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[Starbuck2907]

So, I'm thinking about going from an AMD 6850 to a R290 ....Here are my concerns.

I'm pulling 2 hard drives, 2 blu-ray drives, an i5-2500k (overclocked), and my video card (currently about 127 watts for the 6850... the R290 draws about 300 under max load if I remember correctly.)

Is my 600 watt power supply enough to pull all this? I think it should be...

I have a large case... is the R290 about the same size as a 6850? the 6850 is a pretty big card as it is. It's long.

 

[Grinchy]

Download Classic Shell and be done with the Windows 8 jank.

Thanks! I will definitely look into this. I don't know what the hell they were thinking with these horrible changes.

 

[Bauer Action Hour]

So, I'm thinking about going from an AMD 6850 to a R290 ....Here are my concerns.

I'm pulling 2 hard drives, 2 blu-ray drives, an i5-2500k (overclocked), and my video card (currently about 127 watts for the 6850... the R290 draws about 300 under max load if I remember correctly.)

Is my 600 watt power supply enough to pull all this? I think it should be...

I have a large case... is the R290 about the same size as a 6850? the 6850 is a pretty big card as it is. It's long.

Should be enough. I've got a similar set up (1 SSD, 3 HDD, 1 DVD, OC 2500k and R290) only I'm running a 550W Seasonic PSU and haven't had any issues. Had Shadows of Mordor put the card through its paces.

 

[Femmeworth]

Ran Prime95 again for twenty minutes or so with CoreTemp and the Intel utility monitoring the temps.

I assume this is an indicator that heatsink isn't evenly touching or something.

Also while I was running the test I opened up the case. I noticed that there was quite a bit of air blowing perpendicular from the gap between the cooler fan and the block. Is that normal?

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Ran Prime95 again for twenty minutes or so with CoreTemp and the Intel utility monitoring the temps.

I assume this is an indicator that heatsink isn't evenly touching or something.

Also while I was running the test I opened up the case. I noticed that there was quite a bit of air blowing perpendicular from the gap between the cooler fan and the block. Is that normal?

Those temps are fine. The heats are not even on different parts of the CPU. And yes that is normal.

 

[DarkFlow]

Ran Prime95 again for twenty minutes or so with CoreTemp and the Intel utility monitoring the temps.

I assume this is an indicator that heatsink isn't evenly touching or something.

Also while I was running the test I opened up the case. I noticed that there was quite a bit of air blowing perpendicular from the gap between the cooler fan and the block. Is that normal?

That's a fine temp with that cooler. I have the same one and I sometimes get a little more then that. I wouldn't worry much about it since you'll almost never hit prime 95 levels of stress on a CPU.

 

[threetri333]

I got my Steelseries Mechanical keyboard and Logitek G502 Mouse!

It's like I have all the power. The keyboard is heavy, but typing is a joy on it. I still need to get a good mousepad.

 

[Ezahn]

I'd really like to jump from my Gainward 580 Phantom to a shiny 970.
I game on a 23'' 1080p 120hz LG monitor, my rig is an i5 with 8 gb ram.

I'm struggling finding out what's the best (not crazily expensive) version of the 970 is.
Suggestions, guys?

Oh, and thanks!

 

[Matt2thefuture]

Can someone help me out? I want the great build from page one but can't figure what's what on ncix.com (I know, I'm dumb) can someone help me out and add the great build to a cart for me and link it here?

 

[texasairhead101]

Have my build together and things are fine so far but I feel a bit iffy about my cpu cooler. I have the evo 212 cooler and the mount that screws in didnt seem like it fit properly and I dont think I screwed it correctly. right now my average temp for my i5-4690k 26 celcius.

I dont have a graphics card in yet so I cant really fully test it, it comes in tomorrow, but what are some things i should keep an eye on? also should I have not done it correctly is remounting it an option?

 

[Chozolore]

Not sure if this is the best place to post but I will anyway;

I have an old 2011 iMac 27" with a HD6970M 2GB gpu in it.

Now this GPU overheats and throttles when being used for 3D, it's fine for 2D, the throttling oscillates at around 1Hz

I think it's either;

1. Clogged with crap and dust and not cooling correctly.

2. Has a broken temp sensor and is fucked.

Anyway I can tell before disassembling to clean, I'm wondering if I could reapply paste to this?

Considering how difficult it is to get into this thing I'd rather not bother if it's lost cause, plus the risk of breaking it. Apart from being unable to run 3D apps it works like a champ and the screen is a beauty. Shame I can't plug the PC into it. Would it have killed Apple to include an input that wasn't thunderbolt.

thanks

 

[RGM79]

Have my build together and things are fine so far but I feel a bit iffy about my cpu cooler. I have the evo 212 cooler and the mount that screws in didnt seem like it fit properly and I dont think I screwed it correctly. right now my average temp for my i5-4690k 26 celcius.

I dont have a graphics card in yet so I cant really fully test it, it comes in tomorrow, but what are some things i should keep an eye on? also should I have not done it correctly is remounting it an option?

You could try running a CPU stress test to see how it does, no graphics card needed. Prime95 works well for this.

I'd really like to jump from my Gainward 580 Phantom to a shiny 970.
I game on a 23'' 1080p 120hz LG monitor, my rig is an i5 with 8 gb ram.

I'm struggling finding out what's the best (not crazily expensive) version of the 970 is.
Suggestions, guys?

Oh, and thanks!

Gainward is a European brand. What country are you looking for a GTX 970 in?

Can someone help me out? I want the great build from page one but can't figure what's what on ncix.com (I know, I'm dumb) can someone help me out and add the great build to a cart for me and link it here?

NCIX doesn't have a way to share lists, as far as I know. Are you purchasing online or in-store? I can give you a parts list via PCPartPicker that will link to each individual part's NCIX listing.

I assume you mean $900 Canadian when you mean the great build, and because you linked NCIX Canada?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($258.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.98 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($82.16 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($62.95 @ Vuugo)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280 3GB Black Edition Double Dissipation Video Card ($229.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.95 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($79.98 @ NCIX)
Total: $937.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-05 05:48 EST-0500

Now, the prices there come from a few different retailers, but NCIX has a pricematching policy - you show them the same part being sold elsewhere cheaper, and they'll give you a slightly better price.

 

[Ezahn]

Gainward is a European brand. What country are you looking for a GTX 970 in?

Italy.

This one e.g. is quite "cheap": http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00NTQ0B5G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3KPVZLRLEPJ40&coliid=I206XFGB71P0JK
Tnx!

 

[RGM79]

Not sure if this is the best place to post but I will anyway;

I have an old 2011 iMac 27" with a HD6970M 2GB gpu in it.

Now this GPU overheats and throttles when being used for 3D, it's fine for 2D, the throttling oscillates at around 1Hz

I think it's either;

1. Clogged with crap and dust and not cooling correctly.

2. Has a broken temp sensor and is fucked.

Anyway I can tell before disassembling to clean, I'm wondering if I could reapply paste to this?

Considering how difficult it is to get into this thing I'd rather not bother if it's lost cause, plus the risk of breaking it. Apart from being unable to run 3D apps it works like a champ and the screen is a beauty. Shame I can't plug the PC into it. Would it have killed Apple to include an input that wasn't thunderbolt.

thanks

I'm not entirely sure, it's not really designed to be user-serviceable I think. The 6970M is a laptop graphics chipset, the insides are packed somewhat tightly so it may be hard to get to without doing quite a bit of disassembling. This ifixit guide will take you into the computer and you'll be able to get to a fan, although I'm not sure if there are any other fans in there.

There's also this guide for a different model 27" iMac, it seems similar enough that it could be used for reference.

Italy.

This one e.g. is quite "cheap": http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00NTQ0B5G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3KPVZLRLEPJ40&coliid=I206XFGB71P0JK
Tnx!

I would not advise getting those GTX 970 models with a blower style cooler. They do not cool as well as an open radiator style design.

How about this Gigabyte Windforce model instead? It costs a little bit more but will run much cooler.

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00NZT6D68/

If you want to save some money, is AMD an option for you? This Sapphire R9 290 Tri-X model is only 284 Euros.

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00IWFKEL0/

 

[Chozolore]

I'm not entirely sure, it's not really designed to be user-serviceable I think. The 6970M is a laptop graphics chipset, the insides are packed somewhat tightly so it may be hard to get to without doing quite a bit of disassembling. This ifixit guide will take you into the computer and you'll be able to get to a fan, although I'm not sure if there are any other fans in there.

There's also this guide for a different model 27" iMac, it seems similar enough that it could be used for reference.

Looks complex, and looking if the card could be replaced the part is like $600

ouch.

 

[Ezahn]

I would not advise getting those GTX 970 models with a blower style cooler. They do not cool as well as an open radiator style design.

How about this Gigabyte Windforce model instead? It costs a little bit more but will run much cooler.

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00NZT6D68/

If you want to save some money, is AMD an option for you? This Sapphire R9 290 Tri-X model is only 284 Euros.

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00IWFKEL0/

I'd stay with Nvidia for GSync and Shadowplay (who knows? maybe in the future it will be useful ^^).
The Windforce looks good.

BUT... It does seem very long! (31 cm)
My case is a CM 690 II Advanced and my card today is a 580 Phantom (267 mm long)... I'm wondering if the Windforce could fit.

Thanks a lot!

 

[RGM79]

I'd stay with Nvidia for GSync and Shadowplay (who knows? maybe in the future it will be useful ^^).
The Windforce looks good.

BUT... It does seem very long! (31 cm)
My case is a CM 690 II Advanced and my card today is a 580 Phantom (267 mm long)... I'm wondering if the Windforce could fit.

Thanks a lot!

Official specs say your case supports graphics cards up to 304mm long, I should have asked you about what case you had first, my mistake. I recommend these GTX 970 models, they have good reviews and are shorter.

Galax GTX 970 EX OC for 357 Euros and Asus Strix GTX 970 for 366 Euros

 

[Ezahn]

Official specs say your case supports graphics cards up to 304mm long, I should have asked you about what case you had first, my mistake. I recommend these GTX 970 models, they have good reviews and are shorter.

Galax GTX 970 EX OC for 357 Euros and Asus Strix GTX 970 for 366 Euros

Sir, you were a great help.
Thank you!

 

[Pie and Beans]

Why are CPU prices going UP here in the UK? I've been biding my time for the best moment to strike, and now theyre higher?! Hell, i5 4670K's are higher than i5 4690K's right now. What the fuck.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Why are CPU prices going UP here in the UK? I've been biding my time for the best moment to strike, and now theyre higher?! Hell, i5 4670K's are higher than i5 4690K's right now. What the fuck.

Demand-supply law will do that. 4670k was cheaper with basically the same quality and speed -> more bought -> no stock -> price increased.

 

[Sarcasm]

Anybody here use a Z313 speaker setup? If so how is it?

 

[beardfish]

Have a new issue, shopping for a video card that will fit into my Antec 300 case which according to spec has clearance for cards <11 inches in length.

Have in my cart:

i5-4690k
gigabyte ga-z97x
Antec BP550
Total: $400

Was planning on getting a R9 290 or R9 290x, but am finding that the overall lengths of these cards are >11 inches. Looks like I'd need to get a gtx 970. Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[kharma45]

Why are CPU prices going UP here in the UK? I've been biding my time for the best moment to strike, and now theyre higher?! Hell, i5 4670K's are higher than i5 4690K's right now. What the fuck.

Supply and demand. The 4690K is the newer, more popular chip.

Have a new issue, shopping for a video card that will fit into my Antec 300 case which according to spec has clearance for cards <11 inches in length.

Have in my cart:

i5-4690k
gigabyte ga-z97x
Antec BP550
Total: $400

Was planning on getting a R9 290 or R9 290x, but am finding that the overall lengths of these cards are >11 inches. Looks like I'd need to get a gtx 970. Anybody have any suggestions?

This 290X is sub 11" according to the Newegg page

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

As is this 290

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[RGM79]

Have a new issue, shopping for a video card that will fit into my Antec 300 case which according to spec has clearance for cards <11 inches in length.

Have in my cart:

i5-4690k
gigabyte ga-z97x
Antec BP550
Total: $400

Was planning on getting a R9 290 or R9 290x, but am finding that the overall lengths of these cards are >11 inches. Looks like I'd need to get a gtx 970. Anybody have any suggestions?

Antec 300 has 279mm clearance exactly for a GPU, I think the only R9 290X that will fit is the MSI Gaming 4G model, it is 276mm long according to official specs. However, it costs $280 USD after rebate.

Where are you buying the parts, and how much do they cost? I think there are better power supplies than that Antec BP550.

Also, I'm not sure what motherboard you have, there are many models that begin with "GA-Z97X". Just wondering what you have in mind and whether there are better deals you can get.

 

[beardfish]

Antec 300 has 279mm clearance exactly for a GPU, I think the only R9 290X that will fit is the MSI Gaming 4G model, it is 276mm long according to official specs. However, it costs $280 USD after rebate.

Where are you buying the parts, and how much do they cost? I think there are better power supplies than that Antec BP550.

Also, I'm not sure what motherboard you have, there are many models that begin with "GA-Z97X". Just wondering what you have in mind and whether there are better deals you can get.

Parts are listed from Newegg, there is a combo deal at the moment for $35 off the following:

GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-SLI - $124.99 normally - ($104.99 after $20 rebate)
Intel i5-4690k - $229.99 normally
Total: $339.98, $379.98 after $20 rebate

Antec BP550 $59.99 from newegg

Edit:

Just found that I'd get a ton of savings by picking up the CPU and Motherboard from Micro Center.
Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI: $49.99 after $20 mail in rebate
i5-4690k: $199
Total: $279 - $259 after mail in rebate

I'm leaning towards the MSI R9 290 from Newegg, still need a PSU

 

[Ebris]

Hey GAF,

I bought my old PC back in November of 2011. It has served me pretty damn well, especially after a few upgrades, but its time for a pretty heavy overhaul. I'm looking to upgrade my components so that I can run the Witcher 3 on high settings at a good FPS @ 1080p (60 is best, but not end of the world if I can't get it), as well as Skyrim with some pretty good graphics mods and an ENB enabled. I'm not looking to super future proof it, as I think that'd get pretty excessive quickly at this rate. My budget is probably going to be around $700.

My current specs:

Mobo: HP 612498-001 Aloe H-RS880-uATX 785G
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1065T 2.9GHz
GPU: ASUS GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 G-SYNC Support GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1333
HDD: 1TB 7200RPM SATA
SSD: Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Case/PSU: RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply


For reference, the GPU, SSD and case/PSU were the upgrades I've done on it since I purchased the original computer. I'm looking to get individual parts, even if it means mostly starting fresh - I've gotten a good deal better at messing around with internals since 2011!

 

[mkenyon]

I'd get that motherboard and CPU combo above, then put the rest on the fanciest video card possible. Maybe replace the PSU, but I'd need to see the specs on it to say one way or another.

 

[Ebris]

Where is he seeing the mobo at $49.99 after the rebate? This is what I found and it is $90 after rebate: http://www.microcenter.com/product/432992/GA-Z97X-SLI_LGA_1150_ATX_Intel_Motherboard

 

[Dick Justice]

I'm using a Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H motherboard, and I'm wondering if it's worth updating my BIOS? I'm currently at F7, and the latest is F9, which supposedly has improved overclocking. If so, do I simply download the BIOS (http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4481#bios) and use the .exe there?

 

[RGM79]

Parts are listed from Newegg, there is a combo deal at the moment for $35 off the following:

GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-SLI - $124.99 normally - ($104.99 after $20 rebate)
Intel i5-4690k - $229.99 normally
Total: $339.98, $379.98 after $20 rebate

Antec BP550 $59.99 from newegg

Are other retailers alright or do you only want to buy from Newegg? If I have the price right, it's about $320 before taxes but after rebate? Not bad, I guess. I see that the BP550 power supply isn't part of the combo. I don't really recommend that power supply, you should get something that is better quality and little higher capacity. For the R9 290X, 550-600 watts is recommended, while 750 watts or more will cover two R9 290X cards in crossfire.

If you don't mind buying elsewhere, then NCIXUS has the EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt power supply for $60, same price as that Antec BP550. If you want to order from Newegg so you can get all the parts from one place in one package, then there's the EVGA 600B 600 watt power supply for $50 after $10 rebate, or the Rosewill Capstone 550 watt gold rated power supply for $52 after $25 rebate, or the XFX Core Edition Pro 750 watt power supply for $74 after $20 rebate.

Edit: I saw that you updated your post. I'm looking at the Microcenter page for Intel CPU and motherboard bundles, but I'm not seeing the Gigabyte Z97X-SLI there.

Hey GAF,

I bought my old PC back in November of 2011. It has served me pretty damn well, especially after a few upgrades, but its time for a pretty heavy overhaul. I'm looking to upgrade my components so that I can run the Witcher 3 on high settings at a good FPS @ 1080p (60 is best, but not end of the world if I can't get it), as well as Skyrim with some pretty good graphics mods and an ENB enabled. I'm not looking to super future proof it, as I think that'd get pretty excessive quickly at this rate. My budget is probably going to be around $700.

My current specs:

Mobo: HP 612498-001 Aloe H-RS880-uATX 785G
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1065T 2.9GHz
GPU: ASUS GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 G-SYNC Support GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1333
HDD: 1TB 7200RPM SATA
SSD: Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Case/PSU: RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply

For reference, the GPU, SSD and case/PSU were the upgrades I've done on it since I purchased the original computer. I'm looking to get individual parts, even if it means mostly starting fresh - I've gotten a good deal better at messing around with internals since 2011!

I think you will be best served with a new processor, motherboard, graphics card, and power supply. Maybe a case as well, if it will fit in the budget. What CPU cooler do you have? Are you using the stock one? If you want the option to overclock, you will need to pay a little for a better CPU cooler, and I recommend it.

Do you want the option for crossfire/SLI? That means spending a bit more for a few different parts. Otherwise it will be cheaper, or I could spread the rest of the $700 budget on a slightly better motherboard or something.

I can't find a lot of useful information on the Raidmax Smilodon, it dates back to 2006 and has been discontinued. I have no idea about internal spacing for CPU cooler and graphics card, but it seems that it cannot accommodate the 212 Evo CPU cooler I usually recommend. That's partly why I'm going to recommend you get a new case, other than that it's a bit old (new cases have USB 3.0) and possibly better airflow and noise levels. That 80mm fan in the Smilodon probably gets loud.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($36.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $697.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-05 12:40 EST-0500

I'd get that motherboard and CPU combo above, then put the rest on the fanciest video card possible. Maybe replace the PSU, but I'd need to see the specs on it to say one way or another.

From what little I can find, it was a Raidmax PSU that was bundled with the case. In other words, it probably dates back from before Haswell low power certification, and being Raidmax in the first place, I don't have much faith in their power supplies.

I'm using a Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H motherboard, and I'm wondering if it's worth updating my BIOS? I'm currently at F7, and the latest is F9, which supposedly has improved overclocking. If so, do I simply download the BIOS (http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4481#bios) and use the .exe there?

Be careful when flashing the motherboard BIOS, should anything go wrong, then the motherboard is dead, and I hope you still have warranty on it.

Gigabyte offers three different methods for BIOS updates, and you should never use the Windows method, always stick with DOS. Too many things could go wrong with Windows-based BIOS flashing.

 

[mkenyon]

From what little I can find, it was a Raidmax PSU that was bundled with the case. In other words, it probably dates back from before Haswell low power certification, and being Raidmax in the first place, I don't have much faith in their power supplies.

Me either, but if an issue were to crop up, I'd imagine it'd crop up by now. Any upgrades would be to a proc that consumes LESS power and unless they were to buy an AMD card, the GPU would be around the same in power consumption too. So when trying to min/max the gains in a given budget, it could be something to not bother with assuming it can provide the amps necessary on the 12v rail.

 

[RGM79]

Me either, but if an issue were to crop up, I'd imagine it'd crop up by now. Any upgrades would be to a proc that consumes LESS power and unless they were to buy an AMD card, the GPU would be around the same in power consumption too. So when trying to min/max the gains in a given budget, it could be something to not bother with assuming it can provide the amps necessary on the 12v rail.

Your comments are right on the mark, a new CPU (at stock) will consume less power, but I think that it's best to replace the old PSU sooner than before it starts showing symptoms. Poor power delivery isn't always a visible symptom either. If he doesn't get a new case, PSU, and CPU cooler, then that part of the budget could go towards a GTX 970 which would be more efficient than an R9 290X, but all the same I feel it's better to replace the power supply. Or he could go for a lower performing but not as much power-consuming card, but I think his budget can afford a higher performing graphics card.

 

[beardfish]

Are other retailers alright or do you only want to buy from Newegg? If I have the price right, it's about $320 before taxes but after rebate? Not bad, I guess. I see that the BP550 power supply isn't part of the combo. I don't really recommend that power supply, you should get something that is better quality and little higher capacity. For the R9 290X, 550-600 watts is recommended, while 750 watts or more will cover two R9 290X cards in crossfire.

If you don't mind buying elsewhere, then NCIXUS has the EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt power supply for $60, same price as that Antec BP550. If you want to order from Newegg so you can get all the parts from one place in one package, then there's the EVGA 600B 600 watt power supply for $50 after $10 rebate, or the Rosewill Capstone 550 watt gold rated power supply for $52 after $25 rebate, or the XFX Core Edition Pro 750 watt power supply for $74 after $20 rebate.

Edit: I saw that you updated your post. I'm looking at the Microcenter page for Intel CPU and motherboard bundles, but I'm not seeing the Gigabyte Z97X-SLI there.

Thank you for the info, The bundle doesn't appear on Micro Center's site, but when I add both the CPU and Motherboard to my cart the price drops significantly.

I'm going to go with a full modular version of the EVGA 650 watt and a 290x. Both of these from newegg, $50 in rebates, a $20 newegg gift card and Civ: Beyond Earth included

 

[mkenyon]

I'm using a Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H motherboard, and I'm wondering if it's worth updating my BIOS? I'm currently at F7, and the latest is F9, which supposedly has improved overclocking. If so, do I simply download the BIOS (http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4481#bios) and use the .exe there?

It's a good general rule of thumb to be on the latest UEFI/BIOS revision.

 

[LilJoka]

So I ran Prime95 for about 3 hours last night, no issues and temps in the 60s. Shut down the program and left my computer on and went to bed.

Woke up this morning and when I tried to wake my computer from sleep it wouldn't send a signal to the monitor. I held down the power button and restarted, booted up and got to the loading windows screen and monitor signal cut out again. Could this be happening from the overclock?

I restarted again, went into bios and checked all my settings again, exited and it booted up fine with a monitor signal...weird.

Could this be a sign of instability? I also did have to take everything out including my motherboard to install the Evo 212 (Lian Li case tiny back window grrrr), is it possible that I may need to reseat my GPU?

For now I turned the sleep function off in windows power management.

Make sure PLL Overvoltage is disabled in BIOS.

 

[LilJoka]

I actually have the Hyper 212 Evo installed. :\

These are normal temperatures if this is Haswell using Prime95 v28+.

 

[longdi]

Showing off 8 cores at 4.5ghz.

Blazes my old 3930K and with a lower heat output. My life feels so complete now! Where were you before my sweet CPUGod.

 

[xezuru]

What's the air feel like about the when next models for stuff CPUs and such would come out? I was planning on purchasing http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kj6cVn , which includes an
Intel Core i5-4690K, but it feels kind of weird picking the last i5 of it's slot, while there's DDR4 RAM, i7 and whatever else just peering about the fold. Just feels like a weird spot to future proof even though I know game wise this will run everything easy.

 

[mkenyon]

No such thing as future proof anymore, especially with times changing as rapidly as they are now.

The best way to do so, as you are, is to buy the best performance:$ system, and upgrade it when it starts to get long in the tooth. Spending $500 now, and another $500 in two years will net you better results over four years than spending $1000-2000 now. That sort of concept.

Skylake (DDR4 on the consumer socket) is a ways out though, at least a year plus.

 

[manngc]

Hey GAF,

I bought my old PC back in November of 2011. It has served me pretty damn well, especially after a few upgrades, but its time for a pretty heavy overhaul. I'm looking to upgrade my components so that I can run the Witcher 3 on high settings at a good FPS @ 1080p (60 is best, but not end of the world if I can't get it), as well as Skyrim with some pretty good graphics mods and an ENB enabled. I'm not looking to super future proof it, as I think that'd get pretty excessive quickly at this rate. My budget is probably going to be around $700.

My current specs:

Mobo: HP 612498-001 Aloe H-RS880-uATX 785G
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1065T 2.9GHz
GPU: ASUS GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 G-SYNC Support GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1333
HDD: 1TB 7200RPM SATA
SSD: Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Case/PSU: RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply


For reference, the GPU, SSD and case/PSU were the upgrades I've done on it since I purchased the original computer. I'm looking to get individual parts, even if it means mostly starting fresh - I've gotten a good deal better at messing around with internals since 2011!

I built a similar computer in July of 2010 for Starcraft 2, and it has served me well for that purpose. I am curious how did you do the upgrade to the SSD...did you just reinstall windows on the SSD or did you transfer stuff over?

 

[xezuru]

No such thing as future proof anymore, especially with times changing as rapidly as they are now.

The best way to do so, as you are, is to buy the best performance:$ system, and upgrade it when it starts to get long in the tooth. Spending $500 now, and another $500 in two years will net you better results over four years than spending $1000-2000 now. That sort of concept.

Skylake (DDR4 on the consumer socket) is a ways out though, at least a year plus.

Yeah I get it, it's just that, my computer is 7 years old, only thing recyclable is a 1000W PSU, and Video Card that will "get me by" till I can upgrade, so straight up Mobo/CPU/RAM, I just hate CPU slots and don't want to be stuck with one forever that I just upgraded, that becomes obsolete completely in 3 months.

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah I get it, it's just that, my computer is 7 years old, only thing recyclable is a 1000W PSU, and Video Card that will "get me by" till I can upgrade, so straight up Mobo/CPU/RAM, I just hate CPU slots and don't want to be stuck with one forever that I just upgraded, that becomes obsolete completely in 3 months.

Sockets don't stay consistent now. That kind of "buy into a socket for future upgrades" is long since dead, and you have to embrace that. When you upgrade now, you are probably going to have to do CPU/Mobo/RAM each time, maybe just CPU/Mobo.

 

[Femmeworth]

These are normal temperatures if this is Haswell using Prime95 v28+.

Yes, i7 4790k.

 

[Fracas]

I haven't been stress-testing my build at all - should I be? I've kept an eye on temps when playing and it all seems good so far.

 

[The Llama]

I haven't stressed tested my build at all - should I be?

It can't hurt (ok, well it can if you run a stress test for a week or 2...), mostly to make sure your CPU cooler was attached properly and there's nothing wrong with your GPU fan.

 

[ACE 1991]

Looking into getting this card tonight at my local Microcenter (yes, I am blessed enough to have one here in PA) for 239.99 after rebate. THe 290x model is another $50 more, but I really don't think I should drop that dough right now as a recent college graduate not making a whole lot of money. Link to card: http://www.microcenter.com/product/429596/Radeon_R9_290_Overclocked_4GB_GDDR5_Direct_CU_II_PCI-e_Video_Card
Before I buy it, I want to make sure that my PSU is good enough/has enough wattage to run this baby. Here are my PC specs, I imagine I should be ok, but I a little worried since this is an out-of-the-box overclocked card, it may draw more power: Specifications here: http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/k2mhm/build_complete_crappy_iphone_pics_inside_i_just/

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, that'll handle it no prob. Plenty of amps on the 12V rail.

 

[ACE 1991]

Yeah, that'll handle it no prob. Plenty of amps on the 12V rail.

Thanks.... Man I really wanna spring for the 290x at $50 more... Being poor sucks, I really shouldn't. I'm hoping that I should be able to play most games for the next 1.5 to 2 years at high settings at 1080p with this. Last question: Do I still have some power overhead to do some OCing of the card? Reviews i'm reading indicate that it OC's well.

 

[paolo11]

Guys, I need help. I want to build a desktop for my friend. She loves photo and video editing. She wants the OS to be snappy fast. I want a small desktop case. Recommendations?

 

[j-wood]

I have a question guys.

I currently have 2 gaming rigs (1 laptop and 1 desktop) and I need to sell one. The problem is, i'm not sure which one I want to sell.

My gaming laptop is an Asus ROG. It has a core i7 4700HQ, nvidia 860m 2GB, and 8 GB of RAM.

My desktop is a few years old now. It has a core i7 2600k, nvidia GTX 660, and 8GB of ram.

How do these two stack up against each other spec wise? My laptop seems to run games just fine, but I really want to play stuff like the witcher 3 when it comes out.