[Lifee Mccaslin]

Actually, no. I wanted to know if i needed to upgrade my pc. I've decided on Alienware. I'm going with this http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-area51-alx/pd?refid=alienware-area-51-alx&~ck=mn (2GB2 Tri-Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600Mhz - 3 DIMMS /// Tri-CrossFireX 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon? HD 6950 /// Overclocked Intel? Core? i7 990x Extreme Six Core Processor (4.0GHz, 12MB Cache) )

Save yourself some money and get a 2500K, no telling if Skyrim will use 4 cores well... much less six. Otherwise, awesome... though there is no telling how well Tri-fire will scale with Skyrim as well so I would get two HD6970 now instead and a 3rd after I saw some benchmarks.

[Roberto Gaeta]

Actually, no. I wanted to know if i needed to upgrade my pc. I've decided on Alienware. I'm going with this http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-area51-alx/pd?refid=alienware-area-51-alx&~ck=mn (2GB2 Tri-Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600Mhz - 3 DIMMS /// Tri-CrossFireX 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon? HD 6950 /// Overclocked Intel? Core? i7 990x Extreme Six Core Processor (4.0GHz, 12MB Cache) )

Please don't get Alienware. They're very overpriced cause you're paying for badge. Plus the money difference between a 2600K and a 990X is waht 700 bucks (guessing), with that money you can probably replace that Tri 6950 setup with a Tri GTX 580 (fully custom) which would benefit you A LOT more in gaming.

[Cash n Class]

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/ati-radeon-hd-5000/hd-5750/Pages/ati-radeon-hd-5750-overview.aspx#3

[Stephy Beck]

I am not an ATI fan but yes its a decent one although not the best its mid range and it beats my 9600 though which ran Oblivion modded with ease

[lisa nuttall]

Proccesor: AMD Athlon II x4 955 quad core system 3.2GH
Graphics Card: Raedon HD 5750 1gb
?RAM: 8Gb ddr3

What setting could you run on 1920 x 1080

[Jade MacSpade]

I am not an ATI fan but yes its a decent one although not the best its mid range and it beats my 9600 though which ran Oblivion modded with ease

I have the same card as you...do you think it'll be able to run Skyrim at High - 1680x1050? I'm a bit skeptical...

P.D: I'm no ATi fan either

[Dan Wright]

Proccesor: AMD Athlon II x4 955 quad core system 3.2GH
Graphics Card: Raedon HD 5750 1gb
?RAM: 8Gb ddr3

What setting could you run on 1920 x 1080

I'd say that'll get high settings.

And I presume you mean 'AMD Phenom II x4 955 quad core system 3.2GH.'

[Mike Plumley]

Proccesor: AMD Athlon II x4 955 quad core system 3.2GH
Graphics Card: Raedon HD 5750 1gb
?RAM: 8Gb ddr3

What setting could you run on 1920 x 1080

I have the same specs except I have a Radeon HD 6870 not a 5750. It hard to say with that graphics card but i would say medium to high maybe not maxed with playable frame rate. A shame about the the graphics card kind of lets it down a bit maybe something a little stronger like a 5770 or 6850 would have been a bit more worthy but I wouldnt worry too much id say medium to high at a minimum.

[Brooke Turner]

What do you lot think?

i5 2310
HD 6770
6GB RAM
720p

New desktop I was considering getting, since my laptop will only run Skyrim at about medium.

[Steven Nicholson]

What do you lot think?

i5 2310
HD 6770
6GB RAM
720p

New desktop I was considering getting, since my laptop will only run Skyrim at about medium.

It should run the game fine around high settings. Maybe not maxing the game. Though only 720p? You should consider a monitor with atleast 1600x900 or 1920x1080.

[Portions]

It should run the game fine around high settings. Maybe not maxing the game. Though only 720p? You should consider a monitor with atleast 1600x900 or 1920x1080.

I'm not sure if I want a new monitor or not. My current one isn't to bad, but I was considering just hooking it up to my 22" 720p and occasionally my 44" 1080p.

[Amiee Kent]

I'm not sure if I want a new monitor or not. My current one isn't to bad, but I was considering just hooking it up to my 22" 720p and occasionally my 44" 1080p.

I'm going to upgrade my monitor as well. I confess I'm even tempted to buy a 30' one, with a resolution of 2560x1600.

Problem is that they are WAAAY overprized. You can buy a 1920x1080 27' monitor here for 330 euros, taxes and shipping included. But a 30' one can easily cost 1000 bucks. Is it really worth that price for 3 miserable extra inches and the extra res?

I seriously don't know...although Skyrim (and any other game) at that res would be just a celestial experience...I have no doubt about that.

[Jose ordaz]

I'm going to upgrade my monitor as well. I confess I'm even tempted to buy a 30' one, with a resolution of 2560x1600.

Problem is that they are WAAAY overprized. You can buy a 1920x1080 27' monitor here for 330 euros, taxes and shipping included. But a 30' one can easily cost 1000 bucks. Is it really worth that price for 3 miserable extra inches and the extra res?

I seriously don't know...although Skyrim (and any other game) at that res would be just a celestial experience...I have no doubt about that.

I don't know the exchange rate between AU$ and the euro but this is exactly what I mean. Skyrim will no doubt be better on a 1080p screen, but is the large price difference really worth it?

[Tanya Parra]

Any thoughts about how the higher end* model of the new http://www.apple.com/macmini/ compares with XBox or PS3 hardware?

http://www.apple.com/macmini/specs.html:
Graphics - http://www.amd.com/us/products/notebook/graphics/amd-radeon-6000m/amd-radeon-6700m-6600m/Pages/amd-radeon-6700m-6600m.aspx#2 with 256MB of GDDR5 memory (no substitutions!) (AnandTech http://www.anandtech.com/show/4444/amd-llano-notebook-review-a-series-fusion-apu-a8-3500m/11 (green bars))
Processor - 2.5GHz i5 (upgradable to 2.7GHz i7)
RAM - 4GB (upgradable to 8)
Max power - 85 W
Noise - 16dBA at idle

Price:
$799 (~$1000 with i7 and non-Apple 8GB RAM) (plus tax) (+$79 for the #$%@#% external optical drive)


IMO, with the low power consumption and tiny size, the mini could make a pretty good HTPC + light gaming machine + always-on home machine, and the price is probably not too much higher than homebuilts (haven't speced one out recently though, so please don't flame me! :biggrin:)


* The low end model has Intel HD Graphics 3000 with shared 288 MB DDR3 SDRAM, which I'm guessing is not going to cut it...

[Spencey!]

Any thoughts about how the higher end* model of the new http://www.apple.com/macmini/ compares with XBox or PS3 hardware?

It won't max skyrim, but it's easily portable.

[JaNnatul Naimah]

I don't know the exchange rate between AU$ and the euro but this is exactly what I mean. Skyrim will no doubt be better on a 1080p screen, but is the large price difference really worth it?

Here at least it's like this:

- Less than 27': 100-300

- 27': 300-350

- 30' and more: 1000 +

So while the 27' monitors have a good price-quality ratio compared to inferior inch monitors, the 30' are nearly unjustificably much more expensive.

But while 27' monitors are 1080p, 30' and more (generally) are super-1080p (up to 2560x1600), so that means more detail and general amazingness.

[LuBiE LoU]

Here at least it's like this:

- Less than 27': 100-300

- 27': 300-350

- 30' and more: 1000 +

And for that price, I would want something along the lines http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001428

[maddison]

Quick question: What's a better performance checker than System Requirements Lab? Someone posted a link to a really good one, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Anyone know of a few good ones they stand by?

Thanks. :thumbsup:

[Dezzeh]

And for that price, I would want something along the lines http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001428

Heh, you've got some point. But as you said, being 23' each one, it should cost around 1050-1100 at most 1000 or so.

Again, what an overprized crap...

[Jessica Raven]

Here at least it's like this:

- Less than 27': 100-300

- 27': 300-350

- 30' and more: 1000 +

So while the 27' monitors have a good price-quality ratio compared to inferior inch monitors, the 30' are nearly unjustificably much more expensive.

But while 27' monitors are 1080p, 30' and more (generally) are super-1080p (up to 2560x1600), so that means more detail and general amazingness.

Well I'd be more than happy playing Skyrim on less than 27", I am now anyway.

[Jodie Bardgett]

Heh, you've got some point. But as you said, being 23' each one, it should cost around 1050-1100 at most 1000 or so.

Again, what an overprized crap...

True, the only big advantage that I see using that instead of 3 independent monitors is that it uses small bezels. Eh....I will stick to my 1920x1080 37" for now.

[Dona BlackHeart]

Well I'd be more than happy playing Skyrim on less than 27", I am now anyway.

True, the only big advantage that I see using that instead of 3 independent monitors is that it uses small bezels. Eh....I will stick to my 1920x1080 37" for now.

I think I'll go with a 27' monitor. Nice quality/price ratio, affordable and it fits nicely on my rather small bedroom

[Misty lt]

Quick question: What's a better performance checker than System Requirements Lab? Someone posted a link to a really good one, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Anyone know of a few good ones they stand by?

If the game you are interested in is Microsoft's, their own feature is extremely accurate. SR Labs is so bad that anything is going to be a lot better, but the YouGamer Game-o-Meter is probably second best to Microsoft's.

[Claire Lynham]

but the YouGamer Game-o-Meter is probably second best to Microsoft's.

YES, that's the one. Thank you. :celebration:

[Khamaji Taylor]

Not sure where else to post this, and I've tried looking around on teh googlez for answers, but I find none.

I'm of moderate tech level, and am capable of understanding hardware and software concepts, and have built both of my last two computers personally from parts I hand picked and installed. I'm confused about something, though.

It seems that all of my benchmark testing has come to show me that my GPU's performance (my GPU *specifically*) has dramatically increased after installing a new MoBo, processor, and RAM. Is there a reason for this? I understand that there's going to be a noticable increase in performance due to my adding newer and faster hardware, but my GPU is the same one from my last build, and it's *specifically* showing marked improvement. Anyone know of a reason for this? I would just ignore it, but I don't like not knowing WHY. :thumbsup:

To keep it on topic: I rebuilt for Skyrim! (sort of!)