Author Topic: Should I get this Motherboard that I am being offered for free? (Read 7339 times)

KT 💣 KλBoƠM · « **on:** May 28, 2014, 03:02:28 am »

I need input. I am trying to decide .. on something I was offered for free. Weasle (yes that is how he spells it) offered me another Motherboard and chipset but I had decided not to take the offer because the Motherboard he was offering only supports Sata which means I wouldn't be able to use my DVD burner or one of my Hard drives...

First, this is my computer specs:

Spoiler: Katie's Computer Specs May 2014 (hover to show)

This is what Weasle is offering me:

Spoiler: Dave's offer (hover to show)

The dilemma that is going on in my head:

Spoiler: Should I or should I not bother?? (hover to show)

So I am on the fence about this but I have been feeling like a fool turning down the offer after talking with Dave tonight on the phone and him thinking I only changed my mind because of some "tiny issues". Am I a fool for turning this down? Your thoughts please?

P.S. I really thought you had a spoiler code on here like you did on the older SMF forums..

KT 💣 KλBoƠM · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2014, 04:04:23 am »

I just ran my own benchmark test and I got a lower result .. don't tell Dave that .. he would for sure say that I should take up his offer:

My CPU mark was only 1927 ... compared to the 2237 his test (based only on the Processor info I gave him: AMD Phenom 8850 Triple-Core) told him mine would be. So ya .. Why would mine rate lower in a real life test rather than one that Passmark says it rates at? Ah ... I SEE! It is an average of the few that were submitted. Mine just brought the score lower than 2237. NOW it says the average is 2033... Oops..

My result is online here: http://www.passmark.com/baselines/V8/display.php?id=24493334480

By the way, I benchmarked with Passmark's Performance Test 8.0 Evaluation Version which I got here:

http://www.passmark.com/products/pt.htm

Also running others I noticed this:

CPUID Registers (CPU #1)

CPUID Registers (CPU #2 Virtual)

CPUID Registers (CPU #3)

One of the CPU's is virtual? What does that mean?

Sandman[SA] · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2014, 09:25:59 pm »

Okay, well, first things first. If your system is running well enough for you and has enough power for your needs, then why replace it? What dave is offering is a step up from what you already have now, but just a small step. To be honest, you would hardly notice the difference in speed (if at all) once everything is back to normal. And then, there will be all that work installing software and configuring everything back to your likings. Possibly replacing a perfectly good lightscribe DVD burner and case. And who knows if your video card will even fit on that other mobo? All for a slight bump in CPU power? I wouldn't say that's really worth all that trouble. But if what matters to you are benchmark scores and the best gaming possible, then by all means, go for any edge you can get.

Secondly, keep in mind that you are benchmarking a completely stock system that has a wicked heavy "run" load on it already. What I am talking about is all those programs and apps running in the background, sucking up a good portion of the systems resources. You have some serious geeks out there that know how to trim the run load down to a bare minimum and tweek the piss out of their hardware to get those outstanding benchmarks. So you will never see the same results as those you see posted on the net like trophies. You can't compare with that so try not to use those figures as a deciding factor.

Oh, a virtual core processor is basically a hyper thread or hyper transport type processor. In layman's terms, it means that you have at least one core that is paired with another otherwise dormant core, so it can perform double the work load when needed.

And lastly, oops!! I didn't even notice that there is no spoiler BBC.

I just fixed that problem.

Anyway, the deciding factor is yours and yours alone. Try to make the best educated decision you can on what this new hardware will give you over what you have now and what you can live with and without after the upgrade happens. And don't let anyone pressure you into anything you don't need. But seriously, if you must upgrade, check out some online shops like Amazon or Newegg to see what budget hardware they have to offer. I am certain that you can find much better hardware for even the lightest of wallets. lol

KT 💣 KλBoƠM · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2014, 12:21:19 am »

Thanks your oppinion really helped.

Sandman[SA] · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2014, 12:56:37 am »

Here, let your friend Dave choke on this benchmark. And mind you, this is not tweeked. It's simply a baseline test.

KT 💣 KλBoƠM · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2014, 06:22:35 pm »

Hhehe yes yours is bigger than his

Anyway, enough comparison against each other .. now for comparison of old vs new:

CPU Mark before: 2237
CPU Mark now: 4072

(Not yet up to YOUR CPU Mark of 5,591 Sand but ... one day lol)

Full benchmark score:

(it was 958 before this)

This is the benchmarking program:

PerformanceTest 8.0: http://www.passmark.com/products/pt.htm
Easy to use Benchmark software for Windows. PerformanceTest allows you to objectively benchmark a PC using twenty eight different speed tests over six test suites, then compare the results to other computers.

As of Friday (today) I am back online.. BUT ... the front intake fan needs replacing so I am going out to pick one up before I head out to Church tonight. Dave didn't know the size so I researched it and am going to pick up a 120mm one. Looking for one with blue lights .. goes with my whole theme I got going here of black with blue lights

This is my case (the one DD bought me, ''OGRE Xtreme'' Nikao Case .. looks like alienware but is not).. I am happy I got to keep it and not go with an ugly one:

One day I will get better.

Keyboard (I still love it Sandman <3):

Mouse:

Due to the overheating currently until I get the front fan replaced I am shutting down my computer every time I am not at it for now (You know how unusual that is Sand lol).

Sandman[SA] · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2014, 07:58:30 pm »

I would double check those fan sizes. The front fan could be 80mm, 96mm or 120mm. But the rear fan is most certainly 80mm or 96mm. Your case doesn't look big enough to take a 120mm fan out back. And if your seeing artifacts on your screen, this could indicate GPU overheating. Not likely to be CPU overheat as that would cause the mobo to sound an alarm. Check to be sure that your video card fan is spinning. If it's to hard to see in there directly, then angle a small mirror under it with a flashlight.

KT 💣 KλBoƠM · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2014, 10:41:19 pm »

Quote from: Sandman[SA] on June 06, 2014, 07:58:30 pm

I would double check those fan sizes. The front fan could be 80mm, 96mm or 120mm. But the rear fan is most certainly 80mm or 96mm. Your case doesn't look big enough to take a 120mm fan out back. And if your seeing artifacts on your screen, this could indicate GPU overheating. Not likely to be CPU overheat as that would cause the mobo to sound an alarm. Check to be sure that your video card fan is spinning. If it's to hard to see in there directly, then angle a small mirror under it with a flashlight.

I did my research and that is how I figured out it was 120mm for the front:

http://www.modthebox.com/review343_1.shtml

So I got it from the 3rd computer shop I went to (I was picky and wanted one with blue LED's)

I also put a 80mm in the back of the case but since it didn't fit right (match the holes) Dave didn't want to put it in but I FORCED him to lol .. I made him use bag ties

Is that okay? lol

Anyway here are the pics and stats: