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Off-Topic Thread

BaconZombie

Mod Note: In all of my benevolence (and the fact I'm tired of cleaning gag posts out of the BA thread) I have created a new (did we ever have one??) Off Topic thread for all your randomness and IT-related humour! The rules are: there are no rules. Although posting on-topic stuff here or stuff that belongs in Hardware Discussion etc. better may be moved randomly with extreme prejudice!! It will also make you look silly

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102858

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papu

Serephucus wrote: »

Yeah, that article is pretty interesting. Sort of hilarious how ~50% of OCZs SSDs failed...

Also, Aerocool have released some pretty damn interesting fans. No decent reviews up yet (SPCR, LiquidLab, etc.) They look promising on paper though.

http://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/zardon/aerocool-ds-dead-silence-fan-120mm-and-140mm-review/

They look lovely too!

Serephucus

Yeah, that article is pretty interesting. Sort of hilarious how ~50% of OCZs SSDs failed...

Also, Aerocool have released some pretty damn interesting fans. No decent reviews up yet (SPCR, LiquidLab, etc.) They look promising on paper though.

http://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/zardon/aerocool-ds-dead-silence-fan-120mm-and-140mm-review/

marco_polo

Couple of interesting reads this morning, this is that french article on component failure rates updated with data up to Oct 2013.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/108284-huge-list-of-failure-rates-on-pc-components-french-but-i-translated-nearly-everything/

Also some more Mantle data from AMD, no independent benchmark yet though. It does suggest that most will see reasonable improvements unless the GPU is signifigantly underpowered.

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Catalyst-141-Beta-Driver-Brings-Mantle-Support-Frame-Pacing-Phase-2-HSA

AMD did provide some interesting numbers that are worth discussing though. Please keep in mind that these benchmarks were all run by AMD and as such should only be used as a placeholder until media and consumers can verify them. Tests were run with a combination of two graphics cards and two processors to represent the scale of potential scalability. The percentage improvements displayed below are in the average frame rate of a pre-set test run in BF4.

Core i7-4960X CPU + R9 290X GPU
1080p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 9.2% improvement with Mantle
1600p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 10% improvement with Mantle
Core i7-4960X CPU + R7 260X GPU
1080p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 2.7% improvement
1600p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 1.4% improvement
A10-7700K CPU + R9 290X GPU
1080p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 40.9% improvement
1600p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 17.3% improvement
A10-7700K CPU + R7 260X GPU
1080p, Ultra Preset, 4xAA: 8.3% improvement
1600p, Low Preset: 16.8% improvement
So what can we make of these results until we can run our own? Clearly the advantage of Mantle shows itself most dramatically when you are in a heavily CPU limited environment. Take a look at the results when using the Kaveri A10-7700K APU as the primary processor; with the R9 290X you are seeing more than 40% average frame rate increase at 1920x1080 and 17.3% at 2560x1600 resolutions! However, pairing that same R9 290X graphics card with the Core i7-4960X Ivy Bridge-E processor, probably the highest performing consumer CPU, and that drops to 9.2% and 10% at each resolution. Those results are much more modest but are still pretty compelling if they turn out to be true.

With the lower cost graphics card, the R7 260X, scaling takes another twist. Coupling it with the high performance Core i7-4960X results in just a 2.7% and 1.4% increase in average frame rate. Nothing worth raving about there for sure. With the A10-7700K though the R7 260X is able jump up performance levels by 8.3% at 1080p and by as much as 16.8% at 2560x1600 (though at lower quality settings).

M00lers

deceit wrote: »

Would they take less than a week as want for next weekend at the latest as want to take a week off work :P?

2, 3 days is normal in my experience.

deceit

moolers2000 wrote: »

Dabs are pretty quick IMO.

Would they take less than a week as want for next weekend at the latest as want to take a week off work :P?

M00lers

deceit wrote: »

I'm looking to buy a 290x tomorrow to get while i'm waiting on my other one to be returned from rma. Does anyone know which place has the quickest delivery? Would love to get in ireland but no chance of that

Dabs are pretty quick IMO.

deceit

I'm looking to buy a 290x tomorrow to get while i'm waiting on my other one to be returned from rma. Does anyone know which place has the quickest delivery? Would love to get in ireland but no chance of that

eoin91

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7717/anandtech-call-for-writers-2014

Oh but to dream

Someone on here might be interested though

ShadowHearth

Esme Immense Dachshund wrote: »

I will sell you one for 200 if you want. Stock cooler.

That actually sounds tempting.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Wtf is with people and second hand parts on adverts.ie...

I would like to pick up cheapish 680, but some people are a bit out of touch... 300eu for 680 with custom cooler... 300eu will buy you brand new 770.
If I would be selling my 680 now, I would put it up for around 200eu.

I will sell you one for 200 if you want. Stock cooler.

ShadowHearth

Wtf is with people and second hand parts on adverts.ie...

I would like to pick up cheapish 680, but some people are a bit out of touch... 300eu for 680 with custom cooler... 300eu will buy you brand new 770.
If I would be selling my 680 now, I would put it up for around 200eu.

marco_polo

Hybrid crossfire that finally works (Except in DX9

)

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-A8-7600-Kaveri-APU-and-R7-250-Dual-Graphics-Testing-Pacing-Fixed

..Brian..

Baked.noodle wrote: »

Blocking doesn’t work: Dutch court lifts Pirate Bay ban
Dutch anti-piracy group that brought the case has one appeal left.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/01/blocking-doesnt-work-dutch-court-lifts-pirate-bay-ban/

Good news, hopefully Irish courts follow suit. Ridiculous law and even more ridiculously ineffective.

Seaaan

EoinHef wrote: »

No problem man

Doesnt say in the description but id say it is matte. I use a matte screen because my pc is in the sitting room hence light comes in through the large windows and can cause glare on the screen,the matte finish helps with this

Well glossy is laptop screen? If so mines matte.. Let me know if you stumble across a nice 280x! Will probably buy it in the next month or so

Revoker88

Seaaan wrote: »

This is what I currently have http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00BWOJ35G?m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
Is that matte screen? I think it is. Monitors weren't something that interested me when buying..
Honestly can't thank you enough Eoin! Been so helpful last 2 days!

No problem man

Doesnt say in the description but id say it is matte. I use a matte screen because my pc is in the sitting room hence light comes in through the large windows and can cause glare on the screen,the matte finish helps with this

Bazzo

Baked.noodle wrote: »

Blocking doesn’t work: Dutch court lifts Pirate Bay ban
Dutch anti-piracy group that brought the case has one appeal left.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/01/blocking-doesnt-work-dutch-court-lifts-pirate-bay-ban/

I got a good laugh when they banned it here.

It literally took seconds to circumvent for anyone who knew one of the proxy addresses off by heart.

Am I Evil?

The post office sent my new case to the wrong depot :rolleyes:

Delayed till Friday..... (hopefully no later, :eek: )

Baked.noodle

Blocking doesn’t work: Dutch court lifts Pirate Bay ban
Dutch anti-piracy group that brought the case has one appeal left.

The Dutch Court of Appeals in The Hague has now confirmed (Google Translate) what the Internet has long known: blocking The Pirate Bay is ineffective. The court ruled Tuesday that the Pirate Bay block at Dutch ISPs XS4ALL and Ziggo must be lifted immediately.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/01/blocking-doesnt-work-dutch-court-lifts-pirate-bay-ban/

Seaaan

This is what I currently have http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00BWOJ35G?m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
Is that matte screen? I think it is. Monitors weren't something that interested me when buying..
Honestly can't thank you enough Eoin! Been so helpful last 2 days!

Revoker88

Seaaan wrote: »

Alas, I know
This is what I should get?

As regards the monitor itself,if there the options your happy with ie DVI,perfect pixel,matte screen etc go for it.

Regarding the seller i couldnt recommend one,i only have experience with acessorieswhole so can only give you my experience of them.

Delivery was good,took 5 working days. Any time i eamiled the seller i got a response within 24 hours so no problem there but i have had no issues. No dead pixels,minimal back light bleed and no reason to have to send the monitor back so cant attest to there returns policy.

These monitors are a bit of a gamble,if you get a good one you've got a bargain and if you get a bad one your more than likely in the minority judging by the amount of happy people here with one of these monitors. If your willing to take the risk go for it:)

Seaaan

EoinHef wrote: »

Gonna run into them eventually:pac:

Alas, I know

This is what I should get?

Revoker88

Seaaan wrote: »

I hope I never have to deal with bad hardware issues..

Gonna run into them eventually:pac:

Seaaan

I hope I never have to deal with bad hardware issues..

WhiskeyGoblin

Seaaan wrote: »

So many options. I suck at making decisions.

OH WHAT ABOUT THIS http://www.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=150720&agid=2447&pvid=4pqlhyi4s_hqzf1mjj&ref=13

Whatever you do decide on, I hope you dont run into problems with a 280x like I did

Revoker88

Think marco summed it up there about the Sapphire 280X,its just a rebadged 7970 so really you could look at the 7970 reviews. The performance would be very similar,that goes for most of the 280X's really.
Just the reviews have newer games really for the 280X so thats why i would look at them

Cant really help you with the X-Star monitor,i would assume there fairly similar to the Qnix. One of the lads here got one when he ordered a Qnix but X-Star was delivered instead,iirc a board in it went and he was sent another board to install and its working again.
Tbf though that has been known to happen to the Qnix aswell.

Heres a quote from overclock.net which has a wealth of information on the monitors

Q: Should I buy an X-star or a Qnix (Any differences? Which one will overclock better?)
A: Short answer: Choose whichever one you want.
Long answer: They have the same screen, (both samsung PLS), and look almost identical other than their logo. Neither one has been proven to be clearly better, at this time. The general consensus is believed that they have the same random OC-ability.

Link to Overclock.net's korean monitors club,it has plenty of info if you fancy a read.....a very long read:)

The 290 looks a great card,if you decided to go for that im sure you would be happy with it. Just depends on what you want to spend really

Seaaan

So many options. I suck at making decisions.

OH WHAT ABOUT THIS http://www.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=150720&agid=2447&pvid=4pqlhyi4s_hqzf1mjj&ref=13

marco_polo

I have a dual x HD 7950 and it is whisper quite out out the box, but over about 50% fan speed it does start to get audible, with anything over about 70% too loud for my taste. I wouldn't think it has had much of an overhaul for the R9 series so I say it would be broadly similar to mine albeit slightly more powerful.

I can bench at 1200MHz but I just couldn't game long term with the voltage/fan speeds required to keep my particular GPU around the mid 70s at that frequency, although I suspect mine is at best an average ocing chip. But it is well able for pretty quiet operation at around 1150mhz or so.

TLDR the dual x cooler is pretty good but there are definately better if slightly more expensive options out there. For the price it aint too bad at all.

Seaaan

EoinHef wrote: »

Do you use geizhals.de? Put it through that then bring it through to checkout and see how much it ends up

I got all the parts for a build last week and was only charged €11.99 for delivery rather than the usual €20. Thought they had just reduced there deliver cost.

€270 sounds good for the sapphire, I havent had a look at any reviews for that card though.

You want one you can get about 1100-1150 core overclock and maybe some half decent overclocks on the memory, although I dont think there will be too much headroom on the memory with air cooling, most of the cards have the memory at about 1500MHz anyway

Not much info on this and usually dispatched in 1-4 weeks. Idk

How are these?

And are reference 290s really THAT bad? If I'm paying around 300 for a 280x would I better off going for a ~360 290

Revoker88

Seaaan wrote: »

So its 300 inc shipping? MSI one is regularly on sale on ocuk and sapphire is always 270 on Amazon

Do you use geizhals.de? Put it through that then bring it through to checkout and see how much it ends up

I got all the parts for a build last week and was only charged €11.99 for delivery rather than the usual €20. Thought they had just reduced there deliver cost.

€270 sounds good for the sapphire, I havent had a look at any reviews for that card though.

You want one you can get about 1100-1150 core overclock and maybe some half decent overclocks on the memory, although I dont think there will be too much headroom on the memory with air cooling, most of the cards have the memory at about 1500MHz anyway

Seaaan

EoinHef wrote: »

Didnt even notice it had a backplate, thats a nice feature.

There is one listed for €250 but its a special item

Id go for the gigabyte windforce (revision 2.0) or the msi gaming. The gigbyte one is available with battlefield 4 for €278.(thats without using geizhals.de) You might even be able to sell BF4 and make a few quid back, the card is only €6 less without battlefield

You could also wait and see if you can grab one in a sale

So its 300 inc shipping? MSI one is regularly on sale on ocuk and sapphire is always 270 on Amazon