Glad that the update is coming tomorrow. Still no folders option, but looking forward to these features:


Suspend/Resume:
>Info: Supported by nearly all of your PS4 games, you can jump in and out of your games with just the press of the PS button. Quickly switch from Rest Mode to powered-up so you can pick up where you left off.

 
Back-up and restore HDD to USB
>Info: Back-up and restore your hard disc drive data associated with users on your PS4, including settings, saved data, screenshots and video clips as well as games, patches and download data, to and from an external USB drive.

Good that I waited with updating my HDD, with our slow network connection it would have taken ages to re-download all my games.
 
For those upgrading their PS4: (NOT up-to-date with the new backup feature)

• A guide by IGN + Which HDD to buy
  
• PS4 upgrade- Beginning-to-end-guide with an external HDD - created by /u/mbrellisford
  
• PS4 System software download page
   
  
  Edit: I will upgrade my PS4 with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB tomorrow. I could do a how-to guide if there is interest in it.
  Edit2: A how-to guide is in the making and should be published on 27 March.

Well it's not like you can purchase your own for much less than that. Oh, wait, yeah you can

Full list with links to everything shown here (and some stuff not shown). Please let me know if I've missed anything or if you have any questions.

PC Specs

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Processor| Intel i7-8700k | Amazon | $355
Graphics Card| MSI GEFORCE GTX1080 TI GAMING X 11G| Amazon | $1,000
RAM | G.SKILL TridentZ RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200 MHZ | Amazon | $90
Motherboard | ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming | Amazon | $350
SSD | Samsung SSD 960 EVO 1TB NVMe | Amazon | $300
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
AIO | Corsair H110i V2 | Amazon | $120
Case | Lian Li PC 011 Dynamic | Amazon | $130
PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G2 | Amazon | $100
Fans | Corsair LL 120 | Amazon | $220
Drawers | Ikea Alex | Ikea | $90

The rest of the stuff

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Desk | Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk | Jarvis | $752
Chair | Herman Miller Embody | Amazon | $1,400
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Desk Mat | Godspeed Reverse Panda | Novelkeys | $20
Mouse | Glorious Model O Matte White | Glorious | $50
Keyboard | Tofu65 w/ Gateron Browns | KBDFans | $200
Keycaps | MT3 Godspeed | Drop | $150
Dock | Caldigit TS3 | Amazon | $280
Speakers | Audioengine A2+ | Amazon | $300
Speaker Stands | Kanto S6W | Amazon | $60
Webcam | Logitech C922x | Amazon | $83
Monitor Arm | Jarvis Dual Monitor Arm in White | Jarvis | $160
Desk Backlight | Philips Hue Light Strip | Amazon | $90
Main Lights | Nanoleaf Light Panels | Nanoleaf | $550
Headphones | Hyperx Cloud Flight | Amazon | $135
VR | Oculus Quest | Amazon | $500
Headphones | Sony WH1000XM3 | Amazon | $275
Headphones | Master & Dynamic MH40 | Amazon | $250

Wallpaper Engine Link

\ price as configured

\ Some or all items not pictured here but are part of the setup

Is your HDD actually broken? If not, you can remove the HDD yourself and use an [external hard drive enclosure,] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_bs_tr_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GW9T7RJBJ8EWMF19HNPH) to access your files.

Details for anyone interested:

• PCPartPicker link
  
• Dan A4-SFX v4
  
• i5 9600k + Noctua L9i
  
• EVGA 2070 Super XC
  
• Asus PG279Q
  
• That one Amazon monitor arm everyone has
  
• Non-gamer-aesthetic mousepad from Amazon

This is why I purchase my own modem, one without wifi capability.

For anyone wishing to do the same here is the modem I use, and is compatible with most standards.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/

70 dollars may seem like a lot, but if you're renting a modem from your provider for 7 dollars it begins to pay for it self in under a year.

But then you'll have to go through the incredibly painful experience of returning the modem, them saying you never returned it even though you did, and them charging you the cost of the device. I'd recommend sending in your modem via certified mail and then keep the receipt for when they demand you pay because they never got it.

EDIT: Changed URL to latest model, thanks goes to /u/Dark_Shroud. Old link is preserved for those who want a cheaper model that will still work with their connection.

Best way I have found to look at the upcoming sales. Picked out a few hopefuls.

NZXT 850 - 3:15 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CGCFWJY/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_8d599589?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=9787TDC4RY0SX929C9BF

Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD - 7:30 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J2Q4SWZ/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_2f473a41?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=MMBHQYBZPPM12BV2BF39

Ballistix Sport LT 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR4 3200 - 9:55 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MNJP6RW/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_7aa38bdb?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=185ES1P698420RTJQFWY

ViewSonic XG2401 24 Inch 1080p 1ms 144 Hz - 10:10 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0ZRR50/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_c966212e?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=6CD65GE9FE3MTET19Y2S

NZXT AER RGB 2 - 3-Pack of 120mm RGB PWM Fans with Hue 2 Lighting Controller - 11:55 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVWSDVL/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_09d4ac66?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=MNDSBXZXP3HMYBHRMRPY

XPG Spectrix D80 Liquid-Cooled RGB DDR4 3600MHz 16GB - 12:05 pm est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2VJXX4/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_29f43d90?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=PRK5XX5FHPVTFXXTHBN8

Cooler Master MasterLiquid LC240E RGB All-in-one CPU Liquid Cooler - 12:05 pm

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRGC899/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_6e8b0854?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=Z0MP8N6TNW6ARG83EWMQ

NZXT H700 - 2:20pm est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C3PJ2GP/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_b2d42f50?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=7YFK981EH4R4015930RZ

Not sure about the 50% off, as it's usually around < $65 on amazon. Still cheaper though.

I just did a quick search and a 500GB Samsung SSD is only $80 right now.

I copied someone else's comment

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_ms33DbY8P0E0W

Currently in a house with 5 gamers total

I live in house with 3 other guys and a buddy of ours has been crashing on our couch for the past month (long story, but he's cool and contributes to cooking, cleaning, and utilities) We all play League of Legends, a handful of us play BF3, a few others play Tera, and then various other games such as CS:GO and TF2, and other console games like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart.

We have been here for about 1.5 months, below are some issues that we encountered:

• Bandwidth: we have a 105Mbps down/ 20Mbps up pipe provided by Comcast. The Router that comcast provided sucked, constant latency spikes, no QOS, terrible admin console. I ended up going out and buying my own modem and Router. I got the Motorola SB6121 and an Asus-RT-N66U Router (I could have paid an additional $30 and got an AC router, but honetly, none of us use the wireless for our computers, and any wireless device we do use which include phones, tablets, laptops, Apple TV, Ouya, PS3 etc, do not support 802.11AC and even if they did, none of them even saturate 802.11N) This completely solved our issues with lag spikes, and by far was the most frustrating issue we dealt with thus far.
  
  
• Electricity: I don't know where you guys are living, but being in Texas the A/C was on constantly, so be prepared for a large electric bill. Our last bill was ~$270, but that is pretty much as high as it will go.
  
  
• NAS: Currently I have 3 1TB drives in my computer and I am using Windows to share the content, we are currently using XBMC to play media across our computers as well as the Ouya and the Apple TV which are both hooked up to TVs. (1 in the living room, the other in the breakfast room/nook) I want to eventually build/buy a NAS, but I have been way too busy at work and I've been spending too much money on going and eating out.. so that needs to change.
  
  
• Last bit of advice I'd have to give, is make everyone do chores or something, it gets dirty very fast at our place with 5 guys living there, 2 dogs, 1 cat(although she is mostly outside), plus friends, girlfriends, and parties also all happening at our place.
  

Not likely related to the update since you can't format it on PC either. FWIW, pny and kingston are the only two brands of flash memory I've ever had fail on me.

Stick with Sandisk or Samsung.

Das keyboards get some flak for being overpriced, but at $60 this is a pretty good deal. Now that they have apparently sold out, see below for some alternatives.

EDIT: if you search for Das on /r/mechanicalkeyboards you'll find lots of people talking about how Das keyboards have declined in quality recently and some controversy about the software for one of their new models (not this KB) being Windows only. The keycaps Das uses are also said to be low quality. These issues aside, I personally think this is a good deal. If you are in the market for a full size mechanical keyboard, it's hard to find a better keyboard for the price. Some alternatives that are better but more expensive:

• $80: iKBC CD108 w/ MX Clear Switches
  
• $90 for full-size, $80 for tenkeyless: Cooler Master MasterKeys S
  
• $40, but 60% layout not full-sized: Magicforce68
  
  EDIT 2: as /u/SolixTanaka pointed out below, the Magicforce keyboards have questionable quality control. It's probably not fair to say they are better than Das keyboards. Some users love them and have no problems, others find their board crapping out after a few months (or sooner). Buyer beware. I like them because they are a cheap way to try out a 60% layout if that's something that interests you but you're unsure if you'll like it.

With your budget, you can certainly make 1440p work. A gtx 1080 would be ideal for that. I would recommend going with a single 1440p 144 hz Gsync monitor rather than 2 144 hz monitors.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-27-inch-Widescreen/dp/B0173PEX20

For gaming, I don't see a real need to have 2 monitors. I'd rather pour more money into a single amazing display because your game will only run on one of the monitors. If you need more real estate for work and productivity, then get a cheap second monitor.

I'm pretty sure there's room to save some money here too, but I'm on mobile and going to sleep, so maybe someone here could help trim some dollars.

Logitech C920 + 100% Microphone Volume + This sample rate setting = FeelsGoodMan Clap

Not sure about this being much of a deal.

Motherboard
CPU
RAM

Total is £490; the RAM price was over £200 on amazon so maybe the prices were just elevated a good while ago or they're moving old stock, either way it's been sub £100 all round the web for months now which is where I assume the bulk of the "30% off" comes from. Convenient amazon price history link here

I guess it comes pre-assembled and thus presumably ready to work without flashing the bios for a £30 premium.

3 year warranty is nice too I guess.

I didn't shop around at all though so you can probably find better deals than just double checking the component costs vs amazon.

Hope I didn't miss anything very obvious.

$130 - Sennheiser HD 599 SE Special Edition, Black

$130 - Sennheiser HD 4.50 Special Edition, Bluetooth Wireless Headphone with Active Noise Cancellation, Black

​

$541 - HKC 34'' (3440x1440p) 21:9 Ultrawide 100hz Curved Freesync VA Panel 8ms GTG Rebranded Viotek GN34C, I think it's a Samsung CF791 Panel

$870 - Samsung LC34J791WTNXZA 34" 3440x1440 100Hz QLED 21:9 VA Freesync Thunderbolt 3

$115 - ViewSonic VX2257-MHD 22 Inch 75Hz 2ms 1080p TN

$650 - Samsung 32" QLED 1440p 144Hz HDR 600 WQHD Curved Gaming Monitor Freesync 2 VA

$315 - LG 27GL650F-B 27" 144hz IPS HDR 10 Freesync

$165 - AOPEN 24HC1QR Pbidpx 23.6" 1080p 144hz 1800R Curved FreeSync 4ms VA

$320 - AOPEN 32HC1QUR Pbidpx 31.5" (2560x1440) 144Hz 1800R Curved VA 4ms Freesync Ships within 1-3 months

$260 - ViewSonic VX3276-2K-MHD 32 Inch 1440p IPS Frameless

​

$270 - AMD Ryzen 7 2700X

$765 - AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

​

$200 - Toshiba X300 8TB Hard Drive 7200 RPM 128MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5 Inch

$120 - Toshiba NAS N300 4TB NAS 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive- SATA 6 Gb/s 7200 RPM 128MB

$315 - Toshiba NAS N300 10TB NAS 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive- SATA 6 Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB

$80 - Seagate FireCuda 2TB SSHD 2.5 Inch SATA

$57/96/186 - XPG GAMMIX 256/512GB/1TB S11 Pro 3D NAND PCIe NVMe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 SSD

$106 - Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD

$107 - Crucial BX500 960GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch Internal SSD

$242 - Crucial MX500 2TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch SSD

$104 - Toshiba Canvio Advance 4TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0, White

$120 - WD Elements 6TB USB 3.0 External HDD Color Black WDBWLG0060HBK-NESN

$95 - Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5" SATA III SSD

​

$81 - Ballistix Sport LT 16GB Kit (2x8GB) DDR4 3000 MT/s (PC4-24000) CL15 SR Gray

$137 - Ballistix Elite 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR4 3600 MT/s (PC4-28800) CL16 SR Ships within 1-2 months

$73 - Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4x4GB) DDR4 3000 CL16 Black Non-prime, ships within 1-3 months

​

Other Components

$110 - DEEPCOOL Castle 240 RGB Liquid CPU Cooler Non-prime

$170 - Corsair H115i 280mm RGB Platinum AIO Liquid CPU Cooler

$35 - Deepcool RF120 3-Pack 120mm RGB PWM Fans with Fan Hub and Extension Non-prime

$805 - ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 Twin Fan 8GB

$198 - Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO ATX Motherboard

$120 - Corsair RM750x 80 Plus Gold Fully Modular ATX PSU CP-9020179-NA

$170 - Corsair HX850i High Performance 80+ Platinum Fully Modular ATX PSU

$60 - Corsair Fan Controller Commander Pro CL-9011110-WW

​

$33 - Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse

$40 - Logitech G403 Prodigy Wired Gaming Mouse

$50 - Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse

$50 - Razer DeathAdder Elite: True 16,000 5G Optical Sensor

$64 - SteelSeries Rival 600 Gaming Mouse, 12,000 CPI TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor

$55 - Logitech MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse, Graphite Ships within 1-2 months

$22 - NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch

$25 - HyperX Double Shot Black & White Pudding PBT Keycaps - 104 Mechanical Keycap Set for Cherry MX

$30 - Corsair mm350 Anti-Fray Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad Extended XL

$10.50 - SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface - Medium Cloth

$23 - SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface - Medium Hard

$135 - Razer Huntsman: Opto-Mechanical Switch

$55 - Logitech C920 Webcam HD Pro (960-000764)

​

$10.91 - AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries (8-Pack) Pre-charged 850mAh

$12.48 - AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries (12-Pack) 800mAh

$18.89 - AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries (8-Pack) Pre-charged 2400mAh

$1.49 - Oreos and other snacks :)

Here's an intel chipset wifi card for the same price. bonus bluetooth as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bluetooth-Expansion-Components-GC-WB867D-I/dp/B00HF8K0O6

WAY too much money you can get one for $50 that works just as well!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719D9YL7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seconded. 128GB for $20.99, 256 for $44.99, 512 for $99.99. There's no fucking reason not to.

SSDs are super cheap these days. And M.2 SSDS (PCIE) are like 4-8x faster than SSD :O 500gb for $150 USD? While normal SSD is 70 ish.

Edit: M.2 - https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-960-EVO-Internal-MZ-V6E500BW/dp/B01M20VBU7/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1550751896&sr=1-5&keywords=m.2&refinements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A14027459011

Regular SSD - https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1550751937&sr=1-3&keywords=ssd&refinements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A14027459011

Since you got a brand new PS4 buy a 2TB now and swap out the original. It will save you time and headaches later.

It’s only $64 and works perfectly internal or you could use it external with usb

Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0, Black + 2mo Adobe CC Photography (STDR2000100) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FRHTSK4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_M5qSBbPXSKZ11

Welp, looks like you have to set up a public webcam bruh.

http://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=smi_ge_rl_btns3_setch?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&pldnNewCustomer=1

https://www.amazon.com/TEAMWOLF-Water-Resistant-Mechanical-Keyboard-Equipped/dp/B01MTUDZS8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494265708&sr=8-1&keywords=teamwolf

Blue Switches, I have it and love it.

Brown switches:

https://www.amazon.com/Velocifire-Tenkeyless-Mechanical-Keyboard-Switches/dp/B01MS8YTYX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494265632&sr=8-1&keywords=brown+switches

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1494265632&sr=8-5&keywords=brown+switches

Gigabyte AC PCIe card

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bluetooth-Expansion-Components-GC-WB867D-I/dp/B00HF8K0O6

Best one for the money - essentially an Intel rebrand. Great speeds, drivers, magnetic antenna for you case, etc. I bought two, and the Intel equivalent for the low profile bracket on my HTPC.

Here, have an upgrade guide. This is mostly oriented for gaming, but I tried to make it as general purpose as possible.

First off, if you're trying to survive gaming on an older system and are wanting to upgrade, remember to check out the PC Gaming Wiki as well as the Low Spec Gamer YouTube channel and /r/lowendgaming. There are lots of tips and tricks to get games running better, and if you discover your own, don't forget to share them!

• If you have a motherboard older than DDR3, save and upgrade to a new platform. It's not worth investing in a platform that old for anything other than novelty purposes.
  
  
• If you want to upgrade your motherboard (like if you're looking at buying an unlocked CPU but have a locked motherboard), save and build a whole new system, unless you happen to come across exactly what you want for cheap. Used motherboards are usually just as expensive as new ones so it's not really worth investing that much into an older platform.
  
  
• If you have an Intel motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, see my reply to this comment. Character limit, woo!
  
  
• If you have an AMD motherboard, I'm not as experienced with this but upgrading to an 8320 or 8350 Black edition would be good.
  
• I'll do some research and put some detailed information here later; like I did for Intel processors. Again, after the aforementioned good night's rest.
  
  
• When buying any used processor, especially on eBay, be very wary of scams. Any price that seems too good to be true or is from a seller with very little feedback is something of which you should be very wary.
  
  
• If you have less than 8GB of RAM, buy a 2x4GB kit. Dual channel actually makes a difference these days. If you want more, well, divide the amount you want by the number of slots you have. 16GB / 4 slots = 4GB sticks, so get a 4x4GB kit. PCPartPicker is a good resource for this, although new DDR3 is getting more expensive. It might be worth looking at the used market, but be careful you don't buy ECC RAM (server memory) unless you have a motherboard and processor that support it.
  
  
• If your system isn't using an SSD as its boot drive, buy an SSD and reinstall your OS onto it. I don't know if I can recommend a SSD smaller than 250GB considering how cheap they're getting. Brand doesn't matter a whole lot but make sure to do a little research first. PCPartPicker, again, is a great resource for this. Filter by the minimum capacity you want and sort by lowest price, then go from there. Samsung is expensive but reliable; I don't know a lot about other brands.
  
  
• If you're running out of space, 2TB HDDs are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Here's a Seagate one, although I couldn't find Western Digital's equivalent for some reason.
  
  
• I don't really know much about graphics cards other than they're hard to buy new these days. If you buy new, I can't recommend anything with less than 4GB of VRAM, because modern games are getting better at using it. If you buy used, try not to go less than 2GB. Other than that, pick what fits your budget and performance needs, and remember you dont have to run everything on max settings. Dropping the settings a little can allow older cards to still compete today. I still run a 7870 and haven't found any unplayable games yet; 99% of games I get a solid 60, and once I upgrade to an e3-1240v3 that's in the mail I expect that to go to 99.9%.
  
  
• Make sure you have a good PSU. You can get really solid ones for $50 or less these days. Don't forget this one when upgrading your system, unless you already have a good PSU. This is the SeaSonic one I've been recommending a lot. Fully modular and 80 Plus Bronze seems pretty good to me. PSUs are a topic of a lot of controversy, though, so make sure to do your research.
  
  
• Similarly, investing in a case you like will last you a long time and significantly improve a build's appearance. Not its frames, though, so this isn't a priority. Pick one with all the features you want, good cable management options, something you don't mind looking at, that kind of stuff. Look up a review (google "[case name] review") where someone builds a computer in it so you can get an idea of what kind of issues people run into when building in it and if those issues are dealbreakers for you.
  
  
• Optical drives aren't really used this day but if you don't have one it can be worth it to pick one up. Blu-ray drives are getting cheaper, too. PCPartPicker -> optical drives -> filter by features -> sort by price.
  
  
• Monitors I cant speak much on, but if you're gaming at all, get one that goes at least 120hz at its native resolution, and don't get one lower than 1080p. If you don't do any gaming, make sure you get an IPS panel. I personally can't recommend any resolution other than 1080p (1920x1080) because compatibility issues are annoying and most software is either designed to work at 1080p, or have workarounds to run at 1080p. 4k is the next jump worth taking since that seems to be the next big standard (again, in my opinion), but hardware is still a generation or two out from that being mainstream.
  
  
• Multiple monitors are a thing. I don't think I can live with less than 3 monitors again. It's so nice to have a game on the center monitor, a webpage on the left, and a voip program on the right. You can kind of do this with window snapping, but, well, you can also do that with 3 monitors for much more information when you need it.
  
  
• Invest in good network gear. I cannot stress this enough. It will cost a chunk of money but will make your life so much better. If you're renting a modem from your ISP, or your modem/router has your ISP's logo on it, you need to upgrade. I'm currently running the Netgear R7000. If you're on cable internet, get a Motorola SurfBoard and something like the R7000. If you're on DSL, there's a variant that has a phone jack for dialing in. If you have fiber, the ONT that you have isn't replaceable but it's probably fine (but you'll still want to replace the included router). For all of these, you'll probably need to look up a guide on switching and it will probably involve calling your ISP. Expect to spend $200ish on the equipment, but seriously, you won't be constantly rebooting your router, wondering why the WiFi isn't working this time, etc. And a good modem will let you know if it can contact the network or not so you'll know if the internet is actually out or not. And if you're renting a router, you'll save money in the long run.
  
  
• If you're using WiFi, get a good network card. I saw this one linked on this subreddit the other day and it looks pretty good. I've personally found USB WiFi dongles unreliable, but YMMV.
  
  
• Don't forget to upgrade your peripherals. Check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, /r/steamcontroller (it's about more than just the Steam Controller there, the name is a little misleading TBH), and the YouTube channel Rocket Jump Ninja (he does mouse reviews). I think /r/emulation has had some good threads on controllers, too. There's fun stuff like Mayflash adapters for GameCube controllers, or you could pick up a bluetooth dongle for a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 (or WiiMote passthrough in Dolphin). There's lots of fun to be had in the peripheral department.
  
  I think that's about everything. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll include it.
  
  edit: Updated some stuff and tried to include more details.

Parts List & More

Type|Item
:--|:--
Case|IN WIN 101 Mid Tower High Air Flow Gaming Case w/ Tempered Glass Full Size Window (White)
CPU|Intel® Core™ Processor i7-7700K 4.20GHZ 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Kaby Lake)
Case Fan|3x 120mm AZZA Hurricane RGB Fans
CPU Cooler|Thermaltake Floe Riing RGB 240mm Premium Edition Liquid CPU Cooling System w/ Copper Cold Plate (2 x Standard 120MM Fans)
SSD|240GB WD Green Series SATA-III 6 SSD
HDD|Seagate 3TB 64MB Cache 7200RPM SATA III 6.0Gb/s
RAM|XPG Z1 Gaming Series 16GB DDR4-3000 Dual Channel DDR4 Kit, CL16 (2x 8GB), White
Motherboard|ASUS ROG Strix Z270E Gaming ATX w/ RGB, USB 3.1, 3 PCIe x16, 4 PCIe x1, 6 SATA3, 2 M.2 SATA/PCIe
OS|Windows 10 Home (64-bit Edition)
Power Supply|600 Watts - Standard 80 Plus Certified Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready
Video Card|GeForce® GTX 1060 3GB GDDR5
Monitor|Dell S2415h 24-Inch x 3
Monitor Stand|VIVO Single Stand & VIVO Dual Stand
Headset|Steelseries Arctis 7
Headset Stand|Avantree Universal Aluminum Desk Headphone Stand Hanger with Cable Holder
Keyboard|Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
Mouse|Logitech MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse (White)
Webcam|Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
Plants|Artificial Plants, Amyhomie Set of 4 Mini Fake Succulent Plants
Desk|98x1 1/8" EKBACKEN Kitchen Counter Top resting on two White ALEX Drawers. There's also two OLOV White Adjustable Legs underneath for support.
Laptop|Apple 13" MacBook Air 256GB SSD 2015 Model
Laptop Stand|Vertical Laptop Stand Holder by MOTONG
Laptop Skin|Solid State White Skin by DecalGirl
Mini Fridge|Danby DAR017A3WDB Contemporary Classic Compact All Refrigerator, White
Lamp|Studio Designs 12024 Swing Arm Lamp, 13-watt, White
Lamp Bulb|TP-Link Multicolour Smart LED Bulb
Wallpaper|Nathan Nyx on ArtStation
Wall Scrolls|Tokyo Ghoul, No Game No Life, Attack On Titan, Seven Deadly Sins
Console|Nintendo Switch - Gray Joy-Con
Console Skin|Solid State White by DecalGirl
Controller|Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Cable Management|Reusable Velcro Cable Ties, 2 x White Cable Raceway Channels, and 2 x White Cable Box
USB Charger|RAVPower 60W 12 A 6-Port USB Charger
Router|Linksys Velop Tri-band Whole Home WiFi Mesh System 2-Pack
Trash Bin|FILUR (White)

If you are going full digital the mininum you need is 200/256GB but if you still buy physical games then 128GB is good enough. I bought one with 128GB but from Samsung because I trust them more when it comes to flash storage(Their SSDs are great) and because I have read multiple times that you can get fake ones when buying this SanDisk model even with Amazon as a seller.

Here is the Samsung model if you want to purchase one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/

I saw this after buying another ssd a few hours ago. They are actually pretty cheap. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541347208&sr=8-3&keywords=860+evo

This one is only $83 and I haven't had a single problem with it and it has 4.5 stars. I can replace it every year and break even. Everything beyond that is savings.

Edit... messed up the link :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

I play exclusively on pc, on TV, from my couch/lazy boy, with 360 controller, audio through 5.1 surround sound reciever.

It's not only possible, it's relatively easy. Hdmi (from pc) to audio reciever, then hdmi to TV. Done.

I don't ever use a mouse; I use this to navigate websites, desktop etc.. and 360 controller to game. (That keyboard is ~$25)

I use my 59" TV as a main monitor and a 24" monitor as my second monitor (usually for Pandora while I game)

Feel free to ask me any other questions.

Edit: it should also be noted, if your friend plays a lot of multiplayer first person shooters, he might wanna figure out a k&m setup as controller users get absolutely destroyed by k&m.

I'm really sorry about that. Poor tracking can happen for a few reasons: exceeding bandwidth on your system, incompatible USB ports, of even a non-functional sensor, among other things. Since you seem to have tried the sensors by themselves, I would guess that you are either exceeding the bandwidth, or that your USB 2.0 ports are somehow incompatible. Your best bet is to purchase this add-on card (must be this exact one): https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM I'd also continue to speak with us on the support ticket in case there is some software component that can be resolved, such as updating USB drivers or disabling a conflicting application. Hope that helps.

Am I missing something or is this the same price on amazon?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=twister_B07P5VF5TL?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Hardware

• Keyboard: MagicForce
  
• Monitor: 23" ASUS
  
• Lamp: FORSÅ from IKEA
  
  

  Software
  

  
  

• Wallpaper: Here (The wallpaper I wal'd for the color scheme)
  
• WM: GNOME
  
• Terminal: urxvt
  
• Font: Roboto Mono (I think)
  
• Audio Visualizer: Cava
  
• Pipes.sh Command: pipes.sh -p 5 -R

I’m so glad you asked this question before buying. First of all, no question is silly. The daily question thread is exactly for these types of quick answer questions.

Do not buy the Nintendo official SD cards. They’re way way overpriced. I’d buy either a Sandisk or Samsung 128gb Micro SD card ($40), as that size give you best bang for the buck. I’ll link a couple below. If you want something smaller or bigger, just let me know.

I’m one of the mods here, so welcome to the subreddit!

Samsung 128gb

Sandisk 128gb

I dont think its a USB3 issue, I think it an incompatible USB chipset issue. I had nothing but problems at first, USB3 wouldnt work at all, USB2 worked better but still major issues. I then installed the USB3 PCIe card recommended by valve and ALL issues were solved. I have no problems now at all.

edit: this is the card i got http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

I wrote this for another thread on the same subject a while back. The main bottleneck/expense is moving from single processor to dual processor. If I had it to do over (and hadn't come across a 2009 model at a bargain price) I'd get the 2010 chassis. The 2009 model uses a very odd lidless processor design which is unique to that year and complicates upgrading. The 2010's also have faster RAM which means you won't have to buy new RAM to upgrade the processor.

Upgrades:-

• Highpoint Technologies Rocket 640L for SATA 6Gb/ps combined with any SATA SSD.
  
  
• For true speed OWC offer a range of M2 SSD PCIE cards, although these are expensive they will give you current generation SSD speeds. There are plenty of cheap M2 SATA PCIE cards available and the drives themselves are reasonably priced, but many unfortunately can't be used as boot drives in the Mac (NVME issues). MacProSSDOptions offers a list of ones that work.
  
  
• Any recent 9xx and above nVidia card will work with nVidia's web drivers (bloody hard to find, search the Hackintosh sites for current links and ALWAYS upgrade the drivers before you upgrade the OS). I have GTX 970 which drives three monitors happily and offers HDMI out. What you won't get with the non-mac nVidia cards is the grey boot screen, you need a Mac card for that hence the advice I offer about the EFI cards later on. I've run twin 9800 GTX's, an 8800 GT and a GTX 970 in my 2009 model without issues - you just need to make sure the card you buy has 6 pin power connectors on the card itself and you'll need a set of 6 pin PCiE power connectors for the Mac Pro Backplane.
  
  
• If you can find an upgraded processor board and processor for reasonable money a hacked firmware upgrade for the 4,1 to the 5,1 is available, it's a really simple upgrade to perform. This also allows you to use faster 1333 MHz RAM.
  
  
• Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card for rear facing USB 3.0.
  
  
• An Apple BCM94360CD card and adapter will provide Bluetooth 4 LE, and 802.11 ac connectivity (which provide continuity and handoff).
  
  Advice:-
  
  
• Always keep a Mac EFI graphics card in the machine or handy, I have one of the old GT120's, inevitably when the OS upgrades you'll forget to upgrade the Nvidia web drivers first and that renders the mac useless without an EFI card available.
  
  
• There is plenty of space in the CD drive enclosure for SSDs and other upgrades - they're much more knowledgeable about third party parts and driver issues than the Mac crowd who generally don't deal with these things too much. I've frequently found information there on PCiE SSDs, video drivers, even sound drivers, that I couldn't get help for elsewhere.
  
  
• The dual core 2009 series is the best one of the 2009 models to own, the processors can be upgraded to the point where it comes near the 2013 Mac Pro Geekbench score. If you don't have a dual processor board from the get go then the upgrade to one is very expensive indeed and the parts are hard to find.
  
  
• The 2.66 Ghz 4,1 uses lidless processors (as do all of the other 2009 models) which are impossible to find upgrades for. You will have to convert the board or do the riskiest upgrade of your life in order to use the better processors. Information on the board conversion is hard to find (I'm looking if anyone out there has it!).
  
  
• Lots of helpful information is available at TonyMacx86 and other Hackintosh forums. In my experience they are more knowledgeable about third party hardware and driver issues than the Mac crowd - I had major sound driver issues with Mavericks and they were the only people with a solution.
  
  
• If you can find a 5,1 (2010 tower) at a price you can afford go for that one as it has standard heat shielded processors rather than the lidless version in the 2.66Ghz 4,1 - always check the serial number before you buy as many 5,1 machines are really 4,1's with the hacked firmware.
  

For the 2 sensors on the wall above the computer I'm using 10ft USB 3.0 extension cables. For the 3rd camera I'm using a 16.4ft USB 2.0 extension cable, as well as a 6ft USB 3.0 extension cable because the 2.0 cable wasn't long enough. I have all 3 cameras plugged into the same USB controller on the motherboard. Since I'm using a 2.0 extension cable, the 3rd camera is running via USB 2.0.

I'm using a 10ft HDMI extension cable and a 10ft USB 3.0 cable for the headset. The extension cables are electrical taped together and secured to my desk using velcro straps. I have the headset USB plugged into a PCI-E USB card I bought because I was running out of USB ports.

It's worth noting that for the first couple of days, I was getting occasional errors where the it said the headset was disconnected and I would have to unplug the USB and plug it back in. Since moving the headset to the USB on the PCI-E card (off the same controller as the sensors) I have not had this issue or any other issues to speak of.

6ft 3.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFL6ARO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

16.4ft 2.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KY9M51O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

10ft 3.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7SA21U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

USB PCI-E Expansion Card
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

10ft HDMI Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C4SECG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Frequency-Expansion/dp/B00HF8K0O6/

I have an older model of this, but it works great. it really helps to have an antenna that extends to a higher position that's not directly plugged in to the bottom of the tower sitting on the ground.

I use this modem: http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

These are still quite expensive for an older card that has a max speed of 48Mbps, the newer ones are only $10 more with a max speed of 100Mbps.

Samsung evo is a better sd card and goes for the same price pretty much 100% of the time https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWZWYVP/

Don't buy SD cards in physical retail locations like bestbuy. Their "deals" are just them marking the price down to the actual online price when most of the time they are marked way up. When they do go on sale for real you'll see them for like $25-$40 on Amazon.

EDIT Here's the Sandisk one https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-microSDXC-Standard-Packaging-SDSQUNC-128G-GN6MA/dp/B010Q57S62 for the same price on Amazon. No mention of a sale while bestbuy is claiming $118 off. Just bestbuy fuckary going on there. Samsung one I linked is still better as it's rated 30MB/s minimum while the sandisk is 10MB/s minimum.

If you're looking on the budget end, these keyboards will all be on sale tomorrow:

• Velocifire VM01 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Outemu Brown Switches 104 Keys LED Illuminated Backlit Anti-ghosting Keys (Black)
  
• MechanicalEagle Z-77 Multicolor Backlit 87 Keys Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Blue Switches DIY Replaceable Switches - Black
  
• Mechanical Keyboard Gaming Keyboard Brown Switch 68-Keys Mini Design (60%) Gaming Wired Keyboard White Silver Magicforce by Qisan
  
• EagleTec KG010 Gaming / Industrial / Office Mechanical Keyboard With LED Backlit 104 Key (Black)
  
  The first 2 are pretty regularly posted on this sub. The 3rd is highly recommended on /r/MechanicalKeyboards as a good budget board (though the more expensive Gateron keys are preferred). I'm not familiar with the 4th, but it looks like it could be the same as a MechanicalEagle with a different badge.
  
  Here is a link that finds all of those keyboards except the Qisan (#3), which is filed under "Electronics" and "Video Games > Accessories" rather than "Computers & Accessories". It should also keep populating in case more keyboards show up, since deals are only posted 24 hours in advance. You should be able to change the price range, but I don't remember seeing any mechanical keyboards for $50+. You can also "Watch" the deals from that link so you are notified when they go live.
  
  Hope this helps, and good luck finding a board!

Logitech K400 is more of a small-sized keyboard rather than mini, but is great for the living room if you need something you can actually type on.

At this price I’d just go with 860 EVO for 6 more dollars.
Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v1MTBb16M9CQT

first of, stop leasing a modem!
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372053573&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard+sb6121+docsis+3.0+cable+modem

This is what I bought. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FRHTSK4

I took it apart as it's the only way to get this specific hard drive at the moment. The hard drive is the Samsung Spinpoint M9T. A few users have issues booting up their ps4 from being completely off even thought it boots up fine from standby.

I have no issues at all.

Been looking for a while myself OP
> BenQ GW2765HT 27-Inch 2560x1440 IPS Monitor
>
> BenQ ZOWIE 27" QHD 2560x1440 LED 144Hz
>
> ASUS MG278Q WQHD, 1ms 27-Inch FreeSync
>
> Dell Gaming S2716DG 27.0" Screen LED-Lit Monitor with G-SYNC
>
> ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278QR 27" 2560x1440 1ms 165Hz G-SYNC
>
> Acer Predator XB271HU bmiprz 27" WQHD (2560x1440) NVIDIA G-SYNC

I'll represent /r/mechanicalkeyboards here. Rant incoming.

Now, many of us do like to hook up smaller sized keyboards to our iPads (you'll occasionally see builds people do where they make a custom, usually wooden, case to hold their ipad and a keyboard like this).

I have many issues with this

1. Obviously the price. Mechanical keyboards are pricey, but the best of the best with standard (Cherry MX style like this) switches (the mechanism under every key) won't run you over $200. Usually smaller form factors like this are slightly cheaper too.
   
2. The switches. First off, it doesn't mention the make of the switch. While they are undoubtedly "MX" style, I highly suspect they are clones and not made by Cherry. Now, clones generally range from okay (Kailh) to great (gateron), but I suspect more of the former. At this price, I expect the legitimate thing or Gateron if not.
   
3. The switches, again. "Tactile "Clicky" Mechanical Switch " literally is the poorest description ever. "MX" style switches come in linear, tactile (there's a bump as you go down), and clicky (big bump, and click sound). They mean the latter, but honestly you could mix it up with the tactile style. Terrible description.
   
4. The typewriter keycaps are cool looking, but I don't think they're very functional. Typical keycaps are a great design. Your fingers naturally move up and down, so they are contoured to be flat on the vertical and "scooped" on the horizontal. This allows you to move up and down and discourages side to side. They also overall are scultped on the side to make it easiest to reach the each successive row from your home row (https://massdrop-s3.imgix.net/product-images/keycapprofileround2.png?auto=format&fm=jpg&fit=crop&w=376&dpr=1). So these flat keycaps don't appeal much to me.
   
   Now the keycap look might be your style, and the build quality, battery, and bluetooth are also good features. However, the price just isn't justifyable.
   
   If you want a mechanical keyboard/tablet duo, just get the magicforce 68: https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0 , and a converter for usb to lightning for an ipad. Or nothing for an android microusb tablet (they include a converter for that in the box!). Literally a fraction of the cost, at only the loss of wireless/battery.

With leds on

Amazon link for the keyboard

Usually in the cheap range (<$40), it is hard to find browns. They pretty much all come with blues.

Other boards i like if you are in the market

Magicforce 68 Outemu browns

Redragon K552 Outemu blues

I bought a $40 Magicforce 68 for work. I really like it. Great Keyboard with Brown Outemu (Cherry MX copycat). It is a popular cheap choice on /r/mechanicalkeyboards.

Check all your boxes but backlit. If you really want a backlit one, you can find it for $60. Worth it? You see...

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504275088&sr=8-2&keywords=128gb+micro+sd

Theres the Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO (MB-ME128GA/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_Ju5qvCT7wJE1I

Though it's $25 right now I got it on sale for $20 in December.

You gotta check out a 2.5 enclosure, just pop in the ssd, connect it to the laptop by usb and clone https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=sata+hdd+enclosure&qid=1568905424&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Hope you get better man,you can beat cancer i'm sure.
Now for the laptop looking at WoW specs i think around 600$ is a great price and no need to spend more so i suggest the acer aspire E15 with the mx150 and it should be more than enough:
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7?th=1&psc=1

oh and for streaming and such ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM dual cards.the gtx 1080 is more than enough and your current setup is perfect and there is no need to buy anything at all even for streaming,and even if you are serious i would suggest something like the i7-8700k(6 cores with higher FPS but worse streaming) or the ryzen 7 2700x(8 cores great for streaming) with an RTX2080ti (honestly your current card is more than enough and the RTX is throwing money away for the sake of it).
DO NOT buy dual cards as very few games will scale and that will be like 70% scaling at best and MOST games won't use the second card at all.

This one! tbh I was looking for a 40%, but $40 was too good to pass up, and this one is still pretty small.

Way better off dishing out $60 more to get one of the best budget 144hz monitors https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-FreeSync-Monitor-DisplayPort/dp/B01A0ZRR50'

Also has the addition of freesync for any AMD gpu users

NVMe is MUCH faster than Sata SSD. Is that what you're asking?

M.2 is the connection but there are two types of drives that use this port.

One is SATA ssd (6gbs) which is the same speed as a typical 2.5 sata ssd.

But the NVMe (32gbs) is many times faster than that. (It uses PCI bandwidth instead of sata which is part of the reason its so fast.)

Its noticeably faster if you're doing content creation like editing and such. And while it is slightly noticeable in game load times and day-to-day PC use, most people don't feel the extra $$ is worth the upgrade to NVMe. (I am not one of those people lol. I like speeeeeed)

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fh60AbJWDSR66

$129 warehouse deal...which is usually new/return.

You have to do a lot better than 125 for used ones

While technically correct for the most part, this comment seems to be exaggerating things a bit. You only need three USB ports for Rift out of the box, a fourth port only if you buy a third optional sensor. You don't need a usb2.0 at all, you can run headset and two sensors on usb 3.0 fine and if you buy a forth sensor it will automatically downgrade it to a usb2.0 with the included extension cable it comes with.A $20 pci usb card can be purchased if there are any USB issues at all. Stating HDMI"1.3" as if it would be any different than any HDMI that would ship on a compatible graphics card is also a bit intimidating to those who would think '1.3' is something different. If your newer card happens to only have display-port (rare), or you are already using HDMI for your monitor and you don't have a second HDMI out, you can use an adapter to go displayport to hdmi to either the monitor or Rift.

For most people its only the $160+ graphics card that is the main upgrade needed.

​

​

agreed. Unless you're on a tight budget. Amazon has larger for barely more and are U3 for better speeds.

1. 64gb $11.15
   
2. 128gb $19.49

Here is a video that goes over current SD card specifications pretty well. I'll post what I got out of it and a little bit of additional research:

CAPACITY

There are three different types of SD cards that indicate a size range. SD cards are up to 2GB and are useless for our purposes. SDHC cards are from 4-32 GB and are ill-advised since 32GB isn't really enough. What we're interested in is SDXC cards which are from 64GB to 2TB. Each card has a micro version which is what we need. Capacity type doesn't have an impact on performance.

WRITE SPEED

There are two different families of speed classes that indicate a minimum write performance. The first, traditional speed class comes in Class 2, Class 4, Class 6, and Class 10. The number corresponds to their write speed, Class 2 is 2MB/s, class 10 is 10MB/s. This class is denoted by their number inside of a "C".

The other family of speed class is UHS. There are only two types, type 1 and type 3. These are denoted by their number inside of a "U" shaped symbol. UHS1 writes at 10MB/s, UHS3 writes at 30MB/s. That means the Class 10 and UHS1 have the same minimum write performance, but we're just going to look at UHS cards from now on. It is possible for a card to claim a UHS class speed, and a Class 10 speed.

Bus Interface

There are two different bus interfaces for UHS cards, UHS-I and UHS-II. These are denoted by roman numerals rather than our numbers. UHS-II cards have a second row of connection pins on the back of the card, while UHS-I just has the single row. UHS-II cards can transfer data faster than UHS-I cards when they are in a UHS-II compatible machine. If the machine is not UHS-II compatible then there is no benefit, however the UHS-II card will still work as it is backwards compatible. It does not look like the Nintendo Switch is UHS-III compatible, so there is no benefit to using a UHS-II card in it, which is a shame because the II interface can help read speeds tremendously.

So what is Nintendo recommending with OP's card? A microSDXC UHS3-I card. Meaning it is a micro version of a 64GB card, with the best write speed class, and the standard/worse Bus interface.

Nintendo-licensed Sandisk microSDXC 64GB UHS3-I for $19.99

Non licensed Sandisk microSDXC 64GB UHS3-I card for $23

/u/Nobody_is_lurking posted two contenders...

Sandisk microSDXC 64GB UHS1-I card for $14.25

Sandisk microSDXC 128GB UHS1-I card
for $23.25


...but it isn't actually an apples to apples comparison, as they are both UHS1 rather than UHS3. The $6 question is how big of a difference is there functionally between the two speed classes when actually being used by a Switch, which someone already took the time to test!

The results show that, when write speed was involved, the difference was significant, and that installed games can go by 3x faster using a UHS3 card. So sure, the UHS3 is a clear winner for installing, but what people really care about are load times, showed a less drastic story. Installing locally on the Switch beats any external storage options that we're looking at, then the UHS3 trailed shortly behind, with UHS1 following a little longer. For a regularly installed game the difference in load times doesn't seem to be more than a couple of seconds, even if the load time is a minute long. This guy also tested homebrew launched games though, which did show a much bigger difference between UHS1 and UHS3. So there is a difference in load time, but just not a massive one that many people would notice.

Looking at value, for whatever reason the Nintendo-licensed cards are currently cheaper than their equivalent nonlicensed cards, both the 64Gb and 128GB. Obviously the UHS-1 is cheaper than the UHS-3 across the board.

But if you want to branch away from Sandisk you can have the best of both worlds with a Samsung 64GB UHS3-I card for $15 The price per MB stays consistent at bigger sizes as well, so if you wanted a 128GB one it'd be $30.

tl;dr Buy this one. It is better and cheaper.

This

I am not even gonna read your post, just based on your title get:

1x https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0173PEX20/

2x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072HGR5HB/

1x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075SRGSK1/

​

The XB271HU and KG271 are of exactly the same dimensions. AND XB271HU is one hell of a good monitor.

Suggested you a triple monitor arm, too.

This is my setup.

​

Hope this fits your or someone else's needs.

This or the ViewSonic XG2401 at $208?

Picked up a 2TB a few weeks back for $99

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4

Very easy to remove the Samsung HDD from the case and pop into the PS4

Welp. At least it was only THIS monitor that was ruined. No big deal right? Lol.

In all seriousness, I was going to sell everything when I move abroad next year anyway. This just means I won't get much for it. Oh well.

ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q 27 inch gsync IPS 2k monitor for 450 plus tax 4 left: https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_2?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1542641106&sr=8-2&keywords=gsync

Dead- Samsung evo 860- 59 plus tax https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_cc_1?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1542641251&sr=8-1-catcorr&keywords=evo+860

This is exactly what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-Touchpad/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1419200459&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+wireless+keyboard

$30? This aint it.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP

$45 for a 128 GB.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504275088&sr=8-2&keywords=128gb+micro+sd

You forgot:

• I finally got a Nintendo Switch! Which accessories should I buy for it before it gets here? Most people recommend a screen protector and a carrying case. As for the most frequently recommended carrying cases, there's this one from RDS Industries and this one from Butterfox.
  
  
• What's the biggest, cheapest, most reliable microSD card I can buy for the Switch? There's no best answer, but a lot of people on this sub recommend this one from Samsung.
  
  
• Should I buy a Nintendo Switch? What about all of the problems I heard about? Maybe? I don't know. That's your call, friend. There are problems, as there are with any new piece of technology, but Nintendo has a great warranty with excellent customer support, and the issues aren't quite as widespread as it seems (people are most vocal when there's a problem; they typically won't say anything if there's nothing wrong).
  
  
• What games are coming out for the Switch? There's a link in the sidebar on desktop, but for mobile users, check here.

To defend power buttons though, I have this keyboard for my living room TV's PC that kind of functions like a remote control. The power button on it is quite useful.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-Touchpad/dp/B005DKZTMG

Hello hopefuls, lurkers, and alumni! Rather than give each video a critique I'm just going to list some tips that will help everyone in the long run. These tips do not apply to any single person in particular and every one of them can be used to improve a performance in some way shape or form, those who have a mastery in all of them tend to go far.

1. Overlay Your Videos - Find a good quality version of your song that fits the theme, and edit your video in an video editing program (I use Windows Movie Maker for example) so the audio from your video is muted and the music is what plays over the footage. This has been a staple since week 5 of season 1 and is an absolute must if you want to do well.
   
   
2. Camera Quality - Now not everyone can afford an amazing camera ready to make Hollywood quality videos, I understand that. However if your camera can't keep up with you moving slowly, it's not going to be keeping up with your mouth either. I personally filmed my first few videos of season 1 with this before upgrading to this and then finally recently to this. You don't need to have the most amazing camera in the world but you do need one that is going to capture your performance in a quality that lets people see you werk it.
   
   
3. Emoting - Close your eyes, listen to your song, then listen to it again, then listen to it again, then listen to it again. Reread the lyrics, then reread them again. Get a real understanding of the song you want to perform and feel it out. Nothing causes a disconnect more than someone doing backflips and pirouettes to Natural Woman, and nobody wants to be the Kenya Michaels of that situation. However, on the other hand. You don't want to be completely still during an upbeat song that you can work the house down. Also use your face, don't be afraid to use your face. Are you feeling terrible, show it to me in your eyes. Happy? Throw a grin around that chin. Whatever the song calls for let it all out just keep it within the constraints of the song. Over emoting can hurt you just as much as under emoting.
   
   
4. Enunciation/Learning Your Lyrics - You can know the lyrics front to back, back to front, left to right but if you don't enunciate them properly what's the point? Now I'm always a fan of going above and beyond with enunciation for entertainment value but I understand that's not exactly everyones gig. What I WILL tell you however is that you do infact have to over enunciate at least a little. You're not actually singing, if you were to just move your mouth as if you were it doesn't get the point across as well as overenunication does. A little bit goes a long way and it really gives that extra punch to your lyrics. Also rather than syncing the way you'd sing the song, actually listen to the person singing, mimic their breath patterns, listen to how THEY pronounce the word rather than how you do.
   
   
5. Audience Connection - This one is going to be short, make and keep eye contact with your camera. Flirt with it a bit, the camera is your window to the audience and while you can't actually interact with them you can make them feel as if you are.
   
   
6. Reacting to Critique- Now every week your videos are going to be watched by a large pool of people, some of these people may choose to critique you. Largely whether or not you listen to their tips for improvement is up to you, however be forewarned that while it is 100% your choice to follow tips, it could shoot you in the foot regardless of whether or listen or not. Be smart about it, also try not to take them to heart, not everyone is going to love all of your videos, and not everyone is going to hate all of your videos. Just be proud of the work you put in and do it for you, have fun with it, learn from it, keep expressing yourself.
   
   
7. Dancing - Now if you are doing a song with rhythm, feel free to dance. You don't know how to dance? No problem either! Be creative, use the pauses and beats to your advantage. HOWEVER this is first and foremost a LIP SYNC competition. It helps to keep your fancy moves that could obscure your mouth to perhaps spots where there are no lyrics. If I can't see your mouth I don't know how well you're lip syncing. Find your balance, and run with it. In terms of non dance movement, hitting a beat with a quick arm movement or facial expression can really elevate a performance.
   
   
8. Have a Look - This is the last thing I can think of off the top of my head. Having a look or costume to go with the song you picked not only shows effort but can keep the video very engaging. Now obviously not everyone has access to tons of costumes, wardrobe, wigs and accessories so don't be afraid to get crafty. For example back in season 2 zoomyx made wigs out of yarn! Competitor Sailor Evan in season 1 is known for his viral construction paper Sailor Moon outfits. Even a simple t-shirt and some rudimentary makeup can be turned into a look that helps you tell a story with your video.
   
   
9. Filming Camera Angle Orientation - If you film on your phone, don't film in portrait mode. It cuts a lot out of the video and while you may have more room up and down to work with you lose a lot of room to your left and right, it also can be very distracting and take away from what otherwise be an absolutely stellar performance.
   
   Overall these tips can and WILL help you in the long run, I wish you all the best and good luck!
   
   Now with all that said I'm now going to reveal the 6 people I voted for in no particular order.
   
   /u/BitchEva /u/mtd1988 /u/Kamui_Gr /u/itsbrohan and I don't know Sheba Maneater or Lady T's reddit names.
   
   Now good luck, and don't fuck it up
   
   Edit: SECRET TIP NUMBER 10! Carrion Threads - If you don't get in or didn't audition but want to still participate, make a video and post it in the Carrion Threads! These threads are named after April Carrion from Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race, after she was eliminated she would post the runway looks for each theme that she brought to the show on her social media. In the spirit of that you guys can follow along in them and they're great practice to really hone your skills for next year! Stick around and lip sync with us!

I would suggest the latest model 8 downstream channel model. Just so you won't have to upgrade agian for several years to a decade.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Edit 1;

Well I just found an even newer model not listed in my search for some reason.

Here is the full list to make is simple for everyone:

4 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0

8 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Here is the latest 16 channel now available good for up to 700 Mbps or a couple hundred if they are capping channels. http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6183-DOCSIS/dp/B00MA5U1FW

Edit 2;

Fixed my links that weren't working and updated to the smile charity option.

If you have a digital phone service through your cable company you'll need this unit. Just make sure your company supports this unit before buying it. Check out the comments, questions, & reviews on the page for more information.

Arris TM822G Touchstone® DOCSIS 3.0 8x4 Ultra-High Speed Telephony Modem:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00721TUNS

One huge thing for me was stopping myself (and my parents) from spending ~$10/month on a cable internet modem rental through Comcast. If anyone has comcast I highly recommend you just get one of these (they are very highly rated):

For internet speeds less than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495356&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb+6121

For internet speeds greater than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495487&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb6141

NOTE: If they are close in price whenever you look at these amazon links, get the sb6141. It'll future proof you for a few years at least.

This isn't directly related, but you can buy a Logitech webcam that will record video to your computer hard drive any time there is movement in the room. It might help you sleep easier at night. Just remember to disable the webcam light when it records. ;)

I got tired of losing flash drives and put a couple ssd's in external enclosures likes this

Here is one that my squad and I have zero issues with. Works like a charm.

Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP256GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gs0SCbBVK5W2M


And here is the case

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Cs0SCb5R6QZQ8

Once I got my Acer Predator I have never looked back and it’s been wonderful. It’s also currently on sale!.... for $1.01 off.....

Good price for a great replacement/upgrade! SSHD too! Not sure if it's been any lower. And newegg doesn't charge tax in most states.


If you don't want a SSHD or want to save $15, the seagate 2TB barracuda is also a good option.

Or if you're really concerned about the price, you can get the seagate 2TB slim plus for $80. Note, however, this one is in a case and you would need to crack it (voids waranty) and takes a bit more work than the above two options. But it's a very common option for upgrades.

The last time they had this, most of the products sold out within hours. Here are some of the best deals:

Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse with 250 Hour Battery Life $44.99: Amazing mouse with a battery that never dies, I own one and would not go back to wired ever again.

Logitech G510s Gaming Keyboard $59.99: A feature non-mechanical keyboard for someone more interested in looks, and their display system. Also has different colored RGB backlighting, something that is just now coming to mechanical keyboards.

Logitech Gamepad F310 $12.50: A great wired gamepad, makes any racing or indy game feel much better.

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound $69.99: Wireless with 7.1, looks great, and has a lot of positive reviews. Costs as much on sale as the G430 is full price.

Logitech Wireless All-In-One Keyboard TK820 with Built-In Touchpad $49.99: One of their new products, makes for couch browsing a lot easier.

Price Match with Fry's.

BestBuy Link

Talk to CS and ask em if they can. It's a long shot since they are sold out but would be nice

Model: 960-000764

SKU: 4612476

Route 2: go here (Amazon)

Ctrl+F "Lower price" and shoot em the link and they might match it.

Price dropped from $50 to $40 on Amazon, Neat.

Drivers, get a dashcam.

Amazon currently has mine on sale for $35, plus $20 for a decently sized SD card.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C89GCHU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0bnlDbV135SXP

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jRnlDbGSDB8DT

I highly recommend anyone looking to do memory expansion for their Switch to not go with the particular version of the Sandisk Ultra microSD cards. You'll be better served getting either this Sandisk Ultra or the Samsung Evo that /u/Squidula linked to in his comment.

Both have 100mb/s Read/Write speeds versus this one's 48mb/s speed. Some games may lag or just not load at the lower speed and it's only going to be more and more of a requirement to have the 100mb/s speed in the future.

Near exact card parameters but by Samsung $19.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i6CVCbWDR6RNJ

Literally any 2.5" SATA drive would work-- HDD, SSD, or SSHD of any brand.


Unless you actually need that 1TB of space at that cheap of a price, definitely get an SSD instead. 500GB for <$90 is a steal for the performance difference.


https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1539620546&sr=1-3&keywords=500gb+ssd


Also, while you're in there... I'd suggest taking the below preventative measure for your SATA cable while you're at it. The 2009-2012 models are bad about cables failing from the bends and/or the ribbon shorting out against the chassis, and replacing drives/moving this cable seems to make it way more temperamental no matter how careful you are.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amg5w0rlwDo

Rift S is a nice pickup and the natural progression looking to move up from PSVR. Your PC specs are great for VR, and it will be a massive improvement from PSVR in all areas.


You may want to consider a RiftS-dedicated pci-e usb3 card for your PC to ensure optimal bandwidth and power is delivered to the Rift S such as below; this will improve performance and reliability. Most motherboard chipsets are not up to the task in this regard, so it's a great $20 investment many overlook. The one linked is known to be one of the best performers for Rift S. Note if you do get this don't install the inateck drivers, just use the Microsoft ones that auto load after installation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OVPxDbTW1ZJ2E

Rift CV1 > OG Vive in:

Angular resolution - ~20% higher

Optical clarity (Vive only clear when looking straight forward; Rift clear almost edge-to-edge)

Ergonomics (improved with $100 Deluxe Audio Strap; Vive still almost twice as front-heavy)

Audio (fixed by DAS)

Controllers

Software platform (Home, Dash, ASW 2.0 - all more feature rich & polished than SteamVR-equivalents)

Game support (Oculus natively, SteamVR supported, SteamVR games run like native Oculus with OpenComposite; Vive has SteamVR natively, can access Oculus games via ReVive)

Performance (Vive renders at 3024x1680 @ 90Hz; Rift at 2688x1600@90 - 18% heavier GPU load per frame on a Vive)

A Vive is not an upgrade from a CV1. It's the complete opposite. It has a bit larger FOV (110x113 degrees; Rift 94x93) & an easier room scale setup (2 base stations need to be securely mounted to sturdy surface capable of absorbing vibrations, require 2 power outlets; for roomscale Rift needs 3 sensors @ 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 + headset's USB 3.0; USB clusterfuck solvable by $23 PCIe USB expansion card (UK, Canada, Germany, France) - it loses in just about everything else.

That $200 Vive + $100 DAS is five times more expensive than the $60 Rift, 2,5x more expensive if you add a $60 sensor (which you can get here). If you already have the CV1, switching would be lunacy.

I bought this one

It has worked flawlessly for me.

The solution to this is simple. Buy a $70 DOCSIS 3.0 modem and a $120 or less wireless router. Return your equipment to Comcast and KEEP THE RECEIPT.

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Get that, you wont be disappointed.

Magicforce 68

Looks like Amazon is matching it currently also.

Most of the good stuff is gone I assume, there are some really good deals on monitors, an unlocked S9. I looked through basically everything electronics.

PG279Q, if you're willing to take risks you can get a 165hz IPS 27" 1440p for sub $500, but I'm willing to bet the lower condition ones have dead pixels or something. Personally I'd aim for ones marked 'Very good' but regardless it's well below the ATL.

That's unfortunate because in the US, the difference is still big but not nearly as big ($200 difference).

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236466

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM

Do these use the same panel? One is 144hz, and the other is 165Hz.

> So you say the gsync/freesync equiv are only $200 apart, but can't find any actual monitors at those prices? And you are calling the article shameless?

Give me a second: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Computer-Monitors-349X7FJEW-Monitor/dp/B06Y4TQSK1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501281139&sr=8-1&keywords=Philips+349X7FJEW

https://www.amazon.com/AOC-AG352UCG-Curved-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B06X9CBRTP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501280960&sr=8-1&keywords=AOC+AGON+AG352UCG

Same MVA panel, same ultrawide 100hz... Same price but we'll call that a measurement error.
But that's while we're keeping it in limits of ultrawides, once we move from those particular shackles we have a classic 144hz IPS example:
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-XF270HU-27-inch-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/B0173PEX34/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1501281455&sr=1-1&keywords=Acer+XF270HU

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-2560x1440-Display/dp/B0173PEX20/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1501281526&sr=1-2&keywords=Acer+XB270HU

$600 MSRP on Freesync vs $800 MSRP on G-Sync. Exactly $200, sales notwithstanding.

> What makes the MX34Q not a gaming monitor?

Lack of 1337 gam1ng aesthetic (see above for reference). I can game just fine on my cheap ass s22e390 and it even has pretty good response times for an IPS panel, it does not become gaming monitor from that however.

I think SSDs are cheap enough now that for a 1tb you'd be better off getting something like this https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP001TBSS3A55S25/dp/B07B4G19X3/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=1tb+ssd&qid=1559335102&s=electronics&sr=1-6-spell

About the same cost as your 2 drives together and 240GB less storage, but you'll enjoy fitting that many games on the SSD. Plus by the time you run out of space, you might have the cash to upgrade to an M.2 SSD

​

​

Edit: Also, I'd go for something like this for RAM

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GS78Z9KL72RH&keywords=3200+mhz+ddr4&qid=1559335538&s=electronics&sprefix=3200%2Celectronics%2C165&sr=1-3

Ryzen likes fast RAM, and most people consider 3200Mhz to be the minimum to consider buying. Also priced similar to the kit you have listed.

Here are my suggestions.

Mice:

• G305 is the top of my list. It's light, lightspeed wireless, good buttons, and a "perfect" sensor. 6 month battery with AA, you can make it significantly lighter with a AAA lithium ion with some tin foil jammed in it.
  
• G502 is the alternative if you want a wired, heavier mouse with more buttons and a better scroll wheel (it also goes left and right). You can get the different varieties of it, it doesn't really matter. They're all great.
  
• Treat yo self? Logitech G Pro Wireless. It's $150. It's the pro mouse. It's slightly bigger than the G305 and not that different. Save the $100, get the G305.
  
• Avoid: Corsair Dark Core RGB (and SE). You can get this for $25. It's supposed to be a wirelessly rechargeable wireless mouse (got all that?) with RGB, programmable buttons, and the peak of Corsair's mouse technology. It's shit. Dog shit. It doesn't recharge consistently (wirelessly) and has terrible mouse feet, leading to more friction when using it. The software is okay, but I cannot recommend this mouse despite the good price.
  
  Keyboards:
  
  
• Small form factor for cheap? Grab a 68 key keyboard with the arrow keys and some knock off cherries. They're like $40 and type well. I liked this one by Quisan.
  
• Want full sized? Go refurb Corsair or Logitech. Here is a Corsair K70 for $50. Here is the Logitech G610 for $60.
  
• Treat yo self? I got a Logitech G613 wireless mechanical for about $90. It's nice to type on, wireless with no lag, and the battery lasts for 6 months or more (mine is going on more).
  
• Avoid: bluetooth keyboards. That's really it. I've had Logitech, Corsair, and knock offs all work just fine for me. There are better brands, but pretty much everything from $20 mechs to $150 ones work pretty well if you follow reviews.
  
  I'll admit these are mostly from my perspective from the US, so I'm not sure how to check UK prices. I would imagine that since these are large brands, most of the pricing would be consistent.

I didn't know you could do that!

Send it to me, please!

Oh wait, it's not mine!

PS: looks like you may need to replace SSD cable when you upgrade:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Cable+Replacement/10379

Recommend the Crucial or a Samsung 2.5:

https://www.macbookproslow.com/best-solid-state-drive-upgrade/

You don't need the Samsung pro.

This is very cheap compared to what it cost last year:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=twister_B079P94LLX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

OK just to be certain, this is the same SSD as featured here correct?

Is the HOLIDAY18 a one-time use promo?

1. You're going to need a capture card to record your video from your console. Look at Elgato or Hauppauge
   
   
2. Of course you'll need a Camera to record your face-cam, any one will do. Logitech is popular for these.
   
   
3. Okay so you've recorded all your footage, now what? Pop that footage into a video editing program like Adobe Premiere and get to work. Crop out the parts of the game capture you don't want, layer them over your face-cam recordings, and boom. There are dozens of tutorials on how to crop footage, basic editing, etc.
   
   
4. Render that shit.
   
   
5. Upload it to YouTube and prepare to not be able to monetize the video you spent all that time making.

It's an oldie but a goody. Logitech C920

I think it's pretty decent, records in 1080p, can use for streaming and web calls. Has a pretty decent focus ability.

But again, it's an older model, maybe there's better new versions?

Both the Rift and Vive have their pros and cons, I have both and here is my cut and paste summary of just some of the comparative factors people may consider, as the topic has already been done to death:

The standard 2 forward facing camera Touch tracking has some FOV and distance related Touch occlusion, so a 3rd camera really is recommended for genuine roomscale.

The official Oculus experimental guide for 2 camera 360 degree tracking is here: https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/t39.2365-6/15397552_232732683816172_4121045365602385920_n.pdf

The recommended Oculus play area for diagonally opposed 360 tracking use is only 1.5M x 1.5M, with the cameras 2M apart.

To put that into some comparative context HTC recommends 2M x 1.5M as the minimum for the Vive 2 base station room-scale setup, with 3.55M x 3.55M being the recommended. People such as myself have tested Lighthouse out to nearly 10M, though that is pushing the envelope given how Lighthouse operates, see here for details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ZytcYANTA

The standard Rift HMD cable length is also a limiting factor for large roomscale use. By comparison my Vive tracked volume is 8Mx4M and the included HMD cable lets you take advantage of that space with a computer located halfway down the long side.

Some are reporting that hardware/cable issues can affect Touch tracking: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/5hbxxg/anyone_having_controller_warpingtracking_loss/db06gvm/

It took me a lot of fiddling to work out which USB ports gave the best results with my Rift, and still be able to use all the peripherals that go with my 3DOf compact motion simulator. I have yet to resolve all my Rift USB issues, with some visual jumps and persistent disconnects after a random period of time. A new Inateck card, as recommended by Oculus, is on its way (note some are still reporting issues, even with the recommended card): https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

Here is a list of additional hardware and cables that may been needed for full Oculus roomscale:

For Sensors:

1x Additional Sensor: https://www3.oculus.com/en-us/rift/
2x Monoprice 15-Feet USB 2.0 Extension: http://a.co/1uRWG3A
2x Security Wall Mount- Adjustable Indoor/Outdoor Mount: http://a.co/5ZQxIal
Inateck Superspeed 7 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card: http://a.co/gFqRg0x

For HMD:

Cable Matters High Speed HDMI 10-Feet Extension Cable: http://a.co/9mBQCrU
Cable Matters SuperSpeed USB 3.0 10-Feet Extension Cable: http://a.co/6Q1kIKd

Touch does a pretty good job at simulating hands in VR. The Vive wands are great as things like guns and swords, both have their place.

I do a lot of public demos and to be honest the rift is far more problematic with cable management, USB related issues and setup time/issues, in comparison I can set up the Vive at schools and NGO offices in 15 minutes or less, including booting the computer and running the calibration setup.

In terms of other factors the world scale of the Rift is slightly larger in things like Longbow, which actually makes hitting things easier.

The Rift has less screen door effect but the god rays are significantly worse.

The Vive sweet spot is not as large or sharp.

The stereo overlap in the Rift is more noticeable.

The Rift has quality built in headphones and microphone, while the Vive has a built in camera but a poorer microphone.

The Vive has cutouts in the foam and accommodates glasses better.

Cost comparisons need to take in applicable shipping and taxes, the possible need for additional tracking cameras, compatible usb hardware, usb and hdmi cable extensions.

Oculus has ATS and ASW, SteamVR has ATW-reprojection but also allows Oculus ATS/ASW via the Oculus SDK: https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/0/305510202679681031/

Other extraneous factors to take into account include business practices, your room space and game play preferences, the shape of your head or any eyesight issues.

I have had the odd crash on Steam, but it is pretty rare, I have had far more significant issues with things like processing a refund via Oculus Help, which then bricked Medium and that took a week to sort out. So I think it fair to say both store fronts have their features, limitations and problems.

Personally I have found there is less difference between the HMDs than there is between individual users, based on having done thousands of public demos.

Well, if you have a free PCI-E port on your motherboard an Inateck 3.0 USB card will do the trick.


Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

Well... To be honest you did get a audio interface designed to work with guitars and singer style microphones... When what you needed was an external soundcard.

There are major audio interfaces by the music industry. And your cool USB soundcard has some of the more popular ones... Yay! But it does not have what you want. Booo!

Your soundcard/interface is not designed for 3.5mm jacks. so you will need adapters to make it work.

On the front you have two XLR inputs or you can use them as TRS inputs. Pre sonus calls them "2 combo XLR/¼” mic/instrument inputs"

TRS inputs are big headphone jacks... 1/4 inch type. They would go in the middle of the inputs on the front. You would feed your mic in there. How? You can get an adapter that will allow your 3.5mm headphone jack to fit 1/4 headphones to fit the front area. Something like this... Can get them at Radio Shack pretty cheap. Make sure they are stereo and not mono though.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/400307-REG/Sony_PC234S_PC_234S_Mini_Stereo_3_5mm.html

You would need two of them, one for the headphones (labeled "phones") port in the back of the interface, and one for the mic part in the front of the interface.

If you are going to make music you got the right interface. If you are only using it as a really good soundcard, there are others that would fit you better. Like this...

http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAUD-Adapter-C-Media-Chipset/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1410104831&sr=8-15&keywords=audio+interface

Or if you got monies... this

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Surround-External-SB1560/dp/B00EZT7RE4/ref=dp_ob_title_ce


At the beginning I called one an audio interface and the other a sound card. Audio interfaces are a card that focus on the interface part, meaning the recording/band aspect of music and their connectors.. Sound cards are just making sound like the audio interfaces, but they don't include the band interfaces/ports/jacks and usually go to 3.5mm jacks like your headphones want.

Hope this helps.

Yeah, Amazon.

If for whatever reason you cant purchase new from a retailer, try /r/hardwareswap.

Ofertas previas al viernes afro:

• JBL Charge 3 (90 dólares)
  
• ASUS VG248QE 24" (170 dólares)
  
• AOC G2460PF 24” (180 dólares)
  
• Acer GN246HL 24" (192 dólares)
  
• GOPRO Hero 7 y Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) (199 dólares)
  
• Logitech G933 (90 dólares)
  
• Samsung 860 EVO 1TB (128 dólares)
  
• Samsung 970 EVO 500GB M2 (117 dólares)
  
• WD 4TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive (90 dólares)
  
• WD 8TB Elements Desktop (150 dólares)
  
• WD 10TB Elements Desktop (200 dólares)
  
• Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3000MHz C15 (125 dólares)
  
• Xbox One S 1TB Console - Minecraft Creators Bundle (200 dólares)
  
• Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum (48 dólares)
  
• Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse (35 dólares)
  
• Fire HD 10 Tablet (100 dólares)
  
• NVIDIA Shield TV | 4K HDR (140 dólares)
  
• Kindle Paperwhite (130 dólares)
  
• Xiaomi Mi Box - 4K (62 dólares)
  
• SanDisk 128GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 (20 dólares)
  
  De nada...

Sandisk Ultra 128GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter -  100MB/s U1 A1 - SDSQUAR-128G-GN6MA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073JYC4XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_s.dNBbY708CJ1

Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO Select Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_..dNBbQ9AWBT5

Could've just posted the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/

If AMD's thin and light laptops are price right I would consider it. However the current "gaming" notebooks are also quite compact, so at least to me it becomes whether trading that form factor is worth the performance hit.

These are the current offerings out there:

Acer Aspire E15 with 8250U, MX150, $600

Acer Aspire E15 with 8550U, MX150, $750

Acer Swift 3 with Ryzen 2500U, $750

Acer Swift 3 with Ryzen 2700U, $900


A Ryzen 2700U laptop with integrated Vega cannot go for $900. Even the 8550U+MX150 for $750 is on the high side, so where is the justification for a similar 2700U+Vega laptop to cost so much more? Drop $200 on the Ryzen laptops and I think people will start to take interest, and there is a lot of room for these laptops to go cheaper since there's no discrete graphics.

Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 8GB RAM Memory, 256GB SSD, E5-576G-5762 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uJvPAbP0Q687T

>cost no more than 500

I'd get a refurbished T-series thinkpad. T440 or T450. They're more reliable than anything new on the market at that price point. You can then put in more ram, an ssd, or switch to a bigger battery afterwards. Dell inspirons (intel not amd) are also ok for <500. Once again, put in an ssd and more ram. Or this for 350USD + shipping to Canada

Or go on /r/SuggestALaptop

So, I spent a lot of money on building my PC and have had an amazing gaming experience for over 2 years now. But during my entire career of PC gaming, I’ve always used 60 hertz, basic-type monitors.

Just last month I took the RISKY, SCARY, EXPENSIVE plunge into the “G-Sync, high quality gaming monitor world”. I purchased this.

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM

And believe me, I had the same questions you are asking. Is this worth it? Do I get an IPS panel? Or save money and get the TN version? Will I see a difference with 144hz? What about 165hz?

When I plugged this monitor into my PC, enables the 144hz through NVIDIA Control Panel (that part is important) and launched a game.... it sounds so cringey and nerdy, but I almost cried. It’s a whole different world dude. It feels like you’re opening a door into a world you’ve ALWAYS wanted to be in. If you have a high end gaming PC, you are doing yourself a DISSERVICE by not owning a G-Sync (or even FreeSync) monitor with 144hz.

Just do yourself one huge favor. Do not compromise on quality and price. Look for the brand names and read reviews. Search YouTube for reviews. Ask friends. And never forget... always buy the extended warranty on high priced tech. These things are not perfect and will “go out” eventually.

Long winded answer. Yes. You go out and buy one as soon as you can. It will change your gaming experience forever. I’m NEVER GOING BACK.

I would definitely get the IPS one - you have to keep in mind that response time in your system is cumulative, so 1ms is not five times faster than 5ms. Your mouse/keyboard to motherboard, motherboard to CPU, CPU to GPU, GPU to RAM etc it all adds up, and you end up having maybe 20 - 30ms input lag in total, so you are choosing between 30ms and 35ms roughly - and that is a negligible difference.
However, the colors and viewing angles are a BIG difference. Definitely go IPS.

EDIT: Here is my specific recommendation.

• 165Hz
  
• IPS
  
• 2560x1440
  
• G-sync

I don't know everything about building PCs (just built my first), but I wouldn't go with that monitor. Yes, the refresh rate is high, but with your budget, you really should go for a 2k or 4k resolution with your monitor.

Edit: Here is an Asus Rog Swift monitor at 1440p (2k) with a 165hz refresh rate.

Here is one at 2160p (4k) with a 60hz refresh rate.

I don't think they make 4k monitors above 60hz yet, so if the framerate is important to you, I'd go with the 2k one.

You won't even be able to see the difference between the 165hz and 240hz and I think a higher resolution would be a much better improvement over the higher refresh rate. Plus, you get 2.5 inches of extra screen.

Not sure what conflicting answers you speak of.

Any modern/new SSD of 256GB or more will suffice. Whether that's an internal or external is up to you. An internal will need an adapter that transfers it's connection to USB 3.


Name brands MAY last longer than a cheap off brand, but the data in test results doesn't really support that. I use an external Samsung T5 but only because I got it for a birthday present. Most of my friends have Amazon specials that cost far less and so far have given the same results in PUBG.

Recommended:

https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ssd+256gb&qid=1558678862&s=pc&sprefix=ssd+256&sr=1-3


https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=pd_aw_fbt_147_img_3/139-8676850-0599245?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OJ3UJ2S&pd_rd_r=2d362e9e-7dec-11e9-8740-41568e48106d&pd_rd_w=YUiIL&pd_rd_wg=4ofBA&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=PYHDBFYYVZTD6HQWT0GG&psc=1&refRID=PYHDBFYYVZTD6HQWT0GG

I bought this SSD for just over $30 Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And then this case all for under $50 Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Totally worth it in my opinion. Buildings and weapons are loaded in when I drop on all of the maps :)

I'd recommend buying a USB 3.0 expansion card if your motherboard has a spot for it. This one is suggested by Oculus. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Using a hub serves almost no purpose when it comes to VR because all of the power is still eventually being funneled through one usb port on your computer. That being said, it's possible the Rift and sensors will work with your current set up, but tracking might be a bit spotty using that many 2.0 ports for the sensors.

EDIT: I misread your post a bit. If you're only using 2 sensors and the headset, you should be fine with your set up. I'd recommend plugging the headset into a 2.0 along with one sensor and the other sensor into 3.0. You might need to play around with that part of it, but I think you'll be alright. I'd still recommend the expansion card though.

I'm currently using this drive and have no issues whatsoever!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FRHTSK4

The items used:

Raspberry PI Zero <- Bougth mine at local store.

http://amzn.com/B00S82B0VA <- Karaoke Mixer

http://amzn.com/B00SNLIG5O <- 128GB SD Card for storage

http://amzn.com/B001MSS6CS <- USB Audio Card

http://amzn.com/B003MTTJOY <- Wifi Adapter

http://amzn.com/B005HKIDF2 <- Usb Hub

A total of around ~$90



Edit

If a mic is needed that add $20
http://amzn.com/B003GEBGA0 <- Mic

logitech G930

It is as simple as screwing in the coax cable into the modem and picking up the phone and reading comcast the "MAC" number on the back of the router.

Here is a good one comcast accepts - http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1409477977&sr=1-1&keywords=comcast+modem

If you want to go a step further, pick up a router that accepts tomato firmware and get that going.

Modem

WiFi

Don't pay Comcast for modem rental, just buy your own and break even in under a year. Setup is easy. Rentals are a ripoff.

you said he uses a TV as his monitor, does that mean that he's sitting on a couch or bed when he's using the computer? If so, Logitech has a keyboard with a laptop style touchpad on one side, the k400, and it's only like $30. As with every other Logitech product I have used, the quality is fantastic. In my case, I only really use the computer attached to my TV as a media player, and some light internet browsing, so having a regular mouse was unnecessary, and kind of cumbersome given the situation.

For the Monitor, the ASUS PB278Q is my sRGB compliant monitor that works fantastically. If you want to bump up to Adobe RGB compliance the PA279Q is the way to go, but quite difficult to find from a good seller.

In regards to the desktop unit, the Intel i7-6XXXk series is the tried and true CPU to go with, with the 6850k being in the good sweet spot for a value proposition.

Minimum 32gb RAM for video editing from my personal experience, preferable 64gb for Premiere and Photoshop running simultaneously.

Most prefabs have already switched their GPUs over to 1080 ti for their high-end stuff with out dropping stupid cash for the quadro P5000/P6000. The increases seen by the quadro series over the 1080 ti seem to be minimal anyways.

The final big money-sink is storage. I would recommend a 1tb SSD, either the samsung 850 PRO for your standard SATA connection or the new 960 PRO for a PCI-E M.2 slot which is significantly faster. For your bulk storage, I recommend the Western Digital 4TB Black drives, either one on its own or two in RAID 0 for a total of 8TB storage or RAID 1 for redundancy to ensure no data loss when one drive fails.

Here's a screen shot of this configuration on Origin PC's Neuron Pro system.

And a link for Digital Storm, the other pre-fab builders that have earned my trust.

You made the same mistake I did. The 7 port card is not as good as the 4 port card. Moar ports is not better.

The 7 port card daisy chains through an additional USB hub causing more chance of issues. Not to mention all 7 ports go through the same host controller.

Read this blog
https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-roomscale-identifying-host-controllers/

Then from this screenshot of my computer just then.
http://imgur.com/YQ0WmkZ

Note how the 7 port card goes from

Host Controller -> Root Hub -> Hub -> Sensor


Wheras the 4 port card goes from

Host Controller -> Root Hub -> Sensor

I would always recommend the 4 port one over the 7 port one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-E-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/

I'd like to see a screenshot of the Startech card like mine just to see how they all connect to the PCI bus if you have the time?

Startek will always be the better card but at a cost. Next in terms of quality for a single 4 port Inatek card (two if you really think you need them). I would put the 7 port card at the bottom of the list.

Infact I would not even be recommending it. Great work for putting together the video and it is very informative however you made the same mistake I did and went for moar ports. You should have chosen the 4 port card.

I feel like for the extra $10 it'd be worth it to go through Amazon Canada for the prime shipping and not having to deal with exchange rates.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KasSAb5TA9D8B

If it breaks and you bought it through Amazon UK, will Amazon Canada deal with any returns?

Anyone got any interesting setups/tv's? Idk why i'm writing this but here are the things I bring to tourneys.


Album link


My Tv Is by far the most eye catching thing. I bought 350 Fortune cookies and have been just taping them on there whenever I finish one. I am pretty much out of them so I have quite a bit all over the TV. The air fresheners were to bring some nice smells to any tournament I went to.


Standard Gamecube: 1.02 melee with newest 20xx TE and vanilla melee memory cards. This is the video cable IOnebring. It has s video + regular composite so I don't have to bring a powered splitter. Explaining more below.



Recording/Streaming setup: This consists of a Webcam which also records player/crowd audio (also a 16 ft extension). An Elgato with 16ft extension. Then I have 2 non-powered composite splitters. I plug in the composite video from the game cube directly into my TV and the S video into the elgato. The result isn't actually too bad (if someone knows how to deinterlace for better video hmu).

The last thing is My Controller: Someone on etsy painted it for me right before big house and so far it's a great purchase. It is of a Palestinian flag and has my tag on it. it doesn't feel any different from any other game cube controller which is great.

Edit: forgot about my headphone setup. I have sennheiser Momentums I bring with my headphone amp and plug that into the tv's audio with one of These. This has a pass through meaning other people can listen through the TV and I can adjust the volume with my amp. I also bring another headphone splitter so people can listen with their headphones.

Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 - $49.95
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/

Pretty sure this is the cheapest it has been in a long time.

Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo - $12.50
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BP5KOPA

Logitech M510 Wireless Mouse - $13.99
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NR57BY

Hands-down the best budget wireless mouse in my opinion.

My roomy used to cam on her crappy little $400 laptop and it worked out pretty well. Cameras in this price range are going to be roughly the same. Still need a ton of light on you, still going to be a little grainy, etc. But they work.

Getting a quality external USB cam would be the way to go if you want something really clear.

And the ASUS Q501LA would be a very well rounded laptop in your price range, with a high end 1080p IPS touch display, backlit keyboard, 8GB RAM, i5-4200U, etc.

Our installation fee was 59.95. I signed up for the 29.99 25mbs for 12 months promo. My first bill was right around $90 and the rest of my bills for the next 11 months should be at or around $34. The installation really was necessary though as there was no cable line running to our house from the main line.

I bought my own modem from Amazon, $68.99, and noted as such when I signed up for Comcast. It is a no-brainer to buy your own modem-- Comcast charges $6 or so a month for a rental so after the first year it's $72 down the drain versus a modem you can use forever.

As soon as the tech left, I plugged the modem into my WiFi router no problems (I might have cloned the MAC address of my laptop but I don't think I did-- I don't think they care about that anymore).

The service has been very consistent, fast, and reliable. No complaints.

Good luck.

I just ordered a Surfboard 6121 and its a really great modem. Pair it with an ASUS router like this and you have a wonderful combination. The range is extremely far, you can customize a lot of settings and you don't have to pay the monthly price. Comcast was charging me $8 a month for my modem, so after 6 months ill have paid for it already (picked mine up on sale).

You ran that test to comcast. That's not even across the internet. You have a serious problem that is not directly related to comcast sucking. Shitty speeds like that have Three sources: Bad wifi or ethernet connection to your PC, bad modem, bad wiring in your house (almost always splitters).

Assuming you have a laptop, and your cable isn't fished through the wall, but mostly runs along baseboards (as comcast does), you can take yourself, your laptop, and your modem trace the cable down to the first splitter that you have in the house after the cable comes inside, detach the cable from the input side of the splitter, attach the modem, plug your PC DIRECTLY into the modem via ethernet (be sure to turn off wifi) and run the test again.

(note: if you have one of those wifi modems shitbags that comcast rents, you shouldn't.)

If your speed improves dramatically and your ping times become reasonable, it is the wiring. Remove your splitters and either buy your own from amazon (make sure to match the specs. you want a splitter that can handle the frequencies the docsis 3 require), or take them down to the comcast store and ask for replacements (best if you not explain, they usually don't care and will throw them right at you no matter what). If after you apply those splitters back into the system, your speeds at your preferred modem location do not improve, repeat again at each splitter and replace the faulty length of coaxial cable.
Chance this will fix the problem: 80-90%

If your speeds do not improve, try a different ethernet cable. If that doesn't fix it, take your Modem (Assuming you lease) back to comcast (the store. do not bother calling support) and either ask for a replacement, or ask that they stop charging you a rental fee of $6 a month and go buy your own for the cost of 6-10 months of rental fees.
Chance that this or the previous steps will resolve your issue: 99.99%

Should your speeds be shit even after all of this, you need to call Comcast. At this point you are either in a really old apartment building with shit wiring throughout the building (Cocmast / your landlord's problem), there's something wrong in your neighborhood infrastructure (comcast's problem) or you live in a formerly segregated neighborhood that has irreparably bad infrastructure (society's problem)

Hi! The Raspberry PI only has audio output. You need an external sound device to get the audio signal into the PI. It's likely that any cheeeep-o Amazon USB audio device will be discovered by the Linux kernel, no drivers needed. I have one of these ripped apart and soldered directly to an HT for packet work, and it does fine under Debian.

edit - wrong link*


https://www.amazon.com/external-Adapter-Windows-Microphone-SD-CM-UAUD/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484950528&sr=8-1&keywords=SYBA+external+USB+Stereo+Sound+Adapter+for+Windows%2C+Mac%2C+Linux+Extra+Audio+Source+with+Microphone+SD-CM-UAUD

Yeah, it can be a little overwhelming to figure out where to start. Some good answers already in this thread. The good news is it's actually a lot more straight-forward than it appears. The main source of confusion/apparent complexity comes from the fact that right now both the prior gen and new gen models are still on the market, making it appear that there are a ton of headsets. In reality, there are only four that matter:

Oculus Quest: VR for people that don't have or don't want to buy a decent gaming PC. Cordless, entirely self-contained, no PC needed, no external sensors needed, but limited by the mobile hardware specs. MSRP: $399 USD

Oculus Rift S: really the go-to for a first-time VR headset. Great display that solves most of the clarity issues of older headsets, great controllers, uses inside-out tracking like the Quest (i.e. no external sensors to setup), and pretty reasonable PC hardware spec requirements to run it. So quick and easy to setup that once I finished downloading the software installer, I was up and playing VR in only about 10 minutes. The relatively tiny sound is the only real commonplace complaint, but it does have a headphone jack on the headset. $399 USD

The Valve Index: currently the super high-end of VR gaming. Higher resolution display than the Rift S, higher refresh rate, fancy finger-tracking controllers. Also getting some flack for some quality control issues on its thumbsticks. The only one of the new gen VR headsets to still require external sensors and a base station, which are pretty big negatives for VR newbies since that complicates setup and calibration. Due to the higher specs, it also needs a super high-end PC to really get the most out of it. $999 USD for the starter kit, which does include everything you need to get started, although many users recommend purchasing a third lighthouse sensor (the kit comes with two).

The HTC Cosmos: HTC's replacement for the Vive. Not out yet, so exact specs, pricing, and release date are still unknown. However, it has been confirmed that it will use inside-out tracking (so no external sensors to mess with), and cost less than $1000. The latest unofficial rumors are that it is expected to launch this September, and it's expected to have both specs and pricing somewhere between the Rift S and the Index. Worth keeping an eye on.

What not to bother with:
The Vive. Vive was the premium VR headset of its era, so it's not that there is anything wrong with it per se, it's just outdated and obsolete tech. The display and controllers are just inferior to all of the newer kits.

Windows Mixed Reality (WMR): this one is probably responsible for the VR market looking crowded, since this is a standard defined by MS and not a specific headset, and lots of different manufacturers make or have made WMR headsets. So when you see PC VR headsets from Lenovo, HP, Asus, Acer, Dell, Samsung, etc, they are all just competing WMR headsets. The head strap and display vary in quality, but they all use the same controllers, which are generally considered to be inferior to Vive, Oculus, and Index controllers. The main appeal originally of WMR was to make VR cheaper and easier to get into since WMR has the least expensive headset options, and it was the first to use inside-out tracking so no external sensors. However, its inside-out tracking is done with only two forward-facing cameras, so the tracking is significantly inferior to Quest (four onboard cameras) or Rift S (five onboard cameras) inside-out tracking.

As for specs, your graphics card meets the min, but is at the very low-end of the min. You should be able to run older or less demanding VR games just fine, but may have to run newer or visually more sophisticated VR games at low graphics settings to maintain stable framerate. I would expect Beatsaber to run fine.

One last note: VR headsets, the Rift S in particular, can be pretty picky about your USB 3.0 ports. Specifically, ASMedia USB controllers that many motherboards use tend to cause lots of problems with Oculus headsets. This Inatek add-in USB 3.0 controller has solved lots of people's VR headset issues, is officially suggested by Oculus tech support, and is pretty inexpensive at only around $23. If you decide to pick up a VR headset, might be wise to proactively check your USB 3.0 controller and if it's ASMedia just go ahead and order the Intek USB 3.0 controller along with the headset.

>I've had frequent struggles with USB bandwidth and various cables, and then a sensor flat-out died on me. I'd blamed my USB extenders for so long that I troubleshot the sensor for WEEKS before finally resorting to RMA'ing the sensor, at which point I found the replacement sensor I was sent worked perfectly, and I had just wasted a ton of time troubleshooting a sensor.

Are you plugging all 3 sensors onto your motherboard? You're probably hitting USB bandwidth limits for your USB controller; you probably need a PCIe to USB card. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

Not Bluetooth, but I like this one; it uses their unifying receiver.

Somewhere in my post history I wrote a bit more about it in a comment to another thread; plus, others offered their input.

>So I can use this to stream videos from my PC to the TV?

Yes!

You just either need a controller or keyboard+mouse for the Link OR start the videos from the other room, from your PC

Actually I use a bluetooth keyboard with touchpad for the Link

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-Touchpad/dp/B005DKZTMG

I've tried 3 different compact combos, and they all have some sort of problem. Reception, non-standard keys, missing function keys... etc. In the end I just went with a full size one from Logitech for over a year now, and have absolutely no problem. Good signal strength, familiar full size keyboard, multitouch touchpad, awesome battery life, it just can get better at this price range.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-920-003070/dp/B005DKZTMG

Any laptop can run porn, but I would recommend This Acer because it comes with Full HD screen, to see every drop ;)

Qisan Magicforce with Blues:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABUJ2KM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523897952&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Qisan&dpPl=1&dpID=41JrKWyK32L&ref=plSrch

Qisan Magicforce with Browns:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01E8KO2B0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1523897987&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Qisan&dpPl=1&dpID=41MDmUOhuPL&ref=plSrch

Redragon K551 with Blues (Keep in mind this is the one with red backlighting. You can choose the one with no backlighting if you don’t want it. Rainbow one is a couple bucks over your budget but has set lights while the RGB one is roughly 5 bucks over your budget but has relatively programmable lighting):

https://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Mechanical-Redragon-illuminated-ABS-Metal/dp/B016M91SS0?th=1&psc=1

Redragon K552 with Blues (The TKL version of the K551. This is the rainbow version with set colors for each switch as it’s under your budget. The RGB version is over your budget by 3 bucks. Same applies though, you can go for no lighting or just plain red for less):

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-KUMARA-Backlit-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B01LZN7MLE?th=1&psc=1

Velocifire full-size with Blues (Just know that rainbow LEDs means you cannot change the color of the switches. It is not full RGB. It’s still pretty cheap if you want at least some multicolor things, but the colors you see are the colors you get. A bargain for 26 USD though, cheaper than the Redragon K551 rainbow version, although the color of the board is harder to work into a setup compared to the K551’s straight black):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C8HMIES/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1523898681&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Velocifire&dpPl=1&dpID=51xyHHRfUTL&ref=plSrch

There is also a version of the VM30 with black switches and is also 25 USD. It seems out of stock right now. If you want to wait a bit on that, it’s the cheapest board I’m aware of that comes with black switches:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BFGZ891/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523899072&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=VM30+Black+switches&dpPl=1&dpID=51MCGebQeDL&ref=plSrch

Velocifire full size with Browns (If you’re looking at the wireless version, don’t. The wireless mode of it sucks according to everyone I’ve asked who got it. The only good thing of the wireless version is that you can run wired so that means you’re paying an extra 10 bucks for a removable cable option):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M0QEYR4/?th=1&psc=1

Velocifire TKL with Browns (I linked the wireless version because it seems like the wired version is discontinued. If you can find it, the wired version has blue backlighting and an attached cable for 30 USD. The wireless has a crappy wireless mode, no backlighting as far as I’m aware, but a detachable cable for 40 USD)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076D5WVYG/

If you’re looking for something like red switches because “gaming,” just know that is pure marketing bullshit. If you’re looking at reds because you actually want them. I’m aware that the Qisan Magicforce also comes in red, but I couldn’t find the 40 dollar option. That’s the only board I’m aware of that has reds in your budget range, but I’m sure someone who knows more can throw one out.

$40 Mech Keyboard

$40 Headset

What you'll need:

• $40 Raspberry Pi 3
  
• $20 MicroSDXC Card - any size. 64GB for $23 seems to be a solid deal. - If you want to install large game libraries with video previews, look into a 128GB. They're not more expensive and you have way more room to play with. $40 - 128GB
  
  
• $16 Case - it can be as low as $5. I choose this one because it's simple and highly functional.
  
  
• $10 Power Supply - Don't mess around. Get one that will provide the proper voltage.
  
  
• $13 Mini Keyboard - I use mine all the time. Others use basic USB keyboards from Goodwill. Others SSH into the console. This is optional.
  
  Again, there are some very optional parts above. It can be as cheap or expensive as you want. Also, I'm not getting into controllers. Those will throw the budget in every direction possible.
  
  
• Cheap: Pi3 w. $5 case and have everything else (keyboard, memory card, power supply, controller) at home, you're at $45.
  
• Not cheap: Pi3 w. $20 case, $45 128GB MicroSDXC, $20 back-lit keyboard, $10 power supply, $50 Wii U Pro bluetooth controller = $145

I got a samsung evo with no issues

64GB Samsung EVO Select U3 microSDXC Memory Card w/ Adapter (MB-ME64GA/AM)$13.99

128GB Samsung EVO Select U3 microSDXC Memory Card w/ Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM) $24.99

256GB Samsung EVO Select U3 microSDXC Memory Card w/ Adapter (MB-ME256GA/AM) $59.99

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sxin_0_ac_d_pm?ac_md=3-1-QmV0d2VlbiAkNTAgYW5kICQ3NQ%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&keywords=ssd&m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&pd_rd_i=B0781Z7Y3S&pd_rd_r=58e7c080-08d3-48d0-a56d-bceda03a8508&pd_rd_w=ugMNs&pd_rd_wg=v10bZ&pf_rd_p=24d053a8-30a1-4822-a2ff-4d1ab2b984fc&pf_rd_r=0Z9PB6P9CC7DNGYB1TPG&psc=1&qid=1574700791&s=warehouse-deals


Click Used & New at the bottom of the price

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DVkbBbMS4EDBX

"If this card is not available to you, use another PCI-E USB 3.0 Expansion Card that uses the Fresco Logic FL1100EX chipset." Source: support.oculus.com

I got the 4-port one, I believe because the 5-port was out-of-stock. After plugging in the power connector to the card, no problems, so I can vouch for this one.

2TB for $100, standard HDD 5400rpm

> Having to constantly delete games has become a pain I want to avoid.

How badly do you want to avoid that? For $80 you can upgrade your PS4 to a 2TB internal hard drive following this tutorial. I feel that's definitely worth $80.

Here ya go

External drive that can be taken apart for a 2TB drive. This is the Samsung Spinpoint drive that is frequently mentioned for PS4 hard drive upgrades.

See reviews at amazon or success story on r/PS4. Hard drive upgrade guide can be found here.

People like you are part of what's wrong with the gaming community. Sure, he probably could've searched better, but it's still someone asking for help. Clearly giving him the correct answer wouldn't be wasting your time since you waste your time writing a stupid fucking sarcastic response.

OP: get this one. It's what I have in my PS4 and it's only $70. Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB Portable External Hard Drive with Mobile Device Backup USB 3.0, Black (STDR2000100) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FRHTSK4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WWDmybFDF28WF

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRHTSK4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Futureshop:
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/seagate-seagate-backup-plus-2tb-external-usb-3-0-hard-drive-stdr2000100-black-stdr2000100/10281963.aspx?path=3d7f53d727edf995ca708ad8b3375b6cen02

i'll save you some time.

 

the top 1080p 144hz 1ms TN Panel they recommend over there on every post that asks, #1 is the Viewsonic XG2401

& #2 is the LG 24GM77-B

they say these two have the best color accuracy for a tn.

 

i recommend the Samsung CFG70

it has better color accuracy than both of those monitors above (because it's a VA panel and not a TN) and colors look as good as on my other IPS display IMO. (IPS panels have the best color accuracy)
and it has great viewing angles unlike a TN panel.
also it's $70 off rn. i really wouldn't pass this offer up as you're getting better color accuracy and better viewing angles for only $20 more than the Viewsonic.

 

good luck (:

Viewsonic xg2401 has always been considered one of the best 144hz monitors out there at $199, the xg2402 variant hovers around $215 but I can't tell ya what the difference between them is

My suggestion: https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Frequency-Expansion/dp/B00HF8K0O6

> but my laptop where I stored it is broke...

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/

That'll accept the standard hard drive used in basically every normal sized laptop since the mid 2000s. If you have a newer laptop with a solid state drive, especially an ultrathin, it may be in a different format which would require a different adapter (or in the case of new Apples, it's soldered to the motherboard and you're SOL. Any normal hard drives and some solid state drives will work though.

If your drive is compatible though you should be able to slap it in that case and plug it in to basically any other computer to get access to the files. Unless of course the hard drive itself is what broke, in which case you're SOL.

I've been running this RAM at 3200MHz, stable, since 1.2 actually. Been using A-XMP Profile 2. Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200MHz

The RAM version is 5.39.


I haven't tried the latest 1.4 BIOS yet, but I'll do so tonight. [Edit: Updated to 1.4 and I'm still stable at 3200MHz]

Looks like Acer has been creeping up the price of these refurbished units. I'm pretty sure this exact model used to be $500 on the refurbished store and $400 for the older XB270HU.

This almost isn't worth it when you can get the monitor new for $765, but that's still a personal choice if that extra ~$165 is worth new.

Peripherals:

• Monitor: 3x Acer Predator XB271HU 27" 2560x1440 G-SYNC @165Hz
  
• Keyboard: Razer Deathstalker Chroma (No longer made AFAIK)
  
• Mouse: Razer DeathAddr Chroma
  
• Desk: Ikea BEKANT Sit/Stand desk
  
• Speakers: Logitech Z263 THX 2.1 Speakers
  
• Wireless Charger: Mophie Wireless Charger w/custom 3d printed mount
  
• Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 25 (not pictured)
  
  

  Tower:
  

• Case: Cooler Master N200
  
• CPU: i7 7700K @5.1Ghz from SiliconLottery
  
• MB: ASUS Maximus VIII Gene
  
• RAM: 2x GSkill Trident Z DDR4 16GB(2x 8GB) @3200Mhz
  
• GPU: 2x EVGA Nvidia GTX 1080 FTW @2050-2100Mhz
  
• SSD: Samsung 960 Pro NVMe SSD (512GB)
  
• SSD: Samsung 850 EVO (500GB)
  
• SSD: Samsung 840 EVO (250GB)
  
• Power Supply: EVGA SuperNova G2 1000 Watt
  
  

  Tower Cooling:
  

• Fans: 4x Noctua NF-F12-iPPC 3000RPM PWM
  
• Radiator 2x BXQINLENX 120
  
• Radiator Alphacool NexXxoS ST30
  
• CPU Waterblock: EKWB M8G
  
• GPU Waterblock: 2x EK-FC1080 GTX FTW
  
• Pump / Reservoir: EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM
  
  

  Behind the scenes:
  

• UPS: CyberPower OL1500RTXL2U Double Conversion UPS
  
• 3D Printer: Lulzbot Mini

1. ssd https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Hard drive https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IEKG2HM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Graphics card https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814126109
   
4. CPU https://www.amazon.com/Intel-I7-6700-FC-LGA14C-Processor-BX80662I76700/dp/B0136JONG8/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525461083&sr=1-5&keywords=i7+6700k&dpID=411v0MvpCaL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
   
5. Desk https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19006323/
   
6. Monitor 1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VRCLHYS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
7. Monitor 2 https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525460691&sr=1-1&keywords=acer+monitor
   
8. Desk mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AI2YGK4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
9. Speakers, they sound fantastic! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1ZTJJK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
10. Speakers mounting brackets https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X9O8SI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
11. External audio card for headphones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZT7RE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
12. Headphones, If you're into the bass this are the best. https://www.skullcandy.com/shop/headphones/bluetooth-headphones/crusher-wireless
    
13. Headphone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUB8RJ5/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
14. Phone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QF1KDR8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
15. Mic https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
16. mic mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
17. Shock mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FQB3DD8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
18. pop filter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AOH1O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
19. Camera https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
20. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
21. Keyboard https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016MAK38U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
22. Mouse pad https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FVPPE0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
23. Ps4 stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015KJAQX6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
    
24. XOne stand https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Charging-Stand-Xbox-One-Black/dp/B013JLB1IQ/ref=pd_sbs_63_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B013JLB1IQ&pd_rd_r=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&pd_rd_w=uGnIp&pd_rd_wg=V2OJ4&refRID=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&th=1
    
25. Plant https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90207685/
    
26. Chair https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQKKS73/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
27. battle station more angles https://imgur.com/a/Ae2xEKl

Yea this model? https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-2560x1440-Display/dp/B0173PEX20

Op you bought a 2080ti you might as well splurge on the monitor. Get two of these and call it a day, or go for one Dell Alienware 34in 1900r, 120hz IPS curved Gsync.

I have the Acer 1440p/144hz IPS Gsync and I agree with P1zza. It’s such a great monitor and often times Acer sells it for $499 out the door on their refurb site. Really great colors, angles are great, very little black light bleed on mine (right bottom very minimal), don’t have to calibrate it much out of the box, 165hz OC + gsync is really smooth. The Dell is nice if you are on a budget, pretty much the cheapest TN 144hz Gsync you can find when its on promo.

XG2401 is on sale at 10:10 AM. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0ZRR50/ref=gbps_tit_m-6_de31_c966212e?pf_rd_p=0c5399c9-625f-429e-9848-70b8d73cde31&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=13887280011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=3N56Z6TQ2RWVWB9M0FDP

/u/JetJaguar124 /u/Integralds

So first thing's first, Windows: ~$130 for Home Edition.

Okay, so things to keep in mind:

1. If you go Intel, overclocking isn't too great on 9th gen intel, especially if you don't have a beefy aftermarket cpu cooler. So if you don't plan on doing that at some point then you don't need a K series CPU and an overclocking motherboard. So your motherboard should primarily focus on giving you decent I/O options.
   
   
2. You also probably want to aim for 1080p or 1440p tops, given your price range.
   
   
3. Related to #1: If you don't plan on overclocking then a basic-ish mobo will do fine, and you mainly want to focus on I/O and other features. If you are getting Intel doubly so, as, as I mentioned before, intel 9th gen doesn't overclock well due to relatively low headroom to begin with. For intel overclocking boards are "Z" while non-overclocking boards are "B". For AMD they are "X" and "B" respectively.
   
   The GPU you should be seeking to use is the 1660 Ti, which is basically a slightly gimped RTX 2060 but without the raytracing stuff. If you are willing to spend a bit more then you could get an RX 5700 instead, which is nearly ~30% faster on average.
   
   That'll put you at $270 - $360 depending on the model you pick. Yes, it's a third of your budget, but the GPU is the single most important part of your build.
   
   Secondly you'll want a decent CPU to go with that.
   
   The Ryzen 5 3600 looks like a pretty good CPU, its a bit under $200, its fairly beefy and extendable so it's somewhat "future-proof" - in that it shouldn't cause much bottlenecking and you could upgrade your GPU past a 2080 Ti before needing to change the processor.
   
   This MSI Tomohawk Mobo looks good for the 3600.
   
   So we're at ~$320 for that, or about $640 total. Plus windows that is ~$730.
   
   The RAM Inty recommended before should be fine. You only really need 16 GB. This will set you back ~$80. If you find yourself wanting more RAM later down the line you can always add another pair of sticks later and double up your RAM.
   
   That puts us at around ~$800.
   
   $80 for a 750W Fully Modular Corsair PSU is basically a steal. It's refurbished though, although that shouldn't be a problem - especially with a PSU.
   
   We're at ~$880.
   
   Some good thermal paste for your CPU.
   
   We're now at ~$890.
   
   Storage depends on what you want to do. Do you install a lot of stuff and files at once? In which case you might want to get a nice sized SSD plus a big HDD.
   
   For your system drive. Plenty of space, good price, AND its an nvme SSD.
   
   That makes for ~$990.
   
   If you need lots of extra space
   
   If you need extreme extra space
   
   Keyboard and case are up to you, decide as you please. For the case just make sure that it can support an ATX mobo, as the mobo listed here is full ATX. Mechanical keyboards are crack, but they tend to be more expensive so they're probably out of range. This will be another $100 to $150 depending on what you pick.
   
   Something to keep in mind though: Your case and your monitors are basically "future proof". In other words, they won't really get "worse" with time or cause future performance issues. So monitors and case are things where you want to consider what you'll eventually want and buy ahead, even if you have to stretch a bit.
   
   This just leaves your monitor. I would NOT recommend a 1080p monitor above 24 in. Honestly, if you can go for a 1440p monitor then do it. I'm a bit of a resolution whore tho, so if 1080p works for you then that's fine. I would also avoid TN panels - they tend to look more washed out, tinny, and have worse viewing angles . . . although they also tend to be a fair bit cheaper than the good panels (namely IPS panels).
   
   I used to own one of these . . . it was vvy vvy gud. This is a relatively artsy monitor, so if color gamut correctness or whatever is important for you for photo or video editing or whatever, then this is a good pick. It's a bit expensive, yeah, but also super gorgeous. It also goes up to 75 Hz. Conversely, get a freesync monitor, and this one is probably good - haven't done much research on it, but Dells are generally pretty good in my experience (my current 4K monitor is a Dell too). Freesync will allow you to basically eliminate screen tearing and will provide a smoother feeling experience because it will even out frame rates better.
   
   One last thing to keep in mind: Shopping around on ebay and other sites can save you a fair bit. My rule of thumb is to never, ever buy sensitive parts like hard-drives, cpus, or motherboards second hand or refurbished. But everything else is fair game. So refurbished GPUs, Monitors, PSUs, Cases, etc. should be fine. Pre-owned? Ehhh . . . that I'm much, much more sketchy on - personally I wouldn't, but that's just me.
   
   So in total it'd be somewhere in the range of $1500 including monitor, OS, case, and keyboard. The system itself is around $1000. But you can perhaps knock off a hundred bucks or two by shopping around and looking for where you can buy these parts cheaper than Amazon.
   
   But again: investing in a good monitor and case can be worth it. It means you won't have to replace it if/when you do upgrade. And worst case scenario you can offload your monitor as a side/secondary monitor when you upgrade your monitor to a new one.

I paired this with MSI Performance Gaming .. and Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB

lowest price for the past 120 days; not that great if comparing to year or two ago (but all memory went up due to the shortages).

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/p6RFf7/corsair-memory-cmk16gx4m2b3200c16?history_days=120

Amazon has this same model for the same price if you prefer Amazon over Newegg.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/product/B0143UM4TC

I posted above but this isn't really accurate with just this statement

Melee only runs at 60 FPS. 60 FPS = 60 HZ in that the monitor can only update when there's a new frame available.

The benefit in 120 FPS is that it will finish drawing the frame slightly quicker, but you likely are not sensitive enough to notice the difference without A/B testing 120HZ and 60HZ at the same time and feeling the immediate difference.

There is a 120FPS build that specifically leverages 120HZ monitors for lower input delay and it's still in beta/testing.

His listed monitor only has 10ms of input delay which is near the bottom of the scale. TVs can have 30-40ms of input latency so his monitor listed is very good.

I would only recommend a 120HZ monitor for melee if you also plan to play PC games on it that will actually run higher than 60 FPS. I can't see it making sense financially to spend money on a 120HZ solely for netplay.

Edit: I found a 75HZ IPS monitor at the same price range with 9.6ms of input lag. I recommend this monitor if your budget is under $150 USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRHTSK4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get one of these. Crack it open and put it in, download the full update from Playstation network and away you go.

Have installed these in friends PS4 and my own.

doesn't appear to be in there anymore but here it is

I have an SSD and that improved my loading times by a good amount of time, also helps to have better internet, my speeds are good enough but not great at all.

They really aren't that expensive, I'll point you in the right direction if you want. Also helps a ton with games like PUBG, BF, Red Dead, GTA etc.

.

Edit: If anyone is wondering I have one 512GB Silicon Power 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive from Amazon for $49.99 USD along with another of the same Silicon Power SSD but in 256GB for $28.99 USD.

Then you need the enclosure which costs $8.99: Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III]. Super simple set up, literally open the enclosure by sliding the top off, slide the SSD into the connection slot in the enclosure, put the top on, plug it in to the USB slot and turn the thing on. Really nice price, had never heard of the brand but it has really good reviews, and works well for me. Just about the cheapest SSD I've seen on Amazon with an average review of 4.5+ (and at least 1k reviews).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075RJS55D/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o2_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o2_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the exact stuff I bought. Buildings always load before I hit the ground

Don't be fooled, this is merely an Intel 8260 wifi card I believe but branded Gigabyte https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Frequency-Expansion/dp/B00HF8K0O6/

If one of the PCIe slots is vacant you could get a PCIe card that would add both; this one seems to get good reviews and supports all of the technologies that you'd expect it to, but there might be something better.

I'd go with an internal expansion card over USB, both because it will reduce clutter slightly and because USB wireless cards, in my experience, tend to not be the best.

PS4/PS4 Pro - External SSD is vastly superior to the default HDD. Using an internal SSD can be faster or slower than using it externally. Basically, your probably best off keeping your internal HDD for games you play less often and slapping Destiny plus a few other titles on an external SSD as there's not a ton of speed to be gained by going internal.

Xbox One - Similar to the PS4, you will gain an immense amount of speed by using an external SSD instead of the internal HDD. I don't think you can normally install an SSD internally with Xbox.

By the way, if you're thinking, "but damn external SSDs have stupid markup on them" then you are absolutely correct, have a cookie. Now buy your regular cheap internal SSD and slap it in one of these. Can't tell you how it functions with Xbox but works perfectly with my Pro. Also note that depending on the SSD you may have to pop it into a computer (or plug it in with the enclosure) and initialize the drive/format it for the PS4 to properly recognize it but this step isn't always necessary it seems.

I bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWZWYVP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I mean, with the GPD WIN you're paying a premium for the small form factor. If you're only concerned with price and performance, with portability not being as big a concern, then a laptop or desktop will definitely give better performance. Here's a quick example I found and took 5 minutes to find that's in a similar price range but better performance to the WIN: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1IO3QW/

Just my 2 pennies and I don't actually know what games use what read speed, like u/thebigpavelski mentioned.

 

Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO Select Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM)
Up to 100MB/s & 90MB/s read & write speeds respectively; Class 10 UHS 3

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523474958&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+evo+select

 

That is my go to sd card for Switch and certain other devices.

Eh, it saves a few bucks so I figure why not. It's $37 on Amazon right now.

Logitech K400, very handy compact keyboard with touchpad.

I think there is a newer version of this though - I recommended this to a friend and when I saw it I noticed the F# keys are switched:

Instead of mine, which has F1-F12 normal and you have to hold [Fn]+[F#] to access the media features, the newer versions have the F1-F12 keys as the[Fn] alternative and the top row is by default the media keys.

This is very handy since the kids keep hitting wrong buttons, and I can't remember what it is but I think it's F8 and XBMC gets muted, and there is another button that toggles fullscreen and that keeps getting hit after I get it back to fullscreen.

On the newer version you don't have to worry about that because you would have to hit [Fn]+[F8] to actually get F8. So it's a perfect HTPC keyboard now if you buy one.

Wireless keyboard and mouse?

Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard K400 with Built-In Multi-Touch Touchpad, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_CiC9ub1RDJTMW

This one has a built in track pad...should be adequate enough for navigating Netflix.

Can't speak to this device, but I have larger hands and enjoy using something closer to a full keyboard. I have the Logitech K400 and I really like it. I paid $20 for it, so it's comprably priced and I'd say worth checking out. Logitech K400

This is how you design a pair of $120 headphones.. the pin in the G930 is huge. It's also much wider, so the pin won't wear out nearly as fast as a tiny pin, with a very narrow bushing.

buy this and quit renting

I just bought this from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My speed went from 50mbs to 120mbps. Thats worth $80. Also, for that much speed, make sure your firewall has a gig interface on it.

For comparison:

7 x 12 = $84

Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 Modem = $86

You may want to contact them and have them check the signal levels at your modem; you'll have to have a cable guy come out usually for no charge. I used to work for TWC/RoadRunner, this was a common problem. Also, make sure your modem is not attached to multiple (usually the tech will give you a special one that will only degrade the signal by -1.5db) splitters so it gets the best signal possible. You basically want it to be the first device connected directly to the cable trunk outside. This is very important. Cable modems are very picky. If Charter supports it, and you can afford it, pick up this cable modem (just call them and ask.) It improved my speeds on Comcast. As and added bonus, you won't be renting a modem from them for ~$10/mo so it will pay for itself pretty soon.

Overall they seemed like decent beginner tips, however

• I'd recommend lowering the volume of the background music(maybe change it to something more ambient)
  
• If you plan on doing this longtem I'd also recomend investing in a better camera & webcam sample webcam & sample mic
  
• maybe add some fire emblem artwork on one side then information or a bullet list of what you're talking about with links to that part of the video to replace the black bars, such as mantastic

Most people go with the Logitech C920.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Widescreen-Calling-Recording-Desktop/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485981917&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+c920

Save yourself the trouble and get this 1080p Webcam. It's basically the best you'll find in quality. And it's fine for what you're doing. Plus it's on sale.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000764-C920-Webcam/dp/B006JH8T3S/

For anyone wondering, CamelCamelCamel keeps track of Amazon prices for comparison.

This seems to be pretty standard pricing as Darklord says.

$3000 computer for a videographer... only spends $180 on a 21" monitor? ಠ_ಠ No. No. Nope.

SLI is pretty much useless for video editing (very hit & miss depending on the software) and only adds unnecessary heat and cost to the rig. Drop one of those 780s and focus that money on a quality 24-27" IPS screen and hardware color calibration! (stay the hell away from those budget 4k TN screens)

Edit: Also, if OP is used to their MBP keyboard, I'd recommend picking up a wired Apple keyboard. Personally, I find them much less fatiguing on my fingers. It makes for a seamless transition (if you're still using the MPB) and goes a long way to make your Hackintosh feel more native.

Edit 2: After some very surface level searching, here are some much better monitors the OP should put their money towards: HP 24" z24x P-IPS ,Dell 27" U2713HM P-IPS and Asus 27" PB278Q P-IPS. If it can't come close to 100% sRGB, it's shit. Oh and the monitor color calibrator.

No, you need 1x USB 3.0 port for the headset and 3x USB 2.0 or above ports for the 3 sensors.

You can add 4x USB 3.0 ports to your computer for $24 (remember, Rift+Touch+3rdSensor is $142 cheaper than HTC Vive, so even if you need this it's still all $118 cheaper).

I wouldn't recommend getting USB or surround sound headphones. They come in two types and both are mediocre as well as limiting. You have your headphones with multiple drivers, which reviews will time and time again say are off. Multiple smaller drivers in a circumaural headset next to year ear? Diminished sound quality as well as limited directional accuracy. The other option is to get a set that use virtual surround, but these are going to be USB only. My experienec with USB headphones tells me this is not worth it. Needing to install drivers, potential voltage dropouts from USB charge not being stable, popping (that shit HURTS and is what caused me to throw out my last USB headset), as well as not being able to plug it into more devices. The 3.5 millimeter standard is MUCH better to have here for its versatility and simplicity. If you would like USB, as another user suggested a functional reason for it (though the same could be achieved by using the front audio ports because most computers will still distinguish between headphones and speakers if you use the front ports), they do sell cheap USB adapters that often have their own virtual surround drivers. I'd recommend this over a dedicated USB headset. The lack of versatility and problems associated are worth keeping your setup modular. If you would like to have virtual surround but your soundcard/motherboard doesn't have driver support for it, then I really suggest grabbing the Razer Surround drivers for free.

Okay, wall of text is over! What SHOULD you buy? That's a crazy question. If you're looking for a headset (headphone+microphone), I'm personally a fan of the Logitech G230 which is one of the better price/performance options out there. They are not the highest quality headphones but they are sturdy (important!) and comfortable (double important!). The sound quality coming through them is more than passable. Sometimes I forget I'm not listening to speakers, even though I've been using them exclusively for months. The mic quality is mediocre and requires some boosting, so that should be known.

If you're just looking for headphones without a microphone, this is NOT the place to be asking that question. Audiophiles know headphone gear much better than gamers do, but generally don't know anything about headsets because the low-quality mics headsets use aren't of much use to audiophiles.

If you got through all that, congratulations and I hope it helps you! Just make sure to check reviews on various sites (or just Amazon, if you're lazy like me) and don't pick up anything with less than a 4/5 rating. Good luck!

>Also the current 27 inch iMac comes with a 2560x1440 screen which by itself costs around $750 at the low end right now putting the whole thing into competitive territory with PCs.

Er... You can easily get a 27" 2560x1440 resolution ASUS for ~$550, A Dell for $589.00, and lower end brands like Monoprice/Catsleap/Xstar, etc. for even less $300-400--- that's only after 2 minutes of searching on Amazon, I could get even better deals if I really scoured the net.

And let's not forget the iMac is an All-in-one so if one component needs warranty or service work, your entire system is out of comission.

As Oculus Support pointed out, it might be a bandwidth issue trying to run all 3 sensors from your motherboard.

Pick up one of these https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM and you'll be able to plug in 2 sensors + headset into it, then have the third sensor connected to one of the Motherboard USB ports. General rule of thumb is no more than 2 sensors per USB controller as they require a ton of bandwidth.

If you dont mind spending a little more, this card has 4 USB controllers, 1 for each port allowing you to plug in 3x sensors + Headset or 4x sensors https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Port-SuperSpeed-Adapter-Power/dp/B00HJZEA2S

I have that third board, got it off MassDrop last year and I love it! It's my first board and I don't have many complaints. Solid construction, good finish, no dead LEDs after a year -- the keys are eggshell white and get dirty super easily and the polished edge of the board scratches super easy, but it's a great board otherwise. 9/10 do recommend. Here's my unboxing ftc

Edit: for those looking for a backlit version off of Amazon, heres the one I ordered with orange WASD/blue lights, here is a black body blue backlit version sold by the manufacturer and heres a silver body white light version. Heres an unlit version on prime day special for $35.

Magicforce68?
It's not exactly a TKL, but it has the same functionality through the FN key.

If you want a quiet(er) typing experience, go for Browns, Blacks, or Reds. Avoid Blues. If you wanted to make your keyboard slightly quieter, you could use o-rings to dampen the bottom out sound

The best value laptop in my opinion is the HP 15 for $430. It has great spec for it's price that will work very well for multi-tasking with a skylake i5 processor, 8gb of ram and a 128GB SSD (upgradable if you wish). It also has a decent battery life, a lightweight for a 15.6'' at 4.65 pounds, and a 1080p display.

In the 300s, my best suggestion is the Acer E15 for $330. It has a new Kaby Lake i5 processor, 4gb of ram and a 1TB HDD. It would still work fine for multi-tasking, but if you want to heavy multi-task it would be worth buying another RAM stick and upgrading the ram. It also has a 1080p display and a backlit keyboard.

And Above the $430 range, my best suggestion is the HP 15 for $585. It has even more powerful specs with a Skylake i7 processor, 8gb of ram and a 256gb ssd. It also has a full 1080p IPS display, and a pretty decent battery life (advertised up to 6 hours).

I just got the Acer Aspire E15 a couple of weeks ago and it's been great. Don't expect to play newer games at 1080p at 60FPS, but it'll do Fallout 4 at 720p medium settings at around 40-50fps. The processor should handle just about anything you throw at it unless you are doing CAD or something like that.

Well, first off: OS X 10.11 El Capitan isn't the newest macOS version for your MacBook Pro. Your MacBook pro actually supports macOS 10.13 High Sierra. High Sierra can still be downloaded from the Mac App Store, it is just hidden. Here is the link to it (click this link in Safari only, not in Chrome or Firefox!):

• https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12
  
  OS X El Capitan went out of support in the fall of 2018, so it has been missing out on security for quite some time. Every major macOS version has 1 year of mainstream support (the time frame between its own initial release and the initial release of its successor one year later) and two years of security support immediately after that. Security support includes Safari updates.
  
  Mainstream support for High Sierra has already ended, but its security support only ends in the fall of 2020. So if you update your MacBook Pro to High Sierra, it is still safe to use.
  
  -----
  
  You can speed your machine up by adding more RAM and an SSD to it:
  
  Your MacBook Pro supports up to 16 GB RAM (2 x 8 GB RAM modules). A higher amount than that won't work due to a limitation in the logic board.
  
  You need to buy RAM that matches the following specifications:
  
  PC3-8500 1066 MHz DDR3, 204-pin
  
  Those are some examples of RAM that should work:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/OWC-PC8500-SO-DIMM-MacBook-OWC8566DDR3S16P/dp/B00BKVQFCU
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KFNBP24/ref=twister_B07FSYCMM9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Mushkin-997019-204-pin-DDR3-1066Mhz-PC3-8500/dp/B006E0P1IG
  
  -----
  
  As for the SSD, your MacBook Pro supports every SSD that meets the following criteria:
  
  
• 2.5" form factor
  
• SATA3-compatible
  
  Here are some examples of SSDs that should work:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S
  
• https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-500GB-Ultra-NAND-SATA/dp/B072R78B6Q
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Blue-NAND-500GB-SSD-WDS500G2B0A/dp/B073SBZ8YH
  
  Before you install the SSD, it is advisable to create a backup of the files you want to keep. Store them on some external drive.
  
  You can then reinstall macOS either via Internet Recovery or a macOS 10.13 High Sierra installer USB-Stick (which is the last OS your MacBook Pro supports).
  
  -----
  
  As for the battery: The battery is replaceable in MacBook Pros 2010. However, you won't be able to get an OEM battery Apple uses, most likely. Those are sold out by now and no longer available, unless you are extremely lucky. There are third party batteries that work, though, like this one for the 13" version(!):
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/HUSAN-Compatible-661-5229-661-5557-020-6547/dp/B071G53YBQ
  
  -----
  
  > I also heard mixed things about the new butterfly keyboards, but overall it seems once you get used to them they make your typing faster? So that sounds good for me if it's true
  
  The problem is less the feeling of the butterfly keyboard; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The problem is that the butterfly keys sometimes outright fail if small particles - like dust - intrude under them. I have discussed the problem here (last paragraph):
  
  
• https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/b86zvo/macbook_retina_vs_macbook_air_school_me_on_which/ejwayit/

I have the same 13” mid 2012 MBP and am running 16gb of RAM w/ a 1TB SSD. I also have the same version of Ableton as you. The official specs from Apple list 8gb RAM as the max but it can for sure support 16gb. Based on the specs you provided I’d guess you have the i5 version which comes stock with 4gb of RAM and the 500gb HDD. Your model will support 16gb and you’ll see a significant boost in performance, with Ableton and the computer in general, if you add 16gb and an SSD. If you leave the standard 500gb HDD, I'd assume you'd only see a moderate boost in performance since that's really the big driver of slow performance. I can't speak to the performance of Omnisphere as I don't have a working copy but I do know it made a significant boost for pretty much everything in Ableton and otherwise.

​

My recommendation would be to add 16gb of RAM plus an SSD. They are both relatively straight forward processes as well (links below), just need the right tools and to take your time. Watch YouTube tutorials. Attaching links to the items I have in mine. I'd recommend getting the Crucial RAM and Samsung SSD (which is what I have and has a higher performance rating), but the Crucial SSD will be adequate as well.

​

Let me know if you have other questions on it.

​

INSTRUCTIONS

HDD Swap - https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Replacement/10378

RAM Swap - https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+RAM+Replacement/10374

​

PRODUCTS

Crucial SSD - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0784SLQM6/

Samsung SSD - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/

RAM - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LTBJFW/

Tool Kit - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVKPTP6/

I went with this Samsung 860 EVO 500gb SSD.

And this Orico adapter.

It works phenomenally. Cut all of my load times in half, and intra-instance load times are nonexistent.

Highly recommend it.

This is kind of high for used prices, esp without original packaging. The 860s are about 83 usd on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S

They often go on sale for less too, ssd prices have been going down lately. EX https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/9s9s5b/ssd_samsung_500gb_860_evo_6524_with_code_appsave25 for 65 USD new with packaging/ebay buyer protection.

Samsung Evo 860 500gb: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539043411&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=samsung+860+evo&dpPl=1&dpID=31CElO-B3PL&ref=plSrch

Samsung evo 860 is the latest version and well worth the money.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543011578&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+evo

I got a 850 a couple years ago and it's still a lot better then a HDD. I keep my operating system, gw2, and one other game on it. Get a 1-2TB western digital hard drive for other games/file storage.

Also on copying gw2, I did it but had to repair the game for it to work again (only took five minutes).

500g version has a similar deal at 27% off for 98$ final price

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-250GB-Internal-MZ-76E250B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537307328&sr=8-3&keywords=samsung%2B250gb%2Bssd&th=1

If you prefer not to take chances on dead pixels or warranty issues from Korean panels, the Asus PB278Q (27 inch) and BenQ BL3200PT (32 inch) are both wonderful choices. I can personally recommend them both, unless you want high refresh rates or low response times. The Asus will OC to about 85Hz and BenQ to 75Hz. Don't buy these for OC.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009C3M7H0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hey man I understand. I do need a new camera. Probably gonna be getting one for christmas.

EDIT: This will be here in 2 days. :)

I've been thinking about buying the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 to use mostly as a mic as a lot of people of YouTube use it for the same purpose along with the video recording and there voices sound very clear.

I just don't really like having the mic boom on my Astro A40s which is why I'm thinking of getting that webcam to use as a mic.

So let's cut right down to it and explain the parts:

• CPU: Intel quad-core, hyperthreaded CPU. This CPU will perform very well when playing any game, while streaming. Videos below will explain more why this CPU is more than good enough for your use. Got the H.264 codec which allows you to record and stream at very high quality.But this will give a hit on FPS.
  
• CPU Cooler: Review. Easy to install, silent, good looking CPU cooler. Will keep the Xeon more than cool enough.
  
• Motherboard: Black & red gaming motherboard. Got better on-board audio and a dedicated network chip to provide low latency when gaming.
  
• Memory: 16GB of RAM. Speeds don't matter, only capacity. 16GB is overkill for a gaming PC, but will be helpful when you're using a lot of programs at the same time.
  
• Storage: 240GB SSD for OS + all editing / streaming software. 2TB HDD for your game captures. Able to expand this later with 4 more HDDs.
  
• Video Card: Review. The best single core GPU on the market. Got Shadowplay, which is a feature where you can capture game play with, although not at a extremely high quality.
  
• Case: Review. Very awesome quality case and easy to work in. Given that it's $70, it's very good.
  
• Power Supply: Review. 5 year warranty, 80+ gold, semi-modular (so you only have to plug in the cables that you need and nothing more), semi-passive fan profile, 650W PSU from EVGA made by FSP. This is a very high quality PSU. Which will have no problem powering this system that will at most pull about 350-400W depending on how much you overclock the GPU.
  
• OS: Windows 10, remember that you need to have a USB stick of at least 4GB to install Windows. Also you need to have a PC with Windows on it to make use of this. If you're using XP you'll have to download the ISO file from the program and use Rufus to install the ISO on the USB flash drive.
  
• Monitor: 2560x1440p IPS monitor. You will absolutely love this monitor and the amazing image quality + size. You can simply record games at 1080p no problem. When you stream, you should also just stream at 1080p and use the downscale option in OBS. This will then record your whole screen and simply down scale it. So the viewers will see everything that you see. Same thing will happen for the recording.
  
• Capture card: Because you said that you don't want to have any loss in FPS while playing / recording games. This device is a very nice option to go for. This got a HDMI pass-through and will use the H.264 encoder to record or stream gameplay. Here is the product page. You simply connect this device with USB 3.0 to your PC, then you go out of your GPU into the device with HDMI and then out of the device into your monitor.
  
  ---
  
  
• Keyboard: Review. Mechanical keyboards are a lot better in terms of typing and durability compared to membrane. But they are louder.
  This is the Cherry MX red review and I went for the Cherry MX brown. The reds are perhaps even more silent once you've applied the O-rings. Not entirely sure about that. Here is a very good read about mechanical keyboards and especially a nice look at the different switches. I use MX browns personally and it's not silent at all, but it's far less loud compared to MX blues, that I've used previously.
  
• Mouse: Review. This is probably the best review of this mouse. There is an RGB version now, but it got a $30 premium.
  
• Webcam: Review. Pretty damn solid webcam for the price.
  
  Note: the total price is without the keyboard, mouse & webcam.
  
  ---
  
  Now I will also provide you with my standard list of videos to help you understand why I suggest these parts.
  Lastly I'll also provide you with a couple of great guides to help you build the PC.
  I have to post this in a reply to this post, since I went over the 10.000 character limitation reddit provides per post.
  
  
  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  
  Type|Item|Price
  :----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $252.98 @ Newegg
  CPU Cooler | CRYORIG M9i 48.4 CFM CPU Cooler | $25.99 @ Newegg
  Motherboard | MSI B85-G43 GAMING ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $93.98 @ Newegg
  Memory | G.Skill Value Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $63.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $63.99 @ Amazon
  Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $68.09 @ Amazon
  Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card | $629.99 @ B&H
  Case | Phanteks Enthoo Pro M ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Newegg
  Power Supply | EVGA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $69.99 @ Amazon
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $94.16 @ Amazon
  Monitor | Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor | $254.10 @ B&H
  Capture Card| AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme| $150.00 @ Amazon
  Keyboard | Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire TK Wired Mini Keyboard | $85 @ Newegg
  Keyboard sound dampening| Cherry MX O-rings| $13 @ Amazon
  Mouse | Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse | $50 @ BestBuy
  Webcam| Logitech C920| $63 @ Amazon
  | Prices include shipping, taxes and discounts |
  | Total | $1837.25
  | Generated by Kiwiandapple |
  
  

• A lot of people use the Logitech c920 for their webcam.
  
  
• Check out r/buildapcforme or r/buildapc for a pc build
  
  
• Check out r/mechanicalkeyboards for an awesome keyboard.
  
  I'm assuming you're wanting to build a desktop, so that's what my advice is for.
  
  Spez: you seem to not know a whole lot, if you are building and/or need some more advice feel free to pm me

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Best cam I ever used.

Here are the specs:

Type|Item|
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler | Corsair H105
Thermal Compound | Prolimatech PK-1 5g Thermal Paste
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard
Memory| Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133MT/s C9 4x 4gb
Storage | SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB
Storage | SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB
Case | Corsair Graphite 760T in White
Power Supply | Corsair RM1000 80+ Gold
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit)
Monitor | Asus PB278Q 27" 2560x1440 PLS
Monitor | Asus PB238Q 23.0" Monitor
Keyboard|Filco Ninja Majestouch-2 w/MX browns
Keyboard | Keycool 84 (white body) w/MX black
Keyboard | KBT Pure Pro 60% w/MX blues
Keyboard|KBT Pure 60% w/MX reds and blue LEDs
Keyboard|Leopold FC660M (gray keycaps) w/MX greens
Keyboard| KBT Pure 60% w/MX whites
Mouse | Mionix Naos 5000 Wired Laser Mouse
Video Card| XFX 290 DD Black edition
Video Card| XFX 290 DD Black edition
Headphones| AKG K702
Headphones| Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250Ohm
Headphones | Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250Ohm
Headphone stand| Woo Audio HPS-HB
Headphone stand| Just Mobile Aluminum
Microphone|Samson Meteor Studio Mic
DAC| Schiit Modi
AMP|Schiit Magni
Speakers|JBL LSR305 5-inch Two-Way Pair
Fan| 3x Corsair SP120 Quiet edition PWM
Fan| 3x Corsair AF140 Quiet edition
Router|Netgear AC1750 R6300v2
Modem|Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem
Custom Cables|Made by /u/Lavins

Big thanks to Corsair for sponsoring most of this rig.

Here's the review of the case I released a couple of days ago

Amazon has those for $25. They've been down at $20 till recently.

Here's the link

That's me...the 20$ logitech one.

Works just great for couch surfing.

Set up a low cost PC (you don't need very much power to play video) with HDMI out and a wireless keyboard (the logitech k400r is fantastic, the batteries literally last for a year). The Plex Home Theater client blows everything else out of the water if it's TV in your living room that you're after. It's way better than a console.

Also worth noting - you can use the plex client on your phone/tablet to select a video to start playback on the PHT client connected to your TV, or any other plex client attached to that server.

It's also wise to buy a cable modem yourself since you won't get charged to rent theirs.

If you buy your own it will pay itself off in about a year (7$/mo) and anything after that is pure savings.

Surfboard

Buy this modem and the router/wireless access point of your choice. I like this one but you can go cheaper or more fancy if you like. Connect the modem to the cable line and the router to the modem. Write down the MAC address and serial number for each thing.

Next, take a shot, and call comcast. Tell them you want their $35/month internet-only plan and you have your own modem. Connect the modem to the cable line before calling to make things easier. They will try to sell you some stuff and get some info, but just be patient and stay on target.

This is where it gets fun. If you've been graced by heaven, you'll be done in 5 minutes but I've never seen this happen. Most likely you will be transferred around to several people, having to repeat the same info while they struggle to activate your modem. They will claim there's no signal, they'll say "maybe it's not supported," and they'll very likely drop the call at least once. Keep calling and eventually, probably within 45 minutes to an hour, they will miraculously succeed.

It will end up costing $40/month, because there's some retarded $5 fee on top of the subscription. If they try to charge you for a modem rental or installation, challenge it immediately.

Yes, this is the easiest and cheapest way to get internet in this city. Fortunately, setting up gas/electric is about a 5 minute phone call with the lovely folks at national grid.

Get this on amazon, it costs $8:

usb soundcard

it works with mac/pc, and requires no drivers. It works out of the box and allows a 2nd input. This is the cheapest possible way to add a headphone channel to preview tracks.

Also, get this mixtrack, it costs $88 and works identically:

Numark mixtrack

You are limited by the software, why buy a more expensive controller when you can get last year's for $88? It works just as effectively and the USB soundcard saves you from buying the pro version, which is marked up double compared to the regular mixtrack.

If you ever were to look into another wireless "gaming" headset, I can strongly recommend the [Logitech G930] (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405227700&sr=1-1&keywords=g930). I'm sure they don't sound as great as the Seinnheisers but they are wireless, and the lightest headset I've ever worn. Very comfortable for long periods of time, which usually happens when gaming.

But NOTHING can come close to Sennheiser sound.

I'm a big fan of my Logitech, which I got for about $60. It's wireless.

The biggest complaint I hear about it is it's battery life, but the cord that comes with it is a decent length, so if you're not going to be too far from your pc most of the time, it's not a dealbreaker.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458140961&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+gaming+headset

any of you bros on here a gamer? I got these Logitech G930 in a raffle and do not play Pc based games. Whoever messages me first can have them at the cost of shipping. Only downside is the box is kinda fucked because it's been in my closet and moved around a bit. They are brand new other than that.

Also $60 on Amazon.

$10 more will get you the wireless version.

> So unless he's somehow got a 4K webcam

You mean like the #1 bestselling webcam on Amazon, whose images are 5168x2907, or almost double 4K?

4K = 8.3 megapixels. Most popular webcam for sale today = 15 megapixels. I bought my webcam in a supermarket for $25 and it does 4K stills.

A logitech HD 1080p Webcam, it's like 80 bucks.

My guess is it's this one.

Which I also use. It's a great webcam.

Edit: Do not google search "Jesse Cox Webcam." Nothing good comes of it.

non referral link

Hey /u/QuestionSleep - Nice work on the sounds for your video! It looks like everyone is giving you a bit of a hard time about the video quality though. So I'm here to help! :)

Here's a couple of super basic things to help you:

• Light is EVERYTHING! Having lights behind you (like your window) makes any camera have to lower the gain and exposure (fancy words for the way the image sensor takes in information which requires light). The best thing you can do with what you have right now is turn around so all the lights are behind the camera. That way the exposure and gain will come down and your framerate will go up. If you want to really help your videos get a simple table lamp and have it pointing at your face without getting in the shot, super cheap lighting!
  
  
• If you can afford it, a new camera would be great! Decent webcams can be cheaper than you think too! I'm guessing you are American so head over to here for something to put on Santa's list! http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416858979&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+c920
  
  That webcam will film at a good frame rate automatically in 1080p. Problem solved!
  
  Other than that, keep it up! Us ASMRtists have to keep working. Let me know if I can help you any more. And awesome Power Rangers top! :D

You need a usb hub my man. Not enough power on your mobo usb. Look on amazon. Here it is.

Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - Interface USB 3.0 4-Port Express Card Desktop with 15 Pin SATA Power Connector, [ Include with A 4pin to 2x15pin Cable + A 15pin to 2x 15pin SATA Y-Cable ] (KT4001) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_t0TPBb3ZBXT13

If you continue to have problems you will need to buy a inateck board.

Inateck on amazon

Obligatory Intel has a better wifi bluetooth combo card that has better driver support. https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Frequency-Expansion/dp/B00HF8K0O6

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bluetooth-Expansion-Components-GC-WB867D-I/dp/B00HF8K0O6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421396763&sr=8-1&keywords=GIGABYTE+Model+GC-WB867D-I+Bluetooth+4.0%2FWiFi+Expansion+Card

It's $45

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_KxmKtLPHeWGx8

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_MsUOAQq2VgL3h

I just added a SSD to my day one Xbox for $40. It is totally worth it especially for Destiny.
Case
SSD

Yes I bought an $10 enclosure.

Here are the 2 items I bought:

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_CdzXXahiHqmFH

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_m4inanakDfvZ8

>Mhz really doesn't matter at all
>
>CAS latency

How does that even fit into the same message? You're completely wrong.

TL;DR. No, the RAM clock means a lot. Detailed explanation with examples and math below.

Your comparison to cars is also completely off the mark. To even bring it to something remotely correct, you have to account for the different cars, where slower RAM is an industrial truck running in higher gear, whereas the faster RAM is a sports supercar running 1 gear below the truck, so a truck in 4th gear with medium RPM against a supercar in 3rd gear with high RPM, going in a straight line on a completely flat asphalt road. Want to take a guess which one would win?

I'll even ignore the fact that higher-clocked RAM often has same CAS latency than lower-clocked RAM for the sake of argument.

So here's an explanation of how Mhz and CAS latency really work, which illustrates this point. First off, CAS latency is literally measured in memory cycles, which are measured in Mhz. I'll operate with nanoseconds in my calculations, so Mhz will be translated to Ghz (1Ghz is 10\^9 hz, while 1ns=10\^-9 sec) for easier-to-read numbers.

Say you have a typical 3200Mhz RAM stick (16gb, 75$) with 16 CAS latency. Keeping in mind that the bandwidth for memory commands operate at half the spec clock, we come to 3200Mhz for data transfer, but only 1600Mhz (1600 million per second, or 1.6 billion) for memory commands. Time for one full cycle is thus 1/1600000000 = 0.625ns. Then we multiply that value by the CAS latency number to translate cycles from latency to seconds: 0.625 * 16 = 10ns. This is the real latency of such a stick.

For comparison, let's take this G.Skill memory set (16gb, 70$ - I couldn't find faster) with 2666Mhz and 15 CAS latency. Doing the same procedure, we get 1.333Ghz clock for command interface, full cycle time of 1/1333000000 = 0.750ns, and finally the real latency of 0.750 * 15 = 11.25ns.

If you take RAM with even higher clocks, the difference will be even bigger, for instance RAM with 3600Mhz and 19 CAS latency (10.6ns) would still be faster than 2666Mhz 15 CAS one (11.25ns).

Not only is the first set clocked higher, which brings additional advantages with certain CPU models, especially Ryzen, it also has lower actual latency despite having higher CAS latency. It is literally better in every single aspect that concerns performance. To match that at all, the slower 2666Mhz stick would need 13 CAS latency (that would bring it to 9.75ns), and I couldn't find memory like that. Or in reverse, to make the higher-clocked memory run as slow as the lower-clocked one, you would need 17 CAS latency (would bring it to 11.33ns), which would make the real latency only marginally bigger (we're talking about fractions of a nanosecond here) while having significantly higher throughput, so it would still be faster overall.

So yeah, I would say Mhz of the RAM means a whole lot, while it is actually hard to find higher-clocked RAM with CAS latency bad enough to make it slower than lower-clocked RAM.

/u/paulatreides0, /u/jetjaguar124, u/WeAreAwful

This is not my best guide, but it is a guide. Refinements welcome.
I wish I knew where to post the refined version, because it seems wasted
on the ephemeral DT.

PC building notes, 2019 Q3

Introduction

This post is a a "guide" to PC building in late 2019. It is incomplete
in two senses. First, I make no special claims to authority or objectivity.
I'm just an enthusiast. I have only personally tested a fraction of the parts
listed below. Second, I am writing this before the Intel 10th-gen refresh
and before the release AMD's flagship 3950X. Those new parts may impact some
of the advice given below.

This guide is extremely opinionated. I will simplify and exaggerate to
keep things simple.

This post was written while drinking whisky and listening to
enka.

Internals

What's inside your PC

A PC has seven core components. They are,

1. CPU: the central processing unit. The thing that does calculations.
   
2. Motherboard: the bit that all the other bits slot into
   
3. GPU: the graphics processing unit. For frames in games.
   
4. RAM: Random Access Memory. Fast, volatile, short-term storage.
   
5. Storage: longer-term storage. Comes in several flavors, mainly solid state
   and hard disk.
   
6. PSU: the power supply unit. The bit that delivers power to the other bits.
   
7. Case: a steel box that you put the other bits in.
   
   A word first on compatibility. The skeleton of the build is the motherboard,
   and you have to make sure that every other bit is compatible with your board.
   There are two CPU manufacturers, AMD and Intel; each has their own CPU
   design and thus has their own motherboard type. RAM, storage, PSUs, and GPUs
   are all cross-compatible with either AMD or Intel motherboards.
   Motherboards come in different sizes. A case will be compatible with certain
   size ranges. From small to big, these are ITX, m-ATX, ATX, and
   E-ATX. You'll want to check that your motherboard can fit in your case.
   
   

   CPUs
   

   
   AMD's most current CPUs are the 3000-series Ryzen chips. There are a bunch
   of them, but the only two you have to care about are the
   
   

• AMD Ryzen 5 3600 ($200)
  
• AMD Ryzen 7 3700X ($330)
  
  The other options are the 3600X, the 3800X, and the 3900X. None of these
  are interesting compared to the two listed above, and can be safely ignored.
  
  Intel's current CPUs are the 9th-gen Core chips. I would only seriously
  consider two of these chips,
  
  
• Intel i7-9700K ($380)
  
• Intel i9-9900K ($450-$500)
  
  and I'd ignore the rest. If you want to spend less than $350 on a CPU,
  then go AMD. If you want to spend more than $350 on a CPU,
  go Intel.
  
  A word about prior-gen chips. The AMD 2000 series (2700X, 2600) and the
  Intel 8th gen series (8700K) are still viable at the right price. Look at
  benchmarks. More on that later.
  
  A word about lower-spec CPUs. AMD sells cheap CPUs that have integrated
  graphics. That means you don't need to buy a graphics card with these chips.
  As such, a build with the 3400G or 3200G can be extremely inexpensive. Consider
  them for office use or basic builds that don't require heavy graphics.
  I have personally tested them and they play 4K video flawlessly; they should
  be perfectly adequate for basic tasks.
  
  For scientific workloads, ask me to write another post. I can't cover
  everything here.
  
  
  

  Motherboard
  

  
  Motherboards only accept either AMD or Intel CPUs, but not both, so you must
  choose a board that is compatible with your CPU.
  Once you decide between AMD or Intel, you can proceed to figure out which
  motherboard you want. There are approximately six billion boards. For AMD,
  skip the hassle and just buy the
  
  

• MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX
  
  Note the "MAX." The Tomahawk was released during the 1000- and 2000-series
  of AMD processors. The MAX variant is compatible with 3000-series chips
  out of the box.
  
  For Intel, I know far less. Any Z390 board should be acceptable.
  
  For AMD, the new X570 boards are available as well. They are pricey and
  overkill for 90% of desktop users. Feel free to skip them. Look out for the
  B550 boards that are to be released in 2020Q1.
  
  
  

  GPU
  

  
  There are two main manufacturers of GPUs: AMD and Nvidia. Confusingly, they
  do not sell GPUs themselves, but market them through partners like MSI,
  EVGA, PowerColor, Sapphire, etc.
  
  The GPU stack is a little confusing.
  That chart lists all of the main GPUs on the market, and if you count, there
  are over 25 GPUs listed. Multiply 25 GPUs by 10 or so board partners,
  multiplied again by the fact that each partner sells multiple types of the same
  GPU, and you have a recipe for an absolute nightmare of a market.
  The prices are only approximate.
  
  Let me cut through the fog. You should buy one of
  
  

• AMD RX 570 ($130)
  
• Nvidia 1660 or AMD RX 590 ($220-$280)
  
• AMD RX 5700 XT ($400-$430)
  
• Nvidia 2080 Super ($700)
  
• Nvidia 2080 Ti ($1200)
  
  Pick your price point.
  
  
  

  RAM
  

  
  RAM is distinguished by its generation. We are currently on DDR4, with
  DDR5 to come in either 2020 or 2021. This part is easy. Just buy
  16GB of DDR4 3200-speed RAM and be done with it.
  This kit
  will set you back $75 to $85 depending on the day of the week and will perform
  adequately for 99.98% of users.
  
  

  Storage
  

  
  In 2019, there is no excuse for not buying fast solid-state storage.
  For 90% of users, you should buy either the 500GB or 1TB variant of the
  Intel 660p and call it a day.
  This reviewer
  is 100% paid off by Intel, but he's also right on this topic. Buy a 660p
  and rest easy.
  
  For enthusiasts, the 660p uses new, cheap, somewhat fragile QLC NAND technology
  and you might want to go with a Samsung 970 instead.
  
  That does it for your boot drive. If you need further long-term storage for
  music, movies, videos, games, etc, look into either Seagate or WD's 8TB to
  12TB options.
  
  I personally have a few WD Gold 12TB drives. They're pricey, but they're
  enterprise-grade and haven't done me wrong yet. My firm, which buys storage
  by the truckload, loves these things. They rarely fail.
  
  I personally am using a 660p for OS, a second SSD for
  some of my media, and HDDs for long-term storage.
  
  

  Power
  

  
  I have neither the time nor the expertise to get into a deep discussion of
  power supplies. The topic is apparently very complicated. You should buy
  something in the 550W to 750W from a manufacturer like Corsair, EVGA,
  or CoolerMaster. Make sure it has the number of VGA connectors that your GPU
  requires.
  
  

  Case
  

  
  The case is the place to really personalize your build. Try not to spend
  more than $100, though; at the end of the day, it's just a steel box.
  
  

  Peripherals
  

  
  In some ways, the bits outside the computer are more important than the bits
  inside. After all, these are the bits you interact with on a daily basis.
  
  

• Monitors
  
• Keyboard
  
• Mouse
  
• Headphones or speakers
  
• Chair
  
• Desk
  
  

  Monitors
  

  
  Monitors are distinguished by size and resolution.
  
  The resolutions available are 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. I recommend the following.
  
  

• 24" 1080p for entry-level gaming and for most office work
  
• 25" or 27" 1440p
  
• 32" or higher 4K
  
  You may also care about refresh rate; the most common refresh rates are 60Hz
  and 144Hz. These only matter for gaming.
  
  One particular sweet spot is the "1440p, 27", 144Hz refresh rate" class. Look
  up benchmarks and comparison videos.
  
  

  Keyboard
  

  
  Pick to taste. Some swear by mechanical keyboards. Others buy standalone
  keyboards that mimic the laptop keyboard that they're used to.
  
  

  Mouse
  

  I have used the Logitech G500 and Logitech G403, and both are fine. They're
  somewhat expensive and will run you about $70.
  
  

  Sound
  

  
  There are a million ways to fulfill your sound needs. For wired headsets,
  the bone-stock recommendation is the AudioTechnica ATH-M50x.
  For speakers, I can recommend the Klipsch 2+1.
  
  For more earphone and headphone suggestions, ask me for an extended discussion.
  
  

  Chair and desk
  

  
  Don't neglect these. You'll be sitting at that chair for several hours per
  day, and you'll use that desk forever. Measure how wide your monitors will be
  and buy a desk accordingly. Go to an office supply shop and sit in a few chairs;
  pick one that you like. Your desk and chair will last forever, so don't be
  afraid to spend a little money here.
  
  

  Advice
  

  
  Read Logical Increments in its entirety.
  
  Watch videos from real, serious hardware reviewers. I recommend
  Gamers Nexus, Paul's Hardware, and Hardware Unboxed. Anyone else is either
  subpar or bought out or provides worthless advice.
  
  Do research, think for yourself, and ask me questions. I'll either give you
  advice or point you to reliable resources if I think my advice would be lacking.

Remember that Ryzen loves faster Ram. For a few bucks more you can get the 3200 speed kit.


Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz C16 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B3200C16) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_G18RCbWFVZT59

The biggest difference is color accuracy and production on IPS panels absolutely eclipse VA panels. If you want something not expensive that looks pretty take a look at this for 1080p and this for 1440p

She was using a $4.99 one from Goodwill so I replaced it with an [Acer R240HY!] (https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC)

These Acer Predator XB271U monitors have ultra slim bezels and also come with a fast refresh rate of 144hz at 2560x1440.

Good luck with your build!

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Gaming-S2716DG-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B0149QBOF0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937801&sr=1-1&keywords=dell+s2716dg

https://www.amazon.com/PG278Q-27-Inch-Display-Refresh-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937837&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+rog+swift

https://www.amazon.com/SWIFT-PG279Q-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937837&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+rog+swift

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-27-inch-Widescreen/dp/B0173PEX20/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937867&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+1440p+144hz

to name a few

As far as I know, the 1070 cannot obtain 144FPS on ULTRA in most games (Although are you ONLY playing the latest games? No? Then it's half relevant). That said, Gsync has you the rest of the way.

Problem is, gsync is also a $150-$200 premium (at least in Canadian) to any monitor. They will tell you to buy monitors like this or this but it's hard to justify those 1440P monitors.

If you turn down your expectation to a 1080p gsync 144hz, then things become a bit more reasonable. But if you're an enthusiast, perhaps you really want to push the limit and try the 1440p 144hz g-sync bandwagon out.

$250 budget means you can also go for this one which I read good things about.

$240 Viewsonic
https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-24-inch-Response-FreeSync/dp/B01A0ZRR50

$250 LG
https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-24GM77-B-24-Inch-LED-Lit/dp/B00P0EOX1S

I've also looked at:

$200 AOC https://www.amazon.com/AOC-G2460PF-24-Inch-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B01BV1XBEI

I read that the AOC one has driver issues? Not sure if they're fixed. Install beta drivers for full freesync range.

$170 ACER http://www.costco.com/Acer-XF240H-24%22-Full-HD-Monitor-with-AMD-FreeSync.product.100316061.html

This is the best deal I've seen.

SSD : https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D


Enclosure : https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S

Together, they are pretty cheap. Just pop the SSD in the enclosure, plug in, and you’re good to go.

How much better is C14 to C16?

You can get a Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200mhx for $78.
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3000MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC?th=1

is $42 worth it for tighter timings?

is this better or worse than this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542288358&sr=8-1&keywords=3200+ram

Not really worth it considering the 3200 MHz kit is less than £5 more expensive.

A brand new one is only $4 or $5 more. [Best Buy] (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/seagate-backup-plus-2tb-external-usb-3-0-2-0-portable-hard-drive-black/2944503.p?id=1219083979672&skuId=2944503&lsft=ref:212,loc:1&ksid=8a4d3db5-061f-497c-bf06-25863be15ce0&ksprof_id=8&ksaffcode=pg27&ksdevice=c&ref=212&loc=1), [Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Storage-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4), [Walmart] (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Seagate-Backup-Plus-2TB-Slim-Portable-External-Hard-Drive-Assorted-Colors/35610046?selectedSellerId=0&)

If you need even more storage: 2TB for $65, shipped (2.5" USB powered) or 4TB for $100, shipped
(2.5" USB powered).

Here's an 8TB for $160, shipped (3.5" externally powered).

Newegg ones seems to have sold out. Here's the amazon one for 99 again http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4

I don't think there are any 7200 RPM laptop drives out there. I actually was just looking for some last night and had no luck. The drive I ended up purchasing was this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRHTSK4

based on a recommendation from this sub in the past. I also found an imgur guide to go along with it for an easy install.

http://imgur.com/a/JF5jA

Nice, if OP is looking for something right now I'd say this one:

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-DisplayPort-Adjustable-Ergonomic-EyeCare/dp/B017EVR2VM/

Now is a bad time to buy a laptop with Raven Ridge and Coffee Lake coming soon. If you really need something now though I'd recommend the Acer Aspire E 15. It's got a 1080p screen and has an i3 + HD 620 iGPU that can handle light gaming.

With the price of cards, go with a 128 Gig Card. They are SO cheap now. 256 Gig cards are still way too expensive. You could buy 2 128s and swap them out cheaper than 1 256.

If you're going to get that might as well get this:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520880220&sr=1-3&keywords=samsung+sd+evo

same price, but faster card, and better reputation.

Here's a pretty decent option that's in the same price range.

As others have mentioned, that's not a mech board, but easy to see the confusion. Here are some other amazon alternatives within your budget:

These are clicky loud switches

Magicforce with Outemou Blues

Here is the same board but with Outemou Brown switches, these are tactile, so you feel the bump, but don't have the click sound

Magicforce with Outemou Browns

And if you want cherry switches, this is the magicforce with cherry switches and is backlit (the other two are not)

Magicforce with Cherry switches

So I hate to have you start a new addiction ;) but the ladies and lads over at /r/mechanicalkeyboards have a plethora of different keyboards varying in price. The caps were gifted to me and originally black. This is a MagicForce 68 that I purchased used from a friend so I am not 100% on the MSRP this has MX Black on it.


Keycaps: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/galaxy-c-pbt-all-over-dye-subbed-keycap-set currently have a sale on Massdrop for them I saw. My friends got it for me during Christmas at the original $100 price point this is Almost 50 bucks off!

Keyboard:The Black on is the pricer of the two probably be cause of the switches. https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-GATERON-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E57PUNA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1486745275&sr=8-5&keywords=magicforce+68


Looks like the White version is on Sale also!
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486745211&sr=8-1&keywords=magicforce+68

Nice and small giving me as much room as possible for my mouse.

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0/

Check out the Magicforce 68 on Amazon.

Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with a Magicforce 68 as an entry level mechanical keyboard. Qisan sells them on Amazon with Outemu switches, another Cherry MX clone similar to Kailh switches, for about $40 here.

Not that much

You can get cheaper (as seen in the recommendations), but this is my suggestion. The person I replied to didn't ask for a $34 option, just a cheaper option.

Qisan MagicForce. Very affordable. Can get them in a wide variety of switches. https://www.amazon.com/Qisan-Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce/dp/B01E8KO2B0

If you are okay with a smaller form factor and want a cheap mechanical keyboard, you can check this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0
It comes with Oetemu Browns and not Cherry MX Browns, but for the price they are good. The function row keys are available through combinations with the Fn key.
Of course, you should check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards .

> The end of dx9 support was almost arriving, and just a few days before that my pc had to be repaired, and its now even worst than it was. One thing led to another, and so on.

The revamp of the graphics engine and introduction of Lighting 2.0 has raised the minimum requirements of the game, but that is not surprising. However, the requirements to play the game is still relatively low; especially when Lighting 2.0 is disabled. An inexpensive modern laptop like the following Acer with a Core i3-7100u CPU and integrated Intel HD 620 graphics core will not have any problems running the game at 1080p with Lighting 2.0 disabled and a mix of low and medium graphic settings... as long as you install another stick of 4GB of DDR4 RAM for a total of 8GB of RAM.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-E5-575-33BM-15-6-Inch-Notebook-Generation/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519403276&sr=1-2&keywords=i3-7100u

You can't expect too much from an 8 year old laptop when it comes to games.


> Besides new ships and missions is there a drastic change on gameplay, or what was considered good equipment? I still remember the whole beam boat rule of the same energy type with that terran rep beam, don't know if that is still the case.

Yes, there was some changes to combat mechanics. It only really nerfed high DPS'ers in the game. Some "normal" players commented that the changes seems to slightly improve their ship performance. The biggest hit was to the "plasma exploder" fleet consoles which got nerfed to the ground and are basically considered worthless now. The Plasmonic Leech took a hit; it can now only provide up to 7.5 power per subsystem. In the past with very, very high drain skills it can provide over 30 power per subsystem and most people basically agreed that it was overpowered.

Firing cycles for energy weapons have been standardize. All energy weapons have a 5 second firing cycle which include firing and recharging. Beams fire for 4 seconds and recharges for 1 second; 4/1 firing cycle. Dual cannons and turrets have a 3/2 firing cycle. Dual heavy cannons have a 2/3 firing cycle and have finally been updated to have a default +10% critical severity.
The drop-off damage of cannon weapons have been lessened so that they now do a little more damage at longer range.

> I remember the economy being a mess because of the infinity lockboxes, is there any cheap t6 ships on the exchange that weren't before?

Yeah, there are "cheap" T6 ships available on the Exchange. A few are as low as 70 million EC, but those are the unpopular ones. Most lockbox ships generally settle between 250 million EC to 350 million EC. Prices of other lockbox "stuff" has also decreased as well. Overall, a lot of players have benefited from the release of the Infinity Locboxes.

> Also dil rate, which was over 400 at the time iirc. I saw it today on somewhere around 280 i think, how was the evolution so far, was it even lower and its going up or is it declining?

It is pretty stable at 280:1 to 300:1 nowadays. This is mostly thanks to the Phoenix Prize Packs which are purchased using refined Dil. It offers a chance (however slim) for players to obtain ships and other things that they may have missed. For those players who have everything they want, there are the Phoenix Upgrade Kits which are pretty popular to upgrade gear with.

https://sto.gamepedia.com/Phoenix_Prize_Pack

During the first few hours when a Phoenix Prize Pack Event begins the exchange rate can dip below 260:1 before floating back to around 270:1 to 280:1. It is an overall benefit to F2P players, but I am sure players who uses Zen to purchase Dil prefers a higher exchange rate.

---------------------------------------------------


The most recent mechanic change is Re-Engineering which allows you to change the modifier of many, but not all gear... at least not yet. It is a new system that still needs to be fleshed out. It is yet another Dil sink and you also need a new currency called salvage to roll the dice in order to change mods on some gear; the interface is actually similar to a slot machine (which I am sure was intentional tongue in cheek humor). It is now pretty easy to get a weapon with [CrtD]x4 [Pen] now... as long as the weapon already has [Pen] which can only obtain when a weapon is crafted.

On person mentioned that he was able to sell epic weapons with [CrtD]x4 [Pen] on the Exchange for 60 million EC. Now that has dropped to 30 million EC and I suspect prices can drop a little more in the future as more and more players play around with re-engineering.

https://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/10764734-introducing%3A-re-engineering!

Idk your budget, but something that has at the minimum an Intel Core i3 processor with Intel Integrated graphics card and 4GB Ram. This would go for about $300-$400 dollars, would be able to play the Sims 4 at very low settings and the Sims 2 Ultimate Collection at comfortable settings/smooth gameplay.

If you can spare some more money, ideally you should get an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, preferably a 6/7/8th generation (generation indicated by the first of number that follows, so for example I have an i5 6200U processor). 8GB+ RAM (more the better) is all suggested. The processors I just mentioned will suit the game fine for medium/high settings but for ultra settings look for one of the i5/i7 with “HQ” at the end. The difference between a processor ending is that 6/7th gen and below processors that end with U are only “dual core” while HQ means “quad core”. If you don’t have the money to grab a quad core/HQ that’s ok, but it leads to my next point.

If you can’t get an HQ processor, try to at least get a U processor accompanied by a dedicated graphics card! Some dgpu’s in a decent price range that work well for sims are the Nvidia GeForce 940m, or MX150 made by the same company! Ultra settings could benefit from a Nvidia GeForce GTX1050 or above (1050,1060,1070,1080). That’s basically it!

The first option is only recommended if you’re on a tight budget. You can get more bang for your buck if you go for a desktop, ie. better processor/graphics card for less money but you use the portability factor. I like to game in bed and also have college to worry about so I need my machine to be portable.

Here are some good laptop choices

If you’re on a really tight budget (ie. first option):
Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch FHD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM HD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oHeJAb87X98XF

Have a bit more money to spare:
Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 8GB RAM Memory, 256GB SSD, E5-576G-5762 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nIeJAbZFVCXT4

Other pricier ($600+) but better choices:
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5577 Gaming Laptop - (15.6" FHD (1920x1080), Intel Quad-Core i5-7300HQ, 1TB HDD, 8GB DDR4, NVIDIA GTX 1050 4GB, Windows 10 - Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XFG7157/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iJeJAbCQ911ZA

HP Pavilion Power GTX 1050 Gaming Laptop - 15" Full HD, Intel Core i7-7700HQ , 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Windows 10 Home, Black - 15-cb077nr https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VT9LFD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6KeJAbYG1C2XN

Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop, Intel Core i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 15.6" Full HD, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, AN515-51-55WL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Q54GSR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wLeJAb9TZ7ZEH

How about this?

SadBoy489 your grandma will love the Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6inch, to me it's the best option in this price range.Has a nice Intel Core i3-7100U Processor 7th Generation processing so basic use is not a problem, 1080p display and Up to 12-hours Battery Life and a Backlit Keyboard for grandma's night work :-). The 4GB DDR4 Memory, 1TB 5400RPM HDD for storage is great as well and its 5.2lbs so I hope that is ok, spider solitaire and mahjong can be played easily on the laptop.

Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch FHD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM HD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uEbZAbT21GT51

The Asus PG279Q is probably what I'd be looking for if I were you.

• 1440p
  
• IPS
  
• 165Hz
  
• G-sync
  
  Edit: Alternately, if it ever becomes available to buy and you can afford it (I've heard prices in excess of $2,000), the Asus PG27UQ has simply disgusting specs. 4K 144HZ IPS panel using quantum dots and full panel LED backlighting. Linus calls it the GOD of monitors.

Having used a T.V as my monitor for the past two years, I've been looking to get a 1440p, 144 Hz monitor to make the most of my gaming experience.

I have a Nvidia 970 and will be upgrading my PC when the next line of graphics cards releases.

This monitor seems perfect although I've been reading about the "monitor lottery". What other similar options are there (Two I came across: one and two? And is there any reason I should hold off on buying for now?

Edit: Also, having a Nvidia card, should I aim for G-Sync or will Freesync work as well?

>But there's no point getting gsync anymore now that Nvidia supports freesync

that's not entirely accurate. The vast majority of freesync displays only sync in a relatively narrow band of refresh rates--some as narrow as 48hz-75hz. Gsync has no such limitation. Further, AMD is already moving on to a "freesync 2" standard that requires similar levels of certification to what NVIDIA requires for gsync, with commensurate costs.

edit:
here are some examples:
https://smile.amazon.com/27-inch-FreeSync-Response-DisplayPort-MG279Q/dp/B00ZOO348C
144hz ips freesync display, quite high end, but the freesync functionality only works at ranges of 35hz to 90hz. I would be a bit salty if I bought a monitor with frame synching technology that didn't actually work near the monitor's maximum refresh rate, personally.

Compare with a gsync competitor:
https://smile.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-2560x1440-Display/dp/B0173PEX20
Gsync will work on that monitor from arbitrarily low values up to 165hz (you can overclock the monitor to 165hz--I know because I have one and do so).

It this guy, and it's really nice.

Yes this is a beast of a PC, if you have the money you might as well go for a 4TB drive.

Go at least for a 1440p high refresh rate monitor with the 1080, everything less is a waste of a perfectly fine graphics card.

I recently recommended this monitor for the 1080 if you can afford it, it would be a great match.

That motherboard doesn't have a wifi adapter. You'll need to get a separate one like this one or a cheap USB one

Here is a PCIe card using Intel's AC 7260 card. It includes Bluetooth 4.0 as well so that's a plus. I have the AC 7260 running in my laptop and it's been flawless throughout the past year of continuous use. Right now it's rather expensive on Amazon. It was around $30 a month ago

Amazon

Newegg

Price Checker

I use this and haven't had any issues. It comes with Bluetooth too.

i have two of these and they're amazing:

http://amzn.com/B00HF8K0O6

(Gigabyte Bluetooth 4.0/802.11ac WiFi PCIe x1 Card GC-WB867D-I)

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
SanDisk 250GB Ultra 3D NAND SATA III SSD - 2.5-inch Solid State Drive - SDSSDH3-250G-G25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KGRXRH?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
I'm not very tech savvy, and I got it to work pretty easily. Just put one in the other and use the USB connection in the back of the OG Xbox (side one didnt work). It'll ask you if you want to format it for games. Do that then transfer PUBG over and you're on your way. It'll say you need 256gb, but my 250gb works with no issues.
There's tutorials online also.
There may be cheaper ones out there, but this worked for me. Got the model from someone else on this sub

Can you remove the end piece? That just looks like an adapter of sorts. If you can then all you need is an enclosure such as this.

I got this.

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

You just need a USB a to c cable and it'll function the same.

If you're worried about speed, the transfer rate of that is around 500 Mbps on the T5. This one goes up to 5 Gbps if you use a USB 3 cable. It all depends on how fast your SSD is. Realistically any storage drive SSD will be practically just as fast

Just purchased a different set on Amazon this morning, is this a much better deal?

Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz C16 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B3200C16) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_b2qPCb2X5VJD2

MoBo

This says it supports 3200(OC) Ram should i not get this board and this ram together?
Ram

Im also in the middle of a build and this question has me confused im not as good with specs as i should be. thanks!

Either of these: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i3-8350K-vs-AMD-Ryzen-5-3600/3935vs4040

RAM: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0143UM4TC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any NVME M.2 SSD if you want fast load times


You can megabase to at least 5K SPM with those specs without issue.

Few useful links to get you started.

Oculus Rift Room Scale Setup Guide

List of recommended cable extensions

I'm using 3 Sensor setup in L configurations with CableCreation CD0034 and Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card. My sensors are mounted about 10 inches and 40 degrees away from the ceiling. Perfect tracking in the play area. Good tracking out of usual play area, when in bed playing seated games in view of only two sensors which are 12 to 15 feet away.

I think this is the officially reccomended card

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM?colid=1NWO799606SRK&coliid=I4XNUHZFED1DM&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl

No.

Get this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM

It's the Oculus recommended USB expansion. You need dedicated ports, not splicing the bandwidth of 1 into 4 via hub. Cheaper PCI expansions are often not good enough, so get the one I just linked.

Change the link to .co.uk and it'll still show you the right product.

This is the HDD most people use

https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Storage-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

It is incredibly easy to upgrade. Just buy this (unfortunately you just missed it for $70): http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Storage-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4

And follow these steps: http://imgur.com/a/JF5jA

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Storage-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1451381952&sr=1-1&keywords=seagate+backup+plus

just remove it from the external casing, have this one in my ps4 as well.

Obligatory Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB. It's the brand of Samsung Stock HDD already found in PS4 with higher capacity.

I personally got the Samsung Momentus Spinpoint 2TB which works like a dream for me. No beeping issues others have said from the Backup Plus.

For those who missed this, Amazon has some open box Asus PG279Qs for $644.27.

If you have an AMD card: Viewsonic XG2401

If not: LG 24GM77-B

This is the same price and doesn't use PWM. It's more or less a budget one still, no freesync, but it does have DisplayPort, and just not having PWM makes it better than the ASUS, as they are similar in most other respects.

If you're willing to spend just a little more, this is looked at as the best 144Hz 1080p TN model, its great in every respect and currently at one of the lowest prices I've seen it.

Viewsonic XG2401

This monitor is much better than the other monitors you have listed, and it's 300 EUR

For starters, most people confuse input lag with response/refresh rate of a monitor. That's not the same thing, and I'm saying this as a just-in-case thing. Most monitors on their website do not have input lag listed on their website. DisplayLag has a database where they listed displays with their input lag https://displaylag.com/display-database/ If you sort their database by input lag, you'll see that the best monitor has about 9ms of input delay.

I have two monitors atm. The first one I have is this one: https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-FreeSync-Advanced-Ergonomics/dp/B01A0ZRR50 ; on the DisplayLag website, it has 10ms of input lag. The other monitor I have is this one: https://www.displayninja.com/benq-gw2480-review/ ; this review claims that it has 10ms of input lag, but I don't know how reputable this website is (but I didn't buy this monitor for input lag reasons). 10ms is fine, and I think 12ms is doable.

RTings has a website where they talk about general quality of TVs. I'm pretty sure that I have this TV, which was considered the best TV for its input lag for that year (2017): https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/tcl/s-series-s405-4k-2018 . Its input lag is 14.6ms, and I can definitely feel the difference between this TV vs my more lagless monitors. On playing on other TVs with more input lag, I can definitely feel the severity of the input lag on those TVs.

So I mentioned r/monitors because if you go there and mention the ASUS VG248QE, there will be some polar opinions. I actually have this monitor, but I don't know if I would purchase it again. It's not actually a budget monitor either, and mine developed a row light pixels along the center. It's still under warranty so as soon as I get a 144hz replacement I'll send it back and use it as a secondary display. Anyway, I'm a single point of anecdotal data. Many people will recommend other monitors though. The replacement I'm looking at is the ViewSonic XG2401, which appears to be generally well recieved among enthusiasts. Few people have actual standards for monitors, so if you ask somebody they'll likely recommend their own because they like it, not because they did their research.

The AOC G2460PF and ViewSonic XG2401 are both solid choices. Each have FreeSync, 144hz, 1ms, and are 1080p resolution.

AOC G2460PF

ViewSonic XG2401

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01A0ZRR50/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493122274&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=viewsonic+144hz&dpPl=1&dpID=513sKV2DOoL&ref=plSrch

144hz and freesync

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ9XE8N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_P9TJyb7XXXFMA?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Velocifire-Tenkeyless-Mechanical-Keyboard-Switches/dp/B01MS8YTYX/ref=sr_1_261?ie=UTF8&qid=1485774275&sr=8-261&keywords=brown+mechanical+keyboard

magicforce68 is a pretty decent budget keeb.

this version has the brown switches but its the cheapest

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0

there is also the drevo calibur for 10$ more has bluetooth

https://www.amazon.com/DREVO-Calibur-Bluetooth-Mechanical-Switch-Black/dp/B01N7HNY1F/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519526924&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=drevo+calibur&psc=1

I bought this one recently. Its a little expensive, but its an official one made for xbox one by seagate, so decided to spend the extra money to get it as i had gift cards i needed to use anyway.

If you want one thats much cheaper that should work just as good, get this one:

Drive: https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548282759&sr=8-3&keywords=ssd+256

Case: https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1548283038&sr=8-4&keywords=ssd+enclosure

SSD and Enclosure

Lets break it down. Most people are getting external ssd's. Why because it adds on to the memory without removing existing storage. USB 3.0 provides enough throughput for an ssd. But heres the deal, ssds connect through sata ports. So to protect and connect an ssd to an xbox, you need a sata 3 to usb 3.0 connector.

Super important, depending on your xbox, the internal connection could be sata 2. If you have an og xbox it is sata 2 inside. one x and xbox one s have sata 3. Therefore a ssd will do nothing for speed increase if you do an internal one on an original xbox one. You need to connect via usb 3.0 externally to see performance gains.

So buy a decent solid state with at least 240gb, the actual minimum spec. And spend 10 bucks on a sata 3 to usb enclosure. https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_4/135-4131140-8815732?ie=UTF8&qid=1525800622&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+3+external+hard+drive+enclosure

Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND With R/W Up To 550/450MB/s A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP256GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_B806AbHMAB1AP

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

This is the exact setup I just bought for my 1TB Xbox One. PUBG is amazing as well as I found a massive improvment in Tera Online. I also just needed more space.

Linked is what i got about a month ago. Works fine, and seemed reasonably priced when I researched SSDs.

Samsung 860 EVO 250GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07864WMK8?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

yeah usb 3.0, came with the case I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What this guy said, my brother bought this ssd and enclosure, he loads in faster than me now and I'm playing on the X.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071KGRXRH/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S

SSD $59.50
Enclosure $8.99
I have this setup myself on original xbox, works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC

NH-D15

I use this RAM Corsair CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz C16 XMP 2.0 High Performance Desktop Memory Kit, Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NJc2CbGSZ8TP1

and it fits inside a Meshify C Dark TG no problem

I use this one and it works really really well for me

Firstly, the Vostro is the best of the laptops you showed here. Unfortunately none of these laptops will really play Bethesda RPGs in your desired settings unless they are like 10 years old titles. You need a dedicated video card for more recent titles, not the most expensive one, but still...

So this is what I was able to find: noteb search. Unfortunately for UK, the prices are more or less estimates and they can be off by about 100-150 quid.

So I started searching from these results and this is what I found on Amazon and the site you linked:

https://www.cclonline.com/product/244342/NX-GS3EK-001/Laptops/Acer-Aspire-5-A515-51G-574F-15-6-inch-Notebook-Core-i5-7200U-2-5GHz-8GB-1TB-128GB-SSD-WLAN-Webcam-Windows-10-Home-GeForce-MX150-2GB-/NOT04672/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Aspire-NVIDIA-Windows-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1521484093

Now mind you, none of these laptops are really made to last, maybe the Aspire 5 will be better in this regard but not by much. Don't get me wrong, I know people with Acer Aspire that had them for 3 years plus without a problem. It's more of a gamble. But you get 2 years warranty in UK, so at least it will last 2 years no matter what you get, plus if it doesn't live up to expectations you have 30 days to return it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075FLBJV7/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524226124&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=aspire+e

Something like this is going to be solid, and it's only $600.

Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 8GB RAM Memory, 256GB SSD, E5-576G-5762 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_a7fKBbTXGCA04

Got this one myself in the last week or two, it’s worth as far as college work and a little bit of gaming. Reviews are only pretty decent on. It’s only accessible if you wanna change the SSD/RAM,don’t have to tear it apart. Important from the states took four days to come.

Qucik 5 second search from the first page of amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-i5575-A217SLV-PUS-Inspiron-5575-LED-Backlit/dp/B07BPPS7CK/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1542865819&sr=1-8&keywords=2500u

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1542865842&sr=1-1&keywords=mx150

Cheapest results for each. You're wrong. idk why you insist on arguing with me on this.

For school and gaming in this price range I would advise you to check this laptop

laptop name | Acer Aspire E 15
--- |----
CPU | Quad core 8th Gen I5-8250U
GPU | MX 150
Screen "| 15.6"" FHD IPS"
Ram | 8 GB
SSD | 256 GB
HDD | 0
Weight | 5.27 Lbs.
Battery life | 8 Hrs.
Pros | One of the best bang for the money in the market.
Pros | The Mx 150 should be enough for CAD work and light to medeum gaming.
Pros | Great battery life .
Cons | The chassis is all plastic .
Cons | The screen is a little dim .
Cons | It's a little on the heavier side .

Your motherboard does not have an M.2 slot on it.

You can buy a PCI-E x4 M.2 adapter that fits the 500GB Samsung EVO 970 plus (like this one https://www.amazon.com/EZDIY-FAB-Express-Adapter-Support-22110/dp/B01GCXCR7W/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pci-e+m.2+adapter&qid=1562715160&s=gateway&sr=8-4), but it requires a PCI-E x4 slot.

Your motherboard has four PCI-E x1 slots (won't fit) and two PCI-E x16 slots (it will fit in this slot but only if you have one free -- i.e. you don't have two video cards).

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, consider getting a regular old boring SATA III SSD. True, they aren't as fast as NVMe SSDs, but this is $30 cheaper (https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=500GB+samsung+evo+SSD&qid=1562715888&s=gateway&sr=8-3) and for gaming you actually won't notice much of a difference compared to the NVMe drive you spec'ed. NVMe gives you bigger performance boosts when reading/writing large blocks of sequential data, so for example video editing. Source: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/sata-3-vs-m-2-vs-nvme-overview-and-comparison/

Samsung Evo 860 is the best for performance and price.

$56 250GB

$87 500GB

This is what I picked up from Amazon, works amazing! Just plug it in, transfer D2 over, bye bye loading times!

Samsung 860 Evo 500GB 2.5... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

ORICO 2.5 USB 3 External Hard... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY97QE8?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


My brother did the same thing expect he got this SSD.

Silicon Power 512GB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP512GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07997QV4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aMvYBbPRF3NPX

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3PYCCX32WHLHA&keywords=laptop&qid=1551220352&refinements=p_n_feature_seven_browse-bin%3A3012497011&rnid=3012494011&s=pc&sprefix=la&sr=1-1

This laptop regularly goes on sale for 499. Keep an eye on it or setup an alert for a price drop

Get this .. fixed it for me (with an asus mobo)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-E-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1501513258&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=itek+usb+pcie+card

Valve specifically recommends an inateck card .. see here https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8566-SDZC-9326 (I assume they all use the same chipset)

960 is min spec.

970 is recommended spec.

CPU should be ok, I used a fx 8350 from last July until a month or so after Ryzen came out. On a Gigabyte 990FX-UD3 actually, I think. There were a couple of different versions of that board and they did change the usb3 controller at one point.

Everything looks good, the only potential problem is the sensors not liking the USB3 ports (the headset isn't that picky), but the sensors will work on the USB2 ports and you can get one of the known working USB3 cards if you want to give your sensors more omph. I got the Inateck one way back at the beginning, but there are more known working ones now.

In Oculus's roomscale extra equipment blog post they listed a few more controllers:

Here are a few USB cards we’ve used with reasonable success:

Four Controllers (One Per Port. Requires placement in x4 or x16 PCI-E slot)

• HighPoint RocketU 1144d

• Startech SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter

Two Controllers (One Per Two Ports)

• Startech SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter

One Controller (One Across Four Ports)

• Inateck Superspeed USB 3.0 Expansion Card

They did put a footnote at the bottom of the blog post, but I think it was more in reference to the hdmi/usb extension cables, which are notoriously finicky.

Footnote is:

**Non-Oculus equipment/service references are not recommendations, guarantees, or endorsements of products or performance. Your results may vary. These are instead options to vary your own customized experiences. Furthermore, incorrect installation or use of any products or items can damage your computer, space, or otherwise impact performance. If you’re not experienced or qualified to do so yourself, please seek assistance.

Unfortunately that isn't the 'Oculus' recommended card, but this is. https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-KT4001-SuperSpeed-Ports-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1522101057&sr=8-6&keywords=inatek

It is very likely that the chipset on that Rosewill isn't 'properly' compatible

It's a Logitech K400. Perfect for the couch!

My experience with the Steam Link:

It works decently after upgrading from my old WRT54g router (which was unplayable) to a TP-LINK Archer C9.

Although when I say "decently", I'm not one who freaks out if FPS drops to 59 at 1920x1080, or even has to play at that resolution. It's playable. Sometimes it slows down. You can stream Netflix from your browser, sometimes the video goes into slow motion during scenes that have more "action", i.e. a woman jogging... (I haven't even watched something like Transformers...) depending on your Stream setting of Fast, Balanced, Beautiful.

It's nice when it works, most of the time. Sometimes it still drops the connection though, or the window loses focus, or you have to log in to Windows, and you have to physically go to the computer and figure it out, which can be frustrating.

Most of the time I've had to go over physically was because Steam crashed and I had to restart Steam. Hopefully these are bugs they'll be working out as it's still a relatively new device? Between this and the controller, they seem to get regular updates. And things HAVE been getting fixed and enhanced. But apparently it can't start Steam up on it's own over the network, or let you log in to Windows.

It worked plug & play with my Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard K400 (plugging the little Logitech wireless receiver)

a logitech k400 i picked up at microcenter - Link

You should definitely give it a shot, and if it doesn't work for you, you can always go back to cable. I was sick of paying around $150/mo for a cable/phone/internet bundle, so I cut the cord when I moved into a new apartment around a year ago, zero regrets. I now pay $50/mo for 15Mpbs internet, and it's been great.

I got this computer: Dell Zino HD (looks like it's discontinued)

a wireless keyboard: Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard K400

and this HD antenna: RCA ANT1450BM

That's it! I'm going HDMI from the computer to TV to stream anything from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, anime sites, whatever you want. You're not limited to services provided through Boxee or Roku type devices. The HD antenna gets used once in a while for live stuff or PBS, and I was shocked by how good it looked. Positioning can be a bit tricky, but I swear the image looks better than my previous cable connection.

For current shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, Amazon sells season passes for a slightly discounted unit rate, and the shows are available the day after airing.

It was a little scary at first, but now I can't imagine going back to that time and money pit. I feel more in control of what I watch, and I seriously feel mentally cleaner. Give it a try if you're considering it, and feel free to let me know if you have any questions!

There's Mouse Toggle. It adds mouse-like functionality to the stock remote. It works ok if you have no other mouse.

After the stock remote, my favorite is Remote Mouse for Fire TV, followed by the Logitech K400 (when it's $20).

It looks like the Logitech K400.

I've got this and it works amazingly.

It's really, really easy to get started. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a high level of production value that you can achieve (later on if you want to, or maybe never), but starting off is quite a simple thing.


All you really need is a laptop, a webcam, and decent internet... and maybe a soft lamp. It's best to have an ethernet cable running to your router if you can, for faster speeds than wifi. You can get a pretty cheap webcam that does a decent job, or shell out a little more and get something a little better. The best (or at least most popular) webcam for camgirls I have found is this one. Inbuilt laptop webcams might do the trick, but use your judgement on whether it looks good enough or not. Would you watch something of the quality you're producing?

There is sooo much information on ambercutie forums, but a trap that I fell into early on is feeling like you need expensive lighting, the best webcam, an amazing mic and so on when you really dont.

On the subject of lighting, it really makes a difference to be well lit, but you don't need photography-standard umbrella lights. I have two soft lamps a little bit behind my laptop so I'm lit from two angles, and it works really well. You just want to make sure they're soft and you're not casting yourself into shadow on one side, and MOST IMPORTANTLY not solely lit from above, like from a ceiling light. That is some unflattering shit.

I really like Myfreecams.com because it's easy to use, high traffic, the token conversion is easy to understand, the payment methods are easy and reliable, and probably least importantly is that there seems to be fewer rules regarding what you can and can't do (which makes it a little less stressful). Have a look at the aforementioned forum for advice regarding choosing a site. Verification can sometimes be a pain but if you have a driver's licence and a scanner you'll probably have a really easy time.


This is a loooot of information to take in all at once, I know. Even though I could go on and on for ages, like I said before, keep it simple to start with and don't stress yourself out with the nitty gritty - you might get so stressed you don't want to even begin. Bear in mind, this is all about the SOLID parts of camming, the technical aspects. The mental game is a whole other topic entirely, and I would be happy to answer more questions if you're asking.

Good luck! xx

If you have money to spend, I'd use a camera like This along with an adjustable arm like this one and attach the arm to something high up and look down. I used a similar setup for playtesting other card games and had a meterstick taped down on top of a bookshelf, attached the camera arm to that, and the camera directly above the playmat. In total will cost about 60 bucks but is as easy as it gets if you have to move it somewhere else.

If you already have a camera and a tripod, you may be able to secure that in a similar fashion to a nearby bookshelf though I dont know if you can get a perfect top down like you could with an adjustable arm as linked above.

Best of luck!

I got a PB278Q this year (also unsure how to tell the difference between new and old models, I have one and like it alot. I don't know if my eyes can detect PWM, but I usually see its quite well reviewed. It's also usually at least $100 cheaper than the Dell models and can sometimes be had for as cheap as $400.

Edit: I have done some research, and if this article is to be believed, the new models have a Black bezel, whereas the old ones have gray. Mine has a black bezel and I haven't noticed any PWM. This is the exact model I purchased.

For the device manager, the two most common are an ASMedia USB controller, or an Intel USB controller. ASMedia basically has a crap load of issues. If you have that, you'll want to buy a PCIe USB 3.0 card ($20 or so) to fix your issues. The Inateck 4 port card works best I've found (do not buy a 5 ports as half the ports are also crap), as long as you don't install their custom drivers and stick to the microsoft defaults.

If you have Intel ports, I'm not sure what the issue would be, and an external card might still solve your problems

I think I'll actually try to answer your questions (instead of just spamming my fanboy agenda).

1. What matters in regards to USB ports is the total bandwidth available. Some motherboards aren't able to supply enough bandwidth for the Rift and 3 sensors. I wouldn't worry about this issue unless the Oculus software reports "Poor tracking quality" on your sensors. If that happens you might have to buy a PCI-E USB expansion card ($25).
   
   
2. A third sensor will improve tracking quality for room scale and larger play spaces. You can do smaller room scale with 2 sensors, by placing them in opposing corners of your play area. Mount them as high up as possible, pointed toward each other, and angled downward. Your milage may vary depending on the size of your play space, and if you are able to place the sensors optimally.
   
   Some further notes:
   
   
3. You should be fine starting out with 2 sensors, and expanding to 3 if you notice tracking issues. Note that a 3rd sensor may in some cases require the previously mentioned PCI-E USB expansion card (Link: Oculus recommended card).
   
   
4. Since it's your first time trying VR: Take it easy in the beginning. All the experiences in the Oculus app has a comfort rating. Start with things that are rated "Comfortable", before moving on to Moderate and Intense levels. If you start experiencing nausea or discomfort, exit VR and take a break. Never try to power through the discomfort. And don't worry if VR sickness happens a lot in the beginning. Your VR legs will get stronger.
   
   
5. If you have a beefy computer congratz! Download the Oculus Tray Tool and experiment with super sampling for a sharper visual experience.

You could buy something like this and add usb 3 to your pc though

Logitech C 920HD. Amazon link, around 60 dollars today, I got it for more.

I use it, many big Youtubers use it. Clear recordings, the software gives you good controls, it sticks nicely to your screen or on a flat surface. My latest video shows you how it looks, visit my flair if you wanna check it out.

You might still have to buy lighting and be able to edit it in right, but that's with any webcam. :)

I have the Logitech C920, which is a really excellent 1080p webcam with great low-light performance. It used to cost an arm and leg, but I see it's now below 70 USD on Amazon.

Mic quality is very good as well. It has stereo mics, one on each side (used for natural audio and noise cancellation). It's also Skype certified and is (as far as I know) one of very few that actually work with 1080p over Skype.

I can't recommend it enough, especially now that the price has dropped so much since I got it!

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1451697738&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+c920

First off this is for small business. Second, you get a webcam that does hardware encoding like the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, 1080p Widescreen Video Calling and Recording. As for CPU usage in the reviews someone mentioned this

> The C920 does seem to use a lot less CPU than the C910. 640 by 480 on a core 2 Duo HP laptop was up to 80% CPU. With the 920C this dropped to 45% at 1280 by 920 by 30FPS.

That should work perfectly fine on a laptop like this: Inspiron 15 Non-Touch

I think the market for most webcams are video chats, like skype, so you will be pressed to find one without a mic. I understand you reasoning, but what you are looking for is more specialty, it does not fit what most people are looking for. This in turn would actually drive up the cost of a product like this.

TL;DR: Just pick up one of these guys, you can't go wrong: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1427560529&sr=1-1&keywords=webcam

This is mainly aimed at photo editing so it's designed for color accuracy first and foremost. It has a response time of 12ms (color to color) and 5ms GtG.

For gaming there are cheaper / better options or some around the same price for new items.

This is just a random example I grabbed from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/PB278Q-2560x1440-DisplayPort-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B009C3M7H0

Is the Thunderbolt Display a good display? Yes. Is the Thunderbolt Display worth the $1000 price tag? No. There are displays with the same specs that are less costly. For example, this.

That being said, Apple will also likely release an updated Thunderbolt Display that has the same 5K panel as the riMac when Thunderbolt 3.0 is released as part of the Skylake generation of processors (maybe this summer).

Hey Crimson! I have a pretty good amount of experience with camera work for my gaming videos!


I'm not sure what your budget looks like, so I'll start with the cheapest solutions first.


I would suggest the most easily obtainable camera for live action stuff would be just to simply use your smart phone! For example, the iPhone camera shoots with a Sony CMOS sensor in full HD! Just make sure you stabilize it on a tripod or flat surface because the auto image stabilizer is pretty terrible at times. Secondly, if you do choose this option, I would highly recommend using a different audio source. Smart phones traditionally don't always have the best audio recorders on board.


A web cam is probably your second best solution! Full HD cams can run about 50-100 bucks, but they usually get the job done. Though again, with all these recommendations, I'd suggest you use an alternative microphone for audio.


If your not willing to use cheaper alternatives like a smart phone or a webcam, then I think your best bet would be the GoPro. These products are massively popular for a reason; they can provide BEAUTIFUL footage if used correctly. You can probably find one of these bad boys USED for under 200 on craigslist. For the relatively small price tag, this is one of the best all purpose cameras on the market.


Finally, if you have a decent budget at your disposal, I'd suggest the T3i. If you only plan on using this camera for rare occasions, then I'd advise against purchasing it. However, if your hoping your channel would rely heavily on live action content, then this is it. This is your solution! It might end up running you a little over 500 bucks, but this is the camera a majority of youtube creators have been using. There is a slight learning curve, but when you get the hang of it, your videos will look fantastic.


Like I said though, never use the on board audio recorders these solutions provide for you. Buy a separate microphone if quality is a big concern for you in your videos!

Hiya!

I'm a gamer and parront, and can say that loud birdy squawks can sometimes be an issue when I'm trying to communicate. I typically use Discord, but your toolkit might vary depending on what you're using to talk to your team.

I'm currently using this headset, and get few complaints about the birds. Granted, I am always on push-to-talk, so there's no risk of the birdy squawks activating my microphone. If push-to-talk isn't an option, look into your micrphone sensitivity settings (both in the program and in your OS) and reduce them a bit. Hopefully this will make it less likely that little chirps will activate and open the micrphone for all to hear.

Also, give them something else to do with their beaks. Chop, a bit of millet, or a long-lasting foraging toy might help keep them occupied while your SO is gaming.

G930's are wireless headsets, so the cut cable can be replaced with any microUSB cable.

Amazon Item Page

So I bought a new wireless headset from Amazon that had the promo tag on it, (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VANOFY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) however I never got the code. Amazon chat told me a few minutes ago that the item wasn't fulfilled by Amazon so it doesn't count, so I'm hoping senpai notices me :P

My MMO life hasn't been too long, roughly 8 years or so. I'm a huge fan of FF, and played just about every game in the franchise except for XI...so I picked it up and it was so much fun, but really really quiet. I started the game maybe 5-6 years after launch, so there really wasn't anyone to play with, not even considering that I joined right when Abyssea came out, which coincidentally was when much of the population left the game.

When rumors of XIV came out, I was so excited. The biggest thing for me was that I could finally play a FF MMO on the same playing level field as other players, and I could actually do and play content while it was new. I always hated that I was "left behind" in XI, so this was a big deal for me.

I partook in the beta test for 1.0 and was there the day the game launched and continued to stay, even while others I met and played with in the game left. While others griped about the game and how bad it was, I was looking around looking at everyone like they were crazy - because I really loved the game and it was MUCH MUCH better than XI IMO. I also really really liked the changes Yoshi and his team brought to 1.0 even though I understood the game I grew to love was going to come to an end one day.

Yoshi and his team had done a really good job to pull those who really paid attention to the world and lore together (not including all of the special "hidden" surprises as time continued to tick away) so The Calamity felt immersive, and it was pretty special. You could feel the tension in the air while we were all waiting in Mor Dhona for the Empire on that last day....then the servers went down and we were greeted with "the end of an era" trailer - perfect ending. Tears were shed. I was devastated. NO game could ever come close to this experience.

Fast forward a few years and I still play every day, slowly making more progress. I recently got my 240 relic (BRD) on Friday, and my static recently cleared AM6 (for the FIRST TIME after 11 weeks) last Monday, and again on Tuesday, so even though I am a "legacy" player, I'm still celebrating milestones... even almost 5 1/2 years in.

I love this game very much and I have lot of hope for the future. Yoshi P and his team really do seem to listen to what the players want (contradictory to what most would believe) and I believe it shows. I think our best days are ahead of us in this game and I can't wait to see what the expansion has to offer.

There are a few options out there, Motorola's are consistently rated very highly. I've linked to one here that supports up to a 172 mbps downstream, but doesn't have a built in wireless router (you would have to plug in a wireless router to access the internet wirelessly). There are also a few options to pick from that include wireless routers, and/or support faster speeds if you need it (it won't make your existing connection faster though, it just supports a higher level of bandwidth).

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Retail-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0

This would be a good option if you want a built-in wifi router:

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SBG6782AC-DOCSIS-AC1800-Router/dp/B00GJ7Y7MU

You will have to call Comcast to provision the modem (basically just read them the MAC Address on the bottom of the modem and wait a few minutes). I've done this twice, and it's been straightforward. You can always just tell them that you don't like the idea of hosting a public hotspot (which you do if you have a Comcast modem with built in wifi-- it broadcasts on SSID "xfinitywifi" and is accessible by anyone that has a Comcast subscription).

Worst case scenario, your modem keeps breaking a day out of the one-year warranty and you have to buy a new one every year, but you're still breaking even and at least you haven't given more money to Time Warner than absolutely necessary.

I got the "Motorola SB6121"

Also the "Motorola SB6141" is a good one too. It's technically "better" since it has an more down stream channels then the 6121. I bought the lower model since it was cheaper.

I got it on amazon and made sure it was new in retail box, direct from Amazon and not a 3rd party seller.

Yeah, getting your own pays off in less than a year. Everyone should do this.

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ can handle up to 160mbps
http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ can handle up to 320mbps

Not that it matters right now, but the 6141 has a little more futureproofing.

So the first thing you should decide is what type of internet to get. The vast majority of people get cable or fiber (if they can afford it and if it's available). Both of those options give you good reliable internet. The cheap option is to get DSL which works over telephone lines. DSL usually has low speeds and isn't as reliable but only costs like $30 a month compared to $60-100 for better internet. If you like to stream movies or do anything outside of very basic browsing, I would say to get cable if you can afford it. What you do then is find a provider for that internet (internet service provider - ISP). Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, and many local companies are ISPs but you're probably limited to only one or two in whatever region you live (assuming USA). You should also know that these companies have random naming conventions for their services (Comcast calls their cable Xfinity while AT&T calls theirs Uverse) So you go to their web sites and compare plans and find something that works for you (if you don't know what speed you need, I would recommend 20 Mbps or more for streaming and normal use, 50 Mbps if you're a really heavy user). You can use this to find out what providers even have wiring in your area (if the top speed for a certain provider only shows as 10-25 mbps, then it's likely only DSL).

If you go with cable, you'll need both a modem (which receives the internet connection from the cable built into your apartment) and a router (which takes that wired connection and turns it into wireless - wifi). I would recommend buying your own hardware because companies like Comcast charge you something like $7-10 a month per modem/router that you get from them, which ends up being more expensive than buying your own to start with. If you buy your own modem, make sure it will work with whatever cable provider you select (something like this is standard). After that, you hook up your router. There are many to choose from. You can get one for as little as $10-30, but I would recommend getting a better one like this if you can as it performs exceptionally well and is easy to set up as well.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Make sure it's DOCSIS 3.0 and also look at the number of channels up and down.
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-SURFboard-SB6121-Download-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0/
That one is 4 channels up and 4 channels down. It says on the box that it'll max out at 172Mbps. If you're paying for more than that, you're going to need a better one.

Couldn't agree more. Had issues last year, then got this modem and this router and have been flying ever since. Spending $90 may seem steep, but you pay monthly to rent it anyways.

Those messages about speeds being inadequate is done because owners of modems with the DOCSIS 2.0 or lessor are not going to get the speeds they pay for. Those messages do not come through on modems DOCSIS 3.0 or higher because you can get the full speeds.

I own a DOCSIS 3.0 modem - this is the one I purchased: http://amzn.com/B004XC6GJ0

Here is also the list of DOCSIS 3.0 modems approved by comcast based on speed tiers, just select what speed you're getting and it'll show you the compatible modems: http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/

Or get a cheap USB DAC for the headphones. Since it's for monitoring purposes only, sound quality wouldn't be a concern, which means you can go cheap. Like $8.50 cheap.

Buy a $6 USB sound card from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/external-Adapter-Windows-Microphone-SD-CM-UAUD/dp/B001MSS6CS

I mean, you could just use a usb speaker adapter too.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_4qXOub0JDD8RW

When you say it has to be USB, are you saying a DAI (Digital Audio Interface) and XLR mic is out of the question? It's definitely more expensive, but the DAI typically connects via USB, and allows you to record straight into the computer. I wouldn't consider this route, however, if you don't plan on doing a lot of recording.

Now if you mean it has to be something akin to the Snowball or Yeti, then I'll give you what I used, and realize you can easily go up from there. I used to use (and still sometimes do) the Logitech G930 Wireless Headset, and it's around 7 years old. I've EQed the headset and paired it with a program call VoiceMeter Banana.

A brief note: I don't recommend, nor I would I be adverse to recommending VMB; it just overrides some sound drives, and can cause a bit of messiness. I can't know how savvy any one person is, so I don't personally recommend programs unless the community as a whole accepts it.

Anyway back to business. This turned my barely audible, tinny sounding voice into what sounded like a real person, and not like I was using soup can communication. The price listed for that headset is way off and not worth more than $40; Logitech discontinued it. You can get a solid USB mic, shock absorber, and quality headphones for a little over $100 or more.

The Snowball and Yeti are two of the most common recommendations I see, but I personally know nothing about them. Sometimes these threads can be buried quickly, so I wanted to jump in, offer what I could, and hopefully people with better knowledge can fill in the rest.

E: I appreciated the humor of the $200 mic being the best. As Bender would say, "Put a 1 and two 0s after that, and we got a deal." (that might be slight hyperbole)

Amazon has the g930 for $70 and it's live already.

For the record, Newegg and Amazon have the cordless version of this (G930) for only $10 more. Original price $159.99. Better deal, in my opinion.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VANOFY

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104399

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01K1IO3QW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502646690&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Laptops&dpPl=1&dpID=41HfDkXXyeL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073YC5D78/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502646977&sr=1-3&refinements=p_n_graphics_type_browse-bin%3A14292273011%7C14292274011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Laptops&dpPl=1&dpID=519AGc-y17L&ref=plSrch

i was able to use 128gb u3 with the standard tutorial

https://github.com/TriForceX/NewBittboyCFW/blob/master/PocketGo-Guide-EN.md

i think this was the card

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSDXC-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP

and i recommend u3 because of how much quicker it is to flash firmware from scratch as well as copying large files

i don't have a larger card, so I'm not sure of the max supported size

The samsung ones are even cheaper (except the 128gb one):

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_2_acs_ac_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538158930&sr=8-2-acs&keywords=samsung+micro+sd+card

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499352772&sr=8-2&keywords=128GB+micro+sd

faster but same price as the 128

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/

I think this is it, can anyone confirm? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_D7g5BbDTPC7TY

I received my X3000 today and also received this 128 GB Samsung EVO Select card. I am happy to say it recognizes and records 100Mbit/s to the card with no issues! I'm able to select and record all formats, and I don't see any issues with the footage.

Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO Select Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM)

Fake as heck. If you want a trustworthy high capacity and fast card, check out Samsung Evo Select on Amazon.

Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO Select Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM) $45

To learn more about fake SD cards, http://www.happybison.com/reviews/how-to-check-and-spot-fake-micro-sd-card-8/

The Acer Aspire E15 is a good choice for non high end laptops

I have the 64GB version of this card. It has lasted years but is super slow with writes.

CrystalDiskMark read results were OK at 86, 3, 3, 2.7 MB/s. Write was terrible at 7.5, 1.2, 0.9, 0.9 MB/s !

I never noticed how slow it was until trying to take 4K video, fuggetaboutit. It's too slow for 1080p60.

Moved up to the 128GB Samsung Evo Select (U3), tested sequential read/write is 95 and 87 MB/s respectively. It's $19.49, 15% cash back with Amazon Prime card.

• Dashcam + Micro SD card + Hardwire kit = Cost
  
  
• Or Dashcam + Micro SD card = No parking mode.
  
  ---
  
  Write down your values right now.
  
  
• Video quality = 0-10
  
  
• Build quality = 0-10
  
  
• Parking mode = 0-10
  
  0 being the lowest, 10 being the highest.
  
  A129 isn't a bad dash cam, but be prepared for your values to shift after ownership after a while. If you did your research, you know what you are purchasing. A129 2CH is what it is, as advertised.
  
  ---
  
  
• A129 ($160 USD) Dash cam
  
  
• Micro SD card - TLC based cards will not last as long as MLC based High Endurance cards. 128 GB Micro SD card TLC based card likely ($20 USD) vs 64 GB High Endurance Micro SD card MLC based card likely ($43 USD)
  
  Micro SD cards last about a year or 2, maybe 3, then die. They have a limited number of read/write/rewrite cycles. Some are not Dashcam rated (will say in the warranty use in a dash cam will void warranty.) Some dash cams are picky with Micro SD cards and reject them on an unknown criteria. Some dash cams have recommended brands of Micro SD cards.
  
  
• Viofo 3 wire Hardwire kit ($15 USD) - Low voltage cut off feature (Adjustable) Voltage only.
  
  
• Viofo 2 wire hardwire kit ($10 USD) - Low voltage cut off feature (Preset/Not Adjustable) Voltage only.
  
  
• Power Magic Pro 3 wire hardwire kit ($24-30 USD) - Low voltage cut off feature (Adjustable) Voltage/Timer based.
  
  So I don't know how Viofo parking mode activates under different situations.
  
  
• Typical 2 wire system = Motion sensor(Movement in front of camera lens)/G sensor (hits bumps) inactivity, with required 1-2 minutes of "Quiet time." If the dash cam does not get its required "Quiet time" it will record normally until Low voltage cut off feature activates. Low voltage cut off feature (Preset/Not Adjustable) Voltage only.
  
  1st wire (Postitive) -> Always on fuse = Parking mode; 2nd wire -> Ground wire (Negative) to unpainted bolt (completes circuit).
  
  Or
  
  1st wire (Positive) -> Ignition only fuse = No parking mode; 2nd wire -> Ground wire (Negative) to unpainted bolt (completes circuit).
  
  
• Typical 3 wire system = Ignition switch position parking mode detection. This typically is more reliable way to detect if parked. However High end/Luxury vehicles with an (Unique/Specific) sleep mode will require an (Unique/Specific) hardwiring setup to allow the dash cam to work. (Sometimes including tunneling through the firewall to the battery, then re-insulating said fire wall.) Low voltage cut off feature (Adjustable) Voltage/Timer based.
  
  1st wire (Bat) -> Always on fuse = Powers dash cam; 2nd wire (ACC) -> Ignition only fuse = Detects if parked or driving; 3rd wire -> Ground wire (Negative) to unpainted bolt (completes circuit).
  
  I don't know how/if A129 changes from 2 -> 3 wire, or from 3 wire viofo -> 3 wire Power Magic Pro.
  
  
• Tap a fuse ($5-15 USD) + 5 amp fuse ($1-5 USD) at any automotive store.
  
  All Fuses, including Tap a fuse should match your vehicle's type. Mini/Mini low profile are the most common. There are also ATO, Micro 2, Micro 3, and Maxi type fuses.
  
  Read your owner's manual for fuse box location(s) typically 2-3 in every vehicle - in/under dashboard (use this one), Under hood (avoid at all costs), In door (use able but not favored), and Trunk (Use able but not favored.)

In that budget range and based on what you will be using this laptop for, not many laptop can compete with this Acer Aspire E 15 laptop as an option. It is easily the most recommended laptop in this budget range because of it's balance of performance power, battery life among other features. It has a nice quad core 8th gen i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, fast 256 GB SSD and an MX 150 graphics card that will handle the games you want to play.

In your budget the Acer Aspire E15 is your best bet. It has a quad core CPU and a mx150 graphics card that will run games will. 13" is out of the question for your budget. The closet thing would be the Swift 3

• Screen Protector. I suggest a tempered glass screen protector
  
• SD Card. Dpending on how committed you are to digital vs. physical, a 64gb or 128gb should hold you over. Wait for them to go on sale, they go on sale pretty often.
  
• Carrying case. I recommend the ButterFox carrying cases, they come in different sizes so pick one that suits you.
  
• A stand. By stand I mean something that will hold your Switch and provide access to the USB port for charging. Some recommend the Hori play stand, for me that's a bit too bulky and went with one meant for cellphones, works wonders.
  
• Portable battery pack, look for ones with at least 2.1A output to sustain gameplay when charging.
  
• Pro controller, it's essential on most games, literally night and day from the joy cons. I suggest getting the Xenoblade version because it has an updated D-Pad that the original has.
  
• Another dock, theres a lot of controversy here. There are 3rd party options out there they have been noted as dangerous to your Switch and may brick it and render it useless. From my experience, I've had great success with the Nyko dock and the Best Buy Insignia dock, use these at your own risk. You could play it safe and buy another official Nintendo dock. it's not as cheap however.
  
  Links for all the items I got for your reference:
  Screen Protector
  Memory Card
  Case
  Stand
  Battery Pack
  Pro Controller
  Nyko Dock
  
  

The Samsung EVO Select (white and green) have been solid so far in dash cameras and are a good value.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=twister_B071R715MZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

That sounds like a complicated solution (e.g. prone to failure) for a simple problem. The simplest solution would simply be to inform whoever is managing the laptops that they must be online on a schedule for backups and failure to adhere to that could result in data loss. The next easiest would be to add a backup drive to each laptop. Low profile thumb drives, SSD cards, etc. Are all inexpensive. Lastly, adding some sort of NAS device that they could connect to locally if needed would still be simpler than some sort of Silicon Valley storage solution.

Edit:
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-128GB-Flash-Drive/dp/B01BGTG2A0/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=low+profile+thumb+drive&qid=1558803321&s=gateway&sprefix=low+profile+thumb+drive&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ssd+card&qid=1558803377&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Unfortunately, this is not a good deal.

The same card is available for $19.99 at Amazon, and a similar card is available for $17.87 at Amazon.

Great price at Amazon right now: Samsung 128GB 100MB/s (U3) MicroSD EVO Select Memory Card with Adapter (MB-ME128GA/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_80nNBb82K6WPJ

A lightweight laptop for $400 that is fast enough for video editing..well, pick two I'd say.


Cheap and "fast": https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i3-7100U-Windows-E5-575-33BM/dp/B01K1IO3QW/

Cheap and light: https://www.amazon.com/VivoBook-E403SA-US21-Quad-Core-Processor-Metallic/dp/B01B9APNG0/

Fast and light: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t460p/


If you can stretch your budget, I'd recommend the Acer Swift 3 for $650: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Swift-i5-6200U-Windows-SF314-51-52W2/dp/B01LWZ7JB2/

Otherwise, I'd say go with the Vivobook E403SA, but don't expect incredible rendering performance.

It's one of those laptops specced to sound good in advertising so I can see why you might link it, but really it isn't very good for this price.

"i7" 7500U is a rather miniscule improvement over an "i5" 7200U, and it's wildly beaten by an "i5" 8250U or "i5" 7300HQ. 12GB RAM is higher than average, but it only takes a $40 part to upgrade most laptops from 8GB to 12GB, and you might not need to. This is why it's important not to shop by the "Core i-number" sticker and the amount of RAM.

There isn't any indication whether the laptop uses an acceptable IPS panel or a low-quality-TN type panel. This is one of the most noticeable differences. Companies will put low quality displays even in higher priced laptops, and bank on buyers not knowing to check or to expect more for their money. http://imgur.com/Sajajqc.jpg

The GPU is only a 940MX, when you can get the doubly-powerful NVIDIA MX150 for the price.

These would be better:

• https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ (ideally confirm that it is IPS and that isn't a listing error, since last year's 940MX model wasn't IPS)
  
• http://www.microcenter.com/product/481303/Aspire_5_A515-51G-52R1_156"_Laptop_Computer_-_Black;_Intel_Core_i5-7200U_Processor_25GHz;_Microsoft_Windows_10_Home;_8GB_DDR4_RAM;_256GB_SSD;_NVIDIA_G

Samsung 128GB 100MB/s is $17

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSDXC-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP

for pics, evo cards are fine or any basic from a reputable company...

For UHD video to be recorded directly onto the sdcard, depending on the bitrate (e.g. 40mbps etc), you need a card that can write at a speed greater than that, Samsung Pro cards are rated to write around 80-90mbps and read around the same, Sandisk has similar cards but where i am, Samsung is cheaper.
I myself got the Samsung pro 64gb microsd for the above reason, those evo cards that display 95mbps, thats for read, write is still limited to 15-20mbps. But the 2017 Samsung Evo Select after a certain size can write at ~90mbps i think its 64 or 128gb, only disadvantage of this over a pro card is that its MLC meaning if both were used exactly the same again and again, the pro would last longer than the evo select

Even without the technical issues involved, I think swapping cards all the time would be a pain in the neck. What is the barrier to picking up a larger card? You can get a 128gig, high performance U3 card (Samsung Evo) for $20 from Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME128GA-AM/dp/B06XWZWYVP )

That's the price of a single indie game, and would give you double the space of your two 32gb cards combined...and you would not need to swap. Even so, I'd recommend paying double in order to get the 256gb version. I recently maxed out my 128gb and had to upgrade. It was possible and ended up being very clean, but it was a little bit of a hassle to perform the data transfer.

I know this isn't really an answer, but you might wanna look into an SD Card. 64 GB ones aren't very expensive. Even very good ones like this 128 GB card are only $20 dollars or so.

If you don't feel like doing that, maybe check Target, Walmart, or Best Buy? They'll also have inventory for stores listed on their websites and you can usually reserve a physical copy for pickup as well.

I have this one and am very happy with it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWZWYVP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

According to customer reviews, it's faster than the older Plus youve linked.

Just dont get a sandisk ultra. My phones (both windows and android) have killed 2x 64gb ultra cards and 1x 128gb ultra cards (so 100% of all sandisk microsds ive ever owned).

Speed is definitely noticeable compared to the sandisks. When i had a tonne of photos the sandisk would cause the gallery app to crash. With the samsung, no rpoblem.

Evo Select.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XWZWYVP?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title


SanDisk Extreme...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07FCQRN9K?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

This would be my pick.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7

I'd say this laptop, the Acer Aspire E 15 15.6" (E5-576G-5762)


https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=acer+aspire+e15&qid=1564204847&s=gateway&sr=8-4

​

8GB Ram Memory
Nivida GeForce MX150 Graphics card
8th Gen i5-8250U Intel Processor
Full HD 15.6 screen (1080p)
256GB SSD Storage

(yawns) Yeah it's Acer Aspire time again. The cheapest laptop with dGPU and SSD, the benefit of quad core i5 and Nvidia MX150 worths the extra $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1517791837&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=acer+aspire+e15&psc=1

Acer Aspire E 15 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-HvGDb1J9TY9P

I picked this one out for my sister when she started college last year, seems to be a fantastic bang for your buck. Even got a cheaper version for my dad a month ago. There’s a newer, slightly pricier version too if you want to spend more. Overall very solid for the price, especially in battery life (Up to 15 hours!).

It was the most commonly suggested model in that price range in most laptop suggestion threads I dig some digging into.

Budget: ~500 to 600 (up to 900 depending on how convincing I can be)

Country: US

Screen size: 13'-15' would be good. Nothing too big

Screen resolution: Anything really

Touch screen: Would be nice to have but not needed

Weight: Under 4 lb please

Main purpose of laptop: School and Gaming

If you will be gaming, what are the most demanding games you will play and at what settings? Rocket League maybe, Risk of Rain 2 Definitely

Is battery life an issue? Not really

Other notes: I need some good reasons for buying the computer too, for when my parents try to convince me to buy something cheaper. i.e this one's on sale or this one doesn't have any sales tax

​

Edit: Currently looking at https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/yoga/700-series/Yoga-730-15/p/88YG7000965 ,

https://store.asus.com/us/item/201902AM050000002 and https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7 ; some of these break some of the guidelines I set for myself and I don't know which would be better

500 GB Samsung SSD for $70

1 TB Samsung SSD for $140

And those are name-brand prices.

Something like this is cheap (500ish USD mark) but should still be able to run classic on high settings.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/dp/B075FLBJV7/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=gaming+laptop&qid=1559113760&refinements=p_n_graphics_type_browse-bin%3A14292273011%2Cp_36%3A1253507011&rnid=386442011&s=pc&sr=1-6

Personally I'd then get an external monitor that's 24" or more and a keyboard and mouse but you could probably just use the laptop with a shitty old mouse if you're really tight.

Hi,

For general use, you might want a non-gamer design and a better battery life than the Acer Nitro 5. A good contender that is similar is the Acer Aspire E 15, which has an i5-8250U 4-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, 1080p 15.6" display, and battery life of around 8 hours for general use.

For light, casual gaming, the MX150 is a good fit. Also, this laptop gives the opportunity to upgrade the RAM/storage in the future if you'd like.

Yeah not a good deal. That "one year old" laptop comes with a 4th generation i5. We are currently on the 8th generation. Buy an Acer Aspire E15 instead. You'll get much better performance and longevity.

Yes I agree here your budget needs to be a bit higher than that at least $150 more to get a low to med gaming laptop. I would recommend getting the Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 8GB RAM Memory, 256GB SSD, E5-576G-5762

The requirements aren't exactly hefty, so you won't need a "gaming laptop":

• OS: Vista, 7, 10
  
• 64bit OS required
  
• Processor: Intel 2.77GHz Dual Core
  
• Memory: 4Gb Ram
  
• Hard Disk Space: 3gig
  
• Video Card: Intel HD 3000 or above. Radeon 4xxx series (or below) graphics cards
  
• Sound: FMOD compatible sound card
  
  The laptop I have ("Aspire E15 E5-576G5762" - 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 2GB MX150 graphics card, Intel "i5-8250U Quad-Core 1.6GHz-3.4GHz") runs it well without any changes to settings (the release of animations may change that), and cost me about the same 1.5 years ago, as what it sells for now (550USD). It has a decent battery life, too, but is apparently heavier than other laptops (only 2 odd kilos).
  
  https://www.pcworld.com/article/3291622/acer-aspire-e5-576g-5762-review.html
  
  If you were to buy one of them from Amazon, try to use one of those "cashback" sites, and wait till it's on a better special than it currently is (went down to 513USD last month).
  
  https://camelcamelcamel.com/Acer-Aspire-i5-8250U-GeForce-E5-576G-5762/product/B075FLBJV7

SSDs are cheap now, so no...

SanDisk as a brand isn't bad, but COULD BE better. See if you can spring for a Samsung drive. It's not like it's C or D tier, but Sandisk isn't A tier that's for sure. The MSI board you've chosen is probably fine; but we've seen some issues with reliability over time - especially with the more budget-focused sub 100 dollar boards.

GPU is a bargain. Great cooling on it. Phanteks is kicking butt in the case market these days. Corsair always amazing -- BUT their TXM line is NOT high quality. It's built by a third party manufacturer last I checked.

See if you can spring for an EVGA G3. Worlds better quality.

Have you checked Amazon? They usually have these SSDs along the same price tag. I’ve seen them 85-100$ USD. There’s a Western Digital version of that SSD for about 88$ USD. There’s also a Crucial version of that SSD for about 88$ USD on Amazon. Not sure if it’s more expensive in AUS on Amazon. Hope I helped.

Edit: I’ll link you the items I’m talking about

This is the WD model
WD Blue 3D NAND 500GB PC SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s 2.5"/7mm Solid State Drive - WDS500G2B0A https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073SBZ8YH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_I9xPBb4VDW1BD

I personally own the WD one and it’s been pretty good so far.

Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD - CT500MX500SSD1(Z) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0784SLQM6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_N.xPBb0HSAM8T

My friend owns the Crucial model and has told me good things about it.

Here is the Samsung model you’re looking for
Samsung 860 Evo 500GB 2.5 inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AbyPBbF2HH21P

The WD and Crucial models read and write faster than the Samsung model according to the info on Amazon. And they’re cheaper. WD also has a M.2 2280 version of the SSD which is easier to install IMO and it’s the same price.

It's a magicforce 68 key with Gateron brown switches. I prefer small keyboards without a lot of frill. This one has LEDs which I usually avoid but I actually don't mind them. To me the standout "features" are the lack of F-row and no numpad. Just what I need for gaming and typing.

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0

Imo spend 10$ more and get either https://www.amazon.com/Qisan-Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce/dp/B01E8KO2B0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539786629&sr=8-3&keywords=magicforce+68 or https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Bluetooth-Multi-Device-Mechanical-Rechargeable/dp/B0731CJ4ZJ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1539786653&sr=8-10&keywords=magicforce+68

How do you feel about building your own

Otherwise you could go slightly larger like a Magicforce 68 or Varmilo VA68.

Next up in size would be a Drevo Gramr, Calibur, or Excalibur. Vortex Race3 is similar in size, but better stock caps and limited programability.

Otherwise, get a Ducky One TKL.

TBH, I'd just buy a cheap one off Amazon. I use the Magicforce Mechanical Tenkeyless with brown switches, it was 30 bucks, and it works great. I also am a transcriptionist, so I type all the damn time, and it's stood up to a whole lot o' typing and it feels great. Any of the other knock-off switches and cheaper brands are usually pretty good, too. No need to buy a more expensive mechanical keyboard now that they make them cheaper now. You're just paying more for a name.

It's 40 now: https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0

It's good. Have to use function keys for F-keys, but I don't find it to be a problem. They have similarly priced ones with F keys.

So, here's a quick list of boards, from amazon. I went with them for a search on mechanical boards, and filtered by 4 stars +, and read some of the critical reviews and sort through the ones that seemed to be overwhelmingly positive, with no "i did this for a kickback" though they no longer allow that, those reviews still skew it. Next, I went with brands that, well I had heard of. I just so happened to have seen or read reviews on boards from these companies, and while they often get the board for free in these situations, I still have seen them in action, or seen critical reviews of a product from them before. So, would venture to say these are probably some of the more... okay brands, of these "cheap" brands. Now, I included mostly TKL boards, since they happen to be cheaper, and I also included a "wireless" and quite a few backlit ones. I know you said that didn't matter, but they were within budget at met the review requirements, and your other reqs, albeit at typically higher prices. Also, I tried not to include the scam of "mechanical feeling."

So, from here, I'll list them. And you should understand you can buy boards from Newegg, fry's, microcenter, target etc.... and you can try to find your own with these tips. I simply used Amazon because it offers free shipping on most items over $25 even without prime. As well, they tend to be... somewhat responsible for their sellers.

TKL, no Backlight, Blue Switches:

https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Mechanical-Keyboard-Tenkeyless-Typewriter/dp/B072F23XM4/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215555&sr=8-14&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard


https://www.amazon.com/TOMOKO-Water-Resistant-Mechanical-Keyboard-Non-Conflicting/dp/B01DBJTZU2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215555&sr=8-7&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard


https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-KUMARA-Backlit-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B01LXD7TP9/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520216151&sr=8-3&keywords=mechanical%2Bkeyboard&th=1


https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Mechanical-Keyboard-Resistant-Chromebook/dp/B06XKV8R9Z/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215658&sr=8-21&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011


Full size, no backlight, blue switch:

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Illuminated-Industrial-backlighted-EagleTec/dp/B01LXKPV9D/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520216151&sr=8-4&keywords=mechanical%2Bkeyboard&th=1


https://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Mechanical-Redragon-illuminated-ABS-Metal/dp/B01LXD7STC/ref=sr_1_12?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1520216163&sr=1-12&keywords=mechanical%2Bkeyboard&th=1

Fullsize, brown switch, backlit:


https://www.amazon.com/Velocifire-Mechanical-Illuminated-Anti-ghosting-Copywriter/dp/B01M0QEYR4/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215658&sr=8-19&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011


TKL, backlit:

Brown:

https://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Anti-ghosting-Mechanical-Multicolor-GOFREETECH/dp/B0789C52WX/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215691&sr=8-37&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011


Blue(over budget):

https://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Mechanical-Redragon-illuminated-ABS-Metal/dp/B019O9BLVY/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215658&sr=8-22&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011

TKL Wireless browns:

https://www.amazon.com/Velocifire-Wireless-Mechanical-Copywriter-Programmer/dp/B076D5WVYG/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215691&sr=8-37&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011


60% blues:

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-68-Keys-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E8KO2B0/ref=sr_1_47?ie=UTF8&qid=1520215691&sr=8-47&keywords=Mechanical+Keyboard&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011


Again, some things to keep in mind; add tax to most, if not all of these. I tried to keep them as far under $40 as I could, but the ones with decent reviews don't seem to go as low. As well, please feel free to do your own research. Or, if you want we can try on your preferred shopping site. Seek other users advice, maybe one of the mechanical keyboard subs will offer better advice. You absolutely do not have to buy any of these, nor do I get anything if you do. Also, please copy and paste the names of the boards for a youtube search, many of these low end boards send them out for review for coverage. Also, you could try doing a search yourself, just to check, "Mechanical keyboards" into amazon or whatever, and sort by reviews, and price, and avoid "MECHANICAL FEEL" at all costs, as it is not truely mechanical. I hope I've helped at least somewhat, and again, you absolutely don't have to settle on a link I provided, consider waiting for a sale, or observing this sub for a bit. Most of those boards likely hover around their price or will go lower.

Good luck, and I hope I've helped even a little. Let me know if I can help more.

Edit: Also, there's no need to rush into a buy at all, assuming you don't need one ASAP. Shop around, watch for deals on one you're interested, or just watch for new things to enter your price range.

Unfortunately, you’re not going to find much on this sub for less than $50.00.

You could look at the Magiforce 68 - it’s an excellent starter keyboard.

Drevo is also a good place to start. The Gramr is less than $50.00. The Excalibur is a bit more expensive, but it is also a nicer board.

Hope this helps, and GLWB!

The Magicforce 68 is probably the best budget mech you can go for, worth spending just a little more for it

/u/basicforest89 It's the Magicforce 68.

No $200 laptop will be good. However, for $150 more you can find good deals like this laptop. It's got the latest i3 processor, a backlight keyboard, and can upgrade the RAM up to 32 GB. It's not even the best deal you can find, but if you want a cheap laptop that can be decent for mid-range gaming then this should be fine.

Anyone want to help me decide between that or this? https://www.amazon.com/Acer-E5-575-33BM-15-6-Inch-Processor-Generation/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1491412587&sr=1-7&keywords=laptop

I'd definitely recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-E5-575-33BM-15-6-Inch-Notebook-Generation/dp/B01K1IO3QW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1505824145&sr=1-1&keywords=Acer+Aspire+E+15+E5-575-33BM

Decent specs, 15.6" and 1080p, and low price.

https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX500-250GB-NAND-Internal/dp/B0764WCXCV

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S

me too, totally convinced.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075RJS55D/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

it's lit

SSD: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075RJS55D/ref=pd_gwm_simh_0?pf_rd_p=f9ea941c-301a-45bf-9233-50adcf132422&pf_rd_s=grid-14&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile-unrec&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pd_rd_wg=zsgcy&pf_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pd_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pf_rd_p=f9ea941c-301a-45bf-9233-50adcf132422&pd_rd_w=z4isw&pd_rd_i=B075RJS55D

Enclosure: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=pd_gwm_simh_0?pf_rd_p=fc67834d-1a4e-443d-a4d4-b4f1372fb3cf&pf_rd_s=grid-15&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile-unrec&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pd_rd_wg=zsgcy&pf_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pd_rd_r=CH9KA40STEAABKDPV6BC&pf_rd_p=fc67834d-1a4e-443d-a4d4-b4f1372fb3cf&pd_rd_w=RJv6E&pd_rd_i=B00OJ3UJ2S

me too, totally convinced.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075RJS55D/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B078WQJXNF/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525515492&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=samsung+evo+ssd+250&dpPl=1&dpID=41qR7C253KL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=aw_pd_cart_vw_1_4?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OJ3UJ2S&pd_rd_r=ESQX23FQFJXXNE2C9CXB&pd_rd_w=tnA9r&pd_rd_wg=wI1dk&psc=1&refRID=ESQX23FQFJXXNE2C9CXB

Upgrade that ram, ryzen LOVES high speed. Get something like 2x8gb 3200: https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC Only $20 more

For the case I would use this: https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Rackmount-Computer-Pre-Installed-RSV-R4000/dp/B0091IZ1ZG and take off the rackmount ears.

You could also go with a ryzen 2700x based system like u/rtkierke said and that would give you 2 more cores and 4 more threads, just make sure to get fast ram with ryzen to have the best possible experience. Something like this corsair kit or if you wanna keep with RGB you could get this kit

You mean like a PCIe adapter? I recently purchased this via Amazon as I was converting my older PC as a HTPC, and needed wifi+BT. I was considering this one as well. Mind you for wifi only, you could probably get something cheaper.

Finally, if you haven't completed your build yet, consider a motherboard with built-in wifi. Depending on the models, you could save some money; it also liberates a PCIe slot.

You could also get USB dongles, but those usually don't perform as well (or so I heard).

This card is frequently recommended

Hey man I got this one and its cheap on amazon! You may wanna take a look at it and it comes with bluetooth.

https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GC-WB867D-I-Bluetooth-Adapter-Computer/dp/B00HF8K0O6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466694098&sr=8-2&keywords=gigabyte+wifi+card

I got a PNY 240GB SSD and just a basic External SSD enclosure, both from my local Best Buy. The enclosure was pretty cheap and i could have probably found it even cheaper on amazon or something but i didn’t want to wait for shipping.

Also: Microsoft says that the Xbox one requires the external drive to be 256GB or more to work, but it’s not true. Like i said, mines a 240GB and it works just fine. At Best Buy, the 240GB was $70 and the 480GB was $130, so it just depends on how much you want to pay.

Edit: I paid like $25 at Best Buy on my enclosure but here’s one on amazon for $10 link

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1538264050&sr=1-5&keywords=sata+to+usb

Picked this up, along with Sabrent enclosure (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TPrzzbWYK4GQK) to house the default HDD that came with my system. Pretty excited to have 5x default storage for less than $75!!

Your friend’s suggestion is smart and its the way to go since your PC will run much faster.

For the HDD yes of course you can use it. Think of the HDD as a flash drive you plug it in and use it as a storage while still keeping the files already in there. I’d recommend deleting the windows folder in the HDD if you had OS installed on it to free up space and install a fresh OS on the SSD.

Edit: You can buy something like this to use your HDD as an external storage if you want to use it as a portable flash drive. Or you can just have it connected to the motherboard of your PC (if its not a laptop) and use it as a 2nd drive besides the SSD.

Sure.

SSD:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pny-240gb-internal-sata-solid-state-drive-for-laptops/5900261.p?skuId=5900261


Enclosure:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3KiuCbW4CEPY1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-PG279Q-Gaming-Monitor-G-Sync/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=asus+1440p&qid=1564408716&s=gateway&sr=8-3 Something like this. IPS so the colour accuracy is good, 165hz oc as well. All these panels have issues with backlight bleed. Mine has a tiny bit you cannot notice it unless sitting on a purely black screen.

27" 1440p IPS monitors cover a huge range of different products, from fairly basic ones like the Viewsonic VA2719-2K-SMHD @ $293 to mid-tier gaming ones like the Acer XF270HU @ $594 to higher-end gaming ones like the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q @ $800, to professional graphic design ones like the EIZO CS2730-BK-CNX @ $2600 (j/k, Amazon's price is wrong, these are only $1800).