- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
People still use disc drives? I've been PC gaming for 7 years now and I've never once had an optical media drive. I guess if you really needed one for a certain game you could just get an external USB-powered drive.
Updating your PC
- Thread starter Caesare
- Start date
People still use disc drives? I've been PC gaming for 7 years now and I've never once had an optical media drive. I guess if you really needed one for a certain game you could just get an external USB-powered drive.
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2018
disc drives are generally important if you want to install an operating software, if you happen to have one laying around that isn't a USB one then that's a a serious issue to take into concern. Also I like to burn DVD's with some pirated games and ROM emus as to help save storage space, it's often cheaper than getting a USB stick and far easier to sort if you can get your hands on a DVD binder.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
You can install Windows 7 and Windows 10 from a USB stick, legit or pirated versions. I guess if you really need to install XP or 98, it could be a problem.
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2018
that's true, But i think that windows 7/10 are generally on a disc so it'd need to be converted somewhere. You are right in that a Disc drive is optional but it does solve quite a few headaches that could arise from not having one. I think we all know the headache that is trying to find which USB contains that one document or folder you need, but if you have disc then you can far easier label and sort them.
Varg Did Nothing Wrong
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2016
>to help save storage space
maybe you should join us here in 2019 where you can buy 3TB HDDs for days for pennies.
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2018
Russian, so that'll be the dream, Until then I'll just buy DVDs for a small handful of rubles and use that as easily installable and removable storage.>to help save storage space
Varg Did Nothing Wrong
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2016
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2016
Thanks for your input, but the issue was solved. It was an issue I caused while mucking around inside the case.
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- Joined
- Apr 20, 2016
Cardboard PC cases are generally fine, the problems with them are very overstated. If you have insufficient airflow, just cut more holes in the box. It's made of cardboard. And as far as it being a fire hazard, that also shouldn't happen unless something in your computer shorts out and the component itself catches fire. Cardboard autoignites at 233 C which is well above what any computer should ever be operating at.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2019
Surely if you have a fucking cardboard box with more holes than Swiss cheese dust's going to be a bigger issue than with even a shit PC case. Also cardboard's much less durable in general, it's not going to be able to support much weight, and even moister will damage it if used long term. Even if you really want or need to check all the components are working frankly hooking up everything up without a case is fine if you want to check that everything works before properly putting it together.
У России есть рабочие места?
Just Some Other Guy
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2018
Here's a super cheap low profile cooler that blows away the stock intel crap, even comes with a mouse for shits and giggles:
A Tom's Hardware review from back in the day:
CNPS8900 Quiet with Free Mouse ZM-M401R and extra SUPER thermal grease and Free Shipping!
BUILDAPCSALES ExclusiveBuy a CNPS8900 Quiet and receive a free M401R Mouse Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet Cooler: Two heat pipes and aluminum fins are designed for maximum cooling while switching noise free, down-blowing 110mm fan minimizes noise and cools not only the CPU but also provides powerful...
zalmanoutlet.com
A Tom's Hardware review from back in the day:
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2018
I've actually installed Windows 98 from a USB stick. On an USB 1.1 port no less. No the BIOS of that computer didn't support booting off usb and it wasn't easy. You can get very cheap flash-based storage from china. Yeah, I know the stories about capacity fakes. Haven't encountered this in years personally. A lot of it is refurbished stuff from major producers, or made secretly in the same factories off-hours.
If you actually positively need an optical drive for something, external ones are like ten bucks these days when you shop around. Yeah they'll eventually fall apart but the one for 30 bucks won't live much longer either and are probably made from the same parts so no sense in wasting more money.
Cardboard isn't really a good case material as it'll also store heat very nicely. The way most cardboard is constructed makes it a good isolator. You don't want this in a computer case. If you actually need to build something yourself with tools you might actually have at home, take wood. A computer doesn't get hot enough so that wood would be a fire hazard either and although wood is good for isolating too, with an good airflow it's acceptable. If you have a bit of talent, you can even make it look acceptable and it'll be a lot less prone to randomly falling apart when bumping into it. That being said, an old (and sometimes also a new one, depending) case off ebay is like 20-30 bucks soooo
Another few things for computer building off the top of my head:
If you need fans and want quiet, go for the biggest fans. They can transport more air at less rotation per minute because physics and will inherently be quieter. Small fans will always be either louder or more useless. Elaborate airflows are often overrated IMHO. Just moving the hot air away from the components that actually get hot is often all you need to do. Sometimes hapharzdly attaching a fan to a heatsink can drop another 10 degrees celisus while "the perfect case airflow" does zilch. You can buy fans from quality brands used for very little money and they will last forever.
All these special gold-diamond-whatever-infused thermal pastes aren't worth it. Yes they can make a difference but if your CPU doesn't have a crazy TDP and you're not making crazy overclocks where every little thing counts it's usually not worth it. You can buy a cheap, toothpaste-sized tube of silicone-based industrial thermal grease from an general electronics supplier. (NOT a computer shop) That stuff lasts forever and costs almost nothing. It's also has less viscosity and is therefore easier to spread (which is arguably much more important than the transfer coefficient) and doesn't dry out nearly as quickly as these special pastes.
If you actually positively need an optical drive for something, external ones are like ten bucks these days when you shop around. Yeah they'll eventually fall apart but the one for 30 bucks won't live much longer either and are probably made from the same parts so no sense in wasting more money.
Cardboard isn't really a good case material as it'll also store heat very nicely. The way most cardboard is constructed makes it a good isolator. You don't want this in a computer case. If you actually need to build something yourself with tools you might actually have at home, take wood. A computer doesn't get hot enough so that wood would be a fire hazard either and although wood is good for isolating too, with an good airflow it's acceptable. If you have a bit of talent, you can even make it look acceptable and it'll be a lot less prone to randomly falling apart when bumping into it. That being said, an old (and sometimes also a new one, depending) case off ebay is like 20-30 bucks soooo
Another few things for computer building off the top of my head:
If you need fans and want quiet, go for the biggest fans. They can transport more air at less rotation per minute because physics and will inherently be quieter. Small fans will always be either louder or more useless. Elaborate airflows are often overrated IMHO. Just moving the hot air away from the components that actually get hot is often all you need to do. Sometimes hapharzdly attaching a fan to a heatsink can drop another 10 degrees celisus while "the perfect case airflow" does zilch. You can buy fans from quality brands used for very little money and they will last forever.
All these special gold-diamond-whatever-infused thermal pastes aren't worth it. Yes they can make a difference but if your CPU doesn't have a crazy TDP and you're not making crazy overclocks where every little thing counts it's usually not worth it. You can buy a cheap, toothpaste-sized tube of silicone-based industrial thermal grease from an general electronics supplier. (NOT a computer shop) That stuff lasts forever and costs almost nothing. It's also has less viscosity and is therefore easier to spread (which is arguably much more important than the transfer coefficient) and doesn't dry out nearly as quickly as these special pastes.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2016
You don't even need a cardboard box, just put everything on the desk. Not recommended, but it works.
A lot of the PC sites/Youtube channels use test benches like these. It is exactly what it looks like.
One important difference between dumping everything on the desk and the setup above is that they have support for the PCI-E card so they don't wobble in the slot, slowly creaking and cracking both the slot and themselves.
You can download GPU-Z and CPU-Z and monitor the temperatures under heavy load, that way you will know for sure if it hits the thermal limit and throttles, it's a good place to start before spending money. It's probably fine, the 1660 isn't running that hot, but it isn't a bad idea to check.
You could also download Asus GPU TweakII, it works on any card, it has FurMark built in and that program has an interesting history. FurMark is the reason that they implemented thermal throttling. It is often called a power virus because it sends temperatures beyond what a normal application/game could do by hammering a specific set of instruction, it fried cards in the past and people got very pissed.
It's harmless now but it will force temperatures as high as they can go, it is used as a stress test when overclocking.
This means that if running Furmark crashes your card/display driver under stock setting, no overclock, then it is getting too hot in the case, it can't get rid of the heat.
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Just Some Other Guy
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2018
Honestly for anyone who doesn't care for a couple of degrees more on their temp I'd go for a graphite pad:
Amazon.com: Innovation Cooling Graphite Thermal Pad – Alternative to Thermal Paste/Grease (30 X 30mm): Computers & Accessories
Buy Innovation Cooling Graphite Thermal Pad - Alternative to Thermal Paste/Grease (30 X 30mm): Heatsinks - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Super easy to install and just as good as your average paste, also reusable. Only thing to keep in mind is you really gotta torque the cooler down to create a very high mounting pressure on the pad.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2019
Since cases and thermals are being talked about, I'm one for saving for a nice case. A good case is one of those things that doesn't really get old. Intel, AMD, Nvidia, they all get old, but a nice case is good for many years. It doesn't have to be the top model, but definitely look for one with good air flow.
If you're after some longevity of the purchase, avoid the specialty small cases and go for something that can take ~170 mm coolers. That way, you're not limited in the future.
If you're after some longevity of the purchase, avoid the specialty small cases and go for something that can take ~170 mm coolers. That way, you're not limited in the future.
Just Some Other Guy
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2018
Yep, I'm sitting here with my good old 900D. Tons of space for anything I could ever dream of. If you luck out, usually you can find a local pickup for 100 or so.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2019
I've been thinking about getting a Meshify C to replace my 400R, mostly just to downsize, but I know that's not a real need. I also thought about the Cerberus-X despite advising against these types of cases. There does seem something freeing about seeing a smaller box and having more free space even if it introduces all sorts of restrictions.
Just Some Other Guy
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2018
I can understand that. While the hulking 900d takes up some floor space, I do have a tiny obsidian 250d mini box that just runs a minecraft server along with a 10tb network drive me and the wife use for storage. Our printer is on a small table, and this fits snuggly underneath with nothing but a power cord and Ethernet line.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2016
On the topic of cases and their size, this heavily modified $14 case is in many ways my dream computer visually, maybe because it reminds me of both hardcore stereo equipment and the craptastic shitfest that were those beige and flimsy sheet metal cases of the 90's.
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2016
Here's a super cheap low profile cooler that blows away the stock intel crap, even comes with a mouse for shits and giggles:
CNPS8900 Quiet with Free Mouse ZM-M401R and extra SUPER thermal grease and Free Shipping!
BUILDAPCSALES ExclusiveBuy a CNPS8900 Quiet and receive a free M401R Mouse Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet Cooler: Two heat pipes and aluminum fins are designed for maximum cooling while switching noise free, down-blowing 110mm fan minimizes noise and cools not only the CPU but also provides powerful...zalmanoutlet.com
A Tom's Hardware review from back in the day:
View attachment 993554
That seems ideal, I'm gonna order one of those. It's 12 bucks, if it's legit that's great, if it's not it was only 12 dollars so no huge loss.