PC Guide For Champions (Buying/Upgrading)

[Archived Post]

Alright folks, since the release of the System Requirements for Champions Online (http://www.champions-online.com/node/88150) I've seen a ton of requests for help with:



Purchasing a new Desktop

Purchasing a new Laptop and

Upgrading to new components



I'm going to try to give you guys a little help with whats going on in hopes that we can help find something for everyone. This first section will be for purchasing and upgrading new parts for a Desktop PC. The second post will be for Purchasing a new Desktop and/or Laptop.

Not sure if your computer can handle Champions? Check here (http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/) and see if you can play it!

First let's look at the aforementioned System Requirements (http://www.champions-online.com/node/88150)

Minimum System Requirements


CPU: 2.5GHz Single Core or 1.8GHz Dual Core
Memory: 1GB RAM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X700 or HD / Intel Graphics with Dual Core
Sound: DirectX Compatible Soundcard
HDD: 5GB Free Disk Space
Network: ADSL / Cable Modem
Disc: DVD-ROM
OS: Windows XP/Vista
Driver: DirectX 9.0c


Recommended System Configuration


CPU: Intel E8400 Core2Duo or Better
Memory: 2GB RAM or Better
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or Better / ATI Radeon HD3850 or Better
Sound: DirectX Compatible Soundcard
HDD: 5GB Free Disk Space
Network: ADSL / Cable Modem or Better
Disc: DVD-ROM
OS: Windows XP/Vista
Driver: DirectX 9.0c


We can get the similarities between the Minimum and Recommended requirements out of the way so we can focus on what you will truly need in terms of being able to run the game at higher settings.

All systems will have to include:

Internet connection
Windows XP/Vista
DVD-ROM drive
5GB of free Hard Drive space
DirectX Compatible Soundcard


With that being said, you are left with the 3 major factors in terms of using your PC (laptop or desktop) for gaming:

CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Memory (RAM)
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit / Graphics Card)


Let's being with upgrading your memory (RAM) as it's generally the easiest of the 3 to do.

Champions Online (CO) requires a minimum of at least 1GB of memory (RAM) to play and its recommended that you have at least 1.5GB. A general rule for RAM is, the more the merrier; what I mean by that is you'll never be hurt by having too much.

If your running a PC with Windows XP, 1.5GB of memory may be enough for you, as its a less demanding Operating System than Windows Vista. If you run Windows Vista, I would suggest getting at least 2GB of RAM, as this can help your performance a great deal.

*Side note: While it's true that having more RAM than you need isn't harmful, having more RAM than you're actually using doesn't help you in any way, either. An important thing to note is that non 64-bit operating systems will not fully support more than approximately 3GB of RAM. In order to use more than this, a 64-bit OS is required.

Let's look at finding out what type of RAM your going to need. There is a short way and a long way to do this; one of the easiest ways I've found is to use an online memory scanner. I personally use the one from 4allmemory (http://www.4allmemory.com/index.cfm?pid=473&kwd=memory%20configurator), Crucial (http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/index.aspx) has one as well. For the 4allmemory, just open the link and click "Check My System", a popup will appear (leave this open, it has the instructions you need) from there you click "Start" (Firefox users will have to download the program and run it, leave the popup window open). After the scan is complete it will tell you what type of RAM you will need and give you some price comparisons.

Here is the longer (manual..almost) way of doing it
First of all, if you have your original information about your computer (ie the papers that came with it) it might have your motherboard model number and RAM frequencies (these will be important). If you don't have this information, you can download a program called CPU-Z (http://www.cpuid.com/download/cpuz/cpuz_151_setup.exe), this is extremely useful for figuring out what you need. Open up CPU-Z and click the "Memory" tab, this will tell you what kind of RAM you already have in your system; make a mental note of this or jot it down, you'll need it later.

Next we have to figure out exactly how much RAM your computer can support, for this we will look to the Motherboard (Mainboard). You can still use CPU-Z for this, just head over to the "Mainboard" tab and take a look at your "Model" this will tell you what type of motherboard your using. Some motherboards can only support a maximum of 1GB (or less!) of RAM, you'll need to do some research to find out, though most "Mid Range" PC's can support at least 2GB of RAM.

Once you have what type of RAM you need, I'd suggest going to TigerDirect (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=10&name=Memory-RAM) or Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=17&name=Memory) to (usually) find some of the best prices on RAM.

Once you acquire your new and shiny RAM, you need to install it. Here is a beautiful and detailed guide (with pictures! :D) from the website Lifehacker (http://lifehacker.com/138665/hack-attack-how-to-install-ram).

Next we will talk about upgrading your GPU (Graphic Card)

Here is a great website (http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=360&card2=98) if you want to see how your current graphic card will contest with the minimum required cards.

If you want to stick with ATI, choose to change the Geforce selection to an ATI, or vise versa.

Graphic cards can be extremely easy to install, the problem comes from finding out which one you need. First you need to find out what type of graphic card your system can handle; you can find this out by looking at your system manual, typing in your model # from your motherboard that you found using CPU-Z into Google and searching around.

Gamespot (http://www.gamespot.com/features/6142716/index.html) has a great guide on how to identify your graphic card, and how to install it (with even more pictures! :D)

As I stated earlier, the problem doesn't come from installing the card, it comes from trying to determine what card you need for the game(s) you want to play. Graphic cards can range anywhere from $20 to over $400!

Let's look at what the minimum graphics requirements:

Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X700 or HD / Intel Graphics with Dual Core

and the recommended

Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or Better / ATI Radeon HD3850 or Better


If you want to buy the recommended graphic card, here's a link to Newegg (you may want to search around for better prices, Newegg (generally) has quality prices)

Recommended NVIDIA GeForce 8800 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130325)
Recommended ATI Radeon HD3850 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102794)

Now the key thing is to read the guide I posted above from Gamespot to ensure you buy the right type of card. There are 3 main types of connections the graphic cards and motherboards have, AGP, PCI, and PCI-Express, you'll need to make sure you purchase the correct kind or your going to be out of luck.

The reason I did not link the "minimum" graphic cards is because you can get a lot more bang for your buck with other cards. If your not sure what you should get, I'll refer you to this beautifullist of graphic cards, they are ranked in order (lowest in performance first), starting with the "Minimum" graphic card)

nVidia Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/nvidiacompairson.jpg)
ATI Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/ATIcompairson.jpg)
(big thanks to TechArp for the Performance Reviews, full list can be viewed here (http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=88) along with Mobile Graphic cards)

*Note that those Rankings are from a 3rd party site and not guaranteed by nVidia or ATI, though from the looks of it, everything appears right.

Last but not least is the CPU.

While this may sound daunting to upgrade, it, like most of the other parts, can be easy. If you've used CPU-Z to find our your motherboard model # then your in luck, if not, and you don't have your original product manual, open you computer up and write down any important #'s you see. Usually the model # is larger than the other numbers. Do some Googling with the numbers you find to find out the specifics of your motherboard.

Once your able to find out exactly what type of CPU your PC supports (Socket A, T, M, P, etc) you can shop around for what you need.

Minimum Requirements
CPU: 2.5GHz Single Core or 1.8GHz Dual Core
Recommended
CPU: Intel E8400 Core2Duo or Better

Here's another great guide (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~joyoung/cpu/page1.shtml) for installing your new and beloved CPU once you decide on what you need.

There is no guessing when it comes to CPU's like there are with Graphic Cards, it either is, or isn't, going to make the minimum requirements (that being said, it might be quite possible for a 1.7GHz Dual Core CPU or 2.3GHz Single Core CPU to run CO).

One little point I forgot to mention: the speed of your hard drive does have an impact on your game, but more so the loading times than anything else; so the faster the drive, the faster the loading.

[Archived Post]

Now let's bring out the green (and I'm not talking about saving the environment)

I'm talking about $, specifically, spending it on a shiny new Desktop or Laptop :cool:

The options are endless, almost literally, and someone can easily get caught up in all the nonsense if they don't know what they're looking for. Let's start off with buying a new Desktop.

Why get a desktop rather than a laptop? Well the great thing about a desktop is the ability you have to constantly upgrade. You don't like your graphics card anymore? Get a new one. Want a new motherboard and CPU? Go for it. With a laptop you can only go so far in terms of upgrades, then you system slowly becomes obsolete (though a good paper-weight).

While my plan is not to persuade you into buying one desktop over another, that may happen for some of you, it's more or less to get you to understand what you may or may not need, and to help you help yourself.

Let's start off looking at some PC's that make the Minimum System Requirements

CPU: 2.5GHz Single Core or 1.8GHz Dual Core
Memory: 1GB RAM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X700 or HD / Intel Graphics with Dual Core
Sound: DirectX Compatible Soundcard
HDD: 5GB Free Disk Space
Network: ADSL / Cable Modem
Disc: DVD-ROM
OS: Windows XP/Vista
Driver: DirectX 9.0c


Here your going to need what I like to consider a "Mid Range" Desktop PC. These generally cost anywhere from $400-$900 and can be very upgradeable during the course of its lifetime. The main things you will need to meet the requirements are the CPU, Memory, and Graphics Card.

From Cyberpowerpc (http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/LandingPages/megaspecial/weekly/) they have great deals on desktops that meet the minimum requirements; even their "Mega Special 1" the cheapest of the deals, will be able to run CO.

If your not a fan of the flashy computers, you could always go with something more conventional, maybe perhaps a Dell. While it wont be the best gaming machine, the Inspiron 543 (http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/desktops/desktop-inspiron-546/pd.aspx?refid=desktop-inspiron-546&s=dhs&cs=19) with an upgraded Graphics Card and CPU (available from Dell) is able to run CO, and your not going to be breaking the bank either. While some of you might not like a Dell, that's fine, it's just what I prefer because they've always provided me with excellent customer service.

As for a Desktop that is able to run CO using the Recommended System Configurations you'll be looking at a "High(er) End" Desktop. If we take a look at Cyberpowerpc (http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/r08/ri08.asp) again, their Dual Video Card systems would be able to run CO with medium to high settings (most likely).

Again, maybe your looking for something a little less flashy but still a powerhouse, i'll refer you back over to Dell's gaming line of Desktops, the XPS 630 (http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/desktops/desktop-gaming/ct.aspx?refid=desktop-gaming&s=dhs&cs=19&ref=dthp). Though a bit pricier than the previous mention, the machine will still be able to preform without disappointment.

Laptops are another story all together. People often look to them in hope of freeing themselves from the desks, being able to take it all on the go, and if they want raw power, their going to have to pay for it.

Gaming laptops have their downfalls, this I know first hand as I bought the XPS Gen 2 and paid for it, both price wise and in terms of upgradeability. Laptops are (usually) not able to have their Graphic Cards upgraded, so once they become obsolete in the gaming world, so does the laptop. However sometimes you can do "case mods" and are able to upgrade, but that's only for the lucky few.

For a gaming laptop, I'm not going give you an idea of the "minimum" laptop like I did with the desktop. Why? Because it's the same logic that goes with the video cards, you can get more bang for your buck without having to sacrifice money. Let's take a look at Cyberpowerpc again. They have the Xplorer X5-7800 Notebook (http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Xplorer_X5-7800_Notebook/) for under $1000 without any promotional offers added. The things a beast.

If your going to purchase a laptop, I would suggest looking for something around these specs. It's just not worth it in the long run to get a laptop that will only meet the minimum requirements for this game. And if you don't mind a bit of reading, it's highly suggested that you check out the website Notebookcheck (http://www.notebookcheck.net/) for reviews and information on a laptop you just might want.

Well there ya go, a small guide on upgrading and buying PC's. I hope this will help to clear up some issues for people. If anyone has any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms, feel free to drop me (http://forums.champions-online.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=171847) or Tyril132 (http://forums.champions-online.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=69829) a PM, we might be able to help with figuring out what's right for you. Or simply leave a reply on the forum and we'll see if we, or anyone else, will be able to help.

Thanks for reading!

[Archived Post]

I would add that if your going to buy a sub $150 video card your best choice is the radeon 48x0. It is better than the nvidia offers in this price range.

You can get the 512 meg card as low as $80 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127401

You can get the 1 gig as low as $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161275


You can get the radeon 4870

512 meg for $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102810

1GB for $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269

Out of all the cards the 4870 is the best value right now , but that 1 gig 4850 is a steal at $110 also.


I would also add that ati is releasing their dx 11 cards as early as sept.

http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/14609/1/

Which at the very least means all current cards will drop again in price. So its really up to everyone when they want to spend and how they want to spend. If you have a really bad video card or something intergrated or just meeting the minimum specs i'd upgrade now. If you have something meeting the reccomned specs or exceeding it slightly I would hold off untill October.

I would think at the very least you'd be able to get radeon 4890s for $130 at that point or you can most likely buy a similarly performing part with dx 11 and most likely a lower power draw for that price.

[Archived Post]

Great addition gljvd, I had forgotten about the up and comming release for DX11. While the cards wont be driven too far down, it never hurts to be able to save a few dollars.

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I built my quad core system for around 500. all parts from newegg.com.

Amd phenom 2 940 black quad core
4gigs of 1066 ram
asus mobo
ati 4890 graphics card
. . . everything else I took from my old comp

the best thing to do is sign up for their newsletter. Everyweek they will send you promocodes. I got the quad core for $149 and the 4890 for $130. They also do combo specials from $20-$100 off the price. I also picked up vista premium 64 for $59 (just wanted a 64bit to hold me over till windows 7)

watch those promocodes!

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PLEASE STICKY THIS!

/cough please pardon the yelling :D

1 note on Vista and ram, you are fine w/ the 32 bit version unless you have 4 gigs of ram or more

at which point, you would need the 64 bit version to make use of that extra ram memory.

*personally i have 3 gigs or ram and run vista home premium 32 bit (op system came w/ my comp or i'd still be using XP)

[Archived Post]

PLEASE STICKY THIS!

/cough please pardon the yelling :D

1 note on Vista and ram, you are fine w/ the 32 bit version unless you have 4 gigs of ram or more

at which point, you would need the 64 bit version to make use of that extra ram memory.

*personally i have 3 gigs or ram and run vista home premium 32 bit (op system came w/ my comp or i'd still be using XP)

You know you can use your 32bit key for the 64bit edition and if you google it ms allows you to send away for the 64bit verison of vista for like $10 bucks if u have a valid 32bit code. 64bit vista is much better and with the cheap price of ram these days its silly not to be running 8 gigs of ddr 2 or 6 gigs of ddr 3 ram.

[Archived Post]

You know you can use your 32bit key for the 64bit edition and if you google it ms allows you to send away for the 64bit verison of vista for like $10 bucks if u have a valid 32bit code. 64bit vista is much better and with the cheap price of ram these days its silly not to be running 8 gigs of ddr 2 or 6 gigs of ddr 3 ram.

I did not know about the 32 to 64 bit deal they had going on, definitely going to have to look into that.

[Archived Post]

I did not know about the 32 to 64 bit deal they had going on, definitely going to have to look into that.

Yea i don't know if they are still doing it. But they used to do it

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Here are some guides for building a completely new pc.

I figured it might help. They are step by step guides so you can find the part that fits what you need to do.


http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/

http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/how-to-build-a-pc-part-3,1382.html

[Archived Post]

Thank you very, very much for taking the time to post this. Probably 80% of my posts for the last two or three days have consisted of answering the same technical questions over and over again. :D

I strongly support a sticky request.

There are a couple of things I'd clarify, so I'll list them below. Other than that, excellent job!

While it's true that having more RAM than you need isn't harmful, having more RAM than you're actually using doesn't help you in any way, either. This is a minor wording thing with your guide that could confuse some technophobes by suggesting they should get more than they actually need. Another important thing to note is that non 64-bit operating systems will not fully support more than approximately 3GB of RAM. In order to use more than this, a 64-bit OS is required.

Two websites that I find particularly helpful in comparing video cards are listed below; you may want to throw them in there for people wondering which cards are better than others.

GPU Review (http://www.gpureview.com/) is an interesting website for desktop GPUs that allows you to review cards, and even do a side by side comparison between two cards! The other website, Notebookcheck, (http://www.notebookcheck.net/) has a lot of benchmarking and compatability resources for mobile GPUs.

It may be beyond the scope of the guide, but I've seen several people ask if their hardware configuration will allow them to run the game in Bootcamp on a Mac OS system. The hardware requirements are technically unchanged, although Apple builds their systems from a much smaller and more specific pool of hardware, so Bootcamp compatability may be something that warrants mentioning.

Thank you again for taking the time to write this up, and great work on it so far.

[Archived Post]

Added the GPU review as you were posting that :D but thank you. Also, yes I'm going to have to reword the RAM section in reguards to maximum 3GB in XP 32-bit environment. I will go ahead and copy your section into the guide. My brain decided to start turning off last night around 3AM. Id also like to expand on the laptop reviews and possibly give more options for buying since I've seen a handful of people requesting help for laptop purchases.

[Archived Post]

Just to expand a little more on the notebook check site:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html

Is a page I check when looking for information. If you can spend just a little more than the cyberpower laptop, you might check out the Sony VAIO® VGN-FW465. It has similar specs, bluray reader, bluetooth, hdmi and a very nice 16.4" screen for around $1050 after rebate.

[Archived Post]

Thank you very, very much for taking the time to post this. Probably 80% of my posts for the last two or three days have consisted of answering the same technical questions over and over again. :D

I strongly support a sticky request.

There are a couple of things I'd clarify, so I'll list them below. Other than that, excellent job!

While it's true that having more RAM than you need isn't harmful, having more RAM than you're actually using doesn't help you in any way, either. This is a minor wording thing with your guide that could confuse some technophobes by suggesting they should get more than they actually need. Another important thing to note is that non 64-bit operating systems will not fully support more than approximately 3GB of RAM. In order to use more than this, a 64-bit OS is required.

That is true , however i would suggest upgrading to windows vista

Vista home premium is $110 for the 32bit/64bit and comes with a windows 7 free upgrade. So when it comes out you sign up for it adn they send it to you.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116677


There is a huge advantage from going from 3 gigs up to 8 gigs or even more. I'm limited to 8 gigs but next year when i build my new system i will try to get 24 gigs of ram. You can turn off your page file and run everything into system ram. Its so much faster than paging your hardrive.




Two websites that I find particularly helpful in comparing video cards are listed below; you may want to throw them in there for people wondering which cards are better than others.

GPU Review (http://www.gpureview.com/) is an interesting website for desktop GPUs that allows you to review cards, and even do a side by side comparison between two cards! The other website, Notebookcheck, (http://www.notebookcheck.net/) has a lot of benchmarking and compatability resources for mobile GPUs.

I prefer anandtech.com and tomshardware.com along with beyond3d.com for very detailed information. They are professional sites and keep standards across the board when benchmarking and comparing.

They normaly throw in multiple cards in the same price range and a little spectrum of the price range , along with other things like power consumption and tempatures.


It may be beyond the scope of the guide, but I've seen several people ask if their hardware configuration will allow them to run the game in Bootcamp on a Mac OS system. The hardware requirements are technically unchanged, although Apple builds their systems from a much smaller and more specific pool of hardware, so Bootcamp compatability may be something that warrants mentioning.

Thank you again for taking the time to write this up, and great work on it so far.

To run bootcamp you need to have an intel mac . That is a mac with an intel cpu. You also need to have a real verison of windows. It has to be a retail package although you can buy an oem verison but that is proper according to hte terms of ms's eula.

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SSD and YOU

What is an ssd do you ask ? Well its a solid state drive. Its a hardrive uses flash ram instead of a magnitic drive

So why is important.

Well its simple. Regular hardrives even the raptors are very slow compared to your system ram. The way storage works in the computer is like this (fastest to slowest)

Your cpu L1 cache
L2 cache
l3 cache (if you have it)
System ram
hardrive
optical drive (dvd drive or bluray drive)

Now a hardrive is many many thousands of times slower than your system ram. It will top out in the 80mb range while your ram is in the tens of gigabyte range transfer wise.

So when your playing a game you want to increase your ram as much as possible so you can store as much data as possible there or on your graphics ram.

However now that flash has droped in price they have started making fast drives out this .

SSD's have some advantages.

Speed
Power consumption
Heat output
Noise

it has two disadvantages.

Price
Limited capacitys.


The best bang for the buck is the OCZ vertex drive.

60 drive is $220 http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-OCZSSD2-1VTX60G-Vertex-Solid-State/dp/B001NPCTBE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1247517496&sr=8-2

30 gig is $150
http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-OCZSSD2-1VTX30G-Vertex-Solid-State/dp/B001NPCTB4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1247517496&sr=8-3

Yup thats right you can get a 2TB drive for the price of a 60 gig drive.

So why do it ?

Speed my friends

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531&p=30

The vertex loads wow in 6.28 seconds. It takes the velociraptor 12.5 seconds and the fastest seagate drive is 19.6 seconds.

But game loading isn't the only speed up

the ocz will read at up to 250 MB/s while even the raptor is only at 118MB/s


If you already have a good computer this will make it much faster. The general idea is to get a 30-60 gig drive (60 is perfered) and you load windows on it and your most used programs. Everything else you put on your regular hardrive.

I've done this and the speed up is insane it only takes me 15 seconds to load into windows about. It took my old hardrive (raptor) over a minute to load in.

Its a good upgrade for those who already have a good cpu

[Archived Post]

Great information guys, keep it coming. Hopefully we can get this thread stickied so anyone with questions can hopefully find an answer here.

[Archived Post]

A caveat to the post on SSDs.

The read speed on SSDs is very fast, but the write speed...not so much.

You don't want to use one for anything you're doing a lot of writing on. It is good however as an OS drive, and (to some extent) to run executable programs, like games.

[Archived Post]

A caveat to the post on SSDs.

The read speed on SSDs is very fast, but the write speed...not so much.

You don't want to use one for anything you're doing a lot of writing on. It is good however as an OS drive, and (to some extent) to run executable programs, like games.

you shoudl really check out my link. a veloci raptor will right at about 118mb/s the vertex with the older firmware will write at 98mb/s , with the new firmware at about 135

For random writes the vertex will read at 2.24mb/s 1.63 of the raptor. with the newest firmware its at 6.43mb/s

The raptor isn't a slouch and isn't cheap. Its the fastest conventional drive out there.


You have to make sure u buy the right drive. That is why i suggest the vertex.

[Archived Post]

i was wondering if my laptop (http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/review/2007/05/31/Acer-Aspire-5920/p5) would be able to play CO i'm not very computer smart so thought i'd ask here an answer would be much appreciated

[Archived Post]

i was wondering if my laptop (http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/review/2007/05/31/Acer-Aspire-5920/p5) would be able to play CO i'm not very computer smart so thought i'd ask here an answer would be much appreciated

Yes! :)

You meet the recommended system specifications for everything except your graphics card, though it doesn't fall far behind, your definitely above the minimum required specifications. Most likely you'll be able to play on medium settings, though since the game hasn't been released yet I cant say for certain.

Take care! :cool:

[Archived Post]

you shoudl really check out my link. a veloci raptor will right at about 118mb/s the vertex with the older firmware will write at 98mb/s , with the new firmware at about 135

For random writes the vertex will read at 2.24mb/s 1.63 of the raptor. with the newest firmware its at 6.43mb/s

The raptor isn't a slouch and isn't cheap. Its the fastest conventional drive out there.


You have to make sure u buy the right drive. That is why i suggest the vertex.

A raptor/velociraptor isn't an SSD, hence my warning. SSDs don't write that fast.

The best setup right now is porbably:

SSD for OS
Raptor/V-raptor for running games
7200 RPM SATA drives as storage units.

[Archived Post]

Also guys a few good websites to check for prices on parts and combo deals.

SlickDeals (http://www.slickdeals.net)
Newegg Combo Deals (http://www.newegg.com/Special/Combo.aspx?listType=combo&name=Combo-Deals)
Newegg Daily Deals (http://www.newegg.com/DailyDeal.aspx?Name=DailyDeal)
Pricewatch (http://www.pricewatch.com)
DealNews (http://www.dealnews.com)

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:/ Now am a lil dissapointed i just resgistered and my comp will not be able to run the game good enough for it to be enjoyable :( l got 128 MB graphics,1GB memory,3GHZ prosessor game will never run smooth :( Ill just have to wait until i get a new comp.

[Archived Post]

:/ Now am a lil dissapointed i just resgistered and my comp will not be able to run the game good enough for it to be enjoyable :( l got 128 MB graphics,1GB memory,3GHZ prosessor game will never run smooth :( Ill just have to wait until i get a new comp.

Yeah, sorry to hear that. If you know anything about upgrading it would be the cheaper route, or to build one from scratch. There are a lot of cheap computers out there that are capable of running CO, if you decide to buy one in the near future, I'd suggest coming here and getting some advice.

[Archived Post]

This is my PC's specs:


Windows Xp SP3
AMD Sempron 2600+ , 1.83 GHz
2,00 GB RAM
GeForce NX7600GS 512MB DDR2


It's always because of my processor that many games have a hard time running, so will I be able to run Champions online?

[Archived Post]

PLEASE STICKY THIS!

/cough please pardon the yelling :D

1 note on Vista and ram, you are fine w/ the 32 bit version unless you have 4 gigs of ram or more

at which point, you would need the 64 bit version to make use of that extra ram memory.

*personally i have 3 gigs or ram and run vista home premium 32 bit (op system came w/ my comp or i'd still be using XP)

careful about the 64 bit versions, i heard theres some compatability issues with some games. (not sure about this 1)

[Archived Post]

This is my PC's specs:


Windows Xp SP3
AMD Sempron 2600+ , 1.83 GHz
2,00 GB RAM
GeForce NX7600GS 512MB DDR2


It's always because of my processor that many games have a hard time running, so will I be able to run Champions online?

It's really tough to say without the game being out already. My guess is you will be able to run it, maybe, but it's going to be quite laggy.

There are a lot of cheap upgrades out there, a lot of motherboard + CPU combos that really are great deals, any reason you wouldn't want to go that route?

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if my laptop will be able to run the game. City of Heroes runs perfectly on it, but I just want to check.

Toshiba Satellite A205
Intel Celeron CPU 540 @ 1.86 GHz
2.00 GB
32-bit operating system
Windows Vista
It has Direct X 10 and wireless internet.

If it runs laggy, I'm okay with that. I'll just have to play it at lower settings.

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if my laptop will be able to run the game. City of Heroes runs perfectly on it, but I just want to check.

Toshiba Satellite A205
Intel Celeron CPU 540 @ 1.86 GHz
2.00 GB
32-bit operating system
Windows Vista
It has Direct X 10 and wireless internet.

If it runs laggy, I'm okay with that. I'll just have to play it at lower settings.

What type of video card do you have? So far your going to be very limited because your CPU doesn't even meet the minimum requirements. The game is a lot more demanding than City of Heroes, if anything, Champions Online is about as demanding as Crysis.

[Archived Post]

One thing you guys really need to take into consideration when it comes to games is GPU and not CPU. If your worried your processor is a little slow don't worry about it unless its around 1.5 GHZ (duo?) where bottle necking will occur because of it (GPU can't run at full potential). Another thing that will effect you game is ram, your good with two gigs, and great with 4 (you really don't need any more then that for games either way).

:/ Now am a lil dissapointed i just resgistered and my comp will not be able to run the game good enough for it to be enjoyable :( l got 128 MB graphics,1GB memory,3GHZ prosessor game will never run smooth :( Ill just have to wait until i get a new comp.

DO NOT buy a new computer, especially if its just for one game. All you'll need is a new Graphics card and 1 extra stick of Ram (1 gig). The simplest way of buying new ram is going Crucial.com scanning your computer and buying the recommended sticks (Scanner DOES NOT WORK one x64 bit systems! Its will Blue Screen you because of a driver issue, if you happen to run it and it happens just restart your computer, no harm done. I've only tested it on Vista x64/ Win 7 x64 BSOD both times, worked on Xp x32 Vista x32/ not sure about XP x64 since I dont have it installed any more). If your into Timing then just go to newegg and pick it out yourself (preferably 2 new one gig sticks if your going this route).

careful about the 64 bit versions, i heard theres some compatability issues with some games. (not sure about this 1)

There is with older games but some games allow you to run in x32 bit mode or x64 (i.e. Crysis). One thing to keep in mind if your trying to Decide which version you want to buy is this:
x32 Bit OS = 3 or fewer gigs of RAM
x64 Bit OS = 4 or more gigs of RAM

Also if your only installing the OS on one computer then go with the OEM version (no support from M$/ Can only LEGALLY be installed on one computer, but if you break the law I wont tell :p).



If you fell you must build a new system then please take this article into consideration: "Build a Kick-Ass $500 Gaming PC, Play Crysis at 40FPS! (http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/build_a_500_pc_play_crysis_40fps)" and note that the majority of the money spent is in the Graphics card. (This price does not include monitor/ keyboard/ mouse/ etc).

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if my friend's laptop can run CO:

Model name Basic B2148 N
Processor Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6400
Processor details 2 MB L2 cache, 2.0 GHz, 800 MHz FSB
Operating System Windows XP
Chipset SiS M672 + SiS 968
Productivity Software None
Memory 2 GB DDR2
Graphics SiS Mirage 3+
Display 14.1" WXGA LCD
Hard Disk Drive 250 GB SATA
Optical Disc Drive DVDRW SuperMulti
Networking 10/100 Mbps LAN
Wireless 802.11 b/g
Card Reader 4-in-1 Card Reader
Webcam 1.3 MegaPixels
Battery 6-cell Lithium-ion Battery

[Archived Post]

Another thing, a community rep mentioned that CO is set to support Nvidia's Physx, do you think having an ATI gpu would diminish the effects of the game, even at max settings? Possibly lower the fps when these effects are on-screen, since the cpu will take the load if the gpu doesn't handle the physics/physx? Since alot of the powers, specially force and telekinesis are capable of lifting and throwing objects/people; physx would play a major role in the gameplay.

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if my friend's laptop can run CO:

Model name Basic B2148 N
Processor Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6400
Processor details 2 MB L2 cache, 2.0 GHz, 800 MHz FSB
Operating System Windows XP
Chipset SiS M672 + SiS 968
Productivity Software None
Memory 2 GB DDR2
Graphics SiS Mirage 3+
Display 14.1" WXGA LCD
Hard Disk Drive 250 GB SATA
Optical Disc Drive DVDRW SuperMulti
Networking 10/100 Mbps LAN
Wireless 802.11 b/g
Card Reader 4-in-1 Card Reader
Webcam 1.3 MegaPixels
Battery 6-cell Lithium-ion Battery
From the looks of it no, solely based on his video card. It's an integrated chip on the motherboard with a clock speed of around 130MHz. It's a shame though, everything else would meet the requirements.
(Not 100% sure so don't quote me, waiting on a source to get back to me :D)

Another thing, a community rep mentioned that CO is set to support Nvidia's Physx, do you think having an ATI gpu would diminish the effects of the game, even at max settings? Possibly lower the fps when these effects are on-screen, since the cpu will take the load if the gpu doesn't handle the physics/physx? Since alot of the powers, specially force and telekinesis are capable of lifting and throwing objects/people; physx would play a major role in the gameplay.

It all depends on how the game is set to implement PhysX, if you look at Age of Empires 3, there is very little difference between a PhysX enabled system and not, however if you look at Mirror's Edge, there is a pretty significant difference. If this game is more optimized for PhysX than other games, then you could see anywhere from a 5% to a 30% drop in FPS if you do not have a PhysX's enabled rig, though only time will tell.

ATI stated that they will be implementing their own brand of PhysX into this cards in the near future.

My guess, you won't notice much, there may be a 5-10 FPS drop if you don't have a PhysX card (nVidia started implementing PhysX into their cards during the 8xxx series), but overall, it shouldn't matter much.

[Archived Post]

I have been looking around for another laptop replacement after having my Compaq for five years of loyal service. I been looking around on the Cyberpowerpc website and liked what I saw in the x5 7800 and x6 7900. I just saw this laptop on the bestbuy ad and wondering how does it compare. ASUS G71GX-RX05. Looks like the graphics card is the winner but I dont know about other the overall laptop compare up to it. Any advice would be great.

Halfclueless

[Archived Post]

I have been looking around for another laptop replacement after having my Compaq for five years of loyal service. I been looking around on the Cyberpowerpc website and liked what I saw in the x5 7800 and x6 7900. I just saw this laptop on the bestbuy ad and wondering how does it compare. ASUS G71GX-RX05. Looks like the graphics card is the winner but I dont know about other the overall laptop compare up to it. Any advice would be great.

Halfclueless

You should be set with that one, not sure about running the game MAX settings but you'll be able to run it with no problems. There is a CNET review (http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus-g71gx-rx05/4505-3121_7-33695862.html) here if you have yet to buy it and what to see what your in for. But for $1,200 you can build a desktop that beats that laptop easily and possibly save money (if you wanted to), but if your getting it for the mobility then its understandable. If you want I can list a better desktop alternative.

[Archived Post]

What type of video card do you have? So far your going to be very limited because your CPU doesn't even meet the minimum requirements. The game is a lot more demanding than City of Heroes, if anything, Champions Online is about as demanding as Crysis.

Forgot about the video card. It's a Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family with a Video RAM of 358 MB.

[Archived Post]

Forgot about the video card. It's a Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family with a Video RAM of 358 MB.

Honestly, I would say download the Crysis Demo (http://www.crysisdemo.com/download.htm) and see how your computer fairs.

[Archived Post]

I'm looking for a mobile solutions. I'm kinda done with using a desktop even though it has its advantages, I like to be able to move around in the house. The ASUS was just one of the many laptops I have seen on the market. But, I just havent been in the market in awhile and really out of what to get for a descent laptop today.

halfclueless

[Archived Post]

I'm looking for a mobile solutions. I'm kinda done with using a desktop even though it has its advantages, I like to be able to move around in the house. The ASUS was just one of the many laptops I have seen on the market. But, I just havent been in the market in awhile and really out of what to get for a descent laptop today.

halfclueless

Well I was trying to find a system on CyberPowerPC for around the same price as the Asus and I just couldn't come up with one. The Asus seems like a good buy to me and if your stuck on getting a laptop opposed to a desktop then the Asus should appease you and your gaming needs.

[Archived Post]

Forgot about the video card. It's a Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family with a Video RAM of 358 MB.

I think it might actually run, at low FPS though. The video card isn't too terrible, though I wouldn't call it mid ranged, it's able to play games such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and FarCry 2 according to a list intel put together. (http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intelgm965/sb/cs-026200.htm)

Without the game being out it's tough to say exactly, but I do think you'll be able to run CO at a playable FPS, just don't quote me.

[Archived Post]

I'm looking for a mobile solutions. I'm kinda done with using a desktop even though it has its advantages, I like to be able to move around in the house. The ASUS was just one of the many laptops I have seen on the market. But, I just havent been in the market in awhile and really out of what to get for a descent laptop today.

halfclueless

I've found the Asus you posted for about $100 cheaper at Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9366615&type=product&id=1218092150740) (one review said he got it for $860 or around there so you might want to check it out in store and mention the price if its not cheaper). Its not a bad laptop and I'm having a hard time looking for a better laptop alternative. You would be able to run this game great with it but you could still get a better bang for your buck with a desktop (I really, really dislike laptops for gaming :p).

[Archived Post]

That Asus laptop's really nice, thanks for posting the link, I was about to purchase an HP with 9800m gt gpu, less hdd space, less ram, and just $130 cheaper.

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if my friend's laptop can run CO:

Model name Basic B2148 N
Processor Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6400
Processor details 2 MB L2 cache, 2.0 GHz, 800 MHz FSB
Operating System Windows XP
Chipset SiS M672 + SiS 968
Productivity Software None
Memory 2 GB DDR2
Graphics SiS Mirage 3+
Display 14.1" WXGA LCD
Hard Disk Drive 250 GB SATA
Optical Disc Drive DVDRW SuperMulti
Networking 10/100 Mbps LAN
Wireless 802.11 b/g
Card Reader 4-in-1 Card Reader
Webcam 1.3 MegaPixels
Battery 6-cell Lithium-ion Battery

The SiS Mirage 3 is comparable to a GeForce Go 6200. That puts it pretty securely under the minimum video requirements, unfortunately.

Like others, you can hold out for the open beta to see if your system can take it, since it otherwise meets the requirements... but the chances aren't great. :(

[Archived Post]

Okie its going down to these two laptops

Gateway P-7805u FX Notebook PC - Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB (7200rpm), NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GTS 1GB DDR3

or

Asus G71GX-RX05 Notebook PC - Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53GHz, 6GB DDR2, 500GB (5400rpm), NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M 1GB DDR3

So which one would be a bang for the buck?

Halfclueless

[Archived Post]

Okie its going down to these two laptops

Gateway P-7805u FX Notebook PC - Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB (7200rpm), NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GTS 1GB DDR3

or

Asus G71GX-RX05 Notebook PC - Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53GHz, 6GB DDR2, 500GB (5400rpm), NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M 1GB DDR3

So which one would be a bang for the buck?

Halfclueless

Get the Asus, it has a lower spec'd gtx260 (the standard gtx260 is around equal to 9800gt in sli depending on the game, it would give you a reference point more or less), faster cpu, more ram, more hdd space, although slower, but you'll only see that during load times, not fps. They have the same monitor resolution, 1440 x 900.

I'm getting the Asus too by end of the year so I can play on the go, years of needing to stay in a chair in the same place all the time bores me to a point.

[Archived Post]

This might sound like a stupid question,but how do u tell how much RAM you have left?:p

[Archived Post]

This might sound like a stupid question,but how do u tell how much RAM you have left?:p

Well you can look in your computer by opening it up, or you can use the Crucial System Scan (http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/index.aspx)

[Archived Post]

Well you can look in your computer by opening it up, or you can use the Crucial System Scan (http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/index.aspx)

You can do that or you can type in System into the Start Menu Search area and click the "System" that appears under control panel. This will tell you how fast your processor is, how much ram is detected, what version of the OS you have (32 or 64), etc.

[Archived Post]

Oh I forgot to add that the ASUS is about $1200 while the gateway is $850 both at major chains.

halfclueless

[Archived Post]

Oh I forgot to add that the ASUS is about $1200 while the gateway is $850 both at major chains.

halfclueless

I saw the gateway yesterday and was going to recommend it but the GTX 260M is a better card than the 9800M GTS, I would recommend the Asus (check in store to see if it is in fact cheaper or if theres a back to school sale on it) only because it will last you (as far as performance on current games that come out) longer.

[Archived Post]

Just checked on the ASUS in store today and 1149 is the current price.

halfclueless

[Archived Post]

Just checked on the ASUS in store today and 1149 is the current price.

halfclueless

I just looked around to see if I could find other retailers online/ off and it seems that Best Buy is the only one carrying it for some weird reason O_o. Every site from reviews of the laptop to posts just mentioning the laptop only lead to Best Buy. Schools should be starting up next month so they should have specials very soon, I'd give your local Best Buy a call every week to see if there's a special or promotion that would effect its price. You have plenty of time to see if you can get it cheaper before the game comes out so at least there's that. I'll be looking around and posting in other places to see if there is a better alternative anyone could recommend.

[Archived Post]

Awesome,

Thanks

[Archived Post]

Just to let u guys know if u want a free OS legit you can go to microsoft's webstie and download Windows 7 RC (release client). All you hav to do is download and put it on DVD. You'll need to install a 3rd party program to burn the .ISO on to the DVD (such as imgburn). You can get 32bit and 64bit there. U'll be given a key right before download so save that or write it down, 1 key can be used up to 3 times. The RC version will last until June 2010 but ive heard that it will start breaking down in March 2010. But still if you guys are looking to save a few bucks this is the way to go and its much less demanding then Vista is. Just beware this is like a Beta verison but not it still has a few kinks in there but all in all its really good. Download Windows 7 RC .iso as soon as you can, they will be taking it down sometime Mid-August. Heres the site. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx Hope this saves a few bucks :) This is for the ones that are the most daring and that are computer savvy enough. IMO im using 64bit Vista and 7 on different comps (both are very qualified to handle 64bit tech) and the 7 is more stable. That was my 2 cents so there u go.

[Archived Post]

Just to let u guys know if u want a free OS legit you can go to microsoft's webstie and download Windows 7 RC (release client). All you hav to do is download and put it on DVD. You'll need to install a 3rd party program to burn the .ISO on to the DVD (such as imgburn). You can get 32bit and 64bit there. U'll be given a key right before download so save that or write it down, 1 key can be used up to 3 times. The RC version will last until June 2010 but ive heard that it will start breaking down in March 2010. But still if you guys are looking to save a few bucks this is the way to go and its much less demanding then Vista is. Just beware this is like a Beta verison but not it still has a few kinks in there but all in all its really good. Download Windows 7 RC .iso as soon as you can, they will be taking it down sometime Mid-August. Heres the site. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx Hope this saves a few bucks :) This is for the ones that are the most daring and that are computer savvy enough. IMO im using 64bit Vista and 7 on different comps (both are very qualified to handle 64bit tech) and the 7 is more stable. That was my 2 cents so there u go.

Been using Windows 7 since beta and its a sweet OS :D. If anyone is going to want to get it, get it NOW, the RC download will be taken down on August (18th I think but not sure about that) and the only other way to get it after will be to wait till October for it to be released or get the torrent of it. IMG Burn is very easy to use so if your going to be upgrading, need an OS but don't want to pay (until next year when the RC ends), or you want to get a fresh new install in before champions then I would recommend it. Only down side is that I have two XP disks and 4 or 5 different types of Vista disks I'll never be using :p.

[Archived Post]

thank the maker, I misread the specs initially... I thought I was lacking in the video category, but it looks like I will slide in just above the minimum.... I even have an extra Gig of ram. (for some reason, I was seeing 8600 instead of 7600, which is what I have- The economy fell atop of my plans for an upgrade :/ )

[Archived Post]

I figured I would add a post to this thread. For those in the military, I work for a company that finances laptops (and other electronics) exclusively to U.S. military. We have very nice computers, such as the ASUS F50SV (2.4Ghz dual-core processor, 4 Gigs of Ram, Nvidia GT 120m graphics card) and I can hook you up with one. You must be active duty military, however. Just drop me a PM.

I can also help answer any computer questions anyone has. I've buillt several over the years, and so far none have caught fire or exploded. There was one that tried to eat my cat once, but it was a freak thing.

[Archived Post]

Anyone have any experience with a lap top with Nvidia 8200M Graphics? I have a nice PC that I will be playing CO on, but would like to load it up on my wifes Laptop so I can play CO when we travel or when I take it on business trips.

I know she is currently playing the Sims 3 on it with no problems but it has some pretty low required specs

[Archived Post]

Hey I don't know much about graphics card. I have a Geforce GT 120. It came with the desktop I bought. Do you think I will be able to run the game well.

[Archived Post]

Anyone have any experience with a lap top with Nvidia 8200M Graphics? I have a nice PC that I will be playing CO on, but would like to load it up on my wifes Laptop so I can play CO when we travel or when I take it on business trips.

I know she is currently playing the Sims 3 on it with no problems but it has some pretty low required specs

It might not do that great and you'll probably get med settings as the highest possible.

Hey I don't know much about graphics card. I have a Geforce GT 120. It came with the desktop I bought. Do you think I will be able to run the game well.

The Gt 120 is pretty much a 9500 gt with a different name (I have the 9500 as a temp card until I build my next system and replace it with a gtx 260 and give it to my bro so he can play champions/ what ever else), the gt 120/ 9500 gt should run it ok, you wont be able to go max setting with out seeing some really low frames but it should do a decent job.

I figured I would add a post to this thread. For those in the military, I work for a company that finances laptops (and other electronics) exclusively to U.S. military. We have very nice computers, such as the ASUS F50SV (2.4Ghz dual-core processor, 4 Gigs of Ram, Nvidia GT 120m graphics card) and I can hook you up with one. You must be active duty military, however. Just drop me a PM.

I can also help answer any computer questions anyone has. I've buillt several over the years, and so far none have caught fire or exploded. There was one that tried to eat my cat once, but it was a freak thing.

Thats actually pretty cool of your company, if you could get them a great deal then I'm all for your post as long as the ones you sell no longer eat cats... :D

[Archived Post]

Its amazing what you can get for just a bit more these days. But is it really worth the upgrade. I'm up for any discussion with laptops using the Quad Core 2 vs Duo Core 2. Been shopping around and noticed these 2 new laptops on the market. One from Alienware and the other from ASUS. Both quad core. I know that alienware is rather overprice but this one under 2100 for it specs to me seem down right a good deal. Especially when its running with a gtx260 SLI 2g ddr3 GPU. The other one from ASUS has similar specs but using a 1g GTX 260 GPU for 1400. I usually keep my laptops for about 4-5 years and run them into the ground. Any ideas or comments are greatly welcomed.

Quad core

Alienware: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9383758&type=product&id=1218095797767

ASUS: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9382553&type=product&id=1218095770874

halfclueless

[Archived Post]

Quads are nice, I have mine running at 3.5ghz as stated in my signature.

Problem with quads however, is their support for the software you use, majority as of yet don't use all four cores. With CO, I'm not sure if they can fully utilize all 4 cores, but I'm certain the game can harness the full potential of dual core. Also, quads are clocked lower.

Since you're getting a lappy, the lower clock frequency on the quads may work against you if the software/game you're using only utilizes 2 cores, and you have limited overclockability with laptops, even with the utilities some "gaming" laptops come with. So you're stuck with the low frequency quad.

Depends on the game or software you have really, GTA4 loves quads, and even performs better even if the quad has lower frequency than when on a higher clocked dual core system.

[Archived Post]

Its amazing what you can get for just a bit more these days. But is it really worth the upgrade. I'm up for any discussion with laptops using the Quad Core 2 vs Duo Core 2. Been shopping around and noticed these 2 new laptops on the market. One from Alienware and the other from ASUS. Both quad core. I know that alienware is rather overprice but this one under 2100 for it specs to me seem down right a good deal. Especially when its running with a gtx260 SLI 2g ddr3 GPU. The other one from ASUS has similar specs but using a 1g GTX 260 GPU for 1400. I usually keep my laptops for about 4-5 years and run them into the ground. Any ideas or comments are greatly welcomed.

Quad core

Alienware: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9383758&type=product&id=1218095797767

ASUS: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9382553&type=product&id=1218095770874

halfclueless

Both are pretty siomilar except you're paying $1k extra for the alienware just because it has "Alienware" in the name. Never buy an alienware unless you feel like wasting money, they rip people off for a living. That ausus looks great and it looks like its worth the money over the other. The only bad thing about the Q#### quad cores is that they aren't true quad cores, they're essentially one processor with two core 2 duos. True quad cores are the i7's which are faster (not that theres anything wrong with the Qs).

Quads are nice, I have mine running at 3.5ghz as stated in my signature.

Problem with quads however, is their support for the software you use, majority as of yet don't use all four cores. With CO, I'm not sure if they can fully utilize all 4 cores, but I'm certain the game can harness the full potential of dual core. Also, quads are clocked lower.

Since you're getting a lappy, the lower clock frequency on the quads may work against you if the software/game you're using only utilizes 2 cores, and you have limited overclockability with laptops, even with the utilities some "gaming" laptops come with. So you're stuck with the low frequency quad.

Depends on the game or software you have really, GTA4 loves quads, and even performs better even if the quad has lower frequency than when on a higher clocked dual core system.

Pretty much nailed it on the head when it comes to laptops. I've also heard GTA IV runs great on quads compared to duos, not sure why there isn't more support for all 4 cores especially considering the i5s are coming out this year.

[Archived Post]

Sorry if this question has already be answered in the previous pages.
Will Champions support Windows7 64Bit??

[Archived Post]

It's more a question of if Windows 7 will support Champions. Though we have not been able to confirm this, I'm guessing we will find out come the open beta.

[Archived Post]

Woo Hoo its measure our computer spec epeen time.

Im Running

CPU = AMD Phenom II X4 910 Processor
• 2.60 GHz, 2 MB L2 Cache + 6 MB Shared L3 Cache, 4000 MHz

RAM = 8 Gigs of 4x2gb PC3-8500 DDR3 mmmmmmm DDR3

Graphics Card = Sapphire Radeon HD4890 1024mb GDDR4

1 Terabit HD / 700Watt Power Supply

Blueray / DVD RW

BTW This Rigg cost me $850 CAD Staples FTW

[Archived Post]

It might not do that great and you'll probably get med settings as the highest possible.



The Gt 120 is pretty much a 9500 gt with a different name (I have the 9500 as a temp card until I build my next system and replace it with a gtx 260 and give it to my bro so he can play champions/ what ever else), the gt 120/ 9500 gt should run it ok, you wont be able to go max setting with out seeing some really low frames but it should do a decent job.



Thats actually pretty cool of your company, if you could get them a great deal then I'm all for your post as long as the ones you sell no longer eat cats... :D

Ok thanks for the help:)

One more question. I have 8 gb of ram so might that help it run better, even if my card is not that great?

[Archived Post]

Woo Hoo its measure our computer spec epeen time.

Im Running

CPU = AMD Phenom II X4 910 Processor
• 2.60 GHz, 2 MB L2 Cache + 6 MB Shared L3 Cache, 4000 MHz

RAM = 8 Gigs of 4x2gb PC3-8500 DDR3 mmmmmmm DDR3

Graphics Card = Sapphire Radeon HD4890 1024mb GDDR4

1 Terabit HD / 700Watt Power Supply

Blueray / DVD RW

BTW This Rigg cost me $850 CAD Staples FTW

This isn't a size contest, it's a thread to help people.

[Archived Post]

It's more a question of if Windows 7 will support Champions. Though we have not been able to confirm this, I'm guessing we will find out come the open beta.

It does support Windows 7, they modified the reqs. to reflect this shortly after they were released.

If I bought a high-end laptop now, do you think it could last at least 4 years before it becomes defunct. With the rate that gaming and computer tech keeps advancing I'm not sure. I also don't want to buy a new laptop for at least 4 years if I can help it.
By high-end, I mean something like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152103&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-Notebooks-_-MSI-_-34152103) or this (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9382553&type=product&id=1218095770874&AID=10597222&PID=3499316&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Folspage. jsp%3FskuId%3D9382553%26type%3Dproduct%26id%3D1218 095770874&ref=39&loc=01).
Desktop comp won't be practical for awhile, and my current one keeps failing on me, I'll be playing a game just fine for weeks, and then all of a sudden it can't seem to handle it anymore, it's happened both with AoC and Witcher.

[Archived Post]

Ok thanks for the help:)

One more question. I have 8 gb of ram so might that help it run better, even if my card is not that great?

It wont do much to help since the most you'll probably see used up by CO or any other game is around 2 gigs (if not just a little more). And glad I could help :D.

It does support Windows 7, they modified the reqs. to reflect this shortly after they were released.

If I bought a high-end laptop now, do you think it could last at least 4 years before it becomes defunct. With the rate that gaming and computer tech keeps advancing I'm not sure. I also don't want to buy a new laptop for at least 4 years if I can help it.
By high-end, I mean something like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152103&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-Notebooks-_-MSI-_-34152103) or this (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9382553&type=product&id=1218095770874&AID=10597222&PID=3499316&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Folspage. jsp%3FskuId%3D9382553%26type%3Dproduct%26id%3D1218 095770874&ref=39&loc=01).
Desktop comp won't be practical for awhile, and my current one keeps failing on me, I'll be playing a game just fine for weeks, and then all of a sudden it can't seem to handle it anymore, it's happened both with AoC and Witcher.

You should be good for 4 years with one of those, I would recommend the Asus (if the one you posted isn't it) posted a few pages ago since I actually couldn't find a better alternative for the price (even after asking for help on other sites). As for your desktop, what seems to happen with the game? Do you have all the latest drivers for your graphics card or have you tried a reformat to get a fresh new start with your computer/ os (I normally reformat ever 6 months, back up every 3 and there is some performance increase).

[Archived Post]

I think Sebiale is on the same track as I am current on is finding a laptop that would be still usable in 4 years. It was a mean reason for me to look at Quad Core. Also, I know Alienware is known for High prices. It is one of the rare laptops that does not need open heart surgery to get into and upgrade. But if you look a the specs that BestBuy is selling it is not bad for price. It is also one of the most relative priced SLI dual 2g gtx 260m GPU card laptop on the market. I made a similar spec laptop on Alienware website and it was more like dual the price from BestBuy. Anyways, I'm going to keep looking for the Back to School sale coming around the corner and see that fortunate blews my way.

halfclueless

[Archived Post]

I think Sebiale is on the same track as I am current on is finding a laptop that would be still usable in 4 years. It was a mean reason for me to look at Quad Core. Also, I know Alienware is known for High prices. It is one of the rare laptops that does not need open heart surgery to get into and upgrade. But if you look a the specs that BestBuy is selling it is not bad for price. It is also one of the most relative priced SLI dual 2g gtx 260m GPU card laptop on the market. I made a similar spec laptop on Alienware website and it was more like dual the price from BestBuy. Anyways, I'm going to keep looking for the Back to School sale coming around the corner and see that fortunate blews my way.

halfclueless

There's another place you can customize your laptops on, go to ibuypower.com, you can pick parts for your laptop and don't have to pay for a premium just for the brand. I assembled my lfuture aptop for $1,700, with all the bells and whistles you can think of, definitely last 4 yrs or so.

[Archived Post]

There's another place you can customize your laptops on, go to ibuypower.com, you can pick parts for your laptop and don't have to pay for a premium just for the brand. I assembled my lfuture aptop for $1,700, with all the bells and whistles you can think of, definitely last 4 yrs or so.

Just make sure that when/ if you do get one from there you aren't tricked into adding anything they offer you after you've assembled your Desk/laptop (they're still to pricey for my taste but there really isn't much when it comes down to customizing/ building your own laptop :/) since the extra games or what ever can be bought for way cheaper.

[Archived Post]

"*Side note: While it's true that having more RAM than you need isn't harmful, having more RAM than you're actually using doesn't help you in any way, either. An important thing to note is that non 64-bit operating systems will not fully support more than approximately 3GB of RAM. In order to use more than this, a 64-bit OS is required. "


Gotta reply to this.

Depending on the other hardware you choose, 32 bit OSes can use anywhere from 3GB all the way up to almost the full 4GB. The limitation has to do with how many hardware addresses are available with 32 bit addressing. I've seen systems which could only use 3gb of their 4gb, and I've seen systems that could use 3.8gb of their 4gb.

I'm not going to go into PAE or dual-channel here, but I think that at the price of ram, going up to 4gb is the easiest way... get a 2x2gb ram kit or 2 2x1gb ram kits...

[Archived Post]

"*Side note: While it's true that having more RAM than you need isn't harmful, having more RAM than you're actually using doesn't help you in any way, either. An important thing to note is that non 64-bit operating systems will not fully support more than approximately 3GB of RAM. In order to use more than this, a 64-bit OS is required. "


Gotta reply to this.

Depending on the other hardware you choose, 32 bit OSes can use anywhere from 3GB all the way up to almost the full 4GB. The limitation has to do with how many hardware addresses are available with 32 bit addressing. I've seen systems which could only use 3gb of their 4gb, and I've seen systems that could use 3.8gb of their 4gb.

I'm not going to go into PAE or dual-channel here, but I think that at the price of ram, going up to 4gb is the easiest way... get a 2x2gb ram kit or 2 2x1gb ram kits...

Yeah I've seen systems show 3.5- 4 gigs on 32 bit but I've also seen the two of the exact same systems display a different number. And your right again, the price of ram is so cheap (depending on what type, speed, etc.) they should sell it in your local grocery store near the batteries/ chap stick at the checkout counter :p.

[Archived Post]

Hi, I have most min specs but wanted to ask, I have a ati x1350 512 mb Video Card, Will that play this ??

[Archived Post]

Hi, I have most min specs but wanted to ask, I have a ati x1350 512 mb Video Card, Will that play this ??

If you'd like to check if you can run it with that card follow this link:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/
(posted by Feanux and Artarist)

From the quick look I took at it I noticed it was a pretty old laptop gpu and from what I'm reading I wouldn't recommend it, you would get a some pretty bad performance out of it.

[Archived Post]

I thinking about buying a new desktop for CO, maybe someone can help. Here is what i thought so far.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4497959&csid=ITD&body=MAIN

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=4420138&sku=C477-03215&srkey=CyberpowerPC%20Gamer%20Infinity%203215%20Gam ing%20PC%20-%20Intel%20Core%202%20Quad%20Q8200,%204GB,%20500GB ,%20DVDRW,%209500GT%201GB,

I really just need it just for CO nothing more. Maybe if there is nothing i can get for less and i miss please let me know

[Archived Post]

I thinking about buying a new desktop for CO, maybe someone can help. Here is what i thought so far.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4497959&csid=ITD&body=MAIN

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=4420138&sku=C477-03215&srkey=CyberpowerPC%20Gamer%20Infinity%203215%20Gam ing%20PC%20-%20Intel%20Core%202%20Quad%20Q8200,%204GB,%20500GB ,%20DVDRW,%209500GT%201GB,

I really just need it just for CO nothing more. Maybe if there is nothing i can get for less and i miss please let me know

They will do a decent job but thats about it (think med- some high settings, not max. The cards on those aren't that great). I would recommended building a computer yourself, there's some great bare bones cases out there or you can just make it up as you go and spend more money on a graphics card by saving some money on the case, mobo, and psu *probably get better ones too). I wouldn't recommend AMD processors since I've had nothing but trouble from them, I've also had some bad experiences with ATI cards but they do perform the best for the price (I'm an Intel + Nvidia guy myself). If your interested I can run a build list by you.

[Archived Post]

They will do a decent job but thats about it (think med- some high settings, not max. The cards on those aren't that great). I would recommended building a computer yourself, there's some great bare bones cases out there or you can just make it up as you go and spend more money on a graphics card by saving some money on the case, mobo, and psu *probably get better ones too). I wouldn't recommend AMD processors since I've had nothing but trouble from them, I've also had some bad experiences with ATI cards but they do perform the best for the price (I'm an Intel + Nvidia guy myself). If your interested I can run a build list by you.

That would me great. I hope its not to difficult but i using points my rents have from AE credit to purchase the parts.

here is the link: https://www01.extra.americanexpress.com/SR.aspx?SortCol=Ranking&category=1100000014&n=1100000014

maybe it would be easier to make a list and ill check if the site has it. to be on the safe side i will take your advise and go with intel + nvidia

thanks

on a second thought i should just upgrade my desktop instead. maybe it could save me some money. how would i find the info on the pc needed for you to help me. i know for a fact i need a graphics card

[Archived Post]

thank you thank you thank you so much feanux for this guide i appreciate you time and effort so much

[Archived Post]

Hi I am currenty running on a

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.66 GHz

Motherboard: ASROCK 775VM800
RAM: 512 Mb DDR (it was once 1Gb but the other one burned out)
Video Card: 256mb Nvida Geforce FX5500

The Motherboard box says that it is ready to support dual core CPU for both Pentium D and XE processors. My question is which would be cheaper an upgrade or buying a new computer and CPU-Z states that my comp can support a maximum memory of 2Gb. My computer is 3 years old.

If Upgrading I need help regarding

1. If wheter to upgrade or not my Motherboard or buying a dual core processor
2. If changing my motherboard to support a PCI-e and DDR 2 memory a good step
3. If I don't change my motherboard are there any decent AGP interface Video Cards preferably having 512 Mb memory

I have a cousin who works at a computer store and discourages me from adding a 1Gb memory from my existing 512mb saying only the 1Gb will be detected. She also says that its better to shift to PCI-e and DDR 2 since they are cheap. Any advice regarding this I am planning on buying a new computer but also open for suggestions about upgrading as I am tight on the finances right now.

I read alot of comments about my video card on the internet and how it performs poorly so I know I would change that, If any of you guys suggest any parts/hardware please give me some sites or info on where I can buy it. I live in a place in which computer stores always restock their warehouses to the latest hardware and even calling AGP cards obsolete and phased out same as DDR 1 memory sticks but I know that there are places which still sell them.

hope no one gives me bad news that my 3 year old system is outdate and old enough to become my grandfather.. *sobs*
and hope it can still run Champions Online in low - mid settings.

Thanks in advance... :)

[Archived Post]

Hey, so I ordered this computer recently, it seemed cheap and efficient. I'm far from computer savvy, so can someone let me know?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227162

[Archived Post]

Hi I am currenty running on a

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.66 GHz

Motherboard: ASROCK 775VM800
RAM: 512 Mb DDR (it was once 1Gb but the other one burned out)
Video Card: 256mb Nvida Geforce FX5500

The Motherboard box says that it is ready to support dual core CPU for both Pentium D and XE processors. My question is which would be cheaper an upgrade or buying a new computer and CPU-Z states that my comp can support a maximum memory of 2Gb. My computer is 3 years old.

If Upgrading I need help regarding

1. If wheter to upgrade or not my Motherboard or buying a dual core processor
2. If changing my motherboard to support a PCI-e and DDR 2 memory a good step
3. If I don't change my motherboard are there any decent AGP interface Video Cards preferably having 512 Mb memory

I have a cousin who works at a computer store and discourages me from adding a 1Gb memory from my existing 512mb saying only the 1Gb will be detected. She also says that its better to shift to PCI-e and DDR 2 since they are cheap. Any advice regarding this I am planning on buying a new computer but also open for suggestions about upgrading as I am tight on the finances right now.

I read alot of comments about my video card on the internet and how it performs poorly so I know I would change that, If any of you guys suggest any parts/hardware please give me some sites or info on where I can buy it. I live in a place in which computer stores always restock their warehouses to the latest hardware and even calling AGP cards obsolete and phased out same as DDR 1 memory sticks but I know that there are places which still sell them.

hope no one gives me bad news that my 3 year old system is outdate and old enough to become my grandfather.. *sobs*
and hope it can still run Champions Online in low - mid settings.

Thanks in advance... :)

It all depends on what you want to do; 9 times out of 10 it's cheaper to upgrade your existing PC, even if it means buying a new motherboard, cpu, ram and video card, that's why is cost effective to build a PC yourself opposed to buying a name brand one.

If I could know round-about your price range I think it would help a lot as there are a ton of different options to choose from. Are you looking for a high-end system or something mid-ranged?

Hey, so I ordered this computer recently, it seemed cheap and efficient. I'm far from computer savvy, so can someone let me know?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227162
Not bad at all, not a fan of the vista (no one really is :p) but it looks to be a solid gaming system. I'd imagine in about a year or 2 your going to need to upgrade your video card, but that's how most systems run.

[Archived Post]

That would me great. I hope its not to difficult but i using points my rents have from AE credit to purchase the parts.

here is the link: https://www01.extra.americanexpress.com/SR.aspx?SortCol=Ranking&category=1100000014&n=1100000014

maybe it would be easier to make a list and ill check if the site has it. to be on the safe side i will take your advise and go with intel + nvidia

thanks

on a second thought i should just upgrade my desktop instead. maybe it could save me some money. how would i find the info on the pc needed for you to help me. i know for a fact i need a graphics card

Can you list your current rig so I can make suggestions?

Hi I am currenty running on a

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.66 GHz

Motherboard: ASROCK 775VM800
RAM: 512 Mb DDR (it was once 1Gb but the other one burned out)
Video Card: 256mb Nvida Geforce FX5500

The Motherboard box says that it is ready to support dual core CPU for both Pentium D and XE processors. My question is which would be cheaper an upgrade or buying a new computer and CPU-Z states that my comp can support a maximum memory of 2Gb. My computer is 3 years old.

If Upgrading I need help regarding

1. If wheter to upgrade or not my Motherboard or buying a dual core processor
2. If changing my motherboard to support a PCI-e and DDR 2 memory a good step
3. If I don't change my motherboard are there any decent AGP interface Video Cards preferably having 512 Mb memory

I have a cousin who works at a computer store and discourages me from adding a 1Gb memory from my existing 512mb saying only the 1Gb will be detected. She also says that its better to shift to PCI-e and DDR 2 since they are cheap. Any advice regarding this I am planning on buying a new computer but also open for suggestions about upgrading as I am tight on the finances right now.

I read alot of comments about my video card on the internet and how it performs poorly so I know I would change that, If any of you guys suggest any parts/hardware please give me some sites or info on where I can buy it. I live in a place in which computer stores always restock their warehouses to the latest hardware and even calling AGP cards obsolete and phased out same as DDR 1 memory sticks but I know that there are places which still sell them.

hope no one gives me bad news that my 3 year old system is outdate and old enough to become my grandfather.. *sobs*
and hope it can still run Champions Online in low - mid settings.

Thanks in advance... :)

1. & 2. I would do both, get a new mobo (for PCI-e/ ddr2 it will be well worth it, AGP cards are no where near the speed of PCI-e cards) and cpu (core 2 duo e8400 gives you best bang for your buck)
3. Change your mobo to one that has a PCI-e slot (hopefully multiple slots).

For an e8400 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037) (since it can be overclocked to 4.0 GHZ easily if you have the right parts) I would buy this motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358&Tpk=GIGABYTE%20GA-EP45-UD3P). If you feel the need to build a new system I can continue making a list.


Hey, so I ordered this computer recently, it seemed cheap and efficient. I'm far from computer savvy, so can someone let me know?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227162

Thats actually a pretty good budget card in there that should do nicely with this game, depending on the resolution/ AA applied to the game you should be set.

[Archived Post]

how would this do? I want to run at maximum settings if possible. A long stretch I know but unfortunatly I don't think I can afford more than £500 :(

From the uk as well.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 7750 2.70GHz (Socket AM2+) - Retail
Gigabyte GA-M61PME-S2P nForce 430 PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
Asus GeForce 9600 GSO Magic 512MB GDDR2 TV-Out/Dual DVI
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache
Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 6400C4 800MHz Dual Channel
LG GH22NS30 22x DVD±RW SATA Dual Layer ReWriter
Asus TA-8H3 Case Midi Tower Case - Black
OCZ StealthXStream 500w Silent ATX2 Power Supply
AMD Approved CPU Cooler
High Definition 7.1 OnBoard Sound Card
Warranty 1 Year Onsite Collect & Return Warranty

[Archived Post]

So, I have a HP Pavilion my wife bought for me. It's not what I would have bought but now it's what I have. I was just wondering if anyone knows how upgradeable these things are.

Also, I'd like to know if I can run Champions on what it has now.

AMD Athlon Dual Core processor 5050e
4 GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 3200

Thanks!

[Archived Post]

So, I have a HP Pavilion my wife bought for me. It's not what I would have bought but now it's what I have. I was just wondering if anyone knows how upgradeable these things are.

Also, I'd like to know if I can run Champions on what it has now.

AMD Athlon Dual Core processor 5050e
4 GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 3200

Thanks!

What's the model number? If it's a desktop, the you can almost always upgrade them to whatever you need; adding a new cpu+mobo, ram, vid card, so on and so forth.

[Archived Post]

The model number is: a6745f

Any idea if I can run Champions on what I already have?

[Archived Post]

how would this do? I want to run at maximum settings if possible. A long stretch I know but unfortunatly I don't think I can afford more than £500 :(

From the uk as well.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 7750 2.70GHz (Socket AM2+) - Retail
Gigabyte GA-M61PME-S2P nForce 430 PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
Asus GeForce 9600 GSO Magic 512MB GDDR2 TV-Out/Dual DVI
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache
Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 6400C4 800MHz Dual Channel
LG GH22NS30 22x DVD±RW SATA Dual Layer ReWriter
Asus TA-8H3 Case Midi Tower Case - Black
OCZ StealthXStream 500w Silent ATX2 Power Supply
AMD Approved CPU Cooler
High Definition 7.1 OnBoard Sound Card
Warranty 1 Year Onsite Collect & Return Warranty

For a little more than £500 I came up with my own list, it will play this game at max no problem:

Mother board: Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/161966)- £ 51.64
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143290)- £ 117.42
Graphics Card: XFX HD 4870 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/155497)- £ 97.44
Heat sink/ Fan: Xigi Dark Knight (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?XIG-DKT)- £ 36.79
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 500 GB (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150247)- £ 51.90
Case: Antec 300 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143854)- £ 44.98
Power Supply: Corsair 650 Watt (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135514)- £ 76.41
RAM: Corsair 4 gb (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166785)- £ 34.01
(click names for page)
Total: £ 510.59 Minus shipping and tax

You will need to get some OCZ Freeze Extreme thermal paste, and a dvd drive. I know its a little more expensive but it will be a solid gaming rig. If anything mix and match the parts I have listed with the above (minus the mobo since it has to go with your processor, but please get a better graphics card then the one you posted). You can probably get them cheaper but its then best I could find since I don't know many uk shops.

[Archived Post]

I have a Gateway 835GM. Here is a link which shows the same specs as mine. I did the test for my pc and it said i needed a graphics card, more ram, and maybe something else i dont remember. Do i need to upgrade my sound card not sure if that affects anything.

As for the graphics card more options the better. ie one that would allow me to play CO on medium, one on medium to high, and one on high so i can decide.

thanks again

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/gateway-835gm-media-center/1707-3118_7-31478381.html

[Archived Post]

There really needs to be a MAC version made for this game... ASAP... Cant you cross compile it? Should be able to generate a generic Linux version for the game at the same time, and have it run on a PC, MAC and Linux machines...

The way the game specs is currently listed, it is going to fail the same way CoH/CoV and CONAN did when they first came out - nobody will be able to run it for several years, unless they have top end desktop computers.

NOBODY is buying desktops anymore - everyone is buying laptops, AND - if you follow the trends - the sales of Apple laptops (MacBook Pros) jumped over 25% in JUST ONE MONTH - and the rise is continuing very fast. The adoption of the MAC is happening extremely fast.

[Archived Post]

There really needs to be a MAC version made for this game... ASAP... Cant you cross compile it? Should be able to generate a generic Linux version for the game at the same time, and have it run on a PC, MAC and Linux machines...

The way the game specs is currently listed, it is going to fail the same way CoH/CoV and CONAN did when they first came out - nobody will be able to run it for several years, unless they have top end desktop computers.

NOBODY is buying desktops anymore - everyone is buying laptops, AND - if you follow the trends - the sales of Apple laptops (MacBook Pros) jumped over 25% in JUST ONE MONTH - and the rise is continuing very fast. The adoption of the MAC is happening extremely fast.

Some sources for your claims would be greatly appreciated, since conventional wisdom would seem to indicate that this is ridiculously far off-base.

[Archived Post]

There really needs to be a MAC version made for this game... ASAP... Cant you cross compile it? Should be able to generate a generic Linux version for the game at the same time, and have it run on a PC, MAC and Linux machines...

The way the game specs is currently listed, it is going to fail the same way CoH/CoV and CONAN did when they first came out - nobody will be able to run it for several years, unless they have top end desktop computers.

NOBODY is buying desktops anymore - everyone is buying laptops, AND - if you follow the trends - the sales of Apple laptops (MacBook Pros) jumped over 25% in JUST ONE MONTH - and the rise is continuing very fast. The adoption of the MAC is happening extremely fast.

I don't have anywhere near a top-end computer and I can run it. With an investment $80 bucks I'll be able to run it even better. The system specs aren't that demanding. I ran CoH and Conan right after launch and again, my computer wasn't great. I couldn't run Conan at top settings but it ran just fine.

I doubt that "NOBODY" is buying desktops anymore, especially since its not that expensive to upgrade or get mid-range gaming rigs. Also, the people buying laptops, PC or Mac, aren't necessarily buying them for gaming. You're looking at people that are buying laptops for work and school or because they saw a Mac commercial and decided they needed to be a Mac owner because it would make them feel better.

[Archived Post]

Sweet so i pass barely lol, So anyone else that has a old mashine check out my specs and hope your at or above that lol


Publishers Minimum System
Hide full details.. What is this?
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.5Ghz /
AMD Athlon64 3000+
Comparing your CPU Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz (running @2791MHz) with the requirement Intel Pentium 4 (running @2500MHz)
• Your processor is slightly more powerful in raw performance
Display Card!: ATI Radeon X700 series /
NVIDIA GeForce 7800 series
Comparing your display card ATI Radeon X1300/X1550 with the requirement ATI Radeon X700 Series
• Your display card is significantly more powerful in raw performance
• Your display card has all the required features
Memory: 1024MB
You have 1024MB
Free Disk Space: 5GB
You have 90.87GB
Operating System: Windows XP / Vista
You have Microsoft Windows XP

[Archived Post]

what would be nice if i could find 2x 1gb sticks of ddr 400 PC 3200 RAM for this mashine to make it run better, but i play WOW now and I did play COH for a while too on it, so IM gonna enjoy this too, Thnx for the info and hope we can all have a strong helpfull comunity when the game starts 8)

[Archived Post]

There really needs to be a MAC version made for this game... ASAP... Cant you cross compile it? Should be able to generate a generic Linux version for the game at the same time, and have it run on a PC, MAC and Linux machines...

The way the game specs is currently listed, it is going to fail the same way CoH/CoV and CONAN did when they first came out - nobody will be able to run it for several years, unless they have top end desktop computers.

NOBODY is buying desktops anymore - everyone is buying laptops, AND - if you follow the trends - the sales of Apple laptops (MacBook Pros) jumped over 25% in JUST ONE MONTH - and the rise is continuing very fast. The adoption of the MAC is happening extremely fast.

Its only obvious that people are going to be spending double the money on half the performance for a laptop instead of a desktop. You do realize that this 25% jump (thanks for providing a link or a quote by the way) can have a little something to do with school starting for most next month right? And that a 25% jump in macbook pro sales really isn't a lot, maybe a few thousand, but no where near market changing. Also if people are no longer buying desktops then explain how its only gone down by 4% (http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Desktop-sales-down-but-netbooks-and-Atoms-up/), if "NOBODY" was buying them then should that be near 100%? If you really wanted to play games on your mac book pro then learn how to use Boot Camp and get your self the windows 7 RC (http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/01/15/using-boot-camp-to-install-windows-7-on-your-mac-the-complete-walkthrough/) and stop complaining.

what would be nice if i could find 2x 1gb sticks of ddr 400 PC 3200 RAM for this mashine to make it run better, but i play WOW now and I did play COH for a while too on it, so IM gonna enjoy this too, Thnx for the info and hope we can all have a strong helpfull comunity when the game starts 8)

Here you go (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052407862&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=RATING) (<- Click) ;).

[Archived Post]

Excellent Guide.

Just thought I'd add that bit-tech.net do a monthly "what to buy" guide, so if you are thinking of buying a new computer, its worth checking it out (latest one is Here (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buyers-guide/2009/07/08/what-hardware-should-i-buy-july-2009/1)) The all rounder on there will play CO (fairly well)

Also, a warning about SSD drives, yup the good ones do indeed rock. But beware the older and cheaper drives, the ones that have Jmicron controllers, as they have tiny caches and tend to stutter a lot, not what you want from an SSD.

[Archived Post]

My laptop can run WoW just fine (though on low settings). Can I assume that I'll be able to run CO just fine as well?

[Archived Post]

My friend's laptop can run Sims 3 on the lowest settings, does this mean CO can run as well?

[Archived Post]

My laptop can run WoW just fine (though on low settings). Can I assume that I'll be able to run CO just fine as well?

If you'd like to check if you can run it follow this link:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/
(posted by Feanux and Artarist)

^^
Mostly likely no, wow can pretty much be played on some of the lowest end PCs out there so saying your only able to play on mostly low settings doesn't sound to good.

[Archived Post]

I can run WoW on medium to high settings. (though I prefer medium for ultimate smoothness) I tried to install Warhammer but my PC had an issue dealing with shaders. When Wrath of the Lich King came out they also had new shadows requiring these shaders in the game but they made it an available option that I was just not allowed to click on. However with Warhammer, the game just did not install because of this.

You think CO will drag me through the same issue?

I have played City of Heroes, WoW, and LOTRO perfectly fine on my PC.

[Archived Post]

I can run WoW on medium to high settings. (though I prefer medium for ultimate smoothness) I tried to install Warhammer but my PC had an issue dealing with shaders. When Wrath of the Lich King came out they also had new shadows requiring these shaders in the game but they made it an available option that I was just not allowed to click on. However with Warhammer, the game just did not install because of this.

You think CO will drag me through the same issue?

I have played City of Heroes, WoW, and LOTRO perfectly fine on my PC.

My post above yours has a link in the second quote, pick that too see if you will be able to run it. Also if you could post some specs of your PC so I can see what your working with.

[Archived Post]

i was looking at rabb1t's website was wondering which rank would be do for CO. i am sure all will run it but which rank would be to run at high settings?

[Archived Post]

i just bought a newe laptop and it was the best i could find for my price range.

2.0 GHz, 800 Mhz FSB, 2 MB l2 cache
HD 4650 1 GB whit upto 2304 MB hyper memory
4 GB DDR2

Windows Vista 32 bit ( yes i know i can only run 3 GB ram but it came whit the computer)

i run wow at max setting exept shadows at 60 fps constaly while questing and 5 mans, dont know about 10/25 mans and its a bit lower in citys.

what i want to know is what kind of performance can i expect from CO, bare mimimum setttings?medium?

[Archived Post]

i was looking at rabb1t's website was wondering which rank would be do for CO. i am sure all will run it but which rank would be to run at high settings?

I just gave the word "rabb1t" a Google since I had no idea what your asking, and on the 9th link I saw a CO profile which lead me to his site (first on Google when I searched actually) and after looking it over for a min I actually dont understand what your asking. Do you mean his rating system with the stars? If so from the looks of it I would say 3-4 star on the nVidia cards and 4 star on the ATI cards would be able to run at high settings, not sure about max, but high enough if you can leave AA off.

[Archived Post]

I just gave the word "rabb1t" a Google since I had no idea what your asking, and on the 9th link I saw a CO profile which lead me to his site (first on Google when I searched actually) and after looking it over for a min I actually dont understand what your asking. Do you mean his rating system with the stars? If so from the looks of it I would say 3-4 star on the nVidia cards and 4 star on the ATI cards would be able to run at high settings, not sure about max, but high enough if you can leave AA off.

My apologies, here you go: http://www.rabb1t.com/systems.html

[Archived Post]

i just bought a newe laptop and it was the best i could find for my price range.

2.0 GHz, 800 Mhz FSB, 2 MB l2 cache
HD 4650 1 GB whit upto 2304 MB hyper memory
4 GB DDR2

Windows Vista 32 bit ( yes i know i can only run 3 GB ram but it came whit the computer)

i run wow at max setting exept shadows at 60 fps constaly while questing and 5 mans, dont know about 10/25 mans and its a bit lower in citys.

what i want to know is what kind of performance can i expect from CO, bare mimimum setttings?medium?

Its desktop counter part is a pretty decent card, but with that said this is the Mobility version and they never perform as well as their desktop counterparts, I would expect med settings, some low. Turning off the eye candy like AA and shadows will help you get away with a few mid- high settings.

My apologies, here you go: http://www.rabb1t.com/systems.html

I'm not sure where he got those builds (if someone sent them to him or he made them based on what he would recommend) but from the looks of it I would say Rank 2 or 3 should be able to get you some good performance on champions, I wouldn't recommend those parts exactly since you can save some money by going with different parts and possibly add as much money towards a graphics card then anything else. If your looking to build a computer I'd be more then happy to recommended a build if you can tell me your budget.

[Archived Post]

My budget? Lets see... given two weeks I can easily have $500-$800 saved just for building a pc. How well would CO run on a budget like that? I would prefer something quiet, the one i have now is a little loud for my taste

thanks again

[Archived Post]

My budget? Lets see... given two weeks I can easily have $500-$800 saved just for building a pc. How well would CO run on a budget like that? I would prefer something quiet, the one i have now is a little loud for my taste

thanks again

I can post a build that will run the game max settings no problem for that much. I'm going to try and get some sleep at the moment so when I wake I'll edit this post (if there aren't any below it) with the build.

[Archived Post]

I'm the guy with the shader issue from Warhammer. That site you linked said my hardware is either too new or old and wouldn't run the diagnostic.

Here's my PC info:

Dell Inspiron MXC061
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU
T7200 @ 2.00GHz
2.00GHz, 1.99GB of RAM

Hope this helps. Thanks alot for looking into this.

[Archived Post]

I'm the guy with the shader issue from Warhammer. That site you linked said my hardware is either too new or old and wouldn't run the diagnostic.

Here's my PC info:

Dell Inspiron MXC061
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU
T7200 @ 2.00GHz
2.00GHz, 1.99GB of RAM

Hope this helps. Thanks alot for looking into this.

You're find as far as the CPU and the amount of RAM you have. However I need to know what video card you have in order to determine the probability of you running the game.

[Archived Post]

My budget? Lets see... given two weeks I can easily have $500-$800 saved just for building a pc. How well would CO run on a budget like that? I would prefer something quiet, the one i have now is a little loud for my taste

thanks again

I recently made a computer for another user on the forums who had a similar price range, here's what I came up with.


Here's what I've come up with. I used Cyperpowerpc.com to customize a build, they seem to be the fairest around for price, and it comes with 3 year warranty and lifetime technical support, hard to beat that. The grand total is $685.90 with the 5% coupon code "INTEL", it might including free shipping but I'm not 100% sure, and no tax unless you live in Cali.

Heres the specs:

# *BASE_PRICE: [+475]
# CAS: Azza Orion Gaming Mid-Tower Case with See-Thru Side Panel [-26] (Black with Red Lightning)
# CASUPGRADE: NONE
# CS_FAN: Default case fans
# CPU: AMD Phenom™II X4 810 Quad-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology [+44]
# CD: (Special Price) LG 22X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Dual Layer Drive (BLACK COLOR)
# FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
# FAN: AMD ATHLON64 CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK
# HDD: Single Hard Drive (320GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
# MOTHERBOARD: Asus M3A76-CM AMD 760G Chipset DDR2/1066 SATA RAID PCIe Mainboard w/ATI 3000 Graphic,GbLAN,USB2.0,&7.1Audio
# MEMORY: 4GB (2GBx2) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory [+45] (Corsair or Major Brand)
# POWERSUPPLY: 600 Watts Power Supplies [+35] (SLI Ready Power Supply)
# RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
# SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
# SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
# USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
# VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 1GB 16X PCI Express [+161] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)

Quick run-down:
Nvidia GTX280 1GB
AMD Phenom x4(Quad Core) 810 (2.6GHz) (64 Bit)
4GB RAM
320GB Hard Drive
600 Watt Power Supply

[Archived Post]

I'm not the greatest when it comes to PC specs.

I believe my PC will run the game well, but I'd like to ask, just to make sure.

AMD Athlon 64 x 2 4200 Dual Core Processer, 2.2 GHZ
2 gigabytes of RAM
Plenty of Disk Space
NVIDIA GE force 9400 GT

[Archived Post]

You're find as far as the CPU and the amount of RAM you have. However I need to know what video card you have in order to determine the probability of you running the game.

The graphics chip is of a Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family. The type is Intel(R) GMA 950.

I may sound noob with this but bare with me heh.

Thanks again.

[Archived Post]

I'm not the greatest when it comes to PC specs.

I believe my PC will run the game well, but I'd like to ask, just to make sure.

AMD Athlon 64 x 2 4200 Dual Core Processer, 2.2 GHZ
2 gigabytes of RAM
Plenty of Disk Space
NVIDIA GE force 9400 GT

Yeah you definitely shouldn't have any problems whatsoever running CO.

The graphics chip is of a Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family. The type is Intel(R) GMA 950.

I may sound noob with this but bare with me heh.

Thanks again.
I don't think you will be able to run it, though if you can, your framerates will be very low.
Sorry :(
You can always try the open beta and see how it plays.

[Archived Post]

I'm not the greatest when it comes to PC specs.

I believe my PC will run the game well, but I'd like to ask, just to make sure.

AMD Athlon 64 x 2 4200 Dual Core Processer, 2.2 GHZ
2 gigabytes of RAM
Plenty of Disk Space
NVIDIA GE force 9400 GT

9400 GT is going to hold you back quite a bit, it is right around the minimum.

[Archived Post]

Ok I have another system in mind but it runs on Windows Server 2008.

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo CPU
E8500 @ 3.16GHz
RAM: 2.00GB
System type: 64-bit operating system

Graphics

Name: Standard VGA Graphics Adapter
Chip Type: Intel(R) Eaglelake Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA

I heard Windows Server 2008 can run games but it's not as reliable as your everyday consumer operating system like XP or Vista. But other than that how does that look for CO?

Once again thanks for the help.

[Archived Post]

I recently made a computer for another user on the forums who had a similar price range, here's what I came up with.


Here's what I've come up with. I used Cyperpowerpc.com to customize a build, they seem to be the fairest around for price, and it comes with 3 year warranty and lifetime technical support, hard to beat that. The grand total is $685.90 with the 5% coupon code "INTEL", it might including free shipping but I'm not 100% sure, and no tax unless you live in Cali.

Heres the specs:

# *BASE_PRICE: [+475]
# CAS: Azza Orion Gaming Mid-Tower Case with See-Thru Side Panel [-26] (Black with Red Lightning)
# CASUPGRADE: NONE
# CS_FAN: Default case fans
# CPU: AMD Phenom™II X4 810 Quad-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology [+44]
# CD: (Special Price) LG 22X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Dual Layer Drive (BLACK COLOR)
# FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
# FAN: AMD ATHLON64 CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK
# HDD: Single Hard Drive (320GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
# MOTHERBOARD: Asus M3A76-CM AMD 760G Chipset DDR2/1066 SATA RAID PCIe Mainboard w/ATI 3000 Graphic,GbLAN,USB2.0,&7.1Audio
# MEMORY: 4GB (2GBx2) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory [+45] (Corsair or Major Brand)
# POWERSUPPLY: 600 Watts Power Supplies [+35] (SLI Ready Power Supply)
# RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
# SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
# SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
# USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
# VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 1GB 16X PCI Express [+161] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)

Quick run-down:
Nvidia GTX280 1GB
AMD Phenom x4(Quad Core) 810 (2.6GHz) (64 Bit)
4GB RAM
320GB Hard Drive
600 Watt Power Supply

Wow, thats the first time I've seen one of those sites beat out a build it your self price. I could actually only come up with the following:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14571128

If it really is that cheap I say go for it the GTX 280 will max this game without breaking a sweat.

Ok I have another system in mind but it runs on Windows Server 2008.

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo CPU
E8500 @ 3.16GHz
RAM: 2.00GB
System type: 64-bit operating system

Graphics

Name: Standard VGA Graphics Adapter
Chip Type: Intel(R) Eaglelake Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA

I heard Windows Server 2008 can run games but it's not as reliable as your everyday consumer operating system like XP or Vista. But other than that how does that look for CO?

Once again thanks for the help.

That sounds like you have your gpu integrated into your motherboard. I wouldn't recommend playing with this at all since it would be a horrible experience for both you and the game, it might even uninstall itself :( (kidding :p). Everything else sounds fine, just buy a new graphics card like the HD 4870 or the GTX 260 (core 216) if you have some money to spend. If your on a budget I can recommend some cheaper alternatives.

[Archived Post]

Ya look up a few alternatives whenever you can. Thanks

[Archived Post]

Ya look up a few alternatives whenever you can. Thanks

Here are a few cheaper cards (Do NOT expect to run a max settings with AA x2 or x4, they will be able to play the game from med- high settings tho):

9800 GT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130435)
Radeon HD 4770 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125278)
9600 GSO (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150340)
Radeon HD 4670 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102820)

All $64- $120. You can really get that much performance without digging deep into your pockets tho :/. The $60 cards might even be low- med settings.

[Archived Post]

9400 GT is going to hold you back quite a bit, it is right around the minimum.


Do you have any suggestions on the card?

I just put the 9400 in this past Feb. It was an upgrade from a 7600, so I felt it was a pretty big jump.

Is the 9400 a bad card?

[Archived Post]

Someone tell me if I'm gonna be able to run the game, only 1 thing goes under the minimum.

Intel(R) Celeron(R) E1200 1.60 GHz Dual Core
Nvidia GeForce 8400
Got tons of disk space.
2 GB of RAM.

[Archived Post]

Hi all...

I haven't kept up on computer hardware, and I ordered a graphics card that I thought would suit my need last night, that I wanted to have to tide me over til I build my next PC next January, but I didn't look at the power requirements before purchasing.

The following was in the "system requirements" section on the graphics card I purchased on Newegg : "425W PCI Express-compliant system power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 28A or more" does this mean I need to find a PSU with a +12v1 of at least 28A? or the total between the +12v1 +12v2, and +12v3/4, of more than 28 A?

I can't find a lot of PSUs with 28 or more amps on a single twelve volt rail. They tend to be insanely expensive, and it seems that most are keeping their 12 volt rails at 20 amps or less, as an industry safety standard... so did I buy a GPU that wants me to use a non standard, overly priced, overpowered power supply? Or will going with a 20 amp, 24 amp, or 25 amp on multiple 12 volt rails power supply be sufficient?

[Archived Post]

Do you have any suggestions on the card?

I just put the 9400 in this past Feb. It was an upgrade from a 7600, so I felt it was a pretty big jump.

Is the 9400 a bad card?

Bad for playing games? Yes. A 9400 GT is slower than a 7600 GT. Rough example:

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,657567/Geforce-9400-GT-reviewed/Reviews/?page=6

Look at your card vs a 4850, and the 4850 is a $100 card.

[Archived Post]

Someone tell me if I'm gonna be able to run the game, only 1 thing goes under the minimum.

Intel(R) Celeron(R) E1200 1.60 GHz Dual Core
Nvidia GeForce 8400
Got tons of disk space.
2 GB of RAM.

Your CPU and graphic card are going to be issues.

[Archived Post]

Hi all...


The "combined" part answers your question. Just get a quality unit and you should be fine.

[Archived Post]

The "combined" part answers your question. Just get a quality unit and you should be fine.

I'm so relieved that I wasn't misinterpreting it, so:

Yay! Thank you thank you thank you. I was freaking out that I was going to have to shell out for some of the 240 dollar'ish power supplies that had 30 amp rails.

Mostly my confusion had been caused by this article on wikipedia:


In computer power supplies that have more than one +12V power rail, it is preferable for stability reasons to spread the power load over the 12V rails evenly to help avoid overloading one of the rails on the power supply.

* Multiple 12V power supply rails are separately current limited as a safety feature; they are not generated separately. Despite widespread belief to the contrary, this separation has no effect on mutual interference between supply rails.
* The ATX12V 2.x and EPS12V power supply standards defer to the IEC 60950 standard, which requires that no more than 240 volt-amps be present between any two accessible points. Thus, each wire must be current-limited to no more than 20 A; typical supplies guarantee 18 A without triggering the current limit. Power supplies capable of delivering more than 18 A at 12 V connect wires in groups to two or more current sensors which will shut down the supply if excess current flows. Unlike a fuse or circuit breaker, these limits reset as soon as the overload is removed.
* Because of the above standards, almost all high-power supplies claim to implement separate rails, however this claim is often false; many omit the necessary current-limit circuitry,[6] both for cost reasons and because it is an irritation to customers.[7] (The lack is sometimes advertised as a feature under names like "rail fusion" or "current sharing".)"

[Archived Post]

Your CPU and graphic card are going to be issues.

Does that mean the game won't be able to run? or does that mean I'll lag and have to play on bad graphic settings?

[Archived Post]

Does that mean the game won't be able to run? or does that mean I'll lag and have to play on bad graphic settings?

I'd predict lag and bad graphic settings. The combo of low end graphic card and slower CPU is hard to overcome.

[Archived Post]

I'd predict lag and bad graphic settings. The combo of low end graphic card and slower CPU is hard to overcome.

You think if I got a CPU with a 2.5 GHz I'd be able to run the game much better? I'm not much under the recommended graphic card.

[Archived Post]

Bad for playing games? Yes. A 9400 GT is slower than a 7600 GT. Rough example:

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,657567/Geforce-9400-GT-reviewed/Reviews/?page=6

Look at your card vs a 4850, and the 4850 is a $100 card.


What would your suggestion be?

Just how bad will the game run with my current card? I'd hate to change cards this late in the life of my PC. I planned on having a new machine built within the next 6 months.

Is there some sort of stop gap measure?

[Archived Post]

You think if I got a CPU with a 2.5 GHz I'd be able to run the game much better? I'm not much under the recommended graphic card.

You are WAY off the recommened graphic card, your card is about as fast as the minimum.

[Archived Post]

What would your suggestion be?

Just how bad will the game run with my current card? I'd hate to change cards this late in the life of my PC. I planned on having a new machine built within the next 6 months.

Is there some sort of stop gap measure?

I'd wait till you played it then before spending any money, it may work well enough that you can wait for your new system.

[Archived Post]

I'd wait till you played it then before spending any money, it may work well enough that you can wait for your new system.


I appreciate your help mrmojoz.

When the beta goes open, I'll give it a whirl.


I'm really just waiting for windows 7 to order a new computer. (a more agreeable wife would be useful too)

I want to build something that will be relevant (with some tweaks here and there) for the next few years.

I'm going to get something with:
8 - 10 gigs of ram
High End Video Card
High End Processor

[Archived Post]

You are WAY off the recommened graphic card, your card is about as fast as the minimum.

Oh? I am not computer savvy like that, I would just think the minimum saying GeForce 7600 or whatever and the recommended say 8800, so 8400 is not to far off 8800. Well you would think that but I guess not according to you. So going up in numbers doesn't mean your actually getting better quality?

[Archived Post]

Oh? I am not computer savvy like that, I would just think the minimum saying GeForce 7600 or whatever and the recommended say 8800, so 8400 is not to far off 8800. Well you would think that but I guess not according to you. So going up in numbers doesn't mean your actually getting better quality?

Not to get too far into nvidia's numbering system: anything below a X600 model number is a budget part and was created to hit a price point, not for good performance. And don't get so hung up on model numbers, bigger does not mean faster. A 7800 is much faster than a 8600 for instance and a 9400 is slower than a 7600GT. When comparing two diffrent generations of video cards look at benchmarks, not model numbers.

[Archived Post]

I have a video card compairson chart in my guide....
It goes from worst performing card (starting at the top) to best preforming, these are general overviews but it should help.

nVidia Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/nvidiacompairson.jpg)
ATI Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/ATIcompairson.jpg)

[Archived Post]

I have a video card compairson chart in my guide....
It goes from worst performing card (starting at the top) to best preforming, these are general overviews but it should help.


I think some of these guys need x is faster than y more than raw stats, Feanux. But if they want to understand WHY one card is faster than another thats a great chart.

[Archived Post]

Oh, man I hope I can run the game at least. I don't have the money to be spending money on upgrading my comp currently, maybe in a couple months. As long as I can run the game even in the minimum settings.

[Archived Post]

Oh, man I hope I can run the game at least. I don't have the money to be spending money on upgrading my comp currently, maybe in a couple months. As long as I can run the game even in the minimum settings.

Running the game isn't the issue, what you are hoping for is playable frame rates. ;)

[Archived Post]

Running the game isn't the issue, what you are hoping for is playable frame rates. ;)

Well, yeah. lol

[Archived Post]

You think if I got a CPU with a 2.5 GHz I'd be able to run the game much better? I'm not much under the recommended graphic card.

You will need to upgrade both your CPU and GPU, the gpu is the main part that runs the game, with a cpu that low it could bottle neck it and hurt its performance. On the other hand, if you upgrade the cpu and keep that card you might be running it even worse than if you did it the other way around.

I have a video card compairson chart in my guide....
It goes from worst performing card (starting at the top) to best preforming, these are general overviews but it should help.

nVidia Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/nvidiacompairson.jpg)
ATI Graphic Cards (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/fgorney/ATIcompairson.jpg)

Thanks for that :D. I've been looking for something like this.

I think some of these guys need x is faster than y more than raw stats, Feanux. But if they want to understand WHY one card is faster than another thats a great chart.

Its actually pretty easy list to use, look for the recommended card on the list and anything around that should be good.

Oh, man I hope I can run the game at least. I don't have the money to be spending money on upgrading my comp currently, maybe in a couple months. As long as I can run the game even in the minimum settings.

Again, make sure you guys check out:

http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

It will tell you if you meet the recommended min. requirements.

[Archived Post]

Its actually pretty easy list to use, look for the recommended card on the list and anything around that should be good.


Well, not if you are skipping generations of cards.

[Archived Post]

So, this looks like an okay video card to get to upgrade from my ATI Radeon HD 3200. Am I right?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127434

[Archived Post]

Well I have a laptop which inside has an AMD TurionX2 and a ATI Radeon HD3100,also 2G of RAM.Is that going to run it well?

[Archived Post]

Well, not if you are skipping generations of cards.

True, but I guess as far as lists go this does a pretty good job with comparing the specs, don't think it would have enough room to list everything. But yeah, your right.

Well I have a laptop which inside has an AMD TurionX2 and a ATI Radeon HD3100,also 2G of RAM.Is that going to run it well?

Guys, please, if you want to see if you can run the game go here:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

Its is a lot easier for you to run that then it is for us to look it up. If you can't run it then we can help you out with recommendations based on what it says you do or do not meet. If you're thinking about buying or want an opinion on something then yeah, feel free to ask. But for the sake of the thread please run it ;). The only thing you need to know is that it will say your OS is not supported if you have windows 7, the game does support windows 7.

So, this looks like an okay video card to get to upgrade from my ATI Radeon HD 3200. Am I right?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127434

Yes, you will notice a difference.

[Archived Post]

Well that website of yours says I can't run it because of my video card.How the heck am I going to upgrade my video card inside of a laptop?I don't have $800-$1000 to go get a new computer.But this laptop has surprised me with some of the games it has run like The Witcher and Turok,so maybe I can run it on the bare minimum for Champions Online.If not well then I guess I'm screwed and will have to get WoW instead.

[Archived Post]

Well that website of yours says I can't run it because of my video card.How the heck am I going to upgrade my video card inside of a laptop?I don't have $800-$1000 to go get a new computer.But this laptop has surprised me with some of the games it has run like The Witcher and Turok,so maybe I can run it on the bare minimum for Champions Online.If not well then I guess I'm screwed and will have to get WoW instead.

It tells you whether or not you can run the game faster then we can. You can't upgrade the chip on a laptop this is true (theres a type you can but I really haven't seen it being sold), but depending on what setting/ the performance you got out of the games you mentioned you should expect close to that or lower. The only time you should really expect to "game" on a laptop is if its a "gaming" laptop, other then that don't expect much since there are space/ heat issues when dealing with them.

[Archived Post]

http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2216084

My dad says my computer cant use anything pass the NVIDIA GeForce 6200 i have but i need my desktop to have major upgrades and i don't understand most computer parts or anything

My dad and I customized this computer so changing isn't hard but i don't know if i will need programs or different sized components or anything like my dad said...

Goal: Higher than Recommended so it can be run on HIGH settings without problems

EDIT: Belarc Advisor

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 (build 6001)
Install Language: English (United States)
System Locale: English (United States)

Drives
299.98 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
174.93 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

MAD DOG MD-16X3DVD9-8X ATA Device [CD-ROM drive]

Maxtor 6L300S0 ATA Device [Hard drive] (300.08 GB) -- drive 0, s/n
364c50304b354731202020202020202020202020, SMART Status: Healthy

System Model
Enclosure Type: Desktop

Main Circuit Board
Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. nForce
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. F8 12/29/2005

Memory Modules
3584 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'A0' is Empty
Slot 'A1' is Empty
Slot 'A2' is Empty
Slot 'A3' is Empty

[Archived Post]

http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2216084

My dad says my computer cant use anything pass the NVIDIA GeForce 6200 i have but i need my desktop to have major upgrades and i dont understand most computer parts or anything

My dad and I customly made this computer so changing isnt hard but i dont know if i will need programs or different sized components or anything like my dad said...

Goal: Higher than Recommended so it can be run on HIGH settings without problems

From the looks of the card's specs its not that great and its an AGP card not a PCI-e (which is a problem). The best AGP card out there is the Radeon X1950XT, but I honestly could only find one place online that sold it (and for $270 (http://www.pacificgeek.com/product.asp?c=221&s=1092&ID=46047&P=F)! :eek:). Your best bet if you want performance is to get a new motherboard with a PCI-e x16 slot and depending on your processor, ram, and power supply that might be the only thing you need to upgrade to get a good graphics card. (there are some really great cheap ones for about $60- $120, just need to know what socket your processor uses, the type of ram you have, and what type of psu you have I can find some).

[Archived Post]

From the looks of the card's specs its not that great and its an AGP card not a PCI-e (which is a problem). The best AGP card out there is the Radeon X1950XT, but I honestly could only find one place online that sold it (and for $270 (http://www.pacificgeek.com/product.asp?c=221&s=1092&ID=46047&P=F)! :eek:). Your best bet if you want performance is to get a new motherboard with a PCI-e x16 slot and depending on your processor, ram, and power supply that might be the only thing you need to upgrade to get a good graphics card. (there are some really great cheap ones for about $60- $120, just need to know what socket your processor uses, the type of ram you have, and what type of psu you have I can find some).

i updated the post already with the Belarc Advisor or whatever if that helps...i dont really understand anything but im guessing and hoping my dad does and we get it done by September 1st...i need a job <.<

[Archived Post]

I upgraded my friend's system with an MSI G31 mATX board, Intel C2D e7400, 4gb DDR2 800, and an HD4850 512mb for roughly $300. I used his other existing parts, saved him some cash. If you want Nvidia so you can use their Physx, which is supported by CO, gts250 (which is a rebadged 9800gtx+) or the gtx260 216 is good. Check your PSU first if it can handle the graphicscard, I used his 3yr old Hec Winpower 550ab, and works flawlessly, that's with the 4850, but with the gtx260, you may need to upgrade the PSU to a Corsair HX620, very reliable PSU and not too expensive.

Overlocked the e7400 to 3.5Ghz without any manual voltage increase since the board does those automatically, it's a cheap upgrade, but very fast. :) I couldn't believe I spent thrice as much on my rig for nearly the same performance. :confused:

[Archived Post]

I upgraded my friend's system with an MSI G31 mATX board, Intel C2D e7400, 4gb DDR2 800, and an HD4850 512mb for roughly $300. I used his other existing parts, saved him some cash. If you want Nvidia so you can use their Physx, which is supported by CO, gts250 (which is a rebadged 9800gtx+) or the gtx260 216 is good. Check your PSU first if it can handle the graphicscard, I used his 3yr old Hec Winpower 550ab, and works flawlessly, that's with the 4850, but with the gtx260, you may need to upgrade the PSU to a Corsair HX620, very reliable PSU and not too expensive.

Overlocked the e7400 to 3.5Ghz without any manual voltage increase since the board does those automatically, it's a cheap upgrade, but very fast. :) I couldn't believe I spent thrice as much on my rig for nearly the same performance. :confused:

^ Some great suggestions ^

How much where you looking to spend? Also the Belarc Adviser isn't really giving me much, run a DxDiag (hit start and type in DxDiag into search and then enter) and post it here either by saving it to .txt (bottom right after its run) and copying/ pasting it into your post or saving as .txt and attaching that DxDiag.txt file to your post (manage attachments at the bottom where you reply).

[Archived Post]

This is all a huge help thx :D

[Archived Post]

If you live in Canada, www.NCIX.com has good prices and the amazing "price match button", so say there is a MOBO that you need to play CO, is priced cheaper on newegg.ca, ncix will price match it. See ya in the game.

[Archived Post]

This is in reference to the OPs laptop recommendation....This Toshiba looks to have all that and more (specially the 1gb video mem. vs 512) for around the same price....

Link to the Toshiba site (http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/pdet.to?poid=444788)


The wife needs a laptop for school and I want to try and get one that will at least be suitable for gaming when she needs the desktop....and keeping it under $1200 US would be nice too :) Thanks in advance for any advice. I know Jack and Squat about laptops, and Jack just left town.....

[Archived Post]

I upgraded my friend's system with an MSI G31 mATX board, Intel C2D e7400, 4gb DDR2 800, and an HD4850 512mb for roughly $300. I used his other existing parts, saved him some cash. If you want Nvidia so you can use their Physx, which is supported by CO, gts250 (which is a rebadged 9800gtx+) or the gtx260 216 is good. Check your PSU first if it can handle the graphicscard, I used his 3yr old Hec Winpower 550ab, and works flawlessly, that's with the 4850, but with the gtx260, you may need to upgrade the PSU to a Corsair HX620, very reliable PSU and not too expensive.

Overlocked the e7400 to 3.5Ghz without any manual voltage increase since the board does those automatically, it's a cheap upgrade, but very fast. :) I couldn't believe I spent thrice as much on my rig for nearly the same performance. :confused:

How did you handle the cooling on his pc? I ask partly out of just sheer geekness, and also since I just about fried mine being stupid the other day..... TL;DR I cleaned up more than I should have without thinking, ie the thermal gel while cleaning the heatsink and then just put it back together and wondered why the auto shut down kicked in...oh maybe the CPU temp going over 100c in less than a minute maybe?

[Archived Post]

^ Some great suggestions ^

How much where you looking to spend? Also the Belarc Adviser isn't really giving me much, run a DxDiag (hit start and type in DxDiag into search and then enter) and post it here either by saving it to .txt (bottom right after its run) and copying/ pasting it into your post or saving as .txt and attaching that DxDiag.txt file to your post (manage attachments at the bottom where you reply).

Did that too...but the file is too big to attach...

[Archived Post]

I've got about 1.5 gigs of RAM, and my GPU is fine (the ram can be upgraded if needed, Im just lazy right now) but here's my question.

Will a 3.2 Gigahertz Celeron processor work?

I can run the Sims as is, so Im sorta expecting it will, but I havent upgraded PCs (this one was a gift) since the age where Pentium 4s were considered top of the line, let alone comparing single and dual cores.

[Archived Post]

Did that too...but the file is too big to attach...

Open it up and copy most of it, when you get to the part of the .txt file that looks like its all numbers or says drivers leave that out and paste it to your reply here.

I've got about 1.5 gigs of RAM, and my GPU is fine (the ram can be upgraded if needed, Im just lazy right now) but here's my question.

Will a 3.2 Gigahertz Celeron processor work?

I can run the Sims as is, so Im sorta expecting it will, but I havent upgraded PCs (this one was a gift) since the age where Pentium 4s were considered top of the line, let alone comparing single and dual cores.

That should be fine as long as you have a good graphics card, you might want to add another 512 mb stick or just get two brand new 1 gig stick if you can.

[Archived Post]

How did you handle the cooling on his pc? I ask partly out of just sheer geekness, and also since I just about fried mine being stupid the other day..... TL;DR I cleaned up more than I should have without thinking, ie the thermal gel while cleaning the heatsink and then just put it back together and wondered why the auto shut down kicked in...oh maybe the CPU temp going over 100c in less than a minute maybe?

I had an unused Intel stock cooling coming from my q6600, which is a better cooler than the one with the e7400, but I'm sure the one that came with the e7400 can handle quite fine. He wanted to save as much cash as he could. :D If you want a better cooler though, this is a cheap but really good one, just read the reviews. :)

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro $32.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Go to arctic silver's website for instructions on how to prep your cpu and heatsink for thermal paste application.
http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm

Just use a good quality isopropyl alcohol and some non-linting cloth to clean the old thermal gunk off, if you don't want to spend on a cleaner like this.

Arctic Clean $6
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010

The quality of the thermal interface material (TIM or thermal paste) may reduce your temps for up to few degrees. Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic Cooling MX-2 are good choices.

Arctic Silver 5 $9.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

Arctic Cooling MX-2 $8.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020&Tpk=MX%20thermal%20paste

Also, "triple check" that the heatsink is firmly placed flat on the cpu die, not too tight, not too loose, just right, too tight and you may damage either your motherboard, or your cpu, too loose, and you may overheat and get shutdowns. Remember to touch something metallic, like your case's steel parts, before you handle your components, or wear a static wrist band; it's to prevent yourself from discharging into your electronics and damege it. Goodluck. :)

[Archived Post]

I have a hardware question. I have an ancient evga 7600gt....I know, flame me for it. And I really need to upgrade before release. I have my sights on the GTX 260....which is nearly $50 more than its GTS counter part. What is the biggest difference since on paper they look close to the same. Also, does the GTX require a certain amount of power consumption? Im running a 500 watt with the pci connector plus and hope thats enough. ((No major power draining hardware other than a dual core cpu.))

[Archived Post]

First of all i hope you can all bear with me, I've got a couple of questions about what to buy, as i am far from a computer wiz!
So, I've been reading a few of the posts in this section and trying to figure out what my old rusty computer needs. This is what i'm working with at the minute:

Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz
3.4GHZ, 1.00 GB of RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS

I think those are all the important aspects i should like into upgrading right? Well, i've been looking through newegg.com and found a video card i hope will last a while before the next upgrade

New Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187056

So, i think that from all the high numbers this card has (mentioned above), 1GB memory, 256-bit, thats all good things to look for right? But I was wondering if it was also value for money? Or would it be better buying a slightly less powerful graphics card but at a much cheaper price.
For example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130395

RAM: I was wondering if there are specific things in RAM i should be looking for, especially if I'm gearing my computer towards gaming. Again, i would appreciate help with this memory stick. I think people keep saying all you need is 3GB RAM for a 32-bit OS, so would this do?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

Processor: Finally! I have no clue what to look for in a processor, no where to start...i hear stuff about Duo's and Quads but it just makes my head hurt! Can someone please point me in the right direction?

[Archived Post]

I have a hardware question. I have an ancient evga 7600gt....I know, flame me for it. And I really need to upgrade before release. I have my sights on the GTX 260....which is nearly $50 more than its GTS counter part. What is the biggest difference since on paper they look close to the same. Also, does the GTX require a certain amount of power consumption? Im running a 500 watt with the pci connector plus and hope thats enough. ((No major power draining hardware other than a dual core cpu.))

Did you mean the gts250? The 250's just a rebadged/renamed 9800gtx+, it's ok, but if the gtx260's within your budget, get the 260 instead, it's the lowest of Nvidia's current generation, and will probably gain you 10 to 20fps over the gts250, depending on the game.

According to reviews, the GTX260 216 requires a minimum of 500 watt powersupply with 36 amps on the 12 volt rail. The 500 watt is for total system power btw. It seems you're teetering on the minimum, which may prevent you from adding an extra hardrive and other power draining components, and since all systems have different power draw, you may even have instability. It's much better to have an overhead when it comes to powersupplies, less expense in the long run. :)

Here's a link for EVGA GTX260 216:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434

Good psu from Corsair 50amps on the 12 volt rail:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002&Tpk=corsair%20hx620

[Archived Post]

First of all i hope you can all bear with me, I've got a couple of questions about what to buy, as i am far from a computer wiz!
So, I've been reading a few of the posts in this section and trying to figure out what my old rusty computer needs. This is what i'm working with at the minute:

Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz
3.4GHZ, 1.00 GB of RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS

I think those are all the important aspects i should like into upgrading right? Well, i've been looking through newegg.com and found a video card i hope will last a while before the next upgrade

New Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187056

So, i think that from all the high numbers this card has (mentioned above), 1GB memory, 256-bit, thats all good things to look for right? But I was wondering if it was also value for money? Or would it be better buying a slightly less powerful graphics card but at a much cheaper price.
For example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130395

RAM: I was wondering if there are specific things in RAM i should be looking for, especially if I'm gearing my computer towards gaming. Again, i would appreciate help with this memory stick. I think people keep saying all you need is 3GB RAM for a 32-bit OS, so would this do?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

Processor: Finally! I have no clue what to look for in a processor, no where to start...i hear stuff about Duo's and Quads but it just makes my head hurt! Can someone please point me in the right direction?

Let's see, your graphicscard choice is fine, or you can add $30 to $40 more for a GTX260 216. What kind of psu do you have? with the 9800gtx+, you need a 550watt minimum with around 28amps in the 12 volt rail, I'm taking this from memory :). I suggested in the post above the Corsair HX620, you may want to look at that, it can handle a gtx260 216 flawlessly.

With the ram, you may want to opt for 2x 2gb, I know, 32-bit like you mentioned, it will only read 3gb as of your current OS, but what if you decide to upgrade to a 64-bit OS maybe in a few months, then your ram wouldn't be a problem anymore, the 4gb is already there.

This ram is good, I'm using 8gb of it, and not too expensive after rebates:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220293

With the proc, your single core Pentium D @3.4Ghz will run it ok, this is socket 775 correct? I can suggest a good socket 775 intel C2D (e7400 2.8ghz C2D $110.00), but then you need to have a motherboard that can overclock the proc to around 3.5ghz to make sure your graphicscard is utilized at its full potential. Also, check your motherboard manufacturer's website if it has support for the newer processors, it may have support through a BIOS update.

[Archived Post]

Thank you for the input nephilim. Off to newegg to spend some cash.

Also, the stuff in this computer was basically my pc screaming for upgrades back when wow released, so if that gives away how dated i am, nuff said.

[Archived Post]

Thank you for the input nephilim. Off to newegg to spend some cash.

Also, the stuff in this computer was basically my pc screaming for upgrades back when wow released, so if that gives away how dated i am, nuff said.

Very much welcome, goodluck on the upgrade. :) I also upgrade only when a new game is about to come out, last time was 5yrs ago, for EQ2.

[Archived Post]

Let's see, your graphicscard choice is fine, or you can add $30 to $40 more for a GTX260 216. What kind of psu do you have? with the 9800gtx+, you need a 550watt minimum with around 28amps in the 12 volt rail, I'm taking this from memory :). I suggested in the post above the Corsair HX620, you may want to look at that, it can handle a gtx260 216 flawlessly.

With the ram, you may want to opt for 2x 2gb, I know, 32-bit like you mentioned, it will only read 3gb as of your current OS, but what if you decide to upgrade to a 64-bit OS maybe in a few months, then your ram wouldn't be a problem anymore, the 4gb is already there.

This ram is good, I'm using 8gb of it, and not too expensive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220293

With the proc, your single core Pentium D @3.4Ghz will run it ok, this is socket 775 correct? I can suggest a good socket 775 intel C2D (e7400 2.8ghz C2D $110.00), but then you need to have a motherboard that can overclock the proc to around 3.5ghz to make sure your graphicscard is utilized at its full potential. Also, check your motherboard manufacturer's website if it has support for the newer processors, it may have support through a BIOS update.

Wow Thanks alot for the help, but theres a few things you said i really had no clue what they were...lol a little clarification for someone attending computers 101 please!

1. The powersupply for the cpu you mentioned, where do i find out what that is? is it simply CPU adapter then it says:
Input: 100-240V ~ 1.5A
Output: 12Vdc --- 5.00A

2. I'm not sure what a socket 775 is, and not sure either how to find out what kind of socket my processor has.

3. How do i check on my motherboards information, does it appear under 'Device Manager' in my computer?

I know alot of silly questions but it's just for future reference if i do want to upgrade my processor, but like you said it should run it without any upgrade.

[Archived Post]

Wow Thanks alot for the help, but theres a few things you said i really had no clue what they were...lol a little clarification for someone attending computers 101 please!

1. The powersupply for the cpu you mentioned, where do i find out what that is? is it simply CPU adapter then it says:
Input: 100-240V ~ 1.5A
Output: 12Vdc --- 5.00A

2. I'm not sure what a socket 775 is, and not sure either how to find out what kind of socket my processor has.

3. How do i check on my motherboards information, does it appear under 'Device Manager' in my computer?

I know alot of silly questions but it's just for future reference if i do want to upgrade my processor, but like you said it should run it without any upgrade.

I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.
1. I think it was for the graphicscard powersupply requirement, you can usually find the psu details on the PSU itself, at the side. What model PSU is it?

2. and 3. Download the latest version of cpu-z and run it, should show you alot of the details you're looking for regarding cpu and motherboard, as well as ram.

CPU-Z
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

[Archived Post]

I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.
1. I think it was for the graphicscard powersupply requirement, you can usually find the psu details on the PSU itself, at the side. What model PSU is it?

2. and 3. Download the latest version of cpu-z and run it, should show you alot of the details you're looking for regarding cpu and motherboard, as well as ram.

CPU-Z
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Okay, well i'm not sure if this is the right model no. i'm looking for, i'm reading it off the power adapter so i'm a bit skeptical, it doesn't mention anything about watts on it either so not sure how to gauge whether it can run the and the GTX260 216. Anyways, enough babbling, i think the model no. is :ADPC1260AB.
Would it make a difference to say i live in the UK. so the maximum voltage my CPU can handle it says it 240V.
Like you said, i downloaded the CPU-Z program and ran it. I'll just list what came up, and hopefully this will finally shed some light on whether or not my mother can handle a new processor

Processor
Intel Pentium 3.4GHz
Socket 775 LGA
core voltage: 1.149 (didnt know if it was important)

Motherboard
Manufacturer: Micro-star International
Model: MS-7187
Chipset: Intel i945P

BIOS
Brand: Phoenix Technologies
Version: 6.00 PG

Memory
Type: DDR2
Size: 1024 MBytes
Channels: Dual
DRAM Frequency: 266.7MHz
FSB:DRAM: 3:4

Graphics Card:
NVIDIA Gefore 7300 SE/7200 GS

Thanks again

[Archived Post]

I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.
1. I think it was for the graphicscard powersupply requirement, you can usually find the psu details on the PSU itself, at the side. What model PSU is it?

2. and 3. Download the latest version of cpu-z and run it, should show you alot of the details you're looking for regarding cpu and motherboard, as well as ram.

CPU-Z
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Okay, well i'm not sure if this is the right model no. i'm looking for, i'm reading it off of the power adapter so i'm a bit skeptical, it doesn't mention anything about watts on it either so not sure how to gauge whether it can run the and the GTX260 216. Anyways, enough babbling, i think the model no. is :ADPC1260AB.
Would it make a difference to say i live in the UK?
Like you said, i downloaded the CPU-Z program and ran it. I'll just list what came up, and hopefully this will finally shed some light on whether or not my mother can handle a new processor

Processor
Intel Pentium 3.4GHz
Socket 775 LGA
core voltage: 1.149 (didnt know if it was important)

Motherboard
Manufacturer: Micro-star International
Model: MS-7187
Chipset: Intel i945P

BIOS
Brand: Phoenix Technologies
Version: 6.00 PG

Memory
Type: DDR2
Size: 1024 MBytes
Channels: Dual
DRAM Frequency: 266.7MHz
FSB: DRAM: 3:4

Graphics Card:
NVIDIA Gefore 7300 SE/7200 GS

Thanks again

[Archived Post]

Okay, well i'm not sure if this is the right model no. i'm looking for, i'm reading it off of the power adapter so i'm a bit skeptical, it doesn't mention anything about watts on it either so not sure how to gauge whether it can run the and the GTX260 216. Anyways, enough babbling, i think the model no. is :ADPC1260AB.
Would it make a difference to say i live in the UK?
Like you said, i downloaded the CPU-Z program and ran it. I'll just list what came up, and hopefully this will finally shed some light on whether or not my mother can handle a new processor

Processor
Intel Pentium 3.4GHz
Socket 775 LGA
core voltage: 1.149 (didnt know if it was important)

Motherboard
Manufacturer: Micro-star International
Model: MS-7187
Chipset: Intel i945P

BIOS
Brand: Phoenix Technologies
Version: 6.00 PG

Memory
Type: DDR2
Size: 1024 MBytes
Channels: Dual
DRAM Frequency: 266.7MHz
FSB: DRAM: 3:4

Graphics Card:
NVIDIA Gefore 7300 SE/7200 GS

Thanks again

Hmmm...sad news bud, your motherboard, an MSI 945P unfortunately does not support the current cpu offerings, here's the link. I have an MSI too, so I'm familiar with their site.
http://asia.msi.com/index.php?func=prodcpusupport&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170&cat3_no=2&prod_no=193

It seems all 945P Chipsets don't have support for anything above the Pentium D. Need to get a new board if you want to upgrade your cpu.

Here are two suggestions for you, board and cpu:
MSI G31 $47.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130217

Intel e7400 $110.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206

The G31 Board may be a bit picky with the ram, this one works, people have used this with the G31.

Corsair XMS 4gb $55.00 with mail-in rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145241

The board seems cheap, but if you read back a bit, I used the same board and processor for a friend, overclocked to 3.5Ghz, just pm me if you need the settings in the BIOS. :)

It seems your PSU also needs upgrading, if you're getting the GTX260 216, get this psu, proven very efficient and at a good price.

Corsair HX620 $140.00 with mail in rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002&Tpk=corsair%20hx620

Sorry if all I suggest are Intels, hehe, I'm not too familiar with AMD's offerings, since I'm an Intel guy as of now, the other guys here can help you I'm sure if you prefer AMD. :D

[Archived Post]

will my notebook play co

operating system windows visa prem 64-bit
intel@core 2 duo processor p8400 3 mb 2.26 ghz 1066 mhz
4 GB memory
nvidia geforce 9800gts with 512 MB of vido memory
hard drive 200 GB

[Archived Post]

will my notebook play co

operating system windows visa prem 64-bit
intel@core 2 duo processor p8400 3 mb 2.26 ghz 1066 mhz
4 GB memory
nvidia geforce 9800gts with 512 MB of vido memory
hard drive 200 GB

Yep, your notebook should be able to run the game. :)

[Archived Post]

Yep, your notebook should be able to run the game. :)

thank you nephilim:D

[Archived Post]

Thank you for all your information nephilim, i'm a little more enlightened!

[Archived Post]

Np guys, glad I could help. One month before the launch, everyone here's getting ready. :)

[Archived Post]

Without knowing specs of my PC, can anybody judge whether CO would work on my computer based off Pixel Shader? Warhammer Online didn't work on my PC because I lacked the latest Pixel Shader (I think it's 2.0). However, WoW: Wrath of the LIch King also implemented new shadows but it was still able to install and work on my PC. My only issue was the fact that I could not enable the shadow option within the Video menu.

Will CO then install AND work on my PC and just not let me enable better shadows? Or will it not work at all because of PIxel Shader?

Thanks for the help.

[Archived Post]

http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2224561

i want my computer to play the game at over recommended level with high settings and hardly any if at all lags or problems...

idk how to upgrade it what im guessing is that i need...

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 or better
Core Upgrade: (whatever that means idk says i need 2 out of the 1 i have) Dell XPS 710 H2C
Display Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 series or better
Motherboard: Something that fits everything in

any better upgrades would help i need this stuff ASAP so i can play beta T.T i want exclusive items too!

PS How do i check the type of motherboard i have i mean i think that might help others if they knew that to help me

[Archived Post]

Without knowing specs of my PC, can anybody judge whether CO would work on my computer based off Pixel Shader? Warhammer Online didn't work on my PC because I lacked the latest Pixel Shader (I think it's 2.0). However, WoW: Wrath of the LIch King also implemented new shadows but it was still able to install and work on my PC. My only issue was the fact that I could not enable the shadow option within the Video menu.

Will CO then install AND work on my PC and just not let me enable better shadows? Or will it not work at all because of PIxel Shader?

Thanks for the help.

Theres no way I can tell just by that, we'd need a card name/ manufacture.

http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2224561

i want my computer to play the game at over recommended level with high settings and hardly any if at all lags or problems...

idk how to upgrade it what im guessing is that i need...

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 or better
Core Upgrade: (whatever that means idk says i need 2 out of the 1 i have) Dell XPS 710 H2C
Display Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 series or better
Motherboard: Something that fits everything in

any better upgrades would help i need this stuff ASAP so i can play beta T.T i want exclusive items too!

PS How do i check the type of motherboard i have i mean i think that might help others if they knew that to help me

Are you looking for a list of parts that could play it? Or where you just asking something?

[Archived Post]

I'm hoping I'll be able to run this at 1920x1080.

E8400 @ 3.6GHz
4GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB

Handles everything else at that resolution with everything on maximum so I'm hopeful...

[Archived Post]

I'm hoping I'll be able to run this at 1920x1080.

E8400 @ 3.6GHz
4GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB

Handles everything else at that resolution with everything on maximum so I'm hopeful...

Definitelay can. :)

[Archived Post]

Are you looking for a list of parts that could play it? Or where you just asking something?

i want people to tell me what i can use thats above the recommended and if i can actually use it in my Desktop or not...

[Archived Post]

i want people to tell me what i can use thats above the recommended and if i can actually use it in my Desktop or not...

What type of power supply do you have? Some cards like the gtx 260 need two 6 pins to run and some ATI cards need a 6 and 8 pin to run. Are you getting a new motherboard or are you still using the one with the AGP slot?

[Archived Post]

What type of power supply do you have? Some cards like the gtx 260 need two 6 pins to run and some ATI cards need a 6 and 8 pin to run. Are you getting a new motherboard or are you still using the one with the AGP slot?

ill get a new motherboard if it is required...i did the GPU-Z thing...if you need more info from it ask...

Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6200
Bus Interface: AGP 8x @ 8x

[Archived Post]

My PC was a Dell XPS 400:
Pentium D 2.8 Ghz
2GB DDR
Nvidia GeForce 6800
BTX Case...

It recently died -- might be the video card fan or PSU. Anyway, I don't think there is much of an upgrade path for this PC which is several years old, but did service be through CoH/CoV.

So if I needed to invest in a new rig for this game, might as well be able to thoroughly enjoy it. Do you think the $500 rigs on FiringSquad's Summer PC build would to well?

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/summer_2009_pc_buyers_guide/page2.asp

Or do you think there is a way to resurrect my current PC so that it I could fully enjoy CO? I did, temporarily, put an Nvidia 8800GT in to play Fallout 3, but ended up returning it. The game did run pretty smoothly, but I think ultimately the CPU will also be one of the other bottlenecks.

[Archived Post]

ill get a new motherboard if it is required...i did the GPU-Z thing...if you need more info from it ask...

Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6200
Bus Interface: AGP 8x @ 8x

Yeah I would recommend it since all the best cards are PCI-e (you can spend about $250 for both a new graphics card and motherboard). You said you had a Pentium 4 right? Or where you looking to upgrade to a dual or quad core, I can look up a pretty good motherboard at a good price (under $100).

My PC was a Dell XPS 400:
Pentium D 2.8 Ghz
2GB DDR
Nvidia GeForce 6800
BTX Case...

It recently died -- might be the video card fan or PSU. Anyway, I don't think there is much of an upgrade path for this PC which is several years old, but did service be through CoH/CoV.

So if I needed to invest in a new rig for this game, might as well be able to thoroughly enjoy it. Do you think the $500 rigs on FiringSquad's Summer PC build would to well?

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/summer_2009_pc_buyers_guide/page2.asp

Or do you think there is a way to resurrect my current PC so that it I could fully enjoy CO? I did, temporarily, put an Nvidia 8800GT in to play Fallout 3, but ended up returning it. The game did run pretty smoothly, but I think ultimately the CPU will also be one of the other bottlenecks.

Does your computer turn on at all? Have you tried connecting the graphics card on anther computer or even connecting the monitor to the vga connection on the motherboard? It might be the card, if it is just spend the money on a new graphics card.

Sorry for the slow responses guys, been a bit busy, but it looks like you guys are more then taken care of with neph :D.

[Archived Post]

Yeah I would recommend it since all the best cards are PCI-e (you can spend about $250 for both a new graphics card and motherboard). You said you had a Pentium 4 right? Or where you looking to upgrade to a dual or quad core, I can look up a pretty good motherboard at a good price (under $100).



Does your computer turn on at all? Have you tried connecting the graphics card on anther computer or even connecting the monitor to the vga connection on the motherboard? It might be the card, if it is just spend the money on a new graphics card.

Sorry for the slow responses guys, been a bit busy, but it looks like you guys are more then taken care of with neph :D.

i need to know where to start and like a guide to fix this up xD low price is nice but i really want a jump over recommended so theres no lag or anything on High Settings, image your in my shoes and say what youd do to fix the computer pretty much...im not good with upgrades :(

PS: Figured out my computer is a nice gaming computer...from 2005 <.<

[Archived Post]

Phew! My computer just meets the minumum!

[Archived Post]

i need to know where to start and like a guide to fix this up xD low price is nice but i really want a jump over recommended so theres no lag or anything on High Settings, image your in my shoes and say what youd do to fix the computer pretty much...im not good with upgrades :(

PS: Figured out my computer is a nice gaming computer...from 2005 <.<

The main thing you need to focus on is the graphics card, and you wont be able to use any of the great cards out there without getting a new motherboard that has a PCI-e slot. You can get one that uses everything you have but the graphics card you own now and just have to buy a good graphics card with it to play this game at max settings.

[Archived Post]

Okay,so i really should have done this before i bought the parts for my upgrade, but i dont think there should be a problem, im only slightly worried about the motherboard i purchased really and just would like some peace of mind, after my impulse buy!

Video card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB DDR3 448-bit/ 55nm
Mother board: Gigabyte GA-X48-DS5 GA-X48-DS5
RAM: Corsair - TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) PC2-6400 DDRII-SDRAM PC Memory
Processor : Intel E7400 Core 2 Duo Processor - 2.80 GHz,3MB Cache,1066MHz FSB,Socket LGA775,45 nm,
Power supply: Corsair PSU 620W CMPSU-620HX ATX 12V Power Supply

This is what i was working with initially:
Processor: Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz Socket 775 LGA
3.4GHZ, 1.00 GB of RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS
Motherboard
Manufacturer: Micro-star International
Model: MS-7187
Chipset: Intel i945P

[Archived Post]

Okay,so i really should have done this before i bought the parts for my upgrade, but i dont think there should be a problem, im only slightly worried about the motherboard i purchased really and just would like some peace of mind, after my impulse buy!

Video card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB DDR3 448-bit/ 55nm
Mother board: Gigabyte GA-X48-DS5 GA-X48-DS5
RAM: Corsair - TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) PC2-6400 DDRII-SDRAM PC Memory
Processor : Intel E7400 Core 2 Duo Processor - 2.80 GHz,3MB Cache,1066MHz FSB,Socket LGA775,45 nm,
Power supply: Corsair PSU 620W CMPSU-620HX ATX 12V Power Supply

This is what i was working with initially:
Processor: Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz Socket 775 LGA
3.4GHZ, 1.00 GB of RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS
Motherboard
Manufacturer: Micro-star International
Model: MS-7187
Chipset: Intel i945P
You're in the clear, no need to worry about things not being compatible from what I looked at. Your board supports the video card, the RAM, and the processor, so all in all, you'll do fine.

[Archived Post]

Out of curiosity, would this graphics card work?

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

[Archived Post]

How about a 128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS?

I'm getting all these from some laptops I may be able to get.

[Archived Post]

I will buy Dell XPS 1640 (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670) and guess can play with medium or low settings.

[Archived Post]

Out of curiosity, would this graphics card work?

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

How about a 128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS?

I'm getting all these from some laptops I may be able to get.

I would go with the 8400, you won't get more then low- med settings at most from the looks of it.

I will buy Dell XPS 1640 (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670) and guess can play with medium or low settings.

That would be a good guess. The performance of the game all depends on the card, resolution you play, and what options you have turned on in game (like AA, V-sync, etc.).

[Archived Post]

My laptop isn't a gaming rig by any means, but could someone please tell me if my laptop will at least play CO? I don't care if it looks super great, i just want it to be at least playable.

System config:
HP Pavilion TX2510US

2.10 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-80 Ultra Dual Core Mobile Processor
3072 MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics RS780M with 64 MB DDR2

Thanks.

[Archived Post]

My laptop isn't a gaming rig by any means, but could someone please tell me if my laptop will at least play CO? I don't care if it looks super great, i just want it to be at least playable.

System config:
HP Pavilion TX2510US

2.10 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-80 Ultra Dual Core Mobile Processor
3072 MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics RS780M with 64 MB DDR2

Thanks.

Go here:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

It will tell you if your laptop is capable.

[Archived Post]

Thanks, i went there and it was very informative.

By the way, the laptop will work apparently. Barely, but good enough to mess with on the go :)

[Archived Post]

I need a video card.

I'm using an NVIDIA 9400 GT right now. The rest of my system is fine.


I'm buying a new computer within the next 6 months, so I don't want to spend very much money.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to a card I could purchase for around $50? I'm also looking for a place to purchase one.

I'm going to start checking e/bay, etc.

[Archived Post]

would this do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com/XFX-NVIDIA-GeForce-8800-GTS-512-MB-FREE-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ250473718156QQcmdZViewItemQQptZP CC_Video_TV_Cards?hash=item3a5165a18c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[Archived Post]

would this do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com/XFX-NVIDIA-GeForce-8800-GTS-512-MB-FREE-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ250473718156QQcmdZViewItemQQptZP CC_Video_TV_Cards?hash=item3a5165a18c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

That one would do the trick, I'm not sure if you'll be able to run at max settings or not but it's for sure going to be able to run the game.

[Archived Post]

I've done some looking elsewhere.

How would these work out?

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0314888

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0313872

[Archived Post]

im buying a computer from best buy i wanna know wat will run c o perfectly on them my price range is 1000 to 1300

also i will be watching movies and websurfing on this comp as well hooking up my cable to it

[Archived Post]

im buying a computer from best buy i wanna know wat will run c o perfectly on them my price range is 1000 to 1300

also i will be watching movies and websurfing on this comp as well hooking up my cable to it

Oh websurfing requires super special hardware, I'm not sure you can fit that into your budget. Glad you included that along with your other requirments or we may have given you bad information.

Or mabye instead of what you asked you could give us the specs and prices of what you are looking at and ask for opinions on the specific system.

[Archived Post]

you got a point .

here is one option
Gateway - TV Desktop with Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor

# Intel® Core™2 Quad processor Q8200
Featuring 4 processing cores, 1333MHz frontside bus, 4MB L2 cache and 2.33GHz processor speed per core.
# 4 complete execution cores in 1 processor
For better multitasking and multithreaded performance. Intel® Smart Memory Access optimizes data bandwidth to accelerate and improve instruction throughput.
# Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost
Accelerates the execution of Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE) instructions to significantly improve the Media Boost performance on a broad range of applications.
# 8GB DDR2 memory
For multitasking power.
# Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media. Supports DVD-RAM; also supports Labelflash direct-disc labels using compatible media.
# 640GB Serial ATA II hard drive (7200 rpm)
Provides enough storage for your data at fast read/write speeds.
# NVIDIA GeForce GT120 graphics
With up to 1GB total graphics memory for quality video performance. HDMI and RCA outputs easily connect to a TV.
# See the benefits of an NVIDIA graphics processor in your desktop.
# Built-in HD TV tuner
Lets you watch and record live television.
# 15-in-1 media reader with Smart copy button

[Archived Post]

I'd look for something with a better graphics cards, minimum of a Geforce 250 or ATI 4850 for a good game play. Should be easily doable in that price range.

[Archived Post]

Asus - Essentio Desktop with Intel® Core™ i7 Processor
#
Warranty Terms - Parts
1 year
#
Warranty Terms - Labor
1 year limited
#
Product Height
18.2"
#
Product Width
7.9"
#
Product Weight
23.9 lbs.
#
Product Depth
21"
#
Gaming Series
Yes
#
Processor Brand
Intel®
#
Processor
Intel® Core™ i7
#
Processor Speed
2.66GHz
#
Cache Memory
8MB on die Level 2
#
System Memory (RAM)
9GB
#
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To
24GB
#
Type of Memory (RAM)
DDR3
#
Hard Drive Type
Serial ATA (7200 rpm)
#
Hard Drive Size
1TB
#
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX260
#
Video Memory
896MB
#
Personal Video Recorder (PVR)
No
#
TV Tuner
No
#
MPEG
Yes
#
Audio
High-definition audio (7.1-channel support)
#
Built-in Webcam
No
#
Modem
None
#
Network Card
Built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
#
Wireless Networking
None
#
Recordable DVD Drive
Yes, double-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW
#
Recordable DVD Drive Speeds
8x DVD+R DL; 8x DVD-R DL; 16x8x16 DVD+RW; 16x6x16 DVD-RW; 5x DVD-RAM; 48x32x48 CD-RW
#
Direct-Disc Labeling
No
#
Digital Media Reader or Slots
Yes, digital media card reader
#
Total Expansion Bays
External: 2 (5.25"); Internal: 2 (3.5")
#
Available Expansion Bays
External: 1 (5.25"); Internal: 1 (3.5")
#
Total Expansion Slots
1 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 2 PCI-E x16
#
Available Expansion Slots
1 PCI-E, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16
#
USB 2.0 Ports
8
#
IEEE 1394 Ports
1
#
S-Video Outputs
1
#
Additional Audio/Video Connectors
2 DVI, 1 HDTV
#
Serial Ports
None
#
Parallel Ports
None
#
Game Ports
None
#
Keyboard Description
Razer USB gaming keyboard
#
Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.)
USB optical 2-button wheel mouse
#
Operating System Platform
Windows
#
Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1
#
Software Included
Adobe Acrobat Reader 8, Microsoft Works 9.0, Nero 8 Essentials, and more
#
ENERGY STAR Qualified
No
#
HDMI Output
No
#
Blu-ray Player
No

[Archived Post]

HP - Pavilion Elite Desktop with AMD Phenom™ II X4 940 Quad-Core Processor

#
Warranty Terms - Parts
1 year limited
#
Warranty Terms - Labor
1 year limited
#
Product Height
15.5"
#
Product Width
7"
#
Product Weight
24.25 lbs.
#
Product Depth
16.6"
#
Processor Brand
AMD
#
Processor Platform
AMD LIVE!
#
Processor
AMD Phenom™ II X4
#
Processor Speed
3.0GHz
#
System Bus
3600MHz
#
Cache Memory
2MB on die Level 2 + 6MB on die Level 3
#
System Memory (RAM)
8GB
#
Type of Memory (RAM)
PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM
#
Hard Drive Type
Serial ATA (7200 rpm)
#
Hard Drive Size
750GB
#
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT
#
Video Memory
512MB (dedicated); up to 767MB total available graphics memory
#
Personal Video Recorder (PVR)
No
#
TV Tuner
No
#
MPEG
Yes
#
Audio
High-definition audio (8-speaker configurable)
#
Built-in Webcam
No
#
Modem
None
#
Network Card
Built-in 10/100/1000Base-T network interface (RJ-45 connector)
#
Wireless Networking
Wireless-A+B+G+N
#
Recordable DVD Drive
Yes, double-layer DVD±RW/Blu-ray Disc/CD-RW
#
Recordable DVD Drive Speeds
6x BD-ROM; 4x DVD+R DL; 4x DVD-R DL; 16x8x16 DVD+RW; 16x6x16 DVD-RW; 4x DVD-RAM; 40x24x40 CD-RW
#
Direct-Disc Labeling
Yes
#
Digital Media Reader or Slots
Yes, digital media card reader
#
Total Expansion Bays
External: 2 (5.25"); 1 (3.5"); 1 media drive; Internal: 2 (3.5")
#
Available Expansion Bays
External: 1 (5.25"), 1 Pocket Media Drive; Internal: 1 (3.5")
#
Total Expansion Slots
3 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16
#
Available Expansion Slots
2 PCI-E x1
#
USB 2.0 Ports
6 (2 front, 4 rear)
#
IEEE 1394 Ports
2 (1 front, 1 rear)
#
S-Video Outputs
None
#
Additional Audio/Video Connectors
HDMI, DVI, digital audio output, rear speaker output, side speaker output, center (subwoofer) output
#
Serial Ports
None
#
Parallel Ports
None
#
Game Ports
None
#
Keyboard Description
HP multimedia
#
Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.)
HP optical mouse
#
Operating System Platform
Windows
#
Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1
#
Software Included
CyberLink DVD Suite Deluxe; muvee Reveal Premium; Microsoft Works 9; HP MediaSmart; Adobe Reader 8 and more
#
ENERGY STAR Qualified
No

[Archived Post]

Do you HAVE to buy from Best Buy? Take a look at www.cyberpowerpc.com you can get one for a much better deal than at Best Buy.

Even try www.ibuypower.com

[Archived Post]

Yeah Best Buy sucks for most things computer related. Out of those two you posted the first one is going to be faster and cost more, but either would work for champions.

[Archived Post]

Got another question for the "experts" out there.

Current graphics card won't run CO:
256 MB GeForce 7300 GS PCI Express

I don't have a lot of money to spend though, but i found a deal for this:

GeForce 9400GT 512MB GDDR2 PCI Express for about $50 new.
specific link: http://www.directron.com/512p3n940lr.html

I'd like to stay around $50-$70. Will it be good enough to play CO on moderate setting?

Informed opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Archived Post]

Moderate settings? Absolutely not. Look for a 9600 series or an ATI 4650 in the same price range.

[Archived Post]

Got another question for the "experts" out there.

Current graphics card won't run CO:
256 MB GeForce 7300 GS PCI Express

I don't have a lot of money to spend though, but i found a deal for this:

GeForce 9400GT 512MB GDDR2 PCI Express for about $50 new.
specific link: http://www.directron.com/512p3n940lr.html

I'd like to stay around $50-$70. Will it be good enough to play CO on moderate setting?

Informed opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

No "experts" here :p, just people wanting to help. Mrmojoz is right, get one of those cards for that price or even try and get the used 8800 on the page before this one (listing said there was two of them for $46).

9600 GSO (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150340)- $70

[Archived Post]

Ohh wow that card is a great deal, i think i'm gonna get it :)

[Archived Post]

Well, I'll have to buy a completely new computer for CO. My current laptop:

256 MB Ram
Geforce (numbers here) GO, unsupported by Nvidia
50 GB hard drive

*cry*

I'm thinking of this little beauty I found on newegg.com:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103218

Not bad at all for $650, and I'll combine that with this monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005125

I've actually been re-thinking whether or not to buy this monitor, because recently a Samsung has been catching my eye (sorry no link.)

[Archived Post]

Well, I'll have to buy a completely new computer for CO. My current laptop:

256 MB Ram
Geforce (numbers here) GO, unsupported by Nvidia
50 GB hard drive

*cry*

I'm thinking of this little beauty I found on newegg.com:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103218

Not bad at all for $650, and I'll combine that with this monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005125

I've actually been re-thinking whether or not to buy this monitor, because recently a Samsung has been catching my eye (sorry no link.)

It looks like a good PC for the price, the graphics card will get you med settings some low. If you buy that I would recommend getting a better graphics card. Also check out this monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236051

Its the one I own and its really great. Its an HD wide screen monitor and it looks great :D (1920 x 1080 resolution).

[Archived Post]

It looks like a good PC for the price, the graphics card will get you med settings some low. If you buy that I would recommend getting a better graphics card. Also check out this monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236051

Its the one I own and its really great. Its an HD wide screen monitor and it looks great :D (1920 x 1080 resolution).

What do you have to say about the negative comments about that monitor on that page?

"Horizontal viewing is terrible. Very dark. I have to tilt is way downwards to be able to see well, watching it at the same level. Stand very flimsy."

"Cons: Screen suffers a lot of tearing, that is, it can seem as though images have extra lines through them. Not sure what to do about it. I've adjusted a lot of settings on my computer to no avail. This "tearing" is evident when scrolling really fast or in games that don't have vsync enabled. It's a big downer"

I know you love it, but have you experienced anything these reviewers are talking about?

Also, which video cards are compatible with that Acer? I'm sort of a noob when it comes to video cards, motherboards, etc. compatibility, so any help would be appreciated. :)

[Archived Post]

All LCD panels are gonna tear without vsync as soon as your FPS beats the refresh.

[Archived Post]

My Stats
HP Firebird 802, Windows Vista 64bit SP1, 4gb Ram, Core 2 Quad CPU Q9400 @ 2.66GHz, NVIDIA GEOFORCE 9800S, NVIDIA Hi Def Audio Sound, SHARP 37" LCD TV for Monitor using generic PnP drivers

Is all of this OK? specifically how about the use of the generic pnp drivers for my LCD?

Thank you for your time.

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I know I need to upgrade badly lol

My Stats

Dell Inspiron 531
2.31 GHz AMD Athlon 54 X2 Dual Core 4400+
NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE / nForce 430
1gb Ram

I know I need a new GPU and some Ram any suggestions, trying not to spend to much, but atleast trying to run the game on medium settings.

Thanks in advance

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All I know is that I can play Crysis on Ultra graphics with no lag. so i think i will be fine

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What do you have to say about the negative comments about that monitor on that page?

"Horizontal viewing is terrible. Very dark. I have to tilt is way downwards to be able to see well, watching it at the same level. Stand very flimsy."

"Cons: Screen suffers a lot of tearing, that is, it can seem as though images have extra lines through them. Not sure what to do about it. I've adjusted a lot of settings on my computer to no avail. This "tearing" is evident when scrolling really fast or in games that don't have vsync enabled. It's a big downer"

I know you love it, but have you experienced anything these reviewers are talking about?

Also, which video cards are compatible with that Acer? I'm sort of a noob when it comes to video cards, motherboards, etc. compatibility, so any help would be appreciated. :)

I have never experienced any of the problems those people have had. I'm also not sure what one of the guys means by "Horizontal viewing is terrible", did he want to use the monitor vertically O_o? My monitor is also standing straight up, no need to tilt it or reposition it in any way to view it, the guy probably had some bad glare from a window or light bulb. The screen tearing also has to do with their graphics card and vsync like mrmojoz said (v-sync prevents the game's frames per second from exceeding how fast your monitor refreshes). As far as graphics card compatibility with monitors they're pretty much all compatible, if you can't connect it just buy a DVI- VGA/ VGA- DVI/ DVI- HDMI converter for about 50 cents- $1 (most monitors/ graphics cards will include these, I have about 3 or 4 different types lying around lol).

My Stats
HP Firebird 802, Windows Vista 64bit SP1, 4gb Ram, Core 2 Quad CPU Q9400 @ 2.66GHz, NVIDIA GEOFORCE 9800S, NVIDIA Hi Def Audio Sound, SHARP 37" LCD TV for Monitor using generic PnP drivers

Is all of this OK? specifically how about the use of the generic pnp drivers for my LCD?

Thank you for your time.

Run this:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

And see what it says about your card, from there we can recommend some cards depending on your price range from how you feel about the results. Also I've never installed a monitor's drivers, you'll be fine without them.

I know I need to upgrade badly lol

My Stats

Dell Inspiron 531
2.31 GHz AMD Athlon 54 X2 Dual Core 4400+
NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE / nForce 430
1gb Ram

I know I need a new GPU and some Ram any suggestions, trying not to spend to much, but atleast trying to run the game on medium settings.

Thanks in advance

Go to crucial.com (if your on windows XP 32-bit) and run the "Scan My System" and let me know what type of RAM you can use and how much per slot. As far as the card the 9600 GSO is a decent low budget card that should run the game around med settings.

All I know is that I can play Crysis on Ultra graphics with no lag. so i think i will be fine

Erm... Congrats O_o? Not sure if "Ultra" is a graphics setting in crysis tho, I know warhead has the "Enthusiast setting". What graphics card/ How much AA do you have applied (because I seriously doubt that statement)?

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whew they posted the spec just in time for me was gonna upp some specs anyway

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"As far as graphics card compatibility with monitors they're pretty much all compatible, if you can't connect it just buy a DVI- VGA/ VGA- DVI/ DVI- HDMI converter for about 50 cents- $1 (most monitors/ graphics cards will include these, I have about 3 or 4 different types lying around lol)."

Sorry, I meant 'Which graphics cards will be compatible with that computer?'

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SO I'm guessing I'de be fine with this then?
PROCESSOR AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4GHz, 1066MHz, 4MB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit

MEMORY 8GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
MONITOR 20" Dell S2009W HD Widescreen Monitor
OPTICAL DRIVE 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB

total cost- $874

I'm still shopping around, as i wont likely be buying a new system until after I've finished paying off my truck in sept >.<
the goal is to keep it under $1,000 preferably around $800 if possible (and finaceable :) )

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SO I'm guessing I'de be fine with this then?
PROCESSOR AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4GHz, 1066MHz, 4MB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit

MEMORY 8GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
MONITOR 20" Dell S2009W HD Widescreen Monitor
OPTICAL DRIVE 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB

total cost- $874

I'm still shopping around, as i wont likely be buying a new system until after I've finished paying off my truck in sept >.<
the goal is to keep it under $1,000 preferably around $800 if possible (and finaceable :) )

Def. Upgrade the Video Card, the Proc and GPU are two single most important factors in any rig, and unless the CPU is something terrible, the GPU is by far the most important. Get XP, and upgrade to Windows 7 beta (if you care for the interface that much), get it in 32bit, and downgrade your memory to 4gb MAX (What are you going to do, photoshop 20 pictures at once with that 8gb setup?), get a good (but not too good, if a 300Mhz increase is justified by a 100$ increase, skip that deal) intel Dual Core, only Crysis uses 4 cores (generalizing, but still, CO only needs 2 max), check out www.xbitlabs.com for monitor reviews (can't name the best one at that price range in the 20" category off the top of my head)

[Archived Post]

SO I'm guessing I'de be fine with this then?
PROCESSOR AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4GHz, 1066MHz, 4MB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit

MEMORY 8GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
MONITOR 20" Dell S2009W HD Widescreen Monitor
OPTICAL DRIVE 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB

total cost- $874

I'm still shopping around, as i wont likely be buying a new system until after I've finished paying off my truck in sept >.<
the goal is to keep it under $1,000 preferably around $800 if possible (and finaceable :) )

Where did you find this rig at? I'm going to have to disagree with the above poster that you should drop the amount of RAM, with 8GB your basically future-proofing your computer (well as "future-proof" as you can get with PC's)

“640K of memory should be enough for anybody.” [Bill Gates, 1981]

I suggest going to cyberpowerpc.com and ordering from there, take a look at the Mega Special III
With the PC I specc'ed out, you can spend $539.60 for this

# *BASE_PRICE: [+589]
# CAS: Azza Orion Gaming Mid-Tower Case with See-Thru Side Panel [-26] (Black with Red Lightning)
# CASUPGRADE: NONE
# CS_FAN: Default case fans
# CPU: (Sckt775)Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 CPU @ 3.0GHz 1333FSB 6MB L2 Cache 64-bit
# CD: (Special Price) LG 22X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Dual Layer Drive (BLACK COLOR)
# CD2: NONE
# FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
# FAN: INTEL LGA775 CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK
# FREEBIE_RM: None
# FLOPPY: NONE
# FREEBIE_OS: None
# HDD: Single Hard Drive (500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
# HDD2: NONE
# IEEE_CARD: NONE
# KEYBOARD: NONE [-4]
# MOUSE: NONE [-3]
# MODEM: NONE
# MULTIVIEW: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
# MONITOR: NONE
# MONITOR2: NONE
# MOTHERBOARD: MSI G31M3-L Intel G31 Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
# MEMORY: 4GB (2GBx2) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
# NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
# OS: NONE - FORMAT HARD DRIVE ONLY
# OS_UPGRADE: None
# PRINTER: None
# PRINTER_CABLE: None
# POWERSUPPLY: 600 Watts Power Supplies (SLI Ready Power Supply)
# RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
# SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
# SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
# SPEAKERS: None [-5]
# TEMP: NONE
# TVRC: None
# USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
# USBHD: NONE
# VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB 16X PCI Express [+17] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
# VIDEO2: None
# VIDEO3: None
# VC_GAMES: FREE GAME - Battle Stations ** Pacific **
# VIDEOCAMERA: NONE
# WNC: NONE
# _PRICE: (+568)

Heres a rundown
No OS (you can download Windows 7 RC1 for free and use it until mid next year for free)
4GB (2GBx2) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory
NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB 16X PCI Express (You can upgrade that to the 285GTX for around 200)
500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 CPU @ 3.0GHz 1333FSB 6MB L2 Cache 64-bit
No Speakers
No Keyboard/Mouse
DVD R/W drive
600 Watt PWS
Flash Reader

I used the coupon code "INTEL" to get an extra 5% off, keep in mind that price doesn't include shipping.

PM me or post here if you have any more questions.

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Def. Upgrade the Video Card, the Proc and GPU are two single most important factors in any rig, and unless the CPU is something terrible, the GPU is by far the most important. Get XP, and upgrade to Windows 7 beta (if you care for the interface that much), get it in 32bit, and downgrade your memory to 4gb MAX (What are you going to do, photoshop 20 pictures at once with that 8gb setup?), get a good (but not too good, if a 300Mhz increase is justified by a 100$ increase, skip that deal) intel Dual Core, only Crysis uses 4 cores (generalizing, but still, CO only needs 2 max), check out www.xbitlabs.com for monitor reviews (can't name the best one at that price range in the 20" category off the top of my head)

I disagree, I wouldn't even consider a 32bit OS at this point. Vista 64 or Win7 64 only.

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I disagree, I wouldn't even consider a 32bit OS at this point. Vista 64 or Win7 64 only.

On what grounds? No offense, but just the fact that you're recommending Vista makes it sound as though somebody should've done a bit more research. 64-bit is wonderful, but for very specific applications. It's fair to say that 99% of games, (not to mention apps) don't benefit from the extra options 64-bit gives you. Unless you're going to be using 4+ GB of RAM at any one time during your PC use, and/or will be shipping seriously large data packages thru the system (from RAM, to RAM, etc) you really don't need 64-bit; 'tis all marketing I tel yuZ!

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On what grounds? No offense, but just the fact that you're recommending Vista makes it sound as though somebody should've done a bit more research. 64-bit is wonderful, but for very specific applications. It's fair to say that 99% of games, (not to mention apps) don't benefit from the extra options 64-bit gives you. Unless you're going to be using 4+ GB of RAM at any one time during your PC use, and/or will be shipping seriously large data packages thru the system (from RAM, to RAM, etc) you really don't need 64-bit; 'tis all marketing I tel yuZ!

Because modern computers need to be able to address more than 3 gigs of memory space. Factor in your system ram then add your video card memory, now guess which OS is gimped. There is no reason not to get 64bit, and there are reasons not to buy 32bit for people playing games. Not to mention that heaven forbid you decided to do something with your computer beyond gaming. Media creation also directly benefits from 64bit, even if your app is only 32bit. Marketing? More like simple math.

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Because modern computers need to be able to address more than 3 gigs of memory space. Factor in your system ram then add your video card memory, now guess which OS is gimped. There is no reason not to get 64bit, and there are reasons not to buy 32bit for people playing games. Not to mention that heaven forbid you decided to do something with your computer beyond gaming. Media creation also directly benefits from 64bit, even if your app is only 32bit. Marketing? More like simple math.

Lol, I end up with 8 gigs then, so not mine. Yeah, well, unless you're going to be using ALL 4 Gb of RAM you might have and ALL of the VRAM your gpu provides, at the SAME time, it's still a bit too much. And there is a reason against using 64; not that many other people are using it, so if you're looking for an obscure prog there's always that chance of your OS giving up on you. Whereas in a sub-1000$ PC, I would think you'd be better of with a 32. Just saying.

P.S. Yeah heaven forbid, when's the last time you fired up your photoshop cs2 and worked on 5 images at once?

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Lol, I end up with 8 gigs then, so not mine. Yeah, well, unless you're going to be using ALL 4 Gb of RAM you might have and ALL of the VRAM your gpu provides, at the SAME time, it's still a bit too much. And there is a reason against using 64; not that many other people are using it, so if you're looking for an obscure prog there's always that chance of your OS giving up on you. Whereas in a sub-1000$ PC, I would think you'd be better of with a 32. Just saying.

P.S. Yeah heaven forbid, when's the last time you fired up your photoshop cs2 and worked on 5 images at once?

Uh I pretty much always work on multiple images at once in photoshop. And you are still wrong, 32bit OSes can address 3gigs total. So if your video is a 1gb unit and the game you are playing can use more than 2 gigs of ram you just bottlenecked yourself, having that 4gb of ram does your zero good on a 32bit system. If you need an old application then run in it in virtual machine. Recommending 32bit may have made sense 3 years ago, but time to move on.

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"As far as graphics card compatibility with monitors they're pretty much all compatible, if you can't connect it just buy a DVI- VGA/ VGA- DVI/ DVI- HDMI converter for about 50 cents- $1 (most monitors/ graphics cards will include these, I have about 3 or 4 different types lying around lol)."

Sorry, I meant 'Which graphics cards will be compatible with that computer?'

Oh I'm sorry, I miss read, the computer you posted has a ati 4650 which will play the game around med settings, if you want an even better card (to max out the game) go with a 4870 ($150). I'm not sure what the wattage is like on the power supply on the computer you posted but if its around 4-500 watts it should be enough to run the card safely.

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Oh I'm sorry, I miss read, the computer you posted has a ati 4650 which will play the game around med settings, if you want an even better card (to max out the game) go with a 4870 ($150). I'm not sure what the wattage is like on the power supply on the computer you posted but if its around 4-500 watts it should be enough to run the card safely.

Thank you so much for your help, I'll look into the 4870 card (or something cheaper in the Radeon line) after newegg ships the Acer comp. Again, thanks, computer specs sometimes look like mandarin to me.

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Thank you so much for your help, I'll look into the 4870 card (or something cheaper in the Radeon line) after newegg ships the Acer comp. Again, thanks, computer specs sometimes look like mandarin to me.

Haha, no problem, glad I could help :D.

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Uh I pretty much always work on multiple images at once in photoshop. And you are still wrong, 32bit OSes can address 3gigs total. So if your video is a 1gb unit and the game you are playing can use more than 2 gigs of ram you just bottlenecked yourself, having that 4gb of ram does your zero good on a 32bit system. If you need an old application then run in it in virtual machine. Recommending 32bit may have made sense 3 years ago, but time to move on.

I'll have to agree with you there; if you absolutely need to run that non-compliant 32bit program on a 64bit machine, use a virtual machine. I prefer Virtual Box, any person with a reading and comprehension skill above 4th grade will be able to use it.

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Hey stupid question but, do you think CO could still be playable with a 6600 Nvidia GeForce vid card? I plan on upgrading, but wondering if in the mean time that would scrape by.

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The requirements for this game are far higher than say COH... It looks like it requires a certain amount of juice. I anticipated stuff like this. Bought a gaming desktop computer in '08 (with an NVidia 8800 GT card) and bought a laptop earlier this year with an ATI Radeon Mobility 3650 card (both 512 MB) which should be able to play the game at least adequately. The desktop is a quad core which should meet the requirements easily; whereas my laptop is a 2.0 Ghz Duo Core which makes it barely over the minimum. I have 4 GB of RAM in both computers.

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Finished my computer, the fan is loud now but whatever...

Before: http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2216084

After: http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2236015

I can play it at least now :)

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Hey stupid question but, do you think CO could still be playable with a 6600 Nvidia GeForce vid card? I plan on upgrading, but wondering if in the mean time that would scrape by.

Find out here:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

Finished my computer, the fan is loud now but whatever...

Before: http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2216084

After: http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/?gameId=10350&sysInfoId=2236015

I can play it at least now :)

Congrats mang :D.

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Hey stupid question but, do you think CO could still be playable with a 6600 Nvidia GeForce vid card? I plan on upgrading, but wondering if in the mean time that would scrape by.

I wouldn't consider it playable with that card, your definition of playable may differ though.

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I haven't bought many PC games over the last few years, but my system pretty much matches the "recommended" settings (except I have 4GB RAM). Should I expect a 60FPS framerate, all else being equal?

E8400 3.0GHz
8800GT
4GB RAM, dual-channel

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If the graphics card is one grade below the minimum and all the other specs meet the recommended or near recommended specs how would the game run? also would a computer like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227160 that be able to run CO on high settings?

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I haven't bought many PC games over the last few years, but my system pretty much matches the "recommended" settings (except I have 4GB RAM). Should I expect a 60FPS framerate, all else being equal?

E8400 3.0GHz
8800GT
4GB RAM, dual-channel

Its a good card, im not sure what you should be expecting out of it to be honest.

If the graphics card is one grade below the minimum and all the other specs meet the recommended or near recommended specs how would the game run? also would a computer like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227160 that be able to run CO on high settings?


Everything look good but the graphics card. If your planning on buying it I would suggest just upgrading that. From what I can tell you can make the game run decently (med settings, and a little lower) if you turn eye candy off, but I'll let you know when I can actually play it how I'll throw in my 9500 to see how it goes.

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I was wondering if anyone could help me out...
I think most of my set up meets either minimum or recommended with the exception of the graphics card (and pos CPU but Im not sure with that one).
(System info: http://i27.tinypic.com/s1m4ud.jpg)
I can afford to upgrade to the recommended card but firstly I am unsure if it will be compatible with my pc and secondly finding one local is proving damn near impossible (live in the UK, west mid)

I want to be able to play it with the graphics on full with minimum lag.. is this at all possible with my machine?
(Btw, most of the nitty gritty stuff regarding PCs tends to go over my head a little bit so sorry if I seem a little dense :))

[Archived Post]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out...
I think most of my set up meets either minimum or recommended with the exception of the graphics card (and pos CPU but Im not sure with that one).
(System info: http://i27.tinypic.com/s1m4ud.jpg)
I can afford to upgrade to the recommended card but firstly I am unsure if it will be compatible with my pc and secondly finding one local is proving damn near impossible (live in the UK, west mid)

I want to be able to play it with the graphics on full with minimum lag.. is this at all possible with my machine?
(Btw, most of the nitty gritty stuff regarding PCs tends to go over my head a little bit so sorry if I seem a little dense :))

I would just upgrade the graphics card, everything should be fine. Not sure how much your willing to spend or where you could possibly buy a graphics card in the uk right off the top of my head but I suggest going for a 4870 or gtx 260 (core 216) card. Both need two 6 or 8 pins (to late to remember) to power.

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Go here:
http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10350/

It will tell you if your laptop is capable.

Thanks for sharing the link. I wasn't sure how well my system would run CO; but from the link it seems I've nothing to fear - eventhough it's already a bit of an aging system it still performs above the recommendations.

phew.

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I would just upgrade the graphics card, everything should be fine. Not sure how much your willing to spend or where you could possibly buy a graphics card in the uk right off the top of my head but I suggest going for a 4870 or gtx 260 (core 216) card. Both need two 6 or 8 pins (to late to remember) to power.

Hmmm.. found ATI Radeon HD 4870 for a reasonable price on play.com (http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/6664223/Sapphire-ATI-Radeon-HD-4870-1GB-DDR5-PCI-Express-2-0-Graphics-Card/Product.html) but looking at the spec and following the Gamespot tutorial linked in OP I think my power supply has only half the output required.. If I'm looking at the right thing my power supply is max 250watt and the card requires 500watt or more & 2 75 watt 6 pin power connectors and I haven't a clue what my machine has :S

So am I correct in assuming that with that poor power supply I don't have much chance of getting a card capable of running full settings?