Computer Talk

[ChaseSpace]

Thought I would move the conversation from the chat to here

This is the computer (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113045) I currently have.

I was looking at either upgrading it or buying a new one for a decent price. I will mainly be using it for everyday use and designing in Photoshop, Illustrator, and more than likely Dreamweaver and Flash as well.

Any ideas?

[Flycoon]

Looks a bit light on ram.

[Bolts_26]

Are you kidding me,We have the exact same computer.. :thumb:

[Avery86]

If you want to work in Flash or After Effects, that machine is lacking in RAM.

Also, you might want to look into getting a refurbed iMac or MacBook. Check Apple's website religiously.

[ChaseSpace]

Are you kidding me,We have the exact same computer.. :thumb:

Haha nice

[ChaseSpace]

I was thinking of possibly upgrading to a newer processor(AMD has some that are priced fairly) and dropping in more RAM but in the chat last night(can't remember who) said that on a 32-bit OS it will only recognize up to 4GB of RAM

[jdhebner]

Stay away from Windows Vista. My daughter runs programs like you plus some others for her architecture classes, and had nothing but problems until she upgraded to Windows 7--had to scrub the whole drive thank goodness she knows a computer person who could save her data. Our home computer, an HP, also has one or two of these problems, mostly data execution prevention messages--vista was stopping programs from running that we wanted to run.

[Sotnos]

I'd say go for Win7 & upgrade the RAM if you can still get RAM for that motherboard. Processor looks fine to me really, the lack of RAM is holding it back.

[the_narrow_way]

I was thinking of possibly upgrading to a newer processor(AMD has some that are priced fairly) and dropping in more RAM but in the chat last night(can't remember who) said that on a 32-bit OS it will only recognize up to 4GB of RAM
That's correct. You need a 64-bit OS to make use of more than 4 GB RAM.

[Hoek]

I'm not sure what motherboard is in that but AMD is very good about not changing the processor socket or requirements so you should be able to plunk in any new AMD CPU without a problem. Check out the Phenom II X4's and the X6's if you want to go to hexacore. Make sure to get one with L3 cache. I think there's a couple cheap ones out there that don't and thus don't have a huge boost over the Phenom I you have.

One thing that is odd is the 3GB of RAM. DDR2 usually works best with two similar sticks of RAM paired together. To get 3GB there's either three 1GB sticks or one 1GB and one 2GB, ruining the dual channel effect. Normally that isn't a huge deal performance wise, but who knows. If you feel like it you can swap it all out for a pair of 2GB (4GB total) or 4GB sticks (for 8GB total). If the latter, then you'd need Windows 7 64-bit.

Perhaps just the OS change to Win7 will help too. I have a laptop with Vista that isn't bad at all but I know a lot of people whose performance has increased with the upgrade for whatever reason. Certainly the RAM usage has lowered.

[ChaseSpace]

Installing a new OS will wipe the hard drive correct?

[Sotnos]

One thing that is odd is the 3GB of RAM. DDR2 usually works best with two similar sticks of RAM paired together. To get 3GB there's either three 1GB sticks or one 1GB and one 2GB, ruining the dual channel effect. Normally that isn't a huge deal performance wise, but who knows. If you feel like it you can swap it all out for a pair of 2GB (4GB total) or 4GB sticks (for 8GB total). If the latter, then you'd need Windows 7 64-bit.I was wondering about that also. 3GB is not ideal, at all.

Installing a new OS will wipe the hard drive correct?
No, though you should probably back up important stuff before you upgrade. Again though if you're not comfortable doing it, ask a friend for help. If you've got any friends who are computer gamers they've probably done this stuff before.

[Hoek]

Yeah OS upgrades won't wipe the hard drive. However, if you go from 32-bit to 64-bit it will wipe the OS so you may lose settings and have to reinstall programs, though it tries to port as many over as it can. It will tell you what it couldn't carry over in the upgrade.

[ChaseSpace]

So then it would be best to upgrade to win7 64-bit and drop in more RAM or go to win7 32-bit and go to 4GB of RAM?

[Hoek]

Well.. 8GB will last you longer if you don't want to do this all again any time soon. But it costs $120+ versus 4GB is only about $60..

[ChaseSpace]

The computer has 4 memory slots(currently it houses 2 1GB sticks and 2 512MB sticks, odd I know). I found a deal where I can get 4 4GB sticks for $200

Would upgrading the RAM mean you would have to upgrade the processor as well? Are all OS supported by out of date processors? I'm still new at this.

[ChaseSpace]

Also, would this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758) be a working OS? From the reviews I've read they say it works fine just Microsoft doesn't have to provide tech support.

[Hoek]

4 4GB sticks? As in 16GB? Is it DDR2? I wonder if the motherboard will recognize that much.

And no, RAM is only dependent on the motherboard. CPU is fine, and it will run a 64-bit OS as it's a 64-bit processor. If it was way older (or an Intel Atom) then you could only run the 32-bit version.

[ChaseSpace]

4 4GB sticks? As in 16GB? Is it DDR2? I wonder if the motherboard will recognize that much.

And no, RAM is only dependent on the motherboard. CPU is fine, and it will run a 64-bit OS as it's a 64-bit processor. If it was way older (or an Intel Atom) then you could only run the 32-bit version.

16GB DDR3. How would I determine if my motherboard can accompany(or even recognize) that much RAM?

[Sotnos]

16GB DDR3. How would I determine if my motherboard can accompany(or even recognize) that much RAM?
It should be in the specs either in the book you got with it or on the newegg page.

[ChaseSpace]

If this helps any this is the motherboard ("http://www.ascendtech.us/itemdesc.asp?ic=MB64GW4006254RB').

[ChaseSpace]

It should be in the specs either in the book you got with it or on the newegg page.

On the Cnet site it says a maximum of 4GB RAM but the machine doesn't ship in 64-bit, only 32-bit.

[Sotnos]

On the Cnet site it says a maximum of 4GB RAM but the machine doesn't ship in 64-bit, only 32-bit.
Hmmm, yeah I wonder if that's due to the OS that was available at the time or the motherboard itself. That's beyond my expertise!

[Hoek]

First of all DDR3 won't work in a DDR2 board, so scratch that.

The Phenom is a 64-bit processor so it will support Windows 7 64-bit. The only place where the motherboard would come into that equation is if it doesn't have driver support, but I'm fairly certain it does.

But yeah if the motherboard page doesn't say more than 4GB, then I'm not sure you can put more, and in that case, stick with 32-bit.

[ChaseSpace]

First of all DDR3 won't work in a DDR2 board, so scratch that.

The Phenom is a 64-bit processor so it will support Windows 7 64-bit. The only place where the motherboard would come into that equation is if it doesn't have driver support, but I'm fairly certain it does.

But yeah if the motherboard page doesn't say more than 4GB, then I'm not sure you can put more, and in that case, stick with 32-bit.

So upgrade to win7 32-bit and drop in 4GB worth of DDR2 RAM?

[Hoek]

Yeah probably the safest and cheapest thing to try.

[ChaseSpace]

Another question, what is a OEM processor?

[Sotnos]

Newegg has a good definition, it basically means no packaging or documentation, so it's cheaper.

What are the differences between the OEM and retail versions of a product?

Retail versions may come with additional accessories, retail packaging, bundled software and warranty coverage. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), White Box and Brown Box versions include the product and sometimes the drivers, but not much else. They are packaged generically and do not include software. OEM products are best-suited for system builders who don't require documentation or bundled accessories.

OEM software is delivered in a generic sleeve or container with little to no documentation or instructions. Because the serial number is exposed, OEM software cannot be refunded. Retail software comes with greater warranty coverage, all available retail packaging and accessories.

[ChaseSpace]

So pretty much it's just the software and you have to figure out how to use it yourself?

[Sotnos]

So pretty much it's just the software and you have to figure out how to use it yourself?
Yeah it's just the item itself in plain packaging. It's the same item as the "regular" version. Most of the stuff I've bought OEM, it's not a big deal (mice, etc.). Pretty sure one of my processors was OEM, as all you do is pop them in really. You can always find documentation & drivers online if they're needed. OEM is designed mostly for people who buy in bulk or build their own systems. Just read the warranty/return info carefully before you buy, as they say there OEM usually means no returns. Exchanges only.

[ChaseSpace]

If the motherboard is capable of up to 64-bit processing would it be better to install a 64-bit OS and still upgrade it to only 4GB of RAM or would it be the same as a 32-bit system with 4GB of RAM?

[Sotnos]

If the motherboard is capable of up to 64-bit processing would it be better to install a 64-bit OS and still upgrade it to only 4GB of RAM or would it be the same as a 32-bit system with 4GB of RAM?
RAM makes such a huge difference, if you're going to spend money to replace all your sticks (which you kinda have to as you have such an odd amount) you might as well shoot for higher than 4GB. You want to have the same amount in each slot.

[Hoek]

Everywhere I look says the motherboard only supports 4GB though. It seems to be a limitation of the chipset because other motherboards that have it are also limited to 4GB.

Another thing I'm reading is 32-bit Windows may support 4GB but it won't see all of it, so it's more like 3.5GB. Another reason to go 64-bit perhaps.

[ChaseSpace]

Newegg has both 32 and 64-bit OS as the same price(for all variations of Windows 7) so I may just go with 64-bit.

If the motherboard has 4 slots for DDR2 sticks do all 4 need to be filled or would going with 2 2GB sticks work fine as well?

[Hoek]

Yeah I think the 64-bit comes with 32-bit anyway..

Yes, 2 sticks of 2GB should be fine. Probably better, as there's less chance one of them will be bad.

[Flycoon]

If this machine is two years old, check out the cost of replacing the entire machine. Many things take a dump after that period of time and it may be more cost efficient in the long run to just replace it. Unless you are the type of guy who likes constantly fixing and upgrading.

[Hoek]

True. Whatever you do, price out the upgrades you're considering and compare it to a new box. Chances are the latter could be similar or just a tad more in cost (especially since the cost of the OS is subsidized). You can just move your hard drive to the new one and not lose anything. I would even consider moving the video card over if the one that's in the new computer isn't better.

[ChaseSpace]

The computer as a whole isn't bad just need it to be a tad bit faster. I'll stick with upgrading the OS and dropping in more ram and that may set me back about $150. If I replace anything alse I may upgrade to a high wattage power adapter as the one that is currently in it is 500W and from things I've read it has a habit of failing when the computer is doing high level rendering.

Graphics card is fine as well. If I install anything else besides RAM, OS, and power adapter it would be a new motherboard so I could drop in more RAM. If I do that I'll most likely drop in a new processor as well. I can get all of that on Newegg for around $450 I think

[Sotnos]

Sounds like a plan.

[Flycoon]

The computer as a whole isn't bad just need it to be a tad bit faster. I'll stick with upgrading the OS and dropping in more ram and that may set me back about $150. If I replace anything alse I may upgrade to a high wattage power adapter as the one that is currently in it is 500W and from things I've read it has a habit of failing when the computer is doing high level rendering.

Graphics card is fine as well. If I install anything else besides RAM, OS, and power adapter it would be a new motherboard so I could drop in more RAM. If I do that I'll most likely drop in a new processor as well. I can get all of that on Newegg for around $450 I think

For just a bit more you will have a new machine without the issues of upgrading yourself or the inevitable compatibility issues.

[ChaseSpace]

When comparing 2 different processors is the number of cores more important or is the max GHz more important? Like would a 4-core at 2.88GHz be better that a Duo-Core at 3.2GHz?

[Hoek]

It depends on the application. Some are designed to take advantage of more cores, so they help. Most only really see one of them, so then the speed is more important. Video games, video editors, and other intense stuff like that tend to be multicore aware but it depends on how new they are. Another benefit of multicore is programs that aren't multicore aware can be allocated to different cores so it will make multitasking better. I think a quad core will probably last longer as more programs will be made to take advantage of the added performance, but once you get to hexacore it's a bit overkill.

[ChaseSpace]

So 6-cores is more than enough?

[Hoek]

AMD mostly does hexacores just so they can keep up with Intel's quad cores. And Intel has a hexacore just to rape people's wallets.

[ChaseSpace]

So an AMD hexacore is equal to an intel quad while being cheaper?
Also, wouldn't the chipset on the motherboard determine what processors can be used? Like say for instance, right now I have an AMD processor would my computer nuke itself if I dropped in a Intel one?

[Hoek]

Yeah basically in benchmarks that's how it goes for AMD. They're just a tad behind at the moment but they are a better deal for the buck.

Intel and AMD chips have different pin layouts, so it wouldn't even drop in properly. It used to be way back in the day (Socket 7, which was in the 90s) that they were interchangeable but Intel took its ball and went home so now they're completely incompatible.

[ChaseSpace]

Thanks.

I was thinking of switching out my motherboard cuz mine is only limited to 4GB of RAM but if a processor can make up the difference then I won't or if I still need to and I would have to replace half of the system I would just buy a refurbished tower that's new and has more power to save money in the long run.

[ChaseSpace]

Do all/most computer internals work regardless of what motherboard they're plugged into(besides the processor)?

[the_narrow_way]

Most hardware that has a connection type that the motherboard supports will work. So, for example, if your motherboard has an SATA connector, then almost any hard drive with an SATA connector should work. Or if your 'board has a PCIX slot then almost any PCIX video card should work. Some hardware is a bit more particular, such as RAM. Plugging an odd mix of memory sticks into your 'board may have significant performance issues, if it even boots at all.

The key to determining what will work on your system all begins with the motherboard and its specifications. If you're going to custom-build a system, then that's where you start. Pick a 'board that fits your current and future needs, then build out from there. Each board's specs will clearly show what types of hardware can be connected to it, and where.

Frankly, putting together a system today is child's-play compared to how it used to be even 10-15 years ago. Cables are better-labeled, the root software that runs the boards is much better at detecting what hardware is connected, self-help and information is readily-available via the internet, etc.

BTW ChaseSpace, and sorry if I missed it, but what kinds of stuff do you do/want to do with your system? 4GB of RAM is plenty for most home users.

[ChaseSpace]

I am getting into designing(photoshop and illustrator) and right now 4GB is laggy at times(although the computer reads it at 3GB).

I was wondering if upgrading to a newer board that can support more RAM and plugging in everything else that's already in the tower would be better than buying a new PC.

[RSchmitz]

I am getting into designing(photoshop and illustrator) and right now 4GB is laggy at times(although the computer reads it at 3GB).

I was wondering if upgrading to a newer board that can support more RAM and plugging in everything else that's already in the tower would be better than buying a new PC.

If you don't have Windows 7 64 bit or Vista 64 bit your OS won't use more than 3.3 gigs of RAM. RAM means a lot for most of the CS programs.

[RSchmitz]

Do all/most computer internals work regardless of what motherboard they're plugged into(besides the processor)?

Things are constantly changing, but in the past 6 years:

The new motherboards only work with DDR3 memory, the DIMM slots are specifically designed so that you can't fit DDR2 into them even if you tried.

IDE is becoming outdated, most everything is being converted over to RAID. Most motherboards still have IDE drives but most only have one or two now.

Almost everything else is optional or just improvements that should be compatible with everything else. USB is USB whether it is 3.0 or not, etc.

[the_narrow_way]

I am getting into designing(photoshop and illustrator) and right now 4GB is laggy at times(although the computer reads it at 3GB).
Those are memory-hogs. Having 4+ GB RAM is definitely a good thing for those apps.

I was wondering if upgrading to a newer board that can support more RAM and plugging in everything else that's already in the tower would be better than buying a new PC.
Buying a new motherboard is basically like building a new computer anyway. Some of your old hardware will likely work, like hard drives, optical drives, mice, keyboards but you're almost guaranteed to need new RAM, a new processor, and possibly a bigger power supply.

[ChaseSpace]

Those are memory-hogs. Having 4+ GB RAM is definitely a good thing for those apps.


Buying a new motherboard is basically like building a new computer anyway. Some of your old hardware will likely work, like hard drives, optical drives, mice, keyboards but you're almost guaranteed to need new RAM, a new processor, and possibly a bigger power supply.

I was gonna get this combo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.618519) and drop in 16GB of RAM and then just plug in my pre-existing video card, power supply, hard drive, etc.

[the_narrow_way]

I was gonna get this combo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.618519) and drop in 16GB of RAM and then just plug in my pre-existing video card, power supply, hard drive, etc.
Nice 'board (MB). Do you have the model # of your existing MB? I can take a look and see if any of your old hardware is likely/not likely to work with the new MB. Also, what OS will you be using? You need a 64-bit OS in order to take advantage of more than 3GB RAM. You mentioned that your current rig only shows 3GB so I'm guessing it's not a 64-bit OS.

[ChaseSpace]

Nice 'board (MB). Do you have the model # of your existing MB? I can take a look and see if any of your old hardware is likely/not likely to work with the new MB. Also, what OS will you be using? You need a 64-bit OS in order to take advantage of more than 3GB RAM. You mentioned that your current rig only shows 3GB so I'm guessing it's not a 64-bit OS.

I was also gonna upgrade to Win7 64-bit. The board is a stock board. It's a ECS MCP61PM-GM. The graphics card is a Nvidia Geforce 8800 GT

[ChaseSpace]

Is there a website that shows all of the information pertaining to a board being compliant with another part?

[the_narrow_way]

Yeah, usually the MB manufacturer's site. I'll try to find some info for you tomorrow.

[Flycoon]

Take a trip over to usenet Chase. Boards there on every topic imaginable and populated by geeks the likes of which you don't run into on web bbs.

[kid A]

Take a trip over to usenet Chase. Boards there on every topic imaginable and populated by geeks the likes of which you don't run into on web bbs.

The first rule of usenet is ... you don't talk about usenet. :D

heh heh, sorry, old joke and I couldn't resist.

[the_narrow_way]

Usenet access has suffered greatly in N America, at least free access. Most ISP's do not offer access to anything other than their company help and news groups. It's sad.

[Hoek]

Binaries is where all the action is at.. :p

But for discussion you can get by with Google Groups. (http://groups.google.com/)

[Flycoon]

Eternal-september.org is a free access server to usenet. Been using it for a while now, google groups is clumsy. Roadrunner still includes usenet access, verizon does not.

Had some fun there in 2004 with Flyer fans and the Buccaneer group had hundreds of posts a day in those days. Completely unmoderated. Used to be many "special interest" groups with pics that would gag a goat.

[the_narrow_way]

Is there a website that shows all of the information pertaining to a board being compliant with another part?
This link seems to have a good run-down of your current MB specs.
http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/motherboards/socketam2/ecsMCP61PM-GM.shtml

And this one is for your video card.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_8800_gt_us.html

Is it a stock system, like one put together by Gateway or Dell? If so, that's normally the best place to go for detailed specs. You can look up your system by serial number.

Can you re-link the MB you're looking at buying? NewEgg doesn't offer the combo you linked anymore so I can't see the specs.

[ChaseSpace]

Can you re-link the MB you're looking at buying? NewEgg doesn't offer the combo you linked anymore so I can't see the specs.

Idk if I'm gonna end up getting that one, I'll most likely wait until I have the money and then buy the best combo they have available.

[ChaseSpace]

According to the link you just listed that has info about my motherboard it supports 8GB of RAM yet everywhere else I look says it supports only 4GB of RAM, could it be listed as only 4GB because it only ships with a 32-bit OS?

[ChaseSpace]

Would this processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849) work with the stock board? It has the same wattage as the stock processor. I'm still new at this stuff

[ChaseSpace]

According to the link you just listed that has info about my motherboard it supports 8GB of RAM yet everywhere else I look says it supports only 4GB of RAM, could it be listed as only 4GB because it only ships with a 32-bit OS?



Would this processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849) work with the stock board? It has the same wattage as the stock processor. I'm still new at this stuff

Anyone that can help me answer these questions? Wanting to make sure I understand everything before I make my purchase.

[Hoek]

According to the specs the_narrow_way linked it supports CPUs up to 89 watts. That one uses 125 watts. Another issue is it might need a BIOS update to recognize it anyway.

[the_narrow_way]

Your existing rig appears to be a mini (micro-ATX), rather than a standard (ATX) size system. Some add-on cards are made special to fit in the smaller case form. That might limit how much hardware you can bring forward into a new system.

[ChaseSpace]

Your existing rig appears to be a mini (micro-ATX), rather than a standard (ATX) size system. Some add-on cards are made special to fit in the smaller case form. That might limit how much hardware you can bring forward into a new system.

So it'd be best(in the long run) to get a newer board?

[Flycoon]

So it'd be best(in the long run) to get a newer board?

There is no long run with computers. Upgrading may end up costing you more than just buying a new system, not to mention the potential hours of aggravation and frustration making everything work, but it will educate you on how it works. Which way you go depends on what your objective is.

[Sotnos]

So it'd be best(in the long run) to get a newer board?
You might end up needing a new case then. Like I said before - you go to change out one thing & you end up changing 5 others. :p

How much are you looking to spend anyway?

[ChaseSpace]

You might end up needing a new case then. Like I said before - you go to change out one thing & you end up changing 5 others. :p

How much are you looking to spend anyway?

$700 or less if possible

[the_narrow_way]

You can get an entire new rig with wholly-'modern' hardware for under that easily. As said above, trying to upgrade a system these days often costs about as much as buying a totally new system.

[Sotnos]

You can get an entire new rig with wholly-'modern' hardware for under that easily. As said above, trying to upgrade a system these days often costs about as much as buying a totally new system.
Definitely. I'd only worry about keeping the things you were wanting to keep in the first place (video card, hard drive). If you're getting a new board & processor you're basically starting over anyway! :D

Again though, you should get someone experienced to help you build it.

[Hoek]

Yeah if you're looking at going up to $700 you probably won't do much better than a totally new prebuilt. Or you could just build from scratch to squeeze a bit more out of that investment (and learn something) instead of swapping this and that out, which will mostly be an exercise in frustration and result in a subpar configuration even if you get it right. It's far more likely to work if you just get all new stuff that's made to work together at the start, and then you can just toss in your old hard drive or whatever else which isn't as big of a compatibility issue.

I feel like we're just making your decisions harder with all this information though! :p

[ChaseSpace]

If I do get a new prebuilt system that runs win7 and I drop in my hard drive that runs vista would that lead to issues? How would that work?

[Hoek]

It should be fine as long as its set up as the secondary drive in the BIOS (which it should by default). It'll boot the Win7 hard drive first.. Then you can just delete Windows Vista off the old drive. The worst that'll happen is it'll boot Vista instead, which will probably work after it changes drivers to your new hardware, but you probably don't want it to waste time doing that!

[RSchmitz]

What Hoek said, format your old hard drive as soon as you get everything you need off of it. But you shouldn't have an issue between when you hook up the hdd and when you format as long as you aren't installing any drivers etc. :)

[the_narrow_way]

Yeah, I hope we're helping and not hindering ChaseSpace. There are almost limitless ways to work with computer hardware. :)

[ChaseSpace]

Can't remember if I asked, but if install a new motherboard in my computer will I need to change cases? Or all(or most) motherboards a universal size?

[Hoek]

The type of case you have should work with any ATX motherboard.

Ars Technica is a great tech site and they just starting doing a guide on how to build your own.

http://arstechnica.com/ask-ars/2011/04/how-to-build-your-own-computer-ask-ars-diy-series-part-i.ars

http://arstechnica.com/software/guides/2011/04/ask-ars-computer-building-diy-series-part-ii-software.ars

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/guides/2011/05/how-to-build-your-own-computer-ask-ars-diy-series-part-iiicases.ars

[ChaseSpace]

So I ended up getting this computer (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Essentio+Desktop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i7+Processor+/+8GB+Memory+/+1TB+Hard+Drive/2276971.p?id=1218317313107&skuId=2276971). Has worked great so far.

[Hoek]

Nice! I would move the graphics card from the old one into that if possible though.. Much better than the Intel integrated.

[ChaseSpace]

Nice! I would move the graphics card from the old one into that if possible though.. Much better than the Intel integrated.

I had geek squad move my hard drive into one of the empty spots and had them move the graphics card over as well. As soon as I have the funds I will most likely get a newer graphics card.

[ChaseSpace]

If anyone can let me know which video card is better it would be of great help

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127510&cm_re=msi_cyclone-_-14-127-510-_-Product

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127518

Looking to upgrade from my GeForce 8800GT and 2 people I know said 460 GTX's are a good route to go.

[Hoek]

According to the specs the Hawk is clocked a little bit higher, so it should be better.

You can google MSI 460 GTX Hawk vs Cyclone and see what other people have to say. Supposedly the Hawk has slightly better cooling, too. Definitely can't go wrong with the 460 GTX in general. :)

[Maverick9911]

Does anyone happen to know of any reputable sites for laptop LCD screens or even some part-specific pages which review said merchants? The LCD screen on my laptop tore (the external screen is still intact but the inner portion is broken...I wish I knew better how to explain) and since the shady agents at Best Buy won't touch it, I was looking around for replacement screens so that I could repair it myself.

I found a couple sellers online, particularly this one from Canada, but all the reviews seem to be battles between paid commentators for either side. I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent seller or two, online or otherwise. Thank you.

http://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Toshiba/SATELLITE~A355D-S6889/

[The Great Zo]

I had to replace a laptop screen last year, and did it myself. I just found a screen on ebay and made the purchase.

Obviously, you'll want to be very careful to order the right screen. I made the mistake of ordering a screen with the same serial number that was etched into the frame of mine. It turned out that was the wrong serial number, and through my communication with the company I ordered from, I learned that they sometimes use and re-use frames when making screens. So, be sure to look at the serial number that's actually on a sticker placed on the back of the screen.

Installation isn't that hard -- you'll want a good small-point phillips head screwdriver but that's about it.

[ChaseSpace]

I recently bought and HDMI cable to use as a hookup for my monitor, I finally got around to plugging it in this morning and I noticed the result immediately. It's amazing how clear the picture is.

If you're considering switching to an HDMI hookup I highly recommend it.

[Alex]

I recently bought and HDMI cable to use as a hookup for my monitor, I finally got around to plugging it in this morning and I noticed the result immediately. It's amazing how clear the picture is.

If you're considering switching to an HDMI hookup I highly recommend it.

Completely agreed. The HDMI recently crapped out on my Xbox and had to make the switch back to component... sadness...

[ChaseSpace]

Ordered a new video card(Gigabyte AMD 7950), finally came today and I noticed a change immediately. This thing is a beauty.