[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How to Build an Energy-Efficient and Quiet Gaming PC here

[ChristopherStSauveur]

The more and more systems I build the more and more attention i put into which case to buy

i think its an important part of your build

[tonyatn]

"GOOD LUCK" in trying to make me buy a $500 graphics card.

[GraysonPeddie]

Are there any good Micro ATX cases with acoustic foam in it? It would be nice if I could have a motherboard upside down and make use of SilverStone Air Penetrator (large = better at slow speed) for good cooling performance.

I'm not planning to build a high-end PC, but I do have a couple of components that I'd like to spec:

ASUS F1A75-M PRO FM1 Motherboard

AMD A8-3870K Unlocked Llano 3.0GHz Socket FM1 APU

G.SKILL ECO 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 Memory

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM Hard Drive (Data)

Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR60GB 2.5" 60GB Solid State Drive (Linux)

SeaSonic SS-300ES Bronze 300W

Flash Drive (I have no need for DVD-Burner and this costs nothing for me.)

So, this will come up to $533 at the time of writing, but prices of parts may vary month-by-month.

Of course, I could do some gaming, but that would mean Windows as I'd like to play The Last Remnant that I got for my laptop that runs at 1280x720 with medium quality settings. I'm used to blocky graphics and text, since I don't think I'll care to see the difference between 1280x720 and 1920x1080 in a 50" screen at medium quality settings. I'm pretty much visually impaired, though, but it did not stop me from playing The Last Remnant.

But what I thought I might do is wait for the next generation accelerated processor units from AMD that is suppose to bring more performance (probably I'd go with A10 if it's available).

[oldnuke69]

What is the point of using Windows Ultimate or Professional when you are sticking with 16 GB or less of memory?

[GeorgeCervantes]

tonyatn, on 23 May 2012 - 12:53 PM, said:

"GOOD LUCK" in trying to make me buy a $500 graphics card.

Exactly... $300 is pushing it.

Then $500 something for an SSD... pshh. Faster load times are not worth that much to me.

[RobbRyan]

oldnuke69, on 24 May 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

What is the point of using Windows Ultimate or Professional when you are sticking with 16 GB or less of memory?

Quite simply, to allow for future memory upgrades. With Home Premium, 16GB is the maximum, so there's no possibility to upgrade in the future, once 8GB DDR3 DIMMs become readily available AND affordable. With Ultimate/Professional, you can (theoretically) max your system out at 192GB RAM. I say "theoretically" only because, at this point in time, due to current DDR3 DIMM limitations & cost, it is physically impossible to achieve this ceiling. While gamers would never have need of...or even be able to use...this much system memory (or even 64GB RAM), graphics professionals openly welcome systems containing 24+GB of RAM.

[YellowEagle]

Case modders have been using this foam sound proofing for years, you can buy it in most online parts stores. Even water cooled systems benefit, they do a a few fans in them to.

[jonarosen]

RobbRyan, on 28 May 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

oldnuke69, on 24 May 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

What is the point of using Windows Ultimate or Professional when you are sticking with 16 GB or less of memory?

Quite simply, to allow for future memory upgrades. With Home Premium, 16GB is the maximum, so there's no possibility to upgrade in the future, once 8GB DDR3 DIMMs become readily available AND affordable. With Ultimate/Professional, you can (theoretically) max your system out at 192GB RAM. I say "theoretically" only because, at this point in time, due to current DDR3 DIMM limitations & cost, it is physically impossible to achieve this ceiling. While gamers would never have need of...or even be able to use...this much system memory (or even 64GB RAM), graphics professionals openly welcome systems containing 24+GB of RAM.

The other thing that you're forgetting, is that often the Windows OS counts VIDEO CARD RAM in it's main RAM allotment. So, 16gm RAM on the mobo + 1-2 GB RAM on the Video Card, means 17 or 18 GB RAM. For the truly hardcore gamers, or the high-power photoshop/video-shop editors, may use 2 video cards, increasing the RAM total even more.
Of course, if you find one of the semi-rare motherboards with 6 RAM chipsets, 6x4 is 24.. and again, add in 1 or 2 video cards and the RAM on them, knocks it up even higher. Already going well beyond 16GB

[waldojim]

jonarosen, on 29 May 2012 - 08:54 AM, said:

RobbRyan, on 28 May 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

oldnuke69, on 24 May 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

What is the point of using Windows Ultimate or Professional when you are sticking with 16 GB or less of memory?

Quite simply, to allow for future memory upgrades. With Home Premium, 16GB is the maximum, so there's no possibility to upgrade in the future, once 8GB DDR3 DIMMs become readily available AND affordable. With Ultimate/Professional, you can (theoretically) max your system out at 192GB RAM. I say "theoretically" only because, at this point in time, due to current DDR3 DIMM limitations & cost, it is physically impossible to achieve this ceiling. While gamers would never have need of...or even be able to use...this much system memory (or even 64GB RAM), graphics professionals openly welcome systems containing 24+GB of RAM.

The other thing that you're forgetting, is that often the Windows OS counts VIDEO CARD RAM in it's main RAM allotment. So, 16gm RAM on the mobo + 1-2 GB RAM on the Video Card, means 17 or 18 GB RAM. For the truly hardcore gamers, or the high-power photoshop/video-shop editors, may use 2 video cards, increasing the RAM total even more.
Of course, if you find one of the semi-rare motherboards with 6 RAM chipsets, 6x4 is 24.. and again, add in 1 or 2 video cards and the RAM on them, knocks it up even higher. Already going well beyond 16GB

No it does not. Windows separates that ram on 64bit systems. Microsoft is software limiting the SYSTEM RAM to 16GB, nothing else. The only reason this issue EVER came up, was on 32bit systems where that was not an option - because the hardware doesn't allow it. If you have a 32bit address space to work in, that is all you have.

[YellowEagle]

One of the things that has always bugged me and people thinking they need multi dozens of gig's of Ram is. That most people don't.

Only if your into Massive Media Programming and or compiling, or decompiling a lot of heavy programming.

Example: Say decompiling maps or recompiling them like in games could i see needing so much ram.

1. Games just don't use that much ram to play and neither does the system. Game development on the other hand does. Unless you are a script kiddie.

2. The More ram you have over time you will notice a slow down in your system. Ram use to be a way to speed up a system. Store bought systems came out with just what it needed to run, add some ram and it's off to the track. Not so anymore. Add just what you need to do what you do and your fine.

3. Ram is only used so files are put there for the system to access quicker then having to read and write from the HHD on a constant basis. Being that hard drives are the bottle neck in almost all computer systems. Due to read and write times.

Even SSD's haven't really fixed that. They give you a little bit faster Boot time is about it. and don't have the Longevity of the mechanical drives, plus cost considerably more.

I run 4 sticks of dual rated ram, and i play the best games on the market. Without even a stutter. Wide open. It's really about system configuration, and having a system configured right. I also Mod games.

For each thread of your CPU 2 gig's is about max you would need for read and write process's. Now when media and games really start to be written for 64 bit that might change. There are very few games that are 64 bit. And most app's are still in 32 bit. Though in the next few years that is suppose to change.

So why do people think they need to have 20 or 40 or 100 gigs of ram? just to do everyday stuff or play some games or watch some movies on their systems? I run into this with some of my customers were they had read that their system can use 32 gig's of ram. But they only surf the net.

And @oldnuke69
32 bit systems only can access about 3 1/2 gig's of ram whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional, you have to have a 64 bit OS to access all of the ram Whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional. You would never be able to use 16 gig's of ram on a 32 bit system it can't access it all. the rest just sets there in the slot. Though if you don't run a video card then the on-board video will use part of it, but only what it was designed to access.

Now back to the article. Personally i like the quieter systems, i have several systems always running and have one that sounds like a hover craft, when you sit next to it. yeah it's a gaming system. But thinking of going to a water cooled system to quieting it down, as i like the case.

[waldojim]

YellowEagle, on 30 May 2012 - 09:18 AM, said:

One of the things that has always bugged me and people thinking they need multi dozens of gig's of Ram is. That most people don't.

Only if your into Massive Media Programming and or compiling, or decompiling a lot of heavy programming.

Example: Say decompiling maps or recompiling them like in games could i see needing so much ram.

1. Games just don't use that much ram to play and neither does the system. Game development on the other hand does. Unless you are a script kiddie.

2. The More ram you have over time you will notice a slow down in your system. Ram use to be a way to speed up a system. Store bought systems came out with just what it needed to run, add some ram and it's off to the track. Not so anymore. Add just what you need to do what you do and your fine.

3. Ram is only used so files are put there for the system to access quicker then having to read and write from the HHD on a constant basis. Being that hard drives are the bottle neck in almost all computer systems. Due to read and write times.

Even SSD's haven't really fixed that. They give you a little bit faster Boot time is about it. and don't have the Longevity of the mechanical drives, plus cost considerably more.

I run 4 sticks of dual rated ram, and i play the best games on the market. Without even a stutter. Wide open. It's really about system configuration, and having a system configured right. I also Mod games.

For each thread of your CPU 2 gig's is about max you would need for read and write process's. Now when media and games really start to be written for 64 bit that might change. There are very few games that are 64 bit. And most app's are still in 32 bit. Though in the next few years that is suppose to change.

So why do people think they need to have 20 or 40 or 100 gigs of ram? just to do everyday stuff or play some games or watch some movies on their systems? I run into this with some of my customers were they had read that their system can use 32 gig's of ram. But they only surf the net.

And @oldnuke69
32 bit systems only can access about 3 1/2 gig's of ram whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional, you have to have a 64 bit OS to access all of the ram Whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional. You would never be able to use 16 gig's of ram on a 32 bit system it can't access it all. the rest just sets there in the slot. Though if you don't run a video card then the on-board video will use part of it, but only what it was designed to access.

Now back to the article. Personally i like the quieter systems, i have several systems always running and have one that sounds like a hover craft, when you sit next to it. yeah it's a gaming system. But thinking of going to a water cooled system to quieting it down, as i like the case.

SSDs are doing FAR more than just faster boot times. As long as you don't buy junk that is. Go out, and grab an OCZ Vertex drive, one that pushes SATA controllers to their limits, and come back with "it only helps boot times". I will guarantee you have more than a few people question your sanity.

[YellowEagle]

waldojim, on 30 May 2012 - 10:09 AM, said:

YellowEagle, on 30 May 2012 - 09:18 AM, said:

One of the things that has always bugged me and people thinking they need multi dozens of gig's of Ram is. That most people don't.

Only if your into Massive Media Programming and or compiling, or decompiling a lot of heavy programming.

Example: Say decompiling maps or recompiling them like in games could i see needing so much ram.

1. Games just don't use that much ram to play and neither does the system. Game development on the other hand does. Unless you are a script kiddie.

2. The More ram you have over time you will notice a slow down in your system. Ram use to be a way to speed up a system. Store bought systems came out with just what it needed to run, add some ram and it's off to the track. Not so anymore. Add just what you need to do what you do and your fine.

3. Ram is only used so files are put there for the system to access quicker then having to read and write from the HHD on a constant basis. Being that hard drives are the bottle neck in almost all computer systems. Due to read and write times.

Even SSD's haven't really fixed that. They give you a little bit faster Boot time is about it. and don't have the Longevity of the mechanical drives, plus cost considerably more.

I run 4 sticks of dual rated ram, and i play the best games on the market. Without even a stutter. Wide open. It's really about system configuration, and having a system configured right. I also Mod games.

For each thread of your CPU 2 gig's is about max you would need for read and write process's. Now when media and games really start to be written for 64 bit that might change. There are very few games that are 64 bit. And most app's are still in 32 bit. Though in the next few years that is suppose to change.

So why do people think they need to have 20 or 40 or 100 gigs of ram? just to do everyday stuff or play some games or watch some movies on their systems? I run into this with some of my customers were they had read that their system can use 32 gig's of ram. But they only surf the net.

And @oldnuke69
32 bit systems only can access about 3 1/2 gig's of ram whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional, you have to have a 64 bit OS to access all of the ram Whether Home, Premium, Ultimate or Professional. You would never be able to use 16 gig's of ram on a 32 bit system it can't access it all. the rest just sets there in the slot. Though if you don't run a video card then the on-board video will use part of it, but only what it was designed to access.

Now back to the article. Personally i like the quieter systems, i have several systems always running and have one that sounds like a hover craft, when you sit next to it. yeah it's a gaming system. But thinking of going to a water cooled system to quieting it down, as i like the case.

SSDs are doing FAR more than just faster boot times. As long as you don't buy junk that is. Go out, and grab an OCZ Vertex drive, one that pushes SATA controllers to their limits, and come back with "it only helps boot times". I will guarantee you have more than a few people question your sanity.

Really my system boots in about 40 seconds now, plenty fast enough for me.This is my Windows system. And i don't have a SSD, and as i also said the cost. Most people just can't afford it in this economy to spurge on a SSD. And only the Higher end ones really help at all. But a few seconds one way or the other doesn't matter to me.

My Windows System boots almost as fast as my Linux system does. Is that insanity a few seconds for a few hundred bucks? Sounds like insanity to throw money away to me. On tech that has about 2 to 3 years of service for a few seconds of boot time. Now when the Tech is perfected and the cost comes way down then i might see it.

This post has been edited by YellowEagle: 30 May 2012 - 10:25 AM

[waldojim]

YellowEagle, on 30 May 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

Really my system boots in about 40 seconds now, plenty fast enough for me.This is my Windows system. And i don't have a SSD, and as i also said the cost. Most people just can't afford it in this economy to spurge on a SSD. And only the Higher end ones really help at all. But a few seconds one way or the other doesn't matter to me.

My Windows System boots almost as fast as my Linux system does. Is that insanity a few seconds for a few hundred bucks? Sounds like insanity to throw money away to me. On tech that has about 2 to 3 years of service for a few seconds of boot time. Now when the Tech is perfected and the cost comes way down then i might see it.

Most of us don't care about boot times. We care about how APPLICATIONS behave. SSD's allow applications to load so quickly it almost seems like the machine read your mind. It even helps games out in the same way. Imagine having next to no load times on games that are already rocking 40second+ load times. That is the power of an SSD.

[MiMo]

There is no way, no how I'd build a gaming PC for over
$2000. There's simply more cost efficient options than dropping that much into a gaming rig.

Skip the i7, SSD, W7U, and mobo and you can build a win gamer with everything for
$2000 or less. Monitor, kb, mouse included.

[waldojim]

MiMo, on 30 May 2012 - 09:58 PM, said:

There is no way, no how I'd build a gaming PC for over
$2000. There's simply more cost efficient options than dropping that much into a gaming rig.

Skip the i7, SSD, W7U, and mobo and you can build a win gamer with everything for
$2000 or less. Monitor, kb, mouse included.

with $2000, you can still get an SSD. Though, I am curious how you are going to create any kind of functional rig with no motherboard...

[MiMo]

waldojim, on 30 May 2012 - 10:20 PM, said:

MiMo, on 30 May 2012 - 09:58 PM, said:

There is no way, no how I'd build a gaming PC for over
$2000. There's simply more cost efficient options than dropping that much into a gaming rig.

Skip the i7, SSD, W7U, and mobo and you can build a win gamer with everything for
$2000 or less. Monitor, kb, mouse included.

with $2000, you can still get an SSD. Though, I am curious how you are going to create any kind of functional rig with no motherboard...

lol. Good catch. I mean a lower cost mobo. I decent mobo can be had from gigabyte for well under $200.

I am warming up to SSD, but the cost is still too high for 2004 size space.
But, I guess it's what your budget is and what you're willing to spend.

[suitter11]

Where do you buy the components? Can't find the DDR3 Ram recommended.

[LiveBrianD]

MiMo, on 30 May 2012 - 09:58 PM, said:

There is no way, no how I'd build a gaming PC for over
$2000. There's simply more cost efficient options than dropping that much into a gaming rig.

Skip the i7, SSD, W7U, and mobo and you can build a win gamer with everything for
$2000 or less. Monitor, kb, mouse included.

Even with that, you can probably build a good gaming machine for $2K. For instance:
Antec Three Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with Upgraded 2 x USB 3.0 $70
Western Digital AV-GP WD20EURS 2TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $130 (for data)
EVGA 012-P3-1571-KR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ... $280
SeaSonic M12II 620 Bronze 620W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply $90
Logitech G510 Black USB Wired Gaming Keyboard $100
Logitech G300 Black/Gray 9 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Gaming Mouse $36
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL8D-8GBXM $75
ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS $145
Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I73770K $360 (this doesn't mean that the 3770K is a great choice on a budget though)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM $100
LITE-ON Black 12X Blu-ray Burner with Blu Ray 3D Feature SATA IHBS112-04 - OEM $75
SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256B/WW 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) $275
HP 2511x Black 25" Full HD LED BackLight LCD Monitor Slim Design $270

There - an i7, nice large SSD, good motherboard (though not super-expensive), though no Windows 7 Ultimate (a waste of money anyway), for $2K. WITH a nice monitor, keyboard, and mouse included.

[IvanGradjansky]

I'm building my first gaming computer and I'd like some help so could more qualified people say what you think of these parts, I need to stay under 1k and the monitor is $139 all of if it is from newegg.com and so far its $754.22 including the monitor but not the OS, what should I change, also I need Windows probably get windows 7is this build good, and sorry it's so long.
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM

APEX TX-381-C Black Steel Micro ATX Tower Computer Case

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

BIOSTAR A780L3B AM3 AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

APEX AL-D500EXP 500W ATX12V Power Supply

CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9

AMD Athlon II X3 455 Rana 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX455WFGMBOX