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CPU + Mobo + Ram setup for Far Cry

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Hello,

I'm trying to stay under $200 for this combo if possible. I need to upgrade my current setup. I don't need any other parts except for CPU, Mobo, and Ram. I don't plan to OC unless necessary.

I don't play a lot of games, but I definitely want my new setup to be able to handle FarCry 2 and whatever the last Hitman game was (I think 4) without any problems. Maybe that's not a big deal in the gaming world though. lol

Other than that, I just do a lot of FB'ing and Excel spreadsheets. Right now at Newegg I'm eyeing the following and would appreciate your thoughts:

- ECS A780GM-M3 AM2+/AM3 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard for $65.

- AMD Athlon II X3 425 Rana 2.7GHz;

- WINTEC AMPX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400).

I am running Win XP Pro currently. I do prefer the mobo's that have 4 memory slots in case I buy more later but not a biggie. I do prefer the Asus and Gigabyte boards but I have used MSI and ECS before so please share your thoughts. Also, I do tend to like the boards that have NVidia onboard.

Thanks,
Bernie

More about : cpu mobo ram setup cry

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Does an triple core sound ok for this or would I save some money and speed by staying with a dual core setup for what I want it to do (since I'm not a heavy gamer) Thanks for the quick response.
Homebuilt system Master

Triple cores are actually the best CPUs for gaming. Besides, the X3 425 is one of the cheapest AM3 CPUs available. I don't recommend dropping down to a dual core. IMO, dual cores shouldn't be used except in the very, very low budget builds (like $400 for the entire thing).
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Ok, now I just realized I need to throw a screwball in this. My current power supply will not work. If I now need a CPU+Mobo+Ram+PSU, can I stay under $200 with this or another setup? If it helps I currently have a 10% off coupon from Newegg. LOL. Thanks MadAdmiral for your quick responses.

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Homebuilt system Master

Just making sure it didn't need a lot of power. Keep in mind that the GPU is the main determination of what games you can play at how well the computer will play them. So odds are that performance won't be good despite the upgrades...

This is the closest I could get: Corsair 400W $40 after rebate.

Brings the total to $247 total, $222.30 after 10% off, and $202.30 after rebates.

EDIT: Don't forget Bing's cashback for Newegg. I believe it's 2% right now...
Homebuilt system Master

It's a POS. You really don't want to skimp on PSU quality. I recommend sticky to units from Antec (not the Basiq line), Corsair, FSP, SeaSonic, Silverstone and PC Power & Cooling. There are a few exceptions to this list, but Coolermaster is not one of them.

Also, I have a 'dumb' question. What if I went with a better mobo that has integrated NVidia or ATI graphics. Does that not help for FarCry2 or do I need to stay away from that and plan on using my current GeForce 6800?
Homebuilt system Master

Integrated graphics aren't any good for gaming. Typically, they are only used for general use computing or media playing. However, the GPU you're using is so old, I can't find benchmarks for it. Odds are that you will need to replace the GPU anyway, at which point having onboard graphics is pointless.

Ok, ok. Good to know. With that said, what is the lowest GPU you would recommend me getting. Really I don't want to play more than Far Cry 2 but that's no biggie. My current system is an old shuttle P4. Should I just upgrade the GPU in that. I've seen some 512mb ATi 1650 cards that are still AGP 8x. I just hate it when I'm in facebook online poker and the game sticks/delays sometimes.
PS - the Nvidia 6800 is not currently in the P4 system.
Homebuilt system Master

What's the monitor's resolution? Check out the charts section. Far Cry 2 is one of the benchmarks. Typically, anything over 30 FPS is playable.

For 1600x, an HD 4850 or 9800 GT would be good enough. For 1900x, you'd need something above the 8800 Ultra.

Let me pose another question. Is there any better quality RAM you would recommend that might cost just a little bit more. Since I am now over $200, if it were only $10 more to get a better quality DDR3 ram, I'd rather do that. Just curious. Thanks!

Thanks to MadAdmiral and everyone else that weighed in. Much appreciated. I will go ahead and place my order at Newegg for:

-CPU/Mobo: X3 425 and Gigabyte GA-770T-UD3P
-RAM: Crucial Ballistix 2GB 2x1 GB DDR3 1333
-Corsair 400W
Homebuilt system Authority

And even look at older gen stuff that shows up as higher, like the 3870 HD which you can find on ebay for like $50-60 (though I don't know how much that PSU can take, my system with a 4670 is running a 530-watt, probably unnecessarily high for that)

Thanks. Yeah, I have been looking at the following three:

1. SAPPHIRE 100295HDMI Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$65

2. ASUS ENGT240/DI/1GD3/A GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit DDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$69 after rebates

3. ASUS EN9500GT/DI/1GD2/V2/A GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit DDR2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$42 after rebates.

Thoughts?
Homebuilt system Master

Definitely not the last one. It's not even close on performance to the others.

According to that same article I linked to above (page #2), the best performing card in the price range is the HD 4670.
Homebuilt system Authority

If you're gonna go for it the 4670 is capable of a surprising amount. In the system I have it in, (which has a 4600+ x2) it ran dawn of war 2 maxed out at 720p

It's also funny to see "only" and "Farcry 2" in the same sentence.

Yeah. I loved Far Cry 1 and the first 3 hitmen series. I guess I also loved the Unreal Tournaments up til 3. I ordered the 4670 earlier today from NewEgg. Appreciate your comments & guidance False_Dmitry.

Help! I had to return my Crucial Ballistix 2GB 2x1 GB DDR3 1333 memory back to NewEgg because one of the sticks was defective. I get the feeling they might be out of stock to replace it and might have to find a different solution. If I have to find a different set of RAM do I need to stick to 7-7-7-24 timing for best results or is there an alternate? What about this memory for my system (which is on Gigabyte's approved list), its DDR3 1600 though... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
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