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[Xclash]

Are ITX builds really considered expensive? I mean, the higher end motherboards are certainly expensive but the same can be said about premium motherboards in general. The cases are about the same price as standard cases, and the same can be said about coolers. Really, the only thing that really is more expensive would be the PSU, but there are plenty of ITX cases that accept an ATX PSU.

You aren't wrong on that front. It really depends on what is important to you and your budget. The cases can range from $30 and go above $200 if you want the niche cases like the NCASE or the Dan-A4 SFX.

For me personally, I ended up getting a Corsair SFX PSU since the case I picked out(NCASE m1) was pretty small and using an atx power supply meant only having about 7 inches for the video card and no place to route cables. In addition, I picked out the z270i Asus itx board to have two m.2 slots for my NVMe drives. Decided to get a AIO water cooler for the cpu so that added on.

 

[flipswitch]

The light on my Xbox one controller won't turn on even with new batteries or plugged in via USB. I'm guessing it's done for. It's only 11 months old. Not sure what else to try. I don't have an Xbox one, I use it on pc with the wireless receiver.

One question.

Will the Xbox one S controller work with my current wireless receiver?

 

[hoserx]

My friend and I work at Costco. I got one for $499.99 and he got the display for $350.00. It had a couple finger prints but was never even turned on. I wasn't even mad that he got it cheaper because the monitor is so awesome

For sure. Mine was 100% mint and new. No dead pixels. Really the tiniest amount of backlight bleed. I feel like I got a pretty good panel in the lottery, and the price.....amazing.

 

[Timedog]

Anyone know some good aftermarket AIR cooling options for Ryzen/AM4 that won't put crazy stress on the motherboard, will keep things decently chilly, and will leave room for RAM on an AsRock TaiChi?

Was thinking about a Noctua U12S but that nasty fan color is gonna fuck up my rgb build aesthetic.

 

[ISee]

The light on my Xbox one controller won't turn on even with new batteries or plugged in via USB. I'm guessing it's done for. It's only 11 months old. Not sure what else to try. I don't have an Xbox one, I use it on pc with the wireless receiver.

One question.

Will the Xbox one S controller work with my current wireless receiver?

The new xbox one controller works just like the old one, with one difference. Bluetooth is now also integrated. So, I'm 99% confident that it'll work just fine.

 

[TC McQueen]

Anyone know some good aftermarket AIR cooling options for Ryzen/AM4 that won't put crazy stress on the motherboard, will keep things decently chilly, and will leave room for RAM on an AsRock TaiChi?

Was thinking about a Noctua U12S but that nasty fan color is gonna fuck up my rgb build aesthetic.

Cryorig H7 or H5 Universal.

 

[rtcn63]

Are ITX builds really considered expensive? I mean, the higher end motherboards are certainly expensive but the same can be said about premium motherboards in general. The cases are about the same price as standard cases, and the same can be said about coolers. Really, the only thing that really is more expensive would be the PSU, but there are plenty of ITX cases that accept an ATX PSU.

You really REALLY need to be sure what you want when it comes to ITX builds. In most cases (no pun intended), you're looking at fewer USB/SATA ports, drive mounts, and PCI slots. Even the larger ITX towers are limiting compared to your average mATX. (Think Define Mini C, although cube cases can remedy this somewhat)

As a secondary PC dedicated solely to say gaming, it's more doable.

 

[Ostinatto]

Never OC in my life, is really that easy? im planing to buy a i7 7700k/

 

[rtcn63]

Never OC in my life, is really that easy? im planing to buy a i7 7700k/

Yes. Maybe. Most z270 motherboards have "auto" overclock settings in the bios, although you're generally better off taking the time to do things proper and manual. As for the 7700K, overclocking isn't absolutely vital- you're probably looking at pretty small FPS % increase in actual gaming, even on CPU-bound titles:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/2744-intel-i7-7700k-review-and-benchmark/page-6

(This is from the 7700K's launch and as paired with a GTX 1080, so things may have changed slightly over time)

Digital Foundry: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-intel-kaby-lake-core-i7-7700k-review

Personally, we had real issues getting the system stable at 5.0GHz or higher, though we could easily boot up Windows at anything up to 5.2GHz. The AVX offset tweakable had little effect during our testing but as always in the silicon lottery, your mileage may vary. And certainly from a gameplay perspective - as the benchmarks demonstrate - there's very little to gain by really pushing this i7, except killing efficiency, generating a lot of heat and requiring a really good thermal solution.

Techreport: http://techreport.com/review/31179/intel-core-i7-7700k-kaby-lake-cpu-reviewed/14

So, uh, yeah. Overclocking the Core i7-7700K makes a fast chip a little bit faster at most everything, but the improvements are pretty modest considering the extra fan noise and heat production involved. A new Sandy Bridge this isn't.

 

[Mozendo]

Anyone know some good aftermarket AIR cooling options for Ryzen/AM4 that won't put crazy stress on the motherboard, will keep things decently chilly, and will leave room for RAM on an AsRock TaiChi?

Was thinking about a Noctua U12S but that nasty fan color is gonna fuck up my rgb build aesthetic.

If you're fine paying $50 you can't go wrong with the Reeven Justice. Free AM4 bracket too. $80 performance for a $50 cooler.
https://www.hardocp.com/article/2016/07/18/reeven_justice_120mm_cpu_air_cooler_review/

 

[Megabat]

Anyone know some good aftermarket AIR cooling options for Ryzen/AM4 that won't put crazy stress on the motherboard, will keep things decently chilly, and will leave room for RAM on an AsRock TaiChi?

Was thinking about a Noctua U12S but that nasty fan color is gonna fuck up my rgb build aesthetic.

I mean, you could get a Noctua U12S or D14 and replace the brown-and-tan fan with one of their black or gray ones. Then, of course, replace one of the (almost definitely inferior) case fans in a place out of view. Noctua coolers are excellent - they sound great (when you can hear them). And any decent motherboard can handle a heavy HSF.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Crossposting from tech support because I really need help:

Alright GAF, needing some help.

My PC is underperforming, and despite what I try, nothing seems to fix it. I've tried clearing out and reinstalling motherboard drivers, my display driver, flashing my BIOS, reinstalling Windows, but nothing seems to work. I have a GTX 970 and i7-6700k; the Witcher 3 was running at a near locked 60 FPS in previous weeks, now struggles to get above 40 in places like Velen and Novigrad. An MMO like Star Trek Online, which I used to run absolutely locked, now chokes at below 10 FPS.

It seems like something is choking my CPU and/or GPU usage - the former won't rise above 50% and the latter wouldn't go above 80% (and took a while to get there in Novigrad), where before the Witcher 3 was something I knew maxed out my graphics card's capabilities.

Is there something I've potentially forgotten, missed, or should test as a possible cause?

...Okay, so I have three theories as to possible causes now:
1) Something is up with my GPU's VRAM. Compared to some vids I can find around, its usage in the Witcher 3 seemed low. Could be margin of error stuff, not all games being equal, but is there any way to test this?

2) Something is up with my CPU. I've realised some things seem slightly slower to load than previously, and I've noticed that according to instruments like 3DMark and CoreTemp its frequency is '4197' Mhz instead of 4200. So if that reading - however minor - is a possible sign of something being even more screwed up, what do I do?

3) Something is fundamentally up with my Nvidia drivers. The Nvidia icon isn't showing up in the icon tray, GeForce Experience takes a noticeable while to load, and struggles to connect with Nvidia's server, even just to check it doesn't need the update it already has. Does this seem a probable cause?

Managed to seemingly flush out all of Nvidia's drivers via DDU after some mishap, but nothing has changed. I feel increasingly like it must be something to do with my CPU usage, but am not sure.

 

[knitoe]

Crossposting from tech support because I really need help:




Managed to seemingly flush out all of Nvidia's drivers via DDU after some mishap, but nothing has changed. I feel increasingly like it must be something to do with my CPU usage, but am not sure.

In game, do you notice anything weird with your cpu and gpu using a monitoring software, ie MSI Afterburner? Like, gpu core and memory speeds low? CPU temps too high?

 

[Ostinatto]

Yes. Maybe. Most z270 motherboards have "auto" overclock settings in the bios, although you're generally better off taking the time to do things proper and manual. As for the 7700K, overclocking isn't absolutely vital- you're probably looking at pretty small FPS % increase in actual gaming, even on CPU-bound titles:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/2744-intel-i7-7700k-review-and-benchmark/page-6

(This is from the 7700K's launch and as paired with a GTX 1080, so things may have changed slightly over time)

Digital Foundry: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-intel-kaby-lake-core-i7-7700k-review



Techreport: http://techreport.com/review/31179/intel-core-i7-7700k-kaby-lake-cpu-reviewed/14

Thanks for the info.

If im going with the regular I7 7700, i dont need a 3rd party heatsink right?

Or i should by cheap one?

 

[JonnyDBrit]

In game, do you notice anything weird with your cpu and gpu using a monitoring software, ie MSI Afterburner? Like, gpu core and memory speeds low? CPU temps too high?

After testing again, the GPU is definitely not being fully utilised. Temperatures are fine, though the GPU is kinda hitting 100% power draw even while not being fully utilised. Pausing the menu jumps that usage to 100% as well though, while the CPU drops off, hence I'm suspicious it's something up with the CPU. Similarly, an MMO is a game that relies more on CPU usage, so if the CPU isn't working right for whatever reason, the framerate tanking starts making more sense.

 

[rtcn63]

Thanks for the info.

If im going with the regular I7 7700, i dont need a 3rd party heatsink right?

The non-K models technically come with the Intel stock cooler, but just from googling, it doesn't really seem enough even for the 7700. I'd get *at least* a Hyper 212 or budget Cryorig or Noctua.

 

[Jabronium]

Looking for a little networking help. My ISP supplied cable modem/gateway is located in the 2nd floor office for my PC and PS4. Wifi downstairs for our laptops and TV is pretty spotty. The house is old and power line hasn't worked very well. Suggestions on strengthening the wifi? Would an AC1750 router work, a Ubquiti AP, or would something else be more effective?

 

[knitoe]

After testing again, the GPU is definitely not being fully utilised. Temperatures are fine, though the GPU is kinda hitting 100% power draw even while not being fully utilised. Pausing the menu jumps that usage to 100% as well though, while the CPU drops off, hence I'm suspicious it's something up with the CPU. Similarly, an MMO is a game that relies more on CPU usage, so if the CPU isn't working right for whatever reason, the framerate tanking starts making more sense.

CPU temps fine? High temps would cause CPU throttling. Overclocking CPU and/or GPU? If yes, run them at the normal stock speeds.

Looking for a little networking help. My ISP supplied cable modem/gateway is located in the 2nd floor office for my PC and PS4. Wifi downstairs for our laptops and TV is pretty spotty. The house is old and power line hasn't worked very well. Suggestions on strengthening the wifi? Would an AC1750 router work, a Ubquiti AP, or would something else be more effective?

Have you tried a wifi extender? A better router could offer better wifi signals, but I would try a extender first.

 

[Jabronium]

Have you tried a wifi extender? A better router could offer better wifi signals, but I would try a extender first.

Nope, haven't tried anything yet other than the power line. I'll take a look, thanks.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

CPU temps fine? High temps would cause CPU throttling. Overclocking CPU and/or GPU? If yes, run them at the normal stock speeds.

CPU temperature doesn't seem high, no. Mostly sticking in the 50-60 range under load. Not overclocking either CPU or GPU either - and overclocking the latter in a test provided little to no bump. Never tried overclocking this CPU in particular, though I'm tempted to try it and see if that might cause something to shift.

I actually decided to run the game while I had a few other programs - skype and chrome chiefly - running in the background, and the drop in frames from the already lower amount was sharp. Went from high 30s and low 40s to sub-30 FPS. Makes me heavily suspicious it's a CPU issue, which wasn't there previously

 

[MissCauthon]

Hey guys, I wan't to build a new PC, and I was aiming at the Enthusiast in the OP.
It came up to 1800$ canadian. The only thing i did not add was GPU since I was going to wait for those to go lower in price.

The GPU I currently have is a GTX 560Ti hahaha, would I be able to put that in? It would be for just a month until i get the cash to buy the gpu afterward.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Hey guys, I wan't to build a new PC, and I was aiming at the Enthusiast in the OP.
It came up to 1800$ canadian. The only thing i did not add was CPU since I was going to wait for those to go lower in price.

The CPU I currently have is a GTX 560Ti hahaha, would I be able to put that in? It would be for just a month until i get the cash to buy the gpu afterward.

...That's not a CPU, that's a GPU. A GPU is the big, bulky card you put into a PCI-E slot. A CPU is the little square chip you put at the heart of your motherboard.

So to clarify, are you excluding a GPU from your current build, or the CPU?

 

[MissCauthon]

...That's not a CPU, that's a GPU. A GPU is the big, bulky card you put into a PCI-E slot. A CPU is the little square chip you put at the heart of your motherboard.

So to clarify, are you excluding a GPU from your current build, or the CPU?

Yes Sorry i meant GPU

 

[Hupsel]

*Sniff* My GPU died yesterday. It was an EVGA 1070 SC... and yeah, it was probably faulty: http://wccftech.com/nvidia-gtx-1080-1070-evga-cards-dying/

Couldn´t send it for a replacement before since I live in Brazil... thankfully, I am going to the USA soon, so I am sending it back to Amazon for a full refund.

I am thinking about buying an Asus 1070 Strix. Looks like it´s a loooong card and it´s a tight fit on my Dell XPS8900 case.

 

[rtcn63]

*Sniff* My GPU died yesterday. It was an EVGA 1070 SC... and yeah, it was probably faulty: http://wccftech.com/nvidia-gtx-1080-1070-evga-cards-dying/

Couldn´t send it for a replacement before since I live in Brazil... thankfully, I am going to the USA soon, so I am sending it back to Amazon for a full refund.

I am thinking about buying an Asus 1070 Strix. Looks like it´s a loooong card and it´s a tight fit on my Dell XPS8900 case.

The EVGA cards weren't dying because of overheating, but (likely) faulty components on the supply side (i.e. capacitors). But yeah that doesn't really help you.

The Strix and Gaming X are what I would consider, the SC2 as well, but if you're not feeling good about EVGA that's definitely understandable.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

That thing has a 300W PSU that's probably the shittiest one they could find. There's no way that thing supports a 580. You would need a new PSU.

300w? Jesus.

So maybe buying parts and building would still be worth it for OP.

 

[TC McQueen]

Yes Sorry i meant GPU

You can put the 560 Ti in and it'll work, but I wouldn't try to game with it.

 

[sant]

Should I upgrade my PC with this? Or just get a Scorpio

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/763BHN

16GB of RAM + a 1070. I play in 1080p. Overclock to 4.2 as well.

 

[Woorloog]

Ah, fucking fuck. For some idiotic non-thinking i did or didn't do, i have no idea where my old mobo's CPU cap is!

Bought a new one, and rebuilding my PC but... goddamnit.

EDIT Sorry, my fault, i just need to vent.

 

[rtcn63]

Should I upgrade my PC with this? Or just get a Scorpio

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/763BHN

16GB of RAM + a 1070. I play in 1080p. Overclock to 4.2 as well.

Do you want to play Scorpio exclusives that aren't on Windows 10?

Otherwise- drop in the 1070, you don't need the extra ram for gaming (but if you want it for other reasons sure, 1600MHz seems low though unless the ram overclocks to higher easily).

Honestly, you could probably do 1440p/60ps in most games no problem.

 

[sant]

Do you want to play Scorpio exclusives that aren't on Windows 10?

Otherwise- drop in the 1070, you don't need the extra ram for gaming (but if you want it for other reasons sure, 1600MHz seems low though unless the ram overclocks to higher easily).

Honestly, you could probably do 1440p/60ps in most games no problem.

What Scorpio exclusive games will there be? I thought there were none.

 

[rtcn63]

What Scorpio exclusive games will there be? I thought there were none.

I don't even know bro I bought a PS4 to mingle with my PC

 

[sant]

I don't even know bro I bought a PS4 to mingle with my PC

So 1600mhz is low? How fast do you recommend. Would it be better to add the two 8GB sticks to my mobo to have 24GB, or should I get faster 2 8GB sticks

 

[rtcn63]

So 1600mhz is low? How fast do you recommend. Would it be better to add the two 8GB sticks to my mobo to have 24GB, or should I get faster 2 8GB sticks

2400mhz at least, but if it's that much more expensive for it over the 1600MHz than it may not be worth the cost for the potential extra FPS in gaming. (Both DDR3 and 4 are higher-priced than at launch, and it seems to be getting worse for the interim) And I'd consider removing the ram for compatibility purposes, but you can try all three out together at first since they're all the same speed more or less (1600MHz).

But once again, if you don't need the extra ram capacity for non-gaming tasks, you'd likely be fine as is for 1080p with the GTX 1070.

Digital Foundry did a few videos using older i5's and the effects of different ram speed, worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNjT5R5XI4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er_Fuz54U0Y

 

[Ostinatto]

Intel Core i7-7700 Kaby Lake
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270
ASUS STRIX GTX 1070
CORSAIR Vengeance LED 16GB (2 x 8GB)DDR4 3200
Samsung 960 EVO NVMe Series 250GB
Western Digital blue 2TB
EVGA 700B 80 PLUS Bronze Power Supply
LG Electronics GH24N 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Internal Drive
Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED

Am i doing something wrong here?

ohh i dont know what case to buy.....

 

[rtcn63]

Intel Core i7-7700 Kaby Lake
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270
ASUS STRIX GTX 1070
CORSAIR Vengeance LED 16GB (2 x 8GB)DDR4 3200
Samsung 960 EVO NVMe Series 250GB
Western Digital blue 2TB
EVGA 700B 80 PLUS Bronze Power Supply
LG Electronics GH24N 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Internal Drive
Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED

Am i doing something wrong here?

ohh i dont know what case to buy.....

I'm partial to Fractal Define cases because I like silence (at the cost of some thermal performance), R5 for mid-tower or maybe a Define C. And do google to see how the 7700 + Hyper 212 pairing works for others, just in case. Don't want to be liable if that shit burns up.

EDIT: As for PSU, I'd personally go for an EVGA G series 650/750 or a Seasonic but that's because I tend to add hard drives and use up expansion slots for random crap. Even a 500w should be fine for your case.

 

[Woorloog]

Of fucking course. The mobo CPU socket cap was in the CPU package, between the foam pads. Sigh. Such a simple and logical place... Argh. Wasted two hours for this.

In the future, i'll just my PCs with building service etc. Will save time and my nerves.

 

[Bloodember]

Of fucking course. The mobo CPU socket cap was in the CPU package, between the foam pads. Sigh. Such a simple and logical place... Argh. Wasted two hours for this.

In the future, i'll just my PCs with building service etc. Will save time and my nerves.

Why would you need that? It just protects the socket when there is no cpu in it.

 

[Woorloog]

Why would you need that? It just protects the socket when there is no cpu in it.

Yeah, i was removing the old mobo, and installing the new one. The old mobo may still get sold or something, so it needs the socket cap while it gets stored.
And i had had this genius not to store the cap with the mobo's box.

 

[Ostinatto]

I'm partial to Fractal Define cases because I like silence (at the cost of some thermal performance), R5 for mid-tower or maybe a Define C. And do google to see how the 7700 + Hyper 212 pairing works for others, just in case. Don't want to be liable if that shit burns up.

EDIT: As for PSU, I'd personally go for an EVGA G series 650/750 or a Seasonic but that's because I tend to add hard drives and use up expansion slots for random crap. Even a 500w should be fine for your case.

This guy is installing both things, should be alright?

 

[rtcn63]

This guy is installing both things, should be alright?

I meant more temperature-wise under gaming load, particularly after long-term use. Realizing you might need a beefier cooler down the line is not fun.

 

[jotun?]

Looking for a new prebuilt non-gaming Windows desktop PC for my mom. Mostly used for web, photos, and office. SSD preferably, and decent performance, not totally bottom of the barrel. Any suggestions?

 

[luoapp]

Looking for a new prebuilt non-gaming Windows PC for my mom. Mostly used for web, photos, and office. SSD preferably, and decent performance, not totally bottom of the barrel. Any suggestions?

Laptop?

 

[rtcn63]

Laptop?

Yeah, he wouldn't even need a GPU since the integrated graphics for most chips is enough for non-gaming. And even light-gaming for that matter.

You can actually pick up older refurb core i3/i5 business class laptops on ebay and computer enthusiast forums for cheap. I got an HP Elitebook that I use for school, cost me $100 and I can play Rayman Origins at like 20fps.

 

[jotun?]

Laptop?

Desktop or mini

 

[rtcn63]

Desktop or mini

If you got money Intel has NUC's https://www.newegg.com/Intel-Mini-PC-Barebone/BrandSubCat/ID-1157-309

 

[Moppeh]

Thanks for the help guys. A Ryzen CPU seems like a way better choice.

Is there any particular reason why it isn't on PC part picker? Looks like all they have on there are Intels.

Also, how's this for a power supply if I have a Ryzen 1600 and a 1060 6gb: EVGA - 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

If you got money Intel has NUC's https://www.newegg.com/Intel-Mini-PC-Barebone/BrandSubCat/ID-1157-309

I think they are overpriced compared to, say buying one of those $600 Acer Desktops for the office or home that come with a i5 7400.

 

[enewtabie]

Added some RGB strips and some Cablemod cables the other night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQkZdMKz4xY


I'm just not sure on the lights. I thought I wanted it,but now I'm thinking light from the GPU/CPU block fans is enough. The new light shows off dust through the plexiglass as well. Sometimes you can go too far,but I'm gonna try it for a little while longer.

 

[Nostremitus]

Thanks for the help guys. A Ryzen CPU seems like a way better choice.

Is there any particular reason why it isn't on PC part picker? Looks like all they have on there are Intels.

Also, how's this for a power supply if I have a Ryzen 1600 and a 1060 6gb: EVGA - 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply.

Ryzen is on PCPartPicker.