My computer is dead and I have a dilemma.

[Stigmata]

Long story short: Computer died, I don't have a lot of money, and I'm stuck between spending all my money on computer upgrades, or spending most of my money on an Xbox 360.

I could upgrade, but it would be to a really shitty AM3 motherboard, a low-end Athlon II dualcore processor, low-end DDR3 RAM, and a cheap ass video card.

I could buy a 360, and save some money. Then again I would have to purchase games...

****. I don't know what I should do. I love TF2 and making music on my computer, but I don't want to be horribly broke.

Or I could just replace my AM2 motherboard. That wouldn't be so bad, right?

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

What died in your old compy? Any chance of just replacing a component on the cheap and carrying on?

 

[Warped]

My internet was down for a day and I hated it! couldn't get the last Steam deal yesterday but I did get the Mr Robot game today! now I have to patch the router which is the worst part usually

 

[Stigmata]

What died in your old compy? Any chance of just replacing a component on the cheap and carrying on?

The motherboard (or possibly the CPU, but they're kind of part-and-parcel). I suppose I could look for an AM2 or AM2+ board, that would let me keep my current CPU and upgrade later without having to buy a new AM3 board. But if I buy that, I won't be able to afford a 360 and its related purchases (i.e. Modern Warfare 2).

 

[VirusType2]

I could upgrade, but it would be to a really shitty AM3 motherboard, a low-end Athlon II dualcore processor, low-end DDR3 RAM, and a cheap ass video card.

In all honesty, I don't think there is any such thing as a shitty AM3 motherboard or low-end DDR3 RAM. Even if you got the worst one of each, you'd still end up with something extremely fast. I think you'll be surprised at the performance increase.

Dual core is still very good.

Your graphics card will still allow you to play games, and you can upgrade it later. AM3 is the best AMD has right now, so you can upgrade the processor later as well.

 

[Warped]

I'll upgrade my PC when Quad Cores are cheap and the Desktops come with 2TB drives

 

[Stigmata]

Okay, here's what I did.

I decided I like having a computer more than I like having a 360. Went out and bought an AM2+ motherboard that supports DDR2, for about $90, since my CPU still works. I also bought a Radeon HD5750 for $150, which I might not even open if I decide I don't need it. I still have enough to buy a CPU if mine is fried (in which case I upgrade all the way to AM3 and get new RAM), and if I can sell my DDR2 RAM and my x1900XT I can afford 4GB DDR3.

Dinnertime now, so I can't put it together quite yet. But hopefully it's up and running within the hour.

 

[Letters]

Lucky... I wish my computer would die so I'd have an excuse to build a new one. Three years old and this ****er is still going strong.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Sounds delicious.

 

[Stigmata]

Lucky... I wish my computer would die so I'd have an excuse to build a new one. Three years old and this ****er is still going strong.

Amen. Mine is 3.5 years old right now, and the only thing that has died is my motherboard. Could have kept going for five years easy

 

[VirusType2]

Dinnertime now, so I can't put it together quite yet. But hopefully it's up and running within the hour.

Don't wear fleece sweatshirts! Use rubber gloves if you have them - assuming you don't have an anti-static wrist strap ($3.50 USD @ newegg)

BTW, congrats and good luck, bro

 

[B_MAN]

fix the comp.
I have a good gaming rig and a 360 and I personally use and enjoy the PC more

 

[Stigmata]

Replaced the motherboard, and it turns on now!!!!!!

Unfortunately my friends are over and my 360 is hooked up to my PC's monitor. But at least I know it turns on, and it stays on. Now to probably reformat... after tobonganning.

 

[unozero]

I have a broken 7800GT that can be replaced by EVGA I would be willing to sell it to you for cheap.

 

[Saturos]

The motherboard (or possibly the CPU, but they're kind of part-and-parcel). I suppose I could look for an AM2 or AM2+ board, that would let me keep my current CPU and upgrade later without having to buy a new AM3 board. But if I buy that, I won't be able to afford a 360 and its related purchases (i.e. Modern Warfare 2).

Sounds like you should get a console if you want to play MW2.
Better to play it on average settings with decent fps than on low and still have nothing more than a slideshow.

Don't be a PC elitist fag. There's no shame in owning a console. Besides, who's gonna know besides us?
Or you could just have a little patience and save up for a completely new build. Your call.

EDIT> Oh shit, I'm late to the thread. Still no shame in owning a console.

 

[VirusType2]

ERERuahh, what?

You can play MW2 on high with a Celeron, dipshit.

 

[Saturos]

ERERuahh, what?

You can play MW2 on high with a Celeron, dipshit.

EDIT> Oh shit, I'm late to the thread. Still no shame in owning a console.

Don't get your sweatpants in a wad, I SAID I was late to the thread. My bad OP. My bad.

I didn't expect him to find a solution so fast so I kinda skimmed though, but yeah I guess he'll be OK with a Radeon HD5750. I never played around with ATI's stuff much though so I don't really know. I've always been an NVIDIA guy myself.

 

[Stigmata]

You called me a PC elitist when I was the only one who defended the 360 version of MW2 in that thread. lol.

Yeah I was going to ask about that. Is the HD5750 a good card for the price? I've read that while the 4xxx series beat Nvidia's comparable cards, they've lost their mainstream lead with the 5750 and 5770. This be true, yo? I haven't opened the box yet so :3

[edit] Oh god damn it. I can't find my product key.

 

[Saturos]

You called me a PC elitist when I was the only one who defended the 360 version of MW2 in that thread. lol.

Yeah I was going to ask about that. Is the HD5750 a good card for the price? I've read that while the 4xxx series beat Nvidia's comparable cards, they've lost their mainstream lead with the 5750 and 5770. This be true, yo? I haven't opened the box yet so :3

[edit] Oh god damn it. I can't find my product key.

No no, I said "don't be". I wasn't dissing you. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.

BTW, what's the NVIDIA equivalent to a Radeon HD5750 and how much VRAM is on it?

...and tbh, as much as I love LOVE the ol' keyboard and mouse, I can't stand playing laggy games on low quality, so I hope it works out for you.
Otherwise it'll be time to join the darkside and get the console version if you can't bear it such as I. Then again, I would never purchase MW2 for myself anyways so...

 

[Ennui]

PC > any console ever period.

It's not even a question IMO. In fact, my power supply just died (violently, and I have yet to determine if it took any other components out with it) and I'm using that as part of an excuse to upgrade my PC. I owned a 360 at one point but sold it after about a year and I don't miss it at all.

 

[Saturos]

PC > any console ever period.

It's not even a question IMO. In fact, my power supply just died (violently, and I have yet to determine if it took any other components out with it) and I'm using that as part of an excuse to upgrade my PC. I owned a 360 at one point but sold it after about a year and I don't miss it at all.

I'm saving up for a new build. I got an excellent deal on a brand new 360 from my aunt though (99$) so I can't complain. It'll do for me for the time being.

She's a compulsive buyer so she's always buying gadgets and other electronic do-hickeys, then sells them to me for cheap when she gets bored with them.

 

[Stigmata]

Crisis averted, I found a key that let me install. If I can't find my real product key by this time next month, I'm buying Win7.

Also. Ennui. Borderlands?

[edit] PC is up and running wooooooo time to install some drivers and then sleep.

[EDIT2] TF2 crashed and I had to restart my computer

 

[Kyorisu]

my power supply just died

Brand?

 

[Dinnesch]

Yeah I was going to ask about that. Is the HD5750 a good card for the price? I've read that while the 4xxx series beat Nvidia's comparable cards, they've lost their mainstream lead with the 5750 and 5770. This be true, yo? I haven't opened the box yet so :3

Performance-wise the 5750 and 5770 are just rebranded 4850's and 4870's. So if you don't need Eyefinity/DX11 go with the 4850

 

[Stigmata]

That's... not entirely what I was asking. lol. I know that the 48xx beats the 57xx per dollar, but all the stores around me seem to be discontinuing the 48xx series (aside from AGP models, and why even have those anymore?), and I don't know which DX10 card (from either company, I don't play favourites) would be better for the same price.

 

[Kyorisu]

You want a measure of real world performance so go find a benchmark comparing the cards you are interested in and check their performance with a game you are liekly to play. Simple. I'd say just get a 4890 unless you wanted to go into the 58x area.

 

[Stigmata]

I spent a bit more time looking at charts, and I got past Tom's Hardware's crazy overwhelming gaming chart dealy. Figured the 5750 isn't worth it, spent $30 more and got myself an HD4870 1GB. I can't wait to install this thing.

Thanks for the help bros :3

 

[Quixoticism]

Good choice! Imo the 4870 is the best card for the money in that price range right now. Better and cheaper than the 5770. (-dx11 but who cares right?)

 

[Stigmata]

Heh, I actually bought the 5750 first, but realised that the 48xx series is much better for the money.

Unfortunately it turns out that TF2 is extremely CPU limited, so it pretty much runs the same (although with HDR and 8xAA enabled). Are there any games I should get that would justify the purchase of this video card? I might return it otherwise.

 

[bam23]

TF2 runs perfectly fine with a 4850 at 1440 x 900. MW2 does also in fact. If you run at that res i highly recommend one. As long as we're in the PS3/360 generation of games then it will you do just fine for a while.

 

[Quixoticism]

What do you play? Default resolution? What was your last card?

A 4850 should be able to handle TF2 up to 1920 with some AA pretty easily if your cpu is up to par.

 

[Stigmata]

Athlon64 X2 2.4GHz. TF2 runs no better, and the only other game I have right now is Borderlands. In Toronto, I won't be able to play multiplayer. This is my new dilemma.

[edit] F*ck it I don't need this video card. Ran 3DMark06 and aside from a few points where nothing was happening, my performance was not much better than with my x1900XT. I'm waiting until the summer to upgrade.

 

[jverne]

my PC is 6 years old. and i'm quite happy with it. sure, i can't play modern games which is quite fortunate since they are trash anyway.

specs:

Athlon XP 2500+
1Gb RAM
Ati radeon 9800pro
160Hdd sata

for music, internet, movies...excellent.

 

[Ennui]

Brand?

stock 500w psu from the case (yeah no wonder it fried, right?)

i just ordered a rosewill 1000w psu because of a staggeringly good deal on newegg (100 bucks, original price 200) so i think power supply problems are a thing of the past for me... at least they had ****ing better be.

Stig: hell yes, I want to coop the shit out of it with you. Just give me a week or two to get my PSU (and maybe a week or two after that if I need a new mobo etc) and it's effing on.

 

[Stigmata]

Stig: hell yes, I want to coop the shit out of it with you. Just give me a week or two to get my PSU (and maybe a week or two after that if I need a new mobo etc) and it's effing on.

fffffffffffff I'm going back to Toronto for a month on Sunday.