Recent content by mmatejka

Great feedback, thank you. My only question - is there any reason not to step up to the X, other than cost? I'm seeing that the 2600 can match the 2600X with OC, but I don't really want to OC, and I like the better cooler on the X too. Seems worth it for $30.

Looking to upgrade to decent spec for gaming & VR. Have extended the life of my i5 2500k build as long as I possibly can. Budget conscious in terms of max value/$ versus max performance. Already have an RTX 2060, a decent case, 850W PS, and various backup drives - just need to update core...

Thank you. I have definitely toyed with the graphics settings and seen significant differences in FPS when doing so. I have also ran with 1-2 of my cores parked, and noticed an increase when I opened up all 4. I would say I fall into the "balanced" category you mentioned - I'm going to...

I would like the community's advice on upgrade priority for my gaming PC. My budget is $900, would like to come in as far under that as possible. My general gaming goal is to get as close to sustainable 120 FPS as possible in BF4 or equivalent games on Medium-High settings at 1920x1080...

Approximate Purchase Date: 30-60 days - will probably buy components 1-2 at a time Budget Range: Under $1500 System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com Country of Origin: US Parts...

For my last build (3-4 yrs ago) I remember people telling me "don't worry about getting a dual core - no games can take advantage of it anyway. just get the top of the line single core." Now I can't even play BFBC2 on minimum spec without at least a dual core. I have a feeling that the i7...

Ok - took a second look based on some of that advice. How about this?

I'll look into the different GPUs you're suggesting. My understanding was that the 5850 was the best card for the money - the 5870 appears to be a nominal increase for $100. When I started pricing, NVidia didn't seem to be able to compete for under $400, but I'll look again. I will probably...

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: In the next 2 weeks or so. SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming - FPS, Sports, MMO PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel + ATI (AMD fanboy...

@MAB1994 - thanks for the link. Funny - his $850 Gaming PC is VERY similar to what I built. Couple brand differences and a cheaper PS. I guess I'm not too far off... Then again, his $1000 is very similar to Ares, but Ares did it cheaper. I'm really starting to lean toward that build...

Thanks everyone for your feedback! BTW, I discovered that I have a 650W PS, not a 750W. It's an Antec True Power Trio 650W with 3 12V rails. Will that still be sufficient? @blackjellognor - My kids wrecked one of the USB ports on the front of my Nine Hundred, and since then the whole panel...

Brand new contributor, but long time reader. If I break any rules/guidelines, please feel free to let me know. I haven't upgraded since 2007 because I've been able to play whatever came out just fine, but those days are over. I want to be able to play the newest generation of games, starting...