Yeah, about 80 euros. Pretty standard for a decent mobo, and it's Intel so at the veyr least I shouldn't have compabitibily issues with the CPU.

Just a quick update: I bought a 5.1 boxset yesterday for the pc. So now I have a 22" LCD, a 5.1 boxset, a mouse and keyboard, and a whole pc to take spare parts from should something fail in the new rig.

Now I just need the new pc. I'm expecting it this week, though. Apparently september/october is the time people start ordering new rigs to be assembled 'en masse'. Probably because of students buying a pc with their hard-earned student job money from summer etc. And gamers bracing for the winter and its scrumptuous supply of games.

Well, seems like I ideally should have waited another few weeks before having my system assembled, now that the 4870 1 gig (as opposed to my 512mb) model is coming out. Check out the review and benchmarks

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3415

It blows the 512mb version out of the water by a few FPS, mostly on the higher resolutions. Really good deal given that the card is barely 50 euros more expensive than the vanilla 4870.

But meh, that would have meant that my pc wouldn't have been ready from the get-go for the gaming season (which opens with FC afaic ). So I guess I shouldn't care too much...

Incidentally, it's still not here. They sure are taking their sweet time...but I still got another 10 days.

Dont worry, you wont miss the extra memory, thats more like a marketing trick to get more money out of bozos.

btw, I posted about the 4870 1GB on the first page of this thread.

http://forums.clankiller.com/viewtopic. ... rt=0#50674

Ox, can you show a picture of the case. I was scouting for one for my cousin and i checked like 25 web-pages and got like 5 or 6 which look normal. So id like to see which one you went for.

once you get the machine I think we'd all like to see some pics of the finished product, as well.

Sure thing. I gotta warn you tho, it won't look like much (esp. on the outside) as I went for a low-key cheap ass case. It's actually pretty hideous design-wise, but meh. I had the two extra fan bays mounted with 80mm fans to provide for better cooling too, having had problems with that in my previous PC.

This is the case:

http://www.antec.com/ec/productDetails.php?ProdID=00400

Front USB ports were a must for me too.

lol @ Satis' post on the 1 gig version of the 4780. I guess I read over it when i started this thread...your posts are so forgettable. hehehe, jk. PC is delivered today, so I'll have more to say about it soon.

Dont get too depressed once you find out that all the high graphics game are quite teh suck when it comes to gameplay (well a few exceptions but still)

Come on peltz, you know me better than to think I get suckered in by bright shiny colors and tight graphics. I like tigh graphics, but I'd never buy a game just for that. A game like FC2 excites me more for its other features than its graphics...same with Oblivion, until I found out that its graphics were the only supremely awesome thing about it (even if it was still a kick-ass game apart from those).

It arrived yesterday, and I spent the evening setting it up and customizing.

Since it came with vista 64 bit pre-installed I didn't really have to do much more than plug in the screen, mouse and keyboard to get started but as I started 'exploring' I was running into slowdowns and conflicts...so I reinstalled the chipset and audio drivers, and after that everything seemed to go smoothly. Also updated directx and gfx card drivers, obviously.

Spent some time tuning the desktop view, setting the classic windows menus etc. Then I uninstalled the Bullguard crap that came with the build...it was asking me about every single goddamn thing I opened or downloaded if it was "allowed". And it was good for 4 days before I had to purchase the actual license. Good riddance. I actually notice a marked performance improvement in navigating and browsing without that thing monkeying on my back.

Took me an hour to get the 5.1 surround set up, but it's pretty cool. Seeing as I am a fan of survival horror games, I'm sure it'll scare the living crap out of me on quite a few occasions. The game I tried (Dark Messiah) isn't too big on 5.1 yet but I'm sure FC2 and the likes will be. Still, very cool effect.

One thing on 64 bit tho...I know it's supposed to improve in the future and it's not a HUGE deal, but the various incompatibility issues with 32 bit software are a small pain. Had a hard time installing acrobat reader, for one. And oh yeah, I need to go out to buy a wireless adaptor. Had to pull the 441516 meters long network cable from downstairs upstairs to get connected. All small obstacles though.


here are some pics...like I said, it's nothing fance in terms of casing and the CPU fan isn't the HUGE 50 euros Zalman I had in the other one. But the GPU sure is big.

EDIT: put the pics in a rar because CK is giving me some crap about pic dimensions.

Nice pics ox, nice graphics card you've got there

Not sure about the wallpaper behind the desk though...or should that be the lack of wallpaper

Pff, wallpaper is just distraction from my ultimate goal! WORLD DOMINATION!!

But yeah, it sucks. But then nobody ever comes into that room except for me, and all I ever do there is sleep and game. Not exactly the kind of activities during which I want a host of people to be present.

When I move I'll find a better bedroom, obviously. No way a nice girl is ever going to dig that kind of wallpaper (or lack thereof).

A wallpaper that depicts the lack of wallpaper, excellent choice

hehe...I wish someone would come out with STALKER wallpaper.

Anyway, nice to see you've got your box. Better start playing games now, sucka!