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[Solideliquid]

I wanted to get someone's advice on how up-to-date my computer is. I built the computer listed below on 9/2012. I realize it's been a little over 3 years and most games I have tried such as Alien Isolation play great at 1080p and slightly higher resolutions on my 27" display. I'm considering getting BACK into PC gaming with this current Steam Sale, as I've mainly been using consoles this past year. I don't know if I installing a new Nvidia 980 will be a good decision vs saving/waiting and getting/building a new PC would be a better option. Would my current processor and RAM be a significant bottle neck at this point?

I would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!



ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge Quad-Core 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W BX80623I52500K Desktop Processor

SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 ST2000DL004 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL

Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Intel Haskell

Crucial M4 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) CT128M4SSD2

GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 670 DirectX 11 GV-N670OC-2GD 2GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video

 

[RGM79]

I wanted to get someone's advice on how up-to-date my computer is. I built the computer listed below on 9/2012. I realize it's been a little over 3 years and most games I have tried such as Alien Isolation play great at 1080p and slightly higher resolutions on my 27" display. I'm considering getting BACK into PC gaming with this current Steam Sale, as I've mainly been using consoles this past year. I don't know if I installing a new Nvidia 980 will be a good decision vs saving/waiting and getting/building a new PC would be a better option. Would my current processor and RAM be a significant bottle neck at this point?

I would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!



ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge Quad-Core 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W BX80623I52500K Desktop Processor

SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 ST2000DL004 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL

Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Intel Haskell

Crucial M4 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) CT128M4SSD2

GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 670 DirectX 11 GV-N670OC-2GD 2GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video

Everything is fine. You don't even need to upgrade anything if you don't need to play at the highest settings and/or 60FPS. Otherwise just get a new graphics card, and maybe overclock your processor if you want.

 

[REMAINSILLY]

EDIT: WRONG DAMN THREAD! SORRY!

 

[Joco]

Anyone here have any experience with this Acer monitor? Some mixed reviews, seems decent for the price though.

 

[j0hnny_385]

Hey GAF!
Here's the deal:

A buddy of mine would like to upgrade his current PC in the next couple of months (next summer - at the latest) but he'd like some preliminary info since he's been out of the PC-building loop for a couple of years.

Current specs are:

i5-2500k
ASUS P8-Z68
16GB DDR3
2x Radeon 6970
120GB Kingston HyperX & 250GB Samsung 840
27" 2560x1440 (although he mostly plays on a 1080p TV via Steam BPM)

This rig is starting to take a hit on various current PC releases (Dying Light for example) and he would like to upgrade to a more future-proof setup (especially with VR around the corner).

Since he likes the option of having both his 1440p monitor or 1080p TV for games, I'm thinking on something like this:

ASUS Z170-A
i5-6600K (i7-6700K isn't worth it, right?)
CM Hyper 212 Evo
2x8GB DDR4 (2800MHz)

The main issue I'm having (other than i5 vs. i7) is the GPU choice.
Since we don't know any (reliable) info regarding Pascal and when it's coming, is 980Ti the best choice atm (or in the next couple of months)?
Especially considering the 1440p resolution and wanting to run games at native res at 60fps as much as possible?

He'll keep everything else (SSDs, case, peripherals, etc.).

Thoughts?

 

[opticalmace]

Hey GAF!
Here's the deal:

A buddy of mine would like to upgrade his current PC in the next couple of months (next summer - at the latest) but he'd like some preliminary info since he's been out of the PC-building loop for a couple of years.

Current specs are:

i5-2500k
ASUS P8-Z68
16GB DDR3
2x Radeon 6970
120GB Kingston HyperX & 250GB Samsung 840
27" 2560x1440 (although he mostly plays on a 1080p TV via Steam BPM)

This rig is starting to take a hit on various current PC releases (Dying Light for example) and he would like to upgrade to a more future-proof setup (especially with VR around the corner).

Since he likes the option of having both his 1440p monitor or 1080p TV for games, I'm thinking on something like this:

ASUS Z170-A
i5-6600K (i7-6700K isn't worth it, right?)
CM Hyper 212 Evo
2x8GB DDR4 (2800MHz)

The main issue I'm having (other than i5 vs. i7) is the GPU choice.
Since we don't know any (reliable) info regarding Pascal and when it's coming, is 980Ti the best choice atm (or in the next couple of months)?
Especially considering the 1440p resolution and wanting to run games at native res at 60fps as much as possible?

He'll keep everything else (SSDs, case, peripherals, etc.).

Thoughts?

Just overclock the 2500k and get a 980 Ti.

 

[Dahaka]

hey guys,

I was told that using 1,65V RAM like HyperX Savage DDR-2400 along with my i7-4970k, Asus Maximus VII Hero is harmful to the CPU due to the voltage being higher than 1,5V.

Is this true? I want more and faster RAM (currently ddr3-1333) due to stuff like this

http://www.techspot.com/review/1089-fallout-4-benchmarks/page6.html

 

[ISee]

hey guys,

I was told that using 1,65V RAM like HyperX Savage DDR-2400 along with my i7-4970k, Asus Maximus VII Hero is harmful to the CPU due to the voltage being higher than 1,5V.

Is this true? I want more and faster RAM (currently ddr3-1333) due to stuff like this

http://www.techspot.com/review/1089-fallout-4-benchmarks/page6.html

Should work. XMP certified ram should even apply all necessary settings on its own. Just plug n play.

 

[Dahaka]

Should work. XMP certified ram should even apply all necessary settings on its own. Just plug n play.

thanks, was just worried about the 1,65V which supposedly goes on the CPU but you guys are more reliable.

 

[emptyroom]

Almost too good, what version of prime95?
Ambient temperature?

I'll have to check when I'm home but system temp usually shows around 30 degrees. PC is in my basement which is probably helping keep it cool

 

[j0hnny_385]

Just overclock the 2500k and get a 980 Ti.

Ha! 2500K still the GOAT, I see.
That CPU really is the beast.

I'll present him with both the options, either way he's got to buy a new GPU which itself is pretty pricey.

 

[scojitsu]

Help PC GAF!
Would you wait for Pascal or spend £550 on a Gigabyte 980TI Windforce Extreme? I play games on a 1440p/165hz (asus rog swift pg279q) on an EVGA 780.
The next generation of graphics cards seems so very close.

 

[Neil_J_UK]

Help PC GAF!
Would you wait for Pascal or spend £550 on a Gigabyte 980TI Windforce Extreme? I play games on a 1440p/165hz (asus rog swift pg279q) on an EVGA 780.
The next generation of graphics cards seems so very close.

Curious to get as many opinions as possible as I'm in the market for a 980 TI myself - why would you choose the Gigabyte?

 

[Dahaka]

I don't believe a single bit that the next TI cards are close at all, rather late November/autumn.

The question then is will you wait a whole year of top games with lesser performance?
I'd choose the Super Jetstream over the Windforce anyday. cooler and quieter, with good overclock you could skip until Volta. Remember that Volta is the new gen, not Pascal. Pascal is a better Maxwell.

 

[finalflame]

Help PC GAF!
Would you wait for Pascal or spend £550 on a Gigabyte 980TI Windforce Extreme? I play games on a 1440p/165hz (asus rog swift pg279q) on an EVGA 780.
The next generation of graphics cards seems so very close.

If you can, I'd say wait. Pascal will make everything, even the 980 Ti/Titan X, extremely obsolete.

It's the first really large leap for nVidia in a while, and the first die shrink since the GTX 6xx series (28nm -> 16nm). Add in the fact that they're moving to HBM2 and you're going to see some crazy performance from the new cards. I don't think it's worth buying a top-end card less than a year away from a major step up that will probably be at/around the same price for much greater performance and a more modern GPU. Of course, that is fully up to you wallet to device, but at this point I'd personally make do with what you have or, at most, a GTX970.

All of this becomes a non-issue if you just have more money than you know what to do with, though.

 

[Finaika]

Remember that Volta is the new gen, not Pascal. Pascal is a better Maxwell.

Oh shit really? Then why is everybody waiting for Pascal and not Volta?

 

[finalflame]

Oh shit really? Then why is everybody waiting for Pascal and not Volta?

Because it's not true. Pascal (GP100) has been confirmed many times as being a 16nm FinFET node produced by TSCM and utilizing HBM2.

Further (more recent) report from JP GTC: http://hexus.net/tech/news/graphics/88211-nvidia-reveals-pascal-japanese-gtc/

Filling in further background detail, VR World confirms that the Pascal GPU will be manufactured by TSMC on the 16nm FinFET process. Pascal will be able to support up to 32GB of HBM2 memory and provide up to 1TB/s of bandwidth, while internally enjoying 2TB/s bandwidth.

 

[Dahaka]

Oh shit really? Then why is everybody waiting for Pascal and not Volta?

cooler, less power hungry GTX 980+ performance for less money. Huge number of gamers with 7xx cards eager to upgrade. Waiting for Volta most likely means waiting 18 months at minimum. More like 22-22. I wouldn't want that.

 

[Sourtreats]

Does anyone know a way to get Steam Big Picture mode to default play sound through the monitor/TV its displaying on?

I have a monitor and a TV connected to my Desktop. I have Steambig picture set up so when its launched it switched the main display to the TV. However my sound is still coming out of my speakers which are 90 degrees to the TV, so sound is always coming out left of me. Is there a trick or something that I can use to get the sound to also default to the TV when I use SBP mode?

 

[LilJoka]

Does anyone know a way to get Steam Big Picture mode to default play sound through the monitor/TV its displaying on?

I have a monitor and a TV connected to my Desktop. I have Steambig picture set up so when its launched it switched the main display to the TV. However my sound is still coming out of my speakers which are 90 degrees to the TV, so sound is always coming out left of me. Is there a trick or something that I can use to get the sound to also default to the TV when I use SBP mode?

You could probably use a batch file to swap the default audio device and open Steam. But then youll have the problem that when Steam is closed, that the audio is now still coming from the monitor.

 

[j0hnny_385]

Does anyone know a way to get Steam Big Picture mode to default play sound through the monitor/TV its displaying on?

I have a monitor and a TV connected to my Desktop. I have Steambig picture set up so when its launched it switched the main display to the TV. However my sound is still coming out of my speakers which are 90 degrees to the TV, so sound is always coming out left of me. Is there a trick or something that I can use to get the sound to also default to the TV when I use SBP mode?

What GPU do you have?
If it's NVIDA, go to Nvidia Control Panel -> Display -> Set up Digital Audio and select your TV under HDMI (I assume it's HDMI?)

 

[luffeN]

Well, it sounds like you'll need more research. That and it's the GTX 970 holding back things because it's not exactly ideal for 4K gaming.

Last update about the situation of 4K or not 4K. I will send the monitor back. The 60hz are definitely not for me anymore. The added screen space does not help immensely so I will stick to my 1080p set for the time being. I either wait for Pascal + DP 1.3 or buy another 1080p set with 144hz as a second monitor.

The Asus PB278Q is a good monitor for its price if one is not used to 120 to 144hz.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Going to ask this here since y'all helped me build it.

Do all power cords work for all PC'S if they fit the socket? I left mine at home while traveling for Xmas, so I plugged in a spare at my family's house, but it will not turn on. Not sure if the cord is wrong, or if something got damaged in transit.

 

[Delicious Waffles]

Hello all.

I'm looking to get a gaming PC for the first time ever in the next couple of months. The thing is, I'm not very confident in building one myself (I'm not very technical so I got a feeling it'll be a total disaster) so I come here with a question. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service in the US that allows you to pick the parts you want and they build it for you.

The only option I was looking at was Alienware but, playing around with their building options, makes for quite an expensive purchase so I was curious if there's a cheaper option.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Erebus]

What country are you in? If she's not savvy enough to need the processor to be overclockable, look for a non-K model processor. Also while you say Skylake and Haswell cost the same, have you considered how much the motherboard and RAM cost? Also, what RAM does she have, and in what configuration? If it's DDR3, you could go with Haswell which will allow her to reuse the RAM and that will save some money as well.

Greece.

The motherboard is too old and I'm afraid it's DDR2 if I recall correctly, in a configuration of 4x1GB DIMMs.
Plus, she gets BSODs every now and then which I suspect are due to the RAM (the diagnostics show this way).

That's why I want to go with Skylake, I believe it will last much longer and she isn't the kind of person who upgrades her PC every couple of years (again her current CPU is a Q6600).

The non-K model of 6600 is €245.

 

[opticalmace]

If you can, I'd say wait. Pascal will make everything, even the 980 Ti/Titan X, extremely obsolete.

http://i.imgur.com/zfb1S3G.png?1[IMG][/QUOTE]

I wouldn't take the marketing speak as gospel.

 

[Lourio]

Going to ask this here since y'all helped me build it.

Do all power cords work for all PC'S if they fit the socket? I left mine at home while traveling for Xmas, so I plugged in a spare at my family's house, but it will not turn on. Not sure if the cord is wrong, or if something got damaged in transit.

Is the switch on the PSU set to off? Happens way too often...

 

[UnrealEck]

Hello all.

I'm looking to get a gaming PC for the first time ever in the next couple of months. The thing is, I'm not very confident in building one myself (I'm not very technical so I got a feeling it'll be a total disaster) so I come here with a question. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service in the US that allows you to pick the parts you want and they build it for you.

What is it about building it you're afraid of? Have you watched any videos of builds? Get yourself an anti-static strap and a mat to work on if you're afraid of ESD. You probably should do that anyway. A lot of it is common sense. Don't force things. Don't touch contacts. Handle things by the edges as much as possible.

 

[RGM79]

thanks, was just worried about the 1,65V which supposedly goes on the CPU but you guys are more reliable.

Yeah, even if you're worried about the higher voltage, you can always leave it to run at 1333/1600MHz and 1.5V which it does by default.

Last update about the situation of 4K or not 4K. I will send the monitor back. The 60hz are definitely not for me anymore. The added screen space does not help immensely so I will stick to my 1080p set for the time being. I either wait for Pascal + DP 1.3 or buy another 1080p set with 144hz as a second monitor.

The Asus PB278Q is a good monitor for its price if one is not used to 120 to 144hz.

Sounds like you have a plan. Good luck.

Hello all.

I'm looking to get a gaming PC for the first time ever in the next couple of months. The thing is, I'm not very confident in building one myself (I'm not very technical so I got a feeling it'll be a total disaster) so I come here with a question. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service in the US that allows you to pick the parts you want and they build it for you.

The only option I was looking at was Alienware but, playing around with their building options, makes for quite an expensive purchase so I was curious if there's a cheaper option.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NCIXUS does hardware assembly, testing, and OS install for $50 if you buy parts from there and they give you one year warranty as well as all of the individual parts boxes in case you need them for rebates or individual warranty.

Going to ask this here since y'all helped me build it.

Do all power cords work for all PC'S if they fit the socket? I left mine at home while traveling for Xmas, so I plugged in a spare at my family's house, but it will not turn on. Not sure if the cord is wrong, or if something got damaged in transit.

It should work unless you have a bad cord. I once destroyed a thin cord trying to power a PC when I should have used a thicker one though.

Greece.

The motherboard is too old and I'm afraid it's DDR2 if I recall correctly, in a configuration of 4x1GB DIMMs.
Plus, she gets BSODs every now and then which I suspect are due to the RAM (the diagnostics show this way).

That's why I want to go with Skylake, I believe it will last much longer and she isn't the kind of person who upgrades her PC every couple of years (again her current CPU is a Q6600).

The non-K model of 6600 is €245.

I'm on mobile otherwise I'd look up parts for you, but I'm still somewhat sure an i5 4460, H81 or B85 motherboard, and 8GB of DDR3 should be cheaper than an i5 6600K, Z170 motherboard, and 8GB of DDR4. I apologize of it isn't, I haven't had time to look at the retailer you linked at.

Edit:
i5 4460 for 193 Euros
http://www.skroutz.gr/s/4857199/Intel-Core-i5-4460-Box.html

Asrock B85M-HDS R2.0 for 58 Euros
http://www.skroutz.gr/s/7483111/Asrock-B85M-HDS-R2-0.html

Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB DDR3 for 38 Euros
http://www.skroutz.gr/s/4060032/Crucial-Ballistix-Sport-XT-8GB-DDR3-1600MHz-BLS8G3D169DS3CEU.html

Those parts would be very cost effective if she has no desire to overclock. You say she doesn't upgrade her computer for a long time, so it would not be an issue going with Haswell parts instead of Skylake. By the time she would need new parts again, Skylake would be discontinued and there would be a new line of incompatible consumer computer parts. It's true that Skylake offers maybe 10~20% higher performance (depending on what's being compared) but if the Q6600 was enough and she only plays those games you mentioned the Haswell is more than good enough to last her for several years.

 

[RaySpencer]

Is there a make and model of 980ti that's regarded as the best?

Edit: Looks like its probably the Asus STRIX OC?

Edit #2:

I think I might buy this stuff:

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/Fxkk23


CPU - Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core
CPU Fan - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1151

RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

GPU - Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB STRIX

Case - Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX


I can salvage the rest from my current PC. I kept the Mobo that RGM picked when I asked a couple weeks ago since I know very little about motherboards, haha.

 

[Delicious Waffles]

What is it about building it you're afraid of? Have you watched any videos of builds? Get yourself an anti-static strap and a mat to work on if you're afraid of ESD. You probably should do that anyway. A lot of it is common sense. Don't force things. Don't touch contacts. Handle things by the edges as much as possible.

It's more putting it together and making sure everything works. Plus, if something were to go wrong, I have no idea how to fix it since I'm not very tech savvy. I've watched videos and it's like they're talking in another language. It seems more like a headache than anything else for someone in my position so I'd rather get it all built by someone who knows exactly what they're doing so I can just get it, plug it in, and be on my way.

NCIXUS does hardware assembly, testing, and OS install for $50 if you buy parts from there and they give you one year warranty as well as all of the individual parts boxes in case you need them for rebates or individual warranty.

Ooo, thanks for this. Appreciate it.

 

[manfestival]

Hello all.

I'm looking to get a gaming PC for the first time ever in the next couple of months. The thing is, I'm not very confident in building one myself (I'm not very technical so I got a feeling it'll be a total disaster) so I come here with a question. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service in the US that allows you to pick the parts you want and they build it for you.

The only option I was looking at was Alienware but, playing around with their building options, makes for quite an expensive purchase so I was curious if there's a cheaper option.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You should probably get the same case that I got. There were like lego levels of instruction for building a PC. I read them because it has been so long since the last time I actually built my last computer and this was the first time in forever that I used a new case. The process is super easy though just need to constantly ground yourself to prevent paranoia and when all else fails... youtube.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Considering a Skylake build early next year, seen a few cheap 4K monitors.

Would the regular Fury (non X) be able to play 4K games at 30fps minimum?

 

[LilJoka]

Considering a Skylake build early next year, seen a few cheap 4K monitors.

Would the regular Fury (non X) be able to play 4K games at 30fps minimum?

Sure, just depends on the game and how low you want to set the graphics settings.

 

[Chairhome]

Okay, so I've been on the same hardware for about 6 years now (video card slightly newer) and I'm too broke to do a complete upgrade. Currently I have a Phenom II, 4 GB RAM and a 560 Ti. I'm starting to do some video editing and I find my pc crashing a lot, so I'm going to upgrade the motherboard, processor and RAM for now, then the video card later. I only have about $200 budget for the mobo/processor/RAM, so I'm looking at second hand goods also. Checking out the stuff on the front page, looking at older tech:
- i5 4460
- asrock h97m
- 8 GB RAM from wherever.

I can get the above for a little over $200 if I look around. thoughts? Thanks in advance if anyone wants to help out. If you're selling similar used tech from around the same price, let me know :-D

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Sure, just depends on the game and how low you want to set the graphics settings.

I'm not expecting Ultra settings or anything, I don't mind med to high detail. Thanks.

 

[finalflame]

I'm not expecting Ultra settings or anything, I don't mind med to high detail. Thanks.

Here's a good snapshot of what to expect:

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/d...ull-spec-for-cut-down-air-cooled-r9-fury-blog

 

[the21O]

What card is better a 390 or 970? I saw both recommended on my build requests. I will be doing 1080 for now and not sure if either will do anything @4k. I chickened out on the pre-built HP Envy deal because I don't know how will the parts will hold up.

 

[Cpt.Underpants]

Can anyone recommend me a decent monitor. I've got a 980ti and a budget of £375

thx

 

[finalflame]

What card is better a 390 or 970? I saw both recommended on my build requests. I will be doing 1080 for now and not sure if either will do anything @4k. I chickened out on the pre-built HP Envy deal because I don't know how will the parts will hold up.

390 performs 1-9% better at 1080p when compared to the 970 across most modern games at stock memory/core clock. At that point it's just up to you to decide if you care more about better driver support + lower power consumption or 1-9% more frames in your games.

 

[KurtFehl]

Guys. I need a relatively simple PC. It's going to be for very basic usage. I don't know what's a good budget for such a PC, but please if you have a part list let me know. A family member asked me if I could build him one. He said he wanted it for work related things. also, he doesn't want a laptop. Any ideas please!

 

[RGM79]

Is there a make and model of 980ti that's regarded as the best?

Edit: Looks like its probably the Asus STRIX OC?

Edit #2:

I think I might buy this stuff:

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/Fxkk23


CPU - Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core
CPU Fan - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1151

RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

GPU - Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB STRIX

Case - Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX


I can salvage the rest from my current PC. I kept the Mobo that RGM picked when I asked a couple weeks ago since I know very little about motherboards, haha.

If you want to order now, I think these parts will be better in terms of cost. Performance-wise it's nearly the same.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($351.22 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($27.22 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($146.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($135.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($866.95 @ Vuugo)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $1593.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-23 23:36 EST-0500

Feel free to stick with the Corsair 230T if you want. A quick check tells me that case has better airflow than the 200R because of the extra frontal fan and the mesh front vents.

Okay, so I've been on the same hardware for about 6 years now (video card slightly newer) and I'm too broke to do a complete upgrade. Currently I have a Phenom II, 4 GB RAM and a 560 Ti. I'm starting to do some video editing and I find my pc crashing a lot, so I'm going to upgrade the motherboard, processor and RAM for now, then the video card later. I only have about $200 budget for the mobo/processor/RAM, so I'm looking at second hand goods also. Checking out the stuff on the front page, looking at older tech:
- i5 4460
- asrock h97m
- 8 GB RAM from wherever.

I can get the above for a little over $200 if I look around. thoughts? Thanks in advance if anyone wants to help out. If you're selling similar used tech from around the same price, let me know :-D

You should be able to reuse your existing RAM with the new processor and motherboard as long as it's DDR3. Given that the i5 4460 costs around $165 new, you are on a tight budget. Instead of an H97 motherboard, look for a cheaper H81 or B85 motherboard for around $50~60 instead. As you can see, those parts will already run over $200 new.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($164.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H-A Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($50.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $215.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-23 23:41 EST-0500

 

[RaySpencer]

If you want to order now, I think these parts will be better in terms of cost. Performance-wise it's nearly the same.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($351.22 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($27.22 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($146.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($135.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($866.95 @ Vuugo)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $1593.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-23 23:36 EST-0500

Feel free to stick with the Corsair 230T if you want. A quick check tells me that case has better airflow than the 200R because of the extra frontal fan and the mesh front vents.

I'm picking a bunch of things based on what Memory Express has in stock in Edmonton because I'm impatient and excited to upgrade unfortunately.

So the RAM I kinda just have 1 decently priced option. Haha.

Is there much difference between the motherboards? I just noticed the SLI in both of them, I dont ever plan on going SLI, so maybe there is a good motherboard I can go down to and save even more?

I'm super open to pretty much any case too, I will pay up to around 100 bucks for one, just as long as its flat on top so I can put stuff on it, and its black and relatively inconspicuous, haha.

edit: and I forgot to update my list too. I dropped my 6600k down to a 6600 cause of stock issues, and its close enough, haha.

edit2: Looks like the Gigabyte HD3 would be a good choice, but not instock at my location, XP it is then! haha

Nope! I want the optical out. Nevermind!

 

[hateradio]

Help PC GAF!
Would you wait for Pascal or spend £550 on a Gigabyte 980TI Windforce Extreme? I play games on a 1440p/165hz (asus rog swift pg279q) on an EVGA 780.
The next generation of graphics cards seems so very close.

I went with a 970.

It's easier to upgrade in half a year knowing I spent only $300 instead of $600-700.

 

[Chairhome]

You should be able to reuse your existing RAM with the new processor and motherboard as long as it's DDR3. Given that the i5 4460 costs around $165 new, you are on a tight budget. Instead of an H97 motherboard, look for a cheaper H81 or B85 motherboard for around $50~60 instead. As you can see, those parts will already run over $200 new.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($164.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H-A Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($50.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $215.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-23 23:41 EST-0500

Thanks! Seems like a reasonable motherboard, I'm still looking around to see if I can even get a second hand processor to bring the cost down a bit... my RAM is DDR2 :-/

This helps a ton though, I really appreciate it.

 

[pantsattack]

I'm having trouble finding a psu cable. I have a MSI 770 with 2 8pin plugs and an Ultra x4 with two GPU plugs (8 and 6).

I'm currently running all drives and the GPU off molex adapters but want something more streamlined/safe.

Questions: I don't have the stock Ultra cables so, who makes a cable that solve my problems without adapters? Is it wrong to power everything off molex?

 

[Cartman86]

Building a PC to use as a media server sort of thing and it won't post. No beep etc. I've tried pretty much everything so i've given up on that angle. I'm just going to make sure I have the right parts and get a new motherboard as I assume it's DOA.

Can anyone let me know if these parts i'm using are incompatible and could be causing the issue before I go out and buy another motherboard?

MSI H81M-E33 MicroATX Motherboard
CORSAIR XMS3 8 GBx2 240 Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1333
Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell Quad-Core 3.4 GHz LGA 1150 84W BX80646I54670K
Corsair CX600 CP-9020048-US 600W Power Supply

I tried this memory too but it didn't work. I figured it might not anyways.
CORSAIR VEngeance Pro 16GB (2x8GB) 240 Pin DDR3 1866

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Is there a make and model of 980ti that's regarded as the best?

Edit: Looks like its probably the Asus STRIX OC?.

Pretty much all the custom cooler 980 Ti's are good. Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, eVGA are all good. It's not that hard to keep a 980 Ti cool unless you're on reference cooler and most 980 Ti's will tap out long before your OC hits a thermal limit.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Here's a good snapshot of what to expect:

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/d...ull-spec-for-cut-down-air-cooled-r9-fury-blog

Ok thanks!

 

[RGM79]

I'm having trouble finding a psu cable. I have a MSI 770 with 2 8pin plugs and an Ultra x4 with two GPU plugs (8 and 6).

I'm currently running all drives and the GPU off molex adapters but want something more streamlined/safe.

Questions: I don't have the stock Ultra cables so, who makes a cable that solve my problems without adapters? Is it wrong to power everything off molex?

You're gonna have to contact the company that makes your PSU for replacement cables, or you can get a new power supply. It can be considered unsafe to power things off molex adaptors if it draws more than the 12V rail that supplies one of the power cables to the molex, meaning it becomes overloaded. A decent power supply will shut itself down to prevent damage, worse ones can die or even blow.

Building a PC to use as a media server sort of thing and it won't post. No beep etc. I've tried pretty much everything so i've given up on that angle. I'm just going to make sure I have the right parts and get a new motherboard as I assume it's DOA.

Can anyone let me know if these parts i'm using are incompatible and could be causing the issue before I go out and buy another motherboard?

MSI H81M-E33 MicroATX Motherboard
CORSAIR XMS3 8 GBx2 240 Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1333
Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell Quad-Core 3.4 GHz LGA 1150 84W BX80646I54670K
Corsair CX600 CP-9020048-US 600W Power Supply

I tried this memory too but it didn't work. I figured it might not anyways.
CORSAIR VEngeance Pro 16GB (2x8GB) 240 Pin DDR3 1866

All of those parts should be compatible. Not sure if you've tried what I'm about to suggest, so I might as well say it: Make sure all of the cables are plugged in and tightly connected, unplug them and replug them to be sure. It could be the power supply. Try the paper clip test to see if it turns on. If it works, then the next likely thing is the motherboard. Unfortunately your motherboard doesn't seem to have a status LED going by what the manual says, so it's a bit difficult to tell if your motherboard is dead or not.