Ooohhh, this computer, this fucking computer, I bought it from someone for $500 and played Dawn of War 2 for the first time. The seller and his roomates are my new friends. It just needs a new graphics card.
It currently has an ATI Radeon HD 5450, 1024 MB. I don't feel the need to upgrade until Skyrim comes out, but if the power supply is 460 Watt, will I be alright just picking a graphics card down the road or will it be an issue? And what graphics card would complement this monster of a machine I just bought?
This computer is so fucking sweet. "Gee I think I'll do some Photoshop *clicks and waits five seconds* "
Cantido on
3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Ooohhh, this computer, this fucking computer, I bought it from someone for $500 and played Dawn of War 2 for the first time. The seller and his roomates are my new friends. It just needs a new graphics card.
It currently has an ATI Radeon HD 5450, 1024 MB. I don't feel the need to upgrade until Skyrim comes out, but if the power supply is 460 Watt, will I be alright just picking a graphics card down the road or will it be an issue? And what graphics card would complement this monster of a machine I just bought?
This computer is so fucking sweet.
I wouldn't bet on a 460W OEM PSU having more than 1 PCI-E power connector, so you'll want to stick with something like this 6850 when you upgrade.
Ooohhh, this computer, this fucking computer, I bought it from someone for $500 and played Dawn of War 2 for the first time. The seller and his roomates are my new friends. It just needs a new graphics card.
It currently has an ATI Radeon HD 5450, 1024 MB. I don't feel the need to upgrade until Skyrim comes out, but if the power supply is 460 Watt, will I be alright just picking a graphics card down the road or will it be an issue? And what graphics card would complement this monster of a machine I just bought?
This computer is so fucking sweet.
I wouldn't bet on a 460W OEM PSU having more than 1 PCI-E power connector, so you'll want to stick with something like this 6850 when you upgrade.
Oh my, I thought modern video cards cost more. I remember when a Monster 3d II cost 200 dollars. It came with Battlezone, Incoming and Heretic II.
If I order it off of Amazon, it's basically free for me (it's the 2nd selection), with free shipping, because I have a ton of Amazon credit there unless there is anything else there anyone recommends. How will it handle Skyrim and DoW2?
Oh, Battlezone. How I wish there were more FPS/RTS games.
Cantido on
3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
Ooohhh, this computer, this fucking computer, I bought it from someone for $500 and played Dawn of War 2 for the first time. The seller and his roomates are my new friends. It just needs a new graphics card.
It currently has an ATI Radeon HD 5450, 1024 MB. I don't feel the need to upgrade until Skyrim comes out, but if the power supply is 460 Watt, will I be alright just picking a graphics card down the road or will it be an issue? And what graphics card would complement this monster of a machine I just bought?
This computer is so fucking sweet.
I wouldn't bet on a 460W OEM PSU having more than 1 PCI-E power connector, so you'll want to stick with something like this 6850 when you upgrade.
Oh my, I thought modern video cards cost more. I remember when a Monster 3d II cost 200 dollars. It came with Battlezone, Incoming and Heretic II.
If I order it off of Amazon, it's basically free for me (it's the 2nd selection), with free shipping, because I have a ton of Amazon credit there unless there is anything else there anyone recommends. How will it handle Skyrim and DoW2?
Oh, Battlezone. How I wish there were more FPS/RTS games.
Silence! That game is completely different! It's an RTS disguised as an action game! Because Tim Schafer is a liar and it's all his fault and he's in charge of all advertising and not EA! ;-)
I once got to talk to Tim Schafer and asked if he played Battlezone or Sacrifice. He said it's inspired from something much older called Herzog Zwei. Furthermore, he had one of the original creators of Sacrifice on his team unknowingly and did not make the connection until fans said something.
Also, Brad Muir liked the guide we created in my sig.
Silence! That game is completely different! It's an RTS disguised as an action game! Because Tim Schafer is a liar and it's all his fault and he's in charge of all advertising and not EA! ;-)
I once got to talk to Tim Schafer and asked if he played Battlezone or Sacrifice. He said it's inspired from something much older called Herzog Zwei. Furthermore, he had one of the original creators of Sacrifice on his team unknowingly and did not make the connection until fans said something.
Also, Brad Muir liked the guide we created in my sig.
Man, Brutal Legend is fucking brilliant how you leads you down one direction, then, all of a sudden, it turns around and screams 'and that is how you play the game! Good job beating the tutorial, have fun playing the real game on PSN/XBL!'
Silence! That game is completely different! It's an RTS disguised as an action game! Because Tim Schafer is a liar and it's all his fault and he's in charge of all advertising and not EA! ;-)
I once got to talk to Tim Schafer and asked if he played Battlezone or Sacrifice. He said it's inspired from something much older called Herzog Zwei. Furthermore, he had one of the original creators of Sacrifice on his team unknowingly and did not make the connection until fans said something.
Also, Brad Muir liked the guide we created in my sig.
Man, Brutal Legend is fucking brilliant how you leads you down one direction, then, all of a sudden, it turns around and screams 'and that is how you play the game! Good job beating the tutorial, have fun playing the real game on PSN/XBL!'
It reminded me of Chromehounds really. Except at the end of BL I was hyped to kill shit online, and at the end of Chromehounds, I was also hyped to kill shit online, only helplessly unprepared. I tried very hard to get an online battle going but it just wasn't working.
Are there any objections to buying this video card for this desktop in preparation for Skyrim? The retailer must be Amazon. I will basically get it free there.
Cantido on
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
edited July 2011
Skyrim is going to be released during the Holiday blitz.
I would honestly wait till before I even begin thinking about getting another system.
Ewiz has Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 1GB PCI Express Video Card + Total War: Shogun 2 (PC) for $167.99 - $15 off code FIREWORKS - $15 rebate = $137.99. Shipping is $0.49. Thanks 575rider
Note, game will be automatically added to cart.
lowlylowlycook on
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I come to you with a request for some assistance on picking out a new laptop. My total budget is ~$700-$900CAD and I'm looking for a laptop to be used mainly for music production and performance with the ability to pull light double duty as a gaming rig for my projector. I'm not looking for super top of the line gaming capability here, though I would like to be able to play games like DiRT2 and Just Cause 2 without serious issues. I'm happy to play at low/medium settings. Screen resolution isn't all that important either as I will be running it through my projector when at home or using it for music playback/production/performance and basic computing when not.
Two of the computers I've been looking at are the Acer Aspire AS5553G-5221 and the ASUS K53SV-A1, my brother also directed me to the Sager Notebook website but it seems to me that I'll be spending more money for roughly the same components and the added cost of having it shipped across the border. Any advice on notebook choice, retailer and desirable features would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
I hate to bump my own post, but seeing as how no one replied and there are a couple other notebooks I'm now looking at I figured I'd post again. In addition to finding a better price for the ASUS K53SV-A1 I found the Acer Aspire 5745DG-7950 and Asus K52JT-B1 at Memory Express with the added benefit of being able to pick them up rather than have them shipped. My question now is if the extra $120 dollars or so for a better CPU and GPU will provide me with a very real increase in performance or a marginal one. I would be happy to splurge for the K52JT if there is going to be a serious increase in power, but seeing as how I don't know much about notebook hardware I'm not sure if the differences between an i5 and an i7 is as pronounced as it is with PCs.
Ewiz has Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 1GB PCI Express Video Card + Total War: Shogun 2 (PC) for $167.99 - $15 off code FIREWORKS - $15 rebate = $137.99. Shipping is $0.49. Thanks 575rider
Note, game will be automatically added to cart.
If I order from Amazon, I have about $160 credit, and free shipping. It has to be Amazon. The only thing stopping me from clicking Place Order is that my power supply is 460W. If the first recommendation requires 500W, how big an issue is that?
If I order from Amazon, I have about $160 credit, and free shipping. It has to be Amazon. The only thing stopping me from clicking Place Order is that my power supply is 460W. If the first recommendation requires 500W, how big an issue is that?
It's not an issue. I'm not sure what else you're running in that machine, but realistically even with a hex-core Phenom II you'd only need a quality 400W PSU, and that's with enough headroom for overclocking and stress-testing.
The stated GPU power requirements are often (if not always) inflated. If they said "you only need to have a quality 400W PSU to run a 6850 effectively" then there would be a boatload of freaking morons with ancient 400W PSUs on the warpath because they couldn't run their card off a power supply that provides most of its voltage on the +5V rail.
That might not make much sense if you don't know much about PSUs. Suffice it to say that GPU vendors hedge their bets because not all PSUs are created equal, and they need to ensure that their recommended minimum wattage will meet power reqs for the card even if the minimum wattage PSU used is a piece of crap.
Given that I'm operating with a PSU rated well in excess (at least 200W in excess, if not 300W) of the necessary wattage to power my build 24/7 at 100% load, it's somewhat hypocritical for me to say this, but: Stop recommending that.
You would need a hell of a single-card build to need 650W. Like, serious freaking hotness (figurative and literal). And even a multi-GPU build using 6850s, 5770s, or the like would only need 500-550W. 650W has somehow developed into a somewhat appealing "round number" for PSUs, and while they are perfect for a lot of multi-GPU builds, it's not a reasonable bare minimum.
And while I can get behind future-proofing to a certain extent, I'd only do so if I had a reasonable expectation of needing that capacity in the near future. Buy a 650W PSU if you have a 560 Ti and are going to install a second one in the future. Don't buy a 650W PSU for your budget i3-2100/AMD build, you won't need it, and the money can be better spent elsewhere. With the way PC power usage, and PSU design is progressing the supply you buy now likely won't be top of the line when it comes time to build a new system, and even if you future-proof it may still be inadequate in some way for your needs.
Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
edited July 2011
Why run a PSU at its limit?
Why redline a 2 cylinder engine when you can do the same work in a v6 at a comfortable rpm?
I rather have a PSU be 'underused' and last a long while then run a PSU at its limit just to have it fail prematurely, possibly taking out other components and data with it.
Casually Hardcore on
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Why run a PSU at its limit?
Why redline a 2 cylinder engine when you can do the same work in a v6 at a comfortable rpm?
I rather have a PSU be 'underused' and last a long while then run a PSU at its limit just to have it fail prematurely, possibly taking out other components and data with it.
The only time a system like Cantido's (with the 6850) would be pulling anywhere near 400W would be at stress-testing loads. He wouldn't be running at 390W 24/7. Serious gaming, maybe he'd pull 60-70% of 400W. Idling or just dicking around on the internet would be like 20-30%, max.
The numbers I'm throwing around here are not about making sure your peak wattage is just high enough to let you boot. These numbers have headroom, they allow for overclocking and stress-testing, and more importantly they recognize that part of getting the most out of your PSU is not having way more than you need.
Just like your metaphorical V6, PSU efficiency isn't just a flat number. Carrying on your analogy, its wasteful, not just in initial investment but also in lowered efficiency, to purchase a V6 and then never demand anything of it. A PSU is most efficient around 50% of rated wattage, and if the only time you're really sticking around that number is when you're running Prime95, that's not particularly good.
There are times when a 2-stroke engine is more appropriate. Machines like Cantido's are scooters (so to speak), not 4-door sedans, so why try to shoehorn a V6 into there?
What's the average shelf-life of a PSU?
As in how long can I keep one in storage before it goes "rotten"?
A good long while. Years. If it's just sitting there out of the elements it should last forever practically far as I know. I've used PSU's close to a decade old.
Does anybody have a recommendation on a new mouse? I currently use a Logitech G7, but I think the right click is starting to get finicky (itll register the click, but if I hold it down sometimes it gives up and then registers a new click).
Well, I guess before I go and blow $75-100 on a new mouse, is there any way for me to check to see if the mouse is actually registering the click the entire time?
Does anybody have a recommendation on a new mouse? I currently use a Logitech G7, but I think the right click is starting to get finicky (itll register the click, but if I hold it down sometimes it gives up and then registers a new click).
Well, I guess before I go and blow $75-100 on a new mouse, is there any way for me to check to see if the mouse is actually registering the click the entire time?
I'm getting a RAT 7. But then again, I'm an idiot.
So the i7 2600K: is it really worth it over the i5 2500K? The build I'm working on is for gaming only. I'm building it to be pretty close to top of the line (GTX 580 with plans to get another for SLI in the future). Will I get some use, now or in a couple years time, out of the 2600K, or am I better off just getting the 2500K? I don't mind paying the extra $100, even if the benefit isn't all that substantial, but if it's going to provide a more or less negligible boost to game performance, I might as well skip it.
My CPU/MoBo/RAM for my gaming rig are over 3 years old, so I think it is coming on time to replace them. Here is what I currently have (with my GPU for reference, but I don't believe there is much point in replacing it yet):
So the i7 2600K: is it really worth it over the i5 2500K? The build I'm working on is for gaming only. I'm building it to be pretty close to top of the line (GTX 580 with plans to get another for SLI in the future). Will I get some use, now or in a couple years time, out of the 2600K, or am I better off just getting the 2500K? I don't mind paying the extra $100, even if the benefit isn't all that substantial, but if it's going to provide a more or less negligible boost to game performance, I might as well skip it.
The difference between i5 and i7 2500k/2600k is erm ... not much. You get 2 more megs L3 cache, and the i7 sports hyperthreading while the i5 does not. It is within the realm of possibility that more and more games will make use of threading heavily going forward ... so it may futureproof you a bit I guess. It's not strictly necessary for gaming though ... it's definitely a luxury.
And before people point out the slight clock speed increase, that's irrelevant since the K series overclock so well.
Darkwyndre on
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
I come to you with a request for some assistance on picking out a new laptop. My total budget is ~$700-$900CAD and I'm looking for a laptop to be used mainly for music production and performance with the ability to pull light double duty as a gaming rig for my projector. I'm not looking for super top of the line gaming capability here, though I would like to be able to play games like DiRT2 and Just Cause 2 without serious issues. I'm happy to play at low/medium settings. Screen resolution isn't all that important either as I will be running it through my projector when at home or using it for music playback/production/performance and basic computing when not.
Two of the computers I've been looking at are the Acer Aspire AS5553G-5221 and the ASUS K53SV-A1, my brother also directed me to the Sager Notebook website but it seems to me that I'll be spending more money for roughly the same components and the added cost of having it shipped across the border. Any advice on notebook choice, retailer and desirable features would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
I hate to bump my own post, but seeing as how no one replied and there are a couple other notebooks I'm now looking at I figured I'd post again. In addition to finding a better price for the ASUS K53SV-A1 I found the Acer Aspire 5745DG-7950 and Asus K52JT-B1 at Memory Express with the added benefit of being able to pick them up rather than have them shipped. My question now is if the extra $120 dollars or so for a better CPU and GPU will provide me with a very real increase in performance or a marginal one. I would be happy to splurge for the K52JT if there is going to be a serious increase in power, but seeing as how I don't know much about notebook hardware I'm not sure if the differences between an i5 and an i7 is as pronounced as it is with PCs.
Thanks again
I would love to help you out, but I know very little about the state of laptop computing. A better bet might be your own thread in the Tavern proper.
Why run a PSU at its limit?
Why redline a 2 cylinder engine when you can do the same work in a v6 at a comfortable rpm?
I rather have a PSU be 'underused' and last a long while then run a PSU at its limit just to have it fail prematurely, possibly taking out other components and data with it.
The only time a system like Cantido's (with the 6850) would be pulling anywhere near 400W would be at stress-testing loads. He wouldn't be running at 390W 24/7. Serious gaming, maybe he'd pull 60-70% of 400W. Idling or just dicking around on the internet would be like 20-30%, max.
The numbers I'm throwing around here are not about making sure your peak wattage is just high enough to let you boot. These numbers have headroom, they allow for overclocking and stress-testing, and more importantly they recognize that part of getting the most out of your PSU is not having way more than you need.
Just like your metaphorical V6, PSU efficiency isn't just a flat number. Carrying on your analogy, its wasteful, not just in initial investment but also in lowered efficiency, to purchase a V6 and then never demand anything of it. A PSU is most efficient around 50% of rated wattage, and if the only time you're really sticking around that number is when you're running Prime95, that's not particularly good.
There are times when a 2-stroke engine is more appropriate. Machines like Cantido's are scooters (so to speak), not 4-door sedans, so why try to shoehorn a V6 into there?
Umm...what part of V6 Scooter doesn't sound awesome?
TheCanMan on
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
8 gigs. 2x4GB stick sets are one of the cheapest components of a new build. And 2x2 GB just seems kinda silly to me.
But then again, I'm an idiot, and am planning for 16 gigs (4x4) in a socket 2011 build...
I got 2x2GB for my new build sometime late last year. Since then DDR3 RAM prices have gone way way down. I think people are recommending 2x4GB now not out of need but because with the prices you might as well.
With the (stupid) direction Microsoft is taking with Windows 8 it will probably require 2GB of RAM to run, then for sure 8GB will be necessary.
My CPU/MoBo/RAM for my gaming rig are over 3 years old, so I think it is coming on time to replace them. Here is what I currently have (with my GPU for reference, but I don't believe there is much point in replacing it yet):
I'd like to cap my budget at $500, although the less the better. I'd like to get something that will last me another 3 or so years.
What's a good choice for CPU/MoBo/RAM?
EDIT: FYI, I have no preference for Intel or AMD ... whatever gets me the most bang for my buck is best.
Well, if you want to get the absolute best you can for under $500, you can get an i5-2500K, the ASRock P67 Extreme4, and 8GB of quality DDR3 RAM (2x4GB at 1333 or 1600 Mhz if you please) for under $500. Not much under $500 admittedly, but it's definitely the setup that'll last the longest, as it gives you SLI/Crossfire capability, a very powerful and overclockable processor and a goodly amount of RAM with room for expansion.
Posts
Everyone's a frigging critic...but fixed.
And thanks for letting me know.
Battle.net
It currently has an ATI Radeon HD 5450, 1024 MB. I don't feel the need to upgrade until Skyrim comes out, but if the power supply is 460 Watt, will I be alright just picking a graphics card down the road or will it be an issue? And what graphics card would complement this monster of a machine I just bought?
This computer is so fucking sweet. "Gee I think I'll do some Photoshop *clicks and waits five seconds* "
I wouldn't bet on a 460W OEM PSU having more than 1 PCI-E power connector, so you'll want to stick with something like this 6850 when you upgrade.
Battle.net
Oh my, I thought modern video cards cost more. I remember when a Monster 3d II cost 200 dollars. It came with Battlezone, Incoming and Heretic II.
If I order it off of Amazon, it's basically free for me (it's the 2nd selection), with free shipping, because I have a ton of Amazon credit there unless there is anything else there anyone recommends. How will it handle Skyrim and DoW2?
Oh, Battlezone. How I wish there were more FPS/RTS games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxnho1yTjRo
I once got to talk to Tim Schafer and asked if he played Battlezone or Sacrifice. He said it's inspired from something much older called Herzog Zwei. Furthermore, he had one of the original creators of Sacrifice on his team unknowingly and did not make the connection until fans said something.
Also, Brad Muir liked the guide we created in my sig.
What's the average shelf-life of a PSU?
As in how long can I keep one in storage before it goes "rotten"?
Man, Brutal Legend is fucking brilliant how you leads you down one direction, then, all of a sudden, it turns around and screams 'and that is how you play the game! Good job beating the tutorial, have fun playing the real game on PSN/XBL!'
It reminded me of Chromehounds really. Except at the end of BL I was hyped to kill shit online, and at the end of Chromehounds, I was also hyped to kill shit online, only helplessly unprepared. I tried very hard to get an online battle going but it just wasn't working.
Are there any objections to buying this video card for this desktop in preparation for Skyrim? The retailer must be Amazon. I will basically get it free there.
I would honestly wait till before I even begin thinking about getting another system.
EDIT - Wait...I already have the machine, you know. I got it on the cheap from a student.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I hate to bump my own post, but seeing as how no one replied and there are a couple other notebooks I'm now looking at I figured I'd post again. In addition to finding a better price for the ASUS K53SV-A1 I found the Acer Aspire 5745DG-7950 and Asus K52JT-B1 at Memory Express with the added benefit of being able to pick them up rather than have them shipped. My question now is if the extra $120 dollars or so for a better CPU and GPU will provide me with a very real increase in performance or a marginal one. I would be happy to splurge for the K52JT if there is going to be a serious increase in power, but seeing as how I don't know much about notebook hardware I'm not sure if the differences between an i5 and an i7 is as pronounced as it is with PCs.
Thanks again
If I order from Amazon, I have about $160 credit, and free shipping. It has to be Amazon. The only thing stopping me from clicking Place Order is that my power supply is 460W. If the first recommendation requires 500W, how big an issue is that?
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
It's not an issue. I'm not sure what else you're running in that machine, but realistically even with a hex-core Phenom II you'd only need a quality 400W PSU, and that's with enough headroom for overclocking and stress-testing.
The stated GPU power requirements are often (if not always) inflated. If they said "you only need to have a quality 400W PSU to run a 6850 effectively" then there would be a boatload of freaking morons with ancient 400W PSUs on the warpath because they couldn't run their card off a power supply that provides most of its voltage on the +5V rail.
That might not make much sense if you don't know much about PSUs. Suffice it to say that GPU vendors hedge their bets because not all PSUs are created equal, and they need to ensure that their recommended minimum wattage will meet power reqs for the card even if the minimum wattage PSU used is a piece of crap.
Given that I'm operating with a PSU rated well in excess (at least 200W in excess, if not 300W) of the necessary wattage to power my build 24/7 at 100% load, it's somewhat hypocritical for me to say this, but: Stop recommending that.
You would need a hell of a single-card build to need 650W. Like, serious freaking hotness (figurative and literal). And even a multi-GPU build using 6850s, 5770s, or the like would only need 500-550W. 650W has somehow developed into a somewhat appealing "round number" for PSUs, and while they are perfect for a lot of multi-GPU builds, it's not a reasonable bare minimum.
And while I can get behind future-proofing to a certain extent, I'd only do so if I had a reasonable expectation of needing that capacity in the near future. Buy a 650W PSU if you have a 560 Ti and are going to install a second one in the future. Don't buy a 650W PSU for your budget i3-2100/AMD build, you won't need it, and the money can be better spent elsewhere. With the way PC power usage, and PSU design is progressing the supply you buy now likely won't be top of the line when it comes time to build a new system, and even if you future-proof it may still be inadequate in some way for your needs.
Battle.net
Why redline a 2 cylinder engine when you can do the same work in a v6 at a comfortable rpm?
I rather have a PSU be 'underused' and last a long while then run a PSU at its limit just to have it fail prematurely, possibly taking out other components and data with it.
The only time a system like Cantido's (with the 6850) would be pulling anywhere near 400W would be at stress-testing loads. He wouldn't be running at 390W 24/7. Serious gaming, maybe he'd pull 60-70% of 400W. Idling or just dicking around on the internet would be like 20-30%, max.
The numbers I'm throwing around here are not about making sure your peak wattage is just high enough to let you boot. These numbers have headroom, they allow for overclocking and stress-testing, and more importantly they recognize that part of getting the most out of your PSU is not having way more than you need.
Just like your metaphorical V6, PSU efficiency isn't just a flat number. Carrying on your analogy, its wasteful, not just in initial investment but also in lowered efficiency, to purchase a V6 and then never demand anything of it. A PSU is most efficient around 50% of rated wattage, and if the only time you're really sticking around that number is when you're running Prime95, that's not particularly good.
There are times when a 2-stroke engine is more appropriate. Machines like Cantido's are scooters (so to speak), not 4-door sedans, so why try to shoehorn a V6 into there?
Battle.net
A good long while. Years. If it's just sitting there out of the elements it should last forever practically far as I know. I've used PSU's close to a decade old.
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
Well, I guess before I go and blow $75-100 on a new mouse, is there any way for me to check to see if the mouse is actually registering the click the entire time?
I'm getting a RAT 7. But then again, I'm an idiot.
My CPU/MoBo/RAM for my gaming rig are over 3 years old, so I think it is coming on time to replace them. Here is what I currently have (with my GPU for reference, but I don't believe there is much point in replacing it yet):
Athlon 64 X2 (3.2GHz)
GIGABYTE AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX Motherboard
4x CORSAIR XMS2 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
GeForce GTX 560Ti 1 GB
I'd like to cap my budget at $500, although the less the better. I'd like to get something that will last me another 3 or so years.
What's a good choice for CPU/MoBo/RAM?
EDIT: FYI, I have no preference for Intel or AMD ... whatever gets me the most bang for my buck is best.
The difference between i5 and i7 2500k/2600k is erm ... not much. You get 2 more megs L3 cache, and the i7 sports hyperthreading while the i5 does not. It is within the realm of possibility that more and more games will make use of threading heavily going forward ... so it may futureproof you a bit I guess. It's not strictly necessary for gaming though ... it's definitely a luxury.
And before people point out the slight clock speed increase, that's irrelevant since the K series overclock so well.
I would love to help you out, but I know very little about the state of laptop computing. A better bet might be your own thread in the Tavern proper.
Battle.net
But then again, I'm an idiot, and am planning for 16 gigs (4x4) in a socket 2011 build...
Umm...what part of V6 Scooter doesn't sound awesome?
But none of that changes my original statement. :P
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
I got 2x2GB for my new build sometime late last year. Since then DDR3 RAM prices have gone way way down. I think people are recommending 2x4GB now not out of need but because with the prices you might as well.
With the (stupid) direction Microsoft is taking with Windows 8 it will probably require 2GB of RAM to run, then for sure 8GB will be necessary.
Ok, fine. Then let's replace "V6 scooter" in this analogy with "V8 skateboard".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgsk8d32AaM
Well, if you want to get the absolute best you can for under $500, you can get an i5-2500K, the ASRock P67 Extreme4, and 8GB of quality DDR3 RAM (2x4GB at 1333 or 1600 Mhz if you please) for under $500. Not much under $500 admittedly, but it's definitely the setup that'll last the longest, as it gives you SLI/Crossfire capability, a very powerful and overclockable processor and a goodly amount of RAM with room for expansion.
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