T_1 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Right I need some advice. I've a P4 2.8 PC with a AGP board and graphics card. Question is this. Is this something which would allow me to run stuff like ArmA2, and is it a good deal? I've a spare case so plan would be to put it in that and add a SATA drive. Worth a punt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MH6~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Edit: I always miss the links. That bundle looks like it meets the minimum req. for ArmA2, but you'd probably have to run everything on low with a tiny resolution. If you're going to get a new PC might as well go with the new stuff. Or at the very least get a better graphics card than that cruddy Inno3D GeForce 8400 GS. Edited September 4, 2009 by MH6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Overclockers is always worth a look , they have some good deals *OVERCLOCKED* Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 @ 3.20GHz / Gigabyte GA-P43-ES3G Intel P43 Motherboard / Kingston HyperX 4GB 8500C5 DDR2 Bundle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usthomsen~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Okay i am gonna be blund T1 here so don´t take it for more than what it is. If u wanna play the latest games u simply need to make bigger upgrades. It´s not a solution being 2 steps behind wich u will be with that upgrade. In a year u will have to upgrade again and untill then u will still be struggeling. I know a lot of people don´t have the money and neither do i but if u wanna have the game running with desent resolutions and ok fps u just need higher specs. Sorry! What i did was buying more ram and a new cpu and be good for the next 2-3 month untill i have the money to upgrade my gpu. It just so happent that my 8800GTX broke 14 days ago and now i am stuck with only the wifes pc for at least a couple of month or so untill i have some more money. I am not just going out to buy a new cheap gpu to get the machine running and then again have to upgrade just to be able to run the games at a desent resolution. What i am saying is think this through. The last system upgrade i made lastet over 2 years and would still be good for a year or so. In the end i think u will roughly be paying the same amount of money its just more fun the other way. Cheers T1 and hope u make the right dessision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoScream~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Right I need some advice. I've a P4 2.8 PC with a AGP board and graphics card. Question is this. Is this something which would allow me to run stuff like ArmA2, and is it a good deal? I've a spare case so plan would be to put it in that and add a SATA drive. Worth a punt? NO, you will not be able to play the latest games. the 8400 is a weak link the 8400GS weak http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/gamin...Score,1374.html performance here: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/gamin...Score,1340.html Look for a bundle that has a Quad core min, seriously, you buy dual now, you'll be replacing it fast & don't get me started on a new 8400 GS..... they are ejecting old stock....... for your good money, T1 for the win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathrus~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Does the nvidia 8400 have the shader model 3.0 or later? if not it won't run any of these games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custard~SPARTA~ Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 It does but it ain't runnin Arma2 or OFP DR (I guess) in anything over mid settings at best. For best settings you are looking at 4870 1Gb for ati and 8800 GTX nvidia at minimum. I have a 4870 1GB and my CPU a E6600 (2.4 Ghz stock) is now the weak link but I can run Arma 2 on max settings and I have very few crashes and low but acceptable FPS even when flying choppers. My gameplay satisfaction is still excellent I would still enjoy it at lower res etc. I can't afford it but I would like a quad core. The stuff you linked is very very cheap T1 but I think you will have to double the money to see the current games at max settings if not more I think it will run Arma 2 but not fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightspeed~SPARTA~ Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 You do not need a QuadCore viiper sorry - games dont need that power. Get a DualCore and you must switch to PCI-E mobo. Quad Core still not required for another year or 2 and by then prices will have fallen - just make sure mobo is quad core compatible which should be default. Main focus should be minimum 2 gig of cpu ram and a PCI-E video card with 1 gig of ram. www.tomshardware.com for best reviews and best price for performance reviews. You will find thee board you need there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoScream~SPARTA~ Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 You do not need a QuadCore viiper sorry - games dont need that power. Get a DualCore and you must switch to PCI-E mobo. Quad Core still not required for another year or 2 and by then prices will have fallen - just make sure mobo is quad core compatible which should be default. Main focus should be minimum 2 gig of cpu ram and a PCI-E video card with 1 gig of ram. www.tomshardware.com for best reviews and best price for performance reviews. You will find thee board you need there. I'm not saying you need a Quad, what I'm saying is if he builds a dual this year, he's building a machine that will be dated in a very sort time. For example the intel i7 920 is a reasonable cheap CPU with 4 real cores and 4 HT cores (virtual), it is future proofing for a few years. This year see's games coming to market that will eat cores, OFP2 for example will eat 4+ cores if available but will play on only 2. OFP2 is one of a breed of new games multi threading. T1 can do what he thinks best, but personally I will never buy another 2core machine when I can buy a quad. Applications & games are becoming more demanding of CPU and muti threading will be a big move as intel introduces the next line of 6core + HT (12 cores), there is a reason, things move faster. Windows is full multi threading. IF your on a budget then get what suits your budget, but remember dealers are trying to off load old stock because they already know. The 8400GS is a very poor graphics card today, scoring very low compared to most. I recommend a modern motherboard that can last more than 12 months. When windows 7 hits this year there's going to be changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightspeed~SPARTA~ Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 wasnt sure of the price of the Quad - but if theyre cheap then yes buy one which will cover your for 2 - 4 years. i used to do the patchy upgrades but you realize you're just throwing good money after bad. better to save your pennies and buy a rig which will be upgradeable into the future. AGP is dead - do not waste your cash patching to keep the AGP running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_1 Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 Thanks for the advice guys. Main thing is that it has made me pause for thought a little bit. I was going to go and get this today and have it running over the weekend. I think that would, on the whole been short term gain, long term pain. I'll give it some more, and considered deliberation. Thank you all for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatal_Papercut~SPARTA~ Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I have no idea what your budget is, but here's half of the solution: The AMD Phenom II X4 940 can be had for $150 brand new, and a good, compatible mobo will run you about $80-$100 (no onboard video). This is what I had before I built my new rig, and I OCed it from the stock speed of 3GHz up to 3.4GHz just on air cooling and without any voltage tweaks. Of course, you'll also need RAM, a new GPU, and the one thing that people always seem to overlook until the last minute: a solid PSU--it must have the minimum wattage and amp ratings, the correct CPU power connector (4 or 8 pins) and the right PCI-E power connectors (6 or 8 pins or even both). If just the above is already out of your current budget, then I would advise waiting until you can get something comparable. Either way, I have to agree with others: it would be a waste of money to spend anything to squeeze the last bit of performance out of your current rig, and a low-or-mid range dual core that seems like a bargain now will be something you'll probably regret later. A VERY fast dual-core would actually be ok for a year or so, but after that year you'll still be stuck with very limited upgrade options. If you go AMD, go with an AM3 socket mobo for future upgrading, and if you go Intel, the LGA 1366 or 1156 sockets will provide the most options in the near future. As one gamer to another, I sincerely hope that you can find a solution that allows you to play the games you want at a reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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