Pros: Easy install, quiteness, price, attractive design
Cons: None so far
Overall Review: Just installed this card today and it runs Battlefield 3 smoothly at "Ultra" settings, although I am using only a 17" monitor (cheesy, huh?). Even when playing in 64-player servers, I haven't run into lag or choppy gameplay so far. I haven't tried other games yet, but it is running nicely. I'll post an update in the coming months. Bought this card at $299.99 from Newegg, and at that price this card was irresistable. My systems specs: Intel Core I5 760 CPU Kingston 4GB DDR3 1600 320GB Western Digital HDD Antec 650w Green PSU Gigabyte H55M-S2V LGA 1156 Motherboard Samsung 17" SyncMaster 731B LCD monitor
Pros: Destructible enviroments, multi-dimensional game play (ability to fly helicopters and drive armored vehicles, in addition to infantry combat), addicting on-line multiplayer, visual/graphics quality
Cons: Hit detection, presence of hackers and cheaters in certain servers, occasional CTD issues, no prone (to me it's not an issue but it still would've been nice to have)
Overall Review: Nice try from the previous reviewer on 11/8/10. What a coincidence that the "reviewer" issues a very negative review on the same day that COD Black Ops is released. Anyway, the online multiplayer is not broke at all and is in fact very much alive and well. In addition, EA announced on 11/8/2010 that VIP Map pack 7 with four brand new multiplayer maps will be released for FREE, for PC players and VIP accounts. Unlike the other competing FPS games out there where they charge for additional DLC, BFBC2 has free DLC. Unfortunately, I can only give this game four out of five eggs, due to the continued hit detection issues, as well as the CTD issues (happens once or twice a month for me). Not every server has hackers, but once you see them, they tend to ruin the game when using the teleport hack. Fortunately, I haven't seen this hack in over a month. Overall, I would still recommend this game to any FPS fan who has an open mind.
Pros: - Great multiplayer - variety of maps - fun gameplay - low system requirements
Cons: - Graphics are aged - Singleplayer is no good and is best used as practice for multiplayer - BF Vietnam is meh for me
Overall Review: There are still servers running this game. I highly recommend the Desert Combat mod (it's free). EA still runs a server with this mod and it still gets full during the weekends, with up to 48 players. Another popular mod is Desert Combat Final, which is similar to the first mod but with better sound and visual effects. The physics on this games is great and seeing players flying off after an explosion, is quite comical. Most PC integrated graphics made in the last two years can run this game without an add-on GPU.
Pros: Great sound effects (I have cheapo speakers and can only imagine how much better it would be if I hooked up my PC to a surround sound system), very good graphics, good weapons selection, especially the mortar strikes!
Cons: - Only eight maps when the game was released, although some downloadable content have already been released and more are on the way. -Server issues (mostly fixed now; if you played the beta, you need to uninstall it as it causes problems with Punkbuster) -lot's of snipers and noob tubers (not the game's fault, but I need to vent) - foul language. If you have children and don't want them exposed to four letter words in the game, then this is not for them. I believe there is a setting that will let you turn it off, though I don't know how
Overall Review: I'm running the game on my budget gaming rig and the graphics and gameplay are very good. The server problems have mostly been fixed (EA released the R6 server two days ago and things are running smoothly since then) with a few minor issues still remaining. You can add and find your friends in-game and it works well. Having no prone is not a deal breaker for me. It took me a day to get used to it and I'm glad that I did, as this game has lots to offer and is real fun and exhilarating. A major issue is the assault class serving as the ammunition resupply. A lot of noob tubers now have the ability for unlimited tubing because all they have to do is resupply themselves. That's lame and is an epic fail by DICE. Altogether, this is a great game and will keep me busy for a very long time. PC specs: Intel E7200 C2D, patriot DDR2 800, Seagate Barracuda HDD, ECS GF7050VT mainboard, XFX GeForce 9800GT 512MB.
Pros: Very good graphics and visuals, squad based team play, ability to respawn on any squad mate, option to pilot helicopter gunships or use armored vehicles, various weapon and gadget unlocks, excellent sound effects, dedicated server support
Cons: Hit registration, server disconnects (although now it is not nearly as bad as when the game first released and is getting better day by day), no toggle crouch
Overall Review: The graphic quality is on par with COD4, or a little better (I can't compare with MW2 since I haven't played that game). The sound quality is second to none! The single player campaign is not bad, although multiplayer is where it's at. The rush game mode provides for an exciting, objective based team play. Conquest mode (the same as Domination mode for COD4) is also present, as well as squad deathmatch. Lone wolves can and do excel at this game, but team play is what gets you the win! The hit registration in this game can be a pain. You can empty a whole magazine onto another player and he can still kill you with one or two shots from his pistol. However, the key to minimizing this is by firing short, controlled bursts of two or three rounds. You'll get better results that way. The lack of prone doesn't bother me, but is an issue with some players. This game simply is too much fun for anyone to not buy it because of no prone.
Pros: Smooth performance; single-slot; came bundled with COD4 which made this a steal
Cons: Needs better documentation; size - yeah, I know it's only a single-slot but I was surprised at the size of this thing when I openned the box. However, it's still smaller and better (size wise) than the dual-slot 8800GTS.
Overall Review: The card came with a dual 4-pin molex to pci-e connector. The instructions indicated that it isn't recommended using this. Hmm...then why bother including the stupid thing?! Anyway, I know someone who used it on theirs and it works fine. Also, the box indicates PSU requirement of 26amps on the 12v rail. Well, my PSU is 430w with 14amps only. I plugged the card into the slot and it didn't work. I disconnected my case fans, one HDD, and also one of two 2gb DDR2 sticks. Voila! It worked!! I also had to resort to leaving the case open, to cool my PC, as I don't have a single case fan connected. I've been playing BF1942/Desert Combat and COD4 for a week and it's working well so far. My PC specs: - Intel C2D E7200 OC'd AT 3.13ghz (stock air) - Windows XP 64-bit - 2GB DDR2 800 Patriot - 80GB SATA II Seagate Barracuda HDD - LG DVD burner - 430w PSU with 14 am
Pros: affordable, good quality
Cons: none
Overall Review: I've bought Patriot memory modules before and haven't had a problem with them. My recent purchase of the DDR2 module hasn't disappointed.. I paired it with a Transcend 2Gb DDR2 800 and there are no hitches so far. It's even better that Patriot is made in the USA.
Pros: Performance, overclockability, price
Cons: none yet
Overall Review: This is my first dual-core, which I used on my first build. So far, I'm impressed with the performance, especially since I was able to OC to 3.17ghz on a no-frills mobo. I've been running it at 3.04ghz the last week, using just the mobo's onboard graphics, for gaming. I'm actually getting smoother graphics and gameplay, as compared to my previous set-up. As far as the much assailed push-pins are concerned, I didn't find it troublesome to mount the HSF onto my mobo. However, I did benefit by reading from other's experience by supporting the mobo on the other side with the other hand, which will minimize bending the mobo while pushing the pins during installation. I'm also using the stock HSF and I'm seeing temps of 32-34 degrees at idle and with the CPU OC'd at 3.04ghz. I'll have to get a utility to measure the CPU temps when I'm gaming.
Pros: Price, easy overclock, supports 45nm processors and 64-bit OS, four SATA connectors.
Cons: Single-channel memory only, up to PC6400
Overall Review: With this board I was able to OC an Intel E7200 up to 3.17 ghz (stock cooler), by setting the FSB and clock to 1333; also had to delink under BSEL. Although the default memory speed is 667, by delinking in BIOS the mobo recognized my 1GB DDR2 PC6400 and I was able to jack it up to 800. I'm a newbie at overclocking, so I'm happy with whatever I was able to get. The board accepted three legacy peripherals (FDD, IDE CD-R drive, old sata HDD), in addition to a new HDD. All in all, a good board for the price.
Pros: Quite, thin
Cons: none
Overall Review: Very quite drive, compared to my four-year old Maxtor 57 GB HDD. The barracuda was so quiet (compared to my old HDD), that I couldn't tell it was even running; I actually thought it was DOA. The Seagate is also almost twice as thin as the old drive, although having 23 gigs more. Newegg delivered this the next day after I ordered. Great service!
Pros: Easy overclocking, supports IDE and FDD drives (does anyone still use floppy?), support for 45nm processorsand 64-bit OS.
Cons: Limited OC options, single channel memory.
Overall Review: This is my first build. I actually bought the ECS variant of this board (ECS owns PC Chips, so who cares). Anyway, paired the board with a E7200 C2D, 1GB of DDR2 800. Was able to set the FSB up to 1333, delink the memory clock to 800 mhz, then sent the FSB frequency to 1333. This OC'd the CPU to 3.17 ghz. Not bad. The board will let me set the FSB freq. even higher (I moved it past 1700, without setting it), although I was told not go beyond 3.17 ghz on this board since it is a low-end unit. Coming from an old 1.8 ghz AMD processor, 3.17 ghz on this board far exceeds what I had before. System specs: CPU: Intel E7200 C2D Sys. Memory: 1GB DDR2 800 HDD: Seagate Barracuda 80gb SATA Power: Echostar (generic) 450watt PSU Newegg rocks!
Pros: Clear photos, vibrant and accurate colors, image stabilization, manual mode, optical viewfinder,Face detection, utilizes AA batteries
Cons: LCD resolution, no zoom on movie modes
Overall Review: Takes better pics than my previous 5MP Nikon Coolpix and 6MP Kodak. After taking delivery of the cam (very fast shipping by Newegg!), I was able to take eight pics with the standard 16MB card. The quality of the pics are superior to most cameras I have used in this category. The image stabilization alone makes this camera a steal at the price I paid ($134.99+tax and shipping). Add the manual mode, optical viewfinder, and other features, and this camera beats the competition. I took a photo at low-light and it came out blurry, in spite of the IS and flash. However, I selected the night scene and the next photo came out much better. The other negative is the LCD resolution, although it is adequate, could have been better. But for this price, I'm not bothered by it. It would also be great if Canon started adding the zoom feature to the movie modes on the A series cameras. I really liked this feature on my Nikon and wish the A570 IS had it as well.
Pros: Good quality photos, video mode (640x480 @ 30 fps, with zoom and sound!), uses AA batteries, decent sized LCD (2"), design (ergonomic and sleek).
Cons: Some blurry close-up photos, ISO up to 200 only, no optical viewfinder
Overall Review: I bought the L3 at a local office supply store, on sale, and am satisfied with most of the photos I have taken. I'm annoyed that about one-third of my close-up photos come out blurry, which requires a re-shoot (thank goodness today's digital technology let's us view and delete shots at will). I'll need a tripod to help control blurriness. Photos beyond five feet are generally good. Shots indoors under poor lighting are also a mixed bag, but at this price point, turning on other lights is not a problem for me. I like the T.V. quality video mode, which lets you zoom and also has sound. At least for my use, I don't have a need to buy a camcorder because of this digicam. I would have liked ISO speed up to 400, in addition to manual control, although it's not critical. Overall, I really like the quality and sharpness of most of the photos I get; they are clear and not oversaturated. I like being able to use AA batteries, since I use rechargeables anyway. Use of SD cards are also a plus.
Pros: Very useful for most current games, offering very good graphics and smooth operation. Easy installation
Cons: Can get choppy during intense on-line play (hardly an issue, however). Loud fan.
Overall Review: I bought this card from Newegg and they shipped it a day early. Sweet! I got this EVGA product to replace a Leadtek 6600GT that I mishandled. Prior to getting the EVGA 6600GT, I had to make do with an Nvidia 5200, bolstered w/1 gigabyte of memory. The 5200 handled BF1942/Desert Combat mods, but was still lacking. After a few weeks, I had enough and had to order another 6600GT. EVGA's card filled the bill and I'm once again happy playing Desert Combat. It also handled Doom3 and Battlefield 2 very well. As others have mentioned, the fan is on the loud side, but I actually didn't notice after a couple of minutes playing BF2. This card is a very good performer and a very good value! Thanks, Newegg!! P.S. I accidentally ordered the PCI-E version, instead of the AGP. Newegg was hassle-free in expediting an RMA. Great customer service!
Pros: - price - stable so far - straightforward BIOS
Cons: Tight fit. This is not an ASRock issue, but a micro-atx one. Installing any large after-market CPU cooler will block one of the DDR memory slots. Also, installing any mid-range or high-end graphics cards will significantly impact airflow throughout the board, especially over the Northbridge heatsink.
Overall Review: - When I first tried loading Windows 7 the board couldnt find the boot drive. I checked BIOS and the drive sequence was correct. I then tried loading the drivers, but no go. Finally Win7 just loaded on its own. PC is running fine now. - The 10/100 Mbps LAN speed is not a problem for me, since my previous PC had that and I was still able to play online multiplayer games and stream hi-def content, all via my wireless connection. Overall, this is a nice, basic board, given it's price point. Streaming high-def content looks good; the onboard audio sounds fine. I might even play Diablo 3 on this rig when that comes out. System specs: - CPU: Intel Core I3 2120 - OS: 64-bit Windows 7 - System memory: 4Gb Kingston DDR3 1600 (running @ 1333) - graphics: Radeon 1 Gb HD 5670 - HDD: seagate 80 Gb - psu: 550-watt / 30 amps on 12-volt rail