Killswitch
N00b
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See thats why I posted that card. Thanks for the advice its just that I have 2 friends that run that card and it been pretty solid for them. Extra $30 in my pocket is just as good too.
Desktop Computers
- Thread starter brekk
- Start date
Crone
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Dumb question...
I have dual monitors. I've wanted to try dual monitor gaming, but when I go into the resolution settings for any game, it only goes up to the 1080p resolution for a single monitor.
Do I have to set something through the AMD Catalyst Control Center to get dual monitor gaming? or am I missing a setting in game?
I have dual monitors. I've wanted to try dual monitor gaming, but when I go into the resolution settings for any game, it only goes up to the 1080p resolution for a single monitor.
Do I have to set something through the AMD Catalyst Control Center to get dual monitor gaming? or am I missing a setting in game?
Thanks Gaige. Are you Crossfiring GTX 780s? I mostly play RTS type games <Civ V, Fallen Enchantress, Patrician 4, Tropico 4>, RPGs <Skyrim, Legend of Grimrock, KOA, Diablo, etc>, FSX and MMOs. Any downside to Crossfire? I've always been scared off by microstuttering. I was debating upgrading my 6970 to a NVIDIA GTX 780 Ti,...
I have two setup and no issues setting the resolution to use both monitors without doing anything in the CCC. The problem with dual monitor gaming is the middle of the screen is blocked. I'd suggest either going three or just using one.
Zodiac
Lord Nagafen Raider
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You can prolly go cheaper on the MB since you are not even getting a K CPU for overclocking. Any reason you are going Ivy over Haswell?
What games do you play and how high do you want the settings?
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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Only thing I would personally change would be to go down to 8GB of RAM in order to afford a 4th gen processor, proably an i5 4670k. You can always easily add more RAM a year or two down the road if you need it(you won't need it right now) but upgrading a processor is a bitch. Go bigger on the processornow and you won't have to think about it again for probably 5 years.
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I second that. Good advice. Its the core, you want the most robust and powerful core you can afford, then add the bells and whistles later if you have to.
Gaige
Legal Ephebophile
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Crossfire is AMD. Nvidia is SLi. Nvidia has pretty much fixed microstuttering with their architecture so you won't see any issues with it, or if you do they'll be minor. Sometimes you might get some texture shimmer but that's all I've noticed with my previous SLi setups.
780 Ti with 3 screens is doable but you have to be willing to turn some settings down, especially in newer games. That's where I'm at now. I don't have the Ti, just the normal 780 (overclocked to 1ghz core/6.5ghz memory), and while all my games are playable they're not playable maxed at 60 fps which is what I'm looking for. It's really up to you with what you deem is playable. Just remember 3 screens @1200p is over 6 million pixels so it's a huge jump up.
Also make sure your mobo is SLi compatible, thought almost all midrange and better Intel boards are.
Eyefinity work with any amount of monitors from 2 - 6.
Duplicate the two monitors and go into CCC and create an eyefinity group. That's it.
It's going to suck though, because the exact center of your screen will be the bezels lol.
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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Yep, you always want to game on an odd number of monitors. Even numbers suck, you end up staring right at bezels. I had 2 1200p 28" monitors and it was worthless for dual monitor gaming, so I replaced one of them with a Korean 1440p and I just game exclusively on that. Much, much better.
Don't really have time to look into it, but a friend asked me what he could put together for ~$500 if he already has a case/power supply. So video card, MB, proc, RAM, bang for buck right now?
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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- 140
8GB of Ram is going to run you ~$80
Everything else is going to vary wildly. What is his plan for this machine(high end gaming, or only plays WoW?) and how adverse is he to upgrading his video card within the next year or so?
I'd generally recommend plunking down as much as you can on the CPU, all the way up to ~$220 for an i5 4670k. As stated above by me and several people, set yourself up with a good processor so it lasts you many years. You don't want to skimp on a CPU and motherboard that you'll regret in just 2-3 years. After spending $220 on that i5 and another $100 on a decent motherboard(ASRock is a good value), you're up to $400 of your budget spent on CPU/mobo/RAM.
At that point you can always buy the best video card you can find for $100 to get you by for 6 months until you can save up for something good. Or plunk down an extra $50 immediately and get something pretty decent like a Nvidia 750Ti that was just announced. That would probably do you well for another year or so before you'd need to upgrade.
Basically, with a $500 budget, something is going to have to be upgraded within a couple years if he's gaming, and I'd recommend that it be your video card, as that's easy to do. Pulling your CPU and motherboard and having to reinstall Windows sucks, lock that shit down with good parts right off the bat.
edit - If you have a Microcenter within a reasonable distance...go there for your CPU/motherboard. No one else will be as cheap, even online. Microcenter gives like a $40 instant discount on any CPU/motherboard purchase, and the CPUs are often dirt cheap to begin with. You'd have to check in-store, their website does not give the same pricing. But for example, a year and a half ago when I built my i5 3570K + ASRock Extreme 4 motherboard, those were roughly $330 on any online site ($210 CPU and $120 mobo) Microcenter had the CPU for $170, motherboard for $90, and then a $40 combo discount. Got both for $210, saved me over $100 off online prices which I was then able to sink into a better video card. It's ridiculous how cheap CPUs are at Microcenter, they must take a bath on those and hope that people buying them buy the rest of their build parts there too, to make up the difference. Otherwise I have no clue how they can be so significantly cheaper than anyone else.
Everything else is going to vary wildly. What is his plan for this machine(high end gaming, or only plays WoW?) and how adverse is he to upgrading his video card within the next year or so?
I'd generally recommend plunking down as much as you can on the CPU, all the way up to ~$220 for an i5 4670k. As stated above by me and several people, set yourself up with a good processor so it lasts you many years. You don't want to skimp on a CPU and motherboard that you'll regret in just 2-3 years. After spending $220 on that i5 and another $100 on a decent motherboard(ASRock is a good value), you're up to $400 of your budget spent on CPU/mobo/RAM.
At that point you can always buy the best video card you can find for $100 to get you by for 6 months until you can save up for something good. Or plunk down an extra $50 immediately and get something pretty decent like a Nvidia 750Ti that was just announced. That would probably do you well for another year or so before you'd need to upgrade.
Basically, with a $500 budget, something is going to have to be upgraded within a couple years if he's gaming, and I'd recommend that it be your video card, as that's easy to do. Pulling your CPU and motherboard and having to reinstall Windows sucks, lock that shit down with good parts right off the bat.
edit - If you have a Microcenter within a reasonable distance...go there for your CPU/motherboard. No one else will be as cheap, even online. Microcenter gives like a $40 instant discount on any CPU/motherboard purchase, and the CPUs are often dirt cheap to begin with. You'd have to check in-store, their website does not give the same pricing. But for example, a year and a half ago when I built my i5 3570K + ASRock Extreme 4 motherboard, those were roughly $330 on any online site ($210 CPU and $120 mobo) Microcenter had the CPU for $170, motherboard for $90, and then a $40 combo discount. Got both for $210, saved me over $100 off online prices which I was then able to sink into a better video card. It's ridiculous how cheap CPUs are at Microcenter, they must take a bath on those and hope that people buying them buy the rest of their build parts there too, to make up the difference. Otherwise I have no clue how they can be so significantly cheaper than anyone else.
Braen
<Medals Crew>
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Thanks guys. I was going for best bang for the buck and most websites pointed to the 3350P. I don't plan on overclocking, but I might change my mind. Lately when I hear about Overclocking, they mention water cooling and stuff and my head starts to hurt. I haven't built a machine in years, so I wanted to start basic and then worry about suping it up later.
So if I drop to 8GB of that 7 CAS memory, get the i5-4670k proc, keep the same motherboard, I would be more future proof? If I think about overclocking, can the stock fans and cooling handle it or will I have to start immediately thinking of adding a specialized cooling system?
I am really looking for a good base core that will be good for 5+ years that will only need more memory or a better GPU to keep up with the times.
As for games. I have mostly been playing older games which is why I have been getting by with my 9600 GT and Phenom II x4 2.8 proc. But I put in Witcher 2 and I had to lower everything down to get it to be playable. I play Diablo and my video card driver keeps crashing ever 10-15 seconds. I have tried many drivers, but nothing works. Far Cry 3 is the same awy. I ma just noticing that my PC is reaching the end of its usefulness game wise
I also plan to play EQ Next Landmark and EQ: Next. Titanfall most likely.
I also want to run that old 9600 GT as a PhysX card. It's supposed to be pretty good at it if it is running that and not handling GPU duties.
And jooboo reminds me... I have Windows 7 on my current HP. I can't take that license to another PC if I take the Hard Drive out of that machine and put it into my new one right? So I will have to figure in a license for Windows 7 as well?
So if I drop to 8GB of that 7 CAS memory, get the i5-4670k proc, keep the same motherboard, I would be more future proof? If I think about overclocking, can the stock fans and cooling handle it or will I have to start immediately thinking of adding a specialized cooling system?
I am really looking for a good base core that will be good for 5+ years that will only need more memory or a better GPU to keep up with the times.
As for games. I have mostly been playing older games which is why I have been getting by with my 9600 GT and Phenom II x4 2.8 proc. But I put in Witcher 2 and I had to lower everything down to get it to be playable. I play Diablo and my video card driver keeps crashing ever 10-15 seconds. I have tried many drivers, but nothing works. Far Cry 3 is the same awy. I ma just noticing that my PC is reaching the end of its usefulness game wise
I also plan to play EQ Next Landmark and EQ: Next. Titanfall most likely.
I also want to run that old 9600 GT as a PhysX card. It's supposed to be pretty good at it if it is running that and not handling GPU duties.
And jooboo reminds me... I have Windows 7 on my current HP. I can't take that license to another PC if I take the Hard Drive out of that machine and put it into my new one right? So I will have to figure in a license for Windows 7 as well?
Intrinsic
Person of Whiteness
- 15,713
- 14,429
My feel about overclocking these days is that it has become so straightforward and easy it is discussed more in a natural computer setup steps, along the same lines as configuring a new Windows install, downloading your standard programs, etc... It is hardly a necessity in most cases but BIOSes offer such simple one click OC'ing that can be comfortably done on stock HS and fan. Then enthusiasts get in there and further tweak with the Hyper EVOs and water cooling gadgets.
Braen
<Medals Crew>
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By the way, I hear nothing but good things about the 750 Ti. Everyone is saying it is the best card out there at $150 for a mid range GPU.
What about this CPU? What is the main difference, besides it being Ivy and not Haswell between the i5-4670K?
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K - Newegg.com
What about this CPU? What is the main difference, besides it being Ivy and not Haswell between the i5-4670K?
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K - Newegg.com
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^^There is nothing wrong with it its just 1 gen older and about 10% slower per core.
Braen,
For one, overclocking is as simple as pushing the overclock button in the bios these days, and can all be done on regular intel air heatsink, although I would recommend the cooler master 212 Evo. Its like $25-$30 and a no brainier. Overclocking is not like the old days where you went in and fucked with bios for hours to make sure your shit was stable. Even if you dont do it now, its good to have it because getting that extra 1ghz out of your processor 4 years down the line will definitely extend its life.
If I were you I and wanted to save some money, that motherboard is a bit expensive. You could get a comparable one and save yourself another $50. Like this one...
Newegg.com - ASRock Z87 Extreme3 LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbs USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Also I dont think you need a physics card these days. If you get yourself a decent 760 gtx you will be more than capable of running any game out there pretty much max settings at 1080p.
I would also think about a SSD for your OS.
And the win 7 license you can just call them and tell them that you had to replace some shit like your mo-bo because it went boom, and they will give you a code over the phone.
Braen,
For one, overclocking is as simple as pushing the overclock button in the bios these days, and can all be done on regular intel air heatsink, although I would recommend the cooler master 212 Evo. Its like $25-$30 and a no brainier. Overclocking is not like the old days where you went in and fucked with bios for hours to make sure your shit was stable. Even if you dont do it now, its good to have it because getting that extra 1ghz out of your processor 4 years down the line will definitely extend its life.
If I were you I and wanted to save some money, that motherboard is a bit expensive. You could get a comparable one and save yourself another $50. Like this one...
Newegg.com - ASRock Z87 Extreme3 LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbs USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Also I dont think you need a physics card these days. If you get yourself a decent 760 gtx you will be more than capable of running any game out there pretty much max settings at 1080p.
I would also think about a SSD for your OS.
And the win 7 license you can just call them and tell them that you had to replace some shit like your mo-bo because it went boom, and they will give you a code over the phone.
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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You shouldn't have any trouble re-using your Win 7 key on a new PC. I think I ended up having 3 different PCs over the life of my Windows 7 disk. Never had any issues with just completely reinstalling and entering the key again on my new build. I never re-used the same hard drive or anything. I think the only problem you could eventually run into is if both machines are staying active and grabbing windows updates regularly with the same install key. As long as your old PC is being dismantled and not used, I can't think of a scenario that would cause you an issue.
Also, you'll need to pick out a different motherboard for a 4th gen (4670) processor as opposed to your 3rd gen processor(3350) but you should still have several options at the same price or less. I'd personally get this:ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gbs USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Newegg.comASRock is solid, I've been using one of their motherboards for a while now and I like it a lot, and I even overclock quite a bit on it(my 3570k runs at 4.6ghz rather than 3.4ghz stock)
Braen
<Medals Crew>
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Okay so if I went with these:
CPU:Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I54670K
MB:Newegg.com - ASRock Z87 Extreme3 LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbs USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
RAM:G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-8GBXH - Newegg.com
That should be a good base to build off for the next 4+ years?
CPU:Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I54670K
MB:Newegg.com - ASRock Z87 Extreme3 LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbs USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
RAM:G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-8GBXH - Newegg.com
That should be a good base to build off for the next 4+ years?
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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The ASRock Extreme 3 that mkopec linked is a solid motherboard too. The only significant difference between the Extreme 3 that he linked and the Extreme 4 that I linked, is the Extreme4 has 3 PCI-e(video card) slots, while the Extreme 3 has 2. Also the Extreme 4 has 4 USB 3.0 ports(and headers to connect them to the front of your case, if your case supports it), where as the Extreme 3 just has 2 USB 3.0 on the back of the board.
Other than that, not real noticeable differences. You'll have to decide if that's worth an extra $20 or not to you.
Other than that, not real noticeable differences. You'll have to decide if that's worth an extra $20 or not to you.
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
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Hah, I'm glad you mentioned that, I linked the 1150 Extreme 4 in my post, editted and fixed the link to the correct one.