Posts by Robert Rodriguez2

Keith Wright2 said:He stated that he wants to be able to play newer titles in addition to those three specific ones, and in that case, an i5 makes a huge difference—especially when we consider the next generation of even more intensive games coming out in a year or two. Furthermore, from a long-term upgrade perspective, isn't an i5 clearly the superior choice?

Fine, then just give him the extra cash he needs for the i5 processor.😁

Look, you slap in the i5, probably the cheapest motherboard you can find... and a GTX 750 Ti.😂
The CPU won't even hit 40% usage... the GPU won't be able to keep up anyway.

With these budget builds, when you only have four slots to fit everything including the monitor, you have to balance things out. You want components that actually work together, not just maxing out one part while the rest of the rig suffers.🙂

Those games aren't even that heavy. You don't need an i5 for this stuff...
www.newegg.com (check $667 for free assembly and shipping)

1 x MSI A88XM-E35,FM2+, micro ATX, S FM2 Chipset: AMD A88X Memory
1 x Intel Core i5-2500K Processor 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x SanDisk Ultra USB DVD burner, SATA Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, active PFC
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x MS LOGIC A32 without PSU, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25"
1 x Sapphire GTX 750 Ti 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm
1 x AOC E2250SWDAK, 21.5", 16:9, 1920x1080, speakers, 200 cd/m2
1 x Apple iPhone 11 Pro ARCTIC-COOLING 92mm PWM Fan

$1360

analogbison15 said:So, I’m currently in the middle of picking out a new case for my upcoming build—getting everything ready for a little upgrade party—and I was wondering if there's a way to get a solid Wi-Fi connection... you know, kind of like how easily a smartphone just hops onto a router?
The reason I'm asking is that my old computer is tucked away in the living room, right next to where the modem sits. Since that thing is hardwired via an Ethernet cable, it's the only machine in the house actually seeing the internet right now!

If I end up putting this new PC in my bedroom instead, what would be the best way to make that happen?

thanks 😉

Check the back of the case for a sticker. Just keep in mind that peeling it off might void the warranty on the whole system (though honestly, who cares?). If you built the machine based on a parts list from here, you still have individual component warranties, which usually last longer than the pre-built ones anyway...

If I were you, I'd just grab something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?products_id=9364

Timothy Kim60 said:

Just slap another 4GB of RAM in there later and you're good to go.

Sign me up for this one.😍

I’d go this route: a quad processor and a decent GPU, maybe just a notch weaker than what crimsonstag84 is running... 👍

Everything else stays pretty much the same...
If you just need raw power, you can grab any card and the price sits around $750... but if you're financing it, it’s not even a big deal—maybe an extra $2 a month on your payment.

ironridge352 said:👍 thanks for the reply, catch you in September when I'm actually buying my rig.
So
So Kimberly Gomez34, where did you get this build list from? It's missing a case.

😂😂😂
Buying in three months? Man, if that's the plan, wait until then to ask. Who knows what kind of new tech will be hitting the shelves by then anyway.

1 x Gigabyte GA-B85M-D3H, Socket : 1150, Intel B85, 4xDDR3 1600
1 x Intel Core i5-4440 (3.10GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX Beast.
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x Samsung SH-224DB SATA Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Zalman Z3 PLUS mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standa
1 x Toshiba 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x Samsung 840 EVO 120GB, SSD disk, Capacity 120 GB, 2.5"
1 x Corsair CX500

$1893

jadetiger81 said:So, I’ve put together a build specifically for gaming. This setup covers everything—the monitor, speakers, headset, keyboard, and mouse.
I’d really appreciate some feedback here; I could honestly use some second opinions from you guys to make sure I'm on the right track.
Processor: AMD FX-8350
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 evo
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2
RAM: Kingston HyperX Blue 8GB (2*4GB)
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
SSD: Samsung 840 evo 120GB
Graphics Card: Gigabyte R9 270x OC
Power Supply: EVGA 600B
Case: Rosewill Challenger-U3 Gaming
Monitor: ASUS vs228H-P
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics Subwoofer Satellite system (CA-3602a)
Headset: Turtle Beach PX-22
Keyboard + Mouse: AULA KILLING THE SOUL (mouse), REHEAD (same manufacturer for the keyboard)

Buying this at a local shop somewhere?

mellowtiger83 said:Amd x2 7750, I think that's the top of that socket

Wrong.

I'll start a thread,

but just grab some triple-core Athlon or even a quad-core. You'll probably need to flash the BiOSA first to get support for them.

Something in the range of
x3 450
x4 640

or a triple-core Phenom... stuff like that.

I wouldn't touch Phenom chips like the x4 955 or 965 because this motherboard's power delivery is too weak.

Sandra Wells12 said:Hey everyone!
I've got an issue. I recently picked up a Logitech card reader, a Cisco SDHC one, to avoid plugging my camera directly into the computer. The thing is, my PC (x86) isn't picking up the reader at all—it doesn't even show up in My Computer. It just shows up as "Unspecified" under All Control panel Items - Devices and Printers.
I think the issue is my computer because the reader works fine on another PC (not sure if it's x86 or x64).
The reader came with a CD containing "LanPro_driver_v1" for the x64 version (from what I can tell), but it won't run on my machine..
So, I'm wondering: is there a simple, logical fix here?
Is there some other software that could solve this?
Is there any hope left?

Basically, you got drivers with the device, so I'd bet that other computer is running a 64-bit OS, which is why the reader works there since the driver is 64-bit.

Your first computer is running a 32-bit system, so that's why you can't install a 64-bit driver.

Try checking the manufacturer's website to see if they have a 32-bit version of the driver for that reader.

Timothy Kim60 said:I was banking on him staying under 5K, just like he mentioned—assuming there’s some kind of limit on the card or whatever.

Look, if he's got $1667 xD, then he'll probably have those 24 😁 too.

But like I said, 😁 yours is solid enough.👍

Timothy Kim60 said:Take a look at this build from Newegg (free assembly and shipping)

1 x SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon R9 280 3
1 x Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1
1 x MSI B75MA-E33, Socket : 1155, microATX, Intel B75, 2xDDR3
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Kingston, HyperX Blue, 1600MHz, CL10
1 x Caviar Blue 3.5, 1000 GB, SATA3,64 MB, 3,5", 24mj
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Zalman ZM-T1 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm

$1650

Games will run smoothly on this

Very nice 😁

Small tweak:
1 x Asrock B75 Pro3M - Intel B75, microATX, dual Channel 4 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL10, HyperX Fury, HX316C10F
1 x SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon R9 280 3
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black, SATA
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm

$1675
Motherboard with 4 slots and 2x4 RAM🙂 even though the quoted config was specific👍

mellowtiger83 said:@Robert Rodriguez2,

You’re probably reacting to my lack of hype regarding the Intel Core i5🙂,

From what I gather, this guy just needs a rig for casual gaming and heavy typing. Why hasn't anyone suggested an AMD APU?

An average user won't notice any difference between an Intel Core i5 and an Intel Core i3div>>>. It's a wash.

Look, if the budget allows for an i5, grab it. He might not need the extra juice today, but in two months, he won't be stuck needing an upgrade for years. With an i3, he will.
Bottom line: if he wants to play even a little bit, a quad-core is a non-negotiable, especially if the money is there.

When it comes to gaming, the GPU is king anyway. Since he said he'll only play occasionally, I stood by my suggestion.

mellowtiger83 said:Isn't the AMD 760 declared a best buy for gaming?

Why isn't anyone suggesting an i7? I bet he could squeeze that into his budget too, right? $1667,

This is directed at Robert Rodriguez2!!

Sure, but as a chip for a bottom-tier build, it's nothing special. 🙂

mellowtiger83 said:If anyone wants to DM me, I can put together a full parts list for less than what you'd find at places like ADM, Best Buy, or Protis—those shops with questionable reputations where you order something and then get ghosted when you try to return it because they don't have the staff to handle it themselves.

If I recall correctly, you aren't allowed to run ads for your own business on this forum. If you want to help people, stick to DMs.

mellowtiger83 said:The GTX 1050 crushes the R7 260X in basically every game. Just Google "GTX 1050 reviews" and you'll see the data everywhere. It's not even a contest.

I know this firsthand because I work at Dell. We've tested every possible combo of cards, CPUs, and motherboards. Every custom build we put together for a customer goes through a brutal gauntlet—six hours of non-stop stress tests, from memory checks to heavy gaming loads.

The big win with the GTX 1050 over the R7 is the power draw—it’s noticeably lower. Plus, it runs cooler and quieter than the Radeon. Right now, it’s an absolute steal. Nvidia nailed it with this one.

I'm seeing everyone slap an i5 into builds that are way overkill for what they actually need. $333 If you want to make this work, you’re going to have to cut corners elsewhere. My advice? Just grab whatever parts you can find at Best Buy. That i5 isn't worth the money—it's a bad investment. If you're dead set on going with Intel, just pick up an i3 instead. It'll save you $400.$167 It’s cheaper and gives you way better bang for your buck. You'll actually have cash left over to grab that 4GB of extra memory or whatever.

The motherboard is the heart of the rig. People try to cheap out there and end up paying for it later. Spend $500 on a decent board.$200 Keep it chill. Avoid those types. $100 Models.

If everyone there is an expert, then they're just like you. 😁 I'd rather not run into you at a Dell store anytime soon. 🙂

mellowtiger83 said:Here’s the build,

Athlon x4 760, 3.8ghz, fm2 quad core
Msi A88XM, fm2, sata3
8Gb ddr3 patriot Viper 1866mhz
Msi gforce gtx 750ti, 2gb gddr5 gaming dual cooler.
Ssd 120gb hyperx kingston
Fractal Design integra r 500w 80+ bronze power supply.
Samsung Dwd rw.

$1267Everything is brand new, obviously. You can't get better than this.

The ones listed above are $1333 two better builds 😍

ruggedeagle40 said:Let me throw one more question out there: 😁 Why not just go with the GTX 750? From what I can see, the power draw difference is tiny. My current setup pulls 50W, the GTX 750 is 55W, and the GTX 750 ti hits 60W. Should be enough for my current cooling to handle that card for a while, right? Looking at hwcompare, it doesn't seem like much of a gap. But if I decide to jump to a totally new rig in a few years—which is definitely on the table since I'm all about efficiency—I bet I could flip this combo way faster. Most people out there don't know any better than just looking at the 😬GB number
anyway.
$67 Are you guys suggesting the cheaper version because the extra cost isn't worth it?

The 750 ti is a bit stronger, sure... but whether it's actually worth your money is up to you. 😁

Higher memory frequency is always better for integrated graphics since that's where most of its performance comes from. 🙂

You can go up to 1866MHz here; the APU will definitely make good use of it. 🙂

Austin Chavez6 said:Hey there,

It’s not quite a $5k build, maybe a bit less, but whatever....
Let's say I found a setup with these specific parts. Can someone tell me if this is a decent deal or if I can find something similar for cheaper? 😁

Avoid pre-built rigs. In this one, and most others, you have no idea what kind of motherboard you're getting or if the power supply is just some cheap junk... too many unknowns for too much cash.
1 x Asrock B75 Pro3M - Intel B75, microATX, dual Channel 4 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz (Max Turbo FQ 3.3 GHz) ,6MB
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1333MHz, CL9,Value, CMV4GX3M1A1333C9
1 x Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, active PFC
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Sapphire r7 260 x 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100

$1358
A much better way to go. Might cost $67 a little more, but at least you know what you're buying.

2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1333MHz, CL9,Value, CMV4GX3M1A1333C9
1 x Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, active PFC
1 x Sapphire r7 260 x 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm
1 x Samsung 120 GB 840 evo Basic, SSD disk, Capacity 120 GB, 2.5"
1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 3.5GHz,14MB,95W,AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3,AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x MS LOGIC A33 without PSU, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25" external bay
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

$1339
Or do it this way if you plan on using your own drives and old gear.

I’d stick with my original plan regardless. You can actually pair it with a decent GPU later on, whereas if you go with this Intel setup, you'll probably end up having to swap out both the CPU and the graphics card anyway.

wearymason2 said:I figured I’d throw my two cents in here if anyone’s looking for advice 🙂.

My AMD HD4650 started overheating recently, so I was thinking about grabbing a beefier card. Honestly, searching online has been a total rabbit hole—there are just way too many options out there 😲.

The real headache is my setup is seven years old. I doubt upgrading it even makes sense, but since I can't afford a whole new rig for at least a year or so (perks of being an intern here in the States), I'm trying this workaround.

Current specs:

Motherboard: P5QPL-AM with PCI-E v1.x
RAM: Only 2GB right now, but I plan to add another 2GB, DDR2
CPU: Intel Pentium dual-core 2.8 GHz (worried this might bottleneck a new GPU)
PSU: AOpen 350W (400W peak).

I'm willing to drop up to $100-$$400, $500 max. That should cover 2GB of RAM (found some for $50, probably going with those), a new graphics card, and likely a new PSU too. I really don't want to touch the processor.

I use this PC for everything, but the main goal is running Skyrim full screen. My monitor is 1920x1080, though I know playing at that resolution will be a struggle, so I'm open to compromises. Basically, the GPU is all for Skyrim. I'm not worried about newer titles, so it doesn't even need DirectX 11.

I haven't bought much online before, but if that's the best way to go, I'll figure it out.

EDIT: Any idea what I could get for my 4650 if I get it fixed? (It's currently with a friend who knows his way around hardware)

For that kind of money, you could get a motherboard, new RAM, and a CPU with integrated graphics that would outperform your current card. For now, your current power supply can handle it.

Sell what you have, toss another hundred bucks on top, and then buy a new GPU and a new PSU later. 🙂

Something like this:

1 x Asrock FM2+ FM2A78M-HD+, Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11, Value, CMV4GX3M1A160C11
1 x AMD Trinity A10-Series x4 5800K 3.80GHz 4cores, FM2

$499
americantech.com