Hardware Upgrading my rig

[the_randomizer]

This is what I'm currently running.

http://i.imgur.com/VU055GP.png

This is right after a reboot and the temp is a little high on the CPU, it's idled down to 59c right now, stock fan, still a little higher than I'd like. Serves me very well.

Just re-ran the overclock utility in my UEFI because the RAM wasn't set right. It's 2446MHz now (rated for 2440 iirc, or 2400), it was 1332MHz before it adjusted the timing a bit so we'll see how that works.

Sadly I haven't done much intense gaming on this since upgrading to this build, I don't even have anything in my steam library that's overly heavy. Metro 2033 was always rough but I have a feeling that's a bit past its prime now. I really don't have too many recent games, surprising considering the library size. Arkham Origins is probably the most recent thing... though, I remembered I do have Far Cry 4, it runs that at 1920x1080 at roughly 40 FPS with all settings maxed.

Edit - +1 for Crucial SSDs. Affordable and I'm quite enjoying my MX100. Cost me... I think $109 for the 256GB.

the_randomizer if you're going to buy anything, check out if there's a MicroCenter near you. Go in armed with knowledge of what you want, they almost always have killer deals in store. When I was building out this computer (water cooler exploded in my old one), it was worth it to make the hour and a half drive to MicroCenter to buy JUST the CPU because of how much cheaper it was than Amazon or Newegg. While I was there I found an awesome combo deal with motherboards, great rebate on my PSU, RAM was okay priced, SSD was a few bucks off.

Unfortunately, there's no Micro Center in my state, the closest is Colorado, a six or so hour drive, if that. I don't doubt they have cheaper prices, but I don't plan on overclocking, it makes me a bit too nervous/worrisome over doing that, it just, yeah, I wish there was one here though, I don't know if my cooling is good enough for intense gaming, might need a new case

 

[JoostinOnline]

I'm not going with AMD like I said, I'm too nVidia biased

I didn't see this before, but I just want to encourage your bias. Biases have never done anything but help the world.

 

[Kioku]

I didn't see this before, but I just want to encourage your bias. Biases have never done anything but help the world.

Cuz he's smart.. Lelelelelelel

 

[Zerousen]

I don't know if my cooling is good enough for intense gaming, might need a new case

What kind of a case are you running right now? Some of my friends have some fairly low end cases that manage to do just fine with the proper air flow.

 

[the_randomizer]

Cuz he's smart.. Lelelelelelel

What, may I ask, are you implicating by that?

What kind of a case are you running right now? Some of my friends have some fairly low end cases that manage to do just fine with the proper air flow.

It's pretty old lol, the HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197 The 200 mm on top no longer works as the grill for the top got bent somehow, so I had to remove it lol

 

[Zerousen]

It's pretty old lol, the HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197 The 200 mm on top no longer works as the grill for the top got bent somehow, so I had to remove it lol

Well, if you're interested in a silence oriented case, the Define R4 is great, I use it for my gaming/workstation PC. The R5 is just a step above, and isn't that much more expensive, either. They are both also rather handsome IMO.

 

[Kioku]

What, may I ask, are you implicating by that?

It's pretty old lol, the HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197 The 200 mm on top no longer works as the grill for the top got bent somehow, so I had to remove it lol

Just a jab at the whole fanboy thing. I myself run Intel/Nvidia.

 

[JoostinOnline]

What, may I ask, are you implicating by that?

https://www.google.com/search?q=implicating&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
I think you meant "implying"

Anyway, I know I said it before, but I want to once again stress that you should NEVER get a SSD that uses asynchronous NAND. They look the same on paper, but it reality are about half the speed of ones that use synchronous NAND.

 

[Originality]

Can you link this article you are talking about?

Anyway, PSU of OP is not of even the minimal requirements to run a 290x, he would already need to spend $90+ to get a reasonable PSU that could support it. Hell in 2-3 years he might even make back the other $110 in power savings with the nvidia card lololol.

Whilst this point is moot because the OP does not want an AMD graphics card, 650W is enough to run a 290X. At peak draw, it consumes around 300W of power. Now I haven't bothered looking at any wattage calculators but the rest of the system should use less than 200W of power, leaving a comfortable margin of 150ish Watts to spare. And whilst it's never recommended, Corsair PSUs can usually pump out 5-15% higher wattages than the rated specs before it suffers voltage droops.

Edit: reading more into it, it can consume up to 335W, but that's with the limits lifted as far as they go. A more common power draw on load is around 220W.

 

[Qtis]

Well, if you're interested in a silence oriented case, the Define R4 is great, I use it for my gaming/workstation PC. The R5 is just a step above, and isn't that much more expensive, either. They are both also rather handsome IMO.

Seconded. I actually have a Define R4 Titanium as my case. Fantastic case with very quiet noise and vibrations.

the_randomizer I use my MX100 for OS and some heavier software. Otherwise most of the stuff, such as games, is on the 1TB HDD. The best use for an SSD is laptops and OS stuff if you don't do any heavy calculations/analysis/CAD or other stuff.

As for performance, I could do some benchmark once I get back home on the weekend if you want to see the build in action. If nVidia GeForce Experience is any reference, it won't suggest anything else except Max settings on any game I try.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Whilst this point is moot because the OP does not want an AMD graphics card, 650W is enough to run a 290X. At peak draw, it consumes around 300W of power. Now I haven't bothered looking at any wattage calculators but the rest of the system should use less than 200W of power, leaving a comfortable margin of 150ish Watts to spare. And whilst it's never recommended, Corsair PSUs can usually pump out 5-15% higher wattages than the rated specs before it suffers voltage droops.

Edit: reading more into it, it can consume up to 335W, but that's with the limits lifted as far as they go. A more common power draw on load is around 220W.

Actually, in the tests, the peak power draw was 368W. Of course they were running games at the most stressful amount possible. Most cards only pulled off around 5-20FPS (depending on the game). Games wouldn't even be playable at those levels unless the rest of the computer was supercharged.

The GTX 980 had a peak draw of 292W.

 

[Originality]

I wonder how the tests you've read managed to push so high, when Tom's Hardware said that they had to push the fan to full power and reduce the target thermals just to push it to 335W.
That said, even with 368W, you'd sooner have an issue with cooling (inside the case) than running out of watts on a Corsair 650W PSU.

 

[the_randomizer]

Gah, sorry I haven't replied to this today guys, it's been a crazy day >< Thanks again for your feedback, it really is helping narrow things down

 

[GamerzHell9137]

Why do you need to upgrade? I see no reason for you to upgrade right now. You can run everything fine with that rig.

 

[the_randomizer]

Why do you need to upgrade? I see no reason for you to upgrade right now. You can run everything fine with that rig.

How should I know, maybe because it's because I'm a self-entitled dissatisfied end-user? If I want to upgrade my GPU, I should be able to, I can't even run newer games on this rig.

 

[Ulieq]

If anything, a better GPU? There really isn't much you can do NOW. You have a fine computer and the price to get marginal performance is not worth it.

If you really want anew PC, wait until Skylake, that way you'll have access to DDr4 ram, more efficience processors, and then can splurge on a marginal gpu increase like 670/770/960/970 or 280/285/290 sseries

 

[the_randomizer]

If anything, a better GPU? There really isn't much you can do NOW. You have a fine computer and the price to get marginal performance is not worth it.

If you really want anew PC, wait until Skylake, that way you'll have access to DDr4 ram, more efficience processors, and then can splurge on a marginal gpu increase like 670/770/960/970 or 280/285/290 sseries

According to the minimum requirements, http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/assassin-creed-uniy/12370/?p=r I can't run AC: Unity even under the minimum. Yeah, I can't run newer games, and games are only going to require more and more powerful hardware. That's not conducive in the least.


Why the hell did I make this thread?

 

[GamerzHell9137]

How should I know, maybe because it's because I'm a self-entitled dissatisfied end-user? If I want to upgrade my GPU, I should be able to, I can't even run newer games on this rig.

Uhhh, GTX 660 is pretty good for nowadays gaming.
Isn't the card as strong as a GTX 750 Ti, which is like, ok right now?
Same for the CPU.
I'm using a GT630 with Intel G630 and i'm running Dark Souls 2 (DX11) maxed and MGS GZ too.
You're PC is like 4 times better than mine and it should play all of the new games fine.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

According to the minimum requirements, http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/assassin-creed-uniy/12370/?p=r I can't run AC: Unity even under the minimum. Yeah, I can't run newer games, and games are only going to require more and more powerful hardware. That's not conducive in the least.


Why the hell did I make this thread?

PC port of Unity is a MESS. Its best if you just ignored the game.

 

[the_randomizer]

PC port of Unity is a MESS. Its best if you just ignored the game.

Well then I just made a thread that's been a waste of everyone's time. Great. Just f*cking great. Four pages of nonsensical trivialities.