Building a PC for NS2

tallmidget22tallmidget22 Join Date: 2007-02-03 Member: 59859Members
in NS2 General Discussion
This christmas, I am considering buying myself all the parts I need to play NS2, I have a good idea about ram and HDD and processor and stuff, but what graphics option (CHEAP is good) do you guys reccommend for me. I am looking at like 2-4 gigs of ram, a 2GHZ AMD dual core, a 100GB 7200 rpm HDD, so I am not looking for anything to be bottlenecked? I am not familar with graphics cards so any help would be appreciated.
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    If you wait until NS2 comes out you cana buy a computer for far cheaper that will run it much better than anything you buy today.
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  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    Eh no, the recent interviews says that you should expect requirements like HL2:EP2. Anyway, follow Tycho's advice. If you don't, go for a Core2duo and a 8800 GTS. 4 gigs of ram atm is overkill unless you use vista and HD performance only matters on load times.
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  • obsidobsid Join Date: 2003-09-16 Member: 20909Members
    edited October 2007
    Im getting ready to buy the 8800gt. Should be out on oct 29th, going to be one of the best video cards around for about $249 or so, and it should be able to beat the old 8800 GTS 640 ($350 ish), and come close to the 8800GTX ($500ish). The top card in the market at the moment is the 8800 Ultra ($600) which should be the only card significantly better then the 8800GT. Also the Radeon HD 2950 PRO should be out Nov 19th, Im not sure where it will match up exactly, but shouuld be close to the 8800GT i think.

    This is a PCIe-16x card so you will need one of those slots.

    Mind you this card is probably alot more then you need for NS2, but it should be a card that lasts for a long long time.

    If your looking for something cheaper a GeForce 8600 GT or a Radeon HD 2600 PRO are about $160.

    All of these cards are directx 10 compatable, which means they should be able to keep up with the newest games for quite some time.
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  • killkrazykillkrazy Join Date: 2007-09-10 Member: 62238Members
    I concur... I've had an AMDx2 and a Core2.... the core2 is by far the better option, it is much more quiet, far cooler and it installs without any tools and without removing the Mobo (which is cool!)

    i bought the 8800GTS too, it seems ATi have gone downhill since AMD bought them, used to be a big Radeon fan :s
    and Hard Disks are cheap as chips nowadays, grab a 250gb one for like 50$. western digital are my favourite <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    just make sure you have a decent PSU (540w minimum) and all compatible parts <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
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  • enigmaenigma Join Date: 2004-09-11 Member: 31623Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658253:date=Oct 28 2007, 03:54 PM:name=killkrazy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(killkrazy @ Oct 28 2007, 03:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658253"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I concur... I've had an AMDx2 and a Core2.... the core2 is by far the better option, it is much more quiet, far cooler and it installs without any tools and without removing the Mobo (which is cool!)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You'll also want to overclock it just because it'd be a shame not to. A 70% overclock on the lower end C2Ds can be easily achieved with a $20-30 aftermarket cooler (AC7?). Just don't skimp on your mobo/psu/ram.
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  • obsidobsid Join Date: 2003-09-16 Member: 20909Members
    edited October 2007
    For those interested, tomshardware just posted a review 2 hours ago of the 8800GT at: <a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/29/geforce_8800_gt/" target="_blank">http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/29/geforce_8800_gt/</a>


    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->In the end, Nvidia has taken its time, but offers an exceptional card with the GeForce 8800GT. For about $230 it nearly displays the power of a GeForce 8800GTX (under 3%) twice as expensive, with the only downside being a slightly lower memory capacity (512 MB instead of 768 MB) and a bandwidth 10% lower than that of a GeForce 8800GTS. However, in games, the latter is usually outperformed by 30% without filters (using the 320 MB version) by the GeForce 8800GT and the GTX is only 12% higher.

    ...

    We give the Nvidia GeForce 8800GT our Best Bang for the Buck Award.

    Positives

    Excellent performance/price ratio
    Decreasing power consumption
    Silence and card's dimensions
    PureVideo 2

    Negatives

    Why didn't it offer such a card earlier?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    edited October 2007
    yep its a great card from the benchmarks I've seen <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />


    why not just buy a pc when ns2 actually does come out though ? i'm still thinking its atleast 6-12 months away. (which is sad because games like crysis will be the norm by then, and once again NS will be 2 generations behind in terms of gfx)
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  • NEX9NEX9 Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44299Members
    yes but this time it will be a retail game, UWE will get every bit of revenew those that worked on it deserve, inturn laying down a heaftly sliver lineing for the cloud that will be NS3:Return to earth

    For those that remeber the lore. when resourses on earth were found the big greedy companys and corps keep them for them selves, developed phase tech and once earth was sucked dry, vacated our planet jumped to other galaxys in search of more res.

    Hum thousands of years, of leaveing the poor scum on earth, alone. anything that was, would of turned to anarchy, but what happens to a planet that gets invaded by aliens and they cant defend them selves?.

    Imagine anarchy post apocoliptic future earth left in disaray over ran by infestation and kharaa. Our once world is now there home world.

    -features out side maps.
    -a new res system completly involved on harvesting the dead
    -new make shift earth weapons as well as the classic's
    -dynamic maps, feilded in by a new com system
    -featureing kharaa ships and technology
    -new kharaa evolutions that have adapted with earths creatures and can be evolved into by multiple players, not limited to a giant drake like life form, huge rolling spiked catterpillar, a even bigger tunnel digging spice wyum.
    -a kharaa intuative res trade system.
    -a mix of TSA vehicals and earths industrial wheeled creations.

    So help the Trans System Athority band togther with earths remaining scum bags to fight for a resourseless planet, in the largest most glorious looking out door maps that feature the most complex indoor area's of any RTS/FPS hybrid. players will choose from one of two sides, defending earth or claiming it. Both sides will use basic technologys that will advance through out game play and team work the more they harvest the resources of the death, be it your own or your enemys. to do this they will rapidly constuct or evolve vehicals controled or driven by multiple people, to take the fight to preordained nutural or friendly/enemy constucted structure's built and featured across 4 different terrain type tile sets, urban, jungle, arid desert and snow.

    licenced rights to NS3 game enginer can be perchased thru UWE website at <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/NS3/buy_our_engine_4_big_$" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/NS3/buy_our_engine_4_big_$</a>

    Ultimately so they can make NS4 and or other titles that i am sure will be awsome.
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  • killkrazykillkrazy Join Date: 2007-09-10 Member: 62238Members
    you on drugs? :>
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  • tallmidget22tallmidget22 Join Date: 2007-02-03 Member: 59859Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658476:date=Oct 30 2007, 07:33 AM:name=killkrazy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(killkrazy @ Oct 30 2007, 07:33 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658476"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->you on drugs? :><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Quoted for agreement.


    For everyone else, I think that saving some money and just buying it next year sounds to be a great idea.
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658529:date=Oct 31 2007, 07:03 AM:name=tallmidget22)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tallmidget22 @ Oct 31 2007, 07:03 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658529"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Quoted for agreement.
    For everyone else, I think that saving some money and just buying it next year sounds to be a great idea.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    at least until the geforce 9s come out - once a gfx card comes out that can run crysis in high detail and max res smoothly i think you'll be pretty right, cause i doubt any other game will be that taxing for a long time to come.
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  • Steve0Steve0 Join Date: 2007-07-17 Member: 61615Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658779:date=Nov 1 2007, 12:36 AM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(schkorpio @ Nov 1 2007, 12:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658779"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->at least until the geforce 9s come out - once a gfx card comes out that can run crysis in high detail and max res smoothly i think you'll be pretty right, cause i doubt any other game will be that taxing for a long time to come.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    My rig atm is , Q6600 2.4ghz / core , 2gb 667mhz ram , 8800GTS 640mb , Asus P5N-e SLi mobo . Set me back just under 600 of her majestys pounds and i can play crysis on all high with 2x AA and get a good solid 85fps or so, in Ut3 demo i get around 100fps in a 4v4 TDM.

    Its a bloody good rig and atm hardware is sooooo cheap its just not funny, There not much point waiting for gefore 99** cards and phenom cores , because there isnt really any other games that are more demanding in hardware then crysis/ut3 atm ( there probably wont be for awhile either).
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658781:date=Nov 1 2007, 10:41 AM:name=Steve0)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Steve0 @ Nov 1 2007, 10:41 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658781"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->My rig atm is , Q6600 2.4ghz / core , 2gb 667mhz ram , 8800GTS 640mb , Asus P5N-e SLi mobo . Set me back just under 600 of her majestys pounds and i can play crysis on all high with 2x AA and get a good solid 85fps or so, in Ut3 demo i get around 100fps in a 4v4 TDM.

    Its a bloody good rig and atm hardware is sooooo cheap its just not funny, There not much point waiting for gefore 99** cards and phenom cores , because there isnt really any other games that are more demanding in hardware then crysis/ut3 atm ( there probably wont be for awhile either).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    what res are you running? cause I have the exact same pc, bar motherboard its a gigabyte non sli, but crysis on high runs at about 20-30 fps - which is consitant with about 5 bench marks i've read online.

    what drivers are you using?
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  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited October 2007
    NS2 doesn't need anything more then HL2 last I heard/read...

    Just a quick question Steve0. Why are you running a Q6600 on 667 mem. That cpu is already struggling to get it's 4 cores working effective on 1333fsb, so running at 667 would totally kill the "extra power" it has. (just curious)

    Actually to be realistic, a quad needs actually more then 1333 to get up to full potential (2666?)

    Also WTF is up with hdd's. Still slow as hell they are and ramdrives are so small/expensive <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658788:date=Nov 1 2007, 11:13 AM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kouji_San @ Nov 1 2007, 11:13 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658788"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->NS2 doesn't need anything more then HL2 last I heard/read...

    Just a quick question Steve0. Why are you running a Q6600 on 667 mem. That cpu is already struggling to get it's 4 cores working effective on 1333fsb, so running at 667 would totally kill the "extra power" it has. (just curious)

    Actually to be realistic, a quad needs actually more then 1333 to get up to full potential (2666?)

    Also WTF is up with hdd's. Still slow as hell they are and ramdrives are so small/expensive <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    If your are running it in dual channel which i would expect any new mobo would support, you are effectively running the ram @ 1334 fsb anyways <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> - whether or not that helps i have no idea lol.

    Yes bring on the ram drives! - whatever happened to those 3D crystal storage cube things?
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  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    yep with classic hard drives reaching their limit @ 250Gb per disk, I guess they need to get their asses in gear and get that holographic optical storage drive on the market (at a reasonable price of course)
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  • MindmeldmeMindmeldme The Evil One Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1637Members
    Personally I wouldn't worry much about getting a new rig right now for NS2. I would definatly wait just before release because prices will come down in the meantime. If you were going to get something now that would run Crysis then you will be golden when NS2 comes out regardless as the requirements to my understanding are similar to HL2 which is not to tough now adays by any means. Ah watching time change and hardware get better. Man I remember when the Voodoo3 was impressive. Definatly go with the new 8800GT by all means, I might switch over to it from my ATI 1950PRO I have to make Crysis run a little better myself. I have always preffered paying under 300 for any vid card I get. $500 plus just seemed crazy for a piece of tech that is going to go down in only a few months.

    On a side note I have been waiting for awhile now to see HDD move faster. Sata seemed like a good starting point from drive to system but still that's a key bottleneck but again only during load really. Once in game it's not an issue so go with the CPU and the Ram and the Vid card. Course with Ram 2 gigs will do till you roll vista in which case do 4.
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  • killkrazykillkrazy Join Date: 2007-09-10 Member: 62238Members
    edited November 2007
    Im in agreement with schkorpio... crysis wont run above medium settings with 2xAA in 1440x900 and i have 8800GTS, and overclocked core2 (2.5ghz) with 2gb 800mhz RAM :s and still the cutscenes are like watching a slideshow!

    but remember, the demo wont be optimised as well as the actual game... will be interesting to know the hardware they test it on though :s 2,000$ dual-SLi gfx cards? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
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  • Steve0Steve0 Join Date: 2007-07-17 Member: 61615Members
    edited November 2007
    Well i play on a 17" CRT , 1024x768 resolution lawl, ive ran it at 1280x1024 aswell , but i can see 60hz on a CRT, but i run at 85hz with 1024x768 <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />. 667mhz Ram is the bus speed EACH way , 1333mhz is what its doing total.

    Im also on the september release nvida drivers , 163's ?. But theres some beta release drivers which "Greatly increase perfomance in Crysis". Havent tried them yet but im tempted to.

    As for the cutscenes , yeh they lag <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />, like 30fps . But gameplay is well over 80 though, its confusing <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />.
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  • khufurekhufure Join Date: 2007-10-19 Member: 62680Members
    Look in 2008 for some companies to start selling solid state cards in PCI-E cards. E.g., <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34065" target="_blank">this one</a>.

    It's a few months old but here's the data:
    - 100k independant iops/s, ( ~1000x more iops/s. ) <-- this means it scales really, really, really well.
    - 1 PCIe card, no drives.
    - Solid state drive, > 600gb size with software designed to increase MTBF.
    - Sustained 800Mb/s read, 600Mb/s write.
    - Planned Dec 2007 release.

    At 100,000 writes/reads per seconds obviously this would make an excellent database. It's like having a ~100,000 disk SAN array. In theory it can speed up games, although it is more clearly a win for databases.
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  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658900:date=Nov 2 2007, 01:34 AM:name=Steve0)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Steve0 @ Nov 2 2007, 01:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658900"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well i play on a 17" CRT , 1024x768 resolution lawl, ive ran it at 1280x1024 aswell , but i can see 60hz on a CRT, but i run at 85hz with 1024x768 <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />. 667mhz Ram is the bus speed EACH way , 1333mhz is what its doing total.

    Im also on the september release nvida drivers , 163's ?. But theres some beta release drivers which "Greatly increase perfomance in Crysis". Havent tried them yet but im tempted to.

    As for the cutscenes , yeh they lag <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />, like 30fps . But gameplay is well over 80 though, its confusing <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    oh fiddlesticks lol my cutscenes are smooth but my gameplay isnt :S might give the new drivers a crack when the full game comes out <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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  • FirewaterFirewater Balance Expert Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10690Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1658205:date=Oct 28 2007, 10:03 AM:name=tallmidget22)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tallmidget22 @ Oct 28 2007, 10:03 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This christmas, I am considering buying myself all the parts I need to play NS2, I have a good idea about ram and HDD and processor and stuff, but what graphics option (CHEAP is good) do you guys reccommend for me. I am looking at like 2-4 gigs of ram, a 2GHZ AMD dual core, a 100GB 7200 rpm HDD, so I am not looking for anything to be bottlenecked? I am not familar with graphics cards so any help would be appreciated.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Personally I would wait until NS2 is announced its release and what not. Also I would definately go with Intel over AMD, their processors appear to be superior. How much money do you anticipate in spending for your rig? A dollar value could definately help sort out your rig.

    As far as video cards go, I have an 8800GTX and it is AWEEEEEEEEEEESOME. If you are running a CRT under 20" I would recommend getting the 8800GTS 320MB version, those thing scream as well at half the price.
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  • obsidobsid Join Date: 2003-09-16 Member: 20909Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658949:date=Nov 1 2007, 05:10 PM:name=Timmey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Timmey @ Nov 1 2007, 05:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658949"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Look in 2008 for some companies to start selling solid state cards in PCI-E cards. E.g., <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34065" target="_blank">this one</a>.

    It's a few months old but here's the data:
    - 100k independant iops/s, ( ~1000x more iops/s. ) <-- this means it scales really, really, really well.
    - 1 PCIe card, no drives.
    - Solid state drive, > 600gb size with software designed to increase MTBF.
    - Sustained 800Mb/s read, 600Mb/s write.
    - Planned Dec 2007 release.

    At 100,000 writes/reads per seconds obviously this would make an excellent database. It's like having a ~100,000 disk SAN array. In theory it can speed up games, although it is more clearly a win for databases.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    At a price of $20,000 for a 600 gig drive? I dont know about you but thats a bit out of my price range.
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  • tallmidget22tallmidget22 Join Date: 2007-02-03 Member: 59859Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1658990:date=Nov 1 2007, 09:38 PM:name=Firewater)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Firewater @ Nov 1 2007, 09:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1658990"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Personally I would wait until NS2 is announced its release and what not. Also I would definately go with Intel over AMD, their processors appear to be superior. How much money do you anticipate in spending for your rig? A dollar value could definately help sort out your rig.

    As far as video cards go, I have an 8800GTX and it is AWEEEEEEEEEEESOME. If you are running a CRT under 20" I would recommend getting the 8800GTS 320MB version, those thing scream as well at half the price.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I am gonna buy a 22" widescreen LCD soon, got a mouse, keyboard, headset, etc, I just need the main box with the powersupply and innards. I was looking at like 500$ for the BOX.
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  • invader Ziminvader Zim Join Date: 2007-09-20 Member: 62376Members
    edited November 2007
    my rig will most probably run it and its about 5/6 years old, with only a couple of upgrades. Its market value is probably less than £200 ($400 at current exchange rate). spec : amd 2000xp processor/ 1 gig ram/ ATI 9700, 256mb/ and several cd n hard drives, motherboards a slightly dated abit RAID board. U could pull this kind of gear together for very little espcially if you canibailsed parts. It runs hl2 fine, and all the mods ive tried so far. Admitedly i dont have the orange box, but i imagine it wud just about manage it.

    If anyone thinks i will need to update my rig fo ns2 please post. note that unless i buy a new mother board i cant get a better card or processor as ive got old slots (AGP). So if i need to upgrade, whats the cheapest way
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  • FirewaterFirewater Balance Expert Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10690Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1659046:date=Nov 2 2007, 12:51 PM:name=tallmidget22)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tallmidget22 @ Nov 2 2007, 12:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659046"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I am gonna buy a 22" widescreen LCD soon, got a mouse, keyboard, headset, etc, I just need the main box with the powersupply and innards. I was looking at like 500$ for the BOX.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Hrmm thats tough, you want a video card with atleast 512 MB memory.

    I would get this to start off:
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115030" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819115030</a> 2.33Ghz Intel Core2 Duo
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128059</a> Gigabyte Mobo
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145098" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820145098</a> 2GB of Corsair Memory

    That total is around $400

    What video card are you running now? I wouldn't get a 22" LCD with a video card with less than 512MB. If you can spend a little more I think you'd be happier.

    If not I recommend going to tomshardware.com they do a really good job of building budget systems.
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  • tallmidget22tallmidget22 Join Date: 2007-02-03 Member: 59859Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1659053:date=Nov 2 2007, 02:05 PM:name=Firewater)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Firewater @ Nov 2 2007, 02:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659053"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hrmm thats tough, you want a video card with atleast 512 MB memory.

    I would get this to start off:
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115030" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819115030</a> 2.33Ghz Intel Core2 Duo
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128059</a> Gigabyte Mobo
    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145098" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820145098</a> 2GB of Corsair Memory

    That total is around $400

    What video card are you running now? I wouldn't get a 22" LCD with a video card with less than 512MB. If you can spend a little more I think you'd be happier.

    If not I recommend going to tomshardware.com they do a really good job of building budget systems.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Excellent Suggestion! I may spend alittle more, or alittle less, I plan on buying it piece by piece as I get the money and when good deals come up.
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  • killkrazykillkrazy Join Date: 2007-09-10 Member: 62238Members
    buying piece by piece can be a problem.

    I was forced to shell out 400 pounds at once, because I had an old Mobo (AMD) with socket 939 and 184DIMM ram slots...

    it was impossible to upgrade one piece at a time because: RAM wouldn't fit Mobo, CPU Wouldn't fit Mobo, Mobo wouldn't fit CPU / RAM, Mobo only had 1 IDE Cable (i had to buy a SATA Drive), the only thing I could of bought would of been the GFX card to go in teh PCI-E(x16) slot, but that would of just been a waste of money since it was bottlenecked by the RAM and CPU
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  • tallmidget22tallmidget22 Join Date: 2007-02-03 Member: 59859Members
    Just a quick thought, what should I do about a OS?
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  • FirewaterFirewater Balance Expert Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10690Members, Constellation
    edited November 2007
    I would definately do XP Pro. Vista is complete garbage, I would not recommend it to anyone

    DX10 is not that much better than DX9, and the price of upgrading to use DX10 is ridiculous.

    Video cards I would recommend, if you have the money

    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127280" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814127280</a>

    <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130072" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130072</a>

    PSU will be based on whether or not you want a GTX or GTS


    If you are interested in a complete new system, I recommend checking out cyberpowersystem.com

    more specifically:
    <a href="http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/cart/showcart.asp?ref=upd&url=/system/Mega_Special_III/" target="_blank">http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/cart/showcart....ga_Special_III/</a>


    Free shipping, they put the system together for you. I was cheaper for me to do it this way, than to buy everything from newegg.com. It was cheaper for me because cyberpower does not charge shipping or tax (because I am in NJ) but because of my location newegg does charge tax and shipping.

    Word to the wise, buy the video card from either buy.com or newegg.com Cyberpower over charges for their video cards.
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