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399$ Crysis PC: I Took It On! I am triumphant.
- Thread starter Kosma
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Mash said:
Would you be thinking of http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366177 , by any chance? That's the thread I'm planning to use for reference when upgrading in a month or so.
So is there an updated version of this $399 PC? I want to build a PC, and $399 sounds like a great price.
I've never built a PC before either. Is it as simple as just plugging the pieces together like lego? Or should I higher someone to do it for me.
I've never built a PC before either. Is it as simple as just plugging the pieces together like lego? Or should I higher someone to do it for me.
Peronthious
Member
whitehawk said:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366177&page=29
OP hasn't been updated in a good while, but it still had good information, as well as the rest of the thread. There's obviously the main PC building thread as well.
For building the PC, I'd say the most complex part is figuring out what parts work together and fit together properly, and those threads are great sources for finding out what components to order. Once you have the components, it's a bit more complicated than putting together a lego set, but not much.
whitehawk said:
If you can read the manuals (there should be a booklet with instructions for each component except RAM and CPU, but both of them are covered in the motherboard manual) and use the internet, you should be safe.
By the way, I'm wicked glad to see the old $399 PC alive and kicking. This thing is a legend that many still won't believe.
Firestorm
Member
For $399 CAD you're boned. Just spend a bit more >.>; $580 + tax? You'd have a good upgrade path ahead of you...whitehawk said:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19613745&postcount=1955
ColonelColon
Member
- Dec 8, 2009
- 2,683
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In March, I put together a PC composed partially of a motherboard/case/processor/PSU/2 GB RAM "barebone kit" configured by mwave.com, as well as an XFX Radeon HD 4770 graphics card, a 1 TB Hitachi HDD, a 120 MM fan, and a 600 watt OCZ PSU to replace the original PSU, all purchased separately. Since I already had parts and a Windows XP operating system disc from my horribly underpowered budget PC from 2002, I was spared any other costs.
Here are the products I used, if you're interested:
Barebones kit w/ CPU, motherboard, and 2 GB ram installed in case- https://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch_v3.asp?
$190... was $150 before, cheaper alternatives are available
XFX Radeon HD 4770 GPU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150369&Tpk=4770
$105, $90 after rebate... I bought for $115
Hitachi 1 TB hard drive- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145304&Tpk=HDS721010CLA332
$75
LG DVD Burner- https://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch_v3.asp?
$22
OCZ 600W power supply- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017
$75, $50 after rebate
Altogether, I only paid around $430 (including tax and shipping) for a computer that can run almost any game released thus far in HD with anti-aliasing. When running the Resident Evil 5 benchmark, for example, I can max out all settings at 1280x1024, and the game still never dips below around 45 FPS. It could also run Fallout 3 at Ultra Quality with 2x AA at the same resolution, constantly above 30 FPS (except in Point Lookout, apparently, which I could only run at High).
Ironically though, the game that I was most eager to play for PC, Crysis, seems to be too taxing on the computer. Using Rivatuner, I overclocked the GPU from the default 750 core clock and 800 memory clock to 860 core clock and 970 memory clock, and I also overclocked the CPU from 2.9 GHZ all the way to about 3.5 GHZ. With the fan set at 90%, the GPU core stays around 67 degrees celsius, and the CPU has always stayed below 50 degrees celsius, even when they are performing at 100%. But even with those seemingly gigantic overclocks, Crysis just doesn't seem to run at a tolerable framerate. I downloaded the Crysis demo, and the benchmark tool here: http://rs271.rapidshare.com/files/71185674/CrysisBenchmarkTool1.05.zip
The CPU benchmark runs on medium without anti-aliasing at 1024x768 at an average of about 40 FPS, but occasionally drops to about 25 FPS. The GPU benchmark runs at 45 FPS average and hardly drops below 30 FPS with all settings at high and at 1280x1024, but the CPU benchmark, which includes a lot of environmental destruction, frequently goes down to about 20 FPS. Considering these results, I'm more than a little skeptical of this topic's proclamation that a PC bought for $400 early in 2008 could run Crysis at decent settings, unless the PC was stolen and the money was just spent on hookers. I don't intend to buy the game unless I'm certain that it can be played without constant stuttering on my system, so I have a few questions.
1) Would the game run better, worse, or just about the same on a more recent operating system?
2) Do the post-release patches make the game run considerably better than the demo?
3) Can there possibly be any factors I've overlooked that might be hampering performance, or are my results in line with the normal performance of similar systems?
Here are the products I used, if you're interested:
Barebones kit w/ CPU, motherboard, and 2 GB ram installed in case- https://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch_v3.asp?
$190... was $150 before, cheaper alternatives are available
XFX Radeon HD 4770 GPU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150369&Tpk=4770
$105, $90 after rebate... I bought for $115
Hitachi 1 TB hard drive- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145304&Tpk=HDS721010CLA332
$75
LG DVD Burner- https://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch_v3.asp?
$22
OCZ 600W power supply- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017
$75, $50 after rebate
Altogether, I only paid around $430 (including tax and shipping) for a computer that can run almost any game released thus far in HD with anti-aliasing. When running the Resident Evil 5 benchmark, for example, I can max out all settings at 1280x1024, and the game still never dips below around 45 FPS. It could also run Fallout 3 at Ultra Quality with 2x AA at the same resolution, constantly above 30 FPS (except in Point Lookout, apparently, which I could only run at High).
Ironically though, the game that I was most eager to play for PC, Crysis, seems to be too taxing on the computer. Using Rivatuner, I overclocked the GPU from the default 750 core clock and 800 memory clock to 860 core clock and 970 memory clock, and I also overclocked the CPU from 2.9 GHZ all the way to about 3.5 GHZ. With the fan set at 90%, the GPU core stays around 67 degrees celsius, and the CPU has always stayed below 50 degrees celsius, even when they are performing at 100%. But even with those seemingly gigantic overclocks, Crysis just doesn't seem to run at a tolerable framerate. I downloaded the Crysis demo, and the benchmark tool here: http://rs271.rapidshare.com/files/71185674/CrysisBenchmarkTool1.05.zip
The CPU benchmark runs on medium without anti-aliasing at 1024x768 at an average of about 40 FPS, but occasionally drops to about 25 FPS. The GPU benchmark runs at 45 FPS average and hardly drops below 30 FPS with all settings at high and at 1280x1024, but the CPU benchmark, which includes a lot of environmental destruction, frequently goes down to about 20 FPS. Considering these results, I'm more than a little skeptical of this topic's proclamation that a PC bought for $400 early in 2008 could run Crysis at decent settings, unless the PC was stolen and the money was just spent on hookers. I don't intend to buy the game unless I'm certain that it can be played without constant stuttering on my system, so I have a few questions.
1) Would the game run better, worse, or just about the same on a more recent operating system?
2) Do the post-release patches make the game run considerably better than the demo?
3) Can there possibly be any factors I've overlooked that might be hampering performance, or are my results in line with the normal performance of similar systems?
DonMigs85
Member
You're running a 4770 right? As far as I know it should be roughly on par with or better than a 3850. Do you have the Catalyst 10.4 drivers too?
ColonelColon
Member
- Dec 8, 2009
- 2,683
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JB1981
Member
MickeyKnox
Member
injurai
Banned
BaZZaa
Neo Member
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
- Sep 30, 2009
- 11,207
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Vigilant Walrus
Member
- Oct 8, 2009
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I would like to see someone make 2012 build for 400! Now we can skip optical drive, 8 gig ram is minimum!
Could a m-itx case be the best? I suggest forgetting h
Ssd and going for a momentus xt!
Could a m-itx case be the best? I suggest forgetting h
Ssd and going for a momentus xt!
jono51
Banned
Ironmask
Member
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Seriously though, I'd like to see a $349 build that is capable of outperforming the Wii U.
Throw in a tablet of equivalent resolution to the Wii U tablet to make things fair.
Throw in a tablet of equivalent resolution to the Wii U tablet to make things fair.
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