I skipped over that case on purpose since the front is black and I figured you wouldn't want that messing with your vibe 😬
Besides, who knows if anyone will even be alive by Christmas... the dollar might go crazy again, and who knows if parts will actually be in stock? You're better off just checking back 3-5 days before you pull the trigger. 😉
crimsonstag84 said:It doesn't really matter which motherboard you pick, since pretty much no modern boards come with an IDE connector anymore (except for maybe a few old AM3+ or 1155 socket models)😬
I suspect it might actually be cheaper to just grab a used soldering iron for $50-$20 or maybe a brand new one for about $33.
Anyway, what did you end up getting in the end? 😁
My bad, I didn't realize from his posts that he actually had an IDE burner 😬
ironsailor28 said:Man, I’ve run into a bit of a headache here. I’m staring at this motherboard and I can't for the life of me figure out where the hell I'm supposed to plug in my DVD-ROM. My old board had those obvious slots right there, but this one? Nothing. It's like they just decided to hide them or something. I was really counting on using the drive to get a fresh install of Windows 10 going, but now I'm just stuck spinning my wheels without a clue.
Gregory Hayes87 said:I tore it apart again, applied a tiny bit of thermal paste, spread it out with the cooler, and ran a stress test. It’s hitting 72°C after about 5-6 minutes. Is that too high for this little card?
Look... if you're seeing 72°C during a full stress test, it's not a disaster. You'd probably see something closer to 65°C while actually gaming. What are your CPU temps looking like? Make sure you didn't mess up something else. 😬
Robert Rodriguez2 said:Ditch Windows, and you'll have $333 left over to sink into the rig. I assume there’s someone out there who actually knows how to install a clean OS 🙂
🙂 Out of basic decency—not even mentioning forum rules—stuff like this should be handled via private message...🙂😬
ruggedcyclist29 said:Hey there, Right now, I'm running an Nvidia GT 640 and a 1TB Seagate BarraCuda. I want to build a PC that's ready for a future jump to an Intel Core i5 once I can afford a better GPU and an SSD. My main goals are gaming (don't care much about high FPS or ultra settings) and music production (Ableton Live + an external interface). I was thinking about basing it on something like an Intel Pentium G3258.
I want this rig to last, so I’d go with a solid power supply and a motherboard with 4 RAM slots that works with Windows 10. Does it make sense to step up to the Intel Skylake G4400? How would that stack up against the Intel Pentium G3258 for what I need to do?
Thanks in advance
The build Smartic put together for you is fine. You get the i5 right out of the gate, then just toss in an SSD whenever you have the cash...
Like Amy Vaughn12 was saying, you really need to check which card or bank you're using. Since you're looking to split this into 24 monthly installments, you have to realize not every retailer accepts every type of credit. Plus, once you factor in all the peripherals—mouse, keyboard, speakers—and the Windows license, you'll be left with just under $3,900 for the tower itself if we stick to the upper limit of $2000. That should still be enough to put together a decent rig. 😉
You still need to list the power supply—give me the exact model.
👍
Since you're running a 660ti, anything else would be more of a sidegrade than an actual upgrade... just check your temps first to see if the GPU is dying or if something else is screwing you over...
It would be helpful if you could mention which case you're using just so we know what motherboard size fits, and maybe what drawing software you use, if you don't mind...
EDIT: Also, clarify what you mean by "upgrading in the future." What's the end goal? Staying with this setup or moving toward gaming?
Assuming you aren't planning to upgrade for gaming or run heavy design software, here’s how I’d build it—provided you don't need massive amounts of storage:
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2 xDDR3 ($133) 1 x Intel Celeron G1840 (2.80GHz,512KB,2MB,54 W,1150) Box, ($108) 1 x Kingston SSD 240GB Kingston Fury, 2.5", SATA 3 ($241) 1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1866MHz, CL10, Kingston Fury, HX318C10F ($67) 1 x Power Supply EVGA 400W, HEXA Plus 400, 12cm fan ($113)
$662 USForum
Or, if you need more room, swap the 240GB SSD for a 120GB SSD + 1TB HDD combo for $278
If you're running demanding programs, the integrated graphics might cut it, and you'd likely have to overhaul the whole rig...
Adam Moore3 said:What you're hearing now might be outdated in two or three weeks. Just wait a few weeks and post everything in one single thread instead of starting a whole new topic for every little "what if" question. Just some friendly advice 🙂
I'm pretty sure the GTX 960 is going to outperform the R7 370 both two weeks from now and two years from now.😬
Angela Barnes8 said:Thanks, everyone.😉 I don't know, maybe if I scrape together a few more bucks I'll just grab the AMD FX-Series X8 8350 4.0. It's like waiting for a bus that's already ten minutes late—you just need that extra bit of cash to finally get moving. Maybe another $300 or so.$133 That's enough.🤔
Rather than throwing $300 down the drain, just grab a decent CPU cooler. You could actually overclock past 4GHz that way instead of wasting money.$133 It’s basically just running at the factory overclock for that same processor. ☕
Anthony Wood11 said:Hey. Can anyone tell me what this PSU is actually like? Is it any good? I'm looking for something quiet up to $200 and 550 W.
crimsonstag84 said:It's mid-range stuff. Decent quality, but nothing special.
An EVGA Series would be a solid pick. It doesn't have a ton of connectors, but it packs enough punch and it's a step up from Intel. The only downside is the warranty—only 2 years.
Maybe go with a Seasonic Focus 650 instead? That should come with a 5-year warranty, and you can grab it for around 590-$200 (Best Buy, Micro Center)...
Douglas Thomas19 said:Gigabyte AMD Build AMD FX-6300 Kingston DDR3 1600MHz, C11, 8GB, KVR16N11/8 Toshiba DT01ACA050 (3.5", 500GB, 32MB, SATA III-600) MS VOYAGER case without PSU Fortron Hexa Plus 400W Samsung SH-224FB Nvidia GTX 950
Would this work? I ditched the SSD and swapped in an x6 CPU... Will the power supply and everything else handle it okay?
It won't work because your motherboard is an FM2+/FM2 socket, but that processor uses an AM3+ socket.☕
Basically, you need a different, more expensive motherboard for the FX-6300... if you're dead set on that CPU, you'll need this board, or if you need to keep costs down, just grab one 4GB stick of RAM now and add another 4GB later once you save up about $40.
Adam Moore3 said:Hmm. 😬 How old is it? Any warranty left? 😍
If I’d been smart enough to register this with Xfx when I first grabbed it, I'd have a lifetime warranty 😵, but instead, it expired six months ago (bought back in April 2013) 🙄.
Hit me up via DM if you need anything else, let's not clutter the thread...
Adam Moore3 said:Yeah, it doesn't make much sense. He’ll definitely sell his card and grab something newer by throwing in a bit more cash, but neither the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 nor the 7870 is priced well right now. Everything is sitting at $150 or higher. And he's not looking to dump more than $10 $233 on top of it.
My XFX 7850 2gb DD will be up for sale in a month for about $12 😬