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This topic has moved here: 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
Subject: Want to build a PC? PC Building Guide and FAQ of The Flood

Gaming Rig Specs:
Coolermaster HAF X // XFX Pro 850W XXX PSU // Corsair 16GB Vengeance RAM (1600MHz) //
Corsair 120GB Force GT SSD // Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB HDD // Intel i7 3770k CPU //
MSI Z77A-GD65 Mainboard // MSI GTX 680 Twin Frozr III OC Edition Graphics Card -- Runs BF3 on ultra at anywhere from 60FPS to 130+FPS.

|| Average Joe ||

Here are my specs for my custom build:

Coolermaster HAF X case
XFX Pro 850W XXX PSU
Corsair 16GB Vengeance RAM (1600MHz)
Corsair 120GB Force GT SSD
Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB HDD
Intel i7 3770k CPU
MSI Z77A-GD65 Mainboard
MSI GTX 680 Twin Frozr III OC Edition Graphics Card

The components and software I'm running, including three new games I bought, set me back around £1600. I had a few issues with it, so if I share the fix I may be able to help others with the same issues.

1. The second HDD did not register on the PC as a useable disk until I had formatted it. To format it, go to Start > My Computer, then right click on a blank space and hit Properties, then find Device Manager. Find the drive and select Format. Done and dusted.

2. The second HDD would disappear from the PC after sleep mode was activated. A hotfix from Microsoft solved the issue as drives over 1TB in size take longer to spin up to read speed. The hotfix gives the drive more time to reach that speed and therefore allows it to be recognised by Windows. Here is the hotfix. Worked a charm. DO NOT install this unless you get this issue, otherwise it could lead to more complications.

  • 06.19.2012 10:40 AM PDT


Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
Get the 6950, the Sapphire one linked above comes with two free games, and you can always flash it to a 6970, giving you even more power. I've barely heard anything bad about them, and I'm actually waiting for mine to come in the mail.

NO....don't get the 6970. The benchmarks are hardly better than the 6950 and it's $140 more than the 6950.

You can BIOS flash a 6950 and turn it into a 6970

  • 06.19.2012 11:05 AM PDT

Prophet94

I just finished upgrading the hard drives in my computer. Next up, second GPU and CrossFire!

  • 06.19.2012 11:12 AM 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: kikashi hatake

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
Get the 6950, the Sapphire one linked above comes with two free games, and you can always flash it to a 6970, giving you even more power. I've barely heard anything bad about them, and I'm actually waiting for mine to come in the mail.

NO....don't get the 6970. The benchmarks are hardly better than the 6950 and it's $140 more than the 6950.

You can BIOS flash a 6950 and turn it into a 6970

I've never heard of this. Please explain.

  • 06.19.2012 11:13 AM PDT

I got these cheeseburgers man....


Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: kikashi hatake

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
Get the 6950, the Sapphire one linked above comes with two free games, and you can always flash it to a 6970, giving you even more power. I've barely heard anything bad about them, and I'm actually waiting for mine to come in the mail.

NO....don't get the 6970. The benchmarks are hardly better than the 6950 and it's $140 more than the 6950.

You can BIOS flash a 6950 and turn it into a 6970

I've never heard of this. Please explain.
Here, this should explain it.

Basically, I guess you could say it's like jailbreaking an iPod: You flash a new firmware and that firmware will unlock new features, and in the case of the 6950, it unlocks the extra shaders that you'd pay the extra money for if you were to buy the 6970. Of course, it will void your warranty, and you have the possibility of having issues with it, but as the article says, you should have made a backup of your old BIOS.

[Edited on 06.19.2012 11:25 AM PDT]

  • 06.19.2012 11:23 AM PDT

Posted by: Gandalf: I'm new. And a wizard.

Sapphire just got even more awesome.

Posted by: mount420: You are late.
Posted by: jaythenerdkid: A wizard is never late.
Posted by: THORSGOD: Nor is he ever early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Posted by: kikashi hatake
No a 2gb gtx 560 is pointless as the extra VRAM will go to waste with no power increase
.... right.

Posted by: TopWargamer
The 6950 is a better card than the 560 Ti and is cheaper.

Or you can go with the 480 which is ALMOST as good as the 680....the 480 is still less than the 560 Ti.

I say go with the 480 if you're looking into getting the most bang for your buck.
Both very good suggestions, thanks! =)

[Edited on 06.20.2012 2:23 AM PDT]

  • 06.20.2012 2:20 AM PDT


Posted by: SuicidalSplatter

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: kikashi hatake

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
Get the 6950, the Sapphire one linked above comes with two free games, and you can always flash it to a 6970, giving you even more power. I've barely heard anything bad about them, and I'm actually waiting for mine to come in the mail.

NO....don't get the 6970. The benchmarks are hardly better than the 6950 and it's $140 more than the 6950.

You can BIOS flash a 6950 and turn it into a 6970

I've never heard of this. Please explain.
Here, this should explain it.

Basically, I guess you could say it's like jailbreaking an iPod: You flash a new firmware and that firmware will unlock new features, and in the case of the 6950, it unlocks the extra shaders that you'd pay the extra money for if you were to buy the 6970. Of course, it will void your warranty, and you have the possibility of having issues with it, but as the article says, you should have made a backup of your old BIOS.
But for god's sake, don't jailbreak an iPod unless you have a newer version unjailbroken for use if it messes up.

  • 06.20.2012 5:16 AM PDT


Posted by: Vadam930
Posted by: kikashi hatake
No a 2gb gtx 560 is pointless as the extra VRAM will go to waste with no power increase
.... right.

Posted by: TopWargamer
The 6950 is a better card than the 560 Ti and is cheaper.

Or you can go with the 480 which is ALMOST as good as the 680....the 480 is still less than the 560 Ti.

I say go with the 480 if you're looking into getting the most bang for your buck.
Both very good suggestions, thanks! =)

More memory is for high resolutions like 2560x1440p. But it is useless on the Gtx 560 as it isn't powerful enough even with the extra memory to run that resolution. Putting a 2gb on a gtx 560 and lower is basically a scam (for gamers, not editors)

  • 06.20.2012 6:01 AM PDT

98% of teenagers surround their minds with rap music, if you're part of the 2% that stayed with rock, put this in your signature.


Posted by: kikashi hatake

Posted by: TopWargamer

Posted by: SuicidalSplatter
Get the 6950, the Sapphire one linked above comes with two free games, and you can always flash it to a 6970, giving you even more power. I've barely heard anything bad about them, and I'm actually waiting for mine to come in the mail.

NO....don't get the 6970. The benchmarks are hardly better than the 6950 and it's $140 more than the 6950.

You can BIOS flash a 6950 and turn it into a 6970
I actually went with a 6950 as opposed to the 6870 it was only 50 bucks more and it seems like a good card. The two free games (assuming the offer isn't gone before I buy the thing) seems like a nice bonus too.

  • 06.20.2012 6:28 AM PDT

Blackbird, I wouldn't recommend a BIOS flash right now. Only Flash it after the card can no longer preform well enough to run demanding games in 1080p. The 6950 can nearly max any title out to date so just OC it a little if you need to.

You did the right thing choosing the 6950.

  • 06.20.2012 6:38 AM PDT

98% of teenagers surround their minds with rap music, if you're part of the 2% that stayed with rock, put this in your signature.


Posted by: kikashi hatake
Blackbird, I wouldn't recommend a BIOS flash right now. Only Flash it after the card can no longer preform well enough to run demanding games in 1080p. The 6950 can nearly max any title out to date so just OC it a little if you need to.

You did the right thing choosing the 6950.
I wasn't planning on a BIOS flash at any point.. Especially concerning the fact that I have no idea how to backup and flash the bios in the first place.. OCing it will do just fine for me.

  • 06.20.2012 6:43 AM PDT

If we disagree, it's nothing personal, opinions are opinions.
Antagonizing me to build a false sense of worth is so damn cute.

Brighten your day with science.

*saves thread*


I'll need this sometime.

  • 06.20.2012 8:01 AM PDT

So I was looking at the recommended specs for "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim" and it says you should use a GTX 260 or higher. I have a 560, but the 260 cost significantly more. I couldn't find too much, so could someone help me out? Why does it cost more, if the 560 performs better (from the little i've found)?

[Edited on 06.20.2012 5:14 PM PDT]

  • 06.20.2012 5:10 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

I can't believe that I just put together a pretty decent build for $450 for my friend. $450

Here's the build:
Case
CPU
Motherboard
Power supply
GPU
RAM
Mouse and keyboard

PLEASE NOTE that he is re-using his old hard drive (which already has an OS on it) and optical drive.

Build price: $447 (give or take because if shipping prices)

I can't believe that I pulled this off....

  • 06.20.2012 5:25 PM PDT

Posted by: xbEaSt KiLlaHx
So I was looking at the recommended specs for "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim" and it says you should use a GTX 260 or higher. I have a 560, but the 260 cost significantly more. I couldn't find too much, so could someone help me out? Why does it cost more, if the 560 performs better (from the little i've found)?

Having not looked the card up, it might be a specialty card by the manufacturer that does more than a regular GTX 260 card. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it actually performs better than the GTX 560 just that it has a markup.

  • 06.20.2012 5:41 PM PDT

Currently, I have an i7 950 and an AMD 6870. I just want to be able to max out every game in my library, including AA and Anisotropic Filtering, while still having frame rates above at 45FPS or above. I think I should opt for the GTX 680. My question is this: Would my i7 950 bottleneck the new card or reduce performance significantly compared to the newer Intel CPUs?
Also, what concerns are there in overclocking the i7 950, disregarding overheating? That won't be a concern for slight overclocking thanks to my Hyper 212+.


[Edited on 06.20.2012 5:53 PM PDT]

  • 06.20.2012 5:46 PM PDT


Posted by: CostlyAxis
Posted by: xbEaSt KiLlaHx
So I was looking at the recommended specs for "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim" and it says you should use a GTX 260 or higher. I have a 560, but the 260 cost significantly more. I couldn't find too much, so could someone help me out? Why does it cost more, if the 560 performs better (from the little i've found)?

Having not looked the card up, it might be a specialty card by the manufacturer that does more than a regular GTX 260 card. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it actually performs better than the GTX 560 just that it has a markup.

Ah, I understand. Thanks for the response.

  • 06.20.2012 5:47 PM PDT

Posted by: VaultDweller178
Currently, I have an i7 950 and an AMD 6870. I just want better gaming performance. I think I should opt for the GTX 680. My question is this: Would my i7 950 bottleneck the new card or reduce performance significantly compared to the newer Intel CPUs?

The GPU should still improve your performance, but if the CPU can't keep up, it just can't keep up. Also, the CPU does determine the PCI-e version that will be used where Ivy Bridge uses PCI-e 3.0 while Sandy Bridge uses PCI-e 2.0 in most cases.

  • 06.20.2012 5:53 PM PDT


Posted by: CostlyAxis
Posted by: VaultDweller178
Currently, I have an i7 950 and an AMD 6870. I just want better gaming performance. I think I should opt for the GTX 680. My question is this: Would my i7 950 bottleneck the new card or reduce performance significantly compared to the newer Intel CPUs?

The GPU should still improve your performance, but if the CPU can't keep up, it just can't keep up. Also, the CPU does determine the PCI-e version that will be used where Ivy Bridge uses PCI-e 3.0 while Sandy Bridge uses PCI-e 2.0 in most cases.
Would the CPU keep me from maxing out nearly all games for awhile? I know some games are more CPU intensive, but the GPU plays a larger role. How much of a performance increase would I see if I upgraded to the new Ivy Bridge? Also, what issues arise with overclocking the CPU, assuming the heat is under control?

In case my previous edit was overlooked.

[Edited on 06.20.2012 6:04 PM PDT]

  • 06.20.2012 6:00 PM PDT

Posted by: A sweet noob
Ah, the internet. Where men are men, women are men, and children are the FBI.

Whats the difference between the OEM version and the full version of Windows 7 Home Premium? Aside from the price, of course. And which one should I go with?

  • 06.20.2012 10:54 PM PDT

Okay - I took your advice guys and swapped out my hex-core AMD for the quad-core i52500k.

I'm basically building for less than £1000. Any more help would be appreciated.

Also, how necessary is my cooler? I'm not planning on overclocking for a while as I'm new to PC gaming, so will just run 'as is' for the minute.

If I don't need the cooler, I won't get it.

[Edited on 06.21.2012 12:13 AM PDT]

  • 06.21.2012 12:11 AM PDT

Posted by: Gandalf: I'm new. And a wizard.

Sapphire just got even more awesome.

Posted by: mount420: You are late.
Posted by: jaythenerdkid: A wizard is never late.
Posted by: THORSGOD: Nor is he ever early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Posted by: EvilTaffyapple
Also, how necessary is my cooler? I'm not planning on overclocking for a while as I'm new to PC gaming, so will just run 'as is' for the minute.

If I don't need the cooler, I won't get it.
If you're not planning on overclocking, just use the one that comes with the 2500k =)

EDIT: Kikashi... that's a little silly. It is powerful enough to run games at that resolution. It is true, though, that you might not use the extra GB on a graphics card of that level.
And being only $10-$20 more than the 1GB, it's hardly a scam.

Anyway, all this is irrelevant, like I said, I meant to pick the 560 Ti, which is obviously a better choice than the 560. No need to discuss it further.

[Edited on 06.21.2012 1:02 AM PDT]

  • 06.21.2012 12:54 AM PDT

Posted by: Gandalf: I'm new. And a wizard.

Sapphire just got even more awesome.

Posted by: mount420: You are late.
Posted by: jaythenerdkid: A wizard is never late.
Posted by: THORSGOD: Nor is he ever early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Posted by: Xx idunno xX
Whats the difference between the OEM version and the full version of Windows 7 Home Premium? Aside from the price, of course. And which one should I go with?
OEM versions of Windows 7 are identical to Full License Retail versions except for the following:

- OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel

- OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on

- OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard

- OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system
So not a lot different, really. So long as you plan to use it on your build alone, you might as well go with OEM. Way cheaper.

[Edited on 06.21.2012 1:10 AM PDT]

  • 06.21.2012 1:08 AM PDT

I want her...

Nice thread,I am building a new one and I have 1000 euro covered by someone else although I need a new monitor so I expect to go over :S

  • 06.21.2012 1:31 AM PDT
  •  | 
  • Heroic Member

I would recommend PCDino. That build that was up a couple of posts ago for £953 could be done for not even £700 and with an ivy bridge 3650k, or even the i7 equivilant is offered with good level graphics cards (most high end ones up to the gtx 580, not 590) for a very, very solid price point. If you look at the Veloce I5 package and take out the monitor, you could get the following for £967.71 (not including delivery, which is about £30)

Intel Core i7 3770
Asus P8Z77-V LX Motherboard
8GB RAM
1TB sata 3 HDD
GTX 570
Logitech keyboard/mouse combo
Copy of win 7 Home Premium
Corsair Carbide 330R case
600W Xigamtek PSU

[Edited on 06.21.2012 2:28 AM PDT]

  • 06.21.2012 2:24 AM PDT