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Total War Center Forums - The Basement http://www.twcenter.net/forums/ Talk about computers and anything techy. en Fri, 24 May 2013 20:38:59 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.twcenter.net/forums/images/y2skin/misc/rss.png Total War Center Forums - The Basement http://www.twcenter.net/forums/ Surrendering to Temptation - New Build http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601790-Surrendering-to-Temptation-New-Build&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 19:29:17 GMT After 4.5+ years I've decided it's probably time to put my i7 920 gaming rig out to pasture. What pushed me over the edge is the fact that I can't really overclock it much past 3.5 GHz on air. I have one of the early ones with the CO stepping. Anyway I get slowdowns in large battles in S2, NTW and ETW. Also I play Skyrim with mods so my current GPU setup (2x GTX 460, 1.024 GB ) just isn't cutting it. I have a bunch of other games too, Arma III, shooters like Metro and whatnot.

The only thing giving me pause are early indications that Haswell isn't much of a performance boost for enthusiasts which makes me want to wait one more year, but on the other hand upgrading from an i7 920 to Haswell will be a considerable performance boost. Plus it will be fun to build a new computer!

Here's my current rig:

Quote:

CPU -- Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem clocked at 3.5 GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler -- Xigmatek Dark Knight

MoBo -- EVGA 132 BL-E758-A1 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX
Memory -- Corsair XMS3 6GB (3X2 GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel
GPU -- 2 x Gigabyte GTX 460 OC 1024 GB GDDR5
PSU -- CORSAIR 1000w HX Series 12v ATX SLI Ready 80 Plus Certified Power Supply - CMPSU-1000HX
Hard Drive -- Samsung Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0 GB/s OEM
Optical drive -- Samsung 22x DVD ± with Light Scribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q OEM
OS -- Windows 7 Home Premium SP 1
Case -- NZXT Tempest Blk ATX Mid Tower Case
Monitor -- Dell Ultra Sharp 2408WFP,Wide Flat Panel AdjustableStand,24.0 Inch

Here's my proposed new rig (not paying for shipping when like an idiot I have Amazon Prime):

Monitor: I will keep my 2008 vintage Dell Ultra Sharp 24" monitor, with plans to upgrade in a year or two. This is the only component I'm holding onto. GPU selection must factor in the fact that I'll be moving to a more demanding screen resolution during this build's lifetime.

CPU:
The early reports/rumors on Haswell performance aren't very impressive (maybe 5% from Ivy?) but still might impress me coming from the i7 920. Let me know if you feel otherwise.
4570K

CPU cooler:
I guess I could go for the bigger famous one ( NH-D14), but this new model seems fine for a good overclock on air ($73).
Noctua NH-U14S for Intel LGA 2011,1156,1155, 1150 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/3+,FM1/2 Sockets, U Type, 6 Heatpipe,140mm CPU Cooler Cooling

Case:
I like this understated quiet case, and I can get one for $90
Fractal Design Define R4 Cases, Black Pearl (FD-CA-DEF-R4-BL-W)

PSU:
This is the only component I've already purchased. Bit of overkill but I got it for $100 and it may come in handy if I SLI or Crossfire at a later date.
SeaSonic X Series X-850 (SS-850KM Active PFC F3) 850W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS 12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUSGOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply

SSD:
The Samsung 840 seem to be favorites and this one is on sale right now for $90. Granted it's not the 840 Pro but I'm not sure there's much difference? Also it's only 120 GB but I probably won't be putting any games on my SSD unless someone convinces me that makes much difference. Just OS and programs.
Samsung 840 Series 2.5 inch 120GB SATA III internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7TD120BW

HDD:
Seems like a decent deal for $64. I only recently got close to filling my 750 GB HDD after 4.5 years of gaming etc. I could always get another one.
WD Blue 1 TB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache - WD10EZEX -

Mobo:
Z87 Chipset not out yet but would want to get something nice that I can SLI/Crossfire in. (~$200?)

GPU:
Not sure here. I'm going to look at the GTX 770 when it comes out shortly. I definitely like what I'm hearing about the 780 but it's about $150 more than I'd budgeted. Also would consider the 7970 GHz edition.

Memory:
I've become convinced reading that higher speed memory helps with minimum frame rates in games, so I'm willing to pay a little more for faster RAM ($83). CAS latency is 9.
G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11D-8GBSR

DVD/CD Player:
Seems to get good reviews? Newegg for $18.
Asus 24xDVD-RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)

OS: What else, Windows 8. Unless there are strenuous objections.

Keyboard:
Always curious about these, I guess it's time to take the plunge ($70).
Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard with Cherry MX Blue Switch (RK-9000)
---------
Anywho, let me know what you guys think -- and please offer suggestions. ]]> The Basement Huberto http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601790-Surrendering-to-Temptation-New-Build Review of the 780 http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601761-Review-of-the-780&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 13:15:29 GMT http://www.anandtech.com/show/6973/nvidia-geforce-gtx-780-review http://www.anandtech.com/show/6973/n...gtx-780-review ]]> The Basement Karamazovmm http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601761-Review-of-the-780 Upgrading on a budget http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601689-Upgrading-on-a-budget&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 19:10:28 GMT Hi, my computer is becoming very dated (5 years old now) and I am looking to... Hi, my computer is becoming very dated (5 years old now) and I am looking to upgrade. Unfortunately I have an extremely tight budget at the moment so would ideally like to keep as many components as possible. My budget is about £300 max for the time being. Here are my current specs:

Win Vista 32 bit
4GB RAM
Q6600 @ 2.4 GHz
GeForce GTS 250 512 MB

Model was a Dell XPS 420

If other info is needed I'll add. I'm not very tech savvy though so if it isn't imemdiately obvious how to find out the info I probably won't know how. What do you think are the worst bottlenecks in this system and what can realistically be kept without affecting performance too much? I had been considering upgrading to Win 7 64 bit first and then upgrading my RAM to 8GB followed by graphics card. If I have to replace all components then how much do you think I could sell the current system for either whole or individual parts?

Thanks for any help you can give. ]]> The Basement Ragerancher http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601689-Upgrading-on-a-budget <![CDATA[The "Default Tab – Search Results"]]> http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601659-The-quot-Default-Tab-–-Search-Results-quot&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:10 GMT Hey guys I need some help here.
This thing called "Default Tab – Search Results" is really annoying. I don't know how I got it but I can't seem to get rid of it.
Is it a virus or something else??
What should i do? ]]> The Basement Quokka http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601659-The-quot-Default-Tab-–-Search-Results-quot Assembling my first PC http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601650-Assembling-my-first-PC&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 13:40:43 GMT Hey, I have managed to scratch together 1200 Euros in the past month, and since... Hey, I have managed to scratch together 1200 Euros in the past month, and since Rome II is about to be launched I thought this might be the right time to get a new PC.

Through asking arround it was confirmed to me that the best thing to do, was to buy the components and build the PC yourself.

I was also given this list of things which would apparently satisfy my needs:

I was algo given this link with instructions on how to build a pc (in German):

http://www.gamestar.de/hardware/prax...mmenbauen.html

As mentioned in the title of this thread, it would be the first time that I am doing this. And I am still a bit nervous about doing this.
Is there someone here (maybe someone who speaks german) who could help me through this or maybe just give me some advice? ]]> The Basement The Germans are coming http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601650-Assembling-my-first-PC New keyboard and SSD http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601635-New-keyboard-and-SSD&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 10:51:44 GMT I spilled something on my 10 year old keyboard and it is now had a stroke on... I spilled something on my 10 year old keyboard and it is now had a stroke on its left side. I've talked to a few friends about this and they have unanimously said "Get a mechanical keyboard!". The questions seems to be which switch? So far from the descriptions I feel the Cherry Brown or Black would be most suiting. I would like to hear from anyone who's tried different kinds of switches and can honestly compare them because so far no one seems to speak ill of their respective switch types (I can't really make it to a store to compare them :(). I will be using the keyboard for FPS gaming, Total war and the occasional bit of typing. I would prefer it had media buttons and had a number pad because it makes entering data a lot quicker, and most of my TS keys are assigned there. Oh and it needs to be a UK keyboard.

I am also in the market for a new SSD with a budget of around £150 and will probably be buying it mid-June. I intend to install my OS and some of my slower loading games onto it (I already have a 1TB HDD which I will use for storage). Any suggestions, because there seems to be a lot of SSDs on the market and I honestly can't tell much difference between them.

Another quick question, is the GPU market going to change/improve any time soon? Thinking about an upgrade in that area too.

Thanks all! ]]> The Basement Pinkamena Diane Pie http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601635-New-keyboard-and-SSD Who knows about TVs? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601610-Who-knows-about-TVs&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 01:50:38 GMT I'm wanting to buy a TV to have connected to my new PC.

I don't care about all that internet smart crap, nor for 3D.

I just want an LED (if possible) TV with >100Hz, USB, at 40" plus.

Hoping to spend around $400-550. I'm in Australia, so any prices would have to take shipping into consideration.

I've heard about the Vizio E42OI-A1 as being really good, but if anyone can recommend anything else as well. What would be the best way to ship to AUS? ]]> The Basement http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601610-Who-knows-about-TVs <![CDATA[Cause of Empire Total War Lag & Lagging units.]]> http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601598-Cause-of-Empire-Total-War-Lag-amp-Lagging-units&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 22:22:32 GMT So today i was playing russia on a grand campaign Hard/Hard, thing was i was... So today i was playing russia on a grand campaign Hard/Hard, thing was i was attacking sweden and they had 5k troops + 2k reinforcements and i had 7k troops + 1k reisnforcements ..., when the battle started everything was fine but then suddenly everything moved at a snails pace but get this ...

My frame rate was still 60 fps and my computer was very cool no overheating or nothing so im wondering what the **** could this be ?.

So i try bumping down the settings and stuff and no avail, anyway after a few hours of leaving the battle on i finally won :laughter:.

My question to everyone is why did the game slow down but my fps was solid 60 fps ?, units where lagging badly and there was absolutely tons of troops on the screen it took more than 3 hours to win the battle lol.

Total troops on screen around 15 thousand.

Could this be a memory bottleneck ?.

Here are my specifications.

HD 7870
I5 3570K
8GB 1333MHz
650W PSU
500GB HDD

Rep to anyone who helps need this sorting so i can play empire silky smooth im willing to buy parts to. ]]> The Basement GasMask http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601598-Cause-of-Empire-Total-War-Lag-amp-Lagging-units Build non-gaming PC with CPU overclock? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601535-Build-non-gaming-PC-with-CPU-overclock&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 12:41:08 GMT I got the permission today to purchase a new desktop PC at work. It's a development/programming machine and I need as high single-core performance as possible, in order to run current and future VS smoothly.

Following spec is what I can gather so far:
- CPU: Intel i5-3570K, overclock to 4.5GHz (can I get higher yet stable speed? would i7-3770K makes difference?)
- RAM: DDR3-1666 32GB (would DDR3-2400+ help?)
- MB: micro-ATX is preferred. Do I have to use Z77 chips to overclock CPU multiplier?
- SSD: any brand, 256GB.
- Case: any suggestions for micro ATX ones? I actually want mini-ITX, if only 4 DIMMs are available.....
- no graphics card.

What can I add to improve it? Also, would it cause overclocked CPU to overheat if I cover the entire case with pieces of air-filter? :rolleyes: ]]> The Basement aqd http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601535-Build-non-gaming-PC-with-CPU-overclock Upgrading my PC, need some help http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601523-Upgrading-my-PC-need-some-help&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 11:37:52 GMT Hey, i'v decided to upgrade my PC for Rome 2, i got the PC around 2009-2010.

Here is my current specs
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 870 2.93Ghz (8CPUs)
GPU: Geforce GTX 460
RAM: 8GB
PSU: 650W

I was thinking if upgrading the 460 to a 670, and the 8GB ram to 16GB? But i'v run into a problem, i don't know what motherboard i have. It says my BIOS version is *Award Software International, Inc. F5, 28-04-2010" but im a total noob when it comes to BIOS/Motherboards, so do i have to update it? maybe buy a new motherboard? Will it support the 16GB and a GTX670?

Hope you guys can help me :) ]]> The Basement Mortarion http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601523-Upgrading-my-PC-need-some-help PSU: 7 Year Warranty or a Dust Filter? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601337-PSU-7-Year-Warranty-or-a-Dust-Filter&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 01:07:13 GMT Tossing up between the Silverstone Strider 750w Gold Evolution... Tossing up between the Silverstone Strider 750w Gold Evolution, and the Corsair ax750.
Both have just about equal reviews and efficiencies, and both cost $135 on amazon at the moment.
The only discernible difference is the fact that for this price the Silverstone comes with a magnetic dust filter and the Corsair doesn't, but the Corsair has a 7 year warranty, while the Silverstone has 3 years.
I'm buying this for a rig I plan to use for as many years as I can. Dust is always something I worry about, because actually being able to see rust build up is horrible!
On the other hand, the Corsair can be replaced for 4 years longer.

In Australia, we have really good consumer rights and laws, and as such we have to get a brand new replacement if it they stop working.

Any advice (other than "don't get either of those ones, get THIS one, like I did")?

TC ]]> The Basement http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601337-PSU-7-Year-Warranty-or-a-Dust-Filter Making a new build from the old http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601275-Making-a-new-build-from-the-old&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 14:42:18 GMT I've had this rig for 4 years now and its nearly time I upgrade, the ageing overclocked E6400 duo core needs to go and i'm planning on getting an i5 (which in turn needs a new motherboard)

So my questions are:
What motherboard is best to go for and which has a straight forward bios to overclock from?

Theres a new i5 coming up but is it worth waiting for?

I have a ATI Radeon HD5700 card: keep or replace? (My monitor is 1680x1050 (60Hz))

My RAM is the OCZ DDR2 PC2-9200 Flex II 4GB: keep or replace?

What SSD is best to go for (installing windows 7 64 bit and some games + Adobe Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator)

PSU: OCZ 500W: keep or replace?

My current PC sounds like a 747 taking off, best way to make a build as quiet as possible?

My budget is around £900/$1383

+rep for anyone that can help!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

]]> The Basement Black Fox http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601275-Making-a-new-build-from-the-old Newegg tracking number stopped working http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601241-Newegg-tracking-number-stopped-working&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 03:39:12 GMT (not sure where to post this) So yesterday (the 17th) I ordered something... (not sure where to post this)

So yesterday (the 17th) I ordered something from Newegg. I was using the tracking number yesterday; I'm sure it was working. Since I live very close (a bit less than 100 km, a little more than 50 mi) to the distribution center the thing arrived at my nearby carrier's (I guess FedEx?) office the same day. So today, I checked up on the tracking number, and Newegg told me it doesn't work.

Quote:

We do not yet have any record of the tracking number you've entered. Please try again later.

So I want to know if anyone who has used Newegg before ever had this happen. I guess it's nothing to worry about as long as the order arrives tomorrow or soon after, otherwise well... I hope it wasn't lost. But what does this mean? Should I call Newegg? Or what? I'm using the 4-7 day free shipping by the way. ]]> The Basement Geleco http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601241-Newegg-tracking-number-stopped-working Strange problem with headphones and mobile phone http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601043-Strange-problem-with-headphones-and-mobile-phone&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 16:31:01 GMT Last week I tried to use my earphones on my mobile phone (Samsung Galaxy Y),... Last week I tried to use my earphones on my mobile phone (Samsung Galaxy Y), only to find that the audio was distorted pretty bad. I figured that my earphones were just broken but when I tried to use another one I got the same distorted audio, and every set of head- or earphones I could try out had malfunctioning sound, whilst they work perfectly with my PC, other phones, and so on.

At first I was afraid that my port was broken, but the music sounds perfect when I plug in any loudspeakers and play it on them, and the audio of non-MP3 apps like Angry Birds seems to function normally as well. But it isn't an issue related to the MP3 player or files themselves, as they don't seem to be corrupted in any way when I played them on my PC from the folders of my phone, and the phone's speakers work perfectly, it's only when I try to plug in headphones that it distorts the audio.

The distortion isn't the same either, which makes me doubt that it's the result of damage to my port. Mostly the sound echoes, is distant and the vocals very faint or non-existant, but some songs seem to be entirely normal, but the volume has been turned down considerably somehow.

I've tried updating my mobile as much as possible and downloaded another music player but neither seem to have worked.

I've no idea what's causing this or how to fix this and I'd appreciate any suggestions, workaround solutions and advice. I mainly use my phone as MP3-player so I'd rather buy a new one than live without music but I at least want to try to fix this. ]]> The Basement Dr. Croccer http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?601043-Strange-problem-with-headphones-and-mobile-phone Dying monitor, need recommendations for replacement http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?600941-Dying-monitor-need-recommendations-for-replacement&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 19:42:32 GMT A while back, I had a power outage while my PC was in sleep mode; since then,... A while back, I had a power outage while my PC was in sleep mode; since then, my PC makes an odd squealing noise when I reboot - it never does it from a fresh boot after powering down for some time, or in Windows - and the display is distorted until the Windows splash screen appears.

For the longest time, I thought it was caused by the most recent change I made: installing a new HDD. After uninstalling the HDD and experiencing the same issue, I was directed to put my ear by the case to determine where the sound originated; the sound was not coming from my case and was coming from my monitor all along. The All-in-one A+ Certification Exam Guide 7th Edition by Mike Meyers says, "Bird-like chirping sounds occurring at regular intervals usually indicate a problem with the monitor power supply." This leads me to believe the monitor is dying, so I need to replace it.

What monitors do you recommend for someone on a small budget? I do not have $200+ (USD). ]]> The Basement Hrothgar Óhreinsaður http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?600941-Dying-monitor-need-recommendations-for-replacement