Rebuilding for Warhammer

G

gamerx11

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
251
Use to play WoW with my computer and worked ok with 30fps for the most part. Then, I got Warhammer Online and it is really laggy. I needed some suggestions on built this computer myself so I have a case to upgrade with.

Here are my spec:
AMD Athlon 3200+
my motherboard supports Athlon 64 and FX and AGP x8 (biggest problem for me)
XFX GeForce 7600 GT
2gb DDR RAM
400w PSU by Antec (came with the case)

I was thinking about updating my motherboard, CPU, RAM, and vid card. What do u guys think?

Was looking at these four products:
Vid card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127387
RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098
Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128347
CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Should I just jump to quad core and pay a bit more or is dual core fine for running a game like warhammer?
 
Your system is fine to play Warhammer Online at minimum requirements. But, you won't see optimal performance. What O/S are you running? Also, how much is your budget on an upgrade? What size monitor do you have?
 
What size monitor do you have and what model Antec PSU do you have? I'm assuming it's an Antec Smartpower 400 watt?
 
OK, what's the model name/number of that 400W PSU? If it's a Smartpower, Truepower I and 2.0 or TrueBlue PSU, you will need to get a new PSU. I recommend this PSU:
Antec Earthwatts 500W PSU - $50

Parts wise, for an extra $20, you can get better performance for your money:
Sapphire 100245L Radeon HD 4850 512MB PCI-E Video Card - $160

And for just an extra $15, you can get twice the RAM. Granted you may only use about 3 to 3.5GB of that 4GB RAM due to 32bit OS limitations but 3GB of RAM is pretty nice:
G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM - $50

For WAR, get the quad-core Q6600. IIRC, WAR takes advantage of quad-core CPUs.
 
If your comp can play WoW, it'l be able to play WAR...last time i played it, the game was glitchy as hell, so unless they released an update, then it probably still is...
 
The PSU model is SP-400. But for some reason WoW does run so much smoother than Warhammer Online. I have heard by some people is it is just the fact that didn't make the game as well as WoW.
 
With a $300-$400 budget, you can big boost with this already:

CPU - Intel Core2 E5200 for $83 w/free shipping
Mobo - MSI P43 Neo3-F for $85 ($10 MIR)
RAM - G. Skills DDR2 800 for $50 w/free shipping
Video - MSI N9800GT 512M OC GeForce 9800 GT 512MB for $125 ($15 MIR)
PSU - Antec Earthwatts 500 for $50 w/free shipping

Total: $393 before shipping and rebates.

This should be a HUGE performance gain already where you are coming from. A single core Athlon 64 cpu to a Dual Core CPU, 2 gig RAM to 4 gigs and a 7600GT AGP graphics to a 9800GT PCI-E interface.

*Just a side note though on Warhammer Online game, warhammer engine is quirky and some in-game settings just do not play well. You may have to mess with the settings a bit to get it to play at optimum level.

The size of the monitor/resolution you game at does matter as the higher resolution you go the more FPS you drop. What size monitor do you have anyways?
 
Thanks, that looks like a real good choice for me. $400 is about perfect. I'll just upgrade more when i get the money. Its quite old, 17" CRT =/
 
Well.. at least with a CRT you can play at any resolution and it won't look fuzzy as how it would be with an LCD monitor. On an LCD, it's best you have it set at its native resolution or it won't look sharp. On your 17" crt monitor, if you set Warhammer at 1280 x 1024 res in the game, the 9800GT video card is plenty for that.
 
Do you happen to have a Fry's nearby? If so, you can pick up the faster E7200 for the same price as the E5200 there.
 
Im no where near one. Used their store locator and all it says is, "Cannot locate store near this zip code". ha. So, ya, cant stop there. There is no computer stores anywhere near me since CompUSA shut down.
 
What is the different b/w -Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor- and -Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor-? is it really going to b a noticeable difference b/w the two? The one is about an additional $30 buck? Should i just stick with the $85 one?
 
Ok, ty so much for being so helpful on helping me choose the best products for my budget.
 
Hey, HardwareGuru, you sure about the Mobo - MSI P43 Neo3-F for $85? Some people were reviewing it saying the BIOS was out of date, y did u pick this one? PCI-E 2.0 did look good for it with the 1 vid card
 
The Neo3-F board has a good feature set for the price. Either of those CPUs you chose should work fine with whatever BIOS it comes with. You can update that later if needed. Any BIOS that ships with the Neo3-F should support wolfdale CPUs.
 
gamerx11 said:
Y the Antec Earthwatts? What is so great about that? What about TOPOWER TOP-550PCM 550W ATX / BTX Power Supply?
Click to expand...

PSU 101: PC Power Supply Basics @ jonnyGURU.com

Not all PSUs are made equal. Most modern systems draw from the +12v rail(s), so you want a good quality unit that focuses most of its power on the +12v rail(s). You also want a unit that can deliver that power without noise/ripple beyond the ATX spec, since ripple/noise will kill components over time. Other features you'd want are high efficiency (80+) and active PFC. High efficiency means less power draw from the wall and less heat. Less heat means the components will last longer. Active PFC isn't a big deal in the US, but it tends to go hand in hand with high efficiency. I'd also take a Seasonic over a TOPOWER.

With 30A on the +12V rail for the TOPOWER, the EA430 delivers the same amount of power but is more efficient, and is therefore a better unit. However, the EA430 isn't on sale; the EA500 is, which delivers more power than the TOPOWER unit while still being more efficient for only $10 more ($50).
 
enginurd said:
PSU 101: PC Power Supply Basics @ jonnyGURU.com

Not all PSUs are made equal. Most modern systems draw from the +12v rail(s), so you want a good quality unit that focuses most of its power on the +12v rail(s). You also want a unit that can deliver that power without noise/ripple beyond the ATX spec, since ripple/noise will kill components over time. Other features you'd want are high efficiency (80+) and active PFC. High efficiency means less power draw from the wall and less heat. Less heat means the components will last longer. Active PFC isn't a big deal in the US, but it tends to go hand in hand with high efficiency. I'd also take a Seasonic over a TOPOWER.

With 30A on the +12V rail for the TOPOWER, the EA430 delivers the same amount of power but is more efficient, and is therefore a better unit. However, the EA430 isn't on sale; the EA500 is, which delivers more power than the TOPOWER unit while still being more efficient for only $10 more ($50).
Click to expand...

QFT. Though Delta makes the current crop of EA500 and EA430 PSUs, not Seasonic. At least not anymore.

Choice isn't that hard: A PSU made by a PSU company well known for making decent PSUs, even with their cheap models (Delta, Seasonic) VS a PSU company well known for making semi-decent PSU (Topower) but only towards the high-end.
 
My friend is saying AMD multi-core processors are better than the Intel ones or at least the same. What are the opinions on that? I thought Intel made better multi-core processors.
 
I wish that was true actually. But, unfortunately it is not. So, your friend is wrong.
 
gamerx11 said:
Ya but how come? He insists that they r equally the same.
Click to expand...

He's living in 2006, before Conroe (Core2) came out. Why are Core2 chips better? Because AMD hasn't done shit to their architecture except bump up the clock speed. Core2 was a revolutionary chip, whereby a 1.8Ghz Core2Duo would outperform a 3.6Ghz Pentium D. Not only do Intel chips outperform AMD chips, they also OC MUCH HIGHER than them, run cooler, and, on avg, consume less power per core. The avg gain on Intel chips is AT LEAST 700Mhz over their rated speed -- and this is done with ease. Read ANY CPU review, and you'll see what we're talking about. You'll even see some dual core Intels beating quad/tri core AMDs, lol!! Clock for clock, Core2's are better. A64s/Phenoms need a 400-600Mhz lead to perform equally, but once you start OC'ing, its over, since AMDs don't have as much headroom. Almost any Intel chip will OC to outperform any comparable AMD.

I'll let someone else post CPU review links... I'm too lazy to find some, lol. Just go to any hardware review site on the WLWC on the GenHard FAQ and click on CPU.
 
enginurd said:
He's living in 2006, before Conroe (Core2) came out. Why are Core2 chips better? Because AMD hasn't done shit to their architecture except bump up the clock speed. Core2 was a revolutionary chip, whereby a 1.8Ghz Core2Duo would outperform a 3.6Ghz Pentium D. Not only do Intel chips outperform AMD chips, they also OC MUCH HIGHER than them, run cooler, and, on avg, consume less power per core. The avg gain on Intel chips is AT LEAST 700Mhz over their rated speed -- and this is done with ease. Read ANY CPU review, and you'll see what we're talking about. You'll even see some dual core Intels beating quad/tri core AMDs, lol!! Clock for clock, Core2's are better. A64s/Phenoms need a 400-600Mhz lead to perform equally, but once you start OC'ing, its over, since AMDs don't have as much headroom. Almost any Intel chip will OC to outperform any comparable AMD.

I'll let someone else post CPU review links... I'm too lazy to find some, lol. Just go to any hardware review site on the WLWC on the GenHard FAQ and click on CPU.
Click to expand...
Again, QFT.

However, there was a point in time where AMD CPUs outperformed similarly priced Intel CPUs in the $100 and under range. However that ceiling is now at $80 with the release of the $85 E5200 which outperforms the $90 X2 6000+.

So basically, if there is ZERO chance of overclocking and your CPU budget is under $80, go AMD. If your budget is above $80, then go Intel. If your budget is under $80 but you plan on overclocking, go Intel.
 
Figured u'd say that haha. Best bang for the buck tho. Guess ill have to do that atm.
 
I bet he meant the Thermaltake. But, there's a reason why that is soo cheap with $25 MIR, is because it is junk. Like the saying goes: "you get what you pay for" There's soo many people on this forum selecting the Thermaltake Purepower power supplies. I guess it's not something that people want to spend money on for just power. I guess they have to live and learn to realize how important a PSU is. I sure did.
 
The Purepower RX is the only purepower I'd get. The regular Purepowers are crap. The Toughpowers are good, too. Those are the only two lines from Tt that are worth buying.

The Purepower you linked is not RX, and costs $60!!! Forget that POS. I use those as repalcements in eMachines, lol, but I only typically pay $20 - $30 for them, WITHOUT a stupid rebate! If you're gonna spend $60, get something worth your money. The EA650 is only $10 more, so its the best bang for buck right now. The lowest I'd go is the XCLIO STABLEPOWER 500W for $50.
 
If I get the 650w, it has a 120mm fan on the top and not on the front and back of it. I dont have a fan opening on the top of my case for it. Just pull out the drill and make some holes? haha
 
gamerx11 said:
If I get the 650w, it has a 120mm fan on the top and not on the front and back of it. I dont have a fan opening on the top of my case for it. Just pull out the drill and make some holes? haha
Click to expand...

The 120mm fan isn't on the "top" of the PSU... its on the bottom. Typically, PSUs are mounted on the top of an ATX case. Heat rises. The bottom fan of the PSU exhausts that heat/air through the PSU ant out to the rear of the PSU. No need to drill holes.
 
I actually meant Antec though haha. I've read what people posted previously about the Antec PSU and it is the best bang for the buck.
 
gamerx11 said:
I actually meant Antec though haha.
Click to expand...

huh? :confused: If the Antec, or any PSU, has a 120mm fan, its on the bottom, not the top. You can flip your PSU over if you want, so that the fan is on the top, but this is only good if you mount your PSU on the bottom of your case (though the flip is not required for such a mount).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top