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[Muffin Awesome]

Alright I have access to what I think is a super deal.

Currently I have a PS4 I am planning to sell to turn into money for a PC build, RGM had been nice enough to offer suggestions as has everyone else.

A coworker is willing to trade for my PS4 outright for his pc:

I7 4770k
Gtx 760 Asus 2gb
16gb 2400 ram
Asus 87z mobo

This seems too good to be true right?

 

[The Llama]

Alright I have access to what I think is a super deal.

Currently I have a PS4 I am planning to sell to turn into money for a PC build, RGM had been nice enough to offer suggestions as has everyone else.

A coworker is willing to trade for my PS4 outright for his pc:

I7 4770k
Gtx 760 Asus 2gb
16gb 2400 ram
Asus 87z mobo

This seems too good to be true right?

That's a ridiculously good deal. Make sure it works, though!

 

[Crisium]

Alright I have access to what I think is a super deal.

Currently I have a PS4 I am planning to sell to turn into money for a PC build, RGM had been nice enough to offer suggestions as has everyone else.

A coworker is willing to trade for my PS4 outright for his pc:

I7 4770k
Gtx 760 Asus 2gb
16gb 2400 ram
Asus 87z mobo

This seems too good to be true right?

I mean, that's more than $400 worth so sure. GTX 760 isn't anything special these days, but it should provide at least PS4 level graphics in multiplats and is easily upgradable later.

Take the deal!

 

[Muffin Awesome]

I mean, that's more than $400 worth so sure. GTX 760 isn't anything special these days, but it should provide at least PS4 level graphics in multiplats and is easily upgradable later.

Take the deal!

It seems legit, work in the same cube row at least, all I need to grab is a hd.

Do we suggest a ssd for windows or traditional? Sheeze this happened quick...

 

[H4r4kiri]

It seems legit, work in the same cube row at least, all I need to grab is a hd.

Do we suggest a ssd for windows or traditional? Sheeze this happened quick...

for windows go with a ssd. it is sooooo fast.

 

[Muffin Awesome]

for windows go with a ssd. it is sooooo fast.

Do you install games as well as core windows here? Then get a traditional platter for other programs?

 

[knitoe]

Waiting for my GPU and hard drive to show up today and then it's building time. I accidentally ordered 2 512gb SSDs thanks to my credit card thinking it was fraud when I made a ton of purchases for this build last weekend. I thought about returning one for a few seconds before just deciding that you can never have too much SSD storage.

Just raid 0 them which becomes 1TB SSD with 2x the performance. Personally, I always go this route, getting 2 drives in raid 0 vs 1 drive.

 

[H4r4kiri]

Do you install games as well as core windows here? Then get a traditional platter for other programs?

Well it depends on what size you get. Some games are really big and take a lot of space. I do it like this.

Windows & Programs on SSD
Games on HDD

If you have enough space you can put you favorite game or games on the ssd as well

 

[Muffin Awesome]

Well it depends on what size you get. Some games are really big and take a lot of space. I do it like this.

Windows & Programs on SSD
Games on HDD

If you have enough space you can put you favorite game or games on the ssd as well

I will probably start with 120 or so ssd and go from there, thanks again everyone!

Should that be enough for some basic steam games, windows and MGS v?

 

[mm04]

Just raid 0 them which becomes 1TB SSD with 2x the performance. Personally, I always go this route, getting 2 drives in raid 0 vs 1 drive.

Is that particularly easy or difficult to accomplish?

 

[Hispanicguy]

Here you go.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.75 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BL 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($106.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX200 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($209.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Toshiba Product SeriesT01ACA 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290X 4GB PCS+ Video Card ($303.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1302.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-27 01:46 EST-0500

Thank you very much. Can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I just ordered 2 things from this list so I'm hoping sometime in March I'll be able to build it. Again, thank you.

 

[gdt]

So I've been noticing slow download speeds on my new PC all day (just built it overnight) and it's been getting slower and slower. Did a test this morning and it was getting 3mbps down, way slower than my connection. I was trying to download small shit and it took too long. Then I'm leaving steam games to download while I'm at work and before I leave I see I'm getting 20kbps ffs. It's a wireless card I installed last night, maybe I have to look up drivers or something? It's not the signal or anything my PS4 and phone have been fine all day, as was my laptop before it died.

Is it the card and/or drivers?

 

[TC McQueen]

I'd check the antenna alignment and drivers first.

 

[knitoe]

Is that particularly easy or difficult to accomplish?

It's relatively easy to do. MB manual should tell you how.

If using a Intel MB:

1) In the Bios, change to RAID from AHCI/IDE, save and reboot.
2) During the PC bootup, keep hitting the "CTRL" + "I" keys to enter the Intel Raid setup.
3) Select your desire RAID mode, add drives, save and exit.

Now, Windows will see them as just 1 drive and you don't need to do anything else.

 

[RGM79]

Thank you very much. Can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I just ordered 2 things from this list so I'm hoping sometime in March I'll be able to build it. Again, thank you.

Prices can change in just a few days, don't hesitate to look or ask for recommendations in case things like the RAM or case cost more.

That EVGA 850 watt power supply's price has already shot back up to above $100.

 

[gdt]

I'd check the antenna alignment and drivers first.

K thanks. I'll prop it up much higher. The pc too.

 

[mm04]

It's relatively easy to do. MB manual should tell you how.

If using a Intel MB:

1) In the Bios, change to RAID from AHCI/IDE, save and reboot.
2) During the PC bootup, keep hitting the "CTRL" + "I" keys to enter the Intel Raid setup.
3) Select your desire RAID mode, add drives, save and exit.

Now, Windows will see them as just 1 drive and you don't need to do anything else.

Thanks for the info. I'm definitely going to give this a go tomorrow, assuming the remaining items show up at my doorstep today.

 

[SarBear]

Final Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($369.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI X99S MPOWER ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($284.30 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($210.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($158.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($36.76 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VE278Q 27.0" Monitor ($234.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2251.77
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-27 15:52 EST-0500

I'll be picking up the processor from Microcenter (299). I put a generic monitor in there......but I need guidance on it. I'd like a bigger size (27 or 28 inch), but idealy looking for 1080p with G-sync. Is there an affordable option for what I'm looking for? Thanks in advance. I'm prepared to go up to $2500 max for the build if something needs refinement.

 

[king grimlock]

Is it better to put 2 140mm fans or 3 120mm fans for intake in the front of the case?

 

[RGM79]

Final Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($369.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI X99S MPOWER ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($284.30 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($210.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($158.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($36.76 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VE278Q 27.0" Monitor ($234.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2251.77
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-27 15:52 EST-0500

I'll be picking up the processor from Microcenter (299). I put a generic monitor in there......but I need guidance on it. I'd like a bigger size (27 or 28 inch), but idealy looking for 1080p with G-sync. Is there an affordable option for what I'm looking for? Thanks in advance. I'm prepared to go up to $2500 max for the build if something needs refinement.

I think there are some things you can do to optimize costs.

I recommend the Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($64 after rebate) air cooler over the Corsair H100 series water coolers. According to these benchmarks from Bit-Tech's LGA2011 test and HiTech Legion's review, the Phanteks air cooler more or less matches the H100i, while being quieter than the Corsair water cooler.

I found a different model of G.Skill Ripjaws memory that is rated for the exact same specs yet is cheaper.

I don't feel that the MSI X99S MPower motherboard is worth it at $284. In the past according to the PCPartPicker price history graph, it sold for $230 for a while, although not recently. It is spec and design wise very similar to the MSI X99S SLI Plus ($187) which is almost $100 cheaper, the only difference is a slightly better audio chipset and dedicated buttons and more power phases for overclocking, although the SLI Plus model should already be more than enough for overclocking. Going with the SLI Plus model should be fine and won't really be a downgrade unless you need the better audio chipset.

I'd opt for the Samsung 850 Evo ($119) instead of the Pro. The extra $40 for the slightly higher performance and longer warranty isn't really worth it. An even cheaper option would be the Crucial BX100 ($99). It's a great SSD for the price, especially if you aren't concerned with getting the highest possible performance numbers, most SSDs are a great improvement over hard drives.

Although the EVGA GTX 980 SC is clocked slightly higher, for the same price I'd opt for the MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G, it has a semi-fanless mode that the EVGA model lacks and the small 80MHz difference can be made up through GPU overclocking.

As an alternative to the EVGA Supernova G2 750 watt model you picked for $85, there's the very highly rated yet cheaper EVGA Supernova B2 ($59 after rebate).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($369.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BK 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI X99S SLI Plus ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($186.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($118.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($36.76 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VE278Q 27.0" Monitor ($234.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2043.46
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-27 17:12 EST-0500

With these changes, you'll see virtually the same performance, yet you'll save around $210.

Is it better to put 2 140mm fans or 3 120mm fans for intake in the front of the case?

Depends on the fans and fan speeds, but the twin 140mm option could be quieter yet still have a decent amount of airflow.

 

[thespot84]

I doubt they will have 5GB, or 6GB for that matter.
But I see a good chance that a Hawaii refresh has a 8GB option, just like the 290x does now.

For games it doesn't matter much either way, unless you have an integrated GPU that relies on it for VRAM.
Otherwise higher speeds slightly reduce loading stutter in open world type games (i.e. minimum fps). But best to go cheap and spend the money elsewhere.

http://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.ph...zen-beim-arbeitsspeicher-bringen.html?start=6

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7364/memory-scaling-on-haswell/7

Unless you play bf4... I got a 20% fps gain by going from 1600 to 2133...http://www.corsair.com/en-us/blog/2013/october/battlefield-4-loves-high-speed-memory

 

[Riposte]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152586


This gaming laptop here is 700, highly rated, and will have enough power to run the programs your school might require. Again that leaves plenty to build a good desktop.

Thank you for the advice.

I'm still wondering about portable desktops as an option though.

 

[no maam]

Alright so I wanna do a stop gap Gpu. I have a 680 and am looking for a 970 to hold me over till next year, which I'll be doing a new complete build. Question is which is the best version of the 970? I usually stick to evga, but even they have a plethora of models. Thanks a lot!

 

[Moldiver]

Currently building a new pc and allready have the case, OS SSD and memory on this list. Is there anything I should be changing on this list to imporve the build?

 

[Hazaro]

Alright so I wanna do a stop gap Gpu. I have a 680 and am looking for a 970 to hold me over till next year, which I'll be doing a new complete build. Question is which is the best version of the 970? I usually stick to evga, but even they have a plethora of models. Thanks a lot!

The ACX has 2/3 heatpipes working but the die is on 2 of those, so if that doesn't bother you, you can just get an ACX from eVGA if you dig their warranty.

Currently building a new pc and allready have the case, OS SSD and memory on this list. Is there anything I should be changing on this list to imporve the build?

Do you need the HERO mobo? Can save a bit there. Seems fine otherwise.

 

[Moldiver]

Do you need the HERO mobo? Can save a bit there. Seems fine otherwise.

I was thinking about going with the Ranger and a 2tb drive to maybe knock 100 off. is there much of a difference with the Ranger and Hero?

 

[Moldiver]

Also had someone say to be that I should get and i5 and 980.

The i7 I have is first gen and was really hard to OC when I got it and apprently, I could of bought the i5, had an easy time OCing it and had it running faster than my stock i7 but it looks like the current i7's are easier to OC.

 

[Hazaro]

I was thinking about going with the Ranger and a 2tb drive to maybe knock 100 off. is there much of a difference with the Ranger and Hero?

Anything in that price range is more than up to the task, but the GB SLI is best value imo.

Also had someone say to be that I should get and i5 and 980.

The i7 I have is first gen and was really hard to OC when I got it and apprently, I could of bought the i5, had an easy time OCing it and had it running faster than my stock i7 but it looks like the current i7's are easier to OC.

I'd get i7 at this point, they should OC the same, but the 980 isn't a bad choice right now if you want nVidia.

 

[tigerin]

For 3D games a wired Xbox 360 controllers is still GOAT IMO as most of the games use 360 prompts and lets face it, the controller is great. You can also hook up a wireless 360 controller if you buy the USB receiver.

For 2D games you will hear a lot of different suggestions. You can find USB Saturn controllers (expensive!), or find USB SNES knock offs (some seem to be reviewed well). Personally I have the newer style 360 controller with the better DPAD and its fine for 99% of 2D games which are not fighting games.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QRKWLA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I think I'm going for the xbox 360 controllers since I'm more used to it. Would you recommend that one?

Loading times for everything on an SSD are cut immensely, down to a couple of seconds. Cold booting Windows from an SSD takes no more than 30 seconds, often a lot less. Even on my 5~6 year old PC, restarting MGS Ground Zeroes from a checkpoint felt almost instantaneous, no more than a 5 second turnaround although I haven't timed it. Probably varies by the game, though. Lots of people like having Windows on an SSD just for how responsive it feels.

That XFX R9 290X would be one model I can recommend, but there's also the slightly cheaper Powercolor R9 290X PCS+ for $304 after rebate and comes with a slightly faster set speed than the XFX. It has a very effective cooler, few negative user reviews on Newegg, and it received praise from eTeknix, TechPowerUp, and Tom's Hardware.

The difference between the R9 290 and the 290X isn't that large to be honest, but it could be wider by what model you get and how large the factory or manual overclock is. It depends on the cost, usually the R9 290 is recommended more often, but if the budget allows then the R9 290X is still better for price-to-performance than the GTX 970 or 980.

There is a $50 difference between the two. Would you say the difference is worth it? How long will it extend the life of my pc(compared to the regular 290), gaming wise?

 

[Hazaro]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QRKWLA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I think I'm going for the xbox 360 controllers since I'm more used to it. Would you recommend that one?

There is a $50 difference between the two. Would you say the difference is worth it? How long will it extend the life of my pc(compared to the regular 290), gaming wise?

I just get the $22 360 pads off eBay, some are refurbs I think.

290 (non-X) imo is best value and will hold it's weight for a good while. Put that extra $50 towards a new cards when the difference matters more.

 

[Chinbo37]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QRKWLA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I think I'm going for the xbox 360 controllers since I'm more used to it. Would you recommend that one?

Ya if you don't want wireless that is the standard 360 controller and will be fine.

 

[RGM79]

Alright so I wanna do a stop gap Gpu. I have a 680 and am looking for a 970 to hold me over till next year, which I'll be doing a new complete build. Question is which is the best version of the 970? I usually stick to evga, but even they have a plethora of models. Thanks a lot!

Go with an R9 290, they're much cheaper yet only a bit slower than the GTX 970. Are you buying in the US?

The ACX has 2/3 heatpipes working but the die is on 2 of those, so if that doesn't bother you, you can just get an ACX from eVGA if you dig their warranty.

That poorly designed ACX 1.0 heatsink was an early problem that EVGA tried to ignore but relented and fixed about half a year ago, you can't even find it for sale anymore. All of EVGA's GTX 970s now use the ACX 2.0 cooler.

Currently building a new pc and allready have the case, OS SSD and memory on this list. Is there anything I should be changing on this list to imporve the build?

Also had someone say to be that I should get and i5 and 980.

The i7 I have is first gen and was really hard to OC when I got it and apprently, I could of bought the i5, had an easy time OCing it and had it running faster than my stock i7 but it looks like the current i7's are easier to OC.

What retailer is that? Are you alright with purchasing from multiple retailers or would you prefer to order from whatever retailer that you listed the parts from?

If you're only gaming, then go with the i5 4690K (£181). If you're doing video editing/encoding or other CPU-intensive tasks that can make use of the i7's added hyperthreading, stay with the i7 4790K. Both the current generation i5 and i7 are just as easy to overclock. You didn't list a CPU cooler to overclock with, I recommend the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, Noctua NH-D14, or NH-D15, it fits in your budget and they're basically the best air coolers you can buy, often matching or doing better than AIO water coolers.

WD Black hard drives are generally overpriced for their specs, although they do have a long warranty period. For better cost per GB, go with Toshiba/Hitachi/HGST/WD Blue 7200RPM hard drives. That said, it looks like there aren't that many different options in the UK for 4TB drives, so how about two Toshiba 3TB 7200RPM drives for £80 each? That's 6TB for less than the cost of the single WD Black 4TB.

I'd opt for a cheaper motherboard that will still more than meet your needs, like the MSI Z97-GAMING 5 (£112). Both the Ranger and Hero are expensive and the performance doesn't really justify the cost, unless they have features you wanted or needed. Around here we usually recommend the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI (£97), it's a good motherboard that will suit 80% of users just fine unless they need something more which they rarely do. It handles moderate overclocking well and isn't lacking for connectivity or future upgrades like M.2 SSDs or SATA Express.

You don't need 850 watts, even for GTX 970 SLI. The EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt model (£72) is a high quality and well reviewed power supply that will be enough to power two GTX 980 cards easily. If you want something that looks a bit more premium, the 750 watt version of the EVGA Supernova G2 (£90) will be cheaper than the 850 watt model you selected.

I'd opt for the MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G (£462), you can drop in a second GTX 980 if it's not enough in the future, and you won't have issues with the GTX 970's 3.5GB VRAM.

I tried to recreate the build as best I could but I have no idea what retailer you're looking at prices for, my version of your build looks like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£181.00 @ Amazon UK)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler (£70.00 @ Scan.co.uk)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£111.56 @ Scan.co.uk)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For £154.98)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£79.44 @ Scan.co.uk)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£79.44 @ Scan.co.uk)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card (£461.86 @ More Computers)
Case: NZXT H440 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For £89.00)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply (£71.92 @ CCL Computers)
Other: Avexir Core Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2666 Memory (Purchased For £149.99)
Total: £1449.19
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-28 01:12 GMT+0000

 

[Moldiver]

What retailer is that? Are you alright with purchasing from multiple retailers or would you prefer to order from whatever retailer that you listed the parts from?

Total: £1449.19
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-28 01:12 GMT+0000

Overclockers, actually can get the build cheaper at Scan. With everything I need that I don't already have It comes in at £1289.16, might ditch the sli and get the 980.

 

[Kayant]

Overclockers, actually can get the build cheaper at Scan. With everything I need that I don't already have It comes in at £1289.16, might ditch the sli and get the 980.

Check here for some offers since your buying through scan - http://www.scan.co.uk/todayonly

 

[Muffin Awesome]

Anyone had any luck with these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pny-optima-240gb-internal-serial-ata-iii-solid-state-drive-for-laptops-multi/8193026.p?id=1219315689843&skuId=8193026

Scooped one up to put in my deal I got a few pages back, needed something tomorrow and still need to grab windows 8 for it.

 

[curiouscharles]

Look into some powerline adapters.

woah, you just blew my mind.

you sir, are a god - a golden god.

/me basks in the glory of a wire free home

 

[RustyO]

I'm in the market for a new PC or Laptop, primarily for software development and music production, but I really don't have a clue. The last time I built a PC, SATA was becoming more and more common over IDE, and in between I had adventures with a Mac (OSX is nor for me)

Main interest in looking at a desktop over a laptop is power / expandability. Pragmatically, I already have a laptop, any new contract will provide me with one, and if I really need a new one, then I'll buy one, it's a work tool. In saying that, interest in a laptop over a desktop is conveniance, moveability, already has screen (maybe tocuh) etc.

I think I'll be comfortable enough with building it myself, but by the same token am open to recomendations for an off the shelf / pre built system as well. Something like this very briefly as an example: eBay Link

Your Current Specs:

CPU / RAM / Motherboard / GPU (Graphics) / PSU (Power Supply) / Case / HDD (Hard Drive)

I haven't used a desktop in years, so for context I'll provide the specs of my last two laptops.

- Toshiba Tecra R950. Intel i7-3540M CPU @ 3Ghz 8 GB Ram (ex Work laptop, recently returned, was fairly reasonable, but would like more juice)
- Asus UL50VT, Intel Core Duo 2, U7300 @ 1.30GHz, 4GB Ram (Primary mahcine / old personal / work laptop, struggles a little bit these days)

What I'm kind of looking at so far, but these are just guesses?

CPU: Intel i7-4790K ($469) / Intel i7-4790 ($413) or Interl i5-4690K ($319)
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VII Gene Motherboard ($300) (I think this may be overkil for my needs)
Ram: Kingston Hyper X Fury HX318C10FBK2/16 16GB (2x8GB) Black ($195)
Case: Existing Carillon AC-1 (Can supply photos)
PSU: Existing? I think 300w... It's quite old... I think a new one may be in order.
Storage 1: Kingston Hyper X Fury 120GB SSD ($78) (Presume there is signifcant benefit in using the SSD for OS/Apps?)
Storage 2: Western Digital Green EZRX 3TB SATA ($129)
Storage 3: Existing WD 3TB External
Storage 4: Existing WD 3TB External
Optical: Existing LG DVD R/W
Graphics Card: 2GB of some sort I guess? $150 to $200
Monitor 1: BenQ GL2460 24" 2ms ($179)
Monitor 2: Existing Toshiba TV 40in?
Audio: Exisiting MotU external soundcards

Cost: $1,355 to $1,555 or so.

Alternative, is to keep costs low on the CPU, cheap Mobo, 8GB ram, no SSD, use old 17" monitor (no hdmi)... then add additional stuff as I go along.

--------------------------------------------------

Budget:

- Budget: AU$1,000 to AU$1,500. (Kind of flexible, work tool, expense can be justified, but not excessive)
- Location: Melbourne, Australia.
- Shop at: Will purchase from 'MSY' and/or 'PC Case Gear'

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Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: Light Gaming, Gaming, Emulation (PS2/Wii), Video Editing, Streaming games in HD, 3D/Model work (and what program), General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback).

- 5: Software development: Visual Studio / C#, / SQL Database, data crunching and analysis
- 4: Music production: Cubase / VST's
- 3: General Usage: Excel / Word / Web etc. (Ancillary related to development)
- 2: Light Gaming: Might game a bit, but this is a development/music machine first and foremost. Older/Indie PC titles. No FPS's, latest and greatest games or anything (Console gamer)
- 1: Hard Gaming: If I can, I might?

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Monitor Resolution: What resolution will you be playing your games at? Are you going to upgrade later? Are you buying a new monitor?

- n/a for Gaming, but a semi decent monitor that could handle some average performance I guess.
- Have a Toshiba tv/hdmi as second monitor.

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List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:

- Windows 7 Pro and Windows 8
- Visual Studio 2010 / 2012 / 2013 / 2015
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 / 2008 / 2008R2 / 2012 / 2014
- VMWare
- Excel (Large datasets / analysis)
- Various business / enterprise applications.
- Cubase / Various VST's / Low latency / jittering.

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Looking to reuse any parts?: List make and model (e.g. Corsair 520HX, 640GB SATA HDD, Antec 900)

- Case: Carillon AC1, looks like this http://www.carillonac1.com/core-1.html
- External Storage: 2x 3TB Western Digital External drives. So internal storage does not need to be ridculous, maybe 2TB/3TB SATA Internal?
- Monitor: 2nd Monitor (Well HDMI TV actually)

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When will you build?:

- Fairly soon, next week or so?

Will you be overclocking?: Yes, No, Maybe (This means yes!)

- No


PS: Thanks in advance.

 

[SarBear]

I think there are some things you can do to optimize costs.

I recommend the Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($64 after rebate) air cooler over the Corsair H100 series water coolers. According to these benchmarks from Bit-Tech's LGA2011 test and HiTech Legion's review, the Phanteks air cooler more or less matches the H100i, while being quieter than the Corsair water cooler.

I found a different model of G.Skill Ripjaws memory that is rated for the exact same specs yet is cheaper.

I don't feel that the MSI X99S MPower motherboard is worth it at $284. In the past according to the PCPartPicker price history graph, it sold for $230 for a while, although not recently. It is spec and design wise very similar to the MSI X99S SLI Plus ($187) which is almost $100 cheaper, the only difference is a slightly better audio chipset and dedicated buttons and more power phases for overclocking, although the SLI Plus model should already be more than enough for overclocking. Going with the SLI Plus model should be fine and won't really be a downgrade unless you need the better audio chipset.

I'd opt for the Samsung 850 Evo ($119) instead of the Pro. The extra $40 for the slightly higher performance and longer warranty isn't really worth it. An even cheaper option would be the Crucial BX100 ($99). It's a great SSD for the price, especially if you aren't concerned with getting the highest possible performance numbers, most SSDs are a great improvement over hard drives.

Although the EVGA GTX 980 SC is clocked slightly higher, for the same price I'd opt for the MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G, it has a semi-fanless mode that the EVGA model lacks and the small 80MHz difference can be made up through GPU overclocking.

As an alternative to the EVGA Supernova G2 750 watt model you picked for $85, there's the very highly rated yet cheaper EVGA Supernova B2 ($59 after rebate).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($369.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BK 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI X99S SLI Plus ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($186.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($118.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($36.76 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VE278Q 27.0" Monitor ($234.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2043.46
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-27 17:12 EST-0500

With these changes, you'll see virtually the same performance, yet you'll save around $210.



Depends on the fans and fan speeds, but the twin 140mm option could be quieter yet still have a decent amount of airflow.

Wow, thanks a lot RGM! I really appreciate it. Any word on a monitor?

 

[Lockjaw333]

Got a Corsair K70 mechanical keyboard yesterday. Has to be one of the best hardware purchases I've made in a while, I really love it. The cherry mx reds are so awesome for gaming, so quick and smooth. Highly recommended if anyone is looking for a mech.

 

[Glass Shark]

I'm looking at getting a Core i5. Is there any real money to be saved by going with a CPU that can't be overclocked? I know the K models are highly recommended, but I am honestly just not that likely to fiddle with overclocking settings.

 

[Muffin Awesome]

Anyone know of a reliable place for a Windows Pro 8.1 key for 40-50$ ?

 

[Lockjaw333]

I'm looking at getting a Core i5. Is there any real money to be saved by going with a CPU that can't be overclocked? I know the K models are highly recommended, but I am honestly just not that likely to fiddle with overclocking settings.

If you are totally sure you'll never want to overclock, then you can save a decent amount by getting a non-k version. I would recommend that you get a K model though, you may feel differently about overclocking a few years down the line when you might be looking for a little more performance.

You can usually have a really easy and safe modest overclock just by changing the multiplier for example in the bios, sometimes even on the stock cooler, just I think its worth it to have the option there, even if you won't use it.

 

[Mad Season]

Got a Corsair K70 mechanical keyboard yesterday. Has to be one of the best hardware purchases I've made in a while, I really love it. The cherry mx reds are so awesome for gaming, so quick and smooth. Highly recommended if anyone is looking for a mech.

Better than razer ultimate?

 

[opticalmace]

Better than razer ultimate?

Better in what way? I have the K70 and my gf has the Ultimate... they're both good, just slightly different feel. Try them out at a local shop if you can.

 

[knitoe]

I'm looking at getting a Core i5. Is there any real money to be saved by going with a CPU that can't be overclocked? I know the K models are highly recommended, but I am honestly just not that likely to fiddle with overclocking settings.

Unless you are on a tight budget, there's no reason to not get a K processor. Today, software takes advantage of the extra free speeds. And, a few years later, the processor would still be very capable. For example, the 2500K@4.5GHz are still fine after 3 years while a 2500 would be a candidate for replacement. Thus, if you can't afford the K right now, save up until you can.

 

[RGM79]

Wow, thanks a lot RGM! I really appreciate it. Any word on a monitor?

I'm not really a monitor guy. What kind of monitor are you looking for?

I'm looking at getting a Core i5. Is there any real money to be saved by going with a CPU that can't be overclocked? I know the K models are highly recommended, but I am honestly just not that likely to fiddle with overclocking settings.

Moderately overclocking recent Intel K processors is usually "follow a guide" easy and gives you extra performance that is worth it, I'd say. The PC will last longer before you need an overhaul upgrade. For example, the i5 2500K is still strong today when overclocked, and it's 4 years old. You said you had an i3 processor on a Z77 motherboard before. If you had the i5 2500K or i5 3570K, you wouldn't be looking for an upgrade yet, we'd just tell you to overclock and you would be set for about another 1~2 years from now.

You will save somewhere around $50 by going with a cheaper motherboard chipset and non-overclocking processor but you'll be looking for an upgrade in a just a few years time. If you were really strapped for money and looking for a budget build, I'd consider dropping other parts of the parts list to save money before the processor.

Anyone know of a reliable place for a Windows Pro 8.1 key for 40-50$ ?

You can either buy it in stores for retail cost or get it for $20 from reddit's microsoftsoftwareswap. Unless you know a student who has student discounts on or access to Windows licenses who is willing to sell you a key (basically the same thing as microsoftsoftwareswap except safer since you know the person), there's no real in-between option that's as reliable as buying it through official means.

 

[smashism]

What are your exact system specs? The R9 290 can consume up to 300 watts, but I wonder how much the rest of your system needs.

If you have a very cheap 500 watt power supply, sometimes they will crap out before actually getting to 500 watts because they actually only put out maybe 300~400 watts at 12 volts and add the rest of the wattage from the 3.3 and 5 volt to "combine" for a total of 500 watts. Better quality 500 watt power supplies actually do supply 500 watts or more where you actually need it and don't resort to adding wattage from different rails for a fake 500 watt rating.

So I decided to replace the PSU first, as my initial solution to my issue. Should I shoot for 600 watts or 700?

 

[RGM79]

So I decided to replace the PSU first, as my initial solution to my issue. Should I shoot for 600 watts or 700?

Well, 600 watts is enough for an normal R9 290, but 700 watts will leave you with room to overclock your processor and graphics card. Do you have a budget for upgrades? And where are you buying upgrades? We can help with recommendations.

 

[tigerin]

I just get the $22 360 pads off eBay, some are refurbs I think.

290 (non-X) imo is best value and will hold it's weight for a good while. Put that extra $50 towards a new cards when the difference matters more.

That a great idea! I'll take a look at ebay.

If it doesn't make big difference then I'll stick with the 290 and spend that $50 on games or something else.

I noticed most sites have "mail-in rebates" for some parts. How much of a hassle is it? I don't see the point when some only offer $10 rebates......and I'm assuming they'll send you a prepaid card after a few weeks?

Ya if you don't want wireless that is the standard 360 controller and will be fine.

Yea, I just want something that is simple and works great. Does that one have the new DPAD? I really can't tell.

 

[smashism]

Well, 600 watts is enough for an normal R9 290, but 700 watts will leave you with room to overclock your processor and graphics card. Do you have a budget for upgrades? And where are you buying upgrades? We can help with recommendations.

Pretty much as cheap as I can keep it. Can I do it for under 80? I can squeeze over 100 if need be.

I don't think my temps are getting that high, so it's gotta be this shitty budget 500 watt psu.