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  1. #1

    Default Upgrading for M2TW

    Here's my specs:

    AMD 64 3000+ Venice @2.7 GHz
    XFX 6600 GT (PCI-E)
    DFI Motherboard
    1 GB (2x512) Patriot XLBK Memory
    Zalman 7700 CU CPU HS/F (installed with AS5)
    550W Antec Truepower

    Anyhow, I want to upgrade for M2TW so I can play on highest settings. What I am considering is a simple video card and memory upgrade. I know this is a little while off but I wanted to get some ideas. For the video card I was thinking something like a 7900 GT:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150144

    For the memory I am going to get a 2GB set (1GB x 2). Something like this:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231047

    I think that should have me set to play on highest settings? Any suggestions from my Org friends?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    I dont think youll have a problem with memory, imo no need to upgrade.
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  3. #3
    Boy's Guard Senior Member LeftEyeNine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Well if you have money, get the RAMs, IMHO. And that upper-bound 7-series Nvidia will let you play the game in highest settings assuming that the system requirements of the game will be as told.

  4. #4
    Clan Takiyama Senior Member CBR's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    I see you have overclocked your cpu. You should get some ram that can overclock as much as possible too, as it increases memory bandwidth. And I'm pretty sure memory bandwidth is the real limit of how many men you can have in a battlefield without the pc choking.

    But your 1 GB right now should be fine so I dont think you really need to upgrade it. If you feel RTW is running fine but just want to be able to have the best graphics for M2TW then video card should be your primary concern.

    In any case I would say you might as well wait and see how much is really needed for M2TW. We still cant be sure how good a video card is needed at max settings.


    CBR

  5. #5
    Tree Killer Senior Member Beirut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Quote Originally Posted by fatsheep


    I think that should have me set to play on highest settings? Any suggestions from my Org friends?
    Wait.

    When the game is released there will be a flurry of reviews, both of the gameplay and the tech requirements. I'd wait for those reviews. You'll be better informed, and the price of whatever you buy will be lower.
    Unto each good man a good dog

  6. #6

    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Quote Originally Posted by fatsheep
    Here's my specs:
    AMD 64 3000+ Venice @2.7 GHz
    XFX 6600 GT (PCI-E)
    DFI Motherboard
    1 GB (2x512) Patriot XLBK Memory
    Zalman 7700 CU CPU HS/F (installed with AS5)
    550W Antec Truepower
    Your weak link is definitely the video card.
    Upgrading memory and the cpu can wait till the game arrives.

    Quote Originally Posted by CBR
    I see you have overclocked your cpu. You should get some ram that can overclock as much as possible too, as it increases memory bandwidth. And I'm pretty sure memory bandwidth is the real limit of how many men you can have in a battlefield without the pc choking.
    .......
    What makes you say the main memory bandwidth is the limiting factor?

  7. #7
    Clan Takiyama Senior Member CBR's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Quote Originally Posted by orangat
    What makes you say the main memory bandwidth is the limiting factor?
    Well that goes back to the early days of RTW where several of us with 2400+ CPU's had horrible lag in battles but other people with a newer generation of AMD cpu's of just 2500+ had no problems at all. Other people over at TWC did tests with high end CPU's that showed only a minimal increase of max amount of men before it turned into a slide show too.

    Earlier this year I was reading up on hardware as I was planning on getting a new pc and also decided to do some overclocking with those wonderful Opterons. That was when I first noticed the huge increase in memory bandwidth from using dual channel ram(something my old pc didnt have) and ofc the increased bandwidth from overclocking ram too.

    Now im no tech geek but I thought that if super CPU/GPU didnt do much, then what other type of hardware limit would there be? A high end CPU doesnt mean much for memory bandwidth so maybe thats why they didnt see any real difference.

    My new PC has overclocked ram too and I can run at 12k men without any noticeble lag, which appeared to be higher than what people just using a good cpu and standard ram could do. Of course not very scientific, as I dont have precise tests done on other systems but it seemed to work the way I thought. But I could be wrong of course.


    CBR

  8. #8
    Member Member Boohugh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    There will almost certainly be newer graphics cards around when M2:TW arrives meaning you'll be able to get the current ones for less, or just splash out on a new one, so waiting is definitely the best course of action imo .

  9. #9

    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    First off, thanks for all the suggestions guys!

    Second off, I do intend to wait. Once they put a playable demo out to test my system on I can be more sure what I need to upgrade. Also, it would be silly to upgrade now since prices will have gone down quite a bit by september.

    Oh btw, about the memory. I have it on a divider so the memory is actually running at only a tad below 240 mhz (200 mhz is default for PC3200 RAM) while the CPU is going at 290 mhz HTT. I also have the memory on somewhat loose timings (3-3-3-8) so I would like to get some memory that will either allow a 1:1 divider and tighten up timings (although I doubt I'll be able to do both, I'd much rather have the 1:1 divider then the slightly tighter timings).

    Again thanks for the advice.

  10. #10
    Clan Takiyama Senior Member CBR's Avatar
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    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Well 1:1 divider is pretty tough at nearly 290 Mhz but this test did have a couple that could do it: http://www.anandtech.com/memory/show...px?i=2676&p=16

    But your current 1 GB is very good so its not that important to upgrade, at least its not your first priority if money is the issue.


    CBR

  11. #11

    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Quote Originally Posted by fatsheep
    First off, thanks for all the suggestions guys!

    Second off, I do intend to wait. Once they put a playable demo out to test my system on I can be more sure what I need to upgrade. Also, it would be silly to upgrade now since prices will have gone down quite a bit by september.

    Oh btw, about the memory. I have it on a divider so the memory is actually running at only a tad below 240 mhz (200 mhz is default for PC3200 RAM) while the CPU is going at 290 mhz HTT. I also have the memory on somewhat loose timings (3-3-3-8) so I would like to get some memory that will either allow a 1:1 divider and tighten up timings (although I doubt I'll be able to do both, I'd much rather have the 1:1 divider then the slightly tighter timings).

    Again thanks for the advice.
    Aggressive ram overlocking does relatively little for A64 systems. Spending to replace your current memory modules is pointless.

    Memory dividers do diddly squat for performance. So don't worry about getting it to 1:1.
    The reason is obvious to anyone who has a clue about the Athlon64 HT model.
    Last edited by orangat; 06-02-2006 at 03:22.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Upgrading for M2TW

    Quote Originally Posted by CBR
    Well that goes back to the early days of RTW where several of us with 2400+ CPU's had horrible lag in battles but other people with a newer generation of AMD cpu's of just 2500+ had no problems at all. Other people over at TWC did tests with high end CPU's that showed only a minimal increase of max amount of men before it turned into a slide show too.

    Earlier this year I was reading up on hardware as I was planning on getting a new pc and also decided to do some overclocking with those wonderful Opterons. That was when I first noticed the huge increase in memory bandwidth from using dual channel ram(something my old pc didnt have) and ofc the increased bandwidth from overclocking ram too.
    ........
    I assume you are talking about the Barton cores which started at 2500+. The big improvement from 2400-2500+ is probably mostly due to the increase of the fsb from 133->166 and bigger l2 cache _not_ due to faster memory speeds. The older pre-Athlonxp behaved in exactly the same way also.

    The A64 is not memory bandwidth starved and buying faster memory over the standard is pc3200 is generally pointless. Simply compare 754 vs 939 benches for proof.

    With A64 systems, faster memory modules will give big huge improvements in synthetic benchmarks like Sisoft but do ziltch in real world benchmarks.

    http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2676&p=5
    The Ballistix only gives ~3% improvement going from 200->300(pc4800) which is pathetic. Other modules in the roundup have bigger 'improvements' but that is due to their terrible pc3200 performance (since fast memory modules are bad when configured to run at pc3200).

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