The PC (Personal Computer) is a highly configurable and upgradable gaming platform that, among home systems, sports the widest variety of control methods, largest library of games, and cutting edge graphics and sound capabilities.
@Yukoei: The HAF is quieter than the Antec; 20 decibels compared to about 30. But both of these ranges are fairly quiet and you shouldn't notice it during gaming and such.
@Yukoei: I can't speak on behalf of the HAF, but the Antec 1200 is an okay case. It isn't all that loud, but its like a christmas tree. It has blue LEDs all over the case (front fans x3) and the top fan. The LEDs can't be turned off at all so that's a bugger.
Also the case features 4 filters (3 front and 1 on clear panel side), the side one is easy to take out, but the front ones are next to impossible to take out. You have to take off both covers on the case (left and right) then undo 8 screws, and after that, carefully slide the HDD bay out (which is a REAL pain to do if you have an HDD in there) and only then can you take out the dust filter.
As for the sound, the case is mediocre at best. It features controls for 4 fans (speed controls) (the 3 front and the huge one on top), and at the highest setting, the thing is pretty loud. All these are the reasons I got rid of it after I got my new setup. (My previous setup still had the fans in place to cool the HDD, not that they needed cooling).
The HAF is no better when it comes to the filter issues. I generally just turn the machine off every couple of months and blow out the dust towards the side; take a minute or two.
@Diamond: Could you explain a bit more about that? I have a ACER 1080p monitor and was wondering where mine falls with that. I didn't really see that under the specifications when I ordered mine.
@Diamond: Could you explain a bit more about that? I have a ACER 1080p monitor and was wondering where mine falls with that. I didn't really see that under the specifications when I ordered mine.
First off, I noticed I made a mistake in my description, TN (twisted nematic) are the ones limited to 6 bits per pixel, not necessarily all TFTs are TFT-TNs.
Unfortunately, yes that is a TN panel. Meaning you have 6 bits of color values per pixel (RGB) and the monitor can only truthfully replicate about 262,000 colors as opposed to 16.7 million or more on other panels. The display will use different kinds of dithering to 'make up' for that. I hate how companies blatantly lie about the color gamut in tech specs these days...
Anyways, as far as LCD variables it varies greatly upon what you actually want. Doing a lot of work in Windows? A higher resolution display might be what you really want. Doing image work such as web editing or art? Then you absolutely should have greater color depth. Some people prefer contrast (don't bother with the numbers they give you on the tech specs again, it's 100% lies). For gaming you also want a good response time & minimal display latency (again, only lies will be found in 'tech specs', you have to do a lot of research to find out the real true values).
To me, 8 bits per pixel is absolutely vital for gaming because some games look like complete shit otherwise. I'd suspect some people can't perceive this, just like some people can't perceive higher resolutions (bad vision) and such. You kind of have to follow what looks good to you.
TN panels also have pretty bad viewing angles, I noticed each of my eyes would see two different levels of brightness when gaming on my previous TN panel and it drove me nuts.
Basically it's a complex situation but one well worth looking into IMO. It can make all the difference in the enjoyment of your entire computer / gaming / TV.
If you need any more specific advice I'll be glad to advise to the best of my ability.
@Diamond: Could you explain a bit more about that? I have a ACER 1080p monitor and was wondering where mine falls with that. I didn't really see that under the specifications when I ordered mine.
First off, I noticed I made a mistake in my description, TN (twisted nematic) are the ones limited to 6 bits per pixel, not necessarily all TFTs are TFT-TNs. Unfortunately, yes that is a TN panel. Meaning you have 6 bits of color values per pixel (RGB) and the monitor can only truthfully replicate about 262,000 colors as opposed to 16.7 million or more on other panels. The display will use different kinds of dithering to 'make up' for that. I hate how companies blatantly lie about the color gamut in tech specs these days... Anyways, as far as LCD variables it varies greatly upon what you actually want. Doing a lot of work in Windows? A higher resolution display might be what you really want. Doing image work such as web editing or art? Then you absolutely should have greater color depth. Some people prefer contrast (don't bother with the numbers they give you on the tech specs again, it's 100% lies). For gaming you also want a good response time & minimal display latency (again, only lies will be found in 'tech specs', you have to do a lot of research to find out the real true values). To me, 8 bits per pixel is absolutely vital for gaming because some games look like complete shit otherwise. I'd suspect some people can't perceive this, just like some people can't perceive higher resolutions (bad vision) and such. You kind of have to follow what looks good to you. TN panels also have pretty bad viewing angles, I noticed each of my eyes would see two different levels of brightness when gaming on my previous TN panel and it drove me nuts. Basically it's a complex situation but one well worth looking into IMO. It can make all the difference in the enjoyment of your entire computer / gaming / TV. If you need any more specific advice I'll be glad to advise to the best of my ability. "
What specs are you looking at to determine this? I'm not as experienced in the monitor/HDTV front so I would be glad to know this. Also, can you link to a monitor that does have the features you are talking about?
What specs are you looking at to determine this? I'm not as experienced in the monitor/HDTV front so I would be glad to know this. Also, can you link to a monitor that does have the features you are talking about?
Depends on what you're talking about. For input lag my only hope is to search tech forums like Hardforums or AVS for people that have taken photos of timers running on multiple displays (optimally compared to a CRT).
For color gamut and other similar build quality questions I research what technology the LCD uses for its pixels (TFT, IPS, PVA... and all their variants).
My own LCD monitor is a Dell 2209WA, it's a new type of monitor tech using 'e-IPS' which stands for economy, but in actuality it's better than most(all?) other IPS panels in that the input latency is very low. There were other options available to me but the 2209WA is pretty cheap and still delivers well on most of my demands.
What specs are you looking at to determine this? I'm not as experienced in the monitor/HDTV front so I would be glad to know this. Also, can you link to a monitor that does have the features you are talking about?
Depends on what you're talking about. For input lag my only hope is to search tech forums like Hardforums or AVS for people that have taken photos of timers running on multiple displays (optimally compared to a CRT). For color gamut and other similar build quality questions I research what technology the LCD uses for its pixels (TFT, IPS, PVA... and all their variants). My own LCD monitor is a Dell 2209WA, it's a new type of monitor tech using 'e-IPS' which stands for economy, but in actuality it's better than most(all?) other IPS panels in that the input latency is very low. There were other options available to me but the 2209WA is pretty cheap and still delivers well on most of my demands. "
But how did you determine that his monitor was a TN panel from the newegg page? And does your monitor support the full 24-bit color that you specified?
But how did you determine that his monitor was a TN panel from the newegg page? And does your monitor support the full 24-bit color that you specified?
Didn't say on newegg, I did a google search. Although I admit that's not 100% conclusive, but when every link states the same thing it's probably true. LCD manufacturers are rarely open about this tech. LG makes specific models of HDTVs of which some are far inferior TN and some are quality IPS. Hell the average consumer doesn't know about any of this stuff in the first place.
Yes, my monitor has full 8 bit per pixel (24-bit total) color, it was one of my main goals after my previous TFT-TN monitor.
But how did you determine that his monitor was a TN panel from the newegg page? And does your monitor support the full 24-bit color that you specified?
Didn't say on newegg, I did a google search. Although I admit that's not 100% conclusive, but when every link states the same thing it's probably true. LCD manufacturers are rarely open about this tech. LG makes specific models of HDTVs of which some are far inferior TN and some are quality IPS. Hell the average consumer doesn't know about any of this stuff in the first place. Yes, my monitor has full 8 bit per pixel (24-bit total) color, it was one of my main goals after my previous TFT-TN monitor. "
I have a related question, is IPS better than the LED monitors that Apple sells?
I have a related question, is IPS better than the LED monitors that Apple sells?
LED refers to the backlight, not the pixels (for the lack of a better term). I've heard a lot of positive things about LED backlights, but I often also hear that those monitors utilize more image processing which increases display lag (which is bad for gaming). I'm not sure if those LED backlights require more processing, but those two things seem to go together a lot.
" Looks nice, dunno about the rating, but just as a heads up, dell has a decent deal on the 5850 which would let you get in on some dx11. http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1799167 Good luck either way. "
Im not going to waste my money on an ATI card when Nvidia is coming out with theirs soon. Thanks anyway. "
well then, get the new nvidia card because pretty soon gtx 260 isn't gonna cut it..
i still say ati, because nvidia's gonna be way expensive.
" Looks nice, dunno about the rating, but just as a heads up, dell has a decent deal on the 5850 which would let you get in on some dx11. http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1799167 Good luck either way. "
Im not going to waste my money on an ATI card when Nvidia is coming out with theirs soon. Thanks anyway. "
well then, get the new nvidia card because pretty soon gtx 260 isn't gonna cut it.. i still say ati, because nvidia's gonna be way expensive. "
I am buying a GTX260 for now and when the fermi comes out I am upgrading to that.
I have a related question, is IPS better than the LED monitors that Apple sells?
LED refers to the backlight, not the pixels (for the lack of a better term). I've heard a lot of positive things about LED backlights, but I often also hear that those monitors utilize more image processing which increases display lag (which is bad for gaming). I'm not sure if those LED backlights require more processing, but those two things seem to go together a lot. My backlight is just the typical fluorescent. "
How does a monitor with IPS compare to a comparably sized HDTV?
LED backlighting just means more even spread of backlight, less bleed and less heat. Also, often smaller form factor. Otherwise TVs use Cold Cathode Ray or similar technologies for backlighting which often has bleed near corners as a main failing.
Although it's not necessary to have a 1080p display for gaming, the default pixel per inch and the larger display area is definitely a benefit for everyday use as well. I sometimes open 10+ tabs in Chrome or need to see pages side by side while writing documents, it's handy that my screen can accommodate it. 1080p video would also look better as well.
Unfortunately I don't think there's a 120hz IPS monitor yet. I've heard of some120hz IPS televisions but I'm not sure if they would be compatible with Nvidia 3D.
Im confused, what is all this crap going on about a 1080p computer screen, are they worse than a 1680x1050?
1080p = 1920x1080 resolution. That's all that means. I've been saying I think you should consider more than the resolution of your display in a decision of what display to get.
@Geno: Seems like some good sources, but I've actually heard people value the PVA for non interactive mediums (TV/movie viewing). I wasn't aware of a second e-IPS monitor out, I'm glad the tech is being adopted. Part of the reason I got the 2209WA over just any old IPS was the low latency (which makes it suitable for gaming). The LCD type article you linked mentions ghosting and latency on regular IPS monitors, but that's less of an issue with the e-IPS. Here's an interesting forum discussion on just this very topic. As far as it goes I just couldn't tell you if the Viewsonic also has such exceptional 'speed' for an IPS. On the subject of 1080p I'd definitely agree that 1080p video would look significantly better on such a display.
Personally I haven't paid much attention to 120Hz LCD tech as if you're not considering 3D application, the interpolation is mostly useless for gaming otherwise. Couldn't tell you if there's any 120Hz IPS panels.
Looks very nice dude. May i ask how much this is costing roughly? I was thinking about building my own PC as last year i got an Alienware PC and it was overpriced and broke down on me after about 7 months. I'm no expert in computers so i have no clue what happened. So I'm not really going to trust them anymore. I have to resort to using my dad's iMac for gaming and even then it's not the greatest...well it's better than my Laptop that i'm using now.
Did you order from a website or get the parts individually in a shop? Also is it fairly difficult to make your own PC?
" Looks very nice dude. May i ask how much this is costing roughly? I was thinking about building my own PC as last year i got an Alienware PC and it was overpriced and broke down on me after about 7 months. I'm no expert in computers so i have no clue what happened. So I'm not really going to trust them anymore. I have to resort to using my dad's iMac for gaming and even then it's not the greatest...well it's better than my Laptop that i'm using now. Did you order from a website or get the parts individually in a shop? Also is it fairly difficult to make your own PC? "
Well, I am in Australia so the price would be way different from yours but I am paying $3,000.
I got it from a website that also have a store here in Australia, I told them the parts and they are doing it all for me.
Also, with building a PC I have never made one before but it does take a lot of time and commitment from what I have heard.
3,000.00 Australian dollars equates to 2,775.00 USD, 1,915.00 EUR, 1,705.00 GBP
@Yukoei: And no, it doest take all that much skill to build a PC. If something doesn't fit, don't force it in, everything is pretty easy to do. Oh, and avoid static; that has a tenancy to kill components.
the place where i am getting it from say there are some compatibility issues with the HAF 932 and the UD7 has anyone heard of this? I want to make sure, he is saying something about the front USB and headphone jack what should i do?
Also which motherboard the UD5 or the EVGA X58 SLI classified?
Tbh, i'm not really sure. I don't have that case or mobo if your asking me for help from another thread, your going to have to find someone else who can answer that question.
I do want to make a comment though, since the fermi cards are going to be out in march, which I belive will not be delayed and stuff, maybe you should wait to buy those videocards instead, skip on the gt200 cards and invest the rest in a fermi card.
Tbh, i'm not really sure. I don't have that case or mobo if your asking me for help from another thread, your going to have to find someone else who can answer that question.
I do want to make a comment though, since the fermi cards are going to be out in march, which I belive will not be delayed and stuff, maybe you should wait to buy those videocards instead, skip on the gt200 cards and invest the rest in a fermi card.
"
Is it really going to matter if I get the GTX200 cards now and upgrade later? I have the money to do so.
And which is better the UD5 or the EVGA X58 SLI classified?
@Yukoei: It's your money, which you seem to have alot of. The upgrade is only two months away from the new cards, you can still use your old care for two months imo, however it's ultimately your decision. About those mobo's, I am not sure, I haven't built a new pc in a while and i'm out of the loop with mobos, you would have to see benchmarks and reviews, sorry. I haven't been in the market for a new case or mobo lately and you should ask geno since he is using a sli mobo and a newer built pc. From the pictures i've seen, I think the HAF 932 has better airflow from the side and is the case I would probally go with however it might be very loud that way and you would have to deal with alot of dust. I've seen the antec 1200, it's like the biggest pc case i've ever seen tbh and there are not that much room for side fans and not sure about the cable management because the psu is at the bottom of the case just like the antec 900.
" Okay guys, I think I fucked it all up. I got a Gigabyte UD5 instead of the EVGA, are they comparable or did I mess everything up? "
The UD5 has Dolby Home Theatre (5.1 realtime encoding for gamnes and stereo sound sources and passthrough for movies with Dolby 5.1 and DTS) over the EVGA X59 Classified board. This is a pretty important feature if you connect it a proper 5,1/7,1 Amplifier via coaxial or TOSLink (optical fibre) cabling. Gigabyte boards generally overclock very well, especially the high end models due their 24Phase power regulation set up and often win over other brands in that regard. The more power phases a motherboard has the better it can guarantee smooth, clean (fewer voltage spikes and drops) when being pushed to the limit by extensive overclocking and demanding games. Gigabyte boards often have more copper lead sandwiched between their layers and better quality solid ferrite choke capicators than the majority of their competitors. What that means to you is that your GA-X58-UD5 is built to last long and remain stable under stress. The UD5 can doe 16x\16x 2 Way SLI or 3 Way with 16x/16x/8x but I don't that as much of a problem personally because I would use 2 Way SLI @ 16x and use one of the other PCi-e slots for a GTS 250 for PhysX instead. 3 way and 4 way SLI often only make marginal difference over 2 Way and can sometimes be slower as your CPU has to manage two more cards (instead of just two in normal SLI) piping data between them.
There are three X58 Classified boards and only one model, E759, will do 16x/16x/16x for 3-way SLI because it has the Nvidia N200 chip which was previously only available on top end Nforce chipset motherboards. The E759 is also not the best overclocking board of the three.
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