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[Flying_Phoenix]

Essentially I want:

- The card to last me two years
- Not be too noisy
- Not as power hungry
- Can overclock better


Also define "old games". Like 3 or 4 years old our last generation old?

To add to this I forgot to add to which is better for 1080p performance because that is a huge must.

Yes, but how do you have 3GB? Do you have 2 1.5GB RAM sticks or something? It's a weird number.

The 6850 is an okay card, and is good value at the price point. If you get two you'll be able to blow through just about anything.

The same reason why 6GB in the future will look like a weird number despite it being sold at Newegg.

 

[RedSwirl]

Is RAM really that important? Like I said, I haven't encountered any game (or other app) that's asked me for more than 2GB so I've considered myself fine with 3 and have personally seen no need for 8 or 16.

 

[RedSwirl]

Yes, but how do you have 3GB? Do you have 2 1.5GB RAM sticks or something? It's a weird number.

Honestly, no idea. I've been trying to find out for a while how many "sticks" I have. I know it's DDR2 RAM.

 

[teh_pwn]

Nobody is really talking about mice in here. I'm building a new pc and right now I have an intellimouse explorer 2.0. I don't think this is a "gaming" mouse but it's gotten gross and crusty so I'm looking for a new mouse.

What do people recommend these days? I have small hands and would prefer that it be wireless. I can't seem to find any type of consensus as to what the best mouse is to get. I'm right handed so I'd prefer to get one like that. Are "gaming mice" really that much better than a normal mouse? I'm not a pro gamer and this mouse has not given me any problems. My budget is about $30-$60. I don't understand why anyone could use a wired mouse. I used one 10 years ago and it was nothing but an annoyance.

MX518 wired for my office/intense RTS rig (I know, I'm wicked spoiled having specialized PCs).

Logitech G700 wireless for the rig I'm building this week (Home theater, streaming, consolized PC games, high end non intense comfy couch friendly strategy games). Haven't used it yet, but it feels like it will be a good mouse.

 

[Red]

Is RAM really that important? Like I said, I haven't encountered any game (or other app) that's asked me for more than 2GB so I've considered myself fine with 3 and have personally seen no need for 8 or 16.

It's not that it's a bad thing, you should be fine running most apps and games. It's simply an unusual amount. Usually it goes in multiples of 2, like 2GB, 4GB, 6GB and so on. Are you using a 32bit OS? I'm just curious, it's not like there's something wrong with your set up.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Is RAM really that important? Like I said, I haven't encountered any game (or other app) that's asked me for more than 2GB so I've considered myself fine with 3 and have personally seen no need for 8 or 16.

4GB of ram will get you by anything these days. It's more about future proofing and running other kinds of apps that the higher RAM really shines. It's so cheap for some good DD3 memory these days that it's easy to recommended 8GB as a base. You get a decent OC when you OC your CPU as well. Plus dual channel memory is great as well. Little things that help overall system performance.

 

[teh_pwn]

Essentially I want:

- The card to last me two years
- Not be too noisy
- Not as power hungry
- Can overclock better
(edit about 1080p)


Also define "old games". Like 3 or 4 years old our last generation old?

2 years, ehh....I guess a 6850 would make it. But it would be at low-mid settings. I've just got this whole other mindset with (2) 6950s, I may not be the right person to ask.

But AMD's cards use less power and generate less noise right now.

Not sure about how old the nvidia drivers go. Someone mentioned it. I haven't had an nvidia card since 6800 series. Not that I hate nvidia, just every time I've built ATI has suited my needs best.

 

[RedSwirl]

It's not that it's a bad thing, you should be fine running most apps and games. It's simply an unusual amount. Usually it goes in multiples of 2, like 2GB, 4GB, 6GB and so on. Are you using a 32bit OS? I'm just curious, it's not like there's something wrong with your set up.

Vista 32bit.

I've got a Windows 7 64bit install laying around though and just haven't gotten around to using it. How's that gonna affect performance?

 

[Red]

Vista 32bit.

I've got a Windows 7 64bit install laying around though and just haven't gotten around to using it. How's that gonna affect performance?

It'll unlock your hidden 1GB of RAM for starters

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Vista 32bit.

I've got a Windows 7 64bit install laying around though and just haven't gotten around to using it. How's that gonna affect performance?

First, upgrade to 64bit, it's for the better. Before you do that, see if your HDD supports ACHI for the HDD as that is supposed to enable some enhancements for many modern day HDD's. Then reinstall. You can also do this via a registry edit but you must reboot and go into the bios and change it in there or else the change will not take place. I've seen a speed performance since I've done this with the F3 HDD in the OP.

It'll unlock your hidden 1GB of RAM for starters

lol His system will then become a God :O

 

[jsnepo]

Hi guys. What's the optimized video card for a C2D E7500? I don't want to go out and buy a new video card that my processor will be a bottleneck to. My RAM is currently at 2GB (still using XP 32bit) but I'm planning to upgrade it to 4GB as soon as I upgrade to 7 64bit.

 

[Red]

Hi guys. What's the is optimized video card for a C2D E7500? I don't want to go out and buy a new video card that my processor will be a bottleneck to. My RAM is currently at 2GB (still using XP 32bit) but I'm planning to upgrade it to 4GB as soon as I upgrade to 7 64bit.

What are your requirements? Like what res will you be gaming at and what settings would you like to use? The E7500 is nearly at a 3GHz clock, correct? Shouldn't hold you back in much. Don't expect to get much performance out of GTAIV, for example, but for the majority of games it will be fine.

 

[RedSwirl]

First, upgrade to 64bit, it's for the better. Before you do that, see if your HDD supports ACHI for the HDD as that is supposed to enable some enhancements for many modern day HDD's. Then reinstall. You can also do this via a registry edit but you must reboot and go into the bios and change it in there or else the change will not take place. I've seen a speed performance since I've done this with the F3 HDD in the OP.


lol His system will then become a God :O

The weird thing is though, I installed a second HDD a while ago and I don't know how an OS reinstall will affect it.

The primary HDD which contains the partition is 320GB. The secondary one is 1TB and contains all my games and some other large size media. Would a Win 7 install wipe both drives?

Eh. Probably an issue for another discussion. Can I at least ask what kind of frame rate increase I would see on Win 7 64bit?

 

[Red]

The weird thing is though, I installed a second HDD a while ago and I don't know how an OS reinstall will affect it.

The primary HDD which contains the partition is 320GB. The secondary one is 1TB and contains all my games and some other large size media. Would a Win 7 install wipe both drives?

Eh. Probably an issue for another discussion. Can I at least ask what kind of frame rate increase I would see on Win 7 64bit?

No. If you wanted to play it safe you could disconnect the second drive, then reconnect after you install.

W7 generally will give you a few extra frames here and there, nothing revelatory but having a far superior OS should be enough to motivate the change.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

The weird thing is though, I installed a second HDD a while ago and I don't know how an OS reinstall will affect it.

The primary HDD which contains the partition is 320GB. The secondary one is 1TB and contains all my games and some other large size media. Would a Win 7 install wipe both drives?

Eh. Probably an issue for another discussion. Can I at least ask what kind of frame rate increase I would see on Win 7 64bit?

I will have to look that up but have never been under 64bit OS's since I've started running my own tests. Any free enhancements to boost your system should be considered though. I had hardly anything on my HDD so the reformat wasn't a big issue. And have you considered running in RAID for those 2 HDD's?

 

[Raistlin]

It does and there are several programs like Speedfan that can control fans. For the GPU, there are plenty of fan control apps, the ones you listed should work fine. Afterburner works just fine for me so I don't change what isn't broken. As long as the GPU cooler is plugged into that little pin connector like the stock fan, it will be controlled in the same manner. Connect the CPU connector right to the motherboard for proper fan control. You should mess with auto or manual settings to see what temps you max at. Then you can gauge the best solution for your everyday needs.

Awesome thanks for the help!!!

I'll use my fan controller for all the case fans then.

 

[Zzoram]

The weird thing is though, I installed a second HDD a while ago and I don't know how an OS reinstall will affect it.

The primary HDD which contains the partition is 320GB. The secondary one is 1TB and contains all my games and some other large size media. Would a Win 7 install wipe both drives?

Eh. Probably an issue for another discussion. Can I at least ask what kind of frame rate increase I would see on Win 7 64bit?

I think you're making this too complicated.

As I understand it, you have an XPS 420 with Q6600 + 8800GT + 3GB RAM. You want to upgrade the 8800GT, so the best options are GTX460 or HD6850 for that sub-$200 price. You are going to get a 550W PSU to match it.

That sounds good. You just need to uninstall your graphics driver before you swap in the new parts, then install the latest drivers downloaded from whichever company's website.

You can upgrade to Windows 7 later, when Battlefield 3 is out, since it won't run on XP. However, if you already have Vista, just don't bother. Vista SP2 is very similar to Windows 7. The SP2 actually swapped out a lot of the Vista code for Windows 7 code.

Just doing the GPU upgrade should give you ~70% higher frame rate with the same settings and make most games run 30+fps at 1080p but maybe not with AA, tough to say on the newest games.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

2 years, ehh....I guess a 6850 would make it. But it would be at low-mid settings. I've just got this whole other mindset with (2) 6950s, I may not be the right person to ask.

But AMD's cards use less power and generate less noise right now.

AMD it is.

Really I just want to use it to play console ports in 1080p. The only PC PC games I'm interested in is The Witcher 2 and MAYBE Serious Sam 3 and Crysis 2. That's it.

I also tend to buy games around a year after release to get them on sale.

 

[Red]

You can upgrade to Windows 7 later, when Battlefield 3 is out, since it won't run on XP. However, if you already have Vista, just don't bother. Vista SP2 is very similar to Windows 7. The SP2 actually swapped out a lot of the Vista code for Windows 7 code.

He'd be going from 32 to 64 bit, so I'd say the switch would be worthwhile.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Didn't know that, I went right from XP to 7 so I never really researched Vista that much. ACHI is something I wanted though so if your HDD supports it, by all means install with that setting enabled in your bios.

He'd be going from 32 to 64 bit, so I'd say the switch would be worthwhile.

Absolutely.

 

[jsnepo]

What are your requirements? Like what res will you be gaming at and what settings would you like to use? The E7500 is nearly at a 3GHz clock, correct? Shouldn't hold you back in much. Don't expect to get much performance out of GTAIV, for example, but for the majority of games it will be fine.

It's clocked at 2.93GHz I think. I'd like to play Crysis in at least 720p with minimal jaggies so AA is a big plus for me.

 

[Revenant]

I'd go for a pair of polk audio speakers myself but it depends on your budget and what you want.

I'm looking for something decent, but I'm not an audiophile, Just something to use to watch movies and play games with. I just don't know if there is a true advantage to going 5.1 or 2.1 since i don't have a separate audio card.

I don't want to spend a bunch on speakers if the lack of a sound card means I won't get much use from them.

I just don't know much about computer speakers in general so I was hoping someone could point me in a decent general direction. my max is $100 bucks but if i can go less, like say 30-50, I'm more than okay with that as well.

 

[Red]

It's clocked at 2.93GHz I think. I'd like to play Crysis in at least 720p with minimal jaggies so AA is a big plus for me.

Well, the 6850 and GTX460 are being discussed right now and they sound like they'd suit your needs just fine. What is your price range? Those are $150-$200 cards.

Also keep in mind, Crysis doesn't play nice with AA. You can enable it in several varieties but none of them is a completely ideal solution. The best is SSAA, but that will kill your frame rate. It may be doable at 720p. I'm assuming you're on a TV. Do you know the exact resolution? Is it 1366x768, 1024x768, or 1280x720? Minimal differences all around, but you'll see a tiny impact depending.

 

[jsnepo]

Well, the 6850 and GTX460 are being discussed right now and they sound like they'd suit your needs just fine. What is your price range? Those are $150-$200 cards.

Also keep in mind, Crysis doesn't play nice with AA. You can enable it in several varieties but none of them is a completely ideal solution. The best is SSAA, but that will kill your frame rate. It may be doable at 720p. I'm assuming you're on a TV. Do you know the exact resolution? Is it 1366x768, 1024x768, or 1280x720? Minimal differences all around, but you'll see a tiny impact depending.

$150 is fine. $200 not much as I will have to upgrade the PSU as well. I'm planning on gaming on a PC monitor only. The one I currently have is 1280x1024 max. It's 4:3 but I'm also considering in getting a 16:10 with digital input hopefully some time this year after I upgrade my video card. You think a GTX460 will be able to handle BF3 as well? I'm curious about the game since it has a single player campaign. I'm not really a multiplayer type of gamer. Thanks.

 

[Red]

$150 is fine. $200 not much as I will have to upgrade the PSU as well. I'm planning on gaming on a PC monitor only. The one I currently have is 1280x1024 max. It's 4:3 but I'm also considering in getting a 16:10 with digital input hopefully some time this year after I upgrade my video card. You think a GTX460 will be able to handle BF3 as well? I'm curious about the game since it has a single player campaign. I'm not really a multiplayer type of gamer. Thanks.

Here's a 460 at $130 after rebate. Here's one at $145 with a copy of Just Cause 2.

At your res, it will probably run just fine. You might have to scale back some DX11 effects.

 

[jsnepo]

Here's a 460 at $130 after rebate. Here's one at $145 with a copy of Just Cause 2.

At your res, it will probably run just fine. You might have to scale back some DX11 effects.

Thanks man. I can finally remove the 7600GS I got here.

 

[Red]

Thanks man. I can finally remove the 7600GS I got here.

Those cards I linked are the 768MB model. You will have to dial back AA to get good frame rates. But it is a great value, that much is undeniable. And if you are aiming for "playable" instead of 60fps, it will do fine.

Either way, much better than the 7600GS.

Though at your current resolution I can't imagine the memory barrier ever getting in the way.

 

[wandering goat]

I'm considering upgrading my monitor (a Samsung 2494HM) to an IPS panel. Specifically, the Dell U2311H sounds pretty good. Basically, I'm sick of the horrible changes in colour that happen vertically based on viewing angle, and I'd like something where you can adjust gamma straight on the monitor. I calibrated my 2494HM as best as I could, but the differences at the top and bottom of the monitor are starting to bother me, especially noticeable in black and white movies where at the top, things are completely fucked up. Having to have gamma adjusted through software also sucks when programs over-ride it (particularly for watching Blu-Rays with PowerDVD.)

So from what I've gathered, the U2311H is pretty damn good for the price, has a decent response time (8 ms), and you can adjust monitor gamma. The critical applications I'm using it for would be watching Blu-Rays and playing games. I'm thinking that theoretically, given V-Sync being applied, 8ms refresh rate should be good enough for movies and games.

Does this sound like a good buy based on the above? I'd love it if anyone who had the monitor could confirm it has the ability to adjust gamma, perfect vertical viewing angles, and that it's suitable for gaming / movies. And I guess if it's quiet. The Samsung I have now makes a loud buzzing noise below around 88% brightness, which kind of sucks.

 

[antonz]

Thanks man. I can finally remove the 7600GS I got here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130591

1GB version of the 460 for 139 after rebate. 159 pre rebate. and comes with just cause 2

 

[Red]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130591

1GB version of the 460 for 139 after rebate. 159 pre rebate. and comes with just cause 2

This is the one to get, jsnepo.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

i'm trying to plan out an upgrade for the end of the year but i keep changing my mind based on new info.

i was going to get a 6970, but it's new and likely to be big, loud, and hot. so i thought "6870's and 6850's have been out a while and probably have slimmed down cards with quieter cooling solutions" but then i found that 6850's would be the bottleneck of my system, and barely have any noticeable advantage in Crossfire mode.

6870's supposedly slay in Crossfire mode, but finding cheap cards that stay cool and relatively quiet (since there will be two) is going to be a challenge.

ALSO: thanks GAF. you sold me on an Accelero VGA heatsink. it's on it's way now and should be here by saturday or monday. going to silence my loud ass dual-slot 4870 for $30 until i can upgrade.

 

[Red]

i'm trying to plan out an upgrade for the end of the year but i keep changing my mind based on new info.

i was going to get a 6970, but it's new and likely to be big, loud, and hot. so i thought "6870's and 6850's have been out a while and probably have slimmed down cards with quieter cooling solutions" but then i found that 6850's would be the bottleneck of my system, and barely have any noticeable advantage in Crossfire mode.

6870's supposedly slay in Crossfire mode, but finding cheap cards that stay cool and relatively quiet (since there will be two) is going to be a challenge.

ALSO: thanks GAF. you sold me on an Accelero VGA heatsink. it's on it's way now and should be here by saturday or monday. going to silence my loud ass dual-slot 4870 for $30 until i can upgrade.

Up to 1920x1200, I'm seeing results that indicate 6850s in crossfire decimate just about everything, often coming just under or right above a 5970.

 

[Naked Snake]

For better air/water cooling, they have the Arc series.

Fractal Design Arc - Mid Tower
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=57

Fractal Design Arc Mini
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=59

With the growing number of over-styled cases on the market, it's nice to have a few more cleaner looking, inexpensive options.

How much $$??

 

[Kadey]

Does the speed of a hd make any difference in streaming video online? How about ram?

 

[fin]

Thanks for the help everyone! I'll be back when I'm done shopping around.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Up to 1920x1200, I'm seeing results that indicate 6850s in crossfire decimate just about everything, often coming just under or right above a 5970.

yeah? i kept seeing the 6850 always being about half of the 6870's numbers, even in crossfire mode.

i'd be more than happy to spend less money, i just want to be sure first. any specific cards you saw reviews on? what about extremely quiet cards? i'm reading the XFX 6870 Black Edition is supposedly the quietest 6870 on the market.

 

[antonz]

.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

MSI 1155 boards are now on Newegg.

 

[MWS Natural]

Fractal Design Arc Mini
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=...gory=2&prod=59

Sweet case. Wish they made a shoebox style one.

 

[Red]

yeah? i kept seeing the 6850 always being about half of the 6870's numbers, even in crossfire mode.

i'd be more than happy to spend less money, i just want to be sure first. any specific cards you saw reviews on? what about extremely quiet cards? i'm reading the XFX 6870 Black Edition is supposedly the quietest 6870 on the market.

This is the review I looked at. Looks like a reference HIS. Could always add an aftermarket cooler. Honestly I'd love to get dual 6850s myself, but I'm dual booting W7 and OS X and 6xxx drivers aren't supported on Snow Leopard as far as I can tell.

 

[Hazaro]

Thanks, updating OP with news.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

Why MSI? I ain't biting until Asus motherboards are available.

 

[antonz]

Why MSI? I ain't biting until Asus motherboards are available.

Soon. As posted earlier. Asus sent out emails today to people who registered their boards that they can now get their replacement boards

 

[Hazaro]

ASUS has the advanced RMA charge correct?
That makes things a lot less painful.

 

[rc213]

MSI 1155 boards are now on Newegg.

Come on Gigabyte/Asus!

 

[antonz]

ASUS has the advanced RMA charge correct?
That makes things a lot less painful.

Yep. they offer the advanced rma with credit card hold. Was one of the main factors I researched before I bought my board after the recall. Saw Asus offered that so I said screw it time to make the jump.

Intel® 6 Series Resolution for ASUS Products
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for choosing ASUS motherboards for your Intel® 6 build, and registering your product with us to streamline the resolution process. We are pleased to announced that the new revision of your motherboard is now available for product replacement; to begin the RMA process, please visit the link below.

http://service.asus.com/notice/Status.aspx

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

"Soon" better be like fucking tomorrow at midnight.

 

[·feist·]

How much $$??

It's supposed to cost roughly the same as the Define cases, give or take.

Sweet case. Wish they made a shoebox style one.

Fractal Design Array R2
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=43
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=42

 

[Naked Snake]

Why is the MSI board labeled H61? Is that a typo?

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

This is the review I looked at. Looks like a reference HIS. Could always add an aftermarket cooler. Honestly I'd love to get dual 6850s myself, but I'm dual booting W7 and OS X and 6xxx drivers aren't supported on Snow Leopard as far as I can tell.

sweet.

i may spring for the MSI Cyclone 6850 very soon ($190), and then when it's upgrade time just buy a second one along with the new mobo, DDR3, and X6.