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[kharma45]

I use the CM Hyper 212 evo cooler, which is brilliant imo.

My GPU is MSI GTX 770 4gb.

As for overclocking the CPU, I am scared to do it, never fiddled with the BIOS before and I would be worried I would fry it or something.

If you've got the 212 I'd look into over locking your 2500K. It's fairly easy and you should be able to take it to around 4.5GHz, maybe more.

You could look into upgrading your GPU. It's where you'd get your biggest jump. You'd get around a 30% jump or so. Another area is an SSD if you haven't already got one.

Outside of those areas there's not much else worth spending money on.

 

[Kayant]

I use the CM Hyper 212 evo cooler, which is brilliant imo.

My GPU is MSI GTX 770 4gb.

As for overclocking the CPU, I am scared to do it, never fiddled with the BIOS before and I would be worried I would fry it or something.

Upgrading you CPU won't give you that much more performance(some frames here and there) in games but upgrading your GPU to something like a 290/x,gtx 970 or something along those lines will be a better idea as you will get better framerate and you be able to push higher settings. What's your budget for upgrading?

Edit - Beaten

 

[Matty8787]

Upgrading you CPU won't give you that much more performance(some frames here and there) in games but upgrading your GPU to something like a 290/x,gtx 970 or something along those lines will be a better idea as you will get better framerate and you be able to push higher settings. What's your budget for upgrading?

Edit - Beaten

If you've got the 212 I'd look into over locking your 2500K. It's fairly easy and you should be able to take it to around 4.5GHz, maybe more.

You could look into upgrading your GPU. It's where you'd get your biggest jump. You'd get around a 30% jump or so. Another area is an SSD if you haven't already got one.

Outside of those areas there's not much else worth spending money on.

I don't really have a budget, I am crap with money and just spend when I see fit.

I may hold off upgrading the GPU until next year as I only game at 1080p and this seems to do all I ask fine.

I also have an SSD although only an 128gb one.

 

[kharma45]

I'd just leave your PC as-is then bar overclocking your CPU.

 

[Matty8787]

I'd just leave your PC as-is then bar overclocking your CPU.

Ok probably for the best! Any good guides for overclocking?

Thanks for the help btw

 

[kharma45]

Ok probably for the best! Any good guides for overclocking?

Thanks for the help btw

What mobo do you have?

 

[Matty8787]

What mobo do you have?

IIRC it is:

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z77V_PRO/

 

[kharma45]

IIRC it is:

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z77V_PRO/

Have a read over these

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1578110

http://www.overclock.net/t/910467/the-ultimate-sandy-bridge-oc-guide-p67a-ud7-performance-review

Main thing you'll be changing is your voltage (don't exceed what is recommended in those guides or you'll fry your chip) and your multiplier, and keeping an eye on your temps (no higher than 80-85c under Prime95).

There's a lot to read but that's the main things to pay attention to.

 

[jett]

Asus software is reading my +5V rail at 4.400. Is that too low? Can that be the cause of weird lockups?

 

[Matty8787]

Have a read over these

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1578110

http://www.overclock.net/t/910467/the-ultimate-sandy-bridge-oc-guide-p67a-ud7-performance-review

Main thing you'll be changing is your voltage (don't exceed what is recommended in those guides or you'll fry your chip) and your multiplier, and keeping an eye on your temps (no higher than 80-85c under Prime95).

There's a lot to read but that's the main things to pay attention to.

Excellent, you have been great help. Will look into this when I get home from work.

 

[Portugeezer]

I know it pretty much works straight by plugging it in, but is there a USB bluetooth device that allows the PS4 controller to connect wirelessly? Would that de-sync from PS4 console?

 

[Deft Beck]

I had a friend build me a desktop PC before I started college (2011). Now, I am about to graduate, and I would like to upgrade my computer, or build a new one altogether.

Here are my current specs:

CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1050T
RAM: 8.00GB Crucial Ballistix Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 665MHz
Motherboard: ASRock M3A770DE
GPU: 1024MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
PSU: Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D
Case: I don't know
HDD: 931GB Seagate ST31000524AS ATA Device (SATA)
119GB OCZ-VERTEX4 ATA Device

Budget: $600, USA

Main Use:

• Light Gaming: 3
• Gaming: 4
• Emulation: 3
• Video Editing: 3
• Streaming games in HD: 4
• 3D/Model work: 1
• General use: 5

Monitor Resolution: 1080p would be fine with me.

Specific games/applications I would like to run well: Guild Wars 2, Sony Vegas Pro

Looking to reuse any parts: Maybe the hard drives

When will you build: A few months into my full time job, ideally. I need to save up some money, first. No deadline.

Will you be overclocking: No

 

[kennah]

Come back in a few months. Things will have changed by then.

 

[trh]

Come back in a few months. Things will have changed by then.

Been out of the loop for a while, can you elaborate on what is going to change?

 

[kennah]

Been out of the loop for a while, can you elaborate on what is going to change?

Who knows. New stuff is released without announcement all the time. Prices will fluctuate, we may learn that something normally recommended isn't good. Etc. It never stays the same.

 

[belmonkey]

Would a 500W EVGA 80+ power supply probably be fine for an i5 4440 (84W TDP) and a Radeon 5830 (175W TDP)?

 

[Deadly]

I've been getting the BSOD lately again. What are things that tend to be linked with it? I'm thinking it's my HDD since I've had previous problems with it. No heating problems either.

 

[Frankfurter]

Would a 500W EVGA 80+ power supply probably be fine for an i5 4440 (84W TDP) and a Radeon 5830 (175W TDP)?

Yes.

 

[LegendofJoe]

I'm having a hell of a time getting my copy of Windows 8.1 Pro to detect my storage devices. I've checked the connections multiple times and tried booting up from the ASUS Z97 Pro Motherboard disk, but all it does is take me to a DOS screen. Has anyone here ever run into a problem like this?

 

[Diomedes]

I know it pretty much works straight by plugging it in, but is there a USB bluetooth device that allows the PS4 controller to connect wirelessly? Would that de-sync from PS4 console?

First of all http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=704203

Next, yes you need to resync it every time if you're using the same controller for both. (I bought a second DS4 when they were on sale, it sits by my PC.)

 

[DrForester]

Only had it a day, and only a few games played, but I want to give a shout out to the Nanoxia Deep Silence 5 PC case for anyone looking for a nice quiet PC case.

 

[Exuro]

I know it pretty much works straight by plugging it in, but is there a USB bluetooth device that allows the PS4 controller to connect wirelessly? Would that de-sync from PS4 console?

Use this. http://ds4windows.com/ Works amazingly and has tons of customization options.

 

[Monkeybutlerz]

Alright, I updated the processor and motherboard for cheaper non-overclocking models. Decided to keep the power supply as it's actually one of the cheapest models I can recommend. It'll power any graphics card upgrade in the future. Saved a bit over $100.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230 V3 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($284.98 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($169.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($122.89 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Toshiba Product SeriesT01ACA 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($47.95 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($67.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $888.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-11 07:01 EST-0500

Thank you so much, this is awesome! Really appreciate the help.

 

[LilJoka]

I did that last night, Windows 7 would hang on the booting logo, upon reset the HDD wasn't detected.

I just booted up my PC though today after about 4 hours of being off and it's running normally for some reason, but I expect a failure at any moment. Tried playing Street Fighter 4 and seems that it ran it without any hitches. This is an awful feeling, I feel like my computer is holding a gun to my head and will fire at any moment.

edit: welp it started messing up again.

Guess it could be the Hard Drive, use HDTune to check the SMART stats.

I've been getting the BSOD lately again. What are things that tend to be linked with it? I'm thinking it's my HDD since I've had previous problems with it. No heating problems either.

Use BSOD Viewer to find the details of the bsod and post here.

 

[knitoe]

I'm having a hell of a time getting my copy of Windows 8.1 Pro to detect my storage devices. I've checked the connections multiple times and tried booting up from the ASUS Z97 Pro Motherboard disk, but all it does is take me to a DOS screen. Has anyone here ever run into a problem like this?

See the drives seen in the Bios? What drives, brand and model?

 

[Sectorseven]

Is there a thread or a post listing all the PC showings at CES?

I know there were some new SSDs announced, and a new cooling fan that could potentially replace heat sinks.

 

[LegendofJoe]

See the drives seen in the Bios? What drives, brand and model?

Both of the storage drivers show up in the Motherboard Bios screen, but neither are detected by the Windows installation disk. The HDD is the Seagate Hybrid Drive ST2000DX001 and the SDD is the Crucial MX100 CT256.

The message I get from the windows installation is that there are "missing media drivers."

 

[DrForester]

Anyone aware of a PCI header card with both UBS 3.0 and a 9 pin regular usb connection?

 

[Deadly]

Use BSOD Viewer to find the details of the bsod and post here.

The other dump also has ntoskrnl.exe highlighted in red

 

[shindoku21]

Is there a general recommendation for external HDDs? Looking for recommendations for a 2TB or 4TB.

 

[RGM79]

Asus software is reading my +5V rail at 4.400. Is that too low? Can that be the cause of weird lockups?

I wonder if the software is just being wonky? Try HWMonitor.

Anyone aware of a PCI header card with both UBS 3.0 and a 9 pin regular usb connection?

No, USB 3.0 uses separate controller chip compared to USB 2.0.

What are you trying to do exactly? What do you need the 9 pin USB 2.0 header for? Doesn't your motherboard already have one?

Is there a general recommendation for external HDDs? Looking for recommendations for a 2TB or 4TB.

I'd just look for whatever is available at a low price and has the features you need. Toshiba/HGST/WD hard drive are all fine, nothing really wrong with them. Seagate tends to have a higher failure rate for certain models, but I've never had an issue with them.

 

[DrForester]

What are you trying to do exactly? What do you need the 9 pin USB 2.0 header for? Doesn't your motherboard already have one?

MB only has two, needed it for the front USB ports, and for some reason my CPU liquid cooler needed the other.

I am looking at a media card reader drive to put in, and it has some USB ports on it, and requires the 20 pin and 9 pin connectors.

 

[RGM79]

MB only has two, needed it for the front USB ports, and for some reason my CPU liquid cooler needed the other.

I am looking at a media card reader drive to put in, and it has some USB ports on it, and requires the 20 pin and 9 pin connectors.

You should look for a media card reader that only uses USB 3.0, it'll be faster and you won't need to use USB 2.0 or the 9 pin header.

This is a list of Newegg items that fit that bill.

 

[b0bbyJ03]

Does anyone know what speeds a typical N router caps out at? I'm using a Netgear N600 and I just upgraded my internet. when I connect directly to the modem I get speeds of 150 Mbps but whenever I connect through the router I can't get past 95 Mbps. Any ideas?

 

[kanuuna]

I'm looking into buying a new PC. Going from my stock i7 940, 6GB of DDR3 RAM and GTX 590 3GB to something beefier. I'm thinking of going from two 1080p displays to a single ultrawide one while I'm at it - a LG 34UM95-P at 3440x1440.

I'm currently eyeing a setup that looks something like this from a site that offers pre-built PCs in addition to just selling hardware.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790k 4.0Ghz + Noctua NH-U12S cooler
MOBO: Sabertooth Z97 Mark 2
GPU: Asus Nvidia GTX 970 4GB DirectCU II
RAM: 8GB 1600Mhz Kingston Fury
HD: 120GB Kingston Fury SSD + 2TB WD SATAIII
PSU: 700W (brand goes unmentioned, but I can figure it out)
CASE: Cooler Master CM 690 III
DRIVE: Asus DVD-R

This, in total would run 1659€ with OS installed. I'm thinking of swapping the single GPU here for two of the same Asus GTX 970 model for SLI, and adding another 4GB of memory. I'd also swap that DVD drive for a bluray one, for ripping some things for personal use.
I won't know what kind of a deal I could get on that particular setup until I ask (hopefully under 2100&#8364, but before I do that I thought I'd consult this thread. Does the SLI setup make enough sense provided I drop the wallet for that new monitor? Would I just connect the DisplayPort cable to one of the two bridged GPUs and voilà?

 

[Blitzhex]

Anyone seen/tested this? https://pay.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/2s2968/gtx970_memoryvram_allocation_bug/ http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=396064
Some 970s can't go past 3.5gb vram usage without performance degradation compared to 980s.

 

[brotkasten]

It seems like my good old Intel X25-M is dying. Is the Crucial MX100 still a good cheap replacement? I saw that the 100 is 60 bucks on Amazon for the 128GB version, which is fine for me.

Or are there better cheap SSDs these days?

 

[kharma45]

It seems like my good old Intel X25-M is dying. Is the Crucial MX100 still a good cheap replacement? I saw that the 100 is 60 bucks on Amazon for the 128GB version, which is fine for me.

Or are there better cheap SSDs these days?

That or a Samsung drive. Both good.

 

[RGM79]

Does anyone know what speeds a typical N router caps out at? I'm using a Netgear N600 and I just upgraded my internet. when I connect directly to the modem I get speeds of 150 Mbps but whenever I connect through the router I can't get past 95 Mbps. Any ideas?

Depends on the rating of the Wireless N speed. Looks like your router's limited wifi is limiting your internet.

I'm looking into buying a new PC. Going from my stock i7 940, 6GB of DDR3 RAM and GTX 590 3GB to something beefier. I'm thinking of going from two 1080p displays to a single ultrawide one while I'm at it - a LG 34UM95-P at 3440x1440.

I'm currently eyeing a setup that looks something like this from a site that offers pre-built PCs in addition to just selling hardware.



This, in total would run 1659€ with OS installed. I'm thinking of swapping the single GPU here for two of the same Asus GTX 970 model for SLI, and adding another 4GB of memory. I'd also swap that DVD drive for a bluray one, for ripping some things for personal use.
I won't know what kind of a deal I could get on that particular setup until I ask (hopefully under 2100€), but before I do that I thought I'd consult this thread. Does the SLI setup make enough sense provided I drop the wallet for that new monitor? Would I just connect the DisplayPort cable to one of the two bridged GPUs and voilà?

I am almost certain you can save a lot of money if you don't mind building the PC yourself. Buying a prebuilt PC just to swap parts afterward is a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't do what you want it to do in the first place.

What country are you in and will be buying parts from?

 

[somuchwater]

I recently put together a very ordinary build - i5 4460, R7 250E, SSD - but I did get some help from some people here, so I just wanted to say "Thanks, GAF!" This was my first build in years, and you can obviously tell I'm an amateur, but I do really appreciate the advice and knowledge here.

Also: my video card is super slow - would I benefit from trying to overclock it? Or would the heat/noise tradeoff make it not worth it?

 

[Azulsky]

I underestimated how big the Phanteks Primo was going to be.

But now my Hard Drives have a nice home, instead of being in that external eSATA dock.

Also good lord at the amount of dust that will get stuck in a rad.

 

[KePoW]

To GAF Experts:

I have a problem that just came up two days ago. Really hope some of you have suggestions. I'll try to include all possible relevant info.

Problem -- PC will not turn on normally anymore with the power button. I'm the type who always turns it off every night. No changes at all to my system (either hardware or software) when it started happening.

However, I tried holding down the power button for 30 full seconds, and after releasing it I hit the power button again, and the PC turns on. I tried this based on a random google suggestion...something about holding down the power button for 30 seconds might discharge capacitors on a motherboard. (I did not expect this to actually work, but it does and I've had to do it the past two days.)

After turning back on with this method, everything seems completely normal while using the PC.

System Details:

-- exactly 25 months old
-- i5 3570k (OC to 4.4 ghz)
-- closed loop watercooling
-- ASUS Maximus V Gene
-- Nvidia 980 (I installed this about 3 or 4 weeks ago)
-- Seasonic X-660 modular PS (660 watt)
-- three different internal HDs + one external USB3 HD

Now I know this going to sound naive... but I have a hard time believing the PS went bad after 25 months, because supposedly the Seasonic X-660 is extremely reliable.

But maybe that's just wishful thinking, because I really do not want to go through the hassle of changing the PS. I have one of those crappy vertical design cases that's extremely tight, and it would be a serious inconvenience to replace the PS and re-do all the cables. I'm hoping one of you has a simple solution/insight instead. Thanks!

 

[reKon]

I'm thinking about blowing $400 of Amazon gift card cash and I decided that I want to get my media center/gaming PC soon. I want one that's console sized so I was heavily leaning towards the Alienware X51 because I like the console like, micro design and the internal layout, which is clean and make it a non hassle to upgrade. I'm not going to spend the time to build a custom PC and figure out how to set up the perfect wiring. I know I can build a custom micro PC for cheaper and I don't care. I'm willing to pay the premium.

I'm thinking of this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJNEHZE/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Down the road I'll swap out the GPU.

My questions:

1) I haven't been following this but, would it better to wait until Intel comes out with their next SoC or would this be a great time to purchase this system?

2) What's the main bang for buck GPU that I should probably put in this?


I want something that will last me for 3 years easily. For now I will have this connected to my 1080P HDTV, but I'm assuming that I will game at a bigger resolution if I decided to puchase a big monitor.

Thanks.

 

[human onion]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask about this, but it is somewhat related to upgrading my PC. Today, all of a sudden, all sound from all audio jacks became crackly and laggy. At first I thought it was my headphones, but they work fine with my phone. There's no static, just that when any sound is played, its horrible. I don't have a dedicated sound card and when I try the test tone, I hear half of the test in low laggy quality and then it stops.

I recently replaced the PSU with a Corsair CS550M, and I'm pretty sure that's not what's causing the poor sound since I replaced it days ago, and I've been doing some heavy gaming with it. Other specs are:

i5 760 2.8 GHz
AMD HD 5770
EVGA P55V Motherboard

These 3 are 4 year old parts, and I've read to my dismay that the motherboard is crap and the BIOS doesn't even allow for overclocking the CPU. I've been wanting to upgrade for a while and have had a list of replacement parts, so I'm pretty much ready to scrap the motherboard and CPU, and get a new GPU down the line (no SLI, which is why I went with the PSU that I did).

Would this have anything to do with the new PSU or is it just the motherboard sound crapping out?

 

[mrchampipi]

I'm thinking about blowing $400 of Amazon gift card cash and I decided that I want to get my media center/gaming PC soon. I want one that's console sized so I was heavily leaning towards the Alienware X51 because I like the console like, micro design and the internal layout, which is clean and make it a non hassle to upgrade. I'm not going to spend the time to build a custom PC and figure out how to set up the perfect wiring. I know I can build a custom micro PC for cheaper and I don't care. I'm willing to pay the premium.

I'm thinking of this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJNEHZE/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Down the road I'll swap out the GPU.

My questions:

1) I haven't been following this but, would it better to wait until Intel comes out with their next SoC or would this be a great time to purchase this system?

2) What's the main bang for buck GPU that I should probably put in this?


I want something that will last me for 3 years easily. For now I will have this connected to my 1080P HDTV, but I'm assuming that I will game at a bigger resolution if I decided to puchase a big monitor.

Thanks.

There is a specific topic for the X51, you'll probably get better answers there. Be sure to resarch on wich exact model you're ordering (psu warning)!

 

[reKon]

There is a specific topic for the X51, you'll probably get better answers there. Be sure to resarch on wich exact model you're ordering (psu warning)!

Already asked some questions there, but no response

 

[kanuuna]

Depends on the rating of the Wireless N speed. Looks like your router's limited wifi is limiting your internet.



I am almost certain you can save a lot of money if you don't mind building the PC yourself. Buying a prebuilt PC just to swap parts afterward is a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't do what you want it to do in the first place.

What country are you in and will be buying parts from?

I'm shopping from Finland. Here's the hardware I've been looking at racked up. This is just the parts sold seperately from that site.

I'll probably e-mail them and ask what they'd charge for shipping it completed.

 

[XBP]

Anyone seen/tested this? https://pay.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/2s2968/gtx970_memoryvram_allocation_bug/ http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=396064
Some 970s can't go past 3.5gb vram usage without performance degradation compared to 980s.

I was able to push past 3.5GB Vram with titanfall. Everything maxed, 4k downsampled to 1080p and the Vram usage was 3698MB. Framerate was as expected.,35-45 in intensive scenes and 60FPS in normal ones. I dont have FC4 or AC unity to check whether I can push the card to 4GB.

 

[mrchampipi]

Already asked some questions there, but no response

I don't own one, but it seems that your main concern (regarding gpu upgradability) should be double checking that it does come with the 330w external psu (that seem to be expensive and hard to find should you need to get one seperatly). I can't seem to find any info on that based on the model's reference provided in your amazon link: might want to write to amazon before ordering.
Other than that, seems that some gafers have upgraded their x51 r2 with gtx 970 without any problem.

 

[RGM79]

To GAF Experts:

I have a problem that just came up two days ago. Really hope some of you have suggestions. I'll try to include all possible relevant info.

Problem -- PC will not turn on normally anymore with the power button. I'm the type who always turns it off every night. No changes at all to my system (either hardware or software) when it started happening.

However, I tried holding down the power button for 30 full seconds, and after releasing it I hit the power button again, and the PC turns on. I tried this based on a random google suggestion...something about holding down the power button for 30 seconds might discharge capacitors on a motherboard. (I did not expect this to actually work, but it does and I've had to do it the past two days.)

After turning back on with this method, everything seems completely normal while using the PC.

System Details:

-- exactly 25 months old
-- i5 3570k (OC to 4.4 ghz)
-- closed loop watercooling
-- ASUS Maximus V Gene
-- Nvidia 980 (I installed this about 3 or 4 weeks ago)
-- Seasonic X-660 modular PS (660 watt)
-- three different internal HDs + one external USB3 HD

Now I know this going to sound naive... but I have a hard time believing the PS went bad after 25 months, because supposedly the Seasonic X-660 is extremely reliable.

But maybe that's just wishful thinking, because I really do not want to go through the hassle of changing the PS. I have one of those crappy vertical design cases that's extremely tight, and it would be a serious inconvenience to replace the PS and re-do all the cables. I'm hoping one of you has a simple solution/insight instead. Thanks!

So it works fine now? I'd be worried if it happened again, but it sounds like an occasional hiccup. It could even be a bad power switch.

I'm thinking about blowing $400 of Amazon gift card cash and I decided that I want to get my media center/gaming PC soon. I want one that's console sized so I was heavily leaning towards the Alienware X51 because I like the console like, micro design and the internal layout, which is clean and make it a non hassle to upgrade. I'm not going to spend the time to build a custom PC and figure out how to set up the perfect wiring. I know I can build a custom micro PC for cheaper and I don't care. I'm willing to pay the premium.

I'm thinking of this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJNEHZE/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Down the road I'll swap out the GPU.

My questions:

1) I haven't been following this but, would it better to wait until Intel comes out with their next SoC or would this be a great time to purchase this system?

2) What's the main bang for buck GPU that I should probably put in this?


I want something that will last me for 3 years easily. For now I will have this connected to my 1080P HDTV, but I'm assuming that I will game at a bigger resolution if I decided to puchase a big monitor.

Thanks.

I'll respect your decision to pay the premium, but Dell doesn't have a good reputation for being supportive of user upgrades.

1. SoC is a term for small chips that include more than a processor, usually for phones and tablets. You probably mean Intel's new 5th generation Core processors, those are due out in the middle of this year. If you can wait, it's up to you, I don't think it'll make a huge difference. Keep in mind that you will also have to wait for when Alienware/Dell update their Alienware X51 line.

I have no idea when Dell does sales.

2. From what research I can find, the Alienware X51 comes with a 330 watt power brick, not a standard power supply. I can't easily recommend any graphics cards upgrades. According to official Dell tech support, the best graphics card you can upgrade to would be the GTX 670 or GTX 760 Ti (OEM part specific to Dell). The X51 has limited upgrade options due to the small 330 watt power supply.

There are reports that non-factory overclocked GTX 970 models may work, but those normally require a 500 watt power supply. Upgrade at your own risk.