Help Upgrade HTPC to High Spec Gaming Machine Ready for Oculus Rift!

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:16

Hi Guys,

Need some help in choosing the best parts to install in my current HTPC that i use for streaming movies to my 121" projector with XBMC and Blurays.

I am wanting to upgrade the system to a High-End Gaming machine, ready to play with my VR Kit (Oculus Rift) once it arrives in the next few weeks.

I want to be able to play all high end games such as Skyrim, Crysis 3, Bioshock Infinite on the best settings possible. Don't forget with the Oculus Rift, you are in sense displaying the game twice for 3D, so frame-rate needs to be try and remain high.

I dont in sense have a budget, can spend a few hundred if needed. But would like to spend as little as possible if i can.

Now my HTPC is a Assassins HTPC.

The only things i feel that i need to upgrade are the RAM and GRAPHICS CARD.

As i am in a small shoebox case, i am quite restricted to the size of the graphics card. Hence, looking for the best one i can get in this case with this motherboard i have.

As the HTPC is in a Home Cinema Room, it needs to be reasonably quite operation and stay pretty cool! My current HTPC is really good at doing this currently, hardly makes noise and doesn't get very hot.

The cabinet it is in has some holes in the back for some air flow and also i try to leave the front half open (sliding door) when the HTPC is on.

Here is what my current spec is:

Shoebox Case
AsRock H77m-ITX motherboard
Intel i5 3570k
64GB Crucial SSD
1TB Secondary WD HDD (Used for installing games)
4GB G Skill Ares RAM

I tried to play a few games on my current machine, such as Dear Esther, Slender Arrival, Amnesia. But putting any of these games on a high setting really made the game chug and hardly playable.

For the RAM, I'm not sure if i should just get one more 4GB card to make it 8GB or if i should go for a brand new 16gb (2x8gb) Ram Kit.
From what ive seen across the net, people are saying that 8gb is enough and having 16gb would hardly make any difference?!?

Thanks for all your help guys!

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:24

....do you actually mean your case is a shoebox or is it a make of case cause i can't find it on google

DaleTheWhale · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:26

Leprechaun312 said:
....do you actually mean your case is a shoebox or is it a make of case cause i can't find it on google

I'm also baffled. What size shoes are we talking here?

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:34

ThaReaperGuy said:
I'm also baffled. What size shoes are we talking here?

hahaha....also if it actually is a shoebox then heat is going to be a HUGE problem

Heat + cardboard = fire

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:37

Hi Guys,

thanks for the quick reply.

Sorry it is a proper case the size of a shoebox.

The case is the image shown at the top:
http://www.assassinhtpc.com/screenshots.php

Mini Box: (11.80” x 8.7” x 5.1”) w/ 250w PSU (with mini-itx motherboard)

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:41

yeah problems cause of the case...you can't fit any of the new graphics cards into that as most of the higher end cards are dual slot cards and that case only has one pci card slot

the only way to fit on in is to get a new case such as this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-073-BX&groupid=2362&catid=1850

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:47

wow that is a nice case, unfortunately due to the size i wont be able to fit it inside the home cinema cabinet. Theres actually no space on the sides of the cabinet either cause of speakers and subwoofer.

There must be some card that can fit inside my current case?!?

thanks

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 16:53

there are 1 slot 7750s but...they aren't great there is this http://www.afox-corp.com/en/products_details.asp?proid=208 you need to go searching for it though as overclockers dont sell it

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:03

Thanks mate, the Radeon HD 7850 looks good. But how are they? You said they aren't that great?

Is that my best option to go for? Will they play all games on ultra settings?

Also any idea on my RAM and what i should do with that?

thanks

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:19

i said the 7750s werent that great the 7850 is great i have one and it runs bf3 at ultra at 40+ fps outside and 70+ inside at 1080p you should be able to play mos games at ultra ram wise this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-094-KS

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:28

ok thanks mate, ill be playing mostly on my projector. Hence, 1080p.

Two questions:

Is that the best gfx card that will fit with my case and motherboard? or can i get a better one such as 7870 or a nvidia equivalent that is better?

As for the RAM, is 8gb enough? or i would like to go for 16gb if this will make a difference to gaming?
Lastly, if 8gb is enough i already have 4gb inside machine with one more slot. Can i just get a single 4gb card?

Thanks, really appreciate your help and information.

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:46

Killer Nads said:
ok thanks mate, ill be playing mostly on my projector. Hence, 1080p.

Two questions:

Is that the best gfx card that will fit with my case and motherboard? or can i get a better one such as 7870 or a nvidia equivalent that is better?

As for the RAM, is 8gb enough? or i would like to go for 16gb if this will make a difference to gaming?
Lastly, if 8gb is enough i already have 4gb inside machine with one more slot. Can i just get a single 4gb card?

Thanks, really appreciate your help and information.

ram wise 8gb is enough so i suppose you could get another 4gb stick but it would need to be the same ram which is the problem

g-card wise: there is a 7870 http://ixbtlabs.com/articles3/video/pitcairn-3-p1.html

nvidia: i can't find any 1 slot cards sorry

Bacon? · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:50

If your case only takes 1 slot GPU's pretty sure no card above a 7750 will fit?

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:53

Leprechaun312 said:
ram wise 8gb is enough so i suppose you could get another 4gb stick but it would need to be the same ram which is the problem

g-card wise: there is a 7870 http://ixbtlabs.com/articles3/video/pitcairn-3-p1.html

nvidia: i can't find any 1 slot cards sorry

Oh you mean the RAM make and model have to match on both RAM slots? or can you have different RAM models in each slot?

The 7870 seems like the perfect choice for me.

Thanks a lot mate youve been a big help in such a short time!

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:55

Bacon? said:
If your case only takes 1 slot GPU's pretty sure no card above a 7750 will fit?

Oh No!

Is this true? How can i find out if my case takes 1 slot GPU only? Sorry im pretty new on the upgrade scene or pc as a whole. I only usually use macbooks and that too for programming only.

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 17:56

Bacon? said:
If your case only takes 1 slot GPU's pretty sure no card above a 7750 will fit?

there is a company that modifies 7850s and 7870 to fit in one slot

Killer Nads · 17 Apr 2013 at 18:06

Ah i see thanks. So i need a AFOX card basically for it to be one slot? and im guessing they don't do 7870 ones?

Ive just been looking at the AFOX Radeon HD 7850 card, they are going for about £200. Where as without the AFOX name attached, they can be had for about £140.

Now the only thing I'm thinking about is if its worth spending £200 on such a old card, the games that have been used to test them on in reviews online seem to be a bit old and not the recent releases like Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, Far Cry 3. etc..

Im wondering if i was to go for a case change, and get a latest model better higher quality gfx card - what sort of price range would i be looking at? Would it still fall into the £200 mark or go way up into the £500 mark?

Hence, the question really is: Is a latest 2 slot card at £200 of much better quality then a 1 slot card at the same price?

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 18:13

Killer Nads said:
Ah i see thanks. So i need a AFOX card basically for it to be one slot? and im guessing they don't do 7870 ones?

Ive just been looking at the AFOX Radeon HD 7850 card, they are going for about £200. Where as without the AFOX name attached, they can be had for about £140.

Now the only thing I'm thinking about is if its worth spending £200 on such a old card, the games that have been used to test them on in reviews online seem to be a bit old and not the recent releases like Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, Far Cry 3. etc..

Im wondering if i was to go for a case change, and get a latest model better higher quality gfx card - what sort of price range would i be looking at? Would it still fall into the £200 mark or go way up into the £500 mark?

Hence, the question really is: Is a latest 2 slot card at £200 of much better quality then a 1 slot card at the same price?

yes for 200 you could get a 7870 or if you stretched another 40 quid you could get a 7950 http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-065-HS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1673 here are a couple of benchmarks

7850 v 7870 http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/549?vs=548
7850 v 7950 http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/549?vs=550

case wise....your using a mini-itx form motherboard?.......THIS http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-073-BX&groupid=2362&catid=2279 comes in loads of colours

YOUR BASKET
1 x BitFenix Prodigy 'Yin' Mini-ITX Cube Case - White/Black £69.95
1 x BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Cube Case - Magma Orange £69.95
1 x BitFenix Prodigy 'Yang' Mini-ITX Cube Case - Black/White £69.95
1 x BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Cube Case - Arctic White £69.95
1 x BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Cube Case - Midnight Black £69.95
1 x BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Cube Case - Passion Red £69.95
Total : £443.81 (includes shipping : £20.10).

Rooster212 · 17 Apr 2013 at 18:28

How about this case? https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-298-CM&groupid=2362&catid=2279

Leprechaun312 · 17 Apr 2013 at 18:53

Rooster212 said:
How about this case? https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-298-CM&groupid=2362&catid=2279

or that one is a good choice...might fit into your cabinet