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One noob's noisy GPU

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Joined
9 Jun 2015
Posts
7
Location
Plymouth
Hello,

I'm relatively inexperienced when it comes to building computers and was hoping for some advice. A friend sold me his redundant pc and initially I was really happy, although now have found that the graphics card is quite loud.

The build:

Coolermaster Silencio 550 Silent ATX Case with GX 550W PSU
MSI 970A-G46 Socket AM3+ 8 Channel Audio ATX
AMD Bulldozer FX-8 8120 3.1Ghz Socket AM3+ 8MB with CM Hyper 212 EVO
2x 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz Ballistix Sport Memory
2TB HDD

I don't play any high end games (maybe 360/PS3 equivalent titles such as Fallout: New Vegas), so am looking to upgrade primarily for sound-minimizing purposes only (although being able to play more graphically intense games would be of benefit). I've been overwhelmed by the amount of information about pc building on the internet, it's hard to find somewhere to start. What's the best option for the components I have? Will I need a new MOBO or processor?

Thanks in advance.
 
I've read that it's renowned for being noisy. I guess around £200. I'd like some advice on the 'best' build I can do with the components I have, and understand that the GPU is something that is worth spending money on.
 
Wait till the benchmarks and UK pricing of the new AMD cards is released. Otherwise, I'd suggest the MSI Gaming GTX 960, perhaps even the 4 GB one. Passive fan mode means the fans don't spin till 60°C (which can be changed) and when on full whack, it is a very quiet cooler. Or the Asus Strix, if there is a 960 version. The MSI Gaming and Asus Strix coolers are the ones to look out for, no matter which card you choose.
 
Replace the PSU. That PSU range is to be avoided. Here's HardOCP's conclusion of their review of the 650W version:

The Cooler Master GX 650W is a mediocre power supply for couple of years ago, and an outright failure today. The Build Quality of the unit is nothing to write home about (unless it is a warning), the topology is old and outdated, and the exterior is flash over substance. Coupled with this we have mediocre voltage, poor by today's standards efficiency, and out of specification DC Output Quality

ETA Do note that a decent PSU will cost between £50 and £100.
 
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Which PSU would you recommend I replace it with? Is 650W sufficient for my build with a new GPU, or will that be dependent upon more specific details of the graphics card? I want it to be as quiet as possible, and as energy efficient as possible too.
 
So, with the release of Fallout 4 and the funds to upgrade my system I'm looking at purchasing:

EVGA Supernova GS 650W '80 Plus Gold' Modular Power Supply

MSI Gaming GTX 960 4gb

Will I need to get a new processor too?

I have a 1920x1080 monitor so won't need to run it at any larger resolutions.
 
Awesome, thanks. Is there anything else I can do to improve the setup? I was reading that the processor is good for overclocking.

Sadly the board you have only has 4+1 phases so no, I wouldn't advise it.

I would try and stretch to a GTX 970. Don't worry too much about the CPU because in most games it isn't needed.

Otherwise? I would pretty much scrap the PC and buy a new one. However, as that's probably not possible then yeah, just get a good high end GPU :)

Your PSU should be good enough to power a GTX 970. Normally I would recommend the Radeon 390 in your case but I'm not sure the PSU would be good enough, given the CPU you have is a little greedy on power.
 
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