My wait is over. I finally picked up an EVGA 8800GT [Spec sheet: here at EVGA.com] and I am extremely happy with the product. Easy install, easy overclock with ntune, powerful, stable, and quiet. This card replaces a BFG 7950GT OC 512, a substantial upgrade to my current rig:

Enermax Chakra Case
Asus P5N-E SLI Nvidia 650i
E6600 Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.4 Ghz
OCZ Powerstream 600W PSU
EVGA 8800GT 512
4GB Corsair DDR2 PC6400 800MHz @ 4-4-4-12
400GB SATA Seagate HDD
500GB SATA Samsung HDD
80GB IDE Western Digital HDD
18X Samsung SATA DVD RW
40X TDK IDE CD RW
Gateway FPD1975W 19″ LCD @ 1440 x 900

So the 7950 is pouting over in the corner, and here I am trying to enjoy the majestic bounty that is the 8800GT. Now… my WoW framerates went up to an ungodly 100-200fps, and that’s even after overriding the game settings for the highest quality results. But that only goes so far before the novelty wears off- I want a swing at the big leagues…So where’s a DX 10-ready gamer to go?
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I have mentioned before that I try to remain relatively neutral in the Apple/Microsoft battle. I dual boot XP and OS X on a MacBook (via Boot Camp), own two iPods, built a mid-range gaming PC with Vista (specs below), and am happy as a cow at a pig roast.

I have been a Windows fan since Workgroups 3.11, and became a proponent of OS X only recently, after purchasing a MacBook. Now, almost a year after its release, I am truly hard-pressed to bash Vista. I am far from being a fan-boy and will admit that as an operating system Vista certainly has its shortcomings; however, in my personal experience this has been Microsoft’s most stable off-the-shelf release. Perhaps it’s because my hardware is up to snuff, none of my software is dated, and I have tweaked and optimized my system to ensure smooth performance…or perhaps it’s because Vista, for me, is merely a means of accessing WoW and Orange Box. Also worth an honorable mention, CS3 runs like a dream. (more…)

The Tech Report presents an in-depth and detailed article on how to build a PC. This is simply a brilliant read for anyone looking to get started with his or her first build. My favorite part has got to be the pristinely manicured female hand in the step-by-step photos. I’d like to see that same manicure after installing the front intake fan of an Enermax Chakra chassis.

Tech Report is a great resource for novice and enthusiast builders alike. They periodically put together a system guide [TR's September 2007 System Guide, TR's July 2007 System Guide] detailing sample PC builds to accommodate a wide array of price ranges. Extreme Tech has a similar breakdown in their ‘Build It’ section.

I was recently watching a tech show on Discovery HD called It’s All Geek to Me. The show is OK… pretty basic stuff; not the point. They were talking about portable music devices (iPod, Zune, etc.), and each of the proprietary applications that provide downloadable content for the respective units.

Many services, like Yahoo Music and Napster, have been offering unlimited downloads for about $9/month. For as long as you subscribe to the service you are free to listen to or download as much content as you want, but as soon as you cancel that subscription, all that you’ve downloaded will be deleted.

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I’ve been playing some Team Fortress 2 for PC over the last couple of weeks, and I have got to tell you, I’m AWFUL at this game. I mean, it’s not that big of a shock to me- I’m actually awful at a lot of games. I guess I thought I had a fighting chance since the game hasn’t really been out all that long… no dice. I am much like a bottomless gift basket of frags- the gift that keeps on giving- a veritable ‘frag basket’ if you will.

When your character is killed in TF2, the screen immediately closes in on the opponent who took you out- just so you know the name and face of the lil’ bastard who did it. I actually really enjoy this feature- it allows you to take a screengrab of your opponent in action, places his nameplate on the lower right portion of the screen, and saves off a Targa file to the game folder so you can do with it as you please- maybe even print your own 8×10 glossy of your superiors to help you bask in your own mediocrity. Check the caps here.

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