Tag: CPU

iBUYPOWER Core i7/GTX 285

Here is something the gaming addicts are going to like. Welcome the iBUYPOWER Core i7/GTX 285 gamer supreme, the dream of any PC gamer. This advanced PC packs a punch with a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 and 6GB of RAM (and a 64-bit version of Vista to take advantage of all of that). Buy yourself a nice high-res monitor, and you’ve got a solid combo that should be able to play today’s demanding games with all the bells on.

The Gamer Supreme is actually almost piece-for-piece identical to a system I just built myself, and for around the same price. I’ve been spending some quality time with the likes of Dawn of War 2, Empire: Total War and Far Cry 2 with the settings all the way up and no problems at all.

The 928i is being offered only through Newegg. As of this post, we couldn’t purchase the 928i, though iBUYPOWER assures us that it’s shipped its inventory, and the Supreme should show up in a day or two at most, if not tonight.

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Phobos Performance Gaming/Home Theater System

Here is a PC worthy of a gamer’s needs. The new system is the Phobos Performance Gaming/Home Theater System which comes with two graphic cards for standard models. According to BFG, the dual graphics card set up makes for a serious improvement in performance. The Phobos Performance Edition includes a liquid cooled Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz processor, the dual graphics cards that run in NVIDIA SLI, one touch overclocking, free installation and more.

Such powerful specs for this appealing system which is sure to be the eye for most people looking for powerful PCs to enhance their gaming and graphics-related needs. But the question is would the specs be enough? A lot of this is due to the fact that game developers and advanced programming have become demanding as far as specs are concerned and apparently the Phobos PC aims to answer all those issues in one deal.

It is actually available now. The whole lot costs a whopping $3,000.00. Not that easy to buy considering one would think first before spending a fortune on such a PC bundle with no assurance that system requirements may soon buck a higher demand. Besides, it has been a trend to see such PCs depreciate in time and for the wise buyers, chances are they will wait a little bit more before buying this crazy device.

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Are We Ready for Cardboard Casings?

It is a fact that we have to find an alternative to the usual aluminum casings of PCs these days but it has to be also consistent on supporting the various components of a PC. For one, the consideration should be broadened. It is not just a case of being environmentally friendly. It needs the deliberation on after-effects like sustainability as to how far they can accommodate the PC requirement we know of.

Apparently this is not to downgrade the use of cardboard casings that were unveiled recently. The intent is good but still, are they feasible and effective. And based on the reviews they are biodegradable meaning they can disintegrate after years of use. If that were the case, would it not be contradicting the actual savings of a PC in terms of casing requirements? Also, would it not be something that could alter the performance of owners since it may eventually lead to deformation and exposure of vital parts?

The time element is not covered the way that it should be and this is something that developers of these Cardboard Casings must take into consideration. Again, the intent and concept is good, but it still needs to answer some areas which were obviously left out.

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Save Buying New PC Parts for Later

When it comes to fixing a certain part such as perhaps a PC video card, there is no doubt that they are getting cheaper as video card vendors are slowly coming out with new ones today. While many would consider buying a new video card, trying to make do with old ones (assuming they are still functioning properly), would be best done until the time you consider buying at least a brand new CPU with parts that are advanced than your new one.

There was a previous post before about changing the auxiliary fan of video cards for the time being while saving the cost of buying a new video card. The price disparity is glaring considering that a well-fitted auxiliary fan would cost about 10% of a brand new video card. With some changes to the fans, you may be surprised at how much you can save for now rather than buying a new one which may have cases as not being compatible with new motherboards once you finally decide to upgrade.

There is no doubt that some video cards and peripherals are flexible. In fact, you can go as far as using them again in the future. There are usual AGP or PCI slots common in most motherboards and before you buy a new one, you know the slots of the motherboard needed to entertain your old specs.

But ask yourself first if you would make use of old video cards when you get a new one. For sure you will be getting a new since a new CPU would tempt you to get it as a whole anyway. So with that in mind, what would you do with the old video card? Sell it perhaps? Maybe but then again, consider the cost analysis. You may have been better off fabricating your old one instead.

Is Your PC Purely for Gaming?

These days, owning a PC is not purely for business purposes. While we all know that most people are buying computers for studies or word processing requirements, they have also been considered to appease kids who look towards them for playing games that require specific requirements such as higher video cards and large storage space.

It does seem like a waste for most but for people who want to keep their kids at home and away from vices, such is a price that is more than enough to consider. Besides, it is a matter of priorities. Improving the specs a little bit can still satisfy the need to have these personal computers be used for official ways such as documents and spreadsheets for work or school.

As far as getting more expensive hardware for a customizable PC, it is really a logical price to pay. Computers have always been known to provide entertainment and if games are something that they are keenly interested to be kept away from harm, then by all means parents should think beyond the box.

Cost is something most PC buyers will ponder upon. But while that is a given, it would be best to see which benefits and downfalls such an investment would make. As far as raising children and keeping them busy at home is concerned, buying a new PC with specialized specs is indeed something worthy parents will acknowledge not now, but in the future.

Cover Up Open Slots of your Casing

At times, you may find yourself with openings at the back of your computer case mainly caused by the supposed placement of PCI card peripherals which you eventually decide to remove due to one reason or another. While that is not a problem as far as preference is concerned, usual casings do not have provisions to which you can easily patch up that open hole unless you have the screwable blockers to avoid issues such as dust and rodents.

Small as they may, insects such as cockroaches and rats can make their way into the desktop. Once they do find their way into your CPU, you can imagine the problems that they may cause such as:

1. Gnaw on wires
2. Leave a trail of waste that may affect chips and diodes
3. Short your entire CPU like power and other necessary operations that can hamper it from functioning properly.

But while you don’t have to buy the usual blockage parts that are not normally available since people rarely buy them, you can always use the traditional style of using tape to block them off. Rodent intrusion is a problem and you can just imagine what they can do. The only time you can perhaps check if any damage would be done may be when you hear some weird noise or worse, smell something foul.

It may not be a big issue but safeguarding the operating environment of your PC is important. One strand of tape can make all the difference.

Aching to Get that Dual Processor Chip

If you have been using an old but reliable Pentium IV chip for the past 5 years, chances are you may be fine with it. But you cannot discount the fact that sometimes you want to know the difference when it comes to performance of using a dual processor chip, most of which is available in the market today.

But the problem is financing it. No thanks to the rising costs and the lack of funds, all you can do is read on reviews and try to earn as much as possible. You will get there but if you think of it, would there be something new in the market once you get to finally buy it?

It thus lies on a choice between gambling and identifying why you would want a new processor chip in hand. For most, it comes with work and practicality to be able to use advanced software and tasks that your computer is being used for. Remember that the system requirements of most software today are growing and unless you are able to shift and upgrade to higher PC requirements, you may find yourself trying to make do with your current setup and live with the level of competency you can do while you are saving up for a new CPU at the most.

For sure that dream dual processor is within reach. It’s just timing and knowing when you can be able to finally purchase it. Who knows if by tomorrow you can get one? Anything is possible. It is the waiting that really sucks.

Choosing Between a Branded and Clone Computer

Branded computers are perhaps the best computers in the market to buy but there are still some people who go for the cloned ones since they are cheaper and can be fabricated in the way of choosing the computer peripherals to use. Of the two, we can single out the choice as dependent on the end user.

For the typical computer user who simply wants to use software and do business or anything that a computer will allow them to perform, most of them would vouch for the branded ones as offered by big name players in the computer industry such as IBM, Compaq and Dell. Although price may be an issue, at least they are assured of quality parts and service to which will be needed should they find themselves distraught for sudden problems with their computer.

Clone computers or something I refer to as chop-chop, are normally preferred by the technical savvy people who can take them apart and assemble them as they wish, using various computer hardware stuff available in the market. Normally, the typical computer geek would have their CPU case opened since they often want to upgrade and change parts as often as they can.

Of the two, preference depends on the one owning or using the computer. There are people who have a high level of satisfaction when it comes to computer requirements while others are simply satisfied with using them as long as they can provide the needs of their software to get their job done.

It may seem obvious but depending on the nature of the person who owns and uses these computers, chances are it will divide which is for branded and which is for cloned computers.

Do You Ever Turn your Computer Off?

These days, we all know that computers bear the brunt of being always powered on for one reason or another. Among the reasons include:

1. Uninterrupted Downloading
2. Timid Power on and Power off by Users
3. User forget to turn them off

In this time and age, it would be best to take into consideration the fact that we need to conserve electricity and by all means, computers make use of it. While to most, the cost of leaving it on is something that they can afford, the real issue here would be the computer life and of course the energy resources which we are really eating up a lot as of late.

Awareness of the energy conservation efforts through the proper use of computers and maintaining them is something we need to attend to. People today could care less but the fact of the matter is, we can add that extra effort that will benefit us the most. Heat levels in your computer can just be imagined. Remember that one issue inside CPUs today is cooling and leaving them on with auxiliary fans to do the ventilation and cooling habits is something that you should really address as well.

If we want to make use of a PC that will last longer then perhaps it would wise to consider giving them some rest periods. This is not enforceable. All I am saying is that computers needs some respite as well even for an hour. Also, save on energy since the savings you can get from these efforts can turn out to be enough savings for future needs such as a computer upgrade once new ones hit the market.

Tiny Compressors for Better PC Cooling to be launched

The temperature levels in most computers today have a significant impact on a PC’s performance. We know of the usual auxiliary fans required to serve as added ventilation but in some cases, the proper cooling for these chips are not enough. Cooling is important and while the fans are trying hard to negate the rising heat levels from using internal chips and processors, Purdue University has reportedly developed a tiny refrigeration system that will surely help a lot as far as CPU temperature levels is concerned.

This is indeed a welcome development considering that many people are forever relying on additional cooling systems for their CPU or laptops.

“Traditionally, you use a fan to blow air on a chip — room temperature air,” said Garimella. “If I could push chilled air onto the chip, then I get a lot more cooling.” The devices are designed to dramatically increase the amount of heat that can be removed from a computer, he added.

The system pumps refrigerants through tiny compressors and tubing. The technology could be integrated into a microprocessor, or it could replace a computer’s traditional air-cooled heat sink.

The new cooling technique will probably be used first in gaming systems and then in high-end laptops, Garimella projected.

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Once this gets out, we can see better enhancements towards our current crop of CPU and cooling issues that seem to continue to haunt us when it comes to identifying the right temperature to assist CPU performance. Purdue professor Suresh Garimela even opened the doors for smaller computers which will garner the nod of people who love to embrace technology and its fruits as they come.