Wanna upgrade to Alienware machine

[fcha]

Hey guys, i plan to buy a new machine.
I found a monster one from Alienware. (instead of DIY)
http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-aurora-r4/fs

Roughly information:
- Intel i7-3960x extreme (15M cache, up to 4.2GHz)
- 32GB(4x8GB) 1600 MHZ DDR3
- 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia Geforce GTX 690
- 2x SSD 120G
etc.

all cost around USD4300.

How many boxes could it be ?? :/
(highest setting on main toon)

[JohnGabriel]

It would take a computer as powerful as that to calculate how many you could run.

$4300 is an enormously large amount of money for a home computer.

[fcha]

It would take a computer as powerful as that to calculate how many you could run.

$4300 is an enormously large amount of money for a home computer.

Right, it's real big money. :/
I suppose i'll go 15-20 boxes for this with highest setting on main toon.
It's sounds like that it's not worth with it...$$$

[JohnGabriel]

I didnt mean to sound like I wasn't impressed. I like Alienware and have been fairly loyal to them in the past.

Its just alot of money. I'm assuming that most people in Hong Kong spend $4k+ on their home computers. I dont think thats very common here.

[fcha]

I didnt mean to sound like I wasn't impressed. I like Alienware and have been fairly loyal to them in the past.

Its just alot of money. I'm assuming that most people in Hong Kong spend $4k+ on their home computers. I dont think thats very common here.

Ah, i understood what you mean on your 1st reply, no harm. I think all is my poor english to cause something misunstanding (grammer, wording, etc... XD)

You're right. 4k USD for a gaming machine which is crazy in HongKong... I dont know, for my concept - buy a monster $$$ pc = several hardware upgrade $$$. Maybe i'm wrong..

I'm using Mac Pro xeon dual 8core, 16G ram which is for 3D working, photoshop, drawing. 4-5 years ago. It could handles 10boxes so far.
Now i want to purchase one for full gaming(wanna try 15-20 boxes) and leave the Mac Pro for work only.

[Multibocks]

I really like Main Gear. They don't load a bunch of bloat ware on their computers :)

[Lyonheart]

you do NOT want the 690 card.. dual GPUs=not good for boxing WoW! you could get it and sell it and just get top of line single GPU which will still be OP for anything wow can throw at you ( 10boxing atleast )

[Kayley]

you do NOT want the 690 card.. dual GPUs=not good for boxing WoW! you could get it and sell it and just get top of line single GPU which will still be OP for anything wow can throw at you ( 10boxing atleast )

If you run WoW in Windowed mode or with Directx9, no real benefit with SLI/Crossfire.
However if you play Fullscreen and with Directx11 enabled? Yeah you see some decent gains by running SLI.

[fcha]

If you run WoW in Windowed mode or with Directx9, no real benefit with SLI/Crossfire.
However if you play Fullscreen and with Directx11 enabled? Yeah you see some decent gains by running SLI.

I'll run main toon on full screen with highest setting（A monitor) and slaves on (B monitor).

- As you say, is gtx680 2GB single Gpu better than 690 4GB dual gpu for Multiboxing?
- Or what do u think if I run 2 x 680, 1 card for 1 monitor? ( main toon with full fancy setting screen, another card for 14+ slaves on 2nd monitor)?

[confusedtx5]

I'm pretty sure games have to be coded, at least partially, to be able to take advantage of multi-GPU setups. And last I checked, WoW was not. I've experience fps decreases with SLI enabled before. (both solo, and boxing)

How do you feel about ATI? Sapphire has/is about to release a factory OC/d 6GB HD7970. Quite possibly enough graphics ram to max out settings on 10+ clients?

[Kayley]

I'm pretty sure games have to be coded, at least partially, to be able to take advantage of multi-GPU setups. And last I checked, WoW was not. I've experience fps decreases with SLI enabled before. (both solo, and boxing)



How long ago did you check? :P
Mid 2010 SLI has been pretty decent. Still not officially supported. Do a Timetest, SLI, DX11, Fullscreen -- solo or boxing. You will be surprised :)
WoW is 'partially coded' for SLI, but it is pretty terrible with DX9, scales quite well with DX11

I gained 22fps on my low, gained 35fps on my average and the high was just stupid.. 155fps increase.

[Kayley]

I'll run main toon on full screen with highest setting（A monitor) and slaves on (B monitor).

- As you say, is gtx680 2GB single Gpu better than 690 4GB dual gpu for Multiboxing?
- Or what do u think if I run 2 x 680, 1 card for 1 monitor? ( main toon with full fancy setting screen, another card for 14+ slaves on 2nd monitor)?

A 690 will be better than a single 680, x2 680 will be better than a 690 for multiboxing.
I tried the configurations listed above, you wont be upset with any of them.

[fcha]

How long ago did you check? :P
Mid 2010 SLI has been pretty decent. Still not officially supported. Do a Timetest, SLI, DX11, Fullscreen -- solo or boxing. You will be surprised
WoW is 'partially coded' for SLI, but it is pretty terrible with DX9, scales quite well with DX11

I gained 22fps on my low, gained 35fps on my average and the high was just stupid.. 155fps increase.


I'm pretty sure games have to be coded, at least partially, to be able to take advantage of multi-GPU setups. And last I checked, WoW was not. I've experience fps decreases with SLI enabled before. (both solo, and boxing)

How do you feel about ATI? Sapphire has/is about to release a factory OC/d 6GB HD7970. Quite possibly enough graphics ram to max out settings on 10+ clients?

http://isboxer.com/wiki/GPU_Management


Honestly, I appreciate you guy's help on my question. For a hardware newbie, it's truly confuse me now…T_T

[MiRai]

I'm pretty sure games have to be coded, at least partially, to be able to take advantage of multi-GPU setups. And last I checked, WoW was not. I've experience fps decreases with SLI enabled before. (both solo, and boxing)
Games require an SLI profile on the driver level and SLI works with WoW.


How do you feel about ATI? Sapphire has/is about to release a factory OC/d 6GB HD7970. Quite possibly enough graphics ram to max out settings on 10+ clients?
You're going to run into both a CPU and GPU bottleneck trying to run 10 clients at max settings.

[Homer]

Would it not be thousands cheaper to build it yourself?

[JohnGabriel]

Would it not be thousands cheaper to build it yourself?

With all the trial software that manufactures get paid to install on the computers they sell, you can get package deals nowadays that are much cheaper than building yourself. The problem with package deals is the individual parts aren't always what you want.

Alienware is a lot better than HP, Gateway, Dell, etc, in that you can pick and choose what you want (though most of us have to bug MiRai or someone to help us) but yes its a bit more expensive. If you are comfortable assembling everything yourself then using the Alienware printout as a shopping list makes things quick.

[Lyonheart]

I recommend Digital Storm for buying custom built PCs, for those of us who want the warranty and the best PCs. They go out of there way to make sure your happy. They put them together with care and they wire them nice and tight and make sure they are pleasing to the eye. And i could not have built my PC for much less. I would have saved about $200usa. But for me, the peace of mind was worth it.

[fcha]

I recommend Digital Storm for buying custom built PCs, for those of us who want the warranty and the best PCs. They go out of there way to make sure your happy. They put them together with care and they wire them nice and tight and make sure they are pleasing to the eye. And i could not have built my PC for much less. I would have saved about $200usa. But for me, the peace of mind was worth it.

Speechless when i checked their machine....real monster!! (and prices....)
Thanks for advise~ i will think about what i truely need~
thanks again!! :D

[Homer]

For a high end machine....I would pay 200 for warranty alone. Sounds crazy but I am one accident prone mofo

[roddo]

I just built a machine through cyberpower. I couldn't come within $200 of building it myself (paid $1400), so it was well worth it.