Support NeoGAF

[LilJoka]

since you're buying a locked CPU why do you need an aftermarket cooler?

Also, 8gb of ram is plenty for gaming. If you're going to stay with the locked CPU and not OC, then I would ditch the cooler and the extra ram and put the money into an SSD

ITX rig so good to get 16Gb now as it only has 2 slots and DDR3 ram prices will continue to increase.

The stock cooler is pretty loud even without an overclock since the CPU runs quite hot and has TIM between the CPU die and heatspreader.

I'm running this on a gigabyte ud4h, which is supposedly thicker than standard, isn't it?

Cant give you numbers but when i had my H80i i was cooling a 3960x at 4.8Ghz 1.40v. So the backplate fit my board perfect (Asus Rampage Gene IV).

You are right about backplate orientation however. Corsair doesnt seem to care.

 

[Reg]

Just got a new ssd (crucial mx100 512GB). Was wondering if it's worth it to install Intel Rapid Storage Technology? I've heard conflicting reports with some people saying it is mandatory.

 

[RGM79]

since you're buying a locked CPU why do you need an aftermarket cooler?

Also, 8gb of ram is plenty for gaming. If you're going to stay with the locked CPU and not OC, then I would ditch the cooler and the extra ram and put the money into an SSD

The water cooler is better in a cramped case like the Elite 130. The stock Intel cooler fits, but it'll run loud and hot in there. Besides, if I chose to keep the stock cooler, it would generate heat right under the power supply which is mounted above the CPU in that case. For airflow, all the case has is a 120mm frontal fan and 80mm side fan, and I'm a bit worried about the heat from the graphics card.

Going with an 128GB SSD and 8GB of RAM only is also an option, I'll list it as an alternate build.

 

[LilJoka]

Just got a new ssd (crucial mx100 512GB). Was wondering if it's worth it to install Intel Rapid Storage Technology? I've heard conflicting reports with some people saying it is mandatory.

No its not mandatory at all. In my own testing i found the Microsoft ahci default driver to be better performing, but quite marginal.

 

[thespot84]

The water cooler is better in a cramped case like the Elite 130. The stock Intel cooler fits, but it'll run loud and hot in there. Besides, if I chose to keep the stock cooler, it would generate heat right under the power supply which is mounted above the CPU in that case. For airflow, all the case has is a 120mm frontal fan and 80mm side fan, and I'm a bit worried about the heat from the graphics card.

Going with an 128GB SSD and 8GB of RAM only is also an option, I'll list it as an alternate build.

didn't realize it was ITX, carry on

 

[The Boat]

Good news (for me) everyone! I managed to do some math magic and expand my budget to about 1000 Euros.
I made a provisional setup, although I'm not sure about manufacturers and stuff, especially when it comes to the GPU. Still need to look more into the case.
I would apreciate the feedback, as I'm out of date and not into the details of computer hardware at the moment. I'm looking to buy in the near future, but I can wait a couple of months if new cards are supposed to come out soon, I just want something that can last me a while.
The prices in this list are just for reference as I'm buying in Portugal.

[Basic Desktop Questions]
Budget: ~1000 Euros, buying in Portugal
Main Use: Gaming and Emulation mostly, probably some programming and other general uses. Later I might consider streaming and recording.
Monitor Resolution: 1080p for the next years most likely
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Hard to say, as I play all kinds of stuff, 60 fps would be great and of course if I could supersample it would be nice if possible
Looking to reuse any parts?: WD HDDs I already have and optical drives


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($320.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($74.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($101.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($204.99 @ Amazon)
Case: BitFenix Comrade ATX Mid Tower Case ($47.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $937.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 16:30 EST-0500

 

[Crisium]

Good news (for me) everyone! I managed to do some math magic and expand my budget to about 1000 Euros.
I made a provisional setup, although I'm not sure about manufacturers and stuff, especially when it comes to the GPU. Still need to look more into the case.
I would apreciate the feedback, as I'm out of date and not into the details of computer hardware at the moment. I'm looking to buy in the near future, but I can wait a couple of months if new cards are supposed to come out soon, I just want something that can last me a while.
The prices in this list are just for reference as I'm buying in Portugal.

[Basic Desktop Questions]
Budget: ~1000 Euros, buying in Portugal
Main Use: Gaming and Emulation mostly, probably some programming and other general uses. Later I might consider streaming and recording.
Monitor Resolution: 1080p for the next years most likely
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Hard to say, as I play all kinds of stuff, 60 fps would be great and of course if I could supersample it would be nice if possible
Looking to reuse any parts?: WD HDDs I already have and optical drives


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($320.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($74.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($101.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($204.99 @ Amazon)
Case: BitFenix Comrade ATX Mid Tower Case ($47.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $937.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 16:30 EST-0500

The GTX 960 is honestly a poor choice as a GPU. A Radeon 280X is 15% faster on average yet costs the same and has 50% more VRAM ensuring more longevity (2GB of VRAM even at 1080 is proving insufficient in more and more games). If your GPU budget is flexible, stretching it to accommodate a Radeon 290 should also interest you. It is 50% faster than a 960.

 

[I H8 Memes]

Are there any good deals floating around for a good mouse right now? $50 to $70 range.

 

[Kyne]

Alright, final build. Some things to note:

-I can probably pick up cheaper RAM but I'm a stickler about colors.
-I already have a secondary HD.
-Already have a case (seen here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...J25140&cm_re=Azza_case-_-11-517-004-_-Product )
-I don't think I need a dedicated heatsink since I won't be overclocking?

My last question to anyone willing to help; if I had another $50-100 what should I invest it into? (when it comes to the parts below)


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H97 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($92.90 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($101.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $771.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 17:25 EST-0500

RGM79, thanks a bunch for all your help. It's been greatly appreciated.

 

[xezuru]

Hey guys, what kind of budgetesque cases are the recommended these days?
Lookin for an ATX mid/full maybe just want it to for sure be able to fit a new hefty video card.
and have 3.0 USB front ports and some fan slots.

Anyone have experience with this case?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8jQKdC

 

[Crisium]

Alright, final build. Some things to note:

-I can probably pick up cheaper RAM but I'm a stickler about colors.
-I already have a secondary HD.
-Already have a case (seen here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...J25140&cm_re=Azza_case-_-11-517-004-_-Product )
-I don't think I need a dedicated heatsink since I won't be overclocking?

My last question to anyone willing to help; if I had another $50-100 what should I invest it into? (when it comes to the parts below)


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H97 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($92.90 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($101.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $771.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 17:25 EST-0500

RGM79, thanks a bunch for all your help. It's been greatly appreciated.

You can't go wrong with more RAM. You never know if a game you want to play is

Spoiler

horribly optimized

and will need 16GB soon.

Upgrading to a 290X only gives you around 5% more performance if you can get the same speeds, so not really worth it. Going 4790 (non-k) also is questionable as hyperthreading may actually hurt performance sometimes. A better CPU for sure, but not always for gaming.

RAM, or bigger SSD to have more games on.

 

[Reg]

No its not mandatory at all. In my own testing i found the Microsoft ahci default driver to be better performing, but quite marginal.

Gotcha. I won't be installing it then. Thanks.

 

[RGM79]

Hey guys, what kind of budgetesque cases are the recommended these days?
Lookin for an ATX mid/full maybe just want it to for sure be able to fit a new hefty video card.
and have 3.0 USB front ports and some fan slots.

Anyone have experience with this case?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8jQKdC

Prices vary, but Antec, NZXT, and Corsair are safe bets on a low budget. Corsair's options usually have lots of space for long graphics cards at the expense of hard drive bays.

 

[Nesmaster75]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($184.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H55 57.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($84.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston Savage 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($121.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($67.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $837.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 15:20 EST-0500

$888 before promotional discounts, rebates, and taxes, hopefully that's enough. I'm not entirely clear how taxes in the States work for online retailers, I believe it depends on which state you're ordering from, and perhaps the retailer as well.

Microcenter has that i5 4590 processor for just $160, but I don't know if it's worth the gas money or tax rate for you to go there. If you are willing to go to Microcenter, you also have the possibility of picking up the case ($32 after $10 rebate) and motherboard ($80 after $10 rebate) on the build list from there as well instead of ordering online. Click on "price breakdown by merchant" to see how much it'd cost by retailer.

Here's an alternative build with 8GB RAM but includes an SSD as suggested by thespot84:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($184.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H55 57.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($84.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($57.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($59.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($67.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $833.64
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 15:48 EST-0500

Thanks so much for putting this together! Seems like both are really solid builds for my price point. Newbie question, but if I was to up the CPU to an i7, would I have to change anything else (Power supply, etc.)?

My goal with this entire process is to build something that'll be able to play new games on max settings within my price point. And if it were you personally, would you go with that 16GB DDR3 or SSD? Thanks again for the help.

P.S. I really love that case haha

 

[I H8 Memes]

Alright, I have no idea what would be a good gaming mouse but I looked around and found a few that looked promising. Hopefully someone here has experience with any of these mice and can offer some feedback.

Corsair Vengeance M95

Logitech G600

ROCCAT Kone Pure

LOGITECH G502

 

[HarryDemeanor]

Alright, I have no idea what would be a good gaming mouse but I looked around and found a few that looked promising. Hopefully someone here has experience with any of these mice and can offer some feedback.
Logitech G600

The G600 is a great mouse if you play a lot of MMOs or MOBAs. I've had it for a month now and really like it. It's pretty comfortable and easy to use. Training yourself to remember which button your thumb is resting on for the side buttons will take a little getting used to but the way the buttons are angled will help out a ton.

I can't speak on the rest but I know the G502 has been a favorite around here.

 

[Grinchy]

Whatever DIMMs you can find that are low-profile and 1866Mhz or better. There's nothing to separate manufacturers really. Low-profile is preferred to avoid fouling CPU coolers or other components. Be aware that heatsinks on memory modules are entirely cosmetic.

I just know my Corsair Vengeance modules are going to annoy me when I go to install my 212 EVO.

 

[xezuru]

Alright, I have no idea what would be a good gaming mouse but I looked around and found a few that looked promising. Hopefully someone here has experience with any of these mice and can offer some feedback.

Corsair Vengeance M95

Logitech G600

ROCCAT Kone Pure

LOGITECH G502

I'm not sure about the Kone Pure, but I have the Roccat Savu and it has the best conventional sensor you're gonna get for gaming, the only cons are the grip for the thumb rubs off a bid (i actually like it off better), and it's a bit small, but overall functionality is very very good.

 

[Fracas]

I bought this mouse, and it came in today. Feels pretty good for a budget mouse. Especially if you're not sure whether you'll use a ton of buttons.

 

[mkenyon]

Alright, I have no idea what would be a good gaming mouse but I looked around and found a few that looked promising. Hopefully someone here has experience with any of these mice and can offer some feedback.

Corsair Vengeance M95

Logitech G600

ROCCAT Kone Pure

LOGITECH G502

Short list of quality gaming mice:
- Zowie FK
- Zowie AM
- Zowie FK1
- Zowie EC1 CL
- Zowie EC1 eVo
- Zowie EC2 CL
- Zowie EC2 eVo
- Razer Deathadder 3G
- Razer Deathadder 3.5G
- Razer Deathadder 2013
- Razer Abyssus
- Logitech G400
- Logitech G400s
- Logitech G502
- Steelseries Kana V2
- Steelseries Rival
- Mionix Avoir 7000
- Cooler Master Storm Spawn
- Cooler master Storm Alcor
- Roccat Savu
- Roccat Kone Pure Optical
- Roccat Kone Pure Military
- Mad Catz R.A.T. 3
- Corsair M45

It's about 4 months or so out of date, so you could add the G402, EVGA X5, and Sabre Optical to that as well. Avoid anything else if you want an accurate sensor

Got my AOC G-sync monitor (the one ThoseDeafMutes has) last week, but still haven't been able to try it out since I sent in my EVGA 970 FTW to step-up to the FTW+ just before it arrived. Pure torture.

I've never experienced a refresh rate above 60hz, let alone G-sync. How good does 144hz feel?

It's as close as you can get to a gaming moment of clarity. You stop, befuddled as the amazingness before you and think, "oh, THIS is what games are supposed to be like."

Later on, you'll discover you can achieve orgasm through optical massage, and find yourself in a constant state of Nirvana.

Spoiler

Im being hyperbolic a little bit on the second paragraph but not the first

 

[RGM79]

Thanks so much for putting this together! Seems like both are really solid builds for my price point. Newbie question, but if I was to up the CPU to an i7, would I have to change anything else (Power supply, etc.)?

My goal with this entire process is to build something that'll be able to play new games on max settings within my price point. And if it were you personally, would you go with that 16GB DDR3 or SSD? Thanks again for the help.

P.S. I really love that case haha

Actually, the i7 4790 won't make much of a difference. The i5 and i7 processors on that motherboard platform are very similar - they're all quad core processors of the same design and class, so to speak. The only thing that the i7 would really add is hyperthreading, but few games can make use of eight processing threads, four is already enough. The difference in game framerate performance is so tiny that I can't recommend you spend the extra $100 or so for the i7 4790, unless you plan to do other things like video editing or 3D modelling or something that specifically benefits from the i7's hyperthreading.

As for whether to get the SSD or RAM first.. If you get the SSD first it'll be easier than later, as you might find it troublesome if you get the SSD later and you want to move Windows to it. Installing extra RAM is an easy upgrade that you just slot in and don't have to set up beyond going into BIOS and ensuring XMP is enabled, the entire process takes like 5 minutes maximum. I guess it makes more sense to go with the SSD, then.

 

[I H8 Memes]

Short list of quality gaming mice:
- Zowie FK
- Zowie AM
- Zowie FK1
- Zowie EC1 CL
- Zowie EC1 eVo
- Zowie EC2 CL
- Zowie EC2 eVo
- Razer Deathadder 3G
- Razer Deathadder 3.5G
- Razer Deathadder 2013
- Razer Abyssus
- Logitech G400
- Logitech G400s
- Logitech G502
- Steelseries Kana V2
- Steelseries Rival
- Mionix Avoir 7000
- Cooler Master Storm Spawn
- Cooler master Storm Alcor
- Roccat Savu
- Roccat Kone Pure Optical
- Roccat Kone Pure Military
- Mad Catz R.A.T. 3
- Corsair M45

It's about 4 months or so out of date, so you could add the G402, EVGA X5, and Sabre Optical to that as well. Avoid anything else if you want an accurate sensor

Thanks for all the info! I'm currently using a CM Storm Inferno. love the mouse but it has recently succumbed to long term Dota play. Right mouse is giving out.

I was most leaning towards the Logitech G502, but I was also interested in the Roccat Kone Pure (laser), but was put off by reviews that say the mouse is really small. Almost travel mouse small. Any reason you recommend the Pure Optical and not the Pure laser?

 

[mkenyon]

Because every laser sensor has native acceleration, and every company that has one uses jankie firmware to fix it and instead create a whole new range of problems.

Good thread here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56240.0

 

[LilJoka]

Hey guys, what kind of budgetesque cases are the recommended these days?
Lookin for an ATX mid/full maybe just want it to for sure be able to fit a new hefty video card.
and have 3.0 USB front ports and some fan slots.

Anyone have experience with this case?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8jQKdC

Extremely old fashioned.

Take a look at Corsair and Fractal Design cases

 

[Femmeworth]

Read up on frame times, so I'm going to run FRAPS and play some F.E.A.R.

I think I might be one of those more sensitive to stutter, which means I definitely need gsync. :|

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm in the market for a new monitor, but I'm a bit iffy on what features I want to get and what size/resolution combination will keep me happy for the next few years. I'm currently running a 21.5" ASUS VS228H-P (60 Hz, 1080p, TN panel) with a stuck pixel that's driving me nuts so essentially anything will be an upgrade.

Relevant specs:
i7 3770k @ 3.5 GHz (heat issues made me bump back down to stock for the moment)
EVGA GTX 970 FTW 4GB

I realize this stuff is fairly subjective, but:
(1) Given my system, should I be prioritizing 1440 monitors or is G-Sync going to be a better bet?
(2) How big can my monitor be before 1080p starts looking rough from your average desk seat? Is 27" pushing it?
(3) For those of you who bought fancy high-end monitors, did it then push you to upgrade your other hardware?

 

[The Boat]

The GTX 960 is honestly a poor choice as a GPU. A Radeon 280X is 15% faster on average yet costs the same and has 50% more VRAM ensuring more longevity (2GB of VRAM even at 1080 is proving insufficient in more and more games). If your GPU budget is flexible, stretching it to accommodate a Radeon 290 should also interest you. It is 50% faster than a 960.

Thanks for the advice, I'll crush the numbers tomorrow

 

[Azzurri]

So tested out my 5920k and GTX 980 3Dmark. Have not OC'ed either yet.

Scores seem pretty good; better than 97% of PC's

Flamestrike: 12,000
Skydive: 31,063
Cloud Gate: 29,518
Ice Storm: 142,779

 

[zulfate]

Are you willing to buy from other retailers or do you want to get everything from Newegg? Microcenter generally has the best prices for processors (i3 4160 just $100 for example) but only for in-store pickup.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($121.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($47.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($40.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $597.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-11 02:17 EST-0500

I think this is the best you can get. That ASRock motherboard has few but nearly all good user reviews on Newegg and Amazon. The G.Skill 2133MHz memory is cheaper and faster than what you had on the old list, but also is a very time limited deal, order now if you can. I changed the case and power supply to save a bit more money so I could bump you up to the R9 290. It is a much more powerful graphics card than the 750 Ti and will ensure that you will probably be good playing most AAA games on very high settings for the next year or two. I dropped the DVD drive because those aren't used very often anymore as digital distribution and USB drives have basically replaced their use, unless you need a DVD drive for a specific reason.

I'd have recommended a better motherboard like a Z97 model in case you want to upgrade to better processors later on, the H81 model will also accept newer processors, it just won't be able to overclock very well if at all.

hey sorry for the late response! thank you so much for the recommendations! no i dont have a micro center near

ill just use newegg. agains thanks!

 

[Femmeworth]

Here's ~13 minutes of F.E.A.R. on my system.

 

[VoxPop]

Thinking of holding off on my build till the 300 series cards are released. Are the memory issues on the 970 that big of a deal or should I just go for it?

 

[mkenyon]

Here's ~13 minutes of F.E.A.R. on my system.

Yeah, vsync can do some weird stuff to frame times.

 

[Easy_D]

Wow, it took one evening for the 280x to justify its price, beastly card.

My 650w PSU is taking a little heat though, stuff got wonky until I re-arranged the power connections to the GPU, has been fine since, though it does get hot, unsure whether the 5870 had that effect on it as well or no but just to be on the safe side I'll look into replacing it it with a newer model at the end of the month.

But other than that the GPU is peforming every bit as well as I could hope a GPU in its price-range could and it's amazing to . But how on EARTH do I get Catalyst Control Center to stop messing with my monitor's calibration?

Edit: I'm just gonna elaborate on my question. Is there any way in which I can give a program exclusive rights to the calibration of my monitor during startup? I find the software that came with it does the best job, but Windows itself used to reset it after every restart, or a game would mess it up. So I started using the Windows tool instead, but now CCC is disabling it instead.

 

[thespot84]

Yeah, vsync can do some weird stuff to frame times.

so whats my target for 120hz? <8ms?

 

[Femmeworth]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

FRAFS chokes on too much data, scaling the graphs is a pain.

 

[Uraizen]

I'm usually not one to ask for help, but I really could use some opinions here. I'm trying to buy a "bridge" video card to keep me comfortable between now and cheaper (future) DX12 cards. I only plan to play games at 1080p with no downsampling. I currently own a GTX 560ti and have been looking at either a 780 or a 970.

Which would you guys recommend given all you know about both cards and my usage? I would say around $300 or so is a good price. Yes, it has to be an nvidia card unless there's some sort of godlike deal I don't know about.

Any opinions would be appreciated since it's still $300 I'm spending, heh.

 

[RGM79]

I'm usually not one to ask for help, but I really could use some opinions here. I'm trying to buy a "bridge" video card to keep me comfortable between now and cheaper (future) DX12 cards. I only plan to play games at 1080p with no downsampling. I currently own a GTX 560ti and have been looking at either a 780 or a 970.

Which would you guys recommend given all you know about both cards and my usage? I would say around $300 or so is a good price. Yes, it has to be an nvidia card unless there's some sort of godlike deal I don't know about.

Any opinions would be appreciated since it's still $300 I'm spending, heh.

What's wrong with your current 560 Ti? Is it dying? Seems like it should still be able to handle 1080p at medium settings, maybe low for certain demanding games. Do you prefer Nvidia for things like Shadowplay? Also, what are your current system specs?

The best performing Nvidia card you can pick up for $300 new is a PNY GTX 780 3GB model for $287 after rebate. Otherwise for the sake of comparison and competition, the MSI R9 290X 4GB can be had for $283 which is about the same price. Looking at benchmarks, the R9 290X is generally anywhere from 10% slower to up to 25% faster than the GTX 780 depending on the game, especially in the case of certain games at certain settings like those Bioshock Infinite dynamic depth of field tests.

The R9 290X also has a slight edge when it comes to VRAM, but if you play at 1080p then the GTX 780's 3GB will still be enough for the time being, but I can't say for how long. Are there any specific games you're looking to achieve a certain minimum level of performance in?

 

[Thebrokenleg]

Maybe consider overclocking your CPU if you haven't already done it, all you need is a decent cooler. If you're not lacking in CPU power, then all you need is a new graphics card upgrade. Seriously, 850 watts is overkill, your case is huge, there's nothing really holding you back.

What's your budget, and are there any local retailers you prefer to buy from?

Well, if I only need to upgrade my graphics card, I could put down maybe around 300$ (~2500 kr). Dustin, Inet and Webhallen are usually good retailers here in Sweden, but I can do the price matching myself as soon as I have some ideas on which graphic cards that are a good fit.

Regarding overclocking my CPU, I am all up for it. Unfortunately, I have no idea on how it's done, so if you could maybe point me somewhere where I can read up on overclocking it, I would be grateful. Also, I am using the cooler that came with my current CPU. Do I need to upgrade it as well?

 

[Lockjaw333]

So I overclocked my 2500k to 4.5ghz at 1.35v about a week and a half ago. Been running stable since, including about 10 comined hours of Prime95, however I ran into my first case of instability.

I was playing Ryse last night for probably an hour and a half, and then I got a blue screen of death (bsod). Whocrashed reports it as a hardware/thermal error, and reading up on it, it seems to be the x0124 bsod that people frequently get with overclocking.

So does that mean my core voltage is either too low or too high? I also manually set the other voltages according to a guide I found, wondering if I should put them back on Auto.

For what its worth, I went back and played Ryse for another half hour without issue. I also have been playing a lot of FC4 maxed, BF4 maxed, etc without issue.

Temps reach low 60s max, so they seem fine.

Could I try to lower the core voltage to 1.3 and see if its stable? Seems this is most commonly from too much voltage.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

So I overclocked my 2500k to 4.5ghz at 1.35v about a week and a half ago. Been running stable since, including about 10 comined hours of Prime95, however I ran into my first case of instability.

I was playing Ryse last night for probably an hour and a half, and then I got a blue screen of death (bsod). Whocrashed reports it as a hardware/thermal error, and reading up on it, it seems to be the x0124 bsod that people frequently get with overclocking.

So does that mean my core voltage is either too low or too high? I also manually set the other voltages according to a guide I found, wondering if I should put them back on Auto.

For what its worth, I went back and played Ryse for another half hour without issue. I also have been playing a lot of FC4 maxed, BF4 maxed, etc without issue.

Temps reach low 60s max, so they seem fine.

Could I try to lower the core voltage to 1.3 and see if its stable? Seems this is most commonly from too much voltage.

Doesn't hurt to try. But if it crashes again, I think put it back up 1.35 and other auto and test.

 

[Lockjaw333]

Doesn't hurt to try. But if it crashes again, I think put it back up 1.35 and other auto and test.

I think I'll try to put all of the other voltages on Auto and see if thats stable.

Like I said, this was a random bsod, it had been completely stable for almost 2 weeks including stress testing. I'm not sure whether Ryse is to blame either... I've read a bunch of complaints about bsod crashes while playing Ryse.

Just a side question, if I wanted to step down to a modest OC of say 4.0 ghz, could that be done on default voltage? I wouldn't mind erring on the side of caution with my OC if it means better stability. Gaming is really the only taxing thing I do with my PC.

 

[LilJoka]

So I overclocked my 2500k to 4.5ghz at 1.35v about a week and a half ago. Been running stable since, including about 10 comined hours of Prime95, however I ran into my first case of instability.

I was playing Ryse last night for probably an hour and a half, and then I got a blue screen of death (bsod). Whocrashed reports it as a hardware/thermal error, and reading up on it, it seems to be the x0124 bsod that people frequently get with overclocking.

So does that mean my core voltage is either too low or too high? I also manually set the other voltages according to a guide I found, wondering if I should put them back on Auto.

For what its worth, I went back and played Ryse for another half hour without issue. I also have been playing a lot of FC4 maxed, BF4 maxed, etc without issue.

Temps reach low 60s max, so they seem fine.

Could I try to lower the core voltage to 1.3 and see if its stable? Seems this is most commonly from too much voltage.

BSOD 124 is 99% more Vcore required.
Exactly which Prime95 torture test did you run? I recommend:
Click Blend, Click Custom, Now enter a decent amount of memory to test, 6000MB for an 8GB system is good. Now click run.

 

[yatesl]

Running low on hard drive space. I have a 3TB drive for documents, games etc. (with 242GB free), and a 2TB drive for media (with a whopping 5GB).

Any opinions on NAS drives and enclosures? I'd buy a second (well, forth) drive, but I'm thinking about having a box attached to my router so everything can access it easily - 2 PCs and a laptop (I'm guessing DLNA devices still need to use a PC with XBMC).

My media HDD is a Samsung HD204UI 5000rpm - would it be better to buy 2x 2TB red drives, for a total of 4, in a raid?

 

[Azzurri]

What are some good OC's for the 5820k. I have mine at 4.0 with no problem.

 

[Lockjaw333]

BSOD 124 is 99% more Vcore required.
Exactly which Prime95 torture test did you run? I recommend:
Click Blend, Click Custom, Now enter a decent amount of memory to test, 6000MB for an 8GB system is good. Now click run.

I just clicked the blend test so it ran whatever the defaults were for that test. I think I ran near a total of 10 hours without any issues.

Should I try to up the vcore slightly, maybe to 1.37? Everything I read had me scared to go over 1.35v.

Could I also try to lower the multiplier? Possibly go down to 4.4ghz?

I'm open to options. Its my first OC so I don't really know how to troubleshoot it.

Right now I'm tempted to blame Ryse! >o

 

[Vic]

Any fan controllers you guys can recommend? Also, analog or digital controls for the controller? I'm leaning towards digital especially if it automatically controls the fans RPM, but I'm not sure.


Edit: NVM. Ultimately I don't want LED on the front of my box, so I'll go with an analog fan controller. Thinking of this one: Thermaltake Commander F5 Multi Fan Controller

 

[knitoe]

I just clicked the blend test so it ran whatever the defaults were for that test. I think I ran near a total of 10 hours without any issues.

Should I try to up the vcore slightly, maybe to 1.37? Everything I read had me scared to go over 1.35v.

Could I also try to lower the multiplier? Possibly go down to 4.4ghz?

I'm open to options. Its my first OC so I don't really know how to troubleshoot it.

Right now I'm tempted to blame Ryse! >o

What CPU temps are you getting?

Is your video card also overclock?

And, yes, try 4.4GHz.

 

[Lockjaw333]

What CPU temps are you getting?

Is your video card also overclock?

And, yes, try 4.4GHz.

Temps under load during Prime95 stress are low 60s, maybe like 60-65C.

My GPU is factory OC, its an EVGA GTX 970 SSC.

I'll try 4.4 ghz tonight., but I never saw an issue with 4.5ghz outside of this lone bsod during Ryse.

 

[knitoe]

Temps under load during Prime95 stress are low 60s, maybe like 60-65C.

My GPU is factory OC, its an EVGA GTX 970 SSC.

I'll try 4.4 ghz tonight., but I never saw an issue with 4.5ghz outside of this lone bsod during Ryse.

Could be video card factory OC is not 100% stable. Try running it at a lower OC or normal stock speed.

 

[mkenyon]

What are some good OC's for the 5820k. I have mine at 4.0 with no problem.

Don't aim for anything, just see what yours can do. Work it up slowly and get to know it.