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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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That's unfortunate.
It's a 2011-v3 build. I don't have enough confidence in the 212 to bring it into the mix. I think I'm gonna need more but I really don't want the all in one solutions.

I will look more closely into Noctua's coolers. Thanks.

Ohhh. That's a huge die. You'd probably want to be spending more than $70 on a proper cooling solution. Check out this cooler. It's the Noctua NH-D14 for the 2011 socket. Basically the gold standard for all air coolers. Be warned though, it's huge.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608024&cm_re=noctua-_-35-608-024-_-Product
 

BasicMath

Member
The Noctua NH-D14 socket 2011 edition ($77) used to be Noctua's top model until the bigger NH-D15 ($90) was released and took the crown. There are a ton of reviews on the internet that are all full of praise for it as well as Noctua's other air coolers. If you can spend the money for it, the NH-D14 and NH-D15 are highly recommended and will work well for X99.

Ohhh. That's a huge die. You'd probably want to be spending more than $70 on a proper cooling solution. Check out this cooler. It's the Noctua NH-D14 for the 2011 socket. Basically the gold standard for all air coolers. Be warned though, it's huge.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608024&cm_re=noctua-_-35-608-024-_-Product
Oh crap, I didn't think the die size would matter too much. Most coolers I'm looking at are compatible with the socket(or to 2011/1366 etc), I assumed that was enough. I'll make sure to read up on all those and on the subject of the die size. Thanks a lot.
 

RGM79

Member
Oh crap, I didn't think the die size would matter too much. Most coolers I'm looking at are compatible with the socket(or to 2011/1366 etc), I assumed that was enough. I'll make sure to read up on all those and on the subject of the die size. Thanks a lot.

What processor is going in this X99 build? Do you intend to overclock?
 

RGM79

Member
5820k and it's going to do 4-4.2.

Sorry, forgot to ask, what case are you using? Gotta make sure it fits..

After looking around, the best air coolers seem to be Noctua NH-D15, Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($60 after $15 rebate), or the Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E Extreme ($90). If you don't mind the rebate, then the Phanteks might be the best one as it's cheapest. IIRC it's somewhere in between the NH-D14 and NH-D15 in terms of cooling performance.

Here's a very comprehensive testing comparison between the Phanteks PH-TC14PE and the Noctua NH-D15 by Xbit Labs. The 3970X they used for the test is rated for a 150 watt TDP which is higher than the 5820K's 140 watt TDP, so they should do just as well for your 5820K.

Looking at the overclocked thermal tests, the PH-TC14PE holds up very well against the newer NH-D15, especially with different aftermarket fans. The money saved from getting the $60 Phanteks PH-TC14PE could be used for getting some good 140mm radiator fans.
 

BasicMath

Member
Sorry, forgot to ask, what case are you using? Gotta make sure it fits..

After looking around, the best air coolers seem to be Noctua NH-D15, Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($60 after $15 rebate), or the Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E Extreme ($90). If you don't mind the rebate, then the Phanteks might be the best one as it's cheapest. IIRC it's somewhere in between the NH-D14 and NH-D15 in terms of cooling performance.

Here's a very comprehensive testing comparison between the Phanteks PH-TC14PE and the Noctua NH-D15 by Xbit Labs. The 3970X they used for the test is rated for a 150 watt TDP which is higher than the 5820K's 140 watt TDP, so they should do just as well for your 5820K.

Looking at the overclocked thermal tests, the PH-TC14PE holds up very well against the newer NH-D15, especially with different aftermarket fans. The money saved from getting the $60 Phanteks PH-TC14PE could be used for getting some good 140mm radiator fans.

It's a Corsair 600t. I think it'll be fine. Right now I'm pretty much debating between the PH-TC14PE and the NH-D14 now. Would be thinking about the D15 but I think the D15 may be on the overkill side...and possibly size.
 

Chinbo37

Member
I know this is a tough question to answer but here goes.


I currently have a GTX 680 paired with a i3770K which has not been overclokced at all (so I guess it is 3.5 ghz, i dont rememebr exactly).


I play PC games but usually not too demanding games or games that came out a couple of years ago, so far my 680 has been awesome for the last 2 years I have had it or so.


But of course I was thinking of updating it. I played Wolfenstein on high settings but not ultra lol. I know i need to OC my processor, I can get an easy 4.0 ghz with minimal effort. What card should I pair with it giving my tendencies of gaming and considering to keep the budget minimal.

Should I just go with a used 780 maybe? 970? Wait a bit longer until my 680 is even older?
 

RGM79

Member
I know this is a tough question to answer but here goes.


I currently have a GTX 680 paired with a i3770K which has not been overclokced at all (so I guess it is 3.5 ghz, i dont rememebr exactly).

I play PC games but usually not too demanding games or games that came out a couple of years ago, so far my 680 has been awesome for the last 2 years I have had it or so.

But of course I was thinking of updating it. I played Wolfenstein on high settings but not ultra lol. I know i need to OC my processor, I can get an easy 4.0 ghz with minimal effort. What card should I pair with it giving my tendencies of gaming and considering to keep the budget minimal.

Should I just go with a used 780 maybe? 970? Wait a bit longer until my 680 is even older?
Is it not performing well enough? Are you just thinking of upgrading for the sake of upgrading? Not upgrading the graphics card would save the most budget.. If you have a decent CPU cooler already, then just overclock your CPU. It could even bring up the framerate, depending on the game and graphics settings.
 
Just splashed out on an i7 5820k and Corsair Air 540 case on Dabs after great deal was offered to me. Super excited, was deliberating between this or spending a little less for more gaming-focused build with an 4790k but went with the 6-core as I need it for work more.

Thanks to RGM79 and kharma45 and all the others for their help on this decision.

This may help some:

If anyone is dropping a large sum of money through one particular vendor, contact their sales team via phone, email, twitter etc and ask them if they have any deals as you want to spend the money on their website.

I tweeted Dabs.com and asked them this, but the nice guy on there replied 'unfortunately we have no promotions atm' but then I persisted and said if Dabs have any deals they could offer.

He asked me to bear with him, and came back and gave me a nice one-time £25 discount on a minimum £399 spend via PM.

So including delivery, I've managed to snag myself a i7 5820k and Corsair Air 540 case for £382! All covered properly by warranty and via a reputable seller. Cheapest you can get these items new individually (believe me I have checked) is £302 and £100 inc. delivery.
 
Is it not performing well enough? Are you just thinking of upgrading for the sake of upgrading? Not upgrading the graphics card would save the most budget.. If you have a decent CPU cooler already, then just overclock your CPU. It could even bring up the framerate, depending on the game and graphics settings.

So a decent CPU OC can give a nice performance bump in games?

Honestly I've just got the upgrade itch with my GTX 670. Its still performing well with my 2500k. I play BF4 maxed out at 1080p at or near 60fps, Dragon Age Inquisition on High anywhere from 40-60fps. I was also getting 45ish fps in Shadows of Mordor on mostly Ultra settings.

If I can OC the 2500k and squeeze a bit more performance, I might do that instead of splurging on a GTX 970 now. I could always wait until the new line is announced and they go on sale. Nothing is really bringing my system to it's knees right now, but being at the minimum requirements for Witcher 3 scares me.

From what you guys say here, if I OC the 2500k and pair it with a GTX 970 down the road I'll be golden.
 

Fracas

#fuckonami
Thanks for the suggestions from last night, guys. Here's what I'm looking at now:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($344.00 @ NCIX US)
Case: Enermax OSTROG ATX Mid Tower Case ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B3ST/BLK/G/AS DVD/CD Writer ($22.29 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1044.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-23 09:51 EST-0500

Is the i7 really not that much better? I'm cool with paying a bit extra if it helps future-proof my machine.
 
Thanks for the suggestions from last night, guys. Here's what I'm looking at now:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($344.00 @ NCIX US)
Case: Enermax OSTROG ATX Mid Tower Case ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B3ST/BLK/G/AS DVD/CD Writer ($22.29 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1044.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-23 09:51 EST-0500

Is the i7 really not that much better? I'm cool with paying a bit extra if it helps future-proof my machine.

Do you do anything related to video encoding, editing and such? If yes I say go for it.
Also you might want to hold off buying the 970 as there is this issue where it can't use past 3.5 GBs of vram going on.
 

CBTech

Member
I'm sure this has been talked about somewhere in this thread, but what roughly are the resolution/fps you typically get for each build in Haz's Builds in the OP? In the Smokey column it mentions 4k/120+fps, but what about the other columns. I currently my monitor is 1080p/60hz, so if I just want to maximize for that what column should I be basing things on? I might upgrade my monitor to something better in the future, so I'm not ruling out going to a higher category.

I'd post my current build, but I don't have that exact information on hand right now. Needless to say I'm replacing my Motherboard since one of its PCI slots and the ethernet port is dead on it. I might change the CPU to an Intel chip. It is a 6-core AMD processor 3.2 GHz which I got in 2010. I'll also be upgrading my GPU from my old Radeon HD 5870.

Edit: Also, I'm looking to get an SSD. In general what exactly is best to put on a SSD. The OS is good to have on it. Do you typically install games on it as well?
 

Ryde3

Member
Where in Canada are you? If you live in BC lower mainland or around Toronto, there's local NCIX and Memory Express retailers and they do pricematching, which makes it handy to get most of your parts from one or two retailers and keep the best possible pricing.

Future proofing is a bit hard. If you can wait until I'm guessing September-ish this year, Intel will be releasing their new Skylake processors and Z170 socket 1151 platform which is going to be the new line for consumers. The current consumer Z97 platform will get Broadwell later this year and then that will be it, socket 1150 is on the way out after that.

If you plan to buy soon then the current Haswell parts you have are fine, they won't be instantly made obsolete by Skylake. Just keep in mind that there will be no CPU/motherboard upgrades after this year's Broadwell processors. That said, the 4690K should last you 3+ years from this point on easily, even longer with overclocking.

If you want to keep your options open for dual graphics cards in the future, you should consider what kind of power supply to get. GTX 970 SLI will run just fine on 700-750 watts, while R9 290 crossfire will run on 800-850 watts. Going with the R9 290 will save you some money even after budgeting for a slightly stronger power supply, but the GTX 970 is newer, slightly faster, more efficient, and some people like Nvidia more for drivers or support. The R9 290X is much more expensive yet more or less matched by the GTX 970, so I don't think it's worth going for.

Anyway, I have some parts recommendations:

I found faster G.Skill DDR3-2400 RAM for $82 from NCIX. The fact that it's 2 x 4GB shouldn't be a problem because even if you fill up four RAM slots, you'll get 16GB which is more than most people ever need unless they do heavy video editing or something. Unless you're doing heavy workstation processing and plan on filling all the slots with 8GB sticks for a total of 32GB, I kind of doubt you'll ever need that much RAM.

As for the power supply, I have 2 recommendations each for 750 and 850 watts. They are all good quality and reliable, I'll also link reviews.
XFX 750 watt bronze rated non-modular for $65 after $20 rebate - This model P1-750S-NLB9 had multiple high scoring reviews from multiple reviewers.
XFX 850 watt bronze rated non-modular for $100 - Same as above, just the 850 watt version.
Corsair CS750M gold rated semi-modular for $115 - The 650 watt version had good reviews, the 750 watt should be just as good.
EVGA Supernova G2 850 watt gold rated fully modular for $125 after $20 rebate - Pretty much one of the best power supplies you can get, but with a matching price tag. It's been as cheap as $110 when on sale, but unfortunately not at the moment.One of the highest rated power supplies reviewed by Jonny Guru.

As for the case.. what do you want? Full tower with more room to expand? Mid tower to save space but still well featured? Do you want sound proofing in the case? Side window? Color?

Some cases that I can recommend in general:
Cooler Master HAF 912 ($60) - Decent midrange mid tower case. Gets the job done no fuss, but the design includes nice touches that keep it from being totally spartan in terms of features. A bit dated but still good. Tweaktown review.
Antec P100 ($82) - Very recently released. Reviews seems very good. A nice in-between model that costs less than $100 but offers good quality. Techpowerup review.
Phanteks Enthoo Pro ($100) - Full tower for lots of expansion room, great feature set and premium design closer to what you might expect in a more expensive case. Tweaktown review.
Fractal Define R5 ($130) - Expensive mid tower, but it's very new and has a modular interior for accommodating just about anything. Soundproofed as well. Windowed versions available for a higher price. Tweaktown review.

First just let me say WOW! Thank you so much for such a detailed, quick response, you seem to really know what you're talking about and linking to the reviews is just awesome and going above and beyond.

Your PSU+Case suggestions were very helpful and I'm going to go with the Phanteks Enthoo Pro (looks great, and excellent reviews) and for PSU I'm going to go with either the XFX 750w or 850w, but if SLI 970's will run on 750w maybe I shouldn't over spend. (looking to be convinced, ha)

The 1 8GB stick of RAM in my build was actually a mistake, I was looking for 2x4GB, so thank you for pointing that out, I also don't see myself going about 16GB either. Your recommendation here is also great BUT; and I know it's not very important but the mobo I chose has a red LED strip and I would like the RAM to match that (OP says choose goodlooking RAM lol) so I was wondering if that RAM came in red, or there was something comparable, in that colour BUT, I'll take function over aesthetics at the end of the day. Also, should I be worried about low profile RAM w/ this case + cooler?

If the i5 4690k will last 3+ years then that's excellent and I am not worried about the tech coming in September (I'd never get it off the ground if I always waited, right?) But thank you for the insight!

I am in Toronto so I will go to a local NCIX and try to price match everything I can, thanks for that suggestion I didn't even consider purchasing the parts in person.

I suppose my last question is, is my Motherboard selection of the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI sufficient for everything I (and you) have mentioned? I assume it is since you didn't recommending something better means that I should be fine.

After realizing tax return season is approaching I may spend a bit more and get 16GB of RAM right away, or get a larger SSD.

Thank so much for the feedback it's been incredibly helpful.

Edit: When putting everything in the PC Parts Picker, I get this warning about the RAM, should I concerned? PC Parts Picker

"The G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory operating voltage of 1.65V exceeds the Intel Haswell Refresh CPU recommended maximum of 1.5V+5% (1.575V). This memory module may run at a reduced clock rate to meet the 1.5V voltage recommendation, or may require running at a voltage greater than the Intel recommended maximum."
 

jordn613

Unconfirmed Member
So having gotten back into PC gaming, can someone point me in the direction for what headset would be good for chat if I want to also use my speakers for sound/music? I just want a simple mic and single-eared headset, like I used to use on my 360. What will work easily, sound decent and get me ready for Evolve?

Thanks!
 

C-Sword

Member
I'm looking for an off the shelf gaming pc, my budget is $1000, I'm interested in the Asus ROG G20, but the design is kind of ugly.

Any other suggestions?
 

RGM79

Member
First just let me say WOW! Thank you so much for such a detailed, quick response, you seem to really know what you're talking about and linking to the reviews is just awesome and going above and beyond.

Your PSU+Case suggestions were very helpful and I'm going to go with the Phanteks Enthoo Pro (looks great, and excellent reviews) and for PSU I'm going to go with either the XFX 750w or 850w, but if SLI 970's will run on 750w maybe I shouldn't over spend. (looking to be convinced, ha)

The 1 8GB stick of RAM in my build was actually a mistake, I was looking for 2x4GB, so thank you for pointing that out, I also don't see myself going about 16GB either. Your recommendation here is also great BUT; and I know it's not very important but the mobo I chose has a red LED strip and I would like the RAM to match that (OP says choose goodlooking RAM lol) so I was wondering if that RAM came in red, or there was something comparable, in that colour BUT, I'll take function over aesthetics at the end of the day. Also, should I be worried about low profile RAM w/ this case + cooler?

If the i5 4690k will last 3+ years then that's excellent and I am not worried about the tech coming in September (I'd never get it off the ground if I always waited, right?) But thank you for the insight!

I am in Toronto so I will go to a local NCIX and try to price match everything I can, thanks for that suggestion I didn't even consider purchasing the parts in person.

I suppose my last question is, is my Motherboard selection of the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI sufficient for everything I (and you) have mentioned? I assume it is since you didn't recommending something better means that I should be fine.

After realizing tax return season is approaching I may spend a bit more and get 16GB of RAM right away, or get a larger SSD.

Thank so much for the feedback it's been incredibly helpful.

Edit: When putting everything in the PC Parts Picker, I get this warning about the RAM, should I concerned? PC Parts Picker

"The G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory operating voltage of 1.65V exceeds the Intel Haswell Refresh CPU recommended maximum of 1.5V+5% (1.575V). This memory module may run at a reduced clock rate to meet the 1.5V voltage recommendation, or may require running at a voltage greater than the Intel recommended maximum."


Yeah, about the power supply, that is the question after all. If you go with the GTX 970, then get the 750 watt XFX PSU. If you go with the R9 290, then get the 850 watt XFX model.

Low profile RAM is usually recommended, but IIRC with that combination of heatsink and motherboard, only the RAM slot closest to the CPU will be partially blocked. The rules of dual channel RAM placement say that you should install two sticks in the farthest and 3rd farthest slots first, another set of two RAM sticks will go in the remaining slots. Or if you get 2 x 8GB for 16GB total, you'll never have to worry about blocked RAM slots.

As for RAM recommendations, pick one of the following. They're all red and run at more or less high speed, just choose whatever you like the looks of.
Kingston Fury Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 for $80
Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 for $82
G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 for $158
Mushkin Redline 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 for $170

The Gigabyte motherboard should be fine, I actually recommend that exact model to nearly everyone. It has enough features for most users. Don't worry about the RAM voltage, it's a non-issue, especially now that you're looking at different RAM.

So having gotten back into PC gaming, can someone point me in the direction for what headset would be good for chat if I want to also use my speakers for sound/music? I just want a simple mic and single-eared headset, like I used to use on my 360. What will work easily, sound decent and get me ready for Evolve?

Thanks!

Considering that you won't be listening to music or movies through the headset, just voice, then you can get a relatively cheap headset. Single ear headsets are a bit hard to find, you may have to get a regular headset. A USB headset will make it easier to separate audio output with whatever program or game you're using to voice chat. I think normal 3.5mm will also work, but that may depend on your motherboard's audio capabilities and isn't a sure thing, so I recommend USB headsets.

Here's a list of headsets on Newegg that match your needs but includes normal headsets.

And here's the same list, but filtered to only show single ear headsets. A lot smaller list in terms of selection.

I'm looking for an off the shelf gaming pc, my budget is $1000, I'm interested in the Asus ROG G20, but the design is kind of ugly.

Any other suggestions?

Where are you buying, and what retailers are you looking at? If you want a custom PC but can't build it yourself for one reason or another, NCIXUS will let you add a list of parts to shopping cart and for a $60 charge they will assemble it for you, test it, and give you one year warranty on the entire PC in concurrent addition to the warranty that already comes with each individual part.
 

HaleStorm

Member
Hey guys, I am looking to build my first PC from scratch and was hoping someone would not mind looking over the build. I am pretty much ready to buy at this point, I am just unsure of what route to go with the GPU(s)

This is pretty much what I want, unless there is a good reason to change anything on the technical side of the house (for example, I am still slogging through reviews on the CPU cooler, I know it will be a 120mm+ radiator, but the brand may change to one with better performance).

I am pretty much sure that I am going to be putting a 980 in right now, then buy a second in a few months if the new 8gb cards don't convince me to sell and upgrade when they come out. I am not sure who deserves my money though. I have seen some pretty impressive numbers from the Zotac AMP extreme cards, but heard they were a nightmare to play with when overclocking. I a not sure if the G1's will fit in the case I chose if I put the radiator on the front as opposed to the top. Does anyone have a bit of insight here?

The goal is 144Hz at 1440p at the highest settings possible in games, with modeling and cad work as a hobby. I plan on OC the CPU to about 4.6 (maybe higher if I get lucky and it stays relatively cool). I already have a windows 7 key and will take a free upgrade to windows 10 if it seems like the thing to do down the line.

Thanks in advance for the help!

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/HJdYhM

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($326.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Enermax ELC-LT240-HP 111.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: EVGA Z97 Classified EATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($291.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($183.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2817.86
 

kharma45

Member
Just splashed out on an i7 5820k and Corsair Air 540 case on Dabs after great deal was offered to me. Super excited, was deliberating between this or spending a little less for more gaming-focused build with an 4790k but went with the 6-core as I need it for work more.

Thanks to RGM79 and kharma45 and all the others for their help on this decision.

This may help some:

If anyone is dropping a large sum of money through one particular vendor, contact their sales team via phone, email, twitter etc and ask them if they have any deals as you want to spend the money on their website.

I tweeted Dabs.com and asked them this, but the nice guy on there replied 'unfortunately we have no promotions atm' but then I persisted and said if Dabs have any deals they could offer.

He asked me to bear with him, and came back and gave me a nice one-time £25 discount on a minimum £399 spend via PM.

So including delivery, I've managed to snag myself a i7 5820k and Corsair Air 540 case for £382! All covered properly by warranty and via a reputable seller. Cheapest you can get these items new individually (believe me I have checked) is £302 and £100 inc. delivery.

Never hurts to negotiate. When I was out buying a TV one time I was surprised how easy it was to get £100 knocked off.
 

Aiustis

Member
I was trying Guild Wars with a controller, but ultimately, I think I'd prefer k&m. I struggle with a lot of k&m games. I got a lefty mouse, which is easier for me, but I also need the thing that you can program with all the keyboard buttons you need. I don't know what it's called though.
 

knitoe

Member
Hey guys, I am looking to build my first PC from scratch and was hoping someone would not mind looking over the build. I am pretty much ready to buy at this point, I am just unsure of what route to go with the GPU(s)

This is pretty much what I want, unless there is a good reason to change anything on the technical side of the house (for example, I am still slogging through reviews on the CPU cooler, I know it will be a 120mm+ radiator, but the brand may change to one with better performance).

I am pretty much sure that I am going to be putting a 980 in right now, then buy a second in a few months if the new 8gb cards don't convince me to sell and upgrade when they come out. I am not sure who deserves my money though. I have seen some pretty impressive numbers from the Zotac AMP extreme cards, but heard they were a nightmare to play with when overclocking. I a not sure if the G1's will fit in the case I chose if I put the radiator on the front as opposed to the top. Does anyone have a bit of insight here?

The goal is 144Hz at 1440p at the highest settings possible in games, with modeling and cad work as a hobby. I plan on OC the CPU to about 4.6 (maybe higher if I get lucky and it stays relatively cool). I already have a windows 7 key and will take a free upgrade to windows 10 if it seems like the thing to do down the line.

Thanks in advance for the help!

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/HJdYhM

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($326.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Enermax ELC-LT240-HP 111.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: EVGA Z97 Classified EATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($291.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($183.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2817.86
For $183 PSU, you can get a EVGA $140 1000W or $180 1300W. Personally, I would go with the 1300W. PSU are most efficient and quietest at 50-60% load.
 

jrush64

Banned
Can anyone help me troubleshoot this. My motherboard is an ASRock 1150 MAtx motherboard and an MSI GTX 970.

The gtx 970 works on the last pci express slot. But it doesn't seem to work on the one closest to the middle of the board.

My new PC case has no space so I can't use the second PCI express slot?

Does anyone know why this happens?
 

RGM79

Member
Hey guys, I am looking to build my first PC from scratch and was hoping someone would not mind looking over the build. I am pretty much ready to buy at this point, I am just unsure of what route to go with the GPU(s)

This is pretty much what I want, unless there is a good reason to change anything on the technical side of the house (for example, I am still slogging through reviews on the CPU cooler, I know it will be a 120mm+ radiator, but the brand may change to one with better performance).

I am pretty much sure that I am going to be putting a 980 in right now, then buy a second in a few months if the new 8gb cards don't convince me to sell and upgrade when they come out. I am not sure who deserves my money though. I have seen some pretty impressive numbers from the Zotac AMP extreme cards, but heard they were a nightmare to play with when overclocking. I a not sure if the G1's will fit in the case I chose if I put the radiator on the front as opposed to the top. Does anyone have a bit of insight here?

The goal is 144Hz at 1440p at the highest settings possible in games, with modeling and cad work as a hobby. I plan on OC the CPU to about 4.6 (maybe higher if I get lucky and it stays relatively cool). I already have a windows 7 key and will take a free upgrade to windows 10 if it seems like the thing to do down the line.

Thanks in advance for the help!

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/HJdYhM

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($326.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Enermax ELC-LT240-HP 111.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: EVGA Z97 Classified EATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($291.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($609.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($183.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2817.86

I have quite a few recommendations to get a better machine for the price.

At that price point, you might as well move up to X99 motherboard, processor, and DDR4 RAM. This will help with future proofing, as well as last longer before needing to upgrade. The i7 4790K is a very "entry level" i7. It's actually not very different from the best i5 processor except that it has hyperthreading. With Z97, you only have quad core processing at best, the hyperthreading which doesn't help in games, only in certain applications. On X99 platform, you get hexa and octo core processors which do provide more of a real boost when it comes to processing power, especially when it comes to 3D modelling and CAD.

Changed to the 5820K processor, as well as matching motherboard and RAM. The 5930K processor is only advisable if you intend to get triple SLI. I think that after a couple of years the point that GTX 980 is so low performing that you need triple SLI, you should be upgrading to other better future graphics cards rather than getting a third GTX 980.

I changed the WD Black 2TB drive to a Toshiba 2TB model. They're both 7200RPM with 64MB cache, so you shouldn't see much of a difference in performance, even though the Toshiba costs only about half as much.

Changed from Gigabyte Windforce GTX 980 to the MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G. The MSI model is also very highly reviewed and praised, yet also costs $70 less for each card, you'll save $140 switching to MSI with no real negatives as it's about the same performance and can also overclock easily and very well.

Switched to the EVGA Supernova G2 to save some money. It's also a very highly rated and reviewed power supply, gold rated efficiency and fully modular like the Corsair model you chose. Nothing wrong with the Corsair, but you can save over $100 if you don't mind getting "just" gold efficiency instead of platinum efficiency.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($373.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($128.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus X99-A ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($240.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Kingston 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($284.49 @ Directron)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($198.86 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2617.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-23 21:35 EST-0500

Overall, I saved you $200 while getting better or equal performing parts all around, except for the EVGA power supply which was a very slight downgrade. The real improvement is the 5820K processor which is a much better choice over the 4790K. The X99 motherboard is a bit more future proof, seeing as Z97 and socket 1150 is on the way out after 2015, while X99 was released not too long ago and should see CPU upgrades for a couple of years.

If you want to save a little more money, I'd recommend getting an air cooler instead of a water cooler, but that's up to you, and it does change the aesthetics of the parts inside. You seemed to be going for all dark colors, so I did the same for the X99 parts and water cooler I recommended here. If you don't mind getting an air cooler, I recommend this black version of the Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($80), one of the best air coolers you can get. Going with that will save you another $50.
 

The Llama

Member
I have quite a few recommendations to get a better machine for the price.

At that price point, you might as well move up to X99 motherboard, processor, and DDR4 RAM. This will help with future proofing, as well as last longer before needing to upgrade. The i7 4790K is a very "entry level" i7. It's actually not very different from the best i5 processor except that it has hyperthreading. With Z97, you only have quad core processing at best, the hyperthreading which doesn't help in games, only in certain applications. On X99 platform, you get hexa and octo core processors which do provide more of a real boost when it comes to processing power, especially when it comes to 3D modelling and CAD.

Changed to the 5820K processor, as well as matching motherboard and RAM. The 5930K processor is only advisable if you intend to get triple SLI. I think that after a couple of years the point that GTX 980 is so low performing that you need triple SLI, you should be upgrading to other better future graphics cards rather than getting a third GTX 980.

I changed the WD Black 2TB drive to a Toshiba 2TB model. They're both 7200RPM with 64MB cache, so you shouldn't see much of a difference in performance, even though the Toshiba costs only about half as much.

Changed from Gigabyte Windforce GTX 980 to the MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G. The MSI model is also very highly reviewed and praised, yet also costs $70 less for each card, you'll save $140 switching to MSI with no real negatives as it's about the same performance and can also overclock easily and very well.

Switched to the EVGA Supernova G2 to save some money. It's also a very highly rated and reviewed power supply, gold rated efficiency and fully modular like the Corsair model you chose. Nothing wrong with the Corsair, but you can save over $100 if you don't mind getting "just" gold efficiency instead of platinum efficiency.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($373.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($128.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus X99-A ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($240.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Kingston 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($284.49 @ Directron)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($198.86 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2617.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-23 21:35 EST-0500

Overall, I saved you $200 while getting better or equal performing parts all around, except for the EVGA power supply which was a very slight downgrade. The real improvement is the 5820K processor which is a much better choice over the 4790K. The X99 motherboard is a bit more future proof, seeing as Z97 and socket 1150 is on the way out after 2015, while X99 was released not too long ago and should see CPU upgrades for a couple of years.

If you want to save a little more money, I'd recommend getting an air cooler instead of a water cooler, but that's up to you, and it does change the aesthetics of the parts inside. You seemed to be going for all dark colors, so I did the same for the X99 parts and water cooler I recommended here. If you don't mind getting an air cooler, I recommend this black version of the Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($80), one of the best air coolers you can get. Going with that will save you another $50.

I think its worth noting that if you go with the 5820k, you should definitely overclock it. At stock, the 4790k will outperform it in most games due to its higher clock speed.
 

RGM79

Member
Can anyone help me troubleshoot this. My motherboard is an ASRock 1150 MAtx motherboard and an MSI GTX 970.

The gtx 970 works on the last pci express slot. But it doesn't seem to work on the one closest to the middle of the board.

My new PC case has no space so I can't use the second PCI express slot?

Does anyone know why this happens?

It doesn't work as in there's no signal? Does the graphics card's fans spin and dragon LED turn on?

If it's dusty, try cleaning out the slot with compressed air or something. If there's dust clogged in there (I doubt it) you could use something like a toothpick to drag around inside to pull out dust, but be careful not to angle the toothpick or damage the internal connectors.

Try reseating the graphics card. When I installed a second GPU in my computer, I put it back together but it wasn't detected, even though I had it screwed down and inserted into the slot. Turns out it was not fully inserted all the way - pressing it down slightly solved the issue.

Otherwise, try resetting the motherboard to default settings.

I think its worth noting that if you go with the 5820k, you should definitely overclock it. At stock, the 4790k will outperform it in most games due to its higher clock speed.

Yes, this is true to an extent. PC games nowadays seem to be best optimized for quad core processors - that's why hyperthreading makes little to no difference for gaming performance when comparing the i5 4690K to the i7 4790K. The 5820K's extra two cores over the 4790K don't give it much of an edge in games at stock speed when it does lead over the 4790K, but it'll be better overall for productivity work than the 4790K. Still, the 4790K at stock speed shouldn't outpace the 5820K that much in games, at least going from review benchmarks.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8426/...view-core-i7-5960x-i7-5930k-i7-5820k-tested/6
http://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/luke-hill/intel-core-i7-5820k-haswell-e-6-core-cpu-review/7/

Overclocked, it might be a different story.
 
How valid are the OP builds?

Also, when are we expecting desktop Broadwell?

I'm interested in an up to date build in the 650-700 range (small amount of flexibility) for US folks. I'm used to the Australian prices. Gaming focused.
 

tarheel91

Member
It's a Corsair 600t. I think it'll be fine. Right now I'm pretty much debating between the PH-TC14PE and the NH-D14 now. Would be thinking about the D15 but I think the D15 may be on the overkill side...and possibly size.

I think you underestimate how much heat the Haswell-E chips generate. With an enthusiast chip watercooling makes more sense because the thermal interface between the actual CPU and the metal case is better. On a typical Intel CPU the thermal interface is a bottleneck for heat dissipation which means water cooling is kind of pointless. On top of that, the difference between a 120mm radiator and a high end air cooler isn't that different. However, a 240mm or larger water cooler makes a lot of sense to me for this application because it can actually take advantage of it. FWIW, I'm running a 420mm radiator on my 5820k and that's probably overkill.

I know it's above your price range, but the H220-X is about as good as it gets when it comes to AIO water cooling: http://www.ncixus.com/products/?sku=93547&vpn=H220-X&manufacture=Swiftech
 

RGM79

Member
How valid are the OP builds?

Also, when are we expecting desktop Broadwell?

I'm interested in an up to date build in the 650-700 range (small amount of flexibility) for US folks. I'm used to the Australian prices. Gaming focused.

Intel recently confirmed that Skylake was due to launch around September, but didn't say the same for Broadwell. At last report from Intel's own production roadmaps, Broadwell and Skylake were officially due to launch at the same time, which the article still notes.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
I don't believe parts for anything need to be swapped now sans a possible 960 inclusion, but I'll wait a bit to see if prices shake up in a week or two.
 

Zel3

Member
Guys I'm still rocking an overclocked i7 920 and GTX 470. The urge to upgrade is so strong but I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade. What do you guys think about 2015? Anything worthwhile coming out soon I should hold out for?

PS. I love my FERMI card, 4 years of 92c and still going strong lol.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Guys I'm still rocking an overclocked i7 920 and GTX 470. The urge to upgade is so strong but I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade. What do you guys think about 2015? Anything worthwhile coming out soon I should hold out for?

PS. I love my FERMI card, 4 years of 92c and still going strong lol.
Buy my used 290 stock, you'll feel right at home but it only goes up to 90C, sorry
 

Zel3

Member
Buy my used 290 stock, you'll feel right at home but it only goes up to 90C, sorry

lol, the age of the fermi cards were great.

I feel like first I need a good desk, what desk is everyone here using? No point in having a nice PC with a crappy desk.
 

RGM79

Member
Guys I'm still rocking an overclocked i7 920 and GTX 470. The urge to upgrade is so strong but I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade. What do you guys think about 2015? Anything worthwhile coming out soon I should hold out for?

PS. I love my FERMI card, 4 years of 92c and still going strong lol.

What's your budget for an upgrade? Thinking of buying higher end enthusiast line so you can go another ~6 years without needing to replace it?
 

Zel3

Member
What's your budget for an upgrade? Thinking of buying higher end enthusiast line so you can go another ~6 years without needing to replace it?

Budget is not an issue right now, for example my case is either going to be the Silverstone TJ11 or the Magnum case from Caselabs. I haven't been keeping up with SSD for the last few years, so I have no idea about those. With Windows 10 coming out and Nvidea not releasing their best GPU chip I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade.

Monitors is another biggie, GSYNC seems like it's amazing but the options and support for GYSYNC and 4k are not there yet.
 
Budget is not an issue right now, for example my case is either going to be the Silverstone TJ11 or the Magnum case from Caselabs. I haven't been keeping up with SSD for the last few years, so I have no idea about those. With Windows 10 coming out and Nvidea not releasing their best GPU chip I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade.

Monitors is another biggie, GSYNC seems like it's amazing but the options and support for GYSYNC and 4k are not there yet.

If I were you I would get an SSD now and then decide about the gpu/monitor depending on how things play out with gsync/freesync.
 
So monitors, am again looking for one.
Budget 170-200 ish euros, no more.

requirements:
lowest possible input lag
best possible motion clarity

22-24" size


The asus vs238h in the OP and the benq RL2455HM I've been looking at are both pretty old by now (almost 2 years old)
Surely there are improved/revised new ones by now? :\
 

RyuKanSan

Member
So is the general consensus that intel is better than amd? i really want an i7, but these 8-core amd fx cpus are catching my eye based on price
 

RGM79

Member
So is the general consensus that intel is better than amd? i really want an i7, but these 8-core amd fx cpus are catching my eye based on price
Intel's processors have stronger performance for each core, while AMD's FX line has weaker performance but more cores. It will depend on what you're doing with the PC, but we tend to recommend Intel over AMD except when it comes to certain use cases or budgets.

Usually Intel has stronger performance in games. The old i5 2500K is about 4 years old but it can sometimes still manage a better framerate than FX-8300 series processors, for example. In some multi-threaded applications like video rendering, the FX-8300 series does well and can pull far ahead of contemporary Intel CPUs for the same price.

However, AMD FX processors use the AM3+ socket which is virtually dead. The FX line hasn't seen any new updates in about a year or two aside from low power versions of existing CPUs, and there are no upgrades on the horizon for AM3+ which makes it harder to recommend AMD FX.

Budget is not an issue right now, for example my case is either going to be the Silverstone TJ11 or the Magnum case from Caselabs. I haven't been keeping up with SSD for the last few years, so I have no idea about those. With Windows 10 coming out and Nvidea not releasing their best GPU chip I feel like right now is not the best time to upgrade.

Monitors is another biggie, GSYNC seems like it's amazing but the options and support for GYSYNC and 4k are not there yet.
You're waiting for the new NVIDIA Titan X?
 

RyuKanSan

Member
Intel's processors have stronger performance for each core, while AMD's FX line has weaker performance but more cores. It will depend on what you're doing with the PC, but we tend to recommend Intel over AMD except when it comes to certain use cases or budgets.

Usually Intel has stronger performance in games. The old i5 2500K is about 4 years old but can sometimes still manage a better framerate than FX-8300 series processors, for example. In some multi-threaded applications like video rendering, the FX-8300 series does well and can pull ahead of contemporary Intel CPUs.

However, AMD FX processors use the AM3+ socket which is virtually dead. The FX line hasn't seen any new updates in about a year or two, and there are no upgrades on the horizon for AM3+, which makes it harder to recommend AMD FX.


You're waiting for the new NVIDIA Titan X?

Thank you very much.
 

Ironmask

Member
My old hd4890 decided to die (critical thermal failure led always on despite everything i tried).
Now i have a 2009 gaming rig to upgrade.

Right now my pc is:
Amd phenom 2 x2
A gigabyte motherboard with am2+ socket, ddr2 ram support and pci express2 slot
A 500w OCZ psu


My priority is to get a good gaming graphic card, around 180 $ range, silent if possible that is compatible with my actual rig and ofc modern enough for the full upgrade incoming in december (motherboard, intel cpu, ram)

Can anyone help me? Is the r9 280 or 290 good for my need?
 
My old hd4890 decided to die (critical thermal failure led always on despite everything i tried).
Now i have a 2009 gaming rig to upgrade.

Right now my pc is:
Amd phenom 2 x2
A gigabyte motherboard with am2+ socket, ddr2 ram support and pci express2 slot
A 500w OCZ psu


My priority is to get a good gaming graphic card, around 180 $ range, silent if possible that is compatible with my actual rig and ofc modern enough for the full upgrade incoming in december (motherboard, intel cpu, ram)

Can anyone help me? Is the r9 280 or 290 good for my need?

The 290 could be a bit too much for the psu, and then you would be limited by the cpu anyway.
 

Ironmask

Member
The 290 could be a bit too much for the psu, and then you would be limited by the cpu anyway.

Bottlenecks aren't a problem for now, i'll upgrade the whole thing in december and i just don't want to spend 30-70 $ now for a graphic card that will be put in the bin in the next 6 months
 

H4r4kiri

Member
Hey guys I am looking for a used PC, because I can't effort a new one with decent Hardware. Now I have seen this offer for 400-500€

Prozessor Intel Core I7 4790K
Grafikkarte Geforce Gainward Phantom GTX 770 4 GB Speicher
Laufwerk LG Super Multi 24x Brenner
Netzteil Termaltake Hamburg 530 Watt Power
Mainboard Gigabyte Intel Sockel
Festplatte Seagate Baracuda 2 TB 7200 Um
Ram Corsair Vengeance 16 GB 1600 Mhz Takt
Gehäuse Sharkoon T9 Grün LED
Lüfter Arctic Cooling Frezzer I30 Intel Sockel

Is this a good deal or should I be skeptical ? It seems too good doesn't it ?
 
I'm installing a msi gtx 970 and it requires a 8-pin & 6-pin power input. My power supply (Seasonic 620W) came with cables each containing two sets of (6+2) pins. Am I suppose to plug twos sets of cables into the power supply and input to the 970 6-pin from one and 8-pin from another OR plug only one set of cables into the power supply and input to the 970 the cascading 6-pin and 8-pin? Thanks!
 

RGM79

Member
My old hd4890 decided to die (critical thermal failure led always on despite everything i tried). Now i have a 2009 gaming rig to upgrade.

Right now my pc is:
Amd phenom 2 x2
A gigabyte motherboard with am2+ socket, ddr2 ram support and pci express2 slot
A 500w OCZ psu

My priority is to get a good gaming graphic card, around 180 $ range, silent if possible that is compatible with my actual rig and ofc modern enough for the full upgrade incoming in december (motherboard, intel cpu, ram)

Can anyone help me? Is the r9 280 or 290 good for my need?
Bottlenecks aren't a problem for now, i'll upgrade the whole thing in december and i just don't want to spend 30-70 $ now for a graphic card that will be put in the bin in the next 6 months

The R9 280 is a slightly updated Radeon 7950 Boost which is a 2.5 year old card, so if you're worried about new features that might be a dealbreaker. The R9 290 is a bit too far out of your range unless you're buying used, the cheapest brand new R9 290 is $250 USD. For your budget, you're pretty much looking at the R9 285, it's relatively new and the XFX R9 285 retails for $182.

I'm installing a msi gtx 970 and it requires a 8-pin & 6-pin power input. My power supply (Seasonic 620W) came with cables each containing two sets of (6+2) pins. Am I suppose to plug twos sets of cables into the power supply and input to the 970 6-pin from one and 8-pin from another OR plug only one set of cables into the power supply and input to the 970 the cascading 6-pin and 8-pin? Thanks!

Two separate sets of cables is best. The 6 pin power carries 75 watts and the 8 pin carries 150 watts, each plug requires its own power so you need two cables, that's why they have two separate plugs instead of requiring just one cable.
 
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