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[hitgirl]

Just built my first PC in my new place... How do I deal with increased ambient room temp? It's like a sauna in here.

Can't really. Don't overclock and turn down AC. I lived in FLA and my room was miserable on some days when I had my Plasma TV going and my gaming PC going. What I did was buy a vornado fan, set it next to my PC exhaust and aim it towards my door. So cool air from the AC came into the computer, it would exhaust out the back, then the vornado would pick it up from there and exhaust it into my sisters room / hallway.

 

[paskowitz]

Just built my first PC in my new place... How do I deal with increased ambient room temp? It's like a sauna in here.

Get a big ass fan...

 

[Azulsky]

Just built my first PC in my new place... How do I deal with increased ambient room temp? It's like a sauna in here.

Get a box fan and have it push air out of the room(exhaust)

 

[sssstententen]

Your Current Specs: Starting fresh never done this before.

Budget: $800-$900 US

ihavenoideawhatimdoing:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8Mk4WZ

I just picked the stuff that was in the Great-Best Value section.

Thanks in advanced for your help!

Honestly that build looks good to me. I'm sure someone could nitpick on the PSU, but otherwise for what your needs are, the GPU/CPU are great. That case is a bit on the big/expensive side for what you want. Maybe look at a mid tower, or go even smaller into a micro ATX. Other than that, I'd recommend maybe cheaper on the case and go for 16GB ram, I find 8 to be acceptable but it's quickly becoming a bit tight with some games/applications taking multiple gb's.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Hey guys, having a little problem. I built my PC last year ~13 months ago, and everything's been great until about 3 weeks ago, I'd say?

I noticed massive 2-3 seconds hitches while playing Dota 2 and I thought it was just the game being wonky/Valve's servers/whatever. However I've started to notice it in other games, as well. It seems like there's still sound, but nothing onscreen moves for a couple of seconds and then resumes as normal. It's not constant, but it does seem to happen once every few hours - I particularly notice it in Dota because I play so often.

Any ideas what could be causing this? My first thought was some program in the background, but I've been very careful as to what's installed and what's running - and from what I can tell, there's nothing that should cause such spikes. Is that still the most likely cause? Or could it be a HDD/GPU problem?

Could it be hard drive / SSD acting up?

The 2-3 seconds freezes (you say everything freezes, so I assume you mean mouse too) makes me think that its not overheating, and not micro-stutter (as that feels more like a FPS drop in a split hair of a second).


I would run some diagnotistics on your SSD and HDD- Are they full? have you turned off automatic searching-for-updates for windows update, anti virus and all that? It could be a intensive problem hogging up all the resources, but...

It just sounds weird. I feel like it sounds like a harddrive acting up. If you have a SSD do you know if it is a Samsung 850 Evo? Have to check the firmware threads for those!

 

[TheMink]

Honestly that build looks good to me. I'm sure someone could nitpick on the PSU, but otherwise for what your needs are, the GPU/CPU are great. That case is a bit on the big/expensive side for what you want. Maybe look at a mid tower, or go even smaller into a micro ATX. Other than that, I'd recommend maybe cheaper on the case and go for 16GB ram, I find 8 to be acceptable but it's quickly becoming a bit tight with some games/applications taking multiple gb's.

So the Case is a bit overkill? I didn't really look at the size when I chose it I just liked the way it looked haha, but I think having a smaller form factor would definitely be a plus. I definitely want to be able to upgrade in the future though, and if a small case can still do the trick then definitely I want that!

So for the ram is it one stick that has 16GB or how does that work?

Is there anything that I just plain missed in that build that I need? I was pretty confused with the cooling so I left it out not sure if I need that or not.

Again I'm so ignorant of these things.

 

[Stubo]

Can't really. Don't overclock and turn down AC. I lived in FLA and my room was miserable on some days when I had my Plasma TV going and my gaming PC going. What I did was buy a vornado fan, set it next to my PC exhaust and aim it towards my door. So cool air from the AC came into the computer, it would exhaust out the back, then the vornado would pick it up from there and exhaust it into my sisters room / hallway.

Haha, this is brilliant!

 

[derder]

Can't really. Don't overclock and turn down AC. I lived in FLA and my room was miserable on some days when I had my Plasma TV going and my gaming PC going. What I did was buy a vornado fan, set it next to my PC exhaust and aim it towards my door. So cool air from the AC came into the computer, it would exhaust out the back, then the vornado would pick it up from there and exhaust it into my sisters room / hallway.

What size vornado?

 

[BolognaOni]

Is there a definitive thermal paste pattern to be used for skylake? I did the dot and I'm pretty sure I want to redo it with the line. Also, which paste is the one to use? I have the one that came with the evo 212 I didn't use, and some antec paste I used that I had from years and years ago.

It's not really the processor, but the heatsink that determines application method. For the 212, or other heatsink with direct heatpipe contacts, using a bit more paste is better. Line or spread method should work fine, and are likely slightly better than the dot method on that heatsink.

Stuff that came with the evo is fine. Paste does have a shelf life, which I'd expect to be 1-2 years as speccd by the manufacturer (which is really conservative) so if it's over 3-ish years old you may want to chuck it.

 

[Vazra]

NVM

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Not sure if this is the best place to ask as it's more of a software issue, but I have a bit of weird problem.

I'm trying to use Nvidia 3DTV Play with my projector, which only accepts input over HDMI (1.4a). Due to bandwidth limitations, Nvidia's program only works if you set the resolution to 720p.

...and the program is VERY picky. It refuses to activate unless you run the game in fullscreen at a resolution to 1280x720 @ 60hz, exactly. The problem is that the games I want to play (MIrror's Edge, Bioshock Infinite) don't HAVE a refresh rate setting in-game, and whenever I set the resolution to 1280x720, it defaults to a refresh rate of 120hz!

I was pulling my hair out of all of last night trying to fix this. Any suggestions?

Edit: I'm on Windows 10, btw.

 

[lorclonil]

Turns out I'll be able to pick up the remainder of my components for a build later this week.

I don't know if the motherboard will actually ship (was one of those Amazon pieces that sometimes get cancelled. This one looks like it'll go through.) If it doesn't ship and I am refunded, what MB would everyone recommend that's around 75-100?

Was also able to squeeze in a 980 ti. Please let me know if there is anything I should change from the items not already purchased on this list:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Gtn3D3
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($301.00)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($74.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $58.69)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory (Purchased For $81.99)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB AMP! Video Card ($649.99 @ B&H)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XB EVO ATX Desktop Case (Purchased For $79.99)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $49.99)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro OEM (64-bit) ($39.99)
Monitor: Asus VX238H 23.0" Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse (Purchased For $42.00)
Total: $1378.63
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-23 13:53 EDT-0400

You guys are fantastic! Thanks for all the help and advice.

 

[Arkanius]

As an AMD lover, that decided to switch to Nvidia next year due having bought a G-sync monitor with ULMB (which I can't use with my 280X), watching all these news of AMD making the right bets on Async shaders and it finally paying off with DX12 is making my decision painful

I hope NVIDIA makes something good with Pascal.
Does anyone know if they will come with the big chip first or will they milk it for all it's worth with staggered releases until they release their big 980TI/Titan ?

 

[Mystic654]

Need some help with case Fans I should buy. I keep going back and fourth, Can some help me out.

I have a pair of Noctua Industrial NF-A14 for my Radiator. I need some case fans. Which would be better get some more Noctua 2000RPM fans or get BeQuiet Silent Wings 2 Fans(both 120mm and 140mm)? RPM is set below 1000RPM, Their going to be quiet no matter what.

 

[Hello? This is Hailun!]

Nice. About upgrades, are you getting poor performance in any of the games you normally play?

In terms of performance per dollar, your best bet would be upgrading your video card, to something like a GTX 970. Your CPU isn't limiting you nearly as much as your GPU imo. But sometime it wouldn't be hard to justify a new cpu/mobo/ram.

I can play most games with reasonable specs, but I can't max anything else out, like I was a year or so ago. I figured maybe the GPU was what I needed but wanted confirmation that my CPU wasn't getting too long in the tooth.

Thanks!

 

[Jzero]

Bad luck, can you RMA?

I just got it so i should be able to. Not sure if i should return it to Amazon or RMA it though.

 

[JoeyJungle]

Hi all,

Is there any functional difference between the 'G.Skill Ripjaws V Series' and the 'G.Skill Ripjaws 4 Series'?

From what I can tell they are both DDR4 with the same timings, one just has a different cooler design on it to the other?

http://www.overclockers.com/g-skill-ripjaws-v-2x4gb-ddr4-3600mhz-memory-kit-review/

They're exactly the same in almost every benchmark, I ended up going with the Ripjaws 4 with this mobo combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2463122

 

[TheMink]

So the Case is a bit overkill? I didn't really look at the size when I chose it I just liked the way it looked haha, but I think having a smaller form factor would definitely be a plus. I definitely want to be able to upgrade in the future though, and if a small case can still do the trick then definitely I want that!

So for the ram is it one stick that has 16GB or how does that work?

Is there anything that I just plain missed in that build that I need? I was pretty confused with the cooling so I left it out not sure if I need that or not.

Again I'm so ignorant of these things.

I added a sound card and cooling and made it 16gb ram each was just the top option essentially on the part picker:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kzpZyc

What Case should I use instead of this one if this is overkill?

And also what operating system??

 

[Yurikerr]

Hey guys, i just discovered that on of my RAM sticks is broken, so i decided to trade both.

I was searching for 1866 Mhz kits, but i keep getting good deals on the 2400Mhz ones.

I know that the CAS of the 2400mhz is 11 and the 1866Mhz is 8.

Is there a great difference between the two? To the point that is better to pay the premium and buy the 1866Mhz one?

 

[Ragona]

So a friend of mine needs to sell his pc and offered me this:

Msi x99a sli plus mit usb 3.1
Asus r9 390
Intel i7 - 5820K
580w xilence
16gb ddr4 ballistix 2
in:
NZXT H440

he offers it for 800 Bucks. How strong is that build and is that a deal I should take?

 

[R3TRO]

So a friend of mine needs to sell his pc and offered me this:

Msi x99a sli plus mit usb 3.1
Asus r9 390
Intel i7 - 5820K
580w xilence
16gb ddr4 ballistix 2
in:
NZXT H440

he offers it for 800 Bucks. How strong is that build and is that a deal I should take?

Good deal for 800 bones.

 

[Rebel Leader]

I think I may need a new 120mm fan.

but then stay around 900rpm.
So hwinfo could be messing up

 

[Evo X]

So a friend of mine needs to sell his pc and offered me this:

Msi x99a sli plus mit usb 3.1
Asus r9 390
Intel i7 - 5820K
580w xilence
16gb ddr4 ballistix 2
in:
NZXT H440

he offers it for 800 Bucks. How strong is that build and is that a deal I should take?

Seems like a shitty PSU, but the rest of the parts seem good and are worth ~$1,050.

It's a solid mid range build. Up to you. I'm just not a fan of AMD, so would swap that GPU if I was to buy that PC.

 

[TheMink]

Sorry for flooding the thread, I'm very excited:

How does this look?

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

Seems like a shitty PSU, but the rest of the parts seem good and are worth ~$1,050.

It's a solid mid range build. Up to you. I'm just not a fan of AMD, so would swap that GPU if I was to buy that PC.

Only thing mid-range about that is the PSU. Slap a 980 Ti/Fury in there and that's a beast set-up. Anycase 8GB 390 is great too.

 

[Costia]

I added a sound card and cooling and made it 16gb ram each was just the top option essentially on the part picker:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kzpZyc

What Case should I use instead of this one if this is overkill?

And also what operating system??

According to NVIDIA'a site the minimum PSU for a 970 is 500W, so i would get a 600W+ (I have a 970 and a 650W PSU). AFAIK there is a 620W model of the one you chose.

What do you need the sound card for? Do you need the extra inputs for recording?

 

[ILoveBish]

It's not really the processor, but the heatsink that determines application method. For the 212, or other heatsink with direct heatpipe contacts, using a bit more paste is better. Line or spread method should work fine, and are likely slightly better than the dot method on that heatsink.

Stuff that came with the evo is fine. Paste does have a shelf life, which I'd expect to be 1-2 years as speccd by the manufacturer (which is really conservative) so if it's over 3-ish years old you may want to chuck it.

Great, i feel more confident i'll have it properly done this time. I think my buddy is coming over today to help me, this cooler is just so freakin huge, would be a heck of a lot easier with 2 people. I could do it myself, but i'd rather not. And by spread, you mean actually spread it all over the cpu in an even line?

 

[GRaider81]

I just built my first PC last month and already I'm wanting to upgrade. well and truly got the bug.

In the end I went with

I5-4690k
MSI 970 TwinFrozr
16gb RAM

At the time I was humming and hawing over spending a bit extra for a 980 ti and I now wish I had.
I'm playing GTAV at the moment and I have the majority of things on high but I'm still getting frame drops, sometimes to the 30s. Is that poor optimisation or is my card struggling?
I'm also playing on 1080p so I'm not sure getting a 980ti would be overkill. really I want to play these new games completely maxed out at 1080p without any issues.

Am I being daft? should I just tinker with settings?

Also would my CPU be a bottleneck? (Its overclocked to 4.30ghz at moment) and if I was to sell my 970 what sort of price should I look for with it being a month old?

 

[TheMink]

According to NVIDIA'a site the minimum PSU for a 970 is 500W, so i would get a 600W+ (I have a 970 and a 650W PSU). AFAIK there is a 620W model of the one you chose.

What do you need the sound card for? Do you need the extra inputs for recording?

No, I just wanted to be thorough. If its not needed then I will definitely forgo it!

How about this?:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nsTdQ7

 

[hitgirl]

What size vornado?

It was the small $60 one, very effective.

 

[opticalmace]

I just built my first PC last month and already I'm wanting to upgrade. well and truly got the bug.

In the end I went with

I5-4690k
MSI 970 TwinFrozr
16gb RAM

At the time I was humming and hawing over spending a bit extra for a 980 ti and I now wish I had.
I'm playing GTAV at the moment and I have the majority of things on high but I'm still getting frame drops, sometimes to the 30s. Is that poor optimisation or is my card struggling?
I'm also playing on 1080p so I'm not sure getting a 980ti would be overkill. really I want to play these new games completely maxed out at 1080p without any issues.

Am I being daft? should I just tinker with settings?

Also would my CPU be a bottleneck? (Its overclocked to 4.30ghz at moment) and if I was to sell my 970 what sort of price should I look for with it being a month old?

CPU won't really be a bottleneck. If it were me I would just tinker with the settings and wait for a fancy Pascal GPU next year, but if you really will only accept maxed out then the 970 isn't enough for 1080p60 ultra in every game. In terms of value (if you're curious), the 960 and 970 give you similar FPS/dollar, going to the 980 Ti you'll get about a 50% increase in performance for a ~100% increase in cost (see techpowerup for some numbers). 970 is at the sweet spot but if you need more performance then there's no getting past it.

 

[Acinixys]

So I was going to pick up a R9 280 3GB, but I just found this R9 290 4GB for only a little more (+/-$50)

Worth the extra cash?

Been reading that this 290 can hit GTX980 levels with some OCing

 

[Jag]

Other than that, I'd recommend maybe cheaper on the case and go for 16GB ram, I find 8 to be acceptable but it's quickly becoming a bit tight with some games/applications taking multiple gb's.

I'm about to purchase my Skylake Gaming Rig. I was only doing 8GB since its for gaming.

Should I up the ram to 16GB?

 

[Rebel Leader]

I think I may need a new 120mm fan.

but then stay around 900rpm.
So hwinfo could be messing up

I bought a new fan just in case, I hope the fan is the issue

 

[OraleeWey]

I just built my first PC last month and already I'm wanting to upgrade. well and truly got the bug.

In the end I went with

I5-4690k
MSI 970 TwinFrozr
16gb RAM

At the time I was humming and hawing over spending a bit extra for a 980 ti and I now wish I had.
I'm playing GTAV at the moment and I have the majority of things on high but I'm still getting frame drops, sometimes to the 30s. Is that poor optimisation or is my card struggling?
I'm also playing on 1080p so I'm not sure getting a 980ti would be overkill. really I want to play these new games completely maxed out at 1080p without any issues.

Am I being daft? should I just tinker with settings?

Also would my CPU be a bottleneck? (Its overclocked to 4.30ghz at moment) and if I was to sell my 970 what sort of price should I look for with it being a month old?

You can't max out GTA V. I've upgraded to a TITAN X from an R9 290x and the only graphical change I made was going from 2X MSAA to 4X MSAA and TXAA on. Most of the other settings are very high though. I thought the TITAN X (well 980ti but its a different story) would kill GTA V but I didn't see big improvement. Though I don't regret upgrading to the TITAN X one bit. I had my reasons for doing so. In my opinion, upgrade if you can. GTA V is just one game with lots of setting sliders. I'm sure I can run anything maxed out in my TITAN X. I just haven't been playing a diverse set of games ATM. Though, I'm not saying go for a TITAN X, you should be looking at a 980 ti.

 

[Nostremitus]

I just got it so i should be able to. Not sure if i should return it to Amazon or RMA it though.

I'd try Amazon first. They tend to have an easier return process. If they say no, then try the manufacturer.

What brand of GPU did you buy? (Sapphire, MSI, Asus, etc.)

 

[watership]

Just bought a Define R5. It has begun. Now I need to make a final decision about Z97 or go Skylake with Z170.

 

[Jzero]

I'd try Amazon first. They tend to have an easier return process. If they say no, then try the manufacturer.

What brand of GPU did you buy? (Sapphire, MSI, Asus, etc.)

ASUS R9 Fury. I've had their GPUs before so hopefully this is a one time thing with them.

 

[Evo X]

Just bought a Define R5. It has begun. Now I need to make a final decision about Z97 or go Skylake with Z170.

Skylake!

No reason to go Z97 at this point. If you're considering an older platform, the only consideration at this point should be X99 because they have 6 and 8 core options.

 

[sgjackson]

quick idiot check: how much of an issue am i going to have potentially pairing a core i3-4170 and an msi b85m-e45? will it require a bios update? if so, is that doable without having a compatible processor on hand?

edit: actually i'll just ask about the whole build and see if anyone recognizes anything. they're australian and want a 1500 dollar gaming rig, need keyboard/mouse/wireless networking/webcam/monitor, and mentioned pccasegear as a website they're okay with shopping at. i threw this together and would like opinions on it:

Corsair 100R: 82
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_961&products_id=31083

Be Quiet! Pure Power L8 500w: 89
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_1639&products_id=27628

Intel Core i3-4170: 169
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php...=32314&zenid=7bc693d54f40bc5190da60143d5e758c

MSI B85M-E45: 89
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=138_1491&products_id=28119

8GB Corsair Value Ram DDR3-1600: 85
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_538_913&products_id=26688

250GB Crucial BX100: 139
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210_902&products_id=30657

1TB Western Digital Blue: 79
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210_344&products_id=21231

MSI Geforce GTX 960: 289
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1732&products_id=32085

Samsung DVD Burner: 19
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=658_667&products_id=23679

Microsoft Windows 10 USB: 159
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=375_974&products_id=32780

21.5" AOC IPS Monitor: 159
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=558_1211&products_id=31473

ASUS PCI-e Network Adapter: 23
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=200_328&products_id=18067

Microsoft Wired Desktop Keyboard/Mouse: 19
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=113_257&products_id=14021

Logitech G302 Mouse: 42
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_697_698&products_id=29932

Microsoft LifeCam Camera: 52
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=12746

Should add up to 1494.

 

[Mohasus]

Is there any risk adding custom resolutions?

For example, I have a 1440p display that only supports up to 1080p over HDMI. Same for the Intel HD4000. However, adding a custom 1440p resolution with reduced timing, I'm able to add 1440p@59Hz a little under 225 Mhz (which I think is the limit).

Should I keep using my PC like this? I never had any problems OCing this display (goes up to 84Hz) or adding resolutions to downsample (before GeDoSaTo and DSR).

 

[exmachina64]

Just bought a Define R5. It has begun. Now I need to make a final decision about Z97 or go Skylake with Z170.

Skylake! I have the Define R5, great case.

 

[Roronoa]

So is the R9 Nano coming out on Friday?


I hate how companies are uber quiet about their launch dates. Just give us the date so we can set aside our budgets accordingly.

 

[Jzero]

So is the R9 Nano coming out on Friday?


I hate how companies are uber quiet about their launch dates. Just give us the date so we can set aside our budgets accordingly.

That won't matter, the R9 Fury released on July 14 and they just started shipping the rest of them.

 

[ruttyboy]

http://www.overclockers.com/g-skill-ripjaws-v-2x4gb-ddr4-3600mhz-memory-kit-review/

They're exactly the same in almost every benchmark, I ended up going with the Ripjaws 4 with this mobo combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2463122

Thanks for the link, will read it today. I assume you're happy with your choice?

 

[RandomExpletive]

Holy cow, anyone got any horror stories from using CL for computer parts? $120 windforce 280x seems like a steal if this thing is in the listed condition

 

[Jzero]

Holy cow, anyone got any horror stories from using CL for computer parts? $120 windforce 280x seems like a steal if this thing is in the listed condition

Nah some of us sell our old parts on there because they would just sit in a "Tech drawer" somewhere in the house.

 

[RandomExpletive]

Nah some of us sell our old parts on there because they would just sit in a drawer somewhere in the house.

My biggest concern would be losing the ability to get service on the card... I can't exactly throw money away but I'd hate to miss a chance at a 120 dollar graphics card upgrade

oh cool a 40 dollar corsair cosmos 1000 case... damn CL I need this money, stop it

 

[Rebel Leader]

The fan went to 0 rpms again

I am never destined to have a computer free issue am I?

 

[kiyomi]

Ugh, always the bottom post...

Back off any overclocks if you have them
DDU + install newest GPU drivers
Run HDD diagnostic from your vendor/brand
Run memtest 86+
Unplug any extra USB connections you have while gaming

My guess is GPU drivers crashing/reloading? I had bad hitches in dota (1-2s) and I think it was a driver thing.

Could it be hard drive / SSD acting up?

The 2-3 seconds freezes (you say everything freezes, so I assume you mean mouse too) makes me think that its not overheating, and not micro-stutter (as that feels more like a FPS drop in a split hair of a second).


I would run some diagnotistics on your SSD and HDD- Are they full? have you turned off automatic searching-for-updates for windows update, anti virus and all that? It could be a intensive problem hogging up all the resources, but...

It just sounds weird. I feel like it sounds like a harddrive acting up. If you have a SSD do you know if it is a Samsung 850 Evo? Have to check the firmware threads for those!

Thanks both, I have already tried updating GPU drivers but I haven't played much, but hopefully it helps? We will see.

The SSD is a MX100, 256GB. Neither the SSD or HDD are full or even close to it. Like I said, I can't see anything in the task manager that would be hogging up resources like this (especially weird since I've had no problems until a few weeks ago). And yeah I don't think it's overheating, since the GPU rarely hits more than ~80, and my CPU is at stock voltage. If it isn't the GPU drivers, I'll try seeing if it's the HDD/memory that's the problem.