Posts by David Sanders4

If I were in your shoes, I honestly wouldn't bother—it just isn't worth the investment. The performance gap between the Q6600 and the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 is negligible. In fact, the Q6600 is actually much easier to overclock because it has a lower base FSB and a higher multiplier (9). With the Q9400, you have a higher FSB but a lower multiplier; so, if you push the FSB to 400, the Q6600 hits 3.6 GHz while the Q9400 only reaches 3.2 GHz. It’s essentially the same result, and even a Q9550 would only land you at 3.4 GHz. I was playing around with my own setup yesterday, trying to push it to 385 FSB to hit 3.465 GHz. The only real benefit to overclocking is smoothing out frame drops, but even then, the difference is barely noticeable. Plus, I had to bump the core voltage up to 1.4V just to stop the BSODs, which sent my temperatures climbing 15 degrees higher compared to running at 3.0 (333 FSB).

What fadedorca66 is suggesting is definitely your best bet. I'm actually planning on picking up either an Intel Pentium G3258 or a used Intel Core i5-4440

Corsair Raider Silver, 550W

60-month warranty

Adam Moore3 said:I get what you're saying, but how exactly are you calculating that 41.5 A? Is that an actual measurement, or just a rough estimate on your part? 😬

You’ve got the power, you’ve got the voltage... now it’s just down to the math.

Adam Moore3 said:Hold on, what kind of logic are we using here?

Because that's simply the maximum stable output the power supply can handle.

Adam Moore3 said:I'm aware—there are two different ratings here, 25A and 35A.

Yeah, but it can't actually pull 60A. It tops out at 41.5A. To put it visually: it’s like being able to lift 55 lbs in your left hand and 75 lbs in your right, but if you try to pick up both at once, you're stuck at about 90.

Adam Moore3 said:Which power supply are we talking about? Every time I try searching for it on Google, all I find are these bizarre units rated at 60A on a 12V rail... 🤷

You can't really look at it that way. Most units use dual rails, and manufacturers tend to be a bit inconsistent—some list the total maximum current, others focus on peak wattage, or they provide both depending on how they want to market it...
as if for example

Adam Moore3 said:There’s really no point in swapping out the whole platform if you aren't planning on doing anything particularly demanding on your PC anyway.

I couldn't agree more, even if I haven't quite forgiven you for that old 280x recommendation.😁

Every dollar saved is a dollar wisely spent.

Just roughly $50

electricharbor30 said:I picked this computer up last summer, and it's still under warranty... what was that talk about a 25% discount at the retail store? I honestly don't see where you people are getting these numbers from.

Well, take a look at the prices on eBay or compare them to what things cost brand new today. Personally, I’d only consider a 25% discount if the machine were practically new—like, used for maybe two months. But if we're talking about a low-value item, why would anyone bother with a measly 50-$33 who has the patience for that kind of hassle??

crimsonstag84 said:The new G1610 is roughly $77 😉

So realistically, $60.

What kind of power supply are we talking about?

Look, if that's actually the case, then it's a complete 180, $45

electricharbor30 said:Hey there, I was hoping to get an estimate and a quote for my PC setup.

Give me a break here... what even is this? It’s more like a medical history than a spec list; all you forgot to include was which adult sites you visit while using it.🤣

G1610 - $20 approx
P8H61-M LX3 PLUS R2.0 - $150-$67
4GB DDR3 - $100-$50
Apple iPhone 15 - $50 approx
Optical drive -$17

Adam Moore3 said:🤦

Why on earth would anyone do that? $100 Are we really making decisions based on a measly 2% performance bump? You can't fly high on logic that thin, folks...

If you look at the numbers, the 280x is actually up to 15% faster than the standard 280. When you weigh that against how much slower the 270x is compared to the 280, it basically boils down to getting what you pay for. And honestly, for a brand new R9 280x, the price is pretty reasonable...
Personally, though, I see it as throwing money away when you can pick up a used one with a solid warranty for around $1100$433—and let's be real, GPUs are the fastest-moving target in tech.
In this specific scenario, going used opens up a lot more color in terms of options.

ATI Radeon R9 270 OC version 2GB GDDR5 $300

mellowtiger83 said:Here it is:

Motherboard: Gigabyte 35-ds3r
CPU: Core2duo e6750 @ 2.66GHz—honestly, it’s capable of much more than this
RAM: 4GB DDR2 800 (2x1GB Ocz Platinum + 2GB Patriot)
GPU: MSI Cyclone GTS 450 1GB GDDR5
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 320GB SATA2
PSU: LC-Power LC8500TX 500W
Case: Chiftec Big Tower

I'm looking for $433. Is this reasonable? I can't go any lower than $1,200.

Hopefully prices on $317 drop soon.🤔

Dennis Ramirez53 said:Specs:>

Intel Athlon ii X3 455 3.30 GHz, Socket AM3
AsRock N-68-VS3 UCC PCI-E
Kingmax 4 GB DDR3
400W Power Supply
Windows 7 64

1. I'm looking for a GPU within $100. Mostly watching movies, though I might fire up a game once a month (currently playing Alan Wake on the lowest settings using an Asus 3650 Silent 512 mb).
Is it possible to pick up used hardware at local computer shops?
2. Any other used upgrades you'd suggest just so I don't feel stuck in the Stone Age? Or am I looking at a total system overhaul? Let's say I have $267 available (not counting the graphics card).

I would personally suggest going the used route...

Sapphire R7 260 x OC 2 gb $200

It draws about 40 watts more power...
but in terms of performance, it's night and day (DirectX support, etc.)...

Doesn't work, nothing's happening.

Timothy Kim60 said:There's even this option if he feels like messing around:

LGA771 to LGA775 for dummies
Running LGA771 Xeons on LGA775

From what I can tell, people seem pretty satisfied with those specific setups.

Regarding the 775 quad-cores—you'd see a nice bump in frame rates in games where those two extra cores actually matter.For instance,--thegap in FPS wouldn't be massive, but when paired with a standard gtx 460, it makes a noticeable difference.

Personally, I wouldn't bother messing around with those Xeons...

And since this is multiplayer, that explains why the discrepancy is so significant.

Timothy Kim60 said:i5 3570K vs FX 8350 (power consumption - USA)

Forget those age-based charts; you just need to take his formula from that first link by Jaya, plug in the current rates from Exelon, and call it a day (assuming a 4-hour full load every single day of the year). Honestly, we’re talking about the price of a candy bar on an annual basis—besides, hardly anyone actually pushes their CPU that hard

That’s exactly how I calculated it, using Exelon's rates along with VT and NT. But there’s another factor to consider: when you're gaming and the GPU is pulling a full load, the CPU isn't even hitting half that much; it really depends on the card. So, the daily difference is roughly 20-25 cents, which works out to about $2.50 per month or roughly $30 annually. In short... if you go with AMD, you'll just have one less coffee to buy each month.🤣

Timothy Kim60 said:Both the R9 270 and R9 280 are available at that price point, and NVIDIA doesn't really have anything competing in that specific bracket. Unfortunately, though, both would be total overkill for your current setup; your CPU just won't be able to keep up with them in any demanding titles. Your power supply seems decent enough, though. If you're planning to stick with that processor, I’d suggest looking at an R7 260 x or maybe a gtx 750 at most (around $267 +). And this is a fantastic deal for the money
.

Honestly, he should probably consider picking up a G3258 like I did

mellowtiger83 said:Your configuration is actually quite solid. If I were in your shoes, I’d grab an R7 260 x, overclock the CPU a little bit, and everything should run fine. That R9 series is definitely too much for your rig—as someone else mentioned, your CPU can't keep pace, so you'd essentially be throwing money away.

If you aren't set on buying new, you might want to look for a used gtx 560ti, 5870, 7850, 7770, or 7790. Pair one of those with a Q6600 or some other quad-core from the LGA 775 era, and you'll see a massive improvement.

You should be able to run most DX11 games in DX10 mode using that 4850, at least.

Oh, I forgot to mention—hold onto that Gigabyte P35🙂; it's a legendary motherboard.

He isn't going to gain much from overclocking; even where it matters most, he might only see a marginal increase in FPS... if he's lucky.

Quote : Timothy Kim60

Timothy Kim60 said:mellowtiger83, man, it feels like it's been ages since we last saw you around here. 😁
And etheralknight/GTXgeforce/Dennis Carter3 will be back too—cheers to that. Third time's a charm.

By the way, mellowtiger83, you're talking nonsense again:

Thank God we don't have to rely on the stock coolers that come with the Intel Core i7. An aftermarket cooler is always the way to go.
Take a look at those Haswell temperatures on stock, for instance, the i7. click
3. And finally, regarding...Looking at that massive electricity bill from the EPA." click

Those are all just urban myths and legends; reality is something else entirely.

Based on his math, once we factor in our own pricing, we’re looking at a ten-year difference. $433 More on VT and NT. $283 Let's go with an Intel build this time—something a bit more unique to shake things up. $333 It might take fifteen years to see any actual return on that investment... Honestly, the i7 4770k is definitely overpriced. But when you weigh it against something like an i5 4670K—especially considering you'd have to shell out for an aftermarket cooler just to keep an Intel Core i7 running smoothly—it’s not as if things are all falling in favor of Intel. Of course, the average user isn't going to see much of a saving on paper. For most people, the upfront cost is what really matters. We can figure out the electricity bills later, but if you're running a business—say, a local gaming lounge with ten workstations—then those initial costs become a much bigger conversation.