can a pc be built/bought to run ah on full eye candy for around $800?

[guncrasher]

it was my understanding and i believe skuzzy mentioned it several times that ah uses 2 cores.

semp

[MaSonZ]

one or two cores it doesnt matter if you have a multi core. i have a X6 and i notice no differnece when im on AH, playin music in the background and surfin the web. I imagine an X4 would be much the same.

[ebfd11]

Masonz i have a i5 quad core and I am gonna be changing to a i7 six core as as soon as I can afford it but right now I am looking at changing my vid cards to something different. I will post what i get as soon as I get them.



LawnDart aka FeralPig

[guncrasher]

one or two cores it doesnt matter if you have a multi core. i have a X6 and i notice no differnece when im on AH, playin music in the background and surfin the web. I imagine an X4 would be much the same.

mason you see no difference because you have a fast processor.  i got 4 cores and can play ah with fraps on  and i see sometimes fps down to 55, even in middle of furball with everything on and shadows at 4096.  that's why if it was me upgrading I would get at least a 4 core, in the long run you will save money by not having to upgrade next year.

and like it was mention before the reason some processors have locked cores is because they didnt pass inspection for x2 number of cores.  and sometimes they will not really work even if you unlock them.  if you gonna go amd (I wont, but that's just me) spend the extra bucks on the 4 cores not that much more anyway.  and if you cant afford them, instead of buying a slower cpu, perhaps wait a month or two and buy a better one.  that's what I did, took me 2 years to get to the system i have now.

semp

[TequilaChaser]

Aces High can and does use 2 cores..... AH has been doing this for a good long while now, but it only works for INTEL Dual or Multi Core cpu processors........ not AMD Dual or Multi Core cpu processors...... those of us with AMD multi core CPUs are handicapped to only having one core utilized when playing Aces High.... Aces High does not allow the AMD's to use more than just 1 core.......... it has always been this way

even though, AMD's being relagated to only being able to use 1 core in Aces High does not really keep a person from being able to play the game at max advanced graphical settings if the person has done their homework and built a system to handle what Aces High can throw at it......

If one does their research and picks the right components that will work well together, they can build an AMD based PC that will take everything Aces High can dish out, yet still save a good bit of money

edit: yes like guncrasher mentions, if one has a fast quad or six core AMD processor they prob want see much decrease in performance verses someone with a slower quad or six core AMD cpu

like this AMD Phenom II X6 1035T Thuban 2.6GHz   :  one might not be able to max everything out in AH  but using this ---> AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Thuban 3.3GHz, 3.7GHz Turbo , they could max everything out and not see any decrease in performance ( although all the other parts in their PC build would be important also, especially their  PSU, Video Card  and  Memory.. etc  oh and cooling of components ability )


hope this helps

<S>

TC

[BaldEagl]

AMD's are handicapped to using one core.  For a while there was this spinning clipboard problem and reducing AMD CPU's to a single core eliminated it making game compatability much better for AMD users.  Intel dual cores didn't have this issue and the game utilizes both cores.  

Anything more than two cores might be nice if you're multi-tasking while playing because another application might use the open cores that the game isn't using.  If you're building specifically for AH without a view to future upgrades and don't run multiple applications while gaming then more than two cores is a waste of money.  If that's the case then you're better off buying a faster dual core than a slower multi core.

Oh.  And besides the core usage advantage Intel has over AMD they are much more easily overclocked if you're into that sort of thing.  Any Intel CPU can be OC'd 20% without effort and actually much more if you know what your doing.  I've got my 2.66 Ghz E6750 running at 3.2 Ghz as a daily driver but have had it to almost 3.6 Ghz stable on air and still hovering just over 60C under full load.

Go suck on that AMD guys.    jk.  

[Debrody]

Interesting... then a sandy bridge overclocked i3 is the cheapest way to run AH well.

[BaldEagl]

Interesting... then a sandy bridge overclocked i3 is the cheapest way to run AH well.

An I3 is actually a Celeron equivalent processor so cache sizes will be another determining factor but if the price range and cache sizes were equal but the I3 was dual core and the competitor was multi core but slower then yes.  One additional consideration is power draw.  Lower will keep components running cooler and may allow higher OCing.  That's where the Wolfdales eclipsed the Conroes which is what I have but even the Conroes are OCing beasts.

As a general rule step to the highest cache size in your price range then focus on cores or speed.  If your primary consideration is graphics or video editing then slower with more cores is the right fit.  If your primary consideration is gaming then faster with two cores is a better fit.  Multiple cores will generally run things like spreadsheets and virus scans faster as well but won't enhance gaming.

As to the OC aspect I've never understood buying an OC'd video card when you can get the base model and do it yourself except in terms of the warranty.  OCing any component will generally void the warranty but the manufacturer's build in the ability for enthusiasts and within limits it won't harm the components to do so.  The exception is RAM manufacturers who spec timings and voltages even though default settings are generally slower and lower respectively.  Quality RAM manufacturers will generally allow a specific margin over spec without voiding the warranty.

[gyrene81]

Oh.  And besides the core usage advantage Intel has over AMD they are much more easily overclocked if you're into that sort of thing.  Any Intel CPU can be OC'd 20% without effort and actually much more if you know what your doing.  I've got my 2.66 Ghz E6750 running at 3.2 Ghz as a daily driver but have had it to almost 3.6 Ghz stable on air and still hovering just over 60C under full load.

Go suck on that AMD guys.    jk.  

  considering the cost differential, my next build is going amd all the way. i've done nothing but intel for the last 11 years and considered the cost vs reliability worth it, but not now.

just keeping in mind that core speed, economy and obsolescence are prime factors, looking at dual cores (which is all most of us need):

AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black Edition Callisto 3.3GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor = $92
Intel Core i5-650 Clarkdale 3.2GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor  = $175

i can buy 8gb of ddr3 1600 for the price difference and no overclocking needed out of the box.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

  considering the cost differential, my next build is going amd all the way. i've done nothing but intel for the last 11 years and considered the cost vs reliability worth it, but not now.

just keeping in mind that core speed, economy and obsolescence are prime factors, looking at dual cores (which is all most of us need):

AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black Edition Callisto 3.3GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor = $92
Intel Core i5-650 Clarkdale 3.2GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor  = $175

i can buy 8gb of ddr3 1600 for the price difference and no overclocking needed out of the box.

I hope you're aware that the AMD processors are slower clock for clock than intels?

[gyrene81]

I hope you're aware that the AMD processors are slower clock for clock than intels?

yes, but with the latest generations, it's negligible. anyone with experience knows that intels (especially the i series cpus) excel at high end multi-threading processes, but for single gpu high resolution gaming the amd performance is on par with intels. put the proper components together and you can get the perfomance you want, i can make an i7 perform like an old core2 with the wrong parts.

[guncrasher]

yes, but with the latest generations, it's negligible. anyone with experience knows that intels (especially the i series cpus) excel at high end multi-threading processes, but for single gpu high resolution gaming the amd performance is on par with intels. put the proper components together and you can get the perfomance you want, i can make an i7 perform like an old core2 with the wrong parts.

you mean it's impossible to do it with amd?

semp

[MaSonZ]

my question... ive read MANY reviews where people say an i5 2500K is more then enough for any gaming rig. why in Gods name would you need an i7? let alone an i7 2600k? 

[guncrasher]

my question... ive read MANY reviews where people say an i5 2500K is more then enough for any gaming rig. why in Gods name would you need an i7? let alone an i7 2600k? 

depends on what you are going to do and add some head room.  my e8400 cpu was more than enough to play ah with 2048 shadows.  but it was a little slow when using fraps while playing.  with the 2500k i can run fraps while playing the game with 4096 shadows and see fps down to 55 in heavy furball.  and it's a lot faster when making ah movies.  had i really thought about it i shouldda gotten the 2600k, not because i need it, but because you never know.  the 80 bucks i saved by getting the 2500k may cost me a little more in the future should I need something faster than the 2500k.

semp

[MaSonZ]

depends on what you are going to do and add some head room.  my e8400 cpu was more than enough to play ah with 2048 shadows.  but it was a little slow when using fraps while playing.  with the 2500k i can run fraps while playing the game with 4096 shadows and see fps down to 55 in heavy furball.  and it's a lot faster when making ah movies.  had i really thought about it i shouldda gotten the 2600k, not because i need it, but because you never know.  the 80 bucks i saved by getting the 2500k may cost me a little more in the future should I need something faster than the 2500k.

semp

just more a multitask friendly CPU in reality?