KSP1 Computer Building/Buying Megathread

[Camacha]

26 minutes ago, cantab said:

More to the point, running OSX on non-Apple hardware is both technically and legally problematic. It's *possible*, sure, but I think most people with a need/want to run OSX are better off just getting a Mac.

I mean, if someone told me that I could get a great deal on some hardware but installing Linux (my chosen main OS for close to 15 years now) on it would be both unduly difficult and possibly unlawful, I'd probably walk away.

Or you could just take the obvious route and install Windows (or Linux, if that tickles your giggle).

[Jeb Coleman]

I found a laptop for $500that can run ksp with EVE and scatterer on high setting with about 30fps. When ram is upgraded two 16GB. Without mods and the settings lower it gets above 60fps. 

CPU i5-6200U

GPU Nvidia GeForce 940mx with 2GB GDDR5 

RAM 8GB upgraded to 32GB

256GB SSD

Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-53VG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GaoqybQT2A62Z

it also can play more demanding games like battlefield 1 on low settings with an average 40fps.

[steve_v]

3 hours ago, cantab said:

I think most people with a need/want to run OSX are better off just getting a Mac.

Please nobody take this as mac bashing... I'm curious: What is the need/want for OSX? I do remember it being a super-sexy UI when it first came out, and it is a unix... but If you want to run *nix why not just run GNU/Linux or BSD on any old hardware?
Does OSX have some uber-apps that Windows (still king of app compatibility IIRC) doesn't?
I kinda thought people run OSX because they like Mac hardware, rather than the inverse.

[Camacha]

1 hour ago, steve_v said:

Please nobody take this as mac bashing... I'm curious: What is the need/want for OSX? I do remember it being a super-sexy UI when it first came out, and it is a unix... but If you want to run *nix why not just run GNU/Linux or BSD on any old hardware?
Does OSX have some uber-apps that Windows (still king of app compatibility IIRC) doesn't?
I kinda thought people run OSX because they like Mac hardware, rather than the inverse.

5-10 years ago, OSX provided some options that made life easier if you did any professional graphics work. However, Apple has become more focussed on normal consumers and these advantages have vaporized or even gone to the competition.

Begrudgingly I have to admit Microsoft is trying hard to make a very good OS and ecosystem totally unserviceable in their own way. It really would all be pretty amazing if they did not belittle their users every step of the way. That includes professionals that are responsible for keeping an often legacy filled environment running.

[Mjp1050]

Hello, I have a question/thought experiment. I have two computers:

1. A desktop with 6 Gb of RAM, an AMD Quad-Core A6-3620 processor, and an AMD Radeon HD 6530D video card, running Windows 10.
2. A laptop with 8 Gb of RAM, an Intel i7-2620M processor, and an Intel HD Graphics 3000 video card, running Windows 7.

Based on these specs, which of the two computers should run KSP more smoothly?

[Elthy]

Thats realy hard to say. The 6530D is about twice as fast as the HD 3000, but the CPU is way slower. I would assume that the Intel CPU is better for higher Framerates if you turn the graphics all the way down...

[legoclone09]

8 hours ago, Mjp1050 said:

Hello, I have a question/thought experiment. I have two computers:

1. A desktop with 6 Gb of RAM, an AMD Quad-Core A6-3620 processor, and an AMD Radeon HD 6530D video card, running Windows 10.
2. A laptop with 8 Gb of RAM, an Intel i7-2620M processor, and an Intel HD Graphics 3000 video card, running Windows 7.

Based on these specs, which of the two computers should run KSP more smoothly?

The Intel is faster, but both won't really be fast because both have relatively slow clock speeds.

[GDJ]

12 hours ago, steve_v said:

Please nobody take this as mac bashing... I'm curious: What is the need/want for OSX? I do remember it being a super-sexy UI when it first came out, and it is a unix... but If you want to run *nix why not just run GNU/Linux or BSD on any old hardware?
Does OSX have some uber-apps that Windows (still king of app compatibility IIRC) doesn't?
I kinda thought people run OSX because they like Mac hardware, rather than the inverse.

For me I still use programs and applications dating back to the PPC days (G-series processors) and those programs simply don't exist out there in the WWW, or the new version in either OSX or Windows is hideously expensive. So I stick with Apple. Basically if it ain't broke, I don't look to fix it. 
Also after 21 years of Apple use, I guess I just stick to what I can pick apart and tweak.

Edited December 2, 2016 by GDJ

[Camacha]

7 hours ago, legoclone09 said:

The Intel is faster, but both won't really be fast because both have relatively slow clock speeds.

3,4 GHz on turbo for the i7 is not slow by any means. Of course, the chip is of an older generation, which certainly counts, but these chips hold up well.

7 hours ago, GDJ said:

For me I still use programs and applications dating back to the PPC days (G-series processors) and those programs simply don't exist out there in the WWW, or the new version in either OSX or Windows is hideously expensive.

You intrigue me. What kinds of programs are so very rare and obscure?

Edited December 2, 2016 by Camacha

[GDJ]

27 minutes ago, Camacha said:

You intrigue me. What kinds of programs are so very rare and obscure?

Just audio apps. Soundhack is one of them (still on the web, but the older one is less crippled), a few plugins for Audacity which I can't find at all on the web,but still have,  a copy of Protools Free (runs with OSX10.4 with OS9 support), a cute app called SoundApp.PPC (again, OSX 10.4 with OS9 support) which plays ANYTHING audio and it has a few obscure codecs that it can convert to current ones. Stuff like that. 

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by GDJ

[legoclone09]

1 hour ago, Camacha said:

3,4 GHz on turbo for the i7 is not slow by any means. Of course, the chip is of an older generation, which certainly counts, but these chips hold up well.

I swear I saw lower than that, 3.4GHz is definitely not slow. My i5 4670k runs at that clock speed (well, until my new CPU cooler gets here).

[Bulldog88]

I am potentially interested in building a gaming PC. I am a lifelong console gamer who hasn't gamed on a PC in 10+ years. As the console port is having serious technical issues I am debating the idea of going to PC gaming again. I would want to design a system somewhat optimized for KSP but obviously have the ability for others as well. Things I am looking for:

-4K at a decent frame rate (I know KSP isn't 4K)

-Cooling features are a must, that room I plan on putting it is not the coolest

-All peripherals except monitor

-I am fine with a trial/watermarked version of Windows. But if there is a specific version of Windows that KSP is best on I am open to purchase.

-Wanting to go as high end as possible with graphics card within stated budget (below)

-Rough budget $1500

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[legoclone09]

9 hours ago, Bulldog88 said:

I am potentially interested in building a gaming PC. I am a lifelong console gamer who hasn't gamed on a PC in 10+ years. As the console port is having serious technical issues I am debating the idea of going to PC gaming again. I would want to design a system somewhat optimized for KSP but obviously have the ability for others as well. Things I am looking for:

-4K at a decent frame rate (I know KSP isn't 4K)

-Cooling features are a must, that room I plan on putting it is not the coolest

-All peripherals except monitor

-I am fine with a trial/watermarked version of Windows. But if there is a specific version of Windows that KSP is best on I am open to purchase.

-Wanting to go as high end as possible with graphics card within stated budget (below)

-Rough budget $1500

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Here's a partslist that's good for the price, includes mouse/keyboard/headset/nice mousepad. Tell me what colors you want (like black with white accents, black with red accents, etc), for now I'll just make it look black with red accents.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/nhhWzM

GTX 1070, i5 6600k, CRYORIG H7, 16GB 2400MHz DDR4, 1TB WD Black, 120GB SSD (install Windows and KSP on there, speeds up boot times/KSP loading times),nice case, great keyboard, great mouse, great mousepad (cheesy-ish logo can be removed with nail polish remover I've heard), and a nice headset. You can easily play with any and all mods you want (I recommend Bluedog Design Bureau for parts, Stock Visual Enhancements for visuals, Stock Visual Terrain for lovely planet textures, and Kerbal Engineer Redux for handy ship information (Delta-V, TWR, etc). Comes out at $1550, sadly a little over, but it's a great build.

 

exhaustion while alt-tabbing between r/pcmasterrace Discord and Google Chrome to make PC best bang for buck possible

Expect lots of edits, I'm fine-tuning it to be better.

 

Major Edit 1: You can purchase a Windows 10 key for around $30 on r/microsoftsoftwareswap, $60 cheaper than a copy from Microsoft or Newegg.

Edit 2: SAVINGS: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2qKYm8

Edited December 9, 2016 by legoclone09

[Elthy]

I would change a few things in this setup:

The Keyboard is extremly expensive, you can get mechanical ones for half the price.

Also the mainboard is overpriced, basic ones should do the same job if you dont have special requirements.

The PSU is overpowered, 450W are easily enough for a 6600k/1070 combo, even under OC.

The headset is propably a waste of money, too. Dedicated microphone/headphones are almost allways a better/cheaper solution.

At last i would also check for other designs of the 1070, at least in Germany the Gaming X is overpriced compared to e.g. the Gainward Phoenix modrl.

 

[legoclone09]

23 minutes ago, Elthy said:

I would change a few things in this setup:

The Keyboard is extremly expensive, you can get mechanical ones for half the price.

Also the mainboard is overpriced, basic ones should do the same job if you dont have special requirements.

The PSU is overpowered, 450W are easily enough for a 6600k/1070 combo, even under OC.

The headset is propably a waste of money, too. Dedicated microphone/headphones are almost allways a better/cheaper solution.

At last i would also check for other designs of the 1070, at least in Germany the Gaming X is overpriced compared to e.g. the Gainward Phoenix modrl.

Eh, a fully-modular PSU is a great idea, and higher efficiency is good. The cheapest 80+Gold/Fully Modular PSU on pcpartpicker is $68, and a meh company. The keyboard is one of the highest quality ones you can get (Ducky is dedicated to making great keyboards), I don't really know much about headphones, but I just chose those because I know the HyperX Clouds are good, I don't know what's good for a dedicated microphone. Motherboard I'm asking on the r/pcmr Discord about right now, and the cheapest 1070s are smaller with worse coolers, MSi makes the best coolers for GPUs, so it's worth the money.

 

EDIT: Got it down to just under $1500. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2qKYm8

Edited December 9, 2016 by legoclone09

[Camacha]

18 hours ago, Bulldog88 said:

-I am fine with a trial/watermarked version of Windows. But if there is a specific version of Windows that KSP is best on I am open to purchase.

There are no watermarked versions of Windows that can be used properly. The OS is one of the most important parts of your computer and absolutely vital for security. Please just invest a handful of whatever economical units they use in your part of the world and be done with it. Do not forget a decent antivirus and firewall solution either.

9 hours ago, legoclone09 said:

Eh, a fully-modular PSU

Why fully modular? Partially modular is just as good or actually even better, since the non modular cables are needed in pretty much any situation. The connector in a modular cable acts as a resistor, so omitting the connector is technically better.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Camacha

[legoclone09]

3 hours ago, Camacha said:

Why fully modular? Partially modular is just as good or actually even better, since the non modular cables are needed in pretty much any situation. The connector in a modular cable acts as a resistor, so omitting the connector is better.

Really? Didn't know that. I've heard they are better becuase for cable management and such, all the cables aren't conmected together. I'm pretty sure the plugs are plastic, so it shouldn't be a resistor.

[Camacha]

5 hours ago, legoclone09 said:

Really? Didn't know that. I've heard they are better becuase for cable management and such, all the cables aren't conmected together. I'm pretty sure the plugs are plastic, so it shouldn't be a resistor.

Some cables are needed in any configuration, such as the ATX 24 pin connector and the P4 connector. It makes little sense to make those modular, even though many manufacturers do. Fully modular has become a catch phrase, but no one stops to think whether it is actually better. Having the optional cables modular is actually quite nice, like you say, for cable management, air flow and general visual cleanliness.

Admittedly, the difference it somewhat academic. It is not the plastic that is the issue, but the point where power jumps from power supply to cable. In a soldered connection, power is free to flow through a wide connection. In a connector, the contact is almost always much more sporadic. In short, the surface area power travels through is more limited, limiting the flow of power and effectively causing resistance. Again, the difference is fairly theoretic, but full modularity gains you no real advantage over partially modular, provided the right selection of cables is modular.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Camacha

[Bulldog88]

Thanks @legoclone09, @Camacha, and @Elthy.

 

That definitely gives me a good starting point.

[legoclone09]

@Camacha That makes sense, thanks! I'll change it when I get home. All that really matters for modularity is the PCI-E and SATA power, right?

Edited December 9, 2016 by legoclone09

[Camacha]

1 minute ago, legoclone09 said:

@Camacha That makes sense, thanks! I'll change it when I get home. All that really matters for modularity is the PCI-E and SATA power, right?

Pretty much. Like I said, it is pretty theoretical. The overall quality of the PSU itself is much, much more important. Get a good one.

[Bulldog88]

@legoclone09 @Camacha

What do you guys think of this build:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/467635/G313_Desktop_Computer

It seems to have many similar components but is well under budget.

There is also this one:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/467612/G418_Desktop_Computer

Would the lower cost option still be good enough? What would be the noticeable trade offs between the options?

Thanks!

 

 

[Elthy]

Since none offer any information about the used PSU or which GPU model is used i would keep my fingers away from that, thats extremly shady. Those builds usualy save money where you dont see it in the spec sheet.

[legoclone09]

54 minutes ago, Bulldog88 said:

@legoclone09 @Camacha

What do you guys think of this build:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/467635/G313_Desktop_Computer

It seems to have many similar components but is well under budget.

There is also this one:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/467612/G418_Desktop_Computer

Would the lower cost option still be good enough? What would be the noticeable trade offs between the options?

Thanks!

Lower cost option would still be great, those actually seem really good! I am worried about PSU quality, they typically skimp on things like that in prebuilts. It doesn't seem to list a CPU cooler, also. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. The CRYORIG H7 is a much better cooler than that.

And @Elthy it's the MSi GTX 1070 Aero

Edited December 10, 2016 by legoclone09

[Bulldog88]

55 minutes ago, legoclone09 said:

Lower cost option would still be great, those actually seem really good! I am worried about PSU quality, they typically skimp on things like that in prebuilts. It doesn't seem to list a CPU cooler, also. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. The CRYORIG H7 is a much better cooler than that.

And @Elthy it's the MSi GTX 1070 Aero

What is the concern for the psu? Again I know nothing as this will be my first PC.

Edit: This is made by Microcenter's in house brand. From my understanding it looks like they allow some level of customization in store even on pre-built. If I were to change the PSU what would you recommend?

Edited December 10, 2016 by Bulldog88
Added detail