Enough... for how much time?

[Ham Ham]

Well, its a long story that starts in 2004
At late 2004, I first heard about Doom 3. I went into Id's website, and I checked the requirements. It required a 2.8ghz processator, 512mb ram, and 128 video.

When I bought my new pc in 2005, it had exactly the same required thing:
Intel Pentium 4: 2.8ghz.
512mb ram.
Ge-Force MX4000 128mb video.

It was pretty enough, I could play Doom 3, Quake 4, Call of Duty 1 & 2, and Halo 1.
But, after mid 2006, everything else was too new for my pc. I couldnt run anything else. If I could waited a few months, I could pay the same price on a 2gb ram and 256mb video board, what would make my life a way simpler.

Now, Starcraft 2 and Doom 4 are coming up in 2010, and I dont want to play them on minimum settings as I did with D3 and Q4. I'm planing to buy the following computer:

Processor: Intel® Core2 Quad Q6600 skt775 2X4mb Cache bus 1066Mhz
Processor speed: 2.4 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics Card: NVidia GeForce 9500 GT 512mb

Price: R$1700,00 (aproximately US$ 900,00)


Then I have 2 questions:

1:For how much time a computer with this configuration can last? I mean, how much time it will take so I need to upgrade/buy another one?

2: If this configuration is enough, then I should:
A) Buy it soon as I get the money.
B) Wait till mid 2010 to see if they release something better, or the prices go down.


Thanks.

 

[Mechanical Man]

I'm happy if I'm able to play almost all games from the year I bought the comp. But I think that starcraft 2 won't be so demanding. However I advise you wait until starcraft 2 is released to buy a new computer, if that game is very important for you.

 

[The Reborn Devil]

I think that will last at least half a year or something
I'm going to upgrade my computer in a few days with something a bit better.
These are the things I'm getting (it's not much, getting more later).

Motherboard: ASUS M4A79T Deluxe.
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
Cores: 4
Speed (or w/e): 3,4GHz
RAM: OCZ Platinum XTC DDR3 1333MHz 3GB Kit

Also, you should wait a few months.

 

[Maker]

I'm planing to buy the following computer:

Processor: Intel® Core2 Quad Q6600 skt775 2X4mb Cache bus 1066Mhz
Processor speed: 2.4 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics Card: NVidia GeForce 9500 GT 512mb

Price: R$1700,00 (aproximately US$ 900,00)

If you intend to do any gaming at all, the don't even consider that graphics card. It is a budget card, released over a year ago. Even then it was slow.

 

[DarkLordX]

The 9500GT is not a pretty good graphiccard. You get it for less than 40€ now and new games don't work good with it. Even your processator is "too good" for your graphiccard, means your graphiccard thwards your processator. I would suggest a Radeon HD4870, it costs around 100€ and is a very nice product.

 

[Dr Super Good]

I believe it should be prety future proof for 3 years, playing even those games at ok levels of details (ofcourse it wont max games of 2012 but even near low they should look bloody good at that time). In 4-5 years, you could probably resurrect it with replacement hardware (I can assure you something will break by then physically) so it would be ok. Looking at 6 + years, the stuff then will probably be so different that the games will just not be compatible.

I got 6 years out of a P4 at 3.0 GHz with 2 replacement graphic cards (well 1 upgrade and 1 replacement) and 1 replacement PSU and some RAM expansion. By the sounds of it you got simlar use out of your old PC. Thus it should last atleast 4-5 years before you encounter problems with games not running.

 

[DarkLordX]

With the GeForce 9500GT you can't play new games on a high level...

 

[Dr Super Good]

You cant play new games on highest level with a 275...

So thats not a valid point.

 

[DarkLordX]

Well, then he should buy a 285 directly

But the GTX 275 has even enough power to play all games, at least on normal level. This can't be done with the 9500GT...

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Try building your own. Even a GTX 260 kicks ass these days.

 

[Dr Super Good]

9500... is that not a rebundled 8800... My brothers 8800 is prety kick ass. It may not max new games but it sure as hell beats a 360/PS3 and produces beautiful graphics.

 

[Ham Ham]

So, wich ist the best choise? The 9500 GT, or the GTX 285?

 

[DarkLordX]

So, wich ist the best choise? The 9500 GT, or the GTX 285?

Uhm...is this a real question?
Do you mean price/power related or all in all?

With the GTX 285 you can play everything on high, but it's of course a bit more expensive

 

[Ham Ham]

Okay. First I must know how much it costs here. Thanks everyone.

 

[Maker]

9500... is that not a rebundled 8800... My brothers 8800 is prety kick ass. It may not max new games but it sure as hell beats a 360/PS3 and produces beautiful graphics.

9500 GT is basically a 8600 GT, but with some improvements. Slightly faster. It's nowhere near the speed of a 8800.

I wouldn't get a 8800 these days, I'd look for something faster. I had one for over a year, and wouldn't go back. But then again I game at 1980x1080 resolution.

 

[DarkLordX]

Nvidia has no good graphic-cards in the middle-class anymore. The GTX 260/275/285 must be sold under worth, because the Radeon 4xxx and 5xxx-cards are better and have a lower price.

Only the GTX295 is still in use because it is better than the 5870 of ATI.

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I have a GTX260 Core 216 and it kicks ass. It was pretty cheap too. The 4870/4850 is still very, very good, too.

You really can't go wrong with GFX cards these days. Graphics have somewhat pleateau'd because of the consoles, so any GTX260 and over will be great.

 

[TheDivineBoss]

I have a GTX260 Core 216 and it kicks ass. It was pretty cheap too. The 4870/4850 is still very, very good, too.

You really can't go wrong with GFX cards these days. Graphics have somewhat pleateau'd because of the consoles, so any GTX260 and over will be great.

Yeah, but in order to make all your shiny new graphics and gadgets work nicely you'll also need a good power source. Maybe 500+W will do the trick.

 

[DarkLordX]

Yeah, but in order to make all your shiny new graphics and gadgets work nicely you'll also need a good power source. Maybe 500+W will do the trick.

This of course depends on the graphic-card and the processor. With an i7-975 Extreme Edition and a GTX295 you will need at least 600W or more.

 

[Dr Super Good]

DarkLordX, that is if you run them at stock voltages and clock rates.
Under clocking / reducing voltage on both processor and graphic card will reduce power consumption and infact increase component life (to some degree).

 

[BlargHonk]

Don't go for that, for US 850 I built mine, which has much more performance than that.

and prices have dropped further since then.

Here is basically what you want:
Try to get a i5 750, they beat all the Q's flat out, even the QX9770

If you cannot get the i5 due to cost, try to get an AMD Phenom 2 X4, seeing as how the X4 955 is equal to the Q9550 but is $100 less (seriously) Though it might be different over there

If all else is too expensive, Athlon 2 X4 has the same performance as the Q6600, and probably still costs less.


For GPU, attempt to get a HD5770, if you cannot, HD5750, if you cannot yet again, either HD4870 1gb or GTX260, and yes, 5770, not 5870

PSU, Calculator, Tiered List, FUD Faq

and just stay away from shady manufactures, and remember 80 Plus isn't always a guarantee of a good PSU, also, you don't need a tier 1 PSU probably, Tier 2 are good too, even some Tier 3s :/ (I use a tier 2)

Cases, don't go for the flashiest case around, they will probably suck, I use a Antec 300 and it is pretty good for $50, the CM590 is good too.



DO NOT BUY FROM CYBERPOWERPC OR IBUYPOWER