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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 1. Read the OP and RISE ABOVE FORGED PRECISION SCIENCE

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Arkanius

Member
So what ever happened to MVP? I don't remember what is was called exactly, but it was a feature in ASUS mobos that used the iGPU with the discrete GPU to essentially SLI/Crossfire with just one dGPU. With how great the new Iris Pros are, I can only imagine the gains to be freakin great.

There are talks that DX12 and Vulkan brings new advancements in that field. MVP theory was sound but they failed to put it to practice.
 

Najaf

Member
Any 4k monitors on the horizon worth waiting for?

I don't see the Acer XB line in the OP or a few of the newer alternatives to the ROG Swift.

Any strong new contenders?
 

RGM79

Member
A followup question! I found ram from the same manufacturer that matches my 2x2gB RAM. The only difference being that the 2x4gB I'm buying has an XMP profile, otherwise they're exactly the same in every way clock and latency wise.

Does that have any impact whatsoever? /RAM-Noob. I found it at a clearance price so I'm kinda ready to jump on it thinking if it doesn't work I'll at least double my RAM lol

Edit: Technically it shouldn't matter as it would just run the 2x4 sticks at the same speed as the 2x2's though right?

2x4s:
Warranty - Lifetime
Size - 8GB Kit (2 x 4GB)
Performance Profile - XMP
Fan Included - No
Heat Spreader - XMS
Memory Configuration - Dual Channel
Memory Type - DDR3
Package - Memory Pin - 240
Package - Memory Format - DIMM
Tested Voltage - 1.65
SPD Voltage - 1.5
Speed Rating - PC3-10600 (1333MHz)
SPD Speed - 1333Mhz
Tested Speed - 1333Mhz
Tested Latency - 9-9-9-24
SPD Latency - 9-9-9-24

2x2s:

Warranty - Lifetime
Size - 4GB Kit (2 x 2GB)
Performance - Profile none
Fan Included - No
Heat Spreader - XMS
Memory Configuration - Dual Channel
Memory Type - DDR3
Package - Memory Pin - 240
Package - Memory Format - DIMM
Tested Voltage - 1.5
SPD Voltage - 1.5
Speed Rating - PC3-10600 (1333MHz)
SPD Speed - 1333Mhz
Tested Speed - 1333Mhz
Tested Latency - 9-9-9-24
SPD Latency - 9-9-9-24

Sorry, I need more information. Can you link us to the 2x4GB RAM you're looking at?

We should make sure that the RAM you are going to buy runs at 1.5V to match your existing RAM. If I'm reading that correctly, the 2x4GB kit of RAM you are looking at runs at 1.65 volts. XMP does not matter as it relates to RAM overclocking which you will not be doing.
 
To really check at what's going on with stutter, you'd need to look at your actual frame times and then use something like FRAFS Bench Viewer to see it.

But yeah, the CPU is likely the culprit.

*edit*

Also, CPU usage is not a very accurate way to check to see if there's actually a CPU bottleneck.

Thank you, will try to measure it.
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
From Corsair's own site

2x2: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/tw3x4g1333c9a
2x4: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/cmx8gx3m2a1333c9

Lists the same voltage for both. It should be right, I used the manufacturer article no.

Edit: Newegg Listings for both sets:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145251
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145315

Edit: Could it be that the 2x4's support 1.65 voltage specifically for the overclocking capabilities but that standard clocks run them at 1.5?
 

turbocat

Member
Hmm, $1778 seems oddly expensive, I was able to put together a similar build with a GTX 980 for about $1840, only about $60 more. Granted, it is more expensive overall, but the difference between the GTX 970 and 980 is supposed to be about $200, not just $60. Of course, if you decide you only need a GTX 970, then my build will be only about $1630 with a GTX 970.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($362.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BL 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI X99S SLI Plus ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($159.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2800 Memory ($164.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($87.30 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.80 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($521.37 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Acer K272HULbmiidp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($299.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1836.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-25 15:03 EDT-0400

My build includes the Phanteks PH-TC14PE air cooler, which should be a more capable heatsink than the Corsair H55 which is Corsair's lowest end water cooler. In fact in TechPowerUp's testing, the Phanteks cooler is able to trade blows with the Corsair H110 and H100, both of which are much larger and more capable than the H55.

For X99, you want quad channel DDR4 memory which means 4 sticks. Installing 2 sticks will still work, but you don't get the benefit of quad channel mode.

The Toshiba 2TB drive should be similar to the WD Black models (7200RPM and 64MB cache) but cost much less. They do have a shorter warranty period (3 years VS 5 years) though.

The Corsair 500R is a larger model in the same product line as the 200R. It does cost somewhat more money, but the 200R won't fit the Phanteks air cooler, so I picked the 500R instead.

The EVGA 750 watt power supply is semi-modular and has enough wattage to allow for GTX 980 SLI.

Thermal paste isn't needed as the cooler already comes with it pre-applied. If you wanted to have thermal paste on hand for future use, then just add it back to the list.

Thanks for helping out. I have a feeling that the build that I posted originally is already overkill, but I appreciate your insight.

Part of why your build ended up being cheaper than mine is that I took SuperBiiz off of my list of preferred retailers. I went to try and check out with everything earlier, and their "discount code" that is being applied no longer works.

All that being said, I'll definitely take your modifications into account when I make my decision. Thanks!
 

Reckheim

Member
For anyone that uses the square type pc cases, is there one that you could recommend up to $150. I've looked around the web a bit but since I never used one I'm not really sure what to look for in one of those.
 

RGM79

Member
Newegg lists it as 1.5-1.65, so assuming the XMP stuff adds more voltage if you decide to OC it?

It's possible, but I would have thought that Corsair's website would list that. It's possible that Newegg's product information was incorrectly copied from a similar Corsair product.

Thanks for helping out. I have a feeling that the build that I posted originally is already overkill, but I appreciate your insight.

Part of why your build ended up being cheaper than mine is that I took SuperBiiz off of my list of preferred retailers. I went to try and check out with everything earlier, and their "discount code" that is being applied no longer works.

All that being said, I'll definitely take your modifications into account when I make my decision. Thanks!
Oh, that makes a lot of sense. It's unfortunate, the product page for items like the processor still list the promotion code there as though it were active, but you're right, it doesn't actually work and has already expired.
 
Last part left. Can anyone recommend a good case preferably under $100? I'm deadlocked between the Fractal R5 and the Antec P280 at the moment.

I have been leaning towards the P280 because it is cheaper and they both seem to be very much the same, but I haven't heard much about it while I have heard a lot of glowing praise for the R5.
 

Engell

Member
Last part left. Can anyone recommend a good case preferably under $100? I'm deadlocked between the Fractal R5 and the Antec P280 at the moment.

I have been leaning towards the P280 because it is cheaper and they both seem to be very much the same, but I haven't heard much about it while I have heard a lot of glowing praise for the R5.

I would say the R5 is better than the p280 in almost every way, it has more space inside, bigger fans, more modular, better sound dampening and better option for water cooling if you are into kinky stuff like that ;) and yes i built my last machine in the R5

But i also understand if people want something a bit different.
 

mulac

Member
Nearly done with my new gaming/video build as of this morning:

Asus Geforce GTX980 Strix (NOT YET INSTALLED)
Corsair HX750i 80 Plus Platinum 750W PSU
Intel i7 4790K
Asus Maximus VII Formula Mobo
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD
Western Digital 2TB HD
Corsair 120GB SSD
Corsair Hydro Series H100i GTX Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair Carbide 500R Case
Corsair Venggeance Pro 16GB DDR3 RAM
LG BH16NS40 SATA BluRay DVDRW Drive
Dell U3415W 34'' Widescreen Display (NOT YET PLUGGED IN)

Everything is in the case, fine, cables are tidy and the last step will be the GPU which isnt there yet. I decided this morning to turn the power on to test everything and this is what happens:

1. Lights on motherboard switch on
2. Two front fans in the case start spinning

NOTHING ELSE.
No beep, the CPU Cooler fans don't start (i have the radiator on top, then fans), the back fan doesnt come on...

I'm at work now and will check the connections when I get in; asfar as I can see everything is plugged into the PSU which is obviously working given the mobo lights up, right?

Open to ideas...
 
I would say the R5 is better than the p280 in almost every way, it has more space inside, bigger fans, more modular, better sound dampening and better option for water cooling if you are into kinky stuff like that ;) and yes i built my last machine in the R5

But i also understand if people want something a bit different.
Thanks for the impressions! I'll probably get the R5, but mull it over the night.
 

RGM79

Member
Hey PC-Gaf, I'm going to order the 970 soon to upgrade from my 660 ti. I'm going to sell my old card to offset the cost of the new one a bit, but am not sure what to sell it for, so thought I would get some of your opinions. This is the card in question: http://www.galaxytech.com/__EN_GB__/Product2/ProductDetail?proID=8

Also, should I upgrade my PSU as well? Currently have a 550w in there.
Galaxy is a European brand, isn't it? You should look at ebay pricing to see how much you should try to sell your 660 Ti for.

I don't think you need to upgrade your power supply, the GTX 970 generally consumes around 180 watts or less, and a 500 watt power supply is usually recommended for systems running a GTX 970. If you had no trouble powering the 660 Ti, then you'll definitely be fine with keeping the same power supply for the 970 as it consumes less power than the 660 Ti.

Nearly done with my new gaming/video build as of this morning:

Asus Geforce GTX980 Strix (NOT YET INSTALLED)
Corsair HX750i 80 Plus Platinum 750W PSU
Intel i7 4790K
Asus Maximus VII Formula Mobo
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD
Western Digital 2TB HD
Corsair 120GB SSD
Corsair Hydro Series H100i GTX Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair Carbide 500R Case
Corsair Venggeance Pro 16GB DDR3 RAM
LG BH16NS40 SATA BluRay DVDRW Drive
Dell U3415W 34'' Widescreen Display (NOT YET PLUGGED IN)

Everything is in the case, fine, cables are tidy and the last step will be the GPU which isnt there yet. I decided this morning to turn the power on to test everything and this is what happens:

1. Lights on motherboard switch on
2. Two front fans in the case start spinning

NOTHING ELSE.
No beep, the CPU Cooler fans don't start (i have the radiator on top, then fans), the back fan doesnt come on...

I'm at work now and will check the connections when I get in; asfar as I can see everything is plugged into the PSU which is obviously working given the mobo lights up, right?

Open to ideas...

Does your motherboard have a beep speaker? Not all motherboards come with one, and the plastic shrouding on the motherboard covers too much to be able to see the actual circuit board. I saw in the manual that it has a 4 pin connector for a beep speaker, but it does not say if it comes with one.

Is the rear fan plugged into the motherboard or power supply? And is your H100i GTX plugged into the motherboard's CPU_FAN header? I guess you won't be able to check until after you get off work.
 

Devildoll

Member
Dumb question, but getting 99-100% GPU usage is totally fine right? I'm pushing my rig with TW3. Titan Black's running in the high 70s and low 80s C.


In most games with most computers, graphics horsepower is what you need more of.
Therefore, the graphics card will likely be the component working its ass, off sitting at 100% load.

The only time it is appropriate for a graphics card not to be running 100%, is if you have set a frame-rate cap at 30 and you have a graphics card that is powerful enough to pump those out constantly, without going all out.
 

mulac

Member
Does your motherboard have a beep speaker? Not all motherboards come with one, and the plastic shrouding on the motherboard covers too much to be able to see the actual circuit board. I saw in the manual that it has a 4 pin connector for a beep speaker, but it does not say if it comes with one.

Is the rear fan plugged into the motherboard or power supply? And is your H100i GTX plugged into the motherboard's CPU_FAN header? I guess you won't be able to check until after you get off work.

1. I dont think it does have a beep speaker: http://www.asus.com/ie/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_FORMULA/

2. The start and reset lights both come on so there is power getting through.

3. Rear fan is connected into the mobo via a fan connector.

4. The H100i GTX is connected as follows:
Two fan powers connected to the cooler itself
USB connector into the mobo
One 4-pin conencted to the CPU_FAN port on mobo

I am thinking of removing the RAM and testing it; then will disconnect the CPU Cooler completely and try the rear fan into another connector.

How does the CPU Cooler get power? Via the CPU_Fan port? Or OPTI_CPU?

I reckon this is just something stupid i've done :)
 

RGM79

Member
1. I dont think it does have a beep speaker: http://www.asus.com/ie/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_FORMULA/

2. The start and reset lights both come on so there is power getting through.

3. Rear fan is connected into the mobo via a fan connector.

4. The H100i GTX is connected as follows:
Two fan powers connected to the cooler itself
USB connector into the mobo
One 4-pin conencted to the CPU_FAN port on mobo

I am thinking of removing the RAM and testing it; then will disconnect the CPU Cooler completely and try the rear fan into another connector.

How does the CPU Cooler get power? Via the CPU_Fan port? Or OPTI_CPU?

I reckon this is just something stupid i've done :)

If there's no beep speaker, then not having any beeps is normal. You may want to get a simple little beep speaker and plug it in for the sake of troubleshooting, though. The H100i GTX should receive power through the CPU_FAN header. The USB cable is just for monitoring and setting fan speed and fan profiles.

You probably just need to double check the connections. Worst-case scenario, the motherboard is faulty (which would sorta explain why some fans work and some don't). Did you check if the onboard graphics was working or not?
 

mulac

Member
If there's no beep speaker, then not having any beeps is normal. You may want to get a simple little beep speaker and plug it in for the sake of troubleshooting, though. The H100i GTX should receive power through the CPU_FAN header. The USB cable is just for monitoring and setting fan speed and fan profiles.

You probably just need to double check the connections. Worst-case scenario, the motherboard is faulty (which would sorta explain why some fans work and some don't). Did you check if the onboard graphics was working or not?

Yeah thanks.
I havent connected a display to it yet - thats what i'll try tonight when i get home.
Also still need to install the GPU...
 

Kerrinck

Member
Looking to upgrade my pc to run Witcher 3 decently (it lags like crazy atm on lowest settings)
Have no idea how much it'd cost me but my budget is around 200-300$.
Here's what I currently have:
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BL 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87X-UDH3
Memory: 16GB
Video Card: Radeon 6950 1GB.
 

kennah

Member
Looking to upgrade my pc to run Witcher 3 decently (it lags like crazy atm on lowest settings)
Have no idea how much it'd cost me but my budget is around 200-300$.
Here's what I currently have:
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BL 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87X-UDH3
Memory: 16GB
Video Card: Radeon 6950 1GB.
Get a 970. Overclock your cpu.
 

mulac

Member
If there's no beep speaker, then not having any beeps is normal. You may want to get a simple little beep speaker and plug it in for the sake of troubleshooting, though. The H100i GTX should receive power through the CPU_FAN header. The USB cable is just for monitoring and setting fan speed and fan profiles.

You probably just need to double check the connections. Worst-case scenario, the motherboard is faulty (which would sorta explain why some fans work and some don't). Did you check if the onboard graphics was working or not?

does it matter if i connect the cpu cooler pump into one of the CHA_FAN plugs? wondering if the issue is the CPU_FAN header itself...
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Hey I'm back. My Diamondback 3G made my computer BSOD (I got a lovely Kmode_exception_not_handled). Logs show that the mouse driver crashed at the exact same time and using WhoCrashed showed that mouse drivers have caused most of my crashes :lol.

And there haven't been any driver upgrades since 2011 :(. So I'm getting this shitmouse replaced before it damages my computer. What's a good cheap alternative that's not Razer?
Steelseries Rival any good? I'm not looking to become the very best that no one ever was at CS but still. I noticed it has drivers made this year with W8 support unlike the Razer shit I got. In the meantime I'm rolling with standard Windows mouse drivers :lol.

Edit:
It's possible, but I would have thought that Corsair's website would list that. It's possible that Newegg's product information was incorrectly copied from a similar Corsair product.

Yeah I think so too lol, thanks for the help.


Edit #2: On second thought I could just roll with the default Windows driver, mouse works fine that way anyway
 

RGM79

Member
does it matter if i connect the cpu cooler pump into one of the CHA_FAN plugs? wondering if the issue is the CPU_FAN header itself...

You can try the CHA_FAN headers as well. It's just that CPU fans and pumps are usually plugged into CPU_FAN, that's all.
 

mulac

Member
You can try the CHA_FAN headers as well. It's just that CPU fans and pumps are usually plugged into CPU_FAN, that's all.


Okay and one final thing - i will try all this tonight...the pump gets its power from that ONE CHA_FAN plug, right? No other connector seems obvious...
 

LilJoka

Member
does it matter if i connect the cpu cooler pump into one of the CHA_FAN plugs? wondering if the issue is the CPU_FAN header itself...

It doesn't matter, but if you are powering the radiator fans through the Corsair Unit, then the Pump 3pin header should be plugged into the CPU_Fan header. This is because the board will be expecting a fan rpm reading otherwise No CPU Fan error will trigger on bootup. This cable will just be 1 wire on a 3pin header as it's just giving the RPM of the Corsaid pump.

If you have something else connected to the Cpu fan header that's fine. Plug the Corsair pump 3pin into any fan header.

If for some reason you don't want to use the CPU fan header, you can disable the "Stop on Error" in the Bios. That will ignore that there is no cpu fan rpm reading.

When I had my H80i, the pump is powerd by SATA Power from the power supply.
 

mulac

Member
It doesn't matter, but if you are powering the radiator fans through the Corsair Unit, then the Pump 3pin header should be plugged into the CPU_Fan header. This is because the board will be expecting a fan rpm reading otherwise No CPU Fan error will trigger on bootup. This cable will just be 1 wire on a 3pin header as it's just giving the RPM of the Corsaid pump.

If you have something else connected to the Cpu fan header that's fine. Plug the Corsair pump 3pin into any fan header.

If for some reason you don't want to use the CPU fan header, you can disable the "Stop on Error" in the Bios. That will ignore that there is no cpu fan rpm reading.

When I had my H80i, the pump is powerd by SATA Power from the power supply.

Yeah i think whats throwing me is there is no SATA connector from the pump...i don't understand why the fans wouldn't even spin when i switch the psu on though as the motherboard lights up so suggests there is power getting to it...i will check connectors tonight when i get home and take it from there.
 

appaws

Banned
For anyone that uses the square type pc cases, is there one that you could recommend up to $150. I've looked around the web a bit but since I never used one I'm not really sure what to look for in one of those.

Square type? Do you mean a cube like the Corsair Air 540 or 240? I have used an Air 540 and liked it a lot.

Last part left. Can anyone recommend a good case preferably under $100? I'm deadlocked between the Fractal R5 and the Antec P280 at the moment.

I have been leaning towards the P280 because it is cheaper and they both seem to be very much the same, but I haven't heard much about it while I have heard a lot of glowing praise for the R5.

I would say the R5 is better than the p280 in almost every way, it has more space inside, bigger fans, more modular, better sound dampening and better option for water cooling if you are into kinky stuff like that ;) and yes i built my last machine in the R5

But i also understand if people want something a bit different.

R5 no question.
 

Link Man

Banned
So, thinking of upgrading my GPU, currently using a Radeon HD 6670. I was looking at the GeForce GTX 960, which seems like a great deal at that price (and Amazon has Like New in their warehouse for $20 less). However, I had also been considering the GTX 750Ti, which would save a little bit of cash. Is the 960's boost in power enough to warrant the increase in price, and are there any other cards I should consider in this price range?

(Oh, I should probably mention that I have a 600W PSU, so the increased consumption of the 960 shouldn't be a problem.)
 

Xtyle

Member
My new parts will come this Wednesday.

It will be i7-5820K + 4x4gig Corsair Dominator ram. Is there anything I need to be aware of when putting this together? Should I update the MB bio first? is installing the ram tricky?

Btw, I will wait for the 980 ti...for this I don't want to use my old GPU on it...is the onboard graphics card serviceable for everyday stuff until I get the 980 ti? I will need to use the new PC for some premiere, photoshop work...and in some cases, after effects.
 

RGM79

Member
So, thinking of upgrading my GPU, currently using a Radeon HD 6670. I was looking at the GeForce GTX 960, which seems like a great deal at that price (and Amazon has Like New in their warehouse for $20 less). However, I had also been considering the GTX 750Ti, which would save a little bit of cash. Is the 960's boost in power enough to warrant the increase in price, and are there any other cards I should consider in this price range?

(Oh, I should probably mention that I have a 600W PSU, so the increased consumption of the 960 shouldn't be a problem.)
I'll list the alternatives and how they compare:

R9 280: Features 3GB of VRAM which makes it more capable of handling higher VRAM usage than the GTX 960 2GB models. Generally on par with the GTX 960, but the 960 is a newer design that can benefit more from the latest driver updates and optimizations. Not as quiet or cool-running as some GTX 960 models, but it currently goes for $150~160 at the lowest, which is a very competitive price.

R9 280X: Next step up from the R9 280. Same flaws and advantages (3GB VRAM and older design), just at a higher performing level. Offers more raw performance than the GTX 960, but IIRC in some games the GTX 960 is capable of matching or even slightly exceeding the 280X. Currently available for $215 at the lowest which isn't a great deal, I usually only recommend them when they drop to around $190 or better on sale.

R9 290: If you can spare the extra $30+ to get an R9 290, it's a pretty good deal. It offers performance just under that of the GTX 970 and therefore is quite a bit more powerful than the GTX 960. 4GB of VRAM makes this a solid choice for 1080p gaming at higher settings for the next few years.

The GTX 960's main weakness is being limited to 2GB of VRAM. There are 4GB models of the GTX 960, but they cost very close to the R9 290 which also has 4GB VRAM but is more powerful, making the GTX 960 a worse buy in terms of performance. The GTX 960's main advantage is lower power consumption, less heat, and some models offer zero fan noise at low temperatures.

All of these graphics cards will run just fine on a 600 watt power supply. Depending on the games you play and what level of performance you want, it might come down to how well the cards perform in games that you enjoy or are anticipating to play. For example, if you were wanting to play the Witcher 3 at 60FPS, then I'd recommend the R9 290 which is capable of sustaining 60FPS at medium settings, according to Techspot. If you're OK with 30FPS or lower settings, then the GTX 960 would stand out more because it can do that and offer lower temperatures and noise.

My new parts will come this Wednesday.

It will be i7-5820K + 4x4gig Corsair Dominator ram. Is there anything I need to be aware of when putting this together? Should I update the MB bio first? is installing the ram tricky?

Btw, I will wait for the 980 ti...for this I don't want to use my old GPU on it...is the onboard graphics card serviceable for everyday stuff until I get the 980 ti? I will need to use the new PC for some premiere, photoshop work...and in some cases, after effects.
You are not required to update the BIOS, but you can if you like. Updating the BIOS from the option in the BIOS menu is preferred over Windows-based BIOS updaters. You never know if something in Windows may interfere with the BIOS updating and if it stops midway through, you're screwed. Looking at the update changelogs, it seems that MSI is adding quite a bit in terms of functionality and compatibility, so go ahead with the BIOS update if you like.

Installing RAM is very straight-forward. Check your motherboard manual for the correct slots to fill up first. It's usually staggered and kept even on both sides of the motherboard.

As long as you're not expecting to play games, the onboard graphics will definitely be just fine for day-to-day use. Premiere, Photoshop, and After Effects will still work but without the benefits of GPU acceleration, so some tasks might take longer, that's all.
 

Chinbo37

Member
Not a gaming PC question but a general PC Building question.


I am building a dedicated file server and media server. It will be used to archive and store files and media to be used around my house or externally with Plex.

When picking my CPU, is the CPU speed more/less important than the number of cores? I know more cores is better for running multiple streams etc. I am picking between various 35W haswell processors, it will be an i3 or i5. Just not sure if quad core is that much better than dual core for future proofing or for my immediate needs.

The 35W Quad core i5 is only 2.0 ghz, while the dual core is 3.0 ghz.


Thoughts? I prefer to keep it at 35W for the CPU as it will run 24/7
 

Engell

Member
Not a gaming PC question but a general PC Building question.


I am building a dedicated file server and media server. It will be used to archive and store files and media to be used around my house or externally with Plex.

When picking my CPU, is the CPU speed more/less important than the number of cores? I know more cores is better for running multiple streams etc. I am picking between various 35W haswell processors, it will be an i3 or i5. Just not sure if quad core is that much better than dual core for future proofing or for my immediate needs.

The 35W Quad core i5 is only 2.0 ghz, while the dual core is 3.0 ghz.
Thoughts? I prefer to keep it at 35W for the CPU as it will run 24/7

Personally i would just buy a pre-made box from Synology or Qnap, but it really depends on your specific needs.
but that said, basically any modern cpu will do, just streaming 1gbit data is no problem, its more the drives that need to be able to handle the multiple reads.
 

Chinbo37

Member
Personally i would just buy a pre-made box from Synology or Qnap, but it really depends on your specific needs.

Ah ok no not for me lol. I love building PCs and I am itching to build another one. I really want a bunch of specific stuff and its easier to do it in your own PC. This wont be a NAS (although it will have backups). It will be a pure Windows based file server (headless) and seed box for torrents.

Will have a 120 Gig SSD for OS, 1 TB WD Blue drive for Seeding torrents, and 6 WD Red drives for storage. 3 for active storage and 3 for mirroring/backup (but not in a live Raid).


Stealth edit! - Thanks, ya I am leaning toward the dual core but 3.0 ghz CPU. Ya I guess the drives could be a limiting factor, good call. I will be sure to keep Movies and TV shows on different drives just in case, but the WD Reds should acceptable as they can spin up to 7200.
 

MetalDeer

Member
As long as you're not expecting to play games, the onboard graphics will definitely be just fine for day-to-day use. Premiere, Photoshop, and After Effects will still work but without the benefits of GPU acceleration, so some tasks might take longer, that's all.

You probably just overlooked it, but the 5820K doesn't have internal graphics.
 

LilJoka

Member
Yeah i think whats throwing me is there is no SATA connector from the pump...i don't understand why the fans wouldn't even spin when i switch the psu on though as the motherboard lights up so suggests there is power getting to it...i will check connectors tonight when i get home and take it from there.

PSU supplies 5v Standby, so the Motherboard LEDs light up. But until the PC is switched on the fans and everything else is not going to do anything.

Not a gaming PC question but a general PC Building question.


I am building a dedicated file server and media server. It will be used to archive and store files and media to be used around my house or externally with Plex.

When picking my CPU, is the CPU speed more/less important than the number of cores? I know more cores is better for running multiple streams etc. I am picking between various 35W haswell processors, it will be an i3 or i5. Just not sure if quad core is that much better than dual core for future proofing or for my immediate needs.

The 35W Quad core i5 is only 2.0 ghz, while the dual core is 3.0 ghz.


Thoughts? I prefer to keep it at 35W for the CPU as it will run 24/7

It will be the host thats doing the video decoding, so actually all that matters is the IO performance of the drives and network throughput. The Server just needs to be fast enough to saturate the network bandwidth, which of course if limited by the HDD speeds, not CPU. Even a G3258 is enough in that case. And although its 53W, its just going to be idle 99% of the time, as not even streaming files will consume more than 10%. Meaning the power consumption is going to be no more than a 35W CPU, as all similar intel CPUs idle at similar power.

So if you connect a Smart TV to the network, and use Plex, all the video decoding will be done on the TV. The Server will just be reading files off the disk.
 

glaurung

Member
Guys - a long term question for the graphics card enthusiasts.

I am currently rocking an MSI GTX 970. I would like to run Metal Gear Solid V at 4K (once released of course).

Should I:
  1. Wait and see?
  2. Get a second 970 and SLI up?
  3. Go for a 980 instead?
  4. Go crazy and get a Titan X?
What do you think?
 

Engell

Member
Will have a 120 Gig SSD for OS, 1 TB WD Blue drive for Seeding torrents, and 6 WD Red drives for storage. 3 for active storage and 3 for mirroring/backup (but not in a live Raid).
Stealth edit! - Thanks, ya I am leaning toward the dual core but 3.0 ghz CPU. Ya I guess the drives could be a limiting factor, good call. I will be sure to keep Movies and TV shows on different drives just in case, but the WD Reds should acceptable as they can spin up to 7200.

its not really the spin speed, just the fact that the reading head will have to move between several spots on the platter.

But think I will stop here since what you are describing sounds like it could be linked to something illegal.
 

LilJoka

Member
Guys - a long term question for the graphics card enthusiasts.

I am currently rocking an MSI GTX 970. I would like to run Metal Gear Solid V at 4K (once released of course).

Should I:
  1. Wait and see? Yes
  2. Get a second 970 and SLI up? No, 3.5GB VRAM problem
  3. Go for a 980 instead? Overclocked 970 = 980
  4. Go crazy and get a Titan X? If you are happy with 4k30, then yes
What do you think?

Personally, 4K is still not viable with these GPUs, but 60fps is important to me.
 

RGM79

Member
You probably just overlooked it, but the 5820K doesn't have internal graphics.
You are absolutely right. My bad, I really did overlook his statement.

I feel especially embarrassed, having put together a 5820K+X99S SLI Plus based build less than a month ago in my own bedroom. I guess I should get some early sleep.

Xtyle, you'll have to reuse your old graphics card for the time being, or wait until you can get your hands on a 980 Ti.
 

Chinbo37

Member
its not really the spin speed, just the fact that the reading head will have to move between several spots on the platter.

But think I will stop here since what you are describing sounds like it could be linked to something illegal.


ah ok I understand, thanks for your help.

And as for illegality. LOL. I have a stack of about 200 to 300 DVDs and Bluerays that I need to rip of movies and TV shows. I hope I am operating within the law :)
 
ah ok I understand, thanks for your help.

And as for illegality. LOL. I have a stack of about 200 to 300 DVDs and Bluerays that I need to rip of movies and TV shows. I hope I am operating within the law :)

So you rip your discs then seed the contents to other people? Then yes it's against the law.
 
Regarding the GTX 970, should I check something on my MOBO before thinking about buying it?
MOBO it's a P8Z68-V/GEN3 and I've found some people that had problems getting the card recognized. Maybe I shouldn't worry, maybe I should?
 
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