Computer Q&A

[Byte Stryke]

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]

Here's something I would like for you to consider...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136517
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/Produc...82E16822136514
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

[BigBear]

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/A..._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]

BigBear, I sent you a PM Brother.

[BigBear]

PM replied.

[ronaldrwl]

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.

[BigBear]

Interesting Ron. Thanks for your input! They do have a nice selection.

One more hour and I get a nice weekend....

[Byte Stryke]

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.

[BigBear]

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.

[Byte Stryke]

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.

you have mine... I'm Right here.