EPTComputer Build Resource Thread - Page 1330
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When using this resource, please read FragKrag's opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly. | ||
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plasmidghost
Belgium16168 Posts
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skyR
Canada13817 Posts
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Myrmidon
United States9452 Posts
On December 29 2012 12:26 plasmidghost wrote: Would someone mind telling a computer-building noob the benefits/reasons for getting an SSD with an HD? Also, could I install one with an internal HD? I plan on using this computer for gaming. If you need any additional info, I'll tell you. You can install as many hard drives, SSDs, and disk drives as you want (well, as many as you have SATA ports for on the motherboard, though if you somehow run out you can buy expansion cards that let give you even SATA ports). An SSD is a storage device like a hard drive or flash drive, except that it's a lot faster. Peak read speeds are a couple or few times faster than hard drives, and writes are often faster as well, depending on the model. Most importantly, unlike a hard drive, it doesn't have to wait for a platter to physically spin around to the right place so data can be read or written, so for small transfers, latencies are generally much much smaller as it can finish accessing any location very quickly. For loading the operating system and many programs including games, there are a lot of small scattered libraries / data / stuff to be accessed, so of course the SSD can be significantly faster overall grabbing those. Likewise, some small config files, system pagefile, whatever else that you might not think of, may need to be written frequently in the normal course of operation, behind the scenes. SSD is faster for that as well. Problems are exacerbated if you have many different accesses from multiple programs and processes in the background, concurrently. Over the years, CPU and GPU performance have increased at a faster pace than hard drive performance has. In day-to-day use (in small bursts) the CPU is often waiting around for disk access with nothing to do. With a faster drive, that kind of bottleneck can be lessened. Loading a game of an SSD will be faster, usually. (How much faster? See here <- and note that the Caviar Black is the only hard drive there, a relatively fast model.) Depends on all the actions that need to be done to load the assets. Once everything is loaded (into RAM), most games don't really access the drive much, so it's not like having a faster drive will make any difference. You won't get any higher ingame fps from an SSD. | ||
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GhostAssassin43
3 Posts
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plasmidghost
Belgium16168 Posts
On December 29 2012 12:39 skyR wrote: The operating system and regularly used software gets installed on the SSD and lesser used software / media / other stuff gets installed on the bigger HDD (because speed does not matter for these items). On December 29 2012 12:53 Myrmidon wrote: You can install as many hard drives, SSDs, and disk drives as you want (well, as many as you have SATA ports for on the motherboard, though if you somehow run out you can buy expansion cards that let give you even SATA ports). An SSD is a storage device like a hard drive or flash drive, except that it's a lot faster. Peak read speeds are a couple or few times faster than hard drives, and writes are often faster as well, depending on the model. Most importantly, unlike a hard drive, it doesn't have to wait for a platter to physically spin around to the right place so data can be read or written, so for small transfers, latencies are generally much much smaller as it can finish accessing any location very quickly. For loading the operating system and many programs including games, there are a lot of small scattered libraries / data / stuff to be accessed, so of course the SSD can be significantly faster overall grabbing those. Likewise, some small config files, system pagefile, whatever else that you might not think of, may need to be written frequently in the normal course of operation, behind the scenes. SSD is faster for that as well. Problems are exacerbated if you have many different accesses from multiple programs and processes in the background, concurrently. Over the years, CPU and GPU performance have increased at a faster pace than hard drive performance has. In day-to-day use (in small bursts) the CPU is often waiting around for disk access with nothing to do. With a faster drive, that kind of bottleneck can be lessened. Loading a game of an SSD will be faster, usually. (How much faster? See here <- and note that the Caviar Black is the only hard drive there, a relatively fast model.) Depends on all the actions that need to be done to load the assets. Once everything is loaded (into RAM), most games don't really access the drive much, so it's not like having a faster drive will make any difference. You won't get any higher ingame fps from an SSD. Okay, thank you both, I assume 120GB is a decent size for just running 3-4 games and the OS, along with other basic programs, right? | ||
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skyR
Canada13817 Posts
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TinyDino
United Kingdom28 Posts
On December 28 2012 12:49 MisterFred wrote: I have no idea if buying from a UK retailer or a continental retailer will save you money. I put together a sample overclockers.co.uk build you can use for comparison because I like to browse while streaming  . It goes over budget by 75ish euro, according to the currency converter, because I throw a big 'ole 27" monitor in there for 360 pounds. But it would be under budget with a less expensive monitor, such as the ones you're currently considering. The tower is budget-conscious, but does include an SSD. There are an average amount of sales.+ Show Spoiler + i5-3470 (150 pounds) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-443-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat= MSI B75m (54) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-216-MS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=2307 2x4gb 1600mhz RAM (36) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-132-CR&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517 MSI 7870 (180) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-185-MS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411 Bit Fenix Merc Beta Case (30) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-011-BX&groupid=2362&catid=1850&subcat= (this is a bit lower quality than the HAF 912... but it works) Antec High Current Gamer 400w (40) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-146-AN&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=1088 Toshiba 1TB HDD (52) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-024-TS&groupid=1657&catid=1660&subcat= Plextor M5S 128gb SSD (83) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-004-PL&groupid=1657&catid=2101&subcat= DVD burner (14) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CD-003-OK&groupid=701&catid=10&subcat= Hazro 27" HZ27WB 2560x1440 resolution monitor (360) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-019-HO&groupid=17&catid=1120&subcat= Total price (not including windows, peripherals, possibly shipping, but does include VAT): 999 GBP, which currency converter says is about 1215 euro. Thank you so much for replying! I wasn't aware that overclockers had such good prices, I'll have to rethink where I order my stuff from. | ||
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nAztycL
Chile18 Posts
My stuff: CPU: i5-2500 quad core 3.3 Ghz RAM: 8gb HyperX MOBO: Intel desktop DZ68DB GPU: Zotac 9800 GT 1GB PS: Thermaltake Purepower 450w I have like $100-130 What gpu can i buy? I'm going to miami so, can you recommend me shops where i can buy it? (I can't buy on internet) | ||
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Rollin
Australia1552 Posts
On December 30 2012 08:36 nAztycL wrote: 2 Questions... I can run sc2 in high settings 1600x900 and get around 70-120 but i want to upgrade my gpu because i think it's bottlenecking my computer. My stuff: CPU: i5-2500 quad core 3.3 Ghz RAM: 8gb HyperX MOBO: Intel desktop DZ68DB GPU: Zotac 9800 GT 1GB PS: Thermaltake Purepower 450w I have like $100-130 What gpu can i buy? I'm going to miami so, can you recommend me shops where i can buy it? (I can't buy on internet) If the only game you play is sc2, your bottleneck late game will still be your cpu late game. If your fps is relatively constant throughout the game, then your gpu is probably the bottleneck. If your fps goes lower lategame, then the cpu is the bottleneck. If you don't play any other games there isn't much reason to get a new card, nor will a cpu upgrade be worthwhile at all. | ||
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nAztycL
Chile18 Posts
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Rannasha
Netherlands2398 Posts
On December 30 2012 09:35 nAztycL wrote: my fps are very constant, i want to upgrade because i have the gpu for 3 years and all my computer is relatively new (I upgraded in may). Also i want to start playing new games with good graphics like far cry 3 (: With your budget ($100-$130 as posted before), you should look at a Radeon HD 7750 or 7770. I don't know how prices compare between online and offline in the US, but those cards can be found on the low end of that price-range online. Your current powersupply should handle the new card easily (it may even use less power than your old card). Don't expect miracles in graphics-intensive games though. While it's a solid step up from your current card, the 7750 and 7770 aren't really top-end models. | ||
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Rachnar
France1526 Posts
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/521?vs=536 check out sc2 benchmark | ||
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Medrea
10003 Posts
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nAztycL
Chile18 Posts
Any shop where i can buy? Thx all for the coments! | ||
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Rachnar
France1526 Posts
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MisterFred
United States2033 Posts
On December 30 2012 23:24 nAztycL wrote: I noticed the GTX 650 is muuch better than the HD 7770 in Starcraft 2 (According to benchmark) and it's more quiet... Should i go for this gpu then? Any shop where i can buy? Thx all for the coments! Well if you're going to be in Miami for a while - or staying with someone you know - its usually easier (and a bit cheaper) to order from the internet, from a site like newegg.com. Shipping generally takes only a few days. But if you're not going to be there long & want to avoid shipping to a hotel or something then I think there are a few CompUSA stores around Miami that ought to have what you want. | ||
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Medrea
10003 Posts
On December 30 2012 23:24 nAztycL wrote: I noticed the GTX 650 is muuch better than the HD 7770 in Starcraft 2 (According to benchmark) and it's more quiet... Should i go for this gpu then? Any shop where i can buy? Thx all for the coments! It isnt. GPU power doesnt matter to SC2 after a certain really low point. The game is very CPU bound. What you are looking at is probably a very artificial benchmark including 16x AF and the like. Settings set in drivers that have very minor impact but a huge overhead, because its needed to tell the cards apart. | ||
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Myrmidon
United States9452 Posts
HD 7770 is better than GTX 650 (not GTX 650 Ti) in Far Cry 3 and most games. As noted above, it won't really matter for SC2 because both are good enough. | ||
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Sein
United States1811 Posts
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533&Tpk=22-136-533&nm_mc=EMC-GD123112&cm_mmc=EMC-GD123112-_-index-_-Item-_-22-136-533 In case you don't want to click on the link, it's a WD 1TB Caviar Black. I was originally looking for a Blue drive, but this is pretty much at the same price as the cheapest blue deals with the promo ($80) and the 5-year warranty is tempting. I don't need extra storage right away as I have an external, but I am going to get an internal drive sooner or later. | ||
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skyR
Canada13817 Posts
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