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[RGM79]

Yes, the U.S. Thanks a bunch I just have one question about cores is more actually better? whats the difference between a quad and a six core.

A 6 core processor has 2 more cores than a 4 core processor. For some tasks that can take advantage of the extra cores, it is better suited (such as video encoding or computational work). Otherwise a 6 core processor is usually not much better than a 4 core processor for things like games, although that may change in the future.

Here's an example comparison between the i5 4690K and an i7 5820K so you can see the difference in performance and speed.

 

[Via Purifico]

A 6 core processor has 2 more cores than a 4 core processor. For some tasks that can take advantage of the extra cores, it is better suited (such as video encoding or computational work). Otherwise a 6 core processor is usually not much better than a 4 core processor for things like games, although that may change in the future.

Here's an example comparison between the i5 4690K and an i7 5820K so you can see the difference in performance and speed.

Thank you again.

 

[SneakyStephan]

And...my Star Citizen box is done.

All for under $1k. (sorry bout the poor cable management) This is my first build in 7 years.

This is the order of purchase
Asus H87I motherboard
Fractal Node 304 case
8GB Crucial DDR3 1600 stick (need to buy one more stick)
120GB SSD
Cooler Master 650w power supply
Intel 4690k CPU
1TB Blue Western Digital
MSI GTX 970 4GB5 OC
Windows 7 Home Premium ($75..ebay)

Ohhh I forgot about star citizen.
I can finally try it.

On topic: how noisy is that blower cooler? Never seen that one before

 

[forrest]

My Ncase M1 version 4 arrived today. This little thing is so impressive in person. Well worth the money imo. Anyhow, now the long wait for Skylake.

 

[A Link to the Past]

So like, I'm looking into getting a desktop PC (always have just used an okay gaming laptop for convenience). I'm not super picky on every single detail of my computer, but I WILL be using it for heavy gaming. I've basically been collecting games for years on Steam from Steam sales with the intention of playing it once I bought a gaming PC, haha. One thing I'd like to know is, about how much should I be expected to pay for JUST a computer that will let me play most modern games around medium performance

 

[Arsenic]

So I've made a rookie mistake.

While trying to resolve this weird issue with my front panel USB ports (which is another story) I've accidentally uninstalled a critical USB driver. All of my input devices uses USB.

Now I know I can probably get a PS2 port KB off amazon and have it here in 2 days, but I rather see if there are any other options before doing the inevitable.

So far, all I have tried was running the Windows Restore Disk, which to my amazement, actually relies on those very drivers that I've uninstalled =(

So i'm stuck on the windows login and the windows recovery screens. My next step is to try safe mode, but I highly doubt that will work.

Is there anything else I can do?


EDIT: I just realized this thread exceeded the 20,000 post threshold. Please don't lock thread yet mods

Try booting into Windows startup repair. It's not reliant on your Windows install for drivers, as far as I know. Safe mode is also still worth a try, as all you have to do is mash F8 on startup.

Somewhat solved this issue (it's currently restoring).

The problem with using a restore/repair/recovery with Windows 7 is that they don't have native USB3 support. All of the input devices I had were connected to just that (I only have 2 USB2 ports vs 14 USB3)

In case anyone comes across this problem while running Windows 7, its good to know that anything plugged into a USB3 port will not work on start, unless you have drivers installed of course.

Cheers!

Spoiler

Ok mods, you may now close this thread

 

[Shining Sunshine]

Are we able to plan for skylake builds yet?

 

[Mystic654]

Just installed Asus FanXpert3 for my Rampage V motherboard. Just one small issue.

The main AI Suite 3 shows all fan and their speeds but when I go into FanXpert3 software only shows 3 of the five fans. Is their a way to fix this? All the fans are PWM and I unplugged and plugged them back in.

 

[RGM79]

So like, I'm looking into getting a desktop PC (always have just used an okay gaming laptop for convenience). I'm not super picky on every single detail of my computer, but I WILL be using it for heavy gaming. I've basically been collecting games for years on Steam from Steam sales with the intention of playing it once I bought a gaming PC, haha. One thing I'd like to know is, about how much should I be expected to pay for JUST a computer that will let me play most modern games around medium performance

Minimal cost? Here's an example build.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-GAMING 3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.56 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($202.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($31.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.95 @ NCIX US)
Total: $517.43
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 23:40 EDT-0400

Are we able to plan for skylake builds yet?

Not exactly, pricing isn't very well known yet for the processors and motherboards. It's assumed that MSRP will be somewhat close to what the current Haswell/Z97 consumer parts cost and then you have to factor in a kit of dual channel DDR4 RAM.

Just installed Asus FanXpert3 for my Rampage V motherboard. Just one small issue.

The main AI Suite 3 shows all fan and their speeds but when I go into FanXpert3 software only shows 3 of the five fans. Is their a way to fix this? All the fans are PWM and I unplugged and plugged them back in.

Do you know which fan headers aren't working? What if you only plug in the fans to the headers that aren't detecting fans properly?

 

[Mystic654]

Do you know which fan headers aren't working? What if you only plug in the fans to the headers that aren't detecting fans properly?

They are working. Just the one software isn't detecting them. The Other is showing them.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

Not exactly, pricing isn't very well known yet for the processors and motherboards. It's assumed that MSRP will be somewhat close to what the current Haswell/Z97 consumer parts cost and then you have to factor in a kit of dual channel DDR4 RAM.

I feel like I have to buy some parts now because Canadian Dollar is going to shit.

I'm thinking:

Case: Fractal Define R5 ($119.99)
PSU: Corsair RM750i ($149.99)
SSD: Samsung 850 Pro 1TB ($569.99)

And the Sapphire Tri-X Fury probably, but it's not out in many places to get a good price.

I think that's all I can get at the moment before the Skylake mobo and CPU show up. Also don't want to get RAM before seeing compatibility with mobo.

 

[User 479360]

Guys, I don't know where else to post this, but I'm looking for a 2 or 3TB external for my Xbox One. I keep seeing Seagate and Western Digital models on sale for $99.99 (Canadian - that's important), but don't know what to get.

The drives on sale are also from 2013.

I'm in over my head here.

Also considering building a PC or getting a gaming laptop so that I can do some PC reviews, but I'm not sure of where to start. Budget is $1000 CAD.

 

[EroticSushi]

Been trying to decide on a second monitor but I'm having trouble picking one.

Any recommendations? I currently have the Acer XB240H 24" G-SYNC Monitor but I now need a second monitor for work efficiency.
Will be doing 3D modeling, VFX, Animation etc so I wanted a second monitor so that I have more room to work with.

Been thinking about getting an IPS monitor but there seems to be a ton of options.

I thought of getting the Dell UltraSharp U2414H but I'm thinking the thin bezel will drive me mad being next to my current Acer monitor. Should I ignore the bezel and just get that?

Any other recommendations for a 24" monitor to use as a second monitor?

 

[StarlordDial]

hmmmmm is a 60 degree idle for an msi 980ti decent btw? i'm running a single monitor setup and I think that's a little bit too high?
Edit- oh damn it googled that shit and it seems this msi card turns off its fan when it's idle and when not fully load

 

[Mystic654]

Figured it out, It seems you can only attach upto fours fans using the software. The two Ram Fans kept hijacking the software.

I removed them hopefully it's ok not have them over the ram.

 

[Mystic654]

hmmmmm is a 60 degree idle for an msi 980ti decent btw? i'm running a single monitor setup and I think that's a little bit too high?
Edit- oh damn it googled that shit and it seems this msi card turns off its fan when it's idle and when not fully load

I don't have a MSI 980ti but mine is sitting at around 45 to 48 (With the fans off).

 

[StarlordDial]

I don't have a MSI 980ti but mine is sitting at around 45 to 48 (With the fans off).

Huh it's a feature for this card it seems like and i probably would say my room to would be to blame haha

 

[A Link to the Past]

Minimal cost? Here's an example build.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-GAMING 3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.56 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($202.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($31.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.95 @ NCIX US)
Total: $517.43
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 23:40 EDT-0400



Not exactly, pricing isn't very well known yet for the processors and motherboards. It's assumed that MSRP will be somewhat close to what the current Haswell/Z97 consumer parts cost and then you have to factor in a kit of dual channel DDR4 RAM.



Do you know which fan headers aren't working? What if you only plug in the fans to the headers that aren't detecting fans properly?

I have about $800 to spend, but I want to put some money to get a solid, widescreen monitor (like the super widescreen ones). As for building stuff, I have a kind of anxiety over the idea of doing that, even if it's someone else who is trained.

 

[killertofu]

Is it ever really worth trying to sell a custom PC?
I have a rig from late 2012/early 2013 that I made into a hackintosh... It's done me well for a while, esp with freelancing but now that I'm in a stable gig... It just seems like something that's taking up space.

R4 case
I3 3.39ghz
16 gb ram
128 ssd
2tb hdd
GTX 670


Probably wouldn't get a thing right?

 

[Hayvic]

Hey guys. Finally retired my Q9450 based system after 7 years of loyal duty. Haven't build a system in quite a while, but luckily I got some help

The idea was to reuse my PSU, case and storage. However I quickly bumped into an issue

My 11 year old case (from my very first build) couldn't fit the GTX 970! So I have a temporary ghetto solution:

However, it looks like I now need a new case. It has to fit the GPU which is 269mm but it also needs to accommodate an ATX PSU because I really want to reuse my current one. I really like the look of the Node 804 from the OP except for the see through side. Is there anything available like that? For example the Lian-Li PC-V351B. Any good experiences with this?

 

[LilJoka]

My Ncase M1 version 4 arrived today. This little thing is so impressive in person. Well worth the money imo. Anyhow, now the long wait for Skylake.

I want this so bad, but i cant justify dropping from X79 =(

 

[metareferential]

However, it looks like I now need a new case. It has to fit the GPU which is 269mm but it also needs to accommodate an ATX PSU because I really want to reuse my current one. I really like the look of the Node 804 from the OP except for the see through side. Is there anything available like that? For example the Lian-Li PC-V351B. Any good experiences with this?

You can remove those hdd cages from you current case and place the hdd in the higher ones.

 

[Rootbeer]

Are we able to plan for skylake builds yet?

Hopefully very soon... they are supposed to do an unveiling today. Maybe the embargo is today as well so we can start to hear a bit more about the improved performance? I'm not expecting a big jump, but that's fine... i'll be upgrading for an i7 920 so it's going to be a HUGE difference to me.

Can't wait to start planning my build!

 

[Kudo]

Skylake ordered!

Intel I7-6700K
Asus Z170-A
Kingston DDR4 2133Mhz 16GB 2x8GB
Noctua NH-U12S
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB

Sound good? Still time to modify order.

 

[Hayvic]

You can remove those hdd cages from you current case and place the hdd in the higher ones.

The cages are soldered. It's still an option of course but I might as well buy a new one at this point.

 

[drotahorror]

del

 

[Evo X]

Here's some Skylake reviews from the other thread.

most are saying that it is a worthy upgrade from Sandy Bridge, but anyone with a later CPU can hold on for now.

Think I'm gonna give my 2500k system to my Dad and build a Skylake for myself. Or maybe look into going the Haswell-E 6 core route. Anyone that's done more research have any opinions on the matter? Cost not much of a concern, but keep in mind I only really use this PC for gaming, browsing GAF, and simple web design.

AnandTech Review is up!

http://anandtech.com/show/9483/intel-skylake-review-6700k-6600k-ddr4-ddr3-ipc-6th-generation

HardOCP's review
bit-tech's review
HEXUS.net's review
guru3D's review

 

[Stolen Sheep]

Skylake ordered!

Intel I7-6700K
Asus Z170-A
Kingston DDR4 2133Mhz 16GB 2x8GB
Noctua NH-U12S
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB

Sound good? Still time to modify order.

Where are you ordering the 6700k? I've seen a few third party sellers on Amazon listing the Z170 mobos but not one listing the Skylake processors.

 

[Rootbeer]

sure would love to order my cpu and mobo today... share links if you find them please and thank you!

 

[SleazyC]

Prices in Germany seem to be a bit ridiculous.. seeing €400+ for a 6700K.

 

[Horsemama1956]

Here's some Skylake reviews from the other thread.

most are saying that it is a worthy upgrade from Sandy Bridge, but anyone with a later CPU can hold on for now.

Think I'm gonna give my 2500k system to my Dad and build a Skylake for myself. Or maybe look into going the Haswell-E 6 core route. Anyone that's done more research have any opinions on the matter? Cost not much of a concern, but keep in mind I only really use this PC for gaming, browsing GAF, and simple web design.

Wait until they release something compelling? Why support Intel for such a mediocre release? Can't imagine you'll notice much difference when settings in games are turned up.

 

[Kudo]

Where are you ordering the 6700k? I've seen a few third party sellers on Amazon listing the Z170 mobos but not one listing the Skylake processors.

Most European stores have them listed, using Overclockers UK.

 

[Jag]

Skylake ordered!

Intel I7-6700K
Asus Z170-A
Kingston DDR4 2133Mhz 16GB 2x8GB
Noctua NH-U12S
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB

Sound good? Still time to modify order.

Where, when, how???

 

[Evo X]

Wait until they release something compelling? Why support Intel for such a mediocre release? Can't imagine you'll notice much difference when settings in games are turned up.

Mainly, I want to upgrade not just for raw performance, but also the new tech that the latest mobos have over my Z68. Very interested in M2 SSDs, more bandwidth for Titan X SLI, and better frame times in games. Also, my Creative X-Fi Titanium doesn't work in Windows 10, so need a better on board audio solution.

From the guru3d review:

Combined with the series 100 chipset new features are available as well, SATA3, M.2, some manufacturers will even provide U2 and Sata Express. Then there's the added benefit of DDR4 memory that not only uses less power but the frequency can be so much higher as well, bringing more bandwidth and overall performance to the applications that require fast memory. Combine that with things like nice Gigabit jacks, exemplary audio solutions on the new motherboards and things like USB 3.1. So what i am trying to say here is that the overall platform experience is what it is all about for Skylake. Performance with kick-ass features.

 

[ACE 1991]

So not much of a reason to upgrade from an OC'd 2500K to a skylake CPU if all you use your desktop for is gaming, then.

 

[SleazyC]

So not much of a reason to upgrade from an OC'd 2500K to a skylake CPU if all you use your desktop for is gaming, then.

Check out the Skylake thread; theres some interesting discussion on frame rate consistency which you do see noticeable improvements coming from Sandy Bridge.

 

[Evo X]

Check out the Skylake thread; theres some interesting discussion on frame rate consistency which you do see noticeable improvements coming from Sandy Bridge.

Yep. Avg frames don't tell the whole story. For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38KSD9o-LOs

Lower power consumption, more consistent performance, and new chip set features are the real reason to upgrade.

 

[RedSwirl]

I'm sitting on a $50 pre-paid debit card and Micro Center has some pretty interesting deals up for storage.

Right now in my main computer I have a 120GB SSD where I have my OS and a few other things installed, along with a 4.5-year-old WD Black 1TB HDD with a lot of secondary but still critical stuff on it (most of it backed up). The HDD has been quite noisy for a few years now but has shown no signs of failure.

I see two options that look good for me:
--A WD Blue 1TB HDD for $40 to possibly replace the noisy one.
--A SandDisk 120GB SSD for $45 to go on top of my existing SSD and probably hold more games.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

What would you guys consider the best overall water cooler around $100?

 

[Evo X]

What would you guys consider the best overall water cooler around $100?

From what I have read up recently, it's the Corsair H100i.

 

[Stolen Sheep]

Are there any microATX z170 mobos coming in a black and white theme? Trying to Google this stuff is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Failing that, what would a good mostly black microATX z170? Price isn't much a concern within reason.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

From what I have read up recently, it's the Corsair H100i.

The newer version like this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181090

 

[Evo X]

The newer version like this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181090

Yeah, that's the one. Reviews say it's got great performance, low noise levels, and is easy to install.

Most likely the cooling solution I will go with for my next build. It's between that and the Noctua NH-D15.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Yeah, that's the one. Reviews say it's got great performance, low noise levels, and is easy to install.

Most likely the cooling solution I will go with for my next build. It's between that and the Noctua NH-D15.

Better overall than the H105 because it's close to it's performance (H105 being better) and has Corsair Link support?

 

[RGM79]

I'm sitting on a $50 pre-paid debit card and Micro Center has some pretty interesting deals up for storage.

Right now in my main computer I have a 120GB SSD where I have my OS and a few other things installed, along with a 4.5-year-old WD Black 1TB HDD with a lot of secondary but still critical stuff on it (most of it backed up). The HDD has been quite noisy for a few years now but has shown no signs of failure.

I see two options that look good for me:
--A WD Blue 1TB HDD for $40 to possibly replace the noisy one.
--A SandDisk 120GB SSD for $45 to go on top of my existing SSD and probably hold more games.

It doesn't sound like you need to replace the hard drive yet. I'd recommend springing for a larger SSD, actually. Depending on the games you play, 120GB can fill up somewhat fast unless you only have a few games you want to benefit from higher speeds.

Are there any microATX z170 mobos coming in a black and white theme? Trying to Google this stuff is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Failing that, what would a good mostly black microATX z170? Price isn't much a concern within reason.

Anandtech has an article that looks at the some 55+ Z170 motherboards that should be available at launch if not in the coming weeks. They're listed by size so you won't have to look through each page, just the pages for the mATX models.

 

[mkenyon]

REGARDING OP UPDATE

Generally we wait about a week or so after launch to sort out which mobos are good and which are not. Plus Haz is at TI5. I'll hopefully have the spreadsheet done for him by the time he gets back. But, if anyone has suggestions on the parts they're interested in, please feel free to add in your $0.02.

Mainly, I want to upgrade not just for raw performance, but also the new tech that the latest mobos have over my Z68. Very interested in M2 SSDs, more bandwidth for Titan X SLI, and better frame times in games. Also, my Creative X-Fi Titanium doesn't work in Windows 10, so need a better on board audio solution.

From the guru3d review:

Why not go for the Enthusiast chipset?

Spose you could also do a motherboard with a PLX chip if you were set on Z170.

Mainly, I want to upgrade not just for raw performance, but also the new tech that the latest mobos have over my Z68. Very interested in M2 SSDs, more bandwidth for Titan X SLI, and better frame times in games. Also, my Creative X-Fi Titanium doesn't work in Windows 10, so need a better on board audio solution.

From the guru3d review:

Didn't see this post.

Yeah, you're probably a great candidate for either the Enthusiast platform, or the Consumer platform with a PLX chip. You'll save a bit of cash going with the latter (~$300 motherboard, then standard $330 6700K), but you'd be missing out on the two extra cores from a 5820K/5930K.

The PLX chip supposedly adds a bit of latency, but I'm not even sure if esports people could tell.

5930K + X99 would last you a looooooooooooong time. 6700K + PLX motherboard would as well, but there's something comforting about those two extra cores looking out 2+ years.

 

[Evo X]

Yeah, you're probably a great candidate for either the Enthusiast platform, or the Consumer platform with a PLX chip. You'll save a bit of cash going with the latter (~$300 motherboard, then standard $330 6700K), but you'd be missing out on the two extra cores from a 5820K/5930K.

The PLX chip supposedly adds a bit of latency, but I'm not even sure if esports people could tell.

5930K + X99 would last you a looooooooooooong time. 6700K + PLX motherboard would as well, but there's something comforting about those two extra cores looking out 2+ years.

You think a 5930K is worth the extra money over a 6700K for my usage? The Haswell-E will run hotter and use more power. I will probably only be able to OC it to 4.2-4.4GHz vs 4.8-5.0Ghz on the Skylake.

Both systems will have PCI-E 3.0, so GPU bandwidth shouldn't be much of an issue. Either will be much better than the PCI-E 2.0 in my current system. I also have zero interest in running greater than 2 GPUs, so not sure the extra lanes on the 5930k are worth it over a 5280k.

What's Smokey running these days? Are there benefits of X99 other than greater core count that I am unaware of? Likewise, does LGA 1151 have some cool things not present in X99?

 

[mkenyon]

You think a 5930K is worth the extra money over a 6700K for my usage? The Haswell-E will run hotter and use more power. I will probably only be able to OC it to 4.2-4.4GHz vs 4.8-5.0Ghz on the Skylake.

Both systems will have PCI-E 3.0, so GPU bandwidth shouldn't be much of an issue. Either will be much better than the PCI-E 2.0 in my current system. I also have zero interest in running greater than 2 GPUs, so not sure the extra lanes on the 5930k are worth it over a 5280k.

What's Smokey running these days? Are there benefits of X99 other than greater core count that I am unaware of?

The extra lanes of PCI-E aren't huge now, but in 2-3 years? Probably will make a difference.

Are you on X79 or the consumer socket? x8/x8 PCI-E 2.0 would certainly hamper Titan-Xs.

Smokey is still running a 4930K IIRC.

In terms of max OC, why do you think that? You were talking about a Noctua NH-D15 or a H100i. Either of those should have no problem taking a 2011-v3 proc to 4.6+ GHz. Most of the 5820Ks and 5930Ks can hit 4.2 on stock voltage.

The reason I suggest 5930K is that you get all the PCI-E lanes you need/want. You can run two video cards at full bandwidth, plus extra cards for whatever else suits your fancy, whether it be a Soundcard, NVME drive, or whatever. 5820K could do that too, but since you're a high end GPU guy with a decent sized budget, $200 insurance seems like a no-brainer.

 

[MR ARCADE FOREVER]

Yeah, that's the one. Reviews say it's got great performance, low noise levels, and is easy to install.

Most likely the cooling solution I will go with for my next build. It's between that and the Noctua NH-D15.

Is the gtx much better than the H100i?

 

[mkenyon]

Is the gtx much better than the H100i?

Much? No. For consumer socket processors (socket 1155/1150/1151), there's basically no difference at all.