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"I Need a New PC!" 2014 Part 2. Read OP, your 2500K will run Witcher 3. MX100s! 970!

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paolo11

paolo11

Member
appaws said:
Go back to the PSU I suggested to you on the previous page, or choose a fully modular one. You really want fully modular instead of semi-modular in a small form factor build.

I always stick to low profile RAM. but I suppose it makes less difference if you are using an AIO instead of an air cooler.

Otherwise I think that will be a pretty kick ass machine for you.
Click to expand...


Like this? Opinions?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xVytrH
 
H

Hey_Blinkin

Member
My 6ish year old PC that I passed off to my nephew is refusing to power on. The light on the back of the tower and the light on the motherboard are on but the power button just isn't doing anything. Being that I know nothing about PCs I'm just looking to replace it for him.

The specs on it were:
I7-920 @ 2.6
4gb ram
HD 4850 512mb

Is it possible to find a PC tower capable of playing modern games at $500? I'm not against it being used.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
Moobabe said:
Wit's end.

I bought an R9 280 to replace my old ATI card. i was having a fair amount of BSOD (all graphics related) so I bit the bullet and bought it.

I uninstalled old drivers, cleared all that stuff off and installed the new card and update to the latest drivers. I turned the resolution up to 1920x1080 to find a bunch of horizontal lines across my monitor - but ONLY at that resolution. Also now I'm running on the in built graphics (at the same resolution) with no lines - leading me to believe it's an ATI/graphics/driver error.

I'm still having occasional lockups, though the BSOD has subsided. I turn my PC on today to find error code 31 - telling me that my PC isn't recognising my card, or that there's been a driver problem.

I'm on the verge of sending the card back, clearing any and all ATI shit off my PC and going nvidia. But before I do - can anyone tell me why I shouldn't? Or does all of this point to graphics and driver issues?
Click to expand...

After uninstalling the old drivers are you using Driver Sweeper in safe mode to get rid of whatever's left? Also, is reformatting an option?
 
O

opticalmace

Member
appaws said:
Wow. You can build a killer machine for that. So, figuring that is about $2200 USA dollars, you could do something like this:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/yM6pFT
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/yM6pFT/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($328.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H240-X 90.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($169.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII FORMULA ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($306.55 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($203.20 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 780T ATX Full Tower Case ($174.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2133.68
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-09 13:33 EST-0500

You will be the envy of your friends and most gaffers.

I threw the 2TB red in there as more of a long-term storage thing, while you would put your OS and games on the SSD. The case is of course a personal taste thing. I think the new 780T is pretty bad ass, but an Enthoo case or something like that would work fine of course.

As for the CPU cooler, watch this video of the destruction it rains down on other AIO CPU coolers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYKdKVxbnp8&list=UUCcDWx7QLF_L4D7TNrsljJA
Click to expand...
Can't say I really agree with this build. A 4790 when your budget is >$2k, a $300 Z97 motherboard, $170 cooler, 1000W PSU? Doesn't make sense to me.

I would definitely go X99 with that budget..
 
L

LordAlu

Member
opticalmace said:
Can't say I really agree with this build. A 4790 when your budget is >$2k, a $300 Z97 motherboard, $170 cooler, 1000W PSU? Doesn't make sense to me.

I would definitely go X99 with that budget..
Click to expand...

The Llama said:
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. X99+GTX 980.
Click to expand...
Agreed, something more like this would be a better use of such a budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($419.89 @ DirectCanada)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($62.98 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-GAMING 5 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($291.90 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($284.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($115.98 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Toshiba Product Series:DT01ACA 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($78.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($648.95 @ Vuugo)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($107.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $2216.63
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-09 15:11 EST-0500

Leaves you some wiggle room in the budget for anything else or for anything you'd like to add (like a bigger SSD for example) and to get a good mouse and mechanical keyboard.
 
B

Bananajama

Banned
Planning of haggling with a company who haven't moved the price on an ex-demo system in some while as I'm watching my pennies as I intend to go backpacking

Thinking £500 a fair price? Currently up for an excessive £900

System Specification
- Case: Bitfenix Prodigy Mini ITX Case - White
- Power Supply: OCZ ZS Series 750W PSU
- CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.40GHz Ivybridge Processor
- Motherboard: Asrock Z77E-ITX Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 mini ITX Motherboard
- Cooler: OcUK H2 Flo Extreme CPU Cooler
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance White 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual

Channel Kit
- Solid State Primary Drive: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB SSD
- Hard Drive: Seagate 1TB HDD
- Graphics Card: KFA2 Nvidia GTX 680 2GB
- Optical Drive: Hitachi Blu-Ray Reader / DVD±RW Drive - OEM
 
M

Moobabe

Member
opticalmace said:
After uninstalling the old drivers are you using Driver Sweeper in safe mode to get rid of whatever's left? Also, is reformatting an option?
Click to expand...

I'm going to reformat first - I haven't done a clean install for a while so I'll give that a shot.

If not then I'll send the card back - I have until the end of November
 
X

XBP

Member
appaws said:
Wow. You can build a killer machine for that. So, figuring that is about $2200 USA dollars, you could do something like this
Click to expand...

LordAlu said:
Agreed, something more like this would be a better use of such a budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
Leaves you some wiggle room in the budget for anything else or for anything you'd like to add (like a bigger SSD for example) and to get a good mouse and mechanical keyboard.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the replies guys. So this is a build that I came up with yesterday. Its rather different from yours so I'm not sure if it'll be good enough or not

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/n692Bm


Some things to note:

1. I'm getting everything from NCIX Canada which is why I went with that RAM (only that is available for a somewhat decent price). Not sure if 4x4GB or 2x (2x4GB) makes a difference or not.

2. I went with the GTX 970 because i plan on adding a second card in a few months. Although I'm not sure if it would be smart to wait for 8GB versions of it?

3. You guys chose a much smaller power supply. Would those be enough for a SLI setup in the future?
 
T

The Llama

Member
XBP said:
Thanks a lot for the replies guys. So this is a build that I came up with yesterday. Its rather different from yours so I'm not sure if it'll be good enough or not

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/n692Bm


Some things to note:

1. I'm getting everything from NCIX Canada which is why I went with that RAM (only that is available for a somewhat decent price). Not sure if 4x4GB or 2x (2x4GB) makes a difference or not.

2. I went with the GTX 970 because i plan on adding a second card in a few months. Although I'm not sure if it would be smart to wait for 8GB versions of it?

3. You guys chose a much smaller power supply. Would those be enough for a SLI setup in the future?
Click to expand...

You don't need anywhere near that level of power supply for anything except maybe quad SLI... and even then its probably excessive. You'd be fine with a good quality 750W for SLI 970's or 980's.
 
O

OrlanisWorks

Banned
appaws said:
Yes. The G3258 is easy to put a decent overclock on. Just use a good CPU cooler. It does not have to be super-expensive....something like the CM 212 Evo will do a good job. Those 2 overclocked Haswell cores are just much better than what is in the FX-6300. Number of cores is not always a good way to look at things....especially for gaming because so very few games are coded for using lots of cores. So the high IPC of a Haswell and the high clock are more important.

A good example (to be really technical) is the Clausewitz engine from Paradox. Very CPU bound games for sure....moving all those millions of units around....but entirely single-threaded....

Yeah, it also leaves you with a good upgrade path because a Z97 board will allow you to drop in a Broadwell i5 or i7 when they come out.
Click to expand...

Ok. I can fit a cooler in my budget. And having that little room for upgrade on the CPU front will be fantastic. Many thanks for your advice, appaws.
 
appaws

appaws

Banned
opticalmace said:
Can't say I really agree with this build. A 4790 when your budget is >$2k, a $300 Z97 motherboard, $170 cooler, 1000W PSU? Doesn't make sense to me.

I would definitely go X99 with that budget..
Click to expand...

The Llama said:
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. X99+GTX 980.
Click to expand...

LordAlu said:
Agreed, something more like this would be a better use of such a budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($419.89 @ DirectCanada)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($62.98 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-GAMING 5 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($291.90 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($284.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($115.98 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Toshiba Product Series:DT01ACA 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($78.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($648.95 @ Vuugo)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($107.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $2216.63
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-09 15:11 EST-0500

Leaves you some wiggle room in the budget for anything else or for anything you'd like to add (like a bigger SSD for example) and to get a good mouse and mechanical keyboard.
Click to expand...

I'll defend it. I didn't see the necessity of going X99 for a primarily gaming system...even with a nice, big budget. The i7 Devil's Canyon is a great fast part, and I am not sure how much gain you will see from that E CPU. Also 300 bucks on DDR4 RAM in a primarily gaming machine....I don't think that is a good direction.

That motherboard is just top-notch, and the guy is dropping a lot of coin, so I don't see a problem with spending $300 bucks on a motherboard. He is looking for high-end kit, after all. The suggested X99 mobo from LordAlu is also $300 bucks.

The CPU cooler is a steal at $150 bucks. Remember this guy is an enthusiast with a big budget....That Swiftech unit blows everything else away, go read about it. And it is expandable. For most, that would not enter the calculation, but this kid has enthusiast tendencies. Yes, if he was budget constrained I would never have mentioned it. (Notice I've never suggested it to anyone else.)

He specifically mentioned SLI, so I put in the 2 970s instead of a single 980.

Also, the PSU. The guy specifically mentioned expandability and upgrades, not to mention multi-GPU setups....so I erred on the side of caution and recommended a high-end unit....but it fits in the budget. I think the whole concept of "overkill" gets used too much...especially when we are talking about someone who is dropping large coin.

The Case. I did say that cases were personal and he could sub in whatever he thought best. The Enthoo Pro would be a fine choice.
 
X

XBP

Member
The Llama said:
You don't need anywhere near that level of power supply for anything except maybe quad SLI... and even then its probably excessive. You'd be fine with a good quality 750W for SLI 970's or 980's.
Click to expand...

Is everything else in that build ok though? I'm not sure if that RAM and CPU cooler are good enough.

Thanks a lot for helping me with this.
 
appaws

appaws

Banned
XBP said:
Is everything else in that build ok though? I'm not sure if that RAM and CPU cooler are good enough.

Thanks a lot for helping me with this.
Click to expand...

Let me just also say that these guys also know what they are talking about....we just have a different opinion....you wouldn't go wrong with their suggestions either.
 
L

LilJoka

Member
XBP said:
Is everything else in that build ok though? I'm not sure if that RAM and CPU cooler are good enough.

Thanks a lot for helping me with this.
Click to expand...

What monitor/s do you have, and if you are to buy new ones in the future, what would you want?

Personally i'd go with the x99 build and a single 980, this is mainly because i dont see SLI scaling being consistent in games, so rather stick to the single GPU strategy and sell and upgrade every 1.5-2.5years. The X99 will mean you can pick up a 5960x in the future for 8cores 16threads, itll also be on DDR4 platform, so RAM will be an easy pickup in 2-3years, DDR3 wont be.

If you are running 4K or multi displays then you may want to go the Z97 route, but I see those i7's soon to even become bottlenecks for newer multi GPU setups, some games worse than others, at overclock.net there is someone seeing 80% over 2 290x's on an i7 4970k rig in BF4. Some games will be fine but but since BF4 is more CPU intensive, the GPUs can be held back.

Sometimes more money makes it a harder choice, what you want in terms of experience right now will make it easier to advice you.
 
X

XBP

Member
appaws said:
Let me just also say that these guys also know what they are talking about....we just have a different opinion....you wouldn't go wrong with their suggestions either.
Click to expand...

All of you know 100x more than I do so I really appreciate every input I can get on this. I'm spending that much so that I can get a great system that'll last me a decent amount of time (minus a few things like GPU and RAM). So the more informed decision I can make the better.

LilJoka said:
What monitor/s do you have, and if you are to buy new ones in the future, what would you want?

Personally i'd go with the x99 build and a single 980, this is mainly because i dont see SLI scaling being consistent in games, so rather stick to the single GPU strategy and sell and upgrade every 1.5-2.5years. The X99 will mean you can pick up a 5960x in the future for 8cores 16threads, itll also be on DDR4 platform, so RAM will be an easy pickup in 2-3years, DDR3 wont be.

If you are running 4K or multi displays then you may want to go the Z97 route, but I see those i7's soon to even become bottlenecks for newer multi GPU setups, some games worse than others, at overclock.net there is someone seeing 80% over 2 290x's on an i7 4970k rig in BF4. Some games will be fine but but since BF4 is more CPU intensive, the GPUs can be held back.

Sometimes more money makes it a harder choice, what you want in terms of experience right now will make it easier to advice you.
Click to expand...


Right now I have a LG 23MP75HM (1080p , 60HZ) monitor but i plan on getting something else in 1-2 years (most probably a 4K display or multi monitor). Right now though I plan on downsampling most games to get the most out of that monitor.
 
I

Iacobellis

Junior Member
jfoul said:
Which Rosewill PSU did you buy? Hive is made by Sirtech and a good unit. Capstone is made by Super Flower which is up there with Seasonic.
Click to expand...

750 watt HIVE. It was considerably cheaper than the HALE90 and included fully sleeved cables that would look better in my S340.

I was trying to keep my build under $1000 (didn't purchase a 970 yet) before peripherals, so Corsair was out of the question for me.

Also, would I need an aftermarket cooling solution if I want to overclock my future GPU? I know it's basically essential for the CPU.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
appaws said:
I'll defend it. I didn't see the necessity of going X99 for a primarily gaming system...even with a nice, big budget. The i7 Devil's Canyon is a great fast part, and I am not sure how much gain you will see from that E CPU. Also 300 bucks on DDR4 RAM in a primarily gaming machine....I don't think that is a good direction.

That motherboard is just top-notch, and the guy is dropping a lot of coin, so I don't see a problem with spending $300 bucks on a motherboard. He is looking for high-end kit, after all. The suggested X99 mobo from LordAlu is also $300 bucks.

The CPU cooler is a steal at $150 bucks. Remember this guy is an enthusiast with a big budget....That Swiftech unit blows everything else away, go read about it. And it is expandable. For most, that would not enter the calculation, but this kid has enthusiast tendencies. Yes, if he was budget constrained I would never have mentioned it. (Notice I've never suggested it to anyone else.)

He specifically mentioned SLI, so I put in the 2 970s instead of a single 980.

Also, the PSU. The guy specifically mentioned expandability and upgrades, not to mention multi-GPU setups....so I erred on the side of caution and recommended a high-end unit....but it fits in the budget. I think the whole concept of "overkill" gets used too much...especially when we are talking about someone who is dropping large coin.

The Case. I did say that cases were personal and he could sub in whatever he thought best. The Enthoo Pro would be a fine choice.
Click to expand...
If he wants the system to last him 4-5 years I think X99 is a better choice just for future proofing, and it's really not that much more. The cooler still doesn't make sense to me because he said he only wants to do mild overclocking (10-15%). Might as well use that money elsewhere.

A 1000W PSU is way more than you think. Even 3-way 980 SLI has tons of headroom on a unit like that, using about 600W for the entire system (http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_980_sli_review,4.html).

If it were me I would build a nice single GPU X99 machine for well under that $2500 CAD budget, save the difference, and then get a nice new 144hz/Gsync monitor next year.
 
paolo11

paolo11

Member
Ok, final build. Your thoughts for this Steambox on TV:


http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Paolo11/saved/KGrp99

Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor

Cooler Master Seidon 120V 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler

Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard

Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory

Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive

Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive

EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card

BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case

XFX XTR 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)

Any changes I need to make? Price is estimated $1500.
 
V

Vulcano's assistant

Banned
paolo11 said:
Ok, final build. Your thoughts for this Steambox on TV:


http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Paolo11/saved/KGrp99

Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor

Cooler Master Seidon 120V 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler

Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard

Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory

Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive

Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive

EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card

BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case

XFX XTR 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)

Any changes I need to make? Price is estimated $1500.
Click to expand...

Buy this PSU instead because it is in a special offer right now in newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438018&Tpk=17-438-018
 
L

LilJoka

Member
paolo11 said:
Ok, final build. Your thoughts for this Steambox on TV:


http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Paolo11/saved/KGrp99

Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor

Cooler Master Seidon 120V 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler

Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard

Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory

Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive

Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive

EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card

BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case

XFX XTR 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)

Any changes I need to make? Price is estimated $1500.
Click to expand...

What about this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($309.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($116.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($586.13 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 (White) Mini ITX Tower Case ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1510.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-09 18:55 EST-0500

Would actually recommend going with the MSI 970 and overclocking it, will match the 980 for a lot less money.
Im surprised you dont mind having a large case in the living room. Prodigy is easily an mATX sized chassis. 26.5 Liters vs 19.6 Liters.
 
Q

Quixzlizx

Member
I'm really torn at the moment, and I was hoping for some advice. My Asus G53SW laptop's power-in jack finally died a few weeks ago, after being on its last legs for a couple of months before that. My desktop is an i7-860 with an ATI 5770. I rarely use my desktop just because I prefer using my laptop around the apartment, but I don't really game much outside.

So I'm trying to figure out whether I should just keep my current desktop and get a new gaming laptop, or build a new desktop and use some sort of streaming solution like Steam to play the games on a cheaper laptop. What I really want is a laptop in the $1000-1200 pricerange with a 960m, but I have no idea when those are coming out, and the 970m laptops are a little too rich for my blood, considering I mostly play indie games, strategy games, and Diablo-likes when it comes to PC gaming. And even if I go with the streaming solution, I'm not going to want to cheap out with a POS laptop, so I feel like I'm going to end up spending a ton of money anyway. I have no idea what to do, lol.
 
J

JoeyJungle

Banned
So I'm thinking about building a new PC, I'll probably have enough extra cash around march or april for it to be really tempting. I've waited a long time to upgrade cause I haven't had any problems playing games on lower settings (my current computer plays most games fine at 720p or 900p on medium settings), but newer games (The Evil Within especially) just don't run on my PC at a playable fps. Before I upgrade, I was just wondering what the future landscape is going to look like in terms of motherboard compatibility. Like I know DDR4 is basically 14~ months away from entering the consumer market, and the first DDR4 ram is probably not going to be benchmark extremely impressively against DDR3 ram. But if I want to upgrade to DDR4 down the line, I'll most likely need a new mobo.

What I don't know is if this is true for graphics cards and processors as well. I'll probably be getting an intel processor, and I know that the ivy bridge/haswell/etc. processor were mostly upgrades in terms of power consumption and weren't huge leaps in most benchmarks. Is there any new processor coming out soon that's expect to be awesome and will be a different socket than the current line of processors?

And is PCI-E still going strong?

I'm kinda paranoid about this cause the last computer I built had an athlon 2500+ and a radeon 9600xt, which were really awesome at the time (the 9600 was basically like a gtx 970 of 2003 or whenever it came out), but when it came time to upgrade I had a mobo with a socket that wasn't compatible with the new CPUs and new GPUs used PCI-E instead of AGP so I basically needed to build an entirely new PC. I'm fine with upgrading a part every couple years but I'm not a fan of replacing the entire thing after ~4 years. :\

Anyway, I'm just trying to find out more about the landscape as someone who loosely follows PC hardware. Also, would it be a good idea to wait for 8GB GPUs to become mainstream? Is that just around the corner or still 2+ years out unless you buy a Titan?
 
V

Vardhan

Member
I have been looking to buy a prebuilt PC (Steambox) for the TV for a while now, and I have come across the VenomX SYBER.

Unfortunately, I cannot figure out what components I should be choosing for the console. I don't know jack about specs. Basically I have only ever played games on a laptop.

I want to know what setup for the SYBER would be cheapest, at the same time, play current gen games (as in The Witcher 3) at 1080 60fps maximum. I don't care about 4K or above 60fps.

TL;DR: I want a VenomX SYBER that can play next gen games at 1080 60fps but I don't want to pay over 2 grand. Please advise what components I should be choosing.
 
V

Vulcano's assistant

Banned
Vardhan said:
I have been looking to buy a prebuilt PC (Steambox) for the TV for a while now, and I have come across the VenomX SYBER.

Unfortunately, I cannot figure out what components I should be choosing for the console. I don't know jack about specs. Basically I have only ever played games on a laptop.

I want to know what setup for the SYBER would be cheapest, at the same time, play current gen games (as in The Witcher 3) at 1080 60fps maximum. I don't care about 4K or above 60fps.

TL;DR: I want a VenomX SYBER that can play next gen games at 1080 60fps but I don't want to pay over 2 grand. Please advise what components I should be choosing.
Click to expand...

The $1499 model is a good starting point.

For something cheaper I'm going to assume you are not overclocking (because they don't offer other heatsinks anyway). First choose the $1499 model and make these changes:

1) CPU --> Intel® Core™ i7-4790 3.60 GHz 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1150

2) Mobo --> ASRock H81m-ITX Wi-Fi 802.11 w/ USB 3+ SATA 6GB/s GbLAN, 1 Gen3 PCIe x16

3) RAM --> if you want to take advantage of the veteran's day offer and get the 2133mhz

4) GPU --> EVGA ACX Cooler NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB

5) the ubisoft free game that you should get with your GPU

6) PSU -->

7) HD --> 256GB ADATA SP610 SSD + 1TB SATA III Hard Drive Combo

total after that: $1408
 
S

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
Well, I'm really starting to get pissed off at my PC.

The USB ports keeps losing connection, reconnecting, then freezing at times.

It's not a motherboard issue, nor a CPU

The two work fine on another pc too.

So it has to be a casing or power supply.

Am I batting in the correct park?


And also, is there by any chance a way to recover data from a HDD then got reformat it looks like? My mom's asking me to see what I can do, but I told her nothing.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
shintoki said:
Well, I'm really starting to get pissed off at my PC.

The USB ports keeps losing connection, reconnecting, then freezing at times.

It's not a motherboard issue, nor a CPU

The two work fine on another pc too.

So it has to be a casing or power supply.

Am I batting in the correct park?


And also, is there by any chance a way to recover data from a HDD then got reformat it looks like? My mom's asking me to see what I can do, but I told her nothing.
Click to expand...

Are these the rear ports or the front ones?
 
L

Lunar15

Member
So GAF, I'm upgrading a decent amount of my components, and I have a few questions about what I should keep or drop.

1. As it is, I have the Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129043. However, I'm thinking about the Phanteks Enthoo Pro. Now my old case had 7 default fans. Would I need to get new, additional fans if I picked up the Phanteks? I hear it only comes with 3.

2. I currently have 8GB of DDR3 1600 1.65V ram (2x4). Do you think it's worth it to upgrade to 16?

3. I currently have the Corsair H50 CPU cooler. As I'm upgrading from an AMD Phenom II x4 to an i5 (maybe an i7), will this thing still do the trick, or should I get a new cooler. What's the benefits to getting a better cooler anyway?

Here's where I'm at on the potential build. Any parts left out are parts I already have and am comfortable with:


  • CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core $229.97
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 $124.98
  • Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX $349.99
 
N

Nocturn

Neo Member
So I'm getting my GTX 970 by mail very soon. I currently have amd CPU and a amd GPU. I use the CCC to overclock my CPU (fx8320). Once I get my GTX will I still be able to use CCC? I don't know how to use bios so I have always depended on CCC's overdrive feature to OC my CPU. If not, are there any alternatives?
 
V

Vulcano's assistant

Banned
Nocturn said:
So I'm getting my GTX 970 by mail very soon. I currently have amd CPU and a amd GPU. I use the CCC to overclock my CPU (fx8320). Once I get my GTX will I still be able to use CCC? I don't know how to use bios so I have always depended on CCC's overdrive feature to OC my CPU. If not, are there any alternatives?
Click to expand...

MSI and EVGA have software to OC nvidia cards, use one of those.

edit: ok, now i got what you mean. I believe you may be able to use them independently, but don't take my word for it.
 
paolo11

paolo11

Member
I have a sudden change of heart.

Quick update. I felt in love with the BitFenix Pandora Core case and I'm willing to go a bit larger. I found out that Micro atx motherboards support SLI as well. I think I need to reconfigure my build.

What's your recommendation? Mandatory GPU is 980GTX (will SLI in the future) with WIFI and case is Bitfenix Pandora. CPU is 4790K.
 
C

Chanser

Member
paolo11 said:
I have a sudden change of heart.

Quick update. I felt in love with the BitFenix Pandora Core case and I'm willing to go a bit larger. I found out that Micro atx motherboards support SLI as well. I think I need to reconfigure my build.

What's your recommendation? Mandatory GPU is 980GTX (will SLI in the future) with WIFI and case is Bitfenix Pandora. CPU is 4790K.
Click to expand...

I use a Silverstone FT03, I do like the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv and Fractal Design Node 804. All of them can do dual gpu solution.
 
appaws

appaws

Banned
paolo11 said:
I have a sudden change of heart.

Quick update. I felt in love with the BitFenix Pandora Core case and I'm willing to go a bit larger. I found out that Micro atx motherboards support SLI as well. I think I need to reconfigure my build.

What's your recommendation? Mandatory GPU is 980GTX (will SLI in the future) with WIFI and case is Bitfenix Pandora. CPU is 4790K.
Click to expand...

Just pick out a nice MicroATX motherboard to go with that case...

I don't think you need to change anything else from what you had before.
 
V

vocab

Member
For ssd's is ahci always recommended? I'm getting an 840 evo probably. I'm upgrading the firmware when I get it. Do I need ahci to get the most out of it? What about the magician software i keep hearing about?
 
R

RGM79

Member
vocab said:
For ssd's is ahci always recommended? I'm getting an 840 evo probably. I'm upgrading the firmware when I get it. Do I need ahci to get the most out of it? What about the magician software i keep hearing about?
Click to expand...

AHCI basically means enhanced features to support hard drives. There's no reason not to use AHCI when possible. Are you installing the OS to the SSD? Simply enabling AHCI in BIOS doesn't always work, it usually involves a bit of hassle, and sometimes requires reinstalling the OS. Samsung Magician supports SSD maintenance and operation, as far as I can tell. There's no reason not to use it. It'll add features to your SSD that you will want.

paolo11 said:
What motherboard would you recommend that supports SLI,HDMI and wifi?
Click to expand...

There don't seem to be any mATX motherboard with built in wifi. It's probably an issue of space constraints - the circuitry for SLI and things like that prevent the addition of wifi, I think. The mITX form factor can have wifi because they don't support features like SLI. If you do go with mATX, then you'll need a USB wifi adaptor, or you can try powerline ethernet. An internal PCI-E wireless adaptor isn't an option because two video cards will block any place for an internal wifi card. For roughly the same price as the GA-Z97N-WIFI, Gigabyte also has the GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5, you can see the comparison here. Reviews seem fine.

If you want more alternatives, there actually aren't a lot of choices to choose from. Here's the list.

Lunar15 said:
So GAF, I'm upgrading a decent amount of my components, and I have a few questions about what I should keep or drop.

1. As it is, I have the Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129043. However, I'm thinking about the Phanteks Enthoo Pro. Now my old case had 7 default fans. Would I need to get new, additional fans if I picked up the Phanteks? I hear it only comes with 3.

2. I currently have 8GB of DDR3 1600 1.65V ram (2x4). Do you think it's worth it to upgrade to 16?

3. I currently have the Corsair H50 CPU cooler. As I'm upgrading from an AMD Phenom II x4 to an i5 (maybe an i7), will this thing still do the trick, or should I get a new cooler. What's the benefits to getting a better cooler anyway?

Here's where I'm at on the potential build. Any parts left out are parts I already have and am comfortable with:


  • CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core $229.97
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 $124.98
  • Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX $349.99
Click to expand...

1. It only comes with two fans, one 200mm fan and one 140mm fan. It's up to you if you need more. You can simply remove fans from your Antec 1200 and install them in the Phanteks case. If you feel that you want quieter fans, that's an option too. Here are some recommendations, although somewhat dated.

2. Depends on your needs and usage. I'd call 4GB an OK minimum, 8GB is enough for most users. I feel that 16GB and more is usually needed for intensive work like video editing and production.

3. The H50 is a decent cooler. It'll work just fine. Better coolers keep the CPU running at low temperatures, stable, and allow for overclocking.
 
V

vocab

Member
RGM79 said:
AHCI basically means enhanced features to support hard drives. There's no reason not to use AHCI when possible. Are you installing the OS to the SSD? Simply enabling AHCI in BIOS doesn't always work, it usually involves a bit of hassle, and sometimes requires reinstalling the OS. Samsung Magician supports SSD maintenance and operation, as far as I can tell. There's no reason not to use it. It'll add features to your SSD that you will want.

.
Click to expand...

Ya, i'll be installing the OS too. I'm aware that enabling ahci after you install windows is dumb. So If I enable it before installing it should be fine?
 
L

Locke Lamora

Member
Yay, finally pulled the trigger on my order. Pretty excited. Upgrading from a Notebook with a Radeon 6970M to a Desktop PC with a new GTX 970 will be huge.

Unfortunately I don't know yet how long I'll have to wait for my complete order to arrive. I went with a MSI GTX 970 in the end but damn, it's really rare - at least in Germany.
 
L

lordfuzzybutt

Member
Locke Lamora said:
Yay, finally pulled the trigger on my order. Pretty excited. Upgrading from a Notebook with a Radeon 6970M to a Desktop PC with a new GTX 970 will be huge.

Unfortunately I don't know yet how long I'll have to wait for my complete order to arrive. I went with a MSI GTX 970 in the end but damn, it's really rare - at least in Germany.
Click to expand...
I went from 5870m to a 970. My brain is melted now.
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
Hey Gaf, how risky is it to transport my desktop fairly regularly? I sometimes stay at my GF's place for days at a time, I was wondering if I'd be risking everything my throwing my desktop in my trunk when I go over now and then.
 
G

garath

Member
Locke Lamora said:
Nice.
People want to play Witcher 3 on Max. The first thing I'll do is play Witcher 2 finally on Max. ^^
Click to expand...

Lol yeah. I'm looking at playing Witcher 3 Med-High. My 460 was a med-low card on Witcher 2. I upgraded to a 660ti and was a solid med.

I'm not expecting any ultra settings for the 970. Witcher 3 will likely push the bar quite a bit.
 
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