****EDIT****
I have chosen the components for my new PC. It is final. Nothing will be changed, suggestions will no longer be taken. Do not tell me this is better or that is faster, I don't care. I want a solid GUILD WARS and equivelant system, I don't need anything for some super deluxe new game that's coming out 50 years into the future.
Have a good one. Don't waste your time posting here anymore.
**EDIT**
A lot has changed since the OP, and I just wanted to edit this top post so that people don't come into the thread and post things based on something that is no longer relevant. I've done research, and the new system I've decided on is the following custom pc:
Hard Drive - 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0GB/s 16 MB CACHE
RAM - Aneon 1GB DDRII 667 Mhz (x2 or 3, haven't decided how many)
MotherBoard - P5B DLX WIFI 965G 775 PCI-E x 2 / 8ch / GB LAN
CPU - E6400+ 2MB 2.13Ghz
Case - Antec Nine Hundred Gaming Tower 200M Fan
Power Supply - Antec Smartpower II 500w / SATA, PCI-E
Video Card - x1950 PRO 256 MB PCI-E VID 36 PIXEL / 575Mhz CORE
Sound Card - Sound Blaster Audigy 4 24bit 7.1 Retail (+ a remote control)
Cd-ROM - Cd-ROM/Dvd Player/Dvd burner all-in-one.
I need opinions! New pc
Dahl
eggrolls
that computer won't be able to run it on max settings smoothly. intel's gma900 is garbage, and so is 512mb memory for a gaming system. you want at least 1gb memory and a dedicated graphics card. good choices would be 7600gt ($100 USD), 7900gs (~$150), or x1950pro/7950gt ($200). the site doesn't list what the power supply is, but you might need to upgrade it in order to use a new video card (another $50).
you'll probably be better off just building your own system though...
you'll probably be better off just building your own system though...
AstralizeR
Don't know if you are already running a tweaked GW, but you can add these command lines to your GW startup, and it will run a bit smoother perhaps
(wont improve its looks :P)
C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\gw.exe" -noshaders -dx8
list of command lines and a guide on how to add can be found here
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Command_line
(wont improve its looks :P)
C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\gw.exe" -noshaders -dx8
list of command lines and a guide on how to add can be found here
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Command_line
Tachyon
Personally I wouldn't go anywhere near a company that states this in it's blurb :-
That has got to be one of the worst pieces of false advertising I've ever seen. I guess you could buy the PC and then sue them afterwards, thus giving you the money to build a decent gaming rig. Besides the woeful graphics adapter it only has a 300W generic no-name PSU which probably equates to a lame three legged hamster on a rusty wheel.
In my opinion, steer well clear of pre-built computers! 99% of the time they're shite and the other 1% are way over-priced.
Quote:
| With integrated Intel GMA900 graphics … you’ll be mesmerized by the most vividly realistic graphics you have ever seen |
In my opinion, steer well clear of pre-built computers! 99% of the time they're shite and the other 1% are way over-priced.
dansamy
Our upstairs PC (originally purchased to be temporary) is very similar to this: http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...384&CatId=2631 and it has run GW for the past year on medium settings and with decent fps and minimum lag. Of course, if you can afford to do so, I'd highly reccommend an inexpensive video card and another 1g of RAM. (Our upstairs machine came with 512 and we added 1g to total 1.5. We have not added a video card.)
Not everyone is able (or inclined) to build their own. eMachines are now built by Gateway and are not a bad value. They are basic and not made to handle intensive applications and gaming. The current upstairs PC is next on the list to be replaced with a user-built. However, in the time we've had it, it has performed quite well.
Not everyone is able (or inclined) to build their own. eMachines are now built by Gateway and are not a bad value. They are basic and not made to handle intensive applications and gaming. The current upstairs PC is next on the list to be replaced with a user-built. However, in the time we've had it, it has performed quite well.
Dahl
The one I currently have is self built and it is a complete disaster. Errors up and down, constant freezing, shutting down and restarting on it's own, it fried my good video card. Seriously, it's garbage.
Good news is, money isn't an issue. I live at home (I'm 19) and I have a job, without bills or rent to pay. Everything I get is mine to keep and spend as I please. I don't think I'd spend any more than $1,200 on a pc though (keep in mine im canadian so thats about $1,000 american).
I know tiger direct is screwy though, that's where I got my parts for this one. Can anyone direct me to a website that sells good computer parts, and somewhere to teach me what and what not to get? I seriously don't know anything about building my own system, it was all done for my by my brother and it turned out to be garbage.
And please do not tell me to just upgrade this one. It is not an option. It was fried a couple of times and almost everything in this stupid thing was replaced already. Some of the pieces are probably still messed up and corrupt. I want a brand new system.
Please keep in mind though, that I am looking for a system that will run EVERYTHING on max settings without a trace of lag, just as seen in that video. I am willing to pay for it, I just don't know what to get exactly. I don't know much about video cards at all either, so if you give me some weird name, I won't know what it means. I'm still trying to learn. For example if you tell me to get a radeon 7700 something something blah blah, I won't know if that's good or not, or what it's capable of, or anything of the sort. The only things I know how to compare are Geforce cards, because that's all I've ever had.
Thanks for taking the time to help me out though guys, I really appreciate it.
But simple things like ram and processor speed, yeah kind of obvious, anywhere between 2-3gb ram is normal for a higher end system, and maybe 3.2 dual ghz for the processor. Basic stuff. Trust me, I knew all along my ram was ridiculously low :P
Good news is, money isn't an issue. I live at home (I'm 19) and I have a job, without bills or rent to pay. Everything I get is mine to keep and spend as I please. I don't think I'd spend any more than $1,200 on a pc though (keep in mine im canadian so thats about $1,000 american).
I know tiger direct is screwy though, that's where I got my parts for this one. Can anyone direct me to a website that sells good computer parts, and somewhere to teach me what and what not to get? I seriously don't know anything about building my own system, it was all done for my by my brother and it turned out to be garbage.
And please do not tell me to just upgrade this one. It is not an option. It was fried a couple of times and almost everything in this stupid thing was replaced already. Some of the pieces are probably still messed up and corrupt. I want a brand new system.
Please keep in mind though, that I am looking for a system that will run EVERYTHING on max settings without a trace of lag, just as seen in that video. I am willing to pay for it, I just don't know what to get exactly. I don't know much about video cards at all either, so if you give me some weird name, I won't know what it means. I'm still trying to learn. For example if you tell me to get a radeon 7700 something something blah blah, I won't know if that's good or not, or what it's capable of, or anything of the sort. The only things I know how to compare are Geforce cards, because that's all I've ever had.
Thanks for taking the time to help me out though guys, I really appreciate it.
But simple things like ram and processor speed, yeah kind of obvious, anywhere between 2-3gb ram is normal for a higher end system, and maybe 3.2 dual ghz for the processor. Basic stuff. Trust me, I knew all along my ram was ridiculously low :P
Rakeris
Well, if you built your PC, it seems you didn't check for compatibility, quality of parts or something. As my PC is self built and I have done nothing to it except put some more RAM in it for nearly 2 years now, and it run every game I throw at it great. I like never have any problems what-so-ever either.
But anyhow, a 7600 will run the game fine, as I have one in the other PC in our house, it works very well. You don't even need a dual core CPU a good single core (AMD 4000+) will run it, and any games out well. I had 1GB of cheapo RAM for quite a while and it worked fine, but I decided I wanted some better RAM so I got 2GB of OCZ SDRAM, with tight as (insert not so clean comment here) timings.
But anyhow, a 7600 will run the game fine, as I have one in the other PC in our house, it works very well. You don't even need a dual core CPU a good single core (AMD 4000+) will run it, and any games out well. I had 1GB of cheapo RAM for quite a while and it worked fine, but I decided I wanted some better RAM so I got 2GB of OCZ SDRAM, with tight as (insert not so clean comment here) timings.
moriz
keep in mind the 7600 is a NVIDIA card, not a radeon. if you get a radeon 7600, it will at least be 4 years old. i'm not even sure if it even exists. :S
EternalTempest
In general specs for a gaming pc that should be good
Cpu - Dual Core (Intel Duo 2 Core, Amd Athlon 64 X2).
Ram - At least 1gb of ram, 2-4 if you can swing it.
Video - (not onboard) Geforce 7 or higher, Ati X1xxx or higher
Sound - Creative X-fi
Hard drive - SATA (interface) at least 100 gb
Pwr Supply - 650watt or better power supply ** If you know what video card, check the min power supply specs for the card.
Cpu - Dual Core (Intel Duo 2 Core, Amd Athlon 64 X2).
Ram - At least 1gb of ram, 2-4 if you can swing it.
Video - (not onboard) Geforce 7 or higher, Ati X1xxx or higher
Sound - Creative X-fi
Hard drive - SATA (interface) at least 100 gb
Pwr Supply - 650watt or better power supply ** If you know what video card, check the min power supply specs for the card.
Dahl
Found out one of my alliance members actually builds PCs for a living, so we went on a REAL website, rather than junker direct, and planned out each and every component. It came to $1469 canadian but I guess it's worth it for such a suped up luxury system.
The specs are actually a lot better than all you guys have been telling me, but unfortunately I only wrote down what it is and the price, so I can't really show you guys cause the parts are scattered all over the page, as it's set up like a flyer, not a list.
And by the way... I hear a 500w power supply will do me just fine... That might be overdoing it on the ps.
If you guys are at all interested about the components I suppose I could write them down in a bit. Just let me know whether you want them or not.
The specs are actually a lot better than all you guys have been telling me, but unfortunately I only wrote down what it is and the price, so I can't really show you guys cause the parts are scattered all over the page, as it's set up like a flyer, not a list.
And by the way... I hear a 500w power supply will do me just fine... That might be overdoing it on the ps.
If you guys are at all interested about the components I suppose I could write them down in a bit. Just let me know whether you want them or not.
Empedocles
Quote:
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Originally Posted by EternalTempest
In general specs for a gaming pc that should be good
Cpu - Dual Core (Intel Duo 2 Core, Amd Athlon 64 X2). Ram - At least 1gb of ram, 2-4 if you can swing it. Video - (not onboard) Geforce 7 or higher, Ati X1xxx or higher Sound - Creative X-fi Hard drive - SATA (interface) at least 100 gb Pwr Supply - 650watt or better power supply ** If you know what video card, check the min power supply specs for the card. |
Min power specs for gpus are highly exaggerated, prolly because manufacturers want to be on the safe side. 650W is a serious overkill for 7xxx nvidia cards, future proof but very expensive though. For instance, I have antec p150 that contains a 430W Antec HE psu, which is fine for the most newer cards - perhaps 8800 gtx might warrant more power.
Dahl
Well, here you go boys and girls.
Hard Drive - 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0GB/s 16 MB CACHE
RAM - Aneon 1GB DDRII 667 Mhz (x2 or 3, haven't decided how many)
MotherBoard - P5B DLX WIFI 965G 775 PCI-E x 2 / 8ch / GB LAN
CPU - E6400+ 2MB 2.13Ghz
Case - Antec Nine Hundred Gaming Tower 200M Fan
Power Supply - Antec Smartpower II 500w / SATA, PCI-E
Video Card - x1950 PRO 256 MB PCI-E VID 36 PIXEL / 575Mhz CORE
Sound Card - Sound Blaster Audigy 4 24bit 7.1 Retail (+ a remote control)
Cd-ROM - Cd-ROM/Dvd Player/Dvd burner all-in-one.
ta da.
Hard Drive - 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0GB/s 16 MB CACHE
RAM - Aneon 1GB DDRII 667 Mhz (x2 or 3, haven't decided how many)
MotherBoard - P5B DLX WIFI 965G 775 PCI-E x 2 / 8ch / GB LAN
CPU - E6400+ 2MB 2.13Ghz
Case - Antec Nine Hundred Gaming Tower 200M Fan
Power Supply - Antec Smartpower II 500w / SATA, PCI-E
Video Card - x1950 PRO 256 MB PCI-E VID 36 PIXEL / 575Mhz CORE
Sound Card - Sound Blaster Audigy 4 24bit 7.1 Retail (+ a remote control)
Cd-ROM - Cd-ROM/Dvd Player/Dvd burner all-in-one.
ta da.
dansamy
The Antec Nine Hundred is a nice case. I don't do Intel so I can't comment on that. Why not go for an nVidia GeForce 8800 vid card and save yourself the upgrade when DX10 is released?
Dahl
Nevermind what I had in before, I did some research. If I'm correct, then:
ati x1950 is in the same league as the geforce 7900 (except that the ati was rated higher) while the geforce 8800 is actually next generation. For instance ati x1950 = playstation 2 while geforce 8800 = xbox 360.
Am I right?
Also, the x1950 is only $200 while the 8800 is $600, and I'm definately not willing to spend $600 on a new card.
ati x1950 is in the same league as the geforce 7900 (except that the ati was rated higher) while the geforce 8800 is actually next generation. For instance ati x1950 = playstation 2 while geforce 8800 = xbox 360.
Am I right?
Also, the x1950 is only $200 while the 8800 is $600, and I'm definately not willing to spend $600 on a new card.
tijo
Quote:
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Originally Posted by dansamy
Why not go for an nVidia GeForce 8800 vid card and save yourself the upgrade when DX10 is released?
|
Dahl
Yeah, no point in spending a lot of money on something that's main use isn't even released yet, and then have the price drop on me by half shortly thereafter.
I'm going with the x1950 for now.
I'm going with the x1950 for now.
dansamy
So, $200 now + $300 later? Still $500. I certainly understand your hesitancy. I'm waiting to build our replacement for the eMachine upstairs until DX10 is released and there are more cards (for more budgets) available.
Dahl
You just proved my point for me though.
200 now, + 300 later, rather than 600 right now, which means I would have to wait an extra couple of weeks for another paycheck, when I could just get 2 for cheaper and get it right away. There is no upside to buying an 8800 right now.
Geforce makes inferior cards in comparison to ati. When dx10 comes out, I'll buy the ati that is equivelant to the gf8800.
But as for RIGHT NOW, I'm going with the x1950. Besides, a x1950 is more than enough to run gw properly. I don't need the best in existance, I probably won't even need to upgrade later.
If I can run a GeForce2 mx400 on dx9, then I'm pretty sure an ati x1950 can run just fine on dx10. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I know for certain I don't need the best of the best.
So far, I don't see any reason not to get the x1950 right now. It will run ANY current game on the market, and probably many more in the future for a long time.
200 now, + 300 later, rather than 600 right now, which means I would have to wait an extra couple of weeks for another paycheck, when I could just get 2 for cheaper and get it right away. There is no upside to buying an 8800 right now.
Geforce makes inferior cards in comparison to ati. When dx10 comes out, I'll buy the ati that is equivelant to the gf8800.
But as for RIGHT NOW, I'm going with the x1950. Besides, a x1950 is more than enough to run gw properly. I don't need the best in existance, I probably won't even need to upgrade later.
If I can run a GeForce2 mx400 on dx9, then I'm pretty sure an ati x1950 can run just fine on dx10. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I know for certain I don't need the best of the best.
So far, I don't see any reason not to get the x1950 right now. It will run ANY current game on the market, and probably many more in the future for a long time.
EiS
well all i can say is the x1950 can't run DX10 it dosen't and won't support it
dansamy
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dahl
Geforce makes inferior cards in comparison to ati. When dx10 comes out, I'll buy the ati that is equivelant to the gf8800.
|
Most PC builders have preferences for one maker over another due to prior history. In our household, we prefer AMD chips and Asus or Abit mobo's due to the durable performances we've achieved with them. Other PC builders prefer to steer clear of the same manufacturers. It's the Chevy vs Ford phenomenon. They have different uses, preferences, etc. However, GW seems to prefer (run more stably) on ATI cards. That's a personal observation however, having run GW on both ATI and nVidia chipsets.
Dahl
So then no one who plays any sort of online game can play their games without buying a $600 video card? That's a little farfetched, as, like I said, I'm on a geforce2 mx400, 64mb, which is a card from what, 1995? And I'm running guild wars.
Tachyon
You can't go wrong with that Antec 900 case. It's a bloody amazing case for the price, can't be beaten. Then again I'm biased as it's what I have my rig in. Looks like this when powered up and in the dark. Sorry about this crap quality, but it was a mates camera with a dodgy CCD.
Bear in mind that I also have a blue neon Hiper Type-R 580W PSU in here too, so that also adds to the blueness.
Bear in mind that I also have a blue neon Hiper Type-R 580W PSU in here too, so that also adds to the blueness.
Dahl
Yeah I already knew it lit up, otherwise Id have gone with a generic $60 case. It's beautiful, isn't it? I would never get sick of something like that.
By the way, that looks like it's being held up by a couple of wood blocks. Maybe I haven't done enough research, but is my pc supposed to be up off the ground? and why? Heat?
By the way, that looks like it's being held up by a couple of wood blocks. Maybe I haven't done enough research, but is my pc supposed to be up off the ground? and why? Heat?
Tachyon
One word of warning though, the fans are pretty noisy on the maximum setting. You get a 3-way selector switch for each of the four fans, I've found that having them all on medium is a nice balance between noise and cooling.
Personally I'm an AMD/Nvidia man myself, but each to their own I guess. That said though, the system you quoted should make you very happy indeed when you see it performing. Although I would most definitely spring for the 2GB option as it seems to be the sweet spot with many of the newer games.
Personally I'm an AMD/Nvidia man myself, but each to their own I guess. That said though, the system you quoted should make you very happy indeed when you see it performing. Although I would most definitely spring for the 2GB option as it seems to be the sweet spot with many of the newer games.
Dahl
There will be 2gb. After the specs I put in (x2) meaning I'm buying 2x 1gb ram sticks 
Empedocles
Quote:
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Originally Posted by dansamy
So, $200 now + $300 later? Still $500. I certainly understand your hesitancy. I'm waiting to build our replacement for the eMachine upstairs until DX10 is released and there are more cards (for more budgets) available.
|
I don't understand brand loyalty when it comes to pcs, though
I had an AMD, obtained Intel c2d, since they offer more bang for the buck where I live, in a similar vein, got ATI now, even though I had Nvidia.
Dahl
What I'm failing to understand is... why is it so important to keep up with the directx's? Like you said emp, the x1950 pro should last me 2 years or more, so why would I need to upgrade to keep up with dx10? It's not important at all for gw. Maybe for games that don't exist yet and won't for awhile.
When does dx10 come out anyways?
When does dx10 come out anyways?
Dex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Empedocles
I don't understand brand loyalty when it comes to pcs, though
I had an AMD, obtained Intel c2d, since they offer more bang for the buck where I live, in a similar vein, got ATI now, even though I had Nvidia. |
I wouldn't buy a GeForce 8800 GTX right now....maybe a 8800 GTS. Maybe. It all depends on your price range. ATI owns the midrange gaming cards at the moment. Obviously, nVidia owns the bleeding edge...and also the budget gaming realm. I have a Radeon x1900xtx in my main rig right now, and it is superior to anything in the nVidia 7900 line. The 7900's have an incomplete SM3.0 implementation and wimpy pixel shader muscle compared to the x19XX line. Not to mention I think my x1900xtx produces prettier pictures than my dual 7900 setup in my other machine. We'll have to see what ATI comes up with in the next 6 months. My next video card could be nVidia....or ATI. Whichever company produces the best product at my price point.
I'm not a brand evangelist either.
Dex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dahl
What I'm failing to understand is... why is it so important to keep up with the directx's? Like you said emp, the x1950 pro should last me 2 years or more, so why would I need to upgrade to keep up with dx10? It's not important at all for gw. Maybe for games that don't exist yet and won't for awhile.
When does dx10 come out anyways? |
DirectX 9 cards won't be obsolete any time soon. The chicken littles telling you that the DX9 hardware sky is falling are making a bigger deal out of it than it is. By the time we all really need DX10 hardware there will be much better DX10 hardware available for more affordable prices, so I wouldn't let that force your hand on any $600 decisions right now. Personally, I won't spend more than ~$400 on a video card. Anything above that is "bleeding edge bragging rights" money. I just don't think it's a good value.
Dahl
Well right now it's either $200 on a x1950 pro or $600 on a GF8800. Kind of obvious what the answer is on that one :P
Seems to me the only thing people are concerned about is the memory card, and I've already decided on what I want.
So then.. there is nothing else of any concern here?
Seems to me the only thing people are concerned about is the memory card, and I've already decided on what I want.
So then.. there is nothing else of any concern here?
dronex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dahl
What I'm failing to understand is... why is it so important to keep up with the directx's? Like you said emp, the x1950 pro should last me 2 years or more, so why would I need to upgrade to keep up with dx10? It's not important at all for gw. Maybe for games that don't exist yet and won't for awhile.
When does dx10 come out anyways? |
im pretty sure anet will upgrade the engine, guildwars is evolving so fast it looks awesome and i cant wait to see it in dx10 ;]
Dex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by dronex
DX10 is out games are starting to pop already
im pretty sure anet will upgrade the engine, guildwars is evolving so fast it looks awesome and i cant wait to see it in dx10 ;] |
As far as Guild Wars going to DX10....that's not happening until GW2 comes out...and that's not slated until - when? - like 2009, so don't hold your breath. There will be no "engine upgrade" of current GW games to DX10. That simply isn't done. I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but it won't happen. It would be a total engine re-write, which ANet is NOT going to do for free.
dronex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dex
There won't be any DirectX10-only games for quite some time. There are a few games that are claiming to take advantage of DX10, but it's minimal at this point. Think about what games were like when DirectX9 first came out. Most games were still essentially DX8 games for quite a while after that.
As far as Guild Wars going to DX10....that's not happening until GW2 comes out...and that's not slated until - when? - like 2009, so don't hold your breath. There will be no "engine upgrade" of current GW games to DX10. That simply isn't done. I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but it won't happen. It would be a total engine re-write, which ANet is NOT going to do for free. |
Your build sounds good it will last you a while, good luck.
FlameoutAlchemist
I must say I love the specs on the computer, and its definitely overkill for GW. However, you've built yourself years of time without being forced to upgrade, which is great thinking.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts -
You can pack a 650 watt ps in there if you really want to. The ps won't kick out 650 watts unless all the devices need that much power, so you've got latitude there.
The 1950 is a kick-butt card that I wish I could put in my desktop. I play GW on my NX9420 laptop, which has an 1600 258MB card, and I run 2GB system RAM. I can max out the settings and maintain a constant 40 fps in fullscreen.
Bottom line - I wish I could spend the kind of money you can on parts. I did the same thing about six years ago when I was playing FPS games, and it feels great to have those bragging rights. Even now I don't have to upgrade anything to still play todays games.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts -
You can pack a 650 watt ps in there if you really want to. The ps won't kick out 650 watts unless all the devices need that much power, so you've got latitude there.
The 1950 is a kick-butt card that I wish I could put in my desktop. I play GW on my NX9420 laptop, which has an 1600 258MB card, and I run 2GB system RAM. I can max out the settings and maintain a constant 40 fps in fullscreen.
Bottom line - I wish I could spend the kind of money you can on parts. I did the same thing about six years ago when I was playing FPS games, and it feels great to have those bragging rights. Even now I don't have to upgrade anything to still play todays games.
Dahl
Well I'm in those years right now where I have a lot of freedom as to what I can spend my money on. I don't care if it's against any rules or anything because it's completely relevant to this convo. I'm 19, and I was smart enough to not storm out of my parents' house when the going got tough. So NOW, I have absolutely no bills to pay. Every cent I earn goes either towards taxes, which everyone has to pay... and my wallet. If I don't spend it, it just piles up.
After the pc comes a new LCD monitor, after that comes a 46" LCD tv for my room (I was going for 55" but I was advised not to as there wasnt enough space between the 2 sides of my room. If you're too close it will destroy your eyes, so we did a measurement and 46" seemed big enough and matched well). After that comes a Leather Loveseat for my room. Followed by a Wii, and hopefully MetPrime3 will be out by then, otherwise I'll wait on it. Once I've got my luxuries then it's all going towards and car and college tuition
Oh, the whole point for this msg was to mention that even if gw upgrades to dx10, who cares? Just because the engine is on dx9 right now doesn't mean I need dx9. I make gw run on 8. Look at the beginning of this thread, a fellow shows you how to make your gw run on an older directx so that the people with bad cards/ram/anything will have an option to run the game a bunch smoother. My gw runs relatively smooth now in a lot of areas. I'm sure trashy to most of you but still way better than I've been used to.
By the way, is a x1950 too powerful for a 500w ps? I know a lot of places overkill on ps just to be on the safe side and everything, but I'm on a 450w right on on my junker and my GF5500 blew up. I dunno if it even had anything to do with the ps, or maybe it was defective cause I had just bought it a few weeks beforehand. I don't know.
After the pc comes a new LCD monitor, after that comes a 46" LCD tv for my room (I was going for 55" but I was advised not to as there wasnt enough space between the 2 sides of my room. If you're too close it will destroy your eyes, so we did a measurement and 46" seemed big enough and matched well). After that comes a Leather Loveseat for my room. Followed by a Wii, and hopefully MetPrime3 will be out by then, otherwise I'll wait on it. Once I've got my luxuries then it's all going towards and car and college tuition
Oh, the whole point for this msg was to mention that even if gw upgrades to dx10, who cares? Just because the engine is on dx9 right now doesn't mean I need dx9. I make gw run on 8. Look at the beginning of this thread, a fellow shows you how to make your gw run on an older directx so that the people with bad cards/ram/anything will have an option to run the game a bunch smoother. My gw runs relatively smooth now in a lot of areas. I'm sure trashy to most of you but still way better than I've been used to.
By the way, is a x1950 too powerful for a 500w ps? I know a lot of places overkill on ps just to be on the safe side and everything, but I'm on a 450w right on on my junker and my GF5500 blew up. I dunno if it even had anything to do with the ps, or maybe it was defective cause I had just bought it a few weeks beforehand. I don't know.
Dex
Quote:
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Originally Posted by dronex
im not going to argue with you in this thread, dx is out games are coming, its the future. They did upgrade gw from dx8 to dx9 did they ... and they have upgraded the engine every single chapter release ...
Your build sounds good it will last you a while, good luck. |
Yes, DX10 is out. Can you name some games that take significant advantage of it? Can you name any big titles coming up in the next few months that are going to make it significantly desirable to spend that extra "bleeding edge" $200 on a DX10 video card right now? Seriously, name them and tell us why you need a DX10 card for them. Of course, DX10 is the future...it's just that it's 4 months to a year in the future before most people are going to really care about it. It's going to take that long before a large portion of the market owns DX10 hardware.
Yes, they added a couple of DX9 post-processing effects to Guild Wars. So what? There's a huge difference between that and re-building the engine to utilize DX10 - it's more than a minor addition to the engine. What they've done to the GW engine thus far are minor enhancements at most...not full-on DX upgrades.
Dahl
Oh oh oh... I get it now. When I picked up my gf5500 I noticed a lot of glowiness and extra mist and fog that I never saw before. That must be because I was running on a dx9 video card as opposed to this dx8 vid card. So it's just the post process stuff that changes huh?
I dunno what else they could really add to gw graphics wise with a dx10 addon
I dunno what else they could really add to gw graphics wise with a dx10 addon
Mushroom
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Originally Posted by Empedocles
I'd say current mobos have good enough integrated soundsystem (perhaps not ASUS p5 that has driver problems) that investing in X-Fi is hard to justify unless you have very good 5.1 system for eax - for music you should be better off getting some other card. That 100$ saved serves better in getting a more powerful gpu.
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And remember, a sound system is only as good as the speakers it is hooked up to. If you have anything less then a 5.1 in the $150+ price range, you will not her the difference between an X-Fi, SB Live, or on-board. And even then, there are a lot of people who simply can't tell the difference.
About the only time I recommend people to use a card instead of the on-board is if they are doing "pro level" work, like sound or video editing. I use an older Audigy in my system, because I have it hooked up to my mixer board to a high quality Shure microphone (not the standard "wand" mic). And with on-board cards, there is a noticeable static "hiss".
And remember, if you are going to use Vista, EAX is not available at this time. Creative claims they are working on a patch to get the old EAX-Direct3D sound to work on the new OpenAL sound system, but there is no firm time yet for when this may be released.
So if you want to use Vista, there is no benefit at this time to having an EAX sound card. Personally, I do not care about EAX. I do not use it, and only got the Audigy because of the lower "sound floor" for when I do recording. And until last week (when Creative finally released stable Vista drivers), I was useing my on-board and had no problems with it's quality.
Dahl
I'm definately not going to be using vista. Sticking with xp-pro.
You're right, I probably won't notice right away. In fact it's likely that I won't be getting the sound card for awhile because as you can see, I didn't include speakers in there. I'm using $50 walmart speakers right now lol. I use a headset more than I do speakers though.
Regardless, the sound card comes last, and I may not get it for many months after I have all the other parts. I've got my priorities pretty straightened out.
You're right, I probably won't notice right away. In fact it's likely that I won't be getting the sound card for awhile because as you can see, I didn't include speakers in there. I'm using $50 walmart speakers right now lol. I use a headset more than I do speakers though.
Regardless, the sound card comes last, and I may not get it for many months after I have all the other parts. I've got my priorities pretty straightened out.
Mushroom
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Originally Posted by Dex
DirectX 9 cards won't be obsolete any time soon. The chicken littles telling you that the DX9 hardware sky is falling are making a bigger deal out of it than it is. By the time we all really need DX10 hardware there will be much better DX10 hardware available for more affordable prices, so I wouldn't let that force your hand on any $600 decisions right now. Personally, I won't spend more than ~$400 on a video card. Anything above that is "bleeding edge bragging rights" money. I just don't think it's a good value.
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In my store, I am reccomending that people not go above the range of the X1300 512 MB (or equivelent) video card. These are a great card for the money, play just about anything you want at the moment, and are cheap enough where you will not think to hard about replacing it with a DirectX 10 card when they hit "mainstream".
Sure the X1950 is great, but it is also "old technology". And unless you have bottomless pockets, it is rather foolish to spend a large amount of money for video card(s) that are going to be totally eclipsed within the next 6 months.
Plus people should be getting ready for the next round of "Video Card Price Wars". The ATI X2900 (with the R600) video card is about to be released (2-3 weeks), which is going to start driving down proces of DirectX 10 video cards. And most reviews of pre-release cards with the R600 core basically have it "spanking" NVidia. So expect NVidia to release a newer generation card to compete, and we will rapidly see improving performance and falling prices.
In fact, I predict that within 6 months, a DirectX 10 card will cost within $50 of the price of an X1950 today. And the X1950 will more then likely be roughly half the cost of the card today. That has been the general trend for the last 20 years, and I don't see it changing any time soon.