question about computer build

[WMLute]

I have been using (brace yourself) a p4 1.3 CPU, 512RDRAM system for most the past 6=8 months after lightning took out my main, and backup systems in 2007.

The above was my "backup" backup system.

Money is super tight, but I finally broke down and bought @ newegg...

P4 3.0 ghz Cedar Mills cpu
2 gigs Corsair DDR2 667 ram
mobo that supports AGP and PCI-e
Case and 510watt powersupply.

My question is this.

Would the above run AH "smooth" w/ the 512 textures and most settings to the left (on detail etc)?  (the vid. card is a lowly 6200 NVidia 256 ram card)

Dare I dream @ using 1024 textures?

How do you think it will run AH?

Bear in mind, this was just a temp. fix and i'll end up building something "better" later this year.

[Getback]

Wow nice temp!

Sounds like it to me. Make sure you're not running too many back ground processes. Just try the 1024 text and see.

I've been told over and over that the game is more cpu driven than video driven.

[Blammo]

Sounds like a good solid system, but I don't know if you will run smoothly with the sliders all the way to the left.  Two-thirds or three-quarters probably @ 512 for textures.  Full sliders will work good if not a lot of con or ground details near.

I was using a P4 3.0 GHz, with 1 GB RAM and FX5900 before I built my new system.  It ran pretty enough for me to enjoy it and be comfortable.

Anyway, I think what you bought will get the job down for the most part, but I think 1024 textures are out.

[Skuzzy]

The 6200 is not going to run the game well.  256 texture size would be the correct setting and most of the sliders moved towards performance.

[WMLute]

hey Skuzzy, how would a GeForce 7300GT 512MB do then?

[Skuzzy]

Slightly better.  You need to get to the 7600, or higher, to get in good video card territory.  In the 8xxx line, you need to go passed the 8600 before you get into good video card territory.

Any video card which uses system RAM for any part of its memory should really be avoided.

[bj229r]

Hmm if a 6200 sucks then that splains much about my 5700

(Lol I can imagine Skuzzy as  doctor..."So doc....what have I got?..."  

"Dunno, we'll know more after the autopsy" )

[Emu]

my 7900 GT with 256MB runs the game just fine with 1024 and sliders to the left.  maybe you can find cheap ones still around?

[WMLute]

my "backup" was a 2.0 ghz w/ 1 gig ram and a 6200 256mb card.

I was running 512 textures w/ the sliders 3/4 to the left @ a rock solid 70fps.

The LOWEST fps I ever saw was in the 40's.

I was hoping that goin to the 3.0 ghz and 2 gigs ram would handle it all no problem with max detail.

I run a SUPER clean system.

14 ish services running and only essential windows processes (with firefox I got 17 running).

I'll prob. give 1024 a try and see, but i'm betting i'll just run 512.

I'm gonna freak out if 1024 works.  Going from 128 to 1024 will be a drastic change indeed.

[Skuzzy]

Frame rate is not everything.  The 6200 does not have the fill rate to keep up.  The faster your CPU, the higher the fill rate of the video needs to be in order to keep up.  

The manifestations of issues can run from UDP losses to stutters to lag to warps as the video cards that make use of system RAM are all run by the CPU.  There is little in the way of coprocessers available on those video cards/chips.

[bj229r]

My vid card has 256 meg, (not sure of speed) HOW does one know what sort of drag it is upon the cpu? (Since I lost mobo, I bought what I THOUGHT was a direct replacement...turns out it has a slower FSB, and now I get the occasional 5 second freeze (typically near ground while in a dive:mad: )

[WMLute]

Just found a GEFORCE-7600GS-512-AGP for $115.00.

I'm getting my "stuff" today, and if nothing is DOA I will give AH a go w/my lowly 6200 card, and keep the 7600GS in mind.

$115.00 w/ free shipping is "tempting" tho'.

[WMLute]

built, updating windows as we speak.

give me a couple hours to tweak and i'll give AH a go.

[gurinski]

I use a dell 531 inspiron 2gigs ram and evga 8600gt 256 540 core clock dx10 ddr3 and it runs AH flawlessly. I overclock it only when I play AH but I dont think it makes much of a difference from when I didnt Note: $99 @ newegg with $10 rebate cant beat that.

[AKDogg]

Lute, stay away from the GS series, Go with the GT series.  example: 7600 GS (no), 7600gt (yes)

Check this site out just for comparison.  Look at the fill rate difference.  As u can see the GT has about 30-40% more fill rate then the GS.

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=387&card2=385