Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Good God I want this laptop...

Author
Message
Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 22:32
Link
Hmmm, that seems pricey for what you get in terms of specs. What you're paying for there is the small form factor, like a laptop. Intel GPU D=
Back to top
Profile PM Website
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 22:34 Edited at: 19th Aug 2014 22:35
Link
For an i7 based CPU, it is a steal, especially 4th Gen.

iris Pro is a formidable GPU!

Back to top
Profile PM
Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 23:12
Link
I got my i7 laptop for 800 USD (that PC there is around 1000 USD). Granted, my laptop was on a 500 USD discount...
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 20th Aug 2014 01:02
Link
I think the Revolt is still the best bang for one's buck, despite it being larger than I want it to be.

That zBox wouldn't be what I need, though it does look pretty cool!


Come check out my new website!
Back to top
Profile
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 21st Aug 2014 03:47
Link
The iBuyPower Revolt is definitely the best bang for my buck.

I just looked at what all I could do. I could get a great processor, a liquid-based cooling system, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD, BluRay multi drive, and a GeForce GTX 780 3GB card for $1576 (including warranties!). I've looked at building a PC from scratch with similar parts, and it would actually end up costing more, due to shipping, and other factors, so buying the Revolt looks like the best course of action.

I have $230.63 saved up towards it so far, from my last check, so if I can keep putting that amount away towards it, I should be able to have it by my birthday in late October.


Come check out my new website!
Back to top
Profile
Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 21st Aug 2014 03:52 Edited at: 21st Aug 2014 03:54
Link
Quote: "so if I can keep putting that amount away towards it, I should be able to have it by my birthday in late October."
Hey, that's not too terribly long from now. Feed that savings; it's hungry. It will feed you back quite nicely.

But yeah, that sounds like a sweet deal for the money. iBuyPower is not really such a sweet sounding name though... But I am sure they are a fine company.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 21st Aug 2014 04:56
Link
Yeah, the brand name is kind of weird, but they are very highly rated and I can't find one bad thing about them (other than the name, haha!).

Now I have to figure out where I'm putting it once I can actually purchase it. My desk doesn't have a spot for a desktop, so my brother actually told me that what I could do is find a wireless HDMI transceiver and have it connected to the big screen for gaming, and then just have a secondary monitor on my desk for when I want to develop/do general work that wouldn't be too fun on a TV.

This means I could essentially have the computer ANYWHERE and have it connected to multiple different monitors/TVs, which would just be insanely awesome! So I'm going to look into that option for sure.


Come check out my new website!
Back to top
Profile
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 21st Aug 2014 05:04
Link
Stay away from Wireless Displays!

The Lag in Audio Sync is very noticeable... at least on under $170, £100 devices

Back to top
Profile PM
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 21st Aug 2014 05:40
Link
Hmm, ok, I'll have to look into another solution of some kind then!


Come check out my new website!
Back to top
Profile
PAGAN_old
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 22nd Aug 2014 01:03
Link
gaming laptops ruined my life. i now hate laptops for their irreparibility. They already made a modular smarphone why cant they make a modular laptop.?

Your signature has been erased by a mod
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Indicium
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th May 2008
Location:
Posted: 22nd Aug 2014 02:04
Link
Quote: " i now hate laptops for their irreparibility."


Apple laptops repair very nicely.
Back to top
Profile PM
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 23rd Aug 2014 06:14
Link
If you have the money to give Apple, since they refuse to sell parts to their customers.

http://zimnox.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 29th Aug 2014 21:48
Link
So now I'm thinking about building a "proper" gaming machine, instead of buying the pre-built iBuyPower Revolt machine.

I'd like to save up enough money to get the GeForce GTX TITAN, because that'd certainly future-proof me for a while!

HOWEVER, I will shoot for a much more realistic goal, like the 780.

So, my friends, I turn to you for advice...

Should I have an SSD? Are those finally reliable enough that they'll last longer than two years, or should I plan on buying a new one every now and then?

What processor should I get?

How much RAM, and what speed (1600, 2133, etc.,)?

Standard fan-cooling, or liquid?

How much wattage for the power supply?

And finally, AMD or nVidia? I'm shooting for nVidia because I know they're good, and also have cooler things.

I have a budget of about $1500-$1700 that I'm shooting for, so if you have any ideas, let me know!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
The Zoq2
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Nov 2009
Location: Linköping, Sweden
Posted: 29th Aug 2014 22:03
Link
Quote: "Should I have an SSD? Are those finally reliable enough that they'll last longer than two years, or should I plan on buying a new one every now and then?
"


As far as I know, reliability is nothing you really have to worry about, I have only had my oldest SSD for less than 2 years but I don't believe that it will break anytime soon. There is software on them that makes sure each sector is written to equally.

Quote: "What processor should I get?"


Assuming you don't want to go for an AMD CPU which I think is better for gaming but worse for most other things... (I might be wrong about that). If you don't run many programs which use multiple threads, mostly rendering, an i5 is probably the best choise. The i5, atleast on desktops is "identical" to the i7 in terms of single core performance, but the i7 has better threading. Make sure to get the "k" version of the cpu, that way you are able to overclock if you want to in the future.

Quote: "
How much RAM, and what speed (1600, 2133, etc.,)?"


Most people think 8 gb is enough, I personally never close my programs so I end up using a lot of memory which is why I have 16 gb. Ram is really easy to expand if you need more though. Again, if you do lots of rendering, I think more ram might be good but I could be wrong. As for speed, I have no idea. Im guessing most programs are bottlenecked by other things than RAM speed.

Quote: "How much wattage for the power supply?"

Im not sure, when I got my current computer, I was told 750W will be enough to run 2 GTX770s

Quote: "
Standard fan-cooling, or liquid?"

I would say air cooling. Liquid might cool a bit more, but it takes more space and may be a bit louder when not under load. I am using the noctua NH-U14S which can barley be heard when not under load and which cools really well. In idle, my i5 which is overclocked to 4.4 ghz is about 30C and when under load it's about 65C which is well below the temperature target at 80C. That means it should technically always run in turbo mode.

Quote: "And finally, AMD or nVidia? I'm shooting for nVidia because I know they're good, and also have cooler things. "

Personally, i'd go with nVidia but that's mostly because nvidia behaves well with linux and I think the windows drivers are slightly better. The AMD cards might be a bit cheaper than the nvidia equivalents in raw FPS though.

Say ONE stupid thing and it ends up as a forum signature forever. - Neuro Fuzzy
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 29th Aug 2014 22:27
Link
Found what looks to be a great resource for the best builds for 2014!

http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/high-end-gaming-computer.html


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Indicium
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th May 2008
Location:
Posted: 29th Aug 2014 22:41
Link
Quote: "Assuming you don't want to go for an AMD CPU which I think is better for gaming but worse for most other things."


Go Intel.
Back to top
Profile PM
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 30th Aug 2014 00:28
Link
And don't go Titan. The 780Ti is more powerful than the Titan, even the Titan Black.

Nvidia only behaves well with Linux using the closed-source binary drivers. The AMD open-source drivers are pretty good though.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 30th Aug 2014 18:27
Link
I will definitely go with NVidia, but I'll probably shoot for the 770 instead of the 780, because the benchmark differences are minimal.

I came up with a build that would be my dream one, however it's a good $600+ more than I would want to spend.

Case

GPU

CPU

RAM

HD

SSD

Mobo

Wifi Card

PSU

Optical Drive

I stopped there because the total got ridiculous.

It comes to... $2189.90 USD!

I could definitely save money by stepping down to the Core i5, and I do not need a fancy case (but it'd be damn cool!), I could also save a little bit getting the GTX 760 or something smaller, and I do not need 16GB of RAM, so I could go for something smaller...

What do you guys think? Any recommendations?

And yes, I know I forgot a central CPU cooler, but I couldn't find one for the 2011-3 socket just yet... it might NEED to be liquid at that point, I'm not sure... still researching!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 31st Aug 2014 06:11 Edited at: 6th Sep 2014 06:37
Link
This is my powerful gaming PC:

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium x64
CPU: Core i5 4670 @ 3.40GHz, Turbo 3.80GHz
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4
RAM: 2x4GB Corsair Vengeance Red 1600MHz
GPU: Palit GeForce GTX 760 2GB GDDR5
Sound Card: Realtek HD Audio Integrated
Monitor: BenQ RL2455HM 24" 1080p Gaming Monitor
HDD: 1 x 1TB Seagate 7200.14
PSU: Thermaltake Litepower 600W
Case: Thermaltake WingRS 101
Cooling: Stock Intel
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70/Gunmetal Grey/MX Brown/Blue Backlight
Mouse: Logitech G700
Speakers: Logitech 5.1 Surround Sound [Model Number Here]

This plays BF3 dead-smooth on Ultra. It would also play BF4 on High/Ultra except that BF4 has major performance bugs relating to HDD use, where an SSD is actually necessary to play smoothly.

If you can get the 780, go for it. You'll squeeze out that tiny bit of extra power. If you can't, however, the 760 is a spectacular card.

The only thing I'm missing from my rig is a good headset. My brother has just bought a Corsair... umm... 1500, I think, gaming headset and made me very jealous. He's got nearly the same rig as I do, except that he the Vengeance Blue RAM, Logitech G502 gaming mouse and a 770 over my 760.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 31st Aug 2014 18:37
Link
I'm definitely going with the 770, it's just more cost effective and if I ever do want to upgrade, I'll probably just get a second 770 and SLI the two lil' suckers and that ought to be more than enough power for a while to come.

I chose some different parts and changed things around to make everything a bit more cost-effective, plus I also found better deals for a CPU/Mobo. Here's what I'm thinking about for a final build...

Thermaltake Core V71 Case - $179.99 USD

ULTRA 750W Modular PSU - $99.99 USD

TPLink Wireless dual-band card - $44.99 USD

Seagate 2TB HDD - $119.99 USD*

Samsung EVO 250GB SSD - $249.99 USD*

LG BluRay/DVD combo drive - $79.99 USD*

ASUS Z97 Mobo - $149.99 USD

EVGA GTX 770 2GB GDDR5 SuperClocked - $449.99 USD

Corsair Vengeance Blue 8GB 1600MHZ RAM - $129.99 USD

Intel Core i7-4790K - $349.99 USD

Silverstone heatsink + CPU fan - $27.99 USD

* Items likely to either be changed or eliminated for cost-effectiveness

Total (without TigerDirect's instant savings discounts applied) = $1962.89 USD

Total (WITH TigerDirect's instans savings discounts applied) = $1547.89 USD

A FullHD monitor would run me about $300 USD, as well, so that's something else I've got to consider - I may just get a TV at that point, mount it to my wall, and call it good.

What do you guys think of this potential setup? I wish I could find a more well-known fan+heatsink combo, but that was the ONLY combo I could find compatible with the LGA1150 socket... if anyone else can recommend something else, please don't hesitate!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 02:17
Link
Quote: "I'm definitely going with the 770, it's just more cost effective and if I ever do want to upgrade, I'll probably just get a second 770 and SLI the two lil' suckers and that ought to be more than enough power for a while to come."


Good choice!

Quote: "A FullHD monitor would run me about $300 USD"


You should be able to get one for $200 USD. My brother and I bought BenQ RL2455HM 24" 1080p (fullHD) gaming monitors for $217 AUD, and I bet you can get the same model far cheaper in the US. Everything's cheaper over there

Quote: "Samsung EVO 250GB SSD - $249.99 USD*"


That seems very expensive to me. We can get the Samsung 840 Evo 250GB over here for $155 AUD (which is about $144 USD).

Quote: "Seagate 2TB HDD - $119.99 USD*"


I can find this for $103 AUD.

Everything else you listed seems to have the standard large price drop expected when buying in America and I can't find them any cheaper.

Quote: "I may just get a TV at that point, mount it to my wall"


I'm sure you're joking, but for the record, don't do this. TVs aren't designed for close-up viewing and have very poor response times compared to a good monitor. They also tend to ghost more.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 04:10
Link
I've dropped the SSD and changed the HDD to a Western Digital Blue 1TB, and changed the processor to a core i5 for $100 less. This enabled me to get the GTX 780, and I saved $100 in the process, dropping the total to $1427.90. Not a bad deal.

Oh, and I also decided to go with the Corsair Obsidian 750D case, because in my opinion it's a lot more sleek!

Now if only I could buy it tonight.

My only concern is, if I drop the processor from an i7 to an i5, will I create any kind of bottleneck? I don't think it will, but I want to be sure, because in that case it would be worth the extra $100 in order to be able to overclock to 4.10GHz.

And yes, I was kidding about the TV. I'm sure I can find a cheaper monitor than $300, that was for a 28" model so if I drop down to the 24" realm I'm sure it would be a lot cheaper!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 04:42
Link
Quote: "My only concern is, if I drop the processor from an i7 to an i5, will I create any kind of bottleneck? I don't think it will, but I want to be sure, because in that case it would be worth the extra $100 in order to be able to overclock to 4.10GHz."
I don't think it will bottleneck the thing, but something in me says you'll regret not spending the extra 100 dollars in the long run.

Back to top
Profile PM Website
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 06:39
Link
Quote: "I've dropped the SSD and changed the HDD to a Western Digital Blue 1TB, and changed the processor to a core i5 for $100 less. This enabled me to get the GTX 780, and I saved $100 in the process, dropping the total to $1427.90. Not a bad deal."


Personally I think this is an excellent idea. Also I prefer the Corsair case, if only because it looks more practical and... well, it's Corsair

Quote: "My only concern is, if I drop the processor from an i7 to an i5, will I create any kind of bottleneck?"


I've been using an i5 for the past few months and had no issue with it. I do lots of gaming, video editing and HandBraking and it's been good. In fact I've rarely had anything that can push it to its limit where I felt it was running slowly. Whichever one you go for, make sure you get the overclockable K version (though I'm sure you're aware of that); I slightly regret not buying the K version.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 07:19
Link
Quote: "Also I prefer the Corsair case, if only because it looks more practical and... well, it's Corsair "


Indeed, Corsair seems to be one of the more reputable computer parts manufacturer! I have also updated my PSU to a Corsair 750W Modular model, for exactly the same price as the last one. Somehow I think it's still the better choice.

My next question is, do you guys think liquid cooling for the cpu would be a better solution? I found a decent looking one from Cooler Master, that was the only I could find that supported an LGA1150 socket. I don't know why, but it's extremely difficult to find compatible heatsinks/fans/liquid systems compatible with that socket. Is it because it's a generation or two behind already?

I also decided to spend the extra $100 and go back up to the i7-4790K. I want to squeeze as much power out of this puppy as I possibly can, which also means I should upgrade the mobo so that the RAM speed is higher than 1600Mhz - but I can always do that later, I think 1600MHz should be more than enough for what I want to do.

Now, the total (before adding monitor+keyboard+mouse) is $1594.90, which is almost $100 out of my original goal, but I think I'm willing to splurge a little extra to ensure a smooth experience!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Seditious
10
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 2nd Aug 2013
Location: France
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 10:28
Link
I'd keep the SSD (at least a 64gb one) since it speeds up the OS so much, especially booting.
Back to top
Profile PM
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 18:16
Link
So on Newegg, I can get some of the same parts for $5-$10 less, which is great! So I will probably order from them.

Seditious, I do plan on getting some kind of SSD at some point, depending on the price!

Now my next question is, and I think I already asked this, but should I go with an AMD processor over Intel? They look a LOT less expensive, so I'm going to look into it!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 18:30
Link
PNY has 128/240 GB SSDs for $100-150 USD, though that might be a US only deal. And I would go for a Caviar Black HDD as that has a 7200 RPM spin. Caviar Blues are much slower in comparison.

As for AMD vs Intel, it depends on what you're going to do and how much you want to spend. Intel i7 > all AMD CPUs but AMD's 8350 and up are pretty good matches for most i5's.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
The Nerevar
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th May 2010
Location: Vvardenfell
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 18:59
Link
I recently bought an HP ProBook 450 G1 Laptop for $600 at my local Micro Center.
I must say I am thoroughly pleased with it, using it for just about anything like digital drawing, college work, music, and casual gaming.

It features:
-Intel i5 processor, 2.5 GHz, 4200m
-Windows 7 pro 64-bit, ready for an install of Windows 8.1
-8GB DDR3-1600 SDRam
-A 750GB 5,400 RPM Hard Drive (only downside)
-Switchable Intel HD 4600 graphics and AMD Radeon HD 8750M
-Has a Max res of 1366x768 (I like that though)
-15.6" back lit HD anti-Glare display

I read the box

I think the neatest part is the tool-less upgrading system. Just pop open the back after popping out the battery and replacing any hardware part seamlessly.
Replace that silly HDD with a better one and/or unclick and slide out those already powerful RAM cards and put in something better, that is, if you'd ever need to.

I'm very happy with this laptop. Not even sure if this was even the topic. I saw that Razerblade but that only made me more satisfied with my buy.

Plus I felt like sharing.

I highly recommend this HP ProBook 450 G1, the performance/price ratio is a steal.

Fulfilling the Nerevarine Prophecy, one trial at a time, because I... Am... The Nerevar!
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 19:11 Edited at: 1st Sep 2014 19:15
Link
I think I will go the AMD route, the performance to price ratio really is unbeatable. And almost all reviews for the Fx-9590 are positive, it's native speed is 4.7Ghz (overclockable to 5.0), it has 8 cores, 8MB cache, and is only $299.99. A similar cpu from Intel would be quite a bit more expensive!

AMD seems to be the leader for gaming machines, and since this will be for gaming/game development, I think it's the perfect route!

My only concern is that I am unable to find a mobo that supports the AM3+ socket type and also has a PICe 3.0 x16 slot for the GTX 780. A lot of people say that putting the 780 in a 2.0 slot will only decrease its performance by about 0.01%, not even noticeable by human eyes, but is there any other dangers that could pop up from putting a 3.0 ready card into a 2.0 slot?

Oh, and the final price for this build, with liquid cooling from Newegg? $1594.91, with a significantly better CPU/mobo combo. And I went back to the Thermaltake Core V71 case, because some people were unhappy with the Corsair's use of plastic mounting brackets for the HDD/SSDs, whereas the Thermaltake has a fully modular metal HDD/SSD bay, and a lot better airflow. Plus, it glows, and is only $10.00 more.

I will look into those PNY SSDs, too! I'd love to have the main OS on an SSD for booting/main applications.

EDIT: Oh yeah, one search and I found a 240GB SSD from PNY for $99.99 USD. That's definitely being added!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 19:14
Link
AMD products are priced cheaper probably because on average they cost more to run...

I focus a lot on Performance Per Watt than raw power...

But that is just me...

Back to top
Profile PM
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 19:18
Link
Hmm, I can see how that would influence a decision for sure, but I still think the AMD FX-9590 is a pretty good deal. It beats out the i5 I was originally going to go with, and is *almost* on par with the i7-4790k, only being beaten because the 4790k has hyperthreading, which would honestly be totally useless to me anyway, unless I also wanted to edit footage shot from the Red Epic or something similar. Otherwise, the FX-9590 has much better performance in terms of clock speed and cache, and for $300 is almost a steal.


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 20:18 Edited at: 1st Sep 2014 20:21
Link
Quote: "I'd keep the SSD (at least a 64gb one) "

I'd probably still get at least a 128 for the system. I've been running a 240gb for 2 years without any issues as my system drive and a WD 1tb for most programs and storage. (but I also have 4tb in a nas raid) Boot up times are like 12 seconds from power off to a loaded desktop. Keep in mind that not all SSDs will perform equally. Don't just get the cheapest one you see. If in doubt, research the model first. My Mushkin outperforms my OCZ Agility3.


Go Intel, get the i5. If you plan on doing more than gaming, any time of heavy transcoding or rendering, then spend the extra $100 for the i7.

Quote: "the FX-9590 has much better performance in terms of clock speed and cache, and for $300 is almost a steal."

The i7-4820K is only $250 at my local store. And it probably uses less power than the AMD.


If you don't plan on overclocking, a decent air cooler will be just fine. If you do want to overclock, then that's where you'll really see temp difference in liquid cooling.


Quote: "How much RAM, and what speed (1600, 2133, etc.,)?"

Look at your motherboard.


Quote: "How much wattage for the power supply?"

Depends on your build, but 650-750w is probably sufficient for an intel with 770. Don't let people tell you that you need 1000w. I highly recommend a SeaSonic PSU.


I like that Corsair case you chose, though I'm not a fan of side windows.

http://zimnox.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 22:37
Link
I made some small changes to your list(Seagate -> WD Caviar Black, Intel -> AMD, EVGA Superclocked -> MSI, SilverStone -> Noctua, Intel Mobo -> ASUS AMD Mobo, Samsung -> PNY SSD, ULTRA -> SeaSonic PSU) and put it into a PCPartPicker list.

It also includes a quickly picked out monitor from ASUS that's sub $300 USD.

The MSI card has double the VRAM and a higher core clock rate than the EVGA and it's TWIN FROZR cooling is considered one of the best. If you wanted to spend another $50 you could get a 780.

You already said you wanted the PNY so I switched it to the 240 GB version.

I prefer to spend a bit more than usual on PSUs and SeaSonic has never let me down so I switched that over as well.

The Noctua is a tried and true CPU cooler that's quite quiet.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 1st Sep 2014 23:51 Edited at: 1st Sep 2014 23:55
Link
Quote: "A FullHD monitor would run me about $300 USD"

Umm, what do you mean by "full" HD? My gateway monitor was under $100 and its "HD". Heck, my 19" CRT has higher vertical resolution than so-called HD monitors today.

Quote: "Samsung EVO 250GB SSD - $249.99 USD"

The samsung pro is better than evo and a lot cheaper.

Quote: "and it's TWIN FROZR cooling is considered one of the best."

My MSI 660 has that, cool and quiet!

I agree with Dar13 on getting a WD over Seagate. I stopped buying seagate completely after dealing with failed drivers and just absolutely terrible RMA services that refused to admit their drive failed. WD is flawless. And yet another seasonic fan!

Intel 4790k - $280
MSI GTX 770 OC 4GB - $350
Asus Maximus VII Hero Z97 - $205
G.Skill 2x8GB DDR3-1600 - $165
SeaSonic X series 650w Modular PSU - $130
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD - $170
WD Black 7200rpm 1TB - $80
Asus Blu-ray - $50
Corsair Obsidian 750D - $120


Total: $1550 with $40 mail-in rebates

Only once have I ever used a non-stock fan/heatsink, and that's only because my current system is now water cooled. Unless you plan to overclock, the stock cooler will be fine.

http://zimnox.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 02:24
Link
Quote: " Only once have I ever used a non-stock fan/heatsink, and that's only because my current system is now water cooled. Unless you plan to overclock, the stock cooler will be fine."

The AMD 9590 doesn't come with a stock cooler, so he has to get an aftermarket cooler.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 03:57
Link
I did change the HDD to a WD a while back, a few posts up.

I'm not going to spend $30 more for a PSU that has 100 less watts, either, that just seems silly. The Corsair PSU I picked out will be fairly more future-proof.

I did switch back to the Corsair case, despite the plastic HD brackets. People say it's still a much better build for a case, and it is less expensive.

I also changed my drive to that ASUS one Phaelax linked, good find!

That MSI card is also a steal, I don't know how I didn't see that before!

I'm pretty settled on going with an AMD processor, mostly because of this combo deal I found on Newegg - AMD FX-9590 Combo. It includes the FX-9590, the ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 Motherboard (which people love for its durability!), and the Corsair Hydro H100i liquid CPU cooler for $538.99. I am, however, still looking to see if I can find a less expensive motherboard and see if I can't save another $50 somehow, even without the combo discount. Still, even if I don't, that's a pretty good deal!

Can anybody still answer me as to whether or not using the GTX 770 in a 2.0 x16 slot instead of a 3.0 x16 slot will cause any dangers? I don't care if I lose 0.02% of performance since my eyes won't see it, but if there are any other risks I'd like to know, because that will make me go with Intel, since they've got more PCIe 3.0x16 ready mobos available, although I'm sure more AMD boards with that specification will come out soon.


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 04:32
Link
You didn't see my SeaSonic PSU did you? It was 750W full modular whereas the only Corsair 750W I could find at $99.00 is semi modular. They both have the same classification, but I much prefer SeaSonic as I had a Corsair go bad pretty quick.

The combo you picked on NewEgg is both more expensive and more loud than the three components I've picked out. Same CPU, same motherboard, quieter cooler. My three components come out to cost $518.97.

The ASUS drive that Phaelax found does not write Blu Ray, just an FYI.

As for PCIe 2.0 vs PCIe 3.0, PCIe 3.0 might be more future proofed but the implementations might be fully bug-free or polished as later editions might be as the specification is quite new. Most games, both new and old, aren't fully saturating PCIe 2.0(which is a monster 8 GB (yes, gigabytes) per second in a x16 slot.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 05:07
Link
Quote: "should I go with an AMD processor over Intel?"


No. In my experience, AMD is a nightmare in terms of drivers and compatibility. I will never again risk buying AMD (though many people will likely flame me for this statement). Intel is compatible with everything and mobos are easy to get, but AMD... a nightmare, my experience...

Quote: "Oh yeah, one search and I found a 240GB SSD from PNY for $99.99 USD"


Brand matters a lot with SSDs. What brand is it?

In terms of HDD, I currently use a 7200rpm Seagate drive because I've never had issues with them. It was the latest model available at the time I bought it and it's behaved perfectly. Definitely get a 7200 drive, though; I don't know if you were going for a lower speed one before, but 7200rpm is a necessity these days.

Newegg may sound good, but (even though I live in Australia and can't buy from them) I've heard terrible reports of crappy packaging and bad support.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 05:18
Link
Quote: "Brand matters a lot with SSDs. What brand is it?"

PNY. It's a good quality SSD. Most SSDs no longer suffer from the write limits of old so brand isn't quite as significant of an issue.
Quote: "
Newegg may sound good, but (even though I live in Australia and can't buy from them) I've heard terrible reports of crappy packaging and bad support."

Never had an issue with packaging, and I've heard mixed reports of their RMA process but I've never used it so I can't tell you my personal experience of it.

Quote: "No. In my experience, AMD is a nightmare in terms of drivers and compatibility. I will never again risk buying AMD (though many people will likely flame me for this statement). Intel is compatible with everything and mobos are easy to get, but AMD... a nightmare, my experience..."

When was that experience, if I may ask? Because now AMD's driver situation is much better though still slightly behind Nvidia and Intel. I've never had an issue with my FX-8350, though my AMD 7870 is a whole different story (other than them being totally different chips, CPU vs GPU). I'm almost certainly going Nvidia next build/iteration of build.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 05:33
Link
I used Newegg for my last build I did about 2 1/2 years ago, I had no issues with them. Of course, I did buy everything at a very slow rate. It took me probably 10 months to order everything, this time I'm going to try to order it all at once.

I may still buy the items through TigerDirect, despite the fact that some of their prices are higher I have a lot of serious gamer friends at work who can't recommend them enough - mostly because they're based in Chicago (which is like an hour away from where I live) and they do free next-day shipping, so we'll see!

I have seen a few people say that AMD has issues, but then I also find a lot of people who are die-hard AMD fans and highly recommend them over Intel CPUs, if only because they're less expensive. Plus, I had a laptop with an AMD processor years ago that was fine - never had any issues, and it ran pretty smoothly. DBP had no issues either, but that was long ago and I'm sure it'd not run so well on Windows 8.1.

However, I am still comparing and finding as much info as I can about Intel vs AMD, in order to make the decision possible. I WANT the best processor I can get for the best price, so far the AMD FX-9590 looks like it's in the lead, although now I hear that they're about to announce a newer generation soon (Corzilla, I think it's called, whereas this one is Vishera) so I might have to wait and see about that.

@Dar13:

No, I did not see the one you linked to, that is definitely a better PSU! I got you and Phaelax mixed up, or maybe he put a 6 where a 7 belonged. Either way, that is totally worth the extra $30 to have a fully modular PSU!

And yes, the drive does not write BluRays, but I really don't need that right now and I could always buy one at a later date. I just want the ability to play them for the moment.

And I managed to find a cheaper mobo/liquid cooler combo to pair with the Fx-9590 for less than the previous combo!

FX-9590 is $299.99
ASUS M5A99FX Mobo is $134.99
Cooler Master Seidon 240M Liquid Cooler is $89.99

Total is $524.97, not great but much better than $538.99, plus I like the colors of the mobo a lot better. The Cooler Master Seidon also has much better reviews than the Corsair unit did, so winning there!

Dropping the RAM to 8GB but now at 1866Mhz instead of 1600Mhz, my total (without a monitor) is now only $1508.89, and with a MUCH better card and such, I think this is really the best deal I've managed to setup yet!

I still may go with the Thermaltake case though, since the color of the mobo would match it and again, the airflow is apparently a LOT better since it has those holes in the top and front. Plus the colors are really cool.


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 06:14 Edited at: 2nd Sep 2014 06:18
Link
You seem to be really set on water cooling, because although you did find less expensive parts they still cost more than the three I picked out while downgrading a component(ASUS Sabertooth -> ASUS M5A99FX). The Noctua cooler I picked out also is quieter than the watercooling and takes up less space, that water cooler radiator is massive!

My recommended build:
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/msqxxr
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/msqxxr/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD FX-9590 4.7GHz 8-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($98.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: PNY Optima 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($369.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($43.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($264.99 @ Amazon)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $1741.89
Total WITHOUT monitor: $1476.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-01 23:16 EDT-0400

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 06:46
Link
Indeed, the only reason I'm set on liquid cooling is because AMD recommends it with anything above the FX-6300 processors, that and a lot of people say it's worth it because it keeps things MUCH cooler, and is usually a bit quieter. And if I plan to overclock, liquid cooling is just a better idea in general!

Also, finding fans/heatsinks compatible with the AM3+ socket type has proven rather difficult, for whatever reason. The only one I was ever able to find was the Noctua you also found.


I changed some things around a bit, and got my total down by quite a bit!

I changed the SSD to a Kingston 120GB model for $64, not a bad deal and it had many more positive reviews than the PNY model I linked to earlier.

I also did some research on RAM frequency speed, and found that there is no reason whatsoever to go beyond 1600MHz. Apparently, the frequency speed can cancel out the latency, and the latency can cancel out the frequency speed, so essentially, it sucks for gaming to go over 1600MHz because it just can't utilize it. Now, if I went on to editing 4k+ video, that would be a completely different story altogether! So I saved more money by dropping the RAM to Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB Blue, for $83.99.

My total build, without a monitor? So close to yours it's funny! $1479.89.

Seeing as that's also all from one site, that's not a bad deal! However you do have some better models of things, but it wouldn't necessarily be worth the price for me to go with them. I can save money by looking for a cheaper case, as well, and maybe even try to find another full modular PSU for less.

Thank you all for the help! This is really great, I love finding all the different deals and comparing them! I really appreciate the effort you're putting into this to help me!


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 07:07
Link
Quote: "I changed the SSD to a Kingston 120GB model for $64, not a bad deal and it had many more positive reviews than the PNY model I linked to earlier."

Depending upon review count is a pretty arbitrary way of determining which one is better. Not sure I can agree with cutting your SSD capacity in half for only "saving" $30.

Quote: "Indeed, the only reason I'm set on liquid cooling is because AMD recommends it with anything above the FX-6300 processors, that and a lot of people say it's worth it because it keeps things MUCH cooler, and is usually a bit quieter. And if I plan to overclock, liquid cooling is just a better idea in general!"

That's weird, my FX-8350 came with a stock fan cooler(heck that's the CPU cooler I'm using) and it's running really cool. I can't find anywhere on AMD's site or anywhere else for that matter that recommends water cooling for the FX line of processors above the 6300 model. And you do realize that the 9590 is essentially a super-clocked version of the 8350, right? And overclocking a mere 0.3GHz doesn't seem quite worth it considering the possible significant loss of stability in the chip.

Honestly, I think you're tunnel-visioning on the overclocking and water cooling and thus cutting back on things that have a much larger impact on your system's performance(like SSD capacity and motherboard quality). What kinda gets you later on with SSDs is that they're actually kind of a pain to expand into another SSD, as you can't just cut/paste over to a new drive like you can with HDDs. So going with a larger SSD now and then upgrading the cooling, if you even need to, would likely be easier in the long run.

Ultimately, it's your build. It's your decision at the end of the day.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 07:17 Edited at: 2nd Sep 2014 08:08
Link
Maybe it was something on saw on Newegg, or TigerDirect. Now I'm not sure, it's really been a long day of Googling.

You are definitely right, I am way overthinking the overclocking/water cooling. I wanted to go with the FX-9590, I did not realize it was essentially an 8350. Definitely something to consider!

I may drop the 9590 and go for the 8350, it much less expensive and would let me get a better quality mobo and get a higher capacity SSD (I would like at least 250GB).

EDIT: I FOUND THE FAN I HAD WITH MY LAST BUILD THAT I LOVED!

AND it's compatible with the AM3+ socket type!

Dropping the 9590 and going for the 8350 and replacing the liquid cooler with this fan/heatsink just dropped my total to $1344.89! Holy cow!

AND that includes a 250GB Samsung EVO SSD. MUCH better bargain!

EDIT 2: Just for grins I compared the 8350 to the 9590 on cpuboss.com. There is no reason to go with the 9590, the 8350 is almost just as powerful and a lot more reliable and is more highly rated. For $179, it is a STEAL!

EDIT 3: Ok, finally remembered where I saw people saying to liquid cool the AMD cpus (Vishear generation) - Newegg reviews. A LOT of them recommend getting liquid cooling because the processor, even when not overclocked, can reach really high temps. SOmeone said it even got to 95C, which killed the system automatically so as not to catch fire.

So I went back to the Cooler Master Seidon 240M, which brought my totaly back up to $1399.89, but I think it's worth it to ensure a properly cooled CPU.

What do you think, Dar13? How hot does your 8350 get?


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 08:28
Link
Quote: "Dropping the 9590 and going for the 8350"


If you're going with AMD, this is a good choice.

Quote: "AND that includes a 250GB Samsung EVO SSD."


Good choice!

Quote: "Cooler Master Seidon 240M, which brought my totaly back up to $1399.89, but I think it's worth it to ensure a properly cooled CPU"


Indeed it is. You've just about arrived at a good solution, me thinks.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 08:35 Edited at: 2nd Sep 2014 13:35
Link
Quote: " What do you think, Dar13? How hot does your 8350 get?"

On stock cooling, with good airflow through my case(Rosewill Thor V2), no hotter than 50-60 degrees C under full load. Idles around 25-35 degrees C depending on room temperature.

EDIT: updated values to be actual ranges.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
bitJericho
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 11:00
Link
I'd stay away from anything kingston.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1457629/psa-about-the-kingston-v300-ssd-probable-foul-play-by-kingston

Not only that, but just about anything other than their ram always seems to die within months for me.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 15:18
Link
Quote: "I'd stay away from anything kingston."


Yeah, I agree with that. Used to be good, not so much any more. Samsung and Corsair, on the other hand... two excellent brands.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014 18:15
Link
OK, here's my semi-final build:

Thermaltake Core V71 Case

ASUS M5A99FX Mobo

AMD FX-8350 CPU

Cooler Master Seidon 740M Liquid Cooler

Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD

Western Digital Blue 1TB HDD

MSI Gaming N770 GPU

Corsair Vengeance 8GB RAM

ASUS PCE-N15 Wifi Card

EVGA SuperNOVA Full Modular PSU

ASUS Black Multi-Drive

As you can see, I changed the power supply over to the EVGA, because there was a $20 difference. This was part of why I was able to get the total down to just under $1400, $1399.89.

I think this is a pretty good build, yes?


Meh game development blaugh!
Back to top
Profile
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-04-27 10:50:02
Your offset time is: 2024-04-27 10:50:02