Build a PC for Rome 2 / Hardware Recommendations and Advice Thread

[SamueleD]

You will not tell me Rome 2 do not have a scripted bench like Shogun 2, will you?

Our job would be so much harder without that! Let's hope they keep this feature.

[Biggus Splenus]

I am really curious as to what the "intel cpu option to render better" is and if it is allowed only for the 4th generation.

Sounds like marketing crap to me, the engine is probably still geared for a couple threads. We will have to wait and see.

[SamueleD]

Yes prime 95 it hit 83'c once and usually sat at 70-75. In Shogun Ultra settings more like 60- 65.

Yeah, it's fine, if you want to be totally safe drop it down 100MHz, or see if it's stable with a little lower voltage, but it's fine.

Great recommendations, thanks a lot!

I am planning to make some improvements on my pc. Now I have;

CPU: Core i7 920 (stock HSF)
Motherboard: Gigabyte EX58-UD3R
Memory: Geil 3x4GB 1600MHz DDR3
GPU: AMD-ATI HD6850 1GB
HDD: 1TB + 750GB Samsung and 200GB Seagate
Monitor: Dell U2412M 24" LED IPS (1920x1200)
PSU: Glacialtech 650W
UPS: Tunvmatik Newtech Pro 1KVA


First I will buy new GPU, GTX 760 looks good but there are GTX 670 cards on same price in here. In tests GTX 670 is seems better. But I am not sure.
Secondly, I want to buy a good air HSF to Over Clock my CPU from 2.63GHZ(2.93GHZ with turbo) to 4GHz, or more due to heat. I read some tests about between my old i7 920 and new i7 CPUs. When i7 920 overclocked its performance becomes closer to new i7 CPUs they say.





Is my CPU enough for Rome II on ultra size armies?
Is my CPU enough for high end graphic cards such as GTX 770 ?
Is my PSU enough for better GPU and Overclocked CPU?

Your cpu is a bit old, but if overclocked it can be still good, check the OP for some good coolers, I think it's worth more to buy one of them and oc your cpu tham buy a new cpu. What cooler are you on now? Stock?

For the GPU I'd wait for the new AMD series, which will come out in october, in the meantime, just overclock yours to get a little boost.

The PSU is plenty.

So its better to wait for rome 2 comes out and check if the usage of the cores still same has shogun2 , if it is i think is better to buy a i3220 and make a overclock , is it good for overclock? do i need a good HSP? Can u tell how much is the difference in FPS between a i3220 and a i54670 at Shogun 2 Please?

Rome II will probably be similar to Shogun 2, maybe a bit better, as it uses the same engine, but updated. Besides they said that they optimized the low end better, so I'd be more worried about i7s being wasted than i3s not being enough.
But yes waiting to see is better than speculating, also because in the meantime Haswell i3 will come out.
Unfortunately i3 can't be really overclocked (and that's the real reason to go i5), it would be awesome if it could, I bet a lot of people would buy it over i5 otherwise.
I can't tell you te exact difference for what you ask, I'd have to do some research, it's hard to find Shogun 2 CPU bench results for i3, but regardless of it i3 will still be playable on high unit sizes, probably not so much on ultra, but will do fine on high, and particularly with the setting tweak we found it should do nicely.

[alQamar]

They won't drop it for sure as they need it all. Q&A , support, Hardware admins at totalwar.com etc.

[Menumorut]

For the poor like me, I recommend this system:


CPU: Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (4 CPUs)-$235.99 on Amazon
Motherboard: ASRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3-$186.83 on Amazon
Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Dual channel kit-$73.06 on Amazon
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1024 MB GDDR5-$219.99 on Amazon
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD SATA 6 Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache-$67.95 on Amazon
Monitor: AOC e2460Sd 24-Inch Widescreen LED Monitor (1920x1200)-$129.99 on Amazon
PSU: OCZ ZS Series 750W 80PLUS-$79.47 on Amazon

[SamueleD]

For the poor like me, I recommend this system:


CPU: Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (4 CPUs)-$235.99 on Amazon
Motherboard: ASRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3-$186.83 on Amazon
Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Dual channel kit-$73.06 on Amazon
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1024 MB GDDR5-$219.99 on Amazon
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD SATA 6 Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache-$67.95 on Amazon
Monitor: AOC e2460Sd 24-Inch Widescreen LED Monitor (1920x1200)-$129.99 on Amazon
PSU: OCZ ZS Series 750W 80PLUS-$79.47 on Amazon

That's not really cheap man, and most of the components are relatively old too.

[Hadro]

That's not really cheap man, and most of the components are relatively old too.

I agree. Eg/ why not get a gtx 760?

[Epic28]

For the poor like me, I recommend this system:


CPU: Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (4 CPUs)-$235.99 on Amazon
Motherboard: ASRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3-$186.83 on Amazon
Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Dual channel kit-$73.06 on Amazon
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1024 MB GDDR5-$219.99 on Amazon
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD SATA 6 Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache-$67.95 on Amazon
Monitor: AOC e2460Sd 24-Inch Widescreen LED Monitor (1920x1200)-$129.99 on Amazon
PSU: OCZ ZS Series 750W 80PLUS-$79.47 on Amazon

Where in the world are you getting your prices? Practically none of these components you listed should be purchased for those prices. Far better and cheaper options out there.

[Epic28]

Delete - Doubled

[alQamar]

You can take a 500 watts 80 plus psu and invest in a 660 or 760 at least. Instead of a such unnecessary expensive mainboard you better go for a asus z77m and a 3570k

[alQamar]

Hi again,

thanks to boxleitnerb extensive benchmarking session yesterday, and his quite massive rig, we are aware now that an Intel i7 is NOT worthy to use for Total War. He backups my own benchmarks with this.

Also we cleared up what you can expect from SLI and further if a high OC RAM is needed or what performance leap it brings having lower clockings in case of RAM (comparing 1333 CL7 to 1600 CL9)
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post13102077

[CanOmer]

Should I disable Hyper-Threading (core i7 920) to reduce heat a bit for better OC?

[alQamar]

that wont affect, but please check the benchmark thread and run the CPU and GPU benchmarks with and without HT and the optimisations there to know whats the best solution.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...TW-performance

[CanOmer]

I started to reading it (long thread), I will try to participate soon.

[alQamar]

Meanwhile I am shocked by the poor CPU performance of AMD processors in Shogun 2 and I am quite angry and sad about that for the fans.
And obviously, now I know why CA is not explicitly naming AMD cpus in their spec recommendations.


The highest we got in the benchmark thread was 25 fps on a 5.0 GHz on an 8-core CPU, while the AMD 4-cores depending on the RAM speed only deliver 11 to 17 FPS, which I would like to call UNPLAYABLE!
Just got new benchmarks in by SenseiFR, a quite famous part of the multiplayer community and TW fan and Youtuber.

[eXistenZ]

So brought in my pc, an SSD and the extra RAM are the main upgrades. Should get it back friday or saturday.

Dont know exactly how much i will need to reinstall. Does steam allows you to choose the drive, or is it all on the same? Cause if its all on the same, my SSD will get filled quite quickly (Aside from napoleon, shogun 2 and rome 2 , also Civ V, a few AC games and Watch Dogs)

[Epic28]

So brought in my pc, an SSD and the extra RAM are the main upgrades. Should get it back friday or saturday.

Dont know exactly how much i will need to reinstall. Does steam allows you to choose the drive, or is it all on the same? Cause if its all on the same, my SSD will get filled quite quickly (Aside from napoleon, shogun 2 and rome 2 , also Civ V, a few AC games and Watch Dogs)

When you install Steam do the Custom install option, it will allow you to specify the install destination (SSD or HDD).

[SamueleD]

So brought in my pc, an SSD and the extra RAM are the main upgrades. Should get it back friday or saturday.

Dont know exactly how much i will need to reinstall. Does steam allows you to choose the drive, or is it all on the same? Cause if its all on the same, my SSD will get filled quite quickly (Aside from napoleon, shogun 2 and rome 2 , also Civ V, a few AC games and Watch Dogs)

You can install steam on the ssd, so it starts fast, and then create a steam library on another hard disk, it's a feature that was added not long ago.

Edit: when you install a game it now asks you where, you can choose the default library (which is where you installed steam) or create a new one on another drive

[alQamar]

Install only windows onto the ssd and move (leave) your steam on the classic hard disk

[eXistenZ]

i went for the 250GB SSD, so would it matter much? I thought the point was to use the SSD for the games and applications and the classic HD for the files like music and photos?