General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: 230G on October 01, 2017, 08:16:18 PM
Title: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: 230G on October 01, 2017, 08:16:18 PM
Ready to get back into the game! needing to know if I can upgrade or if I need to start from scratch.
Offline with shadows and lots of detail turned off my FR is in the mid-20's mostly.
Here are the details:
System Information ------------------ Time of this report: 9/28/2017, 20:56:22 Machine name:PC Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_ldr.170810-1615) Language: English (Regional Setting: English) System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. System Model: EP43T-UD3L BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7500 @ 2.93GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz Memory: 4096MB RAM Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM Page File: 2511MB used, 5675MB available Windows Dir: C:\Windows DirectX Version: DirectX 11 DX Setup Parameters: Not found User DPI Setting: Using System DPI System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent) DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode
-------------- System Devices -------------- Name: Intel(R) ICH10 Family PCI Express Root Port 5 - 3A48 Device ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A48&SUBSYS_50011458&REV_00\3&13C0B0C5&0&E4 Driver: n/a
Name: Intel(R) ICH10 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 3A36 Device ID: PCI
--------------- EVR Power Information --------------- Current Setting: {5C67A112-A4C9-483F-B4A7-1D473BECAFDC} (Quality) Quality Flags: 2576 Enabled: Force throttling Allow half deinterlace Allow scaling Decode Power Usage: 100 Balanced Flags: 1424 Enabled: Force throttling Allow batching Force half deinterlace Force scaling Decode Power Usage: 50 PowerFlags: 1424 Enabled: Force throttling Allow batching Force half deinterlace Force scaling Decode Power Usage: 0
I don't think it shows, but if it matters I'm using a 700 power supply.
So is an upgrade possible, and if so, what needs to be upgraded?
Thanks!!
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: Bizman on October 02, 2017, 01:48:39 AM
If the system fulfills your other needs, it's quite easy to make it run AH very well. There's several options depending on your future plans.
The minimalist option, which should suite your existing hardware without further modifications and give you a steady 60 FPS on default settings:
Add RAM to 8 GB
Get a GeForce 1050Ti
The headroom option, allowing for a higher resolution monitor up to 1440p, still maintaining the steady 60 FPS:
Add RAM to 8 GB
Get a GeForce 1060
Possibly get a better power supply
The ultra option to allow for any graphical gimmicks: Get a new computer.
Your processor might allow for some overclocking to get past 3 GHz. I have an E8500 3.16 clocked to 3.8 GHz by just raising the bus from 333 to 400, allowing the motherboard adjust the voltages. Used Core2 processors are very cheap so the risk is minimal.
Also notice, that both the RAM and video card, and the optional power supply can be transferred to a new computer in case the old system can't do its task. DDR3 won't become obsolete in the very near future, the others being even less platform dependent.
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: BowHTR on October 02, 2017, 06:52:25 AM
You should be able to get better than 20fps with your current system. I was running a GTX750 as well with my frame rate steady around 60 running it at 1920x1080.
Try these setting, they are what I used to run. I also had my texture size at 512 and FOV at 110.
You should be able to get better than 20fps with your current system. I was running a GTX750 as well with my frame rate steady around 60 running it at 1920x1080.---
Good point. What caught my eye was "Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7500 @ 2.93GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz". Is that because of some automatic power saving feature? You might want to set that off.
Something I didn't notice for my first post was the 700W power supply. If it's of good quality, it should be able to run most current Nvidia cards.
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: 230G on October 02, 2017, 09:31:30 AM
Man! Thanks for all the responses!
A little update:
I couldn't get MY current version of the game to upgrade, couldn't log in or access my account. So, I uninstalled and DL'ed the newest version late last night. I didnt have much time to mess with it, but for some reason the newest version, even running default settings, give pretty fair FR's....60's while just flying around. Of course smoke bogs it down, as expected.
So I think I'll upgrade what I have.
4Gb to 8Gb memory upgrade will be easy.
I'll have to decide between the Geforce 1050Ti and the 1060. Are both thsee offered with different amounts of video memory? If so, how much would I need?
As far as the processor goes, I don't mind upgrading it. Will any Socket 775 processor work? I'm seeing for example an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.0 GHz LGA 775 65W Processor for $197, and an Intel Pentium E6700 Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.2 GHz LGA 775 65W Desktop Processor for $116. Woimd a dual-core be worth the price difference? Thoughts? Suggestions?
ETA- The used processors are DAMNED cheap! So what would give me the best bang-for-the-buck as far as core, Mhz, etc?
Regarding the power supply, I bought it years ago with AH in mind. It is a Rosewill Green 700W
Thanks again for the help and I'm going to fly tonight!
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: Bizman on October 02, 2017, 10:37:52 AM
For upgrading the processor, get one that is natively above 3 GHz. IIRC the current version of the game can use more than two cores, in any case a quad core is a good choice since it allows for allocating other processes to a potential "free" core during gaming. The Quads with a 12 Mb L2 cache look tempting for $50, however you might get roughly the same gaming performance by optimising your current CPU settings and overclocking it slightly. It has been known to overclock to 3.83 GHz using air cooling. Read your motherboard manual. If you don't have it any longer, it can be downloaded from the Gigabyte support site.
If you're not familiar with overclocking, the basic rule is to take baby steps and do some testing in between. What I'd do is to raise the bus speed from 266 to 333 and lower the multiplier to 8.5 to start with. That should result close to the default 2.93 GHz. Then raise the multiplier in .5 steps, testing in between. The default bus speeds are 266, 333 and 400, using them is recommended because your RAM and PCI-e slot speeds may be based on them depending on your motherboard settings. About the bus speed: I like to figure the buses as water pipes. The speed correlates to diameter, the multiplier to pressure. If you want more water to run through the pipe, you can either add pressure or get a wider pipe. The latter is healthier for the pipe. That's why raising the bus speed and decreasing the multiplier is the recommended way for a gentle overclocking.
The 1050Ti ships with 4 GB, 1060 with either 3 or 6 GB. They all are sufficient for AH.
There's quite a lot of negative comments about Rosewill power supplies. Yours is made by ATNG who have been on the OEM market for decades. Not the best, nor the worst.
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: 230G on October 12, 2017, 10:23:40 AM
Follow up and a question....
I bought (For $18!) an Intel E8400 3.0 GHz processor and installed it. Noticeable difference in performance/frame rates. A other 4 Mb od DDR3 will be installed this evening.
I'm still looking at the two video cards that were suggested here. My MB has the PCI Express 2.0 slots. Most of the new cards are 3.0. Will they be backward compatible to 2.0?
Thanks for the help. I'm really enjoying being back in the game!
Title: Re: Any Hope of Upgrading This System?
Post by: Skuzzy on October 12, 2017, 10:34:02 AM