time to build my new rig

it runs GW at AAx2, AFx8, high graphics settings (had to turn off shadow and post processing, everything else is at high), and can maintain at least 30 fps at 1024x768. so yes, it's good enough. i'm currently using a 17" CRT, so that's about how high the monitor can comfortably display anyways.

this is also the part that has given me the most trouble. upon installing the drivers, i couldn't get any image out of the VGA output, so i had to use a DVI to VGA adapter. ATI drivers are a nightmare to install/uninstall/update, so to update the drivers, i was forced to install before uninstalling the old drivers. now the catalyst control center refuse to load, forcing me to use ATI tray tools. the card also refuse to overclock, causing a BSOD every time i try.

the card is good enough to serve as a stand-in, but only just. i'm sure most of the problems are driver based, but i can't exactly do much with the drivers.

just another update in my awesome computer building saga:

i've finally figured out how to overclock the CPU, and it really does overclock very well.

the CPU has a partially unlocked multiplier. it can go between 7x to 9.5x, in .5 increments. currently, i've set the FSB to 400mhz (up from 266mhz) and the multiplier to 8x. this results in a final speed of 3.2ghz, which is up quite a bit from the 2.53ghz stock. i've also bumped core voltage to 1.250V, up from 1.180v. with the FSB ticking at 400mhz, it can now do a 1:1 ratio with the RAM for some added performance (theoretically anyways). windows experience index now rates the CPU as 5.7, up from 5.4 before.

currently i'm doing an orthos CPU stress test overnight. temperatures seems to max out at ~59C after 30minutes according to Real Temp 2.60. the CPU idles at a measely 33C. i'll keep you guys posted on the final result.

stresstesting passed. i've posted the results in a another thread, so there's no need for me to repost them here.

anyways, a slight dilemma on the graphics card front:

the motherboard i'm using does not support PCI-E 2.0 (or at least, i'm guessing it doesn't. if it is, it should be plastered all over the place). it's just a regular PCI-E x16. with the reduced bandwidth, would a HD4870 still make sense? i'm figuring these new cards WILL be able to utilize the added bandwidth. also, my powersupply is 500W. it might not be enough for a HD4870.

i suppose since that i'll never play at ridiculous resolutions (new monitor will probably be 1650x1050), then the bandwidth problem won't matter. but then again, if i'm not playing beyond 1650x1050, do i even need such a powerful card? perhaps the HD4850 will be enough?

Hmm.. from what I heard the difference from not having 2.0 on the lane is negligible, but that may just only be on older cards.

Might have to do some searches to find out for sure - at any rate it would be nice to have 2.0 (even for myself) but I don't think it would hinder performance too much, but I'm no expert. It's obvious that it is going to be faster with 2.0 though.

First, i will suggest you to get a at least 600w
second: Intel beats AMD at gaming

i have an intel E7200, overclocked to 3.2ghz.

500W has been reported to be the required for 1 HD4870. whether that allows me any breathing room for overclocking is a bit iffy.

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I keep hitting the edit button on posts instead of quote. This mod business takes some getting used to, lol.

500w is a bit tight, but I think you can handle it. Still, I would highly recommend you upgrade to 600w+, preferably 650. That would give you some play room, and allow the graphics card plenty of power to eat when you really push it. 500w is going to limit how much the PC can do at any one point in time without significant slowdowns.

If your CPU and GPU are maxed, and your disk drive is spinning at max speed, with full read, and the HDD is all full speed doing max cache read and write, and your motherboard is dealing with all the interconnects are full speed, you are asking a lot of the 500w PSU. The wattage isn't actually my concern here, it is your rails. You need to make sure your 3.3v, 5v, and 12v rails are all perfectly stable, because if they don't have enough amperage to handle the strain, you get instability which is no good.

well, this is my power supply:

http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=27500

i'm not sure how much amps i need. let's hope it's enough.

Antec? Are they the ones that go boom?

Don't remind me.

My Antec one does 18 amps on each 12v rail, and it is a 500watt. I figured this should be a minimum but I am seeing some other 500watts with 17A and 16A in some instances - and with graphics cards getting more powerful, those 500watts without at least 18 amps on the rails aren't going to be worthy.

Might as well just disregard that it has much power at that point, gaming systems need more and it is nice to let them have breathing room - because despite that it may work, if some part over-draws under heavy load your system goes splat. I could be over exaggerating it a bit, but it does help to have more.

Sometime later if you can, jumping up supplies could help out, but I realize that you just bought that one so this isn't exactly an ideal option for you, but if you have to do it, then you do.

As for power supplies, as far as I am concerned, there are TAGAN and everything else.

eh, i think i'll just go with the HD4850 then. it's more in line with the rest of my components. i'll use the money saved to by myself a better monitor. this 17" CRT is just not cutting it.

may i suggest:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824176091
for a monitor.
they also have recertifide versions for under $200.00

these monitors are absolutly beautiful. the next resolution up is reallly expensive almost 2x as much.

as far as picking a winner, walk into a best buy or like store and actually look at the different models. HP for the price is hard to beat.

Samsung is king of monitor design, even besting Smell (I mean Dell). Sony makes the best LCD TVs. Funny how that works isn't it?

In order of quality, it goes something like this:

Samsung
Dell
HP
The rest

The top 3 are neck and neck. Best Buy? Zamial? How dare you?!?!

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...91&catid=26175

lookit that, even an IPOD DOCK!! too bad i don't have an ipod :S

anyways, my budget for monitor is around $250 CDN. i'll need to pay the nasty gst+pst on these things, so let's not go overboard.

maybe even something like this:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...41&catid=22559

i'm certainly not going to miss .4", and it has better viewing specs.

Get better monitor....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009094

Buy it......plzz.....

Canadian ...site....ugh...

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...facture=A cer


or...

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...tu re=Samsung

I own that last one you suggesed Rahja, it's beautiful, and I love the button on the front to adjust color profiles on a whim, I don't see the point in installing Magi-Bright because of that.

Only thing about it, is that mine has backlight bleed which tends to get on my nerves, it messes up some blacks on certain backgrounds, but nothing major, the bleed isn't really that significant.

On that note, maybe the open-box version of this? http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=Samsung - it's 8000:1 rather than the 1000:1 of the one you mention.