Tech stuff moves too fast, LOL

[Gig-O-Ram]

By this I mean...well, it just changes too dang fast!

I'm still getting used to the idea of dual and quad core CPUs and killer Video cards and stuff like that. I was reading some stuff in my PC magazine about how GPUs may become a thing of the past as they may start to appear in tandem with new CPUs in the future (GPU and CPU on the same chip), and a foot long video card from ATI with almost 3/4 gig of DDR3 that takes up almost 300W of power by itself. I'm not done with the magazine yet, but I wonder what else will blow my mind?

[Tyreal]

Haha. You must be reading about the R600. That thing looks like a beastie. :D

[Gig-O-Ram]

Originally Posted by Tyreal

Haha. You must be reading about the R600. That thing looks like a beastie. :D

Yep! That's the one! I was reading about it in "Smart Computing". They were saying there will be two models actually - one will be about 10 3/4 inches with a tad less capability if I remember right, and then there will be the foot long one that will have the 768MB DDR3.

The video card I own right now (7800GT) is actually a bit smaller than the 6800GT I had before, which I thought was a monster of a card, but this R600 has got it beat! I think anyone who wants it better make sure they have a minimum 650W PSU just to make sure you have power for everything else...

[[Dr. V]]

the pace is ridiculous - ive been waiting for it to plateau for so long, but am convinced it seems like it isnt gonna happen!

octa cores seem to be coming out late this year early 2008 so ive heard...this is just insane. with the Q6600 at 1000+ (CAD) right now, and the AMD Quad Cores FX7x series at about 600-900 (not nearly as good as intel's lowest Q6600 even overclocked -- poor AMD for now) they arent near mainstream yet and probably won't be for awhile, and bang theyre throwing octa core so soon.

this is messed.

[Gig-O-Ram]

Originally Posted by ST!X

the pace is ridiculous - ive been waiting for it to plateau for so long, but am convinced it seems like it isnt gonna happen!

octa cores seem to be coming out late this year early 2008 so ive heard...this is just insane. with the Q6600 at 1000+ (CAD) right now, and the AMD Quad Cores FX7x series at about 600-900 (not nearly as good as intel's lowest Q6600 even overclocked -- poor AMD for now) they arent near mainstream yet and probably won't be for awhile, and bang theyre throwing octa core so soon.

this is messed.

octa cores? You are talking about eight cores, right? Man...
I was also seeing something in "S.C." about the CPUs that are in the PlayStation 3's, which are essentially a kind of hybrid processor with a new single instruction multi-something architecture that has eight mini cores. Are you referring to the same thing? But other than the PS3, they are mainly for "data intensive" apps used in sciences and other similar things.

And I know there have already been some video cards that are factory OC'd, but I saw one by ATI that even comes with a warranty to cover the OC, which I didn't know you could get. I remember shortly after getting my 6800GT, the 7 series cards were already shipping. And here I thought I was pretty current with the 6800...And now! And now, when I think I'm all that with my 7800GT, the 8 series cards are here. You just can't win...Well, I HAVE had my 7800 for about a year now. Does that qualify it as a dinosaur?

[Dread]

I think he is referring to both Intel and AMD developing an 8-core CPU sometime in the not so distant future for retail. Didn't take them long to jump for 1 core to 4 on a single socket :)

[[Dr. V]]

Originally Posted by Dread

I think he is referring to both Intel and AMD developing an 8-core CPU sometime in the not so distant future for retail. Didn't take them long to jump for 1 core to 4 on a single socket :)

this is true.

and the PS3s use a Cell Processor. not sure on all the details, but its insanely fast! my buddy is working on making the PS3 CPU/maybe mobo into an actual desktop -- probably will be the fastest desktop CPU if it works out!

[Quakindude]

I stopped worrying about the new hardware aspect a while back. Now, I get new hardware when one of two things happens. One, my rig stops doing what I want it to or two, I have the spare money to use on it. Seeing as how my retirement from the military is looming, I've probably bought the last of my hardware for awhile.

[Lead Head]

Originally Posted by Gig-O-Ram

Yep! That's the one! I was reading about it in "Smart Computing". They were saying there will be two models actually - one will be about 10 3/4 inches with a tad less capability if I remember right, and then there will be the foot long one that will have the 768MB DDR3.

The video card I own right now (7800GT) is actually a bit smaller than the 6800GT I had before, which I thought was a monster of a card, but this R600 has got it beat! I think anyone who wants it better make sure they have a minimum 650W PSU just to make sure you have power for everything else...

wait what?

The OEM R600 has 1GB of GDDR4 and is 12" long
The Retail R600 has 1GB of GDDR4 and is 9" long

The only card with 768MB of ram is the 8800GTX

[[Dr. V]]

Originally Posted by Lead Head

wait what?

The OEM R600 has 1GB of GDDR4 and is 12" long
The Retail R600 has 1GB of GDDR4 and is 9" long

The only card with 768MB of ram is the 8800GTX

yea!

Originally Posted by Quakindude

I stopped worrying about the new hardware aspect a while back. Now, I get new hardware when one of two things happens. One, my rig stops doing what I want it to or two, I have the spare money to use on it. Seeing as how my retirement from the military is looming, I've probably bought the last of my hardware for awhile.

this is exactly how i think too!

u gotta see what u use it for. if ur system is doing all that u need it to do well, efficient, fast and all that -- then why the hell should you go upgrade?

sure its nice to have the latest thing (maybe 6 months tops?) so if u have dead cash to burn, go ahead. but other than that its pointless to TRY to keep up with technology, unless u ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO for any given reason.