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Pay less attention to wattage, which can and will be inflated by the manufacturer, and more attention to buying a quality brand. Any modern power supply from a good manufacturer should be fine. Enermax, Antec and Seasonic are a few I've heard good things about. People way more knowledgeable than me break it down in this thread as well: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3371605&pagenumber=1&perpage=40#post385432145 Also an OEM copy of Windows 7 can be had for about $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754&cm_re=windows_7-_-32-116-754-_-Product OEM is their system builder license, basically it means you won't get access to tech support directly from Microsoft as you would buying a regular retail license. Technically the licenses states it's only for use by system builders who intend to sell to a third party, but practically that's a non-issue. It's a bit of a gray area but I get the feeling Microsoft doesn't care much. As for activations and major hardware upgrades, hard drives, video cards and things like that should be fine, but when you get to the point where you upgrade to a new motherboard in the future, you may have to buy another license. I haven't gone through that with my OEM Windows 7 license yet. I know in the past with XP I was able to get away with keeping the same license through two motherboards and three hard drives, I'd just have to call in every time I reinstalled the OS and get a new activation code. Windows 7 is probably more strict now though.
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Dec 19, 2010 19:06
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This was posted over in the Amnesia thread. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a fairly small but promising example of a really well done and PC exclusive title that's had success recently. Every PC gamer should buy this game and support this awesome developer, if nothing else for the emphasized section of this quote from their website:quote:http://frictionalgames.blogspot.com/2011/01/four-months-after-amnesias-release.html
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Jan 27, 2011 01:29
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I think Steam is sort of doing to the PC gaming market what Itunes did to the music industry. They're proving that given the option, most people will pay for quality games when you make it convenient and REASONABLY PRICED (Steam sales). The companies that wail about piracy, develop draconian DRM measures, and drag their feet rather than adapting to the new realities of the marketplace will get left behind while more forward thinking companies like Valve continue to grow. Of course there are some major differences between the two industries, but there are also some similarities in the idea of digital distribution of the product, and I really hope all developers and publishers in the industry are paying attention to what Steam's doing. I think they have to at this point really.
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Jan 27, 2011 02:31
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Taffer posted:Are you suggesting that the music industry was dying and that iTunes fixed it? What? The analogy was more about digital distribution. Companies that try to ignore the fact that people WILL download music and games (the RIAA, many software publishers) and spend all their time fighting against the tyranny of the .mp3 format (sorry, I don't have an analogy for software here), rather than recognizing that people are going to use the internet to download stuff no matter what they try to do about it, are going to be left behind while companies that actually adapt (Valve with Steam and Apple with Itunes) basically come in and take over. The RIAA bitched about declining sales and piracy ever since Napster, and probably before that, but rather than acknowledging it as a reality and adapting, they spent most of their time and money filing lawsuits against children and adding FBI warning stickers to audio CDs.
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Jan 27, 2011 14:42
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Manac0r posted:The joys of pc gaming... 
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Jan 29, 2011 16:28
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Oh I figured as much, it's all in good fun! I just couldn't resist. I was surprised to see that strip is recent, but then I went to the Penny Arcade site, and it's apparently the result of one of them having to struggle to get some Crossfire setup running... on a LAPTOP. Yeah cry me a river Gabe/Tycho!
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Jan 29, 2011 21:20
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Captain Rufus posted:Anything major I need to know switching back? How is Windows 7 with XP and 9x titles? If its not good, can I easily set up partitions with other OSes then? 640 gigs HD is way more than I will ever use. I don't pirate and I rarely have multiple games going because if I go to a different game I tend to leave the old one alone so long I have to start over. (Not looking forward to trying to play through the entire original Neverwinter Nights solo campaigns..) Dual booting is something I haven't felt the need to do, but it's supposedly not difficult. Also you'll be surprised at how fast you can fill up a 640 GB drive, think about it before you dedicate a chunk of it to an OS you may not need to use. I have a 640GB drive myself, the only partitioning I did was to split it in half and use one partition for my OS and installed applications, and the other for just "general files"(porn). Both are about 3/4 of the way full currently. edit oops new page have a picture about pc gaming 
RightClickSaveAs fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Jan 30, 2011 |
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Jan 30, 2011 02:42
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Node posted:The KillerNIC? Is the increase in your experience as big as the upgrade to an x-fi sound card?   As you can plainly see onboard NICs just FREAK THE gently caress OUT because they have to go through a maze to get to your game. The killer NIC just jetpacks right over that bullshit and bangs your sister 
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Jan 30, 2011 16:33
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There's a good headphones thread in A/V Arena too: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2387142 May not be obvious as to where it's hiding, I know I had to search a bit to find it. Kilometers Davis posted:I love my Sennheiser 555s for literally everything. Sure they're not 7.1 pure gaming surround sound elite pro level but they're Sennheiser HD555s. Everything I've read about the HD555s has said they're very comfortable, and I really hope so because I've had no luck so far with finding a set of comfortable headphones. My ears/head are shaped funny or something, I don't know. SpartanIV posted:Just build your own 5.1 headphones like I did RightClickSaveAs fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Feb 5, 2011 |
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Feb 5, 2011 22:28
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Taffer posted:They're great headphones, but they were extremely uncomfortable, to me at least. They grip your head like a vise, to the point where I would literally have a headache after 30 minutes of wearing them. Great sound, but not worth the pain. I had to take them back and get a different set of headphones.  That's the problem I've had with other sets of larger headphones, they just crush my ears. If I have problems with these then I just give up.
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Feb 6, 2011 02:44
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Taffer posted:I should have been a little more specific, they don't actually crush your ears. Like brainwrinkle said, they're circumaural. But they press on your entire head. of course everyones head size and preference is different so you might actually like it, but just giving you a fair warning. I have a pretty big head, so maybe that's it. Either way the new pair should get here next week sometime so I will report back!
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Feb 6, 2011 07:06
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brainwrinkle posted:I own a pair of HD555s and I think they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned, so opinions vary. They're circumaural so they rest around your ears, not on them. If they grip your head too tightly, leave them on a stack of books slightly larger than your head to break them in. I can see why someone would say that they're tight, but they're so much better than what I've been using that I don't think it's going to be an issue for me. I'll see what they're like after a couple hours but I can already tell these are going to be the most comfortable I've used. The only issue I have so far is they come with that gigantic 1/4" plug, and the included adapter to turn it into a normal-sized plug is bulky, making the whole thing too big to fit all the way into my speaker's headphone jack (it's recessed a little bit). Not a huge deal though because I can just plug it into the sound card, which is probably better anyway.
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Feb 8, 2011 01:03
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The problem I had with desktop mics is they tend to get in the way and get knocked over, so just take that into consideration. After hassling with one for about a year, I finally went and got this headset, and I'm glad I did. It's not a comfortable set and you could definitely find better, but for the price the sound is decent and the mic quality is good.
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Feb 13, 2011 16:03
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The Flying Milton posted:Heatsets are terrible. Der Luftwaffle posted:I just picked up Halo 2 PC on a whim and haha god this game is terrible. I loved Halo CE for the PC and played it to death, but somehow this has worse graphics, gameplay and...well everything.
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Feb 15, 2011 14:39
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Monster w21 Faces posted:Devs should keep making zombie games until someone gets it right.
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Feb 18, 2011 00:45
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zachol posted:Spend the extra grand on something else. Or save it. And monitors tend to last a few years as well, from my experience. You'll have to be staring at them for this whole time period, so it may be worth it to spend extra.
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Mar 6, 2011 15:37
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Blackula69 posted:One thing I hate is computer cases that look like computers - no, I don't need 16 blue LEDs, thank you very much. I used to have my desktop in my living room, so I wanted something that would look cool but be unobtrusive. I bought this (in white) and it rules: http://www.xoxide.com/auzentech-gmc-toast-case-black.html. So yo u don't really need to go overboard for a nice case, either. 
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Mar 6, 2011 17:20
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Those giant heads sure would make an easy target.
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Mar 19, 2011 16:54
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Devil Wears Wings posted:
I'm really tempted on this but I haven't played a flight sim in forever, and don't even have a basic joystick. The Warthog is just such a cool aircraft.
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Apr 26, 2011 01:29
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Devil Wears Wings posted:The reason I mention it, though, is because the deal also includes Ice-Pick Lodge's Pathologic for just $2.99.
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May 10, 2011 01:00
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cheesetriangles posted:Gamersgate gives you a little .exe to run that downloads the game and installs it like a normal game. The .exe requires you to login to prevent you from passing it around. Each game has its own litte .exe. Very non intrusive and doesn't require you install any special program like Steam does. Speaking of our pals in the Eastern Bloc and adjacent... whatever your posting may be like, you guys sure know how to make some unique and awesome PC games, so you're A-OK with me! Carry on comrade! 
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May 10, 2011 01:54
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I've had one of the Saitek Eclipse keyboards for a couple years now, those seem like decent, simple keyboards for the $40-60 range. I like the feel of the keys, they're sturdy but not loud, and the overall construction is really solid. The only issue I've seen so far is the labels on some of the keys have started to wear off (mostly just WASD).
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May 17, 2011 02:21
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If the G9 is anything like the G5, my biggest complaint on the G5 was the mouse wheel was really hard to click and use as another button. It was just really soft, and clicking it would inevitably cause it to scroll up or down, which would cause problems in some games. Other than that and the bulkiness though, it was a decent mouse, I used it until it wore out. I have a Razer Deathadder now that I like much better.
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May 28, 2011 21:55
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Lurchibles posted:Chapter 2 was just drawn out with the constant swamp trips. 3 was a lot more action packed and half the length, whereas chapter 4 just flies by. It did wear on me towards the end though, in the last act I skipped whatever sidequests there were because I just wanted to finish the main storyline. I could have easily hit 80 hours if I wasn't getting tired of it by then.
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Jun 7, 2011 01:47
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Creepy Goat posted:Went a Googling to seeif LA Noire had a scheduled PC release, alas it does not. I love the big budget story driven cinematic games like this though, I don't care how cheesy they end up being. I played through Indigo Prophecy all the way and (mostly) loved it! It just seems like the PC has been missing out on these kinds of games lately.
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Jun 9, 2011 02:43
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Jetsetlemming posted:He's actually expressed disappointment by RAGE's console focus, because they started development back when the consoles were new and shiny and now PCs are a million times faster in every way and getting faster all the time. He's sighing wistfully at SSDs and 16GB of memory and real video cards. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/306236/news/id-softwares-john-carmack-20-minute-video-interview/
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Jun 14, 2011 14:34
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Liberatore posted:gently caress lamps. gently caress illuminated keys. Why do you have to look at the keyboard anyway?   I guess I'll have to put electrical tape over the little lights above the numpad though UGH
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Jun 19, 2011 22:08
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Fag Boy Jim posted:Sadly, the only model they make these days is the 2.1 (and a slightly pointless wireless version), but it's a fantastic 2.1 system if that's what you're looking for.
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Jun 20, 2011 04:18
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Sosiz posted:What is this? A new Duke Nukem game or something? Assuming of course 3DRealms doesn't axe the project, or it doesn't turn into vaporware like Black Mesa Source. I don't know if 3DR still own all the IP to Duke Nukem, but they've been pretty strict about shutting down projects like that in the past.
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Jun 23, 2011 14:39
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Fiction posted:I just bought a Razer DeathAdder. Have I made a terrible mistake? My only real complaint about the Deathadder that I've never seen mentioned is the little logo on the body that lights up and fades out, it's really dumb and when I leave my computer on all night it's bright as poo poo and I have to throw a shirt over it or something.
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Jun 26, 2011 19:12
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I can understand the appeal of headsets, I always hated desk mics and it's nice to have something specifically for communication. The problem is, as has already been discussed, they're going to be way overpriced for what you get. Unless you're willing to drop a chunk of money, you're going to have to deal with bad sound, cheap design, or both. I bought a pair like these and used them for a few months, if you buy online you can find them for under $40, they're always "on sale" on Amazon lately. They were fairly sturdy and sounded OK, but I found them really uncomfortable: http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-GameCom-Open-Ear-Gaming-Headset/dp/B001KUSXXU I switched to a clipon Zalman mic when I bought my pair of Senheisser HD555s and am never going back.
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Jul 24, 2011 17:31
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Charles Martel posted:Yeah, get a widescreen LCD monitor. They aren't as expensive as they used to be, and the difference will be substantial. Even hit up eBay if you have to. If you fancy a certain make or model (Dell, Asus, and Samsung are good in my experience), you can usually find a mint condition one for far less than the brand new price tag.
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Aug 19, 2011 01:59
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uncle jimbo posted:I need a new keyboard, are there any goony as poo poo GAMING KEYBOARDS that are actually worth the money or should I just go buy a cheapass microsoft one or w/e  keyboard though, it doesn't have any stupid gimmicky buttons on it, the only non-standard keys are 4 buttons above the numpad for volume and backlight controls.
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Aug 19, 2011 03:03
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Elrond Hubbard posted:Anyone got some good programs or gadgets for monitoring CPU and GPU temperature? I used to have a good free gadget, but it doesn't work with my new graphics card.
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Aug 29, 2011 14:25
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This might also be a better question for another thread, but does total PSU wattage still mean as little as I was led to believe when I researched my computer upgrade about 3 years ago? My understanding was that manufacturers, especially lovely ones, will inflate the total wattage, and the thing you really want to look for is how much output it's pushing on the 12V rails, because that's what your CPU and video card will mainly be drawing on, if I remember correctly. Does this still apply?
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Sep 3, 2011 16:14
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I try to refresh myself on these every once in a while, the general shortcuts pretty much apply to all Windows OSes. Most of them I don't have use for but I've learned a few tricks actually (who would have thought the Microsoft Help menu could actually be helpful): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/Keyboard-shortcuts I find myself using the Windows key quite a lot, especially the already mentioned Win+R and Win+D.
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Sep 9, 2011 02:37
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I've had the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s for years and love the sound, but have had so many problems with the lovely speaker cables they came with. There's also a common problem with the DIN plug in the back that plugs into the sub, people have had theirs actually break off because it's so cheaply built. Mine hasn't done that, but I just have to be careful not to push the sub back against the wall too far or the speakers will start to cut out. If I weren't lazy and actually knew something about speaker wiring I could probably rewire it all, but as it is I've put up with it because I really do like the speakers. I just wish they hadn't skimped so much on these issues. Maybe they've fixed it since then, it's probably been about 10 years since I picked these up (they were also $200 at the time). The fact that they've lasted this long is a good sign I suppose.
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Sep 15, 2011 18:01
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Desk mics can get knocked over and just generally get in the way too, nobody really ever brings that up.NOBEARD posted:I bought the Zalman ZM-1 mic. It clips on the headset cord and is cheap. Under 10 dollars if I remember right.
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Nov 11, 2011 01:19
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The Gunslinger posted:What's hilarious is that he still trolls old pc gaming messageboards, deflecting blame for his entire career on everyone else and passing judgment on the industry at large. Every once in awhile he'll start raging on Bluesnews and my sense of nostalgia is almost overwhelming.
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Mar 13, 2012 14:32
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kri kri posted:Do you not play games because they are on steam?
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Mar 22, 2012 05:11
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