Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: AquaShrimp on June 01, 2008, 03:27:26 PM
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until I can get a newer computer. I have about $1500 to spend. What type of video card and processor would be best for Aces High?
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Are you building your computer or ordering it/ buying it pre-made.
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My rule of thumb has always been, "biggest and fastest that I can afford" :)
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For 1,500 bucks you can build a rather nice machine. It just depends what the computer is mainly used for.
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For 1,500 bucks you can build a rather nice machine. It just depends what the computer is mainly used for.
I hate it when salesman say, "What is the computer mainly used for?" who cares, in a very few years, the "biggest and fastest" will no longer run mainstream software. Settling for less than the most you can get right now, is just shortening the time before you need to go shopping for another computer :(
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The computers number one function will be Aces High. I don't build PCs. I'm not adversed to buying one online. Advice?
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The computers number one function will be Aces High. I don't build PCs. I'm not adversed to buying one online. Advice?
Aqua you appear to have the intelligence required to build a PC. I would recommend researching how to build your own rig. A clean running home build will crush most brand X rigs.
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Hey Aquashrimp I concur with the build it yourself recommendation. You will get alot more bang for your buck.
I built my rig and trust me, If I can do it anybody can.
You also will have the option of keeping XP as your operating sytem (provided you buy it before the end of June).
cheers, and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
RTR
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Aqua you appear to have the intelligence required to build a PC. I would recommend researching how to build your own rig. A clean running home build will crush most brand X rigs.
Bronk is right, build it. If you can put leggos together you can build a computer. You will get tons of help from these most excellent folks.
Right now I would say go with the intel e8400 chip. Use an abit or gigabyte board and then from there it's a matter of taste. I prefer ATI vid cards and others prefer Nvidia. For invidia go with the 8800 and above and for ATI go 3850 and above. You should be able to put together a rather nice machine. Oh, use xp home or Windows XP pro. Stay away from Vista. Stay away from xp 64 bit too.
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Homemade built computer also have the ability to be MUCH more flexible when it comes to upgrading or replacing parts in the future.
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Hey Aquashrimp I concur with the build it yourself recommendation. You will get alot more bang for your buck.
I built my rig and trust me, If I can do it anybody can.
You also will have the option of keeping XP as your operating sytem (provided you buy it before the end of June).
cheers, and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
RTR
Woah, what's happening to XP at the end of June?
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Woah, what's happening to XP at the end of June?
Microsoft will no longer be selling it.
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Those idiots want us to feed on their vista-cow-patties exclusively, huh? :furious
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Here is what Maximum PC magazine put in there April '08 issue as a guide for $1500. Its not the biggest or baddest system on the block but it will get the job done for quite a while. I used them as a guide to build my current rig and I wouldn't trade any of their suggestions for anything else.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
MSI P35 Neo2-FR
XFX GeForce 8800GTS 512MB
Patriot 4GB DDR2/800
Cooler Master CM Stacker STC-T01-UW
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
XP Pro
Seagate 750GB Barracuda AS 7200.10
Optiarc AD-7190A
X-FI Xtreme Gamer soundcard
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I spent right about $1,500 I didn't need the keyboard, mouse, or monitor. I have a nice machine for AH, and just about anything else I care to run.
It was a snap to assemble. If you have replaced a vid card, or ram you should be able to assemble a computer.
E8400
ASUS P5E
XFX 8800 GTS 512MB PCI 2.0
4 GB Corsair ram
150 GB raptor HD
Antec 900 case
Rosewell 850W PS
ASUS HDDVD DVD drive
XP pro
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Build one yourself. I spent a bit more than $1500 when I added in the keyboard, mouse, monitor and speakers but the main system was close to that:
Coolermaster Cavalier
EVGA NVidia NForce 780i
Intel E6750 Conroe 2.66Ghz
Kingston HyperX DDR2 800 2x1Gb
EVGA 8800 GTS G92 512
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro
PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W PSU
Seagate Barracuda 250 Gb SATA HD
Seagate 200 Gb ATA HD
Seagate 160 Gb ATA HD
Asus SATA 20x DVD+R DVD Burner
Asus SATA DVD-ROM
Microsoft Windows XP Pro With SP2C
LG 22" 2ms Widescreen LCD
Klipsch Promedia 78 watts 2.1 Speaker
I already had the two ATA hard drives. The E8400 Wolfdale CPU was impossible to get at the time and I wanted to get this built.
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I was a couple of weeks behind BaldEagl. It was my first build and turned out great. Here’s what I got for $1450
Abit IP35 Pro motherboard
4 GB DDR2 Corsair memory
Intel E8400 Wolfdale CPU
Zalman 9700 CPU Cooler
74 GB WD Raptor HD
1600 GB WD Caviar HD
EVGA 8800 GTS G92 512
Silverstone 750W Power Supply
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
Samsung 20x DVD+R DVD Burner
Asus SATA DVD-ROM
Microsoft Windows XP Pro With SP2C
NEC 3.5” floppy drive (they still come in handy)
Antec 900 case
My machine is definitely over the top for Aces High. I just present this as another example of what you can do in your price range if you build your own.
I later spent another $475 on a 24” LCD monitor and 5.1 speakers. I recommend both highly for AH. The 5.1 speakers are especially helpful for GV. I can tell just where the bad guys will pop up. :)
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I hate it when salesman say, "What is the computer mainly used for?" who cares, in a very few years, the "biggest and fastest" will no longer run mainstream software.
Bzzzzt.... I'll use bold just to say it loud, WRONG!
What it is used for will HEAVILY influence its performance in other areas. You get a rig set up for 3D animation and it may not run aces high very well. You focus on a lot of ram, a large HD, instead of a very fast vid card, etc. For a lot of photoshop work you would tailor it differently as well. Fast SATA HDs (maybe RAID for backup as well) and lots of ram, but really not much need for high-end quad-core and the like.
The intended use of a system is very important if you're on a budget.
On the other hand, my P4 650MHz with 300-some MB of RAM (max) and a GeForce 256 (later Ge4400Ti) lasted from 2000 until AH2 came out on games ranging from Half-Life1 to AH2 (which it really couldn't do). That's quite a lifespan of useful service.
Much opposed to Apple's philosophy, computers are NOT throw-away devices (unless they're Dells). They are upgradable and can have their lifespans extended significantly in the majority of cases.
The salesman asks "what will it be used for" because you don't want to sell a Mazda Miata to a construction worker that needs to carpool with 3 other guys and all their tools.
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Bzzzzt.... I'll use bold just to say it loud, WRONG!
What it is used for will HEAVILY influence its performance in other areas. You get a rig set up for 3D animation and it may not run aces high very well. You focus on a lot of ram, a large HD, instead of a very fast vid card, etc. For a lot of photoshop work you would tailor it differently as well. Fast SATA HDs (maybe RAID for backup as well) and lots of ram, but really not much need for high-end quad-core and the like.
The intended use of a system is very important if you're on a budget.
On the other hand, my P4 650MHz with 300-some MB of RAM (max) and a GeForce 256 (later Ge4400Ti) lasted from 2000 until AH2 came out on games ranging from Half-Life1 to AH2 (which it really couldn't do). That's quite a lifespan of useful service.
Much opposed to Apple's philosophy, computers are NOT throw-away devices (unless they're Dells). They are upgradable and can have their lifespans extended significantly in the majority of cases.
The salesman asks "what will it be used for" because you don't want to sell a Mazda Miata to a construction worker that needs to carpool with 3 other guys and all their tools.
Well said! I say for gaming build your own for e-mail and word processing buy a low end brand name.