This article was published in the September 2015 issue of Maximum PC. For more trusted reviews and feature stories, subscribe here.
Updating Storage
Doc, I own a Samsung EVO 250GB SSD, which Maximum PC recently identified as having new firmware to alleviate memory/performance loss. After upgrading my Samsung Magician suite, the software detected the update, but failed to install it. After a little research, it appears the AMD chipset (990FX) on my Asus motherboard and the Samsung firmware utility are at odds. Supposedly, there is a newer AMD SATA controller driver, but I’m unable to locate it. It isn’t on Asus’s website or AMD’s. I’m at a loss. I wrote to Asus and its customer service told me to flash my motherboard’s firmware to version 2501, which I already have. –Steve M
The Doctor Responds: It sounds like you’ve done a fair bit of research already, Steve, so hopefully this gets you to where you need to be. Head over to http://bit.ly/1eiYpgr, scroll to the bottom, and on the right-hand side you should see “AMD Chipset, AHCI, USB 3.0 and RAID drivers.” Choose either the 64- or 32-bit package, and away you go.
Four for One
Love your column! I have a few questions for you. You helped with my decision to buy an EVGA GeForce GTX 980 SC because it vents out the back of the computer. It didn’t come with a backplate, but you can buy one from EVGA. Will this extend the life of the card? The 980 is also G-Sync-capable. It sounds great on paper, but can our eyes really tell the difference between 60 and 144Hz? I’ve a Core i7-2600K at 4GHz+, with 8GB (4x 2GB) of DDR3, in an Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard in dualchannel mode. Is it better to have two sticks instead?
Finally, I’ve been using SSDs for a few years. My system boots from a 256GB Patriot Wildfire and I love the speed. But it’s really temperamental with my favorite game, World of Tanks. Last time there was a 6GB update, it wouldn’t install and I’d lose the download. I installed the game to my WD spinner and haven’t had a problem since. My brother was having a similar problem, solved by a mechanical disk. Is it the SSD or WOT causing these issues? – Bart Cubbage
The Doctor Responds: Always happy to help, Bart. That backplate won’t necessarily make your card last longer. It does help draw heat away from the memory modules on the back of the PCB. However, in the Doc’s conversations with Nvidia, it’s apparent the plate’s purpose is largely aesthetic. It can actually be a detriment to cooling performance for folks with two cards in SLI right next to each other. Fortunately, your board’s PCIe x16 slots are three spaces apart. If you like the way it looks, you have the Doc’s blessing to buy it.
As far as G-Sync goes, the technology improves several aspects of gaming. In short, you’ll see the biggest benefit from G-Sync at frame rates under 60. If you also own a high-refresh rate monitor, G-Sync will continue to eliminate the stuttering that happens with VSync turned on (and the tearing between frames with it off)—the effect is just less pronounced.
The Doc wouldn’t recommend changing out your memory just to consolidate, unless you’re upgrading to 16GB or more. Fewer modules can help with overclocking and/or more aggressive memory timings. You aren’t going to see a difference in the real world.
Finally, there’s no technical reason why World of Tanks wouldn’t run on your SSD—to the contrary, it appears an SSD may improve its performance. Is your drive full to the point that there wasn’t enough free capacity to download, extract and install the patch?
Storage Setup
Doc, I built a computer a couple of years ago. The case turned out to be defective, with its USB 3.0 interface shorted. When I tried to plug a thumb drive into it, everything shut down. The third-party controller was fried, and I’ve had to live with it since. Z77 boards are getting hard to find, so I ordered an ASRock model from Newegg before they are gone. I’m still deciding on a case. The question: Should I set the BIOS to AHCI before I install the boot drive? It’s a SanDisk 120GB SSD. Any pitfalls to look out for during the swap? –Bill Kirchmeyer
The Doctor Responds: If you’re going from one Z77-based board to another, Bill, the swap should be fairly easy. Typically, these operations go sideways when the chipset vendors are different, old graphics drivers aren’t properly cleared off before switching from one vendor to another, or storage is misconfigured. Maintaining the same hardware means the requisite software will mostly be resident. Third-party controllers might vary between the mobos. However, don’t expect any of them to be show-stoppers. Simply install their driver packages once you’re back up and running.
Is your SSD currently set up to use AHCI? If so, that’s the route to go. There are ways to toggle between IDE and AHCI, forcing Windows to load one driver or the other at start-up. But you won’t need to if you start and end with this more modern mode.
Barrier to Entry
My HP 210 G1 needs some help! HP says an SSD has not been “qualified” for it, so adding one will void the warranty. Is there usually something in a laptop like mine that prevents installing an SSD? I’m willing to accept some risk, but I don’t want to screw things up. –Art Hudson
The Doctor Responds: Many notebook vendors do employ whitelists to restrict the add-in cards their systems support (typically Wi-Fi cards). However, the Doc has never encountered an issue with SATA-based storage. You’re going to be pulling out a 320 or 500GB disk, according to HP’s datasheet, and replacing it entirely. If your existing partition fits on the SSD, consider a model that comes bundled with cloning software. Else, you’ll need to start over with a fresh installation of Windows—not always a bad thing, but more labor-intensive.
Right-Sizing Your PSU
Hey Doc! I’m currently saving for a new PC. I’ve purchased an NZXT H440 chassis and Corsair RM750 PSU. Next, I plan on buying an Intel Core i5-4690K, a 256GB SSD, a 1TB hard drive, and a GeForce GTX 970. Is the 750W supply too much? If so, will it damage my system? Thanks! –Benji Smith
The Doctor Responds: Although you don’t need 750W of output to power those parts, you certainly won’t hurt anything by using the RM750, Benji. Think of the supply’s rating as a ceiling; anywhere under 750W, it’ll take good care of you. In fact, because the RM750 includes a feature called Zero RPM Fan Mode, there’s a good chance that, most of the time, it won’t get hot enough to require active cooling, meaning it’ll operate silently.
Let’s say you’re running a theoretical application that taxes all of your hardware simultaneously. You’ll be well under 300W of power consumption. Add a second GeForce GTX 970 in SLI if you want. Overclock your CPU and GPUs within the limits of air cooling. That 750W PSU still has more than enough headroom.
Output Alphabet Soup
Dear Doctor, I got myself into a pickle when I bought new video card: EVGA’s GeForce GTX 980 Superclocked. The card supports up to four monitors across one HDMI, one DVI, and three DisplayPort connectors. I’m currently using two Asus VS229H-P monitors, each equipped with one VGA, one DVI, and one HDMI connector, but no DisplayPort. They’re attached using DisplayPort to HD male adapter cables. I want to add a third and possibly fourth monitor, but want to know what’s better between DisplayPort, DVI, or HDMI. I cannot find any tests to guide my choice. Would you stay with the current setup, change the cables to DisplayPort to DVI, or buy new monitors that support DisplayPort and use that interface from end to end? Please help! –Jerry Franco
The Doctor Responds: If you like your monitors, there’s no reason to replace them. In fact, four of those VS229H-Ps would look nice lined up on a desk. You will, however, have to work around the different outputs offered by EVGA’s card and the display’s inputs.
In this specific application, there’s no real reason to favor DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort. All three interfaces support the panel’s native 1920x1080 resolution at 60Hz. HDMI will carry an audio signal to the 3.5mm mini-jack, if you plan to use headphones. So, feel free to keep your existing screens hooked up the way they are. Add a third using the DVI cable that Asus bundles with its VS229H-P. And, should you decide to try a fourth, go HDMI to HDMI or connect a third DisplayPort cable adapting to either DVI or HDMI.
The Age-Old Question
Hey Doc, I’m looking for a relatively inexpensive upgrade to my current GPU, but I’m not sure if it’d be better to just start a new rig. I currently have a Core i7-3770 running Windows 7 64-bit with 32GB of RAM on an Asus Sabertooth P67 mobo. The whole configuration is backed by a 750W PSU. My current graphics card is a Radeon HD 6870, and it’s definitely the low performer in my build. I had a second card running in CrossFire, but was having heat problems due to limited placement options for my PC. Is there a decent upgrade for me? –Berek Marcus
The Doctor Responds: Relatively inexpensive is… well, relative. What the Doc will say, though, is that you’re rocking a powerful platform. A meaningful overhaul would be pricey. Assuming you’re already enjoying the benefits of an SSD, replacing the 6870 would be the next logical upgrade. It sounds like you’re especially sensitive to thermals, Berek. If the sub-$200 range sounds reasonable, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 would serve up a notable speed-up in your favorite games. Its 120W TDP is quite a bit lower than the 6870’s, too.
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