My new Gaming comp, I need suggestions :P

[craycoolz199]

Hey All,

I'm new here at these forums so, hello.

I recently bought an Alienware Sentia laptop for school, but soon found out that it's not so hot for games. The only good game i can get on it is World of warcraft. I am currently in the process of buying a new desktop gaming comp from a custom computer guy. The main game i am buying the for is a game called Black and White 2 ( http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/blackwhite2/index.html )

It seems as if my INtel 82865 graphics card will not work with it, so i am buying a new comp insted of upgrading the vid card. The current build I am getting is:

RaidMax Ninja 450W Silver Case
Athlon 64 3500+
512MB PC3200
Sapphire X700 256MB Video Card
80 GB HardDrive
52x CD-RW/DVD-ROM
3.5" Floppy
Windows XP Home


Does anyone have any suggestions for making it better for this game? I do not want to go over $1000, right now its at $945.


Thanks!

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I would suggest you replace the CD-RW for a new DVD burner instead. A DVD burner can also burn CDs too. For RAM, please upgrade to 1GB. I have no opinion over the ATi chipset but if you were using nvidia, go with 6600GT or 6800GT (higher end).

Everything else is good.

 

[acphenom]

I would also recommend upgrading to 1GB; in dual-channel config, and with low latencies. Check out OCZ's range.

Articles I've read give me the impression that the X700 seems to be an okay mid-range card that performs slightly better than the 6600 overall.

I wouldn't be too sure though.

 

[UK31337]

I don't know anything about ATi (I'm an nVidia man myself), but I'd agree about getting a DVD burner instead - you don't know when it might come in handy for backing up large amounts of stuff.

I'd also like to say that you should try to fit 1GB+ of RAM into your budget - 512MB isn't usually enough for the very latest games, especially BF2. Trust me, you'll notice the difference.

If $1000 is all you can afford just now, you can always upgrade bits later. But with 1GB RAM, that video card should be fine meantime.

And I cannot believe that an Alienware "gaming laptop" would come without a half decent graphics card. They probably overcharged you for that too, they're expensive beasts.

 

[Feircepc]

how much is that graphics card? if i were u get the nvidea xfx 6600gt ati cards dont always come with the right drivers and nvidea is the way to go. the 6800 has some product defect and the 7800 is to expensive for what ur looking for so 6600gt would b awesome. and yea some more ram would really help

 

[aowen416]

NO GEt the 6800 gt its great! i have it! I PLAY BATTLEFIELD 2 WITH IT AND NEVER HAD LAG!!!!!!

 

[allenn812]

Id go with the 6800 and to malbuc87uk, nice icon Nice to know im not the only beatles fan here

 

[99tollap]

RAM- get at least 1 gig, seriously.
I just upgraded from 512- in FEAR i was getting loads of lag and 2 minute level loading time.
Now i have 1.5gig, perfectly smooth play and a sub 30second load time.

As for the graphics card, you can get some X850 XT PE's really cheap now and they will outperform anything except an X1800 or 7800gt. The card you have currently chosen is not powerful enough for Quake 4, FEAR etc.

 

[riverstyz]

hmm, I would suggest getting a new HD, places like Comp USA sell 200GB for around 100-150,

 

[acphenom]

Ironically, a friend told me at school today, that he was getting a game called 'Black and White 2'. I asked him for the minimum spec graphics card, and he told me it was a 6600. Since an x700 is comparable to a 6600, you should be fine.