I thought my current card (Diamond 4850) had died on me. It would BSOD anytime I tried to play a game and it would show distorted boot screens and a solid black desktop until I rebooted a few more times, then it would work normally until I tried to play another game. The last time I had tried to game, the whole computer crashed and the card wouldn't display anything properly for almost a whole day.
I had tried a whole bunch of things to try and fix it; cleaning out the card and PC case, trying both old and new versions of drivers, uninstalling programs that may have been causing the problems, even trying some registry edits, had no luck. I thought it was just dead and the warranty had expired so there wasn't anything I could do. So I gave up and with my parents help, I was able to order a new card, an XFX 5770.
However, just yesterday I found a link to the 10.3 preview drivers and thought I would try testing them out just to see if they would somehow make my 4850 work again. And guess what? They did. It works perfectly fine now. So it turns out I just wasted a lot of my parents' money. The 5770 hasn't arrived yet but it's too late to cancel the order. I don't know what to do.
I know I can return the new card but I'd still lose the shipping costs and the 15% restocking fee. And if my 4850 decides to die for real after that then I'm back in a bad situation.
I'm trying to think of reasons for justifying the purchase of the 5770 and all I can come up with are:
-it's DX11
-it has a lifetime warranty on it
-I think it does perform better than a 4850 (but I'm not sure by how much)
-if one of the cards die I'll have a backup
reasons against:
-it's money that's not even mine to spend
-the performance increase from my current card doesn't really justify the price (I wish I'm completely wrong though)
-it means I'll have a working card lying around wasting space
I can't decide what's the best option here. Should I keep the 5770 and use it because I already bought it, or should I just refund it and try not to cry over the lost shipping and restocking fees?
----
I think your pros and cons are pretty spot on. If you are happy with how games run with your 4850 then you could return the 5770. Another option would be to try and sell your 4850.
If you monitor is 1080p or maybe even 1680x 1050 I'd lean to the second option. If it's lower resolution than that I'd maybe try and sell your old card.
Probably it's 1680x since that would make the decision harder to make.
Good luck.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Now I'm not too worried about any dual screen gaming, since that seems to be just coming over the horizon, but if I wanted to insure I could get 40~ or better fps in games like Mass Effect 2, or Dragon Age, what kind of video card am I going to need?
Right now I've been playing Mass Effect 2 on my Nvidia 9800gt, and the performance has been admirable, although it does cause my system to run on the hot side.
ps: If I have any bias, it would be towards ATI, but really I'm open to anything.
I'm not really doing multi monitor gaming, I mean I did try Supreme Commander out, but that sucked.
I'm really just doing main monitor gaming, usually with a web browser window or media player going on the second screen.
If I get into multi monitor gaming I'd surely order a 3rd monitor.
edit: I forgot to mention that the 9800gt that has my system running hot and loud is putting out the decent frame rates at a resolution of 1920x1080, so what I'm really interested in knowing, I suppose, is whether or not that jump from 1080 to 1200 is going to cause a substantial performance hit?
I figure I should upgrade anyways, you know, cause I should.
If you want a 5850 then this is the one to get. It's only a little more than the stock 5850 but it has a much better cooler and a decent factory over clock. And the company has shown to stand behind their products.
I need some help finding a graphics card. I can't seem to find a Low profile 9600GT anywhere within the UK. This thing right hurr!
Another bit of help; does DDR3/2 require certain types of motherboards? Could I stick a DDR3 card in a computer that currently has a DDR2 without any trouble?
I need some help finding a graphics card. I can't seem to find a Low profile 9600GT anywhere within the UK. This thing right hurr!
Another bit of help; does DDR3/2 require certain types of motherboards? Could I stick a DDR3 card in a computer that currently has a DDR2 without any trouble?
If you mean the RAM on the video card you can put that in anything (and I assume you do by "card"). RAM for the computer needs to match what the mobo takes.
Xeddicus on
"For no one - no one in this world can you trust. Not men. Not women. Not beasts...this you can trust."
0
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
I need some help finding a graphics card. I can't seem to find a Low profile 9600GT anywhere within the UK. This thing right hurr!
Another bit of help; does DDR3/2 require certain types of motherboards? Could I stick a DDR3 card in a computer that currently has a DDR2 without any trouble?
DDR3 absolutely requires a motherboard and processor that support that memory standard.
But when a Graphics card says it's a DDR3, does that matter in terms of compatibility? Like Xeddicus, I thought it wouldn't matter.
when its graphics card no problem there its embedded but when its motherboard memory then you stick ddr2 to a ddr2 mobo or ddr3 to a ddr3 mobo cant switch it around at all
But when a Graphics card says it's a DDR3, does that matter in terms of compatibility? Like Xeddicus, I thought it wouldn't matter.
when its graphics card no problem there its embedded but when its motherboard memory then you stick ddr2 to a ddr2 mobo or ddr3 to a ddr3 mobo cant switch it around at all
Storage
Standard Hard Drives up to 1TB in size are priced from $100 on down. Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB for $75 or so might be a good place to start. You could spend more money on a faster and probably smaller drive. Look up velociraptors. 300GB will cost you more than $200 but it will be fast.
Finally solid state drives are finally become viable as a primary drive. Be careful what you buy since most of these drives have pretty poor performance. Also, you'll probably need a normal hard drive to store all your porn since the cost per gigabyte is still pretty high.Intel X-25s are the best and most expensive while OCZ's Vertex line is still fast but quite a bit cheaper.
Almost every computer will need a $25 DVD player/writer but for $75 more you can add the ability to play Blu-Ray movies.
I just thought I'd put a little note in here.
Fuck Seagate. Fuck them right in their worthless ears. I just had drives #2 and #3 die on me. Simultaneously.
And of course, their phone support is off for the weekend, and their support forums are screw up and won't let me register to post (just keeps looping me through the "pick a username" endlessly)
Sure, they might have a five-year warranty. But what good is that if you get the generous opportunity to have your data wiped randomly at any given time during those five years?
tl;dr don't buy Seagate, ever
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Storage
Standard Hard Drives up to 1TB in size are priced from $100 on down. Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB for $75 or so might be a good place to start. You could spend more money on a faster and probably smaller drive. Look up velociraptors. 300GB will cost you more than $200 but it will be fast.
Finally solid state drives are finally become viable as a primary drive. Be careful what you buy since most of these drives have pretty poor performance. Also, you'll probably need a normal hard drive to store all your porn since the cost per gigabyte is still pretty high.Intel X-25s are the best and most expensive while OCZ's Vertex line is still fast but quite a bit cheaper.
Almost every computer will need a $25 DVD player/writer but for $75 more you can add the ability to play Blu-Ray movies.
I just thought I'd put a little note in here.
Fuck Seagate. Fuck them right in their worthless ears. I just had drives #2 and #3 die on me. Simultaneously.
And of course, their phone support is off for the weekend, and their support forums are screw up and won't let me register to post (just keeps looping me through the "pick a username" endlessly)
Sure, they might have a five-year warranty. But what good is that if you get the generous opportunity to have your data wiped randomly at any given time during those five years?
tl;dr don't buy Seagate, ever
seconded idk wtf happened with them the past year
their drives are dying left and right
look around for reviews and stories you'll see above poster and i arent the only ones having trouble with seagate HDs
Seriously, I'm just sitting here not sure whether to be pissed off or surprised.
Further compounding the issue is that it doesn't recognize my drives in the warranty checker and just says "unknown, contact support" - well, support is off for the weekend.
I'm going to be having a "frank exchange of words" with their techs on Monday, with the tl;dr on that discussion being "you're going to give me free data recovery from these two, lest I do everything in my personal power to ensure that the company I work in IT for, which has ~6000 computers, never purchases another Seagate product again nor supports an OEM that uses them."
Wish me luck.
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
0
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
edited March 2010
I'm fairly sure that if Seagate is motivated to offer you such a deal, it's not going to be because they fear that you will somehow be able to actually carry through on that threat.
Yea threatening tech support people is a waste of your time. However I'll echo the Seagate hate. I don't know what happened a few years ago I'd buy their 7200 drives over anything, even Western Digital. Pieces of shit now. Add to that the Seagate CEO pulling a Steve Ballmer and saying something like "SSDs are a waste of time" right before they started exploding in popularity.
I purchased a new LCD monitor to go with my new computer (thanks thread!) and I just can't set it up to where I'm happy with it. Some of the presets look nice, but are too bright. They almost seem to glow, and when I try to go and change the brightness it bumps me back to the user profile, which feels like it has a filter over it because it is much darker and subdued than the presets.
I've run the Win7 calibration tool a few times but still can't find something that looks good. Any tips?
I purchased a new LCD monitor to go with my new computer (thanks thread!) and I just can't set it up to where I'm happy with it. Some of the presets look nice, but are too bright. They almost seem to glow, and when I try to go and change the brightness it bumps me back to the user profile, which feels like it has a filter over it because it is much darker and subdued than the presets.
I've run the Win7 calibration tool a few times but still can't find something that looks good. Any tips?
I had the same problem. I finally just put my monitor on 70 brightness and 70 contrast. It looked dull at first, but that was just because I was used to the super bright it shipped with. Give it a day and it'll look normal to you, and you'll actually be able to see colors without them being washed out.
I'm looking for a solid build to take me through the next three years, and to let me fully catch up to more than respectably play today's games. I already have a solid case (Antec Sonata) and a decent power supply (Antec 650W) from my previous build, and I will cannibalize the hard disks and peripherals as well.
I'm looking for a solid build to take me through the next three years, and to let me fully catch up to more than respectably play today's games. I already have a solid case (Antec Sonata) and a decent power supply (Antec 650W) from my previous build, and I will cannibalize the hard disks and peripherals as well.
ShadowenSnores in the morningLoserdomRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
So after almost seven years, I'm finally getting a new gaming ma-chine. I'm using nothing from the wheezing dinosaur I have now, except for my headphones. They are good headphones.
Money...well, money is an object, but it's one that seems small and far away. I want, for once, to have a machine that is, if not state of the art, then no more than a few steps behind. Suffice to say, I would wince at paying about C$3000, but I could pay it and not go hungry. I would, of course, prefer to pay as much less as possible.
Other OP questions answered inside!
Resolution: Not a clue. But high...ish. Quality: Ideally, I would like to run any PC game currently available with most if not all options turned on with minimal framerate loss. Bias: The less I have to put together by hand, the better. I can do, I'm just not very fast or confident with hit. Windows 7 sounds fine for me, and I will need MS Office of some kind. Lasting: Despite being comfortable for now, I will not be forever, so this would have to get me through the next US presidential election and beyond. Upgrading: I can do simple stuff, such as anything that directly attaches to the motherboard, but anything that requires fiddling with the bays and I'm liable to hurt myself and my machine in equal measure. Not having to upgrade those parts would be nice. Other: Already have a flash drive with cables and headphones.
I've been trying to put something together with NCIX (Canadian, and all) and I actually find myself putting together worse systems than I do using Dell's system builder thingamajig--and the price is well above what the OP notes should be what I need. This is probably because I am bewildered by the greater range of options at NCIX, as well as not knowing what Dell uses for certain components, such as power source. Do I need water cooling? And don't get me started on mobos, although that's a fun new portmanteau I'm sure to annoy friends and loved ones with. Here's my fumbling attempt at an NCIX build:
So after almost seven years, I'm finally getting a new gaming ma-chine. I'm using nothing from the wheezing dinosaur I have now, except for my headphones. They are good headphones.
Money...well, money is an object, but it's one that seems small and far away. I want, for once, to have a machine that is, if not state of the art, then no more than a few steps behind. Suffice to say, I would wince at paying about C$3000, but I could pay it and not go hungry. I would, of course, prefer to pay as much less as possible.
Other OP questions answered inside!
Resolution: Not a clue. But high...ish. Quality: Ideally, I would like to run any PC game currently available with most if not all options turned on with minimal framerate loss. Bias: The less I have to put together by hand, the better. I can do, I'm just not very fast or confident with hit. Windows 7 sounds fine for me, and I will need MS Office of some kind. Lasting: Despite being comfortable for now, I will not be forever, so this would have to get me through the next US presidential election and beyond. Upgrading: I can do simple stuff, such as anything that directly attaches to the motherboard, but anything that requires fiddling with the bays and I'm liable to hurt myself and my machine in equal measure. Not having to upgrade those parts would be nice. Other: Already have a flash drive with cables and headphones.
I've been trying to put something together with NCIX (Canadian, and all) and I actually find myself putting together worse systems than I do using Dell's system builder thingamajig--and the price is well above what the OP notes should be what I need. This is probably because I am bewildered by the greater range of options at NCIX, as well as not knowing what Dell uses for certain components, such as power source. Do I need water cooling? And don't get me started on mobos, although that's a fun new portmanteau I'm sure to annoy friends and loved ones with. Here's my fumbling attempt at an NCIX build:
Windows 7 Home Premium, Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition
Total damage: C$2172
Tell me in exquisitely painful detail exactly how I'm doing it wrong.
EDIT: Now with links!
Wow!
I just don't know why it costs so much. You have roughly an identical machine as mine, even down to the monitor. I paid about 600 for the components (including Win7, but I reused my 500 watt antec PSU and didn't buy any drives) and 159ish for the monitor at Target.
I guess I also have a 5850 which is a little cheaper.
Looks like a solid system, but I'm still reeling for sticker shock
This is purely an aesthetic decision, but one regret I've had with my current case was that I didn't get one with a black mobo tray / drive cage on the inside, and I don't even have a window :P
And I figure if your case budget is $124 you definitely have options.
Should have the money by friday then my computer will be on the way!
One question though, Id like to move my files over to the new comp but the largest storage device I have is my 1gb flash drive. Is there a cable I can get to hook em both up? Or some other more reasonable choice?
is ther anything stopping you from popping out your old hard drive to an enclosure or just adding it as a second drive to your new comp
Well, as Ive said before, I dont know much about hardware, but it would seem that my harddrive would be too old or something. Its 120gb all together it looks like (its all partitioned up, my dad's doing) and I imagine its as old as the computer (8-10yrs old) so I dunno if the hookups have changed much to stop me from just putting it in.
Also wouldnt the fact that Ive got a different OS on this drive hinder me trying to install it in a machine with a different OS?
is ther anything stopping you from popping out your old hard drive to an enclosure or just adding it as a second drive to your new comp
Well, as Ive said before, I dont know much about hardware, but it would seem that my harddrive would be too old or something. Its 120gb all together it looks like (its all partitioned up, my dad's doing) and I imagine its as old as the computer (8-10yrs old) so I dunno if the hookups have changed much to stop me from just putting it in.
Also wouldnt the fact that Ive got a different OS on this drive hinder me trying to install it in a machine with a different OS?
It will either be IDE or SATA, most likely IDE (flat ribbon cable) if it's older. I don't think motherboards have stopped putting IDE slots, so you should be fine.
If the new HDD has an OS installed on it and you pop in the older one, it will just show up in My Computer with everything there, no problems what so ever. You might get a screen asking which version of windows you want to run when you boot, but the older version probably wont work anyway.
So, plug 'er in, boot it up, transfer what you want over, nuke the drive if you want.
If the new HDD has an OS installed on it and you pop in the older one, it will just show up in My Computer with everything there, no problems what so ever. You might get a screen asking which version of windows you want to run when you boot, but the older version probably wont work anyway.
So, plug 'er in, boot it up, transfer what you want over, nuke the drive if you want.
Yea, this should work too. But hey, you could just leave the old machine intact, plugged into your router, and use it as a storage dump for stuff. You can learn to even setup a remote access on it so you have your files all the time or run a game server! Possibilities are endless.
So, my taxes came back, and I was planning to build me a ~$1000 build with 'em. But bills are a pain, and my wife left me and took $8000 of my tax refund (bitter X_X). So, I've gotta live with my current rig. I can waste about $100, and I need a PCI-E card that supports shader model 3. If I get that, I can live till I can put together something better. I could go find one myself, but I'd like to hear suggestions? Anything got a little more bang-for-the-buck than anything else?
Xaviar on
0
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
edited March 2010
I think your best bet is probably the Radeon 4850, in the 512 MB flavor. And depending on your future upgrading budget, it should deliver solid performance crossfired with another 4850.
hey, I remember the computer thread. read and posted in an older one for a while. well now I'm finally able to build myself a modern system.
I've ordered and received all the components of an i7 system that I need save for one: the video card.
now nvidia is going to release the 400 series this week, so it should be interesting to see how ATI responds. I'll wait and see what happens, but I'm not waiting too long: these parts are sitting right now waiting to be put together.
I think your best bet is probably the Radeon 4850, in the 512 MB flavor. And depending on your future upgrading budget, it should deliver solid performance crossfired with another 4850.
I'd say the 4850 or 4770 would be good choices assuming that Xaviar doesn't want to scrape up $40 extra dollars for a 5770.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
So I'm basing this off of techreport's guide from february for an i7-960 build; I'm assuming the motherboard/ram should work the same between i7-960 and i7-930? Any problem with these components working together?
*edit* After reading amazon & newegg more carefully, it seems like people are having a decent amount of issues with this RAM, so I'm also open to suggestions on other options
This is mostly intended to be a working build, so I'm pushing CPU/ram over gpu; I'll probably get a 4850 or 5770 to do gaming stuff (thinking about this combo deal, but I'm less concerned about that right now). I might even throw in another 6gb of ram, either now or in the near future... other component wise, I have a good (750W) PSU bought recently on sale, and I'll look for a case & other various parts next (I'm not as worried about compatibility issues with anything else)
This is the cheapest I've seen the 860 or 930 for the past couple months, so I think it's a good time to at least purchase those components, but I'm still debating between the two sockets
Gdiguy on
0
ShadowenSnores in the morningLoserdomRegistered Userregular
Shadowen, are you planning to overclock your CPU? If not, there should be no need for an $80 cooler.
Do you think you might want to run 2 5870s in Xfire? If not, then you could probably save a bundle on your PSU and maybe some on the motherboard.
Also you don't really need more than 4 GB of RAM.
Anyway, I'd say that a SSD would be a better investment than that stuff and , at 1080p, would also think about sticking with a 5850.
No, two of those running together would be a little overkill. At least for now...
Hrmm...
Okay, new system. Changes include 5850 instead of 5870, reduced RAM (4GB instead of 8), less expensive power supply (it's on special this week), smaller HD, less expensive cooling unit (do such things usually come onboard?--if so, I might be able to take that out entirely), slightly less costly mobo and case, and OEM instead of retail Office.
Total cost, including assembly, $1847.80. So that's better than before, clearly, but how do you guys estimate cost vs. performance?
Posts
I think your pros and cons are pretty spot on. If you are happy with how games run with your 4850 then you could return the 5770. Another option would be to try and sell your 4850.
If you monitor is 1080p or maybe even 1680x 1050 I'd lean to the second option. If it's lower resolution than that I'd maybe try and sell your old card.
Probably it's 1680x since that would make the decision harder to make.
Good luck.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Now I'm not too worried about any dual screen gaming, since that seems to be just coming over the horizon, but if I wanted to insure I could get 40~ or better fps in games like Mass Effect 2, or Dragon Age, what kind of video card am I going to need?
Right now I've been playing Mass Effect 2 on my Nvidia 9800gt, and the performance has been admirable, although it does cause my system to run on the hot side.
ps: If I have any bias, it would be towards ATI, but really I'm open to anything.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I'm really just doing main monitor gaming, usually with a web browser window or media player going on the second screen.
If I get into multi monitor gaming I'd surely order a 3rd monitor.
edit: I forgot to mention that the 9800gt that has my system running hot and loud is putting out the decent frame rates at a resolution of 1920x1080, so what I'm really interested in knowing, I suppose, is whether or not that jump from 1080 to 1200 is going to cause a substantial performance hit?
I figure I should upgrade anyways, you know, cause I should.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
This comes in a good second. This thing over clocks like no tomrrow.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127490
If you want a 5850 then this is the one to get. It's only a little more than the stock 5850 but it has a much better cooler and a decent factory over clock. And the company has shown to stand behind their products.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131337
Another bit of help; does DDR3/2 require certain types of motherboards? Could I stick a DDR3 card in a computer that currently has a DDR2 without any trouble?
If you mean the RAM on the video card you can put that in anything (and I assume you do by "card"). RAM for the computer needs to match what the mobo takes.
DDR3 absolutely requires a motherboard and processor that support that memory standard.
Battle.net
when its graphics card no problem there its embedded but when its motherboard memory then you stick ddr2 to a ddr2 mobo or ddr3 to a ddr3 mobo cant switch it around at all
cheers folks. :^:
I just thought I'd put a little note in here.
Fuck Seagate. Fuck them right in their worthless ears. I just had drives #2 and #3 die on me. Simultaneously.
And of course, their phone support is off for the weekend, and their support forums are screw up and won't let me register to post (just keeps looping me through the "pick a username" endlessly)
Sure, they might have a five-year warranty. But what good is that if you get the generous opportunity to have your data wiped randomly at any given time during those five years?
tl;dr don't buy Seagate, ever
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
seconded idk wtf happened with them the past year
their drives are dying left and right
look around for reviews and stories you'll see above poster and i arent the only ones having trouble with seagate HDs
After their whole firmware fuckup and cover up I swore to never give them a dime of my money ever again.
Further compounding the issue is that it doesn't recognize my drives in the warranty checker and just says "unknown, contact support" - well, support is off for the weekend.
I'm going to be having a "frank exchange of words" with their techs on Monday, with the tl;dr on that discussion being "you're going to give me free data recovery from these two, lest I do everything in my personal power to ensure that the company I work in IT for, which has ~6000 computers, never purchases another Seagate product again nor supports an OEM that uses them."
Wish me luck.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Battle.net
Tech support agents aren't paid nearly enough to give a shit about the companies bottom line.
You'll get far further calmly explaining your situation, and asking for compensation that's reasonable.
PSN: TheScrublet
I've run the Win7 calibration tool a few times but still can't find something that looks good. Any tips?
I had the same problem. I finally just put my monitor on 70 brightness and 70 contrast. It looked dull at first, but that was just because I was used to the super bright it shipped with. Give it a day and it'll look normal to you, and you'll actually be able to see colors without them being washed out.
Steam Support is the worst. Seriously, the worst
Please tell me what you think:
XFX HD-577A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Total cost: $609.96. Opinions?
My only suggestion would be to ditch that memory and use this combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.349202
Total: $574.96
Money...well, money is an object, but it's one that seems small and far away. I want, for once, to have a machine that is, if not state of the art, then no more than a few steps behind. Suffice to say, I would wince at paying about C$3000, but I could pay it and not go hungry. I would, of course, prefer to pay as much less as possible.
Other OP questions answered inside!
Quality: Ideally, I would like to run any PC game currently available with most if not all options turned on with minimal framerate loss.
Bias: The less I have to put together by hand, the better. I can do, I'm just not very fast or confident with hit. Windows 7 sounds fine for me, and I will need MS Office of some kind.
Lasting: Despite being comfortable for now, I will not be forever, so this would have to get me through the next US presidential election and beyond.
Upgrading: I can do simple stuff, such as anything that directly attaches to the motherboard, but anything that requires fiddling with the bays and I'm liable to hurt myself and my machine in equal measure. Not having to upgrade those parts would be nice.
Other: Already have a flash drive with cables and headphones.
I've been trying to put something together with NCIX (Canadian, and all) and I actually find myself putting together worse systems than I do using Dell's system builder thingamajig--and the price is well above what the OP notes should be what I need. This is probably because I am bewildered by the greater range of options at NCIX, as well as not knowing what Dell uses for certain components, such as power source. Do I need water cooling? And don't get me started on mobos, although that's a fun new portmanteau I'm sure to annoy friends and loved ones with. Here's my fumbling attempt at an NCIX build:
Total damage: C$2172
Tell me in exquisitely painful detail exactly how I'm doing it wrong.
EDIT: Now with links!
Wow!
I just don't know why it costs so much. You have roughly an identical machine as mine, even down to the monitor. I paid about 600 for the components (including Win7, but I reused my 500 watt antec PSU and didn't buy any drives) and 159ish for the monitor at Target.
I guess I also have a 5850 which is a little cheaper.
Looks like a solid system, but I'm still reeling for sticker shock
Do you think you might want to run 2 5870s in Xfire? If not, then you could probably save a bundle on your PSU and maybe some on the motherboard.
Also you don't really need more than 4 GB of RAM.
Anyway, I'd say that a SSD would be a better investment than that stuff and , at 1080p, would also think about sticking with a 5850.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
And I figure if your case budget is $124 you definitely have options.
One question though, Id like to move my files over to the new comp but the largest storage device I have is my 1gb flash drive. Is there a cable I can get to hook em both up? Or some other more reasonable choice?
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
Just "share this folder with network users" on the old machine, and use the new machine to grab the files.
Well, as Ive said before, I dont know much about hardware, but it would seem that my harddrive would be too old or something. Its 120gb all together it looks like (its all partitioned up, my dad's doing) and I imagine its as old as the computer (8-10yrs old) so I dunno if the hookups have changed much to stop me from just putting it in.
Also wouldnt the fact that Ive got a different OS on this drive hinder me trying to install it in a machine with a different OS?
Heh heh... heh...
Windows 2000 to 7.
This is a much needed and greatly overdue upgrade.
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
It will either be IDE or SATA, most likely IDE (flat ribbon cable) if it's older. I don't think motherboards have stopped putting IDE slots, so you should be fine.
If the new HDD has an OS installed on it and you pop in the older one, it will just show up in My Computer with everything there, no problems what so ever. You might get a screen asking which version of windows you want to run when you boot, but the older version probably wont work anyway.
So, plug 'er in, boot it up, transfer what you want over, nuke the drive if you want.
Battle.net
I've ordered and received all the components of an i7 system that I need save for one: the video card.
now nvidia is going to release the 400 series this week, so it should be interesting to see how ATI responds. I'll wait and see what happens, but I'm not waiting too long: these parts are sitting right now waiting to be put together.
I'd say the 4850 or 4770 would be good choices assuming that Xaviar doesn't want to scrape up $40 extra dollars for a 5770.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
i7-930 ($200 @ microcenter)
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $209
OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail - $131 after rebate
*edit* After reading amazon & newegg more carefully, it seems like people are having a decent amount of issues with this RAM, so I'm also open to suggestions on other options
The mobo's memory supported list shows this OCZ memory as triple-channel for 6 pcs; am i interpreting that correctly as it being able to use either 3 or 6 sticks (so 6gb or 12gb total in triple channel?) http://www.gigabyte.us/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-x58a-ud3r.pdf
This is mostly intended to be a working build, so I'm pushing CPU/ram over gpu; I'll probably get a 4850 or 5770 to do gaming stuff (thinking about this combo deal, but I'm less concerned about that right now). I might even throw in another 6gb of ram, either now or in the near future... other component wise, I have a good (750W) PSU bought recently on sale, and I'll look for a case & other various parts next (I'm not as worried about compatibility issues with anything else)
This is the cheapest I've seen the 860 or 930 for the past couple months, so I think it's a good time to at least purchase those components, but I'm still debating between the two sockets
No, two of those running together would be a little overkill. At least for now...
Hrmm...
Okay, new system. Changes include 5850 instead of 5870, reduced RAM (4GB instead of 8), less expensive power supply (it's on special this week), smaller HD, less expensive cooling unit (do such things usually come onboard?--if so, I might be able to take that out entirely), slightly less costly mobo and case, and OEM instead of retail Office.
Total cost, including assembly, $1847.80. So that's better than before, clearly, but how do you guys estimate cost vs. performance?