re: PC Discussion - Gaming, Performance and Enthusiasts

I have a working desktop again

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Should I upgrade my Intel 320 series SSD? Had this thing since 2011 but it's still running like a champ.

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They certainly make faster ones these days I still have an old Corsair SSD running in my laptop, similar performance to the 320. Only time I ever upgrade my desktop SSDs is when higher capacity becomes more affordable. I have a track record of paying about $200 for every main SSD upgrade -- first an old OCZ 64GB, then a 128GB Patriot Wildfire, 256GB Samsung 830, then the 500GB 840 Evo.

I think my SSD upgrade will be an interface change, though. The performance increase hasn't been noticeable with any of my SSD upgrades.

Probably still the ~$300 QNIX QX2710 Glossy Perfect Pixel: LINK

Might be cheaper on ebay.

Overclockable, beautiful picture, but kind of a shitty stand.

A step up from that would be the ASUS PB278Q: LINK

Beyond that, go Freesync/gsync.

Me too! If you'd wait until the 4K freesync hits the market soon I'll sell my current 1440 for a good price

This quarter

We'll talk when you get your new monitor.

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when the 380x drops.

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Are you going to get a 380X? Based on what I've read lately, it's a rebranded 290X on better silicon (so might come pre-overclocked or allow for higher clocks). If it's priced too much more than what the 290X is going for right now, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it (unless they end up having incredible OC potential)

There was rumor in January that the 380X would have HBM, but that rumor accompanied another rumor that the 380X would be the flagship. Turned out to be untrue. The memory bus will be 512-bit, same as the 290x (also same 2816 GCN stream processors, 64 ROPs, 176 texture mapping units), so they'll just have a bump in clock speed most likely. HBM is 1024-bit memory bus per cube, cubes limited to 1GB density right now, total of 4 cubes on the 390X, whose core is limited to a 4096-bit memory interface (according to the most recent spec sheets).

Luckily, the 290, 290x, 970, and 980 are all solid 1440p cards, so they'll only get better from there.

Might as well get a 980 then

eta: in all seriousness, the 290x is probably my best value at the moment

Finally got some decent pics of the LSU rig, if anyone is interested in checking it out: Imgur . I still want to add a couple small touches to it, and the Liquid Ultra comes in tomorrow, so delidding will be taking place this weekend.