General Gaming Article |
- How to Build a Fish Tank PC
- Origin PC Offers Incentives to Blow Your Tax Refund on a New PC
- Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Enthusiast Series 750W PSU, MSI Gaming N760, and More!
- AMD's Flagship FirePro W9100 Graphics Card Boasts 16GB of GDDR5 Memory
- Nvidia GeForce Experience 2.0 Adds ShadowPlay Support for Notebooks
- Nvidia Takes on Mantle with Enhanced DX11 Driver
- Qualcomm Preps 64-bit Snapdragon 808 and 810 Chips for 2015
- Seagate Begins Shipping 6TB Hard Drive to Enterprise Customers
- YouTube’s Rumored Paid Music Service Allegedly Delayed
| Posted: 07 Apr 2014 02:05 PM PDT Operation Mineral-Oil SubmersionLately, we've been tossing around the idea of doing a Build It story that uses a custom liquid-cooling loop just because they are fun to play with, and when properly designed, have many tangible performance benefits. But since this is Maximum PC, we asked ourselves, "Why not take it one step further and submerge everything in liquid?" After all, what could possibly go wrong?
You've probably seen aquarium-style case mods like this before, but this time we're taking advantage of a pre-fabbed kit from Puget Systems. It incorporates items that will be familiar to liquid-cooling aficionados, such as a Swiftech pump, compression fittings, and a 240mm radiator. However, what's different is that this kit combines familiar bits with more exotic items, like an acrylic frame/container, an integrated temperature gauge, and the star of the show—several gallons of mineral oil. Click play on the video above to see how we finalized the fish tank PC. Water would kill everything it touches, but mineral oil doesn't conduct electricity and is nonreactive—you can dunk a running power supply into a bucket of the stuff and it will keep running. We'll walk you through the build, detail our mistakes, and show you how it all works. It's not for the faint of heart, but it certainly makes a great conversation piece. Exploratory DrillingThis actually isn't the biggest mineral-oil system Puget offers, as the one we used is designed for microATX motherboards ($445, www.pugetsystems.com). There's a bigger kit that allows an E-ATX board ($690), but we like the fact that this kit requires "only" eight gallons of oil. A single one-gallon jug of the stuff weighs 7.3 pounds, so even this little build will be pushing more than 50 pounds once we're up and running. As you can imagine, this makes the system quite difficult to move around safely. Since our needs included being able to move the system to the photography studio, shuffle it to different ambient temperature ranges for thermal testing, and dangle it over a misbehaving intern's head, we opted for Puget's more manageable mATX option. Puget does not sell mineral oil directly, but the company is affiliated with STE Oil, which sold us the eight gallons for $160, plus another $180 for three-day shipping (what can we say, we're not the best planners). UPS Ground would have still cost $52, since shipping fees scale according to weight, and shipping 58.4 pounds of anything isn't cheap. So, we recommend you get it locally to save yourself some cheddar. Since this is the first time we've attempted a mineral-oil submersion Build It, we're being conservative with our hardware. We'd rather not destroy expensive gear, and almost all of it is on loan from vendors anyway, so it's not even ours to destroy. Since our build is mediocre, we won't be testing for performance, but instead just seeing how it all fits together, what pitfalls exist, and reporting on temps and whether or not we'd ever do it again. We also hope to produce a PC that looks seriously cool. 1. The Kit and KaboodlePuget's microATX kit is made of custom-shaped Plexiglas machined in small batches. It also includes some premium parts, such as a $57 240mm Swiftech radiator, a $100 Swiftech MCP35X pump, several nickel-plated compression fittings, pre-cut tubing, and a thermometer with an LCD readout. Storage devices are mounted on the outside of the thing in order to keep them dry, and the kit includes extension cables and brackets to accommodate that setup. The included documentation is meticulous, and the bags of screws are even color-coded to avoid confusion. The radiator does not come with fans, but you can buy a pack from Puget or bring your own. We chose the latter, pulling some Scythe Gentle Typhoons from our basket of Dream Machine parts.
2. Making a CaseWhen you see all the separate components of the case laid out, it looks like it would take days to assemble. In practice, however, the interior rack that holds all the components comes together like Lego pieces, except with screws. The instruction manual has very clear diagrams for every step, leaving little question about what to do next. The case itself is one piece, and the parts you assemble end up with a pair of handles, so when it's all finished, you can carry the assembly via the handles and lift it in and out of the case.
Click the next page to read about installing the graphics card in the system and more.
3. Getting GraphicSince we intended to test how well mineral oil can dissipate heat compared to air or conventional liquid-cooling systems, we wanted to use some reasonably hot hardware to put the system to the test, and we had exactly that with the triple-slot Asus Radeon HD 7970 DirectCU II GPU. It's as hot as it is huge, measuring 2.25 inches thick and 11 inches long, but Puget's case had no trouble accommodating its length. This GPU gets so hot Asus had to stick a condo-size cooler on it, so we wondered if the oil would be able to handle all the heat this card gives off. It should, because, in theory, even though the fans will spin more slowly since oil is more viscous than air, the lack of fan movement shouldn't matter since the oil is sucking up the heat given off by the card, and the fans don't play a major role in the cooling loop. Once the oil gets warm, it's pulled out of the case by the pump and sent to the external radiator. The only thing we didn't like about the GPU setup is that it's across from where the PSU is mounted, so we had to drape the cables through the acrylic case.
4. Pumping Up the VolumeThe Swiftech MCP35X pump included with this kit is not the standard unit that we used in this year's Dream Machine. It's PWM-controlled, so it can adjust its speeds dynamically according to instructions given by the motherboard that it's plugged into. When the system is idle, the pump operates very quietly. When needed, it can crank up to 4,500rpm, so it's very powerful for its size (and you'll need that extra horsepower to offset the thickness of mineral oil). It also takes standard G1/4 fittings and can directly integrate specific reservoirs, which saves on space. At $100 when purchased separately, it's one of the more expensive pumps you'll find. But our oil-based setup benefits from a pump that has premium features.
5. Taking a DipOur oil came in one five-gallon jug and three one-gallon jugs. The big jug needed a pipe wrench to get the cap off, and it did not have a built-in tube like a gas can. So there was some spillage there. Mineral oil has the clarity and consistency of corn syrup. It also has no odor, thankfully. We began by emptying the large jug into the tank, which filled a little more than half its capacity. Then we inserted our rack of parts, and topped off the tank with one of the gallon jugs of oil. We ended up needing just six gallons since the rest of the container's capacity was displaced by the hardware and the pebbles. It got pretty heavy after everything was poured in, but there are silicone feet underneath the aquarium, so you can at least get your hands underneath to lift it.
The instruction manual recommends using bubble bars to simulate an aquarium, which requires a second set of pumps, valves, and tubing. We thought that was just a bit too complicated for our first time with mineral oil. But rocks and other typical fishy decorations are an easy add, as long as it's all clean. Any dust will cloud the oil and potentially clog the circulation system, or at least reduce its effectiveness. 6. The Heat of BattleThe pump is just one part of the oil circulation system, of course. The Swiftech MCRx20-XP radiator uses brass tubes and copper fins, and a self-purging plenum, which is a chamber that helps maintain equal pressure throughout the loop and can suppress noise. The radiator is hung outside the case on a bracket. It's big enough to fit three fans if you wanted to; one up top and two down below. But the bracket is a bit too bulky to fit four fans, thus eliminating the possibility of a full "push-pull" configuration. The Scythe fans are 120mm units that spin at a fixed 1,850rpm, but they're surprisingly quiet and good at forcing air through a radiator. The fan cables aren't braided, so they're not very pretty. We also needed to add a power distribution block because the motherboard has just one case fan header, and we wanted to minimize the number of cables leading out of the case.
Striking OilTrying something truly novel in Build It is exciting, but that excitement was tempered by several "oh, crap" moments and hardware failures. For example, it wasn't until all the hardware was dipped into the oil for the first time that we realized we probably should have made sure it at least booted first. Luck was not on our side, and on our first try the machine would not POST. We hoped the issue was related to the monitor, or the monitor cable, or some small thing, but no combination of parts outside the machine had any impact. We did have some luck, in that there was a plastic tub available in the Lab that was large enough to place the oil-soaked rack in temporarily. So we hauled it out and proceeded to methodically replace one part at a time until we got the machine to boot. The problem appeared to be a motherboard fried at some earlier point by static, or physically damaged in a way that's difficult to detect with the naked eye. Once we swapped the board, the system booted right up and remained stable. The pump was initially a little noisy as it filled up and started circulating oil through the radiator, but the overall acoustics eventually settled down to a gentle whir, even when spinning at a reasonably high 4,500rpm. The loudest element was actually the oil pouring back into the case from the radiator, which was like a pleasantly babbling brook. Overall temps seemed fine, so we ran FurMark's thermal test for a little while to get some heat into the oil, and the case temperature eventually leveled off at 37 degrees Celsius, comfortably below its rated maximum of 50 C. The Asus HD 7970 stayed around 60 C, though we did have to manually increase fan speed to compensate for the thickness of mineral oil. We found that temps are highly dependent on the fans you use on the radiator; random $5 case fans won't get the kind of result that you will get with $20 Gentle Typhoons (or Corsair SP120s, or Noctua CPU fans), because the higher-end units have a combination of high pressure, high durability, and relatively low noise. We didn't try overclocking the AMD chip, since it was using a stock cooler, and Puget warns against overclocking systems in the oil due to heat concerns. The radiator fan wires were not long enough to reach the motherboard headers, so we used a power distribution block, which is like a power strip for case fans. You can power them up with Molex, SATA, or PCI Express power cables. The Gentle Typhoons we used spin at a constant RPM, but the noise is low enough that we don't need variable speed PWM control. Aside from human error, the system itself was a great success. People around the office who aren't even into computers stopped to admire our aquarium PC, with its bubbling liquid and eerie blue glow (provided by a 30cm BitFenix Alchemy Connect LED Strip). It's obviously not for everyone, but if you're looking for a fun DIY project that's "different," it doesn't get much better than this. |
| Origin PC Offers Incentives to Blow Your Tax Refund on a New PC Posted: 07 Apr 2014 11:57 AM PDT
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| Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Enthusiast Series 750W PSU, MSI Gaming N760, and More! Posted: 07 Apr 2014 11:02 AM PDT
Top Deal: One way to save money a new PC build is to skimp on the power supply and pick up a cheaply made unit. After you do that, be sure and punch yourself in the crotch -- after all, one bad decision deserves another. The alternate route is to pick up a well made PSU from a name brand company that actually cares about maintaining its reputation. You don't have to spend a fortune to go that route, either. We can prove it -- just check out today's top deal for a Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750M 750W Modular Power Supply for $85 with free shipping (normally $110 - use coupon code: 9EMCPFPG44]; additional $15 mail-in-rebate). That's pretty much a steal, though Newegg ensures us it won't alert the authorities. What they will do is send out a PSU with 80 Plus Bronze certification and a beefy single +12V rail. Other Deals: MSI Gaming N760 TF 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 760 2GB 256-Bit GDDR5 Video Card for $230 with free shipping (normally $260 - use coupon code: [EMCPFPG26]; additional $10 Mail-in rebate) AMD FX-4300 Vishera 3.8GHz (4.0GHz) Socket AM3+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $100 with free shipping (normally $110 - use coupon code: [EMCPFPG35]) Western Digital WD Green WD10EZRX 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $60 with free shipping (normally $67 - use coupon code: [EMCPFPG37]) Corsair Carbide Series 400R Graphite grey and black ATX Mid Tower Gaming Case for $70 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code: [EMCPFPG43]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate) |
| AMD's Flagship FirePro W9100 Graphics Card Boasts 16GB of GDDR5 Memory Posted: 07 Apr 2014 09:46 AM PDT
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| Nvidia GeForce Experience 2.0 Adds ShadowPlay Support for Notebooks Posted: 07 Apr 2014 08:34 AM PDT
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| Nvidia Takes on Mantle with Enhanced DX11 Driver Posted: 07 Apr 2014 07:42 AM PDT Nvidia releases enhanced DX11 drivers
The DriverThe driver is labeled 337.50 Beta and it's an "optimized DX driver." Interestingly, no details were given by Nvidia on what specifically was optimized or different from previous drivers, which is a departure for Team Green. Usually big updates like this include a white paper of some sorts, but for this particular update it just provided general terms like "Dramatic Improvements." This is clearly a driver aimed at AMD's Mantle though, as the majority of the presentation we received from Nvidia pointed out how a DX11 GeForce card and this new driver is faster than AMD cards running Mantle. It then provided these specific numbers comparing a GeForce 780 Ti vs. an R9 290X on Mantle: StarSwarm - 16% faster Battlefield 4 - 12% faster Thief - 7% faster In other words, Nvidia is saying, "We don't need a custom Nvidia-specific API, we can optimize DX11, which a lot of games already support," unlike Mantle which is only supported in StarSwarm, Thief, and Battlefield 4 currently. Here's one of the slides Nvidia offered to us:
In addition to being faster than AMD's Mantle API, Nvidia is also claiming that its driver improves SLI performance. Since a CPU can easily bottleneck a multi-GPU setup this makes sense, but let's look at the numbers Nvidia has provided. As you recall, earlier Nvidia claimed "up to 71 percent faster SLI performance." In the accompanying chart, it showed one game receiving that level of improvement, and that game is Total War: Rome 2. On the other end of the spectrum is Call of Duty: Black Ops II, which received around 15-20 percent improvement. Here is that slide:
Unfortunately, none of those games are in our testing suite. In anticipation of this, and taking pains to hit AMD where it hurts, it also presented a slide showing multi-GPU scaling in Thief, which is now AMD's poster child for Mantle and TrueAudio support. Here is that slide:
But that's not all. Nvidia also pointed out that this driver is just plain faster in many titles, including the same ones it pointed to before, such as CoD: BLOPS2, Sleeping Dogs, Alien vs. Predator, Total War: Rome 2, and finally Sniper Elite v2. None of these games are in our testing suite, so hit the next page to see how the new driver fared on two different test systems, and on dual GTX 780 cards in SLI. BenchmarksTo begin, we tested an Nvidia GTX 780 reference card on our standard video card test bench, which consists of an Asus Rampage IV Extreme motherboard, Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition 3.3GHz CPU, 16GB of DDR3/1600 memory, and Windows 8 Enterprise. We tested using the current 335.23 driver as well as the 337.50 beta driver. Here are the results:
Tests done with a single GTX 780 reference board at 2560x1600. Best scores are bolded. As you can see, not much difference at all between drivers in this config and on these games. Since we weren't sure we'd ever see a difference, we moved to a different setup that consisted of the following: A Gigabyte Z77X-UP4 motherboard, a slower and easier to bottleneck Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz CPU, GeForce GTX 780 Ti, and 8GB of RAM. Here are those results:
Tests done with a single GTX 780 Ti reference board at 1920x1080. Best scores are bolded. Once again, we didn't see much of a difference between the old driver and the new one, except for on two games -- Battlefield 4, and Thief. That is odd, because what is special about these two titles, aside from being AMD's flagship titles for Mantle support? Obviously Nvidia is very interested in hitting AMD where it hurts, and whatever they have done has worked, at least in this particular configuration. Finishing up, we also tested a two-card SLI configuration at 4K resolution using dual GTX 780 cards on the Intel Core i7-3960X machine. Here are those results:
Test done with two GTX 780 cards in SLI at 3840x2160. Best scores are bolded. And once again, we didn't see much of a difference using two GPUs at 4K res, but this was also with a hefty CPU. We did see a massive boost in Hitman: Absolution though, which is also an AMD-sponsored title. Final ThoughtsIn the wake of Mantle's release nobody was really clamoring for Nvidia to respond since people consider its drivers to be generally very good, but we're glad to see that it has. Unfortunately, in our tests the result is very similar to what we've seen with Mantle in that it can offer a boost but only on very specific configurations and in certain games. In other words, anyone hoping these drivers would instantly give them a 20 to 50 percent boost in every game they play is in for a rude awakening, because that's not what we saw. Admittedly our testing didn't run a gamut of 20+ games, but all this dropped when we were in the final push for our June issue, so our time with the new driver was very limited. That said, based on what we did see we expected more, especially with lofty claims of "up to 64% faster single GPU performance." We didn't see anything close to that, and as always your mileage with this new driver will vary depending on the game you play and the specs of your PC. It is heartening to see Nvidia achieving somewhat dramatic improvements in certain games with no changes to hardware though. The driver is supposed to be out by the time you read this, and here is the 64-bit Win7/Win8 driver. You can download other flavors here and here. Please let us know in the comments if you're seeing what we're seeing, or if you're gaming experience has been transformed by the 337.50 beta driver. |
| Qualcomm Preps 64-bit Snapdragon 808 and 810 Chips for 2015 Posted: 07 Apr 2014 07:33 AM PDT
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| Seagate Begins Shipping 6TB Hard Drive to Enterprise Customers Posted: 07 Apr 2014 06:50 AM PDT
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| YouTube’s Rumored Paid Music Service Allegedly Delayed Posted: 06 Apr 2014 10:03 PM PDT Was originally rumored for a late 2013 launchYouTube has been rumored to be prepping a premium on-demand music service since October 2013. Initially rumored for a late 2013 release, there is still no sign of the music streaming service. According to Billboard, which was the first to report on the yet unconfirmed service last year, the launch has been pushed back to "the second quarter or later" The delay, per a senior label executive Billboard talked to, is on account of YouTube's refusal to launch anything short of a great product. "They feel that there's just too much scrutiny of this product, and that they need to get it right out of the gate," the executive was quoted as saying by Bloomberg Thursday. Chief among the challenges YouTube is grappling with are: figuring out the best possible way of dealing with songs that have no official videos and, more importantly, getting people to pay for something they're used to getting for free. As for the visual treatment of video-less songs, the company is currently gravitating toward "art videos" — those made up of random pictures and videos. But with YouTube allegedly hoping to charge users up to $10-a-month for the premium service without it impacting the way non-paying users currently use the site, the latter is clearly a lot trickier. Follow Pulkit on Google+ |
Use code TAXDAY at Origin PC for free shipping and other bonuses
A professional graphics card designed for next generation 4K workstations
Laptop gamers are invited to the ShadowPlay party
Today Nvidia is releasing an all-new driver for customers of its Fermi, Kepler, and Maxwell GPUs that it claims offers significant performance gains in DirectX11 titles. It told us this driver is reminiscent of its "Detonator" drivers from back in the day, and it's claiming the driver can provide "up to 64 percent faster single GPU performance" as well as "up to 71 percent faster SLI performance."
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