| Build a PC: Recommended Builds (April 2014) Posted: 09 Apr 2014 04:29 PM PDT Budget, baseline, and performance PC builds! What time is it? It's time to Build a PC with our Blueprints! This month, we've built three rigs at three approximate price points: Budget, Baseline, and Performance. Budget gives you an economical workhorse, Baseline gets you a powerful system for gaming and content creation at 1080p, and Performance beefs everything up across the board. Prices listed here reflect print time and may not match the ones you find elsewhere online. In addition, Newegg has jumped on board to offer packaged deals for each of the builds below in an attempt to offer a better overall value. To see these bundle prices, click the "Buy-or-get-more-info-at-Newegg" button at the bottom of each build. Feedback is welcome. Tell us what you think! Note: Make sure you white-list this page if you use an adblocker, othwerwise it may prevent some links from showing below.
| Ingredients | | Part | Component | Price | | Case | NZXT Source 210 Elite | $50 | | PSU | Corsair CX500 500W | $30 | | Mobo | Biostar TA970 ATX | $80 | | CPU | AMD FX-6300 | $110 | | Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO | $35 | | GPU | EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 02G-P4-3753-KR | $160 | | RAM | 2x 4GB G.Skill Ares F3-1600C9D-8GAO | $65 | | Optical Drive | None | | | SSD | Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SH103S3/120G | $90 | | HDD | Seagate Barracuda 1TB ST1000DM003 | $65 | Total = $680
| Click here to see the live bundle price:  | We're sticking with AMD's hex-core FX-6300 CPU, since it offers a good balance of price and performance, though Intel's 4th generation Core i3 chip is a fine alternative for tasks that aren't multi-threaded. We've changed the motherboard, RAM, and power supply to address price fluctuations. The GeForce GTX 750 Ti replaces AMD's Radeon HD 7790 because the latter is discontinued. AMD's alternatives, such as the Radeon R7 265, have had some unstable pricing and availability. The GTX 750 Ti is based on Nvidia's new "Maxwell" architecture, so it requires less than half the power of a comparable AMD card—it doesn't even use a PCI Express power cable. This EVGA version has high stock clock speeds and a swanky ACX-inspired cooler. 
| Ingredients | | Part | Component | Price | | Case | Corsair Vengeance C70 | $110 | | PSU | XFX P1-750X-XXB9 750W | $85 | | Mobo | Gigabyte G1.Sniper Z87 ATX | $160 | | CPU | Intel Core i5-4670K | $240 | | Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO | $35 | | GPU | EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB 02G-P4-3765-KR | $250 | | RAM | 2x 4GB G.Skill Ares F3-1600C9D-8GAO | $65 | | Optical Drive | Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD Burner | $20 | | SSD | Samsung 840 EVO 250GB | $150 | | HDD | Seagate Barracuda 1TB ST1000DM003 | $65 | Total = $1180
| Click here to see the live bundle price: | This tier is where we loosen the purse strings and crank up performance. We've changed the PSU from a Thermaltake Smart-M to reflect some price fluctuations. This XFX unit is also made by SeaSonic, which has a good rep and makes units for Corsair and Antec. The GeForce GTX 760 is still king at this price point, and the EVGA ACX model has upgraded clock speeds and cooling. We've changed the RAM from Kingston HyperX Black because the G.Skill Ares were cheaper at press time. We've changed the SSD from a Crucial M500 to a Samsung 840 EVO to take advantage of the latter's higher performance, caching, and slick "Magician" software. The motherboard is once again the Gigabyte Sniper Z87, because it has high-quality integrated sound for the price. 
| Ingredients | | Part | Component | Price | | Case | NZXT Phantom 530 | $130 | | PSU | XFX P1-850B-BEFX 850W | $126 | | Mobo | Asus Sabertooth X79 | $320 | | CPU | Intel Core i7-4820K | $305 | | Cooler | Corsair Hydro H100i | $110 | | GPU | EVGA GeForce GTX 780 03G-P4-3784-KR | $530
| | RAM | 4x 4GB G.SKILL Ripjaws F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL | $150 | | Optical Drive | LG WH14NS40 Blu-ray Burner | $60 | | SSD | Samsung 840 Evo 500GB MZ-7TE500BW | $280 | | HDD | Seagate Barracuda 3TB ST3000DM001 | $110 | TOTAL = $2106
| Click here to see the live bundle price: | This tier is optimized for a rig that will eventually have multiple GPUs, so while the previous build's LGA 1150 motherboard has the slots, you need an LGA 2011 setup to avoid SLI bottlenecks. To that end, we're running a high-octane PSU with six six-pin PCIe cables, so it supports up to three GPUs. The Corsair HX850 it replaces is a decent unit, but its price shot back up recently. We considered the Corsair 750D case, but the design of the Phantom 530's top allows it to fit a wider variety of radiators, its drive trays feel more durable, and its larger fans allow for quieter operation. Corsair has some new cases coming out soon though, so we'll certainly revisit this. We confirmed in this month's Build It that the Asus X79 Deluxe can handle three GPUs with ease. It works best with four or eight sticks of RAM, and these G.Skill Ripjaws were moderately priced. The Kraken X60 cooler is powerful yet quiet, and the LG WH14NS40 lets us burn and play Blu-rays. |
| Logitech Reveals the Illuminated K830 Wireless Keyboard Posted: 09 Apr 2014 01:59 PM PDT 
Never type blindly in the dark again As an alternative way to traditional remote controls in the living room, Logitech has unveiled its new Logitech Illuminated Living-Room Keyboard K830. The wireless K830 keyboard is expected to enhance the PC-to-TV entertainment experience for users. With a receiver that provides 2.4GHz long-range wireless connectivity, the K830 will have a range of up to 33 feet and is suitable for HTPCs. Backlit keys are a key feature of the device that brightens and dims based on the amount of light in the user's living room. When typing, the keys will automatically light up and, when the user stops typing, turn off after five seconds to conserve power. In eliminating the need for a mouse, the K830 comes with a touchpad that will allow users to quickly navigate and select what they want for their HTPC. For those dreading the thought of constantly replacing the batteries, the K830 is also rechargeable. However, no information has been provided as to how long the battery will last. The Logitech Illuminated Living-Room Keyboard K830 will be available in the U.S. and Europe sometime in April for $99.99. Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: Seasonic 760W 80 Plus Platinum Power Supply, Intel Core i5 4670, and More! Posted: 09 Apr 2014 11:04 AM PDT |
| Consumerist Readers Vote Comcast 2014's Worst Company in America Posted: 09 Apr 2014 10:47 AM PDT  Comcast becomes the second company to take home multiple "Golden Poo" awards
If you were pulling for Electronic Arts to take home Consumerist's "Worst Company in America" award for three years running, you'll be disappointed to find out that the publisher didn't even make it past the first round. Instead, Comcast went the distance, edging out Monstanto in votes to claim Consumerist's title of 2014's Worst Company in America, as voted by readers. Comcast took 51.5 percent of the votes in the final round, versus Monstanto's 48.5 percent. Narrow as it was, the displeasure among consumers with Comcast was just a little stronger. By taking home the title, Comcast becomes only the second company to claim mutiple Golden Poo awards, EA being the other. "Comcast's road to the Poo started out without a speedbump, as the company powered through the first three rounds without ever giving up more than 30 percent of the vote. And with two-time reigning champ EA eliminated in Round One by Comcast's merger partner Time Warner Cable, followed by three-time consecutive runner-up Bank of America's surprise defeat at the hands of Walmart, Comcast seemed destined for the Final Death Match," Consumerist stated in a blog post announcing the 'winner,' if you will. The ISP was nearly thwarted by SeaWorld, a first-time contender that rode negative publicity from its Blackfish documentary into contention. Each year Consumerist lets its readers vote on which company they feel is the worst in America. It's a tournament style bracket similar to college basketball's March Madness, in which it's 'win' or go home each round. Comcast, Monsanto, SeaWorld, and Walmart made it to the Final Four this year. Image Credit: Flickr (stevendepolo) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Heartbleed Security Flaw Catches Internet Off Guard Posted: 09 Apr 2014 09:16 AM PDT  Website owners far and wide scramble to fix a major vulnerability
This has been one of the busier weeks in recent history for IT workers and web admins. Earlier this week, researchers discovered a major flaw in OpenSSL, an open source encryption technology that's utilized by an estimated two-third of the world's websites. They're calling it "Heartbleed." By exploiting the bug, cybercriminals can comb through a server's memory and pluck sensitive user data, including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and more. Hackers can also exploit the vulnerability to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users, and impersonate services and users, according to Heartbleed.com, a special website built by Finnish security firm Codenomicon. The website is intended to answer questions about the vulnerability. The good news here is that an updated version of OpenSSL plugs up the security hole. However, not all websites know about the patch, nor are some of them informed about Heartbleed. "You are likely to be affected either directly or indirectly. OpenSSL is the most popular open source cryptographic library and TLS (transport layer security) implementation used to encrypt traffic on the Internet. Your popular social site, your company's site, commerce site, hobby site, site you install software from or even sites run by your government might be using vulnerable OpenSSL," Heartbleed.com explains. Changing your passwords is recommended, though not until any website you log into confirms that it's fixed the issue. While bigger sites are likely aware of the issue, smaller hobby sites that you visit might not be, so you might even want to reach out to them. It's also a good idea of keep a close eye on your financial statements in the immediate future, if you're not doing so already. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Rumor Mill: AMD Taps Toshiba to Build a Branded Solid State Drive Posted: 09 Apr 2014 08:09 AM PDT  AMD may soon have its own line of SSDs
It seems like every PC hardware company on the planet has its own solid state drive (SSD) series -- except for AMD, that is. Rumor has it that's about to change. Word on the web is that AMD is working with Toshiba on a line of AMD brand SSDs. It's not uncommon to outsource such things, and as the rumor goes, Toshiba's building the drive based on the exact specifications AMD came up with. The rumor originates at Fudzilla, which claims it "stumbled upon" the news and that AMD will soon make an announcement. It's not known where Fudzilla is getting its information from, though there's plenty of speculation to go around. "AMD's decision to enter the SSD space is all about bundles," Fudzilla says. "The announcement is expected very soon, as well as the official pricing and specification, but we are expecting to see 120GB to 240GB drives." Toshiba recently acquired all of OCZ's storage assets, which puts the company in good position to serve a company like AMD, if in fact this rumor turns out to be true. We're speculating here, but we can envision Toshiba pairing its 19nm MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash memory chips with an Indilinx Barefoot controller. If AMD goes this route, it would open up some interesting bundle opportunities. AMD already offers a line of branded RAM, and of course the company is known for its processors and graphics cards. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Intel to Close Manufacturing Facility in Costa Rica Posted: 09 Apr 2014 07:38 AM PDT  Closing up shop in Costa Rica is Intel's latest attempt to cut costs
Intel, the world's largest supplier of semiconductors, is in the process of shutting down an assembly and test plant in Costa Rica as part of continued efforts to slash costs across the board. Closing the plant will result in around 1,500 layoffs, as well as take away one of Costa Rica's major exports. Intel issued a statement saying the closure is completely unrelated to the election of the new Costa Rica government. "It's being closed and consolidated into our other operations throughout the world," Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said in a statement to Reuters. Intel said it will still have more than 1,000 engineers, finance, and human resource employees in Costa Rica. The chip maker also plans to continue with some research and development projects in the area, which will entail the hiring of another 200 "high-value" positions. This all falls in line with Intel's announcement in January that it was planning to reduce its workforce of around 107,000 employees by about 5 percent this year. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| AMD Rolls Out Socketed Sempron and Athlon Chips with AM1 Platform to Retail Posted: 09 Apr 2014 05:53 AM PDT  Socketed APUs have arrived
The answer is $34, which addresses the question of what price AMD's new socketed "Kabini" APUs will debut at. There's also the cost of the motherboard to factor in, so add another $25 to $35. As to when you'll be able to buy these new parts, AMD today announced the global availability of its AM1 platform featuring its quad-core and dual-core Sempron and Athlon APU lineup based on Kabini. To quickly refresh what it is we're talking about about, AMD's AM1 platform consists of pairing a socketed Kabini APU with a socket FS1b motherboard sporting a pin-grid-array (PGA). What's unique about this platform is that it's AMD's first "system in a socket" offering -- essentially an SoC (System-on-Chip). Socketed Kabini parts sport two or four Jaguar CPU cores along with an integrated memory controller, Radeon graphics with Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture, and all the supported I/O functions (two SATA 6Gbps, two USB 3.0, eight USB 2.0, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA). With all this residing on the APU, it allows motherboard makers to deliver cheap boards. AMD is making available four APUs to kick off the platform. They include the following: - Athlon 5350: 4 cores, 2.05GHz, 128 GCN Radeon cores, 600MHz GPU, 1600MHz memory, 2MB cache, 25W TDP, $59
- Athlon 5150: 4 cores, 1.60GHz, 128 GCN Radeon cores, 600MHz GPU, 1600MHz memory, 2MB cache, 25W TDP, $49
- Sempron 3850: 4 cores, 1.3GHz, 128 GCN Radeon cores, 450MHz GPU, 1600MHz memory, 2MB cache, 25W TDP, $39
- Sempron 2650: 2 cores, 1.45GHz, 128 GCN Radeon cores, 400MHz GPU, 1333MHz memory, 1MB cache, 25W TDP, $34
One point AMD is really trying to drive home is that consumers now have access to quad-core computing for under $40. AMD's also pitching its AM1 platform as a superior solution to Intel's Bay Trail with faster performance in everything from encryption and web surfing to playing games, and more. Several motherboard makers have signed on to support AM1, including ASRock, Asus, Biostar, Gigabyte, MSI, and ECS. You should be able to find both boards and the above mentioned Athlon and Sempron parts today from Amazon, NCIX, Newegg, and TigerDirect. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
