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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. |
@pats123
Buying a 6950 2GB would be the better route.
Seems like you plan on overclocking so you may want to invest in an aftermarket heatsink such as the Coolermaster Hyper 212+ for $30 and also get a better board such as the Gigabyte P67 UD3.
If you intend to SLI in the future, you'll going to need a motherboard to support that as well. Something such as the ASUS P8P67 Pro, Asrock P67 Extreme4, Gigabyte P67 UD4, or MSI P67 G / GD series.
@gimmeateeshitkent
You would need to flash the card back to the original BIOS before doing an RMA or else they will reject your RMA.
@Unveiledface
If you are buying in the next 5 months, you may wait until that time to post since prices will tend and Bulldozer (AMD's next generation processors) are set to be released in June.
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Well folks, I never thought it would happen, but my tax return was higher than expected so I think I'm going to build a computer that can actually run sc2 higher than low @ 5 fps. Looking for a fairly low end build, occasionally running CAD software, code development. Also getting hardware that is well supported in ubuntu would be very nice, since I plan on dual booting.
What is your budget?
I'd like to target for $600, $700 CAD including os, monitor, shipping
What is your resolution?
I'll need to buy a monitor. Nothing crazy, 1920x1080 seem reasonable
What are you using it for?
Mainly sc2, LoL. I mentioned development, CAD, but also the adobe suite (photoshop, indesign, premiere). I run all that stuff on my pos laptop right now though so it's really just an upgrade for sc2.
What is your upgrade cycle?
2, 3 years. I'd rather do a cheap build now and start over in a couple years when money won't be as tight
When do you plan on building it?
Next weekend?
Do you plan on overclocking?
Nope
Do you need an Operating System?
Yeah, I'll need win7
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
Nope. I'd be happy enough just running sc2 on high.
Where are you buying your parts from?
I live in Toronto, Canada. I have heard that ncix is a good site to buy posts in Canada, but I can also easily go to a canada computers location if that saves on shipping.
Thanks for any advice.
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not sure if this belongs here, but
ive got a 6950 (well the shaders are unlocked and its at 880/1375 with the 20% power) and i have a question with regards to the fan. will setting the fan speed manually to high speeds affect the life of the fan/graphics card? is there a reasonable speed i go to without the card's life being affected?
if i leave it on auto, my card gets to around 75c max playing games. right now, i set it to 50% and it hasnt gone past 60c. havent tested it with 100%, it gets me all nervous like my card is going to blow up
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I think $700 is supposed to include the monitor too. The only place to cut really would be the graphics card. For about $50 less, this GTS 450 could run high settings handily. Or for $30 less than that, a HD 5670 could do medium/high (well, it'll do high at a whole lot higher than 5 fps, though it's a pretty large step down from a GTS 450).
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=57924
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=59249
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5930 Posts
I wouldn't look too much into that, apparently most of the people who managed to cook their cards were pushing a crazy amount of voltage on some stupid overclocks. I find that doubtful but its possible when people are trying to see how far they can push this thing and enthusiasts like doing shit that voids their warranty.
That being said its made by engineers who should (or maybe management stonewalled them) have designed the thing like a brick with absurd voltage/current protection so this wouldn't ever happen. nVidia's recent driver history doesn't inspire much confidence in the stability department either, especially since the 590 seems to be such a limited release.
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Hey guys so I have 2 questions:
1. I'm interested in overclocking the i5-2500k sandy bridge from 3.3 GHz to about 4.0 GHz, assuming I have solid heat control with a good heatsink am I really shortening the life of the processor that much? I don't plan on squeezing every last drop out of performance out of it yet I'm worried about long term affects.
2. I was thinking of going with the GTX-560 graphics card, about $250 on Newegg. Is there a better card within that price range?
Thanks!
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@ skyR, Myrmidon
Thanks for the input. I'm going to check to see if I still have a win7 key from university, but I think I already used it. I'd like to include the monitor in the total, yes, but I also don't mind adding a little cash here and there if the payback is good.
Pretty good value there it seems. The X4 bundle is about the same price as the cheapest X3+mobo combination, and that case is about as cheap as it gets. I might downgrade the gfx card a bit, though. You can get an HD 5770 for 100$ right now on NCIX: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=56154. Is Powercolor a crap brand? If so the price difference between the XFX 5770 and the 6850 isn't a big jump so I might go for it anyways...
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@Cornstyle
No, you're not going to be shortening the life of the processor unless you go over Intel's max voltage specifications (1.52v).
The GTX 560 competes with AMD's Radeon 6950 1GB. Both offer similar performance but currently the 6950 1GB is a better buy as it comes in just a little over $200 after mail in rebate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150523
@NevilleS
Powercolour isn't known for anything special. They offer a 2 year warranty as opposed to lifetime warranty upon registration by XFX.
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What is your budget?
700-900 *Really hoping to get a sandy bridge i5 CPU
What is your resolution?
1920x1200
What are you using it for?
Sc2 and various other new and old games, mostly sc2 though
What is your upgrade cycle?
2-3 years
When do you plan on building it?
ASAP
Do you plan on overclocking?
No
Do you need an Operating System?
Win7 64bit
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
No
Where are you buying your parts from?
Canadian retailers, newegg.ca, NCIX.ca, tigerdirect.ca, etc
Thx!!
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Hello friends, I was looking to buy a laptop for college so I can be mobile but I would like one that can run sc2 on low with 30+ fps in 1v1's, I have about 900$ to spend so if anyone could recommend some it would be awesome :DDDD
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As good as a Truepower New 650W is for $70, I think the Corsair CX430 for $30 is another good option. For someone not overclocking and getting a i5-2400, the CX430 should have enough power for an even more power-hungry GPU upgrade down the line. I would expect the Truepower New to survive a few more years longer on average (has a 5 yr vs. 2 yr warranty to back that up), and it's definitely a better product in all aspects, but is that worth $40 more? It's debatable.
Anyway, here's the CX430:
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=54842&promoid=1302
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Hey guys, I built a computer a few months ago (with a lot of help from this thread), and one of my RAM sticks has gone bad. I could RMA it, but I think it would be a better idea to buy a new set because prices have dropped immensely and the Mushkin Essentials RAM I currently have seems unreliable and crappy. This brings about 2 questions:
1) Is there any need for > 4GB RAM? When I built the computer, 4GB was pretty much the standard, but I'm not sure if things have changed since then.
2) Are there any particular brands you guys would recommend? G.Skill and Corsair seem to be the most popular on newegg, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are the best.
Thanks in advance!
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What is your budget?
$900-$1,200
What is your resolution?
1920x1200
What are you using it for?
SC2 + Streaming
What is your upgrade cycle?
3-4 years
When do you plan on building it?
Whenever
Do you plan on overclocking?
No
Do you need an Operating System?
Yes, Windows 7
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
Nope
Where are you buying your parts from?
Newegg
Oh, and I need a new monitor too.
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@Braag:
Most laptops that cost $500 or so could do 1v1 SC2 on low at 30 fps. If this is just your requirement in terms of hardware specs, you should probably look at the other important factors of a laptop, like maybe the build quality, keyboard, screen, battery life, etc. If you want it for college and plan to take it around a lot, maybe you want something more durable. Some of the cheaper business-class laptops would be in your price range and may be worth considering.
Optimally, for hardware specs, you want a second-generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7 and some type of discrete GPU. It will be like Core i5-2520M, with the 2 signifying the second gen. Dual core is fine for gaming; in the price range you're looking at, maybe it makes more sense. You may want to check out these links as a rough guideline to comparing laptop GPUs:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html
@city42:
There's no sudden need for more than 4GB for most users. RAM is cheap now, though, so 8GB isn't a terrible idea. I wouldn't look too much into brands since they are all just sourcing the same RAM modules from the same few manufacturers pretty much (and switching them around rapidly as pricing and stock change). You just got unlucky. Just find whatever is cheap on newegg and has a good rating.
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@city42:
There's no sudden need for more than 4GB for most users. RAM is cheap now, though, so 8GB isn't a terrible idea. I wouldn't look too much into brands since they are all just sourcing the same RAM modules from the same few manufacturers pretty much (and switching them around rapidly as pricing and stock change). You just got unlucky. Just find whatever is cheap on newegg and has a good rating.
Thank you!
I've been looking at newegg and a lot of the RAM looks like this and this. My motherboard (Gigabyte GA-MA770T-US3) puts the RAM slots for different channels right next to each other, and those RAM sticks look huge. Is there enough room for them?
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RAM slots are the same on every motherboard regardless of how channels are arranged. All four slots can be filled with RAM regardless of the heatspreader.
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EPT
