Steam HW survey

[Boulund]

I find this quite interesting, gotta love statistics O=)

 

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/

 

I really find it fun to see what the majority of people around the world have (out of the steam users that is). But anyway, I think it's probably a quite good estimation of the game-oriented computers in circulation.

[Boberro]

Network settings:

 

33.6 and 56 Kbps a lot users have it ...

[Boulund]

Network settings:

 

33.6 and 56 Kbps a lot users have it ...

 

Yeah and it's a shame! I don't think I know anyone here in sweden with a sub-10Mbit connection (the slowest is an ADSL though, so 10/2). I'm on 10/10 but moving on to 100/100 later this fall. I feel really sorry for all the people on slow telephone modems still. I guess it's even cheaper (and easier) here in sweden to get a mobile broadband unit using 3G that'll probably give you at least 1-7/~0.5 which is ragingly more speedy than those slow modems.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Boulund

[RedTiger]

Intel over AMD, Nvidia over ATI, no surprises there. I'm not making any call on which is better, but those numbers are to be expected. That survey supports what you could already guess; the average is...well...average. Not to high, not too low. SLI...not widespread...check. Geforce 8800 the "workhorse" GPU...check. Over half still using Win XP 32....check. Also note: very, very few people are doing any extreme overclocking.

 

The only surprise there is the audio...Realtek? LOL, looks like I'm not alone. I didn't want to screw with a sound card on my first build and it seems some others don't either. OR they're just content with having their PC built without one rather than spending the extra cash. I'm still trying to pin down if a sound card without its own processing unit would increase FPS. I can't find a good answer. My next build will have one though. ;)

 

Good find Boulund! :)

Edited August 18, 2009 by RedTiger

[Vekkinho]

Well my ISP asks 20€ a month for a 2048/192 kb, 5GB aDSL package...not to mention that HW and SW is also more expensive than in the rest of the world...

[Boberro]

Fortunetely last years in Poland net cheaper a lot. Really much. Few years ago... 1 mb - about 30 Euro. Now 30 mb for 30 Euro (of course it depends of company provider, cos you can also spot 2 mb for 30 Euro....). Our prices are high compared to West, but I know it will be cheaper in future, like in other countries.

 

Present I have 5 mb for 15 Euro but I think to change higher.

[joey45]

Lucky you... I can only get 2megs. [and my mum has it capped at 10gigs a month]

[Boulund]

I'm still trying to pin down if a sound card without its own processing unit would increase FPS. I can't find a good answer. My next build will have one though. ;)

 

I've heard YES, it does have a small beneficial impact on FPS. But honestly, I've really tried this and saw no real difference. (You could hear one though ;))

[TheHeretic]

The only surprise there is the audio...Realtek? LOL, looks like I'm not alone. I didn't want to screw with a sound card on my first build and it seems some others don't either. OR they're just content with having their PC built without one rather than spending the extra cash. I'm still trying to pin down if a sound card without its own processing unit would increase FPS. I can't find a good answer. My next build will have one though. ;)

 

Sound cards aren't that common anymore really. Creatives Vista blunder certainly didn't do the part any favours. Realtek is in just about every motherboard and is "good enough" for most people. I seriously doubt a sound card would do much of anything for your FPS, but it can be worth it if you have high end speakers.

[PoleCat]

IMHO an X-fi is a lot less trouble and a better solution for gaming audio than any onboard solutions I have tried. I always disable my onboard sound and install a decent quality X-Fi Fatality Pro PCI or PCI-E. I am using them on 3 systems under all OS's including Vista, XP, and Win 7 without issue.

 

It is nonsense that onboard solutions are just as good. They use cpu cycles where an X-Fi does not because they rely on your cpu to do much of the work that an X-Fi handles with its own SPU and memory. Also the "Creative Vista blunder" is essentially resolved with Creative Alchemy software while most onboard sound card makers are still struggling to produce similar software for their own solution to the same issues.

 

My overall experience with on board sound is as stated above, they are good enough for really crappy speakers and general desktop use but do not expect them to sound great and if you want smooth gaming with EAX, 7.1 or other types of effects you will likely need a decent dedicated sound card for that.

 

Quite simply put you get what you pay for.

 

Out

[Mustang]

IMHO an X-fi is a lot less trouble and a better solution for gaming audio than any onboard solutions I have tried. I always disable my onboard sound and install a decent quality X-Fi Fatality Pro PCI or PCI-E. I am using them on 3 systems under all OS's including Vista, XP, and Win 7 without issue.

 

It is nonsense that onboard solutions are just as good. They use cpu cycles where an X-Fi does not because they rely on your cpu to do much of the work that an X-Fi handles with its own SPU and memory. Also the "Creative Vista blunder" is essentially resolved with Creative Alchemy software while most onboard sound card makers are still struggling to produce similar software for their own solution to the same issues.

 

My overall experience with on board sound is as stated above, they are good enough for really crappy speakers and general desktop use but do not expect them to sound great and if you want smooth gaming with EAX, 7.1 or other types of effects you will likely need a decent dedicated sound card for that.

 

Quite simply put you get what you pay for.

 

Out

 

^^ Fully agreed, a dedicated PCI/PCIe soundcard is always the best.

[RedTiger]

See what I mean? Who do you believe? I'll take my own word for it when I try it in a few months. ;)

 

I'm a musician, but oddly enough, I'm not an audiophile when it comes to PC gaming. I have 2 speakers and a subwoofer and that's it. I usually don't run EAX or anything fancy, so on-board sound "sounds" fine to me. I don't exactly get a crappy frame rate either. I'm sure I would notice a difference if I put in a sound card, but its always last on my list of things to upgrade. Goofy...I know...since they aren't exactly expensive.

 

The ONLY reason I care is frame rate. The argument in favor of a soundcard has logic on its side, but I still hear otherwise.

[TheHeretic]

IMHO an X-fi is a lot less trouble and a better solution for gaming audio than any onboard solutions I have tried. I always disable my onboard sound and install a decent quality X-Fi Fatality Pro PCI or PCI-E. I am using them on 3 systems under all OS's including Vista, XP, and Win 7 without issue.

 

It is nonsense that onboard solutions are just as good. They use cpu cycles where an X-Fi does not because they rely on your cpu to do much of the work that an X-Fi handles with its own SPU and memory. Also the "Creative Vista blunder" is essentially resolved with Creative Alchemy software while most onboard sound card makers are still struggling to produce similar software for their own solution to the same issues.

 

Good enough and just as good don't mean the same thing. Resolved now, surely you jest. Where you around with a creative card when Vista was launched? I'll never buy another sound card from them again, unless I have to really. If you want audiophile pleasing sound you are going to have to go the external DAC route which needless to say isn't cheap.

Edited August 19, 2009 by TheHeretic

[Shaman]

IMHO an X-fi is a lot less trouble and a better solution for gaming audio than any onboard solutions I have tried. I always disable my onboard sound and install a decent quality X-Fi Fatality Pro PCI or PCI-E. I am using them on 3 systems under all OS's including Vista, XP, and Win 7 without issue.

 

It is nonsense that onboard solutions are just as good. They use cpu cycles where an X-Fi does not because they rely on your cpu to do much of the work that an X-Fi handles with its own SPU and memory. Also the "Creative Vista blunder" is essentially resolved with Creative Alchemy software while most onboard sound card makers are still struggling to produce similar software for their own solution to the same issues.

 

My overall experience with on board sound is as stated above, they are good enough for really crappy speakers and general desktop use but do not expect them to sound great and if you want smooth gaming with EAX, 7.1 or other types of effects you will likely need a decent dedicated sound card for that.

 

Quite simply put you get what you pay for.

 

Out

 

x2

I just want to add my experience with SB line of cards is quite same as yours. I know there are many unbelievers and even haters around. These cards are expensive I agree, but I tell you something - I wouldn't ever give it back. X-FI actually solved many issues I have had while I was forced to use Realtek-crap HD-like (LOL!) on-board sound (due to lack of PCI port that supported my previous SB LIVE 5.1). Retired squad mate helped me to get quickly a new SB X-FI card from oversea (before its premiere in Europe) that worked with PCI-Express slot *you know who you are, thx* and what a difference it was to be back again on the right string of all-vibrant sound! Sound experience with AAA games compared to on-board solutions is just unbelievable. Even simple sound engine of Black Shark makes you go Whoaaa-maan!

 

(my experience is based on Windows 2000/2003/XP - I will switch my gaming rig OS straight to WINDOWS 7 - but I still don't feel like I need to, just when things become really WINDOWS 7 necessary)

 

PS. I still have REALTEK onboard audio on my laptop, it is HD blah-blah-blah... I use it, to everyday operations, playing games too *since it has 9600GT mobile*, but this card doesn't beat X-FI on desktop my gaming rig, even when using same good pair of headphones.

Edited August 19, 2009 by Shaman