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New pc specs, need advice?
September 3, 2011 at 9:35 pm
I just bought this, and I'd like to know what I should improve upon, if anything.
Video card (gpu)
ATI Radeon hd 5400
2GB video memory
DX9, DX10, DX11 support
Processor (cpu)
AMD Phenom II Quad Core 3.4Ghz rated at 7.2Ghz
HDD
1 Terabyte SATA II Hard Disk Drive
RAM
4.00 GB
Operating System
Windows 7 64-bit
(I've heard 64-bit is a big drain on resources, is there any way to ease that burden?)
Power Supply
500W
For some reason, my Windows experience index is only rating this at 2.1 out of 8!? What's wrong?
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 3, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Well you could improve on the RAM, all I care about is how fast my stuff loads up. Go to amazon, look up your computer and see the reviews.
Religion is like a Penis, you shouldn't whip it out in public and you shouldn't shove it down your child's throat.
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 3, 2011 at 11:26 pm
I heard 64 bit windows 7 requires a minimum of 4GB, so it would be smart to upgrade to 8GB. I think I'll do that as soon as possible.
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 3, 2011 at 11:39 pm
My system specs are:
Model: HPE-400y
Rating: 5.0
Processor: AMD Phenom™ II X4 945 Processor 3.00GHz
Installed memory (RAM) 8.00GB
System Type: 64-bit Operating System
Religion is like a Penis, you shouldn't whip it out in public and you shouldn't shove it down your child's throat.
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 12:43 am
(This post was last modified: September 4, 2011 at 12:46 am by Jaysyn.)
(September 3, 2011 at 9:35 pm)R-e-n-n-a-t Wrote: I just bought this, and I'd like to know what I should improve upon, if anything.
No SSD, no ReadyBoost, only 4 GB of RAM & you are only running a single video card, for starters. Did you skimp on the power supply? How many amps on the 12v rail?
Regardless of what the experience is rated at, that should be a very nice PC when you get 8GB of ram in it. It's similar to my workstation at work with the exception of the processor manufacturer & mine runs great for my CAD & GIS apps.
"How is it that a lame man does not annoy us while a lame mind does? Because a lame man recognizes that we are walking straight, while a lame mind says that it is we who are limping." - Pascal
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 1:22 am
(This post was last modified: September 4, 2011 at 1:26 am by R-e-n-n-a-t.)
1)What's SSD or ReadyBoost?
2)Also, since it's not nVidia, do you think crossfire would work? I think the motherboard and cpu are crossfire-ready...
3)Also, I didn't build this, so I don't know much at all about the power supply. In fact, that might kill crossfire pretty quickly.
4)I was originally looking at an EVGA geforce 2GB DDR5 for a graphics card, but I think RAM will have to come first since it's much cheaper and I just spent all my money.
EDIT: my cpu is an AMD Phenom II X4 995. Just thought I'd be more specific about the model.
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 1:33 am
My gods: get more RAM.
What's wrong: your RAM. Get more.
And screw ratings. They are there to get you to buy more shit... stuff that you don't need.
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 1:34 am
(This post was last modified: September 4, 2011 at 1:35 am by R-e-n-n-a-t.)
SSDs make me nervous since they'll wear out eventually, but Readyboost sounds like something useful. Will something as small as 8GB be worth the time, or should I get a much larger flash drive?
(September 4, 2011 at 1:33 am)Aerzia Saerules Arktuos Wrote: My gods: get more RAM.
What's wrong: your RAM. Get more.
And screw ratings. They are there to get you to buy more shit... stuff that you don't need.
Okay, RAM. Thx.
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 1:37 am
Everything wears out eventually... there are pros and cons to SSD, some people prefer the traditional spinner. I prefer not having a computer that sounds like an industrial grade-vacuum.
And I don't need a lot of space... it is more expensive for the same amount of space. 
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
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RE: New pc specs, need advice?
September 4, 2011 at 7:57 am
Get 2GB more RAM. 4GB is just fine, don't listen to anyone who says you need more (unless you're doing some serious photo or video editing).
What graphics card do you actually have? I can only find 5470, 5450 and 5430. I suppose your system just says "Radeon 5400 series"? Anyway, it can't have 2GB of VRAM from judging the price and the other specs of those cards.
Your CPU is decent, although if you want more power, Intel i5 is the way to go. The 2500k is the best CPU for gaming out there. It is actually the same as the i7 2600k except that the 2600k is better in video editing. You do need to buy a new motherboard for that CPU, though.
A 64-bit OS doesn't "drain" any more system resources than a 32-bit system. 64-bit system is more powerful if you have a 64-bit CPU and you are running a 64-bit program. Not going in to detail how it works, though. 32-bit OS can only utilize ~3.3GB of RAM, so if you have more than that with a 32-bit OS it just goes to waste, as the OS cannot use more than the 3.3GB.
SSD would be a good choice if you want more speed and you have the money. It is not necessary though. It just makes loading times shorter, and it is quite expensive compared to a normal HDD. I'd suggest you to upgrade your other components first, and then if you have money, buy a SSD.
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