Custom desktop computer

[arizonachris]

Add a 1Tb storage drive to that tiny 250Gb SATA drive. You'll fill that up in no time, Mike. Wow, that's one heck of a rig you're building there. That Phenom II 970 is a great CPU, almost bulletproof. I have the GA-990XA-UD3 and an FX4100 Bulldozer CPU (I had the 970 but wanted faster RAM speed)

Now, bottom line. You are just doing this because it's time, not just for RW. it's gonna be a tossup as to how much boost in performance you will see in RW. Any other game you have, that rig will run it with everything on ultra and great frame rates.

Recording with FRAPS and running RW has always seen issues with frame rates. Jerry posted about that (somewhere)I guess there are other recorders out there, I just use FRAPS to see my frame rates and take screen shots.

Oh, you will see a big difference between that old PC and this new one. You doing Win 7 64 bit I presume?

[PapaXpress]

uh... that 8 gigs of RAM is not going to be accessible by a 32bit OS. Please reconsider.

[arizonachris]

A single ATI card can run three monitors, but you need two Nvidia cards to run three or four monitors. Only two monitors per Nvidia card.

I tried a multi monitor setup a while back and found it to be a PITA. The width of the plastic bezel around the monitor fluxed with the screen image. I tried several different kludges, but it just never looked right. This 24" Asus LED flattie looks and works just fine. (until Black Friday when I get my 32") I'm getting an EVGA GTX680 in a week or so, just because I want it. I'll let you know how bad RW runs on it. NKL1 seems to think his rig is the bee's knees right now.

[Hawk]

I used to have a 3 monitor set up and loved it, then one of my monitors died. Now I'm down to two monitors. I miss that 3rd monitor. I'm trying to find another 19" or 21" in a yard sale.
I still use CRT monitors. I just like them better than the new LCD stuff.

[arizonachris]

Ed, you use multi monitors for multi tasking, so it's kinda different from us that want a wide screen for gaming. CRT monitors have a huge bezel, not really suited for gaming. I could send you my 21" Envision, but shipping cost would be nuts.

Mike, you'll be fine with one card/ two monitors for now. In the future, tho, if you want to go SLI, it has to be a matching card.

[Hawk]

Ed, you use multi monitors for multi tasking, so it's kinda different from us that want a wide screen for gaming. CRT monitors have a huge bezel, not really suited for gaming. I could send you my 21" Envision, but shipping cost would be nuts.

Good point Chris. I do more multi-tasking than gaming anyway, at least modern gaming. I still play a lot of old games; Railroad Tycoon, 18 Wheels of Steel, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Carnivores.

I try to find flat screen CRT monitors when I can, but the selection of CRT monitors these days is becoming slim.
I appreciate the offer of your 21" Envision, but you're right. I could probably buy 4 monitors at yard sales for what the shipping would be to send that one.

[Chacal]

I couldn't live without my 3 monitors, but I still use only one for gaming.