GPU - (looking for an upgrade?) - grab the cheapest one you can find out there—something like an HD 5450, HD 6450, or a GT 610. http://www.amazon.com/s?k=hd+5450
Keith Wright2 said:This case will fit your graphics card perfectly (it'll house the GPU and even a liquid cooling system with a large radiator; plus, it features sound dampening, excellent airflow, and high-end build quality)
Chris Robinson25 said:Wait, isn't that basically a benchmark for GPU power?
Only noobs 😬 think that way.
You could have a garbage GPU with 2GB or even 4GB of VRAM—like an old GT 630—and a more expensive card like a GTX 260X with only 1GB of VRAM would absolutely demolish it for breakfast because it's several times more powerful.
Regarding system memory: 4GB is still plenty to get most games running; you only really need more for a select few titles (and that number will only grow over time). 8GB is the sweet spot for future-proofing and serves as the baseline for a decent mid-range rig today, whereas 16GB is total overkill for pure gaming.
At the end of the day, we’re splitting hairs here. RAM is the easiest component to upgrade later. If you sink that extra cash into an unnecessary 8GB kit (roughly $550-$200), you'd be much better off putting that money toward raw performance in your CPU or GPU.
Jack James65, do you already have that motherboard on hand? I'm pretty sure you're going to need a BIOS update first.
I'm not sure what your end goal is, but just as a heads-up—it won't make any sense to pair a high-end card like an NVIDIA GTX 770 with that Intel Celeron later on.
Adam Moore3 said:CLICK It says Crossfire and SLI ready—but honestly, probably not. It’s putting out 34 Amps on the 12V rail, which hits about 408W. With efficiency sitting north of 80%, you're looking at maybe 350 effective watts. So, even though it claims it isn't meant for CF or SLI, I think it might actually hold up, though it'll be cutting it close. Plus, he'd have to mess around with those Molex-to-6-pin adapters... Let's not beat around the bush, though; it's definitely smarter to just grab one beefier card. What would be the best bang for his buck without creating a bottleneck? 😁 7870, 7850, AMD Radeon R9 270, or an AMD Radeon R9 270x? Personally, I don't think going lower than a 7850 makes sense since the 7790 or 260X are only a few FPS better.
Your math is off there; it delivers all the wattage listed (high-quality power supplies often deliver even more)—you don't subtract those numbers based on the 80% efficiency. That percentage refers to how efficiently the unit pulls power from the wall outlet.
One card pulls about 100W during gaming—I think it would hold up, but it’d be running way too hot under load. I'm with Robert Rodriguez2 on this one; he should just sell his current setup and pick up a single, more powerful card to save himself the headache.
Keith Wright2 said:I knew from the jump this wasn't going to work. He explicitly stated he wants that specific GPU and case because he likes the look of them, so what's the problem? If they have an issue, let the folks at corporate just pull the hard drive stand out of the equation. 🤷
This case features a partition right in front of the drives; you can't just pop out the HDD bays like you can with the Fractal 3000 series. It’s been stated more times than I can count: you aren't going to fit those massive GPUs (anything over 290mm) into cases like the Z11, Z12, or Z9.
I'd say something more budget-friendly, like a Zalman Z1 or Z3, would fit perfectly.
It all comes down to what you're actually planning to do with it. That NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 is a solid card, especially considering this specific version with its cooling setup and being three years old—but it isn't worth a premium price. To be honest, they really need to slash the asking price on this model if they want it to move. That said, if you're looking for hardware acceleration for specific software or just want a decent entry point for gaming, it's an excellent choice.
Look, the AMD Radeon R9 280 is more powerful, cheaper, and handles overclocking much better. Your only real reasons to go elsewhere would be if you're dead set on a specific NVIDIA feature or if you value MSI’s extra year of warranty—which, granted, is a nice perk.
Otherwise, you can grab a Sapphire version of the AMD Radeon R9 280 for $500, or if you decide to go with the AMD route, you could pick up the NVIDIA GeForce GTX equivalent for XFX R9 280 Black Edition, which would be for instance
mellowtiger83 - Look, people, use the edit button instead of spamming five posts in a row within a couple of minutes. There's an edit option right next to the quote button in your post . Just use that to add more info to what you already wrote. Also, what is he thinking using a WD Green drive for his system drive in post #23? It wouldn't hurt to grab a larger case for this build either; that GPU is massive—I'm not even sure if he'll have enough room to install an SSD later. Plus, for that kind of money, he could easily step up to a better power supply, like an XFX 550W . briskmason6
We can't actually see your shopping cart, man. You've got a list of the components from your cart on the side that you can just copy and paste .
shadoweagle36 said:What GPU would you pair with this build? Budget is around $367 1 x Thermaltake V3 BlackX Edition, ATX, mATX 1 x OCZ 500W ModXStream Pro Power Supply, SLI-Ready, 12V/36A, Active PFC 1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, Vengeance Heatsink 1 x WD 1TB Caviar Blue 10EZEX HDD, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo 1 x Asrock 970 Extreme4, AM3+, AMD 970 + SB950 - 4 x DDR3 2100(OC) 1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8350 Processor 4.0GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8350FRHK
An R7 265 would work, but an R9 270 offers better value—especially since the current best-buy is the R9 280 for about $500
If you haven't pulled the trigger on those parts yet, I’d swap quite a few things to get better bang for your buck. You should look at a different power supply, upgrade to an 8320, and grab a much more solid motherboard like the ASUS M5A97 R2.0, which is only slightly more expensive. Also, consider a Zalman Z3 case and an XFX 550 power supply
is any of those cheap cases actually worth the money?
Just slightly above $67 - decent ATX cases start around $40 (with USB 3.0 included) You can grab something from Micro Center for about $20, or if you want to do it right, just pick up a Corsair Phoenix and call it a day. At the end of the day, they're all pretty much the same thing.
Oh, listen to him go! Honestly, NVIDIA is probably the better bet for those specific titles. I mean, the guy is basically at the top of his game globally when it comes to racing for prize money, and he really knows his way around hardware—so there you have it.
It would be a smart move to grab a cooler right away; this heat is brutal, and your system is going to run incredibly hot, especially during rendering sessions (plus, it’ll get loud). You can easily offset that cost by saving money on the power supply—an EVGA 450 at roughly $120 is more than enough. However, if you really want to spend that cash on a high-end unit (Gold rated), I’d personally recommend the EVGA 450 (it isn't modular, but it's a superior PSU), or if you absolutely need modularity, go with the SS-450G . Also, when it comes to AutoCAD, the graphics card isn't actually a big deal (assuming you're doing 2D work), 2D, though 3D depends on your source . For Adobe Photoshop, you're better off choosing NVIDIA to take advantage of CUDA technology. clickhere . Based on all of this, the best value for your money would be the GTX 650 (or the GTX 750 if you plan on doing any light gaming, since it offers better performance for just a little more). Anything above those models offers diminishing returns. Of course, the GTX 270 is significantly better for gaming, but if that's not your priority, stick to the ones mentioned to save money—that way, you can afford an FX 8320, which is a much better CPU for rendering and overall performance.
Additionally, for about the same price, you could pick up a Z3 or Z3+ case, which comes with 3 or 4 fans included.
Zachary Smith2 said:I honestly get anxious walking into a computer shop because I’m terrified of picking a cooler that ends up being as loud as my old one or just doesn't fit right. My main goal is to drop those CPU temperatures significantly since my system actually shut down on me once. What exactly should I tell the salesperson when I get there? I don't want to deal with some low-quality junk that forces me to listen to massive fan noise while I'm trying to play Battlefield 3 or MW3.
There is absolutely no reason to worry if you just stick to the recommendations (like the ones in the links provided here). If your current stock cooler is spinning at over 3000 RPM, then everything we've discussed will be whisper-quiet by comparison and provide much better cooling performance.
BTW, this specific build isn't designed for liquid cooling (you probably don't even have a case capable of handling a water loop).
I honestly think that stock cooler just drove you crazy with its noise, and now you’re so paranoid about volume that you're obsessed with total silence. Just grab a decent, standard air cooler designed for your specific CPU—something like a Spire Kepler—and you'll be fine; it'll be quiet enough. If you really want to drop some serious cash, go for a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo (assuming it actually fits in your case), or even look into a liquid cooling setup...