Bob's Noob Thread (Computer related)

B.From.Acc

TD Admin
mmmmk.

so first, look at the title of this thread, then look back down here (this reminds me a great old spice commercial ie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

there is going to be questions, many of them, and i understand if you don't want to answer them/ have the time. but it would be much appreciated. i have been out of research and readings of computer specs/new names/new technologies/pricings for about 3-4 years now, namely CPUs and GPUs. but i can say i have looked at the previous threads in this community of recent computer gab and tried my best to unstand the new technologies.

i am seriously in the want of a new gaming system since this year i will have 4 months off school to make money instead of the 2 months like the last few years. the most demanding game i'm going to be playing is BC2, but i want to be prepared for the future.

1. Video card:
-i want to keep this item under $200. i am leaning towards ATI since thats what i've always had (except for this macbook pro).
-i have my eye on the 57** series.. (is a general rule, higher price = faster engine and memory clock?
-memory? 128vs256 bit, big diff?

2. Processor:
-i read in previous threads that if going intel, go for something that has 1366 pin socket (i7-9xx and up). is that the way processors are going? more pins = the future?

3. PSU:
-750w sufficient?

4. Motherboard:
-is USB 3.0 something to consider?


i'll be back! any honest opinion is much appreciated. :D
 

Narf!

TD Admin
1. Video card for gaming, I'd go with nVidia.

2. The i7's seem to be really popular these days, so I can't see how you could go wrong.

3. Should be enough unless you're going SLi your nVidia cards or some crazy shit.

4. I wouldn't worry too much about USB3.0 The only thing that would benefit from it is USB flash drives...which you would have to buy all new ones that suppport USB 3.0... I mean, you're mouse isn't gonna go any faster if you've got USB3.0...


HTH
 

auron

TD Admin
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for these will be a different pins which, I'm assuming, future technology will use.

When I built my rig I was told that 750w PSU would be enough for my i7 920 and two 9800gtx+'s in SLI. Right now I only have the one video card, but as far as I understand it should be fine.

USB3.0 I wouldn't worry about. If the time comes that you HAVE to have it you can just get a card to throw in your machine, but I don't see that happening. Unless you want to stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
 

dead mike

TD Member, Legend, Puncher of Faces, Chatbox King
i7 mobos and processor is gonna be a lot more then going with phenom 965 and a 5850 for similar maybe better results in games. i7 i heard will win mostly in microsoft office and shit no problem, but games there isint much difference and with that 5850 it will probably be better then what you combo with the i7, unless u also pair it with a 5850.
 
[quote1272033119=dead mike]
i7 mobos and processor is gonna be a lot more then going with phenom 965 and a 5850 for similar maybe better results in games. i7 i heard will win mostly in microsoft office and shit no problem, but games there isint much difference and with that 5850 it will probably be better then what you combo with the i7, unless u also pair it with a 5850.
[/quote1272033119]

Yes, read reviews, not to piss on anyone here, but there is a lot of i7 throat gaggin' and not a lot AMD/ATI representation. Mike said it pretty well here, the extra money spent on the i7 and mobo will only give a relatively marginal increase on performance. So, if you are on a budget, at least look at the AMD side.

I have a Quad PhenomII 955 (black), Radeon 4890, and CS runs at 275-300 fps, 200 with multiple smokes deployed and many people on screen.

If you have money go for the i7 system, but if you want to save money to get more memory or hard-drives or a better video card, check AMD. Also, keep in mind DirectX11 is coming down the pipe, so look at getting a video card that has that functionality built in.

Reviews, reviews, reviews, read 'em. Best way to get a bang for your buck.
 

Narf!

TD Admin
[quote1272034654=Auron]
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for these will be a different pins which, I'm assuming, future technology will use.

When I built my rig I was told that 750w PSU would be enough for my i7 920 and two 9800gtx+'s in SLI. Right now I only have the one video card, but as far as I understand it should be fine.

USB3.0 I wouldn't worry about. If the time comes that you HAVE to have it you can just get a card to throw in your machine, but I don't see that happening. Unless you want to stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
[/quote1272034654]
Thanks for the insight Auron -- even though you really just regurgitated what I fucking said. :P
 

Steve

TD Admin | Bacon
[quote1272034678=Keeripes!]
[quote1272033119=dead mike]
i7 mobos and processor is gonna be a lot more then going with phenom 965 and a 5850 for similar maybe better results in games. i7 i heard will win mostly in microsoft office and shit no problem, but games there isint much difference and with that 5850 it will probably be better then what you combo with the i7, unless u also pair it with a 5850.
[/quote1272033119]

Yes, read reviews, not to piss on anyone here, but there is a lot of i7 throat gaggin' and not a lot AMD/ATI representation. Mike said it pretty well here, the extra money spent on the i7 and mobo will only give a relatively marginal increase on performance. So, if you are on a budget, at least look at the AMD side.

I have a Quad PhenomII 955 (black), Radeon 4890, and CS runs at 275-300 fps, 200 with multiple smokes deployed and many people on screen.

If you have money go for the i7 system, but if you want to save money to get more memory or hard-drives or a better video card, check AMD. Also, keep in mind DirectX11 is coming down the pipe, so look at getting a video card that has that functionality built in.

Reviews, reviews, reviews, read 'em. Best way to get a bang for your buck.
[/quote1272034678]

If we were to put a i7 up against your cpu, I guarantee you i7 out loads your AMD by a noticeable amount.

Bob are you building a completely fresh system or do you have any parts to salvage for the new build?

PSU: Get 850w+, better to be prepared for the future.
CPU: Go i7 if you ever plan to OC
case: Get something with great air flow.. I suggest the Cooler Master 932.. look for it on sale.
video card: Best bang for your buck is the 4850's they can be had for $80. I am currently using a 4850 and it kicks BC2's ass. If you get two of them and crossfire them, they out preform everything at the $200ish price range. They are good cards.
mobo:get a 1366 socket board for i7, and make sure it can run both crossfire and sli(again, better to be prepared for the future)
 

auron

TD Admin
[quote1272034806=Narf!]
[quote1272034654=Auron]
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for
[removed to save space]
stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
[/quote1272034654]
Thanks for the insight Auron -- even though you really just regurgitated what I fucking said. :P
[/quote1272034806]
I actually disagreed with you on your #3, as 750w should indeed be enough even for SLI. I guess a +1 coulda been enough for everything else.
 

Steve

TD Admin | Bacon
[quote1272035539=Auron]
[quote1272034806=Narf!]
[quote1272034654=Auron]
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for
[removed to save space]
stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
[/quote1272034654]
Thanks for the insight Auron -- even though you really just regurgitated what I fucking said. :P
[/quote1272034806]
I actually disagreed with you on your #3, as 750w should indeed be enough even for SLI. I guess a +1 coulda been enough for everything else.
[/quote1272035539]

750w is not enough if you are over clocking and running two strong cards.. maybe its fine for 9800s..
 

OG buckshot jr

TD Admin
[quote1272038232=Narf!]
1. Video card for gaming, I'd go with nVidia.

2. The i7's seem to be really popular these days, so I can't see how you could go wrong.

3. Should be enough unless you're going SLi your nVidia cards or some crazy shit.

4. I wouldn't worry too much about USB3.0 The only thing that would benefit from it is USB flash drives...which you would have to buy all new ones that suppport USB 3.0... I mean, you're mouse isn't gonna go any faster if you've got USB3.0...


HTH
[/quote1272038232]
+1
 

OG buckshot jr

TD Admin
[quote1272038302=dead mike]
i7 mobos and processor is gonna be a lot more then going with phenom 965 and a 5850 for similar maybe better results in games.0.
[/quote1272038302]

AMD can't touch i-series. Period. Like not even close. Like not even AMD having a pair of binoculars trying to see ahead where i7 is.
 

Narf!

TD Admin
[quote1272038552=Steve]
[quote1272035539=Auron]
[quote1272034806=Narf!]
[quote1272034654=Auron]
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for
[removed to save space]
stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
[/quote1272034654]
Thanks for the insight Auron -- even though you really just regurgitated what I fucking said. :P
[/quote1272034806]
I actually disagreed with you on your #3, as 750w should indeed be enough even for SLI. I guess a +1 coulda been enough for everything else.
[/quote1272035539]

750w is not enough if you are over clocking and running two strong cards.. maybe its fine for 9800s..
[/quote1272038552]
Exactly. 9800s...fine, but the new GTX 200 and 400-series...no way...
 

auron

TD Admin
[quote1272043213=Steve]
[quote1272035539=Auron]
[quote1272034806=Narf!]
[quote1272034654=Auron]
i7 appears to be the way to go. The new motherboards for
[removed to save space]
stream an HD webcam over USB for your gay porn.
[/quote1272034654]
Thanks for the insight Auron -- even though you really just regurgitated what I fucking said. :P
[/quote1272034806]
I actually disagreed with you on your #3, as 750w should indeed be enough even for SLI. I guess a +1 coulda been enough for everything else.
[/quote1272035539]

750w is not enough if you are over clocking and running two strong cards.. maybe its fine for 9800s..
[/quote1272043213]
It's a 512mb monster (in size) of a card. Obviously theres bigger and better things out there, but I don't think bob is talking about building a super computer here.

Which goes along with your overclocking statement. I don't know what he's going to be doing that would require overclocking an i7 and running two 1gig video cards in SLI.
 

Narf!

TD Admin
[quote1272043709=Auron]
It's a 512mb monster (in size) of a card. Obviously theres bigger and better things out there, but I don't think bob is talking about building a super computer here.

Which goes along with your overclocking statement. I don't know what he's going to be doing that would require overclocking an i7 and running two 1gig video cards in SLI.
[/quote1272043709]
He *was* asking about USB3.0 which leads me to believe that he wants some new shit. Plus GTX 200-series is 2 year old technology. Not exactly bleeding edge technology by any stretch of the imagination.
 

OG buckshot jr

TD Admin
[quote1272044146=Hinouchi]
DX 11!!!!!!!! nivida needs to stop with their rebrand crap ...
[/quote1272044146]

I agree, and so does ATI with it's 45/46/56/57 ... they're all just rebranded 38 and 47-series... Everyone's doing it to get rid of shit that never sold. All they do is put an aftermarket heatsink on it and make it look like new lol
 

B.From.Acc

TD Admin
Thank-you for all the replies!

so is Nvidia really better than ATI for gaming? or is it just a matter of preference?

and i don't plan to ever OC my system, i'm just not that computer savy.

and i'm conscious of prices. less money spent the better. so that 4850 looks good steve.

this is what i have lined up, my buddy is a manager at bestbuy and every year he gets a new mobo and processor from intel for cheap, and its their current top notch stuff. so this year he is going to give me his stuff from 2 years ago (cause he didn't take advantage of it last year)... so its an intel Q6600. still decent i think. but core 2 duo is on its way out no?
 
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