Buying a PC solely for SH3!! Please Advise.

[supposedtobeworking]

I can't take it any longer and am going to buy a PC for the sole and single purpose of running SH3.('')..that being said, I am a recent college grad and have no money so here's what I found for about $400 on tigerdirect.com (without the rebate of course):

IBM Netvista PC
INtel P4 2.4 Ghz
512 DDR
DVD-Rom
Windows XP Pro SP1
Integrated intel graphics

a link with more specific specs is follows:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...ab=11&NoMapp=0

Can anyone tell me if I purchase this, would SH3 run and be playable?

Thanks!

[HunterICX]

The intel Graphic card will be an Problem m8,
on the box it sais by Supported Vid Cards
Nvidia or Ati

My advice look for an AGP slot graphic card
look around for 128 MB ram graphic cards of Ati or Nvidia.
they arent really expensive.

Myself I have an Nvidia Geforce FX5700LE 256 TD ddram
and it cost around the 130 euros.

Good luck

[Curval]

Integrated graphics? I don't think SH3 will like that at all.

[kiwi_2005]

Yeah everything else is ok, except for those onboard graphics which no doubt will be 64mb so your be lagging your way to the bottom of the atlantic. Has this mobo got an AGP slot? if so try and buy a cheapo graphics card like a 6 series nVidia Geforce 6200 256mb ram they are cheap as. $107 in new zealand, no doubt be the same price everywhere else.

[supposedtobeworking]

Ok Thanks for the advice guys, there is an agp slot and I will pick up a video card, my only remaining concern is the 512 DDR, because I have heard that you cannot run great mods like grey wolves without 1 gb of ram. Do any of you with 512 DDR run into any problems? Thanks again.

[VonHelsching]

I think that you can find something better with that budget. At least 1 Gb memory and a 256 card. Think ahead, for the nex 2-3 years. Also I would go for a PCI Express graphics card.

[supposedtobeworking]

Really?! I can find a PC with a 1G Ram and better for about $400? I've checked and done a lot of research but if you know where I can find one please let me know!! Thx

[Dowly]

More RAM!!

[Gizzmoe]

Originally Posted by supposedtobeworking

Really?! I can find a PC with a 1G Ram and better for about $400? I've checked and done a lot of research but if you know where I can find one please let me know!! Thx

The best place would be a small local computer dealer. For about $400 you could get:

Socket 754 board with PCI-Express and onboard sound ($45)
AMD Sempron 2800+ ($65)
1GB (2x512MB) RAM, PC3200, no special brand ($90)
160GB Harddisk, SATA ($60)
A cheap case with a generic 300-350W PSU (40$)
ATI X700, 256MB, PCI-Express ($100). Look for a real X700, no X700SE or LE.
A cheap DVD-ROM ($15)

Price: $415.

If you are able to spend about $50 more you should get an Athlon 64 3000+ and a Socket 939 board (much better upgradability!).

[Dowly]

Gizz strikes again. :rotfl:

[HunterICX]

the best PC is an Self-Made one
Choose ur own part and case
so you can keep upgrading it so you do not have to buy a whole new system when we are an generation further in PC's

What I'm about to do from my
2,8ghz Intel
512 DDR ram pc3200 ----> to 2x1024 DDR ram (186 €) the shop says its the best my motherboard can have
Geforce FX5700LE 256 TD ram ----> to Geforce Serie 6 or 7 256 ram

[shegeek72]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

Has this mobo got an AGP slot? if so try and buy a cheapo graphics card like a 6 series nVidia Geforce 6200 256mb ram they are cheap as. $107 in new zealand, no doubt be the same price everywhere else.

Ack! The 6200 is a POS! SH3 will stutter with a 6200! Get at least a 6600 GT if you're going AGP. But I also recommend getting a mobo with PCI-X.

SG
--
AMD 64 3000+
Gigabyte GA-K8NS
2 gig Kingston RAM
Maxtor SATA 60 GB
WD IDE 80 GB
nVidia 6600 GT

[Gizzmoe]

Originally Posted by shegeek72

But I also recommend getting a mobo with PCI-X.

PCI-Express! PCI-X is something completely different.

[kiwi_2005]

Ack! The 6200 is a POS! SH3 will stutter with a 6200! Get at least a 6600 GT if you're going AGP. But I also recommend getting a mobo with PCI-X.

Of course its a POS but my mate runs SH3 good using this card, There are so many versions of the 6200, the one to get is the one with the fan. Because the poster is low on cash i recommended a cheap card for him. But reading Gizzmoe's post further up, i didn't know the ATI X700, 256MB, PCI-Express were going for $100. This card would be way better. The 6600GT is a good card, but it will cost him more.

[Coort]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

Of course its a POS but my mate runs SH3 good using this card, There are so many versions of the 6200, the one to get is the one with the fan. Because the poster is low on cash i recommended a cheap card for him. But reading Gizzmoe's post further up, i didn't know the ATI X700, 256MB, PCI-Express were going for $100. This card would be way better. The 6600GT is a good card, but it will cost him more.

I think x700 can do his job with no problem, i'm using a laptop with Centrino and an integrated x600, only with intensive graphic mods or UC (actually i'm trying the Ducimus version, same problem) i have real problem with slow fps, but with stock or old harbour traffic no problem.
I'm not even sure that the ati card is the real problem, 'cause with UC i noticed that i run out of virtual memory (physical 1gb, pagefile settings 700mb to 1.5gig, now trying with limit set to 1gb to 2gb), but better graphic card chipset and memory less work for cpu & ram.