Getting new computer

[Skeeyer]

I'm replacing my old XP system. Need some input on a new system

Looking at getting Windows 7-64 bit on a AMD Phenom IIx6 1090T

with ATI Radeon 5670 1GB, and 6 gig of ram. My question will this

setup get me running smooth at the higher settings in Blackshark and

A10. Thanks for the input.

As a new commer to DCS let me also say "Thank you for building these

great sims."

[TeeJay82]

think youll max it all out without any problems

[zakobi]

What resolution will you run DCS in?

 

I have doubts on how well the 5670 can pull it, with lots of details.

 

If you can, try look at a GTX460 or 6850.

 

Forgot, with that CPU you should also get a Hyper 212+ cooler, and OC. (Though if you really want to OC, you should look at one of those Sandy Bridge K ones.)

Edited February 7, 2011 by zakobi

[Le0kong]

I don't recommend the 5670, i'm on a 5770 and i consider it to be the minimum card to get to play on medium-to-high settings on A-10C, but that as a card worth to get a year ago.

If you are on a tight budget and your main focus is on DCS, then it may be better to get a cheaper 4 core CPU and get a better video card.

[Mugenjin]

As always it depends on the resolution you intend to run. That said the 5670 seems a little weak either way unless you have a 1024x768 monitor :>

[MTFDarkEagle]

My advise would be to drop the hexacore, and go for a higher clock quadcore. Also, (depending on your resolution, as above stated), go for a faster videocard.

 

If you have a "higher" resolution, I would suggest having a look at the gtx460/gtx570.

[EtherealN]

Agreed with DarkEagle. The AMD 6-core scores pretty well in tests for it's money for applications that can make use of it's extra cores, but remember that for DCS (and many other games) you'll only be using 2 to 4 cores. If you have applications that you know will use all cores it's a superb purchase, but I'm a bit unconvinced about it's value for regular gaming.

 

That said, the 1090T is fairly strong out of the box (especially for it's price) and does clock up to about 3.6GHz on Turbo without overclocking profiles, but it is dangerous to compare the clock speed with other processors since they do things differently in their innards.

[Haukka81]

5770 is more than enough for DCS shark and A-10C , i have 5770 and 1920x1080res , runs great, everything maxed out (water low).

 

CPU power is what simulations need. So fast quad core is more important than super fast GPU.

 

 

 

 

-haukka81

[sobek]

CPU power is what simulations need. So fast quad core is more important than super fast GPU.

 

The GPU is becoming more important as DCS starts to use advanced effects. So don't stick too closely to that mantra.

[Steel Jaw]

The GPU is becoming more important as DCS starts to use advanced effects. So don't stick too closely to that mantra.

 

Upgrading just my GPU from a 9800gtx to my current 470gtx TRIPPLED FPS.

[MTFDarkEagle]

Upgrading just my GPU from a 9800gtx to my current 470gtx TRIPPLED FPS.

 

There ya go.. And the 9800gtx isn't a slow card to begin with.

[Pilotasso]

funny it hardly made any difference for me (from 9800GX2 to 470GTX), at least concerning ED's titles. The others did yes.

[MTFDarkEagle]

I went from 8800GTX-o/c /sli to GTX295-oc and it made a big difference for me (ED titles, as well as others)

[Skeeyer]

Thanks for the input. Here's what I got going. Running my current computer to 42 inch flat screen tv. Can only run it in 1280x1024 60hz. That is the only setting it will see from my current video card a Nvidia @256. My new system will come pre built from a dealer and the above is one of my choices. My second choice is- Intel i7-930 2.80, 4 gb ram, and nvidia G310 @ 512mb. due to price restrictions imposed by the wife I can't spend to much $900 or less.

I hate to bug y'all with questions like this but I don't want to get something and not be able to enjoy the full effects of the sim.

[Udat]

The nvidia GTX 560ti just entered the market, and apparently pretty much blows the competition out of the water in it's price class (around 250 USD.)

 

I'm starting to think I should have gotten a 560 SLI instead of my current single 580, as it's half the price (per unit) and would enable me to run triple-screen.

 

Edit: perhaps you could provide a link to the dealer's site, so we could check prices and pick a composition for you?

Edited February 8, 2011 by Udat

[EtherealN]

My second choice is- Intel i7-930 2.80, 4 gb ram, and nvidia G310 @ 512mb

 

The thing that I highlighted in red there: do not even stop for a coffee anywhere on the same continent as one of those cards. That is essentially a re-named 210 and it can barely display Aero - don't even try running games on it. At least not a game made on this side of 2000.

 

I can almost guarantee you won't be playing any ED products with that GPU. It is meant for people who use Youtube and Farmville as the most graphically complex things their computer ever sees.

 

EDIT:

Skeeyer, have a look at these for alternatives that should be capable enough for your needs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227291

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229206

 

The latter is better for games (including ED products), the former might have a slight advantage for multipmedia applications (if you encode video and such things).

 

I am however not from the US (but I've been there a few times! :P ), so I am unfamiliar with any but the really large retailers like newegg. Like Udat said, if you can give us a link for your preferred dealer we might be able to help you. But definitely do NOT get the one with a G310.

Edited February 8, 2011 by EtherealN

[KaspeR32]

haha @ EtherealN. Yeah I'm not sure I'd go with the G310 also. Your built in video from the MOBO might be just as good.

 

I have a ATI 5770 and I'm quite happy with it. I think my bottle neck is just my Q6600 (as I have it at stock 2.4Ghz) so I get some major slowdown (firing the cannon at low altitude I drop to about 2 fps!)

 

Also a video card with at least 1GB of memory would probably help with a sim also considering you're constantly swapping out scenery.

[Skeeyer]

Sorry my phone won't bring up the Page so I can get the link to the config screen. It's Dell, home, desktops, XPS 7100 series.

http://www.dell.com/?stop_mobi=yes&ref=stop_mobile

Here is the link to the Dell site.

Now here is another question. My old XPS is a pent 4 3.4 single core with hyperthreading, 2 gb ram and the nveidia card at 256. Could I get by going up to 3 on the ram and getting a better high end video card?

[revalence]

The thing that I highlighted in red there: do not even stop for a coffee anywhere on the same continent as one of those cards. That is essentially a re-named 210 and it can barely display Aero - don't even try running games on it. At least not a game made on this side of 2000.

 

I can almost guarantee you won't be playing any ED products with that GPU. It is meant for people who use Youtube and Farmville as the most graphically complex things their computer ever sees.

 

EDIT:

Skeeyer, have a look at these for alternatives that should be capable enough for your needs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227291

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229206

 

The latter is better for games (including ED products), the former might have a slight advantage for multipmedia applications (if you encode video and such things).

 

I am however not from the US (but I've been there a few times! :P ), so I am unfamiliar with any but the really large retailers like newegg. Like Udat said, if you can give us a link for your preferred dealer we might be able to help you. But definitely do NOT get the one with a G310.

 

 

Haha right. Don't go for the Geforce 310. My GT240 is playing A-10C with medium settings well, but not as well as I like. A few hiccups here and there, playable, but very bad on multiplayer. I most likely will upgrade to GTS 450. My cousin has it, and it gives him max with 60-80 fps. Don't go with anything lower than a GTS 250.

Edited February 8, 2011 by revalence

[EtherealN]

Skeeyer, I'm not quite sure what you mean by an "nVidia at 256". I sort of doubt you have a GeForce 256, since that's 1999 technology. If you mean that it is a card with 256MB of vRAM, that also doesn't really give much information since that could still be almost any card of almost any generation this side of 2003. ;)

 

Easiest would be for you to get a DxDiag file to upload/show, it'll give a more complete picture that makes it easier to judge your situation, although having a single-core P4 makes the situation look rather poor I'm afraid.

 

Just in case you are not familiar with DxDiag:

 

First press start, and in the search field type in "dxdiag", then start the application once it is found. (See attachement one.) You'll then find a screen similar to attachement two, offering you the ability to save a text file of the full analysis. You can also take a look at the Display tabs (see attachement three).

[Skeeyer]

K will do tuesday. I really appreciate y'all helping me out on this. I really want to get the best bang for my buck since my wife is allowing me to get a better computer so I can run blackshark better and get A10. Really since my wife really don't like my "video games". But I have told her time and time again it's a sim and those people on the ground ate depending on me.

[zakobi]

Any chance that you are willing to make a build yourself? Usually you can get much more for the money, but on the other hand you have to now at least some about PC's...

[MTFDarkEagle]

^That!!!

 

(we can help you assembling and building where necessary if needed :) )

[Skeeyer]

That is an idea I've been tossing around in my head. Ive done minor work inside mine before and really saw no problem in that. (exp. Finding problems or bad connections.) I know my motherboard won't go 64 bit so it would be a start from there up. The tower for the XPS Gen4 I have is huge. When it comes to computers I understand basic stuff processor speed, number of cores, ram, harddrive. What I don't understand is video cards and how the are classified and rated, or motherboards. If someone is able a good list of hardware to get me where I need and want to be. One thing the i7 chipset is out the ones I've seen price for like $900US and that just won't work.

[EtherealN]

It should be quite possible to get you one of the lower-level sandy bridge processors, actually, but that would seem to delay the purchase for a while (in some cases possibly as long as april).

 

Your budget should be able to tolerate a gen-1 i5 or something like that though. If you list all components you believe you can re-use (Chassis, Screen etc) I can see if I can whip something up. I love the exercise. :)

 

One note though: on HDD's, if your machine is old I really caution against keeping the HDD. For one thing it'll be closer to the MTBF, but there's also questions about interfaces. Even DVD readers are hard to get with IDE nowadays, and it seems quite a few of the newer motherboards have dropped IDE. I had that happen to me with my 2600K, preventing me from installing the OS until just the other day. :/

 

Fortunately though, HDD's and DVD-RW's are rediculously cheap.

Edited February 8, 2011 by EtherealN