Hardware PC Hardware Buyer's Guide March 2011

While I'm certainly no fanboy of AMD cpu's I'd still like to see a suggested build using one of these cpu's.
I have no idea how to decipher the AMD naming scheme or how the motherboards compare to Intel driven ones. Quite a few of the AMD fans are fond of saying that their AMD systems are cheaper and at least the equivalent of Intel driven systems. Besides that, it really isn't fair that the fans of AMD are continually ignored in your recommendations. There really must be something to AMD processors or they'd have gone out of business years ago. I wouldn't mind an AMD build but I have no idea as to proper component selection. If I didn't like it I could always sell it and still be ahead just by the experience of trying something new. To me anyway. I haven't built an AMD system since the K7 series, I think. It's been years, though.

 

I preferred when this was referred to as 'crazy but cool', now has it become something that we should be able to afford and find value in the components? I strongly disagree, we should have the opportunity to learn and lust after the top performing hardware, set out in a deserving and respectable guide. Its what we aspire to fundamentally in this game.

I suppose what I am getting at is the 6990 is 'crazy but cool' and should be known as such.

 

Man doing the buyers guide is a thankless task.

I'd like to stress that in the buyers guide we only recommend products we've tested - how can we recommend you go out and spend your hard earned cash on something we've not even laid hands on? Please bear this in mind when you are typing the message decrying our recommendations as incorrect.

There are two alternatives provided in the article for the HAF 912 as we realize it's design may not be everyone's cup of tea.

We haven't tested many of the most recent cards in regards to folding performance so any recommendation we could make here would be pointless as we haven't got all the facts. This will change soon though, stay tuned for more info.

Possibly, and we do mention the 6990 in the actual text for the Premium Player. We actually argue for it's inclusion but end up going with the 580 as you're hardly likely to need any more if you only have a single screen. If however you have more than one screen then we do say the 6990 is your best bet.

Cheers for the tip, we didn't know this. Where did you pick it up from?

It's due out soon yes but we'll deal with that when it's released. If we delayed our buyers guide every time there was a new technology on the horizon we'd never actually manage to publish one.

 

I don't get it, for heavily multithreaded applications you guys recommend the 980x? why not go for the 990x if you can spend that sort of money, and if you need a good cpu for heavily multi threaded task why not get a 970? for just over £400 instead of near £800

 

Thanks!

Seriously though I look forward to the buyers guide both for the systems and the comments. Interesting to see the differences in opinion.

 

+1

My P182 runs super-cool, even with the tri-fans on low, and with the door shut. Cabling does impact things though. For a case that's circa 2006/2007 to be even discussed now says alot about the quality of the case.

 

Perhaps it is because alot of people feel that their comments and suggestions are not being taken on board?

I made the exact same comments in the last guide as I did in this one, yet the affordable all rounder hasn't changed bar the case.

 

Has the 6990 been released to shops yet? I only looked at Scan but they seem to be pre-order only, whereas the GTX580 is available now.

 

HD6990 is available on overclockers for £557 (TWO).

Expensive but available none the less.

 

no, the best GPU money can buy is the GTX 580. crossfire on a stick (or SLi) are nothing worth drooling about, they rely heavily on driver updates. might as well buy a Veyron at 200BHP and wait for VW to unlock 1 BHP per month.

P182 vs HAF, you are really making that comparison? one is tacky meshed cage, the other is elegant streamlined case. of course the cage with holes will do better when you don't know how to calculate pressure and correctly use the closed airflow to your advantage.

 

A decent AMD budget build would be interesting.

Strongly agree on prices. A 6850 could also be fit into the budget build as they are 130.

Have Bit tech reviewed the 380W antec earthwatts as suposidly this is the newer Delta electronic model as opposed to the seasonic of years gone by.

How does the 560 beat out the potentially unlockable 6950?

Core unlocking vs overclocking neither is a guarantee.

How anyone would spend £15 on a AC freezer when a hyper 212+ can be had for the same price.

 

Exactly. I repeat what I said earlier about having the previous 3 categories being more and more affordable for jobless, students, lower paid, medium paid, higher paid. Why leave out the very top of the range - whether I can afford it or not is besides the point, I value BT/CPC's opinions and want them to tell me what is the very best at the top end of the charts.

Thanks! I would take it as a compliment that people are spending time making posts begging you for more

I did note you mentioned it and I understand your argument, but either either the premium IS the premium, or it is the slightly more affordable premium - in which case I will then argue that you need to add a new extreme (crazy but cool) entry. We have to assume that the person who can afford the best single card solution (6990) can also afford the best 30" monitor, and from my experience, I need the very best single card solution to run my 30" monitor, currently that is the 6990 looking at everyones benchmarks. So am I not included in any of your charts

Actually, no. If you are running 2560x1600 resolution and you want a single card solution which BT were indicating by referencing one 580, then it is the 6990. If the premium guide included an SLi 580, then my argument is void because I don't think anyone has benched the 6990 in crossfire.

 

What happened to the mismatch between B-T and Custom PC?

I was told it was being looked into as you still have the i7 950 as the premium player choice when that's not reflected in the mag.

 

Lag between online publication and magazine publication?

 

Bit-Tech have ran all the tests on the options you've given and still come back with the excellent G6950. That wasn't just on overclocking as well. If your options had an overall benefit over and above their recommendations, they would have included them instead. They didn't.

This is just their recommendation, they aren't forcing anyone to follow their advice. They also won't point a finger at you and laugh if you don't buy their recommendations. They won't send out the heavy mob to wake you up in the middle of the night, tape up your hands and feet and give you a damn good thrashing. They also won't get "anonymous" to conduct a worldwide hate crime hack on you and your family.

"Not following the advice and recommendation of Bit-Tech will not put your health at risk. However, it could improve your life immensely if you do"

 

Dunno, had the discussion a while ago...

 

I think it is the sign of a healthy and interested reader base if it generates this much discussion. You wouldn't want everyone to be silent after publication of one of your most read articles would you?

Keep it up guys!

 

Aye, it shows we're paying attention.

 

So just because you made a suggestion, it has to be included?

I really don't think its a case of the squeakiest wheel gets the oil...

 

I like to think of the buyer's guide like I think of WoW talent specs - they're a great base for applying some personalization to suit my playing style, it's not like bit-tech send round the forum nazi's if you deviate from the recommendations and they tie you up a in a chair, waving a candle near your gentleman's area screaming "YOU MAAHST BUHHY ZIST AHLL!"

PS: God bless Japan & the Pacific coast