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[BriareosGAF]

All you should be changing is your GPU, MSI GTX 970 Gamer is the one i would chose.

I'm just about to RMA my Gigabyte small factor 970, TDRs and system crashes out the wazoo. Disappointing, seems fairly common.

My R9 290X reference card (yay for being a developer) is standing in for now but doesn't have the same horsepower.

 

[Spiritwalker]

If you already have an i5 4570, why are you buying a new motherboard?

All you should be changing is your GPU, MSI GTX 970 Gamer is the one i would chose.

What are your full current specs?

Because I have a Mini-ITX atm (at least I think that's what they are called). But I'm mainly upgrading because my current PC has a lot of hardware issues, especially the GPU. I also want a bigger cabinet.

Current specs:

Thanks for the advice. I don't know that much about GPUs, what makes the MSI one better?

EDIT: The R5 case isn't available here yet.. does anyone know if NZXT S340 is good?

https://www.komplett.no/nzxt-s340-midi-tower-hvit/824760

 

[The Llama]

Actually in terms of computational power the PS4 is pretty much on paar with HD 7850 and R270. R270X is a bit more powerful.
And the PS4 GPU has nowhere near the compute units of 290x. It has 1154 stream processors in total versus 2816 for the 290x.

It's a bit closer to the 7850 than the 7870, but it's still inbetween them.

I used the wrong terminology there, I meant ACE units, which have to go with GPGPU computing.

http://www.redgamingtech.com/playst...eon-volcanic-island-gpu-compute-similarities/

It has 8, same as a 290/290x. The 7850/7870 only have 2. Whether this will actually matter for anything is up for debate though XD

 

[hooijdonk17]

Get the Toshiba as the ACA drives are using Hitachi tech but also have 1Tb platters.
Greens have poor reliability.

Aha! DT01ACA200 or DT01ACA300 it is then!

 

[Kinvara]

Your Current Specs: I have nothing. lol
Budget: $1500 but I can go higher, USA
Main Use: Light Gaming: 4, Gaming: 4, Emulation (PS2/Wii): 1, Video Editing: 1, Streaming games in HD: 1, 3D/Model work (and what program): 5, General Usage (Word, Web, 1080p playback): 5.
Monitor Resolution: 1080p is good enough for me
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Maya, NukeX, pretty much any 3D modeling programs
Looking to reuse any parts?: Nope
When will you build?: I'd like to finish building by late January 2015
Will you be overclocking?: No

I plan to use my PC primarily for work plus some occasional gaming fun.

Starting to do some research right now but I'm still pretty lost.

Any preference for small PC cases? And when you say you won't be overclocking, do you mean never or that you won't for now but may do in the future? Here's a starting build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($331.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.44 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.85 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1529.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-12 20:31 EST-0500

I posted this awhile back but life happened and I'm not up to building a PC right now.

I was thinking of ordering a desktop off of http://www.xoticpc.com/.

Do you all recommend it? If so what model should I go for? My wants/needs and budget have not changed since my original post.

 

[gdt]

Some parts should come in today, the rest of them should be here Thursday. Just need to track down a windows copy tomorrow whatever the cheapest way is and I'll be set to start building it Friday. Maybe Thursday night after work depending how excited I am haha.

 

[LilJoka]

Because I have a Mini-ITX atm (at least I think that's what they are called). But I'm mainly upgrading because my current PC has a lot of hardware issues, especially the GPU. I also want a bigger cabinet.

Current specs:

Thanks for the advice. I don't know that much about GPUs, what makes the MSI one better?

EDIT: The R5 case isn't available here yet.. does anyone know if NZXT S340 is good?

https://www.komplett.no/nzxt-s340-midi-tower-hvit/824760

Whats wrong with mITX though? People are changing their ATX builds for mATX or even mITX if possible, why are you looking to do the opposite? Which case do you have?

MSI is preferred as it is very quiet, runs cool, decent overclocking and fans shut off below 60c. Although im wondering why you are upgrading at all, but if you really want to the GPU is the only thing to change.

I posted this awhile back but life happened and I'm not up to building a PC right now.

I was thinking of ordering a desktop off of http://www.xoticpc.com/.

Do you all recommend it? If so what model should I go for? My wants/needs and budget have not changed since my original post.

I used the Exodus Stage 2 build and specced it as close to the original build posted. Came to $2100, so no i doubt any of us would recommend using a pre built site. Its literally a few hours work to put togethor that build for someone new to building, i dont see it being worth $600 extra.

 

[Sikamikanico]

Hi PC-GAF,

I have an okayish PC at the moment, but my desire to play Elite: Dangerous at silky smooth framerates is too much to resist. I have some cash coming through at the end of April once my house move progresses, so I'm thinking of getting the following:

Sensible Build:
Case:CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ AIR 540 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU):Intel® Core™i7 Six Core Processor i7-5820K (3.3GHz) 15MB Cache
Motherboard:ASUS® X99-S: ATX, HSW-E CPU, USB 3.0, SATA 6 GB/s
Memory (RAM):16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (4 x 4GB)
Graphics Card:4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 x 2 (SLI)
1st Hard Disk:120GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk:2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
Monitors:2 xIIYAMA E2473HS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, 2 HDMI/DVI-D 1920x1080

Not a sensible build:

Case:CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ AIR 540 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU):Intel® Core™i7 Eight Core Processor Extreme i7-5960X (3.0GHz) 20MB Cache
Motherboard:ASUS® X99-S: ATX, HSW-E CPU, USB 3.0, SATA 6 GB/s
Memory (RAM):16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (4 x 4GB)
Graphics Card:4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 x 2 (SLI)
1st Hard Disk:250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk:2TB 3.5" SEAGATE SSHD, SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM (64MB + 8GB SSD CACHE)
Monitors:3 x IIYAMA E2481HS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI 1920x1080

Is it worth spending the extra cash on the not so sensible build for what is probably little return? There's minimal difference obviously, the biggest money going on the CPU and the extra monitor.

This would be used for gaming, and HD video editing.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BriareosGAF]

It's a bit closer to the 7850 than the 7870, but it's still inbetween them.

Bonaire 7790 are the closest actually, but the holistic view of the machines are so wildly disparate it's meaningless to make comparisons like this.

 

[biteren]

hello everyone! i am proud to announce that ive taken my next step in obtaining a gaming PC!!

my build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/rWJvhM
(thx for the build kabel)

ive got the case and GPU on the way!!

 

[dareacher]

Not sure this is the right place to post this but i need help. What is the best device to stream video and pics from my pc to my tv using wireless? Saw a couple of options online but gaf opinion is always best opinion.

 

[RGM79]

I'm taking the plunge over to PC from console and I wanted to try to get a comparable experience around the same price.

I already have a display and I can find a cheap board/mouse combo sometime before I order all of this. The OS I can get a copy from my friend. I also already have an extra 500GB HDD that I'm going to put in at first until I can upgrade to a SSD and bigger HDD. Anything I'm missing or could I trim anything down cost wise?

I'm hoping to build this within the next two-three months.

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($28.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS10B ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $333.92

Sorry I couldn't get back to you earlier. Here's a build with an i3 processor for less than $15 more.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($104.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($34.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 1GB Core Edition Video Card ($93.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $342.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 11:07 EST-0500

I consider this better because you won't have to overclock the G3258 to get a similar level of performance. Overclocking on a stock heatsink is kind of iffy anyway - the Intel cooler gets hot and loud easily. I was also able to get a larger power supply to better support future graphics cards upgrades.

That said, you did say you were planning to build in 2-3 months, I suggest you save up some money and hold off until then. Don't buy parts piecemeal unless you're getting an extremely good deal, it's better to wait the 2-3 months until you can more or less buy most of the parts at once as prices can change. The build listed here is more of a guideline - occasionally certain parts will go on sale, for example I'd sometimes be able to find a 600 watt power supply for $35 but the model I was looking at currently was selling at $45~50.

You could go with a Pentium to save money as long as you were planning to upgrade to a better processor later, but it doesn't work nearly as well for gaming.

Anyone ?

Sorry, workstation class PCs aren't really our thing, unless someone else can chime in with knowledge. Those Xeon E5 models may be older processors, but each one actually appears to be on par with a 5960X which is absolute top of the line for enthusiast X99 platform. Given the costs involved, I'm not sure a fully decked out X99 build with just a single CPU can compare to that HP workstation.

I posted this awhile back but life happened and I'm not up to building a PC right now.

I was thinking of ordering a desktop off of http://www.xoticpc.com/.

Do you all recommend it? If so what model should I go for? My wants/needs and budget have not changed since my original post.

You will still get a stronger PC buying the parts and assembling it yourself for the money. Especially when they're selling FX-8320 and R9 285 for $1200. For the kind of performance my $1500 parts list had, you'd be paying around $2000~2500 at XoticPC.

 

[RGM79]

hello everyone! i am proud to announce that ive taken my next step in obtaining a gaming PC!!

my build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/rWJvhM
(thx for the build kabel)

ive got the case and GPU on the way!!

How long ago was that list spec'd for you? You could get a lot more for the same amount of money. Also, it seems to be missing a hard drive, but assuming you don't need a hard drive because you already have one..

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi B85S3+ Ver. 6.x Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($58.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($61.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($262.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($51.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $648.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 11:43 EST-0500

For $11 more you could have had a much stronger graphics card (roughly 30~50% faster), and a stronger power supply. The case isn't as flashy, but looking back to your post back in December, this runs well under your $700 budget.

Not sure this is the right place to post this but i need help. What is the best device to stream video and pics from my pc to my tv using wireless? Saw a couple of options online but gaf opinion is always best opinion.

Cheapest option would be the Chromecast?

Hi PC-GAF,

I have an okayish PC at the moment, but my desire to play Elite: Dangerous at silky smooth framerates is too much to resist. I have some cash coming through at the end of April once my house move progresses, so I'm thinking of getting the following:

Sensible Build:
Case:CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ AIR 540 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU):Intel® Core™i7 Six Core Processor i7-5820K (3.3GHz) 15MB Cache
Motherboard:ASUS® X99-S: ATX, HSW-E CPU, USB 3.0, SATA 6 GB/s
Memory (RAM):16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (4 x 4GB)
Graphics Card:4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 x 2 (SLI)
1st Hard Disk:120GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk:2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2003FZEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
Monitors:2 xIIYAMA E2473HS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, 2 HDMI/DVI-D 1920x1080

Not a sensible build:

Case:CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ AIR 540 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU):Intel® Core™i7 Eight Core Processor Extreme i7-5960X (3.0GHz) 20MB Cache
Motherboard:ASUS® X99-S: ATX, HSW-E CPU, USB 3.0, SATA 6 GB/s
Memory (RAM):16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 3000MHz X.M.P (4 x 4GB)
Graphics Card:4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 x 2 (SLI)
1st Hard Disk:250GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk:2TB 3.5" SEAGATE SSHD, SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM (64MB + 8GB SSD CACHE)
Monitors:3 x IIYAMA E2481HS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI 1920x1080

Is it worth spending the extra cash on the not so sensible build for what is probably little return? There's minimal difference obviously, the biggest money going on the CPU and the extra monitor.

This would be used for gaming, and HD video editing.

Thanks in advance!

Well, the question is cost VS "this would be nice to have". Performance-wise it's not worth it to spend the extra money on the processor, but your PC will last a quite a bit longer before needing to be replaced. I just don't think the extra $600 is worth the 5690X.

How much do either builds cost, anyway?

 

[LifeLike]

Hi GAF PC...
I know its probably not the best time to buy a pc in Canada with such a low currency right now but could someone please give me the best list of components for a total of 2000$ CAD ? No monitor included.

 

[kharma45]

Hi GAF PC...
I know its probably not the best time to buy a pc in Canada with such a low currency right now but could someone please give me the best list of components for a total of 2000$ CAD ? No monitor included.

Way below your budget but I'd look to something like this, with plenty of wiggle room to scale up

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($258.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.89 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($164.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($122.98 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($62.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Titanium) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $1284.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 11:59 EST-0500

 

[RGM79]

Hi GAF PC...
I know its probably not the best time to buy a pc in Canada with such a low currency right now but could someone please give me the best list of components for a total of 2000$ CAD ? No monitor included.

Just for games? Or will you also be doing CPU-intensive work like video editing or CAD work?

 

[LifeLike]

Just for games? Or will you also be doing CPU-intensive work like video editing or CAD work?

No CAD or video editing... only gaming.
If I could combine this with the kind of machine I use at work (DELL T5500 Xeon... with 48 gb and a 1 Terabyte SSD, I work with a lot of VM in my dev environment) it would be nice but i've been told gaming on a xeon is not really a common thing, is it?

 

[dareacher]

How long ago was that list spec'd for you? You could get a lot more for the same amount of money. Also, it seems to be missing a hard drive, but assuming you don't need a hard drive because you already have one..

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi B85S3+ Ver. 6.x Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($58.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($61.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($262.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($51.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $648.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 11:43 EST-0500

For $11 more you could have had a much stronger graphics card (roughly 30~50% faster), and a stronger power supply. The case isn't as flashy, but looking back to your post back in December, this runs well under your $700 budget.



Cheapest option would be the Chromecast?



Well, the question is cost VS "this would be nice to have". Performance-wise it's not worth it to spend the extra money on the processor, but your PC will last a quite a bit longer before needing to be replaced. I just don't think the extra $600 is worth the 5690X.

How much do either builds cost, anyway?

Not looking for cheapest option, looking for best option....chromecast any good?

 

[Frankfurter]

I posted this awhile back but life happened and I'm not up to building a PC right now.

I was thinking of ordering a desktop off of http://www.xoticpc.com/.

Do you all recommend it? If so what model should I go for? My wants/needs and budget have not changed since my original post.

If you like to pay more for less performance, than I would recommend buying through that website. Otherwise nope: Stick with a GAF-build.

 

[RGM79]

No CAD or video editing... only gaming.
If I could combine this with the kind of machine I use at work (DELL T5500 Xeon... with 48 gb and a 1 Terabyte SSD, I work with a lot of VM in my dev environment) it would be nice but i've been told gaming on a xeon is not really a common thing, is it?

Gaming on a Xeon processor isn't really any different from gaming on consumer model processors. They often share the same architecture, it's just different features or intended specs, some of them don't have integrated graphics, for example. Occasionally we'll recommend a Xeon E3 processor for people here if they want hyperthreading or performance similar to the midrange i7 4790K but for a lower price and without the ability of overclocking. That said, for your budget it's probably best to focus on gaming, but if you were interested in doing any other work, it wouldn't be hard to recommend an i7 or Xeon E3 processor.

Kharma45 recommended a very good price-to-performance build for you, but I'll list a $2000 CAD build for you anyway.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($368.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($147.34 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($238.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Titanium) ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $2028.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 12:45 EST-0500

Not looking for cheapest option, looking for best option....chromecast any good?

I suppose the most capable and expensive option would be a living room HTPC. In between that and the Chromecast there are Android TV boxes and dongles, but those vary in quality and performance. All of those Android TV devices can do pictures easily, but I'm not sure about higher end video, it might require more expensive/powerful models and/or something like Plex media transcoding. I personally haven't tried the Chromecast, and I don't know of any specific Android devices to recommend you, unfortunately.

To give you an idea of how much an HTPC costs..

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($34.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($50.78 @ OutletPC)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $288.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 12:29 EST-0500

The Pentium processor in that is capable of 1080p at 60 frames and 4K at 30 frames. No need for a graphics card. The motherboard has built in AC wifi. Power supply is overkill, but it's one of the cheapest models I can recommend. The SSD will allow for a fast user experience - if you are streaming pictures and video from somewhere else, this HTPC won't need a large amount of storage anyway.

 

[LifeLike]

Gaming on a Xeon processor isn't really any different from gaming on consumer model processors. They often share the same architecture, it's just different features or intended specs, some of them don't have integrated graphics, for example. Occasionally we'll recommend a Xeon E3 processor for people here if they want hyperthreading or performance similar to the midrange i7 4790K but for a lower price and without the ability of overclocking. That said, for your budget it's probably best to focus on gaming, but if you were interested in doing any other work, it wouldn't be hard to recommend an i7 or Xeon E3 processor.

Kharma45 recommended a very good price-to-performance build for you, but I'll list a $2000 CAD build for you anyway.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($368.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($147.34 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($238.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Storage: Toshiba 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Titanium) ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $2028.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 12:45 EST-0500

Thank you so much, what about this build, what do you think?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: *Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($368.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($114.99 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($179.94 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($148.98 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($238.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.98 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $1750.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 13:10 EST-0500

Ok so I just noticed that there is an issue with the Geforce 970... is there a substitute for this card ?

 

[Thorgal]

For some reason my PC blue screens out of the blue and the only cause i can think off that causes it, as strange as it sounds , is after a transferred Money to Paypal.

After i did the transfer , the pc functions normally for 30 to 60 Min and then blue screens .


Is this a possible cause ?

 

[LilJoka]

For some reason my PC blue screens out of the blue and the only cause i can think off that causes it, as strange as it sounds , is after a transferred Money to Paypal.

After i did the transfer , the pc functions normally for 30 to 60 Min and then blue screens .


Is this a possible cause ?

No definalty not.

Download HWmonitor and screenshot the temperatures here for us.
Use BSODViewer to check the BSOD crash dumps, post some screenshots here.

 

[RGM79]

Thank you so much, what about this build, what do you think?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: *Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($368.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($114.99 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($179.94 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($148.98 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($238.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.98 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $1750.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 13:10 EST-0500

If you wanted to save money, I'd go with the i5 4690K. It offers near identical framerate in games, and is almost the same thing as the i7 4790K except it doesn't do hyperthreading, that's all. They're both quad core processors of the same architecture and can be overclocked for similar performance.

The NH-D14 is in general more effective, quieter, and cheaper than the Corsair H100i. The H100i can equal the NH-D14 only when the Corsair is set at maximum fan speed, but it's very loud when it does that (45 dBa compared to the Noctua's 28 dBa). If you want a water cooler for better looks and are not concerned about overall performance, something like the Corsair H60 ($75) will do, but I'd keep the Noctua NH-D14 for better performance.

The Gaming 5 costs more than the Gaming 3, but functionally and spec-wise, there is very little difference between them. Physically, the only difference is that the Gaming 5 has some gold-plated connectors, slightly larger mosfet heatsinks, and more expensive capacitors for the same audio chipset. The Gaming 5 is also better for overclocking, but the Gaming 3 should already be enough to overclock with. I'd go with the Gaming 3 to save more money.

I wouldn't choose 1600MHz RAM just to save $1. Go with the 2133MHz model for $1 more instead.

Are you sure you don't need a hard drive? Just a single 512GB SSD is enough?

Considering price to performance, $400 for the GTX 970 isn't great, but I guess you prefer Nvidia instead? Just to make sure, you are aware of the GTX 970's 3.5GB effective VRAM issue, right?The R9 290X being $50 cheaper, offering similar performance, and having a full 4GB of effective VRAM makes it easier to recommend. It's up to you, though.

You won't need 850 watts with a single GTX 970. Even if you wanted to add a second GTX 970 for future SLI, you only need 700~750 watts. The EVGA 750 watt model Kharma45 recommended earlier will do just fine.

The Corsair 750D is a very nice looking case, but expensive as well. If you want a large case, I'd recommend something cheaper like the windowless version of the full tower Phanteks Enthoo Pro ($90) unless you really preferred the Corsair instead.

Edit:

Ok so I just noticed that there is an issue with the Geforce 970... is there a substitute for this card ?

Yes, Kharma45 and I recommend the R9 290X we mentioned earlier. This version of your build comes in at $1415, with my suggestions from above incorporated into it. it's quite similar to Kharma45's $1200 parts list.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($258.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($148.04 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($238.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($349.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Phanteks PH-ES614PC_BK ATX Full Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $1414.59
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 14:01 EST-0500

 

[biteren]

How long ago was that list spec'd for you? You could get a lot more for the same amount of money. Also, it seems to be missing a hard drive, but assuming you don't need a hard drive because you already have one..

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi B85S3+ Ver. 6.x Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($58.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($61.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($262.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($51.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $648.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-24 11:43 EST-0500

For $11 more you could have had a much stronger graphics card (roughly 30~50% faster), and a stronger power supply. The case isn't as flashy, but looking back to your post back in December, this runs well under your $700 budget.

the build is from about 4 months ago, i had to alter it due to the video card going out of stock, i already ordered the GPU but can easily return it, i could get a better like the one you had but id have to wait a bit longer

and yeah, i got 2 HDDs here ready to go, a 1Tb and a 2Tb

my build can run Titanfall pretty good right?

 

[RGM79]

the build is from about 4 months ago, i had to alter it due to the video card going out of stock, i already ordered the GPU but can easily return it, i could get a better like the one you had but id have to wait a bit longer

and yeah, i got 2 HDDs here ready to go, a 1Tb and a 2Tb

Prices for parts can change a lot over 4 months. Prices 4 months ago would have been Black Friday prices, which are different now. Just saying, it never hurts to get an up to date price quote.

 

[knitoe]

the build is from about 4 months ago, i had to alter it due to the video card going out of stock, i already ordered the GPU but can easily return it, i could get a better like the one you had but id have to wait a bit longer

and yeah, i got 2 HDDs here ready to go, a 1Tb and a 2Tb

my build can run Titanfall pretty good right?

Find the cheapest HDD you can find, except the WDGreen. Build quality is relatively similar.

Personally, I buy the much cheaper external HDDs, take them out of their enclosure, and then, put them inside my case as a regular HDD. Just make sure the drive Le connectors aren't soldered on through users reviews. Also, note that this could ruin the warranty if you made noticeable damage to the enclosure. Since I am scared of people getting access to my personal data, I never send them in for warranty repairs so none issue to me.

 

[biteren]

Prices for parts can change a lot over 4 months. Prices 4 months ago would have been Black Friday prices, which are different now.

i think i decided to go with your GPU but i gotta wait till friday before i can get it, so far i only ordered the case (which i like) but i can get that other stuff from your build.

EDIT, im just pretty gonna go with your build unless i can get a second opinion.

 

[biteren]

Find the cheapest HDD you can find, except the WDGreen. Build quality is relatively similar.

Personally, I buy the much cheaper external HDDs, take them out of their enclosure, and then, put them inside my case as a regular HDD. Just make sure the drive Le connectors aren't soldered on through users reviews. Also, note that this could ruin the warranty if you made noticeable damage to the enclosure. Since I am scared of people getting access to my personal data, I never send them in for warranty repairs so none issue to me.

how do think i got mine lol.

 

[RGM79]

i think i decided to go with your GPU but i gotta wait till friday before i can get it, so far i only ordered the case (which i like) but i can get that other stuff from your build.

EDIT, im just pretty gonna go with your build unless i can get a second opinion.

I didn't notice you add your question earlier, but yeah, it should handle Titanfall just fine on higher settings. Your budget hasn't changed, has it?

 

[biteren]

I didn't notice you add your question earlier, but yeah, it should handle Titanfall just fine on higher settings. Your budget hasn't changed, has it?

hasnt changed much but i think i can support that GPU, i went on a trip earlier and that left a dent, i cancelled the order of my old GPU order to see if i can grab that newer one.

so basiclly its gonna be your build with the case from mine.

 

[RGM79]

hasnt changed much but i think i can support that GPU, i went on a trip earlier and that left a dent, i cancelled the order of my old GPU order to see if i can grab that newer one.

so basiclly its gonna be your build with the case from mine.

Just to make sure, do you live near a Microcenter store or anything? They usually have processors in-store for a good price. Like this i5 4590 for $160, both cheaper and better than the i5 4460.

 

[biteren]

Just to make sure, do you live near a Microcenter store or anything? They usually have processors in-store for a good price. Like this i5 4590 for $160, both cheaper and better than the i5 4460.

there is one 18 miles from me, ill try to arrange a little trip if i can

 

[RGM79]

there is one 18 miles from me, ill try to arrange a little trip if i can

Which location is it? Since you'll save $20 on the CPU, maybe I can find a better motherboard for you. Nothing terribly wrong with the Biostar model I recommended, but it is budget-minded.

 

[Starbuck2907]

I have about decided to go with a 3GB 280X. That should be enough for gaming at 1080p on Ultra with most setting turned up.

However, the new round of AMD chips will be releasing in a month or two. Are they going to have "full" DirectX 12 support? I might hold off if so.

As I understand it, all current cards will support most (but not all) DirectX 12 features (especially the cpu efficiency gains).

 

[LilJoka]

I would say to stay away from biostar, they arent what they used to be in the old Core 2 days, their quality control is extremely lacking and sparse BIOS updates. Lots of users here have reported issues too. Best to spend a little extra and get an AsRock or similar.

 

[biteren]

Which location is it? Since you'll save $20 on the CPU, maybe I can find a better motherboard for you. Nothing terribly wrong with the Biostar model I recommended, but it is budget-minded.

heres the address of the closest one to me: Microsoft Store, 7014 East Camelback Road #1288, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

 

[Noray]

PC GAF, I wonder what your opinion is on the quality/value of this system (particularly fellow Eurotrash)

https://www.alternate.nl/ALTERNATE/Thunderstorm-limited-edition-960-Desktop-PC/html/product/1188154

I've already pulled the trigger on it I just want confirmation that I haven't made some horrible mistake, really.

 

[tigerin]

Quite a long time, depending on whether you mind turning down graphics settings to keep games playable. The 280X has maybe a year or two of decent potential left, while you won't need to replace the CPU/motherboard for at least 3 years, definitely longer if you overclock.

That's great to hear. As long as it can handles most of the games that will come out for the ps4/xbone in the future then I'm happy.

Is Window 7 still the preferred edition to get for gaming or should I get the latest Window 8?

 

[JordanN]

I'm having an urgent problem with my PC.

I just got got back home and turned it on. When everything booted, it froze. Now when I try to reboot, it wont go past the windows logo.

What could be causing this? I can access safe mode (what I'm using right now).

 

[RGM79]

heres the address of the closest one to me: Microsoft Store, 7014 East Camelback Road #1288, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

That's a Microsoft Store, not a Microcenter? See here if you're near a Microcenter location.

PC GAF, I wonder what your opinion is on the quality/value of this system (particularly fellow Eurotrash)

https://www.alternate.nl/ALTERNATE/Thunderstorm-limited-edition-960-Desktop-PC/html/product/1188154

I've already pulled the trigger on it I just want confirmation that I haven't made some horrible mistake, really.

Unfortunately I think you could have had a much stronger PC for the money. This comes in for about the same cost but includes a more capable overclocking processor, newer motherboard with more features, faster RAM, and stronger graphics card. All other factors such as 256GB SSD, 2TB hard drive, and case are about the same. If you were to buy the parts of that prebuilt PC separately, it would only cost about 830 Euros.

That's great to hear. As long as it can handles most of the games that will come out for the ps4/xbone in the future then I'm happy.

Is Window 7 still the preferred edition to get for gaming or should I get the latest Window 8?

There's little difference in gaming performance between the two. Windows 8.1 supposedly has better DirectX 11.2 support, but the difference is not great enough to matter and actually hard to find, most of the time. Besides, Windows 10 will allow free upgrades from both Windows 7 and 8.1, for the time being you can get whichever you prefer.

 

[Thorgal]

No definalty not.

Download HWmonitor and screenshot the temperatures here for us.
Use BSODViewer to check the BSOD crash dumps, post some screenshots here.

This was not the first time this happened so i checked the temps and they where 35 °C at idle with nothing seemingly wrong and after that it worked fine without issue for 1.5 month and now it crashes again .

The only connection i can find between the 2 is that Paypal transfer .
apart from that PC is working completely fine .

Also , for some reason BSOD viewer isn't saving my crashdumps . last one it recorded was fro 2013

 

[tigerin]

There's little difference in gaming performance between the two. Windows 8.1 supposedly has better DirectX 11.2 support, but the difference is not great enough to matter and actually hard to find, most of the time. Besides, Windows 10 will allow free upgrades from both Windows 7 and 8.1, for the time being you can get whichever you prefer.

Sweet! My main concern is that some games may not have supports for Window 8 and vice versa.

Coming from consoles, I'm used to playing games with a controller. Are there any you would recommend for 2d and 3d games?

 

[Chinbo37]

Sweet! My main concern is that some games may not have supports for Window 8 and vice versa.

Coming from consoles, I'm used to playing games with a controller. Are there any you would recommend for 2d and 3d games?

For 3D games a wired Xbox 360 controllers is still GOAT IMO as most of the games use 360 prompts and lets face it, the controller is great. You can also hook up a wireless 360 controller if you buy the USB receiver.

For 2D games you will hear a lot of different suggestions. You can find USB Saturn controllers (expensive!), or find USB SNES knock offs (some seem to be reviewed well). Personally I have the newer style 360 controller with the better DPAD and its fine for 99% of 2D games which are not fighting games.

 

[SneakyStephan]

PC GAF, I wonder what your opinion is on the quality/value of this system (particularly fellow Eurotrash)

https://www.alternate.nl/ALTERNATE/Thunderstorm-limited-edition-960-Desktop-PC/html/product/1188154

I've already pulled the trigger on it I just want confirmation that I haven't made some horrible mistake, really.

You made a mistake, cancel the order (seriously)

 

[RGM79]

Sweet! My main concern is that some games may not have supports for Window 8 and vice versa.

Coming from consoles, I'm used to playing games with a controller. Are there any you would recommend for 2d and 3d games?

Which older games are you thinking about that don't support Windows 8? There are no new games coming out today that won't support Windows 7. Battlefield 4 made some headlines by recommending Windows 8 over 7, and it's true Windows 8 had some performance advantages, but they were very tiny differences, not a huge advantage that allows you to run on higher settings or anything like that.

Logitech makes wired and wireless controllers. I have their F710, it's easy to use and supports just about any game out of the box. That said the size and shaping is somewhat bulky, it works but the grip does not feel the best for me, although it is solid.

Microsoft has their 360 and XB1 controllers available for the PC, but the 360 gamepad is either wired or needs a wired PC receiver for wireless play, and the XB1 controller only works when connected by USB, no wireless mode.

If you don't mind tinkering a little bit, the Dualshock 3 and 4 work on PC, more info in the PCSX2 forums and the InputMapper website.

 

[Noray]

You made a mistake, cancel the order (seriously)

for same reasons as post above or?

 

[Chinbo37]

PC GAF, I wonder what your opinion is on the quality/value of this system (particularly fellow Eurotrash)

https://www.alternate.nl/ALTERNATE/Thunderstorm-limited-edition-960-Desktop-PC/html/product/1188154

I've already pulled the trigger on it I just want confirmation that I haven't made some horrible mistake, really.

I dont know a lot about pre built system pricing but I am in Europe and I think you could build something better for cheaper. But not sure if you were against building (didnt see all your posts).

 

[Noray]

I dont know a lot about pre built system pricing but I am in Europe and I think you could build something better for cheaper. But not sure if you were against building (didnt see all your posts).

I don't really want to build. Just don't wanna deal with it, I know it's not hard, but I'm willing to pay for convenience. Also the previous post that compared it to building it myself didn't include a copy of Windows. I need an OS, guys! A computer aint much good without an OS.

 

[NoRéN]

I don't really want to build. Just don't wanna deal with it, I know it's not hard, but I'm willing to pay for convenience. Also the previous post that compared it to building it myself didn't include a copy of Windows. I need an OS, guys! A computer aint much good without an OS.

Yeah, we all get an OS too, man. Point was you sacrificed better performance for convenience. If that is worth it to you then great. But, you asked for opinions.

Just remember that everyone is here to help. Not everyone here is an expert. We all had to learn this stuff first and for many, myself included, it was this thread and past versions that got us on our way.