BleepingComputer.com: My New Pc

Hey guys, hows things? I've got a new user name at the moment, I used to go by the alias xtatik222k, but for some reason, that account stopped working and wouldn't post anywhere (frustration!) so I've made this new one. I'm saving at the moment, trying to get some money together to build me a new PC to be ready for the influx of DirectX 10 games. I guess I just want to get some info before I go out and make any purchases, so I've got a few questions. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to answer my noobish questions, plz don't laugh if I say something stupid!

1) Whats the deal with the new pci-e 6-pin power cables? Are they neccessary to run cards that support them?
2) In your opinion, is Crossfire worth the money? I am planning on buying the radeon 2900(s), or some variant, so would I be likely to run into a bottle neck if I used mid-range components alongside them?
3) How long do you think it will be intil a new line of processors is released by intel? I would hate to fork out $400 on a core 2 duo and two months down the track realise it's second-rate.
4) With Vista now out, and the way hardware is developing, do you think it would be necessary for me to have more than 2gig ram in a PC that I wanted to be a complete beast?

Thanks guys

jackfrench89, on May 19 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

It is more a trickle than an influx. The lack of proper DX10 drivers have really hampered the DX10 game development.

jackfrench89, on May 19 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

Yes. The PCIe slot can only supply about 72W of power. Most high-end cards nowadays use much more than that. Especially the new Radeon HD 2900XT which eats 215W of power.

jackfrench89, on May 19 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

Crossfire is not worth it. Due to horrible drivers something like a third of the games out at the moment won't work on 2900XT Crossfire. It'll be a few months before they sort it all out.

jackfrench89, on May 19 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

Intel has mostly low end Celerons and the like comping out in the next few months. Then next micro-architectural improvements will come with Penryn in Q1, 2008.

jackfrench89, on May 19 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

I am seriously considering adding two more gigabytes of RAM to my machine. Games like Supreme Commander can really use it.

Anything that you buy now stands the chance of becoming second-rate. That's the nature of the industry. I'd suggest saving until the games come out and then shop for the best deals.

I agree to what usasma has said.

Technology has never stopped since day 1. You will find yourself with stuff being second-rate few months down the road. This cycle will not have an end to it.

Yep, I bought a top of the line motherboard when Vista came out - now I find that it's not "Vista compatible"

OTOH - Vista's still running on it, even tho' it's not compatible!

Thanks for responses guys
I guess when I come closer to building my comp I'll post in this thread again to keep things clean. For the moment, I have another question...A top -end card like the 2900...How many amps (around about) will it chew on the 12v rail?

The 2900XT will eat about 18 amps.

i think questions 1 and 4 have been answered pretty thoroughly but i wanted to chip in on 2 and 3.

i would seriously consider going with something from nvidia's 8800 series instead of the 2900. i know drivers are still new for the 2900 series but all of the reviews i've read have not been very kind to those cards. they run hot, eat more power, and don't perform as well as the 8800GTS which is at nearly the same price point. i've been a huge ATi fan, but it seems like they've dropped the ball a little with their r600 cards. just something to keep in mind.

and as for intel, keep a close eye on their prices. apparently there is a price drop coming down the line in july that looks to be insanely good for consumers. i may have to get one of the Q6600s :-p

anyway, good luck with your build

Thanks for the adivce, man, very useful. Actually i was originally going to go for the 8800 GTX for my build. At the moment as it stands, I believe it's the fastest card on the market (correct me if I'm wrong) but I love the performance people are getting out of the 2900XT for its price. I wont be building for another few months, so I was hoping that driver issues would be sorted out by then.

Sorry for the double-post.
Would i be correct in assuming that to run an x2900xt, i would need one 6-pin connecter and one 8-pin? If so, would the power supply have to supply these connections directly, or can you get molex adapters?

The 2900XT is performance wise a little above the 8800GTS 640MB. Faster in some games and slower in some. You have to remember that you'll have to spend an extra $50 on the power supply just to power the 2900XT. You can make do with two 6 pin connectors. You only need the one to be an 8 pin if you are going to overclock it.

Oh, rightyo, I'm not really accustomed to such things, but I suppose it would be handy to have the option.
Also, I was planning on going with this case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811233012
Has anybody here used/seen one of these in action? From what I've read they are really sturdy, reliable cases, with good airflow too for those who don't really want to stray into the formidable realm of water cooling.

Another double post...(I think that's gonna happen a bit in this thread sorry)

I was looking around at power supplies, and seeing as I need two pci-e connectors, do you think this PSU would do the trick?
http://umart.net/au/product_info.php?cPath...ducts_id=105753

Looks good. Cooler Master makes good PSUs.

Has anyone here heard of/seen a Gigabyte Aurora 570 in use? I think it may be the case I'm thinking of getting but I'd like some advice from the pros on what its like.