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That's not entirely true. >2 core usage is becoming increasingly common in more and more games, so you'll want a quad if you hope to get through the next four years with minimal hassle. If I'm not mistaken, L4D can take advantage of more than one core, and so can GTA IV, Supreme Commander, Prototype, and I'm sure there are more. Trust me, getting a quad is the way to go. Core 2 Quad, Phenom II X4, Core i7, or Core i5 (when it releases in a couple months with W7).Quote:
Originally Posted by AAA
All those games use quad cores btw
Well, I might not have much of a choice... My computer Burned out today. Literally, My 4770 is toast and so is my mobo. All due to the Power supply. I'm done, I'm gonna get something by corsair.
The only problem I have with X58 is that I hear that shit bottle necks with the i7 and 1600 DDR3. Is this entirely true?.... Because, I have a friend with DDR2 800, an E6600 OC @ 3.2, and a GTS 250. He's able to run Crysis on 1920x1080+AA x4 on 40FPS, I saw it with my own eyes. So I'm in a state of "Fuck the What?" because Crysis runs about the same on an X58 setup with a 285.
Then get a setup like your friend has if you honestly believe it runs the same as an i7 / GTX285 rig.
That's because Crysis is a GPU-limited game (like almost every other game). :downs:Quote:
Originally Posted by AAA
Also, your friend likely wasn't running it on Very High. Most people run it on High, or Medium-High settings.
i7 is much faster at workstation tasks than any other processor architecture out there. That "bottleneck" problem is more likely the CAS latencies jumping up very high once you hit 1600MHz and above, though you can find 1600MHz DDR3 with a relatively low CAS (for DDR3) of 6. So it doesn't bottleneck, so to speak, it just becomes a problem of the increased speed of RAM becoming less and less able to overcome its own increasing latency.
Your best bet right now is an i7 920 with 6GB of DDR3 RAM (take advantage of the uber bandwidth of Triple Channel), along with either two GTX295s in SLI or get a cheap card to hold you over until ATi releases the 5870X2. If money is no obstacle and you want it to last 4 years, get the best of the best.
Hey, guys! I have more n00b questions for ya's!
So, my mother has this almost brand-spankin' new Acer Aspire that's quite a bit nicer than my current one (AM2+ instead of just AM2, more RAM slots, 64-bit OS). I was thinkin' of trading with her since all she does is email and browse the internet, and my current setup is more'n enough power. But, I wanted to swap a few components and install in the newer one a graphics card I got on sale. Not sure if my power supply can handle it, so this's what I'm looking at.
Acer Aspire M1202
Phenom X3 8550 (2.2GHz)
I want to swap in my 4GB of OCZ Gold PC2-6400
I plan on installing this new BFG Tech GeForce GTS 250 1GB OC Edition
I want to swap in my 550W Optimax Titan power supply.
640GB SATA hard drive
I'll be installing my 160GB WD drive with all my documents.
Now, my problem is that the requirements on the box of the GTS 250 say a 475W power supply with at least 26A on the 12V rail is recommended with a Core 2 Duo E6750. My Optimax Titan 550W says 24A on the 12V rail. With the setup I've detailed above, will this PSU cut it or shall I head out and get something better?
CPU and PSU both suck and it's getting pretty evident in my gaming(fallout 3, GTA 4, Prototype, Crysis, etc). I might be able to get a hold of my friend's extra 400w PSU, but if there's a cheap and reliable one, I'll get it instead. I'm more looking for a CPU upgrade, but I really have no clue what to look for, moreso than when I was looking for a graphics card. I have about ~$100-130 to work with right now, or should I wait a couple months to save up for anything new/price drops on older models/etc?Quote:
Originally Posted by k4is3rxkh40s
This is not entirely relevant, but I don't think it's worth making a new thread just for this.
I'm gunna be getting a new laptop for university, but I'm on a budget. The two computers I'm looking at are as follows
Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 ~$7000HKD (~$900USD)
- Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 2.0 GHz, 2 MB, 800 MHz
- 4GB DDR3 1066MHz
- 500GB 5400rpm Serial ATA
- 15.6" 16:9 WLED HD 1366x768
- nVidia GeForce GT 130M 512MB
or
Dell Studio 15 ~$7000HKD (~$900USD)
- Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P7350 2.0GHz / 1066MHz FSB / 3MB (I may pay a ~$100USD extra to get 2.40GHz, the Lenovo's processor can't be upgraded)
- 15.6” 720p WLED 1366x768 Display with TrueLife
- 4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 SDRAM
- 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
- 500GB SATA Hard Drive
I don't really know much about current hardware, as I haven't kept up to date in years. I need a laptop primarily for photo editing and Photoshop, I work with pretty high resolution images, and do batch processing fairly often, so the things I do are fairly processor intensive. Both these laptops have their pros and cons, so I'm looking for a more knowledgeable opinion.
The screen resolution on both irritates me, but I can't find anything similarly priced with a higher resolution screen. Those two laptops pretty much fit right to the limits of my budget. If anybody else has any recommendations, I'd appreciate it. I'd rather avoid HP though, as I have bad experiences with my current HP laptop.
I am a sucker for the looks of the Dell, it also has a backlit keyboard and a slot loading drive. I'll probably pay the little extra to get the Intel 5300 Wireless-N card instead of the 5100, as I've heard it's much more reliable. I'd much prefer the Studio XPS 16, but it's price is far beyond what I can afford. The screen resolution though... :saddowns:
E: My parents said they're willing to pay the $7000HKD (~$900USD) I might pay the extra several thousand or so to get a better laptop. Augh, I don't know :gonk: HELP ME
2nd E: Augh, I just checked the Dell USA site, with student discounts for SCAD, and they have so many more different customization options for the Studio laptops. I'm so confused >__>
Out of those two, the Dell. You should really try for something with a usable resolution though!!
e: the studio 15 can be configured with a 15.6" 1920x1080 widescreen for 75 more dollars over stock, lol.
e2: and it falls at $904 with the 1080p display, 95Wh battery, better video, and wifi
Yeah, after looking at the dell USA website, I noticed that there's more upgrade options, namely the 1080p display. PLUS I can get SCAD student discount.Quote:
Originally Posted by Haruhi
My brother is thinking about getting a second HD4850 512mb for his computer - will he see a large enough FPS increase to warrant forking out the cash? His specs are similar to mine (same amount of ram/same cpu)
I may be crazy talking but see if he can get a Phenom II down the line, I believe they have quite a bit more cache than the Athlons. As for crossfire, never done it and don't know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Timo
What's your budget? I ask because you'll definitely want a discreet graphics solution with the work you do. Lenovo makes a good laptop, but they very rarely put a discrete solution in; it's usually that Intel HD4500 crap. I know the IdeaPad Y450 (and Y650) can come with an nVidia GT105m (some sources say that you can get it with a GT130M in Asia, don't know how accurate that is), but other than that, most of them suck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reaper Man
As for Dell, I'd definitely keep looking into their Studio (XPS or otherwise) line, they seem to have done good with that one.
E: Timo, a second 4850 will create very noticeable gains in frames. Crossfire scales better than SLI, so it's worth it.
These laptop GPU names are really confusing me........Is the GT130M similar performance to the 9600M?
It's a rebadged 9600M GT.
GT120M = 9500M GT
GT130M = 9600M GT
GTX 260M is pretty much an overclocked 9800M GTX.
GTX 280M is pretty much an underclocked desktop 8800GTS.
Yeah, nVidia pulled that asshat renaming scheme again, misleading consumers into thinking that the new high-end mobile cards had something in common with the GT200 architecture. They don't, they are just G92 cores again. ATi, on the other hand, has mobile cards that are identical to the desktop ones in architecture, just with lower clocks (and in the case of the Mobility HD4870, it has GDDR3 instead of GDDR5, putting it roughly closer in performance with a desktop HD4850).
So did Nvidia ever fix their mobile GPU overheating issue?
Yo! Guess my post got a little buried. Bottom line, my question:
Can a 550W Optimax TITAN power supply running 24A on the 12V rail supply a computer with a Phenom X3 2.2GHz and a GeForce GTS 250 1GB?
Yeah, I think I'm going Dell. I found a great deal on the dell website,
Dell Studio 15
1080p display
500gig hdd
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
4gigs of ram
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9600 (2.8GHz/1066Mhz FSB/6MB cache)
Intel 5300 Ultimate-N Half Mini Card (3x3) with MyWiFi
Backlit keyboard
3 Year warranty
With student discount etc
$1288 (worth $1800-something, weird though because yesterday I could've sworn it was $1228..hmm)
Yeah it will be fine until that PSU dies and takes everything with it down the road :-3Quote:
Originally Posted by Varmint260
everything in my computer runs on the 500w PSU that came with the case am I cool yet
New better/faster socket 939 single-core CPUs are too much now to be worth buying a them, so I've decided I'll just upgrade completely now. (Found a 2.6Ghz from google for almost as much as an i7 :<)
I'm thinking I might go with this combo, trying to keep similarly to this. Would it be enough to run games like Crysis/GTA 4/Saint's Row 2 well, and is it compatible with my current hard drives/optical drives/etc? Would be running at 1280 x 1024 full screen or 800x600 windowed, and I don't know what exact type, but my current mobo says it supports 2 SATA drives. Of course I still need RAM, new case, a new PSU, and probably CD/DVD drives as my current dvd drive is dead, and my cd drive is following suit.
Also, stupid question but I'm probably going to need to buy Windows/burn Ubuntu/etc after I upgrade everything with the HP locking stuff and all, correct? This computer never came with an XP install disk, just a separate partition for recovery and the like.
Current motherboard specs : here
Won't run it max, but it should run it fine. Hard to go wrong with that combo.
When you say almost as much as an i7, well...:haw:
Of course an FX is going to be mad expensive, they've been mad expensive since they were released. You can find dual core socket 939 chips for $120 if you go onto Amazon.
So he's going to get another HD4850 but he needs a new motherboard. Will this: http://www.pp.co.nz/products.php?pp_id=AA12516 do the trick? Or is there a better alternative?
e:I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to upgrade in the future - If he got a DDR3/AM3 motherboard, would he still be able to use his AMD2 processor and DDR2 ram until he upgrades again?
No. Only the AM2+ Phenom IIs have controllers for both DDR2 and DDR3. If he gets AM3, ha has to go DDR3 and he will need an AM3 CPU because AM3 has two less pins than AM2+ (I think it was two).
Last question for a while, I promise
Would one notice much of a difference between a ~2.9Ghz and ~3.0Ghz dual core? If so, would it worth an $11 dollar difference?
I already have a Logitech G5, is it worth getting the new G500?
Do they have the same cache and are from the same manufacturer? If so then the 100mhz is not a big difference. You can buy the cheaper one and overclock it past the 3.0Ghz and save 11 bucks.Quote:
Originally Posted by k4is3rxkh40s
I also want to add to this thread by quoting a friend on how x86 and x64 relates to graphic cards
Taken from HereQuote:
Originally Posted by Mussels
One thing on the 32-bit memory limit: it's not 32-bit, it's specifically Windows, contrary to what everyone says. You can use more than 4GB of RAM using Linux (or even Windows Server).
I would say no, assuming you like your G5. While the sensor on the G500 has over twice as much resolution as the G5, 2000DPI is still really good. If you have the money to burn, sure, go ahead. But I'd put that money towards something more worthwhile like a ram, CPU or video card upgrade down the road.Quote:
Originally Posted by 343guiltymc
Yeah with the higher DPI you won't really use it much because it'll just be too sensitive anyways. I only use 1000dpi on my G9. Also Legionaire what do you think of uprising?Quote:
Originally Posted by legionaire45
O rly?
I use 1600dpi on my Razer Plasma. For modelling and texturing work, it is too sensitive, but for gameplay, it's fine. It's user preference really.
I'm just saying most people don't go over 2000 dpi because it just gets way to sensitive
I'm looking for advice one a home media server build. I've got all the parts, but if I can get cheaper parts that can still play 1080p without stutter, then I'll take it.
Build:
Motherboard ASUS P5KPL-CM $50.00
RAM Corsair Value Memory 1GB (2x) $16.00
Processor Intel Dual-Core E5300 $70.00
Hard Drive Seagate 500GB $60.00
Sound Card SoundBlaster Audigy SE $30.00
Video Card ATI HD 4350 512mb 256bit $45.00
Power Supply Coolmax 600 Watt Powersupply $30.00 (And I know the PSU is over kill, but it's one of the cheapest they had that is over 350watts)
Totals at $301.
Try these on for size:Quote:
Originally Posted by TomClancy
AMD Athlon II X2 245 2.8GHz Socket AM3
1GB Crucial 240-pin DDR3 1066 RAM
GIGABYTE GA-M785GMT-UD2H AM3 mATX Motherboard
Motherboard has an integrated ATi Radeon HD4200, which can do 1080p fine. As such, you don't need that extra card. So, final price with these items replacing their respective counterparts in your list and sans that HD4350 is $293. Not huge, but Athlon IIs are Phenom II processors (so they are K10-based, not K8), so they are at the same performance level as Core 2s, and since this one has higher clocks, it is faster for your dollar. Also, DDR3 benefit. I would've put another gig in there, but that would have made it a little bit more expensive than your setup by ~$20.
That's all good, but it's on newegg. (I have no qualms with Newegg, but if possible, I'd like to get this all at Microcenter.) I'll probably go and see if they have these parts in store, since their site has very few products that the store carries.
I'm not familiar with Microcenter myself, I just went straight to where I knew all the parts I had in mind were. XD
And that's completely understandable. :)
Microcenter is like a NewEgg in store form, heh.
Wait for the new e6500 to come out before you make the box The unlocked multiplier can do wonders for your HTPC The ES reached 5 GHZ
That's more money. I'm on a $300 budget. (Unless it costs <$70.)
There's actually one about 40 minutes from where I live, I've just never been there since I have a Golden Tech Computers nearby, which is kind of like the Salvation Army of computer stores.Quote:
Originally Posted by TomClancy
Also, 5GHz is overkill Darkness. For an HTPC, even a P4 CPU would be fine. GPUs are less flexible though, because 1080p playback is a fairly recent development.
I thought Media Player Classic Home Cinema added a GPU acceleration for newer GPU's? I'm not sure if VLC player has that either.
its suppose to retail at $89 alot of bang for the buck!Quote:
Originally Posted by TomClancy
Well that's what I'm saying. GPUs are less flexible because you need the newer ones to get good playback. Older ones don't have it (and by older I mean anything pre-GeForce 7 really as far as nVidia is concerned...ATi has been in the game for a long time).Quote:
Originally Posted by TomClancy
But I don't need that much power. It's a media center. I'm watching movies, not gaming.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkness
@Warsaw, Yeah, for nVidia I knew it was pre-7 series, but those are still old cards. so it's pretty flexible I would think.
Thanks for all the advice everyone!
Well then I recoomend the e6300 for $84 or the since you get stuff that is disabled on the e5200. And if you don't need stuff such as VT then go with the e5200 for $65
I have the e5300 in my list for $70, not sure if the e5200 is available at Microcenter, haven't been in a while. And like I said earlier, I need my products from there, not online retailers. (Microcenter's site doesn't help either, they don't have a fraction of the products listed that they have in the store.)
They do at my Microcenter. You just check online and choose your store then show the amount in stock. Anyways since you're using microcenter how about an AMD build? Their IGP solutions are great and combined with a cheaper CPU they make great budget builds.
EDIT:NVM microcenter doesnt seem to have any am2+ processors left..
Oh I see it now, haha. Thanks, and sorry about that. I feel like an idiot now. I can only find 3 AMD Processors though. A triple-core and two single-cores. Would a 2.7GHz single-core be enough?
Well if you're running XP and you strictly want a web/HTPC Machine the Semprons are worth it because they beat out Intel's Atoms
I'm actually going to run XBMC on Ubuntu. Much lighter than XP, and a bit easier to work with.
I've actually managed to get the build down to $206. Dropped the GPU (for now, I may add it back in, not sure.) The soundcard isn't needed, the motherboard I listed has built in 7.1 surround, and you showed me the e5200, which is $20 less then the e5300 and virtually the same thing, just 100MHz slower.
e:
I may be able to get it down to $161 if this guy on Craigeslist responds to my email. (He has a similar motherboard and same processor I need.)
Damn, cheap HTPC for sure. I'd use that extra headroom to bump specs, but then again if all you are really going to use it for is audio and video playback, there's no need. You can instead use it to bump up your current rig (which has almost the same specs mine did when I built it...only mine is AMD...and no SCSI supremacy).
Haha, yeah! Unfortunately, the guy decline on my offer of $30 for CPU and $35 for motherboard. (Same ones I needed, too.) So back up to $196.
Oh nice. Yeah, I could seriously use an upgrade. I got an i7 build I'm going to purchase eventually. Probably going to wait for either the GT3XX's to come out or the next iteration of Intel processors so the price of the i7 goes down yet again. (Though, I can get an i7 920 for $199 at Microcenter, and that's dirt cheap.)
Good plan, waiting on the GPUs. By this holiday season we should see ATi's DX11 offerings, assuming they stick to their timeframe this time.
The Geforce 300 series are suppose to have been put ahead of schedule to Q4, but they will be limited in stock when released. As for ATi, they are in no hurry beyond HD 4000, given how they going to release the Radeon 4750 and 4860 in less than two weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Warsaw
I actually recommend you get the sempron 140 if you can find it. It's been unlocked to 2 cores
Actually, AMD has started production of DX11 silicon, and already has working examples. At CES they were the only ones with working DX11 silicon. So, they will be the first out of the gate with the HD5870, though for sure you can expect that the GTX380 will be out before the HD5870 X2 model.Quote:
Originally Posted by 343guiltymc
I read somewhere they used the "ASRock M3A790GXH/128" motherboard. Do I need that exact one or just an AM2/AM2+ board?Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkness
You need a board that has the SB710 or SB750 south bridge. By enabling ACC you may be able to unlock the cores. I recommend an MSI board since they said that they will not patch the bug, So you can unlock the cores.
Alright, thanks. I may get it, but only if it ends up being cheaper, heh.
Well the Sempron is only $40 and once they unlocked the second core they overclocked it to 3.7 GHZ
Yeah, but I don't know if Microcenter carries the Sempron 140 or the corresponding motherboard I can use to unlock it. ;)
It is definitely very intriguing. The next time I go I'll look and see if they have it. If they do, I'm all over it!
e: They have an AM3 motherboard with the SB750 South Bridge, but it's $90. (Not expensive, but $40 more then my current, and if I can get a similar build for cheaper I'll go for that. So far Intel is winning.) :)
I'm actually thinking the amd would be worth it though. Their IGPs are just soo much better than Intel's
Well I'm an Intel guy, and I'll trust what I know. :)
If the AMD was cheaper I'd get it, but it's not. Thanks for the suggestions and such though!
Irony, Intel is cheaper...that doesn't happen very often! XD
Online, AMD will pretty much always be cheaper. I guess the ol' brick and mortar stores are trying to dupe unsuspecting customers with the "new AM3!" tags...
Intel has higher performing CPUs than AMD but AMD is cheaper. Also Intel's IGP and really bad that their newest ones kinda fail at farcry. AMD's IGP doesn't
Intel only wins on the high-end segment. Award for best price to performance ratio goes to AMD. Phenom IIs and Athlon IIs are around the price level of the Core 2 series (usually cheaper) and offer the same performance. The only two markets where Intel really wins are the Mobile markets (AMD hasn't put out anything new in years) and the i7's targeted audience.
Thats kinda true. At the low end segments the atom and celeron is killed by the Sempron. The the dual core celerons and pentium duals are beat by Athlons. But when it comes to mobile. Intel's centrino offers better battery life while AMD will always have the better IGP
Atom does not compete against the Sempron. The Atom competes against the VIA Nano and the AMD Neo (which comes in dual and single core variants), both of which are better processors. Centrino is not a processor, but a platform. Centrino is the setup that contains three Intel parts, usually CPU, chipset, and network card. The current Centrino setup is called Montevina, and before that it was Santa Rosa, and before that I think it was Nanda. Yes, it is more efficient than whatever AMD has going on, but remember that AMD hasn't changed their platform in something like 3 years.
Also, nVidia makes a mean IGP in the 9400, so it can easily compete with AMD in that department.
You're only halfway there. Do some more reading.
I know centrino is an all in one platform. But the laptops usually come with an Intel IGP which sucks vs AMD's IGP. And Yeah i know about Nvidia's ION for Atom and I know that Nvidia's IGP on laptops are weak compared to their desktop equivalents plus Nvidia had that huge problem with failing gpus on laptops which is why I don't trust them. And I'm just saying for the price of an atom platform you can make a Sempron platform that beats the atom.
But Sempron is desktop where Atom is [usually] netbook. Two different markets dude. And anybody who buys a nettop is uninformed.
Don't forget Htpc/web machines they're mostly atoms. And the Sempron is in that market
IIRC, most HTPCs are either one of those low-voltage Athlon X2s or Core 2 based. I don't know where you're getting your info. Atom-based web machines just came into being last year, and are THE web-based machine. Everything else up until that point was really just an underpowered computer, intended for more than just using the web (with the exception of the original Celeron-powered Eee).
Alot of guys I know over at techpowerup are using Atom and Nvidia Ion in their HTPCs My uncle uses Ion for his HTPC and web machine. Others use the dual core Ions with the GMA950 to watch HD content. Also the new eee can playback HD on its atom. And the New atoms are actually capable of playing HD content
Ion is the platform putting the 9400M into an integrated chipset. The 9400 by itself is not Ion. There is no "dual core Ion," because the 9400M is not dual core.
I'm well aware of what the new stuff can do, and it has nothing to do with the Atom. It's just the software has been changed to take advantage of graphics hardware (including Intel IGPs), so the fact that Atom can't do certain things can be bypassed. Basically, Atom's inadequacy got the developers (namely Adobe's) off of their collective asses. The new Atoms aren't even out yet. No, the Z series is not new.
You're mixing stuff up man. You are going to end up confusing somebody. Do more research.
you know what I meant by dual-core Ions I was trying to say The dual core atom on the ion platform aka the 9400 because you can't buy an atom processors they're integrated into their boards. I know the 9400 is an IGP and theres no such things as a dual core igp. And you think I'm that stupid? The Z series is the first atom out there. Now they're at the N,200,300 series
What is the new asus eee that can playback HD content without stuttering?
The eee 1000HV is a netbook capable of doing HD content and the eee b204 and b206 they're not netbooks but Htpc machines
I don't think you're stupid, I think you are mixing stuff up too much whether you intended to or not. The N-series atoms have been around for over a year now, so even those are not new, and they are still as anemic as their Z-series counterparts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkness
As for using an Eee for HD playback, it isn't worth it because the output connections are terrible (at least that's what I read in the reviews). You'd be better off waiting for Mobinova's Tegra-based netbook, which is both more powerful and made specifically for such a purpose.
Just clearing things up. Anyways I just prefer the eee because they have higher cell batteries and lower power consumption so they can last up to 10 hours.
Need a laptop for under $400 as good as I can possibly get for being that cheap. Halp plz.:mech:
:mech3:
Incredibly terrible budget.
How far over-budget can you go?
I would suggest looking at Lenovo computers. Usually fantastic keyboards, and save for graphics, they are pretty good and usually cheap. You're just going to have to accept that your graphical capabilities will be shit with that budget. You're on a netbook budget...and pretty much all of those have identical or otherwise similar specs.
That being said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834146580
Really don't want to go too far over budget. Its pretty much only going to be used for college work. Doesnt need to be a beast. I just want a good as I can possibly get for my budget.Quote:
Originally Posted by Warsaw
Well, check out Best Buy, they have some $400 laptops. They are all going to be about even, I just like Lenovo because they are sturdy computers and are comfortable to type on, which is about all you can ask for in that price range.
I need a new laptop since mine ate it... I need a backlit keyboard and at least 2.5Ghz (dual core minimum), 4GB memory, 500GB storage capacity, and a 15" (approx) form factor. A dedicated graphics card would be preferred but it's not required, budget is $2,500.00 CAD so I think I might as well go with an Alienware m15x amirite? I've researched around a bit and I'd love to get an Alienware laptop anyways, but I'm just making sure that there's no other good options out there.
I'm not getting an Apple product.
There's also the ASUS G51VX. It has a backlit keyboard, is configurable with a wide range of CPUs surpassing your minimum, can hold 6GB of RAM, has dual hard drives, is 15", has a GTX260M, and is cheaper than the Alienware. Only advantage to the Alienware is that it has changeable colour lighting schemes.
http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g51vxa1-order-p-2595.html
NewEgg also has some pre-configured options, but you get a better deal if you configure one yourself from XOTIC, PC TORQUE, or some other company along those lines. They all have the same prices, pretty much. And yes, they do ship to Canada.
That's about it that meet your requirements. The only other backlit notebooks are either bigger (Dell Studio XPS 16, OCZ Whitebook 17") than your desired screen size, smaller than your desired screen size (Dell Studio XPS 13), or are made by Apple.
Fake E: There's also the Dell Studio 15...that is backlit, but the graphics capabilities of the Alienware or ASUS are undoubtedly better.
What about the MSI GT729? From some benchmarks I've seen the 4850M is slightly better than the GTX 260M.
He wants a backlit keyboard, and the MSI doesn't have that. If it weren't for the backlit requirement, there are a ton of other options to consider as well.
I wouldn't recommend the M15x because it's running last generations hardware. the 9800M GT is not as powerful as the GTX260M, which is the current generations price point equivalent. That, and you can't put a quad in it (not through Dell anyways, and the BIOS likely won't support it either). Those two reasons make the ASUS a much better computer.
Wait, Alienware is actually worth getting now?
Nope! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by 343guiltymc
Not really. The only machine I can say is somewhat worth getting is the M17x, and only if you get it with most of the bells and whistles (getting it with a single GTX260M is a waste of money...you need two GTX280Ms to make it worthwhile). However, there's also the Clevo M980NU (SagerNP9850) which has the same hardware internally, and costs about $300 less all said and done. Only downsides are no backlit keyboard, plastic as opposed to aluminum chassis, and it has 1n 18.4" 16:9 screen (not a con for some).Quote:
Originally Posted by 343guiltymc
The Asus G51VX comes out to be $400~ more than the Alienware when configured to the specifications that I would want (as close to my m15x configuration as possible)... Since I'm a sucker for bells and whistles I guess I'm going with the Alienware since it's cheaper, surprisingly...
In a real-world comparison of games, how many more FPS would you actually gain using a GTX 260M over a 9800M GT? Tests could be based in Crysis since I'm familiar with how it runs on different hardware. I know the 9800M GT is slightly faster than the 8800M GTX by 1-2 FPS, would the GTX 260M get any more than 5-10 FPS difference? If not than it's not worth it imo. There's always the possibility that I could upgrade to a GTX 260M as well, knowing how Alienware likes to flaunt their ability to swap out laptop graphics cards.
The GTX260M would probably get you a good 10-15 more fps in Crysis than the 9800M GT. The GTX260M is essentially a smaller, overclocked 9800M GTX.
Also, while you could upgrade, you'll just end up making up the difference in price between the two systems if not more, since there isn't exactly a huge market or supply of MXM laptop GPUs floating around, especially high-end ones. On top of that, you don't know how well the Alienware will cool it or power it.
The specs on the Asus are better, but the Alienware has a prettier case. It's up to you which way you want to go. Personally, I'd take specs first. All those lights on the Alienware just serve to draw more power and generate more heat.
GTX 280M installed in an Alienware M15x:Quote:
Originally Posted by Warsaw
http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...highlight=M15x
Seems simple enough, though as you stated the temps are obviously quite a bit higher.
Aftermarket GTX 280M:
http://mivasecure.abac.com/rjtech/me...Category_Code=
Aftermarket GTX 260M:
http://mivasecure.abac.com/rjtech/me...Category_Code=
All you really have to do is install the HSF from your existing graphics card onto the new one, and use the recommended "copper mod" (sheet of thin copper between the CPU thermal paste and the HSF thermal paste) to increase the cooling capability of your old HSF. I see what you mean when it comes to pricing though, the two cards I linked were at least $400 each, therefore making up the price difference.
Still, I want this to be portable, as in something I can take with me wherever I go without hassle or the requirement of a power outlet. The Alienware has a 2 hour~ battery life when in "Stealth Mode", and you can further increase that by disabling the 9800M GT and using the integrated Intel GMA POS.
The ASUS also gets ~2 hours. I'm not sure, but it might have an integrated 9400M.
Seems like you really want the backlight on the Alienware though. :p Just go with that.
It's so shiny! :pcgaming:
I'm just going to remove the fan controllers all together. Leave me a LOT more room.Quote:
Originally Posted by Freelancer
(From another thread, but should just be placed here, considering the inevitability that I was going to lead onto this question at some point in time)
What's the V10 going to do for me that the V8 won't?
I'm only going to try overclocking a X3 720 BE in about a month or 2 and I was wondering:
1) Should I unlock that 4th core and knotch it up to 3.6GHz or maybe even 4GHz?
2) Should I leave it at 3 cores and knotch it up to 3.6GHz or maybe even 4GHz?
Also, Would this RAM do the trick for the overclocking I'm looking to achieve?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148212
I plan on helping this process go a lot smoother with the Coolmaster V8. Yes or no?
Unlocking the 4th core might screw it up, but you can always reset it in the BIOS.
I figured this would be the best place for a quick RAM questions.
How bad would it be if the timing of a second stick of RAM was different than the first? I'm getting a new stick today, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find another 2GB 800MHz 240-pin DDR2 with 5-5-5-12 timing.
Also, would there be any downsides in regards to speed if I had 4GB of RAM with a 32-bit OS installed, besides the fact that it cuts off how much I have available?