Support NeoGAF

[Nemo]

Fuck,,, I still can't seem to fix my PC. Is it normal for components to get permanently damaged by a PC suddenly going off? I know they can because of power outings but not sure of simple bumps to the PC tower.

Does anyone know what it means when attempting to turn on the PC only a few phase LEDs flash for a second along with the fans spinning in that same second? I can't seem to find any meaning behind this in the manual, I guess I have to buy a new mobo but I want to be sure about this.

 

[Shambles]

For those SSD buffs out there,

I've started to look at the drives as the prices are starting to come down but I just came to realize I don't even know how they work. I know they are NAND flash chips and follow NAND logic but how do they maintain their data when the system is powered off? How do they differ from typical memory and is there risk of data loss on a drive that is left off for too long?

Now that Intel has undercut the competition and OCZ has responded with it's own price cuts I'm getting dangerously close to spending a ridiculous amount of $/GB for some ridiculous performance.

 

[Kosma]

Maaaan I'm still using IDE.

 

[Zeona]

Quick followup:

I got the video to come through the DVI but under the video card settings i can only go to a max of 1024x768 resolution (my screen is native 1920x1200). I can get 1920x1200 to show up as an option when i move back over to VGA. Any ideas?

probably an EDID issue. your monitor tells your video card which resolutions it accepts and your driver limits you to choosing one of those (dvi and hdmi only, thats why vga works). unless you can get an "open" driver set you have to manually override the edid settings or search for a tool to help you out / try your monitor manufacturers website.

 

[Crazymoogle]

For those SSD buffs out there,

I've started to look at the drives as the prices are starting to come down but I just came to realize I don't even know how they work. I know they are NAND flash chips and follow NAND logic but how do they maintain their data when the system is powered off? How do they differ from typical memory and is there risk of data loss on a drive that is left off for too long?

Now that Intel has undercut the competition and OCZ has responded with it's own price cuts I'm getting dangerously close to spending a ridiculous amount of $/GB for some ridiculous performance.

NAND is permanent state memory; you can't lose it even if the power is off as it's roughly the same tech as in any given USB stick. The core technology is electrically driven and vulnerable to damage due to use (ie: gates stop functioning after a lot of writes) but even if the gates stop working, the data is still readable. Likewise, airport security machines can't hurt the contents.

The X25-M v2 is seriously an amazing deal, and if OCZ responds in kind, it's time to upgrade. I won't buy a laptop without it (well, I will...but then I'll buy the X25-M 80GB v2 or something.) You could wait for Windows 7, though, and upgrade both at once...

 

[yanhero]

It actually ran worse for me. :lol

All Max with Motion on 9.6 catalyst:

http://i32.tinypic.com/iyinm8.jpg

All Max with Motion on 9.7 catalyst:

http://i29.tinypic.com/sm6lhu.jpg

Same framerate for area 3 but worse for other areas. :lol

Dammit ATI fix this shit.

Thats the variable benchmark tho isnt it? The AI controls the characters, so each time you run the benchmark it is slightly different. You can run it with the same driver and still get slightly different results. In other words, it doesn't necessarily mean 9.7 is worst than 9.6, but its definitely not better.

 

[Psychotext]

The X25-M v2 is seriously an amazing deal, and if OCZ responds in kind, it's time to upgrade

Very much so... though I wont be waiting for OCZ.

 

[MWS Natural]

Absolutely, the integrated GPU in the 790GX chipset fully supports hardware decoding if you're using a codec that supports DVXA. Its the chipset of choice for HTPC enthusiasts, decent boards should have HDMI out with full audio support as well.

Probably don't need such a high end CPU either, depends on how much encoding he's doing realy.

Edit: Come to think of it, if he wants something small I'd look into Zotac's ITX board with an integrated 9300 and wifi. Tech report used it in their swiss army knife PC, heck the case they used may be a pretty nice fit, its pretty cheap and comes with a nice PSU as well. Its still got a PCIe x16 slot so he can make it game capable in the future if he ever wants to, and it'll support an Intel Quad or cheap as chips Pentium dual core, just fine.

Ok so GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi, what kind of PSU do the mini ITX PC's take or are they all included in the cases? What kind of fans? Ah man feels like I'm starting all over with this stuff lol.

 

[MoFuzz]

Would something like this be good enough for overclocking an Intel E5200?

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=17225&vpn=FREEZER-7-PRO&manufacture=Arctic Cooling

I should be able to price match it down to about $20, is that a good buy?

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

just wanted to say that i've been so happy ever i got my 2 GTX 260. crysis runs maxed out (or nearly i think)@1920x1200 and 45 and less frames(but never less than 21 but only once in a heavily wooded area oddly)

 

[Fredescu]

I've started to look at the drives as the prices are starting to come down but I just came to realize I don't even know how they work.

The long version: http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531

 

[Viewtiful Joe]

What do you guys think about HannSpree monitors?

I can get a brand new one, 25" for $200 at Best Buy. Regular price is $260, but a friend that works at Best Buy can do me a discount.

Here is the link.

These are some of the specs:

◦Ultrafast 2 ms response time
Provides fast data processing for reliable efficiency and lush images.

◦25" widescreen flat-panel LCD
Displays documents, Web sites, photos and videos with resounding clarity.

◦15,000:1 X-Contrast dynamic contrast ratio
Delivers intense colors with rich detail.

◦300 cd/m² brightness
Clearly displays what's on the screen so your shows, movies and games look their best.

◦1920 x 1080 native resolution in 16:9 format
Brings movies, sporting events and video games to life for a realistic cinema-style viewing format with stunning image clarity.

◦170° horizontal and 160° vertical viewing angles
Provide comfortable viewing from any angle.

◦Dual HDMI inputs
Allow easy connection to a Blu-ray Disc player, set-top box or other HD component. 15-pin D-sub input for connecting analog video devices. Mini audio jack.

◦Antiglare screen treatment
Reduces glare for use in most lighting conditions.

◦2 built-in speakers
Deliver a controlled audio experience and create a stylish, integrated look.

◦PC and Mac compatible
For convenient use at home or in the office.

◦ENERGY STAR qualified
Assures a high standard of energy efficiency. Meets guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.


What do you guys think? Is it a good monitor?

 

[MWS Natural]

Well buddy decided he wanted something to last him 5 years so he put up a bit more cash, ended up with:

AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz
ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX
CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA
COOLER MASTER RS-460-PSAR-J3 460W ATX12V V2.31 Power Supply
COOLER MASTER Elite 360 RC-360-KKN1-GP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mini Tower
OCZ Vertex Series OCZSSD2-1VTX60G 2.5" 60GB


Total $651.47 after rebates.

 

[IceMarker]

Hey guys, I have an overclocking related question...

So my computer has a GeForce 9100 chipset integrated into the motherboard, which is a nForce 720a. I recently downloaded the NVIDIA Performance tools from Nvidia's website and apparently there are some sliders in a new performance section of my Nvidia control panel, allowing me to tweak the clocks of my 4 AMD Phenom cores and my 9100. Below is a picture of the above mentioned.

My question is what should I do to increase the performance of my parts?
(and what the hell all can I do with this new set of tools?) :lol

--

EDIT: HOLY HELL! So I decided to test out these tools for myself (I'm still wanting a reply though), so I ran Dolphin r3870 64-bit and loaded up my copy of Zelda Wind Waker and stood on a ledge where my frames would drop. Now my machine is factory clocked at 200 MHz (2.2 GHz) and I had it set up so that HWMonitor was open along with NVCP so I could keep an eye on CPU temperatures.
Here's some data... (I only messed with CPU.)
Test 1: 200 MHz - 49C - 30-35 FPS (Stock Speeds)
Test 2: 220 MHz - 51C - 32-37 FPS (I already feel nervous about pushing my CPU too hard.)
Test 3: 240 MHz - 52C - 35-40 FPS (Now I feel like I'm REALLY pushing it here, but the FPS increase is nice.)
Test 4: 280 MHz - ??? - ??? FPS

The second I hit apply on Test 4 BAM! My comp starts freaking out and freezes so I panic and hold the power button for 10 seconds to shut down. Thankfully I reboot fine and the clock settings weren't saved to the hard drive. Temps at normal again.

So I ask GAF once again: What can I truly do with these tools? (AKA nTune 6) What re my limitations and what should I watch out for?

 

[Ceebs]

Any recommendation on a new GPU for me? Running a non OC'd Phenom II X3 720, and 4bg of RAM. My monitor's max resolution is 1400X900 and I do not plan on replacing it any time soon so I do not need something that can push full 1080p. Looking for something that will let me max settings at that resolution. Most I really want to spend is 200, but the less the better.

 

[Firestorm]

Any recommendation on a new GPU for me? Running a non OC'd Phenom II X3 720, and 4bg of RAM. My monitor's max resolution is 1400X900 and I do not plan on replacing it any time soon so I do not need something that can push full 1080p. Looking for something that will let me max settings at that resolution. Most I really want to spend is 200, but the less the better.

I think a 4870 or GTX 260 would be more than enough for the job. Although $200 is enough to get you a 4890 or GTX 275.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150329
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150394
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269

4890 for $180: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276

 

[Ceebs]

I think a 4870 or GTX 260 would be more than enough for the job. Although $200 is enough to get you a 4890 or GTX 275.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150329
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150394
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269

4890 for $180: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276

Thanks, think the performance boost of the 4890 would be worth the extra money for my resolution?

 

[FromTheFuture]

Thanks, think the performance boost of the 4890 would be worth the extra money for my resolution?

IMO it would be smart to go for the 4890 if you can spare the money. That is, if you care about playing games at the best possible settings and whatnot.

 

[MWS Natural]

Thanks, think the performance boost of the 4890 would be worth the extra money for my resolution?

At your resolution it's not worth it unless you plan on having the card when you get a new monitor.

 

[brain_stew]

Ok so GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi, what kind of PSU do the mini ITX PC's take or are they all included in the cases? What kind of fans? Ah man feels like I'm starting all over with this stuff lol.

Like I say check out Tech Report's build, the case they chose was super tiny and came with a really nice integrated PSU and still has room for a proper GPU and a Core 2 quad.

 

[brain_stew]

Hey guys, I have an overclocking related question...

So my computer has a GeForce 9100 chipset integrated into the motherboard, which is a nForce 720a. I recently downloaded the NVIDIA Performance tools from Nvidia's website and apparently there are some sliders in a new performance section of my Nvidia control panel, allowing me to tweak the clocks of my 4 AMD Phenom cores and my 9100. Below is a picture of the above mentioned.

My question is what should I do to increase the performance of my parts?
(and what the hell all can I do with this new set of tools?) :lol

--

EDIT: HOLY HELL! So I decided to test out these tools for myself (I'm still wanting a reply though), so I ran Dolphin r3870 64-bit and loaded up my copy of Zelda Wind Waker and stood on a ledge where my frames would drop. Now my machine is factory clocked at 200 MHz (2.2 GHz) and I had it set up so that HWMonitor was open along with NVCP so I could keep an eye on CPU temperatures.
Here's some data... (I only messed with CPU.)
Test 1: 200 MHz - 49C - 30-35 FPS (Stock Speeds)
Test 2: 220 MHz - 51C - 32-37 FPS (I already feel nervous about pushing my CPU too hard.)
Test 3: 240 MHz - 52C - 35-40 FPS (Now I feel like I'm REALLY pushing it here, but the FPS increase is nice.)
Test 4: 280 MHz - ??? - ??? FPS

The second I hit apply on Test 4 BAM! My comp starts freaking out and freezes so I panic and hold the power button for 10 seconds to shut down. Thankfully I reboot fine and the clock settings weren't saved to the hard drive. Temps at normal again.

So I ask GAF once again: What can I truly do with these tools? (AKA nTune 6) What re my limitations and what should I watch out for?

Never OC a CPU in Winows. Ever.

Do it properly through the BIOS and read up some guides first, most of all take your time.

Its silly overclocking an integrated GPU, for a start it'll be passively cooled but more importantly that thing is integrated in your northbridge, damage that and your whole motherboard is useless. Plus, you'd be going from horrendous performance to slightly less horrendous performance, meaning the whole process is worthless. Just buy a dedicated GPU, then by all means, clock that if you wish, EVGA Precision + Furmark/ATI Tool are best/simplest for Nvidia GPU clocking, I find.

 

[brain_stew]

Any recommendation on a new GPU for me? Running a non OC'd Phenom II X3 720, and 4bg of RAM. My monitor's max resolution is 1400X900 and I do not plan on replacing it any time soon so I do not need something that can push full 1080p. Looking for something that will let me max settings at that resolution. Most I really want to spend is 200, but the less the better.

A 4850 is all you'll need, you can spend more but be aware, your bang for buck will be decreasing the higher you step up that price ladder. The $80 ICEQ4 4850 I posted earlier is perfect for your resolution.

 

[Psychotext]

Another question on graphics cards (sorry, I'm very out of touch these days)...

HDMI output (including audio) is extremely important to me as I plan on using my TV mostly for PC gaming. Every 4890 I see seems to indicate that they support 5.1 / 7.1 audio over HDMI... which leads me to assume that they have an onboard audio processor. Is that right? Would that be inferior to my X-Fi?

The Nvidia cards aren't so clear. Apparently some of them can do it... but it never seems to be mentioned on product pages at the stores I've looked at so I'm not too confident about it. From what I know they seem to sell an adapter which connect your audio card to the graphics card and from there I don't know.

It's very confusing. =/

 

[Ceebs]

A 4850 is all you'll need, you can spend more but be aware, your bang for buck will be decreasing the higher you step up that price ladder. The $80 ICEQ4 4850 I posted earlier is perfect for your resolution.

Really? What sort of frame rate would I expect with that if I tried to max out AA on something modern.

 

[Manp]

Another question on graphics cards (sorry, I'm very out of touch these days)...

HDMI output (including audio) is extremely important to me as I plan on using my TV mostly for PC gaming. Every 4890 I see seems to indicate that they support 5.1 / 7.1 audio over HDMI... which leads me to assume that they have an onboard audio processor. Is that right? Would that be inferior to my X-Fi?

correct.
4xx0 cards support up to 7.1 audio (even HD codecs if not protected by drm afaik) and yes they have a realtek audio codec on board.

The Nvidia cards aren't so clear. Apparently some of them can do it... but it never seems to be mentioned on product pages at the stores I've looked at so I'm not too confident about it. From what I know they seem to sell an adapter which connect your audio card to the graphics card and from there I don't know.

It's very confusing. =/

nvidia cards have only a spdif pass through. that means you can connect the spdif out from your audio card (being it discrete or integrated in the mb) to a connector on the video card itself.

it doesn't support anything that doesn't work on spdif so only 2ch pcm, dolby digital 5.1 and dts (no hd audio basically).

cards that follow reference design should have this connector but it's a really poor implementation of hdmi audio if you ask me

 

[Psychotext]

correct.
4xx0 cards support up to 7.1 audio (even HD codecs if not protected by drm afaik) and yes they have a realtek audio codec on board.

Thanks. Is this audio chip any good?

Anyone know if switching between audio cards can be scripted? I'm trying to make it as seamless as possible, ideally just clicking one icon to switch my primary monitor and default audio card.

 

[Ikuu]

Unfortunately I don't think it's possible, some applications let you specify which audio device to use.

 

[SarBear]

The Q6600 is one of the best clockers around. 3ghz should be a piece of cake and many have got as much as 3.6ghz. Your motherboard is a proven clocker as well. I'd recommend picking up this to aid your OCing:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004

And then, pick up this GPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121311

or perhaps, this if you want to stick with Nvidia:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150387

Wow, thanks for the reply. As far as which card, it really makes no difference about the company. Which is better? If I'm going to buy a card for 200 I'd rather get the best one. -_-

That cpu cooler looks to be ace. And also, if you have spare time, would you mind recommending a site to overclock my mobo/processor? Thanks.

 

[Firestorm]

The 4890 works better in some games, the 275 works better in others. At least from benchmarks I've seen. I like the 275 as I really wanna play Mirror's Edge on PC (beat it on 360) and the 275 offers nVidia's PhysX stuff.

 

[Krakatoa]

Fuck,,, I still can't seem to fix my PC. Is it normal for components to get permanently damaged by a PC suddenly going off? I know they can because of power outings but not sure of simple bumps to the PC tower.

Does anyone know what it means when attempting to turn on the PC only a few phase LEDs flash for a second along with the fans spinning in that same second? I can't seem to find any meaning behind this in the manual, I guess I have to buy a new mobo but I want to be sure about this.

I am not sure of your type of motherboard, but that error sometimes means that either CPU or Memory is not seated correctly.

I would reseat both the CPU and Memory and try again.

 

[shadowsdarknes]

What do you guys think of this laptop?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BH4Q82/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I've looked around and I seem pretty pleased with this. I'm not really looking to game on it.. Maybe some light gaming.. Nothing from 2007 or 2008 really. I already have a gaming PC.

It's 1285.00 after you add it to the cart.

 

[Manp]

Thanks. Is this audio chip any good?

not sure how to answer this question. it's just streaming a digital signal as is over HDMI to your audio equipment.
it depends more on what you connect your pc to.

Anyone know if switching between audio cards can be scripted? I'm trying to make it as seamless as possible, ideally just clicking one icon to switch my primary monitor and default audio card.

when i turn on the TV and switch it to the proper HDMI input it's automatically detected and multi monitor configuration switch to clone. HDMI audio is automatically selected too so i just turn off my monitor and i'm ready to go.

when i power off the tv everything switch back as it was before. pretty straightforward i'd say.

 

[brain_stew]

What do you guys think of this laptop?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BH4Q82/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I've looked around and I seem pretty pleased with this. I'm not really looking to game on it.. Maybe some light gaming.. Nothing from 2007 or 2008 really. I already have a gaming PC.

It's 1285.00 after you add it to the cart.

Well for a start its not a laptop its a desktop replacement. You need to be very sure of this in your head before buying. Other than that, it doesn't seem the best deal really, a 2ghz core clock isn't what I'd be wanting if I'm spending that much money.

Edit: You already have a gaming PC? Um, yeah, that's a fucking terrible option then.

 

[brain_stew]

Really? What sort of frame rate would I expect with that if I tried to max out AA on something modern.

Any multiplatform games should be a smooth 60fps at maxed out settings pretty much accross the board. Crysis will be 30fps with as good as/better than very high graphics if you use a custom config (which you absiolutely should do). The built in edgeAA is much more useful in Crysis so you wouldn't be using AA in that game anyway.

 

[Firestorm]

What do you guys think of this laptop?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BH4Q82/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I've looked around and I seem pretty pleased with this. I'm not really looking to game on it.. Maybe some light gaming.. Nothing from 2007 or 2008 really. I already have a gaming PC.

It's 1285.00 after you add it to the cart.

Don't do it. 15.4" is already a tad heavier than I'd like. 17" for portability is no good. If you already have a gaming PC, there's no reason to go this big for your laptop.

 

[brain_stew]

Wow, thanks for the reply. As far as which card, it really makes no difference about the company. Which is better? If I'm going to buy a card for 200 I'd rather get the best one. -_-

That cpu cooler looks to be ace. And also, if you have spare time, would you mind recommending a site to overclock my mobo/processor? Thanks.

www.overclock.net is where I'd be heading, they answer most of my queries.

There'll likely be a specific thread for Q6600 OCing and your DS4 board, both of which will be worth a read through.

The forums over at www.overclockers.co.uk have some pretty good guides, though I'd avoid the actual store itself.

 

[shadowsdarknes]

Well for a start its not a laptop its a desktop replacement. You need to be very sure of this in your head before buying. Other than that, it doesn't seem the best deal really, a 2ghz core clock isn't what I'd be wanting if I'm spending that much money.

Edit: You already have a gaming PC? Um, yeah, that's a fucking terrible option then.

Hmmm.. Well it's for college. I figured something bigger would be easier to type on without using an external KB.

I guess I should look at the 15.4 inch laptops.

 

[brain_stew]

Hmmm.. Well it's for college. I figured something bigger would be easier to type on without using an external KB.

I guess I should look at the 15.4 inch laptops.

Are you taking you gaming rig with you to college?

15.6" laptops have full size keyboards, many even have a numpad as well. Should have no issues typing.

 

[shadowsdarknes]

Nah I don't think I'm going to take it. I'm staying with 2 other people in 1 room so I don't think I'll have room.

This laptop seems pretty good.

There's a video on youtube of a guy playing the Crysis demo on High settings with little to no issues with this exact same laptop.

Actually, an Amazon Store called Mobile advance has it for 50 bucks cheaper with free shipping. $1198.00

 

[IceMarker]

Never OC a CPU in Winows. Ever.

Do it properly through the BIOS and read up some guides first, most of all take your time.

Its silly overclocking an integrated GPU, for a start it'll be passively cooled but more importantly that thing is integrated in your northbridge, damage that and your whole motherboard is useless. Plus, you'd be going from horrendous performance to slightly less horrendous performance, meaning the whole process is worthless. Just buy a dedicated GPU, then by all means, clock that if you wish, EVGA Precision + Furmark/ATI Tool are best/simplest for Nvidia GPU clocking, I find.

Alright, thanks for the reply brain_stew!

And yea, I plan on getting a GTX 260, but I'm afraid of CPU bottlenecks. Should my 2.2 GHz Quad Core be fine though? (Or should I risk and a minor OC after all?)

 

[brain_stew]

Alright, thanks for the reply brain_stew!

And yea, I plan on getting a GTX 260, but I'm afraid of CPU bottlenecks. Should my 2.2 GHz Quad Core be fine though? (Or should I risk and a minor OC after all?)

If you do your OCing through the BIOS you're not taking any risk at all really. Just read up beforehand.

You may well be CPU limited in any games that don't use more than 2 cores, yes so an OC is recommended. The original Phenom's didn't clock too well but if you can get 2.6ghz out of it, you should see a real tangible performance increase.

 

[TheHeretic]

Hey guys, I have an overclocking related question...

So my computer has a GeForce 9100 chipset integrated into the motherboard, which is a nForce 720a. I recently downloaded the NVIDIA Performance tools from Nvidia's website and apparently there are some sliders in a new performance section of my Nvidia control panel, allowing me to tweak the clocks of my 4 AMD Phenom cores and my 9100. Below is a picture of the above mentioned.

My question is what should I do to increase the performance of my parts?
(and what the hell all can I do with this new set of tools?) :lol

--

EDIT: HOLY HELL! So I decided to test out these tools for myself (I'm still wanting a reply though), so I ran Dolphin r3870 64-bit and loaded up my copy of Zelda Wind Waker and stood on a ledge where my frames would drop. Now my machine is factory clocked at 200 MHz (2.2 GHz) and I had it set up so that HWMonitor was open along with NVCP so I could keep an eye on CPU temperatures.
Here's some data... (I only messed with CPU.)
Test 1: 200 MHz - 49C - 30-35 FPS (Stock Speeds)
Test 2: 220 MHz - 51C - 32-37 FPS (I already feel nervous about pushing my CPU too hard.)
Test 3: 240 MHz - 52C - 35-40 FPS (Now I feel like I'm REALLY pushing it here, but the FPS increase is nice.)
Test 4: 280 MHz - ??? - ??? FPS

The second I hit apply on Test 4 BAM! My comp starts freaking out and freezes so I panic and hold the power button for 10 seconds to shut down. Thankfully I reboot fine and the clock settings weren't saved to the hard drive. Temps at normal again.

So I ask GAF once again: What can I truly do with these tools? (AKA nTune 6) What re my limitations and what should I watch out for?

Brain_Stew is correct (no surprises there), overclocking your CPU within windows is not a good idea. You need full control over a wide range of things to do it properly, and Windows apps aren't to be trusted.

And yea, I plan on getting a GTX 260, but I'm afraid of CPU bottlenecks. Should my 2.2 GHz Quad Core be fine though? (Or should I risk and a minor OC after all?)

2.2ghz is a bottleneck. Apparently 9100's cap out at 2.6ghz which means they are pretty dreadful overclockers, but its worth doing all the same. Google the safe voltages/temperatures, I myself have explained overclocking in detail a few times in this thread.

Any recommendation on a new GPU for me? Running a non OC'd Phenom II X3 720, and 4bg of RAM. My monitor's max resolution is 1400X900 and I do not plan on replacing it any time soon so I do not need something that can push full 1080p. Looking for something that will let me max settings at that resolution. Most I really want to spend is 200, but the less the better.

At a low resolution like that you are on easy street. A 4850 is a good option. Heres a cheapy:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244

Up the ladder would be a 260 GTX:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150329

As to what you need depends on your expectations. If you don't mind buying a new graphics card every 2 years or so (your CPU will last a long time, and its a good overclocker) get a 4850 for cheap and get something better later on. If you want something with legs get a 260 GTX. Video RAM makes no difference at that resolution, so 512 is more than enough.

 

[IceMarker]

If you do your OCing through the BIOS you're not taking any risk at all really. Just read up beforehand.

You may well be CPU limited in any games that don't use more than 2 cores, yes so an OC is recommended. The original Phenom's didn't clock too well but if you can get 2.6ghz out of it, you should see a real tangible performance increase.

Any place I could look to learn how to OC through the bios?


@TheHeretic
I would rather have 2.6 GHz than 2.2 bottlenecked.

By the way, could I safely overclock without having to buy cooling equipment?

 

[TheHeretic]

Any place I could look to learn how to OC through the bios?

@TheHeretic
I would rather have 2.6 GHz than 2.2 bottlenecked.

By the way, could I safely overclock without having to buy cooling equipment?

Google overclocking guides. Heres a writeup I did some time ago for a gaffer:

Use Realtemp or Coretemp to monitor your temperatures. Below 50C is optimal, below 60C is safe and above 60C is dangerous. The absolute threshold for you is 71 degrees.

Change these settings through the bios. Upping the CPU's voltage will increase stability allowing for better speeds, but also increases the temperature of the CPU. Voltage thats too high can damage your CPU regardless of the temperatures.

For a Q6600, the CPU voltage thresholds are:

Below 1.4v is completely safe
Between 1.4-1.45v is moderate but safe
1.5v is the boundary to which your CPU may experience a deceased lifespan

Don't push your North Bridge voltage above 1.4, you can leave it on automatic which will be fine if you like.

Remember, total CPU speed = Multiplier x FSB. As you have DDR2 800, your RAM has a speed of 400 (for reasons that are convoluted, just trust me). So try to set it so that your FSB is as close to 400 as possible. For example, for a 3.2ghz overlock: 8x400 is better than 9x355, though the speeds are identical. Setting your CPU's FSB higher than your RAM will mean you have to overclock your RAM, which you don't need to do. RAM can be faster than your CPU, your CPU cannot be faster than your RAM. Don't do 7x450 unless you are willing to overclock your RAM.

Expect anywhere from 3ghz to 3.6ghz depending on the quality of your chip (which is random). Tinker with speeds and voltages until your CPU is completely stable at the lowest possible voltage.

To test stability, download OCCT and run a 1 hour test. If you pass and your temperatures don't exceed 60 by too much, your CPU is stable and healthy. OCCT will push your CPU harder than anything else you would otherwise run will, if you can pass it without crashing you are fine. If your computer crashes (and if you are doing it right, it will, alot!) don't worry. Crashing because you set it too high won't hurt your CPU, only pumping insane voltages into it or letting it overheat will.

This doesn't apply to your CPU so don't take all of that to heart, but theres good info there.

I'm not familiar with your CPU so I don't know what the thresholds are. I'll look them up and get back to you.

Its a 9100e right? Is the stock speed1.8ghz?

 

[MoFuzz]

Would something like this be good enough for overclocking an Intel E5200?

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=17225&vpn=FREEZER-7-PRO&manufacture=Arctic Cooling

I should be able to price match it down to about $20, is that a good buy?

Anybody?

 

[TheExodu5]

Anybody?

It's a very good cooler for the money. It's not very far off the more expensive $70 Thermalright Ultra 120 or Zalman 9700.

 

[brain_stew]

Any place I could look to learn how to OC through the bios?


@TheHeretic
I would rather have 2.6 GHz than 2.2 bottlenecked.

By the way, could I safely overclock without having to buy cooling equipment?

www.overclock.net would be a good place to start. The stock Phenom HSF is actually pretty decent just be sure to watch temps as always and since you're not going to be pushing the chip much anyway it should suffice for a 2.4-2.6ghz OC.

Anybody?

More than sufficent for an E5200. Heat won't be a bottleneck with that, so not much need to spend anymore.

 

[Ceebs]

Any multiplatform games should be a smooth 60fps at maxed out settings pretty much accross the board. Crysis will be 30fps with as good as/better than very high graphics if you use a custom config (which you absiolutely should do). The built in edgeAA is much more useful in Crysis so you wouldn't be using AA in that game anyway.

Thanks for the info. About to pull the trigger on one, but any brand I should look out for? I am still using my ancient Chieftec Dragon case so not really sure how well it cools. Would an open fan be fine or should I grab one of the ones with the built in cooling ducts.

 

[Milpool]

Currently running a Core2Duo E8200 oc @ 3.2, would I notice much of an improvement in games upgrading to a Phenom II X4 940? I game at 1920X1080, plus I do some encoding which I'm sure it would come in handy for.

 

[brain_stew]

Any place I could look to learn how to OC through the bios?


@TheHeretic
I would rather have 2.6 GHz than 2.2 bottlenecked.

By the way, could I safely overclock without having to buy cooling equipment?

This thing's an absolute steal, one of the best coolers you'll find on a GPU before going aftermarket:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244