Building a computer? Need advice/suggestions? Come here!

[ThePlague]

I think it actually has both an AGP and PCI slot. I don't know a lot about computers, so how would I tell which is which and how many x it has?

[343guiltymc]

So, I have an old Dell Optiplex GX 240, and I wanted to know what kind of upgrades I can do to it.

Mostly the gfx card, which is a ATI Rage 128 Ultra, and can't even play Halo :/

Slap some upgrades for it on me, but i'm not rich so...

E: So far the only thing I did was take out the floppy drive and add another (80 gig) HDD that I had lying around.

ATI rage 128 ultra is AGP 4x I believe...Or at least that's what a wiki search told me.

[Warsaw]

I have a RAGE Pro 128 All-In-Wonder, and it's PCI. That's why I asked him whether or not his is PCI or AGP. You can find good AGP 4x/8x cards on the market, but finding something that is 1x or 2x is getting hard to do.

[Xetsuei]

Updated all prices and replaced deactivated items. Going to do a complete rebuild of all the rigs at the start of next month.

[343guiltymc]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161259
Is this card's cooler adequate to keep the card cool? I don't want it to give me high temps like the reference ones.

[Warsaw]

You can fix the reference issue by modifying the fan settings...a simple Google search will tell you that.

But yes, the cooler is sufficient. Technically, they are all sufficient. :downs:

[343guiltymc]

You can fix the reference issue by modifying the fan settings...a simple Google search will tell you that.

But yes, the cooler is sufficient. Technically, they are all sufficient. :downs:

What? A quick google search told me the cards still get pretty high temps even with the fan fix.

[Xetsuei]

What? A quick google search told me the cards still get pretty high temps even with the fan fix.

The card is meant to, and can handle the high temps. It's not a problem.

[ThePlague]

Alright, I learned that my PC has AGP 4x for it, and I was wondering what card I should get. I can't spend too much on it, but I want to be able to atleast run newer games (idc if I can run Crysis). My price range is about $80 or less. I know absolutely nothing when it comes to this stuff, so if someone can point me in the right direction of what to get, it'd be a great help.

[Xetsuei]

$79.99 Sapphire HD3650 512MB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102814)

What would happen to be the specs on your computer right now? That can affect what your performance will be on newer games a ton.

[ThePlague]

E:
Specs:
ATI Rage 128 Gfx card
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 1.80 GHZ
512 mb of 32x64m pc133-333-520 RAM (two 256 mb sticks)
Ubuntu 8.10 Operating System
100 gb of HD space (one 20 gig HD and another 80 gig)

And that's all I could get :/

[343guiltymc]

E:
Specs:
ATI Rage 128 Gfx card
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 1.80 GHZ
512 mb of 32x64m pc133-333-520 RAM (two 256 mb sticks)
Ubuntu 8.10 Operating System
100 gb of HD space (one 20 gig HD and another 80 gig)

And that's all I could get :/

Urh, get a new PC altogether. That's barely adequate for simple tasks, let alone playing games.

[ThePlague]

Yeah, because I totally didn't think of that at all.

If I had the money for a new PC, I would've already had one.

[Warsaw]

Your system is so bottlenecked that even a graphics upgrade will only afford you a limited amount of manoeuvring room with regard to what games you can run at decent settings. PC133 RAM? Pentium 4 1.8GHz? Damn boi, that junk is old. I was going to suggest an HD3850, but that would be too much wasted power, so I'm gonna agree with Xet's suggestion.

[ThePlague]

It's an old like 04 Dell Optiplex GX240 so...yeah. I just wanted to know what I could get out of it. Right now I use my laptop for gaming, and it's a Dell Latutide D600 which is also from 04. I wanted to see if I could make a gaming desktop, but from what you guys have said, I guess it's not worth it.

[Warsaw]

Two years ago you could've gotten away with it. Today, it's just not going to cut it. My own system is on the edge of the minimum system requirements for games of today.

[ThePlague]

Two years ago you could've gotten away with it. Today, it's just not going to cut it. My own system is on the edge of the minimum system requirements for games of today.
Atleast I can play HL2 games on my laptop, and that's about the best I can do.

I'll try to get money to build a decent PC.

[Kalub]

Hey what do you think of these two builds, the first is a small budget, and the second is a slightly better for a bigger budget. Thanks :)

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=6262249
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=6265889

[Xetsuei]

Hint: Don't use any kind of Pentium CPU.

[Kalub]

Hint: Its for a low budgeted person, where as I don't want to use a Dual Core. Just work with me here :P

[Xetsuei]

AMD's 64 series single core is still better than the Pentiums, and probably always will be.

[343guiltymc]

Why is the 9800 GT preferred for the low end build? I thought the 4830 was cheaper and faster.

[Lex1337]

Planning on upgrading. Need advice.

Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133045)

MoBo (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01321559&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3829353)

3gb that came with original slimline.

PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817226011)

GPU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130370)

20 pin to mini 24 pin (http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/20-pin-to-24-pin-hp-slimline-atx-converter.htm)

Will these fit in that case? Are any of these parts good? Any recommended parts I should get for this upgrade?

[343guiltymc]

Sounds like you are building a whole new PC, why stick with HP's shitty mobo?

[Lex1337]

Basically, but I'm going to buy the parts slowly. I'll update the MoBo aswell but I'm still looking for the right one.

EDIT: I also need to know what parts to buy first to last.

[Warsaw]

In order:

1. PSU
2. Case
3. Mobo
4. GPU

HP uses woefully underpowered PSUs in their systems...

[Xetsuei]

Lex1337, how much money do you plan to spend on this total? If you get a new mobo, you're going to need a new cpu, and probably new ram (and you REALLY need a new mobo).

Also, instead of getting the PSU you have selected I highly recommend either

$69.99() PC Power & Cooling 610W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005)

or

$74.99() Corsair 650W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005)

Also the eVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434) is $20 more than the GPU you have selected, but better.

[Warsaw]

Though for that price, I think it would be more prudent to go with a Radeon HD4870. Same power, lower price point. While the Core 216 is an improvement, I have a hard time recommending it over the 4870 since the two are so close in performance levels. The HD4870 wins me over by being available for as low as $145 for the 512MB model (and you don't really need more unless you intend to play at resolutions higher than 1920x1200).

[Xetsuei]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3408

More powerful, uses less power.

E: People if you have a problem on a product I have recommended instead of posting it and cluttering the thread with tons of pages of "X is better than X" just discuss it with me in a PM. Thanks.

[Lex1337]

Probably at 500$ 550$ tops. I'm not trying to go higher than that.

I'm afraid on buying a new MoBo since I'm buying the parts slowly. And since I'm doing that, I'd have to buy this (http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/20-pin-to-24-pin-hp-slimline-atx-converter.htm). And I wouldn't want that money to go to waste.

I found a way to counter this by buying the case, psu, and MoBo at the same time, but I am having problems finding out what Ram am I using.

Thanks for the help.

EDIT: Seems like the best case to upgrade with is the Antec NineHundred Two (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058).

[Xetsuei]

Probably at 500$ 550$ tops. I'm not trying to go higher than that.

I'm afraid on buying a new MoBo since I'm buying the parts slowly. And since I'm doing that, I'd have to buy this (http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/20-pin-to-24-pin-hp-slimline-atx-converter.htm). And I wouldn't want that money to go to waste.

I found a way to counter this by buying the case, psu, and MoBo at the same time, but I am having problems finding out what Ram am I using.

Thanks for the help.

EDIT: Seems like the best case to upgrade with is the Antec NineHundred Two (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058).

It's just not going to work. You HAVE to get a new motherboard. That old AMD dual core won't do you shit, and will bottleneck the hell out of the GTX 260. Don't bother with the Antec NineHundred Two, it's not worth it.

[Lex1337]

I'm planning on buying the parts in the following order.
-Case,PSU,20pin to mini24pin
-MoBo,Ram
-CPU,GPU

Sounds good? If so which parts do you recommend.

[Cortexian]

Wow, that 902 looks even worse than the 900 series...

[Varmint260]

Hey! I have a contact at The Source here in town that gets power supplies in bulk (450W dual-fans, 500W single-fan, and 550W single-fan setups). He's selling the 450W and 500W supplies for $40CAN, and the 550W for $45CAN. Any specs I should look up on the box to make sure they're actually worth buying, like the capacity of the rails, and all that? Sorry, can't remember the brand name off hand.

[343guiltymc]

Hey! I have a contact at The Source here in town that gets power supplies in bulk (450W dual-fans, 500W single-fan, and 550W single-fan setups). He's selling the 450W and 500W supplies for $40CAN, and the 550W for $45CAN. Any specs I should look up on the box to make sure they're actually worth buying, like the capacity of the rails, and all that? Sorry, can't remember the brand name off hand.

Look at how amps there are on the combined 12V rail(s), some PSU have more than 1.

[Xetsuei]

I'm planning on buying the parts in the following order.
-Case,PSU,20pin to mini24pin
-MoBo,Ram
-CPU,GPU

Sounds good? If so which parts do you recommend.

What are you planning to get? And why are you getting that 20pin to mini24pin adapter? I don't see the use for it.

[Lex1337]

What are you planning to get? And why are you getting that 20pin to mini24pin adapter? I don't see the use for it.
Just a lot better parts that will last a while until it's time to upgrade again. I'm getting that adapter so I don't have to buy everything at once.

[Varmint260]

Look at how amps there are on the combined 12V rail(s), some PSU have more than 1.

Sounds good. What's a reasonable amperage?

[Warsaw]

15 or better. Preferably, you want something in the neighborhood of 18-26.

[Lex1337]

What's the best GPU a Pentium 4 3.0 CPU can handle? What would be the best PSU wattage for that card?

[Warsaw]

Ick...a P4...

Going by the high end graphics of that era (GeForce 7800GTX/7900GTX), I'd say the best you can do with that bottleneck is a GeForce 9600GT or a GeForce 9800GT (which are similar in price and performance, though the latter is more powerful). After that, you are really maxing out on the CPU. I wouldn't recommend Crysis with it, as I have the AMD equivalent to that CPU, and it's on the bare minimum requirements for the game.

[Lex1337]

Oh ok, I just sold the MoBo for the pentium 4 anyways.

My dads friend just recently opened up a computer shop and once it's open I can get anything for free. I hope he has good things.

[LlamaMaster]

PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

Video card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125256

Mobo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115131

RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227298

Hard drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

Optical drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152

CPU cooler - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003

Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146025

Card reader - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820223073

$929 before rebates, and $799 after. Is this a good rig? Anything in there which could be better?

[Cortexian]

My dads friend just recently opened up a computer shop and once it's open I can get anything for free.
I'll bet that you won't get anything except shitty cheap stuff for free. It costs money to run a business, and if your dads friend is giving shit away for free he's a horrible businessman.

[paladin]

Unless he's rich.

[MetKiller Joe]

I'm thinking of getting this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006). My computer recently dropped dead, and the suspect is the PSU. The old one was 750W running a Q6600, 3 HDDs,, 2 sticks ram, 1 dvd burner, many many fans, 8800GTX.

[InnerGoat]

Anything over 600 watts would be more then enough for that.

[343guiltymc]

Is there any difference between the GTS 250 and 9800 GTX+? I've noticed the GTS 250 is priced higher than most of the 9800 GTX+, even the the 512 MB models.

[Warsaw]

55nm die-shrink, 1GB DDR3 is the standard for it (though there are 512MB models, 1GB is the official standard), and that's about it. It's also shorter...and consumes less power. Performance is just ever so slightly better, but yes, it is pretty much the same card.

[Abdurahman]

55nm die-shrink, 1GB DDR3 is the standard for it (though there are 512MB models, 1GB is the official standard), and that's about it. It's also shorter...and consumes less power. Performance is just ever so slightly better, but yes, it is pretty much the same card.

Also uses much less power! Only 1 pci/e power input instead of two on the original 9800GTX+!:eng101:

[Warsaw]

That's usually assumed what happens when a die is shrunk.

[343guiltymc]

Also uses much less power! Only 1 pci/e power input instead of two on the original 9800GTX+!:eng101:

Why wasn't this around during the first revision? The 9800 GTX+ was 55 mn right?

[Warsaw]

No. The 9800GTX+ was a G92 core at 65nm process core.

[Xetsuei]

No. The 9800GTX+ was a G92 core at 65nm process core.

lol


In July 2008 nVidia released the 55nm refresh of the 9800 GTX: the 9800 GTX+. It has faster core (738 MHz) and shader (1836 MHz) clocks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_9_Series#GeForce_9800_GTX

[Warsaw]

My bad. They made a big deal over the 55nm of the GTS250, so I just assumed that the GTX+ was the 65nm version. I only bothered to Wiki "G92" instead of "9800 GTX+"

[InnerGoat]

There was a big deal over the GTS250 because it's a slightly updated 9800GTX+



...which is 9800GTX

...which is (basically) 8800GTS 512

G92 supremacy

[paladin]

Too many cards to choose from with nVidia, ATi ftw..

[Xetsuei]

Too many cards to choose from with nVidia, ATi ftw..

That's why you look at the front page.

[paladin]

huh?

[Warsaw]

You know, for that really high end build, I'm not so sure 2x GTX 295s are the way to go. I know they beat the HD4870 X2 in quadfire, but the dual GTX295s also have a record for not working at all at certain settings in certain games. Crysis at 2560x1600 comes to mind.

[Alex]

I'll bet that you won't get anything except shitty cheap stuff for free. It costs money to run a business, and if your dads friend is giving shit away for free he's a horrible businessman.
He just gave us Windows Vista Ultimate and a copy of XP for free.

I think this guy's rig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P--N9lF3-00) is the best.

[Cortexian]

He just gave us Windows Vista Ultimate and a copy of XP for free.

I think this guy's rig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P--N9lF3-00) is the best.
I thought that quad SLI with GTX 295's was impossible... What motherboard was he using in that video? Either way, anything more than two of those graphics cards is pointless, and the performance increase would be negligible. That PC right there is nothing but a hardware e-peen extravaganza, and it has no real-life purpose.

Software is fairly cheap at cost, like I said, try getting a 1TB hard drive or a good graphics card for free. If he's any kind of competent buisnessman it won't happen.

[Xetsuei]

You know, for that really high end build, I'm not so sure 2x GTX 295s are the way to go. I know they beat the HD4870 X2 in quadfire, but the dual GTX295s also have a record for not working at all at certain settings in certain games. Crysis at 2560x1600 comes to mind.

How new is this to you? Because the last I heard it's been fixed.


Either way, anything more than two of those graphics cards is pointless, and the performance increase would be negligible. That PC right there is nothing but a hardware e-peen extravaganza, and it has no real-life purpose.

Someone's jealous.

[InnerGoat]

Its you, you're jealous

That rig is more suited for crunching than it is gaming lmao. Probably capable of 50k a day depending on the WUs it gets. Fucking impressive power there.

[Cortexian]

Someone's jealous.
Well of course I'm jealous, that's a killer rig in itself. Except I'd never BUY all that shit, because like I said, the performance increase once you go to three or four cards is negligible. If I was given all those components for free I wouldn't hesitate to use them all.

[Warsaw]

It's necessary if you want to play at resolutions of 2560x1600 with maximum settings; it's not so much for the performance increase at that point as much as it is for opening up new options.

[Cortexian]

It's necessary if you want to play at resolutions of 2560x1600 with maximum settings; it's not so much for the performance increase at that point as much as it is for opening up new options.
Two GTX 295's can handle that just fine.

[Warsaw]

That's my point...you need those uber setups like Quadfire and Quad SLI to get that performance. I was responding to your statement about negligible performance gains...it's not about the performance gain as much as the ability to do things that lesser setups can't.

[Cortexian]

Question related to graphics card bios flashing... Most factory overclocked graphics cards use the same physical hardware that the regular cards do right? For example, an eVGA GTX 285 FTW and/or eVGA GTX 285 SSC use the same hardware as a regular eVGA GTX 285 don't they?

[Xetsuei]

Question related to graphics card bios flashing... Most factory overclocked graphics cards use the same physical hardware that the regular cards do right? For example, an eVGA GTX 285 FTW and/or eVGA GTX 285 SSC use the same hardware as a regular eVGA GTX 285 don't they?

Yes.

[Cortexian]

Yes.
Okay good, now I just need a tutorial for flashing a graphics card bios through Windows, instead of using a floppy disk (I don't have a floppy drive available). According to overclock.net it's possible with any nVIDIA cards newer than the G80 series, but they don't have a tutorial yet.

[Xetsuei]

Okay good, now I just need a tutorial for flashing a graphics card bios through Windows, instead of using a floppy disk (I don't have a floppy drive available). According to overclock.net it's possible with any nVIDIA cards newer than the G80 series, but they don't have a tutorial yet.

I don't personally have any experience but Syuusuke (http://www.modacity.net/forums/member.php?u=81) flashed his 7900GTO(a 7900GTX with slower memory) to a 7900GTX, you could ask him.

[Cortexian]

I don't personally have any experience but Syuusuke (http://www.modacity.net/forums/member.php?u=81) flashed his 7900GTO(a 7900GTX with slower memory) to a 7900GTX, you could ask him.
Bah, apparently I happened to pick the card that won't flash properly without a modification to the card itself...


Freelancer;

The evga 285 GTX SSC/FTW come with added pin bridging and higher vGpu/vMem. Stock cards run at 1.18v, the SSC/FTW cards run at 1.24-1.26v so flashing a vanilla card to SSC/FTW will only change clock freq and not voltages, the voltage change is done on the card itself.
See the 285 volt modding page here (http://www.overclock.net/graphics-cards-volt-mods/460947-285-gtx-volt-modding-info-conductive.html)

[Varmint260]

I have a question for t3h experts... or several... I'm a little undecided on exactly what to do to upgrade my computer at the moment... I can't really afford to upgrade it right now but I could probably do so in the next two or three months. I've been looking around on the internet, and I need a few statements cleared up.

One: My computer has two RAM slots for DDR2. Currently, one is filled with 1gb PC2-6400. I was thinking that 3gb would be optimum for a 32bit OS. True or false? Maybe filling up the second slot with 2gb of PC2-6400 would be the way to go. However, I have been told on another forum that with DDR RAM, you only get the double data rate if both sticks of RAM are the same size. True or false? In a local computer store, a guy told me that the double-data rate is still possible with different sized ram sticks if the first slot has the bigger one. True or false?

TWO: Would it simply be easier to order a pair of 2gb sticks off of Newegg.ca, and would my computer simply use as much of the 4gb as possible and just ignore the rest? Or would it do a crazy BSOD for having too much RAM? Again, I've heard multiple statements on this subject and I'm not sure what's correct.

THREE: Since I have only a single-core 2.4GHz Athlon... would it even be worth my money to get a graphics card as good as a 4850, for example? What's the best graphics card I could buy that wouldn't be incredibly limited by the CPU? Or, should I go for a really nice GPU like a 4850 or 4870 and then just upgrade the CPU when I have the time?

Thanks for reading all that. I'm quite the noob when it comes to upgrades :(

[Warsaw]

ONE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_channel

TWO: I'd just go with the dual 2GB sticks, that way if you upgrade to 64-bit on that same machine, there's nothing you need to change.

THREE: You have an AM2, so I don't think spending money on an HD4850 would be too bad, especially considering that your CPU is also quite upgradeable at this point (don't wait too long, or it will cost you a pretty penny to upgrade that, kinda like trying to upgrade 939s now).

[Varmint260]

Thanks for the info! "You must spread some rep around before giving to Warsaw again." I'll get to it at some point ;)

ONE: So, for the odd motherboard different dimms can be used, but for the vast majority, I should just get identical ones. Though that 5% increase isn't much, what the heck! 2x2gb it is.

THREE: So, you mean that right now, it is cheap to replace CPUs for the motherboard my computer happens to have, but in awhile it'll become rather outdated so it's good to upgrade now while it's mainstream?

[Warsaw]

ONE: Yes. Good choice. Better safe than sorry.

TWO: That's exactly what I'm saying. If I were you, I'd get both now. I don't think X2s are going to get much cheaper than they are now.

[343guiltymc]

What happens if you try to use RAM with different speed together like say, PC2 5300 with PC2 4200.

[Cortexian]

What happens if you try to use RAM with different speed together like say, PC2 5300 with PC2 4200.
Both modules will run at the lower speed iirc.

[Warsaw]

^ True statement.

On a similar note, if you use two different capacity sticks in dual channel, the capacity of the lesser stick will run in dual channel on both sticks, with the remainder on the larger one being run in single channel.

[343guiltymc]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269
Is this a good deal now? It's a little over my budget but I never thought it would drop that low now.

[Xetsuei]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269
Is this a good deal now? It's a little over my budget but I never thought it would drop that low now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121291

Look at the front page you fucks, all that stuff is there for a reason.

[LlamaMaster]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121291

Look at the front page you fucks, all that stuff is there for a reason.
Try harder. This one is $30 less:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125256

Edit: It is slightly different, but I doubt it would matter.

[InnerGoat]

Nice find llamamaster, that's a much better deal

[LlamaMaster]

Nice find llamamaster, that's a much better deal
I can't tell if that is sarcasm. D: I hope not, because it's the card I bought.

[Abdurahman]

What are you guys talking about this is the best deal around!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121288

[LlamaMaster]

What are you guys talking about this is the best deal around!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121288
It also has half the memory.

[Timo]

Ok so after upgrading my computer, i'm going to give all my old parts to my brother. He's currently using an old recycled dell computer from ~2002 that he got for $1000NZD. 256mb ddr1 ram, shitty intergrated graphics, etc. I figured all he needs to buy is a motherboard (and thermal paste) and he's good to go. My old parts:
7600GS PCI-Express
2x1GB DDR2 533MHz
430W PSU
AMD X2 3800+ 2.0Ghz AM2+

The case is a pretty small one - Micro ATX I think. Is there anything I can check to find out if it's M-ATX or Mini ITX? If it is M-ATX and cheapness in mind, would this motherboard: http://ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=374759 do the trick?

[Warsaw]

If the motherboard is 9.6x9.6 inches, it's mATX. Assuming that it is mATX, I'd say that is a very good motherboard to use.

[=sw=warlord]

im currently running on a pair of 7800GT in SLI but they are now starting to show their age...should i sell them off to help raise some money for in the future a possible purchase of a 9800gt?
the board i currently have installed apparently supports quad SLI, i've been out of it for a while with one issue after another so i currently do not know what is on offer.
im assuming my video cards are the main bottle neck in my rig at the moment with 4GB DDR2 at my disposal i hardly run out of memory and a fairly nippy 2.66ghz core2duo my applications load pretty quick my main concern is games like crysis and UT3.

[Saggy]

Can someone tell me what the equivalent nVidia card is for an ATI Radeon HD4870?

E: @Warsaw: Thanks, that's what I was thinking. I think I might go with a GTX 280 though.

[Warsaw]

GeForce GTX260 Core 216...it's actually a little better.

[Saggy]

Also, is this a good build? Note: All prices are Canadian!!


Motherboard: EVGA 132-BL-E758-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188046) ($329.99)

Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009) ($174.99)

Processor: Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202) ($359.99)

Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9 - Retail (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222) ($123.00)

Hard Drive (2X): Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284) ($299.98)

*Disk Drive: Pioneer 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DVR-116DBK - OEM (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129023) ($31.99)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116493CVF) ($254.99)

GPU: BFG Tech BFGEGTX2801024E GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143141) ($371.49)

GRAND TOTAL: $1,946.42*The Pioneer Drive is temporary for now, I'm thinking I might go for a BluRay drive instead.

[Warsaw]

If I were you, I'd go with the GTX285, since the GTX280 will become scarce very soon, and you need two of the same card to do SLI.

[Cortexian]

If I were you, I'd go with the GTX285, since the GTX280 will become scarce very soon, and you need two of the same card to do SLI.
This.

The GTX 285 may be pricier than the GTX 280, but it's cheaper, faster, and cooler than the GTX 280 was when it was released.

[Saggy]

Alright, add the GTX285 to my list and the total came out to CAD$2,090.12 (the card itself costs $502.70). Also, does anyone know of a relatively cheap yet sufficient BluRay drive/burner?

[343guiltymc]

The 285 is pricier, yet cheaper?

[Saggy]

The 285 is pricier, yet cheaper?


The GTX 285 may be pricier than the GTX 280, but it's cheaper, faster, and cooler than the GTX 280 was when it was released.
.

[Mr Buckshot]

im currently running on a pair of 7800GT in SLI but they are now starting to show their age...should i sell them off to help raise some money for in the future a possible purchase of a 9800gt?


better than what I have (single laptop geforce 8600MGS, yes the 8600 has DX10 but the 7800GT is faster and better overall).

I'd say you're fine, stick with your two 7800s unless you wanna max Crysis at 1920x1200 (in that case get a GTX 285 or 9800GT if there's good deals). A single one might suffice. Right now DX10 isn't really a must-have, so the high performance DX9c cards of the past are still capable, although those who're upgrading from whatever they have should definitely not go for them, go for something current gen.

[paladin]

Alright, add the GTX285 to my list and the total came out to CAD$2,090.12 (the card itself costs $502.70). Also, does anyone know of a relatively cheap yet sufficient BluRay drive/burner?


My LG was $169.00 but i got it on sale :(

Got my Tax Refund ($2483) today and I have decided to build a new computer with it and turn my old one into a workstation for school work.

New PC
CPU: Intel Core i7 940 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115201) $569.99
Motherboard: EVGA 132-BL-E758-A1 LGA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039) $294.99
RAM: CORSAIR 12GB (6 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145235) $231.00
GPU: 2x ATi (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102768)Radeon HD 4870 X2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102768) (1 @ $429.99)
(Using my current 4870 x2)
Case: COOLER MASTER HAF (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160) $149.99
HDD: pulling an unused one out of my current rig and using it for OS

Totals: $1676

plus various other parts. This pretty much sums up the core parts.




(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115201)

[AAA]

I want a new CPU cooler instead of the stock cooler because I want to overclock my i7 920 to 4GHz.
I thought about Heatsinks, but they don't give me the re-assuring heat span that I'm looking for, so I chose water cooling. But, I haven't been able to find any CPU water coolers for a VGA 1366 socket and I was wondering if anyone knew what I should buy for this situation.

Note: There's no graphics card here only due to the fact that I am waiting for new ones to come out later possibly around christmas time. Also, maybe all of this stuff will be a little cheaper during that time frame. (not that it matters in my position)


Motherboard: EVGA 141-BL-E759-A1 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SLI Classified ATX Intel Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188047) ($449.99)

Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009) ($159.99)

Processor: Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202) ($288.99)

Memory: CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145224) ($166.99)

CD/DVD/Blu-Raye Drive: Pioneer Black 8X Blu-Ray DVD Burner w/ Software SATA Model BDR-203BKS (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129037) ($239.99)

Floppy Drive: SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Windows 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16821103116) ($7.99)

Monitor: Acer H213H bmid Black 21.5" 5ms HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen 16:9 LCD Monitor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009157) ($199.99)

Case: Thermaltake SopranoRS VG7000BWS Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133046) (62.99)

SubTotal: $1525.93



Thanks in advance.

[Warsaw]

You don't have any integrated video on that motherboard, so unless you have a spare PCI/PCI-e GPU lying around, you must buy one.

[AAA]

The graphics card isn't part of the question. Leave that subject to me. I have a spare Radeon 9250

I found this: http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27031&vpn=LGA775-LCLC-KIT&manufacture=Asetek

But, I don't know if there's anything better.

[sdavis117]

So, I have the desire to upgrade my PC. I have been looking at upgrading my GPU, my memory, and my PSU. I have a $120 budget for all 3 (and a little extra for any shipping). I have found some nice deals, but have never been able to assure myself that they are the best deals. I even found a reliable 580W PSU for $24. Yet I still feal like I can get a better deal.

So I have decided to recruit you, the almighty and all knowing awesome guys who I am sucking up to in hopes that you will help me. I'm hoping that you, the community of Modacity, with your infinite wealth and resources, can find me the best deal on the internet.


Please Modacity, you are my only hope.
My MoBo is in my Computer Specs, but if you want to know, my timings are 5-5-5-15.

[Xetsuei]

You won't be able to get all 3 for that amount of money that are better than you current ones. And I can almost guarantee you that PSU will be complete shit, the PSU is the biggest problem because skimping out on PSUs can ruin the rest of your computer.

[sdavis117]

Actually by the sound of it's reviews it actually works. But you know what, after eating a piece of cake and thinking about it, I have decided to wait and just get a new PC when the money comes in.

[Xetsuei]

Actually by the sound of it's reviews it actually works.

Show me.

[sdavis117]

Sunbeam Hush 580W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817709012&Tpk=sunbeam%20hush)

[InnerGoat]

The wire bundle is tiny. That thing can't supply 580 watts :lol:

[Abdurahman]

Dude that psu won't power anything! It only has 11 amps on the 12v rail! It will barely power an 8600gt!

[InnerGoat]

It says 25A are you blind

(see the product images, not newegg's listed specs. 11A is probably all it could handle though HEH.)

[RobertGraham]

Yes/No?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3940221&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

Looking for good gaming laptops so its on the "go".

I am aiming somewhere under $800

[Cojafoji]

Yes/No?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3940221&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

Looking for good gaming laptops so its on the "go".

I am aiming somewhere under $800
No CPU, Memory, Hard Drive, or Wireless Card included with this notebook.

Worst idea ever. Buy a preconfigured one...

[Abdurahman]

Yes/No?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3940221&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

Looking for good gaming laptops so its on the "go".

I am aiming somewhere under $800

Actually that's a laptop that you have to buy the cpu, ram, and stuff for. It'll end up costing you way more that $800.

Try this one instead!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115546

E: or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115539

[RobertGraham]

Oh, thanks for those. I didn't even see the shit at the bottom -_-'

Those are pretty good deals. I know what I want for my Birthday now :3

[sdavis117]

Anyone know any good cases with build in Air Conditioning Units? I have noise canceling Headphones, so I don't care about the noise, I do want a cool PC though so that I can overclock.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

Remember: When putting in a new case, make sure to put in the pieces that move the board away from the metal part of the case, seriously, if you don't do that, your dead.
Happened to me, a few days ago, fortunately I was able to quickly upgrade ^.^

[InnerGoat]

Anyone know any good cases with build in Air Conditioning Units? I have noise canceling Headphones, so I don't care about the noise, I do want a cool PC though so that I can overclock.

Yes and they suck. Good air cooling will do you fine.

[Timo]

When i'm playing games or doing something intensive on my PC, my AMD stock fan gets damn loud. What would you guys recommend for a good cooler? I don't care about overclocking, just silence. My CPU is an AMD X2 6000+.

e: Actually it's most likely a combination between my CPU and 4850's BIG FAN. I've tried to use speedfan to alter the cpu's speed, but it's not keen to. Are there any other free programs out there that let you alter cpu fan speed?

[Warsaw]

I do believe you can enable AMD Kool n' Quiet in the BIOS if you haven't already...that's usually what AMD chips use to keep the noise down. If that doesn't do it, then it's your fan. Just go onto your favourite computer website and look for a fan that has the most favourable noise to airflow ratio...generally, 26-30dB is pretty damn quiet.

[343guiltymc]

Is the radeon 4770 going to be added for the barebones build?

[mech]

I have a few questions.

What's the difference performance wise of a pciex16 vs a pciex16x2 / 2.0

Would the effects be that detrimental if I were to place a pcie2.0 video card in a x16 slot?

Also, what's the performance differences when putting an AM2+ socket CPU into an AM2 board? Will the performance hit be drastic?

[Warsaw]

Depends on the card. Mid-range ones aren't going to be able to saturate a PCI-e 16x, but the higher end ones will be bottlenecked a bit by it.

With AM2+ in an AM2 socket, you basically cut the Hyper Transport down from 3600MHz to 2000MHz.

[MetKiller Joe]

I'm thinking of getting another motherboard. Could anybody suggest something rock solid that would be nForce?

[=sw=warlord]

I'm thinking of getting another motherboard. Could anybody suggest something rock solid that would be nForce?
Intel or AMD?
If your going for intel, i would suggest the Asus P5N32-SLI Premium.

[paladin]

or MAXIMUS II

[AAA]

How do you determine whether or not your CPU or Graphics card would be bottlenecked by the other?

[Jelly]

If one is high-performance and the other isn't, chances are the high-performance part is being bottlenecked.

[AAA]

...What region of the component (CPU/GPU) would bottleneck??

[LlamaMaster]

They are two separate components? I'm not sure what you are asking. As far as I know GPU won't have any impact on CPU speed, but the CPU has a massive effect on the GPU if it isn't powerful enough.

[Warsaw]

No no no no no.

What happens is that the parts of the game that are CPU intensive will run slower than whatever the graphics-intensive parts are running at, thus bringing the whole system down. Ditto goes for vice versa and for slow RAM.

[TheGhost]

What GFX to put in this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101082)?

I was thinking this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130442).

[InnerGoat]

It should fit, but thats going to be quite a hot toaster.

[Bhamid]

Fair enough, but yes, you would need a decent cooling fan

[Xetsuei]

Sorry I haven't been able to update this in a while guys, I should be able to do it this weekend.

[TheGhost]

Shuttle SX58H7 Intel X58 Barebone - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101082)
$710

Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136322)
$230

CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145224)
$166

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202)
$289

EVGA 01G-P3-1281-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130442)
$350

Total: $1745

Thoughts? I'm not buying a computer for at least 3 months (when I start working) but I'm starting to look at what's available. I'm trying to make a Shuttle one because my last computer I could hardly carry.

I'm most iffy about the HDD (because I'm not sure it's necessary) and the GFX card (because I haven't been following the latest releases too well).

Target budget: under $2000.

[AAA]

Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136322)
$230


Mine aswell get a 1TB HDD because they're about $120 cheaper. They may run at a 7200.1RPM, but you seriously can't notice the difference between the 10000RPM and 7200RPM

Here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014%20103530090%201035507776%201035424340&name=32MB

If you decide to pick something from this list instead, don't let it be the 1.5TB Hard Drive. They're unstable from what I've heard.

Oh, also are you sure 500W will be enough? and you may want to worry about the heating of that beast inside a barebones.

other than that. It looks fine and dandy.

[Xetsuei]

As a former user of a 10k RPM hard drive, yes you can notice the difference.

Where have you heard that 1.5TB hard drives are "unstable"?

And no he will have to get a different power supply, the minimum for the GTX 285 is 550W.

E: And about the cooling. Yes, you probably should get a different case (yes, I know it comes with the motherboard), maybe something that is a little bit bigger. That looks like there is hardly any space, and that the only fans are the ones for the PSU and some other very small fan. I can't exactly imagine the temperature inside of it being reasonable.

[InnerGoat]

The Velociraptors don't seem all that fast until you have to use a slower drive again. ;)

Ghost you could try out one of the SSDs as well. Intel's may be out of your price range, but OCZ vertex is said to be quite a solid drive that doesn't suffer from random read/write issues.

[Bhamid]

Make sure the i7 is a D0 stepping, they are more stable and overclock better ;)

[TheGhost]

So I should probably shoot for a slightly less powerful video card? Maybe the 275?

[Bhamid]

Personally, I would, and you can spend the money you save on something else like games or some other non-pc related thing like girls :P

[Warsaw]

If you are getting the computer in 3 months, know that the Radeon HD5000 series is supposed to have already been released by that point. In your shoes, I'd shoot for an HD5850 or 5870, or whatever they call them.

As for the Shuttle, it's designed to take the high end parts, but I'd buy that ICE 2 liquid cooler for it to be safe.

[TheGhost]

Maybe I'm not as worried about heat as I should be, but most of the reviews said that it has very good cooling.

[Warsaw]

It's Shuttle. It's specifically designed to take what it says it can take, and if any company knows how to make high-end SFF PCs, it's Shuttle. You won't have to worry about much unless you are into overclocking or live in an exceptionally hot area.

[=sw=warlord]

Im planning on getting a external hard drive in a few weeks and have settled on this one (http://www.dabs.com/products/iomega-1tb-prestige-3-5--hdd-usb2-0-5FHX.html?refs=51460000#usedstock).
Anyone have any details on iomega or suggestions of what ones i should consider?

[Xetsuei]

http://www.dabs.com/products/western-digital-1tb-mybook-essential-7200rpm-usb2-16mb-black-4XZQ.html?refs=50473

This would be much better.

[AAA]

Halp.

I've been alooking that this AMD motherboard for a bit and as it says it doesn't support triple Channel Memory or DDR3 1600 - Link:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138141
Website link: http://biostar-usa.com/app/en-us/t-series/introduction.php?S_ID=395

I was wondering how it would hold up if I put it with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227365

Overall, How would this effect the performance and functionality? How would I be limited? Is it not worth it?

[Bhamid]

The memory would be bottlenecked to dual-channel and if you're lucky then the RAM would automatically scale down, but if you're unlucky then you would have to underclock it :(

[InnerGoat]

The board may not support DDR3 1600 memory at stock, but you can overclock to make use of it's speed.

[Warsaw]

Honestly, DDR3 1600 is not that great because the timings are horrid...you'd be better off with a slower DDR3 with faster timings IMO.

[AAA]

How would I find Slower DDR3 memory with faster timings?? Does that kind of combination even exist???

[Warsaw]

Well, I'll be...it's been awhile since I've looked at DDR3 memory since I can't use it, but last time I looked, 1600 was still 8 at best; things have changed, since apparently it goes all the way down to 6.

[MetKiller Joe]

Intel or AMD?
If your going for intel, i would suggest the Asus P5N32-SLI Premium.

I should really stop this tendency of referring to old posts.

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359). I think I'm done with SLi. None of nVidia's boards have rock solid dependability across the board.

[=sw=warlord]

I should really stop this tendency of referring to old posts.

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359). I think I'm done with SLi. None of nVidia's boards have rock solid dependability across the board.
Seems like a good board to me though i dont have any experience with gigabyte the only time i did have one of their boards i had to send it back.

[Warsaw]

I have a Gigabyte board in this house, ran great for a very long time (10 years) before finally giving out. Still have it, not that it does any good anymore.

[k4is3rxkh40s]

I'm thinking it's about time I upgrade my desktop's graphics card, but I don't really know what I'm looking for. My current motherboard has 2 empty PCI and 1 empty PCI-E x16 slots, currently running on an integrated card. Computer specs here (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00503717&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=1152517). I don't know what the power supply is exactly, but I'm guessing it's either 300 or 400W, going by the "Hp a1245c replacement power supply" ads I'm finding through google. If possible, I'm looking to spend around $100 dollars for the card, but I can work through the summer if need be to upgrade everything else, too. Also hoping to play Fallout 3 at least medium settings. Any ideas?

[AAA]

You may want to take a good look at the XFX Radeon HD 4770.

It's cheap, it plays all gams on maxed out settings (even crysis and Far Cry 2) with the lowest FPS of 30.

If you're packing a 300W to 400W Power Supply, this would also be a good choice as to save on power necessary to run it. It's a 40nm.

Would be nice if you could reveal your computer specs. No biggy though..

[k4is3rxkh40s]

You may want to take a good look at the XFX Radeon HD 4770.

It's cheap, it plays all gams on maxed out settings (even crysis and Far Cry 2) with the lowest FPS of 30.

If you're packing a 300W to 400W Power Supply, this would also be a good choice as to save on power necessary to run it. It's a 40nm.

Would be nice if you could reveal your computer specs. No biggy though..

See


Computer specs here (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00503717&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=1152517).

Also, forgot to add that I added 2 gigs of RAM

E: I've actually been considering that card, but I finally got to looking at my mobo and I only have a pci-e x16 1.0 slot

[AAA]

See



Also, forgot to add that I added 2 gigs of RAM

E: I've actually been considering that card, but I finally got to looking at my mobo and I only have a pci-e x16 1.0 slot

That's perfectly fine. It won't hinder performance enough to a degree that you'll really notice. the single card on it's own would utilize it's performance capabilities just as good as it would if it were under PCI-E 2.0

PCI-E 2.0 has a wider amount of bandwidth and would become more useful under SLI or Crossfire situations due to such extreme bandwidth sucking under those situations.

EDIT: in short PCI-E 2.0 is backwards compatible

Also, I took a good look at your specs and it looks like it'd be smooth sailing for you if you got it.

[Warsaw]

Yes, but his CPU is a major bottleneck...his system is very similar to mine, but his CPU is 200MHz faster than mine. An HD4770 would not be a good choice because a lot of power is wasted. With something like, say, a 9800GT, there is less power wasted, even though the CPU is still maxed.

[343guiltymc]

Yes, but his CPU is a major bottleneck...his system is very similar to mine, but his CPU is 200MHz faster than mine. An HD4770 would not be a good choice because a lot of power is wasted. With something like, say, a 9800GT, there is less power wasted, even though the CPU is still maxed.

What? Aren't the 9800 GT and 4770 around the same performance?
:(

[Warsaw]

Um no. The 4770 toasts the 9800GT. The 4770/4850 compete with the 9800GTX+. If I were to upgrade my computer, I would probably get a 9600GT, but no more than a 9800GT. 9600GT is a hair shy of the 9800GT, but $20-$40 less.

[AAA]

Also for a note on the forum, You are better off with a Geforce 250 vs the 9800GTX+ since it pretty much is just a remake.

a little off topic, but there it is...

[Warsaw]

And at that you are better off with an HD4770, which is ~$50USD cheaper and runs a hair shy of it, though it does best it in some areas.

[k4is3rxkh40s]

That's perfectly fine. It won't hinder performance enough to a degree that you'll really notice. the single card on it's own would utilize it's performance capabilities just as good as it would if it were under PCI-E 2.0

PCI-E 2.0 has a wider amount of bandwidth and would become more useful under SLI or Crossfire situations due to such extreme bandwidth sucking under those situations.

EDIT: in short PCI-E 2.0 is backwards compatible

Also, I took a good look at your specs and it looks like it'd be smooth sailing for you if you got it.

Totally did not know that, thank you.


Yes, but his CPU is a major bottleneck...his system is very similar to mine, but his CPU is 200MHz faster than mine. An HD4770 would not be a good choice because a lot of power is wasted. With something like, say, a 9800GT, there is less power wasted, even though the CPU is still maxed.

But should I chose to put one in my computer, would it still be pretty much fine and able to run most games pretty well?

[Warsaw]

It can, though it will stumble, which gets very grating after awhile.

[Bhamid]

Whats the difference between 4 pin and 3 pin fans?

[NullZero]

Whats the difference between 4 pin and 3 pin fans?

Sorry for link posting, don't know if this would help:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-012074.htm

[Warsaw]

I think 4 pins usually means the fan is variable speed and can be adjusted...3 pins means it's either on or off.

[Bhamid]

There aren't many motherboards with more than 1 4-pin socket :(

[=sw=warlord]

There aren't many motherboards with more than 1 4-pin socket :(
That's because the 4 pin fan plug is usualy for the cpu fan, not case fan.
I have yet to see a 4 pin case fan.
My understanding is the 4th pin is for temperature seeking, for the fan to find what temp the cpu is.
A few of the cpu heatsinks ive got use a thermocouple on the bottom of the fan for sensing the heat of the heaksink.

[Bhamid]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Akasa-AK-FN053-120mm-smart-4-pin-PWM-contolled-fans-anti-vib-silicone-pins-incl

I was thinking of these...

[Xetsuei]

That's because the 4 pin fan plug is usualy for the cpu fan, not case fan.
I have yet to see a 4 pin case fan.
My understanding is the 4th pin is for temperature seeking, for the fan to find what temp the cpu is.
A few of the cpu heatsinks ive got use a thermocouple on the bottom of the fan for sensing the heat of the heaksink.

Hahaha.

[=sw=warlord]

Hahaha.
Ha?
I see nothing funny there, at all.

[InnerGoat]

Hey, lets try making constructive posts some time

tia

(the 4 pin fan head is for pwm fans, and it accepts 3 pin fans too)

[Bhamid]

yea but 4 pins in 3 pin sockets dont do PWN

[k4is3rxkh40s]

It can, though it will stumble, which gets very grating after awhile.

What about a 4850, or would it be even more power wasting/harder on my system? I missed the 4770's for $99 so was looking through newegg today trying to finally decide on what to get, and I noticed that the cheapest (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824) 4850 is $99.99, ($74.99 with the given promo code and rebate) right now, while the only 4770's available are $119.99(there are a couple 4850's for the same price with either rebates, extended warranties, or games).

E:
Just looked at the 4770's again and there's one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102835) for 109.99

E2:
Looks like the above sold out in a matter of hours, there's still one for 119.99

[leorimolo]

I think 4 pins usually means the fan is variable speed and can be adjusted...3 pins means it's either on or off.
Wrong.

[Warsaw]

I said "I think", which means I am not sure. Whatever the case, if you know better, please share with the rest of us, especially for the sake of the one who asked the original question. You are not being funny or witty, you just look like a moron with a post like that.

Now, Kaiser, about the video card; go with the 4850, since it and the 4770 are almost dead even. Also, you'll probably upgrade the whole system somewhere down the line, so the extra power is appreciated. It will only stumble if you crank the settings all the way up, and at that it should be pretty smooth in between stumbles, and having more RAM can reduce said stumbles.

[343guiltymc]

Is it worth getting a 5.1 sound card if I only have some crappy pair of speakers.

[Bhamid]

Lol no, you will only get the benefits of 5.1 surround sounds if you have 5.1 speakers, you won't get any improvement from 2.0 to 5.1 if you only have a pair of stereo speakers.

[NullZero]

The chain is only as strong as the weakest link. That applies to audio.

Therefore, no, don't bother.

[343guiltymc]

So if I improved sound, I need improved sound I would need both a sound card AND a new sound system, not only one of them?

[Warsaw]

Yes, that is correct. In some instances even, you won't hear much improvement over integrated because the speakers themselves aren't good enough, so don't get an el cheapo set of 5.1 speakers either. I recommend the following sets:

In order of increasing price:

Logitech X-30 (if you can find it) or X-540
CreAtive T-6100
Logitech G-51
Logitech Z-5300e
Logitech Z-5500 (pricey)

[AAA]

Wrong.

No, I'm pretty sure he's right.

Elaborate, please.

[Timo]

Yes, that is correct. In some instances even, you won't hear much improvement over integrated because the speakers themselves aren't good enough, so don't get an el cheapo set of 5.1 speakers either. I recommend the following sets:

In order of increasing price:

Logitech X-30 (if you can find it) or X-540
CreAtive T-6100
Logitech G-51
Logitech Z-5300e
Logitech Z-5500 (pricey)

I have the Logitech X-230 2.1 set - produces really nice sound and good bass for its price ($80NZD).

[Warsaw]

X-230 is just a 2.1 version of the X-530, which I have. But yes, it is exceptional sound quality, especially considering I got the set for a mere $65. =D

Kaiser, careful with power. The recommended wattage is always way over what it actually takes, and given that your CPU is 89W instead of the 130W that they are probably expecting, you have some elbow room. I seem to remember posting a link to a chart with power draw for all GPUs from the GeForce 6 series' time to present.

[Varmint260]

I bought a newer processor for my computer (Acer Aspire AM1201 with AM2 socket, only a few months old) and I'm upgrading from a single-core Athlon LE-1620 to a dual-core Athlon 64 X2 5600+ AM2, and I just realized I need to know a couple of things.

First off, what is the likeliness of my motherboard accepting a single-core processor but not a multi-core? I seriously doubt it since the computer's only a couple months old, but I figured it'd be important to ask.

Secondly, does a processor replacement EVER require an OS reinstallation? I've had mixed responses on this and since this is my first processor upgrade, I'd rather not assume anything.

[Warsaw]

It shouldn't require OS reinstallation, since Vista is locked to the motherboard, and not the CPU. It might, however, require OS reactivation. As for not accepting dual cores, this shouldn't be an issue, and even if it is, it's nothing a simple BIOS flash won't fix.

[Varmint260]

"You must spread some reputation around before giving to Warsaw again." lol... anyhow, thanks very much for the info, and OS reactivation is one thing I did hear about in those mixed replies. Thanks again!

EDIT: No reactivation, no problems whatsoever, it just booted as if it's been running this processor all along.

[Warsaw]

"Sir, I won't say I told you so, sir!"

=D

It only asks for reactivation after you change a good portion of components. When I swapped out RAM, added a hard drive, and added a sound card, I was prompted to reactivate Windows XP. My sound card then fried itself so I'm back on shitty AC97 again...:saddowns:.

[Varmint260]

Ahh. In this computer I've now swapped the power supply, added a graphics card, replaced the processor and taken out 1gb of ram to replace it with 4gb. However, I did all of those at separate times, so I guess I sneakily avoided reactivation.

[Warsaw]

I installed the RAM and sound card simultaneously, and that's when I was prompted. The HDD addition didn't do anything.

[343guiltymc]

Damn looks I'm going to have to get a video card without any external power connectors, since it can't work with my default PSU even with adapters. The 9800 GT EE offers the best performance in that respect right?

[Warsaw]

The best card without power cords is the Radeon HD4670. All others require a PCIe connector. It is a very respectable card in its own right though.

[343guiltymc]

The 4670 is better than the 9800 GT? I know the 9800 GT EE has a 50 MHZ under clock, but isn't it still better than 4670?

[Warsaw]

It isn't better, but what are you currently using?

[343guiltymc]

It isn't better, but what are you currently using?

The same Dell crap I've been using. ;) But how is the 4670 better than the 9800 GT EE? They've just reduced the shader and core clock of a regular 9800 GT, that makes it worse than a 4670?

[Warsaw]

The 4670 is not better than the 9800GT at all, but if you can't use a card that requires a PCIe power connector, the 4670 is as good as it gets...

[343guiltymc]

The 4670 is not better than the 9800GT at all, but if you can't use a card that requires a PCIe power connector, the 4670 is as good as it gets...

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133279
That's a 9800 GT without a external power connector right? :confused2:

[Varmint260]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133279
That's a 9800 GT without a external power connector right? :confused2:

I daresay you might be right. It says nothing about external power connectors in the specifications, and I cannot see any power connectors from the pictures provided. I haven't seen a 9800 without them, but then I was a little taken aback that my 9500 didn't, so you can't go by me. If those pictures are accurate, though...

[343guiltymc]

I daresay you might be right. It says nothing about external power connectors in the specifications, and I cannot see any power connectors from the pictures provided. I haven't seen a 9800 without them, but then I was a little taken aback that my 9500 didn't, so you can't go by me. If those pictures are accurate, though...

Well before PNYwent with a reference 9800 GT with 6 pin power connector. But they changed the card to one without it, though they obvious forgot to change the specifications info like the decrease in core and shader clock. I guess what I'm asking is, is this card as good as a reference 9600 GT or worse than it? The 9600 GT is only slightly below the level of the stock 9800 GT right?

[Warsaw]

Well, this is a relatively new and interesting development...I guess that makes this the best card without a connector. Go for it. =D And yes, performance difference between the 9600GT and 9800GT is close to nothing.

[Sargent_Hawk]

I'm hoping for a computer upgrade, money is so fucking tight though, maximum is $150(note this is at christmas time when we have the $150 for the upgrade), I've done some searching but couldin't find much.

current specs:
GFX: Nvidia Geforce 4200 Ti. (old, but runs TF2 mid settings at 40 FPS, surprising actualy)

Processor: AMD 1.8 Ghz.

Ram: 1GB

Motherboard: I cannot remember, but it uses AGP 8X or so, no PCI-e slot, if anyone finds a good deal on a motherboard, processor, and GFX card that totals at $150 maximum please let me know.

I would give more info but I can't remember most my specs to save my life, and Steam crashes every time I try to check from there(also to lazy to open up my computer and actualy look).

E: If anyone has some old computer parts they arent using anymore give me a thought please.

[Warsaw]

Holy shit son...you've even got Rossmum and Heathen beat for ancient computer specs...

The best GPU you can get for the AGP 8x bus is either the HD 3850 or HD4650, not sure which is better off the top of my head though, since they are pretty much dead even on paper. 3850 has a slight advantage with its GDDR3 memory and 256-bit interface.

HD3850 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102730)

HD4650 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125281)

If I were you, I'd save up and get a new computer altogether. What is the exact name of your CPU, so I can figure out the socket (unless you have the socket name, then give me that).

[FluffyDucky™]

I'm hoping for a computer upgrade, money is so fucking tight though, maximum is $150(note this is at christmas time when we have the $150 for the upgrade), I've done some searching but couldin't find much.

current specs:
GFX: Nvidia Geforce 4200 Ti. (old, but runs TF2 mid settings at 40 FPS, surprising actualy)

Processor: AMD 1.8 Ghz.

Ram: 1GB

Motherboard: I cannot remember, but it uses AGP 8X or so, no PCI-e slot, if anyone finds a good deal on a motherboard, processor, and GFX card that totals at $150 maximum please let me know.

I would give more info but I can't remember most my specs to save my life, and Steam crashes every time I try to check from there(also to lazy to open up my computer and actualy look).

E: If anyone has some old computer parts they arent using anymore give me a thought please.

Wow, how does that even turn on????? I agree with War. Time to upgrade buddy. :p

[InnerGoat]

That CPU is too slow for any newer video cards so don't bother.

If you can, save a little more until you have $200. Otherwise...

With $150 164 on newegg,

cpu (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103255) = 55
ram (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178154) = 28
motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135074) = 45
psu (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023) = 36
video (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161262) = 55

:smithicide:

[FluffyDucky™]

You're better off waiting till you can pocket some more money, unless you're in a hurry.

[Warsaw]

I agree. Not worth the money to upgrade UNLESS you have at least a Socket 939 and enough money to get an Athlon 64 X2 as well as some RAM and a video card, and at that point you would probably have enough money to buy at least an AM2- or LGA775-based system.

[Varmint260]

Alright... so I've been using my Athlon 64 X2 for a week and a bit now, and I'm mighty impressed with its performance in Windows, doing random things. I decided today to give it a bit of a load and I started up Gears of War PC. Ran all settings at high (except DX10 and Anti-aliasing) at 1152x720, just to start. Now, when I'm just hangin' around in Windows, or letting the computer idle, the CPU runs at 36 degrees celsius. When I started playing Gears, the CPU rose up to 57 Celsius and steadied there. I've read a bit from Googling and I see a lot of crap info (people who seem to be pulling info out their asses) on how hot my CPU should be running. What I want to know is, how hot SHOULD it be running, and what should I do to lower the temp it's running at?

EDIT: One website (The Heatsink Guide) states that the maximum temperature for an Athlon 64 X2 is 65 degrees. Of course, I'm not exactly sure how long it would last at that temp. What's a good temp under load?

[InnerGoat]

Your load temp is fine as long as it's not going over 70c. The chip's at stock voltage so it won't burn up.

If you want to make it run cooler you can undervolt the CPU until it crashes prime95 stress test or get a better heatsink.

[Warsaw]

Your temps are about the same as my temps. I hit 39C idle and 57C under load. Seeing as both of us are using AMD Athlon 64 K8 CPUs, I'd say you're right at home at those temps (of course, I have a 130nm CPU and you have a 65nm, I presume).

[Varmint260]

Yep, it's a 65nm. Thanks for the info! I was a little nervous 'cause SpeedFan has all its temp warnings set to 50C by default, which I didn't realize. When it hits the warning temp, a little flame icon appears next to the component. Made me nervous :/

[mech]

Need a good AM3/AM2+/AM2, 1 pcie 2.0 is acceptable.

[InnerGoat]

You need a what now???

[Varmint260]

I'm guessing mech is looking to buy a motherboard, since I don't know a lot of other computer components that have a PCIe slot and an AMD processor socket.

[mech]

I'm talking about a motherboard.

[Warsaw]

AM3 only or combo AM2+/AM3? AM3 dedicated grands you DDR3 access, while the other one gives you more CPU options.

AM2/AM2+/AM3 (all of these have DDR3 support, which is the only reason I list them and not the more well-known ones)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131391
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813153149

AM3:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

[Kalub]

Yo peeps, I needs me a new 'putalator, since mines old and stuffz. I don't want to spend more than $500, it needs to be Dual(or greater) cored, 2.5ghz+, 4gigs Ram, and be able to support this nifty 4879 I gots me right here for $50.

Also, I don't need any HDD or DVD/CD drives. I do need a basic (lol popcan) case to hold it all in.


pm me with builds k thx <3

[klange]

Alright, guys, I need to get a new machine to replace my two aging boxen. I'm posting this from my iPod, so not much detail right now. Just going to say my budget is low, I need nvidia graphics and the card must have two DVI outs (isn't that standard these days?). I'm already set on peripherals. I'll post more specifics tomorrow.

[InnerGoat]

Dual dual-link DVI is standard right now but we're seeing more and more cards come out with HDMI and displayport. :-3

Please say your budget is over 200 dollars or you're not getting fuck all...

[klange]

Dual dual-link DVI is standard right now but we're seeing more and more cards come out with HDMI and displayport. :-3
Well, then I guess it's good that I'm specifying, I have two DVI LCDs, and I want to use both of them.
Please say your budget is over 200 dollars or you're not getting fuck all...
Heavens, that's no budget, that's spare change!
I'm still tired, just got a major shock, and it's pouring rain, so give me an hour or two to get my details down on what I'm looking for. I was never a hardware guy, and I've been working on 5+ year-old hardware (or the equivalent in 3-year-old budget), so I've got a ways to go.

Basically, I'm looking for something to bring with me to college, so it can't be too noisy. I want to be able to use both of my LCDs, as I'll try to bring both (and they should fit on my little desk).

e: Alright, here's the deal: I have ~$300 of my own expendable cash and at least $200 in other sources.
I'm looking for:
- Something that isn't too loud
- Dual DVI outputs
- nVidia graphics for optimal Linux compatibility
- No preference either way on CPU manuf.
- Needs HD space for Ubuntu and Windows 7.
- I don't need a burner, but I guess those are standard now...
- No specific needs on the case.
I already have two 22" LCDs and an acceptable keyboard and mouse combo.

e: I realize there's a $400-500 setup in the OP, but it hasn't been updated in four months...

[InnerGoat]

psu (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817812002) $70
RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122) $47, if you want 8GB get two sets.

motherboard + cpu combo deal (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.209473) $205

DVD burner (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187) $25 buy a burner later lol
Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119115) $40
HDD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148451) $48
nVidia 9800GT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134066) $90

~ $500 ~

[klange]

:D

It's funny, that thing probably costs a lot less than all of my hardware, but it's ~20x more powerful than all of it. Don't you just love how technology evolves over time?

I think I can manage the burner, my upper end is a little loose.

[Warsaw]

I agree with his choices of hardware too. I would say just get a 9600GT since it's just about par with a 9800GT, but that 9800GT is the price of a 9600GT anyways, so just run with it.

[343guiltymc]

Why a 9800 gt without external power connector, especially if he is going to buy a new PSU? It can't overclock for shit, not even a little.

[Warsaw]

When was the last time overclocking a GPU attained a noticeable performance boost? One or three frames isn't anything. Also, he wants it for Linux, which is not generally used for gaming first.

=|

[343guiltymc]

When was the last time overclocking a GPU attained a noticeable performance boost? One or three frames isn't anything. Also, he wants it for Linux, which is not generally used for gaming first.

=|
It's still nice the option is there, considering the card is probably downclocked compared the reference 9800 GT specs.

[Warsaw]

Likewise, it's not terribly downclocked, so the same rule applies. Bringing it up to speed isn't going to net you much of a performance boost over what it already provides.

[InnerGoat]

Ughhh it runs the same clocks as standard 9800GTs and can overclock.

[Warsaw]

Principle still applies regardless. This is all academic anyways. Just get the 9800GT, Bacon.

[klange]

- I'm moving up from a bunch of ~1.6GHz single-core desktops with a GeForce FX 5200 and a Radeon x800 here.
- I'm still not going to do any hardcore gaming, maybe some Source stuff and HCE.
- I don't plan on overclocking anything.

I think the system will work fine for my needs. If it's ELECTRICALLY COMPATIBLE it WFM.

[Warsaw]

Indeed it will. The 9800GT is already overkill for Halo CE and can max out everything in any Source game (unless you intend to be playing at 2560x1600). You're golden. :aaaaa:

[klange]

The price on the CPU/Mobo combo just went down another $10. Good thing I didn't buy it last night. Hopefully the burner I selected won't be out of stock tonight, as ever other drive I had in the cart was out of stock a few hours later...

[InnerGoat]

just skip the burner until later then. they're not going to get cheaper :-3

[klange]

My dad demanded I get a 1TB drive... so we took the featured 1TB Seagate off the front page of the Hard Drives section >_> It was $90.

Order complete, should ship in a few days.

[klange]

Yay! Everything is here except my burner - no DOAs! Shutting down some things and move my old desktops, as well as my server...

[InnerGoat]

throw windows 7 on it so you can feel it's supremacy :iamafag:

[klange]

throw windows 7 on it so you can feel it's supremacy :iamafag:
I already use Win7. Need to grab 64-bit ISOs of Ubuntu and Win7, actually... Testing everything out with one of my old Ubuntu USB sticks, it runs a beta or alpha of Ubuntu 9.04... Might do a test install off of it, but it's 32-bit. >_>

e: Formatting my 1TB drive...

[Teroh]

Since my thread got closed: Thanks Con >:U


I'm currently in Italy, but when I get back home I'm thinking about upgrading my system at some point.
Specs you can see in my page but: (Note: This is my CURRENT computer.)

CPU: Intel E6600 C2D (2x2.4GHz)
RAM: Corsair 2x1 GB
Graphics Card: eVGA Nvidia 8800 GTS 640 MB
Mobo: eVGA 650i
PSU: generic 500W
Running Vista 32 bit.

Is it time for an upgrade? If so, what should I upgrade? Should I wait for the Nvidia 300 series cards to come out so prices on graphics cards drop? Should I upgrade to 64 bit? Should I upgrade to Windows 7?

Looking for suggestions and opinions here, I haven't made up my mind. Money isn't too much of an issue here, but let's keep it within reach.

[343guiltymc]

Like already stated, it's not worth getting an upgrade right now. Save your hard earned cash, your hardware is A LOT better than what I started off with.

[Teroh]

Like already stated, it's not worth getting an upgrade right now. Save your hard earned cash, your hardware is A LOT better than what I started off with.
Heh, believe me, I didn't start off with this. I built this baby myself 2 years ago.

[InnerGoat]

My box is coming two years old as well :/

If you were to upgrade it would need to be core i7, 64bit, all that good stuff if you want it to be a big upgrade

[AAA]

I'm upgrading to this:

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036[/URL]

Cooler:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037)

[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055

Now, I plan on overclocking this baby to about 4.2 or 4.6GHz. I want to know what would be a good set of PC8500 2x2GB DDR2 memory if I plan on reaching these clocks on a stable level.

I'm looking at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145197

But, I"m not so sure.

NOTE!!!: Money is not a factor. I"m looking for performance in gaming. I already have a satisfactory Graphics Card

[jcap]

I have the same motherboard. I absolutely love it.

Also, killer heatsink.

[Warsaw]

I'm upgrading to this:

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036[/URL]

Cooler:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037)

[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055

Now, I plan on overclocking this baby to about 4.2 or 4.6GHz. I want to know what would be a good set of PC8500 2x2GB DDR2 memory if I plan on reaching these clocks on a stable level.

I'm looking at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145197

But, I"m not so sure.

NOTE!!!: Money is not a factor. I"m looking for performance in gaming. I already have a satisfactory Graphics Card

If money is not an obstacle, then you should definitely be springing for a Core i7, or at the very least a quad-core setup of some kind.

[AAA]

If money is not an obstacle, then you should definitely be springing for a Core i7, or at the very least a quad-core setup of some kind.

The Core 2 Duo E8000 Series are a nice bunch of overclockers and I hear Games even today only use 2 cores anyway. 2 cores is enough to last me for the next four years.

[Bhamid]

This is as good as the e8400 and is easier to overclock, plus it is cheaper and doesn't use an obselete socket

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103680

[NullZero]

Should be able to OC the e8400 to around 3.5ghz on stock, and 4+ghz on aftermarket iirc