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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 1. Read the OP and RISE ABOVE FORGED PRECISION SCIENCE
- Thread starter Hazaro
- Start date
- Status
Yeah, that should be doable. Are you using the stock cooler? If you have a decent aftermarket cooler, I believe it's possible to get a higher overclock in the <4.5GHz range.
They're both nice motherboards, and should do well for what you want them to do. It could even come down to which one you think looks better?
That's a bit of a harder choice. The R9 280X is an older graphics card and won't get as much out of the latest drivers as the GTX 960 will, but the R9 280X does have 3GB of VRAM which means it is better than the GTX 960 2GB model when it comes to graphics settings at 1080p, you can crank them up higher because you won't be limited by VRAM. Game at 1080p are already over 2GB of VRAM usage at high-ish settings these days, but not yet at 3GB usage levels. Of course, the GTX 960 has the advantages of being more efficient (less heat, noise, and power consumption). Performance-wise the 280X has a bit more raw power, but depending on the game the GTX 960 can match it sometimes.
R9 285 and GTX 960 are pretty similar. Both have 2GB of VRAM, were released not that long ago, and more power efficient than the R9 280X. The GTX 960 comes in low-noise models that shut off the fans when at low temperature, though. AMD doesn't really have that at least not on the R9 280X and 285. The GTX 960 also comes in a 4GB VRAM version, but has extra cost and doesn't necessarily perform that much better as much as it is no longer bottlenecked by the amount of VRAM (specific performance will depend on the game and the graphics settings).
I think you'll have to decide by what games you will be playing. Look up PC performance benchmarks for the games you want to play from sites like Techspot, Eurogamer, etc and see which graphics card performs better.
Hyper 212 Evo. I was able to hit 4.0 GHz, but it required a big bump up in voltage. Although 4.0 GHz was my target, I ultimately decided that the increased heat and power consumption would be more noticeable than the extra couple hundred megahertz. So back to 3.8 GHz I went.
With more voltage and pushing, I could probably get it to overclock higher and be perfectly usable, but I'm not sure if it would reach the 36 hours of Prime and intense Intel burn Test standards that I have.
Really, it's a bit disappointing of an overclocker, but at the same time it's hit or miss whether the two extra cores unlock and function properly at all. To be able to unlock them, clock them up to 3.8 GHz, and have all four cores be 100% functional and stable is pretty good. So I can't complain too much, especially since I got the CPU, motherboard, and 500W Antec PSU for all of $30.
j0hnny_385
Member
Upgrade time!
Shadowhaxor
Member
The upgrade bug has gotten a hold me, well that and 980 Ti is priced just right. Currently running a SLI GTX 970 setup and I know that single 980 Ti isn't going to beat that setup. I can get 280-300 for each of my 970sm which would help the funding of the 980 Ti.
My concern is the limited amount of VRAM on the SLI setup. However, with DX12, we'll be able to stack VRAM which makes the situation a completely different game.
I'm more than likely going to sit on the cards and just wait until tax time and get two titan X's or whatever the best of the best is around then.
Think it's worth going GTX 980 Ti from a SLI GTX 970 setup?
My concern is the limited amount of VRAM on the SLI setup. However, with DX12, we'll be able to stack VRAM which makes the situation a completely different game.
I'm more than likely going to sit on the cards and just wait until tax time and get two titan X's or whatever the best of the best is around then.
Think it's worth going GTX 980 Ti from a SLI GTX 970 setup?
Okay, I'm super sick of the shitty ass stand my monitor (link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236288 )came with, it wobbles all the time on a sturdy desk. Seems like it's compatible with a 100mm x 100mm VESA mount. Does anyone have experience with VESA mounts, and does this one look fine/compatible? Link: http://www.amazon.com/VideoSecu-Monitor-Articulating-Bracket-ML10B/dp/B000ID7QNI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434476499&sr=8-2&keywords=vesa+wall+mount+100+x+100mm
EDIT: Does the VESA mount i linked include the screws for the monitor mount? I can't tell.
EDIT: Does the VESA mount i linked include the screws for the monitor mount? I can't tell.
I think the best single card that a person can afford is always a better option than two less powerful cards.
However, I'd hold off for the Fury X reviews.
Yes. In some games it will run faster (and in some it won't), you get more VRAM and you don't have SLI-problems.
Wowfunhappy
Member
Okay guys, I want to build a computer, largely in anticipation of the new Mirror's Edge (the sequel to what is pretty much my favorite game ever!). I've NEVER built a computer before—the most I've ever done is upgrade a graphics card—so I don't know very much.
Your Current Specs: My current desktop is a customized Dell Inspiron 530 which I bought many years ago. It has an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83 Ghz, 4GB of ram, a 0FM586 motherboard, a Radeon HD 7770, a 350 Watt power supply, and a 500 GB optical hard drive.
Budget: I live in the US. My limit is $1000, but I'd like to spend as little as possible.
Main Use: Gaming: 5, Emulation: 4. I'm building this to be a gaming machine exclusively; I have a Macbook Air for other computing work.
Monitor Resolution: Both my monitor and my projector are 1920x1080@60hz, and both support stereoscopic 3D using Half Side-By-Side. I do not intend to upgrade.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: MIrror's Edge Catalyst! My goal is to be able to play Mirror's Edge at 60 frames and in Stereoscopic 3D (if 3D isn't natively supported, I'll force it with Catalyst). I realize that Mirror's Edge does not have system requirements yet, but I don't see any way around that...
Looking to reuse any parts?: Other than the CPU, GPU, and motherboard: as many as I possibly can. The reason I want to build a new computer is that my current processor cannot be upgraded without a new motherboard.
When will you build?: Ideally, I would like to build in mid-to-late August. I'll be done with my summer job by then, and college doesn't start until September. Alternately, the absolute latest I can build is during my winter break, which ends in late January. That way, I'll be able to play Mirror's Edge during my one-week-long spring break.
Will you be overclocking?: No.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Following Haz's "Best Overall" PC Build, I think I want:
Processor: i7 4790K 4C/8T
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-SLI (what is the difference between this and more/less expensive motherboards?)
RAM: 1.35V / 1.5V 1 x 8GB (Haz recommends 2x, but do I really need more than 8gb for a gaming-exclusive machine?)
Graphics: GTX 970 4GB (This should be enough for 1080p gaming, right? Also, Frostbyte is AMD optimized… but I'm NOT building this exclusively for ME!)
Hard Drive: 1TB WD Blue WD10EZEX
Heatsink: CM Hyper 212 EVO
The SSD, optical drive, and Sound Card seem skippable for a gaming-exclusive machine. I understand the value of SSD's for everyday computing, but it doesn't improve game performance beyond loading times, right?
Also, he recommends a $90 case… surely it's possible to get what is effectively a piece of plastic for less money than that, right?
And then, this is all assuming that I can't reuse parts from my old computer… I really don't understand enough to figure out what would and would not be compatible.
Sorry for the wall of text, and thanks a lot!
Your Current Specs: My current desktop is a customized Dell Inspiron 530 which I bought many years ago. It has an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83 Ghz, 4GB of ram, a 0FM586 motherboard, a Radeon HD 7770, a 350 Watt power supply, and a 500 GB optical hard drive.
Budget: I live in the US. My limit is $1000, but I'd like to spend as little as possible.
Main Use: Gaming: 5, Emulation: 4. I'm building this to be a gaming machine exclusively; I have a Macbook Air for other computing work.
Monitor Resolution: Both my monitor and my projector are 1920x1080@60hz, and both support stereoscopic 3D using Half Side-By-Side. I do not intend to upgrade.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: MIrror's Edge Catalyst! My goal is to be able to play Mirror's Edge at 60 frames and in Stereoscopic 3D (if 3D isn't natively supported, I'll force it with Catalyst). I realize that Mirror's Edge does not have system requirements yet, but I don't see any way around that...
Looking to reuse any parts?: Other than the CPU, GPU, and motherboard: as many as I possibly can. The reason I want to build a new computer is that my current processor cannot be upgraded without a new motherboard.
When will you build?: Ideally, I would like to build in mid-to-late August. I'll be done with my summer job by then, and college doesn't start until September. Alternately, the absolute latest I can build is during my winter break, which ends in late January. That way, I'll be able to play Mirror's Edge during my one-week-long spring break.
Will you be overclocking?: No.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Following Haz's "Best Overall" PC Build, I think I want:
Processor: i7 4790K 4C/8T
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-SLI (what is the difference between this and more/less expensive motherboards?)
RAM: 1.35V / 1.5V 1 x 8GB (Haz recommends 2x, but do I really need more than 8gb for a gaming-exclusive machine?)
Graphics: GTX 970 4GB (This should be enough for 1080p gaming, right? Also, Frostbyte is AMD optimized… but I'm NOT building this exclusively for ME!)
Hard Drive: 1TB WD Blue WD10EZEX
Heatsink: CM Hyper 212 EVO
The SSD, optical drive, and Sound Card seem skippable for a gaming-exclusive machine. I understand the value of SSD's for everyday computing, but it doesn't improve game performance beyond loading times, right?
Also, he recommends a $90 case… surely it's possible to get what is effectively a piece of plastic for less money than that, right?
And then, this is all assuming that I can't reuse parts from my old computer… I really don't understand enough to figure out what would and would not be compatible.
Sorry for the wall of text, and thanks a lot!
If you're building for a game that isn't out yet, wait for that game to be closer to release to have a better idea of what you will need.
You have two options
1) Buy a great system and expect probably pretty good performance that has a great chance of hitting your goals, but still risking it not being powerful enough.
2) Wait until you know more about that game, and build the specs around it, probably saving you money due to parts being cheaper and knowing exactly where you do or do not have to overspend.
You have two options
1) Buy a great system and expect probably pretty good performance that has a great chance of hitting your goals, but still risking it not being powerful enough.
2) Wait until you know more about that game, and build the specs around it, probably saving you money due to parts being cheaper and knowing exactly where you do or do not have to overspend.
Wowfunhappy
Member
This is my intention.
Edit: The main thing I want to know is, how much stuff can I reuse from my old desktop?
StarlordDial
Member
I'm having second thoughts right now about my monitor
leaning towards an acer predator XB270HU but i probably should just wait for Asus' version of MG279Q with the same resolution and latency
any advice gaf?
;_;
leaning towards an acer predator XB270HU but i probably should just wait for Asus' version of MG279Q with the same resolution and latency
any advice gaf?
;_;
Since it's a prebuilt PC, there's not a lot you can reuse except for the hard drives. The power supply is too weak, the case is probably difficult to put new parts into and work around.
You can definitely spend less on the case and completely skip the SSD, disc drive, and sound card. Yes, the SSD only improves loading times, but it's a very nice thing to have and can make your PC feel very snappy and fast to respond as nowadays the only major bottleneck left in PC performance are hard drives which haven't really improved in speed for many years.
As for the RAM, 8GB is alright, but if you have the budget to spare, 16GB total isn't a bad idea. Open world games like GTA V and perhaps future games may run well with more RAM, 8GB is the minimum I'd feel comfortable recommending but 16GB will ensure that you are covered for any PC game for the useful life of your PC.
You downloaded CrystalDiskInfo, which tells you information about your storage drive and how healthy it is. You want CrystalDiskMark, which is another program by the same author that measures storage drive performance.I downloaded it but not sure what I'm supposed to look at here ;p
mylasthope
Neo Member
Not really a PC component, but I'm trying to find something to raise my desktop off the floor a few more inches. Any recommended stands? The case is quite big, it's a Phanteks Enthoo pro (235mm x 550mm WxD).
I'm considering just buying a thick plank of wood, cutting it down to size, and putting some rubber stands on the bottom, but it would look terrible, so I'd like to avoid that if possible. Not a fan of woodworking.
I'm considering just buying a thick plank of wood, cutting it down to size, and putting some rubber stands on the bottom, but it would look terrible, so I'd like to avoid that if possible. Not a fan of woodworking.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I had a driver crash while benchmarking when I was testing different settings on the GPU clock speed in Afterburner - is that ok? I put it back to where I was having no issues and it seems to be working ok. I assume that means I haven't done any damage? 
Hi guys! Pls help. So over this past weekend, I decided to buy a second monitor to dual-screen for various reasons. Hooked it up, immediately got recognized, works perfectly.
Kinda.
I'm getting some super sluggish performance every now and then. Firefox starts bugging out after a while and Netflix gets choppy every now and then. My video drivers are up to date. Not really sure what to do or what's causing it because none of this happened before the second monitor.
MSI GTX 970 that's been overclocked a bit
8gb of RAM
stock i5-4670k
SeaSonic 550w PSU
main monitor is an ASUS VE247
second monitor is an ASUS VE228
Kinda.
I'm getting some super sluggish performance every now and then. Firefox starts bugging out after a while and Netflix gets choppy every now and then. My video drivers are up to date. Not really sure what to do or what's causing it because none of this happened before the second monitor.
MSI GTX 970 that's been overclocked a bit
8gb of RAM
stock i5-4670k
SeaSonic 550w PSU
main monitor is an ASUS VE247
second monitor is an ASUS VE228
Hi guys, Wi-Fi speed question here.
I've got Verizon FiOS 75/75 and their latest router (Quantum). I'm using a Netgear N300 Wireless Adapter (WNA-3100) to connect my custom desktop to the router but I'm only getting an upward of 37mbps out of it.
I haven't hooked the desktop to the router with an ethernet cable yet but I have tested the connection using my MacBook Pro where I topped out at 58mbps so I know I should be able to get more than 37mbps from my desktop.
Do I need a better wireless adapter or is there some trick to optimizing the router? If I need a better adapter... any recommendations? Thanks!
Oh, and it should probably be stated that the router is on the middle floor of my town home and my desktop is directly above it, one floor up.
Computer specs:
i5-4690K 3.50GHz
Windows 8.1
8GB
GeForce GTX 970
I've got Verizon FiOS 75/75 and their latest router (Quantum). I'm using a Netgear N300 Wireless Adapter (WNA-3100) to connect my custom desktop to the router but I'm only getting an upward of 37mbps out of it.
I haven't hooked the desktop to the router with an ethernet cable yet but I have tested the connection using my MacBook Pro where I topped out at 58mbps so I know I should be able to get more than 37mbps from my desktop.
Do I need a better wireless adapter or is there some trick to optimizing the router? If I need a better adapter... any recommendations? Thanks!
Oh, and it should probably be stated that the router is on the middle floor of my town home and my desktop is directly above it, one floor up.
Computer specs:
i5-4690K 3.50GHz
Windows 8.1
8GB
GeForce GTX 970
greatnorthern
Member
Troubleshooting GAF I need your help.
Just put in a new gtx 970 and my computer won't even turn on now. Full details below:
I put in my new card initially and it booted, but I was met with a warning that I had only given the card 12 pins instead of the 14 it needed. Whoops!
Powered down, used the supplied adapters to get it its 14 pins, and....nothing. At one point I saw one fan turn ever so slightly but that was hours ago.
No sounds. No lights. Nothing.
Took mobo out of case, took out ram, and breadboarded it. Still nothing. My PSU is 8 years old and 520w. Any chance it could have just died?
An interesting wrinkle is that my PSU passed the paper clip test and can at least turn on that way under no load. Also, the onboard power button on my mobo gets slightly warm to the touch if I press it enough, so it's at least getting a little juice.
Any ideas? Is it just an old PSU that died?
Just put in a new gtx 970 and my computer won't even turn on now. Full details below:
I put in my new card initially and it booted, but I was met with a warning that I had only given the card 12 pins instead of the 14 it needed. Whoops!
Powered down, used the supplied adapters to get it its 14 pins, and....nothing. At one point I saw one fan turn ever so slightly but that was hours ago.
No sounds. No lights. Nothing.
Took mobo out of case, took out ram, and breadboarded it. Still nothing. My PSU is 8 years old and 520w. Any chance it could have just died?
An interesting wrinkle is that my PSU passed the paper clip test and can at least turn on that way under no load. Also, the onboard power button on my mobo gets slightly warm to the touch if I press it enough, so it's at least getting a little juice.
Any ideas? Is it just an old PSU that died?
I had a driver crash while benchmarking when I was testing different settings on the GPU clock speed in Afterburner - is that ok? I put it back to where I was having no issues and it seems to be working ok. I assume that means I haven't done any damage?
That's fine. It's sort of hard to cause damage through changing GPU clock alone.
Hard to say what's wrong, just adding a second monitor shouldn't cause that. When it gets sluggish, check your CPU and RAM usage in task manager, perhaps something's causing the usage to spike.
I have to restart Firefox every once in a while so it doesn't feel bogged down, but I am using a Pentium G3258 at the moment (even if it is overclocked, it's still kinda lacking)
The Macbook was next to the desktop when you tested the speed? What model was it? I'd like to compare the wireless adaptor of the one in your Macbook and the one you mentioned was attached to your PC.
Need more info. What power supply model do you have? PC specs? I'm not sure power buttons are supposed to warm up, are you sure you aren't warming it with your finger by pressing on it for a long time?
I'm a bit confused with the rebadge thing. Assuming they perform the same at 1080p, is there any software stuff I'd be missing by getting a 290. Can I expect the same driver support since the 390 is a rebadge or will the 290 start getting neglected even though only the name and ram amount has changed? It seems I'd miss out on liquidvr but I'm not really interested in vr.
j0hnny_385
Member
Installed Hyper 212 EVO yesterday.
Well, this was one of the weirdest experiences in my 20+ year PC assembly.
Such a strange mounting method with that X thing. Don't like it at all. :/
Their thermal paste is a joke, should have just used my AC MX-4, the cooler was so slippery on the CPU I barely kept it in place (although it did wiggle a lot because of the paste), and somehow got to tighten the X into place. Ugggh.
Why.gif
Well, this was one of the weirdest experiences in my 20+ year PC assembly.
Such a strange mounting method with that X thing. Don't like it at all. :/
Their thermal paste is a joke, should have just used my AC MX-4, the cooler was so slippery on the CPU I barely kept it in place (although it did wiggle a lot because of the paste), and somehow got to tighten the X into place. Ugggh.
Why.gif
Still just sitting here waiting for benches... Surprised the Fury X (if it does have more ROP/Shaders) price vs Fury. It's actually a good value for performance for the $100 assuming the AIO isn't crap and the VRMs are actually cooled.
Makes me more excited for HBM2 next year.
Makes me more excited for HBM2 next year.
Same arch, should be supported because GCN + consoles. Has gotten a lot of work done on it already though.
ShyGuy0504
Member
This worries me.
I have one of these ordered as part of my new build.
I've only installed one cpu cooler before and that was a stock one.
Now I'm kind of scared.
That's why there's an install guide in the second post.This worries me.
I have one of these ordered as part of my new build.
I've only installed one cpu cooler before and that was a stock one.
Now I'm kind of scared.
Main trouble is realizing that there are 3 screw points in the 'X' and matching them. That's about it.
j0hnny_385
Member
Yep.
It's not impossible, and the guide really helped (thanks Haz), I was just commenting how...bizzare that mounting method was. At least for me.
And their thermal paste is really "liquidy" as opposed to MX-4 or AS5, which makes the cooler really "slippery" on the CPU. Be sure to hold it tight so it doesn't slip off (when placing the X).
ShyGuy0504
Member
Thanks for the replies.
The biggest concern I have is applying the thermal paste since I've never done it before.
I'm planning on using the pea method.
I've actually built one computer before and I've been using it for 5 years.
I'm sure I can do it.
King Gilga
Member
Thanks for the replies.
The biggest concern I have is applying the thermal paste since I've never done it before.
I'm planning on using the pea method.
I've actually built one computer before and I've been using it for 5 years.
I'm sure I can do it.
It comes with thermal paste pre installed.
Tbh it was the most PITA thing I ever installed.
ShyGuy0504
Member
It has thermal paste pre applied?
It comes with thermal paste so I assumed you had to do it yourself.
That's good to know.
j0hnny_385
Member
Thermal paste is not preinstalled to Hyper 212 EVO but comes in a separate little tube:
This worries me.
I have one of these ordered as part of my new build.
I've only installed one cpu cooler before and that was a stock one.
Now I'm kind of scared.
Erm it's not that hard, just extend it so it fits. Do this before putting the heatsink on, so install backplate and bolts. Then get the adjustable X clamp and place it over the bolts and adjust till it fits properly. Then put the heatsink on, and then the X clamp and screw it down.
King Gilga
Member
Thermal paste is not preinstalled to Hyper 212 EVO but comes in a separate little tube:
Oh right, got my brands confused, my bad.
Thanks!
Here are the results
This is the info for my drive
So, unless I'm getting something wrong, there's some sort of problem with the writing speed?
greatnorthern
Member
ASrock Extreme3 Gen3 Z68
i5-2500k
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Corsair 520HX PSU
G.Skill Ripjaw DDR3-PC312800
Intel 320 Series 120GB SSD
HIS Radeon 5850 to EVGA GTX 970
Also, the power button only becomes slightly warm. Feels like there's some power making its way to the mobo, but it's hard to say how much.
How did you attach the molex adaptor? Did you attach the Y adaptor to a single cable from the PSU or two separate cables from the PSU?
It's possible that the motherboard somehow died. Is it getting any power when you plug it in? Any status LEDs turning on?
Maybe you just need to disconnect everything and reconnect it after letting it sit for a while. Perhaps try a different power supply if you have access to one. If it still doesn't work, then we can rule out the power supply as being the problem, at that point it's likely the motherboard.
Edit: looked at your motherboard manual, a power status LED isn't mentioned. It does have a numerical boot error debug display, but the motherboard would have to be properly receiving power for it to work anyway.
fizzelopeguss
Banned
Picked up some be quiet shadow wing fans, they're fucking amazing. (yes, fans)
greatnorthern
Member
Right, the numerical display on the mobo shows nothing. It is not being powered apparently.
As far as connecting, I used the molex Y adapter for the 6 pin, and the 6 pin Y adapter for the 8 pin, if that makes sense.
So basically that's three separate cables from the PSU - two 6s to create the 8 pin adapter, and the molex cable for the 6 pin.
This is a little off-topic, but is anyone here comfortable with SMART and know how to properly interpret it? I have a drive that made some unsettling noises and I managed to run the SMART tests on it and dump out a report of all the SMART parameters and data, but I'm not entirely sure what I should be looking for.
The drive was making a lot of ticking during a write. Not quite click of death, but it sounded like a lot of seeking, as if there were a very, very large chunk of bad sectors.
The drive was making a lot of ticking during a write. Not quite click of death, but it sounded like a lot of seeking, as if there were a very, very large chunk of bad sectors.
amazon deal of the day is 50% off select hard drives and networking products.
i didn't see one listed at quick glance, but if they have tp-link powerline adapters, avoid and buy another brand.
i finally just wired my home with ethernet going up through the attic and back down through the walls, but I was ready to stomp on those powerline adapters....would keep dropping my connection at random.
i didn't see one listed at quick glance, but if they have tp-link powerline adapters, avoid and buy another brand.
i finally just wired my home with ethernet going up through the attic and back down through the walls, but I was ready to stomp on those powerline adapters....would keep dropping my connection at random.
OK looking for a bit of advice.
My sons gaming PC is Core 2 Quad 2.8 Ghz (oc'd to 3ghz) with 8 megs of DDR3 ram running 950 clk. GPU is a GTX 970. OS on SSD.
Been running extremely well so far on 360 era games, giving a constant smooth 60 FPS@ 1080p (such as Batman Origins). But we ran into our first problematic game, Borderlands 2.
Its pretty clear there is an issue in the PC version of the game. There are points in the world where on my PC (i5 3.5ghz, GTX 970, 8m ram) where if I look one direction I get over 240fps, when I turn around and look the other way I get into the 50's fps. Scene complexity is really not much different.
In his case, down in the 30's in the same areas. If he aims into areas where its in the 30's and in a big firefight, its pretty much a slide show.
In both our cases, no amount of graphics tweaking (Shadows, Cel-shaders, shadows, Res, Physx) makes any improvement. If I run the game at 800x600 with low phyx in the above mentioned area, I still get sub 60fps on my pc, lol.
This leads me to believe its CPU/ram limited, but which?. His PC is stuck to DDR2, but I could go with a Core Quad Extreme and OC it close to 4gb (about $80 used). I dont want to drop $80 on a new CPU if its the ram architecture holding the game back.
Is there any application out there that would let me tell if its the CPU or RAM? Those that play BL2 on PC, know any ini tweaks that ease CPU utilization? I tried upping the ram allocation for Phyx, but it didnt help on either PC.
My sons gaming PC is Core 2 Quad 2.8 Ghz (oc'd to 3ghz) with 8 megs of DDR3 ram running 950 clk. GPU is a GTX 970. OS on SSD.
Been running extremely well so far on 360 era games, giving a constant smooth 60 FPS@ 1080p (such as Batman Origins). But we ran into our first problematic game, Borderlands 2.
Its pretty clear there is an issue in the PC version of the game. There are points in the world where on my PC (i5 3.5ghz, GTX 970, 8m ram) where if I look one direction I get over 240fps, when I turn around and look the other way I get into the 50's fps. Scene complexity is really not much different.
In his case, down in the 30's in the same areas. If he aims into areas where its in the 30's and in a big firefight, its pretty much a slide show.
In both our cases, no amount of graphics tweaking (Shadows, Cel-shaders, shadows, Res, Physx) makes any improvement. If I run the game at 800x600 with low phyx in the above mentioned area, I still get sub 60fps on my pc, lol.
This leads me to believe its CPU/ram limited, but which?. His PC is stuck to DDR2, but I could go with a Core Quad Extreme and OC it close to 4gb (about $80 used). I dont want to drop $80 on a new CPU if its the ram architecture holding the game back.
Is there any application out there that would let me tell if its the CPU or RAM? Those that play BL2 on PC, know any ini tweaks that ease CPU utilization? I tried upping the ram allocation for Phyx, but it didnt help on either PC.
Yes. Those writes speeds are pathetic and it definitely will cause lag, stuttering and other issues. Most of the writes should be 300+ MB. Try connecting the SSD to a different SATA port and/or use a different SATA cable.Thanks!
Here are the results
This is the info for my drive
So, unless I'm getting something wrong, there's some sort of problem with the writing speed?
greatnorthern
Member
So I grabbed a new PSU at lunch, and no powering up whatsoever. With the new PSU, the area underneath the power button now gets EXTREMELY hot if I press it a few times, so much so that I started to smell something strange. I can't see how the motherboard was fried simply from plugging the correct power cables into my new GPU.
Is there a chance my whole system is now fried? Boggles the mind.
king grimlock
Member
ok I fixed my audio issue but in doing so one question came up, Why on Earth does anybody need their audio to sound like it's coming through a sewer pipe(actual name of the setting)? I understand more options are better but this just sounded horrible.
As a rule of thumb, VPNs make things slower. The only exception is in a situation where you're hiding your traffic from targeted throttling, but that shouldn't be an issue now (in the US at least) with net neutrality in place.
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