Hardware What Hardware Should I Buy? - February 2010

For the second rig: 2. Enthusiast Overclocker, you mention the GTX 260 as an alternative to the 5770 - but what about the 4890? This card performs better than both the 260 and the 5770 and can be picked up for about the same price as a 5770 (£120-130). Surely this would be the best choice is this price range for someone who doesn't require DX11 support?

 

Most of the folding rigs I've seen are using Tt Armor+ chassis (10 PCI slots, 23cm side fan). Bit on the big side, but it works. The Xaser 6 has the same layout minus the side fan.

 

Yes HD 4890 is a good choice too, if you can find one.

 

Finally registered after being a long time lurker (since G-gnome's Orac days). I've decided to try my hand at building a new machine myself and I'm following the Premium Player list to gather my components together. A little advice would however be much appreciated:

I've decided to go for 12Gb RAM, which would be better suited?
Corsair CMD12GX3M6A1600C8, 6x2GB, DDR3-1600, CL8@1.65V
G.Skill Pi Black 6x2GB Kit, DDR3-1600MHz, CL7-8-7-24@1.5V
Kingston HyperX 6x2GB, DDR3-1600, CL9-9-9-27@1.65V

I've got the HD 5870 already, but I've found a good deal on a second and could go Crossfire with the 2 of them - would there be any good reason not to do this?

Thanks for any help
Fule

 

The G.Skill kit: lower timings, lower voltage.

CrossFire: drivers. Running a 5970 with the latest AvP micro-stuttering but still churning out a solid 50-60FPS = driver issue :/

 

Cheers Bindi, the G.Skill has been ordered (though delivery will take several weeks... I'm in no rush)

On a general note with regard to micro-stuttering, I never witnessed it first hand though I've seen some examples on youtube. From those videos it seems somewhat off-putting.

Bearing in mind that I have the one 5870 already, do the benefits outweigh the disadvantages? What are the expectations regarding a resolution of the issue by means of a driver update?

 

IS your 5870 slow?

 

I haven't used it yet

 

I am looking for a drive similar to the Samsung HD103SJ (a 1.5TB from the same line would be even better). I could not find any of the "SJ" line for sale, nor could I find the HD103SJ model on Samsung's website. I can only have the F3 "HJ" models on their site, and the only F3 I see on newegg is the HD203WI. Any idea if there is a 1.5TB version of either the "SJ" or the "WI" series available?

 

Then I'm sure you can work out the answer to that one

damaedge - Unless it's on Samsung's storage website, I've no idea sorry

 

Hi, my boy and I are going to build our first PC (bought high street until now) and were going to just follow the "What Hardware Should I Buy?" guides.

He wants to be able to play games but we really can't stretch to the February "Enthusiast Overclocker".

Is it worth (or possible) fitting the HD 5770 to the other "Affordable All Rounder" bits or will it be held back by the other parts of the system?

Thanks in advance for advice.

 

It will be fine to put in a 5770 - no problems at all.
will be a decent boost over the listed 4850/4870, the psu will still be plenty powerful and the card will fit in the antec 300.

enjoy !

 

Bugger, just when I thought I'd cracked it. I'd convinced myself to push my budget after all and go for the "Enthusiast Overclocker", but fitting an i3-530, 500GB drive and re-using my IDE DVD-RW.

Now they go and write an i3 overclocking article and say the P55 isn't so good for it and go for H55. If I do, does that mean my Boy will have less options later if he wants to upgrade in say 18 months time?

Thanks again, in advance, for advice.

 

Don't see why it would be a problem - the article was focussing on overclocking anyway.

In 18 months time if you want to upgrade then you can just get an i5 - 750 then or whatever chip is availble at a good 'bang for buck' price point. sweet!

if the bios update is released in the meantime you get the extra overclocking headroom to play with and lots of free fun.

 

H55s will accept Core i5-750 CPUs.

 

Actually, Bindi - that's a good question. Yes, H55s will accept Lynnfields, in much the same way as P55s accept Clarkdales. But just like you say Clarkdale overclocking only works on H55, does Lynnfield overclocking only work on P55s? The problem is exactly as above; if you're buying a Clarkdale with the hope of upgrading to Lynnfield later, do you buy H55 now so you can overclock and hope that you'll be able to overclock the 750 when you get it, or do you buy a P55, don't overclock, and wait until you get the 750?

 

I've never had any issue with Crossfire or CrossfireX drivers. The only time I had issues was with 8800's in SLI, parpingly unstable under Vista, and made me switch to ATI. A 4850, and now a 5770 Crossfire setup has been very well behaved. The only exception is Crysis over 1920x1200 where I don't get the full benefit of the second card [only adds 55% frame rate rather than the average 80ish%].

I hope I'm just lucky 'cos that stuttering is a bitch.

 

I'm currently swaying towards the P55. Unless the March "what to buy" is a tear-up.

Does anyone have a date when it will be published, as our "Checkout" clicking finger is getting itchy.

Fun, this home build stuff eh.

 

I know I'm a month out,but its really nice to see the 860 finally being acknowledged a sensible-ish choice against the 920. I've found the lack of PCIE bandwidth and memory bandwidth no real problem at all, and the higher clock and turbo boost seriously make up for it in a big way, I bothered to overclock the other day and at the current time I can't find anything that makes any appreciable difference in doing so, so good is turbo boost v2.....e.g.: it was really difficult to see any difference in crysis at 1900x1200 at 4xAA with an overclock from stock to 3.8Ghz..seriously....