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is 6 cores overkill for a first build?

HangTime said:
Bit concerned about some of the graphics cards being touted in this thread, given that he's a gamer and wants a system that'll last 3 years. 5770 won't cut it IMO, it needs to be a GTX460 at the very least, and if that means a slightly cheaper CPU, then so be it.
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in reality no graphics card will last 3 years a 5770 should last him for quite some time though and in 1 years time he can slap in another 5770 or buy something half decent to last him the next 1-2 years.

gfx cards become outdated so fast its not worth getting one for the next XXX years
 
Big.Wayne said:
Off Topic:

I also do not like people suggesting I work for a large corporation because I happen to recommend a lot of hardware made by that manufacturer! :(
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Big Wayne if that was a reference to my earlier comment, it was actually a compliment not a dig. You're a good advocate for AMD hardware on here, there are plenty of similar people in favour of Intel so that is not a bad thing ;)
 
Off Topic:

arknor, it's a subject that could have a dedicated thread to discuss the pro's and con's of different GPU solutions . . :)

I don't know if there is a One-Size-Fits-All solution to graphics . . . . some people may decide to splurge a huge amount and ride it out for a few years, others may prefere the CrossFire/SLI incremental route, others still may yet profess the best route is to buy and sell, buy and sell etc . . . All I know myself is that expensive GPU's tend to depreciate in value a lot quicker than most other components (most of the time anyway!) . . . I personally tend to always buy a last gen card used from OcUK MM . . . this is my £40 GPU which I use to game at 1920x1200 . . .

8800gtsgpuz03.gif


a Radeon HD 4850, Radeon HD 5770 would also do me fine but if I was to utterly loose the plot and set the Splurge-Gun to max I would probably buy this! . . . serious bit of kit for those than can justify owning such a beast! :D

XFX ATI Radeon HD 5830 1024MB

£159.99 inc
 
again thanks for all the intrest in my problem :) i currently have a samsung P2250 which runs in a 1920x1080 resolution, im considering picking up a second at some point although it probably won'd be for a few months.

Atm the only game i play is WoW but thats because i current use mac, if i had a stable windows machine i'd play multiple steam games as well as a lot of other games i've always really wanted but not been able to get because i'd have to pay outta my ass for them on mac or their not on 360
 
gareth170 said:
people should compare cpus stock for stock . overclocking is a bonus
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I'd normally agree, but there's such preposterous headroom on i7 it can't be ignored :D

I've always struggled clocking my older AMD chips, 10% at best before they hated me.
 


Gotta say Wayne, on paper that particular 5830 doesn't look good. It uses the 5770 reference layout and cooler, but a 5870/5850 core that's been capped.

This best 5830s if you ask me is the Powercolor PCS+ if you're not planning on overclocking, or the Sapphire if you are. The Powercolor comes pre-overclocked and has a lower voltage, and a 5870 cooler. So it's big and looks cool, it's already overclocked, and it runs very cool. The Sapphire has a higher voltage, so it can overclock further.

There is a lot of info built up now in the 5830 thread, well worth having a read if you want to purchase a 5830. Especially as they can all be bought for around £165 now.
 
Echo said:
I'd normally agree, but there's such preposterous headroom on i7 it can't be ignored :D
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Hey Echo,

don't think of it as "preposterous headroom" but instead think of it as "preposterously low stock speed" ;)

Price, stock speed and max stable Overclock speed are the main areas of interest for most people no? . . . that and what you actually do with your machine . . . not the machine itself! :D . . . . I've spent way too many years not being able to see the wood for the trees with PC hardware and now fifteen years later I've realised it's just a tool, no different to a hammer and some nails! :p

As my girlfriend often tells me . . . "It's not the size but what you do with it"

er, hold on! :o
 
The general concensus in the 5830 thread and from the reviews that I have read, is that that particular card is the best of the bunch overall. If you definately won't ever want to overclock though, the Powercolor is worth a look.
 
Echo said:
I'd normally agree, but there's such preposterous headroom on i7 it can't be ignored :D
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the reason why i said people should compare cpus stock for stock, is because not everybody overclocks

also nobody knows the max overclock of each chip has they all have different limits.
 
Willie Sawyer said:
This is UPGRADE only the amount of people i know that brought them thinking it was full install is quite high
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Sorry to bring up an old point :p

You should deffo check to see if your uni/school gives you access to MSDNAA. The engineering department at B'ham Uni is signed up for it so I get free copies of Win 7 Professional and all the other lovely things Microsoft has to offer :)
 
Big.Wayne said:
Hello =VTA=MANFACE

Do you think this is the best advice for the O.P! :p
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Just messing bout Big.Wayne.:D

I would say to the OP for what he needs AMD all the way !!

Big.Wayne, excellent advice you have given in this thread for the OP.

I hope to go back to my roots with AMD for gaming when they bring a killer CPU out, have very fond memories of them.
 
Ok, if we now assume that the OP can find an upgrade version of Windows 7, this is what I've come up with:

14th%20July.png


The i5 750 is about all you need when gaming, and just edges it over the 955. However, I chose this route because it allows SLI motherboards (they are available for AMD, but are rare).

The 1GB GTX460 outperforms the 5830 in I think every test at decent resolutions (1680x1050 and above) from what I remember, and two of them are getting close to a 5970, so would be an excellent drop-in upgrade further down the line.
 
Hey there OP. As usual with OCUK, Information overload! 90% of it based on blind bias opinion.

I'd personally go with an I5 750 and overclock it. For movies, Gaming and the Web. it will last you fine, And the overclocking potentional is fantastic. It's a cheap yet nice performing processor that will give you room for a nice HD capable graphics card too, So you'll beable to watch nice 1080p movies too aswell as a gaming.

Wierd...I said nice 3 times...
 
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The i5 750/GTX460 system that Marvin has produced looks to be about the best you're gonna get within your budget performance-wise.

An alternative would be the Phenom 955 with a new fancy 890FX motherboard such as the Crosshair IV, whilst not as fast as the i5 750 it would leave the door open for a 6 core CPU a year or so down the line, plus you'd have USB3/SATA6 for what it might be worth.
 
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