PC Building Guide and Discussion #10

[flyingkiwi]

How about Z87? Personally I wouldn't be afraid of hitting up ebay either and just buying used. Probably worth the risk vs having to upgrade entirely.

Z87/H87 are options I'm considering. Don't wanna have to deal with a potential bios update but we'll see how pricing goes.
From what I've seen so far the big price jump is between Z97 and H97 anyway.

I'd buy used locally but I'd rather not import it. We don't really have ebay here so shipping is terrible, usually ending up not much cheaper than buying new. At least Amazon and Newegg are now set up in NZD and officially ship here. I think that's my best bet.

Edit: I'd love to find the Gigabyte h97-d3h. It's on newegg.ca for $120 incl. shipping. My aunt's family are visiting us soon so I might look into getting them to bring it over.

 

[Diamondillium]

Why does 'gaming' in PCMR always seemingly equate to ugly ass red LED's and angular designs?

They're like the 'speed holes' of computing, but they just make them look cheap IMO, even though they're generally expensive.

That's why I like the more understated laptops from Razer.

That monitor is fine otherwise.

This has become a really large factor in my accessories purchases in recent years. For a keyboard for example, I'd much rather take something clean and professional looking like this over the marginal increase of my gaming performance that I get from using the ugly monstrosity gaming keyboards.

If a gaming company could make good, clean, minimalistic peripherals that were also built for performance, they'd have my money. Steelseries is the closest there is to that, but still too much LEDs and flash for my taste.

 

[SniperHF]

This has become a really large factor in my accessories purchases in recent years. For a keyboard for example, I'd much rather take something clean and professional looking like this over the marginal increase of my gaming performance that I get from using the ugly monstrosity gaming keyboards.

If a gaming company could make good, clean, minimalistic peripherals that were also built for performance, they'd have my money. Steelseries is the closest there is to that, but still too much LEDs and flash for my taste.

You want a Das keyboard:

 

[Commander Clueless]

Why does 'gaming' in PCMR always seemingly equate to ugly ass red LED's and angular designs?

They're like the 'speed holes' of computing, but they just make them look cheap IMO, even though they're generally expensive.

That's why I like the more understated laptops from Razer.

That monitor is fine otherwise.

 

[silverfish]

I don't know if this is legal for this thread since I'm not building it, but...

Dell xps13, $1665

256GB SSD
16GB Ram
7th gen i7

Yes? No? Can I do better in this budget?

I really wanted the Lenovo Yoga 910, but there are horror stories about how loud the fan is on that computer, which is a real shame because it's otherwise exactly what I want.

 

[Diamondillium]

You want a Das keyboard:

That is actually quite beautiful. Will definitely keep that in mind next time I need to buy one.

 

[Dave]

I'll throw filco into the keyboard mix, I had/have this one, it replaced my das keyboard (same one as above) until I spilled coke on it. If 5 of the keys hadn't died I'd still be using it.

They have 104 key variants as well.

 

[Rigafan]

Despite the naming, both came out around the same time. The FX 6300 has 6 "cores" and the FX 8320 has 8. Most likely you wouldn't notice any performance difference between them since very few games actually use 8 threads. For just a few bucks more I wouldn't fault anyone for getting the 8 core FX 8320 though.

Unfortunately it doesn't have the 8320, but the 8350 isn't much different. But it does go all the way down to your old FX-4100.

Here's a handy chart of one of the most CPU intensive games:

Also I suggest that if you do get a 8320/6300, update your motherboards BIOS before doing so. This might actually be a little complicated because there are a lot of different motherboard revisions out there in some cases. So you might have to figure out which exact one you have. I can probably help you if you aren't sure.

Thanks for that, very useful!

I will go witht he FX 8320 just because the price is basically the same.

One more question if you all don't mind. I can't see to find the GTX 660 anywhere? Would something like - Radeon RX 460 work on my motherboard? Or am I aiming too modern for it? If not then other than the 660 what should I be looking for in GPU?

thanks!

 

[SniperHF]

Thanks for that, very useful!

I will go witht he FX 8320 just because the price is basically the same.

One more question if you all don't mind. I can't see to find the GTX 660 anywhere? Would something like - Radeon RX 460 work on my motherboard? Or am I aiming too modern for it? If not then other than the 660 what should I be looking for in GPU?

thanks!

GTX 660 is several generations ago so it's no longer a realistic option unless you buy used.

The RX 460 would work and it's about double the performance of your 7700.

The GTX 1050 would work as well, little more expensive than the RX 460 and a little faster.


You should be able to put just about anything with your motherboard provided it will fit in your case and your power supply can handle it.

 

[Common Sense]

I don't know if this is legal for this thread since I'm not building it, but...

Dell xps13, $1665

256GB SSD
16GB Ram
7th gen i7

Yes? No? Can I do better in this budget?

I really wanted the Lenovo Yoga 910, but there are horror stories about how loud the fan is on that computer, which is a real shame because it's otherwise exactly what I want.

You'll just be trading fan noise issues for coil whine issues. Pick your poison.

 

[silverfish]

You'll just be trading fan noise issues for coil whine issues. Pick your poison.

Isn't this only if you tax the video card? Well, I guess it could be a number of components. Either way, I'm not planning on gaming at all.

 

[guinness]

Isn't this only if you tax the video card? Well, I guess it could be a number of components. Either way, I'm not planning on gaming at all.

Coil whine is always there, but it can be minimized by good dampening design, whereas the fan noise just depends on workload.

I don't really game on my laptop either (integrated GPU), but the fan kicks in at various times, depending on the task.

Besides, the coil whine, another area of concern with the XPS line, is the wireless card, it uses an Atheros Killer chipset. Coil whine and wireless issues are the most common thing I read on /r/Dell. Both of my Inspirons have used Intel chips, and they've been good.

And I'm typing this on a Dell right now (Inspiron 13 5000, similar to the 7000, just doesn't have USB C or the aluminum shell). I have the Core i7-7500U too, and it's fine, but I'm not sure if it's worth a premium over the i5-7200U in all honesty, since most of the time it can't run at 3.5 GHz for an extended period. (but that's not the real reason I bought this configuration though).

 

[silverfish]

Coil whine is always there, but it can be minimized by good dampening design, whereas the fan noise just depends on workload.

I don't really game on my laptop either (integrated GPU), but the fan kicks in at various times, depending on the task.

Besides, the coil whine, another area of concern with the XPS line, is the wireless card, it uses an Atheros Killer chipset. Coil whine and wireless issues are the most common thing I read on /r/Dell. Both of my Inspirons have used Intel chips, and they've been good.

And I'm typing this on a Dell right now (Inspiron 13 5000, similar to the 7000, just doesn't have USB C or the aluminum shell). I have the Core i7-7500U too, and it's fine, but I'm not sure if it's worth a premium over the i5-7200U in all honesty, since most of the time it can't run at 3.5 GHz for an extended period. (but that's not the real reason I bought this configuration though).

Don't think I can get the XPS13 with the i5 and the 16gb RAM.

The 16gb RAM is a much bigger priority for me than the processor. I actually searched on newegg, and don't see any results for an i5 and 16gb ram

 

[guinness]

Don't think I can get the XPS13 with the i5 and the 16gb RAM.

The 16gb RAM is a much bigger priority for me than the processor. I actually searched on newegg, and don't see any results for an i5 and 16gb ram

Yeah, looks like all the newer super thin/light laptops have nearly everything soldered on to the logic board, so you'll have to order wisely.

You can upgrade the SSD and wifi however on the XPS 13 (the 15 may be different, that might not have soldered on RAM).

Another option to consider is the HP Spectre x360:
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-spectre-x360---13-w063nr-x7v22ua-aba

You lose the QHD screen in the 13" HP though, but $1300 for an i7-7500u, 16 GB, 512 GB NVMe SSD. And in my experience, 1080p is fine on 13" (although I'm getting older, and my eyes aren't as sharp, I just leave the scaling at its default 150%).

HP doesn't use precision trackpads though, that's bit of bummer, unless you plan on using a mouse a lot, some of the gestures are similar to OSX, but the trackpad hardware is more tied to Windows 10 than some drivers from Synaptic when using a precision trackpad.

 

[silverfish]

Yeah, looks like all the newer super thin/light laptops have nearly everything soldered on to the logic board, so you'll have to order wisely.

You can upgrade the SSD and wifi however on the XPS 13 (the 15 may be different, that might not have soldered on RAM).

Another option to consider is the HP Spectre x360:
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-spectre-x360---13-w063nr-x7v22ua-aba

You lose the QHD screen in the 13" HP though, but $1300 for an i7-7500u, 16 GB, 512 GB NVMe SSD. And in my experience, 1080p is fine on 13" (although I'm getting older, and my eyes aren't as sharp, I just leave the scaling at its default 150%).

HP doesn't use precision trackpads though, that's bit of bummer, unless you plan on using a mouse a lot, some of the gestures are similar to OSX, but the trackpad hardware is more tied to Windows 10 than some drivers from Synaptic when using a precision trackpad.

Haven't had good experiences with HP in the past. Have they turned the page? Because this could give me more for less (bigger ssd) while only sacrificing the QHD screen.... Something to think about.

 

[guinness]

Haven't had good experiences with HP in the past. Have they turned the page? Because this could give me more for less (bigger ssd) while only sacrificing the QHD screen.... Something to think about.

Generally I would agree, but the 360 gets pretty solid reviews:
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/12/hp-spectre-x360-review-2016/
http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/12/13914962/hp-spectre-x360-review-2016-laptop
https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-spectre-x360-late-2016/review/
http://www.windowscentral.com/hp-spectre-x360-review
http://www.notebookcheck.net/HP-Spectre-x360-13-w023dx-Convertible-Review.180538.0.html

There's going to be other compromises with these thin and light laptops, shaving a couple mm here and there and a few ounces starts losing ports (HDMI, SD slot) in the actual design too.

Looks like the wifi and SSD can be replaced by the user. Some reviewers liked the trackpad, others don't.

 

[flyingkiwi]

Found the aformentioned H97 motherboard in stock in a store elsewhere in the country so I'm gonna grab it. About $40 more than a roughly equivalent import, and $100 less than importing the same one.

Now I know you don't have to reinstall Windows when you replace a motherboard with the exact same one, but will I have to reinstall when going from a Z97 to a H97 version of otherwise same model?

 

[SniperHF]

I don't think you'll have to reinstall neccessarilly but if you have an OEM copy of Windows it might flip out over the activation due to the motherboard change.

Also the Z97 board might have had slightly higher end audio/network chips so the drivers might not even actually be the same.

 

[Jabroni]

That is actually quite beautiful. Will definitely keep that in mind next time I need to buy one.

They make the same model without key inscriptions. It's an excellent keyboard.

 

[flyingkiwi]

I don't think you'll have to reinstall neccessarilly but if you have an OEM copy of Windows it might flip out over the activation due to the motherboard change.

Also the Z97 board might have had slightly higher end audio/network chips so the drivers might not even actually be the same.

Thanks.

Turns out my find was a false positive anyway. Company called me back and said their supplier didn't have it.

 

[bigdirty]

Currently looking to get a new computer as my current one has crapped out on me and I'm using a fairly old backup for the moment. If necessary, I could build one, but I wouldn't say I'm quite literate when it comes to this stuff. I know the basics, but that's about it.

Anyway, there's a few local stores that have their own custom built PCs, but I'm not really sure on how good they actually are.

This one for instance:
https://www.techmania.ca/product/techmania-signature-custom-built-pc/

650W PSU capable of supporting any video card
Gigabyte GA-H170M-D3H MB with onboard graphics
Intel 6th Generation S1151 i5 Quad Core 6400 2.7GHz
12GB RAM
240GB SSD Primary HDD
1TB HDD Secondary HDD
DVDRW
Windows 10 Professional

Can anyone give their opinion on this machine? I really don't need it to be top of the line, I've got plenty of games but most of what I play is not particularly new.(Fallout 4 probably the newest game I own). Mainly what I'd like to know is if I could built a superior machine for a lower price.(note that the price is in Canadian dollars)
For a video card, I've got a GEforce GTX 960 which I'm pretty happy with, so that's probably the one thing I don't need to buy.

 

[SniperHF]

That looks decent for the money, most likely "better" will come down to component quality.

Even though it's slightly out dated now, one of my builds in the OP is pretty similar to that:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104567&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117564&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416892&ignorebbr=1
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233950&ignorebbr=1

^Comes out to $929 CA before shipping. It has a better motherboard and case for sure. Possibly better RAM (though less, 12GB is a weird number), possibly a better PSU. And who the hell knows on the SSD/HDD.

But like I said "better" in this case is mostly a function of build quality not performance. I could also rip through newegg and buy some cheaper parts to get the total to around $850 or so probably more to match the one you linked but that's a bit of a guessing game.


Keeping your 960 is really the main determining factor in how the system will perform regardless.

 

[Common Sense]

Currently looking to get a new computer as my current one has crapped out on me and I'm using a fairly old backup for the moment. If necessary, I could build one, but I wouldn't say I'm quite literate when it comes to this stuff. I know the basics, but that's about it.

Anyway, there's a few local stores that have their own custom built PCs, but I'm not really sure on how good they actually are.

This one for instance:
https://www.techmania.ca/product/techmania-signature-custom-built-pc/



Can anyone give their opinion on this machine? I really don't need it to be top of the line, I've got plenty of games but most of what I play is not particularly new.(Fallout 4 probably the newest game I own). Mainly what I'd like to know is if I could built a superior machine for a lower price.(note that the price is in Canadian dollars)
For a video card, I've got a GEforce GTX 960 which I'm pretty happy with, so that's probably the one thing I don't need to buy.

You could probably save ~$150 building the same PC yourself and get a non-crap power supply in the process.

 

[SeidoN]

so I sold my 1070 sadly, but a friend of mine got in touch and is giving me an RX480 to pay back whenever. bit of a downgrade but I cant say no to such an offer. means I dont have to put that god-forsaken GT630 in my machine

 

[SeidoN]

ohh it was a brand new one and had a Civilization 6 code inside

I already bought Civ 6, would anyone want to trade for it?