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[Krauser Kat]

it sits in the middle ground between a 5770 and a 460 (rough parity with the 5830, minus dx11). so yes. totally.

4890 needs 2 12v rail. keep that in mind, its a power hog beast, i still love mine though.

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

Hey guys.
I have an XFX 5850 and was wondering if its possible to crossfire cards made by different companies.
Saw this deal MSI Twin Frozr II 5850 ($154.99) (after rebate)

 

[Shambles]

Can someone please look at these components and tell me what I should change? Im not a PC gamer any longer. I just want a strong pc that will last me for next 3-4yrs for watching hd movies and browsing. Thanks

That is a high end gaming machine. Everything on these is overkill for day to day stuff. If you just need the basics just grab an Athlon II X4, 4GB of memory, a cheap mATX motherboard with integrated video and find some crappy old PSU laying around.

Just quickly throwing whatever together at Newegg I'm looking at the Athlon 630, BIOSTAR TA880GB+, G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB), Rosewill RV350 350W ATX 1.3 Power Supply for 258.97 CDN$.

 

[Shadow Moses]

Thanks for the replies

That is a high end gaming machine. Everything on these is overkill for day to day stuff. If you just need the basics just grab an Athlon II X4, 4GB of memory, a cheap mATX motherboard with integrated video and find some crappy old PSU laying around.

Just quickly throwing whatever together at Newegg I'm looking at the Athlon 630, BIOSTAR TA880GB+, G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB), Rosewill RV350 350W ATX 1.3 Power Supply for 258.97 CDN$.

My current pc is athlon x2 4800 or something with 4gb ram. I've had the rig for 4 or so years but it's getting sluggish even with constant formatting, and case cleaning, etc.
I know it's a bit overkill but I will be keeping the pc for a long time. I just want to know if the components will work perfectly together. I've not built a pc in over 3 yrs.

6gb of corsair ddr3 1333 for £20 less- http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/44704/Corsair-memory-DDR3-1333MHz-6GB-kit-of-3x240-pin

enjoy your pedestrian console games.

:lol thanks

 

[·feist·]

Bulldozer & Fusion

AMD CPU roadmap slides leaked?
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=27579

Is there a better deal for a processor than an i7 950 for $200?

$179.99 Intel Core i7-930 Processor Boxed
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0331303

 

[Hazaro]

Thanks for the replies

My current pc is athlon x2 4800 or something with 4gb ram. I've had the rig for 4 or so years but it's getting sluggish even with constant formatting, and case cleaning, etc.
I know it's a bit overkill but I will be keeping the pc for a long time. I just want to know if the components will work perfectly together. I've not built a pc in over 3 yrs.

That's still super overkill.

Bring down the gear to an i5 and a GTX 460 768MB / 6850.
Most important thing you can do: Buy an SSD. Seriously. Buy one. C300 128GB is my suggestion.

See this:

ASUS SATA 24X DVD Burner
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204) ($20)

Samsung Spinpoint 1TB 7200rpm 3.0GB s
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185) ($70)

ASUS Radeon HD 6850
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399) ($200)

Corsair 550W 80+ Certified
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004) ($105 - 25 = $79 and $20 rebate)

GSKILL ripjaws 2x2GB 1600 DDR3
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277) ($70)

Intel Core i5-760 + ASUS P7P55D SATA 6GB s ATX Intel Motherboard COMBO
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.552987) ($309)

Crucial C300 + Windows 7 Pro 64bit
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.544791.20-148-357) ($240)

Total comes out to $989


Also getting HAF 922 case (in addition to the great things I kept reading from exodus, I like the look too)I'll order from amazon.

 

[TheExodu5]

Thanks for the replies







My current pc is athlon x2 4800 or something with 4gb ram. I've had the rig for 4 or so years but it's getting sluggish even with constant formatting, and case cleaning, etc.
I know it's a bit overkill but I will be keeping the pc for a long time. I just want to know if the components will work perfectly together. I've not built a pc in over 3 yrs.





:lol thanks

If you want it to be fast for general usage and want to spend a but of money, you should spend it by putting a SSD in there.

 

[perryfarrell]

Just received a fancy Filco keyboard (mechanical). Sooooooo nice compared to the $9.95 Target keyboard I used before. It makes me realize how important input devices are to the 'computing experience'. Upgrade your keyboard people, it's worth it!

 

[Houston3000]

I know it's a bit overkill but I will be keeping the pc for a long time. I just want to know if the components will work perfectly together. I've not built a pc in over 3 yrs.

The video card you selected is totally unnecessary if you don't plan to play video games no matter how long you decide to keep the PC.

 

[Frankfurter]

Thanks for the replies







My current pc is athlon x2 4800 or something with 4gb ram. I've had the rig for 4 or so years but it's getting sluggish even with constant formatting, and case cleaning, etc.
I know it's a bit overkill but I will be keeping the pc for a long time. I just want to know if the components will work perfectly together. I've not built a pc in over 3 yrs.





:lol thanks

If you don't game there is no reason (at all) to get a graphics card like the HD6850. The most you should invest on that part is perhaps sth. like a passively cooled HD5450 should you for some odd reason at some time need the features of DX11.
Aside that I'd get sth. like an X4 640 (perhaps with an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2 as this will be much more silent than tha boxed cooler), 2x2GB RAM, the Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 (this is already a really good mainboard, including features such as USB3.0 and tons of extra stuff) and a good 300 or 350W PSU (both is more than enough for the setup).
And as others said: get a SSD, Crucials RealSSD C300 is great, it's ~105€ (probably like 90 pounds) for the 64GB version and ~210€ (probably like 180 pounds) for the 128GB version.
The SSD will greatly help to improve the "every day" performance of your PC and much more so than say a CPU that is 50% more powerful.

 

[Hazaro]

Shh...
He'll get back into PC gaming for sure. :lol

 

[WEGGLES]

Most important thing you can do: Buy an SSD. Seriously. Buy one. C300 128GB is my suggestion.

What is involved in using a solid state drive with a already set up PC?


Do I just install Win7 to it, and tell the bios to boot from it first, and that's all? Or is there more to it?

 

[Hazaro]

What is involved in using a solid state drive with a already set up PC?

Do I just install Win7 to it, and tell the bios to boot from it first, and that's all? Or is there more to it?

I couldn't tell you. I'm terrible with OS's and anything harddrive related (Except hardware). Don't trust myself there :lol

I know it has been answered in this thread (or 2009) so maybe you can try searching for that.

 

[WEGGLES]

I couldn't tell you. I'm terrible with OS's and anything harddrive related (Except hardware). Don't trust myself there :lol

I know it has been answered in this thread (or 2009) so maybe you can try searching for that.

That video was great. :lol

I get nervous about stuff with installs.

I don't want to fuck it up and have to manually re-do everything related to software that is installed.

 

[Cipherr]

What is involved in using a solid state drive with a already set up PC?


Do I just install Win7 to it, and tell the bios to boot from it first, and that's all? Or is there more to it?

Did my build a short time ago with a C300 128GB ssd, and yes, thats all there was to it. Went into the bios and changed the disk settings from IDE to ACHI, then installed WIn7 to the SSD and set it to boot from the ssd.

All done, windows auto aligns the ssd and everything. But mines was a fresh install, I didn't do any drive cloning or anything. I backed up my data off of my old pc on DVD's........single layer ones......and sloooooowly xferred gigs and gigs of mp3s and and stuff over to the slave drive (mechanical 1TB) in my new system. If your going to be trying to clone a drive onto your SSD I have no idea how that would work. But a fresh install to is it pretty plug and play.

 

[WEGGLES]

Did my build a short time ago with a C300 128GB ssd, and yes, thats all there was to it. Went into the bios and changed the disk settings from IDE to ACHI, then installed WIn7 to the SSD and set it to boot from the ssd.

All done, windows auto aligns the ssd and everything. But mines was a fresh install, I didn't do any drive cloning or anything. I backed up my data off of my old pc on DVD's........single layer ones......and sloooooowly xferred gigs and gigs of mp3s and and stuff over to the slave drive (mechanical 1TB) in my new system. If your going to be trying to clone a drive onto your SSD I have no idea how that would work. But a fresh install to is it pretty plug and play.

I was trying to avoid a fresh install.

Perhaps if something happens that requires one I'll get a solid state drive then.

 

[Darkatomz]

To get the advertised speeds of SSDs, it has to be done under ACHI as a fresh install, among other things. You lose out on a lot without doing this.

 

[teiresias]

RMA question:

I have a two month old gtx460 that I'm fairly certain is causing my freezing issues on Win7.

I've already cut the UPC symbol from the box for rebate purposes.

Should I do the RMA via NewEgg (where I bought it) or via Gigabyte (the manufacturer)?

 

[TheExodu5]

I was trying to avoid a fresh install.

Perhaps if something happens that requires one I'll get a solid state drive then.

Suck it up and do it. If you want to be set for the next several years, at least put in that much effort. It will be absolutely worth it. SSD is the single most important upgrade you could make for the most responsive desktop usage possible.

It's a great feeling, having Windows boot (after the POST screen) in 10 seconds (so total of 25 seconds or so), and having my PC completely usable right away. No more waiting a minute for all my background programs to load. And more importantly, no more GRRRR GRRR GRRR hard drive noise while stuff loads.

 

[LegoDad]

Alright I've been given a $1000 budget for my new desktop that I want to build. This will be my first time building. I do not need a monitor as that would be separate.

1. Which is better the i7 (4 cores) or AMD (6 cores) and why?

2. If I barely do any gaming but looking into doing some Civilization 5 and maybe starcraft 2, is the GTX 460 overkill and if so, what card should I go with?

3. What is the sweet spot for DDR3 Ram nowadays, 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB.

4. Anyone think newegg will have some amazing deals on cyber monday?

I think that's all I can ask so far on my first build.

 

[Hazaro]

Alright I've been given a $1000 budget for my new desktop that I want to build. This will be my first time building. I do not need a monitor as that would be separate.

1. Which is better the i7 (4 cores) or AMD (6 cores) and why?

2. If I barely do any gaming but looking into doing some Civilization 5 and maybe starcraft 2, is the GTX 460 overkill and if so, what card should I go with?

3. What is the sweet spot for DDR3 Ram nowadays, 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB.

4. Anyone think newegg will have some amazing deals on cyber monday?

I think that's all I can ask so far on my first build.

See this:
ASUS SATA 24X DVD Burner
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204) ($20)

Samsung Spinpoint 1TB 7200rpm 3.0GB s
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185) ($70)

ASUS Radeon HD 6850
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399) ($200)

Corsair 550W 80+ Certified
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004) ($105 - 25 = $79 and $20 rebate)

GSKILL ripjaws 2x2GB 1600 DDR3
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277) ($70)

Intel Core i5-760 + ASUS P7P55D SATA 6GB s ATX Intel Motherboard COMBO
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.552987) ($309)
---
GTX 460 or a 6850 is not overkill, that's the card you'll wnat to be buying.
i5 is the most practical and value based CPU unless you step down to a x4 AMD (Not the best for Civ + SC II).
x6 is very limited in what it's good for. i7 is for enthusiasts and people who will drop $1.5k on a PC.

 

[WEGGLES]

Suck it up and do it. If you want to be set for the next several years, at least put in that much effort. It will be absolutely worth it. SSD is the single most important upgrade you could make for the most responsive desktop usage possible.

It's a great feeling, having Windows boot (after the POST screen) in 10 seconds (so total of 25 seconds or so), and having my PC completely usable right away. No more waiting a minute for all my background programs to load. And more importantly, no more GRRRR GRRR GRRR hard drive noise while stuff loads.

I'll see, once I got some money after xmas.

Is it much of a hassle to get my games back in steam with out re-downloading them?

I'm on a bandwidth cap.

 

[Hazaro]

I'll see, once I got some money after xmas.

Is it much of a hassle to get my games back in steam with out re-downloading them?

I'm on a bandwidth cap.

Just copy the steam folder iirc.

 

[WEGGLES]

Just copy the steam folder iirc.

Hmm. I'll look into it a bit more in the future. It's a long way off anywho.

Building a PC for my mom for xmas, and gotta find something for dad... so shouldn't need to worry too much about my self for a while. :lol

 

[Shambles]

Hmm. I'll look into it a bit more in the future. It's a long way off anywho.

Building a PC for my mom for xmas, and gotta find something for dad... so shouldn't need to worry too much about my self for a while. :lol

Be aware it will still go through the download process so you might think it's pulling it from the internet but the progress bar moves too fast for that. I would assume it's just verifying the data integrity so don't have a heart attack when you try to copy dozens of gigs of data.

 

[twdnewh_k]

I'm running on a 5870 and am interested in 3D.
Im about to order the asus 120hz monitor.

I see nvidia have the nvidia vision kit for 3D, but there doesnt seem to be any AMD 3D kit/solution. Do i need any specific glasses or monitor ?

Thnx !!

 

[LegoDad]

sugggestions

What's the difference between the i5 and i7 quad cores?

Why get a quad core i5/i7 when I can get 6 cores (AMD) for a cheaper price that run at a faster clock?

 

[Davedough]

Ok, I've got a budget of around $850 with a little wiggle room, but would prefer to keep it around there or below.

I've been out of the PC building game for a long time because I'm a console guy but have always lusted after a good solid box. My laptop died and I'm taking the PC plung.

What I'd like to do is build a couch console counterpart that makes jaws drop in usability and sheer awesomeness (keep in mind, most of my friends can barely spell PC, let alone configure one, so impressing isn't that difficult).

I want an HTPC to hook up to my Samsung HPT5054 Plasma. The flavor of the build that I'd like is a gaming PC that does home theater goodness.... not a home theater PC that plays games... if that makes sense. I dont need the biggest and baddest, but if there is room for awesomeness that keeps the price around the same, I'm open for changes. I'm a casual FPS guy, but love RPGs and action games like Assassin's Creed, so critique accordingly. My one major requirement is that it doesn't look like I have a PC tower sitting next to my TV, I want it to somewhat blend and have a little bit of cool factor.

Here's what I came up with on NewEgg:

Thermaltake Black LANBOX Lite VF6000BWS Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133044

Intel BOXDH55TC LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121394

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015

XFX GX260XADJC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150398

CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

LG WH10LS30K 10X Blu-ray Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136181

Subtotal: $857.92

Suggestions very much welcomed.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Bulldozer & Fusion

AMD CPU roadmap slides leaked?
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=27579



$179.99 Intel Core i7-930 Processor Boxed
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0331303

Is $20 worth getting a 930 over a 950? I would think it would be worthwhile to get the 950 instead no?

 

[LegoDad]

So what do we think of this setup?

AMD Phenom II X6 1075T Thuban 3.0GHz Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor HDT75TFBGRBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103858

Intel X25-V SSDSA2MP040G2K5 2.5" 40GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167030

SAMSUNG EcoGreen F2 HD103SI 1TB 5400 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152173

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193

EVGA 768-P3-1362-AR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) Superclocked 768MB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130564

LITE-ON DVD Writer - Bulk - Black SATA Model iHAS224-06 LightScribe Support - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106333

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Rosewill RV2-700 700W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V SLI Ready Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182173

ASUS M4A87TD EVO AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131647

LG Black 10X Blu-ray Burner - Bulk SATA WH10LS30 LightScribe Support - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136181

Rosewill RCR-IC001 40-in-1 USB 2.0 3.5" Internal Card Reader w/ USB port / Extra silver face plate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820223103

Total: $989.89

 

[rogue74]

Question: Since building my PC a couple of months back, I have been using my old 17in LCD (1280 X 1024) that I had lying around. Needless to say, I am eager for an upgrade.

I could step up to a 22in + widescreen monitor. But I also wanted to look into the possibilities of hooking up my rig to my plasma. I have done some research and am a bit confused. My plasma is an older Panasonic 2006 model. The native resolution is 1366 X 768.

Will hooking up my GTX 460 via HDMI be all that is required? From what I read, my TVs native resolution isn't really supported via HDMI by my NVIDIA video card. Also, do games usually support this res? Or will I have to scale everything?

I know I would get higher resolution by buying a PC monitor, but my plasma is 50 inches. PS3 blu-ray and games as well as 360 games look great on it.

What do you guys think? I could also upgrade to a 1080p TV, but if I even bring that up my wife might kill me.

 

[LegoDad]

Question: Since building my PC a couple of months back, I have been using my old 17in LCD (1280 X 1024) that I had lying around. Needless to say, I am eager for an upgrade.

I could step up to a 22in + widescreen monitor. But I also wanted to look into the possibilities of hooking up my rig to my plasma. I have done some research and am a bit confused. My plasma is an older Panasonic 2006 model. The native resolution is 1366 X 768.

Will hooking up my GTX 460 via HDMI be all that is required? From what I read, my TVs native resolution isn't really supported via HDMI by my NVIDIA video card. Also, do games usually support this res? Or will I have to scale everything?

I know I would get higher resolution by buying a PC monitor, but my plasma is 50 inches. PS3 blu-ray and games as well as 360 games look great on it.

What do you guys think? I could also upgrade to a 1080p TV, but if I even bring that up my wife might kill me.

by going to your plasma you are getting a worse resolution, it would look much worse, 1080p would help, but your wife will kill you.

Black Friday should have some cheap 22" screens about.

 

[T-Matt]

by going to your plasma you are getting a worse resolution, it would look much worse, 1080p would help, but your wife will kill you.

Black Friday should have some cheap 22" screens about.

But still I think gaming on 50 inch with a lower resolution sounds a bit more appealing than a 22 inch monitor.

 

[rogue74]

But still I think gaming on 50 inch with a lower resolution sounds a bit more appealing than a 22 inch monitor.

That is kind of my point. But I'm torn. There are certain games that I just think 'feel' right on the bigger stage the 50 inches provide. For example, I know that the PC versions of Arkham Asylum and Assassin's Creed 2 are of course the superior versions. But I just don't know if I want to play those on such a small screen. It seems like something I want on my home theater.

And despite the resolution, I have been pleased with the plasma. I have seen Uncharted 2 on my friend's 1080P Samsung DLP and I prefer how it looks on the Panasonic. Of course, that game renders at 720p anyway, so... bad example.

 

[LegoDad]

That is kind of my point. But I'm torn. There are certain games that I just think 'feel' right on the bigger stage the 50 inches provide. For example, I know that the PC versions of Arkham Asylum and Assassin's Creed 2 are of course the superior versions. But I just don't know if I want to play those on such a small screen. It seems like something I want on my home theater.

And despite the resolution, I have been pleased with the plasma. I have seen Uncharted 2 on my friend's 1080P Samsung DLP and I prefer how it looks on the Panasonic. Of course, that game renders at 720p anyway, so... bad example.

well hook it up, see if you like it, if not you can always go buy a new monitor. I'm going to use my 40" TV as my monitor till I can afford a new 24" one.

 

[TheExodu5]

Question: Since building my PC a couple of months back, I have been using my old 17in LCD (1280 X 1024) that I had lying around. Needless to say, I am eager for an upgrade.

I could step up to a 22in + widescreen monitor. But I also wanted to look into the possibilities of hooking up my rig to my plasma. I have done some research and am a bit confused. My plasma is an older Panasonic 2006 model. The native resolution is 1366 X 768.

Will hooking up my GTX 460 via HDMI be all that is required? From what I read, my TVs native resolution isn't really supported via HDMI by my NVIDIA video card. Also, do games usually support this res? Or will I have to scale everything?

I know I would get higher resolution by buying a PC monitor, but my plasma is 50 inches. PS3 blu-ray and games as well as 360 games look great on it.

What do you guys think? I could also upgrade to a 1080p TV, but if I even bring that up my wife might kill me.

You can compromise like me and use a 32 inch 1080 HDTV.

I'll never go back to a monitor.

 

[brain_stew]

That is kind of my point. But I'm torn. There are certain games that I just think 'feel' right on the bigger stage the 50 inches provide. For example, I know that the PC versions of Arkham Asylum and Assassin's Creed 2 are of course the superior versions. But I just don't know if I want to play those on such a small screen. It seems like something I want on my home theater.

And despite the resolution, I have been pleased with the plasma. I have seen Uncharted 2 on my friend's 1080P Samsung DLP and I prefer how it looks on the Panasonic. Of course, that game renders at 720p anyway, so... bad example.

You don't want to use a plasma as a primary monitor.

Have it hooked up and play some games on it sure, but you're going to need something in addition.

 

[brain_stew]

You can compromise like me and use a 32 inch 1080 HDTV.

I'll never go back to a monitor.

Would probably be my suggestion as well.

$400-$500 should cover it, just make sure the screen offers 1:1 mapping and you'll be fine.

 

[LegoDad]

brain stew is back! Should build me a $1000 computer that you would like, cause I know it would run the best.

Do you like Raid 0 or SSD's better?

 

[jda1977]

You don't strictly need a new PSU, but 450W is cutting it a little close.

If you're going for a new PSU, I'd honestly get a new case as well. While the Sonata was great at the time, it really doesn't offer much airflow for today's components. Get a HAF 912 for some really nice cooling and a much cleaner install, if you don't mind spending $60. That will mean a quieter PC overall, as well.

Otherwise, is there a reason you're going for the 930/950? It's a great CPU, but it seems a little mismatched with your GPU. What are you using the system for? If you're budget conscious, you might want to check out the i5 760 or an AMD Phenom X4. That will save quite a bit of cash.

Will do on the case.

Used for moderate gaming. SC2, Civ5, Two worlds II, DA, and others here and there. Other than that internet, pictures, school, and other basics. Dont usually overclock, okay never have, might consider it when I feel more confident of not damaging something

Current set up e6600, 4gb DDR2, win7 64, asus 5770. Performance isnt poor but things can chug but in game stuff performance is usually pretty good.

I guess it was with the thought of down the road a bit I can upgrade my video card to gain some performance. I know that the SB line is coming out and wont be socket compatible so I will be stuck with a dead socket line pretty quickly. Thought that the i7-950 would give me a little more head room than the i5 might. Only went with the 950 because it was cheaper than the 930. Didnt check out the price difference between i7 and board, vs i5 plus board. Is it a hundred or so difference? The socket set for the i5 is done as well right when the SB line comes out? I thought I read a rumor though that the 1366 i7 line might get another compatible socket set after SB but that was just theorized so maybe that will be a potential upgrade down the road that I could use where-as the i5 socket is done for sure?? Thanks for the response and help

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

Hey guys.
I have an XFX 5850 and was wondering if its possible to crossfire cards made by different companies.
Saw this deal MSI Twin Frozr II 5850 ($154.99) (after rebate)

Is this thing on?

 

[Hazaro]

What's the difference between the i5 and i7 quad cores?

Why get a quad core i5/i7 when I can get 6 cores (AMD) for a cheaper price that run at a faster clock?

Hyper Threading. (Not of use more most)
Because nothing uses 6 cores, both are dead sockets, and the i5 is tad faster in most things?
The i5 has the advantage in emulators, gaming, and a lot of regular tasks. Plus it will overclock to 4Ghz from stock, while the AMD will hit about 3.5Ghz. Throw in extra clock for clock difference and you're looking around 30% faster.

If you think the extra 2 cores will factor in your use someday, you can go ahead and get the x6, but for most the i5 is what I will suggest.

So what do we think of this setup?

AMD Phenom II X6 1075T Thuban 3.0GHz Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor HDT75TFBGRBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103858

Intel X25-V SSDSA2MP040G2K5 2.5" 40GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167030

SAMSUNG EcoGreen F2 HD103SI 1TB 5400 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152173

EVGA 768-P3-1362-AR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) Superclocked 768MB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130564

Rosewill RV2-700 700W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V SLI Ready Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182173

I'd get the i5, get a 60GB/80GB SSD at least (You need to keep some space free at all times), an F3 1TB or WD 1TB (You don't want 5400rpm for a HDD with programs on it)
Get a non superclocked GTX 460: (Holy crap that's cheap!) or 6850 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130562

Also swap the PSU to a Corsair 550W. 650W if you plan to SLi/xFire later.

Ok, I've got a budget of around $850 with a little wiggle room, but would prefer to keep it around there or below.

I want an HTPC to hook up to my Samsung HPT5054 Plasma. The flavor of the build that I'd like is a gaming PC that does home theater goodness.... not a home theater PC that plays games... if that makes sense. I dont need the biggest and baddest, but if there is room for awesomeness that keeps the price around the same, I'm open for changes. I'm a casual FPS guy, but love RPGs and action games like Assassin's Creed, so critique accordingly. My one major requirement is that it doesn't look like I have a PC tower sitting next to my TV, I want it to somewhat blend and have a little bit of cool factor.

Here's what I came up with on NewEgg:

Intel BOXDH55TC LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121394

Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015

XFX GX260XADJC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150398

There should be plenty non Intel mobos, Gigabyte I know has a good H55 board. Get that instead.
650W is way overkill, a 400W or 450W Corsair will do you just fine.
GTX 260 is outdated and overpriced.
This GTX 460 on sale with rebate is such a good deal right now: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015

Will do on the case.

Used for moderate gaming. SC2, Civ5, Two worlds II, DA, and others here and there. Other than that internet, pictures, school, and other basics. Dont usually overclock, okay never have, might consider it when I feel more confident of not damaging something

Current set up e6600, 4gb DDR2, win7 64, asus 5770. Performance isnt poor but things can chug but in game stuff performance is usually pretty good.

I guess it was with the thought of down the road a bit I can upgrade my video card to gain some performance. I know that the SB line is coming out and wont be socket compatible so I will be stuck with a dead socket line pretty quickly. Thought that the i7-950 would give me a little more head room than the i5 might. Only went with the 950 because it was cheaper than the 930. Didnt check out the price difference between i7 and board, vs i5 plus board. Is it a hundred or so difference? The socket set for the i5 is done as well right when the SB line comes out? I thought I read a rumor though that the 1366 i7 line might get another compatible socket set after SB but that was just theorized so maybe that will be a potential upgrade down the road that I could use where-as the i5 socket is done for sure?? Thanks for the response and help

If you do moderate gaming, overclock your E66600 to 3Ghz, hold out till SB. That's what I'm doing. A 3Ghz dual core and a 5770 is a solid set up.
It's not like you are coming from a much lesser system.

brain stew is back! Should build me a $1000 computer that you would like, cause I know it would run the best.

Do you like Raid 0 or SSD's better?

See above.
SSD for a long shot.

Is this thing on?

Yes.

 

[MCX]

You can compromise like me and use a 32 inch 1080 HDTV.

I'll never go back to a monitor.

Is that AdBlock Plus turned on I see? (on NeoGAF no less) :lol

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

damn, it's getting pretty hard to find a GTX 580, nearly all of them sodl out at newegg and other spots...

 

[confused]

You can compromise like me and use a 32 inch 1080 HDTV.


I'll never go back to a monitor.

I did the same thing and totally second this. Best decision I ever made.

 

[ZZMitch]

Is that AdBlock Plus turned on I see? (on NeoGAF no less) :lol

:lol

 

[TheExodu5]

Is that AdBlock Plus turned on I see? (on NeoGAF no less) :lol

huh?

oh that...I installed it to remove UStream ads while watching Day9. :|

How do I add GAF to the exceptions?

edit: nvm got it.

 

[Cipherr]

huh?

oh that...I installed it to remove UStream ads while watching Day9. :|

How do I add GAF to the exceptions?

edit: nvm got it.

Dude, I hope that keyboard tray pulls way out. I couldnt ever game while sitting that close to the monitor. Mine is 24 inches and I insist on sitting way back from it so I can see everything without having to even slightly tilt my head.

 

[IrishNinja]

finally pulled the trigger on this baby today, black friday promos offered 10% off and a free upgrade from an ATI 6850 to a 6870, couldn't turn that down. much love to brain_stew, Hazaro, Fredescu, Milpool, and ·feist· for your help in learning/sorting exactly what i wanted from this system, here's what i got:

CAS: SilverStone SG-07B Mini-ITX Gaming High-End Case w/ Specialized PSU Powered up to NVIDIA GTX480 or ATI HD5970
CD: 8X Super Slim DVD Rewritable Drive
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-760 2.80 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1156
FAN: World's Smallest Liquid Cooling System
HDD: 1.5TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Hard Drive)
MEMORY: 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: * GigaByte GA-H55N-USB3 Intel H55 Chipset DDR3 LGA1156 Ultra Durable™3 Mini-ITX w/ Onboard Graphic, HDMI, DVI, VGA, 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB 3.0, SATA-II, 1 Gen2 PCIe
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
VIDEO: AMD Radeon HD 6870 1GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
CARE1: CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation
CARE2: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System

after all the research, that was about 1k (little more shipped) and perfect for my needs: PC gaming, dolphin/PCSX2 emulation, portability (work/LANs etc), and from what it looks like to me, future-proof for a little while to come..i like playing on high settings, but im not looking at crysis 2, for example. most i can see is maybe a SSD one day down the road when they're at a price i like better.

either way: take note GAF, your advice on this is much of the reason i got this rig, which with my recent steam/GOG purchases (and the forthcoming lull in the console cycle) is is looking to be my transition to your snobby glorious master race, so again, thanks for all your help here.

 

[LegoDad]

Suggestions

Is there a huge difference between the 1GB GTX 460 and 768MB GTX 460?