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  1. PCJake

    Identify This Cable!

    Thinking about making this concept into a game show. Anyway, here's the cable:
  2. PCJake

    Does the "ACX" cooler on GTX 780 really make sense?

    Hey everyone, I'm going to be getting a GTX 780, and I'd like to get this one - it's got EVGA's ACX cooler on it, and it does keep the card quite a bit cooler. HOWEVER, my concern is that it will heat up the inside of my case significantly, given that it exhausts air downwards, rather than out...
  3. PCJake

    Got a Corsair 550D! Here's my fan setup:

    (I posted this as a response in my General Hardware thread, but I wanted to make sure everyone here in Cooling could chime in as well) I got my 550D today, and the engineering on it is fantastic. I can see the logic behind everything they did. Here's a diagram of the fan setup I'm planning...
  4. PCJake

    Any downside to running a Minecraft server on my main O.S. drive?

    Hey everyone, I have a Minecraft server running 24/7 on my PC for me and my friends. 90% of the time, no one is on it. At most, we'll have four or five people on at the same time. My main drive is a Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD. However, I have always run the server from my older Intel X-25M 80GB...
  5. PCJake

    Why does NVIDIA recommend having such a high-wattage PSU?

    Well, I ran my planned build, which includes an EVGA GTX Titan, through the eXtreme PSU calculator, and it's suggesting that I need around 475 watts from my PSU. However, on the EVGA GTX Titan Newegg product page, it say under requirements: "600 watt or greater power supply." Maybe it's EVGA...
  6. PCJake

    Attention Seasonic M12II PSU owners - quick question

    I've been looking for the perfect PSU for my build, and I'm currently looking at a Seasonic M12II 650W PSU. The reviews on Newegg are mostly positive, but some are complaining about a high pitched coil whine. Any input here from owners would be awesome. P.S. It's officially compatible with...
  7. PCJake

    Velociraptor for FRAPS, or something else?

    Pretty straightforward question here - do you guys think a WD Velociraptor (like this), or, alternatively, two cheaper drives in RAID 0 (this or something similar) would be better for recording FRAPS footage at 720p, 60 frames per second? Ignore the capacity difference between the two choices...
  8. PCJake

    Mushkin Enchanced Blackline vs. Kingston HyperX

    Hey guys, I'm comparing these two modules and I'd like some input 1. Kingston HyperX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600 Rated 9-9-9-27, 1.65V 2. Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600 Rated 9-9-9-24 1.5V Obviously the timings are a bit better on the Mushkins, but what about the voltage? Will the...
  9. PCJake

    Noob question (2 large RAM modules, or 4 small ones, which one is better)

    If you had four free RAM slots on your board, which of the following would you choose: a) 16GB (2x8GB) or b) 16GB (4x4GB) Ignore the fact that getting 2x8GB sticks leaves you with room to upgrade - pretend 16GB was all you'll ever need. Just in terms of speed, reliability, power consumption...
  10. PCJake

    Upgrade from Cosmos 1000 to mid-tower?

    Hey guys, I'm working on a build in General Hardware, but I wanted to ask this question here. What would you guys consider to be an upgrade from the Cosmos 1000 while still being smaller than the Cosmos 1000. I have plenty of space for the Cosmos, but I've had it for five years and I'm bored...
  11. PCJake

    Destroy my build - $3,000 gaming setup

    I'm building my next computer, everyone, and I want some critical comments. Or, if you think it's all good, please say so. Here we go: My needs: I will be using this system for gaming, first and foremost. I also record gameplay with FRAPS and edit it with Virtualdub. Next, I watch Netflix and...
  12. PCJake

    Help me tweak my new speakers

    Hello everyone, I just got a Corsair SP2500 2.1 speaker set. I had to replace my old Logitech Z-2300 set (which I loved) because the subwoofer started cutting out randomly, and I would have to crank the volume way up to get it to kick back in. Anyway, I did my research on the SP2500, and it...
  13. PCJake

    Will the upcoming Samsung 840 Pro work with my Intel X25-M bracket?

    Hey everyone, I've had an Intel X25-M 80GB SSD for nearly two-and-a-half years and it's been awesome. I just pre-ordered the Samsung 840 Pro 256GB and I'm excited about that, but it doesn't look like it will come with a desktop mounting kit--I don't think any 840 desktop kits are currently...
  14. PCJake

    Hardware alternative to FRAPS--does it exist?

    I have used FRAPS to record my PC gameplay for years and it has worked pretty darn well. I have a great graphics card, I lower in-game settings, and I install games and record video on separate hard drives in order to get the best results, but, of course, I still get a fair amount of slow-down...
  15. PCJake

    What headphones should I buy for use with electronic drums?

    Hey everyone, I'm going to be purchasing an Alesis DM8 Pro drum kit and I'll need to get some headphones. What should I look for in a pair of headphones in order to have the best experience with that type of instrument? My budget is $150-200. Specific questions: -Would the ATH-M50 be...
  16. PCJake

    Worth stepping up to GTX 590 from GTX 580?

    Hey guys, I got an EVGA GTX 580 about two months ago and I noticed the GTX 590 was just released. I still have the opportunity to step up through EVGA and I wanted to hear everyone's opinions on the matter. The benchmarks are encouraging, which is what made me interested in the idea, but my...
  17. PCJake

    Liquid cooling on a GTX 580

    Hey everyone, I just got a GTX 580 today and I'm definitely loving it. I'm quite impressed with the overclocking potential; I was running it stable at 940mhz core clock (1150mV). However, the fan had to stay at around 75% to keep the card under 90c with those settings. Just a wee bit too noisy...
  18. PCJake

    Does running multiple monitors decrease performance?

    Hello everyone, I'm currently running three monitors (1 main monitor at 1920x1200 and 2 extras at 1024x768). I have my main monitor plugged into my GTX 280 and the two extras are plugged into an 8400 gs that I got recently (so I could use all three monitors). I've got a GTX 580 on the way to...
  19. PCJake

    Looking for the right splitter.

    Hey everyone, I'm looking to find a splitter that lets me connect my PS3 and my computer to one set of speakers. Basically I am looking for something like this, but in reverse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-160-_-Product In other words, I need a splitter that has two male and one...
  20. PCJake

    Need to remove thermal paste from bottom of CPU

    As I was cleaning the thermal paste off of my old Q6600, I noticed that I got a bit of Arctic Silver 5 on the bottom of the CPU. It's a very small amount, and I'm not even planning on using the Q6600 again for a while, but I would like to clean it before I put it in storage. Here's a picture I...
  21. PCJake

    Ready to OC my new i7 930!

    Alright guys, I just put my new system together yesterday (in signature) and it's oozing awesomeness and overclocking potential. I'm amazed at how many more voltage, clock, and timing settings there are in the bios of an X58 enthusiast board compared to a P35 board (which is what I learned to...
  22. PCJake

    A question about 8-pin CPU power connectors

    I just ordered the Asus P6X58D-E motherboard, and I was taking a look at some pictures of it and it appears to have an 8-pin CPU power connector with half of it covered up by something (something that looks removable). I have a Corsair 750 TX PSU which has a 4+4 CPU power connector. So, will I...
  23. PCJake

    Question about thermal paste

    I'm getting the Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler (to be used with a Core i7 930) and I had two questions about thermal paste: 1. Is Arctic Silver 5 still the best stuff to use? 2. How much should I use and how should I apply it? According to the instructions for installing the cooler on...
  24. PCJake

    Looking to build my first water cooling setup

    I've been posting about some upgrades that I'll be making to my current system soon (current system in signature). Here are the upgrade parts: ASUS P6X58D-E Core i7-930 CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 I'm planning on overclocking the i7-930 to 4.0GHz+, and so far most people in the...
  25. PCJake

    Deciding on the Corsair H50

    I'm going to go ahead and order the following parts from Newegg sometime this weekend: ASUS P6X58D-E Core i7-930 CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 I'll be reusing everything else in my current system (in signature). All I need to pick now is a CPU cooler. I will definitely be...
  26. PCJake

    ASUS P6X58D vs. P6X58D-E

    What's the difference between the P6X58D and the P6X58D-E motherboards? The latter is $60 less, and my research indicates that it only lacks a second LAN controller but counters with better voltage regulation. Is that it? If so, I may be able to knock sixty bucks off my i7 upgrade.
  27. PCJake

    Is it wise to upgrade to i7 now?

    I'd like to upgrade my CPU/Motherboard/RAM sometime this summer, and if I did I would probably go with an Asus P6X58D Premium motherboard, a Core i7 930, and a Corsair Dominator 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 set. The upgrade would be mostly for fun (lotsa overclocking), but I don't want to waste my...
  28. PCJake

    What are the downsides to SLI?

    I just got my GTX 480 today, and I love it, and it made me start thinking about SLI. I wouldn't get another one for a while (I'd have to get a new motherboard, CPU, RAM, and PSU to do it), but some of the reviews I've read claim some excellent SLI scaling with the GTX 480 (100% in some...
  29. PCJake

    New GTX 480 Problems - Need Advice

    I just got my EVGA GTX 480 SC Edition today (replacing my GTX 280). I put the card in, installed the latest WHQL drivers (197.41) for Windows 7 64-bit, and loaded up Bad Company 2, expecting some sort of performance increase. Instead, my level loading times more than doubled and my FPS has...
  30. PCJake

    Q6600: 3,000Ghz on air!

    I went to check Core Temp after upgrading to Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (from Vista 64-bit) on a new Intel X25-M SSD, and my readings were a little strange: Core Temp 64-bit Readings Core Temp 32-bit Readings It should list 3.33Ghz (370x9). Besides the O.S. and SSD upgrade...
  31. PCJake

    When to Upgrade from my GTX 280

    Hey guys, I've been itching to upgrade lately, and my graphics card seems the logical target since I've been struggling to keep a solid 60 FPS in Bad Company 2 and Dragon Age: Origins at 1920x1200. In Bad Company 2, for example, I have to turn several graphical settings down (like object detail...
  32. PCJake

    About CPU bottlenecks in games

    Hey guys, I've been looking to upgrade my system to get better game performance, since I'm struggling to keep 60 FPS in newer games like Bad Company 2 and Dragon Age: Origins even after turning some graphical settings down. My current system is in my signature and I game at 1920x1200. My goal...
  33. PCJake

    Possible i7 Upgrade Feedback

    Hey guys, I'm looking to upgrade to an i7 setup (new motherboard, CPU, RAM, and CPU Cooler) within a few months, and I'd like some feedback on the list I've come up with so far. I will be using everything from my current system except for the parts that I'm replacing. Here's my current system...
  34. PCJake

    Overclock mysteriously disappeared after 2 years

    I built and overclocked my system almost 2 years ago, and I have been running it 24/7 without a problem since. Tonight I was playing Bad Company 2 and I noticed that my FPS was unusually low, so I checked in Core Temp and I discovered that my Q6600, which had always been running at 3.33Ghz...
  35. PCJake

    Problems with laptop.

    I'm trying to fix my brother's old (about 5 years) HP laptop. I'm not sure what all is in it. An AMD64 processor and 512MB of DDR PC2700 ram for sure. Here are the problems. First of all, it turns off randomly, even when plugged in. Sometimes it will last an hour, sometimes it will only stay...
  36. PCJake

    Headset amplifiers

    I just got my Sennheiser PC 350 headset in the mail yesterday. I'm running it through a Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer 7.1 sound card. I don't know much about the technical aspects of audio gear. I bought the PC 350's because I wanted a comfortable headset with clear high tones. I was well aware...
  37. PCJake

    General sound card and headset questions

    I'm interested in getting a headset for gaming and movie viewing, and I need to understand a few basic things before I can buy. First of all, I have a Creative Sounds Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 sound card, and honestly, I'm not sure which ports are for what. In the pictures, they are...
  38. PCJake

    Did my ram just go bad?

    Two months ago I added another 4GB (2x2GB) of G.Skill DDR2 800 to my system for a total of 8GB. It worked perfectly until yesterday. For the last couple of days my system start to freeze up frequently, which a fast system with 8GB of ram shouldn't do. While I was playing Burnout Paradise, I...
  39. PCJake

    One DVI and one VGA monitor (Dual setup)

    I've got a GTX 280 and I'm currently running it to a 24" monitor via a DVI to HDMI cable (through an HDMI switcher, but I don't think that should make any difference). I have an older 17" VGA monitor that I'd like to add on for dual-monitor goodness, so I tried to hook it up to the second DVI...
  40. PCJake

    Upgraded to 8GB - Lower OC

    I have been running 4GB (G.Skill DDR2 800, 2x2GB) for many months at 925MHz without problems with an FSB of 370, 5-5-5-15 timings with Refresh to ACT Delay set to 55, and a 2.50 divider. Today I got another set (identical to the first) of 4GB of RAM. I reset my BIOS to optimal defaults...