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"I need a New PC!" 2012 Thread. 22nm+28nm, Tri-Gate, and reading the OP. [Part 1]

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mkenyon

Banned
Yes it is. My current headset's mic can cut in and out for seemingly no reason or become very low.

I have a buddy that does the heaphones/standalone mic thing and I hear a constant hiss and all the ambient noise around him so that has left a bad impression on me in that regard.

There's nothing of similar size in the $100 range? I was looking at the Cooler Master Sirus head phones but it's hard to tell if the padding is the same size or only marginally larger than the Tactic3D Alphas I have.
Go for the Steelseries Siberia V2 or the ASUS Vulcans. Only other two that emulate the Sennheisers for less.
Just wanted to thank mkenyon for the headset. It came in today and I'm pretty excited. Much better than my tin can speakers and it has a mic to boot! Had a little trouble with the left speaker but that ended up being a dumb realtek issue.

Tomorrow my SSD should come in so I can reformat my computer and hopefully it will make it a bit snappier.

EDIT: Oh snap there was a dolby section in the playback settings that adds a bit of bass. So nice.
Glad they worked out! Great budget headset.
 

knitoe

Member
Yeah I'm going from a WD Black drive to a Samsung 830 128GB. My mobo still uses Sata 2 but I've heard I'll still get quite the boost. I'm still rocking my i7 920 and gtx 260 so I figured an SSD would be the least expensive upgrade.

I moved all 300+GB of my steamapps folder to a external yesterday(like 6 hours >_>). Still need to get music + a few other things but it should be a fun day.

Almost any HDD to SSD would be a major boost. Mainly, it's due to the almost zero seek time. Everything opens almost right away.
 

mkenyon

Banned
I'll vouch for the Corsair SP/AF quiet editions as well. Everything from the construction to the performance is quite spectacular. Only thing holding me back from buying them is the recent release of the Noiseblocker eloops. They are a bit pricey though.

Noiseblocker-eloop_2.jpg
 
Wireless adapters: PCI or USB? It seems that PCI is better but USB is more convenient and cheaper. Has USB narrowed the gap somewhat?

And can anyone recommend one?
 

cametall

Member
Wireless adapters: PCI or USB? It seems that PCI is better but USB is more convenient and cheaper. Has USB narrowed the gap somewhat?

And can anyone recommend one?

I used some 5 year old Netgear wireless USB adapter up until it broke 6 months ago.

I was able to host a MineCraft server and play online with low pings so I've never had an issue with them. Then again the router was only a room away.
 

Vaporak

Member
Hey PC-GAF, in the new place I'm moving into is wifi only and the desktop I built doesn't have Wifi. What would you suggest as a cheap and easy solution?
 

Exuro

Member
Is there anything special I need to know when I reformat my computer and put 7 on the SSD? Will it just be like formatting with a HDD? I've heard stuff about TRIM support and junk so I'm not sure if it'll be a simple install or whatnot.
 

knitoe

Member
Is there anything special I need to know when I reformat my computer and put 7 on the SSD? Will it just be like formatting with a HDD? I've heard stuff about TRIM support and junk so I'm not sure if it'll be a simple install or whatnot.

Just do a fresh instal and Windows take care of all that.
 

t-ramp

Member
Might be time to get a new PC. I'm still debating on buying or building my PC. My case and motherboard from the last time building was perhaps one of the worst combinations.

My current setup is

Q9450 Overclocked @ 3.2
4 GB RAM
128 GB SSD
AMD 6870 2GB

What kind of boost would I be looking at with the Excellent/Enthusiast level build? I think I might want to get an Nvidia card this time just to try out Physx (My last three cards have been ATI/AMD)
As long as your SSD is modern, upgrading to a 3570K or similar setup while keeping the 6870 would be a substantial upgrade in itself I would think. If you upgrade the video card as well you'd be looking at even greater improvement to some degree, depending on what you get.
 

vilmer_

Member
I'll vouch for the Corsair SP/AF quiet editions as well. Everything from the construction to the performance is quite spectacular. Only thing holding me back from buying them is the recent release of the Noiseblocker eloops. They are a bit pricey though.

Noiseblocker-eloop_2.jpg

Now those are damn sexy... Hmmm perhaps I'll grab both and see what works with this build best.
 

t-ramp

Member
Dear PC GAF,

I'm planing to get a new PC next year, and as such I'm planning what build I want to use. I've come to 2 based on the spreadsheet offered in the OP (since I'm a newcomer to all this), and I would like to hear your feedback on which one could be more advantageous for someone getting into PC gaming and wanting to get a long term build that can run stuff efficiently. I'm inclined to believe the PC build with the best parts is that one, but I'm a silly person so I would like to hear about it anyway :p


Standard:
CPU: Intel i3 3220 2C/4T 3.3Ghz
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro4
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9
Video: GTX 560Ti
HDD: WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB


Enhanced:
CPU: Intel i5 3570K 4C/4T
Motherboard: BIOSTAR TZ77XE3
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9
Video: HD7870 2GB
HDD: WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB

Thanks in advance!
The Enhanced build is indeed going to be a better performer. However, you have many options to change or expand on either, or just go your own way. If you don't feel like doing a lot of research which can be overwhelming, just ask for advice on which particular video card or motherboard to get, since the 3570K is pretty much the go-to choice and the particular RAM isn't terribly important. Same thing with the hard drive, although a SSD is typically included in an enthusiast build as well, which should be mentioned in the OP.
 

Kipp

but I am taking tiny steps forward
Might be time to get a new PC. I'm still debating on buying or building my PC. My case and motherboard from the last time building was perhaps one of the worst combinations.

My current setup is

Q9450 Overclocked @ 3.2
4 GB RAM
128 GB SSD
AMD 6870 2GB

What kind of boost would I be looking at with the Excellent/Enthusiast level build? I think I might want to get an Nvidia card this time just to try out Physx (My last three cards have been ATI/AMD)

I'm not as knowledgeable as some of the other guys here, but my opinion is that you would get a decent improvement from doing an Excellent/Enthusiast level build, but it wouldn't really be worth the cost of upgrading all your parts. My humble opinion is that you should probably wait until Nvidia's 700 series is out to upgrade.
 

mkenyon

Banned
I'm not as knowledgeable as some of the other guys here, but my opinion is that you would get a decent improvement from doing an Excellent/Enthusiast level build, but it wouldn't really be worth the cost of upgrading all your parts. My humble opinion is that you should probably wait until Nvidia's 700 series is out to upgrade.
Pretty much.

If you want some more oomph now, SB/IB is a worthy upgrade for clock speed alone. Otherwise, Haswell is about 6-8 months out.

However, to get a noticeable bump from that 6870, I wouldn't look at anything below a 670 (since you said you wanted NVIDIA).
 
This is my <$500 budget gaming build.

ASUS P8H61-M LX Plus R2.0 H61 mATX LGA1155 DDR3 1PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 SATA GBLAN Audio VGA Motherboard
Intel Core i3 2120 Dual Core Hyperthreading Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 3MB Bundle: $159.99

Kingston HyperX KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 XMP Dual Channel Memory Kit $37.99

Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB SATA 6GB/S 7200RPM 64MB Cache 3.5IN Hard Drive OEM $69.99

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560 Fermi 830MHZ 1GB 4.0GHZ GDDR5 2xDVI Mini HDMI DIRECTX11 PCI-E Video Card $139.99

Bitfenix Merc Alpha Steel Black ATX Mid Tower Case 3X5.25 7X3.25 1X2.5 *No PS* Top USB2.0 Audio $34.99

OCZ ZT Series 550W ATX12V 20/24PIN Modular 80+ Bronze Active PFC Power Supply 140MM Fan 5 Year Wrty $39.99

Total $482.94

Thoughts?
 

cametall

Member
Go for the Steelseries Siberia V2 or the ASUS Vulcans. Only other two that emulate the Sennheisers for less.

It looks like the ASUS Vulcan is as much as the one Sennheiser, so for that much I'd go for the Sennheiser.

The Sibera v2 appears to be $50 at a local store here. Is this a comfortable headset? Will it fit Dumbo ears nicely?

Going out on a limb but you don't recommend the CM Sirus. Is it because it's meant to be connected via USB?
 

mkenyon

Banned
Yeah, I really really really dislike "5.1 headsets". They sound like poo.

The Sonuz is a better option IMO. But, the Siberia V2 is really big and roomy.

*edit* I mean the Sonuz is a better option than the Sirus. The V2 is better than both though.
 

cametall

Member
Yeah, I really really really dislike "5.1 headsets". They sound like poo.

The Sonuz is a better option IMO. But, the Siberia V2 is really big and roomy.

*edit* I mean the Sonuz is a better option than the Sirus. The V2 is better than both though.

I'll rush out and get the Siberia v2 tomorrow then.

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.
 

Lucis

Member
The last bits of my parts got here tonight,
For the heck of it, at 11:30pm after I finished playing some torch light with my friends I decided to give this new computer thing a go. Since I had to take out my old parts and put in new ones, it took a bit more time than I expected.

The best surprise this time around is that Windows 8 supports boot over huge hardware change, (AMD Phenom to Core i5 lol). And after about 2 min of circling, a reboot, windows 8 booted right up with all driver installed (since I went from a 560 to 670, the GPU driver is kept with out change).

Gaming now at 2560x1440 at constant >60fps on ultra settings.

I can sleep safe now...
 
Wireless adapters: PCI or USB? It seems that PCI is better but USB is more convenient and cheaper. Has USB narrowed the gap somewhat?

And can anyone recommend one?

I've been using a USB adapter for ages now. Years. No problems.

PCI wireless adapters almost seem like a thing of the past to me.
 

Jarmel

Banned
So just upgraded/fixed my rig. Fuck I forgot how nice SSD is, everything is just snappier. I also upgraded pretty much everything except the ram.

Old Specs:
i7 870
5870 Crossfire
P55-GD80
3 TB HDDs
8 GB of ram
Corsair AX1200

New Specs
i7 2700k @ 3.5 ghz
670 FTW SLI
Asus P8Z77-V PRO ATX Intel Motherboard
1 128 C300 SSD and 3 TB HDDs
8 GB of ram(although at higher speed)
Corsair AX1200
 

Rur0ni

Member
New PC build completed.

New Parts:
------
Case: 1x Fractal Design Define XL Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Full Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Motherboard: 1x ASUS P9X79 WS LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 SSI CEB Intel Motherboard with USB BIOS
CPU: 1x Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73930K
Memory: 1x G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 64GB (8 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9Q2-64GBZL
SSD: 2x Crucial M4 CT512M4SSD2 2.5" 512GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
GPU: 2x GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Heatsink: 1x COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler
Fan: 4x Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition CO-9050009-WW 140mm Case Fan
Fan: 1x Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition CO-9050001-WW 120mm Case Fan

Reused Parts:
------
PSU: 1x CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX850 (CMPSU-850AX) 850W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply
TPM: 1x Asus Accessory TPM FW3.19 TPM Module BitLocker FW3.19 for Asus MB Retail


I've configured the 512GB M4s for RAID0. There's a clear increase in performance from my old Intel 160GB G2. The Windforce GTX 670s are in SLI. It's absolutely amazing how silent the GPUs are. I was on a GTX 470 previously, and that was known to be somewhat of a screamer. And briefly playing CS:GO, it's silky smooth, and no microstuttering. The Hyper 212 EVO was extremely easy to mount on the LGA 2011, no backplate required. Running Windows 8 Professional, enabled BitLocker and secure boot. I was also a bit amused to get the memory in a big box rather than the usual plastic.

Snags I've hit with this build:

1. The case is rather large, so the cable 8-pin PSU connector doesn't reach through the grommets, I had to run it directly up across the mobo. Need to buy an extension cable.
2. Again, the case is large, so a couple of the fan cables won't reach, need extension cables.
3. The RAM modules are advertised as compatible with this exact board, along with XMP support. But no XMP profile selectable.
4. The motherboard initially complained about the CPU fan spinning too slow, had to decrease the fan limits below the default 600 RPMs.
5. The HDD screws are a tad big for the SSDs, but I got them to hold.

You'll note the 3rd GTX 670, that's for my HTPC, I'm rolling down my 2500k and Micro-ATX Z77 for that. Steam comfy couch gaming incoming.

task_manager_zpsbb67edef.png


DSC_0059_zps5562ab48.jpg
 
New PC build completed.

New Parts:
------
Case: 1x Fractal Design Define XL Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Full Tower Silent PC Computer Case
Motherboard: 1x ASUS P9X79 WS LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 SSI CEB Intel Motherboard with USB BIOS
CPU: 1x Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73930K
Memory: 1x G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 64GB (8 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9Q2-64GBZL
SSD: 2x Crucial M4 CT512M4SSD2 2.5" 512GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
GPU: 2x GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Heatsink: 1x COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler
Fan: 4x Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition CO-9050009-WW 140mm Case Fan
Fan: 1x Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition CO-9050001-WW 120mm Case Fan

Reused Parts:
------
PSU: 1x CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX850 (CMPSU-850AX) 850W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply
TPM: 1x Asus Accessory TPM FW3.19 TPM Module BitLocker FW3.19 for Asus MB Retail


I've configured the 512GB M4s for RAID0. There's a clear increase in performance from my old Intel 160GB G2. The Windforce GTX 670s are in SLI. It's absolutely amazing how silent the GPUs are. I was on a GTX 470 previously, and that was known to be somewhat of a screamer. And briefly playing CS:GO, it's silky smooth, and no microstuttering. The Hyper 212 EVO was extremely easy to mount on the LGA 2011, no backplate required. Running Windows 8 Professional, enabled BitLocker and secure boot. I was also a bit amused to get the memory in a big box rather than the usual plastic.

Snags I've hit with this build:

1. The case is rather large, so the cable 8-pin PSU connector doesn't reach through the grommets, I had to run it directly up across the mobo. Need to buy an extension cable.
2. Again, the case is large, so a couple of the fan cables won't reach, need extension cables.
3. The RAM modules are advertised as compatible with this exact board, along with XMP support. But no XMP profile selectable.
4. The motherboard initially complained about the CPU fan spinning too slow, had to decrease the fan limits below the default 600 RPMs.
5. The HDD screws are a tad big for the SSDs, but I got them to hold.

You'll note the 3rd GTX 670, that's for my HTPC, I'm rolling down my 2500k and Micro-ATX Z77 for that. Steam comfy couch gaming incoming.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/Ruroni85/task_manager_zpsbb67edef.png[IMG]

[IMG]http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/Ruroni85/DSC_0059_zps5562ab48.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

I love the W8 Task Manager. One of the reasons I'm actually thinking of upgrading despite being fully satisfied with W7.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Planning on lots of multimedia work with it? Hexacore plus lots of RAM makes me curious.

If so, you might consider running a RAMDISK. Also, if its not too late you could return the RAM for some of the Samsung 30nm stuff. SB-E OCs through BCLK as well as multiplier, and has decent IMCs. Easy as pie to run that RAM at 2000mhz plus, which can have a significant effect on multimedia performance.
 

Rur0ni

Member
Planning on lots of multimedia work with it? Hexacore plus lots of RAM makes me curious.

If so, you might consider running a RAMDISK. Also, if its not too late you could return the RAM for some of the Samsung 30nm stuff. SB-E OCs through BCLK as well as multiplier, and has decent IMCs. Easy as pie to run that RAM at 2000mhz plus, which can have a significant effect on multimedia performance.
Strictly larger pools of virtualization work. So copious amounts of memory was a must. And I don't believe you can find modules of the Samsung 30nm in 8GB sticks, at least that aren't priced too high. This 64GB was less than $300.

The Intel 160GB wasn't enough space to run much on, hence the 2x 512GB M4s. And the only way to get past 32GB memory was to move up to X79.
 

cametall

Member
Rushed out to CompUSA to buy the Siberia V2 for $50 (50% off). Got home and realized it was an iPod version -_-

SteelSeries needs to adjust the name or place a big ole sticker indicating this... instead of a small "Compatible with ..." sticker.

Now I play the waiting game.
 
Made a couple changes. Replaced the 560 with the 7850 (don't need PhysX), dropped the PSU to 450W, and dropped the HDD to 500GB. Same total price. :p

This is my <$500 budget gaming build.

ASUS P8H61-M LX Plus R2.0 H61 mATX LGA1155 DDR3 1PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 SATA GBLAN Audio VGA Motherboard
Intel Core i3 2120 Dual Core Hyperthreading Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 3MB Bundle: $159.99

Kingston HyperX KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 XMP Dual Channel Memory Kit $37.99

Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5IN SATA Internal Hard Drive OEM $54.99

Powercolor Radeon HD 7850 860MHZ 2GB 4.8GBPS GDDR5 DVI HDMI 2XMINIDP PCI-E Video Card $159.99

Bitfenix Merc Alpha Steel Black ATX Mid Tower Case 3X5.25 7X3.25 1X2.5 *No PS* Top USB2.0 Audio $34.99

XFX 450W Core Edition Single Rail ATX 12V 34A 24PIN ATX Power Supply 80PLUS Bronze $34.99

Total $482.94

Thoughts?
 

MedIC86

Member
I have a question and i hope someone can help me:

My mom is looking for a new laptop (mind you she only needs it for office and internet)
But she has a few things she want; a 16 or 17" screen, and preferably a good screen (i dont know if there are IPS screens on laptops). Money isnt really an issue, but i would hate for her to buy a very expensive laptop with features she doesnt use just because the screens are better on those. Is there a middle road in this?
 

~Kinggi~

Banned
Im pretty pissed i got screwed into overpaying for a video card pretty badly. Basically my 4870x2 totally died on me. Stupid fucking card. And i dont have on board graphics with my p5e3. Anyway i dont have any backup computers and i needed a pc for this weekend. I wanted to buy a replacement card that was better but not outrageously priced. Couldnt find anything worthwhile until i found this PC store some Asian dude runs. Best card he had was an ATI 7850 Gigabyte OC edition with that cool fan setup on it. Actually a decent card and definitely better than a 4870x2. But i thought he had the wrong label on it cause he was selling it for like 440$ lmfao. Anyway i told him what it was actually priced on the internets and he seemed all surprised. Probably just lying to me. I got him to go just under 300$ for it. I needed the pc and i had no quick way to order from a newegg or anything. So i willingly lost like 100$ on the deal.

On the plus side, its super quiet compared to my jet engine 4870x2, takes a lot less power, and is running quite a few of my games at like double the fps. I am very bottle-necked by my motherboard and CPU though. One day ill upgrade the rest.

What i really wanted was a7870 for 250$ or so but nobody in retail has these damn cards.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Im pretty pissed i got screwed into overpaying for a video card pretty badly. Basically my 4870x2 totally died on me. Stupid fucking card. And i dont have on board graphics with my p5e3. Anyway i dont have any backup computers and i needed a pc for this weekend. I wanted to buy a replacement card that was better but not outrageously priced. Couldnt find anything worthwhile until i found this PC store some Asian dude runs. Best card he had was an ATI 7850 Gigabyte OC edition with that cool fan setup on it. Actually a decent card and definitely better than a 4870x2. But i thought he had the wrong label on it cause he was selling it for like 440$ lmfao. Anyway i told him what it was actually priced on the internets and he seemed all surprised. Probably just lying to me. I got him to go just under 300$ for it. I needed the pc and i had no quick way to order from a newegg or anything. So i willingly lost like 100$ on the deal.

On the plus side, its super quiet compared to my jet engine 4870x2, takes a lot less power, and is running quite a few of my games at like double the fps. I am very bottle-necked by my motherboard and CPU though. One day ill upgrade the rest.

What i really wanted was a7870 for 250$ or so but nobody in retail has these damn cards.
Craigslist has been my savior in these situations in the past. Sucks though. Those local mom and pop shops need to up the price significantly to be able to stay afloat. They just can't push product like Frys/Newegg/NCIX.
I have a question and i hope someone can help me:

My mom is looking for a new laptop (mind you she only needs it for office and internet)
But she has a few things she want; a 16 or 17" screen, and preferably a good screen (i dont know if there are IPS screens on laptops). Money isnt really an issue, but i would hate for her to buy a very expensive laptop with features she doesnt use just because the screens are better on those. Is there a middle road in this?
Laptop thread, OP, first link.

Rushed out to CompUSA to buy the Siberia V2 for $50 (50% off). Got home and realized it was an iPod version -_-

SteelSeries needs to adjust the name or place a big ole sticker indicating this... instead of a small "Compatible with ..." sticker.

Now I play the waiting game.
That sucks man, I didn't even know that there was an iPod version.
 

~Kinggi~

Banned
Craigslist has been my savior in these situations in the past. Sucks though. Those local mom and pop shops need to up the price significantly to be able to stay afloat. They just can't push product like Frys/Newegg/NCIX.

Yeah its a bummer cause i'd like to help these guys out. I really think the only reason i went through with it besides actually needing a computer right now was he was helpful in helping me debug my issue to make sure it was the video card and he spent a lot of time looking around for an ideal card. I knew a lot going into it though, so he really just confirmed some things.
 

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Putting together a new comp. Need some input.

What I have so far

What I need help with

I started making this build because I was interested in upgrading and the mATX form factor caught my eye (I moved a lot during college and my Antec 900 became a thorn in my side). However, I have no idea what I should be looking for in a mATX case, since this is my first experience with smaller enclosures. Any input/experiences would be greatly appreciated.

The other problem is the motherboards. While price is not much of an issue, I find it difficult to justify paying $40 for the Gigabyte when the Asrock provides mostly the same things, minus one PCI-e 3.0 slot and the brand name.
Purpose is mostly gaming with some coding work. No interest in SLI/Crossfire, although overclocking might be on the agenda in the future. Any other tips/advice would be appreciated as well.

Tangentially related: I'm looking to sell components from my old computer. What is a good way to do this?
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Putting together a new comp. Need some input.

What I have so far


What I need help with

I started making this build because I was interested in upgrading and the mATX form factor caught my eye (I moved a lot during college and my Antec 900 became a thorn in my side). However, I have no idea what I should be looking for in a mATX case, since this is my first experience with smaller enclosures. Any input/experiences would be greatly appreciated.


The other problem is the motherboards. While price is not much of an issue, I find it difficult to justify paying $40 for the Gigabyte when the Asrock provides mostly the same things, minus one PCI-e 3.0 slot and the brand name.

Purpose is mostly gaming with some coding work. No interest in SLI/Crossfire, although overclocking might be on the agenda in the future. Any other tips/advice would be appreciated as well.

Tangentially related: I'm looking to sell components from my old computer. What is a good way to do this?
Parts list looks good.

For the mobo you want a Z77 to overclock with so I'd suggest this board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157306

Case wise they both look extremely similar. I was about to buy an Arc Mini, but ended up going with an Arc instead. It's a fairly nice case, the main bonus being lots of room behind the mobo. Don't think you can go wrong with either of those.
 

(._.)

Banned
Budget: $800 - $900 USD
Main Use: Light Gaming (3), 3D work (5), General Usage (5)
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: total war: shogun 2
When will you build?: October
Will you be overclocking?: No

This is for a friend who needs a new PC. Could you guys recommend a build?
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Budget: $800 - $900 USD
Main Use: Light Gaming (3), 3D work (5), General Usage (5)
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: total war: shogun 2
When will you build?: October
Will you be overclocking?: No

This is for a friend who needs a new PC. Could you guys recommend a build?
Do you know how well the 3D work would take advantage of a GPU?

Excellent build with a 7850/660, or alternatively the Excellent build with a $100 mobo, 3770K, and a 6870 or something.

Can drop the CPU cooler and get a slightly cheaper case if the budget really needs to be cut. Re using an HDD will save a lot.
 

(._.)

Banned
Do you know how well the 3D work would take advantage of a GPU?

Excellent build with a 7850/660, or alternatively the Excellent build with a $100 mobo, 3770K, and a 6870 or something.

Can drop the CPU cooler and get a slightly cheaper case if the budget really needs to be cut. Re using an HDD will save a lot.

I don't think his 3d work is very taxing. He mainly does low poly work for flash games.

but ok I think I can give him some ideas on what to get now. thanks
 
Okay, so here's my current PC, built 3 years ago:

- AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 945 3.0GHZ Processor
- 4GB RAM ( CORSAIR 2GB 16000MHZ x2 )
- EVGA NVIDIA GTX 260 CORE 216 896MB
- PC Power and Cooling S75QB Silencer 750W Quad Power Supply
in a
- CoolerMaster Centurion 590 case


I've been looking to upgrade but it feels like I'm going to need to replace pretty much everything, except maybe the power supply (though I'm not really even sure on that).

Here are my needs:
Budget: $1000 - US
Main Use: Gaming, Image Editing, HD Streaming, minor 3D work, general. Basically my work and play PC.
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: SimCity 5 (or whatever it is called), Witcher 2, Elder Scrolls, Dark Souls
Looking to reuse any parts?: PC Power and Cooling S75QB Silencer 750W Quad Power Supply
When will you build?: By the end of the year
Will you be overclocking?: No




Been messing with a build here:

- Intel Core i5-3570K 3.40 GHz 6MB LGA1155
- 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200 RPM HDD
- 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz
- GIGABYTE GA-Z77-D3H Intel Z77 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard
- GeForce GTX 650 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0

- Total: $965.70 (shipping + tax included)


Does that look like something I should pursue, or should I just take it one thing at a time? I'm definitely feeling the age of my current PC and I'd like another one that can last me a couple years with maybe an upgrade here or there.
 

Jzero

Member
mkenyon, got your fans installed, and damn they are badass. That third fan, jesus is it huge lol, honestly, if there are any 10-15 dollar steam games you want, I will gladly gift you one for all the trouble you went through :D
http://i.minus.com/iT5LAF5CjanvK.jpg[/im][/quote]
What's up with the xbox logo :p
 

Hazaro

relies on auto-aim
Okay, so here's my current PC, built 3 years ago:

- AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 945 3.0GHZ Processor
- 4GB RAM ( CORSAIR 2GB 16000MHZ x2 )
- EVGA NVIDIA GTX 260 CORE 216 896MB
- PC Power and Cooling S75QB Silencer 750W Quad Power Supply
in a
- CoolerMaster Centurion 590 case

I've been looking to upgrade but it feels like I'm going to need to replace pretty much everything, except maybe the power supply (though I'm not really even sure on that).

Here are my needs:
Budget: $1000 - US
Main Use: Gaming, Image Editing, HD Streaming, minor 3D work, general. Basically my work and play PC.
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: SimCity 5 (or whatever it is called), Witcher 2, Elder Scrolls, Dark Souls
Looking to reuse any parts?: PC Power and Cooling S75QB Silencer 750W Quad Power Supply
When will you build?: By the end of the year
Will you be overclocking?: No

Been messing with a build here:

- Intel Core i5-3570K 3.40 GHz 6MB LGA1155
- 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200 RPM HDD
- 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz
- GIGABYTE GA-Z77-D3H Intel Z77 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard
- GeForce GTX 650 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0

- Total: $965.70 (shipping + tax included)


Does that look like something I should pursue, or should I just take it one thing at a time? I'm definitely feeling the age of my current PC and I'd like another one that can last me a couple years with maybe an upgrade here or there.
I'd say look to OC your CPU to 3.6 or something if you can. Grab a 660Ti/7950 and try to stick it out for Haswell in 6-9 months.

Problem is if you are doing work on your PC as well you might as well upgrade now as it'll be a very nice performance boost and 6-9 months is quite a while.

Your PSU is fine.
 

Zeroth

Member
The Enhanced build is indeed going to be a better performer. However, you have many options to change or expand on either, or just go your own way. If you don't feel like doing a lot of research which can be overwhelming, just ask for advice on which particular video card or motherboard to get, since the 3570K is pretty much the go-to choice and the particular RAM isn't terribly important. Same thing with the hard drive, although a SSD is typically included in an enthusiast build as well, which should be mentioned in the OP.

Thank you! I'm not planning to add a SSD (I'm trying to make an efficient build that also saves me a few bucks in the long term), but I'll certainly keep it in mind for future reference.
 

lemonade

Member
Can someone recommend a great new motherboard and cpu fan. I have sli 580 lightreme xtreme cards with a corsair 650d obsidian case with 2500k sandy bridge. Right now I have a asus gene-z mb but the pci slots are not spaced enough for good air flow.
 

mkenyon

Banned
mkenyon, got your fans installed, and damn they are badass. That third fan, jesus is it huge lol, honestly, if there are any 10-15 dollar steam games you want, I will gladly gift you one for all the trouble you went through :D
No problem! I get my reward out of people using otherwise unused stuff.

The white LEDs look really nice in there. The matching LED color from that lamptron rheobus is a great touch (and a really nice fan controller).
qq is it better to have two mid-end cards in sli or xfire, or 1 high end? thx in advance
One. Unless it's performance you otherwise can't get with one.

Between new games with no profiles, games where its unoptimized, and standard performance loss, trying to get two cards to emulate a better one is a recipe for disaster.
Can someone recommend a great new motherboard and cpu fan. I have sli 580 lightreme xtreme cards with a corsair 650d obsidian case with 2500k sandy bridge. Right now I have a asus gene-z mb but the pci slots are not spaced enough for good air flow.
What features do you want out of it? How high do you want to clock your CPU for 24/7 use? Aesthetics important to you? How much are you willing to spend between the two?

Also, get yourself some decent 200mm fans to replace the stock ones. 650D is notorious for bad airflow.

My list of favorite Z77 boards (EATX and ATX for yput purposes) I'd buy in a heartbeat:

Gigabyte Sniper 3
Gigabyte UP5-TH
Gigabyte UP7
ASRock Z77 OC Formula
 
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