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[RGM79]

Much appreciated. I will definitely consider the parts you recommend. I'm probably sticking with the EVGA G2 though since it's a rebranded Seasonic.

Any suggestions on the mobo if I was to spend about $10-20 more?

Also. People are recommending me to get ACX 2.0 version of the 970. Is the one I picked the best out in that $320-340 price range? Or it shouldn't make a bigger difference if I didn't get the ACX 2.0 version. I think I can max my budget to $950 if need be.

Ah, you've got it backward. According to this, the EVGA G2 model you chose earlier is a rebranded Super Flower model, while the EVGA GQ model I recommended is a rebranded Seasonic. The G2 is the slightly higher end model, though.

The Gigabyte B150M-DS3H ($78) seems okay, but there are no reviews. The cheapest motherboard with at least a few decent reviews that I can find is the MSI B150M Bazooka ($85).

No, the EVGA SSC model you chose earlier is slightly better than the non-SC model I chose. I chose that one because it was cheaper, that's all.

 

[Jimrpg]

I made this a new thread, but everyone directed me here. I got some good info, but figured I'd cross-post for some extra insight. I read the OP, here's my original post:

I built my own PC before, but it was ages ago and I've been out of the game too long. I'm not sure what's deemed necessary or must-have these days. I found this article which was published pretty recently and have been basing my would-be purchases off it: http://www.pcgamer.com/pc-build-guide-budget-gaming-pc/

I already plan on swapping the i3 for an i5 to get a quad-core in there. My biggest worries from the article are:

Power Supply: How can I tell when changes (like the i3 to i5) will need this to be upgraded?
Motherboard: I know very little about motherboards, so I'm kind of just curious if this is good for the rig specs?
Windows: 10 or 7? Also, it looks like Microsoft Office is subscription model now? Is this right? Any pointers on that?
Disc Drive: They recommend no disc drive, but I definitely want one. Blu-Ray? Writeable?
Any other components that come standard in a premade PC that I'm forgetting?

Here are my tweaked specs (would love to get a PC enthusiast to sign off on it):

Processor:
Intel Core i5-6400 6 MB Skylake Quad-Core 2.7 GHz LGA 1151 65W BX80662I56400 Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics
Motherboard:
ASRock Z170M Pro4S LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Graphics Card:
ASUS Radeon R9 380 STRIX-R9380-DC2OC-4GD5-GAMING 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Power Supply:
EVGA 100-W1-500-KR 500W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Continuous Power Supply Intel 4th Gen CPU Ready
Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2666 (PC4 21300) Intel Z170 Platform / Intel X99 Platform Desktop Memory
SDD:
Crucial BX100 2.5" 250GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) CT250BX100SSD1
HDD:
WD Blue 1TB Desktop Hard Disk Drive - 7200 RPM SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD10EZEX - OEM
Case:
DIYPC MA01-G Black SPCC MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case

Keep in mind this is a budget project. I was hoping to spend around $500-600 and currently I'm at $700 without a monitor. Are any of my changes unnecessary? It seems like getting a quad-core in there is very important as far as future proofing.

I suffer from severe buyer's remorse so very scared to dive into something like this without consulting you fine people. I think I covered everything, but let me know if I missed something. Thanks, GAF!

Welcome!

PSU - PCpartpicker will add up your wattage for the parts you select. For amps per rail, you'll need to check the graphics card and CPU in the technical specification and compare it to the technical specification on the power supply. Better PSU/More expensive PSUs will deliver more amps per rail than the budget ones. You can also ask someone here if you're unsure.

Motherboard - You've selected a Z motherboard which allows for CPU overclocking, but your CPU isn't. If you go with that CPU, try a H110 or B150 motherboard. Check for RAM compatability as some do DDR3 and some DDR4.

Windows - No reason not to use Windows 10! You can still get a full licensed version of Office, but they have added Office 365 which is a 1 year sub which is another product all together.

Disc Drive - whatever floats your boat! Good if you have some old PC games lying around, but most PC gamers have gone digital only.

Here's a build for around $600. I went with a little bit of a higher clock CPU as you won't be overclocking later. I used a 120gb SSD to save some money, and picked a cheap but still reasonable case. The motherboard seems cheap - maybe its on special or something at Microcenter? You can swap out the 960 for a 380 if you like but I like the Nvidia. Best to get 4gb VRAM. Perhaps you can get a Blu Ray Disc Writer down the road, they are pretty easy to add in later and they are around $45 for the cheapest one. For a monitor go with something like an Acer G237HL its $129 on Amazon and its a nice simple IPS screen. (I'm using one right now.)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($43.79 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $606.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-14 03:23 EDT-0400

 

[Dmax3901]

Ordered an Acer G257HL 25" monitor last week, it arrived today with weird lines and a dent down the middle.

feels bad man.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Ok so my PC a while back started randomly restarting when playing CoH2 sometimes and I assumed it was just being a shit with drivers and such again, since I've had new drivers and new patches for that game both cause major gpu fuckups.

Today the same thing happened after playing The Witcher 3 for about half an hour. Now I'm thinking it's sustained load causing it (although at infrequent and unknown intervals- I played the game for an hour earlier without problems). My question is - is there any way to tell whether it's the PSU, CPU or GPU, assuming I don't have an alternate GPU to swap out and test with? Like some kind of program that will monitor all the shit and give me a report when the failure happens? Or better yet an error log on my PC so I don't have to actually do any new testing and can just find that somewhere?

Edit: For reference I've not had these issues until relatively recently (timescale: less than 2 months) although when I tried OCing my GPU for TW3 when it originally came out, I experienced crashes and had to dial it back. I've updated to Win10 recently (like 3 days) so I've had the same problem on 7 and 10.

 

[LilJoka]

Ok so my PC a while back started randomly restarting when playing CoH2 sometimes and I assumed it was just being a shit with drivers and such again, since I've had new drivers and new patches for that game both cause major gpu fuckups.

Today the same thing happened after playing The Witcher 3 for about half an hour. Now I'm thinking it's sustained load causing it (although at infrequent and unknown intervals- I played the game for an hour earlier without problems). My question is - is there any way to tell whether it's the PSU, CPU or GPU, assuming I don't have an alternate GPU to swap out and test with? Like some kind of program that will monitor all the shit and give me a report when the failure happens? Or better yet an error log on my PC so I don't have to actually do any new testing and can just find that somewhere?

Edit: For reference I've not had these issues until relatively recently (timescale: less than 2 months) although when I tried OCing my GPU for TW3 when it originally came out, I experienced crashes and had to dial it back. I've updated to Win10 recently (like 3 days) so I've had the same problem on 7 and 10.

Full specs?

 

[OmegaDL50]

Not sure if this relevant, but since this has to do with PC building it might be of interest to some of you folks

Sandisk is having a massive sale for 24 hours / today only over at Amazon.com as part of one of their Daily Deals promotion.

One notable thing I saw was a 480GB SSD for only $100

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018X8LB2G/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Anyone want a mix of both super fast storage with a large capacity, this might be something to consider.

There is a also a 960GB drive for $200 but that might be out of some folks price range.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Full specs?

i5 4670 (non k, default clocks)
16gb ram
Some kind of mini itx mobo with a wifi card I forgot the name of
980ti, stock

 

[Xion385]

Ah, you've got it backward. According to this, the EVGA G2 model you chose earlier is a rebranded Super Flower model, while the EVGA GQ model I recommended is a rebranded Seasonic. The G2 is the slightly higher end model, though.

The Gigabyte B150M-DS3H ($78) seems okay, but there are no reviews. The cheapest motherboard with at least a few decent reviews that I can find is the MSI B150M Bazooka ($85).

No, the EVGA SSC model you chose earlier is slightly better than the non-SC model I chose. I chose that one because it was cheaper, that's all.

I think I got that mixed up between the G2 and the GS then. One is a rebranded Seasonic. The other has a 7 year warranty or something like that. Thanks for pointing that out.

Not sure if this relevant, but since this has to do with PC building it might be of interest to some of you folks

Sandisk is having a massive sale for 24 hours / today only over at Amazon.com as part of one of their Daily Deals promotion.

One notable thing I saw was a 480GB SSD for only $100

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018X8LB2G/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Anyone want a mix of both super fast storage with a large capacity, this might be something to consider.

There is a also a 960GB drive for $200 but that might be out of some folks price range.

Oh damn. Anyone know if Sandisk SSDs are good quality and how does it compare to the performance of the BX100. If the BX100 is only like 5 seconds better at booting stuff then I'll definitely check this Sandisk out.

 

[Vuze]

Ok so my PC a while back started randomly restarting when playing CoH2 sometimes and I assumed it was just being a shit with drivers and such again, since I've had new drivers and new patches for that game both cause major gpu fuckups.

Today the same thing happened after playing The Witcher 3 for about half an hour. Now I'm thinking it's sustained load causing it (although at infrequent and unknown intervals- I played the game for an hour earlier without problems). My question is - is there any way to tell whether it's the PSU, CPU or GPU, assuming I don't have an alternate GPU to swap out and test with? Like some kind of program that will monitor all the shit and give me a report when the failure happens? Or better yet an error log on my PC so I don't have to actually do any new testing and can just find that somewhere?

Edit: For reference I've not had these issues until relatively recently (timescale: less than 2 months) although when I tried OCing my GPU for TW3 when it originally came out, I experienced crashes and had to dial it back. I've updated to Win10 recently (like 3 days) so I've had the same problem on 7 and 10.

So, to clarify, the PC is just restarting? No BSOD, no freeze and audio loop?

I'm always inclined to suspect the PSU in such cases after my unnerving experience last year. My PC started locking up / generic blue-screening under heavy load (games and rendering). I tried new RAM, swapped GPU, setup a brand new Windows install on a second SSD... in the end it turned out to be the PSU (which I RMA'd because of a seemingly faulty fan, not because I suspected it to be a culprit for the crashes). I replaced the silver be-quiet PSU with a slightly higher capacity, gold-certified one from EVGA and haven't had any of the aforementioned issues at all since then.

I'm not aware of any logging tools. I guess Windows crashdumps are the best starting point but then again, the were not helpful at all in my case (mostly pointing to driver issues and faulty RAM, which both turned out to be nothing).

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

So, to clarify, the PC is just restarting? No BSOD, no freeze and audio loop?

I'm always inclined to suspect the PSU in such cases after my unnerving experience last year. My PC started locking up / generic blue-screening under heavy load (games and rendering). I tried new RAM, swapped GPU, setup a brand new Windows install on a second SSD... in the end it turned out to be the PSU (which I RMA'd because of a seemingly faulty fan, not because I suspected it to be a culprit for the crashes). I replaced the silver be-quiet PSU with a slightly higher capacity, gold-certified one from EVGA and haven't had any of the aforementioned issues at all since then.

I'm not aware of any logging tools. I guess Windows crashdumps are the best starting point but then again, the were not helpful at all in my case (mostly pointing to driver issues and faulty RAM, which both turned out to be nothing).

Yes, no bsod, just a reset, as though I'd hit the reset button. I checked power connectors and such on the GPU but not sure about the rest.

 

[Manp]

Is it normal for a os install to only be at 20% after 8 hours?

take a guess...

 

[roadrunn3r]

Yes, no bsod, just a reset, as though I'd hit the reset button. I checked power connectors and such on the GPU but not sure about the rest.

Seems like a PSU issue anyway open up a command prompt and type "sfc /scannow" to check if the system files are not corrupted just to be sure.

 

[Balthuk]

So I'm looking to buy an ssd, going for 250 gb as the price/gb seems pretty good.
I'm looking at


SSD SANDISK SDSSDHII-240G ULTRA II 240GB - 79.99

SSD CRUCIAL CT240BX200SSD1 BX200 240GB - 79.99

SSD KINGSTON SHFS37A/240G HYPERX FURY 240GB - 86.

SSD SAMSUNG MZ-75E250B/EU 850 EVO SERIES 250GB - 99.99

Is the 20/10 euros more worth it for the evo over the other ones? I think I saw that the BX200 has issues/is slower than expected?
Using pc for gaming/programming.
To give some perspective my whole system cost about 760euros- i5 4460-8gbram-r9 280

 

[SlaughterX]

Amazon DotD is Sandisk memory... 960gb ssd for $200. 200gb micro sd fir $60. 64gb flash drive for $13, etc... Kinda wish I had waited on the Mushkin... How does it compare performance wise to the Sandisk ssd, I know it has more, better reviews.

 

[kennah]

Hmm. Even after shipping and duty that 1tb would be about $300 Canadian. Pretty tempting.

 

[Balthuk]

Amazon DotD is Sandisk memory... 960gb ssd for $200. 200gb micro sd fir $60. 64gb flash drive for $13, etc... Kinda wish I had waited on the Mushkin... How does it compare performance wise to the Sandisk ssd, I know it has more, better reviews.

Oh wow these prices are amazing for me. The price of the 500gb ssd is the same as the 850evo 250 gb. So I think I'll get the sandisk.
If I get this straight from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9Q9VS4/?tag=neogaf0e-20 , the ssd has a 3 year warranty and if I buy the 5 dollar 2-year protection I have a 5-year plan? Is it worth it?

 

[nOoblet16]

OK guys so I've been using a pretty outdated OC with a first gen i7 970 (and by extension an old ass mobo), GTX780, and 16Gigs of corsair Vengeance Racing Red DDR3 RAM.

Now regarding upgrades, I could go for:

- i7 6700K or i7 5820K (I don't know which, any inputs would be appreciated)

- A new motherboard with DDR4 RAM (Budget is probably around $300-350 total for both.)

- A 980Ti but with Pascal coming out I feel like I should just wait considering the performance increase Pascal will bring about with its new architecture. I could get a 970 for the mean time but I don't think it will be worth it.


What do you guys suggest?

 

[kromeo]

- i7 6700K or i7 5820K (I don't know which, any inputs would be appreciated)

I did a bit of research on this when built a computer recently, they're pretty much the same price in the UK at least. Never really got a definitive answer, I went with the 5820 in the end but I don't think you can go wrong either way

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Seems like a PSU issue anyway open up a command prompt and type "sfc /scannow" to check if the system files are not corrupted just to be sure.

Hmm nothing abnormal there. I don't want to send the PC into a repair place to check for sure, and I don't really want to start replacing components since I was hoping not to replace things for another year or so when I start my new build.

Annoying timing as always.

 

[Lombax]

Morning all,

I am looking for a recommendation on a new monitor for my gaming PC. At the moment I am using an old HG-281DPB.

Pretty much anything would be an upgrade, but I feel a bit lost in choices at this point.

I am pretty flexible in terms of size, however I really don't want to spend much past $150.00.

Thank you.

 

[opticalmace]

Hmm nothing abnormal there. I don't want to send the PC into a repair place to check for sure, and I don't really want to start replacing components since I was hoping not to replace things for another year or so when I start my new build.

Annoying timing as always.

Sounds like a PSU problem. What psu do you have?

 

[Ultima_5]

I plan on building a pc sometime in april. Anyone see any issues with my parts list? Will mostly be gaming on a 1080p tv and probably switch to a 1440 monitor at some point. Will do some emulation and what not. Want it to be "future proof" for the next year or two hopefully. Maybe vr? idk yet. any issues?

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($374.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($153.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($72.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX200 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Blackout Edition ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Cooler Master 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($137.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1426.19

Hey everyone. Just wanted some more input. Posted a week or two ago but will probably order everything sometime late next week. Any by issues with my parts or comparability? I think I got a bit of input earlier that I'm gonna go look at asap

 

[Lockjaw333]

I'm trying to steer a friend away from buying an alienware alpha crapbox. He has his mind set on a small form factor pc, trying to convince him to build is own.

Any recommendations on the best small form factor case? How about a good micro atx board.

Any recommendations on small form factor parts is welcome. I've built several regular sized rigs but never a tiny guy.

 

[Muddimar]

Hello All! Here is the build that I have (almost) decided on. I chose the 390 gpu, so I can basically hold out until pascal releases. Should I keep my current 750ti I own and use it until pascal? Let me know if any other hardware components catch your eye, and any recommendations:

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

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A GAMING M5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($162.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($89.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($274.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.79 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series White 2 pack 52.2 CFM 120mm Fan ($16.76 @ Amazon)
Other: Custom Sleeved Cables/Combs ($89.00)
Other: NZXT Grid+ v2 Fan Controller ($29.00)
Total: $1248.77
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-14 10:03 EDT-0400

 

[SlaughterX]

Oh wow these prices are amazing for me. The price of the 500gb ssd is the same as the 850evo 250 gb. So I think I'll get the sandisk.
If I get this straight from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9Q9VS4/?tag=neogaf0e-20 , the ssd has a 3 year warranty and if I buy the 5 dollar 2-year protection I have a 5-year plan? Is it worth it?

I have no idea how thise warranties work or if they even stack...

I'm thinking about getting one of these for my aging Alienware X51, but I'm wondering if it's even possible to run two hard drives (on in thise case a hdd and ssd), I didn't see an extra input or cable for a second hard drive even though I double power supply for the GPU...

I still want to upgrade the video card but since 4k gaming isn't an option since it will be in my bedroom I can save some money and get maybe even at gtx 960 or I cN stick with what I have an wait for Pascal or a bigger price drop on current cards.

 

[Balthuk]

I have no idea how thise warranties work or if they even stack...

I'm thinking about getting one of these for my aging Alienware X51, but I'm wondering if it's even possible to run two hard drives (on in thise case a hdd and ssd), I didn't see an extra input or cable for a second hard drive even though I double power supply for the GPU...

I still want to upgrade the video card but since 4k gaming isn't an option since it will be in my bedroom I can save some money and get maybe even at gtx 960 or I cN stick with what I have an wait for Pascal or a bigger price drop on current cards.

I stopped thinking about warranties but then I saw that even though amazon is supposed to send those to my country and ticking the free global shipping, it still reports about 20-30 dollars for shipping costs plus some for import taxes which makes it not so worth it. God damn and I was hyped

 

[Interrobang]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.00 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 380X 4GB DD XXX OC Video Card ($203.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Mini R2 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $737.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-13 18:27 EDT-0400

Thanks again, Joka! You replied in my actual thread, too, and I've been looking at your suggestions heavily. Great help!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($43.79 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $606.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-14 03:23 EDT-0400

Thanks so much for the welcome and reply! Really great info here and I just have a couple of questions! People have been saying I should get a K card and a Z board to both overclock and increase ram past 2133. Do you think I should do this? I was looking at the i5 4690-K, but couldn't find a compatible motherboard on pcpartpicker.

Thanks for the info on office, I was really confused about that! Good to hear I can just get the normal version still.

With the 1TB HDD should I be worried the SSD is small? 120GB seems tiny, but we still have that 1TB there right? I was also going with G.Skill for memory because it seemed cheaper - is there anything wrong with G.Skill over your selected Kingston? I was also opting for a single 8GB because I heard it's better than splitting into 2 4GB, any truth to this?

Finally, I decided on the XFX Radeon R9 380 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($203 on Newegg), but to your point, some people said some games have Nvidia specific options. Do you recommend the 960 over the XFX 380? I'm hoping to play the latest games on high/ultra (cliche I know, but that's the goal).

Hope to hear back. Thanks again!

 

[nOoblet16]

I did a bit of research on this when built a computer recently, they're pretty much the same price in the UK at least. Never really got a definitive answer, I went with the 5820 in the end but I don't think you can go wrong either way

I'm in the UK as well but I am in states next week so I will be making use of it and buying shit from there. But yes even there both are almost the same price.

I think 6700K is better for gaming but if there are applications in the future using 6 cores then it will lag behind perhaps.


What about the GPU? I suppose it's better to wait for Pascal at this point.

 

[Big Papa Husker]

Oh, it used adaptors? that's kind of misleading. I didn't see that in the reviews of the Ultra X3 power supply. Don't fret if you don't have an adaptor, most mid-to-high end graphics cards come with a molex or SATA to 6 or 8 pin cable adaptor in the box as an accessory.

I bought a 6 to 8 pin adapter on eBay yesterday, but now am wondering if I should use it. Considering that they only included 1 6 to 8 pin cable in the box, I'm wondering if my psu could handle two, though it could have been that there was no need to two when the PSU came out in 2009.

 

[Crisium]

Finally, I decided on the XFX Radeon R9 380 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($203 on Newegg), but to your point, some people said some games have Nvidia specific options. Do you recommend the 960 over the XFX 380? I'm hoping to play the latest games on high/ultra (cliche I know, but that's the goal).

Do you mean the 380X, not 380, that LilJoka posted? The 380X is consistently faster than the 960 across most game selections, and will generally get you either higher framerates at the same settings or a slight settings improvement at the same framerate over the 960. The 380X thus has a better shot at hitting High settings at compared to the 960, but you'll find Ultra may be out of reach for many games regardless of card at this price range.

There are some games with Nvidia specific options. The most famous Nvidia specific option you will be missing out on is PhysX, which is rarely but most notably used in Borderlands and Batman. Other actually Nvidia exclusive options are sometimes Lighting like VXAO for Rise of The Tomb Raider but the 960 is honestly not powerful enough to take advantage of it and you'd likely not use it anyway. Most other in game Nvidia technology options are lighting options that can also be run on AMD like HBAO+ or Godrays, and with the 380X's extra grunt it will often be faster with these settings anyway, and likely with either card you may want to turn them off to get better performance. Even in most Nvidia Gameworks games the 380X is faster than the 960 regardless of settings used, and/or neither card is fast enough to use most of these settings anyway. My two cents: at your price bracket its nothing worth considering.

 

[Interrobang]

Do you mean the 380X, not 380, that LilJoka posted? The 380X is consistently faster than the 960 across most game selections, and will generally get you either higher framerates at the same settings or a slight settings improvement at the same framerate over the 960. The 380X thus has a better shot at hitting High settings at compared to the 960, but you'll find Ultra may be out of reach for many games regardless of card at this price range.

Thanks for the info! I actually didn't mean the 380X, I meant this one: http://newegg.com/product/product.a...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Is the 380X that Joka posted better than this? It's confusing because they're the same price.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Thanks for the info! I actually didn't mean the 380X, I meant this one: http://newegg.com/product/product.a...-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Is the 380X that Joka posted better than this? It's confusing because they're the same price.

The card in that link is a 380 which only has 1792 processing cores

The 380X is better which has 2048

 

[Interrobang]

The card in that link is a 380

The 380X is better

Great, thanks! Why would they be the same price? Just a sale, or different utility?

 

[OmegaDL50]

Great, thanks! Why would they be the same price? Just a sale, or different utility?

Yeah the 380X is regularly priced at $230 and it's $10 off so yeah a minor sale, which puts it the same price as the standard 380.

Still there is no reason not go with the better card when they are the same price in this scenario.

 

[e90Mark]

Micro Center has the 6700k for $314.15 for Pi Day, plus tax. Really good deal.

- i7 6700K or i7 5820K (I don't know which, any inputs would be appreciated)


- A 980Ti but with Pascal coming out I feel like I should just wait considering the performance increase Pascal will bring about with its new architecture. I could get a 970 for the mean time but I don't think it will be worth it.

EuroGamer recently put out this article. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-what-is-the-fastest-gaming-cpu

Can probably help out your dilemma.

A 970 as a stop gap card wouldn't be a bad idea. You can generally get them for $300 consistenly. Supposedly the 1080 is launching at the end of May. Really depends on what resolution/fps goals are. 980 Ti's are easily bought at $600 new and I'm pretty sure I saw one in the BST thread for $550 shipped.

I actually sold my 980 Ti to get a 970 to wait. I would have upgraded either way, because I like new shiny stuff, but I figured I would take less of a resell hit this way. The 970 does really well at 1080/60 pretty much maxing out new games. Recently using it on The Division and it performs extremely well close to max.

 

[Interrobang]

Yeah the 380X is regularly priced at $230 and it's $10 off so yeah a minor sale, which puts it the same price as the standard 380.

Still there is no reason not go with the better card when they are the same price in this scenario.

Absolutely, makes sense! What do you think of my other questions to Arbok from his selections above? Love to hear your take on it!

 

[OmegaDL50]

A single 8GB won't have any significant advantage over two 4GB sticks because the two 4GB are working in dual channel. Which some memory management generally works better if it's designed to run in a dual channel configuration. whether you have 1x8GB or 2x4GB it's still 8GB of ram regardless.

Having a small Solid State Disk isn't really a big deal because you only usually install just the OS and your most important software on the SSD so it loads as fast as possible.

The 1TB back up drive is basically a dumping ground for everything else.

Also when it comes time to setup your media folders make sure to keep any videos or music off the SSD and keep them on the HDD, or anything that is constantly writing data to the disk, because SSDs lifespan is based on the amount of times data is written them, keeping stuff that constantly accesses the disk like music and video on the HDD instead will make the SSD last longer.

 

[Efren is G.O.A.T.]

I currently have this rig:

i5-3570k @ 4.2
8gb ram
gtx780 dcu2 OC 3gb vram

gaming @ 1080p

I want to increase the resolution up to 1440p and play the latest games at 60fps with the highest settings possible.(don't mind playing at high if the game is too power hungry).

Would you recommend going for a 980ti or wait out a couple of months to see what Pascal has to offer?

 

[OmegaDL50]

I currently have this rig:

i5-3570k @ 4.2
8gb ram
gtx780 dcu2 OC 3gb vram

gaming @ 1080p

I want to increase the resolution up to 1440p and play the latest games at 60fps with the highest settings possible.(don't mind playing at high if the game is too power hungry).

Would you recommend going for a 980ti or wait out a couple of months to see what Pascal has to offer?

I got the exact same CPU and Ram as you. 3570k and 8GB of Ram.

The difference though is I have an HD 7950 which also has 3GB of ram.

So we basically from a performance stand point have near identical PCs.

I'm personally holding out for Pascal. Your 780 GTX might have a slight edge on my HD 7950 so you should get a bit more mileage out of it.

I think it might be best to wait.

Besides consider this. When Pascal does come out the older generation cards should go slightly down in price, so if you wait and Pascal is too expensive at the time, the GTX 980 Ti should drop somewhat to make way for the 1080 Ti.

 

[Interrobang]

A single 8GB won't have any significant advantage over two 4GB sticks because the two 4GB are working in dual channel. Which some memory management generally works better if it's designed to run in a dual channel configuration. whether you have 1x8GB or 2x4GB it's still 8GB of ram regardless.

Thanks for the insight! I'll probably go with whatever is cheaper then. How do you feel about G.Skill?

Also, what do you think of my K card and a Z board dilemma? I was thinking of the i5 4690-K if a K card is preferred.

 

[Efren is G.O.A.T.]

I got the exact same CPU and Ram as you. 3570k and 8GB of Ram.

The difference though is I have an HD 7950 which also has 3GB of ram.

So we basically from a performance stand point have near identical PCs.

I'm personally holding out for Pascal. Your 780 GTX might have a slight edge on my HD 7950 so you should get a bit more mileage out of it.

I think it might be best to wait.

Besides consider this. When Pascal does come out the older generation cards should go slightly down in price, so if you wait and Pascal is too expensive at the time, the GTX 980 Ti should drop somewhat to make way for the 1080 Ti.

Yeah that's what I think makes the most sense. Plus 1440p screens should go down in price too at the same time.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Thanks for the insight! I'll probably go with whatever is cheaper then. How do you feel about G.Skill?

Also, what do you think of my K card and a Z board dilemma? I was thinking of the i5 4690-K if a K card is preferred.

I have G.Skill Memory in my PC.

DDR3 2x4GB G.Skill Sniper 1866.

It works well and I have no problems with it.

Any reputable Memory manufacturer such as Corsair, G.Skill, Kingston Hyper, Crucial, etc will work.

The things to pay note of however is CAS latency (lower is better) and if your motherboard is designed for a specific channel configuration for optimal performance.

As for the K CPU and Z motherboard thing.

The bigger question is how long to you plan to keep your PC around. IF you get more money in the future and plan to upgrade, having a Z170 series motherboard gives you the opportunity to reuse your motherboard and eventually upgrade to an i7 6700k.

The most significant things between K and non-K CPUs is overclocking and slightly higher clocks.

Also the H class motherboards only support memory speeds of 2133 mhz and lower, so basically putting 2400mhz memory in a H series board will only run it at 2133mhz speed and you can't adjust it in the XMP profile to have it run at it's rated speed of 2400mhz.

Going with a H series motherboard will save you money, however if future upgrades are important for you, instead of outright buying an entirely new PC a few years from now. You may want to consider your options and decide what you want to do for the long run.

 

[Dunfisch]

Need some suggestions here.

I'm looking at choosing between a 980 or a R9 Fury (not the X model). Both are currently in a good sale position, could get the 980 for 500 € or the Fury for 480 €. I'm running at 2560 x 1440.

Unsure which to pick, the Fury generally provides better performance and DX12 titles especially ought to run better on those. Furthermore I'm working with UE4 and a Rift too, so I'm definitely in a position to improve power for VR. What's making the choice hard here is the question of holdover until I upgrade to the next card - that might be in 6 months, might be in more than a year, I can't say right now. This'll be the deciding factor - if by any chance I can't manage an upgrade for a longer time, I'd prefer the card I'll get more mileage out of within the next 2 years.

I do however wanna get a new one interim, so... historically I've always been on Nvidia, but what's your opinion here? Leaning towards the Fury here, to be honest.

Spoiler

Or I could cheap out and spring for a 970 at 330-370 €, but I'm afraid it won't really get me anywhere far in regards to UE4 + Rift development.

 

[Interrobang]

I have G.Skill Memory in my PC.
DDR3 2x4GB G.Skill Sniper 1866.
It works well and I have no problems with it.
Any reputable Memory manufacturer such as Corsair, G.Skill, Kingston Hyper, Crucial, etc will work.
The things to pay note of however is CAS latency (lower is better) and if your motherboard is designed for a specific channel configuration for optimal performance.
As for the K CPU and Z motherboard thing.
The bigger question is how long to you plan to keep your PC around. IF you get more money in the future and plan to upgrade, having a Z170 series motherboard gives you the opportunity to reuse your motherboard and eventually upgrade to an i7 6700k.
The most significant things between K and non-K CPUs is overclocking and slightly higher clocks.
Also the H class motherboards only support memory speeds of 2133 mhz and lower, so basically putting 2400mhz memory in a H series board will only run it at 2133mhz speed and you can't adjust it in the XMP profile to have it run at it's rated speed of 2400mhz.
Going with a H series motherboard will save you money, however if future upgrades are important for you, instead of outright buying an entirely new PC a few years from now. You may want to consider your options and decide what you want to do for the long run.

I'd really like to keep this computer for a long time and focus on upgrading and what not. With that in mind, I edited Arbok's parts list and tried to swap in a Z board with a K card and it starts to get out of affordable range (unless I'm doing it wrong). When I put the compatibility feature on pcpartspicker, no motherboards seem to be compatible with i5-4690K.

Is not pushing past 2133 mhz notably inferior in any regard? I'm thinking I just stick with Arbok's setup since opting for a Z+K combo pushes the price up significantly.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Yeah the Z / H 170 series motherboards are only designed for the 6th Gen i3 / i5 / i7 series (6XXX bascially)

IF you are opting for a i5 4XXX series you'll need to get a Z / H 97 board instead of 170 because that is the 4th Gen intel and not the 6th. Although I think it's worth mentioning the newer generations are better with slight performance increases over the previous generation. So getting a H series board with a 6th gen chip might still be better for being price conscious and still having reasonable performance.

The first number is the generation of the chip

Basically I have 3570k (3xxx = 3rd Gen) so Z77

5th Gen 4xxx is Z87 AND 797.

And the latest 6th gen 6xxx uses Z / H 170

So if you get a 4690k then you'll need a z97 board and not a 170 if you want to go with a K model.

Of course this also factors if you plan to overclock in the future because that is the main reason people go with K series chips, the option to overclock to push higher speeds out of the chip beyond its preset speed.

 

[Interrobang]

Yeah the Z / H 170 series motherboards are only designed for the 6th Gen i3 / i5 / i7 series (6XXX bascially)
IF you are opting for a i5 4XXX series you'll get to get a Z / H 97 board instead of 170 because that is the 4th Gen intel and not the 6th.
The first number is the generation of the chip
Basically I have 3570k (3xxx = 3rd Gen) so Z77, 5th Gen 4xxx is Z87 AND 797.
And the latest 6th gen 6xxx uses Z / H 170
So if you get a 4690k then you'll need a z97 board and not a 170 if you want to go with K.
Of course this also factors if you plan to overclock in the future because that is the main reason people go with K series chips, the option to overclock to push higher speeds out of the chip beyond its preset speed.

Are those Z / H 97 boards on PCpartPicker? Because they're not even showing for me.

Although I would like the option to overclock, I think the truth of the matter is I would probably never find the time to figure out how to do so (new to the PC game). And if a i5 4XXXK is a 4th gen card, then it sounds like going for the i5 6XXX would be better anyway. Guess I'll wait for Arbok to chime in before pulling the trigger!

 

[OmegaDL50]

Are those Z / H 97 boards on PCpartPicker? Because they're not even showing for me.

Although I would like the option to overclock, I think the truth of the matter is I would probably never find the time to figure out how to do so (new to the PC game). And if a i5 4XXXK is a 4th gen card, then it sounds like going for the i5 6XXX would be better anyway. Guess I'll wait for Arbok to chime in before pulling the trigger!

Yeah it's probably a good idea to for Arbok to share his advice. It's always good weight your options and get all information so you can make the best decision for your money.

Besides I'm sure it's always good to have a second option to share information, and become more knowledgeable and make the best call to wind up something that makes you happy.

That is the most important thing, to get something that works for you and you are ultimately pleased with the end result.

 

[Interrobang]

Yeah it's probably a good idea to for Arbok to share his advice. It's always good weight your options and get all information so you can make the best decision for your money.
Besides I'm sure it's always good to have a second option to share information, and become more knowledgeable and make the best call to wind up something that makes you happy.
That is the most important thing, to get something that works for you and you are ultimately pleased with the end result.

You've been a great help Omega! Thanks for your time. Do you see any 4th gen compatible motherboards on pcpartpicker? Not sur eif it's me or if they're just not on there.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Yeah they are on PCparkpicker.

You need to go down to the list on the left side when choosing a motherboard and go through the chipset list.

H97 or z97, The Z series boards should be at the very bottom of the list.

 

[Interrobang]

Yeah they are on PCparkpicker.

You need to go down to the list on the left side when choosing a motherboard and go through the chipset list.

H97 or z97, The Z series boards should be at the very bottom of the list.

Thanks, I'll look now. I had the compatibility function checked off and nothing was turning up when I had the i5 4XXXK cards picked.