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[jarosh]

You only need to plug in 1 logitech unify USB receiver. The receiver can support upto 6 devices at once.

if only! the mx is utterly useless if it's on the same receiver as the keyboard. was only resolved when switching to two unifiers and turning off a bunch of stuff in the bios. known issue: http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Keybo...rmance-MX-mouse-and-K800-keyboard/td-p/584640

sadly also the case for some other logitech combos.

Great setup but you need 5.1

thanks! but i've found that i really don't. i have 5.1 in the living room and i'm happy with it there. i don't wanna run even more wires across the room. in the living room i have them integrated into conduits, but that would get too cluttered here.

What's that case?

that's the silverstone gd05: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=241&area=usa

Jarosh, That looks amazing. The only thing I could even add would be to see if you can swap the disc drive panel for a blank one.

That case looks amazing. Really classy in a non-PC sort of way. People wouldn't even know it was a PC unless they knew what they were looking at. My only gripe is that there isn't a door for the DVD drive (so that the front is completely seamless) but that is so minor. If I had to build an HTPC, I'd definitely pick that case up.

yeah, the optical drive isn't perfect. although i have to say that depending on the angle, it looks very much seamless and like it's part of the chassis. it's just two completely different materials, so they reflect light a lot differently. look at some of the other pics, the drive actually looks DARKER than the case in some of them. so in real life this isn't much of an issue.

 

[knitoe]

if only! the mx is utterly useless if it's on the same receiver as the keyboard. was only resolved when switching to two unifiers and turning off a bunch of stuff in the bios. known issue: http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Keybo...rmance-MX-mouse-and-K800-keyboard/td-p/584640

sadly also the case for some other logitech combos.

Well that sux. I don't have any problems with MX and solar power keyboard on 1 unify receiver. Weren't you deciding on going this route too? Maybe, you should have if that was the case.

lol @ half the people in here just wanting to know what to buy for BF3. They cant come out with those system requirements fast enough, lol.

Even then, they will only release min and recommend specs. I want them to list specs needed for max settings @ 1080p & 60fps.

 

[Hazaro]

how much would you guys pay for this:

Intel Quad core I7 870-----4cores 8 threads!!
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 motherboard --USB 3.0--SATA 600
BFG tec GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 video card.
4gigs Patriot Viper II Sector 5 PC3 16000 2000MHz Memory
CORSAIR Gaming Series GS800 800W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply
Antec Twelve Hundred V3 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Unbeatable Gaming Case
no hard drive!
ASUS 24x DVD burner.

saw in on craigslist, guy wants $600. good deal?

Drop an i5 2400 in the OP build. 40% faster, new, and upgradeable for the same price.

Quick question.
Basically, my question is in regards to my ram. Do I need any more?
No.
Should I overclock? How would I go about doing that?
Yes.

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2009/04/2...amd-phenom-ii-x4-955-black-edition-processor/
http://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/499526-official-phenom-ii-x4-9x5-oc.html

 

[jarosh]

Well that sux. I don't have any problems with MX and solar power keyboard on 1 unify receiver. Weren't you deciding on going this route too? Maybe, you should have if that was the case.

hard to say. the mx/k800 problem apparently can't be recreated by everyone. only some people seem to be affected. i love the keyboard though and wouldn't wanna switch. the mx performance on the other hand... eh. it's alright. expected better.

the two receivers honestly don't bother me though. i have no use for the front ports at the moment.

 

[SecretMoblin]

Alright, I need some advice from people who are much smarter than I am.

I was planning on building my first ever PC in a few months, when I get a very hefty tax rebate. I was going to operate on a budget of ~$800 including Windows 7; I'm not getting a SSD, I don't need a keyboard/mouse, and I have a VGA 1366x768 LCD monitor which I may or may not upgrade.

But then Newegg sent me their email blast for a daily deal, and it looks like this Antec 80+ 520W can be had for $35 in a few hours, which seems like a very good deal. The various sources in the OP make it sound like Antec is a trusted brand.

So now to my conundrum: would that be enough power for a Core i5 2500k / HD6950 build? I used Newegg's power consumption calculator thingie and it's bumping up against 520W. I could always wait until a deal on a bigger PSU comes along closer to the time when I order everything else.

Or, could I get the Antec 520W, install it in my current PC (please don't laugh), get a nice GPU, and hold off until next year? I'm not looking to do bleeding edge gaming. I generally buy older, single-player games and ports off of Steam, but my current PC with integrated graphics is just not capable of running things like PoP 2008 or even Psychonauts. I would also like to eventually rip my Wii games and try Dolphin, which I understand requires a PC with some heft.

So option A is to wait and build everything at once, knowing that other deals will come along. And option B is to buy stuff to enhance my current PC and reuse those parts in a later build. Which would you folks suggest? And I have a few other questions, which I got conflicting answers on from the kind forum-goers over at Tom's Hardware:
1. Will a PCIe 2.1 card work with my motherboard? Through Googling I found out that the RS780 chipset apparently supports PCIe 2.0, but nothing about the specific motherboard explicitly states it has a PCIe 2.0 slot, it just says "PCIe x 16". I'm worried there may be compatibility issues.
2. Will a modern card fit in my case? I know most everything is designed for an "ATX" form factor, but my current case has "uATX" in the title, which I gather means micro ATX, and I'm not sure if a modern card will fit. Do I just need to measure the dimensions of the case? I tried Googling my Gateway PC and a bunch of different cards, but it seems nobody has tried to fit a modern card in my outdated PC setup. :-/
3. My monitor doesn't have a DVI input. Is connecting it to a card with only DVI outputs really as simple as buying a VGA/DVI adapter, or is there something I'm missing?

Sorry for the rambling post, but I'm very, very new at this. But I'm willing to learn and take notes, so any help at all would be very greatly appreciated.

 

[daviyoung]

To address a few of the points:

520W is cutting it fine but it will do, especially if you keep all other devices leeching off it at a minimum. I have 600W powering an i-2700 and GTX-570 and it's ok.

So long as the card is x16 it will work in your mobo.

Modern cards are huge. And I mean HUGE. Not sure if they'll fit in your case but if you're worried about it you should definitely get it measured. The uATX case looks fine actually.

Yes, you can use a DVI/VGA adapter.

 

[MedIC86]

Basically, my question is in regards to my ram. Do I need any more? I have 6 gigs, and that seems plenty since the only thing the computer is used for currently is playing wow for me and the wifey, internet browsing, music, forums, torrents and some stuff on steam. I doubt I'd get any increase in performance but figured this would be the place to check. I'm really kicking around the idea of getting into emulation including using the dolphin emulator I saw on here.

Should I overclock? How would I go about doing that?

Any thoughts would be nice. Thanks.

You should only get more memory when you notice the memory is getting full/or gives weird errors/crashes due to the memory being full.
Otherwise you will not see a performance increase with more memory.

Overclocking is always good, check the OP for info. Also you have a black edition, just crank up the ratio and see how much you can squeeze without upping the vcore.

 

[Hazaro]

That Neo Eco is a great budget unit if its not DoA.

PCI-E 2.1 is backwards compatible
See if you have 10.5" or 9.5" from the PCI bracket to your HDD bays. Then see what card you can fit.
Most GPU's ship with a DVI to VGA adapter.

 

[Lemonte]

So I've been thinking of upgrading my 2-years-old pc.

Your Current Specs:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 3.01 GHz
nVidia GeForce GTX 260
ASUS M3A78 PRO
Corsair xtreme performance XMS2 4gb DDR2 800 MHz
Corsair VX 550w power supply
Antec 300 case
500gb sata hdd 7200rpm
200gb sata hdd 7200rpm
windows vista 32bit

Budget: 400 euros max. I live in Finland but I will probably order all components from Germany since it's a lot cheaper there -.-
Main Use: Games, watching hd movies and I really would like to emulate gc and wii games, especially donkey kong country returns.
Monitor Resolution: I have full hd 24inch monitor and secondary 17inch (1280x1024) monitor which is also on all the time.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Atm I can already play all games I want but not as smooth as I would like to. But if I have to name some games then GTA IV with all the eye candy mods on and battlefield 3 ofc
Are reusing any parts?: you tell me
When will you build?: I'm not in a hurry so it will probably take like a month to decide what I want and need.
Will you be overclocking?: probably not coz I have never oc'd anything and I don't want my pc to sound like a helicopter...

What should I upgrade? Is there any point upgrading with this budget and do I get my moneys worth of extra performance?

 

[daviyoung]

Lemonte: your specs are already pretty good so a lot of stuff is reusable.

If you're not in a hurry you should wait for the AMD Bulldozer chipsets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldozer_(processor) because at the moment Intel is winning that race. Otherwise you will have to purchase an Intel-compliant motherboard like the P6P87.

Your power supply is sufficient for you needs.

You will want a decent graphics card, both mid-to-high range ATI and Nvidia are similar in terms of performance.

An extra 2 or 4GB of RAM will help.

Keep the HDDs, although I would recommend an SSD this may be overkill if you insist on keeping both hard drives too.

You'll want Windows 7.

 

[legend166]

So I bought and built this thing:

Intel CORE i5 2500K/3.30GHz/6MB CACHE/LGA1155 CPU214.04
ASRock Z68-Pro3 4xDDR3 PCIex16 GBL RAID DVI HDMI VGA 1394a USB3.0 SATA3 136.62
G.SKILL Ripjaws-X 8GB (4GB x 2) PC3 12800 (DDR3-1600) 77.22
COOLER MASTER HAF RC-912 Advanced Case 115.24
Corsair HX-650 650W ATX Modular Power Supply, 120mm fan, Dual PCI-E Graphic 18/7 137.50
Samsung 2TB(HD204UI) F4EG EcoGreen HDD - SATA II 3.0Gbs, 32MB Cache85.80
Sapphire HD6970 2GB GDDR5 256Bit GDDR5 PCIE 337.63
Crucial CT064M4SSD2 64GB Crucial m4 2.5-inch SATA 6GB/s 20/7 158.25



Couple of quick questions:

How can I check Windows has everything set up properly for the SSD (I remember reading it changed a bunch of settings to make sure it didn't needlessly write to the disk)?

I have my old 1TB HDD which was has my old windows 7 install and all my programs. Obviously I don't care about the Windows install, but I want to reuse that HDD for programs. I'm going to have to simply reinstall everything, aren't I? Should I reformat it with GUID?

Basically I want:

SSD: Windows 7, Office, select programs - I've got Windows 7 up and running.

1TB HDD (7200rpm): Programs, storage - This already has all my programs, and the old windows 7 install.

2TB HDD (5400rpm): Storage

Should I format this new 2TB drive with GUID?

 

[legend166]

Anyone able to give me some advice? I want to do this before I go to bed

 

[TGMIII]

What's the thoughts on processors right now. Jump in with the 2500K now or wait for sandy bridge-E/ivy-bridge?

 

[Hazaro]

Lemonte: your specs are already pretty good so a lot of stuff is reusable.

If you're not in a hurry you should wait for the AMD Bulldozer chipsets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldozer_(processor) because at the moment Intel is winning that race. Otherwise you will have to purchase an Intel-compliant motherboard like the P6P87.

Your power supply is sufficient for you needs.

You will want a decent graphics card, both mid-to-high range ATI and Nvidia are similar in terms of performance.

An extra 2 or 4GB of RAM will help.

Keep the HDDs, although I would recommend an SSD this may be overkill if you insist on keeping both hard drives too.

You'll want Windows 7.

and change that DDR2 to DDR3 of course.

Anyone able to give me some advice? I want to do this before I go to bed

SSD stuff is in the 2nd post. Set it to ACHI in BIOS.

What's the thoughts on processors right now. Jump in with the 2500K now or wait for sandy bridge-E/ivy-bridge?

2500K. -E is for super enthusiasts. Ivy should work on 1155 too.

 

[knitoe]

Couple of quick questions:

How can I check Windows has everything set up properly for the SSD (I remember reading it changed a bunch of settings to make sure it didn't needlessly write to the disk)?

Make sure TRIMM is enable.

In Windows command Prompt, type the following:

fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify

Results explained below:
DisableDeleteNotify = 1 (Windows TRIM commands are disabled)
DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Windows TRIM commands are enabled)

Other SSD tweaks: http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/windows-7/2441-windows-7-ultimate-solid-state-drive-speed-tweaks.html

I have my old 1TB HDD which was has my old windows 7 install and all my programs. Obviously I don't care about the Windows install, but I want to reuse that HDD for programs. I'm going to have to simply reinstall everything, aren't I? Should I reformat it with GUID?

Basically I want:

SSD: Windows 7, Office, select programs - I've got Windows 7 up and running.

1TB HDD (7200rpm): Programs, storage - This already has all my programs, and the old windows 7 install.

2TB HDD (5400rpm): Storage

Should I format this new 2TB drive with GUID?

Yes. It's best to reinstall all your programs, due to missing shortcuts, registry settings, dependent programs and so on.

In Windows, you can just right click on the drive and select "Format..." If you can't see the drive, do it in Windows Disk Manager.

 

[Darklord]

For the 570 also make sure your PSU is going to be able to handle it. I don't know what PSU you are running but for the 570 you need a 550-watt power supply with a minimum of 38 amps on the +12 volt rail.

It's a Corsair Micro CMPSU-620HX so it should be ok.

Incredibly simple. I would make sure the cards dimensions will fit in your case and that you have the proper connections prior to purchase.

What do you mean proper connections? Just that my other hardware is properly compatible? my motherboard is a Gigabyte EX58-UD5 and like I said, the PSU is strong enough.

 

[SecretMoblin]

Thanks for the help/advice, folks!

I think I'm just going to go with the instant gratification solution: get a PSU/GPU for my current PC and reuse them for a build at a later time, when technology and competition bring prices down a bit.

 

[ss_lemonade]

What's the thoughts on processors right now. Jump in with the 2500K now or wait for sandy bridge-E/ivy-bridge?

2500k/2600k sandy's are fast as heck and great overclockers as well. If you decide to get either one, you should be set for a long time

 

[Tallshortman]

So I've been thinking of upgrading my 2-years-old pc.

Your Current Specs:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 3.01 GHz
nVidia GeForce GTX 260
ASUS M3A78 PRO
Corsair xtreme performance XMS2 4gb DDR2 800 MHz
Corsair VX 550w power supply
Antec 300 case
500gb sata hdd 7200rpm
200gb sata hdd 7200rpm
windows vista 32bit

Budget: 400 euros max. I live in Finland but I will probably order all components from Germany since it's a lot cheaper there -.-
Main Use: Games, watching hd movies and I really would like to emulate gc and wii games, especially donkey kong country returns.
Monitor Resolution: I have full hd 24inch monitor and secondary 17inch (1280x1024) monitor which is also on all the time.
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Atm I can already play all games I want but not as smooth as I would like to. But if I have to name some games then GTA IV with all the eye candy mods on and battlefield 3 ofc
Are reusing any parts?: you tell me
When will you build?: I'm not in a hurry so it will probably take like a month to decide what I want and need.
Will you be overclocking?: probably not coz I have never oc'd anything and I don't want my pc to sound like a helicopter...

What should I upgrade? Is there any point upgrading with this budget and do I get my moneys worth of extra performance?

All you need is a new GPU. Everything else is fine for gaming, as in you won't be bottlenecked. I have an older Phenom and I have yet to be bottlenecked by it. If anything spend that money on a high end GPU and maybe extra memory if your mobo can fit more. Also, definitely upgrade to windows 7. Even on the new vistas SP I felt a huge speed increase with windows 7.

However, if you do upgrade to a high end card you may need to upgrade your PSU. Be sure to check what the minimum wattage is required by the card you choose and I would make sure it doesn't cut too close to the 550W PSU you have.

 

[Tallshortman]

It's a Corsair Micro CMPSU-620HX so it should be ok.



What do you mean proper connections? Just that my other hardware is properly compatible? my motherboard is a Gigabyte EX58-UD5 and like I said, the PSU is strong enough.

I'm pretty sure he just means you've correctly inserted the card, which is very simple. PCIe is backwards compatible so that's not a worry. So all you need to do is plug it in to the PCIe slot and then connect it to your PSU, then you're all set. Make sure to connect to the PCIe x16 if you have more than one slot.

 

[Effect]

I've really been going back and forth (my mind changes hour to hour, day to day it seems) between getting a laptop for general computing and focusing on my consoles for gaming (then giving my current system to my parents to use to replace the computers they have) or upgrading my PC (in the least expensive way imaginable). I'm curious if I could get away with just upgrading my graphics card and to what if my CPU is good enough.

I have the following system (just copying and pasting from my order history on Newegg.com. So the items will be in long form.).

AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard
Mushkin Enhanced Essentials 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
ZOTAC ZT-98GES5P-FDL GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
Power Supply is 500w or 450w. Not totally sure since I'm not at home at the moment.

If I do upgrade I'll most likely be picking up a copy of Windows 7 Home 64bit. Maybe adding one more card of memory to bring things up to 5gb so I have access to 4gb outside of the OS. The PSU might need to be replaced as I've started to get once in a while random restarts. I think my problem with playing upcoming games the way I want to play them, like BF3 and Skyrim or just maxing out current games on the market is the GPU. I was being cheap when I went with the 9800GT earlier in the year. Thinking that might have been a mistake.

Is there anything I can upgrade from the 9800GT to that would be a significant leap and work well with the rest of the system but work within the limit of $100 to $250?

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

Any tips for getting RadeonPro working properly? I've tried and only managed to make Mass Effect completely unstable until I reboot the machine [RP is not auto-starting on boot for this reason alone).

My rig:
i5 2500K (running stock + AC Freezer Pro something or other)
Gigabyte Z68A-D3H-B3
XFX Radeon 6950HD 2GB
16GB G.Skill Ripjaws something or other (4x4GB)
60GB OCZ Agility 3 + 120GB OCZ Agility 3
2TB WD Caviar Green

 

[Chesskid1]

so a guy is willing to buy my 4870 for $50 on craigslist


the thing is i won't have a video card until my new one arrives. If I take out my 4870 will it autorevert to integrated graphics? I remember i had to disable the integrated graphics when i installed the 4870 in bios, do i have to manually turn on integrated through bios?

If i have a power supply/case that fits/supports a 4870, it will most likely fit/support a 6870 as well right? I can get my specs if needed, just gotta look through my newegg history.

 

[Tallshortman]

I've really been going back and forth (my mind changes hour to hour, day to day it seems) between getting a laptop for general computing and focusing on my consoles for gaming (then giving my current system to my parents to use to replace the computers they have) or upgrading my PC (in the least expensive way imaginable). I'm curious if I could get away with just upgrading my graphics card and to what if my CPU is good enough.

I have the following system (just copying and pasting from my order history on Newegg.com. So the items will be in long form.).

AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard
Mushkin Enhanced Essentials 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
ZOTAC ZT-98GES5P-FDL GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
Power Supply is 500w or 450w. Not totally sure since I'm not at home at the moment.

If I do upgrade I'll most likely be picking up a copy of Windows 7 Home 64bit. Maybe adding one more card of memory to bring things up to 5gb so I have access to 4gb outside of the OS. The PSU might need to be replaced as I've started to get once in a while random restarts. I think my problem with playing upcoming games the way I want to play them, like BF3 and Skyrim or just maxing out current games on the market is the GPU. I was being cheap when I went with the 9800GT earlier in the year. Thinking that might have been a mistake.

Is there anything I can upgrade from the 9800GT to that would be a significant leap and work well with the rest of the system but work within the limit of $100 to $250?

On the $200+ side I would recommend a radeon 6950. It's arguably the best value at it's price level and you can get ones at around $230 after a $20-$30 rebate. Also, some manufacturers make a switch that allow you to unlock the 6950 into basically a 6970. You may want to upgrade your PSU if you want to upgrade to a card that gives a significant enough performance increase over the 9800GT to warrant a purchase. The radeon 6870 is cheaper but also a good value.

I generally recommend AMD cards over Nvidia because of previous experiences (I've basically switched from one to the other with each upgrade in the past) showing considerably better bang for your buck with AMD cards. If you prefer nvidia cards you can look up their equivalents in this pretty good article this site releases every month.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2964.html

 

[Effect]

Thanks. So I should be looking at a 600watt or perhaps 700watt PSU?

Thanks for the link as well.

 

[Kyaw]

so a guy is willing to buy my 4870 for $50 on craigslist


the thing is i won't have a video card until my new one arrives. If I take out my 4870 will it autorevert to integrated graphics? I remember i had to disable the integrated graphics when i installed the 4870 in bios, do i have to manually turn on integrated through bios?

If i have a power supply/case that fits/supports a 4870, it will most likely fit/support a 6870 as well right? I can get my specs if needed, just gotta look through my newegg history.

If you had to manually disable it, it is more than likely you will have to manually enable it again.

6870 will fit fine with something that fitted 4870.

Thanks. So I should be looking at a 600watt or perhaps 700watt PSU?

Thanks for the link as well.

600w is perfectly fine unless you are going for extremely high end or multiple cards.
Don't cheap out on PSUs either, get a quality one. (Corsair, Coolermaster, OCZ, Antec)

 

[zlatko]

Always posting bad news on SSDs =(

Even slowing down its still a lot faster then HDDs. We'll have to wait and see for the life span. I now have 3 Vertex 2's and have yet to see any issue with them.




Take a screenshot of when it happens and see if it appears in the shot. Also try stress testing the GPU to see if the problem happens under heavy load or extreme heat.

I tried to capture it, but it happens so fast. It is a constant issue in Darksiders where I am right now if I swivel the camera around, or run and swivel same time. I kept print screening but no luck. I'll see if I can get video footage of it by capturing it.

Edit: Used my camcorder to capture the TV while I swivel the camera, but it's a bit too low quality to make it out clearly in the footage. I tried to play Bad Company 2 single player from the start and was not able to make it occur with camera/running, etc. On Dirt 3 it was a bit more random to when it happens, but Darksiders it's damn near constant, but too quick to screenshot.

As for your heat issue my PC is fine temp wise. I tested that not even a month ago, and as far as taxing the GPU... well I can play Witcher 2 on damn near max everything and the issue doesn't occur in that game and it's a much more demanding game than something like Darksiders.

I did google searches but no luck. I'm really at a loss what causes this, but with what little computer knowledge I have I imagine it has something to do with the resolution I'm trying to play games at perhaps. 1366x768 full screened is what I do my games at, but the TV I use isn't a well known name brand and I do have issues with it now after all these years with minor image burning. Perhaps it's a TV thing with games ?

 

[Tallshortman]

Thanks. So I should be looking at a 600watt or perhaps 700watt PSU?

Thanks for the link as well.

If you don't plan on doing any significant upgrades in the future (CPU since you're getting a GPU now, or getting a second GPU) the 600W should be fine.

 

[HarryHengst]

Looking through the 2011 High-Res PC Screenshot Thread is a lot more fun once you've ordered your new pc and know that soon you too can play those games.

 

[scogoth]

I tried to capture it, but it happens so fast. It is a constant issue in Darksiders where I am right now if I swivel the camera around, or run and swivel same time. I kept print screening but no luck. I'll see if I can get video footage of it by capturing it.

Edit: Used my camcorder to capture the TV while I swivel the camera, but it's a bit too low quality to make it out clearly in the footage. I tried to play Bad Company 2 single player from the start and was not able to make it occur with camera/running, etc. On Dirt 3 it was a bit more random to when it happens, but Darksiders it's damn near constant, but too quick to screenshot.

As for your heat issue my PC is fine temp wise. I tested that not even a month ago, and as far as taxing the GPU... well I can play Witcher 2 on damn near max everything and the issue doesn't occur in that game and it's a much more demanding game than something like Darksiders.

I did google searches but no luck. I'm really at a loss what causes this, but with what little computer knowledge I have I imagine it has something to do with the resolution I'm trying to play games at perhaps. 1366x768 full screened is what I do my games at, but the TV I use isn't a well known name brand and I do have issues with it now after all these years with minor image burning. Perhaps it's a TV thing with games ?

Thats why I asked for the screen shot, if it was graphic tearing or something GPU related it will show in the screen shot. It could be your TV not scaling properly some other obscure incompatibility. Its seems odd that it would show up in some games and not others... Two more things I would suggest trying are,
1) Is there an overscan feature on your TV you can turn off or a way to set it to a game mode?
2) Try turning vsync on in Darksiders to rule out your GPU again

 

[zlatko]

Thats why I asked for the screen shot, if it was graphic tearing or something GPU related it will show in the screen shot. It could be your TV not scaling properly some other obscure incompatibility. Its seems odd that it would show up in some games and not others... Two more things I would suggest trying are,
1) Is there an overscan feature on your TV you can turn off or a way to set it to a game mode?
2) Try turning vsync on in Darksiders to rule out your GPU again

Turning vysnc did nothing, but I left it on. I then went to my TV options and there was an option to turn on overscan, since it wasn't enabled. I enabled it, went back into game, Vysnc was on, and the problem no longer exists in Darksiders at all.

 

[jarosh]

i've been getting pms about my new build. i guess i should have posted the full specs here. so here goes:

CASE: Silverstone HTPC GD05 Black
CPU: i5 2500k
CPU COOLER: Scythe Big Shuriken
MOBO: Asus P8P67-M PRO (B3)
SSD: Intel SSD 510 Series 120GB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB
OPTICAL: Asus DRW-24B3LT
RAM: Kingston HyperX, 8 GB (2x4GB), DDR3-1600
PSU: Seasonic X-560
GPU: an "older" GTX-260, 896 MB (still good enough @ 720p, which is all i need atm), will be replaced somewhere down the line

 

[Effect]

One more question. If a graphics card says PCI Express 2.1 then it won't work in a PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot correct? Or does that 2.1 label not mean anything and will actually work?

Edit:

Okay I've decided to go with the following. How does this look?

EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1461-KR GeForce GTX 560 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $194

OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom - $89

Came across the following site as well. http://www.hwcompare.com/11081/geforce-9800-gt-512mb-vs-geforce-gtx-560/ Seems like quite the jump and the GTX 560 seems equivalent to the AMD 6870 that was also recommended here. Seems close in my price range. $200+ for the card seem a bit more then I could swing when me needing a new PSU as well.

Edit 2:

Well made the jump and with NewEgg it should be here tomorrow. Both had free shipping which result in 1 day delivery time for both. Will report back how things turn out once I make the changes in the system. Figured I'd have to do it now while I was still willing to in case I changed my mind again.

 

[Chesskid1]

couple bucks more for a better heatsink? yay or nay? i don't overclock so idk, but if it runs cooler/quieter maybe it's worth it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150505

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150515

hopefully the 6850 can do 2560x1600 decently cause the 4870 struggles. i have the monitor for work, but i want to game on it too but on a budget.

 

[RS4-]

Any recommendations for 27" monitor? Tempted to get the Dell u2711...but it's as much as three LG w2442pa monitors lol.

I'd get the latter version in an IPS panel, only 23" though but it's equivalent to the Dell 2311 model. Too bad Canada won't honor the warranty if I buy it in the US. Weak.

I like the extra resolution that comes with the 2711 instead of having it only do 1080p.

Big bonus if monitor can do swivel/rotate for portrait mode

 

[clav]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16817371030

A good deal on a 520 Watt (80% efficient) power supply that can run any single graphics-card setup.

Supposedly it's a rebranded Seasonic.

 

[ChoklitReign]

Corsair's PSU prices are really screwy. The 430W is $70, more than the equivalent 500W! How much should I spend on a PSU if I want to keep it for future, more powerful video cards? What's the best Antec subbrand?

 

[Tallshortman]

One more question. If a graphics card says PCI Express 2.1 then it won't work in a PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot correct? Or does that 2.1 label not mean anything and will actually work?

Edit:

Okay I've decided to go with the following. How does this look?

EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1461-KR GeForce GTX 560 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $194

OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom - $89

Came across the following site as well. http://www.hwcompare.com/11081/geforce-9800-gt-512mb-vs-geforce-gtx-560/ Seems like quite the jump and the GTX 560 seems equivalent to the AMD 6870 that was also recommended here. Seems close in my price range. $200+ for the card seem a bit more then I could swing when me needing a new PSU as well.

Edit 2:

Well made the jump and with NewEgg it should be here tomorrow. Both had free shipping which result in 1 day delivery time for both. Will report back how things turn out once I make the changes in the system. Figured I'd have to do it now while I was still willing to in case I changed my mind again.

PCIe 2.1 is backwards compatible so it will work even if you have PCIe 1.0 x16. The only problem is a small performance bottleneck depending on your card but since you're getting a PCIe 2.0 mobo you won't have to worry about that.

The GTX 560 is pretty much the equivalent of the 6870 with the 6870 being a little cheaper and being a little more powerful but they're both on the same tier.

Your PSU looks good and should be fairly future proof. Have fun with your new rig

 

[Tallshortman]

Corsair's PSU prices are really screwy. The 430W is $70, more than the equivalent 500W! How much should I spend on a PSU if I want to keep it for future, more powerful video cards? What's the best Antec subbrand?

The GTX 580 and radeon 6970, the two most powerful single card GPUs that aren't the "single card" GTX 590/radeon 6990 that are actually two cards fit together, require 600W and 550W PSU respectively. It depends on what you're springing for in the future (top tier or mid tier).

 

[Merovin]

Gaf, who fancies helping the useless confused guy?

I've been having some issues recently, my computer appears to be freezing and I've had the occasional BSOD. I've had the computer about three weeks now (custom build), though the issue started about a week after getting it. The computer froze up mid-game, couldn't do anything at all, after waiting about 10 minutes I gave up and used the restart button. Upon boot, I had this error;



Switching off and on got rid of it and stupidly, I thought nothing of it. Then about a week later, I got my beautiful BSOD, and encountered that error again. Did some research, rolled back my graphics card drivers as I had updated those the same day the first error happened (though I'm now pretty certain that was coincidence).

I've had more freezing, a few BSOD's since but without that error, I've also had this pop up a few times, which I've never seen before on Windows 7:



And a few times, when I've tried to control+alt+delete, I've had this come up;



From each crash, it definitely feels like there's something going on with the OS/Drive the OS is installed on (I have done both a virus scan and disk check), but I really have no idea on how to resolve this or what route to take. I just had another black screen and an error, but didn't get time to catch it as it was up for about 10 seconds, though I do recall seeing "skype: skype.exe" or something along those lines in it, not that that's much help. I know it isn't a great deal to go on, but I would greatly appreciate any help you guys can provide. If needed, here's my system build;

Case COOLERMASTER HAF 922 MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core (3.40GHz, 8MB Cache) + HD Graphics
Motherboard ASUS® P8P67 PRO (NEW REV 3.0): USB 3.0/SATA 6Gb/s, CrossFireX™ & SLI
Memory (RAM) 8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz, X.M.P (2 x 4GB KIT)
Graphics Card 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti - 2 DVI,HDMI,VGA - DX® 11, 3D Vision Ready
2nd Graphics Card 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti - 2 DVI,HDMI,VGA - DX® 11, 3D Vision Ready
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 120GB OCZ VERTEX 3 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 500MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk 2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
3rd Hard Disk 1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
Power Supply CORSAIR 750W TX SERIES (TX750) 80+ ULTRA QUIET PSU
Processor Cooling COOLIT ECO II C240 A.L.C (ADVANCED LIQUID COOLER)

Thanks again, and apologies for the massive post/essay.

 

[Tallshortman]

Any recommendations for 27" monitor? Tempted to get the Dell u2711...but it's as much as three LG w2442pa monitors lol.

I'd get the latter version in an IPS panel, only 23" though but it's equivalent to the Dell 2311 model. Too bad Canada won't honor the warranty if I buy it in the US. Weak.

I like the extra resolution that comes with the 2711 instead of having it only do 1080p.

Big bonus if monitor can do swivel/rotate for portrait mode

I would recommend an Asus. The 2711 shows a 6ms response time whereas most Asus monitors are much cheaper (ones on amazon are $300) and they have 2ms response time. Small response time is important if you plan on playing games that require accurate and fast inputs (FPS, fighting games are the two most prominent). They also have a higher contrast ratio 10,000,000:1.

You can also get LED ones for a little more ($30ish over standard LCD) but I don't know if they show resolution over 1080p. But yeah that Dell looks way overpriced at $1k to justify that response time and smaller contrast ratio.

 

[cjtiger300]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689111

Hey PC Gaf. I want to know your opinion on this bundle which features the AMD A8-3850/A75. This combo is right in my price range because it include Windows 7. How will the combo processor do with modern games like Battlefield 3? Would I be better off getting my processor and graphics card separate? Also, which processor and graphics card would be comparable in the same price range? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Chesskid1]

Boom, just ordered my 6850. I had no intentions of buying anything then I started reading this thread and couldn't help myself.

I am getting a great deal, so can't complain. <3 newegg

$172.55 - $20rebate - $20?shogun2copy - $20?Dirt3copy - $50sold4870 = around $60

yay for having a current gen card now impressions when it arrives thursday/friday !

 

[AColdDay]

Alright gaf, I'm wondering if one of you computer wizards can help me figure out an issue I'm having with my headphones. So when I start a program that requires sound I can't switch between using my headphones or using my speakers without restarting the program I'm using. So for example, I'm playing a game on steam, and I decide to plug in my headphones. When I plug them in, I get nothing from the headphones or the speakers. If I'm listening to the headphones first, and then unplug them, nothing will come out of my speakers. if I restart whatever I'm doing (e.g. quiting and than restarting a game, closing and reopening a tab on firefox) the sound comes from where it is supposed to, but it is super annoying to have to restart every program everytime I want to listen to my headphones.

Any ideas?

 

[Chesskid1]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689111

Hey PC Gaf. I want to know your opinion on this bundle which features the AMD A8-3850/A75. This combo is right in my price range because it include Windows 7. How will the combo processor do with modern games like Battlefield 3? Would I be better off getting my processor and graphics card separate? Also, which processor and graphics card would be comparable in the same price range? Thanks in advance for your help.

seriously just buy a separate graphics card/CPU. Separate graphics cards will blow that APU away, especially in games like battlefield 3. The $600 build in the OP is awesome.

And you can get windows 7 for like $30 now if you have a .edu address

http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/windows/buynow/default.aspx

 

[xero273]

I'm looking for a 24" monitor for around $200 - 300. Any recommendations?

 

[Tallshortman]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689111

Hey PC Gaf. I want to know your opinion on this bundle which features the AMD A8-3850/A75. This combo is right in my price range because it include Windows 7. How will the combo processor do with modern games like Battlefield 3? Would I be better off getting my processor and graphics card separate? Also, which processor and graphics card would be comparable in the same price range? Thanks in advance for your help.

Probably not a good buy unless you plan on not getting a discrete GPU and want the ability to play some modern games at low settings and low to medium resolution. The Llano APU is an interesting technology but it was really meant for people who want a good CPU coupled with better than normal integrated graphics that can do light gaming but don't want to shell out the money for a GPU. It is not meant for gaming because otherwise you'll want to buy a regular CPU and GPU instead of an APU (Llano).

For example, since you listed Battlefield 3 I would expect that rig to maybe run it at lowest settings and a low resolution in order to get a playable framerate. So, if you do plan on getting a discrete GPU (basically required if you want to run modern games at a decent setting) you'll also want a PSU with a higher wattage than the one in that package. 430W I don't think will even handle the majority of mid range cards.

I'm not sure what you're price range is, is it the $500 that combo costs?

Hope this helps answer your questions.

 

[RS4-]

I would recommend an Asus. The 2711 shows a 6ms response time whereas most Asus monitors are much cheaper (ones on amazon are $300) and they have 2ms response time. Small response time is important if you plan on playing games that require accurate and fast inputs (FPS, fighting games are the two most prominent). They also have a higher contrast ratio 10,000,000:1.

You can also get LED ones for a little more ($30ish over standard LCD) but I don't know if they show resolution over 1080p. But yeah that Dell looks way overpriced at $1k to justify that response time and smaller contrast ratio.

I missed out when they had the 27" Asus for only 199 up here compared to the regular $340 or so over the weekend.

Part of me is still unsure if I want to do eyefinity just for bf3 or just get one good TN 27" for gaming and one good IPS display for photo and video work.

The Dell 2711, I'd only be paying 600 or so, but its still a lot and thankfully not as much as the Apple cinema displays lol.

Will do more research.

Not too fond of buying a 27" Hanns-g which I think is running for $240 after taxes.

 

[Tallshortman]

I'm looking for a 24" monitor for around $200 - 300. Any recommendations?

This is what I have:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XU73KY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

The 2ms response, contrast ratio, and the fact it's LED is what did it for me. This is 23 inches though.

Here is basically the 24 inch version:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EFYG70/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[mike23]

Gaf, who fancies helping the useless confused guy?

I've been having some issues recently, my computer appears to be freezing and I've had the occasional BSOD. I've had the computer about three weeks now (custom build), though the issue started about a week after getting it. The computer froze up mid-game, couldn't do anything at all, after waiting about 10 minutes I gave up and used the restart button. Upon boot, I had this error;

http://i.imgur.com/QDJDLl.jpg[IMG][/URL]

Switching off and on got rid of it and stupidly, I thought nothing of it. Then about a week later, I got my beautiful BSOD, and encountered that error again. Did some research, rolled back my graphics card drivers as I had updated those the same day the first error happened (though I'm now pretty certain that was coincidence).

I've had more freezing, a few BSOD's since but without that error, I've also had this pop up a few times, which I've never seen before on Windows 7:

[URL=http://imgur.com/7a8eG][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/7a8eGl.jpg[IMG][/URL]

And a few times, when I've tried to control+alt+delete, I've had this come up;

[URL=http://imgur.com/QH5iq][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/QH5iql.jpg[IMG][/URL]

From each crash, it definitely feels like there's something going on with the OS/Drive the OS is installed on (I have done both a virus scan and disk check), but I really have no idea on how to resolve this or what route to take. I just had another black screen and an error, but didn't get time to catch it as it was up for about 10 seconds, though I do recall seeing "skype: skype.exe" or something along those lines in it, not that that's much help. I know it isn't a great deal to go on, but I would greatly appreciate any help you guys can provide. If needed, here's my system build;




Thanks again, and apologies for the massive post/essay.[/QUOTE]

It sounds a lot like what happened to me when one of my Vertex 2 SSDs was dying. It was corrupting random files and eventually fucked my Windows install