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"I need a New PC!" 2011 Thread of reading the OP. Seriously. [Part 2]

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Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
*Visit out friends at Laptop-GAF
**Bench your new or old PC at the Race your PC Thread
Use Ctrl+F or your search function to help find what you are looking for

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Banner by: MedIC86

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

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12/16/2011: Reformatted OP in preparation for 2012 Thread.
http://tinyurl.com/HazPCDec2011 - Updated Spreadsheet.
Expect AMD's new 7xxx series GPUs to be released in the next 3 weeks as well?

12/11/2011: Added Anandtech's excellent BENCH resource under the 'information to fill out' section.

11/30/11: Intel Roadmap to Q4 2012. Subject to change and delay.


10/27/2011: Thai Flood(s) are causing HDD prices to skyrocket, not much to do.

10/12/2011: AMD AM3+ Bulldozer Reviews are up (FX-8150)
I will not be recommending any AMD Bulldozer CPUs in my builds as of now.
Bulldozer Review and News thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428387
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9/9/2011: Inside the second: A new look at game benchmarking Why FPS isn't everything, and multi GPU still has issues.

5/28/2011: Best overall i5/i7 2500K/2600K P67/Z68 overclocking guide (clunk.org)


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If you want help with a build fill this out AND try making one of your own from the resources in the OP :)

Use PCPartPickerhttp://pcpartpicker.com/ to find the best prices.
Basic Desktop Questions:
Your Current Specs: CPU / RAM (DDR2/DDR3) / Motherboard / GPU
Budget: Price Range + Country
Main Use: Light Gaming, Gaming, Emulation (PS2/Wii), Video Editing, 3D work, general usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback). Rate importance on a 1-5 scale.
Monitor Resolution: What resolution will you be playing your games at? Are you going to upgrade later? Are you buying a new monitor?
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Self Explanatory
Are reusing any parts?: List make and model (e.g. Corsair 520HX 520W)
When will you build?: When do you want your computer, do you need it in a week, can you wait a month or two?
Will you be overclocking?: Yes, No, Maybe (This means yes)

General guides:
FALCON GUIDE – This is a general UPDATED guide with lots of price segments and a ton of good information at the bottom. Lite version
Tech Report Christmas 2011 Buying Guide - Updated once a season, I generally agree with everything on these lists.

Picking your parts
CPU and GPU Benchmarks: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU11/ Select CPU or GPU and view single products, or compare them.
A great resource. Note the speed benchmarks are run at, and some games and tasks work better on one setup versus another. e.g. Video editing (multi core), RTS (core speed), Games (AMD/nVidia optimizations)

Intro to dual cards: SLI & Crossfire
In my opinion I'd only suggest dual cards from a performance a high end perspective. If you are willing to plunk down $600+ for GPU alone you go two cards.

How much power do I need?
For lower end systems, even with a GTX 460 or HD6850, a good PSU that can deliver 380W on the 12V is enough. For higher end systems a 500 or 550W is reccommended.
Above that tier are 750W systems for dual card capability or fastest single card, then a high end 850W or a 1000W for more graphics.

Prospective laptop buyers please fill this out.
What laptop should i buy? Laptop-GAF


Hazaro's PC Builds:


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Choosing a case: Picking a case reflects what you are looking for, and your personal tastes. Note that some cases might not be able to fit taller rifle coolers (Like the CM 212 Plus, or more commonly a ThermalRight Silver Arrow) or longer video cards (Like a 6950 or GTX 580). Additionally some of the LED fans in cases can have off switches.
Thank your friendly neighborhood feist and TheExodu5. Updated 11/15/11

$40-60
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$70-$100
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$120-$200
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$40 - BitFenix Merc Alpha/Beta ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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$80 - Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced ,,,,,,
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$140 - SilverStone RV02/FT02​
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$40 - NZXT Source 210/210 Elite/220 ,,,,,,,,
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$100 - Fractal Design Arc ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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$150 - Corsair 600T​
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$45 - Diablotek Evo/Rosewill Challenger ,,,,
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$100 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K62/K63/K68X-E ,,,,
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$180 - Cooler Master HAF X/CM Storm Trooper/Xigmatek Elysium​
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$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912/922 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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$100 - Corsair 400R/500R ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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$ N/A - Various Lian Li
[QUIET OPTIONS]
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$60 - BitFenix Shinobi ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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$100 - Fractal Design Define R3/Define XL ,,,,
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$150 - Anidées AI-6B/Antec P280​

Accessories: Monitors, Keyboards, Mice, Microphones, Headphones and Speakers
Under construction
Monitor: 20", 22", 24", Gaming and IPS
Mouse: $20, $40, 2x$60
Keyboard: $20, $40, $60, 2x Mechs, G15 style
Headphones/Headset: $20 $40 $80 $120 + Headphone GAF link
Mic: Zalman clip on and Logitech USB mic

Putting it all together
Thermal Paste: Apply as a ~4mm ball to the CPU. Press the heatsink down and tighten. Line method is ok. If you take the heatsink off, clean it with alcohol and reapply or you will trap air.
Video How-to: 15 minute video how-to / 40 Minute how-to / Tested March 15th $1,500 build (100 minutes, but entertaining) / How to Build a Gaming Computer (Carey Holzman - 120 minutes) / Newegg - 40 minutes


Help! PC won't Turn on/POST/Boot
Under construction

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Newegg (Parts)
Amazon (Parts)
NCIXUS (Parts)
Chief Value (Parts)
Micro Center (Parts)
Performance-PCs (Parts)
Tiger Direct (Parts, Bing Cashback)
Mwave (Parts)
AVADirect (Custom Built)
Falcon Northwest (Custom Built)
MAINGEAR (Custom Built)

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NCIX (Parts, Assembly, Price Match)
Amazon (Parts)
Canada Computers (Parts)
DirectCanada (Parts)
Memory Express (Parts, Assembly, Price Match)
Newegg (Parts)
Tiger Direct (Parts)
PriceBat (Price Comparison)
PriceCanada (Price Comparison)
Shopbot (Price Comparison)

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

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PC Case Gear (Parts)
MSY (Parts)
Scorpion Technology (Parts)
Umart (Parts)
staticICE (Product Finder)

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(And reviews)
AnandTech
The Tech Report
Guru3D
HardOCP
Hardware Canucks
Overclockers
Tom's Hardware
X-bit labs
+Jonnyguru - LEGIT PSU reviews
+HardwareSecrets - LEGIT PSU reviews
+Silent PC Review - Silent Computing

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Steam Mover / Steam Tool for SSDs

_____
CPU-Z gathers information on your CPU, FSB, VCORE voltage and memory timings.
GPU-Z gathers information on your video card and GPU.
Real Temp / Core Temp allows you to monitor the temperature of your CPU core(s).
HWMonitor allows you to monitor fan speed, temperature, voltage, etc.
Piriform Speccy overall computer hardware monitoring
ATTO / CrystalDiskMark Tests read and write speed of your hard drives.
MSI Afterburner (aka RivaTuner) allows you to manage GPU overclocking, fan speed/profiles and chart many aspects of your GPU.

FURMark allows you to stress test your video card.
Fraps allows you to record real time video, take screen captures and display your FPS.
Memtest86+ allows you to run a full memory scan to deal with the blue screen of death and system errors.
MemtestG80 allows you to test for soft errors in GPU memory for NVIDIA CUDA-enabled GPUs.
nHancer/Radeon Pro allows you to optimize the display, improve the performance and fully utilize your NVIDIA graphics card.
OCCT / Prime95 allows you to stress test your CPU and GPU. allows you to stress test the stability of your computer.
Dxtory/nVidia driver options allows you to limit the frame rate on most games. Excellent for older games or just getting a locked 45FPS


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Online Security Thread
The 2011 high-res PC screenshot thread!
Triple buffering: "Why we love it"
PC games blog list

2008 Thread
2009 Thread
2010 Thread
2011 Thread Part 1
2011 Thread Part 2
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
MedIC86's Advanced Information Guide - Ctrl + F is your friend.

processors.jpg


Current mainstream sockets:
Intel: LGA1155/2011
AMD: AM3/AM3+

Overclocking:

Is it safe? Mostly. Computer parts are pretty damn durable and there are a ton of safeguards in place to auto throttle down a CPU, increase fan speed, and even shut down before any harm happens.
How hot is too hot? In general it is wanted to keep temperatures under 65C using a CPU load program (Like in the OP, Prime95). A little over is fine. Idle temperatures are not that important and are often reported inaccurately. Temperature variation across cores is normal.
My CPU is not fast as others It happens. Every person is not going to get 4.8Ghz out of an i5 2500K. 1.3V and 4.4Ghz is a good benchmark for many though.

In general, the most resources you want are found by simply using Google. 'Processor + Motherboard' will give you a lot of good results. 'How to overclock (processor)' as well.

A popular 2500K (P67) guide is clunk's, here: http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/overclocking/39184-p67-sandy-bridge-overclocking-guide-beginners.html


mobo.jpg

Motherboards:

- Socket Type (Which processors will work with your motherboard. Make sure it matches or is compatible with the CPU you are buying.)
- Chipset (Different chipsets (H67,P67,Z68,770,880,990) determine what possible connections and extras motherboards can support. In general the performance gains are not noticible and it is used mainly to tell how many PCI-E lanes a motherboard can support)
- Memory (Does it use DDR2 or DDR3? 1.5V or 1.65V? Most use 1.5V DDR3 today)
- Expansion slots (How many expansion slots do you need? PCI-E x16? PCI? Do you want two GPU's and a wireless PCI-E card? A PCI sound card?)
- Connectors/features (Do you need HDMI out? USB 3.0 ports? On board digital out?)
- Formfactor (Your case will have room for a certain formfactor of motherboard (ATX[normal], mATX[small]. Some cases only fit mATX and are labeled as such)
- Compatibility (On rare occasions there are incompatibilities between certain cards and memory with motherboards)
- Brand (Most brands on the market today are solid. Newegg reviews are generally helpful to determine a DOA rate. MSI, ASUS, ASRock, and Gigabyte in no particular order are some of the most known.)
- Quality (You pay more for more features. Higher end boards will also have more power regulations, use less power, and keep voltage in check more than cheaper boards)
- Overclock-ability (Usually nearly equal across the board. If you want a slightly higher overclock, you can pay more for a motherboard with better power regulation)
- Price (Always try to find the best bang for your buck, don't buy a mobo with features that you will never use!)

So in short, when buying a motherboard try to follow these points:
1. Determine the platform (Chipset + Socket)
2. Determine what functions you deem necessary for the motherboard to have
3. Make a shortlist of all motherboards that have your demands
4. Pick the board that has good reviews and has the best price

memory.jpg


Speed and latency for RAM (e.g. 1333 9-9-9-24 vs 1666 8-8-8-24) is not a big deal. In many cases it is just 1-4% difference. 1333Mhz DDR3 is perfectly fine for most. Save your money unless a sale is on, our you want to buy neat looking RAM. Just make sure the tall RAM heatsinks don't block your CPU heatsink!
4GB is enough for gaming. 8GB if you do a lot of multitasking or video work.
DDR3 prices are currently quite low and shouldn't drop much farther.

CAS vs. SPEED
DDR2 & DDR3
Memory Overclocking

GPU.jpg


When you are in the market for a new GPU follow the same rules as with the motherboard. Determine your budget, features that you need etc.**CHECK REVIEWS FROM OP SITES!**

Question: There are many different brands in videocards, do they differ?
Answer: Most cards are very similar. Brands are there for warranty and support. Sometimes a brand will use a custom cooler.
If the card uses the reference PCB, there is **NO** difference per brand, its the same card they just slap a different sticker on it.
But if you have a pre-factory overclocked card or they are using another cooler then the reference design there might be a difference, check hardware review sites for these GPU's.

storage.jpg


SSD is a abbreviation for 'Solid State Drive': a 'drive' with no mechanical parts, but with a conventional disk-interface (usually SATA).
An ssd contains memory chips (flash memory) to store the data.
The biggest advantage is data is almost immediately available, without the need of moving a mechanical head to the area on the hard drive where the desired data is stored.
At this moment pc-components such as the processor, memory (ram), graphics processor and other components, perform well enough to meet the demand of the most users. Still we have to wait while using a computer...
So where can performance still be increased dramatically? The answer: SSD's!

Terminology:

- Garbage collection: part of the functionality of the firmware of ssd's that automatically merges fairly unused memory blocks for better performance
- Under-partitioning: leave blank space for better performance
- Wiping: OCZ method (tool) to improve performance
- Aligning: creating a partition with a size that is exactly the cluster size multiplied by a factor
- TRIM: a ATA (contoller) command from the operating system to an ssd, that can tell that a memory block on the ssd can be erased to improve write performance - It's a feature of Windows 7 but keep in mind that your SSD must support it!
- Wear leveling: spreading write-actions on memory cells evenly over the whole ssd - this prevents wear of the flash cells increasing their lifetime
- MLC / SLC: Multi Level Cell or Single Level Cell - the latter lasts longer, is theoretically faster but more expensive, so mlc-based ssd's are now sold more, especially to consumers.

Tips for SSD's on a Windows based system:

- Firmware: YES (check if there is new firmware out and if so install it, usually gets speed increases)
- Partition alignment: YES (Windows Vista (SP1 and later) and Windows 7 always create aligned partitions.)
- Defragmentation: NO (it's important that you turn off automatic defragging on the SSD. see below)
- Indexing: NO (its better for the drive durability + speed to turn this off. right click on the SSD in "my computer" and uncheck "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" you will probably get some error for some files that cant be accessed just skip them)
- AHCI: preferably enabled (this is a bit tricky since not all motherboards can actually do this. To enable ACHI also differs from pc per pc but there are some steps that are necessary. you can google this easily enough. -> be warned tho! there is no guarantee that this will speed up your SSD, also enabling ACHI requires to be done before installing Windows, you can hack it into the registry later but that can make your system unstable, so read up if you want to do this)

How to check if TRIM is enabled in Windows 7?
Go to the command prompt (run -> CMD) and key in "fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify" if you get a 0 (zero) TRIM is working. To enable it key in "
fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0"

Here is a list with some good tweaks for your SSD (*WARNING* as always be careful what you change, most of these are quiet harmless but there are never guarantees!)

Disable indexing
Description: Indexing creates and maintains a database of file attributes. This can lead to multiple small writes when creating/deleting/modifying files.

Searching for files will still work.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Windows Search -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

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

Disable Write Caching (Depends on SSD. Crucial M4 SSD leave on (as of 9/19/2011)
Description: There is no cache on the SSD, so there are no benefits to write caching. There are conflicting reports on whether this gains speed or not.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> Disk drives -> Right-Click STEC PATA -> Properties -> Policies Tab -> Uncheck Enable write caching -> OK

Firefox - Use memory cache instead of disk cache
Description: If you use Firefox, there's a way to write cached files to RAM instead of the hard disk. This is not only faster, but will significantly reduce writes to the SSD while using the browser.
Instructions: Open Firefox -> Type about:config into the address bar -> Enter -> double-click browser.cache.disk.enable to set the value to False -> Right-Click anywhere -> New -> Integer -> Preference Name "disk.cache.memory.capacity" -> value memory size in KB. Enter 32768 for 32MB, 65536 for 64MB, 131072 for 128MB, etc. -> restart Firefox

Free up extra drive space
Disable the Page File
Description: Eliminate writing memory to the SSD, free over 2GB of disk space. Warning - If you run out of memory the program you're using will crash.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> Settings (Performance) -> Advanced Tab -> Change -> Uncheck Automatically manage -> No paging file -> Set -> OK -> Restart your computer
Alternatively, if you want to play it safer, you can set a custom size of 200MB min and max.

Disable System Restore
Description: Don't write backup copies of files when installing new programs or making system changes. Can free up between a few hundred MB to a couple GB. Warning - Although unlikely, if a driver installation corrupts your system, there won't be an automatic way to recover.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> System Protection Tab -> Configure -> Turn off system protection -> Delete -> OK

Disable Hibernate
Description: You may free up 1GB of space on the SSD if you have 1GB of memory, 2GB of space if you have 2GB memory. You will lose the hibernation feature which allows the equivalent of quick boots and shutdowns.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Type cmd -> Right-Click the cmd Icon -> Run as Administrator -> Type powercfg -h off -> Type exit

And finally the ever important question: What SSD should i buy ?

Unfortunately there is no definitive answer for this question, technology changes and evolves all the time. So if you are planning on buying an SSD read up some reviews on trusted sites (see the websites in the link section).

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

Jin34

Member
Repost for new thread:

Alright guys I've had it with my wireless card and want a new one, what are some of the best?

- Can be either PCI or PCI-E

- I don't have an N router but since I will be buying this now it's probably better that the card is N.

- Are high gain antennas worth it? My signal is between 2 or 3 bars and struggles to stream 720p vids from my computer to the PS3 or 360.

- Can custom firmware on your router improve your signal?

- My OS is Windows 7 64-bit with 4GB of Ram in case of drivers.

- Distance from router isn't far but it goes through cement walls.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Additionally I will be swapping the AMD x4 for an Intel 2100 after this MLG and E3 madness and Finals are all over.

It is ridiculous to recommend a dual core over a quad, but when it matches 4 core applications and exceeds everywhere else it's a joke.
 

scorcho

testicles on a cold fall morning
a lot of those SSD tweaks seem unnecessary - when Win7 detects an SSD it'll automatically disable disk defragmentation, Superfetch, ReadyBoost, as well as boot and application launch prefetching.
 
Cool. Love how Techreport and Anandtech are at the top of your resources there.

I would personally downgrade a little from the 570 for some savings towards an SSD. I admit though that I'd try to make it SATA6 capable at this point.

Plus, though it goes for a little more, Techreport says the P8 Z68 PRO (IIRC) has some sick overclocking potential. I'll have to read up a little more on the others.
 

Beaner

Member
Okay so I think I've decided on this build:

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600
PSU:Corsair TX750 V2 750W
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card:
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
Disk Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

I've changed/added a part or two from the $1000 build. Are there any compatibility issues that might arise? Or are there any cables that I'll need or other missing parts? Or is thermal paste necessary? Also is the PSU sufficient (I might want to add a second card in the future)?

Thanks for the help so far!
 

CaLe

Member
Awesome work. One of the most useful threads on Gaf.

You guys should probably add the Phantom from NZXT in the case section of the OP, I got mine and it's pretty awesome. I think a few other users also got it.
 

teh_pwn

"Saturated fat causes heart disease as much as Brawndo is what plants crave."
Beaner said:
Okay so I think I've decided on this build:

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600

PSU:Corsair TX750 V2 750W
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card:
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
Disk Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

I've changed/added a part or two from the $1000 build. Are there any compatibility issues that might arise? Or are there any cables that I'll need or other missing parts? Or is thermal paste necessary? Also is the PSU sufficient (I might want to add a second card in the future)?

Thanks for the help so far!

Either change the motherboard, change the RAM, or be sure to update BIOS when you get it. Compatibility issues between those two brands with P67.

http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=8076
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
reptilescorpio said:
Great work again! Might need to get a mod to throw a 2011 in the thread title though, just to make it easier for search.
I realized after I posted. Got it fixed :)
Beaner said:
Okay so I think I've decided on this build:

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600
PSU:Corsair TX750 V2 750W
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card:
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
Disk Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

I've changed/added a part or two from the $1000 build. Are there any compatibility issues that might arise? Or are there any cables that I'll need or other missing parts? Or is thermal paste necessary? Also is the PSU sufficient (I might want to add a second card in the future)?

Thanks for the help so far!
Looks great, I can't see anything to change. That MSI + G.Skill issue I'll try to look at.
I think both sticks I recommend are CL9 though. (Yup)

Probably sub in there Corsair sticks (For low overhead): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145339
CaLe said:
Awesome work. One of the most useful threads on Gaf.

You guys should probably add the Phantom from NZXT in the case section of the OP, I got mine and it's pretty awesome. I think a few other users also got it.
Get a nice thumbnail and PM me, I'll add it. I like the look of it too.
 

Beaner

Member
teh_pwn said:
Either change the motherboard, change the RAM, or be sure to update BIOS when you get it. Compatibility issues between those two brands with P67.

http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=8076

Hazaro said:
Looks great, I can't see anything to change. That MSI + G.Skill issue I'll try to look at.
I think both sticks I recommend are CL9 though.

I'd be happy to switch either thing, I'm just aiming for 8GB of ram and some future-proofing (possible SLI, etc). Any recommendations for what to change or what have you?
 

Smokey

Member
Beaner said:
Okay so I think I've decided on this build:

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600
PSU:Corsair TX750 V2 750W
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card:
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
Disk Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

I've changed/added a part or two from the $1000 build. Are there any compatibility issues that might arise? Or are there any cables that I'll need or other missing parts? Or is thermal paste necessary? Also is the PSU sufficient (I might want to add a second card in the future)?

Thanks for the help so far!


Are you planning to put Steam on that SSD? If so 80GB might not be enough. I have a 160GB Intel 320 SSD and I only have about 47GB left on my SSD. Granted that's with like 15 games or so, but just throwing it out there.


Beaner said:
I'd be happy to switch either thing, I'm just aiming for 8GB of ram and some future-proofing (possible SLI, etc). Any recommendations for what to change or what have you?

If you want to SLI with the 580 in the future you're going to want to bump up your power supply to at LEAST 850w. Also with the 2500k it's built for overclocking so look into the Hyper 212+. Great cooler and < $30. Can get that 2500k to 4.5ghz with ease.
 

Beaner

Member
Smokey said:
Are you planning to put Steam on that SSD? If so 80GB might not be enough. I have a 160GB Intel 320 SSD and I only have about 47GB left on my SSD. Granted that's with like 15 games or so, but just throwing it out there.

I'd probably only put certain games on there, and leave steam for the other hard drive. Is there much advantage to having steam on the SSD instead of HDD?

Smokey said:
If you want to SLI with the 580 in the future you're going to want to bump up your power supply to at LEAST 850w. Also with the 2500k it's built for overclocking so look into the Hyper 212+. Great cooler and < $30. Can get that 2500k to 4.5ghz with ease.

Would this one work?
 

Smokey

Member
Beaner said:
I'd probably only put certain games on there, and leave steam for the other hard drive. Is there much advantage to having steam on the SSD instead of HDD?

For MMORPG's I believe there is some benefit. There's also a program where you can put Steam on the SSD, but move your game files etc to the HDD. I'm not on my home computer so I forget the name of the program. Someone here knows though. Also read my edit about SLI in the future in my above post.
 

vilmer_

Member
Beaner said:
I'd be happy to switch either thing, I'm just aiming for 8GB of ram and some future-proofing (possible SLI, etc). Any recommendations for what to change or what have you?

If you are looking to SLI two of those beautiful 580's, I'd get a beefier power supply for more headroom just in case.
 

Beaner

Member
Ok so I've made a couple changes now then

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:2x Corsair XMS 4GB (2x 2GB) <- Changed from the G.Skill ones
PSU:Corsair 850TX 850W <- For future SLi
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card: Xonar DG
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
DVD Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

Any other changes? Will I need extras such as cables (for the dvd drives?) or is thermal paste needed? Thanks
 
I'd just like to thank everyone who made this moment possible...

Do I get royalties?


CaLe said:
Awesome work. One of the most useful threads on Gaf.

You guys should probably add the Phantom from NZXT in the case section of the OP, I got mine and it's pretty awesome. I think a few other users also got it.
You'll notice the recommendations are meant to be as general as possible, since there's limited space for each price bracket. That's why most are mid towers, available in most territories (unlike a lot of Rosewill cases, or stuff from boutique brands), great price/performance/features, and are not overly-stylized (limited appeal). The HAF X is the only full tower, and while some don't like the styling, the HAF series options are great choices for what they offer. HAFs are about as "offensive" as the choices are likely to get.

I've actually recommended the Phantom to a few people in past threads, but OP space is limited. That's also why you don't see any HTPC, mITX, mATX only (apart from one), or highly specialized cases.

Between Computex and some of the upcoming trade show debuts, I'm looking to get my hands on certain upcoming releases, or at least get input from trusted sources. So some new additions should be replacing older models, as long as TheExodu5 and Hazaro are ok with it.
 

Smokey

Member
The Broken Ska Record said:
How well do AMD CPUs and Nvidia GPUs play together? I may want to upgrade my video card come October/November for ESV since mine is, apparently, holding me back.

They work together fine.
 
The Broken Ska Record said:
How well do AMD CPUs and Nvidia GPUs play together? I may want to upgrade my video card come October/November for ESV since mine is, apparently, holding me back.
Not an issue, really. About the only thing you'd want to make sure of is if you have a mobo with an AMD/ATI IGP, that you don't have any graphics drivers installed (just the necessary chipset stuff) that may cause potential conflicts with your Nvidia GPU.
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Beaner said:
I'd probably only put certain games on there, and leave steam for the other hard drive. Is there much advantage to having steam on the SSD instead of HDD?

Would this one work?
You want a very strong 850w if you SLi 580's imo.
You can get an AX850w / X850 or something like a nice 1000W
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256057

The 212 comes with paste.

**Oh if you wanted 8GB, then get 2x4GB sticks! http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226095
Smokey said:
For MMORPG's I believe there is some benefit. There's also a program where you can put Steam on the SSD, but move your game files etc to the HDD. I'm not on my home computer so I forget the name of the program. Someone here knows though. Also read my edit about SLI in the future in my above post.
http://www.stefanjones.ca/steam/
·feist· said:
I'd just like to thank everyone who made this moment possible...

Do I get royalties?

Between Computex and some of the upcoming trade show debuts, I'm looking to get my hands on certain upcoming releases, or at least get input from trusted sources. So some new additions should be replacing older models, as long as TheExodu5 and Hazaro are ok with it.
Once I get some royalties. Sure.
 

vilmer_

Member
Beaner said:
Ok so I've made a couple changes now then

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:2x Corsair XMS 4GB (2x 2GB) <- Changed from the G.Skill ones
PSU:Corsair 850TX 850W <- For future SLi
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card: Xonar DG
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
DVD Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

Any other changes? Will I need extras such as cables (for the dvd drives?) or is thermal paste needed? Thanks

The Hyper 212 comes with it's own paste. Your motherboard will come with the sata cables for the drives :)
 
Reposting from the old thread!

So, build complete, running great! Thanks PC-GAF! Wrinkle: I was given a 22" BenQ monitor a couple years ago. Used a few times, but essentially new. I kept it for this build, as the 1280x1024 native res of my then-current Syncmaster was stressing my FX-53 / 6800 Ultra to their limits.

So, I hook it up today, do some Googling... It's not HDCP compliant. I have a couple BRDs in the new rig, so this is an issue. Anyone have a recommendation? 24" / 1080p is preferred, no TN panels.

Thanks!

Didn't get much feedback on the Claro, either. Not sure if I'm liking it thus far...
 

Beaner

Member
Okay so heres the final build:

Processor:Intel i5-2500K
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Motherboard:MSI P67A-GD65
Memory:2x Corsair XMS 4GB (2x 2GB)
PSU:Silverstone ST1000-P 1000W <- For future SLi
GPU:EVGA Geforce GTX 580 1536MB
Sound Card: Xonar DG
Harddrives:Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB
Intel 320 Series 80GB SSD
DVD Drives: 2x Asus Black DVD Burner OEM
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Black Steel

Thanks for all your help guys. Would've taken me much too long to figure this out myself to bother with it. (If you see any other problems let me know!)
 

Aurarian

Member
I wanted to ask if there was a point in getting 6GB for triple channel instead of just 8GB? I was looking at some ram for my new build later in the year and wanted to know if there's a difference.
 

n0n44m

Member
Aurarian said:
I wanted to ask if there was a point in getting 6GB for triple channel instead of just 8GB? I was looking at some ram for my new build later in the year and wanted to know if there's a difference.

triple is outdated together with its x58/1366 platform/socket (still very fast ofcourse but no future upgrade path and expensive)

current Sandy Bridge is dual-channel, upcoming Intel enthusiast platform will be quad channel

current and new AMD platforms will be dual-channel as well
 

CaLe

Member
·feist· said:
You'll notice the recommendations are meant to be as general as possible, since there's limited space for each price bracket. That's why most are mid towers, available in most territories (unlike a lot of Rosewill cases, or stuff from boutique brands), great price/performance/features, and are not overly-stylized (limited appeal). The HAF X is the only full tower, and while some don't like the styling, the HAF series options are great choices for what they offer. HAFs are about as "offensive" as the choices are likely to get.

I've actually recommended the Phantom to a few people in past threads, but OP space is limited. That's also why you don't see any HTPC, mITX, mATX only (apart from one), or highly specialized cases.

Thanks Feist, that makes sense. :)
 

Aurarian

Member
n0n44m said:
triple is outdated together with its x58/1366 platform/socket (still very fast ofcourse but no future upgrade path and expensive)

current Sandy Bridge is dual-channel, upcoming Intel enthusiast platform will be quad channel

current and new AMD platforms will be dual-channel as well

Thanks, 8GB it is.
 

Lkr

Member
so is the difference between the GTX 560 Ti, GTX 460, and 6850 big? I thought the 560 was just a refresh of the 460
 

Veins

Unconfirmed Member
Brilliant OP guys. Last thread was really helpful for me and I sure this one will continue to be one of the best resources on GAF.
 

Smokey

Member
Veins said:
Brilliant OP guys. Last thread was really helpful for me and I sure this one will continue to be one of the best resources on GAF.

Yup.

I built my own machine for the first time last month after doing a lot of research and visiting this thread. It was a very rewarding experience, and if I can do it I'm sure anybody can.

On a unrelated note the H70 has been performing nice for me during games. My temps now usually tap out at 57 C @ 4.5ghz. I know someone mentioned that I should plug the pump directly into the PSU. I have it hooked up to the CPU_FAN header as of now, and haven't changed it because the unit is finally working for me. Is there a way to enable full voltage to the motherboard in the BIOS or anything so that the pump isn't starving for volts?
 

Jtrizzy

Member
Hopefully the BF3 beta is soon, as I am jumping into pc gaming for the first time in 15 years for that game. I want to be able to max the game out at 1080 in 2d, and be able to run it at 720p60 on my 3d panny plasma. It can't display 1080 and 60 fps in 3d from what I've read.

I want to do a build in the $1,500 range. I want to start with one 580 or 590 to start, but will absolutely be adding more as time goes on, at least one more, but maybe more deepending on what you guys advise.

I am sure that I will get into overclocking eventually, but I would consider spending more on a processor instead of an ssd to as I don't have a ton of free time for the next few months. I would like to be able run Dolphin at max settings, so I understand that could be a problem.

I will begin buying the parts sometime this month unless you guys advise otherwise. I do plan to buy it in two installments of $750.

I don't need a monitor, I would like a tv card with some sort of tivo like functionality. Also, I'll be sitting in a recliner or couch at first. And playing on a big screen. If there is some kind of roll out desk solution that folds away, that would be ideal too.
 

Smokey

Member
Jtrizzy said:
Hopefully the BF3 beta is soon, as I am jumping into pc gaming for the first time in 15 years for that game. I want to be able to max the game out at 1080 in 2d, and be able to run it at 720p60 on my 3d panny plasma. It can't display 1080 and 60 fps in 3d from what I've read.

I want to do a build in the $1,500 range. I want to start with one 580 or 590 to start, but will absolutely be adding more as time goes on, at least one more, but maybe more deepending on what you guys advise.

I am sure that I will get into overclocking eventually, but I would consider spending more on a processor instead of an ssd to as I don't have a ton of free time for the next few months. I would like to be able run Dolphin at max settings, so I understand that could be a problem.

I will begin buying the parts sometime this month unless you guys advise otherwise. I do plan to buy it in two installments of $750.

I don't need a monitor, I would like a tv card with some sort of tivo like functionality. Also, I'll be sitting in a recliner or couch at first. And playing on a big screen. If there is some kind of roll out desk solution that folds away, that would be ideal too.


General consensus is to go with the 580. I built a high end build as well and was thinking of going with a 590, but for it's price SLI 570's offer better performance and SLI 580s beast it pretty easily.
 

bill0527

Member
Your Current Specs: C2D 2.13ghz E6420/Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 LGA 775 Mobo/4GB Corsair DDR2 800 RAM/Radeon HD 4850 Video Card
Budget: $300-$400 USA
Main Use:Gaming, General Use
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 will probably not upgrade from this resolution
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play:Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, WoW, Battlefield 3
Are reusing any parts?: Xclio Goodpower 500w power supply, Antec Performone One P180B cold rolled steel case, Samsung 18x DVD burner, Radeon HD 4850
When will you build?:In the next month
Will you be overclocking?:Yes

Need upgrades now. My hard drive is going bad so I'll need to replace that also. Its making very loud clicking noises that were non-existent the last 3 years.

I'm on a strict budget so I'm thinking of going with AMD this time. I'll need a CPU, Mobo, RAM, and hard drive.

I was thinking of this combo deal at Newegg:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor

MSI NF750-G55 AM3 NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

Combo is about $220.00

This hard drive:
Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $59.99

Tax and shipping that'll get me to around $300.00

A couple of questions though.

I will be re-using my Radeon HD 4850 at least until this fall. Will I have problems using it with an nVidia nforce mobo?

My current PC was built in 2007. My original OS was Vista 32-bit OEM disc from Newegg and I got a Win 7 64-bit Upgrade disc when Win 7 came out. Will I be able to install these and use them on my new build or are they a one-time use only thing? I will not be using the hardware that they are currently installed on when I get my new setup put together. I'll be destroying this current hard drive when I get my new one.. if it doesn't die first, which it sounds like it might.

edit: Shit I forgot the RAM.. add $45
 
^^ Radeon cards work fine with geforce chipsets.

I personally thought that the nforce 7 series was complete rubbish (I owned a few 780i boards and the chipset gave me nothing but problems, dunno about the 750a) the price is definitely right though.
 

scogoth

Member
Ryusei said:
Has anyone used this wireless adapter before?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320048

How easy is the installation?

I have one, very easy to install but don't use the drivers from ASUS. Get the drivers from Ralink, the chip used I think is RT2860.


Lkr said:
so is the difference between the GTX 560 Ti, GTX 460, and 6850 big? I thought the 560 was just a refresh of the 460

The 560 is still fermi architecture but its not a refresh. It has more stream processors and higher base frequencies. Its like an uncut version of the 460 so all the functional units of the GPU are active now. 560 Ti > 460 and 6850, 460 1GB ~= 6850
 
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