i7 is nice if you start setting processor affinities to certain applications. I've been messing around with that on my home server for various applications, SQL server i'm playing with, and XBMC.

9/20/2012 9:45:44 AM

^, ^^ ok, I'm going with the i5. Also, I think I'll get the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 instead of the silverstone since there is a combo deal with COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Hybrid RS-850-SPHA-D3 850W.

9/20/2012 8:26:52 PM

FYI, HAF 932 is the same as HAF X. They just changed the brand to go along with their 900 series so ppl won't get confused.

Also, again, you don't need an 850w psu when you are planning to only use one relatively low powered gpu. A name brand, high efficiency 650w will still be plenty to power a modern dual GPU, i7 setup with a conservative OC. And remember, the HAF X is a FULL tower... with casters, its about 23-24" high. Its so tall, it has space on the top to fit a 2nd PSU (or double stack 3x120/140 fan radiator; actually long enough to fit 4x120 if you cut the bays open).

9/20/2012 9:02:09 PM

^good points. I ended up getting the HAF XM, the lighter smaller version of the HAF X. I did a lot of research and ended up with purchasing almost all of the components you recommended. The exceptions were:
-corsair hx750 gold
-8gb of RAM, can always buy another 8gb later
-obviously different case

Can't wait for the packages to get here to start the build,

9/26/2012 1:23:53 AM

I'm looking to build a new computer. I could keep stringing along my old one with upgrades and replacements but I'm pretty tired of that. Want to keep it fairly budget friendly, don't care all that much about the cutting edge graphics anymore. Only thing I'm keeping is a hard drive for storage and my power supply (and monitor and speakers)

Intel/Nvidia build
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=21396586

AMD/ATI build
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=21396586

Some questions:

Any disadvantage to microATX? I don't plan on doing crossfire/SLI
Should I just go intel/nvidia? more expensive but people seem to be unanimous that they are better these days
I have no idea how to choose a motherboard

[Edited on October 29, 2012 at 7:38 PM. Reason : should be working now?]

10/29/2012 7:21:43 PM

fail links are fail

10/29/2012 7:31:56 PM

no idea how to link newegg wishlists then.

should be working now? don't know

10/29/2012 7:37:37 PM

Intel build:

case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147099
motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130647
video card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130840
cpu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504
SSD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227791
Ram
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

AMD/ATI build replace the cpu/mobo/video card with these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131795
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113285
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

10/29/2012 7:46:00 PM

I've been out of the PC-building scene for a few years and just getting back into it, how does the GeForce 560 compare to the 650 AndyMac just linked?

10/30/2012 3:46:06 PM

^ http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu_list.php

the GTX 560 has a higher benchmark.

GeForce GTX 560- 3005
GeForce GTX 650- 1913

[Edited on October 30, 2012 at 7:50 PM. Reason : .]

10/30/2012 7:50:34 PM

I have a GTX 560 for sale for $100. Has about 22 months left on the warranty.

10/30/2012 8:06:51 PM

So despite being a year and a half older, the midrange 560 is still far better than the entry 650. An interesting consideration.

It feels like graphics tech is not progressing as fast as it used to. That's probably a good thing.

10/30/2012 10:34:41 PM

it's progressing just as fast, they just have changed numbering and marketing to more reflect the pace of the economy.

10/31/2012 9:24:59 AM

So I don't feel like I really need to upgrade my video card to "keep up" with games these days. I have a GTX 260 and mostly play Diablo, SC2, and Skyrim and it seems to handle those games fine on pretty high settings. Am I going to miss out on anything by sticking with that "dated" of a card?

[Edited on October 31, 2012 at 12:26 PM. Reason : ]

10/31/2012 12:20:41 PM

If you're happy with the settings you can run games at then there's really no reason to upgrade.

10/31/2012 4:32:29 PM

I think I've figured out the wishlist thing, anyway critique this:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=21396526

11/2/2012 9:18:30 AM

Good stuff.

3 things:

1. That case is kind of ugly.

2. That's a pretty crappy keyboard and mouse combo.

3. Do you plan on overclocking?

Otherwise all the essentials look great!

11/2/2012 9:20:45 AM

1. Yeah it is kind of ugly but I kind of like the handle and I want it to be portable.
2. Does it suck or just lack features? I want something reliable but I don't want to spend more than I need.
3. Not currently.

Also I have a power supply I'm keeping. The one included will be shelved as a backup.

Furthermore, I'm going to get one of these for the spare drive bay, and for some reason I'm unreasonably pumped about having a small drawer in my computer
http://www.amazon.com/desktop-computer-companion-accessories-Cosmos/dp/B006VAD2C6

[Edited on November 2, 2012 at 9:28 AM. Reason : ]

11/2/2012 9:26:28 AM

It doesn't suck. Just kind of ugly keyboard. You're paying just a premium for hardware and you're getting the cheapest interface tools...just gives the overall computer a cheap feeling IMO. A nice keyboard and mouse really make a computer.

Plus if you're gaming (which I assume you are) you'll probably want something a little better quality with faster response time. The basic Logitech mice probably don't have the best resolution/dpi and response time.

The stock Intel heatsink is always fine if you don't intend on overclocking but since you're buying the "K" version of the processor you're probably intending to down the road...

11/2/2012 9:43:33 AM

Are there any companies making an i7 computer with mid grade discrete gpus in the form factor of like a Mac mini or even double the size of a Mac mini?

11/2/2012 10:12:20 AM

http://imgur.com/r/gaming/DNjUj

11/2/2012 11:20:42 AM

Quote :

"Are there any companies making an i7 computer with mid grade discrete gpus in the form factor of like a Mac mini or even double the size of a Mac mini?"

The smallest pc I can think of is the Falcon NW Tiki chassis. Its probably 1000% bigger than a mac mini. http://www.falcon-nw.com/desktops/tiki It sounds like you want a mac mini or netbook with an eGPU (external GPU). They are expensive but here is are some examples
http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Thunderbolt/PCIe_Chassis/Mercury_Helios/

[Edited on November 2, 2012 at 12:54 PM. Reason : ]

11/2/2012 12:54:06 PM

^^^ the alienware dells that look like xboxes

11/2/2012 4:07:17 PM

Should free farcry 3 and dirt 3 lure me to the amd side?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150605

11/3/2012 12:29:31 AM

not for that card - 7950 or 7970 with 3gb is like 70 more

11/3/2012 2:44:44 PM

I don't plan on spending 70 more. So should I get that or the 660?

11/3/2012 2:58:25 PM

Actually I could be willing to spend 70 more, but those cards probably won't fit in the case I'm getting.

11/3/2012 9:02:42 PM

I would personally go with the 660ti.

11/3/2012 9:14:30 PM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127675

11/4/2012 8:45:54 AM

for about -$90 (~30% less) i just went with the 660 SC.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130826

although the XFX 7870's not a bad deal either.

[Edited on November 5, 2012 at 12:19 AM. Reason : .]

11/5/2012 12:14:25 AM

Really? No one bumps this up with black friday and cyber monday looming nearby? What's everyone's upgrade or shopping list for their PC's...

11/20/2012 8:36:15 PM

I just got a tent and sleeping bag.

11/21/2012 9:23:26 AM

Well my x58 mobo died last week two weeks out of warranty so I am "forced" to get a Evga z77 m-itx, i5 3570k and 16Gb of 2133 ripjaws. I will be reusing my 680, SSD, Phanteks cooler and might mod my case even smaller.

11/21/2012 11:01:39 AM

^^you should test them out by camping 2 weeks early in front of Best Buy... I was going to camp over night for the door buster 40" tv, but then realized my life doesn't suck that much and that all could be had effortlessly online.

What crazy people...

11/21/2012 11:20:11 AM

The last year I've dumped my gadget money into backpacking gear and not computers. I feel like it's a healthier past time.

11/21/2012 12:33:07 PM

$90 for Seagate 3TB 7200 HDD... Lowest by FAR.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 ST3000DM001 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148844

http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/83590/newegg-3tb-seagate-barracuda-7200-rpm-64mb-sata-3.5-internal-hard-drive

Limited quantity.

I only bought one to upgrade my primary backup and I back everything up to CrashPlan as secondary.

11/21/2012 3:18:52 PM

gs7 I have been using that same HDD for backups for my HTPC for the past 4 months and its been solid. The reviews on newegg are horrid and would probably scare me away except I already have one and its only a backup like your doing.

11/21/2012 4:30:09 PM

I'm tempted to buy a few of those seagate's, the good thing about the one on newegg is that its a 2yr warranty compared to the same drive being sold else where with a 1yr warranty.

11/21/2012 5:20:44 PM

I might have to get a couple and put them in RAID0

11/21/2012 6:19:08 PM

This BF and CM have been completely disappointing overall in terms of pc parts.

Anyhow, two deals that I find worthy to post right now.

Corsair Hydro H60 liquid cooler: $40 AR,AC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181015

Gigabyte HD 7850 2GB: $160 AR
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PJTNYS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?tag=cheapassgam08-20#productPromotions

Granted, the 7850 2GB isn't as good as the BF sale of $140, but that went out uber fast. If you need a good mid tier gaming card right now, this is a decent buy.


Also, Asus GTX 660 OC 2GB is $190 AR, if you are more partial towards nvidia instead. It's mild at best.
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=76367

[Edited on November 27, 2012 at 4:59 AM. Reason : ]

11/27/2012 4:59:14 AM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423
670gtx OC 2gb for $330 AR with AC3 and borderlands2

11/27/2012 10:11:31 AM

Decent deal, not knock your blocks off BF price, but still a good $20-30 less than similar 670's if someone is looking for an upper/high end tiered video card right now.

11/27/2012 1:22:31 PM

Okay...I'm in need of some help...here's what's going on:

Warning [words] coming!

tl;dr - Need help figuring out if new CPU was DOA or fried by the power supply.


So, I recently purchased new components to put together a computer for photo/video editing for the wife's photography business. Here's the component list:

Mobo: ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 AM3+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131872

GPU: Radeon HD 6870 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150561

PSU: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Hybrid http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171061

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231528

CPU: AMD FX-8150 Zambezi 3.6GHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819106011

HDD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706

Upon installing all the items together, the result was no video output, fans weak, no beeps from mobo, all other lights indicators appeared to be functioninig. Since I had access to another computer with compatible hardware, started to attempt to trade parts/troubleshoot. First tried interchanging PSU, netted the same result. Then tried switching GPU, then the RAM both to the same failure of producing a change in status. Put the 2nd computer back together, fired it up, it still worked fine. So then we figured, put the new stuff in a working system to see what happens then. Put in the GPU, worked fine, added each stick of RAM 1 by 1, worked fine, and then came the issues. When we put the new PSU on the older computer (which had a 700 Watt OCZ) the fans went weak again and we noticed a burning smell. Adding the new PSU fried the 2 HDD's in the working, older computer. Putting another old HDD into the 2nd computer resulted in it working properly. So then we tested the CPU and were returned to the same results in the beginning. So at this point, we know the new CPU and PSU aren't working properly. Taking the PSU and CPU from the old working computer and adding to all the other new components resulted in a working computer.

So, as a result of all this, I need to have a PSU and CPU returned and file a claim for the 2 HDD's. Upon discussion of these events with Newegg, they say I'll need to determine if the CPU was DOA or fried. Since it never worked, I've not yet been able to determine which is the case. When I asked them what to do, they sent me elsewhere. So....help please? Thanks.

12/3/2012 3:30:34 PM

Load test the PSU. If it's bad. send a copy of receipts of all the damaged goods to the PSU company after talking with them. They should reimburse you for the damaged goods, or even better, offer to refund you your money after you buy everything over again.


[Edited on December 3, 2012 at 4:25 PM. Reason : .]

12/3/2012 4:22:46 PM

Did more research...think the bios on the motherboard isn't new enough to read the cpu.

Think we hooked the wrong power wires into the other hdds too...sending the wrong voltage...testing theories out tomorrow

12/3/2012 10:59:33 PM

NM I missed something lol.

But a $90 MoBo when you got $200+ CPU and PSU? Doesn't make cents brah.

[Edited on December 3, 2012 at 11:19 PM. Reason : /]

12/3/2012 11:17:08 PM

You can't easily hook the power connectors wrong on either Molex or Sata... They will not fit without brute force. If you did, you need to step away from the computer...

Second, you must not love your money or your wife very well. FX 8150 is a god damn waste of money for a $250 POS "Eight" core cpu that's not faster than the older $160 X6 1100T. Not only that, but the new FX chips barely out perform the 2nd gen i5-2500k at stock speeds; let alone 3rd gen Ivy Bridge. Plus, they eat through wattage like a fat kid on cakes; specially if you overclock it to any level of degree (reason why they "give" you an all in one liquid cooler). What sucks is that even with OC, it doesn't warrant any better performance/wattage over stock settings compared to similarly priced Intel chips.

The i5 3570k with a $15 CM 212+ cpu cooler would have been cheaper and be about 25% faster (or more) than that FX; both at stock speeds on practically all content creation software. OC? Intel still go the FX beat, even on air.

Quote :

"But a $90 MoBo when you got $200+ CPU and PSU? Doesn't make cents brah."

AMD mobo's have always been good value and low priced compared to similarly trimmed Intel chipsets. And he did get a good mobo, but god damn was the CPU and PSU choice a huge waste of money... Specially considering he's only powering a 6870 with an 850w psu... Granted, if you OC the hell out of the FX 8xxx chips, they can suck down 400+ watts alone. Even then, total OC wattage would be around 600-630w on load.

Not only that, but the 932 case is a ridiculously huge; I love it to death, but one could have saved money and gone with a cheaper case like the HAF 922 or the huge list of other sufficient cases:

Antec One - $50
Antec Three Hundred - $50
Antec Three Hundred Two - $60
Antec Eleven Hundred - $100
Cooler Master HAF 912 - $50
Cooler Master Storm Scout - $65
Cooler Master CM 690 II - $65
Cooler Master Storm Enforcer - $75
Cooler Master HAF 922 - $100
Corsair 300R - $50
Corsair 400R - $90
Corsair 500R - $100
Fractal Design Arc Midi - $50
Fractal Design Define R4 - $95
NZXT Source 210 - $40
NZXT Source 210 Elite - $50
NZXT Source 220 - $50
NZXT Phantom 410 - $100
Rosewill Challenger - $50
Rosewill BlackHawk - $75

I would have also suggested going with nvidia for CUDA if your wife planned to use Adobe products. OpenCL support on CS6 is avaliable, but its limited in gpu accelerated abilities; specially for video. I would have told you to spend an extra $50 and maxed out your RAM to 32GB.

[Edited on December 4, 2012 at 4:01 AM. Reason : ]

12/4/2012 4:00:55 AM

I'd have to agree with JBaz, Adobe (if that's what your wife is going to use) has really moved away from AMD and to Intel. This started when Macs moved away form the PowerPC to Intel back in 2005 or 2006. Since then Adobe has been slowly gearing their software to take advantage of Intel's design. I think CS6 is showing a bigger gap in performance comparing Intel and AMD.



I doubt the processor is dead. Motherboard probably. Depending on what the PSU did.


I don't think I've ever seen the PSU connected wrong to a HDD before. I didn't know that was possible without snapping something off.

12/4/2012 6:08:17 AM

Quote :

"You can't easily hook the power connectors wrong on either Molex or Sata... They will not fit without brute force. If you did, you need to step away from the computer..."

Haha -- nothing was broken or forced to fit

Quote :

"FX 8150 is a god damn waste of money for a $250 POS "Eight" core cpu "

Quote :

"one could have saved money and gone with a cheaper case "

Quote :

"PSU choice a huge waste of money"

You guys obviously know computers and parts better than I, but I didn't pay the listed prices for the CPU/cooler, PSU, or case if that helps any. The CPU/cooler was on sale for $185 with an additional rebate, the PSU was $90 after sales and rebates, and the case was on sale for sub $100. I did take a liking to another cheaper case, but got talked out of it...kinda still wish I had gone with the cheaper case (think it was the storm scout)...

I'll keep all this stuff in mind if we make further upgrades later - so I appreciate the feedback. (maybe should have asked stuff here first eh...ha)

12/4/2012 10:32:16 AM

Well, then, I'll take back some of my more harsh comments because I thought you were a complete tool for buying those parts for the listed price on newegg...

Except for the FX 8150; still a terrible choice considering the i5 3570k was $160 on black Friday weekend and if you bought it at microcenter, you could have gotten an additional $50 off with a motherboard. The Corsair H60 was $40 on newegg for cyber monday if you wanted simple liquid cooling or you just could have gone with the easy $15 212+ that'll easy net you 600-1000Mhz speed boost on Ivy Bridge chips.

You should have doubled up on your RAM, video editing on premier bloats to massive sizes when working with large amounts of HD vids, specially when you have photoshop, after effects and most likely some sort of sound editor running at the same time. Nvidia CUDA is still years ahead of OpenCL in terms of software acceptance and abilities, but its only a matter of time till OpenCL takes over CUDA; Nvidia does both. The 6870 is a great budget gaming card though.

12/4/2012 10:59:24 AM