There's a few really great deals on Newegg, so I'm thinking about getting a couple things prior to the BF/CM sales as I was expecting to do. All of these prices are good until 11/21.
If you're signed up for their newsletter, promo code EMCJJJE44 gets you an Antec Neo Eco 520W for $40 with a $5 MIR and free shipping ($35 for that PSU is an absolutely incredible value), and EMCJJJE54 gets you a SeaSonic X650 for $100 plus free shipping.
I'm not going to be spending this much on my SSD, but the 120GB Vertex 3 is down to $220 with a $30 MIR and free shipping.
Promo code EMCJJJE78 brings the ASUS P8P67 PRO down ten dollars to $160 plus a $10 MIR and free shipping.
Personally, for my modest build I don't think I can pass up the Neo Eco or the G.Skill RAM. Does anyone think there'll be better deals during the BF/CM sales? And before I hit buy, I have a couple of quick question, though. For an i3 build, is there anything wrong with using that G.Skill Value Series RAM? Is there a difference between DDR3 (PC3 10600) and DDR3 (PC3 10666)? And is there really any tangible benefit to getting that set of Vengeance instead?
TheCanMan on
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The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
Good deal, or is there better quality ram I should get? I absolutely want 16 gigs, should I wait till BF/CM and see if better deals come along then, or is this something I should get?
Good deal, or is there better quality ram I should get? I absolutely want 16 gigs, should I wait till BF/CM and see if better deals come along then, or is this something I should get?
I don't think you're going to see a better deal than the Neo Eco or that RAM. I don't know what's different about the G.Skill Value Series, but they have a good reputation so I would expect it's solid. I am seriously tempted by that Vertex drive (barely more than $1.50/GB after rebate!), but I'm gonna hold out to see what BF sales are like. You can use either 10600, 10660, or 10666 depending on your motherboard. It's all about chipset. So, check your motherboard, but in all likelihood any of them will work. There isn't a significant difference between the G.Skill RAM and Corsair Vengence, in terms of real performance.
@The_Spaniard
That's solid RAM at a good price, don't know what kind of deals might pop up for BF. The difference between that stuff and the Corsair stuff TheCanMan posted is $5, without much performance difference (1600Mhz RAM doesn't show significant performance gains for Sandy Bridge). So, maybe future proofing? It's only $5, but at the same time, it's $5.
New computer actually booted up on the first try! Only 2 problems left.
-Need to get a mounting bracket for the SSD
-The Mobo doesn't seem to recognize the keyboard and mouse and do video output until Windows is starting. This makes it kinda hard to get into the BIOS.
Edit: Also, the aftermarket CPU cooler is FUCKING MASSIVE. It also bit me, but all good builds require a blood sacrifice.
you don't really need a bracket for the SSd. my first one i just used the PCI-e covers i took off for my graphics card to support it
Well it is somewhat more convenient if you move your case around at all. My case came with a bracket (I think 2, actually), I gave at least one to my brother already.
Thanks again everybody for guiding me along this build process. And additional thanks to CanMan for the headsup on those Newegg promo codes. After some shopping around and use of said codes, I think I've managed to get a pretty solid build. Hit me with any suggestions/feedback.
I am porting my 500GB HDD over from my old PC, but all said, this build comes in at under $650 after shipping. I feel like this is a really great deal for an i5 system.
TheBenjomonster on
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Well it is somewhat more convenient if you move your case around at all. My case came with a bracket (I think 2, actually), I gave at least one to my brother already.
Velcro it to a 3.5 bay? Or the back of the mobo tray?
Thanks again everybody for guiding me along this build process. And additional thanks to CanMan for the headsup on those Newegg promo codes. After some shopping around and use of said codes, I think I've managed to get a pretty solid build. Hit me with any suggestions/feedback.
I am porting my 500GB HDD over from my old PC, but all said, this build comes in at under $650 after shipping. I feel like this is a really great deal for an i5 system.
You can get a better case for about the same money. That Rosewill doesn't seem to have any cable management. NZXT pretty much owns the "really cheap cases with pretty decent cable management" territory. Thread favorites include the Gamma, Source 210 (here's the white one), and Beta Evo.
What do you guys think? I saw this on Reddit and I, too, am a broke college gamer. There's a couple of rebates included in this list. Bought an Asus G51-JX last year, and the GTS 360m is has will run SC2 and ME2 on high, New Vegas on Medium, World of Tanks on Low (and at 100deg C) - I'm afraid to try Skyrim. Half the problem is it's having to push this at 1920x1080 native res. I hoped I'd be okay for another year, but no dice.
what is the current mid-low high range card right now for Nividia or AMD?
I have a HD 5770 and am thinking of upgrading and am curious as to whether or not its worth getting a new card or buying a second 5770 even though that will likely require i a larger PSU
@The_Spaniard
That's solid RAM at a good price, don't know what kind of deals might pop up for BF. The difference between that stuff and the Corsair stuff TheCanMan posted is $5, without much performance difference (1600Mhz RAM doesn't show significant performance gains for Sandy Bridge). So, maybe future proofing? It's only $5, but at the same time, it's $5.
The only other difference is that the Corsair RAM doesn't have the tall heatsink that the G.Skill has. And since you'll be using all 4 of your DIMMs, that is probably something you'll want to consider (tall RAM heatsinks can interfere with the installation of some aftermarket HSFs). Although the picture could very well just be misleading (there's nothing in any of them to add any scale to the RAM).
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YamiNoSenshiA point called ZIn the complex planeRegistered Userregular
New computer actually booted up on the first try! Only 2 problems left.
-Need to get a mounting bracket for the SSD
-The Mobo doesn't seem to recognize the keyboard and mouse and do video output until Windows is starting. This makes it kinda hard to get into the BIOS.
Edit: Also, the aftermarket CPU cooler is FUCKING MASSIVE. It also bit me, but all good builds require a blood sacrifice.
you don't really need a bracket for the SSd. my first one i just used the PCI-e covers i took off for my graphics card to support it
Well, considering my wife is at Microcenter right now getting one while I sit at work and rack up the overtime, I think I'll get one. I'm more concerned with the MoBo issue, but I found some info that may help.
@The_Spaniard
That's solid RAM at a good price, don't know what kind of deals might pop up for BF. The difference between that stuff and the Corsair stuff TheCanMan posted is $5, without much performance difference (1600Mhz RAM doesn't show significant performance gains for Sandy Bridge). So, maybe future proofing? It's only $5, but at the same time, it's $5.
The only other difference is that the Corsair RAM doesn't have the tall heatsink that the G.Skill has. And since you'll be using all 4 of your DIMMs, that is probably something you'll want to consider (tall RAM heatsinks can interfere with the installation of some aftermarket HSFs). Although the picture could very well just be misleading (there's nothing in any of them to add any scale to the RAM).
Aren't those removable? My board fits four sticks of RAM with my Hyper 212 just fine, don't know how that translates to others.
@rizzi that's what GPU manufacturers say because they can't rely on people to not use shit quality PSUs. Go and google your model 560ti + power consumption and have a look at a few websites' info on actual power draw. You'll quickly see that your 560ti doesn't need that much power. As long as you're not running a rack of HDDs, 4 ODDs, overvolting your CPU like crazy and running a heap of LEDs/cold cathodes you should be fine with your Neo Eco.
@CheBourgeoisNoir if you want to save a bit more cash, then pick up the 1GB version of the 6950. The extra ram is only really handy for multi-monitor rigs and things at crazy high resolution. If you're playing on a single 1920x1080 monitor, then the 1GB will perform just as well as a 2GB card
if its just gaming and light usage I would say its not worth it unless the ram you have now is 1066 or something slow like that as well, since most regular desktop usage isn't going to crack 4 gigs.
on the other hand if you either a: run virtual machines sometimes or b: just prefer to leave several memory intensive programs open at the same time as running a game, eight gigs is very worth it.
Day of the Bear on
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Okay guys, be cool. Antec has just released...a case with some actual modern design elements.
Damnit, I said be cool! We don't want to spook them!
Anyway, per usual, it's fairly overpriced, given how similar it is to the Fractal Design R3, but the Antec P280 finally gives Antec an entry that can compete on its merits against cases from guys like Cooler Master, Fractal Design, Corsair and NZXT.
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
Speaking of cases, it's about time to replace mine. I am using an Antec 1200 now, but it's getting a little long in the tooth. Plus I am not fond of the amount of behind motherboard tray storage it has.
Any suggestions on a full tower case, with really nice design, and plenty of cable storage? Has to be full tower.
So, my second 6850 came in today. I've been running on one XFX 6850 for the past few months with no problem. Now that I've added the Sapphire 6850 and Crossfired, things are weird.
If I disable the Sapphire and just roll with the XFX, everything's fine. If I disable the XFX and just use the Sapphire, it's fine. But if I actually run Crossfire, BF3 shits itself (as does Skyrim, which I guess is to be expected since it doesn't have Crossfire support yet). That's only if I use the XFX (top) card as my primary though. If I swap my inputs to the Sapphire and use it as my primary, everything runs fine. I am noticing some different issues/framerate dips than I'd have before though. Not microstuttering, actual framerates.
Is this a driver issue? Before Crossfiring, I had the 11.9 drivers, because they ran a bit smoother. Now I suddenly have the 11.10 drivers, but the date is 10/12 (rather than 10/31, which was when 11.10 came out I think). Are there separate driver releases for Crossfire?
System specs:
ASRock Extreme3 Gen3 Z68 board
i5 2500k
Corsair HX650 (they're hooked up on different six-pin outlets in the PSU)
XFX 6850
Sapphire 6850
That p280 is definitely a nice case, but honestly I like how the r3 is really compact for what it packs in. the larger size of the p280 is a bit of a downer for me.
on the other hand it looks like those front intakes probably breathe better than the r3
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YamiNoSenshiA point called ZIn the complex planeRegistered Userregular
Okay guys, be cool. Antec has just released...a case with some actual modern design elements.
Damnit, I said be cool! We don't want to spook them!
Anyway, per usual, it's fairly overpriced, given how similar it is to the Fractal Design R3, but the Antec P280 finally gives Antec an entry that can compete on its merits against cases from guys like Cooler Master, Fractal Design, Corsair and NZXT.
It looks like a wine fridge :P
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21stCenturyCall me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered Userregular
Wonderful, seems like there always is a reason for me to come back to this thread!
Whenever I try using google talk, my microphone volume goes really really quiet automatically. I need to manually open Realtek Audio Manager and get the recording volume back up. I downloaded the latest drivers, i'm pretty sure... Anyone have an idea what the problem might be?
Okay guys, be cool. Antec has just released...a case with some actual modern design elements.
Damnit, I said be cool! We don't want to spook them!
Anyway, per usual, it's fairly overpriced, given how similar it is to the Fractal Design R3, but the Antec P280 finally gives Antec an entry that can compete on its merits against cases from guys like Cooler Master, Fractal Design, Corsair and NZXT.
It looks like a wine fridge :P
I'm the kind of person for whom aesthetics are not a concern. Seriously, you could make a case look like a styrofoam beverage cooler and I'd use it if the internals were nice and the thermals were good.
Good deal, or is there better quality ram I should get? I absolutely want 16 gigs, should I wait till BF/CM and see if better deals come along then, or is this something I should get?
In all likelihood either of those sets of RAM would work fine. But it can't hurt to wait, since there is a potential for it to be incompatible.
Deals come and go, but if I know for absolute certain I'm going to be building an i7 machine, then exactly how many different kinds of ram would I really be looking between?
It comes down to the specific motherboard. Either of the options posted should work with any 1155 motherboard. That said, sometimes chipsets or manufacturers are weird, and they don't for strange reasons. Personally, I wouldn't feel worried grabbing the deal now, but it's your money, so you need to feel comfortable with it.
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Good deal, or is there better quality ram I should get? I absolutely want 16 gigs, should I wait till BF/CM and see if better deals come along then, or is this something I should get?
One friend said that I should hold off on buying any RAM until I know the Mobo that it is going into. How true is that?
The truth varies based on what he meant. Without knowing exactly what he meant and why I'd say completely untrue, though.
Any motherboard for a CPU made within the last 2-3 years will utilize DDR3 RAM, and compatibility issues based on manufacturer are largely non-existent. Unless you're talking sky-high RAM clocks, there's really no issues there either. Most Corsair Vengeance RAM is clocked at either 1333Mhz (which it should run at by default) or 1600Mhz (which may technically be an "overclocked" setting for your motherboard, but is easily reached by turning on the XMP profile for the RAM, which does not overclock any other parts of the PC) and they all run at 1.5V (the official Intel max voltage for RAM on the Sandy Bridge platform) which is fully compatible with LGA1155/1156/1366, as well as AMD's Socket FM1, AM3, and AM3+.
Basically there's no reason to suppose that any RAM you buy (provided you buy good DDR3 RAM from a reputable manufacturer) would be in some way incompatible or unusable based on a later motherboard choice.
Unless you buy a server motherboard that requires ECC RAM, in which case you're an idiot.
But that's unlikely.
Additionally: I'm becoming really drawn to the Antec P280. I would like removable HDD cages, but other than that it's a really great looking case. Would not have called Antec making a play like this.
Also, to keep up a bit with newcomers/returners to the SSD space:
Corsair has a new Marvell controller based drive coming out, the Performance Pro (128GB and 256GB capacities). These will likely be more reliable than Sandforce based drives (from all manufacturers, not just Corsair) have proven to be, and the sacrifices from a performance standpoint look to be pretty minimal in synthetic testing, and will likely be even less detectable in real-world usage. I haven't seen any actual benchies yet, though.
Samsung recently released their SATA 6.0gbs drive, the Samsung 830 (variety of capacities). Samsung is a well-tested brand and controller in terms of reliability, the drives look sharp as hell, and they use a new, thinner 2.5 inch form factor that's pretty damn cool. In terms of synthetic scores, they're very competitive with Sandforce drives, have the advantage of slightly higher capacity at comparable price points, and did I mention reliable?
Sandforce (and all associated drive vendors, so Corsair, Patriot, G.SKILL, OCZ, etc. etc. ad infinitum...) has released a firmware fix that (supposedly) will resolve the BSOD issue seen in the drives. Time will tell, but hopefully that's a wrap on that one.
My current recommendations would be:
Strictly Value: An Asynchronous NAND Sandforce drive, like the OCZ Agility 3 or Corsair Force 3. Provided the recent firmware has resolved the BSOD issues, these drives are usually the lowest priced options around.
Reliability and Value: Crucial M4. It's significantly cheaper than many competing drives at various capacities (40-50 cheaper than the Samsung and Corsair Performance Pro).
Reliability and Performance: Samsung 830. It acquits itself well, won't demand an RMA until you get a drive without a mysterious bug, and looks cool to boot (if you care).
Strictly Performance: It seems like the new Sandforce drives, particularly at or about 240GB capacity, really can't be beat at the moment. This would be Corsair Force GT, OCZ Vertex 3, etc.
ok i think im sorted here, can someone just quickly check that im not doing something real dumb here and gonna end up with a square peg and a round hole
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler RR-B10-212P-G1
Corsair Vengeance Blue 8 GB (2 X 4 GB) PC3-12800 1600mHz DDR3 240-Pin SDRAM Dual Channel Memory Kit CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B
XFX AMD Radeon HD 6950 800M 1 GB DDR5 PCI-E Video Card HD695XZNFC
OCZ Technology 60 GB Vertex 2 Series SATA II 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive OCZSSD22VTXE60G
and a Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000524AS Hard Disk Drive, 1000GB, 7200rpm, 32MB Cache, SATA 6 Gb/s when they're back in stock and not as hugely expensive as right now
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
edited November 2011
Where are you buying from?
Edit: I'm just going to assume that the answer is "Newegg USA" for the sake of my post. Go with this Antec 520W supply, you can save about $25 over the Enermax you're looking at if you buy this week. It's just as good a PSU, if not better (I lean towards better).
Yeah it's amazon for the main/light bits and local online stores for the rest. That antec PSU is $5 more expensive where I'm getting mine from, and amazon is really weird about which SSDs it will ship internationally (or they've just made a mistake in saying they'll ship that one, I'll find out after I order I guess).
Posts
If you're signed up for their newsletter, promo code EMCJJJE44 gets you an Antec Neo Eco 520W for $40 with a $5 MIR and free shipping ($35 for that PSU is an absolutely incredible value), and EMCJJJE54 gets you a SeaSonic X650 for $100 plus free shipping.
I'm not going to be spending this much on my SSD, but the 120GB Vertex 3 is down to $220 with a $30 MIR and free shipping.
G.Skill Value Series 2x4GB DDR3 1333 is ten buck off bringing it down to just $30 with free shipping. And promo code EMCJJJE77 brings a set of Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3 1600 down to $40 with free shipping.
Promo code EMCJJJE78 brings the ASUS P8P67 PRO down ten dollars to $160 plus a $10 MIR and free shipping.
Personally, for my modest build I don't think I can pass up the Neo Eco or the G.Skill RAM. Does anyone think there'll be better deals during the BF/CM sales? And before I hit buy, I have a couple of quick question, though. For an i3 build, is there anything wrong with using that G.Skill Value Series RAM? Is there a difference between DDR3 (PC3 10600) and DDR3 (PC3 10666)? And is there really any tangible benefit to getting that set of Vengeance instead?
Good deal, or is there better quality ram I should get? I absolutely want 16 gigs, should I wait till BF/CM and see if better deals come along then, or is this something I should get?
For another $5 you could get this set of Corsair Vengeance 4x4GB DDR3 1600.
I don't think you're going to see a better deal than the Neo Eco or that RAM. I don't know what's different about the G.Skill Value Series, but they have a good reputation so I would expect it's solid. I am seriously tempted by that Vertex drive (barely more than $1.50/GB after rebate!), but I'm gonna hold out to see what BF sales are like. You can use either 10600, 10660, or 10666 depending on your motherboard. It's all about chipset. So, check your motherboard, but in all likelihood any of them will work. There isn't a significant difference between the G.Skill RAM and Corsair Vengence, in terms of real performance.
@The_Spaniard
That's solid RAM at a good price, don't know what kind of deals might pop up for BF. The difference between that stuff and the Corsair stuff TheCanMan posted is $5, without much performance difference (1600Mhz RAM doesn't show significant performance gains for Sandy Bridge). So, maybe future proofing? It's only $5, but at the same time, it's $5.
you don't really need a bracket for the SSd. my first one i just used the PCI-e covers i took off for my graphics card to support it
GIGABYTE Radeon 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 GPU - $160
Antec Neo 520W PSU - $40 after Promo code :-O
Corsair Vengeance 8GB (4x2) DDR3 1600 - $40 after Promo code
ASUS P67 ATX motherboard - $130
Intel Core i5 2500k 3.3ghz - $215
I am porting my 500GB HDD over from my old PC, but all said, this build comes in at under $650 after shipping. I feel like this is a really great deal for an i5 system.
Velcro it to a 3.5 bay? Or the back of the mobo tray?
E: I second velcroing ssds in. some velcro tape isn't too pricey and is great for fixing lightweight components such as ssds in place.
You can get a better case for about the same money. That Rosewill doesn't seem to have any cable management. NZXT pretty much owns the "really cheap cases with pretty decent cable management" territory. Thread favorites include the Gamma, Source 210 (here's the white one), and Beta Evo.
CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 3.1GHz Dual-Core Processor ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P67A-D3-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($68.95 @ Office Depot)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 6950 2GB Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 ATX Mid Tower Case ($67.29 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: OCZ 600W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $611.20
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2011-11-15 15:23 EST-0500)
What do you guys think? I saw this on Reddit and I, too, am a broke college gamer. There's a couple of rebates included in this list. Bought an Asus G51-JX last year, and the GTS 360m is has will run SC2 and ME2 on high, New Vegas on Medium, World of Tanks on Low (and at 100deg C) - I'm afraid to try Skyrim. Half the problem is it's having to push this at 1920x1080 native res. I hoped I'd be okay for another year, but no dice.
I have a HD 5770 and am thinking of upgrading and am curious as to whether or not its worth getting a new card or buying a second 5770 even though that will likely require i a larger PSU
Its up to $60 now I think, unless its back down to $30. I really hope its back down to $30.
Ugh.
Do you guys think going from 4GB of ram to 8GB of ram would make much difference? I could get http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_538_913&products_id=13931 for $67 posted.
The only other difference is that the Corsair RAM doesn't have the tall heatsink that the G.Skill has. And since you'll be using all 4 of your DIMMs, that is probably something you'll want to consider (tall RAM heatsinks can interfere with the installation of some aftermarket HSFs). Although the picture could very well just be misleading (there's nothing in any of them to add any scale to the RAM).
Well, considering my wife is at Microcenter right now getting one while I sit at work and rack up the overtime, I think I'll get one. I'm more concerned with the MoBo issue, but I found some info that may help.
Aren't those removable? My board fits four sticks of RAM with my Hyper 212 just fine, don't know how that translates to others.
Mine is only 500 Watt.
:?
@CheBourgeoisNoir if you want to save a bit more cash, then pick up the 1GB version of the 6950. The extra ram is only really handy for multi-monitor rigs and things at crazy high resolution. If you're playing on a single 1920x1080 monitor, then the 1GB will perform just as well as a 2GB card
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
No overclocking at all anyway.
What are you doing with your rig primarily?
if its just gaming and light usage I would say its not worth it unless the ram you have now is 1066 or something slow like that as well, since most regular desktop usage isn't going to crack 4 gigs.
on the other hand if you either a: run virtual machines sometimes or b: just prefer to leave several memory intensive programs open at the same time as running a game, eight gigs is very worth it.
Damnit, I said be cool! We don't want to spook them!
Anyway, per usual, it's fairly overpriced, given how similar it is to the Fractal Design R3, but the Antec P280 finally gives Antec an entry that can compete on its merits against cases from guys like Cooler Master, Fractal Design, Corsair and NZXT.
Battle.net
Any suggestions on a full tower case, with really nice design, and plenty of cable storage? Has to be full tower.
If I disable the Sapphire and just roll with the XFX, everything's fine. If I disable the XFX and just use the Sapphire, it's fine. But if I actually run Crossfire, BF3 shits itself (as does Skyrim, which I guess is to be expected since it doesn't have Crossfire support yet). That's only if I use the XFX (top) card as my primary though. If I swap my inputs to the Sapphire and use it as my primary, everything runs fine. I am noticing some different issues/framerate dips than I'd have before though. Not microstuttering, actual framerates.
Is this a driver issue? Before Crossfiring, I had the 11.9 drivers, because they ran a bit smoother. Now I suddenly have the 11.10 drivers, but the date is 10/12 (rather than 10/31, which was when 11.10 came out I think). Are there separate driver releases for Crossfire?
System specs:
ASRock Extreme3 Gen3 Z68 board
i5 2500k
Corsair HX650 (they're hooked up on different six-pin outlets in the PSU)
XFX 6850
Sapphire 6850
I'm just glad that we're seeing more and more enthusiast cases that I'm not embarrassed to have sitting at my desk.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.763308
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.761104
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161372
Is 650W still overkill? How does this look guys?
on the other hand it looks like those front intakes probably breathe better than the r3
It looks like a wine fridge :P
Whenever I try using google talk, my microphone volume goes really really quiet automatically. I need to manually open Realtek Audio Manager and get the recording volume back up. I downloaded the latest drivers, i'm pretty sure... Anyone have an idea what the problem might be?
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
I'm the kind of person for whom aesthetics are not a concern. Seriously, you could make a case look like a styrofoam beverage cooler and I'd use it if the internals were nice and the thermals were good.
Battle.net
One friend said that I should hold off on buying any RAM until I know the Mobo that it is going into. How true is that?
Deals come and go, but if I know for absolute certain I'm going to be building an i7 machine, then exactly how many different kinds of ram would I really be looking between?
The truth varies based on what he meant. Without knowing exactly what he meant and why I'd say completely untrue, though.
Any motherboard for a CPU made within the last 2-3 years will utilize DDR3 RAM, and compatibility issues based on manufacturer are largely non-existent. Unless you're talking sky-high RAM clocks, there's really no issues there either. Most Corsair Vengeance RAM is clocked at either 1333Mhz (which it should run at by default) or 1600Mhz (which may technically be an "overclocked" setting for your motherboard, but is easily reached by turning on the XMP profile for the RAM, which does not overclock any other parts of the PC) and they all run at 1.5V (the official Intel max voltage for RAM on the Sandy Bridge platform) which is fully compatible with LGA1155/1156/1366, as well as AMD's Socket FM1, AM3, and AM3+.
Basically there's no reason to suppose that any RAM you buy (provided you buy good DDR3 RAM from a reputable manufacturer) would be in some way incompatible or unusable based on a later motherboard choice.
Unless you buy a server motherboard that requires ECC RAM, in which case you're an idiot.
But that's unlikely.
Additionally: I'm becoming really drawn to the Antec P280. I would like removable HDD cages, but other than that it's a really great looking case. Would not have called Antec making a play like this.
Also, to keep up a bit with newcomers/returners to the SSD space:
Corsair has a new Marvell controller based drive coming out, the Performance Pro (128GB and 256GB capacities). These will likely be more reliable than Sandforce based drives (from all manufacturers, not just Corsair) have proven to be, and the sacrifices from a performance standpoint look to be pretty minimal in synthetic testing, and will likely be even less detectable in real-world usage. I haven't seen any actual benchies yet, though.
Samsung recently released their SATA 6.0gbs drive, the Samsung 830 (variety of capacities). Samsung is a well-tested brand and controller in terms of reliability, the drives look sharp as hell, and they use a new, thinner 2.5 inch form factor that's pretty damn cool. In terms of synthetic scores, they're very competitive with Sandforce drives, have the advantage of slightly higher capacity at comparable price points, and did I mention reliable?
Sandforce (and all associated drive vendors, so Corsair, Patriot, G.SKILL, OCZ, etc. etc. ad infinitum...) has released a firmware fix that (supposedly) will resolve the BSOD issue seen in the drives. Time will tell, but hopefully that's a wrap on that one.
My current recommendations would be:
Strictly Value: An Asynchronous NAND Sandforce drive, like the OCZ Agility 3 or Corsair Force 3. Provided the recent firmware has resolved the BSOD issues, these drives are usually the lowest priced options around.
Reliability and Value: Crucial M4. It's significantly cheaper than many competing drives at various capacities (40-50 cheaper than the Samsung and Corsair Performance Pro).
Reliability and Performance: Samsung 830. It acquits itself well, won't demand an RMA until you get a drive without a mysterious bug, and looks cool to boot (if you care).
Strictly Performance: It seems like the new Sandforce drives, particularly at or about 240GB capacity, really can't be beat at the moment. This would be Corsair Force GT, OCZ Vertex 3, etc.
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Corsair Vengeance Blue 8 GB (2 X 4 GB) PC3-12800 1600mHz DDR3 240-Pin SDRAM Dual Channel Memory Kit CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B
XFX AMD Radeon HD 6950 800M 1 GB DDR5 PCI-E Video Card HD695XZNFC
OCZ Technology 60 GB Vertex 2 Series SATA II 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive OCZSSD22VTXE60G
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3 GHz 6 MB Cache Socket LGA1155 Processor
ViewSonic VA2448m-LED Monitor, 24" LED, 1920x1080, DVI, Speakers, Black
Enermax Tomahawk II ENP550AWT, 550W ATX PSU, Active PFC, Black
LG Electronics GH24NS70 DVD Writer, DVD 16R/24W/8RW, CD 48R/48W/32RW, Internal, SATA, Black, OEM
Asrock P67 Pro3 Motherboard, Socket 1155, Intel P67, 4xDDR3, 1xPCIe-16, 3xPCIe-1, RAID, ATX
Corsair 400R case
and a Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000524AS Hard Disk Drive, 1000GB, 7200rpm, 32MB Cache, SATA 6 Gb/s when they're back in stock and not as hugely expensive as right now
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Edit: I'm just going to assume that the answer is "Newegg USA" for the sake of my post. Go with this Antec 520W supply, you can save about $25 over the Enermax you're looking at if you buy this week. It's just as good a PSU, if not better (I lean towards better).
Also, you can purchase the higher performing Vertex 3 version of that drive for like $8 more. I'd do so.
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Whatever parts L|ama can get shipped to NZ from Amazon he will likely buy online, the rest will come from local stores/local online retailers.
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