HEM causing slow/freezing tables on FTP

[Patvs]

Ok, so I was thinking that I would be better off getting a SSD now, but I'm not sure how many I would need (1,2?).

Just buy one 80 GB Intel X25-M G2.
I bought 2x 30 GB OCZ Vertex in RAID0 myself, but it is still uncertain if Intel will ever have TRIM support for their RAID chipsets (my motherboard has a Intel ICH10r RAID chip)
Why You Absolutely Need an SSD (somewhere in the Anandtech article he recommends buying just one for this reason). He also concludes: "You should buy the largest drive you need/can afford. If you only have 30GB of data on your system, buy the 64GB Indilinx drive (Vertex). If you need 50GB? Opt for the 80GB Intel drive."

Do you think anything below a ATI Radeon 46xx+ is not good enough? Some of the Dell options only allow an upgrade to a ATI Radeon 4350. I'm not sure how much of an impact that would make on performance if I went with the 43

I believe the 46xx/47xx/48xx is the generation of the cards. And the last two numbers is the speed.
Take a look at this chart.
So a 4770 is faster than a 4850, but a new 4830 is faster than the old 3850. The numbers really make no sense.



Another problem with DELL is their basic model is really nice and cheap, but they charge a lot for any upgrades. Just let your friend build you a PC.

[shuman]

Hey Patvs,

I read both articles you linked me to by Anandtech, and it sounds like the Intel X25-M G2 is the way to go, just like you said. Thanks for the links.

I've been wondering if just one 80 GB Intel X25-M G2 will be enough as far as storage space though? I know I mentioned previously that I could just get an external hard drive if necessary. However, I've never actually purchased or used an external hard drive before, and I was wondering if it would actually be better if I also had a regular 7200 rpm hard disk installed along with the SSD if I can afford it now. What do you think?

It is possible to have a regular hard disk and a SSD built into the same PC right? I'm still not clear about this. I know Fozzy said for his new PC he was going to get a SSD for his OS, SSD for his SQL, and a Caviar Black for his data, graphics, and backups. So, he would have 3 hard disks in his PC? Do you happen to know much money a PC like Fozzy describes would cost to have built?

I need to get a new computer if I intend to continue playing on Full Tilt. Now my computer is freezing on individual tables with HEM running, sometimes immediately after I sit down and post the BB. Then I can't even stand up or close the table. I've had enough.

Thanks a lot.

[shuman]

I forgot about the video cards--About the link you gave me with a chart...You said in a previous post that the current best buys are any card with a ATI Radeon 46xx+, 47xx+ or 48xx+ chipset.

So, for playing poker on Full Tilt, do you think one of these ATI Radeon's would sufficient compared to one of the Nvidia Geforce GTX's, which I assume are more expensive?

Thanks.

[fozzy71]

/.........

It is possible to have a regular hard disk and a SSD built into the same PC right? I'm still not clear about this. I know Fozzy said for his new PC he was going to get a SSD for his OS, SSD for his SQL, and a Caviar Black for his data, graphics, and backups. So, he would have 3 hard disks in his PC? Do you happen to know much money a PC like Fozzy describes would cost to have built?........

My estimates for my dream machine were WAY over $1.5k USD.

I actually had to give in and order a pre-built machine from HP. I needed a new PC, that I could afford, asap.

My current PC is in bad shape, and keeps crashing so bad I have to use the power button to shut it down (multiple times per day). I ordered a top of the line HP machine. After W7 releases I will be adding a SSD to it. I am still undecided if it will be for my HD, or if I should consider using it for my OS instead. I will probably go the easy road and just put the SSD in as a slave for my SQL DB.


This cost me $1k as is:

* Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
* Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-920 processor (2.66GHz, 1MB L2 + 8MB shared L3 cache with QPI Technology)
* FREE UPGRADE! 9GB DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM [5 DIMMs] from 8GB
* 750GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
* 1GB ATI Radeon HD 4650 [DVI, HDMI, VGA]
* LightScribe 16X max. DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
* Integrated 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) Ethernet, No wireless LAN
* 15-in-1 memory card reader, 1 USB, 1394, audio
* No TV Tuner w/remote control
* Integrated 7.1 channel sound with front audio ports
* No speakers
* HP multimedia keyboard and HP optical mouse
* Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
* Norton Internet Security(TM) 2009 - 15 month
* HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

[Patvs]

I've been wondering if just one 80 GB Intel X25-M G2 will be enough as far as storage space though? I know I mentioned previously that I could just get an external hard drive if necessary. However, I've never actually purchased or used an external hard drive before, and I was wondering if it would actually be better if I also had a regular 7200 rpm hard disk installed along with the SSD if I can afford it now.

80 GB is enough for HEM + Windows + Office. It's not enough for games/movies/downloads/Japanese porn, etc. so I'd just add an extra 500-1000 GB WD Caviar Black. You can have 6-7 harddisks in your computer. Also a internal harddisk will be cheaper AND faster than all external harddisks.
I have 3 harddisks now (2x SSD and 1x 7200 RPM), I'll probably add another 1 TB 7200 RPM in 2 months.

If you would build it yourself (or by a friend) you could build a $800 AMD Phenom system which has EVERYTHING you need (excl. monitor) and the price would be closer to $1000 if it is a Intel i7 system.

I forgot about the video cards--About the link you gave me with a chart...You said in a previous post that the current best buys are any card with a ATI Radeon 46xx+, 47xx+ or 48xx+ chipset.

So, for playing poker on Full Tilt, do you think one of these ATI Radeon's would sufficient compared to one of the Nvidia Geforce GTX's, which I assume are more expensive?

Best Graphics Cards For The Money: August '09

Check out this article. They actually recommend a lot of Nvidia cards. (or often a Radeon and Geforce tie)

[shuman]

Fozzy and Patvs,

Thanks so much for your new computer info. Looks like you got a pretty good deal Fozzy-SUPER fast processor, tons of RAM, fast and large hard disk, solid video card-all for just $1k. I'll have to check out HP's website. I've only looked at Dell's website and thought about asking my friend (although, not a close friend) to build me a PC.

So, I went to Intel's website I see that the Intel Core i7-920 processor you got is SUPER fast. Do you also do a lot of online gaming/photo editing/multitasking etc.? Just wondering why you went with such a fast processor.

I don't do gaming, and the only thing I might do other than poker and email/web surfing is downloading things for school or maybe a few songs. I originally thought I just needed a good Core 2 Duo processor. Now I see that Intel has several models above the Duo even before you get to your i7-Quad, Extreme, i5. I'd like to get the fastest processor for the money for the tasks I'll be using the computer for. I don't want to pay extra for a processor that I don't need/won't be using all of it's power.

Any recommendations?

Also, so you will get a SSD later on and install it yourself? HP couldn't install a SSD for you now? Or, you just didn't want to pay extra for it right now? I don't have that knowledge/ability, so unless Dell or HP could install an SSD for me in a computer I build with on of them, I think maybe I would just go the route of my friend. At least I could have at the minimum one SSD, and if I think I can afford it, I'd also get a Caviar Black.

I think it might be less expensive for me to get a PC from Dell or HP, but if I can't get a SSD through one of them, I think I'd rather pay extra for my friend to build it. I guess maybe I could buy a Dell or HP and then ask my friend if he'd install a SSD, but I'm not sure if that would/could work as far as all the technical stuff and space inside the PC goes.

One final thing-I noticed you did NOT get the wireless LAN. So, you only use your PC with an Ethernet cord? Didn't think it's worth the extra money just in case you need the wireless?

Thanks a lot.

[fozzy71]

Fozzy and Patvs,

Thanks so much for your new computer info. Looks like you got a pretty good deal Fozzy-SUPER fast processor, tons of RAM, fast and large hard disk, solid video card-all for just $1k. I'll have to check out HP's website. I've only looked at Dell's website and thought about asking my friend (although, not a close friend) to build me a PC.

So, I went to Intel's website I see that the Intel Core i7-920 processor you got is SUPER fast. Do you also do a lot of online gaming/photo editing/multitasking etc.? Just wondering why you went with such a fast processor.

I just wanted to get the bottom end of the newest intel series. The 920 is the first of the Ci7 chips, and the next steps up are very pricey. I do massive multi-tasking working for HM. And I do graphics work and web site development. It is very common for me to have 3 or 4 adobe applications open working on a site and graphics, along with my browser, media player, holdem manager, etc...

I don't do gaming, and the only thing I might do other than poker and email/web surfing is downloading things for school or maybe a few songs. I originally thought I just needed a good Core 2 Duo processor. Now I see that Intel has several models above the Duo even before you get to your i7-Quad, Extreme, i5. I'd like to get the fastest processor for the money for the tasks I'll be using the computer for. I don't want to pay extra for a processor that I don't need/won't be using all of it's power.

Any recommendations?

I really am quite clueless about hardware in general, and you would do better to ask someone like patvs.

Also, so you will get a SSD later on and install it yourself? HP couldn't install a SSD for you now? Or, you just didn't want to pay extra for it right now? I don't have that knowledge/ability, so unless Dell or HP could install an SSD for me in a computer I build with on of them, I think maybe I would just go the route of my friend. At least I could have at the minimum one SSD, and if I think I can afford it, I'd also get a Caviar Black.

They had RAID options and an option for a 320gb 10k rpm drive, and 640gb 7200rpm drive, but that was a +$200 upgrade. They did not have SSD options on their site. I was trying to keep my cost close to 1k for now. $1,090 after tax.

One final thing-I noticed you did NOT get the wireless LAN. So, you only use your PC with an Ethernet cord? Didn't think it's worth the extra money just in case you need the wireless?

Thanks a lot.

I probably should have in hindsight. We have a wireless router, that my brother uses for his iphone and laptop, but it is in my room currently, and I prefer the stability of wired.

[Patvs]

So, I went to Intel's website I see that the Intel Core i7-920 processor you got is SUPER fast. Do you also do a lot of online gaming/photo editing/multitasking etc.? Just wondering why you went with such a fast processor.

The following Intel CPUs all have the same "clock speed":
Q6700 4x 2.66 Ghz (8 MB L2 cache)
Q8400 4x 2.66 Ghz (2x2MB L2 cache)
Q9400 4x 2.66 Ghz (2x3MB L2 cache)
Q9450 4x 2.66 Ghz (12 MB L2 cache)
i5 750 4x 2.66 Ghz
i7 920 4x 2.66 Ghz (8 MB L3 cache)


But performance wise they all perform very differently, based on the chip architecture, available L1/L2/L3 cache, energy efficiency: the i5 uses the least power, etc. The MAIN difference is the i7 hyper-threading. (My computer is running around 1200 threads now - you can see this in TASK MANAGER - Performance). The i7 has 4 cores.. and each core runs two threads! So I have 4 (physical), and 8 (logical) CPUs.

The new released Intel i5 only has 1 thread per core just as the Qxxxx series.
The 2010 release i9 will have 6 (physical) and 12 (logical) CPUs and the i9 will be compatible with my motherboard. (that's why the X58 chipset motherboards are so expensive)

Do I really need 8 CPUs? Eh... no... :-) I also just wanted the newest Intel series. (I had a AMD before this) And the option to upgrade to a i9 in a year. (And you can easily overclock the 4x 2.66 Ghz i7 920 to 4x 3.60 Ghz, but I'm not planning to.... though I did try it and it worked fine) (And I had the money -actual pokerwinnings- to spend a little bit extra) (And Adobe CS4 programmes have high system requirements)

Best CPUs For The Money: August '09 (article about the best CPUs for $50-$100/$200--->and $250)
In next month's guide I'm pretty sure the i5 will be the big winner, because it's cheaper than a i7 920 and just as fast.

If you have a somewhat tight budget, I'd SAVE money on the processor/motherboard (by picking a cheaper i5, or Qxxxx) and SPEND money on a SSD harddisk (read: Intel X25-M G2)
so you have "balanced" system. Anandtech wrote something funny about people that have a i7 and a "slow" harddisk:



"This is on a Core i7 system. To have the world’s fastest CPU and to have to wait half a minute for a couple of apps to launch is just wrong!"

"A SSD is an order of magnitude faster than a hard drive. It’s the difference between a hang glider and the space shuttle; both will fly, it’s just that one takes you to space. And I don’t care that you can buy a super fast or high flying hang glider (read: "VelociRaptor") either!"

Wireless LAN.

I have a wireless router. But it's 3 feet away from my computer so I just have it wired.

[fozzy71]

........

The new released Intel i5 only has 1 thread per core just as the Qxxxx series.
The 2010 release i9 will have 6 (physical) and 12 (logical) CPUs and the i9 will be compatible with my motherboard. (that's why the X58 chipset motherboards are so expensive)

Do I really need 8 CPUs? Eh... no... :-) I also just wanted the newest Intel series. (I had a AMD before this) And the option to upgrade to a i9 in a year. (And you can easily overclock the 4x 2.66 Ghz i7 920 to 4x 3.60 Ghz, but I'm not planning to.... though I did try it and it worked fine) (And I had the money -actual pokerwinnings- to spend a little bit extra) (And Adobe CS4 programmes have high system requirements)

ditto

OK. I think I will be buying 1 or 2 SSDs to upgrade my PC this winter.

[Patvs]

The first i5 750 and new i7 870 benchmarks are pouring in.



I really found this graph interesting because it shows four different 4x 2.66 Ghz CPUs doing a CPU benchmark task. (the lower the time [in seconds] the better) This makes the i5 THE BEST (price/performance wise) CPU on the market.