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[Ragingbegal]

If anyone is looking for a cheap ssd, Amazon has a sale on them today. Further, if you have Prime you can use the promo code "GETITNOW" to save $20 on an order of $50 or more if you order through Prime Now. I just grabbed a Kingston 120gb ssd for $30.

 

[RGM79]

If anyone is looking for a cheap ssd, Amazon has a sale on them today. Further, if you have Prime you can use the promo code "GETITNOW" to save $20 on an order of $50 or more if you order through Prime Now. I just grabbed a Kingston 120gb ssd for $30.

Did you buy the V300? Cancel your order if you can. It's a very awful SSD. It only has ~170MB/s read and ~85MB/s write.

Edit: I suppose if you're ok with only slightly better than traditional hard drive speeds it's fine for the $30 price, but around here we don't usually recommend that SSD. The ones we recommend have over three times the performance for both read and write.

 

[hipbabboom]

X99 is the only current Intel consumer platform on which you can get processors with more than 4 cores, and quad-channel memory.

I don't really understand your second question, you don't have any choice in the matter of going DDR4 if you go with the X9 platform.

Second question was my mistake. I've been missing confused and made the mistake multiple times this weekend with Z170, X99 and Z97 while trying to catch up on the state of DDR4 computing. Still find it highly confusing since its hard to tell from all the noise whether not people are sticking to older chipsets because of benefits or because new stuff is still too fresh. To put into perspective about my level of ignorance at the moment. My last build was a Sandy Bridge processor and I've been out of the news since as far as chipsets and processors.

Your posts makes me apprehensive (read: rethink) about even upgrading to Skylake if quad core is the best available for it right now; that's a real downer.

 

[KoolKing]

I think I've got most of my parts picked out. Since my last post I've updated the RAM (thanks for the suggestion Haloid1177). I'm looking to start ordering them tomorrow but I just wanted to throw this out there in case you guys notice anything that is likely to cause compatibility issues.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($151.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.33 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Cooler Master VSM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($39.95 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1740.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-26 15:32 EDT-0400

Just a couple of quick questions. Will I need a separate network card or is the onboard Ethernet on the motherboard good enough?

I'll be using this as a blu ray player hooked to my TV. A couple of reviews for the LG drives mention that they aren't recognized until Windows is installed. However I'd need the use of the drive to install Windows in the first place. Does anyone have any experience with these drives?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Ragingbegal]

Did you buy the V300? Cancel your order if you can. It's a very awful SSD. It only has ~170MB/s read and ~85MB/s write.

Edit: I suppose if you're ok with only slightly better than traditional hard drive speeds it's fine for the $30 price, but around here we don't usually recommend that SSD. The ones we recommend have over three times the performance for both read and write.

I was able to cancel it. Saw the older positive reviews of the ssd and didn't realize the manufacturing change had caused issues.

Anything else I should know about the build I posted on the previous page before moving forward?

 

[Woorloog]

I was able to cancel it. Saw the older positive reviews of the ssd and didn't realize the manufacturing change had caused issues.

Anything else I should know about the build I posted on the previous page before moving forward?

Looks good to me overall, very similar to mine. Except much cheaper... Mine cost 1500€ plus display, KB/M and headset adding some 300€+.

I have faster memory (2666HZ), and i'd probably recommend getting something faster, though it doesn't ultimately matter that much. 16GB is good amount though, don't drop it to 8. (If the price matters, then keep lower speed RAM rather than faster RAM but lesser amount. IMO, based on my limited understanding.)

Also have R5 case rather than R4 though not sure if the improvements are that big deal. R5 is a bit more expensive.

EDIT You may need to get a better GPU for VR gaming. But you can always upgrade later, 970 is no doubt good enough for now. EDIT Actually, seems like i'm mistaken. Apparently Oculus recommends GTX 970... So disregard my mistaken statement.

 

[The Lamonster]

Non-issue. SATA express is considered a failure, it didn't gain that much attention from manufacturers and there are very few devices that actually use SATA Express ports. The most useful thing you can buy for SATA Express are front panel USB 3.1 ports.

Thanks!

Is my build going to be cool enough with just the stock case fans in the R5 + Noctua D15? I've heard that the 980 Ti gets pretty hot.

 

[Detox]

You can try referring to this guide to see if you can possibly fix it. Otherwise, you'll need to be looking at a new VGA heatsink from here.

So I should try lubing the fans and if the motor is broken then I should replace the heatsink. Thank you.

 

[RGM79]

Thanks!

Is my build going to be cool enough with just the stock case fans in the R5 + Noctua D15? I've heard that the 980 Ti gets pretty hot.

It should be fine. Check the temperatures when you get it running under load, if it's not enough then it should be fairly easy to add case fans. I have the same EVGA card you have on your list in the Fractal Define S case, and I don't have issues with overheating.

I was able to cancel it. Saw the older positive reviews of the ssd and didn't realize the manufacturing change had caused issues.

Anything else I should know about the build I posted on the previous page before moving forward?

Your build looks fine for the most part. Consider looking for 2666/2800/3000MHz RAM, it shouldn't cost a lot more and although it doesn't seem to contribute much to performance in daily use and gaming, it's better to spend a few dollars to prevent any potential bottlenecks. For example, that list shows that there's a kit of 2666MHz RAM at CL16 latency for nearly the same price as the 2133MHz RAM in your parts list.

There are also some potential issues about the blu-ray drive that I'll list below since someone else was wondering about it.

I think I've got most of my parts picked out. Since my last post I've updated the RAM (thanks for the suggestion Haloid1177). I'm looking to start ordering them tomorrow but I just wanted to throw this out there in case you guys notice anything that is likely to cause compatibility issues.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($151.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.33 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Cooler Master VSM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($39.95 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1740.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-26 15:32 EDT-0400

Just a couple of quick questions. Will I need a separate network card or is the onboard Ethernet on the motherboard good enough?

I'll be using this as a blu ray player hooked to my TV. A couple of reviews for the LG drives mention that they aren't recognized until Windows is installed. However I'd need the use of the drive to install Windows in the first place. Does anyone have any experience with these drives?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Separate network cards are a thing of the ancient past, those haven't been useful for a long time. The onboard ethernet will be fine. Intel ethernet chipsets are considered very reliable and capable.

Blu-ray drives may be finicky, but I don't see why they wouldn't be detected until Windows is installed. Maybe those are defective units. Keep in mind that the LG drive you're looking at doesn't come with any blu-ray playback software, to watch blu-ray movie discs you will need to buy software or look for a drive that comes bundled with player software. Blu-ray drives marked "OEM" typically don't, and you should read the user reviews or questions to see if anyone mentions software being included or not.

In any case, you can officially install Windows 10 via USB drive by following this guide.

So I should try lubing the fans and if the motor is broken then I should replace the heatsink. Thank you.

Yeah, pretty much. It may be possible to get replacement fans, but as Coulomb_Barrier says, it can be a hassle and requires more DIY determination than just cleaning the fans. I took a short look and I am not sure if the Twin Frozr III heatsink uses 75mm or 80mm fans. I saw a set of replacement MSI Twin Frozr fans going for $35 on ebay, so that kind of put me off recommending it as a solution, but you may be able to find generic fans of the right size for cheaper.

 

[The Lamonster]

It should be fine. Check the temperatures when you get it running under load, if it's not enough then it should be fairly easy to add case fans. I have the same EVGA card you have on your list in the Fractal Define S case, and I don't have issues with overheating.

Cool. Thanks for all the advice. Finally nearing a purchase on this thing! haha

 

[Detox]

Thank you! I'm in the UK. All the fans I can see list the 7870 but not the 7970. For example the Gelid Icy Vision Rev 2 or the Accelero Twin Turbo II will these fit on the 7970?

 

[RGM79]

Thank you! I'm in the UK. All the fans I can see list the 7870 but not the 7970. For example the Gelid Icy Vision Rev 2 or the Accelero Twin Turbo II will these fit on the 7970?

After searching around some more, it seems that the HD7970 is somewhat special in that it doesn't have a common cooler mount like most other graphics cards on the market because of its design. Read here for more info. The only VGA coolers that can be guaranteed to be compatible with the HD7970 would be this Arctic model and this Gelid model.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

If anyone has some old/crappy PCI add-in cards for USB or SATA that they'd be willing to sell cheaply, send me a PM. Hackintosh does not natively support SATA or USB on Z170 motherboards, so I need to use an add-in card(s) to get stuff working.

I don't care if it's slow, since this is just a temporary solution until Apple updates OS X. I'm just trying to not spend a ton of money on a card I'll only need for ~2 months. Thanks!

 

[Detox]

After searching around some more, it seems that the HD7970 is somewhat special in that it doesn't have a common cooler mount like most other graphics cards on the market because of its design. Read here for more info. The only VGA coolers that can be guaranteed to be compatible with the HD7970 would be this Arctic model and this Gelid model.

Thanks a lot. I'm going to buy the Gelid.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

If anyone is looking for a cheap ssd, Amazon has a sale on them today. Further, if you have Prime you can use the promo code "GETITNOW" to save $20 on an order of $50 or more if you order through Prime Now. I just grabbed a Kingston 120gb ssd for $30.

What exactly is on sale? The prices don't look any different than normal.

 

[RGM79]

Thanks a lot. I'm going to buy the Gelid.

Alright then. I had a Gelid Icy Vision rev 2 and it was a hell of an improvement over the original cooler on an XFX 5850 Black Edition that had overheating parts and was extremely loud, so I like Gelid as well.

 

[Vitacat]

Hey PC people. Please take a look at this list and give comments and recommendations, whether to save money or get better for same money etc. I haven't built a PC in many years, so almost a noob again. Not really familiar with current tech, so trying to quickly catch up and think I've put together a good list of parts.

Want a small PC for gaming and emulation, so chose the Fractal Node case. Aiming for as powerful as possible under $2000. Don't need a monitor, and will be running at 1080p for now.

NOTE: don't pay too much attention the mouse and keyboard, they are kinda just placeholders, altho my wife really wants that keyboard.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($369.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($144.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3400 Memory ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($219.69 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($328.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master VSM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GS40N DVD/CD Writer ($39.99 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.89 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($39.95 @ Adorama)
Keyboard: Razer BlackWidow Chroma Wired Gaming Keyboard ($162.75 @ Other World Computing)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder Chroma Wired Optical Mouse ($58.68 @ Amazon)
Other: slimline sata sata power cable ($8.00)
Total: $1990.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-26 18:19 EDT-0400

 

[The Lamonster]

My nearly silent entertainment, design, and gaming pc:

Intel 5820K @ 4.4ghz 1.28v
Corsair h100i GTX
Asus X99-Pro USB 3.1
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16gb @ 3000mhz
MSi R9 390X 8G @ 1150mhz
EVGA G2 850W PSU
Samsung EVO 850 500 gb SSD
Fractal Design R5
Windows 10

How'd it go trying to fit the H100i into the R5? Did you follow a guide? How noisy is the PC with the top vents opened up? I've read so many headaches that I just decided to go the Noctua D15 route instead because I really want the R5.

 

[Terbinator]

So my components should be arriving later today and I'll have the choice of Syndicate or R6: Siege as a free game - which should I go for?

 

[Ryne]

M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Speakers

Thanks, this is on my short list, but I'm really looking for a 2.1 set if possible. Tough to find in Canada too since it's the older version.

I think I might go with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 set, easy enough to get, and about 200 bucks.

Any other ideas for my question below everyone?

Any good suggestions for a set of speakers? My budget is about 150 USD, and I'm looking for a good 2.1 set with nice bass levels.

I currently use a Z623, but after having the left speaker die on my again (this is the second set I've had), I want something new.

 

[d3vnull]

I want to get a new machine in the next 2 months that can run the Witcher 3 1920x1080 in Ultra with everything turned on @ 60 fps.
Will Haz's Skylake enthusiast PC build do the job or should I invest more/wait longer?

 

[Victrix]

I have an old i5 that I'm not yet ready to do a full rebuild on, so I need to dump my archaic 6800.

Would a GTX 960 be the right price performance choice at the moment, or one of the R9 models?

Something in the $150-200 range would be perfect.

 

[jarosh]

I have never given this much thought on past builds, but... which way should I face the PSU? I have a Corsair RM750 and a Fractal Define R5 (bottom mounted PSU). Opinions sure seem VERY divided on this. FWIW, there is a cutout on the bottom and plenty of room to suck in air between the case and the floor, and the RM750's fan isn't really supposed to kick in until under heavy load anyway...

 

[knitoe]

I have never given this much thought on past builds, but... which way should I face the PSU? I have a Corsair RM750 and a Fractal Define R5 (bottom mounted PSU). Opinions sure seem VERY divided on this. FWIW, there is a cutout on the bottom and plenty of room to suck in air between the case and the floor, and the RM750's fan isn't really supposed to kick in until under heavy load anyway...

Fan facing down. There's a reason why there is a cutout at the bottom of the case for it.

 

[Nachtmaer]

I have never given this much thought on past builds, but... which way should I face the PSU? I have a Corsair RM750 and a Fractal Define R5 (bottom mounted PSU). Opinions sure seem VERY divided on this. FWIW, there is a cutout on the bottom and plenty of room to suck in air between the case and the floor, and the RM750's fan isn't really supposed to kick in until under heavy load anyway...

Just put it with the fan side down and let it take in air from the bottom. Just clean out the bottom dust filter every once in a while. I guess some people like it flipped when their PC is standing on a rug or something and it'd pull in a lot of dust and other junk.

 

[MisterNoisy]

I have never given this much thought on past builds, but... which way should I face the PSU? I have a Corsair RM750 and a Fractal Define R5 (bottom mounted PSU). Opinions sure seem VERY divided on this. FWIW, there is a cutout on the bottom and plenty of room to suck in air between the case and the floor, and the RM750's fan isn't really supposed to kick in until under heavy load anyway...

Usually mount it grille side down unless the PC is going to be on carpet.

 

[jarosh]

Gotcha, thanks guys.

 

[The Lamonster]

Thanks, this is on my short list, but I'm really looking for a 2.1 set if possible. Tough to find in Canada too since it's the older version.

I think I might go with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 set, easy enough to get, and about 200 bucks.

Any other ideas for my question below everyone?

FWIW, the old version has a bass boost switch so you really wouldn't miss having a separate subwoofer even more so with the old model.

 

[RustyO]

I've inherited an old pc, money is quite tight right now, but I would like to give it a bit more juice and get a year or two out of it, so would like some advice particularly around an SSD and RAM.

Your Current Specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5 CPU 760 @ 2.80Ghz : http://ark.intel.com/products/48496/Intel-Core-i5-760-Processor-8M-Cache-2_80-GHz
RAM: Kingston Value Ram 2Gb DDR3-1333 (x2) - KVR1333D3N9/2G : http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR1333D3N9_2G.pdf
Motherboard: MSI H55M-P31 : http://www.msi.com/product/motherboard/H55MP31.html#hero-overview
GPU: Asus EAH4350 SILENT/DI/1GD2
PSU: Existing 400w (?)
Case: Generic
HDD: 160GB System / 1TB WD Data / 3TB WD External #1 / 3TB WD External #2
Monitor: 19" BenQ / Toshiba 48" TV

Main Use: Software development: (Visual Studio C++ / C#, / SQL Databases) and Music production (Cubase / VST's)

Budget: I've got a budget of around AU$200 to AU$300. I'm in Australia and will purchase from MSY

Thinking about buying / would like some advice about:

SSD: Kingston Hyper X Fury SSD 120GB (AU$73) or Kingston Hyper X Fury SSD 240GB (AU$122) ... I presume there is a signifcant benefit in using a SSD for OS/Programs?
HD: Western Digital 3TB Green (AU$133) ... I guess not strictly necessary as I have 7TB Storage already.

RAM: The Processer specs say Max Memory Size of 16 GB, DDR3 1066/1333; The Motherboard specs say DDR3 1066/1333/1600*/2000*/2133* (OC)

If I understand correctly, I am limited by the Processer here, meaning I have to get DDR1333

From what I can tell it seems that DDR3-1333 is on it's way out, but I would like to up it to 8GB; so is there any benefit/value in getting a larger stick at this point in time? Or just going with the cheapest easiest option? It seems that as a year down the track I probably won't need/want DDR3-1333 anyway as it will be outmoded.

- 2G Single 1333 Kingston ValueRam is AU$22 / 2x = AU$44
- 8G Single 1333 Kingston ValueRam is AU$63

Thanks

 

[ruttyboy]

What's the preferred program for monitoring CPU temps? I downloaded Realtemp but it's saying my cores are at 25 degrees when idle, but the BIOS is saying 30+, should I believe either?

 

[d3vnull]

What's the preferred program for monitoring CPU temps? I downloaded Realtemp but it's saying my cores are at 25 degrees when idle, but the BIOS is saying 30+, should I believe either?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that your cpu is never on idle in your bios, so the temps are correct.

 

[ruttyboy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that your cpu is never on idle in your bios, so the temps are correct.

Ah, that would make sense then.

I'm in two minds as to whether to reseat my cooler (212 EVO), 25 degrees sounds pretty good, but if I start Prime95 (the heat one) it jumps instantly to 72-76 degrees and stays there, surely if should be lower than that as that leaves no headroom for overclocking...

 

[The Lamonster]

What's the best resource to learn how to build a modern PC from a total noob standpoint?

At this point I know about the individual parts but not what order to install them, how things work together, how to properly manage cables, or how to install an OS from scratch. Everyone says it's like LEGO, but where are the instructions?

 

[ricki42]

What's the best resource to learn how to build a modern PC from a total noob standpoint?

At this point I know about the individual parts but not what order to install them, how things work together, how to properly manage cables, or how to install an OS from scratch. Everyone says it's like LEGO, but where are the instructions?

The instructions are in the OP and in the 2nd post. That's what I used. Plus, I watched some videos specific to my hardware, like the cooler I was installing. Also, the motherboard manual is very helpful. My cabling wasn't great initially, but I improved it afterwards once I knew what goes where. Just take your time while assembling things and you'll be fine.

 

[Durante]

Second question was my mistake. I've been missing confused and made the mistake multiple times this weekend with Z170, X99 and Z97 while trying to catch up on the state of DDR4 computing. Still find it highly confusing since its hard to tell from all the noise whether not people are sticking to older chipsets because of benefits or because new stuff is still too fresh. To put into perspective about my level of ignorance at the moment. My last build was a Sandy Bridge processor and I've been out of the news since as far as chipsets and processors.

I think it clarifies some things if you think of Intel's consumer offerings as 2 entirely separate branches. One of them is the "mainstream" branch, at the top of which are the "Z" series chipsets. The other branch is the "enthusiast" branch, with the X series.

They have completely separate refresh cycles and distinct capabilities, and just because Z170 (the successor to Z97) was released doesn't mean that X99 is not still the most up-to-date enthusiast platform.

 

[The Lamonster]

The instructions are in the OP and in the 2nd post. That's what I used. Plus, I watched some videos specific to my hardware, like the cooler I was installing. Also, the motherboard manual is very helpful. My cabling wasn't great initially, but I improved it afterwards once I knew what goes where. Just take your time while assembling things and you'll be fine.

Okay cool, thanks. I actually didn't even notice the build guides in the OP.

Is there anything overly complicated about my build? What is going to be the most challenging part?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($369.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($93.48 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-DELUXE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($289.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($339.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($144.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($52.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($90.00 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2374.19

 

[kennah]

Most challenging part will be mounting the cooler, but that case should have a backplate cut out, which will help make it a lot easier.

Basic tools - all you really usually need is a philips screwdriver.

If you want to be a bit more fancy, cable ties and wire snips for trimming them.

 

[The Lamonster]

Most challenging part will be mounting the cooler, but that case should have a backplate cut out, which will help make it a lot easier.

Basic tools - all you really usually need is a philips screwdriver.

If you want to be a bit more fancy, cable ties and wire snips for trimming them.

Do I really need one of those wristbands? How exactly can I protect my stuff from getting fried?

And I've heard horror stories about finger oil ruining CPUs and stuff - should I wear latex gloves or something?

Also, do I need to buy separate thermal paste to mount the Noctua or does the included paste suffice?

 

[KoolKing]

Regarding video cards: Is there any noticeable difference between this EVGA 980ti and this Giabyte G1 gaming 980ti?

I see more people in here getting G1s and the price is roughly the same but the dimensions are a bit larger and I'm concerned with fitting too much into my chosen case (a Fractal R5).

 

[Alexm92]

I want to get a new machine in the next 2 months that can run the Witcher 3 1920x1080 in Ultra with everything turned on @ 60 fps.
Will Haz's Skylake enthusiast PC build do the job or should I invest more/wait longer?

You will want an i5/i7 and a GTX 980/R9 390x to fully max The Witcher 3.

 

[Haloid1177]

Do I really need one of those wristbands? How exactly can I protect my stuff from getting fried?

And I've heard horror stories about finger oil ruining CPUs and stuff - should I wear latex gloves or something?

Also, do I need to buy separate thermal paste to mount the Noctua or does the included paste suffice?

Nah you don't need one, just keep yourself grounded with your power supply.

 

[ricki42]

Do I really need one of those wristbands? How exactly can I protect my stuff from getting fried?

And I've heard horror stories about finger oil ruining CPUs and stuff - should I wear latex gloves or something?

Also, do I need to buy separate thermal paste to mount the Noctua or does the included paste suffice?

I didn't use a wristband, just touched the case occasionally. For cleaning the CPU, I used isopropyl alcohol.
The cooler comes with enough thermal paste to remount several times. Still, I did a dry-run to see how everything fits before applying thermal paste.
Your motherboard and PSU will likely come with some cable ties, so you don't have to worry about those. Your case is also fairly roomy, making cable management easier.

 

[Woorloog]

Right. The feel when you have every essential component... and you realize you're missing something. In this case, thermal compound.
Unfortunately i don't have time to visit a store, most likely.

Tray CPU so it didn't come with thermal paste.

 

[jarosh]

First time I bothered with proper cable management. Christ, so much cleaner.

 

[The Lamonster]

I have a clean bar drip mat, would building on that help reduce static electricity? Or harmful?

I'll be building on a 70's style plastic countertop with a metal rim.

First time I bothered with proper cable management. Christ, so much cleaner.

Let's see the back!

 

[RGM79]

Thanks, this is on my short list, but I'm really looking for a 2.1 set if possible. Tough to find in Canada too since it's the older version.

I think I might go with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 set, easy enough to get, and about 200 bucks.

Any other ideas for my question below everyone?

I owned the Promedia 2.1 and while they sound great, be warned that a fair number of owners (including myself) have experienced common issues like the volume control pod breaking down (static when changing volume), DIN cable wearing out, and the amplifier/subwoofer unit eventually breaking. If you have DIY knowhow and enthusiasm then they can be fixed. I dealt with the first two issues but after the amplifier broke I replaced my set with a cheap Logitech 5.1 set I found on sale. It didn't break right away but after several years of light-moderate use at not very high volume, so it's not fragile but more like a matter of time.

I want to get a new machine in the next 2 months that can run the Witcher 3 1920x1080 in Ultra with everything turned on @ 60 fps.
Will Haz's Skylake enthusiast PC build do the job or should I invest more/wait longer?

You will want an i5/i7 and a GTX 980/R9 390x to fully max The Witcher 3.

If you opt for that build with a GTX 980 Ti, then you will come extremely close. You might still have to turn a few settings a bit lower to ensure that the framerate won't dip under 60FPS. No, the GTX 980 and R9 390X cannot max out the Witcher 3 at 60FPS.

Here are some testing benchmarks by Eurogamer and Techspot. Keep in mind those testing results are with Nvidia Hairworks turned off. Once you turn that feature on you can expect major performance drops.

I have an old i5 that I'm not yet ready to do a full rebuild on, so I need to dump my archaic 6800.

Would a GTX 960 be the right price performance choice at the moment, or one of the R9 models?

Something in the $150-200 range would be perfect.

It's either that or an R9 380, try to aim for a 4GB model. What are your system specs?

I've inherited an old pc, money is quite tight right now, but I would like to give it a bit more juice and get a year or two out of it, so would like some advice particularly around an SSD and RAM.

Your Current Specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5 CPU 760 @ 2.80Ghz : http://ark.intel.com/products/48496/Intel-Core-i5-760-Processor-8M-Cache-2_80-GHz
RAM: Kingston Value Ram 2Gb DDR3-1333 (x2) - KVR1333D3N9/2G : http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR1333D3N9_2G.pdf
Motherboard: MSI H55M-P31 : http://www.msi.com/product/motherboard/H55MP31.html#hero-overview
GPU: Asus EAH4350 SILENT/DI/1GD2
PSU: Existing 400w (?)
Case: Generic
HDD: 160GB System / 1TB WD Data / 3TB WD External #1 / 3TB WD External #2
Monitor: 19" BenQ / Toshiba 48" TV

Main Use: Software development: (Visual Studio C++ / C#, / SQL Databases) and Music production (Cubase / VST's)

Budget: I've got a budget of around AU$200 to AU$300. I'm in Australia and will purchase from MSY

Thinking about buying / would like some advice about:

SSD: Kingston Hyper X Fury SSD 120GB (AU$73) or Kingston Hyper X Fury SSD 240GB (AU$122) ... I presume there is a signifcant benefit in using a SSD for OS/Programs?
HD: Western Digital 3TB Green (AU$133) ... I guess not strictly necessary as I have 7TB Storage already.

RAM: The Processer specs say Max Memory Size of 16 GB, DDR3 1066/1333; The Motherboard specs say DDR3 1066/1333/1600*/2000*/2133* (OC)

If I understand correctly, I am limited by the Processer here, meaning I have to get DDR1333

From what I can tell it seems that DDR3-1333 is on it's way out, but I would like to up it to 8GB; so is there any benefit/value in getting a larger stick at this point in time? Or just going with the cheapest easiest option? It seems that as a year down the track I probably won't need/want DDR3-1333 anyway as it will be outmoded.

- 2G Single 1333 Kingston ValueRam is AU$22 / 2x = AU$44
- 8G Single 1333 Kingston ValueRam is AU$63

Thanks

The benefit of an SSD would be faster loading times. If Windows is installed on it, it will seem very fast and responsive. WD Green models are ok for secondary storage, but if possible I recommend you look for this Toshiba 3TB model as it is faster (7200RPM) and does not have the head parking "feature" that can lead to increased wear on the hard drive. You may or may not be able to find the Toshiba drive for around $130 AUD, it's not listed on MSY's price list.

There's no benefit going with one stick of 8GB over four sticks of 2GB, so I'd recommend the cheaper option of buying 2x2GB to use alongside the existing RAM. Technically you're not limited to 1333MHz but you might as well buy 1333MHz RAM to ensure better compatibility with your existing RAM. Yes, DDR3-1333MHz is already outmoded but you don't really have the option to go with anything else. A SSD and RAM upgrade is fine, but at this point you should be considering building a new PC when your budget allows for it.

Right. The feel when you have every essential component... and you realize you're missing something. In this case, thermal compound.
Unfortunately i don't have time to visit a store, most likely.

Tray CPU so it didn't come with thermal paste.

You got the 212 Evo CPU heatsink, right? It should have come with a purple tube of thermal paste.

 

[studyguy]

I'll probably upgrade my 680 after November. I've been holding out as it's been staying strong, but Vermintide is giving me problems (I had to turn it to High). It's been a good run, 680.

 

[FUBAR McDangles]

Hey guys, it looks like my laptop is on its last legs (it's old + hard drive seems to be going out - had hard issues booting up the other day) and since I was already looking to buying a PC, I figured I might as well look into building one now.

I know nothing about building computers and I'm a student on a budget. I won't know how much until later this week, but probably in the $500-$700 range, shipped. Mostly I need a computer for general things now with maybe some light/older gaming, but with the opportunity to upgrade down the line although that isn't a necessity.

Would buying a custom build on CyberPowerPC be a good option for me? Or how hard is it to actually buy all the parts and start from scratch? I know there are guides and videos in the OP and elsewhere, but they seem to be a bit tough. Although I don't have anything to compare it to right now so maybe that's what is throwing me off.

And at this point in the year, should I wait for black Friday deals and hope my laptop lasts that long?

Thanks for the help and opinions.

 

[The Lamonster]

Is a #1 or #2 Phillips screwdriver more useful in building a PC?

 

[Woorloog]

You got the 212 Evo CPU heatsink, right? It should have come with a purple tube of thermal paste.

Yes. I realized this while i was calling a friend and asking if he knew any place here that sold thermal paste. I took a closer look at the package then...
Felt rather stupid at that point.