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CHOOSE ONE: Ram Or Graphics Card
bulldogjones
Member Posts: 12
BULLDOG Here!
I just recently bought a ATI 9600 graphics card...but am now looking at it like its my highschool girlfriend: Does the trick, but not as pleasing to the eye as a new, faster board. Any of you guys that stay up on system requirements know which is better:
Better Video Card: ie worth the money it costs to go from the ATI 9600
Or
More Ram: Currently I have 512 MB ....(I know I should Have more)
ohhh...and did anyone read the Newsweek article on Alienware computers. Damn things are so crazy liquid cool ...it makes me nuts...however for $5,000 dollars you have to ask yourself. Downpayment on a house...new car...or satisfy my need to be a complete nerd (not just a weekend nerd).
BULLDOG OUT!
Comments
Good Journey
Loneshadow<Supreme Dragon>
Founder of the Dragon Lords
http://kinncaid.proboards20.com/index.cgi
Good Journey
Loneshadow<Overlord>
Founder of the Dragon Lords
http://kinncaid.proboards20.com/index.cgi
I can get a liquid cooling kit for $150. And I bet my PC is better then that $5000 one.
Tough call. RAM or video... hmmm... EQ2.
Can you tell me a little bit more about your current setup.
What will he do next?
Well, IMO it's hard to say. If the game is stuttering and stuff, then you should probably go with more RAM, but if the game looks smooth but just looks crappy, then go with the video card. I think your best bet is to probably wait until the game comes out, install it and see how it plays. This buys you 2 things:
1) You'll get a better feel for where your bottleneck is occuring
2) The prices on both RAM and Video Cards will come down between now and then.
Just my $0.02
whats your processor?
I have a Radeon 9200 128mb card and only 512 mb ram in my pc and I run fine!
I have a 2.5ghz athelon xp
If it were my choice, I'd say screw the card Yours is fine and go for the ram...
One thing that erks me when people ask for help with computers is this.
Hi!1111! I have a computer, it's slow, I need faster... RAM or videocard?
WTF crap is this? You need to explain what you have for a WHOLE system... that will make it 1000x easier for people to help JOO!
My dog doesn't walk, vet or food?!
What will he do next?
I'd wait for the game:
Ultimately - you may need both. If you have to get one now: I'd go with the Ram.
What about processing power. The card and ram might be find but if you have low processing power that right there could be the problem.
Huh? Isn't everyone running a Commodore 64? Oh, wait, some might have the 128, but I thought it was backwards compatible.
Load "EQ2",8,1
WEEEE!!!!
We don't know because Bulldog isn't replying.
When/if he replies, we hopefully will get a better understanding of his PC.
What will he do next?
Getting a graphics card that is better than the 9600 you already have will cost probably 2-3 times what doubling your RAM would cost, so I'd go with the RAM. EQ2 should run on that card "okay".
Then later on, when today's cutting edge cards come down in price, you can use the money you saved now combined with whatever else you save to buy a very good graphics card. Since EQ2 will be out by then you can find out what card it REALLY works well with.
I will probably get RAM first. EQ2 eats up RAM like i eat up my monday morning breakfast.
Alot of things need to load in the game, especially things in the city. Thats why i needm ore ram.
EverQuest II will rock.
My opinion would be go for the ram upgrade to a minimum of 1 gig. To my understanding the ram give you greater perfmorance gains in respect to loading times. For referencing back to EQ1... as most can remember when your character turned around there would be some lag time and or chopiness... this would be defeated from a ram upgrade.
Now when installing a new graphics card I was able to see better performance when casting with spell effects... particles etc.
So my answer would be your graphics card should be enough to handle the game, just adjust the particle settings and maybe some minor graphics settings. Gains from adding more ram will allow you to keep models and resolution turned up, while with the graphics settings for particles and other minors will allow for steady performance.
My $0.02.
Couldn't SOE optomize their game. I understand it's ment to be played for years to come on the newest hardware... but isn't 2GB asking a lot? I understand the point of RAM, but come on.
Really, the only people that use 2GB or RAM are people who do video editing. I use 1GB and I think that's a good number. I swear, EQ2 will blow donkey balls.
What will he do next?
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
As with every single game on the market, there are MINIMUM specs, and RECOMMENDED specs. If you only meet the minimal specs required to play the game, how can you expect blazing fast frame rates?
Minimum Requirements = absolute rock bottom requirement for the game to run
Recommended Specs = requirement for average quality game-play
Anything over Recommended is gravy - but of course it won't run worth a damn on the minimum. Never have I seen SoE saying EQ2 will require 2 gigs. But don't be surprised when people suggest it for SOLID performance.
-pooka
Bulldog, exactly how much do you have to spend?
-pooka
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
Somewhere someone said 2GB RAM.
I haven't looked at the system specs. I also know what minimum and recommended system specs are, I'm not an idiot.
I will bash whatever and whomever I want to. That's me, that's who I am. I'm not Joe Smow or Boby Q... I'm Djin... I am me.
A lot of people can't handle what I say, so they bash me. There's always going to be people like me out there...
And I'm not going to stay out of a forum, if you fuc*ing read you'd understand I was TRYING to help this person... but he didn't even reply saying what type of computer he had.
So, please... I'll do my thing, and you can do yours.
What will he do next?
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
Now I'm just pissed off.
I quote myself;
"We don't know because Bulldog isn't replying.
When/if he replies, we hopefully will get a better understanding of his PC."
If he ever replies with his system specs, we can help him... doesn't matter if this is posted in SPAM, EQ2 or even EVE forum. It would still get the same treatment it's getting now from me.
I am me, like I've stated before. I will say and do what I want. Untill there's a gun pointed at my face, no one will tell me different.
And no, I'm not that stupid to break the law or anything, but when it comes to speech, I will say whatever, whenever. And a lot of people can't handle it.
What will he do next?
lol damn wrong thread post, sorry no delete feature.
Windows Media Player locks for me as well, howevere right clicking and saving it, it then runs smoothly...
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
Easy there killer... Somehow this discussion got to the point where the specs got inflated. I am merely pointing out that you cannot have the minimum requirements and expect reasonably good performance. With 512 megs it will suck. But it will *play* nonetheless.
You did your thing. I did mine. I can handle what you have to say. You're the only one here getting all hot and bothered over nothing. Although, judging by the above mantra, you can bash others, but they can't correct your naive assessment of a game you probably won't even try.
So forgive me for thinking you lack the maturity to know the difference between "required" and "recommended." That whole "donkey balls" comment might have had something to do with it.
-pooka
~Yeti
...Role Player since before D&D had their first hardcover books. (Simple and Advanced Editions rules!)
~Yeti
