General J

Boiler - Newegg has quite a few laptops that have that same ATI HD 3650 card setup. Some are listed as 512mb dedicated, and some are listed as 1024mb dedicated. I have also seen cards (none of which were the ATI 3650 setups) on newegg that were listed as being 512mb dedicated with up to 1024 or 2048 available through sharing. I don't know how efficient the additional shared memory is. And I do not know whether the cards listed as having 1024 Dedicated fall in the same boat. I guess I may have to give newegg a call, or try to get in touch with ASUS or ATI support. I know the Asus machines (whether it is the Intel or AMD setup) will handle any everyday program thrown at it, no problem. But, will it handle decent graphical settings in CS:S,TF2, Farcry, BF2, and some of the newer games such as crysis? I am not looking for uber super graphics, although that would be nice. I am thinking, at the least, 1024X768 with all the goodies turned on high in, say, HL2/CS:S. My desktop has a 128mb ATI Radeon 9600XT, and it ran HL2, CS:S at decent settings, and FarCry and BF2 at low/mid settings. I would like the laptop to top that performance. To get right down to it, I guess I am trying to justify spending the extra $$ for the dedicated card and such, as opposed to one of the new integrated ATI setups. I know the mobile vid cards are far less potent than the desktop models though. I would assume the dedicated card is going to fare much better than the integrated ones. But just how much better, and if it is worth it, is another thing.

My in-laws swear by mac. BUT... I will not pay for the over-hyped, over-priced mid grade mac. You can get 2x the specs for half the money. And I have seen plenty of problems with the macs. For goodness sakes, my in laws had to dump safari, in similar fashion to what most people do with IE, for firefox. It was crashing constantly. Same thing goes for a lot of their mac software. It will simply quit out randomly in the middle of running with no explanation. And what the heck is with only having one mouse button. No, I do not want to have to push a separate key on the keyboard, even if it is a "cute" little apple, to get the right-side mouse button function. That must be where the extra cost comes from! So, in short, NO MACS! I will not do it! I guess my question is this: Is that ATI 3650 really a fully dedicated, stand alone 1 gig. Or is it 512mb dedicated, with 512mb additional shared? I know there are 1+ gig desktop cards. But even those confuse me. They say 1gb memory, but show memory interface as 512 or 256 bit. Can anyone share some info on this?

I have been out of touch as far as keeping up with new hardware. Is the core2 duo 32 or 64 bit? And it is dual core, not quad core, right? The only major difference, aside from processor, that I noticed with the intel setup was that the video card is supposed to be a dedicated 1 gig card, vs the 512 of the amd setup. How much of a difference will that extra 512mb on the video card make?

So, I am looking at a new laptop. I will be using it as a semi-replacement for an aging desktop, school, and some gaming. I understand technology changes every day, and anything I buy will be immediately outdated. With that said, anyone have any opinions between AMD and Intel's mobile processors? I have an AMD Athlon XP 2600+ in the desktop running at 1.9 ghz and, from my prospective, is considerably faster than the Pentium 4's made around the same time. I am looking at: This one, or This one. I am looking for something that will handle most anything thrown at it today, and keep up with future requests for a while. Any opinions?

I have been using my gmail account through Mozilla Thunderbird for awhile now. I am too cheap to pay for something that I can get for free that works well enough.

My wife has an older (~6 years old) IBM Thinkpad, and ran into the same thing that ZD had. I use spybot:S&D and one instance of IE opened up pandora's box. Something was running and attempting to change a load of registry settings. I finally got antivirus to run, and found 2 trojans. The easiest way I could think to solve the problem was to reformat. And, since my XP cd was on a moving truck somewhere between Missouri and Idaho, Windows wasn't an option. I couldn't use Ubuntu because of the RAM requirements. So I went with Debian. With the GUI, Debian/Ubuntu should be pretty easy to use, even if you don't want to get into using the terminal. If you do end up learning terminal commands, which I haven't gotten completely into yet, you can pretty much do anything you want with the OS. And, the good thing is that there really is actual documentation on how to use the OS. Also, being cheap, free is a very appealing aspect. The only reason I can see for keeping the Windows installation on my next laptop purchase would be for gaming. There are programs that allow you to run windows programs through linux. One is WINE and the other is VMWare. BUT, last I read, Valve was searching for a highly skilled Linux programmer to port Steam and software over. Good news for CS players.

I have never played it, but I believe it is a lot like Operation Flashpoint. It is supposed to be an ultra realistic strategic first person shooter. Looks pretty cool from what I have seen. Think Battlefield 2 with an extra dose of realism and serious steroid use. I am planning to convince the wife that it will be a necessary purchase once this machine, or this one is ordered. I am looking at new laptops for school, and to replace the aging desktop & current laptop.

Any word on that linux client yet? Laptop RAM went belly up. So, while I was in replacement mode, Windows just happened to be dumped for Debian.

Howdy! I did find what I was looking for, finally. Here it is! It is a custom map for ArmA.

Anyone know anything about a game with a duel mod? 1vs1 shootouts with spectators outside of the shootout area. I saw a video a while back of the game in action, but I don't remember where I found it. It is a newer game. The rounds start with 2 players in a fenced in ring. There is a random countdown and then they draw. Anyone know anything about this? It is driving me crazy that I can't remember where I saw this. I was watching the ShackTactical video Hill 79 around the time that I saw this if that helps anyone. Please help!

I finally decided to go with the Plantronics. I dont use the mic right now because the computer is on a shared wall with my sons room, and I only get to play while he is asleep. But in the near future, the computer will probably be moved, so I will have the headset still. And I knew that they sounded great for $20. And as far as the life of plantronics: I had the .audio 90's for 3+ years with not a single problem. My son, who is just about 2, has put them on, carried them around, thrown them, chewed them and they did just fine. I don't know what the heck other people do with their headphones that make them go out within 6 months. Personally I would be sending them to plantronics and exercising my warranty for a free pair every 6 months if that was the case. That being said, they will not, I repeat WILL NOT survive a vacuum cleaner.

Edit : Boilersax posted a good head unit at a really good price. 22w RMS is on the higher side of most head unit amps. Most Alpines I was looking at had around the same signal-to-noise ratio as this one as well. If you want it today, go to Best Buy. Their price beats Crutchfield. If you want it slightly cheaper though, CF has it in their outlet are for $125 LINKY HERE! Cheaper head units can be alright. I haven't been in the car audio world for a few years now (pimped out family cars and minivans don't seem to be the thing...) but I can suggest a few things to look at. I am a specs guy. Get all you can for the money you put into it, which could be why I have been debating on headphones for the last 3 days. Take a look at RMS power ratings. Also look for a higher dB signal-to-noise rating. Like I said before, Crutchfield is a great place to look and learn more about audio equipment. Even if you don't buy from them, they are a good place to do research. As far as brands go, I loved my Aiwa, but from what I understand they were bought by Sony. I can't say anything about the new Sony's, but when they were using the Xplod product line I had heard a lot of bad things about them. Pioneer, Alpine, Blaupunkt have all been around for a long while and are great names. I personally tried to stay away from the head units that had the fancy graphics and crazy controls. I stuck with the simplicity=better philosophy. Remember when you look at a head unit that you will probably want to do things like change cd's, adjust volume and change tracks while driving. Take that into consideration when looking at buttons and head units that have to fold out or flip down to change cd's. And remember that the more motors and moving parts the thing has means more stuff that can break and go out after X number of uses. If you are wanting to add amps and subs, look at the number of pairs of preamp outputs. You will need at least 1 for a sub amp, more if you plan on using a separate amp to drive your speakers. I don't know about buying a $130-$180 unit at wal-mart or target. I would personally go to an audio shop and look around. They generally have a better selection and will be about the same price. Looking around, you should be able to get a decent unit for under $200. Have fun shopping, and good luck!

I see. That really sucks if that is the case. If Newegg ships to the great north, I would start using them vs the higher priced places. .Audio 90's were $18 from Newegg in 2004. Could have been much more if it were a year earlier I suppose. I guess I like to buy the cheap slightly outdated stuff.

Dunno if this was already answered or not... I got lost in the evil Wal-Mart vs Target debate (freakin hijackers...) But, even if your stereo is a double DIN size, you can buy an installation kit for a single din unit and masks the bottom section. It makes it look like an extra factory expansion area. Either that or some give you a nice little storage slot under the head unit. As far as the steering wheel controls go, get in touch with Crutchfield's customer service. They can generally help answer questions you have. Crutchfield is like the Newegg of car audio. Depending on how well the factory unit comes out, you will probably just have to plug up the wiring harness and install the new unit. But be warned. My 89 celica had us cutting and soldering every connection for the wiring harness. It's not difficult, but a pain to do for each wire. Good luck with the new stereo. Even a new head unit with factory speakers can make a world of difference. PS Alpines are nice, but overpriced. I had a nice Aiwa unit that I loved. Pioneer 4-way 6X9's can rock your world!

Cujo, I would hate to say you were taken on that deal. Audio 90's were only $20 from newegg when I got them. I am looking to spend around the same, $20-25. I have it narrowed down to either the GameCom 1's that I linked to above or these Sennheiser HD202's.

So let me first tell you a little story... I am outside playing with my son while my wife is vacuuming. I come inside to hear, "Daddy isn't going to be real happy with me..." She accidentally sucked one of the jacks of my trusty 2+ year old plantronics .audio 90's up with the vacuum. The wire snapped right at the volume control. So now I am stuck looking for a new headset. I want basically the same thing that I had with the plantronics. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. Just good quality sound, and a decent mic. I am looking at THESE. I think they are really just the audio 90's with a new name. Any one have any input on that? Any other suggestions, links to better prices, etc. will be greatly appreciated. As a side note - any married man, or person who has seen A Christmas Story (the leg lamp ring a bell?), or any combination of the 2, will see right through the "accident" part. I really do love my wife, and I really do believe it was an accident.

Take the MSF course! If you have no experience on a 2 wheeled, motor powered vehicle, it is a good move. You will tell by the end of the course (2-3 days) whether it is for you or not. I would suggest taking the course before ever purchasing a bike as well. Do not fall into the "600's are the perfect starter bike" trap. I like to think of a 250cc bike as the Mustang GT or Camaro SS of bikes. A 600cc is like the Ferrari, Porsche, or Saleen. A 1000cc+ bike is the F1 of the bike world. A 600cc sportbike is a serious machine, putting out 100+ hp to move a 350-400 lb vehicle. Even the 250cc sportbikes are serious machines, and have the potential to kill you if you make a wrong move. You don't have 2000 lbs of steel surrounding you, or airbags for cushioning, so invest in some good gear! And I would definitly not suggest a Speed Triple to a new rider! 1050cc 3-cylinder that puts out 128hp is not a newbie bike. You are talking about commuting quite a long ways. Bikes are tons of fun, and will give you a whole new outlook on the road. Just remember that they have no creature comforts like a car, such as A/C, heat, a roof to block rain or hail. If you are doing it just to save money on gas, don't bother. You will save at the pump, but lose when looking at tires and maintenance. If your car gets 25-30 mpg on highway, you will come out about even. I am assuming you will mostly be on the highway during your commute, which raises your chance of "cager didn't see me while they were drinking their coffee, reading the morning paper, putting makeup on, and talking on the cell phone, and now I am dead" syndrome pretty high. You learn to avoid these situations, but they are pretty common place. Hopefully you decide you really want to ride, and find a good deal on just the right bike. I have been without my bike for about a year now (thank you greedy thief ) and I can tell you that once you start riding, you get addicted! I am going through withdrawals not being able to get my fix.

Wow. De_Volare? What an idea! Haven't played CS in a very long time now. I should get back into it one of these days.

Being 16 and having a new license has nothing to do with it. States give out things called "learners permits" for a reason. Parents need to know how to drive properly, and practice good driving habits with kids in the car. Then, they can properly teach their child how to drive. Knowing how to drive is much more than knowing where the pedals are and how to drive forward and in reverse. Parents fail to realize this, or just don't care enough to make time to teach their kids. When I got my learners permit at 15 1/2 (MO law for learners permits), my mother asked if I wanted to drive home from the DMV office. She let me drive everywhere, so that I had plenty of experience. She felt comfortable enough letting me have the keys to the car, and going out of town, the first weekend I had my license. Never been in an accident. I don't blame people for being scared of cars on the road. Between the idiots that don't know how to pay attention to the road and the constant media coverage of fatal accidents, people are bound to be freaked out. If you are genuinely afraid to drive a car, however, I applaud you for keeping yourself off of the road. Accidents happen this quickly. If you drive a cage, please keep your eyes on the road and pay attention to everything that is around you! Not just in front of you! I drive a very bright red Ford Ranger, and I constantly have people who manage to not even see it. While on my bike, I have been close enough to kick people's driver side front door. And they never notice that they almost merged into something or someone. And yes, I do drive fast. Excessively on occasion. Is it possibly dangerous? Perhaps. But I am also one to develop intimate knowledge of the limits of whatever it is that I drive, and have done so since I turned 16.

Thanks guys. It sucks though. I just got home from work, and will have to be back there by 7 tonight. I guess that's life.

Actually, AWD is not the end all of drivetrains. Far from it actually. If you really wanted something that was fast, yet handled well, you would be looking at Mid-engine rear wheel drive. Think along the lines of the MR2. Front wheel drive doesn't mean bad handling. AWD doesn't mean good handling. You might get extra traction on the launch, and a little coming out of corners, but you also lose a lot of power going to the wheels. Each drivetrain takes a different approach to drive fast. I am most comfortable with FR, simply because I have clocked the most time with this setup. Thus, me wanting something like that 240Z. However, I think I could survive with the SRT4 just fine.

ZD, Do you still have Master's of Orion 3? Loved the old games, but lost my copy Wife might let me get it for $3.50

As much as I would hate to see a Dodge Neon win this argument, I think Yo has the winner. SRT4 is the fastest car for the least amount of money. It is slightly heavier than the RSX Type S, but has much more power in both the HP and torque arena. It is also the cheaper of the 2. You can find an 02-03 WRX for under $20k pretty easily. However, the only version of this car that would beat out the SRT4 in the power/weight fight would be the STi. They were not available in the US until 2004, and you would want to buy a lottery ticket if you found one for under $20k. 300zx (not a 350z Vovik. 300zx was the older model. 350z took its would be a good competitor after the mods. But finding a nice 1994-1996 with lower miles, worthy enough for mods, might kill you. A stock 300zx TT would be a nice find, but way over $20k. Chevelle SS has the displacement of all these cars engines combined, but weighs about the same as all of them combined as well. You could get it to post great gobs of HP and Torque (especially torque!). But the weight would be the death of it. E36 M3 is a nice bet. They are quick anyway you take them. Power adder like a supercharger would probably help it past the SRT4. You might run into trouble trying to find one for under $20k that didn't need some major work though (read engine rebuild) to keep it on the road after adding mods to it. My money, however, would be on this 240z!

And you thought FarCry made your computer look weak... Link goes to the movie download on fileshack. I have a feeling my current setup would be owned by this one..

I should hire you tell find my next car/bike! $150 out of pocket for a newer/lower mileage vehicle is amazing! Way to go! She looks nice too. Never had the Jeep bug, but I know the people who have them generally love them. Now take the money you saved getting this and go get yourself a brand new CBR600RR!