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[vocab]

2) I'm currently looking at a Core i5-750 and a Core i7-860. Right now, the Core i5 is looking a little better due to price, but was wondering other people's opinions on the two. Is the i7-860 worth it in the long run or is it not that much more bang for the buck?

i5-750 is the better bang for buck considering you can overclock it to be on par/better than the i7-860. Save the money, and just go for a decent video card. It will last you for a very long time.

So my friend and I just pulled the trigger on this:

Phenom 2 X4 955 Deneb black @ $166
XFX 5770 1GB @ $180
GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 @ $80
Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3 SDRAM @ $93
W.D. Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM @ $75
LITE-ON dvd rw @ $30
Antec Sonata III 500 Black (500w PSU) @ $110

Total: $734

already had a copy of windows 7, sooo yeah. This is the first time building a PC for either of us, what does PC-gaf think? we did our research, but is anything posted not compatible? the main thing I'm worried about is the PSU, but Tech Report recommended that case. everything else looks ok to me.

Looks fine too me. The PSU will probably the first thing you should look to replace.

 

[Firestorm]

1) Does anyone have any recommendations when it comes to wireless cards for desktop PC's? I'm in the process of building a new machine, and I need it to be wireless.

Not sure if I should go for the cheap route, or if it's truly worth it to spend $50 on a wireless card.

Our connection is 802.11G using WEP (64-bit I do believe), so nothing fancy there.

2) I'm currently looking at a Core i5-750 and a Core i7-860. Right now, the Core i5 is looking a little better due to price, but was wondering other people's opinions on the two. Is the i7-860 worth it in the long run or is it not that much more bang for the buck?

I think cheap route is fine. Monoprice USB one I used for my parents' and friend's computer works fine for them.

i7-860 if you do heavy image and video work
i5-750 if it's just for gaming + everyday use

Looks fine too me. The PSU will probably the first thing you should look to replace.

The Sonata III comes with a 500W Antec Earthwatts PSU which is great. The computer is rock solid and doesn't need any replacing.

 

[vocab]

The Sonata III comes with a 500W Antec Earthwatts PSU which is great. The computer is rock solid and doesn't need any replacing.

Well if that's the case, then ya, it is fine. I have a 650 earthwatts in my current comp that I will be using for my new setup.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Are there any known problems with the Phenom II quad core processors? I was looking at the i750 but for the same price it appears that you get more by going with AMD.

 

[Firestorm]

Are there any known problems with the Phenom II quad core processors? I was looking at the i750 but for the same price it appears that you get more by going with AMD.

None aside from being slightly slower than the i5. They are more upgradeable I believe as the AM3 platform might be around longer than LGA1156.

 

[Dina]

Earthwatts still is a stupid name. Is there something like Spacewatts all of a sudden?

 

[Firestorm]

Earthwatts still is a stupid name. Is there something like Spacewatts all of a sudden?

It's referring to it being their energy efficient line.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

None aside from being slightly slower than the i5. They are more upgradeable I believe as the AM3 platform might be around longer than LGA1156.

What exactly makes the i5 faster? I was looking at the top end Phenom II X4 chips and even they were no more than $200. At least as far as numbers the Phenom looked faster.

I was looking at the black edition btw which I think was 3.24Ghz. I know there is more to it than just that, but I really want to make sure I make the right choice, especially with the CPU/motherboard.

And yeah upgradeability is a big plus, as I will want to keep this computer for a long time.

 

[Minsc]

What exactly makes the i5 faster? I was looking at the top end Phenom II X4 chips and even they were no more than $200. At least as far as numbers the Phenom looked faster.

I was looking at the black edition btw which I think was 3.24Ghz. I know there is more to it than just that, but I really want to make sure I make the right choice, especially with the CPU/motherboard.

And yeah upgradeability is a big plus, as I will want to keep this computer for a long time.

Here's the CPU chart for Dragon Age:

So you can judge some of the differences yourself, but if you want to be able to upgrade, Intel's not offering you much of an upgrade path so far with the 1156 line of CPUs.

Here's Valve's particle engine benchmark, if you want something to scare you away from the Phenoms, which is supposed to be a good idea of where the future Valve game's will be scaling like on different CPUs.

Of course, a 6 or 8 core future Phenom which you can upgrade too will very likely beat the i5 750 you can purchase today, because there isn't anything down the road to upgrade that to, except an i7 860/870 which may not drop a ton in price and are out now, so that kinda of disqualifies them a bit for future upgrade candidates in a few years to me.

I think it's a little dumb for intel not to announce anything down the road for the 1156 which is faster than what they launched it with, but who knows, they could announce 6-core CPUs one day, or not!

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Okay that helps a bit. I was curious how something like the i7 920 compared to the top end Phenoms. I am not really looking to go too cheap. I would be happy if I could find a way below $1000 but I can afford to go over. I just wanted something reasonable that would be relatively future proof.

I know it will be different depending on the scaling done on different engines, but I do love my Valve games...

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I plan to go through some of the stores listed in the OP tomorrow, but just to save me time are there any that ship internationally? I am fairly confident I can get competitive prices in local stores in Japan(i need to check again but at least i7 pricing was fairly close to newegg prices) but just in case it would be nice to have a sight that actually delivered here.

I am searching for the japanese equivalent of newegg but its hard to know if they are trustworthy.

 

[brain_stew]

Okay, I think I'm going to forego the Acer Revo route and build a good HTPC that will also allow me to keep up on PC games and MMOs (MMOs especially). I would like to go Micro ATX route with a good looking case that wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.

1) How feasible would something like this be assuming I would be playing on a 1080p TV/monitor)? If this a smart move or would I be giving up too much?

2) How much am I looking at if I can manage to reuse my DDR2 6400 RAM and hard drives? Including a BR drive as well.

Why not go M-ITX?

Zotac offer quite a few decent m-ITX boards with integrated wifi and a PCI-e X16 slot and m-ITX cases are as smart/small as they get. Many look like small DVD players.

This case is highly recommended by many as it can fit a full size GPU and has excellent cooling and an efficient little PSU that can power it.

If you go socket 775 or AM3 DDR2, you can reuse your RAM.

You can use a 5770 with that case/PSU combo, this one for $152 is perfect for 1080p gaming:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161317&cm_re=5770-_-14-161-317-_-Product

Edit:

This is one of the motherboards I was talking about:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500035


Throw in a CPU like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116091

And you're good to go.

You'll need this to use a slim line DVD drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...chReport&cm_mmc=OTC-TechReport-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

 

[brain_stew]

What exactly makes the i5 faster? I was looking at the top end Phenom II X4 chips and even they were no more than $200. At least as far as numbers the Phenom looked faster.

I was looking at the black edition btw which I think was 3.24Ghz. I know there is more to it than just that, but I really want to make sure I make the right choice, especially with the CPU/motherboard.

And yeah upgradeability is a big plus, as I will want to keep this computer for a long time.

If you can afford a core i5/i7 build, then you go with a core i5/i7 build, that's all there is to it. AMD's chips are great if you're on a stricter budget but they just can't compete in terms of performance at the high end.

Okay that helps a bit. I was curious how something like the i7 920 compared to the top end Phenoms. I am not really looking to go too cheap. I would be happy if I could find a way below $1000 but I can afford to go over. I just wanted something reasonable that would be relatively future proof.

I know it will be different depending on the scaling done on different engines, but I do love my Valve games...

Eh, fwiw, that benchmark is very misleading, the Source engine doesn't perform like that in game at all. This chart represents the actual reality:

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

do they sell slot loading DVD drives for desktops?

 

[Minsc]

Eh, fwiw, that benchmark is very misleading, the Source engine doesn't perform like that in game at all. This chart represents the actual reality:

[G]http://i47.tinypic.com/2cnjog0.png[/IMG]

The particle chart was described in the article as being indicative of where future Source game performance would fall, not current ones, you are correct (I did say that in my post). I was really just replying to him with a benchmark that would give him second thoughts about the Phenoms, since that is what it sounded like he was after :lol

 

[Celcius]

do they sell slot loading DVD drives for desktops?

Like this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...22&cm_re=slot_load_dvd-_-27-106-322-_-Product

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Like this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...22&cm_re=slot_load_dvd-_-27-106-322-_-Product

yes. but would i need something else(like an adapter?) to insert it into the 5.25" bay?

 

[BravoSuperStar]

yes. but would i need something else(like an adapter?) to insert it into the 5.25" bay?

Get a proper 5.25 slot load drive, slim drives like that are meant for laptops and are very fragile.

 

[hellclerk]

Question: what recent parallel graphics card system allowed two different GPUs to run in tandem again? I can't seem to find the thread. It's definitely not SLI, but it was something that started with an L or something I think. All I really remember was that you could run two completely different GPUs as long as you had the same drivers for both.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Question: what recent parallel graphics card system allowed two different GPUs to run in tandem again? I can't seem to find the thread. It's definitely not SLI, but it was something that started with an L or something I think. All I really remember was that you could run two completely different GPUs as long as you had the same drivers for both.

Lucid Hydra. I think tomshardware has a write up of the new MSI motherboard with it.

Edit: Here it is: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-fuzion-lucidlogix-hydra,2526.html

 

[Hazaro]

If anything of note has come out of it please post in the thread.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332450

 

[hellclerk]

Lucid Hydra. I think tomshardware has a write up of the new MSI motherboard with it.

Edit: Here it is: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-fuzion-lucidlogix-hydra,2526.html

alright, thanks. and yeah, looks like they have some things to iron out still. can't wait until it's made better and more affordable. That's when I'll be building my next comp...

 

[desh]

Here is my Core i5-750 build I'm thinking about:

CPU: Core i5-750
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD4
Memory: 4GB DDR3-1600
Case/PSU: Antec Sonata III 500
Video: PowerColor ATI Radeon HD5770
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200 750GB
Optical: Samsung DVD Burner

My only concerns are:

1) Will the PSU that comes with the Antec Sonata III be capable of handling a crossfire setup should I choose to get a second video card?

2) Will the GA-P55M-UD4 motherboard support DDR3-1600 RAM? I'm unsure about this because the newegg specs only show it supporting 2200/1333/1066/800, but I believe the gigabyte website says it will support 1600.

Other than that, any glaring problems?

Edit: edited link fields.

 

[cryptic]

Welp,it's back to no pc. I went to put in a new scythe heatsink ,took out the stock amd one, cpu came out,pins were bent , thermal glue everywhere. I'm feeling so depressed,I basically have nothing to do but relax for a fewhours on the pc before going back to scrubbing pots and so this kills me. I really hope AMD honors this under warranty. The scythe cooler fell apart instantly, the connectors were such shit,hope Ican return it. Ijust pray that I didn't kill the mobo as it's not posting now with no cpu.

 

[ElectricThunder]

Yep, said screw Best Buy and grabbed a pair of cables from Monoprice, plus a game elsewhere, to STILL come out far cheaper than buying one of their cables. 2-3 day USPS so hopefully I can make progresss again come Fri/Sat.

Next: I noticed a disc that was in the box with the new monitor(s). I'm guessing I'm supposed to run that to do something after I round out the entire Win 7 64 installation and such?

 

[TheExodu5]

Welp,it's back to no pc. I went to put in a new scythe heatsink ,took out the stock amd one, cpu came out,pins were bent , thermal glue everywhere. I'm feeling so depressed,I basically have nothing to do but relax for a fewhours on the pc before going back to scrubbing pots and so this kills me. I really hope AMD honors this under warranty. The scythe cooler fell apart instantly, the connectors were such shit,hope Ican return it. Ijust pray that I didn't kill the mobo as it's not posting now with no cpu.

That sucks. Who put in the original heatsink? There shouldn't be much thermal paste at all.

 

[chixdiggit]

Canada $1000 Build (Updated December 31st, 2009)

Antec Three Hundred Mini Tower ATX Case - $53.99
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=29812

650W Seasonic PSU - $79.99
http://www.ncix.com/products/index....manufacture=Seasonic Electronics&promoid=1130

Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Motherboard - 147.68
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=46237&vpn=GA-P55A-UD3&manufacture=Gigabyte
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11830BD8110

Corsair DDR3 4GB Dual Channel Kit - $99.99 - $15 MIR = $84.99
http://www.ncix.com/products/index....GX3M2A1600C9&manufacture=Corsair&promoid=1130

Intel i5-750 2.66GHz Processor - $199.97
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=42499
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4959973&sku=I69-0750

PC Assembly and Testing with 1 Year Limited NCIX System Warranty - $41.09
Scroll down and add Assembly Option on the i7 750 deal as a bundle.

Samsung 500GB Spinpoint F3 - $58.99
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=111120624&vpn=HD502HJ&manufacture=Samsung

LG GH24NS50 24X Super Multi SATA DVD Writer OEM Black - after Price Match it's $26.99
http://www3.ncix.com/products/index...4NS50&manufacture=LG Electronics&promoid=1012

Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 - $309.95
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=45093
http://www.pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?prodID=9350

Total
$1018.64 - $15 MIR = $1013.64 + shipping and tax​

After spending countless hours trying to get the above build to run I think I finally figured out the problem. The Ram listed is not supported by motherboard. Or am I wrong?? http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-p55a-ud3.pdf

 

[TouchMyBox]

Eh, fwiw, that benchmark is very misleading, the Source engine doesn't perform like that in game at all. This chart represents the actual reality:

http://i47.tinypic.com/2cnjog0.png[IMG][/QUOTE]


But that benchmark looks very misleading as well. I haven't seen any e8400s than can play L4D2 with a minimum framerate that's above 60fps, let alone at stock clocks.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Here is my Core i5-750 build I'm thinking about:

CPU: Core i5-750
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD4
Memory: 4GB DDR3-1600
Case/PSU: Antec Sonata III 500
Video: PowerColor ATI Radeon HD5770
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200 750GB
Optical: Samsung DVD Burner

My only concerns are:

1) Will the PSU that comes with the Antec Sonata III be capable of handling a crossfire setup should I choose to get a second video card?

2) Will the GA-P55M-UD4 motherboard support DDR3-1600 RAM? I'm unsure about this because the newegg specs only show it supporting 2200/1333/1066/800, but I believe the gigabyte website says it will support 1600.

Other than that, any glaring problems?

Edit: edited link fields.

From my very limited knowledge, I believe I read that the core i5's struggle when you have multiple video cards. If anyone that is smarter than me can elaborate or tell me I'm wrong, then please do!!

Also, here is my $891 build and I'm looking for comments!!!

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-P55-UD3L LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100283VXL Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail

Rosewill RNX-G300EX IEEE 802.11b/g PCI Wireless Card Up to 54Mbps Data Rates 64/128-Bit WEP, 802.1x, WPA, WPA2, AES, TKIP ... - Retail

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

LITE-ON Black 24X DVD Writer Black SATA Model iHAS424-98 LightScribe Support - Retail

Total Cost: $891

 

[TheExodu5]

But that benchmark looks very misleading as well. I haven't seen any e8400s than can play L4D2 with a minimum framerate that's above 60fps, let alone at stock clocks.

I've got an E6600 @ 3.0GHz. If I have shaders down to medium, my framerate rarely ever drops below 60 (very rarely).

The game is far too demanding for what it is though. Maxed out, I get 30-40fps with my E6600 @ 3.0GHz and GTX 275. Pretty terrible.

 

[desh]

From my very limited knowledge, I believe I read that the core i5's struggle when you have multiple video cards. If anyone that is smarter than me can elaborate or tell me I'm wrong, then please do!!

Also, here is my $891 build and I'm looking for comments!!!

I haven't heard anything about the i5's struggling with crossfire/sli, but there is an issue with some of the P55 chipset motherboards: http://www.hardware-revolution.com/p55-motherboards-crossfire-sli-performance-problem/

 

[Blackface]

After spending countless hours trying to get the above build to run I think I finally figured out the problem. The Ram listed is not supported by motherboard. Or am I wrong?? http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-p55a-ud3.pdf

Motherboard manufactuerers don't list all the ram that is fully supported, and sometimes the ram that is under "supported" isn't. Which has happened to me three times in the past five years.

 

[brain_stew]

But that benchmark looks very misleading as well. I haven't seen any e8400s than can play L4D2 with a minimum framerate that's above 60fps, let alone at stock clocks.

While it may overstate the actual performance of individual processors (seemingly its taken from a section of the game that isn't heavy on resources) it gives a good indication as to where each processor is in relation to each other. You're right though, you need a quad for a perfect 60fps in L4D2, its one of the factors behind my upgrade to a Q6600.

 

[pestul]

Well, I hope the Valve particle benchmark is a good sign for their future games.. cause I score 197 on it with my overclocked i7 920.

 

[Lkr]

does the phenom ii x3 720 outperform the dual core i3 and i5?

 

[brain_stew]

does the phenom ii x3 720 outperform the dual core i3 and i5?

If an application uses 3 or more threads, yes, if it uses just one or two threads, no. I wouldn't recommend a dual core processor to many these days. The i3s are an interesting choice but the dual core i5s are horrible value and just make no sense whatsoever. They're decent chips but they're priced out the market.

The x3 720 isn't such great value these days though. You can step up to a full X4 925 for just $20 more or save yourself a nice amount and just get an Athlon x3 435 and not sacrifice too much performance.

 

[SapientWolf]

I haven't heard anything about the i5's struggling with crossfire/sli, but there is an issue with some of the P55 chipset motherboards: http://www.hardware-revolution.com/p55-motherboards-crossfire-sli-performance-problem/

Right. Some mobos run one slot at 4x instead of 8x during crossfire/SLI, which is bad.

 

[Nabs]

From my very limited knowledge, I believe I read that the core i5's struggle when you have multiple video cards. If anyone that is smarter than me can elaborate or tell me I'm wrong, then please do!!

Also, here is my $891 build and I'm looking for comments!!!

you're buying a 1156 board, so go for dual channel ram (2 x 2gb) not 3 x 2gb (that's for an 1366 board)

 

[TouchMyBox]

does the phenom ii x3 720 outperform the dual core i3 and i5?

It looks like the i5 661 outperforms the x3 720 5-10% in most tests. Hardly worth twice the price though.

 

[Dash]

I have to say how happy I am with my new i5 750, Cooler Master 212 HSI, and EVGA p55 SLI mobo. I can easily overclock it to above 4.0 Ghz, with temps rarely exceeding 50C. And with the Lotes socket it comes with, I won't have to worry about burning my processor like most p55 motherboards. I'm able to even run demanding PCSX2 games like Rogue Galaxy and DQ8 at 60FPS .

 

[Iced_Eagle]

you're buying a 1156 board, so go for dual channel ram (2 x 2gb) not 3 x 2gb (that's for an 1366 board)

Hm, explain this a bit to me as I'm not familiar with differences in dual channel vs triple channel.

Why do you say I should only have 4GB instead of 6GB?

*Edit* I should add that I'd really prefer 6GB for productivity reasons, so is there a way for me to use 6GB? I'd prefer not to go to a Core i7 route due to price, so I may have to sacrifice some RAM it seems

 

[Nabs]

your board can support up to 16GB i think, you just need to find the right ram, and right combo.

 

[brain_stew]

Hm, explain this a bit to me as I'm not familiar with differences in dual channel vs triple channel.

Why do you say I should only have 4GB instead of 6GB?

*Edit* I should add that I'd really prefer 6GB for productivity reasons, so is there a way for me to use 6GB? I'd prefer not to go to a Core i7 route due to price, so I may have to sacrifice some RAM it seems

Then get 8GB.

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

Anyone know if this monitor would be any good for the next 5 - 10 years at least. I need something to be able to connect my PS3 up to, and still my computer and all that jazz. Thanks!

Any Feedback?

 

[Firestorm]

After spending countless hours trying to get the above build to run I think I finally figured out the problem. The Ram listed is not supported by motherboard. Or am I wrong?? http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-p55a-ud3.pdf

I haven't heard anyone else with this problem. I don't think the RAM is the issue as it should work fine. The motherboard supports up to 2200 speed RAM and that's 1600. I'm not too good with troubleshooting though so I don't know what steps to take you through to figure out the problem.

If you did the $41 build option from NCIX, they should have tested it before shipping so it shouldn't be DOA.

I've got an E6600 @ 3.0GHz. If I have shaders down to medium, my framerate rarely ever drops below 60 (very rarely).

The game is far too demanding for what it is though. Maxed out, I get 30-40fps with my E6600 @ 3.0GHz and GTX 275. Pretty terrible.

Really? With my Q9550 at 2.83GHz and all settings maxed (16xQ AA) I got 60fps constant except in Hard Rain.

 

[squinters]

Welp, found out my Dell XPS 435mt only came with a 360w power supply, instead of the 475w one that comes with the bigger 435t. Now if I wanted the 5770 that I was eyeing (or any faster video card) I'd have to replace the psu. So I ended up taking the plunge and upgraded my psu to a 650w Antec Eathwatt unit. The cables it came with were huge and the actual power supply was a tad bit bigger than the stock one, but I got it to fit. Only thing now is that with the extra power I actually have the option of getting a 5850, and now I can't justify getting a 5770 anymore. *sigh* Just another hundred bucks I'm gonna spend, but I'll wait until Nvidia releases some competition first and hope prices drop to $250.

P.S. Helped my friend install his 4670. Was my first time opening a computer and went in with minimal knowledge. At first I thought the video card wasn't gonna fit, but a quick search on Youtube showed that a video card actually sticks out of the case. Whole process probably took two hours, but he can now play Source games with high graphics at his native resolution.

 

[lowlylowlycook]

Welp, found out my Dell XPS 435mt only came with a 360w power supply, instead of the 475w one that comes with the bigger 435t. Now if I wanted the 5770 that I was eyeing (or any faster video card) I'd have to replace the psu. So I ended up taking the plunge and upgraded my psu to a 650w Antec Eathwatt unit. The cables it came with were huge and the actual power supply was a tad bit bigger than the stock one, but I got it to fit. Only thing now is that with the extra power I actually have the option of getting a 5850, and now I can't justify getting a 5770 anymore. *sigh* Just another hundred bucks I'm gonna spend, but I'll wait until Nvidia releases some competition first and hope prices drop to $250.
.

How sure are you that your old PSU wouldn't run the 5770? Did you check how many amps it can put out on the 12V rails or did you just read "Needs 500W PSU or better" and go with that?

 

[squinters]

How sure are you that your old PSU wouldn't run the 5770? Did you check how many amps it can put out on the 12V rails or did you just read "Needs 500W PSU or better" and go with that?

Now you got me a bit nervous. Went to check what the sticker says on the stock power supply. I think it says that there are two 12V rails, a 3.3, and a +5. +12VA at 15A, and +12VB at 16A. Honestly, I don't know how good that is, but the sticker states that the combined power on the two 12 volts is 300 watts.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Okay so a new development.

I was really planning on building my own and had ha decided that I would try my best to build a somewhat affordable machine with a i7 920 chipset.

While I was idly strolling through the electronic district in osaka checking prices I decided to check out a used PC store.

In there I found a Acer Aspire M7720 USED for about US $ 850.

Now that kind of seems like a steal to me as I would easily spend that much just buying the processer, board, graphics card, and RAM.

Now before I get ran out of here for even thinking about buying something used it is important to note that used products in Japan are almost without exception in excellent condition.

I am still a bit weary, but for that price I can't really think of many bad reasons why I shouldn't pull the trigger on it. The only thing I can't seem to find is what kind of motherboard it is running on, and the store was about to close so I didn't have time to ask more details.

 

[confused]

Hooray, My phenom II 965 just came in. That'll give me something to do tonight. Let's hope my 5850 comes in before the end of the week.