its current price point unless you have a G-Sync monitor (which the poster doesn't).

Colour me surprised. Didn't expect the 270X to sneak ahead even with driver updates.

 

[AngryChinchilla]

Get a no frills board that is less expensive, and use the difference to buy a proper sound card. Even the best onboard audio options don't hold a candle to something as simple as an ASUS Xonar DGX.

The Gigabyte UD3H is more than $100 less than most of those, and offers just as many features. The UD3H Black Edition is really pretty too, and one helluva stable board.

The Z97-A is also a great pick.

Do you think having 1 x16 and 1 x8 PCi would hurt me if I ever wanted to do dual 980s?

 

[Woffls]

Ordered my 5820K, X99S and Define R4... gonna' phone eBuyer tomorrow and try to pre-order the G.Skill memory that's coming out on Friday and seems to be a very good price... hopefully I won't have to wait long for it, but at least I can do 99% of the work whilst I'm waiting.

Very excite. n_n

 

[mkenyon]

Do you think having 1 x16 and 1 x8 PCi would hurt me if I ever wanted to do dual 980s?

It'll be x8/x8 unless you get a board that has a PLX chip. Something like the ASUS Z97-WS, EVGA Classified, or MSI X-Power. The ones you linked do not have PLX chips, and would run at x8/x8 just like a UD3H or Z97-A.

But to directly answer your question, it shouldn't be anything more than a few percentage points difference. Of course, I can't answer this definitively because the hardware isn't out yet.

You should never plan on a future possibility of SLI though. Only SLI to achieve performance that would only be possible by doing so. Adding a second card in later to get more power out of what you have is almost always a worse decision than selling your card and upgrading to the best single GPU possible.

 

[AngryChinchilla]

It'll be x8/x8 unless you get a board that has a PLX chip. Something like the ASUS Z97-WS, EVGA Classified, or MSI X-Power. The ones you linked do not have PLX chips, and would run at x8/x8 just like a UD3H or Z97-A.

But to directly answer your question, it shouldn't be anything more than a few percentage points difference. Of course, I can't answer this definitively because the hardware isn't out yet.

You should never plan on a future possibility of SLI though. Only SLI to achieve performance that would only be possible by doing so. Adding a second card in later to get more power out of what you have is almost always a worse decision than selling your card and upgrading to the best single GPU possible.

My main concern is that I run 3 monitors (5760x1080) and I just always see people saying x8 is fine for 1080p. But I am running 3 times that.

 

[mkenyon]

My main concern is that I run 3 monitors (5760x1080) and I just always see people saying x8 is fine for 1080p. But I am running 3 times that.

That might be a concern, if not with the 980, then perhaps to its successor.

I might advise going X99/5820K, or get a Z97 boars with a PLX chip, like the ASUS Z97-WS.

 

[Kezen]

I accidently touched the PCI Express gold connectors of my GPU, am I fucked ?
I was grounded of course and my hands were dry for I'm scared.

 

[mkenyon]

You're fine.

 

[thequickandthedead]

What other benefits are there to upgrading your PSU other than being able to use better graphics cards?

 

[mkenyon]

What other benefits are there to upgrading your PSU other than being able to use better graphics cards?

Better power efficiency, better reliability, easier cable management (if moving from non-modular to modular), and more quiet.

Nothing in terms of actual performance though.

 

[Prophet Steve]

What other benefits are there to upgrading your PSU other than being able to use better graphics cards?

They might be modular, so less cables in your case which looks better, is easier to manage and can reduce the temperature a small bit. May be less loud. Makes your PC more reliable. May be more efficient with using power.

Haha, beaten.

 

[fifasnipe2224]

What is the difference between modular and non-modular?

 

[Kezen]

You're fine.

Thanks.

 

[Prophet Steve]

What is the difference between modular and non-modular?

You can disconnect the cables that you won't use with a modular one. So you don't have to keep unused cables of your power supply in your case.

 

[Nostremitus]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280 3GB DirectCU II Video Card ($189.25 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $970.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-08 15:03 EDT-0400

Yeah, that's much better.


Also, HOLY CRAP the ROG Matrix 7970 is huge.

 

[kennah]

I accidently touched the PCI Express gold connectors of my GPU, am I fucked ?
I was grounded of course and my hands were dry for I'm scared.

I lick mine.

 

[Nostremitus]

I lick mine.

Is that like gently licking a Nintendo game while blowing it?

 

[ekgrey]

okee-doke. final parts check. already have an i5-4670K and (for now) a GTX 750 Ti, going in a Corsair AIR 240 arriving tomorrow.

MSI Z97M-G43

SeaSonic G Series 550

HyperX 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit

nothing glaringly wrong, right?

 

[kharma45]

okee-doke. final parts check. already have an i5-4670K and (for now) a GTX 750 Ti, going in a Corsair AIR 240 arriving tomorrow.

MSI Z97M-G43

SeaSonic G Series 550

HyperX 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit

nothing glaringly wrong, right?

I'd grab this for less

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $251.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-08 18:19 EDT-0400

Only thing I'd be keen to change is the mobo. If it's a Seasonic made PSU you must have then this is better for the same money http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[ekgrey]

thanks! out of curiosity, what makes that PSU better?

and are MSI boards notoriously terrible? after failing to find any mATX boards with WiFi I just went for that one because I liked the blue. thanks for keeping the RAM the same color. haha

 

[The Llama]

thanks! out of curiosity, what makes that PSU better?

and are MSI boards notoriously terrible? after failing to find any mATX boards with WiFi I just went for that one because I liked the blue. thanks for keeping the RAM the same color. haha

No, they're fine. I've used a few now, never had any problems.

 

[kharma45]

thanks! out of curiosity, what makes that PSU better?

and are MSI boards notoriously terrible? after failing to find any mATX boards with WiFi I just went for that one because I liked the blue. thanks for keeping the RAM the same color. haha

PSU wise it's cheaper and a higher wattage and there's no real drop in quality.

MSI boards are fine, I have one myself. G43 is just a tad low end still.

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, that's much better.


Also, HOLY CRAP the ROG Matrix 7970 is huge.

Hahaha, right? Not just in length, that thing has some major girth. (insert epeen jokes)

I lick mine.

Is Canadian saliva like LN2 cooling?

thanks! out of curiosity, what makes that PSU better?

and are MSI boards notoriously terrible? after failing to find any mATX boards with WiFi I just went for that one because I liked the blue. thanks for keeping the RAM the same color. haha

It's $10 cheaper. And it powers more. Outside of that, differences are minor. I'd personally stick with that Seasonic cause I'm a Seasonic fanboy.

Avoid WiFi, check out powerline adapters.

 

[knitoe]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

 

[kharma45]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plus USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

That's tidy as fuck.

 

[Nostremitus]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

So pretty...

Hahaha, right? Not just in length, that thing has some major girth. (insert epeen jokes)

No kidding, It makes my R9 270 look like a toy.

 

[mkenyon]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

That tool has saved me three times now. Most recently on my 4770K rebuild.

Also, looks fucking great man. Awesome job.

 

[MoonGred]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

That's a gorgeous build you've got there!

 

[P3P5I]

Check the properties of your network adapter. Experiment with the speed setting. It should be set to auto negotiation by default which means it will determine 10 vs 100 vs gigabit, half vs full duplex. It may be set to 10 or something.

You can also try setting it manually to 100 or gigabit (whichever your switch supports) full duplex.

You can find it under control panel, network settings, right click local area network->properties, then "configure" your card.

I randomly came across those settings last night and didn't know what they do. I'll try that, thanks.

You know what, I take it back. I think I misread your post.

It's extremely unlikely that the long cable you just ran is crossover. I missed the part where you're connecting through a switch. The only place you'd likely get a crossover cable packaged with hardware is with your modem. Besides, most modern equipment should auto detect crossover cables.

In any case, try a different cable from your switch to your PC. Barring that, make sure you don't have some shitty software installed on your PC. My mobo had a "Killer ethernet" or some BS software that basically ruined my connection.

My Mobo is the ASUS Maximus Hero VI, so that might be likely. I have another ethernet cord, so I'll try that and hope it reaches. Also thanks.

 

[BHD2786]

Get a no frills board that is less expensive, and use the difference to buy a proper sound card. Even the best onboard audio options don't hold a candle to something as simple as an ASUS Xonar DGX.

Should this also be true if I only plan on using the optical port for my headset (astro A50)

Im also having trouble finding info on what format the integrated audio optical out uses ... Dolby, dts ..etc

 

[mkenyon]

Should this also be true if I only plan on using the optical port for my headset (astro A50)

Im also having trouble finding info on what format the integrated audio optical out uses ... Dolby, dts ..etc

Optical out is almost always undecoded.

 

[BeEatNU]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

I have a x99 Deluxe also, had some similar issues.
It's solid now, I havent overclocked in years so I am a nub now.
Where did you get that EVGA SLI bridge from?

 

[Hazaro]

It's actually too clean

 

[TC McQueen]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

I wish I could get my case that clean without slicing up cable sleeving.

 

[mkenyon]

I wish I could get my case that clean without slicing up cable sleeving.

You could order a Corsair or EVGA PSU and then a set of single sleeved cables from them.

It's actually too clean

Meanwhile, somewhere in Hazaro's PC:

 

[knitoe]

I have a x99 Deluxe also, had some similar issues.
It's solid now, I havent overclocked in years so I am a nub now.
Where did you get that EVGA SLI bridge from?

Brought the SLI bridge from the EVGA store.

http://www.evga.com/Products/Produc...ily=Accessories+-+Hardware&chipset=SLI+Bridge

 

[tarheel91]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

Those Corsair Air Series fans seem to match ever case perfectly. It's a shame they don't make them (Static Pressure version) in 140mm.

 

[MoonGred]

It's actually too clean

No such thing as too clean!

 

[xBladeM6x]

My 5930K is up and running. I got a little scared after first boot up and decided to update the bios. Update supposedly went fine and it wanted to reboot. After restart, blank screen with 60 error code. After trying countless reboots and removing hardware, nothing. Thinking, RMA time. Then, I notice this MB has the new ability to flash the bios without turning on the PC. Plug a USB with bios, hit Bios USB Flashback button, wait until done, power up and success. Haven't done any OC yet. At stock, idling 28C and Prime95 60C.

Which fans are those? (Performance, Quiet or Static Pressure) also, which CPU cooler is that?

 

[P3P5I]

Barring that, make sure you don't have some shitty software installed on your PC. My mobo had a "Killer ethernet" or some BS software that basically ruined my connection.

Yep that was exactly it. My ROG mobo had "GameFirst II" installed to "oversee" my internet connection to ensure maximum gaming speeds.

I wish I could uninstall programs more than once.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

OCing on the MSi X99S Sli Plus is so easy I feel like I've been doing wrong my entire life. Good bye to voltage increments of 0.05, whomever made the automatic voltage feature is clearly smarter than I am.

 

[MoonGred]

So I was looking at the Gigabyte x99, and came across this

Would that even be possible without cooking the middle cards?

 

[CurlySaysX]

Which fans are those? (Performance, Quiet or Static Pressure) also, which CPU cooler is that?

Thefanslook like corsair, the cpu cooler for sure is a noctua nhu12s.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_1406&products_id=20513

 

[TC McQueen]

You could order a Corsair or EVGA PSU and then a set of single sleeved cables from them.

I actually have a Corsair PSU, but my PSU can't have an individually sleeved 24pin cable, which is the cable that most needs it. That said, individually sleeved cables might be worth it for other components.