Posts by Ryan Gonzalez4

There is one thing I am struggling to wrap my head around here. At the end of the day, when you are building a gaming rig, the graphics card is arguably the most critical component, yet I see four different recommendations being thrown around. I would genuinely appreciate it if someone could walk me through the logic behind why one specific card is being suggested over the others. To me, it seems like there should be a clear hierarchy of performance versus actual value for the money spent. Based on what I can gather, a more realistic ranking of pure bang-for-your-buck performance would look something like this:

1. Nvidia RTX 3060 series
2. Nvidia GTX 970
3. Nvidia GeForce GTX 960
4. Nvidia RTX 3060 series
5. Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
6. Nvidia GeForce GTX 980
7. Nvidia GeForce GTX 980
8. Nvidia GeForce GTX 960

Given that list, I was leaning toward something in the ballpark of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960, mostly because they seem to be incredibly easy to find at decent prices right now. So, I am all ears—please, enlighten me.

Look, Ryan Gonzalez4, I’ll take care of everything—I'll get Windows installed, sort out all the drivers, set up the software, and make sure the whole system is ready to go.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:What kind of case and HDD are we talking about here? If the case is just some cheap junk...
And is the drive SATA?

I’ll probably just hand him my old setup, which is anything but junk—it’s an NZXT Lexa.🎉
As for the drive, it's a standard 1TB Seagate 7200 RPM HDD, not an SSD.

Hey everyone, I’m on the same page as my buddy here, and we're looking at a budget of roughly $650.
I’m trying to piece together the best possible "entry-level gamer" build without breaking the bank. We already have a case and an HDD sitting around, so those are off the table. For the rest, I want to squeeze every bit of performance out of this cash—prioritizing a solid CPU, a decent GPU, a motherboard, RAM, and a reliable power supply. My thought is to cut corners on the less critical components where it makes sense, just so we can dump more money into the parts that actually drive frame rates. If you have any clever ideas on how to maximize this budget, I'm all ears. Thanks.

crimsonstag84 said:If you're absolutely set on buying from Micro Center...

-> it’s the same CPU, and you can always overclock it to 4GHz later, $133 which might be cheaper.

EDIT:

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Sapphire/R...rfrel_1920.gif

It's slightly faster than the R9 280 and uses a bit less power, plus the price gap isn't even as big as $33.

A buddy of mine suggested this setup instead, claiming the synergy here is much better:

Sapphire R9 285 2GB OC, 2GB GDDR5 256 bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI
Intel Core i3-4160 Processor (3.60GHz,512KB,3MB,54 W,1150) Box
Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2PV, Socket 1150, Intel ® H81 express, 2 x 1.5V

What's your take?

crimsonstag84 said:If you're absolutely set on buying from Micro Center...

-> it’s the same CPU, and you can always overclock it to 4GHz later, $133 which might be cheaper.

EDIT:

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Sapphire/R...rfrel_1920.gif

It's slightly faster than the R9 280 and uses a bit less power, plus the price gap isn't even as big as $33.

I honestly don't see how that card could be considered an upgrade, considering it's stuck with a measly 256-bit bus on the 2GB model, whereas this other one offers 3GB and a 384-bit bus for even less money...

Well, it doesn't *have* to be. If there's a cheaper option available, why on earth wouldn't you take it?

So, what’s everyone’s take on this setup?

Personally, I’d be leaning toward grabbing this:

VTX R9 280 3GBD5-2DHXE graphics card$583

plus

an AMD FX-Series X8 8350 processor (4.0GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+) box edition$506

crimsonstag84 said:You’ve got a solid board for AM3+ CPUs, but unfortunately, most people are just playing World of Tanks, World of Warcraft, and Skyrim—which, I guess, are basically the three worst games for AMD processors since they tend to run much smoother on Intel... you've really got three ways to go here:

1) Since WoW and Skyrim are pretty hungry for clock speeds, you could grab a beast of a cooler if you don't have one already and overclock that CPU as much as it'll take. Along with that, you might want to pick up an R9 280 (~$67 cheaper and maybe a tiny bit faster than the GTX 760) or even an R9 280X. The processor is still going to be a bottleneck even at 3.7-3.8GHz, but you'd at least have a better GPU right out of the gate and can upgrade the CPU later on.

2) If you can stretch the budget a bit, you could go with an FX 8320 paired with an R9 270 plus a cooler if needed, which would be around ~$733(maybe ~$833 including the cooler). The graphics card is a little weaker this way, but you get a much better processor and roughly the same gaming performance (plus it'll actually handle CPU-heavy titles better and give you more overclocking headroom).

3) This is a bit more extreme if you're planning on sticking strictly to those three games for a while... you stretch the budget, grab a Pentium G3258 + Asrock H81M-HDS, a good cooler, and an R9 270. You'd overclock the Pentium to about 4.5GHz and sell off your old gear. This would probably give you the best results in those three specific games, though it's definitely more work.

One last thing, though—what kind of power supply are you running?

It isn't actually for me, but for a relative of mine. In short, the goal is to spend as little as possible while squeezing out the best possible performance for the money. As for the power supply, it should handle just about anything; it's a Corsair TX650W.
P.S. Regarding the graphics card, I wouldn't even consider anything other than Nvidia...

Hey everyone, here’s the situation. A relative of mine is looking to upgrade his rig, though he isn't exactly a hardcore gamer or someone chasing high-end specs. Over the last year or so, his rotation has mostly consisted of playing World of Tanks, with the occasional session of Skyrim or Hitman—nothing particularly demanding.

Right now, he’s struggling to hit even 20 to 25 fps on low settings when running World of Tanks. My initial thought was to just swap out the graphics card, keeping the budget around $667. We might also need to look at a new processor if things get complicated, or perhaps something else entirely, but I haven't pinned down a total budget yet since we haven't decided if a CPU swap is actually necessary.

I'd appreciate it if you could take a look, give me your honest assessment, and offer some advice—thanks.

Current configuration:

Time of this report: 1/7/2015, 19:31:17
Machine name: FILIP-PC
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.140706-1506)
Language : English ( Regional Setting : US ) system Manufacturer
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: GA-990XA-UD3
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 945 Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8190MB RAM
Page File: 3288MB used, 13088MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 260
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E2&SUBSYS_058510DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 4068 MB
Dedicated Memory: 869 MB
Shared Memory: 3199 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: LG 24 EN43(Digital)
Monitor Model: Samsung monitor ID
Monitor Id: SAM0659
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HDMI
Monitor Name: LG 24 EN43(Analog)
Monitor Model: LG 24 EN43
Monitor Id: GSM59DD
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,n vwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 9.18.0013.4052 (English)
Driver Version: 9.18.13.4052
DDI Version: 10
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/19/2014 21:44:20, 17555104 bytes

I was thinking about picking up this card:
http://www.newegg.com/example-gpu-link

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time falling down internet rabbit holes lately—scouring sites like Amazon and eBay, and even checking around at some local shops—just to get a better sense of market values. It turns out my current card is a bit of an outlier:

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 windforce seems to be commanding a significantly higher price tag than just about any other GTX 970 on the market. And I’m looking at this from the perspective of someone actually trying to budget for two new cards at once. Honestly, why? I can't wrap my head around the logic here.

We're talking about a $480 price point versus something closer to $350.🤔

I’m looking to offload two items from my setup:

An OCZ Vertex 3 120GB SSD (still carries a year of warranty).

An NZXT Lexa S case—everything functions perfectly fine, though I should mention the LED strip on the fan is acting up; out of the four LEDs, only two are actually lighting up. Other than that minor cosmetic quirk, there isn't a single scratch on it.

Realistically, what kind of price should I be asking here? What’s a fair amount to expect for this pair?

Sandra Cook60 said:I am done with RAID...
Backups aren't the issue if the software includes the necessary drivers...
The real problems lie elsewhere. Without specific RAID drivers, you can't even boot or install Windows...
...you lose access to vital data like HDD temperature and S.M.A.R.T. metrics...
That is my experience with RAID 0. Why do so many developers only do half the job?
I am unsure how it performs with an SSD. It should be twice as fast if your motherboard or expansion card Controller is up to speed. You don't really need to monitor temperature on an SSD; they don't get hot. I doubt S.M.A.R.T. data would even be relevant...

Honestly, I've ditched RAID 0 because the benefits just aren't there for me. Or, more accurately, for what I'm trying to achieve, RAID 0 isn't the optimal path. My main priority is simply finding the fastest SSD possible with the highest capacity for the lowest price.

It might actually be smarter to just sell my old drive and pick up one of these two options, though I'm still torn on which way to go.

http://www.newegg.com/p/products/detail...7ke512bw/88581

or

http://www.newegg.com/p/products/detail...p480g4r5/82008

I'm currently running this 120GB SSD in my rig:
http://ocz.com/consumer/vertex-3-sata-3-ssd

And, naturally, that capacity is nowhere near enough for what I need. I’ve been weighing the merits of setting up a RAID 0 array.

Should I pick up another identical 120GB OCZ drive, or would it be smarter to go with an Intel model? I'd love to hear some thoughts on the pros and cons of RAID. Is it actually worth the hassle, or am I just inviting unnecessary complexity? Specifically, I'm worried about the backup situation—how does one even manage backups effectively once you're running a striped setup like that?

On top of all that, I also have three 1TB SATA III drives sitting there.

Zimbra:

Unable to establish a connection to "pop.verizon.net:110". You might want to double-check the host, the port, or your general network stability.
View error specifics
com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapFaultException: pop.verizon.net:110 ExceptionId:com.zimbra.common.service.RemoteServic eException: pop.verizon.net:110 ExceptionId:btpool0-15:1410032081367:baeedea057ad69f6 Code:remote.CONNECT_FAILURE at com.zimbra.common.service.RemoteServiceException.C ONNECT_FAILURE(RemoteServiceException.java:80) at com.zimbra.common.service.RemoteServiceException.d oConnectionFailures(RemoteServiceException.java:16 3) at com.zimbra.cs.account.offline.OfflineProvisioning. testDataSource(OfflineProvisioning.java:758) at com.zimbra.cs.account.offline.OfflineProvisioning. createDataSourceAccount(OfflineProvisioning.java:8 35) at com.zimbra.cs.account.offline.OfflineProvisioning. createAccount(OfflineProvisioning.java:641) at com.zimbra.cs.service.admin.CreateAccount.handle(C reateAccount.java:64) at com.zimbra.soap.SoapEngine.dispatchRequest(SoapEng ine.java:412) at com.zimbra.soap.SoapEngine.dispatch(SoapEngine.jav a:287) at com.zimbra.soap.SoapEngine.dispatch(SoapEngine.jav a:158) at com.zimbra.soap.SoapServlet.doWork(SoapServlet.java:303) at com.zimbra.soap.SoapServlet.doPost(SoapServlet.java:217) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:725) at com.zimbra.cs.servlet.ZimbraServlet.service(Zimbra Servlet.java:206) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:814) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder.handle(Ser vletHolder.java:511) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler.handle(Se rvletHandler.java:390) at org.mortbay.jetty.security.SecurityHandler.handle( SecurityHandler.java:218) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.SessionHandler.handle(Se ssionHandler.java:182) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandler.handle(Co ntextHandler.java:765) at org.mortbay.jetty.webapp.WebAppContext.handle(WebA ppContext.java:422) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandlerCollection .handle(ContextHandlerCollection.java:230) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerCollection.handle (HandlerCollection.java:114) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(Ha ndlerWrapper.java:152) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.rewrite.RewriteHandler.h andle(RewriteHandler.java:230) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(Ha ndlerWrapper.java:152) at org.mortbay.jetty.Server.handle(Server.java:326) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handleRequest(Htt pConnection.java:585) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection$RequestHandler.co ntent(HttpConnection.java:988) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseNext(HttpParser. java:756) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseAvailable(HttpPa rser.java:218) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handle(HttpConnec tion.java:415) at org.mortbay.jetty.io.nio.SelectChannelEndPoint.run(Selec tChannelEndPoint.java:429) at org.mortbay.thread.BoundedThreadPool$PoolThread.ru n(BoundedThreadPool.java:451) Caused by: java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused: connect at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketConnect(Native Method) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.doConnect(Unknown Source) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connectToAddress(Unknown Source) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source) at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source) at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source) at com.zimbra.cs.mailclient.MailConnection.newSocket( MailConnection.java:419) at com.zimbra.cs.mailclient.MailConnection.connect(Ma ilConnection.java:74) at com.zimbra.cs.datasource.Pop3Sync.connect(Pop3Sync .java:148) at com.zimbra.cs.datasource.Pop3Sync.test(Pop3Sync.ja va:109) at com.zimbra.cs.datasource.DataSourceManager.test(Da taSourceManager.java:209) at com.zimbra.cs.account.offline.OfflineProvisioning. testDataSource(OfflineProvisioning.java:745) ... 30 more Code:remote.CONNECT_FAILURE at com.zimbra.common.soap.Soap12Protocol.soapFault(So ap12Protocol.java:88) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapTransport.extractBodyEl ement(SoapTransport.java:354) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapTransport.parseSoapResp onse(SoapTransport.java:313) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapHttpTransport.invoke(So apHttpTransport.java:260) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapHttpTransport.invoke(So apHttpTransport.java:164) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapTransport.invoke(SoapTr ansport.java:407) at com.zimbra.common.soap.SoapTransport.invokeWithout Session(SoapTransport.java:393) at com.zimbra.cs.account.soap.SoapProvisioning.invoke Request(SoapProvisioning.java:342) at com.zimbra.cs.account.soap.SoapProvisioning.invoke (SoapProvisioning.java:350) at com.zimbra.cs.account.soap.SoapProvisioning.create Account(SoapProvisioning.java:493) at com.zimbra.cs.offline.jsp.JspProvStub.createOfflin eDataSource(JspProvStub.java:126) at com.zimbra.cs.offline.jsp.XmailBean.doRequest(Xmai lBean.java:262) at com.zimbra.cs.offline.jsp.FormBean.doRequest(FormB ean.java:156) at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor33.invoke(Unkno wn Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unkno wn Source) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source) at com.sun.el.parser.AstFunction.getValue(AstFunction .java:127) at com.sun.el.ValueExpressionImpl.getValue(ValueExpre ssionImpl.java:206) at org.apache.jasper.runtime.PageContextImpl.evaluate Expression(PageContextImpl.java:1001) at org.apache.jsp.desktop.accsetup_jsp._jspx_meth_c_w hen_3(Unknown Source) at org.apache.jsp.desktop.accsetup_jsp._jspx_meth_c_c hoose_0(Unknown Source) at org.apache.jsp.desktop.accsetup_jsp._jspService(Un known Source) at org.apache.jasper.runtime.HttpJspBase.service(Http JspBase.java:109) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:814) at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.servic e(JspServletWrapper.java:389) at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFil e(JspServlet.java:486) at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspSe rvlet.java:380) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:814) at com.zimbra.webClient.servlet.JspServlet.service(Js pServlet.java:64) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder.handle(Ser vletHolder.java:511) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedCha in.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1166) at com.zimbra.cs.servlet.SetHeaderFilter.doFilter(Set HeaderFilter.java:79) at com.zimbra.webClient.filters.SetHeaderFilter.doFil ter(SetHeaderFilter.java:239) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler$CachedCha in.doFilter(ServletHandler.java:1157) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler.handle(Ser vletHandler.java:388) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.SecurityHandler.handle( SecurityHandler.java:218) at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.SessionHandler.handle(Se ssionHandler.java:182) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandler.handle(Co ntextHandler.java:765) at org.mortbay.jetty.webapp.WebAppContext.handle(WebA ppContext.java:422) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandlerCollection .handle(ContextHandlerCollection.java:230) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerCollection.handle (HandlerCollection.java:114) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(Ha ndlerWrapper.java:152) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.rewrite.RewriteHandler.h andle(RewriteHandler.java:230) at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(Ha ndlerWrapper.java:152) at org.mortbay.jetty.Server.handle(Server.java:326) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handleRequest(Htt pConnection.java:585) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection$RequestHandler.co ntent(HttpConnection.java:988) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseNext(HttpParser. java:756) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseAvailable(HttpPa rser.java:218) at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handle(HttpConnec tion.java:415) at org.mortbay.jetty.io.nio.SelectChannelEndPoint.run(Selec tChannelEndPoint.java:429) at org.mortbay.thread.BoundedThreadPool$PoolThread.ru n(BoundedThreadPool.java:451)

William Richardson12 said:Try logging in a different way, maybe through some other app instead of Outlook... if you can actually get in, finding a fix will be a lot easier.

I’ve already given Thunderbird a shot, and frankly, it was a total bust. This isn't just some minor glitch I can ignore; it’s actually a massive headache for me. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I'm fairly certain there's a workaround out there somewhere, but I'm at a loss as to how to track it down.

William Richardson12 said:Just ditch Outlook and log in directly through the webmail service instead.

Sure, but we aren't talking about Gmail or Yahoo here.

This is an account I've been holding onto since 2002, and honestly, I've always just relied on Outlook to handle everything. It’s become a bit of a ritual at this point; the only thing that’s really shifted in all those years is the outgoing server settings.

email: ryan.gonzalez4@verizon.net

The incoming settings have worked perfectly fine for me right up until today...

This particular email account is my lifeline—it’s easily the most important one I own. I hadn't touched it since before I headed out on my five-day summer vacation, but now that I'm back and settled, I finally went to hit "Send and Receive," only to find everything has gone sideways.

It keeps throwing this error at me:

I’ve been staring at this particular error message long enough to consider making it my desktop wallpaper. It’s that classic, frustrating prompt: "Outlook cannot connect to your incoming (POP3) e-mail server." If you find yourself stuck in this loop, the system suggests reaching out to your server admin or your ISP—as if handing off the problem to someone else actually solves anything. Personally, I've found that when these connection issues start popping up, it's usually less about a catastrophic failure of the internet and more about some minor configuration hiccup or a temporary lapse in communication between the software and the server. It's one of those digital roadblocks that feels remarkably trivial yet completely halts your momentum.

I honestly can't wrap my head around what's going on here, because I know for a fact that nobody has even touched this email account.
It just started happening on its own...

What am I supposed to do here? It’s not just about some random inbox; literally everything that actually matters to me is tied to this specific email address. If I lose access, I'm essentially locked out of my entire digital life. Does anyone have a roadmap for fixing this, or am I just staring at a dead end?

I can't help but wonder how things actually work if you aren't part of some established airsoft club. I’m looking to dive into this, but honestly, I have no clue where anyone even hosts these games or what kind of entry fees I should be expecting. Where is all this information even hiding? To be perfectly blunt, most of these local clubs seem like a total mess—usually just tiny groups of about ten people enforcing some half-baked, nonsensical rules.

shadowjackal16 said:I need a PCI-E slot, my power supply is sitting at 400W, I'm running a resolution of 1366x768, and looking for about 200-$83.

What are your thoughts on this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Radeon-X1950...item3a7b5f4eef

They won't ship to the States...