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  • Subject: Want to build a PC? PC Building Guide and FAQ of The Flood
Subject: Want to build a PC? PC Building Guide and FAQ of The Flood

How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

  • 09.12.2012 8:58 AM PDT


Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...

  • 09.12.2012 11:22 AM PDT

I got these cheeseburgers man....

I don't understand the free parts...
Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...

  • 09.12.2012 1:58 PM PDT
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t3hAvenger77 - XBL (BF3, ME3, Blops)
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Steam


Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...
What motherboard is that?

  • 09.12.2012 3:06 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
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Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
I don't understand the free parts...
Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...

By "Free", I guess he's saying that they're "Free of space"....as in....nothing is occupying them.

  • 09.12.2012 3:07 PM PDT


Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...


Then you don't need more than 650 watts. You're only going to be using one card.

[Edited on 09.12.2012 3:49 PM PDT]

  • 09.12.2012 3:49 PM PDT


Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
I don't understand the free parts...
Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...


It's a free slot.

It's not occupied.

  • 09.12.2012 3:50 PM PDT

MLP: FiM Master Moderator: | Homepage | My Steam Profile | My Computer |

Posted by: ThirstyAvenge
Forgive my inexperience, but this is my first time that I ever have a proper graphics card in my possession.

What's the average GPU temperature during gaming? I live in a tropical country with high humidity so there's a bit of a concern.
I have a GTX 570, which is one of the hottest cards since the 480, and I get 60*C while at 85% fan speed while running Metro. Below 70*C is preferred, but anything above 80*C and you should look into better cooling methods. If you know what you're doing, you could even replace the thermal paste on the GPU, much like how your CPU uses thermal paste.

Posted by: M3duzakill20Alright, I'll give you a rundown.

SeaSonic - Best PSU brand, bar none. Top notch quality, makes Corsair's PSU's, very expensive, modular, extremely efficient, the most quiet, lowest mortality rate.

Corsair - Cheaper than SS's, and more suited for higher-end builds. Generally semi-modular unless you get an AX series or better. Very, very good customer service.

Cooler Master - Cheap, but for the most part not reliable. The PSU is not something that you should cheap out on, since a bad PSU can fry every single other component in your case. Only purchase CM if you need to spend $40 or less. Anything higher and you're better off going with other brands.

Antec - Good for the $50-$80 price range. Generally non-modular, loud, but somewhat reliable.

Thermaltake - I hear a lot of good things about them, and some would consider TT above Corsair but below SS. They're generally more available across the globe when compared to the previous two brands.

The maximum efficiency for a PSU is when it is around 60% load. Most low-end gaming computers (one GPU, air cooling, no extra fans) will use ~450W, so you would want a 600W PSU. Generally, you want 700-850W if you want to purchase two GPU's, but only do this if you intend on buying two right off the bat in order to run three monitors. If you're trying to "future-proof" your build, it would just be better to purchase a better GPU later.

That being said, I would suggest this if you can afford it. Tell me if that is higher or lower than what you would like to spend.

As for the GPU, get the 660 Ti if you have the money. If not, get the 7870.

Posted by: M3duzakill20

Posted by: Jet Lockheed
How many PCI slots on your motherboard?

Well I could only find one.

But the website I ordered it from says:
Number of PCI (Free) 1
Number of PCI x1 (Free) 3
Number of PCI-E x16 (Free) 1

So I am not sure...
Download this and run it. It should give us your motherboard number. It would help if we could get a straight screen cap. Select the window once it has finished diagnosing your computer, press "alt + print screen", and paste into imgur.

[Edited on 09.12.2012 6:14 PM PDT]

  • 09.12.2012 6:12 PM PDT
  • gamertag: jinrat
  • user homepage:

A note to the above poster (don't want to quote a giant post), it's not that difficult to reapply thermal paste to a GPU but a lot of the time (most) it will void your warranty so just be aware of that.

  • 09.12.2012 8:36 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
Steam username: TopWargamer
To look up my Halo stats...search for the gamertag TopWargamer.
SAVED THREAD PAGES: 283
One does not simply get rid of TopWargamer so easily.
You know this to be true.
ALL HAIL GABEN


Posted by: Arcane Phoenix
A note to the above poster (don't want to quote a giant post), it's not that difficult to reapply thermal paste to a GPU but a lot of the time (most) it will void your warranty so just be aware of that.

You mean CPU, right?

  • 09.12.2012 8:51 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

t3hAvenger77 - XBL (BF3, ME3, Blops)
decla1mer104 - Origin (BF3)
Steam

I would also recommend Xigmatex. Might be an unknown brand but their PSUs are top notch.

I have a NRP-PC702, well-built and silent.

  • 09.12.2012 10:06 PM PDT

"I hope nothing, I fear nothing, I am free"
"A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free." - Nikos Kazantzakis
"The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of martyrs" - Hasan al-Basri
Black Chapter, for all religious and political debate that doesn't fit in the Flood.

Posted by: YahwehFreak4evr
I know there's some regulars in here that have been a great help, but I'm curious what all ya'll builds are.
I live off a cheap laptop that I've upgraded the RAM of to 2x4GB 1333MHz DDR3 and added a 240GB Agility 3 SSD to.

Otherwise the computer I built for my elder sister last August:

i5 2500k
4x4GB G-Skills Ripsaw 1600MHz
GTX 560
120GB Agility 3 SSD
WD 1TB Green HDD
Biostar TP67B+ motherboard
Corsair TX 650W
22" monitor (I'm buying her a second to go with it for Christmas)
Cheap Casecom case.

Not sure on the price, uh, £840 or so? She does a lot of video editing/3DS Max, hence lots of RAM.

The build for my younger sister in November 2010:

Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 870
Phenom II X6 1055T
Palit GTX 460 (never again. Palit suck for build quality.)
2x2GB Kingston Hyper X 1600MHz (needs upgrading, frankly)
Samsung Spinpoint 1TB HDD
Arctic Freezer 7 Pro
XFX 650W PSU
Another cheap casecom case

£638

In hindsight, I should have gone with an X4 in this build. Cheaper and better for gaming than the X6.

By and large I think I undervalued good cases as well in these builds, but I don't really like most computer cases anyway. As a result I didn't go for modular PSUs because cable management was good as impossible, which I somewhat regret.

The cost includes peripherals and other bits, I just included the main costs.

One of these days I'll build myself a glorious rig.

[Edited on 09.12.2012 11:22 PM PDT]

  • 09.12.2012 11:22 PM PDT

"I hope nothing, I fear nothing, I am free"
"A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free." - Nikos Kazantzakis
"The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of martyrs" - Hasan al-Basri
Black Chapter, for all religious and political debate that doesn't fit in the Flood.

Posted by: YahwehFreak4evr
Pshawww. I was talking about the CPU cooler. Likely one of the best HSF out there.
These things are drool worthy. This and the Silver Arrow have a glorious mixture of low temperatures and low noise operation. Nothing has quite beaten that combination in the past few years. Lower temperatures, certainly, but not the combination of both.

  • 09.12.2012 11:27 PM PDT
  • gamertag: jinrat
  • user homepage:


Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Arcane Phoenix
A note to the above poster (don't want to quote a giant post), it's not that difficult to reapply thermal paste to a GPU but a lot of the time (most) it will void your warranty so just be aware of that.

You mean CPU, right?

I mean GPU. Before I upgraded again this year, I took apart my 560TI to reapply the thermal paste. But they had a warranty sticker on the outside of the cooling unit with one of the screws underneath it so you had to take it off if you wanted to get the card and cooling unit apart to apply the paste.

  • 09.12.2012 11:50 PM PDT

Motherboard

  • 09.13.2012 7:12 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

t3hAvenger77 - XBL (BF3, ME3, Blops)
decla1mer104 - Origin (BF3)
Steam

I think you should get a new motherboard, not all to familiar with Dell's (potentially) proprietary boards.

  • 09.13.2012 7:35 AM PDT

He has 1 pci-e x16

He's only gonna need 650 watts at most

  • 09.13.2012 10:09 AM PDT

FLOOD QUOTES!
Posted by: G3N3RAL R3VAN
The Flood....... if it doesn't go anywhere else, stick it her pooper
Posted by: xflox231
Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots
Posted by: ferrrari
the flood, there a bunch of jerks, but there my jerks.


Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: YahwehFreak4evr
I know there's some regulars in here that have been a great help, but I'm curious what all ya'll builds are.


Intel i7 3960x
Gigabyte G1 Assassin 2 LGA 2011
Triple SLI EVGA GTX 690 4GB
Lian-Li PC B70
Thermaltake Toughpower 1500 watt
Crucial 256 GB SSD Boot drive
Samsung Spinpoint F4 2GB Storage

Deck legend
Level 10M Gaming mouse

Dual monitor mount Samsung S23B5550VS

Nice troll attempt.

  • 09.13.2012 1:17 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
Steam username: TopWargamer
To look up my Halo stats...search for the gamertag TopWargamer.
SAVED THREAD PAGES: 283
One does not simply get rid of TopWargamer so easily.
You know this to be true.
ALL HAIL GABEN


Posted by: Arcane Phoenix

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Arcane Phoenix
A note to the above poster (don't want to quote a giant post), it's not that difficult to reapply thermal paste to a GPU but a lot of the time (most) it will void your warranty so just be aware of that.

You mean CPU, right?

I mean GPU. Before I upgraded again this year, I took apart my 560TI to reapply the thermal paste. But they had a warranty sticker on the outside of the cooling unit with one of the screws underneath it so you had to take it off if you wanted to get the card and cooling unit apart to apply the paste.

Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste....but....i've never heard of somebody actually reapplying thermal paste to a GPU.

  • 09.13.2012 2:04 PM PDT


Posted by: TopWargamer
Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste.


How else would the GPUs transfer heat to the heatsink?

You know that big metal part on the GPU? That's the heatsink, like a CPU has a heatsink. When you remove the heatsink, you need to re-apply.

It's how people get water cooling into GPUs. I hope that clears it up for you. GPUs use pretty much the same cooling methods as CPUs. A Heatsink and Thermal paste.

[Edited on 09.13.2012 2:11 PM PDT]

  • 09.13.2012 2:10 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
Steam username: TopWargamer
To look up my Halo stats...search for the gamertag TopWargamer.
SAVED THREAD PAGES: 283
One does not simply get rid of TopWargamer so easily.
You know this to be true.
ALL HAIL GABEN


Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer
Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste.


How else would the GPUs transfer heat to the heatsink?

You know that big metal part on the GPU? That's the heatsink, like a CPU has a heatsink. When you remove the heatsink, you need to re-apply.

It's how people get water cooling into GPUs. I hope that clears it up for you. GPUs use pretty much the same cooling methods as CPUs. A Heatsink and Thermal paste.

Oh....well...I didn't know that about water cooling...so that's probably why I didn't know.
>.>

  • 09.13.2012 2:16 PM PDT


Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer
Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste.


How else would the GPUs transfer heat to the heatsink?

You know that big metal part on the GPU? That's the heatsink, like a CPU has a heatsink. When you remove the heatsink, you need to re-apply.

It's how people get water cooling into GPUs. I hope that clears it up for you. GPUs use pretty much the same cooling methods as CPUs. A Heatsink and Thermal paste.

Oh....well...I didn't know that about water cooling...so that's probably why I didn't know.
>.>


It's not just for water colling, like the CPU, you can replace the heatsink with different fans. They have to be designed for GPU motherboards though.

  • 09.13.2012 3:13 PM PDT


Posted by: Ferrari DuDe856

Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: YahwehFreak4evr
I know there's some regulars in here that have been a great help, but I'm curious what all ya'll builds are.


Intel i7 3960x
Gigabyte G1 Assassin 2 LGA 2011
Triple SLI EVGA GTX 690 4GB
Lian-Li PC B70
Thermaltake Toughpower 1500 watt
Crucial 256 GB SSD Boot drive
Samsung Spinpoint F4 2GB Storage

Deck legend
Level 10M Gaming mouse

Dual monitor mount Samsung S23B5550VS

Nice troll attempt.

Who said I was trolling

I got all this stuff free

  • 09.13.2012 3:14 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
Steam username: TopWargamer
To look up my Halo stats...search for the gamertag TopWargamer.
SAVED THREAD PAGES: 283
One does not simply get rid of TopWargamer so easily.
You know this to be true.
ALL HAIL GABEN


Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer
Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste.


How else would the GPUs transfer heat to the heatsink?

You know that big metal part on the GPU? That's the heatsink, like a CPU has a heatsink. When you remove the heatsink, you need to re-apply.

It's how people get water cooling into GPUs. I hope that clears it up for you. GPUs use pretty much the same cooling methods as CPUs. A Heatsink and Thermal paste.

Oh....well...I didn't know that about water cooling...so that's probably why I didn't know.
>.>


It's not just for water colling, like the CPU, you can replace the heatsink with different fans. They have to be designed for GPU motherboards though.

Well I knew about the CPU....just not the GPU.

Hey...the more you know...

  • 09.13.2012 3:25 PM PDT


Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: Jet Lockheed

Posted by: TopWargamer
Didn't know that GPUs had thermal paste.


How else would the GPUs transfer heat to the heatsink?

You know that big metal part on the GPU? That's the heatsink, like a CPU has a heatsink. When you remove the heatsink, you need to re-apply.

It's how people get water cooling into GPUs. I hope that clears it up for you. GPUs use pretty much the same cooling methods as CPUs. A Heatsink and Thermal paste.

Oh....well...I didn't know that about water cooling...so that's probably why I didn't know.
>.>


It's not just for water colling, like the CPU, you can replace the heatsink with different fans. They have to be designed for GPU motherboards though.

Well I knew about the CPU....just not the GPU.

Hey...the more you know...


A graphics card is pretty much a motherboard with a processor and a heatsink that plugs into another motherboard.

The green part with the tiny spiky bits is the base of the motherboard, and GPU is on the motherboard and the heatsink is the huge metal part.

  • 09.13.2012 3:36 PM PDT