Total success: 60 fps with $249 computer, $112 graphics card, $95 Windows

[Brooke]

I just bought a system for my nephew to play in the upcoming "Target Rabaul" scenario.

We're getting solid, smooth 60 fps with:
-- default settings,
-- 4096 texture size,
-- 1920x1080 screen,
-- except reflections and shadows off, and environment map slider at "none".

I just used the "system builder" tool on superbiiz.com to select the components I wanted, and superbiiz built it, tested it, and gave me a 1 year warranty on it.

List of equipment:
1    Apevia X-Qtis No Power Supply MicroATX Case (Black)    CA-XQTISB              
1    Thermaltake TR-600 TR2 600W ATX12V v2.3 Power Supply(Core i7 & Core i5 Ready)    PS-TR-600              
1    Toshiba DT01ACA050 500GB 7200RPM SATA3/SATA 6.0 GB/s 32MB Hard Drive (3.5 inch)    DT01ACA050              
1    Crucial DDR4-2133 4GB/512Mx64 CL15 Memory    CTD421UA4G              
1    GIGABYTE GA-H110M-A LGA1151/ Intel H110/ DDR4/ SATA3&USB3.0/ A&GbE/ MicroATX Motherboard    MB-H110M-A              
1    Intel Pentium G4400 Dual-Core Skylake Processor 3.3GHz 8.0GT/s 3MB LGA 1151 CPU, Retail    G4400BOX              
1    ZOTAC NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mini 2GB GDDR5 DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card    ZT-G1050PA              
1    Microsoft Windows 10 Home Operating System 64-bit English (1-Pack), OEM    MSKW900140

Total was $456.  (Windows 10 was $95 of that.  The GTX 1050 was $112 of that.)

I also bought an  ASUS VS248H-P Black 24" 2ms (GTG) monitor from newegg for $140 (it looks great) and a Logitec keyboard and mouse for $16.

Conclusion:

60 fps in AH for $612 (including monitor).

[Brooke]

Oh, and I got him a Thrustmaster T.16000M joystick (very nice twisty stick) for $50 and a Koss CS-100 headset/mic (nice sound and mic quality) for $13

[100Coogn]

Glad that's working for you.  Good price too..

Are you running AH in DX9 or DX11?
I get serious color anomalies in DX11... 

Coogan

[Brooke]

Glad that's working for you.  Good price too..

Are you running AH in DX9 or DX11?
I get serious color anomalies in DX11... 

Coogan

I usually run DX9.  I can run DX11 well almost always, but a lot of my flying is in scenarios where any crash is a major problem, and DX11 has historically for me been a tiny amount less stable.

[100Coogn]

I usually run DX9.  I can run DX11 well almost always, but a lot of my flying is in scenarios where any crash is a major problem, and DX11 has historically for me been a tiny amount less stable.

My AHIII DX11 says Oculus Rift, so that may have something to do with it.
Note: I'm using the Windows Insider Program and have Nvidia Driver 387.78. (they kind of push that one on us)  So that may be my problem.

Regardless, that's a good set-up for the price.   

Coogan

[Gman]

That's impressive Brooke, a good example for anyone who wants or needs a budget gaming system.  Hard to believe it can be done for less than a console, but you've proved it can be done.

[oboe]

What a great uncle you are, Brooke!

[Brooke]

What a great uncle you are, Brooke!

Thanks!   

(In fairness, while I would like to take all the credit , my nephew did a large amount of work for us in our recent house move and very much earned it.  He is a good egg.)

Oboe, you also are a good egg! 

[Denniss]

you should have saved on the PSU and ordered a second stick of memory instead.
that 600W PSU is by far overdosed for this system, a 300W would be by far sufficient.

[Brooke]

you should have saved on the PSU and ordered a second stick of memory instead.
that 600W PSU is by far overdosed for this system, a 300W would be by far sufficient.

Yep, 600 W not really needed, but it was only $13 more than the cheapest choice of PSU (a 450W Antec).

4 GB of RAM is fine for now (fps in AH wouldn't change with 4 more GB of RAM).  If we need more later, we can add another stick then.

[100Coogn]

Yep, 600 W not really needed, but it was only $13 more than the cheapest choice of PSU (a 450W Antec).

4 GB of RAM is fine for now (fps in AH wouldn't change with 4 more GB of RAM).  If we need more later, we can add another stick then.

Nothing wrong with having a little overhead on your PSU.
That way you're covered for future upgrades, that may need a little more juice.

Coogan