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[FrancisH]

Well I have been thinking about doing a new build for this year, my last build was in 07 and having bought The Witcher 2 I thought it might be a good time to do a new build.

Your Current Specs: C2D E6420 2.13GHz / 8GB DDR2 / XFX 680i LT / 2x 8800 GTS 320MB
Budget: ~£1k - UK
Main Use: Gaming & Programming (2nd Year Computer Science)
Monitor Resolution: 1080p, Not looking to upgrade unless I can find a really good deal.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: The Witcher 2, BF3
Are reusing any parts?: Samsung CDDVD RW, 2TB Samsung F4 (I have a 520W PSU but better get the one I listed I believe?), I could reuse my case I have now, Coolermaster Mystique with the split doors on the front, but I really like the look of the R3
When will you build?: Early-Mid September - Will be away until then so when I get back I will have to check list again but just wanted to ask if I have made any bad decisions so far and what I should watch out for in the upcoming month+
Will you be overclocking?: Yes

Here is what I have picked so far, I haven't shopped around for better prices since I will be buying & building in september so its just used as a list of parts for now.

Any advice/changes would be great if possible!

Thanks

 

[Dirtyshubb]

If you're satisfied with waiting until christmas you should definitely wait to take a look at the bulldozer CPU's from AMD instead of springing for that phenom II. They should be out by late Q3 I think.

Ok thanks, i will keep a note of that.

Do you think what i have picked is enough/overkill for the things i need it for?

 

[Hazaro]

Recently i have been thinking about getting round to replacing our current (and old) PC.

I have had a go at putting something together myself but to be honest i dont know a lot when it comes to parts and so i could have picked stuff that arent compatible so if someone could give me some advice on this set up that would be great help.

Now i probably wouldn't be getting parts till around Christmas time so obviously there may be better options by then.

Now all i really need this for is general use but i would like to be able to stream 1080p vids with ease to PS3 as i cant seem to handle them at the moment other than sd files, plus i would need it for converting/muxing at a fast rate as currently it can be slow on occasions.
Also doing several things at once would be of big benefit too as i often find myself juggling video stuff whit other things.

If everything that i need could be done at a cheaper rate or if this set up is overkill, any suggestions for that would also be a great help, thanks.

1) CPU and motherboard won't work together
2) CPU is not a good buy for the money
3) Fill out the list you see the person above used and fill that out and read the OP.

Well I have been thinking about doing a new build for this year, my last build was in 07 and having bought The Witcher 2 I thought it might be a good time to do a new build.

Your Current Specs: C2D E6420 2.13GHz / 8GB DDR2 / XFX 680i LT / 2x 8800 GTS 320MB
Budget: ~£1k - UK
Main Use: Gaming & Programming (2nd Year Computer Science)
Monitor Resolution: 1080p, Not looking to upgrade unless I can find a really good deal.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: The Witcher 2, BF3
Are reusing any parts?: Samsung CDDVD RW, 2TB Samsung F4 (I have a 520W PSU but better get the one I listed I believe?), I could reuse my case I have now, Coolermaster Mystique with the split doors on the front, but I really like the look of the R3
When will you build?: Early-Mid September - Will be away until then so when I get back I will have to check list again but just wanted to ask if I have made any bad decisions so far and what I should watch out for in the upcoming month+
Will you be overclocking?: Yes

Here is what I have picked so far, I haven't shopped around for better prices since I will be buying & building in september so its just used as a list of parts for now.

Any advice/changes would be great if possible!

Thanks

Look good. I'd get an HX/AX/X 750W (modular) from Corsair or Seasonic and fit that in there if possible. Cooler Master Gold PSU is fine too.

Personally I am not a fan of those contained water cooling setups. They are not much better than a $30 air cooler and there is much less to worry about.

 

[Laurentius]

Am I right in assuming that in most builds, the GPU will be more of a bottleneck than the CPU? At least that's been my experience. Wondering if money is a consideration, if I should skimp a bit more on the CPU to get a better GPU.

 

[Nelo Ice]

so is this a good deal/combo for an i5 and a p8p67?
http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?sku_list=200121+484865

or should i wait for something better?

edit:in store it'll cost $300 err $324 with tax all together

 

[larvi]

Am I right in assuming that in most builds, the GPU will be more of a bottleneck than the CPU? At least that's been my experience. Wondering if money is a consideration, if I should skimp a bit more on the CPU to get a better GPU.

But the GPUs are also evolving at a faster rate than CPUs so the $500 GPU you buy today will likely be a $200 GPU a year or two from now, while the CPU will not have dropped much. In my thinking it's not worth spending more money in an attempt to future-proof a GPU because it won't work. In my current rig I've upgraded the GPU several times while my CPU (Q6600) has stayed the same. Also upgrading the CPU in the future often requires a new motherboard which sometimes also means new memory. GPU's have't required a motherboard upgraded since AGP.

 

[FrancisH]

Personally I am not a fan of those contained water cooling setups. They are not much better than a $30 air cooler and there is much less to worry about.

I have a boxed unused Hyper 212+ already that I bought for my current rig but didn't use, I just thought the H60 looked cleaner (Going a bit more on the black, clean look this build than my previous build) and thought it performed better, looks like I will be doing some more reading on that front! Thanks for the advice!

Is there anything coming up in the next month and a bit I am away or a month or two after September that I should be aware of or wait for?

 

[Fair Trial]

I have a boxed unused Hyper 212+ already that I bought for my current rig but didn't use, I just thought the H60 looked cleaner (Going a bit more on the black, clean look this build than my previous build) and thought it performed better, looks like I will be doing some more reading on that front! Thanks for the advice!

Is there anything coming up in the next month and a bit I am away or a month or two after September that I should be aware of or wait for?

The fans of those Corsair prefilled watercooling kits are also loud as hell.

Go with a noctua DH14.

 

[Laurentius]

But the GPUs are also evolving at a faster rate than CPUs so the $500 GPU you buy today will likely be a $200 GPU a year or two from now, while the CPU will not have dropped much. In my thinking it's not worth spending more money in an attempt to future-proof a GPU because it won't work. In my current rig I've upgraded the GPU several times while my CPU (Q6600) has stayed the same. Also upgrading the CPU in the future often requires a new motherboard which sometimes also means new memory. GPU's have't required a motherboard upgraded since AGP.

Hm...good point. Hadn't really thought of it that way. I know "future-proofing" isn't exactly possible if you're looking for top performance years down the road, but essentially I'm looking for a build that will be solid for now, and able to handle things decently (without needing to be too extraordinary) a few years down the line. That's what my current build did. I was able to run contemporary games at great specs at the time, and it handled things decently for a few years. It's coming to the point where I'd love an upgrade though, given the fact that this current one is bordering on four and a half years now.

I'll have to think about that, but your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Better for me to get, say, a Core i5 2500k that has great overclocking potential for the future, and get a decent video card, then to skimp on the CPU and regret it in the future. It would be easier to upgrade the GPU a year or so down the road than the CPU. Hm...

 

[bill0527]

Hm...good point. Hadn't really thought of it that way. I know "future-proofing" isn't exactly possible if you're looking for top performance years down the road, but essentially I'm looking for a build that will be solid for now, and able to handle things decently (without needing to be too extraordinary) a few years down the line. That's what my current build did. I was able to run contemporary games at great specs at the time, and it handled things decently for a few years. It's coming to the point where I'd love an upgrade though, given the fact that this current one is bordering on four and a half years now.

I'll have to think about that, but your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Better for me to get, say, a Core i5 2500k that has great overclocking potential for the future, and get a decent video card, then to skimp on the CPU and regret it in the future. It would be easier to upgrade the GPU a year or so down the road than the CPU. Hm...

GPU's evolve so fast that, somewhere around 10 years ago, I started a new personal policy that I've kept until this day.

I will not spend more than $250 for a GPU, and actually I haven't spent more than $210 over my last 2 GPU upgrades. I can afford to buy the best of the best, but it just doesn't make sense to me to sink $300-$400 into something I will probably replace in 2-3 years. I always shop at the price/performance store. I went with a 560ti this time and it replaced a 4850 HD. I don't have to game on ultra everything. I'm ok with a few ultra settings and a few high settings here and there.

 

[Hazaro]

Am I right in assuming that in most builds, the GPU will be more of a bottleneck than the CPU? At least that's been my experience. Wondering if money is a consideration, if I should skimp a bit more on the CPU to get a better GPU.

Most of the time yes.

so is this a good deal/combo for an i5 and a p8p67?
http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?sku_list=200121+484865

or should i wait for something better?

edit:in store it'll cost $300 err $324 with tax all together

Good.

But the GPUs are also evolving at a faster rate than CPUs so the $500 GPU you buy today will likely be a $200 GPU a year or two from now, while the CPU will not have dropped much. In my thinking it's not worth spending more money in an attempt to future-proof a GPU because it won't work. In my current rig I've upgraded the GPU several times while my CPU (Q6600) has stayed the same. Also upgrading the CPU in the future often requires a new motherboard which sometimes also means new memory. GPU's have't required a motherboard upgraded since AGP.

More like a $500 GPU worth $350 that uses more power, is louder, bigger, and lacks ___ feature. Horsepower should still hold up fairly well.

I have a boxed unused Hyper 212+ already that I bought for my current rig but didn't use, I just thought the H60 looked cleaner (Going a bit more on the black, clean look this build than my previous build) and thought it performed better, looks like I will be doing some more reading on that front! Thanks for the advice!

Is there anything coming up in the next month and a bit I am away or a month or two after September that I should be aware of or wait for?

Yeah I figured it was for looks.
AM3+ Bulldozer in 1-2 months.

Hm...good point. Hadn't really thought of it that way. I know "future-proofing" isn't exactly possible if you're looking for top performance years down the road, but essentially I'm looking for a build that will be solid for now, and able to handle things decently (without needing to be too extraordinary) a few years down the line. That's what my current build did. I was able to run contemporary games at great specs at the time, and it handled things decently for a few years. It's coming to the point where I'd love an upgrade though, given the fact that this current one is bordering on four and a half years now.

I'll have to think about that, but your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Better for me to get, say, a Core i5 2500k that has great overclocking potential for the future, and get a decent video card, then to skimp on the CPU and regret it in the future. It would be easier to upgrade the GPU a year or so down the road than the CPU. Hm...

GPU you can always upgrade. CPU depends on the socket. Right now 1155 should be supporting the 2012 launch of Ivy Bridge which makes it a great platform on a budget.
Drop in a 2100 and 460 now, upgrade to Ivy Bridge Quad + GTX 660 later.

 

[RumblingRosco]

But if im to say, play gta IV and supersample?

I use a few mods listed in the GTA4 + iCEnhancer thread (mainly, iCEnhancer and Better City Textures) and at 1080p with most settings on High (some on Very High) and most sliders near max (except for View Distance, which is only at 40/100), I basically am maxing out my 1 GB of VRAM on my 560 ti (according to GTA4's in-game memory guide). I strongly considered getting the Palit 2 GB 560 ti just for the extra VRAM. I haven't really had issues on any games, but it's a potential set back at 1080p for some highly demanding games.

 

[Lasthope106]

Hm...good point. Hadn't really thought of it that way. I know "future-proofing" isn't exactly possible if you're looking for top performance years down the road, but essentially I'm looking for a build that will be solid for now, and able to handle things decently (without needing to be too extraordinary) a few years down the line. That's what my current build did. I was able to run contemporary games at great specs at the time, and it handled things decently for a few years. It's coming to the point where I'd love an upgrade though, given the fact that this current one is bordering on four and a half years now.

I'll have to think about that, but your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Better for me to get, say, a Core i5 2500k that has great overclocking potential for the future, and get a decent video card, then to skimp on the CPU and regret it in the future. It would be easier to upgrade the GPU a year or so down the road than the CPU. Hm...

To give you an idea of how long a modern GPU will last you, I had an 8800GT which I bought in late 2007. That card was still perfectly capable of holding its own in most new games at a resolution of 1440x900. The only reason why upgraded was because I wanted to experience Crysis 2, The Witcher 2, Metro 2033 at full settings, without having to reduce my resolution. A card like the GTX 560 Ti or the AMD 6950 will probably last you a good 3 years guaranteed. Not to mention that you will be playing all existing games at image quality that consoles can't touch.

 

[f0rk]

I'll have to think about that, but your reasoning makes a lot of sense. Better for me to get, say, a Core i5 2500k that has great overclocking potential for the future, and get a decent video card, then to skimp on the CPU and regret it in the future. It would be easier to upgrade the GPU a year or so down the road than the CPU. Hm...

This is definitely the right move.
It is also a lot simpler to upgrade and install a GPU as you don't have to worry about what motherboard you have or mess about with the CPU cooling.

 

[Nakazato]

Is there any reason more than preference to go Bulldover over Ivy bridge ??

 

[goodfella]

After spending quite a bit on my new pc, fuck I hope the new console generation doesn't come for a while (wiiu excluded).

 

[Chesskid1]

To give you an idea of how long a modern GPU will last you, I had an 8800GT which I bought in late 2007. That card was still perfectly capable of holding its own in most new games at a resolution of 1440x900. The only reason why upgraded was because I wanted to experience Crysis 2, The Witcher 2, Metro 2033 at full settings, without having to reduce my resolution. A card like the GTX 560 Ti or the AMD 6950 will probably last you a good 3 years guaranteed. Not to mention that you will be playing all existing games at image quality that consoles can't touch.

i have an 4870 and a 2560x1600 monitor and i can play most games at full resolution on medium settings and that card is old as hell. no problems playing witcher 2 (though i guess it's expertly optimized, 20-35 fps). some games are tough though, like crysis and metro, can't do those at all (had to hook up my old monitor for that), though i'm thinkin about biting on a 6850/70 soon. i'm not the type who cares about all high settings, i just care about it being playable at full resolution, otherwise i woulda bought a new card a while ago, plus not many games i can't run that i need a new card for, i can switch to lower resolution monitor, etc.

modern video cards are insane, they are so damn good they want us to buy like 8 monitors at a billion resolution and most of the time they have no problem with that as well. i'm betting when the next gen console comes (along with the ports) PC will already be able to do their games at 8000x4000 with maxed everything.

yeah it kinda sucks they aren't many games pushing PCs, but either way it's superior to consoles by a megaton. i bet if i give in and get a 6870 it will last a good 4-5 years easy.

 

[Ryan_]

Hi guys,

In the wake of The Witcher 2 and prospect of Battlefield 3, Deus Ex, etc. etc. I'm seriously considering buying a new pc.

Before I'm gonna post a possible set-up however, I had some specific questions.

- I am in fact going very price-aware so I was wondering as a video card if I should go for the GTX 560 Ti or the GTX 570.

- Are SSD's worth it? I mean, for someone whos rather on a tight budget (around 900 euros).

- If I do not get an SSD, is it worth it to go for a Z68 motherboard or should I stick with a
P67?

thnx a lot! I'll post my setup soon.

 

[Smokey]

Hi guys,

In the wake of The Witcher 2 and prospect of Battlefield 3, Deus Ex, etc. etc. I'm seriously considering buying a new pc.

Before I'm gonna post a possible set-up however, I had some specific questions.

- I am in fact going very price-aware so I was wondering as a video card if I should go for the GTX 560 Ti or the GTX 570.

- Are SSD's worth it? I mean, for someone whos rather on a tight budget (around 900 euros).

- If I do not get an SSD, is it worth it to go for a Z68 motherboard or should I stick with a
P67?

thnx a lot! I'll post my setup soon.

SSD's are worth it IMO, but they are a luxury. If you're on a strict budget get a fast HDD instead.

 

[sikkinixx]

so if I were to upgrade my 8800GT to a 460 GTX 1GB, how much would that help for most games? I have a 3ghz E8400 and upgrading that plus the mobo plus the ram is just too much right now. Just Cause 2, Civ 5, Battlefield BC 2, Crysis 2 running a bit dogish on my 1080 monitor.

I found an eVGA 460 GTX EE SC 1Gb for $155 and I'm wondering if I should jump or not. I have been trying to find a 460 for ~$120 without rebates etc, but not a lot of luck and I have $150 burning a hold in my pocket.

 

[Laurentius]

GPU's evolve so fast that, somewhere around 10 years ago, I started a new personal policy that I've kept until this day.

I will not spend more than $250 for a GPU, and actually I haven't spent more than $210 over my last 2 GPU upgrades. I can afford to buy the best of the best, but it just doesn't make sense to me to sink $300-$400 into something I will probably replace in 2-3 years. I always shop at the price/performance store. I went with a 560ti this time and it replaced a 4850 HD. I don't have to game on ultra everything. I'm ok with a few ultra settings and a few high settings here and there.

Hm, very true. I'm in the same boat as you, I don't have to play ultra on everything. And I don't care to much about sacrificing some frames here or there, or playing at medium settings on a few things. Especially if I can get games that are out NOW to play at ultra settings, and then have games coming out in the next couple of years at medium-high for the most part.

Thanks for the advice, guys.

 

[LordCanti]

so if I were to upgrade my 8800GT to a 460 GTX 1GB, how much would that help for most games? I have a 3ghz E8400 and upgrading that plus the mobo plus the ram is just too much right now. Just Cause 2, Civ 5, Battlefield BC 2, Crysis 2 running a bit dogish on my 1080 monitor.

I found an eVGA 460 GTX EE SC 1Gb for $155 and I'm wondering if I should jump or not. I have been trying to find a 460 for ~$120 without rebates etc, but not a lot of luck and I have $150 burning a hold in my pocket.

The difference would be night and day. There is hardly a comparison to be made between the 8800GT and a GTX 460.

I'm not looking at benchmarks right now, but if memory serves, games like Civ 5 are heavily CPU intensive, and not GPU intensive. In situations like that, the difference won't be as stark as in a game like Crysis 2. A nice overclock on that E8400, along with the new video card, would go a long way though. It's definitely worth the upgrade.

 

[LogicStep]

I have a question. Can I use my old GTX 260 as a dedicated physX card? This is my motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128366

Will it work? And if I want to do SLI in the future I'm going to need a new motherboard right?

 

[Mr Nightman]

I have a question. Can I use my old GTX 260 as a dedicated physX card? This is my motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128366

Will it work? And if I want to do SLI in the future I'm going to need a new motherboard right?

Pretty sure you can use it as a physx, and you should be able to sli fine on that board. 2 cards in the 8x slots shouldnt really be hindered much

 

[Louis Cyphre]

I know a lot of the PC guys hate the all in one box type systems but I would like to know what people think of this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b6edbffb53bb5b375fff9e9be06e3002en02

Seems to have some good gear inside but a little expensive for me.

 

[LordCanti]

I have a question. Can I use my old GTX 260 as a dedicated physX card? This is my motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128366

Will it work? And if I want to do SLI in the future I'm going to need a new motherboard right?

I wouldn't bother with trying to use the 260 as a PhysX card. You got a GTX 570, didn't you? In the few games out there with heavy use of PhysX, the 570 should be able to handle it by itself. Dropping the 260 in there alongside it would just mean more noise and heat, and as we've already established, you've got enough heat going on already.

As for your second question; Yes, you would need a new mobo for SLI.

 

[LogicStep]

I see, thanks for the responses guys!

 

[sikkinixx]

The difference would be night and day. There is hardly a comparison to be made between the 8800GT and a GTX 460.

I'm not looking at benchmarks right now, but if memory serves, games like Civ 5 are heavily CPU intensive, and not GPU intensive. In situations like that, the difference won't be as stark as in a game like Crysis 2. A nice overclock on that E8400, along with the new video card, would go a long way though. It's definitely worth the upgrade.

Thanks! I think I will pull the trigger.

 

[LordCanti]

I just saw Microcenter's Z68 combo deal. An i5 2500k and a Z68 Gigabyte board for $300ish after tax. Add a $30 cooler, and $40 for RAM, and I could walk out the door with a $370 Sandy Bridge rig.

I've...I've got to stay strong...I must remember the excellent framerates I'm already getting....

I'm so weak though.

 

[Tom Penny]

Thanks! I think I will pull the trigger.

It's a considerable difference from an 8800 to gtx 460 and then upgrade the cpu and mobo later down the road. You current CPU will hold you back in some games. I had that problem. I did the same GPU upgrade from 8800 to gtx 460 though. Then went i5 mobo and cpu.

I just saw Microcenter's Z68 combo deal. An i5 2500k and a Z68 Gigabyte board for $300ish after tax. Add a $30 cooler, and $40 for RAM, and I could walk out the door with a $370 Sandy Bridge rig.

I've...I've got to stay strong...I must remember the excellent framerates I'm already getting....

I'm so weak though.

Microcenter made me upgrade. That damn combo deal and I hit them with an online coupon to get even more off. I was holding off but could not resist lol but I was on an old amd 5000+ system. It was time. I skimped on my Mobo and got a mobo 2500k and 4 gig of ram for under $300.

 

[Nelo Ice]

I just saw Microcenter's Z68 combo deal. An i5 2500k and a Z68 Gigabyte board for $300ish after tax. Add a $30 cooler, and $40 for RAM, and I could walk out the door with a $370 Sandy Bridge rig.

I've...I've got to stay strong...I must remember the excellent framerates I'm already getting....

I'm so weak though.

oo thats even cheaper than the i5/mobo deal i was thinking about getting
http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?sku_list=200121+484865

hmm

 

[LordCanti]

It's a considerable difference from an 8800 to gtx 460 and then upgrade the cpu and mobo later down the road. You current CPU will hold you back in some games. I had that problem. I did the same GPU upgrade from 8800 to gtx 460 though. Then went i5 mobo and cpu.




Microcenter made me upgrade. That damn combo deal and I hit them with an online coupon to get even more off. I was holding off but could not resist lol but I was on an old amd 5000+ system. It was time. I skimped on my Mobo and got a mobo 2500k and 4 gig of ram for under $300.

Coupon you say? Where might a man such as myself find said coupon?

Edit: Just realized that no time frame was given. He could have used a coupon last year for all we know.

 

[Nelo Ice]

Coupon you say? Where might a man such as myself find said coupon?

was just about to ask this
may run out to microcenter right now with a coupon to make that deal even cheaper

 

[Tom Penny]

was just about to ask this
may run out to microcenter right now with a coupon to make that deal even cheaper

I don't remember exactly were I found it it was $25 off. I just printed online. It wouldn't even scan at Micro Center. They got the manager and he told the person to just use some other coupon code so they gave it to me. I think I got the coupon through some slickdeals forum link from somebody else that did it when I was looking for i5 combos. There was never a guarantee they would accept it. I figured I had nothing to lose.

It was just like this but not expired of course. I purchased it on 6/17/2011.

 

[wowzors]

are any of Microcenters deals still running? If so for how long?

 

[LordCanti]

I don't remember exactly were I found it it was $25 off. I just printed online. It wouldn't even scan at Micro Center. They got the manager and he told the person to just use some other coupon code so they gave it to me. I think I got the coupon through some slickdeals forum link from somebody else that did it when I was looking for i5 combos. There was never a guarantee they would accept it. I figured I had nothing to lose.

There aren't any coupons currently (at least I can't find any via google). The last one ended 6/20/2011 (which is probably the coupon they swapped in when you bought your rig).

Oh well. The deal is still great without the coupon.

I'm still waffling. I know that I'll probably need a quad core to take advantage of my GTX 580 in Battlefield 3, but the current games I've got all run great, so it's hard to pull the trigger so far in advance.

 

[Nelo Ice]

There aren't any coupons currently (at least I can't find any via google). The last one ended 6/20/2011 (which is probably the coupon they swapped in when you bought your rig).

Oh well. The deal is still great without the coupon.

I'm still waffling. I know that I'll probably need a quad core to take advantage of my GTX 580 in Battlefield 3, but the current games I've got all run great, so it's hard to pull the trigger so far in advance.

now im wondering if i should wait for a coupon to pop up or just get the deal now
course im not in a rush to get build a new comp hmmm

 

[SpacedCadette]

Quick question: Are these CPU temps too high for i7-860?

To explain, I'm doing some video rendering for the next couple hours, but I expected it to be somewhere in the 70s. Out of paranoia, I bought some MX-4 just in case I need to redo the paste. I'm hoping someone can chime in.

 

[iamvin22]

I know a lot of the PC guys hate the all in one box type systems but I would like to know what people think of this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b6edbffb53bb5b375fff9e9be06e3002en02

Seems to have some good gear inside but a little expensive for me.

haha 12GB of ram

 

[LordCanti]

Quick question: Are these CPU temps too high for i7-860?

To explain, I'm doing some video rendering for the next couple hours, but I expected it to be somewhere in the 70s. Out of paranoia, I bought some MX-4 just in case I need to redo the paste. I'm hoping someone can chime in.

I'm having to squint to see that, but if that says your temps are in the high nineties, they are way too hot.

As in previous cases, step 1 is to make sure the heatsink is properly seated. Step 2 is to clean the heatsink and CPU, and reinstall thermal paste. Step 3 is a new heatsink (Hyper 212+ or similar, if it will fit in your case. Other options if it won't.)

I know a lot of the PC guys hate the all in one box type systems but I would like to know what people think of this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b6edbffb53bb5b375fff9e9be06e3002en02

Seems to have some good gear inside but a little expensive for me.

Too expensive for what you are getting. Last gen CPU, unnecessary amount of RAM, etc. If you can't build yourself, I suggest a service like NCIX's (as previously suggested), where you pick the parts and they build it for $50.

 

[Tom Penny]

Quick question: Are these CPU temps too high for i7-860?

To explain, I'm doing some video rendering for the next couple hours, but I expected it to be somewhere in the 70s. Out of paranoia, I bought some MX-4 just in case I need to redo the paste. I'm hoping someone can chime in.

I've never had a CPU reach 90+ even full load. I can't think that is good long term if you plan on using it for video rendering consistently. I've never personally been super worried 70-80 but 90+ is really high.

 

[Nabs]

I know a lot of the PC guys hate the all in one box type systems but I would like to know what people think of this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b6edbffb53bb5b375fff9e9be06e3002en02

Seems to have some good gear inside but a little expensive for me.

Why not just go with NCIX and have them build it for you for $50. Check the $1000 build on the front page.

 

[scogoth]

Quick question: Are these CPU temps too high for i7-860?

To explain, I'm doing some video rendering for the next couple hours, but I expected it to be somewhere in the 70s. Out of paranoia, I bought some MX-4 just in case I need to redo the paste. I'm hoping someone can chime in.

Yes, they are. You should CPU should never run that hot unless you were in a sauna. You should be aiming for ~70 at load on an i7-860 with stock cooler.

 

[·feist·]

Is there any reason more than preference to go Bulldover over Ivy bridge ??

No one here can answer that. NDA, or not.

I know a lot of the PC guys hate the all in one box type systems but I would like to know what people think of this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b6edbffb53bb5b375fff9e9be06e3002en02

Seems to have some good gear inside but a little expensive for me.

Not a good buy. Pick your own parts, and build it, or pay ~$40-60 to have NCIX, Micro Center, etc. build it for you.

 

[Tallshortman]

Ok thanks, i will keep a note of that.

Do you think what i have picked is enough/overkill for the things i need it for?

Like what Hazaro said the motherboard you chose is for intel processors so it won't work with AMD processors. Also, you don't need to purchase that separate PSU because it looks like the case you chose comes with one. However, I definitely recommend you choose a case that doesn't come with a PSU and spring for at least a 550W PSU, otherwise mid-range to high-range graphics cards will not work on it.

The processor you chose is the highest end AMD processor right now but like Hazaro said you can get better value from cheaper phenom II processors. But yeah I would definitely wait for the bulldozer CPU's to come out and see if they're suitable for you.

Lastly, you will definitely want to pick a better GPU if you want to play Witcher 2 at high settings on 1080p (the GT 240 may be able to run it at all low settings on a low resolution at a playable FPS). I would say at least get a radeon 6770 for this purpsoe (US$130). The GTX 460 ($150-$180) and the radeon 6790 ($150) are good bang for you buck cards. Also these cards are pretty much guaranteed to have a $20-$30 rebate from one of the manufacturer variants.

Definitely look at the US$600 build in the OP, it will handle exactly what you're looking for.

 

[BanditKing]

Quick question: Are these CPU temps too high for i7-860?

To explain, I'm doing some video rendering for the next couple hours, but I expected it to be somewhere in the 70s. Out of paranoia, I bought some MX-4 just in case I need to redo the paste. I'm hoping someone can chime in.

Way tooo high!

Buy some more fans and make sure they facing the right way where they draw heat away from the case.

 

[SpacedCadette]

As in previous cases, step 1 is to make sure the heatsink is properly seated. Step 2 is to clean the heatsink and CPU, and reinstall thermal paste. Step 3 is a new heatsink (Hyper 212+ or similar, if it will fit in your case. Other options if it won't.)

I think the heatsink may have become jostled from a RAM installation. I'm going to take that advice before I continue rendering and put that MX-4 to good use.

Thanks for the responses, guys!

 

[Cyrillus]

My generic hard plastic mouse pad finally separated from its rubber base, and so I picked up a SteeSeries QcK pad. Unfortunately, it doesn't work well with my MX Revolution, and upon further research it has to do with the laser optics not tracking well on cloth surfaces. Any recommendations for a decent hard surface pad that works specifically with laser optics? My desk isn't really an option.

 

[TheExodu5]

My generic hard plastic mouse pad finally separated from its rubber base, and so I picked up a SteeSeries QcK pad. Unfortunately, it doesn't work well with my MX Revolution, and upon further research it has to do with the laser optics not tracking well on cloth surfaces. Any recommendations for a decent hard surface pad that works specifically with laser optics? My desk isn't really an option.

Specifically, some laser mice seem to have trouble with straight black surfaces.

You can check out the Funcpads:

http://func-pads.com/

They had the issue you're describing with their initial batches of Funcpad Archetypes back when the Logitech G5 came out, and they fixed it by modifying the surface with the mixed pattern you see there. Very durable pads, and they come with two surfaces.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

Why not just go with NCIX and have them build it for you for $50. Check the $1000 build on the front page.

True. I was looking at their website and it's like a kid at the candy store. I would like to get a computer under $1200 including Windows 7 professional but without a monitor. Do you go with intel or AMD? Do you go with Geoforce or Radeon? From what I gather 4GB of ram is sufficient.

I will probably buy most of my games on Steam and I see Steam supports PC and Mac now. However the Macs seem to lack big time in video cards.

Anyways it's obvious i'm a complete noob to all of this.