How best to spend $1K bonus check

[John Reynolds]

I've had the 4800+ installed since it was released a few months ago, but with the 3800+ review I just did I simply ended up with the FX-55 installed last and didn't bother swapping it back out (did enough CPU swapping for the review).

Can't sell the FX-55, it was a review sample.

 

[Guden Oden]

If I had $1k on hand to spend on anything, I'd be seriously tempted to get the Dell 2405FP... I know I keep on yammering about this monitor, but it just looks so damn SWEET!

If you don't think it's that important to you, I'd go with digi's idea and spoil your significant other... A nice big present out of the blue for no particular reason is enough to make anyone giddy.

 

[Druga Runda]

since you have everything else buy another 2 gigs of ram, sell the ones that you have, buy new 7800 and sell the one that you have got already, and for spare money buy a Viewsonic 191b to have a good second screen to complement the FP2001.

 

[Pete]

Can't sell the FX-55, it was a review sample.

That's a condition of receiving the sample? Pretty sensible.

So, yeah, my final answer would be to add more mem and hold off on the GPU until later this year--at least until R520, preferably until we see if a 7800U or 90nm version is in the offing.

Doesn't hurt sitting on the money until you have something really worth purchasing, and it sounds like you can wait a while.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Can't sell the FX-55, it was a review sample.

Can you give it away....

 

[Cartoon Corpse]

please don't blow the money on 'travel' sheesh. get some real bang that lasts!

 

[Pete]

Yes, seeing another part of the world will thrill you for a short while, but the experience of a new GPU will stay with you forever.

... or the other way around. Whatever.

 

[Cartoon Corpse]

everywhere is like everywhere else essentially, only its more expensive elsewhere. Don't let em fool you. i can't count the retards i know who've gone abroad to 'broaden' themselves and returned as retarded as when they left.

 

[{Sniping}Waste]

You have a great system so look at 2X1gig kit and spend the rest on you wife and kids.

 

[John Reynolds]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145587

This is tempting. I think I'll stick with the RAM upgrade since I've laid hands on an NVIDIA pdf that lists the PR contact info for all their board partners, so the begging/cajoling/pleading can commence in full.

 

[digitalwanderer]

This is tempting. I think I'll stick with the RAM upgrade since I've laid hands on an NVIDIA pdf that lists the PR contact info for all their board partners, so the begging/cajoling/pleading can commence in full.

Make a point of telling them you want to showcase how great their new AA forms are in flight sims...it'll get 'em hook/line/sinker.

Oh, and push that you'd be interested in seeing the SLI AA modes too.....

Nice ram btw, I was looking at the Corsair XMS series and it seemed like some really quality stuff....plus ya gotta love them blinky lights.

 

[lopri]

As for 1GB sticks..

If you want the best OC,
http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.Asp?IMODULE=BL2KIT12864L503
http://www.ocztechnology.com/produc...pc_4000_1024mb_gold_edition_dual_channel-2gb_
These 2 are almost identical, spec wise.

If you want a mild OC with a great stability/warranty,
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_el_ddr_pc_3200_dual_channel_titanium
I get 220~230 Mhz (depending on voltages) stable at 2-3-2-5-1T with these (2x1GB).

Edit: As for the graphics card, I'd get - well, actually I've already got - the 7800GTX. I'd been waiting for R520 like some have suggested, but with the endless respins, there was something that got me thinking - that it's somewhat of a major change on R300 core.

While there may be a good chance it will perform better than 7800GTX, but it's quite possible that it'll need to go through a few revisions before it accomplishes stability and refinement, on both the hardware and the drivers. Considering the 7800GTX as the second generation NV40, I find the 7800GTX to be much finer piece of engineering than the 6800s. Likewise, the first batches of R520 could be a coarse piece compared to what it might be followed by.

lop