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[Panda In Space]

Might be faulty yes, is it overclocked?

The card came factory overclocked, I did tried underclocking it with Afterburner but still same problem.

 

[Bumhat]

I don't see any comments to you suggesting that, but it is an option yes.

But none of your components feel like overkill or bad value for their money. When you go higher than this (for example a 980 instead of 970) I'd say the extra performance isn't worth it anymore for the price increase. But you get great value with all of your parts.

Thanks for your advice, I think I'll stick with what I've got! Also after doing some digging it appears I was very badly paraphrasing Monosukoi, who was recommending getting something a bit cheaper and upgrading sooner. He then went on to say it was either that or just getting something much more powerful and stumping up the cash, so I don't think I was giving a particularly accurate summary of this thoughts!

 

[Antti]

The card came factory overclocked, I did tried underclocking it with Afterburner but still same problem.

A hardware problem is the most likely culprit. Looks like a faulty video card.

 

[Zumbug]

Hi all,

I currently have the below system, and I want to beef up the graphics, what are my options, and whats the best bang for my buck:

1. 2nd 780?
2. Sell my current 780 and go for a 980?
3. Other?

I am trending towards getting a 2nd 780, but they are hard to find now it seems, what are your thoughts?

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (£166.74 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler (£84.12 @ Scan.co.uk)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste (£11.27 @ Overclockers.co.uk)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Formula ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£222.79 @ Aria PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£70.34 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£90.00 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 780 3GB LIGHTNING Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (£69.37 @ Aria PC)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£118.00 @ Aria PC)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer
Monitor: Asus PB278Q 27.0" Monitor (£399.92 @ Scan.co.uk)

 

[News Bot]

Is there a consensus on the best R290(X) graphics card yet? I heard the PowerColor PCS+ was the best but I've also heard it had temperature and sound issues.

 

[j0hnny_385]

Is there a consensus on the best R290(X) graphics card yet? I heard the PowerColor PCS+ was the best but I've also heard it had temperature and sound issues.

Sapphire Tri-X?

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Hi all,

I currently have the below system, and I want to beef up the graphics, what are my options, and whats the best bang for my buck:

1. 2nd 780?
2. Sell my current 780 and go for a 980?
3. Other?

I am trending towards getting a 2nd 780, but they are hard to find now it seems, what are your thoughts?

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (£166.74 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler (£84.12 @ Scan.co.uk)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste (£11.27 @ Overclockers.co.uk)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Formula ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£222.79 @ Aria PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£70.34 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£90.00 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 780 3GB LIGHTNING Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (£69.37 @ Aria PC)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£118.00 @ Aria PC)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer
Monitor: Asus PB278Q 27.0" Monitor (£399.92 @ Scan.co.uk)

I would say out of all 3, go with B. SLIs are much better now but you still will have less headache when going solo. Plus a 980 has more VRAM.

 

[paskowitz]

GAF, I must once again call upon you for PC-related advice! A few months ago I said I was interested in getting a new machine primarily for editing, AfterEffects work, and gaming. Since then my budget has increased to a max of about £1200. Based on previous advice and my own internet trawling I have come up with this setup:

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/Bumhat/saved/gF3gXL

I am fully aware that this is by no means optimal, so if you have any suggestions please let me know! I can spend about another £100 on top of that build so if any of you can shove more power in there then go for it.

This a great setup.

Until DDR4 drops in price and stacked VRAM is ready there will be little reason to hold off on building a, current, solidly spec'ed rug. At least in my opinion.

Only thing I would change is possibly waiting until blackfriday/cyber Monday to get some better deals.

 

[FJ0372]

Hey guys, hoping this is the right place to ask this.
I recently bought a new case and graphics card (GTX970), I then put all my old parts into the new case and now my computer doesn't work anymore. I built it all and now when I turn it on, everything comes on but theres no display and the fans on the graphics card seem to start then stop, then starts again then stops, this repeats. Does anyone know any ideas on what the problem is?

I'm thinking that my motherboard must be broken, this brings me onto my next problem, I have a LGA 1366 mhz motherboard with an i7, and when looking for replacement motherboards they seem to be more expensive than buying a new one. anyone know where I could get a cheap 1366 motherboard? (I live in the UK)

Thanks

 

[opticalmace]

Hey guys, hoping this is the right place to ask this.
I recently bought a new case and graphics card (GTX970), I then put all my old parts into the new case and now my computer doesn't work anymore. I built it all and now when I turn it on, everything comes on but theres no display and the fans on the graphics card seem to start then stop, then starts again then stops, this repeats. Does anyone know any ideas on what the problem is?

I'm thinking that my motherboard must be broken, this brings me onto my next problem, I have a LGA 1366 mhz motherboard with an i7, and when looking for replacement motherboards they seem to be more expensive than buying a new one. anyone know where I could get a cheap 1366 motherboard? (I live in the UK)

Thanks

Double check all the cables and connections. I doubt you broke the mobo if all you did was put it in a new case. There's some troubleshooting tips in the second post of the thread.

 

[RGM79]

Hey guys, hoping this is the right place to ask this.
I recently bought a new case and graphics card (GTX970), I then put all my old parts into the new case and now my computer doesn't work anymore. I built it all and now when I turn it on, everything comes on but theres no display and the fans on the graphics card seem to start then stop, then starts again then stops, this repeats. Does anyone know any ideas on what the problem is?

I'm thinking that my motherboard must be broken, this brings me onto my next problem, I have a LGA 1366 mhz motherboard with an i7, and when looking for replacement motherboards they seem to be more expensive than buying a new one. anyone know where I could get a cheap 1366 motherboard? (I live in the UK)

Thanks

Sounds like power supply or something is shorting out.

Double check that all power supply cables are secure and tightly fit.

 

[forrest]

What's your idle temp? I'm not familiar with the m4 cooler but it looks kind of puny.

Both Cores seem to be idling around ~30C this morning. Thermostat says the house is 69F.

*Update*

Okay so I'm not really sure what is happening, but I assume it has to do with leaving some bios settings on auto? CPU-Z is saying the Core Speed is 799.81 MHz and the Multiplier is x 8.0. The bus speed is of course sitting at 98.98 MHz.

When I boot it up, it all seems fine at 4GHz and multiplier of 40. Then it just kind of pops to these lower settings. Is the cpu throttling due to temps? Core temp only show a max of 62C but is averaging in the low 30Cs for idling temps.

 

[Vhalyar]

Dumb question, but where can I buy a Windows 7 (USA) key online? As in, get the key emailed to me as opposed to buying a whole useless box.

 

[FJ0372]

Double check all the cables and connections. I doubt you broke the mobo if all you did was put it in a new case. There's some troubleshooting tips in the second post of the thread.

Sounds like power supply or something is shorting out.

Double check that all power supply cables are secure and tightly fit.

Okay thanks guys, gonna rebuild the whole thing, hopefully that fixes it.

RGM79, if the power supply was shorting would it stay on? because it seems to stay on until I turn it off.

 

[RGM79]

Okay thanks guys, gonna rebuild the whole thing, hopefully that fixes it.

RGM79, if the power supply was shorting would it stay on? because it seems to stay on until I turn it off.

Er, my post was somewhat poorly typed. I meant that something else like the motherboard could be shorting out due to inadvertent metal contact somewhere.

I used to have a PC that had too many motherboard standoff screws installed, they touched the bottom of the motherboard and would short circuit the power. The computer would run alright but the slightest jostle could cause it to turn off or reboot. If I pressed down on a certain spot on the motherboard, I could even turn on the PC. Anyway..

Come to think of it, the only time I've had a video card not work and fans spin on and the off was when the graphics card wasn't seated properly. Take out the card, and put it back in, making sure the card is all the way in the slot, and that locking clasps are in place and tightened down if applicable. Might as well give that a try before a complete reassembly.

 

[MillionStabs]

Looking to buy a 3TB hard drive, but I'm not sure which is the most reliable. Hoping to buy from Newegg, but I'm willing to sacrifice as long as the HDD is good. Any recommendations?

 

[FJ0372]

Er, my post was somewhat poorly typed. I meant that something else like the motherboard could be shorting out due to inadvertent metal contact somewhere.

I used to have a PC that had too many motherboard standoff screws installed, they touched the bottom of the motherboard and would short circuit the power. The computer would run alright but the slightest jostle could cause it to turn off or reboot. If I pressed down on a certain spot on the motherboard, I could even turn on the PC. Anyway..

Come to think of it, the only time I've had a video card not work and fans spin on and the off was when the graphics card wasn't seated properly. Take out the card, and put it back in, making sure the card is all the way in the slot, and that locking clasps are in place and tightened down if applicable. Might as well give that a try before a complete reassembly.

Thanks a lot, will do.

 

[knitoe]

Both Cores seem to be idling around ~30C this morning. Thermostat says the house is 69F.

*Update*

Okay so I'm not really sure what is happening, but I assume it has to do with leaving some bios settings on auto? CPU-Z is saying the Core Speed is 799.81 MHz and the Multiplier is x 8.0. The bus speed is of course sitting at 98.98 MHz.

When I boot it up, it all seems fine at 4GHz and multiplier of 40. Then it just kind of pops to these lower settings. Is the cpu throttling due to temps? Core temp only show a max of 62C but is averaging in the low 30Cs for idling temps.

CPUs will downclock when power is not needed. That is totally normal. If you want to see it's max speed, you need to run something processor intensive, like Prime95.

And, don't care about idle temps. Unless, it's crazy high. 30C is fine. Instead, look at temps at max load.

 

[spwolf]

all right guys... i desperately need new SSD for my desktop.

Here is the problem - i have 240 GB one in laptop and I would also like another 240 GB for my desktop. But I am thinking of getting 480 GB for laptop, solely for future laptop purposes and then moving this one to desktop.

Now the $300 question is - do I get msata for future compatibility and get a case/adapter for current laptop or? Do these adapters work well? (current laptop needs regular sata). Because if I am buying 480 GB, i will definetly move it to new laptop in the "near" future.

 

[knitoe]

Looking to buy a 3TB hard drive, but I'm not sure which is the most reliable. Hoping to buy from Newegg, but I'm willing to sacrifice as long as the HDD is good. Any recommendations?

Best is probably the WD Black. Then, either WB Red or HGST Deskstar. Follow by Seagate. Avoid the WD Green.

 

[forrest]

CPUs will downclock when power is not needed. That is totally normal. If you want to see it's max speed, you need to run something processor intensive, like Prime95.

And, don't care about idle temps. Unless, it's crazy high. 30C is fine. Instead, look at temps at max load.

I already posted my max temps at load / setting and someone asked about the idle temps so that is why I'm posting them. Scroll up and see my previous post about the cpu seemingly running hot. I would appreciate any and all insight. thanks!

 

[Bananajama]

Last ditch bid to my deposit back before proceeding via small claims

Hnng so annoying - should be ordering this weekend.

 

[kennah]

Looking to buy a 3TB hard drive, but I'm not sure which is the most reliable. Hoping to buy from Newegg, but I'm willing to sacrifice as long as the HDD is good. Any recommendations?

The only reliable hard drive is two hard drives with the same data

 

[knitoe]

I already posted my max temps at load / setting and someone asked about the idle temps so that is why I'm posting them. Scroll up and see my previous post about the cpu seemingly running hot. I would appreciate any and all insight. thanks!

From the reviews, the Cooler Master GeminII M4 is kinda crap for overclocking. You are going to need lower your OC speed and/or use less cpu core voltages to get the temps down. Otherwise, get a better cooler.

 

[Krauser Kat]

current spec
2500k 4.5ghz Noctua
16gb 1333
Ati 4890 1gb

I need a new graphics card. Hopefully something that will last me awhile. Budget is around 200-250.
do i get a 270x with 4gb or 280x with 2gb. Or spend a little extra and get a 290 with 4gb.

 

[kennah]

Save a little more and get a 970 or find a smoking good deal on a 290

 

[Krauser Kat]

i think i decided im going for the 290. Now to look out for a deal.

 

[Oveja Negra]

Dear Gaffers, can you help me with my new build?

First, I'll be using this new PC to work from my home. I'll be doing electronic engineering projects so besides the typical internet searching and Office, I'll be using AutoCAD a lot. Also, for PLC programming I'll be using VMWare software (which asks for like 6-8 GB in order to work great). I don't plan to game too much really, since the only game I'm interested in is Half-Life 3 (yeah... you can laugh at my if you want).

I want a PC as small and quiet as possible. A mini-ITX config looks great to me.

My desired configuration:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K Processor (already bought it, it's on it's way to my home).
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Impact.
RAM: I need 16 GB, most probably in a low profile form factor due to the lack of space in a mini-ITX case. The Asus mobo supports 2 x DIMM, Max. 16GB, DDR3 3000(O.C.)/2933(O.C.)/2800(O.C.)/2666(O.C.)/2600(O.C.)/2400(O.C.)/2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600/1333 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory.
HDD: I'll use a Kingston Hyper X 256 GB SSD that I already have in my hands, and a 4 TB Western Digital HDD.
VGA: I need help here, since I don't know what to choose, GTX 980 4 GB or GTX 970 4 GB. My main concern here is noise, as I said, I want the system to be as silent as possible. Even if I don't need all that power, I'm choosing a new generation card cause I don't want to upgrade my system... ever.
Case: I already have a Bitfenix Prodigy but I'm really tempted to sell it to get the Thermaltake Core V1, it just has the most perfect size for me. I discovered just a couple of hours ago and I'm in love with it.
PSU: I think I'll go with a Seasonic X Series (everyone is saying those are super silent). What would be the best choice?: SeaSonic 650W Power Supply X650 SS-650KM3, SeaSonic 750W Power Supply X750 Gold, Seasonic X-850(SS-850KM Active PFC F3) 850W 80 Plus Gold ATX12V/EPS12V Power Supply

I think I'll be using the stock cpu cooler for now until I have a proper view of the space left to upgrade to something more efficient/silent. Maybe something like Corsair Hydro Series Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler H80i is a good option? We'll see.

I need two monitors. I was in love with the Dell UltraSharp 24 - U2414H mainly because its tiny bezel and reputation of delivering a very crisp image (I'll be doing a lot of reading and making/changing drawings), until I did some research and found some reviews saying it has a serious issue with Display Port (the monitors stop receiving any signal in a random basis, forcing the users to unplug the cables, restart the computer, etc. only to end with very same problem).

I think I'll go with an Asus, but which model? so far, my candidates:

ASUS VG248QE 24-inch LED-lit Monitor 144Hz refresh rate 1ms pixel response time & 3D capable
ASUS PA248Q 24-Inch LED-Lit IPS Professional Graphics Monitor
ASUS VS278Q-P Ultrafast 1ms 27-Inch LED-Lit Monitor

Any help will be appreciated

Cheers and thanks in advance!

Any advice?

PS: Sorry for the autoquote, I promise it will be the only one, but I really need to build this new PC ASAP.

 

[Felix Lighter]

I already posted my max temps at load / setting and someone asked about the idle temps so that is why I'm posting them. Scroll up and see my previous post about the cpu seemingly running hot. I would appreciate any and all insight. thanks!

Can you try Prime95 instead of Intel Burn Test out of curiosity for 15-20 minutes (as long as the temps don't sky rocket again)? If I remember correctly Intel Burn Test is particularly brutal. Prime95 is way more load than a typical PC will ever experience. The cooler isn't super high performance but if it can keep acceptable temps using Prime95, I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[zero shift]

So I did more tests with tweaking around the settings a bit:

4.2GHZ
.96 - 1.376V (1.384V Peak)
64C 72C 72C 67C

4.4GHZ
.96 - 1.376V~1.384V (1.384V Peak)
66C 73C 74C 69C

4.5GHZ
.96 - 1.384V (1.392V Peak) *was 1.392 for the first three minutes a lot of the time, but then stayed down to 1.384 to never rise up again during the whole test
67C 74C 75C 70C

4.6GHZ

.96- 1.4V (1.408 Peak)
68C 75C 77C 72C


Looking at this I think I will go with 4.5GHZ. However, I am still not sure what the "danger" voltage level is. Browsing around the internet I hear people say anything from 1.39v to 1.55.v. It reminds me of the CPU temperature debate.

Also, about my CPUTIN, I ran the computer at default settings and the CPUTIN's temperature and behavior mirrored what it was for all of the OC settings. Bad sensor?

 

[forrest]

Can you try Prime95 instead of Intel Burn Test out of curiosity for 15-20 minutes (as long as the temps don't sky rocket again)? If I remember correctly Intel Burn Test is particularly brutal. Prime95 is way more load than a typical PC will ever experience. The cooler isn't super high performance but if it can keep acceptable temps using Prime95, I wouldn't be too worried.

Currently have the cpu at 4.0GHz @ 1.2V running Prime95 for roughly 45mins. Both cores are averaging high 70C's with one core tipping into 80C-81C every now and then.

 

[The Llama]

Currently have the cpu at 4.0GHz @ 1.2V running Prime95 for roughly 45mins. Both cores are averaging high 70C's with one core tipping into 80C-81C every now and then.

That's fine. Up to you if you want to try to increase the frequency a little more or try to lower the voltage a bit. I wouldn't really increase the voltage past that though, only a very little.

 

[paskowitz]

Any advice?

PS: Sorry for the autoquote, I promise it will be the only one, but I really need to build this new PC ASAP.

For the GPU, I have an MSI GTX 980 TF and love it. Runs cool and quiet. If have the money, and can find it in Stock, I highly recommend it. I would also invest in some good case fans and maybe even one for your CPU cooler once you get it, the stock one will be loud.

 

[Bumhat]

This a great setup.

Until DDR4 drops in price and stacked VRAM is ready there will be little reason to hold off on building a, current, solidly spec'ed rug. At least in my opinion.

Only thing I would change is possibly waiting until blackfriday/cyber Monday to get some better deals.

Thanks for the advice! I'm glad it's looking like a solid setup, it's been so long since I last upgraded that I'd completely lost touch with current PC hardware until a few months ago. Cheers for all the help GAF!

 

[FJ0372]

ahh tried everything and my computer won't start, anyone know where to buy a good but cheap LGA 1366 motherboard in the UK?

Thanks

 

[Oveja Negra]

For the GPU, I have an MSI GTX 980 TF and love it. Runs cool and quiet. If have the money, and can find it in Stock, I highly recommend it. I would also invest in some good case fans and maybe even one for your CPU cooler once you get it, the stock one will be loud.

Thank you, paskowitz. Money is not an issue, so if I can find it via Amazon, I think I'll be buying that MSI.

Thanks for the advice about the stock cooler.

 

[Crisium]

current spec
2500k 4.5ghz Noctua
16gb 1333
Ati 4890 1gb

I need a new graphics card. Hopefully something that will last me awhile. Budget is around 200-250.
do i get a 270x with 4gb or 280x with 2gb. Or spend a little extra and get a 290 with 4gb.

Definitely spend a little more for the 290. There have been a few sales in that range, and even if not right now they are close.

 

[afternoon delight]

Welp, a friend of mine told me how much he saved buying parts on Black Friday so it looks like I'm finally purchasing my rig. I've watched others and customized part orders but this is my first dedicated build- I'm excited to learn such a valuable skill.

Priorities
- Play games like The Witcher 3 and Alien Isolation with good settings.
- Emulate the PS2/GC era with ease.
- Introduce me to 1080 era gaming (still stuck in 720 land, finally ready to see next gen)
- No need to overclock, I'm easily amused.

Not that big of a deviation from the recommended spreadsheet- which is gold.

Intel i5-4690 3.5GHz
16GB RAM (2x8GB)
GTX 970 4GB
512GB SSD
Windows 8.1

Sound okay fellow citizens? You people are wonderful, I've been lurking this thread a long time.

 

[j0hnny_385]

Welp, a friend of mine told me how much he saved buying parts on Black Friday so it looks like I'm finally purchasing my rig. I've watched others and customized part orders but this is my first dedicated build- I'm excited to learn such a valuable skill.

Priorities
- Play games like The Witcher 3 and Alien Isolation with good settings.
- Emulate the PS2/GC era with ease.
- Introduce me to 1080 era gaming (still stuck in 720 land, finally ready to see next gen)
- No need to overclock, I'm easily amused.

Not that big of a deviation from the recommended spreadsheet- which is gold.

Intel i5-4690 3.5GHz
16GB RAM (2x8GB)
GTX 970 4GB
512GB SSD
Windows 8.1

Sound okay fellow citizens? You people are wonderful, I've been lurking this thread a long time.

Sweet.
You don't need 16GB RAM, though.

 

[mauinho]

Time to face it... I ain't got a clue how to put all this together.

only the 970 and the h240x left to arrive.
Im like a kid with a new toy

Thank you my fellow Gaffers.

I'll report once I get it up and running.

 

[RedSwirl]

I need a new router.
The legendary Linksys WRT54GL has become too slow (802.11g) for my house and I need to upgrade.
Currently I'm looking at: Linksys WRT1900AC or ASUS RT-AC87U router.

Any recommendations?

WRT1900AC will get open source firmware down the line, while ASUS does seem like a mighty beast already.
They're both priced around the same here in the EU.

edit: or should I go for the cheaper RT-AC68U that fully supports DDWRT?

I'd like some advice on this too.

Oh, and do receiving devices have to have some new hardware to be AC-compatible?

Time to face it... I ain't got a clue how to put all this together.

only the 970 and the h240x left to arrive.
Im like a kid with a new toy

Thank you my fellow Gaffers.

I'll report once I get it up and running.

I have that exact same wireless card, and it get's absolutely terrible reception from my router. Then again I'm probably farther away from my router than most people are to theirs.

 

[xBladeM6x]

How long does it take to RMA through EVGA? I believe I have hit a point where I need to RMA the 980, and can't decide between Newegg (where I bought it), or just contacting EVGA.

 

[jayTOH]

Should I be wary of ordering a motherboard that has gotten bad reviews recently because of batteries dying or arriving DOA? I've decided on a build that essentially follows the "great" build in Haz's spreadsheet (amazing work!!), but both MOBOs (Z97 Pro4 and GA-Z97X-SLI) seem to have had these problems within the past week or so. I was thinking about instead going with a mATX board (Z97m Pro4, specifically) since it's cheaper, has no terrible reviews, and because I don't think I need the extra PCI-e slots; this opens up the option of getting a smaller (and cheaper?) case, too.

Here is the current build, in case it can help:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.93 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($164.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool STEAM CASTLE (WHITE) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $548.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-03 14:16 EST-0500

I should also note that I have a power supply already and that the case above is just one out of (so, so) many I still have to choose between. Thanks!

 

[Ieu]

Personally I'd never touch an ASrock mobo even if it had a good review since being burnt the first time...

 

[LilJoka]

So I followed everybodys advice. I opened up CPUZ to look at the voltage and realtemp to look at the core temperatures while testing Small FFTs in Prime 95 for five minutes each.

My results:

4.2GHZ
.96 - 1.376V (1.384V Peak)
64C 72C 72C 67C

4.4GHZ
.96 - 1.376V~1.384V (1.384V Peak)
66C 73C 74C 69C

4.5GHZ
.96 - 1.384V (1.392V Peak)
68C 75C 76C 72C


4.6GHZ

1.4V - 1.43v |||DANGER|||

The lowest number is the lowest average number the CPU voltage displayed when hardly in use. The highest is the number it often stayed in during the stress test. The peak is the highest number it ever was during the stress test (often flashing by once in a while or for a few seconds every blue moon). The "~" is for something that constantly fluctuated between the two values during the test. I had to lower my CPU Offset Voltage by 0.005 each time until I ended up with -0.015. 4.6GHZ won't even run on anything less than -.0005 voltage and I didn't test it too long as I felt that 1.4V was a little too high as people commented that it gets unsafe at that level.

Out of these, what would you people recommend? I am leaning toward 4.5GHZ.

I'll ask more questions tomorrow about other ways I can change my voltage with my motherboard outside of messing with the "CPU Offset Voltage" option.



Kind of confused by this but I'll look more into it tomorrow.

Those are the lowest Vcore needed for stability? Because it still seems like a lot of Vcore to me. I used 1.35v to get 4.5Ghz on my 3960x which is a hexcore sandy bridge architecture, you should need less than that.

Keep lowering the Vcore until you cant pass 10min Prime95. Then post the data. Feel free to use a bigger than 0.005v negative offset - this will reduce the Vcore.

 

[garath]

I'd like some advice on this too.

Oh, and do receiving devices have to have some new hardware to be AC-compatible?



I have that exact same wireless card, and it get's absolutely terrible reception from my router. Then again I'm probably farther away from my router than most people are to theirs.

I need a new router.
The legendary Linksys WRT54GL has become too slow (802.11g) for my house and I need to upgrade.
Currently I'm looking at: Linksys WRT1900AC or ASUS RT-AC87U router.

Any recommendations?

WRT1900AC will get open source firmware down the line, while ASUS does seem like a mighty beast already.
They're both priced around the same here in the EU.

edit: or should I go for the cheaper RT-AC68U that fully supports DDWRT?

I have an Asus RT-N66U. You guys are looking at updated versions of this. I can't recommend it enough. It has been the most reliable router out of the box I've owned yet. Great signal, great built in firmware.

 

[Azzurri]

Slowly but surely getting my parts.

Have the eVGA 1000 G2 (got it for 90 brand new), Corsair Air 240, Crucial MX1000 512SSD.

Just waiting until Gigiabyte releases their mATX x99 soonish.

 

[The Llama]

I have an Asus RT-N66U. You guys are looking at updated versions of this. I can't recommend it enough. It has been the most reliable router out of the box I've owned yet. Great signal, great built in firmware.

Yeah, I have an Asus routers and my parents have one as well, and they've been rock solid. Love Asus routers.

 

[Demon Lizardman]

Time to face it... I ain't got a clue how to put all this together.

only the 970 and the h240x left to arrive.
Im like a kid with a new toy

Thank you my fellow Gaffers.

I'll report once I get it up and running.

Oh shit son, I had a friend help me with setting mine up. Do you know of any people who could help you put yours together?

 

[zero shift]

Those are the lowest Vcore needed for stability? Because it still seems like a lot of Vcore to me. I used 1.35v to get 4.5Ghz on my 3960x which is a hexcore sandy bridge architecture, you should need less than that.

Keep lowering the Vcore until you cant pass 10min Prime95. Then post the data. Feel free to use a bigger than 0.005v negative offset - this will reduce the Vcore.

I already have it at negative 0.015v offset. If I put it lower it flashes red on BIOS (prior selecting it). If I lower the offset by more than negative 0.005 on 4.6 or higher, it doesn't boot to windows or it freezes right away or it BSODs. Maybe there are some other settings I can mess with?

If I leave it as it is though for the 4.5GHZ setting is that okay?