Posts by Adam Moore3

Ronald Bishop58 said:What exactly is an IPS panel?
Feel free to suggest a different monitor under $333 that features that kind of IPS tech.

Thanks!

Here you go, THIS is your absolute best bet for $333 🙂

Wait, what was the reason they skipped over the 8xx series entirely? 🤷

You're right about that; that tech has been dead for at least a decade now, specifically that 478 socket 🙏

Timothy Kim60 said:Gaming debate 😬

http://youtu.be/nfIyvY0MEpo?t=1m26s
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages...review,10.html
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7764/t...iew-maxwell/11
http://www.legitreviews.com/evga-gef...eview_137067/3 - though keep in mind this one has a factory overclock on the GTX 750 (it usually overclocks pretty well otherwise)

Sure, some games lean more towards AMD optimization (coh2, bf4, Hitman Absolution), while others favor NVIDIA (Bioshock Infinite...), but on average they're neck and neck—they're in the same league...
BTW, if you go with MSI, ASUS, or Gigabyte, you get an extra year of warranty.

Look, I know, it’s not a legitimate benchmark; I already said that. But just look at the architecture and raw GPU power. The 750 isn't stronger in a single aspect, literally. The most important part is the SPU, specifically the shaders and shader performance, where the 260 is significantly better, along with everything else. I'm not even talking about that 8% difference mentioned by GD—that's nonsense—but just purely logically. Besides, even in the links you provided, the 260 outperformed the non-Ti 750 in 99% of cases. In some spots, it even beat the Ti version.

Timothy Kim60 said:The 260X and the GTX 750 are pretty much neck and neck, depending on what game you're running.

I'm not so sure about that. The 260X is a bit stronger than the standard 750—not by a massive margin, but it still holds an edge. Of course, the Ti version would blow both of them away.

HERE ARE some actual specs. I’m not just talking about benchmarks here; based on raw data, the 260X is superior across the board. It has more SPU, higher TMU counts, double the texture rate, and higher clock speeds across the map. To me, any difference in actual gaming FPS comes down to driver optimization. On paper, the 260X should definitely be the faster card.

Roger Mitchell4 said:WHICH ONE LOOKS BETTER TO YOU GUYS?

FROM Timothy Kim60
1 x Asrock Intel LGA 1151, Intel LGA 1151 Socket A78 Chipset MB
1 x MSI GTX 750 1GB DDR5, N750-1GD5
1 x HDD WD 1TB, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3,64 MB, 3.5", 24mj
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x MS PHOENIX case without PSU, Midi tower MBO: ATX, mATX
1 x FORTRON 400W Power Supply, HEXA 400, 12cm fan, Active PFC
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon ii x4 750 processor 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm

$1027 Local shop, free assembly and shipping

OR

FROM Mclovin

X4 910E
ASUS M5A78L-M LX3
KINGSTON 8GB 1600 MHZ
TOSHIBA 3.5 500 GB SATA 3
MSI R7 260X 2GB OC DDR5
FORTRON HEXA+ 400W 80+
MS PHOENIX + 80 MM FAN

Timothy Kim60's build has a stronger processor, but the platform is pretty much a dead end for upgrades and the graphics card is weaker. On the other hand, Mclovin's build has a slightly weaker CPU, but it's on a more viable platform where you can actually upgrade the processor later—plus, the graphics card is better. 🙂 It's up to you which one you prefer. 😉

crimsonstag84 said:Do you really need that specific case? 😬

I mean, come on, what are you going to do? Try to cram a level 10 gt into a 3cm build? 😬 It’s not like it matters if it's a Phoenix for $100 or a Sirius for $140 or whatever. They're spending extra on $67 for the Zalman, but then cutting corners on the GPU—it just doesn't make sense, right? 😉

graniteharbor85 said:"Sirius Sam" 😂

It makes more sense for him to jump up to the Phenom, which sits right alongside the FM2 Athlonac models, and grab more RAM along with a better 260x version. If he feels like upgrading again later, he can always throw an FX 6300 into that board. With FM2+, he's set—he'll easily max out USB 3.0/SATA 3 speeds once he has a solid gaming rig.

That Phenom is weaker than these Athlonacs; the clock speed is low, and even an Athlonac can be decent when you ocati it to get a little boost. I don't know, if he plans on putting more money into this build later, your way is probably better. But if he wants maximum performance right now, my option is stronger. 🙂

Honestly, there’s really no need to go over budget here. 😉

1 x ASRock FM2A78M-HD+, Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors
1 x Intel Core i5-2500K Processor 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x FORTRON 400W Power Supply, HEXA 400, 12cm fan, Active PFC
1 x Pioneer BD-RE DVD writer, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x MS Industrial Sirius case (no PSU included), Midi tower
1 x Sapphire R7 260X 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDGD5 128bit, 28nm
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm

$997 reddit.com 🙂

Robert Rodriguez2 said:1 x Asrock FM2A78M-HD+, Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors
1 x Intel Core i5-2500K Processor 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x MS PHOENIX case without PSU, Midi tower MBO: ATX, mATX
1 x Pioneer BD-RE DVD writer, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm
1 x Sapphire R7 260X 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm
1 x CORSAIR 430W Power Supply, CX Series 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11

$1035

This works fine if you don't mind $33 though. It's got a quad CPU and a 260X packed in there.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Yeah, cheaper and better selection:

1 x AOC LCD 21,5 Wide , 6ms, 16:9, IPS
1 x Patriot Signature DDR3 1600Mhz, 4GB, CL11
1 x Toshiba DT01ACA050 500GB 3.5"
1 x LG GH24NSB0 24x SATA black bulk
1 x Fortron Hexa+ 400W, 80+, active, 12 cm
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150
1 x MS PHOENIX case without PSU
1 x Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H,1150,iB85,D3,S3,U3,DVI,mA
Total: $1351
futur

Yeah, if you skip the SSD and make a few compromises, you can squeeze in a monitor too. Honestly, I think this route makes way more sense for you—if she’s going to be doing photography, having a decent monitor is going to be huge. Obviously, 🙂 just grab an SSD later once you've saved up enough cash.

Here’s what’s available at futur:

1 x Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150 1 x MS PHOENIX
2 x Patriot Signature DDR3 1600Mhz, 4GB, CL11
1 x Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H,1150,iB85,D3,S3,U3,DVI,mA
1 x Toshiba DT01ACA100 1TB 3.5"
1 x Intel SSD 520 (120GB, 2.5in SATA 6Gb/s, 25nm, MLC)
1 x LG GH24NSB0 SATA black bulk
1 x MS PHOENIX case without PSU
1 x Fortron Hexa+ 400W, 80+, active, 12 cm

Total: $1316

You get a full terabyte drive instead of just 500 GB, plus a better motherboard, all for the same price. $17 🙂

Robert Rodriguez2 said:😂 is that really the guy I think it is, 😂
?

OH MY GOD YESSSSSS 🙏

Anthony Newman31 said:Just two more pieces of information, please:

I saw this configuration listed in a PDF, and it’s priced almost exactly the same (not including peripherals):

AMD CPU X8 8320 AM3+
ZAL-Z3 PLUS Zalman Z3+ Case
ZAL-CNPS10X or Zalman CPU cooler 120mm FAN
Asus M5A97 evo R2.0.
Adata DDR3 8GB 1600MHz
Kingston SSD 120 GB HyperX Fury
Toshiba 500GB 32MB SATA III HDD...
Raider sa 550 power supply.

Is this better or worse? From what I can see, the processors are roughly in the same ballpark (though AMD offers a slightly better price-to-performance ratio), and the motherboards are similar too (with the Asus one scoring just a bit higher in reviews).

I could make do with a 500 GB HDD... but is it actually worth springing for something higher quality instead of just chasing more storage? Or are those performance differences basically meaningless for an average user?

Robert Rodriguez2's configuration seems to be running without any specialized cooling—like that Zalman CPU cooler mentioned above. Is that actually unnecessary, or...?

Thanks in advance.

First off, you posted this build without a graphics card... 🙂 It’s honestly a bit apples-to-oranges comparing these two processors. If you go with the FX, you’re going to need an aftermarket cooler since you can actually OCati that thing. It also has a higher TDP, so you'll need to step up to a better motherboard to handle it. On paper, the FX has 8 cores while the i5 only has 4, so let's just say the FX will generally deliver better raw performance... But, if you aren't planning on overclocking and your main focus is just gaming or running tasks that don't really know how to utilize more than 4 cores—which seems to be the case here based on what I've gathered—then the i5 might actually be the smarter play. You'd be looking at better architecture, less noise, lower power draw, and much better thermals...

When it comes to an HDD, all that really matters is how much storage you actually need. Since the price gap between 1 TB and 500 GB is pretty negligible... $17Honestly, I don't see why anyone wouldn't just upgrade to a drive twice this size... 🙂 Don't sweat the rest of the differences. Like I said before, Flatron didn't include a specific cooler because that processor isn't even overclockable, and you don't really need anything fancy since the stock one will get the job done without being too loud... 🙂

Larry Ortiz5 said:If you're in the Washington, D.C. area, we can set something up to get Windows installed... It’s a waste to pay almost $267 when you could probably grab Pro for way cheaper... Anyway, shoot me a PM if you're interested 🙂

Heh heh heh 🙂

Chris Robinson25 said:Maybe in a year or two.
He’ll probably grab a killer GPU and a solid CPU since he already has those.
But looking ahead at more demanding titles, I have a feeling 16GB of RAM is going to be the bare minimum requirement before we even start worrying about the processor or graphics card.
If he picks up a Radeon R9 280 now and already has a quad-core 3.0, he should be set for quite a while.
Even though a 2.5 quad-core is pretty much the standard everywhere right now, I honestly think things will plateau at that level for a bit, rather than games just scaling up endlessly.

Nobody can predict the future, and claiming that games will effectively need 16GB of RAM in just a year or two makes zero sense. Like I said before, 99% of games run perfectly fine on 4GB, and that tiny 1% that "demands" 8GB never actually utilizes the full amount anyway. There is absolutely NO reason to upgrade your RAM right now because by the time games actually require 16GB, you'll likely be looking at a total system overhaul anyway. So there's really no point in speculating and talking this kind of nonsense... 🙄

Look, honestly, he’s running a Noctua NH-U12S 🤣 I didn't even notice. 😲 The only thing here that actually makes sense is the HDD; if you need more storage, getting an SSD is a must—you'll definitely feel the difference. Everything else is just throwing money away.

Timothy Kim60 said:It looks like that setup is pretty old since Chicony hasn't had stock for months now...

Go with a Fortron Hexa/Hexa + 400w, an ASUS H81M-HDS motherboard, and since they don't have the 260X at Best Buy—maybe prices spiked—you could grab an MSI GTX750 1GB DDR5 for less money and get a 3-year warranty.

You don't have a burner, but you can always burn the OS via USB.

Yeah, that’s definitely my configuration; even my Chicony is humming away inside the PC right now. 😬 It's a shame, really, because Chicony used to be such a best buy—cheap and reliable. 🙂

Robert Rodriguez2 said:I see that as at least $333 being a total waste, but hey...

I agree. I get that people look at things like "future-proofing" and all that, but honestly, spending $1000 on an upgrade where you don't actually gain anything substantial besides a flashy case and liquid cooling? I don't know. If I were in your shoes, I’d just grab a standard Western Digital Blue and a CM 212 EVO. Here is a specific build idea:

1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, 2011, 1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g, 13-32dB
1 x HDD WD 1TB, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo
1 x Samsung 120 GB 840 evo Basic, SSD disk, Capacity 120 GB, 2.5"
1 x Zalman Z12 Plus mid tower case. 215(W) x 470(H) x 480(D)mm.

$580 Admin

You've got a best-buy cooler that'll handle that i5 at 4 GHz without breaking a sweat, a cheaper terabyte drive, and a solid case. If you really want a bigger SSD, just jump up to the 250 GB option and call it a day. You'll stay under $2k and can put the leftover cash toward a better GPU. That's a much more realistic and smart way to upgrade.

James Fisher11 said:I'd prefer this since it takes up way less space than those massive Cooler Master towers, plus it looks better :d. Besides, I plan on using these parts in my future builds too, so I'm looking at it more like an investment

Well, if that's your main priority, then it definitely makes sense. 🙂

Ryan Hayes82 said:I'd only grab the Caviar Black for that 5-year warranty. Honestly, it’s pretty much the same as any other 1TB drive, just way more expensive.

1 x Fractal design Define R4 Arctic White + window, Mid Tower, ATX
1 x ATX 1 x Corsair Hydro Series H90, liquid CPU cooling
1 x Samsung SSD 250 GB 840 evo Basic, Capacity 250 GB, 2.5", SATA 3
1 x HDD Western Digital Blue 1TB, 1003FZEX , SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB Cache, WD Caviar Black

$1001
techcrunch.com

Does he really need $233 cooling just to keep a 2500K at 4 GHz? If he isn't planning on some extreme overclock, I don't think there's even a reason for something like that. 🤷