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[Computer Build Thread] - Did you remember to plug in the CPU power cable?
Posts
Which z77 board did you get? I'm interested in the z77 mainly for the cool new stuff Asus is adding to their boards. Dunno about comparisons vs the z68.
Nintendo ID: Incindium
Hex TCG: Incindium
PSN: IncindiumX
The old HDD is SATA, but the RAM is DDR2, not very fast either.
Edit: I think I'm going to buy this with a set of nice RAM. Then I'll grab the video card later this summer. Thanks for the help!
Tuner cards depends on what you want. As far as I know, the only company that actually makes CableCard tuners is Ceton.
And Ivy is really unnecessary for HTPC usage. If you really care about stuff like post-processing and custom refresh rates, you'll want a discrete card anyway, so you could stick with something like an i3-2100 at the most, and if you don't, you could just as easily go with an AMD APU.
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Lucky for you, DDR3 is dirt cheap and it's not going to break the bank.
Case: Thermaltake LANBOX Lite
PSU: Antec Earthwatts Green 430W
Mobo: ASUS P8P77-M
CPU: Intel Core i5-2100
RAM: Patriot Gamer 2 series 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3
Video: ????
HDD : Samsung Spinpoint F3 (Now down to $109!)
SSD : Crucial M4 64GB
Optical: LG BluRay burner w/ 3D Playback, LightScribe
OS: Win 7 Home Premium
So questions:
1. What's a decent-but-affordable card to stick in here? I was going for an EVGA 560Ti until I saw I picked a version with two DVI ports and something else.
2. Any suggestions for wireless KBaM? Should I go BT or RF?
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Blizzard: Ianator#1479 / 3DS: Ianator - 1779 2336 5317 / FFXIV: Iana Ateliere (NA Sarg)
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I've got an ASUS p8z77-v deluxe
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I don't know if you like the look of the Shuttle-style cases, but if you're in the market for something a bit more "entertainment center-y" then I like the Silverstone ML03B. It's perfect for you if you don't care about full-height cards. On the PSU side, you'll only need like 300W, so go with something in that range. If you don't care about discrete graphics (and there's not a ton of reasons why you should) just go with a Fusion proc. I'd go highest-end on that, just to have as much CPU horsepower as you can get, and it's not really that expensive anyway. Pick whatever motherboard meets your needs. Also, do you have an external drive/NAS/server? If so, I wouldn't really bother with a data drive. I pull all my media from networked storage.
As for 1. the 560 Ti is waaaay more powerful than anyone needs in a pure HTPC, plus it'll probably be pretty loud compared to a lower end card. The GT 430 and Radeon 6570 are the "go-to" discrete GPUs for HTPC use. As for ports on the 560 Ti, all the higher-end Nvidia cards come with 2 DVI-D ports and a mini-HDMI port. For 2. I like the Logitech K400.
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anyway: I'm due for a PC upgrade, as the laptop I'm using now is slowly grinding itself into obsolescence. I am definitely considering the diy-desktop route. This will be my first build.
First of all: Is there still a significant gap in laptop v desktop performance? If not i can just go with a laptop again; even at the cost of future upgrades. Mobility would be worth the sacrifice.
Goals:
<1000$. The cheaper the better, obviously, so if there's no noticeable difference between 850$ in components and 1K$ I'll take the 850$.
Must be able to run FarCry 3 with settings above minimum, but I'm not very concerned with any extensive future-proofing.
I have zero overclocking experience, so if that's going to be a thing it needs to be super easy.
I prefer intel and nVidia, if only because i'm familiar with them. Actually, intel is (to the best of my knowledge) much more useful for the CAD and Adobe software I'll be running when not gaming. An i7 seems overkill and probably out of my price range anyway, so I'm looking at: The 1000$ is a definite hard ceiling, so the processor and graphics can come down a bit if needed, and everything else will be slotted in to match.
Mobo / case concerns: I'd like a minimum of four USB3 ports, and am not even remotely considering multi-gpu setups. Heat -management-wise, I do not plan to be overclocking extensively, if at all.
Bottom line: I want a machine for less than 1K$ that will be able to play this year's holiday releases. I don't care if it can play next year's.
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
My motherboard manual reports support for DDR3 1666(OC)/1333/1066 MHz. I currently have two 1GB 1333 CL9 Kingston DDR3 modules. If I add one 2GB 1600MHz module, will I be able to use it to its full potential or will the whole set work on 1333?
If I'm not mistaken, they don't actually make 1666MHz modules, so maybe I should buy a 1800 one and it will be downgraded to 1666?
My memory is currently working dual-channel, when I add another module I assume this will no longer be the case. Will it matter, considering I'm doubling the amount of memory? I want to leave space for 2GB more but I'm currently REALLY short on cash.
Whatever speed you buy youre going to be running at the speed of the slowest stick, so Id just grab another stick of 1333 (or if you could swing it, 2).
What I DO HAVE is copper paste, I have a vague memory that this is essentially what the thermal paste is made of. Could I use this or do I neeeeeeeed brand made thermal paste?
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz
Asrock P67 Extreme 6 Intel P67
Corsair HX 750W ATX
G.Skill RipJawsX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz
Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive
Things I'm missing are obviously a GPU and new case but not sure what to go for. Gonna use my current 1TB HD for storage and non-OS stuff until they go down in prices.
For a GPU I want to be running stuff like BF3 and Witcher 2 as high as possible on 1920x1080. Case wise I'm looking for something non-gamerish, so no windows or lights but still well built and quiet.
Thoughts, suggestions, changes?
I won't be playing games on it really, mostly internet streaming. So my thought process was: Integrated GPU/CPU = good (so I went with an AMD APU), low profile, quite, cooling = good, so I went with a Scythe Skuriken for cooling. Some decent G.Skill RAM. The PSU is an Antec 400W modular. It's actively cooled, but I am okay with that. Honestly, my XBox 360 makes way more noise than this thing ever will, so I am not sweating it. It's an SSD only system, as I will have external storage over the network. HDMI was important, so the motherboard is a MicroATX board with HDMI out.
Here are the parts:
CPU : AMD A6-3500 Llano 2.1GHz (2.4GHz Max Turbo) (AMD Radeon HD 6530D)
Motherboard : BIOSTAR A75MH FM1 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) MicroATX
Memory : G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3
Case : SilverStone SUGO SG02-BF Black ABS MicroATX
PSU : Antec HCG M Series HCG-400M 400W ATX12V (Modular)
CPU Cooler : Scythe SCBSK-2100 120mm BIG Shuriken 2
SSD : Crucial M4 128GB
BDD : LITE-ON Black 12X BD-ROM
Wireless: TP-LINK TL-WN881ND Wireless N Adapter
I know wireless isn't ideal, but it's what I have in this apartment because of where my cable modem and router sit, so it is what it is. Plus, my 360 and PS3 have done fine on wireless, this should be fine too. What version of Windows should I use? Does Home Premium have Media Center? Also, does anyone have a good wireless mouse/keyboard combo they can recommend? I plan to affix a small mouse pad to the corner of the coffee table where the mouse will sit, and the keyboard will sit on a small shelf under the coffee table. Other than that, am I missing anything?
Why P67 and not Z77?
As far as GPU, the 6870 is a good buy and does what you want. I play both of those games at that res pretty much maxed out. The only thing I don't turn on is in the Witcher, and that's their Supersomethingorother setting, that I am not even sure what it does, but they say don't use it without a max high end card or dual cards. Here's a Sapphire one for 169: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948. I currently run an MSI 6870.
You can drop 60 or 70 more dollars and take a noticeable step up with a 7850. Here is an HSI 7850 for 240: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161406
If Nvidia is more your persuasion, you can get a 560ti for around the price of that 7850. Here's an EVGA reference implementation for 230: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130623
You also have the option of waiting for the 660ti to release someday, but it will likely be in the high 200, low 300, dollar price range, and be hard to get at first, as the first batches are going to be gobbled up. That said, we have no idea when it's coming out other. Some think May, others say June or July. I would say earliest you could get one easily is later summer.
Because I have no idea what the difference is
With not upgrading in a few years I obviously know the socket differences but not (what I imagine is) the chipset differences.
Z77 is the successor to P67, with some enthusiast features (thus the Z moniker). Plus it has built in USB 3.0, without requiring a USB 3.0 secondary controller (like my P67 has). Just a newer cheapset, with some more modern features. And the price difference isn't that much.
I want a terrabyte internal drive. Suggestions that aren't 1300 dollars like this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822135009
Dohaeris210 on PSN / SniperGuy710 on Xbone Live
Sometimes, I make YouTube videos
HDD's are going to be on the high side right now, but that IBM drive you're looking at is not a normal desktop drive, it's for a special kind of disk array.
Dohaeris210 on PSN / SniperGuy710 on Xbone Live
Sometimes, I make YouTube videos
Hard drives are just expensive right now, because of the supply strain caused by the southeast Asian floods. It just sort of is what it is. You can wait, but we're probably a year from the strain easing up.
I went for it since it's on sale and there's that 20 buck promo code. Less than 100 even after Tax with free shipping. Working on building my gf a computer as well, so she can use my old drive.
Dohaeris210 on PSN / SniperGuy710 on Xbone Live
Sometimes, I make YouTube videos
Seem to be pretty much the same price wise, do they use the same motherboards?
Same socket, though you'll definitely want a Z77 board if you go Ivy Bridge. You're paying a bit of a premium for the latest refresh of the architecture basically. Slightly smaller fab process, little less heat, little less power draw. Should overclock like a monster.
but for people who aren't shooting for more than mid 4ghz it's definitely the way to go. Slightly costlier motherboard is offset by slightly cheaper CPU. And if you're running 'em at stock they pull significantly less power than sandybridge
Huh, that's interesting, and contradictory to what I would have expected.
People are mostly still speculating on exactly why, but the general consensus is that the fab process is so small that the surface area of the chip that is actually over where the heat is being generated is very small, thus making it more difficult to actually effectively remove enough heat once you start upping the clockspeeds/voltages beyond a certain point.
They still hit 4.4-4.6 just fine on air, although they may run a bit toastier than sandy. It's when you start pushing towards 5ghz that you start running into issues.
e: a bunch of tech sites have done some testing in this area, here's Anandetch's results.
Probably won't be overclocking that much if at all, but I'll still go for the K just in case I decide to start.
Is a third party cooler recommended if even slightly overclocking?
It's huge though, so make sure you have the case room, and it clears your RAM. I've heard of some RAM with fins being an issue.
It'll see you fine on clocks up into the low to mid 4ghz on sandy/ivy.
At stock clocks the stock intel cooler will do the job just fine so if you don't plan on OCing right off the bat you can save some scratch by not picking up an aftermarket cooler at all.
EDIT: Microcenter sale?.
I'm not in the States but I'm planning to buy my parts and get them shipped to a US address. I've used Newegg before and I like their reliability, how reliable is microcenter?
Streaming 8PST on weeknights
The Thermaltake Element S is slightly more discrete, anyone have any experience with it?