Thread: UPGRADE TIME!!

Actually. I decided to build a whole new system specifically so I could have a backup machine. I always just upgraded parts before and sold off or gave away the parts before. But this time I've got a full system I'll be putting aside in case this one blows up on me.

The problem with future proofing is that things are becoming more and more power efficient. Take the latest Ivy Bridge CPUs. The i7-3770K runs at 77w compared to the i7-920 that runs at 130w.

Hell, your 3930K that you just purchased is an average of 12% than the i7-990X, while both being 6 core hyperthreaded CPUs and running at 130w.

http://media.bestofmicro.com/0/E/314...are%20990x.png

As for the graphics card, the GTX 680 outperforms the previous generation GTX 580 while consuming 20-30% less power under load (depending on the application). This means, you need a less powerful PSU to run a single GTX 680, which is a more powerful card in terms of performance.

There is no harm in having a beefier power supply, it should just be less of a priority compared to PC builds from 3-4 years ago.

First benchmarks from the new machine are coming in now!

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3930K Processor,ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. RAMPAGE IV EXTREME score: P9862 3DMarks

That's bone stock. Clean win7 install. No overclocking.

Idle temps sitting at 26c. Don't know what max temp is yet, but I'll get there.

Almost double my old rig's score. I think I'm happy.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-950 Processor,ASUSTeK Computer INC. Rampage III Extreme score: P4926 3DMarks

Originally Posted by RhysJD3

RAM drive. Put your favorite games into it and load them like a bat out of hell!

Sad thing is if its an online game you most likely are forced to wait for the server / other players to actually play....

Originally Posted by RhysJD3

RAM drive. Put your favorite games into it and load them like a bat out of hell!

Does the RAM drive still take a long time to boot and shut down? Basically, the data loaded and unloaded to the RAM upon startup and shut down. They can be fast, but they can also decrease your boot time significantly.

Now, I haven't actually played with RAM disks in modern times, but I recall them being slow at boot as the information is sent from the hard drive to the RAM, and 32GB or more could take some time.