How's this computer?
09-27-2004, 12:26 AM
#12
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 575
Yes, but it's still using the CPU to compute the graphics ! You can add more RAM, which helps but it still doesn't solve it as even moderately graphics-intense applications really need a processor completely dedicated to graphics ...
[ September 27, 2004, 01:26 AM: Message edited by: Jmac ]
[ September 27, 2004, 01:26 AM: Message edited by: Jmac ]
09-27-2004, 06:17 PM
#14
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 575
Yeah, GeForce4 MX420 integrated ... AKA GeForce2 MX400 [img]tongue.gif[/img] And that's only on the nVidia nForce motherboards, which are designed by a graphics card designer ...
If you've ever been unlucky enough to use Intel's integrated graphics, you'd know what I'm talking about ...
[ September 27, 2004, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: Jmac ]
If you've ever been unlucky enough to use Intel's integrated graphics, you'd know what I'm talking about ...
[ September 27, 2004, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: Jmac ]
09-29-2004, 06:44 PM
#15
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 238
yes its got its own gpu, but it still runs thru the northbridge i think, as does everything else... and the integrated is equivilent to an mx440 ur right, which is right on par with a radeon 7500 for all you ati guys (like myself) and yeah, good luck running something like doom 3 at even 30 fps let alone 300!
one of the worst parts of all with package computers, is that the hardware is so lame, that you often cannot get all the drivers without installing the packaged windows with the extra 20 pieces of software that are resource hogs. and im talking about drivers for your modem, your sm bus (wtf is that?) and things like your agp driver(that sounds important..lol). not to mention alot of times with setups like this they default the drivers to install to identical IRQ's. imagine having your video card and sound card on the same IRQ, you wanna talk about your framerates dropping through the floor everytime you shoot your damn gun....
next comes that day you wanna upgrade... sweet, time to stop using the onboard garbage and install an agp card (if you get an agp slot with it) and when you go to play your games, your computer shuts off. OH thats riiiight, a 200w power supply - lame. so you have to upgrade the power supply right? NOPE! you have bought a packaged computer - all proprietary fitment, totally different size, totally not going to work.
seriously it all comes down to hardware that sucks, and software thats full of garbage that you have no choice but to bend over and take it or the heap you bought is useless....
i just dont understand how someone could go and invest such a large chunk of change into something they will use day-to-day, knowing full well that what they bought might turn out to be a big waste of money. buy components that are well known for quality, get it put together through a shop, and get a warranty that can compete with what you would get from a "brand computer".
oh and for warranty, it takes 9 business days(2 weeks minimum, depending on what day it goes out) to have your computer serviced, and thats after they send you the box and shipping labels that took a week to arrive. if you do it through a shop, ask them what their warranty procedures are, ill bet you they will just give you a new component, install it, and have you good to go in 2-3 days(at the most, unless they have to order something in), and they will worry about warranting the defective component themselves.
omg that was huge, but very worth reading.
like cmon guys do your homework, read reviews on products, check benchmarks for which components you want, and dont give into the convenience.
i know you guys shop around for your stereo needs, now its time to do the same with computer needs.
peace, im out.
one of the worst parts of all with package computers, is that the hardware is so lame, that you often cannot get all the drivers without installing the packaged windows with the extra 20 pieces of software that are resource hogs. and im talking about drivers for your modem, your sm bus (wtf is that?) and things like your agp driver(that sounds important..lol). not to mention alot of times with setups like this they default the drivers to install to identical IRQ's. imagine having your video card and sound card on the same IRQ, you wanna talk about your framerates dropping through the floor everytime you shoot your damn gun....
next comes that day you wanna upgrade... sweet, time to stop using the onboard garbage and install an agp card (if you get an agp slot with it) and when you go to play your games, your computer shuts off. OH thats riiiight, a 200w power supply - lame. so you have to upgrade the power supply right? NOPE! you have bought a packaged computer - all proprietary fitment, totally different size, totally not going to work.
seriously it all comes down to hardware that sucks, and software thats full of garbage that you have no choice but to bend over and take it or the heap you bought is useless....
i just dont understand how someone could go and invest such a large chunk of change into something they will use day-to-day, knowing full well that what they bought might turn out to be a big waste of money. buy components that are well known for quality, get it put together through a shop, and get a warranty that can compete with what you would get from a "brand computer".
oh and for warranty, it takes 9 business days(2 weeks minimum, depending on what day it goes out) to have your computer serviced, and thats after they send you the box and shipping labels that took a week to arrive. if you do it through a shop, ask them what their warranty procedures are, ill bet you they will just give you a new component, install it, and have you good to go in 2-3 days(at the most, unless they have to order something in), and they will worry about warranting the defective component themselves.
omg that was huge, but very worth reading.
like cmon guys do your homework, read reviews on products, check benchmarks for which components you want, and dont give into the convenience.
i know you guys shop around for your stereo needs, now its time to do the same with computer needs.
peace, im out.
09-29-2004, 11:06 PM
#16
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 609
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Agreed 100%
Most likely you can have a computer built at a local computer store for a decent price..
Go with a flexible MB (Abit/asus/supermicro)
And build the rest on top.. you can even go super cheap on components.. Check out this list (from a local store canadacomputers.com)
$129 ASUS P5P800 Intel 865 w/ Audio, LAN
$247 Intel P4-530 3.0GHz LGA775
$40 ATX Case equivelent to whats offered with 350/400w PS
$122 Maxtor 160GB HDD
$96 LG GSA-4120B (SL, DL) 12x4x / 8x4x DVD+/-RW
$106 512MB PC-3200 DDR400
$80 MSI GeForce FX5200-TD128 128MB DDR
$30 Labtec Pulse 420 2.1 (25 Watts RMS)
$15 Floppy Drive
$30 Keyboard/mouse
$138 Microsoft Windows XP Home Full OEM
$44 Microsoft Works Suite 2004 DVD OEM
$1077 Total..
And this system is fully upgradable.. and im betting its a third faster than any store boughten machine which is integrated everything..
Most likely you can have a computer built at a local computer store for a decent price..
Go with a flexible MB (Abit/asus/supermicro)
And build the rest on top.. you can even go super cheap on components.. Check out this list (from a local store canadacomputers.com)
$129 ASUS P5P800 Intel 865 w/ Audio, LAN
$247 Intel P4-530 3.0GHz LGA775
$40 ATX Case equivelent to whats offered with 350/400w PS
$122 Maxtor 160GB HDD
$96 LG GSA-4120B (SL, DL) 12x4x / 8x4x DVD+/-RW
$106 512MB PC-3200 DDR400
$80 MSI GeForce FX5200-TD128 128MB DDR
$30 Labtec Pulse 420 2.1 (25 Watts RMS)
$15 Floppy Drive
$30 Keyboard/mouse
$138 Microsoft Windows XP Home Full OEM
$44 Microsoft Works Suite 2004 DVD OEM
$1077 Total..
And this system is fully upgradable.. and im betting its a third faster than any store boughten machine which is integrated everything..
