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

[Biggus Splenus]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?678089
come here to the Attila TW forum for advice unless it specifically regards Rome2

[Adreno]

there already is a special forum section for this

[Numidian Mercenary]

I will be getting a new pc prior to the release of Rome 2. A youtube video detailing the best builds at around the £800 mark would be useful for me. Don't mind reading either but youtube videos tend to be more engaging.

Overall, I will be looking in here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forum...8-The-Basement

For advice. Also, seen this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCjxMG4OLdE

The guy sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

[Biggus Splenus]

Maybe this thread should be moved to that forum then, but I thought I need to catch the attention of an audience outside of that forum, and more to the general public.

@ Numidian Mercenary - that guy on YouTube is fairly knowledgeable, but there are a few things that I would call him wrong on/think is un-unnecessary. He also doesn't give much of an option, and the graphics card he chose IS NOT the best bang for the buck, no way. Also, that video if 4 months old, and believe it or not, but a fair bit has changed since then

[Numidian Mercenary]

Maybe this thread should be moved to that forum then, but I thought I need to catch the attention of an audience outside of that forum, and more to the general public.

@ Numidian Mercenary - that buy on YouTube is fairly knowledgeable, but there are a few things that I would call him wrong on/think is un-unnecessary. He also doesn't give much of an option, and the graphics card he chose IS NOT the best bang for the buck, no way. Also, that video if 4 months old, and believe it or not, but a fair bit has changed since then

Haha, sure. However, to be frank, I wont be building a gaming pc until the end of summer 2013 at the earliest. So recommendations timed around then will be most useful for me personally.

[Biggus Splenus]

We should wait for the official requirements before to buy a new computer............

They already did say that the minimum is the same as Shogun 2, and that's all we need to know, the ABSOLUTE minimum to run it at

Haha, sure. However, to be frank, I wont be building a gaming pc until the end of summer 2013 at the earliest. So recommendations timed around then will be most useful for me personally.

Well I'll be happy to continuously update my videos and information. Would be nice to see how much has changed in that time. Also, I'm in Australia, and our Summer just ended I guess America's summer is 6 months away.

[Numidian Mercenary]

I can't vote because I don't have enough posts.

I would vote for youtube videos but would also read written advice as well.

Well I'll be happy to continuously update my videos and information. Would be nice to see how much has changed in that time. Also, I'm in Australia, and our Summer just ended I guess America's summer is 6 months away.

That would be useful. I'm British so summer is June, July, August. Rome 2 is coming out in October so I plan to time my purchases not too far before then.

[Maleventum]

We should wait for the official requirements before to buy a new computer............

[♠ Thomas Cochrane ♠]

Hey there guys,

I've done a tone of research into computers, all the different components and what all the specs actually mean. I was wondering if people would like me to compile some tutorials on quickly understanding what all these parts do, how to choose ones right for what you do (and to play Rome 2 at the best you can with the budget you have), and how to build your PC.

Would people be interested in me doing this? I'm fairly confident that you can play Rome 2 on medium settings with a PC under $600, and I help you pick the components of a PC anywhere from this price range, all the way up to extreme-enthusiast price range of $3000 + depending on your budget.

I know what specs will be needed because CA said that their minimum requirements will be the same as Shogun 2, but the max settings will be more demanding.

One more thing to say before you give your answer to my question; DO NOT BUY A PRE-BUILT PC! They are generally over priced for their parts (I promise you can make the same system with half the cash). DO NOT buy "high quality" pre-built PCs either, like Alienware, because all that pricing is pretty much for the custom case alone, it is far too expensive and you can get higher quality cases for half the money. It's just the branding, it's like buying some cheap sunglasses for $20, but as soon as you smack an Oakley label on it, the price changes to $200.

Ok, so tell me if you guys would be interested in this. Building your own PC is very fun too, because it's 100% your own, and you know the system like the back of your hand.

Also, would people prefer these tutorials as written posts, or as YouTube videos?

I've got a poll up.

I'm sorry but since you're from South Australia, and affirming certain SA stereotypes, I thought I'd help you out and point out that:

1) Americans say ton, we say tonne. No one says tone
2) The coloured-clicky-choice graph is a Poll, not a person who hails from Poland - a Pole, as your reason for edit says

Couldn't help myself.
Perhaps this is the Sydney way of saying G'day.
How Australian, right? OK, I'll pack my bags then....
Germany? Any room for a grammar Nazi?

[Biggus Splenus]

Just a couple of typos, thanks for pointing them out.

PS. In regards of PC components evolution from now until the release of Rome 2, there will be a few things that will not change in performance, but might only get a little cheaper, like graphics cards, hard drives (SSDs are going to quickly take over in the next few years). Intel and AMD will be releasing a new chip set soon enough, but those CPUs will offer only a small difference to Desktops, and are mainly focused on mobile platforms. Intel is also going to release their next enthusiast CPU set sometime this year (apparently Q3), but people should only consider waiting for this chip set if they're prepared to spend $3000 minimum on their PC.

EDIT: So far there seems to be more interest in written form of these tutorials, but I suppose only 5 people have voted at the moment.

[Adreno]

but people should only consider waiting for this chip set if they're prepared to spend $3000 minimum on their PC.

Ehh 3k? the replacement for the now popular cpus will pretty much cost almost the same as the old ones, as they always do, hell its usually the outdated and older ones that are more expensive, 3570k's are cheaper than 2500k's right now.. a good gaming computer never has to cost more than 1200

[Biggus Splenus]

Ehh 3k? the replacement for the now popular cpus will pretty much cost almost the same as the old ones, as they always do, hell its usually the outdated and older ones that are more expensive, 3570k's are cheaper than 2500k's right now.. a good gaming computer never has to cost more than 1200

I was talking about the Enthusiast chip set, and not necessarily for gaming PCs. Obviously no one will need a 2011 chip set for gaming, it's primarily for the ultra-high end demanding programs, like video rendering, 2D art and 3D art (but only for people that are very serious about it). So yeah, a system costing 3k will not be gaming system, but a business/media one. I didn't recommend it for gaming at any point.

Everyone should be getting the 1155 chip set, and look no further than the 3570K, best CPU on the market, period (not in everyone's budget though). i7s are for multimedia purposes too, not for gaming, but I guess you already know this, so I'm wasting my breath

[Huberto]

I was talking about the Enthusiast chip set, and not necessarily for gaming PCs. Obviously no one will need a 2011 chip set for gaming, it's primarily for the ultra-high end demanding programs, like video rendering, 2D art and 3D art (but only for people that are very serious about it). So yeah, a system costing 3k will not be gaming system, but a business/media one. I didn't recommend it for gaming at any point.

Everyone should be getting the 1155 chip set, and look no further than the 3570K, best CPU on the market, period (not in everyone's budget though). i7s are for multimedia purposes too, not for gaming, but I guess you already know this, so I'm wasting my breath

I'm no hardware expert but I think some of your statements like this are not really very helpful for computer shoppers.

People should be made to clearly understand that a new generation (called Haswell) of Intel CPU's is going to be released this June (rumored 2 June) which is only a few months away, and a full four months ahead of Rome II's release date. People who intend to purchase new hardware for Rome II therefore should not be getting the current Ivy Bridge CPU with the 1155 socket.

Unless they prefer an AMD CPU, they should be waiting until June and then getting an Intel i5-4570K or the more expensive i7-4770K CPU. These forthcoming processors will run on a 1150 socket, which means the current generation socket 1155 socket motherboards or other motherboards will not work and they need to buy a new z87 Lynx Point chipset motherboard.

Although we don't know exactly how good these new CPUs will be, they are expected to be more powerful than the current Ivy Bridge generation Intel Processors. They are also expected to be more energy efficient. They will almost certainly be priced in the same range as the current generation CPUs. Do not expect the current generation Intel CPU's to drop much in price, even after the Haswell CPU's are released.

Therefore, if you are going to buy/build a new computer for Rome II, and you prefer Intel for Total War, like most of us here, it makes sense to WAIT until June at the earliest to do your build.

If you wait a little bit longer you may even get to add a next-generation Nvidia graphics card to your build.

[DeadlyPhoenix]

Price is subject to change and differs from country to country. Parts I buy in the USA will be a lot less costly than parts bought in Germany and those will yet be a lot cheaper than parts bought in let's say Belgium.

OP is offering advice on different computer parts with an explanation of why picking on over the other or taking the best quality for its price at hand. He's not saying that you HAVE to spend 3000 dollars, nor is he saying that you have NOT to spend 3000 dollars. What he is stating though, is that one should never buy a ready-made pc. However, not only because they're overpriced, but also because they're less good. Pre-build pc's leave as good as no room for improvements or changes. Everything is puzzled in each other to their bare minimums. The PSU is often not strong enough and will fail out after a year or two. The MOBO's are usually not from a high standard and won't last that long either. Even though they might house a strong GPU, the lack of power and also cooling will often cause overheating issues or artifacts during gameplay.

It's indeed better to custom build your own pc. You can build it exactly to your own needs at the price you've chosen. If someone is willing to spend 3000 dollars on a pc, that's entirely up to their own. What is important is not the price they spend it on, but the quality vs price they get. " a good gaming pc never has to cost more than 1200.." that's all subject to opinions. A good car never has to cost more than 10 000, yet people still buy some of over 300 000$ .. It's all a matter of what you want to do with it and how long you want it to last and, moreover, how good you want it to look like.

Will that 3k pc be that much better? At current, probably no. Over time? Surely it will. Though, the good thing with a good custom-made pc is that you can always throw out some out-dated stuff, and fit some new in it without having to throw away everything (like you have to do with pre-builds).

Whether or not such a guide is a good idea? Don't know, I haven't read the guide as it's currently nonexistent. You'll have to compare AMD's vs Intels proc. and nvidia cards. It's easier to just have people come up with their preferences and price range, and give them specific advice in accordance to that. That way you don't overrun them with a flow of (redundant) information that will only confuse them.

I've build my own pc (1,600 euro's, incl. 2 screens, surely I could build that very same pc right now for nearly 400 euro's cheaper and that in a timespan of no less than 7 months - prices change, so does technology), with just the help of newegg youtube video's, a forum and some google research, it's all a matter of how much time you want to invest in it or if you just want someone to sum it up for you whilst you're playing a game at low settings on your current system.

Things like going for an i5 rather than the i7 is helpful information most people will not think of because what most people do is: i7 > i5, obviously i7 is the best. Which it isn't, not for current games..
People stuffing 16 GB ram for the sheer numbers to boast around with, but running w7 32 bits.. stuff like that.

[LSUTigerFan]

I'm looking at picking up the Hp Envy 700 from Best Buy for $729. I would rather just get something ready to go that's pre built that I can just update as needed with graphics cards or the like.

My question is will this system be highly capable of running Rome 2? I'm hoping so, I just preordered the game from GameStop by turning old XBox games so I've completely paid for it so now onto a new PC tower. Thanks for the help.

Quick run down of the specs of the system.

4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4430 processor
Features a 6MB cache and 3.0GHz processor speed.
Intel® Core™ i5 processor
Features smart 4-way processing performance with a speed boost.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Automatically speeds up your processor when your PC needs extra performance. Intel® HD graphics are built into Intel's smart new processors.
12GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM
For multitasking power, expandable to 32GB.
Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media; also supports DVD-RAM.
2TB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times. Box provides 50GB of Cloud storage, so you can easily access and share your stored files.
Intel® HD Graphics 4600
Feature up to 1792MB total available video memory as allocated by Windows 8 for lush images with intricate detail.
Multidisplay capable
Via a DVI-I and a DVI-D interface, so you can connect a 2nd monitor for additional workspace (monitors not included).
15-in-1 media reader
Supports Secure Digital, miniSD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card, CompactFlash I/II and Microdrive formats.
Also supports MultiMediaCard, Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard, MultiMediaCard mobile and MultiMediaCard Plus formats.
4 USB 3.0 and 6 USB 2.0 ports
For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.
Built-in 2.4GHz high-speed wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
Connect to the Internet without wires.
Bluetooth 4.0 interface
Lets you easily link with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
Built-in 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet LAN
For quick and easy wired Web connection.
Microsoft Windows 8 operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
Software package included
With CyberLink PhotoDirector, CyberLink PowerDirector, CyberLink PowerDVD and more. Includes 1-month trial of Microsoft Office 365.
Intel, Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Viiv, Intel Inside and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

[Aruberikku]

Hi folks,
Would anyone who knows their like to comment on how well my rig might run the game and what upgrades - if any - I could make that give a good price vs. performance investment? Thanks!

Intel Core2Duo E8600 @ 3.33GHz
ASUS P5B Deluxe
8GB Kingston HyperX DDR2 800MHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
SanDisk Extreme SSD 120 GB SATA 6.0 Gb (Rome 2 will be on this)
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (with all the latest Microsoft updates)

You have a somewhat older PC, so if you want to upgrade something, you will unfortunately need to replace all the important parts.
You could replace your GPU without replacing other parts, but your CPU will create a bottleneck, so you won't get much improvement.

If you want to replace your CPU, you will also need to replace your motherboard and RAM. Do you have a certain budget?

I'm looking at picking up the Hp Envy 700 from Best Buy for $729. I would rather just get something ready to go that's pre built that I can just update as needed with graphics cards or the like.

My question is will this system be highly capable of running Rome 2? I'm hoping so, I just preordered the game from GameStop by turning old XBox games so I've completely paid for it so now onto a new PC tower. Thanks for the help.

Quick run down of the specs of the system.

4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4430 processor
12GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM
2TB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 rpm)
Intel® HD Graphics 4600

(I just kept the most important parts from the specs.)

The one thing that will completely bottleneck your performance with this PC will be your GPU. It's actually not a seperate card, but just the integrated GPU in the CPU and therefore it's pretty weak.

Here's a video of someone running Shogun 2 with Intel HD Graphics 4600

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqXZidav13s

It's actually better than I would have expected, but far from great and the settings are all on low or normal.
And even though the recommended specs are the same, I expect Rome II to be a little harder for your PC than Shogun 2.

Keep in mind that if you change your GPU, you will likely need to change your PSU as well. No information is given about it, but it might not draw enough power for a good GPU.
They also give no information about the motherboard...

[Germanicus75]

You have a somewhat older PC, so if you want to upgrade something, you will unfortunately need to replace all the important parts.
You could replace your GPU without replacing other parts, but your CPU will create a bottleneck, so you won't get much improvement.

If you want to replace your CPU, you will also need to replace your motherboard and RAM. Do you have a certain budget?

Thanks. I have a limited budget and don't want to replace my CPU, RAM and motherboard. I want to stick to socket 775.

But I can replace my dual core with a quad core. I have been reading that the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 (3.00GHz, 12M Cache, 1333MHz FSB) is the best CPU for the socket 775 price/performance wise and the best upgrade you can make for that socket. I could also overclock it, probably to 3.6GHz.

Do you think replacing my E8600 (dual core, 3.33GHz, 6MB cache, 1333 FSB) with a Q9650 quad core will make an appreciable difference in Rome II? I can pick up this CPU on ebay for about $160.

Thanks!

[alQamar]

What's the difference between 2 gb, 3gb and 4gb models?

You only need more than 2GB if you use higher resolutions than 1080p or extremely demanding ssaa antialiasing.

Thanks. I have a limited budget and don't want to replace my CPU, RAM and motherboard. I want to stick to socket 775.

But I can replace my dual core with a quad core. I have been reading that the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 (3.00GHz, 12M Cache, 1333MHz FSB) is the best CPU for the socket 775 price/performance wise and the best upgrade you can make for that socket. I could also overclock it, probably to 3.6GHz.

Do you think replacing my E8600 (dual core, 3.33GHz, 6MB cache, 1333 FSB) with a Q9650 quad core will make an appreciable difference in Rome II? I can pick up this CPU on ebay for about $160.

Thanks!

Yes germanicus this would help lot. But don't expect you are as fast as a i3. You definitely need oc the cpu. Take a good cooler like the arctic freezer 13 pwm co

[The Juggernaut]

This would be great, I've been thinking about building my own but tbh I have no idea what I'm doing. It would be good to get an expert opinion!

[Biggus Splenus]

Thanks for showing interest tell your friends. If this gets enough demand, then I'll start it up ASAP.