SOLID STATE STORAGE
Many of today’s Solid State Drives (SSDs) offer the promise of improved performance, more consistent responsiveness, increased battery life, superior ruggedness, quicker startup times, and noise and vibration reductions. With prices dropping precipitously, most analysts expect more and more PCs to be sold with SSDs in place of traditional rotating hard disk drives (HDDs.)
SSDs tend to be very fast for random reads. Most SSDs thoroughly trounce traditionally HDDs because the mechanical work required to position a rotating disk head isn’t required. As a result, the better SSDs can perform 4 KB random reads almost 100 times faster than the typical HDD (about 1/10th of a millisecond per read vs. roughly 10 milliseconds.)
Micro Center Announces 64GB SandForce SF-1200 SSD for $99.99
It looks like "everyone" is doing it now; Micro Center has announced a house-branded SSD based on the SF-1200 processor which makes it the first brick and mortar branded SSD with a SandForce processor. The bigger news though is the $99.99 introductory price point on the 64GB capacity. That makes the drive roughly 40% less than other similar-capacity SSDs.
In terms of specs, the 2.5" SATA 3Gb/s drive offers read speeds up to 280MB/s, writes up to 270MB/s and includes the usual SandForce goodies like DuraWrite.
Vertex and Colossus
OCZ has announced updates to its first-generation Vertex and Colossus SSD series. The drives feature Indilinx controllers and affordable price points.
The company has updated the drives with new firmware, designed to make the performance more competitive. Compared to the first-gen drives, the new Plus editions offer improved 4KB random write IOPS and 'excellent' uncompressed data performance. The Colossus Plus features an internal RAID 0 design for up to a claimed 20,000 4KB random write IOPS.
The 2.5-inch Vertex Plus series is available in 32/64/128GB capacities for $74.99/$114.99/$194.99; the Colossus Plus will be offered with up to a 1TB (1024GB) capacity in a 3.5-inch form factor; pricing has not been announced. OCZ has not announced specific availability information.
Intel
It doesn't matter whether you landed on Santa's naughty or nice list this year, or if you even celebrate the holidays, not as far as Intel is concerned. Why? The world's largest chip maker just sent word that it lowered prices and introduced a new model of its SSD product line in time for the holiday buying season.
"Every Christmas, consumers are looking for the latest tech gadget; this year, with prices dropping, the solid-state drive is becoming more mainstream and can make the single greatest improvement to PC performance," said Troy Winslow, director of product marketing for the Intel NAND Solutions Group. "With an SSD, tech shoppers can give the gift of a technology makeover that will help speed up, or breathe new life, into a current PC by just swapping out the hard drive for an SSD."
New pricing for the Intel X25-M in 80GB form has been set to $199, while the 160GB version is now priced at $415. In addition, Intel has gone and released a 120GB model, which the chip maker plans to sell for $249.
Still too rich for your blood? Welcome to the world of SSDs, and not even a price break can hide the fact that these suckers carry a heavy premium when compared to mechanical hard drives. But hey, at least they've finally reached 'affordable' status, especially if you can make do with a lower capacity drive. Intel's X25-V in 40GB form, for example, can be bought for less than a C-note.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
What's in your computer?
When your graphics comes built in.
Integrated Graphics Cards
SiS Integrated
Intel GMA900 [Graphics Media Accelerator]
Intel GMA950
ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
Pros/Advantages of integrated GPU's:
Very light on power.
Reduce the overall cost of the notebook signifigantly.
Fine for web browsing, Office applications, watching videos/DVDs, and other basic tasks.
Cons:
Integrated graphics cards are for basic purposes.
Not what you want to have if you plan on doing 3D-related activities. (horrible for 3d gaming)
Intel GMA900 is the most common and is frequently found in lower-end mainstream notebooks.
Currently being replaced by the Intel GMA950, which is not that much faster (still useless for 3D) in newer notebooks. The GMA900/950 is only found in Intel processor based notebooks.
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M, avaliable in two versions - one with shared memory and one with dedicated
The ATI X200M is the best integrated graphics card in terms of performance today, much faster than the Intel GMA900/950. It is mainly found in AMD-based notebooks, although it is starting to make its way into the Intel-based notebooks as well. For comparison purposes, the dedicated X200M is about 2/3 as fast as a standard Mobility Radeon X300. The X200M is actually capable of some light 3D, but remember that it is integrated, and you will be very limited when it comes to games - do not buy it if you want to play games.
SiS chip - that card is by far the worst graphics card in notebooks today.
Low-end Graphics Cards
ATI X300 = nVidia 6200 & 6400
ATI X1300 = nVidia 7300
These cards are fine for multimedia purposes, plus light 3D, but don't expect to play the latest games at anything but lower settings. That is not what they are designed for anyway. If you are a gamer, these cards are not for you. These cards can be found in any number of notebook sizes.
The X1300/Go7300, are the replacements for the older X300/6200.
Mainstream/Mid-end Graphics Cards
nVidia GeForce FX Go 5700:
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 (9550) (Pro) (Turbo)
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700:
ATI X600 = nVidia 6400
ATI X1400 = nVidia 7400
A clear step up in performance from the low-end cards, these cards are good enough to play the latest games at medium settings and resolutions give or take, but do not expect blazing performance. These cards are fine for the occasional gamer, but if the prime intent of your notebook is to game, you won't get spectacular performance out of these.
Mid-end cards do not produce a large amount of heat, and therefore, can be found in smaller notebooks around 13.3-14" (such as the Sony VAIO SZ and ThinkPad T60). However, they would be more common in a larger 15.4" notebooks.
The X1400/Go7400 are the replacements for the X600/6400.
Performance Graphics Cards
ATI X700 = nVidia 6600
ATI Mobility Radeon 9800
ATI X1600 = nVidia 7600
Designed for 3D gaming on a mobile level; you don't have to get a huge desktop replacement in order to have one of these cards.
Do not produce a huge amount of heat, but don't exactly run cool.
Battery life is balanced. A notebook equipped with one of these cards will see noticeably lower battery life when compared to one that has integrated graphics.
Performance-class cards are great for gamers wanting fast 3D performance in a mobile form factor. These cards are capable of playing the latest games with no problems, at close to or maximum settings and a balanced resolution. Typically, expect to see performance cards in a 15-15.4" screen size notebook.
The new GeForce Go7600 is replacing the current generation Go6600, and ATI also has the X1600 as a replacement for the current X700.
High-end/Desktop Replacement Graphics Cards
ATI X800 = nVidia 6800
ATI X800XT = nVidia 6800 Ultra
ATI X1800 = nVidia 7800
ATI X1800XT = nVidia 7800GTX
Not found in many notebooks, the high-end cards are at the top of their game, easily playing the latest games at maximum settings.
Cons:
A large amount of heat and considerable power consumption all add up to a notebook that requires a large cooling solution, which in turn leads to a bigger and heavier notebook.
Graphic Card Terms
HYPERMEMORY AND TURBOCACHE
"With the advent of PCI Express, ATI and nVidia have developed technologies that allow the use of system memory as a buffer for graphics data, basically extending the memory of the dedicated GPU itself into system memory. The nice thing is that this can offer a healthy and very inexpensive performance boost for chips that would otherwise be painfully crippled.
The problem is that system memory is almost always slower than dedicated GPU memory, so it's no substitute for having dedicated memory.
Worse still, low-end parts that use this technology are frequently marketed in a misleading fashion. For example, newer Sony S-series notebooks use GeForce Go 6200s that list as having 128MB of video memory when in fact they only have 32; that 96 is shared. Likewise, there's been a lot of confusion regarding the amount of actual memory on the ATI X300s used in Dell notebooks.
It's my understanding that the major culprits of this are the GeForce Go 6200, 6400, and the X300. But while the X300 may be marketed as having HyperMemory, the GeForce Go parts tend to gloss over their use of TurboCache.
One great thing about HyperMemory over TurboCache is that it's almost entirely software, so most ATI cards, with some tweaking, can use it, though the performance improvement is largely minor."
Integrated Graphics Cards
SiS Integrated
Intel GMA900 [Graphics Media Accelerator]
Intel GMA950
ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
Pros/Advantages of integrated GPU's:
Very light on power.
Reduce the overall cost of the notebook signifigantly.
Fine for web browsing, Office applications, watching videos/DVDs, and other basic tasks.
Cons:
Integrated graphics cards are for basic purposes.
Not what you want to have if you plan on doing 3D-related activities. (horrible for 3d gaming)
Intel GMA900 is the most common and is frequently found in lower-end mainstream notebooks.
Currently being replaced by the Intel GMA950, which is not that much faster (still useless for 3D) in newer notebooks. The GMA900/950 is only found in Intel processor based notebooks.
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M, avaliable in two versions - one with shared memory and one with dedicated
The ATI X200M is the best integrated graphics card in terms of performance today, much faster than the Intel GMA900/950. It is mainly found in AMD-based notebooks, although it is starting to make its way into the Intel-based notebooks as well. For comparison purposes, the dedicated X200M is about 2/3 as fast as a standard Mobility Radeon X300. The X200M is actually capable of some light 3D, but remember that it is integrated, and you will be very limited when it comes to games - do not buy it if you want to play games.
SiS chip - that card is by far the worst graphics card in notebooks today.
Low-end Graphics Cards
ATI X300 = nVidia 6200 & 6400
ATI X1300 = nVidia 7300
These cards are fine for multimedia purposes, plus light 3D, but don't expect to play the latest games at anything but lower settings. That is not what they are designed for anyway. If you are a gamer, these cards are not for you. These cards can be found in any number of notebook sizes.
The X1300/Go7300, are the replacements for the older X300/6200.
Mainstream/Mid-end Graphics Cards
nVidia GeForce FX Go 5700:
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 (9550) (Pro) (Turbo)
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700:
ATI X600 = nVidia 6400
ATI X1400 = nVidia 7400
A clear step up in performance from the low-end cards, these cards are good enough to play the latest games at medium settings and resolutions give or take, but do not expect blazing performance. These cards are fine for the occasional gamer, but if the prime intent of your notebook is to game, you won't get spectacular performance out of these.
Mid-end cards do not produce a large amount of heat, and therefore, can be found in smaller notebooks around 13.3-14" (such as the Sony VAIO SZ and ThinkPad T60). However, they would be more common in a larger 15.4" notebooks.
The X1400/Go7400 are the replacements for the X600/6400.
Performance Graphics Cards
ATI X700 = nVidia 6600
ATI Mobility Radeon 9800
ATI X1600 = nVidia 7600
Designed for 3D gaming on a mobile level; you don't have to get a huge desktop replacement in order to have one of these cards.
Do not produce a huge amount of heat, but don't exactly run cool.
Battery life is balanced. A notebook equipped with one of these cards will see noticeably lower battery life when compared to one that has integrated graphics.
Performance-class cards are great for gamers wanting fast 3D performance in a mobile form factor. These cards are capable of playing the latest games with no problems, at close to or maximum settings and a balanced resolution. Typically, expect to see performance cards in a 15-15.4" screen size notebook.
The new GeForce Go7600 is replacing the current generation Go6600, and ATI also has the X1600 as a replacement for the current X700.
High-end/Desktop Replacement Graphics Cards
ATI X800 = nVidia 6800
ATI X800XT = nVidia 6800 Ultra
ATI X1800 = nVidia 7800
ATI X1800XT = nVidia 7800GTX
Not found in many notebooks, the high-end cards are at the top of their game, easily playing the latest games at maximum settings.
Cons:
A large amount of heat and considerable power consumption all add up to a notebook that requires a large cooling solution, which in turn leads to a bigger and heavier notebook.
Graphic Card Terms
HYPERMEMORY AND TURBOCACHE
"With the advent of PCI Express, ATI and nVidia have developed technologies that allow the use of system memory as a buffer for graphics data, basically extending the memory of the dedicated GPU itself into system memory. The nice thing is that this can offer a healthy and very inexpensive performance boost for chips that would otherwise be painfully crippled.
The problem is that system memory is almost always slower than dedicated GPU memory, so it's no substitute for having dedicated memory.
Worse still, low-end parts that use this technology are frequently marketed in a misleading fashion. For example, newer Sony S-series notebooks use GeForce Go 6200s that list as having 128MB of video memory when in fact they only have 32; that 96 is shared. Likewise, there's been a lot of confusion regarding the amount of actual memory on the ATI X300s used in Dell notebooks.
It's my understanding that the major culprits of this are the GeForce Go 6200, 6400, and the X300. But while the X300 may be marketed as having HyperMemory, the GeForce Go parts tend to gloss over their use of TurboCache.
One great thing about HyperMemory over TurboCache is that it's almost entirely software, so most ATI cards, with some tweaking, can use it, though the performance improvement is largely minor."
Saturday, November 6, 2010
SIx Cores and Beyond
How Many Core's are right for you?
Whether you're buying a new PC, or upgrading an old one, perhaps with a new motherboard, then your choice of PC processor will be critical. But there's a lot to consider if you want to get the best processor for your PC.
So what's the best CPU for you? Will you opt for AMD, or Intel, for instance? How much performance do you really need? How many CPU cores will it take to achieve that? What might you be able to achieve for overclocking? And how much is all this going to cost? Which processor is best for gaming? What's the best processor for Photoshop users? The list goes on, and on.
Fortunately, while there's a huge list of processors available, it's actually not that difficult to reduce the selection to more practical and manageable levels to decide which processor to buy. You just have to take the process step by step, analysing your needs and looking at the best candidates to fulfil them, and this begins by thinking about the age-old question: Intel or AMD?
Intel vs AMD
You might well already have chosen your preferred CPU manufacturer, of course. Maybe you always go with one particular company. Or perhaps you have your motherboard already, in which case the decision has been made already: you'll have to opt for whatever is compatible.
If not, though, selecting Intel or AMD will pose an interesting dilemma.
Right now, Intel is the performance king. Its Core i7 range is blisteringly fast and, initially at least, outperform anything that AMD has to offer.
This comes at a price, though - if you're looking for value, then AMD offers a much better deal. As we write, for instance, the quad-core AMD Black Edition Phenom II X4 965, one of AMD's fastest processors, can be yours for around $130. Intel's core i5-680 delivers roughly equivalent performance, but will cost you maybe $230. And becoming a speed king via something like Intel's Core i7-950 will virtually double the figure again: you can expect to pay $450 or more.
(These figures change day to day, but AMD will remain the value choice for the foreseeable future.)
It's also worth factoring in the price of the motherboard. Spending just $60 to $70 will give you plenty of possible homes for a high-end AMD CPU; opt for the best that Intel has to offer and you'll probably spend at least twice as much.
If you want and need Intel's performance then things aren't quite as bad as they seem. Intel CPUs are generally a little more overclockable than AMDs, and something like the i5-750 (priced around $150 as we write) can be pushed a very long way.
But if you don't require that kind of high-end power (or you just can't afford it) then an AMD processor is the way to go. You'll still get plenty of speed when you need it, and will save a pile of cash, too.
Processor features
These days the CPU features that attract the most attention are the number of cores, and its clock speed. Both are simple concepts to understand, but you still have to be careful how you interpret them.
AMD's Black Edition Phenom II X6 1090T, for example, contains six cores, individual processors, which means the CPU can work on six separate tasks at the same time. And each of these runs at a very respectable 3.2GHz.
Meanwhile the Intel Core i7-860 has only four cores, and runs at a mere 2.8GHz. So you might, not unreasonably, expect it to be slower. However, it supports Intel's Hyper-Threading technology, providing an extra four "virtual" cores, and thanks to this, and a few other design decisions, it actually outperforms the Phenom II X6 1090T. So you can't rely solely on these figures to determine which CPU is best.
Still, as a general rule for processors from the same manufacturer, the more cores a CPU provides, the happier you're going to be. You won't see large speed increases from all programs - the popular LAME encoder is still single-threaded, for instance, so upgrading from a dual to quad-core CPU won't deliver any noticeable changes - but most apps that could benefit significantly from multithreading, now do so, and will take advantage of the extra processing power. And just about everything else will be upgraded over time.
Cores should be your first priority, then: you'll want a quad-core CPU at a minimum. After that, opt for the highest clock speed you can afford, or need, but don't worry about that quite as much. You can often ramp that up later with a little judicious overclocking.
CPU Options
We've reduced the original mountain of possible CPUs to just a handful, then, but to choose the right model from these you'll need to understand just a few more processor-related terms.
As we've mentioned, many Intel CPUs include a feature called Hyper-Threading, which allows each core to run two sets of instructions simultaneously. It can be a very effective technology - Intel Core i7 CPUs are essentially i5's with Hyper-Threading enabled - and you'll want to get it if you can.
Every Intel processor also contains an amount of embedded memory called a cache, which is used to hold regularly-used information. If the CPU needs this again then it can be fetched from the cache, which is far quicker than accessing system RAM. Look for descriptions like L2 (Level 2 Cache), L3 (Level 3 Cache) or "Intel Smart Cache" (which means L3) - the more your processor has, the better.
And it's a similar story with AMD CPUs, although less dramatic. Opt for a quad-core Phenom II X4 and you'll find they all have the same cache amounts, 2MB for L2, 6MB for L3. The 6-core Phenom II X6 increases L2 cache to 3MB, though, while will provide a useful speed increase in many situations.
What you might want also to consider, though, is the Phenom II's "Thermal Design Power" (TDP), the maximum amount of power it's likely to consume when busy running applications. This ranges from 65W (Phenom II X4 905e or 910e) to 125W (Phenom II X4 955 and higher); the low TDP CPUs are slower, but use less electricity and run cooler, making them better choices for media centre PCs where you want to keep fan noise to a minimum.
You should now have a better idea of what you want from a CPU, then - but you'll still need to find confirmation of exactly which model is best for you. And our processor reviews are a great place to start. There are over 100 reviews online, all filterable by socket, CPU type and more, and with instant price comparisons to hand you'll soon locate the best CPU deals around.
Top of Form
New Intel i7 and AMD Phenom II X6 Processors
Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition
Unrivaled smart features: With overclock enabled, you can tune your system for extra performance and feed your need for speed. Plus, greater cache size and higher frequencies make it the perfect engine for power users who demand unparalleled performance and unlimited digital creativity.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology: The Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition automatically speeds up when your PC needs extra performance.
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology: Multi-task processing enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. Select models of the Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition feature as many as 12 threads to maximize performance.
Delivers big, travels light: Get the ultimate balance of smart performance and style with a sleek new laptop powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor, Intel’s top processor designed for ultra-thin laptops. Packed with rich features, including enhanced battery life, it’s a stylish mobile superstar that’s light enough to carry all day.
Enjoy broadband Internet all over town with 4G WiMAX
A laptop with an Intel® Core™ processor and 4G WiMAX wireless technology delivers great PC performance with blazing Internet speed that’s four times faster than 3G.
AMD Phenom II X6
AMD Phenom II is for high definition entertainment, gaming, creativity, and beyond. With AMD Phenom II processors as the foundation, you'll enjoy a level of responsiveness and visual intensity. AMD puts high definition computing within everyone's reach. Enjoy a superior high definition experience for HD videos on your PC. AMD Phenom II processor is the powerful engine behind your fidelity, high definition video entertainment experience. Only AMD puts the Ultimate Visual Experience for HD video within your reach. Get HD content online, offline, wherever you want it, however you want it. Your system can handle whatever you dish out - and serve it up on screen in full, high definition glory. Combine AMD Phenom II processors and ATI Radeon HD graphics to really see the difference. Enjoy smooth video, brilliant videos and immersive games. AMD unleashes visual clarity and responsiveness for what you want to do.
Whether you're buying a new PC, or upgrading an old one, perhaps with a new motherboard, then your choice of PC processor will be critical. But there's a lot to consider if you want to get the best processor for your PC.
So what's the best CPU for you? Will you opt for AMD, or Intel, for instance? How much performance do you really need? How many CPU cores will it take to achieve that? What might you be able to achieve for overclocking? And how much is all this going to cost? Which processor is best for gaming? What's the best processor for Photoshop users? The list goes on, and on.
Fortunately, while there's a huge list of processors available, it's actually not that difficult to reduce the selection to more practical and manageable levels to decide which processor to buy. You just have to take the process step by step, analysing your needs and looking at the best candidates to fulfil them, and this begins by thinking about the age-old question: Intel or AMD?
Intel vs AMD
You might well already have chosen your preferred CPU manufacturer, of course. Maybe you always go with one particular company. Or perhaps you have your motherboard already, in which case the decision has been made already: you'll have to opt for whatever is compatible.
If not, though, selecting Intel or AMD will pose an interesting dilemma.
Right now, Intel is the performance king. Its Core i7 range is blisteringly fast and, initially at least, outperform anything that AMD has to offer.
This comes at a price, though - if you're looking for value, then AMD offers a much better deal. As we write, for instance, the quad-core AMD Black Edition Phenom II X4 965, one of AMD's fastest processors, can be yours for around $130. Intel's core i5-680 delivers roughly equivalent performance, but will cost you maybe $230. And becoming a speed king via something like Intel's Core i7-950 will virtually double the figure again: you can expect to pay $450 or more.
(These figures change day to day, but AMD will remain the value choice for the foreseeable future.)
It's also worth factoring in the price of the motherboard. Spending just $60 to $70 will give you plenty of possible homes for a high-end AMD CPU; opt for the best that Intel has to offer and you'll probably spend at least twice as much.
If you want and need Intel's performance then things aren't quite as bad as they seem. Intel CPUs are generally a little more overclockable than AMDs, and something like the i5-750 (priced around $150 as we write) can be pushed a very long way.
But if you don't require that kind of high-end power (or you just can't afford it) then an AMD processor is the way to go. You'll still get plenty of speed when you need it, and will save a pile of cash, too.
Processor features
These days the CPU features that attract the most attention are the number of cores, and its clock speed. Both are simple concepts to understand, but you still have to be careful how you interpret them.
AMD's Black Edition Phenom II X6 1090T, for example, contains six cores, individual processors, which means the CPU can work on six separate tasks at the same time. And each of these runs at a very respectable 3.2GHz.
Meanwhile the Intel Core i7-860 has only four cores, and runs at a mere 2.8GHz. So you might, not unreasonably, expect it to be slower. However, it supports Intel's Hyper-Threading technology, providing an extra four "virtual" cores, and thanks to this, and a few other design decisions, it actually outperforms the Phenom II X6 1090T. So you can't rely solely on these figures to determine which CPU is best.
Still, as a general rule for processors from the same manufacturer, the more cores a CPU provides, the happier you're going to be. You won't see large speed increases from all programs - the popular LAME encoder is still single-threaded, for instance, so upgrading from a dual to quad-core CPU won't deliver any noticeable changes - but most apps that could benefit significantly from multithreading, now do so, and will take advantage of the extra processing power. And just about everything else will be upgraded over time.
Cores should be your first priority, then: you'll want a quad-core CPU at a minimum. After that, opt for the highest clock speed you can afford, or need, but don't worry about that quite as much. You can often ramp that up later with a little judicious overclocking.
CPU Options
We've reduced the original mountain of possible CPUs to just a handful, then, but to choose the right model from these you'll need to understand just a few more processor-related terms.
As we've mentioned, many Intel CPUs include a feature called Hyper-Threading, which allows each core to run two sets of instructions simultaneously. It can be a very effective technology - Intel Core i7 CPUs are essentially i5's with Hyper-Threading enabled - and you'll want to get it if you can.
Every Intel processor also contains an amount of embedded memory called a cache, which is used to hold regularly-used information. If the CPU needs this again then it can be fetched from the cache, which is far quicker than accessing system RAM. Look for descriptions like L2 (Level 2 Cache), L3 (Level 3 Cache) or "Intel Smart Cache" (which means L3) - the more your processor has, the better.
And it's a similar story with AMD CPUs, although less dramatic. Opt for a quad-core Phenom II X4 and you'll find they all have the same cache amounts, 2MB for L2, 6MB for L3. The 6-core Phenom II X6 increases L2 cache to 3MB, though, while will provide a useful speed increase in many situations.
What you might want also to consider, though, is the Phenom II's "Thermal Design Power" (TDP), the maximum amount of power it's likely to consume when busy running applications. This ranges from 65W (Phenom II X4 905e or 910e) to 125W (Phenom II X4 955 and higher); the low TDP CPUs are slower, but use less electricity and run cooler, making them better choices for media centre PCs where you want to keep fan noise to a minimum.
You should now have a better idea of what you want from a CPU, then - but you'll still need to find confirmation of exactly which model is best for you. And our processor reviews are a great place to start. There are over 100 reviews online, all filterable by socket, CPU type and more, and with instant price comparisons to hand you'll soon locate the best CPU deals around.
Top of Form
New Intel i7 and AMD Phenom II X6 Processors
Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition
Unrivaled smart features: With overclock enabled, you can tune your system for extra performance and feed your need for speed. Plus, greater cache size and higher frequencies make it the perfect engine for power users who demand unparalleled performance and unlimited digital creativity.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology: The Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition automatically speeds up when your PC needs extra performance.
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology: Multi-task processing enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. Select models of the Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition feature as many as 12 threads to maximize performance.
Delivers big, travels light: Get the ultimate balance of smart performance and style with a sleek new laptop powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor, Intel’s top processor designed for ultra-thin laptops. Packed with rich features, including enhanced battery life, it’s a stylish mobile superstar that’s light enough to carry all day.
Enjoy broadband Internet all over town with 4G WiMAX
A laptop with an Intel® Core™ processor and 4G WiMAX wireless technology delivers great PC performance with blazing Internet speed that’s four times faster than 3G.
AMD Phenom II X6
AMD Phenom II is for high definition entertainment, gaming, creativity, and beyond. With AMD Phenom II processors as the foundation, you'll enjoy a level of responsiveness and visual intensity. AMD puts high definition computing within everyone's reach. Enjoy a superior high definition experience for HD videos on your PC. AMD Phenom II processor is the powerful engine behind your fidelity, high definition video entertainment experience. Only AMD puts the Ultimate Visual Experience for HD video within your reach. Get HD content online, offline, wherever you want it, however you want it. Your system can handle whatever you dish out - and serve it up on screen in full, high definition glory. Combine AMD Phenom II processors and ATI Radeon HD graphics to really see the difference. Enjoy smooth video, brilliant videos and immersive games. AMD unleashes visual clarity and responsiveness for what you want to do.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
To Customize Or Not To Customize
BUILDING A CUSTOM COMPUTER
AMD or Intel?
Whether you prefer Intel or AMD, we have every conceivable valid configuration available for each platform. From cost-efficient custom desktop systems and performance gaming machines to hardcore and extreme gaming rigs and workstations, we have every platform available. Similarly, we offer both NVIDIA and ATI Radeon graphics solutions. We do not have a “brand-allegiance”, meaning that we do not sell products of a single manufacturer because we have a contract or discount with them. Actually, we offer products by the company that do the best job building the product for a certain category. So if, for example, ASUS were unable to deliver a solid mainboard based on a particular chipset, we will find a company that does.
Best AMD 890FX Board Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7
Gigabyte's sturdy GA-890FXA-UD7 is a monster of a board. Most motherboards these days are of course ATX motherboards, but the Gigabyte 890FXA-UD7 is actually an extended ATX board, which means you'll need a large case to house this one. The reason why it is so large becomes obvious once you take a look at it, as the 890FXA-UD7 has six - yes, six - PCIe slots.
You'll also find a buffet of ports. Inside you're treated to eight SATA ports, six of which are SATA 6Gbps ports. Around back you'll find two USB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0 ports, two Firewire ports, two eSATA/USB combo ports, and 8-channel Realtek audio. This is in addition to six onboard USB 2.0 and one onboard Firewire connection.
If you're a power user in every sense of the word - multiple huge hard drives, loads of video cards, and more RAM than a Dodge dealership, you'll appreciate this Gigabyte board. The Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 usually runs around $240.
Computers for Photographers
If you consider yourself a photographer, be it professional or otherwise, then your computing needs will be slightly different than that of the average user. For starters, you're going to need lots of hard drive space for storing your photographs, especially given the amount of space a single 12+ megpixel photo can take. You'll also want a very large, bright monitor for doing photo manipulation in programs like Adobe Photoshop. Having some extra video memory never hurts, though you really won't need to invest in a high-end gaming card unless you are also a gamer.
What is a Memory Footprint?
In a nutshell, the memory footprint of any program is simply the amount of memory the software uses while it’s in operation. While this is an important thing to be aware of for any piece of software, it’s doubly so for an operating system. After all, you can’t just kill the operating system to free up extra memory. Sure, there are things you can do that may reduce the amount of memory that an operating system is using, but there is a bare minimum that it’s always going to tie up. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit versions of the operating system and a minimum of 2 GB for 64-bit versions. If you plan on taking advantage of the Windows XP Mode feature, you should bump those requirements up to include an additional 1 GB of RAM.
One of the big differences here is that Microsoft's recommendations for Windows 7 seem to be a lot more realistic than the ones given for Vista. That is, with Vista, most people needed much more than the minimum requirements stated for the OS to run properly. With Windows 7, the stated requirements seem adequate. However, you're still much better off if you have 4 GB of RAM, especially if you're running a 64-bit version. Will Windows 7 run on less? The user community says yes – Windows 7 can boot up in systems with less RAM, but remember that there is a difference between just being able to boot your PC and actually being able to do anything with it. So, if you actually plan to use any applications and don't want your system to slow to a crawl, it's best not to try to scrape by with less than the minimum.
FLASH MEMORY
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. SSDs are distinguished from traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which are electromechanical devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. SSDs, in contrast, use microchipsand data is retained in non-volatile memory chips and contain no moving parts. Compared to traditional HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, quieter, and have lower access time and latency. SSDs use the same interface as hard disk drives, thus easily replacing them in most applications.
As of 2010, most SSDs use NAND-based flash memory, which retains memory even without power. SSDs using volatile random-access memory(RAM) also exist for situations which require even faster access, but do not necessarily need data persistence after power loss, or use batteries to back up the data after power is removed. A hybrid drive combines the features of an HDD and an SSD in one unit.
GRAPHICS CARDS FOR GAMING
Purchasing a PC graphics card can be a daunting task for those that aren't familiar with the entire technical lingo that has become part of every decision regarding computer hardware. Whether you are considering an upgrade to your current system, or you want your new system to be able to run the latest games, here are some things you should know before buying a video card for gaming.
Update Your Drivers
If you're thinking of replacing your card because you're having problems running a certain game, make sure you have the latest version of the drivers for your current graphics card. You will find the latest drivers for your card available for download from the manufacturer's Web site.
Chipsets
For the purpose of gaming, two developers of 3D graphics card chipsets have come to dominate the market: nVidia and ATI. While there are many video card manufacturers and brands, most of them build their cards around chipsets designed and supported by one of these two companies.
Certain games will run a little better on one chipset than another - something you might want to consider before deciding which way to go.
Onboard Memory
256 MB of memory is, at the time of writing this, about the minimum for a gamer looking for a new card. When it comes to memory, more is always better, although it does raise the price of the card. 512 MB cards are now common in all price ranges, but there are high-end cards with 1 GB or more of memory onboard.
Framerates
As the term implies, framerate is an indication of how many frames per second your system can display. The rate not only varies from game to game, it is also affected by the game's settings and the action taking place at any given moment in the game. Framerate is, in some ways, the ultimate test of a video card's speed, so a lot of sites compare cards on this basis. The fastest cards in this regard are usually the most expensive as well.
Hardware Transform and Lighting
This has been a standard feature in game-oriented video cards for quite a few years, but there are still PCs around that don't have it. These are usually systems with Intel graphics integrated into the motherboard, commonly used in budget laptops and desktops designed for office use. If your desktop doesn't have hardware T&L and you have a graphics card slot available, adding a newer graphics card could be an option.
Power Consumption
Many cards designed for gaming require a considerable amount of power, and they often have additional power connectors on them because they can't get enough juice through the slot itself. They also require a relatively good power supply, especially for SLI and Crossfire systems with dual video cards. If you're upgrading to the latest high-end card, you may find yourself upgrading your power supply as well. Power requirements are usually stated in the graphics card's specifications.
ATI Radeon HD 6870
Launched in October 2010, the first cards in Radeon's HD 6000 series don't dramatically outperform the previous generation, but they do improve on power consumption and they are smaller, which makes them cheaper to produce. The HD 6870 falls a little behind the HD 5870 on some game benchmarks, but it's currently priced at around $230, which is a good $100 less than a 1 GB HD 5870, making the 6870 an obvious choice.
Advantages of Building a Custom Computer
The most distinguishing advantage to building a computer from scratch is the selection of parts. Most computer systems come pre-built with the specifications and components already selected for you. This often can lead the user to have to sacrifice certain features that they may not want to give up. By building a computer from components, the user is able to choose the parts that best match the computer system they desire. Some vendors do allow you to customize a computer system, but you are still limited to their selection of parts.
Another thing that users may not be aware of with pre-built systems is that two of the exact same model computer can actually have very different parts. The reason for this has to do with
suppliers, parts available at the time the system was built and just pure luck. For example, Dell might switch between multiple suppliers of memory because one is less expensive than the other. Buying all the parts on your own guarantees what parts you will get in your PC.
One of the less tangible advantages to building a computer from scratch is knowledge. By building a computer from scratch, a user is able to learn and understand how the parts work together. This information becomes immensely valuable when troubleshooting computer problems. The knowledge of what components control the different sub-systems of a computer means users can repair their own hardware problems without having to deal with support groups or expensive repair labor bills.
AMD or Intel?
Whether you prefer Intel or AMD, we have every conceivable valid configuration available for each platform. From cost-efficient custom desktop systems and performance gaming machines to hardcore and extreme gaming rigs and workstations, we have every platform available. Similarly, we offer both NVIDIA and ATI Radeon graphics solutions. We do not have a “brand-allegiance”, meaning that we do not sell products of a single manufacturer because we have a contract or discount with them. Actually, we offer products by the company that do the best job building the product for a certain category. So if, for example, ASUS were unable to deliver a solid mainboard based on a particular chipset, we will find a company that does.
Best AMD 890FX Board Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7
Gigabyte's sturdy GA-890FXA-UD7 is a monster of a board. Most motherboards these days are of course ATX motherboards, but the Gigabyte 890FXA-UD7 is actually an extended ATX board, which means you'll need a large case to house this one. The reason why it is so large becomes obvious once you take a look at it, as the 890FXA-UD7 has six - yes, six - PCIe slots.
You'll also find a buffet of ports. Inside you're treated to eight SATA ports, six of which are SATA 6Gbps ports. Around back you'll find two USB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0 ports, two Firewire ports, two eSATA/USB combo ports, and 8-channel Realtek audio. This is in addition to six onboard USB 2.0 and one onboard Firewire connection.
If you're a power user in every sense of the word - multiple huge hard drives, loads of video cards, and more RAM than a Dodge dealership, you'll appreciate this Gigabyte board. The Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 usually runs around $240.
Computers for Photographers
If you consider yourself a photographer, be it professional or otherwise, then your computing needs will be slightly different than that of the average user. For starters, you're going to need lots of hard drive space for storing your photographs, especially given the amount of space a single 12+ megpixel photo can take. You'll also want a very large, bright monitor for doing photo manipulation in programs like Adobe Photoshop. Having some extra video memory never hurts, though you really won't need to invest in a high-end gaming card unless you are also a gamer.
What is a Memory Footprint?
In a nutshell, the memory footprint of any program is simply the amount of memory the software uses while it’s in operation. While this is an important thing to be aware of for any piece of software, it’s doubly so for an operating system. After all, you can’t just kill the operating system to free up extra memory. Sure, there are things you can do that may reduce the amount of memory that an operating system is using, but there is a bare minimum that it’s always going to tie up. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit versions of the operating system and a minimum of 2 GB for 64-bit versions. If you plan on taking advantage of the Windows XP Mode feature, you should bump those requirements up to include an additional 1 GB of RAM.
One of the big differences here is that Microsoft's recommendations for Windows 7 seem to be a lot more realistic than the ones given for Vista. That is, with Vista, most people needed much more than the minimum requirements stated for the OS to run properly. With Windows 7, the stated requirements seem adequate. However, you're still much better off if you have 4 GB of RAM, especially if you're running a 64-bit version. Will Windows 7 run on less? The user community says yes – Windows 7 can boot up in systems with less RAM, but remember that there is a difference between just being able to boot your PC and actually being able to do anything with it. So, if you actually plan to use any applications and don't want your system to slow to a crawl, it's best not to try to scrape by with less than the minimum.
FLASH MEMORY
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. SSDs are distinguished from traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which are electromechanical devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. SSDs, in contrast, use microchipsand data is retained in non-volatile memory chips and contain no moving parts. Compared to traditional HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, quieter, and have lower access time and latency. SSDs use the same interface as hard disk drives, thus easily replacing them in most applications.
As of 2010, most SSDs use NAND-based flash memory, which retains memory even without power. SSDs using volatile random-access memory(RAM) also exist for situations which require even faster access, but do not necessarily need data persistence after power loss, or use batteries to back up the data after power is removed. A hybrid drive combines the features of an HDD and an SSD in one unit.
GRAPHICS CARDS FOR GAMING
Purchasing a PC graphics card can be a daunting task for those that aren't familiar with the entire technical lingo that has become part of every decision regarding computer hardware. Whether you are considering an upgrade to your current system, or you want your new system to be able to run the latest games, here are some things you should know before buying a video card for gaming.
Update Your Drivers
If you're thinking of replacing your card because you're having problems running a certain game, make sure you have the latest version of the drivers for your current graphics card. You will find the latest drivers for your card available for download from the manufacturer's Web site.
Chipsets
For the purpose of gaming, two developers of 3D graphics card chipsets have come to dominate the market: nVidia and ATI. While there are many video card manufacturers and brands, most of them build their cards around chipsets designed and supported by one of these two companies.
Certain games will run a little better on one chipset than another - something you might want to consider before deciding which way to go.
Onboard Memory
256 MB of memory is, at the time of writing this, about the minimum for a gamer looking for a new card. When it comes to memory, more is always better, although it does raise the price of the card. 512 MB cards are now common in all price ranges, but there are high-end cards with 1 GB or more of memory onboard.
Framerates
As the term implies, framerate is an indication of how many frames per second your system can display. The rate not only varies from game to game, it is also affected by the game's settings and the action taking place at any given moment in the game. Framerate is, in some ways, the ultimate test of a video card's speed, so a lot of sites compare cards on this basis. The fastest cards in this regard are usually the most expensive as well.
Hardware Transform and Lighting
This has been a standard feature in game-oriented video cards for quite a few years, but there are still PCs around that don't have it. These are usually systems with Intel graphics integrated into the motherboard, commonly used in budget laptops and desktops designed for office use. If your desktop doesn't have hardware T&L and you have a graphics card slot available, adding a newer graphics card could be an option.
Power Consumption
Many cards designed for gaming require a considerable amount of power, and they often have additional power connectors on them because they can't get enough juice through the slot itself. They also require a relatively good power supply, especially for SLI and Crossfire systems with dual video cards. If you're upgrading to the latest high-end card, you may find yourself upgrading your power supply as well. Power requirements are usually stated in the graphics card's specifications.
ATI Radeon HD 6870
Launched in October 2010, the first cards in Radeon's HD 6000 series don't dramatically outperform the previous generation, but they do improve on power consumption and they are smaller, which makes them cheaper to produce. The HD 6870 falls a little behind the HD 5870 on some game benchmarks, but it's currently priced at around $230, which is a good $100 less than a 1 GB HD 5870, making the 6870 an obvious choice.
Advantages of Building a Custom Computer
The most distinguishing advantage to building a computer from scratch is the selection of parts. Most computer systems come pre-built with the specifications and components already selected for you. This often can lead the user to have to sacrifice certain features that they may not want to give up. By building a computer from components, the user is able to choose the parts that best match the computer system they desire. Some vendors do allow you to customize a computer system, but you are still limited to their selection of parts.
Another thing that users may not be aware of with pre-built systems is that two of the exact same model computer can actually have very different parts. The reason for this has to do with
suppliers, parts available at the time the system was built and just pure luck. For example, Dell might switch between multiple suppliers of memory because one is less expensive than the other. Buying all the parts on your own guarantees what parts you will get in your PC.
One of the less tangible advantages to building a computer from scratch is knowledge. By building a computer from scratch, a user is able to learn and understand how the parts work together. This information becomes immensely valuable when troubleshooting computer problems. The knowledge of what components control the different sub-systems of a computer means users can repair their own hardware problems without having to deal with support groups or expensive repair labor bills.
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