what PC should I invest in?

[Freewind]

Hi everyone,

I am thinking about buying a new graphic card or making a dual use.

My current configuration is:
Intel Pentium D CPU 3.00 Ghz
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 350 Mb
2Gb RAM.

So far I can run 6.3 on max setting, permanent arrows, huge size units. Battles with 2 full stacks armies runs ok. I am thinking about buying another same graphic card for 20 bucks and expect a twice improvement.

I would like to run battles with larger armies. I am thinking about changing units size in export_descr_units to make each companies larger. For example, a light infantry unit may have 100 men (around 200 for huge unit size) while a spearmen standard units may have 150 men (around 300 men for huge units size).

Has anybody tried huge battles using newer graphic cards or dual SLI ? Please give me some advice.

[napoleonic]

no, buy a new cpu, motherboard amd 4 gb ram, your gpu/video card is still decent enough

[Beowulf1990]

no, buy a new cpu, motherboard amd 4 gb ram, your gpu/video card is still decent enough

I would agree with this.
The 8800GTS really is still a good enough card.

[Fenrisulfrinn]

no, buy a new cpu, motherboard amd 4 gb ram, your gpu/video card is still decent enough

If your budget can handle it, this is the first upgrade you should go for. Not necessarily AMD, but if I remember my hardware class, an AMD motherboard layout is slightly better for gaming. More RAM and a better CPU (you will probably need a new motherboard to accommodate it) is the way to go. After you've upgraded in this way you can think about a new video card configuration. As your hardware stands, upgrading your video card right now is mostly overkill and would probably help you about as much as upgrading your hard drive

[newt]

Hi everyone,

I am thinking about buying a new graphic card or making a dual use.

My current configuration is:
Intel Pentium D CPU 3.00 Ghz
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 350 Mb
2Gb RAM.

So far I can run 6.3 on max setting, permanent arrows, huge size units. Battles with 2 full stacks armies runs ok. I am thinking about buying another same graphic card for 20 bucks and expect a twice improvement.

I would like to run battles with larger armies. I am thinking about changing units size in export_descr_units to make each companies larger. For example, a light infantry unit may have 100 men (around 200 for huge unit size) while a spearmen standard units may have 150 men (around 300 men for huge units size).

Has anybody tried huge battles using newer graphic cards or dual SLI ? Please give me some advice.

Larger armies will require a faster cpu, to calculate the movements and such for all the extra units.

[chase7417]

If your motherboard can support the FSB of Core 2 Duo processors, i recommend buying a wolfdale series C2D processor.

[meese]

Aye, the CPU is the one which needs upgrading. That said, I've heard MTW doesn't support multiple cores, but if you were to upgrade, it should be the CPU. I've got 2 GB of RAM and it's fine for me, just running SS and itunes in the background.

[chase7417]

A E8400 costs around $170: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-037-_-Product

It beats the i7 920 in nearly every game except for one http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/16570/1

Depending on what speed your RAM is, an extra 2GB will cost around $40 or so http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...E&PageSize=100

[Ichon]

I haven't found GPU to make a huge difference running MTW2 as long as you got decent which 8800 is still. CPU though makes a big difference on campaign turn lengths to process the scripts...

I SLI'd my 9800GTX and barely notice a difference in MTW2. In Crysis I got about 46% FPS jump. No game did I get close to 100% though. However I recently raised my clock speed with AMD from 2.8 to 3.1 and turn times noticeably improved in MTW2.

[Freewind]

decent advices . Thanks everyone!

[Kernow]

If like me you don't have the tech balls to build your own, I've always found alienware machines to be kickass. They are slightly more expensive (not compared to equivalent tech Macs) than standard kit but have lots of cool features, I love the cooling vents on the top of the ALX Tower.

[newt]

If like me you don't have the tech balls to build your own, I've always found alienware machines to be kickass. They are slightly more expensive (not compared to equivalent tech Macs) than standard kit but have lots of cool features, I love the cooling vents on the top of the ALX Tower.

Alienware = waste of money. Unless you're buying a laptop. It's not hard to build a computer yourself.

[Kernow]

Alienware = waste of money. Unless you're buying a laptop. It's not hard to build a computer yourself.

time is money, alienware have the time!

[Ichon]

time is money, alienware have the time!

That time = money works both ways. If you built a computer once it actually doesn't take that long to build. Get the parts and 45 minutes later you are done the hardware, then load the OS and tweak takes another 2-3 hours. So in one morning you get it all done at 50% the cost Alienware charges and often with slightly better quality parts. So unless you get paid over $200 an hour it doesn't make sense to pay someone else.

Of course if it is your first time building a computer it might take longer but there are so many websites give exact directions even down to the motherboard and CPU combo + case you are using that it shouldn't take much longer.

Where most people run into problems is tweaking(overclock, SLI, etc) and that can take MUCH longer if you have to troubleshoot. A basic computer build though is quite easy these days even most cases have screwless slots with only the MB requiring a screwdriver.

[neha123]

Guys recently got a seconh hand laptop from my relative... this is the config...can you tell me if M2TW will work on this?/?


System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 8/14/2010, 00:20:15
Machine name: VATSAL-PC
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System Model: Compaq Presario CQ60 Notebook PC
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T3400 @ 2.16GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 3998MB RAM
Page File: 1846MB used, 6375MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18107 64bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2A42&SUBSYS_360B103C&REV_07
Display Memory: 1759 MB
Dedicated Memory: 64 MB
Shared Memory: 1695 MB
Current Mode: 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: igdumd64.dll,igd10umd64.dll
Driver Version: 7.15.0010.1518 (English)
DDI Version: 10
BGRA Supported: Yes
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/7/2008 01:52:28, 4812800 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes

I went to DXDIAG and cheacked the info there from which i am posting..
Since i am new to Laptops and Vistas and i have a Intel Graphics Media Accelerator occupying 37.1 GB why any idea
?????????????????????????????????????

[Gorrrrrn]

neha - I'm reading the stats differently to you:

I see Display Memory: 1759 MB (1.759GB) of which
64MB is the GPUs own memory and
Shared Memory: 1695 MB (1.695 GB) is shared with main memory of which there is 4GB (and it can't address all of that unless the Vista is 64-bit.

will M2TW work - try it and see and let us know.
(start with a basic M2TW install, see what detail it can handle.
then add Kingdoms then SS6.3.)

DirectX11 looks good mind you.

[Meneth]

Dell (who own Alienware) in general is overpriced.
Go with some other retailer (I'm from Norway, so I don't really know what's cheap in the US, sorry )
Over here, though, getting a store to build your computer for you is about as cheap as building it yourself (building it yourself MIGHT be a bit cheaper if you manage to find the parts you need for the lowest price possible, though)

[strife1013]

The 460's of Nvidia's are around $200 but CPU and Ram are important as well.

[bubbathegump]

The 460's of Nvidia's are around $200 but CPU and Ram are important as well.

Yea the new gtx 460's are sweet, im thinking about getting the Gigabyte 1gb version to replace my 9600gt because thats about the only weeks point in my system atm.

[napoleonic]

um hard drive does matter too especially with transferring files, installing and streaming data from disk to the game -campaign script for example-