Sherdog PC Build/Buy Thread, v4: #GG Go AMD This Holiday Season

[GearSolidMetal]

Are there any free and credible benchmark tests I can download off the web?

 

[Deleted member 407839]

1 x Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A) () = $1,713.01
- BLACK NOVEMBER Specials - #04 - Special Upgrade Package - "the Boost Package" = GPU Overclocking + Operating System Redline Boost ($130.00 Value!) (XPC Service) (Requires shipment to XOTIC PC) [Got it for $99 special]
- BLACK NOVEMBER Specials - #08 - FREE XOTIC PC Mousepad! - with the purchase of any mouse
- BLACK NOVEMBER Specials - #09 - FREE!

 

[GearSolidMetal]

#beast

I'm a few weeks away from getting all of my components and even then my system will still be months away from its final form.

Thank you.

If this set-up can't play it, I don't care to play it.

I'm looking forward to see how Crysis plays on it, as well as Skyrim with graphic, texture mods, and max settings. The max resolution is only 1920x1080, but on a 15.8" screen it can still look gorgeous.

Oh might I add I'm picking up a Samsung SSD 1TB, to put my entire Steam library on ( and for years to come), so it'll run games very quickly and smoothly.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

Just ordered that Samsung 1TB SSD from Ebay for a mere $350.

So the Sager is going to have a Samsung 120GB SSD Boot drive, 1TB SSD for games, and 1TB HDD for movies and music.

I think I'm set as far as storage goes.

Oh, when I ordered that gaming mouse for $30, I knew it had high user reviews. I didn't know it was highly acclaimed by critics.



#3 on this Top 10 list, beating gaming mouse with a much much higher price tag. And I saw two other videos of the top 5 gaming mouse on the market, one had it as #2, and the other claiming the #1 top spot.

 

[BAM]

hey. I'm a PC know-nothing and could use some layman's advice.

My laptop I'm on now is a piece of shit and I've gotten 4 years out of it (Compaq laptop - 2.1Ghz, 2GB RAM) and I'm tired of pouring in money for repairs. I'm switching to desktop PC and thinking of splurging a bit to get something decent $600 to $1500 AU.

Goal: something that can run photoshop, run Diablo 3/Skyrim (not a huge factor), something that won't overheat and I can clean myself. Something that allows me to upgrade the graphics card if I want to get serious later on w/ pc gaming. Something that won't be a money pit where I'm constantly repairing it.

From my understanding I need something that is 4GB - 8GB Ram, 2.6 - 3.6 Ghz for processing. What other numbers should I be paying attention to? What else besides numbers? Brand recommendations?

I'll try to go through the thread later on, but my fan is busted and my laptop is overheating, so my time is limited. Any help would be appreciated. I know fuck-all about computers and will likely not understand any tech-speak.

 

[Madmick]

Recommended minimums for your stated desires, BAM:

• CPU --> Intel i5, Haswell series (latest series)...or better
  Why? You're not an overclocker, so AMD is out. Intel is still about an entire generation, or 2 years ahead, in terms of sophistication of architecture. AMD competes by catering to overclockers and by price slashing, but for general use, it's inferior technology. You want the higher per-core performance. Also, since you don't overclock, you don't need to waste money on the unlocked "K" processors. If there is a "K" at the end, then you're spending money on a feature you won't use. You want an i5 at least. This will carry you for at least another four years handsomely.
• GPU --> GTX 750 Ti / Radeon 260X...or better
  Why? The GTX 750 Ti in particular offers the best bang for your buck, the most current architecture, the best performance per watt, and it will run Diablo 3 @1080p at above an average of 60 frames per second (it will handle Skyrim, too, but not maxed w/heavy mods...that would require a burly cost upgrade, not worth the leap).
• RAM --> 8GB, DDR4, 2133Mhz or better recommended bandwidth
  Why? 8GB is the new recommended minimum for general builds, especially builds that you intend to use for gaming (even light gaming), because everything-- even phones-- are going to x64 architecture where programmers are starting to design apps to use more than 4GB of RAM. Thus, memory usage will probably increase nearly as dramatically in the next few years as the size of game files did from the last console generation to this one. DDR4 is the latest standard, and so long as RAM is never exhausted by your running processes, meeting that minimum requirement, then speed > GB in terms of RAM performance. The bandwidth won't make a huge deal, so the best values will be had with 2133 or 2400 MHz.
• Motherboard --> ATX Motherboard
  - 1150 Socket: houses Intel Haswell CPU
  - H97 or Z97. Latest technology. Will be relevant the longest.
  - PCIe 3.0x16 slot: All you need to be able to upgrade to the fastest GPUs in existence for generations to come is this.
  - DDR4 RAM (288-pin) slot to house your RAM. Four slots is nice in case you ever need to add RAM later because it's cheaper (since you only have to add, not add by replacing).
  Why ATX? If you want, you can go smaller, but ATX boards give the most "upgradeability" for the money, almost always, because they don't have to be so compact, and they can simply fit more stuff.
• Case --> ATX Mid Tower. Lot of vanity preference here.
  Why? You need an ATX tower to fit an ATX motherboard. It's a good idea to look for USB3 front ports. It should have happened already, though the smartphone market has balked, but the power throughput means doubling how fast it can charge a smartphone, and the data transfer is light years faster than USB2. I don't like reaching around to plug in smartphones, tablets, flash drives or whatever in the back. Convenient. Future proof. The Mid Towers have the best values.
• PSU --> 500W-750W, 80+ Certified or better, Semi-Modular or Fully-Modular.
  Why? You don't need an insane amount of power. 500W minimum, but value is still great out to 750W (sub-$100). It's above that the price premiums really start to kick in. The latter two criteria will simply help you eliminate all the shit PSU's out there that boast a high wattage but don't provide real power on the 12V rail. This component is one that tends to demand more knowledge to get right. The latter two criteria I listed basically cuts out all these crap PSU's, so it simplifies your options greatly while ensuring you don't buy a lemon.
• Optical Drive --> Blu-Ray burner.
  Why? These subsume DVD burners. They can play DVD's, burn DVD's, but they do Blu Ray, too, and it's only like $30 difference.
• WiFi/Bluetooth card --> Elective. This is replacing a laptop, so I presume that you want WiFi capability. If you also want it to have bluetooth capability there are "combo adapters" for that. These will fill one of the low-end PCI(e) slots on your motherboard.
• OS --> Windows 7/8. I recommend the latter. Outside personal preference, it's objectively better in terms of performance capability.

Let me give you two simple references to help you if you choose to look at potential values on CPU's and GPU's on your own that are available when you go to buy. These will help you not get lost. Very simple hierarchies, but they nail it with the best bang-for-the-buck analysis every time:
CPU: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html
GPU: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Use this site to conceive builds:
http://au.pcpartpicker.com/

 

[BAM]

thanks, Madmick; I appreciate it. I was going to hit up my brother, but he's a bit of an idiot and I can't trust his advice.

I plan to put the work in and research all of this. I'll use this as a base to build off of.

I always wanted to get a decent PC; now's the time.

 

[Frazzles]

Hey guys,

Just following on from my earlier posts about potential upgrades to my current system, it seemed that my processor would end up bottlenecking most upgrades.

Would this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMD-6300-...6?pt=UK_Motherboards_CPUs&hash=item20d3be518e

+

My current HD5850 card be a good build?

All other things I can use from my current PC, power supply, case, HDD, etc, etc: although I was also looking into having an extra SSD for games. I can't really find any substantially better GPUs for under

 

[Deleted member 407839]

Hey guys,

Just following on from my earlier posts about potential upgrades to my current system, it seemed that my processor would end up bottlenecking most upgrades.

Would this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMD-6300-...6?pt=UK_Motherboards_CPUs&hash=item20d3be518e

+

My current HD5850 card be a good build?

All other things I can use from my current PC, power supply, case, HDD, etc, etc: although I was also looking into having an extra SSD for games. I can't really find any substantially better GPUs for under

 

[Frazzles]

Yeah, it's good. But it's expensive. Maybe that's from you living in the UK? Those prices would be too high in the states.

That motherboard is excellent from what I've read and heard.

I could perhaps buy it separately and save

 

[Deleted member 407839]

I could perhaps buy it separately and save

 

[Zuni]

Just ordered this little guy yesterday. I have limited desk space at work and have been looking for a small laptop. Not the most powerful thing out there, but the size and price works for me. I've always been a fan of Thinkpads, even if IBM no longer makes them.

This is actually a tertiary system behind my desktop and my larger laptop. I won't be gaming on it, just some web surfing, light productivity and some videos. For $250, I figured what the hell.

http://www.rakuten.com/prod/lenovo-thinkpad-x140e-20bls00400-11-6-led-notebook-amd-a-series-a4/263151900.html?listingId=370797217&sclid=pla_google_DigJungle&adid=29963&gclid=CjwKEAiA4_WjBRCNgf7A_KeE9jwSJADtegYdYftawXFEblmNA2kFj0g7Rgds0CWjIWRHzhWnxSvmnhoCBP_w_wcB

 

[Frazzles]

Yeah, actually I'm going with a very similar build. I'm building one from scratch with an intel chip and the computer I'm using right now I'm going to upgrade with an AMD chip in just a few days.

We're in similar circumstances but my gpu isn't that good. My plan is to use that motherboard (Gigabyte 78LMT), get an FX-8350, a hyper 212 evo (it's cheap and damn good), and a 4gb adata 1600 RAM stick. It's very similar to your build.

It should be very solid. In the future I'm going to get more RAM and a gtx 750 ti (because my power supply on my current computer is only 300w). You might go for a gtx 970 and then your rig will be golden.

I think if you go ahead with those components, you'll have a good build. If anything, your GPU will hold you back but you'll be able to upgrade that later on without a problem. It's hard to say what you should do exactly without knowing what your PSU is capable of and what your budget/needs are. Still, the parts you chose are very good, I just don't like the prices that much.

Awesome, thanks for the help and advice brother! My PSU is 600/650W if memory serves me correctly and the HD5850 GPU actually has its own connection into the PSU.

Money-wise i'm wanting to spend around the

 

[Deleted member 407839]

Yeah, I think you'll be really good with those parts.

-FX 6300
-Gigabyte 78LMT
-Corsair 8gb

With that PSU, you can get an R9 270X down the line and you'll have a great rig especially considering what you're spending. Nvidia and AMD seem to be having a price war, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some good deals during christmas.

 

[Madmick]

Next version up:
http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2877637