Author Topic: comp advice  (Read 2381 times)

nXe

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comp advice
« on: January 03, 2006, 07:55:35 PM »
Goin off to college in Fall 06.

Current rig:

-520 watt PSU
-nForce 4 Ultra mobo
-AMD Athlon 64 3000+
-2x512mb Corsair PC3200
-eVGA 6600 GT 128mb
-160gb SATA2 Hitachi
-80gb SATA WD? Maxtor prlly
-cheapest SoundBlaster card out there
-some wireless card
-optical drives...
-Auravision Eluminx keyboard
-Logitech MX518 mouse
-17" Samsung LCD | 8ms | 1280x1024 | 600:1

So... it's a pretty decent rig... but I can't decide whether to buy a consumer laptop - nothing too spiffy, could find some good deals at compusa or wherever... - it'd be primarily be as mobile use... to take to class or library or wherever I may roam ;) OR upgrade my current rig to a dual core / beefier gfx card (7800 GTX looks pretty) / mobo upgrade / idk...

Those of you in college and whatnot, what was/is your comp setup... laptop > desktop... desktop > laptop... 2 compes = hassel? 2 comps = flexibility?

I use the comp for your every day excrement as well as gfx design (Dreamweaver / Photoshop), application dev (gaming sdks n editors / Visual Studio), and of course gaming (ut,ut2k4,pk,q2,q3,q4,d3,hl2,css,etc)... going to be majoring in compsci... possibly branch off into the gaming field... who knows... i need something powerful... but my main question is... trade off beefy non mobile power for a decent rig and a mobile laptop? idk... it'll be interesting to hear feedback from your guys' experiences now and while at college... ty

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2006, 07:57:33 PM »
btw... there's something about owning 2 computers that's just plain freaking badas.s... you know?  Just trying to weigh whether I'd be a waste of money or it'd be beneficial...

jitspoe

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2006, 08:44:58 PM »
You could probably just upgrade the video card and be done with it, assuming you have PCI Express.

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2006, 08:56:28 PM »
yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's PCIe x 16 for gfx...

but im more interested in ppls college experience and their comp situation during college... could you benefit from a laptop/desktop combo... or intercourse it just a desktop... or intercourse it you need a mobile solution therefore go laptop...

jitspoe

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2006, 11:39:10 PM »
Well, it may depend on where you go to college.  I know Clemson has switched over to a bunch of laptop courses, so you may need to get a laptop for those reasons.  You can get a cheap, low-end laptop to handle that type of stuff, though.  It doesn't take much power to run MS Word.

Dirty_Taco

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« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2006, 12:06:18 AM »
Post removed
« Last Edit: July 26, 2010, 01:02:25 AM by Dirty_Taco »

Excalibur

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2006, 01:01:31 AM »
im with taco desktops are much better.

IronFist

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« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2006, 01:22:40 PM »
Post removed
« Last Edit: July 25, 2010, 10:57:32 PM by IronFist »

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2006, 02:07:05 PM »
Ah well thanks for the feedback...  I'll be majoring in CompSci and CU-Boulder -> hopefully continuing on to post grad degree but who really knows - far off.

I highly doubt CU-Boulder require's pc usage.  They have computer labs just about everywhere.  There's a Dell sponsored computer lab with 24" widescreen monitors in the same darn residence hall that ill be dorming in -- also has network access to the labs within the Engineering Center.  Cool beans.  Which is why I probibly wont really need a laptop..........

As far as desktops go -> I've learned the ins and outs of BIY.  There are just too many advantages that out weigh the disadvantages when it comes to desktops...  Although I'll have to say that while connecting my iPod, it caused some electrical shortage and completely fried my IDE and SATA interfaces.  Which was NOT a plesant experience having to diagnose what the intercourse even went wrong... and then going through the ropes with the manufacturer to get a new mobo under warranty... but it still is worth it...

Murdock

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2006, 02:20:04 PM »
but im more interested in ppls college experience and their comp situation during college...

I'd almost rather not talk about it, but..

College started in '97 for me, at ZooMass- Amherst (and ironically enough, I did look at CU- Boulder as I have family in the area). I started as a CS major, and was rocking out w/my p166mmx. Sad times. My roomate mentioned smth about a paintball field at school, so I hopped on the net and goog.. er, altavista'd it. Lo and behold, I came across qwpball. And w/my voodoo1 orchid righteous card, I could run glquake! Good times. My first two kills were on battle, and they were my teammates. Who knew? I missed a few exams, breaks home and the like due to paintball matches, mapmaking, etc, but it was well worth it. Years later, we're still together.

On a more serious note, your campus sounds like mine: computers/labs everywhere. A laptop is nice, and having two computers is nicer, but I'd say max out your desktop. It'll be a female dog to move, but you can only use one pc at a time anyway, so use the best you can.

Smokey

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2006, 05:15:30 PM »
Yea i say keep desktop.

A laptop would be a idea but desktops are just better.


And you gotta kick ass mouse :D   

I got the mx518 for xmas and love it.

SkateR

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2006, 05:44:32 PM »
Okay guys, its time to bust out my baddass comp.

2004 Dell desktop- $300
Razerzone Copperhead mouse- $80
Logitech Elite Keyboard- $25
Logitech headset- $20
Being as good as I am on such a poor comp- Priceless :-p

But yeah, Hopefully I can get a new graphics card soon and stuff.

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2006, 07:20:18 PM »
Quote
And you gotta kick ass mouse

the mx series are the ownage... G5 is actually better... but so not worth the pricetag... which renders the mx series > g5

Quote
Razerzone Copperhead mouse- $80

Way to piss all over Razer's reputation skater... you bought a high performance twitch mouse for a spraying game on a $300 Dell machine... lmao...

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2006, 07:30:18 PM »
felt like putting up pics... something very masculine about showing off your rig...




Eiii

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Re: comp advice
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2006, 07:48:06 PM »
That wall would look better if it were a 'warm' color.
Other than that, nice.

nXe

  • Stingray
  • Posts: 94
Re: comp advice
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2006, 09:22:05 PM »
heh- just happens to be that my room is underground... no wonder it always feels so god darn cold in this room!