Languish.org

Well, I finally pulled the trigger, after filling up a Newegg basket about 20 times over the last 4 weeks.

Item List:

DVD BURN LG|GH22NS30 22X SATA % - OEM GIFT NVIDIA COD - WORLD AT WAR % - OEM FLASH 8G|OCZ FLDRV OCZUSBATV8G R - Retail GIFT TOM CLANCY'S HAWX - OEM CASE CM|RC-1000-KSN1-GP BK/SIL RT - Retail MB ASUS P6T DELUXE V2 1366 X58 RTL - RetailVGA EVGA | 896-P3-1171-AR GTX 275 R - RetailPSU CM|RS-700-AMBA-D3 700W RT - Retail($279.99) CPU INTEL|CORE I7 920 2.66G 45N R - Retail MEM 2Gx3|OCZ OCZ3P1600LV6GK R - Retail($104.99) HD 1T|WD 7K 32M SATA2 WD1001FALS % - OEMMS WIN VISTA HM PREM SP1 64BIT 1PK% - OEM Total Amount:

I think I have another $100 in mail in rebates as well.

I haven't spent this much on a  PC in quite some time.

WTF, I hate this damn forum. Why won't it just cut and paste without all that bullshit?

 :lol:

Nice rig you got there....well I suppose anyway. :lol:

I spend 550 less and got same gaming performance. But nice rig if you had too much cash.  :lol:

No custom fan?

And enjoy vista.  :lol:

550 less? Really?

I know I spent some extra for longer term expandability, but I don't think it is anything close to $500. More like $200, at most.

And Vista? meh. Had to buy some OS, and apparently you won't be able to upgrade from XP to Win7.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 11:23:47 AM
550 less? Really?

I know I spent some extra for longer term expandability, but I don't think it is anything close to $500. More like $200, at most.

And Vista? meh. Had to buy some OS, and apparently you won't be able to upgrade from XP to Win7.

and you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

Looks pretty nice Berk.

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AM


and you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

Yes?

I really am curious to hear how I could ahve saved $550 and gotten the same gaming perfomrance.

After all, the MB+CPU+memory combo didn't cost that much in total.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 11:38:40 AM

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AM


and you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

Yes?

Optimistic are ya!

I'm also interested on how Seen did that.

Maybe by not buying a case & extra SATA cable?

WEell, I divided everything into two groups:

1. Items that don't have much bearing on performance per se, or that would be consistent across any of the primary performance choices. Things like HD, case, power supply, dvd drive, etc., etc. I was surprised how much this came up to. You can save some money on some of these choices - $40 on a smaller hard drive, for example. Maybe $40 on a different case. But none of these savings were any that I was that worried about - after all, my current case has lasted me nearly a decade, and I expect this one will as well. Might as well have something I like.


2. Specifically performance choices, where you can make some trade offs between price and capability. CPU, MG, memory, graphics card.
Once you comapre just group 2, there isn't a lot of different in the mid-range. I could save some money by getting a AMD Phenom II, for example - but it really wasn't that much. Maybe $100-$150. I could save $30 on the graphics card, but the one I bought was the one I wanted and it came free with a game I was going to spend $40 to buy anyway.

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AM
and you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

yes, it will :)

Vista is actually a good OS, once patched, and with new hardware :)

I still have XP on dual boot, and frankly, I don't know why people like it so much.  It takes 3x as long to boot than in Vista, it won't recognize my wireless kb&mouse, the wireless network performance is much better than with XP... well, I like that OS compared to XP :)

Only problem is with some older softwares/games that might not work.  I don't get all that Vista hate.  At first, yeah, it was shitty.  But SP#1 got it better than XP.

Quote from: viper37 on April 28, 2009, 12:46:27 PM

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AM
and you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

yes, it will :)

Vista is actually a good OS, once patched, and with new hardware :)

:yes:

I've had no issues with Vista Ultimate so far.

You guys keep believing that.

160$ for a case?
oh, I buy it for like 20$  :P but I don't care about it, much more of what's inside.

You won't use the full power of I7 nor of GTX275 soon. Core2Duo (maybe Quad) would easily suffice, 6GB is  more than you will use, but it looks cool. I really think it's overpaid overkill for a gaming rig, but looks impressive for LAN party or something.  :D

Quote from: szmik on April 28, 2009, 01:51:10 PM
160$ for a case?
oh, I buy it for like 20$  :P but I don't care about it, much more of what's inside.

:lol: I have a 225$ Case.

My case cost 120 €.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kmelektronik.de%2Froot%2Fpicp%2F93%2F18493.JPG&hash=e5cbd9e017fe73a75ca0f1709f5f41ad0372686a)

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 11:44:53 AM
I really am curious to hear how I could ahve saved $550 and gotten the same gaming perfomrance.

After all, the MB+CPU+memory combo didn't cost that much in total.

Hmm, lets see where the excess is. The software, 60 on mobo, case...o wait, you got the 275, that explains the gap. Misread it for 260. Well you will definitly beat me  :D

Quote from: Syt on April 28, 2009, 02:03:19 PM
My case cost 120 €.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kmelektronik.de%2Froot%2Fpicp%2F93%2F18493.JPG&hash=e5cbd9e017fe73a75ca0f1709f5f41ad0372686a)

Yikes.

Looks pretty sweet, Berkut.

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 01:17:59 PM
You guys keep believing that.

XP is old and clunky and sucks now.  It's difficult and annoying having to go back to using it when I'm trying to fix some morons computer.

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 02:05:49 PM
Yikes.

It's nicely ventilated and installing an extra HD was easy.

Quote from: szmik on April 28, 2009, 01:51:10 PM
160$ for a case?
oh, I buy it for like 20$  :P but I don't care about it, much more of what's inside.

$20 for a case?

I guess I care about things like

1. How quiet it is.
2. Quality of construction
3. Ease of getting in and out of it.
4. That it not look like a cheap piece of shit.

QuoteYou won't use the full power of I7 nor of GTX275 soon.

The i7 I would agree with, the GTX275 I would not at all. I suspect I will use "the full power of it" the moment I load up Call of Duty, in fact.

QuoteCore2Duo (maybe Quad) would easily suffice, 6GB is  more than you will use,

Suffice? My current PC would "suffice" and has "sufficed" for the last 5 years. And 6GB can certainly be used by a multi-core processor, especially if you have multiple programs running at the same time.

Like two copies of EVE at once.

Quotebut it looks cool.

Not really - it will be buried inside that case, won't even be able to see it.

QuoteI really think it's overpaid overkill for a gaming rig,

Not at all. It is a mid-line gaming system for people who are PC gamers. Overkill is $400 graphics cards, or two or three of them. Or $900 CPUs.

There is a small amount of overkill here, in that I could ahve saved a hudnred bucks here or there and had pretty similar performance, but at no point have I chosen to spend a large amount to eek out a few more percent.

Quotebut looks impressive for LAN party or something.

I guess you would know more about LAN parties than I do, since I've never been to one.

Quote from: Seen on April 28, 2009, 02:04:37 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 11:44:53 AM
I really am curious to hear how I could ahve saved $550 and gotten the same gaming perfomrance.

After all, the MB+CPU+memory combo didn't cost that much in total.

Hmm, lets see where the excess is. The software, 60 on mobo, case...o wait, you got the 275, that explains the gap. Misread it for 260. Well you will definitly beat me  :D

Other than the OS, the software was "free".

$60 on the MB, ok. Maybe another $50-$100 on the CPU as well, and $30 on the memory. That is what I think I could have saved and still ended up with a very similar level of performance *today*.

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AMand you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

Do you have reason to assume it won't?  I have Vista 64 right now and I'm expecting a rather smooth transition.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:22:13 PM
And 6GB can certainly be used by a multi-core processor, especially if you have multiple programs running at the same time.

It's also useful in Vista. The OS itself plus websurfing and music listening takes up ca. 2 gigs of RAM for me; the other 6 gigs are useful for playing games and being able to alt-tab without hitches.

And more importantly - memory is fucking dirt cheap. Who cares whether 6GB is needed or not? It isn't like I am going to save a giant pile of cash by going with 4.

:yes: Memory is so cheap right now that if I was planning a new build I would max out the board.

Quote from: szmik on April 28, 2009, 01:51:10 PM
160$ for a case?
oh, I buy it for like 20$  :P but I don't care about it

I've never understood paying much more than that either. 

Interesting - Newegg does not sell a computer case for $20. Not a single one.

The cheapest case available on newegg, and why I wouldn't buy it:

Quote
Pros: - Cheap.
- Decent Looking.
- Easy to install stuff in.Cons: - Flimsy, thin material, but that is to be expected.
- Doesn't stay balanced sitting on table, too much chassis flex I can't get it to sit nicely so I had to stick a wad of duct tape under one of the feet, which aren't real feet just the metal was formed out to that shape.Other Thoughts: Bought this and stuck a cheap AM2+ board and proc in for a system for my parents... They've been using it a couple months now without a problem. I like the case enough for them since they never touch it... but I wouldn't buy it for my own PC with how often I tear it open.

Plus, when you load a case like that up with a high end graphics card and CPU, it is going to be loud as hell. Probably rattle, and certainly will not have the amenities like front USB ports and such. Pass.

At least you got more replies as you requested   ;)

And I already agreed its a solid system, heck, i was considering the same system as I posted a little bit back  :lol:

Quote from: Seen on April 28, 2009, 02:47:56 PM
At least you got more replies as you requested   ;)

Indeed. More discussion is almost always good. :P

And I did seriosuly consider going with one notch down on the poerfomrance scale - spend ~$200 for a CPU, ~130 for a MB, ~190 for a GFX card. Could ahve gotten pretty much identical performance right now for a hundre or two hundred less.

But this is going to last me at least 4 or 5 years, with some upgrades.

My only desires for a case :

Silence.

Quote from: Habbaku on April 28, 2009, 02:50:21 PM
My only desires for a case :

Silence.

Not my only desires, but it is certainly the most important. Hence why spending more to get high quality is worth it.

Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2009, 02:27:27 PM

Quote from: Grey Fox on April 28, 2009, 11:32:26 AMand you think going Vista to Win 7 is going to work?

Do you have reason to assume it won't?  I have Vista 64 right now and I'm expecting a rather smooth transition.

XP to Vista isn't so good.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:48:45 PM

A Could ahve gotten pretty much identical performance right now for a hundre or two hundred less.

Pure system wise 300-400$ still, but sure, if you dont plan to upgrade at all why not waste it today.  ;)

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:44:12 PM
The cheapest case available on newegg, and why I wouldn't buy it:
(snip)
Plus, when you load a case like that up with a high end graphics card and CPU, it is going to be loud as hell. Probably rattle, and certainly will not have the amenities like front USB ports and such. Pass.

A great case is a great investment.  Cooler, quieter, and lasts forever.  Cheap cases are like cheap shoes - they save you in the short run and cost you in the long.  And, in the meantime, you are stuck with cheap shoes!

Quote from: Seen on April 28, 2009, 04:30:59 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:48:45 PM

A Could ahve gotten pretty much identical performance right now for a hundre or two hundred less.

Pure system wise 300-400$ still, but sure, if you dont plan to upgrade at all why not waste it today.  ;)

No, I could not have gotten equivalent performance for $300-400 less.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 06:15:55 PM

Quote from: Seen on April 28, 2009, 04:30:59 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:48:45 PM

A Could ahve gotten pretty much identical performance right now for a hundre or two hundred less.

Pure system wise 300-400$ still, but sure, if you dont plan to upgrade at all why not waste it today.  ;)

No, I could not have gotten equivalent performance for $300-400 less.

This reminds me of all the conversations trying to argue that Macs are "overpriced".  :lol:

If you take a bunch of components that are "almost as good as" something else, sure enough you can always come up with a significantly cheaper system.  But you are making compromises.

Berkut said from day 1 he wanted an i7 system, and for it to be relatively future-proof.  This seems like a very sound system for what he wanted.

Grats Berkie, may it serve you well in all your gaming endevours.

I just notice, Berkut.

You bought a Cosmos 1000? :o

You'll have to tell us how much quieter it is.

Quote from: Barrister on April 28, 2009, 06:23:33 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 06:15:55 PM

Quote from: Seen on April 28, 2009, 04:30:59 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:48:45 PM

A Could ahve gotten pretty much identical performance right now for a hundre or two hundred less.

Pure system wise 300-400$ still, but sure, if you dont plan to upgrade at all why not waste it today.  ;)

No, I could not have gotten equivalent performance for $300-400 less.

This reminds me of all the conversations trying to argue that Macs are "overpriced".  :lol:

If you take a bunch of components that are "almost as good as" something else, sure enough you can always come up with a significantly cheaper system.  But you are making compromises.

Berkut said from day 1 he wanted an i7 system, and for it to be relatively future-proof.  This seems like a very sound system for what he wanted.

GOod point, except that Macs are over-priced. :P

Quote from: Syt on April 28, 2009, 02:07:43 PM

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 02:05:49 PM
Yikes.

It's nicely ventilated and installing an extra HD was easy.

It's not so much the design as it is the lighting.  I love those new-model roomy cases, but I hate the principle that so many have that LEDs are an essential part of a high-quality case.

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 07:04:38 PM

Quote from: Syt on April 28, 2009, 02:07:43 PM

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 02:05:49 PM
Yikes.

It's nicely ventilated and installing an extra HD was easy.

It's not so much the design as it is the lighting.  I love those new-model roomy cases, but I hate the principle that so many have that LEDs are an essential part of a high-quality case.

You'd like the Mac Pro case.  Very roomy, installing an extra HD (has space for 4) or more RAM (has 8 slots) is extremely easy, good ventillation and very quiet - and not a single LED to be seen.  :contract:

Quote from: Barrister on April 28, 2009, 07:43:28 PM
You'd like the Mac Pro case.  Very roomy, installing an extra HD (has space for 4) or more RAM (has 8 slots) is extremely easy, good ventillation and very quiet - and not a single LED to be seen.  :contract:

Yeah, but it's a Mac. :(

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 07:46:36 PM

Quote from: Barrister on April 28, 2009, 07:43:28 PM
You'd like the Mac Pro case.  Very roomy, installing an extra HD (has space for 4) or more RAM (has 8 slots) is extremely easy, good ventillation and very quiet - and not a single LED to be seen.  :contract:

Yeah, but it's a Mac. :(

Mine is also the nicest Windows machine I've ever owned. :)

Quote from: Barrister on April 28, 2009, 07:49:12 PM

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 07:46:36 PM

Quote from: Barrister on April 28, 2009, 07:43:28 PM
You'd like the Mac Pro case.  Very roomy, installing an extra HD (has space for 4) or more RAM (has 8 slots) is extremely easy, good ventillation and very quiet - and not a single LED to be seen.  :contract:

Yeah, but it's a Mac. :(

Mine is also the nicest Windows machine I've ever owned. :)

PCs work perfectly well, at a better price.  I don't have to worry about reboot every time I want to play a game, or worry about how I'm booting the machine up.  I can plug in existing harddrives for additional storage (as I require at minimum 2 TB of HD space).  I also don't need to defend my sexuality.

I'm the guy in the market for a new PC, and I can't justify the purchase of a Mac.

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 07:04:38 PM
It's not so much the design as it is the lighting.  I love those new-model roomy cases, but I hate the principle that so many have that LEDs are an essential part of a high-quality case.

Agree.  My stacker has no see-through panels :x: nor LEDs.

Quote from: grumbler on April 28, 2009, 08:19:43 PM

Quote from: Neil on April 28, 2009, 07:04:38 PM
It's not so much the design as it is the lighting.  I love those new-model roomy cases, but I hate the principle that so many have that LEDs are an essential part of a high-quality case.

Agree.  My stacker has no see-through panels :x: nor LEDs.

I don't really care about the transparent panels.  I suppose I'd prefer to avoid them, but since my box is under my desk, it doesn't really matter to me.

My HAF has both a see thru-panel & LEDs. Surprisingly, it's much less annoying then I thought it would.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:44:12 PM
Plus, when you load a case like that up with a high end graphics card and CPU, it is going to be loud as hell. Probably rattle, and certainly will not have the amenities like front USB ports and such. Pass.

Not at all, it has front mic, headset and USB ports, although I admit I had to buy and install extra fans. And it comes without PSU. It's a bit clumsy and you have to use screws to install drives, but that's expected for such a price and you don't have to do it daily.

Funny, because cases have hardly anything to do with level of noise. Cooling solutions on mb, PSU, CPU and graphics card have.

:bleeding:

tripped-out cases with cosmetic lighting and see-through panels are the equivalent of 20-inch blades on an Impala.  They're for wigger gamers.  :cool:

I am: hate

Quote from: Caliga on April 29, 2009, 07:08:02 AM
:bleeding:

tripped-out cases with cosmetic lighting and see-through panels are the equivalent of 20-inch blades on an Impala.  They're for wigger gamers.  :cool:

Hehe, I don't really get that - the case is shoved under my desk anyway, so why would I want it to have LEDs and crap?

I just want it to be solid, easy to work with, quiet, and have accessible front panel connections.

And I expect it to last me pretty much forever.

Although I bet Jake would think a see through panel and LEDs are cool. He would want to turn the lights out to play Webkins.

I got my case not for the bluish glow of the LED, but for the big ass fan on the side of the casing. However, it's facing away from me, so I don't care.

Quote from: grumbler on April 28, 2009, 05:03:52 PM

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:44:12 PM
The cheapest case available on newegg, and why I wouldn't buy it:
(snip)
Plus, when you load a case like that up with a high end graphics card and CPU, it is going to be loud as hell. Probably rattle, and certainly will not have the amenities like front USB ports and such. Pass.

A great case is a great investment.  Cooler, quieter, and lasts forever.  Cheap cases are like cheap shoes - they save you in the short run and cost you in the long.  And, in the meantime, you are stuck with cheap shoes!

hear him!

I took your advice grumbler and bought a good case when I ordered my most recent machine. Money well spent, the computer runs nice and cool despite it's high-end graphics cards, reaonably quiet too. So, we went with another upmarket case when my eldest boy got a new PC; once again we are getting excellent results.

Quote from: szmik on April 29, 2009, 04:14:47 AM
Funny, because cases have hardly anything to do with level of noise. Cooling solutions on mb, PSU, CPU and graphics card have.

Quite wrong.

A well designed case will first be solidly made so it does not pass on vibration from internal components to the outside.

But more importantly a well designed case will have well designed air path for cooling, which means that fans can run at a lower speed, which means less noise.

I've always bought cheap cases and have never had a problem with noise.

Quote from: DisturbedPervert on April 29, 2009, 11:24:27 AM
I've always bought cheap cases and have never had a problem with noise.

If you're generally not bothered by computer noise then you can buy all the cheap cases you want.  But that's not to say there isn't a difference however.

I would be bothered, my friend's Xbox 360 is noisy, and it's annoying.  Just never had that happen.

Quote from: DisturbedPervert on April 29, 2009, 11:24:27 AM
I've always bought cheap cases and have never had a problem with noise.

There is a point at which components don't generate enough heat to require a lot of cooling, so cheap aluminum cases work reasonably well.  However, they don't last as long (riveted aluminum just cannot compete with welded steel for lifespan) and will get noisier as time goes on, with the rivets loosening and you putting in components that need more and more airflow to stay cool.

My ATI 1950 card is infamous for the noise its fan puts out.  My case cooling is so good, however, that the GPU fan almost never runs at more than 40% of designed speed, and that cuts down on noise quite significantly.

I went from "cheapest crappiest case" to "semi-expensive" last time I bought a computer, and I have to say that the fans and the whole rig runs very quietly. There are actually three cooling fans in the cabinet, which seemed like overkill to me, but then I noticed how much heat the components actually would produce, and thanked The Hod Of Cabinets for this.

Now, if I only could get something to cool down the 10 year old Lexmark laser printer I saved from stepdad's "throw away stuff I can't use because I can't see" fest a year ago.

Quote from: Norgy on April 30, 2009, 03:29:40 AMLexmark

:bleeding:

God, that company is a mess.  I used to work closely with them in my previous job (they are based here in Lexington, KY).  Management doesn't know their asses from apple butter.

Well, my case is loud.  But otherwise, it's perfect.  quieter fans would help, I'm sure.

Quote from: grumbler on April 29, 2009, 12:33:54 PM
There is a point at which components don't generate enough heat to require a lot of cooling, so cheap aluminum cases work reasonably well.  However, they don't last as long (riveted aluminum just cannot compete with welded steel for lifespan) and will get noisier as time goes on, with the rivets loosening and you putting in components that need more and more airflow to stay cool.

How many times have you changed the motherboard and/or CPU in your current case?  :rolleyes:

And you need more airflow whether you have cheap or expensive case. If you install good fans in cheap case it works the same way. Cheap cases don't have upper ventilation though.

QuoteMy ATI 1950 card is infamous for the noise its fan puts out.  My case cooling is so good, however, that the GPU fan almost never runs at more than 40% of designed speed, and that cuts down on noise quite significantly.

How did you measure this 40%?
Sure, front and rear (or better upper) fans help a lot in every case. Anyway I prefer to add them by myself.

My new PC is "out for delivery".

Come on Big Brown Truck!

In my previous case, I changed the mobo or cpu a total of 8 times.

Quote from: Caliga on April 30, 2009, 07:37:34 AM

:bleeding:

God, that company is a mess.  I used to work closely with them in my previous job (they are based here in Lexington, KY).  Management doesn't know their asses from apple butter.

The printer has been surprisingly reliable. Ten years of service isn't bad.
I am expecting it to melt down just as I am printing out papers for an important meeting or preparing to hand in an exam.

Quote from: szmik on April 30, 2009, 10:10:50 AM
How many times have you changed the motherboard and/or CPU in your current case?  :rolleyes:

Current case, once.  Last case, twice. :rolleyes:

QuoteHow did you measure this 40%?

How does one measure fan speeds?  By percentage of maximum speed.  Utilities like Speedfan or ATITool can give you fan speeds (and even help you control them). 

QuoteSure, front and rear (or better upper) fans help a lot in every case. Anyway I prefer to add them by myself.

Side fans can make a huge difference since they are not blowing past your HDDs before getting to the mobo/CPU.  Plus, side fans can be bigger (and therefor slower/quieter).  My case is set up to have three airflows:  one in the front across the HDDs, then up and out the top, one in the side and across the CPU, thence out the back through the PSU fan, and one in the side, across the GPU, and out the back via the GPU fan vent.

Fans, how quaint.

I just drop my entire case into super cooled non conductive olive oil.

Quote from: Berkut on April 30, 2009, 11:51:02 AM
Fans, how quaint.

I just drop my entire case into super cooled non conductive olive oil.

:cool:

I need to do that.

I hope you are enjoying your new rig as much as I am enjoying mine. 

Uggh, I think the hard drive is borked. I am trying to install Vista on the new machine, and it is taking literally hours to do the file expansion.

Can anyone tell me how long it typically takes?

Definitely not 'hours'.  I had something similar happen with a former PC and the drive ended up being ok, but I'd set something incorrectly in the BIOS... like turned off DMA or something.

Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:22:13 PM

QuoteYou won't use the full power of I7 nor of GTX275 soon.

The i7 I would agree with, the GTX275 I would not at all. I suspect I will use "the full power of it" the moment I load up Call of Duty, in fact.

I'm late to the party, but I disagree with the statement regarding the i7 as well.  If you intend to run multiple CPU or memory intensive applications at once, like multiple EVE clients, you certainly will use the full power of the i7.  I've already pegged all 4 cores of my Core 2 Quad a few times.  I'd love to have the hardware threads, plus a true multicore architecture.

Quote from: Berkut on May 02, 2009, 12:19:50 PM
Uggh, I think the hard drive is borked. I am trying to install Vista on the new machine, and it is taking literally hours to do the file expansion.

Can anyone tell me how long it typically takes?

Hadn't notice this before.

How did this end?

Quote from: Grey Fox on May 22, 2009, 11:00:09 PM

Quote from: Berkut on May 02, 2009, 12:19:50 PM
Uggh, I think the hard drive is borked. I am trying to install Vista on the new machine, and it is taking literally hours to do the file expansion.

Can anyone tell me how long it typically takes?

Hadn't notice this before.

How did this end?

Ordered a new hard drive, runs like butter now.

Anyone have any idea when I will be able to get a gaming platform with Windows 7? 

Quote from: Queequeg on May 22, 2009, 11:09:57 PM
Anyone have any idea when I will be able to get a gaming platform with Windows 7?

Now, if you're willing to run the release candidate and beta drivers.