Date: 28 March 24, 03:44 AM
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 EVGA GeForce GTX 560



scuzzy


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My current GT 240 video card is making a big racket, as the fan is getting ready to go. I searched for aftermarket coolers, but the options are limited and I could not find anything I like. Plus, it was time for a nice upgrade. So I took the plunge.

I just ordered this EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Superclocked 1024MB GDDR5 video card from Amazon, for just under $200 with one day delivery. It'll be here Monday, two days from now. I read multiple positive reviews on the performance of GTX 560, plus everyone agrees it's quiet. My GT 240's fan noise was tiring at times.

The minimum power requirement for the GTX 560 is a 450W PSU with 24 amps on the +12v rail, with two PCI-E connectors. The specs on my PC P&C Silencer 500W PSU show it capable of 35 amps on the +12v rail, so it should work. I also just checked and I have a couple PCI-E connectors available.

I did consider the GTX 560 Ti, but I was already pushing it on the money front. I only had $175 to spend and I had to scrape the extra few bucks to order the plain ol' GTX 560. Either way I'm thinking I did okay. PassMark currently has the GTX 560 ranked at 21st place with an average G3D score of 2719. Compare that to my GT 240 ranked at 161st place with an average G3D score of 769.

Scuzzy; now pigs will fly.

pat


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Nice.

I wonder though, did you consider options from AMD? The 6850 is on par with that chipset and quite a bit less in cost.
SeaSonic M12II 620W, ASUS M4A87TD EVO AM3 AMD 870, AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz, Crucial 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6850, Kingston HyperX 120G 120GB Solid State Boot Drive, WD Caviar 1 TB Storage Drive, LG DVD-RW, Samsung SyncMaster 226bw 21" LCD, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit

Bill


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That's an awfully long card.  You sure there's roon for 12" on our motherboard?

Bill
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit

Ace


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I've heard size matters...  I did have to look up what mine is, since it's been a year since I noticed or saw it.
Looks like mine's 8 1/4 inch.

Ace; I'll probably never hear the end of it when he gets this thing...

scuzzy


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Pat, I asked myself, "What would Ace do?" To which I answered, "Something dumb, I'm sure." I considered AMD options, but I chose to stay with NVIDIA. Part of the reason is because I'm used to their software, and the other two computers in the house are on NVIDIA chipsets. I'm also intrigued by EVGA's Precision tuning software.

Bill, I'm thinking Amazon measured the box, since I doubt the card is 8" x 12". That would make for one big, honking card. I did check before ordering. According to EVGA, the card is 4.38" x 8.25".

Ace, I suggest you buy both AMD and NVIDIA cards, and then glue them together.

Scuzzy; you might have to install a 2nd PSU.

Ace


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  • The Ghost who walks. Slowly.

You can send me the 4" piece you saw off it, once it arrives.  I guess I could try a mini-SLI configuration.  I still have a couple of those card couplers somewhere.

Ace; it's a thrill trying to update drivers to two cards.

scuzzy


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I am not sending you pieces of my new card. But I might send you a pair of handcuffs so you can arrest yourself and turn yourself in at your local pokey.

Scuzzy; don't forget to throw away the key.

scuzzy


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The card arrived early this morning, and I installed it before having to leave for work. I only had enough time to install the latest drivers, and to run Windows Experience. Both graphics scores went from 6.9 to 7.7.

I'm enjoying the quietness. The GT240 it replaced made its presence known, and the difference is greatly appreciated.

scuzzy


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I restarted my computer with the case open to isolate some minor fan noise. I found an adjustable case fan making a little more noise than everyone else, which was previously masked by my GT240.

I adjusted the fan down by a couple hundred RPMs, and now my computer is nearly silent. It is barely audible in the still of the night.  ;D

Scuzzy; life is good once again.

Ace


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Mine's quiet at night, too.  Mostly because I shut it down.

So; you been gaming with this new megamonster card yet?  Blow up any terrorists or bad guys?  I don't mean one of those old games either; I mean state of the art rapid heartbeat and framerate 1st person shooter conquests.

I remember trying Myst, a few times.  I looked around for something to kill, waited to be killed.  Nada.  Just mood music and odd scenery and puzzles.  I hate puzzles.  I hated the dang puzzles in Quake.  I sure don't need some dang game filled with them. 

I still think you spare a guy a few spare inches of a new video card.  Heck, I'd loan you one of my intercard connecting bands, for some of it. 

Ace; or a stick of memory.  As I'm nearing a birthday I'm pretty sure I've got a bad stick installed.

scuzzy


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Look, I don't need no stinkin' high-speed video card to blow things up, maim, kill, destroy, or to cause other general mayhem. I get paid to do that in real life on a daily basis. They even gave me a gun and a couple rifles to accomplish such.

But I am thinking of downloading tic-tac-toe from the URL Pat provided.

Scuzzy; I can roll cars over, too.

scuzzy


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Alright Mr. Ace, I'll bite. Grrrrrr.

What do you recommend I download from GOG.com?

What other stuff should I consider that won't break the bank?

Scuzzy; I'll laugh at whatever advice he gives.

Ace


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Shoot, download COD Modern Warfare III and send it to me.
I didn't find anything that really appealed to me.  I had looked for Diablo, and Quake (I gave both away) and just sort of browsed to see what might be there but haven't noticed anything yet that I'd want.  that whole Myst remembrance sort of scared me off...  I was sent another "shopping mall" thing from Steam, by a coworker, where they run specials.  I am sort of stalled out on my current game collections; have played them all so many times over they're pretty old hat.  Just waiting for Peyton Manning to show up somewhere so I can trade him, in Madden.

"Oblivion" will basically use up all of your time on earth, and would figure Skyrim takes even longer.  But they are stunning for the medieval style role playing thing.  I always had fun with the original Diablo, and more than with II and all the add-ons.  Especially when I learned how to generate gold, on my own...  Any of the Call of Duty series (but the first two are way more primitive graphically than the World at War/Modern Warfare/Black Ops ones).  I liked Far Cry II a lot.  Have a pretty decent MS golf game installed, but I don't go there much.  Madden hasn't done PC games for years, so I've got 2006 and keep updating the rosters; actually created my own Michiana team/players/stadium.  In Coach's mode it's like being ... well, the coach.  You call the formations and plays, and let them have at it.  Depends on what kind of game amuses you; I don't go online to play anything since I'm not that sociable.

Ace; send cash and I'll go get my own game.  Will let you know how I like it.

scuzzy


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Okay, so... I need to download the Myst trilogy?

I'm not into sports in general, but I enjoy destroying things. Is there a game where I can blow up sports stadiums? Kamikaze Football?

COD does interest me, so I will consider your suggestions. Between the 3 you mentioned, which should I start with? Are tanks and grenades with USB connectors available?

Scuzzy; I hope I don't have to do any low crawling.

Ace


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Well, it would behoove you to go prone on occasion.  But not when a grenade lands nearby.

The COD "story" progresses from Modern Warfare to MWII; I don't know if the characters/story continue to III.  But you're really self contained in the adventure, anyway.  Modern Warfare II has a bonus "Special Ops" series of challenges, that you progress through to open up the next group.  So it's like two games in one.  You do get to defend Washington DC, and blow up tanks and things around the monument.  In Modern Warfare I it's mostly mideast based. 

Oddly enough the World at War WWII Russian in Europe/US in Pacific game acts like/looks like the Black Ops special game. The Russian machine gunner from the first actually winds up as a character in Black Ops.  All those have for bonus is zombie levels, which I don't do since they sorta creep me out.  I found the World at War very glitchy until I could download all the patches, and then it played fine.

I hate to pay full price for these things, although I think they just disappear more than get "cheap."  But I'd price them, and check availability, as far as trying one.  There are more weapons, and more interesting ones, with the newer the game.  Red dot laser sighting and ACOG sights came into play in MWII and Black Ops.

Ace; and set them for maximum body count.  Heck, you paid for it.

pat


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I'm not a big gamer. I do have Oblivion but still have a long way to go as I just don't seem to be able to find the time for it.

As for gog, the one game that I may go back for or "series of" would be the Gabriel Knight games. I had Sins of the Fathers and was one scarey game, back when. Not so sure it would be the same now. It was set in New Orleans and had much of Voodoo and other black magic.

I have that Dirt 3 race car game and that's fun. I almost gave up on getting though, it came free with a video card I bought last Christmas. Not media a download. First you had to resister your card code with AMD to get a product code to use with Steam to download and install the game which included setting up a Steam account and a Windows Live X-box account.  After all that work it hardly seemed free anymore, but it's fun.

I'll agree with Ace, watch Steam, they have lots og good deals. But keep in mind to play them you need a Steam account and you need to be connected to the internet to play them.
SeaSonic M12II 620W, ASUS M4A87TD EVO AM3 AMD 870, AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz, Crucial 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6850, Kingston HyperX 120G 120GB Solid State Boot Drive, WD Caviar 1 TB Storage Drive, LG DVD-RW, Samsung SyncMaster 226bw 21" LCD, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit

scuzzy


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Okay, silly question: Does it really matter which COD I start out with? If I start with MW4, or Black Ops, will I miss out on something?

And will I require special equipment?

Scuzzy; oblivious to the obvious.

Ace


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No. They're all self contained.  It's just if you move in series you'll notice the same characters, continuing.  Plus would figure the earlier the cheaper, if you want to go in sequence.

The problem I have with Oblivion is that I really don't enjoy the main quest, in Obliviion.  It's a hell like realm that is not pleasant. I like the "real world" piece, but even then not the undead parts.  I like fighting human like enemies, not strange creatures from the demon realm.  So I tend to fight the mercenaries and bandits, and forego the others.  Maybe someday I'll play it out, but I've put it aside, again.  And figure Skyrim is more of the same, just more detailed.  It is picturesque.   And very open ended.  You can simply wander, and not feel compelled to follow a story line.  Call of Duty definitely commits you to follow the plot.

Ace; you should be able to max out the resolution, and maintain frame rate, with your set up. They're all quite cool in that regard.

scuzzy


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Okay, thanks. I'll take a look in the near future. I checked Amazon and saw that most COD stuff is in the $19-ish range, so I may just go with MW4.

Scuzzy; taking it to the limit.

pat


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So this weekend at gog, they have some Activision games half off including some of those Police Swat type games.

http://www.gog.com/promo/activision_assortment

Probably doesn't want to brig work home with him though.
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scuzzy


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