twistedlogic

So I finally put my rig together last night (link here for the components). First thing I did was update the bios for my Z97-A motherboard and enabled the XMP profile for my ram sticks, and then I installed a copy of Windows 8.1 Pro 64. I left it off there and now I need to install the drivers. What driver should I typically install first? And how do I pick between multiple drivers? For example, for the ethernet, I went here and now Im unsure on if I need the "Turbo LAN" driver or the "Intel Gigabit Ethernet Driver" or both. Anyone know which I should select, in what order I should install the drivers, and what else I'd need (for a rig that uses Z97-A, i5 4690K, G1 Gaming 970, Samsung Evo 840 and WD Cav Blue). Drivers get really confusing for me, so any links or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah I saw that, that doesn't seem very informative or comprehensive. It seems they're speculating more than knowing exactly what the differences are.

I received a Rev 1.1 model. I was really hoping I'd get one of these because I heard that they might be more stable than the 1.0's, but does anyone know exactly what all of the differences are between the two cards, and how much better (if at all) the 1.1 is to the 1.0?

I've ordered the Air 540, and according to reviews, it doesn't have a dust filter for the PSU or the top. I really do want to get a filter for the PSU, but is the top one just as important? And is the case missing anything else? I found this thing online but I really don't know if spending $78 on dust filters for a case that cost me $130 makes sense. Can anyone please tell me what filters I should get (size, brand), if there's much of a difference at all between them, and where I can get them? I'm already way over my budget on this rig, so I'd like to keep it as cheap as possible if I can. I'm Canadian (Toronto), so if someone could please give me links to cheap dust filters (magnetic preferably) that I can buy locally or order online, it would be really helpful. PCPartPicker doesn't carry info for filters, so I'm kinda lost on this one. Thanks in advance!

Do any of you know whether there is more space or less space for RAM based on if you set it up horizontally? Here's a pic from Linus' instagram page where someone has it set up horizontally and at first glance, it seems there's more space for the ram, and the heatsink itself actually looks better facing this way. So is there any difference in space constraints? And is there any downfall to having it set up like this? And finally, how would the fans be set up? Would they negatively impact the GPU in any way?

Have you found that the DRP3 / DR3 are significantly quieter than the H100i? And are Mushkin Blacklines shorter than Ripjaws? Do you have trouble replacing ram once the heatsink is in?

So I've got all of the components for my rig, and all I have left is the CPU cooler, and then fans/rads if I end up adding them. The case I've got is the Air 540, and the mobo I'm using is the Asus Z97-A. I know that typically liquid coolers look a lot better in the Air 540, but with such a hideous motherboard I feel like a air cooler might serve me well in hiding those atrocious heatsinks. I've also heard that both liquid cooling options I've considered (H100i and Nepton 280l) are noisy, especially in the Air 540. I love the Noctua air coolers, but their appearance is nearly criminal. I can't make the god-forsaking decision of adding something like that to a rig that already has a motherboard with a face that only a mother could love, so for now I think I've ruled them out. Beyond that, I'm completely open to suggestion (in both liquid and air cooling, whatever you think would suit my rig best), but based on my own excruciatingly limited intellect on these subjects, I've narrowed it down to the (shhhhh) Dark Rock Pro 3. I was originally looking at the 212 EVO, but the Dark Rock works better, looks far better, hides the ugly Asus heatsinks (as they rightfully deserve to be hidden), and with a couple of NCIX gift cards I've got, it's only going to cost me $20. Now this is where I need some help. First off; does size matter? Will the Dark Rock Pro 3 even fit with the Asus Z97-A and the Mushkin Blackline ram sticks I've got? I have two, but I do want the possibility to add a couple more in the future. Second, if the DRP3 does fit with my components and I do end up getting it, do you guys have any advice on how I should configure the fans in my case, and if I should add any (specific colors/models)? Third, do you have suggestions outside of the Dark Rock Pro that you think would serve my build better?

I know I'm misusing the term "pick your poison", but it sounded cool, so shut up. On with the options! Black: White: Silver:

I'm gonna leave it up to fate. There is one last Asus Z97-A board in stock at the only store within a reasonable distance from my house. If it's still there by the time I get there, I'll buy it. If not, G45 it is.

Yeah I was looking into the AR a couple weeks ago and I really did prefer it to the A in terms of color, but as I said in an earlier post, it's about $40 higher than the Z97-A (sale for that ends today though) and 50 higher than the G45 (with a gift card).

The AR is $30-50 more than the A in Toronto. What I've been told is that the "turbo lan" on the A is significantly better than whatever the MSI board uses, that the sound card is isolated so it reduces interference, that the 5-way optimization is something I absolutely can't pass up, and that I should have an M.2 port for future proofing. The MSI G45, something I was looking at, and almost ready to buy, apparently falls short in all of these things, but I have no knowledge of how to compare the features, so I'm not sure by how much. Here are the prices for some of the mobos being mentioned (I have a $25 gift card for NCIX, so I've mentioned which ones aren't available there). MSI Z97-G45: $145 - $25 (@NCIX); $125 Gigabyte Z97-D3H: $145 (TigerDirect) Asrock Extreme4: $180 - $25 (@NCIX); $155 Asus Z97-A: $165 (NewEgg) MSI Z97-GD65: $170 (DirectCanada) Asus Z97-AR: $178 (TigerDirect) I might be able to get the Z97-A for $130 something tomorrow (2 left in stock)... if I can, I'll probably bite the bullet. But the G45 is really cheap right now too.

I've bought nearly every component for my rig, most of it has even been shipped out, but I've been absolutely stumped for three days now on picking a motherboard. The motherboard is by far the most overwhelming component for me to pick, and I'm unable to weigh the difference and importance of the countless features each board has. I feel like I almost have to buy the Z97-A based on how overwhelmingly popular it is, and my friend basically pressuring me to get it, telling me that no other board around that price point comes close in comparison. The problem is that I absolutely loathe the color scheme; it's so ugly. I bought an Air 540, so the entire inside of the rig will be visible, and I really would like to avoid having to stare at those hideous heatsinks if I can. I really love the look of the MSI Z97 boards, but 1) I'm not sure how much of a performance drop off I'm dealing with (5-way optimization to OC Genie, Intel ethernet to Killer, difference in sound) and 2) I have absolutely no idea how to differentiate their billion different boards. Do I get the Gaming 3, or the Gaming 5, or the G45, or the GD65, and what the heck is the difference between all of them? And are they all vastly inferior to the Z97-A? My budget for a Mobo is to hopefully stay under $150 Canadian dollars, and I'm basically begging for help. This is the rest of my rig: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/twistedlogic/saved/b2JNnQ

Update: MSI one got cancelled by new egg because they didn't accept my credit card (different shipping address to billing address). Got the G1 through Amazon. Begging my luck that I get a Rev 1.1.

So the Asus Z97-A doesn't hold any significant software or hardware edge? I should note that Im a noob at overclocking, I've never done it before, so my friend has been shoving the Z97-A down my throat for the easy 5-way optimization. Because of this, I don't know much at all about any of the other boards, so I have no idea if the others compare well at all, and how difficult the overclocking will be in other boards in comparison.

I'm setting up a PC built for gaming. Torn between the two motherboards. I read everywhere that Asus is very reliable and has better software (5-way optimization?), but I really do love the look of the G45. I find the Asus absolutely hideous, while I really like red/black color themes. I'm wondering if better cosmetics are worth the tradeoffs in better software/reliability? Anyone have an opinion? Is the Z97-A a must-have? Both are around the same price point for me right now, between 125-135. Rest of my rig: CPU: i5 4590K GPU: Gigabyte G1 GTX 970 RAM: Mushkin Blackline SSD: 840 Evo PSU: EVGA Supernova G2, Case: Air 540