[MrBig]

So, assuming the DCUII TOP is going to be exorbitantly priced, would it be a better idea to go with the normal DCUII or the Gigabyte, assuming they are both $400? I'm going for a more quiet build but I don't want to sacrifice performance seeing as how I will be playing at 2560x1400. I'm fine with overclocking myself, but have never messed with voltages and such, just clocks in Nvidia Inspector.

[Jackben]

Could do with one more once-over from GAF before I pull the trigger. All I really need is a wink so I know I'm not bottlenecking or anything and I'll be off to start my first PC build thanks to NeoGAF.

Your Current Specs: Dell Studio 15 Laptop (just graduated from being a poor student to a slightly less poor office drone) Budget: < or = ~1100 USD Main Use: Gaming 5 General Use 4 HD Streaming 3 Emulation n/a 3D Work n/a Monitor Resolution: 720 or 1080 and yes I am looking to purchase a monitor. List of SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Witcher 2, Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Bioshock Series, Team Fortress 2, Half-Life 3 (lol) Will you be overclocking: Maybe (I realise this means yes but I never have before so I probably won't until warranties run out)

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler Motherboard: Biostar TZ77XE3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory Hard Drive: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk Already have a WD HD that I'll be cannibalizing for the bulk of my shit, SSD is for OS and drivers. That is the whole point of going dual HDs with one being an SSD right? I guess I'm confused on what should and shouldn't be installed on the SSD vs the regular mechanical HD. Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 6870 1GB Video Card Case: BitFenix Shinobi Window ATX Mid Tower Case Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer Monitor: Acer S201HLbd 20.0" Monitor Cheapest decent I could find, if anyone knows of something better within the sub 200 ballpark let me know. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)

Once again, thank you all very much.

[TheThunder]

... the new stuff.

Thanks for the answer.

Gonna start to back up data.

[JayDub]

1. Spot on. 2. It's actually controlled by the CPU. 3. We are right now maxing out PCI-E 2.0 x8. PCI-E 3.0 x8 is totally, fine, which ivybridge + z77 or z68 gen 3 will give you.

Thanks for reply kenyon! Regards to number 2 and 3, controlled by an IB CPU, but not an SB-E, correct? SB-E currently does not have PCI 3.0 support?

[Sethos]

Thanks for reply kenyon! Regards to number 2 and 3, controlled by an IB CPU, but not an SB-E, correct? SB-E currently does not have PCI 3.0 support?

SB-E is capable of PCI 3.0 if the board is Gen 3 supported and the display drivers have the board certified.

[rhfb]

So, assuming the DCUII TOP is going to be exorbitantly priced, would it be a better idea to go with the normal DCUII or the Gigabyte, assuming they are both $400? I'm going for a more quiet build but I don't want to sacrifice performance seeing as how I will be playing at 2560x1400. I'm fine with overclocking myself, but have never messed with voltages and such, just clocks in Nvidia Inspector.

It is supposedly only going to be $420 retail price. Just need to order it now, got my case and motherboard in today and the CPU can't be too far behind.

[JonCha]

Final question: getting a HDMI cable to the Sapphire HD6850 and my TV, is it just a case of plugging it in?

[mkenyon]

Yup. Might need a micro/mini adapter, which the video card probably comes with.

[DSN2K]

Final question: getting a HDMI cable to the Sapphire HD6850 and my TV, is it just a case of plugging it in?

yep will automatically pick it up, you might want go into settings and change colour model to RGB from YCbCr444

[JonCha]

Yup. Might need a micro/mini adapter, which the video card probably comes with.

yep will automatically pick it up, you might want go into settings and change colour model to RGB from YCbCr444

Thanks. The micro/mini adapters seem to be for mobile devices?

[1-D_FTW]

Thanks. The micro/mini adapters seem to be for mobile devices?

There's 3 HDMI sizes. The micro's are for like camera's and stuff. Most video cards use the middle size (that gets converted to the full size HDMI).

[rhfb]

Is there anything inherently wrong with running a system without a GPU? Should have everything for my rig except for my GPU by tomorrow (well I hope, my CPU is the only thing missing and was due to show up yesterday...). Would be nice to just build it now and pop the GPU in when I get it, but I'm not sure if that might cause a few issues with drivers down the road.

[TheCrow]

Is there anything inherently wrong with running a system without a GPU? Should have everything for my rig except for my GPU by tomorrow (well I hope, my CPU is the only thing missing and was due to show up yesterday...). Would be nice to just build it now and pop the GPU in when I get it, but I'm not sure if that might cause a few issues with drivers down the road.

Shouldn't be a problem. That's what I did for a week before the 670 released.

[rhfb]

Shouldn't be a problem. That's what I did for a week before the 670 released.

I'm still waiting on the Asus 670 to get in stock :| Was just making sure it wasn't going to require a reinstall of Windows.

Going to have to take a bunch of pictures though, going from hot trash to super sexy :D The 16GB of ram I have looks nice in the Gene V.

[TheCrow]

Nice, I have the Gene V as well except I got that samsung ram which is not exactly a looker. But yeah I had no issues with drivers or windows 7 after I installed the 670. Looking forward to the pictures and hopefully the asus 670 is released soon.

[Bread]

Nevermind, the $420 build in the OP looks pretty good, I could probably just man up and do the work if it's that cheap.

[mkenyon]

I've waited too long to buy a nice gaming pc, I think I'll finally do it within the next couple weeks. I'm not looking to break the bank on an updated pc to max out the newest games, I just want a mid-range but upgradable computer so I can spend more money in the future. If I'm looking to spend $400-500 on a desktop now, what are my best options?

OP!

[ProXimity]

What hard drive works best for this build between the two I selected? Is saving the extra $10 worth it? Also, do I need a higher wattage power supply?

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($569.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 612 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($47.27 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6/GB ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($278.94 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Western Digital RE3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($117.09 @ Compuvest)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Fractal Design Define XL Titanium Grey ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($85.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1905.20
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-05-17 00:25 EDT-0400)

So more like 1800 once I pick a hard drive. Is there anything I should be worried about? Any last minute bargains I can take advantage of (as in, are there some cheaper alternatives to some of these parts that still provide comparable performance)?

[UltimateIke]

I can't find much -good- information on overclocking a 3570k. I would like to know the expected safe temperatures and Vcore for a 4.5GHz overclock. The build I'm working on right now isn't entirely stable (Prime95 usually has an error after ~45 minutes).


I'm also having a temperature reading issue:

While running Prime95, HWMonitor is telling me core temperatures in the mid-50s to low-60s at the same time RealTemp is saying high-60s to mid-70s. I've tried running one monitor and then the other to make sure there aren't software conflicts from running both at the same time, and I get the same readings either way. Which program should I trust to be correct?

Also, I don't get why HWMonitor is telling me the CPU Package temperature is so much higher than the cores. On my 2500k the package is almost always the same as the cores. Should I even worry about the package since RealTemp doesn't report it?

[colinp]

I want to game via my HDTV. If I build a PC, can I plug it in to my HDTV via HDMI and expect to be able to install Windows 7? Or do I first need to hook it up to a regular monitor...?

Right now I just have a laptop.

[Wolf Akela]

I want to game via my HDTV. If I build a PC, can I plug it in to my HDTV via HDMI and expect to be able to install Windows 7? Or do I first need to hook it up to a regular monitor...? Right now I just have a laptop.

You can plug either your PC or laptop to your HDTV. Just depends on what connections they use. If they're new, they'll have HDMI.

[colinp]

You can plug either your PC or laptop to your HDTV. Just depends on what connections they use. If they're new, they'll have HDMI.

Right, I can plug my laptop in right now it's just too weak for gaming...

But a newly built computer with say a HD 6850 that has an HDMI out, when I power it on for the first time connected to my TV it will show the BIOS and all that? It will recognize the TV?

Sorry, I've been out of the PC game for a loooong time so this is all new to me. ;)

[Wolf Akela]

Right, I can plug my laptop in right now it's just too weak for gaming... But a newly built computer with say a HD 6850 that has an HDMI out, when I power it on for the first time connected to my TV it will show the BIOS and all that? It will recognize the TV? Sorry, I've been out of the PC game for a loooong time so this is all new to me. ;)

Yes it should. Your TV will pretty much be just a monitor.

[colinp]

Yes it should. Your TV will pretty much be just a monitor.

Great! Thank you so much!

[JonCha]

Oh crap. Just went on the AMD Radeon HD6850 spec page and its recommends 500W minim, yet I'm using the Antec 450W.

[papercut]

I can't find much -good- information on overclocking a 3570k. I would like to know the expected safe temperatures and Vcore for a 4.5GHz overclock. The build I'm working on right now isn't entirely stable (Prime95 usually has an error after ~45 minutes).

Unfortunately I can't help you with your question, but I am curious as to which cpu cooler you are using. I have the same chip and was getting mid-60's (via realtemp) at 4.2ghz with 1.175 v. That's with a hyper 212+. I haven't tried upping the voltage yet because I have a feeling that I'm going to fly past the temps you're getting.

[Wolf Akela]

Oh crap. Just went on the AMD Radeon HD6850 spec page and its recommends 500W minim, yet I'm using the Antec 450W.

Antecs are good but specify which Antec that is.

GPU manufacturers overrate the minimum wattage since a lot of people buy crappy PSUs that can't even delivery half the wattage it claims. A system with a 6850 on full gaming load only eats ~300w.

[JonCha]

Antecs are good but specify which Antec that is. GPU manufacturers overrate the minimum wattage since a lot of people buy crappy PSUs that can't even delivery half the wattage it claims. A system with a 6850 on full gaming load only eats ~300w.

It's the Antec VP450P 450W. Also running the i5 2400.

[Pandaman]

dear neogaf, i need a new pc.

Your Current Specs: hp pavilion laptop x2 2.2ghz zm-82/4650m
Budget: $1000~ canada
Main Use: Gaming (5), Emulation (PS2/Wii)(3), HD Streaming(5), General Usage (5)
Monitor Resolution: 1080p, no plans to upgrade, have monitor.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: starcraft 2 w/ streaming. i wont die if i cant play other games [skyrim/bf3/whatever] on ultra, but i'm enough of a graphics horse to want high/1080p/40-60fps/AA optional.
Looking to reuse any parts? n/a.
When will you build?: 1-3 months. sooner if there's a newegg promotion through GESL, later if not.
Will you be overclocking?: probably.

i greatly dislike large frame drops in my starcraft and i'd like to have the ability to stream some games, so i would say starcraft on high and/or ultra with a 720p stream going out would be the 'this is what i want' baseline.

ps2 emulation would be a nice bonus, but i wouldn't call it a deal breaker.

other than starcraft the computer would be my entry into pc gaming, so while there arent many minimum benchmarks i can name, id like to keep options open for other games without needing to turn around and upgrade again next year if i fall in love with steam.

note: there's a lot of 'i dont knows!' for me when it comes to computer hardware, so im leery of picking from the reccommended builds list because, well, i dont know what i need or what things cost. i say $1000~ but i dont know if thats a lot for what i need or cutting it close. so yeah, i need informed opinions. -.-

[colinp]

I'm in Japan and they don't seem to sell the ANTEC VP450.

They do have the ANTEC EA 450 though. It's quite pricier but will it fit the bill?

Or do any of these look/sound familiar that might equally fit the bill?

[Karmum]

Anyone ever heard of or order stuff from gadgetneeds.net? They're selling a Fractal R3 for $87.99, and while that's great and everything, seems to be just a bit cheaper than where everywhere else is selling it.

Edit - Seems slightly impossible to even progress through the checkout anyway, so it's probably for the better. I'm waiting for Newegg to slap free shipping on one of the cases.

[BackwardsSuggestions]

Turns out there was no thermal paste on my processor. Asked my friend and his exact reaction was "Oh yeah...Forgot to check that" Guess he didn't spread it enough or whatever.

So my CPU fan is busted and my PC no longer boots and gives me a CPU overheat warning and shuts down. If I completely remove the fan, it boots but blue screens after about 10 seconds.

Taken it to work with me and my other, less stupid friend will have a look at it tomorrow.

[colinp]

Turns out there was no thermal paste on my processor. Asked my friend and his exact reaction was "Oh yeah...Forgot to check that" Guess he didn't spread it enough or whatever. So my CPU fan is busted and my PC no longer boots and gives me a CPU overheat warning and shuts down. If I completely remove the fan, it boots but blue screens after about 10 seconds. Taken it to work with me and my other, less stupid friend will have a look at it tomorrow.

Do you have to apply thermal paste to all processors you buy? Even if you don't plan on OC'ing? No processor comes with it already applied?

[LordAlu]

Do you have to apply thermal paste to all processors you buy? Even if you don't plan on OC'ing? No processor comes with it already applied?

Your CPU cooler will usually come with some thermal paste substance already applied. You can also remove that and apply your own, as the already applied stuff usually isn't as good.

[Takuya]

90% done with my build (it's up and running, just the finishing touches [cables, LEDs, etc.])!

[colinp]

90% done with my build (it's up and running, just the finishing touches [cables, LEDs, etc.])!

Looking real good. Slick case!

[Vigilant Walrus]

Does anyone run Windows 8 beta? Are the requirements harsher than Win7`?



I am really scared that Win8 will be another Vista fiasco... I have never tried a metro device, but I heard a lot of bad things as far as desktop PCs goes. I've been told they have developed a system primarily designed for touch, and not mouse!

[1-D_FTW]

Does anyone run Windows 8 beta? Are the requirements harsher than Win7`? I am really scared that Win8 will be another Vista fiasco... I have never tried a metro device, but I heard a lot of bad things as far as desktop PCs goes. I've been told they have developed a system primarily designed for touch, and not mouse!

A lot of games run like crap in it. I don't really see why you'd want to run it as your main OS right now. It's buggy and, yeah, the Metro interface looks like a crap desktop environment. So its biggest selling point is actually a liability for serious desktop users.

[Gr1mLock]

Im pretty close to finalizing my specs just one question for you guys. What are the benefits/drawbacks of having 4X4ghz ram vs 8x2?

[schennmu]

A friend told me 64GB is not enough for an SSD. Should I really go for 128?

[TheExodu5]

A friend told me 64GB is not enough for an SSD. Should I really go for 128?

If you're just putting the OS and a few apps on there, 64GB is fine. If you want to put a game or two on there, especially an MMO, then go 128GB.

[schennmu]

If you're just putting the OS and a few apps on there, 64GB is fine. If you want to put a game or two on there, especially an MMO, then go 128GB.

Cheers, will do.

[1-D_FTW]

Im pretty close to finalizing my specs just one question for you guys. What are the benefits/drawbacks of having 4X4ghz ram vs 8x2?

The benefits:

- If a stick craps out and you have to send a pair back, you still have a functioning computer.

- Possibly cheaper.

Drawbacks:

- It can be more difficult to get RAM overclocked to extreme levels. You're only as fast as your weakest link.

- You're using 4 sockets. If you decide you want even more RAM in the future, it means you'd probably have to toss 2 sticks into the trash (or ebay).

[Shambles]

Worth noting a growing number of reviews including this one http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/...50_gaming_perf are showing when all cards are fully overclocked the 7970 is faster than the 680. Even though public perception is the opposite.

Most people aren't running 30" monitors. I think most people have known that the 7970 has a stronger memory system and that on 25x16 and multi-monitor setups the Kepler chips start to feel it. Also if you look at frame latency the Radeons are FAR worse than the GeForces. Average FPS just tell half the story. And it's not just performance dragging down the 7000 series. They'd be a lot better regarded if AMD hadn't decided to price gouge the crap out of customers. If the 7970 came out at $400 you'd see a lot more people have respect for them.

It is supposedly only going to be $420 retail price. Just need to order it now, got my case and motherboard in today and the CPU can't be too far behind.

The DC2 MSRP is $400, the TOP is $420. Retailers are just gouging us before they even show up. I'll be waiting until I can grab one for $400.

[Gr1mLock]

The benefits: - If a stick craps out and you have to send a pair back, you still have a functioning computer. - Possibly cheaper. Drawbacks: - It can be more difficult to get RAM overclocked to extreme levels. You're only as fast as your weakest link. - You're using 4 sockets. If you decide you want even more RAM in the future, it means you'd probably have to toss 2 sticks into the trash (or ebay).

Thanks. I think I'm gonna go 4x4. I probably won't be upgrading for at least a year or so.

[claviertekky]

Does anyone run Windows 8 beta? Are the requirements harsher than Win7`? I am really scared that Win8 will be another Vista fiasco... I have never tried a metro device, but I heard a lot of bad things as far as desktop PCs goes. I've been told they have developed a system primarily designed for touch, and not mouse!

First of all, Vista wasn't that bad. A lot of the benefits that people saw in Windows 7 actually existed in Windows Vista as it was the first Microsoft OS to make Windows more modular. People did not give Vista a chance because of tech perception (whatever the hell that is.) To me, it's not surprising that people continue to spew the hate machine when they don't know certain built-in Windows functions. I still see people on these boards recommending memtest86 and backup tools when Windows already has them built-in.

Windows 8 is great. Running it as an upgrade from my Windows 7 installation, and I don't have any issues at all. PC users tend to be the most conservative when it comes to changes.

The kernel is even lighter than Windows 7's, so the requirements are less stringent. Uses less RAM as well.

I can use a keyboard and mouse just fine on it. Metro serves as a replacement to the useless Windows Gadgets that existed for Windows Vista and 7 and a fancy Start menu launcher.

As for games, I've only tried Sonic Generations and Starcraft 2, and both work flawlessly.

[sn1pes]

mkenyon, you are my hero.

Rearranged my H60 rad last night... now it is set up as:

<-Fan|Rad|Fan<- on my 600t exhaust.

CPU temps never got above low 40s in Diablo.

That, combined with putting the mesh side on instead of the plastic, lowered my SLI temps significantly. One card stayed in the 60s while the other never went above the 70s in Diablo.

Before, these were both in the 80s.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions. Still going to try to order some of those BitFenix Pro 200s to replace the stocks with, as well.

[alternade]

I need a new computer but im not opposed to buying a pre-made one. If I go that route, what should should I be looking for as far as a setup that I can upgrade in the future? Any specific mobo, CPU, GPU I should watch out for? Basically all I wanna do is play Diablo and Starcraft and not have my computer come to a screeching halt.

[jacobs34]

I need a new computer but im not opposed to buying a pre-made one. If I go that route, what should should I be looking for as far as a setup that I can upgrade in the future? Any specific mobo, CPU, GPU I should watch out for? Basically all I wanna do is play Diablo and Starcraft and not have my computer come to a screeching halt.

I'm in the exact same boat. Playing Diablo 3 on low settings at under 30FPS on my 3 year old MBP was depressing.

[Gr1mLock]

So i caved and will get a 680 gt instead of a 7970. Now if only i can find one somewhere.