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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
Jag
Member
Yep. That will work. You may be surprised how little you actually transfer other than basic documents and data (vids, music, pics, docs, etc)
Fill in the [Basic Desktop Questions] in the OP.
OldAsUrSock
Banned
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Yo homies. I am buying a video card. My last video card was a Radeon 4850, to give you a frame of reference for how long I've been out of the game. I was looking to spend about $250 USD, but if I lost 5% performance to save $50 I would, and if I gained 5% performance to go to $300 I wouldn't--so value is important.
Requirements:
- US
- I am looking for a single video card to play at 1080p. There is no circumstance under which I would ever get a second GPU.
- My system is in every other regard modern (2015 model year SSD, i5-4690K, good PSU, 16GB ram)
- Define R5, so ~310mm length limit
- Quiet is important to me
- I don't care about colour.
- All else being equal, I would prefer a lower TDP. I'm pretty environmentally-sensitive and so a lot of my build was catered around trying to use less power.
Here's the advice I have gotten so far:
- People tell me nVidia's driver support is generally better, so if everything else was equal, nVidia would probably be the better choice. Lots of people suggest stuff like ShadowPlay is a good reason to support nVidia.
- I understand the nVidia has most of the market right now. Some people mention this to suggest AMD as though I should support the underdog, some people mention this to suggest nVidia as though supporting the winner means I will be more secure in the future. I don't really care much about these concerns.
- GAF's PC build suggestions: "Great - Best Value": R9 280 3GB, GTX 960 2GB. "Excellent - Best Overall": GTX 970, R9 290. So my pricepoint is sort of in the middle of these, although they seem a little out of date since the R9 380 is not mentioned at all.
Looking at my options:
- It seems the AMD options in my price range are the R9 290, the R9 290X, and the R9 380. It seems that the first number refers to a model year (so 380 is newer than 290), while the second number refers to performance (so 290 is faster than 380) and the X means souped up. The 290X seems to be in the high 200s, the 380 in the low 200s.
- It seems the nVidia option in my price range is the GTX 960 with 4GB of vram. The GTX 970 is the next step up, it's a little above my price range, and it has the 3.5GB design flaw issue that was well publicized. Peoples' reactions to the severity of this flaw seem mixed and it seems to mostly be an issue at this point for people gaming at 1440p+. Still, this is something I'm considering.
Comparing my options
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-380-vs-GIGABYTE-GeForce-GTX-960-G1-Gaming-4-GB
- Comparing the R9 380 to the GTX 960, it seems that the performance metrics are a bit of a wash, but the GTX 960 has significantly lower TDP. The R9 380 has more shader units and a wider memory bus, but a lower clock speed and lower fill rate.
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-290-vs-GIGABYTE-GeForce-GTX-960
- Comparing the R9 290 to the GTX 960, it seems like the R9 290 is generally better but has 2.5 times the power draw and nowhere near 2.5 times the power.
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-290X-vs-GeForce-GTX-970
- Comparing the R9 290 to the GTX 970, it seems the GTX 970 is generally better and has half the power draw.
Is there anything I'm leaving out here? No need to quote my whole post.
tl;dr: Looking to spend $250-ish US on a video card, all else being equal I prefer lower power draw, hard cap definitely around $300 and only that high if it's a real bump. Did my research, most likely looking at a GTX 960 or GTX 970 4GB. Am I crazy?
Requirements:
- US
- I am looking for a single video card to play at 1080p. There is no circumstance under which I would ever get a second GPU.
- My system is in every other regard modern (2015 model year SSD, i5-4690K, good PSU, 16GB ram)
- Define R5, so ~310mm length limit
- Quiet is important to me
- I don't care about colour.
- All else being equal, I would prefer a lower TDP. I'm pretty environmentally-sensitive and so a lot of my build was catered around trying to use less power.
Here's the advice I have gotten so far:
- People tell me nVidia's driver support is generally better, so if everything else was equal, nVidia would probably be the better choice. Lots of people suggest stuff like ShadowPlay is a good reason to support nVidia.
- I understand the nVidia has most of the market right now. Some people mention this to suggest AMD as though I should support the underdog, some people mention this to suggest nVidia as though supporting the winner means I will be more secure in the future. I don't really care much about these concerns.
- GAF's PC build suggestions: "Great - Best Value": R9 280 3GB, GTX 960 2GB. "Excellent - Best Overall": GTX 970, R9 290. So my pricepoint is sort of in the middle of these, although they seem a little out of date since the R9 380 is not mentioned at all.
Looking at my options:
- It seems the AMD options in my price range are the R9 290, the R9 290X, and the R9 380. It seems that the first number refers to a model year (so 380 is newer than 290), while the second number refers to performance (so 290 is faster than 380) and the X means souped up. The 290X seems to be in the high 200s, the 380 in the low 200s.
- It seems the nVidia option in my price range is the GTX 960 with 4GB of vram. The GTX 970 is the next step up, it's a little above my price range, and it has the 3.5GB design flaw issue that was well publicized. Peoples' reactions to the severity of this flaw seem mixed and it seems to mostly be an issue at this point for people gaming at 1440p+. Still, this is something I'm considering.
Comparing my options
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-380-vs-GIGABYTE-GeForce-GTX-960-G1-Gaming-4-GB
- Comparing the R9 380 to the GTX 960, it seems that the performance metrics are a bit of a wash, but the GTX 960 has significantly lower TDP. The R9 380 has more shader units and a wider memory bus, but a lower clock speed and lower fill rate.
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-290-vs-GIGABYTE-GeForce-GTX-960
- Comparing the R9 290 to the GTX 960, it seems like the R9 290 is generally better but has 2.5 times the power draw and nowhere near 2.5 times the power.
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R9-290X-vs-GeForce-GTX-970
- Comparing the R9 290 to the GTX 970, it seems the GTX 970 is generally better and has half the power draw.
Is there anything I'm leaving out here? No need to quote my whole post.
tl;dr: Looking to spend $250-ish US on a video card, all else being equal I prefer lower power draw, hard cap definitely around $300 and only that high if it's a real bump. Did my research, most likely looking at a GTX 960 or GTX 970 4GB. Am I crazy?
If only they made a 960 Ti you would have the perfect solution.
That being said, the 960 will perform very well at 1080p. But if you are looking to bump up the settings a bit more, you'll benefit greatly from the 970.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
First, thanks. In terms of ongoing driver support, would we expect the 970 to have a year more support than the 960 or any other obvious indicator that would sweeten the deal for spending the extra money?
I believe current (and future) nVidia drivers aim to improve all current generation cards (9xx), so I don't think you'll find the 970 having prolonged support compared to the 960. While justifying the extra $120~ for the 970 may seem kind of difficult now, you'll definitely get your moneys worth in the long run as you find the 960 struggling to keep up with newer games.
I disagree with purchasing a 4 GB 960. The 960 is still a 960. Games that require more RAM will benefit from the extra RAM, but you won't be seeing the improvements you expect. If you're at all considering a 4 GB 960 I would recommend jumping right to a 970.
Nostremitus
Member
Lately AMD cards have had longer driver support, the drivers mature and you get better performance over time were as NVidia have already written off their Kelper GPUs (last gen) for the most part. For reference, AMD just released new drivers that increased the performance of their 7XXX series GPUs from several years ago. A lot of the Driver issues people have with AMD are related to crossfiring two GPUs together. Single GPU owners don't typically have problems.
In your specific scenario there isn't a single GPU that fits all of your criteria perfectly if you include several years worth of support into the equation alongside the best TDP.
Price/Perf, though, the 380 comes out ahead of the 960 and the 290 and 970 swap blows.
970 without question IMO. Cooler, quieter, more efficient, better average framerates in games, etc. $50 extra well spent. Look for one on sale, factory refurb or go the used route if you want to save a little money.
Yep that extra 1.5GB of fast ram will help + it being a more powerful card. Although I think there is 4 GB version of the 960 is going 970 is not an option. Btw in terms of tdp usage it isn't as wide a gap as gpuboss shows in real world use cases.
I have a GTX 960 4GB, which is a bit more pricey than the 2GB version. It runs Witcher 3 without any issues. I'd suggest the 970 as well, as long as you're comfortable around the whole 3.5GB nonsense that popped up early this year.
MiamiWesker
Member
I am looking for a gaming PC that will be able to run VR. I know nothing of PCs, I am a console guy. So a friend says this is a good deal for a powerful gaming PC. I know most will say building their own is cheaper but that seems like a huge hassle and I wouldn't know what I was doing, I rather have something real out the box.
So would this work?
http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=N82E16883229626
So would this work?
http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=N82E16883229626
CreepingFear
Member
Probably going to need something like a 980 Ti for VR, hell, some have doubts that a 980 Ti will be able to run VR well. But you can always upgrade the GPU. That's easy.
I'd probably wait for Skylake as well if I was in MiamiWesker's boots. Skylake is rumored to come out as early as next month or this fall.
If you're looking to get a computer for VR, don't buy one at this moment in time. Wait until Skylake comes out, let the prices settle out, and then buy for VR once the market establishes itself...
Like other said, wait until VR is out in the wild.
Once that happens...
Obligatory, build it yourself.
But if that really isn't an option, first check if there is a Microcenter in your area (google). If there is, order all your parts online (pcpartpicker.com) and then have them do the installation ($150).
If that is not an option, shop around. ibuypowerpc is another vendor that makes custom PCs.
.
.
.
A year ago I had no knowledge on how to build a PC. About 30 minutes reading all the links in the OP here, some googling and YouTube guides, I learned everything I needed to know. I am not technically inclined. My first PC build went off without a hitch. Honestly, it is WAY easier than you think it is.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Thinking about buying two of those 500GB 850 EVO SSDs and putting them in RAID so I'd have 1TB.
What are the cons of this approach (outside the fact I don't have any experience with RAID)?
What are the cons of this approach (outside the fact I don't have any experience with RAID)?
LowParry
Member
Anyone have any opinions on this monitor?
BenQ 1ms GTG 144Hz High Performance Gaming 24-Inch LED-Lit Monitor XL2430T
$379 up on Amazon right now. Been meaning to get into the whole 144Hz of gaming.
3750k (OC to 4.3)
Nvidia 970
1080p gaming so I usually am always at 60FPS with my games.
All the reviews I've read seems to really like this monitor.
BenQ 1ms GTG 144Hz High Performance Gaming 24-Inch LED-Lit Monitor XL2430T
$379 up on Amazon right now. Been meaning to get into the whole 144Hz of gaming.
3750k (OC to 4.3)
Nvidia 970
1080p gaming so I usually am always at 60FPS with my games.
All the reviews I've read seems to really like this monitor.
Jag
Member
If he is in Miami, we are Microcenterly challenged. Frustrating as hell at times, watching those good deals and mobo bundles go by.
The only con is if one of drive dies you will lose all data on both. Otherwise, the plus is double the size, Windows sees a single 1TB for you, and almost double the performance. Personally, it's well worth the tiny con risk.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Not too worried about that, I keep local backups and am moving toward using cloud backups too. I just know several years ago RAID wasn't recommended for SSDs (stuff like no TRIM support), but I also know they have improved a lot so it might not considerably impact their life expectancy or anything.
If it's not bad for the drives or anything I'll probably jump on it.
Went for it. Now to learn how to do this RAID shenanigans.
MiamiWesker
Member
Thanks for the info guys.
A few things at work here, my crappy laptop broke and rather than buy some cheap $200 right now as a stop gap, I figured I just go ahead and get the PC I want. I have been using an iPad for Internet, but I am sick of using it to go on message boards, I miss my indie steam games, I miss windows and being able to download stuff.
So what is this skylake thing?
I keep hearing that building a PC is cheaper but every time I see prices for parts the math doesn't add up, it seems pretty damn expensive. Will I be saving like $200 or more?
VR specs have been all over the place. Some people seem to believe you need a NASA supercomputer to run the rift and others say it runs fine on a decent high end PC. I don't need the greatest computer known to man. I just want my games to run fine.
I will get the oculus rift day one, I am not waiting passed that. I am treating it like a console launch, I want the PC ready to go so I can plug in and play right away. So this purchase needs to be done any time before that. The only reason I kind of want to do it know is so I can get off this pad.
So please give me some links and some definitive prices on what my options are. And like the other said there is no microcenter here. Thanks.
Yes, TRIM is not supported by Intel raid. Even before then, I didn't notice issues running SSD raid.
As for setting up raid, you need to change from AHCI to RAID in the bios. During bootup, enter the Intel raid setup, usually by hitting CTL + I keys. Select raid type, add drives and save / exit. If you are doing fresh Windows install, Windows will know to install the raid drivers. If you are adding the raid drives to an existing Windows install, you need to change Windows AHCI PC to RAID PC before doing the bios change or you PC won't boot into Windows. Google for instructions.
LegionAgent
Member
I need some advice on a situation I have. About a month and a half ago I bought the GTX 960 MSI Gaming edition 2G, and given that they had bundle it with Arkham Knight, a game I was eager to play, it seemed like the perfect time. Since I was short on money I just went for the 2G edition, thinking that 4Gb of ram was unneccesary and not worth the 35 dollars difference (that's the difference between the two versions here in Chile). Sadly for me, after Arkham Knight release, the textures option clearly states that a 3Gb or higher graphic's card is needed in order to play at normal, otherwise I just have to do with low textures. This bothers me a lot since I can play other demanding games like Crysis 3 or Assassin's Creed IV and Unity on high-ultra settings.
The thing is, I can't ask for a refund and then buy a 4G, I would have to sell it myself and only then buy the new one, so my question is, do you think it's worth it?
My complete PC specs are:
-Intel Core i5-3570k
-6 GB RAM
-1TB HDD
-GTX 960 Gaming edition 2G
I was also thinking of upgrading to 8 GB RAM, do you think it's worth it?
The thing is, I can't ask for a refund and then buy a 4G, I would have to sell it myself and only then buy the new one, so my question is, do you think it's worth it?
My complete PC specs are:
-Intel Core i5-3570k
-6 GB RAM
-1TB HDD
-GTX 960 Gaming edition 2G
I was also thinking of upgrading to 8 GB RAM, do you think it's worth it?
JbstormburstADV
Member
OK, so I'm at the beginnings of planning out a build for Skylake, specifically based around the i7-6700K and the new ASUS RoG ATX board that will be coming (hopefully by September. In case of having to know, I'm in the US, specifically NYC. So far, this is what I have on PCPartPicker.
PCPartPicker part list with description and questions / Price breakdown by merchant
Memory: *G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Seagate 5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($190.52 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($177.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer (Purchased For $49.99)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($16.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit) (Purchased For $0.00)
Monitor: *Acer K272HULbmiidp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($359.26 @ Micro Center)
Other: TUNIQ TX-4 High Performance Thermal Grease (3.0 g.) ($10.11)
Other: Intel 750 Series 400 GB 2.5" PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 MLC ($399.99)
Other: Phanteks Enthoo Primo ATX Full Tower Case ($239.99)
Total: $1554.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-15 23:22 EDT-0400
Do I have a good basis here for what guess will end up at about a $3K budget? Also, if you can answer any of the questions I bring up in the list page (left link above the first part), that would be very helpful.
PCPartPicker part list with description and questions / Price breakdown by merchant
Memory: *G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Seagate 5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($190.52 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($177.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer (Purchased For $49.99)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($16.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit) (Purchased For $0.00)
Monitor: *Acer K272HULbmiidp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($359.26 @ Micro Center)
Other: TUNIQ TX-4 High Performance Thermal Grease (3.0 g.) ($10.11)
Other: Intel 750 Series 400 GB 2.5" PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 MLC ($399.99)
Other: Phanteks Enthoo Primo ATX Full Tower Case ($239.99)
Total: $1554.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-15 23:22 EDT-0400
Do I have a good basis here for what guess will end up at about a $3K budget? Also, if you can answer any of the questions I bring up in the list page (left link above the first part), that would be very helpful.
Skylake:
Skylake is basically Intel's upcoming generation of CPUs. They have lower power consumption, slightly lower heat output (compared to previous CPUs at the same speed, Skylake should run a little cooler), and they have a much more powerful integrated graphics unit (still won't hold a candle to something like an NVIDIA GTX 970, but none the less respectable). It will also only work with new motherboards (that will also have some nice extra features). It will also support DDR4 ram. Since these are new chips (and motherboards) expect a price premium.
In terms of CPUs the already 1 generation old Z97 Intel quad core CPUs (i5 4690K and 4790K) will likely be more than enough for a the foreseeable future.
Advantages of building your own PC:
The biggest advantage of building your of PC is that you can get exactly the right parts for your needs and with proper research those parts will be high quality. For example, who makes the power supply or the motherboard for the PC you listed previously? IDK because they are not listed... to cut down on price they probably stuck a POS unit in there. When you build your own you can choose the best brands. In the end, you may not end up saving all that much money, but you have a vastly higher quality system. Nothing is worse than your PSU or motherboard dying on you. The OP has tons of info regarding which brands are best. Asus, EVGA, Corsair, Gigabyte and MSI are IMO the top brands you should look out for (there are more).
Requirements for VR
The requirements are all over the place because there are many different types of VR games that require varying levels of computer horsepower (Ex. Minecraft vs Crysis...). The first question you should ask yourself is what types of games do you play? Do want to play the latest AAA releases? When VR comes out would you want similar games in VR? Guess what, you need a "super computer". If you just want to play indie games and maybe the occasional big release with lower settings, then a mid-high end GPU should be fine for VR.
VR is still in its infancy. We really won't have an idea of what kind of GPU power is required until we get both games and GPUs that are specifically optimized for VR. Like launch games on console, expect launch games for VR to be unoptimized (as is the case right now with the DK2). In addition, both AMD and NVIDIA (GPU mfr) have a host of VR related optimization they will be rolling out to their newer GPUs. Expect this to take take time to be implemented.
Second, a "good VR experience" (high AND stable frame rates, in addition to higher resolutions such as 1440p) requires A LOT of power. Try pumping out a stable 100fps+ at ~1440p (high game settings on a detailed game) on anything other than a 980 ti or Titan X.... it is not going to happen. Even with those cards, you may not have an ideal experience. VR is demanding. If your frame rate is not stable, your experience will suffer greatly (more than on a monitor). Project CARS is a good example of a graphically intensive game that has VR support. Good luck running that in VR on anything less than a GTX 980 (and that will be at low to medium settings). Sure, you can run Team Fortress 2, but don't expect to max out high detail games on VR without a serious GPU. Again, ask yourself what type of games you want to play.
When you say "you just want to play VR", "plug and play"... I may be proven wrong, but I feel like that is a bit optimistic. Early days.
Plenty of fine Wireless mice.
280X is a great card for the money right now, that's really bad luck on 970 coil whine, maybe something to do with your PSU (not a problem, just unlucky).
Could go with an H97 board, 4790K, GTX960, extra RAM (Based off the $1,100 build)
Nope. Usually a bad idea even if it is the same chipset. New motherboard = new install most of the time.
380 isn't there since it doesn't make value sense right now. Same goes for 390's. Fury X is there!
Used 970 or a 290 is best value. If you want lower TDP you go 970 as you found.
Could look at the Acer XB270HU, but might have to go through a few to get a good one. I'd take the money from a super big full tower and performance ssd and put it towards more GPU. 67**K+2x 980Ti should be pretty fine, everything around that core is what you want. I'd also get another HDD for backup purposes.
Nostremitus
Member
The 4GB 380 is around the same price as the 960 and outperforms it.
JbstormburstADV
Member
Two 980 Ti's seems pretty overkill for 2K as far as I knoweven if it's Ultra settings, and I want to wait on deciding on a GPU until the motherboard I'm looking for comes out, so I end up with more time to figure out cooling for the card. Since I plan on getting a WD Black at 4 TB, I might agree with you and get a second for a RAID config, as long as I don't lose too much of the benefit of SATA III speeds. Speaking of which, should I wait for SATA Express compliant HDDs, or will that only be for SSDs?
As for the monitor, I'm hoping to see prices drop on things before I have to make a decision.
Also, since I will be paying for this stuff over multiple paychecks, is there any stuff I should get now, or will all of it end up cheaper later (i.e.: late-August or September as opposed to early to mid August)?
I'm comparing it to the 280X, not the 960. I hesitated to even keep the 960 in the build sheet if you want to know how I feel about it. I don't think the 380's or the 390's are worth their launches prices right now which is why they aren't in the sheet. Same thing as 78xx and 79xx stock dried up to shift to the 2xx series, the new series are going to be worse performance/$ than the old stuff which is why they are still there.
SATA III doesn't matter for HDDs. I'd advise against RAID on a desktop, just do backup imo.
If a single GPU is fine, that's great, don't need to spend the whole 3K. I'd put it towards that Acer monitor.
Build is basically Enthusiast, but more RAM and more SSD w/ 980Ti.
Nostremitus
Member
Ah, that makes sense. The 380 is just a slightly tweaked 285 afterall.
While this is correct you can get the 380 with 4gb vram as well compared to the 285 that was only available with a max of 2gb which is a nice improvement.
Although Im not sure if it matters that much for most users..
Could be useful for higher textures settings in a few current games and maybe some more in the future though.
Yeah I guess so. I tried another PSU and also tried it in 2 different PCs and nothing changed. It wasnt exactly coil whine all the time, only when hitting about 200fps+ which is ok. But there was power noise buzzing at all framerates all the time which is equally annoying. (in german: "Zirpen" which translates to "chirping") This seems to be a common occurency on both AMD and Nvidia cards.
Sadly its not available with less than 22cm lenght
There is a bit of a performance gap between 960 and 970 with 970 being a sweet spot in performance per dollar, and 960 being cheaper but also significantly less powerful.
Would a use 970 be something you'd consider to get it in your budget? I expect quite a few would be on sale with people upgrading to 980tis.
Personally I,d go 970 if you can find a way to cover the cost. 290x will be comparable performance wise, but way noisier and a lot more power hungry. Noise was the primary reason I switched from AMD. My MSI 970 doesn't even spin its fans up until it hits 60c (?) so in general use it is silent
What specifically are people expecting from skylake? Lower power and better IGP seem irrelevant to people putting gaming towers together with dedicated GPUs, and we have no idea yet whether they will be crap over lockers like current chips or not. Wih people saying that even 2500k series CPUs don't need upgrading for games, what is the reasoning to pay a likely hefty premium? Just that new CPU smell?
Other than DDR4 which brings little to no benefit for most people, Skylake motherboards will have improvements like more PCI-E lanes which translates into more USB 3.0 ports, as well as newer and faster connectivity tech like Thunderbolt, USB type C, and USB 3.1 tech.
That and the forced CPU socket change every 2 years or so, I'm planning to finally build a new PC soon and I don't want to be locked into an older platform when it comes to future upgrades and builds. I'm already thinking about possible builds after my next build, so waiting to adopt socket 1151 and DDR4 means I might have more options in the future and maybe I'll be able to reuse parts rather than be stuck with an discontinued motherboard socket and RAM down the line.
StarlordDial
Member
My order just got delivered today! Got my:
2 SSD,MOBO,CPU,Ethernet cable (50ft), Siberia Headphones (it was free v2) and the big ass xtrac XXL mousepad
^_^ just need that gsync monitor now and a 980ti and i'm set to start building it up ^^
In addition to everything you said, with the integrated GPU on the CPU becoming more powerful in Skylake, this could still be useful even for gamers that use high-end discrete GPUs since you can use discrete and integrated GPUs in tandem on Windows 10 (for developers supporting this feature.) It sounds like a small gain but it could be just enough boost to get the extra performance you need out of titles coming out down the road.
This is going to be rather exciting.
I can't wait to get cracking on my Skylake build.
pureIsometric
Banned
Your Current Specs: None at the moment but previous which was sold 4 months ago was:
CPU - Intel Q9450 Stock
RAM - 8GB
Motherboard - ASRock P45
GPU (Graphics) - HD4890
PSU (Power Supply) - 800W
Budget: €2000 - Ireland
Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest:
Light Gaming - 5,
Gaming - 4,
Emulation (PS2/Wii) - 0,
Video Editing - 3,
Streaming games in HD - 0,
3D/Model work (and what program) - 0,
General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback) - 3.
Programming (Visual Studios/ Intellij Idea) - 5
Very Quiet - 5
Small Form Factor - 5
VR - 3
Monitor Resolution:
What resolution will you be playing your games at? 1080P + 2 * 1280x1024 (3 monitors)
Are you going to upgrade later? No
Are you buying a new monitor? No
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:
Future Proof
Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 120? 60 minimum
How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA to you? CUDA for GPGPU Coding
Looking to reuse any parts?:
List make and model (e.g. Corsair 520HX, 640GB SATA HDD, Antec 900)
When will you build?: Early 2016
Do you have a deadline? No
Will you be overclocking?: No
I need some advice here. Back in January, I bought a new motherboard and CPU. I picked up an i5-4660. I still have my old Nvidia GTX 660.
I'm looking to play current games in 1080p at ultra/max settings, I don't mind sacrificing Anti Aliasing to do that. I need 60FPS though with no drops. Its stupid, I know, but I want that.
What I'm worried about is the VRAM situation. It seems like some games (Shadows of Mordor) use around 3.5 if not more VRAM.
I really want to pull the trigger now, but the 980 is too expensive for me..that leaves the 970.
But then I think to next year, when unified memory will be a thing and think its useless to purchase now..I'm so conflicted. I have a HUGE backlog of games from 2009 (when I started playing WoW) that I'm dying to play now that I'm coming out of a WoW coma.
Any advice? Will unified memory live up to the hype?
I'm looking to play current games in 1080p at ultra/max settings, I don't mind sacrificing Anti Aliasing to do that. I need 60FPS though with no drops. Its stupid, I know, but I want that.
What I'm worried about is the VRAM situation. It seems like some games (Shadows of Mordor) use around 3.5 if not more VRAM.
I really want to pull the trigger now, but the 980 is too expensive for me..that leaves the 970.
But then I think to next year, when unified memory will be a thing and think its useless to purchase now..I'm so conflicted. I have a HUGE backlog of games from 2009 (when I started playing WoW) that I'm dying to play now that I'm coming out of a WoW coma.
Any advice? Will unified memory live up to the hype?
Waiting for new tech to come out means you will never buy anything. Buy when you have the need for something
Thanks for the advice, I think you're right. One other question, my PSU is this one here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703001
Do you all feel its enough for a 4460 i5 + 970?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703001
Do you all feel its enough for a 4460 i5 + 970?
Nvidia recommend 500w (Overhead included) for a 970. Should be fine.
Too early to start planning or buying now. Intel has new CPUs coming out this fall, prices always change. Start looking when you actually need the PC.
Even with the 3.5Gb issue, its so worth it. With some crazy overclocking you can match the GTX 980's.
1626/4059Mhz 1.256v
OldAsUrSock
Banned
That BenQ monitor is much better than the Asus 144HZ. I have yet to get a dead pixel with the BenQ even though I've used both for about the same amount of time, 1 year.
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