The Computer Megathread

[Otis Da HousKat]

Correction.

Diodes are in the hardware but they aren't hardware. They're just another electronic part.

What the heck? Diodes are hardware. What do you think hardware even is?

[Ad Bot]

[Ethan]

With a chance of corrupting your hard drive on instant shutdown.

With an even bigger chance of melting your CPU if it doesn't shut down.
Also, most overheats are during gaming, with not a lot of HDD activity happening, so a low chance of corruption.

[Doomonkey]

Correction.

Diodes are in the hardware but they aren't hardware. They're just another electronic part.

Hardware: the physical components (as electronic and electrical devices) of a vehicle (as a spacecraft) or an apparatus (as a computer)

All physical parts of a computer that are also electronics are hardware, no matter how big or small. Your motherboard is hardware, and the capacitors on it are also hardware.

[SPooK]

pmub

[Cyanian]

I'm super excited for the release of IvyBridge which is speculated to be around late March.

This will be climaxic. I'm definitely upgrading.

Anyone looking to buy an i7-2600k? I'll probably sell with cooler for 200$.

[Jubel]

Ok, no more false posts about how I want stuff, because this summer, I'm getting it.
I was able to convince my dad to let me buy electronic stuff (because he's like against it) over the summer, by earning about $1,600, and using about 500 of it on the computer, and save the rest for a "car".

Currently, I'm at $300 from last year, so if I can bribe my way up, I can at least for out $700 to upgrade. Yes, upgrade, because I cannot afford to build a rockin' PC piece by piece, because I'll break it! And I don't have any OS cd's.

And i'm not faking this either like I've done a couple times, because I've realized how stuff my current card is now. SO.

Currently, my specs are:

i3 dual core, clocked at 3.1~ (without an overclock, becuase I don't know how)
AMD Radeon HD 5450
300w Power Supply
4 gigs of ram
and windows 7 home premium
motherboard, I don't know.
I'm also running 2 monitors, one is a 1920x1080, and the other is 1024x768

So, what I'm belly aching to do, is get rid of my stuff BF3 for my xbox, and replace it with a shiny PC version. What I want (if possible), is to be able to run on just below ultra, at a minimum of maybe 45~ FPS. What I'd love to at least have at a minimum, is to run it on at least medium at 50~. Resolution at 1600x900 if I can window it.

Now, I know details are scarce, but I dont' have much time after this post to tell you all the measurements and stuff, so I can include it all tomorrow later.

The only info I can get, is that the "Board Dimension" (whatever that means) is:
168mm(W) x 72.87mm(H) x 25mm(D)

So, after this post, I'll be asleep, but I'll include any information I can in future posts TOMORROW!

[Jubel]

One more thing i forgot to menion, is that the only info i can find on case size is that it is stuck on a prebuilt Gateway DX4840-01c

[Pepsidude]

How much money does building a desktop on your own save? If it saves a good deal of money I might look into the idea. Granted, my knowledge of the subject is small my dad could probably do it.

[KoopaScooper]

One more thing i forgot to menion, is that the only info i can find on case size is that it is stuck on a prebuilt Gateway DX4840-01c

You have a MicroATX case. You won't have great ventilation but just enough room for some of today's video cards and heatsinks.

How much money does building a desktop on your own save?

$100 or more depending on the parts

[Jubel]

You have a MicroATX case. You won't have great ventilation but just enough room for some of today's video cards and heatsinks.

Well, I don't strain my computer for hours on end by playing games, so I don't think it's a major issue.

[Pepsidude]

$100 or more depending on the parts

Good deal. I wouldn't do it unless I was sure that me or someone else could do it without breaking anything.

[Ethan]

Ok, no more false posts about how I want stuff, because this summer, I'm getting it.
I was able to convince my dad to let me buy electronic stuff (because he's like against it) over the summer, by earning about $1,600, and using about 500 of it on the computer, and save the rest for a "car".

Currently, I'm at $300 from last year, so if I can bribe my way up, I can at least for out $700 to upgrade. Yes, upgrade, because I cannot afford to build a rockin' PC piece by piece, because I'll break it! And I don't have any OS cd's.

And i'm not faking this either like I've done a couple times, because I've realized how stuff my current card is now. SO.

Currently, my specs are:

i3 dual core, clocked at 3.1~ (without an overclock, becuase I don't know how)
AMD Radeon HD 5450
300w Power Supply
4 gigs of ram
and windows 7 home premium
motherboard, I don't know.
I'm also running 2 monitors, one is a 1920x1080, and the other is 1024x768

So, what I'm belly aching to do, is get rid of my stuff BF3 for my xbox, and replace it with a shiny PC version. What I want (if possible), is to be able to run on just below ultra, at a minimum of maybe 45~ FPS. What I'd love to at least have at a minimum, is to run it on at least medium at 50~. Resolution at 1600x900 if I can window it.

Now, I know details are scarce, but I dont' have much time after this post to tell you all the measurements and stuff, so I can include it all tomorrow later.

The only info I can get, is that the "Board Dimension" (whatever that means) is:
168mm(W) x 72.87mm(H) x 25mm(D)

So, after this post, I'll be asleep, but I'll include any information I can in future posts TOMORROW!

Few things. To upgrade and not lose your Windows 7 activation, I believe you can upgrade everything apart from hard drive and motherboard. Every thing else can be swapped over correctly without fuss.
Also, what i3 is it exactly? I'm hoping it's a 1155 socket one (sandy bridge) so you can get a higher end SB chip. Great for gaming.
And, the case being small isn't just an issue, if you want a good gaming PC, Micro ATX is way too small. But don't worry, you can swap cases.

Good deal. I wouldn't do it unless I was sure that me or someone else could do it without breaking anything.

Even more some times. Like, some prebuilts are at least $300 to expensive, especially in the low-mid gaming range.

[SPooK]

I'm super excited for the release of IvyBridge which is speculated to be around late March.

This will be climaxic. I'm definitely upgrading.

Anyone looking to buy an i7-2600k? I'll probably sell with cooler for 200$.

I am excited too. At the end of March/early April I am going to build my first rig and it's going to be an Ivy Bridge/NVIDIA Kepler build :D

[Pepsidude]

Even more some times. Like, some prebuilts are at least $300 to expensive, especially in the low-mid gaming range.

Once I get all the parts I'd like for my computer I'll probably end up asking how much I could save.

Also when I try to get an idea of how hot my computer is by running speedfan it makes everything freeze and I have to do a hard-reset.

[Jubel]

Few things. To upgrade and not lose your Windows 7 activation, I believe you can upgrade everything apart from hard drive and motherboard. Every thing else can be swapped over correctly without fuss.
Would it ever be possible to pretty much copy-paste M7 onto a flash drive, and have it work? Or would it just be against policy terms/not work.

Also, what i3 is it exactly? I'm hoping it's a 1155 socket one (sandy bridge) so you can get a higher end SB chip. Great for gaming.
Basic info says 'Intel Core i3 540 @ 3.07GHz

And, the case being small isn't just an issue, if you want a good gaming PC, Micro ATX is way too small. But don't worry, you can swap cases.
As long as it's easy to put together without breaking things, and a bit of duct tape, I wouldn't mind doing this. I just don't think I could go over $100 with a case. I am not really looking for something fancy, just something that works.

Also, if you need me to take any measurements for your own reference, I would be ever glad to do so.