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[Dr.Acula]

So I'm just curious.

If I wanted a PC that could run games that look on par with PS4 games, how much would I have to spend?

I'm sorry if this is a super-noob question. I've never PC'd before, so forgive me.

Keep in mind PS4 games are less than 1080p, less than 60fps, and usually aren't running "Max" settings. So you could probably spend as much on a PC as you would spend on a PS4 and get similar performance. Of course seeing those sliders not on max, and having to run at 900p, and getting 38fps will drive you nuts, so look to spend a grand. The "great build" in the op is pretty solid.

I would seriously consider a 4GB gfx card if only because the PS4 can make use of all its ram, and we're gonna start seeing more ports making use of that roomier ram ceiling.

 

[opticalmace]

Quoting for the new page.

Is your CPU overclocked? An OC'd 2500k will hang with high-end intel CPUs in most games right now. What kinda framerates are you currently getting in your games? You're at 1440p right now, right?

 

[Arsin]

Is your CPU overclocked? An OC'd 2500k will hang with high-end intel CPUs in most games right now. What kinda framerates are you currently getting in your games? You're at 1440p right now, right?

My cpu is not over clocked right now. My frames are kind of all over the place. I get pretty great frames in games like DotA2 and WoW, but only okay with games like DA:I and AC:U. I am shooting for most games to be above 60fps, but I do have an ASUS Swift monitor so that is picking up some of the slack when my games drop below 60fps.

I have been pretty gun shy about overclocking, but I keep hearing it would be just as good as getting something new and save me quite a bit of money. I will prolly end up doing that and maybe upgrading the gfx card if it would help me get to 60 fps at 1440p, with most settings maxed.

 

[darthbob]

Seems like the right thread to ask this. I'm looking to upgrade my existing PC. Right now it's got an AMD FX-8350, 8GB of generic RAM, and an aging GTX 570. A few weeks ago I was leaning toward simply purchasing a GTX 970 but... well I'm sure you've all seen the news.

So basically what I'm asking is what would be the best upgrade that I could make within ~$400-$500?

 

[opticalmace]

My cpu is not over clocked right now. My frames are kind of all over the place. I get pretty great frames in games like DotA2 and WoW, but only okay with games like DA:I and AC:U. I am shooting for most games to be above 60fps, but I do have an ASUS Swift monitor so that is picking up some of the slack when my games drop below 60fps.

I have been pretty gun shy about overclocking, but I keep hearing it would be just as good as getting something new and save me quite a bit of money. I will prolly end up doing that and maybe upgrading the gfx card if it would help me get to 60 fps at 1440p, with most settings maxed.

If I were you I would definitely OC as the first step. Are you using the stock Intel cooler? I think you'll see significant gains (in most games) by oc'ing.

 

[ACE 1991]

So when we can we expect new AMD GPUs? I'm in Tue market for a new GPU for $300 and under, but I'm not really in any particular rush, but I would like a new card before the Witcher 3... Although I may need a new processor soon, I'm not terribly convinced my i5 2500K is going to last a whole lot longer.

 

[opticalmace]

So when we can we expect new AMD GPUs? I'm in Tue market for a new GPU for $300 and under, but I'm not really in any particular rush, but I would like a new card before the Witcher 3... Although I may need a new processor soon, I'm not terribly convinced my i5 2500K is going to last a whole lot longer.

Somewhere in the March-June timeframe I think.

 

[Arsin]

If I were you I would definitely OC as the first step. Are you using the stock Intel cooler? I think you'll see significant gains (in most games) by oc'ing.

I have an H110 for my CPU cooler.

 

[Femmeworth]

Why would you need a consumer review are watching this:
HWC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBhmn21ylkc
Linus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gg6WoE6LkI

I want a significant number of reviews so I can gauge how likely it is I might get a defective unit. Also good to know about other quirks.

Fine, I'll get it but if I get a dud I'm coming after you.

 

[Smokey]

I have an H110 for my CPU cooler.

You need to OC. You're literally giving away free performance especially with that cooler.

 

[Fracas]

Started buying parts today. Can't wait to get this thing running. Hoping it'll last me a good while without having to upgrade.

Something I haven't bought yet is the processor; I'm still torn between the i5 and i7. I know the i5 is fine for my needs (gaming, streaming, light video editing), but I feel the extra $100 will go a long way toward future-proofing my rig. I mean I'm already dropping $1200, what's an extra hundred bucks.

 

[ACE 1991]

Somewhere in the March-June timeframe I think.

OK, so right around when the Witcher 3 comes out. I guess I'll wait and see what the 2500K benchmarks are like; for some reason I could never get it above 4.0ghz. Ah well, I'm due for a big performance increase moving on from my 1GB 6950.

 

[ekgrey]

well hello again, PC GAF. been while.

so i'm still rocking my Hyper 212 EVO. i've only got a mild OC on my 4670K (think i'm at 4.2 stable now) but i really just don't like the look of this giant hunk of aluminum and glossy plastic right in the center of my case window. just not the most elegant cooling solution.

since i've got some Amazon credit at the moment, i've been thinking about getting a Corsair Hydro cooler. i know that isn't even close to necessary, but besides looking nice, hopefully it'd help me achieve a better overclock. just wondering what people's thoughts may be?

some notes:
i'm in an NZXT H440. i replaced the rear exhaust 140mm fan with a Corsair LED 140mm. i don't have any SP fans up top. the front three 120mm intake fans that came with the case are still in place.

so if i did go for a Hydro, would i be better off getting the H90, which, at 140mm, would fit perfectly where my rear exhaust is now? or should i get an H100i, which i'd mount on top, and probably get an additional 120mm fan to make even SP (and make the arrangement slightly more uniform)? i worry about the ability of any top-mounted fans to properly exhaust much air in this case, since the top is solid, with only the holes along the side of the top chassis piece.

thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Femmeworth]

Everything is ordered now except for a GPU. Unrealistically hoping for some super awesome GTX 970 deal to crop up in the next few days.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (Purchased For $269.99)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (Purchased For $34.99)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $99.99)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory (Purchased For $64.98)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $134.99)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case (Purchased For $99.99)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $89.99)
Total: $1144.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-25 20:09 EST-0500

 

[Fracas]

Everything is ordered now except for a GPU. Unrealistically hoping for some super awesome GTX 970 deal to crop up in the next few days.

WTS:
New/Sealed EVGA GTX 970 $275

:^)

 

[noire]

Ugh, ended up doing a weird sidegrade by making some half steps over the past couple months.

Old:
Case - Silverstone Grandia GD05b
CPU - i5 2500k
Motherboard - ASUS P8Z68-M pro
Now to find a GPU deal.
GPU - Sapphire 6950
PSU - Silverstone strider 450w

New:
Case - Bitfenix Prodigy
CPU - i7 3770k
Motherboard - Asus P8Z77-I DELUXE/WD
GPU - EVGA GTX 970 SC
PSU - Silverstone SFX 600w

Wasn't planning on upgrading the cpu when I got the motherboard and case, otherwise I would have moved to LGA 1150.

 

[RGM79]

Started buying parts today. Can't wait to get this thing running. Hoping it'll last me a good while without having to upgrade.

Something I haven't bought yet is the processor; I'm still torn between the i5 and i7. I know the i5 is fine for my needs (gaming, streaming, light video editing), but I feel the extra $100 will go a long way toward future-proofing my rig. I mean I'm already dropping $1200, what's an extra hundred bucks.

For games the 4790K won't make any difference, if at all. Why not put the $100 towards more RAM, a bigger SSD, or something else that will make a bigger difference?

well hello again, PC GAF. been while.

so i'm still rocking my Hyper 212 EVO. i've only got a mild OC on my 4670K (think i'm at 4.2 stable now) but i really just don't like the look of this giant hunk of aluminum and glossy plastic right in the center of my case window. just not the most elegant cooling solution.

since i've got some Amazon credit at the moment, i've been thinking about getting a Corsair Hydro cooler. i know that isn't even close to necessary, but besides looking nice, hopefully it'd help me achieve a better overclock. just wondering what people's thoughts may be?

some notes:
i'm in an NZXT H440. i replaced the rear exhaust 140mm fan with a Corsair LED 140mm. i don't have any SP fans up top. the front three 120mm intake fans that came with the case are still in place.

so if i did go for a Hydro, would i be better off getting the H90, which, at 140mm, would fit perfectly where my rear exhaust is now? or should i get an H100i, which i'd mount on top, and probably get an additional 120mm fan to make even SP (and make the arrangement slightly more uniform)? i worry about the ability of any top-mounted fans to properly exhaust much air in this case, since the top is solid, with only the holes along the side of the top chassis piece.

thanks for your thoughts.

What's your budget?

 

[ACE 1991]

Ugh, ended up doing a weird sidegrade by making some half steps over the past couple months.

Old:
Case - Silverstone Grandia GD05b
CPU - i5 2500k
Motherboard - ASUS P8Z68-M pro
Now to find a GPU deal.
GPU - Sapphire 6950
PSU - Silverstone strider 450w

New:
Case - Bitfenix Prodigy
CPU - i7 3770k
Motherboard - Asus P8Z77-I DELUXE/WD
GPU - EVGA GTX 970 SC
PSU - Silverstone SFX 600w

Wasn't planning on upgrading the cpu when I got the motherboard and case, otherwise I would have moved to LGA 1150.

We have largely identical old builds! The urge to blow money on PC parts is real

 

[Hazaro]

Everything is ordered now except for a GPU. Unrealistically hoping for some super awesome GTX 970 deal to crop up in the next few days.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (Purchased For $269.99)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (Purchased For $34.99)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $99.99)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory (Purchased For $64.98)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $134.99)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case (Purchased For $99.99)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $89.99)
Total: $1144.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-25 20:09 EST-0500

Looks great

 

[ekgrey]

What's your budget?

don't have a set one. i'm satisfied with my MOBO/proc/GPU/RAM, so i'm running out of things to tinker with haha. just ordered a pair of nice headphones and wanna get a DAC/amp and probably new desktop speakers, but that's more down the line.

 

[noire]

We have largely identical old builds! The urge to blow money on PC parts is real

And it is only on hiatus: I'm unhappy with how big the Prodigy is. Want to downsize again (eventually) since this is an htpc. That's what prompted the SFX heatsink and reference-style cooler on the 970.

Should have done it from the get go. Live and learn.

 

[BasicMath]

My cpu is not over clocked right now. My frames are kind of all over the place. I get pretty great frames in games like DotA2 and WoW, but only okay with games like DA:I and AC:U. I am shooting for most games to be above 60fps, but I do have an ASUS Swift monitor so that is picking up some of the slack when my games drop below 60fps.

I have been pretty gun shy about overclocking, but I keep hearing it would be just as good as getting something new and save me quite a bit of money. I will prolly end up doing that and maybe upgrading the gfx card if it would help me get to 60 fps at 1440p, with most settings maxed.

OC that 2500k. A 4-4.2GHz should be fairly easy on pretty much any 2500k.
The increase performance from a 780ti to a 980 isn't that great. Very dependent on the game obviously and usually around 10%.

Personally, the only upgrade I'd look at this point if I were you would be something in SLI. 970s or 980s.

 

[sonicmj1]

Im sure its your harddrive.
Instalm hdtune and let it scan the drive (not fastscan) it will take some time but at least you will be sure

Ran the error scan. It didn't return any errors, but the speed map seemed potentially concerning:

Does this mean I have to replace my hard drive?

 

[Arsin]

OC that 2500k. A 4-4.2GHz should be fairly easy on pretty much any 2500k.
The increase performance from a 780ti to a 980 isn't that great. Very dependent on the game obviously and usually around 10%.

Personally, the only upgrade I'd look at this point if I were you would be something in SLI. 970s or 980s.

You need to OC. You're literally giving away free performance especially with that cooler.

Challenge accepted GAF! I will look up some vids and get this bad boy up to 4 GHz. I will report back if I have any problems. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Femmeworth]

Ran the error scan. It didn't return any errors, but the speed map seemed potentially concerning:

Does this mean I have to replace my hard drive?

That definitely looks concerning. (Mind you I'm no expert.)

 

[sonicmj1]

That definitely looks concerning. (Mind you I'm no expert.)

Basic benchmark:

There is definitely some sort of problem, because there's no way it should be that random.

 

[Zel3]

Asus X99 WS

EVGA X99 Classified

Asus X99 RAMPAGE V

Why do the top of the line X99 motherboards have to look so bad? Tempted by the ASUS X99 Workstation motherboard just because of it's classy looks. Thoughts on these 3 motherboards PC gaf?

 

[ekgrey]

if you can afford it, WS boards are what's up. i can't.

 

[BasicMath]

Asus X99 WS

EVGA X99 Classified

Asus X99 RAMPAGE V

Why do the top of the line X99 motherboards have to look so bad? Tempted by the ASUS X99 Workstation motherboard just because of it's classy looks. Thoughts on these 3 motherboards PC gaf?

Oh man, does that thing have 14 SATA ports? I'm drooling here.

But seriously, that's the scheme gamers like. I'm actually part of the problem it seems. I just got a red heatsink/fan for my cpu.

 

[The Llama]

Asus X99 WS

EVGA X99 Classified

Asus X99 RAMPAGE V

Why do the top of the line X99 motherboards have to look so bad? Tempted by the ASUS X99 Workstation motherboard just because of it's classy looks. Thoughts on these 3 motherboards PC gaf?

The WS board is so nice, but yeah the other 2 are so blah. The giant E makes the EVGA one look pretty ridiculous.

 

[Zel3]

The WS motherboard is beautiful.

The EVGA one would look perfect without the giant red E. Decisions decisions..

Oh noes the reviews for the ASUS WS are kind of bad.

 

[Tabasco]

Update the crucial m4 SSD as advised and i would also update the bios. And reset bios to defaults.

I have updated the SSD but I'm not sure how to update the bios. I went to the manufacturer website for the motherboard and downloaded the latest version, but it is a .cap file and whenever I enter EZ flash in the bios, it does not read it. EZ flash also cannot read my flash drive, so I had to extract the .cap file into one of my hard drives in order for it to even show up in EZ flash.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[kennah]

And it is only on hiatus: I'm unhappy with how big the Prodigy is. Want to downsize again (eventually) since this is an htpc. That's what prompted the SFX heatsink and reference-style cooler on the 970.

Should have done it from the get go. Live and learn.

I went from a prodigy to a node 304. Super happy with the move.

 

[Hazaro]

Basic benchmark:

There is definitely some sort of problem, because there's no way it should be that random.

Looks like every HDD bench I've run. Speeds lowering is because of where it's reading data from (physical section of platter).

 

[darthbob]

Reposting.

Seems like the right thread to ask this. I'm looking to upgrade my existing PC. Right now it's got an AMD FX-8350, 8GB of generic RAM, and an aging GTX 570. A few weeks ago I was leaning toward simply purchasing a GTX 970 but... well I'm sure you've all seen the news.

So basically what I'm asking is what would be the best upgrade that I could make within ~$400-$500?

 

[Hazaro]

Reposting.

What games are you upgrading for and when can you buy? AMD might have some more info soon on 380/390 if you can wait.

 

[darthbob]

What games are you upgrading for and when can you buy? AMD might have some more info soon on 380/390 if you can wait.

Battlefield 4, Evolve, Titanfall, and better performance with the Dolphin emulator lol

Since the funds that are being used are coming from my tax returns I should be able to purchase in <1 month. Wouldn't mind waiting for the Dx12 cards either.

 

[The Llama]

Battlefield 4, Evolve, Titanfall, and better performance with the Dolphin emulator lol

Since the funds that are being used are coming from my tax returns I should be able to purchase in <1 month. Wouldn't mind waiting for the Dx12 cards either.

Dolphin is mostly CPU based (as are most emulators), so while upgrading the GPU can't hurt, it might not have the impact you're expecting. I've heard that the newest builds increase performance a lot, so maybe check those out if you can.

 

[Femmeworth]

Ran that same first test as sonicmj1.

Kind of surprising given that the hard drive is seven years old.

 

[Starbuck2907]

I've talked about upgrading my 6850 on here before, but I'm also running an i5-2500k.

What I'm wondering is if my i5-2500k is worth upgrading. I've got it overclocked to 3.9ghz.

I've debated trying to find a used i7 chip.

But, if i want another year or two and try to get by on what I have now, I might just be better off doing an entire build. ...I didn't count on my 6850 getting so outdated so quickly. I mean, I can still run most games just find, but those vram requirements are steadily rising.

In my shoes, 6850 + 2500k... what do you all think is my best bet? new video card, upgrade processor (or both....which would be expensive) or just try to ride it out another year or two and build a new system.

 

[The Llama]

I've talked about upgrading my 6850 on here before, but I'm also running an i5-2500k.

What I'm wondering is if my i5-2500k is worth upgrading. I've got it overclocked to 3.9ghz.

I've debated trying to find a used i7 chip.

But, if i want another year or two and try to get by on what I have now, I might just be better off doing an entire build. ...I didn't count on my 6850 getting so outdated so quickly. I mean, I can still run most games just find, but those vram requirements are steadily rising.

In my shoes, 6850 + 2500k... what do you all think is my best bet? new video card, upgrade processor (or both....which would be expensive) or just try to ride it out another year or two and build a new system.

I'd say get a new GPU and try to overclock the 2500k just a little higher (you should be able to get another 200-400MHz out of it, unless it's just a poor chip) and you'll be fine.

 

[NJDEN]

Whenever my computer has to emit a sound of any kind I instead get a painfully loud constant tone that persists until I either turn off the speakers or press the mute button. I also have no control over the tones volume.

edit:

Yeah... A driver re-install fixed it (for now).

 

[Crisium]

So here is what I am looking to pick up in the coming week. I have been following this thread and saw that the LGA 1150 is on it's way out by the end of 2015. With that in mind I decided that the LGA 2011 would be the best pick up.

Core i7 3.3
ASUS X9
Kingston 16gb DDR4

I want to use the system to game at 1440p, would the parts that I have listed, along with a 780ti, get the job done? I have an ASUS swift so pushing every game to 120fps is not as important. I would like it if I did not have to upgrade for 3 or so years. I have a 2500k right now and I know I don't "NEED" to upgrade right now, but I have had it for around 3 years and I feel like it is time.

No way should you upgrade from a 780Ti. While Kepler performance is dropping, it's still within spitting distance of the 970 in most games. Wait for newer cards. 780Ti->980 only makes sense if you MUST have the best.

 

[The Shogun]

No way should you upgrade from a 780Ti. While Kepler performance is dropping, it's still within spitting distance of the 970 in most games. Wait for newer cards. 780Ti->980 only makes sense if you MUST have the best.

Yep 100%, I have the 780ti and can still play every game at max settings. Now I don't ALWAYS get 60 fps, but its always 30 or higher at max.

Anyone with a 780ti is crazy if they upgrade to a 970 or 980. There will be new cards for DX12 in September / October. Those will be worth the upgrade.

 

[noire]

I went from a prodigy to a node 304. Super happy with the move.

I was just thinking about that move on Friday. That or a Ncase M1.

 

[RGM79]

Battlefield 4, Evolve, Titanfall, and better performance with the Dolphin emulator lol

Since the funds that are being used are coming from my tax returns I should be able to purchase in <1 month. Wouldn't mind waiting for the Dx12 cards either.

Intel CPUs are recommended for Dolphin, as the official FAQ says, your FX-8350 will only get around half the performance of the 4670K/4690K. Upgrading to an Intel 4690K and motherboard will cost $300 USD, though. On the other hand, from what they say your current GPU should be enough for Dolphin.

I've talked about upgrading my 6850 on here before, but I'm also running an i5-2500k.

What I'm wondering is if my i5-2500k is worth upgrading. I've got it overclocked to 3.9ghz.

I've debated trying to find a used i7 chip.

But, if i want another year or two and try to get by on what I have now, I might just be better off doing an entire build. ...I didn't count on my 6850 getting so outdated so quickly. I mean, I can still run most games just find, but those vram requirements are steadily rising.

In my shoes, 6850 + 2500k... what do you all think is my best bet? new video card, upgrade processor (or both....which would be expensive) or just try to ride it out another year or two and build a new system.

Don't bother with a CPU upgrade, your 2500K is still a potent processor. With a decent CPU cooler you should be able to get your 2500K up to 4.5GHz which puts it within spitting range of the latest i5 processors. Ocaholic did testing benchmarks for the 2500K, 3570K, and 4670K. The 4670K is only about 10~20% faster than the 2500K when comparing them at the same speeds.

The hyperthreading that upgrading to i7 2600K/3770K gives you is pointless for games, very few games take advantage of it.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/5
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-4790k-i5-4690k_5.html#sect0
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2014/07/03/intel-core-i5-4690k-review/5
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/71265-intel-core-i5-4690k-devils-canyon-22nm-haswell/?page=7

A graphics card upgrade will do you better. The 2500K can work hard enough to get you 60FPS or better in most games including recent AAA titles, you just need a better graphics card to help your PC get there. What's your budget for a graphics card upgrade?

 

[Xdrive05]

Any hints at when AMD's new GPUs are coming?

 

[The Shogun]

Any hints at when AMD's new GPUs are coming?

I'm pretty sure somewhat soon? I think I heard May or something? I could be totally wrong though

 

[Smokey]

Asus X99 RAMPAGE V

Why do the top of the line X99 motherboards have to look so bad? Tempted by the ASUS X99 Workstation motherboard just because of it's classy looks. Thoughts on these 3 motherboards PC gaf?

Wish they would release a RVBE. I have the RIVBE and love it:

Probably won't hit until late in X99 life cycle unfortunately.

 

[darthbob]

Intel CPUs are recommended for Dolphin, as the official FAQ says, your FX-8350 will only get around half the performance of the 4670K/4690K. Upgrading to an Intel 4690K and motherboard will cost $300 USD, though. On the other hand, from what they say your current GPU should be enough for Dolphin.

Thanks for the advice. I may consider going with a 4670K and a GTX 960.