View Full Version : Computer Q&A
How do I figure out how big of a PSU I need?
Thinking of running:
AMD 955 chip
890x mobo
ATI 5870 video
would 500w be enough or do I need 750? So confusing.
How do I figure out how big of a PSU I need?
Thinking of running:
AMD 955 chip
890x mobo
ATI 5870 video
would 500w be enough or do I need 750? So confusing.
I'd go 750. You should be able to find the draw for each of the devices in the specifications. However, since there's no disadvantage to going over, and being too close to the limit puts undue heat into the smaller unit shortening it's life, I always fail up.
H.
That's the way I was leaning... just wasn't sure. Checking in a few other places as well but it looks like the 750 would be a better average though more powerful.
How do I figure out how big of a PSU I need?
ATI 5870 video
That GPU has a max power draw of 188 watts according to AMD. AMD recommends > 500 watt PSU. These numbers apply to the stock reference card. If you buy one of the factory overclocked models, your power draw is going to increase accordingly. I'd recommend getting a bigger PSU especially considering you are planning to mate this with an AMD cpu. AMD is behind the curve in CPU power efficiency. Your cpu will probably eat around 130 watts at max load. You're at 300+ watts before you factor in ram, MB, drives, etc.
Can always depend on Mutt for comprehension... so would I be better served to switch to an Intel 930 running at 2.8ghz? Is there that much difference between the 955's 3.2...
Just trying to do the budget build thingy.
Budget build? The 5870 is far from a budget card at $389.99 on newegg. At least you get free shipping. You're building a higher-end gaming box. Budget is a misplaced concept here =)
For your needs, there will be no human perceptible difference between a x4-955 and an i7-930. However, technically speaking, the i7-930 is a superior cpu. But it also costs $130 more.
AHHHH... I give up....
Wife said I have expensive taste...
time to find another hobby I guess.... lol.
I'll be back.
Byte Stryke
07-06-2010, 22:49
as Much as I hate to say this... you folks are looking at half of the picture
How many CD/DVD drives?
Hard Drives, what Kind, how big, how fast?
how many external dives?
fan controllers?
Fans?
PCI Cards?
I could get away with running a 600w PSU...
except for the 4TB 0=1 on SATA2, the 500GB R1 and the 260 R0 on Velociraptors... then there are the twin 8800 GTX OC 768s...
then Fans...
it all adds up.
Here is a tool I like to use.
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
it will get you reasonably close.. then you should round up. (Good call Hoosier)
and if I might suggest an Un-interuptable power supply... nothing fancy but clean power is extremely important to your MB
Before I Added the Velociraptors
http://bsdgames.com/site/album_pic.php?pic_id=262
Regardless of current draw, any hardware you buy will be obsolete before you unwrap it.....
Also remember when you use "min. required" things like your video card might run but not with a full head of steam. Sure would be a waste to put down that cash for a system that limps or doesn't even run.
Rgr Tfog, not worried about that. Just trying for a basic gaming/music writing/edting rig that I won't "have" to update within the year, lol.
Was trying to keep at $2K and below including periphials.... so I did:
890x MOBO
AMD 955 Phenom IIx4 CPU
8GB 1600hz DDR3 Ram
750w PSU
Radeon 5870 1 GB video
Creative sound card
1 500GB HD
1 CD/R-DVD/R
22 inch moniter
basic keyboard/mouse/speakers/headset
upgraded air cooling
Win 7 OS
Which all came out at about $1900...
Then I was looking at 2010 MS office which would add another $130... but I know there is a compatible free version of the office suite somewhere online I've seen before. Anyways....
In a non-ghey way: Do I ever mention that I love this board and the folks on it. Y'all are great.
Byte Stryke
07-07-2010, 08:31
Which Win7 OS did you get?
please say OEM,
Please say OEM,
Don't have anything yet, just dream building as I won't have teh physical money until late August (been working my #%^& #$%& off to save just $20 a month for a LOOOOONG time now [close to 5 years since I've had a real gaming/music rig]... and I keep screwing it up by going to the range.... but I'm almost there).
But to answer your question, yes it will be an OEM version. 64 bit.
Byte Stryke
07-07-2010, 08:40
Then I was looking at 2010 MS office which would add another $130... but I know there is a compatible free version of the office suite somewhere online I've seen before. Anyways....
In a non-ghey way: Do I ever mention that I love this board and the folks on it. Y'all are great.
openoffice.org (http://www.openoffice.org/)
and if you are so inclined as to learn a little *Nix... you can run all of your games under "WINE" and save a few hundred on the OS and anti-virus too!
;)
Openoffice! That's what it was... For some reason I kept thinking "Sun Suite" or something to that effect.
Is "*nix" shorthand for Linux? Unfortunately, as far as I know, the music software I use MUST be on Windows... as far as I know...
as Much as I hate to say this... you folks are looking at half of the picture
How many CD/DVD drives?
Hard Drives, what Kind, how big, how fast?
how many external dives?
fan controllers?
Fans?
PCI Cards?
I could get away with running a 600w PSU...
except for the 4TB 0=1 on SATA2, the 500GB R1 and the 260 R0 on Velociraptors... then there are the twin 8800 GTX OC 768s...
then Fans...
it all adds up.
Here is a tool I like to use.
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
it will get you reasonably close.. then you should round up. (Good call Hoosier)
and if I might suggest an Un-interuptable power supply... nothing fancy but clean power is extremely important to your MB
Before I Added the Velociraptors
http://bsdgames.com/site/album_pic.php?pic_id=262
Impressive [Weight], but hardly a typical configuration for a home user. You may 'need' that 1200 watt space heater, but Bear doesn't. The 750 (a quality one) will be more than enough. His biggest power draw is the GPU closely followed by his CPU. 1 HD, 1 optical drive, RAM and mobo aren't going to eat significantly into the overhead left after cpu/gpu. He's not going to have a fan controller (only us nerds even know what that is) or more than 2 fans (not counting PSU fans). A typical 120mm fan will eat 2.5W, maybe? While a 500 watt do it? Not with his choice of GPU, but anything above the 750 watt is a waste of dollars in both component expense and electric bill.
I'd surprised at max load if his system power consumption reached the 600 watt range. And that would require his cpu and gpu to be both 100% utilized. A rare condition unless one is doing heavy duty graphics rendering (and I don't mean gaming, I mean rendering CGI video) or artificially loading the box with prime95 and furmark simultaneously.
PS: Don't you think it's time to upgrade those video cards? The venerable 8800gtx is getting long in the tooth. I remember when I had those way back when.
[Coffee]
Openoffice! That's what it was... For some reason I kept thinking "Sun Suite" or something to that effect.
Is "*nix" shorthand for Linux? Unfortunately, as far as I know, the music software I use MUST be on Windows... as far as I know...
As much as I love UNIX as it's variants and loathe windows, don't do the linux thing. Unless your willing to jump into this head first and start a new career in IT, you're gonna pull your hair out.
Byte Stryke
07-07-2010, 09:07
open office is developed and supported by Sun microsystems
which was recently acquired by Oracle.
as far as your music...
I run all of my Windows Games on a Linux Box and they run just as well as if they were running on my Windows box. "WINE" is a windows Emulator. it essentially allows you to run Windows applications as if you were on a windows OS.
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop <free checkitout
you can go here, download the live CD.ISO and run it from the CD without installing it.
who knows... you might want to install it on your current system after you do your new build and add a few more years of performance. Linux is renown for using fewer system resources as compared to a comparable Windows OS.
I know a guy rebuilding old PII laptops and installing a linux ver called DSL on them... then shipping them to the troops.
Hey, hey, I know what a "fan controller" is... I'm not a nerd but I do know some stuff... albeit, very little... HAHA.
Yeah, I think for my peace of mind I'll stick with windows. Although it was nice to be reminded of the name of hte free MS Office type software. I'll look at the Linux stuff, but no garuntees.
Byte Stryke
07-07-2010, 09:17
Impressive [Weight], but hardly a typical configuration for a home user. You may 'need' that 1200 watt space heater, but Bear doesn't. The 750 (a quality one) will be more than enough. His biggest power draw is the GPU closely followed by his CPU. 1 HD, 1 optical drive, RAM and mobo aren't going to eat significantly into the overhead left after cpu/gpu. He's not going to have a fan controller (only us nerds even know what that is) or more than 2 fans (not counting PSU fans). A typical 120mm fan will eat 2.5W, maybe? While a 500 watt do it? Not with his choice of GPU, but anything above the 750 watt is a waste of dollars in both component expense and electric bill.
I'd surprised at max load if his system power consumption reached the 600 watt range. And that would require his cpu and gpu to be both 100% utilized. A rare condition unless one is doing heavy duty graphics rendering (and I don't mean gaming, I mean rendering CGI video) or artificially loading the box with prime95 and furmark simultaneously.
PS: Don't you think it's time to upgrade those video cards? The venerable 8800gtx is getting long in the tooth. I remember when I had those way back when.
[Coffee]
well, at the time I posted that we didnt have a full build list...
he Might have "needed" a larger PSU if he had listed a large disc array and multiple video cards etc...
kinda why I handed him the link to the calc.
I know my system isn't typical.
most systems don't typically run a multiple boot platform, or store RAID arrays for that matter.
and the 8800s are running fine...
plays APB, LOTRO(MMO) and most of the newer releases at or about High detail and high draw.
I don't have to have 400million FPS... the human eye only see ~60 :)
Not really sure what your experience is with the newer Linux releases... might want to check them out.
My DAD uses Ubuntu 10.04 with WINE (he has a remote control flight sim)
and this is the guy that had to call me over to pair his Phone to his truck. [LOL]
and the 8800s are running fine...
plays APB, LOTRO(MMO) and most of the newer releases at or about High detail and high draw.
I don't have to have 400million FPS... the human eye only see ~60 :)
Just messing with ya. 2x 8800gtx is still plenty for gaming. Those cards had an unreal reign of dominance. And yeah, they eat power like a hummer eats gas.
Not really sure what your experience is with the newer Linux releases... might want to check them out.
My DAD uses Ubuntu 10.04 with WINE (he has a remote control flight sim)
and this is the guy that had to call me over to pair his Phone to his truck. [LOL]
I use linux and solaris every day for both work and play. I still don't recommend them for the uninitiated unless they have a serious desire to learn and have tech support at the ready that doesn't charge by the hour =)
Byte Stryke
07-07-2010, 09:38
Just messing with ya. 2x 8800gtx is still plenty for gaming. Those cards had an unreal reign of dominance. And yeah, they eat power like a hummer eats gas.
I use linux and solaris every day for both work and play. I still don't recommend them for the uninitiated unless they have a serious desire to learn and have tech support at the ready that doesn't charge by the hour =)
Thats why I Suggested the Live CD.
it offers a full feel and experience without the commitment of an install.
besides, he could always dual boot if he becomes comfortable enough with it.
in regards to the 880s, I haven't replaced them yet for one simple reason...
I haven't gotten my $1300.00 of use out of them yet!
[ROFL1]
Nobama2012
07-08-2010, 21:01
When you are ready to build a nice all around AMD rig, that you can game the hell out of, let me know, I have been building them for about 8 years, can do Intel but would rather save some money and put it towards the liquid cooling. Liquid cooled two 4870 X2 video cards here, Quadfire video,
overclocked amd 955 quad also liquid cooled
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af317/Drunna12/DSCF0191.jpg
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af317/Drunna12/DSCF0189.jpg
Nobama2012
07-08-2010, 21:03
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af317/Drunna12/DSCF0192.jpg
JI use linux and solaris every day for both work and play. I still don't recommend them for the uninitiated unless they have a serious desire to learn and have tech support at the ready that doesn't charge by the hour =)
I use Linux daily, but dropped Solaris like a bad habit in the late 90's
H.
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af317/Drunna12/DSCF0189.jpg
Nice rig, I've always wondered what fluid was run in these systems. Straight water, mineral oil, or some more exotic dense non-conducting liquid?
H.
Nobama2012
07-08-2010, 21:27
It is a special kind of AntiFreeze, called Feser-1 this is the link, pretty "cool" stuff, no pun intended.
http://www.feser-one.com/site/product_info.php?products_id=255
[ROFL2]
Byte Stryke
07-08-2010, 21:33
Wow...
is it a computer or a discotheque? [ROFL1]
Kidding...
as a matter of preference I prefer air-cooled. Either way you are listening to fans... Might as well have a choice.
Something about losing 4 grand in computer equipment and being told by the Manufacturer "Oh Well"
I find the general Maintenance is lower as well.
Besides, why Overclock that Much, Just buy a chip at that speed :D
On a side note I would like to commend you for your choices in Processor as well as Memory
Mushkin is hands down THE Best I have ever used..
Nobama2012
07-08-2010, 21:41
Thanks, actually thats my Muskin SSD, 285mbs write 275mbs read, they are local, so I support them. I actually have 4GB of OCZ AMD low voltage. Whats nice about buying AMD Black edition processors is, they know you are going to overclock so they unlock the multiplyer for you.
I have a set budget... with H2O cooling, and overclocking, and yadda yadda, it gets real expensive really quick. And quite honestly, I don't need all the fancy lights, etc... I just want a basic rig that'll do the job. It's not an art piece to me, it's a machine.
All I want is a good gaming rig that I won't have to upgrade in like two weeks.
I'm also looking on another forum (computer specific) so I've got some ideas from them as well.
The problem is that I keep running into "fanboys" whether on the Intel or AMD side and no one will just answer my questions without bringing other points into the equation I that I don't care about, lol.
I.E: Me - Will the AMD 955 x4 Phenom II suffice for my needs?
Them - Well, if you get the i7 860 you can overclock and....
Me - I'm not asking about i7. My interest is the AMD, it is cheaper.
Them - Well, if you WANT an inferior product....
I'm also looking on another forum (computer specific) so I've got some ideas from them as well.
The problem is that I keep running into "fanboys" whether on the Intel or AMD side and no one will just answer my questions without bringing other points into the equation I that I don't care about, lol.
I.E: Me - Will the AMD 955 x4 Phenom II suffice for my needs?
Them - Well, if you get the i7 860 you can overclock and....
Me - I'm not asking about i7. My interest is the AMD, it is cheaper.
Them - Well, if you WANT an inferior product....
955 will be just fine.
Is it 'inferior'? Yeah, in some ways. But is it more than sufficient? Yes. We could go over all the pros / cons, but for your needs the 955 will be just fine.
Nobama2012
07-09-2010, 09:35
IMO I definitely would not say a 955 is "inferior", it is third in line to the top amd Chip, 955 is more than fine, they have not even started writing programs taking advantage of Quad core to its full extent, save your money and go with AMD, if really want spend $300 for a 6 core 1090T black edition, you wont get a 6 core for less than a grand from Intel. Best bet is to educate yourself on the parts you will need and see which ones will get you what you need the cheapest, here is a nice article on the new 6 core from AMD, and you can read alot of reviews on the other parts you will need.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-ii-x6-thuban-core-scaling,2652.html
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 10:22
How do I figure out how big of a PSU I need?
Thinking of running:
AMD 955 chip
890x mobo
ATI 5870 video
would 500w be enough or do I need 750? So confusing.
Getting back to the original post.
the setup you have and suggest will only require a 750w PSU at most.
this will even allow for expansion such as SLI cards, a spare HDD etc.
for gaming purposes I cannot express the importance of Memory in both fashions.
you are getting Win7 64b I recommend a MINIMUM 4GB
Its cheap right now, so its not that much.
Swap, very touchy subject for some.
You didnt list your HDD so I am going to guess that its a Run of the mill typical 7200rpm 500 GB.
with the price free-fall on HDDs right now... you might consider a stripe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID
If you play MMOs with PvP or high resolution games as I think you do, you may want faster read/writes. This can be achieved by either SSD, SCSI or RAID.
Storage Devices PATA 1 x ATA133 2 Dev. Max SATA 3Gb/s 2 SATA 6Gb/s 6 x SATA 6Gb/s SATA RAID SATA 6Gb/s: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID5, RAID 10 and JBOD
SATA 3Gb/s: RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD
It will definitely support a small array with no difficulty and will actually make better use of those kick-ass channels. all you would need to do is order 2 500GB HDDs. Just something to consider
Thing is, with Win7 its SUPER cake to set up. Seriously, you just switch CDs or use a thumbdrive or a second CD drive for the drivers.
It's so easy, a caveman can do it.
http://leegertrained.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/caveman_computer.jpg
What are your specific need?
I’ve been doing a lot of reading at Tom’s Hardware site. It is very informative and often breaks things down into a concise and comprehensive manner unto which I greatly appreciate, as I am neither mechanically nor technologically inclined soul.
I’ve also come to the opinion that today’s’ onboard sounds is decent enough to negate the use of a soundcard so I’ve been able to shave a few hundred off the price there. Mutt did say this a while back, but I had to do my own research and verify for myself to agree.
So, posted below is what I’m currently looking at. A simple (read = CheapER) gaming rig to play mainly FPS’s with all the eye candy turned up, music writing/editing, photo editing, and common day to day nuances such as checking mail, writing papers, etc. Will this meet and/or exceed my needs without the need to upgrade in a year or two? A simple yay or nay will suffice.
Chassis Model: Cooler Master Elite 310
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 (3.2GHz) OC’ed between 3.5-3.9
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-890XA-UD3
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz
Power Supply: 750W
Hard Drive Set 1: 500GB Western Digital
Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5970 2GB
Sound Card: Onboard Audio
Boost Cooling: High Performance Cooler
Boost Airflow: Zalman Performance Fans
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition)
Total costs about $1800
I know the RAM may be overkill, but I was under the impression of “the more, the merrier”. The overclocking may be a waste, but I don’t know. Thoughts? If I got rid of it I could save on the removing the fans, etc…
The next problem is figuring out which monitor to buy… I’ve read of ghosting issues with some, lack of response with others, etc.
Here is what I think the common gamer recommends:
- 2-5ms response time
- High contrast ratio
- Between 22 to 24 inch widescreen preferred (don’t know why though)
Thoughts, opinions? Acer has a pretty cheap 22 inch I found that meets all those specs.
You didnt list your HDD so I am going to guess that its a Run of the mill typical 7200rpm 500 GB. RGR, just a basic HD. Don't need any of that fancy stuff like SSD's etc. Remember that I'm trying to keep the cost down. I don't mind an extra second to wait to let the computer boot up.
It's so easy, a caveman can do it. How'd you get a pic of me?! lol.
As far as running two HD's and RAID and all that stuff... I'm honestly fine with a single HDD that I back up onto an external every week or so....
So, posted below is what I’m currently looking at. A simple (read = CheapER) gaming rig to play mainly FPS’s with all the eye candy turned up, music writing/editing, photo editing, and common day to day nuances such as checking mail, writing papers, etc. Will this meet and/or exceed my needs without the need to upgrade in a year or two? A simple yay or nay will suffice.
Everything except the FPS part can be done on a 400MHz 256MB ram used GoodWill special.
Chassis Model: Cooler Master Elite 310
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 (3.2GHz) OC’ed between 3.5-3.9
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-890XA-UD3
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz
Power Supply: 750W
Get a 1000 Watt, as ratings are more a marketing item than fact.
Hard Drive Set 1: 500GB Western Digital
Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW
Get the 2G WD drive, as it typically rates as the fastest non-SSD out there. Also, music files aren't small. Get a BlueRay instead of the plain DVD, as it does both BluRay and DVDs.
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5970 2GB
Sound Card: Onboard Audio
Boost Cooling: High Performance Cooler
Boost Airflow: Zalman Performance Fans
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition)
Total costs about $1800
I know the RAM may be overkill, but I was under the impression of “the more, the merrier”. The overclocking may be a waste, but I don’t know. Thoughts? If I got rid of it I could save on the removing the fans, etc… the OC is indeed a waste, as nothing you are doing is CPU intensive (except maybe some audio/video encoding). You need throughput, and the ram + that video card is just the ticket.
The next problem is figuring out which monitor to buy… I’ve read of ghosting issues with some, lack of response with others, etc.
Here is what I think the common gamer recommends:
2-5ms response time
High contrast ratio
Between 22 to 24 inch widescreen preferred (don’t know why though)
Thoughts, opinions? Acer has a pretty cheap 22 inch I found that meets all those specs.
http://h71016.www7.hp.com/html/hpremarketing/daily.asp?jumpid=re_R295_store/buspurchase-refurbished/computing/price-list
24" 1920x1200 monitor for less than $300. Note that the HP Business stuff is NOT a lesser resolution 1920x1080 monitor. I've got 3 of the HP or Compaq 24xx series monitors and they just work.
Will the AMD 955 x4 Phenom II suffice for my needs
The machine I'm typing this on is a 955x4 Phenom II, it'll do fine. I have an 8800GTX on an ASUS motherboard, 750W PSU. 1 SSD 1 laptop drive 1 10krpm 74gb drive. All my real storage is on a Drobo in the rack, local disks are just fast and small.
H.
Chassis Model: Cooler Master Elite 310 -- $40
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 (3.2GHz) (don't OC) -- $160
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-890XA-UD3 -- $120
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz -- $250 (mushkin 2x4)
Power Supply: 750W -- $100
Hard Drive Set 1: 500GB Western Digital -- $70
Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW -- Bluray DVDRW $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118046&cm_re=zalman-_-35-118-046-_-Product - $80
Win 7 64bit - $100
You're at $1100 for the parts above on Newegg.. the big missing bit is the video card. $700 for a video card is too much. So is $500. You can get something in the sub $300 range that will kick butt for two years. And in two years the fans on it will have died anyway, and it'll be time to replace it. That's $400+ that you really don't have to spend on it. You'll get a better perceived performance increase going with a SSD drive to install Windows on, and keeping all your data (music, etc) installed on the 500gb drive.
The price/performance curve tapers off pretty swiftly. That extra $400 might buy you only a few % increase. My 0.02, save the cash and plan on replacing it every 18 months or so.
H.
ronaldrwl
07-09-2010, 11:24
I configured a system as you specified plus I upgraded to the 6 core AMD Phenom 1055 for $1737
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/AMD_Hex_Core_Configurator/
You'll have to re-configure it, as the link doesn't retain your choices.
(FYI - I prefer the lintel processors)
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 11:40
I am going to have to get in line with Hoosier on this one to an extent.
the video card.. I run an high texture MMO on High detail with little to no noticeable latency issues, with 4 year old cards. you can save some money by not getting bleeding edge video cards. Get Decent ones and save the cash.
as far as the "few seconds on Boot up for a stripe? more like 30-60 seconds depending on the game for every time your screen loads. if you have static data in a "Screen" it will load to your HDD Swap. if it is dynamic it loads to your RAM, in a basic sense. So you would be seeing the difference every time the screens load.
with Mitch's recommendations... stay with the 750w
That's 250w you are paying xcel for that you do not need.
you dont need to OC your CPU unless you are trying to "E-Peen"
Blue-Ray is great for Movies... you didn't say this was a media Center/server, so that is right out.
Something to watch for on your Monitor..
the response speed...
make sure it is rated at native resolution and that its color.
I have seen some monitors boast a 2ms response, and when you read the details its at 400x600 gray to gray... then the native resolution at 1920x1080 color to color was like <30ms (Very Slow)
just a heads up
Just my advice, but you dont need the latest and greatest SSDs and videocards.
You pay the propaganda tax on all of that... and to be honest I havent seen a game out that NEEDS them.
"Wow dude I have a 8 core OC'd 400% with a Quad SLI Videocard setup that will do APB at 3,000,000 FPS"
Great...
I can think of 3 apps that will truly use a quad core... None of them are games.
you can not see more than 60FPS.
just my 2 cents
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 12:06
Here's something I would like for you to consider...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136517
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=778
GreenPower Technology
With GreenPower technology, the Western Digital Caviar Green WD8000AARS yields lower operating temperatures for increased reliability and low acoustics for ultra-quiet PCs and external drives.
BUT we want FASTER!!!
Consider this... the magnetic bits on a green drive are formatted vertically. Most drives are formatted horizontally. this means that the drive reads the same number of bits while turning at a slower speed using less energy and generating less heat. This is also how Disks have exploded in capacity while not in becoming as large as a house.
Think of it like this.... you have to count 5,000 broom handles
Lay them end to end(Horizontal) and walk for miles or stand them on End(vertical) and walk a few yards?
MTBF(mean time between failure) is increased exponentially as the drives are under less stress and spin slower.
This is what I built my Primary array from
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136514
Yes... 2TB at $119
You don't need the 2TB drive (Unless you have a large pr0n collection), the 800GB listed above would suit you great.
Something to think about
You're at $1100 for the parts above on Newegg... You can get something in the sub $300 range that will kick butt for two years....You'll get a better perceived performance increase going with a SSD drive to install Windows on, and keeping all your data (music, etc) installed on the 500gb drive.
SSD, solid state disk... no spinning. I understand it's faster... But I guess that what I'm trying to understand is do I really need that aspect? I don't mind waiting a few seconds to boot up, etc. Isn't the 500GB regular hard drive a butt load cheaper than a 500BG SSD?
Also, I don't mind paying the extra $300-400 to get it professionally built, warranty, etc... I would not want to order the parts and try to figure it all out... then have something to break... and... oh my...
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/AMD_Hex_Core_Configurator/
I have been told by countless people to stay away from Cyberpower and IBuyPower... countless people unsatisfied....
you can save some money by not getting bleeding edge video cards. Get Decent ones and save the cash. Rgr, understood. Would the 5870 be considered bleeding edge? Lots of great reviews out there about it.
as far as the "few seconds on Boot up for a stripe? more like 30-60 seconds depending on the game for every time your screen loads. if you have static data in a "Screen" it will load to your HDD Swap. if it is dynamic it loads to your RAM, in a basic sense. So you would be seeing the difference every time the screens load. Expand on this more please. Take an online game for instance... the "round" doesn't usually start until everyone is loaded up... so what real "speed" difference will a faster boot through splash screens really do for me? I hope that made sense....
Something to watch for on your Monitor..
the response speed...
make sure it is rated at native resolution and that its color.
I have seen some monitors boast a 2ms response, and when you read the details its at 400x600 gray to gray... then the native resolution at 1920x1080 color to color was like <30ms (Very Slow)
Moniter advice noticed, thank you Sir.
GreenPower Technology
With GreenPower technology, the Western Digital Caviar Green WD8000AARS yields lower operating temperatures for increased reliability and low acoustics for ultra-quiet PCs and external drives.
BUT we want FASTER!!!
Consider this... the magnetic bits on a green drive are formatted vertically. Most drives are formatted horizontally. this means that the drive reads the same number of bits while turning at a slower speed using less energy and generating less heat.
Very interesting...
I'm going on data overload... Let me go back through and read, etc and I'll post another setup soon.
Again, I'm going to go ahead and have a company build the computer so I realize I'll be spedning a few extra hundred on that. Reasons being I'd feel better with a warranty and I don't know how to put one together and install the BIOS or whatever, etc.... The site I'm going through btw, is called DigitalStorm. A+ rating with the BBB and excellent customer reviews etc. So if you'd like to jump on there and see the options I have to use... have fun.
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 12:57
BigBear, I sent you a PM Brother.
ronaldrwl
07-09-2010, 14:51
I have been told by countless people to stay away from Cyberpower and IBuyPower... countless people unsatisfied....
Well, you should be comfortable with who you purchase from. I've been buying from them for years. Cyberpower is part of Fry's Electronics. A well know chain with the best prices anywhere. It's like going to Disneyland the place is so crowded. And they have the most liberal (a good thing this time) return policy anywhere. The only people I actually know that have purchased from Cyberpower are happy with them and only buy their computers from them. After all, they only plug in the components you select. It's not like they manufacture anything.
Interesting Ron. Thanks for your input! They do have a nice selection.
One more hour and I get a nice weekend....
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 15:33
Well, you should be comfortable with who you purchase from. I've been buying from them for years. Cyberpower is part of Fry's Electronics. A well know chain with the best prices anywhere. It's like going to Disneyland the place is so crowded. And they have the most liberal (a good thing this time) return policy anywhere. The only people I actually know that have purchased from Cyberpower are happy with them and only buy their computers from them. After all, they only plug in the components you select. It's not like they manufacture anything.
Just as an FYI
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/company/warranty.aspx
I have had a friend deal with this before...
Wouldn't post.
spent about 3 days in various helldesks, escalations, referrals etc.
They said that he had to ship the entire unit back to them at his cost.
so he drains the system(water-cooled) Packages it up as best he could in the original packaging he got it in. and takes it to the post office
it was about $200
took it to UPS it was about $140.
So he ships it.
a few weeks later he gets this letter that they had received the unit in unsatisfactory condition(Damaged Package), his warranty is now void and they are not accepting it. Would he like them to ship it back at his cost or destroy it?
WTF?
so he has it shipped back at his cost.
he goes to UPS with the insurance claim... BECAUSE it had an RMA number on it, it is assumed non-functional at time of shipment and insurance is refused. "the damage to the package was not as to dictate damage to the item packaged" er some shit.
So he was out a computer for 12 weeks and then took a $2800 fucking in the ass.
my advice
Deal Local.
Build it yourself.
Have a friend help you.
but don't count on a warranty from someone that cannot or will not shake your hand and look you in the eye.
funny part of the story...
I test everything I can, figure its MB.
I went on new egg, got a new MB for ~180 IIRC and replaced it for him... posted fine, booted up fine. I thought he was going to kiss me.
for those of us with APO/FPO... do not EVEN try to get prebuilders to back a warranty. They see the APO/FPO and run like a ho from vice.
but don't count on a warranty from someone that cannot or will not shake your hand and look you in the eye.
Bottom line right there...
Just got done on Newegg. Built original system (Phenom II 955, 8GB DDR3, Radeon 5870 2GB) for $1350...
Guess I will try this "build it yourself" thing. Everyone who posted on this thread better get ready for some phone calls come mid August, lol.
[Beer]
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 16:06
Bottom line right there...
Just got done on Newegg. Built original system (Phenom II 955, 8GB DDR3, Radeon 5870 2GB) for $1350...
Guess I will try this "build it yourself" thing. Everyone who posted on this thread better get ready for some phone calls come mid August, lol.
[Beer]
you have mine... I'm Right here.
Guess I will try this "build it yourself" thing. Everyone who posted on this thread better get ready for some phone calls come mid August, lol.
It's not that bad. Although things may not go perfectly. I've had to fiddle and read manuals. However, it is by in large a case of "If the plug fits, that's where it goes." The horrors of jumper blocks and IRQ conflicts are long gone.
Make sure all your drives are SATA, the ribbon cables suck.
I like those power supplies that have plugs on them, so you can only plug in the cables you need. But in practice I end up having most of them plugged in anyway.
Watch Youtube videos about system building in the interim. Even unrelated hardware goes together the same way. And in this dry Colorado weather, wear a wrist strap.
H.
And in this dry Colorado weather, wear a wrist strap.
Yay! I actually knew that one!
Thanks for all the help.
P.S, I'm assuming everything that needs to say "SATA" will have it in tech specs or something?
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 18:48
It's not that bad. Although things may not go perfectly. I've had to fiddle and read manuals. However, it is by in large a case of "If the plug fits, that's where it goes." The horrors of jumper blocks and IRQ conflicts are long gone.
not entirely... but for his purposes they are :)
Make sure all your drives are SATA, the ribbon cables suck.
can you even get IDE Hard drives anymore?
I like those power supplies that have plugs on them, so you can only plug in the cables you need. But in practice I end up having most of them plugged in anyway.
Those are wonderful for small user machines that will never be opened again.
Watch Youtube videos about system building in the interim. Even unrelated hardware goes together the same way. And in this dry Colorado weather, wear a wrist strap.
H.
+1^
Nothing says Muther F%#@!% Sunuvva C@& Suc@&!%$ Wh@&%!
like Popping (ESD) a brand new $500 video-card before you ever get it in the case.
Yay! I actually knew that one!
Thanks for all the help.
P.S, I'm assuming everything that needs to say "SATA" will have it in tech specs or something?
Yeah they should. The HDD and the Bluray you both want to be SATA. You can also tell from the pictures at the back... a huge grid of 80 pins = ribbon cable. A little L shaped wedge of plastic = SATA.
H.
Byte Stryke
07-09-2010, 21:40
so why does he need a blu-ray again?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335
Vs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136181
(cheapest)
so about a $100 difference for a Blue-ray that hes not going to use because its not a media machine..?
so why does he need a blu-ray again?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335
Vs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136181
(cheapest)
so about a $100 difference for a Blue-ray that hes not going to use because its not a media machine..?
I don't know, someone else recommended it. I put a BRD player in mine, but I didn't really think about.
What blows me away is that you can get a DVD burner for $19. NINETEEN DOLLARS! I remember spending $600 on a CD burner! In less than 13 years the prices have come down 31x. If anything else dropped in price for the same capability like computers, we'd all have a Bugatti Veyron in our driveway that cost us a dollar fiddy.
H.
I don't know, someone else recommended it. I put a BRD player in mine, but I didn't really think about.
What blows me away is that you can get a DVD burner for $19. NINETEEN DOLLARS! I remember spending $600 on a CD burner! In less than 13 years the prices have come down 31x. If anything else dropped in price for the same capability like computers, we'd all have a Bugatti Veyron in our driveway that cost us a dollar fiddy.
H.
That would happen if each year the new make of car went two or three times faster than the previous model.
Byte Stryke
07-10-2010, 10:03
I don't know, someone else recommended it. I put a BRD player in mine, but I didn't really think about.
What blows me away is that you can get a DVD burner for $19. NINETEEN DOLLARS! I remember spending $600 on a CD burner! In less than 13 years the prices have come down 31x. If anything else dropped in price for the same capability like computers, we'd all have a Bugatti Veyron in our driveway that cost us a dollar fiddy.
H.
That's why I was questioning it... there are allot of nice DVD burners out there for 20-40 Bucks...
and he is trying to keep costs down so, Does he NEED a Blu-ray?
I say not.. but that's just me
and yeah, I remember shelling HUGE Dollars (about $340 iirc) for a Yamaha DVD Burner, that now sells for $25
No, I don't need a BR player.
Another question: I only use one moniter for gaming. Would there be a reason to use two GPUs on one moniter? Would I gain anything, or is that just a waste on money? I'm thinking like two Radeon 5850's on a 24 inch.
Byte Stryke
07-16-2010, 11:14
No, I don't need a BR player.
Another question: I only use one moniter for gaming. Would there be a reason to use two GPUs on one moniter? Would I gain anything, or is that just a waste on money? I'm thinking like two Radeon 5850's on a 24 inch.
I may be a tad rusty here.. I never really kept up with ATI's crossfire
I know that with Nvidias SLI configurations a Multi card set up with a gaming rig will assist with your frame rates as it aids in Drawing.
if your MOBO choice hasn't changed from the Gigabyte GA-890x, it will support it.
2 PCI-E 2.0 x16 interface with ATI CrossFireX support for ultimate graphics performance
hope that answers your question
Not really. I know the MOBO will support it... but I guess I'm just wondering if I will see any apparent advantage (besides one or two FPS, which can be acheived with OC'ing an indivudual card) with having two video cards on one moniter... Or if with the amount of RAM, etc, it doesn't really matter. Seems that the only folks I know running two GPU's also run two moniters.
Byte Stryke
07-16-2010, 11:22
In high graphics games you will see less "transition Latency" as well as lower stress on the cards.
if you have the funding for it, go for it. it is my experience that SLI/Crossfire configurations will improve your graphics performance on Single and Multiple monitors as well as extending the usable life of your cards.
Ok, let's make this a bit more challenging:
What role does the "onboard" memory of a GPU play?
Scenarios:
Does 1x 5850 2GB equal 2x 5850 1GB?
Byte Stryke
07-16-2010, 23:19
ok, in BASIC layman's terms..
think of a Video Card as a funnel.
The GPU of the Card is the Nozzle part
the Memory is the Bowl Part.
if the sand is being poured in faster than the GPU can handle it the Memory buffers up and holds Sand "instructions"
the Bigger the Bowl (memory) the More "instructions" it can hold
the Bigger the Nozzle (GPU) the faster it can pass the Instructions down the line.
if you have allot of sand (instructions) and you have 2 "funnels" Cards you would think you process twice the sand, but you don't. its actually closer to 1.8x IIRC. That's a topic for another time.
It really is kind of a dumb analogy, but It should give you a basic understanding.
more info here:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/graphics-card.htm
Got it, Rgr that.
Thanks.
One more week and I can order.
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