Personal computing discussed
Moderators: renee, mac_h8r1, Nelliesboo
K-L-Waster wrote:While I consider a GeForce GTX750Ti to be adequate for gaming at 1080p with some compromises, if you want excellent gaming performance with the eye candy at maximum and your budgets for watts and dollars both permit it, you probably want a better GPU.I want to completely demolish a PS4 or XB One gaming at 1080p on my existing HDTV and be able to turn all the eye candy on while maintaining good frame rates.
DPete27 wrote:...
***Also, the GD05 has clearance problems with the PCIe power connections for many high-end GPUs***
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LoneWolf15 wrote:I'm using a nMedia HTPC7000B mATX case that supports full-height cards. It's solid, and reasonably inexpensive, and looks good in a home theater environment. I also bought the exterior LCD as it looks cool, like real stereo gear, and can be set up to report things like CPU usage and temperature.
http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc7000b.htm
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K-L-Waster wrote:At least one forum gerbil has tried out this case design:A number of people have recommended mITX cases such as the Silverstone Raven RVZ01 mini-ITX case with 90° PCIe riser. Anyone built a system using one of these?
K-L-Waster wrote:There's the question of keeping a Radeon R9-290 fed with juice in an HTPC - seems it would need more power than an SFX power supply could deliver.
K-L-Waster wrote:Graphics Cards
This one is more of an existential dilemma than a question per se. Normally I tend to gravitate to NVidia cards... but OTOH, there are some positively screaming deals on R9 290 and 290X cards out there. (Seriously, AMD must be selling them at a loss at those price points - how can selling your flagship as a loss leader be good business? ) Sure, it's complete and utter overkill for 1080 gaming, but the value proposition is looking pretty good.
Of course, then there's the question of keeping a 290 fed with juice in an HTPC - seems it would need more power than an SFX power supply could deliver.
Hmmm.
DrDominodog51 wrote:I disagree.I'm not sure what you can find up there in Canada, but a GTX 770 would be a good alternative to the 290 if you can find one at a good price.
JustAnEngineer wrote:DrDominodog51 wrote:I disagree.I'm not sure what you can find up there in Canada, but a GTX 770 would be a good alternative to the 290 if you can find one at a good price.
http://techreport.com/review/27702/nvid ... eviewed/12
http://techreport.com/review/27067/nvid ... eviewed/13
http://techreport.com/review/25611/nvid ... eviewed/12
JustAnEngineer wrote:DrDominodog51 wrote:I disagree.I'm not sure what you can find up there in Canada, but a GTX 770 would be a good alternative to the 290 if you can find one at a good price.
http://techreport.com/review/27702/nvid ... eviewed/12
http://techreport.com/review/27067/nvid ... eviewed/13
http://techreport.com/review/25611/nvid ... eviewed/12
K-L-Waster wrote:CPU Coolers
Various people have recommended the Scythe Big Shuriken 2.b, Cooler Master GeminII M4, Silverstone AR06, Phanteks cooler. However, I have seen in Newegg reviews that some users have had trouble getting these low profile coolers to fit in mITX builds with RAM that has tall spreaders.
This may be a concern in my case as one option I am looking at is cannibalizing some Corsair 1600 RAM from my existing desktop (I have 16GB in a 4x4GB configuration, and in retrospect it looks like that much RAM has been unneccessary - so splitting half of it to the HTPC would be a good idea overall, allowing me to leverage some sunk cost). You guessed it, though, the RAM has some of those unnecessary spreaders (my only defense is the price was good when I got them....)
So, for anyone who has used the coolers above in a mITX build, how is the clearance with the RAM? This is less of a problem if I go mATX because there are the 2 extra RAM slots, so if I only use one pair the clearance won't be a problem but with mITX they either fit or they don't in the 2 slots available.
LoneWolf15 wrote:K-L-Waster wrote:CPU Coolers
Various people have recommended the Scythe Big Shuriken 2.b, Cooler Master GeminII M4, Silverstone AR06, Phanteks cooler. However, I have seen in Newegg reviews that some users have had trouble getting these low profile coolers to fit in mITX builds with RAM that has tall spreaders.
This may be a concern in my case as one option I am looking at is cannibalizing some Corsair 1600 RAM from my existing desktop (I have 16GB in a 4x4GB configuration, and in retrospect it looks like that much RAM has been unneccessary - so splitting half of it to the HTPC would be a good idea overall, allowing me to leverage some sunk cost). You guessed it, though, the RAM has some of those unnecessary spreaders (my only defense is the price was good when I got them....)
So, for anyone who has used the coolers above in a mITX build, how is the clearance with the RAM? This is less of a problem if I go mATX because there are the 2 extra RAM slots, so if I only use one pair the clearance won't be a problem but with mITX they either fit or they don't in the 2 slots available.
I actually own the Big Shuriken 2 rev.B for my HTPC. I have used it in an mATX setup. It has clearance for all four memory sockets, provided you don't use RAM with massive heatsinks like G.Skill RipJaws or Corsair Dominators. That said, mounting it with RAM installed is a painstaking process that takes a fair amount of patience. I'm currently using two standard-height (not low-profile, but no large heatsinks) 2GB DDR3 modules right now because it's enough for a media center, but I could load all four sockets if I wanted to.
Hopefully the information that it will work with four memory sockets in mATX will be an indicator that it should work with two in an mITX setup.
sweatshopking wrote:if you grab a quality 290 noise won't be a problem. I literally can't hear mine.
I don't think it's overkill for 1080p either. Lots of games can still punish it, and it'll only get older.
DPete27 wrote:the GD05: it appears Chrispy is having problems with almost any medium-high end card that has PCIe power on the "top" side (which is common location). As stated, he's already using "low-profile" PCIe power cables. I did however list a few med-high end GPUs that have PCIe power out the back. A sideways GPU orientation like the Raven or ML07 would seem to give you more flexibility with high-end cards though.
DPete27 wrote:CPU coolers: RAM with tall heat spreaders always have the potential to cause problems. I always recommend buying either low-profile DIMMs or ones with heatspreaders that don't stick up [too far] past the top of the PCB. All heatsinks are at least designed to accommodate "standard height" RAM. Do you have Corsair Vengeance RAM?
DPete27 wrote:GPU choice/case cooling: For SFF systems, lower power components is always a good idea. This may mean you need to focus more on performance/watt than performance/$. Some even say that a blower-style cooler is best for SFF cases because it exhausts hot air directly outside the case. The lower power (hence lower heat generation) GTX 960 would be a smart choice for a SFF case. Not saying the Raven or ML07 can't handle a 290/290x, thermal capabilities of cases is NOT solely dependent on volume. Also, the 290/290x are overkill for 1080p gaming.
DPete27 wrote:RAM with tall heat spreaders {is goofy.}
K-L-Waster wrote:The timing on that memory is quite slow (11 cycles). Let's find you some better memory from this list.I'll probably end up getting some standard height ram for the system - I was looking at this
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231645
JustAnEngineer wrote:DPete27 wrote:RAM with tall heat spreaders {is goofy.}K-L-Waster wrote:The timing on that memory is quite slow (11 cycles). Let's find you some better memory from this list.I'll probably end up getting some standard height ram for the system - I was looking at this
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231645
Ca$ 91 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 Mushkin 996995S (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 91 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 G.Skill F3-1600C9D-8GAO (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 91 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 Mushkin 997002 (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 91 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 GEiL GEL38GB1600C9DC (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 96 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 Corsair CML8GX3M2A1600C9 (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 96 2x4 GiB PC3-12800 Crucial BLS2KIT4G3D1609DS1S00 (DDR3-1600, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Ca$ 99 2x4 GiB PC3-14900 G.Skill F3-1866C9D-8GAB (DDR3-1866, CAS 9, 1.5 V)