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My CPU fan died so I've three options:

1) try and find a new fan that fits the cooling rods in my existing CPU
2) buy a new CPU+fan combo (using the fan as an excuse to upgrade my existuing CPU).
3) use the computer without a fan on the CPU (only if I can be convinced it's safe to do so)


What is your current budget?:
$~150

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
CPU fan, RAM and CPU. I don't really need a new CPU per se.

What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual 5600+, clocks at 2.9ghz
Motherboard: ASUS M2A-VM

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
Nothing heaving like gaming thought it does some time does a lot of converting with video files (around 50-100% CPU usage). I'd say an average of ~5-10% CPU usage at any given time.

edit: got a fan and ram

My CPU fan died so I've three options:

1) try and find a new fan that fits the cooling rods in my existing CPU
2) buy a new CPU+fan combo (using the fan as an excuse to upgrade my existuing CPU).
3) use the computer without a fan on the CPU (only if I can be convinced it's safe to do so)


What is your current budget?:
$~150

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
CPU fan, RAM and CPU. I don't really need a new CPU per se.

What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual 5600+, clocks at 2.9ghz
Motherboard: ASUS M2A-VM

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
Nothing heaving like gaming thought it does some time does a lot of converting with video files (around 50-100% CPU usage). I'd say an average of ~5-10% CPU usage at any given time.

edit: got a fan and ram

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cpu-...,2788.html

IdeaPad Y560 Laptop - 06465AU - Black (with 1.3MP Camera)
Intel® Core™ i5-460M Processor ( 2.53GHz 1066MHz 3MB )
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 1GB
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz

$759.20

Is this a good deal?

Decent gaming lappy. You'll be able to mid-high settings on that no prob. I hope you're not expecting battery life out of that, though.

Alrighty, coolio. And it looks like the battery life is about 5-6 hours. (I assume that's when you have it set to integrated rather than the dedicated graphics card)

When they say it's "5-6 hours", that likely means "The computer will stay turned on for a period of 5-6 hours if not in use." I'm sure real world usage will prove to be much lower.

When they say it's "5-6 hours", that likely means "The computer will stay turned on for a period of 5-6 hours if not in use." I'm sure real world usage will prove to be much lower.

<3 marketing

Theoretical bandwith on a cable line is always 10x larger than typical bandwith setup. Of course, practical measurements aren't due to the cable alone.

Haha, nah, I'd gotten that number from a review not the company itself.

Hey, My Dad and I are getting an iMac in the coming days up to Christmas and I'm not great at choosing useful upgrades so I would really appreciate some advice.



What is your current budget?:
$250 ontop of the $1999 computer (http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC51...Tg1ODA4MDM)

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
I was wondering if upgrading the processor to i7 would be worthwhile and/ or increasing the RAM.

What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.
None.

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
Probably using the latest Photoshop all the art stuff like that x_X My Dad is an advertiser so that's the reason we're getting the iMac for home (I'm probably going to upload Win7 to game on it).

If you live anywhere other than the United States, please indicate your country.
Ireland, But this shouldn't make a difference.

Thank you

Aditional notes, I'm sort of hoping this computer would be able to last me for a very long time (After I leave home etc). So if upgrading a part wouldn't change anything now due to what we do on it but would make a big difference for the computers performance for heavier things that you think would be really usefull, please say so.

There would be a performance gain going from the i5 to i7 processor, but the performance increase is negligible and is not worth the $200. However, it's likely your dad will have multiple photoshop files and windows open which gobbles RAM like no tomorrow. I'd encourage you to get the RAM upgrade to 8 GB. Your processor will always be able to tackle anything you throw at it, but with newer Photoshop releases taking up more and more RAM - you can run out of RAM.

So yes, that system with the RAM upgrade would be well-suited for your scenario.

There would be a performance gain going from the i5 to i7 processor, but the performance increase is negligible and is not worth the $200. However, it's likely your dad will have multiple photoshop files and windows open which gobbles RAM like no tomorrow. I'd encourage you to get the RAM upgrade to 8 GB. Your processor will always be able to tackle anything you throw at it, but with newer Photoshop releases taking up more and more RAM - you can run out of RAM.

So yes, that system with the RAM upgrade would be well-suited for your scenario.

Thank you so much

What is your current budget?:
Anything lower than $1300

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
Desktop PC, my current one is too old to upgrade.

What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.
An average computer you would see in the year 2000, yup I am using a Windows 2K, but upgraded to Windows XP which makes it even laggier since I haven't upgraded any of the CPU and stuff.

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
Gaming, not Crysis-like intensive, but able to play a large variety of MMORPG/FPS

If you live anywhere other than the United States, please indicate your country.
CALIFORNIA BABY

So here I am, posting for a friend in the tech section again.


What is your current budget?:
$800-$1200 (513 - 769 GBP)

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
I r buying a new computer, so everything.


What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.
Nothing. Because of the above.

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
To play games such as SC2 which require good specs and can run smooth.

If you live anywhere other than the United States, please indicate your country.
UK

-waits for Fiel or someone to give me a suggestion, after I posted it about 11 days ago.-

@MapleFreak26

Here's a good gaming PC to start with...

CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra 2054 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6883229194

In case it doesn't come with a monitor...

ASUS VH198T - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6824236072

I'll also suggest this for preventing the unthinkable...

Tripp Lite INTERNET350U - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6842111019

And if you want good anti-virus...

Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6832108352

And it's under your budget with power to spare.

@MapleFreak26

Here's a good gaming PC to start with...

CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra 2054 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6883229194

In case it doesn't come with a monitor...

ASUS VH198T - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6824236072

I'll also suggest this for preventing the unthinkable...

Tripp Lite INTERNET350U - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6842111019

And if you want good anti-virus...

Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6832108352

And it's under your budget with power to spare.

He can build himself something amazingly better than that with 1000$, not trying to be an ass about it, :r.

So here I am, posting for a friend in the tech section again.


What is your current budget?:
$800-$1200 (513 - 769 GBP)

What part are you looking for? Why do you need it?:
I r buying a new computer, so everything.


What parts are in your current computer? Be as specific as possible. Links to Newegg/Tigerdirect are best. If you have a pre-built, include the make and model.
Nothing. Because of the above.

How do you intend to use this new part or new computer? What's the heaviest load it's likely to encounter?
To play games such as SC2 which require good specs and can run smooth.

If you live anywhere other than the United States, please indicate your country.
UK

Heres the website you should go to.

http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk

It's a step by step of what you want and by your priceline hopes it helps :o

btw sorry for double post could I get a merge?

It's okay. I just didn't want to go through an entire list of spare parts just for one unit. CyberPowerPC is reportedly one of the better OEMs, and the hardware included was fairly decent.

But yes building a system from scratch would be better

Heres the website you should go to.

http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk

It's a step by step of what you want and by your priceline hopes it helps :o

btw sorry for double post could I get a merge?

Thanks Hazz for posting for me, and thank you for the web link. It has nice customisation for almost every part and it's fairly cheap.

Thanks Hazz for posting for me, and thank you for the web link. It has nice customisation for almost every part and it's fairly cheap.

No problem