New build!

I've got a chance to pick up a new rig, but I'm a bit worried about potential CPU bottlenecks, so I could really use some input. I know my way around computers pretty well, but a second opinion never hurts. My main focus will be playing World of Tanks, Counter-Strike, and eventually Call of Duty and GTA V.

Processor: AMD FX-6300 - HEXA CORE
Cooler: Spire Kepler rev. 2
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A
RAM: 2x 4GB Kingston DDR3 1600MHz
Hard drive: Western Digital 1TB SATA 3
Graphics card: Sapphire R7 265 Dual-x 2GB DDR5
Power supply: XFX Pro Series Core edition 450W

Is this used or what? I don't see any bottlenecking here... maybe with some moderate overclocking you wouldn't run into issues even with an R9 390 or a GTX 970.

If you're looking to buy something new, just let me know what your budget is.

Pre-owned, still covered by warranty for another 6 months. Price is $1000

silentwalker28 said:It's used, still has 6 months of warranty left, price is $1000

That's a solid build🙂

Like Robert Rodriguez2 said, I think this is a solid deal for the price. If everything actually works out, it’ll be a killer Christmas present.

I'm wondering if I could actually hit something like 3.8 or 4 GHz with this cooler. People claim you can push it all the way to 4.7, but honestly, that sounds like total nonsense to me.

You'll see when you actually try it. 😁 It's kind of a reach to say anything when we don't even know what kind of case you're using or how the internal layout looks. Honestly, the build seems pretty decent enough even without any overclocking.

silentwalker28 said:I'm wondering if I could push an overclock to maybe 3.8 or 4 GHz with this cooler. People claim you can hit 4.7, but honestly, sounds like total BS to me.

Not likely with that cooler.🕺

With that cooler and the motherboard, I guess you might hit 4.1-4.2 GHz, but probably only if you run the lowest voltage possible.

It really all comes down to how much airflow you have in the case—but honestly, I wouldn't overthink it too much and just set the CPU to 4.0GHz. That’s pretty much standard for these processors anyway, and they even manage those speeds with stock coolers.

silentwalker28 said:I'm curious if I could actually hit something like 3.8 or 4 GHz with this cooler. People claim you can reach 4.7, but that sounds like total nonsense to me.

Hitting 4GHz is very likely, just as people say—especially if you follow the golden rule of undervolting properly.
With an FX 8300, reaching 4GHz usually requires about 1.28v to 1.318v; at least, that’s what I've observed personally using that specific board. Of course, you might find better silicon if you get lucky with your chip. It really comes down to individual standards—specifically, which stress tests you run and how long you push for stability.

The FX 6300 should land somewhere right around that same sweet spot.

Look, I know my way around a BIOS well enough to handle an overclock, but what kind of voltage am I actually looking at here?

Well, you really need to hunt for the specific sweet spot for your particular processor... That’s exactly what I meant by a "decent" undervolt—not just some generic voltage that works for everyone, but finding the lowest level your specific chip can actually handle without crashing.

Anyway, there are plenty of threads dedicated to this topic. Check out click, click, or click. Most of the common questions, like which settings you need to disable in the BIOS, have already been answered there.

Hey there.
To avoid cluttering things up with a new thread, I’m looking for some advice on a new build.
I’ve already got the monitor, drives, and case—what I need is a motherboard, CPU, PSU, and RAM. I’m still debating whether to grab a new GPU or just stick with my old one (an HD5850). My budget is sitting somewhere between $2,200 and $2,500 max.$1000
What’s the consensus on the new Skylake platform? I was leaning toward a combo featuring the Intel Pentium G4400, though maybe I should aim higher? The rig will mostly be used for light gaming, movies, and data storage.

Thanks in advance.

AMD Athlon x4 860 AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI gaming 2 GB edition GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P G.Skill RipjawsX
AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI Gaming 2GB Edition
GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P
So, you're looking at G.Skill RipjawsX—either a single 8GB stick or a 2 x 4GB kit. It’s one of those classic "which way is better" dilemmas. Think of it like lanes on a highway. You can have one wide lane, or two narrower ones running side-by-side. If you go with the single 8GB stick, you've got plenty of room, but everything is bottlenecked through that one path. If you opt for the 2 x 4GB setup, you're tapping into dual-channel mode. It’s like opening up a second lane; it smooths out the traffic and lets data flow much more efficiently. In almost every scenario, the 2 x 4GB configuration is the smarter play. It gives your system that extra bit of breathing room when things get heavy. Unless you are absolutely certain you'll be needing to jam another 8GB in there next week because you're planning a massive upgrade, stick with the pair. Dual-channel is the way to go.

I've got an XFX 550 w power supply sitting here—not entirely sure if it's actually holding up—so does anyone know a reliable way to test it, or should I just go out and grab a dedicated PSU tester?

silentwalker28 said:AMD Athlon x4 860 AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI gaming 2 GB edition GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P
AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI Gaming 2GB Edition
GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P
G.Skill RipjawsX series 8GB or 2 x 4GB

Bad idea. That CPU won't work on that board... plus your old card actually outperforms this one.
1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P v2.0, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Kingston, HyperX Fury, 1866MHz, CL10
1 x Fortron 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x AMD FX-6300 Processor 3.5GHz,14MB,95W,AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x Thermaltake Contac 16, 775,AM2,AM2+,AM3,AM3+,FM1,1155,1156
$802
www.newegg.com

silentwalker28 said:AMD Athlon x4 860 AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI gaming 2 GB edition GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P
AMD Radeon R7 240 MSI Gaming 2GB Edition
GIGABYTE-970A-DS3P
G.Skill RipjawsX series 8GB or 2 x 4GB

I really hope you're joking here. 😬

@Michelle Gonzalez11

Maybe try testing that power supply on someone else's rig... just leave the GPU alone.

1 x Intel Core i5-6500 3.20GHz, Turbo : 3.6GHz, 4 core, 6MB
1 x MSI B150M Pro-DH, LGA1151, 4xDDR4 (max 64GB), SATA Express 16Gb/
1 x DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 2400MHz, Ballistix Sport DDR4

$948 ADM

What kind of CPU were you running before this?

crimsonstag84 said:I hope you were joking about that 😬

@Michelle Gonzalez11

Try testing that power supply on someone else's rig—keep the GPU out of it for now.

1 x Intel Core i5-6500 3.20GHz, Turbo : 3.6GHz, 4 core, 6MB
1 x MSI B150M Pro-DH, LGA1151, 4xDDR4 (max 64GB), SATA Express 16Gb/
1 x DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 2400MHz, Ballistix Sport DDR4

$948 ADM

What kind of CPU were you running before?

An Intel Core i5-750, though I'm over the gaming phase—not sure if my old motherboard or the PSU is failing, since the PC just cycles on and off indefinitely... as for a new build, what do you think about something based on an Intel Pentium G4400? It seems cheap, yet slightly better than a G3258 (which overclocks well, though I have zero interest in overclocking). $1000It's not a necessity—this is my absolute limit on budget. Primarily just browsing, movies, music, some light Photoshop work, and casual gaming if it stays under $300... why not?

It sounds like it could be either the motherboard or the power supply... though I guess an Intel Pentium G4400 would likely struggle compared to an Intel Core i5-750 in any task requiring more than two cores.

Maybe it’d be worth testing that power supply in someone else's rig or just borrowing a different one to see if that fixes things.