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[UrbanRats]

Got two questions:

1) What would be the main reason to get a 7600k, over a 6600k?
Amazon has the former for 245€, versus the latter's 210€.
They seem to perform the same, for the most part, so what is that 35€ difference worth? Just RAM higher frequency?

2) Also, regarding motherboards, the Gigabyte GA-Z270-HD3P, how many USB 3.0 ports does it have in the back? On the website they mention 10+, but on amazon it clearly doesn't have more than 6 blue usb slots? Some help me out.
It's significantly cheaper on Amazon, than the Asus z260-A, is it that much worse?

Quoted for the new page.

 

[Ric Flair]

This isn't really a question but I want to get this out and no-one I actually know will give even the vaguest shit about something like this. Feel free to skip past this post if you are not interested in essentially a blog post about me being excited about the chance to get a new PC.

So, first up the background. I have been for many years predominantly a console user. I've always had a itch to go PC but have never really been able to really justify a PC with gaming capabilities (cost and time really). This was compounded by the way our living space is set up. My partner is an MS sufferer who is very into movies and television drama and until very recently for mobility and comfort reasons has preferred to consume media using a desktop PC rather than our television. It enables her to watch TV on demand, play simple games (bejeweled, mahjong, tap-tiles and the sort) and access email and comms stuff from a single place using an interface she is comfortable with. This means she sits at a desk in the lounge and if we are watching TV (on the computer) I'll sit on the sofa and peer at the monitor essentially over her shoulder. In turn this means the actual TV is rarely used for anything other than console gaming (or terrestrial TV when she has gone to bed sometimes).

Recently I have become concerned about how this affecting her (in terms of comfort) and us (in terms of how we spend time together at home) so we have been trying out divorcing her media consumption from the computer by using a Roku streaming stick in the TV while still allowing her to check emails, Skype the kids and play games by using a new laptop I picked up recently for her. We had to add a wireless mouse and a thick book (!) after she found the touch pad less user friendly than a mouse but all in all so far she is very positive about the arrangement which makes me smile.

What also makes me smile though (in a far more selfish manner!) is the now empty computer desk.

I was recently thinking about a low power machine to sit next to the TV as an HTPC with the bonus that it allows me to play low spec PC games. Now however my partner agrees that I may as well move the PS4 to the computer desk and has said why don't I go ahead a build a new PC for it too.

As a bonus, since the focus is no longer on form and practicality and I have been talking a bit about my dissatisfaction with Playstation so far this gen, she also agreed that we should perhaps invest a little more to make it a reasonably capable gaming machine!

It's going to take me a while to sort the funding out so I'm not going to start asking questions just yet but I'm way more excited than I thought I would be and have already added twenty or more new games to my Steam wish list and have dusted down my Logitech G25.

OK, just one question to make it a little on-topic, I'm thinking I should start by working out what level of GPU I want and go from there, what do you fine folk think?

tl;dr, I think I've made my mrs happy and I can save for a new PC. Whoohoo!

One thing I've learned that works wonders is to force yourselves out of the house and engage in something together. For me and my lady, we love going to a coffee shop and playing scrabble, we do it at least once or twice a week. I think that's really important, also doing household chores together or working out together can help keep the relationship solid. For the gpu, if you are good with 1080p gaming you can get a 970 for really cheap off eBay or Amazon used. I'd recommend a 970 as it can be had for very cheap and you can upgrade later on in the year when the next gen of cards get released if you so wish

 

[Ric Flair]

Quoted for the new page.

The 7700k is allegedly made to be overclocked, although it heats up like a mofo when you do that. But it also has a higher base clock as well.

And I would Google search the board model number, you can usually pull up a pdf manual when you do that off the manufacturer website

 

[kmfdmpig]

This isn't really a question but I want to get this out and no-one I actually know will give even the vaguest shit about something like this. Feel free to skip past this post if you are not interested in essentially a blog post about me being excited about the chance to get a new PC.

So, first up the background. I have been for many years predominantly a console user. I've always had a itch to go PC but have never really been able to really justify a PC with gaming capabilities (cost and time really). This was compounded by the way our living space is set up. My partner is an MS sufferer who is very into movies and television drama and until very recently for mobility and comfort reasons has preferred to consume media using a desktop PC rather than our television. It enables her to watch TV on demand, play simple games (bejeweled, mahjong, tap-tiles and the sort) and access email and comms stuff from a single place using an interface she is comfortable with. This means she sits at a desk in the lounge and if we are watching TV (on the computer) I'll sit on the sofa and peer at the monitor essentially over her shoulder. In turn this means the actual TV is rarely used for anything other than console gaming (or terrestrial TV when she has gone to bed sometimes).

Recently I have become concerned about how this affecting her (in terms of comfort) and us (in terms of how we spend time together at home) so we have been trying out divorcing her media consumption from the computer by using a Roku streaming stick in the TV while still allowing her to check emails, Skype the kids and play games by using a new laptop I picked up recently for her. We had to add a wireless mouse and a thick book (!) after she found the touch pad less user friendly than a mouse but all in all so far she is very positive about the arrangement which makes me smile.

What also makes me smile though (in a far more selfish manner!) is the now empty computer desk.

I was recently thinking about a low power machine to sit next to the TV as an HTPC with the bonus that it allows me to play low spec PC games. Now however my partner agrees that I may as well move the PS4 to the computer desk and has said why don't I go ahead a build a new PC for it too.

As a bonus, since the focus is no longer on form and practicality and I have been talking a bit about my dissatisfaction with Playstation so far this gen, she also agreed that we should perhaps invest a little more to make it a reasonably capable gaming machine!

It's going to take me a while to sort the funding out so I'm not going to start asking questions just yet but I'm way more excited than I thought I would be and have already added twenty or more new games to my Steam wish list and have dusted down my Logitech G25! I'm looking forward to it far more than I really should be, the breadth and depth of available games on PC is incredible and now I actually get to try it all!!

OK, just one question to make it a little on-topic, I'm thinking I should start by working out what level of GPU I want and go from there, what do you fine folk think?

tl;dr, I think I've made my mrs happy and I can save for a new PC. Whoohoo!

It sounds like you did a good job of making her happy, which is good to hear.

Yes, I think starting with the GPU first is a good idea as that will be the most expensive part (most likely) and will be the one that has the most impact on your gaming experience. CPU+MB combo would be next.

 

[Ted]

One thing I've learned that works wonders is to force yourselves out of the house and engage in something together. For me and my lady, we love going to a coffee shop and playing scrabble, we do it at least once or twice a week. I think that's really important, also doing household chores together or working out together can help keep the relationship solid. For the gpu, if you are good with 1080p gaming you can get a 970 for really cheap off eBay or Amazon used. I'd recommend a 970 as it can be had for very cheap and you can upgrade later on in the year when the next gen of cards get released if you so wish

Hi Ric, yeah, don't worry on that regards, the relationship itself is great. This was more specifically about our living space and those quiet evenings when we're at home or days when she's suffering and there's not much more to do than just stay in.

With regards to a GPU I was thinking about something around the 1060 level. I think I
want to go NIB for all parts this time around as it will be the first time I've built a PC since the days of maths co-processors and I don't want to end up trying to diagnose something someone else may have done if I do come across problems.

Thanks for reading man, your kind response is much appreciated.

It sounds like you did a good job of making her happy, which is good to hear.

Yes, I think starting with the GPU first is a good idea as that will be the most expensive part (most likely) and will be the one that has the most impact on your gaming experience. CPU+MB combo would be next.

Thanks kmfdmpig, I sure hope so. I'm going to give it a few weeks for it all to bed in before I really consider it final but so far it's working out good.

Regarding the GPU question. I hoped that might be the best way to go. Since I know so little it seems sensible to decide on what result I want then the big ticket items and then look at compatibility from there.

Thanks again for the reply, always good to hear others thoughts.

 

[kmfdmpig]

Quoted for the new page.

The motherboard supports up to 10 USB 3.1, but 4 of those are just internal headers, not actual connections that you can use easily.

10 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (6 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports available through the internal USB headers

 

[RumblingRosco]

I use my new PC for gaming, video editing, and rendering (about 1 hour of footage 5 days a week). A little streaming and Office use as well.

What would be my upgrade path down the road? More/faster RAM? A liquid CPU or GPU cooler? A new CPU when the next Ryzen line comes out? Overclocking my CPU more?

CPU: Ryzen 1700 @ 3.7 GHz w/ Hyper 212 Plus cooler
RAM: 2x8 GB DDR4 @ 2933 MHz (CL16-17-17-17-35)
GPU: EVGA 1080 Ti SC BLACK edition
MB: MSI B350M Gaming Plus
PSU: SeaSonic M12II 620W fully modular 80+ Bronze
SSD: Kingston SSDNow 240 GB
HDD1: WD Blue 500 GB HDD
HDD2: WD Green 2.5 TB HDD
Case fan: Thermaltake 200 mm (intake)
Case fan: ThermalTake 230 mm (top exhaust)
Case fan: SilenX 120 mm (top exhaust)
Case fan: Noctus 120 mm (rear exhaust)
Case: ThermalTake Core V21 mATX

 

[ISee]

This isn't really a question but I want to get this out and no-one I actually know will give even the vaguest shit about something like this. Feel free to skip past this post if you are not interested in essentially a blog post about me being excited about the chance to get a new PC.

So, first up the background. I have been for many years predominantly a console user. I've always had a itch to go PC but have never really been able to really justify a PC with gaming capabilities (cost and time really). This was compounded by the way our living space is set up. My partner is an MS sufferer who is very into movies and television drama and until very recently for mobility and comfort reasons has preferred to consume media using a desktop PC rather than our television. It enables her to watch TV on demand, play simple games (bejeweled, mahjong, tap-tiles and the sort) and access email and comms stuff from a single place using an interface she is comfortable with. This means she sits at a desk in the lounge and if we are watching TV (on the computer) I'll sit on the sofa and peer at the monitor essentially over her shoulder. In turn this means the actual TV is rarely used for anything other than console gaming (or terrestrial TV when she has gone to bed sometimes).

Recently I have become concerned about how this affecting her (in terms of comfort) and us (in terms of how we spend time together at home) so we have been trying out divorcing her media consumption from the computer by using a Roku streaming stick in the TV while still allowing her to check emails, Skype the kids and play games by using a new laptop I picked up recently for her. We had to add a wireless mouse and a thick book (!) after she found the touch pad less user friendly than a mouse but all in all so far she is very positive about the arrangement which makes me smile.

What also makes me smile though (in a far more selfish manner!) is the now empty computer desk.

I was recently thinking about a low power machine to sit next to the TV as an HTPC with the bonus that it allows me to play low spec PC games. Now however my partner agrees that I may as well move the PS4 to the computer desk and has said why don't I go ahead a build a new PC for it too.

As a bonus, since the focus is no longer on form and practicality and I have been talking a bit about my dissatisfaction with Playstation so far this gen, she also agreed that we should perhaps invest a little more to make it a reasonably capable gaming machine!

It's going to take me a while to sort the funding out so I'm not going to start asking questions just yet but I'm way more excited than I thought I would be and have already added twenty or more new games to my Steam wish list and have dusted down my Logitech G25! I'm looking forward to it far more than I really should be, the breadth and depth of available games on PC is incredible and now I actually get to try it all!!

OK, just one question to make it a little on-topic, I'm thinking I should start by working out what level of GPU I want and go from there, what do you fine folk think?

tl;dr, I think I've made my mrs happy and I can save for a new PC. Whoohoo!

1. Cool!

2. GPU depends on four factors. Your budget, the resolution and framerate you want to play at and the settings you want to reach.

Quick Guide for buying a new GPU atm (based on my oppinion)

GTX 1060 3G/ RX 470, 570 --> 1080p@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1060 6G/ RX 480, 580 --> 1080p@60 fps on high settings

GTX 1070 --> 1080p@60 on ultra settings, 1080p@~100 fps on medium-high settings, 1440p@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1080 /(probably RX Vega) --> 1080p@100+ fps on high-ultra settings, 1440p@60 fps high-ultra settings, 4k@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1080Ti --> 4k@60 fps on high-ultra settings, 1440p@100 fps on high-ultra settings etc.

That's of course not 100% true for every game. 1440p is for example doable on a 1060 6G in many cases, or 4k on a 1070. I still wouldn't recommend buying one for that resolution. 'Ultra settings' are also tricky because some things like MSAA or HFTS are able to kill performance even on high end cards. Also keep in mind: If you want to go for 100+fps you'll need a fast cpu too. And one more thing: games are evolving, a 1070 will allow you to reach 60 fps for a longer time @ 1080p than a 1060.

3. Come on PS4 isn't that bad. I know it's just 30 fps, but some exclusives are very good.

 

[b3b0p]

Are you on the right path? Well you don't have any parts picked out so there's that

If you want something small but you want NAS-level storage, you'll almost certainly want an external disk enclosure. Makes things easier to some extent anyway.

I was going to use the template of parts provided in the first post and get a nicer, quieter, more appropriate case for my use and as quiet as I can power supply. Otherwise, probably just use the parts recommended exactly as laid out and start out with a couple of the SSDs mentioned.

 

[UrbanRats]

The motherboard supports up to 10 USB 3.1, but 4 of those are just internal headers, not actual connections that you can use easily.

10 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (6 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports available through the internal USB headers

Thanks, that cleared it up!

 

[Arex]

Anyone here using/used MSI 1070/1080 Gaming 8G (the non X or Z version)?

I'm looking to get one as it's cheaper, but I've heard people saying it has harder time hitting the 2Ghz OC compared to the X or Z, and also heard some other saying it OC just the same

 

[Phatosaurus]

Any recommendations on Micro ATX cases that have a cool or unique look to them?

I'm eying up the Cosair Air 240 for a R5 1600 build. My current (old) PC case is just a straight up budget black mid tower. It's huge, heavy and ugly so I'm looking for something that really looks nice, inside and out.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

I use my new PC for gaming, video editing, and rendering (about 1 hour of footage 5 days a week). A little streaming and Office use as well.

What would be my upgrade path down the road? More/faster RAM? A liquid CPU or GPU cooler? A new CPU when the next Ryzen line comes out? Overclocking my CPU more?

Depends on what you're wanting to achieve.

If your aim is say, 4K60, then the main thing will be to hop aboard whatever the next high end GPUs from Nvidia will be. High resolutions put more strain on the GPU, while even the 1080 Ti isn't quite good enough to reliably achieve 4K60 on most games while maxing out everything, so there's viable cause for an upgrade in future, while keeping basically every other aspect of your system the same.

If on the other hand you're wanting to push higher framerates, or to make your workbenching - so the video editing, rendering, and streaming especially - go faster, then you may consider replacing the CPU so as to gain the benefits of more cores.

In general, you'd probably benefit from picking up a beefier cooler for the purposes of overclocking - the 212 Evo is well down the ladder for that - and an X370 board (or whatever chipset comes with later Zen CPUs) for better support in that regard.

But ultimately, outside of new hardware in future - and primarily the GPU at that - a lot of it is gonna be small benefits and creature comforts with what's available.

 

[Ted]

1. Cool!

Thanks ISee. I sure hope it will be a positive thing.

2. GPU depends on four factors. Your budget, the resolution and framerate you want to play at and the settings you want to reach.

Quick Guide for buying a new GPU atm (based on my oppinion)

GTX 1060 3G/ RX 470, 570 --> 1080p@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1060 6G/ RX 480, 580 --> 1080p@60 fps on high settings

GTX 1070 --> 1080p@60 on ultra settings, 1080p@~100 fps on medium-high settings, 1440p@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1080 /(probably RX Vega) --> 1080p@100+ fps on high-ultra settings, 1440p@60 fps high-ultra settings, 4k@60 fps on medium-high settings

GTX 1080Ti --> 4k@60 fps on high-ultra settings, 1440p@100 fps on high-ultra settings etc.

That's of course not 100% true for every game. 1440p is for example doable on a 1060 6G in many cases, or 4k on a 1070. I still wouldn't recommend buying one for that resolution. 'Ultra settings' are also tricky because some things like MSAA or HFTS are able to kill performance even on high end cards. Also keep in mind: If you want to go for 100+fps you'll need a fast cpu too. And one more thing: games are evolving, a 1070 will allow you to reach 60 fps for a longer time @ 1080p than a 1060.

This is amazing, thanks a lot. Really useful.

I'm currently, in terms of PC gaming, using a laptop that plays ESIII:MW @ 20-30fps (in outdoors, populated areas) so I'm probably easy to please graphically and performance wise but I do want something that will play all the older games I've missed and have a little bit extra to spare for current gen gaming at 1080p. If I can get something that means I can upgrade in a piecemeal manner going forward that would be even better.

My current thoughts re. budget to performance is that maybe the 1060 is as high as I can go in the immediate term but it is going to depend on the cost of everything all in. I'm not currently wedded to a specific budget but equally I'm not in the position to spend /too/ much if I want to get back to gaming sometime this year.

CPU costs are a little higher than I anticipated but I need to read a lot more about this side of things as there seems to be hundreds of different CPUs broadly labelled the same so I have a lot to get my head around before settling on a budget I suspect!

3. Come on PS4 isn't that bad. I know it's just 30 fps, but some exclusives are very good.

It's not the games that I really have a problem with, it's more the service that surrounds it but that would be a pretty long post so probably best to leave it at that here!

Thanks for your considered reply ISee, it really is appreciated.

 

[HooYaH]

Any recommendations on Micro ATX cases that have a cool or unique look to them?

I'm eying up the Cosair Air 240 for a R5 1600 build. My current (old) PC case is just a straight up budget black mid tower. It's huge, heavy and ugly so I'm looking for something that really looks nice, inside and out.

Well if you can wait, the Phanteks Shift looks pretty cool.

 

[Bloodember]

Well if you can wait, the Phanteks Shift looks pretty cool.

The Shift is a mITX case.

 

[bomblord1]

Random question that I couldn't find much of an answer to.

Is Ryzen better (in general) for VR gaming than intel CPU's?

 

[Danny 117]

Can anyone think of a way to boot the Windows installer from an external hard drive, doing the setup on a macbook?

Seems like I may need a Windows PC to make the external bootable but I'm happy to hear any ideas you guys have.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Any recommendations on Micro ATX cases that have a cool or unique look to them?

I'm eying up the Cosair Air 240 for a R5 1600 build. My current (old) PC case is just a straight up budget black mid tower. It's huge, heavy and ugly so I'm looking for something that really looks nice, inside and out.

Worth looking at the Thermaltake Core V21. Not amazing, but I like the fact that it can be flipped on any side.

Depends on what you're wanting to achieve.

If your aim is say, 4K60, then the main thing will be to hop aboard whatever the next high end GPUs from Nvidia will be. High resolutions put more strain on the GPU, while even the 1080 Ti isn't quite good enough to reliably achieve 4K60 on most games while maxing out everything, so there's viable cause for an upgrade in future, while keeping basically every other aspect of your system the same.

If on the other hand you're wanting to push higher framerates, or to make your workbenching - so the video editing, rendering, and streaming especially - go faster, then you may consider replacing the CPU so as to gain the benefits of more cores.

In general, you'd probably benefit from picking up a beefier cooler for the purposes of overclocking - the 212 Evo is well down the ladder for that - and an X370 board (or whatever chipset comes with later Zen CPUs) for better support in that regard.

But ultimately, outside of new hardware in future - and primarily the GPU at that - a lot of it is gonna be small benefits and creature comforts with what's available.

Thanks, very helpful. Looks like in the near future a better CPU cooler (air or water) would be the next potential upgrade, then just a "wait and see" approach with new CPUs/GPUs (and, maybe with those, a new motherboard).

 

[GenoStarz]

Anything I should change?

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xJVXQV

CPU, RAM, Case, and Cooler are coming in the mail. Build is mainly for emulation, gaming at 1440p@60 and 1080p 144Hz on medium-high. The only parts I'm not sure on is the motherboard and SSD. I'll order the H7 adapter once I get it, however the M.2 SSD will disable 2 SATA slots. I assume this would not matter if I'm not planning to add more HDDs?

 

[rtcn63]

Anything I should change?

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xJVXQV

CPU, RAM, Case, and Cooler are coming in the mail. Build is mainly for emulation, gaming at 1440p@60 and 1080p 144Hz on medium-high. The only parts I'm not sure on is the motherboard and SSD. I'll order the H7 adapter once I get it, however the M.2 SSD will disable 2 SATA slots. I assume this would not matter if I'm not planning to add more HDDs?

If you're not getting an optical drive, could you sacrifice some size and get a Define C?

 

[Phatosaurus]

Worth looking at the Thermaltake Core V21. Not amazing, but I like the fact that it can be flipped on any side

It looks nice, seems quite similar to the Air 240 too but they only do it in black it seems. Kinda wanna go for a white case with white parts to match.

Really looking to make a build that just looks nice and stands out without being an eyesore.


Edit: Anyone got an MSI B350M Mortar Arctic? How is it?

I'm really eying it up to possibly put with a white Air 240 case

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B350M-MORTAR-ARCTIC.html#productSpecification-section

 

[GenoStarz]

If you're not getting an optical drive, could you sacrifice some size and get a Define C?

If there's a sale on it, sure. I can also get an Nano S if that works. I would just need a motherboard that works for my build.

 

[GodofWine]

OK, just one question to make it a little on-topic, I'm thinking I should start by working out what level of GPU I want and go from there, what do you fine folk think?

Start with a similar yet more basic question - what resolution and framerate do you want. 1080/60 gaming is pretty cheap to build a PC for, once you move up to 1440p and or 144hz, there is an incremental jump in cost, further jumps to 4k likewise.

I bought a 1080/60 monitor, so that was my limit. I have a freshly built 1050ti/g4560 build that get 1080/60 in any game I throw at it. (It gets 100-200fps in OW and CSGO, but my monitor caps it obviously). I also get 50-70 in PUBG at 1080p. My PC build cost less than $500, monitor cost $72.

If I wanted 1440p/144 I'd probably have spent twice (easy) that total.

 

[Hopeford]

Just placed an order for a 1060. I'm ready to be actually able to play games woo!

 

[Azzurri]

Man, so many nice tempered glass cases it's so hard to choose which one I want to pick up here in a few months,

Anything new coming out in the next 2-3 months?

 

[Snakethesniper]

Does anyone has experiences with this adapter? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704207

 

[Frankfurter]

Anything I should change?

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xJVXQV

CPU, RAM, Case, and Cooler are coming in the mail. Build is mainly for emulation, gaming at 1440p@60 and 1080p 144Hz on medium-high. The only parts I'm not sure on is the motherboard and SSD. I'll order the H7 adapter once I get it, however the M.2 SSD will disable 2 SATA slots. I assume this would not matter if I'm not planning to add more HDDs?

PSUs wattage is way too high. That system will struggle to get above 300W in gaming, even with OC.

 

[bomblord1]

PSUs wattage is way too high. That system will struggle to get above 300W in gaming, even with OC.

Ehh 650W is a decent compromise for upgradeability. 500W will run just about any single GPU combo but PSU's run more efficiently when not under full load.

 

[RumblingRosco]

It looks nice, seems quite similar to the Air 240 too but they only do it in black it seems. Kinda wanna go for a white case with white parts to match.

Really looking to make a build that just looks nice and stands out without being an eyesore.


Edit: Anyone got an MSI B350M Mortar Arctic? How is it?

I'm really eying it up to possibly put with a white Air 240 case

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B350M-MORTAR-ARCTIC.html#productSpecification-section

I've read that MSI boards for AM4 have crappy VRMs that can make it harder to reach a high overclock. I have an MSI B350M Gaming Pro which is admittedly pretty low-tier (I think) and hit 3.7 GHZ on my Ryzen 1700 on air cooling at 1.275V, totally stable in Prime95 Blend and Small FTT tests... but I didn't try pushing harder than that.

Basically, I wouldn't have bought this board given what I've been told after the fact, but in-use, I haven't had any issues. And, although the Mortar Arctic is higher-end, I hear many of the components on the board are the same quality as on my board. The was a good video by Actually Hardcore Overclocking on YouTube where they looked at the MSI B350M boards PCB and components.

Ehh 650W is a decent compromise for upgradeability. 500W will run just about any single GPU combo but PSU's run more efficiently when not under full load.

I agree with this assessment.

 

[Invis]

Need some advice for a buddy of mine who is wanting to get into PC gaming. Gave me a $750 budget, needs everything except monitor, speakers, mouse, and OS.

He just hit me up a couple minutes ago so I've only put together one build, but what's everyone think about this? Leaves $200 for GPU.

 

[Phatosaurus]

I've read that MSI boards for AM4 have crappy VRMs that can make it harder to reach a high overclock. I have an MSI B350M Gaming Pro which is admittedly pretty low-tier (I think) and hit 3.7 GHZ on my Ryzen 1700 on air cooling at 1.275V, totally stable in Prime95 Blend and Small FTT tests... but I didn't try pushing harder than that.

Basically, I wouldn't have bought this board given what I've been told after the fact, but in-use, I haven't had any issues. And, although the Mortar Arctic is higher-end, I hear many of the components on the board are the same quality as on my board. The was a good video by Actually Hardcore Overclocking on YouTube where they looked at the MSI B350M boards PCB and components.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind and look into the video you mentioned. So far it's the only white mATX mobo I've found though, are there any others on the market?

 

[RandomExpletive]

Well if you can wait, the Phanteks Shift looks pretty cool.

Yooo how did I miss this?! Damn, that's on the short list for my ideal ITX build

 

[Frankfurter]

Ehh 650W is a decent compromise for upgradeability. 500W will run just about any single GPU combo but PSU's run more efficiently when not under full load.

Typical load in games will be sth. like 300W if the system is OCed. In that case a 500W would be more than enough, considering that it'd be actually just slightly above 50% usage (300W from the wall -> ~270W at 90% efficiency). The 650W PSU would actually still be slightly below optimal efficiency at 300W (270W). Also consider that the 500W PSU will be more efficient in every single case that is not full gaming load!

but PSU's run more efficiently when not under full load.

This is a bit simplified. PSUs typically reach their peak efficiency when at about 40-60% of utilization. They lose 1-2% points in efficiency when at 80 or 20%, but they lose way more than that if they are at less than 20%.

Need some advice for a buddy of mine who is wanting to get into PC gaming. Gave me a $750 budget, needs everything except monitor, speakers, mouse, and OS.

He just hit me up a couple minutes ago so I've only put together one build, but what's everyone think about this? Leaves $200 for GPU.

Looks fine to me. Try to convince your friend to pay a little more though to get a R5 1600 (also comes with a decent-ish cooler, which even gives you a little headroom to OC to ~3.6 Ghz).

 

[darkslayer101]

gaf which M2 ssd is best overall when factoring in $$

 

[kmfdmpig]

Need some advice for a buddy of mine who is wanting to get into PC gaming. Gave me a $750 budget, needs everything except monitor, speakers, mouse, and OS.

He just hit me up a couple minutes ago so I've only put together one build, but what's everyone think about this? Leaves $200 for GPU.

How about this RAM instead?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0123ZBS6O/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Faster and slightly cheaper.

gaf which M2 ssd is best overall when factoring in $$

Probably the 960 EVO if you can get it on sale. It goes on sale for ~$210 or so for 500GB fairly often.

 

[DatRippelEffect]

i have a kraken x62 coming in on friday for a new build that's in progress. do you guys recommend mounting it on the front or the bottom? Also which configuration would you use for the fans? The case is a carbide 600q which is inverted ATX.

 

[Oracle Dragon]

Looking for a bit of advice on a build for a friend (we're in Ontario,Canada BTW)... he comes over every 6-8 weeks and we play some games, and when he does he brings his PC. Currently he's lugging around a hefty mid tower, but it's time for an upgrade. I'm thinking, mini ITX would be the way to go.

He wants a Kaby Lake, so what kind of board would be a good match for this? I saw an ASRock Z720 mini ITX which seemed ok, but to be honest I'm not sure.

Same with the case... probably one of the most important mini PC parts! There was a nice one from Silverstone, the Raven, that looked almost like a console. While it definitely seemed easy to carry around I worry about the graphic card and power supply. He only has a 960 right now, but is looking to upgrade to a 1070 in the future.

Any good recommendations on a mini ITX case that could handle a 1070 and associated power supply? Definitely with an eye on portability as one of the primary concerns.

 

[Branson]

This ram price and going in and out of stock of different pc parts is getting annoying.

 

[kmfdmpig]

i have a kraken x62 coming in on friday for a new build that's in progress. do you guys recommend mounting it on the front or the bottom? Also which configuration would you use for the fans? The case is a carbide 600q which is inverted ATX.

Since you'll probably want it to be pushing air out (you can run a AIO radiator the other way, but it's less common) then you'd probably want to push hot air out the front rather than down (as hot air rises and would be more likely to get back into the case.



In GPU news - there may be hope that the mining craze will die off soon.
http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/8261/ethereum-mining-dead-price-drops-difficulty-booms/index.html

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

I feel like I'm in such a tough spot right now. I have some money and the itch to upgrade. I currently have:

980ti
I5 3570k @4.4ghz

I pretty much only use my PC for gaming. I sometimes stream. Have a Vive, 4k tv, primarily PC game on a 1440p/60hz screen.

Its kind of rare that I have the money to do a cpu/motherboard/ram upgrade. I was thinking I'd do a 7700k, but am wondering if I should go Ryzen. Then I think to myself I only game so I shouldn't go AMD. But if I only game, why do I even need an i7? Maybe get an R5 1600 then? Or a 7600k? Shit, do I even need to get a new CPU? Maybe I should just get a 1080ti. Well, isn't Volta rumored to be out soon? I'll most likely be able to get a 1080ti equivalent for half the price.

Keep waiting. :/

 

[KingKong]

so it seems like the ViewSonic XG2703-GS is the new monitor to get for 144hz 1440p gsync, is that right?

or is the Asus ROG Swift PG279Q still king

 

[SolarMystic]

Looking to upgrade to an SSD, would like at least 1tb of space and under $300. Primarily used for gaming. Will use a basic HDD for multimedia storage.


Either of these two solid choices?

-WD Blue 1tb is $269
-Sandisk Ultra II 1tb $272

 

[Jeff Stephen]

Looking to upgrade to an SSD, would like at least 1tb of space and under $300. Primarily used for gaming. Will use a basic HDD for multimedia storage.


Either of these two solid choices?

-WD Blue 1tb is $269
-Sandisk Ultra II 1tb $272

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct1050mx300ssd1

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I feel like I'm in such a tough spot right now. I have some money and the itch to upgrade. I currently have:

980ti
I5 3570k @4.4ghz

I pretty much only use my PC for gaming. I sometimes stream. Have a Vive, 4k tv, primarily PC game on a 1440p/60hz screen.

Its kind of rare that I have the money to do a cpu/motherboard/ram upgrade. I was thinking I'd do a 7700k, but am wondering if I should go Ryzen. Then I think to myself I only game so I shouldn't go AMD. But if I only game, why do I even need an i7? Maybe get an R5 1600 then? Or a 7600k? Shit, do I even need to get a new CPU? Maybe I should just get a 1080ti. Well, isn't Volta rumored to be out soon? I'll most likely be able to get a 1080ti equivalent for half the price.

Keep waiting. :/

I was in the same position as you except with a better CPU. But I upgraded to 4k so the 980ti didn't cut it. I'd hold out until Volta if I had 1440p display. Your CPU is also fine for now. If you go 120hz you might MIGHT need a CPU. But I'd wait until next gen everything. Resist the itch.

 

[coopolon]

I have been searching for at least a somewhat high speed 8gb ram solution for the asrock ab350m pro4 on the qvl list and not having a lot of luck. All the 4gb listed only come in packs of 4 and haven't found an 8gb stick that is sold by itself. Looking for something faster than 2600.

It would also be really helpful if they would just link to vendors selling the ram.

Earlier I said I was just going to buy some and risk it but figured I would try to stick to the qvl but now feeling like that's not even an option.

Edit: never mind I found one!
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...2sODLxV2A29btiHAKOAKUaAs0z8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hate buying things with no reviews but price isn't bad!

 

[SolarMystic]

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct1050mx300ssd1

I'm guessing performance is better than the two I listed?

Edit: Answered my own question by looking up benchmarks comparing them. Thanks!

 

[rezn0r]

No it can't. Do you have an FPS counter and are you using sync?

Even the 1070 drops frames to below 60 at 1080p with all ultra settings and hairworks off. Especially in scenes with dense foliage and heavy weather effects. Doesn't drop to dramatically lows like 30s, but it definitely drops to mid 45s at times.


Unless you mean "60 most of the time" then my bad.

you're the type of guy I creep along waiting for, waiting to read responses, waiting to go back to bed for a few weeks until I convince myself - yeah!, today is the day! today is the day I order some hardware.

you're the hero that no one asked for and no one wishes they ended up with. you're still a hero though.

 

[rezn0r]

The 7700k is allegedly made to be overclocked, although it heats up like a mofo when you do that. But it also has a higher base clock as well.

And I would Google search the board model number, you can usually pull up a pdf manual when you do that off the manufacturer website

He wasn't asking about the 7700K

 

[kmfdmpig]

Looking to upgrade to an SSD, would like at least 1tb of space and under $300. Primarily used for gaming. Will use a basic HDD for multimedia storage.


Either of these two solid choices?

-WD Blue 1tb is $269
-Sandisk Ultra II 1tb $272

They're both fine if you can get a good deal on them, but they tend to be overpriced for their performance compared to some others.

Here are some reviews (the Sandisk is almost 3 years old at this point, so the competitive market has changed since the article came out):
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/6790/sandisk-ultra-ii-480gb-ssd-review/index6.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7970/western-digital-blue-1tb-sata-iii-ssd-review/index11.html

http://www.thessdreview.com/featured/wd-blue-ssd-review-1tb-wd-steps-ring/4/

If you're not too worried about the performance differences and are just looking for a good enough SSD that has a reasonable price then this may be an option:
Adata su800
It's not a top-tier SSD, but it's on sale for $230, which is a great deal.

https://slickdeals.net/f/10351972-adata-su800-1tb-230?v=1&src=SiteSearch