First Time Building My Own Computer, Need Advice
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rampkage
March 9, 2012 4:24:57 AM
So, I am currently trying to build my first computer and am really only using it for high end gaming (besides my little brothers editing projects for call of duty videos). I am interested in building a computer that will be able to run everything from high to max settings for at the least the next two years. In 2009 i bought my first gaming computer, an alienware m17 laptop, because I was going to college and wanted something for gaming and school. However now that I know better I am trying to build a PC and am looking to go a little cheaper in the area of
1000$. I am interested in Intel and Nvidia, but am open to AMD and Radeon components as well. The big adversion I have to Radeon is basically just the DX11 and PhysX features that Nvidia produces so well. If I can get some advice on the best possible gaming PC I can build for 1000$ I would be very grateful.
Thank You
-Jonathan
1000$. I am interested in Intel and Nvidia, but am open to AMD and Radeon components as well. The big adversion I have to Radeon is basically just the DX11 and PhysX features that Nvidia produces so well. If I can get some advice on the best possible gaming PC I can build for 1000$ I would be very grateful.
Thank You
-Jonathan
More about : time building computer advice
its actually the wrong time to be buying a new build. in the next month to 3 there will be a whole new range of hardware available. from new cpu's to new gfx cards.
nvidia are just about ready to release there kepler cards, and intel are gonna release there ivy bridge cpu's... admittedly there's likely not to be a great deal of difference in gaming performance from the cpu side of things so buying a sandy bridge 2500k, a z68 motherboard, and a decent cooler. will still set you up for top draw gaming for the next 2-4 years. but gfx cards do have a marked impact on the gaming performance. so getting your hands on the latest gfx cards may well give better results for a similar price as lower speced cards.
currently you would be safe with a 2500k gtx 570 setup that will cost about 1000 depending on what else you throw at it and it will be good for high to max gaming for the next 2 years easily. but the kepler cards are touted as likely to offer x2 the performance for not a great deal more money and the comparable cards, say the 670 are gonna replace the 570 but will offer at the least gtx 580 performance. but for 570 money which in some circles means its a bargain.
if i was gonna be building a rig in the near future i would hold off till the new cards arrive and as the new cpu's are just round the corner i would also hold off on that too... but if you must you mus and like i say the 2500k, 8gig or ddr3 1600 and a gtx 570 on a z68 motherboard is a great starting point...
nvidia are just about ready to release there kepler cards, and intel are gonna release there ivy bridge cpu's... admittedly there's likely not to be a great deal of difference in gaming performance from the cpu side of things so buying a sandy bridge 2500k, a z68 motherboard, and a decent cooler. will still set you up for top draw gaming for the next 2-4 years. but gfx cards do have a marked impact on the gaming performance. so getting your hands on the latest gfx cards may well give better results for a similar price as lower speced cards.
currently you would be safe with a 2500k gtx 570 setup that will cost about 1000 depending on what else you throw at it and it will be good for high to max gaming for the next 2 years easily. but the kepler cards are touted as likely to offer x2 the performance for not a great deal more money and the comparable cards, say the 670 are gonna replace the 570 but will offer at the least gtx 580 performance. but for 570 money which in some circles means its a bargain.
if i was gonna be building a rig in the near future i would hold off till the new cards arrive and as the new cpu's are just round the corner i would also hold off on that too... but if you must you mus and like i say the 2500k, 8gig or ddr3 1600 and a gtx 570 on a z68 motherboard is a great starting point...
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GrammarNazi
March 9, 2012 6:05:17 AM
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rampkage
March 9, 2012 6:06:05 AM
Thank you very much for the advice. Seeing as ivy bridge comes out in April I will probably wait for that. As for the Kepler, do you know when the suspected release date is because I could probably wait for that as well. Also one more question would be when I build my pc would it be easy to switch out parts and such in the coming years?
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rampkage
March 9, 2012 6:08:04 AM
GrammarNazi
March 9, 2012 6:11:29 AM
rampkage
March 9, 2012 6:15:14 AM
rampkage
March 9, 2012 7:22:26 AM
mcnumpty23
March 9, 2012 8:57:32 AM
Jonathantomshardware
April 3, 2012 3:03:15 PM
Hi everyone,
I am on the same track for a build, but i figure that since the kepler card is out, prices are dropping on GPUs, and it sounds like sandybridge architecture is all you really need for maxed out gaming on titles today and sometime into the future? Why pay premium prices when proven gear can max out titles instead?
I'm am thinking about this setup:
i7 2700k - i read that the 2500 is sufficient but how about future-proofing this core component to a certain degree?
ASUS P8Z68 - is this good enough of a MoBo? I am not planning on doing any OC'ing.
Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3 1600
2xSLI GTX570 stock - having an SLI setup, wouldn't it outperform a single 580? Also, read that OCing is sometimes giving issues on BF3?
SeaSonic Platinum 860W - should i go for 1000W?
500GB hardrive 7800
blurayR,DVDRW
Case, how about a Corsair Carbide 500R or a Thermaltake Element T?
CPU cooling looking at the Corsair H80, or could i go for the H100?
Do you have any ideas on how to get the best fans for that case?
Thank you for your feedback, this is going to be my first build!
J
I am on the same track for a build, but i figure that since the kepler card is out, prices are dropping on GPUs, and it sounds like sandybridge architecture is all you really need for maxed out gaming on titles today and sometime into the future? Why pay premium prices when proven gear can max out titles instead?
I'm am thinking about this setup:
i7 2700k - i read that the 2500 is sufficient but how about future-proofing this core component to a certain degree?
ASUS P8Z68 - is this good enough of a MoBo? I am not planning on doing any OC'ing.
Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3 1600
2xSLI GTX570 stock - having an SLI setup, wouldn't it outperform a single 580? Also, read that OCing is sometimes giving issues on BF3?
SeaSonic Platinum 860W - should i go for 1000W?
500GB hardrive 7800
blurayR,DVDRW
Case, how about a Corsair Carbide 500R or a Thermaltake Element T?
CPU cooling looking at the Corsair H80, or could i go for the H100?
Do you have any ideas on how to get the best fans for that case?
Thank you for your feedback, this is going to be my first build!
J
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kulladoctor
April 4, 2012 5:00:10 PM
Quote:
i7 2700k - i read that the 2500 is sufficient but how about future-proofing this core component to a certain degree?the extra future proofing from the 2700k is pretty minimal. In the future, you probably want Ivy bridge anyways. But if you dont plan to overclock, Why even get a k processor?
Similarly, the P8Z68 is a good overclocking board, and if you dont plan to use those features, maybe get something cheaper. This will allow you to spend that money you save on a z77 board in the future.
I personally would go for 1x680 GTX with 2gb vram than 2xGTX 570 with 1.5 gb vram. This is because I own a 2x570 setup, and I can feel the hurt from the 1.5 gb vram in certain levels in battlefield 3 etc on 1920x1080. Also, the new card will give you all the new features and support in the future and you wont have to deal with SLI rendering and driver issues. The 680 will also make your rig easily upgradable, by dropping in a second card.
If you are not overclocking, H80 is Overkill. Start with stock cooler, and if you decide to OC, or are having heat problems, upgrade to H80.
Take the money you save from the processor and mobo, and spend it on a Boot Drive SSD. You wont regret it.
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Jonathantomshardware
April 4, 2012 7:13:09 PM
hi kulladoctor,
thank you for the detailed response.
i hear you on the processor and several have told me to get a i52500. Bottom line is, will i suffer FPS drops in BF3 on a 1080 27in single monitor on high/ultra + ambient occlusion with an i5 versus an i7? i'm only into getting the i7 to max out my FPS.
I've heard that SLI always outdoes a single GPU. And wouldn't i be paying premium for a 680 while all the rest of the GTX's prices are falling ? What about driver tweaks regarding the brand new 680, isn't it better to take something tried and tested?
As for cooling, i find that liquid cooling setup seems smaller, neater and more efficient than putting that massive air cooler on the MoBo. Are there some serious drawbacks to going for a h60 by corsair as an example?
What's your POV?
THank you!
J
thank you for the detailed response.
i hear you on the processor and several have told me to get a i52500. Bottom line is, will i suffer FPS drops in BF3 on a 1080 27in single monitor on high/ultra + ambient occlusion with an i5 versus an i7? i'm only into getting the i7 to max out my FPS.
I've heard that SLI always outdoes a single GPU. And wouldn't i be paying premium for a 680 while all the rest of the GTX's prices are falling ? What about driver tweaks regarding the brand new 680, isn't it better to take something tried and tested?
As for cooling, i find that liquid cooling setup seems smaller, neater and more efficient than putting that massive air cooler on the MoBo. Are there some serious drawbacks to going for a h60 by corsair as an example?
What's your POV?
THank you!
J
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Lukums
April 4, 2012 10:55:00 PM
To be honest use the following:
I've built this over a year ago and to be fair this build will be fine for the next 4 years HONESTLY. lol
gtx 580 sli matrix cards x2
nzxt case phantom full red
8GB corsair vengence red
Fatality 67 motherboard
1200 W corsair gold edition
i5 2500k cpu
GT heat sink ( standard red )
This cost me around 1,500 a year ago, I have over 15 MMORPG on my computer. Which all run perfectly at 60 FPS.
This build is also very extravagent, full red system which looks extreamly impressive.
Again this is only my opinion but for your price range I would def recommend this.
Let us know how you go on your decision making.
Luke
I've built this over a year ago and to be fair this build will be fine for the next 4 years HONESTLY. lol
gtx 580 sli matrix cards x2
nzxt case phantom full red
8GB corsair vengence red
Fatality 67 motherboard
1200 W corsair gold edition
i5 2500k cpu
GT heat sink ( standard red )
This cost me around 1,500 a year ago, I have over 15 MMORPG on my computer. Which all run perfectly at 60 FPS.
This build is also very extravagent, full red system which looks extreamly impressive.
Again this is only my opinion but for your price range I would def recommend this.
Let us know how you go on your decision making.
Luke
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kulladoctor
April 5, 2012 5:13:12 AM
With Ivy Bridge around the corner, ideally I would wait it out before I buy a CPU b/c you will get the option to go with Ivy Bridge (get higher speeds/cores for the same price) and will be able to buy Sandy Bridge for Cheaper.
That being said, if you cant wait, I would err on spending less, rather than more on the CPU now, preserving your upgrade options and minimizing the cost of a mistake. Besides, most games coming out between now and Q4 2013(estimated PS4 launch) will not take much advantage of 8 (hyper threaded) cores, and clock speed for each core will be more important. Getting an i5 2500k is probably your best bet, as it will run everything fine for now, and in 6-12 months, if you feel like you are CPU limited, you can always read a couple of articles and bump the clock speed up by 20-30% and get a good boost in performance.
For BF3 in particular, performance is only CPU limited in large online matches (32-64 players) especially at your resolution and monitor size. But here is where the 2xGTX570 may hold you back a little.
VRAM is important at 1080 and higher resolutions. Getting 2 cards does not increase your VRAM at all. So what ends up happening (and I speak from personal experience with 2xGTX570s) is that you will get 60+ FPS most of the time on ULTRA, but on large levels (like the single player mission "Rock and a hard place") it may drop really quickly to an unplayable level for a couple of minutes if your cards run out of RAM when loading textures.
The second problem with 2x570 is SLI rendering issues. SLI setups can cause flickering shadows, jittery lights etc. There is no way to tell if your particular setup will show these effects, or how much they will bother you, but they bother me with my rig, and take away some of the 'wow' factor of playing beautiful games on Max settings.
Driver trouble can also be a pain. I replaced my first set of 570s after they refused to SLI for no apparent reason. After this did not fix the problem, I spent a week troubleshooting, clean installing and even changed my motherboard. It turned out that my Asus wireless pcie card has drivers that conflict with SLI, and now I have to keep it disabled to run in SLI mode. Just check Nvidia SLI forums if you dont believe me.
The 680 may be new and possibly have driver issues too, but overall it would probably be just as reliable as an SLI setup, and may provide better image quality. Sure, your fps may drop from 60+ to 55 but that 10% performance hit will be unnoticeable in actual game play in all current Games.
On the flip side, the 680 will give you future proofing in the form of the latest visual effects and features, pcie 3.0 support and the ability to SLI in the future.
Finally for cooling: if you are not going to overclock at all, it doesn't matter which cooler you have in there, the CPU will run within spec temps . However, tying this back into my point about potential overclocking in the future, if you are going to get an aftermarket solution, don't compromise and go with the one you want (H80).
That being said, if you cant wait, I would err on spending less, rather than more on the CPU now, preserving your upgrade options and minimizing the cost of a mistake. Besides, most games coming out between now and Q4 2013(estimated PS4 launch) will not take much advantage of 8 (hyper threaded) cores, and clock speed for each core will be more important. Getting an i5 2500k is probably your best bet, as it will run everything fine for now, and in 6-12 months, if you feel like you are CPU limited, you can always read a couple of articles and bump the clock speed up by 20-30% and get a good boost in performance.
For BF3 in particular, performance is only CPU limited in large online matches (32-64 players) especially at your resolution and monitor size. But here is where the 2xGTX570 may hold you back a little.
VRAM is important at 1080 and higher resolutions. Getting 2 cards does not increase your VRAM at all. So what ends up happening (and I speak from personal experience with 2xGTX570s) is that you will get 60+ FPS most of the time on ULTRA, but on large levels (like the single player mission "Rock and a hard place") it may drop really quickly to an unplayable level for a couple of minutes if your cards run out of RAM when loading textures.
The second problem with 2x570 is SLI rendering issues. SLI setups can cause flickering shadows, jittery lights etc. There is no way to tell if your particular setup will show these effects, or how much they will bother you, but they bother me with my rig, and take away some of the 'wow' factor of playing beautiful games on Max settings.
Driver trouble can also be a pain. I replaced my first set of 570s after they refused to SLI for no apparent reason. After this did not fix the problem, I spent a week troubleshooting, clean installing and even changed my motherboard. It turned out that my Asus wireless pcie card has drivers that conflict with SLI, and now I have to keep it disabled to run in SLI mode. Just check Nvidia SLI forums if you dont believe me.
The 680 may be new and possibly have driver issues too, but overall it would probably be just as reliable as an SLI setup, and may provide better image quality. Sure, your fps may drop from 60+ to 55 but that 10% performance hit will be unnoticeable in actual game play in all current Games.
On the flip side, the 680 will give you future proofing in the form of the latest visual effects and features, pcie 3.0 support and the ability to SLI in the future.
Finally for cooling: if you are not going to overclock at all, it doesn't matter which cooler you have in there, the CPU will run within spec temps . However, tying this back into my point about potential overclocking in the future, if you are going to get an aftermarket solution, don't compromise and go with the one you want (H80).
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tjosborne
April 5, 2012 8:05:17 AM
Quote:
Yah that's what I was thinking. Do you know when the Kepler cards are coming out? Also would a 570 be able to max out everything that is currently out? Or is a 580 a lot stronger for the extra 100$?you can get my specs for $1000 withous sli. the 580 is only 10to 15% faster than 570 so its a rip-off. if you want a 580 save and get 670 or 80
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Jonathantomshardware
April 5, 2012 9:08:26 PM
hey everyone, thank you for your responses, i am narrowing down and am ready to buy components asap.
@luke,
thanks for your response. Your rig must look like a Ferrari LOL, all red. Very nice. You took the red RAM bc you are OCing?
i hear you on the 580s, i am leaning that way too but there seems to be disagreement on 570SLI vs 580SLI vs single 680 or even 680SLI... hum...
the i5 seems the way to go today, i don't want to wait any longer.
1200W doesnt seem like overkill?
@kulladoctor,
I am new to this but i'dl rather buy something tested and common than wait for the next gen. I play on only 1 monitor 27in1080 and no multiplayer, so my requirements are only stability and smooth graphics at Ultra.
I hear you on the SLI driver issue. My 560tids gave me so many issues. But, since i want to have immediate enjoyment, won't 2xSLI580 perform better than a single 680? Was your closing comment that if i run 2xsli580 i get 60+ while with a single 680 i get 55? In that case a single 680 makes more sense, is that what you are telling me?
Thank you,
j
@luke,
thanks for your response. Your rig must look like a Ferrari LOL, all red. Very nice. You took the red RAM bc you are OCing?
i hear you on the 580s, i am leaning that way too but there seems to be disagreement on 570SLI vs 580SLI vs single 680 or even 680SLI... hum...
the i5 seems the way to go today, i don't want to wait any longer.
1200W doesnt seem like overkill?
@kulladoctor,
I am new to this but i'dl rather buy something tested and common than wait for the next gen. I play on only 1 monitor 27in1080 and no multiplayer, so my requirements are only stability and smooth graphics at Ultra.
I hear you on the SLI driver issue. My 560tids gave me so many issues. But, since i want to have immediate enjoyment, won't 2xSLI580 perform better than a single 680? Was your closing comment that if i run 2xsli580 i get 60+ while with a single 680 i get 55? In that case a single 680 makes more sense, is that what you are telling me?
Thank you,
j
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kulladoctor
April 6, 2012 3:10:11 AM
Jonathantomshardware
April 6, 2012 6:00:10 PM
kulladoctor
April 6, 2012 7:08:12 PM
What I mean is that 570's compute power is enough, but the standard 1.5 gb ram may cause short periods of lagging in the most demanding situations. So IMO, 2x570 with 3gb of ram is the best.
This setup will cost you less than 2x580 w 1.5 gb ram, and will be free of the VRAM bottleneck that the 2x580 w 1.5gb ram has, when playing on 27' monitors.
This setup will cost you less than 2x580 w 1.5 gb ram, and will be free of the VRAM bottleneck that the 2x580 w 1.5gb ram has, when playing on 27' monitors.
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kulladoctor
April 6, 2012 7:11:35 PM
Ayydre
April 6, 2012 7:14:11 PM
Quote:
Hi everyone, I am on the same track for a build, but i figure that since the kepler card is out, prices are dropping on GPUs, and it sounds like sandybridge architecture is all you really need for maxed out gaming on titles today and sometime into the future? Why pay premium prices when proven gear can max out titles instead?
I'm am thinking about this setup:
i7 2700k - i read that the 2500 is sufficient but how about future-proofing this core component to a certain degree?
ASUS P8Z68 - is this good enough of a MoBo? I am not planning on doing any OC'ing.
Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3 1600
2xSLI GTX570 stock - having an SLI setup, wouldn't it outperform a single 580? Also, read that OCing is sometimes giving issues on BF3?
SeaSonic Platinum 860W - should i go for 1000W?
500GB hardrive 7800
blurayR,DVDRW
Case, how about a Corsair Carbide 500R or a Thermaltake Element T?
CPU cooling looking at the Corsair H80, or could i go for the H100?
Do you have any ideas on how to get the best fans for that case?
Thank you for your feedback, this is going to be my first build!
J
Some of these thought may be redundant but I thought I would just add my 2 cents.
For the processor, the "k" at the end of the number means that the multiplier is unlocked, i.e. the processor is overclock-able. If you aren't planning on overclocking, get a processor like the i5-2400, or i5-2500. The stock performance compared to the "k" version should be about the same. Also, if you don't plan on overclocking you could get a cheaper mobo maybe like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I guess it's up to you, but 16gb of RAM is probably overkill. I would go for something like this: 8gb @1333. Would save you some money too. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
That power supply is awesome! You should probably be fine with 860W, although if you want some headroom you might consider going up to 1KW.
Finally, I tend to lean toward a single 680 as opposed to 2x570's. It's cheaper, uses less power, and gives a path to upgrade in the future (could eventually add another 680). I couldn't find any side by side benchmarks for the two, but you can check out some benchmarks here http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU/88 (GPU 2011 for 570SLI, GPU 2012 for 680)
PS: For a build with this big a budget, you should consider getting a SSD. A great 64gb drive for window/games is only like $110 now.
Good luck!
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Jonathantomshardware
April 6, 2012 8:25:09 PM
Hi,
I forget where i read that thread about the issues with the 570HD 2.5GB, but it was in a couple of articles about benchmarking. I also forget the context. I'll see if i can find it... will post it as soon as i locate it!
To be honest, if i can get by nearly everywhere maxed out but in a few parts of BF3, then i'll settle for 2x570s like you have. Already with my 2x560tids, i've maxed out every title very nicely. I can get a gtx570 for 299USD free shipping, sounds like a good price? It seems hard to get a 580 under 400USD. So in an SLI setup, that's a savings.
I hear everyone on the 680, but with only one i can't play bf3 maxed out, and then i'ld have to wait a while before spending another 500USD++... doesn't make sense to me. And right now they are out of stock and top dollar. I would rather keep the 570s till a next title really needs me to upgrade.
Then again, i am just a total beginner here!! Just trying to learn as much as possible...
J
I forget where i read that thread about the issues with the 570HD 2.5GB, but it was in a couple of articles about benchmarking. I also forget the context. I'll see if i can find it... will post it as soon as i locate it!
To be honest, if i can get by nearly everywhere maxed out but in a few parts of BF3, then i'll settle for 2x570s like you have. Already with my 2x560tids, i've maxed out every title very nicely. I can get a gtx570 for 299USD free shipping, sounds like a good price? It seems hard to get a 580 under 400USD. So in an SLI setup, that's a savings.
I hear everyone on the 680, but with only one i can't play bf3 maxed out, and then i'ld have to wait a while before spending another 500USD++... doesn't make sense to me. And right now they are out of stock and top dollar. I would rather keep the 570s till a next title really needs me to upgrade.
Then again, i am just a total beginner here!! Just trying to learn as much as possible...
J
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kulladoctor
April 7, 2012 6:55:53 AM
tjosborne
April 7, 2012 3:45:05 PM
about the 2560mb 570's, take it from me they kick ass. never had any problems, and get great framerate with them across 3 monitors. if you get them get the evga ones. if you are going nvidia you will need the vram boost, especially if you want your new build semi future proof. if it was me though and you are already looking to sli, wait till the 690 comes out.
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Jonathantomshardware
April 7, 2012 10:43:44 PM
tjosborne
April 8, 2012 1:30:58 AM
Jonathantomshardware
April 11, 2012 8:54:09 PM
regarding a wifi card - i need to access internet and the signal is low, so i need a card with high gain antennas. i was going to use my left over one from my other build, but it's giving me issues. are there usually problems with wifi hardware and compatibility with other hardware? there was a post with an issue where SLI on 570s was impossible unless the wifi card was disabled! can anyone recommend a good wifi, high gain card compatible with the ASUS p8z68 pro v gen3 board and SLI 570s?
thanks,
j
thanks,
j
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mcnumpty23
April 11, 2012 9:12:53 PM
i have same motherboard--though only one gtx570
i also have thick victorian walls so its hard to get a signal through them
one of these does the job--its usb so i can also stick it in my laptop to use in the garden and still get 5 bars
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALFA-AWUS036NH-2W-Wireless-N-...
or if you have a very large property you can stick one of these on the alfa--when my home broadband goes
down--which it is at the moment even after 2 weeks of phoning bt (in india)
i can pick up the nearest bt openzone from a hotel hundreds of yards away to still get internet access--just
needs a pigtail to connect to the alfa--this is a serious bit of aerial
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Biquad-QuadGrabber-Dish-Feed-...
i also have thick victorian walls so its hard to get a signal through them
one of these does the job--its usb so i can also stick it in my laptop to use in the garden and still get 5 bars
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALFA-AWUS036NH-2W-Wireless-N-...
or if you have a very large property you can stick one of these on the alfa--when my home broadband goes
down--which it is at the moment even after 2 weeks of phoning bt (in india)
i can pick up the nearest bt openzone from a hotel hundreds of yards away to still get internet access--just
needs a pigtail to connect to the alfa--this is a serious bit of aerial
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Biquad-QuadGrabber-Dish-Feed-...
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Jonathantomshardware
April 11, 2012 9:19:42 PM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
costs more, but seems powerful? i really have range issues at home!!
costs more, but seems powerful? i really have range issues at home!!
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mcnumpty23
April 11, 2012 9:36:07 PM
i prefer usb to an internal card
2 reasons--internal cards have the aerial at the rear of the pc so the case blocks some of the signal
usb you can move about to get the best signal and also use in a laptop as well if needed
the parts i listed already i can get a signal from a hotel thats 300 yards away and its not even in line of
sight--its blocked by houses and at least 50 feet lower down than me
but heres its bigger brother--this is a really serious bit of kit--have even seen people attach these to sattelite
dishes to get ranges of several miles away--or use on boats to get wifi from the shore
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quad-Grabber-II-USB-Wifi-Card...
2 reasons--internal cards have the aerial at the rear of the pc so the case blocks some of the signal
usb you can move about to get the best signal and also use in a laptop as well if needed
the parts i listed already i can get a signal from a hotel thats 300 yards away and its not even in line of
sight--its blocked by houses and at least 50 feet lower down than me
but heres its bigger brother--this is a really serious bit of kit--have even seen people attach these to sattelite
dishes to get ranges of several miles away--or use on boats to get wifi from the shore
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quad-Grabber-II-USB-Wifi-Card...
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kulladoctor
April 11, 2012 10:03:45 PM
Jonathantomshardware
April 11, 2012 10:06:52 PM
Jonathantomshardware
April 11, 2012 10:10:27 PM
Jonathantomshardware
April 12, 2012 2:24:23 AM
kulladoctor
April 12, 2012 7:21:51 AM
I am using a network cable
. 20 ft of cat 6 will cost <$10
. As for wireless, i dont have much experience with that (and look how my last purchase turned out). But from what I have heard, pcie is better than USB.
They are all pretty cheap (under 40 dollars) so I wont worry too much. Dlink has non reltek drivers, so hopefully you wont get compatibility issues with that.
. 20 ft of cat 6 will cost <$10
. As for wireless, i dont have much experience with that (and look how my last purchase turned out). But from what I have heard, pcie is better than USB. They are all pretty cheap (under 40 dollars) so I wont worry too much. Dlink has non reltek drivers, so hopefully you wont get compatibility issues with that.
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Jonathantomshardware
April 12, 2012 11:36:27 PM
anyway i went w this usb adapter, premiertek gamebase, thinking that it may make less interference with my MB setup. also was reviewed as having the best range by a moderator on Toms'hardware.
any ideas on a good mouse? i just ordered one and it's small. I am looking for something with good support, doesn't need to have too many gaming buttons.
Finally, any good guide to BIOS setup? Is there anything i need to look out for when it comes to SLI setup, aftermarket CPU cooler, fan controls, etc etc... i don't have a clue yet. thank you. J
any ideas on a good mouse? i just ordered one and it's small. I am looking for something with good support, doesn't need to have too many gaming buttons.
Finally, any good guide to BIOS setup? Is there anything i need to look out for when it comes to SLI setup, aftermarket CPU cooler, fan controls, etc etc... i don't have a clue yet. thank you. J
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Jonathantomshardware
April 14, 2012 12:51:27 AM
Jonathantomshardware
April 15, 2012 3:46:56 PM
Hello everyone,
Help 1.01. :-)
With the Seasonic 1050, the fan is open on the 'top' of the unit, and it says that if you place the PSU in the case, the fan 'could' face the Mobo in certain cases. That sounds very nebulous. My case is an Obsedian 650D, which has a grill on the bottom where the PSU sits, with a dust filter. If i set up the case as described above, the fan will face the Mobo and will not suck in cold air from the bottom. Could i put the PSU upside down? Anyone have any ideas about this?
How do you safely remove pre-applied thermal paste? My H60 comes pre-applied, but i want to apply artic. Any ideas?
I went through the manual for the ASUS P8z68 V pro Gen3 and the EZ function for BIOS setup looks...well, really easy. Seems that there are no major changes to be done BIOS wise when it comes to SLI setup or fan management. Am i wrong?
thanks,
J
Help 1.01. :-)
With the Seasonic 1050, the fan is open on the 'top' of the unit, and it says that if you place the PSU in the case, the fan 'could' face the Mobo in certain cases. That sounds very nebulous. My case is an Obsedian 650D, which has a grill on the bottom where the PSU sits, with a dust filter. If i set up the case as described above, the fan will face the Mobo and will not suck in cold air from the bottom. Could i put the PSU upside down? Anyone have any ideas about this?
How do you safely remove pre-applied thermal paste? My H60 comes pre-applied, but i want to apply artic. Any ideas?
I went through the manual for the ASUS P8z68 V pro Gen3 and the EZ function for BIOS setup looks...well, really easy. Seems that there are no major changes to be done BIOS wise when it comes to SLI setup or fan management. Am i wrong?
thanks,
J
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Jonathantomshardware
April 16, 2012 12:17:14 AM
kulladoctor
April 16, 2012 9:14:38 PM
Hey Jonathan,
you can place the power supply upside down, and this is how most people do in with a bottom mounted powersupply. Check the Tom's hardware cooling guide for confirmation.
I think you can just use alcohol to remove thermal paste, but googling this quickly yields many guides that are more of an authority on the matter than I.
You dont have to make any bios changes for SLI on the Asus board, but you can go through the settings to disable things that you are not using (extra network adaptor, onboard audio etc) to speed up boot time. I think Tom's has an article on bios settings somewhere on the website.
finally, the OPT fan is just an optional CPU fan. I think the manual specifies this. I dont have mine on me right now, but that is how I have used the OPT header.
you can place the power supply upside down, and this is how most people do in with a bottom mounted powersupply. Check the Tom's hardware cooling guide for confirmation.
I think you can just use alcohol to remove thermal paste, but googling this quickly yields many guides that are more of an authority on the matter than I.
You dont have to make any bios changes for SLI on the Asus board, but you can go through the settings to disable things that you are not using (extra network adaptor, onboard audio etc) to speed up boot time. I think Tom's has an article on bios settings somewhere on the website.
finally, the OPT fan is just an optional CPU fan. I think the manual specifies this. I dont have mine on me right now, but that is how I have used the OPT header.
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Jonathantomshardware
April 18, 2012 2:08:40 AM
Hi Kulladoctor,
Guess what?!?! IT BOOTED!!!!!! That moment before i hit On was like watching a shuttle launch. yikes. I took my time though, making sure the back side didn't look like an italian pasta plate, and cleaning up the wiring. It looks sweet, really does, blue ASUS board with blue vengeance sticks. I'm thinking now about blue wire webbing. I used Artic paste, worked fine. Putting on the H60 was a little tricky, but not that bad actually. In fact, nothing was a problem, everything flowed nicely.
I can't beleive i did it!
BIOS booted shows idle temps of 29c for both MObo and CPU. I figured out the fan issue. No sweat (pun!).
I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS!
1. Voltage on CPU. The 8pin to 2x4pin connector from PSU to the top left side of the mobo... i went back and forth between ASUS and Seasonic (nice PSU btw, comes in a black velvet pouch WTF), and in the end i plugged in only ONE 4pin connector into the 8pin connector on the mobo. I was worried that if i put all 8 pins, it might be more that 12V and fry the mobo. Any idea on that? The voltage readout in BIOS is 1...something, ie, the blue bar is only 1/4 filled, while other voltage figures are equal to the value stated on the left hand side of the bar indicating voltage. Cause for issue? What do you think? Do you want me to post that voltage figure?
2. I bought Vengeance Blue 16GB 1600 RAM, but in BIOS it says that the 16GB of RAM is at 1333 only?! I called ASUS, they said call back tomorrow to talk to specialist about OCing my RAM? What? Does the Mobo ASUS P8z68 Pro V gen3 with i5 2500 (NO K) default the mem to 1333? Is my memory faulty? The red LED on the mobo does not flash saying that memOK failed, and all RAM shows up in Win 7. what do i do? Argh.
Thanks,
J
Guess what?!?! IT BOOTED!!!!!! That moment before i hit On was like watching a shuttle launch. yikes. I took my time though, making sure the back side didn't look like an italian pasta plate, and cleaning up the wiring. It looks sweet, really does, blue ASUS board with blue vengeance sticks. I'm thinking now about blue wire webbing. I used Artic paste, worked fine. Putting on the H60 was a little tricky, but not that bad actually. In fact, nothing was a problem, everything flowed nicely.
I can't beleive i did it!
BIOS booted shows idle temps of 29c for both MObo and CPU. I figured out the fan issue. No sweat (pun!).
I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS!
1. Voltage on CPU. The 8pin to 2x4pin connector from PSU to the top left side of the mobo... i went back and forth between ASUS and Seasonic (nice PSU btw, comes in a black velvet pouch WTF), and in the end i plugged in only ONE 4pin connector into the 8pin connector on the mobo. I was worried that if i put all 8 pins, it might be more that 12V and fry the mobo. Any idea on that? The voltage readout in BIOS is 1...something, ie, the blue bar is only 1/4 filled, while other voltage figures are equal to the value stated on the left hand side of the bar indicating voltage. Cause for issue? What do you think? Do you want me to post that voltage figure?
2. I bought Vengeance Blue 16GB 1600 RAM, but in BIOS it says that the 16GB of RAM is at 1333 only?! I called ASUS, they said call back tomorrow to talk to specialist about OCing my RAM? What? Does the Mobo ASUS P8z68 Pro V gen3 with i5 2500 (NO K) default the mem to 1333? Is my memory faulty? The red LED on the mobo does not flash saying that memOK failed, and all RAM shows up in Win 7. what do i do? Argh.
Thanks,
J
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mcnumpty23
April 18, 2012 7:50:37 AM
you should plug in both halves of the 2 x 4 to 8 pin connector
otherwise you may get blue screens under load
go into the bios--under AI tweaker and just set the ram speed to 1600mhz--leave ram voltage at 1.5v
shows you here where the settings are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiOnq2jeB1U
your mouse may not work properly in the uefi bios--mine doesnt but can still navigate with the keyboard
otherwise you may get blue screens under load
go into the bios--under AI tweaker and just set the ram speed to 1600mhz--leave ram voltage at 1.5v
shows you here where the settings are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiOnq2jeB1U
your mouse may not work properly in the uefi bios--mine doesnt but can still navigate with the keyboard
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Jonathantomshardware
April 18, 2012 6:31:44 PM
kulladoctor
April 23, 2012 3:57:16 AM
Ya, I had the same issue with my vengence ram. If the Rep hasnt oc'ed it for you already, I would go into bios, and manually increase ram to 1600. Then, if the computer fails to boot, or fails under stress tests, I would up the voltage to the ram (you shouldnt need much more than a few 0.01 volt increases.) and try again. The memory should be fine under 1.6-1.65 volts (not that you would have to go that high for 1600).
Here are a couple of stress tests to make sure its working:
1. Prime95. Use the torture test to test ram. Run this overnight.
2. Intel Burn In. Mainly for CPU testing, but run this for 20 minutes to more quickly detect problems.
If you feel comfortable with this, it may be nice to know that this is exactly the same procedure to oc your CPU. If doing this to your ram gives you the confidence, I highly encourage returning the 2500 and getting a 2500k if you can, and getting a 20-30% performance boost very safely.
Here are a couple of stress tests to make sure its working:
1. Prime95. Use the torture test to test ram. Run this overnight.
2. Intel Burn In. Mainly for CPU testing, but run this for 20 minutes to more quickly detect problems.
If you feel comfortable with this, it may be nice to know that this is exactly the same procedure to oc your CPU. If doing this to your ram gives you the confidence, I highly encourage returning the 2500 and getting a 2500k if you can, and getting a 20-30% performance boost very safely.
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kulladoctor
April 23, 2012 4:01:54 AM
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