To get good info about computer purchases you need to decide either how much you want to spend or what is the minimum you want it to be able to do (eg: "run game X at max settings"). If you don't nail one one of the variables (preferably price) it's not really possible to say what purchase would be best.
run Diablo III at max or close to it
not explode
laptop? If not, then do you have anything from an old computer you can reuse like monitors, keyboard, mouse, windows license, DVD drive etc... Those little things add up.
oh yeah I've got my computer and monitor
I just want to get an actual video card, new power supply, and add some RAM
but I dunno about video cards!
It's not usually that easy to "add ram", or simply plug in a video card. Unfortunately.
If your computer is a pre-built deal (Dell or the like), then odds are good it wasn't designed with "upgrade later" in mind. If that's the case, you'll pretty much need a brand new everything; the good news is, a mid-range is pretty cheap. I think I spent around 700 a few years ago, and I was going for a little over mid-range.
it was built by me with help from someone else, with upgrade later in mind
so I don't really want a whole new one right now
I know I can get a very appreciable upgrade by getting an actual video card
Oh, good. Didn't mean to insult, but I wasn't sure - you named yourself noob, after all.
To get good info about computer purchases you need to decide either how much you want to spend or what is the minimum you want it to be able to do (eg: "run game X at max settings"). If you don't nail one one of the variables (preferably price) it's not really possible to say what purchase would be best.
run Diablo III at max or close to it
not explode
laptop? If not, then do you have anything from an old computer you can reuse like monitors, keyboard, mouse, windows license, DVD drive etc... Those little things add up.
oh yeah I've got my computer and monitor
I just want to get an actual video card, new power supply, and add some RAM
but I dunno about video cards!
yeah, video card market changes so bloody fast it's crazy.
Well as a starting point checking out Newegg and sorting by "best rating" is pretty handy.
One thing I've found with motherboards and ram is that every motherboard has a list of specific RAM brands and model #s that they have tested as working on that board (usually on the website for the mobo manufacturer). I always buy off that list even if its a few bucks more. So worth it as minor RAM incompatability differences (like voltage) are a horrible pain to diagnose.
If that price range is comfortable, then that is a damn nice card.
So, the main thing will be to make sure you have a motherboard that it can fit into. It needs a "PCI Express 2.0 x16" slot. The other issue will be that it suggests a minimum of a 400 watt power supply in the system.
Also note it has 2 DVI and 1 mini-HDMI plugs on the back (it can handle up to 2 monitors at once). So make sure your monitor(s) can hook up to those or pick up an adapter.
Oh and the thing is pretty bulky. If you have a normal case that wont be an issue but if you have one of those tiny desktop ones then you'll want to check the exact size to make sure it will fit.
So I picked up Perdido Street Station but stalled out about thirty pages in. Someone tell me something great about it to get me reinterested.
i think mieville is wildly overrated
i know i'm not helping
I'm still so damn conflicted on The City and The City.
I liked it
embassytown was his best book I think
and I really like his bas lag stuff so
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CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
edited May 2012
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
Cambiata on
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
To get good info about computer purchases you need to decide either how much you want to spend or what is the minimum you want it to be able to do (eg: "run game X at max settings"). If you don't nail one one of the variables (preferably price) it's not really possible to say what purchase would be best.
run Diablo III at max or close to it
not explode
laptop? If not, then do you have anything from an old computer you can reuse like monitors, keyboard, mouse, windows license, DVD drive etc... Those little things add up.
oh yeah I've got my computer and monitor
I just want to get an actual video card, new power supply, and add some RAM
but I dunno about video cards!
It's not usually that easy to "add ram", or simply plug in a video card. Unfortunately.
If your computer is a pre-built deal (Dell or the like), then odds are good it wasn't designed with "upgrade later" in mind. If that's the case, you'll pretty much need a brand new everything; the good news is, a mid-range is pretty cheap. I think I spent around 700 a few years ago, and I was going for a little over mid-range.
it was built by me with help from someone else, with upgrade later in mind
so I don't really want a whole new one right now
I know I can get a very appreciable upgrade by getting an actual video card
Oh, good. Didn't mean to insult, but I wasn't sure - you named yourself noob, after all.
well like
I'm not sure what PCI is exactly
I am aware that it is a type of slot!
also
what is overclocking
overclocking is when you fiddle with a device to make it run at a faster speed than it does out of the box (usually also providing more power in the process). This makes it generate a lot more heat and can cause all kinds of problems (up to and including melting) if you don't have enough cooling. Or if you just happened to get the wrong batch of part (since it is running outside the safe design specs).
To get good info about computer purchases you need to decide either how much you want to spend or what is the minimum you want it to be able to do (eg: "run game X at max settings"). If you don't nail one one of the variables (preferably price) it's not really possible to say what purchase would be best.
run Diablo III at max or close to it
not explode
laptop? If not, then do you have anything from an old computer you can reuse like monitors, keyboard, mouse, windows license, DVD drive etc... Those little things add up.
oh yeah I've got my computer and monitor
I just want to get an actual video card, new power supply, and add some RAM
but I dunno about video cards!
yeah, video card market changes so bloody fast it's crazy.
Well as a starting point checking out Newegg and sorting by "best rating" is pretty handy.
One thing I've found with motherboards and ram is that every motherboard has a list of specific RAM brands and model #s that they have tested as working on that board (usually on the website for the mobo manufacturer). I always buy off that list even if its a few bucks more. So worth it as minor RAM incompatability differences (like voltage) are a horrible pain to diagnose.
If that price range is comfortable, then that is a damn nice card.
So, the main thing will be to make sure you have a motherboard that it can fit into. It needs a "PCI Express 2.0 x16" slot. The other issue will be that it suggests a minimum of a 400 watt power supply in the system.
Also note it has 2 DVI and 1 mini-HDMI plugs on the back (it can handle up to 2 monitors at once). So make sure your monitor(s) can hook up to those or pick up an adapter.
Oh and the thing is pretty bulky. If you have a normal case that wont be an issue but if you have one of those tiny desktop ones then you'll want to check the exact size to make sure it will fit.
yeah I have a regular case so that shouldn't be an issue
So I picked up Perdido Street Station but stalled out about thirty pages in. Someone tell me something great about it to get me reinterested.
i think mieville is wildly overrated
i know i'm not helping
I'm still so damn conflicted on The City and The City.
I liked it
embassytown was his best book I think
and I really like his bas lag stuff so
Book spoiler:
I just felt overall that he took the idea of how we "unsee" people on a daily basis, like the homeless, and tried to extend that metaphor to "what if we tried to unsee an entire culture that literally coexisted with us on every street?"
The problem is that its stupid when it's extended that far because there is nothing to assist in the suspension of disbelief that such an extension requires. The Americans in the book even acknowledge the entire situation as pants on head dumb.
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
cool good to know, thanks
SIG, I am going to counter this and say I have had more problems with the computer than ran nvidia than I have had in my time with ATI cards. I am currently on ATI card 5 or 6 in a row through different upgrades and computer builds. And have only had one problem with an actual bad/blown out card in the over 12+ years of using them.
Basically it all comes down to luck with your video cards. Some people swear by nvidia and others by ati. And both companies go through different rotations on who is faster/more stable ever year or so.
I'm at that point where I utterly despise every additional number added to my age, but at least I have a fun day planned. Going to watch me some Avengers in 3D.
Usually a big budget movie is all I need. I'll probably get some birthday cash, but I'm debating between Max Payne 3 and Diablo III.
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
cool good to know, thanks
SIG, I am going to counter this and say I have had more problems with the computer than ran nvidia than I have had in my time with ATI cards. I am currently on ATI card 5 or 6 in a row through different upgrades and computer builds. And have only had one problem with an actual bad/blown out card in the over 12+ years of using them.
Basically it all comes down to luck with your video cards. Some people swear by nvidia and others by ati. And both companies go through different rotations on who is faster/more stable ever year or so.
this is true. Though the particular card she linked was averaging a 5 star (out of 5) rating on newegg with over 500 reviews. And packed a nice punch in terms of specs for the price.
I'm at that point where I utterly despise every additional number added to my age, but at least I have a fun day planned. Going to watch me some Avengers in 3D.
Usually a big budget movie is all I need. I'll probably get some birthday cash, but I'm debating between Max Payne 3 and Diablo III.
Diablo 3 is probably a better bang-for-buck. I'd rent Max Payne 3 instead.
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
cool good to know, thanks
SIG, I am going to counter this and say I have had more problems with the computer than ran nvidia than I have had in my time with ATI cards. I am currently on ATI card 5 or 6 in a row through different upgrades and computer builds. And have only had one problem with an actual bad/blown out card in the over 12+ years of using them.
Basically it all comes down to luck with your video cards. Some people swear by nvidia and others by ati. And both companies go through different rotations on who is faster/more stable ever year or so.
Well when I say problems, I don't mean with the video card working on my computer. I mean a game comes out, and I can't play it right away because there's an issue that only happens with ATI cards. This didn't happen with just one game; it seemed to happen with every single game that came out. Some obscure glitch that would only happen with ATI. If you're not doing any gaming with it, you would probably never would have noticed a problem with ATI.
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Oh, you just need a new video card? Well I'll say this much about that:
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
cool good to know, thanks
SIG, I am going to counter this and say I have had more problems with the computer than ran nvidia than I have had in my time with ATI cards. I am currently on ATI card 5 or 6 in a row through different upgrades and computer builds. And have only had one problem with an actual bad/blown out card in the over 12+ years of using them.
Basically it all comes down to luck with your video cards. Some people swear by nvidia and others by ati. And both companies go through different rotations on who is faster/more stable ever year or so.
this is true. Though the particular card she linked was averaging a 5 star (out of 5) rating on newegg with over 500 reviews. And packed a nice punch in terms of specs for the price.
I'm not the one that linked that one, but it's certainly not a bad card.
My PC is currently using this one, and lordy is it a dream. I haven't thrown anything at this puppy that it can't run yet. Granted it is a little pricy, but If you do a lot of gaming I think it's worth it.
Cambiata on
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Posts
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac
I'm not sure what PCI is exactly
I am aware that it is a type of slot!
also
what is overclocking
Yeah I think that's the same card.
If that price range is comfortable, then that is a damn nice card.
So, the main thing will be to make sure you have a motherboard that it can fit into. It needs a "PCI Express 2.0 x16" slot. The other issue will be that it suggests a minimum of a 400 watt power supply in the system.
Also note it has 2 DVI and 1 mini-HDMI plugs on the back (it can handle up to 2 monitors at once). So make sure your monitor(s) can hook up to those or pick up an adapter.
Oh and the thing is pretty bulky. If you have a normal case that wont be an issue but if you have one of those tiny desktop ones then you'll want to check the exact size to make sure it will fit.
good one skip
I'd rather have an iPad to replace my Lenovo laptop tho
I liked it
embassytown was his best book I think
and I really like his bas lag stuff so
Stay away from ATI/AMD. Seriously, if you want to game, STAY AWAY. I have had more problems with those video cards than a little. Usually if there's one particular bug that makes a game crash consistently, it "only happens on ATI/AMD cards" and you have to wait for a patch.
Also when it comes to NVIDIA cards, I have had terrible luck with XFX. I bought a couple of XFX cards because they are cheaper, and those cards are among the few video cards I ever had that failed. I generally get EVGA cards.
I have only recently started to feel that my 2008 imac is not up to snuff
but I don't want to spend money on a new computer nooo
cool good to know, thanks
overclocking is when you fiddle with a device to make it run at a faster speed than it does out of the box (usually also providing more power in the process). This makes it generate a lot more heat and can cause all kinds of problems (up to and including melting) if you don't have enough cooling. Or if you just happened to get the wrong batch of part (since it is running outside the safe design specs).
6 years is better.
yeah I have a regular case so that shouldn't be an issue
gonna get a beefy PSU I think
well, yes?
I thought 18 months was a computer generation though
Mind answering my question then?
Book spoiler:
The problem is that its stupid when it's extended that far because there is nothing to assist in the suspension of disbelief that such an extension requires. The Americans in the book even acknowledge the entire situation as pants on head dumb.
because drinking before you go to sleep drastically reduces the quality of the sleep you have
Because real men drink 3 snifters of single-malt scotch?
?
SIG, I am going to counter this and say I have had more problems with the computer than ran nvidia than I have had in my time with ATI cards. I am currently on ATI card 5 or 6 in a row through different upgrades and computer builds. And have only had one problem with an actual bad/blown out card in the over 12+ years of using them.
Basically it all comes down to luck with your video cards. Some people swear by nvidia and others by ati. And both companies go through different rotations on who is faster/more stable ever year or so.
now everyone can join me in making fun of the bf for ordering a water cooled system this weekend :P
I'm at that point where I utterly despise every additional number added to my age, but at least I have a fun day planned. Going to watch me some Avengers in 3D.
Usually a big budget movie is all I need. I'll probably get some birthday cash, but I'm debating between Max Payne 3 and Diablo III.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
I am going to bed now. Good night, [chat]!
sexy, though
this is true. Though the particular card she linked was averaging a 5 star (out of 5) rating on newegg with over 500 reviews. And packed a nice punch in terms of specs for the price.
Diablo 3 is probably a better bang-for-buck. I'd rent Max Payne 3 instead.
And have fun. Avengers is the shiz-nit.
hahahaha i bet he likes books about hackers.
Well when I say problems, I don't mean with the video card working on my computer. I mean a game comes out, and I can't play it right away because there's an issue that only happens with ATI cards. This didn't happen with just one game; it seemed to happen with every single game that came out. Some obscure glitch that would only happen with ATI. If you're not doing any gaming with it, you would probably never would have noticed a problem with ATI.
I guess his components were JUST TOO BIG to fit the GIANT FAN necessary to cool them.
(I'm secretly excited to see how it turns out!)
Grizz Clippers
I can't believe it's for real and so soon
a good one can, in theory, be a lot quieter than an air cooling system that can dissapate as much heat.
Goddamn I know. It is so close yet so far away. I am installing Diablo 2 right now.
I bet you do too
I'm not the one that linked that one, but it's certainly not a bad card.
My PC is currently using this one, and lordy is it a dream. I haven't thrown anything at this puppy that it can't run yet. Granted it is a little pricy, but If you do a lot of gaming I think it's worth it.