What GFX would i be able to have ?

[Sniper]

Hi, I dont have the best PC in the world but i dont have the worst either, it says on the requirements page that the specs u need are :

Minimum Requirements

1.2 GHz Processor

256MB RAM

DirectX 7 level graphics card

Windows 2000/XP/ME/98

Recommended System

2.4 GHz Processor

512MB RAM

DirectX 9 level graphics card

Windows 2000/XP



My specs are :

- Pentium4 2.5 GHZ Processor
- 256MB DDR RAM
- 80gb HDD
- Nvidia Geforce 4 MX-440SE 64MB

I can run games such as Farcry fine on a mixture between high and medium GFX, so would i be able to have them as a mixture of high and medium on HL2 aswell ??

 

[Fletch]

You'd be forced to run the game in dx7 which isn't pretty. Consider getting a vid card upgrade. Your only other prblem is your ram which you would benefit a great deal in upping it to 512mb. Have a look here http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=19405

/moved

 

[Mevoki]

Get 256 MB more RAM and a new GFX card, a Radeon 9800 pro will be just fine. If you keep the card you have you will miss all the Direct X 9 effects.

 

[iamaelephant]

Far Cry on medium - high details? Must be running at no more than 20 fps.

I would say you're looking at mostly low - medium detail if you want decent frame rates, or if you're happy with lower frame rates you should be okay on all medium. Of course I base this on absolutely nothing, as the game isn't on shelves yet (and don't even get me started on the VST).

 

[pblse]

You dont need a 9800Pro, cheapest DX9 solution is Radeon 9550 which is just fine for running in normal resolutions (like 1024x768).

An Abit R9550-V goes for about ~$60 and can be overclocked to same performance as an 9600Pro, although you wont need it to play HL2.

 

[Fletch]

I think he'd be safer with a 9800pro though as they're the best performance for £££ at the mo, and it'll see him through next years games pretty comfortably too.

 

[CarLBanks]

I've gotten a GeForce FX 5900XT this year and just now found out it doesn't have DX9.

 

[Sniper]

Hmm, will have to wait and see really i suppose, I am planning on getting a new GFX card anyway but not for a while. Aint too bothered though, should be good either way

 

[Sniper]

Im not sure if this means anything, i do have directx 9.0c and i typed in on run dxdiag and went on to display and this is what i got :

Main Driver: nv4_disp.dll

aload of other crap (not important)

DDI Version: 9 (or higher)

and i run farcry fine on medium and high (with water of ultra high of course) with no problems. All games i do run are on 1024x768, But as i said earlier, will have to wait for the real thing in 2 weeks to see what i can handle.

 

[sublidieminal]

What are fine fps to you!?!?!?

 

[Sniper]

To be totally honest i wouldnt know, dont really understand FPS ?

 

[Sniper]

I was browing the PC world website for gfx cards, is this any good for HL2 ??

A BFG FX5700OC 256MB DDR GRAPHICS CARD ???

 

[Sniper]

AHA i found one i like and that i can afford lol : POWERCOLOR RADEON 9800PRO 256MB DDR AGP 8x


Price = £162.34 (exc vat)
£190.75 (inc. vat)

I think ill go into the store and buy it rather then getting it off of the site and having to pay more, I wont be getting it till after xmas, but is that a good card to get ? on top of that ill get 256 mb of DDR RAM

 

[Cliffe B.]

To be totally honest i wouldnt know, dont really understand FPS ?

FPS means Frames per second being rendered, the higher the better since everything is smoother at a higher fps

 

[Ahnteis]

A 9800 is a fine card. Not top of the line by any means, but not half bad.

Of course, after my recent experience with ATI, I'm going back to nvidia for my next card, even if I lose a few frames per second. The GeForce 6600 should run HL2 just fine.

 

[Megalomaniac]

If I'm running 1280-1024 wouldn't a Radeon 9600XT be the best for a processor under 3GHz?, I heard a 9800Pro run with a processor under 3GHz would run the same as a 9600XT

 

[Sniper]

Even if i do get a new GFX Card which i will, it wont be until after xmas (same with the RAM), until then, im happy to just be able to run HL2, as for the directx9 texture effects or whatever they are, i aint too bothered about them, id rather have decent performance then best gfx. Im getting it for Xbox aswell as PC anyway so i can still view the special effects lol

 

[Ahnteis]

Good article about low end HL2 performance.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=19405

 

[Sniper]

Just read it lol, was very interesting indeed. But now i know what my system is capable of i am happy At least i know it wont look as bad as a Directx7 gfx card
Anyway cheers for that, its made my day.

 

[dynamicx]

Don't get the 256mb 9800! It performs only the smallest amount faster than the MUCH cheaper 128mb 9800. This page should give you a rough guide to their prices: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/9700_to_9800_Series.html#agx_2d010_2dat DON'T get the 128bit memory bus ones, they are crippled and don't perform nearly as well.

But if you have that much money to spent though, you may want to consider getting a 6800, can pick up one of them from about £170 and has a possibility of turning it into a 6800GT, saving over £100. Though obviously that's not guaranteed and you void the warranty.

 

[Sniper]

Hmm, good point actually, never found that site before but looks pretty good, decent prices aswell, cheers

 

[Unimita]

If I'm running 1280-1024 wouldn't a Radeon 9600XT be the best for a processor under 3GHz?, I heard a 9800Pro run with a processor under 3GHz would run the same as a 9600XT

Not at all. Anything above 2Ghz is considered a high-end PC anyway.

getting it for Xbox aswell as PC anyway so i can still view the special effects lol

XBox still won't render DirectX 9 effects, I'm afraid . Your current PC is probably more powerful than an XBox anyway, though.

 

[Sniper]

Hmm, i dont think it is