The PC Builders Thread ("I Need a New PC") v2

Vulcano's Assistant · Mar 31, 2019

KojiKnight said:
So, I'm not the greatest at figuring out airflow... As I understand it, the fans that came in my case (bottom front, and top back) were the ideal setup when it was just them. I recently installed a a 240mm radiator/fan combo as part of an AIO liquid cooler. Now there are 3 output fans (2 as part of the AIO at the top of the case and the one in back) and one input (the single front bottom fan, see crappy illustration below).

The AIO runs great, even with my CPU overclocked I never hit over 65 on the CPU itself and the liquid hasn't peaked above 45ish... but I live in Arizona, and it's going to get a lot hotter.

So yeah, given the added fans pushing at the bottom, is this still an okay-to-ideal setup? Or should I move the back fan from exhaust and move it to the front as an intake to have a 2-2 intake/outtake?

(Just realized I didn't fully label the green lines, that's where the vents are in the case for the intake).

The diagram is tripping me a bit because I'm not sure where the mobo is. Case model? But I would say yeah, better to have more intake in this situation.

Just make sure air flows over components that are not actively cooled, like RAM and the Board itself, and that air still flows towards the GPU.

Dave. · Apr 1, 2019

Dr J said:
Yes. The windows says that I can only use half of it.
The motherboard is mini-itx so it only has two slots.

It does not look like faulty hardware. 16.0GB shown here = hardware is working. What exactly is this OS?

try this:
Start -> Run msconfig
Boot tab
Advanced Options
Make sure "maximum memory" is not checked / set to 7.95GB / set to zero etc. It should be unchecked.
If you had to uncheck it, ok / ok / reboot.

Try booting a live Ubuntu CD or USB, see what that reports about working RAM (use command "top" in a terminal).

Dave. · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
Oh cool. Okay I will drop the paste then.

I'd still buy the thermal paste. It is a trivial cost, and if you're building yourself it is well worth having on hand. Chances are you don't use it, but you can keep it for future - you will need it should you ever remove the cooler for any reason. And should you cock up your one shot placing the cooler first time round, you will be super happy you don't need to wait and buy paste before trying again!

Duck Sauce · Apr 1, 2019

Spent about $850 on custom loop parts. Didn't know it was that expensive. I'm basically just sitting by watching my friend doing all the work and planning. He did all the measurement and bends. I was completely overwhelmed and just let him do his magic. Still waiting on the GPU block but I don't think i'll be able to do it myself.

Vulcano's Assistant · Apr 1, 2019

Dave. said:
I'd still buy the thermal paste. It is a trivial cost, and if you're building yourself it is well worth having on hand. Chances are you don't use it, but you can keep it for future - you will need it should you ever remove the cooler for any reason. And should you cock up your one shot placing the cooler first time round, you will be super happy you don't need to wait and buy paste before trying again!

Yeah good thinking.That AIO only has it applied for a single use.

NOKYARD · Apr 1, 2019

fracas said:
Cross-posting from the TV thread:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent long-ass HDMI cable I can use for comfy couch gaming?

I need one that's about 30 feet long for 4K/60 fps use. From what I understand, once you get to that length, some cables don't work well at all. I bought this one to use with my gaming PC but my screen flickers occasionally and gets much worse when trying HDR.

These active cables work great and are relatively cheap for the length. I have been using the 45' cable for years with zero problems.
Keep in mind they are directional so be careful with routing.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=12735

Monkey Gland Sauce · Apr 1, 2019

Dr J said:
I have a problem with my new pc build (This is my first time building a pc) and I need your help.
The motherboard is MSI B450i gaming plus ac with Ryzen 2700X cpu.
My memory is Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 gig (2X8gig) (cmk16gx4m2b3000c15): https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Veng...0134EW7G8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

In my bios, my motherboard is showing only 8gig of RAM and I can't fix this problem.
Things that I tried:
1-Updated my bios to the most recent update (Didn't solve the problem)
2-Swap different mem sticks (not faulty RAM) to see if my RAMs are faulty (not the case)
3-re-installed the CPU (no bent CPU)

Is it my RAM not compatible with AMD?

I really need your help!

Do you have a discrete graphics card? Is the integrated graphics of your CPU enabled? It might reserve that RAM. Just a shot in the dark, since I haven't used one of them.

MadnB · Apr 1, 2019

I have a fairly old CPU and lately running a lot of stuff has become sluggish, with almost 100% CPU usage. However changing it would also mean changing MoBo and RAM. Would now be a decent time to upgrade or would it be better to wait for later this year?
I'm also following an Android course this semester and I've heard that AMD CPUs could have trouble running the emulator. Does that mean I'm forced to go with Intel if I want to work on Android projects?

Inugami · Apr 1, 2019

Monkey Gland Sauce said:
Do you have a discrete graphics card? Is the integrated graphics of your CPU enabled? It might reserve that RAM. Just a shot in the dark, since I haven't used one of them.

It's a ryzen 2700x, it doesn't have integrated graphics.

Monkey Business · Apr 1, 2019

Dr J said:
I have a problem with my new pc build (This is my first time building a pc) and I need your help.
The motherboard is MSI B450i gaming plus ac with Ryzen 2700X cpu.
My memory is Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 gig (2X8gig) (cmk16gx4m2b3000c15): https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Veng...0134EW7G8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

In my bios, my motherboard is showing only 8gig of RAM and I can't fix this problem.
Things that I tried:
1-Updated my bios to the most recent update (Didn't solve the problem)
2-Swap different mem sticks (not faulty RAM) to see if my RAMs are faulty (not the case)
3-re-installed the CPU (no bent CPU)

Is it my RAM not compatible with AMD?

I really need your help!

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B450I-GAMING-PLUS-AC#support-mem-14

Afraid I don't see you RAM listed as compatible with this MB/CPU
EDIT: I can see that RAM listed as supported for Raven Ridge series of Athlon/Ryzen but not Pinnacle Ridge (which is the 2700x).

Winstano · Apr 1, 2019

Pachimari said:
Could I pull off High/Very High settings with a 2060 even? I'm trying to go as cheap as I can (since GPU prices are sky high here). Just want to hit 60fps in all said games, and very high settings in RE2 and Witcher 3 in 1080p. Maybe I'll go for the 2070.

I've just come from a 780 to a 2060, and I'm getting a locked 1080p60 in everything I've thrown at it with everything maxed (The Division 2/Hitman 2 are the most recent titles I've tried with it)

maloney · Apr 1, 2019

Dr J said:
I have a problem with my new pc build (This is my first time building a pc) and I need your help.
The motherboard is MSI B450i gaming plus ac with Ryzen 2700X cpu.
My memory is Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 gig (2X8gig) (cmk16gx4m2b3000c15): https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Veng...0134EW7G8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

In my bios, my motherboard is showing only 8gig of RAM and I can't fix this problem.
Things that I tried:
1-Updated my bios to the most recent update (Didn't solve the problem)
2-Swap different mem sticks (not faulty RAM) to see if my RAMs are faulty (not the case)
3-re-installed the CPU (no bent CPU)

Is it my RAM not compatible with AMD?

I really need your help!

I don't really have an answer for you I'm afraid but I have just built a very similar PC and hada similar issue. My build is:
Asus Prime B450-plus
Ryzen 5 2700x
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 gig (2X8gig) (cmk16gx4m2d3000c16)

Initally my mobo would only pick up 8gb, I removed and refitted and then it picked up the 16gb. I proceeded to do a clean install of windows and all was going fine, logged in to Windows and then the screen went black. Rebooting, not even the bios screen was showing up - just 'no signal' on the monitor display. I checked and double checked everything, but nothing. I was at my witts end.

Anyway I read somewhere to take everything out of the case, dismantle and build it outside of the case. In desperation I did this as a last ditch effort. When putting it all back together I checked every connection, made sure everything was seated well. I tried with one stick of ram at first and left the HDD disconnected at first and I got straight in to the BIOS, I was so releived. Put in the second stick of ram and it was all fine. I put everyting back together (still out of the case and left it a couple of hours and it was stable.

The person that suggested building it out of the box said to do so as there may be a short in the case. I decided to put insulating tape on the motherboard standoffs just in case. I put everything back in the case and its been stable for 2 days now.

I'm a noob at building PC's and dont really know what I'm doing (discovered my ram wasnt listed for my mobo after I bought it)

Anyway, TLDR; I know you've checked everything, maybe just try re-building it out of the case?

Good luck!

maloney · Apr 1, 2019

Oh, the reason I was visiting this thread, it's a little off topic but I have built a new pc with a clean install of Windows 10. The OS is on its own SSD and I have all my games installed on a separate HDD. I've pulled the game HDD from my old build and put it in to me new build. I was able to point Steam to the install folder on my game HDD and everything linked up fine.

What I am struggling with is the Windows Store games (Forza and Sea of Thieves). Windows wants to re-download and install. Is there some way I can point the Windows Store to the install folder on my game HDD? I tried deleting the windows folder on my game HDD but it says I don't have permission.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

Vulcano's Assistant said:
Looks good. but if it was my build I would be tempted to go for cheaper ram and case and put that on a 2080ti with 3 fans. For example. (Only reson for those 3 fans is less noise; Imo if you are going for the EVGA XC ULTRA, that seems to have the same cooler as the EVGA Black edition, may as well just go for the cheaper Black edition that is $1100, these cards boost themselves up as temps allows them, so factory OC isn't that big a deal, certainly not a $150 worth difference)

Oh I am more than willing to flip the GPU. I am not sold on it, but for 1K+ I do not want to screw up. I was just reading on that MSI and it seems like it has quality issues? Any other suggestions? I could go base EVGA TI also, since as you pointed out, it is only the OC added.

astro · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
Oh I am more than willing to flip the GPU. I am not sold on it, but for 1K+ I do not want to screw up. I was just reading on that MSI and it seems like it has quality issues? Any other suggestions? I could go base EVGA TI also, since as you pointed out, it is only the OC added.

The MSI 2080 is a beast. I can't vouch for the Ti but the build quality of the 2080 is superb. It feels like an absolute tank, and it comes with a brace to hold up its weight. All very high quality.

And the the fans means it runs at 70 degrees at heavy load, usually way way below that. Gaming at 1440 max in TD2, and it sits around 50-60.

It's also the quietest fan in my case.

where are you reading about the quality issues with the TI? Most of the reviews I can find read like this one: https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/msi-geforce-rtx-2080-ti-gaming-x-trio-review,1.html

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

astro said:
The MSI 2080 is a beast. I can't vouch for the Ti but the build quality of the 2080 is superb. It feels like an absolute tank, and it comes with a brace to hold up its weight. All very high quality.

And the the fans means it runs at 70 degrees at heavy load, usually way way below that. Gaming at 1440 max in TD2, and it sits around 50-60.

It's also the quietest fan in my case.

where are you reading about the quality issues with the TI? Most of the reviews I can find read like this one: https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/msi-geforce-rtx-2080-ti-gaming-x-trio-review,1.html

It is as all the user reviews on Newegg and Amazon. I was just concerned. I currently have a MSI 1070 and have had no issues with it at all!

But when you are about to spend 1350 on something.....I do not expect a faulty product! So that is the only reason I ask.

astro · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
It is as all the user reviews on Newegg and Amazon. I was just concerned. I currently have a MSI 1070 and have had no issues with it at all!

But when you are about to spend 1350 on something.....I do not expect a faulty product! So that is the only reason I ask.

For sure, and those reviews should definitively be taken into consideration. Is there a particular thing they're saying that's troubling you?

Andi · Apr 1, 2019

Not sure if this is the correct place but here goes:

I am looking for an 1080p projector to do some gaming and movie watching.
It will be connected to my new pc (2080 RTX + I7 9700K), amazon fire stick and my PS4 Pro .
I might get the Optoma hd29h (good gaming Features and Good picture Quality)
Researching projectors I found they now sell "Fake" 4K projectors.

Seems like they are upscaling the picture by flashing 4 1080p frames with slightly different pixel positions ( Pixel Shifting) to upscale the picture.

Seems to work well and fool the human eye.

Now I am looking into getting one of those but I am wondering if this faux 4k is as taxing to a PC as native 4k and I was wondering if anyone in here has some experience with gaming on a beamer either in 1080p or (faux)4k.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

astro said:
For sure, and those reviews should definitively be taken into consideration. Is there a particular thing they're saying that's troubling you?

It seems that there are quite a few quality issues such as it dying within a few months. It may be ram related or not. I will keep reading some more while I work.

Would betting the EVGA Black be a big difference? I know it only has 2 fans instead of 3.

I am trying to walk through all my options!

astro · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
It seems that there are quite a few quality issues such as it dying within a few months. It may be ram related or not. I will keep reading some more while I work.

Would betting the EVGA Black be a big difference? I know it only has 2 fans instead of 3.

I am trying to walk through all my options!

If the user reviews are not mentioning the same kind of faults, and if the tech reviews are calling it good and listing the performance you would be happy with, then I think it sounds like a safe bet.

There is not going to be a huge difference between these 2080 TIs overall, they will all be beasts. The reason why the MSI 2080 (non-ti) is really good imo is the fact the cooling is super good and the fans so quiet, but even if another 2080 is a bit louder or a bit hotter it's not going to be a huge effect overall.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

How about the Gigabyte AORUS XTREME?

It looks good, 3 fans and matches my mobo ;)
It is at Newegg for 1300.

astro · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
How about the Gigabyte AORUS XTREME?

It looks good, 3 fans and matches my mobo ;)
It is at Newegg for 1300.

Do as above: check user reviews to see if any glaring flaws are listed.
Check tech reviews to see if the performance adds up for you.

Here's one review that seems to suggest it's a great card: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gigabyte-aorus-geforce-rtx-2080-ti-xtreme-11g,5953.html

Gaming_Groove · Apr 1, 2019

Robinson said:
what are the highest value for money CPUs and GPUs these days? RX 570 for $129 seems pretty tough to beat

Dollars to frames that RX 570 is probably the best option, however an RX 580 might be a better deal in the long run as it will keep games over the 60 fps threshold further into the future than the 570. I bought an RX 570 recently and I'm really happy with it though.

For CPUs it really depends on what you're going to be doing/playing. Lots of newer games with open world designs will take all the cores/threads they can get. FFXV and Monster Hunter World are two that I have where I find myself CPU limited with a non-hyperthreaded quad core. Hardware Unboxed recently recommended the 2400G since it has 4-cores/8-threads:

He's basing that on a price point of $135. Looking at it now though, I'm seeing them for about $150 while the Ryzen 5 1600 is going for about $130 on Newegg. If it were me, I'd go with the 1600, even with some of the shortcomings of first generation Ryzen. This would save about $60 over the current price of a 2600, which could be put towards going from an RX 570 to an RX 580.

Deleted member 16908 · Apr 1, 2019

Gaming_Groove said:
Dollars to frames that RX 570 is probably the best option, however an RX 580 might be a better deal in the long run as it will keep games over the 60 fps threshold further into the future than the 570. I bought an RX 570 recently and I'm really happy with it though.

For CPUs it really depends on what you're going to be doing/playing. Lots of newer games with open world designs will take all the cores/threads they can get. FFXV and Monster Hunter World are two that I have where I find myself CPU limited with a non-hyperthreaded quad core. Hardware Unboxed recently recommended the 2400G since it has 4-cores/8-threads:

He's basing that on a price point of $135. Looking at it now though, I'm seeing them for about $150 while the Ryzen 5 1600 is going for about $130 on Newegg. If it were me, I'd go with the 1600, even with some of the shortcomings of first generation Ryzen. This would save about $60 over the current price of a 2600, which could be put towards going from an RX 570 to an RX 580.

Thanks for the info. Isn't the Ryzen 5 2600 only $165 right now though?

PhantomFFR · Apr 1, 2019

Andi said:
Now I am looking into getting one of those but I am wondering if this faux 4k is as taxing to a PC as native 4k and I was wondering if anyone in here has some experience with gaming on a beamer either in 1080p or (faux)4k.

I'm fairly certain, that for fake-4k output, they would require real 4k-input. So for the best fake-native-resolution image quality output you would want to run your PC in actual 3840*2160 pixels.

Gaming_Groove · Apr 1, 2019

Robinson said:
Thanks for the info. Isn't the Ryzen 5 2600 only $165 right now though?

I was seeing $190 on Newegg. Didn't check other sites.

There's about an 8-10% performance difference between the 1600 and the 2600 though if userbenchmark is to be believed, so I suppose the "best value" will depend on how much you are saving in relation to that performance difference.

Kingasta · Apr 1, 2019

Just ordered an RX 570 to replace the stock GPU on my Dell XPS 8700, never tinkered with a PC before D:

Monkey Gland Sauce · Apr 1, 2019

KojiKnight said:
It's a ryzen 2700x, it doesn't have integrated graphics.

Ah. I just assumed the 7 series also had. Oh well, it was a hopeful easy fix.

Dave. · Apr 1, 2019

Andi said:
Not sure if this is the correct place but here goes:

I am looking for an 1080p projector to do some gaming and movie watching.
It will be connected to my new pc (2080 RTX + I7 9700K), amazon fire stick and my PS4 Pro .
I might get the Optoma hd29h (good gaming Features and Good picture Quality)
Researching projectors I found they now sell "Fake" 4K projectors.

Seems like they are upscaling the picture by flashing 4 1080p frames with slightly different pixel positions ( Pixel Shifting) to upscale the picture.

Seems to work well and fool the human eye.

Now I am looking into getting one of those but I am wondering if this faux 4k is as taxing to a PC as native 4k and I was wondering if anyone in here has some experience with gaming on a beamer either in 1080p or (faux)4k.

I currently use an Acer h6510bd 1080p projector, and would recommend it highly for gaming. It is excellent. Can put a desktop on it and use a mouse and it feels perfect. Previously had a 720p Acer that could do 120Hz and that was sick, but 720p is really too low these days. So given that, the Optoma hd29h might be amazing. I do however play most games though it on PS4 at the moment, but do have the PJ showing desktop and playing video almost every day.

Faux-4K DLP projectors are unacceptable due to input lag, right now. I have been following this closely since they broke the £1,500 barrier, and even more now they regularly break £1k. They are all like 40ms at best, if not more like 60ms. Not good. Input lag tests / information is not terribly easy to come by, so you may need to check several reviews. I like reading the OTs on AVSforum .com if I'm actually looking seriously at a model.

As far as input signal etc - it's a proper 4K display with 3840x2160 resolution. There is no "upscaling". The "faux" is just snobbery in that regard. It's a similar technique as how a DLP doesn't show a full colour image, only briefly flashing a red / green / blue one. Yes, having 4x the actual micromirrors is better, but if the pixel-shift is aligned correctly (as it should be, or else unit is faulty) - you can display 1 pixel lines at 4K resolution and see the individual pixels.

Obviously best would be hearing from Era posters with a faux-4k PJ and their gaming / lag feedback.

Serpens007 · Apr 1, 2019

Kingasta said:
Just ordered an RX 570 to replace the stock GPU on my Dell XPS 8700, never tinkered with a PC before D:

Hey! That's a cool GPU. What are you going to play first?

Andi · Apr 1, 2019

Dave. said:
I currently use an Acer h6510bd 1080p projector, and would recommend it highly for gaming. It is excellent. Can put a desktop on it and use a mouse and it feels perfect. Previously had a 720p Acer that could do 120Hz and that was sick, but 720p is really too low these days. So given that, the Optoma hd29h might be amazing. I do however play most games though it on PS4 at the moment, but do have the PJ showing desktop and playing video almost every day.

Faux-4K DLP projectors are unacceptable due to input lag, right now. I have been following this closely since they broke the £1,500 barrier, and even more now they regularly break £1k. They are all like 40ms at best, if not more like 60ms. Not good. Input lag tests / information is not terribly easy to come by, so you may need to check several reviews. I like reading the OTs on AVSforum .com if I'm actually looking seriously at a model.

As far as input signal etc - it's a proper 4K display with 3840x2160 resolution. There is no "upscaling". The "faux" is just snobbery in that regard. It's a similar technique as how a DLP doesn't show a full colour image, only briefly flashing a red / green / blue one. Yes, having 4x the actual micromirrors is better, but if the pixel-shift is aligned correctly (as it should be, or else unit is faulty) - you can display 1 pixel lines at 4K resolution and see the individual pixels.

Obviously best would be hearing from Era posters with a faux-4k PJ and their gaming / lag feedback.

Thanks for the answer, I think I will go with the Optoma hd29h, cheaper and I can afford a nice Screen panel, 1080p is more than enough right now ( I think) my 2080 might be too weak to get 4k 60fps anyway so better max all out and go for a crisp 1080p or maybe even down sample from 1440p to 1080p.

On the other hand I am not sure how much input lag would affect me. I don't even know what the lag is on my current tv (50 inch Panasonic Plasma tv from 2011) so I might actually be used to 40ms or more. Will check when I know the exact type of tv I have.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

Ok, so I tweaked the build again. I am not sure why, but I decided not to change my RAM as mentioned. Even though it could be $70 cheaper. I did bump the card to the AORUS.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4LCPr6

Kadey · Apr 1, 2019

I'm loving my build. So much more quiet and cool than previous. Took me a while to download all drivers and get back up to speed but it was worth it. Playing maxed out games while doing other things is the life.

Dr J · Apr 1, 2019

Dave. said:
It does not look like faulty hardware. 16.0GB shown here = hardware is working. What exactly is this OS?

try this:
Start -> Run msconfig
Boot tab
Advanced Options
Make sure "maximum memory" is not checked / set to 7.95GB / set to zero etc. It should be unchecked.
If you had to uncheck it, ok / ok / reboot.

Try booting a live Ubuntu CD or USB, see what that reports about working RAM (use command "top" in a terminal).

Thanks Dave., I will try that.

Monkey Gland Sauce said:
Do you have a discrete graphics card? Is the integrated graphics of your CPU enabled? It might reserve that RAM. Just a shot in the dark, since I haven't used one of them.

No, I have a RTX2060.

maloney said:
I don't really have an answer for you I'm afraid but I have just built a very similar PC and hada similar issue. My build is:
Asus Prime B450-plus
Ryzen 5 2700x
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 gig (2X8gig) (cmk16gx4m2d3000c16)

Initally my mobo would only pick up 8gb, I removed and refitted and then it picked up the 16gb. I proceeded to do a clean install of windows and all was going fine, logged in to Windows and then the screen went black. Rebooting, not even the bios screen was showing up - just 'no signal' on the monitor display. I checked and double checked everything, but nothing. I was at my witts end.

Anyway I read somewhere to take everything out of the case, dismantle and build it outside of the case. In desperation I did this as a last ditch effort. When putting it all back together I checked every connection, made sure everything was seated well. I tried with one stick of ram at first and left the HDD disconnected at first and I got straight in to the BIOS, I was so releived. Put in the second stick of ram and it was all fine. I put everyting back together (still out of the case and left it a couple of hours and it was stable.

The person that suggested building it out of the box said to do so as there may be a short in the case. I decided to put insulating tape on the motherboard standoffs just in case. I put everything back in the case and its been stable for 2 days now.

I'm a noob at building PC's and dont really know what I'm doing (discovered my ram wasnt listed for my mobo after I bought it)

Anyway, TLDR; I know you've checked everything, maybe just try re-building it out of the case?

Good luck!

Thank you for your suggestions maloney. I guess this is the joy of building a PC... Troubleshooting!

TLSLex · Apr 1, 2019

Hi folks, looking for some upgrade advice.

I built my current PC for gaming/ streaming/ video editing in 2015 - it's still going pretty strong and I don't really have any issues with it other than occasional slowdown in high pop areas of FFXIV; this is mainly due to dual screening on a 4K TV and 1080p monitor.

I'm planning on getting an ultrawide and/ or G-Sync monitor to replace the current 1080p, the build currently is as follows:

Core-i7 4790K
16GB (I believe DDR3) RAM
GTX 970

Will upgrading to a 1070 be enough to play in smooth as butter high settings for the foreseeable? Will my CPU be a bottleneck with its older architecture?

Keikaku · Apr 1, 2019

TLSLex said:
Hi folks, looking for some upgrade advice.

I built my current PC for gaming/ streaming/ video editing in 2015 - it's still going pretty strong and I don't really have any issues with it other than occasional slowdown in high pop areas of FFXIV; this is mainly due to dual screening on a 4K TV and 1080p monitor.

I'm planning on getting an ultrawide and/ or G-Sync monitor to replace the current 1080p, the build currently is as follows:

Core-i7 4790K
16GB (I believe DDR3) RAM
GTX 970

Will upgrading to a 1070 be enough to play in smooth as butter high settings for the foreseeable? Will my CPU be a bottleneck with its older architecture?

You will be cpu bottlenecked if you're targeting framerates above 60. If you're getting something like a 3440x1440 monitor, GTX 1070 won't really cut it anymore either. GTX 2060 or 2070 is a much better buy.

Jibbajabbawockky · Apr 1, 2019

TLSLex said:
Hi folks, looking for some upgrade advice.

I built my current PC for gaming/ streaming/ video editing in 2015 - it's still going pretty strong and I don't really have any issues with it other than occasional slowdown in high pop areas of FFXIV; this is mainly due to dual screening on a 4K TV and 1080p monitor.

I'm planning on getting an ultrawide and/ or G-Sync monitor to replace the current 1080p, the build currently is as follows:

Core-i7 4790K
16GB (I believe DDR3) RAM
GTX 970

Will upgrading to a 1070 be enough to play in smooth as butter high settings for the foreseeable? Will my CPU be a bottleneck with its older architecture?

FWIW, I currently have an i5-4670k, 16GB RAM and a 1070. I previously had a 970 in the same setup and upgraded to a 1070 a couple years ago after I bought a 1440p Gsync monitor. The 1070 is able to do fine for most games but I wouldn't say you'll always have a buttery smooth framerate depending on what settings your game is at. Most games I can go some mix of high settings and have a smooth framerate at 1440p but unless you're getting a nice deal on a 1070, I'd probably go for something a bit more powerful if you're shooting for 1440p or higher and/or high refresh rate/Gsync.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
Ok, so I tweaked the build again. I am not sure why, but I decided not to change my RAM as mentioned. Even though it could be $70 cheaper. I did bump the card to the AORUS.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4LCPr6

Okay, the deal is done. I ordered all the parts listed. Hopefully I am not missing anything. I also hope Outlet PC is legit, I am assuming it is.

Bii · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
Okay, the deal is done. I ordered all the parts listed. Hopefully I am not missing anything. I also hope Outlet PC is legit, I am assuming it is.

It is legit. Bought my NZXT Kraken X62 from there recently and it arrived quickly.

chaosaeon · Apr 1, 2019

MadnB said:
I have a fairly old CPU and lately running a lot of stuff has become sluggish, with almost 100% CPU usage.

It could always just be one of those mining viruses that makes your cpu run at 100% and sluggish too.

TLSLex · Apr 1, 2019

Jibbajabbawockky said:
FWIW, I currently have an i5-4670k, 16GB RAM and a 1070. I previously had a 970 in the same setup and upgraded to a 1070 a couple years ago after I bought a 1440p Gsync monitor. The 1070 is able to do fine for most games but I wouldn't say you'll always have a buttery smooth framerate depending on what settings your game is at. Most games I can go some mix of high settings and have a smooth framerate at 1440p but unless you're getting a nice deal on a 1070, I'd probably go for something a bit more powerful if you're shooting for 1440p or higher and/or high refresh rate/Gsync.

TY for the response. Should I maybe shoot for a 1080? (Even though they're still gold dust apparently). Or maybe a 2070 idk. My question is mainly around whether or not I should also consider upgrading the CPU, but I feel like I don't need to atm.

Jibbajabbawockky · Apr 1, 2019

TLSLex said:
TY for the response. Should I maybe shoot for a 1080? (Even though they're still gold dust apparently). Or maybe a 2070 idk. My question is mainly around whether or not I should also consider upgrading the CPU, but I feel like I don't need to atm.

Frankly, I've been in sort of the same boat. I have the urge to upgrade my i5-4670k, since its likely bottlenecking my 1070 to some extent, but I don't really know how much its actually holding back my 1070. My plan is to just do a full new build probably when the new AMD processors come out this summer and probably get a 2080 or something then.

I looked at upgrades for my 1070 a little while back and from what I remember reading a 1080 Ti would be a pretty good find, especially for 1440p but like you said, they're impossible to find new without paying more than what you'd probably pay for a 2080 now. I'd probably just look at what games you're playing too- are any of them really demanding on the CPU? I'd wager even if you got a 1080 Ti or 2070, your CPU isn't going to bottleneck your GPU to any real noticeable extent, unless you're really pushing a high FPS display. A 1080 or 2070 would be a massive upgrade from your 970, so I'd spring for whichever one you're more comfortable paying for, especially if you'll be getting an ultrawide or Gsync monitor thats greater than 1080p.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

Okay so while I wait for my new machine parts.....

What is the best way to get Windows 10 on it? I have a student account and will probably need to buy a new license. I also only have USB and no optical drive.

low-G · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
Okay so while I wait for my new machine parts.....

What is the best way to get Windows 10 on it? I have a student account and will probably need to buy a new license. I also only have USB and no optical drive.

If you have the education version of Win 10 you can deactivate it from your old PC and activate it on the new one. I did that myself with my recent build.

Also the USB installer is how I installed most recently.

ParityBit · Apr 1, 2019

low-G said:
If you have the education version of Win 10 you can deactivate it from your old PC and activate it on the new one. I did that myself with my recent build.

Also the USB installer is how I installed most recently.

I do not have a education version. My current PC has a Pro version. I was just hoping I could get a discount but have not tried.

Did you go here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and follow the instructions for Using the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) to install Windows 10 on a different PC ?

low-G · Apr 1, 2019

ParityBit said:
I do not have a education version. My current PC has a Pro version. I was just hoping I could get a discount but have not tried.

Did you go here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and follow the instructions for Using the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) to install Windows 10 on a different PC ?

Not sure what specific link but that's the right tool. If you're not going to use your current PC build after, you could deactivate your Pro version of course (I only replied re: education because there's not a ton of info online if that can be deactivated or not (which it can be)).

Years ago some universities gave out free versions of Windows, as recently as Win 10. You should definitely see if you can because Win 10 Educational is the best version of Win 10.

Cipherr · Apr 1, 2019

Do we really get nothing in terms of benefits from moving to the m2 ssd's with that crazy 2-3Gbps speed? No gaming benefits? Just faster boot speeds?

Thats heartbreaking. Im still buying a 2TB one, but I wish I would see more benefits in use over normal SATA6 SSDs.

bloodyroarx · Apr 1, 2019

Wanted to post this before I was potentially snapped for a month

SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES!

theSoularian · Apr 1, 2019

Cipherr said:
Do we really get nothing in terms of benefits from moving to the m2 ssd's with that crazy 2-3Gbps speed? No gaming benefits? Just faster boot speeds?

Thats heartbreaking. Im still buying a 2TB one, but I wish I would see more benefits in use over normal SATA6 SSDs.

Faster OS and (productivity) applications was the main reason for going with m2 nvme. Games...not so much as I'm installing them on a HDD.

NeoChaos · Apr 1, 2019

Heads up to Kadey and anyone else who bought that white Corsair H100i Platinum.
https://www.pcgamer.com/corsair-rec...rs-because-theyre-leaking-bright-green-fluid/

The PC Builders Thread ("I Need a New PC") v2

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