new hardware to max graphic on l4d

[Terrox]

hi

i got a fujitsu simens scaleo H with vista home premium 32-bit, AMD athlon 64 dual core processor X2 4200+(2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz, nvidia geforce 7500 LE and 2046MB RAM(i think) and i'm woundering what i need too upgrade to play l4d with every graphic setting on top(without lag).
And because i cant play hl2:ep2 etc on fulll setings(without lag) i guess i cant play l4d with full either.

[Teknobry]

Graphics card sounds like your biggest drawback there, something like the new 8800 GT should do the trick, and its at a great price right now!

[Halfeatendonkey]

Hey Tek, is 8800Gt better then GTX ? if then how much, cuz i got a 8800Gtx just before Gt was released

[Teknobry]

Nope, its not better than the GTX, but it benchmarks very well against it, and gives the GTS more than a run for its money!


GTX owners breathe easy, you've still got the top dog card.... for now :D

[Halfeatendonkey]

GTX owners breathe easy, you've still got the top dog card.... for now :D

oh man that is good to hear !

[jaydig]

dual core processor X2 4200+(2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz, nvidia geforce 7500 LE and 2046MB RAM
makes my comp sound like an Atari...
time to fire up Donkey Kong!

[Halfeatendonkey]

Dual Core Processor X2 4600 2.41GHz 2.00GB Ram, Nvidia 8800Gtx - My setup

[Timmy]

You should get a better processor, it's probably dumbing down your GTX

[Halfeatendonkey]

You should get a better processor, it's probably dumbing down your GTX

You got that right, tho, i just got the Gtx so im very very....very short on money

[Terrox]

wich is the cheapest graphic card i can today buy but still can handle l4d on full?
and irt would be good if it could handle the new games (crysis, cod4) on pretty high too.

[Halfeatendonkey]

wich is the cheapest graphic card i can today buy but still can handle l4d on full?
and irt would be good if it could handle the new games (crysis, cod4) on pretty high too.

Well with a Gtx you can run both Crysis and CoD4 on high but Thats a real expensive Card dude, i guess Gt would be a better Buy in that case

[dontleave]

8800GT, 2GB Ram and 2.4GHz Dual Core would probably run it all on high with no hitches.

[Teknobry]

You should get a better processor, it's probably dumbing down your GTX

If you're talking about halfeatendonkey's setup... then you're very much mistaken.

[Halfeatendonkey]

If you're talking about halfeatendonkey's setup... then you're very much mistaken.

Really ? cuz i knew i had a pretty good Processor but every1 tells me to get a better one cuz i got the Gtx

[Teknobry]

Ignore them, a 2.4ghz dual core processor is not sh1te, hell most software is only just starting to utilize multiple cores!

[Halfeatendonkey]

Ignore them, a 2.4ghz dual core processor is not sh1te, hell most software is only just starting to utilize multiple cores!

ok,thanks Tek :)

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Ahhhh Tek, our .... erm ..... tech monkey strikes again for fiscal and graphical sense! Bravo sir!

[Puscifer]

i have an amd 2.4ghz duel core, atm i believe im only running on one core in source engine games.

When do u think valve will make source use both cores?

[Terrox]

im thingkin about 3 graphic cards, Geforce 8800gts 640mb(most expensive), Geforce 8800gts 320mb(cheapest) and radeon hd 2900

[Big_Bubbaloola]

im thingkin about 3 graphic cards, Geforce 8800gts 640mb(most expensive), Geforce 8800gts 320mb(cheapest) and radeon hd 2900

All in the same machine, my aren't we flash!! ;)

[Plankie]

Intel Dual core E6400 @ 2.13GHz, 2GB RAM (cheap ones) and GeForce 7800gt 256mb. I'm going to get a new video card in a few months, probably a really expensive one.

[Teknobry]

Ahhhh Tek, our .... erm ..... tech monkey strikes again for fiscal and graphical sense! Bravo sir!

Haha, I'm trying to make up for all the bad karma I accumulated abusing people on forums in the past :p

im thingkin about 3 graphic cards, Geforce 8800gts 640mb(most expensive), Geforce 8800gts 320mb(cheapest) and radeon hd 2900

What is the resolution on your monitor?

There really isn't much point in getting the 640mb GTS if you've got a 17inch monitor with 1280x1024 max resolution.

[Terrox]

my monitor is 19" with max resolution on 1440x900

[tonjohn]

I wouldn't get any of those. The 8800GT is practically on par with the GTX and for half the price.

Also, a new GTS based on the GT core but with more stream processors is coming out next month and should actually beat the GTX and still cost less.

nVidia is a strange company these days... lol

Pusseh,

All Orange Box games offer multi-core support as well as Left 4 Dead.

[QuotidianTemerity]

If you're talking about halfeatendonkey's setup... then you're very much mistaken.

I'm inclined to disagree with you; my own setup, which is quite similar to Halfeatendonkey's, is currently being bottlenecked by an AMD CPU of higher frequency. In the CSS stress test, I get an average framerate of 180, whereas others get 270 with equivalent GPUs and Intel processors.

[Teknobry]

CSS isn't multi-core though ;)

Also, are you sure these 'others' are running on the same graphics settings and screen resolution as you? If you're running higher AA than they are, that'll have a big impact.

If what tonjohn says is right about the new GT then its well worth investing in that.

[dontleave]

All in the same machine, my aren't we flash!! ;)

Rofl. I'd get the 8800GT

[QuotidianTemerity]

CSS isn't multi-core though ;)

I know, but this goes for multi-core applications as well. Unreal Engine 3 games, most of which utilize multiple cores, perform exceptionally well with high-end Intel processors, whereas UT3 is barely playable when I lower the visual quality to the absolute zero.

This issue also goes for games that are single-core, or support multi-core to a limited extent (I'm looking at you, TF2).
To alleviate this, I've decided to order an Intel Q6600 and all the necessary components, including a beefy heatsink and decent RAM for overclocking.

[Teknobry]

Don't get me wrong, intel are far ahead of AMD on the processor front, and anyone putting a new rig together, I'd recommend intel every time.

If you've got the cash to upgrade, then definately do it, but as it means changing the motherboard as well as the chip, it can be expensive, and 180FPS is still far more than you can actually use!
So although the chip isn't as good, its by no means useless.

[Big_Bubbaloola]

How much of an issue is the screen when it comes to graphics cards btw. I'm not getting a new screen when I upgrade but the one we have is over 4 yrs old and I really couldn't ell you the max res on it. How would I find out?

[Teknobry]

Screen resolution is a BIG consideration when choosing graphics cards. If you have a high resolution of say 1900 x 1220, it means there are 2318000 pixels that need to be displayed, therefore you need higher graphics RAM in order to store and process all the textures. If you're running on 1024 x 800, then far less memory is needed, 256mb would be plenty.

The screen you have, is it tft monitor or CRT?

Go to control panel, and if you're running an nvidia card there should be an nvidia graphics icon. click that, and select screen resolution, it should tell you what your current res is.

[Big_Bubbaloola]

It's a TFT but it's about 4 yrs old! Will try that when I get home from work, not that i'm typing this at work of course *cough* i'm too busy *cough*

[QuotidianTemerity]

180FPS is still far more than you can actually use!

No, you misunderstand. The value one gets at the end of the benchmark isn't indicative of actual in-game performance; after all, the benchmark itself occurs under highly ideal conditions. For example, my mate gets 280 fps in the stress test (Same GPU and all, 'cept the CPU, grr >_<), but his actual framerate is around 60-80 - more than enough of course, but clearly not the same as the FPS he gets in the benchmark.

I on the other hand get 180 fps, as mentioned, which translates as 29-56 fps in TF2. Personally I find anything in the 50s irritating, 40s depressing, 30s melancholic, and 20s &quot;I-am-going-to-keel-myself&quot;.

[Teknobry]

Tbh, If you weren't changing your CPU i'd recommend overclocking. I took a amd64 3200 venice from 2ghz to 2.5ghz with only a slight temp increase, and the effect when playing CS was about 10fps more, and just generally less fps lags and spikes.

You honestly notice the difference between 50fps and 35fps? Apparently your eyes see 24fps, so anything above that is supposed to be unnoticeable.

[QuotidianTemerity]

You honestly notice the difference between 50fps and 35fps? Apparently your eyes see 24fps, so anything above that is supposed to be unnoticeable.

Yes, I do. The difference is tremendous.

Try this.
Open up any Source game, enable the console, type &quot;fps_max 24&quot;. Please don't tell me you can't tell the difference between 24 and 70 fps? Hell, I can even distinguish between 60 and 70 fps (or, to be more precise, 60 and &quot;greater&quot;).

Apparently your eyes see 24fps, so anything above that is supposed to be unnoticeable.

I'm no biologist, but I find that hard to believe. Interestingly enough, 24 fps is the standard framerate used in the motion picture industry.

[Teknobry]

Hence, thats why 24fps is used in film :)

Have a read:

http://www.100fps.com/how_many_frames_can_humans_s ee.htm (http://www.100fps.com/how_many_frames_can_humans_see.htm)

[QuotidianTemerity]

Hence, thats why 24fps is used in film :)

Have a read:

Still, I can definitely tell the difference between 30 and 70 fps - and so can you, trust me.
Unless I'm mad. oO