PC Build for Review
By
Father Xmas,
Posted on: 2012-05-25 19:42 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs
It's not a bad PC. But, honestly, I think you'd probably see a slightly better performance out of an Intel Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge solution.
I built a nearly identical system off the i5 3570K platform and came out about $180 cheaper for an identical system.
That kind of cost savings would allow you to step up to a GTX 670. And pay roughly the same price as your AMD system.
Note: Missed the $26 wireless card. Is there really a reason you're using it instead of a wired ethernet connection?
One other thing. Remember it's a 120GB SSD. Unless you keep it REALLY clean, you're probably going to want to add on a hard drive for data storage.
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I've heard the bridge mobos talked about but I don't know what makes them special(not a pc builder).
I like the 2gb the 670 has, but is the .2ghz and 2mb cache difference between the intel and AMD going to be noticeable? One thing I just remembered from your reply, is everytime I've put up a build for review they happened to be AMD processors, and the replies tried to steer me over to intel, is AMD particularly bad?
The wireless is important, my router is at the other end of the house, the PC will be in my bedroom.
I know the 120gb ssd would be an issue if you store stuff on it(my current only pc is a laptop with the same capacity(non ssd)). I have a 2TB usb3.0 external all my non-programfiles are stored on. The first thing I do after an OS wipe is go to my documents/music/pictures/video and make shortcuts to the respective folder on the external. I'd like to get a 3tb internal and install it myself, because cyberpower's are about $150 overpriced with a quick check of newegg/tiger.
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Okay first AMD's FX series of CPUs aren't really great for games. They are okay for multicore rendering or CPU based video compression but that's about it.
Second, why does everyone get the internal USB 2.0 hub? The 10 USB ports (8 - 2.0, 2 - 3.0) on the back panel aren't enough? Want Bluetooth? 2nd page, accessories, $12, save $17. But what about the Card reader? You get 6 USB (well 3 sets of 2 per connector) off of the motherboard. Case uses one, card reader another and you have one spare set internal.
As Hyper said you could get an Intel i5-3570K/Z77 based motherboard for around the same cost (only the motherboard and CPU is different). Actually, it's slightly less.
AMD build
Intel build
(I have no idea how long these links will work, weekend specials and all)
The price jump to the GTX 670 is still a bit, $183 more. I assume they are trying to liquidate their GTX 570 inventory. The 670 is around a third again faster than the 570 but uses 60 watts less power (power use = heat). And yes even at NewEgg it's 40-50% more expensive than the GTX 670 (roughly $130-150).
So to summarize: AMD CPU bad, Intel good; internal USB hub silly, Bluetooth dongle by itself is available on accessories page for $17 less than the combo with the silly internal hub; GTX 670 is a pricey upgrade no matter who you choose.
Lastly, CyberPowerPC prices do vary, sometimes a lot, depending on what customizer you start with. I picked the two generic customizers, you might be able to get a better price if pick one with the CPU and video card already picked or at least close.
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Tempus unum hominem manet
Are the AMD processors slow at other things, like loading apps etc, or just rendering games? I want a superfast pc, but cohspeeds aren't a priority anymore, I barely have time to login much, and its the only pc game I play. So you're saying I should have 3 open usbports on the motherboard already? I didn't know they put usb ports there, I figured you'd need an adapter or something.
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Quote:
They're one of those perfect storms of performance, features and price friendliness.|
Originally Posted by Psychic Guardian
I've heard the bridge mobos talked about but I don't know what makes them special(not a pc builder).
|
Quote:
| I like the 2gb the 670 has, but is the .2ghz and 2mb cache difference between the intel and AMD going to be noticeable? |
AMD's current CPU design is massively parallel. However, they've traded elegance and efficiency for a brute force approach, and it kinda came back to bite them. Clock-for-clock, the Sandy and Ivy Bridge CPUs are faster.
Worse, the architecture for AMD is great for massively parallel integer (whole number) functions, but games tend to not really be THAT CPU-parallel, and there's lots of floating point (decimal computations and the point is the decimal point "floating") computing.
What's more, AMD is relying on older tech from partner fabs. So they've got problems moving to smaller manufacturing processes, meaning their yields are lower and have more waste.
Intel, on the other hand, has been pushing their own manufacturing processes for a long, long time. They're roughly 2 full generations ahead of AMD, and they've got it down PERFECT. So they can churn these things out in huge numbers. Leading to lower prices.
AMD has traditionally competed on being the budget solution. And for very low-end machines, they still are. But for anything above the $6-800 range, and Intel becomes a better choice.
Quote:
| One thing I just remembered from your reply, is everytime I've put up a build for review they happened to be AMD processors, and the replies tried to steer me over to intel, is AMD particularly bad? |
Quote:
| The wireless is important, my router is at the other end of the house, the PC will be in my bedroom. |
Quote:
| I know the 120gb ssd would be an issue if you store stuff on it(my current only pc is a laptop with the same capacity(non ssd)). I have a 2TB usb3.0 external all my non-programfiles are stored on. The first thing I do after an OS wipe is go to my documents/music/pictures/video and make shortcuts to the respective folder on the external. I'd like to get a 3tb internal and install it myself, because cyberpower's are about $150 overpriced with a quick check of newegg/tiger. |
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Quote:
No. For app loads, the bottleneck isn't the CPU. It's your disk drive.|
Originally Posted by Psychic Guardian
Are the AMD processors slow at other things, like loading apps etc, or just rendering games?
|
Stuff on my old Core2 Quad 2.5Ghz opens "NOW" due to my SSD RAID array.
Your newer SSD has similar throughput to my array.
Quote:
| I want a superfast pc, but cohspeeds aren't a priority anymore, I barely have time to login much, and its the only pc game I play. So you're saying I should have 3 open usbports on the motherboard already? I didn't know they put usb ports there, I figured you'd need an adapter or something. |
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Yeah, I can't find any USB ports on those pics that aren't on the back lol, but i'm blind :P .
Edit: And you guys convinced me, I'll be looking into the intel path later tonight when I get home from work. Time to head out now.
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Take a look at the case itself.
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Yeah I love the case, I spent ages comparing them finding one that was perfect. So I was mad when it disappeared off cyberpower around February lol, luckily they put it back.
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I came up with this. The lower price comes from a different brand SSD but the same size. The one previously selected was a free speed upgrade, the one I selected now was a doublecapacity upgrade, but the speed seems the same. Anyone wanna take a look at them and make sure that wasn't some stupid mistake? lol.
I decided to keep the 570 and lower total. I was originally going to get a 550ti until they made the 570 a sale, making the price difference between the 570 and 670 $180, which is too huge a gap for me to warrant for my pc(and like I said since I was gonna go with the 550 i'm already getting something far better than what I was going to be happy with).
I went through about a dozen intel configurators, and the one you started with Hyper was the cheapest lol.
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This compares the two SSDs you were looking at. Basically the Force GT uses a faster kind of Flash memory so it can outperform the Agility 3 is certain benchmarks but compared to conventional hard drives, either will smoke one.
And you still have that damn internal USB hub. This is without it but still has the Bluetooth adapter.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Thanks Father XMas, I think those differences are worth the $70 for the Intel 
.
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$70? I only see $17 between your's and mine.
Or were you talking about the SSDs?
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Yeah sorry I meant the SSD, I decided to go with the Intel one. Here's the link to the exact build i'll likely order after work tomorrow(BillMeLater better approve me or i'll be pissed lol
). One reason I like the internal hub with BT is I assume that means they'll install it for me(both hardware and software), i've installed a couple bt dongles and getting your first BT thing added to the control panel wasn't fun. If it were a laptop I'd order it with BT builtin, but I guess this is the closest you can get to that with a desktop.
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Okay then, well have fun with your new PC in two-ish weeks.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Yeah lol, assuming everything works out tomorrow. I also budgeted for UPS 2day air so they won't take 2 weeks to build it then have ups take a week or more to get it here. I ordered something I wanted asap last month from the westcoast with ground shipping, it took like 10days. I now know to avoid crosscountry-ground at all costs lol(oh and all the truck transfers destroyed that box).
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Well BillMeLater won't even give me an account, even before knowing what I wanted to buy. Since it's a creditservice I think refusal to explain is illegal, but it won't tell me, and their customer service doesn't exist, you need an accountnumber to get past phase1 of their phonerobot, so calling to inquire on why you were refused is impossible 
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I moved mountains and got the PC ordered for the sale price lol . Can you guys guess how well this pc will be able to dualbox?(the alt+tab windowed style, not sidebyside) Do you think with the 570 and that processor ill have to lower the graphics when I do?
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I have a Core i7 870, 8GB of RAM and an HD5750 video card.
I have ultra mode on, at moderate settings, and don't turn anything down to run two instances.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Psychic Guardian
I moved mountains and got the PC ordered for the sale price lol
. Can you guys guess how well this pc will be able to dualbox?(the alt+tab windowed style, not sidebyside) Do you think with the 570 and that processor ill have to lower the graphics when I do? |
My main machine is an old Core 2 Quad 2.5Ghz with a GTX 560 Ti.
It dual-boxes just fine with the settings cranked.
You may have a tiny lag swapping from one instance to the other, but for the most part you should be golden.
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Does anyone have experience with PCs and 3d? I know my videocard(PC being shipped tuesday woot ) is 3d capable, but I don't know the rules/limitations of "3d". Is it "active" or "passive" only? Will it only work with the nvidia 3d kit? I have this TV at work on sale I'm thinking about getting, it's passive(current movietheater-style glasses i'm told), and I'd love to be able to get 3d out of my PC besides my PS3 .
I might end up buying it either way, but I thought I'd come to the only place I know for pc advice for that guidance first.
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First question really needs to be what applications do you use/plan to get that are 3D enhanced, followed by what 3D technology do they support.
Until you know that you can't really tell whether that hardware is compatible.
If you want to watch 3D movies by all means buy the TV. Bear in mind the reports of eye strain from extended viewing periods.
You may be able to watch movies from the PC with appropriate software - that may come with the card or it may need to be purchased. I haven't checked if Windows Media Player supports it.
I wouldn't hold out much chance for current or past generation games giving much support though.
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Quote:
I hate to keep using the word "gimmick" but the stereoscopic 3D used in games is pretty much just that.|
Originally Posted by Psychic Guardian
Does anyone have experience with PCs and 3d? I know my videocard(PC being shipped tuesday woot
) is 3d capable, but I don't know the rules/limitations of "3d". Is it "active" or "passive" only? Will it only work with the nvidia 3d kit? I have this TV at work on sale I'm thinking about getting, it's passive(current movietheater-style glasses i'm told), and I'd love to be able to get 3d out of my PC besides my PS3 . I might end up buying it either way, but I thought I'd come to the only place I know for pc advice for that guidance first . |
In most instances, the game itself has to support the 3D technology or you're still playing 2D.
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I got the TV . Yeah I know the 2D>3D upscale system doesn't do much (at all), but I got it mostly for the size, and 3D of movies or other true-3d content. I'm still waiting on the computer to get here, so I haven't been able to try that yet(but wow even my laptop via VGA looks amazing at this size ).
Last night I tried connecting my PS3 via HDMI at 1080p with 60hz refresh and put in my Green Lantern 3d bluray, and the disc loaded and said my tv, player, or connection didn't support 3d and booted me back to the PS3 OS though. Do hdmi cables have to be 3dready? I know some in my store specifically say they support 3d, and mine were $5 at biglots back in '08 so I'm thinking that's the issue. Specifically because reviewers stated they loved the fact that the ps3 can recognize this particular tv as 3dready right from the start. Any other tips for this issue?
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Ok so over the years I must've made at least 3 of these threads....but this time I have a JOB....and....
....MONEY 
lol. I built this PC on cyberpowerpc.com. I'm really just hoping for a signoff from the forum members that nothing I did is incredibly stupid or incompatible lol. I'd like it to push ultra-mode, but it's no big deal if it doesn't.
Here are the specs for it if you aren't familiar with the cyberpower builder:
Internal USB Extension Module: NZXT Internal USB 6-PORT Expansion Module + USB Bluetooth 2.X EDR Dongle with Led Light Thumb Size [+29]
Noise Reduction Technology: NoneCPU: AMD FX-8150 3.60 GHz Eight-Core AM3+ CPU 8MB L2 Cache & Turbo Core Technology [+36]
Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
Cooling Fan: Corsair Hydro Series H60 High Performance Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
Coolant for Cyberpower Xtreme Hydro Water Cooling Kits: Standard Coolant
Motherboard: * [CrossFireX] GigaByte GA-970A-D3 AMD 970 Socket AM3+ ATX Mainboard w/ On/Off Charge, 7.1 Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe X16, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI
Memory: 16GB (4GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory [+83] (Corsair XMS with Heat Spreader)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+127] (MSI Twin Frozr II OC 750 Mhz Powered by NVIDIA)
Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - Standard Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready
Hard Drive: 120GB Corsair Force GT Series SATA-III 6.0 Gb/s SSD – 555MB/s Read & 515MB/s Write [+60] (Single Drive)
Optical Drive: LG UH12LS28K 12X Blu-Ray Player & DVDRW Combo Drive [+41] (BLACK COLOR)
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
3D Vision Glasses: None
LCD Monitor: None
Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
Keyboard: (Keyboard & Mouse Combo) Razer Cyclosa Gaming Keyboard & Abyssus Gaming Mouse
Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card [+26]
Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
Internal USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional [+31] (64-bit Edition)
Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None
Office Suite: Free Microsoft® Office® 2010 STARTER EDITION (Reduced-Functionality versions of Word and Excel that include advertising)
Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
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