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[brain_stew]

That's the plan

And if I was to get hit by inport tax I guess that would ruin the savings, so I may as well wait.

Hey, oftentimes its worth the risk, just be aware that if you do get stung it won't just be a simple 15% VAT charge (which I'm sure most would find reasonable and be prepared to pay), the buggers will try and screw you out of as much as possible and they're not afraid of opening up packages either.

 

[John]

Well, I have a Q9400, currently cooled by a Zalman CNPS 9500A LED And at 3.6Ghz it tops out at 45-50c at OCCT load and if I leave it at stock doesn't go past 40c.

Anyway, sources of noise can come from everywhere, for example I had a 80mm case fan pointing at my CPU (Which was fine with a Gigabyte NeonCooler 775). The moment I installed this new HSF, the fan became loud as hell because of the change of airflow. It is now set as an exhaust fan, it is much quieter and cooling has not been compromised.

Basically, fan noise varies from case to case, cooling system to cooling system and change of components can affect others, so you need to literally go by ear to source the point of noise.

Also, use EVGA Precision to control your GPU fan speed, you'll notice the difference.

Edit: On that note my PC is as quiet as it has ever been (with 7 fans in total spinning away!), and is still mighty cool even when overclocked. I think I have at least 12 months now where I actually do not need to replace a single component, I am happy!

More edit: That Asus Lion Sqaure got a pretty average review at Frostytech, maybe you should consider an alternative.

Thanks, and Hazaro too. The fan on my case's roof (Antec 300) was rattling the whole thing like crazy, so I took it off and it's a lot quieter and SpeedFan doesn't detect any significant heat difference, even while gaming.

Would you recommend a Freezer 7 as a quiet heatsink? I know people swear by it as far as cooling goes, but the noise is more my concern.

 

[zbarron]

My Dell POS died the other day, so I asked my friend to build one for me. I don't know too much about this kind of thing, so I want to get some thoughts on what he put together.

I do some gaming, but I also have a 360 so a gaming pc is cool but not a huge deal. I do however like to do 3d modeling, and he told me this build would be good for that stuff.

Basically, is this a good pc for the price? Any changes I should tell him to make? Would it be able to play currently released games?

If you want to stay with the socket 1156 and not go for the i7 920 I'd recommend getting this i7 860 from Microcenter for $30 more if you have a store near you.
http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317378

You need to change to dual channel memory and get a better power supply as stated before.

 

[KiKaL]

Figured this is the best place to get help with this. I want to upgrade my CPU, mobo and I assume I have to do ram also. I am completely out of the loop one what is actually good with quadcores and dual cores.

I currently have
Epox nforce npaj sli mobo
AMD athalon 64 3500+
4 gigs of 2700 ram
Nvidia GTX 260 graphics card
500watt PSU

I want to spend maybe $300. What would be my best option?

edit- would this be a good deal?

 

[evlcookie]

The new intels really did throw a spanner in the works even if they aren't selling like hot cakes.

I did some basic calculations when it comes to various builds (All prices in AUD). An i7 920 with 6GB of ram is $830 and an i7 860 with 8GB is $829 :lol

I'm really torn as to which way i would go if i decide to ugprade at all. The 920 seems more future proof in my eyes, in 18 months all i need to do is drop in a new cpu (6 core) and a new videocard and i'm set for another few years. That's even if i feel the need to upgrade after 18 months. With the 1156 it's a different story. In 18 months i would need to rebuild costing me more money. Is the $1 - $150 saving worth it right now, it feels like a no to me.

I'm feeling the itch to upgrade once again even though my pc is only 1yr old. E7200 @ 3.2 with a 4850 and i have an ssd sitting at home waiting to be used as an OS drive. But the feeling of building a new pc and doing it right this time, is so strong.

 

[Swag]

Just bought this off Newegg this morning, but realised a couple minutes ago the DVD drive is OEM so it doesn't come with any cables ( SATA ?? ).

Do they generally come with the case, or do I have to buy them additionally considering the drive is just the drive and nothing else. Could I take the cable from the computer that I'm using right now and just use it in the new setup?

Never built a pc before so I'm worrying about everything

 

[Animator]

The new intels really did throw a spanner in the works even if they aren't selling like hot cakes.

I did some basic calculations when it comes to various builds (All prices in AUD). An i7 920 with 6GB of ram is $830 and an i7 860 with 8GB is $829 :lol

I'm really torn as to which way i would go if i decide to ugprade at all. The 920 seems more future proof in my eyes, in 18 months all i need to do is drop in a new cpu (6 core) and a new videocard and i'm set for another few years. That's even if i feel the need to upgrade after 18 months. With the 1156 it's a different story. In 18 months i would need to rebuild costing me more money. Is the $1 - $150 saving worth it right now, it feels like a no to me.

I'm feeling the itch to upgrade once again even though my pc is only 1yr old. E7200 @ 3.2 with a 4850 and i have an ssd sitting at home waiting to be used as an OS drive. But the feeling of building a new pc and doing it right this time, is so strong.

I am wondering about this as well. Built and ordered a 920 system last saturday but thinking about changing it to lynnfield tomorrow.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Just bought this off Newegg this morning, but realised a couple minutes ago the DVD drive is OEM so it doesn't come with any cables ( SATA ?? ).

Do they generally come with the case, or do I have to buy them additionally considering the drive is just the drive and nothing else. Could I take the cable from the computer that I'm using right now and just use it in the new setup?

Never built a pc before so I'm worrying about everything

The motherboard will include at least a couple SATA cables.

 

[Zaptruder]

I am wondering about this as well. Built and ordered a 920 system last saturday but thinking about changing it to lynnfield tomorrow.

Seriously, I hate these new LGA1156 chips because of this reason.

They're there, teasing me, but fuck, I want to build an upgradable computer!

But I guess the issue is made a little easier for me to decide on, because I need hyperthreading for 3D rendering apps.

 

[Diablohead]

Hey, oftentimes its worth the risk, just be aware that if you do get stung it won't just be a simple 15% VAT charge (which I'm sure most would find reasonable and be prepared to pay), the buggers will try and screw you out of as much as possible and they're not afraid of opening up packages either.

I had two games stopped once and they ended up charging me vat, storage fees and some other bullshit, and it was only two copies of LP colonies for 360 (£15 each, £22 each after royal mail)

I can wait, would be nice to have a SSD but if I do get stung that's all my savings gone while I am jobless.

 

[Minsc]

The new intels really did throw a spanner in the works even if they aren't selling like hot cakes.

I did some basic calculations when it comes to various builds (All prices in AUD). An i7 920 with 6GB of ram is $830 and an i7 860 with 8GB is $829 :lol

I'm really torn as to which way i would go if i decide to ugprade at all. The 920 seems more future proof in my eyes, in 18 months all i need to do is drop in a new cpu (6 core) and a new videocard and i'm set for another few years. That's even if i feel the need to upgrade after 18 months. With the 1156 it's a different story. In 18 months i would need to rebuild costing me more money. Is the $1 - $150 saving worth it right now, it feels like a no to me.

I'm feeling the itch to upgrade once again even though my pc is only 1yr old. E7200 @ 3.2 with a 4850 and i have an ssd sitting at home waiting to be used as an OS drive. But the feeling of building a new pc and doing it right this time, is so strong.

Right now the Core i9 line is slated for intel's highest market, which basically means don't be surprised to see it stay around the $1000 price tag, for quite a while after release, probably never reaching the price where it makes sense to get one for gaming or normal use.

 

[Romance Pie]

Thanks, and Hazaro too. The fan on my case's roof (Antec 300) was rattling the whole thing like crazy, so I took it off and it's a lot quieter and SpeedFan doesn't detect any significant heat difference, even while gaming.

Would you recommend a Freezer 7 as a quiet heatsink? I know people swear by it as far as cooling goes, but the noise is more my concern.

I have a Arctic Freezer 7 Pro cooler and it is really quiet. The loudest thing in my case is the humming of 4 HDDs. The only problem with it though, just cuts into one of my ram slots by a couple of millimetres.
Was thinking about getting one of those Xigmatek 1284 and throwing on a PWM Noctua fan when they get released. But would only worry once I want to get another 4 gigs of ram for photoshop and Win 7.

 

[Confusatron]

Hi all. I upgraded my system about a year and a half ago. Here is what I am currently running:
Intel C2D E8400
4GB Ram
Geforce 8800GT
Win7 x64 RC1

The system is running great, I get all the performance I need out of it. Well, I was. Then I got my hands on a Geforce 3d Vision kit (glasses + monitor). The majority of my games still run just fine, but a handful are now bringing my system to its knees. Only when 3d Vision is enabled.

So to get to the point, I'm starting to think about what I can do to correct the issue. I'm not too keen on rebuilding the core of the system (CPU + MB). What I would like is some honest feedback on whether or not GAF thinks a video card upgrade will be sufficient.

Also, assuming I do go the video card route, I'm thinking about holding out for the NVidia dx11 announcement. I have to stick with NVidia for 3d Vision. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dionysus]

I believe for 3D vision you need something like twice the framerate for the same perceived smoothness of non-3D.

Obviously if 3D vision is important to you you should stick with Nvidia. Just be aware that whenever they release the DX11 cards, given Nvidia's history, they will probably be pretty expensive unless they just aren't as good as the ATI releases.

 

[Confusatron]

I believe for 3D vision you need something like twice the framerate for the same perceived smoothness of non-3D.

Obviously if 3D vision is important to you you should stick with Nvidia. Just be aware that whenever they release the DX11 cards, given Nvidia's history, they will probably be pretty expensive unless they just aren't as good as the ATI releases.

Point taken about new NVidia cards. I do intend on sticking with 3d Vision. It might be a little gimicky, but it is also a lot of fun.

If I give up on dx11 for now, how do the $200ish Geforce cards compare to an 8800GT? Do they blow the 8800GT away?

 

[dionysus]

Point taken about new NVidia cards. I do intend on sticking with 3d Vision. It might be a little gimicky, but it is also a lot of fun.

If I give up on dx11 for now, how do the $200ish Geforce cards compare to an 8800GT? Do they blow the 8800GT away?

A 260 or greater is going to be a good upgrate over an 8800GT. I'd recommend the 275. Keep in mind that Nvidia might drop the prices soon on their existing cards in response to ATIs DX11 releases. I can't imagine them being able to keep the 295 at the current price point for much longer.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

What has been the consensus about whether i7 or i5 is better?

 

[rohlfinator]

What has been the consensus about whether i7 or i5 is better?

i5 750 is pretty much the best bang-for-your-buck chip on the market right now, especially for gaming. i7 860 might be worth the added $100 for certain workloads that take advantage of hyperthreading, but that's only a few cases.

I can't see of any good reason to go with the i7 9xx line now unless you're running 3+ GPUs or want to upgrade to the expensive six-core i9 line next year.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

i5 750 is pretty much the best bang-for-your-buck chip on the market right now, especially for gaming. i7 860 might be worth the added $100 for certain workloads that take advantage of hyperthreading, but that's only a few cases.

I can't see of any good reason to go with the i7 9xx line now unless you're running 3+ GPUs or want to upgrade to the expensive six-core i9 line next year.

What is the stuff people saying about not being supported in the future?

 

[rohlfinator]

What is the stuff people saying about not being supported in the future?

i7 920/LGA-1366 will be upgradeable to the i9 series next year, which will be six-core and likely cost around $1000.

i5 750/i7 860/i7 870 will not.

Unless you're interested in that specific upgrade, it's a non-issue IMO.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

i7 920/LGA-1366 will be upgradeable to the i9 series next year, which will be six-core and likely cost around $1000.

i5 750/i7 860/i7 870 will not.

Unless you're interested in that specific upgrade, it's a non-issue IMO.

Gotcha thanks for the help.

 

[brain_stew]

Figured this is the best place to get help with this. I want to upgrade my CPU, mobo and I assume I have to do ram also. I am completely out of the loop one what is actually good with quadcores and dual cores.

I currently have
Epox nforce npaj sli mobo
AMD athalon 64 3500+
4 gigs of 2700 ram
Nvidia GTX 260 graphics card
500watt PSU

I want to spend maybe $300. What would be my best option?

edit- would this be a good deal?

Get the 95w X4 945, its otherwise solid.

 

[DeadTrees]

What is the stuff people saying about not being supported in the future?

For what it's worth, there are several LGA 1156 processors scheduled for release in Q1 2010, whereas LGA 1366 has but the six-core part, which is at least a year away.

I'd guess that LGA 1366 will end being Intel's answer to Socket 940, but I don't think even Intel knows for sure yet.

 

[Absolute Bastard]

I finally built myself a watercooling system, here are some temps.


Old aircooling rig had Phenom II X4 3.0 Ghz with Arctic Cooling 64 cooler, Radeon 4890 with Accelero + 2x Scythe Splitstream 800.

Idle:
CPU 1200rpm : 44
GPU DISPIO : 40
GPU MEMIO : 50
GPU SHADERCORE : 45

Load:
CPU 1600rpm : 58
GPU DISPIO : 55
GPU MEMIO : 76
GPU SHADERCORE : 67



Watercooling using Laing DCC pump, Alphacool NeXxox CPU block, EK Light Full Coverage GPU Block and Black Ice 360 Stealth with 2x Scythe Splitstream 800 on it.

Idle:

CPU : 34
GPU DISPIO : 36
GPU MEMIO : 40
GPU SHADERCORE : 40

Load:

CPU : 44
GPU DISPIO : 49
GPU MEMIO : 55
GPU SHADERCORE : 55


Not bad considering that this is also much quieter than the air that was already much better than stock air.

 

[zbarron]

For what it's worth, there are several LGA 1156 processors scheduled for release in Q1 2010, whereas LGA 1366 has but the six-core part, which is at least a year away.

I'd guess that LGA 1366 will end being Intel's answer to Socket 940, but I don't think even Intel knows for sure yet.

That link doesn't show any processors in the future that are faster than the i7-870 for socket 1156.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Mother fucker. This heatsink is a bitch to install.

 

[MattNY]

Anyone have any thoughts on this pre built computer from newegg?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113104

I was thinking of ordering it this afternoon, unless someone much more knowledgeable comes along and bitch slaps me for being this ignorant.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Anyone have any thoughts on this pre built computer from newegg?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113104

I was thinking of ordering it this afternoon, unless someone much more knowledgeable comes along and bitch slaps me for being this ignorant.

what are you gonna do with it mostly? needs new GPU i would think.

 

[MattNY]

what are you gonna do with it mostly? needs new GPU i would think.

I just want something that can do a variety of things, but nothing really high end. I would like to be able to play most of the new games out on the market though at decent settings.

 

[brain_stew]

I just want something that can do a variety of things, but nothing really high end. I would like to be able to play most of the new games out on the market though at decent settings.

Then don't buy it. The GPU isn't strong enough and a better GPU may very well require a new PSU, making the whole thing a lot more expensive. Plus, a 2.6ghz Phenom ii with OCing locked out is criminal, that chips capable of a good 40% clock boost that it'll never see.

 

[MattNY]

Then don't buy it. The GPU isn't strong enough and a better GPU may very well require a new PSU, making the whole thing a lot more expensive. Plus, a 2.6ghz Phenom ii with OCing locked out is criminal, that chips capable of a good 40% clock boost that it'll never see.

Thanks. I have also read through your thread's OP as well, but am worried about putting something together myself. I am an idiot, no other way to really say it, and do not trust myself to do this without getting too frustrated with the whole matter.

I know no one wants to direct me to a cheap but decent prebuilt PC, but perhaps someone can at least answer this: can I find a prebuilt PC for around $700 US that can be a decent multimedia device and play games on decent settings?

 

[Blackface]

The new intels really did throw a spanner in the works even if they aren't selling like hot cakes.

I did some basic calculations when it comes to various builds (All prices in AUD). An i7 920 with 6GB of ram is $830 and an i7 860 with 8GB is $829 :lol

I'm really torn as to which way i would go if i decide to ugprade at all. The 920 seems more future proof in my eyes, in 18 months all i need to do is drop in a new cpu (6 core) and a new videocard and i'm set for another few years. That's even if i feel the need to upgrade after 18 months. With the 1156 it's a different story. In 18 months i would need to rebuild costing me more money. Is the $1 - $150 saving worth it right now, it feels like a no to me.

I'm feeling the itch to upgrade once again even though my pc is only 1yr old. E7200 @ 3.2 with a 4850 and i have an ssd sitting at home waiting to be used as an OS drive. But the feeling of building a new pc and doing it right this time, is so strong.

You would need to do a new rebuild even if you bought I7 now. Things like new PCIE, USB 3.0 new SATA are all coming out soon. Also, many of the new CPU's you are talking about are going to be extremely expensive

People need to honestly break down what they use their PC for, and buy accordingly. I see tons of money being wasted in this thread by people purchasing over-kill products that have features they will never, ever use.

 

[Blackface]

Thanks. I have also read through your thread's OP as well, but am worried about putting something together myself. I am an idiot, no other way to really say it, and do not trust myself to do this without getting too frustrated with the whole matter.

I know no one wants to direct me to a cheap but decent prebuilt PC, but perhaps someone can at least answer this: can I find a prebuilt PC for around $700 US that can be a decent multimedia device and play games on decent settings?

I am pretty sure, Ncix offers a service where if you order all the parts from them, they will asemble it for you for $50.

Putting together a PC is easy. It's troubleshooting problems and repair that can be difficult.

 

[evlcookie]

You would need to do a new rebuild even if you bought I7 now. Things like new PCIE, USB 3.0 new SATA are all coming out soon. Also, many of the new CPU's you are talking about are going to be extremely expensive

People need to honestly break down what they use their PC for, and buy accordingly. I see tons of money being wasted in this thread by people purchasing over-kill products that have features they will never, ever use.

I agree. I'm the person who buys middle line parts that OC well because it's cheaper. I'm a cheap bastard :lol .

On a side note. Seagate have announced the first SATA 6Gb/s 2TB HDD. Not alot of coverage at the moment but i'm curious to see how it performs.

 

[Minsc]

What has been the consensus about whether i7 or i5 is better?

I think there's little difference for gaming at higher resolutions, maybe 20% across the board for a 500% cost increase.

For gaming I think they'd go (not overclocked) from worst to best:

$280 - Core i7 920
$200 - Core i5 750
$570 - Core i7 950
$1100 - Core i7 965
$290 - Core i7 860
$570 - Core i7 870

For graphic/video work and games that use multiple cores very well, the order would be slightly different.

Note how much more cost effective the new models are thanks to the improved turbo mode. The Core i9s will sport the same improved turbo mode, perhaps an even more aggressive one, so they should be really fast, but at a price you probably will never want to spend on a CPU.

Ultimately, I think it matters little which model you get compared to how expensive they get for the small increase in fps, especially in relation to how much more cost effective it ends up being to overclock it.

 

[AstroLad]

$570 - Core i7 950
$1100 - Core i7 965

Biggest ripoffs out there considering you can OC a 920 as high as you can a 950 from what I've read. (And this is coming from someone running a 950 at 4.0.)

 

[NG28]

You only want two RAM sticks, not 3.

I wouldn't recommend that Rosewill case and PSU tbh.

Get a WD Caviar Black, much faster.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm only getting two sticks of RAM now instead of three.

As far as the case and PSU go, what is the main problem people seem to have with them? I've read good and bad things, but the problem is going another route increases the price about $100. I'll probably go with something else though because I don't want it to malfunction and take something else out with it.

 

[Minsc]

Biggest ripoffs out there considering you can OC a 920 as high as you can a 950 from what I've read. (And this is coming from someone running a 950 at 4.0.)

Even more of a ripoff considering you can get a 920 faster than a stock 965, for ~75% savings in price.

 

[AstroLad]

Even more of a ripoff considering you can get a 920 faster than a stock 965, for ~75% savings in price.

yeah trying to compare apples to apples though. what is the oc potential of a 965? does anyone even own one? :lol

 

[rohlfinator]

yeah trying to compare apples to apples though. what is the oc potential of a 965? does anyone even own one? :lol

I love reading the user reviews of $1000+ processors on Newegg. It's hilarious to see how people justify those purchases in the most bizarre ways. :lol

 

[ahoyhoy]

Alright, I could use some help with my OCing efforts here. I'm attempting to OC my E8500 up from stock to SOMETHING that gives me a "stable" system as well. Right now I've been tinkering around with the Voltages, following this guide as best I can, and trying to get my Prime95 tests to last more than 10 minutes before giving me an error, but to no avail. My VRAM and VCore's are almost at their maximum levels as recommended by their respective manufacteres (1.31 for the CPU and 1.9 for the RAM) and my NB and SB voltages at are around 1.32-1.36, but I'm still not getting far enough in Prime95 and am noticing stuttering problems in a few games (TF2 for one). My temps are perfectly fine (25-30 C idling and 45-50 C during Prime95 test). What am I doing wrong GAF?

 

[Elhandro]

Gaf I need some Advice.

Last year over the Christmas break I built a budget HTPC mainly for video and light Gaming but once I saw Games run on my plasma, full screen 1080p @ 60fps I new I made a mistake. Now I am looking to upgrade this christmas again and I have been doing some early studies on what I would need to do to bring my HTPC upto Gaf standards.

My current build is:
GC - 9800GT
MB - M3N78-EM
PS - 450W Corsair
Ram - 4gigs
Processor - 2.5GHz Phenom 9850 quad core Black edition
OS - Vista 64
Case - Antec Fusion Black

I am not really looking to spend more than $300 but what I suspect is that I need a new GC and a new PowerSupply and maybe some ram.

What say Gaf. I need my 1080psss

 

[Linkhero1]

I want to build a new PC since my brother's PC died and I'm giving him my old Dell. I have never built a PC before so I don't know much. I don't need it to be high end really but good enough to run some Steam games like Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2. I do not play much PC games either. All I do is watch anime and movies. My limit is probably around $500.

I would like to know what parts I would need in order to build a PC and if someone can help me choose parts. I posted in the other thread, but I think this thread is much better since lots of people post here. Thanks.

 

[dionysus]

I want to build a new PC since my brother's PC died and I'm giving him my old Dell. I have never built a PC before so I don't know much. I don't need it to be high end really but good enough to run some Steam games like Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2. I do not play much PC games either. All I do is watch anime and movies. My limit is probably around $500.

I would like to know what parts I would need in order to build a PC and if someone can help me choose parts. I posted in the other thread, but I think this thread is much better since lots of people post here. Thanks.

Case
Power Supply (can come with case)
Graphics Card
Wireless/bluetooth card (optional)
CPU
Hard Drive
RAM
DVD/BR/DVD-R/etc drive
hard drive slot/mount

Recommendations: 2 hard drives, one for media that can move from computer to computer, one for operating system and programs. For $500 without a requirement for high end gaming, this should be easy.

Check out Brain_Stew's thread on the $500 gaming pc for specific hardware.

 

[Linkhero1]

Case
Power Supply (can come with case)
Graphics Card
Wireless/bluetooth card (optional)
CPU
Hard Drive
RAM
DVD/BR/DVD-R/etc drive
hard drive slot/mount

Recommendations: 2 hard drives, one for media that can move from computer to computer, one for operating system and programs. For $500 without a requirement for high end gaming, this should be easy.

Check out Brain_Stew's thread on the $500 gaming pc for specific hardware.

I went to the thread before posting, but the combo deals for motherboard, gpu are dead.I posted there but got no reply, so I was wondering if there were any other combos people built that cost around the same amount.

 

[rohlfinator]

I am not really looking to spend more than $300 but what I suspect is that I need a new GC and a new PowerSupply and maybe some ram.

Actually, your RAM and power supply should be fine. 4GB is still plenty right now, and I think (you might want to get a second opinion) that your power supply should handle a decent graphics card since Corsair makes good PSUs.

I'd look into a GTX 260/275 or Radeon 4890, and if you want to go further, upgrade the processor to a Phenom II X4.

 

[dionysus]

I went to the thread before posting, but the combo deals for motherboard, gpu are dead.I posted there but got no reply, so I was wondering if there were any other combos people built that cost around the same amount.

This was just 5 minutes of work so I wouldn't order any of this yet but it can be a starting point at least.

Actually I just realized that motherboard is probably too small for that case but I am tired and going to bed so I am not going to change it.

 

[Linkhero1]

thanks, I'll mess around and see if I get it to drop below or close to $500.

 

[brain_stew]

Gaf I need some Advice.

Last year over the Christmas break I built a budget HTPC mainly for video and light Gaming but once I saw Games run on my plasma, full screen 1080p @ 60fps I new I made a mistake. Now I am looking to upgrade this christmas again and I have been doing some early studies on what I would need to do to bring my HTPC upto Gaf standards.

My current build is:
GC - 9800GT
MB - M3N78-EM
PS - 450W Corsair
Ram - 4gigs
Processor - 2.5GHz Phenom 9850 quad core Black edition
OS - Vista 64
Case - Antec Fusion Black

I am not really looking to spend more than $300 but what I suspect is that I need a new GC and a new PowerSupply and maybe some ram.

What say Gaf. I need my 1080psss

Your PSU's fine. Just grab a 5850 when they launch and OC that quad, job done.

 

[Linkhero1]

Is this any good?

total with shipping and tax is $509