The Newegg series is pretty nice, I found for brushing up and making sure I knew what I was doing. Since you've already chosen your parts, then this is the video you want next:
You should get all the cables you could possibly need with your devices, but if you are missing some, then monoprice.com seems to be a good choice for getting those random cables, especially if you want unusual lengths, short or long.
So all of my shiny new components are arriving this week for my new build, and I am at a loss at how to properly assemble this thing. Does anyone have a favourite guide or video walkthrough? Anything specific I need to know about installing multiple drives (I have a SSD, HDD, and a BD)? I discovered my mobo only came with two SATA cables so that's something, but any other 'check in advance' suggestions would be very appreciated.
Plug everything into the connector it fits into. The onyl thing that might give a beginner real trouble is the CPU installation but even that is way easier than it used to be.
Hello all. Firstly, thank you very much in advance to anyone willing to take the time helping me out. It's been many many years since I've built my own machine and even after reading about 20 pages worth of threads, I'm still pretty lost as to what direction to go and I'd greatly appreciate some of the gurus offering build suggestions. Here's the important info:
- This will be a gaming/dev rig. I'll need to be able to run Visual Studio and Photoshop smoothly, but also want the games to run smoothly and look great. War Thunder gotta fly!
- I already know I want to go with a 250 ssd for the OS and platter for the rest. No idea on brands/models
- I keep having people give me conflicting opinions of i7 vs i5, so no idea there
- I'd prefer to go with 16gig memory, unless everyone screams that I'm an idiot and even a dev box won't need it
- Graphic card will need to handle 1080p. I keep reading the 770 is the way to go, so maybe that's a given
- All other parts (mobo, psu, case, etc...) I have no idea what to go with. I will say the 500r case looks nice
- Budget right around $1300 (this does not include display, as I've already purchased it)
If I'm asking for too much for too little, just let me know. I am trying to build a machine that will last me a solid number of years. Thank you again for any input and please let me know if I need to give more detail for better answers. Cheers!
Finally finished that build I've been obsessing over since mid-December. Could clearly have done a better job with the back panel cable management (the back panel was a bitch to close), and the orientation of the H60's rad and pump could've been better panned (god damn are those hoses stiff), but overall not bad imho.
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
Running Furmark and Prime95, I notice that my GTX 770 seems to get inordinately hot -- or at least, hotter than I'd like.
Running Furmark and even playing Tomb Raider just now, it was getting up to 80C. I know that's not so unusual for a GPU, but I still don't like it so high. I don't really think there's anything about the cooling situation that I can do to ameliorate it; the 350D has a single 140mm intake fan, and I've got the rear and top (for the rad) both exhausting. The 770 is this PNY one, for reference -- not the one pictured when I ordered on Amazon, which had a rear exhaust setup.
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
Given your budget of $1100, it looks to me like you are overspending on CPU, RAM, PSU, and underspending on graphics. Also, there are way nicer cases at that price point.
You get a way better graphics card, and an SSD so everything you do is that much faster. You could ditch the regular HDD and use the one from her current machine for storage if you want.
EDIT: This assumes she's going to use it for gaming.
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Mostly school work, but she does play games like GTA4 and The Sims 3 and Borderlands and stuff on it. I'll cut back the RAM and look at the 4670 processor, but what sort of motherboard would you suggest? Same goes for the PSU, I don't know anything about them so I just threw something with a high wattage on the list.
No SSD because I was already starting to spend quite a bit, but I'll look at them if I'm cutting back some stuff and saving some money. I was looking to spend about $1200 or so but spending less obviously wouldn't hurt if it means cutting out some stuff that's unnecessary.
It's for my Lenovo T430, and I assume that the 'for Mac' is just marketing speak, right? Any suggestions on finding a good 16gb kit for cheaper (brands, websites)?
EDIT: Is 16gb really worth it? Can I suffice with getting 8gb, and then out and buying another 8gb stick (same brand) at some point in the future, or are combining non-kit stixks a bad idea? I'm thinking of getting an SSD as well, so maybe that and a 8gb stick is a better compromise?
oldmanken on
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Mostly school work, but she does play games like GTA4 and The Sims 3 and Borderlands and stuff on it. I'll cut back the RAM and look at the 4670 processor, but what sort of motherboard would you suggest? Same goes for the PSU, I don't know anything about them so I just threw something with a high wattage on the list.
No SSD because I was already starting to spend quite a bit, but I'll look at them if I'm cutting back some stuff and saving some money. I was looking to spend about $1200 or so but spending less obviously wouldn't hurt if it means cutting out some stuff that's unnecessary.
You already have a screen, so that's good news budget-wise. Is school work writing essays, or 3D modelling/video editing?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VomA <This is a really nice build full of top-quality parts that will game her face off and last for years. The case is nice and small and quite sleek and modern-looking.
It's for my Lenovo T430, and I assume that the 'for Mac' is just marketing speak, right? Any suggestions on finding a good 16gb kit for cheaper (brands, websites)?
EDIT: Is 16gb really worth it? Can I suffice with getting 8gb, and then out and buying another 8gb stick (same brand) at some point in the future, or are combining non-kit stixks a bad idea? I'm thinking of getting an SSD as well, so maybe that and a 8gb stick is a better compromise?
Depends on what you use your laptop for. Photoshop, video editing? 3d rendering? get more than 8 gb. Playing games and browsing the web? 8 gigs is more than enough.
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Mostly school work, but she does play games like GTA4 and The Sims 3 and Borderlands and stuff on it. I'll cut back the RAM and look at the 4670 processor, but what sort of motherboard would you suggest? Same goes for the PSU, I don't know anything about them so I just threw something with a high wattage on the list.
No SSD because I was already starting to spend quite a bit, but I'll look at them if I'm cutting back some stuff and saving some money. I was looking to spend about $1200 or so but spending less obviously wouldn't hurt if it means cutting out some stuff that's unnecessary.
You already have a screen, so that's good news budget-wise. Is school work writing essays, or 3D modelling/video editing?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VomA <This is a really nice build full of top-quality parts that will game her face off and last for years. The case is nice and small and quite sleek and modern-looking.
Agree with this build - if you wanted to save a little bit I would cut back to a GTX 760 and a 550W PSU. SSD is a must-have though; with your budget I absolutely would get one. It improves the entire experience.
Hello all. Firstly, thank you very much in advance to anyone willing to take the time helping me out. It's been many many years since I've built my own machine and even after reading about 20 pages worth of threads, I'm still pretty lost as to what direction to go and I'd greatly appreciate some of the gurus offering build suggestions. Here's the important info:
- This will be a gaming/dev rig. I'll need to be able to run Visual Studio and Photoshop smoothly, but also want the games to run smoothly and look great. War Thunder gotta fly!
- I already know I want to go with a 250 ssd for the OS and platter for the rest. No idea on brands/models
- I keep having people give me conflicting opinions of i7 vs i5, so no idea there
- I'd prefer to go with 16gig memory, unless everyone screams that I'm an idiot and even a dev box won't need it
- Graphic card will need to handle 1080p. I keep reading the 770 is the way to go, so maybe that's a given
- All other parts (mobo, psu, case, etc...) I have no idea what to go with. I will say the 500r case looks nice
- Budget right around $1300 (this does not include display, as I've already purchased it)
If I'm asking for too much for too little, just let me know. I am trying to build a machine that will last me a solid number of years. Thank you again for any input and please let me know if I need to give more detail for better answers. Cheers!
You'll mostly want 16 gigs of ram, and an i7. Code compiling is cpu intensive, so you would benefit from the extra processing power there. I think? I haven't done coding since college, but I know it uses CPU power. Ram size also depends on the extensiveness of your photoshopping. You could start with 8 gigs of ram and just get a second set if you feel it's not meeting your needs.
The gtx 770 will definitely handle current gen 1080p no problem. It'll probably even handle any 1080p games that are thrown at it this year too.
Asrock, asus, gigabyte, and msi are all good mobo brands.
Something like this as a general framework: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VqdX I didn't really snoop through and look for the best deals. This is more of a generic build tailored to your description. You should really shop around and take advantage of any sales and promotions.
It's for my Lenovo T430, and I assume that the 'for Mac' is just marketing speak, right? Any suggestions on finding a good 16gb kit for cheaper (brands, websites)?
EDIT: Is 16gb really worth it? Can I suffice with getting 8gb, and then out and buying another 8gb stick (same brand) at some point in the future, or are combining non-kit stixks a bad idea? I'm thinking of getting an SSD as well, so maybe that and a 8gb stick is a better compromise?
Depends on what you use your laptop for. Photoshop, video editing? 3d rendering? get more than 8 gb. Playing games and browsing the web? 8 gigs is more than enough.
It's my main computer, which will have a dual/triple boot of various Linux distros. One of which will be Oracle Linux with Oracle installed, which is a case of more RAM the better.
That said, I also want an SSD to install my OS's on. I guess my primary question is whether getting an 8gb stick now, then getting an additional stick further down the road for the second RAM slot will cause major headaches? As long as they are the same manufacturer and speed (essentially the same item purchased later) that shouldn't cause issues, should it?
Running Furmark and Prime95, I notice that my GTX 770 seems to get inordinately hot -- or at least, hotter than I'd like.
Running Furmark and even playing Tomb Raider just now, it was getting up to 80C. I know that's not so unusual for a GPU, but I still don't like it so high. I don't really think there's anything about the cooling situation that I can do to ameliorate it; the 350D has a single 140mm intake fan, and I've got the rear and top (for the rad) both exhausting. The 770 is this PNY one, for reference -- not the one pictured when I ordered on Amazon, which had a rear exhaust setup.
@Hamurabi Kepler cards will start to throttle themselves at 70C to prevent excessive overheating. If you're getting to 80C, it sounds like the default fan profile is too conservative.
I'd recommend getting a program like EVGA's PrecisionX, which you can use can setup a custom "fan curve." Basically, you specify set temperature breakpoints where you ratchet up the GPU's fan speed. Mine looks something like this (from memory):
Looking to build my wife a new computer since hers shit the bed. It was my previous computer anyway, and it's time she had one built just for her. However, it's been awhile since I've looked at parts and I'd like to ask y'alls opinions on this list of stuff I've picked out and to let me know if anything looks shitty or if there'll be any problems with it.
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Mostly school work, but she does play games like GTA4 and The Sims 3 and Borderlands and stuff on it. I'll cut back the RAM and look at the 4670 processor, but what sort of motherboard would you suggest? Same goes for the PSU, I don't know anything about them so I just threw something with a high wattage on the list.
No SSD because I was already starting to spend quite a bit, but I'll look at them if I'm cutting back some stuff and saving some money. I was looking to spend about $1200 or so but spending less obviously wouldn't hurt if it means cutting out some stuff that's unnecessary.
You already have a screen, so that's good news budget-wise. Is school work writing essays, or 3D modelling/video editing?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VomA <This is a really nice build full of top-quality parts that will game her face off and last for years. The case is nice and small and quite sleek and modern-looking.
Agree with this build - if you wanted to save a little bit I would cut back to a GTX 760 and a 550W PSU. SSD is a must-have though; with your budget I absolutely would get one. It improves the entire experience.
I'll probably keep it as it is except for the DVD drive and copy of Windows. We already have two copies of Windows 7, and we have an external DVD drive that we never use (I only bought it to install WIndows on my new machine). I might include a 1 or 2TB HDD as well but it's not really a priority. Thank you guys for the suggestions and comments!
So all of my shiny new components are arriving this week for my new build, and I am at a loss at how to properly assemble this thing. Does anyone have a favourite guide or video walkthrough? Anything specific I need to know about installing multiple drives (I have a SSD, HDD, and a BD)? I discovered my mobo only came with two SATA cables so that's something, but any other 'check in advance' suggestions would be very appreciated.
@Synonym, not a huge deal but on the topic of installing multiple drives, when you are installing your OS you should only have 1 storage drive plugged into the motherboard. I'm guessing the OS will be on the SSD, so the SSD and the BD should be plugged in, but the HDD should not be when you are installing the OS. For some reason if you have multiple drives plugged in then the boot info gets spread across all of them. It may or may not cause issues if you later remove the HDD, but just to be on the safe side it's best to only have the one plugged in until you get the OS installed.
"The world is a mess, and I just need to rule it" - Dr Horrible
You'll mostly want 16 gigs of ram, and an i7. Code compiling is cpu intensive, so you would benefit from the extra processing power there. I think? I haven't done coding since college, but I know it uses CPU power. Ram size also depends on the extensiveness of your photoshopping. You could start with 8 gigs of ram and just get a second set if you feel it's not meeting your needs.
The gtx 770 will definitely handle current gen 1080p no problem. It'll probably even handle any 1080p games that are thrown at it this year too.
Asrock, asus, gigabyte, and msi are all good mobo brands.
Something like this as a general framework: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VqdX I didn't really snoop through and look for the best deals. This is more of a generic build tailored to your description. You should really shop around and take advantage of any sales and promotions.
Thanks, Robes. What do you think on a power supply? I don't want to go too cheap by accident.
@CrackityJones Recommend this Silverstone 500W modular unit. Others may chime in as well, but going modular and a high-quality build seems like the way to go to me.
If you're planning to add a second GPU at some point you may want more headroom (~650W), but if not, 500W will be plenty.
That's actually not a very good power supply. It's not a bad one either but wouldn't be in my list. If you're going to be spending for a top notch system , shouldn't skimp on it.
It's not bad, it does what it says it will do. Just has a little more ripple on the rails then I prefer personally, especially if you feel like overclocking in the future, and it's power filtering/protection stage is a little skimpy.
It's not bad, it does what it says it will do. Just has a little more ripple on the rails then I prefer personally, especially if you feel like overclocking in the future, and it's power filtering/protection stage is a little skimpy.
Is that worth the $70 premium for the system he's putting together, given his budget? $150 for a power supply in a $1300 system seems like overkill to me.
Thanks for all the input. Based on the feedback, I've put the following system together. If you don't mind, please take one last look and let me know if there's anything that really stands out. Sub-par brand, etc...
It's not bad, it does what it says it will do. Just has a little more ripple on the rails then I prefer personally, especially if you feel like overclocking in the future, and it's power filtering/protection stage is a little skimpy.
Is that worth the $70 premium for the system he's putting together, given his budget? $150 for a power supply in a $1300 system seems like overkill to me.
Maybe not a $150 psu, but there are lots of good ~$100 550-650W units.
Thanks for all the input. Based on the feedback, I've put the following system together. If you don't mind, please take one last look and let me know if there's anything that really stands out. Sub-par brand, etc...
It's not bad, it does what it says it will do. Just has a little more ripple on the rails then I prefer personally, especially if you feel like overclocking in the future, and it's power filtering/protection stage is a little skimpy.
Is that worth the $70 premium for the system he's putting together, given his budget? $150 for a power supply in a $1300 system seems like overkill to me.
Nah, s'good. No point putting $50 tyres on a Lamborghini, is there?
Running Furmark and Prime95, I notice that my GTX 770 seems to get inordinately hot -- or at least, hotter than I'd like.
Running Furmark and even playing Tomb Raider just now, it was getting up to 80C. I know that's not so unusual for a GPU, but I still don't like it so high. I don't really think there's anything about the cooling situation that I can do to ameliorate it; the 350D has a single 140mm intake fan, and I've got the rear and top (for the rad) both exhausting. The 770 is this PNY one, for reference -- not the one pictured when I ordered on Amazon, which had a rear exhaust setup.
@Hamurabi Kepler cards will start to throttle themselves at 70C to prevent excessive overheating. If you're getting to 80C, it sounds like the default fan profile is too conservative.
I'd recommend getting a program like EVGA's PrecisionX, which you can use can setup a custom "fan curve." Basically, you specify set temperature breakpoints where you ratchet up the GPU's fan speed. Mine looks something like this (from memory):
You can flag PrecisionX to start minimized when Windows starts.
Your card will be noisier, but it should help keep temps down a bit.
I had PrecisionX with my 560 Ti, but for whatever reason I assumed it only worked with actual eVGA cards. Will download and change the fan settings when I get home tonight.
I did notice that even at 100% GPU load running Furmark, that the fan only ever got up to like 67% of max RPM.
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toloveistorebel Impressive. Most impressive. Central FLRegistered Userregular
Thanks for all the input. Based on the feedback, I've put the following system together. If you don't mind, please take one last look and let me know if there's anything that really stands out. Sub-par brand, etc...
I just installed that same exact PSU in my build. Was a pleasure to work with and was what I was going to recommend. You can't beat SeaSonic. And their G Series is pretty solid. And priced excellently.
Installed eVGA Precision. The target temperature + power slider is really nice.
But getting my 770 down to 75C requires going to like 78% power -- ie. losing 22% of the value of my $310 card.
Maybe this is why the PNY card is $310 while all the others are $330+.
These are just gaming temps right? I haven't looked but are other people with the same PNY card having similar issues? I wonder if you got a bum card somehow. Because those temps seem like they are way too high. My Sapphire 7870 XT (Tahiti LE) is supposed to be a fairly hot card (though not as hot as the Power Color version) and I rarely see anything out of the 50's when gaming. Even with my old case with crappy airflow. If I did some stress testing, like Heaven or Valley, I would see temps in the high 60's or low 70's, even lower when I'm not overclocking...
EDIT: I noticed you said this was when stress testing the GPU and CPU at the same time. Still seems like pretty high temps though.
Installed eVGA Precision. The target temperature + power slider is really nice.
But getting my 770 down to 75C requires going to like 78% power -- ie. losing 22% of the value of my $310 card.
Maybe this is why the PNY card is $310 while all the others are $330+.
These are just gaming temps right? I haven't looked but are other people with the same PNY card having similar issues? I wonder if you got a bum card somehow. Because those temps seem like they are way too high. My Sapphire 7870 XT (Tahiti LE) is supposed to be a fairly hot card (though not as hot as the Power Color version) and I rarely see anything out of the 50's when gaming. Even with my old case with crappy airflow. If I did some stress testing, like Heaven or Valley, I would see temps in the high 60's or low 70's, even lower when I'm not overclocking...
EDIT: I noticed you said this was when stress testing the GPU and CPU at the same time. Still seems like pretty high temps though.
No, been testing them one at a time using Furmark and Prime95.
In other news: I settled on a Turbo OC of 4.1ghz for my 4670K. Got greedy and tried a multiplier of 42 (so 4.2ghz) without adjusting any power settings, but it shot up to 80C in Prime immediately, so I 'settled' for 4.1ghz because I don't feel like trying to squeeze out an extra 50mhz or messing with voltages.
I don't know if any of the ones labeled just "Temp" are ambient sensors on the mobo. This is all of them, in any case, for a snapshot of what the individual components are sitting at while the case is closed at idle.
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toloveistorebel Impressive. Most impressive. Central FLRegistered Userregular
edited February 2014
On a slightly unrelated note, I built a computer out of some older parts for my wife two weeks ago after I got my new case and PSU. Anyway, I set Windows 7 to update automatically and it has been literally updating at every freaking shutdown. Multiple updates. Every time. And unfortunately this computer is an older Pentium D 775 socket, 2GB DDR2, system that is slow as balls. No SSD. So the updates take forever. Its ridiculous. I haven't had a chance to look into why its clearly not doing all the updates in one go, or whatever is going on. But I will tomorrow. For now, I just wanted to rant... lol.
Posts
You should get all the cables you could possibly need with your devices, but if you are missing some, then monoprice.com seems to be a good choice for getting those random cables, especially if you want unusual lengths, short or long.
Plug everything into the connector it fits into. The onyl thing that might give a beginner real trouble is the CPU installation but even that is way easier than it used to be.
- This will be a gaming/dev rig. I'll need to be able to run Visual Studio and Photoshop smoothly, but also want the games to run smoothly and look great. War Thunder gotta fly!
- I already know I want to go with a 250 ssd for the OS and platter for the rest. No idea on brands/models
- I keep having people give me conflicting opinions of i7 vs i5, so no idea there
- I'd prefer to go with 16gig memory, unless everyone screams that I'm an idiot and even a dev box won't need it
- Graphic card will need to handle 1080p. I keep reading the 770 is the way to go, so maybe that's a given
- All other parts (mobo, psu, case, etc...) I have no idea what to go with. I will say the 500r case looks nice
- Budget right around $1300 (this does not include display, as I've already purchased it)
If I'm asking for too much for too little, just let me know. I am trying to build a machine that will last me a solid number of years. Thank you again for any input and please let me know if I need to give more detail for better answers. Cheers!
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148834
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231568
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116900
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150605
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128681
Running Furmark and even playing Tomb Raider just now, it was getting up to 80C. I know that's not so unusual for a GPU, but I still don't like it so high. I don't really think there's anything about the cooling situation that I can do to ameliorate it; the 350D has a single 140mm intake fan, and I've got the rear and top (for the rad) both exhausting. The 770 is this PNY one, for reference -- not the one pictured when I ordered on Amazon, which had a rear exhaust setup.
http://lifehacker.com/5827491/how-to-build-a-computer-from-scratch-lesson-3-building-the-computer
Bnet tag: Nermals#11601
If you're not going to be overclocking, that's a whole bunch of motherboard you don't need. As for the processor itself, the 4771 has a smidgen higher clock speeds for $10 more. 16 gigs of RAM is HEAPS, too much if she's just going to be gaming you're wasting money. Really, the same could be said about the processor. A 4670 will do the same job for less. Your PSU is about double what you'll need for a single 7870 setup, so you can go for a lower-wattage output to maximise your efficiency, and also have room in the budget to step up the very best quality unit available. Also, no SSD?
Tell us what your wife will be using the system for and we can assemble a list according to a budget you also give us.
Here's what you picked:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VmT6
Given your budget of $1100, it looks to me like you are overspending on CPU, RAM, PSU, and underspending on graphics. Also, there are way nicer cases at that price point.
I would do this instead:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2Vn1x
You get a way better graphics card, and an SSD so everything you do is that much faster. You could ditch the regular HDD and use the one from her current machine for storage if you want.
EDIT: This assumes she's going to use it for gaming.
Mostly school work, but she does play games like GTA4 and The Sims 3 and Borderlands and stuff on it. I'll cut back the RAM and look at the 4670 processor, but what sort of motherboard would you suggest? Same goes for the PSU, I don't know anything about them so I just threw something with a high wattage on the list.
No SSD because I was already starting to spend quite a bit, but I'll look at them if I'm cutting back some stuff and saving some money. I was looking to spend about $1200 or so but spending less obviously wouldn't hurt if it means cutting out some stuff that's unnecessary.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008LTBJFW?cache=a0bbacb646a5f9afa1ddc15a5a4a7699#ref=mp_s_a_1_3&qid=1392735718&sr=8-3
It's for my Lenovo T430, and I assume that the 'for Mac' is just marketing speak, right? Any suggestions on finding a good 16gb kit for cheaper (brands, websites)?
EDIT: Is 16gb really worth it? Can I suffice with getting 8gb, and then out and buying another 8gb stick (same brand) at some point in the future, or are combining non-kit stixks a bad idea? I'm thinking of getting an SSD as well, so maybe that and a 8gb stick is a better compromise?
You already have a screen, so that's good news budget-wise. Is school work writing essays, or 3D modelling/video editing?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VomA <This is a really nice build full of top-quality parts that will game her face off and last for years. The case is nice and small and quite sleek and modern-looking.
Depends on what you use your laptop for. Photoshop, video editing? 3d rendering? get more than 8 gb. Playing games and browsing the web? 8 gigs is more than enough.
Agree with this build - if you wanted to save a little bit I would cut back to a GTX 760 and a 550W PSU. SSD is a must-have though; with your budget I absolutely would get one. It improves the entire experience.
You'll mostly want 16 gigs of ram, and an i7. Code compiling is cpu intensive, so you would benefit from the extra processing power there. I think? I haven't done coding since college, but I know it uses CPU power. Ram size also depends on the extensiveness of your photoshopping. You could start with 8 gigs of ram and just get a second set if you feel it's not meeting your needs.
The gtx 770 will definitely handle current gen 1080p no problem. It'll probably even handle any 1080p games that are thrown at it this year too.
Asrock, asus, gigabyte, and msi are all good mobo brands.
Something like this as a general framework: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VqdX I didn't really snoop through and look for the best deals. This is more of a generic build tailored to your description. You should really shop around and take advantage of any sales and promotions.
It's my main computer, which will have a dual/triple boot of various Linux distros. One of which will be Oracle Linux with Oracle installed, which is a case of more RAM the better.
That said, I also want an SSD to install my OS's on. I guess my primary question is whether getting an 8gb stick now, then getting an additional stick further down the road for the second RAM slot will cause major headaches? As long as they are the same manufacturer and speed (essentially the same item purchased later) that shouldn't cause issues, should it?
@Hamurabi Kepler cards will start to throttle themselves at 70C to prevent excessive overheating. If you're getting to 80C, it sounds like the default fan profile is too conservative.
I'd recommend getting a program like EVGA's PrecisionX, which you can use can setup a custom "fan curve." Basically, you specify set temperature breakpoints where you ratchet up the GPU's fan speed. Mine looks something like this (from memory):
40C - 40%
50C - 50%
60C - 60%
63C - 70%
65C - 80%
68C - 90%
70C - 100%
You can flag PrecisionX to start minimized when Windows starts.
Your card will be noisier, but it should help keep temps down a bit.
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
I'll probably keep it as it is except for the DVD drive and copy of Windows. We already have two copies of Windows 7, and we have an external DVD drive that we never use (I only bought it to install WIndows on my new machine). I might include a 1 or 2TB HDD as well but it's not really a priority. Thank you guys for the suggestions and comments!
@Synonym, not a huge deal but on the topic of installing multiple drives, when you are installing your OS you should only have 1 storage drive plugged into the motherboard. I'm guessing the OS will be on the SSD, so the SSD and the BD should be plugged in, but the HDD should not be when you are installing the OS. For some reason if you have multiple drives plugged in then the boot info gets spread across all of them. It may or may not cause issues if you later remove the HDD, but just to be on the safe side it's best to only have the one plugged in until you get the OS installed.
Thanks, Robes. What do you think on a power supply? I don't want to go too cheap by accident.
If you're planning to add a second GPU at some point you may want more headroom (~650W), but if not, 500W will be plenty.
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
I'd go with something like this: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ss650km
Care to explain?
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
It's not bad, it does what it says it will do. Just has a little more ripple on the rails then I prefer personally, especially if you feel like overclocking in the future, and it's power filtering/protection stage is a little skimpy.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/SilverStone-Strider-Plus-500-W-Power-Supply-Review/1369/1
Fair enough.
Is that worth the $70 premium for the system he's putting together, given his budget? $150 for a power supply in a $1300 system seems like overkill to me.
Path of Exile: snowcrash7
MTG Arena: Snow_Crash#34179
Battle.net: Snowcrash#1873
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182200
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VAGG
Maybe not a $150 psu, but there are lots of good ~$100 550-650W units.
This Seasonic is a great unit: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151118
That's an excellent parts list.
Nah, s'good. No point putting $50 tyres on a Lamborghini, is there?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151118
Say ~80 or so?
Inquisitor77: Rius, you are Sisyphus and melee Wizard is your boulder
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Bookish Stickers - Mrs. Rius' Etsy shop with bumper stickers and vinyl decals.
I had PrecisionX with my 560 Ti, but for whatever reason I assumed it only worked with actual eVGA cards. Will download and change the fan settings when I get home tonight.
I did notice that even at 100% GPU load running Furmark, that the fan only ever got up to like 67% of max RPM.
I just installed that same exact PSU in my build. Was a pleasure to work with and was what I was going to recommend. You can't beat SeaSonic. And their G Series is pretty solid. And priced excellently.
Edited for the grammars.
But getting my 770 down to 75C requires going to like 78% power -- ie. losing 22% of the value of my $310 card.
Maybe this is why the PNY card is $310 while all the others are $330+.
These are just gaming temps right? I haven't looked but are other people with the same PNY card having similar issues? I wonder if you got a bum card somehow. Because those temps seem like they are way too high. My Sapphire 7870 XT (Tahiti LE) is supposed to be a fairly hot card (though not as hot as the Power Color version) and I rarely see anything out of the 50's when gaming. Even with my old case with crappy airflow. If I did some stress testing, like Heaven or Valley, I would see temps in the high 60's or low 70's, even lower when I'm not overclocking...
EDIT: I noticed you said this was when stress testing the GPU and CPU at the same time. Still seems like pretty high temps though.
No, been testing them one at a time using Furmark and Prime95.
In other news: I settled on a Turbo OC of 4.1ghz for my 4670K. Got greedy and tried a multiplier of 42 (so 4.2ghz) without adjusting any power settings, but it shot up to 80C in Prime immediately, so I 'settled' for 4.1ghz because I don't feel like trying to squeeze out an extra 50mhz or messing with voltages.