Omg! It’s 8800GT!

This blog entry will probably lose 99.99% of my regular readers so I am going to be a little bit creative here. It will be as layman as possible and I even have a little game for you. For each paragraph you read, you will collect a certain number of cherries. The heavier the content is, the more cherries it is worth. Simple? Here is what the number of cherries implies (note: I created those cherries myself!).

Number of Cherries	You could be …
< 5	Okay, computer to you is like a hairdryer. You turn it on to use it and turn it off when you are done with it.
6 to 10	You have a lover, or a friend, or a sibling who keeps talking in geek language day in day out. Soon, some of those geek elements get rubbed onto you.
11 to 14	You are the CFO of the household. After seeing all the budget applications for the computer parts and gadgets month in month out, you realize that you can’t really say no without knowing what exactly they are.
15 to 17	You constantly have this desire to upgrade your computer parts. You could be my best friend.
20	You constantly have this desire to tempt others to update their computers. Does it sound like someone you know?

As an analogy, if your regular usage of a computer is to surf the Internet, write some emails, and edit some documents, a simple home cooked food will probably satisfy your taste buds throughout the years. Unfortunately, for the computer gamers – summing up the initial investment, the frequent upgrade cost, and the electricity bills of running those power hungry components – it is everyday at Au Jardin Les Amis for some of the them … 1 x

There are quite a number of components I wish to upgrade and I have been hunting for a particular graphic card for ages. When I told my friends what my budget is like (S$400), they jolted thinking that I am so rich to get a high end card.  The reality is not.  Check out what high end cards really mean below … 1 x

… 2 x

In fact, I have “downgraded” from being an enthusiast. If you recall, back in April 2006, I have equipped my computer with two graphic cards. I realized that in most situations, the second graphic card is underutilized. It takes up power and it’s nosier (there is a little fan on top of the card to dissipate heat). For the high end futurist, you’ve  read right. Now, we can stuff three graphic cards into the computer rig … 2 x

When I first saw the graphic card at my favorite computer shop, I gasped and said, “I have waited for this for so long”. The shop assistance’s eyes glittered and replied with a smile, “Yes, many do.” The second batch of the Asus EN8800GT does look very pretty with a new fan design.  But knowing how dumb I am with computer hardware, was I able to install the card myself? Well … 2 x

First I needed to knocked off my two old cards. That was not that hard though I have broken one of the tiny plaster latches slightly. Brutal force may not be a good idea – for future reference. Then it was time for me to brush off the dust and to literally blow it off. I made a mess on the floor. Luckily, Cynthia was out of town … 3 x

… I made a sign of the cross (you have no idea how many times I have seen bad things happen in my computer that were beyond explanation) and switched on my computer. Immediately, I noticed that my computer sounded different. It is a lot quieter and when it does somewhat sound like the aeroplane engine. It worked on first try! Yay? … 3 x

I ran some benchmarking tests, happy with the results (click here to view), and then I tried out some games of mine that could not be played well with my old cards.  It was awesome. Another cool thing with this new card is that I can now extend my display to another LCD monitor! Imagine, playing games while not missing a single MSN message, writing blogs with reference materials and dictionary on a separate screen, watching YouTube while browsing your friends’ webbies! … 3 x

I know some of the console gamers may baulk at the effort and cost in constantly upgrading a gaming machine. They may even point out that the cost of my video card is close to buying one console gaming unit such as XBox or Nintendo Wii.

But … can your console gaming unit do this (see image on the right … one game, two screens)? … 3 x