EPTComputer Build Resource Thread - Page 1448
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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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Craton
United States17280 Posts
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Cyro
United Kingdom20326 Posts
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GolemMadness
Canada11044 Posts
On April 08 2013 01:08 Myrmidon wrote: With Rosewill people are mostly just talking about Capstone. Lightning, Tachyon, and Fortress are more expensive, and Hercules is a joke. Hive and Green can be good depending on price, but they're not that special. The others range from really bad to kinda okay. Anyway, cheap option would be Corsair CX430. The cheap Silverstone stuff isn't better than that. The OEM Seasonic model there has short cables, not much supporting stuff in the box, mediocre capacitors, though it's good otherwise. Thermaltake models there are not the right TR2 models. XFX Core is almost the same design as the Seasonic but with proper cables, better capacitors, etc. so that is probably what you want. Personally I wouldn't want a 24" TN monitor when you can get a 23.6" IPS at a similar price, but the TN would be a little better with less motion blurring. Unless you're overclocking a lot and pushing limits, or running multiple graphics cards, all those cases linked are fine as-is without additional fans. Those cases you listed are good. After some more looking around, I may go for the ASUS VS239H-P 23IN instead. For the case I've decided to go with the Corsair Carbide Series 200R Black Gaming Case and for power supply the Corsair CX Series CX430M. Thank you for the help! | ||
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mav451
United States1596 Posts
The 7850 is on sale with Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider - $145 AR (via $15 rebate) + Show Spoiler + Be aware that this game is more GPU intensive than CPU intensive (a stock Athlon II X4 is sufficient, since the game is properly threaded). The 7850 is probably better suited in High, not Ultra or Ultimate at 1080P if you want to maintain high minimum FPS. Just be aware that most benchmarks out there, except say [Ha]rdOCPs, were done with older drivers and game code. If you do stumble on newer benches, ensure that the drivers used are 314.21 (or newer) or 13.3 Beta 2 (or newer), and that the game code is 1.00.722.3 or newer. Current game code is 1.01.732.1. | ||
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Belial88
United States5217 Posts
On April 08 2013 09:48 GolemMadness wrote: After some more looking around, I may go for the ASUS VS239H-P 23IN instead. For the case I've decided to go with the Corsair Carbide Series 200R Black Gaming Case and for power supply the Corsair CX Series CX430M. Thank you for the help! I would STRONGLY advice against the 430M. It's only semi-modular, so it has very few benefits over non-modular. I would actually prefer a non-modular to semi-modular for cable management. And the CX series of PSUs have very questionable quality, I've had 2 of the 4 CX units I own go out within 2 weeks. On the other hand, Corsair's support is some of the best in the business, so there's nothing wrong with buying a crap PSU that'll blow out if Corsair will replace it without question every time. Just know what you are getting. If you don't use a lot of peripherals (LEDs, fans, etc), then it shouldn't be an issue though. But the CX430M? Way too much of a price premium for a low quality PSU. The CX430 is okay because it's dirt cheap for an okay psu, but cx430m is just terrible. If you want a semi-modular PSU, the PC P&P silencer mk3 400w is a much better choice for a similar price. If you want a cheap PSU just go with cx430. There's a big difference in semi modular and full modular, if you are someone who sleeves cables then you'll want to go with full modular, not semi-modular, or, if you don't care about voiding warranty, then just buy the cx430 and void the warranty of a PSU you paid $19AR for. May I ask why you are going for the cx430m instead of cx430 or a quality psu like an xfx pro/pc p&p? | ||
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Ropid
Germany3557 Posts
On April 08 2013 09:48 GolemMadness wrote: After some more looking around, I may go for the ASUS VS239H-P 23IN instead. For the case I've decided to go with the Corsair Carbide Series 200R Black Gaming Case and for power supply the Corsair CX Series CX430M. Thank you for the help! You said you don't yet know which additional cooling stuff to get: This CPU cooler is looking very good if you can get it for that $40 after mail in rebate, but the deal seems to be running out quick: http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=67333&vpn=CNPS12X&manufacture=ZALMAN TECH&promoid=1277 Otherwise, this is the typical solid suggestion: http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=41337&vpn=RR-B10-212P-G1&manufacture=COOLERMASTER This one is competition with very similar performance but has an unbeatable deal at the moment at $9: http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=67639&vpn=CNPS10X OPTIMA&manufacture=ZALMAN TECH&promoid=1277 If you will be overclocking a good amount, when things get hot and the fans have to ramp up their speed, the large CNPS12X would be much better and a lot quieter than the smaller CNPS10X and Hyper 212+, though I only suggested that large cooler because of its current $40 deal. | ||
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Belial88
United States5217 Posts
If you are getting an ivy bridge you really shouldn't be buying a hyper 212 or any other low end cooler, it just isn't adequate to cool it unless you are super lucky and get a cool running chip. The majority of ivies/sandies are bad overclockers, in the sense that over 50% bin poorly and can only do 4.5-4.6ghz on reasonable voltage, and will require decent cooling even for a very low overclock. Most of the ivies I've owned needed over 1.4v for just 4.6ghz. | ||
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GolemMadness
Canada11044 Posts
On April 08 2013 12:54 Belial88 wrote: I would STRONGLY advice against the 430M. It's only semi-modular, so it has very few benefits over non-modular. I would actually prefer a non-modular to semi-modular for cable management. And the CX series of PSUs have very questionable quality, I've had 2 of the 4 CX units I own go out within 2 weeks. On the other hand, Corsair's support is some of the best in the business, so there's nothing wrong with buying a crap PSU that'll blow out if Corsair will replace it without question every time. Just know what you are getting. If you don't use a lot of peripherals (LEDs, fans, etc), then it shouldn't be an issue though. But the CX430M? Way too much of a price premium for a low quality PSU. The CX430 is okay because it's dirt cheap for an okay psu, but cx430m is just terrible. If you want a semi-modular PSU, the PC P&P silencer mk3 400w is a much better choice for a similar price. If you want a cheap PSU just go with cx430. There's a big difference in semi modular and full modular, if you are someone who sleeves cables then you'll want to go with full modular, not semi-modular, or, if you don't care about voiding warranty, then just buy the cx430 and void the warranty of a PSU you paid $19AR for. May I ask why you are going for the cx430m instead of cx430 or a quality psu like an xfx pro/pc p&p? Just based on the pictures I saw. It looked like the non-modular version had a bunch more cables that I wouldn't be using, and as this is my first attempt at building a computer, I thought it'd be a good idea to make that aspect of it easier. I don't really know the difference between most of these; it's just based on recommendations and reading reviews. | ||
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Myrmidon
United States9452 Posts
The relative lack of connectors is one of the reasons that low-wattage modular power supplies aren't that common. | ||
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Belial88
United States5217 Posts
On April 08 2013 14:22 GolemMadness wrote: Just based on the pictures I saw. It looked like the non-modular version had a bunch more cables that I wouldn't be using, and as this is my first attempt at building a computer, I thought it'd be a good idea to make that aspect of it easier. I don't really know the difference between most of these; it's just based on recommendations and reading reviews. You should really take a closer look before making a purchase. Semi-modular psus, the like cx430, are going to have their wiring set up something like 24 pin and cpu pin are hardwired, pci express is hardwired or modular (usually cheaper is hardwired), and then a molex peripheral and a sata cable or two. So even if you are someone like me, or I imagine most users, where you only have a single drive so only 1 sata port, and only a single molex peripheral like a fan, led, or fan controller, you still need to use every single cable. Even if they combine the molex and sata cable, which they sometimes do, you will have a very hard time fitting molex behind the motherboard panel so you won't likely be able to cut down on cables. I mean at best you might cut down on a single cable? But any modern case is going to have plenty of room for non-modular cables to be stuffed. Here's a picture of my computer with 8 case fans, a fan controller (which has 5 fan connectors so its basically the wiring of 5 fans by itself), 5 thermal diodes, an SSD crammed behind the motherboard, using a non-modular psu: + Show Spoiler + ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ByFVqMZl.jpg) ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/xLyWfQel.jpg) As you can see, pretty simple to fit all the cables in, and it was only so difficult as it is in the picture because I removed the HDD bay, which is where you normally stash your molex connectors, and because my ssd is behind the motherboard, and because I have so many fans. I'm currently using a semi-modular PSU and it actually looks worse because with a non-modular, the cables are all sleeved right out the PSU and come out of one hole by the corner right by the motherboard panel, whereas with semi-modular the cables are attached all across the PSU so it's more obvious where the cables come out of my PSU. Normally people get modular PSUs because they want to sleeve their power supply cables and don't want to void their warranty. I'm a sleever but I actually prefer to use extensions because I think they look better, and I'd prefer the cables were black and discrete where they come out the PSU instead of colorful and attractive. Semi-modularity on a power supply is just a gimmick, really. It's just the worst of both worlds (can't sleeve without voiding warranty like a non-modular, cables aren't discrete coming out of psu like non-modular). You should not pay any attention to reviews on newegg. They're all morons, I think you can figure that out if you read the negative reviews which are always overwhelmingly just people who don't know how to put stuff together (please, anyone less than a professional, a reviewer, or an actual engineer is NOT a tech level 5, dont tell me you are tech level 4 with your 2nd build). If you want good reviews, check out xbitlabs, guru3d... really the best is forums like overclock.net, xtremesystems, ocuk. TL has a very good tech section too, it's just a culture of knowledge here. for a cheap psu the cx430 is redeemed by how extremely low priced it is after rebate, but otherwise your best psu's right now are going to be the xfx pro 450w (which only has a single pci-e connection so you are going to need to use an adaptor if your gpu has 2 pci-e ports), pc p&c silencer semi-modular mk3 400w (only comes with a single pci-e connection so you will have to buy an ocz/pcp&c extra pci-e cable, which is has a slot for but the cable isn't included), antec neo ecos if you can find them for cheaper, and the highly regarded rosewill capstone series. Don't worry about modular and stuff, that sort of stuff is more for people using SLI/Crossfire set-ups and doing sleeving and moving out new components every other week sort of thing. Not for a first time builder. It really isn't difficult to cram all the cables behind your motherboard panel in any half decent modern case, even the low end ones, and it's not even necessary to do that. Most people just let the cables lay and don't pay 2 thoughts to what the cables look like behind an opaque, steel panel. | ||
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ZeratuLsc2
Canada426 Posts
On April 08 2013 05:35 MisterFred wrote: @Hellfury You can go cheaper not overclocking (i5-3470 + whatever bottom-priced B75 mobo, no CPU cooler), but if you want to stream SC2 overclocking will absolutely be worth learning. You could spend more on GPU if maxxing out graphics in every game is important to you, but this is going to perform very well for 1920x1080, and above the 7870 LE you start to hit diminishing returns. Overall, this build has a fair number of luxury components. Also, regarding pricing. Specials may change in the middle of the week, so be warned about that. And NCIX, like other major canadian retailers, price-matches. So you can shop around, find out who's offering the lowest price on a given component, and then use price-matching to buy all at once place. I didn't go to that trouble. i5-3570k ($240) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=70541&vpn=BX80637I53570K&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1277 Gigabyte z77a-hd4 mobo ($120) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=78646&vpn=GA-Z77-HD4&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1360 Zalman CPU Cooler ($35) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=51106&vpn=CNPS10X Performa&manufacture=ZALMAN TECH Powercolor 7870 Tahiti LE ($255) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=80887&vpn=AX7870 2GBD5-2DHPPV2E&manufacture=PowerColor Corsair 2x4gb 1600mhz RAM ($68) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=62841&vpn=CML8GX3M2A1600C9W&manufacture=Corsair Bit Fenix Ghost Case ($80) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=73006&vpn=BFC-GHO-300-KKN1-RP&manufacture=BitFenix&promoid=1277 XFX Core 450w ($52) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=63238&vpn=P1450SX2B9&manufacture=XFX Samsung 840 120gb ($100) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=77210&vpn=MZ-7TD120BW&manufacture=Samsung Memory & Storage&promoid=1277 Seagate 1.5tb HDD ($90) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=70854&vpn=ST1500DM003&manufacture=Seagate Samsung DVD-burner ($23) http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=76258&vpn=SH-224BB/BEBE&manufacture=Samsung Total: $1063 Crap,half of those are specials that end the day before I intend to order  Thanks for you time though  | ||
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MisterFred
United States2033 Posts
There's a couple of potential changes, like sometimes the Fractal Design R4 is near the price of the Ghost, where I then recommend it instead, and RAM is recently a problem to find a decently-priced pair. But you can still work off the list. Or the cooler to the Cooler Master Hyper 212 evo. | ||
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azngamer828
United States137 Posts
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280&nm_mc=BAC-Criteo&cm_mmc=BAC-Criteo-_-Processors - Desktops-_-AMD-_-19113280 i know its a broad question to ask but i just saw this and it looks way better than the i5 IMO | ||
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Cyro
United Kingdom20326 Posts
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/675?vs=701 You would only think it better than the i5 if you judge by clock speed alone. Why do you think the AMD FX-8350 (4ghz, 8-core) is almost never chosen over the 3570k for a gaming build (3.4ghz, 4-core) even though they are in the same price bracket? Likewise, why would we (or anybody, ever) reccomend an i5 build (CPU like $100 more, motherboard more expensive) if some random APU was better, or even close in performance? The Intel CPU running at the same clock speed (ghz) has more than a 50% lead in performance, core-for-core | ||
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wei2coolman
United States60033 Posts
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Myrmidon
United States9452 Posts
Do you plan on having the fan run at different speeds? Need PWM control or is voltage control okay? Price / budget? What are you cooling? (CPU at what clock, voltage?) btw for something as thin and not-that-dense as H50, particularly if the thermal load is not that high, there is really not much benefit to a second fan. | ||
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wei2coolman
United States60033 Posts
Voltage control is fine. Budget is around ~15-20 bucks a fan? Currently have i7-920 overclocked to 4ghz, at 1.3volts +- 100mv (still voltage stepping down) Mostly the reason I'm asking is because I'm getting a new case, so I might as well add a fan as I'm moving the radiator out of my old case. | ||
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Myrmidon
United States9452 Posts
At about $40 you could about buy a heatsink with similar or better performance than H50... You could use Cougar Votex (PWM, up to 1500 rpm, fluid dynamic bearing, pretty decent sound): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835553006 Maybe one of the Scythe Gentle Typhoons (AP-15 is 1850 rpm but these have less noise and less airflow at an equivalent rpm as other 120 mm fans; good dual-BB build quality etc.). You can find them here and there at various shops but not newegg. Not sure where would have best shipping price. There's also the Corsair SP120 High Performance and Quiet (2350 rpm and 1450 rpm), which are respectable: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181027 Of course the really fast server fan screamers would give slightly better performance, but really, it doesn't take too much before vastly diminishing returns in general, especially for something with as puny as a radiator as the H50. | ||
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Cyro
United Kingdom20326 Posts
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Belial88
United States5217 Posts
On April 09 2013 04:28 azngamer828 wrote: just wondering how this item in the link fair compared to the intel ivy bridge i5 3570k? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280&nm_mc=BAC-Criteo&cm_mmc=BAC-Criteo-_-Processors - Desktops-_-AMD-_-19113280 i know its a broad question to ask but i just saw this and it looks way better than the i5 IMO Meh. APUs are okay, I'd actually prefer to go with a Phenom X4 and some old, used gpu like a 4870 that'll outperform it, and pay less (yes, used is used, there are issues with buying used, but if your budget is that tight you should be looking under every crack and crevice for the best deals). As for how it compares to the i5-3570k, it's less than half the performance (especially when you include overclocks, which is everything and why intel is soooo much better than amd right now for a modern build), but it's also half the price. If your budget is really restricted, it's not a bad choice. Phenom + old GPU is very arguably better for a budget build. So, I'm on the market for 120mm fans; gunna use them for a push pull set up on my Corsair H50. Any suggestions? Yate loons from Petras (http://www.petrastechshop.com/) is the best budget option (save for deals that happen here and there) for budget. For higher end fans TY-140s or typhoons are what's going to be recommended the most. For just an h50, yea, stick with yate loons, it'd be silly to spend more than $10 on fans for a $20-30 heatsink. And you have to buy them from petras, they are basically counterfeit fans that get counterfeited because they are so popular, not to mention different batches perform differently. Petras is the cheapest place to get them anyways, and he's a cool dude. The stock corsair fan is a piece of garbage though. You would be better served using it as a case fan and using 2x yates for push/pull. Closed loops like the H50 particularly appreciate a 2nd fan/stronger fan, much more than air heatsinks, because that water makes the radiator emit way more heat. You should see a dramatic performance increase by going from the garbage corsair fan to 2 x yate loon highs. There's a HUGE benefit to adding a 2nd fan to the yate loon. I saw about 5*C temp drops with a 2nd fan. I saw about 4*C temp drops just by going from 2x yate loons to yateloon/blademaster (which is super loud piece of crap but it's very strong), which is just insane temp drops (and I was hovering in the 50s too, the difference would be even more exaggerated on a system where your temps are hovering in the 80s). Noctua fans like NF-P12 is just good. They aren't bad, they aren't great. They aren't really recommended much. You can check out a review I did of the H50 here, where I talk about fans on it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1346069/belials-heatsink-tim-comparison-and-reviews-hyper-212-h50-nh-d14-pk-1-pk-2-pk-3/10 | ||
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