PC Building Megathread - "Released" is a nebulous term...

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > The Goodmine > PC Building Megathread - "Released" is a nebulous term...

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

punk rebel ecks posted:

Since next-gen consoles are using SSD, should I switch my two 1TB RAID0 HDD for a 2TB SSD? Or will there be not much difference?

Yes, SSDs are an order of magnitude faster any HDD. Switching from HDDs to SSDs are probably the single most effective way to increase overall computer performance.

Plus they're smaller. Depending on you case you might be able to keep those HDDs for extra storage.

# ¿ Apr 29, 2020 07:53

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 08:00

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

What are the current go-to brands for motherboards, power supplies, and graphics cards (RTX 2080 Super specifically)? I'm using an AsRock, EVGA, and Asus respectively right now, and I'm wondering if that's changed.

# ¿ Jul 4, 2020 08:43

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

taqueso posted:

Are there any cases designed to be slim and long/wide like a pizza box? With a full side video card beside the motherboard. Ideally with no internal PSU. Feeling like it's either hacking up a 1u to 2u rack mount case or go custom starting with a project box enclosure.

It needs to be less than 4 inches tall to fit in the location I want to use in my car.

Silverstone makes cases that fit that description.

# ¿ Jul 26, 2020 18:34

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Vir posted:

Expect some 2000 series GPUs to go out of stock as the 3000 series starts coming out. Factory space is limited - especially at the semiconductor factories - so while the early adopters are probably going to start selling their used GPUs, the factories might already have stopped making the old cards. Since we're so close to the rumored release of information, I would just wait until we know something definitive.

It's already happening. I was recently trying to grab a EVGA 2080 Super and they were all sold out except for the super expensive ones with pre-installed water blocks, seems like it's the same for other manufacturers.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2020 17:49

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Klyith posted:

So the first thing to know is that any illustrations of airflow where you have swooshy lines that go places are completely fake. Air doesn't move in straight lines inside a case, everything is turbulent. A case fan pointed somewhere (like a front fan alighted with the GPU) does certainly help push fresh air into an area, but the main thing that does is make sure there's not a stagnant pocket.

So the front fan points at the GPU, the GPU heats it up, the heat generally disperses in the turbulent mixture, and the constant turnover of air inside the case keeps the ambient temperature low.

In the Meshify C the PSU can be installed with the fan facing down, for which it pulls fresh air in through the air vents on the bottom (which have a big filter that you can pull out from the front). I think that is the normal way to do it.

But you can also install the PSU with the fan up, and it sucks in air from around the GPU. If you do this it does measurably make the GPU cooler; GN measured this in their review. I would only do this if I had a high-quality PSU though. PSUs prefer their air cool as well, cheap PSUs have lower temperature specs for operation than good ones. And if I had a monster GPU I still might be a bit nervous and set the front fans higher. Even a high-quality PSU doesn't enjoy 45C air though it'll keep the power rock solid anyways.

(But if you install the PSU facing down, remember to occasionally clean out the dust filter. I've seen people that didn't know the PSU has a separate intake on their case that had filters totally choked with buildup, their PSU was probably cooking itself.)

I'd also add that the Meshify C has pretty short feet, so if you plan to place your PC on carpeted floor, placing the PSU fan side up can save you a lot of dust, filter or not.

# ¿ Aug 26, 2020 05:03

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Stroop There It Is posted:

nice but does it have RGB????

does the cat have RGB????

# ¿ Aug 28, 2020 23:57

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

sean10mm posted:

It looks like at least the reference coolers for the RTX 3000s are thicker on the backside, which might make them a tight fit for the 140mm wide tower coolers like the U14S and D15, which can already get reallllllly close to touching the backside of the graphics card depending on the specific motherboard.

I'm toying with spending a little extra vs. the U14S for the D15S, which is offset away from the PCIe slots and setting up the inside of a Meshify C something like this on my next build. It would be massive overkill, but eh why not. Plus if I upgrade to a hotter CPU later it won't matter because with a 2nd fan that thing will cool the loving sun lol.

e: I'd use the cheaper Redux versions of those Noctua PWM case fans, which a) perform the same and b) aren't poo brown.

I have the exact set up you're describing in my recent build:

There's still about 1/2 an inch between the cooler and backplate with a D15S, it should more than enough space even if they add extra thickness behind the actual slot.

Also, anyone thinking of using this just be aware that it can been kind of a pain in the rear end to plug/unplug stuff with so much cooler in the way. :v:

# ¿ Aug 31, 2020 21:23

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

hell yeah i'd buy a noctua desk fan.

EDIT: must be poop brown and cream ONLY :mad:

# ¿ Sep 6, 2020 05:52

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Maigius posted:

For the included case fans for the Fractal Meshify C, what is the type of screw head used? I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out.

I can't answer your question, but I will say they include extra screws if you want to add more fans. Fan screws are pretty universal, I assume, since the screws that came with the Noctua fans I use fit just fine into my Meshify C.

Neo_Crimson fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Sep 7, 2020

# ¿ Sep 7, 2020 00:41

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Klyith posted:

You can easily pop the mesh panel only to get to the fan screws:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-6RkrId2l8

The plastic surround bezel can also be removed as well, you have to give it a hard yank. Most non-glass front panels these days air stuck on with plastic retaining pins that are just a very stiff friction fit.

I will say, that video makes it look way easier than it is. You need a significant amount of force to get it out the first couple times.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2020 04:56

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

orange juche posted:

Hope nobody was planning on buying 3070s or 3080s.

https://www.hardwaretimes.com/ethereum-miners-eye-nvidias-rtx-30-series-gpu-as-rtx-3080-offers-3-4x-better-performance-in-eth/

I loving hate Bitcoin and dipshits that want to "invest" in them so much.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2020 02:00

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Klyith posted:

Decent AIOs have more cooling power than even a D15 air cooler, which means lower noise or cooler temps at load. They do have pump noise at idle, but honestly I haven't touched water or known anyone with a AIO build for a long time. Steve at GN says pump noise is very low if you install the rad correctly, though he's not exactly the best reference for low-noise (steve's cutoff for "quiet" is louder than I'd call quiet).

I'm in total agreement that AIOs are a waste of money for most everyone, but these are I think the best neutral-standpoint reasons:
- more expensive: I would not want to use a water AIO below $100, while a $50-60 heatsink is perfect for a mid-range system
- limited life: pumps break, water evaporates through the tubes. heatpipes last forever.
- rare but very bad problems from companies loving up their water or metals
- not enough thermal / noise advantage to justify the above until you get into heavy OC of expensive CPUs

The other benefit of AIOs, and I think this is the main reason you see them in every tech youtuber's systems, is that they make CPU swaps into a very easy job. This is important when you're a tech reviewer doing something new to your PC every week, and nearly useless for everyone else.

People like the trendy thing. Watercooling was the mark of high end enthusiast builds for a long time, so they've got a lot of cachet.

And then you combine it with the other trend, RGB visible from space, and you have a very popular product.

One thing I would point out is that because AIOs have most of their bulk away from the motherboard, there's way less poo poo to get in in the way. I recently did a build with a NH-D15S w/ an extra fan and by the end of it I was considering going for an AIO for any future build just so I don't have to worry about RAM clearances, or deal with motherboard screws or plugs being blocked by a huge piece of metal.

# ¿ Sep 10, 2020 01:28

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

literally this big posted:

I'm looking for a case to start my build and I've heard good things about the Meshify C. What else should I be considering for a id-size case? I like it's mesh design, it's got good circulation which is important for me.

The Meshify C is pretty much the go-to suggestion for cases around here, just add 2 1400mm fans in front for good circulation. I will say it's only flaws are that its cable management isn't that great, and the front panel is a bitch to get off.

Also, an underrated feature is that Fractal Design sells colored front panels that you can mix and match for some cool color combos without relying on RGB LEDs.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2020 09:00

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Badger of Basra posted:

I've been having this problem with the case I want, is there a better way to make sure I get it besides notifications from Amazon? I've gotten a few but the problem is they come at 4am and by the time I wake up they're sold out again.

You can set up a tracker on nowinstock.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2020 02:24

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

CapnAndy posted:

loving with magnets is dangerous, but a magnetic screwdriver might help.

Magnetic screwdrivers aren't powerful enough to gently caress up modern electronics. Especially if the PC is turned off.

# ¿ Sep 17, 2020 05:03

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Badger of Basra posted:

I have all the components for my new build lined up except the video card, since like everyone else I couldn't get a 3080 today. I was thinking about getting an EVGA 2070 and then doing the step-up to the 3080, but wanted a sanity check that this makes sense based on how the program works. My understanding is that so long as I register the card when I get it and then submit a claim for a 3080 within 90 days (and the 3080 is on the list of things I can claim, which it is right now) I'm good?

Yes exactly. At that point you'll wait in line until they can reserve a card for you, and don't have to worry about the 90 day period anymore. Once they have a card, they'll contact you to send in your old one, up until then feel free to use the 2070.

# ¿ Sep 18, 2020 02:10

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Anyone know of a good 1 TB SATA M.2 SSD? I want to replace the lovely 256 GB SSD in my laptop and maybe upgrade the memory.

# ¿ Sep 26, 2020 03:43

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Mu Zeta posted:

You could have saved $100 with a Ryzen 3600 since it has almost identical performance. But my only real problem is that it just feels weird getting a liquid cooler with the Meshify C. I know that it works fine but the Meshify just feels intended for 100% air cooling. Liquid cooling a Meshify is like putting mayonnaise on a hot dog.

Radiators need airflow too, especially for a front-mounted set up.

Fauxtool posted:

mayo on hotdogs is great, a ton of countries do it.

Mods?!

# ¿ Sep 26, 2020 21:40

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

redpleb posted:

also, what's a good way to transfer data off old drives? I've got 2 1TB harddrives I've had from 2 computers ago that are still going strong, but I think it's time to retire them and I just want to get my steam libraries off them and maybe a couple of other things. would I be better off plugging them into the new pc after it's built and doing the transfer manually or is there a better way?

I'd just get a new 2+ TB drive now, transfer whatever you want off the old drives. Then carry over the new drive when you build your new PC and chuck/sell/recycle the old drives.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2020 07:57

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

redpleb posted:

I already have a 3TB external hard drive, is there an easy way to back up to that in preparation for the move?

There are backup programs out there, but in your case I'd just copy/paste the files.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2020 08:20

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Sab669 posted:

Are refurbished EVGA cards eligible for the Step Up program? I might just buy a 2070 so that I can play Cyberpunk at a reasonable FPS and then try to step up to a 30-series card, since it seems unlikely I'll get one before mid-November.

Generally, only products with a 3-year warranty are eligible for Step-Up. Refurbished and B-stock usually only have a 1-year warranty.

# ¿ Oct 17, 2020 21:59

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Boxman posted:

So what's the deal with water coolers? Just massive overkill for the vast majority of builds?

For AIOs they're strictly worse than large air coolers until you get to 2 or 3 fan ones, and even then they're way more expensive and less reliable than air cooling.

For custom loops, they are much more effective than air but are insanely expensive, takes a lot of work to set up, and require regular maintenance. It's only really done for extreme overclocking, or for the craft of it, and irrelevant to 99% of people's builds.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2020 02:51

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Tremors posted:

One thing I didn't think of before I ordered my parts, what's the state of factory applied thermal paste these days? I believe the cooler I ordered comes with some, but if it's worth spending a few bucks to put something better on I'm all for it. The cooler is this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087VM7HT2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_UDv1FbDJ89TTA

Unless you're doing stuff like de-lidding or extreme overclocking, where every degree counts, the paste that comes with the cooler should be just fine.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2020 01:56

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Hutzpah posted:

What's the best way to get a cheap windows install nowadays?

Right here.

# ¿ Jan 11, 2021 06:02

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

I recently swapped out a SATA M.2 SSD from my laptop for a bigger one, and was thinking of sticking it in the spare M.2 slot on my desktop's motherboard. This should work right? I have an NVME drive in the other slot, but I'm not sure if these M.2 slots are backwards compatible.

Also, should I buy one of those aftermarket M.2 heatsinks? My other M.2 drive has a cover with a thermal pad on and it still hits 45 C, and this second one will sit right underneath my GPU's giant heatsink.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2021 07:53

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

TimWinter posted:

I'm very interested in grabbing a couple of RTX3060's at launch for retail. Do these generally drop in brick and mortars? Is there any way I can up my chances using the old ways, camping outside of gamestop the night before the wii launch?

Yes I asked a very similar question two pages ago... but I've only decided since then it's even more important that I get this right.

From how things are going you'd be lucky to find a store in your state with 3060s, and even if you do they'll 100% be 1 per customer.

Why do want 2? If it's for SLI, then only 3090s can even do it and most things don't even support it anymore.

# ¿ Jan 20, 2021 05:05

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Boba Pearl posted:

The fan for my Ryzen 5 5600X doesn't show up in HardwareMonitor, but when I open the case I can see that it is spinning, ontop of that, When I play Dragon Ball FighterZ and ONLY Dragon Ball FighterZ, it crashes after a few minutes, a hard crash where the whole system resets. This doesn't happen in Death Stranding or Tekken 7, is there a good benchmarking tool that could help narrow down what's going on?

Here's what it's showing me

Try HWiNFO, Hardware Monitor is garbage now because they don't show detailed info on newer CPUs unless you pony up for their premium version.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2021 07:35

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

Boxman posted:

Needle nose pliers or a pair of tweezers always come in handy when I�m working in my case. I either drop a screw someplace dumb or could use a bit more room to see when I�m plugging some long delicate in.

A magnetic grabber tool is also super useful for this sort of thing.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2021 02:40

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

mA posted:

Is there a generally agreed upon "best" GPU support bracket? I was installing a new fan on my cooler today and I noticed that my GPU is starting to show signs of sagging :/ and I think i should probably invest in one.

I got recommended this one, and it's worked well for me. Though it may take some fiddling with the rubber bits to get a good fit on your specific GPU.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2021 07:41

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 08:00

Neo_Crimson: Aug 15, 2011; "Is that your final dandy?"

mA posted:

Noctua's fanless CPU cooler is available for preorder. https://www.newegg.com/p/2RM-001D-001D0

gently caress this, what happened to that Noctua desk fan?

# ¿ Jun 7, 2021 15:41

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