Support NeoGAF

[Celcius]

Just updated my bios since the release notes said "improved system stability" and now things seem snappier. Hopefully that fixed things.
A few quick benches:

cinebench 15
942 cb - 7700k @ 4.2ghz (stock) + 3200mhz DDR4
808 cb - 2600k @ 4.6ghz + 2133mhz DDR3

ff14 heavensward benchmark @ 1080p maximum (stock gtx 780 ti on both)
10905 - 7700k @ 4.2ghz (stock) + 3200mhz DDR4
10834 - 2600k @ 4.6ghz + 2133mhz DDR3

Looks like even at stock the 7700k is faster than my old highly overclocked 2600k. In the FF14 benchmark I was mostly gpu limited but cinebench really shows it. Can wait to overclock!

 

[PRBoricua]

I seem to be having trouble overclocking my Gigabyte GTX 970's, any idea why this has been such a struggle for me? The problem is the temp on my 1st GPU continuously climbs with even a very basic overclock. Core clock is at +125 and memory clock at +175 using MSI Afterburner and the temp hit 84c before I stopped the stress test. Technically anything under 90c is considered "okay" but I really don't like the temp getting that high.

This is a very mild overclock considering some of the numbers I've seen these cards produce. Are these GPU's similar to CPU's in that all cards are not created equal?

This is my set up, for those wondering.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($235.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Corsair)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.75 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($162.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ XL2420G 24.0" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor
Total: $972.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-13 20:51 EST-0500

 

[lostsupper]

I seem to be having trouble overclocking my Gigabyte GTX 970's, any idea why this has been such a struggle for me? The problem is the temp on my 1st GPU continuously climbs with even a very basic overclock. Core clock is at +125 and memory clock at +175 using MSI Afterburner and the temp hit 84c before I stopped the stress test. Technically anything under 90c is considered "okay" but I really don't like the temp getting that high.

This is a very mild overclock considering some of the numbers I've seen these cards produce. Are these GPU's similar to CPU's in that all cards are not created equal?

This is my set up, for those wondering.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($235.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Corsair)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.75 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($162.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ XL2420G 24.0" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor
Total: $972.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-13 20:51 EST-0500

Open fan cards will always have a temperature differential, since one is effectively exhausting hot air into the other's intake. Not to mention possible case air flow issues depending on your setup. Not to mention silicon lottery. There's so many things it could be. Is your AIO in an intake position? What case fans, how fast are they turning, are they even pointed in the right direction?

 

[opticalmace]

I seem to be having trouble overclocking my Gigabyte GTX 970's, any idea why this has been such a struggle for me? The problem is the temp on my 1st GPU continuously climbs with even a very basic overclock. Core clock is at +125 and memory clock at +175 using MSI Afterburner and the temp hit 84c before I stopped the stress test. Technically anything under 90c is considered "okay" but I really don't like the temp getting that high.

This is a very mild overclock considering some of the numbers I've seen these cards produce. Are these GPU's similar to CPU's in that all cards are not created equal?

This is my set up, for those wondering.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($235.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Corsair)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($189.75 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB G1 Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($162.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ XL2420G 24.0" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor
Total: $972.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-13 20:51 EST-0500

There's limited airflow when running cards in SLI (mainly important for aftermarket cards). If you want to be sure, benchmark them one at a time (i.e. only have one card in the case at a time) and you'll see how they perform. Also, I don't think 84C is that bad for a GPU. You could try playing with custom fan curves too. Though, I'd be inclined not to push them too far in SLI just to keep the temps relatively modest.

What is the absolute core clock btw you're reaching?

 

[ColdDeckEd]

I seem to be having trouble overclocking my Gigabyte GTX 970's, any idea why this has been such a struggle for me? The problem is the temp on my 1st GPU continuously climbs with even a very basic overclock. Core clock is at +125 and memory clock at +175 using MSI Afterburner and the temp hit 84c before I stopped the stress test. Technically anything under 90c is considered "okay" but I really don't like the temp getting that high.

This is a very mild overclock considering some of the numbers I've seen these cards produce. Are these GPU's similar to CPU's in that all cards are not created equal?

This is my set up, for those wondering.

Couple of things, what stress test were you using? If furmark, don't read too much into the temps it generates. I don't even bother running it anymore as the temps it generates are unrealistic. Imo much better to use a benchmark like firestrike or heaven. Im guessing you have a g1 970? My brother has one also it's a nice card with tons of oc potential especially if you use a custom bios. However like has been said before, high temps are truly one of the caveats of SLI (unless using reference or water cooling). You will not be able to max out the oc on both cards. But that's OK you don't need to max them out, because you have sli.

Have you thought about selling the 970s and moving to something like a 980ti or 1070? If you are a fan of overclocking, 980tis are sublime.

 

[PRBoricua]

Open fan cards will always have a temperature differential, since one is effectively exhausting hot air into the other's intake. Not to mention possible case air flow issues depending on your setup. Not to mention silicon lottery. There's so many things it could be. Is your AIO in an intake position? What case fans, how fast are they turning, are they even pointed in the right direction?

Yes, they are in an intake position.

Fans are the 200mm intake fan that comes mounted on the front, a 140mm Corsair AF series exhaust on the back. Yes, they're turning in the right direction.

The motherboard decides how fast they spin.

There's limited airflow when running cards in SLI (mainly important for aftermarket cards). If you want to be sure, benchmark them one at a time (i.e. only have one card in the case at a time) and you'll see how they perform. Also, I don't think 84C is that bad for a GPU. You could try playing with custom fan curves too. Though, I'd be inclined not to push them too far in SLI just to keep the temps relatively modest.

What is the absolute core clock btw you're reaching?

Thank you for the tip, I will definitely try them out one at a time. As far as absolute core clock, I'm not sure I understand this question. So far, anything above +145 core clock is giving me artifacts in Valley Benchmark. I hope that somewhat answers if your question if not then I apologize, I'm a little new to the GPU overclock scene and I've only decided to try it out because my performance is starting to slip a little bit in games like Battlefield 1.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[opticalmace]

Yes, they are in an intake position.

Fans are the 200mm intake fan that comes mounted on the front, a 140mm Corsair AF series exhaust on the back. Yes, they're turning in the right direction.

The motherboard decides how fast they spin.



Thank you for the tip, I will definitely try them out one at a time. As far as absolute core clock, I'm not sure I understand this question. So far, anything above +145 core clock is giving me artifacts in Valley Benchmark. I hope that somewhat answers if your question if not then I apologize, I'm a little new to the GPU overclock scene and I've only decided to try it out because my performance is starting to slip a little bit in games like Battlefield 1.

Thanks for the help guys.

+145 is a relative amount, absolute would be (e.g.,) 1450 MHz. The reference amount varies from card to card, and sometimes other variables. Just curious how high the cards are really hitting.

 

[PRBoricua]

Couple of things, what stress test were you using? If furmark, don't read too much into the temps it generates. I don't even bother running it anymore as the temps it generates are unrealistic. Imo much better to use a benchmark like firestrike or heaven. Im guessing you have a g1 970? My brother has one also it's a nice card with tons of oc potential especially if you use a custom bios. However like has been said before, high temps are truly one of the caveats of SLI (unless using reference or water cooling). You will not be able to max out the oc on both cards. But that's OK you don't need to max them out, because you have sli.

Have you thought about selling the 970s and moving to something like a 980ti or 1070? If you are a fan of overclocking, 980tis are sublime.

That was actually my next question, upgrade paths. Is a 1080 too much power, would I be better off with the 1070?

I was using Valley Benchmark 1.0 for the stress tests by the way.

 

[Vipu]

That was actually my next question, upgrade paths. Is a 1080 too much power, would I be better off with the 1070?

I was using Valley Benchmark 1.0 for the stress tests by the way.

There is never too much gfx power, if you think its worth to get 1080 then you should get it.

 

[Arex]

That was actually my next question, upgrade paths. Is a 1080 too much power, would I be better off with the 1070?

I was using Valley Benchmark 1.0 for the stress tests by the way.

iirc 1080 stock is similar to overclocked 980ti, and will run better than your 970 SLI but without the shortcomings of SLI. 1070 would be more or less sidegrade I think, unless you go SLI again.

 

[Hellix]

Anyone mind reviewing my parts below to see any glaring issues? I am doing my first-ever mITX build. It was between the Fractal Design Core 500 and the Cooler Master Elite 130 to support my storage configuration (1 ODD + 2 HDD + 1 SSD) in a small form factor. I went with the Core 500 since it looks like it might be easier to work with.

It appears I'll be able to mount the 2 HDD on the inside wall of the case, then the 1 SSD on the outside wall. I would lose the rear HDD if I install a 120mm radiator on the rear, so I guess I have to keep the stock fan or replace it with a better fan if it sucks.

Since I'm using an ODD, I'm limited to 120mm/140mm for a radiator or fan at the top of the case, so I went with the H90 140mm as my cpu cooler.

Should I expect some major heat issues with this setup?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($349.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H90 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($101.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($115.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($614.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini ITX Desktop Case ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($49.99 @ Newegg)

 

[Ludono]

Hardware in germany is expensive :/ Also that brand new Mainboard I picked isn't really helping the price

Yeah, as an American living in Germany I've noticed that I easily spend an extra 20% on everything PC hardware related here, not even taking into account the conversion back to dollar.

 

[LilJoka]

I seem to be having trouble overclocking my Gigabyte GTX 970's, any idea why this has been such a struggle for me? The problem is the temp on my 1st GPU continuously climbs with even a very basic overclock. Core clock is at +125 and memory clock at +175 using MSI Afterburner and the temp hit 84c before I stopped the stress test. Technically anything under 90c is considered "okay" but I really don't like the temp getting that high.

Did you max out the core voltage, fan speeds and power limit whilst testing?
Memory should easily do +500mhz, and if its samsung ICs will do +800 to +1000Mhz. GPUz will show the IC brand.
Start with core clock only, and share the absolute clock speed, not offsets. Offsets are running from your specific brand of GPU and its base clocks which we dont know off hand.
Use MSI AB overlay and monitoring to find and set all this information.

Heat problem itself is going to be bad with SLI in any scenario unless you look to watercool or run blower type cards..

Anyone mind reviewing my parts below to see any glaring issues? I am doing my first-ever mITX build. It was between the Fractal Design Core 500 and the Cooler Master Elite 130 to support my storage configuration (1 ODD + 2 HDD + 1 SSD) in a small form factor. I went with the Core 500 since it looks like it might be easier to work with.

It appears I'll be able to mount the 2 HDD on the inside wall of the case, then the 1 SSD on the outside wall. I would lose the rear HDD if I install a 120mm radiator on the rear, so I guess I have to keep the stock fan or replace it with a better fan if it sucks.

Since I'm using an ODD, I'm limited to 120mm/140mm for a radiator or fan at the top of the case, so I went with the H90 140mm as my cpu cooler.

Should I expect some major heat issues with this setup?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($349.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H90 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($101.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($115.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($614.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini ITX Desktop Case ($69.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($49.99 @ Newegg)

Good build.

Made a few changes
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($349.75 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H90 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($92.32 @ Jet)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($104.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Intel 600p Series 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($93.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar NAS 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($609.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini ITX Desktop Case ($57.87 @ Jet)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ B&H)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($46.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1649.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-14 10:03 EST-0500

Switch to Trident Z ram, will run 3000Mhz CL14 - uses Samsung ICs. Corsair RAM is CL 15-17.. Not good timings.
Switch to Toshiba 1TB - plenty fast and quiet.
Switch to Hitachi 4TB, better reliability than WD.
Switch to M.2 SSD - less wiring and very fast.

If that ODD isnt really needed, then the Node 304 would be the choice of case, much better looking.

 

[Kito]

The Intel 7th gen CPUs are the same price as 6th gen, but most mobos don't state support for 7th gen. What do? Wait for new mobos?

What resolution are you running/settings are you going for?

1080p. I think I'll go for the RX 480 8GB.

 

[Parsnip]

Yo gaf.
With kaby lake out now/soon/whenever it hits the stores, is skylake going to be cheaper? I don't follow cpu stuff so does that usually happen? Stores clearing warehouses?

 

[JonnyDBrit]

The Intel 7th gen CPUs are the same price as 6th gen, but most mobos don't state support for 7th gen. What do? Wait for new mobos?

It's a matter of chipset. Kabylake motherboards already exist - they're the 200 series chipset. So you're looking for motherboards that read Z270, B250, Q250, H270, or Q270.

 

[Sectorseven]

Yo gaf.
With kaby lake out now/soon/whenever it hits the stores, is skylake going to be cheaper? I don't follow cpu stuff so does that usually happen? Stores clearing warehouses?

Maybe a little bit, if you can find it. Most retailers discounted Skylake a couple months ago in anticipation.

 

[Nyteshade517]

after a lot of back & forth in my mind about parts this is what I've settled on for what I want to eventually build...if anyone has better choices feel free to give advice...

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Motherboard:ASUS STRIX Z270E GAMING
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200
Storage: Intel 600p Series 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750W
Optical Drive: SAMSUNG 24​X Internal​ DVD Write​r SATA Mod​el SH-224G​B/RSBS
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC 8GB (already have this card)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Titanium (already have this case)

 

[ss_lemonade]

I recently bought a 4k TV and was wondering if me purchasing something like a display port to hdmi adapter would allow my 780 to do 4k@60hz? I would love to try some older games I have at that resolution.

 

[LilJoka]

I recently bought a 4k TV and was wondering if me purchasing something like a display port to hdmi adapter would allow my 780 to do 4k@60hz? I would love to try some older games I have at that resolution.

Yep they work and exist
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/clu...e-converter-cable-supports-8bit-4k-uhd-60hz-a

It has to convert to hdmi 2.0 and you need a hdmi 2.0 cable.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Yep they work and exist
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/clu...e-converter-cable-supports-8bit-4k-uhd-60hz-a

It has to convert to hdmi 2.0 and you need a hdmi 2.0 cable.

So I need to make sure I get an "active" adapter? I have a bunch of hdmi cables, all labeled high speed, and all with varying degrees of success when it comes to my ps3, ps4 and 4k bluray player lol (despite all being the same cable). I'll try those first before getting a new cable

 

[Kito]

First draft complete.

CPU: Intel i5-6500
CPU Cooler: NZXT X41
Motherboard: Gigabyte H170N-WI-FI
Memory: Corsair LPX 2x8GB
Storage: Samsung EVO 250GB
Video Card: Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB
Case: Fractal Nano S
Power Supply: Fractal 650W Edison
Monitor: None; TBD

Total: ~£900 (based on Amazon.co.uk prices)

Main uses will be 60FPS gaming and maybe streaming.

I can get an Intel i5-7500 for the same price but Gigabyte H270 ITXs aren't out yet :/

 

[Little Old Man]

The Intel 7th gen CPUs are the same price as 6th gen, but most mobos don't state support for 7th gen. What do? Wait for new mobos?



1080p. I think I'll go for the RX 480 8GB.

Good choice! I went 1060 in the end. There seemed to be very little difference between them apart from dx12. But I kind of regret not going AMD for freesync, as the Gsync monitors are extortionate!

 

[Nyteshade517]

edit: nevermind

 

[KINGofCRA5H]

Quick question about RAM that I probably already know the answer to, I just want to be sure:

Would this set of RAM be compatible with the new Z270 chipset?

 

[Bloodember]

Quick question about RAM that I probably already know the answer to, I just want to be sure:

Would this set of RAM be compatible with the new Z270 chipset?

Yes, if it's ddr4 its compatible.

 

[KINGofCRA5H]

Yes, if it's ddr4 its compatible.

Yeah, it is. Thanks!

 

[Parsnip]

Maybe a little bit, if you can find it. Most retailers discounted Skylake a couple months ago in anticipation.

Ah well, that's a shame. I saw stores firesale some gtx 9xx gpu's after 1070 and 1080 came out, was hoping for the similar situation again.


Looks like kaby lake is slightly more expensive over here in comparison but not by much so might as well spring for the newer one.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Ah well, that's a shame. I saw stores firesale some gtx 9xx gpu's after 1070 and 1080 came out, was hoping for the similar situation again.


Looks like kaby lake is slightly more expensive over here in comparison but not by much so might as well spring for the newer one.

Part of that is due to performance gains. Namely, gains between GPU generations have been pretty significant - as in, major percentage increases between similarly placed cards in each series. Here's how a typical review of the 1080 went, and particularly compare to the 980's performance.

CPUs have not had the same sort of strides, most popularly owing to a lack of decisive competition in the market - hence why everyone is excited for AMD's great big leap with Ryzen. Intel releasing new CPUs will only slightly budge the old stock, because the old stock is still good. You may see mentioned a bunch of people still using i5-2500ks, or only now upgrading from them, because when overclocked they still perform pretty favourable against more recent models.

 

[Parsnip]

Part of that is due to performance gains. Namely, gains between GPU generations have been pretty significant - as in, major percentage increases between similarly placed cards in each series. Here's how a typical review of the 1080 went, and particularly compare to the 980's performance.

CPUs have not had the same sort of strides, most popularly owing to a lack of decisive competition in the market - hence why everyone is excited for AMD's great big leap with Ryzen. Intel releasing new CPUs will only slightly budge the old stock, because the old stock is still good. You may see mentioned a bunch of people still using i5-2500ks, or only now upgrading from them, because when overclocked they still perform pretty favourable against more recent models.

Yeah, that's what I figured as well but was keeping the hope alive.

 

[Kalentan]

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

 

[JoeyJungle]

I want to finally overclock my 6700K, and was wondering what settings to turn off in the BIOS before I start messing around? I really just want to do a simple increase multiplier then balance the voltage (don't want to mess with BCLK, memory timings, etc.), but I'm not to sure about all the other settings like turboboost, C-states, speedshift, etc. What do I need to turn on/off?

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

Would strongly recommend against getting an AMD processor if your primary use is gaming. They have much worse performance in several games/emulators that are CPU-intensive (especially things like PCSX2).

 

[lostsupper]

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

Keep saving.

 

[Hellix]

Good build.

Made a few changes
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($349.75 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H90 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($92.32 @ Jet)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($104.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Intel 600p Series 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($93.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar NAS 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($609.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Fractal Design Core 500 Mini ITX Desktop Case ($57.87 @ Jet)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ B&H)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($46.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1649.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-14 10:03 EST-0500

Switch to Trident Z ram, will run 3000Mhz CL14 - uses Samsung ICs. Corsair RAM is CL 15-17.. Not good timings.
Switch to Toshiba 1TB - plenty fast and quiet.
Switch to Hitachi 4TB, better reliability than WD.
Switch to M.2 SSD - less wiring and very fast.

If that ODD isnt really needed, then the Node 304 would be the choice of case, much better looking.

Thanks for the suggestions! Some of these parts I am already using, like the disc drives and the graphics card, in my current PC. I might go for the M.2 SSD though. I would prefer to have an ODD (which is why I picked the Core 500), since I do like to buy blu-rays, and I just never know if I need to read/write a disc. I could always get an external one, but I prefer not keeping one around if I don't have to.

 

[kennah]

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

That 920 would out perform that 6300. Keep saving. Don't buy that.

EDIT: I looked it up. The 6300 has a slight edge over the 920, but I don't think it'd be worth upgrading to. Save up longer, get a low end i3 and a modern motherboard, or wait for the new AMD chips at least.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1362718/im-thinking-of-replacing-my-i7-920-to-fx-8350-vishera/20

Don't waste your money right now. It's pointless.

EDIT 2: Is your 920 overclocked? That would likely tide you over for a little longer.

 

[Kalentan]

I want to finally overclock my 6700K, and was wondering what settings to turn off in the BIOS before I start messing around? I really just want to do a simple increase multiplier then balance the voltage (don't want to mess with BCLK, memory timings, etc.), but I'm not to sure about all the other settings like turboboost, C-states, speedshift, etc. What do I need to turn on/off?



Would strongly recommend against getting an AMD processor if your primary use is gaming. They have much worse performance in several games/emulators that are CPU-intensive (especially things like PCSX2).

Keep saving.

That 920 would out perform that 6300. Keep saving. Don't buy that.

EDIT: I looked it up. The 6300 has a slight edge over the 920, but I don't think it'd be worth upgrading to. Save up longer, get a low end i3 and a modern motherboard, or wait for the new AMD chips at least.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1362718/im-thinking-of-replacing-my-i7-920-to-fx-8350-vishera/20

Don't waste your money right now. It's pointless.

EDIT 2: Is your 920 overclocked? That would likely tide you over for a little longer.

Alright thanks.

Uh, how about the motherboard though?

This is the one I currently have. It's from my original Dell Studio XPS 435T/9000.

https://www.parts-people.com/index.p...WCYhoCzIbw_wcB

And if that is also still fine. Should I be looking for a new Graphics Card instead?

I will admit, I am trying to at least be able to play Star Citizen (which I know hasn't been completely optimized yet), at a stable FPS on the low settings. My current set up has shown very weak results.

Also as far as I know, no, my 920 isn't overclocked. However it should be noted I did get the 920 with my original computer back in like... 2009...

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Alright thanks.

Uh, how about the motherboard though?

This is the one I currently have. It's from my original Dell Studio XPS 435T/9000.

https://www.parts-people.com/index.p...WCYhoCzIbw_wcB

And if that is also still fine. Should I be looking for a new Graphics Card instead?

I will admit, I am trying to at least be able to play Star Citizen (which I know hasn't been completely optimized yet), at a stable FPS on the low settings. My current set up has shown very weak results.

Also as far as I know, no, my 920 isn't overclocked. However it should be noted I did get the 920 with my original computer back in like... 2009...

You know, I realise in having discussed with you on getting the 6300 despite it's limits previously, I am kinda behoved to make an alternative suggestion now that I realise one exists (having only stumbled across it in the days since).

Specifically, the Pentium line.

Even more specifically, you can get an Intel Pentium G4600 for about $90, same as the FX-6300. You can get a compatible motherboard relatively cheap - an H110 for example - and while you'd have to get replacement RAM, you'd be able to stay on the affordable side of your budget. Based on the benchmark data I can find that actually would be comparable to an i3-6100 - mostly just behind it - and I apologise for my previous suggestion.

 

[TC McQueen]

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

If you can hold out for a month, you can see what Ryzen has to offer.

 

[Kalentan]

You know, I realise in having discussed with you on getting the 6300 despite it's limits previously, I am kinda behoved to make an alternative suggestion now that I realise one exists (having only stumbled across it in the days since).

Specifically, the Pentium line.

Even more specifically, you can get an Intel Pentium G4600 for about $90, same as the FX-6300. You can get a compatible motherboard relatively cheap - an H110 for example - and while you'd have to get replacement RAM, you'd be able to stay on the affordable side of your budget. Based on the benchmark data I can find that actually would be comparable to an i3-6100 - mostly just behind it - and I apologise for my previous suggestion.

It's all fine.

Okay so I found...

Gigabyte H110 Skylake Motherboard GA-H110M-S2H for $59.99, although it only mentions supporting 6th Generation whereas...


Intel BX80677G4600 7th Gen Pentium Desktop Processors is well, 7th Generation.

I guess my only worry is that it would feel like I wasted my money on the DDR3 (2x8) since I never got to use them...

Anyway would that be better to go for?

Or should I look to upgrade my Geforce GTX 950 instead and wait to upgrade the motherboard/processor.

 

[tim.mbp]

I was updated my BIOS the other day and noticed there's a couple optional utilities from MSI that's available to install. I have no idea what they do.

DPC Latency Tuner
Fast Boot
RAMDisk

Anything worth installing?

 

[JonnyDBrit]

It's all fine.

Okay so I found...

Gigabyte H110 Skylake Motherboard GA-H110M-S2H for $59.99, although it only mentions supporting 6th Generation whereas...


Intel BX80677G4600 7th Gen Pentium Desktop Processors is well, 7th Generation.

I guess my only worry is that it would feel like I wasted my money on the DDR3 (2x8) since I never got to use them...

Anyway would that be better to go for?

Or should I look to upgrade my Geforce GTX 950 instead and wait to upgrade the motherboard/processor.

Gigabyte's own listing of supported CPUs on the Motherboard:
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=5606

The thing is that it's the same socket type - sure, you won't get all the same features that a newer board will, but it'll still run the CPU.

Otherwise... a powerful GPU can drag an older CPU along by the heels somewhat, though it can also create a bottleneck. But as mentioned you could overclock if need be, so... might actually be an option.

 

[Nyteshade517]

Are there any drastic differences between going with the Intel 600p M.2 over a regular Samsung 850 EVO SSD in a normal, everyday use/gaming scenario?

I've seen some articles on the Intel drive and it seems like benchmark-wise it's not the best performer but it seems like under normal scenarios it's fine since most of those benchmarks are extreme and most people won't really be in those situations. For me it would just be the main OS drive with maybe some games on it but everything else would be on a HDD.

 

[LilJoka]

Are there any drastic differences between going with the Intel 600p M.2 over a regular Samsung 850 EVO SSD in a normal, everyday use/gaming scenario?

I've seen some articles on the Intel drive and it seems like benchmark-wise it's not the best performer but it seems like under normal scenarios it's fine since most of those benchmarks are extreme and most people won't really be in those situations.For me it would just be the main OS drive with maybe some games on it but everything else would be on a HDD.

You aren't going to notice anything.

 

[Nyteshade517]

You aren't going to notice anything.

that's what I figured...thanks for replying

 

[LilJoka]

Thanks for the suggestions! Some of these parts I am already using, like the disc drives and the graphics card, in my current PC. I might go for the M.2 SSD though. I would prefer to have an ODD (which is why I picked the Core 500), since I do like to buy blu-rays, and I just never know if I need to read/write a disc. I could always get an external one, but I prefer not keeping one around if I don't have to.

You'll not want to watch blu ray on pc because of DRM and licensed software required. Absolute last resort. I'm not sure anyone writes discs because of USB sticks etc. I think you'll be fine without if you aren't already utilising it.

Most people don't use ODD's anymore, you'll see a lot of cases don't incorporate it anymore.

 

[Kalentan]

Gigabyte's own listing of supported CPUs on the Motherboard:
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=5606

The thing is that it's the same socket type - sure, you won't get all the same features that a newer board will, but it'll still run the CPU.

Otherwise... a powerful GPU can drag an older CPU along by the heels somewhat, though it can also create a bottleneck. But as mentioned you could overclock if need be, so... might actually be an option.

Alright I see... I am unsure if I can overclock, though I will admit to never really looking that deep into it. A google search seems to indicate that you overclock the CPU from the bios but the problem is that the motherboard (or maybe the CPU) is old enough that when I boot up into that menu, it looks like something out of 1990 and has very limited options. Hence why I can't use all my RAM cause it doesn't allow me to allot power usage to them because it requires a uniform power output to each RAM slot.

 

[LilJoka]

Alright I see... I am unsure if I can overclock, though I will admit to never really looking that deep into it. A google search seems to indicate that you overclock the CPU from the bios but the problem is that the motherboard (or maybe the CPU) is old enough that when I boot up into that menu, it looks like something out of 1990 and has very limited options. Hence why I can't use all my RAM cause it doesn't allow me to allot power usage to them because it requires a uniform power output to each RAM slot.

If that motherboard came out of a Dell, you aren't going to be able to overclock.

H110 board would need a bios update, or of recent manufacturing whereby it had the bios version that supports kabylake CPUs.

That's weird on the ram front. Ideally you should use 3 DIMMs since the X58 platform uses tri channel memory.

 

[Bob Coffee]

Hey guys so with my budget I'm about to order these:

ASRock Motherboard ATX DDR3 2400 AM3 970A-G/3.1 (Amazon, $78.99)
AMD FD6300WMHKBOX FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition (Amazon, $89.99)

I know the FX-6300 is a bit older now but I think it should serve me well in what I'm trying to do.

I only have a Geforce GTX 950 and I do plan on upgrading that eventually but for now I'm thinking of going this route. It would finally allow me to actually use my RAM.

Should be noted my current Processor is the i7-920 which I'm pretty sure is even older. Though even if I wanted to keep the i7, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit with the new motherboard.

im in a simlar boat, but what i did is order a xeon x5670(these can be overclocked to 4.0ghz, and are 6 core 12 thread processors), which use the same socket as the 940 i currently have. you can get these for around $70 online used, this will keep you going with a gpu upgrade untill ryzen hopefully lights the fire under intels ass for something good.

 

[Vipu]

im in a simlar boat, but what i did is order a xeon x5670(these can be overclocked to 4.0ghz, and are 6 core 12 thread processors), which use the same socket as the 940 i currently have. you can get these for around $70 online used, this will keep you going with a gpu upgrade untill ryzen hopefully lights the fire under intels ass for something good.

Happy x5670 owner here @ 4,2ghz on air, was totally worth 110€ 2 years ago, damn I thought maybe its been 1 year but 2 already!!

Will upgrade cpu+mobo+ddr+powersupply soon when Ryzen shows what it got.
If it disappoints then not sure if im gonna go for 7700k or wait more.

 

[kuYuri]

Alright thanks.

Uh, how about the motherboard though?

This is the one I currently have. It's from my original Dell Studio XPS 435T/9000.

https://www.parts-people.com/index.p...WCYhoCzIbw_wcB

And if that is also still fine. Should I be looking for a new Graphics Card instead?

I will admit, I am trying to at least be able to play Star Citizen (which I know hasn't been completely optimized yet), at a stable FPS on the low settings. My current set up has shown very weak results.

Also as far as I know, no, my 920 isn't overclocked. However it should be noted I did get the 920 with my original computer back in like... 2009...

It's possible that board may not fit properly in the Dell case. Also, your link doesn't work, at least for me.