Is there any compelling reason to go Repeater over WLAN card if the router's in the 1st floor and the computer's in the 2nd floor, assuming setup is the primary criteria?
I do not know how to set up a repeater, they're more expensive than WLAN cards, and I am not playing online games enough to need a strong signal. This may change if I get hooked to Diablo 3.
A pure wireless repeater still requires a WLAN card in the PC in order to connect to the wireless.
If you're referring to a wireless repeater/bridge, then the advantage is in the fact that you can (generally) connect multiple devices to it via ethernet, which is nice if you're using wireless to connect to the internet, but are keeping a Server/NAS and a PC (and possibly other stuff) on the same ethernet switch. A repeater also broadcasts a wireless signal accessible by other devices, so if you have mobile devices (phone or tablet, for example) that you use in other rooms on that floor, and have signal issues, that may help alleviate them by allowing you to connect to a more advantageously located wireless source.
If the only thing you need to do, though, is connect a single PC to your router via wireless, just buy a wireless NIC card or USB dongle.
Just a single PC. I was thinking getting another router to act as a repeater/bridge, if that's a possible thing. But I hadn't considered getting a USB dongle until you mentioned it, and that sounds honestly the easiest option for me. Thanks!
It is a possible thing, but it's really not necessary unless you have multiple devices connected to it via ethernet and need a secondary wireless broadcast to extend signal range.
And then everything else is the same. It'll have a much smaller footprint, the PSU is fully modular (I'd go with it either way, 600W is more than you'll need) and I'm of the opinion that it'll look better than the Raider.
Thanks for the advice. I've made a few modifications to the build but I wasn't too keen on the case. Decided to go with the BitFenix Shinobi and the Silverstone modular PSU. I also changed the Blue Ray drive to a writer for backups of video and music. The rest is the same.
I'm thinking of getting something very similar to the above and it looks like Overclockers do something pre-made: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-247-OE&groupid=43&catid=2040&subcat= (the only thing that looks like it might be sub-par is the graphics card). Is this likely to be significantly worse than one I could build myself? I can build a computer if I need to but can't really be bothered any more if it's only going to be a couple of pounds cheaper.
And then everything else is the same. It'll have a much smaller footprint, the PSU is fully modular (I'd go with it either way, 600W is more than you'll need) and I'm of the opinion that it'll look better than the Raider.
Thanks for the advice. I've made a few modifications to the build but I wasn't too keen on the case. Decided to go with the BitFenix Shinobi and the Silverstone modular PSU. I also changed the Blue Ray drive to a writer for backups of video and music. The rest is the same.
I'm thinking of getting something very similar to the above and it looks like Overclockers do something pre-made: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-247-OE&groupid=43&catid=2040&subcat= (the only thing that looks like it might be sub-par is the graphics card). Is this likely to be significantly worse than one I could build myself? I can build a computer if I need to but can't really be bothered any more if it's only going to be a couple of pounds cheaper.
The video card is genuinely awful. It's 2 generations old now, and even then it was the bare bones "ever so slightly better than integrated" card. You'd be better off with virtually anything else. Also I'd select the Shinobi USB 3.0 over the Antec 300, it looks like they're the same price.
So, I picked up an Auria 27" IPS monitor on a lark from Microcenter. $400.
Supposedly the same LG panel used in the Dell/Apple displays, although A- rated instead of A+ rated. It came in today and I hooked it up and messed with it, and holy shit. 2560x1440 is awesome. The display quality is great out of the box, and I haven't even calibrated it yet. I'm curious to see how my Crossfired 6850's game at that resolution, but in terms of desk real estate for developing/browsing/etc this thing is a bargain. I'd recommend trying it out if anyone has a nearby Microcenter and wants a nice, ultra-HD 27" monitor. MC will ship it, but I think the returns are easier if you've got a B&M one nearby.
Aside from image quality, it's clear that you're not getting an $800 Apple cinema display...the stand is ok at best, it may be worth tacking $30 onto the price for a Monoprice stand of some kind. Also, they're A- panels, so be forewarned. I have a single stuck (not dead) pixel, which is a huge improvement over the 4 on my Asus 247H, especially considering how many more pixels are on this thing. It comes with a 1-year warranty, but I have no clue who the fuck Auria is so I'll probably shell out the $30 for a SquareTrade warranty and still come out ahead.
It's nice to see those in B&M stores. I've only ever seen them on ebay, and another brand (Catleap) selling basically the same thing. You can score them for the low $300's, but you'll want to pay extra and get one with a zero dead pixel guarantee.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
So, I picked up an Auria 27" IPS monitor on a lark from Microcenter. $400.
Supposedly the same LG panel used in the Dell/Apple displays, although A- rated instead of A+ rated. It came in today and I hooked it up and messed with it, and holy shit. 2560x1440 is awesome. The display quality is great out of the box, and I haven't even calibrated it yet. I'm curious to see how my Crossfired 6850's game at that resolution, but in terms of desk real estate for developing/browsing/etc this thing is a bargain. I'd recommend trying it out if anyone has a nearby Microcenter and wants a nice, ultra-HD 27" monitor. MC will ship it, but I think the returns are easier if you've got a B&M one nearby.
Aside from image quality, it's clear that you're not getting an $800 Apple cinema display...the stand is ok at best, it may be worth tacking $30 onto the price for a Monoprice stand of some kind. Also, they're A- panels, so be forewarned. I have a single stuck (not dead) pixel, which is a huge improvement over the 4 on my Asus 247H, especially considering how many more pixels are on this thing. It comes with a 1-year warranty, but I have no clue who the fuck Auria is so I'll probably shell out the $30 for a SquareTrade warranty and still come out ahead.
I picked one of those up last month and am floored by the quality for the price. So far games are all great. SLI'd 670s still have plenty of horsepower to drive any games I throw at it on max. Mine, luckily, has zero stuck/dead pixels, but Microcenter's return policy is great (30 days, no questions asked, no restocking fee, no paper receipt needed) so there's very little risk involved.
I was a little turned off at first, because my last Samsung was calibrated beautifully right out of the box, and this one was a hot oversaturated mess. Luckily after a few minutes of eyeballing it, it looked great. Then I found a Spyder-calibrated color profile for this model that someone uploaded (on overclock.net I think). My eyeballing was close, but the calibration profile put it spot-on and it was really beautiful. I will agree that the stand is shitty, so I'm also about to order one of those awesome $30 VESA desktop stands for it from Monoprice.
I can attest to the fact that Sleeping Dogs running on max settings at 2560x1440 with the high-res texture pack is totally jawdropping on this screen.
Oh, and despite what Microcenter's website says, it DOES have inputs for DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI.
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
edited August 2012
Sounds like the Auria is a great monitor for people with rigs that will push that many pixels. You get the warranty and returns support you can't get on eBay, along with the peace of mind you get buying from a reputable B&M. As long as you don't need professional level quality and calibration, it's a near-perfect option.
I'll have to check that out when I have time for it. I'm absolutely floored in terms of the screen real estate right now, I'm about to play some Blacklight Retribution and see how the 6850's handle this beast. I don't have the horsepower of dual 670's, so we'll see.
I picked up one of the Crossovers off of ebay (one of the better-made S. Korean ips models); 330+50 for a squaretrade warranty, and I've been pretty impressed so far. I'm not a color expert, but it's pretty well calibrated as it is, and the picture quality is just incredible.
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
I'll have to check that out when I have time for it. I'm absolutely floored in terms of the screen real estate right now, I'm about to play some Blacklight Retribution and see how the 6850's handle this beast. I don't have the horsepower of dual 670's, so we'll see.
In terms of raw horsepower 2 6850s are roughly comparable to a single 6950. Your problem is that you still have effectively half of the frame buffer (VRAM) that the 6950 has, which could adversely impact performance at high resolutions (like 1440p). Let us know how you fare.
That's what I'm worried about. It's still playable at 1440p, I was getting 45-55fps with everything cranked up. The game still looks awesome (and UI is less buggy) at 1080p though, so I'll probably play it like that.
The real question is how BF3 is going to look, and how many changes of pants I should keep nearby. I've also got to find a spot to plop the old 24" Asus so the lady can play Diablos.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
edited August 2012
Blacklight definitely has some odd UI issues at 1440p. Most annoying of which is how it sometimes locks your cursor into a 1920x1080 sized box in the upper left hand corner, effectively preventing you from clicking anything on the bottom or right edges of the screen.
So far I haven't run into any other games that have any issues like that, luckily.
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Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Yep, that's exactly the one I was thinking about. On a semi-related note, I decided to try MSI Afterburner for some Fraps-like recording, and it's working pretty well. Once I pickup an SSD for my boot drive (plus some games obviously) would it make more sense to have it record to my primary SSD or my secondary HDD?
Well, with MSI Afterburner it's about 200MB/Min for 720p, so my 10-20 minute matches are 2-4GB, then I'd offload them for processing. I just mean in terms of performance, is the speed of an SSD offset by the fact that a secondary drive isn't running my OS and game?
In other news, Civ5 in 1440p? Sploosh.
Also, minor incident, this may be a dumb question but...how do I use that color calibration zip? I assumed that link would just give me numbers for brightness/contrast/etc.
I've really been falling behind on this thread but I wanted to pop in quick and give a little praise to the HTPC that I built based on this thread. Been playing Sleeping Dogs on it @ 720P with the high res texture pack and dense world and everything turned up and it is absolutely completely smooth no matter what I do.
I3 2100 and a 6850, 4GB of RAM and a $20 ECS motherboard. Can't believe this thing only cost $300.
I am SUPER impressed with it for the money. Ended up with an EVGA model and it is quiet, cheap and powerful. Runs BF3 @ 720p on High without any real tweaking or OCing, and honestly I'd assume that my processor is a bit of a bottleneck in that game since I tend to play a lot of 64 person servers.
I'm actually more impressed with it than my GTX 670 in some ways, because the GTX cost me nearly four times as much money, and while it easily dominates any game I throw at it, I can't help but feeling more proud of the underdog card that's still going toe-to-toe with the latest AAA titles for $110 (got it months ago on sale).
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Lord Palingtonhe.him.hisHistory-loving pal!Registered Userregular
Hey guys, it's that time for me. The old workhorse is powering down, it's out of date, and my job is starting back up again soon, for which I need pretty reliable internet and computing at home. I'm looking to start ordering stuff in the next week or two, so if there are any sales going on right now, those are fair game. I also live within driving distance of a Fry's Electronics, if that helps.
What kind of computer do you need? Maybe it's a standard gaming PC, or maybe you need an HTPC, or a Server, or even a serious Workstation.
Jack of All Trades, but mostly gaming and media.
What's your budget for this project?
I'd like to get it for $500, but I could go as high as $600.
What needs to be included in that budget? Do you need a monitor, keyboard and mouse to go with it? Are there components that don't need to be included because you're carrying something over from a previous PC?
I've got a pretty good monitor/keyboard/mouse setup, but I'll need pretty much everything else. The computer I have right now is a hodge-podge of pieces from three or four old computers. If hard drives are expensive right now, I can format the one in here and put it in the new computer, but it's not even a terabyte. I also have a DVD R/W that works okay, so if those are expensive that can go on hold.
What are your performance needs?
I'd like to be able to run most games on Steam, but they don't need to be full throttle. I like the indie games on there, which is good in terms of easy performance, but I'd also like to have Mass Effect, TF2, and other Xbox/PS3 level games work out okay. The only other thing (not immediately, but soon) that would be nice is a dual-monitor-ready setup. I had one for awhile, and it was amazing, but it died with my last computer. The FrankenTower I have here won't support it without some serious remodeling.
Do you have any partiality towards specific manufacturers, like Intel/AMD, AMD/NVIDIA, or perhaps specific vendors?
No specific partiality, honestly. I'd like to keep things from as few vendors as possible. I don't mind driving to Fry's and ordering stuff online, but I'd rather pay a few extra bucks to get it all from Newegg rather than going through five or six different websites.
Do you have any specific needs? That is, are you looking for quiet operation, small form factor, significant upgrade-ability, or other specific features?
I want this to last awhile. Upgrade-ability would be great for down the line patch-ups, but if it will last a few years without falling way too far behind, that would be great. I also like cool looking cases that have easy accessibility and plenty of USB slots on the front (3-4 would be ideal).
I can put together my own PC (though if there's anything common to PCs in the last five or six years, a reminder would be in order - last computer I built needed coolant gel or whatever that I didn't know about), but I'm not against a pre-built if it's a good deal.
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AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Do you have a Windows 7 license from your old PC that you can use?
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Only if it's an OEM license. If it's a full or upgrade license then it should work, your old PC will be de-authorized automatically when you authorize a new one.
If it's an OEM license that you purchased or came with your machine, it's a violation of the EULA to transfer it. Many people have still been able to have these licenses reauthorized, or have been given new keys, by requesting them over the phone with Windows support.
Yeah, generally speaking Microsoft's phone support will let you do whatever you want, though they would be within their rights to refer you to the OEM (like Dell, HP, etc.) if it was a purchased license. I think they figure that an angry customer who was told they can't do something is a worse outcome than not selling another license.
Hey guys! So my 4 year old MacBook Pro bit the dust, and since I don't need a laptop anymore, it's time to build me a nice desktop computer. I already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but everything else will have to be purchased since I'm transitioning from a laptop.
Goals:
Budget: Around $1,000 - $1,200 CDN.
Main use: This will be for gaming/programming mostly, with some occasional media ripping. I would like to experiment with some light overclocking (mostly just for fun/learning), but nothing too crazy. Basically want something that will last me a few years before I need to start upgrading parts.
Build so far:
I've read through the OP and the "PC Building for Penny Arcadians" blog, as well as a few other places, and have spec'd out the build below:
Note: Since my only computer is shot, I don't have the luxury of waiting for sweet sale prices. All the prices above are regular Newegg.ca prices. If while shopping around I can find a better deal then bonus.
Oh, I should also mention I'm partial to Intel and Nvidia as far as processor and video cards go, hence my brand-choices above.
After reviewing everything, I'm pretty certain it's all compatible, but please let me know if I'm wrong. Also, before I go ahead with this, I was hoping I could get a little help with the following questions:
1. I'm looking to shave the price down a bit, since I'd ideally like to pick up a monitor that supports above 1680x1050 (my current monitor). Are there any pieces here I can safely replace with a lower model while still keeping this a decent gaming rig? My guts telling me I might be able to do that with the video card and PSU...
2. The case has two fans, should that keep this thing running at a decent temp, or should I really be looking at additional fans to add on?
3. Is overclocking worth it? I think it would be fun to learn, but if I can shave off a decent amount of money on the CPU and video card then it might be worth it to just forget about doing that.
Anyway, sorry this post is so long. Hopefully you guys can offer some wise words to this first-time builder before I dive in completely. :P Thanks!
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Lord Palingtonhe.him.hisHistory-loving pal!Registered Userregular
Poked around on newegg, and I found some starting points. Back in the day, I went with AMD for all of my stuff. Is Intel better right now?
Hey guys! So my 4 year old MacBook Pro bit the dust, and since I don't need a laptop anymore, it's time to build me a nice desktop computer. I already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but everything else will have to be purchased since I'm transitioning from a laptop.
Goals:
Budget: Around $1,000 - $1,200 CDN.
Main use: This will be for gaming/programming mostly, with some occasional media ripping. I would like to experiment with some light overclocking (mostly just for fun/learning), but nothing too crazy. Basically want something that will last me a few years before I need to start upgrading parts.
Build so far:
I've read through the OP and the "PC Building for Penny Arcadians" blog, as well as a few other places, and have spec'd out the build below:
Note: Since my only computer is shot, I don't have the luxury of waiting for sweet sale prices. All the prices above are regular Newegg.ca prices. If while shopping around I can find a better deal then bonus.
Oh, I should also mention I'm partial to Intel and Nvidia as far as processor and video cards go, hence my brand-choices above.
After reviewing everything, I'm pretty certain it's all compatible, but please let me know if I'm wrong. Also, before I go ahead with this, I was hoping I could get a little help with the following questions:
1. I'm looking to shave the price down a bit, since I'd ideally like to pick up a monitor that supports above 1680x1050 (my current monitor). Are there any pieces here I can safely replace with a lower model while still keeping this a decent gaming rig? My guts telling me I might be able to do that with the video card and PSU...
2. The case has two fans, should that keep this thing running at a decent temp, or should I really be looking at additional fans to add on?
3. Is overclocking worth it? I think it would be fun to learn, but if I can shave off a decent amount of money on the CPU and video card then it might be worth it to just forget about doing that.
Anyway, sorry this post is so long. Hopefully you guys can offer some wise words to this first-time builder before I dive in completely. :P Thanks!
First thing I would say: consider subsisting on integrated graphics for a bit. The 660 Ti is releasing soon at (hopefully) around $300. You can assemble the rest of the system and run on the onboard GPU until you get a look at what the 660 Ti can do and the price you can get it for. You might not be gaming capable right away, but I think you'll end up with a better system in the long run if you can nab a 660 Ti.
Anyway, the upgraded Antec 300 actually doesn't suck, which is cool because the old one kinda did. Roughly identical in price after shipping: HAF 912, which I also like quite a lot.
You can definitely save some cash on the PSU. No single-GPU modern video card really demands more than 500-550W. I'd go with the same manufacturer and series (M12II from Seasonic) but step it down to a more reasonable 520W. You can save a bit on RAM by going with these G.Skill modules, and a bit more by going with a different box with the same exact SSD.
I think that's around 65 Monopoly dollars, and I don't know exactly how much you're looking to save here. The motherboard is a tough deal to beat with that free shipping. That's the only OC-able Ivy Bridge quad core. What I don't want you to have to do is buy a cheaper card, at least if you'd like to go with Nvidia. Right now your only options for a card that costs less than a GTX 570 or 660 Ti are to stick with Nvidia's last-gen cards, which aren't bad by any means, but the newer ones are spectacular. Faster, cooler, and they use waaaay less power. If there was a 600 series card out around $250, it would be a totally different recommendation on my part here, but they haven't released anything there yet.
AlectharAlan ShoreWe're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered Userregular
Only if it's an OEM license. If it's a full or upgrade license then it should work, your old PC will be de-authorized automatically when you authorize a new one.
If it's an OEM license that you purchased or came with your machine, it's a violation of the EULA to transfer it. Many people have still been able to have these licenses reauthorized, or have been given new keys, by requesting i
Budget: $600.00
Price So Far: $240
Amount Left: $360
The Windows 7 I have is a student license, so would that count as a full install or OEM?
It's either a full install or an upgrade, either of which is good. Both will allow you to do a clean install on the new PC. Upgrade clean installs require a bit more time (you have to do a clean install, then "upgrade" that install so that the system will let you use the key) but aren't different otherwise.
Processors aren't even a competition at this point. If you're going to put an actual video card in a box with your processor, Intel is the way to go. Here's what I'd go with (no Windows, no HDD):
So basically the motherboard is good for any Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge proc you care to put in there, though it won't allow overclocking. The PSU is large enough for most video cards, and I included an SSD for you to pair with your HDD. Install your OS and games on the SSD, you'll be very pleased with the speediness. Big case, 4 USB ports up front, plenty of room for fans. If you'd like even more room for fans, go with the Alpha rather than the Beta, same price, just more fan ports.
Lord Palingtonhe.him.hisHistory-loving pal!Registered Userregular
How the times have changed since building sweet rigs for Quake 2 in high school... that all looks pretty awesome man, good to know Intel is the way to go, and I've always wanted a solid state for the operating system - how did you know?
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acidlacedpenguinInstitutionalizedSafe in jail.Registered Userregular
edited August 2012
... Just got a new job offer. Trying so hard not to just go full-retard and order a 690 or half-retard and order a 680.
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GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LX ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.98 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($38.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Raidmax Smilodon ATX-612WB ATX Mid Tower Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($57.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $554.92
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-16 11:13 EDT-0400)
~$140 more for Intel vs AMD, but the benchmarks are apparently no comparison. Anyone see anything wrong / foolish with those 2 builds? I can afford either (and will probably swallow my indy street cred and just buy Intel this time) but wanted to make sure everything's compatible with everything, make sure the mobo isn't a disaster waiting to happen, etc. The Intel CPU/Mobo comes from the SA build thread, so it should be fine, not sure on the rest though.
Weirdly enough, their big huge build for max performance includes a mATX board. Am I just confused, or did mATX boards turn into something not regulated to the realm of media centers in the past few years? The idea of a mATX board in a machine I actually use is... odd.
Yes, although doing so may be a violation of the EULA, I didnt read it.
It is. A few years back Microsoft went after a charity that was building old Win98 boxes for inner city families with donated licenses and CDs. Once you buy it, even if you don't use it, it's Microsoft's stance that you are bound by the EULA, including it's "you can't transfer this license" clause.
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Lord Palingtonhe.him.hisHistory-loving pal!Registered Userregular
Okay, so apparently I have a little extra money for a hard drive, and looking around... well, everyone's hard drives seem to fail within a month, losing all sorts of data, then kicking their puppy. The Seagate customers were swearing it off forever for Western Digital, while WD customers were flocking to Seagate.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
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Triple BBastard of the NorthMARegistered Userregular
edited August 2012
So apparently I have to replace my motherboard. I'm thinking of upgrading to an Ivy Bridge CPU while I'm at it, so...any suggestions for a mobo? I'm hesitant to ever buy anything ASUS again, seeing as I've had my current ASUS mobo for less than 2 years and it has already shit the bed on me. Is AsRock the way to go, or?
Posts
It is a possible thing, but it's really not necessary unless you have multiple devices connected to it via ethernet and need a secondary wireless broadcast to extend signal range.
Battle.net
I'm thinking of getting something very similar to the above and it looks like Overclockers do something pre-made: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-247-OE&groupid=43&catid=2040&subcat= (the only thing that looks like it might be sub-par is the graphics card). Is this likely to be significantly worse than one I could build myself? I can build a computer if I need to but can't really be bothered any more if it's only going to be a couple of pounds cheaper.
The video card is genuinely awful. It's 2 generations old now, and even then it was the bare bones "ever so slightly better than integrated" card. You'd be better off with virtually anything else. Also I'd select the Shinobi USB 3.0 over the Antec 300, it looks like they're the same price.
Battle.net
Supposedly the same LG panel used in the Dell/Apple displays, although A- rated instead of A+ rated. It came in today and I hooked it up and messed with it, and holy shit. 2560x1440 is awesome. The display quality is great out of the box, and I haven't even calibrated it yet. I'm curious to see how my Crossfired 6850's game at that resolution, but in terms of desk real estate for developing/browsing/etc this thing is a bargain. I'd recommend trying it out if anyone has a nearby Microcenter and wants a nice, ultra-HD 27" monitor. MC will ship it, but I think the returns are easier if you've got a B&M one nearby.
Aside from image quality, it's clear that you're not getting an $800 Apple cinema display...the stand is ok at best, it may be worth tacking $30 onto the price for a Monoprice stand of some kind. Also, they're A- panels, so be forewarned. I have a single stuck (not dead) pixel, which is a huge improvement over the 4 on my Asus 247H, especially considering how many more pixels are on this thing. It comes with a 1-year warranty, but I have no clue who the fuck Auria is so I'll probably shell out the $30 for a SquareTrade warranty and still come out ahead.
I picked one of those up last month and am floored by the quality for the price. So far games are all great. SLI'd 670s still have plenty of horsepower to drive any games I throw at it on max. Mine, luckily, has zero stuck/dead pixels, but Microcenter's return policy is great (30 days, no questions asked, no restocking fee, no paper receipt needed) so there's very little risk involved.
I was a little turned off at first, because my last Samsung was calibrated beautifully right out of the box, and this one was a hot oversaturated mess. Luckily after a few minutes of eyeballing it, it looked great. Then I found a Spyder-calibrated color profile for this model that someone uploaded (on overclock.net I think). My eyeballing was close, but the calibration profile put it spot-on and it was really beautiful. I will agree that the stand is shitty, so I'm also about to order one of those awesome $30 VESA desktop stands for it from Monoprice.
I can attest to the fact that Sleeping Dogs running on max settings at 2560x1440 with the high-res texture pack is totally jawdropping on this screen.
Oh, and despite what Microcenter's website says, it DOES have inputs for DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI.
Battle.net
In terms of raw horsepower 2 6850s are roughly comparable to a single 6950. Your problem is that you still have effectively half of the frame buffer (VRAM) that the 6950 has, which could adversely impact performance at high resolutions (like 1440p). Let us know how you fare.
Battle.net
The real question is how BF3 is going to look, and how many changes of pants I should keep nearby. I've also got to find a spot to plop the old 24" Asus so the lady can play Diablos.
So far I haven't run into any other games that have any issues like that, luckily.
In other news, Civ5 in 1440p? Sploosh.
Also, minor incident, this may be a dumb question but...how do I use that color calibration zip? I assumed that link would just give me numbers for brightness/contrast/etc.
For those in the UK, Novatech do free delivery on orders over £50. It's supposed to be 3-4 working days but they sent my order next day delivery.
Extremely impressed, as well as them being slightly cheaper than other places I've checked out. I'd highly recommend them.
I3 2100 and a 6850, 4GB of RAM and a $20 ECS motherboard. Can't believe this thing only cost $300.
I am SUPER impressed with it for the money. Ended up with an EVGA model and it is quiet, cheap and powerful. Runs BF3 @ 720p on High without any real tweaking or OCing, and honestly I'd assume that my processor is a bit of a bottleneck in that game since I tend to play a lot of 64 person servers.
I'm actually more impressed with it than my GTX 670 in some ways, because the GTX cost me nearly four times as much money, and while it easily dominates any game I throw at it, I can't help but feeling more proud of the underdog card that's still going toe-to-toe with the latest AAA titles for $110 (got it months ago on sale).
What kind of computer do you need? Maybe it's a standard gaming PC, or maybe you need an HTPC, or a Server, or even a serious Workstation.
Jack of All Trades, but mostly gaming and media.
What's your budget for this project?
I'd like to get it for $500, but I could go as high as $600.
What needs to be included in that budget? Do you need a monitor, keyboard and mouse to go with it? Are there components that don't need to be included because you're carrying something over from a previous PC?
I've got a pretty good monitor/keyboard/mouse setup, but I'll need pretty much everything else. The computer I have right now is a hodge-podge of pieces from three or four old computers. If hard drives are expensive right now, I can format the one in here and put it in the new computer, but it's not even a terabyte. I also have a DVD R/W that works okay, so if those are expensive that can go on hold.
What are your performance needs?
I'd like to be able to run most games on Steam, but they don't need to be full throttle. I like the indie games on there, which is good in terms of easy performance, but I'd also like to have Mass Effect, TF2, and other Xbox/PS3 level games work out okay. The only other thing (not immediately, but soon) that would be nice is a dual-monitor-ready setup. I had one for awhile, and it was amazing, but it died with my last computer. The FrankenTower I have here won't support it without some serious remodeling.
Do you have any partiality towards specific manufacturers, like Intel/AMD, AMD/NVIDIA, or perhaps specific vendors?
No specific partiality, honestly. I'd like to keep things from as few vendors as possible. I don't mind driving to Fry's and ordering stuff online, but I'd rather pay a few extra bucks to get it all from Newegg rather than going through five or six different websites.
Do you have any specific needs? That is, are you looking for quiet operation, small form factor, significant upgrade-ability, or other specific features?
I want this to last awhile. Upgrade-ability would be great for down the line patch-ups, but if it will last a few years without falling way too far behind, that would be great. I also like cool looking cases that have easy accessibility and plenty of USB slots on the front (3-4 would be ideal).
I can put together my own PC (though if there's anything common to PCs in the last five or six years, a reminder would be in order - last computer I built needed coolant gel or whatever that I didn't know about), but I'm not against a pre-built if it's a good deal.
Battle.net
If it's an OEM license that you purchased or came with your machine, it's a violation of the EULA to transfer it. Many people have still been able to have these licenses reauthorized, or have been given new keys, by requesting them over the phone with Windows support.
Battle.net
Goals:
Budget: Around $1,000 - $1,200 CDN.
Main use: This will be for gaming/programming mostly, with some occasional media ripping. I would like to experiment with some light overclocking (mostly just for fun/learning), but nothing too crazy. Basically want something that will last me a few years before I need to start upgrading parts.
Build so far:
I've read through the OP and the "PC Building for Penny Arcadians" blog, as well as a few other places, and have spec'd out the build below:
Total cost: $1,172.92
Note: Since my only computer is shot, I don't have the luxury of waiting for sweet sale prices. All the prices above are regular Newegg.ca prices. If while shopping around I can find a better deal then bonus.
Oh, I should also mention I'm partial to Intel and Nvidia as far as processor and video cards go, hence my brand-choices above.
After reviewing everything, I'm pretty certain it's all compatible, but please let me know if I'm wrong. Also, before I go ahead with this, I was hoping I could get a little help with the following questions:
1. I'm looking to shave the price down a bit, since I'd ideally like to pick up a monitor that supports above 1680x1050 (my current monitor). Are there any pieces here I can safely replace with a lower model while still keeping this a decent gaming rig? My guts telling me I might be able to do that with the video card and PSU...
2. The case has two fans, should that keep this thing running at a decent temp, or should I really be looking at additional fans to add on?
3. Is overclocking worth it? I think it would be fun to learn, but if I can shave off a decent amount of money on the CPU and video card then it might be worth it to just forget about doing that.
Anyway, sorry this post is so long. Hopefully you guys can offer some wise words to this first-time builder before I dive in completely. :P Thanks!
* Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard $94.99
* Video card: This one I'm going to need help on. I want to be able to game pretty well, but I'm not looking to drop $200+ on the video card alone. Something that could let me play Diablo 3 or the Mass Effect series would be fine.
* Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL This comes with 2 4-gig bars, but the mobo has room for two more. Should I double down and get 16 gigs of RAM? is that even necessary? $45.99
* HDD: Have one already, but I wouldn't mind upgrading if there's room in the budget.
* Power supply: I suck at power supplies. Would finding a case with one in it be okay, or should I shell out the extra for a fancier one? Any brands to avoid/seek out?
* Case: I want a nice, big, roomy one that I can put stuff in and take stuff out with a minimum of fuss.
Budget: $600.00
Price So Far: $240
Amount Left: $360
The Windows 7 I have is a student license, so would that count as a full install or OEM?
First thing I would say: consider subsisting on integrated graphics for a bit. The 660 Ti is releasing soon at (hopefully) around $300. You can assemble the rest of the system and run on the onboard GPU until you get a look at what the 660 Ti can do and the price you can get it for. You might not be gaming capable right away, but I think you'll end up with a better system in the long run if you can nab a 660 Ti.
Anyway, the upgraded Antec 300 actually doesn't suck, which is cool because the old one kinda did. Roughly identical in price after shipping: HAF 912, which I also like quite a lot.
You can definitely save some cash on the PSU. No single-GPU modern video card really demands more than 500-550W. I'd go with the same manufacturer and series (M12II from Seasonic) but step it down to a more reasonable 520W. You can save a bit on RAM by going with these G.Skill modules, and a bit more by going with a different box with the same exact SSD.
I think that's around 65 Monopoly dollars, and I don't know exactly how much you're looking to save here. The motherboard is a tough deal to beat with that free shipping. That's the only OC-able Ivy Bridge quad core. What I don't want you to have to do is buy a cheaper card, at least if you'd like to go with Nvidia. Right now your only options for a card that costs less than a GTX 570 or 660 Ti are to stick with Nvidia's last-gen cards, which aren't bad by any means, but the newer ones are spectacular. Faster, cooler, and they use waaaay less power. If there was a 600 series card out around $250, it would be a totally different recommendation on my part here, but they haven't released anything there yet.
Let me know what you think.
Battle.net
If it's an OEM license that you purchased or came with your machine, it's a violation of the EULA to transfer it. Many people have still been able to have these licenses reauthorized, or have been given new keys, by requesting i
It's either a full install or an upgrade, either of which is good. Both will allow you to do a clean install on the new PC. Upgrade clean installs require a bit more time (you have to do a clean install, then "upgrade" that install so that the system will let you use the key) but aren't different otherwise.
Processors aren't even a competition at this point. If you're going to put an actual video card in a box with your processor, Intel is the way to go. Here's what I'd go with (no Windows, no HDD):
So basically the motherboard is good for any Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge proc you care to put in there, though it won't allow overclocking. The PSU is large enough for most video cards, and I included an SSD for you to pair with your HDD. Install your OS and games on the SSD, you'll be very pleased with the speediness. Big case, 4 USB ports up front, plenty of room for fans. If you'd like even more room for fans, go with the Alpha rather than the Beta, same price, just more fan ports.
Battle.net
Never go full retard.
AMD Build:
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/eMrt/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/eMrt/benchmarks/
CPU: AMD A8-3870K 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock A75 PRO4 ATX FM1 Motherboard ($87.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($38.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Raidmax Smilodon ATX-612WB ATX Mid Tower Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($57.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $412.80
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-16 11:08 EDT-0400)
Intel Build:
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/eMsT/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/eMsT/benchmarks/
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LX ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.98 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($38.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Raidmax Smilodon ATX-612WB ATX Mid Tower Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($57.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $554.92
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-16 11:13 EDT-0400)
~$140 more for Intel vs AMD, but the benchmarks are apparently no comparison. Anyone see anything wrong / foolish with those 2 builds? I can afford either (and will probably swallow my indy street cred and just buy Intel this time) but wanted to make sure everything's compatible with everything, make sure the mobo isn't a disaster waiting to happen, etc. The Intel CPU/Mobo comes from the SA build thread, so it should be fine, not sure on the rest though.
Weirdly enough, their big huge build for max performance includes a mATX board. Am I just confused, or did mATX boards turn into something not regulated to the realm of media centers in the past few years? The idea of a mATX board in a machine I actually use is... odd.
It is. A few years back Microsoft went after a charity that was building old Win98 boxes for inner city families with donated licenses and CDs. Once you buy it, even if you don't use it, it's Microsoft's stance that you are bound by the EULA, including it's "you can't transfer this license" clause.
Any brands to get or avoid? I found one I think would work well for storage/gaming - Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive, and I'll have to get a SATA cord to come with it.
BF3 Battlelog | Twitter | World of Warships | World of Tanks | Wishlist
RELEASE THE HOUNDS!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=660ti&x=0&y=0
Comes with free Borderlands 2, at that.