A computer noob making a PC...

[Bronx]

Im looking to make my own computer, and i need help.

I want the game to run smooth everywhere a MAX resolution.
Including the cities. Help me find the computer components i need like the right mother board, and video card. I dont want to spent alot either. 500 or 600 at the most, cuz im gonna use my old monoter and speakers.

[Aniedi]

You can't do what you want to do for 500 or 600. It will be more like 900 - 1500 or more.

[Bronx]

whoa! getting a PC sure isn't easy on the wallet. I guess i was asking for too much, what do you recommend for the game to run fine at max?

[Bronx]

ok, i did have a thing in mind, but i didnt know if it would be good enough to run FFXI w/o ne lag and such at max, or at one res lower.

512MB RAM
60 GB hard drive
128 MB Video card
at least 2.0Ghz processor

I know the specs, but dont know what to buy..

[Raid]

up the ram count to 1024
get a Ati 9800pro
and yeah maybe 2.6ghz cpu

should do to much damage on the wallet, use the rest of the old shit in your current computer and put it in the new one.

you probably need a new motherboard to with that CPU
should be in your pricerange and youll be able to play max res with no high end problems, just keep in mind that most computers as well as the ps2 freaks out when there is massive loads on the screen.

[Amatsu]

Dont build a pc , if your new to it youll get ripped off, i bought my pc for 1100 pounds which is $1970 which aint alot and its a:

3.2 Ghz Pentium 4 with HT (HT=faster)
1024 ddr ram
Ati 9800 128Mb
120Gb hard drive
+ TFT monitor and most of the other usual stuff.

[Melkor]

Where did you get that comp Amatsu.
Sounds very nice, and 1100 aint bad.

[Amatsu]

www.dell.co.uk i got it in the sales so its a good price but they are still on so check it out if you want.

[Siber]

Ok, keep the ram at 512 (unless you can afford to go up to 1024, but save that til last), just make sure it's at least DDR PC2700. Get a CPU (between 2.0 and 2.6) w/ either 333 or 400 FSB (if 400, get PC3200 RAM). I run a "Barton" 2500+, 512 MB PC2700, and a 9600 XT and it is flawless everywhere BUT at the auction house. Hard drive doesn't matter. And you start building your own PC. if you always avoid for fear of "getting ripped off" for being new, you'll never start lol. You just need to shop around. One site I highly suggest for service and almost always price is www.newegg.com Also, HyperThreading (HT) does not mean faster. Usually, it just means slower. It's a pretty useless function for a single CPU to have. If you want two, then get a dual CPU mobo and 2 CPUs but don't think that HT is a wonderful thing.

[Cometgreen]

I recently upgraded my comp for about $750. This is what I got:

MSI K7N2 Delta-L (nForce2 Ultra 400) mobo
AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 400 FSB version
768 mb PC3200 ram (3 sticks of 256)
Gainward GoldPack FX5700 Ultra

Along with a heatsink fan and stuff, and a new power supply (330w Antec Truepower, it's really quiet). If you take down the processor to maybe even a 2500+ (make sure it's a Barton core, of course), and maybe get a less expensive motherboard (this one was for 400 fsb, you would only need 333 fsb). You could do with only 512mb PC2700 ram if you want, but try to use two sticks of 256mb. And the graphics card is your choice; if you're a Radeon fan, go for the Radeon 9600XT.

Of course remember that this is assuming you have a case and soundcard and everything. If you get the retail version of a motherboard, it should come with the proper cables (MSI does anyway), and if you are going to go with an nForce board, you can use the onboard sound. But anyway, something like that should run perfectly at 1024x768 with everything up. I don't know about 1600x1200, mainly cause I'm not interested in going that high.

Cometgreen