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[Resilient]

I don't think it's the CPU. As I've said, that's just one of the things I do when having RAM issues. Only yesterday I was having to resolve bent pins on a motherboard, it happens. So to be clear, I don't think it is a seating issue, I'm saying it's worth a try. I'd prefer to spend 10 minutes reseating than waiting a few days to RMA. I'm impatient

I'd be more inclined to say yes the stick is faulty, except it POSTed once which would lead me to believe a small bump in power to the RAM may well get you going. Again, I'm talking from experience here, I've built a lot of PCs over the years and encountered many odd problems, and I have a few things I do when the culprit appears to be RAM:

Test all sticks in all slots in all combinations - you've done this.

Reseat CPU

Rebuild PC (to be fair, I always build on the bench, never in the case until the PC is working) when re-seating CPU to base spec only (no GPU if you have an onboard VGA), no HDD. At this stage I don't even remount the heat sink, I push down on it, I may end up taking it all apart again anyway. Obviously I only do this as far as the BIOS!

I tend to have parts around, so I can swap out and see what conclusions that leads to. I've only recently had a DDR4 mobo refuse to get past POST with 2x16gb sticks, turned out I needed to update the mobo BIOS to get it working with the sticks. Very frustrating.

As I've said, I can only go by my past experiences. If you don't feel comfortable messing around with voltage, then wait for the new stick. There's every chance that will solve the issue, and you'll then put it down to having a faulty stick. Sometimes you get a stick that just needs a bit more power, then all is well.

To be fair, if you're working now on 8gb, you may as well just wait it out. 8gb to 16gb for general useage isn't going to make any big difference.

Thanks for the insight!

as I said, this is my first real build so I'm very..cautious lol. I'm scared of a lot of things.

The power thing does make sense, so I might try that tomorrow. But, if the stick needs more power due to a fault, that doesn't sit right with me so I would prefer to return it, and then make any OC changes from there. Not using a bad stick.

How did you bend your pins? Is it a common thing? I just don't get how they could bend when I slowly, slowly, SLOWLY, place the CPU in and then close the latch as I'm supposed to. Once the latch is on - it can't move...right? So even if the heatsink moves a little out of place on top of it while I'm trying to correctly install it, it's not actually moving the pins? It can't be! That just ... doesn't make sense! And confuses me, lol

I have a busy week anyway, so I'm not too fussed to wait around for the new RAM, I have another PC I can use in the mean time. But, when I get those new sticks, and if the problem is still around - well, then I know I have no choice but to open everything up and figure out what else could be the problem.

Like I asked before though. Is a badly seated CPU easy to detect? Would I be able to use the PC intensively (music recording/gaming) and have no issues, if a pin was bent?

As someone who builds PCs a lot - are you worried that every CPU you install could have a bent pin?

This shit is so stressful...

 

[DiscoDave]

Would a 80+ 500 watt psu be ok for a i5 4690 gtx 970? Or is it best to have a 600 watt?

 

[LilJoka]

Would a 80+ 500 watt psu be ok for a i5 4690 gtx 970? Or is it best to have a 600 watt?

Depends on the PSU model.

 

[LilJoka]

Thanks for the insight!

as I said, this is my first real build so I'm very..cautious lol. I'm scared of a lot of things.

The power thing does make sense, so I might try that tomorrow. But, if the stick needs more power due to a fault, that doesn't sit right with me so I would prefer to return it, and then make any OC changes from there. Not using a bad stick.

How did you bend your pins? Is it a common thing? I just don't get how they could bend when I slowly, slowly, SLOWLY, place the CPU in and then close the latch as I'm supposed to. Once the latch is on - it can't move...right? So even if the heatsink moves a little out of place on top of it while I'm trying to correctly install it, it's not actually moving the pins? It can't be! That just ... doesn't make sense! And confuses me, lol

I have a busy week anyway, so I'm not too fussed to wait around for the new RAM, I have another PC I can use in the mean time. But, when I get those new sticks, and if the problem is still around - well, then I know I have no choice but to open everything up and figure out what else could be the problem.

Like I asked before though. Is a badly seated CPU easy to detect? Would I be able to use the PC intensively (music recording/gaming) and have no issues, if a pin was bent?

As someone who builds PCs a lot - are you worried that every CPU you install could have a bent pin?

This shit is so stressful...

Installing the CPU is nearly impossible to mess up. If you mess it up the PC isn't going to boot 99% of the time, CPU LED will be lit.
The only way to not absolutely destroy the socket is by accidentally catching the corner of the CPU and clipping a pin or bunch of pins when aligning the CPU, which again is hard to do. So very unlikely your CPU installation is at fault.

 

[shandy706]

Neogaf + Seller/Buyer

WTS

EVGA GTX 980. $420 Shipped

The card is lightly used. I do not overclock my GPUs. The card was only pulled from my system to make room for my 980 Ti. Works flawlessly.

I will include 2 free game codes/links for the buyer.

The Whispered World Special Edition - Free ($20 regular price)

Batman™: Arkham Asylum GOTY - Free ($20 regular price)

Will ship it in the original box. Includes 2 x 4 pin Molex to 6 pin PCI-E power adapters, EVGA Badge, etc. A few quick pics

Exact Model #: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 ACX 2.0 04G-P4-2981-KR

PayPal Gift as Payment . Please PM me.

 

[Starzonedge]

If you don't mind spending closer up to your $700 limit, then we'd arrange for a a different parts list similar to the "great" template that focuses on an overclockable processor and Z97 motherboard.

Thank you so much for detailed response. You're right about 560Ti. I will eventually upgrade from the 970 and give it to her, so in preparation for that, I will probably have to go for the "Great" template. This is what I've come up with so far. Anything I could trim? I'm thinking the CPU could be something cheaper.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($259.86 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 Extreme3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($86.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.33 @ OutletPC)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $823.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-18 11:59 EDT-0400

 

[Wes]

Hi folks. Looking to build a brand new system in the coming weeks.

Budget: Anything less than £900 would be ideal, but willing to go ~£50 higher if a very good reason/performance difference.
Main Use: Main use will be gaming I guess.
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080. Might upgrade later.
GamesBeen saving up playing The Witcher 3 and MGS5, alongside Fallout 4, to play on this new machine.
When will you build?: November 6-8 ideally.
Will you be overclocking?: Yes (Although a very light touch, whatever onboard features would be available to me to utilise rather than anything too manual).

I'm very open to suggestions on any of the parts. I've decided to go Skylake just because I probably wont upgrade the CPU in the next 5 years and I just like being "future-proofed" of sorts with regards new standards, such as DDR4. Main uses will be gaming (Fallout4, Witcher3, MGS5 all games I've been waiting for my new build to play through) but I potentially will need to use it from time to time for some resource intensive processing so Gaming isn't all what it's about. I'm not a heavy overclocker so any easy features for performing this would be ideal. Being rather quiet would be nice too! Anyway, on to my current parts list. This is a build I came up with as a rough high-end point:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£199.99 @ Amazon UK)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler (£67.98 @ Ebuyer)
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£114.96 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory (£43.13 @ CCL Computers)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£66.85 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£38.50 @ CCL Computers)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card (£264.97 @ Aria PC)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case (£86.95 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£67.94 @ Amazon UK)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer (£9.00 @ CCL Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)
Total: £960.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-18 16:32 BST+0100

At the moment I just play games at 1080p. That's fine with me. I don't really care about aesthetics of the case itself, just as long as it's got good cable management and good airflow.

Any suggestions on any of the parts (R390 or 970?, Worth going for a more expensive ASUS Mobo? Will the cooler fit in that case?, Memory fin sizes? Any additions) would be gratefully received!

 

[longdi]

DDR4 has become cheaper than DDR3 of similar specs.
Go Skylake!

$95 for 2x8GB 2400.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0123ZC250/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[KillerMan91]

If you're looking to buy new, then I think a GTX 950 or R7 370 is what you want. The former can be had starting in the $150 range and the latter from $120. Otherwise, consider looking around for a used graphics card?

Actually continuing this I noticed that here in Finland there really isn't that big price difference between GTX 950 and 960 and started looking at 960 as a card to buy. Then checked what AMD has to offer at same price range and noticed R9 380 might be even better bang for the buck. Also as far as I understand 380 actually sees some benefits from 4gb model as it has bigger memory buss compared to 960 (?). Also you can get 4gb model of 380 at the same price as 2gb model of 960 here so if I don't care about power consumption is 380 better choice?

 

[RGM79]

Actually continuing this I noticed that here in Finland there really isn't that big price difference between GTX 950 and 960 and started looking at 960 as a card to buy. Then checked what AMD has to offer at same price range and noticed R9 380 might be even better bang for the buck. Also as far as I understand 380 actually sees some benefits from 4gb model as it has bigger memory buss compared to 960 (?). Also you can get 4gb model of 380 at the same price as 2gb model of 960 here so if I don't care about power consumption is 380 better choice?

Oh, sorry for assuming that you were in the US. In that case the R9 380 would appear to be the better choice.

 

[MUnited83]

Would a 80+ 500 watt psu be ok for a i5 4690 gtx 970? Or is it best to have a 600 watt?

Really depends on the model you want to use. I have i5 4690 + GTX 970, both overclocked , and it works just fine with a 550W PSU.

 

[ChainsawFilms]

Thanks for the insight!

as I said, this is my first real build so I'm very..cautious lol. I'm scared of a lot of things.

The power thing does make sense, so I might try that tomorrow. But, if the stick needs more power due to a fault, that doesn't sit right with me so I would prefer to return it, and then make any OC changes from there. Not using a bad stick.

How did you bend your pins? Is it a common thing? I just don't get how they could bend when I slowly, slowly, SLOWLY, place the CPU in and then close the latch as I'm supposed to. Once the latch is on - it can't move...right? So even if the heatsink moves a little out of place on top of it while I'm trying to correctly install it, it's not actually moving the pins? It can't be! That just ... doesn't make sense! And confuses me, lol

I have a busy week anyway, so I'm not too fussed to wait around for the new RAM, I have another PC I can use in the mean time. But, when I get those new sticks, and if the problem is still around - well, then I know I have no choice but to open everything up and figure out what else could be the problem.

Like I asked before though. Is a badly seated CPU easy to detect? Would I be able to use the PC intensively (music recording/gaming) and have no issues, if a pin was bent?

As someone who builds PCs a lot - are you worried that every CPU you install could have a bent pin?

This shit is so stressful...

You'd have to be pretty clumsy to bend the pins yourself, but approaching the socket at an angle could do it. I've never bent any myself, but sometimes board comes like that. Litle sharp knife and try to sort it out, I could have returned the board instead, but as I say, I'm impatient.

A "common" issue on incorrectly seated CPUs is memory slot issues, but it doesn't sound like that in your case. Really, it's hard to misseat, but sometimes it just happens. Lift it, drop it back in, done. A misseated CPU is not the same as bent pins in the socket.

Once the CPU socket is clamped in place, it's not going anywhere. Those things do not shift, so no worries there.

Kind of wishing I hadn't mentioned it as you're now worried about it. I really don't think you have misseated your CPU, it's simply a check I do if a PC won't post - which is not very often.

Good luck.

 

[Resilient]

You'd have to be pretty clumsy to bend the pins yourself, but approaching the socket at an angle could do it. I've never bent any myself, but sometimes board comes like that. Litle sharp knife and try to sort it out, I could have returned the board instead, but as I say, I'm impatient.

A "common" issue on incorrectly seated CPUs is memory slot issues, but it doesn't sound like that in your case. Really, it's hard to misseat, but sometimes it just happens. Lift it, drop it back in, done. A misseated CPU is not the same as bent pins in the socket.

Once the CPU socket is clamped in place, it's not going anywhere. Those things do not shift, so no worries there.

Kind of wishing I hadn't mentioned it as you're now worried about it. I really don't think you have misseated your CPU, it's simply a check I do if a PC won't post - which is not very often.

Good luck.

No, thank you. I like knowing these things, part of learning about it all. I really appreciate your input!!

Installing the CPU is nearly impossible to mess up. If you mess it up the PC isn't going to boot 99% of the time, CPU LED will be lit.
The only way to not absolutely destroy the socket is by accidentally catching the corner of the CPU and clipping a pin or bunch of pins when aligning the CPU, which again is hard to do. So very unlikely your CPU installation is at fault.

Sweet...didn't do any of these things. I lowered it in like a crane in a skill tester machine , very slowly. Time to get that new RAM!

 

[Nipo]

I'm going to go and order the enthusiast build in the OP. Is there anything people recommend updating since since the two months ago it was posted?

Alternatively. Will waiting to order it another month offer any significant benefits?

 

[Rootbeer]

You do not need to disable one monitor when you run games on your main monitor unless the setup you have specifically has problems with that. It's unlikely that you will have problems. You cannot deactivate and reuse an old Windows license with a different computer, it is tied to the computer that it was installed on. In some cases, you can change certain parts of a PC like the motherboard and call Microsoft's support line to have your Windows license manually reactivated, but not with an entirely different computer. You can always use an ISO instead of the disc to install Windows, though.

Thanks for the feedback. I don't live near a microcenter I'm looking through your suggestions and links.

Well, I got in the habit of disabling my secondary monitor when using it to play console games and the like (the windows shortcut makes it a super fast task anyway) to take load off my current system, it runs hotter when running both monitors. Yeah, it may not be something I even think about on the new build.

I'm confused about your comments about the Windows license. I've read that if it is a retail key that you CAN switch it to another computer. It's only OEM keys that are stuck to the first computer. Are you sure that I am going to need a new key?

You can find lots of articles and forum posts about people doing this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2042044/transfer-windows-key-computer.html

My key is a retail key, purchased from the microsoft online store. It's a windows 8 key but I think I can re-upgrade it to 10 again on the new build... if you still think i'm not going to have success on this, would love to hear further thoughts. I can buy a new key before I build, just trying to save some $$$

 

[RGM79]

Thanks for the feedback. I don't live near a microcenter I'm looking through your suggestions and links.

Well, I got in the habit of disabling my secondary monitor when using it to play console games and the like (the windows shortcut makes it a super fast task anyway) to take load off my current system, it runs hotter when running both monitors. Yeah, it may not be something I even think about on the new build.

I'm confused about your comments about the Windows license. I've read that if it is a retail key that you CAN switch it to another computer. It's only OEM keys that are stuck to the first computer. Are you sure that I am going to need a new key?

You can find lots of articles and forum posts about people doing this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2042044/transfer-windows-key-computer.html

My key is a retail key, purchased from the microsoft online store. It's a windows 8 key but I think I can re-upgrade it to 10 again on the new build... if you still think i'm not going to have success on this, would love to hear further thoughts. I can buy a new key before I build, just trying to save some $$$

In that case, you should contact Microsoft and have them transfer the license. I'll admit that I don't have a lot of experience with that, all of the activations that I have done have been for new licenses, and the last time I tried it (doesn't really match your situation) it didn't work.

 

[Resilient]

So because I'm still pretty paranoid, I found the pic I took of the thermal paste before I installed the heatsink on it.

I "attempted" the pea method, but it got a little runny and spread to the Northern part of the CPU...should I be worried that this is too much paste? As you can see, I didn't exactly achieve a 4-5mm pea like the OP suggested - it became a mini puddle

Click for picture

Any input, good or bad, greatly appreciated!

FYI: Idle temps are around 22-26C using RealTemp, on an i5 6600K, using a Cooler Master Hyper 212X in a Phanteks case.

Highest temps I reached were around 46-52C while playing USF4. Around 32-40C when doing a few Windows Updates.

 

[RGM79]

So because I'm still pretty paranoid, I found the pic I took of the thermal paste before I installed the heatsink on it.

I "attempted" the pea method, but it got a little runny and spread to the Northern part of the CPU...should I be worried that this is too much paste? As you can see, I didn't exactly achieve a 4-5mm pea like the OP suggested - it became a mini puddle

Click for picture

Any input, good or bad, greatly appreciated!

FYI: Idle temps are around 22-26C using RealTemp, on an i5 6600K, using a Cooler Master Hyper 212X in a Phanteks case.

Highest temps I reached were around 46-52C while playing USF4. Around 32-40C when doing a few Windows Updates.

Those are extremely good temperatures. You only need to worry if they are higher, around 75 degrees or more. Even then the CPU can handle temperatures up to 90~100 degrees, and there are thermal protections in place where the PC will automatically shut down before it gets damaged from high temperatures.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Hmmm... I'm getting frame drops in Bioshock Infinite on a 970, with only 2000mb VRAM usage and like 50% GPU1 usage. During combat it'll drop to about 50 even though usage stays around 50%. CPU usage also hovers around 50% and CPU temps are about 50.

Any ideas? ;/

 

[Resilient]

Those are extremely good temperatures. You only need to worry if they are higher, around 75 degrees or more. Even then the CPU can handle temperatures up to 90~100 degrees, and there are thermal protections in place where the PC will automatically shut down before it gets damaged from high temperatures.

Ok sweet - so I shouldn't be worried about that application?

You guys are saints when it comes to assisting and replying - I really wish I had a way to make it up to you!!

 

[Rootbeer]

So because I'm still pretty paranoid, I found the pic I took of the thermal paste before I installed the heatsink on it.

Next time you apply thermal paste, consult this:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/

The "X" method is the way to go.

 

[Resilient]

Next time you apply thermal paste, consult this:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/

The "X" method is the way to go.

interesting, most of what I read, including OP link suggested pea. Good to know, I'll bear in mind in case I need to reseat the CPU.

 

[The Boat]

OK, so I really need to splurge for a new HDD for my desktop, what are the ones I should be looking at? WD black?
EDIT: OK I can see Black is more expensive than the others.

 

[Resilient]

OK, so I really need to splurge for a new HDD for my desktop, what are the ones I should be looking at? WD black?

All the OP builds suggest WD10EZEX, Western Digital Blue. They're pretty cheap (around 79AU), 7200RPM. That's for a 1TB.

 

[sfried]

interesting, most of what I read, including OP link suggested pea. Good to know, I'll bear in mind in case I need to reseat the CPU.

I suggest avoiding the pea method altogether. It's best to evenly spread the paste into a nice square.

 

[Resilient]

How much do you need to apply for it to seep over the edge of the CPU?

Doesn't the square method leave you open for it edging over?

 

[The Boat]

All the OP builds suggest WD10EZEX, Western Digital Blue. They're pretty cheap (around 79AU), 7200RPM. That's for a 1TB.

I... totally forgot to check the OP. Oops, thanks!
EDIT: There's no Blue 2 TB version, the equivalent would be Green?
EDIT2: Well, I can't find it in my usual stores at least.

 

[KillerMan91]

Oh, sorry for assuming that you were in the US. In that case the R9 380 would appear to be the better choice.

No worries. Thanks for the help anyway! Used to follow PC hw market pretty closely but have been out of the loop for couple of years so decided to ask here for advice.

 

[sfried]

How much do you need to apply for it to seep over the edge of the CPU?

Doesn't the square method leave you open for it edging over?

It depends on how thick you applied the paste. It shouldn't be too thick, but not too thin.

 

[Resilient]

I... totally forgot to check the OP. Oops, thanks!
EDIT: There's no Blue 2 TB version, the equivalent would be Green?
EDIT2: Well, I can't find it in my usual stores at least.

This is the model number Western Digital WD Blue 2TB WD20EZRZ

I'm not sure what the benefits of Black WD hard drives are though, sorry!

 

[The Boat]

This is the model number Western Digital WD Blue 2TB WD20EZRZ

I'm not sure what the benefits of Black WD hard drives are though, sorry!

Yeah I can't find it in Portuguese stores. No problem, thanks!

 

[MisterNoisy]

How much do you need to apply for it to seep over the edge of the CPU?

Doesn't the square method leave you open for it edging over?

Not really, unless you're laying it on too thick.

This is the model number Western Digital WD Blue 2TB WD20EZRZ

I'm not sure what the benefits of Black WD hard drives are though, sorry!

Blacks are generally faster and I believe they have a longer warranty.

 

[Qwyjibo]

I saw a few mentions of it a couple pages back but what is the deal with Xeon Processors? Specifically the Xeon E3-1241 v3?

I've been out of the PC parts game for a while but I'm looking to put together a system in the next 2 months or so. Reading up on processors lately, it seems like the Xeon 1241 is a really good value price-performance wise. I know most people recommend the i5 4690K or the other unlocked i7, but if I don't have plans to overclock, don't want to deal with an extra cooler and don't need the integrated graphics, isn't the Xeon a great value for gaming and a good option in the long-run?

Is hyperthreading not going to be a thing that more games use going forward?

Is there something else I'm missing about this processor?

Again, this would be mostly for a gaming system.

Thanks

 

[Bit-Bit]

Guys, I'm upgrading my GPU. Currently have a Radeon 5800 and most games run pretty good on it at 720p.

I'm looking to switch to Nvidia since I'm getting the shield later this year.

My budget is $300. So what's the best Nvidia card for $300 right now? Preferably a card that came out this year since I don't want to upgrade again for another 3 years.

Please and thank you.

 

[RS4-]

Great, finally get a chance to grab the Evolv ATX, too bad I got the luxe. I don't want to deal with buying another case then trying to sell mine. Doesn't help that I still have the FT02 here as well.

 

[JuanLatino]

hey guys, decided to buy a PC for gaming & creating videos (editing, cutting, rendering)

and found this used one that someone in my town wants to sell for 500 Euro

http://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-...gb-ram,-120gb-ssd,-1tb-hdd/376377869-228-6460

Prozessor: Intel Core i5 3570K 4 x 3,40 GHz
Graphiccard: ASUS Radeon HD 7870 2048MB
Arbeitsspeicher: 8GB (2x 4096MB) Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600
Mainboard: ASUS P8Z77-LX2
Netzteil: Rasurbo BP-XII 550 Watt
SSD: Samsung 120 GB 840
HDD: Samsung 10000MB
CPU-Kühler: Arctic Freezer 7 Pro
BluRay-Lauferk: LG Electronics BH16NS40
Lüftersteuerung: Xilence ZUB-XP-FCP.B 4-Kanal 3.5"
Lüfter: 2x Vorne, 1x Hinten, 1x Hinten Oben, 1x Seite

fair deal? or could i build a better one for this price

 

[Oxn]

hey guys, decided to buy a PC for gaming & creating videos (editing, cutting, rendering)

and found this used one that someone in my town wants to sell for 500 Euro

http://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-...gb-ram,-120gb-ssd,-1tb-hdd/376377869-228-6460




fair deal? or could i build a better one for this price

I wouldnt no

 

[JuanLatino]

I wouldnt no

so youre saying for that money i could build a better one? # Ok Thanks for the advice

 

[RGM79]

Hmmm... I'm getting frame drops in Bioshock Infinite on a 970, with only 2000mb VRAM usage and like 50% GPU1 usage. During combat it'll drop to about 50 even though usage stays around 50%. CPU usage also hovers around 50% and CPU temps are about 50.

Any ideas? ;/

What are your game settings? How hot is the GPU running, what's the temperature? Do you have the latest graphics drivers?

Ok sweet - so I shouldn't be worried about that application?

You guys are saints when it comes to assisting and replying - I really wish I had a way to make it up to you!!

Ok sweet - so I shouldn't be worried about that application?

You guys are saints when it comes to assisting and replying - I really wish I had a way to make it up to you!!

It's not even rising above 60 degrees, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that other than that it seems almost too good a result under load. Maybe other games could push it higher than Street Fighter.

OK, so I really need to splurge for a new HDD for my desktop, what are the ones I should be looking at? WD black?
EDIT: OK I can see Black is more expensive than the others.

Yeah I can't find it in Portuguese stores. No problem, thanks!

Any Toshiba or Hitachi drives available? They're often found cheaper than WD Black, although those are North American prices.

I saw a few mentions of it a couple pages back but what is the deal with Xeon Processors? Specifically the Xeon E3-1241 v3?

I've been out of the PC parts game for a while but I'm looking to put together a system in the next 2 months or so. Reading up on processors lately, it seems like the Xeon 1241 is a really good value price-performance wise. I know most people recommend the i5 4690K or the other unlocked i7, but if I don't have plans to overclock, don't want to deal with an extra cooler and don't need the integrated graphics, isn't the Xeon a great value for gaming and a good option in the long-run?

Is hyperthreading not going to be a thing that more games use going forward?

Is there something else I'm missing about this processor?

Again, this would be mostly for a gaming system.

Thanks

The Xeon is usually considered to be a very good value, exactly for the reasons you mentioned. Hyperthreading could help in certain situations, but it'll depend on certain factors, and even then it's not like there are games out there that demonstrability require 8 processing threads and won't run well on just 4 threads. Most games are optimized to run well on four threads and some games could handle more than that, but it'll depend on the game and how well it was coded and optimized to take advantage of it. Other games simply don't require a lot of CPU threads in the first place and will run happily on just one or two threads. Some games out there will take advantage of a faster processor (strategy?) while others are actually written to scale well to more threads and will benefit from extra cores or hyperthreading (GTAV comes to mind).

Speaking in general, as a rule of thumb the processor frequency can very easily influence performance - the higher the frequency, the more instructions the CPU can process in a given amount of time.. On the other hand, multiple cores and threads are harder to take advantage of because the program needs to be well-coded to manage information being sent to the processor for processing - it's harder to optimize the program for multiple threads than it is for the processor to simply run faster and process more instructions for that program in the same amount of time.

Seems like you know all there is that needs to be known about the Xeon processor. You know the pros and cons.

Guys, I'm upgrading my GPU. Currently have a Radeon 5800 and most games run pretty good on it at 720p.

I'm looking to switch to Nvidia since I'm getting the shield later this year.

My budget is $300. So what's the best Nvidia card for $300 right now? Preferably a card that came out this year since I don't want to upgrade again for another 3 years.

Please and thank you.

The GTX 970 sounds exactly like what you want. It's better to know what your system specs are like to better recommend something that will fit in your PC and case, but I think the EVGA GTX 970 SC ($308 after $25 rebate) should be just fine for your needs. It's a relatively normal sized card that isn't too long or tall and is most likely to fit into your case. It's also is one of the lower cost GTX 970 models available, so while you do have to spend a little above your $300 budget, it's the best for what you want (you want it to remain capable for the next 3 years). The GTX 970 will handle the latest games at fairly high-to-ultra settings for the next few years and also maybe hit 60FPS comfortably, although specific performance will depend on what games you play on it.

Otherwise if it's just a bit too expensive for you and/or you don't mind playing at somewhat lower settings, there's the GTX 960. I'd recommend the 4GB model if possible for longevity and a lesser chance of bottlenecking in the future, but even more than that if you can afford the GTX 970, get that instead.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

Hey guys, question regarding new computers and Windows 10. I'm finally going to buy a new motherboard and CPU this fall. If I wanted to avoid the hassle of installing Windows 7 on it and then install Windows 10 through the free upgrade, do I just go buy the USB stick version of Windows 10?

 

[The Boat]

Any Toshiba or Hitachi drives available? They're often found cheaper than WD Black, although those are North American prices.

I think I can find some of those, what models? Are they as good as the WDs?

 

[kuYuri]

Hey guys, question regarding new computers and Windows 10. I'm finally going to buy a new motherboard and CPU this fall. If I wanted to avoid the hassle of installing Windows 7 on it and then install Windows 10 through the free upgrade, do I just go buy the USB stick version of Windows 10?

Yes, that's an option, along with buying the disc version if you have a disc drive in this build or buying a digital download.

http://amzn.com/B01019T6O0

 

[RGM79]

I think I can find some of those, what models? Are they as good as the WDs?

Here's some information on some of the newer Toshiba drives. Hitachi and HGST I'm not so sure about, they seem to be focused on enterprise level drives. You could come back and post here about which specific drive models you found available to buy and we can further help you research them.

 

[LilJoka]

Next time you apply thermal paste, consult this:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/

The "X" method is the way to go.

Although slightly better, its way easier to apply too much paste this way and just make it a lot worse.

 

[Smushroomed]

I have a i5 4670k oc to 4.4. Some fps only when streaming

What's a great upgrade for streaming games? What's the "gamer's" i7 at this time?

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

I have a i5 4670k oc to 4.4. Some fps only when streaming

What's a great upgrade for streaming games? What's the "gamer's" i7 at this time?

i7 6700K, and a second option would be i7 5820K (more PCI-E lanes iirc). Each require different mobos. 5820K will outperform the 6700K in applications like video editing software that can take advantage of the extra 2 cores, but not in games.

 

[Smushroomed]

Thanks. Why did Intel release 2 different groups of processors so close together?

 

[LilJoka]

I have a i5 4670k oc to 4.4. Some fps only when streaming

What's a great upgrade for streaming games? What's the "gamer's" i7 at this time?

You already have more than enough power to stream games, whats the issue?

 

[RGM79]

Thanks. Why did Intel release 2 different groups of processors so close together?

They're for two different markets. The i7 6700K is the top of the "consumer" line which was released two months ago and is a quad core processor, while the i7 5820K is the lowest end part of the "enthusiast" line released summer 2014 which tops out at with an octo core processor.

 

[IceIpor]

Thank you so much for detailed response. You're right about 560Ti. I will eventually upgrade from the 970 and give it to her, so in preparation for that, I will probably have to go for the "Great" template. This is what I've come up with so far. Anything I could trim? I'm thinking the CPU could be something cheaper.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($259.86 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 Extreme3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($86.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.33 @ OutletPC)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $823.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-18 11:59 EDT-0400

I really don't see anything you should possibly trim.. Maybe a smaller SSD if you're planning on trying to save as much money as possible. Or going to an older generation like a Intel Core i5-4690K and compatible mobo. Otherwise, sorry!

Hi folks. Looking to build a brand new system in the coming weeks.

Budget: Anything less than £900 would be ideal, but willing to go ~£50 higher if a very good reason/performance difference.
Main Use: Main use will be gaming I guess.
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080. Might upgrade later.
GamesBeen saving up playing The Witcher 3 and MGS5, alongside Fallout 4, to play on this new machine.
When will you build?: November 6-8 ideally.
Will you be overclocking?: Yes (Although a very light touch, whatever onboard features would be available to me to utilise rather than anything too manual).

I'm very open to suggestions on any of the parts. I've decided to go Skylake just because I probably wont upgrade the CPU in the next 5 years and I just like being "future-proofed" of sorts with regards new standards, such as DDR4. Main uses will be gaming (Fallout4, Witcher3, MGS5 all games I've been waiting for my new build to play through) but I potentially will need to use it from time to time for some resource intensive processing so Gaming isn't all what it's about. I'm not a heavy overclocker so any easy features for performing this would be ideal. Being rather quiet would be nice too! Anyway, on to my current parts list. This is a build I came up with as a rough high-end point:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£199.99 @ Amazon UK)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler (£67.98 @ Ebuyer)
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£114.96 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory (£43.13 @ CCL Computers)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£66.85 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£38.50 @ CCL Computers)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card (£264.97 @ Aria PC)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case (£86.95 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£67.94 @ Amazon UK)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer (£9.00 @ CCL Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)
Total: £960.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-18 16:32 BST+0100

At the moment I just play games at 1080p. That's fine with me. I don't really care about aesthetics of the case itself, just as long as it's got good cable management and good airflow.

Any suggestions on any of the parts (R390 or 970?, Worth going for a more expensive ASUS Mobo? Will the cooler fit in that case?, Memory fin sizes? Any additions) would be gratefully received!

If you're not going to overclock a lot, you can downgrade the cooler to a CM 212 EVO and save some money. Otherwise, I can't see any problems with your build.
390 vs 970 is definitely up to your preference. However, of the games you've listed, a 970 will probably perform better in them vs the 390.