|
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. |
On October 25 2011 16:53 Nihilite wrote:
So with this list in mind I have some questions:
- The price of this comes down to 720 euro~, my budget is 800 euro so if necessary I could still spend abit more. Which part would I be looking at upgrading first if anything, considering I want to use the pc for gaming (upcoming titles such as skyrim/guild wars 2) and streaming?
- What would the advantages be over having a 2GB video card instead of 1GB? (depending on where I order the price difference isn’t much)
- What would the advantages be of having 1600 Mhz RAM instead of 1333 Mhz? (The price difference is only about 5 euro’s)
- Would I be able to overclock this pc? (wasn’t my intention initially, but a friend adviced me that I should look at being able too since it would probably save having to upgrade my pc for a little while longer) or would I need a better cooler?
- Any general advice on better options is obviously appreciated. :D
HD 6950 2GB will not be better unless playing in resolutions above 1920x1200, in a texture-heavy game, with high AA/AF on. In most every situation, performance of the 1GB model is the same.
1600 MHz RAM gets you about 0-2% more performance in real applications, usually on the lower end. For 5 euros it's your call.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3/6
http://techreport.com/articles.x/20377/3
You'd be able to overclock, and unless you really want to push the hardware, the Xigmatek Gaia is enough for that.
Consider getting an SSD (won't help with gaming other than loading games) and maybe a smaller HDD to stay in budget. Crucial M4 64GB is €92,80.
http://www.afuture.nl/products/233047/CT064M4SSD2_Crucial_64_GB_m4.html
If you got an SSD, the motherboard only comes with 2 SATA cables and you would be using 3 SATA devices, so you'd need to find or purchase an extra.
For a few euros more, if you don't mind the LED fan, I think upgrading to Super Flower Amazon 450W is worth it. CX500 V2 is fine though.
https://www.afuture.nl/products/191679/SF-450P14HE_Super_Flower_Amazon_Bronze_80-.html
|
|
|
On October 25 2011 23:07 Myrmidon wrote:Show nested quote +On October 25 2011 16:53 Nihilite wrote:
So with this list in mind I have some questions:
- The price of this comes down to 720 euro~, my budget is 800 euro so if necessary I could still spend abit more. Which part would I be looking at upgrading first if anything, considering I want to use the pc for gaming (upcoming titles such as skyrim/guild wars 2) and streaming?
- What would the advantages be over having a 2GB video card instead of 1GB? (depending on where I order the price difference isn’t much)
- What would the advantages be of having 1600 Mhz RAM instead of 1333 Mhz? (The price difference is only about 5 euro’s)
- Would I be able to overclock this pc? (wasn’t my intention initially, but a friend adviced me that I should look at being able too since it would probably save having to upgrade my pc for a little while longer) or would I need a better cooler?
- Any general advice on better options is obviously appreciated. :D
HD 6950 2GB will not be better unless playing in resolutions above 1920x1200, in a texture-heavy game, with high AA/AF on. In most every situation, performance of the 1GB model is the same. 1600 MHz RAM gets you about 0-2% more performance in real applications, usually on the lower end. For 5 euros it's your call. http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3/6http://techreport.com/articles.x/20377/3You'd be able to overclock, and unless you really want to push the hardware, the Xigmatek Gaia is enough for that. Consider getting an SSD (won't help with gaming other than loading games) and maybe a smaller HDD to stay in budget. Crucial M4 64GB is €92,80. http://www.afuture.nl/products/233047/CT064M4SSD2_Crucial_64_GB_m4.htmlIf you got an SSD, the motherboard only comes with 2 SATA cables and you would be using 3 SATA devices, so you'd need to find or purchase an extra. For a few euros more, if you don't mind the LED fan, I think upgrading to Super Flower Amazon 450W is worth it. CX500 V2 is fine though. https://www.afuture.nl/products/191679/SF-450P14HE_Super_Flower_Amazon_Bronze_80-.html
Thanks for the reply!
Just a few extra questions:
- If I would take a dual screen, would that make having the HD6950 2GB more worth it?
- I guess the 1600 Mhz RAM isn't necessary, I'll think about it abit more but from the graphs on your link a 0,01 fps improvement is nothing.
- I wouldn't mind investing an extra 10 euro in a fan if that's 'safer'..? I have no clue if there even is much of a difference between fan quality, I just know absolutely nothing about that.
- I already use up 600GB on my current pc, so getting a smaller HDD then 750GB isn't really something I want to do. I'll think about the SSD, but I'll probably buy it seperatly later if load times bother me. Thanks for the advice though!
- I don't mind the LED fan, the case I wanted to pick had blue LED's aswell so it would probably fit. However could you explain to me why it's better? The CX500 has a potential of 500W while yours has a potential of 450W? Is it just the brand or?
|
- If you want to game on a dual monitor setup, yes
- The gaia is fine, but keep in mind they allso have the tranquillo rev 2 at afuture (which is the best price/performance)
If you want to push the overclocking you can go for the Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro C1 or de Thermalright hr-02 Macho. Do keep in mind they are both fairly big so check if your case has enough space. The dark rock allso seems to be very hard to mount (atleast according to some reviews, others dont even mention it)
- The superflower uses better components and the fan(profile) makes less noise. Besides that it can deliver only 1a less over the +12v rail, so they are both pretty much equally powerful. Advertised wattage doesn't really mean anything.
|
edit: very late response
+ Show Spoiler +If there is nothing stressful (like a game) being rendered on the second screen, it will not make much difference. The 1GB is still a better choice.
What kind of fan, and where? Most cases you can buy have enough cooling for a single GPU setup unless you're doing some hard overclocks. It just takes some maintenance sometimes cleaning dust out, particularly if the case airflow design, holes, dust filters (lack thereof), etc. are not so good. There are differences in fans in terms of airflow, noise, kind of noise, reliability, size, and so on.
Your setup is not going to need 400W unless you overclock everything and intentionally try to max power consumption with synthetic stress tests. Amount of rated power is usually not the concern, since most people don't actually need that much. What matters is the overall performance while delivering a given amount of power and also the reliability, which are dependent on the overall design, components used, and quality of construction (things you will not find on the product info page). From independent reviews with load testing and teardown, the Amazon is probably a bit better.
It's not so much about brand. CX series is Corsair's lowest-end budget lineup--still decent though. Super Flower has worse and better units as well.
For the record, the CX500 V2 only claims to be able to handle 408W on +12V, so there's no way a modern computer can actually load it up to 500W without going over 408W on +12V since there's no way you're loading everything else up to 92W. The Amazon 450W claims 396W on +12V, so in practice it's rated to handle about just as much.
|
Thanks for the responses!
@Madoga
Didn't see that! I'll get the tranquillo rev. 2 then.
@Myrmodin
Thanks for the explanation, I'll take the Super Flow Amazon 450W.
If I get a second screen it would most likely be used for watching streams (friend of mine has a dual screen setup to play SC2 and watch streams for que / loading times which I have to say is pretty awesome).
This is the case I'm planning to get:
http://azerty.nl/8-1044-355700/xigmatek-asgard-window-midto.html
Think it has enough airholes? I'll remember to clean dust out of my pc every once in a while (never done actually :<).
Edit:
Complete final build:
Motherboard: Asrock P67 Pro3 (B3)
Processor: Intel Core i5 2500K
Graphics card: Sapphire HD 6950 1GB
Memory: G.Skill 8GB DDR3 1333 DIMM
HDD: WD Caviar Blue (750 GB)
PSU: Super Flow Amazon Bronze 80+
Fan: Gelid Solutions Tranquillo Rev.2
Optical drive: Samsung SH-D163C
Case: Xigmatek Asgard + Window
And a final thanks to everyone who was able to help me  . Never thought I'd get responses this quick.
|
On October 25 2011 22:04 Irby wrote:
I'm gonna buy my PC parts today....any extra warranties on parts I should consider? Most have a "pay us extra money for an extra year on your warranty option." How much are these worth? Which parts are best to consider this option? Or is it a waste of my money entirely?
The only two reasons I can think of to buy warranty with Newegg or NCIX is if you want to deal directly with those retailers instead of the manufacturer for RMA purposes or if certain products doesn't have the warranty you desire (Asrock, etc).
On October 25 2011 16:16 Europa wrote:Show nested quote +On October 25 2011 14:46 skyR wrote:
By the time games support six cores, all the processors currently available will be beyond obsolete.
Starcraft II isn't graphic intensive at all and is heavily dependent on the CPU. Upgrading to a 2500k will help since its IPC is much higher than that of a second generation Phenom. Okay, so the Phenom X6 is out of the question then. I also want to play games such as Battlefield 3, Oblivion, Guild Wars, etc. With this in mind, should I go the i5 route or the i7 route?
The i7 provides a little extra cache which is negligible to gaming performance and hyperthreading which provides no benefit to gaming performance since games only make use of two, three, or four threads at most; with the majority still only using two.
|
|
|
On October 26 2011 00:46 skyR wrote:The i7 provides a little extra cache which is negligible to gaming performance and hyperthreading which provides no benefit to gaming performance since games only make use of two, three, or four threads at most; with the majority still only using two.
Cool, no point in spending money on something that won't make much of a difference. i5 2500k it is. Thanks!
|
Hi! I am in need of a new PC because mine does not meet minimum requirements anymore.This is my first time building so I do not know exactly how to go about doing this. I know that I need a set of individual parts found online, and then I need to put them together :O
So i'll start with Teh Qwestionnaire. Any input appreciated! If you need any more info feel free to PM me or write here, I am active tri-daily for usually extended amounts of time especially now that I don't work anymore, just school. Phew!
The Questionnaire!
+ Show Spoiler +What is your budget?
750-1250 Canadian dollars. I currently have a keyboard, mouse and ~22 inch old dell flatscreen monitor(They are all old in fact). I’d need everything except what I mentioned above. Stand-by on the monitor at the moment, I’m on a modest budget for now.
What is your resolution?
I would like to be able to game on higher resolutions when I come across a capable monitor. Preferably something modestly big and detailed! At the moment my resolution seems to be 1680x1050.
What are you using it for?
Gaming on high or Ultra graphics and homework! Perhaps attach the pc to my TV via umbilical chord for movies, IDK. I don’t really have space for two monitors here so scratching that off. Nothing serious, but after I get my PC I'm gonna make sure to take very close care of it like an enthusiast would. Yeah, right after I get my hands on Metro 2033 or Crysis + ultra graphiscs *drool*
What is your upgrade cycle?
As long as humanly possible, my current dell pre-built is almost as old as XP lol so at least two years, after that I would be more than willing to upgrade its performance over replacing the entire thing. Cost effectiveness and longevity in mind. Odd couple, I know.
When do you plan on building it?
Anytime between now and January. I'm not really on a strict deadline here, just looking to replace my caveputer around the time HotS and D3 (possibly) come out. Preferably slightly before!
Do you plan on overclocking?
Lets just say I'd rather O/C down the line rather than purchase new expensive parts. If overclocking down the line is discouraged, then my answer is no. Unless there is some benefit of overclocking that I cannot comprehend, like fps whores.
Do you need an Operating System?
Most likely not. If I do, I’ll look into college student deals somewhere/how.
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
I heard the benefits do not outweigh the risks of doing this, but it wouldn't hurt to have a compatible motherboard. Lets just say again that I'll do whatever's clever when it comes to my GPU and its possible future partner in crime
Where are you buying your parts from?
Live in Quebec, CANADA so I will most likely purchase from Tigerdirect or NCIX or www.memoryexpress.com (<-?) There is a http://www.microbytes.com/ somewhere around the island but to be honest I think sticking with national online retail would be the easier. Newegg.ca meh
If I knew exactly how to ‘bother with MIR’ I most certainly would, but that doesn’t seem too difficult in comparison to assembling a PC heh
An optimal part list would be greatly appreciated, also if it would be wise to have a certain extended warranty please recommend Is paypal the way to go?
|
TigerDirect Canada is just like Newegg Canada, both are generally garbage with the exception of Shellshocker deals or promo codes.
Memory Express doesn't have that great of a selection and their pricing is usually terrible unless pricematched. Generally avoid unless there's a sale or you want to uber price beat a component.
Until you're sure of when you're purchasing. There's little point in suggesting a configuration as NCIX sales and pricing change weekly but here's a general list:
- Core i5 2500k
- Coolermaster Hyper 212+
- GTX 560 Ti or Radeon HD6950 1GB
- MSI P67 G series of boards
- 2x4GB 1333MHz DDR3
- 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue or Caviar Green / Seagate Barracuda
- 64gb or 128gb Crucial M4
- ~500w power supply for single GPU, ~650w for multi-GPU such as the Antec Neo Eco, Antec High Current Gamer, XFX Core Edition Pro, or Earthwatts Green
- some case to your liking
This will probably cost about $900.
|
Ahhh fantastic! When would be a good time to purchase? Say... Boxing week? I'll keep my eyes peeled for sales o.0
|
Jeeez, just tried cable management on my non-modular and boy it was a pain in the ass but i think i did a decent job. But the backside of the panel looks like some shit with tape everywhere.
|
On October 26 2011 05:31 Puph wrote:
Ahhh fantastic! When would be a good time to purchase? Say... Boxing week? I'll keep my eyes peeled for sales o.0
A new sale is posted every Wednesday evening. There's usually nothing special during Boxing week or Black Friday that you can't find during the regular weekly sales. The website usually comes to a crawl when the sale is about to be posted and the amazing deals don't usually last long. Really only worthwhile if you're looking for the more expensive components such as cases and SSDs.
|
Anyone suggest a good global sound equalizer for win7?
I would really rather not make a whole thread about it.
Im not paying for one BTW.
|
If you want something across all programs, it's got to be in the audio drivers or Windows Kernel mixer, right? I don't think the Windows audio stack opens up any tweakable settings for users, so it's all up to the audio drivers. Maybe I'm way wrong, but I don't think some kind of 3rd-party utility can catch and process all audio originating from other programs.
Realtek or what else? Which chip? You can try using ALC AC'97 instead of HD Audio, searching for solutions for the particular chipset and drivers, and so on...I don't really have a good idea.
|
On October 26 2011 07:06 Myrmidon wrote:
If you want something across all programs, it's got to be in the audio drivers or Windows Kernel mixer, right? I don't think the Windows audio stack opens up any tweakable settings for users, so it's all up to the audio drivers. Maybe I'm way wrong, but I don't think some kind of 3rd-party utility can catch and process all audio originating from other programs.
Realtek or what else? Which chip? You can try using ALC instead of HD Audio, searching for solutions for the particular chipset and drivers, and so on...I don't really have a good idea.
I had this conversation on the last page I think. My drivers dont include a sound effects panel for some unknown reason. I might be able to tweak the values in the registry as if the GUI still existed but, thats really tedious.
Its realtek AC892 I believe.
|
Wow we both typo'd lol. I somehow did AC'97 -> ALC because I was thinking of Realtek audio codecs I guess, and you did ALC -> AC. Probably to correct me subconsciously. 
I wonder if there's an old driver version you can install, or was it removed that far back?
How often do you change EQ settings? If you can really tweak it still through the registry, you could save a couple of "presets", one in each .reg file. Then just run the .reg file you want to change the preset.
|
Hey guys so Im building my first computer and was trying to keep it under the $1000 mark. I dont have a OS or monitor so I was trying to include that in the $1000. I was looking to have 1600x900 resolution. I will manily be using the computer for gaming and would like to multitask while playing. Like run skype and pandora. I would like this computer to last 2-3 years and am planning on building it asap. I was planning on overclocking it and am still not sure about multiple video cards. I would like to start with one and maybe on day in the future add a second. I have been looking for parts on newegg and this is what I have come up with. Thanks for all the advice.
Intel I5-2500K ($214.99)
ASUS P8Z68-V LE ($129.99)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB(2x4GB) ($49.99)
Samsung CD/DVD Burner ($17.99)
Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s ($64.99)
XFX Radeon HD 6870 1GB (159.99 after mail-in rebate)
Rosewill Challenger Black Gaming ATX and Rosewill HIVE-650w ($114.98 combo deal)
Total: $752.92
|
On October 26 2011 07:42 Myrmidon wrote:Wow we both typo'd lol. I somehow did AC'97 -> ALC because I was thinking of Realtek audio codecs I guess, and you did ALC -> AC. Probably to correct me subconsciously. I wonder if there's an old driver version you can install, or was it removed that far back? How often do you change EQ settings? If you can really tweak it still through the registry, you could save a couple of "presets", one in each .reg file. Then just run the .reg file you want to change the preset.
Oh shit your right. I only want to lower the midrange and increase the low's and high's. It produces more natural sound than flat-everything.
And I have no idea how to edit the registry numbers. Im sure everything is translated into hex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
