First Gaming Pc

[theyettihunta]

I'm planning on getting into pc gaming and really don't know much about it, I've stayed mostly console.

I was wondering if someone could give me a good scale of the specs I need.

What are the minimum Specs required to run a game like SWTOR or ?

V.S.

An fps such as battlefield or cal of duty?

[angryxbit]

I'm planning on getting into pc gaming and really don't know much about it, I've stayed mostly console.

I was wondering if someone could give me a good scale of the specs I need.

What are the minimum Specs required to run a game like SWTOR or ?

V.S.

An fps such as battlefield or cal of duty?

http://www.game-debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=363&game=Star%20Wars:%20The%20Old%20Republic

CPU clock speed will help you with the fps. The more graphics you want to put out, the higher the clock speed should be since you are passing more data through the cpu. If you are concerned about loading times, an SSD will be your best friend. And as with anything else, the more RAM you have, the better. Hope this helps.

[theyettihunta]

It did , thanks

[Batman]

If you want good fps (frames per second) then you need a good graphics card. I have a GE Force 550 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130625) in my computer and it's scored a 7.8/7.9 on the WEI. It's a relatively cheap card pricewise, and it handles games at the highest resolutions and visual effects very easily.

Graphics cards have GPU's which are much better at processing data for images on the screen, hence why you get a graphics card to handle that kind of data.

In fact, Mythbusters did a very entertaining demonstration on how a CPU handles images and how well a GPU handles images..

http://www.nvidia.com/object/nvision08_gpu_v_cpu.html

Check it out!

SSD drives are good for faster loading. If you need something cheaper but still not too slow you could get a HD that will transmit data at 6.0gbs through a sata cable, but make sure the MB you buy also can handle that kind of rate.

RAM - 8 GB's will do pretty well depending on the speed at which it can handle data. If you buy an 8GB set of RAM at 2133 MHz you'll likely be completely fine. Im my system I have 8GB 2133 DDR3 RAM and it scored a 7.9 by itself. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231468) This is a good set here, and it's not too expensive.

Make sure you get a tower that has enough ventilation and possibly room for additional fans.

I'm not sure what your budget is like for your gaming rig, but I'd highly recommend that set of RAM and the Graphics card regardless of whether you have a lot or a little $ to spend.

Edited April 20, 2012 by Skynet Global Defense

[int0x80]

I generally like http://hardforum.com when I spec a new system. There is a ton to know about hardware, if you're interested. Here is a good link to get started http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1352290

The people there are also mostly helpful, so when you think you have a system shopped out, post a thread as per their FAQ and wait for feedback. Forum members often find better deals on the hardware you want or even better hardware at lower prices.

[redhook]

Something like this would be good, plays everything I throw at it. Go Ivy Bridge instead of AMD and get a GTX 500 series graphics card and you'll have a nice gaming rig.

[Radau]

One thing to keep in mind, is that your monitor resolution (i.e 1920x1080) will directly relate to the requirements you need for a video card and CPU. For example, if you're using a low resolution such as 1024x768, you wont need a very powerful video card at all, as it's not pushing out a ton of pixels and stressing it. However, a downside to running a lower resolution is the CPU does need to have a bit more horsepower.

1024x768: Older GeForce 200 series can be picked up on the cheap and work fine

1366x768: GTX 550Ti(460)/Radeon 6870 is a good choice in this range

1680x1050: GTX 560/560Ti starts to come into play

1920x1080: GTX 570 (or the GTX 580)/Radeon 6950/6970.

Anything Above: Need to start running SLI, be it single PCB (GTX590 or Radeon 6990) or separate (2x:GTX 580)

Hope I helped!

[pyth0n]

If you were planning one game only, then you could build the computer to requirements eg, some games require more RAM, some require CPU and some require GPU power...

If its your first gaming build i would reccomend to go with AMD/ATI for the simple fact of it will be much cheaper for the power it will put out. (unless you find a good nvidia intel bundle/deal) note that linus slated nvidia for lack of linux support if you aim to use linux too.

My current setup is:

4GB RAM 1333mhz

3.2ghz x6 1090T AMD Black Edition clocked to 3.6ghz

2 X 5770HD 1GB ATI Crossfire

1 TB hard drive Linux/Windows Dual boot.

With my specs, i can still play crysis 2 on High/Ultra with no FPS issues and GTA IV still plays smoothly on high res and very high settings.

Always make youself aware of the Clock speeds! i have seen dual cores with high clock speeds destroy quad cores at performance! and lower model graphics cards out perform newer cards which were more expensive due to having better clock speeds and more video memory also cache is important. Like Radau said, Resolution plays a big part in performance, expect your frame rates to drop when increasing your resoltion.

In the UK i tend to buy my products from www.eclipsecomputers.com and ebuyer.com. Ebuyer usually have some crazy deals on to clear stock. i have also heard good things about scan and overclockers. have a look.

Hope i helped you

feel free to ask any questions.