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[Hazaro]

Use Ctrl+F or your search function to help find what you are looking for

Laptop-GAF and TechSupportGAF - Visit our friends here
120/144Hz LightBoost thread - For all your low frametime (High FPS) needs
2017 High-res PC screenshot thread - Post new and old bullshots and in game snaps here
Mechanical Keyboard Talk - Talk about buying expensive and loud clacky things here
Buy / Sell / Trade Thread - Buy! Sell! Trade! 2016 Thread.

This OP is a constant work in progress. If you have something to correct, add, or critique please PM me.

09/10/2017: Build updates with Soka
08/16/2017: **Change of ownership for thread soon.**
05/10/2017: Ryzen build added! Full information on Ryzen and Motherboard BIOS and RAM compatibility [Guru3D Thread] + [GAF Ryzen Thread]
03/14/2017: The Tech Report: Explaining Frametime vs Minimum FPS (again). A new way to go inside the second.
03/13/2017: 2017 New PC! Thread. Accessories update soon after build sheet. http://bit.ly/newpc2017
02/25/2017: AMD Ryzen (New CPUs!) Thread. Release 3/3/17!
12/19/2016: Update your nVidia drivers to 376.33 if you haven't for a security fix.
05/07/2016: Next gen GPUs: nVidia 1080/1070 Thread (May 27th start of launch), AMD - TBD
08/04/2012:: Two useful cooling articles: Case Fan Temps and Positioning - (Bit-Tech), 60 Fans Tested (Vortez)

If you want help with a build fill this out AND try making one of your own from the resources in the OP
Use PCPartPickerhttp://pcpartpicker.com/ to find the best prices and have a nice list of parts (Check if items are in stock!). I highly recommend Amazon, Newegg, and NCIXUS in North America.

[Basic Desktop Questions]

• Your Current Specs: CPU / RAM / Motherboard / GPU (Graphics) / PSU (Power Supply) / Case / HDD (Hard Drive)
• Budget: Price Range + Country
• Main Use: Rate 1-5. 5 being Highest: Light Gaming, Gaming, Emulation (PS2/Wii/Wii U), Video Editing, Streaming games in HD, 3D/Model work (and what program), General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback).
• Monitor Resolution: What resolution will you be playing your games at? (1080p, 1440p, 4K (2160p) Are you going to upgrade later? Are you buying a new monitor?
• List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Is 30FPS acceptable? 60? 144? How important is PhysX / SuperSampling / CUDA / GSYNC / FREESYNC to you?
• Looking to reuse any parts?: List make and model (e.g. Corsair 750TX, 640GB SATA HDD, Antec 900)
• When will you build?: Do you have a deadline? How long can you wait?
• Will you be overclocking?: Yes, No, Maybe (This means yes!)

Anandtech's 'Bench' CPU and GPU Benchmarks - A great resource. Helpful for getting a general idea of performance or comparing hardware.

Entry-level dual-core, $600
Entry-level quad-core, $800
Mid-range/balanced, $1,000
Upper-mid tier, $1,200
Octa-core first-level, $1,550
Octa-core second-level, $1,700
AMD high-end gaming, $1,900
Intel high-end gaming, $2,000
The "f*** you money" AMD build, $2,700
The "f*** you money" Intel build, $2,650

[QUIET OPTIONS]

$70 - NZXT H230 . . . . .

$90 - Fractal Define S Silent . . .

$130 - Fractal Define XL R2​

[BUDGET]

$50 - Corsair 100R . . . . .

$60 - CM N400 . . . . . . . . . .

$65 - Corsair 200R​

[ENHANCED]

$70 - Phanteks P400 (PH-EC416P)

$90/$100 - Phanteks Pro/Pro Adv . .

$90 - Fractal Define S​

[ENTHUSIAST]

$150 Corsair Air 540 . . . .

$180 - Phanteks EVLOV ATX . . . .

$240 - Phanteks Primo . . . .

$400 - CaseLabs SM8​

[Micro ATX]

​

$40 - Silverstone PS08

$100 - Corsair Air 240 .

$100 - Define Mini . . . . .

$110 - Node 804​

[Mini-ITX]

​

$70 - Silverstone RVZ02

$80 - Fractal Node 202 . . . . .

$200 - NCASE M1​

• For audio equipment, also check out Headphone GAF
• Mad Lust Envy's Gaming Headphone Guide

These headphones are mainly chosen for positional quality. No budget headsets since most are poor. I suggest going with a 3.5mm mic and Xonar DGX if needed instead.

[HEADSETS]

$75/$120 - Siberia 200/350

$250/300 - Sennheiser 350 SE / 363D - 363D are open ear, include virtual 7.1 DAC, and are USB.

[HEADPHONES]

$45 - Superlux HD668B or HD681 EVO

.

$110 - ATH-AD700X (For positional) / ATH-M50x (For Bass)

$150 - BD DT990 250 Ohm Pro

$250 - AKG Q701

[MICS]

$50 - Antlion ModMic 4.0 (Detachable magnetic clip on your headphones, great quality, recommended with mechanical keyboard if streaming)

$3 - DX Clip-on mic (2-6 Week shipping)

[KEYBOARDS]

Mechanical switches are referred to Cherry MX switches. MX Brown = Quiet tactile, MX Blue = loud tactile, MX Black = stiff linear, MX Red = soft linear. Cooler Master University.

$15 - Rosewill RIKB . . . . . .

$15 - MS Keyboard 200

$50 - Corsair K30

$90 - CM Quickfire Stealth

$90 - CM Quickfire XT . .

$180 - CM Novatouch TKL

[PERFORMANCE MICE]

Speed, accuracy, and sensor customization are valued here.

Spawn is an amazing value designed for claw and hybrid grips as it centers weight right under claw grip. If you absolutely love the MX518 shape, then the G400S is a good choice at $45, but is outperformed by the Rival and M45. The Corsair is a better fit for strict palm grip with large hands, and for those who prefer a heavier mouse. The Rival is lighter and is good with palm and hybrid grips and has great software. G502 is apparently the second coming of Gaben or something like that.

$35 - CM Storm Spawn

$45 - Logitech G400S

$60 - Corsair M45

$60 - SteelSeries Rival

$80 - Logitech G502

[AMBIDEXTROUS AND MMO MICE]

For those extra buttons over a very precise sensor.

The Recon has a great sensor and firmware for the price, as well as an ambi grip. The Sensei does as well, and has the best sensor here. The M95's side button layout is the best of the MMO oriented mice. G700s is the only wireless mouse listed here.

$35 - CM Storm Recon

$60 - SS Sensei Raw

$80 - Corsair M95

$90 - Logitech G700s

[PADS]

For most people, any cheap cloth pad will be fine. These are some other options.

The Ripper XXL is massive, allowing a seamless mousing surface.The CM Storm Control RX is a thicker hybrid design with a lycra surface allowing for easier gliding movements, and is best suited for low CPI/DPI. The CM Storm Power RX is a large textured surface allowing for good control without destroying mouse feet. The Artisan Shiden is a glass coated cloth pad that defies the typical trade-off between textured and smooth surfaces, as it has great control and allows for smooth whips.

$20 - XTrac Ripper XXL

$30 - CM Control-RX . . . .

$35 - CM Power-RX . .

$40-50 - Artisan Shiden L or XL

• What the hell does TN, VA, e-IPS, IPS, and PVA mean?
• What exactly is AA (Anti Aliasing) and how does it affect image quality?
• Scogoth lays out different display connectors. DVI, Dual Link DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort (DP), VGA
• NeoGAF Cheap/Korean 1440p monitor thread
• NeoGAF 120Hz/144Hz monitor thread

[BUDGET]

$120 - ASUS VS229H-P
And any $100-$120 monitor that has decent reviews and is not an lesser brand. Try to check input lag on TFTcentral. Many of the higher monitors also go on steep discounts.

[STANDARD]

$140 - ASUS VS238H-P

$140 - ASUS VS239H-P

The 238H-P is a TN panel with less input lag. The 239H-P is an IPS panel with better colors.

[120Hz+ @ 1080p]

$280 - BenQ XL2411Z . . . .

$280 - ASUS VG248QE

The BenQ XL2411Z is a great TN high refresh rate monitor to buy, with a firmware based strobing effect that works with BlurBuster's Strobing Utility. Get the ASUS VG248QE for G-Sync compatibility, module not included.

[1440/4K]

$750 - Acer XB271HU (Has QA issues, still best, stick with it until you get a good one)

Amazon (Parts)
Newegg (Parts)
NCIXUS (Parts)
Performance-PCs (Cases, Fans Acessories)
Micro Center (Parts and great IN STORE deals)

NCIX (Parts, Assembly, Price Match)
Amazon.CA (Parts)
Canada Computers (Parts) - Eastern Regional
Memory Express (Parts, Assembly, Price Match) - Western Regional
Newegg.CA (Parts, Ships from US)

Novatech (Parts)
Overclockers UK (Parts)
Amazon UK (Parts)
Aria PC (Parts)
Ebuyer (Parts, Custom Built)
Microdirect (Parts)
HardwareVersand (Parts)
Misco (Parts)
Scan (Parts)
Dino PC (Custom Built)
YoYoTech (Custom Built)

PC Case Gear (Parts, Best Online Retailer)
PCDIY (Parts)
CPL (Parts)
Umart (Parts, Cheaper Shipping Outside Victoria)
Scorpion Technology (Parts)
MSY (Parts)
staticICE (Product Finder)

The Tech Report
PC Perspective
AnandTech
TechPowerUp
X-bit labs
HardOCP
Hardware Canucks
Jonnyguru + HardwareSecrets = Legit PSU reviews
Silent PC Review = The quiet side of computing

Ninite A batch downloader and installer for popular programs. A fantastic time saver for any new PC build.
Steam Mover tool for moving Steam games to a different HDD/SSD
Steam Tool Another tool for moving steam games.

MSI Afterburner (aka RivaTuner) allows you to manage GPU overclocking, fan speed/profiles and chart many aspects of your GPU.
CPU-Z - gathers information on your Motherboard, BIOS, CPU, FSB, VCORE voltage and memory timings.
GPU-Z gathers information (Speed, architecture, temps) on your video card and GPU.
Real Temp allows you to monitor the temperature of your CPU core(s).
HWInfo allows you to monitor fan speed, temperature, voltage, etc.
CrystalDiskMark Tests read and write speed of your hard drives.

nVidia Inspector allows you to optimize the display, improve the performance and fully utilize your NVIDIA graphics card.
Radeon Pro allows you to optimize the display, improve the performance and fully utilize your AMD graphics card.
Dxtory / nVidia driver options allows you to limit the frame rate on most games. Excellent for older games or just getting a locked framerate.
Fraps allows you to record real time video, take screen captures and display your FPS.
Open Broadcast Software a streaming and recording program for things like Twitch.TV A free and better competitor to XSplit.

OCCT allows you to stress test your CPU and GPU, along with GPU memory.
Prime95 allows you to stress test your CPU and RAM for stability.
FURMark allows you to stress test your video card.
Memtest86+ allows you to run a full memory scan to deal with the blue screen of death and system errors.

 

[Hazaro]

The Tech Report - A nicely laid out and compact build guide

TTL OC3D - A more enthusiast build guide that covers some extra things you can do along with cable management

Thermal Paste: Apply as a ~4mm ball to the CPU. Press the heatsink down and tighten. Line method is ok. Application matters way less than you think. If you take the heatsink off, clean it with alcohol and reapply or you will trap air.
That darn CoolerMaster 212: Why won't you install I swear I was good with computers. A handy picture guide.

Soon™
Video Card Cooler Guide by mkenyon(ZFZ)

• Check your manual for beep codes or debug LED display codes
• Shutoff your PC, switch off the PSU, and unplug the power cable. Wait 10s and hold the power button to drain the remaining power out of the system
• Check your power is on I and the correct Voltage (120V/240V)
• Check that you plugged in the extra motherboard power (4 or 8 pin)
• Reconnect all your cables (Data and Power)
• Try a single stick of memory in the first RAM slot (read your manual), then try the other
• Check for any loose screws or bits in the case and behind the motherboard
• Check that you installed the motherboard standoff screws (Some cases have these pre-installed)
• Remount the GPU on another PCI-E slot, or try no GPU
• As a last step assemble the bare minimum outside the case (PSU, CPU, Heatsink, 1 stick of RAM, nothing else)

[mkenyon's Guide to Efficient Formatting/Windows Installation]

1. Get an ISO of either Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows 10.
2. While the ISO is downloading, go to your motherboard manufacturer's website to the support section. Locate your motherboard and download the newest Chipset, Audio, USB 3.0, and LAN drivers. If your motherboard has unique features such as the ASUS RoG line, it's a good idea to get the drivers for those as well. Put those on a separate flash drive.
3. Go to NVIDIA or AMD's website and download the latest videocard drivers. Put those on the same flash drive as the motherboard drivers.
4. Next, download the Microsoft USB Installation utility. Use this to put Windows on a Flash Drive.
   
5. If you are installing Windows 7, you'll need to take an extra step of allowing you to choose the proper SKU for installation, as the ISO is Ultimate by default. Once the utility is finished writing the ISO to your Flash Drive, open the drive in Windows Explorer, and locate the 'Sources' folder. In this folder is a file called 'ei.cfg'. Delete that.
6. Next, start the PC with the Flash Drive plugged directly into your rear I/O. Upon boot, go into UEFI/BIOS, as you will need to set the Flash Drive to be the primary boot disk. Once this is completed, restart your system and begin installing Windows.
7. Once you are in, go ahead an put the flash drive in with the drivers. Install those, and reboot.
8. After you reboot, you should be able to run Windows Update, which will most likely install all of the remaining drivers as well as update Windows.
9. When Windows Update finishes, you can go into Device Manager to check if there are any unrecognized devices. If there are, get the drivers for those from your motherboard manufacturer's website.

If you used your USB as a boot device for something else and Windows won't install check this post using diskpart.

SSD Setup and tweak guide [SSDReview]

Disable defragmentation
Description: Defragmenting a hard disk's used space is only useful on mechanical disks with multi-millisecond latencies. Free-space defragmentation may be useful to SSDs, but this feature is not available in the default Windows Defragmenter.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Disk Defragmenter -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

Disable Hibernate
Description: You may free up 1GB of space on the SSD if you have 1GB of memory, 2GB of space if you have 2GB memory. You will lose the hibernation feature which allows the equivalent of quick boots and shutdowns.
*Some systems may have trouble resuming from Hibernate/Sleep with SSDs and is another reason to disable this feature.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Type cmd -> Right-Click the cmd Icon -> Run as Administrator -> Type powercfg -h off -> Type exit

Links to useful SSD tools:
Crystal Mark Bench + NFO Tool
AS-SSD TOOL
Steam Mover Tool

2017
2016
2015 Part 1 + 2
2014 Part 1 + 2 + Part 3
2013 Part 1 + 2
2012 Part 1 + 2
2011 Part 1 + 2
2010 / 2009 / 2008

 

[Hazaro]

*Now is the time to PM suggestions and such, thanks!
As always the builds are tailored towards being upgradable with a focus on gaming performance (low frametimes/$).
It's a good time to build and Ryzen R5 is soon™. PLEASE PM or post feedback.

Accessories will continue to be updated, but the thread hit limit and the build sheets needed to be updated.

Also a new banner is in order if anyone wants to do that.

HUGE thanks to Alu and LilJoka from the last thread and input on the updated build sheet. Alu kicked me off my bum and did most of the work on the updated build sheet this year.

It's now safe to post.

 

[Mad Max]

Nice work on the op guys.



Regarding the discussion on z270 boards in the 2016 thread:

Those looking for a z270 mobo note that msi has a rebate promo going on where you can get €30 back + a copy of For Honor on some boards. Asus also has a rebate of €50 but only when you also get a copy of win10.

I ordered the MSI z270 gaming pro (lol) carbon + 7700k yesterday since the board seemed like a decent mid range (sub €200) option. Because after spending half a day looking at all the z270 ATX boards it seems that almost all of them are pretty decent picks, so just take one that has the features you need at a reasonable price point and things should work out.
I'll give you guys some impressions on the carbon when I put everything together.

Some atx boards to look at in the sub-€200/$200 category:
€160 - Asus Prime z270-A
Seems to perform very well and has all the basic features you need + some LEDs. (note the €50 rebate if you also need win 10!)

€193 - Gigabyte AORUS GA-Z270X-GAMING 5
Lots of features like: LEDs, dual NIC, 2xM.2, U.2, sata express, HEX screen for displaying error messages. Gigabyte also seems to have a €20 rebate promo going on for this board.

€150 - MSI Z270 SLI Plus
Best value for money z270 if you ask me, but note that rebate promo doesn't apply to this mobo. The MSI gaming M3, M5 and pro carbon all share its design but have some extra features tacked on.

€180 MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon
Basically the SLI Plus with some LEDS and a different color scheme, rebate applies to this one though so it's essentially the same price as the aforementioned board.

 

[Nostremitus]

Nice work, as always.

 

[Hazaro]

Nice work on the op guys.

Regarding the discussion on z270 boards in the 2016 thread:

Those looking for a z270 mobo note that msi has a rebate promo going on where you can get €30 back + a copy of For Honor on some boards. Asus also has a rebate of €50 but only when you also get a copy of win10.

€150 - MSI Z270 SLI Plus
Best value for money z270 if you ask me, but note that rebate promo doesn't apply to this mobo. The MSI gaming M3, M5 and pro carbon all share its design but have some extra features tacked on.

€180 MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon
Basically the SLI Plus with some LEDS and a different color scheme, rebate applies to this one though so it's essentially the same price as the aforementioned board.

In the US here the SLI and SLI Plus are the same price currently, but apparently the LEDs on the Plus are not the same color when mounted because of the trace paths and one of the corners is a piss yellow? Not sure about the Gaming Pro with LED.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

I just want to thank the existence of these threads and the people who constantly help out in them.

I was nervous about building a PC at first but this thread, it's tools and the patient and knowledgeable people in it gave me the confidence to take the leap and I couldn't be happier that I did. Literally life changing coming from consoles. My only other real gaming experience with a PC was an old gateway that I used to (barely) play age of empires, one must fall and demo discs and such when I was a kid. Growing up poor, I always thought PC was for the well off and even more so a good gaming PC and because of that I avoided thinking about it especially after going to consoles and then it mentally became something that was out of my league and intimidating even when my stars began to change. But like I said, this thread and the wonderful people in it changed everything. Thanks guys!

 

[Hazaro]

Also wanted to highlight another frametime article from TechReport who really pushed for frametime testing for everyone. FPS is outdated and inaccurate!

03/14/2017: The Tech Report: Explaining Frametime vs Minimum FPS (again). A new way to go inside the second.

I just want to thank the existence of these threads and the people who constantly help out in them.

I was nervous about building a PC at first but this thread, it's tools and the patient and knowledgeable people in it gave me the confidence to take the leap and I couldn't be happier that I did. Literally life changing coming from consoles. My only other real gaming experience with a PC was an old gateway that I used to (barely) play age of empires, one must fall and demo discs and such when I was a kid. Growing up poor, I always thought PC was for the well off and even more so a good gaming PC and because of that I avoided thinking about it especially after going to consoles and then it mentally became something that was out of my league and intimidating even when my stars began to change. But like I said, this thread and the wonderful people in it changed everything. Thanks guys!

Thank you for the reply. There are a lot of resources out on the net, but this one lingers around long enough for people to peek in here and there I hope.

With things like any <3 year old tower being able to drop in something like a $140 GTX 1050 Ti with no extra power requirements, or a 1060 with a power adapter (SATA -> PCIe), it's even more approachable on top of integrated graphics being able to play many games functionally.

 

[Mad Max]

In the US here the SLI and SLI Plus are the same price currently, but apparently the LEDs on the Plus are not the same color when mounted because of the trace paths and one of the corners is a piss yellow? Not sure about the Gaming Pro with LED.

The SLI (non-plus) is not sold in europe appearently, or at least not here in the Netherlands. Not sure about the LED color though, as far as I know they're all white, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Josemsar]

I&#7743; still with the doubt regarding to go with AMD 1700 or Intel 7700K. Both have the same price here. I mean, for 1080p@60fps is looks like the AMD is more future proof, but I don't want to be updating the bios every 3 days untils things go stable and having to wait for windows patches....

Any advice?

It would be for Gamming + Programming (And using linux as much as I can)

 

[Durante]

Hey Hazaro, why do you suggest the 1700X? From all the reviews I read the maximum clock difference between that and the non-X amounts to maybe 100 Mhz on average.

 

[LordAlu]

Hey Hazaro, why do you suggest the 1700X? From all the reviews I read the maximum clock difference between that and the non-X amounts to maybe 100 Mhz on average.

That's my fault. I put 1700X in there with the intention of maybe changing it to a 1700 after looking at benchmarks and reviews.

I forgot

 

[Mad Max]

I&#7743; still with the doubt regarding to go with AMD 1700 or Intel 7700K. Both have the same price here. I mean, for 1080p@60fps is looks like the AMD is more future proof, but I don't want to be updating the bios every 3 days untils things go stable and having to wait for windows patches....

Any advice?

It would be for Gamming + Programming (And using linux as much as I can)

For gaming the 7700k is a better choice because single threaded performance is still very important in almost any game. If you look at frame times especially, as seen here, the 7700k simply does better than the 1800X in almost every case. And as a general rule of pc building I would always go with the part that's better for your application now vs. the part that might be faster at some point in the future, since often this latter often doesn't pan out the way you hope it will.

When it comes to programming it really depends on what you intend to do. For general programming it doesn't really matter what you pick, but if you're writing code that's highly parallel and needs to run fast you might consider going with ryzen. On the other hand if you're writing single threaded code the 7700k will be a bit faster.

That's not to say that you can't buy a ryzen cpu and play current games just fine, because you will. But in the end ryzen is more of a workstation cpu that competes with Intels HEDT platform on price than a desktop part. So I'd say if you use your PC mostly for gaming then go with the 7700k, but if you need performance for parallel workloads then go with the 1700X.

 

[Jezbollah]

Awesome job with the OP, Hazaro.

 

[Zen Aku]

So what does GAF think between the Acer XB271HU vs the Asus PG279Q? Any personal experience?

 

[Sarcasm]

Awesome!

 

[Übermatik]

Nice OP! Good to see things updated

Anyone know of any B350 board reviews out there, or have experience with any yourselves? I'm still seriously undecided on what to pick, except that I know I'll be avoiding Asus.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

First time I get to see a PC thread launch. Nice work OP (and others who assisted).

 

[RamaTheVoice]

Excellent! New PC thread! Updated builds look good OP

Reposting my issue to get some fresh eyes on it:

Hi everyone, it's been a while!

I'm back cuz I need some help with OC issues. Way back in June I built myself a rig (hadn't done so in a while but this thread gave me the motivation I needed) with the following:

Gigabyte Z170XP-SLI
i5 6600K
CM Nepton 140XL AIO cooler
16Gb G.Skill Ripjaws V @ 3000Mhz
512Gb Samsung 850 EVO SSD
Corsair CS750M 750W semi-modular PSU
Fractal Define R5 case

to which I added an MSI Armor GTX1080 in August.

I've finally gotten around to trying to OC my CPU and I feel like, unless I got something dramatically wrong, I've kinda lost the silicon lottery.

Original temps at stock clocks with my AIO were in the 30s (idle) and 40s-low 50s under load, which I was very satisfied with. When I decided to OC I went into the BIOS, turned LLC to High, and went to work trying to achieve 4.4Ghz, which I heard basically all 6600Ks were capable of.

Using RealBench as a stress test I ended up with 4.4Ghz (default BCLK, 44 multiplier) at 1.325 Vcore, which I feel is quite high. Anything lower than that would crash either at boot or during stress testing.

My issue is that my temps are really high: in RealBench stress-testing and some games (Watch Dogs 2, I'm looking at you), my temps end up in the high 70s or even low 80s with my AIO's exhaust sounding like a jet engine. The weird thing is that the temps drop into the 40s-50s almost instantly when the CPU isn't under load (and are still between 30 and 40 when idle), so I feel like the AIO is at least doing some of its job correctly, but it isn't really keeping load temps as low as I'd like.

I'm quite sure I've configured my AIO correctly. The pump is plugged into the CPU_OPT header, which is set to operate at full speed at all times, and the exhaust fans are plugged into the CPU_FAN header which is set to a custom curve (in the Gigabyte SIV app because the damn thing isn't recognized in SpeedFan).

So basically my question is: is this normal? Is there anything I can try to have lower temps and therefore less noise? Are there any BIOS settings I may have missed?

Any help from you lovely PCGAFers would be fantastic

Suggestions so far have been to delid (won't do it, I like my warranty), reapply thermal paste (haven't done so yet but I promise I'll get around to it as soon as I find the time) and lower OC and voltage (will try that after reapplying thermal paste).

My most recent discovery happened after reverting to stock clocks: I loaded up RealBench and played around with my AIO's fan curve. With the stress test running I first set my fans to run at 30%, ended up with temps in the 49-52C range. Raised fan speed to 40%, no difference. Raised to 50% and temps actually went UP to around 54C. Went back to 30% and temps went back down to 50-52. Again, as soon as I stopped the test temps went back into the mid-30s instantly.

What gives? Is my cooler the issue? Should I chuck it and go with air? No clue what to do :/

 

[Finaika]

Is HBM2 finally for everyone this year?

 

[Sarcasm]

Is HBM2 finally for everyone this year?

Wait, any GPUs with this?

 

[RamaTheVoice]

Wait, any GPUs with this?

Leaks of database entries for Vega engineering samples confirm 8Gb of HBM2.

Do note that these are NOT the upcoming 500-series which will be higher clocked and rebranded 400-series and are slated to release in April. Vega should arrive in May.

 

[Sarcasm]

Leaks of database entries for Vega engineering samples confirm 8Gb of HBM2.

Do note that these are NOT the upcoming 500-series which will be higher clocked and rebranded 400-series and are slated to release in April. Vega should arrive in May.

Bah I need to replace my GTX670. I really only need 1080/60FPS.

What to do. I need performance, but I can't build a new PC for another few years.

 

[nubbe]

Nice OP! Good to see things updated

Anyone know of any B350 board reviews out there, or have experience with any yourselves? I'm still seriously undecided on what to pick, except that I know I'll be avoiding Asus.

I would go with the Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming 3 if didn't have my eyes on the X370
Since it has the expansion slots that are the most practical for a value board

 

[Cuban Legend]

No mention of the ASUS ROG STRIX z270i GAMING mini-itx? I'd say it's the most worthy z270 board under $200.

It's got Dual M.2 on a Mini-ITX form-factor! You can finally dump Sata 2.5' SSD's and HDD's in a SFF build! Also Raid-0 m.2 anyone? &#129299;

 

[RamaTheVoice]

Bah I need to replace my GTX670. I really only need 1080/60FPS.

What to do. I need performance, but I can't build a new PC for another few years.

1060? 480? If you're in Europe I'm selling a 980 for 200€

 

[Sarcasm]

1060? 480? If you're in Europe I'm selling a 980

Nah in Taiwan. I can't even find any 980 online here.

AMD 480 is 9,000 NTD here. What is the equal to it in Nvidia?

 

[RamaTheVoice]

Nah in Taiwan. I can't even find any 980 online here.

AMD 480 is 9,000 NTD here. What is the equal to it in Nvidia?

1060 I guess? Can you order from HK maybe? Stuff's cheaper there.

 

[Durante]

Bah I need to replace my GTX670. I really only need 1080/60FPS.

Then you really don't need to be concerned about HBM2.

(In fact, with GDDR5X reaching ~500 GB/s on high-end cards, it's unsure if anything really needs HBM for gaming this year)

 

[leehom]

I'm looking at the enthusiast build for $1,600 with a 1080 gtx??

Helped my friend build a PC a week ago and he dropped almost $2k.

i7-7700k
Corsair H105
Asus Maximus IX Hero
G. Skill Ripsaw DDR-3200 16gb
Samsung 960 m.2 Evo 500gb
Asus 1070 gtx
be quiet! pro 900 case
Seasonic Prime 650w
Asus BR drive

Anything you guys would've done differently?

 

[Sarcasm]

Then you really don't need to be concerned about HBM2.

(In fact, with GDDR5X reaching ~500 GB/s on high-end cards, it's unsure if anything really needs HBM for gaming this year)

Just very unsure what to get now. I mean even the MSI and EVGA FE of GTX 1080ti has popped up and surprisingly only 100$ more than the states.

But don't know if I want to spend that much in total.

 

[Übermatik]

I would go with the Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming 3 if didn't have my eyes on the X370
Since it has the expansion slots that are the most practical for a value board

I'm hearing a lot of suggestions for this and the Asrock board, for some reason...
I'm just put off by the bright red Gigabyte colour scheme!

 

[Atraveller]

So what does GAF think between the Acer XB271HU vs the Asus PG279Q? Any personal experience?

I picked XB271HU for the non-bling monitor stand. I also heard there was less chance of backlight bleed for XB271HU, since Acer owns panel supplier for both models.

 

[scitek]

Looking to upgrade to a 7700K soon. Any recommendations on Motherboard/RAM? I live near a Microcenter, so I'll get it there to avoid having to wait.

 

[Skyr]

Just very unsure what to get now. I mean even the MSI and EVGA FE of GTX 1080ti has popped up and surprisingly only 100$ more than the states.

But don't know if I want to spend that much in total.

You need to understand that a 1080ti is complete nonsense for 1080p/60 as your goal.
A 1070 is more than enough for now and a few years.

 

[Smokey]

New thread feel.

You need to understand that a 1080ti is complete nonsense for 1080p/60 as your goal.
A 1070 is more than enough for now and a few years.

Yes, in fact Digital Foundry made that very point. The CPU becomes a bottleneck with the 1080ti at 1080p, and that was with a 7700k. You're literally leaving performance on the table if you use it at the resolution. It's not meant for it.

 

[Sarcasm]

You need to understand that a 1080ti is complete nonsense for 1080p/60 as your goal.
A 1070 is more than enough for now and a few years.

Oh, I ain't buying that. Just mentioning.

I use two monitors and I use the nvidia shadowplay/save constantly.

Prices of the cards (converted from NTD to USD)

• 480 AMD: between 194$ to little over 258$
• 1070: 436$ to 500$
• 1080 (non-ti): 578$ to 707$
• 1080ti : 804$

 

[Jeff6851]

Oh nice a new thread! Can't wait to post build ideas only to decide to do something else the next page

 

[Vipu]

Does anyone here play FPS with a controller? I know it's a sin but I'm curious. I'm rusty, played a FPS on Pc last night for the first time in years and it didn't jive. Will I be doing myself a big disservice using a controller?

Of course you will have disadventage with controller vs mouse+keyboard.

 

[Vipu]

New thread feel.



Yes, in fact Digital Foundry made that very point. The CPU becomes a bottleneck with the 1080ti at 1080p, and that was with a 7700k. You're literally leaving performance on the table if you use it at the resolution. It's not meant for it.

You can always downsample or something if you want, there never is too much GPU power.
1080p 1440p whats the difference.

Its more about what fps someone wants to get if he should get 7700k or Ryzen.
And of course does he just play or do something else where Ryzen is good.

 

[Sectorseven]

Why does the Ryzen build have a 1700X, isn't that the worst value right now? And aren't the x370 series boards mainly for SLI?

 

[LordAlu]

Why does the Ryzen build have a 1700X, isn't that the worst value right now? And aren't the x370 series boards mainly for SLI?

It was left as that accidentally - it's already fixed in the actual sheet (just needs the image updating in the thread). That particular build is aimed at very high end, so it makes sense to have the extra PCIe lanes and I/O that X370 supplies, but I've added a mATX B350 option in to it anyway.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

Alright, narrowed down primary components for new build.
This is going to be tight, y'all. Color theme is staying black and red.
Case: Thermaltake Core P5 Open-frame
Mobo: ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero
CPU: Intel 7700k
CPU block: EK Supremacy EVO Lite
GPU: Stepping up to a 1080Ti Founder's
GPU block: EK TXP Acetal + Nickel with EK TXP red backplate
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LED
SSD (PCI-E, Primary): Samsung 960 EVO Series - 500GB NVMe - M.2 Internal SSD
SSD (SATA, Secondary): Samsung 850 Pro 256GB
SSD (SATA, Tertiary): Samsung 850 Pro 256GB
SSD (SATA, what the fuck comes after "Tertiary"?): Samsung 850 EVO, 1TB
PSU: Corsair RM750x
Monitor: sticking with my beloved Dell U3415W
Mouse: sticking with my Logitech M705 (for now)
Keyboard: sticking with my Logitech K360 (for now)
Still sorting out rest of the water components but I know it'll be pump/res combo, 480 rad, hard tubes and red coolant.
Eventually, the setup will look like this but in red:

Changing mobo, PSU, CPU block; adding some parts and decided on 360 rad instead of 480 and colored tubes instead of dye.

Mobo: Maximus IX Code
PSU: EVGA SuperNova 850 G3
CPU block: Heatkiller IV Pro
Res/pump: MMRS with 200mm res (red), black chrome tension rods, EK D5 pump and mount end cap, red pump cover
Radiator: HW Labs Black Ice SR2 360
Rad Fans: 3 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition (with red ring)
Tubes: Monsoon1/2" PETG UV Red
Fittings: Monsoon Hardline Economy - Black Chrome

Extras:

Black chrome pump mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX7CXXP/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Mandrels, cutter - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BX3EZUI/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Heat gun: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004TUCV/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Kill coil: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A66HMRC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Anti corrosive and various mounting brackets as well.

Optional:

Fan controller: : Aerocool V12XT or Alseye A-100L
Lighting: Hue+

I ordered the P5 yesterday. Once I get it, I'll start doing measurements and initial diagrams of how things will be laid out.

For optional parts: I've seen people put various dual-bay fan controllers in the P5 and have them looking good, so I know that'll be doable, but adding a Hue+ and the mounting to make that look clean and cohesive will be interesting. I guess I can throw it on the back. It's actually only 6"x5".

Welcome to any suggestions, of course.

 

[Mad Max]

Changing mobo, PSU, CPU block; adding some parts and decided on 360 rad instead of 480 and colored tubes instead of dye.

Mobo: Maximus IX Code
PSU: EVGA SuperNova 850 G3
CPU block: Heatkiller IV Pro
Res/pump: MMRS with 200mm res (red), black chrome tension rods, EK D5 pump and mount end cap, red pump cover
Radiator: HW Labs Black Ice SR2 360
Rad Fans: 3 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition (with red ring)
Tubes: Monsoon1/2" PETG UV Red
Fittings: Monsoon Hardline Economy - Black Chrome

Extras:

Black chrome pump mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX7CXXP/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Mandrels, cutter - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BX3EZUI/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Heat gun: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004TUCV/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Kill coil: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A66HMRC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Anti corrosive and various mounting brackets as well.

Optional:

Fan controller: : Aerocool V12XT or Alseye A-100L
Lighting: Hue+

I ordered the P5 yesterday. Once I get it, I'll start doing measurements and initial diagrams of how things will be laid out.

For optional parts: I've seen people put various dual-bay fan controllers in the P5 and have them looking good, so I know that'll be doable, but adding a Hue+ and the mounting to make that look clean and cohesive will be interesting. I guess I can throw it on the back. It's actually only 6"x5".

Welcome to any suggestions, of course.

Those monsoon fittings already have silver plating to prevent algae, so you don't need the kill coil. I think they actually do this for all their fittings now.

 

[Zanosuke]

So what does GAF think between the Acer XB271HU vs the Asus PG279Q? Any personal experience?

I bought the Acer last week and I'm superhappy with it! I made my choice based on that have read less complaints of serious BLB on the Acer. Sure, I had slight BLB in upper left corner too but it isn't visible anymore after I lowered the contrast (which was way too high as standard). Production date in dec 2016. G-sync is a godsend and its a perfect fit for my 1070-card

 

[Pagusas]

Yay new thread! Now I can discuss how sad I am I cant find a 1080ti instock and will likely have to wait months to enjoy Mass Effect.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

Those monsoon fittings already have silver plating to prevent algea, so you don't need the kill coil. I think they actually do this for all their fittings now.

Oh, nice; good to know.

Thanks!

 

[mrklaw]

reposting from old thread just in case:


Monitors. At home I have an ultrawide 3440x1440, but at work I'm stuck with a 24" 1080p monitor. I need a decently sized browser window open for JIRA, and then other windows for Slack, Skype and email.

I have a macbook air so I think I may be limited to a single external monitor unless I fiddle about with USB adapters etc (and USB ports are scarce on this thing too).

Anyway, was wondering about resolution. As most/all of my stuff is mostly text based, I don't think I'll particularly benefit from a 3440x1440 screen? Would 2560x1080 give me enough resolution? And hopefully just enough extra width so my browser doesn't feel so cramped next to my chat windows. (I have email on my laptop screen down below which is ok.

thoughts? And for a similar size to a 24" 1080p monitor, would a 29" UW be the right size?

 

[super-famicom]

Oh man, new thread! Thanks to everyone in the last thread for helping me with my build last summer!

 

[Azzurri]

If anyone is looking for a good 1440p 32" (non gsync 60hz) for a second monitor at a good price I'd suggest BenQ BL3200PT. I grabbed one for like $378 with free shipping and no tax of amazon (us). It's a QHD so the color are very vibrant. For the cost it's a steal especially if it's your second monitor. My main is the X34 for gaming because of G-sync and 100hz, but this BenQ is pretty awesome.