Tech Corner

[mr.hackcrag]

These RX480 are getting pretty cheap; lowest is $180 with rebate.

http://www.microcenter.com/search/searc ... tore=false

[Pol]

Whee, if I could say the same in my country.

Definitively possible, there's some ongoing price competition with nVidia GTX1060 and also there will be a new line with more performance, called Vega, shipped in second quartal.

[Pol]

Playing with Hyper-V to get back Win7, with all comfort and in the same time keeping Win 10. I really need some old app usable again, yes, they worked under Win10 but stopped after some updates. There will be only more to follow

Zen from AMD is coming and later nVidia will get some serious competition for GTX1070 & GTX1080. That's only good. For players. Monopoly means that they can, and indeed did, dictate the price.

[Pol]

AMD CPU Zen will be first available from the March, the APU version will come on the end of the second quartal - that will be for OEM, so in shops probably in third quartal.

Considering bigger performance leap (against current Kaver and Godavari, which can also play Heroes 7) it can be good choice for playing Heroes 7 and using its editor - comfortably. Of course not only that, the idea is that APU should cover "casual gamers" needs, so it should be able to play many games at reasonabe pace. I'm very curious if it will. If it will, then it will eliminate need for such things like GTX 210-240 or GTX940 or HD5350-5570 and similar really low performance "accelerators".
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digit ... cpu-market

Edit1:
This is one of the biggest step in the history. So far there wasn't so powerfull APU. And price's like half of Intel, if Intel would have so good APU - doesn't, not even now. No counting overpriced Larrabee, which alltogehter was a fail from Intel side. There are also going rumors that Intel signed a contract with AMD, to create Intel CPU + AMD graphic chip sheated in one case.

[mr.hackcrag]

Here are prices: http://www.microcenter.com/site/content/amdryzen.aspx

Too bad that there are no games being released any time soon that I'm interested in that would warrant upgrade of CPU and GPU.

[Pol]

AMD GPU Polaris II. (the second revision) is coming, now under line RX500. Expected arrival - April 2017. As the previous GPU from AMD this is middle range - around GTX1050 and GTX1060 from nVidia.

Gaming line will be called Vega and is to be expected during second quartal 2017. To compete with nVidia GTX1070 and GTX1080.

Both Polaris revisions will coexist on the market for some time, here they are sorted by expected performance.

See the line:

RX 550 >> RX460(energy savvy) >> RX560 (energy savvy) >> RX470 >> GTX1060 (3GB) >> RX470D (China only) >> GTX1060 (6GB) >> RX570 >> RX480

*nVidia performance is estimated

And of course AMD CPU Zen is coming today!

Zen is the line >> Ryzen is the CPU

It reminds me T-Mobile haiku

Ryzen info.



@mr.hackcrag
There is still something, few days ago was released Torment: Tides of Numenera and soon There will be System Shock II. done again in Unreal Engine. Not that it would move me. But I have family and very little time.

[Sslaxx]

There's been controversy over System Shock's shifting over to UE4 (don't get confused - there's the remake of 1, not yet a 2 remake, and a separate studio is working on SS3). As for me, I'm more concerned about UE4's shitty Linux support. We shall see.

So many games, so little (and ever-decreasing alas) money.

[Pol]

Money & Time game of real life!

There will be also nVidia refresh, rumors say that memory will be clocked higher about 200Mhz, otherwise the same.

[mr.hackcrag]

RX 550 >> RX460(energy savvy) >> RX560 (energy savvy) >> RX470 >> GTX1060 (3GB) >> RX470D (China only) >> GTX1060 (6GB) >> RX570 >> RX480

The branding of their numbers doesn't make any sense in terms of higher number relating to higher quality.

I've heard Tides is more of a book rather than game. I can't read and have no interest in learning.

[Pol]

Wouldn't believe that but Windows 10 can make it to state, that they won't launch calculator or other accessories.

This is prim. These simple apps always worked.

Solution is to download old calculator, with installer here. Otherwise you rely on Windows magic dism ... /restorehealth, sfc /scannow and such time eaters.

[Pol]

Dolby Digital (AC-3) is now free - hooray! Last patend expired at March, welcome in Linux.

CPU AMD Ryzen 5 is being shipped in South America, this is direct competitor for i5 Intel processors. And it shouldn't been, cause official release date will be at 5th April. Guess, someone don't care.

[Pol]

Soon will be going to reinstall Windows 10, to see if I will get back second sound card, corel draw, system restore, calculator and some other now broken stuff. Ironically on all tests Windows says that they are ok.

[Pol]

Reinstalled with image tool and everything is as smooth as it should be.
>> UEFI enabled
>> new drive is using GPT instead of MBR (have 3TB)
>> base system set up (hate it, as there are now two control panels and there is no way how to transfer only my windows settings) & backed up
..preparing to move my data/ reinstalling programs

[Pol]

In April we should be able to taste AMD RX 570 mini - curious if it will be on par with GTX 1060 mini, best if even in refresh edition. Competition, prices go down!

[mr.hackcrag]

http://www.microcenter.com/site/product ... ndles.aspx

The 3.4 ghz Ryzen is $370 and the 3.0 ghz Ryzen is $320, but with the motherboard bundle deals, they can be equally priced. Which bundle deal do you think is the best value?

[Pol]

Probably this

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4760 ... otherboard

because of chipset. Don't forget that you will need memory, where faster is better, with DDR4 3600 it sounds da best. And you will also need cpu cooler. There is none or wraith in the box.

Ha, or you may wait for APU models, in the end of this year.

Sorry, no personal experience this time.

If you have no plans for overcloking, you may go with B350, after situations with bios updates settle a bit.

If money are the issue you may consider Ryzen 5.

[mr.hackcrag]

How are APU models better? Don't you still have to get video card to play high end stuff?

I have old DDR3 8 GB right now. Will I need to upgrade that too?

How much should be spent on a CPU cooler?

[Pol]

Yes, for playing the best games you need the best cards. However how big you are player and what you are playing?

Noticeably with current AMD APU H7 is playable, that's however all about that.

This time new CPU = new memory, DDR4 is coming on scene. So, yes. Obligatory.

Ah, that's a good question. Well I like sandwich coolers and they usually cost a little over 24$. Old coolers will need a reduction for new socket.

[mr.hackcrag]

Do I need more than 8 GB? How are these?

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4702 ... ory_Module

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4702 ... Memory_Kit

[Pol]

16GB is advisable, as you will be building new computer, the second link is better. For AMD the speed matter, for Intel, hmm, practically not.

As for the cooler, this with reduction could make it. But it's depending on cpu power consumption. If you would like to have sandwich you will need to buy additional 12cm cooler and ensure that cooler is coming with two more clips, on the other side.

Home, I have this one with extra 12cm Noctua.