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"I Need a New PC!" 2017 The Ryzing of Kaby Lake and NVMwhee!

ISee

Member
A friend of mine (not on GAF) was contemplating upgrading his GPU.

His current setup -

i7 4770k (most likely not overclocked)
16 gb Ram
GTX 980
1440p monitor @ 60hz


would it be worth it for him to upgrade his GPU to say a 1080 if he doesn't plan on upgrading his monitor? I think not but I wanted to check with you guys first before advising him.

I went form a 980 to a 1080 at 1440p. Those 60% extra GPU power made my 1440p experience much more enjoyable. It's worth it.
 

sleepnaught

Member
So, when can we expect the i7 8700k to be readily available? I remember trying to get Skylake a couple years ago around this time and it took so long I gave up.
 
Anyone used the CM Masterfan Pro series of case fans?

Looking at picking up a few of them since they seem good for the money. Wanna swap out my 3 pin 120mm exhaust fan for a 140mm, and swap out the awful red led fans on my 212 for some plain black 120mm fans.
 

V1LÆM

Gold Member
A friend of mine (not on GAF) was contemplating upgrading his GPU.

His current setup -

i7 4770k (most likely not overclocked)
16 gb Ram
GTX 980
1440p monitor @ 60hz


would it be worth it for him to upgrade his GPU to say a 1080 if he doesn't plan on upgrading his monitor? I think not but I wanted to check with you guys first before advising him.

a 1080 is great for 1440p 60fps. my 1070 does well at 1440p 60fps but there are some games where i play at 1080p so yeah a 1080 will be a good choice.
 

Decider

Member
So, when can we expect the i7 8700k to be readily available? I remember trying to get Skylake a couple years ago around this time and it took so long I gave up.

I'm not sure how "readily" available it'll be but some online shops are predicting the first of November for their pre-orders. I hope it'll be sooner than that.
 

rtcn63

Member
A friend of mine (not on GAF) was contemplating upgrading his GPU.

His current setup -

i7 4770k (most likely not overclocked)
16 gb Ram
GTX 980
1440p monitor @ 60hz


would it be worth it for him to upgrade his GPU to say a 1080 if he doesn't plan on upgrading his monitor? I think not but I wanted to check with you guys first before advising him.

If he overclocks the 980 he might not even need to upgrade the GPU if he doesn't mind dropping some settings to medium.

And because I keep doing these for some reason: 2018 | A Core of Fire and Ice

(Intel and AMD temps, respectively)
 

Chinbo37

Member
Thanks for the feedback GAF. I am trying to convince him to upgrade his monitor first to something with faster refresh but I will let him know your advice.
 

rtcn63

Member
Thanks for the feedback GAF. I am trying to convince him to upgrade his monitor first to something with faster refresh but I will let him know your advice.

Like 144hz?

If he doesn't do competitive gaming (CS:GO, DOTA, Overwatch, etc.) and isn't by bothered his current input lag, going high refresh may not be necessary. The IPS models (which is what he wants if he does anything besides gaming) are expensive and because of the low volume of monitor sales, quality control issues seem to be prevalent. And of course, the large premium over a standard 60fps monitor.
 

VSG

Neo Member
Anyone used the CM Masterfan Pro series of case fans?

Looking at picking up a few of them since they seem good for the money. Wanna swap out my 3 pin 120mm exhaust fan for a 140mm, and swap out the awful red led fans on my 212 for some plain black 120mm fans.

You can get better fans for the money for nearly every fan in that series. The exception would be the Air Pressure 120, and even here only if you will benefit from the selectable fan speed range.
 

Kaako

Felium Defensor
This is really tempting, nice build. Let me know how it works out for you.
Change of plans and kinda disappointed in myself for pushing for 144 now but the heart wants what it wants.
I did some 80fps+ vs 144fps testing last night on an Acer Predator XB271HU and it felt night and day difference to me(like going from a solid 30fps game to a 60fps Platinum/DMC3 fast fluid animation game). Since I have a high performance 165hz 1440P gsync IPS panel, I'm shooting for that 144fps now. And sadly for that, the i7 8700K is well ahead of the pack across the board almost. I reeaally wanted to go AMD this round but found out I want that higher fps across the board even more. So I made some minor changes to the build and going with the i7 8700K for the next 2-3 years. Already got all the parts except the mobo & CPU. Might have to replace my AIO later on if it's not up to par since I mainly bought it for AM4 compatibility lol.

Here's the minor updated build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/hqjbm8

I'll pay under $2000 for everything which is well within my budget. Thank goodness for mad retail connections haha.
What I'm looking forward to the most is actually deliding and applying grizzly's liquid metal paste to the CPU & GPU. Never done it and am excited as hell for this one little thing; warranties be damned.
 

RR30

Member
This might be the wrong spot for this but I have a question someone might be able to help me with. I was help cleaning up at my uncle's house yesterday and he gave me a 2005ish Sony computer monitor. I would like to use it as a second screen for my laptop but it's only connector says HD-15. Are there hdmi to HD-15 adapters that work for older monitors like this?
 

Kaako

Felium Defensor
This might be the wrong spot for this but I have a question someone might be able to help me with. I was help cleaning up at my uncle's house yesterday and he gave me a 2005ish Sony computer monitor. I would like to use it as a second screen for my laptop but it's only connector says HD-15. Are there hdmi to HD-15 adapters that work for older monitors like this?
You can get HD-15 VGA to HDMI cables, no need for adapters. Amazon, Walmart and a bunch of other retailers have them:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HDMI-To-...68p-Fast-Transfer-Rate-On-Clearance/993781383
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ALI4VHI/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 
You can get better fans for the money for nearly every fan in that series. The exception would be the Air Pressure 120, and even here only if you will benefit from the selectable fan speed range.

Better for fans for 8-10 quid each? Fucking WHERE?! Most fans I've seen are £15 and up, with the exception of some low tier brands pricing around 5 each.

I've been eyeing up this 140mm and two of these 120mm for the cooler. So if you've got some better suggestions, do tell.

Noise levels aren't an issue, it's not like I'll hear them over my clone blue switches anyway.
 

supersaw

Member
We need a new thread title to replace Kaby Lake.

I'm thinking something like "Episode 2017: The Core Wars" or something else to emphasize the awesome CPU war we have going on for the first time in years.

Could also leave it as-is, except swap out Coffee for Kaby.

2017 Chapter II: There are Ryzens in my Coffee
 

m29a

Neo Member
In USA, you can get it within 2 weeks depending on your F5-fu.

But if you're laidback about it, December.

Eh, I'd suggest it's 2 weeks for people who already have it backordered.

If you're just now getting in on the next waves, I wouldn't be surprised if it'd be early next month at the earliest.

There are peeps like myself with 2+ backorders from different sites that ordered immediately when available on the 5th, and still haven't received any updates whatsoever.

I'm hoping for an update next week for at least an estimation...
 

Bruiserk

Member
Hey GAF,

looking to do my first PC build. Primary use is gaming/streaming and media streaming/transcoding using plex (usually 2 streams simultaneous).


Budget: ~$1500 pre-tax/ Canada
Main Use: Gaming/streaming, media streaming/transcoding with plex
Monitor Resolution: 1080p at first. if option to upgrade to 1440p later on isn't too expensive might consider. 60fps. GSYNC possibly down the line for upgrade.
Looking to reuse any parts?: No
When will you build?: Probably within a month. Could probably wait for black friday/cyber monday deals if they are usually worth it, but I'm not sure what are the typical parts which go on sale.
Will you be overclocking?: Sure, I don't see why not.

Here is a tentative build: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/QBzFRG

Really not sure about the PSU. Not sure how to determine what is the correct wattage to get.

EDIT: Just noticed I would need a separate bracket for the CPU cooler to be compatible with AM4. Any suggestions?
 

Weevilone

Member
Hey GAF,

looking to do my first PC build. Primary use is gaming/streaming and media streaming/transcoding using plex (usually 2 streams simultaneous).


Budget: ~$1500 pre-tax/ Canada
Main Use: Gaming/streaming, media streaming/transcoding with plex
Monitor Resolution: 1080p at first. if option to upgrade to 1440p later on isn't too expensive might consider. 60fps. GSYNC possibly down the line for upgrade.
Looking to reuse any parts?: No
When will you build?: Probably within a month. Could probably wait for black friday/cyber monday deals if they are usually worth it, but I'm not sure what are the typical parts which go on sale.
Will you be overclocking?: Sure, I don't see why not.

Here is a tentative build: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/QBzFRG

Really not sure about the PSU. Not sure how to determine what is the correct wattage to get.

EDIT: Just noticed I would need a separate bracket for the CPU cooler to be compatible with AM4. Any suggestions?

Microcenter has Ryzen 1600 for $170 in store in the US. Do they have them in CA? Eh nevermind, $250 CA is pretty good.
 
Hey GAF,

looking to do my first PC build. Primary use is gaming/streaming and media streaming/transcoding using plex (usually 2 streams simultaneous).


Budget: ~$1500 pre-tax/ Canada
Main Use: Gaming/streaming, media streaming/transcoding with plex
Monitor Resolution: 1080p at first. if option to upgrade to 1440p later on isn't too expensive might consider. 60fps. GSYNC possibly down the line for upgrade.
Looking to reuse any parts?: No
When will you build?: Probably within a month. Could probably wait for black friday/cyber monday deals if they are usually worth it, but I'm not sure what are the typical parts which go on sale.
Will you be overclocking?: Sure, I don't see why not.

Here is a tentative build: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/QBzFRG

Really not sure about the PSU. Not sure how to determine what is the correct wattage to get.

EDIT: Just noticed I would need a separate bracket for the CPU cooler to be compatible with AM4. Any suggestions?
If you want a 212, Cooler Master website says the LED comes with AM4 brackets in the box.


https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...-cfm-rifle-bearing-cpu-cooler-rr-212l-16pr-r1
 
Å

Åesop

Unconfirmed Member
The OT recommends the Acer XB271HU 1440p monitor. But what about the 4K model XB321HK? Its bigger and also has IPS and G-Sync. Is there any reason to go for the 1440p model besides the tiny difference in reaction time and price increase ofc?

I was waiting for 4K HDR monitors but it doesnt look like we will get there anytime soon..
 

DoomGyver

Member
Are there any 4k UHD blu-ray drives available? Edit: found this one https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129090&ignorebbr=1

Anyone have experience with it?

Here's one of the reviews:
Pros: A lot of people have wrote bad reviews saying this drive wont play 4K Ultra HD Blu Rays. They could not be further from the truth. It works flawlessly at playing 4K Ultra HD Blu Rays and its pretty spectacular.


The fact of the matter is they don't have all the requirements to be able to play Ultra HD Blu Rays.

The requirements are...

1. Windows 10 or above

2. Intel SGX Technology (CPU/Main Board)

3. Intel Management Engine Software

4. 6 GB System Memory (Ram)

5. HEVC-10bit/AVC Codec (GPU)

6. HDCP 2.2 (GPU/Display)

7. Advanced Protected Audio/Video Path (GPU)

8. UHD-BD Optical Disc Drive

9. Windows Media Player 9 or Above

Recommended Requirements (Optional)

10. HDR - High Dynamic Range (GPU/Display)

11. PowerDVD 17 Ultra (This is what I have) or Above
 

Majine

Banned
Åesop;251537117 said:
The OT recommends the Acer XB271HU 1440p monitor. But what about the 4K model XB321HK? Its bigger and also has IPS and G-Sync. Is there any reason to go for the 1440p model besides the tiny difference in reaction time and price increase ofc?

I was waiting for 4K HDR monitors but it doesnt look like we will get there anytime soon..

I have the 4K monitor.

It's nice and sharp. There is some backlight bleeding, but nothing that IMO impacts the viewing experience. Bezels are a little too thick for my liking.
 
Are there any 4k UHD blu-ray drives available? Edit: found this one https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129090&ignorebbr=1

Anyone have experience with it?

Here's one of the reviews:
Pros: A lot of people have wrote bad reviews saying this drive wont play 4K Ultra HD Blu Rays. They could not be further from the truth. It works flawlessly at playing 4K Ultra HD Blu Rays and its pretty spectacular.


The fact of the matter is they don't have all the requirements to be able to play Ultra HD Blu Rays.

The requirements are...

1. Windows 10 or above

2. Intel SGX Technology (CPU/Main Board)

3. Intel Management Engine Software

4. 6 GB System Memory (Ram)

5. HEVC-10bit/AVC Codec (GPU)

6. HDCP 2.2 (GPU/Display)

7. Advanced Protected Audio/Video Path (GPU)

8. UHD-BD Optical Disc Drive

9. Windows Media Player 9 or Above

Recommended Requirements (Optional)

10. HDR - High Dynamic Range (GPU/Display)

11. PowerDVD 17 Ultra (This is what I have) or Above
At that price, why not just get a standalone? No comparability hoops to jump through, and no dealing with drivers and programs unlikely to take priority with regard to updates due to low install base.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A9V6OI6/?tag=neogaf0e-20


I tried to go full HTPC with regular Blu-ray, it wasn't worth the trouble. I ended up buying a Blu-ray player anyway. With UHD being so niche, and with so many stipulations, I'd hate to see how bad support will be.
 

DoomGyver

Member
At that price, why not just get a standalone? No comparability hoops to jump through, and no dealing with drivers and programs unlikely to take priority with regard to updates due to low install base.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A9V6OI6/?tag=neogaf0e-20


I tried to go full HTPC with regular Blu-ray, it wasn't worth the trouble. I ended up buying a Blu-ray player anyway. With UHD being so niche, and with so many stipulations, I'd hate to see how bad support will be.
You're right, a stand alone would be the best way to go. I'm going to build a 4k gaming / UHD blu-ray PC and just wanted one less box under the TV. But yeah for the cost I should just go stand alone.
 

hoserx

Member
Åesop;251537117 said:
The OT recommends the Acer XB271HU 1440p monitor. But what about the 4K model XB321HK? Its bigger and also has IPS and G-Sync. Is there any reason to go for the 1440p model besides the tiny difference in reaction time and price increase ofc?

I was waiting for 4K HDR monitors but it doesnt look like we will get there anytime soon..

165hz refresh rate is the main selling point of the lower resolution screen. I have it. It's a fantastic monitor.
 
Å

Åesop

Unconfirmed Member
165hz refresh rate is the main selling point of the lower resolution screen. I have it. It's a fantastic monitor.

Is there an actual difference compared to 122hz or 60hz when you're just hitting 60fps on most games? I have no clue about this stuff
 

hoserx

Member
Åesop;251543531 said:
Is there an actual difference compared to 122hz or 60hz when you're just hitting 60fps on most games? I have no clue about this stuff

If you aren't going over 60 fps there is no difference. You want to go over 60 though, the feeling of 120+hz is fantastic, especially for fps games. That being said, if you can reach 4k 60 fps, you can reach 1440p 100+ fps probably. It' takes quite a bit of gpu power in either situation.
 

Majine

Banned
Åesop;251543531 said:
Is there an actual difference compared to 122hz or 60hz when you're just hitting 60fps on most games? I have no clue about this stuff

Anyone feel free to chime in, but in general, 144+ Hz is optimal for competitive gaming, whereas as a mostly casual gamer, 4K is more appealing to me with that crisp image.

I think you have to decide what camp you are in.
 
Åesop;251543531 said:
Is there an actual difference compared to 122hz or 60hz when you're just hitting 60fps on most games? I have no clue about this stuff

If you can run the game at 120+fps then yes. Not 100% sure, but I've heard screen tearing is less apparent on a high refresh rate monitor, even if you're playing at a lower frame rate.
 

Bruiserk

Member
Hey GAF,

looking to do my first PC build. Primary use is gaming/streaming and media streaming/transcoding using plex (usually 2 streams simultaneous).


Budget: ~$1500 pre-tax/ Canada
Main Use: Gaming/streaming, media streaming/transcoding with plex
Monitor Resolution: 1080p at first. if option to upgrade to 1440p later on isn't too expensive might consider. 60fps. GSYNC possibly down the line for upgrade.
Looking to reuse any parts?: No
When will you build?: Probably within a month. Could probably wait for black friday/cyber monday deals if they are usually worth it, but I'm not sure what are the typical parts which go on sale.
Will you be overclocking?: Sure, I don't see why not.

Here is a tentative build: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/QBzFRG

Really not sure about the PSU. Not sure how to determine what is the correct wattage to get.

EDIT: Just noticed I would need a separate bracket for the CPU cooler to be compatible with AM4. Any suggestions?

UPDATE:

The 1600x jumped in price today to greater than the 1600. After doing some research I think I will stay with the 1600/stock wraith cooler and do mild overclocking with that for now. I can't see myself needing a big OC right away and I can always upgrade the cpu cooler down the line.

Now I am only confused about the PSU. Would 650W be enough? What about the certification of it, is bronze something to steer clear from?

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/GQDX4C
 

V1LÆM

Gold Member
i'm thinking of building a cheap PC that will be used mainly to store/back up photos, videos, music and random documents. i would also look to stream these to my PS4/main PC.

i want to give Ryzen a shot but would they be overkill? i don't need anything powerful. should i just go for a Pentium/Celeron or wait for Ryzen APUs assuming they are coming any time soon?
 
Åesop;251543531 said:
Is there an actual difference compared to 122hz or 60hz when you're just hitting 60fps on most games? I have no clue about this stuff

High refresh rate can benefit even at lower FPS.

But for optimal experience obviously you want higher FPS.
 

Arex

Member
UPDATE:

The 1600x jumped in price today to greater than the 1600. After doing some research I think I will stay with the 1600/stock wraith cooler and do mild overclocking with that for now. I can't see myself needing a big OC right away and I can always upgrade the cpu cooler down the line.

Now I am only confused about the PSU. Would 650W be enough? What about the certification of it, is bronze something to steer clear from?

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/GQDX4C

More than enough. I'm on R7 1700 and 1080 G1, and I'm just on 650w Evga G3 psu :p
(My pc part list here https://pcpartpicker.com/user/meganerid/saved/prg8dC )

I think the corsair bronze should be good enough.
 

the malus

Neo Member
Is it worth going for a 1440p/144Hz Monitor with a GTX 1080? I play mostly RPGs but also occasionally play some online games. I like the idea of being able to maybe lower the graphics for online play to reach the higher frame rate but playing offline games at higher settings but not at maximum fps.
 

kuYuri

Member
Is it worth going for a 1440p/144Hz Monitor with a GTX 1080? I play mostly RPGs but also occasionally play some online games. I like the idea of being able to maybe lower the graphics for online play to reach the higher frame rate but playing offline games at higher settings but not at maximum fps.

Yes imo. Biggest game changer for me personally since getting an SSD installed.
 
Do I have anything to be worried about with this version of the gtx 1060: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01KHWOAR4/ ?

I've seen mention of 6GB VS 3GB and single-fan VS double-fan but realistically all I want is the best performance bang for buck and this is the top seller on Amazon UK for GPUs.
For reference current rig has i5-4670K 3.4GHz as CPU and a horribly outdated gtx 460. Was also going to go from 4GB to 8GB for RAM. Just want to make an upgrade that will rival or outperform my ps4 on a 1080p set and allow me to enjoy the benefits of steam library/ exclusives like PUBG. I would like to be able to run new triple A releases like destiny 2 or Wolfenstein on but all bells and whistles are far from needed as I'm used to console gaming. Any advice appreciated, cheers!
Edit: Wow what a miraculous post to edit this is. GPU is now installed and running beautifully <3
 
Is it worth going for a 1440p/144Hz Monitor with a GTX 1080? I play mostly RPGs but also occasionally play some online games. I like the idea of being able to maybe lower the graphics for online play to reach the higher frame rate but playing offline games at higher settings but not at maximum fps.

With Gsync? Heck yeah.
 

JWiLL

Banned
Åesop;251537117 said:
The OT recommends the Acer XB271HU 1440p monitor. But what about the 4K model XB321HK? Its bigger and also has IPS and G-Sync. Is there any reason to go for the 1440p model besides the tiny difference in reaction time and price increase ofc?

I was waiting for 4K HDR monitors but it doesnt look like we will get there anytime soon..

It's definitely not a tiny difference in reaction time. I have that monitor and run it in 144hz (165 overclock causes noticeable ghosting) and there's no way I'd trade it for 4k until higher refresh rates are feasible at that resolution.

It's really the ultimate gaming sweet spot right now.

Is it worth going for a 1440p/144Hz Monitor with a GTX 1080? I play mostly RPGs but also occasionally play some online games. I like the idea of being able to maybe lower the graphics for online play to reach the higher frame rate but playing offline games at higher settings but not at maximum fps.

Yes, absolutely. I have an EVGA 1080 with the aforementioned Acer Predator model. They make a fantastic pair.

Even in graphically intensive games like Rise of the Tomb Raider you can push over 100 frames in most areas and the GSync makes everything buttery smooth.

I'll typically lower shadow settings to medium and run one of the less demanding AA solutions to push some extra frames when needed. Everything else is cranked up.
 
Do I have anything to be worried about with this version of the gtx 1060: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01KHWOAR4/ ?

I've seen mention of 6GB VS 3GB and single-fan VS double-fan but realistically all I want is the best performance bang for buck and this is the top seller on Amazon UK for GPUs.
For reference current rig has i5-4670K 3.4GHz as CPU and a horribly outdated gtx 460. Was also going to go from 4GB to 8GB for RAM. Just want to make an upgrade that will rival or outperform my ps4 on a 1080p set and allow me to enjoy the benefits of steam library/ exclusives like PUBG. I would like to be able to run new triple A releases like destiny 2 or Wolfenstein on but all bells and whistles are far from needed as I'm used to console gaming. Any advice appreciated, cheers!

The 3gb 1060 is decent. It's plenty for 1080p/60. Probably have to turn things down in newer stuff. A big step up from the 460, you'll be happy I say.

Overclock to 4.1-4.3 when ever you want more performance.
 
At that price, why not just get a standalone? No comparability hoops to jump through, and no dealing with drivers and programs unlikely to take priority with regard to updates due to low install base.

I tried to go full HTPC with regular Blu-ray, it wasn't worth the trouble. I ended up buying a Blu-ray player anyway. With UHD being so niche, and with so many stipulations, I'd hate to see how bad support will be.

You're right, but it still sucks. I am out of open HDMI ports on my receiver. I hope this stuff gets sorted out eventually.
 

VSG

Neo Member
Better for fans for 8-10 quid each? Fucking WHERE?! Most fans I've seen are £15 and up, with the exception of some low tier brands pricing around 5 each.

I've been eyeing up this 140mm and two of these 120mm for the cooler. So if you've got some better suggestions, do tell.

Noise levels aren't an issue, it's not like I'll hear them over my clone blue switches anyway.

Oh man, if that's what the prices there are then just go with those CM fans then. I based my post on USA pricing from when I did my reviews of those fans earlier this year.
 
Oh man, if that's what the prices there are then just go with those CM fans then. I based my post on USA pricing from when I did my reviews of those fans earlier this year.
Ahh fair enough, man. Gonna get them ordered on Friday. Can't deal with the red LEDs any longer.
 
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