Is my current system well enough for the A-10C?

[Weasel]

Hi all

 

My current system is the following:

 

Win 7 Ultimate 64bit

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500, Dual Core, 3.16 GHz

2x 2GB RAM

ASUS Mainboard P5N-E SLI

Powercolor PCS+ HD 4870 1GB, PCI-E 2.0, 1024MB

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty

2 x Samsung HD753LJ, F1, 7200rpm, 32MB, 750GB, SATA-II

 

I want to increase the RAM from actually 4GB to 6 oder 8GB. Yesterday I got an Email regarding the Sapphire HD 6950 2GB, PCI-E x16 2.0, DP which is now available for about EUR 195 (which is a really nice price). What do you say about this graphic card? It's of course much better than my actual HD 4870 1GB and it also supports Direct X11 (instead of 10.1 with the HD 4870).

 

Next year I buy a new mainboard and also a new processor. So I'm afraid if the A-10C is playable with the Core 2 Duo E8500.

 

Cheers

Weasel

[Fabri91]

It should be playable! Maybe not with the max settings, but surely enjoyable enough. I remember doing decently well with DCS Ka-50 with an Intel C2D E6400 system some time ago.

[Krebs20]

I was playing a10 on a very similar setup. Don't expect great fps. But it is certainly payable on med-low settings. I upgraded during beta. So I expect it would run better than it did for me then. I have friends that play the the quad 8600 and they don't complain any.

 

If I was you. I would upgrade graphics, then your CPU mobo RAM. Some new cpus are around the corner and I expect current prices to drop soon. Graphic seem pretty set in prices.

[Botch]

My system is fairly similar and the game runs ok at medium-ish settings. Very playable but not brilliant frame rates.

 

Try to give the CPU a small overclock if you can (if you have a decent cooler & RAM you should be able to get 3.5 without much effort) but going from a 5770 to 6950 2GB card gave me a noticable FPS increase. That is what I would do first.

 

Would not up the RAM if you are planning a system upgrade next year (unless you can get good quality RAM at a nice price). At least the GPU is a bit longer term solution.

 

Digitec has that card for 229 CHF.

 

Botch

[hassata]

I ran an 8400 at 4.0, 4G ram, 4850x2 and got excellent fps (low of 15-18-rare- with highs up to 40-50 in full screen, averaging around 30) at high settings except no civ traffic, water low, no HDR, no mirrors. Just select app preference for aa, no tsa. Go for it.

[Weasel]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for your replies. I will buy the Sapphire HD 6950 2GB. Primarily I wanted to buy the TrackIR 5 and the Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals, but I think its better when I can play the A-10C with more frames. So the TrackIR 5 and the Rudder Pedals have to wait a little longer ;)

 

@ Botch

 

The email I received was from digitec and I'll buy the card from there. Regarding the RAM, I have no idea if I have good RAM. I have the following RAM: Corsair TWIN2X4096-6400C5C, 2x2GB, DDR2-800, CL5 or see here:

 

http://www.digitec.ch/ProdukteDetails2.aspx?Reiter=Details&Artikel=168472

[hassata]

TrackIr is essential. I have a TRackIr 3 I can sell you until you save enough to buy the 5 (which I am planning to do next week). 30$ unless people post here that that is unreasonable.

[Weasel]

Thanks for the offer hassata but I will save enough money to buy the Trackir 5.

[Botch]

That RAM should overclock. Just make sure your temps are ok and the system is stable. If not sure, google is your friend as there are lots of guides our there. I'm also running PC2-6400 and without much effort got it to 3.7 - I also have an aftermarket cooler (noise more than temps).

 

I have a few settings on high, low water, no mirrors, no heat blur etc and usually get around the mid 40s with it dipping down into low 30's (or even low 20's) with lots of trees/buildings. TGP & MAV displays can also cause a FPS hit. But still very playable rates.

 

Then start saving for that TrackIR5. It takes the game to the next level of playability and like hassata, once you have it - it is essential. :)

 

Botch

[EtherealN]

I haven't done this test in A-10C, but I highly doubt you'll find any discernible gains through overclocking RAM. I ran that test with DCS:BS and the change when OCing from 800MHz to 1100MHz was diddely-squat - if memory serves me I saw one FPS gained, but that's small enough to go inside the error margin of the tests themselves unless I want to run each test 10 times to average things out. (Processor at the time was an e8500 running at 4GHz.) The situation may have changed, but I doubt it.

[Botch]

Agree with that. More a reply that he can overclock his CPU easily with that RAM by pushing up the FSB without having to play around with FSB/DRAM ratios etc as it's rated for 400 MHz. Should be easy to go from 3.16 up to at least 3.5.

 

Botch.

[EtherealN]

Yeah, the area is there, but unless it's specifically needed I'd be very careful about playing with DDR2's. They're sensitive little things and it's no fun when they start to drop. (Which one of mine eventually did.) At higher clocks he would also be liable to have to play around a good bit with the CAS/etc timings to get solid function, which arguably is way more complex than just pushing down the FSB : DIMM ratio.