KSP1 Computer Building/Buying Megathread

[Sylon00]

This did the trick!

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/526031/gtx-650-problems/

Someone on the GeForce forums has the same computer as me and they were able to figure it out. Everything seems to be running fine, I do get the occasional issue with my wifi card though, probably because I had to move it to a different slot. But eventually it works. Now the only thing is I get a little message on my desktop screen saying something about SecureBoot not being configured correctly. Do you think I can enable that now that things are working? I'm afraid to go in there just in case I can get back to disable it again.

[Camacha]

Or simplier put: is -for example- a GTX650 sufficient for at least KSP? My previous system had a GT8800 video card that performed flawless, and a new GPU should perform at least as good. Too bad the motherboard also took out the GT8800 when it died.

Yes, it should be. I am running KSP with a GTS 450 for now and it runs fine paired with a 2500K at high resolutions. As KSP uses two threads at most the i3 should not be much (if any) slower than the i5. It is not a monster setup, but will do for KSP and a lot of other games too.

Please note that the requirements and capabilities of KSP are subject to changes in the future, as it is an alpha game.

[joppiesaus]

Right now I have this system:

Pentium i3 - 3,4Ghz

8 GB RAM

1 TB HDD

Windows 7 - 64-bit

Integrated Graphics HD2500

KSP is playable on low resolution (800 x 600) but looking at oceans causes significant lag. This is obviously because of the limited grahical capacities of my current system and I haven't played KSP since this discovery to spare the integrated GPU. I'm looking for a dedicated videocard that will make smooth gameplay possible, even when looking at oceans and with terrain scatter on. Cards like GT610 and GT620 aren't likely to offer much improvement I think. Maybe GT640 or GTX650, or spend some more money and go for a GTX660 or GTX760 ... ?

Another question; will the CPU, RAM and other specs cause some form of bottleneck when running KSP ... ?

GTX 640 worked for me at 1920 * 1080 with zero lag.

[Bekiekutmoar]

Thanks for the info ... ! It'll be a GTX650 (or maybe GTX660) then. I've assembled this new system with KSP in mind; good performance but no need to run high-end new games.

[Camacha]

Thanks for the info ... ! It'll be a GTX650 (or maybe GTX660) then. I've assembled this new system with KSP in mind; good performance but no need to run high-end new games.

A GTX 660 is and was a very decent card. Except for the AAA high end titles, anything should run with a lot of detail and high resolutions.

[sharpspoonful]

Alright, I'l going to start buying parts soon and I realized I dont have a CPU cooler! any suggestions?

This is what I got so far, with help from you all and Leonevo: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1P3Em

[Leonov]

Alright, I'l going to start buying parts soon and I realized I dont have a CPU cooler! any suggestions?

This is what I got so far, with help from you all and Leonevo: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1P3Em

You have the Regular 4570, the stock heat sink fan is perfectly fine for cooling the chip at its stock values, even with the limited overclock-ability of the Non-K chips.

[Camacha]

Well, big coolers are often a lot quieter and of course a bit cooler. Cooler is pretty much theoretically beneficial, as it should prolong the lifespan of the CPU but in reality probably does not make any measurable difference. Quieter could be important though, depending on personal preferences. I am personally done with computer noise, so I would always recommend one if you are slightly concerned about noise.

[hotmailcompany52]

Yeah, computer noise can be annoying when your doing a lot of resource intensive work.

[Galacticruler]

Alright, I've had to alter my Intel build list, is it any better than it was?

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Galacticruler/saved/2bD1

it is now $100 more than it was, but still uses 200w less than my PSU will provide.

[Camacha]

Alright, I've had to alter my Intel build list, is it any better than it was?

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Galacticruler/saved/2bD1

it is now $100 more than it was, but still uses 200w less than my PSU will provide.

You have got a bunch of weird choices there:

- The Xeon could be a fine choice, as it is a lot of bang for the buck. However, you cannot overclock it, so the motherboard is a little bit over the top. It is way too expensive anyway ($100-125 should be plenty), but when you are not overclocking it just does not make any sense. You could probably do with a $80 motherboard.

- The CPU-cooler you added is no better than the stock cooler.

- Your hard drive is quite slow, it will really slow your computer down. Go for something modern that does at least 7200 rpm, or better, dish out the cash for a SSD. A system with a high-end Intel chip deserves a decent hard drive.

- The GPU of your choice is not the quickest. It could be fine, but it is a bit unbalanced compared to the CPU.

- Your PSU is probably not the best quality. Going with a cheap PSU is just asking for trouble. This is not about the watts (you are quite right there), but about build quality. Go for a decent brand, because you will regret it if you don't. Cheap PSU's can not provide the watts indicated. They will only supply something like that for a couple of milliseconds before burning out, as they are rated for peak load. Proper brand PSU's will on the other hand provide a stable power source over a sustained period of time without trouble, as those are rated for sustained load. Using cheap ones puts all the other hardware at risk, as a dying PSU can damage pretty much any and every other part in your computer. If it manages not to break it can still cause all kinds of weird trouble, like instability due to ripple.

I would seriously advise to reconsider your choices and maybe read up a little more, as I think you could do a lot more with the same money and, even better, build something that has a lot more balance.

[briansun1]

wait what are you useing that for?...

though why are you getting a xeon but only 8gb ram? I guessing this is going to be a server? other wise there's no point in going xeon

for psu get one of these

edit: and you do now that that ram is single channle right?

edit 2: get this cooler if your going to get one at all

other than that all of the things in the above post(and read the thing on the OP about geting part salection help please)

Edited November 1, 2013 by briansun1

[Camacha]

wait what are you useing that for?...

It would be good to know this, as commenting on a system without knowing its purpose is hard.

though why are you getting a xeon but only 8gb ram? I guessing this is going to be a server? other wise there's no point in going xeon

That is a common misconception, but it is not true. A Xeon is an excellent budget option for those who do not wish to overclock, as you get hyperthreading for the price of and i5. For pretty much all intends and purposes a Xeon is as good as a i5 or i7, depending on the specific chip. Just that they are advertised for a specific purpose does not mean they are only suitable for that purpose

Regarding the 8 GB of RAM: for pretty much all consumer and enthousiast level applications 8 GB is more than enough.

[briansun1]

I was under the impression that Xeon was for servers... Which need a lot of ram so

[Galacticruler]

just gaming, sorry guys, you kind of came out of no where an assaulted me with questions.

It was also the only CPU that did not give a error requiring a BIOS update.

the MoBo is the cheapest one with no onboard video, and USB 3.0 headers in a full ATX size.

Hmm, looks like the other option for mobo is $10 cheaper, but still one of the 4 with no built in Vcard and usb 3.0 headers

Here are both my edited intel build, and the AMD one that I have been considering.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Galacticruler/saved/#savedbuild_509014

[briansun1]

For ram go with 2x4 not 1x8 also if you can try and get it at 1600mhz

@op are you sure that the temp sensor is not broken?

[Camacha]

just gaming

It would be good to know what games you want to run, at what resolutions, settings and framerates. All this is important to find out what hardware you need. Being as complete as possible makes it easier for us to help you. Also, please take care to answer any and all questions as complete as possible.

Allright, let's take it from the top:

- The Xeon was a very decent option that gives you a lot of bang for the buck. The main advantage is that you get hyper threading (like an i7). Older games have little use for it, but newer titles are capable of putting it to use more and more. The gains are small, but it could be nice. If you expect to do some rendering, video editing or something similar hyper threading is very useful.

The i5 is often chosen for gaming builds, as games traditionally have little use for hyper threading. They offer a lot of power for a reasonable price.

Please note that neither of the two chosen processors can be overclocked. As such, you will not need a motherboard that is overclock capable.

A BIOS update is not a very good reason to choose another CPU. They can often update the BIOS at the store at request and there are other solutions too. It is good to take into account, but it should not be the deciding factor unless there truly is no option to update it.

- Like I said before, the motherboard is way too expensive. You insist on a Z77-chipset, which is unnecessarily expensive when not overclocking. Choosing something like a H77 or Q75 will save you money that is better spent elsewhere. Also, no socket 1155 motherboards have a built in GPU, as those are incorporated in the CPU with Ivy bridge.

Is there a specific reason why you are choosing Ivy Bridge (1155) and not the newer Haswell (1150)? Also, I do not know how you search, but I can find a lot of motherboards that have the options you want and that are possibly cheaper.

- Please note that your memory is single channel, as it is only one memory bank. This will mean it is slightly slower than when picking dual channel memory. For dual channel memory you will need identical memory banks in sets of two. The only downside of using 2 x 4 GB instead of 1 x 8 GB is that you are slightly less flexible when upgrading.

- I will say exactly the same thing about the hard drive as I said before. It is really too slow for such a quick system. It will work, but you will not get the most out of your expensive hardware. Get at least something sporty that does 7200 rpm, or for the maximum performance a decent SSD (so no OCZ Vertex or other SSD with Sandforce controller).

- Since your rig is intended as a gamer rig, the video card is a little underpowered. KSP will run fine, but a lot of modern games will not run smoothly at high resolutions (1920x1080 or higher) at decent settings. I would suggest to spend the money you saved on the motherboard on a better GPU.

- This power supply is a lot better

I was under the impression that Xeon was for servers...

They are marketed as such, but the lower end of the range differs technically very little from high-end consumer chips. If you are not going to overclock they are a great option. The biggest difference is just that: marketing.

Please note there are some minor differences in supported technologies, but those are irrelevant to most.

[Galacticruler]

-simplified for reading-

1. The Xeon was a very decent option that gives you a lot of bang for the buck. The main advantage is that you get hyper threading (like an i7). Older games have little use for it, but newer titles are capable of putting it to use more and more. The gains are small, but it could be nice. If you expect to do some rendering, video editing or something similar hyper threading is very useful.

2. The i5 is often chosen for gaming builds, as games traditionally have little use for hyper threading. They offer a lot of power for a reasonable price.

3. Please note that neither of the two chosen processors can be overclocked. As such, you will not need a motherboard that is overclock capable.

4. A BIOS update is not a very good reason to choose another CPU. They can often update the BIOS at the store at request and there are other solutions too. It is good to take into account, but it should not be the deciding factor unless there truly is no option to update it.

5. Like I said before, the motherboard is way too expensive. You insist on a Z77-chipset, which is unnecessarily expensive when not overclocking. Choosing something like a H77 or Q75 will save you money that is better spent elsewhere. Also, no socket 1155 motherboards have a built in GPU, as those are incorporated in the CPU with Ivy bridge.

6. Is there a specific reason why you are choosing Ivy Bridge (1155) and not the newer Haswell (1150)? Also, I do not know how you search, but I can find a lot of motherboards that have the options you want and that are possibly cheaper.

7. Please note that your memory is single channel, as it is only one memory bank. This will mean it is slightly slower than when picking dual channel memory. For dual channel memory you will need identical memory banks in sets of two. The only downside of using 2 x 4 GB instead of 1 x 8 GB is that you are slightly less flexible when upgrading.

8. I will say exactly the same thing about the hard drive as I said before. It is really too slow for such a quick system. It will work, but you will not get the most out of your expensive hardware. Get at least something sporty that does 7200 rpm, or for the maximum performance a decent SSD (so no OCZ Vertex or other SSD with Sandforce controller).

9. Since your rig is intended as a gamer rig, the video card is a little underpowered. KSP will run fine, but a lot of modern games will not run smoothly at high resolutions (1920x1080 or higher) at decent settings. I would suggest to spend the money you saved on the motherboard on a better GPU.

10. This power supply is a lot better

1. I'm attempting to keep this VERY low budget.

2. I get that.

3. Overclocking is not much of an issue for me.

4. First build, trying to keep it simple

5. only 4 MoBos appeared in my list, and they're all >$100 It appears that only 4 appeared for the Xenon processor, the i5 gives much better listing, choosing a new one.(Great, chose one, but this has been a re-occuring issue: Some Intel P67 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Ivy Bridge CPUs., Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor, ECS P67H2-A2 SLI ATX LGA1155 Motherboard. if that is an issue, why list that mobo for that processor as compatible?)

6. those are all I can find that are under $100

7. again, cost comes into consideration, most 2x4Gb RAM seems to cost more than 1x8Gb.

8. Cost, cost, cost.

9. I've lived at 10< FPS for...easily 9 years, so ANY FPS gain is an improvement in my mind.(So long in fact that it looks perfectly smooth to me.)

10. Thanks, but again, cost comes to mind.

EDIT:

Here is the revised Intel build list:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Galacticruler/saved/2bD1

Edited November 2, 2013 by Galacticruler

[Camacha]

You mention cost again and again, but the choices you made are not always cost effective. That is pretty much what I was trying to convey. Also, be careful not to spend money on things that will need to be replaced quite quickly.

Your builds are starting to look a lot more sensible and balanced

5. only 4 MoBos appeared in my list, and they're all >$100 It appears that only 4 appeared for the Xenon processor, the i5 gives much better listing, choosing a new one.

I would have to double check, but I think the 1155 Xeon runs in pretty much any 1155 board that will run an i5 or i7.

(Great, chose one, but this has been a re-occuring issue: Some Intel P67 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Ivy Bridge CPUs., Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor, ECS P67H2-A2 SLI ATX LGA1155 Motherboard. if that is an issue, why list that mobo for that processor as compatible?)

Because it is compatible. BIOS updates are viewed as a minor inconvenience, not as a major hassle. It it just updating your software. It might be a small problem if you do not have a compatible chip to update with, but like I said, most webshops will do it for you on request. Check the online vendor QVL of the relevant motherboard on the website of the manufacturer to check whether an update is needed.

P67 is just an older version of Z77 with overclocking capabilities you do not need

7. again, cost comes into consideration, most 2x4Gb RAM seems to cost more than 1x8Gb.

Only a couple of dollars, it seems. As 8 GB is more than enough for most consumer builds nowadays, I would suggest you select 2 x 4 GB to take advantage of dual channel memory and spend the rest of the money (about 70 dollar) on an upgraded video card.

8. Cost, cost, cost.

Yeah, if money is really scarce it is better to go for a traditional HDD instead of an SSD. A Caviar Blue is a nice middle of the road model. As always, please remember to take care of backups of relevant information.

[Leonov]

How about this?

Keeps Intel, Droped the CPU cooler. (You wont be overclocking, no need for it. Stock cooler keeps Haswell plenty happy)

Fixed the ram predicament.

If you want to, you could grab a Seagate Barracuda 500GB for a little less than the Caviar Blue.

R9 270X > 7770

[Camacha]

How about this?

Droped the CPU cooler. (You wont be overclocking, no need for it. Stock cooler keeps Haswell plenty happy)

Noise, noise, noise

Otherwise it looks like a very reasonable build. A lot more balance, pretty future proof with that i5, USB3 and SATA6 and nippy to boot.

[TheBladeRoden]

Here is my current build that is mostly 6 years old and really needs a $400-$500 upgrade

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/TheBladeRoden/saved/2IeP

And here is a possible part list I was looking into

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/TheBladeRoden/saved/2IdV

[Leonov]

Here is my current build that is mostly 6 years old and really needs a $400-$500 upgrade

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/TheBladeRoden/saved/2IeP

And here is a possible part list I was looking into

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/TheBladeRoden/saved/2IdV

I had a build very similar to this before my rig.

Do you really need 16GB of ram?, 8 is plenty, even with a large number of tabs, streaming with OBS and playing a AAA game i don't use anywhere close to 4.

Maybe invest in a better GPU?, 460 is a little dated.

[hotmailcompany52]

Ive got 2 questions about over clocking from my curiosity.

1) What are the cons and pros?

2) How does one over clock?

[Traches]

Ive got 2 questions about over clocking from my curiosity.

1) What are the cons and pros?

2) How does one over clock?

1. The pros are that you can get more performance (Usually anywhere between 5 and 20%) out of the same computer components than stock. The cons are that these parts will generate more heat which will usually require better cooling than the stock heat sink, if you push it too far you'll reduce the useful lifetime of your parts, and it can take hours of tweaking to get a solid, stable OC.

2. It varies hugely based on what specifically it is that you're trying to OC. http://www.overclock.net is a fantastic forum for that information. The basic process for a CPU overclock is, assuming your motherboard supports it, go into the BIOS, change some voltages and the clock speed, reboot, and run a stress test to see if it's stable. Based on the results of that test, you go back into your BIOS and try new settings, until you've got a combination of voltage and clock speed that is stable and doesn't generate more heat than your cooling system can handle.