Is my computer good enough to run HL2?

[DrunkPanda]

i got a pentium 4 3.4 ghz processor. 2 gb ram. and a radeon x800 sapphire graphics card. will i be able to run the game on high settings?




j/k i'm not making another one of those threads . my question is, i'm planning on getting a new comp in a year but i dunno what to look for in a good gaming computer. i know ram, processor speed, and graphics card are the main things but when i hear things like hyperthreading technology and dual processors, i get confoozld. can you guys tell me wtf that crap means? in the past i had my brother pick out my computer for me cuz he is pretty good with comps but now i wanna choose one myself. and i'm also thinking maybe i should order a computer from alienware.com. is that a good idea? does alienware make computers that are a really good value? or do they overcharge for their comps

 

[Lil' Timmy]

peruse this site. stop being lazy.
www.anandtech.com

don't get ripped off by alienware, just use pricewatch and build your own pc. it'll be fun.
www.pricewatch.com

 

[DrunkPanda]

it's not that i'm lazy, it's that i have no clue how to build a computer. and i dunno anyone that can teach me

 

[Lil' Timmy]

buy a case, psu, mobo, proc, memory, peripherals like mouse + kb, monitor, hard drive, cd/dvd drives, operating system.

follow the instrucions.
push power button.
insert OS cd.
install.
enjoy.

use guides on site like anandtech to figure out which components to buy for your budget. learning is half the battle.

 

[BIG]

It's like legos charged with electricity. Seriously, if you can opperate a screw driver and follow directions you can do it.

If all else fails, go to a local mom and pop shop and have 'em build you a custom PC. Will save lots off of Alienware for the same PC.

 

[DrunkPanda]

buy a case, psu, mobo, proc, memory, peripherals like mouse + kb, monitor, hard drive, cd/dvd drives, operating system.

follow the instrucions.
push power button.
insert OS cd.
install.
enjoy.

use guides on site like anandtech to figure out which components to buy for your budget. learning is half the battle.

oh, i didn't know there was a guide. i think maybe i'll try to take apart my old computer and put it together for practice with the guide . is the guide easy to follow or do you have to know about computers to understand it?

 

[TheHitman5]

You need a...

AMD FX55
Asus AV8 Deluxe
4GB Corsair XMS
6800 ULTRA EXTREME

to run this game.

 

[DrunkPanda]

i can't find any guide on that site that says how to buy computers. help me

 

[joule]

There is a thread just for this...
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1337

 

[KidRock]

cyberpowerpc.com

 

[DrunkPanda]

There is a thread just for this...
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1337

that thread has nothing to do with my thread............ go away . i just realized a typo in my earlier post. i meant to say there is no guide on that site for how to build a computer, not how to buy one.

 

[Lil' Timmy]

use the site to figure out what to buy within your budget.. use your reading skills and google fingers to figure out how to put your new pc together. your hardware will come with instructions. part of this process is figuring it out for yourself. not trying to be a dick, but i'm serious, you want to do this for yourself. it's not as complicated as you may think.

make a decision on what you want to buy, post it here and we'll give you feedback.

 

[eish]

First off you should never buy pre-made computers, ex: Dell, Compaq and others alike, why? because if you decide to upgrade, it's close to impossible without buying a completely new PC.
Figure out what you want and get some hardware geek you know to assemble one for you. All depends on how much you are willing to spend.

And to clarify, Hyperthreading is a technology in the new intel processors that makes the processor handle several tasks with equal speed, as far as I know. Not essential for HL2