Personal computing discussed

Search found 173 matches

by Jason181
Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:59 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: R9 290X | Low Utilization / Performance
Replies: 31
Views: 6190

Re: R9 290X | Low Utilization / Performance

I had a weird issue where MSI Afterburner was clocking the RAM on one of my cards (I have 6970s) way low... like 800 Mhz. I got the same results, but without good fps to start with. You could try a distributed computing client that loads the cards and see if enabling one, two or three makes a differ...
by Jason181
Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:23 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: Sell me on Intel.
Replies: 74
Views: 11507

Re: Sell me on Intel.

Steele wrote:
Also, maybe I should edit the OP to indicate that I've already purchased my new system


Maybe so. Did I miss it, or have you not listed what you got?
by Jason181
Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:37 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: New Build - FX-8350 & Memory Support?
Replies: 60
Views: 10375

Re: New Build - FX-8350 & Memory Support?

I will suggest that when you get the urge to upgrade from the Radeon R9-280X / HD7970 cards that you purchased, you should wait at least until 20nm GPUs are available. I agree, but I don't see that as even being a temptation anytime soon. I got two 6970s in crossfire when they first came out, and t...
by Jason181
Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:34 am
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Haiku contest entry thread
Replies: 365
Views: 42455

Re: Haiku contest entry thread

bios beeps again
overclock is way too high
Oops! forgot heatsink
by Jason181
Mon Sep 02, 2013 3:34 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: 120Hz or 2560 x 1440
Replies: 35
Views: 9598

Re: 120Hz or 2560 x 1440

I really don't see the point of 120 hz with a game like WoW. Otoh, I have a 120 hz monitor and once you get used to it, anything less is not good enough. I have a 1680x1050 monitor (one of the first true 120 hz) and I'd like more pixels, but won't do it until I can get a meaningful increase with 120...
by Jason181
Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:55 pm
Forum: Overclocking, Tweaking, & Cooling
Topic: H60 Corsair Hydro
Replies: 21
Views: 8019

Re: H60 Corsair Hydro

Radiators pulling air in do keep the cpu cooler, and since most cooling solutions are judged based on temperatures and noise, the air-in direction helps with both. I have an H100 and have it venting inward, but then I also have a 3k rpm 140mm venting out because noise isn't a concern (headphones).
by Jason181
Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:36 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Share Your Thoughts about Onboard Audio
Replies: 195
Views: 30279

Re: Share Your Thoughts about Onboard Audio

Haven't used onboard for at least a decade. The incremental cost of a decent gaming soundcard is worth it; if you have $700 of graphics cards (or even $300), it seems kind of silly to compromise the sound for $50-$100. But then I'm a gamer, and only a gamer at home (aside from the addiction to all t...
by Jason181
Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:53 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: New Unigine "Valley" Benchmark
Replies: 197
Views: 77447

Re: New Unigine "Valley" Benchmark

Ultra, 8x AA, 1680x1050, DX11.

Min: 24.8
Max: 126.2
Avg: 64.8
by Jason181
Wed Feb 20, 2013 1:45 am
Forum: Processors
Topic: AMD FX-8350 vs. Core i5 and i7
Replies: 59
Views: 23564

Re: AMD FX-8350 vs. Core i5 and i7

...Most games just don't scale gracefully to more than four cores... This actually helps AMD since it only has four relatively weak FPUs, whereas the Intel has four strong FPUs and enough headroom in them to make hyperthreading perform above par for a lot of fpu-intensive loads. The real issue for ...
by Jason181
Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:49 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: 7970 or 680?
Replies: 23
Views: 6482

Re: 7970 or 680?

Depending on your situation, incidentals might make the difference. I have had more problems with drivers on my 6970 crossfire rig than I ever had with any other, but then it's also my first multi-card config experience since the voodoo 2. I'd say that nvidia has an edge now in drivers since AMD dis...
by Jason181
Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:38 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: physx card.
Replies: 40
Views: 8405

Re: physx card.

You can infer a lot from the fps numbers if there are comparative numbers using configurations, which the article I linked to did. A GTX 460 + GTX 275 isn't potent enough for you? Do you own Mafia 2? I do and can tell you that the Physx implementation is amongst the most taxing I've seen. That revie...
by Jason181
Sat Dec 01, 2012 10:49 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: physx card.
Replies: 40
Views: 8405

Re: physx card.

This is nvidia's complete Physx list [/url], I count only nine games worth mentioning on the list. To be fair, I'm pretty sure that's just recent(ish) releases though because I know of several games that employ Physx and aren't there. I do agree though that gpu-z is probably the only way to get wha...
by Jason181
Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:11 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: physx card.
Replies: 40
Views: 8405

Re: physx card.

This article has a performance analysis on Mafia 2, which has a lot of physx effects, and they test using dedicated physx versus a single nvidia card and also a hybrid setup (radeon for graphics and dedicated nvidia card for physx), and finally some with just the cpu doing the work. It doesn't have...
by Jason181
Sat Nov 03, 2012 3:26 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Need to build a power-saving PC..
Replies: 23
Views: 4781

Re: Need to build a power-saving PC..

You might consider just throwing an ssd into your current system and leaving your computer off when you don't need it. Boot times with an ssd are much better, and it'll give you a snappier system overall too.
by Jason181
Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:26 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: anyone else's builds considered overkill?
Replies: 36
Views: 7647

Re: anyone else's builds considered overkill?

I dunno about overkill... it depends on your perspective. I could've probably gotten 80-85% of the performance for about 40% of the price. Spent a lot more than I usually do, but I've also kept using this computer without upgrades for longer than any other, so maybe it's worth it even from a value p...
by Jason181
Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:21 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: windows experience index
Replies: 27
Views: 8015

Re: windows experience index

Processor and RAM 7.8, the rest 7.9.
by Jason181
Sat Oct 06, 2012 5:17 am
Forum: Processors
Topic: Stupid question but
Replies: 18
Views: 4612

Re: Stupid question but

I think memory bandwidth is the single largest constraining factor in getting the performance levels you're talking about, with TDP and die size second and third. A 7750 has 72 GB/s of memory bandwidth, all dedicated to the GPU. The CPUs in the target market for integrated graphics have 16-20 GB/s, ...
by Jason181
Fri Oct 05, 2012 12:18 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: Stupid question but
Replies: 18
Views: 4612

Re: Stupid question but

One of the major problems with what you're suggesting (an enthusiast class discrete gpu coupled with a cpu of equivalent pedigree) is memory. To have the memory interface necessary to feed the gpu, I think you'd be looking at a LOT more pins on the cpu and traces on the motherboard, and you'd probab...
by Jason181
Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:59 am
Forum: Storage
Topic: Longevity of SSDs?
Replies: 46
Views: 13945

Re: Longevity of SSDs?

If I had a 5-year-old hard drive with normal usage patterns, I'd be more nervous than if I had an ssd of the same vintage. It might save me some money and headache if I owned the ssd, and in addition the ssd would still probably be "fast enough" for the computer it was in, while a traditio...
by Jason181
Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:54 am
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Borderlands 2
Replies: 78
Views: 26259

Re: Borderlands 2

Ah, I have killed Terramorphous solo! :D
by Jason181
Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:17 am
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Getting my gf's computer game-worthy
Replies: 29
Views: 6811

Re: Getting my gf's computer game-worthy

Better buy her some flowers while you're at it; not all gf want to game! :)
by Jason181
Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:15 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Getting my gf's computer game-worthy
Replies: 29
Views: 6811

Re: Getting my gf's computer game-worthy

I second the micro-atx board and case idea; it could save you quite a bit. If you wanted to really cut corners you could reuse the hdd and forgo an optical drive. In the end you might save around $200 that way, which would leave plenty of room for an OEM copy of Win7. Alternatively if she's not goin...
by Jason181
Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:50 pm
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Borderlands 2
Replies: 78
Views: 26259

Re: Borderlands 2

I'm at the warrior; I don't remember the plant thing, but that doesn't mean I didn't kill it.

Edit: If you mean this guy, yes I did solo him.
by Jason181
Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:21 pm
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Borderlands 2
Replies: 78
Views: 26259

Re: Borderlands 2

BTW, I'm at the end boss on the second playthrough, level 50 siren and can't seem to solo it. Anyone wanna gimme a hand? PM me and I'll give you my steam handle. Thx kind ladies and gents!
by Jason181
Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:50 pm
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Borderlands 2
Replies: 78
Views: 26259

Re: Borderlands 2

Spartan, I think I finished my first playthrough at 33; when I got to the second playthrough I had to respec to be competitive. As a Siren, I went for pretty much the damage tree, with a few points in the skill that instantly gives you health if you kill an enemy. Hope that helps! Dunno what the oth...
by Jason181
Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:03 pm
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Borderlands 2
Replies: 78
Views: 26259

Re: Borderlands 2

I had some minor hitching and framerate issues with BL2, but Catalyst 12.8 CAP 3 helped some, as did a couple tweaks in the ini files (changing poolsize to 512 and d3d11=true). I'd encourage any AMD users to try those. The ini files are in C:\Users\<user name>\Documents\My Games\Borderlands 2\Willow...
by Jason181
Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:38 pm
Forum: Processors
Topic: AMD Sets the FX "Vishera" Launch Date.
Replies: 14
Views: 4906

Re: AMD Sets the FX "Vishera" Launch Date.

michael_d wrote:
I would not expect anything from AMD until 'Excavator' comes out in 2014...


I don't know, sounds like Excavator is just going to dig them deeper into the hole.
by Jason181
Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 pm
Forum: The Back Porch
Topic: Whoa
Replies: 44
Views: 6248

Re: Whoa

/shrug this doesn't bother me...but I've seen sites go down this road before and it ends bad....real bad. I doubt you've seen any site that's been around this long do it though. Give them a little credit; running a tech website for a decade is an accomplishment in itself, let alone with the quality...
by Jason181
Fri Aug 31, 2012 6:24 pm
Forum: Gaming
Topic: Why DRM stinks
Replies: 53
Views: 10908

Re: Why DRM stinks

I have games on Steam that I bought nearly 10 years ago and have zero issues. You're assuming that publishers should be just as willing to host a linux-compatible file that is probably useless on today's distros and probably has weekly demand numbers that can be counted on one finger, as they are to...
by Jason181
Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:17 am
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: What's cheaper/more practical
Replies: 33
Views: 4570

Re: What's cheaper/more practical

DPete27 wrote:
Now you can upgrade to a Phenom x4 965 Black Edition for $80, HA!


Might as well upgrade to an ssd while you're at it!
GZIP: On