• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.
    Register

General Computer Chat

Status
Not open for further replies.
AdvancedK47 said:
I'm tech savy... I just don't know why I don't post here often >__>

Anyways, here's a new face for you all.

I need some opinions of a computer I bought online: This one

I think it's pretty good, but I have a few questions:

1. Are there any disadvantages to using shared memory versus dedicated? (The video is Intel HD and all shared up to 1.5GB or so)
Dedicated video means that there is a different set of RAM used specifically for video processing, rather than sharing the main system RAM. Dedicated usually means better video performance, to put it simply.
2. How good exactly is the processor (I've never used Intel before XD)
The i3 is okay. It's really meant for semi-light tasks, like low-end gaming, web browsing, word processing, and stuff like that. It's basically the successor to the Core 2 Duo.
3. What the hell is Lightscribe?
lol
Lightscribe is some sort of thing that allows you to record images onto the top side of a Lightscribe compatible DVD.
Click to expand...
My responses are bolded. I never found much purpose in Lightscribe, since a DVD and a felt pen are typically good enough for me, but your mileage may vary.
 
1) Would it be worth it building your own computer or just paying a premium for a prebuilt one from, say, Dell?

If you can build your own machine, you know all of the contents of the machine and can get exactly what you need for the job. This allows you to use good bang-for-buck parts and warranty the parts individually, rather than send the whole machine to Dell (who are known for horrible consumer warranty). It also means that you don't have extra "features" that you don't need, the ability to upgrade and replace parts more easily in the future (OEMs use proprietary parts which do not play nice with components they weren't made for) and you have a clean install of Windows, without Dell/HP/Acer's bloated software and Norton/McAfee trials leaving traces.

Especially with Windows 7, drivers are found automatically, which was one of the major benefits of OEM machines during the XP era, as they were kept in the one place (although rarely updated - double sword), but anyone who wants to use XP now is just wrong. It's not their choice, they're wrong if they want XP on a new machine. :D

2) How long would it take to construct the actual machine, given that you have all of the parts (not counting installing the OS(es) and applications)?

It depends on exactly how much practise one has. I put a computer together from boxes to on a desk installing Windows in 15-25mins. Installing Windows, drivers (if the need be. You should install the chipset drivers of the motherboard CD and graphics drivers off the website of it's dedicated.) and programs takes the longest, although there's a program called Ninite that can do an automated install on a large range of common programs. You're going to have to sort out Office on your own, though.

In other words, built in under 30 mins, good to go in under 1h30.

AdvancedK47 said:
I'm tech savy... I just don't know why I don't post here often >__>

Anyways, here's a new face for you all.

I need some opinions of a computer I bought online: This one

I think it's pretty good, but I have a few questions:

1. Are there any disadvantages to using shared memory versus dedicated? (The video is Intel HD and all shared up to 1.5GB or so)
2. How good exactly is the processor (I've never used Intel before XD)
3. What the hell is Lightscribe?
Click to expand...
1. Yes, dedicated offers MUCH better performance. Intel Graphics are the most basic there is, sorry. They're good for playing movies and 2D Games.
2. The i3 is actually quite snappy. They're mid-range simply because the i5s and i7s are better. At 2.26 GHz, it will perform about the same as a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, but it has Hyperthreading, which can speed up some sort of multitasking/multithreaded apps.
3. Lightscribe essentially lasers a specified image onto the top of a compatible CD or DVD. It's monochrome and a pretty cool gimmick.

If you're intending to do any graphical work or gaming in the future, I'd be returning that and getting something with a better GPU. The higher models of that HP series have an ATI 5650m, which is awesome, but even the 5450m is faaar better than the Intel graphics.

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news.
 
Last edited:
Well I don't plan to play 3D games. But as long as it can run something from Autodesk without setting it on fire I'd probably not mind.

I don't even think I'll be using the Autodesk software too much anyways, but I'll still have it installed, taking advantage that the disk space is a lot for me anyways. The bus rides home get boring so I think it'll be useful anyways.

Also, I'm no good with weight. I'm used to carrying about 2 textbooks and 4 binders worth of weight in my backback, so would I be able to take the 5.5 pounds it weights?
 
Team Fail said:
I got this from a specs checker. Very accurate. Very long, too. I'd recommend closing the spoiler after reading it.

It is a HP Pavilion Media Center Edition PC with XP as the original OS installed.
Click to expand...
Bloooooooooody hell. Okay, so it's an Athlon 64 X2 @ 2.5GHz, with 2GB ram. Hang on, XP? Why where we talking about ReadyBoost?

AK47, the thing with a laptop is that it's much closer to your back, so the weight is much better supported. Get a slip case and chuck it in a backpack.

Autodesk doesn't have high specs from memory, but big 3D objects in Inventor and the like could put on some strain.

EDIT: lol, my reply put this post over the limit.
 
Team Fail said:
That was the original OS before my Upgrade to Vista Home Premium. So, it's running Vista.
Click to expand...
Right. I don't really see the point, then 2GB is more than enough memory. From what I understand, it makes a swap/page file on the flash drive so the main HDD is not being thrashed by paging when it wants to access other stuff. If you notice the HDD light flashing like hell when you're idling, then I'd consider it. Otherwise... eh.
 
Ok, so how about I get a few responses on overclocking?

My main computer has an AMD Phenom II X3. It runs at 2.8GHz. Using the AMD Overdrive software I sorta pushed it to 3.0GHz, but I dunno if I can push it even more. Would it be possible to go to 3.2 or even 3.5 without setting the computer on fire... as in, I don't want to have to use those fancy internal buckets of hellfire dry ice or something I hear hardcore people use. Just with fans at maximum settings.

Also, what is a normal temperature for the cores to be at?
 
I just fond this page and I would like to respond to things I see on the last page.

Starting with the PCIe card. All PCIe 2.0 cards are supposed to be backwards compatible.

Archer said:
From what I understand, it makes a swap/page file on the flash drive so the main HDD is not being thrashed by paging when it wants to access other stuff. If you notice the HDD light flashing like hell when you're idling, then I'd consider it. Otherwise... eh.
Click to expand...

ReadyBoost takes the SuperFetch cache out of ram and puts it on a flash drive to free up RAM. SuperFetch caches your most used applications into memory to save load times. It does not use the flash drive as RAM, as USB transfer speed is WAY too slow.

@Teamfail. Give the SuperFetch time to decide what its going to cache and you will notice a decent difference on a computer with less than 2GB. everything else will be a slight but not very noticeable difference.
AdvancedK47 said:
Also, what is a normal temperature for the cores to be at?
Click to expand...

I've never over clocked a processors but I can tell you that in an ideal world you computer temp would be right around 100F or 38C, however I wouldn't freak out unless its constantly over 50C and the absolute maximum temperature for most Intel chips is 100C (When my laptop reaches that temperature it just powers off. (Faulty BIOS would cut fan power and laptop would just overhead, but its fixed now.)
 
Well, I just realized that if I'm going to build this new gaming PC, I need a good gaming headset to use with it. Any suggestions?
 
Turtle Beaches x11: They are meant for the Xbox however they have regular plugins (2.5mm mic and speakers) and will work with you computer. The sound quality is amazing however they don't push a lot of bass in music but explosions still sound pretty good.
 
So my mum ordered my 5770.

:D

I got an e-mail from Newegg cause she used my account. :P
 
Oh man, I can't wait until after christmas, then I will buy my own 5770. (expecting some gift cards to help with that.)
I have no idea what I'm getting, outside of what I'm putting under the tree for myself XD. i think most of that is due to the fact that the tree is at my parents' house and we don't arrive until around the 22nd.
 
My mom's bad at keeping secrets, so I know I got Orange Box from my grandmother. A perfect combination, in my opinion.

I want a monitor too! :D Probably with extra Christmas money.
 
A monitor's been on my Christmas list for a couple years now, but I haven't gotten one, and I just don't need one enough to buy it myself. Didn't even put it on my list this year. :/
 
AdvancedK47 said:
Ok, so how about I get a few responses on overclocking?

My main computer has an AMD Phenom II X3. It runs at 2.8GHz. Using the AMD Overdrive software I sorta pushed it to 3.0GHz, but I dunno if I can push it even more. Would it be possible to go to 3.2 or even 3.5 without setting the computer on fire... as in, I don't want to have to use those fancy internal buckets of hellfire dry ice or something I hear hardcore people use. Just with fans at maximum settings.

Also, what is a normal temperature for the cores to be at?
Click to expand...
20-40 C idle, 50 C at load. If it gets above 60 C, it's too hot.

Buoysel said:
I just fond this page and I would like to respond to things I see on the last page.

Starting with the PCIe card. All PCIe 2.0 cards are supposed to be backwards compatible.



ReadyBoost takes the SuperFetch cache out of ram and puts it on a flash drive to free up RAM. SuperFetch caches your most used applications into memory to save load times. It does not use the flash drive as RAM, as USB transfer speed is WAY too slow.

@Teamfail. Give the SuperFetch time to decide what its going to cache and you will notice a decent difference on a computer with less than 2GB. everything else will be a slight but not very noticeable difference.


I've never over clocked a processors but I can tell you that in an ideal world you computer temp would be right around 100F or 38C, however I wouldn't freak out unless its constantly over 50C and the absolute maximum temperature for most Intel chips is 100C (When my laptop reaches that temperature it just powers off. (Faulty BIOS would cut fan power and laptop would just overhead, but its fixed now.)
Click to expand...
I personally set 70C as the max in the BIOS. The CPU should never get that hot, and it should not consistently be over 60C.

As for Christmas, I'll be getting a few clothing items I requested and maybe a little money (probably around $75 or $100). My direct family is poor except for my maternal aunt and she generally sends me about $50 on Christmas, the other $50 comes from my dad and my brother (my mom's in an assisted living center due to her medical condition). digi also said he might get me a game, but that's tentative. I'll try and buy him something back if he does, but I'll probably end up getting him something under $5 because that $100 is probably the most money I'll get until my birthday next September aside from a job if I can find one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top