Half-life 2 Minimum Requires?

DY357LX · June 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">Considering A New P.C.</div> Its seems that every day I find a new Half-life 2 pic to go in my collection and every
day I try to think of a quick and easy method of getting my hands on teh cash to
buy a nice new PC that will run it.

After a quick browse on eBay for "GeForce FX" (thats their latest card right?)
I noticed that some of them were as cheap as £70. Now I hear some of you
scream "ATI's Radeon 9800 ownz nVIDIA!" but the pull of "extra features for nVIDIA
people running Half-Life 2" is too great. (Unconfirmed but you never know).

So it is here that I ask you all...... what do you think is needed to play Half-Life 2
at a good amount of Frames Per Second.
At time of typing this I am running the following system:

80 Gig Hard-Drive (7200)
AMD ATHLON 1400
640 meg of SDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (128 DDR)
Motherboard is a bit dodgy. THe book simply reads "PC 266 SystemBoard". M810.
52x CD-Writer (I'll probably disconnect this beauty and reconnect into new system)
DVD Drive (Borrowed from my sisters now dorment 600mhz pc)

What seems to the be the average system being sold at the moment?
MHZ, RAM and Video Card-wise?

Any input would be nice, job offers for £150 a week or above would be even nicer <img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>
Oh and finally, does anyone know if VALVe have officially released the minimum
requirements?

Aldaris · June 2003

According to Valve, my 800mhz Duron (yes I know, go ahead and laugh), Geforce 4 Ti 4200 on 4x AGP and 256mb DDR will run HL2, it just won't look at good as the screenshots currently in circulation. I don't think they've said anything about recommended. All I know that HL2 automatically scales what graphical niceties it will compute based on your system

Nemesis_Zero · June 2003

The mins lie in the regions of a 700 Mhz machine with a TNT2, the recommendations are around the level of 2Ghz.
Do not believe in the special nVidia features - HL2 was shown at ATIs E3 booth.

Pulse · June 2003

You're worried about having to upgrade <i>that?!?!</i> I envy you, I'm confident HL2 will run ok on my comp though (way worse than yours).

Rion · June 2003

Holy crap man!! Just what silencer said..

I would **** myself if you wouldn't be able to run HL2 with a decent frame rate.

pielemuis · June 2003

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but I'm also buying me a new computer for HL2. I decided on everything except for the vid card. Keep in mind that I'm a poor student s:] Should i go for the FX5600, the radeon 9600 pro or a geforce4 Ti 4800 ? The geforce 4 would've been my first choice seeing as it outperformed both other cards in benchmarks, except when you turned on all the nifty filtering thingies. But since HL2 is a new game it'll probably use DX9 features (?) so a DX9 card would be nice then. Anyway I'm still not sure which card i should get. No ATI/nVidia fanboys, if you say go for that card at least give me a good reason.

Pulse · June 2003

I would get whatever's cheapest (meaning the GF4), Valve said it would work on a TNT2 so a GF4Ti should have no problem, although if eye candy is what makes a game for you then you should stick with the later cards, and they would probably get you further into the future as well.

DOOManiac · June 2003

I'm only on 2.4ghz, i'll probably upgrade to 3.06 when hl2 or doom3 comes out. plus all i got is a lowly ti4400, so gotta get a new video card too. ;)

Nemesis_Zero · June 2003

In case you wondered, yes, he is mad <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

TheWizard · June 2003

I have heard that the new FX's are not that good. I have seen the ATI 9800 card in action and it is beautiful.

However, I still use my original Asus Geforce3. It can run any game out there without difficulty. Don't be drawn into the trap of upgrading to the new $300 card when the older $100 cards are more than you need. Wait till the $300 is the $100 one.

A large part of the requirements of the HL2 engine are not reliant upon high end videocards but rather depend on the processing power of the CPU. Graphics have reached a slight plateau however the true improvements of the HL2 engine are in the physics, not the graphics. Physics engines depend greatly upon everything except the video card (mostly). Invest your money in that area.

ShootBang · June 2003

Yes, my recently upgraded comp will actualy run what looks like the most awesome game EVER. I'm happy now. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

Anyone who's looking for a new computer, build your own, you get soo much more bang for your buck. For under $800 I got a top of the line motherbord, processor, 3d card, and everything else!!

roachems · June 2003

yea..... I think i'm going to upgrade after HL2 comes out.

Or maybe before, I'll have to do research and find out when prices are most likely to drop.

That_Annoying_Kid · June 2003

I think HL2 will run on my friends 486...

LucidReality · June 2003

I feel so poor.

1.7ghz celeron
40GBhd
256 ddr ram (dance dance revolution) AHAHAH inside joke.
Geforce4 mx 440 ... im so poor omg...

I guess i cant play hl2???

That_Annoying_Kid · June 2003

W00t DDR!!!

man my home PC sucks

it even has windows ME <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'>

Bogglesteinsky · June 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (-Lucid_Reality- @ Jun 12 2003, 01:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I feel so poor.

1.7ghz celeron
40GBhd
256 ddr ram (dance dance revolution) AHAHAH inside joke.
Geforce4 mx 440 ... im so poor omg...

I guess i cant play hl2???  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
thats exactly what i got (apart from i got a 20gb hd and 512mb ddr)

please help us.

call 1-800-GIVE-ME-MONEY

LucidReality · June 2003

Yeah!!!!!!! woo finally somone else not uber l33ted out on their pc besides me. I have this idea, that im gonna get a job then save up a couple of paychecks and get a Nifty computer case and all kinds of good stuff. Then ic an show it off. I dont even care if i have some crap 10$$ video card in it as long as i have a kewl case.

Weeeeee!!!

BTW, can somone tell me why, when i have a 40 GB hd, only 32 of it shows up..and opf that 32.... i only know wut about 15 GB's of it is...... i only have 2.3 GB left.....im so confused...

DOOManiac · June 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Nemesis Zero @ Jun 12 2003, 12:22 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> In case you wondered, yes, he is mad :p  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
No! Not mad! Simply "hardcore".

DOOManiac · June 2003

Okay maybe a little mad...

Align · June 2003

I think the latest GForce card is something 5900. And it is, by a small bit, better than the 9800, except in one category(which I unfortunately can't remember), but it won the 4 others... so get that one, if you find it.
nurr, I wish I had the link to that comparison1

Mullet · June 2003

I feel so lonely... I'm 700mhz, 128 SDram, 40 gigs...BUT MY VID CARD PWNZ J()()! geofroce 4 ti 4600....its alright...lol. I had WinME until lately....so sad. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'>

CForrester · June 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (pielemuis @ Jun 12 2003, 11:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Not meaning to hijack this thread, but I'm also buying me a new computer for HL2. I decided on everything except for the vid card. Keep in mind that I'm a poor student s:] Should i go for the FX5600, the radeon 9600 pro or a geforce4 Ti 4800 ? The geforce 4 would've been my first choice seeing as it outperformed both other cards in benchmarks, except when you turned on all the nifty filtering thingies. But since HL2 is a new game it'll probably use DX9 features (?) so a DX9 card would be nice then. Anyway I'm still not sure which card i should get. No ATI/nVidia fanboys, if you say go for that card at least give me a good reason.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Get the Radeon 9500 Pro. The 9600 makes baby Jesus cry. nVidia cards make God cry uncontrollably. If you believe in a god. (I don't.) If you don't, then replace Jesus and God with whatever you want.

marksman_not_newbie · June 2003

i wana new pc badly.
Atm i have a:
1.3ghz athlon
640mb ddr ram (upgraded drom 128)
40gb super slow hard disk
a dvd/ cd rw combo drive
a TNT2 64 32mb ram graphics card (sooooo bad)

BUT i just seen this in the paper from time i think it was:

2.6ghz
1024mb DDR ram (yep thats right i gb!) <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'>
160gb hard disk (not sure of speed)
geforce FX5200 128nmb DDR! (not bad considering its in the system as defualt)
DVD/CD rw
+ some other stuff i just cant remember <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

FOR HOW MUCH *excludeing monitor and speakers* <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'>

!!!!!?800!!!!!
!!!inc VAT!!!
But i am waiting for september nehow lol.
btw i was wondering do u lot think that bussinesses will higher the prices of new PCs in september or do u think they are not that clever? <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

Vyvn · June 2003

There are some nice articles at <a href='http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/index.html' target='_blank'>Tom's Hardware graphics cards section</a>. A nice read comparing a bunch of cards (excluding the FX's) can be found in <a href='http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/20021024/index.html' target='_blank'>this article</a>.

I was planning on getting a new card soon (I have a TNT2) and was thinking about a Radeon 9700, the non-Pro version. It seems to be almost as good as the Pro and better than all the GF4's, and costs $60 less than the R9700 Pro, and only $15 more than the R9500 Pro. (All prices found at <a href='http://www.pricewatch.com' target='_blank'>http://www.pricewatch.com</a> ). I don't really have $265 to spend on a R9700 Pro, so I was thinking this could be a good alternative. Or do you think I should cut my losses and go with a worse card, and then upgrade again later?

Oh, another thing... (sorry about the hijacking, you should have known this would happen <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'> ) How do I tell if my TNT2 comes in an AGP or PCI slot? This sound a bit nubly, but when I checked the card properties, it seemed to indicate it came in a PCI slot, which wouldn't really make any sense, but would mean my motherboard doesn't have an AGP slot at all for a new card. I'm sure someone can put me in my place in this matter.

Ahnteis · June 2003

if you're going to upgrade for HL2, wait until right before it comes out. Current hardware will be cheaper and new hardware will be available. Don't upgrade 3 months in advance.

eediot · June 2003

god, you guys are full of it

im content with my 600mhz, gf2 mx400, 256 mb ram.

well, not really, but i dont doubt that halflife2 will run on it fine

"oh no im not running 25000 fps/millisecond on full graphics while playing battlefield 1942, wahh wahh wahh"

jeeeez

Vyvn · June 2003

Well, actually BF1942 doesn't even run on a TNT2, not the demo at least. I <i>need</i> a new card to even play any new games, at all.

Can't speak for the rest of you guys, tho <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'>

pielemuis · June 2003

Well clearly the 9500 pro is better than the 9600 pro, eventhough there isn't *that* much difference. But they stopped producing the 9500 pro and the store i go to doesn't have them in stock anymore.

Zel · June 2003

so what if the ATI 9800 beats out gfFX? doom3 was designed on gf3 technology, and thats enough to make me want to stick to nvidia for the next few years...

actually it puts me at a toss-up, i cant decide what to get.

but i do know that ill be saving the big bucks by building a watercooling system out of spare parts, and my next system is going to be a 2.2Ghz athlon clocked to 3.0 ghz, 45% overclock on a $100 coolant system <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'>

on the other hand my current 803mhz chip runs TODAY's games just fine....

Shloom · June 2003

I have a P3 650mhz, 320mb RAM and a radeon 9000pro

It lets me play Americas Armys so I think it might run HL2 on low grafics.

I hope...

sheena_yanai · June 2003

hmm... minimum system req. are 10 cray supercomputers connected to the earth simulator physics calculation cluster,and a little cute 1800 squaremeter big SGI® origin® 3000 renderfarm <img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>
you could get with minimal details and 640x480 resolution very hot 12 fps on this system

Half-life 2 Minimum Requires?

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