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  1. R

    New Laptop Advice (GPU and CPU Considerations)

    Greetings all, I have Dell Inspiron E1705 with a T2400 Centrino Duo and an Nvidia 7900GS graphics chip. I use the machine mostly for gaming. When looking at new models, what GPU should I be looking at for an upgrade to the 7900GS? 8600? 8700? Or do I need to go all the way to 8800...
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    Upgrade Advice for a non OC'er

    Greetings, After a year and a half, I have the itch to upgrade my system. I'm admittedly overclock averse and prefer to keep systems at stock speeds. I've always had good luck with systems built around Intel motherboards, so I prefer to stick with them. Anyway, I am looking for an...
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    E6700 to QX9650 Upgrade Advice

    So, since the Q9450 has the same core clock freq as the E6700, I would imagine that the gaming perfmance would be about the same, right? I wouldn't see any improvements in gaming, but I would in the photo and video processing because of the extra cores I would imagine.
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    E6700 to QX9650 Upgrade Advice

    I do a fair amount of gaming. Crysis and Bioshock at the moment, along with Lord of the Rings Online. So I want to make sure that I would see some improvement there as well. I use a Dell 24" flat panel so my gaming is at 1920x1200 and I tend to use AA and AF. I thought about just going to...
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    E6700 to QX9650 Upgrade Advice

    Greetings, all My system currently runs an Intel E6700 on an Intel Badaxe (first iteration) and 4GB of DDR2 RAM. I am considering taking the plunge and upgrading to an Intel X38 motherboard, a QX9650 and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. I've looked around for speed comparisons between these two and I...
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    Does Conroe need the Windows XP Multiprocessor Patch?

    I've read several notes about AMD dual core processors requiring a patch for Windows XP to perform properly. Does anyone know if this patch is needed for Conroe?
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    Conroe and Dual Channel Memory Question

    A buddy brought over 2 sticks of 533 and the system detected them at 533 despite the fact that the FSB is 800. So, I would assume that it would run 667s with the Conroe. I guess if it doesn't provide more performance, the fact that that I wouldn't have to buy RAM again if Intel introduces a...
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    Conroe and Dual Channel Memory Question

    Very cool, but the Intel Bad Axe manual says it supports 1.8v and 1.9v RAM up to 667, though I've read that BIOS updates have added 800 support. Stability is the key for this machine, so I want to make sure I stay within Intel recommendations. That's a heck of a deal, though. Thanks for...
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    Conroe and Dual Channel Memory Question

    Ah, alright. Here is the RAM I am considering: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145098 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820134046 R
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    Conroe and Dual Channel Memory Question

    Thanks for the feedback! Now, what I plan to get is 2Gb. I was considering 4Gb, if there are any performance gains to be had for a gaming system. Or, if Vista might benefit from it. Is 2gb still the sweet spot, or should I consider 4Gb these days?
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    Conroe and Dual Channel Memory Question

    Hey everyone, I am hoping that someone may be able to help answer a question for me. I am in line with everyone else for a Conroe (E6600 for me). Currently, I am running a P4 3.2Ghz with DDR400 RAM in dual channel mode in a Bad Axe (ver 304, latest bios). As I understand it, DDR400 in dual...
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    Help with Lian Li V1000 mod question

    I see a lot of notes about people who have removed the rear grill from the case. I see that this is done immediately, but I don't see any tests done without removing it to see how much of a difference it makes. I somewhat dislike the idea of hacking into a $200 case and I tend to turn to...
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    New System Cooling Help

    Just did a stress test with HL2 and the CPU reached 66C. Yes, I tried connecting the fan to the standard molex and it moves a lot more air, but as you said, way too noisy...
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    New System Cooling Help

    I was thinking of replacing the Antec stock 120mm case fan with another one that I can connect up to the mobo instead of the fan-only connector on the PS. That way, the mobo can control the fan speeds. It doesn't look like the Antec PS is really ever increasing the fan speed by much. Does...
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    New System Cooling Help

    Room temperate is 74F. My 6800 Ultra states it's ambient temp is 44C at idle. Does that tell you enough?
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    New System Cooling Help

    Yes, my idle temps are 48 for the CPU and 38 for the mobo zones
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    New System Cooling Help

    Thanks for the feedback. I will look at those options. Are my temps considered hot as they are?
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    New System Cooling Help

    I just put together a P4 3.2 640 (775) system with a 6800 GT in an Antec Sonata with a TreuPower 550 PS. It's an Intel 915 mobo and after installing the hardware monitor, it is reporting the following temps under load (playing games): CPU: as high as 60 MB zones: as high as 50 How are...
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    PCIe Mobo Install Questions

    My PS is an Antec TruePower 550, so I should be OK. The system will be powering a BFG 6800 Ultra OC and I think the power cable adapter is included (I hope). So, this adapter takes two molex adapters and converts them to a sinle PCIe power adapter? I take it the card does not have the dual...
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    PCIe Mobo Install Questions

    OK, I am getting ready to put together yet another system. This install wil be my first PCIe mobo, an Intel D915PGN. I am looking on Intel's site for info as I get ready for the items to arrive, and I noticed that they show a couple of things that are different for me. 1. The mobo requires...
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    Upgrade Question

    Limited on both CPUs I mentioned, or just the 3.06 533 FSB?
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    Upgrade Question

    Currently, a P4 3.06 533 FSB but I am considering going to a P4 3.4e 800 FSB which will max out my system board. As for the X850XT, Best Buy and Circuit city both have a preorder for a AGP built by ATI card in X850XT trim. Yup, thanks for all the feedback YOyo. You gave me some great info...
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    Upgrade Question

    Anyone?
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    Upgrade Question

    I included this as part of a post I placed in the general hardware area, but I figured I would try here as well since it's video focused. Basically, I use a 2001fp LCD at 1600x1200 (native res). Right now I have a BFG 6800GT OC. As I understand it, there are not going to be any new AGP...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Also, I am running a PATA Seagate 7200rpm drive right now. Would a Raptor make a noticable difference, or should I just keep the PATA drive? Also, if anyone else has any thoughts on the first post, I would welcome them!
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Thanks for the feedback, YOyo. I am definately taking everything you said into consideration and I will most likely be cancelling that video card for now.
  27. R

    System Upgrade Advice

    Well, I tend to stay in the Intel arena. I know this is just personal experience, but I have not had the best of luck with stability with the AMD systems I have had in the past (granted, it's been about 4 years since I had one) and even with MBs other than Intel. It seems that whenever I build...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Thanks for the links. Great reading! I actually feel pretty good about the CPU, FSB, RAM upgrade. Each of those pieces alone gave what is quoted as a "noticable" improvement, so I would think that combined they would be decent. I am still not sure about the video card though...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Just edited my post above to include data from Intel's site on the processor I have and the processor I planned to get. I'll take a look at your Prescott link now... Also, with my RAM upgrade, I will be going from the 1GB of 333 to 2GB of 400 in dual channel mode. From what I understand, I...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Reading that CPU link you provided now... Again, I would be moving up from a 3.06 533 FSB to a 3.4e 800 FSB Prescott with larger L2 cache. This link you provided shows the Pentium 4 530, which is 800FSB isn't it? Intel shows: Pentium 4 3.06 FSB: 533 L2 Cache: 512 .13 micron No...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    No worries. I welcome opinions. What actually kicked this off was the whole 533Mhz FSB limitation thing. I have been told by many that I need to get to 800FSB and up my RAM to 2GB of 400s if I want to take full advantage of my video card. Then I read the article in the recent Maximum PC that...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Good info. Playing at 1600x1200 is what I do, so there seems to be some benefit there, but not a lot. Perhaps I should wait on the video card. I was concerned that if AGP is going to be dropped from the next gen card lineup, then it made sense to get a maxed out AGP card now. Just in case...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Well, I will need to sell the old stuff to help finance the new, but I guess I wanted to max out the system I have with the idea of hanging onto it for at least a year, hopefully two. At the moment, I am playing Doom 3, HL2, Far Cry, SWG, KOTOR2 and the like. I have considered a Raptor...
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    System Upgrade Advice

    Actually, I did finally see some feedback from this site on RAID 0 for desktops and it looks like its not a good option for a gaming rig... But I would still like to hear feedback on the rest of my upgrade
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    System Upgrade Advice

    My system is currently: Intel D875PBZ MB 1GB 333 DRAM Pentium 4 3.06 533 BFG 6800GT AGP Audigy 2 PATA single drive 2001fp 1600x1200 LCD I want to max out the system and then plan to move to a PCIe solution sometime next year after SLI matures a bit and I see options from both ATI and...
  36. R

    BFG 6800GT and DVI **EXPOSED**

    So, with the 6800 GT you have a DVI limitation and with the Ultra you have image degradation if you are using an analog monitor and the DVI adapter?
  37. R

    BFG 6800GT and DVI **EXPOSED**

    So, has anyone confirmed if the BFG 6800 Ultra also has this limitation? Also, if you use a DVI output with the analog adapter, is there any image change if using a direct analog output (analog monitor)?
  38. R

    6800 Ultra vs GT Opinions

    The conditions used in the test articles Pete posted above (see links in his post). They were pretty informatative for me. As the original poster, all I can say is that I asked the question mainly because I have never been on overclocker and run everything at stock speeds. I might be missing...
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    6800 Ultra vs GT Opinions

    Great information! It looks as though there is about a 7 fraps difference between a 6800 GT and an Ultra, but that is on a system using a AMD Athlon 64 3800+. How much slower is my Pentium 4 3.06 than this? I ask this because based on the first review showing CPU / GPU performance scaling...
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    6800 Ultra vs GT Opinions

    I am not an overclocker, so I would be leaving my cards at stock speed, which for the BFG is slightly overclocked from the factory. My Intel motherboard won't let me overclock my CPU either. Having said that, am I still CPU limited with the GT or would I have to go to the Ultra to be CPU limited?