Support NeoGAF

[Muffin Awesome]

Alright, please educate me on which would be the best setup option.

I just bought an Asus vx 248h. It's options are hdmi or vga.

I have an Asus gtx 760 that has an hdmi/Dvi d/dvi I.

I have an hdmi cord and an hdmi to dvi cord, which option is the best to connect?

It has a 1ms response rate and I'd like to take as much advantage of the higher response and refresh rate of possible. Again any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[CrashPrime]

For a htpc should I plan on going for external or internal for like a 5tb? I don't think I want to mess around trying to stream HD video on my network with wifi. I have some ethernet over power adapters but even that doesn't sound ideal for lots of video. I think 5tb should house my game, movie and music collection just fine, I am just not sure about storage. I went the SilverStone RV02 route so I technically can pop a 3.5 in but I could go external too (kinda kills the small fotprint).

Is a 3.5 OK in a passively cooled case like the raven 02? StickI'm going to a 2tb 2.5 going to be cooler in temp?

Also with a huge 5-6tb drive, is it silly to bother with more than a 120gb SSD for the system drive?

 

[Felix Lighter]

I have SLI GTX 980ti G1 Gaming cards in my machine and while playing the Division, one of my GPU's temps were hitting 80C. I took off the side case and the temp dropped back into the 75-78 territory (the other card sits around 70C). So I figured if I could get some heavy duty fans that to replace the 200mm front fan in my case I should be able to get the temps down.

I may have went a little over board. I bought 2 of these to replace the 200mm fan that came with the case (Phantek Enthoo Pro):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KFCRF1A/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I assumed I could control the fan speeds in the bios and these fans should be effective at relatively low RPMs when the system is idle or under little load. Well I can control the speeds in the bios but unfortunately, I cannot set system fans below 50%. So these fans are spinning at 1600 RPM all the time right now. I'm not a person that needs a silent PC but this is excessive for me. What are my options here? Speedfan isn't doing the trick. If I set the speed below 40% they simply shut off when I use Speedfan. I guess I will need a hardware solution but I want the fans to be controlled by GPU temp.

The thought process here was, when I'm playing games the GPU fans are already extremely loud, which isn't a big deal for me because I wear headphones, so adding some heavy duty case fans to the mix when the temps get high wouldn't be a problem. However, these idle noise is too much for non-gaming situations right now. I guess I could send these back and get quieter more reasonable fans but if I could only have more control over my fan speeds, I think these would be perfectly fine.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

I have SLI GTX 980ti G1 Gaming cards in my machine and while playing the Division, one of my GPU's temps were hitting 80C. I took off the side case and the temp dropped back into the 75-78 territory (the other card sits around 70C). So I figured if I could get some heavy duty fans that to replace the 200mm front fan in my case I should be able to get the temps down.

I may have went a little over board. I bought 2 of these to replace the 200mm fan that came with the case (Phantek Enthoo Pro):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KFCRF1A/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I assumed I could control the fan speeds in the bios and these fans should be effective at relatively low RPMs when the system is idle or under little load. Well I can control the speeds in the bios but unfortunately, I cannot set system fans below 50%. So these fans are spinning at 1600 RPM all the time right now. I'm not a person that needs a silent PC but this is excessive for me. What are my options here? Speedfan isn't doing the trick. If I set the speed below 40% they simply shut off when I use Speedfan. I guess I will need a hardware solution but I want the fans to be controlled by GPU temp.

I don't think there are bios options for gpu fan, though I could be wrong. On all my motherboards you have cpu or board temps.

You need a hardware fan controller and a temp sensor for it. Stick it on the gpu.

 

[Felix Lighter]

I don't think there are bios options for gpu fan, though I could be wrong. On all my motherboards you have cpu or board temps.

You need a hardware fan controller and a temp sensor for it. Stick it on the gpu.

Yes that's true. The bios control wouldn't read the GPU temp sensor but the bios fan controls are out of the question anyway since they will not allow any fan control below 50% for anything but the CPU fan even though all of my fans are connected with 4 pin PMW connectors.

The good news is that they are extremely effective. The system is actually quieter when playing games and temps 73-74C on the hottest card. The idle noise is the problem. I believe you are right about the hardware fan controller. I'm just not familiar with them to know what to look for.

 

[Optimusdouche]

Hey guys, I am looking to get a cheap gaming PC off gumtree. One that I can hopefully upgrade overtime. If I can pick this computer up for really cheap, is this cool? How much would you pay max for this?


THE SPECS:
Intel i5 3.30GHz Quad Core (x4)
8GB RAMM
1GB Geforce Graphics Card
1TB Hard Drive
1/10/100GB Ethernet Network Card
22" 1080 Asus Monitor

 

[Garou]

Hey guys, I am looking to get a cheap gaming PC off gumtree. One that I can hopefully upgrade overtime. If I can pick this computer up for really cheap, is this cool? How much would you pay max for this?


THE SPECS:
Intel i5 3.30GHz Quad Core (x4)
8GB RAMM
1GB Geforce Graphics Card
1TB Hard Drive
1/10/100GB Ethernet Network Card
22" 1080 Asus Monitor

That list is too vague, you need model-numbers, etc.

 

[brainpann]

Hey PC gaf-I'm looking to upgrade my PC a bit. Ill be transfeerring a GTX 980, an I7 3770, DDR3 ram, and the other usual stuff. Will this configuration work? I know nothing about building pc but fromwhat I can tell, this should all work together.

I'd also prefer this case from Amazon.

Here*

Thanks in advance.

 

[th3dude]

PC-GAF, I have a question...

Background
I recently upgraded my GTX 570 SLI setup to a GTX 970. I'm also running a 2500K at 4.0GHz and 16GB RAM. I also use 2 monitors.

Issue/Question
With my SLI setup, I could easily play a game on one screen and watch 1080p video on the other screen (Twitch, Netflix, etc.). I've noticed since my upgrade that playing video on the other screen introduces graphics lag into my game.

Is this expected due to me not having SLI anymore? Is there any way for me to optimize this?

Also, I have my 570s laying around collecting dust. Would it help (or is it even possible to) put one back into the system to handle 'secondary' activities, such as video streaming? Also could be used for PhysX?

This is all assuming that the graphics card(s) are the issue and not CPU ability.

Thanks!

 

[Optimusdouche]

That list is too vague, you need model-numbers, etc.

Yea, I thought so. He originally did have the exact dets for some of the stuff, but he seems to have simplified it even more.

He is selling it for cheap, and does not seem to be able to find a buyer, and I might be able to get it even cheaper off him, which is why I am considering it. Says it must be gone by 3pm tomorrow, as he is leaving the country.

If I can get it cheap enough, i might just take it. He's selling it for 175GBP, at the moment. I might be willing to give him 100GBP for it.

 

[e90Mark]

Hey PC gaf-I'm looking to upgrade my PC a bit. Ill be transfeerring a GTX 980, an I7 3770, DDR3 ram, and the other usual stuff. Will this configuration work? I know nothing about building pc but fromwhat I can tell, this should all work together.






I'd also prefer this case from Amazon.

Here*

Thanks in advance.

That 3770 is going to need a z77 board, not a z97.

 

[brainpann]

That 3770 is going to need a z77 board, not a z97.

Thanks-

is that because it needs an lga1155 socket? Will a z77 fit in that case?

 

[Pau]

Boyfriend's desktop is pretty much unusable so we're looking into replacing it.

The old computer:
CPU: Intel Core i5 750 @ 2.67 GHZ 2.66 GHZ
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 460

I (kinda) joke about 'unusable', but it does run most of the things we care to play just fine; just that the computer itself is old and boggy.

Budget: Max $600 (United States)
Main Use: Moderate gaming, 2D graphics software.
Monitor Resolution: 1920 x 1080
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well:
Applications: Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop. inDesign)
Games: Bioshock Infinite, City Skylines
When will you build?: Do you have a deadline? Having it by May would be nice.
Will you be overclocking?: No

Ideally he wants a PC equivalent of the MAC Mini as far as case goes.

What should we be looking at for getting the most out of our $600?

 

[Garou]

Yea, I thought so. He originally did have the exact dets for some of the stuff, but he seems to have simplified it even more.

He is selling it for cheap, and does not seem to be able to find a buyer, and I might be able to get it even cheaper off him, which is why I am considering it. Says it must be gone by 3pm tomorrow, as he is leaving the country.

If I can get it cheap enough, i might just take it. He's selling it for 175GBP, at the moment. I might be willing to give him 100GBP for it.

Be aware that an i5 could be anything from 2009 to 2016, GeForce 1GB could be some really old and crappy DDR3-card up to an okayish 750Ti.

Depending on that it may or may not be worth it.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Welp since nobody was able to help advice, I just went a head and bought a Corsair Hydro H80i GT and a H75.

If I decide against installing them, I'll just send them back. Otherwise, I'll drop in the one that looks like it will fit the best.

 

[brainpann]

So this is what I ended up buying. Hopefully I didnt make a mistake somewhere.

A GTX 980 and an I7 3770 will be going in.

 

[Midn1ght]

Question : If Nvidia announce new GPU in April, can we expect the 900 series to drop in price right after it or will that happen when they actually launch ?

I'm thinking of building a budget PC and leaning toward the 960 4gb but if waiting a few weeks or a couple of month means I can get a 970 for cheaper than now, I would definitely wait.

 

[Arkanius]

Bought a Samsung 850 Evo for my Gaming/Steam disk.
Good god, no stuttering in Dying Light is a joyous thing.
Instant fast loadings.

I already had an SSD for the OS, but for Gaming it's really removing a bottleneck that should absolutely do not exist.

Amazing.

 

[roadrunn3r]

So this is what I ended up buying. Hopefully I didnt make a mistake somewhere.

A GTX 980 and an I7 3770 will be going in.

I don't know what image are you trying to link but it's not working. Just write down the model here.

 

[SmartWaffles]

Question : If Nvidia announce new GPU in April, can we expect the 900 series to drop in price right after it or will that happen when they actually launch ?

I'm thinking of building a budget PC and leaning toward the 960 4gb but if waiting a few weeks or a couple of month means I can get a 970 for cheaper than now, I would definitely wait.

Older models don't drop price until a newer model replacement enters the market, since the rumor only points out high-end cards in April, a 960 price cut is unlikely to happen.

 

[RayStorm]

Older models don't drop price until a newer model replacement enters the market, since the rumor only points out high-end cards in April, a 960 price cut is unlikely to happen.

Also I don't really remember significant price drops the last few times generations changed. I might be very wrong here, but at most (and even that I don't necessarily recall) the price drops down to what the newer card in the same bracket with similar power costs. So basically if I am in fact correct, it would only be worth it if you wanted to buy a second card for SLI.

 

[mrklaw]

I have SLI GTX 980ti G1 Gaming cards in my machine and while playing the Division, one of my GPU's temps were hitting 80C. I took off the side case and the temp dropped back into the 75-78 territory (the other card sits around 70C). So I figured if I could get some heavy duty fans that to replace the 200mm front fan in my case I should be able to get the temps down.

I may have went a little over board. I bought 2 of these to replace the 200mm fan that came with the case (Phantek Enthoo Pro):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KFCRF1A/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I assumed I could control the fan speeds in the bios and these fans should be effective at relatively low RPMs when the system is idle or under little load. Well I can control the speeds in the bios but unfortunately, I cannot set system fans below 50%. So these fans are spinning at 1600 RPM all the time right now. I'm not a person that needs a silent PC but this is excessive for me. What are my options here? Speedfan isn't doing the trick. If I set the speed below 40% they simply shut off when I use Speedfan. I guess I will need a hardware solution but I want the fans to be controlled by GPU temp.

The thought process here was, when I'm playing games the GPU fans are already extremely loud, which isn't a big deal for me because I wear headphones, so adding some heavy duty case fans to the mix when the temps get high wouldn't be a problem. However, these idle noise is too much for non-gaming situations right now. I guess I could send these back and get quieter more reasonable fans but if I could only have more control over my fan speeds, I think these would be perfectly fine.

you use an inline adapter to slow them down. Not sure what the proper term is, but my noctua fans usually came with some so you could run them direct off a molex connector but they'd run slow and quiet.

 

[SmartWaffles]

Also I don't really remember significant price drops the last few times generations changed. I might be very wrong here, but at most (and even that I don't necessarily recall) the price drops down to what the newer card in the same bracket with similar power costs. So basically if I am in fact correct, it would only be worth it if you wanted to buy a second card for SLI.

Yeah I remember the 760 and 770 only had a very minor price cut when 970 and 960 launches, and they pretty much instantly ceased production too, I imagine this will happen to 970 and 960 as well if Pascal's production went well.

 

[roadrunn3r]

Besides it's never a good idea to buy old generation graphics cards for several reasons. If you have to wait, do so but to get the new cards. The only exception is maybe a very good deal or used market.

 

[Midn1ght]

Thanks for the answers guys

Besides it's never a good idea to buy old generation graphics cards for several reasons. If you have to wait, do so but to get the new cards. The only exception is maybe a very good deal or used market.

Can we expect a complete new lineup of cards this years with Pascal architecture (Pascal Titan, 1080, 1070, 1060), something like this ? And if yes what are the timeline rumors (summer, end of the year,...) ?

 

[roadrunn3r]

Thanks for the answers guys



Can we expect a complete new lineup of cards this years with Pascal architecture (Pascal Titan, 1080, 1070, 1060), something like this ? And if yes what are the timeline rumors (summer, end of the year,...) ?

We don't know yet (I don't at least) but it seems there will be some information from Nvidia in April.

 

[Midn1ght]

Guess I'll wait April and see what happen.

Thanks man.

 

[Twinduct]

Need to replace my HTPC. Looked at the suggestions in the OP, but seems AMD is really in a draught in my region. Can't find the A8/A6 standalone (Only part of custom Built PC, excessive costs involved).

So the HTPC suggestion in OP Still relevant?
Mostly looking at the CPU/ Motherboard combo.

 

[valouris]

Opinions: Is there any good reason to hold off on buying 6th gen intel processors at this point? Are we expecting anything drastic to happen this year in CPU space to accompany Pascal?

I am asking because I am thinking of getting a rig now and use my old GPU, and buy a Pascal when they come out. Will anything come out (not LGA 2011-3) that will blow a 6600K out of the water, performance/value wise, at least that we know of?

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

So GAF, Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400Mhz 2x8gb for £65 or Hyper Fury X 1866Mhz 2x8gb for £52? I'm leaning towards the Fury since the low profile would allow me to fit in 4 sticks in the future if I wanted whereas corsair seems to be a bit tall for my heatsink on the closest slot. Is there any reason to pick Corsair otherwise?

Opinions: Is there any good reason to hold off on buying 6th gen intel processors at this point? Are we expecting anything drastic to happen this year in CPU space to accompany Pascal?

I am asking because I am thinking of getting a rig now and use my old GPU, and buy a Pascal when they come out. Will anything come out (not LGA 2011-3) that will blow a 6600K out of the water, performance/value wise, at least that we know of?

From what I've been reading the new processors will be more efficient but also may have an increase in core count. I don't think higher clock speeds is something that Intel are looking at right now from their last PR release. I grabbed a 4790k not so long ago and honestly I can't see myself swapping out for a long time, especially going by the amount of time my 2600k lasted. I can't even think of a gen that's been worth upgrading your processor from one year to next in a long time. Things just aren't progressing that fast on that front now.

 

[Felix Lighter]

you use an inline adapter to slow them down. Not sure what the proper term is, but my noctua fans usually came with some so you could run them direct off a molex connector but they'd run slow and quiet.

Thanks. My fan didn't come with one. Just the fan and screws. I'll look into that if my plan doesn't work, though. Here's my current plan. I have a second CPU fan header not being used for anything but my water blocks stupid led, which can be moved to the system fan connector. I have a PWM 8 way splitter from Swiftech that I got with my CPU cooler. The MB will allow me greater fan control on that header, the splitter will allow the fan control to control both fans. Then hopefully speedfan will allow me to control that header with the GPU thermal sensor.

 

[e90Mark]

Thanks-

is that because it needs an lga1155 socket? Will a z77 fit in that case?

Yes, it's because the 3770 is a 1155. Any standard atx board would fit in a case that supports atx.

 

[thenexus6]

So my case has arrived, the Fractal Design 1500. It has two fans already (back and front).

I've ordered a third fan as it was only £3 on amazon. I can mount it on the top or side. Which would be better?

 

[Sarcasm]

So my case has arrived, the Fractal Design 1500. It has two fans already (back and front).

I've ordered a third fan as it was only £3 on amazon. I can mount it on the top or side. Which would be better?

Depends on if you want it blowing in or out.

 

[XShagrath]

If I'm switching cases, do I need to remove the heatsink (Cooler Master 212), or can I just pop out the whole thing and swap it to the new case? I did not have to remove the mobo in my old case (NZXT Source) to install the heatsink, and I don't think I'll need to for the new one (Define R5) either.

 

[valouris]

If I'm switching cases, do I need to remove the heatsink (Cooler Master 212), or can I just pop out the whole thing and swap it to the new case? I did not have to remove the mobo in my old case (NZXT Source) to install the heatsink, and I don't think I'll need to for the new one (Define R5) either.

I think it will depend on the 2 cases. If there is enough room to remove the whole thing and then reapply it in the new case you can go for it, just keep in mind of the extra weight of the cooler. If I were you however, I would just disassemble it, and take the opportunity to reapply thermal paste.

 

[mysocksarepink]

So my case has arrived, the Fractal Design 1500. It has two fans already (back and front).

I've ordered a third fan as it was only £3 on amazon. I can mount it on the top or side. Which would be better?

Top as an exhaust, absolutely.

 

[BroBot]

I have an Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-H motherboard. The specs on the website says: * To support PCI Express 3.0, you must install an FM2+ APU.

So there's no way I can do an FX 8350 + R9 390 combo on this MB, right? (Currently I have A10 7850k + R9 390).

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

If I'm switching cases, do I need to remove the heatsink (Cooler Master 212), or can I just pop out the whole thing and swap it to the new case? I did not have to remove the mobo in my old case (NZXT Source) to install the heatsink, and I don't think I'll need to for the new one (Define R5) either.

Pop out the whole thing. No need to remove it.

 

[thenexus6]

Top as an exhaust, absolutely.

I was thinking that, to be honest the side isn't really good for where the computer is going.

 

[CrashPrime]

Need to replace my HTPC. Looked at the suggestions in the OP, but seems AMD is really in a draught in my region. Can't find the A8/A6 standalone (Only part of custom Built PC, excessive costs involved).

So the HTPC suggestion in OP Still relevant?
Mostly looking at the CPU/ Motherboard combo.

What are your use needs? Purely Kodi? Live TV? Games?

I just got done putting together a basement spec build for my HTPC to keep things as quiet and energy efficient as possible.

The fairly new A10 7860k is a really really nice choice. 65w TDP, reasonable built in graphics. I almost went this route myself but the motherboards for ITX were limited to more expensive models with features I didn't really need, so I ended up going 5350 + nvidia 750 ti instead of leaning on an APU.

5350 is only 25w TDP and 750 Ti is 60w TDP .. 85w vs 65w for slightly better performance and more distributed heat generation.

That is my recommendation.

Dark horse recommendation might be an nvidia shield + remote for $200. Kodi runs beautifully and it has a controller, on-board gpu that allows for some reasonably good gaming, passively cooled, and it has USB for added storage.

I have one and almost went for a second, but I wanted PC gaming lite with my build (rocket league, sims, some shmups), and the windows experience instead of android. The other reason is I wanted the stupid amounts of on-board storage a Toshiba 8tb 3.5" archive drive allowed me (even if it did double the system cost).

If you just want windows + kodi, something like a Dell Inspiron 3050 or Acer Revo Build for $150 might be what the doctor ordered. Celeron J1800 based, passive, wireless/bluetooth, super small footprint. Hard to beat considering you get windows 10.

 

[LordAlu]

I have an Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-H motherboard. The specs on the website says: * To support PCI Express 3.0, you must install an FM2+ APU.

So there's no way I can do an FX 8350 + R9 390 combo on this MB, right? (Currently I have A10 7850k + R9 390).

Nope. Your A10-7850K is almost as high as you can go - only the A10-7870K and A10-7890K are improvements, and even then only slightly.

You could overclock the CPU a little bit (the A68 chipset on that motherboard is quite limited for overclocking) if you're using a decent cooler but there isn't much more you can do without replacing the motherboard and CPU (at which point you'd go Intel).

 

[ApharmdX]

Well, if you can use a HDMI 2.0 port I'd recommend sticking with the 980Ti then. Even if its performance is ever so slightly lower than Fury X at 4K you'll still end up with a better experience. Even if you're playing games at 30fps or below, running it through a 60Hz interface means there are more "steps" as it drops below 30fps. On a HDMI 1.4 connection, the next step down from 30Hz is 15Hz, and then 10Hz, whereas on a HDMI 2.0 connection you can transmit at 20Hz, 15Hz and 12Hz. Obviously you don't want to drop down below 30fps often, but a drop to 20fps is less noticeable than a drop to 15.

Can't really make any concrete recommendations on the desktop. What games will you be playing? What resolution? Gsync or Freesnyc? Willing to wait for Polaris/Pascal? Overclocking?

Right now I'm playing The Division, Final Fantasy XIV, and shortly, the Witcher 3, again. No Gsync/Freesync, 1440p monitor. I do have my 980 Ti overclocked. My case is fairly well-ventilated (Corsair C70).

How soon before Pascal/Polaris? I can wait if it's late May-ish.

Also, I've been researching, and 4K on PC seems problematic. The only 4K content that you'll get is gaming. There's no 4K Blu-ray. There's no 4K streaming video. It's a depressing situation overall.

 

[BroBot]

Nope. Your A10-7850K is almost as high as you can go - only the A10-7870K and A10-7890K are improvements, and even then only slightly.

You could overclock the CPU a little bit (the A68 chipset on that motherboard is quite limited for overclocking) if you're using a decent cooler but there isn't much more you can do without replacing the motherboard and CPU (at which point you'd go Intel).

Awesome info. Thanks. I'm definitely going Intel. i5 and z97 here I come.

 

[electroflame]

Well, all my parts finally arrived, so I'm embarking on the build today. I've never done a from-scratch build, so it'll be interesting (to say the least).

Here's hoping everything goes smoothly!

 

[Aiustis]

I have a:
i5 3450k
AsRock Z77 Extreme4
HD 7870
This is all that's on my computer...plus memory and storage obviously

What's the best bang for my buck gpu upgrade?
I want to do some streaming.

Looking for other components too for upgrading my computer

 

[Mohasus]

Awesome info. Thanks. I'm definitely going Intel. i5 and z97 here I come.

The difference between PCI-e 2.0 and 3.0 is negligible for current cards.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2694698/pcie.html#16115767

But going intel is way better for other reasons.

 

[Collete]

Edit: Never mind figured it out.

 

[e90Mark]

I have a:
i5 3450k
AsRock Z77 Extreme4
HD 7870
This is all that's on my computer...plus memory and storage obviously

What's the best bang for my buck gpu upgrade?
I want to do some streaming.

Looking for other components too for upgrading my computer

390 or a 970 currently. Supposedly new cards are launching soon, possibly more info the next coming weeks.

You could also upgrade to an i7 3770k which would help out with your streaming.

 

[Red Hood]

Guys, how much better is a MSI GTX 780 Lightning than a Sapphire 280X Dual-X OC? I'm afraid I let a pretty good 780 deal slip and I'm feeling a little salty.