PC Building Guide and Discussion #10

Hammettf2b

oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Jul 9, 2012
22,489
4,610
So California
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.
Looks decent but you will always get a better deal when building yourself. Just put something together real quick that has better specs than this and cost a little less as well. If you have the time and wait for deals then you can save another $100 - $200 or so.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/q8hY2R
 

Kestrel

Registered User
Jan 30, 2005
5,814
129
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 :D

I think you'll enjoy the 480... not a 1070 like you said, but I'm finding mine to still be a very solid card.
 

SeidoN

#OGOC #2018 HFW Predictions Champ
Aug 8, 2012
30,796
6,445
AEF
well everything WAS going fine with the RX 480, now the Radeon app crashes every time I try to play a game. ugh.
 

SeidoN

#OGOC #2018 HFW Predictions Champ
Aug 8, 2012
30,796
6,445
AEF
It's brand new and still a little buggy, I just leave it off for now. Assuming you're talking about ReLive that is.

nope the entire graphics driver crashes. sometimes I get a warning that WattMan settings have been reset, sometimes not

no idea how this happened all of a sudden when it was working fine this morning in gaming. sigh.
 

SeidoN

#OGOC #2018 HFW Predictions Champ
Aug 8, 2012
30,796
6,445
AEF
did a clean install of windows and its still happening

well rip im so tired of this ****. guess im gonan have to return the card ugh
 

Commander Clueless

Hiya, hiya. Pleased to meetcha.
Sep 10, 2008
15,237
2,922
Bought a laptop I was looking at. I'm excited and nervous at the same time, wondering if I made the right decision :laugh:. This is what is in the laptop. http://imgur.com/pl8zZmV

Good call going for the G-Sync. ;)


Unfortunately, I've found it really hard to go back to normal. :laugh:



Price looks great to me, but all American prices tend to look great to me so I can't really say.


I haven't been a fan of gaming laptops since my old expensive Alienware had its issues, but the technology has come a long way. I think you'll love it.
 
May 27, 2012
17,070
856
Earth
So I'm building a PC and ordered all the parts, but I have one question about the Operating system. How does that work when I finish putting it together? Do I need a disk or can I download it? Or can I used a USB? I won't have a DVD drive so that's why I'm wondering.

edit: I think I figured it out. A friend told me that he bought a USB disk drive and downloaded it through that.
 
Last edited:

Ozamataz Buckshank

Registered User
Oct 7, 2010
6,393
321
Massachusetts
I have a question about the Steam Link and have tried googling but all the information can be confusing

So my current set up is my modem, router, and TV are all in the living room, and I have a gaming PC hooked up via ethernet on the other side of the house. So if I get a Steam Link I assume I would put it in the living room, connect it to my router and TV and it should work well. How do wireless controllers work? I currently have a wired Xbox360 controller I use on my PC, but would like to get a wireless XboxOne controller for comfy couch PC gaming in my living room. Does the controller connect to the Steam Link or to my PC? Is it relatively straight forward to set up?

Thanks
 

Commander Clueless

Hiya, hiya. Pleased to meetcha.
Sep 10, 2008
15,237
2,922
I have a question about the Steam Link and have tried googling but all the information can be confusing

So my current set up is my modem, router, and TV are all in the living room, and I have a gaming PC hooked up via ethernet on the other side of the house. So if I get a Steam Link I assume I would put it in the living room, connect it to my router and TV and it should work well. How do wireless controllers work? I currently have a wired Xbox360 controller I use on my PC, but would like to get a wireless XboxOne controller for comfy couch PC gaming in my living room. Does the controller connect to the Steam Link or to my PC? Is it relatively straight forward to set up?

Thanks

My information may be dated, so someone else can feel free to correct me.

I believe Xbox One controllers are Windows 10 exclusive for wireless, so without doing some fancy shenanigans, they won't work with your Steam Link unless you wire them.

If I recall correctly, you can use the Xbox 360 wireless adapter with Steam Link though...
 

guinness

Not Ingrid for now
Mar 11, 2002
14,521
301
Missoula, Montana
www.missoulian.com
My information may be dated, so someone else can feel free to correct me.

I believe Xbox One controllers are Windows 10 exclusive for wireless, so without doing some fancy shenanigans, they won't work with your Steam Link unless you wire them.

If I recall correctly, you can use the Xbox 360 wireless adapter with Steam Link though...

The newer Xbone S controllers work via Bluetooth with the Steam Link, IIRC otherwise you have to plug them in.

http://venturebeat.com/2016/08/12/s...box-one-s-controller-bluetooth-compatibility/
http://steam.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_compatible_controllers_with_Steam_Link

Not sure about DS3/DS4 controllers, as I've always used 360 controllers on PC; they just work. (and I find them more comfortable to boot)

I have a wired 360 controller as well, but it's just a bit cleaner with wireless. I don't play twitch games, so I can't speak much to input lag.

For my setup, I have my Steam Link connected to my router via wired Ethernet, and my desktop connected wireless to my router (5 GHz). Wired would be best, but again, wireless is cleaner.
 

Ozamataz Buckshank

Registered User
Oct 7, 2010
6,393
321
Massachusetts
The newer Xbone S controllers work via Bluetooth with the Steam Link, IIRC otherwise you have to plug them in.

http://venturebeat.com/2016/08/12/s...box-one-s-controller-bluetooth-compatibility/
http://steam.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_compatible_controllers_with_Steam_Link

Not sure about DS3/DS4 controllers, as I've always used 360 controllers on PC; they just work. (and I find them more comfortable to boot)

I have a wired 360 controller as well, but it's just a bit cleaner with wireless. I don't play twitch games, so I can't speak much to input lag.

For my setup, I have my Steam Link connected to my router via wired Ethernet, and my desktop connected wireless to my router (5 GHz). Wired would be best, but again, wireless is cleaner.

Thanks, I'll get myself a Steam Link and new XboxOne controller
 

Hammettf2b

oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Jul 9, 2012
22,489
4,610
So California
I have a question about the Steam Link and have tried googling but all the information can be confusing

So my current set up is my modem, router, and TV are all in the living room, and I have a gaming PC hooked up via ethernet on the other side of the house. So if I get a Steam Link I assume I would put it in the living room, connect it to my router and TV and it should work well. How do wireless controllers work? I currently have a wired Xbox360 controller I use on my PC, but would like to get a wireless XboxOne controller for comfy couch PC gaming in my living room. Does the controller connect to the Steam Link or to my PC? Is it relatively straight forward to set up?

Thanks

I'm not sure about Steam Link but I've connected my DS4 to my PC with no problem via bluetooth adapter and 3rd party software.
 

Franck

eltiT resU motsuC
Jan 5, 2010
9,711
207
Gothenburg
Bought a new Asus laptop today, first time using Windows 10 too.

Instantly realised that the computer is crippled by bloatware out of the factory install and that a clean Windows install is necessary.

I have three questions:

1. How do I go about doing a clean Win 10 install? I presume I have to boot from a USB stick.

2. Are there any good resources for differentiating all the bloatware Asus shipped it with and what's actually useful or even essential?

3. What should I as a new Win 10 user coming from Win 7 be mindful about? Any vital things I need to know about? Any good performance related tweaks I should look into?
 

SniperHF

Rejecting Reports
Mar 9, 2007
42,631
21,042
Phoenix
Bought a new Asus laptop today, first time using Windows 10 too.

Instantly realised that the computer is crippled by bloatware out of the factory install and that a clean Windows install is necessary.

I have three questions:

1. How do I go about doing a clean Win 10 install? I presume I have to boot from a USB stick.

2. Are there any good resources for differentiating all the bloatware Asus shipped it with and what's actually useful or even essential?

3. What should I as a new Win 10 user coming from Win 7 be mindful about? Any vital things I need to know about? Any good performance related tweaks I should look into?


A few posts up in this thread I linked to the "media creation tool". Download that and run through the menus to get a blank USB drive and make an installer drive. Make sure to select the x64 version.

Then just simply install it. During install I'd probably format the hard drive to completely empty it out.

Windows will activate on its own.
 
May 27, 2012
17,070
856
Earth
So I bought a USB DVD drive, but didn't get Windows 10. I called Staples and they said they sell Windows 10 USB drives. I think I might return the DVD drive I bought and go with that since it seems easier and I can save money. Is that better? My last piece came in earlier so I'm going to go get Windows 10 after class and put it together.
 

Kestrel

Registered User
Jan 30, 2005
5,814
129
I'm currently having fun with my sister's laptop :rant: It's a couple of months old, and I think the wifi card on it went. Windows sees the card, says it's working properly, but it's perma-off, you can not turn it back on. It does not see the bluetooth hardware, which is on the same card as the wifi.

I've done a Windows reset, I've dealt with Dell tech support, done a complete removal of the device (not physically, just in device manager), and have completely reinstalled chipset and wifi drivers... now they want it done in safe mode. This will end up taking a week, to figure out a problem I told them right at the start.
 

Jasper

Registered User
Mar 16, 2002
2,644
102
So I bought a USB DVD drive, but didn't get Windows 10. I called Staples and they said they sell Windows 10 USB drives. I think I might return the DVD drive I bought and go with that since it seems easier and I can save money. Is that better? My last piece came in earlier so I'm going to go get Windows 10 after class and put it together.
I wouldn't bother with a DVD drive at this point, personally. It's the new tape deck.
 

Kestrel

Registered User
Jan 30, 2005
5,814
129
I wouldn't bother with a DVD drive at this point, personally. It's the new tape deck.

Yeah, the only reason I'd really bother with an optical drive is if you have DVD's or blu-rays (if you get a BR drive) that you want to watch on the computer... otherwise, there's not really a lot of use for them.
 

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