Posts by Kimberly Gomez34

Robin Young7 said:I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to this stuff, so I’d really appreciate some advice regarding an upgrade.
I’m looking to play Madden NFL 14 without my eyes straining after just two matches, haha.

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=2434#sp

2GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT

What CPU are you currently running? And what about your power supply? (You should be able to find the model name by checking the side panel of your PC case.)

wiredlynx10 said:My PC is back home in the Midwest, so I don't know the exact specs offhand...

Right now, it's running a D915 2.8GHz, 2GB of RAM, a 150GB HDD, one optical DVD drive, and an x1300/1550 graphics card.

As far as I recall, the power supply wasn't total junk. If I end up needing to swap that out too, would 600W be enough? A 600W unit should provide plenty of headroom for a decent upgrade to the motherboard, CPU, and everything else.

"600W" is a relative term; it might actually be weaker if it's some low-quality unit masquerading as a true 400W Seasonic.

BTW

The R9 270 arrived (the non-X version)—which means the R9 280 will likely show up soon.

George Doyle4 said:Hey tech experts, I need some help here. My desktop occasionally starts showing weird lines—colorful streaks or just solid white ones—across the screen. Then everything freezes up and I can't do anything. Eventually, the image just disappears entirely, and this whole mess lasts for a few days. I tried booting in Safe Mode, but those lines are still there, making it nearly impossible to read any text. After a couple of days, the PC goes back to acting normal. What could be causing this? p

Your graphics card might be dying. It would be a huge help if you could swap in someone else's GPU when this happens to see if that fixes it. Also, test out a different monitor just to rule that out.

But first, try updating or changing your graphics drivers.
You could definitely try using a tool like DDU in Safe Mode to completely wipe the old drivers, then perform a fresh installation after you restart.

Prices have already dropped by about $133 since the summer, and I'm sure we'll see even more minor dips before the year is out.

But honestly, an NVIDIA GTX 760 just isn't worth picking up while there are still these available at that price point; the difference just isn't worth the extra cash.

wiredgull80 said:Is it just me, or has DDR3 RAM gotten more expensive compared to six months or a year ago? I haven't been tracking it closely lately, but prices seem higher. I recently read something about "issues" regarding RAM modules, so I'm wondering if that's the cause or if I'm just totally off base. 🤷

I'm actually looking at it right now—back in late 2012, 1x8GB $100 at Best Buy or even high-end retailers like Micro Center was roughly the same as it was during the IT Future era.
CORSAIR DDR3 (8GB, 1600MHz, Unbuffered) CL11
$35.00
but now it's $70-$$200
Back when we were suggesting builds, nobody even gave RAM a second thought; 8GB was just the default. Nowadays, you actually have to weigh your options if you want anything decent.

The only thing that’s actually become cheaper since then is the HDD—for example, a 1TB drive is almost $33 cheap, and of course, graphics cards have dropped significantly. Everything else is pretty much where it was. It's interesting because back then, drives were pricey due to similar nonsense in Asia (floods and stuff).

Also, right before the new ATI GPUs launched recently, prices had dropped massively—for instance, the cheapest HD7770 was around $223, while the 7790 was over $110, but after that, prices jumped back up by $50-$$33. I'm guessing they'll drop back down to those levels again for Christmas.

Andrew Fox74 said:Well, I wouldn't say that's strictly true... 🤷

It seems like the general consensus is that brands like Dell, Gigabyte, or HP sit a step above Asrock or ECS when you're looking at motherboards. Back in the day, I would have prioritized a longer warranty over brand name every single time. But honestly, if I were standing in a store looking at an Asrock board and a Gigabyte board at the exact same price point, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. It’s just a reality that Asrock tends to be more budget-friendly, so you're essentially getting more bang for your buck.

I can wrap my head around calling Dell "prestigious," but I don't see how Gigabyte or HP hold any more prestige over Asrock. 🤷

That Asrock Extreme series is top-tier, though—especially the 3 and 4 models, which are more than enough for most people.

Susan Anderson77 said:I just stumbled upon a video for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti. WOW.

I need something for gaming, rendering, uploading, and all that—not just something meant to sit there collecting dust.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages..._review,1.html
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphi...780-ti/?page=4
SLI - http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages..._review,1.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1JOhT015ww

David Sanders4 said:Exactly. You shouldn't approach buying components like you're buying a car. You have to look at it through one vital lens: time. Essentially, how little money can you spend over a long period while maintaining stable components? For gamers, I calculate that via FPS per dollar...

true that

Susan Anderson77 said:I’m buying all of this right now, and honestly, I won't need to touch a single thing for the next 50 years. 😁

That’s just not how it works—you end up overpaying for way too much junk in the high-end market.
Look at the timeline over this past year. You’ve got the Titan dropping for $8,000, then just two or three months later, a nearly identical GTX 780 hits the market for $1,000 less. Fast forward to today, and we're seeing a 290 priced at $3,000—all within a single year. By the time the next generation rolls around, you'll likely see something like a 290x for maybe $2,000. It's a wild ride.$833

What's the point of dropping over $600 on that i7? It’s a total waste of money when absolutely no game can even handle a standard i7 from a couple of years ago.$833 Use it properly—there won't be any better options coming along anytime soon. You're just going to waste money.

It’s what I always tell people: if you have the budget, don't hesitate to upgrade more frequently. If you've got the cash, go ahead and grab that high-end case in the $600 to $800 range right now. Everything will run smoothly, and if you eventually decide it's not quite what you wanted, you can just sell it for whatever you can get and pick out a different one.

Honestly, what would you even use that for gaming? 🤷 It's just a total waste money.

But hey, since we're talking high-end gear, the GTX 780 ti just dropped—it actually outperforms the Titan. It's the most powerful single-GPU out there right now, and it should be significantly cheaper than the Titan, too. If I remember correctly, it hits about 83 degrees Celsius at peak, which is actually pretty solid for overclocking.

Nathan Cox16 said:Thanks for the input. That card looks solid, but which GeForce model would actually sit in the same tier as that AMD one?

this is definitely worth picking up at this price point. Even compared to the 270X, it’s a steal—you won't find a GTX 760 that's significantly better anyway.

In certain titles, it even outperforms the 270X.

click - check out these benchmarks comparing the ASUS GTX 660Ti DCU II TOP against the 270X DCU II TOP.

We still have to see how much of a boost that Mantle tech from ATI actually delivers.

It’s just as loud and runs just as hot as the 290X.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQhqOKKAq7o
😬

Your options are to either wait for the non-reference models, grab an aftermarket cooler, or go with a liquid cooling setup.
I mean, if you actually have the budget for a GPU in that tier, you should definitely have enough left over for decent cooling. 🤷
Besides, what kind of CPU are you running, and what does your power supply look like?

If you ask me, those ultra-expensive GPUs aren't even worth it. You can pick up something like a 280X or a GTX 770 for around $2,100 and up—which are more than capable.

There are also some non-essential extras included at that price point.

- You can grab the Phantom or the Palit JetStream models for a bit less money.

I'm not sure if those NVIDIA price cuts have actually hit the market yet.

Once Mantle support for Battlefield 4 rolls out, we should finally have a clearer picture of what's worth buying.

Man, it’s tough, guys. About a year ago, I picked up something similar for a handful of $50 bucks. They used to go for 100, but those prices have tanked. Honestly, I doubt the people asking this much will actually move them at that price.

Just keep in mind this is an online retailer, so you've got to factor in shipping costs (around 40-$17 dollars).

northernwolf19 said:We just upgraded our rig, and I'm currently running a five-year-old 550W Corsair power supply.

Which specific Corsair model are we talking about? I ask because you might be spending money unnecessarily if you buy a new one right now.

If you decide to pick up that NVIDIA GTX 1050, it's a solid unit and more than enough for your needs.

Honestly, don't even bother; there's no point in settling for something weaker. You might save a tiny bit of change, but you'll be losing way too much performance elsewhere.

Here’s one that’s slightly cheaper:
7730

But if you want my advice, just grab the more powerful 7750.

http://www.diskont24.com/product.php?productid=124386

Whichever of these two you decide to pick up, just make sure it's the DDR5 version.

you'll be able to make use of it. If there are any issues, the PC will just shut itself down.

By the way, what do you mean "it's running low on paste"? Did you actually buy some? You can find it in the link for about 10-$$5.00
You just need to put one tiny bead right in the center click . The heatsink will spread it out for you

You can demand whatever price you want, but there's no guarantee anyone will actually pay it. When sellers try to get greedy and overprice their stuff, they usually just end up sitting on it. Sure, someone might get lucky once in a blue moon, but that's a one-in-a-thousand shot at best.

FIFA 14 on an NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 - PES isn't particularly demanding, so you could definitely have some fun with it.

As for FIFA 14, I'm honestly not sure since they switched to a new engine—though maybe it's worth a shot.

That power supply is junk. How many amps or watts does it actually output on the 12V rail?
Look, if the price is right (between $150 and maybe $67), it's worth upgrading to a dual core, even if you don't plan on gaming much.

As for the new FIFA 14, I can't say for sure, but it'll perform way better than those pathetic integrated graphics found on motherboards
around your neck of the woods.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing (Something like this goes for up to $300 in a retail store—this one's new, but honestly, it's nothing special either.)

Or, you could go with a really budget-friendly option.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing

Look, that's pretty weak for gaming. What’s your absolute maximum budget for a GPU? Maybe you can find someone selling something decent locally.
Maybe take a look at this one if you want to check options:

But generally speaking, those aren't great for playing games. It would be ideal if you could pair that Intel Core 2 Duo with at least one of the cards I've listed here:

Here are some up to $67

Only consider these if you have a solid power supply! (And I have my doubts). Don't try running these on some off-brand, generic PSU. Pop the case open and tell me the specific model name.

- ???

The first three links (especially number 2) are a bit newer and draw less power, though they are weaker than these older, high-performance cards that require a heavy-duty power supply.