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[YYZ]

Do you need the extra gig of ram? Does it only happen when you have that stick of ram in or anytime you have 4 sticks in? If it's just to tide you over and your other 3GB work I would just leave it, especially if you're not running 64bit since you probably aren't even using all 4GB. If you want to buy ram, you can resell the 2x2GB a lot easier than the 2x1GB so I guess those but again if you're doing windows xp 32bit you can only see 4GB of total memory, including your video card. I would hold onto the money if I were you if I understand you right.

Edit: You can use 3x1GB sure, the only thing people don't like about odd numbers is if your mobo has dual channel (usually shown by 2 different color memory slots) it can't use dual channel unless they are matching pairs but honestly if it's just to tide you over, even then it's not worth spending the money IMO if you're going to upgrade soon anyhow.

Is it memory INCLUDING the video card? Because I have a GTX260 and there's over a gig of memory on it I think. So when I have the two different coloured slots (2 sets of black+yellow RAM slots), I CAN use an odd number of sticks?

I think the simplest solution is to fill up one of the sets of slots with 2x2GB or just 2x1GB since that's about $50. I'll have to test out the OCZ RAM that I have, but I don't know if it's hardware or software. Is it normal to have to adjust the voltage or should it work with stock settings?

 

[Hawkian]

How would you guys feel about a GAF Megathread for Tech/Gaming support Q&A? Not that I mind it going on in this thread, I've been doing it myself as well. But it might be cool to have an obvious place for getting PC help on GAF (we seem to have quite a few knowledgable members). That way we can have a "help I need to decide on my new PC build" thread and a "help my current pc is giving me problems" thread? In a couple of months this thread will be relegated to the archives anyway, so it might be worth considering.

EDIT: Above, the GTX260 has 768mb of memory, not a gig- but you'd pretty much be totally unable to notice the difference at any resolution under 1920x1080, and it's likely good enough for that resolution in many games as well. Oh and btw video card ram or VRAM has nothing to do with the RAM your CPU relies on and goes into your motherboard directly.

 

[DietRob]

How would you guys feel about a GAF Megathread for Tech/Gaming support Q&A? Not that I mind it going on in this thread, I've been doing it myself as well. But it might be cool to have an obvious place for getting PC help on GAF (we seem to have quite a few knowledgable members). That way we can have a "help I need to decide on my new PC build" thread and a "help my current pc is giving me problems" thread? In a couple of months this thread will be relegated to the archives anyway, so it might be worth considering.

EDIT: Above, the GTX260 has 768mb of memory, not a gig- but you'd pretty much be totally unable to notice the difference at any resolution under 1920x1080, and it's likely good enough for that resolution in many games as well. Oh and btw video card ram or VRAM has nothing to do with the RAM your CPU relies on and goes into your motherboard directly.

I think the original scope of this thread was to showcase what can be built. Naturally that evolves into the "help I need to decide on my new PC build" thread. Which seems fine.

I do agree that there should be a "Help, my PC has a mind of it's own thread." To help out with issues that users come across either from their mfg builds or their custom builds. There are tons of very knowledgeable members. I know I have asked for assistance in this thread before and got timely responses. I've also helped several members to the best of my ability also.

Somebody should do a PC help thread for sure. (Tech Support GAF: Thread of no Unsupported issues)?

 

[Salaadin]

Id utilize a GAF PC tech help thread for sure.

 

[diztrukted]

You'll want to change your fans for larger ones I think. I believe the front of the case can take a 140mm fan which would run quieter and bring in more air.

Thanks again Firestorm. I'm wondering if I need anything else (rosewill SATA cable?) for a gaming setup, besides the obvious (monitor, keyboard, mouse etc....Hopefully this will be built by january. I'll post pics and comments on how it handles [games and 3d modelling]

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Is it memory INCLUDING the video card? Because I have a GTX260 and there's over a gig of memory on it I think. So when I have the two different coloured slots (2 sets of black+yellow RAM slots), I CAN use an odd number of sticks?

I think the simplest solution is to fill up one of the sets of slots with 2x2GB or just 2x1GB since that's about $50. I'll have to test out the OCZ RAM that I have, but I don't know if it's hardware or software. Is it normal to have to adjust the voltage or should it work with stock settings?

Yes, it's 4GBs of total system memory on 32bit OSes. So 4GB-1GB GTX260 = 3GB of ram it can access. Yes you can use and odd number you just won't benefit from dual channel on the third stick since there is no matching pair but in most cases (as with yours) The benefit from the extra gig of ram is more than what you would get from using an even number and dual channel. It should work with stock settings but again it depends on other things. Some motherboards have issue with having 4GB of and sometimes you will have to update the bios to accept it and others it will not put out enough voltage for the ram with four and so you will have to manually increase the ram voltages ever so slightly to get it to be stable.

I would try your 3GBs of ram you have now before buying anything new. If it works with the ram you have now I wouldn't waste then money on ram, it will just be a waste of money. Depending on the price difference, 2x2GB of ram will have a better resale value but if it's a lot of money in difference it's not worth it but again, if your ram you have now works, don't waste your money on new ram.

 

[Chairhome]

Okay, I think I'm finally ready to order some parts.

I have about $200-$300 (of course I would like to not have to spend more than I need to!) to upgrade my mobo and CPU. A little background, I use my PC mostly for gaming, but also for lite photo editing and video encoding. The parts I'm keeping: an Acer case, 4870 512MB, 6GB of G. Skill DDR2 RAM (I think the lowest common is 800mhz). This is what I'm looking at right now:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad- Core Black Edition Processor Model HDZ940XCGIBOX

I'm not sure about what type of mobo to look for, or if I'll need anything else for the CPU. I do intend on OCing (my first time!), so I'm not sure what else I might need (cooling, etc).

Thanks!

 

[nubbe]

Man, Anand sure scared me out of pushing my i5! Apparently they Foxconn sockets can fry the i5/i7 if you push too hard.

I decided to stay on 3,6GHz with sub 1,3volt... since my Gigabyte use a Foxconn socket.
Sadly one of the cores on my CPU wants 1,3+ volts to push 3,8GHz and beyond
But almost 1GHz overclock is good in my book. So I'm happy.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Okay, I think I'm finally ready to order some parts.

I have about $200-$300 (of course I would like to not have to spend more than I need to!) to upgrade my mobo and CPU. A little background, I use my PC mostly for gaming, but also for lite photo editing and video encoding. The parts I'm keeping: an Acer case, 4870 512MB, 6GB of G. Skill DDR2 RAM (I think the lowest common is 800mhz). This is what I'm looking at right now:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad- Core Black Edition Processor Model HDZ940XCGIBOX

I'm not sure about what type of mobo to look for, or if I'll need anything else for the CPU. I do intend on OCing (my first time!), so I'm not sure what else I might need (cooling, etc).

Thanks!

This would be a good mobo to pair with that cpu:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

 

[Chairhome]

Thanks, SuperEnemyCrab.

I think I know the answer, but what's the difference between Black edition and not? Is it better OCing capability? Reason I'm asking is that the mobo suggested doesn't have a combo deal with the CPU I was thinking about, but it does with this one, which has similar stats but is an AM3 instead of AM2+.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Thanks, SuperEnemyCrab.

I think I know the answer, but what's the difference between Black edition and not? Is it better OCing capability? Reason I'm asking is that the mobo suggested doesn't have a combo deal with the CPU I was thinking about, but it does with this one, which has similar stats but is an AM3 instead of AM2+.

unlocked multiplier I think is the only difference...

This should only matter if you are going for extreme overclocking, though.

 

[I <3 Memes]

You can overclock the non-black edition, but it's limited to FSB/voltage/memory etc., but the multipliers are locked. You have to get the black edition if you want to OC multipliers.

 

[Chairhome]

Is it easier/better if I can OC the multipliers? I'm very new to the OCing thing, so I have noob questions. :-( Or should I not even worry about it since I am new to this?

 

[Red]

OK, I just came up with a list of parts real quick, using "GAF's ultimate high end rigs" thread as a starting point. It would be fantastic if someone more knowledgeable could give me their thoughts on this build and let me know if there are any compatibility issues (or deter me from getting an HDD intended for a server, etc.). I put this together in notepad real quick, I'm especially interested in finding a good heatsink, but really I'm mostly curious if this rig would work should I end up putting it together :lol :

boot drive - 300 GB velociraptor (10,000 RPM;$240) or 300 GB SAS (15,000 RPM; $370) - velociraptor may be better suited for desktop performace!

drive 2 - 2 TB caviar black (7200 RPM; $340)

mobo - 1. GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard ($110) or 2. GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard ($175)

GPU - HIS H489F1GP Radeon HD 4890 1GB (x2; $200 each)

CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz ($245)

RAM - for board 1: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 (x 2, $103 each); for board 2: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 (x 2, $123 each)

case - Antec Sonata Elite ($100)

PSU - Antec TruePower 650w ($100)

fan/heatsink - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail ($37)

disc drive - ASUS Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-Ray DVD Combo Drive Model BC-06B1ST ($110)

How would you guys feel about a GAF Megathread for Tech/Gaming support Q&A? Not that I mind it going on in this thread, I've been doing it myself as well. But it might be cool to have an obvious place for getting PC help on GAF (we seem to have quite a few knowledgable members). That way we can have a "help I need to decide on my new PC build" thread and a "help my current pc is giving me problems" thread? In a couple of months this thread will be relegated to the archives anyway, so it might be worth considering.

I like this idea, seems like I've been asking a lot of questions about PCs here lately :lol

 

[kpeezy]

OK, I just came up with a list of parts real quick, using "GAF's ultimate high end rigs" thread as a starting point. It would be fantastic if someone more knowledgeable could give me their thoughts on this build and let me know if there are any compatibility issues (or deter me from getting an HDD intended for a server, etc.). I put this together in notepad real quick, I'm especially interested in finding a good heatsink, but really I'm mostly curious if this rig would work should I end up putting it together :lol :

Is there any reason not to go with a core i7 920 instead of the AMD? The last comparisons I read (a few months ago) seemed to agree the core i7 is a better processor overall (not to say they're not similar in performance). It's only $30 more and the motherboard would be similarly priced.

I might be out of the loop though.

 

[garath]

OK, I just came up with a list of parts real quick, using "GAF's ultimate high end rigs" thread as a starting point. It would be fantastic if someone more knowledgeable could give me their thoughts on this build and let me know if there are any compatibility issues. I put this together in notepad real quick, I'm especially interested in finding a good heatsink, but really I'm mostly curious if this rig would work should I end up putting it together :lol :

boot drive - 300 GB velociraptor (10,000 RPM;$240) or 300 GB SAS (15,000 RPM; $370) - velociraptor may be better suited for desktop performace!

drive 2 - 2 TB caviar black (7200 RPM; $340)

mobo - 1. GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard ($110) or 2. GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard ($175)

GPU - HIS H489F1GP Radeon HD 4890 1GB (x2; $200 each)

CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz ($245)

RAM - for board 1: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 (x 2, $103 each); for board 2: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 (x 2, $123 each)

case - Antec Sonata Elite ($100)

PSU - Antec TruePower 650w ($100)

fan/heatsink - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail ($37)

disc drive - ASUS Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-Ray DVD Combo Drive Model BC-06B1ST ($110)

If it were me, I'd drop the high performance hard drive and take that money and put it into an i5 or an i7 processor and a 5850 in crossfire as opposed to the 4890s. You'll get more performance out of that than a Velociraptor drive.

I also prefer Corsair, OCZ or PC Power and Cooling PSUs over the Antec Truepower. And I'd go with a larger one at that for crossfire.

And go with a DDR3 mobo.. longer legs.

 

[Red]

Is there any reason not to go with a core i7 920 instead of the AMD? The last comparisons I read (a few months ago) seemed to agree the core i7 is a better processor overall (not to say they're not similar in performance). It's only $30 more and the motherboard would be similarly priced.

I might be out of the loop though.

I intended to get an i7 when I first started looking, but the motherboards I ran across seemed to support AMD sockets. I didn't look too extensively, just browsing newegg in between reading homework.

If it were me, I'd drop the high performance hard drive and take that money and put it into an i5 or an i7 processor and a 5850 in crossfire as opposed to the 4890s. You'll get more performance out of that than a Velociraptor drive.

I also prefer Corsair, OCZ or PC Power and Cooling PSUs over the Antec Truepower. And I'd go with a larger one at that for crossfire.

And go with a DDR3 mobo.. longer legs.

I was definitely leaning toward the DDR3 mobo. The idea of two GPUs is something I'm just playing with at the moment. One high end card should be more than enough for me, just stretching my budget with that initial build.

I'm not really familiar with PSUs or PC cooling systems, not sure which ones are considered good quality wise. This is the first time in nearly four years I've had to worry about desktop components. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[kpeezy]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131386

That's not the exact one I got but it's similar. The cheapest core i7 mobo is $155 and there are plenty to choose from.

Edit: Slickdeals has a 2TB SATA drive for $145 right now. With the loads of money you would save on hard drives, you could easily go core i7 with 6GB of RAM.

 

[Firestorm]

OK, I just came up with a list of parts real quick, using "GAF's ultimate high end rigs" thread as a starting point. It would be fantastic if someone more knowledgeable could give me their thoughts on this build and let me know if there are any compatibility issues (or deter me from getting an HDD intended for a server, etc.). I put this together in notepad real quick, I'm especially interested in finding a good heatsink, but really I'm mostly curious if this rig would work should I end up putting it together :lol :

boot drive - 300 GB velociraptor (10,000 RPM;$240) or 300 GB SAS (15,000 RPM; $370) - velociraptor may be better suited for desktop performace!

drive 2 - 2 TB caviar black (7200 RPM; $340)

mobo - 1. GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard ($110) or 2. GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard ($175)

GPU - HIS H489F1GP Radeon HD 4890 1GB (x2; $200 each)

CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz ($245)

RAM - for board 1: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 (x 2, $103 each); for board 2: 4GB kit (2GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 (x 2, $123 each)

case - Antec Sonata Elite ($100)

PSU - Antec TruePower 650w ($100)

fan/heatsink - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail ($37)

disc drive - ASUS Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-Ray DVD Combo Drive Model BC-06B1ST ($110)

I like this idea, seems like I've been asking a lot of questions about PCs here lately :lol

Would not do that.

Boot Drive: 80GB Intel X25-M 2nd Gen - $290
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167016

Drive 2: 1TB WD Caviar Black - $95 (wait for stock)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

Drive 3: 1TB WD Caviar Black - $95 (wait for stock)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA EP55-UD4P - $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128400

GPU: Sapphire HD 5870 - $380
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102856
and then crossfire later when it's cheaper. Or you can get the 5850 for now

CPU, Case, PSU - i5 750 + Antec 1200 + Antec 750w PSU - $370
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273737

RAM: G.Skill 2x2GB DDR3 RAM - $79
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231190

CPU Fan: Newegg doesn't seem to have many. The Coolermaster Hyper 212 should be around $30...

DVD Drive: Do you really need a Blu-Ray Drive? I'd just get a $30 DVD Burner

That'll get you a cheaper, better, PC.

 

[Red]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131386

That's not the exact one I got but it's similar. The cheapest core i7 mobo is $155 and there are plenty to choose from.

Edit: Slickdeals has a 2TB SATA drive for $145 right now.

Can't afford any of this stuff right now. I'm intending to build this around the end of December, I'll have the money to work with then. The mobo you linked looks great though, thanks.

@ Firestorm: I'll have this thing connected to my TV, had intended to use it as an all-purpose media center. I don't have a blu ray player, so I figured I may as well add that on.

The reason for the dual GPUs in my list was more of a future investment than anything else. I won't be running anything higher than 1080p currently because I'll be playing on a TV, but in case I ever switch to an XHD monitor I'd like to be prepared.

1 5850 will do that job just fine. And the 5850 is more future proof because down the line, you can just buy another and stick it in there and it'll be even better. And yeah, then you can add the BluRay Player.

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions. Your build definitely looks like a better value than mine :lol

What do you mean about the 5850 being more future proof though? I'd assume a single 5870 would be better in the long term.

One more question if anyone could oblige me: would there be any advantage in getting an i7 over an i5? I play a lot of my old console games on my PC, was wondering how much of a boost I'd get through emulation with the i7s. Dolphin, for example, is optimized for two cores, I believe. With the lower speed of the i5, would I get poorer performance? I'm not sure how lower clock speeds translate when dealing with dual/quad cores.

 

[Firestorm]

1 5850 will do that job just fine. And the 5850 is more future proof because down the line, you can just buy another and stick it in there and it'll be even better. And yeah, then you can add the BluRay Player.

 

[rohlfinator]

What do you mean about the 5850 being more future proof though? I'd assume a single 5870 would be better in the long term.

I think he meant the 5850 would be more future proof than 2 4890s. A 5870 would perform better, of course, but a 5850 will run basically anything at 1080p (with a few exceptions, like Crysis) and it's a better bang for your buck.

One more question if anyone could oblige me: would there be any advantage in getting an i7 over an i5? I play a lot of my old console games on my PC, was wondering how much of a boost I'd get through emulation with the i7s. Dolphin, for example, is optimized for two cores, I believe. With the lower speed of the i5, would I get poorer performance? I'm not sure how lower clock speeds translate when dealing with dual/quad cores.

If you're willing to overclock, you could get the i5 up to i7 speeds (and higher) fairly easily.

The only other advantage of the i7 over the i5 is hyperthreading support, but that doesn't make much of a difference for gaming and I'm guessing it would have little effect on emulators.

 

[Firestorm]

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions. Your build definitely looks like a better value than mine :lol

What do you mean about the 5850 being more future proof though? I'd assume a single 5870 would be better in the long term.

One more question if anyone could oblige me: would there be any advantage in getting an i7 over an i5? I play a lot of my old console games on my PC, was wondering how much of a boost I'd get through emulation with the i7s. Dolphin, for example, is optimized for two cores, I believe. With the lower speed of the i5, would I get poorer performance? I'm not sure how lower clock speeds translate when dealing with dual/quad cores.

Sorry, I meant the 5850 is more future proof than two 4890s. A 5870 would be better than a 5850 if you're willing to spend the extra money.

The i5 750 and i7 920 are both quad core processors at 2.66 GHz. The i7 has Hyperthreading which won't make a difference in games. I'm not too sure how PCSX2 and Dolphin use Hyperthreading.

Edit: The PSU in that combo deal is the following btw:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?&Item=N82E16817371022

 

[Binabik15]

I think he meant the 5850 would be more future proof than 2 4890s. A 5870 would perform better, of course, but a 5850 will run basically anything at 1080p (with a few exceptions, like Crysis) and it's a better bang for your buck.

Any real life Radeon 5850 fps benchmarks for Crysis at 1080p? Hardocp only tested Warhead and only 1200p, 1600p and 1050p, but not at 1080p :lol

But that´d be the resolution for my tv.

I mean I´ll buy it anyway, but having Crysis run well (stable 30 fps) at native res would be great.

 

[Red]

Sorry, I meant the 5850 is more future proof than two 4890s. A 5870 would be better than a 5850 if you're willing to spend the extra money.

The i5 750 and i7 920 are both quad core processors at 2.66 GHz. The i7 has Hyperthreading which won't make a difference in games. I'm not too sure how PCSX2 and Dolphin use Hyperthreading.

Edit: The PSU in that combo deal is the following btw:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?&Item=N82E16817371022

Nice, thanks.

I just have one final question now and that'll tie up my current curiosities: which board do you guys think would be better in the long run? This Asus that kpeezy posted earlier or the Gigabyte posted by Firestorm? I don't mind paying the extra money if I'll get a significant performance increase or future upgrade possibilities. I'll have the money, I figure why not use it the best way I can? I realize the Asus doesn't support i5, only i7, so the cost associated will go even further up. But will it be a better value? Really appreciate all the help, you guys are awesome.

Mainly looking on clarification on PCI-E 2.0 speeds. The Gigabyte looks like it's got one at x16 and one at x8, but the Asus looks like it has three at x16. I'm assuming x16 slots would better support additional GPUs. Triple channel memory support for the Asus board is another draw. I'm nearly clueless about the specifics of PCI speeds/sizes and what slots do or do not support what cards, so any input would be helpful.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Any real life Radeon 5850 fps benchmarks for Crysis at 1080p? Hardocp only tested Warhead and only 1200p, 1600p and 1050p, but not at 1080p :lol

But that´d be the resolution for my tv.

I mean I´ll buy it anyway, but having Crysis run well (stable 30 fps) at native res would be great.

I'm running a 5850 OC' to 775/1125mhz on a phenom II X4 920 @ 3ghz, 4gb of ram, 64bit windows 7 and Crysis gets a steady 35-40fps in the benchmark with everything on very high except shaders and post-processing (both high) @ 1920x1080.

 

[Terrifyer]

Is it easier/better if I can OC the multipliers? I'm very new to the OCing thing, so I have noob questions. :-( Or should I not even worry about it since I am new to this?

It depends. I tend to only OC using the FSB and adjusting the voltages for stability because I don't like to spend a long time doing it and you will tend to see the biggest performance gains that way. With that being said having the option of adjusting the multiplier definitely won't hurt and is required for getting the best OC possible. Since you're new to overclocking I think you'll probably end up with the same results with or without an unlocked multiplier.

 

[Timedog]

Man, Anand sure scared me out of pushing my i5! Apparently they Foxconn sockets can fry the i5/i7 if you push too hard.

I decided to stay on 3,6GHz with sub 1,3volt... since my Gigabyte use a Foxconn socket.
Sadly one of the cores on my CPU wants 1,3+ volts to push 3,8GHz and beyond
But almost 1GHz overclock is good in my book. So I'm happy.

Can you if possible explain how you overclocked the i5? I'm using i5 with p55 ud4p MOBO and I want to overclock it at some point.

Also I think you said you were using stock cooling? Somehow prime 95 makes my temp go up to 90+ immediately, so i'm not doing any overclocking til i get an aftermarket cooler, but I'd like to know how. Somehow it idles at 50c now and it idled at 29c after i first put it in. I wonder what happened?

 

[TofuEater]

Can you if possible explain how you overclocked the i5? I'm using i5 with p55 ud4p MOBO and I want to overclock it at some point.

Also I think you said you were using stock cooling? Somehow prime 95 makes my temp go up to 90+ immediately, so i'm not doing any overclocking til i get an aftermarket cooler, but I'd like to know how. Somehow it idles at 50c now and it idled at 29c after i first put it in. I wonder what happened?

50oC is idling a tad high even for stock cooling and stock speeds. Maybe something is blocking air flow? Fans not working etc?

Also Gigabyte mobos should have a relatively pain-free overclocking experience in the bios.

Just remember to set ram speeds down at first, (turn turbo off and the power saving feature off too) then starting bumping the multiplier by 5 or 10 at a time. Then boot up, run prime 95 for at least 1 hour. If its stable and temps arent too high, rinse and repeat. You will hit a point where you will need to bump up the v-core bit by bit(too much and you will fry your cpu).

 

[Lostconfused]

Can you if possible explain how you overclocked the i5? I'm using i5 with p55 ud4p MOBO and I want to overclock it at some point.

Also I think you said you were using stock cooling? Somehow prime 95 makes my temp go up to 90+ immediately, so i'm not doing any overclocking til i get an aftermarket cooler, but I'd like to know how. Somehow it idles at 50c now and it idled at 29c after i first put it in. I wonder what happened?

Try remounting the heatsink. Because one of the edges wasn't making full contact with the cpu for me and temps would go over 90C. For the core i5 you want to keep temps below 70C.

 

[SapientWolf]

50oC is idling a tad high even for stock cooling and stock speeds. Maybe something is blocking air flow? Fans not working etc?

Also Gigabyte mobos should have a relatively pain-free overclocking experience in the bios.

Just remember to set ram speeds down at first, (turn turbo off and the power saving feature off too) then starting bumping the multiplier by 5 or 10 at a time. Then boot up, run prime 95 for at least 1 hour. If its stable and temps arent too high, rinse and repeat. You will hit a point where you will need to bump up the v-core bit by bit(too much and you will fry your cpu).

Some guy got to 4.7MHz using an i5 750 and a Gigabyte UD3R (their budget p55 mobo). On air.

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?p=1577788

Insanity.

 

[nubbe]

Can you if possible explain how you overclocked the i5? I'm using i5 with p55 ud4p MOBO and I want to overclock it at some point.

Also I think you said you were using stock cooling? Somehow prime 95 makes my temp go up to 90+ immediately, so i'm not doing any overclocking til i get an aftermarket cooler, but I'd like to know how. Somehow it idles at 50c now and it idled at 29c after i first put it in. I wonder what happened?

Overclocking on a Gigabyte board is super easy.
You basically just need to disable a few thing for stability and change the BCLK and multiplier.
The BIOS is pretty smart on its own about voltages, but those should be change by hand later for best result.

You should also disable every port on the board that you don't use or need, like eSATA, 1394, COM ports and such.

Nice video for visual reference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llqhe3N1cJA

 

[Red]

Alright, I think I've finalized my build (with much help from Firestorm-- thanks again!).


mobo option 1: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard ($290)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365

Boot Drive: 80GB Intel X25-M 2nd Gen - $290
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167016

Drive 2: 1TB WD Caviar Black - $95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

Drive 3: 1TB WD Caviar Black - $95

GPU: Sapphire HD 5870 - $380
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102856

Case, PSU - Antec 1200 + Antec 750w PSU - $250
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129063

CPU - i7 920 ($280)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

RAM: mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - $185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226050

disc drive: LG Electronics GGC-H20L (blu ray/HD DVD player, CD/DVD burner, found for less than $100 on google products!)
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=LG+Electronics+GGC-H20L&cid=13228453471086887210&sa=title#p

fan/heatsink: Prolimatech Mega Shadow - Deluxe Edition 775 / 1366 / 1156 ($80)
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9...k_LGA_775_1156_1366_AM2_AM2_AM3_Hot_Item.html

Might need a 2.5" to 3.5" enclosure for the SSD, but will try fitting it before I jump the gun and buy a $30 piece of plastic

How does this one look to you guys?

 

[Toby]

I'm running a 5850 OC' to 775/1125mhz on a phenom II X4 920 @ 3ghz, 4gb of ram, 64bit windows 7 and Crysis gets a steady 35-40fps in the benchmark with everything on very high except shaders and post-processing (both high) @ 1920x1080.

Could you possibly link me to a guide you used to overclock that 920? Over the past few months I start looking through guides but get lost by some terminology half way through, wondered if you knew of a better guide than what is at Toms and AnAnd.

If you do, it would be appreciated.

Also, are you on stock cooling? or why did you stop at 3ghz?

 

[Hazaro]

Alright, I think I've finalized my build (with much help from Firestorm-- thanks again!).


mobo option 1: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard ($290)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365

GPU: Sapphire HD 5870 - $380
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102856

Case, PSU - Antec 1200 + Antec 750w PSU - $250
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129063

CPU - i7 920 ($280)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

RAM: mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - $185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226050

Might need a 2.5" to 3.5" enclosure for the SSD, but will try fitting it before I jump the gun and buy a $30 piece of plastic

How does this one look to you guys?

Looks like a serious rig.

Consider going i5 + 5850 instead? It will save you a large chunk of cash while offering very solid performance. What will you be using it for?

I'd get some cheaper RAM for sure though. (Save $50)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223

Non-Deluxe mobo is $50 cheaper. (Do you need any of the feature differences?) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359

Buying an Antec 1200 also nets you a free 1TB Drive ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433 )
So you can drop a WD, or sell the Seagate.

 

[nubbe]

I think the 1366 platform is a waste of money if you plan to use it for gaming and don't use x3 graphics cards.

Games have no performance boost from HT or tri channel memory. Also, the x16 buss speed on PCIe only have a few hundred points on synthetic benchmarks over x8 in the PCIe 2.0 buss, if you use x2 graphic cards. When you hit x4 or x1 there will be a big difference.

Way too much money is wasted on the PSU and case.
A quality 600W PSU should be enough for every need.
Get a HAF 922 and a Corsair PSU. Good space and great power.

I have a Corsair 620 PSU and I run 5 HDDs, 2x 4870, Bluray burner, WiFi, i5, 8GB ram.. everything overclocked too.

Get an i5, quality PSU and a nice case and spend those $300 on some other goodies or something fun.

 

[Red]

Looks like a serious rig.

Consider going i5 + 5850 instead? It will save you a large chunk of cash while offering very solid performance. What will you be using it for?

I'd get some cheaper RAM for sure though. (Save $50)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223

Non-Deluxe mobo is $50 cheaper. (Do you need any of the feature differences?) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359

Buying an Antec 1200 also nets you a free 1TB Drive ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433 )
So you can drop a WD, or sell the Seagate.

I'm planning on using this as a media center PC with a gaming focus, hooked via HDMI to a 42" plasma. In the future I may use it for video editing, and I'm hoping the i7 is a worthy investment in that regard. I play most of my old games via emulators, so CPU performance is a pretty big deal. The RAM I chose because of the low latency and positive reviews; I'll have the money, I figure I may as well build the best machine I can. As for the mobo, I'm not sure I will need the deluxe features; I just picked it, again, because of positive reviews. As long as I have a performing machine with all the slots and bays I need, I'm happy.

Really the only thing I'm having trouble with now is picking out wireless accessories. I need a responsive keyboard and mouse. Was looking at the diNovo Edge, but I hear it has a slight lag in button presses. I may still pick it up, but it's more expensive than what I was hoping for. I'll probably pick up a G7 mouse. Need a headset, too. Girlfriend would like a TV tuner so we can record shows, but that's not a necessity-- I can always add it later.

 

[Firestorm]

You have the money, but why spend it all on the PC when you're getting performance you won't notice or use?

The i5 is good enough for video editting unless you're really going to be stepping it up. If hyperthreading isn't used for emulators, there's no real point to using an i7 imo.

TV Tuner is pretty cheap. Is the 42" TV 1080p or 720p?

Don't piss away your money dude. The RAM latency is a non-issue. The reason I recommended the case was because it was a good deal for case + PSU combined with the processor. My friend has that case and loves it, but it's not worth $250 for it + PSU.

If you're gonna spend that much on a heatsink, I'd look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608014

 

[Red]

You have the money, but why spend it all on the PC when you're getting performance you won't notice or use?

The i5 is good enough for video editting unless you're really going to be stepping it up. If hyperthreading isn't used for emulators, there's no real point to using an i7 imo.

TV Tuner is pretty cheap. Is the 42" TV 1080p or 720p?

Don't piss away your money dude. The RAM latency is a non-issue. The reason I recommended the case was because it was a good deal for case + PSU combined with the processor. My friend has that case and loves it, but it's not worth $250 for it + PSU.

If you're gonna spend that much on a heatsink, I'd look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608014

You're probably right about me overspending, but the money is a gift. This is supposed to be a Christmas/birthday present for me, and it's the first time my parents have helped pay for anything since I've been in college. I'm trying to use this situation in the best way possible :lol

More details about the money situation here. I can't exactly say it's fortunate, but it looks like some good has come out of it. Man, being happy about the money makes me feel bad. But I can't say I'm not excited. I can't wait, I feel like a four year old at Christmas.

TV is 1080p. I found this one, but this is another case of me not knowing enough about the product to suppose whether or not this is a good deal.

I'll probably switch to the cheaper RAM, but I think I'm going to stick with the i7. Even if it's just in case I'll ever need its extra capabilities, I'd like to have it. The case looks nice and roomy and the fans are a big plus. I could do without the lights and case window, though. The case really isn't a huge factor for me, I just need something to fit all my stuff in.

The mega shadow seemed to be the most well-regarded heatsink I found through my Google research. What are the advantages of the noctua?

 

[Hazaro]

I'll probably switch to the cheaper RAM, but I think I'm going to stick with the i7. Even if it's just in case I'll ever need its extra capabilities, I'd like to have it. The case looks nice and roomy and the fans are a big plus. I could do without the lights and case window, though. The case really isn't a huge factor for me, I just need something to fit all my stuff in.

The mega shadow seemed to be the most well-regarded heatsink I found through my Google research. What are the advantages of the noctua?

RAM speed is non-issue, you won't notice anything. I'd grab the non-deluxe board since I can't find anything different on the newegg descriptions and reviews are the same.

Noctua fans are a nice plus.

I'd go for a CM690 + solid PSU (Corsair)
If you keep the TB drive you get with the 1200 it's the same price and the 1200 is a bit longer than the 690, but I never really liked the looks of the 900 and 1200, too flashy.

If you drop in a 5850 and don't like the performance you get, just drop another one in, or wait for a more powerful card. Really the 5870 is not worth it imo.
At 1080p it's more than enough for everything out today.

 

[Red]

RAM speed is non-issue, you won't notice anything. I'd grab the non-deluxe board since I can't find anything different on the newegg descriptions and reviews are the same.

Noctua fans are a nice plus.

I'd go for a CM690 + solid PSU (Corsair)
If you keep the TB drive you get with the 1200 it's the same price and the 1200 is a bit longer than the 690, but I never really liked the looks of the 900 and 1200, too flashy.

If you drop in a 5850 and don't like the performance you get, just drop another one in, or wait for a more powerful card. Really the 5870 is not worth it imo.
At 1080p it's more than enough for everything out today.

Well, the 690 definitely looks nicer, but it's a bit smaller all around. Should still fit everything alright. I'm not sure what wattage I should be looking for from a PSU, but if I go for a 750w like in the 1200 deal, I end up paying about the same price as I would with the original bundle. If I can get better quality components for that price, though, I'm all over it.

I think the 1366 platform is a waste of money if you plan to use it for gaming and don't use x3 graphics cards.

Games have no performance boost from HT or tri channel memory. Also, the x16 buss speed on PCIe only have a few hundred points on synthetic benchmarks over x8 in the PCIe 2.0 buss, if you use x2 graphic cards. When you hit x4 or x1 there will be a big difference.

Way too much money is wasted on the PSU and case.
A quality 600W PSU should be enough for every need.
Get a HAF 922 and a Corsair PSU. Good space and great power.

I have a Corsair 620 PSU and I run 5 HDDs, 2x 4870, Bluray burner, WiFi, i5, 8GB ram.. everything overclocked too.

Get an i5, quality PSU and a nice case and spend those $300 on some other goodies or something fun.

Somehow missed this post earlier. The case here is an inch and a half wider than the 690, but I don't like the look of it as much. They're the same price, though, and I'm wondering if that extra might not be worth it just to have some breathing room when dealing with wires. Not sure.

Right now I've changed my case choice to the CM NV 690-C and my PSU to a 650w Corsair. Bit on the noctua; it's a more standard looking heatsink, but I figure I can't go wrong with two CPU fans. Went for cheaper RAM, too, and shaved about $100 off my last build price. Was thinking about going for the basic P6T, but the deluxe board has a better sound card. Right now I'm trying to decide if that's important enough to me to justify the higher price.

 

[Hazaro]

Well, the 690 definitely looks nicer, but it's a bit smaller all around. Should still fit everything alright. I'm not sure what wattage I should be looking for from a PSU, but if I go for a 750w like in the 1200 deal, I end up paying about the same price as I would with the original bundle. If I can get better quality components for that price, though, I'm all over it.

It seems to be only 2 inches shorter and can fit the 5850. Not sure if the 5870 can.

$70 + $80 AR = $100 cheaper (About the same if you include the TB drive though)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

*Nice timing :lol
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
I like the non-NV case better, $30 cheaper too.

 

[Red]

It seems to be only 2 inches shorter and can fit the 5850. Not sure if the 5870 can.

$70 + $80 AR = $100 cheaper (About the same if you include the TB drive though)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

*Nice timing :lol
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
I like the non-NV case better, $30 cheaper too.

Nice :lol

My little brother has the non-NV case. I forget what card he put in there, but I remember it was a tight fit. Heatsink was iffy, too. I'm thinking I might get the HAF 922 for the extra space.

Yep, HAF 922 confirmed. I'm still sticking with the 5870 (I know, how obstinate) and it looks like it'll fit in the 922 with barely any room to spare. Wouldn't want to try cramming it into a 690.

 

[Lime]

Did your work buy it direct from LG? If they bought it from a retailer, see if they can return it for you and exchange it. Unless they gave it to you for free because of the pixel, haha.

Nope, a well-known retailer supplied the monitor. But I think the warranty of the retailer defers to LG's warranty.

 

[Hazaro]

Nice :lol

My little brother has the non-NV case. I forget what card he put in there, but I remember it was a tight fit. Heatsink was iffy, too. I'm thinking I might get the HAF 922 for the extra space.

Yep, HAF 922 confirmed. I'm still sticking with the 5870 (I know, how obstinate) and it looks like it'll fit in the 922 with barely any room to spare. Wouldn't want to try cramming it into a 690.

The 5850 is 1" smaller than the 5870, a person on a forum said the 5870 fits into the HAF fine, so you should be good.

 

[Binabik15]

Simce the 5850 is still not in stock I have way too much time to think about my purchase, but not enough knowledge :lol

I´m especially unsure about the mobo:

Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 (80 euro)

or

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3 (99 euro)

Google shows me that a German forum build a "500 gaming pc" with the UD2 and a Radeon 5850, so the card will fit in.

But there´s the slight chance that I need to add another 5850 in a few years to get games payble. Would the UD3 better for this (the UD4 is too expenisve, IMO). The UD2 says that Crossfire is supported, but customer reviews say that the slots get too cramped.

And a really stupid question, none of the "Gaf´s ultimate gaming rigs" list a cpu cooler, so I figure there´ll be a stock one included, right?

 

[Diablohead]

I just received my new PSU after something like 10 days, glad to get my pc running again now.

EZcool 700w super silent PSU, just comparing it to the older broken 500W eagle you can see and feel the difference in quality, lesson learned I will never cheap out on a PSU ever again.

 

[Ceebs]

Simce the 5850 is still not in stock I have way too much time to think about my purchase, but not enough knowledge :lol

I´m especially unsure about the mobo:

Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 (80 euro)

or

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3 (99 euro)

Google shows me that a German forum build a "500 gaming pc" with the UD2 and a Radeon 5850, so the card will fit in.

But there´s the slight chance that I need to add another 5850 in a few years to get games payble. Would the UD3 better for this (the UD4 is too expenisve, IMO). The UD2 says that Crossfire is supported, but customer reviews say that the slots get too cramped.

And a really stupid question, none of the "Gaf´s ultimate gaming rigs" list a cpu cooler, so I figure there´ll be a stock one included, right?

It's always better to upgrade to a newer single card than add a 2nd older model if you are thinking that far ahead.

 

[Red]

Simce the 5850 is still not in stock I have way too much time to think about my purchase, but not enough knowledge :lol

I´m especially unsure about the mobo:

Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 (80 euro)

or

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3 (99 euro)

Google shows me that a German forum build a "500 gaming pc" with the UD2 and a Radeon 5850, so the card will fit in.

But there´s the slight chance that I need to add another 5850 in a few years to get games payble. Would the UD3 better for this (the UD4 is too expenisve, IMO). The UD2 says that Crossfire is supported, but customer reviews say that the slots get too cramped.

And a really stupid question, none of the "Gaf´s ultimate gaming rigs" list a cpu cooler, so I figure there´ll be a stock one included, right?

I know I've been doing a more asking than answering in this thread, but I can tell you there will be a stock cooler with a new CPU, though it won't be very good. Your need for additional cooling will be dictated by whether or not you want to OC, but I'd recommend at least a cheap heatsink even if you play to run everything at stock settings. Didn't catch your earlier posts here, not sure what your intent is with the new PC.

 

[Hazaro]

I know I've been doing a more asking than answering in this thread, but I can tell you there will be a stock cooler with a new CPU, though it won't be very good. Your need for additional cooling will be dictated by whether or not you want to OC, but I'd recommend at least a cheap heatsink even if you play to run everything at stock settings. Didn't catch your earlier posts here, not sure what your intent is with the new PC.

OEM = no Heatsink
Retail = Heatsink + Warranty

I just received my new PSU after something like 10 days, glad to get my pc running again now.

EZcool 700w super silent PSU, just comparing it to the older broken 500W eagle you can see and feel the difference in quality, lesson learned I will never cheap out on a PSU ever again.

Heavy = Good
In most cases.