The 'Build Me A PC' Thread

[Strazos]

Soooo...my SSDs, which are maybe two years old, should be OK?

[Trippy]

Should be.

[Bungee]

What do people around here working/playing mostly with laptops think of the dawn of the external GPUs like the Razor Core?

I'm planning on buying a new Laptop for mostly private office and gaming purposes beginning of next year. and I'm kinda thinking the Razor Blade Stealth + that external GPU box should keep me going for 5+ years gaming wise.

[Trippy]

Just get a laptop with a 1070 or 1080 instead.

[MahrinSkel]

For those of us who can't afford to buy a new bleeding edge $3K laptop every year or two, it offers the prospect of squeezing another year or two of decent performance out of the ones you do buy. I'm wishing it had been an option two years ago, I'm just reaching the point where the 870M in mine can't run things I want to play.

--Dave

[KallDrexx]

Honestly, I"m not too keen on the Razor core unless you *REALLY* want only one device in total (or you travel a lot and need to game on the go, and want to lug it with all it's 10+ lb weight with you).

It's $500 + a graphics card, so $700-ish (assuming a 1060/480).  It's really not hard to build a gaming desktop for the same amount (like this). 

I'm also not so sure on how well the intel U processor will keep up with the higher end gaming cards, and I wouldn't be surprised if you start getting CPU bottlenecked. 

[Bungee]

Basically what Dave said. I am however aware that long term it might be better to just get back to a desktop for gaming purposes, too. We'll see, got 4 months to figure it out (I'd buy the laptop + external gpu in Canada while I'm there).

[Rasix]

Anyone have suggestions for a monitor in the $200-300 range? I'd rather it be around 23-24".  My current monitor is around 5 years old and my wife wants a dual setup for work. I'd like to supplement the current one with something more modern for gaming. As for the price: I'm cheap.

[Merusk]

I've got (2) of these.
https://www.amazon.com/VS247H-P-1920x1080-DVI-D-Back-lit-Monitor/dp/B005BZNDS0

One that's 5 years old and one that's ~1 year I got from the old job. They're nice, crisp and render color well. My only complaint is you can't raise/ lower the screen. You need to stick things underneath if you want it higher.

[Sky]

We've got a few of those at the library and they seem ok.

[MahrinSkel]

I'm currently using one of these: 25 Inch LG ultrawide for $180. They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range. The 29 inch AOC I use at home is awesome (although it took some redneck engineering to make it play nice with a springloaded arm).

Yes, I have become a true convert for ultra-wides. They rock. They also come in higher resolutions, but not in the price range you're talking about.

--Dave

[Viin]

I bought an AOC 144Mhz monitor, though I think I'd rather have higher res than the 144mhz response times. (Max res of 1920x1080 on a 27-inch is a waste)

[KallDrexx]

They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range.

I have that monitor and I love it.  I also really love gaming on an Ultrawide.

[Merusk]

We tested some ultrawides at the office, I'll take one over (2) 24" screens any day. They were amazing. The only reason I didn't convert is I was support and my users all had dual monitors, which sometimes fucks with programs. When it's time to replace the Asus I'm going Ultrawide. 

The Windows program snapping options (win + < > Arrow) mean dual monitors aren't even needed to organize things. They snap to "full standard monitor" size when snapped right or left. It's fantastic.

[Chimpy]

I can't stand 16x9 for computer monitors (I wish 16x10 was still the main aspect ratio), so going to ultrawide would be even worse for me. I also like placing my two monitors in a bit of a V configuration.

[KallDrexx]

I can't stand 16x9 for computer monitors (I wish 16x10 was still the main aspect ratio), so going to ultrawide would be even worse for me. I also like placing my two monitors in a bit of a V configuration.

You slant your monitors? O.o

[Chimpy]

I sit at a corner desk, it is pretty much the only way to use two 24"+ monitors without having them right up next to my keyboard.

Hell, at home I have my main monitor (16x10) at eye level on the "monitor shelf" and a second (4x3) off to the left on on the desk level. The smaller monitor is for things like email, music player, ventrilo/mumble/whatevs that I just need to glance at occasionally. 95% of what I do is on the main monitor.

Shit works for me, hate all you want. 

[MahrinSkel]

Since I am running off the laptop, I always have a second monitor, if I need it. Most of the time, it isn't even open. Actually, it's only when I need to watch the debugger, or run something at a real 1080p, that I even look at it. But I became so attached to the ultrawide I got a second just so I wouldn't have to do without on either end.

Dual 16:9 screens just don't compare. For gaming, you'd need three matched monitors to come anywhere close. And that's way too much crap to haul around, or duplicate in multiple locations.

--Dave

[KallDrexx]

I sit at a corner desk, it is pretty much the only way to use two 24"+ monitors without having them right up next to my keyboard.

Hell, at home I have my main monitor (16x10) at eye level on the "monitor shelf" and a second (4x3) off to the left on on the desk level. The smaller monitor is for things like email, music player, ventrilo/mumble/whatevs that I just need to glance at occasionally. 95% of what I do is on the main monitor.

Shit works for me, hate all you want. 

So do you tilt your neck left and right based on what monitor you are looking at at any given time, or have you just gotten good at lining up slanted lines?

[Chimpy]

At work, primary monitor is in front of me straight on then my secondary is on the right at a slight angle (maybe 30 degrees). If I just need to glance I just move my eyes. If I am doing a lot of work in the window (usually open to my admin jump box RDP session) I just rotate my chair or neck so that I am facing it.

[Sky]

He means it's a V if you look down from above, not that he's angled the faces of the monitors 

I have mine set up angled in a similar way.

[Yegolev]

No, I'm pretty sure he means "the Chinese config".

[KallDrexx]

He means it's a V if you look down from above, not that he's angled the faces of the monitors 

I have mine set up angled in a similar way.

.... just ignore me 

[Sky]

No, I'm pretty sure he means "the Chinese config".

Ah, so...

[Hawkbit]

They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range.

I have that monitor and I love it.  I also really love gaming on an Ultrawide.

Any thoughts on the 34" version of it? One of my two 21" Dells just died and I need to get a replacement setup ASAP. I can do up to $500.

Not sure I'd like the widescreen aspect - I'm so used to using two monitors at this point. This would be for 50% gaming, 50% dev work. I use photoshop a little bit, but nothing crazy. I like the idea of sticking with IPS, though so any other recommendations in the ~$500 range would be appreciated.

[KallDrexx]

They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range.

I have that monitor and I love it.  I also really love gaming on an Ultrawide.

Any thoughts on the 34" version of it? One of my two 21" Dells just died and I need to get a replacement setup ASAP. I can do up to $500.

Not sure I'd like the widescreen aspect - I'm so used to using two monitors at this point. This would be for 50% gaming, 50% dev work. I use photoshop a little bit, but nothing crazy. I like the idea of sticking with IPS, though so any other recommendations in the ~$500 range would be appreciated.

Haven't tried it but I would have gotten the 34" if my budget allowed.  

Development works great with a ultrawide, because I have the option do go full screen and utilize a lot of side by sides without undocking windows (in Visual Studio and VSC) but snapping to quarters or halves in windows (windows + arrow keys) gives me a perfect amount of room to make it like I have two monitors without a bezel.  Widnows snapping also makes it easy to resize individual windows, so if you want your browser to be thin but your dev IDE to be very wide you aren't restricted by an individual monitor's width.

*EDIT:* I will say though that at the 34" size (even though it's an ultrawide and not necessarily as tall as other 34") it might be worth upping the budget a bit for 1440p.  You'd have to look at monitors though to see if you are happy with how 1080 pixels scales at that height.

[Hawkbit]

Also in monitor questions: What about the Dell U2715H? It's the upper range of my budget, but Dell has really provided me with quality monitors over the years. I like the 27" IPS - any reason to not go this route, or a better option in the 16:9 or 16:10 group?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P0EQD1Q

[Trippy]

One reason to not get it is if you don't have a video card that can handle 1440p at the quality settings you prefer.

[Chimpy]

I have always liked the Ultrasharp monitors. I use 2- 2414H monitors at work and they are not bad (though I don't like 16:9). The 2415H is the monitor I would probably buy a pair of personally since it is 16:10.

Of course, I don't game on it so /shrug.

[Hawkbit]

Thanks to you both - ended up ordering a U2414H because it was direct sold by Amazon. The 2415 was third-party and was going to take nearly a week to arrive. I'm sure it will be fine, $240 with tax is good because I'm due for a new computer build soon anyways. Thanks.!

[Rasix]

They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range.

I have that monitor and I love it.  I also really love gaming on an Ultrawide.

I got this monitor.  I really liked it for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. 

There is a bit of a problem.  Some of the games I play don't support it at all. D3 doesn't. DotA2 doesn't. Both of those you have to stretch or play windowed, which is a bummer. Well, DotA2 kind of works, but they don't scale the UI and the way some windows overlap: it's unplayable.

Still, it looks great and my wife is loving it for work.

[KallDrexx]

They make a 29 inch with Freesynch that is at the upper end of your range.

I have that monitor and I love it.  I also really love gaming on an Ultrawide.

I got this monitor.  I really liked it for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.  

There is a bit of a problem.  Some of the games I play don't support it at all. D3 doesn't. DotA2 doesn't. Both of those you have to stretch or play windowed, which is a bummer. Well, DotA2 kind of works, but they don't scale the UI and the way some windows overlap: it's unplayable.

Still, it looks great and my wife is loving it for work.

Download the application "Flawless Widescreen".  Should solve it for any game that doesn't natively support it (it did for me for Witcher 2 at least).

*Edit:* Also Diablo 3 used to work in ultrawide if you did borderless fullscreen.  I don't know if they removed that though (that would be annoying)

[Rasix]

The fix in Flawless Ultrawide for D3 didn't work.  It said something about patch level of the game. I would do borderless, but it wouldn't scale the UI correctly. Fullscreen with the lower res would fill the screen, but then parts of the UI would be off the screen. Then, while playing around and switching between windowed, fullscreen and borderless, it suddenly went fullscreen with the perfect resolution and a scaled UI. I'm a wizard!  

At least in DotA2 it allows you to play stretched without screwing up the UI. Sure it looks slightly dumb, but my kid can't tell the difference.

[MisterNoisy]

My GTX1070 should arrive tomorrow.  Pushing the 970 to the living room machine and found a buyer for my R9 380 to take the edge off the cost of new upgrade.

If I'm honest, I probably don't need to upgrade, but that isn't why we're here anyway.

[Rasix]

Is the 1070 currently the best "bang for the buck" card?

I got some birthday money, and my wife keeps making a weird face at me when I mention console, so this might be a better option.  Is there an expected price drop for this anytime soon?