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What to leave out ?


Misha

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This weekend I finished ordering all of the hardware for my next computer and just realized I will have to leave out one card because of a lack of PCI slots. Build is as follows:

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 Retail

Asus P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe

Enermax 1000 watt ps

2- Asus 7950GX2 Video cards

4 gig OCZ Platinum DDR2 800

? Soundblaster X-FI Platinum

? Asus 90 - C1CHFA-HUAY1 PhysX card

The question marks are the problem cards. Please give me your opinions.

Thank You.

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Saw you post on another thread, I will use it to do work on both audio and video files. The multiple inputs on the SB will come in handy. But when ther is more support for physx in gaming that will come in handy to.

Still Undecided...

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I would leave both out:

- Asus 90 - C1CHFA-HUAY1 PhysX card; Not enough games for it now.

- Soundblaster X-FI Platinum; only when you are really picky on sound or you want to use it with a mixer.

;)

i totally agree. physx is just pointless right now, it just hasnt caught on and costs way too much. wait a few years and see what happens with it, but i think that its going to die. as for a sound card, i would wait for the new auzentech card, its very promising, its coming out within the month so within 2 months there should be some reviews on it, just wait for sound.

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Chalk up another vote to toss out the physics acceleration. The problem there is that you probably bought a card like that to enhance whatever your favorite game is. And the cards aren't cheap, so you will probably have a desire to want keep it in there and use your mobo sound.

I recommend taking that physics acceleration card back to the store for a refund while you still can.

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Forget both of them, as said before the extra effects of the PhysX are not much and only *some* games support it, and as for the audio, unless you have extremely discerning ears the onboard (likely AC'97) is quite pleasant. If you want better sound quality, it's more worthwhile to invest in better speakers.

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Forget both of them, as said before the extra effects of the PhysX are not much and only *some* games support it, and as for the audio, unless you have extremely discerning ears the onboard (likely AC'97) is quite pleasant. If you want better sound quality, it's more worthwhile to invest in better speakers.

forgot to talk about speakers :)

a nice logitech z5500 set will do you much good!

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Ok the phyx card will sit on the shelf for now. All of the hardware was already purchased when I realized the shortae of PCI slots. My next question, does anyone know if they plan on making a motherboard with more than two PCI slots on it and/or PCI slots that aren't blocked when running a sli config?Speakers are Klipsch pro media 5.1. Thank you all for your input.

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Forget both of them, as said before the extra effects of the PhysX are not much and only *some* games support it, and as for the audio, unless you have extremely discerning ears the onboard (likely AC'97) is quite pleasant. If you want better sound quality, it's more worthwhile to invest in better speakers.

sorry, but I disagree, I have on board AC'97, and I do not have incredibly discerning ears and I can notice a world of difference between my onboard audio and even my rather old sound blaster live! card. not to mention the soundblaster cards do take off a slight burden from the CPU as it has a dedicated sound processor. Not a huge difference, but for the gamer who wants every fps he can get, it will make a slight difference.

As for which to get rid of, I'm with everyone else, the physics card as it's poorly supported for the time being.

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I really don't get why people emphasize on a *latest and greatest* sound card. I'm using my SBL from 3 years ago, have played HL2, COD2, FEAR, Prey, etc... and don't have any issues with sound and whatever you guys call "positional" or "directional" audio, I can year stuff and recognise where it is. I really don't get it...

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I really don't get why people emphasize on a *latest and greatest* sound card. I'm using my SBL from 3 years ago, have played HL2, COD2, FEAR, Prey, etc... and don't have any issues with sound and whatever you guys call "positional" or "directional" audio, I can year stuff and recognise where it is. I really don't get it...

i was the same exact way you where until i heard the auzentech xplosion which my friend recently got. there is just a major difference compared to onboard, especially with surround sound!

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i was the same exact way you where until i heard the auzentech xplosion which my friend recently got. there is just a major difference compared to onboard, especially with surround sound!

Actually, that's becoming less and less the case. Back then, upgrading your sound card usually got you significant improvements - better DACs, better SNR, etc. Upgrading from a SB16 to a SB Live was a decent step up. But nowadays with surround sound... Between a SB Live or a X-Fi, there will hardly be any difference in your movie's 5.1 surround sound over spdif.

Last time I upgraded my main sound card wasn't so much for a huge improvement in sound. It was:

-to get rid of creative-made junk

-to get rid of the driver nightmare creative junk comes with

-to get rid of creative's proprietary 3 pole 1/8" minijacks and 9 pin minidins for spdif links (good luck finding extensions for that - you have *NO* idea...)

-to get Dolby Digital Live, which creative doesn't do

-to get better connectitivity (just look at the basic X-Fi, IIRC, spdif out is same plug as microphone in or such! What a mess!)

etc. It's MUCH nicer overall, but surround sound quality... Not much change there.

And about onboard audio... The main point my nicest sound card has over my onboard HD audio? Lower CPU usage.

Regardless, I'm never buying another creative-made piece of junk, ever.

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