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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
- Status
slowly acquiring parts for my build... got the SSD and GPU off my list today. wish I could order everything all in one go but stock issues plus a bunch of holds on my preferred CC thanks to Best Buy (ugh... these a-holes and their long holds) are causing me to stagger it.
Should still have everything to build the week before Fallout 4 though!!
Should still have everything to build the week before Fallout 4 though!!
OK, thanks. I'll just go for GB per $ when buying my next one and not worry about speed since it isn't an issue.
SkyTurnsRed
Banned
I'm on a i5-4670k, GTX 760 4gb, and 8 gigs of RAM. Currently playing everything at 1080p and I'm cool with that, however, my next upgrade, I'd like to start toying with the idea of going 1440p. So, my question is - will this set up keep me around medium settings on games until like May or June? That's when I'd like to buy a new monitor, case, card, etc. I'm going to keep the ram, mobo, and CPU.
You cpu and ram should be fine. Just need to upgrade the video card for 1440p. As for your current video card handling 1440p, can't you just use Nvidia's DSR and see what fps you are getting at that resolution?
Performance-wise there's no real point to buying a PC based on whether it runs DDR3 or DDR4. There's not a lot that makes DDR4 worth it right now since it doesn't currently represent much of a difference in performance, it's merely a matter of "I picked this processor and motherboard, it only works with DDR3|DDR4 so I'll pick up compatible RAM to go with it".
The choice of processor and graphics card matters more. There's nothing wrong with a 550 watt power supply, the parts as he picked would likely only consume around 400 watts at stock speed. You could always pick a higher wattage power supply if you prefer, but you don't sound like you'll be tinkering with your PC (due to a lack of time), so a 550 watt PSU should be more than adequate for your needs.
The water cooling kit that he recommended is a prebuilt sealed system that is designed to never be opened or require maintenance beyond dusting. Some like water cooling kits for the looks, and sufficiently high end and expensive water coolers can outperform air coolers (they'll never be as good as a simple air cooler when it comes to performance-to-cost considerations, though).
I wouldn't know his exact reason for that case, but the Define R5 is a very highly-regarded case that is well designed and offers excellent noise-dampening capability well-suited for a quiet custom PC.
No, the disc drive he picked does not read blu-ray discs.
The build as he specified is very similar in terms of performance and capability to the enthusiast build. It has some different parts here and there but it's essentially the same thing that will perform very similarly. It has an older generation processor and motherboard using DDR3 that are still very competitive, and SSD/hard drive that offer nearly the same performance.
The parts lists in the first post of this thread should be taken more of a guideline for a certain level of performance rather than a rigid recipe of "only use this" in order to get a good PC. The shopping cart list as he recommended is alright and will more than meet your needs.
What are the dimensions of the spot where you intend to put the PC? Where the full-tower Enthoo Pro case won't fix, a mid-tower ATX case almost surely will. And as you've figured out, mATX is also an option.
More than enough. Most R9 390 cards will draw around 250 watts, and over 300 in extreme situations (heavy loads and overclocking).
Guys, got the new RAM today - everything installed, working well, no crazy freezing or strange behaviour just yet! So looking like it was definitely faulty RAM.
My temps are looking okay, with no load (idle) were at about 26C to 32C.
I popped on Crisis 2, ran fine, temps went up to around 50C, the highest recorded by RealTemp was 60C to 66C.
I'm running an
i5 6600k, in a Phanteks Enthoo Pro M
Mobo is Z170 Pro Gaming (ASUS)
Using a Cooler Master 212X.
Shouild I be concerned about these temps? Further to all this, now that I've closed Crysis2 and am just in Chrome, I'm seeing temps between 40-55C. Is this all normal, or do I have a cooling issue?
Note - it's Australia, it's 29C outside and this room isn't getting the best air-con right now. Also, the PC is on the ground and in the corner. Normal right?
My temps are looking okay, with no load (idle) were at about 26C to 32C.
I popped on Crisis 2, ran fine, temps went up to around 50C, the highest recorded by RealTemp was 60C to 66C.
I'm running an
i5 6600k, in a Phanteks Enthoo Pro M
Mobo is Z170 Pro Gaming (ASUS)
Using a Cooler Master 212X.
Shouild I be concerned about these temps? Further to all this, now that I've closed Crysis2 and am just in Chrome, I'm seeing temps between 40-55C. Is this all normal, or do I have a cooling issue?
Note - it's Australia, it's 29C outside and this room isn't getting the best air-con right now. Also, the PC is on the ground and in the corner. Normal right?
I do all of my gaming (PC, PS4) on a 55" LED TV but since the TV often is occupied i need a backup 1080p 24" monitor. What i'm looking for is deep blacks and rich, vivid colors and great contrast. VA panels are what i should be looking for i guess? Would this one be a good choice?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWFNMGG/?tag=neogaf0e-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWFNMGG/?tag=neogaf0e-20
wakajawaka
Member
I wanted to thank TimHortons and RGM79 for the advice!
I had been gifted a p9x79 motherboard and I did not know what to do it, you guys told me to build from scratch and I did. waiting for the psu to complete the build.
Now I sold the motherboard on ebay! so I'm getting a graphics card with the extra bucks!
Which one of these would you get considering my rig without the GPU is 163W estimated max according to pcpartpicker and my PSU is 500W?
http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00UMVCYTM/
http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00YXSL3YW/
Or maybe another suggestion?
I had been gifted a p9x79 motherboard and I did not know what to do it, you guys told me to build from scratch and I did. waiting for the psu to complete the build.
Now I sold the motherboard on ebay! so I'm getting a graphics card with the extra bucks!
Which one of these would you get considering my rig without the GPU is 163W estimated max according to pcpartpicker and my PSU is 500W?
http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00UMVCYTM/
http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00YXSL3YW/
Or maybe another suggestion?
Morning, all. I'm back from post: from http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=182066313&postcount=4348
I'm trying to get a good recommendation for a CPU on the mobo I'm going to buy (ASUS X99-PRO/USB 3.1 LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2011-v3_Intel_X99_SATA-_-13-132-517-_-Product). I'm aiming for an i7 since I plan on video editing, streaming and gaming. Price range is around the $300-$350 range but I'm willing to hit $400 if I have to.
I'm trying to get a good recommendation for a CPU on the mobo I'm going to buy (ASUS X99-PRO/USB 3.1 LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2011-v3_Intel_X99_SATA-_-13-132-517-_-Product). I'm aiming for an i7 since I plan on video editing, streaming and gaming. Price range is around the $300-$350 range but I'm willing to hit $400 if I have to.
On X99 platform, the 5820K is your best at ~$390.
SkyTurnsRed
Banned
I can, but I'd like to couple 1440p with relatively high settings while maintaining 60 FPS.
Depth is the only dimension that is an issue. The table only has a little over 20 inches to work with. I think the Define mini should leave me about an inch clearance but I'm open to other options as well if you know a better case.
Noise is my most important concern since it is going ot be in our living room and price isn't as big an issue.
qa_engineer
Member
Anyone have any experience using Oculus Rift with a R9 390X 8gb and 5820K? I know the recommended specs call for a 290X or GTX 970 but wanted to get feedback from someone who uses Oculus Rift with that combination of hardware. How does it perform? Seriously considering investing in Oculus but want to know if I should hold off.
Here are my specs:
5820K @ 4.4ghz
Corsair 16gb 3000 CAS15
MSi R9 390X 8gb @ 1100mhz
Here are my specs:
5820K @ 4.4ghz
Corsair 16gb 3000 CAS15
MSi R9 390X 8gb @ 1100mhz
Kingpin Rogers
Member
Hey guys, someone came up with this part list for me but I just wanted to get a second opinion to make sure I'm getting what I want out of it. I intend on using the pc as my main gaming machine and would like to be able to run games at high/ultra settings in 1080p at 60fps if that's even possible with my budget and I am considering moving to 1440p in the future.
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2FRZYJ
Is there anything I should improve with this? I don't mind going up to £750 or maybe a little bit more.
Thanks.
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2FRZYJ
Is there anything I should improve with this? I don't mind going up to £750 or maybe a little bit more.
Thanks.
The Lamonster
Member
Thanks! This really helps.
So re: the processor... Skylake/i7 6700 (same thing, right?) seems to be the new sexiness in this thread but it looks like there are still serious stock issues in the US. What is the next best thing, in terms of newness and capability? I'd be willing to go up in price if it meant something that was actually in stock @ NCIXUS. I am hoping to have time in the next few years to look into overclocking, and want my new PC to be VR & 4K capable and handle HD streaming games.
side note: regarding streaming, why don't any builds listed include a network card? Is that just part of the motherboard? And ports aren't listed in builds either, are # of USB 3.0 etc part of the motherboard as well?
King Mystery
Member
Which CPU would be better given my situation?
My current PC specs are:
Pentium G620 2.60GHz
4GB of DDR3
Radeon HD 6570
Dell 2405fpw (1920 x 1200 native)
Windows 7 64-bit
I'm currently looking at two Skylake CPUs (Intel Core i5-6500 vs. Intel Core i7-6700) for a new build, and can't decide which one to get because of the i7 having 4 extra threads over the i5 and the $125 price difference.
Important things to note:
1. Despite it being a gaming PC, initially, I won't be buying a GPU for this build and plan on using the integrated graphics for gaming (which according to benchmarks, has an edge on my current videocard?). I have the money to do so (though I'm frugal), but I've jumped on the VR hype train and want to see what type of performance people will be getting from what GPUs are already on the market next year when Oculus or Vive are finally released. I can wait that long because currently I play a lot of older games like L4D2/TF2 (3,000+ hours played), Kings Bounty, Pillars of Eternity, and indie titles.
2. I want something that will have some future-proofing and be VR-ready as possible.
3. After rolling with this G620 since 2011(?), I'm PARANOID AS ALL HELL about buying a "lower" performing CPU. While my current setup has done good enough for games like Mass Effect (1-3), Deadly Premonition, The Witcher (which I'm still playing through), Dark Souls 1/2, and Alan Wake, with the settings turned down here and there, I've ran into two games that ran like complete garbage, Skyrim and Planetside 2, which I thought I would be able to play on at least low to medium settings. When I researched why they ran like crap with my setup, I read that they're "CPU bound" and rely heavier on CPUs than most other games. I don't want to run into this problem again.
4. I'm not interested in overclocking.
-----
Lastly, you're probably wondering why I don't just wait until next year to build since I'm OK with playing older games now. To answer your question, I'm almost certain my current PC is experiencing hardware failure at the motherboard level. I've already spent about ~$45 (new memory, psu, hard drive, compressed air, etc.) trying to diagnose it and don't want to put any more money into it by having to hunt down a new socket 1155 mini-itx motherboard.
My current PC specs are:
Pentium G620 2.60GHz
4GB of DDR3
Radeon HD 6570
Dell 2405fpw (1920 x 1200 native)
Windows 7 64-bit
I'm currently looking at two Skylake CPUs (Intel Core i5-6500 vs. Intel Core i7-6700) for a new build, and can't decide which one to get because of the i7 having 4 extra threads over the i5 and the $125 price difference.
Important things to note:
1. Despite it being a gaming PC, initially, I won't be buying a GPU for this build and plan on using the integrated graphics for gaming (which according to benchmarks, has an edge on my current videocard?). I have the money to do so (though I'm frugal), but I've jumped on the VR hype train and want to see what type of performance people will be getting from what GPUs are already on the market next year when Oculus or Vive are finally released. I can wait that long because currently I play a lot of older games like L4D2/TF2 (3,000+ hours played), Kings Bounty, Pillars of Eternity, and indie titles.
2. I want something that will have some future-proofing and be VR-ready as possible.
3. After rolling with this G620 since 2011(?), I'm PARANOID AS ALL HELL about buying a "lower" performing CPU. While my current setup has done good enough for games like Mass Effect (1-3), Deadly Premonition, The Witcher (which I'm still playing through), Dark Souls 1/2, and Alan Wake, with the settings turned down here and there, I've ran into two games that ran like complete garbage, Skyrim and Planetside 2, which I thought I would be able to play on at least low to medium settings. When I researched why they ran like crap with my setup, I read that they're "CPU bound" and rely heavier on CPUs than most other games. I don't want to run into this problem again.
4. I'm not interested in overclocking.
-----
Lastly, you're probably wondering why I don't just wait until next year to build since I'm OK with playing older games now. To answer your question, I'm almost certain my current PC is experiencing hardware failure at the motherboard level. I've already spent about ~$45 (new memory, psu, hard drive, compressed air, etc.) trying to diagnose it and don't want to put any more money into it by having to hunt down a new socket 1155 mini-itx motherboard.
opticalmace
Member
I would go for the 6700K if I were in your shoes.
edit: the 6700 is 3.4Ghz, and turbos to 4. The 6700K is 4Ghz base and turbos to 4.2. Costs you an extra $40 (12%) for an increase of ~17% in base clock speed, and it leaves the door open to overclocking in the future in case you change your mind. I would definitely get the K i7 myself.
You'll need to upgrade for that, the GTX 760 just doesn't have the performance to do that. I'd be considering a GTX 970 or R9 390.
How about the NZXT H440? Or perhaps the Be Quiet! Silent Base 600. Also consider Cooler Master's Silencio line (scroll down) which includes some ATX and mATX models. Last but not least you should take a look at Nanoxia's cases, all of which feature sound dampening to reduce noise.
In terms of newness there's the i7 5820K (goes with X99 motherboards) but in terms of similarity it would be the i7 4790K (goes with Z97 motherboards) that was recommended to you by Haribi. In comparison, the i7 4790K is a quad core processor with hyperthreading which is just like the i7 6700K, while the i7 5820K is a six core processor that is a step up to Intel's "enthusiast" lineup . The i7 4790K and 6700K are part of what would be considered the "consumer" lineup.
If you were to compare their performance for gaming, all three would be very similar. Most games just don't take advantage of more than 4 cores, and those that do don't really run poorly if there's "only" 4 cores. The 5820K can pull ahead of the others when it's doing things that can take advantage of all 6 cores like video encoding or 3D rendering. Either of those processors will be more than capable enough for high end gaming for the next couple of years. The GTX 980 Ti graphics card can handle some 4K gaming, but not quite. VR gaming is mostly unknown at this point so it's hard to say exactly what the requirements will be like, so the only advice we can give is to aim for as much graphics card power as possible.
Separate networking cards aren't really necessary, motherboards have onboard ethernet chipsets that are more than good enough for the majority of users. USB ports are all determined by motherboard design, if you want to know the number of ports, you'll need to look up the motherboard model and refer to the specs. If it's not enough, you can look for another motherboard or add a separate USB controller card.
Blingaling
Member
Hi all!
I recently got a Dell P2715Q 4k monitor, and my old chugger just cant handle it.
Obviously I need to do some upgrading, but I'd like to recycle as many of my old bits and pieces as possible. Also going for VR readiness.
Current build (all pretty old but functioning without problems)
AMD Phenom II x4 3.6 GHz
ASUS M4A79XTD
4x 4GB DDR3 RAM
Corsair 750w Bronze
HD 7970 3GB
Cooler Master HAF 912
I'm all for making the switch to Intel. Looking at the MSI X99A MOBO and i7-5820K 3.3 GHz processor but I'd really like to reuse my DDR3 RAM.
Also, I've read the R9 290 can xfire with a 7970. Double up or upgrade?
Sorry if this is super noobish, it's been more than a few years since I last contemplated a computer build.
I recently got a Dell P2715Q 4k monitor, and my old chugger just cant handle it.
Obviously I need to do some upgrading, but I'd like to recycle as many of my old bits and pieces as possible. Also going for VR readiness.
Current build (all pretty old but functioning without problems)
AMD Phenom II x4 3.6 GHz
ASUS M4A79XTD
4x 4GB DDR3 RAM
Corsair 750w Bronze
HD 7970 3GB
Cooler Master HAF 912
I'm all for making the switch to Intel. Looking at the MSI X99A MOBO and i7-5820K 3.3 GHz processor but I'd really like to reuse my DDR3 RAM.
Also, I've read the R9 290 can xfire with a 7970. Double up or upgrade?
Sorry if this is super noobish, it's been more than a few years since I last contemplated a computer build.
The Lamonster
Member
Awesome. Things are starting to make sense now!
So I noticed on the parts picker site, cooler is listed but there isn't a cooler category in the builds in the OP. There is a heatsink category in the OP, but not on the parts picker. Are both a cooler and heatsink necessary? If so, what would be a good cooler for an enthusiast-type build? Haribi recommended the Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H100I GTX CPU Cooler System LGA1150 1155 1156 1366 2011 AM2 AM3 FM1 FM2.
Hmm, where are you located and what's your budget for upgrades?
You cannot use DDR3 RAM with that new processor and motherboard. If you prefer to save money and reuse your RAM, then consider getting an i5 4690K or i7 4790K and a Z97 motherboard. You can reuse your case and power supply as well.
No, it is not possible to run an R9 290 with a 7970 in crossfire. You can see reference charts here for crossfire compatibility. The R9 280X is a rebadged and slightly updated HD 7970, and the 280X cannot be run in crossfire with an R9 290. The rule of thumb with running SLI or crossfire is that you need two of the same graphics card model for it to work.
Heatsink and cooler refer to the same thing. The H100i GTX is quite effective, but I usually prefer to recommend air coolers. I'd recommend a Phantek PH-TC14PE or Noctua NH-D14/NH-D15 if you want high end cooling. If you won't be overclocking, something as cheap as the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is more than adequate.
The Lamonster
Member
Okay that makes sense. But why do you recommend air over liquid cooling?
You can probably tell I'm going through the list, picking part by part. Motherboard time! Right now I'm thinking about going with the i7 5820K. There are a TON of X99 motherboards on NCIXUS, even when just paring it down to MSI (which is in the OP build). The specific X99S is sold out, but there are others like X99A. What's the diff? How could I choose?
Buddy of mine has an old system
He wants to be able to play Fallout 4, but doesn't want to do a full rebuild at the moment. He obviously is aware of the limitations of doing this but he was okay with what his current card was doing on Shadows of Mordor so his expectations are not 60fps with all the bells and whistles on.
I think he can scoot by with a GTX 960?
- i5-2500(non-k)
- 8GB Ram
- GTX 560
- 1080p monitor
He wants to be able to play Fallout 4, but doesn't want to do a full rebuild at the moment. He obviously is aware of the limitations of doing this but he was okay with what his current card was doing on Shadows of Mordor so his expectations are not 60fps with all the bells and whistles on.
I think he can scoot by with a GTX 960?
GatticusFinch
Member
One thing I can warn you about the H100i, they cheaped out on the mounting bracket so badly. The piece on the underside of the motherboard is plastic, and it's universal, so there are little sliders in the plastic to fit various motherboard configurations.
The plastic slider for one of the mounting points on mine fell out of the track and the screw dethreaded it, would never go back in, and I had to spend an hour destroying the slider with needlenose pliers to get the screw and slider out so I could rig up a mounting point out of old washers and standoffs.
Other than that, it appears to be working flawlessly, but it was a total pain in the ass.
Blingaling
Member
US based. Was looking to keep it under 1000 total. RAM is cheap, it wouldn't kill me to spend another 100 on DDR4. So I guess the big question would be what to do about the graphics card. Maybe xfire with this thing? 1 card solution would be better I'm sure, maybe I should just sell my old card. Any value in my old processor/MOBO?
Selling my EVGA GTX 980 4GB for $399 now if anyone wants it. Looking to put the money towards my 7 year old's birthday 
.
Comes in original packaging. Unopened 2 x molex to 6 pin PCI-E cables included. Other documentation and case badge included.
Ready to ship it anywhere in US. Works perfectly, never over-clocked, only pulled due to upgrade. Please PM me.
.Comes in original packaging. Unopened 2 x molex to 6 pin PCI-E cables included. Other documentation and case badge included.
Ready to ship it anywhere in US. Works perfectly, never over-clocked, only pulled due to upgrade. Please PM me.
Parts ordered. Hopefully it won't take too long for some the display and CPU specifically.
Final build:
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
Mobo: Asus Z170-A
Memory: Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB Kit (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz CL15 DIMM
GPU: MSI AMD R9 390 GAMING, 8GB GDDR5
SSD: Crucial BX100 500GB SSD
PSU: Seasonic G-750
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-S224FB DVD±RW
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (plus extra fan)
Display: Samsung S24E370DL (24" 1080p, Freesync, about 220€ or so)
KB/M: SS Sensei Raw, Corsair K30
Headset: Func HS260
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, update to Windows 10.
Total price about 1850€, including shipping and taxes. Finnish prices are what they're, i looked for the lowest possible prices though.
Still need a desk and a chair, will probably get them from Ikea, that's about 200€ the last i checked some things.
Final build:
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
Mobo: Asus Z170-A
Memory: Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB Kit (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz CL15 DIMM
GPU: MSI AMD R9 390 GAMING, 8GB GDDR5
SSD: Crucial BX100 500GB SSD
PSU: Seasonic G-750
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-S224FB DVD±RW
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (plus extra fan)
Display: Samsung S24E370DL (24" 1080p, Freesync, about 220€ or so)
KB/M: SS Sensei Raw, Corsair K30
Headset: Func HS260
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, update to Windows 10.
Total price about 1850€, including shipping and taxes. Finnish prices are what they're, i looked for the lowest possible prices though.
Still need a desk and a chair, will probably get them from Ikea, that's about 200€ the last i checked some things.
MisterNoisy
Member
All of this mITX talk here has me doing a bit of a respiff/rebuild on my LAN gaming box in preparation for its upcoming move to the living room as a dedicated HTPC/SteamBox. Picked up a Rosewill Neutron ($40), a 4GB R9 380 ($170) and a shitload of be quiet! fans along with a fan controller ($100). Should all be here by the weekend.
Personally I don't have good experience with water coolers, although I can't say I've owned any high end water coolers like the H100i. I prefer air cooling for the reliability. Here's my own anecdotal experience with water cooling:
[anecdote]
I owned one water cooler, and the pump leaked coolant and ruined my old PC's motherboard. It was a CoolIT ECO. My friend decided to replace his with an air cooler (we both got one each at the same time) before the same could happen to him.
An Antec KÜHLER 920 that I recommended to my friend based solely on good reviews turned out to be louder than he wanted despite what reviews said about the fan noise, and eventually the pump failed as well although it didn't burst like mine did. It was a rebranded Asetek model which some Corsair-branded water cooler models are extremely similar to and like GatticusFinch says, the universal plastic backplate is a truly awful design. The plastic backplate's mounting hole eventually wore down becoming useless and I spent the better part of 15 minutes with pliers and screwdrivers trying to take it apart. Also, somehow one of the mounting holes on the radiator for the long fan screws became widened somehow so I had to stuff paper in there to make the screw threads catch again. It's not like the cooler was removed and reattached all that often, either.
A friend of mine really wanted a water cooler so he bought a Corsair H55. There were air pockets stuck in the loop and there was a constant bubbling noise whenever the computer was on, just like the constant air pump noise for a fish tank. He lived with it for a while then I traded him a Phanteks air cooler since it didn't fit in my old case and I figured out that I could reduce the bubbling noise by using the motherboard BIOS to change the "speed" of the fan header that the pump was plugged into. I'll use it for my HTPC gaming build that I'm planning to do sometime by the end of this year since the case is too small to fit a decent air cooler.
[/anecdote]
Anyway if you value performance and cost, water coolers will almost never be as good as air coolers, comparing dollar for dollar. I know that the most expensive AIO water coolers will outperform the most expensive air coolers, but at that point you'd be comparing a $100~130 water cooler to a $70~90 air cooler. Air coolers usually have an easier time being quieter than water coolers, as AIO water cooling inherently comes with pump noise and what seem to be noisy stock fans for nearly every kit. It's easier to just recommend a Noctua air cooler than any AIO kit along with separately purchased quiet fans.
For motherboards, there's the MSI X99A SLI Plus. It's the same as the X99S SLI Plus except it comes with USB 3.1 support. There's also the Gigabyte X99-UD3P which is a bit cheaper, but if you want the new USB 3.1 ports, go with the MSI model. Reviews are decent for both motherboards.
That PC is already slightly above Fallout 4's minimum requirements. If he was okay with the performance on Shadows of Mordor which could be pretty intensive graphically, then he doesn't really need to upgrade.
I'd recommend keeping your existing RAM then and getting an i5 4690K with Z97 motherboard. That would leave more money for a stronger graphics card.
Keeping the 7970 is an option. It's actually still alright for gaming at 1080p, you would see quite a decent boost with an Intel processor over your old AMD processor. If you really want to upgrade, then sell your 7970 and get a new graphics card, crossfire isn't exactly reliable and doesn't work for every game. Sometimes there are texture issues or the latest games even lacking crossfire/SLI support for up to a few months after release. The 7970 is still a decent graphics card that is nearly the same as the R9 280X, so I think you could find buyers and get a decent amount of money for it. Yeah, we generally recommend going with a single graphics card whenever possible for reasons of reliability, lower power consumption, and less heat. We only recommend running multiple graphics cards for new builds if they're doing 4K gaming (no single graphics card is strong enough to do that decently yet) or something similarly intensive.
You could leave your old processor and motherboard to use as a secondary PC (HTPC, file server, etc). Or maybe try to sell it as well.
I'd come up with a parts list for you, but PCPartPicker is undergoing site maintenance at the moment. I'll have one for you by the end of the day.
The Lamonster
Member
Well I'm convinced (to use air cooling). Is the CM Hyper 212 EVO louder than the Noctua NH-D15 or are they about the same? Leaning toward the CM since I probably won't need the extra power (and price) associated with the Noctua.
Here's what I've got so far. What would you recommend for PSU, memory and storage? I'd like some wiggle room on the PSU wattage in case I want to upgrade/overclock in the future.
I chose the video card that Haribi recommended...I didn't realize there were so many manufacturers and different models of the same video card. Is it a good choice?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mjMqFT
(trying to keep the budget around $2k-2.5k, and choosing stuff that's in stock @ NCIXUS)
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Sweet! That makes two of us in a very limited pool of people who care about the card.
Just hopped on BF4 online and averaged 70fps (dipped down to 30fps at one point during a hiccup--not sure why) with all settings on Ultra except for antialiasing at 2x and ambient occlusion off. Really surprised the i3-2100 isn't a bigger bottleneck.
Metro: Last Light Redux also runs splendidly on the highest settings (SSAO off, however).
Blingaling
Member
Well, I've already got the 4k monitor so the closest I can get to 4k gaming on a budget is the primary goal. Appreciate the advice
Well, I've already got the 4k monitor so the closest I can get to 4k gaming on a budget is the primary goal. Appreciate the advice
Ah, right.. not sure why I was thinking of 1080p since you already clearly said that. What sort of performance and graphics settings do you want at 4K?
In most cases, I'd probably recommend a GTX 980 Ti..
Blingaling
Member
Whew, that's a pricey card but if it'll do the job better than a pair of 7970s... I guess I'd better get what I can for my old gear and spring for the power I need. So far my 4k gaming experience has been unimpressive. Looks great while not moving though hahaha
Huge thanks to opticalmace, MisterNoisy, LilJoka, ChainsawFilms, RGM79 and sfried.
Once I got a replacement for my RAM, everything booted perfectly, so I now am working with 2x8GB sticks of DDR4 Corsair Vengeance 2400MHz. No issues so far, just finishing up all the Windows 7 updates. Temps are normal, idle in decent weather of 22 - 28C and under load, around 48 - 60C. Not overclocking anything as of yet.
Really appreciate all the help you guys gave me. Finally, new PC is up and running!
Only one problem remains - a dead pixel on the new monitor..
Once I got a replacement for my RAM, everything booted perfectly, so I now am working with 2x8GB sticks of DDR4 Corsair Vengeance 2400MHz. No issues so far, just finishing up all the Windows 7 updates. Temps are normal, idle in decent weather of 22 - 28C and under load, around 48 - 60C. Not overclocking anything as of yet.
Really appreciate all the help you guys gave me. Finally, new PC is up and running!
Only one problem remains - a dead pixel on the new monitor..
killertofu
Member
Can anyone recommend an enclosure to put my Bluray drive? Kept forgeting my Node 304 doesnt support it
For X99 platform, I would go with Noctua D15. The 6-8 core CPUs uses much more wattage, and thus, more heat needing better cooling. Also, the X99 MBs already comes attached with metal mounting brackets preinstalled. So, cheap plastic ones coming with heatsink are not needed.
As for air vs AIO water coolers, the airs are usually cheaper and more quiet, due to no pump noise. The cons are don't cool as well, huge harder to put on, limit ram height and MB incompatible due to the size. The AIO are the opposites plus the biggest negative is a very slim chance for leaks which could be very bad. If you case has a window, AIO usually looks better.
Yeah unfortunately like I said earlier, there isn't really any single graphics card that can do 4K gaming properly, not without either sacrificing framerate or graphics quality. That's the only scenario we recommend SLI and crossfire for since even a single GTX 980 Ti or Titan X isn't strong enough, depending on the game and graphics settings. See here for HardOCP's gaming tests of the Fury X, 980 Ti, and Titan X for 4K gaming. Considering how you already know twin 7970s aren't as strong as a 980 Ti and given how well the 980 Ti does in that review.. you now know how much muscle 4K gaming needs.
There's not a lot of differences between most enclosures. Just make sure it's USB 3.0 and has good average score after reviews. Something like this Vantec model? I thought Newegg would have more options or cheaper ones at least, but I can't find much else.
killertofu
Member
Yikes. That's almost as much as I've paid for my case
Hey everyone. This isn't a gaming PC, but a budget computer I want to use for Twitch live streaming. I picked out some of the parts I need to buy, but was wondering if anyone could critique it before I pull the trigger. I have an extra power supply, video card, RAM, and capture card.
CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($139.50 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($47.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1100 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($38.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $287.36
The goal is to stream at 720p, in addition to local recording.
CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($139.50 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($47.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1100 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($38.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $287.36
The goal is to stream at 720p, in addition to local recording.
AMD isn't recommended, those parts are a few years old and usually don't compare well to Intel when it comes to performance. That Kingston SSD is strongly not recommended, it was discovered that Kingston was substituting lower end and slower parts into that SSD after it had already released to the market but did not change the name or model number to reflect the lower performance, potentially misleading people into thinking it was still a decent SSD.
What's your budget for upgrades? What are your existing parts?
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
I downloaded a demo of Crysis from Fileplanet (1.7GB), and it started extracting data into some Temp folder named Rarsfx0. Is that normal? Name caught me off guard and I killed the installation.
Please tell me I'm not already dead.
Please tell me I'm not already dead.
Hi guys,
I think it´s about 10 years ago since I did my last PC Build. Coming from gaming on a PS4 right now I need a budget machine first and want to upgrade in 2016.
So my usage for the next few month would be just light usage. Maybe a bit of 3D construction with Solid Edge. Next year I want to be able to play games in 1080p 60fps.
I´m looking for this:
-Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Intel Z170 So.1151 Dual Channel DDR4 mATX Retail € 113,36*
-Intel Pentium G4400 2x 3.30GHz So.1151 BOX € 59,96*
-BitFenix Phenom M € 68,20*
-8GB HyperX FURY schwarz DDR4-2133 DIMM CL14 Dual Kit € 52,94*
-250GB Crucial BX100 2.5" (6.4cm) SATA 80,43€
-I already own a Corsair 550W power supply
Total: 374,89€ (German prices, sorry for €
The plan for 2016 is to ramp things up a little bit and go for a 6600k and a decent GPU and of course a new power supply if needed.
What do you think? Will this work out?
I think it´s about 10 years ago since I did my last PC Build. Coming from gaming on a PS4 right now I need a budget machine first and want to upgrade in 2016.
So my usage for the next few month would be just light usage. Maybe a bit of 3D construction with Solid Edge. Next year I want to be able to play games in 1080p 60fps.
I´m looking for this:
-Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Intel Z170 So.1151 Dual Channel DDR4 mATX Retail € 113,36*
-Intel Pentium G4400 2x 3.30GHz So.1151 BOX € 59,96*
-BitFenix Phenom M € 68,20*
-8GB HyperX FURY schwarz DDR4-2133 DIMM CL14 Dual Kit € 52,94*
-250GB Crucial BX100 2.5" (6.4cm) SATA 80,43€
-I already own a Corsair 550W power supply
Total: 374,89€ (German prices, sorry for €
The plan for 2016 is to ramp things up a little bit and go for a 6600k and a decent GPU and of course a new power supply if needed.
What do you think? Will this work out?
cartoon_soldier
Member
I am looking for a new CPU case, starting my journey towards an upgraded computer slowly. I really want a quiet case but the fractal cases are not available in India, though I can get them via newegg for twice the price. The NZXT one was also not available anymore.
Any suggestions?
Other one's I could find in India are:
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/nzxt-source-530-black-steel/1504021496
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/nzxt-phantom-410-series-black/366864238
There is also wider availability of Crosair and Cooler Master cases.
Any suggestions?
Other one's I could find in India are:
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/nzxt-source-530-black-steel/1504021496
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/nzxt-phantom-410-series-black/366864238
There is also wider availability of Crosair and Cooler Master cases.
Song of the Turtle
Member
So, I just got my new PC working and the first thig I did was upgrading to Windows 10 (from 8.1) via the media creation tool.
Someway through the Installation the PC reboots and I get this error message:
"The Installation could not be completed. There was an error during the process BOOT in the stage SAFE_OS"
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258
PSU: 430 Watt Corsair CX Series Non-Modular 80+ Bronze
SSD: Samsung 840 Evo 120GB
Mobo: ASRock H81M-ITX
RAM: 1x4GB DDR3-1333
I tried again and got the same error. Any ideas?
Someway through the Installation the PC reboots and I get this error message:
Code:
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/XmA4i8t.png[/IMG]"The Installation could not be completed. There was an error during the process BOOT in the stage SAFE_OS"
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258
PSU: 430 Watt Corsair CX Series Non-Modular 80+ Bronze
SSD: Samsung 840 Evo 120GB
Mobo: ASRock H81M-ITX
RAM: 1x4GB DDR3-1333
I tried again and got the same error. Any ideas?
- Status