Buying XFX ATI Radeon HD 5870 1 GB DDR5 PCI-Express Card HD587AZNF9

Replaced a 4870 video card with this 5870 XFX card in Windows 7 64 bit with a 1980x1200 digital display.

Pro: Replacement was real simple - just uninstall the 4870 (hardware and software) and then install the 5870.
Compared to the 4870, the 5870 is dramatically faster both in games and when just running on the desktop with other programs. The new card is also considerable quieter than the 4870 - probably not quiet enough for a home theater but certainly for a desktop system. Color and general video quality are excellent.

Con: It is not the cheapest video card on the market, but, compared to video card prices 4-5 years ago it is reasonable if you need this level of performance.

Get more detail about XFX ATI Radeon HD 5870 1 GB DDR5 PCI-Express Card HD587AZNF9.

Buy Corsair Memory VS4GBKIT667D2 4 GB PC2-5300 667Mhz 240-Pin DDR2 Desktop Memory Kit

I purchased this product because this was the recommended memory for my computer from the Corsair website. I was operating Windows Vista with only 2 GB of RAM and was disappointed with the speed of my computer. I needed to "goose" it's performance and adding more RAM was the easy and best solution short term. This memory fit the bill and now my computer is running faster, although not massively faster. Importantly, I am getting more performance from my existing machine.

If this is the right memory for your computer I highly recommend this RAM. It arrived quickly and was easy to install. I've had no problems with it.Get more detail about Corsair Memory VS4GBKIT667D2 4 GB PC2-5300 667Mhz 240-Pin DDR2 Desktop Memory Kit.

Purchase AZZA Solano 1000 CSAZ-1000 Full Tower Case (Black)

I wanted a large case with great air flow. I got it. The fans are quiet enough. I have 8 hard drives, 1 BDR, 1 DVDR, overclocked i5 with water cooling and everything runs smooth as glass. No issues with heat (I had them before in a smaller, constricted case.) Fits the new long ati card fine. On top of the case are easily accessible ports (eSata, USB, audio) and a tray for the usb thumb drives. The only thing I can find that I would change would be the blue lights on the fans. They can be bright but I got used to them.Get more detail about AZZA Solano 1000 CSAZ-1000 Full Tower Case (Black).

Order Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4650 512 MB DDR2 VGA/DVI/HDMI PCI-Express Video Card 100253HDMI

I had never installed a card before it was frustrating at first but please take note that you must remove your current driver before you install this one. its not just put the cd in and DONE! ur resolution will drop at first with VISTA (Playing NFS Shift!)Get more detail about Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4650 512 MB DDR2 VGA/DVI/HDMI PCI-Express Video Card 100253HDMI.

Where To Buy Nvidia Geforce FX5500 5500 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI VGA/DVI/TV-Out Dual Head Video Card

I have had this card for about two years, and it worked fairly well for most games. Some of the newer games, however, will not work with it. Specifically, it is not compatible with Overlord. For about a year, the fan has been very noisy, and it eventually stopped working, (It actually fell off) which I assume burnt out the CPU on the card. I guess I got my money's worth out of it, but I also had to deal with a lot of aggravation while trying to play games.Get more detail about Nvidia Geforce FX5500 5500 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI VGA/DVI/TV-Out Dual Head Video Card.

Shop For Asus Xonar D1 Sound Card (Black)

I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS SO YOU CAN HEAR ME OVER THE BRAVEHEART SOUNDTRACK I AM PLAYING.

This is an absolutely amazing sound card. Unlike the Creative sound card I used to have, there's absolutely no sound coming out of the speakers when there's no sound playing. None. There's just no noise. It's all pure audio goodness.

Also, the Dolby Pro Logic II sound decoding is perfect. It directs all the right Dolby audio channels to the correct speakers, unlike most sound cards which have a "surround effect" feature that either replicates the front 2 channels to all the other speakers or tries to fake it. This is real, Dolby patented surround sound.

I've used a number of audiophile grade sound devices and none of them have reproduced music as well as this card. The highs are crisp, the mids are center stage and the lows are punchy and significant.

I've heard some complaints about problems with Windows 7 drivers. My only problem was that I had to re-install the drivers once. After I did that everything worked perfectly.

The only problem I have experienced with this card is when you're using it in Ubuntu, your computer hangs for a few seconds with each notch you adjust the volume.

Note: If you want Dolby Pro Logic II Surround you have to turn it on and turn off the EAX. Dolby decoding is not on by default.

Use these settings in the Xonar DX Audio Center application:
* Audio Channel: 2 Channels
* Sample Rate: PCM 192KHz
* Analog Out: 5.1 Speakers (or 7.1 if you have 8 channel speakers)
* SPDIF Out: Off
* Check the box for Dolby Pro Logic IIx
* Uncheck the box for 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter

This gives you Dolby decoding for your music and movies without needing a separate tuner.

Next click on the FlexBass button and set it to On. Set the LFE Crossover Frequency so the heavy bass sounds sound like they are coming out of your subwoofer.

Finally, hit the Effect button and set the equalizer sliders to match the type of audio you're listening to, or hit one of the preset buttons.

This would be a very good card for a HTPC, with its half height retention bracket included in the box (you have to order it separately for most sound cards).

Oh and by the way, don't bother paying more for the DX2 card. The only difference is it has a wicked looking plastic cover and a fan, which you probably won't need.Get more detail about Asus Xonar D1 Sound Card (Black).

WinTV-HVR-1850 PCIe for Vista White Box PCIe Atsc HD

Some of the reviews i read before i purchased said it was difficult to install and get working right. But after purchasing and installing/setting up myself that was not my experience. I found it very easy to do. One small problem from not reading the instructions was I couldn't get video to work with my HDMI port. So I went back to the instructions and it said I needed to go to the BIOS setup and switch it from integrated card (the one I was using) to dedicated card (I think it was called a PCI Express card in BIOS). Once I did that the computer found the card and the HDMI immediately began to work. I then set up the TV through following the wizard in Media Center (the program that comes with VISTA). That was very easy. Just make sure you have your digital feed (either over the air antenna, like I had, or a digital cable feed) connected to the correct connector on the card. I am pleasantly surprised how good the HDMI looks on my HD monitor.Get more detail about WinTV-HVR-1850 PCIe for Vista White Box PCIe Atsc HD.