[Roisan Sweeney]

I'm building a new PC, following this guide http://www.hardware-revolution.com/best-budget-gaming-pc-february-2012/.
These are the parts I currently have picked out:
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboardhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32120http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115077

RAM: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-8GBNThttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231422

Video card: HIS H685FN1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinityhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161384

Optical Drive: LG 22X Super-Multi DVD Burner 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model GH22NS90B - OEMhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136240

PSU: Rosewill HIVE Series HIVE-550 550W Continuous @40°C, 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified, Modular Design, Single +12V Rail, ATX12V v2.31/EPS12V v2.92, SLI Ready, CrossFire Ready, Active-PFC Power Supplyhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182131

Case: COOLER MASTER RC-692-KKN2 CM690 II Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Casehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drivehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148701
Total cost: ~$700 USD

I'm a 'second opinion' type of person so I'm asking if any parts are incompatible or will be outdated soon. I tend to be a bit paranoid about spending large amounts of money.

[Isabell Hoffmann]

Maybe, but I've been hesitant to blame it on the card because a few months ago I got a new Radeon HD card and had the same problem. It was a different card and different PC, but same monitor.

Well, then wouldn't the simple solution be to try the card out with a different monitor? If you don't have one laying around you can borrow one.


Or swing by my work, I got approximately 15 monitors just laying about (mostly 1024x768 as I finally procured money for widescreens for everyone -- I also succeeded in using up almost all my allotted CapEx funds )

[Spencey!]

Well, then wouldn't the simple solution be to try the card out with a different monitor?

Yes, and I did. Same result. No signal.

[kennedy]

Yes, and I did. Same result. No signal.

Two possibilities as I see it:

1. You have bad luck with GPUs

2. You have dirty power damaging your GPUs and/or monitors

[NO suckers In Here]

is monster wire http://www.amazon.com/Monster-100-Feet-Speaker-Cable/dp/B00006345D/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330897284&sr=1-2 really good for surround sound systems
if so
why?

Not good enough to justify that ridiculous price. All Monster products are just overpriced. Get yourself cables from monoprice:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239

What is the performance difference between these two cards. Does one really benefit from one over the other?

GeForce GTX 560 Ti

A
Core 900 Mhz
Shader 1800 Mhz
384
Mem 4212 Mhz
1GB
256-bit

B
Core 822 MHz
Shader 1645 MHz
384
Mem 4000 Mhz
2GB
256-bit

Option A has the slightly higher Core and Memory clockspeed, which would give slightly better performance. However, option B has more VRAM which can be useful to maintain better fps at high resolutions or games that require lots of VRAM...like a texture modded Skyrim for example.

There's also the 448 Stream Processor version of the 560 Ti, which would be better performing than either of those two.

I'm building a new PC, following this guide http://www.hardware-revolution.com/best-budget-gaming-pc-february-2012/.
These are the parts I currently have picked out:
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboardhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32120http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115077

RAM: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-8GBNThttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231422

Video card: HIS H685FN1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinityhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161384

Optical Drive: LG 22X Super-Multi DVD Burner 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model GH22NS90B - OEMhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136240

PSU: Rosewill HIVE Series HIVE-550 550W Continuous @40°C, 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified, Modular Design, Single +12V Rail, ATX12V v2.31/EPS12V v2.92, SLI Ready, CrossFire Ready, Active-PFC Power Supplyhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182131

Case: COOLER MASTER RC-692-KKN2 CM690 II Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Casehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drivehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148701
Total cost: ~$700 USD

I'm a 'second opinion' type of person so I'm asking if any parts are incompatible or will be outdated soon. I tend to be a bit paranoid about spending large amounts of money.

It's not bad, although I would try to squeeze in a Core i5 quad instead of that i3....2300, 2400, 2500K, 2550K.

[Siobhan Wallis-McRobert]

so i am having this problem that when ever my laptop goes into hibernation mode, then comes back into active mode, Windows Explorer will crash. note that its Windows Explorer and not internet explorer, WE being my desktop application or whatever.

i don't have a virus, i have malwarebytes and ive already scanned my computer.

[Bedford White]

What brand laptop.

[cutiecute]

so i am having this problem that when ever my laptop goes into hibernation mode, then comes back into active mode, Windows Explorer will crash. note that its Windows Explorer and not internet explorer, WE being my desktop application or whatever.

i don't have a virus, i have malwarebytes and ive already scanned my computer.

Hibernation mode is really buggy. Personally, I wouldn't use it. Windows Explorer would be the file manager. Sleep mode will save power (although not as much as hibernating), but usually doesn't cause problems.

Problem with this mode can range from problematic processes to device drivers to a partially defective power supply (as in the power supply isn't fast enough in switching back to normal mode).

[Lauren Dale]

What brand laptop.

asus ive forgotten the name of the model but it is one of the ones that are designed to look like stealth fighters and have a rear vent cooling system.

Edit: also i never put it in sleep or hibernate diliberatly, if im done for the day i turn it off, but some times i will fold it up and forget about it and fall asleep.

[james kite]

asus ive forgotten the name of the model but it is one of the ones that are designed to look like stealth fighters and have a rear vent cooling system.

Edit: also i never put it in sleep or hibernate diliberatly, if im done for the day i turn it off, but some times i will fold it up and forget about it and fall asleep.

Disable hibernate mode. Go to Control Panel >> Power Options >> (left column) Change when the computer sleeps >> Change advanced power settings >> [+] Sleep >> [+] Hibernate after.

Keep pressing the down arrow button until it says: Never. Then click Apply.

[^~LIL B0NE5~^]

asus ive forgotten the name of the model but it is one of the ones that are designed to look like stealth fighters and have a rear vent cooling system.

Edit: also i never put it in sleep or hibernate diliberatly, if im done for the day i turn it off, but some times i will fold it up and forget about it and fall asleep.

Sounds like the G73. I'm pounding on one right now.

[Alexander Lee]

http://www.therestartpage.com/
cool page

[Stacey Mason]

I'm always thinking about my next build. What do you folks see as more "future-proof"- socket 1155 or 2011? I'm sticking with Intel and leaning towards the 2011 and the i7-3930K.

Does anyone have an opinion on the X79 motherboards? Based on cost, features, and reviews, the ASRock line looks like the best buy, but it's not a brand I've ever used. Price is not a major issue, but OC ability and reliabilty are.

I also just found the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119252. It's a monster, but I kinda like it.

[AnDres MeZa]

I'm always thinking about my next build. What do you folks see as more "future-proof"- socket 1155 or 2011? I'm sticking with Intel and leaning towards the 2011 and the i7-3930K.

Does anyone have an opinion on the X79 motherboards? Based on cost, features, and reviews, the ASRock line looks like the best buy, but it's not a brand I've ever used. Price is not a major issue, but OC ability and reliabilty are.

I also just found the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119252. It's a monster, but I kinda like it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133188
thats my case, good case if ya want something good
i put my cents in because
christ why would you need a case that size

[Logan Greenwood]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133188
thats my case, good case if ya want something good
i put my cents in because
christ why would you need a case that size

Aren't those cases about the same size? Besides 250 to 300 for a case is insane. I would put that money towards the guts of the system. But I guess it is what one wants. That's what matters.

[Fiori Pra]

Aren't those cases about the same size? Besides 250 to 300 for a case is insane. I would put that money towards the guts of the system. But I guess it is what one wants. That's what matters.

watch the video review of the case uncle posted then watched mine
mine is very small and i bought the case because i love thermal take, and i wanted that case bad
and i wanted a whtie one lol

[Gavin Roberts]

watch the video review of the case uncle posted then watched mine
mine is very small and i bought the case because i love thermal take, and i wanted that case bad
and i wanted a whtie one lol

Ha! I hear ya. I guess there is a good bit of size diff in those. But, the way these cards are taking up 3 slots, you may need that 10 slot case. I couldn't find a case that I was suited for, and priced under $100, so I bought a HAF for the frame, stripped it down and modded it like crazy.

[Franko AlVarado]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133188 thats my case, good case if ya want something good i put my cents in because christ why would you need a case that size

I like the 10 expansion slots on the Cosmos II. The Level 10 GT only has 8. My current "big" system is a 980X (water cooled) w/ 4 GPUs in a HAF X (9 slots). I had to do a little work to get the bottom GPU in because of the MB set up. I could have used one more slot. This build cost me about $2500.

I overbuild all my systems because they will be Folding (see sig) while I do anything else. I build with redundency so I can monster Fold and still game and watch videos/movies without having any major resource conflicts. This build would probably start with 2x GTX560ti (448 core) and some day go to 4x GPUs (nVidia 600 series?). If I retire my oldest box (Q6600 @ 3.4, 2x GTS450), the new build would get the GPUs and start with 4.

The Cosmos II IS expensive, but it stays on my wishlist unless someone has something better (with plenty of expansion slots).

[Nick Jase Mason]

I like the 10 expansion slots on the Cosmos II. The Level 10 GT only has 8. My current "big" system is a 980X (water cooled) w/ 4 GPUs in a HAF X (9 slots). I had to do a little work to get the bottom GPU in because of the MB set up. I could have used one more slot. This build cost me about $2500.

I overbuild all my systems because they will be Folding (see sig) while I do anything else. I build with redundency so I can monster Fold and still game and watch videos/movies without having any major resource conflicts. This build would probably start with 2x GTX560ti (448 core) and some day go to 4x GPUs (nVidia 600 series?). If I retire my oldest box (Q6600 @ 3.4, 2x GTS450), the new build would get the GPUs and start with 4.

The Cosmos II IS expensive, but it stays on my wishlist unless someone has something better (with plenty of expansion slots).

so tickle my interest
how many pc monitors?

[Richard]

so tickle my interest
how many pc monitors?

Nothing heavy duty. I'm running 4 boxes through a KVM switch to a 27" 1900x1080 monitor with a built-in tuner that also doubles as my TV.

[GPMG]

Nothing heavy duty. I'm running 4 boxes through a KVM switch to a 27" 1900x1080 monitor with a built-in tuner that also doubles as my TV.

*claps* my boss uses a server is running 6 30 inch monitors ...he really needs to not be that rich lol

[Franko AlVarado]

I'm always thinking about my next build. What do you folks see as more "future-proof"- socket 1155 or 2011? I'm sticking with Intel and leaning towards the 2011 and the i7-3930K.

Does anyone have an opinion on the X79 motherboards? Based on cost, features, and reviews, the ASRock line looks like the best buy, but it's not a brand I've ever used. Price is not a major issue, but OC ability and reliabilty are.

I also just found the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119252. It's a monster, but I kinda like it.

More future-proof? The thing is buying a high-end chip on either of these sockets is probably going to last you at least 3-4 years with the way things have been going...especially if you plan to OC the chip. My 2500K at 4.6GHz has been phenomenal with everything I've thrown at it. However, you're the type to overbuild your system without much concern for budget, so LGA 2011 is probably most suitable for you and is considered the enthusiast socket. It also has many future CPU releases in the pipeline.

AsRock has certainly turned a corner the past couple years with their quality made boards. I often suggested their Sandybridge P67 line-up boards such as their Extreme4 boards in the past and it has been highly praised due to features, VRM power phase design, and price. It seems their 2011 boards are receiving the same amount of praise, so you're probably going to get a good product.

Expensive case! Whatever floats your boat though. I personally would get something like the Coolermaster HAF X or Corsair Obsidian 800D with that much dough. Even cheaper, the NZXT Phantom.

[kristy dunn]

More future-proof? .... LGA 2011 is probably most suitable for you and is considered the enthusiast socket. It also has many future CPU releases in the pipeline.

That's what I needed. I know many here follow the news, and posting here would be faster than tracking down the info. /lazy bastard

AsRock .... you're probably going to get a good product.

Excellent!

Expensive case! Whatever floats your boat though. I personally would get something like the Coolermaster HAF X or Corsair Obsidian 800D with that much dough. Even cheaper, the NZXT Phantom.

I'm not wedded to that case. It's heavier empty than all mine except the water-cooled HAF X fully built and at twice the price. My main desire is having the expansion slots to handle 4 double slot GPUs. A lot of that will depend on the motherboard design/form factor. I'll live with 3, or even 2, GPUs if I have to. If a case comes close, and is cheap enough, I wouldn't cry too hard to have to mod it.

Thanks.

[Melis Hristina]

Sooooo.....how do you people feel about open frame test stands as a case alternative?
http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=TopDeckXL
http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=TopDeckHPTX
No frills, room for the hardware I'd like to get, reasonable prices.

[Maeva]

ive got a question concerning moving installed programs and folders containing their files.

will there be any adverse effects to moving folders from my C drive to my D drive. I record video stuff using fraps (which takes up alot of space) and my C drive while other wise very generous considering disc space gets every often to the point where i need to purge files i would rather keep a while longer. my D drive has 5 times as much space and in hindsight is much better suited for storing the fraps media files.