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[RGM79]

I put this together based on the build in the OP.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nk8VTW

Is there anything there that should go? Or could be cheaper? Or anything which looks completely wrong? That build was updated as of November, is there anything that should be updated?

I optimized your build for current pricing. Saved around $50 and added a CPU cooler as well. When do you plan to build the PC?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($80.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($295.00 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $974.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-27 01:33 EDT-0400

1. I recommend a CPU cooler for your overclockable 4690K. The 212 Evo is well regarded as the budget king of CPU coolers and it should allow for an overclock up to and around 4.5GHz.

2. I found faster 2133MHz RAM for a lower price.

3. The newer BX100 is cheaper than the MX100 and will offer comparable performance. You can read about the differences here.

4. Back then the MSI Gaming 4G was recommended a lot, it's still a good card but now there are other cards that are more worthwhile when it comes to price and performance. The Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce is just $295 after rebates, which is a very good price as GTX 970 cards rarely drop below $300. If you want other alternatives, the EVGA GTX 970 FTW ($315 after rebates and discounts) comes with a high factory overclock and I think it has a zero fan speed mode when at low temperatures.

Yet another alternative would be the AMD R9 290, they offer somewhat lower but similar performance compared to the GTX 970 but at a much lower price of as low as $240. Differences include a fully usable 4GB VRAM but increased heat, wattage consumption, and the lack of a zero fan speed mode at low temperatures. Examples include the XFX R9 290 ($240 after rebates and discounts) and the Powercolor R9 290 PCS+ ($254 after rebates).

5. That Corsair power supply is somewhat expensive for the quality it offers. Instead I recommend something like the EVGA Supernova GS 650 watt model for just a few dollars more after rebates. It's gold rated and fully modular, and reviews are quite good.

If you want something with higher wattage, there's the EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt model ($62 after rebates). It comes well-reviewed from Jonny Guru and 750 watts is enough for SLI twin GTX 970s if you want that option open in the future (personally recommend against that due to the GTX 970 3.5GB effective VRAM).

The only thing else left to add is that you could also save money on the case, if you're not attached to the S340. For example, currently the Corsair 230T is available for $55 after rebate, which seems to be a fine case. That specific model has no case window, though.

Edit: Is a color coordinated interior something you want? I just noticed that your original parts list sort of had a red and black theme going on.

 

[m_shortpants]

I optimized your build for current pricing. Saved around $50 and added a CPU cooler as well. When do you plan to build the PC?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($80.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($295.00 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $974.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-27 01:33 EDT-0400

1. I recommend a CPU cooler for your overclockable 4690K. The 212 Evo is well regarded as the budget king of CPU coolers and it should allow for an overclock up to and around 4.5GHz.

2. I found faster 2133MHz RAM for a lower price.

3. The newer BX100 is cheaper than the MX100 and will offer comparable performance. You can read about the differences here.

4. Back then the MSI Gaming 4G was recommended a lot, it's still a good card but now there are other cards that are more worthwhile when it comes to price and performance. The Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce is just $295 after rebates, which is a very good price as GTX 970 cards rarely drop below $300. If you want other alternatives, the EVGA GTX 970 FTW ($315 after rebates and discounts) comes with a high factory overclock and I think it has a zero fan speed mode when at low temperatures.

Yet another alternative would be the AMD R9 290, they offer somewhat lower but similar performance compared to the GTX 970 but at a much lower price of as low as $240. Differences include a fully usable 4GB VRAM but increased heat, wattage consumption, and the lack of a zero fan speed mode at low temperatures. Examples include the XFX R9 290 ($240 after rebates and discounts) and the Powercolor R9 290 PCS+ ($254 after rebates).

5. That Corsair power supply is somewhat expensive for the quality it offers. Instead I recommend something like the EVGA Supernova GS 650 watt model for just a few dollars more after rebates. It's gold rated and fully modular, and reviews are quite good.

If you want something with higher wattage, there's the EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt model ($62 after rebates). It comes well-reviewed from Jonny Guru and 750 watts is enough for SLI twin GTX 970s if you want that option open in the future (personally recommend against that due to the GTX 970 3.5GB effective VRAM).

The only thing else left to add is that you could also save money on the case, if you're not attached to the S340. For example, currently the Corsair 230T is available for $55 after rebate, which seems to be a fine case. That specific model has no case window, though.

Edit: Is a color coordinated interior something you want? I just noticed that your original parts list sort of had a red and black theme going on.

Thank you so much! This kind of help from someone who's more familiar with the current market was exactly what I was looking for.

I wasn't really going for any color coordination or anything, but I guess if it just turns out that way I'm not opposed

 

[RGM79]

Thank you so much! This kind of help from someone who's more familiar with the current market was exactly what I was looking for.

I wasn't really going for any color coordination or anything, but I guess if it just turns out that way I'm not opposed

Planning to build soon? If you're still a few weeks away from buying parts, it'd be best to update the parts list again a few days before you intend to buy. Prices for things like cases, RAM, and graphics cards can and probably will change.

If colors aren't important, I'd just get those parts along with the Corsair case, it has no window so the interior colors won't matter.

Oh, do you live near a microcenter store by any chance? They're offering the i5 4690K and a motherboard for as low as $250~300 depending on the motherboard model, but only available in-store. That'd save another $40~90 off your total costs.

 

[npa189]

I decided to stick it out with my 670 until new cards come out, not much sense in picking up a 970 this far into the cycle. It should be able to do the witcher on medium @ 1080, hopefully.

 

[m_shortpants]

Planning to build soon? If you're still a few weeks away from buying parts, it'd be best to update the parts list again a few days before you intend to buy. Prices for things like cases, RAM, and graphics cards can and probably will change.

If colors aren't important, I'd just get those parts along with the Corsair case, it has no window so the interior colors won't matter.

Oh, do you live near a microcenter store by any chance? They're offering the i5 4690K and a motherboard for as low as $250~300 depending on the motherboard model, but only available in-store. That'd save another $40~90 off your total costs.

Yeah, I'm thinking possibly this week.

I wish, there was a MicroCenter about 15 mins away but it closed down a year or two ago.

 

[EmptySpace]

On the CPU side, if the Skylake benches are true, and that's a very big if, you should wait until it releases. Insofar as the graphics cards go, there'll probably more information around the time Skylake releases to make your choice

so wait for sky lake, it is.

 

[mercenar1e]

On the CPU side, if the Skylake benches are true, and that's a very big if

the "leaked" benchmarks are fake.

 

[Mystic654]

Putting the PC together and ran into a small glitch.

I was installing Corsair H100i one cable requires a USB 2.0 header, all my USB 2.0 headers are taken. Is USB cable needed? I believe it's Corsair link cable. Don't want to fry my CPU, if all it does talk to Corsair link software (Which I am never going to install or download). I will leave it out.

I have Asus Rampage V Extreme motherboard, I'm only seeing two USB 2.0 headers unless I'm not see it.

Is it possible to connect it to one of the outside USB 2.0 ports?

 

[potam]

Putting the PC together and ran into a small glitch.

I was installing Corsair H100i one cable requires a USB 2.0 header, all my USB 2.0 headers are taken. Is USB cable needed? I believe it's Corsair link cable. Don't want to fry my CPU, if all it does talk to Corsair link software (Which I am never going to install or download). I will leave it out.

I have Asus Rampage V Extreme motherboard, I'm only seeing two USB 2.0 headers unless I'm not see it.

the pump itself plugs into the CPU fan header, right? I would assume with that, you can safely ignore the usb/corsair link. I think you'd at least be safe in booting up and checking temps real quick to ensure it's working.

Or maybe the usb powers the fans...that could be it. I don't know. I'm not very helpful.

 

[EmptySpace]

the "leaked" benchmarks are fake.

but it is going to be released august 2015? that's still a long ways away, though.

 

[Garou]

Putting the PC together and ran into a small glitch.

I was installing Corsair H100i one cable requires a USB 2.0 header, all my USB 2.0 headers are taken. Is USB cable needed? I believe it's Corsair link cable. Don't want to fry my CPU, if all it does talk to Corsair link software (Which I am never going to install or download). I will leave it out.

I have Asus Rampage V Extreme motherboard, I'm only seeing two USB 2.0 headers unless I'm not see it.

Why wouldn't you install the Corsair-Link software? Having custom fan-profiles through that is the whole point of the i-series.

 

[Mystic654]

Why wouldn't you install the Corsair-Link software? Having custom fan-profiles through that is the whole point of the i-series.

I don't like installing unnecessary software. I only install what I will use.

 

[mercenar1e]

but it is going to be released august 2015? that's still a long ways away, though.

some are saying August for the Skylake mobile/laptop and Sept/Oct for the unlocked desktop version.. Steam Box with Skylake processors are all showing a November release.

 

[potam]

Why wouldn't you install the Corsair-Link software? Having custom fan-profiles through that is the whole point of the i-series.

From what I remember, fans at max vs fans at min resulted in a difference of 2 or 3 C. I always kept mine at the lowest RPM, so leaving them at whatever they default to shouldn't be a big deal

edit: also corsair link sucks ass and didn't work 3/4 of the time

edit redux:

 

[Garou]

I don't like installing unnecessary software. I only install what I will use.

It's not unnecessary, it's basically a driver+app.

 

[LilJoka]

I don't like installing unnecessary software. I only install what I will use.

I wouldn't bother installing it either. You can just set fans to minimum in bios and forget about it. While you are testing an overclock set fans to maximum in bios.

The i version looks better that's why some buy it too.

 

[Matty8787]

My 970's are en route!

Won't have time until wednesday to put them in but damn I can't wait.

Had to order a DVI > DisplayPort as both my monitors are DVI and only one DVI slot on the card. I assume that will work ok?

 

[RGM79]

My 970's are en route!

Won't have time until wednesday to put them in but damn I can't wait.

Had to order a DVI > DisplayPort as both my monitors are DVI and only one DVI slot on the card. I assume that will work ok?

You ordered two GTX 970 cards, each has a DVI port..

And you have two monitors, each requires a DVI port..

Sorry, I don't see why you need an adaptor?

 

[Faith]

I thinking about selling my 2 970s and getting a Titan X.

But that would be just a colossal waste of money, right?

 

[mercenar1e]

but it is going to be released august 2015? that's still a long ways away, though.

http://www.computerbase.de/2015-04/intel-skylake-s-spezifikationen-zu-10-cpu-modellen-und-erste-fotos/

Currently, it is assumed that Intel will introduce the desktop versions of Skylake within the IDF 2015 in San Francisco, which begins on 18 August.

does Intel release CPU's on the same day as the conference? i dont really know how they go about it. im so close to buying an Intel Core i7-4790K system..

 

[Darkone]

Hey Gaf,

I want to add to my PC a SPDIF connection.
Any advise?

 

[RGM79]

does Intel release CPU's on the same day as the conference? i dont really know how they go about it. im so close to buying an Intel Core i7-4790K system..

Wikipedia says Intel announced Haswell on June 4th 2013. Amazon says the 4670K was first available... June 1st 2013.

Huh. PCPartPicker's price tracker says the 4670K's first date with a price was May 31st 2013.

Hey Gaf,

I want to add to my PC a SPDIF connection.
Any advise?

What motherboard do you have?

 

[Chinbo37]

Hey Gaf,

I want to add to my PC a SPDIF connection.
Any advise?

Its a simple question but might be better to start with why you want to add such a connection.

Also, yes, what MOBO do you have.


And what will you plan on hooking up to the SPIDIF connection?


A general description of your audio setup and potential uses will help.

 

[Darkone]

Its a simple question but might be better to start with why you want to add such a connection.

Also, yes, what MOBO do you have.


And what will you plan on hooking up to the SPIDIF connection?


A general description of your audio setup and potential uses will help.

This is the MOBO: Gigabyte GA-H97-D3H.
Mostly i play with my headphones but I want to add the optical connection to get 5.1 sound for gaming.
I will still intend to use the headphones mostly.

 

[sgjackson]

Contemplating doing a custom watercooling loop for fun. Anyone have any advice/guides?

 

[ekim]

Anyone here having experience with building a CustoMac?
If I follow this installation guide here:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...-x-yosemite-any-supported-intel-based-pc.html

Will it create a dualboot system?

 

[LilJoka]

Anyone here having experience with building a CustoMac?
If I follow this installation guide here:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...-x-yosemite-any-supported-intel-based-pc.html

Will it create a dualboot system?

Its possible to do a dual boot with the Chimera bootloader, Windows 7 and Mac OSX.
Best way would be to start with the OSX installer, create a GUID partition map. 1 partition for OSX and 1 for Windows. Format the OSX paritition HFS+ and format the Windows 7 partition as FAT32. Continue the install of OSX. Once OSX is setup (bootloader installed at minimum), then boot up the Windows installer and format that FAT32 partition as NTFS. It maybe fussy here, so it can be better to use GParted bootable ISO to format it to NTFS and then install Windows to it.

You may need to experiment with the above, its been a while since i did it but that makes the most sense. You may run into an issue that Windows doesnt want to install to the the drive when a HFS partition is already present. So possibly you may want to leave the OSX partition as RAW, and just install Windows after setting up the drive in the OSX installer (Must be GUID). Then once windows is installed, go back to the OSX installer and continue by formatting the RAW partition to HFS and completing the install.

 

[Chinbo37]

This is the MOBO: Gigabyte GA-H97-D3H.
Mostly i play with my headphones but I want to add the optical connection to get 5.1 sound for gaming.
I will still intend to use the headphones mostly.

From a quick review of your MOBO there is a SPDIF header on the board somewhere. So you could probably save money and not buy a dedicated sound card. I think you could get away with something like this


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Aud...993?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a2d22ce1

 

[ekim]

Its possible to do a dual boot with the Chimera bootloader, Windows 7 and Mac OSX.
Best way would be to start with the OSX installer, create a GUID partition map. 1 partition for OSX and 1 for Windows. Format the OSX paritition HFS+ and format the Windows 7 partition as FAT32. Continue the install of OSX. Once OSX is setup (bootloader installed at minimum), then boot up the Windows installer and format that FAT32 partition as NTFS. It maybe fussy here, so it can be better to use GParted bootable ISO to format it to NTFS and then install Windows to it.

You may need to experiment with the above, its been a while since i did it but that makes the most sense. You may run into an issue that Windows doesnt want to install to the the drive when a HFS partition is already present. So possibly you may want to leave the OSX partition as RAW, and just install Windows after setting up the drive in the OSX installer (Must be GUID). Then once windows is installed, go back to the OSX installer and continue by formatting the RAW partition to HFS and completing the install.

Thanks. Sounds a little bit more complicated than I thought it would be

 

[Darkone]

From a quick review of your MOBO there is a SPDIF header on the board somewhere. So you could probably save money and not buy a dedicated sound card. I think you could get away with something like this


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Aud...993?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a2d22ce1

Thanks, think this will do the job, i will buy it.

 

[Repo Man]

I would just like to thank everyone in this thread who helped me out over the course of past 5 months or so. Installed the ssd yesterday and my new rig is now at a point where I can declare it finished. This thread has been a huge help and very inspiring to read, long may it live!

i5 4690k
8gb of ram DDR3 1600mhz
GTX970
Evga supernova 750w
Crucial MX200 ssd.

I'm very pleased with the end result and being back in my natural habitat in the pc gaming world. Just a few bits and bobs left to upgrade such as a dedicated soundcard, a large traditional hdd for mass storage and a new monitor at some stage but for now I'm just gonna kick back and game as much as I can on my spare time!

 

[Chinbo37]

Thanks, think this will do the job, i will buy it.

Sorry just to follow up here cause I dont want you to make the same mistakes I did.


When you say 5.1 for gaming. You will run SPDIF to a AV receiver or some sort of speker setup?


Note that you cannot run uncompressed 5.1 over SPDIF. So it has to be coded as Dolby Digital or DTS. Not all games have that. And the receiver needs to be able to decode DD or DTS, unless your onboard sound has those CODECS and not all onboard MOBO audio does.

 

[Acrylic7]

It feels like Christmas every time a piece for my first gaming/editing build arrives in the mail.

I'm freaking out yall. Just got my Motherboard today and didn't realize how huge these things were.

 

[AndyD]

So I'm building a basic office/youtube PC. Someone showed me a brief rundown earlier in the thread, but I lost the post so how's this:

Intel G3258 - $50 and use stock cooler
AsRock Z97 - $80 can go for H97 and save a bit, or maybe a cheap openbox at newegg?
8GB DDR - $?
120B Samsung SSD - have
1-2 TB WD Blue - $80-90
GPU, audio, ethernet - builtin
Case - have
Power - Antec VP450 - $50

Any feedback? Any pitfalls or sales I should be aware of?

 

[Complex Shadow]

are there any good step by step guides to water cooling a GPU?

i wanna build a new PC in the summer (hopefully when skylake comes out), and i wanna water-cool the CPU and GPU.

 

[SRG01]

So I'm building a basic office/youtube PC. Someone showed me a brief rundown earlier in the thread, but I lost the post so how's this:

Intel G3258 - $50 and use stock cooler
AsRock Z97 - $80 can go for H97 and save a bit, or maybe a cheap openbox at newegg?
8GB DDR - $?
120B Samsung SSD - have
1-2 TB WD Blue - $80-90
GPU, audio, ethernet - builtin
Case - have
Power - Antec VP450 - $50

Any feedback? Any pitfalls or sales I should be aware of?

Yes, watch DDR prices because you can inadvertently pay a premium for them. It used to be worse earlier this year, but prices have been steadily coming down again with occasional sales.

 

[ruttyboy]

I used to be able to output to my TV using a DVI->HDMI converter, but it's stopped working. I don't know if it's because the drivers have borked this funtionality in some HDMI paranoia or the port has died.

Anyway, long story short, can someone please help me choose a new GFX card to replace my 512MB 8800 GT OC?

I'm planning to do a proper new build in about six months, I just need something of at least equivalent ability for as cheap as possible (and with a native HDMI port!), but I've no idea what a modern equivalent chipset would be 6(?) generations on.

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[digitalrelic]

I thinking about selling my 2 970s and getting a Titan X.

But that would be just a colossal waste of money, right?

Yeah, I think that would be a poor idea. Unless you REALLY need that 12GB of VRAM. SLI 970s are actually a little faster than single Titan X.

 

[Darkone]

Sorry just to follow up here cause I dont want you to make the same mistakes I did.


When you say 5.1 for gaming. You will run SPDIF to a AV receiver or some sort of speker setup?


Note that you cannot run uncompressed 5.1 over SPDIF. So it has to be coded as Dolby Digital or DTS. Not all games have that. And the receiver needs to be able to decode DD or DTS, unless your onboard sound has those CODECS and not all onboard MOBO audio does.

Yeah, i will connect it to a receiver, i don`t know about decoding it,
My receiver is like 10 years old.

 

[slash3584]

So since tax return season is coming i'm thinking about giving some love to my 3 year old desktop and upgrading my video card (GTX 570) seems like the best bet.

I've been doing my research and it looks like the GTX 970 it's the best budget/performance card right now,but I know the 980Ti is supposedly releasing soon to counter the new AMD Series, so is this a good time to get a 970?

Should I wait till the next nvidia video card gen?

 

[Spikematic]

Hey guys! So I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a GTX 980 so I can play The Witcher 3 and Arkham Knight on ultra. I currently have a 4GB GTX 770. Just wanted to get a feel of what the people here would recommend; go for it or perhaps wait for AMD's next batch of cards? I've been googling around and I couldn't get a feel of when exactly they're due.

The thing is that these 2 games are easily my most anticipated ones of the year (unless Mankind Divided comes out too) and I'd rather enjoy them at max graphics than play them on Highish on my 770 and then buy the new card after.

Unless, of course, the AMD cards will be unveiled before or just around the games' release dates? Ugh, the confusion!

 

[Chinbo37]

Yeah, i will connect it to a receiver, i don`t know about decoding it,
My receiver is like 10 years old.

ok, glad you replied. Ill tell you my story.


I built a gaming PC a couple of years ago. My onboard MOBO had SPDIF out. I had a super old receiver (like 10 years old, a Yamaha one). I thought if I just hook up from my computer to my receiver with SPDIF, then I would be perfect for 5.1 for games and movies. My receiver did have DD and DTS decoding.

BUT when I actually hooked it up, I could not get "true" 5.1 unless I was playing a retail DVD from my DVD drive on my computer (one where the sound was already encoded in DD or DTS). I could not figure it out. I did lots of research and realized that SPIDF cannot handle uncompressed 5.1 audio. Therefore if you are playing a game with a true 5.1 channels (not a game with dolby digital) or watching say a downloaded movie which also has a 5.1 track (again a raw 5.1 track), 5.1 will not work on your receiver, only 2.0.

If you turn on a "5.1 mix" mode on your receiver then it will play sound out of all speakers, but it is not true discrete 5.1.



Anyways its a long story but be warned. That SPDIF header card I sent is pretty cheap, so you can always try it. However your MOBO has 3.5 mm audio outs for front, side, rear and center/sub.


Check the back of your receiver, it should have a section called "AUX IN" or "AUDIO IN" something like that with (I assume) 6 RCA ins labled "front" "Surround (or side)" and "center/sub".


If I were you I would skip the SPDIF and go straight for the solution I did, which was buy 3 sets of these 3.5mm to RCA splitters - http://www.ebay.com/itm/12ft-Aux-Au...965?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d56bea425

It doesnt have to be those exact ones but just make sure the end that plugs into your MOBO is a bit smaller because sometimes the plugs are close together and if the shielding around the plug is too big they wont all fit (again I know from experience ).


Plug those from Front/Side/Center+Sub from your Mobo to the same inputs on your receiver.



That should be the proper solution for getting true 5.1 without running HDMI to a receiver.



Sorry for the long explanation, but that shit took me forever to figure out. If you need something else let me know.

 

[Confounding Factor]

Overclock the CPU, buy a 970, and you'll be good for another few years.

I don't know if you are still posting in this thread, but my question was posted before the 970 controversy. Would you still recommend buying the card?

I'm only gaming in 1080p @ 60FPS and try to max settings out for all my games.

 

[cleveridea]

Hey guys! So I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a GTX 980 so I can play The Witcher 3 and Arkham Knight on ultra. I currently have a 4GB GTX 770. Just wanted to get a feel of what the people here would recommend; go for it or perhaps wait for AMD's next batch of cards? I've been googling around and I couldn't get a feel of when exactly they're due.

The thing is that these 2 games are easily my most anticipated ones of the year (unless Mankind Divided comes out too) and I'd rather enjoy them at max graphics than play them on Highish on my 770 and then buy the new card after.

Unless, of course, the AMD cards will be unveiled before or just around the games' release dates? Ugh, the confusion!

Its actually pretty cool getting W3 for free with a Nvidia card

The nice thing also is its a gog.com account so you get all the benefits like artbook

IMO the new AMD cards will end up with nvidia cutting price on their lower end cards like 980 & 970. However, will they release any time soon? Personally Witcher 3 was a big part of my reason to moving to a PC and high end graphics (SLI, Titan X) - though it ended up being overkill since ultra W3 is 1080p60 on 980. I went for 1080p partly for 3D vision and partly so I can just ultra any games without constantly fiddling for 60 fps and resolution/settings tradeoffs.

Sounds like if you want 1080p then 980 is all you will need, and ordering now gets the game free. So I dont think you can go wrong either way. If you want higher res, may be worth waiting on AMD to either buy that card or go for a price cut on 970/980.

Also, if you want to go SLI then 2 970 or 980 should be very good value for money, especially if Nvida cut prices after the AMD cards hit. You could hedge your bets buying SLI m/b but just a single card and buy the 2nd when prices drop - but make sure you get a PSU to handle it.

 

[Matty8787]

You ordered two GTX 970 cards, each has a DVI port..

And you have two monitors, each requires a DVI port..

Sorry, I don't see why you need an adaptor?

According to Nvidia site, both monitors need to use one of the cards and the other doesn't have an input.

Is this wrong?

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

I don't know if you are still posting in this thread, but my question was posted before the 970 controversy. Would you still recommend buying the card?

I'm only gaming in 1080p @ 60FPS and try to max settings out for all my games.

3.5gb at 1080p is absolutely fine. Go for it.

 

[ACE 1991]

Are BSODs bad for the comptuer when ocing a CPU? I'm overclocking my 2500k, and getting frequent BSODs while feeling out the voltages. I'm not doing any harm by getting these screens as long as I'm not pushing a crazy amount of voltage, right?

 

[mkenyon]

I don't know if you are still posting in this thread, but my question was posted before the 970 controversy. Would you still recommend buying the card?

I'm only gaming in 1080p @ 60FPS and try to max settings out for all my games.

For 1080p, the 970 is an excellent card.

 

[LilJoka]

Are BSODs bad for the comptuer when ocing a CPU? I'm overclocking my 2500k, and getting frequent BSODs while feeling out the voltages. I'm not doing any harm by getting these screens as long as I'm not pushing a crazy amount of voltage, right?

Its ok.
You can always run a sfc/ scannow if you feel Windows files have been corrupted, but out of the 100's of overclock sessions ive done i havent had an issue.

 

[Spikematic]

Its actually pretty cool getting W3 for free with a Nvidia card

The nice thing also is its a gog.com account so you get all the benefits like artbook

IMO the new AMD cards will end up with nvidia cutting price on their lower end cards like 980 & 970. However, will they release any time soon? Personally Witcher 3 was a big part of my reason to moving to a PC and high end graphics (SLI, Titan X) - though it ended up being overkill since ultra W3 is 1080p60 on 980. I went for 1080p partly for 3D vision and partly so I can just ultra any games without constantly fiddling for 60 fps and resolution/settings tradeoffs.

Sounds like if you want 1080p then 980 is all you will need, and ordering now gets the game free. So I dont think you can go wrong either way. If you want higher res, may be worth waiting on AMD to either buy that card or go for a price cut on 970/980.

Also, if you want to go SLI then 2 970 or 980 should be very good value for money, especially if Nvida cut prices after the AMD cards hit. You could hedge your bets buying SLI m/b but just a single card and buy the 2nd when prices drop - but make sure you get a PSU to handle it.

Thanks very much for your reply. I didn't know that the Witcher 3 code you get with the card is for GOG. I'm actually kind of a Steam whore (like having all my games in one place) so that actually bothers me a little. Which is weird, since I have internet issues often and not having to worry about DRM should be a big benefit for me. Ahhhh, damn you for brainwashing me Gabe!

Anyway, I would've totally gone for a 970 and then SLI'd later, but the whole 4GB fiasco soured me on it (even though it really doesn't impact gameplay much). So I guess a single 980 will do for now.