I really don't see what's to be excited about with hybrid crossfire. To play games at all well you need a card like a 4650, and enabling hybrid won't make any difference at all, as the graphics card you've chosen is ten times faster than the onboard. You may as well just have that graphics card and leave it at that. The very fact that the IGP is too slow to play games properly is why it's no use in Crossfire. ". and anything above 25 doesnt seem choppy, if you dont measure it, so it will be perfect for those kind of people" - haha, depends on the game. Crysis, maybe, but almost any other game you need at least 40, usually about 45. That fudzilla article is utter bull. No CPU runs at even 4.2Ghz stable on a remotely realistic voltage so far. I don't believe it for a minute.
which was why i said roumer. and infact bit tech quotes inquierer so thats another odd one. hexus are claiming to have seen plus 6GHz on LN2 which is more than i7 gets on ln2 and yeah, i meant crysis. motion blur helps
sammorris, "Those kind of people" account for roughly 90% of all the computers sold and aren't hard core gamers. No, it wouldn't be suitable for you, but to the people that buy the most machines, it means a lot. Also, game compatibility doesn't seem to be an issue as it has in the past with OGB. There are many games that won't play at all, with older OBG technology. The list of games tested in that article that do work is impressive! and with hybrid CrossFire using an inexpensive HD 4350, it's a reasonable alternative for a wide range of people that have been begging for better, higher quality graphics that allows them to play the latest games, for years. Before the 780G chipset with the HD 3200 graphics, this simply wasn't possible! You wouldn't be satisfied with it, but hundreds of thousands of people will be! And they don't have to spend a lot of money to do it. They can now have that small "Stereo component looking" PC that fits in with their entertainment center that runs cool and quiet, and plays all the new games as well! I for one, will be happy to get rid of the Tower, and have some more room on my destop for other things! The case I posted will be perfect for my uses! It's a perfect match for my needs, and with the 4850e or the 5050e in a 780G/HD3200 MB, it will run very cool and will all do the things I do with a computer now, faster and better than my present rig! All without having to OC! I like that! It will look real good with my Digital Audio control Center sitting right on top of it!
As I said, the performance of the HD3200 is better than any previous Onboard chipset, but that doesn't make hybrid crossfire any more useful.
I think the last line of the AMD Zone article says it all! "Overall we think the 780G speaks for it's self, integrated graphics you can play today's games on, excellent features, overclockability, power consumption, and price. It is still definitely a more mainstream solution but it's the highest-end of the mainstream and as we mentioned earlier seems like an obvious choice for an HTPC, second box, but more than likely should be a big boon for OEMs and if they make the right choice, finally bring capable integrated graphics to the masses". I think that the Hybrid CrossFire technology will be refined and improved over time, and you can't take away what all of this is going to do and mean, for 'Mainstream" computing, as the masses have finally gotten what they've been begging for, for years! Russ
Here's the entire listing from Newegg! http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=690&name=HTPC-Media-Center-Cases. I really like that Antec I posted as for my purposes, it's ideal! Russ
Your Welcome! I just discovered that the Antec only has one ODD bay, not two as I thought, so I've shifted my focus to something like this. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163043. I have all those nice silver drives and It should do the job nicely! Russ
Here's a full review of the GigaByte MA78GM-S2H motherboard from Ligit Reviews! http://www.legitreviews.com/article/676/1/ Enough goodies to keep anybody happy! Russ
Without even seeing the review, that's the very board I recommended my friend who was considering an upgrade. By the looks of things though he'll either simply stick a new CPU in his existing board, or be going with an Intel P31. Having seen those results, that is better performance than I expected for HD playback. Every IGP i've seen before has been like the 690G they tested, 100% CPU and juddery, the HD3200 has done well.
theonejrs..How do this Motherboard stack up against the original one the you recommended Its a few bucks more but is their any advantage BIOSTAR A780G M2+ SE AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138134
It has a few more features like e-Sata (note the 5 Sata ports on board) and firewire. 4 memory slots as well. I also like the heftier heatsink for the NB as it does get quite warm, considering it's the video chip as well! Will fit that Antec 40mm I posted so it should stay cool enough! I may even check and see if a 50mm will fit on it, but I'll probably get the 40mm as it's so quiet! Russ
Rick, I would say so! It also has an HDMI port, 4 rear USB ports and internal connections for another 8! It will accept the 4850e, but Gigabyte told me that the 5050e works as well, they just need to update the CPU list better. Russ
Here's what I've put together! A nice system for a Grand Total of $439.34 with a $30 MIR for the memory. Here's the grand plan! I'm going to sell my E6750 and get to see my desktop on the right side for the first time in years! LOL!! Russ
theonejrs, I thought you changed your mind on the Antec case due to only 1 ODD bay? Also, what did you have in mind for a cooler?