Special Edition: Core i7 920 vs Phenom II 955 BE

Although the Core i7 is more expensive, does it perform better? It depends. If you do frequency-dependent tasks, the Phenom is for you. For most cases though, the i7 beats the Phenom, including gaming and video editing. Why? The i7 has triple channel DDR3 technology linked directly to the CPU. The AMD can use DDR2 or DDR3 memory, but it only supports dual-channel memory technology. The Phenom, though, can overclock a bit higher if you're lucky. Both utilize quad cores, but the Intel costs more, on Newegg, as of now. The Intel LGA1366 motherboards cost more than AM2+/AM3 motherboards. Also, there are far more cooling units compatible with AM2+/AM3 than socket 1366.

When shopping for a Core i7 CPU, try to get a D0 stepping because they overclock better. Even if you don't overclock, they should undervolt better as well. Try to keep the price under 290USD. At this time, Micro Center is selling the i7 for 200USD, which is tempting, but don't forget the extra $50 for the motherboard and the extra $30 for the RAM. Micro Center currently carries the cheapest i7 I have seen.

When shopping for a Phenom II, try to keep the price below ~240USD. Also you may want to consider the DDR2 only 940 BE (~190USD). The AMD Black Edition CPUs and Intel Extreme Edition CPUs feature an unlocked multiplier. Current AMD Phenom 2 BE processors are:

550-Dual Core
720-Triple Core
940-Quad Core DDR2-only
955-Quad Core

For the intel EE:

Core 2 Extreme QX9650-Quad Core
Core 2 Extreme QX9770
Core 2 Extreme QX9775 (socket 771)
Core i7 965 EE
Core i7 975 EE (~1000USD)

Some good coolers for the LGA1366 socket are:

Xigmatek Thor's Hammer
Zalman CNPS10x
Thermalright Ultra-Extreme 120 LGA1366
Zalman CNPS 9900
Cooler Master V8
Thermalright IFX-14
Scythe Mugen II
*May need to buy brackets

Some good coolers for the AM2/AM3 sockets are:

Xigmatek DK
Xigmatek Thor's hammer
Zalman CNPS10x
Zalman CNPS 9900
Zalman CNPS 9700
Thermalright Ultra Extreme 120
Thermalright IFX-14
Scythe Ninja
Scythe Ninja Copper
Scythe Mugen 2
Scythe Kama Angle
Tt Big Typhoon
Tt DuOrb
CM V8
CM Hyper 212

Thank you for reading my blog! Feel free to follow this blog and please tell others who need help about computers. If you have a question, leave it in the comments section or email me at hong.brandon@gmail.com Also, please click on the ads to your left to show your support. Thank you.

Part 7-Motherboards

A motherboard or mainboard is where most of your components plug in. It relays data from those components to the CPU. The Memory, Expansion cards, RAID cards, SCSI cards, Sound cards, Modem cards, Wi-Fi cards, Graphics cards, Memory, CPU, and Front panel connectors plug into the motherboard. The motherboards are usually colored red, blue, purple, black, yellow, brown, or green. They come in many different sizes, including:

Micro ATX
ATX
BTX
Mini ITX
Extended ATX
and many server form factors

If you are buying an AMD socket AM2/AM2+ processor, and need a cheap motherboard, consider the following:

ASRock K10N78M
ECS Black Series A780GM-A
ASUS M3A78-CM
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-US2H

Mainstream socket AM2/AM2+/AM3

ASUS M4A78 Plus
MSI K9A2 CF-F V2
JetWay JHA04-LF
ASRock A790GXH
Biostar TA790GXB A2+
Foxconn A7DA-S
ECS Black Series A790GXM-A

For a performance motherboard AM2/AM2+/AM3

Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P
Foxconn A79A-S
DFI Lanparty DK 790GX-M2RS
ASUS M4A79 Deluxe

For an SLi AM2/AM2+ Motherboard:

ASUS M4N72-E
ASUS Crosshair II Formula
Foxconn Destroyer
ASUS M3N-HT Deluxe

For an Intel socket 775 budget motherboard

Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L
ASRock G31M-S
Intel BOXDG31PR
Biostar G31D-M7
Foxconn G31AX-K
Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L

For an Intel socket 775 motherboard thar supports crossfire

DFI BI P45-T2RS
MSI P45 Neo2-FR
DFI Lanparty DK P45-T2RS
MSI P45 Platinum
DFI Lanparty DK X38-T2RB
ECS Black Series P45T-A

For an Intel socket 775 motherboard that supports SLi

XFX MB750I72P9
ASUS P5N-D
EVGA 750i SLi FTW
Zotac NF780I-A-E
XFX MB-N780-ISH9

For a high-performance crossfire motherboard (socket 775)

ASUS P5E W5 PRO
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P
Gigabyte GA-EP45-EXTREME
ASUS Maximus II Formula
Foxconn BlackOps
Gigabyte GA-X48-DS5
DFI LP DK X48-T2RSB Plus
ASUS Rampage Extreme/ Rampage Formula

For a performance X58 socket 1366 motherboard

MSI X58 Pro-E
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P
Foxconn Renaissance
MSI X58 Platinum
Foxconn BloodRage
EVGA 141-BL-E757-TR
Biostar TpowerX58
ASRock X58 Supercomputer
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
DFI LP UT X58-T3eH8
MSI X58 Eclipse Plus
Gigabyte GA-EX58-Extreme
ASUS P6T7 WS Revolution
ASUS Rampage 2 Extreme
EVGA X58 Classified

If you are looking for the best gaming setup available at this time, here they are (IMO)

ATI/AMD
Phenom II 955BE
4XRadeon 4870 2GB OR 4XRadeon 4890

Intel/nVidia
Intel Core i7 975 EE
3XGTX285 + 9800GT/8800GT PhysX

Be sure to check back soon, updates are frequent. Also, please click the ads on the sidebar to show your support, and be helpful and tell others who need help with computers. If this blog doesn't answer all your questions, fell free to email me at hong.brandon@gmail.com or just leave a comment in the comments section. Thanks for reading my blog!

Part 6: Mouse

Today's update is about computer mice. You must be thinking that you can shop for any mouse, as long as it's optical or laser, and fits your hand comfortably. Think again. For most people, a standard mouse would do fine, but generic mice usually suck. Here are some recommendations for the type of person who just wants their cursor to move around without their buttons getting stuck or having the cursor skipping:

Microsoft InteliMouse N50 series
Microsoft D66 series
Logitech SBF series


For budget gaming:

Wolf King MSWOLTROOPER
OCZ OCZMSEQRD
OCZ Eclipse


For gaming without a budget:

Razer DeathAdder
Razer Lachesis
Razer Diamondback
Razer Copperhead
Razer Mamba
Microsoft Sidewinder (all)
Microsoft Habu
Logitech G7
Logitech G5
Logitech G9
Logitech MX518
NZXT Avatar
Steelseries Ikari
Logitech G9x
Razer Salmosa

Mouse sensors are also a factor. Most ball mice require frequent cleaning for best results. They also have a worse feel and worse precision. For most users, optical is the way to go. Optical mice use a red light to shine on a surface. The light bounces back, and the sensor takes that bounced-back light and makes your cursor move. That is why optical mice usually don't work well on uneven surfaces such as carpet. Also, they don't work on mirrors or very reflective surfaces. Laser mice have a wider range of operating surfaces, and are usually more precise than optical mice. (400-800DPI vs 1000DPI for laser) Infrared sensors are usually designed for gaming, as they range from ~1600DPI-~5600DPI.

Remember that some mice are designed to be one-hand only, meaning that either the left or right hand won't fit the mouse.

Some mice also have more than 3 buttons, especially useful for gaming. Also, a lot of gaming mice have LEDs on them, making them more decorative, but some dislike LEDs or some might have a color mismatch between their keyboard/PC.

This concludes today's update, remember to check back soon for more updates. Also, please click on the ads on the sidebar and tell anyone you know that needs computer-related help. I am more than happy to answer any questions about computers you may have, just email me at hong.brandon@gmail.com.

Part 5: Pricing

In this post I am going to talk about fair pricing. "Fair pricing" means that you aren't paying too much for a product. Remember that if you are reading this a month or more from now, this guide would be nearly useless, but read through anyway, the important stuff comes next.

Online retailers usually price their goods less than brick-and-mortar stores, but shipping may make ordering online a waste of time. Also think about tax where applicable. Here is an idea of what I'm on about:

PNY GeForce GTS250 1GB

Newegg.com: ($150 before $20 MIR , FREE CoD5, $7.59 3DAY shipping = $157.59 + TAX where required before value of CoD5 and $20 MIR) $157.59-$40-$20= ~$97.59 considering you were going to sell the CoD5 and do the MIR!

BestBuy.com ($190+$6 Standard shipping = $196+TAX where required)

$~97.59 or $~196, your choice!

Fair rates: (online) (non OC, stock)

nVidia:

9400GT ~ $40

9500GT ~ $50

9600GT ~ $70

9800GT ~ $95

GTS250 ~ $110

GTX260c216 ~ $160

GTX275 ~ $200

GTX285 ~ $300

GTX295 ~ $510


ATi

4350 ~ $35

4550 ~ $45

4650 ~ $50

4670 ~ $70

4830 ~ $90

4770 ~ $110

4850 ~ $100

4870 ~ $130

48701GB ~ $150

4890 ~ $180

4870X2 ~ $370

Thanks for reading, updates in about a day! Please tell others who need help on computers, email me questions or comments at hong.brandon@gmail.com or just leave it in the comments section!

Part 4: Cooling Devices: Heatsinks CONTINUED

Heatsinks that are nickel-plated usually are not corrosive, and to most people, look better. Copper, as many of you know, is a better heat conductor than aluminum, but most cheap heatsinks are aluminum because it costs far less than copper.

Heatpipes are about two times more conductive than regular copper and they contain liquid inside of them, so it's not a good idea to lap (some people like to grind their heatsinks on fine-quality sandpaper for a flatter surface and therefore better contact between the CPU and the heatsink. This process is called lapping your heatsink.) your heatsinks with heatpipe-direct touch, heatpipe touch chip technology, etc since the heatpipes are coming into direct contact with the CPU and if you lap it, the heatpipe might leak. Also, do not cut the top of heatsinks off, or any other part to prevent leaks.

One of the most popular designs is 2-6 U-shaped heatpipes with aluminum fins soldered on to the heatpipes to maximize surface area with a fan on at least one side of the heatsink. This design is called the "tower design". Here are some heatsinks that use this design:

OCZ Vendetta/Vend.2
Thermalright Ultra-Extreme
Cooler Master Hyper TX2
etc.

Some heatsinks are huge, helping to cool the CPU but getting in the way of other components, such as fans, northbridge coolers, RAM sticks, the side panel, wires, and the top of the case.

More in about a day, stay tuned!

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Part 3: Cooling Devices: Heatsinks

Everyone knows that proper cooling is needed to prevent overheating but what exactly should you look for?

Some people don't care a bit about overclocking or noise and only want their computer to turn on and remain on when they press the power button. Those people should use the stock cooler included with their CPU when purchased in a retail box. They aren't the best but are adequate for stock-clock usage, and should keep the CPU below max temps in all but the hottest environments if installed correctly.

Stock Heatsinks:

Intel Celeron Dual-core: Aluminum med. size heatsink
Core 2 E4XXX/ E6XXX: Aluminum med size heatsink with copper core
Core 2 Quad Q6XXX : slightly larger Aluminum heatsink w/copper core
Core 2 E7XXX/8XXX : Small aluminum heatsink
Pentium Dual Core : Small Aluminum heatsink
Core 2 Quad Q8XXX : Small aluminum heatsink
Core 2 Quad Q9XXX : med. aluminum heatsink with copper core
Core 2 Extreme QX9XXX : Nickel-plated copper/aluminum heatsink, ?large, blue LED?
Core i7 9XX : larger aluminum heatsink with copper core
Core i7 Ex. 9XX : mostly copper larger heatsink with blue LED

*Heatsinks May change without notice

AMD 7750 & 7850 BE : med. aluminum heatsink
AMD Phenom 2 : Med. aluminum heatsink with copper base and heatpipes
AMD Phenom : Aluminum heatsink with copper base
AMD Phenom 9950 : same as Phenom 2

If you bought a CPU without a heatsink, and don't care about noise (as long as it's bearable) or cooling (as long as it doesn't overheat) and don't overclock, consider these:
*Works for light overclocking
**Moderate overclocking
^Quiet

Make Sure your cooler fits your socket!

Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro**^
Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 Pro*^
Sunbeam Core Contact 92mm**^
Xigmatek HDT 92mm**^
Tt Blue Orb **^
Tt TR2*^
Evercool NW11F-825CA
Tt CL-P0296*^
Evercool EC-PT12-9525EA
ASUS X70*
Xigmatek EP-CD901^
Scythe Katana3**^
Cooler Master Hyper TX2**^

For enthusiasts who like to overvolt and overclock

Thermalright Ultra Extreme
Zalman CNPS10X
Prolimatech Megahalems
Scythe Mugen 2
Xigmatek Thor's Hammer
Cooler Master V8
Cooler Master V10
Noctua NH-U12P

Good balance between price/performance

KEY
*good for OC
**great
***awesome
^quiet
^^very quiet

Zalman CNPS 9300, 9500, 9700 **^^
Xigmatek HDT 92mm and 120mm**^
Kingwin HTC 92mm and 120mm
CM Hyper TX3*^
OCZ Vendetta & Vendetta 2**^
Sunbeam Core Contact 92 and 120mm**^
Arctic cooling Freezer 64 pro & freezer 7 pro*^
Xigmatek Dark Knight***^
Rosewill Fort 120**^
Scythe Katana 3*^
Scythe Shuriken**^
Scythe Mugen 2**^
Tt Big Typhoon**^

Remember to take measurements before you buy a cooler. Also, in many cases the thermal paste included sucks or, even worse, none is included. If the paste is slightly silver with a general grey tone, it is usually silver-based TIM which is best (TIM=Thermal Interface Material). If you get grey thermal paste, it could be good, or okay, but usually not too bad. If it is white, it should work fine, don't expect wonders. If it is a weird color (pink, blue, green etc.) usually you want to avoid that. (exception of SYBA TIM which is black)

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Leave a comment, complaint or question! Fell free to follow my blog and refer others!

Part 2: Graphics Card

The graphics card takes care of rendering and displaying images on your monitor. If your
PC isn't going to take more load on the graphics card than playing the older games and/or watching DVD quality videos,integrated graphics such as nVidia GeForce 6100/7025/7050/7100/8200/9300, ATi Radeon 3100/3200/3300 and Intel X4500 etc. should work. If your mainboard does not come with integrated graphics, consider GeForce FX5200, 6200, 7100GS, 7200GS, 7300GS, 8400GS, and 9400GT. On the ATi side, consider Radeon X1550, 2400PRO, 3450, and 4350. If you want a card that can play most games at bearable quality/res. at decent frame rates, consider the following: Geforce 9500GT, 9600GT, 8800GS, 9600GSO, 8800GTS G80, 8600GT, and 8600GTS. On the ATi Front, a Radeon 3650, 4670, 4650, and 3850 should work fine. For a gaming PC that will play pretty much anything on respectable quality and frames, consider these:
GeForce 8800GTS G92, 8800GT, 8800GTX, 8800Ultra, 9800GT, 9800GTX/GTX+, GTS250, GTX260/260c216, GTX275, GTX280, and the 9800GX2. On ATi territory, go with these offerings:
Radeon 3870, 3870X2, 3850X2, 4830, 4770, 4850, 4870, 4890, and 4850X2. If you want an ULTIMATE GAMING PC, get one of the following multiple/ single cars setups. ATi first this time; 3-4 4850s, 2-4 4870s, 1-2 4870X2s, 2 4850X2s, 2 3870X2s, 2-4 4890s and many more since all 4800 series cards can be coupled with another from the same group as they use the same architecture. For nVidia; 2-3 GTX <260,>, 3 <9800gtx+,>, 2 9800GX2, 3 8800 Ultras, and 1-2 GTX295.

Some common questions:

1. What is the best graphics card as of now?
A: GTX295.

2. What is the best single GPU graphics card?
A: GTX285 2GB

3.What is the best vendor?
A: Opinion. Also depends on where you live.

4. What are some recommended vendors? (USA)
A: XFX, EVGA, BFG, Diamond, Visiontek

5. Best setup for gaming?
A: 4XRadeon 4890 for ATi, 3XGTX285 2GB with a 9800/8800GT for physX

6. ATi or nVidia?
A: ATi has better value for money, while nVidia offers better developed drivers but ATi has a better overclocking interface. You can download EVGA Precision OC tool, which beats ATi CCC, though and also RivaTuner which, IMO, is the best option for OCing, and can be used with both nVidia and ATi cards.

Thanks for reading, remember to click on the ads and refer others! Leave a comment or complaint please!

PC Part Shopping 1: PSU

Welcome to my blog! The first article is about the power supply unit, which powers your PC. Buying a good PSU isn't easy for most and requires some time to determine the best for your case. Cheap PSUs tend to conk out easily, and there is an easy way to tell how good the quality is: weight. The heavier the power supply is, the better. Also, you will need to find the amperage. The more amps, the better. You can find this information on the side or back of most PSU boxes. For example; my Corsair 650TX (650W) PSU has 52a on the +12V rail(s), usually the most critical rail. It is rated at 50 deg. C.
Most "cheap" power supplies are rated at 25C or lower and ones with questionable quality at 25C or higher and the best are rated 40C or higher. Here are some brands/ lines of power supplies that are very good in my honest opinion. There will be a star next to the best of the best.

Performance: For the ultimate gaming rigs and workstations. Also for people who hate fixing computers.

Corsair (all)*
Enermax (all current)
PC Power and cooling (all)*
Tuniq (all except for ensemble)
ThermalTake Toughpower*
Antec (all exept for basiq)
Seasonic (all)
In Win Commander*
ULTRA X3*
Mushkin (all)

Value: Quality Units at a good/great price

OCZ (all)*
Sunbeam eco
Coolmax Green Power
FSP Blue Storm
Sparkle Power Inc. also known as SPI (most)
Topower (most)

Mostly any PSU with 80+ certification is a quality product as 80+ tests not only operating efficiency but also quality and stability.

Power supplies with high amperage on a single rail are more stable and more efficient than the equivalent with multiple rails, but this is only minor, so don't let this steer you in the wrong direction.

Here is a power supply calculator. Remember that it assumes that you have at least a decent quality PSU.

http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

Use that to determine the approximate wattage of the PSU to use, if the power supply is rated at 40C. (Most good brands)

NEVER go cheap on a power supply or you could fry multiple components if the case is severe. Keep in mind though, even in the best power supplies, rough shipping *cough* UPS *hack* could dislodge caps and other things in the PSU. Test it with the wiring technique; with a wire, on the Mainboard 20/24 pin header, connect a black wire (GND) with the green wire. Then, you should be able to use the power switch on the back of the PSU to turn it on. You can use a PSU tester or old fans, an old PC, etc. to test it. Once you think it isn't DOA, start building your PC, or repairing it, and have fun!

Some good places, in my opinion, to purchase PSUs are:
TigerDirect.com, Newegg.com, Zipzoomfly.com, compUSA.com, Frys Electronics, and Micro Center, among others.

Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned for more guides on technology in the future!

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