[dyan]

^
Same here.. i missed my i7 2600k and asus mb for $130 off.

[zonda_s]

Any suggestions on better choices for a desktop mainly for gaming and schoolwork..

i would get at least 650 watts for the power supply since you will be using a 560ti. i think you can save some money on the cpu by getting the 2500k instead of the 2600k. sure you'll get the extra cache on the 2600k, but i don't think it's necessary.

[dyan]

i would get at least 650 watts for the power supply since you will be using a 560ti. i think you can save some money on the cpu by getting the 2500k instead of the 2600k. sure you'll get the extra cache on the 2600k, but i don't think it's necessary.

If i get the i5, what kind of ram should i get. preferably 12gb and xfire compatable

[zonda_s]

If i get the i5, what kind of ram should i get. preferably 12gb and xfire compatable

the p8z68 v-pro doesn't do triple channel. the 2500k and 2600k aren't triple channel compatible either. and xfire? i think you're mixing things up. nvidia cards do SLI, AMD cards do xfire. and if you plan to do that now or in the future, i would bump up the power supply to at least 750w

[dyan]

the p8z68 v-pro doesn't do triple channel. the 2500k and 2600k aren't triple channel compatible either. and xfire? i think you're mixing things up. nvidia cards do SLI, AMD cards do xfire. and if you plan to do that now or in the future, i would bump up the power supply to at least 750w

Sorry for the confusion.. i know about the SLI and xfire, however is there no possible option for dual channel 12gb ram?

As for my graphics option.. would the 560 2GB or 1gb 448 cores be better? I also looked into getting a radeon 6970.

[twitchyzero]

12gb ram will still work...but it wont be running in triple channel mode..which apparently isn't even noticable if all you do is gaming

[dyan]

12gb ram will still work...but it wont be running in triple channel mode..which apparently isn't even noticable if all you do is gaming

Sorry for such noob questions, but whats the difference between tri and dual channel and when would you see a difference? Perhaps rendering graphics, editing videos?

[zonda_s]

Sorry for the confusion.. i know about the SLI and xfire, however is there no possible option for dual channel 12gb ram?

As for my graphics option.. would the 560 2GB or 1gb 448 cores be better? I also looked into getting a radeon 6970.

dual channel is usually in pairs, so it's going to be 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. triple channel is 3, 6, 12, etc.

games don't really fully utilize triple channel yet since it's fairly new.

some basic and possibly outdated details on dual vs triple channel: G.Skill DDR3 PC3-16000 Triple Channel memory review (http://www.guru3d.com/article/gskill-ddr3-pc316000-triple-channel-memory-review/2)

as far as going with a 560 2gb and a 560ti 448 go, i don't think the extra memory is as important as the bumped up clocked speed on the 448. the 448 is essentially a neutered 570. if anyone disagrees, feel free to correct me.

[Purely]

Can someone recommend me a build for around $700 before taxes? Friend wants it for gaming..(Diablo 3, BF3, etc)

Planning on doing an i5 2500k build, since it seems like the best bang for the buck for gamers right now. I took the items off ME because they offer free assembly.

mobo: GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 Gigabyte GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 w/ Dual DDR3 2133, 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, CrossFireX / SLI at Memory Express (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX33372)
ram: GSKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB PC3-12800 GSKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB PC3-12800 Dual Channel DDR3 Kit (2 x 4GB) at Memory Express (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX33234)
GPU: HIS Radeon HD 6870 1GB GDDR5 HIS Radeon HD 6870 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort at Memory Express (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35404)
CPU: intel i5 2500k 3.30 GHZ w/ 6MB Cache Intel Core (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX31557)
PSU: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35075
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus Case w/ Fan Controller Zalman Z9 Plus Case w/ Fan Controller at Memory Express (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX31654)

Total $714.94 before taxes/MIR

Could anyone chime in on this build? I'm not too sure which mobo/ram/gpu is suited for this budget. I know more $$ should be spent on the graphics card, but I think going i5 2500k is better bang for the buck vs going AMD at this budget point.

Not sure which motherboard/psu to get... Any recommendations or should I just stick with these two?

[dyan]

^ If you're planning to run sli/xfire, you should amp up your psu to 750W, else 650W should be fine.

As for mobo, z68 should be fine since you're on a budget.

Curious, what kind of settings does your friend want for BF3?

[Purely]

^^ EDIT: since PSU is out of stock, going to change to this PSU instead Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 700 Watt Power Supply at Memory Express (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35075)

How are CoolerMaster power supplies?

For BF3 I'm not too sure, but I guess as high as the system allows him to. He told me he wants a a set-up that will last him for quite awhile for $700.

[dyan]

That i have no idea.

However, are you going to be getting windows 7 or are you getting a pirated one...cuz i was looking for the student deal. Couldn't seem to find it

[Purely]

^^not sure about friend, probably pirate.

[FerrariEnzo]

why are you so fixed on getting 12gb of ram?

anything past 8gb is not worth the money, even for gaming..
unless you plan on doing photoshop or any other graphic intense application...

8gb running at 1866mhz is more then enough ram power... 2133mhz sees not much benefits...

i would suggest getting 1000 Watt PS, future proofing is always good.. higher end graphics card requires more power... PS is the number 1 important item to get...
get a PS that has removable cables is good, less clutter inside the case... like the Silverstone Strider Plus...
http://media.memoryexpress.com/Images/Products/MX28732/0?Size=Large

[cctw]

computer problems =(..helpp...

so got my computer to boot...then realized my cd rom drive doesn't power...possibly cos I have 2 other hard drives connected to the same 4 pin molex..

so turns off comp..make sure everything connected...tries to repower on before sticking another esata molex in there...and pc doesn't power on..
after a few tries..disconnecting and reconnecting stuff..it finally turns on...but my monitor doesnt turn on..stays black
I get a beep when powering on..and all the lights power on..detects my mouse n stuff..but no screen..
It powered on once outta the 10 times..telling me I got multiple boot failures due to voltage/overclocking issues..but I havent even installed the motherboard drivers yet

anyone know whats up?

[cctw]

also forgot to add when the first time I booted my 2500k was running 3.6ghz with ram at 1600mhz..

the one time it booted telling me abt boot failures it clocked cpu down to 3.4ghz with ram at 1333mhz...

[dyan]

why are you so fixed on getting 12gb of ram?

anything past 8gb is not worth the money, even for gaming..
unless you plan on doing photoshop or any other graphic intense application...

8gb running at 1866mhz is more then enough ram power... 2133mhz sees not much benefits...

i would suggest getting 1000 Watt PS, future proofing is always good.. higher end graphics card requires more power... PS is the number 1 important item to get...
get a PS that has removable cables is good, less clutter inside the case... like the Silverstone Strider Plus...
http://media.memoryexpress.com/Images/Products/MX28732/0?Size=Large

I was gonna get a 800 Watt PSU which should suffice for a while.

As for the 12GB ram, mostly for some video editing/ PS for my photography. However, i only opted to go for the i5 2500k cuz its the best bang for the buck atm.

[zonda_s]

computer problems =(..helpp...

so got my computer to boot...then realized my cd rom drive doesn't power...possibly cos I have 2 other hard drives connected to the same 4 pin molex..

so turns off comp..make sure everything connected...tries to repower on before sticking another esata molex in there...and pc doesn't power on..
after a few tries..disconnecting and reconnecting stuff..it finally turns on...but my monitor doesnt turn on..stays black
I get a beep when powering on..and all the lights power on..detects my mouse n stuff..but no screen..
It powered on once outta the 10 times..telling me I got multiple boot failures due to voltage/overclocking issues..but I havent even installed the motherboard drivers yet

anyone know whats up?

sorta sounds like you're not getting enough juice on your components?

specs? also, since you sort of mentioned that you are overclocking, try to put everything back at stock settings. let us know the results of that as well.

[dyan]

Last min question before i put everything together..

Is there a diff between
gtx560ti 448 cores
AND
gtx560ti 448 cores classified?

I head the classified one is overclockable while the other one isn't.

[zonda_s]

Last min question before i put everything together..

Is there a diff between
gtx560ti 448 cores
AND
gtx560ti 448 cores classified?

I head the classified one is overclockable while the other one isn't.

not sure what evga would do to make the non-classified non-overclockable nor have i heard them stopping one of their models from doing so. i think it's more the fact that the classified may be better for overclocking since it uses a custom cooler as opposed to the reference designed cooler.

[cctw]

so update on my issue is that my gpu crapped out =[

everything boots fine now without the gpu plugged in..
gonna get a swap at mem ex tmw..

[dyan]

anyone know how to build a comp and oc it for me? PM me :D

ME/Ncix wants to charge me 100 for everything...

[twitchyzero]

it's quite easy to put together a computer..if you too lazy get ncix to do it for $50
OC is also easy but takes patience/baby steps...tons online guides out there

[dyan]

just dont wanna fry my processor.. etc. lol

[Purely]

anyone know how to build a comp and oc it for me? PM me :D

ME/Ncix wants to charge me 100 for everything...

!?!? I thought NCIX costs $50 (sometimes free, if they are nice and willing to build it for you since you bought all the parts there), Memory Express should be free isn't it? It says on their website.

[!MiKrofT]

I think he means the charge to overclock it for you.

[dyan]

Yeah thats what i mean.. I don't think the overclocking part is gonna matter anymore.

Probably gonna experiment around and as long as i take things slowly, I dont think i'll fry the card.

Couldn't find many sites on building it tho as i don't really know many of the names of the components.. ie where you plug x to y.

[Hondaracer]

anyone else get the email from NCIX regarding the firmware upgrade for the R4 SSD's?

[ddr]

R4 or M4?

M4 0309 firmware out. never had any problems because not at 5k hours yet, but installed it after reading some feedback on the new FW.

anyone else get the email from NCIX regarding the firmware upgrade for the R4 SSD's?

[BlackV62K2]

Anyone familiar with overclocking via voltage offsets instead of a fixed voltage? I'm currently semi stable running i7 2700k @ 4.8ghz with 1.35v. Did bsod after 9 hours of running prime95 so I might just try running at 4.7ghz or upping the voltage a bit. Once I do get it stable I would like to overclock using offset. VID was around 1.3511 in real temp and I saw the voltage jump between 1.34-1.36 during the prime run.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[JoeyStorm]

Anyone familiar with overclocking via voltage offsets instead of a fixed voltage? I'm currently semi stable running i7 2700k @ 4.8ghz with 1.35v. Did bsod after 9 hours of running prime95 so I might just try running at 4.7ghz or upping the voltage a bit. Once I do get it stable I would like to overclock using offset. VID was around 1.3511 in real temp and I saw the voltage jump between 1.34-1.36 during the prime run.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

Try keeping your current voltage and changing LLC to High-Extreme. If it passes p95 then you'll have a good idea of where your fixed voltage should be for stability.

[Hondaracer]

Where can I read up on overclocking?

I have the Asus P687 Vpro or whatever MB with i7 2600k but only running a 650W PSU :/ will that be enough?

I'm very tech/computer savy but have never really gotten into OCin at all
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[StylinRed]

So Im not sure if anyone remembers my problem with Memory Express and the broken P8Z68-V Pro motherboard

But finally there seems to be a resolution... they sent my board into Asus the end of last month (why it took them a month to do that is beyond me) and It seems like Asus repaired the board and shipped it back to MemoryExpress

The odd thing is the manager @ memoryexpress stopped contact with me (he said he'd keep me informed when the board got back and I could go pick it up) the day my Board arrived back @ memoryexpress

I found it a bit odd so I searched my serial # @ asus' website and found the repair information and tracking # and it turned out the board arrived @ memory express on Feb 2nd so I contacted MemoryExpress again with the information I just got and they're like "oh you can come pick it up today"

-_- fucking customer service

Im just glad this is done with... hopefully as I haven't picked up the computer yet

[Hondaracer]

weird problem i just had.. i dunno if i just fried this ram or what

so basically right now i'm running 8GB of this Mushkin Enhanced PC3-12800 ram, 4GBX2

today i went out and bought another 8GB, the exact same ram, or so it appears, the only difference is that the ram that was in the computer has these Chrome brackets on it and this new ram i just bought does not, but same SKU and seemingly the same ram from NCIX

anyways i went to go install it like i have a million other times, plugged it in and hooked my computer back up, i was sitting on the floor next to the case when i started it and as soon as i pressed the power button i smelt this kind of burning, it wasnt like your typical electrical burning smell though, so i waited for a second and figured maybe this was just what it smelt like down by the case on start up

waited a few more seconds and my monitors didnt kick in, so i turned off the computer and opened the case back up, checked my ram.. looked fine so looked around some more

then i pulled the sticks of ram and one of the new ones i just installed was upside down.. wtf.. i dont even know how it got into the slot upside down, it was perfectly flush with the other sticks

so i spun that one around reinstalled both of them to make sure 100% they were both correct, started up computer again and the monitors did not kick in again..

so i pulled both sticks of ram, and the computer turned on fine with the original 2 sticks..

also now that i look at it, when the ram was in, there was a red light on inside my case, i'm asuming on the MB?

is my new ram fried or what?


EDIT*

Ok so i tried it all again, got the ram back in and started it up, no burning smell and it's running fine, and showing the full 16GB of memory now.. wtf..

also i fully inspected the ram and sockets and there were no burn marks etc. so am I in the clear?

[noTirl]

So Im not sure if anyone remembers my problem with Memory Express and the broken P8Z68-V Pro motherboard

But finally there seems to be a resolution... they sent my board into Asus the end of last month (why it took them a month to do that is beyond me) and It seems like Asus repaired the board and shipped it back to MemoryExpress

The odd thing is the manager @ memoryexpress stopped contact with me (he said he'd keep me informed when the board got back and I could go pick it up) the day my Board arrived back @ memoryexpress

I found it a bit odd so I searched my serial # @ asus' website and found the repair information and tracking # and it turned out the board arrived @ memory express on Feb 2nd so I contacted MemoryExpress again with the information I just got and they're like "oh you can come pick it up today"

-_- fucking customer service

Im just glad this is done with... hopefully as I haven't picked up the computer yet

I was in the same situation earlier this year in january. My asus z68 broke and i had to bring it into ME. I actually had pretty good service though. They put a cpu cover on my mobo and sent it out that week. Got it back in like week n a half. They called and left a voice message since I wasnt home.

I just think its one crummy manager that works there. Sometimes when i call in to get an item put on hold or price match this one guy always gives me a hard time. But other than that i tend to get pretty good service at ME.

[ddr]

any description of this person? 'cause i think i might have experienced the same thing

[ForbiddenX]

Hmm thinking of letting go of my i7 2700k, don't have time or use for building a beastly computer right now. I don't think I'll use all of the cpu power that it gives haha.

anyone interested?

[StylinRed]

I was in the same situation earlier this year in january. My asus z68 broke and i had to bring it into ME. I actually had pretty good service though. They put a cpu cover on my mobo and sent it out that week. Got it back in like week n a half. They called and left a voice message since I wasnt home.

I just think its one crummy manager that works there. Sometimes when i call in to get an item put on hold or price match this one guy always gives me a hard time. But other than that i tend to get pretty good service at ME.

i dunno my first experience with Memory Express and its been a long and arduous one some people were really nice and helpful but the moment something went wrong wow.... i'll certainly never go back there even if prices are twice as cheaper as ncix

and considering asus didnt want any money to repair/replace my motherboard + the whole situation on how ME acted prior and post pick-up.. its really reenforcing my view that it was ME that broke my MB and they should have replaced it with a new MB instead of allowing this whole fiasco that ensued
any description of this person? 'cause i think i might have experienced the same thing

the guy i dealt with is named Damian Cheytanov (store manager)
im quite certain he was @ the store today when I picked up my computer (looks just like him) and he didn't even look my way even when he was right in front of me

im contemplating whether i should complain to Minh Ngo (ceo) but i dont really want to be douchey since in the end ive got my working computer and it didnt cost me anything... just time -_-

[ddr]

no, that wasn't the person i dealt with. i dealt with someone i've seen from Calgary before. anyhow, good that you can sort this all out now.

[StylinRed]

;) yeah now im just getting everything installed on it


bloody pita since i just did this exact same thing with my laptop


do i need to turn prefetch superfetch off? its showing up as on in the registry

also disk defragmentor is scheduling my ssd for a defrag

what am i supposed to do

[dyan]

Bought most of my stuff from ME. Go home to find out that my CPU cooler wont go pass 600 RPM. Now i don't know if its my Mobo or Cooler.. they said i could bring it back and they would take a look for free and replace it.

I bought this over a week ago.. so i think it depends on who you talk to

[!Nhan]

So i'm looking at getting a video card to complete my new build. Problem I'm having is choosing a brand. Is there any brand that's better than the other or does it really make no difference? If it helps I'm looking at getting a 560TI OC 1GB card.

[dyan]

So i'm looking at getting a video card to complete my new build. Problem I'm having is choosing a brand. Is there any brand that's better than the other or does it really make no difference? If it helps I'm looking at getting a 560TI OC 1GB card.

I'd recommend Asus, EVGA, or MSI. But no there shouldn't be a big difference choosing a brand. Its mostly the customer support that's different. With the 3 i listed, the customer support should be pretty good.

[ddr]

;) yeah now im just getting everything installed on it


bloody pita since i just did this exact same thing with my laptop


do i need to turn prefetch superfetch off? its showing up as on in the registry

also disk defragmentor is scheduling my ssd for a defrag

what am i supposed to do

... just turn it off in scheduling

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/70822-ssd-tweaks-optimizations-windows-7-a.html

How to Maximize the Life of Your SSD (http://lifehacker.com/5802838/how-to-maximize-the-life-of-your-ssd)

it's widely debated, so take it with a grain of salt.

[StylinRed]

^^^ yah i turned off the defrag schedule

but i wasnt sure if i should have edited the registry for the fetching i just left it as is though

and when the computers booting it says it doesnt detect a hard drive (although it continues to load)

[twitchyzero]

apparently XFX will no longer give lifetime warranties unless you are buying their flagship products

forget double lifetime.

applies for HD 7000 series onwards

[twitchyzero]

official nvidia slides were released few days ago
kepler GTX 680 and sources point to it being released at the end of the week
clocked at 1GHz with 2GB GDDR5
able to support multiple monitors (a first for Nvidia single GPU cards)
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Nvidia-Kepler-GeForce-GTX680-gpu,15012.html
http://media.bestofmicro.com/S/F/330207/original/GeForce%20GTX%20680%20Image.jpg
http://media.bestofmicro.com/Nvidia-Kepler-GK104-GeForce-GTX680,S-E-330206-13.png

[dyan]

the Kepler 680 is rumored to go at around 700 lol
with that, you can sli gtx 580 and still come out on top saving a couple hundred bucks
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[twitchyzero]

My guess is $600
Lemme know where you can find 580 sli for 500 lol

edit: zotac gtx 680 pre-order in europe for around $550cad/usd

if it does get that price tag with those benches you'll definitely see amd dropping the prices on the 7900 series...meaning they also cant price the 7990 over $800

http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2012/2012031701_NVidia_GTX_680_Available_For_Pre-Order_In_Europe.html

[SkinnyPupp]

Leaked GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kepler Benchmarks (http://www.hardcoreware.net/leaked-geforce-gtx-680-kepler-benchmarks/)

:D

[twitchyzero]

let the price wars begin

[twitchyzero]

Nvidia Surround

bezel correction
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Review - Page 7 (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/52616-nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-2gb-review-7.html)

skyrim/metro 5760x1080 at 40fps...not bad for a single GPU...wonder how much better it can bench OC'd
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/52616-nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-2gb-review-25.html

i wonder how many amd eyefinity users are gonna jump ships

[wreckless]

for $500 + tax for the evga 680 i am considering it

[hotshot1]

Would you guys recommend getting a 570 if it was less than $300 now or wait for the 6xx series cards at the same price?

[freakshow]

Would you guys recommend getting a 570 if it was less than $300 now or wait for the 6xx series cards at the same price?
Unless you need it right now, i think it makes sense to wait for the 28nm version..

[twitchyzero]

Would you guys recommend getting a 570 if it was less than $300 now or wait for the 6xx series cards at the same price?

considering the GTX480 went on sale last week for $200 (pretty much on par with the 570)..no.

[lilaznviper]

http://i.imgur.com/8CRSe.jpg

what to do with 2 dual xeons with 8gb x18 of memory and 9 pci-e

not my computer

[LuHua]

^Run a server, which is what all that would be for lol.

Apparently CoolerMaster is coming out with a closed loop watercooling solution to beat the H80/H100 and anything else like that. Get a load of this:

CeBIT 2012 - Cooler Master Upcoming Products Preview - Cooler Master Eisberg 120 and 240 (http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/cebit_2012_cooler_master_upcoming_products_preview ,3.html)

Standard 120mm/240mm radiators, coiled spring reinforced tubing, and a very good pump/cpu block with the pump being made by Eheim (big name in aquatics). Fully expandable and the pump can apparently feed 8 blocks?

[twitchyzero]

the point of the corsair H products are meant to be somewhat affordable...if those units are going to run $200 then why wouldn't people just opt for custom water cooling?

[LuHua]

Well, for one I'm going to assume that it won't be the equivalent of 140 Euros here, should be cheaper than that. If you can get a set like that for ~$160 CAD (guessing from UK prices), considering that it's so much more versatile than the H100 or C240, I'm pretty sure I'd go for it if it actually gets me a step closer to a custom loop.

I'm going to hold off until there's actually some reviews out, but from the sounds of it going custom from that is really just adding some tubing, a reservoir, and whatever block s you want to it.

[Manic!]

what to do with 2 dual xeons with 8gb x18 of memory and 9 pci-e

not my computer

Use it to edit ultra high def video.

[Hondaracer]

So I'm completing my build today and going to pick up the noctua NH-D14 heatsink, anyone know any difference between it and the $10 cheaper NH-U12P?

[dyan]

^

No real difference though
If you're not going to do some serious OCing, the Noctua D14 wont be the best bang for the buck. Sure you have temps 3-4d lower but its 3-4x more expensive.

[Hondaracer]

I just want it to match the rest of my noctua fans :) lol :S

[dyan]

Lol if you can justify the money, be my guest :P

[twitchyzero]

damn i can't decide what midtower case i want..both can be had ~$100 and have great cable mgmt/tool less design/fan controller

corsair carbide 500r white
http://img.hexus.net/v2/systems/scan3xs/SNBE/Front.jpg
pro's
- more fans, bigger side fan
- better 240mm watercooling rad compatibility with h100
- better quality/fit&finish?

con's:
- no top fans

nzxt phantom 410 gunmetal (coming soon)
http://www.nzxt.com/new/images/_upload/product_gallery/1864.jpg
pro's
- looks completely bad ass

con's:
- plastic flip cover in the front
- no dust filter

[dyan]

I'd say get the 500r. (biased opinion)

I have one myself and im loving it. Even tho there are no top fans, those are something that can be added.. and if you were to use the H100 RAD, it just fits where those fans would have been.

[Hondaracer]

Fractal R3?

[Hondaracer]

lolol what in the fuck.. when i saw the box for the NH-14 i wondered why it was so big, then i opened it... lolol

its the size of a fucking basketball

[dyan]

LOL forgot to tell you that :P

[SkinnyPupp]

lolol what in the fuck.. when i saw the box for the NH-14 i wondered why it was so big, then i opened it... lolol

its the size of a fucking basketball
Yup that thing is a beast! But what an awesome cooler. I just reviewed it actually

Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/noctua-nh-d14-se2011-review/)

[twitchyzero]

Fractal R3?

cable mgmt isn't as nice as the other two

[SkinnyPupp]

It's a pretty good case

Fractal Design Define R3 Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/fractal-design-define-r3-review/)

[Hondaracer]

What do you do with your hardware after you review it?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/ebbc479b.jpg

[SkinnyPupp]

Depends. Sometimes I use it myself, sometimes I keep it for future testing, sometimes I give it away to friends or family, sometimes I just throw it in the garbage after a while. Sometimes I have to keep it indefinitely

[Hondaracer]

Reviewers can't sell for profit then?

[SkinnyPupp]

Sure, some things can never be sold though, as they are technically perpetual loans

[Hondaracer]

really impressed with the build quality and packaging, size comparison there

hope it fits into my case :S

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/d4d2c8f7.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/7ac46672.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/cf0579a3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/e7b37daf.jpg

[dyan]

It might not fit with some RAM because the ram is too tall.. thats one reason why i held off getting it. Unless you have some low profile rams, chances are that the noctua DH-14 wont fit.

[Hondaracer]

ive got some mushkin frostbyte which the guy at NCIX originally recomended to fit bigger heat sinks its very low pro, i have the fractal R3 though which is a mid tower, i havent test fit it yet though

[SkinnyPupp]

Yup there's a picture in my review showing that tall dimms won't work with this cooler. Tall dimms are pointless anyway imo

[Datsun]

Get these

http://pcper.com/files/imagecache/article_max_width/news/2012-03-23/Samsungreenvanity.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x164/arc00ta/DSC01986.jpg

[!MiKrofT]

It should be designed to clear standard ram. Ie the ones that don't have those massive heatsinks. Don't think it's necessary to buy special low profile ram.

[SkinnyPupp]

standard ram is fine. It's the stupid tall ones that won't work.

[StylinRed]

ive got the U12P

and my hyperx memory barely clears

shame, ive got that kingston memory fan attachment but cant use it

[SkinnyPupp]

I'll be reviewing their NH-N12 which is their low profile cooler. I'll post here when it goes up.

[Hondaracer]

So with my Asus P8Z68 Pro Z68 can I use the secufirm2 mounting kit for LGA2011 sockets?

[Hondaracer]

got it all in, ended up fitting quite well, at first i was more concerned with the fins on the actual MB than the ram, but ended up working out well

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/71cc2865.jpg

what is a good sensor temp program? im currently using realtemp but i dont know which sensors these temps are for, it shows 4 of them, are they all just the cores?

[!MiKrofT]

Yeah. Individual core temps. I use Coretemp.

[!Nhan]

That heatsink and fan combo is fuckin gigantic.

[SkinnyPupp]

youdontsay.jpg :troll:

[!MiKrofT]

I'll be reviewing their NH-N12 which is their low profile cooler. I'll post here when it goes up.
You mean the: NH-L12?

I'd like to see that review. Was thinking of getting it and using just the lower 92mm fan. I'm just worried about the motherboard bracket as Asus uses a metal support behind the CPU.

[lilaznviper]

that thing is a beast

Here is my computer with the noctua NH-U12P

http://i.imgur.com/dszow.jpg

[asian_XL]

is it really necessary, for modern cpus, need a heatsink at that size? even the bulldozer or i7-3XXX

[SkinnyPupp]

If you want it to be so quiet you literally can't hear it, yes, especially if overclocking

And Bulldozer and i7 3xxx are super hot when overclocking btw.

[Hondaracer]

I have an i7-2600k

This heatsink is as quiet if not quieter than the stock intel one from where I have my case under my desk

[SkinnyPupp]

It's definitely quieter lol.. at normal speeds, it's inaudible to the human ear. At full speed, your PSU fan will be louder for sure

[Jmac]

I love Noctua's coolers. Whenever I'm building a computer, I always check to see if they're on sale or have shipping deals (NCIX) associated with them.

Was able to snag an NH-C12P last year for $39 (via PM) w/ free shipping for the entire order (which was about $30 over here) :)

[Hondaracer]

I'm glad some people appreciate noctua products, outside of their performance despite their colors they have a presence/beauty to them inside a case

[dyan]

I personally would have chosen the dh-14 as well but i was on a budget so i had to resort to the hyper 212 evo.

[twitchyzero]

noctua is way too massive for its own good...unless you are trying to overclock SB i5/i7 to 5GHz the Hyper 212 is the better choice..space and pricewise

[TOPEC]

looking to upgrade my pc to play diablo 3

current specs r:
C2Q Q6600 2.4Ghz
4GB Ram
9800GTX+

what do u guys suggest i need in order to play diablo 3 smoothly, dont need extremely high quality graphics, but no shitty graphics either.

[twitchyzero]

only upgrade you need is a video card
you can probably get a 6850 for $120ish and run high settings

[ddr]

noctua is way too massive for its own good...unless you are trying to overclock SB i5/i7 to 5GHz the Hyper 212 is the better choice..space and pricewise

how about noise level wise? i'm willing to pay more for quiet ... i thought about closed water systems like the corsair H series, but some ppl report weird noises. I sit within a feet away from my tower so it's a concern for me. at the moment i use a zalman @ 40% and noctua case fans at 700rpm, they're about the same db as the PSU fan and pretty good. but at full load i open the front, turn the intake/exhaust fans at 100% and it's pretty loud.

[!MiKrofT]

Zalman fans are too loud. I replaced the fan on my zalman with a noctua. Bigger will be quieter as it will dissipate heat faster thus requiring a slower spinning/larger/quieter fan.

[SkinnyPupp]

An AMD review for those who may be interested :fuckthatshit:

Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3 Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/gigabyte-990fxa-ud3-review/)

[<3 envee]

In the market for a new monitor. I've always been a samsung fan when it came to monitors, but don't know why, the benq ones really interest me. I have kinda narrowed it down to either the ew2420 or the vw2420. I know based on value, ew2420 would probably win. But how about quality and other aspects, which one would you guys pick.

[lilaznviper]

Built a computer for my friend

Asus M5A99x Evo
Kingston Hyper X 4gbx4
OCZ Agility 3 120GB
AMD FX-6100
Corsair H40
MSI 560 GTX Ti Hawk
All in an Antec One case

Didn't like the case that much as the wiring holes were a bit covered by the ATX board and no hole at the top of the case to run the 4/8pin

http://i.imgur.com/9vdTj.jpg

[ddr]

Zalman fans are too loud. I replaced the fan on my zalman with a noctua. Bigger will be quieter as it will dissipate heat faster thus requiring a slower spinning/larger/quieter fan.

any recommendations for a good 120mm case fan? the tri-cool that came with the p180 is sounding funny at low. i liked the 3 speed manual switch at the back but the mobo has 3x SYSFAN so i think i can just control it in speedfan like the cpu one.

[cctw]

^scythe typhoon...the fan itself is not loud..but you'll hear the air hitting the metal at high rpm..
but at lower rpm its dead quiet..that or you remove whatever mesh is covering the fan

[Bonka]

I've got 6 Noctua NF-P12 in my case. Quiet and pushes a good amount of air.

The Silverstone FM121 has a fan controller on it and good specs but reliability seems to be a bit of an issue from the reviews I've encountered.

Delta fans push good air :troll:

[!MiKrofT]

any recommendations for a good 120mm case fan? the tri-cool that came with the p180 is sounding funny at low. i liked the 3 speed manual switch at the back but the mobo has 3x SYSFAN so i think i can just control it in speedfan like the cpu one.
Antec Truequiet Pro 120mm. They move a lot of air and are insanely quiet. They're a bit pricey but you won't be disappointed.

[ddr]

thnx for the suggestions ^^

[Hondaracer]

just picked up my final Noctua NF-S12B fan, build is basically complete now, gonna slap it in tonight and grab my buddies camera and snap some pics tommorow, finally done 2.5 months after buying it lol

[SkinnyPupp]

Built a computer for my friend

Asus M5A99x Evo
Kingston Hyper X 4gbx4
OCZ Agility 3 120GB
AMD FX-6100
Corsair H40
MSI 560 GTX Ti Hawk
All in an Antec One case

Didn't like the case that much as the wiring holes were a bit covered by the ATX board and no hole at the top of the case to run the 4/8pin

http://i.imgur.com/9vdTj.jpg
Interesting choice going with an FX. Is he just an AMD fanboy?

[twitchyzero]

H100 is $80AR this weekend...should I bother driving into richmond for it
what's the likelihood it'll hit $70 again in the next 2 months? my builds far from complete.

asian penny pinching :accepted:

[BN-604]

i'm wondering how much will it cost me if i want a gaming computer to run starcraft2 with no lag on medium or high graphics?

[dyan]

H100 is $80AR this weekend...should I bother driving into richmond for it
what's the likelihood it'll hit $70 again in the next 2 months? my builds far from complete.

asian penny pinching :accepted:

The H100 gets loud.. but 70 within next 2 months is pretty likely.. probably lower once june/july

[Bonka]

H100 is $80AR this weekend...should I bother driving into richmond for it
what's the likelihood it'll hit $70 again in the next 2 months? my builds far from complete.

asian penny pinching :accepted:

There seems to be pump noise issues but it may not be a big enough problem avoid purchase.

Avoid Corsair Hydro coolers for now - bad batches. - [H]ard|Forum (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1661628)

Corsair H100 Extreme Perf. Liquid CPU Cooler Review @ [H] - [H]ard|Forum (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1625014)

[Datsun]

Air-cooled for life.

*waiting to see read review of Cooler Master TPC 812*

[twitchyzero]

There seems to be pump noise issues but it may not be a big enough problem avoid purchase.

Avoid Corsair Hydro coolers for now - bad batches. - [H]ard|Forum (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1661628)

Corsair H100 Extreme Perf. Liquid CPU Cooler Review @ [H] - [H]ard|Forum (http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1625014)

that's a pretty serious problem and it's always a concern when RMA's can't resolve it and the support forum is dead silent from their end.

i'll avoid this unless they come up with a fix..thanks for heads up.

[SkinnyPupp]

How about Intel's liquid cooler for $90?

Intel RTS2011LC CPU Liquid Cooling System 150MM Radiator 120MM 74CFM 35DBA LGA2011 LGA1155 1156 1366 - Intel - BXRTS2011LC (http://ncix.com/products/?sku=66277&vpn=BXRTS2011LC&manufacture=Intel)

[twitchyzero]

that's more comparable to the H60?

[SkinnyPupp]

Oh the H100 is $80? I thought you were talking about the 60

[SkinnyPupp]

Will be reviewing a lot of memory in the next few weeks

Corsair Vengeance 16GB Quad Channel 1600 MHz Memory Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/corsair-vengeance-16gb-quad-channel-1600-memory-review/)

[LuHua]

Well, since no one has mentioned it...NCIX has stock on the AP-15 Gentle Typhoon fans, haven't been able to find any in a while so if anyone wants them now's the time. They're not too great as case fans, but near perfect for radiators and heatsinks with high fin density because of their high static pressure and airflow/noise ratio.

[Bonka]

Anyone have any experience regarding mail-in rebates - specifically MIRs on Gigabyte products? I'm looking to pick up a basic videocard and the MIR makes a big difference. Do manufacturers outsource MIRs to third party companies?

[-lincolnboi-]

Anyone have any experience regarding mail-in rebates - specifically MIRs on Gigabyte products? I'm looking to pick up a basic videocard and the MIR makes a big difference. Do manufacturers outsource MIRs to third party companies?

Did a Gigabyte MIR at the end of Dec and chose the -$2 from the rebate for the "express" processing.
Got an amex GC at the end of Jan. Cousin also did a MIR with them but no express proecessing or w/e.
He sent it in the middle/end of Nov and got his GC a week after mine.
As for your second question, I don't remember :alone:

[!MiKrofT]

All OEM outsource rebates to 3rd party companies.

[Datsun]

GTs; 2 for $30

NCIX 2 Pack Bundle Deal Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120MM Japan Servo Double Ball Bearing Case Fan - Bundle Deals - D1225C12B5AP-15x3 (http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=70596&vpn=D1225C12B5AP%2D15x3&manufacture=Bundle%20Deals&promoid=1259)

Not bad *considering theyre usually hardly in stock anywhere*

[SkinnyPupp]

Kingston HyperX Genesis 16 GB Quad Channel 1600 MHz Memory Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/kingston-hyperx-review-quad-channel-1600/)

[LuHua]

Any suggestions for making a pc even quieter?
Current rig:
Azza Solano 1000 case
2x140mm intake fans up front, ~500-600rpm, unknown brand
1x140mm Noctua NF-P14FLX, intake, bottom, ~900rpm
1x200mm fan up top, exhaust, rpm unknown but fairly quiet
CM Hyper 212+ with 120mm Scythe Kaze Jyuni, PWM. ~800rpm idle load
Accelero S1 with 120mm Fractal FD-FAN-120, ~1000rpm on GPU
2x WD Caviar 600GB
1x WD Caviar Green 2TB
Seasonic M12D 750W PSU w/ 120mm temp controlled San Ace fan

I think that pretty much covers all the sources of noise, the rig runs almost 24/7 and is in my room so the quieter it can get the better. Have a 200mm side panel fan, CM R4, Gelid Wing 12 PWM, and 2 AP-15 GT sitting on the side as replacements/extras. Considering going liquid with a Swiftech kit. Fan controller and maybe some sound deadening is the next possibility on my list though.

So...thoughts please? Thanks in advance!

[dyan]

^
My thoughts would be to get rid of that WD Caviar green 2TB.. I have one and it's so fucking loud. My whole rig is pretty much quiet. When i load up something from that drive... it's like hell breaks loose.

It should be pretty quiet already..
sorry if i didnt really help

[twitchyzero]

Kingston HyperX Genesis 16 GB Quad Channel 1600 MHz Memory Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/kingston-hyperx-review-quad-channel-1600/)
lol for a review that isn't massive i'm surprised you covered the packaging
Any suggestions for making a pc even quieter?
Current rig:
Azza Solano 1000 case
2x140mm intake fans up front, ~500-600rpm, unknown brand
1x140mm Noctua NF-P14FLX, intake, bottom, ~900rpm
1x200mm fan up top, exhaust, rpm unknown but fairly quiet
CM Hyper 212+ with 120mm Scythe Kaze Jyuni, PWM. ~800rpm idle load
Accelero S1 with 120mm Fractal FD-FAN-120, ~1000rpm on GPU
2x WD Caviar 600GB
1x WD Caviar Green 2TB
Seasonic M12D 750W PSU w/ 120mm temp controlled San Ace fan

I think that pretty much covers all the sources of noise, the rig runs almost 24/7 and is in my room so the quieter it can get the better. Have a 200mm side panel fan, CM R4, Gelid Wing 12 PWM, and 2 AP-15 GT sitting on the side as replacements/extras. Considering going liquid with a Swiftech kit. Fan controller and maybe some sound deadening is the next possibility on my list though.

So...thoughts please? Thanks in advance!
take out top exhaust and take the bottom one to the back as exhaust? Do you need the aftermarket GPU fan?

[Datsun]

Try this

Hard Drive Silencing: Sandwiches & Suspensions | silentpcreview.com (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article8-page2.html)

http://www.silentpcreview.com/files/images/no-vibe-3.jpg

[!MiKrofT]

^
My thoughts would be to get rid of that WD Caviar green 2TB.. I have one and it's so fucking loud. My whole rig is pretty much quiet. When i load up something from that drive... it's like hell breaks loose.

It should be pretty quiet already..
sorry if i didnt really help
Weird.. I have 2 of them in RAID and they're super quiet.

[dyan]

Weird.. I have 2 of them in RAID and they're super quiet.

Well right now, its my storage drive and when i load files off it, its very loud. I hear a slight ticking noise.. don't know if that's normal though, but its sure irritating.

[LuHua]

tbh I never really noticed the Green drive, it's my long term storage drive so it's inactive 90% of the time.

and twitchy, I'll try taking out the top fan, and see if that changes anything, I need the bottom one in to channel air to the gpu. I'm afraid the aftermarket cooler and fan are needed, the stock one was loud as heck and still had high temps (XFX 4850 XXX), I popped the new setup on it and it became near dead quiet and is now 35/50 idle/load =D.

And Donut, yea I remember seeing that a while back haha. That'll take some consideration though, I only have 1 5" bay left, and the only way to get more is to slide out one of the two 4x3.5" drive bays (which also holds a 140mm fan each) x.x. The drive bays are padded though, so hopefully that'll hold out.

[LuHua]

Well right now, its my storage drive and when i load files off it, its very loud. I hear a slight ticking noise.. don't know if that's normal though, but its sure irritating.

If it's a soft, rapid tick that's just the head working normally, but if it's slower, loud, and more consistent then you might have problems =S

[SkinnyPupp]

lol for a review that isn't massive i'm surprised you covered the packaging

take out top exhaust and take the bottom one to the back as exhaust? Do you need the aftermarket GPU fan?
It's not like there's much to differentiate RAM from one another!

[BN-604]

how much would i need to spent on a good gaming computer with mouse and keyboard?

[twitchyzero]

depends what games + settings you wanna run...that question's too vague

[LuHua]

^ What he said.

It'd be better if you just tell us how much you want to spend, or how much you are willing to spend, and what you need. "Good" is way too vague, to me a "good" keyboard and mouse is going to total over $150 on their own, while for you a $40 combo set might do.

[dyan]

what are some good case fans? Looking for some to try to lower my GPU temps.

[Datsun]

Silverstone AP121

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m8fC809TK0

or get Deltas if you have no ears :troll:



BTW, Can you post up a pic of your case internals?

[asian_XL]

I am upgrading my HTPC to either 2500K or the newer 3570K 4 core 4 threads.

how much heat will it generate if i o/c it to 4.X ghz? and will a low profile heatsink good enough? would a 2600 (non-K) a better choice?

[!MiKrofT]

I'm using a zalman copper heatsink on mine with a modified fan. It appears to handle it just fine and i'm using a 2700k in a htpc case. Liquid cooling might be better.

[SkinnyPupp]

I am upgrading my HTPC to either 2500K or the newer 3570K 4 core 4 threads.

how much heat will it generate if i o/c it to 4.X ghz? and will a low profile heatsink good enough? would a 2600 (non-K) a better choice?
Check out the new noctua low profile. I am expecting mine to arrive soon

Only get a non K if you don't plan on overclocking at all. For HTPC, you shouldn't need to

[asian_XL]

I might game with the new setup quite a bit as my fiance and I like to spend an evening playing video games. We just completed LA Noire and G620 onboard video just lag like hell.

Anyway, heat and space will be an issue, as it is a half height case, it fits perfectly in the cabinet.

Either
1) Z77/H77 board that supports Lucid Hyperformance
2) Intel K-CPU
3) HD7750 Low profile (hopefully they have something like this soon)

Or
1) Assrock H61 U3S3 with Lucid Hyperformance
2) Intel 3240 (ivy bridge i-3 coming in summer) / or any non-K cpu
3) HD7750 or 6670

Or
1) Assrock H61 (existing)
2) Intel G620 (existing) ---> replace with an used sandy bridge non-K cpu
3) HD7750 or 6670

[SkinnyPupp]

Overclocking the CPU won't do much for gaming, don't bother

I'm waiting for my Ivy Bridge sample, so I still haven't seen if it's good enough for gaming yet. I highly doubt it.

My HTPC is an AMD A6 but I haven't gamed on it yet. My TV is just a 720P so I assume it will be good enough to outperform consoles.

[SkinnyPupp]

BTW all those OCZ drives with Indilinx controllers (Vertex 4, Octane, Petrol) are actually relabelled Marvell controllers

Indilinx infused OCZ SSDs feature Marvell controller silicon - The Tech Report (http://techreport.com/discussions.x/22787)

[asian_XL]

^ do you suggest I keep the Intel G620 CPU or invest in something else? I have a 120GB SSD SATA3, 8gb generic ram, it's fast enough for everyday work. I expect this setup can last for 3-4 years.

I am looking at Z77, because there's an extra USB3.0 port for the front and stabler SATA3 port (I am running Asmedia crap), but now it seems waste of money if I am running only G620

[SkinnyPupp]

For gaming, just get a good video card, that is way more important. Games have been crippled by consoles for 5 years, you don't need a powerful CPU.

Here's Arkham Asylum running at a higher res than any consoles, with much higher settings, AND 8xAA, with a Radeon 6870, on all CPUs from a $1000 extreme to an old Phenom II you can't even buy anymore

http://img.hardcoreware.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/gaming-batman.png

Any video card over $150 will give you plenty of performance in games

[LuHua]

Hey Skinnypup, aren't the Marvell controllers pretty good? I thought they were generally considered reliable, maybe not fast, but reliable.

[SkinnyPupp]

Yup they are good. The Vertex 4 has a 5 year warranty too

[twitchyzero]

New Nvidia GeForce 6XX pictured! Release expected roughly, err... xx/xx/2012 - Graphics Cards - Build - News - Atomic MPC (http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/News/297673,new-nvidia-geforce-6xx-pictured-release-expected-roughly-err-xxxx2012.aspx)

[Hondaracer]

So occasionally with my new build when I go to turn it on I'll press the power button and the startup sounds normal but I get no video signal, my monitor does not kick in and it sounds like the normal startup sequence but the video will never come

Usually I just hold my power button until I switch it off, wait a few minutes then try again and it usually works then

NCIX assembled my computer and tested it, I installed additional ram and my heatsink but I believe I was having this problem before I ever touched it

Any ideas?

[Suprarz666]

Everytime that has happend to me, it was some sort of RAM issue. Not sure if its just a coincidence.

Sometimes i would just reinstall the ram, or swap over to another slot and it works fine again.

[SkinnyPupp]

Crucial Ballistix Elite 16GB Quad Channel 1866 MHz Memory Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/crucial-ballistix-elite-review-quad-1866/)

[SkinnyPupp]

Intel Core i7 3770K Review – Ivy Bridge 22nm CPU (http://www.hardcoreware.net/core-i7-3770k-review-ivy-bridge-cpu/)

[twitchyzero]

pretty disappointing for its temp/overclocking abilities...only seems to edge out SB for its power consumption and better availability at launch.

I know it will get refined a bit more in the months to come...but yeah for desktop performance with discrete card it doesnt seem a worthy replacement.

thinking of getting a used 2500k and pair that with the z77...will thunderbolt be relevant in the next few years?

[belaud]

I'll chime in.

Ivy bridge is supposed to be a refresh, to revitalize sandy bridge, it is not going to revolutionize the processor industry all over, why fix it when it aint broke? They're still the fastest processors you can buy, AMD gave up trying, thus the stale years that are passing by.

[LuHua]

The die shrinks mainly affect power consumption and efficiency anyways, its performance is respectable. Anyone who's wanting to wait for pure performance would be waiting for the new architecture that comes out every 2 years anyways.

If you haven't upgraded for a few years then sure why not, this isn't bad; nothing to jump ship over.

@belaud: I wouldn't say AMD gave up...Bulldozer was their attempt for this market segment. It just f'ed up royally =D They're focusing more on the mobile sector.

[twitchyzero]

i didn't expect a large performance margin with a die shrink...but the overclocking figures so far seems to be similar if not worse than SB.

If you are running HTPC with onboard graphics sure you'll see a nice performance bump..i'm sure IB-based laptops will also have better battery life.

[SkinnyPupp]

Yes Ivy Bridge is a 'refresh' on Sandy Bridge. Just a move to 22nm to prepare for the true next generation. Intel has done this for years, and it is exactly why AMD is failing and they are not. AMD tries to do a die shrink along with a whole new architecture, and runs into problem after problem.

[jmvdesign]

Need some noob advice on my PC.

Looking to upgrade to work on my 3D and design projects using Adobe Creative Suite CS5, 3DS Max with Vray, and will be studying Alias for additional 3D modeling.

At the moment, my current pc specs are:

i7 920 @ 2.67Ghz CPU
Windows 7 Enterprise 64Bit
12GB Ram
Asus P6T
650W Corsair PSU
NVIDIA Geforce 8800 GTS
Samsung 500GB 7200RPM
Antec 900 Case
Dell 2410

I was looking to upgrade just the graphics card to a EVGA GTX 580 ($450+) and upgrading to an Intel 128GB SSD ($150). Is this worth keeping in the long run or should I start from scratch and bid on something like this on ebay:

i7 2700K~ OCZ 128GB SSD~x2 GTX 580 3GB Classied~Blu-Ray~32GB RAM~Liquid Cooling! | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/i7-2700K-OCZ-128GB-SSD-x2-GTX-580-3GB-Classied-Blu-Ray-32GB-RAM-Liquid-Cooling/180865966936?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=008&category=179&cmd=ViewItem)

Not really into gaming but I'll be primarily using it to work on multiple 3D modeling/rendering jobs and doing design work on Adobe. I'm looking to spend around a $1500 budget. Will this be overkill or can I manage with my current system? Can I rely on a purchase like this from an Ebay seller (looks like the seller has a legit feedback)? Thanks in advance.

[Hehe]

^

Wait for Ivy Bridge.

[twitchyzero]

http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201204/MOD-41395_GeForce_GTX_690_style-271-processed.jpg
http://cdn.overclock.net/1/14/142dec64_game-performance-new.png
GTX 690
$1000 retailing nextweek

no other firm details other than its fit & finish..and that its TDP is 300W cores and delivers close to double the framerate of GTX 680.

(1) Testing was conducting comparing the GeForce GTX 690 versus GTX 680, running at a resolution of 2,500 x 1,600. Driver version used was 301.10. In the Heaven benchmark, with 4xAA/16xAF settings, GTX 690 scored 58.9 fps while the GTX 680 scored 31.1 fps. For Crysis 2 Ultra, the GTX 690 scored 57.8 fps while the GTX 680 scored 32.3 fps. In Dirt 3, with 8xAA/16xAF, the GTX 690 scored 111.2 fps, while the GTX 680 scored 62.3 fps. For performance, a higher number is better.

(2) GTX 690 acoustic measurement was 47 dB versus 51 dB for the GTX 680 SLI. For acoustic testing, a lower number is better.

NVIDIA Unveils GeForce GTX 690 -- Dual Graphics Card Combines World's Fastest Gaming Performance With Sleek, Sexy Design - NVIDIA Newsroom (http://pressroom.nvidia.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=A0D622CE9F579F09&version=live&prid=880385&releasejsp=release_157&xhtml=true)

[LuHua]

^:sweetjesus: I guess I'm going for the 680 afterall. Something like the 690 might finally break 50% load on my psu though.

[asian_XL]

I am no more a Photoshop, video editting, and autocad guy...enough is enough for me.

Here's my shopping list in June to replace my 4yrs old C2D setup.
i3-3220 3.3ghz
Ram 8GB
Asus P8B75-M (MVP)
ATi 7750

my new gaming HTPC will be the following
i5-3570K
Ram 8gb
Asrock Z77 Pro4-M
ATi 7850

[roastpuff]

Need some noob advice on my PC.

Looking to upgrade to work on my 3D and design projects using Adobe Creative Suite CS5, 3DS Max with Vray, and will be studying Alias for additional 3D modeling.

At the moment, my current pc specs are:

i7 920 @ 2.67Ghz CPU
Windows 7 Enterprise 64Bit
12GB Ram
Asus P6T
650W Corsair PSU
NVIDIA Geforce 8800 GTS
Samsung 500GB 7200RPM
Antec 900 Case
Dell 2410

I was looking to upgrade just the graphics card to a EVGA GTX 580 ($450+) and upgrading to an Intel 128GB SSD ($150). Is this worth keeping in the long run or should I start from scratch and bid on something like this on ebay:

i7 2700K~ OCZ 128GB SSD~x2 GTX 580 3GB Classied~Blu-Ray~32GB RAM~Liquid Cooling! | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/i7-2700K-OCZ-128GB-SSD-x2-GTX-580-3GB-Classied-Blu-Ray-32GB-RAM-Liquid-Cooling/180865966936?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=008&category=179&cmd=ViewItem)

Not really into gaming but I'll be primarily using it to work on multiple 3D modeling/rendering jobs and doing design work on Adobe. I'm looking to spend around a $1500 budget. Will this be overkill or can I manage with my current system? Can I rely on a purchase like this from an Ebay seller (looks like the seller has a legit feedback)? Thanks in advance.

Just do the SSD and GPU upgrade. Your system is still good in terms of CPU/RAM. You might want a bigger PSU though.

[freakshow]

not sure if this counts since it's a laptop, but I just ordered an ASUS ROG G55 laptop..

160GB Intel SSD Primary
750GB Secondary
Ivy Bridge i7-3610QM
GTX660M
16GB Ram

can't wait!

:D

[Hondaracer]

that 690 is a beaut

[twitchyzero]

^ if your wallet agrees with ya!

not sure if this counts since it's a laptop, but I just ordered an ASUS ROG G55 laptop..

160GB Intel SSD Primary
750GB Secondary
Ivy Bridge i7-3610QM
GTX660M
16GB Ram

can't wait!

:D
didn't realize they would put out the 660m before 660...looks to be between the 6950m and the 570m, not bad

[!MiKrofT]

not sure if this counts since it's a laptop, but I just ordered an ASUS ROG G55 laptop..

160GB Intel SSD Primary
750GB Secondary
Ivy Bridge i7-3610QM
GTX660M
16GB Ram

can't wait!

:D
This would be my choice if I needed a desktop replacement/gaming laptop.

[Hondaracer]

not sure if this counts since it's a laptop, but I just ordered an ASUS ROG G55 laptop..

160GB Intel SSD Primary
750GB Secondary
Ivy Bridge i7-3610QM
GTX660M
16GB Ram

can't wait!

:D

how much?

[freakshow]

didn't realize they would put out the 660m before 660...looks to be between the 6950m and the 570m, not bad

Yeah, I specifically waited for the GTX 660m. It uses the new 28nm Kepler architecture.
The 670m and 675m are still on the 40nm Fermi architecture (although they are still technically faster than the 660m).

how much?
As I specced it out (with 160GB SSD and 750GB secondary and 16GB RAM), it came out to $1525.81 + tax.

[Cman333]

Has anyone tried the Intel SRT (Smart Response)? Does it actually work half decent?

Can't justify spending $200+ on an 100GB+ SSD.

[ddr]

they're not 200+ for a 100gb+ anymore... i just PM'd a crucial M4 128gb for $13x+tax. some other ppl got them for $12x by PM it w/ tigerdirect.ca

i think you use smaller and dedicated ssd's for SRT.

[roastpuff]

A 120GB SSD can be had for $120.

I just paid $199 for a 240GB SSD. Prices for SSD is <$1/GB nowadays.... awesomeness. I remember paying $100 for a 80GB HDD.

[Datsun]

Ugh, damn Americans were able to get the 128GB M4 today for $110 shipped from Buy.com.

[Mining]

no help in this thread. i have solved it in another forum thanks anyway =)

[Cman333]

Sorry I realized I wasn't very clear.

I was thinking on getting a <60gb SSD for the SRT.

I couldn't justify spending around $200+ for a 120GB+(ideally 240gb+) as a primary drive. I know there are cheaper drives out there. But I want a very reliable drive if it's going to be my primary (Intel 520). I did a bit of searching, seems like the Intels are the most reliable but also the most expensive. Read alot about OCZ drives and how they're not as reliable. Mind you most the threads I could find about SSD's were from 2011.

I figured if I bought a cheaper 60gb SSD for SRT I wouldn't need to worry so much about drive failure because it's only used for caching.

I'm aware if I run a bigger SSD as my primary it is faster, but reliability is my main thing. After reading so many horror stories about SSD it has me worried. I'm not really willing to spend $200+ on a reliable SSD yet. So I figured spend $60 on an SSD to try out SRT if it's actually worth it. I haven't found many personal reviews. Alot of the reviews are by big sites that seem to have a one sided view.

Just curious if anyone has had first hand experience with Intel SRT and their opinion on it. Or if you guys have good experience with the cheaper SSD's please share some insight. I've combed so many forums and get mixed reviews.

THANKS!

[SkinnyPupp]

Cman I am about to test the ocz synapse against Intel's caching. Stay tuned. I reviewed this product against a normal hdd and it made a huge difference. But I probably made a mistake in not comparing it to intel cache. I may also include a regular SSD as well

[twitchyzero]

Sorry I realized I wasn't very clear.

I was thinking on getting a <60gb SSD for the SRT.

I couldn't justify spending around $200+ for a 120GB+(ideally 240gb+) as a primary drive. I know there are cheaper drives out there. But I want a very reliable drive if it's going to be my primary (Intel 520). I did a bit of searching, seems like the Intels are the most reliable but also the most expensive. Read alot about OCZ drives and how they're not as reliable. Mind you most the threads I could find about SSD's were from 2011.

I figured if I bought a cheaper 60gb SSD for SRT I wouldn't need to worry so much about drive failure because it's only used for caching.

I'm aware if I run a bigger SSD as my primary it is faster, but reliability is my main thing. After reading so many horror stories about SSD it has me worried. I'm not really willing to spend $200+ on a reliable SSD yet. So I figured spend $60 on an SSD to try out SRT if it's actually worth it. I haven't found many personal reviews. Alot of the reviews are by big sites that seem to have a one sided view.

Just curious if anyone has had first hand experience with Intel SRT and their opinion on it. Or if you guys have good experience with the cheaper SSD's please share some insight. I've combed so many forums and get mixed reviews.

THANKS!

SRT and caching used to be a selling point when SSDs were expensive but
as many have pointed out, you can find M4 for $130 or less these few weeks so it make sense just to grab one instead of finding a 40/60/80GB and use Intel's SRT. Samsung 830 (available only in US) and the M4 both dont fall too far behind the intel in terms of reliability.

[asian_XL]

16gb ram in the last page. Do you need that much ram nowaday?

I am running 8gb and it never hits 50% or above, what do you guys run?

[SkinnyPupp]

I have 16GB and it is sitting at 10GB used right now. But I was just using Photoshop, so... (Chrome is using 233 MB since I was using some flash apps for something)

IMO ram is so cheap, there's no reason not to get 16GB. 4 sticks of 4 will be cheaper than 2 sticks of 8

I have been reviewing ram like crazy lately

Desktop Memory Reviews (http://www.hardcoreware.net/category/motherboards-and-memory/memory-reviews/)

[asian_XL]

what kind of ram should I get for a 3570K overclocked to let's say 4.5ghz? 1600mhz is enough or higher? I am no hardcore photo or video editor, enough is enough.

[SkinnyPupp]

1600 is plenty. Get something with low latency at 1.5v, preferably one with low profile heatsinks. For budget, think Kingston. Otherwise go with Crucial

[Hondaracer]

With 16gb of ram opposed to 8 I noticed quite an increase In small things like the speed at which USB devices are dectected

[Mining]

16gb ram in the last page. Do you need that much ram nowaday?

I am running 8gb and it never hits 50% or above, what do you guys run?

More ram = more ram used.

Example: I have 8gb of ram and I'm running a program and it takes 4gb.

but

If I had 16gb of ram and I'm running the same program it should take higher than 4gb.

[Hehe]

I have 16GB in my Mac Mini.

All the apps just run smoother (specially when I have Photoshop, Sketchup Pro, LR opened whenever I'm working).

Memory are so cheap nowadays that there's no reason not to max out.

Sure that after I think 8GB you start to have negative return to performance, but :fuckthatshit:

[Cman333]

Any benefit to getting 16GB ram for a gaming rig.

Other than gaming and cruising forums its not used for anything else. No pr0n no nothing. Trying to keep this virus/spyware free lol

I might burn a DVD or so here and there with it.

[dyan]

^
For a gaming rig nope. 8GB will be plenty.

[twitchyzero]

Any benefit to getting 16GB ram for a gaming rig.

Other than gaming and cruising forums its not used for anything else. No pr0n no nothing. Trying to keep this virus/spyware free lol

I might burn a DVD or so here and there with it.

no
but if you dont upgrade often i recommend just getting 16GB...cause it can be difficult to find matching rams down the road when you do benefit from it.

[Hehe]

Any benefit to getting 16GB ram for a gaming rig.

Other than gaming and cruising forums its not used for anything else. No pr0n no nothing. Trying to keep this virus/spyware free lol

I might burn a DVD or so here and there with it.

You don't really feel all the much in gaming (more like none)

When you have a lot of memory, you could start experimenting stuff... like running a little server off your machine, Photo editing, model building (CAD)... etc.

And 16GB allows you to pretty much do all that simultaneously with no noticeable decrease in performance because moving all that data on HDD/SSD is slow... but memory have GB/s of transfer rate, so everything just flow better.

[dyan]

Anyone help me out here? My graphics card evga GTX560ti448 cores classified gets really hot when playing minecraft, but not when i play BF3 max settings? This isn't even in SLI..

Temps are around 75C.. peaked at 83C.

[Canadian Rider]

Yeah, I specifically waited for the GTX 660m. It uses the new 28nm Kepler architecture.
The 670m and 675m are still on the 40nm Fermi architecture (although they are still technically faster than the 660m).


As I specced it out (with 160GB SSD and 750GB secondary and 16GB RAM), it came out to $1525.81 + tax.

Where did you buy from? and is it specifically a desktop replacement for you or do you take it places? Also wondering what it's like to have a beast like that on your lap? (on a hard surface of course)

[SkinnyPupp]

Who actually uses a laptop on their lap? :seriously:

[freakshow]

Where did you buy from? and is it specifically a desktop replacement for you or do you take it places? Also wondering what it's like to have a beast like that on your lap? (on a hard surface of course)
I got it from xoticpc.
It's more or less a desktop replacement. The only places I'll be taking it is between upstairs and downstairs at my house.. *maybe* occasionally to a friends house to game or something, but that's not at all the intention.

and.. yeah.. probably wouldn't use it on my lap.

[Cman333]

You don't really feel all the much in gaming (more like none)

When you have a lot of memory, you could start experimenting stuff... like running a little server off your machine, Photo editing, model building (CAD)... etc.

And 16GB allows you to pretty much do all that simultaneously with no noticeable decrease in performance because moving all that data on HDD/SSD is slow... but memory have GB/s of transfer rate, so everything just flow better.

LOL thanks for the clear up. I almost went to buy more ram.

I only maybe have like a few browsers/tabs open at a time. I don't really notice a slow down.

Maybe will just upgrade later so down the road it's not a pain in the ass to find. I think buying the SSD would be more beneficial first. Decisions decisions.

[Canadian Rider]

not really sure where to ask this other then here but what are some good tech sites that'll give up to the minute(ish) news as to when the new and or updated laptops are released with ivy bridge?
already know of notebookcheck and notebookreview ... but those aren't really news sights.

[Lomac]

So I'm looking to upgrade my film editing rig. I'm currently running a Q6600 that's been OC'ed to 2.9. Have 4gb of ram (no idea what kind... lol). Video card is a Radeon HD 2600 Pro. The hard drives are 3x 2tb spinners of no real note.

I'm looking to spend up to roughly $1500, provided it will last me a long time. Ideally I'd like a SSD for the OS and a video card that can handle two monitors (though I think my current 2600 should theoretically be good for my future needs). Apart from that, I've been so long out of the computer building game that everytime I try to read up on what's new, my eyes glaze over and I lose interest. Any help would be nice. :)

[SkinnyPupp]

Core i7 3770K
Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
16 GB Kingston DDR3
Integrated video
OCZ Vertex 4 256GB
3TB WD Black (or keep your current HDDs)
Define R3 case
Corsair 500W PSU
Blu-Ray reader/DVD Burner

DONE. That will probably be under $1000

[freakshow]

not really sure where to ask this other then here but what are some good tech sites that'll give up to the minute(ish) news as to when the new and or updated laptops are released with ivy bridge?
already know of notebookcheck and notebookreview ... but those aren't really news sights.

When I was tracking notebooks with an ivy bridge/GTX 660m combo, i just bookmarked the search 'ivy bridge 660m' on google news. worked out pretty well for me..

[twitchyzero]

not really sure where to ask this other then here but what are some good tech sites that'll give up to the minute(ish) news as to when the new and or updated laptops are released with ivy bridge?
already know of notebookcheck and notebookreview ... but those aren't really news sights.

the verge
not a new site but overclock.net hardware news forum is pretty damn fast too

so the benches for GTX 690 are out
i guess this is what happens when you overclock a $1000 card running three 1920x1200 monitors:sweetjesus:
http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/graph5805/46276.png

but still can't do 60fps crysis dx11 maxed out on three 1920x1080 :rukidding:
http://media.bestofmicro.com/C/C/336108/original/crysis%202%205760.png

[Canadian Rider]

cheers for all the info guys

But
I got it from xoticpc.
How was your experience with xotic? Did you get it shipped directly to your house? or P/U from the states?

I was just browsing their site again tonight and to my astonishment they have my fucking computer I've been waiting for! well at least available for preorder.

ASUS N56VZ-DS71 - XOTIC PC - Asus 15.6" Notebook (http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-n56vzds71-preorder-p-4321.html)

:fullofwin:

[asian_XL]

Core i7 3770K
Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
16 GB Kingston DDR3
Integrated video
OCZ Vertex 4 256GB
3TB WD Black (or keep your current HDDs)
Define R3 case
Corsair 500W PSU
Blu-Ray reader/DVD Burner

DONE. That will probably be under $1000

If I go 3570K + the same ingredients + HD7850 or 660Ti, what kind of psu do I need?

[SkinnyPupp]

A system like that will probably use no more than 100-200W at load, so 500W is more than enough, just make sure to get something that is 80% efficient or more. It's better to get a high quality low wattage PSU than a low quality one with high wattage capacity you don't need.

[freakshow]

How was your experience with xotic? Did you get it shipped directly to your house? or P/U from the states?

it's been good.. so far. They assign a support rep to you throughout the entire process so you have a specific person to email regarding updates.

i say its been good so far because there really hasn't been much communication. I ordered, they said it's delayed by Asus till mid may (which I knew already), so I'm still just painfully waiting around.

I'm getting it shipped to the states because there is no duty on notebooks, so i'll only need to pay tax (which i have to do in canada anyways)

[jmvdesign]

So I'm looking to upgrade my film editing rig. I'm currently running a Q6600 that's been OC'ed to 2.9. Have 4gb of ram (no idea what kind... lol). Video card is a Radeon HD 2600 Pro. The hard drives are 3x 2tb spinners of no real note.

I'm looking to spend up to roughly $1500, provided it will last me a long time. Ideally I'd like a SSD for the OS and a video card that can handle two monitors (though I think my current 2600 should theoretically be good for my future needs). Apart from that, I've been so long out of the computer building game that everytime I try to read up on what's new, my eyes glaze over and I lose interest. Any help would be nice. :)

Your specs might be the same as mine:

i7 920 @ 2.67Ghz CPU
Windows 7 Enterprise 64Bit
12GB Ram
Asus P6T
650W Corsair PSU
NVIDIA Geforce 8800 GTS
Samsung 500GB 7200RPM
Antec 900 Case
Dell 2410

But I just bought a 120GB Intel SSD for $140 and a EVGA GTX 580 3GB for $450 off ebay to upgrade my C: and vid card. Except I'll be handling multiple CAD software simultaneously when I'm rendering designs.

[Canadian Rider]

it's been good.. so far. They assign a support rep to you throughout the entire process so you have a specific person to email regarding updates.

i say its been good so far because there really hasn't been much communication. I ordered, they said it's delayed by Asus till mid may (which I knew already), so I'm still just painfully waiting around.

I'm getting it shipped to the states because there is no duty on notebooks, so i'll only need to pay tax (which i have to do in canada anyways)

cheers man

[tegz]

Yo guys, haven't built a PC in a while. Could any of you guys review my build?

Purpose: building a budget gaming rig for a friend of mine, she is going to be playing things like LoL, D3, SC2, and such. Also kind of want to future proof the rig so that it can play some games coming out in the next couple of years without too much lag.

Price comes out to $509

1) CPU: AMD X6 1045T - AMD Phenom II X6 1045T Six Core Processor AM3 2.7GHZ 6MB Cache 95W 45NM Retail Box - AMD - HDT45TWFGRBOX (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=65385&vpn=HDT45TWFGRBOX&manufacture=AMD&promoid=1018)

2) MOBO: ASUS AM3 - ASUS M5A97 AMD970/SB950 ATX AM3+ DDR3 2PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 SATA3 USB3.0 Audio CrossFireX Motherboard - ASUS - M5A97 (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=63715&vpn=M5A97&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1018)

3) GPU: Radeon 6850 - Powercolor Radeon HD 6850 775MHZ 1GB 4.0GHZ GDDR5 2XDVI DisplayPort HDMI PCI-E Video Card - PowerColor - AX6850 1GBD5-DH (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=56240&vpn=AX6850%201GBD5-DH&manufacture=PowerColor&promoid=1018)

4) Case + PSU: Coolermaster Elite 350 (w/ 500W psu) - Coolermaster Elite 350 Black ATX Mid Tower Case 500W 4X5.25 1X3.5 6X3.5INT - COOLERMASTER - RC-350-KKR500 (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=58731&vpn=RC-350-KKR500&manufacture=COOLERMASTER&promoid=1018)

5) RAM: Patriot G2 4gb - Patriot G2 Series Division 4GB 1X4GB PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 1.5V XMP Memory Module - Patriot - PG34G1600EL (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=59540&vpn=PG34G1600EL&manufacture=Patriot&promoid=1018)

6) HDD: WD blue 500GB - Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5IN SATA Internal Hard Drive OEM - Western Digital WD - WD5000AAKX (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=58402&vpn=WD5000AAKX&manufacture=Western%20Digital%20WD&promoid=1018)

So yeah that totals to a pretty reasonable $509 before and $570 after taxes.

Am I forgetting anything :suspicious: or are there better/more significant deals to be had?

[twitchyzero]

Lomac and anyone else..get this before it runs out.

$200 for a reliable, well-reviewed 256GB SSD
best SSD deal i've seen thus far

Buy the Crucial m4 256GB 2.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s SSD at TigerDirect.ca (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=365476&CatId=5300)

[SkinnyPupp]

Yo guys, haven't built a PC in a while. Could any of you guys review my build?

Purpose: building a budget gaming rig for a friend of mine, she is going to be playing things like LoL, D3, SC2, and such. Also kind of want to future proof the rig so that it can play some games coming out in the next couple of years without too much lag.

Price comes out to $509

1) CPU: AMD X6 1045T - AMD Phenom II X6 1045T Six Core Processor AM3 2.7GHZ 6MB Cache 95W 45NM Retail Box - AMD - HDT45TWFGRBOX (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=65385&vpn=HDT45TWFGRBOX&manufacture=AMD&promoid=1018)

2) MOBO: ASUS AM3 - ASUS M5A97 AMD970/SB950 ATX AM3+ DDR3 2PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 SATA3 USB3.0 Audio CrossFireX Motherboard - ASUS - M5A97 (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=63715&vpn=M5A97&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1018)

3) GPU: Radeon 6850 - Powercolor Radeon HD 6850 775MHZ 1GB 4.0GHZ GDDR5 2XDVI DisplayPort HDMI PCI-E Video Card - PowerColor - AX6850 1GBD5-DH (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=56240&vpn=AX6850%201GBD5-DH&manufacture=PowerColor&promoid=1018)

4) Case + PSU: Coolermaster Elite 350 (w/ 500W psu) - Coolermaster Elite 350 Black ATX Mid Tower Case 500W 4X5.25 1X3.5 6X3.5INT - COOLERMASTER - RC-350-KKR500 (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=58731&vpn=RC-350-KKR500&manufacture=COOLERMASTER&promoid=1018)

5) RAM: Patriot G2 4gb - Patriot G2 Series Division 4GB 1X4GB PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 1.5V XMP Memory Module - Patriot - PG34G1600EL (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=59540&vpn=PG34G1600EL&manufacture=Patriot&promoid=1018)

6) HDD: WD blue 500GB - Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5IN SATA Internal Hard Drive OEM - Western Digital WD - WD5000AAKX (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=58402&vpn=WD5000AAKX&manufacture=Western%20Digital%20WD&promoid=1018)

So yeah that totals to a pretty reasonable $509 before and $570 after taxes.

Am I forgetting anything :suspicious: or are there better/more significant deals to be had?
Do not get an AMD processor.

[tegz]

Do not get an AMD processor.

The cpu/mobo is about $220 combined. I'm running a slighter (0.1 ghz) faster 1055T OC'd to 4.0 ghz on my current rig and it seems to be doing just fine, although I do miss my old 4.2 OC'd i7 920, the thing was about 2x in price back in the day.

What would be a good intel counterpart to my choice?

[SkinnyPupp]

Actually I thought that was an FX.. For $220 combined it should be decent once OC'd

[SkinnyPupp]

BTW if anyone in HK needs to buy performance DDR3 PM me

[asian_XL]

you can get us awesome deal? what type? will need a pair of good 1600 in mid June

[DC5-S]

Scored a 256GB crucial M4 ssd for $183 at ME

[twitchyzero]

if anyone cares, i posted another crucial m4 deal
US only for $99 shipped

[Comp] Newegg.COM Crucial M4 128GB SSD SATA III $99 Shipped - RedFlagDeals.com Forums (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/newegg-com-crucial-m4-128gb-ssd-sata-iii-99-shipped-1173733/?prefixid=Comp9)

[SkinnyPupp]

Just reviewing the 256GB M4 right now... It may have a low write speed on paper, but when you take the compression hit into account, it's actually just about as fast as any Sandforce drive. Not quite there in terms of performance, but if you consider the potential reliability issues of Sandforce...

[Hondaracer]

i think i paid closer to like $189 for the 128gb M4 when i got mine like 5 months ago

[DC5-S]

Just reviewing the 256GB M4 right now... It may have a low write speed on paper, but when you take the compression hit into account, it's actually just about as fast as any Sandforce drive. Not quite there in terms of performance, but if you consider the potential reliability issues of Sandforce...

Did you installed the latest firmware? It's suppose to increase speeds by a considerable amount

[Hondaracer]

that reminds me.. i still need to update my M4 due to that firmware problem.. uhg

[SkinnyPupp]

Did you installed the latest firmware? It's suppose to increase speeds by a considerable amount

Yeah, this is using the latest firmware. OCZ also upgraded their firmware, which increased speed for their drives quite a bit.

[Hondaracer]

New page, might as well post up my new pics, i'm basically done my build for now, next year i'll probably upgrade PSU and GPU, but i'm happy for now :D

Intel i7 2600k
Asus P8Z68 Pro Z68
Mushkin Enhanced Frostbyte DDR3-1600 4X4GB
Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 2GB
Crucial M4 128GB SSD
WD Caviar Black 1TB
Corsair Pro HX650W
Fractal Design Define R3 ATX mid tower
Noctua NH-D14 Cooler
Noctua NF-S12B Fans X 4

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/IMG_3767.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/IMG_3775.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/IMG_3787.jpg

[Hondaracer]

So my rents computer kicked the bucket, most likely a power supply i think but its a 5-6 year old computer anyways and the company i work for is scraping a bunch of 2 year old computers in place of new ones so i'm just going to snag one of those for them

with your typical HD that has an OS installed on it, will there be any issues of just simply swaping over the HD into the new computer?

[Recon604]

So my rents computer kicked the bucket, most likely a power supply i think but its a 5-6 year old computer anyways and the company i work for is scraping a bunch of 2 year old computers in place of new ones so i'm just going to snag one of those for them

with your typical HD that has an OS installed on it, will there be any issues of just simply swaping over the HD into the new computer?

Swapping the HD from the old computers to the new computers will not work. There will be some issues that will occur. Best to buy another HD and install the OS onto that and get files off the old harddrive. Or if there is enough space on the old hdd, you can install the OS directly onto it.

[SkinnyPupp]

Crucial m4 256 GB SSD Review (http://www.hardcoreware.net/crucial-m4-256-gb-review/)

[Hondaracer]

Swapping the HD from the old computers to the new computers will not work. There will be some issues that will occur. Best to buy another HD and install the OS onto that and get files off the old harddrive. Or if there is enough space on the old hdd, you can install the OS directly onto it.

How would I go about getting the files off when that HD has an OS on it?

Would I be able to put it in my rig and simply explore that HD?

[Bonka]

How would I go about getting the files off when that HD has an OS on it?

Would I be able to put it in my rig and simply explore that HD?

As long as it's not set up as the boot drive in the bios.

[Recon604]

How would I go about getting the files off when that HD has an OS on it?

Would I be able to put it in my rig and simply explore that HD?

ofc you will be able to put it in ur rig and simple explore that HD.
If the hd is sata just connect it or if its IDE set it to slave. Even better, get an USB external hard drive enclosure.

[twitchyzero]

$400 GTX 670 is out!
basically the same performance as the $480 7970

price war!!11

NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 670 2GB Video Card Performance Preview :: TweakTown USA Edition (http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/4710/nvidia_geforce_gtx_670_2gb_video_card_performance_ preview/index.html)

[roastpuff]

Damn, that's an impressive card. Might think about upgrading at Christmas or around that...

[asian_XL]

nice kill, but can't justify spending 1/2 of the system build money on just a video card.

[SpuGen]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/sniperslayer/IMG_3787.jpg

I have the same Heatsink. Thing is HUGE. Barely cleared my ram. I had to mount it this way to clear the fan in the back, and the ram. Also had to cut the side fan bracket on the door. It works out for me, since it draws cold air from the filtered side, the heat from the top of the video card, and up and out through the top of the case.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/296710_10150783432345165_562370164_20543230_673698 9_n.jpg

[freakshow]

$400 GTX 670 is out!
basically the same performance as the $480 7970

price war!!11

NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 670 2GB Video Card Performance Preview :: TweakTown USA Edition (http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/4710/nvidia_geforce_gtx_670_2gb_video_card_performance_ preview/index.html)

nah, rather get one of these!

EVGA GeForce GTX 690 4GB Graphics Card Unboxing & First Look Linus Tech Tips - YouTube

[!MiKrofT]

2 of them.. quad sli :fuckyea:

[Recon604]

god damnit my fans on my Lancool PC K62 are failing. Anyone know where to get fans in bulk?

[twitchyzero]

there's a good deal going on right now for 120mm

Canada Computers | Cooling | Cooler Master 120mm Turbine Master MACH 1.2, 1200 RPM Case Fan (R4-TMBB-12FK-R0) (http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_805&item_id=039970)

i put the PM through NCIX...let's see if they'll bite

[Recon604]

there's a good deal going on right now for 120mm

Canada Computers | Cooling | Cooler Master 120mm Turbine Master MACH 1.2, 1200 RPM Case Fan (R4-TMBB-12FK-R0) (http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_805&item_id=039970)

i put the PM through NCIX...let's see if they'll bite

thanks let me know if they do

[ForeverYours]

Hello everyone, computer newbie here.

I'm planning on doing a small upgrade to my computer.

My PC's been running the EVGA Geforce 8600GT 512mb since 2008 and I'm considering to purchase the XFX Radeon HD 6870 900MHZ 1GB 4.2GHZ (http://ncix.com/products/?sku=62756&promoid=1069).

My current power supply is 650W and my motherboard is the ASUS P5K SE.
The processor is still the old school Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHZ. RAM is currently at 8GB DDR2
Case is the Antec 900.

Will the graphics card I'm considering to purchase be compatible?
If not could you guys recommend me on a budget GPU (<$200)?
Any other suggestions aside from upgrading the GPU would be great as well.

I also noticed the my motherboard has extra slot that can potentially run more GPU's, is it a difficult process to install 2 or more?
The acrylic window of the Antec case looks like I could install another fan, I'm not sure which fans to purchase

I use my computer for mild gaming as well as photo editing.

Thanks in advance :)

[Phozy]

^From what i know, it should be fine. If anything, your computer will bottleneck your GPU's potential performance. As long as it doesn't have different slotting version of pcie then your fine. However, the 6870 could be an overkill for an older system.
Sorry if that's innacurate, basing it on what ive known :okay:

Stumbling across this thread... i swear once this computer dies im going in to build another! Won't go too crazy hopefully.
I'm actually going to re-install my old 9800gt to see if its dead for sure.

[SkinnyPupp]

nice kill, but can't justify spending 1/2 of the system build money on just a video card.

If it's a gaming system, 50% of the budget is nothing. You could probably spend 80% of your budget on the video card

[twitchyzero]

i've been reading quite a few GTX 670 reviews..and damn what a promising card. scales well and low power consumption. In SLI, it's on par with the GTX 690 while being 20% cheaper.

I think I may get these in SLI in june...unless I can find 7970CF for a better deal or if 7990 has the same performance and price, but even then i'd have to deal with AMD drivers...which is probably a PITA for Eyefinity compared to Nvidia Surround.

[-lincolnboi-]

Can someone suggest a monitor preferably under $100 which I can pick up locally? Won't be doing any gaming, just for my mom to learn how to use a computer.

Was thinking of this since it was $100 at walmart LG E1942C LCD Monitors | LG LED Monitor E42 Series - LG Electronics UAE (http://www.lg.com/ae/it-products/lcd-monitors/LG-led-monitor-E1942C.jsp)

[roastpuff]

Here's a monitor on sale at NCIX for $79.

BenQ G950A 18.5IN Widescreen LCD Monitor 1366X768 50000:1DC 5ms VGA - BenQ - G950A (http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=70853&vpn=G950A&manufacture=BenQ&promoid=1069)

[SkinnyPupp]

Here's a reivew I am working on.

Think FPS means everything in video card reviews?

http://img.hardcoreware.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/witcher-2-fps2-570x420.png

Think again

http://img.hardcoreware.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/witcher-2-inside-the-second2-570x438.png

Why We Will be Testing GPUs “Inside The Second” (http://www.hardcoreware.net/hcw-looks-inside-the-second/)

[DC5-S]

Why are you testing a 680 vs 6870? And how the hell are the numbers so close in first picture