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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 2. Read the OP. Rocking 2500K's until HBM2 and beyond.
- Thread starter Hazaro
- Start date
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I'm not exactly sure. I want to use my 2 monitors most of the time. Sometimes I want to PC game from my couch, so I want to be able to use the TV as a monitor WITHOUT having to unplug one of the monitors and plug in the TV each time. I thought an HDMI switcher would allow me to switch between the PC monitor and TV quickly.
Professor Lich
Member
Hello all, just going to look for some advice for a new computer. I'm torn between getting a sweet laptop or building a new desktop build I did get some advice from K.Jack in the other thread but before I drop the cash I'd let to get some more opinions.
[Basic Desktop Questions]
Your Current Specs: No point in mentioning, five+ year old desktop.
Budget: Around 2000 in the USA
Main Use: 1: 3D Modeling / Game Dev work(Might include render intensive work). 2: Gaming 3: General Use
Monitor Resolution: Looking to upgrade my current monitor but not sure with what. For the time being I do play on a HDTV that I belive is 1080 X 1920
For my gaming experiance, I'm looking for stuff in the High - Ultra Range. Nothing super crazy but 60 FPS most of the time would be perfect.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I really shouldn't
When will you build?: I'd like to build in the next two weeks or so.
Will you be overclocking?: Probably not unless someone things I should due to my Main Use.
As well, I did make a list over on PCPartPicker if that helps anyone help me. Thanks for reading and any help is appreciated!
[Basic Desktop Questions]
Your Current Specs: No point in mentioning, five+ year old desktop.
Budget: Around 2000 in the USA
Main Use: 1: 3D Modeling / Game Dev work(Might include render intensive work). 2: Gaming 3: General Use
Monitor Resolution: Looking to upgrade my current monitor but not sure with what. For the time being I do play on a HDTV that I belive is 1080 X 1920
For my gaming experiance, I'm looking for stuff in the High - Ultra Range. Nothing super crazy but 60 FPS most of the time would be perfect.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I really shouldn't
When will you build?: I'd like to build in the next two weeks or so.
Will you be overclocking?: Probably not unless someone things I should due to my Main Use.
As well, I did make a list over on PCPartPicker if that helps anyone help me. Thanks for reading and any help is appreciated!
Well, getting an mITX motherboard to match the mITX version of the Prodigy case will cost more money, as mITX motherboards cost quite a bit more. The mATX motherboards I recommended were only around $65, but those mITX motherboards are expensive and reviews for the three cheapest models are only so-so, averaging 3/5 stars.
Did he already buy the mITX version or can you get him to order the mATX version of the Bitfenix Prodigy instead?
I don't think it's possible to fit the GTX 960 into the budget if mITX is required. That example build I gave you with the i3 and a GTX 750 Ti already assumed he could use a cheaper mATX motherboard. Going with an mITX size motherboard will cost more and leave even less money for the processor and graphics card.
Edit: If he hasn't bought the case yet, I think I can make it work. Memory Express is selling the black version of the mATX Prodigy M for $70, which is a decent price considering the Prodigy normally goes for around $100.I'm working on a parts list and I'll post it in a few minutes.Here's the parts list, hopefully it works for you and him.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($144.74 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: ASRock B85M-DGS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($53.75 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Team Elite Plus 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Toshiba Product SeriesT01ACA 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($229.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy M Midnight MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($69.99 @ Memory Express)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.98 @ NCIX)
Monitor: LG 22M45D 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($128.88 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $787.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-25 21:41 EDT-0400
It's heavy on mail in rebates, but that's just how it is. No way around that and still fit into the budget in the end.
I just had a chat with him and he's saying he can go up to a 1100$ max but just a few things to keep in mind:
1. He wants to add a Dvd drive and wireless card to the build so thats included in that price.
2. He also wants to get Ncix to build the PC for him so he'll be price matching the components and paying 50$ for it to be built.
So any further suggestions for this budget? Thanks a lot for your help so far though.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
I had the same thing happen. You are better off buying a key for Windows 10 because then it can be reused. If you upgrade from 7 or 8, you only get the Windows 10 key by upgrading. Upgrading is only free for the first year as well.
Try to call MS, make sure to have your win 7/8 key handy.
If all else fails I wouldn't pay for something you should have gotten for free, look for other methods. MS hardware ID activation still has some problems.
I'm not willing to pay 200+ for something which I legally own
well after installing all updates it still tells me my code is blocked, but the annoying message which was always in front is gone. I guess it happened because I installed a new GPU and put everything in a new case, for which I had to disassemble the parts.
This has happened to me too, same message - code is blocked after I changed my GPU from HD 5570 to HD 7470.
The activation watermark appears a few hours after the PC is turned on, but goes away after reboot.
As I said, look for alternative means. There are some very clinical ways to get activated.
As far as I know, when you 'upgrade' to Windows 10 it generates a hash value based on the hardware in your system at that time.
That hash value is then sent to and stored on MS's authentication servers as a unique valid ID (possibly linked to your MS account also).
If you then change a key component (such as a GFX card) then that will change the hash of your system, and so when Win 10 tries to authenticate your system it can't find a match with a valid ID, hence automatic authentication fail.
Call them and explain the situation and they should be able to update the hash to your new config..
That hash value is then sent to and stored on MS's authentication servers as a unique valid ID (possibly linked to your MS account also).
If you then change a key component (such as a GFX card) then that will change the hash of your system, and so when Win 10 tries to authenticate your system it can't find a match with a valid ID, hence automatic authentication fail.
Call them and explain the situation and they should be able to update the hash to your new config..
So upgrading/changing your GPU can cause Windows 10 to lose activation? Reading reddit, it seems like the standard MS support reply is either buy a license or go back to 7/8.1 and re-upgrade again which is just terrible. What happens after the free year is up? I guess you have to buy a copy or get lucky with MS support and get a rep that is willing to give you a key.. After several hours of waiting in call and getting transferred half a dozen times. :\
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
You can't do things like change your wallpaper while your copy is not activated.
They flat out refused to do this for me. I called twice and went on chat support. Each time they said I either had to reinstall Windows 7 or 8 and upgrade or buy a copy of 10.
After the free year of upgrade you will have to buy a key or stick with your older version of Windows.
I caved I just bought a key off of Amazon for $120. It sucks, but all I have are an old Windows 7 key and an OEM Windows 8 key. I don't mind Windows 7 but I'd like to use DirectX 12 in the future.
Honestly surprised to see the 780ti holding up so well against what I believe is a more capable card (I'm alluding the R9 290X).
Them saying you could 're-upgrade' rather than just change your existing hash, makes me think that they don't have a way to do it manually. Which is shitty.
It also implies that you can use the same Windows 7/8 key to upgrade multiple PCs, unless it just overwrites the Win10 hash associated with that key by upgrading again.
Either way, they haven't exactly been transparent about this whole thing.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
If you don't change your hardware, I assume you can keep the license for as long as the computer runs.
My wife shared her key with a family member. Both upgraded to Windows 10. I believe they can still run in parallel.
You are given a unique installation ID number. To find it, hit the windows key + r and type 'slui 4' into the command prompt. This will run you through the process and spit out a large series of numbers. This what they use to verify your previous key to the install of Windows 10.
The transparency is kind of a frustrating thing. I would have gladly bought a Windows 10 from the beginning had they been more upfront about the upgrade process.
I think I know what you are referring to, but I always get an error message, that the KMS servers could not be reached
I have been looking for the 'best' thermal paste or best value. It seems the thermal paste does not matter, given there's a difference of a few degrees bewteen them, but the circulation, airflow, etc of your case that will make a bigger difference.
But I still have the question. Given the following choice, which thermal paste should I go for? At the moment I'm looking at the Artic Silver MX2, MX4, AS5, PK-3 and Noctua NT-H1. there are a lot of different answers that other people on the web provide.
I'm not looking to overclock if that helps.
But I still have the question. Given the following choice, which thermal paste should I go for? At the moment I'm looking at the Artic Silver MX2, MX4, AS5, PK-3 and Noctua NT-H1. there are a lot of different answers that other people on the web provide.
I'm not looking to overclock if that helps.
ohyouagain
Member
I don't know if there have been posted in dis thread yet but images of the Fury Nano have surfaced on a Korean website.
It really doesn't matter. If you're going to be using a stock CPU cooler, it will already have TIM applied. If you're using an aftermarket heatsink/fan, just use the stuff that comes with it.
No need to overcomplicate it, especially if you're not even overclocking.
Thanks!
ohyouagain
Member
I know such comments are not well regarded on GAF but I wanted to underline the apparent discrepency in sales between Nvidia products and AMD products in Switzerland. The website Digitec lists its different items by sales ranking (without any numbers). When it comes to GPUs what you see is that :
1) the top 8 best sellers are gaming-oriented nvidia GPUs
2) the first AMD product is a sub-entry-Level (sic) ASUS HD 5450 Silent
And it somehow makes me sad that the ASUS HD 5450 Silent is selling more than all gaming GPUs from AMD :-(
1) the top 8 best sellers are gaming-oriented nvidia GPUs
2) the first AMD product is a sub-entry-Level (sic) ASUS HD 5450 Silent
And it somehow makes me sad that the ASUS HD 5450 Silent is selling more than all gaming GPUs from AMD :-(
Coulomb_Barrier
Member
Due to Amazon messing up the order, the Samsung SM951 256GB SSD finally arrived after 3 weeks.
Old: Samsung 950 Pro 256GB Raid 0
New: Samsung SM951 256GB
As I originally thought, don't notice any difference.
Your SM951 seems slow, write speed should be a lot faster and even read speed should be closer to 2000mb/s.
What m.2 compatibility does your motherboard have?
Its still not clear, it supposed to be some sort of "strike" system, where each hardware change counts towards it. Depending on the component it can give a different penalty. Most said GPU would be fine, not sure if they actually tried it. It could also just be a problem on MS' side.
As far as i know, the Win 7/8 serial is lost in the upgrade process, so you cant downgrade back to 7/8 and re-upgrade, then fresh install.... The whole system is a pain in the ass for us system builders. You also lose the official downgrade through the OS when you fresh install since the HW ID didnt match in our case.
MR ARCADE FOREVER
Member
Thanks I can't wait!Looks like a sick build man!
Enjoy putting it together.
The SilverStone Milo ML07 (or either the asthetically challenged sibling Raven Z or the more expensive Fortress FTZ01) might be of interest to you.
I'm kind of smitten by the thought of it, but I do wonder how well it would cope with an overclocked I7-6700K and whatever high-end GPU if I also value a silent computer.
You want to use an HDMI Splitter, not a switch. A switch allows you to plug multiple source devices into a tv/monitor that has only one HDMI port. A splitter does what you want to and allows two monitors/tvs to receive the same signal from one device.
What's your budget and where are you located?
Asus X99 Deluxe MB. After testing with Crystal Disk Mark, I seem to be getting the right speeds. Probably, an issue withe other software.
Old: Samsung 850 Pro 256GB Raid 0
New: Samsung SM951 256GB
Asus X99 Deluxe MB. After testing with Crystal Disk Mark, I seem to be getting the right speeds. Probably, an issue withe other software.
Old: Samsung 850 Pro 256GB Raid 0
New: Samsung SM951 256GB
What kind of functions do you perform with this SSD (Adobe Creative Suite, games, etc)? How noticeable is the improvement over your 850 Pro?
Is it save to overclock w/o increasing the voltage?
I' have a new MSI GTX 970 and overclocked as follows:
Power Limit to 110%
Core Clock +140
Memory Clock +500
with these setting I'm able to run MGS:GZ 1440p/max/settings/60fps. Without the overclocking I had some drops to 55 fps.
I' have a new MSI GTX 970 and overclocked as follows:
Power Limit to 110%
Core Clock +140
Memory Clock +500
with these setting I'm able to run MGS:GZ 1440p/max/settings/60fps. Without the overclocking I had some drops to 55 fps.
Probably the worst that could happen is you get crashing, which will indicate you need to maybe bump the voltage. I guess prolonged OC'ing in this state could damage your graphics card; but so could OC'ing with up'd voltage.
I think the risks are minimal unless you are doing some extreme overclocking.
They're the same drivers. Just swap the cards.
Anyone else notice Samsung has released a 650 Series ssd? Any info on it?
Ok thansk! So as long as I don't see any artifacts/crashes I shouldn't touch the voltage? I'm a bit noob when it comes to OCing. My temps are at 70°C at max.
Lockman_321
Member
Hello gaf
Looking for a monitor under £500 would you be able to help.
My rig is
I7 4790k
980ti
16gb ram
I'm stuck between gsync 60hz 1080p and a 1440p 144hz. What would the best route to go down be? Should I go for a g sync monitor with a lower resolution or go for the higher resolution 1440p in which the 980ti might not be able to handle games at ultra quality? Any suggestions would be helpful.
Looking for a monitor under £500 would you be able to help.
My rig is
I7 4790k
980ti
16gb ram
I'm stuck between gsync 60hz 1080p and a 1440p 144hz. What would the best route to go down be? Should I go for a g sync monitor with a lower resolution or go for the higher resolution 1440p in which the 980ti might not be able to handle games at ultra quality? Any suggestions would be helpful.
megabytecr
Member
Help Please
Thing is I need to buy a PC for the house, plus some work and I want to squeeze modest gaming out of it to take advantage of the investment. I think I will decide between G3240, i3 4170 build or i5 4460 paired with the famous GTX 750ti. Will probably pick the i3.
Question is, how does upgrades look for me if I pick any of those CPUs? Where I live between G3240 and i3 4170 I am looking at a $92 difference and $104 diff between the i3 and i5 4460.
Is the G3240 too weak? I just want some gaming and to take advantage of steam game prices, and to play some older games I bought at 1080p, I already have a PS4 and Wii U.
I also saw the A10-7800, can that on its own hold up?
I think the sweet spot to start seems to be the i3 4170 with the GTX 750ti.
Can I get away with 4GB of RAM to save some $ or better to have 8GB right away?
Thanks!
Thing is I need to buy a PC for the house, plus some work and I want to squeeze modest gaming out of it to take advantage of the investment. I think I will decide between G3240, i3 4170 build or i5 4460 paired with the famous GTX 750ti. Will probably pick the i3.
Question is, how does upgrades look for me if I pick any of those CPUs? Where I live between G3240 and i3 4170 I am looking at a $92 difference and $104 diff between the i3 and i5 4460.
Is the G3240 too weak? I just want some gaming and to take advantage of steam game prices, and to play some older games I bought at 1080p, I already have a PS4 and Wii U.
I also saw the A10-7800, can that on its own hold up?
I think the sweet spot to start seems to be the i3 4170 with the GTX 750ti.
Can I get away with 4GB of RAM to save some $ or better to have 8GB right away?
Thanks!
Well fuck, back to Amazon it goes. Thanks!
Where are you located and what's your budget? Maybe we can help you nail down a list of parts to best fit your budget.
I don't know what games you intend to play, but a while back Techspot did an article that compares the performance between various Intel CPUs. They're not the exact models that you're looking at, but they're fairly close (within 5~10%) so you should be able to see what sort of differences there are. If it were me, then yes I would also avoid the G3240. It'd be ok for lower end and older games, but you run the risk of being bottlenecked and then having to upgrade sooner rather than later.
As for the AMD option, it's be a great option if you really wanted to save money and wasn't going to buy a graphics card, as the APU's integrated graphics is much stronger than that of the 4th generation i3 or i5 integrated graphics. But since you say you'll be buying a GTX 750 Ti, then the i3 4170's slightly stronger processing ability would be preferable.
Depending on what sort of games you play you could go with 4GB for now and add another 4GB in the future. Techspot wrote another article comparing performance when it comes to 4GB/8GB/16GB, and the consensus is that 8GB is the sweet spot for performance while 4GB is actually fairly acceptable.
Again, what you should get will depend on your overall budget and what games you're going to play.
Did you try my suggestion yet, though? It didn't work?
Most likely 2016. Perhaps the second half of 2016.
PSA: CRUCIAL IS SELLING RE-CERTIFIED M500 SSDs FOR DEEP DISCOUNTS
960 GB SSD - $179.99
480 GB SSD - $99.99
*COME WITH 1 YEAR WARRANTY FROM CRUCIAL*
http://crucialsavings.com/
Y'all better get in this ASAP because they sell out fast.
960 GB SSD - $179.99
480 GB SSD - $99.99
*COME WITH 1 YEAR WARRANTY FROM CRUCIAL*
http://crucialsavings.com/
Y'all better get in this ASAP because they sell out fast.
Is that 1TB and 500gb respectively?
I got one from the previous deal. Drive seems to be brand new (power on count was 1).
Tempted to buy another now lol.
Jzero
Member
Why do i have to be broke right now -_-
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
Wow. That's a great deal.
Omega Kirby
Member
http://www.futuremark.com/hardware/gpu
Look at this chart gaf.
Would you say the top 25 gpus should be able to last this gen at 1080p high-ultra?
Look at this chart gaf.
Would you say the top 25 gpus should be able to last this gen at 1080p high-ultra?
Ehh.. maybe, if you don't mind 30FPS.
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