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[Reckoner]

Looks like my 550w XFX psu can't handle my i7 and Gtx970 on my new Itx setup. I'm looking for a new one, this time modular of. Any recommendations at any European Amazon?

I don't want to spend much. Like 80 euros, around that.

 

[LilJoka]

Hey y'all.

I've been thinking about building a rig, and now I'm thinking this is the year to do it.

I've read through a bit of the guides, and have gone to PCpartpicker to put a little something together... (in the U.S.)

I have a few questions. =)

Here's what I have so far:

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor
CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Vortex Plus 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SOC FORCE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
RAM: G.Skill Value 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
SSD: A-Data Premier SP610 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
HD: Seagate Constellation ES.3 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card
CASE: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case
COOLING: no idea what I really need here
POWER SUPPLY: Antec 750W 80+ Platinum Certified ATX Power Supply
OS: no idea, Windows, but what version?
SOUND: no idea really. not an audiophile, just need "good enough"

I'd like to build as future-proof of a rig as I can, for around $2000. Pretty much everything chosen up there is just me picking things I saw in the OP building guide. My understanding is GPU is most important, but I want to make sure I pick a MOBO, CPU, etc. that will withstand upgrading over the years, and I'd like to make sure everything's compatible and I'm not picking A) stupid things I don't need or B) cheap crap I'll regret.

Not too worried about a disc drive right now, figure I can always add one later if I decide I need one.

Looking at PCpartpicker, I still have yet to choose a Wired/wireless network adapter, a cooling system, and thermal compound.

I plan on using this mostly for games.

I appreciate any input, thank you!

EDIT: here's the PCpartpicker link:http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7MXsxr

Very odd part choices there, try something like this. You can swap out for ATX case and board if you want to.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor ($218.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($130.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G-750 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($113.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1553.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 18:26 EST-0500

Wired ethernet port is on the motherboard already.
Thermal paste is supplied with the CPU Cooler.
Cooling system? Fans are supplied with the case, its rare to have to add more fans.

Looks like my 550w XFX psu can't handle my i7 and Gtx970 on my new Itx setup. I'm looking for a new one, this time modular of. Any recommendations at any European Amazon?

I don't want to spend much. Like 80 euros, around that.

Whats the PSU Model exactly? I run a lot more than you on a 550W.

 

[Reckoner]

The previous version of this. I had to disconnect my gtx to get the PC running. I assume that it was because of that, but I should probably try again.

 

[Jarsonot]

Very odd part choices there, try something like this. You can swap out for ATX case and board if you want to.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor ($218.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($130.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G-750 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($113.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1553.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 18:26 EST-0500



Whats the PSU Model exactly? I run a lot more than you on a 550W.

Thanks! the PSU is an Antec model EA-750 Platinum. I'm thinking 750W in case I want to run dual GPUs in the future.

I'm going to have to look up what ATX and microATX mean... And how do you generate that nice list from PCpartpicker?

 

[Dr. Buni]

Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

You see, I build a PC for gaming purposes in February 2014, but only a week ago I got around buying the video card (a r7 260x). My computer was running fine for the past year, no problems at all, but one or two days after installing the video card, the CPU (a i7 2660) started to overheat. The idle temperature is around 50ºC, which apparently is reasonable given the weather from where I live (South America), but when I load a considerably heavy game or Dolphin emulator, the temperature quickly goes up to 70 (when running stuff like Metroid Prime or Xenoblade on Dolphin) and freaking 90 when running Borderlands 2, Mirror's Edge or Dark Souls.

Now, after searching hours and hours for a possible solution, dumb me realized something.: My CPU wasn't brand new when I got it. I bought it second hand, but it still was "new" (with only three months of little use). You see, the problem is that when I mounted the PC, I was ignorant about the (supposedly) very important... thermal paste. I didn't apply any thermal paste when I plugged the heatsink, so am I right in assuming the overheating problem comes from the lack of thermal paste? The reason I am confused is because the PC didn't show any signs of overheating during almost a year, it only started a few days ago.

What do you people think? At any rate, I already ordered the arctic silver 5 thermal paste and I soon as it is delivered, I will do the stuff I was supposed to do one year ago, but I am not sure if that is going to solve my problem.

 

[LilJoka]

Thanks! the PSU is an Antec model EA-750 Platinum. I'm thinking 750W in case I want to run dual GPUs in the future.

I'm going to have to look up what ATX and microATX mean... And how do you generate that nice list from PCpartpicker?

The PSU is fine, but for such a high end build you would want something atleast semi modular (means unnecessary cables can be unplugged from the power supply). 750W is fine for your config if you are looking to SLI the 980, but imo thats a poor strategy. Either SLI now, or sell your GPU later and buy the GTX '1080'. Means less noise, more efficient hardware and no SLI troubles. If you dont SLI a 550W PSU is sufficient. If you were to have an i7 overclocked and single 980 then a 600W would give plenty of headroom.

microATX is just smaller board size, less PCIE Lanes is the main thing. Means you can have a smaller case, rather than a gigantic case. Its not needed nowadays since the parts are a lot lower wattage, meaning less heat is created and a smaller case can easily suffice and look smarter.

In PCpartpicker export as BBcode to get it formatted nicely.

Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

You see, I build a PC for gaming purposes in February 2014, but only a week ago I got around buying the video card (a r7 260x). My computer was running fine for the past year, no problems at all, but one or two days after installing the video card, the CPU (a i7 2660) started to overheat. The idle temperature is around 50ºC, which apparently is reasonable given the weather from where I live (South America), but when I load a considerably heavy game or Dolphin emulator, the temperature quickly goes up to 70 (when running stuff like Metroid Prime or Xenoblade on Dolphin) and freaking 90 when running Borderlands 2, Mirror's Edge or Dark Souls.

Now, after searching hours and hours for a possible solution, dumb me realized something.: My CPU wasn't brand new when I got it. I bought it second hand, but it still was "new" (with only three months of little use). You see, the problem is that when I mounted the PC, I was ignorant about the (supposedly) very important... thermal paste. I didn't apply any thermal paste when I plugged the heatsink, so am I right in assuming the overheating problem comes from the lack of thermal paste? The reason I am confused is because the PC didn't show any signs of overheating during almost a year, it only started a few days ago.

What do you people think? At any rate, I already ordered the arctic silver 5 thermal paste and I soon as it is delivered, I will do the stuff I was supposed to do one year ago, but I am not sure if that is going to solve my problem.

Yes definatly need new thermal paste when installing a CPU, be it used or new. AC5 is old stuff and very thick paste. If you can get hold of Arctic Cooling MX4, its much more newer paste and its a little easier to handle as its a bit more runny.
Its likely your cooler is not mounted properly and you may have knocked it causing the problem to have got worse.

 

[Fracas]

The rest of my parts came in. Building tomorrow with a dude at work. Hope it all works out!

 

[opticalmace]

Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

You see, I build a PC for gaming purposes in February 2014, but only a week ago I got around buying the video card (a r7 260x). My computer was running fine for the past year, no problems at all, but one or two days after installing the video card, the CPU (a i7 2660) started to overheat. The idle temperature is around 50ºC, which apparently is reasonable given the weather from where I live (South America), but when I load a considerably heavy game or Dolphin emulator, the temperature quickly goes up to 70 (when running stuff like Metroid Prime or Xenoblade on Dolphin) and freaking 90 when running Borderlands 2, Mirror's Edge or Dark Souls.

Now, after searching hours and hours for a possible solution, dumb me realized something.: My CPU wasn't brand new when I got it. I bought it second hand, but it still was "new" (with only three months of little use). You see, the problem is that when I mounted the PC, I was ignorant about the (supposedly) very important... thermal paste. I didn't apply any thermal paste when I plugged the heatsink, so am I right in assuming the overheating problem comes from the lack of thermal paste? The reason I am confused is because the PC didn't show any signs of overheating during almost a year, it only started a few days ago.

What do you people think? At any rate, I already ordered the arctic silver 5 thermal paste and I soon as it is delivered, I will do the stuff I was supposed to do one year ago, but I am not sure if that is going to solve my problem.

Yeah, that was the problem and adding paste will fix it. You probably just didn't notice, or maybe there was a bit of old paste on it, who knows. Either way yeah.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Very cool site. Hadn't seen it before.

On it, I discovered that BenQ had a cheaper G-Sync solution for a 24" 1080p monitor. The Amazon reviews indicate it's pretty good. I need to read some more reviews before making a decision, though.

Seems like it's a pretty solid monitor for the price ($550) and it even comes with built in HDMI and DVI ports in addition to DisplayPort.

As someone who really doesn't mind sticking to 1080p for a few more years, I think I may bite.

Yeah, definitely going with the BenQ. Cheapest G-Sync monitor at $539 on Amazon and the impressions seem really positive (even at it's original price of $699.99). It's 1080p, but at least it's not massive, so it won't look bad at 24". It's also got other inputs besides Display Port and scaling functionality (when not in G-Sync mode), so it's easy to use as a monitor for other devices, too.

Looking forward to finally having G-Sync and 120hz+ in my own home!

 

[Dr. Buni]

Yeah, that was the problem and adding paste will fix it. You probably just didn't notice, or maybe there was a bit of old paste on it, who knows. Either way yeah.

You might be right, I actually never checked the temperatures (with a software) until a few days ago, when I noticed the fans were too noisy. Anwyays, thank you, that is a relief!

 

[Jarsonot]

The PSU is fine, but for such a high end build you would want something atleast semi modular (means unnecessary cables can be unplugged from the power supply). 750W is fine for your config if you are looking to SLI the 980, but imo thats a poor strategy. Either SLI now, or sell your GPU later and buy the GTX '1080'. Means less noise, more efficient hardware and no SLI troubles. If you dont SLI a 550W PSU is sufficient. If you were to have an i7 overclocked and single 980 then a 600W would give plenty of headroom.

microATX is just smaller board size, less PCIE Lanes is the main thing. Means you can have a smaller case, rather than a gigantic case. Its not needed nowadays since the parts are a lot lower wattage, meaning less heat is created and a smaller case can easily suffice and look smarter.

Ok. I suppose I'll go microATX, thank you. Since I'd like to prepare as much now for future-proofing, do you recommend getting an i7 motherboard?

Just read up a bit (a bit!) on SLI. (I'm very much a beginner) I think I'll just go with one GPU and avoid headaches. =) It seems like the main use of SLI is to use two less-powerful GPUs to achieve the performance of a more expensive single GPU? For now I'll just get the more expensive GPU. I appreciate your help!

 

[LilJoka]

Ok. I suppose I'll go microATX, thank you. Since I'd like to prepare as much now for future-proofing, do you recommend getting an i7 motherboard?

Just read up a bit (a bit!) on SLI. (I'm very much a beginner) I think I'll just go with one GPU and avoid headaches. =) It seems like the main use of SLI is to use two less-powerful GPUs to achieve the performance of a more expensive single GPU? For now I'll just get the more expensive GPU. I appreciate your help!

Most people SLI the 2 top cards to get nearly twice the amount of performance because thats the only way to go faster than a single card at one moment in time. But there are problems such as SLI Profiles, these tell the game how to take advantage of dual GPUs, without it, it can leave 1 GPU idle, or just use them very poorly and you get stuttering. Theres lots of games where the profiles dont even materialize, or if they do it can be late after launch, or just not very good.

Now i left the GTX 980 in case you were to SLI, since the GTX 970 has the 3.5Gb+0.5Gb VRAM problem, there is not much reason to SLI a GTX 970. If you are not going to SLI, I would go for the GTX 970 '3.5Gb' as at 1080p with reasonable settings it should still be fine. Its a touch choice to make, but there is a big price difference. I will let you do the research on this one.

If you do go with the GTX 970, you could get the i7 4790k. I think a lot of new games will start to take advantage of the extra threads, especially Ubisoft and their poorly optimized console ports. In that case a build like this would be good:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($130.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1409.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 19:00 EST-0500

If you think the 980 is worth it, just swap that in for the 970 in the above config.

 

[kutthoat5150]

So PC Gaf, I've got about 41gb left on my primary 128 gb ssd drive and want to upgrade to Windows 10 from 7 when it eventually releases. Does Windows install over the existing OS so it wouldn't take up that much more space or am I looking to have to clone my drive over to a larger SSD to compensate for the lack of storage?

I thought I only had windows, chrome and a few other apps on it but those things fill up quick with the updates and would like to keep it for the new upgrade down the road

 

[Inkvoterad]

The 850watt is pure legroom. I have a 290 overclocked and an intel 2500k overclocked running on a 650 ocz bronze. No issues. Almost a year now. But it is my streaming pc. I only game on it from time to time.

Ahahah, well fuck. Seems 850 is pretty overkill. He already bought it though before answers and told me to shut the fuck up if i found info after he bought it. So im gonna respect that^^

Been reading and most "recommendations" on gpu's about watt seem to only be accurate if you use SLI/Crossfire or overlock, which neither he or i am doing. Seems im gonna stay with my 600W PSU then myself, planning to buy a R9 290x myself and the rest of my specs are from 2013, so probably wont go up that far in the Watts section or whatever. :3

 

[Jarsonot]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Cooling MX4 20g Thermal Paste ($17.48 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($150.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1645.37
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 19:13 EST-0500

So this is what I'm looking at right now (Thanks LilJoka!)...

Besides a mouse and keyboard, what else do I need?

I'm planning on using my TV as a monitor, will I need to buy a special cable or an adaptor?

And about the OS: is there a recommended version of Windows for gaming? And if my computer doesn't have an OS, how do I install an OS? =)

(Oh, and do I need a fan for the case, or does the CPU cooler cover that?)

 

[mkenyon]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($130.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1409.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 19:00 EST-0500

If you think the 980 is worth it, just swap that in for the 970 in the above config.

This is an incredible build.

Besides a mouse and keyboard, what else do I need?

I'm planning on using my TV as a monitor, will I need to buy a special cable or an adaptor?

And about the OS: is there a recommended version of Windows for gaming? And if my computer doesn't have an OS, how do I install an OS? =)

(Oh, and do I need a fan for the case, or does the CPU cooler cover that?)

You can use an HDMI cable.

Win 8.1. Get a key from Reddit.com/r/softwareswap or find it online elsewhere. Download directly from Microsoft and put it on a USB stick. The rest of the little stuff is in the OP.

Case comes with fans.

 

[McBryBry]

Guys, I need help. I bought a Windows 8 key on reddit like everyone says to do. Everything worked fine. My motherboard had to be RMA'd, and I finally got everything up and running again. Now I get this annoying message saying my product key doesn't work and that I need to activate Windows. I called Microsoft and they said their's a block on the key and I need to buy Windows. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Reckoner]

The previous version of this. I had to disconnect my gtx to get the PC running. I assume that it was because of that, but I should probably try again.

My fractal just gave me now an intermittent light and doesn't turn on with everything connected. Tried again and now not even the led turns on.

Edit: yeah, it must be the psu. If I disconnect my gtx from it it turn on just fine.

 

[Dr. Buni]

Yes definatly need new thermal paste when installing a CPU, be it used or new. AC5 is old stuff and very thick paste. If you can get hold of Arctic Cooling MX4, its much more newer paste and its a little easier to handle as its a bit more runny.
Its likely your cooler is not mounted properly and you may have knocked it causing the problem to have got worse.

Really? Everyone seemed to recommend the AC5 thermal paste. Too late now, I will give it a try before buying yet another thermal paste. What you said in bold might have happened, so hopefully I will not mess up when mounting it next time.

 

[LilJoka]

Guys, I need help. I bought a Windows 8 key on reddit like everyone says to do. Everything worked fine. My motherboard had to be RMA'd, and I finally got everything up and running again. Now I get this annoying message saying my product key doesn't work and that I need to activate Windows. I called Microsoft and they said their's a block on the key and I need to buy Windows. Is there anything I can do?

Hmm, did they say why?
Usually call them and say that you had a motherboard failure and they give you a activation code.

 

[McBryBry]

Hmm, did they say why?
Usually call them and say that you had a motherboard failure and they give you a activation code.

The lady I talked to insisted that I had to buy Windows again because my product key was blocked, that's all I really got out of her before I told her to have a nice day lol.

 

[Tabasco]

What software do you guys recommend for video card and motherboard diagnostics?

 

[SneakyStephan]

Fuuuuck I think my gpu is done :\
Was playing a game suddenly a grinding noise started and it got louder every second (I was gona shut down the pc normally but after a few seconds I decided to just turn off the power supply at the back cos it got so bad so fast)

It's quite lucky I was even awake/here as I tend to leave my pc on 24/7.


The noise seems to come from the gpu fan, as I took out the gpu and turned on the pc and there was no noise, and up close the psu and cpu fans don't make any noise at idle.
Spinning the fan by hand on the gpu makes some noise so I guess it's it:\

Made sure no cables were hitting the cpu fan or anything, put the gpu back and now on idle it 'seems' fine, no noise.
Checked and all the fans are still spinning so now I'm wondering where the fuck the noise came from.

For now I forced fanspeed to 30 percent and downclocked the gpu while I look for a new gpu. I guess tomorrow I'll put it on 100 percent fanspeed in CCC to see if it was actually the gpu fan.

The shitty thing is that the gpu is a hd6870, it's really not worth buying a new cooler for it as the cooler is worth as much as the gpu is...
Maybe I'll look at a second hand replacement, it's a waste to buy a better gpu for this pc with the potato amd phenom II cpu in it being the framerate bottleneck in most games.

Never bought shit second hand, wouldn't know where to look

edit : yeah there's definitely some noise even on idle now that it's quiet in the room
fuck me I only bought this thing 3 years ago, Last time I'll ever buy anything from HIS

 

[opticalmace]

Fuuuuck I think my gpu is done :\
Was playing a game suddenly a grinding noise started and it got louder every second (I was gona shut down the pc normally but after a few seconds I decided to just turn off the power supply at the back cos it got so bad so fast)

It's quite lucky I was even awake/here as I tend to leave my pc on 24/7.


The noise seems to come from the gpu fan, as I took out the gpu and turned on the pc and there was no noise, and up close the psu and cpu fans don't make any noise at idle.
Spinning the fan by hand on the gpu makes some noise so I guess it's it:\

Made sure no cables were hitting the cpu fan or anything, put the gpu back and now on idle it 'seems' fine, no noise.
Checked and all the fans are still spinning so now I'm wondering where the fuck the noise came from.

For now I forced fanspeed to 30 percent and downclocked the gpu while I look for a new gpu. I guess tomorrow I'll put it on 100 percent fanspeed in CCC to see if it was actually the gpu fan.

The shitty thing is that the gpu is a hd6870, it's really not worth buying a new cooler for it as the cooler is worth as much as the gpu is...
Maybe I'll look at a second hand replacement, it's a waste to buy a better gpu for this pc with the potato amd phenom II cpu in it being the framerate bottleneck in most games.

Never bought shit second hand, wouldn't know where to look

edit : yeah there's definitely some noise even on idle now that it's quiet in the room
fuck me I only bought this thing 3 years ago, Last time I'll ever buy anything from HIS

Could you just get something like this? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRMFRDU/?tag=tec06d-20

Wait for someone more familiar to reply about it first tho...

 

[Jarsonot]

OK, everything is now officially ordered. Waiting to hear back from guy on reddit for the Windows key. This is (again) what I went with:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Cooling MX4 20g Thermal Paste ($17.48 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($150.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech K810 Bluetooth Wireless Slim Keyboard ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1720.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 21:16 EST-0500

I'm really excited to get going on this. I expect I'm going to learn a lot in the coming months, already appreciate the help I've been given! Wish me luck on putting it all together. =)

Now until the parts start arriving I'm going to start prepping my USB with stuff... OS, benchmark software, etc... Time to delve back into the OP. =)

 

[Dubz]

I've got an I7 4770K, 660 TI 2GB VRAM, and 8 GB RAM. Should I upgrade my GPU now to a 970 (I want something around $350 or less), or wait for new shit to come out that I'm not even aware of?

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Been running an i7 920 @ 3.9Ghz for a little over 5 years, decided to take the plunge and upgrade, went with the i7-4790k + Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 7 since Microcenter has a bundle deal on it right now and I have a $500 Visa GC I got for Xmas to splurge. Hopefully I'll get another 5 years out of this upgrade. My i7 920 has been a beast, and continues to be a beast, hopefully I'll see real benefits from this upgrade beyond (finally) having USB 3 ports and a SATA3 port to fully utilize my Evo 840 SSD.

Also ordered an AMD FX8370E for my son's PC to replace his FX 8120, which will put me $80 over my $500 gift card limit but screw it, upgrades for all!

Think I might be SOL on my Corsair H55 cooler tho, there'a an 1150 bracket that came with it, but I'm pretty sure I lost that a long time ago, unless it's the same bracket that was used for 1366.

 

[orochi91]

I've got an I7 4770K, 660 TI 2GB VRAM, and 8 GB RAM. Should I upgrade my GPU now to a 970 (I want something around $350 or less), or wait for new shit to come out that I'm not even aware of?

Wait for a card that has more than 4GB VRAM.

I'm personally holding out for at least a 6GB AMD or Nvidia card sometime later this year.

 

[Flandy]

What the hell is up with the screws included with the cooler master sickle flow 120 case fan? They don't fit @_@

edit: nvm. They fit but it seemed like the screws were gonna break the fan at first

 

[NoRéN]

I've got an I7 4770K, 660 TI 2GB VRAM, and 8 GB RAM. Should I upgrade my GPU now to a 970 (I want something around $350 or less), or wait for new shit to come out that I'm not even aware of?

Is the 660ti not performing to your needs anymore?

 

[RGM79]

The lady I talked to insisted that I had to buy Windows again because my product key was blocked, that's all I really got out of her before I told her to have a nice day lol.

You didn't say anything about where you got the key, right? If you did, then they will close up and say things like that because they're not obligated to help people who get keys from unofficial means.

Did you change motherboard brand or model? Or did you get a replacement motherboard of the exact same model as the one that was RMA'd?

What the hell is up with the screws included with the cooler master sickle flow 120 case fan? They don't fit @_@

I don't see why they shouldn't fit. Case fan screws are supposed to have coarse threading so when you screw them in, they cut into the plastic of the screw hole.

Been running an i7 920 @ 3.9Ghz for a little over 5 years, decided to take the plunge and upgrade, went with the i7-4790k + Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 7 since Microcenter has a bundle deal on it right now and I have a $500 Visa GC I got for Xmas to splurge. Hopefully I'll get another 5 years out of this upgrade. My i7 920 has been a beast, and continues to be a beast, hopefully I'll see real benefits from this upgrade beyond (finally) having USB 3 ports and a SATA3 port to fully utilize my Evo 840 SSD.

Also ordered an AMD FX8370E for my son's PC to replace his FX 8120, which will put me $80 over my $500 gift card limit but screw it, upgrades for all!

Think I might be SOL on my Corsair H55 cooler tho, there'a an 1150 bracket that came with it, but I'm pretty sure I lost that a long time ago, unless it's the same bracket that was used for 1366.

Unfortunately, the spacing is different. See if Corsair customer service can offer to do anything?

 

[Louis Cyphre]

OK, everything is now officially ordered. Waiting to hear back from guy on reddit for the Windows key. This is (again) what I went with:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Cooling MX4 20g Thermal Paste ($17.48 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($150.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($102.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($71.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech K810 Bluetooth Wireless Slim Keyboard ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1720.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 21:16 EST-0500

I'm really excited to get going on this. I expect I'm going to learn a lot in the coming months, already appreciate the help I've been given! Wish me luck on putting it all together. =)

Now until the parts start arriving I'm going to start prepping my USB with stuff... OS, benchmark software, etc... Time to delve back into the OP. =)

Looks like a sweet set-up, that's the route I would take but I'm going to hold off a little but longer with what I got (just a low to midrange AMD build that pales in comparison). This thread is very helpful and giving me some great ideas.

 

[Dubz]

Is the 660ti not performing to your needs anymore?

It's fine, but I can't play any new games on High if I want at least 60fps. I think I'll wait for a 6GB card.

 

[reKon]

I think there needs to be more new games worth playing at high settings...

 

[Flandy]

I don't see why they shouldn't fit. Case fan screws are supposed to have coarse threading so when you screw them in, they cut into the plastic of the screw hole.

Yeah, you're right. I just had to keep at it. I thought I was gonna break the fan at first because it wouldn't go in :lol

Think I'll order 2 more fans for the top of the case.

 

[Drpunch]

I see quite a few places where you can save money and come out with little to no performance loss.

For purely games, the i5 4690K is preferred. You save about $100 and the only differences are 0.5GHz clock speed difference and the i7's hyperthreading, the 4690K and 4790K are both quad core processors and are very similar. Hyperthreading does not contribute to games very much when the processor is already a quad core, few games take advantage of extra processing threads, even for the foreseeable future. I'd only recommend the 4790K if you were doing other things that would take advantage of hyperthreading like video editing or 3D rendering. Single core performance is more important and the 4690K can overclock just as well as the 4790K, so the two processors perform nearly the same in most if not all games.

Spending that much on a cooler is a bit overkill. The Noctua NH-D14 ($90) or the Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($98) are great air coolers and will perform very well for your needs. Or if you only intend to do some moderate overclocking, there's the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo ($35) which is the price to performance king, letting many people overclock to about 4.5GHz.

You don't need to spend so much money on the motherboard, either. It's not as though more expensive motherboards are more reliable, they tend to come with extra features you may not actually need. For the majority of people, a motherboard under $150 (CAD) will do just fine, even for moderate overclocking. If you want reliability, there are certain motherboards marketed as having undergone testing to ensure that they work under stress well, like Gigabyte's black series.

Good call on the high speed RAM, but $214 is grossly overpriced. I substituted 16GB of G.Skill 2133MHz RAM instead for $150.

The GTX 980 is very expensive, but it is currently one of the best performing graphics cards you can buy, just not when it comes to price-to-performance ratio. If you want to stick with a GTX 980, I recommend this MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G ($629), it has a silent fan off running mode that I don't think the EVGA GTX 980 SC has.

Otherwise, if you can afford to wait, I think you may be better off waiting a few months. The R9 290/290X price drops haven't made their way from the US to Canada yet, and the R9 3xx line is expected to be released sometime in Q2 2015, which will provide more competition for the GTX 980.

The Phanteks Enthoo Pro is a very good case, but it is larger than most people will ever need. Still, $99 CAD is a good price when it costs $99 USD in the States. There are cheaper and/or smaller cases you could go with if you like. I like the Antec P100 ($79) myself, and I can also suggest the NZXT Source 210 Elite ($65).

That Cooler Master power supply is a good model, but also expensive. I assume you chose 750 watts either because you were following the guidelines or because you want to run dual graphics cards in the future. In that case, I recommend this XFX 750 watt model for $105. If you only intend to run a single graphics card, then you could go with a cheaper model like this Seasonic 620 watt model for $75.

You shouldn't need a DVD burner nowadays unless you have a specific need for it, seeing as how everything is delivered digitally now.

Windows 7/8.1 licenses can be purchased from reddit's microsoftsoftwareswap for $20 USD or less, the sellers take paypal. These are fully working, unique Windows licenses from education programs like Technet or Dreamspark. Once you have the Windows key, you can easily get the official Windows installers from Microsoft. The downside is that you are dealing with persons selling the keys themselves, not Microsoft, so this is not an official or approved by Microsoft.

With my suggestions, you can save about $500.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($258.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.17 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($155.89 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($62.95 @ Vuugo)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($629.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($104.98 @ NCIX)
Total: $1651.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-02 01:12 EST-0500

Are you in the GVRD or GTA? You could pricematch many of these items from NCIX or Memory Express and save a little more, their policy is that they match and discount an additional 10% of the difference in price.

Thank you for the advice. I live in Edmonton, Alberta so there is two Memory Express' here but they tend to sell out of everything decent it seems. I'll try to get the best deals I can though.

 

[jwhit28]

I'm seeing some R9 290s for $250. That's about $50 less than I can find 290x and $70 less than the cheapest 970. Is the 290 close enough in 1080p performance that I should jump on the deal? Do you think 290s will still be around at that price when AMD is ready to tip their hand on and show 390s?

 

[exmachina64]

Can anyone recommend some 140mm PWM case fans?

 

[McBryBry]

You didn't say anything about where you got the key, right? If you did, then they will close up and say things like that because they're not obligated to help people who get keys from unofficial means.

Did you change motherboard brand or model? Or did you get a replacement motherboard of the exact same model as the one that was RMA'?

I did not. And it's the same exact model via RMA.

 

[Kelli Lemondrop]

I'm seeing some R9 290s for $250. That's about $50 less than I can find 290x and $70 less than the cheapest 970. Is the 290 close enough in 1080p performance that I should jump on the deal? Do you think 290s will still be around at that price when AMD is ready to tip their hand on and show 390s?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_sp=Homepage_FDD-_-P1_14-150-697-_-02022015

if you buy it QUICKLY, the R9 290 is now $219 USD and its within 10% of the 970 on every game that isnt bioshock infinite at the moment. great card, especially at $110 cheaper than a 970.

 

[DrForester]

Can anyone recommend some 140mm PWM case fans?

I used a Noctua 120mm fan in an older build and they worked just fine. Would recommend the brand.

They are ugly though, of it you have a window and like to look at your fans, might look elsewhere.

 

[RGM79]

I did not. And it's the same exact model via RMA.

Try calling in again to see if you get better luck with another representative. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to get this solved, many people have had the same issues and solved them by having Microsoft assist with reactivating Windows.

 

[McBryBry]

Try calling in again to see if you get better luck with another representative. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to get this solved, many people have had the same issues and solved them by having Microsoft assist with reactivating Windows.

What should I say? Just explain that my computer needs to reactivate Windows and my key won't work?

 

[Flandy]

So I've noticed a bit of an issue with my Sapphire 7950.
One of the fans doesn't seem to function properly. It only activates when my fan speed reaches 80% and it turns on for a second on boot. I'm pretty sure this card doesn't have any power saving features or anything like that. Anyone know what's up?

 

[RGM79]

What should I say? Just explain that my computer needs to reactivate Windows and my key won't work?

Just explain that you had to replace the motherboard because the old one was defective. Be sure to emphasize that this is the same PC you already activated Windows on before, just with a new replacement motherboard of the exact same model as the old one.

If they say again that there is a block on the key, then you may just be out of luck. Ask them why it's blocked if it is blocked. I don't know why there would be a block on your key in the first place. Simply changing the motherboard would not result in a block with no explanation, especially if you had Windows successfully activated just a short time ago. Hopefully you didn't purchase a bad key, but the fact that you were able to activate it once seems to say that it should be fine.

So I've noticed a bit of an issue with my Sapphire 7950.
One of the fans doesn't seem to function properly. It only activates when my fan speed reaches 80% and it turns on for a second on boot. I'm pretty sure this card doesn't have any power saving features or anything like that. Anyone know what's up?

Fuuuuck I think my gpu is done :\
Was playing a game suddenly a grinding noise started and it got louder every second (I was gona shut down the pc normally but after a few seconds I decided to just turn off the power supply at the back cos it got so bad so fast)

It's quite lucky I was even awake/here as I tend to leave my pc on 24/7.

The noise seems to come from the gpu fan, as I took out the gpu and turned on the pc and there was no noise, and up close the psu and cpu fans don't make any noise at idle.
Spinning the fan by hand on the gpu makes some noise so I guess it's it:\

Made sure no cables were hitting the cpu fan or anything, put the gpu back and now on idle it 'seems' fine, no noise.
Checked and all the fans are still spinning so now I'm wondering where the fuck the noise came from.

For now I forced fanspeed to 30 percent and downclocked the gpu while I look for a new gpu. I guess tomorrow I'll put it on 100 percent fanspeed in CCC to see if it was actually the gpu fan.

The shitty thing is that the gpu is a hd6870, it's really not worth buying a new cooler for it as the cooler is worth as much as the gpu is...
Maybe I'll look at a second hand replacement, it's a waste to buy a better gpu for this pc with the potato amd phenom II cpu in it being the framerate bottleneck in most games.

Never bought shit second hand, wouldn't know where to look

edit : yeah there's definitely some noise even on idle now that it's quiet in the room
fuck me I only bought this thing 3 years ago, Last time I'll ever buy anything from HIS

You two have similar problems, so I'll reply to both at once.

Could be failing fans.

@Flandy:
VGA fans are probably controlled by voltage - the fact that it spins up when starting up the PC then slows down is normal - all voltage controlled fans do this to a degree, because some voltage-controlled fans don't start spinning if a low voltage is applied from the start. You may notice this in the form of a short but loud fan noise whenever you start your PC, that is the motherboard applying a high voltage to get the fans up and running then switching to a lower voltage to run at the needed speed.

@both:
There are a few things you can do about a failing fan. The cheapest solution would be to replace the fan itself - you could try to find a generic replacement fan from Amazon or ebay, like OpticalMace recommended on the last page. You will need to figure out certain details for yourself like what fan speed and size you need, as well as whether the fan plug is the same or not. Yes, this is a DIY solution that requires a bit of hands on know-how. Here's some Sapphire 7950 fans at ebay.com to compare - I wouldn't pay $20, it'd be better to find cheaper generic fans.

Another option would be to completely replace the current VGA cooler with another one. This costs more than just getting a replacement fan but nowhere near as much as a new graphics card, expect to spend somewhere around $25-50. VGA fans are not really meant to be replaced, so in some ways replacing the entire cooler is less tricky and easier. However, you still want to be very careful when prying off the old cooler and installing the new one, of course. Same principle as replacing a CPU cooler, just not as user friendly or standardized. Arctic and Gelid Solutions make third party VGA coolers, you will need to check compatibility and fit to be sure. Newegg has a listing for replacement VGA fans and coolers. As for specific replacement VGA cooler models to recommend...

@SneakyStephan:
This ARCTIC Accelero Mono Plus would seem to be compatible. A bit small, but cheap at $30. If you're worried that it's not as capable, then there is this larger Gelid Icy Vision 2 model for $54. I'm not familiar with any of Arctic's replacement VGA coolers, but I do have the Gelid model myself on an old Radeon 5850, and I like it very much.

@Flandy:
Unfortunately, compatibility with the 7950 seems to be more difficult. Many replacement VGA cooler models don't state compatibility with the 7950, but they appear to be referring to reference 7950 graphics cards. If yours isn't a reference model, it could be possible to narrow down a cheaper compatible cooler. I will need some more details - like a definite model number or something.. You can see here that Sapphire have had many different models of the 7950, all different in some way... so yeah, that's why compatibility is hard to determine, they can't simply say that all aftermarket coolers would be compatible. There is this cooler that is stated to be compatible with the 7950, but it's quite expensive at $100.

 

[Tabasco]

My PC is definitely not stable.

I have a feeling the source of all the problems is either the RAM or the motherboard. I can either take a guess and order new RAM and turn out to be wrong, or I can just get a new motherboard and basically start fresh that way.

What do you have to do if you want to change motherboards, though? Do you have to do a fresh install of the OS?

 

[LilJoka]

Could you just get something like this? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRMFRDU/?tag=tec06d-20

Wait for someone more familiar to reply about it first tho...

Yes, I did a similar replacement to a Asus 5850. Just replaced the fan housing. Requires a screwdriver and just remove every single screw till it's apart.

 

[Rufus]

My PC is definitely not stable.

I have a feeling the source of all the problems is either the RAM or the motherboard. I can either take a guess and order new RAM and turn out to be wrong, or I can just get a new motherboard and basically start fresh that way.

What do you have to do if you want to change motherboards, though? Do you have to do a fresh install of the OS?

You might not have to, but you probably should. You'll have to re-activate Windows though, but that's just a matter of a single phonecall.

Have you ruled out the harddrive? (Run a diagnostic Live CD/USB, like Knoppix.)

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

Finished building this a couple days ago. Really happy with it. This is what's inside:

CPU: i7 5820K
Motherboard: MSI X99 SLI Plus
Ram: 8GB DDR4 2133Mhz Crucial
Graphics: AMD R9 270X 2GB ITX
SSD: Crucial MX100 256GB
PSU: SuperFlower Leadex GOLD 650W
Case: Corsair Carbide Series Air 540
Optical Drive: SATA DVD Burner
Heatsink: Noctua NH-D15
Monitor: AOC I2369VM IPS

A few observations that might help some yet to buy:

- The Noctua NH-D15 CPU cooler is one of the very best on the market but it is not the best looking imo (jars with the all-black mobo). I think the reason some people go for the Corsair H-110 water cooler or equivalent water cooling solution, despite slightly worse noise and performance, is because they look so much better.

- That said, I'm getting temps of 29-30°C on light CPU load on the 5820k with the Noctua. I am getting these readings in a cold room (don't ask) so this is a combination of the ambient temp, Noctua heatsink, and high-airflow Air 540 case.

- The Corsair Air 540 is beautiful but quite huge. Having not been in the PC scene for several years I'm surprised how large 'mid' tower cases are. What put me off the Phanteks Enthoo Pro was the fact it's a full-tower case and even larger (certainly taller). Something to bear in mind if you have limited space. Cabling is very easy with the Air 540, but because the case is compartmentalised, I don't see my SuperFlower PSU LED lighting as it's stuck behind a wall that divides the case! Not something that was mentioned in the reviews of the case I read.

- Anyone worried about the cost of DDR4 memory (or the cost of it added to X99 mobo + Haswell-E processor) shouldn't be put off too much. I snagged a single stick of 8GB unbranded Crucial DDR4 memory for £60 on Ebay. Obviously this is not a long-term solution but when (hopefully) DDR4 memory costs drop soon, I will upgrade to a reasonably-priced 16GB set. I just ran out of cash so this cheap DDR4 saved my bacon.

- All in all the total cost was around £1100 inc. monitor, but this required lots of hunting for the best deals and Ebay. Not bad imo.

 

[NIN90]

So I might be in the market for a new CPU. Right now I got an i5 3450 and an ASRock Z77 board.

What would be a nice upgrade on a reasonable-ish (say 150-250&#8364 budget?