Posts by Justin Walker24

Honestly, even looking at things from Ireland, that Euro to Pound exchange rate still feels like a pretty sweet deal if you ask me! I'm always on the lookout for something even cheaper that includes shipping via sea freight, so definitely let me know if anything pops up. My rough math is about $520 for the bundle, maybe another $130-$160 for the power supply and a decent Fractal Design case, and then roughly $220 for a solid graphics card. If I really have to limp along for a month or two without a GPU, I guess I'll just manage somehow, right? So yeah, we're probably looking at a total budget somewhere between $650 and $850 😁

The thing is, since I’m living overseas, it’s just way easier for me to grab everything through Amazon in the United States. But hey, thanks so much for looking out for me! 🙂

I did a little digging myself and stumbled upon this bundle:

INTEL Core i5 6600K 3.5Ghz CPU - Socket 1151 - 4 Cores
ASUS Z170 Pro gaming Motherboard
CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200Mhz RAM
CPU Standard Clock Speed 3.5Ghz & Turbo Clock Speed 3.9Ghz

It sits right around $500, which is perfect because that leaves me with about another $200 or so to spend on a case (those Zalman ones are awesome, though I'm still weighing my options there), a power supply, and a graphics card... maybe $250 if my wife is feeling extra generous, or $300 if I decide to skip a few meals for a bit! 😬

So, a few years back, some buddies from this forum helped me put together what I thought was a pretty killer setup, but man, time flies and it’s finally reached that point where an upgrade is calling my name! The whole idea behind this rig was to have this ultimate family workstation where my wife and I could jump in to crunch through some photo and video editing every now and then, the kids could tinker around with streaming or recording and editing audio, and we could all pile in together to play stuff like The Witcher series and whatnot. It’s basically our home hub!

Now, look, I’m not exactly terrified of picking up a few used parts here and there—like grabbing a GPU from a couple of generations ago (for instance, I spotted this for about $220)—but when it comes to the core stuff like the motherboard or the power supply, I really want to stick with a reputable brand that actually gives a damn about quality control, even if that means I end up blowing past my budget a little bit. As far as storage goes, I’ve already got a 120 GB SSD and a couple of those big 3-4 TB hard drives lying around, so I’ll probably just scrape by with those unless it makes total sense to go big on a serious storage upgrade.

I’m planning on ordering the shiny new components through Amazon in the United States, but for everything else, I’ll be hunting around on eBay or checking out local classifieds. So yeah, that’s the situation...

So, a few years back, my buddies here suggested a specific setup for me that honestly still holds its own today, which is why I’ve finally decided to treat my rig to some extra RAM...

Here’s what I’m currently running:
- ASUS ROG Maximus, P35 (dual PC2-6400U DDR2)
- Intel Core i7-13700K
- 4 GB KIT (2x2GB) PC 6400/DDR2-800/Corsair

I'm looking to grab another 4 GB (2x2), so I was wondering what you guys would suggest? Like, is it even worth hunting down faster memory at this point, or am I just throwing money down the drain?

Most of the time, I’m just grinding away in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, messing around with browsers, and occasionally jumping into some games.

Thanks! 🙂

Alright, I think I'm pulling the trigger on the 4850! I've already got a 500 GB external drive lying around, so honestly, this should be more than enough space for me.

I was just checking out the power supplies over at Best Buy, and turns out grabbing a 400W unit is only about $10 more. 🙂 (67 vs. 77 bucks)

Thanks again, everyone! 🙂

Hey there! So, I’m currently in the middle of putting together a new PC build, and I've got myself stuck on some questions regarding the graphics card. Here’s the deal with my situation:

wiredmarlin5 said:So, you’re sitting there staring at your motherboard, scratching your head, and wondering: "Do I actually need an AGP card or should I finally jump on the PCI-E bandwagon?" Honestly, it's one of those classic tech dilemmas that just keeps popping up, isn't it? It's like choosing between an old-school muscle car and a modern electric ride—both have their charms, but they take you places in totally different ways! Are you trying to breathe some life into a vintage rig just for the nostalgia, or are you looking to actually get some decent frames while playing something like Diablo 3? It really all comes down to what kind of beast you're building and what your budget is looking like right now!

So, I was just sitting here thinking about PCI-E—you know, that whole standard we all rely on—and it really gets you wondering how much things have actually changed since we first started plugging stuff into our motherboards, doesn't it? It’s wild when you stop to consider the sheer evolution of data transfer speeds and how we went from those early days to where we are now! Like, can you even imagine trying to run a modern rig without the bandwidth we take for granted today? It's absolutely mind-blowing!

So, I gotta know—what’s everyone rocking in their rigs right now, or better yet, what kind of beastly setup are you guys dreaming about building next? And please, for the love of all things holy, tell me what kind of power supply you're running through those circuits! Is it some high-end, gold-rated masterpiece that could probably jumpstart a semi-truck, or are we talking about those budget units that make you sweat every time you hit the power button? I'm dying to hear the specs!

It’s not all totally squared away just yet, but hey, I’ve got a feeling it’ll all come together eventually, right?
So, I was just sitting here thinking about that old Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3 motherboard—you know, that classic P35 board that runs dual PC2-6400U DDR2? Man, does it bring back memories! It’s one of those legendary pieces of hardware that just feels like it had so much soul compared to the plastic-feeling stuff we see today, right? I can't help but wonder if we ever truly appreciated how solid these builds were back in the day! Just snagged it! Finally! Can you believe it? I am absolutely stoked right now!
Man, I was just sitting here thinking about that old Intel Core 2 duo E6750 and honestly, isn't it wild how much we used to squeeze every last drop of performance out of those chips? Like, seriously, remember when having a decent processor felt like you were basically driving a supercar instead of just a regular commuter car? It’s kind of crazy to look back on now, right? But man, that specific little piece of silicon really held its own back in the day! Just snagged it! Finally!
So, I just stumbled upon this 4 GB kit—you know, that 2x2GB setup—running at PC 6400 DDR2-800 from Kingston, and honestly, isn't it funny how much of a lifesaver a little extra memory can be? Like, you’re sitting there trying to get things moving and suddenly you realize you're just one solid RAM upgrade away from actually enjoying your afternoon, right? It’s such a classic, reliable choice!
So, I was just looking at this Corsair VX 450W ATX 2.2 power supply, and honestly, isn't it wild how much we overlook the heart of the machine? Like, you can spend all day obsessing over your GPU or picking out the perfect flashy case, but if your PSU is acting up, the whole thing is basically a house of cards, right? This little unit is pretty straightforward, nothing too crazy or over-the-top, but sometimes you just need that reliable backbone to keep everything humming along without any drama!
So, I was just looking at this LG GH22NS50 SATA 22x DVD burner—seriously, who even uses these anymore? Is it just me, or does anyone else get that weird hit of nostalgia whenever they see one of these things lying around? It’s such a classic little piece of hardware! Even though we’re all living in a world of cloud storage and streaming everything, there’s still something so satisfying about having a physical disc, right? Like, you know exactly where your data is! Anyway, I was just thinking about how much fun it is to mess around with these drives, especially when you're trying to burn some old files or just tinkering with your setup. Isn't it wild how much tech has changed since we were first getting into this stuff? Such a trip!
So, I was just messing around with this Samsung 500 GB 3,5" SATA drive—specifically that HD502HJ model—and man, where does the time go? It’s funny how much space we used to think was "huge" back in the day, right? I mean, looking at this thing now, it really makes you wonder how we ever managed to juggle our files without having terabytes of everything at our fingertips! But hey, it still gets the job done for certain tasks, and honestly, sometimes you just need that reliable, old-school storage to keep things running smoothly while you're tinkering around with your setup. Is it cutting edge? Absolutely not. But is it satisfying to get a little piece of tech working exactly how you want it to? You bet it is!
So, I was just hanging out thinking about my next build, right? And honestly, it’s such a struggle because you can't just pick whatever looks cool to you—you actually have to find something that my wife thinks looks decent in the office! It’s like, I want all this RGB madness and heavy-duty airflow, but she’s looking at it like I’m trying to bring a neon spaceship into our living room! Has anyone else dealt with that? Like, how do you balance "hardcore gamer aesthetic" with "looks like actual furniture"? I’m basically on a mission to find some random case that won't cause a domestic dispute, haha! Any suggestions for something that looks sleek enough to pass the wife test but still lets me geek out? 🙂
So, I guess I’m just gonna hang onto that old 19" LCD for now, you know? It's still rocking that native 1280x1024 resolution, and honestly, why mess with perfection when it's still doing its thing?

So, I gotta know, what kind of resolution are you guys actually running when you're diving into your games? Are we talking full-on crisp 4K glory, or are you just vibing with something lower to squeeze out a few extra frames per second? I’m always curious how everyone sets things up!

So, I don’t actually get much time to sit down and game these days, but man, I am seriously planning to dive into some heavy hitters soon—I'm talking about picking up The Witcher, Fallout 3, Diablo 3, and a whole bunch of other classics! Since I'll be jumping into those worlds, do you think running at 1280x1024 would be enough to get me by, or am I totally dreaming? 🤷

So, I gotta ask, how much cash are we actually talking about here? Like, what’s the real budget you guys are willing to drop on this? Are we talking "saving up my pennies" money or "just swipe the credit card and don't look at the receipt" kind of money? Honestly, I’m dying to know where everyone stands!

The smaller the better, right? I mean, we’re aiming for that sweet spot where everything stays lightning fast and nothing—and I mean nothing—becomes a massive bottleneck for the graphics card!

So, I was just sitting here wondering, like, which stores are even worth checking out for this? I mean, there are seriously so many options out there now, right? Are we talking about hitting up a local Best Buy or maybe scrolling through some deals on Amazon? Or are you thinking more along the lines of those massive big-box retailers like Walmart or Target? Honestly, it really depends on what kind of hunt you're on! Is it a quick run for a specific part, or are we going full scavenger hunt mode at a place like Micro Center? What do you guys think? Where should we be looking?

Should I just hit up eBay or maybe find some other online shop over in Austria?

If you’ve got any other super specific requests or weird little details you want me to keep in mind, just lay them out for me! Seriously, don't hold back—what else is on your mind?

I mean, honestly, a used card should totally do the trick for me, unless you guys think I should be looking at something else entirely! Someone actually suggested I pick up an ATI 4850... but is that like, way too much overkill for what I need? I'm not exactly some hardcore pro gamer or anything, you know? Should I be aiming for the 512 MB version or go big with the 1024 MB? And does anyone have a ballpark idea of what I'd be looking at paying for one of those around here?

So, looking at the rest of this setup, do you think everything else is holding up alright, or would you be looking to swap some stuff out—maybe an upgrade here or a downgrade there? What do you guys reckon?

Thanks a million!

There’s way too much chatter going on again with hardly any actual substance... but hey, I guess that’s basically what this forum is for, right? 😉

A quick snippet from the rules:

Desiree said:CUT

• interfering with the Forum staff (ignoring warnings, restoring deleted posts, etc.)
• insulting other users, intentionally provoking personal arguments, or starting unconstructive nationalistic, religious, or similar conflicts (basically trolling)
• doxing or posting other members' private info

/CUT

So... looking at it this way, Megan White4 is guilty of two points, while Steven Ruiz isn't even in the running (unless you count DMs as private data 🤔).

Personally, I think we should totally implement a rule about sharing DMs—you know, making it illegal to post them without the original author's permission... or at least making the policy crystal clear.

As for this whole mess with Megan White4, about two weeks ago (actually, even before that!), I was practically cheering via DM for her to get a permanent ban on Photography. But now? Looking back, I see there's really no point in all that drama, and honestly, things are better just left like this 😢

I mean, sure, maybe that one post in the famous photo threads could've stayed up, but once you start breaking the rules, it just sets this precedent where people start using it as an excuse—you know, that whole "if he got away with it, why can't I?" kind of thing, right?

Honestly, IMO, what's the big deal with splitting a post into two or three parts? If they’re all posted one after another, it’s not even hard to read them as one single thing anyway!🤷

Maybe we could actually sit down and chat about the "4 images per post" rule, or even the maximum file size for photos... it would feel a lot more fair, though to be totally honest, the way things have been handled lately has been pretty justified.

And since we're talking about the mods, I really feel like they're a bit too soft when things actually get heated... there have been a few times where total amateurs and trolls were given way too much slack, when they could actually be contributing way more to the PDF through actual discussions, advice, and stuff like that. I don't mean this as a dig or anything, it's more of an appeal! I totally get that everyone has a life outside of this and balancing everything can be a huge pain.

Other than that, I don't have any complaints about the mod team at all.

EDIT: Just to be clear, all of this is specifically about the photography section. I don't really hang out in or read the diaspora boards.

Man, this happens to me all the time whenever I'm stuck messing around with old-school dial-up connections! What kind of protocol are you even using to get online? My cellular data is absolutely abysmal sometimes, so maybe that's what's dragging you down... and hey, maybe try clearing out your cookies too, though I'll be the first to admit that probably isn't the culprit 🤷

So, if you're using Opera, you actually get both the "open link in New Tab" option and that super handy "opera - open in background Tab" feature...

I honestly had no idea, but I was totally pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon the fact that Opera actually has these built-in mouse shortcuts! 👍

Nasal Polyps: How, where, and all those other nagging questions

I’ve been dealing with this constant battle against chronic sinus inflammation and a totally stuffed-up nose since I was a kid—not even talking about a runny nose, just that heavy, "completely blocked" feeling that won't quit. Lately, I’ve been using one of those nasal spray bottles with the little plunger right before bed, which helps clear things out for a few hours, but I can't help but wonder if using that stuff all the time is going to end up irritating my nasal lining...

I haven't had any injuries or anything, so I don't think it's a deviated septum, which makes me lean towards polyps based on everything I've been reading online lately

I'm really curious about how much an operation would actually help and if there's anything else major I should be thinking about (since I probably forgot to ask a dozen things already🙂 )

silentskipper21 said:silentskipper21, seriously, what a brilliant topic you've started here!

I'm sticking with Neckep because, honestly, it’s just the absolute best out there!

aaaaah... so you're a massive fan!!! I heard all the geeks were jumping ship over to Opera lately... now I can't even tell if they mean the browser or something else entirely??

So, I’ve been a loyal Firefox user for years and honestly, I was pretty stoked with it (well, except for those annoying hiccups with version 3.x... where scripts on like 10% of websites would just constantly crash the whole thing, you know?). But since my wife and I share a ton of the same online services, I finally hit my breaking point a few days ago because I was getting so tired of typing in logins and passwords over and over again! So, I ended up just leaving Firefox for her to use and I made the jump over to Opera. It’s actually pretty great 👍

Honestly, when I'm behind the wheel, nothing hits quite like ZZ Top just blasting through the speakers, 🙂you know what I mean? 🙂It’s basically the only way to travel!

So, I’m thinking about finally biting the bullet and starting my own small business, and honestly, my head is kind of spinning with all the moving parts! Does anyone know what the actual deal is with getting a loan—like, am I even eligible, what kind of interest rates are we looking at, and how much of a headache is the whole application process? Also, does anyone have a ballpark figure on what it actually costs just to get the company registered? And oh! Is there still money on the table for hiring employees through those government subsidies, or has that dried up? (Seriously, if there's anything else I should be worrying about right now, please, please let me know!)

Since I’m based out of Indianapolis, is there any way I can qualify for those special economic development zones or rural revitalization programs, and if so, what kind of perks am I looking at?

Thanks a million in advance!