You can't, obviously, but a year down the road you'll be glad for the extra memory.

Yeah, I know, and that is what makes me think I might want to go with something like this instead for now:

POWERCOLOR X1950PRO512MBAC Radeon X1950PRO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131055

for $150 after mail-in rebate and call it good for a couple years. That's about 1/2 the price of the 8800 GTS. Then get a true DX10.1 card later when prices drop....

Edit - and the more I think about it, the more I am warming up to the idea. I am not going to run Vista for a while yet on the gaming machine and doubt I could find something else in the higher end 7000 series that would match it for the price. Key for me here is the more memory and cheap price for the performance. I can save about $120 now and spend a couple hundred in a year or two and get a much better DX10.1 card as an upgrade and still be out about the same as a 8800GTS 620 MB card right now. Eh, whatever, it's going to be a couple weeks or so until I can do anything anyways, so let's just see what is available by then!

Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

This comment was edited on Sep 20, 02:36.

BioShock finished downloading... yarrrrr!

-----
"Fundamental" is such a versatile word: Fund A Mental - Fun Da Mental - F U NDA mental! // Good times!
http://www.myspace.com/kxmode

OK, I'll throw it back to you then. Find me a powerful DX10 card with 512 MB ram for under $270.

You can't, obviously, but a year down the road you'll be glad for the extra memory.

Hey, it's your machine. I just now read your post where you said you've been using a 5700 for all this time, so you'll probably be fine.

Creston

OK, I'll throw it back to you then. Find me a powerful DX10 card with 512 MB ram for under $270.

You can't, obviously, but a year down the road you'll be glad for the extra memory.

Hey, it's your machine. I just now read your post where you said you've been using a 5700 for all this time, so you'll probably be fine.

Creston

Which seems silly to me, as heat rises, and the PSU's generate a lot of heat.

Well you can look at it however you want to but the Antec Nine Hundred is the single greatest consumer case for air-cooling, bar none. Not to mention the bottom PSU adds stability.

Most PSUs have an ideal operating temperature of about 40°C ... According to MBM, the internal case temperature got to about ~50°C, and a thermal probe attached a heatsink inside the PSUs read 48°C for the Enermax EG701AX, 47°C for the Liberty EL620AWT, 41°C on the Cooler Master iGreen and 44°C for the CMPSU-620HX. None of the PSUs are hitting 50°C, which is showing that all are pretty good at keeping cool and efficiently regulating their power.

Care to explain how 40*C is hotter than graphics cards? Or loaded processors in the 50's?


This comment was edited on Sep 19, 23:02.

Get a 512MB graphics card, not a 320MB. If you can afford one.

OK, I'll throw it back to you then. Find me a powerful DX10 card with 512 MB ram for under $270.

If someone feels like ponying up the extra $$$ for me to get a better card, I'm all for it, but I am having a real hard time spending that much as it is.....

Get two harddrives.

I have a 120GB and an 80GB drive in my current machine, I use the 120 for everything and the 80 for an internal backup drive (digital photos, copy of XP, drivers, documents, etc). I was thinking of doing something similar for the new machine - maybe getting a 2-300 GB drive for archival purposes. I don't have a problem with any minimal speed loss in loading games, etc, by having XP and apps on the same drive.

Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

I LOVED the Sisters of Mercy, though I think I lost their CDs when I moved to the States (grrrr).

Lucretia, My Reflection was one of their most awesome songs.

To be honest, your band sounds pretty good, but Eldridge (Eldritch?) their singer has their really deep, gravelly voice and it sounds kind of strange to hear a girl singing to that music. And you need LOTS more bass.

But hey, it sounds a lot better than when me and my buddies did this, drunk out of our gourds, as an impromptu karaoke one night.

Creston

Agreed, either I (with the keys/drums/bass going on the iBook) was underpowered, or both guitar and voice were overpowered.

As to the "tone" of her voice, yeah. I was told by former bass player as he was recording in my bedroom studio that I should be the one singing that, as I can produce a very similar timbre and presence to that of Eldritch.

Dan =0)

And the bottom-mounted PSU is all the rage these days.

Which seems silly to me, as heat rises, and the PSU's generate a lot of heat.




Alternating Logo (GreaseMonkey script):
http://www.ualr.edu/szsullivan/scripts_/BluesNewslogo.user.js


This comment was edited on Sep 19, 21:37.

I'm not saying that it can't be figured out, I'm just saying I haven't figured out a way to do it without getting additional hardware to test the other parts with. I don't know about you, but when I build a new machine I usually don't have extra compatible parts laying around due to my budget.

Unless you're that little kid from Heroes, I doubt ANYONE can figure it out without extra components.

My advise. ALWAYS keep your old system active and running UNTIL the new one is completely sound. Then get rid of the old one.

Creston

Edit : Oh, and "Yarrrr!!!"
My ancestors hate me for almost forgetting.

This comment was edited on Sep 19, 20:52.

Damn, I just replied on last night's thread.

Basically :

1) Get a 512MB graphics card, not a 320MB. If you can afford one.

2) Get two harddrives. You don't have to go RAID0, just having your games on a different drive than your OS will have a noticeable increase.

Creston

Yes yes but the Antec Nine Hundred is the "ultimate gamer case"

And the 200mm topside fan essentially lets you overclock your CPU better without any aftermarket.

And is tool-less really a selling point? I understand if all you do is build computers, but for the end user who opens his case maybe once every six months it isn't a big deal. And the bottom-mounted PSU is all the rage these days.

I realize i'm late to the party, but i build systems for a living and i would suggest getting a Cooler Master Elite 330. It's cheap (less than $50 from newegg) and completely tool-less except the mobo and PSU. They are very nice to work with, i've built many systems using it and wouldn't choose any other case.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119115

This comment was edited on Sep 19, 20:13.

Samsung is only $260? Isn't the 226BW like $300 everywhere?

The 21.6" model recommended by nin:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001236

SAMSUNG 216BW Black-Silver 21.6" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 3000:1(1000:1) - Retail


Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070919/ap_on_re_us/ahmadinejad_ground_zero

Good god...:

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters Wednesday that the United States would not support Iran's attempt to use the site for a "photo op."

Much much more humble than the US's overtures at promoting photo-op democracies around the world.

Go suck a dick, Bush. Or better, yet, perform the same hazardous combat duties your soldiers do on a daily basis for shit pay and see how well you fair.

Fucking douchebag.

FSAA is still a must even on a 22inch monitor. well, ESPECIALLY on a 22 inch monitor. 20 inch is the same resolution and jaggies wouldnt be so damn noticeable at 1680x1050

Samsung is only $260? Isn't the 226BW like $300 everywhere?

If a 226BW is that cheap then the Acer 22wbd is not looking so healthy.

8800GTS-320 does not have enough texture memory for newer games at higher resolutions.

It's got a heck of a lot more than the 5700 Ultra I'm running now, that's for sure.

See, I look at this chart (Sept 2007):

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/09/05/the_best_gaming_video_cards_for_the_money/page7.html

and figure that if I can jump from the 8th lowest tier to the second highest (even if it is the bottom part of the second highest), I'm doing OK. Getting to that tier is already pushing my limits I am willing to pay for a video card. The price differential going from the bottom portion of this new tier to the top portion is maybe another 30-35%. To stay in the same tier. That tells me that in the end, I can turn off AA or reduce texture size if I neeed to and will still be happier than a pig in slop with my high screen resolution. I don't need ALL the bells and whistles, I just need to be able to run the game at the LCD resolution.

And if I find in a year or two that my card is really falling that far behind (but I seriously doubt I will - remember, I am just now becoming very dissatisfied with the performance of my 5700 Ultra), I can always get a new card. The 30-35% I saved will certainly help there....

Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

That review was fine a year ago.

8800GTS-320 does not have enough texture memory for newer games at higher resolutions.

I see you're getting an Antec 900... sweet choice

and NICE JOB on the quad core, good you arent pussying out like batman did. I guess Newegg is now shipping the g0 steppings, but it's still a gamble. Might want to just get it at Tankguys or something.


[edit] toss in a thermalright ultra 120 CPU cooler and the Q6600 will hit 3.6GHz for everyday usage. On stock you can hit 3.0-3.2 [/edit]


This comment was edited on Sep 19, 18:16.

"That's the only part about building computers that I absolutely hate, not knowing what of those core parts is fubar'd without having to go out and buy and replace parts at random. And that doesn't help when I'm building it at 1 AM."
No kidding.

Just got 2 new machines at work. We found both have a hardware conflict between the DVD drive and the network card. Had to install one piece of software with the network cable unplugged. It didn't help that I then had to re-install that program twice as the updating component got stuck.

I'd rather be outside today. For some reason Mount St. Helens looks particularly majestic today.
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/static-highdef.php
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=79476372%40N00&q=%22Mount+St.+Helens%22&m=text

This comment was edited on Sep 19, 17:17.

So, I see as step one in building a computer: plug in your MB and PSU and nothing else. If it doesn't post, no fans, etc. then you either have a bad CPU, a bad MB or a bad PSU, and there is really nothing you can do to tell which one is really bad, without swapping out parts.

Plug in hard drives - do they spin up (do not plug the HD into the MB) - if you are worried about frying the HD - grab an old 10 GB drive (if you put your own PCs together YOU HAVE TO HAVE EXTRA DRIVES FROM OVER THE YEARS - if not, stop reading now and go to www.dell.com for your next pc)

There are lots of things to see what it is without other tools. It is exhaustive, but hay, like you said, it is 1 am, what the F else are you gonna do?

It is also my experience that there is a little light, diode, or other indication that the MB is getting power....or not getting power.

Also, does the vid card fan spin up?
That is an easy indicator.

Anyway. You are a smart guy, you figured it out.

Rev. Norb: I'd just like to say that four for a dollar Tijuana tacos seemed like a good idea at the time. Please pass the toilet paper.
This comment was edited on Sep 19, 15:52.

I don't think you'll be upset with your choice Warhawk.

Thanks - and even with a small difference, I'm OK with that. There is always something better, I just try to look for the "sweet spot" of price/performance and not worry about getting "the best" or even necessarily "2nd best". I just need "good enough", for the most part. Sometimes the higher end parts are within my "good enough" price range, sometimes they aren't. No biggie.


Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.