# Help for my new Desktops' parts?



## ConveX (Apr 11, 2013)

So I'm new to this forum and all that, I joined to get other peoples thoughts on whether or not I should change parts in my computers build that I'm planning to buy 
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*My NEW base build:* _(Just the essentials, not the extras)_

*Case:* _CM Storm Trooper w/Window_

*Motherboard:* _ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z_

*CPU:* _AMD FX-8350 8 Core Processor_

*Graphics Card:* _Crossfired MSI Radeon HD7970 3GB OC (x2)_

*RAM:* _Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) Vengeance Performance DDR3 1866Mhz_

*Optical Drives:* _LG CH12LS28 12X BD-R Blu-ray DVD Combo Drive _*(x2)*

*Hardrive 1:* _Seagate Barracuda 3TB _(For general storage, movies, music, etc.)

*Hardrive 2:* _Corsair Neutron 256GB 2.5' SSD_ (For my OS and Games)

*Psu: * _Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 850W_

*After Market CPU Fan:* _Zalman 9900 Max-B 135mm_

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So yeah, thats my _NEW_ base build. It currently costs _$2518_. Any adjustments, additions or improvements you could recommend for me would be greatly appreciated, if possible try to keep the cost not too high.
Also you may have noticed I'm trying to build a fairly decent gaming computer so hopefully you guys will know if something i've chosen is incompatible with something else, etc. 
Thanks!


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## FR@NK (Apr 11, 2013)

Looks good.

i'ld cut the sound card and usb card from the list; just use the onboard.


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## drdeathx (Apr 11, 2013)

If your spending that much, why not Intel core i7 3770K? Just saying. Not that 8350 is bad, 3770K is better.


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## Darkleoco (Apr 11, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> If your spending that much, why not Intel core i7 3770K? Just saying. Not that 8350 is bad, 3770K is better.



This in a nutshell, you have the money to do it and are trying to build the best gaming rig possible going anything but 3770K with your budget is near unthinkable.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 11, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> If your spending that much, why not Intel core i7 3770K? Just saying. Not that 8350 is bad, 3770K is better.





Darkleoco said:


> This in a nutshell, you have the money to do it and are trying to build the best gaming rig possible going anything but 3770K with your budget is near unthinkable.



Jesus, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the price that build was and what it would contain. For that price he could do a Sandy Bridge E rig as well.


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## ne6togadno (Apr 11, 2013)

CORSAIR AX860i 860W Digital ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Re...

G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DD... or if you are ok with 16gb max and price is in limits G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DD... (only useful in intel build)

OCZ Vector Series VTR1-25SAT3-256G  Solid State Dr... or SAMSUNG MZ-7PD256BW - Newegg.com and consider also this http://www.techpowerup.com/182623/OCZ-Vertex-5-SSD-Series-Detailed.html

think about GIGABYTE GV-R797TO-3GD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ...

you dont need additional usb card
why you need wi-fi card. you will get better speed on cable.
and as all above said - why not intel?


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## d1nky (Apr 11, 2013)

if you keep the crosshair board ''SupremeFX X-Fi 2 - Play with ultra-real cinematic in-game surround sound'' onboard sound.

why two dvd drives? (I don't even have one lol)
ditto on the usb card, mobo has plenty
ditto on wifi card unless youre stealing wifi lol
maybe better reviewed psu
if I had the cash id crossfire 7970s
motherboard has great fan control

and don't forget cooling all this is essential

and like the masters above me said i7


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks for all the posts and assistance guys, *I have removed the USB slots, Wi-Fi Card,  Fan Controller and Sound Card* from the list now 

As for other feedback relating to going *i7* (_This is my first build so I hardly know much on anything yet_) I heard that Intel, whilst a bigger brand is overpriced and not as good for gaming? Also the *intel 3770K* is for overlocking if I'm not mistaken? And removes some customisability to your computer and last but not least *only has 4 cores*. 
I figured if I want to be gaming I should have as many cores in my processor as I can within my price range and the *AMD CPU* I chose has *8 cores*. Like I said I don't actually know if I'm right but still.
And if I change the processor I will need to *change the motherboard* won't I? It's an *AMD socket* motherboard, pretty sure it wont work with an *intel processor* and finally as you may have noticed I'm trying to theme my computer Red/Black (except the graphics card) but I might take a look into the *radeon 7970 crossfire*, although I have no clue how to crossfire and it will be rather pricey 
Also what should I use to cool them? I'm assuming with 2 Graphics Cards I will need more cooling and I'm not getting WC.
---
Thanks for the input and I hope I keep getting posts because the more ideas I have thrown at me, the better my computer will potentially be


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> Thanks for all the posts and assistance guys, *I have removed the USB slots, Wi-Fi Card,  Fan Controller and Sound Card* from the list now
> 
> As for other feedback relating to going *i7* (_This is my first build so I hardly know much on anything yet_) I heard that Intel, whilst a bigger brand is overpriced and not as good for gaming? Also the *intel 3770K* is for overlocking if I'm not mistaken? And removes some customisability to your computer and last but not least *only has 4 cores*.
> I figured if I want to be gaming I should have as many cores in my processor as I can within my price range and the *AMD CPU* I chose has *8 cores*. Like I said I don't actually know if I'm right but still.
> ...




3770K has hyper-threading which is 4 virtual cores  with the 4 cores. Without going into too much detail, it is better than the 8350 in almost every benchmark. as mentioned, the 8350 is good but 3770K would be a better choice.. If your not overclocking, no biggie, 3770K is a better choice and if you get the itch, the club is there for you.


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> 3770K has hyper-threading which is 4 virtual cores  with the 4 cores. Without going into too much detail, it is better than the 8350 in almost every benchmark. as mentioned, the 8350 is good but 3770K would be a better choice.. If your not overclocking, no biggie, 3770K is a better choice and if you get the itch, the club is there for you.


Yeah I guess, I think I'll still stick with the 8350 just so that I can keep the motherboard and other parts that are compatible with AMD, mainly just so I dont have to go through the process of reselecting all my bits 'n pieces.
I have decided to get the 2 MSI Radeon HD7970's and get a crossfire for them, I'm assuming that they will come with a crossfire? 
Heres the link: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=22890


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> Yeah I guess, I think I'll still stick with the 8350 just so that I can keep the motherboard and other parts that are compatible with AMD, mainly just so I dont have to go through the process of reselecting all my bits 'n pieces.
> I have decided to get the 2 MSI Radeon HD7970's and get a crossfire for them, I'm assuming that they will come with a crossfire?
> Heres the link: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=22890



that will work fine


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

I have changed my PSU from a 750W to a 1000W, I figured that with the second graphics card I might need a bit mroe "juice" for my computer.
Also I currently have 16gb of ram in two 8gb sticks at 1866mhz. I was wondering if there are any better ones I could get? They would need to be Red if possible but Black also works, and have to be compatible with an AMD CPU/Motherboard. Might be a bit tricky but still


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

Your build is looking pretty good 

Also, that AMD 8350 is a fine chip. No worries there. Plus it is roughly $125-150 cheaper than the Intel chip.

The GTX 680 4GB is a beast of a card (Note the 4GB and not 2GB) and will play your games just fine. And you will save some money as opposed to crossfiring two Radeon cards.

Oh and you can stick with the 750 wart PSU if you go the Nvidia route.


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

Lazermonkey said:


> Your build is looking pretty good
> 
> Also, that AMD 8350 is a fine chip. No worries there. Plus it is roughly $125-150 cheaper than the Intel chip.
> 
> ...



Not if you get it fro Microcenter


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> Not if you get it fro Microcenter



There is still a $120 difference going through Microcenter. If you're talking about the price difference in chips?

To sweeten the pot even more... Microcenter is offering $40 of ANY motherboard when you purchase an AMD CPU and Motherboard together 

So that means he can get that ASUS Crosshair for $199 and the chip for $179


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

Lazermonkey said:


> There is still a $120 difference going through Microcenter. If you're talking about the price difference in chips?
> 
> To sweeten the pot even more... Microcenter is offering $40 of ANY motherboard when you purchase an AMD CPU and Motherboard together
> 
> So that means he can get that ASUS Crosshair for $199 and the chip for $179.00



LOL wrong fella.. FYI  3770K is $229 at Microcenter in store only. So, that would make 8350 at $109?


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

Lazermonkey said:


> There is still a $120 difference going through Microcenter. If you're talking about the price difference in chips?
> 
> To sweeten the pot even more... Microcenter is offering $40 of ANY motherboard when you purchase an AMD CPU and Motherboard together
> 
> So that means he can get that ASUS Crosshair for $199 and the chip for $179



As much as I would love getting my motherboard and CPU $40 cheaper each, from the looks of things you can only buy the items I chose from the store itself, and the only stores they have appear to be in America  unfortunately I live in Australia.

Also with _drdeathx_'s post, I couldnt help but notice in the comparison between the CPU's, I really had to love the fact that the AMD had a 0.1 extra rating score haha.


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> As much as I would love getting my motherboard and CPU $40 cheaper each, from the looks of things you can only buy the items I chose from the store itself, and the only stores they have appear to be in America  unfortunately I live in Australia.



too bad



ConveX said:


> I have changed my PSU from a 750W to a 1000W, I figured that with the second graphics card I might need a bit mroe "juice" for my computer.
> Also I currently have 16gb of ram in two 8gb sticks at 1866mhz. I was wondering if there are any better ones I could get? They would need to be Red if possible but Black also works, and have to be compatible with an AMD CPU/Motherboard. Might be a bit tricky but still



750 Watt is plenty.


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## d1nky (Apr 12, 2013)

7970x2 beat a single 680 and sometimes a titan. 

i forgot that the intel has the maximus not crosshair. or is there another one?

and your build sounds sweet!

i would greatly advise you on thinking about cpu heatsink and fans.

your build is similar to how mine will end up, apart from i went asrock fatality instead of crosshair. (cheaper)


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

"LOL wrong fella.. FYI 3770K is $229 at Microcenter in store only. So, that would make 8350 at $109?"

I stand corrected 

I was looking at the 3770S lol

Also, it looks like he won't be able to shop at Microcenter.

So now he has to explore some other options for his shopping experience.


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## ne6togadno (Apr 12, 2013)

G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DD...

why you need crossfire? how many monitors you will use? single 7970 is more then enough to play all current games and i doubt there will be game any time soon that can give it hard times.
crossfire could cause you troubles with some games because of missing or bad sli/crossfire profiles and even if amd fix all issues with their drivers you still can end disabling corssfire in order to play some games. performance gains from corssfire wont be so big so that wort ~500$. i would invest that money in better quality parts now (psu, ram, cooler, ssd etc.) and add 2nd card latter (if needed).
i my previouse post i gave you some links you should realy have a look on them. there is review section on the site you can check reviews there. easiest way to get good impression about parts you are going to buy (or find something better). check also gtx titan/titan sli reviews there are interstig results from crossfire/sli benchmarks.


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

d1nky said:


> 7970x2 beat a single 680 and sometimes a titan.
> i would greatly advise you on thinking about cpu heatsink and fans.



Would you be able to give me some pointers as to what I should buy? Not sure I'd easily find something that would fit on my motherboard  also I'm uncertain as to how/where to install them in my case haha, Case Link: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_31&products_id=19722

As to _ne6togadno_'s post, I am thinking of getting a second monitor not too long after I complete the build, I was also informed that having two Graphics Cards relieve each others stress as one does the X-Axis graphics and the other does the Y-Axis, instead of one card doing both. Also the RAM you recommended: G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DD... As awsome as they look and the fact that they have a better Mhz rate than my current one, from what I can tell they only run with Intel CPU's and I'm sticking with AMD


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

I'm starting to lean towards Water Cooling for my CPU, however I have no clue what I actually need for the system, (I am going to get this installed by actual electritions instead of accidently causing a leak myself) But could someone give me a list of the equipment I need? Also any affordable but reliable brands are appreciated, thanks


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

https://pcpartpicker.com/


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks


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## Jetster (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> This website seems useful, however its time for me to ask yet another (most likely stupid) question:
> If I say, chose this watercooling Kit: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/thermaltake-cpu-cooler-clw0217 It only looks like it has the bit that connects to the CPU and a box with fans? I thought that a watercooling setup required like 4 seperate major parts?



Thats called a closed loop. It comes assembled and is a fraction of the cost of a custom loop. And there are no stupid questions. Well there is but you havnt even come close
I would hold off on water cooling. Just get it up and runnig with the stock HS for now. Its best not to complicate things at first. Another reason to wait is later you will know more about what you want


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## ne6togadno (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> Would you be able to give me some pointers as to what I should buy? Not sure I'd easily find something that would fit on my motherboard  also I'm uncertain as to how/where to install them in my case haha, Case Link: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_31&products_id=19722
> 
> As to _ne6togadno_'s post, I am thinking of getting a second monitor not too long after I complete the build, I was also informed that having two Graphics Cards relieve each others stress as one does the X-Axis graphics and the other does the Y-Axis, instead of one card doing both. Also the RAM you recommended: G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DD... As awsome as they look and the fact that they have a better Mhz rate than my current one, from what I can tell they only run with Intel CPU's and I'm sticking with AMD



2? only 2? i bet 1080p. you wont have problem to power 2x1080p with single 7970Ghz edition (overall amd cards perform better on higher resolutions and multi monitor then nvidia's). hd 8000 and gtx700 series are expected to be released about Christmas so there no point to invest 2x cards when after 6-7 mount prices will drop and you could get 2nd card on sale or you can buy new generation card. i would advice you the same as jetster to invest some time in reading and you will get better picture on what fit best your needs. here in thechpowerup there are a good reviews with nice comparison tables so you can get good impression how different models perform.  as for the stress for the card - dont worry about that. if your card is ok from the beggining (hopefully) it will be outdated long before it become old.
RAM: g.skill state that ram is compatable with intel cpus only because it is tested only with intel cpus. at the time when 2400 mhz models are released only intel has cpus with memory controller that is able to use that ram at full speed. there is no problem to run 2400mhz ram at 1866mgz (it isnt very cost efficient although in newegg 2x8 trident 2400 is cheaper then 2x8 trident 1866) but later when amd release new cpu with memory controller that is able to run higher speed ram then you will have to replace only cpu not ram+cpu. not to mention that you can downgrade mgz of ram and tighten timings and you will get better performance than if it run at high clock speed.
water cooling could become quite costly and if you dont plan to OC or your enviroment is 30-35°C+ you dont need it now. yesterday i found usefull link for watercooling http://www.overclock.net/t/226970/updated-water-cooling-essential-threads
as i wrote before better get good quality parts that will make you good base for upgrades.


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

When it comes to cooling. 

You can get a Cooler Master Hyper 212+ or EVO and it will keep your CPU plenty cool.

Also, they are easy to install 

I have one on my AMD FX-4130 OC'd to 4.3Ghz and it doesn't get over 52C running Prime95


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> RAM: g.skill state that ram is compatable with intel cpus only because it is tested only with intel cpus. at the time when 2400 mhz models are released only intel has cpus with memory controller that is able to use full ram at full speed. there is no problem to run 2400mhz ram at 1866mgz (it isnt very cost efficient although in newegg 2x8 trident 2400 is cheaper then 2x8 trident 1866) but later when amd release new cpu with memory controller that is able to run higher speed ram then you will have to replace only cpu not ram+cpu. not to mention that you can downgrade mgz of ram and tighten timings and you will get better performance than if it run at high clock speed.



So are you saying that I can run the g.skill RAM, as it is with my AMD FX-8350 8 Core? Without having to make modifications to the RAM itself? If so I might just get that RAM  Also, just to refresh memories, my motherboard will be the ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z, it says in its memory tab it can handle up to DDR3 2400 which is what the G.SKILL RAM you recommended says it is. So it should work right?



Lazermonkey said:


> When it comes to cooling.
> 
> You can get a Cooler Master Hyper 212+ or EVO and it will keep your CPU plenty cool.
> 
> ...



I have decided on getting an aftermarket CPU fan instead of watercooling as I have decided not to OC *yet* however if it comes to that I might just get a well-rated WC set and replace the fan I bought.
The CPU fan I believe I will get is the Zalman 9900 Max-B 135mm, I've seen some fairly good reviews and it looks good so I think I'm gonna go with it.


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## Hood (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> I'm starting to lean towards Water Cooling for my CPU, however I have no clue what I actually need for the system, (I am going to get this installed by actual electritions instead of accidently causing a leak myself) But could someone give me a list of the equipment I need? Also any affordable but reliable brands are appreciated, thanks



Electricians?  They wire up houses.  A PC technician would be more suited to your needs, if you  need help.  I suspect what you really need is time to familiarize yourself with the PC components market, to read a lot of articles and reviews (and forums!), and do in-depth research on any part you decide to buy.  There's nothing worse than finding out (too late!) that some of your components are less than optimal, or that a much cheaper part would've worked just as well.  I know you want it right now, but you'll be much more satisfied if you take your time and do it right.  That's what I did, but I was on a much tighter budget than you, so I tried to find the "sweet spot" of price vs performance/reliability for each component (see result in my system specs).  I ended up spending about $1600 on the core system, not including the extra hard drives, and I'm very happy with my system.


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## ne6togadno (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> So are you saying that I can run the g.skill RAM, as it is with my AMD FX-8350 8 Core? Without having to make modifications to the RAM itself? If so I might just get that RAM  Also, just to refresh memories, my motherboard will be the ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z, it says in its memory tab it can handle up to DDR3 2400 which is what the G.SKILL RAM you recommended says it is. So it should work right?



yes it will work fine. trident has also nice feature that will be heandy if you go with custom airsink http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/GSkill/F3-2666C11Q-16GTXD/4.html


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

Hood said:


> I suspect what you really need is time to familiarize yourself with the PC components market, to read a lot of articles and reviews (and forums!), and do in-depth research on any part you decide to buy.



Thats alright, I'm going to give myself until around June 11 until I finalise what I buy (so I have time to be certain on what I'm getting.) So, at the moment I'm really just looking at what people recommend, the reviews on those items, pricing and performance in comparison with what i've chosen, I'm trying to be flexible in the websites I use as well, however I don't know many reliable Australian computer stores/websites.



ne6togadno said:


> yes it will work fine. trident has also nice feature that will be heandy if you go with custom airsink http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/GSkill/F3-2666C11Q-16GTXD/4.html


That's pretty awsome! I think I may just switch to these hehe, I was looking for the 4x4gb instead of 2x8gb configuration anyway, it was just very hard to find them in red and have at least the same Mhz as my current choice of RAM, these however have higher, their red and they are in 4x4. I think we have a winner for RAM  Would you happen to know a site where I could find either that RAM cooler or one that would fit similarly? Or does the RAM pack come with the fan setup as well because I dont see it in its picture: G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DD... Thanks!


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## ConveX (Apr 12, 2013)

This is my current *entire* build (inside the computer case). But I'm wondering if it will all fit together, and I thought someone might like to have a look around haha. And lastly, I was wondering if someone would be able to tell me if there are enough power plug spots on my power supply to encorporate my stuff? It's been nagging me not being able to tell if I can fit this stuff haha, if I can fit them could you also include how many more available slots are free? Thanks


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## drdeathx (Apr 12, 2013)

Lazermonkey said:


> "LOL wrong fella.. FYI 3770K is $229 at Microcenter in store only. So, that would make 8350 at $109?"
> 
> I stand corrected
> 
> ...



Too bad.......  MS has great deals!


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## d1nky (Apr 12, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> Too bad.......  MS has great deals!



marks and spencers?


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## Lazermonkey (Apr 12, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> Too bad.......  MS has great deals!



Going there today (St. Louis) to spend some money lol


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## Hood (Apr 12, 2013)

ConveX said:


> This is my current *entire* build (inside the computer case). But I'm wondering if it will all fit together, and I thought someone might like to have a look around haha. And lastly, I was wondering if someone would be able to tell me if there are enough power plug spots on my power supply to encorporate my stuff? It's been nagging me not being able to tell if I can fit this stuff haha, if I can fit them could you also include how many more available slots are free? Thanks



Yes, your selected PSU has 3 x 6+2 pin and 3 x 8 pin PCIe power connectors, so it will handle up to 3 of those cards (requires a 6-pin and an 8-pin).  The motherboard has 4 PCIe x 16 slots and 2 PCIe x 1 slots (but only supports 3-way SLi or CrossFire).  The x16 slots can be used for any PCIe card (x1, x4, x8, x16), so with one video card installed, that leaves you 5 slots open for other expansion cards.


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## ConveX (Apr 13, 2013)

Hood said:


> Yes, your selected PSU has 3 x 6+2 pin and 3 x 8 pin PCIe power connectors, so it will handle up to 3 of those cards (requires a 6-pin and an 8-pin).  The motherboard has 4 PCIe x 16 slots and 2 PCIe x 1 slots (but only supports 3-way SLi or CrossFire).  The x16 slots can be used for any PCIe card (x1, x4, x8, x16), so with one video card installed, that leaves you 5 slots open for other expansion cards.



Awsome, so that handles my graphics cards  what about my LED Cathodes, 2 extra case fans, and RAM fan?


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## Hood (Apr 13, 2013)

ConveX said:


> Awsome, so that handles my graphics cards  what about my LED Cathodes, 2 extra case fans, and RAM fan?



Any modern 850 watt PSU has plenty of 4 pin molex peripheral power connectors and SATA power connectors, and yours is no exception.  LEDs, fans, and hard drives take only a few watts to run, don't sweat the small stuff, it's covered.


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## ne6togadno (Apr 13, 2013)

ConveX said:


> That's pretty awsome! I think I may just switch to these hehe, I was looking for the 4x4gb instead of 2x8gb configuration anyway, it was just very hard to find them in red and have at least the same Mhz as my current choice of RAM, these however have higher, their red and they are in 4x4. I think we have a winner for RAM  Would you happen to know a site where I could find either that RAM cooler or one that would fit similarly? Or does the RAM pack come with the fan setup as well because I dont see it in its picture: G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DD... Thanks!



better pick 2x8gb instead of 4x4gb.
1. 2 ram slots are handled easier (faster) from memory controller. i havnt try it personally but there is guys in the forums here who confirmed that.
2. with 2 free slot it will be easier to go 32gb when you need it.

only 4x4gb 2600mhz kit comes with fan included but price in newegg is about 700 if i remember well

http://gskill.com/reseller.php?c1=3

corsair AX860i 860W is better psu then cm one. i realy like cm but corsair AX series perform better. it is more expensive but performance it top of the tops.

and skip led fans and light at the beginning. trooper itself comes with some led fans. first assemble all in the case light it up and see how it looks then decide whether you need more light and what kind they should be. you might buy windowed panel so you have better view on the lights.
and one note buying pc parts by color is as good as buying car buy color. performance and reliability are more important then color.


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## ConveX (Apr 14, 2013)

Alright, I've made some changes to my list (major change is, I'm starting with just one Radeon HD 7970 (I plan on getting a second later down the track, but I'm starting with just the one monitor so no point in two for now))
The base cost now, I'm happy to say is exactly $2000, which gives me about $200-300 of room to make upgrades to stuff  yay upgrades! I'm open to pretty much any and all suggestions


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## d1nky (Apr 14, 2013)

post updated spec list.


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## ConveX (Apr 14, 2013)

Heres my _ENTIRE_ planned list


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## Hood (Apr 14, 2013)

*Great Build*



ConveX said:


> Heres my _ENTIRE_ planned list



Your new list looks great, all the parts should work together very well, and you'll have a system that will handle anything you throw at it.  The only change I might make; for the price of the Zalman CPU cooler you could buy a Corsair H50 or H60 and you'd get better cooling and wouldn't have the huge air cooler getting in your way.  Also less stress on the socket & motherboard (large air coolers weigh a lot, and their height makes them a lever that can crack your motherboard).


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## Jetster (Apr 14, 2013)

I don't like the Zalman 9900 ether.


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## ConveX (Apr 14, 2013)

Hood said:


> Your new list looks great, all the parts should work together very well, and you'll have a system that will handle anything you throw at it.  The only change I might make; for the price of the Zalman CPU cooler you could buy a Corsair H50 or H60 and you'd get better cooling and wouldn't have the huge air cooler getting in your way.  Also less stress on the socket & motherboard (large air coolers weigh a lot, and their height makes them a lever that can crack your motherboard).





Jetster said:


> I don't like the Zalman 9900 ether.



Fair enough, the Corsaird H60 is water cooling for the CPU isn't it? How likely is it for them to break? (Develope cracks over time, leakage, etc.) ? If its unlikely to do that then I guess I may as well do it. Also will it fit in my selected case?

_Edit:_ Or is it like a CPU fan that replaces the rear mounted fan and pumps air through tubes into a small case placed on top of the CPU? I watched a video on it but it didn't really elaborate haha.
Also I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has been giving me advice and support on this forum, it means a lot, I'm so glad I came here to discuss this topic with you guys because I have to say, comparing with my first build plan, this one is easily 10x better!


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## Hood (Apr 15, 2013)

*Corsair H60*

Yes, it's a liquid cooling system, and so far I've never seen anyone complain about leaks.  The H60 has a 5 year warranty (2 years for lowly H50).  It will fit any case with a 120mm fan mount, usually the rear exhaust, but can be mounted almost anywhere if the hoses reach.
  I agree, your build is looking sweet now, and an H60 will complete it nicely.


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## ConveX (Apr 15, 2013)

Hood said:


> Yes, it's a liquid cooling system, and so far I've never seen anyone complain about leaks.  The H60 has a 5 year warranty (2 years for lowly H50).  It will fit any case with a 120mm fan mount, usually the rear exhaust, but can be mounted almost anywhere if the hoses reach.
> I agree, your build is looking sweet now, and an H60 will complete it nicely.



Thanks man  So what will I need to buy with this? Like will I need to buy coolant, resevoir, etc? Or does it come with all that and I'll just take it to Centrecom and get it installed after I've built the rest?
Also my case says its rear fan mount is 140mm and then says (converted to 120mm) I'm not sure what this entails haha. Heres the link: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=19722


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## Hood (Apr 15, 2013)

It's a sealed loop, coolant installed and ready to use.  You shouldn't require any help installing it if you read the instructions carefully.  It's as easy as installing a fan and a CPU heatsink.  If you can use a screwdriver without stabbing yourself (or the radiator!) you'll be fine.  As for the rear fan mount, obviously it can mount either size, like most modern cases.
  I don't mind answering all the questions, because I was in the same position as you a few years ago, and I know a lot of stuff isn't obvious to the untrained researcher.  It's all too easy for a new builder to end up with a part or two that doesn't fit, so asking questions now is best.  It's a lot of money, and you shouldn't spend it until you're certain of success.  You'll understand everything a lot better when the parts are in your hands and you start fitting it together.  It's simple, really, and mostly common sense.  You'll know when you're ready, and it won't be long.


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## ConveX (Apr 15, 2013)

Hood said:


> It's a sealed loop, coolant installed and ready to use.  You shouldn't require any help installing it if you read the instructions carefully.  It's as easy as installing a fan and a CPU heatsink.  If you can use a screwdriver without stabbing yourself (or the radiator!) you'll be fine.  As for the rear fan mount, obviously it can mount either size, like most modern cases.
> I don't mind answering all the questions, because I was in the same position as you a few years ago, and I know a lot of stuff isn't obvious to the untrained researcher.  It's all too easy for a new builder to end up with a part or two that doesn't fit, so asking questions now is best.  It's a lot of money, and you shouldn't spend it until you're certain of success.  You'll understand everything a lot better when the parts are in your hands and you start fitting it together.  It's simple, really, and mostly common sense.  You'll know when you're ready, and it won't be long.



Thanks a bunch  I think now I have pretty much the best setup I'm likely to get for now, now to play the 'waiting game' until June 11th and then go buy all this  I still have around $150 of extra cash for other little bits or upgrades, so whatever you guys can think of would be awsome ^_^


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## ConveX (Apr 15, 2013)

I've been thinking that I might make use of the AMD EyeFinity software, could someone recommend me a monitor that will 'tile' nicely? I don't think I'd have room for say, three 27' monitors haha, so probably 24'? So not sure which ones to buy?


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## ne6togadno (Apr 15, 2013)

i would advice you to change crosair with cm saidon either 120xl or 240m. better price/performace rate and very good installation kit (but pump has build in blue led ). from this review http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/Seidon_120XL/1.html you can see XL performs as well as corsair's H110 and some times even beats it. this review http://www.eteknix.com/cooler-master-seidon-240m-liquid-cpu-cooler-review/5/ is on 240m. ofc you have to check your local prices. 
as for the critics that cm used pvc instead of rubber tubbings if i remember well in the faq of the saidon on their site they stated that rubber tubes have higher evaporation rate then pvc one so they use pvc in order to reduce  evaporation loses of the coolant since loop is closed and coolant cant be refilled. this ofc could be a technicle excuse for ussing cheaper parts in order to catch lower price tag.

no matter what model/vendor you will chose there are 2 important things
1. place radiator at the top of the case (trooper has planty space for both radiator versions 120 or 240mm and even for 360mm when you go custom wc) no matter what is written in the install manual.
2. place fans in the way so that they blow air out of the case not in, no matter what is written in manual. leave 140mm back fan to blow out and beside 2 fron/side that blow in you could add 1 on the bottom to blow in if needed. this should give nice airflow inside case.

PS check this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182713. guy with problem similar to your.


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## ConveX (Apr 15, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> i would advice you to change crosair with cm saidon either 120xl or 240m. better price/performace rate and very good installation kit (but pump has build in blue led ). from this review http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/Seidon_120XL/1.html you can see XL performs as well as corsair's H110 and some times even beats it. this review http://www.eteknix.com/cooler-master-seidon-240m-liquid-cpu-cooler-review/5/ is on 240m. ofc you have to check your lockal prices.
> as for the critics that cm used pvc instead of rubber tubbings if i remember well in the faq of the saidon on their site the stated that rubber tubes have higher evaporation rate then pvc one so they use pvc in order to reduce  evaporation loses of the coolant since loop is closed and coolant cant be refilled. this ofc could be a technicle excuse for ussing cheaper parts in order to catch lower price tag.
> 
> no matter what model/vendor you will chose there are 2 important things
> ...



So where should I install the fan for the cooler? (I'm guessin the radiator is part of the fans?) I could put it in the rear fan slot if I take out the stock fan, would it still have the airflow? Or if I got the 240M where would I install that? on the roof of the case im guessing, but will it fit in the case top with efficient airflow?


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## ne6togadno (Apr 15, 2013)

ConveX said:


> So where should I install the fan for the cooler? (I'm guessin the radiator is part of the fans?) I could put it in the rear fan slot if I take out the stock fan, would it still have the airflow? Or if I got the 240M where would I install that? on the roof of the case im guessing, but will it fit in the case top with efficient airflow?



radiator is separate from fans. but they are mounted one over another. on the top of the trooper there is plenty room for 360mm radiator so it will be better if you place it there. under the top dust filter there is 200mm fan. you can replace it with the radiator+fans. in this review http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1786/1/ there are some pictures with the roof panel removed. and here http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/cm_storm_trooper_review,1.html you cans see some examples for water cooling assembly. here http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cm_storm_trooper_review/1 video review. here http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cases/2011/11/18/cm-storm-trooper-review/1 test with different drive bay setup. 
yes you will have air flow if you put 120mm radiator of the watter cooling instead of stock fan but it will be lowered because of radiator resistance. how much will be lowered i cant say before measurements are made (by me or someone else).
if you mount on the top 240 you still will have flow from the 140 stock at the back to help to radiator fans (it doesnt blow in same direction but still it will remove heat from case.
if you get 120mm and fit it on roof instead of 200mm fan and if you add next to the radiator another 120 or 140 then you will have 140 stock at the back + 2x120 that blow out heat at the top.
if you check reviews you will see a lot of options you have just keep in mid that whatever you do you should make it so that no hot air goes inside case. this is adjusted with fan directions.

PS just saw on reviews u cant mount on the top 360 w/o modding but you can mount it in front instead but this will mess up air flows so better dont do it.
oh almost forgot. trooper has been reviewed from techpowerup as well so dont miss this review as well


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## ConveX (Apr 16, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> radiator is separate from fans. but they are mounted one over another. on the top of the trooper there is plenty room for 360mm radiator so it will be better if you place it there. under the top dust filter there is 200mm fan. you can replace it with the radiator+fans. in this review http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1786/1/ there are some pictures with the roof panel removed. and here http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/cm_storm_trooper_review,1.html you cans see some examples for water cooling assembly. here http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cm_storm_trooper_review/1 video review. here http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cases/2011/11/18/cm-storm-trooper-review/1 test with different drive bay setup.
> yes you will have air flow if you put 120mm radiator of the watter cooling instead of stock fan but it will be lowered because of radiator resistance. how much will be lowered i cant say before measurements are made (by me or someone else).
> if you mount on the top 240 you still will have flow from the 140 stock at the back to help to radiator fans (it doesnt blow in same direction but still it will remove heat from case.
> if you get 120mm and fit it on roof instead of 200mm fan and if you add next to the radiator another 120 or 140 then you will have 140 stock at the back + 2x120 that blow out heat at the top.
> ...



Thanks a bunch man, this is really helpful information  I think I'll get the CM Seidon 240M and mount it to the top, not sure how I'm gonna get the fans set up but I'm sure instuctions will come with the box haha. But anyway, I keep watching the install vids and with the mounting bracket/backplate/'tever its called haha, they keep pulling out the numbers 775, 1155/1556 & 1366 when it comes to the 'notches' on the bracket, which of these settings do I set it to? I'm using the AMD FX-8350 8 Core


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## ConveX (Apr 16, 2013)

I've been thinking, that I would like to set up EyeFinity at some point (I know that I mentioned this earlier but I've been reading stuff on it and I keep wanting it more and more  ) So, first question, can I set up EyeFinity with an MSI Radeon HD7970 3GB OC (It has 1xDVI 1xHDMI 2xMini-Display Ports) or do I need to crossfire them?
Second question, what monitors should I look at getting (again I realise I asked about this similarly before) I've been thinking that to conserve deskspace but to still have high res I shouold either go for 20" or 24" monitors in a tri-monitor setup, so which monitors should I get that would be compatible? Thanks


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## ne6togadno (Apr 16, 2013)

ConveX said:


> Thanks a bunch man, this is really helpful information  I think I'll get the CM Seidon 240M and mount it to the top, not sure how I'm gonna get the fans set up but I'm sure instuctions will come with the box haha. But anyway, I keep watching the install vids and with the mounting bracket/backplate/'tever its called haha, they keep pulling out the numbers 775, 1155/1556 & 1366 when it comes to the 'notches' on the bracket, which of these settings do I set it to? I'm using the AMD FX-8350 8 Core



none of them.
you will set it to the AM3+ notches. you will get it from instructions


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## ConveX (Apr 16, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> none of them.
> you will set it to the AM3+ notches. you will get it from instructions



ah k, cool


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## ConveX (Apr 17, 2013)

I've been thinking of OC-ing my Graphics card because it comes with software to do that, what can I use for extra cooling on my graphics card though?


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## ne6togadno (Apr 17, 2013)

ConveX said:


> I've been thinking of OC-ing my Graphics card because it comes with software to do that, what can I use for extra cooling on my graphics card though?



if you dont go too hardcore with OC additonal fans on side cover of the case should be enough (this means you should go with non windowed cover). otherwise custom water cooling. custom water cooling however with good quality partrs could cost 450-500+ USD.
your 7970 comes factory OC-ed so ocing has point if you have problems with performance with 3 monitors.


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## ConveX (Apr 17, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> if you dont go too hardcore with OC additonal fans on side cover of the case should be enough (this means you should go with non windowed cover). otherwise custom water cooling. custom water cooling however with good quality partrs could cost 450-500+ USD.
> your 7970 comes factory OC-ed so ocing has point if you have problems with performance with 3 monitors.



I suppose.. Maybe if I only OC it a little bit? Just to get that little bit higher than factory OC? My case (windowed) syas it has 2 side fan slots I can use, so I think I can mount them just under the window part because the window isn't huge and its dead centre of the case, otherwise I can probably set them up on the bottom with mounting brackets or something to aim at the GPU itself?


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## ne6togadno (Apr 17, 2013)

ConveX said:


> I suppose.. Maybe if I only OC it a little bit? Just to get that little bit higher than factory OC? My case (windowed) syas it has 2 side fan slots I can use, so I think I can mount them just under the window part because the window isn't huge and its dead centre of the case, otherwise I can probably set them up on the bottom with mounting brackets or something to aim at the GPU itself?



is that your card http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html#?div=Specification?
check specifications of reference 7970 http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx#/3

you already have +75mhz (125 with boost) above reference. your gain with "a little bit oc" will be so little that it wont wort cost of the additional fans you have to buy.
better save money for water cooling and may be 2nd card. and when time comes buy and replace your cards with cards with preinstalled water block like this one http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-059-OE&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=938. this way you will you skip risk from damaging your card when you mount your water block and you will have new cards with new warrenty.
if you remember in the beggining i told you that about Christmas are expected new gen cards from both amd and nvidia so you may end with new card/s .


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## ConveX (Apr 18, 2013)

ne6togadno said:


> is that your card http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html#?div=Specification?
> check specifications of reference 7970 http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx#/3
> 
> you already have +75mhz (125 with boost) above reference. your gain with "a little bit oc" will be so little that it wont wort cost of the additional fans you have to buy.
> ...


http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html#?div=Specification?, nah this isnt it.
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx#/3, this one looks like it though. I might not get a custom WC until I'm confident I can even assemble my current build haha, but when I get the extra $ I might sell my cards on e-bay and get the WC cards that you linked 
As for the new cards, they will more than likely cost a decent amount more than the current card I chose and I dont want to get too ludicrous on my "first" build haha


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## ne6togadno (Apr 18, 2013)

well new cards will cost a lot but current will drop so its better to wait few mounts cause WC cards now cost quite a lot.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 18, 2013)

ConveX said:


> I've been thinking that I might make use of the AMD EyeFinity software, could someone recommend me a monitor that will 'tile' nicely? I don't think I'd have room for say, three 27' monitors haha, so probably 24'? So not sure which ones to buy?



Dell U2412M monitors have pretty small bezels. Would be good for eyefinity, but for Eyefinity you will need multiple GPUs (You already have 7970 Crossfire listed), and well crossfire is pretty broken right now so I would wait on that. 

AMD admitted to the issues, and should have a new driver out in the next few months to fix it.


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## ConveX (Apr 18, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Dell U2412M monitors have pretty small bezels. Would be good for eyefinity, but for Eyefinity you will need multiple GPUs (You already have 7970 Crossfire listed), and well crossfire is pretty broken right now so I would wait on that.
> 
> AMD admitted to the issues, and should have a new driver out in the next few months to fix it.



I'll look into them, I have a feeling I've used one before at TAFE and got some serious motion sickness whilst using it (I dont usually get motion sickness so this was weird for me) But I'll definately take a look 

On a side note thats kinda off-topic, how would I boot an ASUS V Formula Z mobo in UESI mode? I plan on overclocking and it says to go into UEFI mode, I've heard its pretty much the GUI version of BIOS but still it looks easier and 'friendlier' than the daunting style that regular BIOS uses haha  So yeah help on that is appreciated


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## ne6togadno (Apr 18, 2013)

user manual will tell you.
before start with oc it will be better if you install win and drivers w/o oc. first make sure your rig runs smooth then start plaing with oc


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## ConveX (Apr 21, 2013)

Can this monitor use Eyefinity in a 3 monitor setup?
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=558_1212&products_id=22620


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## eidairaman1 (Apr 21, 2013)

any monitor that has VGA/DVI/HDMI/DsP should be eyefinity capable


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