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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 2. Read the OP. Rocking 2500K's until HBM2 and beyond.

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RGM79

Member
Hey guys I'm finally taking the plunge in moving one of my PCs to a Node 304 since its on sale. Any notes or criticism before I pull the trigger? Personally want a better mobo but this is the only one available that supports LGA1155. Do I need to get more thermal paste and whatnot if I'm moving my CPU to a diff mobo?

Current build is

i5 2500K
EVGA GTX 970
8GB RAM
Some Corsair 650W Power Supply

GnZXYVw.png

Do you already have a tube of thermal paste? If not then you'll need one. Otherwise, it looks ok. You've already brought up the motherboard being a lower end H61 model, not much else to say about that.

I'm upgrading my gpu from a 750ti to a 970

Is there anything I should do?

Make sure you have the GPU power cables ready?
 

VoxPop

Member
Do you already have a tube of thermal paste? If not then you'll need one. Otherwise, it looks ok. You've already brought up the motherboard being a lower end H61 model, not much else to say about that.

Is the motherboard bad? It's the only one available on newegg for LGA1155 socket CPUs that I could find. I'm currently using a P8Z68-V LX.
 

Skii

Member
You do have them installed if you have an Intel NIC, which I believe your motherboard does. Windows updates would have automatically installed them. It just doesn't install the extras and therefore doesn't show in control panel.

You won't be able to run games in safe mode.

I can't seem to find it. Here are my drivers; which section would it be under?

So if I can't play games in safe mode, I doubt I'll be able to replicate the same conditions to find out if its gone :(
 

LilJoka

Member
I can't seem to find it. Here are my drivers; which section would it be under?

So if I can't play games in safe mode, I doubt I'll be able to replicate the same conditions to find out if its gone :(

Ok it looks like lots of critical things are not installed, that needs fixing first.

You need
Chipset driver
Intel management driver
Intel LAN driver -> get from Intel site not motherboard site

After these are installed then we will come back to the latency issue.

Chipset driver and management engine are critical to a properly working system.

The latency issue is very likely causing the audio problem, so since you can run dpclatency in safe mode it's all the data we need.
 
Link? What model is it?
Damn it sold out.

It woulda been this one: https://jet.com/product/Zotac-ZT-90...DR5-PCI-Expr/e7f49c84a9a34b4f87f40cfe506e5491

This is my potential build btw:

**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54590) | $189.88 @ OutletPC
**Motherboard** | [ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-h97mpro4) | $70.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [Crucial 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-ct102464ba160b) | $33.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz75e250bam) | $86.00 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $51.88 @ OutletPC
**Video Card** | [Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt9010110p) | $319.89 @ OutletPC
**Case** | [NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-s210e002) | $42.99 @ Directron
**Power Supply** | [Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx500) | $52.44 @ OutletPC
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$848.06**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-11-10 18:17 EST-0500 |

I'll be going to Micro Center for the CPU ($159.99) and since I'm not gonna overclock, I think the mobo is decent enough. The PSU is from my former build. (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GHbJ7P)
 

RGM79

Member
Is the motherboard bad? It's the only one available on newegg for LGA1155 socket CPUs that I could find. I'm currently using a P8Z68-V LX.

No, it doesn't seem bad. The motherboard has nice reviews, it's just that H61 is technically lower end compared to Z68. See these two images [1][2] for a comparison.
 

Skii

Member
Ok it looks like lots of critical things are not installed, that needs fixing first.

You need
Chipset driver
Intel management driver
Intel LAN driver -> get from Intel site not motherboard site

After these are installed then we will come back to the latency issue.

Chipset driver and management engine are critical to a properly working system.

The latency issue is very likely causing the audio problem, so since you can run dpclatency in safe mode it's all the data we need.

I know these are probably really stupid questions to you but where would I find the chipset driver and intel management driver? Surprised they aren't installed by themselves. I'll install the intel lan driver now.

EDIT: Okay, I misread your post. I went to the motherboard website and installed the intel management engine under "chipset" but can't find any chipset driver itself. Here is the link to the drivers.
 
Hey guys I'm finally taking the plunge in moving one of my PCs to a Node 304 since its on sale. Any notes or criticism before I pull the trigger? Personally want a better mobo but this is the only one available that supports LGA1155. Do I need to get more thermal paste and whatnot if I'm moving my CPU to a diff mobo?

Current build is

i5 2500K
EVGA GTX 970
8GB RAM
Some Corsair 650W Power Supply

GnZXYVw.png

I assume you know the limitations of H61. Can't overclock, only SATA-II, that motherboard doesn't have USB3 headers (not sure if any H61 do). What cooler will you be using?
 

RGM79

Member
Damn it sold out.

It woulda been this one: https://jet.com/product/Zotac-ZT-90...DR5-PCI-Expr/e7f49c84a9a34b4f87f40cfe506e5491

This is my potential build btw:

**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54590) | $189.88 @ OutletPC
**Motherboard** | [ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-h97mpro4) | $70.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [Crucial 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-ct102464ba160b) | $33.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz75e250bam) | $86.00 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $51.88 @ OutletPC
**Video Card** | [Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt9010110p) | $319.89 @ OutletPC
**Case** | [NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-s210e002) | $42.99 @ Directron
**Power Supply** | [Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx500) | $52.44 @ OutletPC
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$848.06**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-11-10 18:17 EST-0500 |

I'll be going to Micro Center for the CPU ($159.99) and since I'm not gonna overclock, I think the mobo is decent enough. The PSU is from my former build. (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GHbJ7P)

Shame, that would have been a great price. Overall the build looks alright. Consider looking for an H81 or B85 motherboard to save even more money. I don't recommend the Corsair CX500 for $50+, that's not a good price. Instead the CX600 is available for a lower price, or look for a equivalent EVGA model like the 500B. Here's my version of your parts list:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($33.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($296.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($36.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $739.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-10 18:51 EST-0500

It costs over $100 less but retains the same level of performance (same processor and still has a GTX 970).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438011

FYI: The EVGA 1300w PS is $139 shipped AR @ Newegg. I was going to pick up a EVGA 1600w Platinum to replace my crappy Antec 1300 but this was too good a deal to pass up. This should be more than adequate for my 5820k@4.4k/3-way 980Ti SLI setup.

Not a bad price. I hope your issues will go away with this. It'd suck to keep running into the same situation.

I know these are probably really stupid questions to you but where would I find the chipset driver and intel management driver? Surprised they aren't installed by themselves. I'll install the intel lan driver now.

You can get them from the download support page of the website for your motherboard manufacturer. Look up the model number and click on the download or support link.
 

VoxPop

Member
No, it doesn't seem bad. The motherboard has nice reviews, it's just that H61 is technically lower end compared to Z68. See these two images [1][2] for a comparison.

opticalmace said:
I assume you know the limitations of H61. Can't overclock, only SATA-II, that motherboard doesn't have USB3 headers (not sure if any H61 do). What cooler will you be using?

I didn't plan on overclocking anyway. I found an even cheaper refurbished P8H61-M LE for $29.99 that I'm probably going to bite on. Is that SATA-II going to hurt? I'm currently using some 400GB Intel SSD I got for free and a 1.5TB WD HDD. There aren't many choices for mini-ITX :( I'm also recycling my CM Hyper 212. This Mobo + 2500K will be probably be used for at most another year before I switch up to a newer CPU and mobo next year anyway. It should suffice, right?

I saw the USB header part as a compatibility note on PCPartPicker. Does that just mean I won't have USB 3.0 ports in the front of the case but will still have it in the back? Thanks guys. Sorry for all the questions, haven't upgraded in a LONG time.

GRKmJTM.png


New build. New additions :p

EDIT: Fuck it, just bought the stuff on that list. Feel free to leave criticism though. I can return stuff if anything.
 

Skii

Member
Ok it looks like lots of critical things are not installed, that needs fixing first.

You need
Chipset driver
Intel management driver
Intel LAN driver -> get from Intel site not motherboard site

After these are installed then we will come back to the latency issue.

Chipset driver and management engine are critical to a properly working system.

The latency issue is very likely causing the audio problem, so since you can run dpclatency in safe mode it's all the data we need.

Okay I think I've downloaded them now. Does my device manager look fine now?

You can get them from the download support page of the website for your motherboard manufacturer. Look up the model number and click on the download or support link.
Yeah it was so obvious lol. Thanks anyway :)
 
Shame, that would have been a great price. Overall the build looks alright. Consider looking for an H81 or B85 motherboard to save even more money. I don't recommend the Corsair CX500 for $50+, that's not a good price. Instead the CX600 is available for a lower price, or look for a equivalent EVGA model like the 500B. Here's my version of your parts list:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($33.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($296.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($36.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $739.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-10 18:51 EST-0500

It costs over $100 less but retains the same level of performance (same processor and still has a GTX 970).

Nah, I mean I'll be reusing the same PSU I have already. Is that recommended or should I pony up and get the CX600 you posted?

Also, whats this:
"Some Intel H81 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Haswell Refresh CPUs."?
 
I didn't plan on overclocking anyway. I found an even cheaper refurbished P8H61-M LE for $29.99 that I'm probably going to bite on. Is that SATA-II going to hurt? I'm currently using some 400GB Intel SSD I got for free and a 1.5TB WD HDD. There aren't many choices for mini-ITX :( I'm also recycling my CM Hyper 212. This Mobo + 2500K will be probably be used for at most another year before I switch up to a newer CPU and mobo next year anyway. It should suffice, right?

I saw the USB header part as a compatibility note on PCPartPicker. Does that just mean I won't have USB 3.0 ports in the front of the case but will still have it in the back? Thanks guys. Sorry for all the questions, haven't upgraded in a LONG time.

GRKmJTM.png


New build. New additions :p

EDIT: Fuck it, just bought the stuff on that list. Feel free to leave criticism though. I can return stuff if anything.
SATA-II isn't really a problem, just means it caps out at 300MB/s. Some SSDs can exceed that, that's all.

edit: ah, found it on newegg. No it doesn't have USB3.
 

VoxPop

Member
SATA-II isn't really a problem, just means it caps out at 300MB/s. Some SSDs can exceed that, that's all.

edit: not sure about USB3, it seems some have it but some don't. Your mobo revisio isn't listed on the Asus site, so maybe it does.

Oh that's a shame. I don't think I've really used USB3 for anything though on my current mobo. Only thing I use those ports for are my keyboard/mouse/game controllers.
 
Your Current Specs: None at the moment but previous which was sold 4 months ago was:
CPU - Intel Q9450 Stock
RAM - 8GB
Motherboard - ASRock P45
GPU (Graphics) - HD4890
PSU (Power Supply) - 800W

Budget: €2000 - Ireland

Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest:
Light Gaming - 5,
Gaming - 4,
Emulation (PS2/Wii) - 0,
Video Editing - 3,
Streaming games in HD - 0,
3D/Model work (and what program) - 0,
General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback) - 3.
Programming (Visual Studios/ Intellij Idea) - 5
Very Quiet - 5
Small Form Factor - 5
VR - 3

Monitor Resolution:
What resolution will you be playing your games at? 1080P + 2 * 1280x1024 (3 monitors)
Are you going to upgrade later? No
Are you buying a new monitor? No

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:
Future Proof
Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 120? 60 minimum
How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA to you? CUDA for GPGPU Coding
Looking to reuse any parts?:
List make and model (e.g. Corsair 520HX, 640GB SATA HDD, Antec 900)
When will you build? Now
Do you have a deadline? No
Will you be overclocking?: No
Pascal GPU compatible
 

Rebel Leader

THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Do you already have a tube of thermal paste? If not then you'll need one. Otherwise, it looks ok. You've already brought up the motherboard being a lower end H61 model, not much else to say about that.



Make sure you have the GPU power cables ready?
I already checked, I have 8 pins for gpu


But I meant that do I have to install new drivers?
 

SeppOCE

Member
Your Current Specs: AMD FX 8320 / shitty single 8 GB ram stick / Motherboard: GA-78LMT-USB3 / HD 7850 OC edition / completely unsure / unsure again / 1 TB hdd but unsure


Budget: 800-1000 dollars AUD - Australia

Main Use: 3 or 4. Gaming and Video editing

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080


List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: 60FPS minimum on most games. I don't mind tinkering with settings.


When will you build?: Before next year.

Will you be overclocking?: No plans to overclock as I'm not really savvy enough for that.

------------------

I'm looking to reuse my motherboard ( GA-78LMT-USB3) and my CPU (AMD FX 8320).

I'm going to buy 16 GB of ram first, which will probably be G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB 1333, because my computer is in desperate need of more memory. Then I'm either going to buy a GTX 770 OR an AMD R9 290X. I'm a little stuck on which card I should grab as I can get an 290X for a significantly cheaper price but I'm a little iffy on AMD cards.

The part after this get's a tiny bit tricky for me. I'm going to need a Power Supply and better cooling but I'm unsure of which power supply and how many cooling fans/which fans will benefit me the most. So yeah this is my confused dilemma so if anyone wants to help feel free.
 

RGM79

Member
I didn't plan on overclocking anyway. I found an even cheaper refurbished P8H61-M LE for $29.99 that I'm probably going to bite on. Is that SATA-II going to hurt? I'm currently using some 400GB Intel SSD I got for free and a 1.5TB WD HDD. There aren't many choices for mini-ITX :( I'm also recycling my CM Hyper 212. This Mobo + 2500K will be probably be used for at most another year before I switch up to a newer CPU and mobo next year anyway. It should suffice, right?

I saw the USB header part as a compatibility note on PCPartPicker. Does that just mean I won't have USB 3.0 ports in the front of the case but will still have it in the back? Thanks guys. Sorry for all the questions, haven't upgraded in a LONG time.

GRKmJTM.png


New build. New additions :p

EDIT: Fuck it, just bought the stuff on that list. Feel free to leave criticism though. I can return stuff if anything.

That mATX motherboard is not compatible with the mITX case. It is too large to fit into the case. Cancel the motherboard if you can, NOW.

Yes, you won't have USB 3.0 available on the front, but the ones on the back of will work.

Nah, I mean I'll be reusing the same PSU I have already. Is that recommended or should I pony up and get the CX600 you posted?

Also, whats this:
"Some Intel H81 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Haswell Refresh CPUs."?

Oh, I'm not aware of what parts you already own and what's being reused. No need to get the CX600, I was just saying that buying a CX500 for $52 would be a bad idea.

The warning has to do with the fact that H81/B85 is a bit dated and might need to be updated in order to work with that processor. In usual practice, it's fairly safe to buy a H81 or B85 motherboard today unless it's super old stock that has been sitting on a shelf for a very long time, brand new stock H81 and B85 motherboards today tend to come with a high enough BIOS version to support the latest compatible CPUs.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-b85mdgs

I probably shouldn't skimp down lower than this on a mobo yeah?

That's already one of the cheapest ones you can buy. Reviews are still decent and mostly positive.

Your Current Specs: None at the moment but previous which was sold 4 months ago was:
CPU - Intel Q9450 Stock
RAM - 8GB
Motherboard - ASRock P45
GPU (Graphics) - HD4890
PSU (Power Supply) - 800W

Budget: €2000 - Ireland

Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest:
Light Gaming - 5,
Gaming - 4,
Emulation (PS2/Wii) - 0,
Video Editing - 3,
Streaming games in HD - 0,
3D/Model work (and what program) - 0,
General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback) - 3.
Programming (Visual Studios/ Intellij Idea) - 5
Very Quiet - 5
Small Form Factor - 5
VR - 3

Monitor Resolution:
What resolution will you be playing your games at? 1080P + 2 * 1280x1024 (3 monitors)
Are you going to upgrade later? No
Are you buying a new monitor? No

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:
Future Proof
Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 120? 60 minimum
How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA to you? CUDA for GPGPU Coding
Looking to reuse any parts?:
List make and model (e.g. Corsair 520HX, 640GB SATA HDD, Antec 900)
When will you build? Now
Do you have a deadline? No
Will you be overclocking?: No
Pascal GPU compatible

Are there any local retailers you prefer to shop at, or will skinflint.co.uk work for you?

I already checked, I have 8 pins for gpu. But I meant that do I have to install new drivers?

No, Nvidia drivers are all the same. You shouldn't need to reinstall the Nvidia drivers unless there's a problem.

Your Current Specs: AMD FX 8320 / shitty single 8 GB ram stick / Motherboard: GA-78LMT-USB3 / HD 7850 OC edition / completely unsure / unsure again / 1 TB hdd but unsure

Budget: 800-1000 dollars AUD - Australia

Main Use: 3 or 4. Gaming and Video editing

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: 60FPS minimum on most games. I don't mind tinkering with settings.

When will you build?: Before next year.

Will you be overclocking?: No plans to overclock as I'm not really savvy enough for that.

------------------

I'm looking to reuse my motherboard ( GA-78LMT-USB3) and my CPU (AMD FX 8320).

I'm going to buy 16 GB of ram first, which will probably be G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB 1333, because my computer is in desperate need of more memory. Then I'm either going to buy a GTX 770 OR an AMD R9 290X. I'm a little stuck on which card I should grab as I can get an 290X for a significantly cheaper price but I'm a little iffy on AMD cards.

The part after this get's a tiny bit tricky for me. I'm going to need a Power Supply and better cooling but I'm unsure of which power supply and how many cooling fans/which fans will benefit me the most. So yeah this is my confused dilemma so if anyone wants to help feel free.

Is there something wrong with your existing RAM that you'd call it shitty? It's cheaper and more practical to add 8GB of RAM to your existing 8GB for 16GB total.

The GTX 770 and R9 290X are discontinued now, neither of them are recommended. Look at the GTX 960 4GB, R9 380 4GB, GTX 970. and R9 390 instead. Or did you mean you were looking at used graphics cards? The R9 290X would most certainly be much stronger than the GTX 770.

As for the power supply, which one you should get will depend on the rest of your parts, but you should be looking for 550~650 watts which should cover your needs. How many cooling fans and which fans you should get depends on what case you have, the rest of your parts, and what airflow is like.
 

VoxPop

Member
That mATX motherboard is not compatible with the mITX case. It is too large to fit into the case. Cancel the motherboard if you can, NOW.

Yes, you won't have USB 3.0 available on the front, but the ones on the back of will work.



Oh, I'm not aware of what parts you already own and what's being reused. No need to get the CX600, I was just saying that buying a CX500 for $52 would be a bad idea.

The warning has to do with the fact that H81/B85 is a bit dated and might need to be updated in order to work with that processor. In usual practice, it's fairly safe to buy a H81 or B85 motherboard today unless it's super old stock that has been sitting on a shelf for a very long time, brand new stock H81 and B85 motherboards today tend to come with a high enough BIOS version to support the latest compatible CPUs.



That's already one of the cheapest ones you can buy. Reviews are still decent and mostly positive.



Are there any local retailers you prefer to shop at, or will skinflint.co.uk work for you?



No, Nvidia drivers are all the same. You shouldn't need to reinstall the Nvidia drivers unless there's a problem.



Is there something wrong with your existing RAM that you'd call it shitty? It's cheaper and more practical to add 8GB of RAM to your existing 8GB for 16GB total.

The GTX 770 and R9 290X are discontinued now, neither of them are recommended. Look at the GTX 960 4GB, R9 380 4GB, GTX 970. and R9 390 instead. Or did you mean you were looking at used graphics cards? The R9 290X would most certainly be much stronger than the GTX 770.

As for the power supply, which one you should get will depend on the rest of your parts, but you should be looking for 550~650 watts which should cover your needs. How many cooling fans and which fans you should get depends on what case you have, the rest of your parts, and what airflow is like.

Oh wow didn't even see that. I went into cancel but it seems like I have to cancel the entire order even though I can select individual parts..? :(
 

RGM79

Member
Oh wow didn't even see that. I went into cancel but it seems like I have to cancel the entire order even though I can select individual parts..? :(

Perhaps try emailing or calling Newegg. If the order wasn't made too long ago and hasn't been processed, maybe you can avoid the hassle of returning it. At least it wasn't too expensive.
 

VoxPop

Member
Perhaps try emailing or calling Newegg. If the order wasn't made too long ago and hasn't been processed, maybe you can avoid the hassle of returning it. At least it wasn't too expensive.

I tried the button with the mobo selected and it ended up canceling the entire order haha. Just rebought everything and went with the mini ITX one this time.
 

Goody

Member
Hi, folks. Complete layman here. I'm so sorry. Had a friend help me put together a build about 4 years ago. It's been fine up until now. Fallout 4 runs like a dog on it.

Here's my current specs:
Intel i5-2500 CPU @ 3.3GHz
8GB RAM
AMD Radeon HD 6850
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze
BIOSTAR H61MU3 Motherboard

Primary usage is gaming. Looking to play any given game at 1080 and 60 FPS, specifically I want to get the most out of Fallout 4.

I don't really know what I'm able to reuse, besides, say my DVD drive and case and such.

My first question is what's OK to reuse here?

Any guidance would be appreciated.
 

Wag

Member
Not a bad price. I hope your issues will go away with this. It'd suck to keep running into the same situation.

Holy shit!!! I bought the thing and it shipped and I just noticed it only has enough cables for 2 of the 3 980Tis. DAMNIT!!!! I'm out more money!!!!!!!! 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

Well. At least I purchased it Shoprunner so maybe newegg will let me return it for free. I doubt it tho, that's usually just for defects.
 
Hi, folks. Complete layman here. I'm so sorry. Had a friend help me put together a build about 4 years ago. It's been fine up until now. Fallout 4 runs like a dog on it.

Here's my current specs:
Intel i5-2500 CPU @ 3.3GHz
8GB RAM
AMD Radeon HD 6850
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze
BIOSTAR H61MU3 Motherboard

Primary usage is gaming. Looking to play any given game at 1080 and 60 FPS, specifically I want to get the most out of Fallout 4.

I don't really know what I'm able to reuse, besides, say my DVD drive and case and such.

My first question is what's OK to reuse here?

Any guidance would be appreciated.
The 2500 is still a pretty good CPU. I think all you need to do for now is get a nice new GPU. Depending on your budget, you'll probably want to spend in the $200-$300 USD range.
 

Vaettir

Member
Awesome, thanks for the feedback. I got the case and the PSU. What ram (16GB) and aftermarket heatsink do you recommend?

Kingston HyperX Fury ram is a good choice for low profile ram. Haven't had any problems with them.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8E90WS/?tag=neogaf0e-20

As for an aftermarket cooler, the Hyper 212 Evo is the safe choice.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O65JXI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

However, I personally recommend the Cryorig H7. It performs better than the 212 Evo, has better ram clearance, costs practically the same amount, and a lot more beginner friendly to install. It's also shorter than the 212 Evo making it easier to fit in smaller cases.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF2DZ6565
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S7YA5FQ/?tag=neogaf0e-20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNF-GHQthro
 
Holy shit!!! I bought the thing and it shipped and I just noticed it only has enough cables for 2 of the 3 980Tis. DAMNIT!!!! I'm out more money!!!!!!!! �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��

Well. At least I purchased it Shoprunner so maybe newegg will let me return it for free. I doubt it tho, that's usually just for defects.

Are you sure? It looks like it comes with six 8-pin connectors and two 6-pins. I assume the 980 Tis are only two 8-pins, so it should be able to handle tri-SLI with the included number of cables?

manual: http://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/120-G2-1300-1000.pdf
 

Quotient

Member
Does Microcenter have a price match policy, and does it include online retailers like Amazon, Newegg etc. I ask because i can't any reference on their website.
 

Wag

Member
Are you sure? It looks like it comes with six 8-pin connectors and two 6-pins. I assume the 980 Tis are only two 8-pins, so it should be able to handle tri-SLI with the included number of cables?

manual: http://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/120-G2-1300-1000.pdf

NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-980-Ti-Power-Connectors.jpg


One 6+8pin actually. I was mistaken. I was looking at the G1000 specs. It should work. If I don't have enough cables I can always use an adapter. They look crappy but it'll work.
 

rrs

Member
Hi, folks. Complete layman here. I'm so sorry. Had a friend help me put together a build about 4 years ago. It's been fine up until now. Fallout 4 runs like a dog on it.

Here's my current specs:
Intel i5-2500 CPU @ 3.3GHz
8GB RAM
AMD Radeon HD 6850
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze
BIOSTAR H61MU3 Motherboard

Primary usage is gaming. Looking to play any given game at 1080 and 60 FPS, specifically I want to get the most out of Fallout 4.

I don't really know what I'm able to reuse, besides, say my DVD drive and case and such.

My first question is what's OK to reuse here?

Any guidance would be appreciated.
A new GPU and you are set to go, this is more or less what my setup was but I had a 6870 (RIP) and larger PSU. Went from low settings on GTAV to full splendor with a 970

A 960 would be an easy upgrade without any chance of going over the psu's wattage, maybe a 970 would work out.
 

Vaettir

Member
Does Microcenter have a price match policy, and does it include online retailers like Amazon, Newegg etc. I ask because i can't any reference on their website.

In store, they do price match but it varies per store. Like mine would price match as long as it was a major retail competitor like Amazon and Newegg. They would deny price matching if the difference was anything less than $10.
 

LilJoka

Member
Okay I think I've downloaded them now. Does my device manager look fine now?


Yeah it was so obvious lol. Thanks anyway :)

Good job, can we get a dpc latency screenshot now?
And can you right click properties the Intel gigabit LAN under network adapter in device manager, I'm specifically looking to see the driver version.
 
http://techgage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-980-Ti-Power-Connectors.jpg[IMG]

One 6+8pin actually. I was mistaken. I was looking at the G1000 specs. It should work. If I don't have enough cables I can always use an adapter. They look crappy but it'll work.[/QUOTE]
Oh yeah, it'll be fine with that PSU.
 

kuYuri

Member
Does Microcenter have a price match policy, and does it include online retailers like Amazon, Newegg etc. I ask because i can't any reference on their website.

I think it varies. My local store does not price match Amazon, but would for Newegg, Tiger Direct, B&H Photo, Best Buy, and some others.
 
Does Microcenter have a price match policy, and does it include online retailers like Amazon, Newegg etc. I ask because i can't any reference on their website.

It depends on both the location and the salesperson, likely due to their commission.

While buying my R9 380, I had one dude "check with his manager" before being able to price match Newegg. The 'manager' declined so I told him, "thanks anyway" and he lost a sale. Another salesman matched Newegg right away, and even checked the other components I was purchasing.
 
For those who can inform...

if you were to choose between Acer Predator xb270hu or an asus pg279q...which would you go for? with the asus being a bit more expensive.

Also Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Towers are fine cases, right?

Or are Fractal's absolutely worth it over them?
 

TBiddy

Member
I'm looking to replace my old trusty GTX 580 with something a bit faster. Thing is, though, I'm not willing to spend a large amount of money on a replacement.

Is there a budget-friendly card that is worth investing in or do I need to shell out the big money for a new card? From what I can gather, the GTX 580 is still a pretty fast card, but it's getting a bit long in the tooth, especially when playing FO4 at 1440p:)
 

RGM79

Member
I'm looking to replace my old trusty GTX 580 with something a bit faster. Thing is, though, I'm not willing to spend a large amount of money on a replacement.

Is there a budget-friendly card that is worth investing in or do I need to shell out the big money for a new card? From what I can gather, the GTX 580 is still a pretty fast card, but it's getting a bit long in the tooth, especially when playing FO4 at 1440p:)

That depends on how much you're willing to spend. A ~$200 graphics card like the GTX 960 and R9 380 can outperform the old GTX 580 nowadays and have plenty of VRAM to spare. This Anandtech bench link isn't an exact comparison but the R9 380 is a slightly updated R9 285, so it should be close enough.

If you want to hit high framerates at 1440p at higher graphics settings, you should be looking toward the R9 390 or GTX 970, maybe the former more than the latter.

For those who can inform...

if you were to choose between Acer Predator xb270hu or an asus pg279q...which would you go for? with the asus being a bit more expensive.

Also Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Towers are fine cases, right?

Or are Fractal's absolutely worth it over them?

I'm not a monitor guy so I can't answer your first question, but as for the cases, it depends on what you want. The Enthoo cases are large and roomy with a premium feel, while the Define cases offer good airflow and sound-absorbing design.
 

TBiddy

Member
That depends on how much you're willing to spend. A ~$200 graphics card like the GTX 960 and R9 380 can outperform the old GTX 580 nowadays and have plenty of VRAM to spare. This Anandtech bench link isn't an exact comparison but the R9 380 is a slightly updated R9 285, so it should be close enough.

If you want to hit high framerates at 1440p at higher graphics settings, you should be looking toward the R9 390 or GTX 970, maybe the former more than the latter.

I don't care much if it's high, extremely high or ULTRA settings I'm playing it. I just like playing at my monitors native resolution.

I'll have a look at the GTX 960, I think. Would you suggest going for the 4 GB version?
 

Durante

Member
For those who can inform...

if you were to choose between Acer Predator xb270hu or an asus pg279q...which would you go for? with the asus being a bit more expensive.

Also Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Towers are fine cases, right?

Or are Fractal's absolutely worth it over them?
The monitors are very similar except for the ability to run the Asus at 165Hz. You have to decide whether that's worth the price bump for you.
 

RGM79

Member
I don't care much if it's high, extremely high or ULTRA settings I'm playing it. I just like playing at my monitors native resolution.

I'll have a look at the GTX 960, I think. Would you suggest going for the 4 GB version?

If you'll be playing at 1440p then yes I would definitely recommend it, games at 1080p can already use up more than 2GB of VRAM.

That said, a GTX 960 might be somewhat weak for 1440p unless you don't mind turning down graphics settings in the future. You say you don't mind if it's on high to ultra settings, but depending on what games you play you'd probably be forced to start at medium settings. For example in Techspot's tests for The Witcher 3, the GTX 960 manages an average of 33FPS on medium settings at 1440p. I'd advise spending the extra money to get a GTX 970 or R9 390 which would give you a much more solid experience at 1440p and higher settings.
 
The monitors are very similar except for the ability to run the Asus at 165Hz. You have to decide whether that's worth the price bump for you.

Cheers. I...doubt it is worth the price bump. The price bump isn't massive because both are fairly pricey but a saving is a saving.

I'm not a monitor guy so I can't answer your first question, but as for the cases, it depends on what you want. The Enthoo cases are large and roomy with a premium feel, while the Define cases offer good airflow and sound-absorbing design.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I'm just waiting for some customer service to come online so I can ask them one or two questions about things...but to be honest I'm not bothered by a bit of sound. I had a jet engine style PC for a few years and eventually I just got used to it.
 

TBiddy

Member
If you'll be playing at 1440p then yes I would definitely recommend it, games at 1080p can already use up more than 2GB of VRAM.

That said, a GTX 960 might be somewhat weak for 1440p unless you don't mind turning down graphics settings in the future. You say you don't mind if it's on high to ultra settings, but depending on what games you play you'd probably be forced to start at medium settings. For example in Techspot's tests for The Witcher 3, the GTX 960 manages an average of 33FPS on medium settings at 1440p. I'd advise spending the extra money to get a GTX 970 or R9 390 which would give you a much more solid experience at 1440p and higher settings.

Hmm, that's a solid point. The price difference between the two (4 GB versions) is only around $100 USD in my country, so it's probably worth it stepping up a notch. But then again, I'd need a new PSU probably.

Ohh, so many decisions to make.

But thanks for the help. It's really appreciated!:)
 
How does this look?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($254.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($125.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2800 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($314.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.80 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $967.64
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-02 14:28 EST-0500

I'm not sure how much under $1000 you want to go, your wording seemed to imply the less the better? You could reuse your existing Antec 300 case, but it is fairly barebones and lacks cable management and USB 3.0 ports.



You should be able to run all of it together just fine, the rule with mismatching RAM is that the motherboard will automatically run all of it at the same lower speed. If you run into any compatibility issues, try testing each stick of the new RAM. If the new RAM seems to be problematic, you may need to reset BIOS settings or do a BIOS update. If all else fails, return the RAM and get 1333MHz instead.

So I got all the parts yesterday, hooked it up and it fails to post :( the PSU, CPU fan and Case fan all spin up and then spin down and repeat.

So far I've:

test the PSU with my old Mobo and it seemed okay, I didn't fully boot into windows but it turned on for more than 5 seconds.

Swapped Mobo batteries with my old PC.

Took out EVERYTHING but the CPU.

Tried with just one stick of RAM, tried at least 2 of the four slots for RAM.

Flipped the PSU over.

I'm pretty sure the mobo and cpu power is plugged in correctly, I'm just using the default cables that are on the PSU, I didn't attach any of the extra ones it comes with, does it make a difference? About the only thing I've seen on Tom's Hardware that I haven't tried is swapping power switch cables from my old case into the new one.

I'm running low on ideas and starting to get worried that I fucked up either the motherboard or the cpu somehow. Any thoughts?
 

Rebel Leader

THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
No, Nvidia drivers are all the same. You shouldn't need to reinstall the Nvidia drivers unless there's a problem.

.
So the drivers I have with my 750to will work with my 970

Ok. Thanks. I wasn't so sure because the 970 has features the 750ti doesn't have
 
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