Graphics / Video Cards

[Swampster]

Just thought I'd chime in and point out that ATI no longer actually exists as a graphics card making entity. They were consumed by AMD, basically meaning the cards you now see for sale by AMD are what would have been ATI cards..

[Trickle]

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02721790&cc=ad&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen#N35

 

Unless you are into video editing I'd sooner buy a dual core Intel i3 (or possibly AMDs A8) than the AMD six core. You probably cant overclock it in the HP machine, so that advantage the AMD has over the Intel i3 on a self build wont be of use here.

 

The 6570 is not a gaming card, but is more than powerful enough for blueray or H264 playback (though this years I3's built in graphics will make half a stab at that).

[Speed Demon]

have been looking at some of these, what do you think, does it really matter what core a computer has so long as the speed is high, like dual core v quad core at around the same speed

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-239-OK&groupid=43&catid=2038&subcat=

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-210-OK&groupid=43&catid=2040&subcat=

[Trickle]

does it really matter what core a computer has so long as the speed is high, like dual core v quad core at around the same speed

Depends what you are using it for. Anything single or dual threaded will run faster on the Intel i3. Whilst using a 100W lightbulbs worth less power.

 

Most games dont use more than 2.5 cores. Battlefield 3 is less processor dependent than Battlefield 2 was and there is next to no difference between one processor and the next on this latest game.

 

I've been getting more and more annoyed with how single core dependent Corel Studeo is when you are in its main editing screen. Sure it will use 6 cores when actually creating the video file [through will revert to one core if you ask it to convert to anything other than mp4! ] Most home user computing is like that. You just dont need the cores.

 

Actually I did see my AV software fully max out my quad recently when it was virus scanning my SSD OS drive. However it soon nose dives to low CPU usage when scanning mechanical discs. But this says more about how fast SSDs are than CPUs.

 

 

And after all that I'm now going to fully contradict myself and say the AMDx4 you have linked is better than the Intel Core2 [aka pentium 6xxx series]. That E6700 is basically an E5200, which is effectively a 45nm (uses less power and clocks a bit higher) E4400.

[Trickle]

Dam, back where we started with my OCUK link

Just been looking round.

The best option for a gaming machine they have is this: £470 I3 machine, and then adding your own graphics card.

 

So much for me recommending them for a 1 stop shop. Prices are insane too. Must be the hard drive shortage.

 

Scrap my suggestion. Go get a deal from a store and add a graphics card yourself.

[Speed Demon]

also, what are best to use between usb wireless adapters or wireless network cards, have heard that the usb adapters perform best but i could be wrong

[Trickle]

Dunno. Imho you really need your house wired and an gigabit router/switch these days if you intent to do much video file transfer imho. Or for backing up. Takes hours to back up 500+gig hard drives over wireless.

[walkerx]

taken from Amd Processors Explained Thread

 

i am wanting to use it mainly for internet and home office use along with intense DVD authoring and CD ripping

 

but gaming is not so important, so i guess the over clocking thing is a bit too extreme

 

Are you still wanting it for the above? If so the following still stands

 

same for gfx - no need for high end for what your doing standard gfx will do. u mainly need cpu, memory and hdd

 

If you want it for casual gaming then we need to really know what games you are into to determine how high spec a card you want as you may get away with entry level graphics card

 

And as Trickle states if you are moving large movie files around a network then get a gigabit router/switch and some sheilded Cat6/6A STP (Cat6a future proof to 10GB) ethernet cable - you can use UTP (unshielded) but it depends if you running near cables etc which can cause crosstalk

[Mikes10]

With respect to WIFI, if this is to be believed then

in 3 or 4 years we will be on 'Wireless Gigabit'

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15467740