Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: shiv on May 09, 2009, 03:39:11 PM
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Any kind souls have an opinion whether this will work well with AH? Or should I go the build route? I'm fairly clueless when it comes to hardware, so I'd appreciate any feedback. I have cable Internet if that's an issue.
(The only other thing I'm going to use this for is for work - just need MS Office, which I have a copy of, and also planing to make a 100GB Linux partition and run Ubuntu on it, but I don't think that's going to be a problem.)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4546382&sku=V133-76600
>>>>
Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core
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Thanks a lot for any opinions.
<<S>>
Shiv
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AMD cores have had problems with the game, forcing some people to shut down one of the cores to play the game. Some say the new one don't have the problem, but its up to you.
If I were you I'd call TilDeath and ask him what he could do for you. It might cost a bit more (not sure what your budget is) but he has done a great job with everyone else who plays and has bought a computer from him. Can't hurt to ask him.
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I'd stay away from the AMD dual core CPUs. That's also a very weak video card for any sort of gaming.
You can do much better for that price. I'm not sure TilDeath likes to deal with lower end systems but ask him. If you're on a budget and he won't touch the price point PM me and I'll see what I can whip up for you. I've already got a parts list for a base system that I could add a video card to and bump the PSU and get it to you for the same price or, if you're willing to build it yourself I'll just send you the parts list.
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the none phenom core X2's have a bug in them in the game
for that amount of money you can build your own with a a better CPU and video card easy
i spent about 400.00 on this
foxconn A74K-K AM2+ 50.00
X2 7750 Kuma BE (theres a new X2 7850 BE out now) 50.00
2GB PC6400 DDR2 30.00
DVD-RW DL w/ Lightscribe 20.00
ATI 4850 512 MB with HMDI out (<--- same as 9800 GTX+ speedwise) 130.00 also needs a 6 pin on PSU to use
160 GB HD - SATA 50.00
430 watt PSU 40.00
3rd party heatsink (OCZ Vendetta) 30.00
i have a VLK windows XP Pro so you'd have to figure in a copy of windows
case was a old ATX case i had laying around
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I have never had any problem with a AMD chip in AH. Not a lot of difference. To me the biggest difference is the price. ( The AMD x2 3.2Ghz $99, Intel 3.0 Ghz E8400 $168)
Now having said that, $700 bux for a AMD x2 4200(2.2GHZ?) system is silly, ridiculous, outright st...d and that's before we pick apart the video card or the other cheap hardware the off the shelf builder puts in the system. For $700 you can build a pretty good gaming system. AH isn't a power hog. There are a lot of guys here that can make up a build list for you at a lot less than $700.(609+shipping)
I would recommend you either build your own, go to your local /reputable builder. Never buy a gaming computer off the shelf. You pay more and get less!
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Thanks guys, <<S>>
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For the Correct Information you might be seeking regarding "Dual Core AMD Processors : Athlon 64 X2, Turion X2, Dual Core Opterons etc"
... you can read what Skuzzy has recommended and what the AMD Dual Core CPU users results have been in the folowing link ( btw this link/thread is STICKY'ed to the top of this forum )
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,181720.0.html
here is another STICKY'ed Thread by Skuzzy from the Technical Support Forum:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,199451.0.html
me personally, have no issues or bugs in my AMD Athlon64 6400 X2 3.2ghz Dual Core Processor......
using Windows XP Pro 32bit, 4 gigs ram, 512meg vidcard... framerate is maxed at 70fps ( monitor screen res ) using 1024 textures, preloaded skins, textures and all detail maxed out........using 1280x1024 res ..........
not sure about the newer phenom processors ( quad or triple core processors ).........
but there is nothing wrong with AMD dual core CPU if you are trying to save money or are on a budget..........
and we all have our own experiences and opinions.......Good Luck........( some people build their own, some people buy off the shelf, some people have custom PC's built for them........it's what ever flavor you desire.........but that tigerdirect you listed/questioned would seem like a waste..too much for what it contains parts wise...but it does come with everything needed.......warranty? except a monitor or speakers...again my opinion .....take up others advice on contacting TilDeath or BaldEagle)
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I've always had good luck with Dells, and they are cheap. If I were buying a computer today, I'd probably go with a $500-ish Inspiron or Vostro desktop (maybe with a Core 2 Quad Q8200 or something like that), then add a $100 graphics card from newegg.com.
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An the amd's :
The only problems i've come across is on westwood series commander and conquer (out of syncs), and if you use nvidias nforce motherboards you dont want to any virtualbox VM.
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I had a dell inspiron quad core.It ran the game till I got this new system.I had good luck with it
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If only people would understand how simple and cost saving it is to build your own system......... :frown:
Motherboard
Processor
Fan/Heatsink
RAM
Video Card
Power Supply
Sound Card (if you don't like onboard like myself)
NIC (if one isn't already on the board)
Hard-Drive
cd\dvd\blu-ray\etc
Case
Case Fans
Phillips-Head screwdriver
Fancy Lights or whatever/etc
What did I miss?
Seriously....That's like almost a complete parts list.....? Most guys on here seem pretty handy.. I'll a majority probably do build their own..
There's gotta be a way to get the guys who can't/won't build see the Light!! :angel:
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Anod I built my last system with just a couple minor issues. I enjoy the process, but the only thing that makes me nervous is compatability. Knowing how all your components will like one another is the most nerve-wracking part, imo. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to need to get a laptop as my next system, since life hasn't kept me in any one place for too long lately. I've got no clue how to play with the squishy inards of a laptop...so it will probably be a straight out -- overpriced -- purchase. :(
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Anod I built my last system with just a couple minor issues. I enjoy the process, but the only thing that makes me nervous is compatability. Knowing how all your components will like one another is the most nerve-wracking part, imo. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to need to get a laptop as my next system, since life hasn't kept me in any one place for too long lately. I've got no clue how to play with the squishy inards of a laptop...so it will probably be a straight out -- overpriced -- purchase. :(
There isn't really that much that you can do with a laptop to affect performance anyway due to the design process to keep weight and power consumption down.
You might be able to upgrade RAM, put in a bigger HD, add a second battery or replace the optical drive but that's about where the upgrade path ends. Anything beyond that is an external peripheral.
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I don't think there's all that much cost saving in building your own system compared to buying a Dell, especially if you factor in any cost to your time for shopping and assembling.
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I don't think there's all that much cost saving in building your own system compared to buying a Dell, especially if you factor in any cost to your time for shopping and assembling.
Reasons to NOT buy a Dell
1) All the pre-loaded un-needed system resource hog software.
2) Power Supplies with less then 500watts
3) The $1.95 motherboards
4) Proprietary components (cases for sure, no so good for updates)
5) About 50% less bang for your buc
A specked out a system that I would sell in the 1400.00 range Dell wanted over $3,000.00 for. Here are a few links with pricing of various systems. Look at what you get for the price. The parts are listed.
http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/ (http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/)
http://gaming-pc-review.toptenreviews.com/ (http://gaming-pc-review.toptenreviews.com/)
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cyberpowerpc.com is cheaper than dell and imo better bang for the buck.
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Bought a off the shelf computer once. Never again. That was 18 years ago. I would be wary of many of these so called Gaming computers. Most of them have probably never heard of AH. You deal with your local builder you can talk to the person who actually had his hands in your computer. Stay away from Dell, IBM etc. Those computers are fine if your web surfing or doing office work not for gaming. Learn to build your own, find a builder here, but never buy off the shelf for gaming.
My AH system; Gigabyte EP45 MB, E8400 3.0Ghz CPU, 10k WD Raptor 150GB, 8800GTX VC, SB Audigy Sound.
12,138 3dmark score, baseline score(ie.unmodified). 60+frame rate in AH. Less than $1000. Substantially less since the VC is over 2 years old and many of the components are used. A newer faster video card would bump the score up but do I really need too? Not for AH.
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I've bought for myself about 10 Dells over the years and my company has bought probably about 200 of them over the years. They have always worked fine for everything, including gaming for me (Aces High, Battlefield 1942, Quake, WWIIOL, etc.).
These days, it costs $480 for an Inspiron with a Core 2 Quad Q8200, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB hard disk, 16x DVD+/-R/W drive. The power supply in them is sufficient to run a $100-$150 graphics card (I've done that on my last several Dells), which is more than powerful enough for all games I'd be running.
Could you build that system for less than $480 on your own? Probably, but I think it would be hard to knock all that much off the price, and it would take a bunch of your hours to shop and assemble.
Every few years I just buy another low-end Dell with a mid-range (or higher) CPU and put a $100 graphics card into it. Nonstandard case and power supply don't matter because my upgrade path is buying an inexpensive system every few years. Dell does install a bunch of crapware, but I either uninstall it or reinstall the OS.
However, for folks who like to build systems from components as a hobby or to keep technical skills up to date, or if they want a system with much-higher performance than matters in Aces High, those are all excellent reasons to go the do-it-yourself route.
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yeah but with a 480 dell you get low grade crappy 3rd rate parts. for a for a 480 i could build a better system.
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yeah but with a 480 dell you get low grade crappy 3rd rate parts. for a for a 480 i could build a better system.
All that matters to me is that it performs on the games I play and that it is reliable and works well, which all of my Dells have done. The CPU, RAM, HD, DVD drive, and graphics card are likely to be the same either way; I don't care if the power supply is 400W, 500W, or 1500W when all I need is 400W; I don't care much about the MB as long as it supports the CPU I want and has a snappy-enough FSB (although I do like that Dells use Intel motherboards with Intel chipsets for driver reasons); I don't care at all about the case; and so on.
Also, even if I could build a system of comparable performance and reliability for less than $480 in parts, it would have to be enough less than $480 to make up for the time spent in shopping and assembling.
But that's me. There are a lot of people who enjoy building their own, which factors in differently than it does for me.
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I have a Dell inspiron laptop an it has been a good product for the last 4 years.I cannot put it down as it has performed well for me
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Also, even if I could build a system of comparable performance and reliability for less than $480 in parts, it would have to be enough less than $480 to make up for the time spent in shopping and assembling.
Ahh... the old time is money argument.
I'm glad to hear you are in that position. If so you are likely either self-employed or in a high powered executive position. You are at the point in your career where you also hire people to clean your house, take care of your yard, care for your children, take care of your laundry and possibly also perform other personal duties. You do this because you can actually make a profit by paying them so that you can keep working at a much higher pay-rate. You are also sacrificing personal relaxation time in pursuit of your career and personal wealth. Any personal relaxation time must be weighed against the opportunity to earn additional income and the cost of your personal assistants. I know this because I have been there in the past and done exactly those things.
In the scenario above, buying a mid-tier Dell is a great option. I know because when I was in that position that was exactly what I did. My last old Dell is now 10 years old and still chugging along flawlessly although it's undergone numerous upgrades over it's life. It will also still run AHII although I guess I don't really consider it gameworthy anymore.
If, on the other hand, you're where I am now with plenty of free time and a more modest income then anything that you can do to save a few dollars is like adding to your income. Your choice comes down to spending 3 hours and saving $45 as opposed to watching TV for $15/hr out of pocket (these numbers are being used only as an example). Now your driving decisions are made by weighing the cost of hiring someone to do something for you vs. doing it yourself at a savings.
There is no doubt that you can build a better machine for the same price as a Dell, or build the same machine at a savings. Further, any do-it-yourself project with a positive outcome is generally pretty satisfying. I know this because I built my last sytem myself.
I agree wholeheartedly... time IS money. Your path just depends which side of the scale you're on. For me, at this moment in time, paying to watch TV just doesn't make sense when I can diversify my free time with money saving and gratifying projects but that's just me and that's just now. Everything could change again tomorrow.
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Point well taken, BaldEagl.
I mean no offense to anyone and don't wish to imply that building a machine is a bad choice.
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i too dont want to sound like getting a dell is a bad choice but from my years of experience its the dells, gateways, compaqs and HPs' that have keep me in business. you get lucky sometimes and the machine last a while and runs without a problem. but the moment you start having a issue, you learn why.
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i too dont want to sound like getting a dell is a bad choice but from my years of experience its the dells, gateways, compaqs and HPs' that have keep me in business. you get lucky sometimes and the machine last a while and runs without a problem. but the moment you start having a issue, you learn why.
Part of that, though, might be that none of the less-computer-knowledgeable folks who tend to screw up their computers are going to be system builders. I've had nothing but good experiences with Dells over the past two decades.
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Well said Bald.. For many of us building a computer for our favorite time killing game is part of the hobby. A off the shelf computer cannot compete perfomance per dollar wise against a homebuilt.
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I don't think there's all that much cost saving in building your own system compared to buying a Dell, especially if you factor in any cost to your time for shopping and assembling.
Yes, but your time is your time (free for yourself).. Do you have to pay yourself for doing working on your own time? It should be an enjoyable/exciting experience in the first place!
And who goes out and shops for hardware? You can do it right from your PC at home...... :huh Assembly should be enjoyable as well.... Jesus Christ, man! All it is is screwing things in! How much of a "chore" is it?? Really?
And believe me....You give me the money for even the lowest of the low-end Dell and I will build something that will be superior in
every way for the same cost, if not less..
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Reasons to NOT buy a Dell
1) All the pre-loaded un-needed system resource hog software.
2) Power Supplies with less then 500watts
3) The $1.95 motherboards
4) Proprietary components (cases for sure, no so good for updates)
5) About 50% less bang for your buc
A specked out a system that I would sell in the 1400.00 range Dell wanted over $3,000.00 for. Here are a few links with pricing of various systems. Look at what you get for the price. The parts are listed.
http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/ (http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/)
http://gaming-pc-review.toptenreviews.com/ (http://gaming-pc-review.toptenreviews.com/)
<<<S>>>
Till Death, a man after my own heart (when it comes to computing).. :salute
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I've bought for myself about 10 Dells over the years and my company has bought probably about 200 of them over the years. They have always worked fine for everything, including gaming for me (Aces High, Battlefield 1942, Quake, WWIIOL, etc.).
These days, it costs $480 for an Inspiron with a Core 2 Quad Q8200, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB hard disk, 16x DVD+/-R/W drive. The power supply in them is sufficient to run a $100-$150 graphics card (I've done that on my last several Dells), which is more than powerful enough for all games I'd be running.
Could you build that system for less than $480 on your own? Probably, but I think it would be hard to knock all that much off the price, and it would take a bunch of your hours to shop and assemble.
Every few years I just buy another low-end Dell with a mid-range (or higher) CPU and put a $100 graphics card into it. Nonstandard case and power supply don't matter because my upgrade path is buying an inexpensive system every few years. Dell does install a bunch of crapware, but I either uninstall it or reinstall the OS.
However, for folks who like to build systems from components as a hobby or to keep technical skills up to date, or if they want a system with much-higher performance than matters in Aces High, those are all excellent reasons to go the do-it-yourself route.
IIRC, you can't just re-install the OS on a Dell unless you actually have a Windows disk and not their restore disks. Otherwise, you get all the crapware that the folks at Dell so graciously thought you really needed it.. And also, I don't think Dells come with restore disks anymore unless you order them (which costs more money) and, again, this comes with all the crapware that is already installed when you buy it.. Dell relies solely on the restore partition now, which most Dell users don't even know is there....
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basically when your harddrive dies. your recovery partition dies with it..
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i too dont want to sound like getting a dell is a bad choice but from my years of experience its the dells, gateways, compaqs and HPs' that have keep me in business. you get lucky sometimes and the machine last a while and runs without a problem. but the moment you start having a issue, you learn why.
Between my home and business, I've owned at least 6 Dell desktops since moving over from a Mac G3 in the mid-90's. Four of the Dells were flawless; 2 developed minor component issues which were easily fixed. I would buy another Dell without hesitation if I didn't have the time to build one. That being said, my current home rig is a a home built simply because it saved me some $$$...I had the time...I wanted to learn the ropes of building a system and I wanted a customized gaming system.
Let's face it; you can end up with a borked (enter part name here__________________) whether you buy a pre-built or home built computer. To each, his own.
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Let's face it; you can end up with a borked (enter part name here__________________) whether you buy a pre-built or home built computer. To each, his own.
This is pretty true. For some that emails, general office stuff, and browses, a Dell will do wonders for them. Gaming is a different story. Only their higher end stuff is worth investing in if you want to game, but thats if #1 you don't know how to build #2 some other excuse. A home built 'gaming' rig is going to be quite a bit cheaper than a 'gaming' rig from another company. Now for a home built 'office' computer, if you can't reuse software, a Dell/whatever is going to be cheaper on the front end.
I like to know what parts are in my system (plus I enjoy doing it). If I order a Dell/whatever, I don't know what model/mfger of the mobo/PSU/etc are for the most part.