PC Discussion Thread - All PC related in here.

[RedLion 0]

Hi CameronMcDonald & Ch_123,

Thank you kindly for your suggestions. You bring up some valid point for me to consider before buying.

Much appreciated,

RedLion

---------- Post added at 03:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 PM ----------

Hi Sertorius21,

In terms of a lower i7 core, that means i would be looking at lower speeds, correct? And if i want to increase the speed i would have to overclock it, correct? - Something that i might consider doing. So if this is the case, i could get the same amount of speed with a lower i7 buy overclocking when compared to the i7 975?

Thank you!

[oyman 0]

So how big of a power supply would I need to power this:

Core i7 920 (will get overclocked)

3gb ddr3

gtx260

160gb hd

all sitting in a antec 900 case.

I was thinking around 600-700 watts but want a second opinion.

currently looking at this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002

Edited June 14, 2009 by oyman

[MehMan 0]

Can anybody help me with FFD show and how it takes a huge ammount of time to start playing videos?

I've only got it installed for the few x264 encoded video but it's a complete ass. If I drag the vid onto bsplayer it loads it instantly, once I get one instance running, but if I double click the video on my HDD it just takes some 10 seconds to start playing it.

[echo1 0]

Oyman: That was the very PSU I would have recommended.

In terms of a lower i7 core, that means i would be looking at lower speeds, correct? And if i want to increase the speed i would have to overclock it, correct? - ... So if this is the case, i could get the same amount of speed with a lower i7 buy overclocking when compared to the i7 975?

The speeds are lower, but the actual real-world performance difference isn't huge. In terms of overclocking, you can push a 920 up to about 4GHz. With the 975, you might be able to push it up to about 4.2-4.3 or so. As you can see, all the extra money doesnt buy you much extra performance.

[Sertorius21 10]

In terms of a lower i7 core, that means i would be looking at lower speeds, correct? And if i want to increase the speed i would have to overclock it, correct? - Something that i might consider doing. So if this is the case, i could get the same amount of speed with a lower i7 buy overclocking when compared to the i7 975?

Thank you!

Yes, an i7 920 is slower than an i7 975. However, a water-cooled 920 can be over-clocked considerably (Many people have reported that 4+ GHz is manageable). Considering that a 975 is something like $700 more than a 920, it might be a better idea to simply invest that money in a water-cooling system. If you aren't interested in water-cooling, at least purchase really good custom air-cooling for the CPU. Take a look at the Noctua NH-U12P fan or the Prolimatech Megahalems heatsink (You need to buy fans separately).

[Supernova 0]

Hi Guys,

I am finally breaking down i am buying a new computer. I want to run Arma 2 at its highest possible settings when possible. That said here is what i plan to buy from Newegg:

(My first at building my own but I a comfortable with it. I’m tired of paying Dell for a lesser machine)

- Apevia X-Telstar-AL Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer

- Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000hlfs 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0 Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

- EVGA 017-P3-1294-AR GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 Bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI

- Corsair CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified

- Corsair XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model ASUS

- P6T SE LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

- Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition Bloomfield 3.33GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601975

- Pioneer Black 8X Blu-Ray DVD Burner w/ Software SATA Model BDR-203BKS

The price is a bit high but I want this to last me a few years plus I hope I can have the flexibility to upgrade with this computer (i.e., video card, cpu etc...)

Many thanks for your thoughts,

RedLion

1. Nothing is futureproof or will last a long time. Technology comes and goes and state of the art hardware today are obsolete tomorrow or soon enough.

2. Bad choice on the case. Listen to ch_123's suggestion on cases and also consider a Cooler Master case.

3. ARMA II cannot be maxed out with anything on the market currently and deliver fps in the playable region (30+). That's right I am speaking from personal experience.

4. Corsair 620W is all you need. You dont need a 1000W unless you are going for a Quad/TRI-GPU configuration and will be doing heavy overclocking.

5. What do you possibly need 12GB for ? Unless you are running multiple VMWARE workstations you don't need it as simple as that.

6. Can't complain on motherboard choice.

7. Buy a I7 920 D0 stepping and overclock it as high as you need. I have tested the 965/975/950/940 and also the 920(C0) and 920(D0) and unless you will be using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium to overclock you don't need an extreme edition CPU period as they overclock the same when using air cooling and watercooling.

8. Socket 1366 is already obsolete and the only possible upgrade choices for it will be the 6 core Extreme Edition Gulf Town die shrink of Bloomfield. Not to mention LGA 1366 will be replaced by LGA 1156 in Q3/Q4.

Yes, an i7 920 is slower than an i7 975. However, a water-cooled 920 can be over-clocked considerably (Many people have reported that 4+ GHz is manageable). Considering that a 975 is something like $700 more than a 920, it might be a better idea to simply invest that money in a water-cooling system. If you aren't interested in water-cooling, at least purchase really good custom air-cooling for the CPU. Take a look at the Noctua NH-U12P fan or the Prolimatech Megahalems heatsink (You need to buy fans separately).

It's only slower if comparing stock speeds and even then the difference is miniscule or hardly noticeable. Good call on the air coolers though.

Edited June 14, 2009 by Supernova

[RedLion 0]

These are all some very thoughtful answers! The questions now is if some of this hardware will be or is already obsolete, were do i draw the line and feel satisfied with my purchase? Based on your suggestions here is my new rig:

- Thermaltake ArmorPlus(Armor+) VH6000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

- Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

- EVGA 017-P3-1294-AR GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 Bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (price went down)

- CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply

- CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop

- ASUS P6T7 WS Supercomputer LGA 1366 Intel X58 CEB Intel Motherboard - Retail

- Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601950 (It’s a lot cheaper than the 975)

If the ASUS LGA 1366 will be obsolete by the fall, should i wait and purchase then or should i just get a lesser motherboard and upgrade it later on?

Thank you,

RedLion

[echo1 0]

These are all some very thoughtful answers! The questions now is if some of this hardware will be or is already obsolete, were do i draw the line and feel satisfied with my purchase? Based on your suggestions here is my new rig:

- Thermaltake ArmorPlus(Armor+) VH6000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

- Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

- EVGA 017-P3-1294-AR GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 Bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (price went down)

- CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply

- CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop

- ASUS P6T7 WS Supercomputer LGA 1366 Intel X58 CEB Intel Motherboard - Retail

- Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601950 (It’s a lot cheaper than the 975)

If the ASUS LGA 1366 will be obsolete by the fall, should i wait and purchase then or should i just get a lesser motherboard and upgrade it later on?

Thank you,

RedLion

You seem to have this notion of "If I buy loads of really high end parts, it will last me forever", believe me, trying to build a future-proof PC is like pissing in the wind. The problem is that the top of the line stuff goes out of date just as quickly as the high-but-not-top end parts.

For example - there's no point in getting a Core i7 950 when you could get a 920 which is almost as fast (and if you plan on overclocking, there is almost no difference) and unless you have a 30" monitor you'd be better off getting a GTX275 (or 285, but the difference between them is so slight that it doesnt justify the extra €100+ you'd blow on the 285).

There's next to no point in getting a 850W PSU, even with the GTX295 but especially if you opt for a 275/285. A HX620 would be a more sound choice instead, and would still give you headroom for upgrades. The Gigabyte motherboard I mentioned earlier does everything the ASUS does but is a good deal cheaper (or at least the last time I checked). And I reiterate my opinion that the Raptors have had their day.

Thing is, the spec I recommend and the one you've got there will go out of date at almost exactly the same time. But if you go for a slightly more frugal spec (which will still give you about 90-95% of the power of the overpriced one), it means you have the money to make incremental upgrades as needs be. As I said at the top, there is absolutely no point in trying to build a future proof PC.

[sesdelta38 10]

@ ch 123

I'm thinking on buying a new PC instead of upgrading my current one. I found this computer made by a company called Alienware. It is called the Aurora value gaming PC. I looked at the specs and they show different operating systems, processors, and memory I can choose to customize it. I have chosen the following choices for my PC and I want to tell me whether or not it will run ArmA 2.

Operating System:

-Windows Vista Ultimate

Processor:

-AMD Phenon II X4 925 Processor with HyperTransport and Quad-Core Technology.

Chipset:

-AMD 790FX chipset

Memory:

-Up to 4GB Dual Channel DDR 2 at 800MHZ

Graphics Card:

-512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850

Single Hard Drive:

-7,200 RPM-up to 32MB cache and 1TB storage

So can the Aurora run ArmA 2 with these custom choices?

[Supernova 0]

Alienware LMAO. You gotta be serious. Don't waste your time or money with that overpriced POS. Build a computer yourself.

[sesdelta38 10]

Alienware LMAO. You gotta be serious. Don't waste your time or money with that overpriced POS. Build a computer yourself.

But I don't know how to build my own computer.

EDIT:If an Alienware computer is not good enough, then can anyone suggest a website that has computers that can run ArmA2?

Edited June 15, 2009 by sesdelta38

[RedLion 0]

Hi Sesdelta38,

Supernova and ch_123 are correct when it comes to building your own computer. It’s not that difficult, there are plenty of how do Is online for you to begin this process. It really comes down to price and money. If you have the money to spend on a computer by all means Alien is commercial brand owned by Dell that will offer the services that you need. However, for the same amount of money u can build a supercomputer on your own. Or u can build a great computer for half the price of an Alienware.

[sesdelta38 10]

Hi Sesdelta38,

Supernova and ch_123 are correct when it comes to building your own computer. It’s not that difficult, there are plenty of how do Is online for you to begin this process. It really comes down to price and money. If you have the money to spend on a computer by all means Alien is commercial brand owned by Dell that will offer the services that you need. However, for the same amount of money u can build a supercomputer on your own. Or u can build a great computer for half the price of an Alienware.

I would like to build a computer, but I want the computer to have the recommended requirements to run ArmA 2, but I would like to know a good website where I can buy the parts I need to build a computer that has the recommended requirements.

[MehMan 0]

Righto:

http://www.tomshardware.com/us/#redir

Go to charts, reviews, etc, then you can pick out the components you need for your money.

[echo1 0]

I would like to build a computer, but I want the computer to have the recommended requirements to run ArmA 2, but I would like to know a good website where I can buy the parts I need to build a computer that has the recommended requirements.

Which country do you live in?

[sesdelta38 10]

Which country do you live in?

I live in the United States.

[echo1 0]

Well, it's not as if you are short on options on places to buy parts... I hear Newegg is a good site. Try checking that out. They also make PCs for sale if you're still thinking about buying a pre-made one. (although I wouldn't recommend that if you are in any way technically inclined)

[sesdelta38 10]

I was looking at the Newegg site that you recommended and I was looking at pre-built computers made by cyber-power. Are cyber-power computers any good and would they be able to run ArmA 2?

[Supernova 0]

I was looking at the Newegg site that you recommended and I was looking at pre-built computers made by cyber-power. Are cyber-power computers any good and would they be able to run ArmA 2?

No. Stay away from pre-built computers. Building and assembling a computer is not as hard as you think.

[sesdelta38 10]

No. Stay away from pre-built computers. Building and assembling a computer is not as hard as you think.

I know building my own computer would help, but I would like some some some people to tell me which parts I would to build a gaming PC with the recommended system requirements so I can run ArmA 2. I'm not a big expert on computers nor am I a computer enthusiast., so choosing which parts are the best is extremely overwhelming and I'm 14 and building one my overwhelm me as well. So I need HELP!!!!

EDIT: My sister's friend knows about computer and he can help me find the right parts and help me build it, so I shouldn't have too many problems. Are you guys telling me to stay away from pre-built computers because of their price?

EDIT: Concerning the Alienware PC, you can customize it by choosing which parts you want for computer. Couldn't I get a good enough PC by doing that? My do that instead of building my own.

Edited June 17, 2009 by sesdelta38

[CameronMcDonald 146]

You can get a good computer having it prebuilt, but the prices are NEVER reasonable. The pricing of prebuilt computers is akin to being raped in an alleyway with a bottle. It lies in the same rank of monetary wastage as buying a new car.

[-Snafu- 78]

Changed my mind and decided to go and build a PC, got the time on my hands anyway.

Building one mainly for gaming between 500-700 GBP. So no uber i7 machine.

Couple questions first of all.

DDR2 v DDR3? Is DDR3 worth it?

Dual Core or Quad Core? A mate told me not to bother with Quad Core but looking at some articles it seems Quad Core would be the correct choice?

[echo1 0]

DDR3 isnt worth it.

As for the quad core issue, unless you can't fit one into your buget, I'd get a Phenom II x4, else a Phenom II x3 if you really need to keep the price down.. You could probably build a pretty decent system with a quad core, a HD4890 and about 4GB of RAM.

[-Snafu- 78]

Thanks, ch_123. Here is what I have so far:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-203-IN

Asus ATI Radeon HD 4870 Dark Knight 1GB

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-192-AS

Asus P5Q Pro Intel P45

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-280-AS

Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 8500C5

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-039-KS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=817

Corsair TX 650W ATX

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-008-CS

Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-053-SA

Sony Optiarc AD-7201S 20x DVD±RW SATA Dual Layer Lightscribe ReWriter (Black)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CD-027-OT

Coolermaster Elite 335 Case - Black

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-160-CM

Everything compatible? What about the RAM, I wasn't really too sure what was the best from this section:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=8

Edited June 17, 2009 by -snafu-
Fixed links

[echo1 0]

I'd get a Phenom II X4 955, it's as fast if not faster than the Q9550, a good deal cheaper and is more overclockable. Also, there's no real need for a 650W unit. If the Corsair 550W is a good bit cheaper (and I think it is if I remember correctly) I'd go for it instead.

EDIT: For the Phenom II I'd recommend this board and this RAM. I know I said there wasnt that much difference between DDR2 and DDR3, but with the newer Phenoms, it's best to get a DDR3 board to avoid problems. It's only £10 more, and that cost is absorbed by the cheaper (yet better) CPU.

EDIT2: Looks like Intel axed the price on those Core 2 Quads since the last time I checked... If you plan to overclock, I'd still go for the Phenom II. If not, maybe sticking to the Q9550 would be a better idea.

Edited June 17, 2009 by echo1