New Computer: Which Upgrades Are Worthwhile?

[Blarg]

I think putting it all on one computer was a mistake and you picked a very costly way to do it.

Computers are cheap these days, and so are the upgrades on the cheap ones you would want to run 4 and 8-tabling successfully. If you spread your tables across different computers, you would gain valuable redundancy if any part of your system(s) went down or became corrupted or sluggish or whatever, plus you would very likely gain speed and even component longevity.

For under $1000, you can get yourself set up perfectly well with an AMD-based computer with a gig of RAM and 7200 rpm hard disk of 160 gigs or more, plus dual monitor capability and two 19-inch CRTs. You can get 8 tables running very smoothly on that set up.

Double that and you're talking 16 tables displayed on four monitors off only two computers.

Add another computer set-up and you're up to a possible 24 computers off six monitors. This at perhaps as little as $2100.00 for the three computers alone, and an extra $600 for the CRT's, for a total significantly under $3000.

And you have tremendous redundancy in case anything goes wrong. One whole computer goes down and you're still on 16 tables! The way you have it set up now, one computer goes down and you're out of business, maybe for a long time.

When it comes to businesses or anything treated like a business, redundancy is very important, maybe critical. For the amount of time and money you're investing in poker, I think you'd be much better off not putting all your eggs in the basket of one single, constantly grinding, highly stressed computer.

[Nick-Zack]

Blarg,

the problem with this set up is the multiple mice that you need. I tried playing 8 tables this way and it is really tough (for me at least) to use 2 hands and 2 mice. 8 tables with 2 monitors and 1 computer (although not easy) is manageable for me. With your idea and the insane # of tables that Brian is talking about he would have 4 mice, and 4 keyboards to deal with.

[Trix]

Make sure you get some low noise cooling stuff, thats my only advice I guess.

[BusterStacks]

Having a 6800 and a 6600 in the same computer means one of these is going to waste. You will not be able to run both cards using SLI and only one PCI-e slot is x16.

Oh, and striping WILL yield performance gains for a single user.

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and striping WILL yield performance gains for a single user

[/ QUOTE ]

NO it WON'T. the difference is extremely small. it's a waste of money and a risk of data for basically no reason.

[BradL]

Ok so I have a RAID 0 setup and I have no idea if it improves performance or not. Question is what is the best solution for backing up my harddrive(s) now, or at least my databases and financial records?

-Brad

[BusterStacks]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and striping WILL yield performance gains for a single user

[/ QUOTE ]

NO it WON'T. the difference is extremely small. it's a waste of money and a risk of data for basically no reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you in for a proposition bet? 100$ says a single user will experience over 20% gain in HD related tasks.

[astroglide]

$100 says you're a retard if you want to disagree with storagereview on the subject.

standard crap str-based benchmarks (sandra, atto, hdtach, etc) are not "hd related tasks", actually using your computer is. the sr testbed does low level traces of single-user use, multitasking. the details are outlined in the current testbed article, but it involves copies of office, playing mp3s, browsing the web, etc. these traces are played back so the exact disk access is simulated, and the results are published for all to see.

they are the world's authority on consumer storage performance. there's a reason that many manufacturers actually quote them (and them alone) on their advertising/boxes. if you think this makes them a shill, consider the fact that their correct down position on raid is a terrible thing for manufacturers' business.

you are completely wrong, they are completely right. if you want to try disagreeing, bring whatever 'proof' you have to their forums and watch it get ripped to shreds if everybody isn't so sick of repeating themselves that they don't even bother responding. they made the faq for that reason, droves of idiots asking nonstop about striping when it ultimately wouldn't help them.

i would do a prop bet for much more than you're willing to bet on standard single user performance gains. go read the articles and post on the forums there to make sure you want to set your money on fire.

[Brian]

I received my new Digital Tigers system via UPS late Wednesday afternoon. Well, I received *MOST* of my new Digital Tigers system. There were 5 boxes in total to be shipped, containing:

1) The computer itself
2) Mouse/Keyboard/etc.
3) 2 21" LCD Monitors
4) 2 21" LCD Monitors + Stand
5) ?????

I'm not sure what was supposed to be in box 5, but I assume it's 2 21" LCD Monitors and hopefully some sort of instructions on how to assemble the stand, as there were no instructions included in the box that contained the stand. I checked the UPS site for details, and supposedly Box #5 will arrive tomorrow.

I went ahead and set up the computer with one of the 21" Monitors I received. It's got a pretty ghetto "stand" for the time being (it's leaning against 2 boxes that are standing up on top of each other behind it), but all was well and good with the world.

Or did I speak too soon? I let World of WarCraft install while I ran out to Wal-Mart to buy Norton AntiVirus. I came back, and, after finishing the WoW installation and loading NAV, I began to play WoW. 30 minutes later, the power cut off. Hmmm... Did my foot hit the switch? Nope. Ok, let's turn the computer back on... *Push the button* Nothing. *Push it again* Nothing. It wasn't the power supply, as the Speakers and Monitor were still on.

*sigh*

I felt the back of the case and it was pretty hot, but not too hot to touch. I tried a number of different things, such as switching the on/off button on the back of the case, plugging the main power cord into a different power supply, etc., but with no luck. I discussed the situation for about 30 minutes with my friends, and then decided to give it another go. Voila. Back on.

As I re-loaded WoW, I was hoping to god that it was just a one time thing. I really like how smoothely, quietly, and quickly the new system is running. But, of course, around 30 minutes after re-loading WoW, the system shut off again. And, again, I was unable to turn it back on immediately.

Now, I sit here typing this update at 3:30 A.M. Digital Tigers customer support opens at 9:00 EST, so hopefully I will get some sort of answer then. If they want me to ship it back to them and wait another 2 weeks for a new one, I will probably drive down to Atlanta (I am from Memphis, it's about an 8 hour drive) myself to ensure that things are done as fast as possible.

I hope this post doesn't come off the wrong way, but I am obviously pretty upset at the moment. I'm hoping that DigitalTigers can just tell me to flip a switch and everything will be O.K., but nothing is ever that simple with me when it comes to computers. Terry and others can go ahead and say "I told ya so" now, but I really don't think I had too many other options. AlienWare said that they wouldn't make a system that supported 6 monitors, Dell said they would but I would have to install the video cards myself, and Falcon-NW actually recommended Digital Tigers when I told them I was looking to do a 6 monitor setup.

I was hoping tonight I was going to be posting a screenshot of the new setup, but that will have to wait. Thanks all for your help so far,

-Brian

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
Dell said they would but I would have to install the video cards myself

[/ QUOTE ]

do you realize best buy, compusa, and every computer/it shop in your area offer installation services for peripherals?