Professor Renegade
Banned
So with Fallout 4 finally coming out I pre-ordered it in a flash for PC, should I look into upgrading my GPU in the coming months? Right now I'm running a GTX 770 4GB.
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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 1. Read the OP and RISE ABOVE FORGED PRECISION SCIENCE
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Serious answer: We can't see the future.
What I actually thought: Oh please. It's a Bethesda game.
Broadwell should be coming out in this period and Skylike will hit before the end of the year.
Intel is coming in 2016 with Skylake, but with an i5 and a Z97-motherboard you can last 3 - 5 years and who knows what DX12 will bring?
QC is apparently atrocious on it, and ULMB maxes out at 100Hz, so it's a bit underwhelming for people who are into competitive gaming. Otherwise, yeah.
Thanks guys. Think I'll wait for skylake. my i7 860 has kept me going for 5 years now, I think I will force myself to wait one more year and maybe get a G-Sync monitor instead.
Any idea is nvidia 3D is still alive and worth investing in or is it dead?
IMO, it's never really been worth investing in. Game support for it is hit or miss, and everyone who uses it is underwhelmed.
It's kinda still alive, but not kicking.
The first one, no question what-so-ever.
anchorman128
Member
Ugh see this is my problem, my budget is as big as I want it to be, I'm not too worried about that. I just don't feel like spending 600+ on a monitor if they are going to be much cheaper in a year or two.
However, I feel like going from 1080p 60hz to 144hz is an upgrade in some ways and a sidestep in others.
I really like the ultra wide and 1440p, however with the low refresh I'm only getting more screen space and a weird aspect ratio. I just feel like anything other than 4k 144hz is more of a stop gap than a long lasting upgrade.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet on a 4k freesync or gsync when I decide on my card so that this sucker will last me a good 4-5 years.
Your parts list is solid. Maybe look at Samsung 850 series or Crucial MX/BX series SSDs for higher performance if the price isn't too high.
There's nothing really to change. If you were buying the entire build from the US then there might be other suggestions in terms of better pricing, but that advice would be unnecessary because you're buying nearly all of your parts from German retailers.
Rest assured, there's not going to be any significant price drop on these monitors in awhile.
Rather than Ultrawide or 4K @ 60Hz, I really really recommend a 1440p@144hz monitor like the MG279Q for AMD, or the Acer XB270HU for NVIDIA.
4K @ 144Hz is literally 3+ years out. There's not even a connector that can support that bandwidth right now.
GatticusFinch
Member
I don't really care about the thermals or noise. I would expect the Fury X to be better on both given the water cooling, but that's not really a performance metric. By non-reference, all I mean is something like a Superclock version or the G1. Those have 10-15% performance gains out of the box from the reference 980 Ti, the price difference is negligible, and still have overclocking headroom. AMD's leaked 4k benchmarks show about 5 frames better than a stock 980 Ti, but no one is buying a 980 Ti and running it at stock.
At the end of the day, if they are just trading blows, I'd probably rather have the extra ram, PhysX, and Gameworks support. I don't want to pay the Gsync tax, but I'll just have to swallow and do it.
GatticusFinch
Member
I believe Freesync support on that one is 35 to 90. Kind of shitty, but their reasoning was bumping the high end was pointless as the benefits of adaptive sync were at the low, and they could only do one or the other.
I don't understand why they can't get Freesync to do the full range, but buying a Freesync monitor requires a ton of research because the Freesync range differs on every single monitor. Some of them are really bad, like only between 45-75. People claiming that the Gysnc module was just snake oil might be wrong, since Gsync seems to work flawlessly on monitors from the same manufacturers that also have Freesync monitors.
G-sync is, at the moment, proven to be superior in Hz-range and double or triple buffering below 30 FPS. So yeah, definitely not snake oil.
anchorman128
Member
Exactly the reassurance I needed. I mean I know we're going to need HDMI 2.1 or 3.0 and DP 1.4 to get to 120+ hz, however I just didn't know if something like 1440p +144hz would be worth it in the meanwhile. (Didn't realize we were that far off from 4k 144hz)
I'll decide between the two once I see the Fury benchmarks, I mainly want to see how far we can push the OC.
Plus ULMB.
It's absolutely a better technology in every sense. However, that ASUS 144Hz 1440p @ $600 is stupidly tempting.
Well that was a waste of $70. The 2011 narrow adaptor that I ordered doesn't even fit my block/my block came with an adaptor that fits anyway so I didn't need to order it in the first place. That's a little annoying, but at least it wasn't a total wash, I ordered the thermal pads that I need for my gpu block anyway.
opticalmace
Member
Return the adaptor?
Seems pointless to spend $20 in shipping to return a $6 adaptor.
opticalmace
Member
Professor Renegade
Banned
Eh, true enough, it did seem a lot better graphically based on the E3 videoes though.
Breakdown:
Lga narrow adaptor $6
thermal pads $4 x 4 pads
Arctic silver mx2 $3
Shipping $16
Duty $18.
After exchange rate it basically came to $70 total.
I need the pads and paste anyway, and realized too late that they make the zero maintenance tube or would have ordered some too
But basically if I had known I didn't need the adaptor I could have gotten all of that from cheaper places than Slovenia lol
I realized that I need Bluetooth in the PC I'm building. Any recommendations? I figure it'd be beneficial to get one of those wifi/Bluetooth combo cards. Are there issued with those? I'm going to be using Ethernet with it, but I only have one Ethernet port in the room, so it'd be nice to have the freedom of wifi if I want to use the Ethernet cable with something else.
Buying a cheap 5 port network switch would be highly recommended then.
http://www.amazon.com/b?node=281414
Ethernet from the wall port into the switch. Then wires from the switch to your PC and whatever other devices. Very minimal loss in speed and far superior to any wifi.
Interesting! I will look into that for sure.
I still need a Bluetooth card though. Is there a downside to getting a Bluetooth/wifi combo card? I see one at Memory Express for 40 bucks, made by Gigabyte.
GatticusFinch
Member
Have you already bought your motherboard? If not, can you find one that already has bluetooth capability?
Bluetooth USB dongles can be had for dirt cheap.
That one is the Gigabyte wifi card with AC connectivity, right? It looks quite nice, I've recommended it in the past.
If you really think you'll use the wifi capability, then go ahead. Otherwise a cheap USB adaptor would do the trick and only take up a single USB port on the back of your PC. This IOGEAR Bluetooth 4.0 adaptor is cheap right now ([NCIX: $15][ME:$20]), although in the past I've gotten it for about $10 on sale.
I'm gonna have to go with: wait for reviews.
Ok thanks!
I've completely lost track of cpus can't tell what's a worthy upgrade and what's not anymore.
The i5 and i7 are fairly similar, the i7 has hyperthreading which isn't used in gaming. It is useful tough for video editing, rendering and photoshop.
Motherboard is already purchased, yes.
Thanks guys! I'll look into these tonight when I get home from work. This thread has lots of very helpful people.
It's a bit more accurate to say: it hasn't been used in gaming very much until just recently, but should also see some benefits with the jump to Dx12.
Consequence
Member
Hey all, need some help adding a graphics card and power supply to a prebuilt I'm getting:
Your Current Specs: This Asus prebuilt i5 4460, 8gb ram, garbage power supply, 2 Tb hdd
Budget: 325 CAD for gpu and power supply
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: 3 gaming, 2 emulation, 3 podcast editing, 3 general use
Monitor Resolution: 1080p, not looking to upgrade for quite a bit
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Dota2 at 60 fps, killing floor 2 at good settings, modern open world games
Looking to reuse any parts?: Everything from the prebuilt except power supply
When will you build?: Within the next two weeks
Will you be overclocking?: Nope, processor won't do it
I know, I know, prebuilt, but I get it on a purchase plan from work and wouldn't be able to afford this kind of spec otherwise. I was thinking of getting a 280 or 960 plus psu for my budget. Anything else I should consider? Thanks in advance!
Your Current Specs: This Asus prebuilt i5 4460, 8gb ram, garbage power supply, 2 Tb hdd
Budget: 325 CAD for gpu and power supply
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: 3 gaming, 2 emulation, 3 podcast editing, 3 general use
Monitor Resolution: 1080p, not looking to upgrade for quite a bit
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Dota2 at 60 fps, killing floor 2 at good settings, modern open world games
Looking to reuse any parts?: Everything from the prebuilt except power supply
When will you build?: Within the next two weeks
Will you be overclocking?: Nope, processor won't do it
I know, I know, prebuilt, but I get it on a purchase plan from work and wouldn't be able to afford this kind of spec otherwise. I was thinking of getting a 280 or 960 plus psu for my budget. Anything else I should consider? Thanks in advance!
Nostremitus
Member
Did the new AMD drivers have a negative effect on Unigen Valley? Or did something weird happen to my 290X?
I went from this...
to this...
The custom preset was due to comparing my scores to scores posted on another forum using those specific requirements.
Edit: Just looked at my temps while running the benchmark. Looks like I'm hitting 76C. I guess I need to reseat my GPU heatsink? How big of an undertaking is this?
Edit2: How can I tell if the NZXT Kraken G10 will fit my GPU? (Diamond 290X R2)
I went from this...
to this...
The custom preset was due to comparing my scores to scores posted on another forum using those specific requirements.
Edit: Just looked at my temps while running the benchmark. Looks like I'm hitting 76C. I guess I need to reseat my GPU heatsink? How big of an undertaking is this?
Edit2: How can I tell if the NZXT Kraken G10 will fit my GPU? (Diamond 290X R2)
No worries, we understand your situation, not much you can do about it. Does that $325 budget include tax?
Given the age of the R9 280 and 280X, I'm inclined to recommend against getting them now that the R9 380 has launched and has up to 4GB VRAM, unless you want to save money as the 280 and 280X can be had for a fairly cheap price.
Looking at reviews of the R9 380, it is pretty much on par with the GTX 960. It has a slightly higher power consumption but that's probably not a big deal unless power usage is important to you. A 500 watt PSU is recommended for the R9 380 and 400~450 watts is recommended for the GTX 960. Some models of the GTX 960 and R9 380 do have silent fan modes that stop the fans at low temperatures to reduce noise, you may be interested in that.
Anyway, these are your choices. It's up to you whether you prefer Nvidia or AMD, it seems like they're mostly neck and neck performance-wise. The Gigabyte R9 380 ($280) is the lowest priced model in that list and would leave you the most money for a new power supply. It's not a low end model either, Gigabyte usually uses the G1 label for their high end version of their graphics card models.
PSU prices in Canada kinda suck. The cheapest PSU I'd recommend is the EVGA 500 watt W1 model ($36 after $10 rebate). It's basic, but it gets the job done. Otherwise for something with modular cables to keep the inside of your computer tidier, there's the Corsair 500 watt CX modular ($53 after $20 rebate). Average quality, not bad. Beyond that there are better models in terms of wattage and build quality, but they're out of your budget if you were to pick the $280 Gigabyte R9 380 (leaves you only about $55 for the PSU).
Are you sure it's throttling from just hitting 76 degrees? That sounds normal for your R9 290X. Reference R9 290X cards hit around 92~94 degrees and well.. AMD says it is completely normal. Apparently the 290X won't throttle itself back until it hits upwards of 90 degrees, but that might just be for the reference model or those based on reference boards.
Which R9 290X do you have, exactly? I doubt you'll need to water cool it, but we'll have to check compatibility for that exact model, especially to see if it's a reference board type or not.
I actually really like the GTX 960 vs Radeon 380 situation right now. It's a battle of power consumption vs memory bandwidth (I really feel that's the 960's major downfall). Overtime the energy bill will gradually favor Nvidia, but the extra memory bandwidth should favor AMD cards as the future becomes the present. 280X still may be king here though for raw performance, or even 280 for often being the cheapest. But as an observer I think any card (280, 960, 380, 280X) is really viable around here as long as it's not 2GB. No more 2GB for $180+ cards, please!
People argue that anything over a GTX 970 or Radeon 290 is overkill for 1080, but I disagree. A 980 Ti would not be overkill as long as you can get more performance out of a game - max out the framerate and you can then downsample with DSR. Although if possible wait for the Fury X to launch in 2 days to see what that card has to offer compared to the 980Ti.
I know saying "wait for blah" is a never ending cycle, but $550 Fury launches next month and you may want to wait for that. It may be a worthy card in its own right worth buying and/or move GTX 980 prices down to an acceptable price compared to the 970.
All things to consider.
Nostremitus
Member
It's a non-reference Diamond 290X V2. I bought it on sale.
I don't know if it's throttling... but what else could cause such a drastic drop in performance?
Edit: My afterburner settings
how would i go about using a raid setup inside the new pc i'm building? what do i need to get, other than the 2 drives? i'm wanting to do 2 mirrored drives. or should i just be doing routine backups from one drive to the other? anyone have any opinions on that?
my only experience with raid is an external thunderbolt enclosure for my mac, so i didn't have to do anything aside from plugging it in.
my only experience with raid is an external thunderbolt enclosure for my mac, so i didn't have to do anything aside from plugging it in.
Consequence
Member
Thanks so much. I think that I will go with the gigabyte 380/corsair combo. That budget was pretax and I feel pretty good about getting a 380 and a modular power supply for that price. I'm not hugely worried about power consumption.
Thanks for the info. Right now I think the 980ti is a bit expensive. Im going to wait and see how the Fury X handles.
Is it worth waiting for Intel's new Skylake chips or going with haswell is well worth it?
Just in case it is relevant, the gsync predator only has a single DP connector. The free sync has three DP and two HDMI. In case you will want to hook anything else up to it. Biggest downer for me as I have an nvidia card but I need at least one more DP/DVI and ideally two (for work laptop and optional PS3)
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