5punk

Right, given we all have computers, I figure we'd do pretty well with some hardware reviews.

Please remember that not everyone here is an uber-geek so people may not be able to compare like with like (for example if it's their first diy build) but their experiences will still be valid (if a case has fuckall space, or a mobo has connectors in stupid places)

Also remember that some of us here will have the same products or experience with them and may have stuff to add. take their comments into account and if you feel they'll add to the review. put them in.

Try to be unbiased, if it's a product you've only just bought, remember to be clear it's a first look, rather than a full review.

Photos are good too, if you can't get your own photos, use marketing shots from the company and upload them to 5punk/uploads.

I'd suggest reviews are laid out something like this (it's not as clear set as the games one as a mobo review won't fit in a case review template, use your judgement.

Code: Select all

[color=#3D84BD][size=18][b]Product Type - Maker - Model[/b][/size]
Price and Store purchased from[/color]

[color=#3D84BD][b]Introduction[/b][/color]
Few words about the product, your experience level

[color=#3D84BD][b]Features[/b][/color]
More info about the product, this should be from the manufacturers spec page.

[color=#3D84BD][b]Package Contents and Quality[/b][/color]
Did it come in a crappy box that didn't protect the product? was it packed well?

Was it just product in a box or did it come with lots of extra goodies that added value for money?

Photos if you can

[color=#3D84BD][b]Product and Build Quality[/b][/color]
Is it well laid out? easy to put together? (Photos if you can)

Did the side fall off? does it rattle or creak?

Photos if you can

[color=#3D84BD][b]Machine specs[/b][/color]
Essential if benchmarking, or had specific compatibility issues

[color=#3D84BD][b]Benchmarks[/b][/color]
If Benchmarkable, remember to compare to other similar products on the same machine if you can.

[color=#3D84BD][b]Conclusion[/b][/color]
Sum up the product with a few lines - try not to ramble.

[color=#3D84BD][b]The Good[/b][/color]
List of main features that make the product good.

[color=#3D84BD][b]The Bad[/b][/color]
List of main features that make the product bad.

[color=#3D84BD][size=18][b]Score : [/b][/size][/color] :starfull:  :starfull:  :starfull: :starfull:  :starfull:  :starfull:  :starfull:  :starhalf:  :starempty: :starempty:

Good idea Berk, this would be really useful for when people ask about something new to buy, as we could sometimes point them to a previous review to get ideas.

Anyone want to put some stuff about 8800s in here? Nice to see a peer review before buying, even though my mind's kind of made up.

Chicken is the only one (afaik) who can give us a full run down, but as I understand the situation.

The cards are obscenely fast at most things but currently suffer in places from weirdy driver quirks and strange bits of incompatibility here and there.

However, nvidia have now switched to an ATI-style monthly driver release cycle, so any issues should be worked out fairly quickly.

I'm sure chicken will post more info in the morning.

FatherJack wrote:Anyone want to put some stuff about 8800s in here? Nice to see a peer review before buying, even though my mind's kind of made up.

Aye, I'd like a decent peer review of these too, and a possible break-down of the different types available. Needless to say, its the 320MB one I'm looking at here...

Also, I think my system currently has a generic 4 or 500W PSU, so will that entail an upgrade when buying a new beast of a card? Adding £50ish to the price doesn't make Lat happy.

While we're on the subject of reviews (slight Fred Jaques), I've been putting our game reviews on the Wiki page in a review section I've created. It'd be great if other reviews, such as hardware, could be given their own little sections. I've also linked to geekfood there but haven't started putting the recipies in. Anyone who fancies chipping in and adding to what's there please do, I'd be very grateful.

/Wiki champion blog

Berks pretty much summed it up there Lat and FJ but ill pack that out with what i have found out through having to sort it out.

Cool, look forward to reading your conclusions on the card then. I assume you have ultrashiney 740squillionMB card rather than the 320MB one? Is the memory the main difference, or is that just altogether too naїve of me?

Despite the fact that this will be by far the most I've ever spent on a single bit of PC equipment, I still think I've just about justified the expense to myself. However, is a PSU upgrade also necessitated by a new card?

Only going to save from my bar job for it, so my main wages can still go on the necessities like rent, food, beer and electricity. Looking forward to getting one just so that I can turn up the settings on Oblivion a bit and give it another run through!

I'll get around to doing a review of my little Bubba mini-server this weekend, it's proving quite useful.

Lateralus wrote:Cool, look forward to reading your conclusions on the card then. I assume you have ultrashiney 740squillionMB card rather than the 320MB one? Is the memory the main difference, or is that just altogether too naїve of me?

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/0 ... _up/1.html

should cover the differences.

and yes, you'll probably need a new PSU, most likely something around the decent quality 500w/£50 mark

Dr. kitteny berk wrote: yes, you'll probably need a new PSU, most likely something around the decent quality 500w/£50 mark

Buggers.

What happens if I get the card and use it with my current PSU, but discover its not powerful enough? Will my system just start to hang when I play games etc, or will stuff asplode? Due to financial restraints I'd rather not buy the PSU until I *have* to, but similarly I don't want to buy an expensive card and ruin it. Unless I extend my contents insurance to cover accidental damage, in which case I can feel a stumble coming on when moving house.

On top of moving house and all the costs associated with that, I'm also going to try and buy Glastonbury tickets when they go on sale, but I'm looking at another £150 there!

Lateralus wrote:Buggers. What happens if I get the card and use it with my current PSU, but discover its not powerful enough? Will my system just start to hang when I play games etc, or will stuff asplode?

Either of the above.

It could just be unstable and crap out like WEY's machine is right now.

Or your PSU could fail horribly and take other bits of your machine with it.

I can see I'll have to just splash out up front then. Ho hum! I suppose my main problem is that once I've decided I want something, I'm crap at waiting for it, and not too good at saving up for stuff either.

Lateralus wrote:I can see I'll have to just splash out up front then. Ho hum! I suppose my main problem is that once I've decided I want something, I'm crap at waiting for it, and not too good at saving up for stuff either.

just wait, or upgrade your PSU first, then wait for the 8800s to get cheaper.

Aye, just remembered the fact that I'm paying off my student overdraft too, and student loan repayments kick in as of April 1st!

Once the overdraft is cleared in May/June time it'll free up about £150 a month so I can attempt to start saving, so getting the PSU first may not be a bad idea.

Dr. kitteny berk wrote: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/0 ... _up/1.html
should cover the differences.
and yes, you'll probably need a new PSU, most likely something around the decent quality 500w/£50 mark

Shame they didn't test the EVGA GTS KO 640MB, but it can sort of be extrapolated that it's a bit faster than the BFG or XFX.

It's probably what I'd go for right now - it's just under the £300 mark, which while pricey, isn't up there with silly GTX prices, yet seems to offer enough benefit over 320MB - the fact they managed to fill up the texture memory on a game a year or two old (CoD2, albeit at very high res) indicates it might struggle with future titles.

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