fadedorca66 said:Nobody has actually put it through its paces yet, so just hold your horses.
Even if it carries that 80+ label, it’s really just their branding. Who knows what the actual efficiency numbers look like. Besides, an 80 PLUS rating doesn't automatically mean a power supply is high quality...
I doubt any major US tech sites will bother testing Microsoft, and there isn't anyone doing it locally here either.🙂
Unless someone on this forum happens to have a full testing rig—and by some miracle actually buys one—we aren't going to find out.
I am looking for the best possible configuration I can get for under $2500 (just the tower). Additionally, I need a Dell up to $500, and if there are speakers included—they don't need to be anything special since I plan on buying better ones with my next paycheck, but they would suffice for now.
I noticed Best Buy has a specific offer for:
AMD FX x8 8300 Processor, 3.3Ghz, 16MB Antec water cooler AMD 970/sb950, AM3+ motherboard 8GB DDR3 (though I believe I actually need 16GB) GPU: AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB GDDR5 120GB SATA 3 SSD and 1TB HDD
550W PSU Zalman case Onboard Gigabit LAN Free DOS
$2456 and it comes with a 5-year warranty
Is it possible to find a better deal for this amount? Also, I am curious how the AMD Radeon RX 480 will hold up over the next 2 or 3 years, given that despite being "new," my reading suggests it's just an average card at the moment.
Thanks!
EDIT: I would be paying for the tower in installments, while I'd buy the Dell in cash. The primary use will be for Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, and similar software.
Oh, you can certainly do much better. Using liquid cooling on a board like that is pointless; it's purely for the aesthetic effect. You can find significantly better value elsewhere. $2500 is an absurdly high price for a poorly assembled machine. Even though Best Buy carries some decent pre-built setups, one should generally avoid them because you can always find something far superior.
I am referring specifically to this model; there is also a 500W version available
If we are indeed looking at an FSP unit, as Timothy Kim60 suggests, then it appears to be a solid value, even if the price tag isn't exactly negligible.
I see Microsoft has rolled out those new Platinum Pro 80+ power supplies. Does anyone know who's actually manufacturing them? I'm curious if anyone here has put them through their paces yet. It seems they finally decided to pair their high-end chassis with some decent power units.
Robert Rodriguez2 said:I just order from my couch and swing by to pick it up immediately. No waiting around for anything.🙂
That’s just how it is.👍Every single time I stop by my local Target, they give me the same old runaround. It’s been five or six times now where they tell me I have to wait a few days for something that is clearly sitting right there on the shelf. Honestly, what is wrong with these people? I look them in the eye and point out that the stock is right there in front of them—absolute jokers—but they just won't budge. They are incredibly stubborn. So, I just tell them I'll be back in an hour, then I walk back in an hour later with the order already paid for, laughing right in their faces. I made sure to let them know: lying isn't a good look, guys. Not at all.😛
Robert Rodriguez2 said:I've been doing exactly what's in the Links for about 2 or 3 years now. 😁
True. But Best Buy has this interesting little loophole. You walk into the store and ask if you can get the online price. Naturally, they say no. So, you just head out, grab a coffee, place the order online, and then walk right back in to pick up the gear. They have to honor it since it's sitting there in stock anyway. The whole catch is that you’re supposed to wait three to five days for shipping after an online order. Honestly, what a bunch of amateurs. Heh.
It’s somewhat curious that nobody has suggested a GeForce to him. For that specific budget, you can easily pick up a 550ti, a 560ti, or even a GTX 650 on Newegg
goldenotter9 said:To be blunt: I would sell all of that while it’s still functional. If the motherboard dies, you are completely screwed. 😬 My brother has an Intel Core i5-2500 and ran into this exact issue—the board died and now he’s stuck. It is my opinion that you should sell everything while there is still a chance to get decent value for it.
Finding a motherboard for an Intel Core i5-2500 is simple enough, but tracking down one for an s1156 socket or a non-i5 650 is difficult. They exist, sure, but the prices are absurdly high. Generally speaking, motherboards don't just fail spontaneously unless they've been pushed too hard via overclocking.
Because we both know the Intel Pentium G6950 is arguably the most pathetic CPU ever produced.🙂
Paul Barnes6 said:Found this on Craigslist and I’m wondering if you experts think it's worth it or just a waste of cash for $867 🙂 I don't really game... mostly just Photoshop and Sony Vegas
Processor: Sony Vegas processor: Intel Core i7-920 Motherboard: ASUS Rampage II RAM RAM: 8GB DDR3 Graphics Card: Phantom GTX560 1024/256 DDR5 Dx11 Storage: 1TB Power Supply: 480W Tagan
Thanks!
It's a decent deal. If you aren't interested in gaming, tell him to pull the 560 out and drop the price to 400$167.
Keep in mind that if that motherboard dies, finding a replacement for that specific CPU will be a nightmare. You might find one, but the prices for that socket are astronomical. That specific CPU alone goes for about 500$233 on eBay .
stormybadger8 said:First off, Štetner’s massive screw-up is thinking he was the one who did the interview with Hamilton, rather than Jerg... I bet he took that personally enough to hold a grudge until the end of time. 🤣
The second screw-up is his refusal to write any praise for Hamilton, which basically makes everything he writes pointless...
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't write a single thing until next season starts if Hamić fails to snatch the title from Rosberg...
It seems to be a combination of both issues 😁. By the way, I have a feeling we aren't going to get an actual explanation for Jerg's departure. Your theory doesn't sound half bad. Also, Steiner asked both Hamilton and Nico such idiotic questions—who on earth cares how Nico and Ham feel about being in America? And then there's that whole bit praising the American karting team 🤣, wtf.
Including the monitor, you might land $333, though without $233, it’s unlikely you'll find much better. Try looking on $333 or something similar, just an idea.
I dropped by Best Buy earlier today, just like I mentioned yesterday, to look into that issue for you. They’re going to authorize a full refund for those two graphics cards. Since you opted for the three-month installment plan, the credit will go straight back onto the card you used for the purchase. If you used an American Express, expect to wait about ten days for the funds to show up; if it was Diners Club, it should be closer to two or three days.
So, there isn't really a problem here. Of course, besides the refund, you have the option to swap them out for something else instead. Honestly, they handled things quite fairly. No complaints there.
As for why you have to wait for the money to hit your account? It's simply how it works with American Express. Even when Best Buy processes a transaction through American Express, they have to wait about ten days to get the cash, so you're stuck waiting too. It's just how the system moves—slow and steady. Diners Club and MasterCard are much faster at processing these things.
neonpuma7 said:If they agree to the swap, I'll just grab two GT730s at Best Buy. I am undecided on whether to go with the 2GB DDR3 version or the 1GB DDR5 model—they have both in stock. I'm hoping it'll be enough to handle some low settings for titles like Dirt 3 or Sniper Elite.
Go with the 1GB model instead. It's faster. That 2GB card uses much slower memory, and honestly, having more VRAM doesn't matter when the chip itself is this weak. You should be able to run Dirt 3 or Sniper Elite without any issues, maybe even on Medium settings. A reliable old i3 can handle the load. Plus, the power supply in that Dell won't be an issue; that card pulls so little juice you could probably run it on solar panels.👍
That’s just not true. I honestly can't fathom how anyone would go into a purchase that uninformed. Honestly, I don't even have an answer for you right now. I might head over to Best Buy tomorrow to ask around, though perhaps someone here is more clued in on the specifics. Regardless, you've made a massive mistake.
analogtiger19 said:If he’s claiming he wants a 4K monitor "sometime soon," then honestly, going anything lower than a GTX 1070 is a waste of money—regardless of him saying he isn't some hardcore gamer.
4K monitors aren't exclusively for gaming. Besides, he can always just scale the resolution down. The image quality remains perfectly fine during gameplay even when you drop the resolution to 1080p.