The game is coming out on November 18th. But, sadly, I am not likely to buy this one. The last two installments in the series were way too disappointing. Especially the ProStreet edition. That was just retarded.
In any case here is a nice trailer for the game:
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Visit the homepage here for more info http://www.needforspeed.com/undercover/home.action
Intel Core i7
The Core i7 CPU lineup will be released in three flavors: Core i7-965 Extreme Edition, Core i7-940, and Core i7-920. All of the processors will arrive with four CPU cores, Hyper-Threading, 8MB of L3 cache, and they will be built on Intel’s 45nm manufacturing process. All of the processors will run on a 1066MHz front-side bus. The 965 Extreme Edition will run at 3.2GHz, and like other Extreme Edition processors, it will come with an unlocked multiplier that allows for easier overclocking. Intel’s Core i7-940 and Core i7-920 will run at 2.93GHz and 2.66GHz, respectively. The new CPU architecture brings with it a new LGA 1366 socket; older LGA775 motherboards that supported the Core 2 CPUs won’t be compatible with the Core i7.
Like the other Extreme Edition processors before it, the Core i7-965 will cost $1,000. The Core i7-940 and Core i7-920 will cost $562 and $284, respectively.
The return of Hyper-Threading might be a surprise to some. We haven’t seen Hyper-Threading on a CPU since the Pentium 4 days. Intel left the feature out of the original Core architecture but decided to bring it back in the Core i7. Similar to the original technology, Hyper-Threading in i7 gives each core a second executable thread, which gives the operating system the impression that it has a total of eight processing cores.
The biggest features to come with the new CPU architecture and chipset, aside from Hyper-Threading, are the Quick Path Interconnect (QPI) and an integrated memory controller. AMD has had an integrated memory controller for ages, and now Intel has finally gotten around to adopting it. The Core i7 CPUs will come with an on-die three-channel memory controller. The built-in memory controller reduces latency and adds a tremendous amount of memory bandwidth that allows the Core i7 to better feed its cores.
The QPI is basically the interface that the CPU uses to communicate with the motherboard chipset; a rough equivalent would be AMD’s HyperTransport. QPI will function at 6.4GT/s on the Core i7-940 and at 4.8GT/s on both the Core i7-940 and Core i7-920.
Other features of note include new SSE4.2 instructions, better branch prediction, improved loop streaming, additional caching hierarchy, faster virtualization, deep buffers, and improved lock support. Combined, the improvements lead to more efficient performance on a clock-for-clock and per-watt basis.
Intel’s Express X58 chipset, and the accompanying DX58SO motherboard that uses the chipset, comes with numerous improvements. The board comes with six SATA ports, two eSATA ports, two 1394a ports, 12 USB 2.0 ports, onboard Intel High Definition Audio, and dual PCI Express slots capable of ATI CrossFire. The motherboard supports three channels of DDR3-1333 memory but comes with four slots for RAM. To make the best use of the motherboard, we recommend populating three of the slots and keeping the fourth empty.
We decided to test the Core i7 against Intel’s eight-core dual CPU Skulltrail setup. The matchup is about as close as we can get to a competitor for the Core i7. Skulltrail should have an advantage with its eight real cores, but we found that the Core i7-965 beat on our old high-end setup mercilessly in our head-to-head tests.
Core i7 performance results
After a lot of headache, web searching and visits to many forums I was able to get this thing working. And it works very well.
First problem with the speed was that i have disabled superfetch service while trying to use the ReadyBoost service. Bad idea. They go hand-in-hand. After re-enabling the Superfetch and restarting the PC a couple of times the system started to work way faster. I am finally able to bring the Sidebar and themes back on-line.
Here is an excellent guide to speeding Vista.
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I am using a 4Gig USB stick (2846MB allocated for ReadyBoost) for the ReadyBoost. The way it works is that Vista, overtime, figures out what applications You are using the most. Since the memory on Flash drives does not get erased when the PC is shutdown (unlike RAM) the preferences are always there and the computer does not have to re-write everything each time You restart it. That does save a whole lot of time and resources. It is very good for those that play games a lot. I have noticed a slight improvement in loading times as well as (thanks mainly to DX10) big improvement to my framerates. My most frequently used app is FireFox. And I have noticed that it’s loading time is very fast now. Usually it takes about 10-15 seconds to load, but now it is almost instant. Same goes for the Outlook 2007.
Got any related tips? Submit them to me as an article or in comments.
We had a server failure.
Most everything works fine, but we do have issues. Right now it seems impossible to attribute tags or categories to any of the posts. I have tried everything I can and still cannot do anything about it.
One of the most intimidating parts of getting started with online gaming is getting over the fear of screwing things up for other players. It’s one thing to play a game and make mistakes at home, but it’s an entirely different thing to play a game and make mistakes that can cause failure in the game plays of others. But there’s no reason to let this fear stop you or another gaming newbie from having fun. This article will give you the in’s and out’s of online gaming so that you can start with the confidence you need to continue on.
The first step anyone new to online gaming should take is to first, learn how to play offline. You can read the game’s manual and save yourself from seeing the infamous acronym, “RTFM” scroll across your screen. Know what that acronym stands for? It stands for “Read The Fu**ing Manual” and its spewed by serious gamers to vulnerable newbies who interrupt a game with questions like, “What is this place?” or “What am I supposed to do?”
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You could search the web for game related discussion groups, FAQ’s, and walkthroughs. And you could learn more from game specific Usenet newsgroups. In other words, you could do your “homework.” Some of the kind of information you want to learn includes how to play, how to create characters, how to gather equipment, and how to implement some smart strategies. Trust us when we say your gaming comrades will appreciate it!
In addition to reading how to play an online game, you can familiarize yourself with the game’s interface. Just as you searched the net for a game’s textual instruction, you can additionally search the net for a game’s screenshot (or series of screenshots). Having a graphical representation (.gif or .jpg image) of a game on your screen gives you a chance to memorize where all the game’s controls are. Knowing where everything is on a game before you play will speed things up not only for yourself, but also for everyone else. No one wants to wait for you to search for an inventory panel or message screen in a game when the location of these items is obvious to everyone else.
Once you start with a game, don’t let the pressure of staying in the game prevent you from doing the
unthinkable: dying. A character dying in a game is inevitable at certain points, and unless you willingly let go of a lose-lose situation, you’ll run the risk of holding the game up for everyone else. It’s like a game of chess. If it’s checkmate – it’s checkmate. Call it a day and start anew. Whatever you do, don’t hang around waiting for some magical fairy to come to your rescue. Please let your character die with dignity.
On the same token, you don’t want to take dying personally. Remember that online gaming is still just a game. A character that dies in a game is not representative of your character as a person. Turn a death into learning experience. At the very least, you’ll learn your way around an online game by learning all the things that you aren’t supposed to do!
Above all else, ensure that your computer has what it takes to maintain the current pace of an online game. Don’t try to play an online game with a slow computer or slow Internet connection. In fact, if you’re still using dial up, find another hobby. A slow processor and connection will ensure instant death because other players aren’t going to politely wait for their own defeat. They’re going to squash you like a bug.
Hunt around for a computer that was built for online gaming and get a DSL or ISDN Internet connection. You’ll need a fast processor, a high quality graphics card, and a sound machine to match.
By following these simple suggestions, you will have passed the “newbie” test and earned respect as a serious gamer much more quickly than if you stumbled your way through what others pride as “the ultimate hobby.”
