Buying a new computer in the UK

**Cebei** · 07-13-2006, 23:47

Hello people,

Since the brand new M2TW is on, I am considering a new desktop computer that will run the game smoothly even if I fill the battle map with tons of troops.

First of all, I have read somewhere that M2TW will require approx. +30% of the RTW, but that didn't make any sense. So, could you please make a guess about a system that will run the game smoothly and more important; which dealer would you suggest in the UK. Presumably, I will want reasonable prices and a good guarantee/service.

Thanks in advance
Ceb

**Beirut** · 07-14-2006, 02:37

Best bet - wait and see.

Wait for a few reviews to come out before investing specifically for M:TW2 hardware. Once M:TW2 hits the shelves, the advice and complaints will hit the forums like a tornado and you'll have lots of work to do picking through it.

**Cebei** · 07-14-2006, 03:10

Thanks Beirut,

It will be out around September right? Did anybody play the Beta version?

**LeftEyeNine** · 07-14-2006, 19:58

The release dates fluctuate generally. However CA is not notorious with such behavior. So September is a reliable date.

And I don't think a beta was made public.

**Cebei** · 07-14-2006, 20:02

My main question is this actually:

Would a 256mb graphics card be ok for M2TW, or do you think we should head towards 512mb cards?

**LeftEyeNine** · 07-14-2006, 20:27

Cebei,

First of all gfx cards are not about their memory sizes, they are mostly about the chipsets they are based on.

A Geforce FX 5200 can have 128 MB while my 6600GT has the same, but well you can max out Heroes of Might & Magic 5 with my card, while I am suspicious if the game will be able to run at all with that FX 5200.

So trying to familiarise with chipsets (GPU's -in other words) of the graphics cards will help you a lot. It may take a few days to know generally about what is what but this is a good investment for your all time PC needs.

So the memory is useless? No not at all. For example a year ago or so, there were huge price differences (at least in Turkey) of a good video card's 128 MB and 256 MB versions. But for that time, games were not using much more than 128 MB so that the expensive additional 128 MB you were paying for of a 256 MB video card meant nothing. But as technology evolved rapidly now there is a noticable difference between 128 MB and 256 MB versions of the same video card. Because the games fulfill the capacity of the video cards with more memory.

By saying "same video card", I refer to their chipsets.

Hope this helps.

**orangat** · 07-14-2006, 22:57

Originally Posted by Cebei

My main question is this actually:

Would a 256mb graphics card be ok for M2TW, or do you think we should head towards 512mb cards?

The amount of video memory is often used as a misleading selling point. Much of the vram will never be used if the core or interface is too slow.

The rule of the thumb is only get the stock configuration of video memory. That means 256Mb more than sufficient for x18xx, x19xx, 79xx, 78xx, 68xx cards and 512Mb is enough for the fastest gtx cards and 64Mb is plenty for cheap cards.

I think MTW2 is probably going to be a hardware hog and its going to take at least a x1800xt/7900gt to play it at high settings.