The Official PC building thread - 4th Edition

True, but 2560x1600 and 120Hz are both very elite sections of the market. Of all the people I know, very few are using 3D/120Hz - more in fact are using 2560x1600 than that.
It's my hope that we'll see a bit more unification once 4K takes off, as that will be a high enough resolution to satisfy almost the most discerning gamers/office users, but also be a common format with the same level of support that 1080p currently gets. Good progress is being made with 4K now, with the advent of products like the Sharp PN-K321 at a more 'reasonable' price of $5500:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaY39sLAdkQ

 

Please explain that in detail because the CPU has little to do with what frame rate that the GPU's put out, extremely little!, in fact they can operate on their own pretty much with little interaction from the CPU. The monitor is the true bottleneck in this scheme.

 

The frame rate of a game is limited every bit as much by the CPU as the GPU - it just depends how your system is balanced and how the game is balanced to determine what the bottleneck is. With properly specified gaming PCs, it's more common (but far from a certainty) that the GPU will be the bottleneck, but it can often be the CPU.

Take for example this game:




If you ran a 1920x1080 screen resolution, had an HD7970 but only a Phenom II X6 1100T, you'd be limited to a lower frame rate by the CPU, and upgrading the CPU would increase your frame rate.

 

Steve, logically, you'd think the GPU would be the only consideration while gaming. It is after all the Graphics Processor. But a lot of games are either coded for the CPU, or GPU. Perhaps coding for the GPU is more challenging? So coders cheat? I don't know. I assume GTA IV is a CPU whore, because it was wisest to code for the Cell processor, which is vastly superior to the Nvidia 7800 found onboard the PS3 motherboard. Please correct me if I'm wrong here Sam

I think the real taxation on a GPU comes in when using advanced settings like AA. Frankly, it ALL comes down to coding.

 

The Cell processor has numerous cores, but they're not that powerful by themselves. Given that GTA4 was on the 360 too, I doubt it's coded with one of the two consoles particularly in mind. Basically, think of it like this.

You have two jobs to do to create the next frame - the computational work (the AI's decisions, the physics of the game world objects, processing of gameplay mechanics like unit health, ammo usage and so on), and the graphical work (displaying the textures, applying the lighting effects and filters and outputting the final scene). These processes take place in parallel - one does not immediately follow the other (else, at low frame rates, the gameplay would be completely screwed - you'd see different things to what was actually happening in the game). It takes both processes to finish before the frame comes out, so if the GPU finishes first, it waits for the CPU to finish before starting the next frame - as the contents of that next frame will depend on what information the CPU has processed this frame. If the CPU finishes first, then it waits for the next GPU frame. Whichever part finishes last, there's your bottleneck.

 

Well put Sam! Thanks for that

 

I started to have some issues with my first build plus needed some advise from our friend Russ, I called him this morning as I do often and his roommate Russ answered, Russ informed me that our Russ had a bad seizures last night and was taken to the hospital, right now he is in a coma, his lungs are in very bad shape also as they have him on a breathing machine, and nobody knows how much if any damage was done to his brain because of the seizure and will not know till hopefully he wakes up.

We all have known for a while now any day can be a very serious day for Russ, his health is not the best, I am not a religious man but I am really pulling for him, I am not ready to loose my friend just yet.

 

Well on the lighter side Fred, I'm sure there's plenty of us here that can help you with your build issue. Sorry to hear about Russ, didn't realise you knew him that well IRL, needless to say all our thoughts are with him. I seem to remember him saying he had been given two years to live shortly after I first met him more than 7 years ago! Here's hoping he continues to beat the odds...

 

Oh Russ...

I hope you pull through this buddy My thoughts and hopes are with you!

 

Oh man, poor guy I'm pullin' for him. He's been a friend for many years now.

 

I hope and pray that Russ pulls through this.

 

That make more sense, laziness is the way of the world in programming these days.

 

My prayers and wishes go with Russ, he as been a great friend, and I only wish the best for him

God bless Rush,

Rich

 

After nearly 2 years of using this build I had to upgrade RAM because 6GB wasn't enough. Regular use+virtual exchange server+ virtual windows8+SETI@home =needed more RAM. Story is, at the time I thought I would go with performance and bought a tri-channel memory mobo. Problem is, a few years later it was hard finding a kit of 3 x4GB sticks of the same make and voltage to match the 3x2GB I already have. I couldn't even find 2+ 1 packaged separate. Had to go to through my third option of online retailers to get it. smiled when I turned it on and seen all 18GB total! Had to turn down the options on the shared computing because using 50% of resources went from 3 to 9GB and that seemed a little generous to be giving out freely.

 

Found this rather insightful comment over at slashdot:

Would be interested to know people's opinions on this.

 

I don't think AMD is in the tank or even that they are struggling so it means nothing and I don't see it as insightful either. Intel lives by a biased market that is why they continue to get away with high prices just as Apple does with their iCrap line.

Anyone, Fred!, here more about Russ and if he is OK or not? Hope he has come back around and is doing OK, hopefully!

 

I just turned on my PC and have to leave soon, did come by to do exactly what you asked about Steve, his roomie Russ said he is still out of it, they did try to withdrawal his breathing tube and his reaction was he fought them hard when they tried and in doing do his heart rate became erratic, that's the Russ I know hey get your damn hands off of me LOL, he does it in a unconscious state, when his roomie calls at him Russ, Russ, he seams to settle down, when they call him by Mister so and so he does not respond at all only to Russ he makes movements, other than that things are still the same and of course were all hoping for the best. Anything new I will always post. And I'm sure he would want me to say thanks for all the concerned posts, THANK YOU.

 

I have been keeping him in my thoughts and hope to talk to him again soon. Hang in there old pal

Sam, I think this is probably partially true. Intel has to avoid a monopoly, and create competition to keep the market from growing stale. I dunno if they're purposely propping AMD up with their pricing though. Intel have almost never been the cheaper option. For AMD to firmly occupy the budget niche of the market isn't exactly something new. They've done that even when they were producing the fastest processors money could buy.

I do have a sneaking suspicion though that AMD intends to withdraw from traditional desktop CPUs eventually. Whether or not that comes to pass is up to AMD. I, however, am not excited about the prospect of no more good AMD CPUs. I've been planning to hold off as long as possible until they release another noteworthy product, but that doesn't seem like it's happening any time soon.

AMD have always had a tight budget. And in the last several years they made several business screw ups as well so that adds to the problem. Compound everything with the relative failure of Phenom I and Bulldozer, and it's not hard to see they're having trouble.

Phenom II was a bright spot for sure. What great CPUs They need to do a "Phenom II" rebirth to Bulldozer/Piledriver. With that kind of improvement, they could be fantastic CPUs as well.

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On a separate note, I just got to have some quality time with a newer integrated sound solution hooked into my home speakers. VIA Envy HD on a Gigabyte 970A board. Really impressed. Honestly and truly astounded at the quality of sound. I could actually forgo the use of a soundcard if it was my only option.

I still cling to a few features of the X-Fi though. Namely unified bitrate and playback frequency settings for everything.The software is not bad at all for the Envy HD, but the Creative software is more powerful and slightly better designed.

The quality itself is also still slightly better on the X-Fi and seemingly as well on the Audigy SE I swapped in for comparison. The Envy HD lacks overall warmth but has enough power and quality that most issues can be corrected by some time with the EQ. I believe it's so limited due to the design of its software and the amount of control it gives you over your sound. I was able to get it to a very satisfactory level of clarity but it just lacked warmth and maybe power??? Maybe a matter of bass management? Something just wasn't quite up to the same standard as the Creative cards. Very good quality regardless.

Hardware:

X-Fi - 8.5/10
Audigy SE - 8/10
Envy HD - 7.5/10

Software:

Creative - 8/10
VIA - 6/10

It's sure hard to beat the power of the Creative console. I rely on it every single day.

 

You couldn't be more wrong and here is one example why.

AMD: Prospective Tablet Competition?

Even though they took a 15% hit in the forth quarter due to our economy, they still are looking to expand the processor market by entering into new markets. This is not a company looking to fold their bread & butter. Also Intel would LOVE to have a monopoly, all companies strive towards that wet dream.

 

I like the idea of AMD powering Apple software