NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, I'm already getting it so I am just looking for opinion on what I did/should have done. And to start another pointless topic.

CASE: Xion III Gaming Mid-Tower 420W Case with Side Window (BLACK COLOR)
CS_FAN: Default case fans
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo E6600 CPU @ 2.4GHz 1066FSB 2x2MB L2 Cache EM64T
CD: Sony Q170A 18x Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
FAN: CoolerMaster Liquid CPU Cooling Fan System Kit + 2 EXTRA CASE FANS
HDD: Single Hard Drive (500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
MOUSE: Logitech Optical Wheel Mouse (BLACK COLOR)
MONITOR: Gaming LCD ViewSonic VX922 19" (2ms White-Black-White Typ) SXGA LCD Display Monitor
MOTHERBOARD: Asus P5N32-E nForce 680i SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
MEMORY: 2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Mushkin Brand)
NETWORK: ONBOARD 10/100 NETWORK CARD
OS: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition w/ Service Pack 2
POWERSUPPLY: 680 Watts Power Supplies (Apevia 680W BEAST POWER (Black Color) ATX-AS680W-BK)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
SPEAKERS: Logitech X-230 2.1 Configuration Speakers System
TEMP: Xion XON-ATC001B (Black) Multi Function Thermal Control Panel with All-in-one Card Reader, eSATA, and USB
UPS: OPTI-UPS ES1000C 1000VA/700W UNINTERRUPT POWER SUPPLY
VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card
WNC: PCI Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Network Interface Card

At least it's a new computer and not that computer (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/flash-tub/that-computer-cartoon.php).

I'd be willing to view your posts in this thread as it pertains to this thread.

I'd be glad to help you but I do recall you putting me on your ignore list.

That being said, I hope your five thousand dollar computer's special expensive cooling liquid leeks and causes your computer to explode.

Mine has color...

Mine has color...

Is purple?

Is purple?

Tastes like purple.:p

Taste's like purple.:p
Well eggs taste like yellow, so it tastes like the opposite of eggs?


And does anyone have any comments/questions about my intelligence in making certain choices?

I got a mouse but no keyboard because I have an extra keyboard to give away when I get rid of this computer but not another mouse.

And got the Radeon HD 2900XT because it was cheaper than my other choice - the 8800 GTS 640 MB and I everywhere I saw, it hosed the 8800 GTS on benchmarks.

ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card

That's going test your power supply! It's a hideous power hog.

ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card

That's going test your power supply! It's a hideous power hog.
I bought a 680W supply. I assume the rest of what I'm using won't suck up so much power that the whole thing commits seppuku.

I bought a 680W supply.

That's what she said.

Well, I'm already getting it so I am just looking for opinion on what I did/should have done. And to start another pointless topic.

CASE: Xion III Gaming Mid-Tower 420W Case with Side Window (BLACK COLOR)
CS_FAN: Default case fans
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo E6600 CPU @ 2.4GHz 1066FSB 2x2MB L2 Cache EM64T
CD: Sony Q170A 18x Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
FAN: CoolerMaster Liquid CPU Cooling Fan System Kit + 2 EXTRA CASE FANS
HDD: Single Hard Drive (500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
MOUSE: Logitech Optical Wheel Mouse (BLACK COLOR)
MONITOR: Gaming LCD ViewSonic VX922 19" (2ms White-Black-White Typ) SXGA LCD Display Monitor
MOTHERBOARD: Asus P5N32-E nForce 680i SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
MEMORY: 2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Mushkin Brand)
NETWORK: ONBOARD 10/100 NETWORK CARD
OS: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition w/ Service Pack 2
POWERSUPPLY: 680 Watts Power Supplies (Apevia 680W BEAST POWER (Black Color) ATX-AS680W-BK)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
SPEAKERS: Logitech X-230 2.1 Configuration Speakers System
TEMP: Xion XON-ATC001B (Black) Multi Function Thermal Control Panel with All-in-one Card Reader, eSATA, and USB
UPS: OPTI-UPS ES1000C 1000VA/700W UNINTERRUPT POWER SUPPLY
VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card
WNC: PCI Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Network Interface Card

Looks sollid
If I was doing it I would have dropped the liquid cooling I have no need for it as well as the UPS's They are next to useless for me

I also probably would have added more hard drive room, probably getting a hardware raid like I have now and doing 3 400 GB or more in a raid 5 configuration and then one medium sized drive for the OS and pagefile

Dual gig Ethernet as well

But in the end I think yours looks like a hella solid system I have used most of thoes parts before and been more then happy with them

Looks sollid
If I was doing it I would have dropped the liquid cooling I have no need for it as well as the UPS's They are next to useless for me
It was a special - it came free. Plus it came with two extra fans regardless.

I also probably would have added more hard drive room, probably getting a hardware raid like I have now and doing 3 400 GB or more in a raid 5 configuration and then one medium sized drive for the OS and pagefile
Likewise I can find no need for that

Dual gig Ethernet as well
What?

The only thing I don't know about is the Radeon HD 2900 XT. Its benchmarks are solid, but its heat and power consumption, and noise output, have come into question.

That's what she said.
According to the site I just read, it will reach 363W at the most taxed, which I will not even be approaching at my most rigorous gaming times.

VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card

That was a poor choice. (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM1MSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)

If you don't have 4 video cards, you're a pussy.

VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card

That was a poor choice. (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM1MSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)

I much prefer GeForce

VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT PCI-E x16 512MB Video Card

That was a poor choice. (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM1MSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)

That site's test are solely at a ridiculous high resolution I'm not even going to think about playing at. The resolution I will be playing at (the DX9 demo at 1280), the Radeon outstripped both GeForce models. And I got the Radeon for cheaper than a GeForce 8800 GTS so price is irrelevant.

I much prefer GeForce

Well, in this case the GeForce 320MB 8800 GTS is $120 cheaper and much less power hungry, but performs on par with the Radeon HD 2900 XT... so, I'd much prefer it, too.

It also helps that Nvidia have decent Linux drivers, while ATI should be ashamed of themselves in that department.

I'm looking at the power supply specs in the manufacturer web site - it's got more cables than the head of Medusa. My Seasonic 550W is very similar - black cables running out like snake heads.

Well, in this case the GeForce 320MB 8800 GTS is $120 cheaper and much less power hungry,
Which I wasn't going to buy anyway. And I'm not going to play at the absurd screen sized as seen in those tests. The problem with testing at a single size is the benchmarks are wrong. ATI and GeForce cards tend to perform inversely proportional to the size. At more standard screen sizes, ATI will win. When you start getting into the largest sizes supported, GeForce wins.

It also helps that Nvidia have decent Linux drivers,
That makes me care even less.

Well I'm done for today. The system is bought, if this dies, I will give first hand information on the video card and such when it gets here in a few weeks.

Which I wasn't going to buy anyway.

Because you apparently seem to like to pay more money for worse performance and higher power consumption.

And I'm not going to play at the absurd screen sized as seen in those tests. The problem with testing at a single size is the benchmarks are wrong. ATI and GeForce cards tend to perform inversely proportional to the size. At more standard screen sizes, ATI will win. When you start getting into the largest sizes supported, GeForce wins.

That's why GeForce is better. Even the GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB is cheaper than the Radeon 2900 XT, and it beats the 2900 XT into a bloody pulp (http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM0MSwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0).

"Here is what it boils down to. If the Radeon HD 2900 XT performed exactly on par with the GeForce 8800 GTS in every game, it would still be a loser because it draws nearly 100 more watts of power, meaning it is very inefficient. The facts are though that it doesn’t even match the 8800 GTS currently. In every game it slides in underperforming compared to the GeForce 8800 GTS 640 MB, and it does it while drawing a lot more power, as much power or more as an 8800 GTX. Not only that, but a GeForce 8800 GTS 640 MB based video card can now be had for up to $70 cheaper than the Radeon HD 2900 XT. I don’t know about you, but a video card that is cheaper, runs a lot faster and draws less energy just seems like the better value to me."

Face it, you bought a lemon.

That makes me care even less.

Perhaps you would care about ATI's horrible Windows drivers, as well, especially when it comes to the R600-based 2900 XT...

Have fun when you get it anway, it's lot faster than current desktop anyway.

And does anyone have any comments/questions about my intelligence in making certain choices?

And got the Radeon HD 2900XT because it was cheaper than my other choice - the 8800 GTS 640 MB and I everywhere I saw, it hosed the 8800 GTS on benchmarks.
I would have waited until a DX10 game or two was released as it could change the results of benchmarks significantly.

I would have gotten Vista and an extra gig of ram if I were you. MS is going to force you to upgrade to it eventually by refusing to backport DX10. After a few blockbuster games get released using DX10, XP is going to be as relevant to gaming as Linux.

I would have also RAID0 two 500GB HDD's. It'll give you better boot times, load times, and your system would be able to load textures from disk better.

Because you apparently seem to like to pay more money for worse performance and higher power consumption.
I'm paying less money than the GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB which was what I was getting.


That's why GeForce is better.
Not if you play at sizes that Radeon excels at.

Even the GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB is cheaper than the Radeon 2900 XT,
Not where I bought it.

2900 XT into a bloody pulp (http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM0MSwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0).

Crappy site. Crappy benchmarks.
I used http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2130377,00.asp


Face it, you bought a lemon.
Using your single site's benchmarks on resolutions I'm not going to play at. MY site's conclusion was far more fair. And I bought it cheaper than what I was going to buy - the 8800 GTS 640MB.


Perhaps you would care about ATI's horrible Windows drivers, as well, especially when it comes to the R600-based 2900 XT...
I've used Radeon for years, no problem.

I would have gotten Vista
I wouldn't

and an extra gig of ram if I were you.
You can only go in powers of 2 and 4GB is the max usable under current architecture.

MS is going to force you to upgrade to it eventually by refusing to backport DX10.
Programs are already being developed to try and get DX10 functionaliyt on XP. At any rate, I wouldn't have gotten any OS, but my MSDN membership through school expired until I go back and I was getting this now so I got the cheapest OS that was stable. When I go back, I will get Vista Business and a few dozen keys each for it and XP Pro.

I would have also RAID0 two 500GB HDD's. It'll give you better boot times, load times, and your system would be able to load textures from disk better.
Meh.

You can only go in powers of 2 and 4GB is the max usable under current architecture.
2x1GiB + 2x512MiB :rolleyes:

Programs are already being developed to try and get DX10 functionaliyt on XP. At any rate, I wouldn't have gotten any OS, but my MSDN membership through school expired until I go back and I was getting this now so I got the cheapest OS that was stable. When I go back, I will get Vista Business and a few dozen keys each for it and XP Pro.
Programs exist to get DX9 functionality to work on OS X and Linux. They have so far only gotten most of it.

2x1GiB + 2x512MiB :rolleyes:

Don't offer that where I bought it and if I somehow need more than 2GB, I will go do that.

Programs exist to get DX9 functionality to work on OS X and Linux. They have so far only gotten most of it.
There are some technical differences there. And when Vista is stabilized to my liking and all the games go DX10, I will install Vista Business on my computer.

At least it's a new computer and not that computer (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/flash-tub/that-computer-cartoon.php).

Deep Blue can kiss my fucking balls.