Overclock? Turbo? Huh?

Here's the computer I have is there anyway to overclock something or turbo something or do something something to make what I have better? I have no idea what any of those terms mean btw >.>

Intel® Core™2 Duo T9800 2.93GHz (6MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
17-inch WideXGA+ 1440x900 (900p)
Dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M, 2GB – SLI® Enabled
320GB 7,200RPM

To be honest I don't see the need to oc your comp, specs look fine. If you were to want to look into overclocking, you'd really need to read up on the subject a quick google search will pull up lots of info.

The idea is that heat is the limiting factor on how fast the CPU can run - the faster the clock, the higher the heat. As you can imagine, a four-core processor produces almost 4X as much heat as an equivalent 1-core processor. But if you used only 1 core, you could run it faster and still produce less heat than the 4-core processor.

A 4-core CPU is rated at a certain clock speed (say, 2.6GHz) to be able to run at that speed with all 4 cores active all day and all night (assuming your heatsink and cooling fan are working properly). But if the CPU isn't running multiple things at the same time and, say, only 1 core is active then it will produce less heat. "Turbo" mode takes advantage of that by allowing the clock frequency to increase under those conditions.

What it does is let a single-threaded program run faster than it would otherwise be able to as long as there's nothing else going on at the same time.

That's probably the best definition I could give you on turbo / overclocking. With the specs on your computer I really wouldn't try it, as it might blow out your CPU depending on what type of cooling system you're using on your computer. Most people that overclock their CPU use liquid cooling, a pisston of fans, or both amongst different possibilities. But like ZK said, your specs look fine... you are running a 64 bit Operating System with those 4 gigs of ram right?

4 gig is the limit for 32 bit silly morgue if there was anymore than Ariadne would need to have a 64bit.

but that being said... 64 bit ftw

Zenton Karvash wrote:4 gig is the limit for 32 bit silly morgue if there was anymore than Ariadne would need to have a 64bit.

but that being said... 64 bit ftw

Oh yeah... ugh... i'm not awake yet...

*talks to himself* "Way to make an ass of yourself buddy. Hey you're the one that wanted to get on right when you woke up tard bucket!"

The war still rages...

I think all the programs it tells me to download are in 64 ever since i went from vista to now Windows 7?

lols as if I know. But yes 64 comes up alot. >.<

I just read the specs for LOTRO and the recommended is 2.8 ghz... and I have 2.93 ghz and i worry that BP will be like crazy 3.5 ghz or something. with a minimum of 2.93 lols

hmm yes i agree with graphics shown in BP i suspect recommendations are high

Should I buy this for $106?? http://www.amazon.com/XFX-Radeon-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-HD567XZNF3/dp/B0034JLTNG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1282749646&sr=8-1

XFX ATI Radeon HD 5670 1 GB DDR5 DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card HD567XZNF3

What I currently have:
Intel® Core™2 Duo T9800 2.93GHz (6MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
17-inch WideXGA+ 1440x900 (900p)
Dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M, 2GB – SLI® Enabled
320GB 7,200RPM

This is my crappy windows index thing.


How would I install it?!?!?!?!?!?!

http://www.alexnolan.net/software/SysSpec.zip much better tool for telling us info on your PC windows experience index is pretty much useless for that.

In anycase installing new hardware isn't too hard pretty much plug and play for the most part. Unfortunately I'm not too knowledgeable about ATI cards. I've only used Nvidia myself.

Well, changing from a Nvidia to an ATI will likely require a motherboard change as well, which could get expensive.

But seriously, your specs looks fine. You should be able to play Black Prophecy just fine on the highest settings... as well as LOTRO.

Make sure you are running both graphics cards at the same time...

Just a thought why would it require a mobo change? as long as the current mobo is PCI-E which it is with that Nvidia card in it =p

Ares wrote:Well, changing from a Nvidia to an ATI will likely require a motherboard change as well, which could get expensive.

But seriously, your specs looks fine. You should be able to play Black Prophecy just fine on the highest settings... as well as LOTRO.

Make sure you are running both graphics cards at the same time...

Wah?!?!?! How do i make them both run? I have two??

No, I believe you have one, think he mistook the SLI enabled for having twin cards perhaps.

Ariadne wrote:Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, 2GB – SLI Enabled

Well, I have duel ATI 3870 512mbs running Crossfire mode (Both running at the same time). Not sure how to configure Nvidia, though.

Heh, you didn't spend the extra $300 and go with the 280M instead?! That's like, a 10% increase!

Darn! This was a year ago i thought this alienware laptop would last me guess not.

lol So Should I buy the $109 graphics card??

Would it break my computer since i have different graphics atm with nvidia?

lol help me out!

Find me a card under $200 that is better than what I have and will let me play games at max graphic settings!

Also one that I can install and what not without breaking my computer!

Also one that is above a 6 on the windows index scale!

Or one that I can use with the one i have so i have two running? is that even possible? will that make it better?!

I keep reading the description for the one i have and it sounds so good http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_gtx_260m_us.html idk why its so low on the scale or why i cant run games maxed out like STO i couldn't.

Well the case is your running a laptop, the being said laptop chips are generally underpowered. The chip series is great but the laptop chip for it is apparently lacking.

Another bad thing about laptops they really arn't upgradeable the card your looking at is for a desktop computer. Only thing I could suggest is check your drivers make sure its up to date.

and as for STO, I couldn't run it in anything but low settings and I have a extremely powerful desktop the game was just coded horribly.

I would not worry about black prophecy too much, your computer should be able to run it fine maybe not on max settings but we all know true PvPers don't use max quality gfx they use what they get the best performance with.

Okay =)

One last question My main fan the biggest one in the middle works but my computer is hot every now and then.

There are two one on each side(at the very end of each side by my num pad and by my escape button) smaller ones which arent even on... i search for fan on my computer but i cant find anything so i cant find a way to turn them on any ideas???

I'm on an alienware mx17 gaming laptop thing

You need a good desktop. I generally dislike laptops for gaming just because you can't really customize them as easily and as inexpensive as a desktop. Not to mention the bigger monitor

My laptop gets hot really quickly so i bought one of these cooling pads to put under my laptop so it doesn't burn through the table i'm working on (which is always a good thing).

Your laptop probably has an internal temperature guage and only will turn those fans on if needed. I'd say you should defiantly get a cooling pad for your laptop esp since its a gaming laptop, and trying to play in a cool room.

If you can get a desktop instead of a laptop for gaming go for it. You will have better performance, will be way easier to upgrade and will cost you less.

For the laptop running hot there is no big deal, I sometime do myself a grill cheese on my graphic card after some extensive gaming periods. Also the fan only run at 40% most of the time. Only once I saw them crank to around 50%.

If you need any help to build a pc don't be afraid to ask. You can go check my build somewhere in the off topic. Pretty proud of myself since its was my first big budget from scratch build.*pats himself*

Yea there's several people around here that could help with custom building computers ^_^

Personally for my next project in building comps thinking of trying to build a liquid cooled comp think it would be a neat experience

Great feel free to pay for it too!

I know I am freaking out but can someone help me?

Online it says my graphics card should be averaging a 7 on the windows index scale. http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-260M.14559.0.html

I have the sli version of that and am at a 5.3 and 5.5 on the windows index scale.

Is there something wrong with my card?