Building a gaming PC

[BlackWolf500.298]

So guys, that's it.... Should be ready to go.

MSI Z97 Gaming 6 Mainboard
Intel Core i5 4690k 3,5Ghz
8 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 Ram
MSI Nvidia Geforce GTX 970 (TwinFrozer Gaming Edition)
WD Blue 1TB HDD
650W Enermax Triathlor PSU
Big Tower Case (Thermaltake Chaser MK1)

Got my new rig running. And just in time. Was just getting to Vizima with my TW1 Let's Play and the framerate drops where HORRIBLE with my old PC. Here is hoping the new one does it better.

Ran tests with Prime95 (CPU/MB stresstest, 1 hour, no errors) and Uingine Heaven (graphic benchmark, on ultra, average of 40 fps with tesselation on extreme, v-sync on and AA x8, temperature of GPU 52 °C)

Also ran some games. TW1 (with recording via NvidiaShadowplay) 90+ FPS (50+ but fluctuating with Fraps). That game is so badly optimized -.- (no offense CDPR).

Anyway, considering I am planning on doing a full blown LP on TW3 and since I am probably going to buy some additional case fans anyway I thought I'd ask you if you think that a second hard drive (either a Wester Digital Blue 1TB (6 Gb/sm 64MB Cache) or a Western Digital Black (6Gb/s 64MB Cache) (difference is that the Black is said to be created for HighEnd applications such as games or video rendering)) in order to record gameplay footage onto this second hard drive instead of playing and recording on the same hard drive would significantly increase my performance while recording. I am planning on getting 1080p 60fps footage on (at least) high graphics settings. I also though about a portable HDD in so I would be able to immediately take the video footage and transfer it to my old PC where I could do the rendering and uploading (so my new rig is free for other applications), but I do not know if a portable HDD with USB3.0 has high enough data transfer rates for Fraps or Nvidia Shadowplay recordings, since those video files are normally HUGE.

Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the video!
So is the Asus the best one because of its higher memory?

Well, not only the Asus. Considering other manufacturers also have higher memory (4GB VRAM).
I'd recommend Asus, Gigabyte or MSI. Those are the best, they have the best performance, best general service and support software and the best cooling systems on the cards. Just look that it is the 4GB model. I myself got a MSI GTX970.

Nvidia geforce 9800 GT. Which needless to say would not survive 2 seconds of TW3.

I'm feelin you bro, that is the card of my old Rig.
Most demanding games post-2012 don't work on this one.

 

[bannedbrother]

Dedicated Phys X card?

Hello Witchers, I was wondering what people are going to do for graphics in this game on PC? I currently have a GTX680 and was wondering if a 750ti would be a good call as dedicated Phys X? I cannot afford a new high end card at this time and was just wondering how to get the best within my existing setup really. I run a 3570K (4.4 OC), SSD and 16GB 1600 ram. Any ideas will be welcome. Thanks

 

[daviderasengan]

just wait for release! don't buy nothing atm....I tried to use a physx dedicated card(gtx 560ti) + main card (gtx 970 windforce) in batman ac and there aren't really good differences! it runs 10%better but there is higher temp ...

 

[bannedbrother]

thanks for the reply....i know the 680 will run it well, but thought phys x card would make it even better. i think i will wait for reviews in that regard.

 

[KnightofPhoenix]

I think I will wait for release as well to see people's feedback on which card is most cost-effective.

 

[M4xw0lf]

I think I will wait for release as well to see people's feedback on which card is most cost-effective.

The best strategy involves waiting for ~mid of June, when both AMD and Nvidia will release new cards (AMD Fiji aka R9 390(X) / Geforce 980 Ti). This will probably increase price pressure on existing GTX 970 / 980 as well as R9 290(X) cards.

 

[KnightofPhoenix]

....but can I survive that long....

I will have to disappear from the forums entirely to avoid spoilers. It's something to consider.

 

[eskiMoe]

I think I will wait for release as well to see people's feedback on which card is most cost-effective.

If you're on a budget that's a good decision. Be sure to check DigitalFoundry for an in-depth performance analysis after the release.

 

[Jobbert.907]

Do you guys have any experience with ASUS GPU Tweak? If so, have any tips for the fan speed? Should I leave it on auto, or put it on a manual speed? Or do you guys use another program for that kind of stuff?

 

[eskiMoe]

Or do you guys use another program for that kind of stuff?

MSI Afterburner.

 

[Asmodean778]

Do you guys have any experience with ASUS GPU Tweak? If so, have any tips for the fan speed? Should I leave it on auto, or put it on a manual speed? Or do you guys use another program for that kind of stuff?

I'd typically recommend using the software from your cards' manufacturer. Sometimes the non-reference cards can have 'extras' in their design, and can only be completely compatible with their own software suite. Obviously this isn't the case most of the time.

If your choosen card partner (if non-reference) has it's own software(most do), use that. If it doesn't just use Afterburner, as it's overall the most compatible, with cards in general. Plus it's been out the longest, so people are accustomed to it.

Example: I'm currently using GPU Tweak, because I've got a Asus 970 Strix. I've got a fan profile setup, like below(example)

View attachment 13845

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

I use MSI Afterburner for my MSI graphic card and motherboard.

I adjusted fan speed based on temperature (a little higher than the standard config) and I like the program to have an OSD (On Screen Display*) of GPU temperature, usage, fan speed (in %) as well as CPU temp, CPU usage and Memory usage.
Overclocking your GPU is also easier that way.

I normally recommend using either the most recommended "general software" for a specific type of card (Nvidia / AMD) or (even better) the tool of the company your GPU is from (in my case MSI)

 

[GuyNwah]

MSI Afterburner is the successor to Alexei Nicolaychuk's well-known Rivatuner. Despite its name, it is not proprietary to MSI, nor does it preferentially support MSI cards.

ASUS GPU Tweak is also not specific to ASUS cards. Between the two, choose the one that meets your needs better.

For AMD cards, consider RadeonPro as an alternative.

 

[wichat]

Maybe I'm a little off topic but this TW3 game has an odd and unknown(till now for me) powerful influence on me. I never did a CE pre-order before. I've done it for TW3 (sadly Gamesopt canceled all orders in Spain). I've never updated my PC regarding for game specs. I've done it for TW3.

And, no. I'm not very interest about other games based in it high requirements....

What kind of spell cursed my will?

 

[volsung]

Maybe I'm a little off topic but this TW3 game has an odd and unknown(till now for me) powerful influence on me. I never did a CE pre-order before. I've done it for TW3 (sadly Gamesopt canceled all orders in Spain). I've never updated my PC regarding for game specs. I've done it for TW3.

And, no. I'm not very interest about other games based in it high requirements....

What kind of spell cursed my will?

I've been upgrading my computer for the Witcher since early 2008, so it's kind of a tradition now.

It's alright though. PC games are a fine form of entertainment and all Witcher games so far push the limits of their respective game generation, meaning your Witcher-ready (tm) computer will last for a whole 4 years or so playing other games on Ultra or Very High.

Nowadays I rarely buy physical copies of games anymore, I'm almost 100% digital. And I hunt for sales. I haven't paid 60 dollars for a game in ages, except for crowdfunded games (much more for TTON ). So I don't feel so bad for shelling out 150 for a Witcher CE. The Witcher is almost part of who I am now. If Baldur's Gate defined my teenage years, The Witcher did the same for my 20's.

I think The Witcher has a special meaning for you so why not treat yourself, right?

 

[wichat]

I've been upgrading my computer for the Witcher since early 2008, so it's kind of a tradition now.

It's alright though. PC games are a fine form of entertainment and all Witcher games so far push the limits of their respective game generation, meaning your Witcher-ready (tm) computer will last for a whole 4 years or so playing other games on Ultra or Very High.

Nowadays I rarely buy physical copies of games anymore, I'm almost 100% digital. And I hunt for sales. I haven't paid 60 dollars for a game in ages, except for crowdfunded games (much more for TTON ). So I don't feel so bad for shelling out 150 for a Witcher CE. The Witcher is almost part of who I am now. If Baldur's Gate defined my teenage years, The Witcher did the same for my 20's.

I think The Witcher has a special meaning for you so why not treat yourself, right?

Dammit. Perhaps I needed that someone else say what I already knew. I don't know if you know what I mean In someway you've remembered me why I love The Wtichers. Gracias, ha sido lindo leerlo

 

[Wolfsblvt]

Oh fuck, I have to wait for reviews too :-
Want to switch from AMD to NVIDIA now, but i am not sure what to get. At the moment I am thinking about the GTX Titan X (wich is kinda crazy ), the 980, or two 970.
I am watercooling my card

So is it sure that a new card will come in June?

 

[GuyNwah]

Oh fuck, I have to wait for reviews too :-
Want to switch from AMD to NVIDIA now, but i am not sure what to get. At the moment I am thinking about the GTX Titan X (wich is kinda crazy ), the 980, or two 970.
I am watercooling my card

So is it sure that a new card will come in June?

nVidia: (crickets)

Computex opens June 2. AMD is expected to announce a partially new, partially rebranded R9 300 line, including the R9 390X "Fiji" with 4Kbit-wide stacked RAM, 2048 shaders, and 8 TFlops.

 

[volsung]

Dammit. Perhaps I needed that someone else say what I already knew. I don't know if you know what I mean In someway you've remembered me why I love The Wtichers. Gracias, ha sido lindo leerlo

De nada! Yes I know what you mean and I remember the story behind it

Enjoy your new computer and TW3!

 

[M4xw0lf]

nVidia: (crickets)

Computex opens June 2. AMD is expected to announce a partially new, partially rebranded R9 300 line, including the R9 390X "Fiji" with 4Kbit-wide stacked RAM, 2048 shaders, and 8 TFlops.

Close.
Nvidia: 980Ti - pitted against Fiji, launched probably even before its counterpart.
AMD: Fiji comes with 4096 Shaders, the TFlops are supposedly correct though. It's also unclear yet whether Fiji will feature 4 or 8 GB vram... and 4 would be mighty small.