|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Watch Dogs PC requirements.
Minimum: OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66Ghz or AMD Phenom II X4 940 @ 3.0Ghz Memory: 6 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB Video RAM - Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5770 DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 25 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers Recommended: OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.) Processor: Eight core - Intel Core i7-3770 @3.5 GHz or AMD FX-8350 X8 @ 4 GHz Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB Video RAM - Nvidia Geforce GTX 560 ti or AMD Radeon HD 7850 DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 25 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
So... I take it that I made the right call holding off on my PC building plans?
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by RocShemp
(Post 12068238)
So... I take it that I made the right call holding off on my PC building plans?
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by fumanstan
(Post 12068274)
What makes you say that? Honestly I don't see any reason to hold off, the only major tech coming would maybe be DDR4 memory, but even then it looks like it will be introduced on servers and Haswell-E first, which I don't think would be worth it for typical PC gaming builds anyway. And maybe higher end Nvidia graphics cards using their new Maxwell architecture in the next few months.
For reference, this what I was planning to build (though I've since modified my plans to include a 128GB SSD for the OS, a 1TB SSD for games, and a 4TB HDD for music/videos): This'd be the whole rig, including the parts I am recycling from my old rig: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2NdlQ Total: $1365.59 This is a list of the parts I would need to buy: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2NbyI Total: $715.04 Savings Total: $650.55 |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
A 1TB SSD is a waste of money, IMHO. I'd put that money into a better video card instead, as a 1GB 7850 is going to be the bottleneck in your setup, by a longshot. I'd look into some of the non-reference design R9 290(x) boards.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by flashburn
(Post 12068468)
A 1TB SSD is a waste of money, IMHO. I'd put that money into a better video card instead, as a 1GB 7850 is going to be the bottleneck in your setup, by a longshot. I'd look into some of the non-reference design R9 290(x) boards.
You lost me at "non-reference design " boards. What does that mean? EDIT: Do you mean these? |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
When AMD (and Nvidia) releases a new graphics chip, they have a reference design for the card as far as board layout and heatsink/fan that they make themselves as a baseline. The other video card manufacturers (EVGA, ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, etc) can either choose to release cards using that same design, or use their own design and cooling system.
AMD's R9 290 specifically got some criticism for a very loud reference design with mediocre cooling, so that's why I believe flashburn mentioned a non-reference design for that model. But yeah, I don't think there's anything that crazy down the pipe that would give you upgrade envy in the next year or two (other then what I mentioned earlier). Someone else might need to chime in on that though. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by flashburn
(Post 12068468)
A 1TB SSD is a waste of money, IMHO. I'd put that money into a better video card instead, as a 1GB 7850 is going to be the bottleneck in your setup, by a longshot. I'd look into some of the non-reference design R9 290(x) boards.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
The 290 is a pretty big cost difference (especially with prices still a bit artificially high), I'd actually say a 7950/R280 or GTX 760/770 would be a good mid-high end choice, especially if you're running at 1080P.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by RocShemp
(Post 12068238)
So... I take it that I made the right call holding off on my PC building plans?
Originally Posted by joeblow69
(Post 12068534)
Is the 7850 really that bad? I have that one (2gig version I think) and from looking at benchmarks, it seemed to me that you had to spend a pretty big chunk of money to get a card that works markedly better.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Yes, spent most of the money in the videocard. And go with a known brand. For Nvidia Asus, eVGA, etc., for AMD, hmm not sure. This is specially important if you are going for a non reference design.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I went with Zotac, who I've actually had fewer issues with than eVGA. Of course they're not the greatest for overclocking.
To note, I would definitely look for deals. My card was $185-ish after shipping and came with Assassin's Creed IV and Splinter Cell Blacklist as freebies. These kinds of deals seem to work in rotations. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by RichC2
(Post 12068549)
Actually yes, SSD drives have dropped by 50% in the last couple months.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I wouldn't get any video card with less than 2 GB vram at this point. I concur don't waste money on a 1 TB SSD. Get a smaller 128 or 256 and supplement with a 1 TB 7200 rpm HD. I have all of my games on an HD and loading is never an issue.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I'm the opposite, I prefer my games on an SSD, although I'd agree with everyone else that a 1TB one isn't worth the price. A 256 GB should be good for the most part, although just having BF4 and Titanfall installed takes up over 80 GB.
As far as the video card the 7850 looks like its being taken from the previous system anyway, so it won't be too bad as a stop gap to buy a new card later. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Yeah, the 7850 (which XFX gave me as a free replacement when my old 6850 recently died) is taken from my old rig.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by fumanstan
(Post 12068582)
Which models? I've been buying 500 GB Samsung 840 Pro and now Evo drives for work for the last 6+ months, and I think they've only dropped about $50. 50% is quite a big difference. I know the cheaper brand 128 GB drives are around $80 now, but the better brands like Crucial and Samsung haven't dropped too much.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by joeblow69
(Post 12068534)
Is the 7850 really that bad? I have that one (2gig version I think) and from looking at benchmarks, it seemed to me that you had to spend a pretty big chunk of money to get a card that works markedly better.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by Nausicaa
(Post 12068607)
I wouldn't get any video card with less than 2 GB vram at this point. I concur don't waste money on a 1 TB SSD. Get a smaller 128 or 256 and supplement with a 1 TB 7200 rpm HD. I have all of my games on an HD and loading is never an issue.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
If you are using Steam, there are tools to move your games between drives. That's always faster than downloading games.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by Raul3
(Post 12069068)
If you are using Steam, there are tools to move your games between drives. That's always faster than downloading games.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I have about 100 hours logged on DayZ so far. I know people like to dismiss it for several reasons, but running around with 5 or 6 friends on a high pop server is insanely fun. We've gone from trying to keep our characters alive as long as possible to trying to help out others to complete trolling. It really brings out the best and the worst in people.
Definitely a unique experience every time we play. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by flair
(Post 12069336)
I have about 100 hours logged on DayZ so far. I know people like to dismiss it for several reasons, but running around with 5 or 6 friends on a high pop server is insanely fun. We've gone from trying to keep our characters alive as long as possible to trying to help out others to complete trolling. It really brings out the best and the worst in people.
Definitely a unique experience every time we play. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Ok, I'm really tempted to buy Broforce. :lol:
http://kotaku.com/a-game-that-brings...ife-1562034579 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qAlQx-kOjOE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I don't game on the pc but found this really facinating to watch. I've seen plyer customization before but not like this...
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4TP4L1vHfpk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by fumanstan
(Post 12068616)
I'm the opposite, I prefer my games on an SSD, although I'd agree with everyone else that a 1TB one isn't worth the price. A 256 GB should be good for the most part, although just having BF4 and Titanfall installed takes up over 80 GB.
The non-negiotable parts should always be the CPU, the GPU, and the associated parts (e.g. motherboard). These are the ones you'll want to upgrade the least due to the cost. The negotiable parts are RAM (you can always get more or go faster based upon which motherboard you choose) and HDDs (you can always get more and expand later). However, as I've seen some builds here, I would say that 8GB RAM (1600 MHz) is the absolute minimum one should start out at with and I would personally choose a hybrid drive over a standard mechanical drive if my budget couldn't afford an SSD. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel
(Post 12074638)
If one is serious about PC gaming and has the money, SSD is the only way to go. When I help friends build PCs, I look at it two ways:
The non-negiotable parts should always be the CPU, the GPU, and the associated parts (e.g. motherboard). These are the ones you'll want to upgrade the least due to the cost. The negotiable parts are RAM (you can always get more or go faster based upon which motherboard you choose) and HDDs (you can always get more and expand later). However, as I've seen some builds here, I would say that 8GB RAM (1600 MHz) is the absolute minimum one should start out at with and I would personally choose a hybrid drive over a standard mechanical drive if my budget couldn't afford an SSD. I'd agree that 8GB should be the bare minimum, but if I was building a new PC right now, I'd get 2x8GB. Even with RAM prices increasing over the last year or so, it's still pretty cheap. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
For a gaming/performance PC I would say 16 GB minimum. Just to be covered, RAM is so cheap anyways.
And yeah, 1 TB SSD should be lowest in the priority list, based on prices. 256 GB is a good minimum right now, based on price/performance gains. If you have a little more money, 512 GB. But again, you don't need to have ALL your games all the time in your SSD drive, you can move your games between your mechanical hard drive and SSD. With 256 GB you should be able to have between 5-10 games, depending on the game. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Not to mention copy speeds from a HDD to a SSD are very quick (since HDD's read a lot faster than they write), so you can move stuff around pretty quickly.
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
What's the best shopping option for someone who doesn't want to build their own gaming rig?
Yeah, yeah, I know it's not really that hard to build your own. I've done it before but it usually turns into a big exercise in frustration. Frankly, I don't have the time or the patience to buy all the parts and assemble a machine. Despite their terrible online reviews I'm leaning toward cyberpower PC or ibuypower. I purchased a rig from cyberpower several years ago and did not regret it. Anyone have a better idea? |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by funkyryno
(Post 12075159)
What's the best shopping option for someone who doesn't want to build their own gaming rig?
Yeah, yeah, I know it's not really that hard to build your own. I've done it before but it usually turns into a big exercise in frustration. Frankly, I don't have the time or the patience to buy all the parts and assemble a machine. Despite their terrible online reviews I'm leaning toward cyberpower PC or ibuypower. I purchased a rig from cyberpower several years ago and did not regret it. Anyone have a better idea? |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by funkyryno
(Post 12075159)
Despite their terrible online reviews I'm leaning toward cyberpower PC or ibuypower. I purchased a rig from cyberpower several years ago and did not regret it. Anyone have a better idea?
In all seriousness, I've heard some good things about: http://www.digitalstormonline.com |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by funkyryno
(Post 12075159)
What's the best shopping option for someone who doesn't want to build their own gaming rig?
Yeah, yeah, I know it's not really that hard to build your own. I've done it before but it usually turns into a big exercise in frustration. Frankly, I don't have the time or the patience to buy all the parts and assemble a machine. Despite their terrible online reviews I'm leaning toward cyberpower PC or ibuypower. I purchased a rig from cyberpower several years ago and did not regret it. Anyone have a better idea? |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Digital Storm has a slick web site. I do wish their systems were a little more customizable, but I guess having more uniform builds cuts down on stability issues (one of the big complaints I've read about cyberpower and ibuypower).
|
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Originally Posted by funkyryno
(Post 12075323)
Digital Storm has a slick web site. I do wish their systems were a little more customizable, but I guess having more uniform builds cuts down on stability issues (one of the big complaints I've read about cyberpower and ibuypower).
Their Vanquish II is a great deal for someone wanting a gaming PC at the lowest cost possible. I really like the look of the Bolt II, Slade, and Enix. It's just a shame they utilize Liquid Cooling for a majority of their product line. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
This could be good news or bad news (if you get as addicted to the games as I do) but Firaxis announced a new Civ game today called Civilization: Beyond Earth. It looks basically like a new Alpha Centauri game, so I'm not sure why they didn't just call it Alpha Centauri 2.
Just... one... more... turn... |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
The best part about it is that it comes out this fall!
They can't call it Alpha Centauri because EA owns it. For all intents and purposes, this is Alpha Centauri 2. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
I bought the Vanquish Level 4 from Digital Storm about a month ago, right before they reconfigured the model. So far, I love it.
I was in the same boat - just didn't want to take the time to build and deal with that whole process. Ordered from their site on a Friday and the system arrived the following Friday. |
Re: PC Gaming Thread
Briefly thought about replacing my i5-2500K in my HTPC, but after looking at gaming benchmarks against the i7-4770K, it became obvious pretty quickly that it would be a waste of money. Pretty crazy that I've owned this CPU for three years and there isn't much point to upgrading. I first thought about it when I noticed how much I'm hitching while playing the EQ Next Landmark Beta. However, I realized I didn't have my overclocking software installed, and once I did, I was able to crank it up to ~4.5ghz and Landmark plays perfectly now.
I'll probably swap out my Radeon 7950 with a R9 290X at some point though. I'm going to wait and see how it handles Watch Dogs first. |
| All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:07 AM. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.