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Post by Water Dumple on Jan 5, 2009 22:16:58 GMT -5
So a few days ago I'm looking at the system requirements for Battlefield 2. All I need is a video card. Just to see if my computer can even handle one, I must download CPU-Z, look around with it for information, search online for the specifications on my motherboard, and even if I do get this video card, I'll have to void the warranty on my computer case just getting it in.
So, by now I've got the "Screw this" attitude, and long story short, I'm going to build my own computer. Now, I want this to be generally high-quality--Not something insane able to run every PC game in existence at full quality, but fairly good--I'd like it to be upgradable, and then of course have some stuff like PCI-Express ports for video cards and the like. However, if I can, I'd like to try to avoid spending more than 1,200$ on it, which I think amounts to something like 900 Euros for you folks across the ocean.
Now, it's going to take some time earning and saving this money, but should a large sale come up with a good motherboard/CPU/video card/stuff, I want to be ready and know what I want. So, what would you all recommend? I'd like to keep my spending on a video card down to 100$ and below if possible, but I'd like to hear what you all have and think is best. Especially if you've built your own computer, you probably know how many options are out there and getting a high-quality upgradable result isn't very easy.
What are your recommendations?
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Waffle-SS
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 5, 2009 22:24:10 GMT -5
For graph0x, a Nvidia 8800 is a good balance between price and power, and you can get one for 100-150 if you're lucky. I have a card which I swaped out in favor of my 8800, too. I forget what its called, but its probably quite a bit cheaper than an 8800, and can run a wide range of games. Probably good for the stuff you'll be running. Don't expect to run Crysis on max with any of these, but they'll get the job done.
EDIT: What I used to have in my comp was a 7600 GT. You can get one from between 60 and 100 dollars or so.
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Post by Water Dumple on Jan 9, 2009 23:57:00 GMT -5
Okay, thanks, I'll look into those.
Any motherboard recommendations, anyone? I'll need to have room for a PCI Express video card slot, and it'd be good if it's upgradable/has a lot of slots.
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Waffle-SS
Gatling Groink
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 10, 2009 0:03:50 GMT -5
Make sure your motherboard can fit the card you want. My friend got a 7800, but he didn't have the right slot for it, so he couldn't use it.
Nvidia makes some good motherboards, which are excellent if gaming is really the only thing your comp is focused on. Also, DO NOT get XP 64 bit. It runs a lot of games very very laggily, and is generally not good for gaming.
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Post by Water Dumple on Jan 10, 2009 0:05:30 GMT -5
I'd like to be able to run high-quality games well, but I'm also going to be using this computer for general purposes like papers and stuff. And if I take good care of it, hopefully it'll go to college with me so I can do l33t mechanical engineering calculus equations and stuff on it and cheat.
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Waffle-SS
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 10, 2009 0:11:19 GMT -5
I'd like to be able to run high-quality games well, but I'm also going to be using this computer for general purposes like papers and stuff. And if I take good care of it, hopefully it'll go to college with me so I can do l33t mechanical engineering calculus equations and stuff on it and cheat. Oh yeah, you can do all that stuff. x64 Bit is really only useful for running Maya and other 3d programs, and a few other things. Plus a bit better virus protection I think, but I'm not sure. Also, to clarify, x64 Bit is an OS. The 8800 or 7800 should be able to run anything, except maybe STALKER with an uber graphix mod, on mediumish settings.
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Post by Water Dumple on Jan 10, 2009 0:39:21 GMT -5
So XP 64 Bit is different from x64 Bit?
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Waffle-SS
Gatling Groink
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 10, 2009 3:18:49 GMT -5
So XP 64 Bit is different from x64 Bit? Oh, no. They're the same. Basically, just stick with XP, and avoid anything with the number 64 in it. Except the Nintendo 64.
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bulbmin
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Post by bulbmin on Jan 10, 2009 9:06:01 GMT -5
If XP 64-bit is running laggily, you're doing it wrong. 64-bit operating systems are designed to use 4 GB of RAM or more. They won't run as well if you don't have that much RAM. On the flipside, if you don't have a 64-bit operating system, you aren't really going to get any use out of having more than 3 GB of RAM.
WD, if you want me to I could try and get you in contact with a cousin of mine. He knows a lot about computers, and he builds computers from scratch regularly.
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Waffle-SS
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 10, 2009 15:07:37 GMT -5
If XP 64-bit is running laggily, you're doing it wrong. 64-bit operating systems are designed to use 4 GB of RAM or more. They won't run as well if you don't have that much RAM. On the flipside, if you don't have a 64-bit operating system, you aren't really going to get any use out of having more than 3 GB of RAM. WD, if you want me to I could try and get you in contact with a cousin of mine. He knows a lot about computers, and he builds computers from scratch regularly. I have I think 5 or 6 gigs. The problem is that some games just aren't made to be compatable with it, so no matter how good your comp is, it will always lag, pretty much the same lag too from low to high.
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bulbmin
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Post by bulbmin on Jan 10, 2009 15:35:29 GMT -5
What on earth are you running on your computer? A simualtion of the entire universe? Why would you need 5 or 6 gigs of RAM?
Also, while it's true that some games aren't compatible with 64 bit operating systems, the number of games which do work with it are increasing. I'm guessing Starcraft 2 will probably be 64 bit compatible.
Regardless, this whole discussion is rather pointless because Water Dumple wants to keep costs down, and a 64-bit operating system plus the extra RAM will add on a fair bit of money.
Just don't go with Vista, whatever you do.
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Waffle-SS
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Post by Waffle-SS on Jan 10, 2009 16:19:22 GMT -5
Just don't go with Vista, whatever you do. This. Definently.
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Kai
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Post by Kai on Jan 10, 2009 17:02:27 GMT -5
No Vista. Had 10 or so friends COMPLETELY crash and Black Screen their brand new computers with Vista >.>
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Post by Water Dumple on Jan 10, 2009 17:13:17 GMT -5
blargg lots of people are saying things
Well, my current computer has 2 gigabytes pf RAM and I haven't hit a problem with it yet...of course, the heaviest game I've tried to run on it is Battlefield 1942 (Seven years old), so that's probably not a good indicator. I will probably go for something like 3 GB of RAM, although it's definitely not easy to find a good brand and all that. Any recommendations for RAM?
I'll look at the motherboards you all mentioned, but as Bulbmin mentioned, the top-of-the-line ones will likely be too expensive. I'm much more willing to spend on a highly upgradable motherboard, though, as that will only cost me later, not now.
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Petrosian
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Post by Petrosian on Jan 15, 2009 1:54:29 GMT -5
That you, Kai? I'd like to ask, where the heck is Grey Snagret now?
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