I figured he would be ok with 1gb vram since he was playing L4D2 (older title) and not using 3D surround. Which would definitely require 2gb vram or more. Also being as he is still using a 4870 the 560 is a large step up. dFshadow - the 560 is not future proofing you for games though it will probably do fine if you are willing to game on medium detail in future games.
3/27/2012 4:36:09 PM
what video card would future proof me? i could just upgrade my video card and leave the rest of my rig as is i think
3/27/2012 4:45:21 PM
I've been monitoring my VRAM usage lately and I sometimes use 1GB without even opening a game. Take it I do have multiple monitors and multi-task a lot but unless you want to close every single application before running a game then I'd recommend at least 2GB. 2.5-3GB to be safe. Sure you can close everything before you open a game but it's a PITA.^that dual core is holding you back though. If you upgrade your video card your bottleneck will be the CPU by far. [Edited on March 27, 2012 at 4:49 PM. Reason : s]
3/27/2012 4:48:08 PM
FYI, for anyone looking for SSD's, there's a big OCZ sale on newegg right now.The best deal by far is for the Vertex 3 240gb, which has almost no eyes on it at the moment. It comes out cheaper than the slower Agility 3 does (unless you just really love Mass Effect 3)http://slickdeals.net/f/4141966-OCZ-Vertex-3-240GB-SSD-Free-64GB-Petrol-SSD-290-280-ARAgility 3 240/120gb deals herehttp://slickdeals.net/permadeal/71646/newegg-ocz-agility-3-2.5-sata-iii-mlc-internal-solid-state-drives-240gb-ssd-mass-effect-3-pc-209.50-after-20-rebate-120gb-ssd-103-after-30-rebate-60gb-ssd
3/30/2012 11:28:18 AM
2 days ago Newegg on the shell shocker had a 90gb Sata III one for like 70 bucks. I picked it up. Hopefully it's good, I just wanted/needed another SSD
3/30/2012 1:33:15 PM
ok right now I have this video card:ASUS EAH4870/HTDI/512M/A Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Cardi bought on october 15, 2008 and it has lasted me just fine til now. that's how little i game on my PC.BUT i would like to buy another card that will last me 2-3 years without having to build a whole new PC since i can't justify the expense when i don't game on it much.so someone who is familiar with the history of video card generations, can you tell me what came after my purchase? the 560Ti 2GB for $260 looks like a decent option to me. I don't think I want to spend $360 for a 7870 since you said my processor is going to be the limiting factor still. i looked into socket 775 upgrades and there aren't better chips that'll fit my mobo for a decent price still, so i'm sticking with this hardware for now.i know the gtx 680 is out of stock and when it comes back in stock, prices will go down but i'm looking to buy hardware already a couple generations old so i'm not too worried.at most i will be buying CS:GO for PC soon.so, thoughts?
4/5/2012 7:55:42 PM
I think the 560 is a fine card...I'm a big EVGA fan just because of the great support they gave me with lifetime warranties and actually using them for next day air blah blahhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130604
4/5/2012 10:49:46 PM
I'm seriously considering building the following computer. I did my best looking for rebates and checking slick-deals. I'm kinda bummed that I missed out on the SSD sale a week ago, but I'll be fine. I currently only use about 35GB including operating system on my current computer that has a 150GB hd. I also have an external 500gb hard drive so space isn't an issue. Thoughts?AMD Phenom II X4 975 Black Edition Deneb 3.6GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Desktop Processor HDZ975FBGMBOXhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103923$159.99 ($144.99 on sale) + Free Shipping GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboardhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521$84.99 + Free ShippingCOOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0, Black Interior and Four Fans-1x 230mm front RED LED fan, 1x 140mm rear fan, 1x 230mm top fan, and 1x 230mm side fanhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160$139.99 ($119.99 w/Rebate)+ Free ShippingRebate:http://www.jr.com/media/Rebates/Computers/Components/Computer_Parts/Enclosures/Desktop_and_Tower/CM7_20120415_v1_m56577569837434952.pdfCORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144$54.99 + Free ShippingCorsair Force Series 3 CSSD-F60GB3A-BK 2.5" 60GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233223$89.99+ Free ShippingSAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM SATA Model SH-222BB/BEBE - OEMhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?SID=oTS0gn-aEeGles621S3TyQ0&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16827151244&Tpk=27-151-244$14.99 ($12.75 with APRODD15) + Free ShippingPowerColor AX6790 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 6790 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Cardhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131397$119.99 ($104.99 w/Rebate) + Free ShippingRebate: http://images10.newegg.com/uploadfilesfornewegg/rebate/SH/PowerColor4MIRsApr01Apr1512cd12.pdfFSP Group AURUM GOLD 650W (AU-650M) ATX12V/EPS12V Modular Flat Cable, 80 PLUS GOLD, SLI and AMD CrossFireX Certified Compatible with Intel Core i5, i7 Power Supplyhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104133$109.99 + Free Shipping--------------------------------------------$774.92 ($722.68 after sales and rebates)[Edited on April 6, 2012 at 12:08 AM. Reason : .]
4/6/2012 12:05:20 AM
Does anywhere in Raleigh still carry PC flight sticks...? My old Saitek ST290 Pro appears to finally be giving out. I've got one of their X52 setups, but I honestly don't care for it as much as the 290. I really like the look of the Cyborg FLY 5.
4/6/2012 12:15:57 AM
Hey Hiro,My only suggestion might be to check out an alternative GPU. This link:http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-gaming-performance,3042-7.htmlshows the hierarchy of a variety of GPUs from both major manufacturers (granted, it's a little dated, but I assume it matches your budget needs). As you get into the top few slots, they get very expensive, but you can easily go up a few notches for minimal cost with some deals Newegg has right now. For example:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150561There's a 6870 for 129.99 after rebate ($10 more than the 6790 you were looking at), which is already ahead of the 6790, and on par with a GTX 560 for those of you who prefer nVidia. Granted, if you want to go any higher from there, you're looking at >$200-250, but for $10, I'd definitely grab the other card.[Edited on April 6, 2012 at 3:41 AM. Reason : ]
4/6/2012 3:36:09 AM
^ damn son, you're up early! Great find on that 6870. I used the following website as a rough reference to video cards:http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/Thanks for the input. I plan on placing the first order on things that are on sale or with rebates ending on the 15th of this month after the 10th.For reference, my current pc has:Pentium IV 2.8GHz2GB DDR2 RamHIS ATI Radeon X1650 Pro 8x AGPIt is indeed old and far outdated, but it runs like a champ for an 8 year old comp and is quick enough for daily tasks. It ran Doom 3 on low settings without issues a few years ago I guess I really have no need for another computer. Just kinda feel like shoping.Not that this is the end all be all, but from that website:Current video card (Radeon X1650 Pro) rating is 324 , where a GeForce GTX 560 is rated at 2,718.So... As long as I'm up there in the 2000, I can't see why I won't be happy. Going bang for buck. http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/video_lookup.php?gpu=Radeon+X1650+Pro[Edited on April 6, 2012 at 4:43 AM. Reason : .]
4/6/2012 4:26:25 AM
I'm sure you'll be more than thrilled with that new rig coming from your old setup! Let me know if you need any help getting it together - I'd be glad to lend a hand.
4/6/2012 2:29:27 PM
^ Thanks! I'll hold you to it I know I will need to order cables too, but I'll do that last. I think I'll only need to get one SATA cable, as I should have spares for the rest.Found a better deal on a CPU. AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition AM3 CPU HDZ965FBGMBOX - 3.40GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MT/s) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fanhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5692033&CatId=4431$109.00 after rebateAlso found a better bang for buck SSD.Patriot PP120GS25SSDR Pyro 2.5" Solid State Drive - 120GB, SATA III 6Gb/shttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1083887&CatId=5300$114.99 after rebate. [Edited on April 6, 2012 at 7:57 PM. Reason : .][Edited on April 6, 2012 at 8:24 PM. Reason : .]
4/6/2012 7:56:53 PM
^ Scratch that SSD. I just learned about Synchronous and Asynchronous flash memory.with that said, I'm going to pony and get this bargain:Corsair Force Series GT CSSD-F90GBGT-BK 2.5" 90GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233205$104.99 after mail-in rebate card
4/6/2012 8:38:12 PM
Hiro- that case is a bit overkill. You won't need that much airflow as your PC won't generate a ton of heat. Go with one of the 60$ cooler masters and you will do fine. Also you probably could drop a good chunk from the psu. You probably don't need more then 450w.
4/7/2012 5:35:08 PM
^ Video card requirements is a minimum of 500W iirc, 600w recommended, but the recommended may be if installing in crossfire, which I am not. I've always been a fan of full towers. I will do more case shopping as I'm not a particular fan of the one I selected, it was nice and at a reasonable price.I do have a tendency for overkill [Edited on April 7, 2012 at 6:22 PM. Reason : .]
4/7/2012 6:12:28 PM
Check one of the psu calculators, don't go off what the gpu says on the box. Hell I run an over locked 2500k and 560ti and I only use a 550w.
4/7/2012 6:42:29 PM
I used:http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngineSaid I need 410w minimum, so I'll look at 450w and 500w PSUs.Thanks for the suggestion CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supplyhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027$59.99 ($49.99 w/Rebate)[Edited on April 7, 2012 at 7:20 PM. Reason : .]
4/7/2012 7:13:37 PM
Check out the PSU that I have in my list I sent you about my rig. It typically has a fair price and/or sales, and is one of the top scoring PSUs on several review sites and should meet your power needs with some overhead. I'd tell you what it is, but I'm on my phone and can't remember
4/7/2012 8:10:51 PM
Oh... Modular for the same price... Nice OCZ ModXStream Pro Power Supply - 500-Watt, Modular, Dual +12V Rails, SATA, 80Plushttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4362113$69.99 ($49.99 w/Rebate)
4/7/2012 8:48:35 PM
Is there something in particular you're looking for in a case? I'm sure you could get a great deal on a different case that would fit all your hardware, and then you could put the money in your pocket or towards something like a better CPU cooler to keep temps down. Plenty of mid-size towers (See: Antec Three Hundred) have excellent ventilation and lots of space for a great price, but it all comes back to what you're looking for from it.
4/7/2012 9:57:55 PM
I saw the Antec case. I love Antec cases, but really I haven't found anything that I like styling wise that fits the budget. I'm looking mostly for cooling. I'm not going to load the case with a lot of extras as it will be pretty barebones. I might look into a Front Panel Multi-format Card Reader in addition to a SSD, and DVD +/-R Burner. But that's about it. The case will sit under a desk. [Edited on April 7, 2012 at 10:16 PM. Reason : .]
4/7/2012 10:01:33 PM
Damn it's hard to budget. A lot of the cases I actually like are >$150. I know I could get some cheaper cases, but for <$100, I found myself comparing other cases to this:Cooler Master CM Storm Enforcerhttp://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Enforcer-Interior-SGC-1000-KWN1/dp/B004WK3KKQ/ref=cm_cmu_pg_t$87.12 + Free Shipping
4/8/2012 4:21:12 AM
Just get an Antex Three Hundred. One of the best cases out there. I've used it for several builds. Can't beat it for the price. Reviews speak for themselves. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
4/8/2012 12:57:59 PM
I've built two systems with a 300 and one with a 900 and love them both!
4/9/2012 3:23:50 PM
I've ordered the CPU, PSU, SSD, memory, and graphics card. Motherboard, DVD combo writer, and case is left. Hoping some rebates will fall in my lap in a couple weeks. If not, no biggie.Oh I need a keyboard too... I've got a mouse and monitor already.
4/10/2012 2:06:09 PM
I scored a perfectly good HP keyboard at Goodwill for $3, so that's an option if you want to keep your budget in check. What are you running as a monitor?
4/10/2012 5:01:00 PM
Don't laugh. It gets the job done... It was given to me for free http://reviews.cnet.com/NEC_MultiSync_FE2111SB_BK/4505-3175_7-20283601.htmlI plan on getting dual 22" flat panels in the future... Perhaps black friday. I'll reuse the MX518 mouse on this PC. I don't need a fancy gaming keyboard or anything, just something that works. Maybe I'll hit up the Comp USA store off Glennwood (if it's still there) or the Tiger Direct store on Capital at some point and maybe they have a cheap open box item or something.[Edited on April 10, 2012 at 5:46 PM. Reason : .]
4/10/2012 5:39:44 PM
I actually tried to give at least one of those away in the past. I think I still have a dell w/trinitron glass at my mom's.I remember when all the EE kids would fix them up with capacitors and sell them from their dorm rooms after getting them from surplus.I think the NEC I got was from Garth though and required no resistor soldering.[Edited on April 10, 2012 at 7:08 PM. Reason : ]
4/10/2012 7:07:06 PM
4/10/2012 7:07:47 PM
4/10/2012 7:09:51 PM
I stand corrected. Well played good sir.
4/10/2012 7:43:35 PM
4/10/2012 9:29:10 PM
I'm building a small PC for new nephew to learn how to code I might do it as a hackintosh...
4/11/2012 5:10:37 PM
@Hiro:Besides the nice Antec 300, two good alternatives that I've used are the Cooler Master 912 case (usually around $40-50 shipped) and the NZXT Source 210/220 cases (around $40-55 or so). Another higher end, cheapo box is the Fractal Design Core 3000 case, but its a bit more expensive at $70, so its priced to go against Antec 300. Still you can find them sometimes with rebates on newegg for $50.
4/12/2012 6:43:35 AM
4/12/2012 6:19:11 PM
Why the hell did you go AMD
4/12/2012 6:33:20 PM
I was about to say that.
4/12/2012 6:48:07 PM
Are you both trolling or what? This was a huge reason:Intel Core i7-2600 Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I72600http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115071$299.99 ($279.99 with w/ promo code EMCNFJN32, ends 4/16 )vs AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition AM3 CPU HDZ965FBGMBOX - 3.40GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MT/s) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fanhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5692033&CatId=4431$124.99 ($109.99 w/MIR)Specs are nearly identical. Intel is more power efficient, 25% more L3 Cache, and has a Turbo Boost, but definitely not worth ~$200 more. I suppose a more fair comparison is:Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52400http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115074$189.99@JBazThanks, I'll look into those cases you suggested. I saw the Corsair one you mentioned and wasn't crazy about the design, but am considering it along with the Antec 300. I'll have more of a response after I take the time to look a bit more at all the cases you suggested. Thank you [Edited on April 12, 2012 at 7:17 PM. Reason : comparison]
4/12/2012 7:09:55 PM
umm... you do realize that the i3 2100 cpu is between the AMD x4 965 BE and 975 BE in performance, right? That's why they are priced the same. And they use more wattage since the i3 chips are 65w tdp instead of 125w. Even the best AMD cpu's right now barely beats the i5 2500 at stock speeds. Intel's predictive branch is still miles ahead of AMD, even on the older i5/i7's. And what corsair? I didn't mention any corsair cases...
4/12/2012 7:53:12 PM
LOL sorry i meant coolermaster, not corsair...How can you compare 2 cores to 4? I would hope that 2 cores would run at half the wattage of a 4 core, especially at similar speeds. Power consumption is moot. It even has half the L3 cache memory. Really, the i3- 2100 cpu is about half of what the x4 is. Overall, they are comparable until you ask each processor to multitask, in which case the AMD will take the lead. I'm sincerely failing to see how you could compare the two CPUs. I can understand that on a daily basis, both can achieve nearly the same thing while the intel processor offers more economy though its over all initial buy-in price is relatively the same. However, with high demand processing and multitasking, the AMD x4 is going to come out ahead.[Edited on April 12, 2012 at 9:13 PM. Reason : .]
4/12/2012 9:01:44 PM
4/12/2012 9:34:52 PM
Seriously, anyone that tries to justify AMD at this point is off their rocker.
4/13/2012 12:37:10 AM
4/13/2012 12:40:08 AM
4/13/2012 4:15:16 AM
Intel is King, no contest.
4/13/2012 8:30:11 AM
Hiro, fuck the haters...sure, a lot of the folks in this thread represent the small sector of consumers that use their computers closer to their full potential, but even then i suspect a lot of them want "fast" computers for the sake of calling them fastat this point in time, having a fast HDD, decent video card, and decent RAM matters far more than your processor (within reason, of course)...you did the smart thing and got a processor that will be more than adequate (ie. it will be fine for years to come) for your purposeswho cares if a better performing/OC'ing CPU is "only" $100 more? what do you people do on a regular basis that is so CPU-intensive that it ACTUALLY matters? seriously, i want to knowi'm still using my phenom II x4 925 deneb (2.8GHz, 6mb L3, 2000/4000FSB, 95W, 45nm) that i picked up more than a year and a half ago for around $80-90 (there was a combo discount, so i don't know the exact price) and it's still good enough even though it was "old" then: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103656it has a passmark score of 3434 and the i5-2430m in my laptop is nearly identical at 3463...the i5-2400 has a score of 6127 but what the hell would i DO with a ~44% performance increase (at more than twice the price)? i'm perfectly happy with the performance of my desktop and laptop both...no reason to blow money simply for bragging rightsthe 965 has a score of 4201, so the i5-2400 is only about 30% faster for 40% more money[Edited on April 13, 2012 at 9:16 AM. Reason : i'm admittedly bad at math]
4/13/2012 8:53:30 AM
Yeah we're just playing with ya. If you don't play games you won't notice the difference at all!
4/13/2012 9:28:20 AM
i, admittedly, am not a "gamer" in the sense that gaming is what i do when i'm not working/eating/sleeping, so perhaps i just don't get iti'd love to see a list of games that are more cpu-intensive than they are gpu-intensive...or a list of games that would significantly benefit from a primo cpu
4/13/2012 10:00:13 AM
There's plenty of games. Take Skyrim for example:http://www.techspot.com/review/467-skyrim-performance/page7.html
4/13/2012 11:21:51 AM