Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Pannono on July 17, 2011, 05:46:01 PM
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I am hoping to come back to AH this year. I am going to start officiating high school sports in August and I will have money to play with. I am not really that knowledgeable when it comes to advanced computer stuff, so I have no clue where to get started here. I am thinking that I have 3 options. Option 1 would be to buy a new video card and new PSU for my 2008 Vista Computer. Option 2 would be to buy a new low-end Windows 7 Computer and upgrade it. Option 3 would be to get a high-end Windows 7 computer with a good video card and PSU already installed. Not sure which direction to go in. Can anyone help me out on this?
Thanks,
Pannono
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<S> Pannono
If you have the money, Option 3 would be the clear choice :aok
:cheers: Oz
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Any idea how much a good computer would go for?
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I am hoping to come back to AH this year. I am going to start officiating high school sports in August and I will have money to play with. I am not really that knowledgeable when it comes to advanced computer stuff, so I have no clue where to get started here. I am thinking that I have 3 options. Option 1 would be to buy a new video card and new PSU for my 2008 Vista Computer. Option 2 would be to buy a new low-end Windows 7 Computer and upgrade it. Option 3 would be to get a high-end Windows 7 computer with a good video card and PSU already installed. Not sure which direction to go in. Can anyone help me out on this?
Thanks,
Pannono
best advise is dont waste money on a low end puter. about 1k will buy you a kick prettythang puter that you will be happy with.
semp
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The thing is I will be starting college soon and I don't think I can afford to spend $1000 on a computer. I was hoping to just get a $300 Windows 7 computer and put another $300 into it. But I wouldn't have the slightest clue where to start in my search for GPU/PSU.
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The thing is I will be starting college soon and I don't think I can afford to spend $1000 on a computer. I was hoping to just get a $300 Windows 7 computer and put another $300 into it. But I wouldn't have the slightest clue where to start in my search for GPU/PSU.
If you're willing to spend 300$ on a computer then throw 300$ more into it, why not build one for 600$? It would be a better bang-for-buck typically since you'd have to replace a bit to make that 300$ computer "good". Heck a 300$ computer likely would need everything replaced to play AH even halfway decently, if you could find one for 300$. Have to remember a computer is only as good as its slowest component.
Subtract 100$ for Windows 7 (legally) and you have 500$ left for a computer home-built. Not breaking any records with it, but it could run AH. Wouldn't be too hard to find the parts for a 500$ computer that would run fine. I could likely help with a cheap list but I'd need time to look around Newegg, not sure on prices anymore.
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Build a computer? Haha that would be nearly impossible for me, I am completely clueless about the internal workings of a computer.
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Really it's not as hard as it sounds, knowing the Motherboard the big battle, from there it's just plugging the right parts into it and attaching parts to the case itself (full walk-through could be typed up or found via Google). If you are willing to try it, it makes having the best bang-for-buck computer possible since you don't have to pay others to build it. I spent a few hours drawing diagrams of the inside of my old computer before taking it apart and re-building. I'll trim it down to the important parts for the Motherboard:
(http://www.build-your-own-computer.net/image-files/motherboard-diagram-01.jpg)
A. PCI Slot - This board has 2 PCI slots. These can be used for components such as Ethernet cards, sound cards, and modems.
B. PCI-E 16x Slot - There are 2 of them on this motherboard diagram, both are blue. These are used for your graphics card. With two of them onboard, you can run 2 graphics cards in SLI. You would only need this if you are a gamer, or working with high end video / graphics editing. These are the 16x speed versions, which are currently the fastest.
C. PCI-E 1x Slot - Single slot - These can be used for expansion cards such as Sound Cards, or Ethernet Cards.
E. ATX 12V 2X and 4 Pin Power Connection Power Connection - This is one of two power connections that supply power to the motherboard. This connection will come from your Power Supply.
F. CPU-Fan Connection - This is where your CPU fan will connect. Using this connection over one from your power supply will allow the motherboard to control the speed of your fan, based on the CPU temperature.
G. Socket - This is where your CPU will plug in.
H. Memory Slots - These are the slots for your RAM. Most boards will have 4 slots, but some will only have 2. The color coding you see on the motherboard diagram is used to match up RAM for Dual/Triple-Channel. Using them this way will give your memory a speed boost.
I. ATX Power Connector - This is the second of two power connections. This is the main power connection for the motherboard, and comes from the Power Supply.
L. SATA Connections - These are 4 of the 6 SATA connections on the motherboard. These will be used for hard drives, and CD / DVD drives.
M. Front Panel Connections - this is where you will hook in the connections from your case. These are mostly the different lights on your case, such as power on, hard drive activity etc.
O. External USB Connections - This is where you will plug in external USB connections for your case or USB bracket.
P. CMOS battery - This is the motherboard's battery. This is used to allow the CMOS to keep its settings.
Source: http://www.build-your-own-computer.net/motherboard-diagram.html
But if you are set on not building, I'm sure someone can help find a cheap computer to fix up easily enough. :)
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Option 4
Contact TilDeath. He builds some wicked stuff. One of which I'm the very happy and proud owner of.
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What kind of specs should I be looking for in a computer? Like processor speed, RAM, GPU, that type of stuff. I was thinking of getting a new computer for college and I might just get a customizable one from HP. I do not need super-HD graphics with 100FPS, im just looking for something that will give me 40+ FPS and decent graphics that run smoothly with little slowdown.
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What kind of specs should I be looking for in a computer? Like processor speed, RAM, GPU, that type of stuff. I was thinking of getting a new computer for college and I might just get a customizable one from HP. I do not need super-HD graphics with 100FPS, im just looking for something that will give me 40+ FPS and decent graphics that run smoothly with little slowdown.
With your budget your going to have to go for "inexpensive quality". That means that you're going to have to shop for bang for the buck at the lowest possible price. I'd expect if you're willing to build it you'll get a case, motherboard, 2.5 Ghz CPU, 2 Gb of RAM, a decent but not remarkable GPU in the range of $100-200, on-board sound, PSU (likely the most expensive component), single 7200 RPM HD and a single optical drive.
You'll likely be one step behind the technology curve to stay within budget which means dual core processor (not a bad thing).
The resulting machine will likely play the game with all the eye candy turned up except for shadows however it may struggle at times in large engagements or with lots of smoke or fire around. By struggle I mean lowering performance to your desired 40 fps.
Estimated cost: $700... maybe less.
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Right now I am looking at a custom PC on HP.com that has the following specs:
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium [64-bit]
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) dual-core processor G840 [2.8GHz, 3MB cache]
Memory: FREE UPGRADE to 4GB DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM [1 DIMM] from 3GB
Hard drive: 500GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
Graphics card: 1GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT520 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter]
Sound Card: Integrated sound
Price is $529.99.
Worth the money?
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And I am also in the market for a new joystick. Last I heard the X52 was the way to go. Have things changed or is the X52 still the top of the line?
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Can anyone help me out on this? Should I be looking for a faster processor, better video card, etc?
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The Intel CPU would be fastenough. The CPU does not have some of the features the more expensive Sandy Bridge CPU's have like hyperthreading.
The Nvidia 520 is a low end card, I think a Nvidia 460 would be more of what you would be looking for. Either the 1 gig model or the lower end 796 model.
Running a higher end card will have a need for more power from the PSU, I am guessing even if its offered from HP the price tag would go up another 100 anyway.
The RAM looks good and the harddrive would be good enough unless you plan on excess amount of movies or video editing.
I have no comment on the price. I have built my own computers and have no idea what a purchased unit would cost these days.
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For the price that might not be a bad machine but I think it would struggle to play AH. The bottle neck is the video card. It's an entry level card not really built for significant gaming.
You could upgrade it but here's the catch; if you do you'll probably have to upgrade the power supply too and after doing that you'll have added $250 or more to the price and still not gained much. I'd say adding $350 would be more likely.
If/when I get a chance I'll put some ideas together for you but I work 12-13 hours a day so it might take me a few days to get to it.
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OK so I bit the bullet. Here's an idea for you. I'm not totally satisfied with this and it needs some tweaking but it will give you a good starting point for comparison. Most of this is good quality components and it's reasonably balanced but again, I'd do some tweaking before placing an order. This is if you're willing to build it. Building is comperable to playing with an erector set:
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Update11-119-068 COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Model #:CAC-T05-UW
Item #:N82E16811119068
Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$54.99 -$5.00 Instant $49.99
. .
Update13-130-556 MSI G41M-P26 LGA 775 Intel G41 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #:G41M-P26
Item #:N82E16813130556
Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$50.99 $50.99
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Update14-130-568 EVGA 01G-P3-1373-AR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) Superclocked EE 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
Model #:01G-P3-1373-AR
Item #:N82E16814130568
Return Policy:VGA Standard Return Policy
In Stock
Mail in Rebate Card14-130-568
$199.99 -$10.00 Instant $189.99
. .
Update17-139-005 CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible ...
Model #:CMPSU-650TX
Item #:N82E16817139005
Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
In Stock
Mail in Rebate Card17-139-005
$119.99 -$25.00 Instant $94.99
. .
Update19-116-381 Intel Pentium E5700 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80571E5700
Model #:BX80571E5700
Item #:N82E16819116381
Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
In Stock
$66.99 $66.99
. .
Update20-231-180 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL8D-4GBHK
Model #:F3-10600CL8D-4GBHK
Item #:N82E16820231180
Return Policy:Memory Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$39.99 $39.99
. .
Update22-136-795 Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Model #:WD5002AALX
Item #:N82E16822136795
Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$59.99 $59.99
. .
Update27-135-204 ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Model #:DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
Item #:N82E16827135204
Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$20.99 $20.99
. .
Update32-116-986 Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Model #:GFC-02050
Item #:N82E16832116986
Return Policy:Software Standard Return Policy
In Stock
$99.99 $99.99
Subtotal: $673.91
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I really appreciate you taking the time to look up all of that for me. It will be very handy if I do decide to go the custom-built route. I would love to try to build a PC, but I'm afraid that I would break something because I would have no clue to what I would be doing. And I don't know if I will be able to use my financial aid for college on computer parts.
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Pannono
Here is one from NewEgg.... it might be what you are looking for and leave a little for a video card upgrade at a later date if needed.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229254
LawnDart
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I'm not as familiar with the AMD graphics cards as I am with the NVIDIA graphics cards, how would the AMD Radeon HD 6450 handle AH?
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Benchmarks aren't everything but this should give you an idea:
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
You're getting some good advice in here, but always search for reviews on your components. Do your homework and choose according to your budget.
Good luck.
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Benchmarks aren't everything but this should give you an idea:
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
You're getting some good advice in here, but always search for reviews on your components. Do your homework and choose according to your budget.
Good luck.
Thank you for the link. It will be of great assistance to me in my search for a GPU. I truly appreciate everyone's time and effort they spent helping me on this.
<<S>>
Pannono
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Ok. Sorry to bother you guys again, but I have made enough money now to start considering this. I am not sure how AH would perform on it, so I need one more favor from you guys.
Here are the specs:
•CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
•HDD: 500GB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-21] (Single Hard Drive)
•MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair XMS Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader)
•MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX] Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard LucidLogix Virtu and Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID,2 3 PCIe Gen2, 2 PCIe X1 & 2 3CI (All Venom OC Certified)
•SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
•VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+50] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
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Remember that you'll need a power supply, a case and WindowsXP/7.
You can do with the stock cpu fan for now and upgrade later. When/if you upgrade the cooler, keep in mind the stress of moving a computer between school terms. If you move it a lot, consider a packaged water cooler system like Corsair or Antec. Water cooled mother boards will take the abuse of moving better then one with those huge air coolers.
You can also save ~$100 with an i5 Sandy Bridge if money becomes a problem now, and up grade to the i7 later if you keep it that long. They will both run on the same MB and you can probably sell the i5.
Check the certified RAM vender list at the MB manufacturer. Keep in mind that they don't update them every time a new DIMM comes out so you might want to check the RAM spec for clarification or the manufacture's website.
Other then that, I don't see any glaring problems.
Edit
One other thing. I love Newegg, for a lot of reasons but especially for the wealth of info on their site. Often for the best deal though, Amazon doesn't charge sales tax, or didn't the last time I checked.
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Ok. Sorry to bother you guys again, but I have made enough money now to start considering this. I am not sure how AH would perform on it, so I need one more favor from you guys.
Here are the specs:
•CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
•HDD: 500GB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-21] (Single Hard Drive)
•MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair XMS Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader)
•MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX] Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard LucidLogix Virtu and Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID,2 3 PCIe Gen2, 2 PCIe X1 & 2 3CI (All Venom OC Certified)
•SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
•VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+50] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
That computer will run Aces High just fine. My biggest concern about it is that it doesn't mention what kind of power supply is being used and lesser quality power supplies can cause big issues in the near future.
It's important that you understand Aces High isn't as resource hungry as other games out there and as a result you don't need the absolutely best hardware in order to run it reasonably well. If that's the most you plan on using the computer for and given your limited financial situation we're all kind of afraid you're going to spend TOO MUCH money on a system. This is why we keep mentioning that you consider building your own system. You may find yourself in a position where you wish you had spent less money on the computer and more money on peripherals (such as rudder pedals and/or track IR).
I know it may seem intimidating to you but the reality of it all is that selecting the components is the most difficult part of building your own system. If you can use a screwdriver then you can assemble it yourself. The actual assembly is not difficult at all. Yes maybe just a little bit time consuming for an amateur but not difficult. I've built probably about 50 systems in my life and I've got it down to taking less than an hour - even faster if I don't care about cable routing and perfection. It's a lot of fun to do and very very rewarding. If you have kids or even a girlfriend/spouse then it can be a fun project for you all to enjoy! As far as parts selection we can definitely help you with that. Also building your own system gives you a much greater "bang for your buck".. a $1400 system retail you can build yourself for about $700-800.
Also you never mentioned the specifications of your current computer. Its processor may be plenty capable for the game and a video card may be all you need in order to play AH reasonably well enough. In this case you may be able to get off real cheap and then you can always save up and get a REALLY nice system in a few months that will last you for several more years rather than to need to rush into something very expensive right now.
If I were to build a system right now with AH in mind, keeping "future proofing" in mind I would probably choose an i5 processor, a good nvidia fermi (or at least 68XX series amd/ati card) video card, at least 8GB of DDR3 ram, and a seasonic power supply. Keep in mind the system I currently use does not even come close to those specs and still runs AH at almost highest settings (all minus shadows) and maintains 50+ FPS in virtually all conditions of the game.
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save $$$ use windows 8 devpreview.
been using it no issues. just dont store impt stuff, & bkup bkup bkup.
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As long as you'r considering the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card
you might take a look at the
MSI version MSI N560GTX-Ti Twin Frozr II/OC,
basicly same card but with better cooling clockrates and Overclocking cababilities.
Overclocked it actually just pass A Nvidea GTX 570.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/msi_gtx560_twinfrozr_2/16.htm
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2011/01/27/msi-geforce-gtx-560-ti-1gb-review/1
Unfortunately for me i'm having a few problems with my card, and AH2 It runs it fine, just not fast. trying to figure out why. Because every other game just got a major boost in framerate.
SilverB
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Option 4
Contact TilDeath. He builds some wicked stuff. One of which I'm the very happy and proud owner of.
this. Rich (TilDeath) will be glad to work with you. explain the situation, and I'm sure for around 600 or 700 bucks he can get you a good setup. you dont need anything over the top, especially if Aces High is as demanding as it will get and he can hook you up good wit ha best bang for your buck machine. not to mention, youll have some of the cleanest wiring known to man inside.
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Ok I have decided to go the custom-built route. Having trouble deciding on a GPU. Do you guys think the GTX 550Ti would run AH well or should I get the Radeon HD6850 instead?
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I can't speak for the GTX 550Ti. I have an ATI 6850 and run AH 59-60 steady. My shadow settings are modest but everything else is maxed out. Running on an i7 2600k.
Whatever you get, first do a search on Newegg to determine the latest/best spec on the card. Make sure you're getting the best clock rate and memory situation for the money.
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I can't speak for the GTX 550Ti. I have an ATI 6850 and run AH 59-60 steady. My shadow settings are modest but everything else is maxed out. Running on an i7 2600k.
Whatever you get, first do a search on Newegg to determine the latest/best spec on the card. Make sure you're getting the best clock rate and memory situation for the money.
not to hijack, and hopefully i dont, but what cokpany are you using for the card? MSI, HIS, Asus? looking at an msi r6850. only 3 bucks more then a HIS 6850 but its op. frequency is 40 MHz more or something. more appealing to my eye too. looking to cut corners, with the msi im .30 over my budget, but how likely would it be im going to notive the difference? some reviews said with minor OC'ing itll run with 6870'S. Thughts?
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Mason,
I was looking at the 6850 and the 460. Awhile back I was thinking of buying a new card. (Still am) For a 6850, the best in my opinion is the asus. Asus has the voltage adjustment tweak and a good cooler.Its a well balanced card from my reading.(my opinion)
From what I have read, a person can overclock most the 6850 cards towards the 6870 and above in some cases. This depends on software or game, system, etc.
The 460 is about equal to the 6850 and visa versa. Both cards are very close to each other, but yet offer their strength's and weakness compared to each other. Yet again depends on system and application software, etc, etc.
A different article had the evga 460 ftw in comparison to the 6850 while both overclocked. The 460ftw overclocked beat the 6850 overclocked and in some cases beat a 470.
The 6850 is somewhere between a 5830 and a 5850, but of course in some cases better then a 5850.
I read so many articles and have to also wonder if some them are biased.
I was hoping for a price drop on the asus. instead it went up 10.00. Now I am starting to look at the 550ti or a 6950, maybe. See how the christmas sales go.
Good Luck Cattb
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Prices on this stuff can change hourly, it's nuts. The 27" LED back-lite monitor I wanted was $299 for a couple of weeks, then bam, $400+ for a few days, then to down $350 where it held steady. I bought a competitors at $329. Same thing happened for my target power supply. Keep checking, and when it falls to what you think is a good price point, pull the trigger. I would expect some good pricing around Christmas.
I bought the XFX. It looked like the best deal at the time and the card seems to run well even though it's underclocked compared to the new ones. XFX hardware may be good (a friend likes them and they have good reviews) but dealing with the company is a PITA. Don't bother trying to download the newest drivers from the card vendors, go direct to AMD or nVidia.
The biggest problem I had was trying to hook up two 1 TB - 6GB/sec hard drives to the two 6GB SATA ports on the ASUS MB. Big mistake. A mechanical drive can't keep up with the port and the ASUS firmware still won't support 2 HDs on those ports. They did patch/fix the BIOS so it will support one, but not two mechanical HDs the last time I checked. A lot of people simply RMA those MBs because of it. I blame the sales departments at the HD mfgs for mislabeling drives that can't possibly keep the buffers full, and ASUS et al for not making the requirements clearer.
Oh, and does anyone know if MS is offering the family pack deal on Win7 again this year? It was only the Home edition, but hey, maybe you know folks who'd like to go in with you to reduce your cost.
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camelegg.com helps tracking the price history on newegg parts.
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Ok, here's the situation. I got cold feet with custom building a PC. My parents are going to buy the following PC:
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium [64-bit]
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 quad-core processor [3.1GHz, 6MB cache]
Memory: FREE UPGRADE to 6GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [2 DIMMs] from 4GB
Hard drive: FREE UPGRADE to 1TB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive from 500GB
Graphics card: 512MB DDR3 AMD Radeon HD 6450 [DVI, HDMI. VGA adapter]
Sound Card: Integrated sound
I will replace the Graphics card and PSU.
I plan on buying the following video card:
HIS H675F1GD Radeon HD 6750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161379
I have never heard of HIS before, are they reputable?
This PSU: SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094
Will the PSU support everything? AMD's website recommends a 450W PSU so I thought I would go a bit higher just to be safe.
I have considered everyone's advice and I came to this decision, and I thought I'd run it by you guys to see what you think.
And how difficult would it be to replace the PSU and GPU?
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a couple of years ago a wise man told me never to use less than 600w on a build and that was 2 years ago on components that used a lot less power.
few things you have to research before as it looks like you are getting a brand name puter.
-will the computer you buying be able to use a different brand power supply.
-will you be able to install the ps it as it is the hardest part of actually doing a build. rerouting all the wires so they dont stop the airflow.
-will the vc you are buying fit into the case.
you should post a link to the computer you are buying and maybe some people can help you more.
semp
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a couple of years ago a wise man told me never to use less than 600w on a build and that was 2 years ago on components that used a lot less power.
That was good advice, but if you're saying that a high end gaming rig used less power a few years ago than now, think again. Let's take GPU's as an example: A Radeon HD4870 drains more wattage than a HD 6870, and a GF8800 GTX is about par to a 560Ti. Same goes for processors.
A good starting point might be the Extreme Power Supply Calculator (http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp) by Outervision. They have almost every component covered. By selecting "High End" in the motherboard section and "50%" in capacitor aging, maybe also "100%" in CPU Utilization and System Load, you'd have some headroom for future needs.
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That was good advice, but if you're saying that a high end gaming rig used less power a few years ago than now, think again. Let's take GPU's as an example: A Radeon HD4870 drains more wattage than a HD 6870, and a GF8800 GTX is about par to a 560Ti. Same goes for processors.
A good starting point might be the Extreme Power Supply Calculator (http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp) by Outervision. They have almost every component covered. By selecting "High End" in the motherboard section and "50%" in capacitor aging, maybe also "100%" in CPU Utilization and System Load, you'd have some headroom for future needs.
not saying that, i saying dont use less than 600w. but my electrical bill did go down about 50 cents when i switched to a sandy bridge from an e8400. dont make it more than what it was :salute.
semp
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:salute semp. Not trying to put words in your mouth, sorry if it seemed that way. It is sometimes difficult to understand nuances in a foreign language, isn't it?
Anyway, min. 600w sounds good to me too, but IMO those 1000w heaters that came around some years ago are mostly overkill with an 85+ efficiency rate of a modern psu.
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Ok, I will look at better PSUs. How do you guys think the GPU would perform?
I am buying the computer from HP.
How difficult would it be to change out the GPU and PSU?
Here is link to the PC I am buying:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=desktops&a1=Category&v1=Everyday+computing&series_name=p7qe_series&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/desktops/Everyday_computing/p7qe_series (http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=desktops&a1=Category&v1=Everyday+computing&series_name=p7qe_series&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/desktops/Everyday_computing/p7qe_series)
Edit:
New PSU?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095
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Changing them is not difficult at all. Just unscrew and unplug the old ones and put the new ones in. Reminder: Be careful with static charges.
There might be problems with the HP, though. HP have often had tailor made PSU's with nonstandard cases, making it difficult to change to a standard one. The cables and plugs fit OK, but the outside measures and screw placing necessarily don't. Check before you buy. Also check that the computer has enough space for changing a GPU, if you're planning to change that, too. The choices given in your link aren't too high end and you'd soon want a replacement.
If you plan to change those components, I'm wondering why you should pay for the package components in the first hand. For the same money you can get what you want without risking the warranty with changed parts. If you like the HP specs, copy them and add your modifications, go to the local builder and ask if they can beat the price. I'm not saying HP makes poor computers, but they definitely aren't dedicated to gaming. They also tend to have a whole lot of unnecessary preinstalled programs eating resources. Not to mention that the micro-ATX form doesn't give you the opportunity of using crossfire or sli.
Just thinking...
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Next issue: I will need a new joystick also. Are X52s still the way to go or has something better/cheaper come out since? Right now my joystick is a Logitech Attack 3 with about 15 buttons and no hat switch. Anything would be an improvement. I really appreciate all of the help you guys have given me over the past few months. <S>!
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Check out this site.
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/category/intel_pc/
:cheers: Saito
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Next issue: I will need a new joystick also. Are X52s still the way to go or has something better/cheaper come out since? Right now my joystick is a Logitech Attack 3 with about 15 buttons and no hat switch. Anything would be an improvement. I really appreciate all of the help you guys have given me over the past few months. <S>!
X52's are still relatively cheap, CH still is relatively durable. If you're happy with your Attack3 but would like a hat, Logitech has hatted models. If you'd like something for your left hand, a Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas is the cheapest choice. IMO it is about the same quality with Logitechs, also pretty much equally shaped and sized as the Wingman Extreme 3d. TM's T.16000M might be a good choice concerning accuracy with its Hall Effect sensors.
There have been many threads lately about the more expensive sticks and hotases on this board. Choose by your budget.
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Pannono, you're still going to be better off by building yourself. An HP is going to have limitations by using components just good enough to get by with. They also aren't going to let you make changes to your hardware in the BIOS to get more performance from it as you grow more comfortable. If you're going to replace the PSU anyway then just build.
Here's a rough breakdown of the steps:
1. Drop the CPU in the slot and lock it in.
2. Apply thermal paste and mount the CPU fan (this might be the hardest part. A thin line of thermal pase is all you need).
3. Screw the motherboard into the case.
4. Mount the PSU and plug in the CPU, fan and motherboard wiring.
5. Mount the hard drive(s) and optical drive(s).
6. Lock the RAM into it's slots.
7. Lock the GPU into it's slot.
8. Run the wires from the motherboard to the drives.
9. Plug the wires from the PSU into the drives and GPU.
10. Close the case and set up the BIOS.
11. Install the OS.
12. Install apps.
13. Transfer data.
3 hours to build, 2-3 hours to install OS and apps and transfer data depending on how much you have.
Satisfaction vs a pre-built system 10:1
Future upgrade possibilities without spending another dime: Overclock your CPU, RAM and GPU. for a 20% or more gain.
Knowledge gained: You'll never consider another pre-built system.
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I got my new PC up and running. Thanks for all of your help, everyone! I am now consistently running 59-60FPS offline with almost all of the settings maxed out. I couldn't have came back to AH without all of the advice and help I received from all of you. I really appreciate it. See you up there as soon as my joystick comes! <S>!