PC geeks - ultimate gaming rig help

[stosstruppe]

Thanks fellas for the additional feedback, though the more threads I read on the AoC forum coupled with milo's suggestion the more inclined I am to believe that I can boost my PC simply by upgrading my video card rather than buying an entirely new PC.

2GB RAM and 3.2GHz dual-core processor (that I can apparently overclock to 3.4/3.6 if I bother to figure how to) are apparently "reasonable", though the message I'm getting is that my 6800 will mean having to run the game at low graphics settings:

If you want to upgrade what you got (Im guessing its AGP)

Just install a Radeon HD3850 with 512MB of RAM for 200 bucks.. it will give you decent frame rates at medium settings on your box..

Ok, considering 60min ago I was looking to buy a whole new rig, budget isn't a problem with regards to upgrading my graphics card, but can I seriously slap any new graphics card I want in to my PC? How on Earth does one remove their old card and put in a new one?

The following are what's available / am looking at (from AoC forum):

Class 1 Cards

With these your will probably be able to run the game on max, or at least very high sittings.

Geforce 8800 Series (All Versions) DX10

Radeon HD 2900 Series (All versions) DX10

Radeon HD 3800 Series (All version) DX10

Radeon X1950 Series (All versions) DX9

Geforce 7800/7900 Series (All versions) DX9
------------------
Class 2 Cards

With these you will probably be able to run the game in upper medium range sittings.

S3 Chrome 460 - (only one version) DX10 (expected to release this december)

Radeon X1900 Series (All Versions) DX9

Geforce 8600 Series (All Versions) DX10

Radeon HD 2600 Series (All Versions) DX10

Geforce 7600 Series (All versions) DX9

Radeon X1600 - 1650 Series (All versions) DX9

Radeon X800 Series (All versions) DX9

 

[Razorguns]

Thanks fellas for the additional feedback, though the more threads I read on the AoC forum coupled with milo's suggestion the more inclined I am to believe that I can boost my PC simply by upgrading my video card rather than buying an entirely new PC.

Well they're stupid. They probably oogle over naked Lara Croft images all day (like I don't).

4 processors > 2 processors. This is a no brainer.

While it may run AoC fine today. It won't run tomorrow's high quality processor intensive games tomorrow. And we all know how those asshole game developers just love to push the envelope more and more every year.

So get the expensive ram heavy card. And if your computer isn't up to speed one day - buy a new computer and transfer over the card.

And don't forget the big ass monitor. For games, and viewing lara croft images.

r

 

[stosstruppe]

4 processors > 2 processors. This is a no brainer.

So get the expensive ram heavy card. And if your computer isn't up to speed one day - buy a new computer and transfer over the card.

It's just RAM though? Any point buying sticks to go from 2GB to 4? Can you actually upgrade your processor from 2 CPUs to 4 or is that the part that involves buying a new PC?

 

[Dial_tone]

Few games take advantage of multiple CPU's right now. You're better off going with more megahertz.

 

[redsamurai]

dude, $3500?? what are you trying to buy some liquid cooled alien ware shit??

You can put together your own rig, and a damn good one, for probably 1500-1600......excluding monitor. I'd wait if I were you though, the latest vid cards that came out were not what was promised. The one thing you want to go all out on is the video card, that's the meat and potatoes of a gaming rig.

 

[Razorguns]

It's just RAM though? Any point buying sticks to go from 2GB to 4? Can you actually upgrade your processor from 2 CPUs to 4 or is that the part that involves buying a new PC?

Remember you're buying for the FUTURE not now. If you're upgrading it is for the NOW not the future.

So if 2 gigs is fine for now, stick to 2. If you envision buying a new computer later on, the future - then buy 4 with it.

You gotta weight the cost vs advantages vs future vs immediate needs.

My computer is all ready for 2009/10. You may simply want it to handle 2008. It's really up to you. Sounds like you just need a new kick-ass card to handle games you play today.

r

 

[stosstruppe]

Few games take advantage of multiple CPU's right now. You're better off going with more megahertz.

Yea that's what they said about the XPS Gen models a few years back when they went dual processor with little to no games utilising potential performance from it. I have no idea what MHz does in relation to gaming performance though

dude, $3500?? what are you trying to buy some liquid cooled alien ware shit??

You can put together your own rig, and a damn good one, for probably 1500-1600......excluding monitor. I'd wait if I were you though, the latest vid cards that came out were not what was promised. The one thing you want to go all out on is the video card, that's the meat and potatoes of a gaming rig.

Seriously, we get ripped off in Britain for technological goods. Fucking lame so it is. The latest Dell XPS models are about $4-5'000 at current exchange rates. I might look in to importing a PC / laptop from the US though, take advantage of exchange rates and general not-getting-fucked-over-for-the-price-of-goods- like-in-the-UK.

I understand what you mean about the latest cards not being up to par. However, being an exceptionally impulsive person when it comes to buying gadgets the mental force in me is over whelming in that I must upgrade my 6800 NOW before AoC releases on the 20th - even if better cards are being released in a few weeks time.

 

[stosstruppe]

Remember you're buying for the FUTURE not now. If you're upgrading it is for the NOW not the future.

So if 2 gigs is fine for now, stick to 2. If you envision buying a new computer later on, the future - then buy 4 with it.

You gotta weight the cost vs advantages vs future vs immediate needs.

My computer is all ready for 2009/10. You may simply want it to handle 2008. It's really up to you. Sounds like you just need a new kick-ass card to handle games you play today.

r

Normally I would agree with you - when I buy a new gaming rig I want it to last me ~3 years as I did with my XPS gen 5 in '05. However I'm going to the army in ~2 months time and I don't want a brand new gaming PC costing 1'5-3k grand gathering dust in my house while I'm sunning myself in hot and sandy places.

And for this fact I also don't want to invest in an awesome gaming laptop to have it lying around in barracks.

So I just need a short term fixer i.e. the graphics card to fill the tedium in between sleeping and training sessions for the next couple of months.

 

[needtogetarmy]

Stay away from Vista -get a system with XP. Some progs will not play on Vista.

 

[gjohnson5]

I'm using a PC that I spent about $3500 on. But it has Ultra320 scsi, dual core xeon processors on a server motherboard and 4 gigs of ram. I can't even use all the features and it's 2 years old.

If you spent $3500 on a PC 3 years ago, you would still be able to play the games at high speed. Technology moves , but not that quickly

Was just browsing Company of Heroes / OF & Age of Conan forums & checking out some of the PCs people had (as I was growing increasingly exasperated at how low I had to put my graphics settings for CoH / OF) when with ever increasing obviousness it occurred to me how obsolete my (former awesome) PC had became for gaming after "only" 3 years.

I'm cringing at the thought of yet again spending the equivalent of $3'500 for a new gaming PC again (fucking absurd I know, especially when I'm reading about PC savvy Yanks throwing together an awesome rig for 30-50% of that).

All of a sudden now these high end games seem to require DirectX 10, Vista 64mbit OS, 4GB RAM, 8/9 series GT(S), Quad processors etc etc giving me a fucking headache trying to decipher this bullshit.

Anyhoo, what am I looking for in order to throw together an awesome gaming rig with regards to graphics card, CPU, RAM etc? Generally what factors do you prioritise when constructing a PC for the ultimate gaming experience?