i would like to switch to amd for gaming i currently run intel for gaming. things i would like to know more about would be single or dual core cpu for gaming...does this really make that big of a difference in games as of right now ? 1 or 2 gigs of ram ? 256 mb card or 512 mb card pci-e ? i'm not sure how to overclock a cpu myself never have i might try it. also which amd cores are good cores for gaming also if anyone knows any links to overclocking faq's let me know
also which motherboards are good for gaming / overclocking i really would like to stick with nvidia for my video card choice also what cpu speed do i need to be at to enjoy today's pc games ? around 3.0 ghz or higher ? also what does it really matter what type of hd you have for storage
reason i'm asking these questions is some of the new pc games i want to play such as fear and condemed criminal origins are games i want to be able to enjoy not lagging on me lol
any suggestions are welcome

thanks in advance

firewire6587

Google Google Google!

I wish my lawn was emo so it would cut itself.

Well for right now single core would be faster. But in a couple of months, and even a few already will start taking advantage of dual core. Oblivion and quake 4 already can. So if the dual core is at 2.0 in a game like call of duty 2 it will be like having a single core processor at 2.0 .
I think it would be worth getting dual core.
Defidently 2 gigs of ram for battlefield 2 and fear. The video card unless its more top of the line, I doubt will really take the full potiential of 512mb. Some ATI cards I've seen with 512mb but I think you'd be better of with a 256mb. Really depends on your price range.

IMHO: The few games that take advantage of dual core makes that option less attractive. You have to pay a lot more for a dual core proc with the same specs (for each core) as a single core proc (a 3800 x2 is really two 3200 cores!). By the time that most games can take advantage of mutiple cores, the prices for those will come down considerably. Quad cores are slated to ship Q1 of 2007.

Also, AMD is going to move to a new socket. Currently they are using 939, but they will have a new one (forget the name). So, do you go with the 939 or wait for the new one? Depends on what your upgrade plans are for the future.

For video cards, if you ever plan on running dual video cards you need to decide wether you want NVidia or ATI as this will determine the chipset on your Mobo. NVidia's SLI has the advantage here. And, you also need to determine how long you want this card. DX10 will be coming out in the near future. Do you want to buy a "reasnable" card now with the intention to upgrade later or buy a kick-ass card now?

Michael J

AdamNelson,if you don't have any sufficent input other than sarcasm try keeping your comments to yourself,if you're gonna give advice at least have enough common sense to give a appropriate response to a reader's post other than

Google Google Google!

firewire6587

mezdawg i would go with ati but i've had major problems with their video card drivers i tend to stray away from ati as much as possible.....what 256 mb nvidia card would you suggest for pci-e also i don't plan on o/cing any video card i just want to keep it stock.

firewire6587

Michael J since i would like to stay with nvidia for video card choice,my question to you is,is sli really necessary in gaming what kind of advantages can i expect over a single pci-e video card.....i would much rather buy a reasonable card for the time being,rather than splurging a ton of $$$$ on a card that's only a temporary replacement...

firewire6587

SLI is definitely not necessary. The only thing SLI really gives you is increased frame rates. But, that is only in games that have been "profiled" in the drivers - this is increasing all the time. But, with SLI, if the game has not been profiled you could actually see decreased performance with two cards vs. one. This shouldn't be an issue for most new games. But older games or games that are not mainstream may fall into this category.

Also, increased frame rate is not everything. Which would be better two older cards in SLI or one new generation card? If you go with SLI it will cost you more and you will be less inclined to upgrade int he future. Besides who needs 200fps in a game? Although I will conceded that you can run games with higher AA than a single card setup. By the time that the SLI setup would be earning its keep the games may be rquireing more advanced hardware.

If you want AMD and NVidia I would suggest getting an NForce 4 Ultra/SLI Mobo (Many recommend DFI - I like ASUS), AMD64 3700+ (or better), 2GB RAM, and a 7900GT video card.

Michael J

If your going AMD I would hold my breath for a bit..I heard that starting monday of next week (june 4th) the Pentium Ds will be having a MAJOR price drop so all of them from the 940 down are bellow 200 dollars.

Michael J

thanks for explaning sli to me i think i will stick with one video card instead of going the sli route....what type of ram do you recommend name brand wise ?

also is the amd athlon 64 4000+ san diego core socket 939 a good cpu ? i know the 939 is a great pin so i'm not asking about that :D

also what type of psu do you recommend ?

firewire6587

Water Bottles

thanks for the heads up on the pentium D's

i've been keeping a close eye on both intel and amd to see who's releasing what and at what prices ya know,as a consumer i want the best bang for my buck :D

firewire6587

I don't have a preference on RAM. I just buy mainstream stuff with low latency.

The AMD64 4000+ is a great CPU (That's what I am running). But as many on this forum will tell you, you can get close to the same performance by getting a 3700+ and overclocking it. I don't overclock.

PSU? Same advice as memory. Buy from a brand name, reputable manufacturer. And, buy a little more than what you think you need. PSUs are probably the hardest component to get good reviews of.

Michael J

Michael J

would you recommend a antec psu,i have heard very good things about them,and i was wondering if you ever owned one,and if so did you like the performance of it....

firewire6587

Antech is a good brand. I have 1 (maybe 2 in my systems at home). To be honest, I can't really say how they "perform" except for the fact that they power up the PCs and they run.

Other's would be better experts than I concerning power supplies. I don't check votages and such on the power supplies as some do. The best advice I can give is get a reputable brand (check reviews) and don't go cheap.

Michael J