Computer for WHO

Raven

Happy Shopper Ray Mears
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
44,616
Its not worth using Vista for at least another year - 18 months. Most of the stuff that is "Vista exclusive" can be done on XP with a few changes to game config files.
 

Bourlog

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
142
Just ordered all this for war: WEBHALLEN.com

Asus Geforce 8500GT 512MB
Intel dual Core 2ghz
And 2g ram

Hope that will be enough :) What do you guys think?
 

svartalf

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
Messages
1,632
Just ordered all this for war: WEBHALLEN.com

Asus Geforce 8500GT 512MB
Intel dual Core 2ghz
And 2g ram

Hope that will be enough :) What do you guys think?

I think graphics cards will be a bit better value by the time WAR is out, but hey, if you're using it before then, why not? :) Enjoy it. The Core 2 duo is something I'm looking forward to, too (on P4 3200 atm).
 

Ctuchik

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
10,459
dont think the grafic cards will be THAT much cheaper by the time WAR gets released. its only 3 moths left (or atleast if you trust the current release date).
 

Tzeentch

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
303
Don't get an 8500GT - it's a terrible terrible card and not worth any money at all.

If you're going to get an nVidia card, get any one of the 88xx series. 8800GT would be the best and closest to your 8500GT in terms of price. However it's a thousand times better.

I don't know what problems people are referring to about Vista - I've been using it for around a year now (both 32bit and x64) and have had very little problems.

If you're getting a new mb, proc etc, you will probably be installing a new OS. If you have access to Vista then I would say by all means install it - XP support is going to stop sometime soon and there wont be any more updates, patches or fixes for it after that.

A dual core E6600 or above would be fine for a processor - if you can stay away from AMD, then do so - they're teh suck just now and no medium term solution in sight. Graphics card, its been mentioned before, 8800GT is such a great card its ridiculous not going for it, or the ATI equivalents (3850, 3870).

Finally, the amount of memory on a card helps more at higher resolutions only. If you're planning to run 1024x768, there's no point getting a 512 card. If you're like me and will run at 1900x1200, get at least a 512 :)
 

Bag

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
107
XP support is going to stop sometime soon and there wont be any more updates, patches or fixes for it after that.

Security fixes will still be provided till 2014-04-08 when the "Extended support" ends.

Vista is a pain... :eek:
 

Tzeentch

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
303
We can debate all day about Vista, but I believe it will only come down to the same thing: fear, uncertainty, doubt.

Once people get past the interface changes, its fine. I wouldn't go back to XP.
 

Pica

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
20
Vista only runs well on newer computers, it just takes to much, compared to XP and there is too much useless stuff in vista than noone is gonna use anyways.

I have a laptop, and it came with Vista, and was running damn slow, then i installed xp on it and now it runs smooth..
 

Oskorei

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
238
Vista only runs well on newer computers, it just takes to much, compared to XP and there is too much useless stuff in vista than noone is gonna use anyways.

I have a laptop, and it came with Vista, and was running damn slow, then i installed xp on it and now it runs smooth..

I'm not surprised...system requirements on Vista alone are huge.

Plus Vista makes your REAL PC look like an apple. Yike!
 

Blizard

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
696
Hi lads/lasses,

Its time for a new PC also and i was just after some advice really aswell...
Im trying to keep the price down but also trying to keep the spec high!
How does this spec sound?


CPU: NEW! AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition AM2 Dual Core
CPU Cooler: NEW! Coolermaster Eclipse
Motherboard: Asus M2N-E SLI (nForce 500 Chipset, SLI, 7.1 Audio, Firewire)
Memory: 4.0GB Corsair DDR2 800mhz XMS2 (4x 1GB)
Hard Drive: 500GB S-ATA2 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 20x DVD±RW DL S-ATA
Second optical drive: 16x DVDROM
Graphics card: NEW! NVidia GeForce 8800GT 512MB
Sound card: Creative X-FI Xtreme 7.1 Audio
PSU: 700W Thermaltake Toughpower
Case: Thermaltake Armor

Many thanks...
 

Tzeentch

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
303
Hi lads/lasses,

Its time for a new PC also and i was just after some advice really aswell...
Im trying to keep the price down but also trying to keep the spec high!
How does this spec sound?


CPU: NEW! AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition AM2 Dual Core
CPU Cooler: NEW! Coolermaster Eclipse
Motherboard: Asus M2N-E SLI (nForce 500 Chipset, SLI, 7.1 Audio, Firewire)
Memory: 4.0GB Corsair DDR2 800mhz XMS2 (4x 1GB)
Hard Drive: 500GB S-ATA2 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 20x DVD±RW DL S-ATA
Second optical drive: 16x DVDROM
Graphics card: NEW! NVidia GeForce 8800GT 512MB
Sound card: Creative X-FI Xtreme 7.1 Audio
PSU: 700W Thermaltake Toughpower
Case: Thermaltake Armor

Many thanks...

Go Intel Core 2 if you can - AMD are losing quite badly right now and they have nothing that can compete with Intel, price/performance.

Other than that, looks fine - I'd suggest dropping the sound card (unless you need it for something specific) - new motherboards these days carry 7.1 audio anyway, so if the EAX or whatever effect it's called is justification enough for the the money you're paying on that card... (and as an aside, driver support by Creative in Vista for that card is horrendous I hear).

Also, you might be better going with the Corsair HX 620w PSU, it's modular, wont make such a mess in your system (cables) and is very reliable. The 80w difference is not important here.

Oh and you're going to want an x64 OS for that amount of memory to be utilised.
 

Blizard

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
696
So basically your saying go Intel and also get vista 64? i thought Vista was crap for gaming atm!?
Plus Intel are more expensive than AMD and tbh, there cant be that much difference between the:

AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition AM2 Dual Core

and

Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q6600 (2.40Ghz, 8MB Cache, 1066Mhz FSB)


Ps. The 64 X2 6000+ runs at (3.00Ghz, 2MB Cache, 2000MT/s FSB)
 

Tzeentch

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
303
Well yeah does come down to price as well. I'm running a Q6600.

What I'm saying is that since you are getting 4gb of ram, a 32bit OS (windows xp and vista 32) wont be able to utilise the full amount.

So you can run a linux based 64bit OS, XP x64, or Vista x64 :)

Gaming in Vista is currently not much different from gaming in XP. Modern benchmarks will show there isn't much in either direction.

The Athlon runs a lot hotter, has less cores, and draws more power - this was a big reason for me, because I'm mindful of my energy bill :p

If you ever wanted to upgrade, it would also be in the Intel direction, so from a future proofing point of view... but again, if its too costly, it should be fine with what you have there... just remove the sound card :D
 

Blizard

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
696
Sweet thanks bud ;)

One more thing bud, which would be better then out of: 2.0GB Corsair DDR2 1066mhz Dominator (2x 1GB) or 4.0GB Corsair DDR2 800mhz XMS2 (4x 1GB)
 

Tzeentch

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
303
You'll only need the 1066 memory if you're planning to overclock heavily.. otherwise the 800 is fine. Again, there's the concern if you're going to be running a 32bit OS, about the 4gbs of ram... :)

Oh, one more thing, if you do get 4 sticks, when you put your computer together and you have all the RAM in - it probably won't power up, or at least won't boot successfully.

So use 2 at first, go into the BIOS, find the amount of voltage going through the RAM and increase it to the amount its rated for (it'll say on the packaging or on the sticks itself) and you'll be a happy bunny :)
 

Blizard

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
696
Its not whats on the outside but whats on the inside that counts fella's! :rolleyes:
 

angrymoon

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Messages
91
What monitor size are people running / will run when WAR comes out?

Im torn between 22" or a 24"!
 

Oskorei

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
238
Both way too big for me. I'll probably go 19" widescreen max. You're sitting right in front of the thing. No need to get a big-ass monitor.
 

Oskorei

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
238
The real big advantage is that you can't see the entire screen while you're sitting in front of it. So you have to move back from your screen, so it takes up even more space (24" takes up alot of space by itself already...)...so...oh wait, no, that's not an advantage...sec, let me think of an advantage. Oh I know, there are none!

Oh, just thought of one, you can brag about it. "Mine is 24 inch!" sounds alot better than your 8 inch average ey? :p

It's all e-peen if you ask me. No-one with common sense would buy a screen as big as that. They're also way too expensive.
 

angrymoon

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Messages
91
The real big advantage is that you can't see the entire screen while you're sitting in front of it. So you have to move back from your screen, so it takes up even more space (24" takes up alot of space by itself already...)...so...oh wait, no, that's not an advantage...sec, let me think of an advantage. Oh I know, there are none!

Oh, just thought of one, you can brag about it. "Mine is 24 inch!" sounds alot better than your 8 inch average ey? :p

It's all e-peen if you ask me. No-one with common sense would buy a screen as big as that. They're also way too expensive.

well said,

I went to PC world and had a look at a 22" and thought it was a 24...then I saw a 24"....I wouldn't havnt the space!
 

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