Beside Processor speed and RAM, what else is important?

[LoBlo]

Ok. I'm a noob when it comes to rigging a system. So the things that I *know* are important for a gaming rig are

1) CPU processor speed (including multiple cores)
2) RAM
3) Having a PCI-Express

But when it comes to the other stats, is there anything else that impacts gaming power?

[Zachstar]

Transistors per core.

A single core modern 45nm can easily win over a 90nm dual or even quad.

Speed is just how many cycles it can do per second. The transistor count tells you HOW much it can do per cycle.

[FIREWALL]

The very last word in your post. POWER.

A large power supply to run all those goodies.

A 500 watt psu ain't going to cut it anymore.

[NeonSamurai]

Obviously a good video card (or 2), decent sound card saves your processor doing the work (on board typically uses processor power). Also your computer is often as fast as the slowest part on the system a hard drive, so get a good fast one (or go with raid 0 and a backup drive)

[longam]

Buss Speed

[Reece]

Buss Speed Longham is correct here, an often over looked and important part of the Motherboard, the chipset, and should be optimized for your video card type as well (nVidia/ATI).

[SUBMAN1]

Transistors per core.

A single core modern 45nm can easily win over a 90nm dual or even quad.

Speed is just how many cycles it can do per second. The transistor count tells you HOW much it can do per cycle.

Wrong answer. Next!

Transistor count only effects die size - how its logic is laid out is a completely different matter. You could have a 2 billion transistor count, but have it only capable of 2 + 2.

45nm is simply the process size. Lower process size usually equals less heat but not always. There is also the problem of leakage, but all of this is a multi chapter book that is far outside the scope of this post. The point being is never simply bring it down that more transistors = more processing power. This is not even simplified logic, it is completely false. An example is NVidia vs ATI - NVidia is currently running a massively higher transistor count where ATI is running a far lesser transistor count by a major factor, so why is it that ATI manages to compete neck and neck, and yet it does more such as tessellation support where NVidia does not?

There is one thing where transistor count matters - cost. More transistors always translate to more $$$. This is why NVidia is getting close to bankruptcy since their transistor count equates to more cost for no more capbility than the ATi competition.

The 4890 that ATI just released will put more salt into this wound. I only pray that NVidia doesn't fail because no competition is a bad thing for all of the rest of us.

-S

[Zachstar]

No you next and take a hike BTW.

Compare a modern day single to a Pent 4 with similar mhz you will notice a sigificant difference in ability. THe modern? 45nm the latter? over 90nm

Or you trying to tell me my current rig will beat a modern single? Dont make me laugh!

[FIREWALL]

Why don't you both chill out. NO EMOTICON

[Wolfehunter]

Power supply is the most important requirement. If that fails all else will too or even worse burn. Then it doesn't matter what memory or cpu even motherboard you buy. :salute:

[SUBMAN1]

No you next and take a hike BTW.

Compare a modern day single to a Pent 4 with similar mhz you will notice a sigificant difference in ability. THe modern? 45nm the latter? over 90nm

Or you trying to tell me my current rig will beat a modern single? Dont make me laugh!

Obviously you don't get it.

-S

[LoBlo]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to look at the PSU and Buss speeds when I perchase (or build) my next system.

[FIREWALL]

Most Important... A fat wallet. :haha:

[LoBlo]

Yeah, I noticed that the cost difference between a high end and a low end system is getting higher and higher. A did some online price checking not to long ago and the highest end systems are now costing $3k-$4k :o:shifty:. Pooh. I really do need a new system though to play my Microsoft Flight Simulator X. That game is a graphics hog.

[Reece]

All I did was to change the box, PSU, ram, motherboard & Video card to build my own, still below $1k for a system with specs of my choice.:yeah:

[Castout]

I'm no expert but will try to help:

Your FSB (Bus speed) of your mother board is important.
For optimum performance you may want to note the bus speed of your processor. Quad cores are really a waste of money. Buy dual core instead or the i7 new processor if you can afford it. The speed of the one core MATTERS when you're running applications which do not support multi core processor.

For example Core 2 Duo E4400 has a bus speed of 800MHz so if your motherboard supports up to 1333MHz you're not using it to the optimum level.

RAM bus speed. Again for optimum performance you may want to match the bus speed of your processor to your memory. For example Core 2 Duo E4400 with 800MHz bus speed matches well with DDR PC6400 with a bus speed of 800MHz too.
Also try to buy a motherboard which support DDR3 because you would be better off to buy DDR3 than DDR2 if you can afford it.
Vista needs at least 4Gb of RAM or 6Gb in 64 bit version.


If budget is of no concern you may want to buy a motherboard which support large bus speed and buy a processor which utilizes that bus speed fully with memory to match.

Also when considering Processor or GPU, you need to be aware that the smaller the chip technology being used in manufacturing the more power saving your component would be, cooler running and some say faster too.
Recently processors have been made in 45nm technology from 65nm or more like 90nm in Pentium IV. GPU has now been built on 55nm technology starting from Nvidia 9800GTX+(mind the plus) and above. So the smaller the technology the better it is for you.

Be careful when choosing PSU. Ideally buy a PSU which brand you trust and which power rating larger than one you need by a comfortable margin.
For example if your computer is going to need 450Watt power, a 700Watt rated PSU will keep your component safe from power fluctuation.
A good PSU is what will keep your PC components last.

If you want further safety consider buying additional cooling for your processor if you happen to buy a fast processor.

If you want to buy a new monitor the bigger the monitor the more powerful the GPU that you're going to need especially when you play games on it. Be mindful of this!. I'm happy with my 17 inch widescreen.

Buy what you need not what you want except when money is of no issue to you of course. Powerful PC is actually quite affordable now or you can waste tons of money on astronomically powerful rig only to find that there are few or even none of your application that is going to need that kind of power to run.
Give us feedback on your build!

[LoBlo]

Thanks for the advice. I actually haven't decided to build/buy the system yet. I'm still just scouting out the prices to see what's feasible.

[Castout]

Thanks for the advice. I actually haven't decided to build/buy the system yet. I'm still just scouting out the prices to see what's feasible.

I scouted through PC magazine :). Save me a lot of time and energy.
Read component reviews if not in PC magazines then the internet.

[CaptainHaplo]

To Zachstar - I think your missing something in your comparison. Your absolutely right that a 45nm core will outperform an older 90nm single. But it doesn't have to do with the transistor size - the bonus your seeing is in the design of the chip and how it executes data.

45nm chips WILL be faster - not because the transistors do anything different themselves (all a transistor does is have an on/off or 0/1 state anyway), but because of how the chip as a whole works. As the transistors get smaller, the designs are upgraded, and of course more transistors are also "packed in" in many cases.

A 45nm chip WILL be faster in most cases than a 90nm - due to technology maturation. One could build the same chip and design (in a bigger space, with greater heat and power) and it would be as (measurably) fast using the exact same execution design. However, since the newer designs are 45nm - and the older designs are 90 - the 45's are faster.

Your not wrong, its just a matter of understanding WHERE the improvement it. Your also correct that 45 is the way to go in addition because of its lower heat and power requirements.