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[Katsa]

There aren't any to my knowledge. Smallest you can go is mATX iirc.

Yep, no ITX 2011 boards.
There's a number of very small mATX cases though. Check out the Silverstone SG10.

I've looked and looked, and nothing.

Damn. I love the the Prodigy design, and it took me a while to decide on it. I guess, Prodigy M it is for mATX...thanks guys.

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, not enough physical space on a ITX board to fit all the traces required for it. I mean, think about fitting quad channel memory on one of those boards

 

[Niks]

Question guys.

Was playing Tomb Raider, when suddenly my PC turned off, and now it wont power on.
Dead. The motherboard has a led that lights when it is receiving power.. it wont light up.

Do I have a dead PSU?? How can I check? Could it be something else?

 

[Objectively Bad Opinion]

Question guys.

Was playing Tomb Raider, when suddenly my PC turned off, and now it wont power on.
Dead. The motherboard has a led that lights when it is receiving power.. it wont light up.

Do I have a dead PSU?? How can I check? Could it be something else?

Paperclip test.

 

[LilJoka]

Question guys.

Was playing Tomb Raider, when suddenly my PC turned off, and now it wont power on.
Dead. The motherboard has a led that lights when it is receiving power.. it wont light up.

Do I have a dead PSU?? How can I check? Could it be something else?

Sounds like dead PSU or Mobo.

Test the PSU first, use the paperclip trick to turn the PSU on manually. Make sure to disconnect all PSU cables and flip the switch to off on the back of the PSU first then apply the paperclip.Flip the switch to On on the back of the PSU and see if the PSU fan starts to spin.

What PSU is it?

 

[MMBosstones86]

Have RMA'd two motherboards through them, both were easy. It could be that it was the weekend, and they're just getting caught up today.

Thanks. Actually they just replyed

Spoiler

and were staggeringly unhelpful

so I guess they read GAF.

Thinking about just requesting an RMA instead of going through the typical tech support crap.

 

[mkenyon]

Are you in the US? Use this? http://rma.gigabyte.us/

*edit*

Yeah, just RMA it. Fuck support.

 

[Darktalon]

Hello everyone, looking for case and air cooling advice.

I've got an EVGA GTX 780 TI SC w/ ACX cooler.
Going to be getting a 4790k, I already have Hyper 212+ cpu cooler. I can get a different one if recommended.
PSU is EVGA 850w Supernova g2.
I'm not sure what motherboard yet, but not important to the question.

I plan on overclocking both CPU and GPU.

Looking to get a new case, I don't care what price or size, but I want it to be relatively quiet and great at cooling, I would prefer one that doesn't have LED's or lights, or at least lets me turn them off, this computer will be running 24/7 in my bedroom.


I also would like to know which fans to purchase to go with the case and in what arrangement.

Thank you!

 

[kennah]

Fractal R4. Stock fans until you find them too loud.

 

[tarheel91]

I've currently got a 3570K and a 7950. My eventual plan is to upgrade to Haswell-E in September or whenever it comes out (I use my computer for engineering work in addition to gaming so the additional cores will come in handy). I was trying to wait for a 20nm GPU, but it looks like it's going to be another 9 months or so before it's ready. I'd also like to get the new 34" LG 21:9 1440p monitor, but I don't think the 7950 will be able to play games at that resolution at the frame rate I want. So, I'm now thinking I'll pick up a 290 to tide me over until 20nm and sell my 7950 second hand, add it to my Haswell-E build later, and then wait for 20nm. Thoughts?


Also, think this will cause a reduction in 290/290x prices?
http://videocardz.com/50956/confirmed-amd-launch-hawaii-xtx-gpu

 

[Mrbob]

Newegg has the Sapphire R290 Tri X model back in stock at 379 with a 10 dollar mail in rebate. Took the plunge this time.

 

[Old Gimlet Eyes]

So near final build, need help with my MOBO choice.

Motherboard: Asus Maximus VII Hero or ASRock fatality z97x
CPU: Intel 4790k
GPU: Gigabyte 290x
HDD: Crucial MX100 512gb SSD
PSU: Corsair AX750
RAM: Coarsair vengeance ddr3 16gb (8gbx2)
Case: Corsair carbide air 540
CPU Cooler: Corsair h100i

Any help choosing a mobo would be great and other feedback on the build is very much appreciated.

 

[mkenyon]

So near final build, need help with my MOBO choice.

Motherboard: Asus Maximus VII Hero or ASRock fatality z97x
CPU: Intel 4790k
GPU: Gigabyte 290x
HDD: Crucial MX100 512gb SSD
PSU: Corsair AX750
RAM: Coarsair vengeance ddr3 16gb (8gbx2)
Case: Corsair carbide air 540
CPU Cooler: Corsair h100i

Any help choosing a mobo would be great and other feedback on the build is very much appreciated.

Most coolers will be fine getting you to your realistic OC limit of 4.5-4.8. If you want the H100i because reasons, then by all means.

The AX750 is in a weird spot, because it's too much for your single GPU, but not nearly enough for two of them. I'd go down to a nice 650W unit. Do you want the AX because of single braided cables? If not, I'd suggest something like the Seasonic G series 650, as they're very similar units.

What features do you want on a motherboard? The Gigabyte UD3H is a great board that will give you a no-nonsense build without a bunch of stuff you don't need. So are some of the ASUS Z97 boards in the same price range ($140-170ish).

I've currently got a 3570K and a 7950. My eventual plan is to upgrade to Haswell-E in September or whenever it comes out (I use my computer for engineering work in addition to gaming so the additional cores will come in handy). I was trying to wait for a 20nm GPU, but it looks like it's going to be another 9 months or so before it's ready. I'd also like to get the new 34" LG 21:9 1440p monitor, but I don't think the 7950 will be able to play games at that resolution at the frame rate I want. So, I'm now thinking I'll pick up a 290 to tide me over until 20nm and sell my 7950 second hand, add it to my Haswell-E build later, and then wait for 20nm. Thoughts?


Also, think this will cause a reduction in 290/290x prices?
http://videocardz.com/50956/confirmed-amd-launch-hawaii-xtx-gpu

It's a good idea. I noticed an appreciable difference between a 1200 MHz 7970 and a 290.

No idea how that will impact prices.

 

[oc]

From slickdeals:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16820147247&cm_sp=

70$. But, if you have an iphone/ipad, you can use their app to buy it using google wallet which will make it out to be 55$ before tax. Great deal!

 

[CreepingFear]

Ive never overclocked before and Im totally not sure what it does, the benefits, the disadvantages, and what I need to do if I overclock. Like I said, this is my first PC build ever.

I changed the PSU, added a cooler, and case but curious overall if I can get even cheaper.

How is this? PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($269.99 @ Memory Express)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.50 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($82.69 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.97 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($279.75 @ Vuugo)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($114.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Memory Express)
Total: $1189.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Overclocking these days is fairly easy. There's several guides including in the OP of this thread I believe. Some people never do it though, in which case you can get a non-k processor and the H97 or Q97 Mobos which are cheaper. Non K and Q or H97=non overclocking, while Z97 and K versions such as the 4690k are the oc motherboards and unlocked overclockable cpus. If you weren't overclocking and just going with the non-k 4690, you could get rid of the CPU cooler as well to save money.

I'd go with the Z97 and K versions though and follow a guide to oc. It's worth it. I wish I had done it sooner for mine. I waited a year.

 

[CreepingFear]

I was talking to someone else about it and they recommend the same MB. They also pointed out it looked like it was built with Legos.

Here's what I'd do. Call HP since you have an HP computer and see if it's possible to order the mobo you had before. I wouldn't pay anything more than $50. The other option is ebay, I guess, and hope you can find a mobo that works or was never opened that can handle your memory and processor.

 

[tarheel91]

It's a good idea. I noticed an appreciable difference between a 1200 MHz 7970 and a 290.

No idea how that will impact prices.

Just to confirm, 520W should be able to support an overclocked 3570K@4.2 (stock voltage) + an overclocked 290 (stock voltage, but probably as much extra power as I can cool)? Don't see any reason to think it'd pull over 400W, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Nostremitus]

So I have
CPU>AMD Phenom X3 8400(2.1GHz)
GPU>Sapphire Radeon HD 4830
RAM>DDR2 667
MB >NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE Chipset

My motherboard died and I was wondering if someone had a recommendation for a new MB that would be better for future upgrades. I still want to use my AMD CPU for a bit longer. I do enjoy my Graphics card for now its manageable but I will be upgrading it soon.

Edit: This is the model I bought forever ago.

Will this one do?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/141313442502?lpid=82

Edit: Nevermind. You said future upgrades... AFAIK The Toliman chips only used DDR2 and you'd be hard pressed to upgrade on a mobo that still uses that.

 

[ombz]

Question guys.

Was playing Tomb Raider, when suddenly my PC turned off, and now it wont power on.
Dead. The motherboard has a led that lights when it is receiving power.. it wont light up.

Do I have a dead PSU?? How can I check? Could it be something else?

I went through a similar situation with the board shutting off during a game and not powering on. I RMA'd the board and it worked again for a day then quit again. I got a different brand board but the board wouldn't turn on still. It ended up being a CPU problem.
Bottom line, test as many components as you can to rule out as many problems as possible.

 

[Niks]

Sounds like dead PSU or Mobo.

Test the PSU first, use the paperclip trick to turn the PSU on manually. Make sure to disconnect all PSU cables and flip the switch to off on the back of the PSU first then apply the paperclip.Flip the switch to On on the back of the PSU and see if the PSU fan starts to spin.


What PSU is it?

Thanks for the help.
Its a Corsair RM Series 650 Watt ATX/EPS 80PLUS Gold-Certified RM650.

 

[apresmode]

I finished my first PC build about a month and half ago, and have loved it so far. It's really taking whatever I throw at it, and I've had very few issues in operating it. Here's a link to the build.

http://pcpartpicker.com/b/pYpgXL

I'm loving being able to play all of these games that I've held off on for awhile and at very high settings. To anyone that is on the fence about paying a little more it's definitely worth it I think. I've got it set up in my media center console, and will be adding a tv tuner card soon I think - lso a nice webcam to chat with family on the tv. My wife even likes it so it's a win all around.

Now we'll see how well it can run The Witcher 3 when it comes out. I'm hoping it's ok.

Thanks for all of the help!

 

[Corpsepyre]

Hey guys, needed some help here. Is a core i3 4th gen 4130, paired with a Gigabyte R9 270x, and 4 gb of ddr3 ram good for modern gaming at full HD? Will I run into bottleneck issues?

 

[kennah]

Hey guys, needed some help here. Is a core i3 4th gen 4130, paired with a Gigabyte R9 270x, and 4 gb of ddr3 ram good for modern gaming at full HD? Will I run into bottleneck issues?

Sure. You'll have to turn some stuff down but it'll all run and look nice. All depends on personal preferences and budgets.

 

[eBay Huckster]

so I just found out my living expenses are literally going to be half what I was expecting them to be this academic year, and I'm trying to resist the temptation to up my PC budget to $2000

smokey this is partially your fault

 

[Corpsepyre]

Sure. You'll have to turn some stuff down but it'll all run and look nice. All depends on personal preferences and budgets.

Yeah, budget is the main reason I'm opting for a core i3 right now. I guess the hyperthreading would add to the performance. I don't care much for 60 fps, though it would be welcomed always if I could hit that in games. Anything above 30, and in the 40s range, would be fine by me. Should I get 8 gb of ram though?

 

[InFamousRaiden]

Guys, I have GPUz because I monitor the VRM temp time to time when playing Battlefield 3/4.

Lately I noticed that I even when I not playing a game, my GPU load is 100 % which causes the idle temps of VRM 1 and 2 to hover around 56 to 60+

So I was checking the process/task manager and there is a fucking little chrome.exe which is 11 mbs of RAM. Once I shut it down the load of GPU drops to 0%


Has anyone encountered this and reported to Google ?

 

[kennah]

Yeah, budget is the main reason I'm opting for a core i3 right now. I guess the hyperthreading would add to the performance. I don't care much for 60 fps, though it would be welcomed always if I could hit that in games. Anything above 30, and in the 40s range, would be fine by me. Should I get 8 gb of ram though?

If it's budget you are worried about - get the new Pentium and overclock the shit out of it. Most things are still single threaded and if it starts feeling slow it's no big deal to pop in an i5. If you are near a microcenter the processor is $60.

And get a single 4gig stick now then add another one later.

I'm all for long game slow build computers.

 

[I_D]

so I just found out my living expenses are literally going to be half what I was expecting them to be this year, and I'm trying to resist the temptation to up my PC budget to $2000

smokey this is partially your fault

Lemme put it to you this way, just to help tempt you: Only the extreme minority will notice the difference between a $2000 computer and anything more expensive. A $2000 computer can already supersample pretty much every game, other than a handful, at playable framerates. All current games, if made properly, can be maxed out with sufficient AA at 60fps. This will likely stay true for the next few years, with only a few exceptions.


The difference between a $2000 computer and a sub-$2000 computer, though... that difference can get pretty huge, pretty quickly.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Lemme put it to you this way, just to help tempt you: Only the extreme minority will notice the difference between a $2000 computer and anything more expensive. A $2000 computer can already supersample pretty much every game, other than a handful, at playable framerates. All current games, if made properly, can be maxed out with sufficient AA at 60fps. This will likely stay true for the next few years, with only a few exceptions.


The difference between a $2000 computer and a sub-$2000 computer, though... that difference can get pretty huge, pretty quickly.

but if i don't go all the way to $2000 that's that much more money i can put into savings! (or into my "ultra 2015" fund.)

...actually speaking of smokey, one of my canadian friends (with THIS build) has a question for him:

how do you like the Corsair case fans?

 

[Jesb]

Ok lets just check everything.

Assuming you have a HDMI AV Receiver the connection should be like this
PC -> HDMI -> Receiver -> HDMI -> TV

If you have an older Receiver without a HDMI switcher
PC -> HDMI -> TV
PC -> Optical -> Receiver

If you get sound from the TV but not the surround system, it either means the Audio is being played from the wrong device on the PC under scenario 2. Else, the surround sound system maybe on the wrong input.

What surround sound system is it? By default AMD drivers install the HDMI Audio driver, but you have to click customise during install to see the individual options. Go to the playback devices in Windows, right click under the current device, click show disconnected devices. And click show disabled devices. Now you should see the AMD High Definition output device if you didnt before.

Give us all the detail for the setup as im having to start from the pure basics to help you otherwise, rather than just tell you what to do.

Its a Onkyo 5.1 system. It is installing the hdmi driver. In sound options amd high definition sound device is enabled as the default sound. But if I right click to configure speakers there is no 5.1 surround sound option, there is only stereo there. I re-downloaded the latest driver again just to be sure the audio driver is downloadeding too, and I do see that the audio driver is also checked. So it shouldn't be a driver issue.

 

[Stat!]

Overclocking these days is fairly easy. There's several guides including in the OP of this thread I believe. Some people never do it though, in which case you can get a non-k processor and the H97 or Q97 Mobos which are cheaper. Non K and Q or H97=non overclocking, while Z97 and K versions such as the 4690k are the oc motherboards and unlocked overclockable cpus. If you weren't overclocking and just going with the non-k 4690, you could get rid of the CPU cooler as well to save money.

I'd go with the Z97 and K versions though and follow a guide to oc. It's worth it. I wish I had done it sooner for mine. I waited a year.

Cool. Good to know.

Everything else good? Any other changes? Just want to make sure before I buy it. I guess the question is Windows 7 or 8? And would I just load it on a usb drive right?

Ive never overclocked before and Im totally not sure what it does, the benefits, the disadvantages, and what I need to do if I overclock. Like I said, this is my first PC build ever.

I changed the PSU, added a cooler, and case but curious overall if I can get even cheaper.

How is this? PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($269.99 @ Memory Express)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.50 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($82.69 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.97 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($279.75 @ Vuugo)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($114.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Memory Express)
Total: $1189.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 

[Drake]

I'm buying my parts this week and wouldn't you know it my GTX 460 dies on me. I'm kind if disappointed. I haven't even had that card 4 years. Luckily I still had my old 9800gt lying around and I just threw that bad boy in it. I hate this card so much. It idles at 75c, but at least it works. Whatever, it has to last me a week.

 

[Niks]

Sounds like dead PSU or Mobo.

Test the PSU first, use the paperclip trick to turn the PSU on manually. Make sure to disconnect all PSU cables and flip the switch to off on the back of the PSU first then apply the paperclip.Flip the switch to On on the back of the PSU and see if the PSU fan starts to spin.


What PSU is it?

Ok did the paper clip test.
Nothing. Didnt even try to start. The RM650 has a "Zero RPM Fan Mode" Dont know if it would affect the test or not.

Is it dead?

 

[CreepingFear]

Cool. Good to know.

Everything else good? Any other changes? Just want to make sure before I buy it. I guess the question is Windows 7 or 8? And would I just load it on a usb drive right?

Get Windows 8. It's the future. 8.1 is much improved. Start menu is coming back next year, but if you are one of those people that can't live without a start menu, there are free programs such as Classic Shell that will give you back the old start menu. 8.1 is faster with SSD's and a slight improvement with certain games. Yes, you can load it on to usb to install it faster.

 

[CreepingFear]

Welp, I just put my EVGA GTX 670 FTW 2GB on craigslist. Hoping it sells.

 

[Mrbob]

I love Windows 8 on my SSD. Loads so fast. I really don't have an issue with Windows 8 with the Start 8 program from Stardock. I don't go into metro at all and boot to desktop.

 

[Dusktildawn48]

Ok guys im planning on upgrading to the 4790k when it releases. Im having trouble deciding on a mobo. I like gigabyte alot but also like asus. Im getting it from microcenter. I really want to get into overclocking so I want the best board in my price range for that which is around 100-150 after the microcenter cpu/mobo combo discount (which is $40.)

 

[Tabasco]

I've had Firefox and Chrome both crash on me randomly, but whenever I use Opera, I experience no such problems.

Chrome crashes far less often than Firefox, though. I've re-installed, and tested my usage of Firefox in safe mode and it still eventually crashed.

I've posted the error data here before and someone suggested that I do a fresh install of Firefox and well, that doesn't work.

I've been using Opera browser for the past couple weeks or so and I have not experienced a single crash.

 

[Hazaro]

Cool. Good to know.

Everything else good? Any other changes? Just want to make sure before I buy it. I guess the question is Windows 7 or 8? And would I just load it on a usb drive right?

Parts look good. I think you can get the 750W NOVA for $10 more though and I would suggest that.

but if i don't go all the way to $2000 that's that much more money i can put into savings! (or into my "ultra 2015" fund.)

...actually speaking of smokey, one of my canadian friends (with THIS build) has a question for him:

how do you like the Corsair case fans?

Good but overpriced. Excellent for color matching.

so I just found out my living expenses are literally going to be half what I was expecting them to be this academic year, and I'm trying to resist the temptation to up my PC budget to $2000

smokey this is partially your fault

Not really worth going past $1,500 IMO, at least on the tower. 2K total for Monitor and M+KB is it.

Ok guys im planning on upgrading to the 4790k when it releases. Im having trouble deciding on a mobo. I like gigabyte alot but also like asus. Im getting it from microcenter. I really want to get into overclocking so I want the best board in my price range for that which is around 100-150 after the microcenter cpu/mobo combo discount (which is $40.)

No mobo at that price is going to OC better. GB's in that price have better audio.

I've had Firefox and Chrome both crash on me randomly, but whenever I use Opera, I experience no such problems.

Chrome crashes far less often than Firefox, though. I've re-installed, and tested my usage of Firefox in safe mode and it still eventually crashed.

I've posted the error data here before and someone suggested that I do a fresh install of Firefox and well, that doesn't work.

I've been using Opera browser for the past couple weeks or so and I have not experienced a single crash.

Any memory or HDD errors? Could be worth removing Flash and Java, running CCleaner, rebooting, starting over. Linger add-ons or programs that interact with those browsers? Shouldn't be a problem in safe-mode though...

 

[Wendel Clark]

for Canadians, 100 dollars off BenQ XL2411Z 24'' 144hz until the 25th

might get it, will decide tomarra

not sure when it went up but just saw it now

 

[Dr.Acula]

Yeah, budget is the main reason I'm opting for a core i3 right now. I guess the hyperthreading would add to the performance. I don't care much for 60 fps, though it would be welcomed always if I could hit that in games. Anything above 30, and in the 40s range, would be fine by me. Should I get 8 gb of ram though?

If it's budget you are worried about - get the new Pentium and overclock the shit out of it. Most things are still single threaded and if it starts feeling slow it's no big deal to pop in an i5. If you are near a microcenter the processor is $60.

And get a single 4gig stick now then add another one later.

I'm all for long game slow build computers.

Going from 4 to 8 isn't that expensive but I really feel today that 8 is the minimum. I think ram speed is overstated, so just get some affordable 8 gig.

I'm buying my parts this week and wouldn't you know it my GTX 460 dies on me. I'm kind if disappointed. I haven't even had that card 4 years. Luckily I still had my old 9800gt lying around and I just threw that bad boy in it. I hate this card so much. It idles at 75c, but at least it works. Whatever, it has to last me a week.

I went from a 460 to a 770, and hoolee sheeeet that was a nice upgrade.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Good but overpriced. Excellent for color matching.

one more question: how do they compare to Noctua case fans?

Not really worth going past $1,500 IMO, at least on the tower. 2K total for Monitor and M+KB is it.

in that case, guess I'll throw a new KB+M into this build and call it a day

 

[anchorman128]

Yeah, not enough physical space on a ITX board to fit all the traces required for it. I mean, think about fitting quad channel memory on one of those boards

A rep for ASUS was talking about how they would think about making an ITX 2011 mobo if people were willing to pay the premium. He was talking a mobo in the range of 500 bucks. Also, he said it would be very reasonable to expect some changes or cutbacks to the design of such a mobo. One proposed change was using laptop dims instead of full sized desktop ram.

 

[Granadier]

I love Windows 8 on my SSD. Loads so fast. I really don't have an issue with Windows 8 with the Start 8 program from Stardock. I don't go into metro at all and boot to desktop.

Classic Shell is a nice, free alternative as well.

http://www.classicshell.net/

 

[Hazaro]

one more question: how do they compare to Noctua case fans?

in that case, guess I'll throw a new KB+M into this build and call it a day

For almost everyone it really really doesn't matter. Get a PWM fluid bearing fan from 1500-2000 RPM speed. Pick a color. Pick for airflow (Case) or static pressure (Heatsink/Rad). You're in premium territory.
Here's an older article, but not much has changed: http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/120mm_and_140mm_fan_comparison,1.html

Classic Shell is a nice, free alternative as well.

http://www.classicshell.net/

Yup.

 

[Dries]

So recently I wanted to measure the fps gain I get from overclocking my i5 2500K 3.3Ghz. I overclocked to 4.4Ghz and ran some games. With Hitman: Absolution and Sleeping Dogs I gained no extra fps, but these games are GPU bound I've been told. Then someone told me to try Skyrim, because that game is CPU bound.

Skyrim on stock CPU (3.3Ghz): 50 fps
Skyrim on overclocked CPU (4.4Ghz): 50 fps

No difference. I'm confused, cause I was expecting to see an improvement in my fps? Is my overlock working?

 

[Hazaro]

So recently I wanted to measure the fps gain I get from overclocking my i5 2500K 3.3Ghz. I overclocked to 4.4Ghz and ran some games. With Hitman: Absolution and Sleeping Dogs I gained no extra fps, but these games are GPU bound I've been told. Then someone told me to try Skyrim, because that game is CPU bound.

Skyrim on stock CPU (3.3Ghz): 50 fps
Skyrim on overclocked CPU (4.4Ghz): 50 fps

No difference. I'm confused, cause I was expecting to see an improvement in my fps? Is my overlock working?

Depends on the area / AI intensity / etc. Skyrim would depend on the circumstance. Something truly CPU bound in most cases is like StarCraft II or CIV or an demanding MMO.
A better check would be towards minimum FPS. An even better check would be running FRAPS, recording frametimes, and then using a 95 - 99% curve based on their distribution.

tl;dr it's trying to help smooth out the low bumps if you had any.

 

[Dries]

Depends on the area / AI intensity / etc. Skyrim would depend on the circumstance. Something truly CPU bound in most cases is like StarCraft II or CIV or an demanding MMO.
A better check would be towards minimum FPS. An even better check would be running FRAPS, recording frametimes, and then using a 95 - 99% curve based on their distribution.

tl;dr it's trying to help smooth out the low bumps if you had any.

I see. I could try benchmarking Guild Wars 2 then.

Also: I just noticed my mobo supports an EFI BIOS. In my case that would mean using GIGABYTE TOUCH BIOS. Anyone else using this? And is it something that is reccomended?

 

[Corum]

From what I've read here, if I don't plan to overclock I can downgrade the CPU to a 4690 and not bother with the CPU Cooler?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£176.99 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: *Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£24.25 @ Scan.co.uk)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste (£11.27 @ Overclockers.co.uk)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 PRO3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£86.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£59.88 @ Ebuyer)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£51.98 @ Aria PC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£38.40 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II Video Card (£237.59 @ Aria PC)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case (£64.98 @ Ebuyer)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£64.99 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £816.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria

 

[yatesl]

So GAF, the age old question - 1440p monitor, or 120hz? I'm looking to upgrade my 5 year old Dell (that they don't even sell any more). Can you get a decent monitor, either of the above, for under £200?

From what I've read here, if I don't plan to overclock I can downgrade the CPU to a 4690 and not bother with the CPU Cooler?

If you absolutely won't overclock (although you should, it's as simple as changing one number in BIOS, and changing another if it crashes), then you can get the non K CPU, leave a cooler for now (until the stock gets noisy), and drop to a H97 mobo.