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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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M

mkenyon

Banned
I wasn't sure if you meant that your single card would stop the stream of Ubishit. :p

@SolidSnake - oh, prolly $800-1000. They have an Ultrawide one coming too. Wait for Smokey's review.
 
lem0n

lem0n

Member
I'm looking at building my first gaming PC. Here is what I came up with. Suggestions? I'd like to keep the budget around here, give or take $100. I'm looking to play GTA V on max with mods, mainly. Assetto Corsa, Project CARS, and Fallout/Skyrim with mods will be my other regulars... I will not do much media editing or watching BluRays... all games will come from Steam. It will be 90% games with this machine.

-NZXT H230 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $54.99

-WD BLACK SERIES WD1003FZEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive- $74.99

-MSI GTX 970 GAMING 4G GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support G-SYNC Support Video Card- $349.99

-CORSAIR CX series CX600 600W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply- $64.99

-G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-16GBXL- $126.99

-GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard- $137.99

-Intel Core i5-4690K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 3.5GHz LGA 1150 Desktop Processor BX80646I54690K- $234.99

-Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler with 120 mm PWM Fan- $34.99

-Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)- $104.99

-ASUS VS248H-P Black 24" HDMI LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor- $179.99

All together: $1,360.90

I will be finding keyboard and mouse at Best Buy since I can actually get my hands on the stuff there.

So... can I trim any fat here? I've never built a PC before and I don't know too much about what I'm doing. Be kind please :)

*****EDIT: Here's the build through pcpartpicker: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DBkpRB
 
F

Fracas

#fuckonami
All my parts shipped. It's happening! It's my first PC and it's a monster.

List for anyone that cares:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: *MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($136.98 @ OutletPC)
GPU: GTX Titan Black
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($41.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($74.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEW-726EC 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($26.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Cost me about $1300 in total. I know I shouldn't have gone for the i7 but whatever, I'm happy.
 
R

Ramza

Banned
OK, I've considered the i7 w/ 970 and the i5 w/ 980, and I've decided to go the 980 route. Ordering it now!

EDIT: Fixed in a lower post
 
T

The Llama

Member
Ramza said:
OK, I've considered the i7 w/ 970 and the i5 w/ 980, and I've decided to go the 980 route. Ordering it now!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.28 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus H97-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($159.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $1302.52

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 15:09 EST-0500
Click to expand...

Coulda just gone i5 with 970 and saved the money for a future upgrade :p
 
O

opticalmace

Member
Ramza said:
OK, I've considered the i7 w/ 970 and the i5 w/ 980, and I've decided to go the 980 route. Ordering it now!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.28 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus H97-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($159.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $1302.52

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 15:09 EST-0500
Click to expand...

Wait, you want a Z97 motherboard. H97 can't overclock.
 
R

Ramza

Banned
opticalmace said:
Wait, you want a Z97 motherboard. H97 can't overclock.
Click to expand...

Oooooooh, good catch. Thank you sir!

EDIT: Fixed it

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.28 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-P ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.47 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($159.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $1312.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 15:32 EST-0500
 
M

mkenyon

Banned
The layout on that ASUS board is pretty awful. I'd advise one of the boards from the OP, or spending a bit more on a nicer model.

I mean, you're spending more on your case than your motherboard. Only insane people do that. Like me.

Swap the case for the Phanteks Enthoo Pro (which is better anyway), spend the extra on a nicer motherboard.

*edit* working off your PCPartPicker list, one sec, will follow up with another edit.

*edit 2*

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: Asus Z97M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($125.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($166.77 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1270.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 16:47 EST-0500

Saved $40, better parts too. Could go cheaper on the case, look at video card options, and probably squeeze a 4790K in there.
 
B

Bacon

Member
So I've got my PC up and running reliably (GTX 970, i5 4690, cooler master 212)

Would it be wise to overclock right now or should I wait?
 
R

Ramza

Banned
mkenyon said:
The layout on that ASUS board is pretty awful. I'd advise one of the boards from the OP, or spending a bit more on a nicer model.

I mean, you're spending more on your case than your motherboard. Only insane people do that. Like me.

Swap the case for the Phanteks Enthoo Pro (which is better anyway), spend the extra on a nicer motherboard.

*edit* working off your PCPartPicker list, one sec, will follow up with another edit.

*edit 2*

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: Asus Z97M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($125.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($166.77 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.00 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1270.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 16:47 EST-0500

Saved $40, better parts too. Could go cheaper on the case, look at video card options, and probably squeeze a 4790K in there.
Click to expand...

I went with that case because it actually fits the dimensions I need for under my desk. It's wider, but a lot more shallow, which is what I need. Definitely looking into your mobo advice, though!
 
Tabasco

Tabasco

Member
I'm really frustrated with my PC now.

Games crash even more frequently than they used to.

I feel like I can't even try anything else to fix these issues. Would I have to make guesses and just start ordering new parts?
 
M

mkenyon

Banned
Tabasco said:
I'm really frustrated with my PC now.

Games crash even more frequently than they used to.

I feel like I can't even try anything else to fix these issues. Would I have to make guesses and just start ordering new parts?
Click to expand...
What have you done so far to troubleshoot?
 
R

RGM79

Member
HaleStorm said:
I think it got lost when I asked before so forgive me for asking again.

I need to transfer a windows 7 license from a laptop of mine that is on its last legs to a new pc that I am building. The license sticker is not really legible any more. Is there an easy way to get the registration code or other information I can use to do this?

Thanks in advance guys.
Click to expand...
You can use programs like Speccy or Jellybean Key Finder to determine your Windows key, but I doubt you can use it to activate Windows on a new PC. Usually the key is tied to the hardware it was first activated on, using it to activate another Windows PC with entirely different parts likely won't work.

Amputechture said:
I'm looking at building my first gaming PC. Here is what I came up with. Suggestions? I'd like to keep the budget around here, give or take $100. I'm looking to play GTA V on max with mods, mainly. Assetto Corsa, Project CARS, and Fallout/Skyrim with mods will be my other regulars... I will not do much media editing or watching BluRays... all games will come from Steam. It will be 90% games with this machine.

I will be finding keyboard and mouse at Best Buy since I can actually get my hands on the stuff there.

So... can I trim any fat here? I've never built a PC before and I don't know too much about what I'm doing. Be kind please :)

*****EDIT: Here's the build through pcpartpicker: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DBkpRB
Click to expand...

You can save some money here and there.

You don't need to spend so much on the motherboard, unless the Gaming 7 has features you want or need. I recommend something cheaper yet also very capable, like the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ($129). If you don't need to run SLI in the future, then there's the ASRock Z97 Pro4 ($97).

The memory you chose is a good model, but you can find faster memory for about the same price, sometimes even cheaper. I went with the 2133MHz version of that G.Skill Ripjaws RAM ($121), which was cheaper than the 1333MHz version in the parts list.

I see that you aren't getting an SSD. In that case I suppose you could go with the WD Black hard drive. However, you could save $30 and go with a 1TB WD Blue hard drive ($45) instead. The WD Blue won't be any slower, it just has a shorter warranty (2 years VS 5 years) and supposedly less endurance, but still more than enough for average users.

I can't recommend Corsair CX power supplies. They are a budget power supply line, you can easily find better quality power supplies. The Antec TruePower Classic 650 watt model ($50 after rebate) is gold rated, manufactured by Seasonic, and is even cheaper than that CX600.

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-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($128.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($51.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec TruePower Classic 650W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($264.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Corsair Raptor M45 Wired Optical Mouse ($53.46 @ Amazon)
Total: $1434.07
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 18:12 EST-0500

Edit: I'm not sure a single GTX 970 is up to the task of 144Hz. Depends on the games you play and what graphics settings, the lower the requirements, the easier to is to hit 144Hz. Some people recommend to get SLI or crossfired higher end graphics cards like two GTX 970 cards especially if you want to play the latest AAA games at higher graphics settings, but I don't know if that's in your budget.
 
lem0n

lem0n

Member
RGM79 said:
You can use programs like Speccy or Jellybean Key Finder to determine your Windows key, but I doubt you can use it to activate Windows on a new PC. Usually the key is tied to the hardware it was first activated on, using it to activate another Windows PC with entirely different parts likely won't work.



You can save some money here and there.

You don't need to spend so much on the motherboard, unless the Gaming 7 has features you want or need. I recommend something cheaper yet also very capable, like the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ($129). If you don't need to run SLI in the future, then there's the ASRock Z97 Pro4 ($97).

The memory you chose is a good model, but you can find faster memory for about the same price, sometimes even cheaper. I went with the 2133MHz version of that G.Skill Ripjaws RAM ($121), which was cheaper than the 1333MHz version in the parts list.

I see that you aren't getting an SSD. In that case I suppose you could go with the WD Black hard drive. However, you could save $30 and go with a 1TB WD Blue hard drive ($45) instead. The WD Blue won't be any slower, it just has a shorter warranty (2 years VS 5 years) and supposedly less endurance, but still more than enough for average users.

I can't recommend Corsair CX power supplies. They are a budget power supply line, you can easily find better quality power supplies. The Antec TruePower Classic 650 watt model ($50 after rebate) is gold rated, manufactured by Seasonic, and is even cheaper than that CX600.

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-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($128.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($51.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec TruePower Classic 650W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($264.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Corsair Raptor M45 Wired Optical Mouse ($53.46 @ Amazon)
Total: $1434.07
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-28 18:12 EST-0500

Edit: I'm not sure a single GTX 970 is up to the task of 144Hz. Depends on the games you play and what graphics settings, the lower the requirements, the easier to is to hit 144Hz. Some people recommend to get SLI or crossfired higher end graphics cards like two GTX 970 cards especially if you want to play the latest AAA games at higher graphics settings, but I don't know if that's in your budget.
Click to expand...

Ah, very kind of you to fine tune my list for me! Thanks! I am not planning to go SLI or anything quite yet, but I may in the future. I think that $129 mobo would be best. Hoping that monitor can last me a while too btw. Would you suggest going with a 27"? I couldnt find one decently priced.. Im willing to give up 144hz for some more size. About the PSU, i had no idea what to go with, so ill go with your recommendation for sure. Oh and, i just forgot to add an SSD for OS. whoops! I was eyeing Crucial mx100 256gb.
 
S

squadr0n

Member
Hey guys ive been considering upgrading my PC that I build about 5 years ago thats already starting to show its age. I play most of my games on PC lately accept titles that are platform exclusive. Lately most of the games ive been trying to play still run but I have to play them at Low or Medium settings. Examples are games like Dragon Age Inquisition, Far Cry 4, and Assassin's Creed Unity.

I listed out all my current components and was wondering what I would need to replace and what I could still use in my current rig. Im not sure if my Motherboard will work with newer videocards and processors but I think alot of my other parts will like my Power supply and Ramm.


Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz
Manufacturer Intel
Speed 3.6 GHz
Number of Cores 4

Motherboard: Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. Z68XP-UD3
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. F10 03/20/2012

Video Card 1 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Manufacturer NVIDIA
Chipset GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Dedicated Memory 1.0 GB
Total Memory 3.9 GB
Video Card 2 Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
Manufacturer Intel
Chipset Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
Dedicated Memory 128 MB
Total Memory 1.7 GB


Memory 8.1 GB
Operating System Microsoft Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit
Service Pack 0
Size 64 Bit
Edition Basic
Display Maximum Resolution 1920 x 1080

Any Ideas as to what route I should take to update/upgrade my pc would help. Just wondering how much I will need to replace to be able to run new releases with ease. If I forgot to add any info please let me know and I will find out and post it here. PS: Video card 2 must be the onboard video card on my mobo which I never use.

Thanks
 
K

knitoe

Member
squadr0n said:
Hey guys ive been considering upgrading my PC that I build about 5 years ago thats already starting to show its age. I play most of my games on PC lately accept titles that are platform exclusive. Lately most of the games ive been trying to play still run but I have to play them at Low or Medium settings. Examples are games like Dragon Age Inquisition, Far Cry 4, and Assassin's Creed Unity.

I listed out all my current components and was wondering what I would need to replace and what I could still use in my current rig. Im not sure if my Motherboard will work with newer videocards and processors but I think alot of my other parts will like my Power supply and Ramm.


Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz
Manufacturer Intel
Speed 3.6 GHz
Number of Cores 4
Video Card 1 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Manufacturer NVIDIA
Chipset GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Dedicated Memory 1.0 GB
Total Memory 3.9 GB
Video Card 2 Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
Manufacturer Intel
Chipset Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
Dedicated Memory 128 MB
Total Memory 1.7 GB
Memory 8.1 GB
Operating System Microsoft Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit
Service Pack 0
Size 64 Bit
Edition Basic
Display Maximum Resolution 1920 x 1080

Any Ideas as to what route I should take to update/upgrade my pc would help. Just wondering how much I will need to replace to be able to run new releases with ease. If I forgot to add any info please let me know and I will find out and post it here. PS: Video card 2 must be the onboard video card on my mobo which I never use.

Thanks
Click to expand...

What is your budget?

Cheap route is overclock the 2500K to 4.5GHz, add new video card and 8 GB of RAM. Otherwise, look at the OP and do a fresh build base on your budget.
 
R

RGM79

Member
Amputechture said:
Ah, very kind of you to fine tune my list for me! Thanks! I am not planning to go SLI or anything quite yet, but I may in the future. I think that $129 mobo would be best. Hoping that monitor can last me a while too btw. Would you suggest going with a 27"? I couldnt find one decently priced.. Im willing to give up 144hz for some more size. About the PSU, i had no idea what to go with, so ill go with your recommendation for sure. Oh and, i just forgot to add an SSD for OS. whoops! I was eyeing Crucial mx100 256gb.
Click to expand...
The Gigabyte UD3H motherboard will be fine if you want to keep your options open in the future for SLI. However, you will generally need a 750 watt PSU or better for SLI and crossfire. I can recommend these power supplies if you want that:

EVGA Supernova B2 750 watts ($50 after $20 rebate) - the cheapest model I can recommend. Jonny Guru gave it a good review, and it is manufactured by Super Flower, which despite the odd name is one of the best power supply manufacturers besides Seasonic.

EVGA Supersonic G2 750 watts ($80 after $25 rebate) - One of the best power supplies you can get, and for a low price right now, normally it retails for over $120. Also excellent quality, gold efficiency and modular cables, has a low noise fanless mode, and rated even higher than the B2.

Sorry, I'm not really a monitor guy. Maybe someone else knows about a specific 27" monitor to recommend. That said, I think at 27" you can go for 2560x1440 and a single GTX 970 could probably handle that.

Yeah, that SSD will be quite good, it's what we usually recommend to everyone.
 
S

squadr0n

Member
knitoe said:
What is your budget?

Cheap route is overclock the 2500K to 4.5GHz, add new video card and 8 GB of RAM. Otherwise, look at the OP and do a fresh build base on your budget.
Click to expand...

My budget is probably around 1,000 but I would like to try and use as many parts as I can that I already have and I dont feel comfortable with overclocking my cpu yet, especially because I dont have the best cooling system in my current case and it already runs kinda hot as is. I know I need a new Video Card but Im not sure my motherboard will support the latest Video cards and Processors.
 
R

RGM79

Member
squadr0n said:
My budget is probably around 1,000 but I would like to try and use as many parts as I can that I already have and I dont feel comfortable with overclocking my cpu yet, especially because I dont have the best cooling system in my current case and it already runs kinda hot as is. I know I need a new Video Card but Im not sure my motherboard will support the latest Video cards and Processors.
Click to expand...

Your processor is still very good, especially when overclocked. Ocaholic's benchmarking tests show that the latest generation Intel i5 processors are only slightly better in terms of raw performance. The 2500K overclocked to 4.5GHz will be about as good as the 4670K/4690K. Hyperthreading does not do much for games, so getting an midrange i7 processor like the 2600K/377K/4790K will be no help either.

http--www.gamegpu.ru-images-stories-Test_GPU-RPG-dragon_age_inquisition-test-DragonAgeInquisition_proz_proz.jpg

http--www.gamegpu.ru-images-stories-Test_GPU-Action-Far_Cry_4-nv-test-fc_proz.jpg

http--www.gamegpu.ru-images-stories-Test_GPU-Action-Assassins_Creed_Unity-test-ac_proz.jpg


As you can see, your processor is still very good, so like knitoe, I also recommend new RAM and graphics cards to make the best of what you have, it will be cheaper and you don't need to pay over $300 USD for a new Intel i5 and motherboard for a not so large 10-20% difference. All you might need to buy is a decent CPU cooler, and maybe a new case or some cooling fans, depending on what you have right now. What case? Nothing but the fans that came with that case? Basic Intel CPU cooler?

You do not need to worry about video card compatibility, nearly any video card made in the last 7 years will work with any motherboard with the matching slot also made in the last 7 years.
 
M

mkenyon

Banned
Tabasco said:
What does that do exactly?

When you say fresh install, do you mean a fresh install of Windows?
Click to expand...
No, fresh install of video drivers, which are often the culprit of weird crashes. That removes all the random crap left behind through standard installs that foul up those drivers in the first place.
Amputechture said:
Ah, very kind of you to fine tune my list for me! Thanks! I am not planning to go SLI or anything quite yet, but I may in the future. I think that $129 mobo would be best. Hoping that monitor can last me a while too btw. Would you suggest going with a 27"? I couldnt find one decently priced.. Im willing to give up 144hz for some more size. About the PSU, i had no idea what to go with, so ill go with your recommendation for sure. Oh and, i just forgot to add an SSD for OS. whoops! I was eyeing Crucial mx100 256gb.
Click to expand...
Can you hear my vitreous heart
breaking in absentia?

144hz or bust.
RGM79 said:
Benchmarks.
Click to expand...
That website posts stuff that doesn't get reflected anywhere else on the internet. I'd avoid using them as a reference point, and would rather point folks towards TechReport, as they have much more meaningful tests that have been substantiated elsewhere.
 
S

squadr0n

Member
RGM79 said:
Your processor is still very good, especially when overclocked. Ocaholic's benchmarking tests show that the latest generation Intel i5 processors are only slightly better in terms of raw performance. The 2500K overclocked to 4.5GHz will be about as good as the 4670K/4690K. Hyperthreading does not do much for games, so getting an midrange i7 processor like the 2600K/377K/4790K will be no help either.

As you can see, your processor is still very good, so like knitoe, I also recommend new RAM and graphics cards to make the best of what you have, it will be cheaper and you don't need to pay over $300 USD for a new Intel i5 and motherboard for a tiny 10-20% difference. All you might need to buy is a decent CPU cooler, and maybe a new case or some cooling fans, depending on what you have right now. What case? Nothing but the fans that came with that case? Basic Intel CPU cooler?

You do not need to worry about video card compatibility, nearly any video card made in the last 7 years will work with any motherboard with the matching slot also made in the last 7 years.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! Its actually a huge help. I have a Corsair Graphite Series 600T Mid tower, the white one everyone was getting when they first came out lol. I also have a Corsair TX 750 W power supply and just the basic Intel CPU heatsink. Obviously I need a better heatsink and powersupply plus more ramm.

This might sound like a dumb question but do all new Nvidia video cards fit in this Mobo? I know the CPUs wont but if thats not needed right away its not a big deal if it wont fit. More worried about the newer graphics cards fitting.

GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512
 
R

RGM79

Member
mkenyon said:
That website posts stuff that doesn't get reflected anywhere else on the internet. I'd avoid using them as a reference point, and would rather point folks towards TechReport, as they have much more meaningful tests that have been substantiated elsewhere.
Click to expand...

Which website do you mean? GameGPU or Ocaholic? I haven't found any similar testing scenarios from TechReport, at least not for the specific question of how well the 2500K still holds up for today's games. There's this article, but it dates back to 2012.

squadr0n said:
Thanks for the info! Its actually a huge help. I have a Corsair Graphite Series 600T Mid tower, the white one everyone was getting when they first came out lol. I also have a Corsair TX 750 W power supply and just the basic Intel CPU heatsink. Obviously I need a better heatsink and powersupply plus more ramm.

This might sound like a dumb question but do all new Nvidia video cards fit in this Mobo? I know the CPUs wont but if thats not needed right away its not a big deal if it wont fit. More worried about the newer graphics cards fitting.

GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512
Click to expand...

Your motherboard is older but still compatible with all of the latest graphics cards.
 
T

threetri333

Banned
threetri333 said:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/sys/4862282650.html

Is this desktop a good deal $2000? Or can I haggle down a few hundred bucks. This is from my friend.

How much is this desktop valued?

[ ] Asus maximus gene vii (MSRP $214.99)
[ ] Intel 4790k (MSRP $339.99)
[ ] Corsair vengeance pro 2400mhz 16gb (MSRP $189.99)
[ ] Corsair ax760w PSU (MSRP $149.99)
[ ] Corsair h100i liquid cooler (MSRP $94.99)
[ ] 1TB Samsung 840 evo (MSRP $437.50)
[ ] Gigbyte GTX 980 reference design (MSRP $549.99)
[ ] Windows 8.1 pro 64-bit (MSRP $139.99)
[ ] Aerocool dead silence MicroATX (red) (MSRP $121.71)
[ ] Asus PCE-AC68 AC1900 dual-band WiFi adapter (MSRP $96.99)
[ ] Asus 27" monitors VN279Q ultra wide view (This is an optional inclusion, and I have three that i am willing to sell) (MSRP $259.99)

My friend will offer this desktop for $1700, how is this price?
Click to expand...

I have the option to go with the 980 build for $1500.

Alternatively, I can get this build with the 970 for $1300.

Which one should I go for?
 
F

Frankfurter

Member
squadr0n said:
Thanks for the info! Its actually a huge help. I have a Corsair Graphite Series 600T Mid tower, the white one everyone was getting when they first came out lol. I also have a Corsair TX 750 W power supply and just the basic Intel CPU heatsink. Obviously I need a better heatsink and powersupply plus more ramm.

This might sound like a dumb question but do all new Nvidia video cards fit in this Mobo? I know the CPUs wont but if thats not needed right away its not a big deal if it wont fit. More worried about the newer graphics cards fitting.

GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512
Click to expand...

You have 8GB RAM, which is totally fine. No reason to get another 8GB just for the sake of it. Your power supply is also fine. You just need a New GPU (if you OC that CPU you could go up to a GTX 980) and a new, proper cooler.
Any GPU in the market is compatible with your mainboard.
 
Tabasco

Tabasco

Member
mkenyon said:
No, fresh install of video drivers, which are often the culprit of weird crashes. That removes all the random crap left behind through standard installs that foul up those drivers in the first place.
Click to expand...
I did clean and restart, but how do I fix my resolution to fill up the entire screen?
 
M

matrixman92

Member
I havent really been following the whole thing with 970's. But I have been looking into upgrading the video card and CPU on my computer. This is what I have now

Intel Core i5-3350p CPU @ 3.10GHz
Nividia GeForce GTX 760 4GB
8.2 GB RAM
Windows 7 64 bit

Dying light is essentially unplayable on my PC at 720 and everything on low. Ive been playing shadow Warrior which is also kind of chugging along. Gat out of Hell seemed ok, but that game is pretty ugly and not demanding to begin with. Wolfenstein was not smooth either.

So anyway, are 970's still worth getting? I believe my local best buy has one in stock right now. Also, any recommendations on good Intel CPU's? My brother in law works at Intel, so I can get discounts...price shouldnt be an issue. I remember reading that most i7's dont do much for gaming, i am not sure how accurate that is...most recommend u have one now. I dont really want to make the price leap up to the 980, it seems kind of pointless as of right now. I built this PC in April 2014, I think I kind of jumped the gun. It already seems outdated as Hell

Edit: it would be really awesome if I could run witcher 3 on ultra
 
S

squadr0n

Member
Frankfurter said:
You have 8GB RAM, which is totally fine. No reason to get another 8GB just for the sake of it. Your power supply is also fine. You just need a New GPU (if you OC that CPU you could go up to a GTX 980) and a new, proper cooler.
Any GPU in the market is compatible with your mainboard.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys, this info helps alot. I was worried I would have to start from scratch again. Any recommendations on how much I should Overclock without pushing it too far? Ive heard alot of horror stories about kids destroying their CPUs when over clocking too much or just plain not knowing what they are doing.
 
F

Flandy

Member
Looking to upgrade my CPU Cooler. Is the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO pretty much the best cooler for its price or should I get something else?
 
R

rtcn63

Member
squadr0n said:
Thanks guys, this info helps alot. I was worried I would have to start from scratch again. Any recommendations on how much I should Overclock without pushing it too far? Ive heard alot of horror stories about kids destroying their CPUs when over clocking too much or just plain not knowing what they are doing.
Click to expand...

You could probably do 4-4.3 Ghz no problem. I have my 3750K at 4.1, only because Windows started getting wonky in hot weather.
Looking to upgrade my CPU Cooler. Is the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO pretty much the best cooler for its price or should I get something else?
Click to expand...

Pretty much. I would consider replacing the fan it comes with though, mine started grinding after six months. Put a Noctua fan on- was not easy.
 
R

RGM79

Member
Flandy said:
Looking to upgrade my CPU Cooler. Is the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO pretty much the best cooler for its price or should I get something else?
Click to expand...
What cooler do you currently have? That 212 Evo has the best performance for the price, but there are also better performing coolers. Also, what case do you have? Just to make sure it fits whatever cooler you want to get.

Edit: what's your budget? CPU model if you intend to overclock? There's lots of reports to say the 212 Evo will handle moderate overclocking (up to 4.5GHz) for low and mid range processors including i5 models.
 
R

RyuKanSan

Member
Okay so I was originally gonna get a 970, but after reading Gaf reactions to the whole 970 thing, ya'll have gave me an incredible amount of doubt lol. I blame Gaf.

So I do have the money to get a 980, but that would be sacrificing a second monitor which I really need. Is the 970 really that bad of a purchase even with the bottle neck of it being 3.5 GB? I'm not trying to game in 4k or anything, just would like to play things at 1080p 30fps at minimum if possible.

What say you Gaf?
 
R

RGM79

Member
darthbob said:
What would be a better buy for someone running 1080p? R9 290 or GTX 970?
Click to expand...
The performance of the two are fairly similar (GTX 970 has a slight edge and a good 500-550 watt power supply will handle both just fine. The R9 290 can be had for cheaper, but the GTX 970 is more power efficient a some have fancy features like silent fan modes under 60 degrees.

RyuKanSan said:
Okay so I was originally gonna get a 970, but after reading Gaf reactions to the whole 970 thing, ya'll have gave me an incredible amount of doubt lol. I blame Gaf.

So I do have the money to get a 980, but that would be sacrificing a second monitor which I really need. Is the 970 really that bad of a purchase even with the bottle neck of it being 3.5 GB? I'm not trying to game in 4k or anything, just would like to play things at 1080p 30fps at minimum if possible.

What say you Gaf?
Click to expand...
Is the R9 290 an option?
 
R

RyuKanSan

Member
RGM79 said:
The performance of the two are fairly similar (GTX 970 has a slight edge and a good 500-550 watt power supply will handle both just fine. The R9 290 can be had for cheaper, but the GTX 970 is more power efficient a some have fancy features like silent fan modes under 60 degrees.


Is the R9 290 an option?
Click to expand...

All options are on the table at this point. TI'm assuming the 290 and 970 around the same specs for gaming and what not.
 
R

RGM79

Member
RyuKanSan said:
All options are on the table at this point. TI'm assuming the 290 and 970 around the same specs for gaming and what not.
Click to expand...

The Powercolor PCS+ R9 290 is $250 after rebate (about $100 less than a decent GTX 970) and was well reviewed by Guru3D.

Flandy said:
Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus

ARCTIC Alpine 11 Pro Rev. 2
Click to expand...
That case will accommodate very large air coolers. Sorry, I updated my post before I saw that you replied. Do you have a budget? If overclocking, what CPU do you have?

The 212 Evo is a solid option for less than $30, but there is also the Phanteks PH-TC14PE models for $60 that rival the more expensive $70~90 Noctua coolers in performance and will run cooler than the 212 Evo under heavy loads or higher overclocking.
 
T

threetri333

Banned
Does anyone know of a Good WiFi Range Extender?

I want to access my friend's WiFi from the far end of his house to the Far End of My House. We're neighbors by fence, but different lanes.
 
Tabasco

Tabasco

Member
I installed the latest drivers to fix the resolution, but my game still crashes.

I'm out of options unless there's more troubleshooting I can try.
 
F

Flandy

Member
RGM79 said:
The Powercolor PCS+ R9 290 is $250 after rebate (about $100 less than a decent GTX 970) and was well reviewed by Guru3D.


That case will accommodate very large air coolers. Sorry, I updated my post before I saw that you replied. Do you have a budget? If overclocking, what CPU do you have?

The 212 Evo is a solid option for less than $30, but there is also the Phanteks PH-TC14PE models for $60 that rival the more expensive $70~90 Noctua coolers in performance and will run cooler than the 212 Evo under heavy loads or higher overclocking.
Click to expand...

I have an i7 2600k. Don't know if I plan on over clocking.
 
K

KissVibes

Banned
Since I now do not want to buy a 970 given how Nvidia has misrepresented the card, I'm thinking about going AMD. I'm going to be playing at 1600x900, so the 290 will probably be perfectly fine?
 
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