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[Babalu.]

So i'm looking for a new monitor. I mostly play games and browse web. I play BF3, CSGO, sleeping dogs, and really anything new and exciting.

Since I play FPS online mostly, should I go with a 120Hz? Are there any drawbacks of 120Hz compared to 60Hz?

I was also looking at those korean IPS 27" 2560x1440 monitors. I know people said they are awesome colorwise but do they match up in FPS games like BF3, CSGO? Will I notice any type of lag/input lag or whatever?

My specs:
i7 3770k ivy bridge
GTX 670 gigabyte windforce
Asus Maximus formula
16gb ares 1866 ram
256 crucial m4
corsair ax750


Im kind of leaning towards the IPS but I don't want to regret it or feel that its off when playing. My current 1680x1050 monitor is like 5ms 60Hz so will It get worse?

SO any recommendations for 120Hz monitors? or IPS ones?

 

[knitoe]

Sweet. Got my temps under control.

I don't quiet understand how it all works. When I first tried to get the highest overclock I could possibly get I raised the voltage bit by bit until I could run Prime 95 for an hour or so without crashing. But I guess there is such a thing as keeping it too low. I had it at 1.29 running a 4.8GHZ and I had no issues gaming though my temps were hitting almost 90c after an hour in Prime 95 (though never in gaming. Usually hit 65 max). Raised the voltage to 1.35 and for whatever reason my temps went way down. 72c max in Prime 95 after an hour.

This doesn't make any sense. Higher voltage should lead to higher temps. What are your spec? Are you using HWmonitor to track your max voltage and temps?

Hey folks. A while back I remember that everyone was saying nonono to Win 7 SP1, what's the word now? I'm having a pesky bug check that is caused by a driver not resolving standby state properly and it bsods during sleep, want to try debugging and suggestion is to update to SP1.

Are you running a recent Intel CPU and over clocking? If yes, disable Internal CPU PLL. When over clocking, it's a known issue that causes crashing in sleep/hibernate.

 

[knitoe]

So i'm looking for a new monitor. I mostly play games and browse web. I play BF3, CSGO, sleeping dogs, and really anything new and exciting.

Since I play FPS online mostly, should I go with a 120Hz? Are there any drawbacks of 120Hz compared to 60Hz?

I was also looking at those korean IPS 27" 2560x1440 monitors. I know people said they are awesome colorwise but do they match up in FPS games like BF3, CSGO? Will I notice any type of lag/input lag or whatever?

My specs:
i7 3770k ivy bridge
GTX 670 gigabyte windforce
Asus Maximus formula
16gb ares 1866 ram
256 crucial m4
corsair ax750


Im kind of leaning towards the IPS but I don't want to regret it or feel that its off when playing. My current 1680x1050 monitor is like 5ms 60Hz so will It get worse?

SO any recommendations for 120Hz monitors? or IPS ones?

If gaming is the main factor, get a 120Hz 2ms monitor. Heard the Benq are the best.

IPS are OK for gaming, but are better for everything else. The Korean monitors with no scalers have 6ms panels. So, you shouldn't notice a difference with your current 5ms monitor.

 

[Astra]

Hello PC-GAF. I need a little advice here. A friend of mine is building a PC (lucky bastard, I'm still months away from getting mine), and he's been looking at the builds in this thread, namely Hazaro's Enthusiast build.

CPU - i7 3770K
Motherboard - ASUS P8Z77-V
RAM - Corsair Vengeance 8GB
Graphics - GTX 680 2GB

He's looking to keep the thing as cool and quiet as possible, and was looking at a cooler such as this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835146011
It's quite large, it seems. Would that fit in most of the cases in the OP? Or does anyone have any better suggestions for keeping things quiet and cool?

 

[Varna]

This doesn't make any sense. Higher voltage should lead to higher temps. What are your spec? Are you using HWmonitor to track your max voltage and temps?

Like I said. It doesn't make any sense to me. I use realtemp and core temp to monitor my temps and voltage... no issues at all so far.

When I saw that I was getting 90C with my new H100 I started search around for people with similar setups. Most had their voltage to 1.35~1.39 for a 4.7GHZ+ OC. Once I change it my temps took a massive nose dive while under full load. I can't explain it.

 

[Hazaro]

Hello PC-GAF. I need a little advice here. A friend of mine is building a PC (lucky bastard, I'm still months away from getting mine), and he's been looking at the builds in this thread, namely Hazaro's Enthusiast build.

CPU - i7 3770K
Motherboard - ASUS P8Z77-V
RAM - Corsair Vengeance 8GB
Graphics - GTX 680 2GB

He's looking to keep the thing as cool and quiet as possible, and was looking at a cooler such as this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835146011
It's quite large, it seems. Would that fit in most of the cases in the OP? Or does anyone have any better suggestions for keeping things quiet and cool?

Most cases will fit most coolers. That one is a 140mm so make sure the clearance is good (like a Noctua cooler being slightly bigger iirc). A simple google search with that model + case should give you your answers. You can also check using the NH-D14 model from Noctua as a compatibility comparison.

A good substitute is this cooler:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103176

 

[Trojita]

Might be time to get a new PC. I'm still debating on buying or building my PC. My case and motherboard from the last time building was perhaps one of the worst combinations.

My current setup is

Q9450 Overclocked @ 3.2
4 GB RAM
128 GB SSD
AMD 6870 2GB

What kind of boost would I be looking at with the Excellent/Enthusiast level build? I think I might want to get an Nvidia card this time just to try out Physx (My last three cards have been ATI/AMD)

 

[specialguy]

Just put my stuff in my new Fractal Core 3000 case. Absolutely loving it.

My old case was a coolermaster Centurion and I grew to hate that thing with a passion over the years, absolutely hated it. No dust filters, no decent cooling, ugly as sin, heavy as a brick, toolless PCI card mechanism was literally useless (was supporting my heavy ass video card with a zip tie, big pain having to cut the zip tie every time I handled the GPU). Nothing fit together right either (all the cards had to really stretch at the top to meet the back of the case). So this is an absolute dream.

There are a few problems, it's a bit on the cheap side, kind of small/cramped which I knew going in. There's not much room for cable management between the motherboard and the right panel. The left panel also fits VERY tight and is kind of a pain to get on and off which is a bummer since it's the access side. Still, on balance compared to my old case it's a dream. And looks great too.

This case normally goes for 75 and I got it on sale shipped for 40. I am saving a lot of money by taking my time and grabbing stuff on sale. Hell this thing came with 3 120mm fans installed that are worth 8 bucks apiece alone lol.

I had budgeted 100 for my case so I just saved 60 bucks. Another example is newegg has 16GB of DDR3 on sale this week for 60. Probably grab that now (even though I dont have my CPU-Mobo yet, still rocking the old DDR2 Q6600) and that will save another 40 dollars against my budget.

Also picked up a 7870 for 220, with 20 rebate bringing it to 199, and a coupon for sleeping dogs. Another great deal. I didn't want to spend much over 200, so I'm glad I was able to swing a 7870 for the price, it'll be a good deal more future proof.

After I sell my old stuff that I can probably get 100-200 for, and keep looking out for deals, and keeping my current PSU, HDD, Windows, etc, I'm probably going to be able to swing the whole upgrade for around 400 dollars. Still too much given how much I PC game LOL.

I'm in no hurry, this build is basically just going to be for Crysis 3 maxed probably. So I have until spring.

 

[Rur0ni]

Just put my stuff in my new Fractal Core 3000 case. Absolutely loving it.

My old case was a coolermaster Centurion and I grew to hate that thing with a passion over the years, absolutely hated it. No dust filters, no decent cooling, ugly as sin, heavy as a brick, toolless PCI card mechanism was literally useless (was supporting my heavy ass video card with a zip tie, big pain having to cut the zip tie every time I handled the GPU). Nothing fit together right either (all the cards had to really stretch at the top to meet the back of the case). So this is an absolute dream.

There are a few problems, it's a bit on the cheap side, kind of small/cramped which I knew going in. There's not much room for cable management between the motherboard and the right panel. The left panel also fits VERY tight and is kind of a pain to get on and off which is a bummer since it's the access side. Still, on balance compared to my old case it's a dream. And looks great too.

This case normally goes for 75 and I got it on sale shipped for 40. I am saving a lot of money by taking my time and grabbing stuff on sale. Hell this thing came with 3 120mm fans installed that are worth 8 bucks apiece alone lol.

I had budgeted 100 for my case so I just saved 60 bucks. Another example is newegg has 16GB of DDR3 on sale this week for 60. Probably grab that now (even though I dont have my CPU-Mobo yet, still rocking the old DDR2 Q6600) and that will save another 40 dollars against my budget.

Also picked up a 7870 for 220, with 20 rebate bringing it to 199, and a coupon for sleeping dogs. Another great deal. I didn't want to spend much over 200, so I'm glad I was able to swing a 7870 for the price, it'll be a good deal more future proof.

After I sell my old stuff that I can probably get 100-200 for, and keep looking out for deals, and keeping my current PSU, HDD, Windows, etc, I'm probably going to be able to swing the whole upgrade for around 400 dollars. Still too much given how much I PC game LOL.

I'm in no hurry, this build is basically just going to be for Crysis 3 maxed probably. So I have until spring.

I've found if you're willing to wait for sales, in a period of a month you should be able to get good deals on any component you need if you aren't very selective about a specific brand/model. Especially memory and SSDs.

 

[Sigmaah]

Hey guys. I'm noob as fuck when it comes to this stuff, I wanna get the enhanced pc build but I cannot build a computer whatsoever even if I look at a guide, I'll just mess it up. I don't really have anyone who could build it either, so I was wondering if anyone knew a site or some store where I can get a good gaming pc for 700-800 bucks, I mainly play diablo 3. I wanna be able to run that game on Max settings but I don't think any already built pc from like best buy can do that, please help! Looking to get a new desktop either tomorrow or Sunday.

EDIT: actually, parents want me to get it today and pretty soon, please help!

My computer I use now is a shitty 2006 windows vista 32 bit hp pavilion, so anything new will be an efficient upgrade, but I wanna make this upgrade count!

 

[specialguy]

Buy something for 600 from Best Buy then pop a 200 dollar video card in it?

Even 150 card should be fine, IIRC Diablo 3 is not demanding at all.

 

[Sigmaah]

Buy something for 600 from Best Buy then pop a 200 dollar video card in it?

Even 150 card should be fine, IIRC Diablo 3 is not demanding at all.

What about the power supply? reading reviews and ppl are saying if u wanna put in a new card to some of these comps, u gotta get a bigger power supply?

 

[Kipp]

What about the power supply? reading reviews and ppl are saying if u wanna put in a new card to some of these comps, u gotta get a bigger power supply?

That's very likely going to be the case. Most pre-builts that don't already come with a nice graphics card have a very small power supply that won't accommodate a better graphics card.

What makes you think you wouldn't be able to build a PC yourself?

 

[specialguy]

What about the power supply? reading reviews and ppl are saying if u wanna put in a new card to some of these comps, u gotta get a bigger power supply?

yup, that would be the one caveat. but if you can put a psu in and plug a video card in you can probably build one. it will also run another $50+.

you could look at ibuypower or what have you as well.

i really have no idea who is considered a quality prebuilt pc maker anymore as far as brands.

i saw a gateway just browsing best buy for 519, that had 8 gb ram and a i5230. good specs, and that would give you pricing room for a psu and vidcard. just dont know if gateway is considered junk or something these days.

asus and acer are decent low priced brands imo, i imagine they sell desktops at best buy.

for a power supply this one is decent for 55/45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

there may be much better deals i dont know. just know that antec is a decent psu brand.

 

[cametall]

Buy something for 600 from Best Buy then pop a 200 dollar video card in it?

Even 150 card should be fine, IIRC Diablo 3 is not demanding at all.

This is something I've done multiple times and always end up regretting because of how limited your upgrade options become in the future. Especially when it comes to video cards because PCs sold at BestBuy are barely capable, if at all, of holding a video card over 10 inches (that's what she said?).

Look at some of the boutiques around, like IBuyPower. I used one out of Las Vegas called Ironside Computers. ELife PC is another I think.

You just need to be very careful about the parts you pick out, because I've heard IBuyPower has no issues slapping a machine together with incompatible parts you select without mentioning it to you.

EDIT: Also, compare the parts available in "high end" models with IBuyPower and Ironside to the ones available in the "lower" to "mid" tier models. A lot of the time you can assemble the same machine as a low end but with the same parts as a high end and save at least $50.

Some places will charge you a set premium just for selecting their default high end model.

 

[Sigmaah]

yup, that would be the one caveat. but if you can put a psu in and plug a video card in you can probably build one. it will also run another $50+.

you could look at ibuypower or what have you as well.

i really have no idea who is considered a quality prebuilt pc maker anymore as far as brands.

i saw a gateway just browsing best buy for 519, that had 8 gb ram and a i5230. good specs, and that would give you pricing room for a psu and vidcard. just dont know if gateway is considered junk or something these days.

asus and acer are decent low priced brands imo, i imagine they sell desktops at best buy.

for a power supply this one is decent for 55/45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

there may be much better deals i dont know. just know that antec is a decent psu brand.

Thanks for the input dude, appreciate it.

That's very likely going to be the case. Most pre-builts that don't already come with a nice graphics card have a very small power supply that won't accommodate a better graphics card.

What makes you think you wouldn't be able to build a PC yourself?

I just don't think I'll be able to do it, it seems really complicated and I might fuck up and mess some part up haha, I'll try and see how this stuff operates on my comp that's being replaced. Thanks for the input man, appreciate it.

 

[cametall]

Any good headset suggestions for someone with big ears?

I have a set of Creative Tactic3D Alphas, they sound good but after a couple hours the cushion starts to hurt my Dumbo ears.

Any headsets that cup around the ear would be nice.

 

[kennah]

Thanks for the input dude, appreciate it.




I just don't think I'll be able to do it, it seems really complicated and I might fuck up and mess some part up haha, I'll try and see how this stuff operates on my comp that's being replaced. Thanks for the input man, appreciate it.

It's as easy as lego, and everyone in this thread is usually more than happy to help out with support, skype, facetime and advice.

 

[Mattdaddy]

I'm currently running with a Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.2 and a 560Ti. I usually play at 1920x1080.

Do you guys think I would see more bang for my buck if I upgraded the CPU to an i5 3570 and kept the 560Ti, or kept the Phenom and upgraded the GPU to a 670.

I can't afford both right now, any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Sigmaah]

It's as easy as lego, and everyone in this thread is usually more than happy to help out with support, skype, facetime and advice.

Easy as Lego? Seriously? Wow haha.

thanks guys <3

 

[Lone_Prodigy]

I was looking at network cards but soon realized that all I need for Internet on my new computer is a wireless network USB adapter. Any good/cheap ones out there, or is it a case of "anything will do"?

 

[mkenyon]

Like I said. It doesn't make any sense to me. I use realtemp and core temp to monitor my temps and voltage... no issues at all so far.

When I saw that I was getting 90C with my new H100 I started search around for people with similar setups. Most had their voltage to 1.35~1.39 for a 4.7GHZ+ OC. Once I change it my temps took a massive nose dive while under full load. I can't explain it.

Use HWMonitor. Average out the four core temps.

So i'm looking for a new monitor. I mostly play games and browse web. I play BF3, CSGO, sleeping dogs, and really anything new and exciting.

Since I play FPS online mostly, should I go with a 120Hz? Are there any drawbacks of 120Hz compared to 60Hz?

I was also looking at those korean IPS 27" 2560x1440 monitors. I know people said they are awesome colorwise but do they match up in FPS games like BF3, CSGO? Will I notice any type of lag/input lag or whatever?

My specs:
i7 3770k ivy bridge
GTX 670 gigabyte windforce
Asus Maximus formula
16gb ares 1866 ram
256 crucial m4
corsair ax750


Im kind of leaning towards the IPS but I don't want to regret it or feel that its off when playing. My current 1680x1050 monitor is like 5ms 60Hz so will It get worse?

SO any recommendations for 120Hz monitors? or IPS ones?

Your 670 won't be able to push those pixels at 120fps. Go with the BenQ Xl2420T if you like matte screens with no input lag. Samsung S23A750D if you like rich colors and a gloss screen.

Any good headset suggestions for someone with big ears?

I have a set of Creative Tactic3D Alphas, they sound good but after a couple hours the cushion starts to hurt my Dumbo ears.

Any headsets that cup around the ear would be nice.

Sennheiser PC-350/360s.

 

[Holden]

hey pcgaf

i'm looking to buy a new cpu (either 2500k or 3750k) suggestions ? ( i can find both for the same price, fucking euro bs)

i have a 750W psu
8gb ram
460gtx 728mb
and a mobo that can't read those 2 cards.



Any suggestions about the mobo? I couldn't find the 100$ mobos in the OP where i live ( france)

:-D

 

[ithorien]

Easy as Lego? Seriously? Wow haha.

thanks guys <3

There are really good videos on YouTube that practically walk you through the entire process from start to absolute finish.

Yes, things can go wrong, but it happens a lot less nowadays and people here are helpful.

 

[Sigmaah]

There are really good videos on YouTube that practically walk you through the entire process from start to absolute finish.

Yes, things can go wrong, but it happens a lot less nowadays and people here are helpful.

Thanks bro.

So it looks like I can order parts! Parents are letting me do so and I have a guy who can build it! Woo! I wanna go with the enhanced build that is in the OP. Are there links to the parts in the google doc or do I just search for them?

 

[hemtae]

Thanks bro.

So it looks like I can order parts! Parents are letting me do so and I have a guy who can build it! Woo! I wanna go with the enhanced build that is in the OP. Are there links to the parts in the google doc or do I just search for them?

They are all on the pcpartpicker list and the link to that is in the OP

 

[Sigmaah]

They are all on the pcpartpicker list and the link to that is in the OP

Thank you!

 

[t-ramp]

Two days later everything seems fine. I'm really glad my P8P67 Pro is working fine, and considering I paid like $56 for it I'm quite satisfied. I'm also getting my money's worth from that Neo Eco as well.

(Only physical changes are crossfire bridges added and RAM shifted to the right per instructions.)

That's a CM Elite 371, by the way. It's lacking in cable management features but is lightweight, has lots of fan mounting options, and is a fairly compact mid-tower. Probably not the best ~$40 case, but I'm not disappointed.

 

[Zeroth]

Dear PC GAF,

I'm planing to get a new PC next year, and as such I'm planning what build I want to use. I've come to 2 based on the spreadsheet offered in the OP (since I'm a newcomer to all this), and I would like to hear your feedback on which one could be more advantageous for someone getting into PC gaming and wanting to get a long term build that can run stuff efficiently. I'm inclined to believe the PC build with the best parts is that one, but I'm a silly person so I would like to hear about it anyway


Standard:
CPU: Intel i3 3220 2C/4T 3.3Ghz
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro4
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9
Video: GTX 560Ti
HDD: WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB


Enhanced:
CPU: Intel i5 3570K 4C/4T
Motherboard: BIOSTAR TZ77XE3
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9
Video: HD7870 2GB
HDD: WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sigmaah]

so im on pcpartpicker and im trying to match each part said on the build. im having trouble doing so haha. is there a link that brings me to pacpartpicker with all the parts already selected? the list has like ram and other stuff with like 4 parts selected, do I choose all of those parts? i dont know! haha, if someone can kindly help, id appreciate it :>

 

[KePoW]

Can anyone explain what Lucid Virtu MVP is? Is it something that potentially causes problems and you want to disable?

 

[t-ramp]

Can anyone explain what Lucid Virtu MVP is? Is it something that potentially causes problems and you want to disable?

It uses both the integrated graphics accelerator on the CPU as well as a dedicated video card for tasks ideal for one or the other:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4199/...egrateddiscrete-gpu-on-sandy-bridge-platforms

I have no idea if it causes issues. I just skimmed the article, but it should be fine enabled.

 

[ithorien]

Thanks bro.

So it looks like I can order parts! Parents are letting me do so and I have a guy who can build it! Woo! I wanna go with the enhanced build that is in the OP. Are there links to the parts in the google doc or do I just search for them?

My big suggestion is be there when it's done and soak it up. It'll help you if you ever need to try to troubleshoot something in the future and will also make you more comfortable building by yourself the next time around.

 

[KePoW]

It uses both the integrated graphics accelerator on the CPU as well as a dedicated video card for tasks ideal for one or the other:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4199/...egrateddiscrete-gpu-on-sandy-bridge-platforms

I have no idea if it causes issues. I just skimmed the article, but it should be fine enabled.

Thanks for the general info. The reason I ask is because I vaguely recall a few games in the past year or two that had problems with the Lucid Virtu thing. But I don't remember the specifics.

 

[abunai]

Thanks for the general info. The reason I ask is because I vaguely recall a few games in the past year or two that had problems with the Lucid Virtu thing. But I don't remember the specifics.

It sort of uses the internal GPU as a frame buffer for your discrete GPU, allowing "vsynced" high frame rates without tearing. It can cause artifacts to appear in certain games/engines and adds a bunch of input lag. I generally wouldn't recommend using it.

 

[Astra]

Most cases will fit most coolers. That one is a 140mm so make sure the clearance is good (like a Noctua cooler being slightly bigger iirc). A simple google search with that model + case should give you your answers. You can also check using the NH-D14 model from Noctua as a compatibility comparison.

A good substitute is this cooler:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103176

Great, thanks!

He's just a little concerned about temperature issues after his roommate's PC had the CPU fail due to overheating.

 

[cametall]

Sennheiser PC-350/360s.

Ouch... OUCH.

Anything easier to swallow?

 

[Salaadin]

so im on pcpartpicker and im trying to match each part said on the build. im having trouble doing so haha. is there a link that brings me to pacpartpicker with all the parts already selected? the list has like ram and other stuff with like 4 parts selected, do I choose all of those parts? i dont know! haha, if someone can kindly help, id appreciate it :>

You said you were going for the enhanced build right?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/i7m8

I did that up real quick. Give it a quick lookover to make sure its right but that should be the enhanced build.

In the cells where he lists several items, you dont need all of them. Theyre just suggestions.

There are other things on there that you will need but some you might already own. A Monitor, Windows 7, Mouse, Keyboard. CPU Coolers are optional but something you might want to consider down the road if it interests you.


Another quick note. I had the same thoughts as you when I wanted a PC and actually delayed my PC build because I was convinced that I wasnt going to do it right or that I was bound to screw something up. I eventually bucked down and just did it and it ended up being an invaluable experience and I loved every moment of it.

PCs are intimidating at first but once you get your hands in there, its nothing. Like someone else said....theyre legos. There are a ton of guides online...written and video. Every part you buy will also come with manuals to help clue you in on some things. I highly recommend giving it a shot yourself.

 

[Sigmaah]

My big suggestion is be there when it's done and soak it up. It'll help you if you ever need to try to troubleshoot something in the future and will also make you more comfortable building by yourself the next time around.

Ya, I think I might just do that, thanks again dude.

You said you were going for the enhanced build right?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/i7m8

I did that up real quick. Give it a quick lookover to make sure its right but that should be the enhanced build.

In the cells where he lists several items, you dont need all of them. Theyre just suggestions.

There are other things on there that you will need but some you might already own. A Monitor, Windows 7, Mouse, Keyboard. CPU Coolers are optional but something you might want to consider down the road if it interests you.


Another quick note. I had the same thoughts as you when I wanted a PC and actually delayed my PC build because I was convinced that I wasnt going to do it right or that I was bound to screw something up. I eventually bucked down and just did it and it ended up being an invaluable experience and I loved every moment of it.

PCs are intimidating at first but once you get your hands in there, its nothing. Like someone else said....theyre legos. There are a ton of guides online...written and video. Every part you buy will also come with manuals to help clue you in on some things. I highly recommend giving it a shot yourself.

Holy Shit, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I appreciate this so much dude, thank you!

I'll need the operating system as well, and I might as well add the cooler in there too. If it helps why not haha. Now Which windows 7 pack I should get, I have no clue...Lol. Monitor, mouse, and keyboard are taken care of.

ya know, with all you guys saying you had the same mindset as me when u first built your comps, makes me wanna just try it out myself. You guys got my back in case I mess up haha.

 

[ithorien]

Now Which windows 7 pack I should get, I have no clue...

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64-bit) or Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)

There's slight advantages to having Pro, but I've been living on home for a while now and I don't need the domain connect or XP Mode also I believe Home supports only up to 16gb ram.

 

[abunai]

Ouch... OUCH.

Anything easier to swallow?

I took a look at your current headphones and they seem rather small, yeah (although it's hard to gauge from google image search). As with everything audio, I'd suggest getting a standalone pair of headphones and seperate clip/usb mic or something. The audio quality per £/$ is much higher with "proper" headphones over gaming/pc headsets. I'd recommend the Sony MDR-V6 for really great sounding cans at a decent price. I took a few pictures of mine for size. They fit around my ears with lots of room, so if your ears are slightly larger then they should fit too. FWIW I swapped out the default ear-pads with some Beyerdynamic DT250 ones, but it doesn't change the size at all. I think they're $60 on amazon.com.

(shitty cellphone pictures, penny for size reference)

http://www.abload.de/img/1euuba.jpg http://www.abload.de/img/2h1upr.jpg

 

[KePoW]

It sort of uses the internal GPU as a frame buffer for your discrete GPU, allowing "vsynced" high frame rates without tearing. It can cause artifacts to appear in certain games/engines and adds a bunch of input lag. I generally wouldn't recommend using it.

That's what I thought I heard, thanks for the specifics.

Is it something you just uninstall/disable? Is there anything in Windows that requires it?

 

[mkenyon]

Ouch... OUCH.

Anything easier to swallow?

$150 on Amazon.

Is communication important to you? I ask because if not, then a pair of cans from GAF's headphone thread and a zalmann clip on mic is a good way to go. Those types of mics are a bannable offense on my mumble server though.

 

[Sigmaah]

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64-bit) or Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)

There's slight advantages to having Pro, but I've been living on home for a while now and I don't need the domain connect or XP Mode also I believe Home supports only up to 16gb ram.

Thank you very much again!

 

[cametall]

$150 on Amazon.

Is communication important to you? I ask because if not, then a pair of cans from GAF's headphone thread and a zalmann clip on mic is a good way to go. Those types of mics are a bannable offense on my mumble server though.

Yes it is. My current headset's mic can cut in and out for seemingly no reason or become very low.

I have a buddy that does the heaphones/standalone mic thing and I hear a constant hiss and all the ambient noise around him so that has left a bad impression on me in that regard.

There's nothing of similar size in the $100 range? I was looking at the Cooler Master Sirus head phones but it's hard to tell if the padding is the same size or only marginally larger than the Tactic3D Alphas I have.

 

[vilmer_]

Anyone have any suggestions on replacement fans for the h100 cooler? I had heard they were loud but good lord it sounds like I'm sitting next to a tornado when the system boots up!

 

[DeadRockstar]

Anyone have any suggestions on replacement fans for the h100 cooler? I had heard they were loud but good lord it sounds like I'm sitting next to a tornado when the system boots up!

Corsair SP120s are working well for me.

 

[Exuro]

Just wanted to thank mkenyon for the headset. It came in today and I'm pretty excited. Much better than my tin can speakers and it has a mic to boot! Had a little trouble with the left speaker but that ended up being a dumb realtek issue.

Tomorrow my SSD should come in so I can reformat my computer and hopefully it will make it a bit snappier.

EDIT: Oh snap there was a dolby section in the playback settings that adds a bit of bass. So nice.

 

[ithorien]

Just wanted to thank mkenyon for the headset. It came in today and I'm pretty excited. Much better than my tin can speakers and it has a mic to boot! Had a little trouble with the left speaker but that ended up being a dumb realtek issue.

Tomorrow my SSD should come in so I can reformat my computer and hopefully it will make it a bit snappier.

EDIT: Oh snap there was a dolby section in the playback settings that adds a bit of bass. So nice.

Single best upgrade you can make, especially if you're going to do a clean install. I went to a Samsung 256 from a Crucial M3 120, minor upgrade (compared to HDD > SSD) but oh so amazing.

 

[Exuro]

Single best upgrade you can make, especially if you're going to do a clean install. I went to a Samsung 256 from a Crucial M3 120, minor upgrade (compared to HDD > SSD) but oh so amazing.

Yeah I'm going from a WD Black drive to a Samsung 830 128GB. My mobo still uses Sata 2 but I've heard I'll still get quite the boost. I'm still rocking my i7 920 and gtx 260 so I figured an SSD would be the least expensive upgrade.

I moved all 300+GB of my steamapps folder to a external yesterday(like 6 hours >_>). Still need to get music + a few other things but it should be a fun day.