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by Mischief Maker 03/05/2010, 6:46pm PST |
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After 3 1/2 years my laptop is borked. I did my routine yearly HD wipe and reinstall and after 3 seperate installs of XP, I can't get the USB ports to work. My dell warranty is expired and I have no idea how the fuck to install a replacement motherboard, if such an action is even possible. I suppose the silver lining is that all my files are freshly backed up.
Truth be told, there's a silver lining to all of this in that I finally have an excuse to build a proper desktop machine with a real video card instead of a Quadro that runs blazing fast some of the time, but completely chokes up if the slightest trace of particle effects, and a real sound card instead of an integrated SoundMax for which sound hiccups and small game freezes to load sound files are an everyday experience.
But it's been years since I built my last desktop. Are Nvidia and Soundblaster still the gold standard for video and soundcards, respectively? How do you judge the quality of a multi-core CPU? Have any LCD monitors reached CRT-levels of quality? Any suggestions?
I'm not looking to build a beast of a machine, just something that will run Dawn of War 1 at full details smoothly. |
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Well fuck. by Mischief Maker 03/05/2010, 6:46pm PST 
ATI is price/performance king right now by Entropy Stew 03/05/2010, 6:49pm PST
$500-1000 by Mischief Maker 03/05/2010, 9:13pm PST
Integrated sound is fine. Sound doesn't get any soundier. NT by Awaiting ES's video card response. 03/05/2010, 10:19pm PST
No it is not. by Mischief Maker 03/05/2010, 10:52pm PST
You should buy a soundblaster card then. That oughta clear up all your problems NT by Awaiting ES's video card response. 03/05/2010, 10:56pm PST
I haven't had problems with mine by Entropy Stew 03/06/2010, 4:18pm PST
never had hw/driver probs like MM, but lots of noise from HDD steppers and DVI NT by Ray of Light 03/06/2010, 4:45pm PST
VIDEO CARD RESPONSE by Entropy Stew 03/06/2010, 4:23pm PST
Do you intend to overclock or run everything stock? NT by Eurotrash 03/05/2010, 11:07pm PST
In any case, for a good semi-budget setup: by Eurotrash 03/06/2010, 12:13am PST
Start from here and work down by Ray of Light 03/06/2010, 1:15am PST
Re: Start from here and work down by Mr. Copy 03/06/2010, 1:23am PST
Ooh, it's like of those new iPods! by Jerry Whorebach 03/06/2010, 12:37pm PST
Holy shit, I have fallen behind the curve by Mischief Maker 03/07/2010, 9:56am PST
worse in some ways, better in others. They have a 3yr warranty (vs 5 for HDDs). by Ray of Light 03/07/2010, 11:08am PST
How did I miss SSDs? I just did an upgrade, didn't even think about hard drives by Rafiki 03/07/2010, 4:09pm PST
I'm pretty critical about case noisiness, the Antec Sonata cases are very quiet. by Fullofkittens 03/07/2010, 4:24pm PST
The 2nd derivative of historical SSD prices is negative. Just wait. by Ray of Light 03/07/2010, 8:14pm PST
right or 99 bucks for like 1TB now? NT by Worm 03/07/2010, 9:22pm PST
I bought this before Christmas: by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/06/2010, 1:29am PST
whaaaaa by Eurotrash 03/06/2010, 12:15pm PST
I am electing to reply to the weaker of your two posts by Ray of Light 03/06/2010, 2:47pm PST
Seconding the i5 and CM heat sink recommendations here by Entropy Stew 03/06/2010, 4:25pm PST
Thirded. by CattleHumper 03/07/2010, 8:07am PST
Re: Thirded. by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/07/2010, 12:44pm PST
Re: Thirded. by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/07/2010, 5:17pm PST
Re: I am electing to reply to the weaker of your two posts by Eurotrash 03/07/2010, 12:54pm PST
LET ME SHOW YOU MY STATS AND SPECS!!!!! by Motherhead 03/07/2010, 1:05pm PST
Okay I'm convinced, fuck AMD but stick with a Gucci PSU. NT by Eurotrash 03/07/2010, 2:12pm PST
You showed that fag! NT by amd4ever.com forums 03/07/2010, 3:15pm PST
Yeah I was merely being sarcastic, they don't even know HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH*snort* NT by Eurotrash 03/07/2010, 3:29pm PST
How much do you value your time? by Mysterious Stranger 03/07/2010, 1:18pm PST
Bayonetta isn't worth $1000, so yes do this NT by FABIO 03/07/2010, 1:52pm PST
$1000 to play an average port of a game designed to run on a $200 console? NT by I don't get PC gamers :( 03/07/2010, 4:17pm PST
http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n6/33_Bank_Street_writer.php NT by Can your console EVEN do that? 03/07/2010, 5:09pm PST
Psh, nice Jet Ski, let's see you drive that thing to the office every day! NT by Jerry Whorebach 03/07/2010, 7:07pm PST
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