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[Computer Build Thread] - Did you remember to plug in the CPU power cable?

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Posts

  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    ehume over on OCN has a nice little guide for lubing sleave bearing fans, which newegg seems to indicate those R4s are

    m6eoUgQ.jpg
  • IncindiumIncindium Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Was think I might go 32 gig at some point and make a 16 gig ram disk. And if I wanted to VM it all up the RAM could come in handy although I won't need initially for sure.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    No one who has no reason to own a 2600K (myself included) has any need for 32GB of RAM (once again, myself included). Both are money I have a hard time encouraging people to blow. You'd get as much nerd cred, and probably more use, out of spending that money on a fancier GPU, if you just had to spend it on that PC. Personally, I'd probably use it to buy a 2TB HDD. God I hate Thailand so much right now.

    Also, consider buying a different PSU. The HX650 is pretty old at this point, Corsair didn't include it in the refresh of the HX line. The Hale82 from NZXT is built on a newer platform, so performance in terms of voltage regulation, ripple, and noise is better, efficiency is roughly the same (if not better) and it's only marginally more expensive after shipping. And don't buy any AS5. The Cooler Master stuff is probably just fine, and AS5 is (much like Antec's cases were until recently) cruising on its past success without actually being particularly great relative to new competition.

    General Statement Unrelated to Anything Else I Just Said: People sling the 212+ around a lot, and it's a nice cooler for $25 (possibly the nicest, though Xigmatek makes a good one too, iirc) but it's definitely not the best air cooler around. The performance is solid for the price, but not world-beating, and the mounting system makes my brain hurt just looking at it. One doesn't have to buy a Noctua DH-14 to get a better air cooler than the 212+. The new 212 EVO looks good, Xigmatek's Baldur/Dark Knight has always been solid, NZXT has newer 120mm and 140mm compatible offerings, Prolimatech is always great (and the mounting system is top notch). Scythe's Mugen 2/3 is a favorite of many. Let's not get caught up in the 212+ as a catch-all recommendation.

    I was looking at the Corsair PSU because of the reviews and the 15% Newegg discount. I'd originally thought about going with a Hale82 but then read some reviews where it was mentioned that it was actually pretty loud.
    So if you have an option that is modular, quiet and it the same price range I'm all ears.

    Incindium on
    steam_sig.png
    Nintendo ID: Incindium
    PSN: IncindiumX
  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Incindium wrote: »
    Was think I might go 32 gig at some point and make a 16 gig ram disk. And if I wanted to VM it all up the RAM could come in handy although I won't need initially for sure.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    No one who has no reason to own a 2600K (myself included) has any need for 32GB of RAM (once again, myself included). Both are money I have a hard time encouraging people to blow. You'd get as much nerd cred, and probably more use, out of spending that money on a fancier GPU, if you just had to spend it on that PC. Personally, I'd probably use it to buy a 2TB HDD. God I hate Thailand so much right now.

    Also, consider buying a different PSU. The HX650 is pretty old at this point, Corsair didn't include it in the refresh of the HX line. The Hale82 from NZXT is built on a newer platform, so performance in terms of voltage regulation, ripple, and noise is better, efficiency is roughly the same (if not better) and it's only marginally more expensive after shipping. And don't buy any AS5. The Cooler Master stuff is probably just fine, and AS5 is (much like Antec's cases were until recently) cruising on its past success without actually being particularly great relative to new competition.

    General Statement Unrelated to Anything Else I Just Said: People sling the 212+ around a lot, and it's a nice cooler for $25 (possibly the nicest, though Xigmatek makes a good one too, iirc) but it's definitely not the best air cooler around. The performance is solid for the price, but not world-beating, and the mounting system makes my brain hurt just looking at it. One doesn't have to buy a Noctua DH-14 to get a better air cooler than the 212+. The new 212 EVO looks good, Xigmatek's Baldur/Dark Knight has always been solid, NZXT has newer 120mm and 140mm compatible offerings, Prolimatech is always great (and the mounting system is top notch). Scythe's Mugen 2/3 is a favorite of many. Let's not get caught up in the 212+ as a catch-all recommendation.

    I was looking at the Corsair PSU because of the reviews and the 15% Newegg discount. I'd originally thought about going with a Hale82 but then read some reviews where it was mentioned that it was actually pretty loud.
    So if you have an option that is modular, quiet and it the same price range I'm all ears.

    I'm not convinced the HX650 would be any quieter. Roughly the same type/size of fan, and in both cases the fan doesn't turn off for low power draw like it does on higher end Seasonic units. Honestly I'm not sure PSU fan noise is even really audible over my GPU/CPU fans. The HX650 isn't a bad PSU, I'm just inclined to buy more recent models as a general rule.

    As for RAM, if you're comfortable with the 50% price premium now, and paying it again later, for VMs you're not sure you'll be running and a possible RAMDisk, go for it.

    Alecthar on
  • IncindiumIncindium Registered User regular
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Incindium wrote: »
    Was think I might go 32 gig at some point and make a 16 gig ram disk. And if I wanted to VM it all up the RAM could come in handy although I won't need initially for sure.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    No one who has no reason to own a 2600K (myself included) has any need for 32GB of RAM (once again, myself included). Both are money I have a hard time encouraging people to blow. You'd get as much nerd cred, and probably more use, out of spending that money on a fancier GPU, if you just had to spend it on that PC. Personally, I'd probably use it to buy a 2TB HDD. God I hate Thailand so much right now.

    Also, consider buying a different PSU. The HX650 is pretty old at this point, Corsair didn't include it in the refresh of the HX line. The Hale82 from NZXT is built on a newer platform, so performance in terms of voltage regulation, ripple, and noise is better, efficiency is roughly the same (if not better) and it's only marginally more expensive after shipping. And don't buy any AS5. The Cooler Master stuff is probably just fine, and AS5 is (much like Antec's cases were until recently) cruising on its past success without actually being particularly great relative to new competition.

    General Statement Unrelated to Anything Else I Just Said: People sling the 212+ around a lot, and it's a nice cooler for $25 (possibly the nicest, though Xigmatek makes a good one too, iirc) but it's definitely not the best air cooler around. The performance is solid for the price, but not world-beating, and the mounting system makes my brain hurt just looking at it. One doesn't have to buy a Noctua DH-14 to get a better air cooler than the 212+. The new 212 EVO looks good, Xigmatek's Baldur/Dark Knight has always been solid, NZXT has newer 120mm and 140mm compatible offerings, Prolimatech is always great (and the mounting system is top notch). Scythe's Mugen 2/3 is a favorite of many. Let's not get caught up in the 212+ as a catch-all recommendation.

    I was looking at the Corsair PSU because of the reviews and the 15% Newegg discount. I'd originally thought about going with a Hale82 but then read some reviews where it was mentioned that it was actually pretty loud.
    So if you have an option that is modular, quiet and it the same price range I'm all ears.

    I'm not convinced the HX650 would be any quieter. Roughly the same type/size of fan, and in both cases the fan doesn't turn off for low power draw like it does on higher end Seasonic units. Honestly I'm not sure PSU fan noise is even really audible over my GPU/CPU fans. The HX650 isn't a bad PSU, I'm just inclined to buy more recent models as a general rule.

    As for RAM, if you're comfortable with the 50% price premium now, and paying it again later, for VMs you're not sure you'll be running and a possible RAMDisk, go for it.

    Based on your and Bear's recommendation I'll go 4x4GB but I think I'll upgrade the speed to 1866... Looks like this
    G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) is on the QVL for my motherboard... A bit cheaper with better performance.

    Still trying to figure out PSU's... ENERMAX NAXN 82+ ENM750AWT 750W looks like a decent option...

    steam_sig.png
    Nintendo ID: Incindium
    PSN: IncindiumX
  • IncindiumIncindium Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Holy Crap MicroCenter currently has a bundle for the
    P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155 Z77
    and the Core i5 3570K
    for only $359.98 plus tax...
    The closest MicroCenter for me is a 2 hour drive but I think that deal makes it worth it if I can manage to squeeze the time in for the trip.

    Incindium on
    steam_sig.png
    Nintendo ID: Incindium
    PSN: IncindiumX
  • Knight_Knight_ Dead Dead Dead Registered User regular
    Incindium wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Incindium wrote: »
    Was think I might go 32 gig at some point and make a 16 gig ram disk. And if I wanted to VM it all up the RAM could come in handy although I won't need initially for sure.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    No one who has no reason to own a 2600K (myself included) has any need for 32GB of RAM (once again, myself included). Both are money I have a hard time encouraging people to blow. You'd get as much nerd cred, and probably more use, out of spending that money on a fancier GPU, if you just had to spend it on that PC. Personally, I'd probably use it to buy a 2TB HDD. God I hate Thailand so much right now.

    Also, consider buying a different PSU. The HX650 is pretty old at this point, Corsair didn't include it in the refresh of the HX line. The Hale82 from NZXT is built on a newer platform, so performance in terms of voltage regulation, ripple, and noise is better, efficiency is roughly the same (if not better) and it's only marginally more expensive after shipping. And don't buy any AS5. The Cooler Master stuff is probably just fine, and AS5 is (much like Antec's cases were until recently) cruising on its past success without actually being particularly great relative to new competition.

    General Statement Unrelated to Anything Else I Just Said: People sling the 212+ around a lot, and it's a nice cooler for $25 (possibly the nicest, though Xigmatek makes a good one too, iirc) but it's definitely not the best air cooler around. The performance is solid for the price, but not world-beating, and the mounting system makes my brain hurt just looking at it. One doesn't have to buy a Noctua DH-14 to get a better air cooler than the 212+. The new 212 EVO looks good, Xigmatek's Baldur/Dark Knight has always been solid, NZXT has newer 120mm and 140mm compatible offerings, Prolimatech is always great (and the mounting system is top notch). Scythe's Mugen 2/3 is a favorite of many. Let's not get caught up in the 212+ as a catch-all recommendation.

    I was looking at the Corsair PSU because of the reviews and the 15% Newegg discount. I'd originally thought about going with a Hale82 but then read some reviews where it was mentioned that it was actually pretty loud.
    So if you have an option that is modular, quiet and it the same price range I'm all ears.

    I'm not convinced the HX650 would be any quieter. Roughly the same type/size of fan, and in both cases the fan doesn't turn off for low power draw like it does on higher end Seasonic units. Honestly I'm not sure PSU fan noise is even really audible over my GPU/CPU fans. The HX650 isn't a bad PSU, I'm just inclined to buy more recent models as a general rule.

    As for RAM, if you're comfortable with the 50% price premium now, and paying it again later, for VMs you're not sure you'll be running and a possible RAMDisk, go for it.

    Based on your and Bear's recommendation I'll go 4x4GB but I think I'll upgrade the speed to 1866... Looks like this
    G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) is on the QVL for my motherboard... A bit cheaper with better performance.

    Still trying to figure out PSU's... ENERMAX NAXN 82+ ENM750AWT 750W looks like a decent option...

    I just bought this ram on some recommendations from people at OCN and it's fantastic. I'd really consider this over other flashier products if you don't mind the fact that they look a bit boring. They overclock extremely well, and since they're so small, you can fit basically every CPU cooler in existence over the top of them with no problem. It goes out of stock in the 2x4GB packs pretty quickly, but newegg sells individual ones too.

    aeNqQM9.jpg
  • KandenKanden Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Hi, I finally got around to saving up enough money for a computer. This is my first time building a computer. I'd like to put a GTX 680 in it but I can't find a place to buy one I've looked on NewEgg and Amazon. I just wanted to double check that these parts would work with a GTX 680:

    Cd Drive

    Case

    CPU

    Hard Drive

    RAM

    Motherboard

    Powersupply

    It's going to be a windows machine and I'd like it to be able to run the newest games at the highest settings on a 1920x1080 monitor. I've also got one other question. All of the guides I've seen recommend shopping from NewEgg. I live in a state where NewEgg has a distribution center so if I buy from them I have to pay tax. Are there any other good site to shop from? Thanks for the help.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    You could buy a better case for less, and the 680 isn't really necessary for a single 1080p screen. It's a newer card in high demand with limited quantity released so far, so a lot of outlets (Newegg and Amazon included) are sold out entirely. Amazon, Tiger Direct, and NCIX are your other major online options. Microcenter is a good brick and mortar store than often has CPU/Motherboard deals.

    What's your budget for this PC? Your build above is kind of mixed and matched, and there's a lot I'd do differently. If you give me an idea of how much you'd like to spend on it, I can give you a better recommendation on what to go with.

    I've saved up about $1600.

    Do you already have a TV/monitor? Do you need a mouse/keyboard?

    I do think a LGA1155 based system is the best option for you. Do you plan to do more with the PC than just gaming/general use?

    I'll put something together for you when I get home. It's tough to do recommendation type posts on my phone.

    Yeah, I'm starting college in the fall and am going to major in digital animation, so it would have to be able to run those programs which I assume will be CPU intensive. That's the only reason I went with an i7 over an i5. I've already got a monitor and a keyboard/mouse. I'd like something that I wouldn't have to really worry about upgrading for the next couple of years.

    Okay, seeing as the CPU horsepower will actually benefit you, here's what I'd look at (most links and prices from Newegg, just for reference, I know you need to shop elsewhere):

    CPU - Intel Core i7 2600K
    Motherboard - ASRock Z77 Extreme4
    RAM - 16GB (4x4GB) G.SKILL DDR3
    GPU - See Below
    SSD - 128GB Crucial M4
    HDD - 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3
    ODD - Lite-On CD/DVD Burner
    PSU - NZXT Hale82 750W
    Case - CM 690 II Advanced
    OS - Windows Home Premium 64-Bit

    All together it's about $1090.00

    So that leaves you with a bit over $500 left in your budget. If CUDA is something you'd like (that is, if the applications you'll be working with for school can use CUDA/GPU acceleration of some sort) then you want to stick with NVIDIA cards. If MOAR POWAH is better for work purposes (leaving gaming aside) then you can wait for GTX 680s to get in stock and buy one, or pick up a GTX 580 now for about $100 less. If your applications can use GPU acceleration with AMD based GPUs, you can buy basically anything up to the Radeon 7970 and be happy.

    If GPU acceleration for professional apps isn't on your radar, than the GTX 680 and anything priced similarly is unnecessary. I'm assuming you're running a single monitor at or near 1080p, and for gaming on something like that, you needn't spend more than $350 to get really fantastic performance, and you could easily spend less. The 7870, GTX 570, GTX 560 Ti w/ 448 Cores are the top-end of what you should be looking at.

    As far as the build itself goes, I gave you a motherboard and PSU that can handle dual GTX 680s. You can always go lower wattage (and potentially higher quality) on the PSU for less/similar amounts, depending on if you step up to a nicer unit and what wattage you go with. If you spend less than $500 on a video card, my first buy would definitely be a CM Hyper 212 Evo (the 212+ is also very nice) so you can OC your 2600K. Aside from that, there isn't much I'd change.

    Thanks so much for the help! Before I place my order though I just want to make sure that this CPU is the same as this CPU.

    Kanden on
  • kingmetalkingmetal Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Incindium wrote: »
    Holy Crap MicroCenter currently has a bundle for the
    P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155 Z77
    and the Core i5 3570K
    for only $359.98 plus tax...
    The closest MicroCenter for me is a 2 hour drive but I think that deal makes it worth it if I can manage to squeeze the time in for the trip.

    Holy balls, that's pretty much the rig I was going to buy. Stupid in-store only deal, I don't want to drive to Santa Clara.

    But I think I just might if supplies last through the weekend!

    EDIT: Balls already sold out. CURSES! That would knock almost $100 off my build price PLUS it's actually a nicer motherboard than I chose originally.

    kingmetal on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    ehume over on OCN has a nice little guide for lubing sleave bearing fans, which newegg seems to indicate those R4s are

    Ugh, re-lubricate every 3 to 6 months!? I think Id rather let the fan burn out.

  • XeddicusXeddicus Registered User regular
    Kanden wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Hi, I finally got around to saving up enough money for a computer. This is my first time building a computer. I'd like to put a GTX 680 in it but I can't find a place to buy one I've looked on NewEgg and Amazon. I just wanted to double check that these parts would work with a GTX 680:

    Cd Drive

    Case

    CPU

    Hard Drive

    RAM

    Motherboard

    Powersupply

    It's going to be a windows machine and I'd like it to be able to run the newest games at the highest settings on a 1920x1080 monitor. I've also got one other question. All of the guides I've seen recommend shopping from NewEgg. I live in a state where NewEgg has a distribution center so if I buy from them I have to pay tax. Are there any other good site to shop from? Thanks for the help.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    You could buy a better case for less, and the 680 isn't really necessary for a single 1080p screen. It's a newer card in high demand with limited quantity released so far, so a lot of outlets (Newegg and Amazon included) are sold out entirely. Amazon, Tiger Direct, and NCIX are your other major online options. Microcenter is a good brick and mortar store than often has CPU/Motherboard deals.

    What's your budget for this PC? Your build above is kind of mixed and matched, and there's a lot I'd do differently. If you give me an idea of how much you'd like to spend on it, I can give you a better recommendation on what to go with.

    I've saved up about $1600.

    Do you already have a TV/monitor? Do you need a mouse/keyboard?

    I do think a LGA1155 based system is the best option for you. Do you plan to do more with the PC than just gaming/general use?

    I'll put something together for you when I get home. It's tough to do recommendation type posts on my phone.

    Yeah, I'm starting college in the fall and am going to major in digital animation, so it would have to be able to run those programs which I assume will be CPU intensive. That's the only reason I went with an i7 over an i5. I've already got a monitor and a keyboard/mouse. I'd like something that I wouldn't have to really worry about upgrading for the next couple of years.

    Okay, seeing as the CPU horsepower will actually benefit you, here's what I'd look at (most links and prices from Newegg, just for reference, I know you need to shop elsewhere):

    CPU - Intel Core i7 2600K
    Motherboard - ASRock Z77 Extreme4
    RAM - 16GB (4x4GB) G.SKILL DDR3
    GPU - See Below
    SSD - 128GB Crucial M4
    HDD - 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3
    ODD - Lite-On CD/DVD Burner
    PSU - NZXT Hale82 750W
    Case - CM 690 II Advanced
    OS - Windows Home Premium 64-Bit

    All together it's about $1090.00

    So that leaves you with a bit over $500 left in your budget. If CUDA is something you'd like (that is, if the applications you'll be working with for school can use CUDA/GPU acceleration of some sort) then you want to stick with NVIDIA cards. If MOAR POWAH is better for work purposes (leaving gaming aside) then you can wait for GTX 680s to get in stock and buy one, or pick up a GTX 580 now for about $100 less. If your applications can use GPU acceleration with AMD based GPUs, you can buy basically anything up to the Radeon 7970 and be happy.

    If GPU acceleration for professional apps isn't on your radar, than the GTX 680 and anything priced similarly is unnecessary. I'm assuming you're running a single monitor at or near 1080p, and for gaming on something like that, you needn't spend more than $350 to get really fantastic performance, and you could easily spend less. The 7870, GTX 570, GTX 560 Ti w/ 448 Cores are the top-end of what you should be looking at.

    As far as the build itself goes, I gave you a motherboard and PSU that can handle dual GTX 680s. You can always go lower wattage (and potentially higher quality) on the PSU for less/similar amounts, depending on if you step up to a nicer unit and what wattage you go with. If you spend less than $500 on a video card, my first buy would definitely be a CM Hyper 212 Evo (the 212+ is also very nice) so you can OC your 2600K. Aside from that, there isn't much I'd change.

    Thanks so much for the help! Before I place my order though I just want to make sure that this CPU is the same as this CPU.

    Yes, they are the same.

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Kanden wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Alecthar wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Kanden wrote: »
    Hi, I finally got around to saving up enough money for a computer. This is my first time building a computer. I'd like to put a GTX 680 in it but I can't find a place to buy one I've looked on NewEgg and Amazon. I just wanted to double check that these parts would work with a GTX 680:

    Cd Drive

    Case

    CPU

    Hard Drive

    RAM

    Motherboard

    Powersupply

    It's going to be a windows machine and I'd like it to be able to run the newest games at the highest settings on a 1920x1080 monitor. I've also got one other question. All of the guides I've seen recommend shopping from NewEgg. I live in a state where NewEgg has a distribution center so if I buy from them I have to pay tax. Are there any other good site to shop from? Thanks for the help.
    Alecthar wrote: »
    You could buy a better case for less, and the 680 isn't really necessary for a single 1080p screen. It's a newer card in high demand with limited quantity released so far, so a lot of outlets (Newegg and Amazon included) are sold out entirely. Amazon, Tiger Direct, and NCIX are your other major online options. Microcenter is a good brick and mortar store than often has CPU/Motherboard deals.

    What's your budget for this PC? Your build above is kind of mixed and matched, and there's a lot I'd do differently. If you give me an idea of how much you'd like to spend on it, I can give you a better recommendation on what to go with.

    I've saved up about $1600.

    Do you already have a TV/monitor? Do you need a mouse/keyboard?

    I do think a LGA1155 based system is the best option for you. Do you plan to do more with the PC than just gaming/general use?

    I'll put something together for you when I get home. It's tough to do recommendation type posts on my phone.

    Yeah, I'm starting college in the fall and am going to major in digital animation, so it would have to be able to run those programs which I assume will be CPU intensive. That's the only reason I went with an i7 over an i5. I've already got a monitor and a keyboard/mouse. I'd like something that I wouldn't have to really worry about upgrading for the next couple of years.

    Okay, seeing as the CPU horsepower will actually benefit you, here's what I'd look at (most links and prices from Newegg, just for reference, I know you need to shop elsewhere):

    CPU - Intel Core i7 2600K
    Motherboard - ASRock Z77 Extreme4
    RAM - 16GB (4x4GB) G.SKILL DDR3
    GPU - See Below
    SSD - 128GB Crucial M4
    HDD - 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3
    ODD - Lite-On CD/DVD Burner
    PSU - NZXT Hale82 750W
    Case - CM 690 II Advanced
    OS - Windows Home Premium 64-Bit

    All together it's about $1090.00

    So that leaves you with a bit over $500 left in your budget. If CUDA is something you'd like (that is, if the applications you'll be working with for school can use CUDA/GPU acceleration of some sort) then you want to stick with NVIDIA cards. If MOAR POWAH is better for work purposes (leaving gaming aside) then you can wait for GTX 680s to get in stock and buy one, or pick up a GTX 580 now for about $100 less. If your applications can use GPU acceleration with AMD based GPUs, you can buy basically anything up to the Radeon 7970 and be happy.

    If GPU acceleration for professional apps isn't on your radar, than the GTX 680 and anything priced similarly is unnecessary. I'm assuming you're running a single monitor at or near 1080p, and for gaming on something like that, you needn't spend more than $350 to get really fantastic performance, and you could easily spend less. The 7870, GTX 570, GTX 560 Ti w/ 448 Cores are the top-end of what you should be looking at.

    As far as the build itself goes, I gave you a motherboard and PSU that can handle dual GTX 680s. You can always go lower wattage (and potentially higher quality) on the PSU for less/similar amounts, depending on if you step up to a nicer unit and what wattage you go with. If you spend less than $500 on a video card, my first buy would definitely be a CM Hyper 212 Evo (the 212+ is also very nice) so you can OC your 2600K. Aside from that, there isn't much I'd change.

    Thanks so much for the help! Before I place my order though I just want to make sure that this CPU is the same as this CPU.

    Yup, they're the same.

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Jinx, you owe me a soda.

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    emp123 wrote: »
    ehume over on OCN has a nice little guide for lubing sleave bearing fans, which newegg seems to indicate those R4s are

    Ugh, re-lubricate every 3 to 6 months!? I think Id rather let the fan burn out.

    You're expecting a little much at this point. Your requirements appear to be that the fan is quiet, moves a lot of air, is maintenance free, and is cheap.

    Some of these features are mutually exclusive.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Alecthar wrote: »
    emp123 wrote: »
    ehume over on OCN has a nice little guide for lubing sleave bearing fans, which newegg seems to indicate those R4s are

    Ugh, re-lubricate every 3 to 6 months!? I think Id rather let the fan burn out.

    You're expecting a little much at this point. Your requirements appear to be that the fan is quiet, moves a lot of air, is maintenance free, and is cheap.

    Some of these features are mutually exclusive.

    Eh, I'll lubricate them when I first get them but I doubt I'll remember to do so in 3 to 6 months. Hopefully the lubrication I bought will last a long time.

  • kingmetalkingmetal Registered User regular
    Are GELID fans a good thing? I'm considering adding a few of these to the build:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015

    Asus motherboard I'm eyeing has PWM (4-pin headers) all around -- trouble is I don't know what PWM is. Asus dude in a video I watched described it as a fan that can be aware of its own rotation speed, but non PWM fans know how fast they're going so that seems like bunk.

    Need to figure out if I'm OCD to the point where I replace the 120mm fans that the R3 comes with just because they're a different brand. Unfortunately, I probably am. This build is getting downright expensive!

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    kingmetal wrote: »
    Are GELID fans a good thing? I'm considering adding a few of these to the build:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015

    Asus motherboard I'm eyeing has PWM (4-pin headers) all around -- trouble is I don't know what PWM is. Asus dude in a video I watched described it as a fan that can be aware of its own rotation speed, but non PWM fans know how fast they're going so that seems like bunk.

    Need to figure out if I'm OCD to the point where I replace the 120mm fans that the R3 comes with just because they're a different brand. Unfortunately, I probably am. This build is getting downright expensive!

    PWM is "Pulse Width Modulation". It's a method of controlling fan speed that also includes a 4th wire that allows fan speed control without any change in actual input voltage. PWM generally allows for greater fan control, along with increased automation of fan speed in response to various user-defined events. Non-PWM fans are only controllable by changing the voltage to the fan, usually a BIOS level operation, or one managed by a separate fan voltage controller. The issue with this is that automated control generally demands a separate controller, and variance of input voltage can result in fan stoppage below certain voltages, and uneven performance depending on input voltage.

    Basically if you want really full-featured fan control that you can potentially automate to high degree, you want PWM fans. If (like me) you prefer to set things up and forget them, just pick fans that run the way you want them to at 12V, 7V or 5V and slot them in with the appropriate resistors. If you prefer analog fan control via a separate fan controller, 3 or 4 pin fans are generally okay, as many of the better fan controllers feature built-in PWM controllers.

    3-Pin fans report fan speed, 2 pin fans usually use the same 3 pin connector but are missing the tachometer wire. Gelid fans are solid.

  • kingmetalkingmetal Registered User regular
    Alecthar wrote: »
    kingmetal wrote: »
    Are GELID fans a good thing? I'm considering adding a few of these to the build:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015

    Asus motherboard I'm eyeing has PWM (4-pin headers) all around -- trouble is I don't know what PWM is. Asus dude in a video I watched described it as a fan that can be aware of its own rotation speed, but non PWM fans know how fast they're going so that seems like bunk.

    Need to figure out if I'm OCD to the point where I replace the 120mm fans that the R3 comes with just because they're a different brand. Unfortunately, I probably am. This build is getting downright expensive!

    PWM is "Pulse Width Modulation". It's a method of controlling fan speed that also includes a 4th wire that allows fan speed control without any change in actual input voltage. PWM generally allows for greater fan control, along with increased automation of fan speed in response to various user-defined events. Non-PWM fans are only controllable by changing the voltage to the fan, usually a BIOS level operation, or one managed by a separate fan voltage controller. The issue with this is that automated control generally demands a separate controller, and variance of input voltage can result in fan stoppage below certain voltages, and uneven performance depending on input voltage.

    Basically if you want really full-featured fan control that you can potentially automate to high degree, you want PWM fans. If (like me) you prefer to set things up and forget them, just pick fans that run the way you want them to at 12V, 7V or 5V and slot them in with the appropriate resistors. If you prefer analog fan control via a separate fan controller, 3 or 4 pin fans are generally okay, as many of the better fan controllers feature built-in PWM controllers.

    3-Pin fans report fan speed, 2 pin fans usually use the same 3 pin connector but are missing the tachometer wire. Gelid fans are solid.

    That's a fantastic rundown -- thank you!

  • IncindiumIncindium Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    The new Asus z77 boards have build in fan controller (Fan Xpert 2) that gives you full control of 3 or 4 pin fans from within Windows...
    kingmetal check this out if you haven't seen the specific video about Fan Xpert 2
    Definitely a feature that made me want to go with Asus.

    Incindium on
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  • kingmetalkingmetal Registered User regular
    Incindium wrote: »
    The new Asus z77 boards have build in fan controller (Fan Xpert 2) that gives you full control of 3 or 4 pin fans from within Windows...
    kingmetal check this out if you haven't seen the specific video about Fan Xpert 2
    Definitely a feature that made me want to go with Asus.

    Ah thanks for that! I linked to that same video a page or two back, but you're absolutely right: that's pretty much the feature that made me decide to go Asus. The demo actually was with non PWM fans, I believe, so it seems like you get a fair amount of control over 3-pin fans which is cool.

  • TheCanManTheCanMan GT: Gasman122009 JerseyRegistered User regular
    edited May 2012
    kingmetal wrote: »
    is it worth dropping the money for an ivy bridge CPU if i'm looking to build from the ground up (previous plans to do so got derailed) or should i stick with sandy bridge

    it would just be for gaming at high+ settings, i'm not looking to do video rendering or anything and i don't know if ivy bridge is overkill

    General consensus is actually that the overclocking potential of Sandy Bridge seems a little more... fruitful with air so it's probably a better value for gaming. Not much performance difference between Ivy and Sandy, just significantly lower power draw from Ivy. If you don't care about power draw so much, and you'd like to overclock, Sandy is a fine choice.

    That being said -- you may find that Ivy is as cheap or cheaper than Sandy. Or are you talking about motherboard chipset? I think the Z77 is probably a good choice to keep things as futureproof as possible.

    yeah, a little googling agreed with you re: sandy vs ivy bridge

    https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=19237952

    the last time i did this song and dance was january, so... looking to cut corners here. i'm thinking i could swap the 2500k for an i3 2120 and just OC it a bit, and i'm not very attached to that motherboard or PSU either

    None of the i3's OC. Right now, they are all locked. On the plus side of things, an i3-2120 is still a really competent CPU for gaming purposes.

    A while ago we were making an analogy to sports cars that basically boils down to an i7=Lamborghini / i5=Porsche / i3=Mustang. An i3 is plenty of muscle for most run-of-the-mill usage. If you're not planning on run-of-the-mill usage, though (like gaming at really high resolution with high-end dual-GPUs, or ridiculous multitasking, or using applications that are specifically designed to take advantage of huge CPU muscle), the Porsche is goddamned sexy without being obscene. If you're insane, go for the Lambo even though you'll likely never be able to really see what it's capable of on a closed track.

    And in this analogy, the new Ivy Bridge procs are fuel-efficient versions of the same cars.

    TheCanMan on
  • KandenKanden Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Well now that I'm saving $200 anyone know of a good monitor for around that much? It would be nice if it had multiple HDMI ports so I could hook a console up to it to keep everything together.

    Kanden on
  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Kanden wrote: »
    Well now that I'm saving $200 anyone know of a good monitor for around that much? It would be nice if it had multiple HDMI ports so I could hook a console up to it to keep everything together.

    Most in that price range have at least 1 HDMI port to go with a DVI-D port, so if you use the DVI-D for your PC you can go with HDMI for a single console. I know Acer makes a couple with 2 HDMI ports in that range.

  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    So I'm getting my 1 TB harddrive today, but I don't have any DVD-Rs on me to burn the win7 iso to it. I have a legit Win 7 64bit professional key that I purchased and am using right now. Can I install the TB harddrive, install windows on it from my current OS, then boot from that and transfer what I want from the old drive over before formatting the old drive?

  • GnomeTankGnomeTank What the what? Portland, OregonRegistered User regular
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    So I'm getting my 1 TB harddrive today, but I don't have any DVD-Rs on me to burn the win7 iso to it. I have a legit Win 7 64bit professional key that I purchased and am using right now. Can I install the TB harddrive, install windows on it from my current OS, then boot from that and transfer what I want from the old drive over before formatting the old drive?

    I would just go to Target and buy a DVD-R. Doing it the way you describe doesn't seem plausible (I've never seen it done), and if it was, seems like a much bigger headache than just picking up a blank DVD.

    Sagroth wrote: »
    Oh c'mon FyreWulff, no one's gonna pay to visit Uranus.
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  • kingmetalkingmetal Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    So I'm getting my 1 TB harddrive today, but I don't have any DVD-Rs on me to burn the win7 iso to it. I have a legit Win 7 64bit professional key that I purchased and am using right now. Can I install the TB harddrive, install windows on it from my current OS, then boot from that and transfer what I want from the old drive over before formatting the old drive?

    This is the thing you want: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/234.how-to-deploy-windows-7-from-a-usb-drive-en-us.aspx

    You can either use the tool they specify, which is slick, or you can just run those Diskpart commands. Note that these are instructions for installing Windows from a drive that is not your target drive, like a USB key -- I have no idea what would happen if you tried to have your source (Windows install) drive and your destination drive be the same drive without partitioning or doing some weird BCD silliness.

    I had trouble using the tool to make a Win7 USB installer once when I was trying to create a 64bit Win7 key on a 32bit machine. It extracted the ISO fine but wasn't able to run all the Diskpart commands successfully (I think it was trying to run 64bit versions of the commands from the install source, but I can't remember now). If you have a similar issue you should be able to just run the commands.

    Let me know if it doesn't work and I'll try to help.

    EDIT: Oh right, it's when it tries to run BOOTSECT.EXE. If you're making the USB key on a 32bit OS for a 64bit version of Win7 you will need to do this:
    WHEN CREATING A BOOTABLE USB DEVICE,I AM GETTING AN ERROR ABOUT BOOTSECT

    To make the USB device bootable, you need to run a tool named bootsect.exe. In some cases, this tool needs to be downloaded from your Microsoft Store account. This may happen if you're trying to create a 64-bit bootable USB device from a 32-bit version of Windows. To download bootsect:
    Login to your Microsoft Store account to view your purchase history
    Look for your Windows 7 purchase.
    Next to Windows 7, there is an "Additional download options" drop-down menu.
    In the drop-down menu, select "32-bit ISO."
    Right-click the link, and then save the bootsect.exe file to the location where you installed the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool).
    Once the file has been saved, go back to the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool to create your bootable USB device.

    kingmetal on
  • hunterspeacockhunterspeacock Registered User regular
    Hey guys I'm on the market for a new PC so I decided to build my own. I have a budget of $1500 for system and was curious what kind of parts I should consider. I know everything is outdated pretty quickly but I want a rig that I won't have to upgrade for at least a year.

    Any processor and video card recommendations?

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Hey guys I'm on the market for a new PC so I decided to build my own. I have a budget of $1500 for system and was curious what kind of parts I should consider. I know everything is outdated pretty quickly but I want a rig that I won't have to upgrade for at least a year.

    Any processor and video card recommendations?

    $1500 for just the tower, or $1500 for tower/monitor/keyboard/mouse?

    If you already have a monitor/TV you like, what's the resolution? Do you plan on doing anything with the machine other than gaming and general use stuff?

  • hunterspeacockhunterspeacock Registered User regular
    No monitor yet but I can get a decent one for cheap at Costco.

    Resolution isn't a huge concern. Running a game smooth is more important to me than OMFG OVER 9 THOUSAND RESOLUTION.

    Pretty much just a gaming rig. Diablo 3, Max Payne 3.

    So $1500 or under for the tower.

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Then for at or around 1080p, I'd say 2500K, Z77 motherboard of your choice, air cooler of your choice, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD (Crucial M4 is solid), 1TB HDD to go with it if you don't already have a data drive you can use.

    Take a look at the build I put together for Kanden, it's quoted further up this page. Basically you'd want something very similar, but with a 2500K instead of the 2600K. You'll probably end up well under your budget, and you'll have the option to upgrade to Ivy Bridge and multiple GPUs later on if you like.

    Specifically for the GPU, I'd go with something 7000 series from AMD. Right now, NVIDIA's working on debuting their next line of GPUs, so only their flagships have released so far, and you don't need that level of hardware. A 7850 or 7870 would be very solid at full HD resolutions, and they're going to be around for a while so you'll have the option of dropping a second one in later on if you like.

    Alecthar on
  • hunterspeacockhunterspeacock Registered User regular
    Thanks for the build recommend, there's a Fry's Electronics in my town that price matches newegg so I might go there and check out what they have.

    Any huge differences between the different levels of Windows 7? Like do I need to get the Ultimate?

  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Thanks for the build recommend, there's a Fry's Electronics in my town that price matches newegg so I might go there and check out what they have.

    Any huge differences between the different levels of Windows 7? Like do I need to get the Ultimate?

    If you really want Bitlocker encrycption, you can get Ultimate. Really, though, the only limitations of Home Premium (that I can remember off the top of my head) are the lack of XP Mode (which is really more of a business need anyway) and the fact that Home Premium supports a max of 16GB of RAM.

  • IncindiumIncindium Registered User regular
    Ok here is hopefully my final version of my build plan... I've made a few tweaks/decisions since last night.
    This time I've priced it out the cheapest as well...

    CPU - Intel Core i7-3770K
    $339.99 - $20 rebate
    CPU Cooler- COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2
    $34.99
    Motherboard - ASUS P8Z77-V PRO
    $224.99
    RAM - SAMSUNG 8GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) CL11 UDIMM Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit Thank for the recommendation @Knight_
    x2
    $100.96
    GPU - EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB
    224.99 - $25 mail in rebate
    SSD - SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256B/WW 2.5" 256GB
    $289.99
    ODD - LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer
    $22.99
    PSU - Enermax NAXN 82+ ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply
    $110.24
    Case - Fractal Design Arc Midi Black
    $109.98

    Total = $1459.12 - $45 in rebates

    Not as bad as I had thought considering its a pretty jacked build for everything other than the GPU.

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  • hunterspeacockhunterspeacock Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Okay guys I've decided on a case and CPU:

    Corsair 600T - 169.99
    Intel Core i5-2550K - 242.99
    Windows 7 OEM - 99.99

    Can you guys suggest a amount and type of RAM, power supply, graphics card motherboard, SDD, ODD and a CPU cooler (if necessary).

    Not looking for bleeding edge, just something solid that will handle anything I throw at it at a decent resolution.

    I've been out of the PC building game for awhile and any help would be much appreciated.

    hunterspeacock on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Woo fans are here! Boo, lube isnt. :(

    Tuesday - fans
    Wednesday - A Storm of Swords
    Thursday - lube

    Shit yeah.

  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    Thursday night - fun with fans and lube :winky:

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  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Okay guys I've decided on a case and CPU:

    Corsair 600T - 169.99
    Intel Core i5-2550K - 242.99
    Windows 7 OEM - 99.99

    Can you guys suggest a amount and type of RAM, power supply, graphics card motherboard, SDD, ODD and a CPU cooler (if necessary).

    Not looking for bleeding edge, just something solid that will handle anything I throw at it at a decent resolution.

    I've been out of the PC building game for awhile and any help would be much appreciated.

    You may as well stick to the standard 2500K. It's cheaper (significantly so) and has the IGP, which can be useful. With the 2550K, you're basically paying more to have no IGP and a slight stock clockspeed increase. The ASUS P8Z77-V, or the Pro version of that, come with built-in wireless if that matters to you. ASRock makes a solid Z77 board that I mentioned in Kanden's build further up the page. The CM Hyper 212+ or 212 Evo are solid, cheap coolers that you can use to get a nice OC out of your 2500K.

    Video card: 7850 or 7870, whichever floats your boat. It really doesn't matter what kind of Optical Drive you get unless you want Blu-Ray playback, a CD/DVD burner costs like 20 bucks and you should buy whichever one won't blow up and has free shipping. The only real fanciness you can go with there is buying an external drive so you don't have to have an internal one.

    My SSD preference would be at least 120GB, you can go with an Intel 330 (not available with capacities higher than 180GB, sadly), Crucial M4 or Samsung 830 for maximum reliability. Other good Sandforce based SSDs come from OCZ's Vertex/Agility 3 line, Kingston's Hyper-X drives, and Corsair's Force GT/3 lines. Also buy a 1TB drive for data storage. I like the Samsung Spinpoint F3.

    2x4GB of DDR3 RAM, running at 1600Mhz, 1.5v, with 9-9-9-24 timings, from any solid vendor. G.SKILL has some solid kits for around 40 bucks, and the Samsung ones reference in the post directly above yours are great as well, but probably more for someone who'd like to OC their RAM.

    As for a PSU, pick up a 650W modular unit. The Enermax Incindium has above is nice, the HX650 (not my favorite, but still solid) is on sale, the NZXT Hale82 is good. For a higher performance, higher price option you can go with a Corsair AX650 or Seasonic X 650.

  • hunterspeacockhunterspeacock Registered User regular
    Much thanks!

    Making a list and going to Fry's this weekend.

    Will post pictures of the build and finished.

    Any good suggestions for a monitor?

  • IanatorIanator Gaze upon my works, ye mighty and facepalm.Registered User regular
    Just watched the NeweggTV segment on the case that I'm getting. I can only assume that, getting a Z77 board, I'd be better off using the onboard fan controller than the 3-way switch on the front panel?

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  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    Ianator wrote: »
    Just watched the NeweggTV segment on the case that I'm getting. I can only assume that, getting a Z77 board, I'd be better off using the onboard fan controller than the 3-way switch on the front panel?

    Yeah, probably. Not sure if you'll have enough fan headers to run all of the fans in the case off the motherboard, though.
    Much thanks!

    Making a list and going to Fry's this weekend.

    Will post pictures of the build and finished.

    Any good suggestions for a monitor?

    If you want to spend more than $200, Acer, ASUS, and Alienware all have "3D Ready" 120hz monitors. They're worth getting even without 3D because they essentially eliminate the need for enabling V-Sync. If not, most TN panels are created fairly equal. Alienware makes a good 21.5'' model that I've seen at retail and liked. ASUS, Acer and Samsung all make a number of solid 1080p monitors between 100 and 200 bucks.

  • TarantioTarantio Registered User regular
    http://www.anandtech.com/show/5469/aoc-i2353ph-ips-for-a-nice-low-price

    Saw this one recommended today, a 23" IPS monitor for $180.

This discussion has been closed.