Desktop Computers

mkopec

mkopec

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You will also want to move some of the folders from C drive to one of the storage ones, namely my documents, downloads, my music, and my pictures. This can be easily done just by finding them in your user directory right clicking on them, and then there will be a location tab up top. click that and then move it to your new storage drive after you cleaned it up and reformatted it.

Also you will want to do most of your non essential program installs (NOT drivers or windows stuff) on your platter drives as well. Especially if your SSD is 120gb or smaller. I usually make new directories in the storage drives like Games and Misc programs, and install all the shit there.
 
Void

Void

BAU BAU
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mkopec_sl said:
I usually make new directories in the storage drives like Games and Misc programs, and install all the shit there.
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I've gotten in the habit of just changing the "c" in C:\Program Files (x86)\ProgramName or whatever it happens to be to a "d". It makes it so I don't have to put any effort into installs, and if I ever need to go look for something or change some config files etc. it is a very simple process because it is always going to be that way.

Also, thanks for the reminder about Ninite joeboo. I had always been intending to use that whenever I got a new computer, and I totally forgot about it last night. Fortunately I haven't done much but get it running yet, so I can still easily utilize Ninite to its full glorious awesomeness.
 
Gaige

Gaige

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Anyone looking for a 780GTX this is a crazy good deal:

PNY GeForce GTX 780 Video Card - 3GB GDDR5, PCI-Express 3.0 (x16), Overclocked - VCGGTX7803XPB-OC at TigerDirect.com

$449 after MIR or you can get it with your Best Buy card for $479 (which is what I did):

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/geforce-...=buyingOptions

(Even though Best Buy shows the reference cooler it's actually the 3 fan cooler).

It's one of the fastest GTX 780s out and for that price it's a steal. I only wish I had two of them for my SLi setup but my other card is a eVGA SC card with the reference cooler. Ah well. I guess it doesn't matter since SLi cards run independent clock speeds now.
 
Mist

Mist

REEEEeyore
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Buying anything before the 870s and 880s come out seems pointless at this time. They sound like real game changers.
 
Gaige

Gaige

Legal Ephebophile
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They probably won't be out until Q4 though. TMSC is really struggling to get 20nm down. That is why the first Maxwell chip is 750Ti and it's on the 28nm process.

Also the refresh is usually better than the original. GTX480->GTX580, GTX680->GTX780, etc.

Just sell and upgrade, that's what I always do. Still getting a year out of 780GTX/SLi. I don't really have a choice though, newer games really need the horsepower with triple monitor setup.
 
Kirun

Kirun

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mkopec_sl said:
Wow, read much? Tests were done stock, chump.
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Apparently you don't...

Looks like both the MSI and EVGA cards come out ahead in 03 at stock, which you'll see throughout, as they both have higher rated base & boost clocks. Overclocked, the GTX 760 DCU II pulls ahead as it should.
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So, they weren't done "stock", chump. The MSI beats it in stock tests, hence the higher price.
 
meStevo

meStevo

I think your wife's a bigfoot gus.
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Woke up to this, my toddler found a sharpie and wanted to use the computer apparently. My head hurts.

rrr_img_61685.jpg
 
jooka

jooka

marco esquandolas
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Could try using a dry erase marker to go over it then wipe it away. Works on dry erase boards really well might work on the monitor without damaging it more
 
meStevo

meStevo

I think your wife's a bigfoot gus.
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Rubbing alcohol wins. Also, white vs white, my QNIX 30" makes my old Dell 2405FPW look like shit. Not as bad as this picture (the Dell has a flicker in my cell camera, the QNIX doesnt) but still, pretty bad. Now I want another QNIX more than ever
tongue.png


rrr_img_61688.jpg
 
S

Silence_sl

shitlord
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meStevo_sl said:
Rubbing alcohol wins. Also, white vs white, my QNIX 30" makes my old Dell 2405FPW look like shit. Not as bad as this picture (the Dell has a flicker in my cell camera, the QNIX doesnt) but still, pretty bad. Now I want another QNIX more than ever
tongue.png
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That would drive me insane. I've got a Dell 2312HM and 2412M that are perfectly calibrated (took some doing), and have the same whites. I had some old Samsung LCD's that used fluorescent tubes (like in your Dell), and the heat they put off turned the diffusers yellow in 2+ years. My Dells are connected to different PC's; the smaller one sits off to my left and deeper than my main screen. Any hint of uncalibrated colors would make Hulk smash.
 
S

Scaffa_sl

shitlord
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1
Years ago I had two of the 30" Apple displays and had a similar thing happen with white balance. Ended up just selling one.

Still using the other to this day. Fantastic screen.
 
Gravy

Gravy

Bronze Squire
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So, my laptop won't play the games I'd like to play, and is having a few other issues, so I'm going to try and convince the wife to upgrade.

I'd like to go back to a regular desktop, but I know exactly jack and shit about systems these days.

What are the minimum requirements (also recommended requirements) for playing games such as Skyrim? I'm probably not going to play any MMO types games any longer, but I like playing first person adventure games.

Which OS should I use?
Should I go stock or have one built?
Ebay or Best Buy or something else altogether?
Is it better to spend more on the video card or the sound card or both?

Please respond like you are talking to a 5-year old. I haven't built a computer in 20+ years.
 
mkopec

mkopec

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Shits pretty easy to put together today. Most parts just snap together like a good set of legos. The Mo-bo instructions are pretty thorough with pictures detailing every step you take. There is videos over at newegg that go through the whole process as well. I would suggest watching those to get an idea if you want to tackle something liek this.

I will always be a proponent to building your own. You get exactly what you want, and then you will have the skills to upgrade the shit if need be.

If you need a good starting point in which parts to get ask here. Plenty of folks which can help you out.
 
jeydax

jeydax

Death and Taxes
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Gravy_sl said:
So, my laptop won't play the games I'd like to play, and is having a few other issues, so I'm going to try and convince the wife to upgrade.

I'd like to go back to a regular desktop, but I know exactly jack and shit about systems these days.

What are the minimum requirements (also recommended requirements) for playing games such as Skyrim? I'm probably not going to play any MMO types games any longer, but I like playing first person adventure games.

Which OS should I use?
Should I go stock or have one built?
Ebay or Best Buy or something else altogether?
Is it better to spend more on the video card or the sound card or both?

Please respond like you are talking to a 5-year old. I haven't built a computer in 20+ years.
Click to expand...
Which OS should I use?Windows 8/8.1 - There is no question in this. If you dislike the "Metro" design, simply install Classic Start/Shell from Ninite and you have the ol' taskbar back.
Should I go stock or have one built?- Build one yourself brosef. There are hundreds of YouTube videos and it is a pretty straight forward process.
Ebay or Best Buy or something else altogether?NewEgg/Amazon in a lot of cases but Slick Deals has a lot of computer parts on sale all the time and usePick Parts, Build Your PC, Compare and Share - PCPartPickerto build a parts list and have us critique it.
Is it better to spend more on the video card or the sound card or both?This is my humble opinion but unless you are an audiophile there is no reason for a dedicated sound card. Almost all motherboards come with a good enough system built in. So the answer would definitely be spend more on the video card.

If you give us a budget to work with and what games you play and what resolution/settings you'd like to play them at we can pin down everything you need.
 
Gravy

Gravy

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Awesome, I've got a starting point. I'll work on getting a budget from the boss. She'd better be nice or she'll be eating cereal for dinner for a month.

The games I play? Oblivion, and hopefully soon Skyrim. I'm also extra geeky and like games like Grand Ages of Rome, Tropico, and crap like that.

As far as resolutions/settings go, I usually turn them to minimum settings so my computer will run a bit faster. In Oblivion, I kill the trees and grass, and it doesn't bother me 'immersion'-wise.

Thanks for the help!
 
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