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[vandalvideo]

would gaf mind having a look at the components I am thinking about purchasing? This will be the first time I build a pc. It will be used first and foremost for racing sims. Is everything on this list compatible with each other? Any glaring mistakes? Thanks for looking.

This PC seems to be in order. You didn't make any beginners' mistakes like buying a MOBO that won't fit the case or a CPU with a different chipset than your mobo. Aside from an overpriced graphics card, its great.

 

[Ikopi]

New comp here, runs great on W7.

I have only two small problems:

- My front audio and mic jack are having problems. I have to plug my headphones and mic in a few times before it picks it up. I guess this just is a hardware problem? I tried a few different headsets, and I replugged the connection in my mobo. I have an Antec III 500 case and an asus 5Q Pro mobo.

- iTunes works and recognizes my Ipod shuffle, but I can't put anything on it. When I drag a podcast to the empty shuffle, iTunes freezes for a few seconds after which it says 'files copied', but there is nothing on my shuffle.

Other than that, games play like a breeze.

 

[AndyD]

Advice on rig prebuy:

AMD Phenom II X4 940
Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P
Antec EA650 650w PSU
EVGA Geforce GTX 260 216
ocz fatal1ty 4GB ram

or

AMD Phenom II X4 920 CPU
Biostar TFORCE TA790GX AMD 790GX HDMI AMD Motherboard
Corsair TWIN2X4096-6400C5 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM
BFG Tech GeForce GTX 260 896MB PCI-E Video Card 216 cores
BFG Tech LS-550 550W PSU

Or what better?

Budget 500-600, only need cpu, mobo, ps, memory, gpu.
Was thinking quad core and needs to run a 1080p display.

Whats the difference in Phenom IIs between AM2+ and AM3? Anything important?
A 260/216 should be enough from what I understnad.

 

[bigmit3737]

You only need to use the tiniest amount, 1 gram should last you several applications.

Ahhh. I may have used a little more than that, but then again trying to put on the heatsink took a long time and many tries.

Those plastic twisty things are really annoying and tricky when doing it for the first time.

Hopefully I should be done with my build today with Windows 7.

 

[DarthWoo]

How's this card and price in relation to what should be on the same tier, the GTX 260, according to Tomshardware:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-487_512

It's a Sapphire Radeon HD4870 for $124.99 after rebate, with another coupon code for $5 off that.

 

[brain_stew]

Advice on rig prebuy:

AMD Phenom II X4 940
Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P
Antec EA650 650w PSU
EVGA Geforce GTX 260 216
ocz fatal1ty 4GB ram

or

AMD Phenom II X4 920 CPU
Biostar TFORCE TA790GX AMD 790GX HDMI AMD Motherboard
Corsair TWIN2X4096-6400C5 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM
BFG Tech GeForce GTX 260 896MB PCI-E Video Card 216 cores
BFG Tech LS-550 550W PSU

Or what better?

Budget 500-600, only need cpu, mobo, ps, memory, gpu.
Was thinking quad core and needs to run a 1080p display.

Whats the difference in Phenom IIs between AM2+ and AM3? Anything important?
A 260/216 should be enough from what I understnad.

I'd go with a 945 rather than a 940 Phenom ii personally. Other than that the first one seems best, though I'd switch out that overprice RAM, you're paying for the "Fatility" sticker.

How's this card and price in relation to what should be on the same tier, the GTX 260, according to Tomshardware:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-487_512

It's a Sapphire Radeon HD4870 for $124.99 after rebate, with another coupon code for $5 off that.

Its a decent choice for 1680x1050 but I'd be qanting 1GB of RAM if I were buying a card for 1080p and above.

 

[rohlfinator]

Whats the difference in Phenom IIs between AM2+ and AM3? Anything important?

The main (only?) difference is that AM3 supports DDR3 RAM in addition to DDR2.

 

[MiniBossman]

Need a little motherboard advice. I went to turn on my desktop this morning and it wouldn't power on. After some detective work, I have determined my motherboard is shot.

So, I have a Intel Q6600 Quad CPU, 4 GB DDR2, 2 Nvidia 7600GT PCIe cards (not SLI this is a work PC I have 3 monitors). I was sporting the ASUS P5K, which lasted 2 months past the warranty. So looking for something much better.

Any suggestions? Looking to get away with a mobo replacement only if possible. eSata is really preferred.

 

[brain_stew]

Need a little motherboard advice. I went to turn on my desktop this morning and it wouldn't power on. After some detective work, I have determined my motherboard is shot.

So, I have a Intel Q6600 Quad CPU, 4 GB DDR2, 2 Nvidia 7600GT PCIe cards (not SLI this is a work PC I have 3 monitors). I was sporting the ASUS P5K, which lasted 2 months past the warranty. So looking for something much better.

Any suggestions? Looking to get away with a mobo replacement only if possible. eSata is really preferred.

Gigabyte P45-UD3P?

 

[AndyD]

I'd go with a 945 rather than a 940 Phenom ii personally. Other than that the first one seems best, though I'd switch out that overprice RAM, you're paying for the "Fatility" sticker.



Its a decent choice for 1680x1050 but I'd be qanting 1GB of RAM if I were buying a card for 1080p and above.

Would the 945 justify the 50 or so extra dollars over a 940 or a 920 though? Just for AM3 package? Or is there something else I am missing?

Do you have other RAM you would recommend?

And would the 260 216 run 1080p sufficiently well? I am not talking full blown Crysis, but average stuff with average settings?

 

[xxjuicesxx]

What is like the performance boost you see in a Solid State Drive over traditional hard drives? Is it too early to really use them?

 

[godhandiscen]

So I just raised the clock and my mobo keeps on delivering. I am amazed at the fact I was able to accomplish it with such a low V-Core.

I have tested my OC under extreme conditions now. stuff way worse that how I expect this place to get during summer. I am fairly certain I can achieve over 4.0Ghz on air just by raising my V-Core, but I won't pursue it. So far I have not found any difference since I achieved 3.4GHz. I think I will stick on 3.6Ghz just to be sure.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Can someone confirm my soon to be PC (just bought these parts at Fry's, gotta put it together) as a decent $930 purchase? I was aiming for a $1000 max budget and here's what I came out with:

Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3P
Processor: Intel Core2Duo E8500 3.16GHz 1333 FSB
Video Card: Diamond Radeon HD 4870 512 MB
RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2
Case: Antec Sonata Designer w/ EarthWatts 500w
HDD: Seagate SATA 1.5TB 7200 RPM
DVD: LG 22x SATA DVDRW

 

[Hazaro]

Can someone confirm my soon to be PC (just bought these parts at Fry's, gotta put it together) as a decent $930 purchase? I was aiming for a $1000 max budget and here's what I came out with:

Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3P
Processor: Intel Core2Duo E8500 3.16GHz 1333 FSB
Video Card: Diamond Radeon HD 4870 512 MB
RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2
Case: Antec Sonata Designer w/ EarthWatts 500w
HDD: Seagate SATA 1.5TB 7200 RPM
DVD: LG 22x SATA DVDRW

If you are spending 1k I'd go for i7 since it'll be worth it later on.
Looks good otherwise.

 

[Yoboman]

Okay I have an mATX case, I'm thinking of just returning it for an ATX one before I get my mobo... Is it necessary though? Right now my specs are

ASUS Rampage II GENE LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz
GeForce GTX 260
4GB RAM

So it's a pretty decent computer I'm building, I don't want my case to be too small for what I'm building. It's a great case, I'm just wondering should I return it and just go with a larger mobo and case? Or should I be fine with the mATX?

Also any suggestions for heatsink/cooling?

Please, even just the last question?

 

[MisterAnderson]

If you are spending 1k I'd go for i7 since it'll be worth it later on.
Looks good otherwise.

If I was to get an i7 it would exceed 1k, though. At least according to the quotes I just found on newegg

Edit: I've also planned to run Windows 7 64-bit on this rig and see how that is. Only problem is the anti-virus software I have is for XP. Can anyone recommend any anti-virus software for me to use with Windows 7? How much would it cost?

Also...I'm used to installing the anti-virus stuff prior to connecting to the internet so that I don't immediately get attacked by viruses when I'm online. I'm assuming all of the Windows 7 beta anti-virus software is only available to download online...so wouldn't I have to connect to the internet to download it thus putting my computer at risk? So isn't it a catch 22?

 

[Hazaro]

If I was to get an i7 it would exceed 1k, though. At least according to the quotes I just found on newegg

Edit: I've also planned to run Windows 7 64-bit on this rig and see how that is. Only problem is the anti-virus software I have is for XP. Can anyone recommend any anti-virus software for me to use with Windows 7? How much would it cost?

Also...I'm used to installing the anti-virus stuff prior to connecting to the internet so that I don't immediately get attacked by viruses when I'm online. I'm assuming all of the Windows 7 beta anti-virus software is only available to download online...so wouldn't I have to connect to the internet to download it thus putting my computer at risk? So isn't it a catch 22?

I know it would run over 1k, but that extra $200 or so will go a LOT farther later on.

 

[bee]

by the time i7 makes a significant impact in the majority of games the 32nm and/or the 6/8 (physical) core refresh will be here

isnt core i5 set to take over anyway? haven't taken much notice of it

 

[Hazaro]

by the time i7 makes a significant impact in the majority of games the 32nm and/or the 6/8 (physical) core refresh will be here

Yeah but the ~$200 upgrade is still worth it since he can use his same mobo and RAM yet still have a faster PC in the meantime.

 

[noonche]

My laptop has broken :/

How affordable are shuttle-pcs these days? Can you build a decent gaming rig for a competitive price with the smaller form factor?

 

[grap3fruitman]

I know it would run over 1k, but that extra $200 or so will go a LOT farther later on.

Yeah, it's not that much more at that point.

This is my decent i7 build and it totaled in at $1,254.37. Put it together after Gaf yelled at me for doing a Core2Quad system for a little less. =P

Should be here Monday/Tuesday. =)

You could use this as a basis for your system if you want. Just get rid of the 1.5TB hdd, Blu-ray/HD-DVD drive, and flash card reader and you're at your $1000 budget.


OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 OCZ3P1600LV6GK $99.99
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard $279.99
Rosewill RCR-IM5001 USB2.0 75 in 1 internal Card Reader $19.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V $94.49
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz Model BX80601920 $279.99
EVGA 896-P3-1260-AR GeForce GTX 260 896MB $184.99
LG Black Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA $109.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB $129.99
Antec Three Hundred $54.95

 

[MisterAnderson]

Alright so I suppose I can go back to Fry's tomorrow and swap the processor for the i7. One possible problem though, I purchased a 2 year Fry's warranty that covers the motherboard and processor...will there be any issues carrying that warranty over to the new processor I would get tomorrow? I'm not too familiar with the procedure of in-store warranty's after a return.

 

[zbarron]

So I just raised the clock and my mobo keeps on delivering. I am amazed at the fact I was able to accomplish it with such a low V-Core.

I have tested my OC under extreme conditions now. stuff way worse that how I expect this place to get during summer. I am fairly certain I can achieve over 4.0Ghz on air just by raising my V-Core, but I won't pursue it. So far I have not found any difference since I achieved 3.4GHz. I think I will stick on 3.6Ghz just to be sure.

That is nice. This is me on the stock cooler.

When I set the V-core to auto it put me at like 1.45 which had me idling around 80C. Manual is best.

 

[brain_stew]

Alright so I suppose I can go back to Fry's tomorrow and swap the processor for the i7. One possible problem though, I purchased a 2 year Fry's warranty that covers the motherboard and processor...will there be any issues carrying that warranty over to the new processor I would get tomorrow? I'm not too familiar with the procedure of in-store warranty's after a return.

You're going to need to switch out the RAM (for triple channel DDR3) and motherboard (forAN x58 board) as well.

Personally I'd have gone with a Phenom ii rig with your budget. You could probably stay under 1k yet get a fast quad core and actual decent future upgrade options. An i7 rig is worth the extra money but you won't be seeing any performance benefits at the moment, your GPU is going to be your bottleneck.

Would the 945 justify the 50 or so extra dollars over a 940 or a 920 though? Just for AM3 package? Or is there something else I am missing?

Do you have other RAM you would recommend?

And would the 260 216 run 1080p sufficiently well? I am not talking full blown Crysis, but average stuff with average settings?

That's the resolution I use mine at and it does a sterling job. I'd recommend downloading EVGA Precision (and FurMark for stability testing) as these things have huge OCing headroom. You should be able to get between a 10%-20% performance boost out of it no bother.

 

[MWS Natural]

My laptop has broken :/

How affordable are shuttle-pcs these days? Can you build a decent gaming rig for a competitive price with the smaller form factor?

Depends on how small you are talking about. I built a SFF rig for around $850 but it's not small as a shuttle, you would have to buy a mini atx board for those I believe. You can't really get any of the newer graphics cards in the really small mini atx builds though.


Thanks for the settings Hazaro they worked out nicely.

 

[Hazaro]

Thanks for the settings Hazaro they worked out nicely.

np

And would the 260 216 run 1080p sufficiently well? I am not talking full blown Crysis, but average stuff with average settings?

~60 fps everything high / max

So yes. Crysis at 30 is like 50fps so it's all gravy

 

[MisterAnderson]

You're going to need to switch out the RAM (for triple channel DDR3) and motherboard (forAN x58 board) as well.

Personally I'd have gone with a Phenom ii rig with your budget. You could probably stay under 1k yet get a fast quad core and actual decent future upgrade options. An i7 rig is worth the extra money but you won't be seeing any performance benefits at the moment, your GPU is going to be your bottleneck.

Wait, what... why can't I just switch out the core 2Duo for the i7? The whole point of the change was that my motherboard supports it so I might as well just get that with the 1k price goal for investing in it's speed benefit down the line.

All my parts are set up in my case right now, all that's missing is the processor. Was planning on getting the i7 first thing in the morning, really don't feel like replacing the mobo and RAM as well...starting to think maybe I should just stick to the processor I bought if I'm going to have to spend even more money for the i7 to be worth it.

Edit: You said you'd go with a Phenom ii...so instead of the i7 should I just get one of those instead? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103472 is that the model you're referring to?

 

[zbarron]

Wait, what... why can't I just switch out the core 2Duo for the i7? The whole point of the change was that my motherboard supports it so I might as well just get that with the 1k price goal for investing in it's speed benefit down the line.

All my parts are set up in my case right now, all that's missing is the processor. Was planning on getting the i7 first thing in the morning, really don't feel like replacing the mobo and RAM as well...starting to think maybe I should just stick to the processor I bought if I'm going to have to spend even more money for the i7 to be worth it.

Edit: You said you'd go with a Phenom ii...so instead of the i7 should I just get one of those instead? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103472 is that the model you're referring to?

You would need a new motherboard for a Phenom II as well. They are all different sockets.

 

[MisterAnderson]

You would need a new motherboard for a Phenom II as well. They are all different sockets.

So the i7 also requires a new motherboard or it was just recommended so that I could use DDR3 RAM? Because if that is the case then I think I'll just stick with the dual core intel that I initially picked up. All I really want this PC for is to ensure that Starcraft 2 and Diablo III will run and look great. I figured if I need to when it comes out I can always buy a second HD 4870 and crossfire them together.

In the meantime the only PC game I really ever play is Team Fortress 2.

 

[brain_stew]

Wait, what... why can't I just switch out the core 2Duo for the i7? The whole point of the change was that my motherboard supports it so I might as well just get that with the 1k price goal for investing in it's speed benefit down the line.

All my parts are set up in my case right now, all that's missing is the processor. Was planning on getting the i7 first thing in the morning, really don't feel like replacing the mobo and RAM as well...starting to think maybe I should just stick to the processor I bought if I'm going to have to spend even more money for the i7 to be worth it.

Edit: You said you'd go with a Phenom ii...so instead of the i7 should I just get one of those instead? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103472 is that the model you're referring to?

The Core i7 physically will not fit in a socket 775 motherbaord, nor will a Phenom ii. Core i7 also requires DDR3 RAM, and the motherboard it requires is a lot more expensive.

If you're all built up don't worry about it, your rig is fine, you could have done better for the money but no point worrying about it now. It'll still max out any game out there.

So the i7 also requires a new motherboard or it was just recommended so that I could use DDR3 RAM? Because if that is the case then I think I'll just stick with the dual core intel that I initially picked up. All I really want this PC for is to ensure that Starcraft 2 and Diablo III will run and look great. I figured if I need to when it comes out I can always buy a second HD 4870 and crossfire them together.

In the meantime the only PC game I really ever play is Team Fortress 2.

Then it'll do what you want splendidly, don't worry about it.

Oh and pick up the $5 Penumbra pack off Steam, now you're all built up!

 

[zbarron]

So the i7 also requires a new motherboard or it was just recommended so that I could use DDR3 RAM?

The motherboard you got can support the Core 2 family. There are motherboards that support the AM2+/AM3 that support things like that Phenom 2 and there are other motherboards that only support the Core i7 family. The sockets simply aren't the same size.

X58 motherboards (the core i7 ones) only support DDR3 RAM which is why they suggested it.

 

[brain_stew]

The motherboard you got can support the Core 2 family. There are motherboards that support the AM2+/AM3 that support things like that Phenom 2 and there are other motherboards that only support the Core i7 family. The sockets simply aren't the same size.

X58 motherboards (the core i7 ones) only support DDR3 RAM which is why they suggested it.

I'd like to hope that wasn't the reason. Core i7 is a nice choice because of its performance benefits, not because it requires more expensive RAM.

 

[Hazaro]

So the i7 also requires a new motherboard or it was just recommended so that I could use DDR3 RAM? Because if that is the case then I think I'll just stick with the dual core intel that I initially picked up. All I really want this PC for is to ensure that Starcraft 2 and Diablo III will run and look great. I figured if I need to when it comes out I can always buy a second HD 4870 and crossfire them together.

In the meantime the only PC game I really ever play is Team Fortress 2.

Sorry, thought you knew so it was good that brain_stew pointed it out that you'll need a new mobo and RAM :lol

But yeah that rig will fly wonderfully if that is all you are doing with it, i7 is mainly for more productive tasks if you work on computers.

Enjoy the rig, at your gaming pace I doubt you'll need xFire anytime soon
Catch up on every PC game too.

 

[markot]

Whats the best way to check ze temp >.<?

Im using a P6T asus mb, but the software doesnt work in windows 7 64 bit >.>...

I was thinking of trying to just put it up to 3ghz but ive never really overclocked before >_<

Also when I used the built in overdrive thingy with the ATI catalyst program on my 4770, it screwed it up and wasnt so stable until I turned it off...

The fan/sink for the I7 is freaking huge though... wasnt expecting it to be so big.

 

[brain_stew]

Try either RealTemp or CoreTemp.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Alright sounds good guys. Yeah I'm glad I came back to this thread because I was definitely planning to exchange the core 2 for the i7 tomorrow morning not knowing it wouldn't fit into the motherboard I have all set up (with everything else in place except for the processor) :lol

Suffice to say I would have been more than a little upset to find out it wouldn't fit on my return home. I suppose I could have spent a bit more for the better mobo/processor to "future proof" it, but yeah as long as you guys think it will run Starcraft 2/Diablo III well (I understand there's no way to really know for sure at this point... but I'm assuming it's not too hard to guess based on videos/screenshots) I am perfectly content.

I was meaning to upgrade a little more close to Starcraft 2's release so I could know for sure what to get to guarantee gaming bliss with it, but my current PC has pretty much had it and it forced me to upgrade sooner.

 

[TheHeretic]

would gaf mind having a look at the components I am thinking about purchasing? This will be the first time I build a pc. It will be used first and foremost for racing sims. Is everything on this list compatible with each other? Any glaring mistakes? Thanks for looking.



GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail $139.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B - Retail $64.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231246

EVGA 896-P3-1257-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI ... - Retail $194.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130433

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

XCLIO Windtunnel Fully Black Finish 1.0 mm SECC Chassis ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103011

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC ... - Retail $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

LITE-ON 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model iHAP222-06 - OEM $24.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106282

You should probably get a 4890. Swap the PSU for a Corsair/Seasonic 500-550, you don't need 700W.

 

[Yoboman]

Alright sounds good guys. Yeah I'm glad I came back to this thread because I was definitely planning to exchange the core 2 for the i7 tomorrow morning not knowing it wouldn't fit into the motherboard I have all set up (with everything else in place except for the processor) :lol

Suffice to say I would have been more than a little upset to find out it wouldn't fit on my return home. I suppose I could have spent a bit more for the better mobo/processor to "future proof" it, but yeah as long as you guys think it will run Starcraft 2/Diablo III well (I understand there's no way to really know for sure at this point... but I'm assuming it's not too hard to guess based on videos/screenshots) I am perfectly content.

I was meaning to upgrade a little more close to Starcraft 2's release so I could know for sure what to get to guarantee gaming bliss with it, but my current PC has pretty much had it and it forced me to upgrade sooner.

I can't imagine a Blizzard game not being easy to run for the majority of computers

 

[brain_stew]

Alright sounds good guys. Yeah I'm glad I came back to this thread because I was definitely planning to exchange the core 2 for the i7 tomorrow morning not knowing it wouldn't fit into the motherboard I have all set up (with everything else in place except for the processor) :lol

Suffice to say I would have been more than a little upset to find out it wouldn't fit on my return home. I suppose I could have spent a bit more for the better mobo/processor to "future proof" it, but yeah as long as you guys think it will run Starcraft 2/Diablo III well (I understand there's no way to really know for sure at this point... but I'm assuming it's not too hard to guess based on videos/screenshots) I am perfectly content.

I was meaning to upgrade a little more close to Starcraft 2's release so I could know for sure what to get to guarantee gaming bliss with it, but my current PC has pretty much had it and it forced me to upgrade sooner.

Considering your rig can run Crysis just fine, I doubt Starcraft 2 is going to be much of a challenge.

As you seemingly play console games then 720p/30hz/0xaa/afis is the standard you're used to. If you're happy with playing games at those sorts of settings then you won't be upgrading for a long, long time.

Just to put into some sort of perspective, your GPU is about 4/5x above RSX in most areas, so if you're happy with 3x Uncharted 2 graphics at a low estimate, then you should have nothing to worry about.

 

[TheHeretic]

Alright sounds good guys. Yeah I'm glad I came back to this thread because I was definitely planning to exchange the core 2 for the i7 tomorrow morning not knowing it wouldn't fit into the motherboard I have all set up (with everything else in place except for the processor) :lol

Suffice to say I would have been more than a little upset to find out it wouldn't fit on my return home. I suppose I could have spent a bit more for the better mobo/processor to "future proof" it, but yeah as long as you guys think it will run Starcraft 2/Diablo III well (I understand there's no way to really know for sure at this point... but I'm assuming it's not too hard to guess based on videos/screenshots) I am perfectly content.

I was meaning to upgrade a little more close to Starcraft 2's release so I could know for sure what to get to guarantee gaming bliss with it, but my current PC has pretty much had it and it forced me to upgrade sooner.

i7 requires a different motherboard yes, and you don't need i7. An E8400/4870 is a fine setup, for $1000US I would have gone Phenom II 720 / 4890 but its not a bad build by any means.

 

[zbarron]

I'd like to hope that wasn't the reason. Core i7 is a nice choice because of its performance benefits, not because it requires more expensive RAM.

By that I meant they recommended the RAM because DDR3 is a necessity with x58 motherboards.

Whats the best way to check ze temp >.<?

Im using a P6T asus mb, but the software doesnt work in windows 7 64 bit >.>...

I was thinking of trying to just put it up to 3ghz but ive never really overclocked before >_<

Also when I used the built in overdrive thingy with the ATI catalyst program on my 4770, it screwed it up and wasnt so stable until I turned it off...

The fan/sink for the I7 is freaking huge though... wasnt expecting it to be so big.

I use realtemp. It works for me. I didn't like the Asus software either. I'm using the same mobo. I just use Prime95 for stress tests, Realtemp for temps and CPUID for everything else.

 

[brain_stew]

By that I meant they recommended the RAM because DDR3 is a necessity with x58 motherboards.


I use realtemp. It works for me. I didn't like the Asus software either. I'm using the same mobo. I just use Prime95 for stress tests, Realtemp for temps and CPUID for everything else.

You really shouldn't be using Prime95 for stress testing, it doesn't really tax a modern CPU all that much. Switch to OCCT.

 

[zbarron]

You really shouldn't be using Prime95 for stress testing, it doesn't really tax a modern CPU all that much. Switch to OCCT.

Well I did but I keep failing it. It seems to think that 81C is unacceptable. We just have a difference in opinions.

 

[bigmit3737]

i7 requires a different motherboard yes, and you don't need i7. An E8400/4870 is a fine setup, for $1000US I would have gone Phenom II 720 / 4890 but its not a bad build by any means.

Yeah. Don't stress it. It's a good build. You didn't waste money.

 

[brain_stew]

Well I did but I keep failing it. It seems to think that 81C is unacceptable. We just have a difference in opinions.

Yeah, well that's probably because it is unstable? I'd rather have a rock solid, totally stable rig than an extra couple 100mhz personally. If it crashes in anything, then you know that its capable of producing errors, and that's not something I'd want to rely upon as my main rig personally.

 

[Yoboman]

What OS should I go with? Something that I definitely haven't kept up with

Is Vista now the de facto choice or is it still full of problems?

 

[Sleeker]

What OS should I go with? Something that I definitely haven't kept up with

Is Vista now the de facto choice or is it still full of problems?

Most people round here seem to think buying vista now is a waste of money.
The windows 7 beta is free and will last until after the retail version hits stores.

 

[Yoboman]

Most people round here seem to think buying vista now is a waste of money.
The windows 7 beta is free and will last until after the retail version hits stores.

Is it buggy?

 

[Grayman]

I have not had any problems

 

[brain_stew]

Is it buggy?

Not at all. Its the release candidate you have free access to, not the beta. Pretty much the full blown retail OS for free until March or so, at which time you can just buy an upgrade copy of W7.