Help for First Build

[CanUK]

I agree, the 6850 is just a hair more than the 5770. The 6870 is actually a lot more.  I made a silly mistake there, but look around and you can find the 6850 for close to the same price of the 5770.

Edit:  Just checked newegg, there is about $50 difference between the two.  I understand about budgets and that, so get the best you can afford and never look back .

[Wonderwrench]

I agree, the 6850 is just a hair more than the 5770. The 6870 is actually a lot more.  I made a silly mistake there, but look around and you can find the 6850 for close to the same price of the 5770.

Edit:  Just checked newegg, there is about $50 difference between the two.  I understand about budgets and that, so get the best you can afford and never look back .

Yup I agree 100%. If he is not going to game a 5670 would even be overkill and they can be had for under $100. I have a HD 5670 in my HTPC and it drives my 1080p HD TV just fine. Net, Video etc. It even plays most games fine on lower settings.

Bill

[Sqawker]

Wonderwrench,

Don't remember where I got my prices.  I stopped searching after finding a price - I will try again.  It does seem that there are a lot of 'web stores' in Canada, Australia, and Great Britain. I did not realize that for a while.

Thx, Sqawker

[CanUK]

ebuyer.co.uk and dabs.com both work well for UK.

[Sqawker]

CanUK,

Thinks for reference - will keep eye on them.

Update.  Yesterday I ordered my GA-890XA-UD3 (rev 2.0) from an  "ONSale.com" site - price  $139.99 .

Thx, Sqawker

[Sqawker]

Over the weekend, I went to wrap my new MoBo to put under the tree (to be from Wife).  I noticed that on the end of the box there was a tag stuck to the box and after the GA-890XA-UD3 there was  rev 1.0  .  Once I noticed this, I did not disturb the MoBo - it stayed wraped, in box.

When I ordered the MoBo it was advertised as rev 2.0 . Yesterday I  looked at the website and it was rev 2.0 (see the site)...

http://www.onsale.com/s?rch&q=GA-890XA-UD3&removedLicenseFilter=true&includeImage=true

I won't be able to contact them until at least 11am central.  My question - Is it worth the time and effort to get the rev 2.0 ?

Sqawker

[absic]

Hi Sqawker,

Being totally honest I tend to prefer the earlier revisions of motherboards as Gigabyte makes changes but doesn't make clear exactly what it is they have altered and, when you ask you get some vague comment about a change to some component or a redesign of the layout.

A quick look at the specifications shows there is a difference in the number of USB ports as well as a couple of other things between the two versions:
Rev 1.0: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3376&dl=1#ov
Rev 2.0: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3421&dl=1#sp

Only you can really decide which Revision you want but my view is that you have ordered and paid for a Rev 2.0 and that is what you should have got.

[Dark Mantis]

I too would prefer a revision 1.0 board on the whole as they tend to make them better and then cut back on features after they have "proved" the boards. I totally agree with absic on this but if you decided on a rev 2.0  board then by all means change it.

[Sqawker]

Absic, Dark Mantis.

Greatly appreciate your help. You responded quickly and with great information.  I understand more now and will keep the rev 1.0.  Can definatley use the extra USB ports.  Everything else looks about the same - did not see anything that I would lose.

Thx, Sqawker

[Sqawker]

Just ordered a CMPSU-850HX PSU from Amazon. 

[KEP]

32 bit OS's only supports 4 gigs of ram so you will need to install 64 bit windows 7. Most if not all 32 bit programs work fine in Windows 7 64 bit. Note any 32 bit programs used will not be able to use more than 2 gigs of memory. This is not a limitation of Windows 7 is a limitation caused by 32 bit programs.

Actually, that is only the default condition.  It's just a matter of flipping the LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE bit in the EXE header, and any Win32 app will be handed a full 4gb virtual address space to use as it will.  There is a hazard, if you're doing pointer math, that sign bits could muck things up royally, but otherwise there's no good reason for a developer using a 32-bit tool to not provide this bonus feature for his 64-bit customers.

http://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2010/03/22/easing-the-data-cramp.aspx

To use the full potential or your new PC you may need newer versions of the software you use.  AKA photoshop, video editing  software etc. Do some research on the versions of the programs you are going to use. Do they support Windows 7? 64 bit etc.

If not need, very possibly want.   

[Sqawker]

Now for the graphics card.

Does anyone have a preference for one of these and why?

Sapphire HD6850, XFX HD 6850 or HIS HD 6850?

Thx, Sqawker

[Dark Mantis]

There is no choice at all it has to be the Sapphire.
For a start they have the best backup and access to all the technical details in house and they also make the VaporX cooling system which is much quieter and efficient.

[Sqawker]

Thanks Mantis. That settles that.

Sqawker

[Sqawker]

Just placed order on Amazon for the  "Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 1 GB GDDR5 VGA/DL-DVI-I/SL-DVI-D/HDMI/Display Port PCI-Express Video Card 100315L"

Thx,Sqawker