Official "I need a new PC!!" 2009 Edition

brain_stew said:
Excellent, which one did you go with in the end, the Gainward?

Its a beast isn't it? Be sure to get Mirror's Edge downloaded stat and crank it all the way up, PhysX effects and all, its bloody stunning.

Oh, and if you feel like OCing it, EVGA Precision makes it a doddle, these things have some serious headroom, and the cooler does a great job, loving mine, Its running at 702/1440/1160. Use Furmark or ATI Tool to stability test.
Click to expand...

yeah, the Gainward. The thing is a monster. I had to move 2 hdds just to fit it in my case (a Antec 182 so not a small case either)

Novatech messed up my order and didn't include anything in the box for Mirrors Edge so they're sending me it in the post. I was looking forward to playing it as well.

I'll probably look at OCing it at some point but right now it's doing everything I need (TF2 maxed at full resolution)

Thanks again. The help was much appreciated.
 
brain_stew said:
Idle temps are nothing to worry about, you're using a SFF case so ofcourse its going to be a little toastier, it won't do any harm. So long as load temps are sub 100C, you've nothing to worry about, really as the card is designed to operate under such conditions. Try running Furmark's stability test and let us know what the temperature peaks at., if its below 100C then you'll likely never go above 0-C in normal gameplay and thus shouldn't be at all concerned about it.
Click to expand...

Yeah I did it last night and it topped out at around 96c after 10mins in furmark. Suprisingly I didn't notice any real difference in temps with it overclocked, it's hot either way lol. I am going to purchase a PCI slot cooler 1st to see how that goes since they are cheap. If that doesnt lower temps much I will probably try opening it up and applying some of the thermal paste I have.

brain_stew said:
720p usually fairs decently on a 1080p panel. You should be able to setup your GPU to do the scaling for you as well, which will make it look rather decent.

Pretty much all decent cards are going to be two slotters, any real reason why you have this requirement?

Both the reference 4870 and 4890 are 9.5" long according to this review as well:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/graphics/review/2009/04/02/AMD-ATI-Radeon-HD-4890/p1

MWS could you measure the length of yours?

In which case I'd go with this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276

A little over budget but worth every penny. This is a decent performance upgrade over the GTX 260, performing better than even a GTX 280 whilst having great OCing headroom.
Click to expand...

Uh. I canl measure when I get home from work but honestly it's not that big...people go on and on about the size of these new cards I really thought it would be MASSIVE. But I guess I don't have much to compare it to since I'm new to PC gaming.
 
Hey guys just got my new PC so happy it looks great but just after I've set it up and turned it on for the first time there seems to be an issue with the display :(

30052009005.jpg

(excuse the shoddy phone picture it's all i have on hand at the moment)
that's the problem, it starts up right after displaying the motherboard logo perfectly well was hoping someone would be able to help >_<

EDIT: sorry was wrong it happens during the motherboard logo but hard to tell cause it's mainly white, tried a different display as well i'll have to do more when i get back from work
 
Can you get into the BIOS setup screen (may have to hold down delete or something similar)?

Check your motherboard manual to see if there's a key combination, or jumper to use that will reset your motherboard flash to its factory settings.
 
Thanks brain_stew I'll try that, sent an e-mail off to the guys I bought it off as well just asking what they'd recommend, so lame was so hyped for it :( I'll have to wait til the end of the day too damn you work *shakes fist*
 
MWS Natural said:
Uh. I canl measure when I get home from work but honestly it's not that big...people go on and on about the size of these new cards I really thought it would be MASSIVE. But I guess I don't have much to compare it to since I'm new to PC gaming.
Click to expand...

I still remember my old TNT2 back in the day. I think it was probably 6" or 7". Then I got a Geforce 2 MX, then 2 GTS, then Radeon 9800, and now currently the Geforce 9600 GT SSC.
Everything just keeps getting bigger.
 
TheExodu5 said:
Do you mean having it being a small window inside the giant screen? Or do you mean having it stretched out, but not distort the native aspect ratio. If it's the latter, you can do this in the NVidia control panel by specifying to let the video card scale and to keep the original aspect ratio.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this seems to be sort of what I was hoping for. I noticed it'll only scale it horizontally though.

Edit: Never mind about the horizontal thingy, I guess I just have to tell it not to scale at all, and that does exactly what I meant it to do.
 
Wow I can't believe how much better the Crysis demo looks on the Samsung 23inch LCD vs. my Kuro. It looked amazing on the Kuro but almost looks 3D on the Samsung, and that is only on High settings. Can't wait till Win 7 so I can see how it looks in DX10 on Very High =O. Should I enable any of the settings in ATI Catalyst like AF or AA?
 
brain_stew said:
Standard AA rapes performance and isn't all that useful in Crysis anyway as it does nothing for the foliage.

Just disable it, so that you can use the built in edgeAA.
Click to expand...

Yeah i noticed that.
The AA doesnt add much to a world with heaps of trees and plants .
 
Hooked up the Sammy. No dead pixels, great blacks, super bright to boot.
Haven't gamed on it yet.

Trying to figure out what to do with my windows on the right :lol

20z8lj7.jpg
 
Hazaro said:
Hooked up the Sammy. No dead pixels, great blacks, super bright to boot.
Haven't gamed on it yet.

Trying to figure out what to do with my windows on the right :lol
Click to expand...
Thats the Sammy that has been popping up lately over at SD isnt it? Saw your post there the other day :lol. I finally got my shipped notification today, should arrive here next wed. Let us know how it behaves with games whenever you get a chance.
 
So I'm building my first PC right now... Well getting the parts together. I ordered my case first I got a Antec mini-P180... These are the specs I'm aiming for

Mobo - ASUS P6T LGA1366
CPU - Core i7 920
GPU - EVGA GTX 260
HDD - Western Digital 1TB
RAM - 4GB DDR3

Now one thing that has me worried is the size of my case before I order any further... Should I be measuring the size of my case to make sure my stuff fits (or aiming for smaller equipment)... Probably should've gone with the larger case, but I don't have much room for it

And as it's my first PC I'm building, any tips to watch out for, common mistakes etc. would be good
 
MWS Natural said:
Wow I can't believe how much better the Crysis demo looks on the Samsung 23inch LCD vs. my Kuro. It looked amazing on the Kuro but almost looks 3D on the Samsung, and that is only on High settings. Can't wait till Win 7 so I can see how it looks in DX10 on Very High =O. Should I enable any of the settings in ATI Catalyst like AF or AA?
Click to expand...

Download a custome config, you'll get graphics virtually as good as very high without much of a performance hit. CCC Config or Mster are two of the best.

Sleeker said:
Yeah i noticed that.
The AA doesnt add much to a world with heaps of trees and plants .
Click to expand...

If you change the value "r=useedgeAA" (or something along those lines anyway) in your config file from "1" to "2", the edge AA will be much more pronounced, and do a really good job.



Yoboman said:
So I'm building my first PC right now... Well getting the parts together. I ordered my case first I got a Antec mini-P180... These are the specs I'm aiming for

Mobo - ASUS P6T LGA1366
CPU - Core i7 920
GPU - EVGA GTX 260
HDD - Western Digital 1TB
RAM - 4GB DDR3

Now one thing that has me worried is the size of my case before I order any further... Should I be measuring the size of my case to make sure my stuff fits (or aiming for smaller equipment)... Probably should've gone with the larger case, but I don't have much room for it

And as it's my first PC I'm building, any tips to watch out for, common mistakes etc. would be good
Click to expand...

Since its an i7 build its tripple channel memory you should be after. So either 3GB or 6GB (preferable) in a 3 stick configuration.

The only part where size may prove a problem is the GTX 260 though I you should be OK. Still, you could switch it for a 4890 which is shorter and faster, but not a great deal more expensive either.
 
Got a 1GB 4890 yesterday cause my 512MB 4870 was struggling with 1920x1080, but the fan bearing was dead and it cost me 10 quid to send it back for a replacement, am cry.
 
Yoboman said:
...I ordered my case first I got a Antec mini-P180... These are the specs I'm aiming for...

...Mobo - ASUS P6T LGA1366...
Click to expand...

The mini will only fit a mATX formfactor mobo and you really haven't saved that much space with it since it's bigger than some ATX cases. Anyway here is the current choice of X58 mATX mobos that will take care of the job:

ASUS Rampage II GENE

DFI LANPARTY JR X58-T3H6

MSI X58M

There is also an upcoming EVGA mATX mobo if you are willing to hold out for a couple of weeks.

I suggest you read up them and pick the one that serves your needs best.

Tips for building:
- hook yourself up to a grounded object via an antistatic wriststrap so you don't accidentaly fry your electronics
- layout all the necessary parts for individual stages of the build beforehand so you don't have to frantically search for them later
- get a modular psu; Corsair, Seasonic, Be Quiet are some good brands; 550 - 650W is safe for some major overclocking with your build; install the psu in your case first
- layout your power cable routing before you install the rest of the components; the P180 enables you to route most of them behind the mobo tray so take advantage of the fact
- installing the CPU and the CPU heatsink outside of the case will make things much easier, you can also pop your RAM in at this stage
- don't force things, except for the CPU socket latch: that sucker is going to require some manhandling to get closed, just make sure the CPU lays flat within the socket
- don't overtighten the mobo screws, these arent two pieces of plywood you are screwing together
- Antec's 5.25 expansion bay rail system: the metal tabs on the rails should face the front of your optical drive; many have found out after the fact due to poor instructions and scratched the inside of the bays :(
- have fun, it's like a big, useful legoset ;)
 
brain_stew said:
Since its an i7 build its tripple channel memory you should be after. So either 3GB or 6GB (preferable) in a 3 stick configuration.

The only part where size may prove a problem is the GTX 260 though I you should be OK. Still, you could switch it for a 4890 which is shorter and faster, but not a great deal more expensive either.
Click to expand...
Truly? RAM is one of the things I've already picked up, I won't run into any troubles though should I?

The mini will only fit a mATX formfactor mobo and you really haven't saved that much space with it since it's bigger than some ATX cases. Anyway here is the current choice of X58 mATX mobos that will take care of the job:

ASUS Rampage II GENE

DFI LANPARTY JR X58-T3H6

MSI X58M

There is also an upcoming EVGA mATX mobo if you are willing to hold out for a couple of weeks.

I suggest you read up them and pick the one that serves your needs best.
Click to expand...

What's the best here? I have a fancy for ASUS, but that's pushing the budget... I'm still not up to speed on the lingo what does ATX and mATX (mini I assume) mean?
 
brain_stew said:
If you change the value "r=useedgeAA" (or something along those lines anyway) in your config file from "1" to "2", the edge AA will be much more pronounced, and do a really good job.
Click to expand...

the config file is a .dat file.

what program do i need to open it?
 
Sleeker said:
the config file is a .dat file.

what program do i need to open it?
Click to expand...

That's the wrong file, see here, for details:

http://www.tweakguides.com/Crysis_8.html

You're probably better off starting with a premade custom config file anyway, I can recommend CCC Config and Hazaro seems to like Mster.



Yoboman said:
Truly? RAM is one of the things I've already picked up, I won't run into any troubles though should I?

?
Click to expand...

Well you'll be restricting your performance. Not by a great deal, but the point stands. If you can pick up an extra single 2GB stick of the same RAM for cheap then I'd go ahead and do that.
 
Yoboman said:
Truly? RAM is one of the things I've already picked up, I won't run into any troubles though should I?



What's the best here? I have a fancy for ASUS, but that's pushing the budget... I'm still not up to speed on the lingo what does ATX and mATX (mini I assume) mean?
Click to expand...

ATX and micro ATX are standardized formfactors that ensure compatibility between components made by various manufactuters around the world. The differences here are size (of both mobos and cases) and number of PCI expansion slots a motherboard provides. The ATX formfactor is 305×244mm in size and provides 7 expansion slots while the mATX measures 244×244mm and provides four. While these two standards are generaly compatible with each other you just can't fit an ATX mobo into a microATX chassis like in your case (the reverse works though).

The ASUS is the best among these options, but you will have to provide an additional fan blowing over the NB heatsink because it gets really hot. Something like Antec Spot Cool will do.

The integrated memory controller can handle dual channel just fine but make sure your memory runs at 1.65V or bellow! The Core i7 can't take more than that for daily use.

If you are not sure, post what you have ordered here.

Sleeker said:
the config file is a .dat file.

what program do i need to open it?
Click to expand...

Notepad
 
Yoboman said:
What's the best here? I have a fancy for ASUS, but that's pushing the budget... I'm still not up to speed on the lingo what does ATX and mATX (mini I assume) mean?
Click to expand...

I'm leaning towards the ASUS myself right now, because of the XiFi built in sound, so you end up with a significantly better soundcard. The DFI was my previous choice, but I didn't know EVGA had a m(icro)ATX board right around the corner.

I want one that works with the Win 7 RC, and the ASUS doesn't afaik, so I am being held back by that. If the EVGA is new, and comes with support for the RC, I may consider that.

I never even really realized you'd need BIOS compatibility to run an OS, but apparently you do.
 
Hazaro said:
Hooked up the Sammy. No dead pixels, great blacks, super bright to boot.
Haven't gamed on it yet.

Trying to figure out what to do with my windows on the right :lol

http://i40.tinypic.com/20z8lj7.jpg
Click to expand...

I have that monitor, enjoy it before you find out that it handles whites and greys horribly and the viewing angle on certain colours is crap. :P It is a pretty nice monitor for $199 canadian though.

edit: on second look, I don't have that monitor, I've got the T220, I'd be interested to know if it's any different.
 
Shubit said:
ATX and micro ATX are standardized formfactors that ensure compatibility between components made by various manufactuters around the world. The differences here are size (of both mobos and cases) and number of PCI expansion slots a motherboard provides. The ATX formfactor is 305×244mm in size and provides 7 expansion slots while the mATX measures 244×244mm and provides four. While these two standards are generaly compatible with each other you just can't fit an ATX mobo into a microATX chassis like in your case (the reverse works though).

The ASUS is the best among these options, but you will have to provide an additional fan blowing over the NB heatsink because it gets really hot. Something like Antec Spot Cool will do.

The integrated memory controller can handle dual channel just fine but make sure your memory runs at 1.65V or bellow! The Core i7 can't take more than that for daily use.

If you are not sure, post what you have ordered here.



Notepad
Click to expand...
Ok as long as there is a solution... I don't want something where heat becomes a problem, especially if I'm limited for space.

Any details on how the EVGA will run? I'm in no rush to order at the moment
 
devilchicken said:
Thats the Sammy that has been popping up lately over at SD isnt it? Saw your post there the other day :lol. I finally got my shipped notification today, should arrive here next wed. Let us know how it behaves with games whenever you get a chance.
Click to expand...
Behavior with games is the same as my Chimei 222H, which doesn't have a ton of review coverage :lol

Scout's bat in TF2 still breaks up into 3 tearing pieces, but it's a LCD wo what can you expect at this price?
bigmit3737 said:
Hazaro what mouse is that in your pic?
Click to expand...
Logitech MX Revolution
TouchMyBox said:
I have that monitor, enjoy it before you find out that it handles whites and greys horribly and the viewing angle on certain colours is crap. :P It is a pretty nice monitor for $199 canadian though.

edit: on second look, I don't have that monitor, I've got the T220, I'd be interested to know if it's any different.
Click to expand...
White to Blacks are certainly nice to me, the viewing angles do skew colors pretty easily however. Much more than my Chimei, not a problem for me though.
Your 2ms response time probably hurts your colors a bit more than my 5ms response time.

Off the top of my head I'd say Red and Blue, but that was from staring at the gamma setting screen for 10 minutes. I've very pleased with the monitor.
 
For anyone looking for a budget gaming notebook, it'll be hard to do better than this MSI-EX625. 2Ghz C2D, 4GB of RAM, and a 4670 512MB DDR3 for $699 after MIR.
 
Anyone have a recommendation for a good wireless keyboard? I am looking at hooking my newly built PC up to my HDTV and would like to avoid having wires all over the place if possible. I am currently using a Logitech G5 mouse and am thinking of switching to a G7 but I don't know what keyboard I should be looking for. Should I just stick with a wired keyboard?
 
I bought a new computer to play The Sims 3 but I need a better graphics card because the one that's in my new pc won't work. I don't know a thing about computer hardware so I need some help in picking a card. Here's what's I ordered from HP:

AMD Phenom(TM) 9850 quad-core processor [2.5GHz, 2MB L2 + 2MB L3 shared, up to 4000MT/s]
6GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM [2x2048,2x1024] from 3GB
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter] from 128MB graphics
HP 2009m 20-inch 16:9 HD Ready Widescreen Monitor

Cards I'm looking at Newegg: EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

and

HIS Hightech H485QT512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ4 Turbo (overclocked to 650mhz)

is there a big difference between a 512mb and 1 gig card?
 
VelvetMouth said:
I bought a new computer to play The Sims 3 but I need a better graphics card because the one that's in my new pc won't work. I don't know a thing about computer hardware so I need some help in picking a card. Here's what's I ordered from HP:

AMD Phenom(TM) 9850 quad-core processor [2.5GHz, 2MB L2 + 2MB L3 shared, up to 4000MT/s]
6GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM [2x2048,2x1024] from 3GB
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter] from 128MB graphics
HP 2009m 20-inch 16:9 HD Ready Widescreen Monitor

Cards I'm looking at Newegg: EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

and

HIS Hightech H485QT512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ4 Turbo (overclocked to 650mhz)

is there a big difference between a 512mb and 1 gig card?
Click to expand...

The framebuffer size isn't going to make a jot of difference with those two cards really.

Have a look at these as options depending on how much you're willing to spend. Both incredible bargains but ofcourse you get a more capable card by spending more, still "bang for buck" is pretty much the same for both:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127430
 
brain_stew said:
The framebuffer size isn't going to make a jot of difference with those two cards really.

Have a look at these as options depending on how much you're willing to spend. Both incredible bargains but ofcourse you get a more capable card by spending more, still "bang for buck" is pretty much the same for both:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127430
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm looking to spend no more than $129 which is what the GeForce 9800 GT 1gb goes for . The MSI is a bit more than what I want to spend.

I've been recommended the GeForce 9800gt over the Radeon HD 4850 but for the price, the Radeon is a great deal.
 
VelvetMouth said:
Thanks, I'm looking to spend no more than $129 which is what the GeForce 9800 GT 1gb goes for . The MSI is a bit more than what I want to spend.

I've been recommended the GeForce 9800gt over the Radeon HD 4850 but for the price, the Radeon is a great deal.
Click to expand...

Well whoever told you that clearly does not have a clue what they're talking about as the 4850 is a good 30% or so above a 9800GT in most cases, moreso when AA is involved.

For the record that MSI card will give you very close to twice the performance of the 9800GT you were considering for an extra $15 more than you were initially planning to pay, something to consider anyway.
 
brain_stew said:
Well whoever told you that clearly does not have a clue what they're talking about as the 4850 is a good 30% or so above a 9800GT in most cases, moreso when AA is involved.

For the record that MSI card will give you very close to twice the performance of the 9800GT you were considering for an extra $15 more than you were initially planning to pay, something to consider anyway.
Click to expand...

hah, that's why I thought to ask here. you can never trust people calling themselves experts.

I think I'm going to stick to my $120 budget because the only thing I'll be playing on the pc is The Sims 3. I' probably going above and beyond already.
 
VelvetMouth said:
hah, that's why I thought to ask here. you can never trust people calling themselves experts.

I think I'm going to stick to my $120 budget because the only thing I'll be playing on the pc is The Sims 3. I' probably going above and beyond already.
Click to expand...

The 4850 is an excellent card and will run anything out there, so yeah, save your money.

You'd be utterly foolish to end your PC gaming with the Sims 3 now though, at the very least you now have a machine that will play all multiplats at roughly twice the framerate and with better graphics and controls (or the exact same if you plug in a 360 controller), whilst saving you $10 or more on each purchase.

More than that you have access to a multitude of great cheap gaming, go download Steam and pick up something from the excellent range of deals on at the moment, like Assassins Creed or Unreal Tournament 3 for all of $10. Seriously, you've got an awesomely capable rig right there, and with the transformation digital distribution has made to the platform there's just so much unique and cheap gaming gaming to be had, it'd be foolish not to investigate a little further.
 
Metalic Sand said:
Yea Def go with the 4850. If you really want Nvidia the GTS 250 is around $120-$130.
Click to expand...

And offers very similar performance, usually falling behind when AA is applied. Honestly, I just see it as a needless waste of extra money.
 
brain_stew said:
And offers very similar performance, usually falling behind when AA is applied. Honestly, I just see it as a needless waste of extra money.
Click to expand...

Really depends on the games. Some favor an Nvidia/ATI card over the other.
 
Metalic Sand said:
Really depends on the games. Some favor an Nvidia/ATI card over the other.
Click to expand...

Well yeah, "similar performance" kind of implies that. Of course they're not going to be the exact same in each game, but average out a dozen benchmarks and they'll absolutely be within 5 or 10%. The 4850 usually faring better when AA is involved and the GTS 250 when it isn't. Stumping up an extra $40 seems like madness to me but who a I to judge.
 
brain_stew said:
The 4850 is an excellent card and will run anything out there, so yeah, save your money.

You'd be utterly foolish to end your PC gaming with the Sims 3 now though, at the very least you now have a machine that will play all multiplats at roughly twice the framerate and with better graphics and controls (or the exact same if you plug in a 360 controller), whilst saving you $10 or more on each purchase.

More than that you have access to a multitude of great cheap gaming, go download Steam and pick up something from the excellent range of deals on at the moment, like Assassins Creed or Unreal Tournament 3 for all of $10. Seriously, you've got an awesomely capable rig right there, and with the transformation digital distribution has made to the platform there's just so much unique and cheap gaming gaming to be had, it'd be foolish not to investigate a little further.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help. I'm going for the 4850. My husband would murder me if I crossed over to the dark side of PC gaming. I might as well cheat on him. We're a respectable Wii60 family. :D

Last questions, what's the difference between buying a 512mb and 1 gb card? Does buying an overclocked card matter and what about IceQ4 Turbo cooling? Some people say the 4850 runs hot and I don't think HP computers come with any fancy cooling systems. Should I worry about that?
 
brain_stew said:
Well yeah, "similar performance" kind of implies that. Of course they're not going to be the exact same in each game, but average out a dozen benchmarks and they'll absolutely be within 5 or 10%. The 4850 usually faring better when AA is involved and the GTS 250 when it isn't. Stumping up an extra $40 seems like madness to me but who a I to judge.
Click to expand...

True.

This is quite insane, The price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824
 
VelvetMouth said:
Thanks for the help. I'm going for the 4850. My husband would murder me if I crossed over to the dark side of PC gaming. I might as well cheat on him. We're a respectable Wii60 family. :D

Last questions, what's the difference between buying a 512mb and 1 gb card? Does buying an overclocked card matter and what about IceQ4 Turbo cooling? Some people say the 4850 runs hot and I don't think HP computers come with any fancy cooling systems. Should I worry about that?
Click to expand...

If you want the extra performance of an overclocked card then spend 10 minutes and do it yourself, though for your needs you'll be fine. People get themselves too concerned about the heat these cards run at and forget that they're actually engineered to work just fine above 100C.

For $85 you're going to be very happy with your purchase and in all honesty it'd be criminal if the Sims 3 was all the action that card got. Buy your husband a copy of Crysis and he'll soon come round to the charms of PC gaming. :lol


VelvetMouth said:
No dice on the GTS 250, The Sims 3 doesn't support it.
Click to expand...

Ofcourse it does. It doesn't matter if its listed as a specifically supporting thecard or not, any modern Nvidia or ATI card will run the game just fine. The GTS 250 is just a rebranded 9800GTX+ anyway, which the 9800GT you were considering is a chopped down and lower clocked derivative thereof.

Any PC game will play fine on your PC now, most at maxed out settings.
 
brain_stew said:
If you want the extra performance of an overclocked card then spend 10 minutes and do it yourself, though for your needs you'll be fine. People get themselves too concerned about the heat these cards run at and forget that they're actually engineered to work just fine above 100C.

For $85 you're going to be very happy with your purchase and in all honesty it'd be criminal if the Sims 3 was all the action that card got. Buy your husband a copy of Crysis and he'll soon come round to the charms of PC gaming. :lol




Ofcourse it does. It doesn't matter if its listed as a specifically supporting thecard or not, any modern Nvidia or ATI card will run the game just fine. The GTS 250 is just a rebranded 9800GTX+ anyway, which the 9800GT you were considering is a chopped down and lower clocked derivative thereof.

Any PC game will play fine on your PC now, most at maxed out settings.
Click to expand...

Don't confuse me with any more options, you already sold me on the 4850! My marriage will be in crysis if I suggested we game on another platform. I get a pass for the Sims and that's it. :lol
 
VelvetMouth said:
Don't confuse me with any more options, you already sold me on the 4850! My marriage will be in crysis if I suggested we game on another platform. I get a pass for the Sims and that's it. :lol
Click to expand...

I'm not, the 4850 is still the card to go for, just explaining the fact that any modern card will run the Sims 3.
 
brain_stew said:
I'm not, the 4850 is still the card to go for, just explaining the fact that any modern card will run the Sims 3.
Click to expand...
Confusing with SLi or Crossfire support?

If you don't do much PC stuff I'd go for an nVidia card personally just for past driver history.
Don't hurt me :lol

GTS 250 is fine, so is a 512MB 9800GT (No need for 1GB version)
 
Hazaro said:
Confusing with SLi or Crossfire support?

If you don't do much PC stuff I'd go for an nVidia card personally just for past driver history.
Don't hurt me :lol

GTS 250 is fine, so is a 512MB 9800GT (No need for 1GB version)
Click to expand...

Why not pay a bit more for a GTX 260 over a GTS 250 if you want to avoid ATI?
 
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