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[finalflame]

Is getting an RoG Swift worth it with one 980? Would I need two to take full advantage of its features?

Opinions will vary on this, but here's my opinion:

The ROG Swift is a 144hz monitor. A single 980 is betting about 40-60 FPS at 1440p on games from last year. Likely, you'll not be able to max games coming out this year (Witcher 3, GTA V, MGS V) at 1440p using a single GTX 980.

This isn't because the card is incapable. It's because 1440p is nearly an 80% increase in pixels over 1080p, and a 980 is essentially a more efficient 780 Ti with an extra gig of ram.

If you want to lower your graphical settings to be able to get over 60fps in modern games consistently, then yah, it might be worth it. But remember it costs nearly $800.

For the most part, if you're playing on a single 980 at 1440p with maxxed graphical settings, you're just wasting the 144hz potential of the monitor. However, you could want it to play older shooters at high framerate (things like CS: GO, BF4, Titanfall).

To sum it up: the GTX 980 mostly cannot run recent or upcoming games maxed or near maxed at > 60fps. Therefore, the 144hz refresh rate of the nearly $800 ROG Swift is wasted if your objective is to play newer games maxed at 1440p.

If you plan to get a second 980 in the near future, it could be worth it. Other users in this thread have said that it downscales well to 1080p Again, nearly $800 price tag.

Personally, i'd go with an overclockable Korean IPS 1440p panel for < $300. Look at QNIX or X-Star. These monitors are IPS, 1440p, and tend to overclock to 90hz + (120hz on mine). I've never used G-Sync, but I never notice frame timing or tearing issues on SLi 980s using an X-Star DP2710LED 1440p @ 120hz.

 

[kennah]

Victor. M makes a lot of good points, right up to the end where he says he has not used g-sync. Go through the g-sync thread for impressions. A 980 with a rog Swift is a great combo.

 

[finalflame]

Victor. M makes a lot of good points, right up to the end where he says he has not used g-sync. Go through the g-sync thread for impressions. A 980 with a rog Swift is a great combo.

Yah, I'll jump on the bandwagon once I see an attractive enough G-Sync option. Almost biting on Acer's 4K 60hz G-Sync panel, but I have some additional water cooling priorities.

However, I fail to see how G-Sync could be superior to just having a monitor with a resolution and refresh rate so high you'll never realistically need to deal with Vsync or tearing.

However,it's possibly the second coming of gaming christ and I just haven't had a chance to try it yet. Totally agree, OP should get objective, non-sensationalized opinions on GSYnc that relate to his particular use case.

 

[kennah]

G-sync is specifically designed to make the 30 to 70 Hz range more playable. So a single 980 is pretty much the target.

 

[Devildoll]

So I'm very new to buying PC parts, when do new GPU's come out normally?

There is no real yearly cycle or anything like that.
you just have to your fingers on the pulse of the rumors.

Next big thing is the AMD 300 series, which should make an appearance at computex this summer.

 

[Jimrpg]

I purchased Windows 8.1 Eng Intl OEM Software disc... and I read here that I can't download and use a USB key but I have to use the disc it came with.

I didn't buy a DVD drive so is there no way for me to install windows now?

I do have a DVD drive - is it possible to create an iso from the DVD?

 

[Saucy_XL]

I just found a much better deal on a 4690k than what I was previously going to get for my build, but now I'm not sure my PSU will be enough to overclock. Is 600w enough to overclock a 4690k and possibly a 280x as well?

 

[finalflame]

G-sync is specifically designed to make the 30 to 70 Hz range more playable. So a single 980 is pretty much the target.

I'm not arguing on this, but what exactly about G-Sync makes 30-70hz more playable as opposed to having a monitor with a high enough refresh rate where you never experience tearing in that range or need to use V-Sync?

 

[Jimrpg]

Opinions will vary on this, but here's my opinion:

The ROG Swift is a 144hz monitor. A single 980 is betting about 40-60 FPS at 1440p on games from last year. Likely, you'll not be able to max games coming out this year (Witcher 3, GTA V, MGS V) at 1440p using a single GTX 980.

This isn't because the card is incapable. It's because 1440p is nearly an 80% increase in pixels over 1080p, and a 980 is essentially a more efficient 780 Ti with an extra gig of ram.

If you want to lower your graphical settings to be able to get over 60fps in modern games consistently, then yah, it might be worth it. But remember it costs nearly $800.

For the most part, if you're playing on a single 980 at 1440p with maxxed graphical settings, you're just wasting the 144hz potential of the monitor. However, you could want it to play older shooters at high framerate (things like CS: GO, BF4, Titanfall).

To sum it up: the GTX 980 mostly cannot run recent or upcoming games maxed or near maxed at > 60fps. Therefore, the 144hz refresh rate of the nearly $800 ROG Swift is wasted if your objective is to play newer games maxed at 1440p.

If you plan to get a second 980 in the near future, it could be worth it. Other users in this thread have said that it downscales well to 1080p Again, nearly $800 price tag.

Personally, i'd go with an overclockable Korean IPS 1440p panel for < $300. Look at QNIX or X-Star. These monitors are IPS, 1440p, and tend to overclock to 90hz + (120hz on mine). I've never used G-Sync, but I never notice frame timing or tearing issues on SLi 980s using an X-Star DP2710LED 1440p @ 120hz.

Unless you have a Titan X or two, its unlikely you can max it out and get above 1440p and 100fps+. Why not play around with the settings and bump them down a little bit, reduce the AA and see how you go... and there's only a few games where you can't max out the settings and get 60fps, Crysis 3, Battlefield 4 etc.

Also: you advised not to get the Rog Swift because its 1440p yet advised to get a Korean IPS 1440p panel? I know its $500 cheaper but still going to have the same issue isn't it?

 

[Pewpewlazors99]

Not sure if I should upgrade Gaf, anyone got any suggestions?

Motherboard: Asus Z87-A
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 3GB
Ram: Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz 16GB (4 x 4GB)
PSU: GS700 Corsair Gaming Series 700-Watt
Storage: Seagate 600 SSD 240 GB with a WD Black 1TB 7200 RPM



I am considering upgrading my current SSD to a 1TB if I can find one for a decent price...

 

[ricki42]

Not sure if I should upgrade Gaf, anyone got any suggestions?

Motherboard: Asus Z87-A
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 3GB
Ram: Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz 16GB (4 x 4GB)
PSU: GS700 Corsair Gaming Series 700-Watt
Storage: Seagate 600 SSD 240 GB with a WD Black 1TB 7200 RPM



I am considering upgrading my current SSD to a 1TB if I can find one for a decent price...

If you haven't done so, get a CPU cooler and overclock.

 

[finalflame]

Unless you have a Titan X or two, its unlikely you can max it out and get above 1440p and 100fps+. Why not play around with the settings and bump them down a little bit, reduce the AA and see how you go... and there's only a few games where you can't max out the settings and get 60fps, Crysis 3, Battlefield 4 etc.

Also: you advised not to get the Rog Swift because its 1440p yet advised to get a Korean IPS 1440p panel? I know its $500 cheaper but still going to have the same issue isn't it?

Hmm not sure which part of my post your first paragraph is referring to, but I can usually play anything in 1440p maxed with some AA/AF at 70+fps on 2xSLi 980s. Which is fine, since my X-Star overclocks to 120hz without breaking a sweat, so I never worry about V-Sync or tearing.

I advised that the ROG Swift might not be the best option at the price point because it costs nearly $800 and if OP wants to play new games maxed on a single 980 he likely won't see framerates over even 60fps. If he tweaks settings he might see slightly over 60, or higher, but nowhere near 144.

I recommended Korean monitors because they still offer 1440p, usually overclock to 90hz or higher, use an IPS panel, and cost almost 1/3rd as much as an ROG Swift.

Of course this all depends on OP's needs and uses. If he wants to play CS:GO at 1440p144hz, or other things like that, the ROG might be very well suited to his needs. However, if OP is looking to play modern, upcoming games at max/close to max graphical settings at 1440p, using a single 980, it's unlikely his ROG Swift will ever fully use the reasons why it's so expensive: 144hz and G-Sync.

Now, it's possible G-Sync offers advantages I'm not aware of over a monitor that simply has a high refresh rate. But to me, it's not immediately evident why a 144hz G-Sync monitor is better than a 1440p panel overclocked to 100hz if the games OP plays never go over 80fps.

 

[Pewpewlazors99]

If you haven't done so, get a CPU cooler and overclock.

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler with 120mm PWM Fan (RR-212E-20PK-R2)

This good enough to overclock with?

 

[ricki42]

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler with 120mm PWM Fan (RR-212E-20PK-R2)

This good enough to overclock with?

That'll work nicely. In the end, how high you can overclock depends on your chip, but this should give you a nice performance boost.

 

[riflen]

Yah, I'll jump on the bandwagon once I see an attractive enough G-Sync option. Almost biting on Acer's 4K 60hz G-Sync panel, but I have some additional water cooling priorities.

However, I fail to see how G-Sync could be superior to just having a monitor with a resolution and refresh rate so high you'll never realistically need to deal with Vsync or tearing.

However,it's possibly the second coming of gaming christ and I just haven't had a chance to try it yet. Totally agree, OP should get objective, non-sensationalized opinions on GSYnc that relate to his particular use case.

Not sure what high resolution has to do with this, but you will always have to deal with Vsync or tearing on a traditional fixed-refresh LCD display, no matter the refresh rate.

Vsync on causes judder. Frame times never perfectly match the refresh rate of the panel, for lots of reasons.
Latency can also be a problem, depending on how the game renders out to display. With a variable refresh display, these issues don't apply or are minimised as far as possible.

Vsync off causes tearing. Now, if your refresh rate is very high (say 144Hz) and frame rate is completely consistent with the display Hz at all times, the tearing CAN be minimal or you can sometimes (depending on the game) configure the tear to always be at the very top or bottom edge of the panel using frame capping. That's rather a faff and not really acceptable as an overall solution.

 

[finalflame]

Not sure what high resolution has to do with this, but you will always have to deal with Vsync or tearing on a traditional fixed-refresh LCD display, no matter the refresh rate.

Vsync on causes judder. Frame times never perfectly match the refresh rate of the panel, for lots of reasons.
Latency can also be a problem, depending on how the game renders out to display. With a variable refresh display, these issues don't apply or are minimised as far as possible.

Vsync off causes tearing. Now, if your refresh rate is very high (say 144Hz) and frame rate is completely consistent with the display Hz at all times, the tearing CAN be minimal or you can sometimes (depending on the game) configure the tear to always be at the very top or bottom edge of the panel using frame capping. That's rather a faff and not really acceptable as an overall solution.

I have never experienced tearing on a panel where my refresh rate was higher than my FPS. I thought tearing happened when FPS > Refresh?

I mention resolution but I realize it's not entirely relevant. What I was trying to say is that as long as your FPS in the game does not exceed the refresh rate of the monitor, tearing would not occur.

I mentioned not using V-Sync because you can simply cap framerates in most games using utilities like RivaTuner, PrceisionX, etc.

Perhaps I am not perceptive, but honestly, I have never, ever had an issue as long as I was using a monitor where the refresh rate was higher than the FPS my GPU was outputting. Not with tearing or frame-timing issues, as I've used frame capping as opposed to V-Sync.

I guess I'll just have to get a G-Sync monitor and use it next to a non-G-Sync to see the difference, but I can't say I've ever had an issue with screen tearing at 1440p120hz.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

I would be pretty pissed if I just splashed out $600 on a 980 and it wasn't good for 1440p gaming (I know victor.m buddy that's not exactly what you're saying but )

I mean the 980 is the top single GPU out there unless you throw in the uber cards that can be had for silly money and are out of the reach of 99.9% of gamers.

A 980 should give good framerates for modern and upcoming titles if you tweak the settings a little. My advice would be to wait until we see what AMD is bringing to the table with its Fiji line of cards.

 

[HammerOfThor]

Well I guess playing at 1440 isn't as big a deal to me as eliminating screen tearing, which was the main draw to the monitor.

I would rather maxed out at 1080 than sub-par at 1440 for this year's games.

Maybe the ASUS VG248QE with the g-sync add-on would be a better choice?

I mean 1440 would be great, but its not the end of the world for me.

 

[riflen]

I have never experienced tearing on a panel where my refresh rate was higher than my FPS. I thought tearing happened when FPS > Refresh?

I mention resolution but I realize it's not entirely relevant. What I was trying to say is that as long as your FPS in the game does not exceed the refresh rate of the monitor, tearing would not occur.

I mentioned not using V-Sync because you can simply cap framerates in most games using utilities like RivaTuner, PrceisionX, etc.

Perhaps I am not perceptive, but honestly, I have never, ever had an issue as long as I was using a monitor where the refresh rate was higher than the FPS my GPU was outputting. Not with tearing or frame-timing issues, as I've used frame capping as opposed to V-Sync.

I guess I'll just have to get a G-Sync monitor and use it next to a non-G-Sync to see the difference, but I can't say I've ever had an issue with screen tearing at 1440p120hz.

Thanks for giving more details.
When VSync is off tearing will occur regardless of the frame rate. Either VSync is on without your knowledge, or you're not noticing the tearing.

OK, so you generally play with VSync off, a frame cap beneath monitor refresh rate and a refresh rate of 120Hz? Is the cap set at a rate that's a division of 120? If so, and frame rate doesn't drop from the cap very much, this can help hide the tear so it's harder to notice. As I said, it could be at the very top or bottom edge of the panel.

Another advantage of Gsync displays I didn't mention is motion clarity. Your monitor will be configured for one optimal refresh rate. Yes, you can overclock it, but that does not change the voltage applied to the panel.
You can get some bad ghosting on moving objects if the panel is not tuned for the refresh rate you use it at. The Gsync module changes the voltage to the panel as the refresh rate changes. This provides optimal clarity of motion. You do actually get a lot for your money.

 

[Flandy]

About to attempt to overclock for the first time in preparation for GTA 5. I have an i7 2600k
This a good guide?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1100100/info-intel-2500k-2600k-overclocking-tips

 

[ricki42]

Maybe the ASUS VG248QE with the g-sync add-on would be a better choice?

Is that upgrade kit still available anywhere? I think nvidia sold it on geforce.com, but I can't find that anymore, and I haven't seen it in a while.

 

[finalflame]

Thanks for giving more details.
When VSync is off tearing will occur regardless of the frame rate. Either VSync is on without your knowledge, or you're not noticing the tearing.

OK, so you generally play with VSync off, a frame cap beneath monitor refresh rate and a refresh rate of 120Hz? Is the cap set at a rate that's a division of 120? If so, and frame rate doesn't drop from the cap very much, this can help hide the tear so it's harder to notice. As I said, it could be at the very top or bottom edge of the panel.

Another advantage of Gsync displays I didn't mention is motion clarity. Your monitor will be configured for one optimal refresh rate. Yes, you can overclock it, but that does not change the voltage applied to the panel.
You can get some bad ghosting on moving objects if the panel is not tuned for the refresh rate you use it at. The Gsync module changes the voltage to the panel as the refresh rate changes. This provides optimal clarity of motion. You do actually get a lot for your money.

Thanks! I appreciate the info. I am considering the new Acer 4K 60hz G-Sync, and this information is actually really helpful.

 

[HammerOfThor]

Is that upgrade kit still available anywhere? I think nvidia sold it on geforce.com, but I can't find that anymore, and I haven't seen it in a while.

Oh, maybe not

 

[ValfarHL]

What the actual fuck!?

AMD hasn't released new gpu drivers since desember 2014???

Getting a 290x tomorrow, to hold me over for atleast 6 months. Thought I would download the latest driver so I'm all good and ready.

Latest driver release is 12/9/2014...is this for real?

 

[tarheel91]

What the actual fuck!?

AMD hasn't released new gpu drivers since desember 2014???

Getting a 290x tomorrow, to hold me over for atleast 6 months. Thought I would download the latest driver so I'm all good and ready.

Latest driver release is 12/9/2014...is this for real?

Last beta driver was released on 3/20.

 

[MetalDeer]

What the actual fuck!?

AMD hasn't released new gpu drivers since desember 2014???

Getting a 290x tomorrow, to hold me over for atleast 6 months. Thought I would download the latest driver so I'm all good and ready.

Latest driver release is 12/9/2014...is this for real?

Yeah, they take a long time to update their drivers. There was a beta update not too long ago, but I had issues last time I tried a beta build, so no thanks.

At least you didn't buy a 7950 and get screwed out of FreeSync and other Omega features.

 

[ValfarHL]

Last beta driver was released on 3/20.

That's great, but it doesn't make it alright.

Yeah, they take a long time to update their drivers. There was a beta update not too long ago, but I had issues last time I tried a beta build, so no thanks.

At least you didn't buy a 7950 and get screwed out of FreeSync and other Omega features.

Is this the general experience with AMD beta drivers? This is my first time on #teamred since I had exactly a 7950.

Isn't half the point of new drivers to optimize them with new games?



YAY MEMBER! \o/ When did that happen??

 

[MetalDeer]

Is this the general experience with AMD beta drivers? This is my first time on #teamred since I had exactly a 7950.

Isn't half the point of new drivers to optimize them with new games?

From my experience, pretty much. There's typically several months between releases, and usually when there is a new update, it's in beta.

They used to release more frequent optional mini-updates for optimizing games, but I don't know what happened to that.

 

[tarheel91]

That's great, but it doesn't make it alright.



Is this the general experience with AMD beta drivers? This is my first time on #teamred since I had exactly a 7950.

Isn't half the point of new drivers to optimize them with new games?



YAY MEMBER! \o/ When did that happen??

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5880/...hly-driver-updates-releases-catalyst-126-beta

That link better explains the change to their driver release schedule that I could. I liked monthly updates but I can understand what that's becoming unsustainable. As long as there aren't any real performance issues, I'm not sure it's a big deal. I run beta drivers anyways because they contain the most up to date crossfire profiles.

MetalDeer seems to be upset that his video card which lacks the hardware capability for things like FreeSync didn't get FreeSync in the Omega driver despite that being literally impossible.

 

[ValfarHL]

From my experience, pretty much. There's typically several months between releases, and usually when there is a new update, it's in beta.

They used to release more frequent optional mini-updates for optimizing games, but I don't know what happened to that.

Ugh, I kinda regret not shelling out a bit more cash for a 970 now. Screw them 3.5GB of ram though.

I also got the 290x for about $140 cheaper than I would a 970.

I don't want to support Nvidia cause of the way the outright lied about the RAM on the 970, and this driver stuff from AMD isn't very insuring.

Mobile gaming here I come.

 

[RGM79]

I purchased Windows 8.1 Eng Intl OEM Software disc... and I read here that I can't download and use a USB key but I have to use the disc it came with.

I didn't buy a DVD drive so is there no way for me to install windows now?

I do have a DVD drive - is it possible to create an iso from the DVD?

Yes, it should be possible, there are unofficial non-microsoft tools for that. On the computer with the DVD drive, use a program like IMGBurn's read mode to make an ISO file from the Windows disc. Then use another program like Rufus or even the official Microsoft Windows 7 USB tool to load the ISO onto a USB drive and make it bootable.

So I'm very new to buying PC parts, when do new GPU's come out normally?

Rumors point to AMD releasing their R9 3XX line of graphics cards in June, with Nvidia having a GTX "980 Ti" on the horizon with an unknown release date.

 

[ValfarHL]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5880/...hly-driver-updates-releases-catalyst-126-beta

That link better explains the change to their driver release schedule that I could. I liked monthly updates but I can understand what that's becoming unsustainable. As long as there aren't any real performance issues, I'm not sure it's a big deal. I run beta drivers anyways because they contain the most up to date crossfire profiles.

MetalDeer seems to be upset that his video card which lacks the hardware capability for things like FreeSync didn't get FreeSync in the Omega driver despite that being literally impossible.

Ah, thanks for the link. Actually makes a bit of sense.

So beta drivers aren't all bad? Shame on Metaldeer.

 

[MetalDeer]

Ah, thanks for the link. Actually makes a bit of sense.

So beta drivers aren't all bad? Shame on Metaldeer.

Eh..? It's an anecdote at best, but I tried a few different beta builds and had issues each time. I wasn't trying to mislead.

 

[ValfarHL]

Eh..? It's an anecdote at best, but I tried a few different beta builds and had issues each time. I wasn't trying to mislead.

Just pulling your leg a bit, sorry.

Guess I'll find out myself tomorrow.

Funny how one always blows the dust of good ole Crysis everytime a new GPU is in the house.

 

[Red Comet]

Can anybody more familiar with graphics card releases tell me when, or if, I can expect EVGA SC Titan X's to come in stock anywhere again?

 

[mkenyon]

Can anybody more familiar with graphics card releases tell me when, or if, I can expect EVGA SC Titan X's to come in stock anywhere again?

Just gotta keep the notifications up.

No real reason to go with an SC over a standard though. You can typically OC the same/better than what those other models have.

They do not bin chips for any card outside of their Classified range.

 

[Xando]

Not really a expert on VRAM usage so i gotta ask:

Is the 3.5 GDDR5 + 512MB for 970 a bottleneck for games at 1080p/max settings or will i be fine with it for the next few years?

 

[mkenyon]

Not really a expert on VRAM usage so i gotta ask:

Is the 3.5 GDDR5 + 512MB for 970 a bottleneck for games at 1080p/max settings or will i be fine with it for the next few years?

It's fine for max settings, but not fine for some ultra type packs, as found on Ubisoft games.

It's great for 1080p. But so is the 290/290X

 

[Xando]

It's fine for max settings, but not fine for some ultra type packs, as found on Ubisoft games.

It's great for 1080p. But so is the 290/290X

Thanks, was thinking about buying a 970 (with the option of adding another 970 in a few months) instead of a 980. Didn't really had a good experience with my last AMD card so i'm definitely gonna stay with Nvidia.

 

[Red Comet]

Just gotta keep the notifications up.

No real reason to go with an SC over a standard though. You can typically OC the same/better than what those other models have.

They do not bin chips for any card outside of their Classified range.

Alright, thanks

 

[Calmine]

Quick question regarding GPU upgrade.

I currently have a HD7970. It's decent and has served me very well. I'm looking to upgrade my GPU for The Witcher 3.

I was for a while considering the GTX 970, but after the whole 3.5GB malarkey I've been put off a bit, I can't afford the 980 and planned on waiting for the new AMD's but a deal on Overclockers.co.uk have the 780TI for £250 and its peeked my interested. It's out of stock atm but should be back in on the 10th.

So my question is, is it worth it? Performance wise it appears to be more powerful than the 970 even if is only 3GB and almost on par with a 980 or alternatively should still hold out for new AMD's?

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Yudoken]

It's fine for max settings, but not fine for some ultra type packs, as found on Ubisoft games.

It's great for 1080p. But so is the 290/290X

I would even say it's great for 1440p and above for a lot of games.

 

[EroticSushi]

Hey GAF,

Looking to upgrade my 5 year old 1080p ASUS monitor. Nothing special about it. Just picked it up when I built my first PC a couple of years back but I've been wanting to upgrade it for a while now.

I was thinking about getting the ASUS MX279H but I'd love to have a monitor with g-sync on.

Looking around it looks like the Acer XB270HU is the way to go for a 1440p + G-Sync monitor but the price is a bit steep since a new monitor isn't exactly something I absolutely NEED.

Are recommendations for a g-sync monitor? I'd be fine with a 1080p version and it looks like the Acer XB270H is the Acer XB270HU minus the 1440p and IPS?

Not sure what to get. Doesn't look the 1080p + G-Sync monitors are IPS.

 

[mkenyon]

If you're looking at 1080p, I'd go as far to say that G-Sync is an overrated feature. If you're on a modern system (2500K or better Intel + 290/780/970 type card), then it's pretty easy to be pushing out 100+ FPS in most games, in which case a lot of options open for solid 120/144Hz panels.

There's the Eizo Foris FG2421 which is a VA panel with native strobing (acts like a CRT screen to eliminate blur).

*edit*

Also, partially related, it looks like ASUS may have extended the release date on the MG279Q because it is now a FreeSync monitor.

$600 MSRP

 

[EroticSushi]

If you're looking at 1080p, I'd go as far to say that G-Sync is an overrated feature. If you're on a modern system (2500K or better Intel + 290/780/970 type card), then it's pretty easy to be pushing out 100+ FPS in most games, in which case a lot of options open for solid 120/144Hz panels.

There's the Eizo Foris FG2421 which is a VA panel with native strobing (acts like a CRT screen to eliminate blur).

So as far as 1080p goes, it's better to just go after a 120/144hz panel as opposed to one having G-Sync? Having really given much research to monitors but since I'm getting into photography, VFX and gaming I figured it'd be nice to upgrade now.

My rig is:
Intel Core i7-4770K
EVGA GeForce GTX 780ti
16GB Ram

EDIT: The MG279Q looks good and is priced pretty closely to the Eizo. Will they push out one with G-Sync soon? Might just wait for that.

 

[Corsick]

Hey everyone, I've built two pcs myself and I'm at a bit of a crossroads with the entire process. I've posted about needing some troubleshooting assistance in the tech support thread and am a bit frustrated with the DIY PC thing right now. I built my last pc in January of 2013, and am now having some issues with it that I can't narrow down. Long story short, I was wondering if going the way of buying your own parts but having a PC place assemble and test it for you is a decent compromise. I just don't think I have the patience to deal with troubleshooting anymore, but I don't want to throw money away on a prebuilt. The closest PC place to me is a Frys and some smaller stores. Would a place like those offer a PC assembly service for a fee? I've never even asked about it before so I wasn't sure.

 

[LilJoka]

Hey everyone, I've built two pcs myself and I'm at a bit of a crossroads with the entire process. I've posted about needing some troubleshooting assistance in the tech support thread and am a bit frustrated with the DIY PC thing right now. I built my last pc in January of 2013, and am now having some issues with it that I can't narrow down. Long story short, I was wondering if going the way of buying your own parts but having a PC place assemble and test it for you is a decent compromise. I just don't think I have the patience to deal with troubleshooting anymore, but I don't want to throw money away on a prebuilt. The closest PC place to me is a Frys and some smaller stores. Would a place like those offer a PC assembly service for a fee? I've never even asked about it before so I wasn't sure.

What issues are you having?
What are your full specs?

Having somebody else assemble a pc isn't going to help really.

 

[Corsick]

What issues are you having?
What are your full specs?

Having somebody else assemble a pc isn't going to help really.

I can link to what I posted: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=159383239#post159383239

It's just intermittent freezing that I can't seem to figure out (usually I can but this time, no such luck). A few days ago I had to toss a stick of ram that was consistently causing blue screens. That was fixed, but the freezing remains. I've reformatted and reseated things and tested temps of my main components with nothing really helping. It could be a driver issue but I'm struggling to pinpoint it. I'm just venting about the troubleshooting process as it's immensely tedious for me since I don't have a great lead. I kinda have to test everything.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

OK guys, I posted a a few pages back about getting a pre-built PC but the reaction I got made it seem like an odd idea. Pairing an i7 4790, 32gb ram and then a lowish end AMD r7 250. So I decided to go the prebuilt way. The issue is I haven't built a PC since 1998 (seriously), so I'm very overwhelmed.

I have a budget of around $1500 Canadian before taxes and I have it in my end I should start with the same i7 4790, a GTX 980 but go down to 16GB ram. This issue is I have no idea what case, motherboard, cooling fans, PSU or HDD to get. The other issue is the 3 things I've picked out have taken $1200 of my budget online (looking at wintroniccomputers.com. Seems slightly cheaper than newegg and I can pick up in store).

Now this is being connected to an LED TV, so games won't go higher than 1080p ever, and I won't be playing many if any FPS games. I may however want to get games like Skyrim and try modding them.

Is there any place to point me in a better direction? There's way too many cases and power supplies out there, and I don't even know the basics like if I need a mid size tower or full tower.

Thanks guys.

 

[biocat]

I have CPU heat question.

I noticed while running 3DMark on my computer that my CPU temps were hitting nearly 100c, so something isn't working right.

My system:
i5 3570k @ 3.4 turbo to 4.4 at 1.2v
Corsair H60 cooler
P8Z77-I deluxe motherboard

Could it be my thermal paste? I only built this computer a couple years ago.

I've been using Asus AI suite and afterburner to check temps.

It gets to about 80c.

I just changed the cpu fan curve and I'll see if that helps.

Edit: still climbs up to 100 briefly on 3D mark.

Edit2: is there a problem with leaving the pump at 100% all the time? I might try that.

Anyone have some advice for my heat problem?

I played Alien: Isolation last night and my CPU temps stayed around 80c with CPU and case fans going full speed.

I know 80c isn't dangerously hot, but with my liquid cooler it shouldn't even be a problem. Am I going to have to redo the thermal paste?