Okay im on the verge of dropping PC and turnin to consoles!!

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thats strange my comp runs fine. i seem to get the same fps and benchmark results no matter how much i install and i have been using this for a few months.

would you happen to dislike windows and be a linux user perhaps.
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Naw I don't have enough hard-core-computer-science-guy in me to be a linux user.

But in response to your case: I gurantee that if you were to bench your computer now. Then reformat windows and put on only the OS, relevant new drivers, and relevant benchmarking software. --> Now do the same benchmarks and you will get a better score. The older the windows XP install the better the score increase =P.

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I have seen it happen many a time. It used to be more drastic on windows 95/98se/ME.

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PS Whoever suggested getting a mac mini for regular stuff... that's a REALLY good idea 8O 8O 8O :lol: :lol: :lol: 😀 !!! That'd be a cheap way to have a nice regular computer for regular tasks hehe. Then you have your monster computer that takes like 5 times the power to run in idle lol. I think I might just do that hehehe. (If you did that for 5 years you would save money because of the lower power cost. But initially it would be more expensive.)
 
No one seems to stop and think that even the grandest videocard on the planet will not run games like FEAR or Oblivion at 2048x1024 with HDR, 4XAA and 8XAF at playable framerates - right now game vendors have pushed the advantages of the new hardware beyond what the fastest is capable of doing completely maxxed out.

You'll find with most PC games - that extra 'HIGHEST' settings for stuff like AA and AF or even resolution increases don't make a tangible difference in how good the game gets. It looks it's 'best' somewhere in the 'medium' to 'high' range of settings and going the extra mile to 'highest' on everything only hurts performance with little/no improvement in image quality. It's been a long-standing tradeoff between image quality and framerate, and STILL people think they can have EVERYTHING with BOTH - it simply doesn't work that way.
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You seem to have made the most logical post on these forumz in sometime. What's the point in spending $749US for a eVGA 7900ztfcvjfegssa or a ATI x19,000,000gtoprk graphics card and it not support 4/8AA or AF on games like Oblivion. Those like yourself understand this is rediculous and should view the XBOX 360 or the PS3 as the door to HIGH DEFINITION gaming (even though Microsoft pulled out the 'ole 12 incher and shafted us royally on the HD-DVD player). Obilivion was just ported to the XBOX 360 and it looks fabulous. So fabulous you can see the reflection of yourself in the eyeballs of your opponent.

Now tell me, can that eVGA card do that? Remember, jnjkele just told us no, it can't. Time and time again I keep saying the XBOX 360 is here and gaming is fabulous. You hardcore PC gamers out there are being stiffed viciously. Microsoft has made it so much easier (and lighter on the wallet) to enjoy the most demanding and funnest games. I beg you to spend that money and try out an XBOX 360. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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SunAngel - Clearing the forumz out...one noob at a time!

*sigh* - I hate being taken out of context - you seem to have missed my point by carefuly evicerating the most relevant section of my post in favor of the snippet that can be taken out of context to support your point - my point here is that most newer graphics cards wont play games like oblivion with everything maxed at the highest resolution supported - if you're not happy with framerate, turn down the resolution or some of the detail - the basic fact remains that 'high def' console gaming is still not as high-resolution as PC-games and it is a fact that the graphics engines used by console games are dumbed down from their PC counterparts - just ask any developer familiar with the source, Unreal or doom game engines and they will tell you they are far more feature ritch than their console counterparts. I've seen games on both PC and X360 and the PC games still look better - more detailed than console *at the same resolution* - that's the key - your high def console is only as good as my low-resolution PC. i.e. my graphics card won't do as I indicated (2048x1024 everything maxed), but your high def console won't even come close - it's highest resolution is 1024x768, and at that resolution, certainly my evga 7800GT will certainly play with everything maxed and look better than the console.

Aside from that - can your X360 keep track of my finances, or email, or browse the web (ok, it might do that), or give me the option of interfacing with my game in 3 dozen different ways (controllers) insead of a single hand-cramping, carpal tunnel inducing controller, or allow me to interact with others around the world outside of the context of a game? Consoles are so limited in their application that even with the quirks, I'd still take a PC over console any day. BTW - I own both a PC and a console and I spend much more time on my PC.

When all is said and done the most important thing to remember is that 'to each his own' and if you like console gaming, more power to ya - I simply don't like the interface and find the graphics to be lower quality than my PC (and yes, I have played an X360).

And at the end of it all - to the original poster: it sounds to me like you don't really have much of an issue - like someone mentioned slightly above, if your performance is dropping of 25-30% (instead of 5) then you would have something to be concerned about, otherwise you are seeing the natural variations that come with running benchmarks a small number of times.

Enjoy the game - I really don't think you can honestly 'feel' the difference between the two framerates. If the frame counter wasn't running would you know the difference? I know I can't tell when my framerate drops a few FPS. (your eye can't distinguish anything beyond 30fps anyway, so anything higher than 30 and it's mostly academic.)


Peace
 
It's more important to be happy with what you have.

Getting the newest "thing" so that you can achieve the "highest" score is not the best way to stay happy. Why? Because you will always see the next best "thing" that will let you get the next best score.

I am extremely happy with the system I have and proud of it even too! Everyone on this forum would consider it low/med system. But in terms of happiness I am probably happier than people who have spend hundreds more than me.

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To me I have a standard of graphics that I want and anything past that is superfulous/not-neccessary. (~30 fps, 800 to 1280 res, med graphics)

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I think the most important thing to note is that when you play multiplayer... graphics dont mean ANYTHING. It's all about skill. Sure having a higher res might help with better cross hair precision but in my experience it doesn't help as much as you think.

The same goes for any sport... you see the rich guy with expensive gear and the poor guy with worn in gear. The poor guy with worn in gear is usually better because he has way more skill. I'd much rather get to know the poor guy who is good!
 
I will have to agree, I will take a PC anyday over a console. The PC can do way more than a console.
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And you don't have to either fight for the TV, or disturb everyone with your games. Also if you have young kids, it's easier to get to the PC, then the game console. "MY" pc is off-limits to everyone, they all have their own. My wife doesn't even use mine, unless hers is down for more than a day, and hers and mine are side by side (with the printer in between). :wink:
 
Just to put a few more things on the table, the ps3 is shipping with Linux on it so it can be used as a computer. So rHy0 all you will be doing by switching to a console is dropping a pc for an idiot proofed pc. And the saying goes "only idiots want to use something that is idiot proof."

Sony is on this whole one product for all kinds of multimedia needs anyone might have pr campaign and the whole problem with that is, HELLO COMPUTERS! They already have that covered. With the exception of blue ray, what can a ps3 or 360 do that a pc cant? and blue ray hasn’t even been established, could be like a laser disk, a cd the size of a record don’t see that around much. (but I really want one just to hang on the wall and say that’s a platinum record to some dumb kid or something)

Oh almost forgot consoles also have some games that are specific to its platform xb360 ps3 wii ect. so lets look at the price to go with that, 5 or 6 hundred for the ps3, 400 for a 360 i think, then say 200 for a wii (every Nintendo launch has been 200 so lets assume the same for the wii) so that’s up to $1200 then you got the hdtv and games, so that right there puts it over 2K to get the blue ray player and ability to play all the non cross platform games.

Now for a pc you can have all that (except the platform exclusive games) and if you are not the most moral of people you can get all the games for a pc for free, AND emulators, you get all the platform games as well along with the old school consoles. Also get a tv tuner and a nice projector along with some surround sound and you have a frickin movie theater in your house that you can get the movies for free too. Now not all of us could swing that but you have everything in one and then some. Spend the 2K on a pc and you got a real nice pc, not all that I mentioned but still real nice. And god forbid you use it for something other than games.
 
I didn't read every post here so sorry if this isa duplicate:

Do what I do. Build the perfect, clean installation of windows, core drivers and apps you really need. Set up your printer and all those essentials. (stay off the internet during this process). Then use a disk imaging program like the wonderfully simple (SnapShot) to save a image of your startup drive to an external HD or spare internal HD.

Then, whenever your computer starts acting up just restore your computer back to that "perfect" image you have saved. It takes less than 5 minutes to restore back to perfection. Then re-install your games or surf porn till go go blind without worry - as you're only 5 minutes away from your perfect installation.

I've used this approach for many years now.
 
Okay i have a pro checking out my computer and he says i do actually have a problem. Its NOT as fast in games as it should be. Anyway so he told me hes gonna try out different, more powerful graphics cards and CPUs in it and let me know what gets the most out of my system. Also he doesnt recommend i get a dual core CPU at all but to go for a single core, he strongly suggested i go for a 4000+ (which he is testing out too). On that note, he told that my 2.2Ghz CPU is definately holding the system back and that i do need an upgrade (dont start with the, 'Hes just saying that to get your money' cause i wouldnt be buying off him. Hes just the computer technician). Hes doing loads of tests on my system and tweaking it (not OCing) to get the most out of what my PC can offer! Anyway so hes gonna get back to me once hes finished and fill me in. I knew that there was definately something wrong :)
 
well, I hope it works for you. I am still not convinced that there is anything wrong at all, but I have been wrong before. 😉

Even if you get it back and notice no change, dont let benchmark numbers get you down. If it plays things well enough to enjoy them, then do it. Dont run the game w/ an fps number on display, and instead of running the fear bench try playing the game. It is a really fun game. Once you get into it I would bet that fps numbers are no longer on your mind. :) There are other fun games out there too.

Of course, if he does fix something and it works better, then more power to ya. rock on.
 
I think you all pro-console guy are in the wrong place: this is about Homebuilt sistem not homebuilt X Box.
So you do not like PC gaming, so PC is crappy and is taking all your many. OK. You are 100% right.

Let's pretend you convinced everybody and there is nobody to build a game for PC. Gues what happen with console prices and game-for-console prices.

O, you are guesing right!

They just go booooom!

And victory! Another "monopol" in your life. (ofcourse I am wrong, you can stil choose between consoles)

So if you feel like going to consoles, just go and quit complaining.
 
What the hell was the point of that post.... If you read through the thread you would have seen that about a dozen other ppl have already covered the PC vs Console subject (which isnt actually the topic of this thread). Also clearly i am a PC enthusiast, NOT a Console fanboy as you seem to be accusing me of, as if i were do you really think i would have spent close to 2k (so far) on a gaming rig :roll: Think before you post....
 
So yo got ofended. To bad.
I just think it is a waste of time to keep arguing about this subject.
And no matter what you say this topic has gone the same way as other pc vs console topics.
Water under the bridge.
Nothing new to learn from reading this topic.
Nothing personal with you.
 
Erm, he wasn't offended. He was just pointing out that your post wasn't relevant to the thread. It appears you've posted having only read the thread title, and not the actual posts.

The guy wasn't suggesting that he would move away from PCs because consoles are better, but because he's been having technical problems with his homebuilt PC.

I'm sure we've all felt that way when our PCs have been on the blink (mine's nearly gone out of the window more than once), but we always stick with them, because, well, PCs are better, aren't they? :wink:
 
If you build yourself the sistem you should know enogh so you can:

-troubleshoot yourself the innevitable problems;

-keep the spyware/viruses away from your sistem;

-maintain the software properly (defragment hdd, keep the startup clean, install only the apps you NEED, keep a gost image of cleen install, etc);

If you do not know all this (more is better), you will be better with console.

So just want to say this:

:arrow: PC:

Pro:
Open to many uses
Upgradability


Cons:
Price (for a gaming PC)
Maintenance

:arrow: Console

Pro:
Open box&play
No maintenance
Price

Cons:
Games prices have masked console payement included;
"Upgrade" to next console or pay big prices for reduced range of upgrades
 
You seem to be under the impression that this thread is a debate about whether PCs are better than consoles. It isn't.

Also, it's actually quite rude to try to hijack someone else's thread and take it off-topic, especially when the OP was asking for help with a problem. Please stop.
 
I see you have an A8N-SLI Premium. I happen to have 2 of them. I should say one is mine and the other is my wife's...Regardless...

I built her system after mine. I started w/ a 3500 Claw Hammer and she wound up with a 3700 San Diego. I have a 4400 now but that is not the point...

I have an ATI X1900 and she still has a NVIDIA 6800GS. Her system locks up or has performance issues all of the time. She would yell and scream all of the time. I can't tell you how many times I re-did her system yet in the end the problem would always start again.

It turned out that 3 things were out of order. #1 I gave here the latest BETA BIOS for the board (I have it in mine too). #2 I substituted my mouse for hers and the problem stopped. She replaced the mouse and all has been well. The #3 thing to point out about your board is that you must set the RAM timings manually. Set them like this...

DRAM Configuration:
Manual
400Mhz
2
6
3
3
11
14
5
3
1
S/W DRAM Disabled

JumperFree Configuration:
Manual
Disabled
Disabled
200.0
100Mhz
2.70V
+1.5V
+1.20V
Auto
Auto
Auto

If you run everything @ AUTOCONFIGURE it will set the RAM timings at a safe level and the RAM speed at 366 rather than 400...

I hope in that helps you?
PAX
 
Hey thanks the info. This is just what i needed! Ill try out the Configuration right away. On the other points though... Im just a bit worried updating the latest BIOS cause the last time i tried that it caused a serious malfunction and my system wouldnt load windows and i had to re-install :? I may have used the wrong one... Any chance you can give me a link to the correct one your using? That would be greatly appreciated.
 
Don't flash in windows! Create an MSDOS boot disk and put the .BIN and .EXE you download on it then boot to the floppy and run the exe. When prompted type in the name of the BIN file and flash away!!
BIOS

BIOS FLASH TOOL

You didn't mention that you attempted a flash and had issues. I am not sure that any of this wil solve your issues. Odds are that if you can boot your OK with hardware though mioce and such can be a factor. What I noticed about the ASUS A8N-SLI Boards is that they are not what I expected. I could have bought a DFI but I wanted an easy board to set up. In the past I have loved ASUS boards but once these 939s came out auto detection for the BIOS was left as a minimum setting so you can config it manually...
HERE HERE HERE
Is a great site for setting up these boards. I don't remember what RAM you use but the settings I gave you are for the Corsair RAM that I run. You might have different timings and so you will have to change the settings. You will have to change them though since autodetect on these boards is a JOKE (I don't think its ASUS's problem though. The K8 chips have the memory controller on chip so that makes it hard for the BIOS to detect the actual RAM that your run if you follow?
PAX

Your RAM should look like this provided that your SIG is correct?

DRAM Configuration:
Manual
400Mhz
3
8
4
4
11
14
5
3
1
S/W DRAM Disabled
 
Yeah actually i have different Corsair RAM. The Xms 3200 range. Also i have to admit that i have never attempted OCing before so im a bit nervous and to be honest i really dont need more system issues at the moment. Anyway thanks for your helpful info and suggestions. Oh yeah and i made a mistake in my RAM timings in my SIG. From the BIOS it reads;
400Mhz
3
8
3
3
11
13
5
3
2
 
LOL
No you must set those settings manually on that board. Auto Config only gets you 366 rather than the 400 that you need for your RAM. My RAM has tighter timings then yours. I edited the last post to show you the settings for your RAM

Also your 2 sticks of RAM must be in the Blue Sockets, not the blacks or a black and blue!!!

That last RAM setting that you show @ T2 you want at T1
 
nooooooo!!!!!! you've called someone else in to help. i guess after all else fails you have to swallow your pride and get help 😛
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After all else fails, you call the motherboard maker.

i don't know how much a new cpu will help if you play at gpu limited settings, but if gaming is all you need from your pc then a single core will perform slightly better.
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The 3700+ is a very nice CPU; it's just 400MHz away from being an FX55. It shouldn't be holding your 7800GTX back. Upgrading your CPU is just a waste of your money.
 
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