General PC Help Thread - OP updated with useful links - READ

[Green Gecko]

Having loads of USB sockets on a screen is pretty useful to avoid a rats nest. Currently I have just 2 cables coming from my PC up to desk and then kbm is in the screen with room for usb drives and headsets etc conveniently at desk height. Much clearer especially if the screen has got cable management, which my old LG does. I hate loads of cables running off the edges of the desk, this way you channel them through one place and can tie them up into a conduit going to monitor, including kettle lead.

[Stugene]

Having loads of USB sockets on a screen is pretty useful to avoid a rats nest. Currently I have just 2 cables coming from my PC up to desk and then kbm is in the screen with room for usb drives and headsets etc conveniently at desk height. Much clearer especially if the screen has got cable management, which my old LG does. I hate loads of cables running off the edges of the desk, this way you channel them through one place and can tie them up into a conduit going to monitor, including kettle lead.

Just don't use them for mounting external hard drives. When you're performing a 9hr transfer. And you switch off the monitor and go to bed.

[Green Gecko]

Yeah that. They're often appallingly slow for some reason.

[That's not a growth]

Samsung are bringing out a 27" 4K screen for ~£450 this month.

It's a TN panel but supposed to be excellent.

God I would love to have 2 of those, if it really is true about the quality. Shame I have no money.

[HM]

I'm actually get tempted to do an upgrade on my system. Been looking at the following:

Corsair Graphite Series 730T Full Tower Gaming Case - I want a big tower case and I like everything about this, bar the light fans at the front

Corsair Hydro Series H110 280mm High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler

Corsair AX 860W Fully Modular 80+ Platinum Power Supply

and another Gigabyte Nvidia GTX 770 OC 2GB Fan PCI-E Graphics Card to SLI.

Anyone got recommendations on a similar case, that can fit that liquid cooler? I like my fractal r3, just not enough space in there.

Liquid cooler, nothing can possibly go wrong here then I'm gona try overclocking my cpu, again nothing can go wrong there

[Stugene]

I'm actually get tempted to do an upgrade on my system. Been looking at the following:

Corsair Graphite Series 730T Full Tower Gaming Case - I want a full tower case and I like everything about this, bar the light fans at the front

Corsair Hydro Series H110 280mm High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler

Corsair AX 860W Fully Modular 80+ Platinum Power Supply

and another Gigabyte Nvidia GTX 770 OC 2GB Fan PCI-E Graphics Card to SLI.

Anyone got recommendations on a similar case, that can fit that liquid cooler? I like my fractal r3, just not enough space in there.

Liquid cooler, nothing can possibly go wrong here then I'm gona try overclocking my cpu, again nothing can go wrong there

The R3 (or maybe the R4) can fit a liquid cooler. The double rad ones just don't have correct holes in the top of the case. All you need to do is screw in two into the actual screw holes and the other ones into the metal lattice.

[HM]

looking at the corsair cases, there doesn't seem to be one that is the best of all their clever design choices. The 750D, 450D & 730t all seem good, but have one critical flaw. One has no dust filter at the top and instead chokes the fans where as the other two do have dust filters at the top. But then the 750d apparently chokes the fans at the front with it's poor front panel.

Can anyone recommend a large case, similar size to these corsair ones? My r3 but bigger? I just feel that if I put a liquid cooler, a big psu and 2 gpu's in there it would be absolutely choked for space and heat up like mad.

The 760t/730t seems the best, but then they done goofed with the panel at the top when their other cases have removable dust filters on the top.

EDIT - after watching a shitload of youtube vids on all potential cases, including some coolermaster's, I'm siding with the 730t. The lack of top dust cover is annoying/stupid, but it seems the best overall for what I want.

Now next question, is the h110 overkill for a liquid cooler? Or will the h90 do the job?

[systematic]

In your situation ideally you would want your setup to look like this:



The fans on your liquid cooler should be expelling air out of your case, so you won't need a dust filter at the top. Otherwise you're going to find that the lone 120mm fan at the back will have trouble removing all of the hot air from your non-reference GPUs which expel more hot air inside your case, towards the side panel.

My r3 but bigger? I just feel that if I put a liquid cooler, a big psu and 2 gpu's in there it would be absolutely choked for space and heat up like mad.

As far as temperature and noise are concerned, you'd be better off sticking to the R3 and using the side panel fan as an exhaust.

Now next question, is the h110 overkill for a liquid cooler? Or will the h90 do the job?

You're not going to notice the difference in temperatures much unless you do some serious CPU overclocking.

[HM]

Yeah the main issue with my R3 though is either the two gigabyte 770s will be squished together, or one will be right on top of the psu's fans. There just isn't enough room in the case for both I don't think.

But one potential route I'm thinking is a gtx 780 ti. The R3 was two top panels that are currently covered to reduce noise, I could remove them and install a liquid cooler possibly? So there are two fans pumping air out on top, then do what with the rear fan? Or possibly get a liquid cooler that just pumps air out the rear vent?

Would one 780 ti outperform two sli 770s?

[zXe]

what resolution are you looking to play games at? above 1920x1080?

[HM]

Yeah looking at a 27 inch monitor at 2560 x 1440 is it?

[zXe]

nope, 1080p is fine for me. just want to be able to run most games at a solid 60fps at 1080 than have my system stretched to achieve 1440p + etc resolutions. I can't afford to go for a monster level card that costs over 400 quid. even 350 is going beyond my limit really. so for me it's a 770 oc or possibly a 780 for around 350 ish price range. sli doesn't interest me either.

[Harry Bizzle]

You can get R9 290Xs quite cheaply at the moment.

[HSH28]

What kind of prices are you talking about, at launch time the £100 difference between the 290 and 290X I don't think was generally considered to be worth the extra money.

Also with that card you've got to consider the heat implications, I presume the ones that are cheaper don't have the best cooling solutions on them.

[LightSamus]

Quick problem I can't wrap my head around. I bought a new HDMI cable so I could connect my PC to my TV without having to move it across the room. Weirdly, the cable refuses to work with the PC, only showing the bios and startup sequence before the signal dies. It's not a dodgy cable however as I've tested it with games consoles and it's fine. And on the flipside, other HDMI cables display the PC on the TV fine. No idea what's going on :S

[Stugene]

Quick problem I can't wrap my head around. I bought a new HDMI cable so I could connect my PC to my TV without having to move it across the room. Weirdly, the cable refuses to work with the PC, only showing the bios and startup sequence before the signal dies. It's not a dodgy cable however as I've tested it with games consoles and it's fine. And on the flipside, other HDMI cables display the PC on the TV fine. No idea what's going on :S

Plug in your monitor and tv at the same time. Then set up the tv with your graphics card drivers.

[1cmanny1]

If I want to get a SSD, are Samsung really the only option? Should I stay away from other brands?

[HSH28]

If I want to get a SSD, are Samsung really the only option? Should I stay away from other brands?

I don't think there's anything wrong with Crucial, but it mostly depends what model you get I think.

The really expensive Intel SSDs are supposed to be the best I think. But like I said they'll probably be out of your price range.

[zXe]

Intel/Samsung/Crucial seem to be the best. I have a 250gb Samsung EVO and I have zero issues with it. Performs very fast and good support.

[Green Gecko]

The Samsung ssds in four machines at work have been flawless for over a year and they weren't expensive.