Curse

Elder III · Jun 28, 2010, 06:57 PM // 18:57

if you pick your own case you can have it as cool looking as you want and trust me, there are cases out there that blow the Alienware look out of this world.

Lord Sojar · Jun 28, 2010, 08:34 PM // 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snograt

What - you mean I was right?

Wow, there's one to mark on the calendar

Instead of confirming you being correct, I'll let you decide for yourself based on these screenshots. I'd like to see Kuntz' rig compared to mine. I feel that my weeks of tweaking have been worthwhile.

Snograt · Jun 29, 2010, 11:57 AM // 11:57

Hmm, is that a fair comparison? The X58 is running 1333, whereas the P55 is running 1650. You can get triple channel DDR3 in PC12800 / DDR3 1600, y'know...

Lord Sojar · Jun 29, 2010, 03:50 PM // 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snograt

Hmm, is that a fair comparison? The X58 is running 1333, whereas the P55 is running 1650. You can get triple channel DDR3 in PC12800 / DDR3 1600, y'know...

Look at the margins.

Snograt · Jun 29, 2010, 04:39 PM // 16:39

Point taken...

Zahra · Sep 16, 2010, 12:45 AM // 00:45

In the end, I went for:

CPU: i5-760
MoBo: Asus P7P55 (SLI/Crossfire ready)
RAM : 4GB DDR3 1333
HDD: 1TB SATA
Optical : DVD RW
GPU : GTS250
Monitor : Samsung 2494HM
OS : Win7 Home Premium 64-bit

From the local computer shop for a total of 1314 CAD + tax (1483 all included).

I also ordered (online) :
Printer : Brother HL-4070CDW (390 with tax and S&H)
NAS : Seagate Blackarmor 220 2TB (256 with tax and S&H)

All I'll need to get are a new router (Belkin doesn't play nice with my iPhone) and new keyboard/mice (my old GW Deathadder died of old age). Oh, and the Office 2010 Academic deal (Pro edition for 89 CAD, can be installed on a desktop and a laptop as it is a full Pro licence). So... another 300-400$ more (depending if I get a gaming keyboard or a regular one).

I'll end up over budget by around 500$, but the NAS was a necessity long before I planned going back to school and the mice has been dead for a few months... Without these two, I'd be over by a couple hundred, more or less. I received the full loan amount directly in my bank account so I prefer going a bit over rather than under (and risk needing to refund gvt. loans because they gave me more than I needed).

Undead Cheese · Sep 16, 2010, 05:19 AM // 05:19

Probably should have gotten good 1600MHz RAM, it doesn't matter that much, though. I would get a different Graphics card if I were you, the GTS 250 will be able to play GW1/2 at your required framerates, however there's much better graphics card for around the same/abit more price, examples are the GTX 460, HD 5770.

What kind of Powersupply did you get?

Zahra · Sep 16, 2010, 02:41 PM // 14:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undead Cheese

Probably should have gotten good 1600MHz RAM, it doesn't matter that much, though. I would get a different Graphics card if I were you, the GTS 250 will be able to play GW1/2 at your required framerates, however there's much better graphics card for around the same/abit more price, examples are the GTX 460, HD 5770.

What kind of Powersupply did you get?

I checked the GTX465 (didn't see the 460), and it was 100$ more. I had decided against an ATI graphic card, but checking the prices on Newegg (shop won't have same prices, but it gives me an idea of how different the price would be), I think it would be 100$ more too. In fact, the basic model came with a GT220, but I wanted a card that I could SLI or Crossfire later if I wanted to. The GTS250 was already 95$ extra (so the GTX465 and HD 5770 would have been 200$ over basic model) and higher than that went over my own "oh my god, it's expensive" threshold.

Power Supply doesn't have much margin left on it, but it won't cost that much to upgrade it down the road. In fact, I totally forgot to ask them how much extra it would cost to get a higher wattage power supply.

Quaker · Sep 16, 2010, 03:50 PM // 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahra

I checked the GTX465 (didn't see the 460), and it was 100$ more. I had decided against an ATI graphic card, but checking the prices on Newegg (shop won't have same prices, but it gives me an idea of how different the price would be), I think it would be 100$ more too.

Not that it matters, now that you've already bought the stuff, but you originally said you wanted a computer to run GW2 (and GW1) at certain performance levels. I would say that, overall, you have done what many people seem to do - that is, spend extra money on CPU, case, and a 1TB hard drive (plus an external HD) and then gimp the system with a (relatively) lower performance video card.
You would be more satisfied with your overall system if you had trimmed the CPU back to an i5-750 and went for a 500g hard drive (which is more than enough for most people) and put the money saved toward a more appropriate video card such as the GTX 460 or an HD5770.
In other words, it would be better to spend an extra $100 on a video card than on a larger than needed hard drive(s). The video card is (in this case) the biggest determining factor in your game performance.

Zahra · Sep 16, 2010, 03:57 PM // 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

You would be more satisfied with your overall system if you had trimmed the CPU back to an i5-750 and went for a 500g hard drive (which is more than enough for most people) and put the money saved toward a more appropriate video card such as the GTX 460 or an HD5770.
In other words, it would be better to spend an extra $100 on a video card than on a larger than needed hard drive(s). The video card is (in this case) the biggest determining factor in your game performance.

Actually, the HDD was in the basic model and the diminution in price would have been marginal if I downgraded. I know I don't need 1TB on my comp (especially since I'll have a NAS).

The i5-760 was the same price as the 750, so I went with it. As for the case, I doubt it cost much as it is very plain.

Anyway, by the time GW2 comes out, the price of the GTX460 and HD5770 will have gone down and I'll see by then what kind of video card will give me the best performance/cost ratio to play GW2.

Undead Cheese · Sep 16, 2010, 06:29 PM // 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahra

I checked the GTX465 (didn't see the 460), and it was 100$ more. I had decided against an ATI graphic card, but checking the prices on Newegg (shop won't have same prices, but it gives me an idea of how different the price would be), I think it would be 100$ more too. In fact, the basic model came with a GT220, but I wanted a card that I could SLI or Crossfire later if I wanted to. The GTS250 was already 95$ extra (so the GTX465 and HD 5770 would have been 200$ over basic model) and higher than that went over my own "oh my god, it's expensive" threshold.

Power Supply doesn't have much margin left on it, but it won't cost that much to upgrade it down the road. In fact, I totally forgot to ask them how much extra it would cost to get a higher wattage power supply.

What Model/Brand is it? wattage is the least you should be worried about.

Lord Sojar · Sep 16, 2010, 09:12 PM // 21:12

Uh, the GTS-450 is out, and priced the same as most GTS-250s.... but way more than double the performance. @_@

Undead Cheese · Sep 16, 2010, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Sojar

Uh, the GTS-450 is out, and priced the same as most GTS-250s.... but way more than double the performance. @_@

Going by reviews the GTS 450 doesn't seem that great, the 5770 would be a better buy over it IMO. But yeah I agree there's no reason to buy a GTS 250 when the GTS 450 is better/same price.

@OP, Why did you decide against an ATI?

Elder III · Sep 16, 2010, 10:21 PM // 22:21

450s all over the web at $129 right now, 250s can be had for $100, but I'd pony up the extra $30 if it was me and I was looking to buy.

Zahra · Sep 17, 2010, 04:08 AM // 04:08

Re: Against ATI, if I remember correctly, it's because I heard (yeah, back in the day, but I don't know if it still holds true) that Nvidia cards played better with Intel CPUs than ATI (or was AMD more compatible with ATI than Nvidia?).

Re: GTS450, I went strictly from the list from Tom's hardware monthly video cards review (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ng,2697-7.html) and didn't see that one there, so I didn't even check it. If you look at the reviews for GPUs, they reviewed that one Monday (by which time my GPU prices had been checked for a few days and I went to the store to buy the computer that very afternoon).

Since I didn't get a call yet saying that my computer was ready, I may call tomorrow and see what they say about ordering the GTS 450. (As in, can they do it, am I leaving them on the hook with an un-saleable card, what would be the delay, the price difference, etc.) I agree that it seems a better deal for much the same price.

Lord Sojar · Sep 17, 2010, 10:35 AM // 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahra

Re: Against ATI, if I remember correctly, it's because I heard (yeah, back in the day, but I don't know if it still holds true) that Nvidia cards played better with Intel CPUs than ATI (or was AMD more compatible with ATI than Nvidia?).

Re: GTS450, I went strictly from the list from Tom's hardware monthly video cards review (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ng,2697-7.html) and didn't see that one there, so I didn't even check it. If you look at the reviews for GPUs, they reviewed that one Monday (by which time my GPU prices had been checked for a few days and I went to the store to buy the computer that very afternoon).

Since I didn't get a call yet saying that my computer was ready, I may call tomorrow and see what they say about ordering the GTS 450. (As in, can they do it, am I leaving them on the hook with an un-saleable card, what would be the delay, the price difference, etc.) I agree that it seems a better deal for much the same price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undead Cheese

Going by reviews the GTS 450 doesn't seem that great, the 5770 would be a better buy over it IMO. But yeah I agree there's no reason to buy a GTS 250 when the GTS 450 is better/same price.

We are sort of running into an issue of "it's only this much more than that", which is fine, but if you keep repeating that idea over each step up, it ends up being a lot more. A GTS-450 isn't as good as the HD 5770, I 100% agree, but the HD 5770 is a bit more expensive. Compare the price of a GTS 250 to an HD 5770, and suddenly, it's more that a bit more expensive.

But I do agree, the HD 5770 is a better deal in that price range (130-150). However, right now, the card to get is the 768MB GTX 460, because nothing can touch it given the price.

So, I think given the minor price difference and massive performance difference between the GTS 450 and and the 250, it's a no brainer.

Zahra, it's ok. The card literally just released, as GF106 is the 3rd version of Fermi. Next is GF108, which will be an excellent low budget solution, but not viable for Guild Wars 2 in all likelihood.

Offtopic: It is going to be very interesting when ATi releases the HD 6000 series, and nVidia counters with all SM functioning GF100s, GF104s, and GF106s. You guys haven't seen the true Fermi yet, so... this is going to be a real throwdown in 2011... Intel VS AMD bigtime, and nVidia vs AMD. AMD has two wars they will try and win, and I really have high hopes for them. I'd love to see some really affordable full AMD platforms that have equal or better performance per dollar compared to Intel/nVidia solutions. I know you all think I'm an nVidia fanboy or something, but I'm really not. I'm more unbiased than you can imagine. I want to see AMD kick some ass!

Quaker · Sep 17, 2010, 04:36 PM // 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahra

Re: Against ATI, if I remember correctly, it's because I heard (yeah, back in the day, but I don't know if it still holds true) that Nvidia cards played better with Intel CPUs than ATI (or was AMD more compatible with ATI than Nvidia?).

I keep seeing that nonsense going around. The closest thing to truth is that there are some chipsets that will only work with SLI or Crossfire, and if, and only if, you are intending to use more than one video card in SLI or CF, do you need to be concerned. Even then, it's a matter of the motherboard chipset, not the CPU.
If you are using a single card, it doesn't matter which brand of CPU you use.

Undead Cheese · Sep 18, 2010, 12:36 AM // 00:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahra

Re: Against ATI, if I remember correctly, it's because I heard (yeah, back in the day, but I don't know if it still holds true) that Nvidia cards played better with Intel CPUs than ATI (or was AMD more compatible with ATI than Nvidia?).

Load of crap, really.