Gaming Rig specs

[deadman1]

Seeking some advice regarding a new tower as its been couple of years and finding myself out of touch with PC tech and specs.


What would you guys recommend for the following -


Motherboard
Processor
Memory
Power supply
Graphics


Hard drive, Disc drive, Monitor and Interface I can deal with, and a case should be easy enough when a motherboard is decided upon.


Aim is for a system that will blitz FC3 and Stalker2 as far as gaming goes but can easily handle high quality A/V editing and vector graphic animation software.


Cheerz.

Something like this maybe:
Mobo: MSI P67A-C45 B3

CPU: Intel i5 2500 @3,3 Ghz

RAM: 8 Gb (2 x 4 Gb) Corsair Vengeance 1600 Mhz

Graphics: Nvidia Geforce GTX 580 Windforce

I would recommend a P67 Mobo and either an i5 or i7 CPU, I would put in as much RAM as I could afford and had room for. The PSU are somewhat dependent on what graphicscard you use, check the minimum requirements for your chosen card and then add another 50 to 100 watt and I´ll think you´ll be ok.
Speaking of graphics, I would say get a 570 or 580 Nvidia, or a 6950 or 6970 AMD. As to the case I say go for one with a good number of fans and lots of room inside to ensure good ventilation. With a setup like that you should be set for the next couple of years  :)

[JRD]

I`ll go with what deadman recommended but with a different processor.

Check out the i3 2120 series 3.3 GHz

http://ark.intel.com/products/53426/Intel-Core-i3-2120-Processor-%283M-Cache-3_30-GHz%29

The 2120 is the new series for the i family. This little guy can outrun a former i7 and is way cheaper... where I purchased mine the difference between an i3 and i5 was quite big and performance for gaming is very good with the i3 so I saved some cash to spend in other parts (or games  :-D )

[Art Blade]

GPU: nVidia GTX560Ti. Best power for reasonable money

[mandru]

Good luck with your build RedRaven.   :-X

I've been out of component comparisons for a couple years so I won't be much help there.

My disappointment with the i3, i5, i7 Intel processors isn't the processors themselves.  :-(

The processor can only be as proficient as the software it's being fed.

It's frustrating to have sprung for a leggy i7 and yet all of the software I use is all single threaded and some sort of workload management protocol is completely missing.  There is an online Java game I play a lot of and there are times I will receive a popup notice from my system that I'm approaching critical processor levels but when I open the process manager to see where the overload is coming from I have one of the 8 processor threads bouncing at around 80 or 90 percent max and the other seven threads are all hovering at about 8%.   :D

It's kind of like highway construction crews that you often see where one guy's down in the hole with a shovel and the other seven guys are leaning on their shovels and shouting suggestions or commenting and evaluating the first guy's efforts.   >:((

It appears that Firefox is grabbing a fair portion of the workload and then Java is being stacked in on top of that same thread instead of shifting the workload over to another idle processor thread.   ???

Don't get me started on the creeping functionality that comes with every Windows update.  When I bought my system I could be online within 15 or 20 seconds of power up and now after a couple years I may as well go get a cup of coffee and walk out for a smoke while the computer's getting it's self sorted out when I do a cold start up.

I would really like to find a list of unnecessary background process that can be permanently disabled without compromising system security.  A site run by Black Viper had a good comprehensive list of that sort for XP but never followed up with more of the same for Vista.

[JRD]

Another thing to consider

If you want more than 4GB memory, either now or in the near future, consider a 64 bit OS. With 32 bits all you can manage is roughly 4GB which in fact falls to around 3,5 as some memory is needed to keep the system itself.

Make sure the processor and MoBo you purchase can handle 64 bits OS if you go for that too!  ;)

Good luck mate... keep us posted!

[RedRaven]

Have been looking into the possibility of getting a laptop for gaming instead of another tower. What are your thoughts and opinions on gaming laptops in general ? And are there any to look out for or avoid like the plague?




Cheerz ;)

[JRD]

Gaming lap tops are usually overpriced as the state of the art components found for regular PCs (processors and GPUs) have to be engineered for it`s tiny little equivalents that will fit into a laptop  :-\\

Besides, laptop = no upgrades, so in the long run is lost money  :D

If you still want to purchase a gaming laptop try Alienware ... they are custom made for gaming, with 17 inches screen and all for better gaming (a bit clumsy to carry on your rucksack though  :-( )

[Art Blade]

To play games, you'd more than likely need to plug it in rather than use batteries. On batteries, you simply can't play long and need to recharge. Many of those laptops heat up in a way you couldn't stand putting it on the top of your lap. Keyboard is different from desktop PCs and you'd need to plug in a mouse rather than wanting to fiddle with the touch pad. In other words.. skip it  ;D

[RedRaven]

To play games, you'd more than likely need to plug it in rather than use batteries. On batteries, you simply can't play long and need to recharge. Many of those laptops heat up in a way you couldn't stand putting it on the top of your lap. Keyboard is different from desktop PCs and you'd need to plug in a mouse rather than wanting to fiddle with the touch pad. In other words.. skip it  ;D

Yeah, had already thought of that. Even though it would be nice to take a trip into the countryside, find a nice big old tree to sit beneath whilst hunting mutants in Stalker. Would need a dozen or so spare batteries, kind of like ammo clips ;)


The search continues. . . . .

[Art Blade]

or just a few spare car batteries  :-()

Alienware PCs aren't what they used to be since AMD bought the company. Try MEDION, they have good gaming rigs, the series is called ERAZER, I got one of those myself  :)

[Binnatics]

I am not too much into the newest systems either atm. When I set up my system I use now, for let's say 3 years, I bought the fastest AMD processor available and fastest GPU ATI had to offer. CPU: quad fhenom II, all cores working on 3,2Ghz and GPU HD4890 (2 GPU's using 1gb of mem each).
The graph card was a desaster. Most games don't support multicore at least for GPU's and I don't know about the newest tech in software but the highway workers tale Mandru spawned is what is going through my mind as well.
I was at my fav. hardwarestore a few weeks ago and there was a guy buying 2 (!) HD6890 cards!! That's four of the most powerfull GPU's available atm!!! I wonder where he needed that for.
Last card I bought is a HD5870, which was the newest 1 year ago. It's good, and runs all stuff smooth. It won't cost a truckload of money.

Anyway, when you deside to go multicore for the graphics, it's best to buy 2 independent cards instead of a double GPU card I think. I've read stories about a comparison between HD4870 and HD4890 where the first one had better results playing a game like GTA IV. Somehow the second GPU on the 4890 was not doing a thing and slowed the total process since GTA only used one core. Weird stuff.
Plus: You can test one in your system, and if you want to upgrade just buy one extra (in case your software desires and handles that). Your mobo should support that then, but most mobo's do nowadays I guess.

One more thing: make sure you install a truckload of DDR3 memory on the system. It's cheap nowadays. I'd stack it up with at least 8GB and choose fo the 64bit system.

[RedRaven]

Had a look at the top end laptops and decided to stick with a tower.


So after days of looking around ended up with the following -


Intel core i3 processor (pretty sure its a quad core too)
4 GB ram
Windows 7 home premium
500 GB hard drive


All for a reasonable price, the only downside being on-board graphics, which as far as can figure out are only 64MB. Which is an easy fix with a PCI-E card


So far must say that windows 7 seems to be so much better than both Vista and XP (so far).
And considering the low level graphics have been playing S.O.C. at max settings with a couple of mods thrown in with pretty good results, the pics below show the quality and detail have managed to wring out of it.

[smg id=3549]

[smg id=3550]

[smg id=3551]

[smg id=3552]

[smg id=3553]

And even though it is running at only 15-18 fps it is still very playable as opposed to ARMA 2 which having problems with at even low settings.


Not bad for a straight out of the box system :)

[Binnatics]

Indeed good results there. And if you pimp it with an extra Graphics card it would all be supernice! Which game is S.O.C. by the way? It looks nice ;)

[JRD]

Indeed a good graphics card will boost your gaming there Red  :-X

@Binnatics S.O.C. is Stalker Shadow Of Chernobyl... a rather old game with great gfx  :-X

[Art Blade]

nice  :)

[Binnatics]

aahhh, stalker. Isn't there just a new version of the game available? I should check that out.

[RedRaven]

newest game out next year, but the first three games are covered by boards here.  :)

[JRD]

Yeap
1-Stalker: Shadow Of Chernobyl
2-Stalker: Clear Sky
3-Stalker: Call of Prypiat

Great shooters / RPG style... didn`t know about another Stalker title coming out next year though... thanks Red  :-X

[Binnatics]

Great shooters / RPG style...

You mean like Fallout maybe? I'm not the guy for RPG, allthough I had a lot of fun in Fallout. But that was mostly because of the great world and action-moments.

[JRD]

It`s a first person shooter, but you get to interact with NPCs and the outcome of your choices can affect how the game plays in the end. Actually there are 6 or 8 possible endings if I`m not mistaken (RedRaven?)

It`s not a deep RPG, it just have some aspects of role playing

[Binnatics]

hmmm, that sounds okay. I like the idea of influencing the storyline in that matter. If it's just a side effect and no major part of the gameplay it wouldn't bother me. I remember having to do the same conversations over and over again in Fallout to get some stuff in a shop or sell some. Aaargggh  :-D

[JRD]

Well, you get to talk with a chap at a shop and buy/sell/trade/loot but it`s not a big part of the game. Most of the time you are out in the Zone, hunting stuff (and being hunted  ;D ) getting closer and closer to the nuclear power plant. It`s a pretty good game full of action and with a good pace.

RedRaven is moderating the boards and is our expert in STALKER, having created a few mods himself. If you ever decide to give it a try make sure you have a chat with him in order to get the most out of this game!  :-X

[RedRaven]

Cant recall if there are 6 or 8 endings :(


First game, Shadow of Chernobyl is the game that got me into FPS so always be a personal favourite.
All 3 a certainly worth checking out.


Just ordered a GPU, found a Geforce GT520 with 1 GB ram for almost £50 which will do me :)
should have it saturday or monday.

[JRD]

That`s a real bargain  :-X

Your PC will fly now  8)

Which i3 is that? I got the 2120 which is a real good processor of this new multi core generation. or gaming purposes I`m sure you won`t be dissapointed. Having a decent combination of GPU + CPU is what matters today.  It doesn`t have to be the top notch available to allow gaming with pleasure  ;D

[Binnatics]

Indeed a great offer! Well done! That should w@&k fine with any game I guess. I have 2gb myself on my HD5870 but I never found a game that uses that much memory. 1gb should be plenty and I believe that these GT5** series really crack it!  :-X