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I just pulled the trigger on a video card since they threw in Dungeon Siege III and I was going to buy that anyway. Will probably ebay the Batman code.
I just pulled the trigger on a video card since they threw in Dungeon Siege III and I was going to buy that anyway. Will probably ebay the Batman code.
I would shy away from Biostar. Not a fan of them.
You could probably drop $30 in the processor and go with the i5-2400.
CPU: $189.99
Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52400
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115074
Motherboard:
PSU: $129.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V v2.2 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
you could do something like this
with the i5 it has onboard graphics and sound so you can use them and then upgrade to a dedicated card later if you need to. Plus there is a rebate on the PSU and a $15 coupon on the processor. You could even dial the PSU down quite a bit if you are do not plan to run any big graphics cards. You could also look into the 65w instead of 95w i5 that is a little more expensive but could save you in power costs in the long run plus it takes less cooling so it is quieter. I just built an i3 based HTPC using a similar miroATX Gigabyte board and have been pleased so far.
I think the only difference in the MOBO i posted is that it has USB 3.0 which may be nice to have in the future. IMO 8gb is still plenty of memory for about anything the average user is going to do and it is not like you can't add more later very easily if you decide you need more.
Questions for those who are even tech-ier than me:
1. I have an old Linksys wireless router that uses "b/g" technology. It has been reliable, but we are getting more and more wireless devices (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.). I am wondering if I should upgrade to a new "n" router. Do you think I would see noticeable speed/range improvements?
FYI I have TWCable Roadrunner high speed internet so the data pipe in is about as good as I can make it.
2. Would like to have better wireless coverage throughout the house. What's the best/easiest/cheapest way to boost signal or add range?
thanks for the links. Has anyone tried the power line adapters? that would be much easier for me to implement than running cable around in my house. Do they actually work?
My Powerline adapters are fast enough to directly stream HD content from my DirecTV receiver to my upstairs HTPC.
That's about as throughput-heavy a need as anyone would have in a home theater configuration I'd guess. I did get the HD version or whatever they are called and not the slow version. Overall they've been completely hassle free and I've been very happy with them.