What are you playing?

[insektmute]

My build is a little long in the tooth at this point. I built it towards the end of 2011 so my 560 TI isn't holding up like it used to. Not only that, but it's a PCI-e 2.0 port/card so I need a new motherboard.

Luckily, my CPU (an i7-2600k) shares a slot type with the generation 3 i7's. So I think at this point, I can just get a new motherboard (and at a pretty cheap price since everyone is focusing on Haswell CPU now), and a video card. Reuse my CPU and everything else. If I find my CPU is a bottleneck, I'll just get a gen 3 i7. There really isn't much of a performance gain between gen 3 and gen 4 to worry about it.

Still mulling over my options. I just started looking this morning coincidentally enough lol.

It's funny how fast things have been moving tech-wise. The 560 Ti was a great card, as was my 660 Ti, but neither of them are capable of running Inquisition especially well.

For what it's worth though, the game definitely leans on the GPU more than the CPU. You could probably get away with using your existing CPU without much trouble, since Haswell and Ivy Bridge both mostly focused on lower power consumption rather than performance, but you'd probably need a GTX 970 or R9 290 to really pump the graphics settings up.

I decided to do something stupid, given my rough financial state, and put an R9 290 on my credit card. Only $249 on Amazon, thanks to Black Friday Week sales, and it should (if benchmarks are any indication) allow me to squeeze out a 20-30fps bump with all settings on Ultra. Probably won't be doing 4x MSAA, though I'm curious whether using Mantle instead of DirectX will make any difference and give me a bit more headroom.

I suspect mid-late 2015 is gonna be the prime time to upgrade the CPU and mobo though, at which point I'll probably switch back to Intel. AMD's done alright on the GPU side, but really dropped the ball with their CPUs, and the recent Vishera refresh offers negligible performance bumps with a freaking 225W(!) TDP. Terrible!

[disgaeniac]

As someone who hasn't gamed on a PC in...decades, I'm always curious & wonder about all the ads that I'm always seeing for those "Alienware" pre-built gaming computers.

Also, more recently - I've started seeing ads (by, presumably, the same company) for a "pre-built home console".

Is this stuff really anything special *OR* is it just marketed at the lazy, the unknowing & ignorant; completely UN-Tech-savvy folks (like myself), who'd rather 'pay' than 'learn' how to build everything, from the ground up, themselves?

I'm not about to out & buy myself one...If/when I ever decided to buy/make myself a gaming PC, or if I ever got tired of consoles & finished playing all of dem gamez in da backlog (which, in & of itself, renders doing so an impossibility); I'd certainly talk to people like Erik, Greg, Foxy, etc here who either game on PC's a lot, work in related fields, and - simply put...know wtf they're talking about

So, anyone have, tried, and/or know anything about these Alien gadgets -n- gizmo's?

[bobster]

My build is a little long in the tooth at this point. I built it towards the end of 2011 so my 560 TI isn't holding up like it used to. Not only that, but it's a PCI-e 2.0 port/card so I need a new motherboard.

Luckily, my CPU (an i7-2600k) shares a slot type with the generation 3 i7's. So I think at this point, I can just get a new motherboard (and at a pretty cheap price since everyone is focusing on Haswell CPU now), and a video card. Reuse my CPU and everything else. If I find my CPU is a bottleneck, I'll just get a gen 3 i7. There really isn't much of a performance gain between gen 3 and gen 4 to worry about it.

Still mulling over my options. I just started looking this morning coincidentally enough lol.

It's funny how fast things have been moving tech-wise. The 560 Ti was a great card, as was my 660 Ti, but neither of them are capable of running Inquisition especially well.

For what it's worth though, the game definitely leans on the GPU more than the CPU. You could probably get away with using your existing CPU without much trouble, since Haswell and Ivy Bridge both mostly focused on lower power consumption rather than performance, but you'd probably need a GTX 970 or R9 290 to really pump the graphics settings up.

I decided to do something stupid, given my rough financial state, and put an R9 290 on my credit card. Only $249 on Amazon, thanks to Black Friday Week sales, and it should (if benchmarks are any indication) allow me to squeeze out a 20-30fps bump with all settings on Ultra. Probably won't be doing 4x MSAA, though I'm curious whether using Mantle instead of DirectX will make any difference and give me a bit more headroom.

I suspect mid-late 2015 is gonna be the prime time to upgrade the CPU and mobo though, at which point I'll probably switch back to Intel. AMD's done alright on the GPU side, but really dropped the ball with their CPUs, and the recent Vishera refresh offers negligible performance bumps with a freaking 225W(!) TDP. Terrible!

Yup technology definitely keeps moving forward. I agree with you about the CPU probably being fine. Like you said, they mostly focus on power efficiency rather than performance now. Hell, most video games don't even bother to use Hyper-threading at this point let alone any other fancy instructions the new CPUs might bring. Usually that is taken advantage of by Hypervisors.

As for a new video card, I haven't decided yet on what to do there. My usual mode of thinking is to get the generation before the latest one. Too expensive for me to buy a brand spanking new card usually. Still weighing my options though.

I used AMD CPUs back when Intel was being lazy and not really innovating back in the late 90s/2000's. But then Intel got their head back in the game and I switched back. I had way too many issues with AMD drivers for a while there around the 64 bit transition.

This is still all up in the air as I don't really have extra cash to spend at the moment. Just started looking at my options to see what to save up for.

[bobster]

As someone who hasn't gamed on a PC in...decades, I'm always curious & wonder about all the ads that I'm always seeing for those "Alienware" pre-built gaming computers.

Also, more recently - I've started seeing ads (by, presumably, the same company) for a "pre-built home console".

Is this stuff really anything special *OR* is it just marketed at the lazy, the unknowing & ignorant; completely UN-Tech-savvy folks (like myself), who'd rather 'pay' than 'learn' how to build everything, from the ground up, themselves?

I'm not about to out & buy myself one...If/when I ever decided to buy/make myself a gaming PC, or if I ever got tired of consoles & finished playing all of dem gamez in da backlog (which, in & of itself, renders doing so an impossibility); I'd certainly talk to people like Erik, Greg, Foxy, etc here who either game on PC's a lot, work in related fields, and - simply put...know wtf they're talking about

So, anyone have, tried, and/or know anything about these Alien gadgets -n- gizmo's?

I've never really used any myself, but I've had plenty of friends who bought Alienware laptops. If they're doing desktop computers now, I'm not sure.

If it's the laptops you're talking about, when buying a gaming laptop you have to remember that 1: it'll never perform as well as a desktop, 2: They'll be more expensive than something with comparable capabilities, and 3: they don't tend to stay powerful enough for as long.

They work well when they first come out and play most of the new games relatively decent for the time. 2 years down the road though, people generally seem unhappy with the performance trying to run a game.

But the flipside is what your requirements are! Some people don't want to dedicate a desk or entire room to a computer in their house. Portability and space constraints definitely play into it. Also, if you don't mind doing a laptop refresh every 2 years or so, then no problem! I always try to remember that people have different requirements than me and sometimes have more money than I do lol.

If it's pre-built desktops, I have no experience with those.

[argyle]

As someone who hasn't gamed on a PC in...decades, I'm always curious & wonder about all the ads that I'm always seeing for those "Alienware" pre-built gaming computers.

Also, more recently - I've started seeing ads (by, presumably, the same company) for a "pre-built home console".

Is this stuff really anything special *OR* is it just marketed at the lazy, the unknowing & ignorant; completely UN-Tech-savvy folks (like myself), who'd rather 'pay' than 'learn' how to build everything, from the ground up, themselves?

I'm not about to out & buy myself one...If/when I ever decided to buy/make myself a gaming PC, or if I ever got tired of consoles & finished playing all of dem gamez in da backlog (which, in & of itself, renders doing so an impossibility); I'd certainly talk to people like Erik, Greg, Foxy, etc here who either game on PC's a lot, work in related fields, and - simply put...know wtf they're talking about

So, anyone have, tried, and/or know anything about these Alien gadgets -n- gizmo's?

IMO Alienware machines are way overpriced. Cheapest route of course is to build one yourself, but I'm aware that not everyone can/wants to do that. Second best option then is to find a good local PC place & let them build you one.  Just make sure they're reputable & won't try to oversell you, and if you know anyone that's computer savvy get them to go with you if possible.

That said...personal preference here, but I hate gaming on my PC. You're constantly tweaking graphic settings, upgrading your drivers, etc. to get games running correctly. I personally found myself more aware of and therefore more annoyed by the framerate; since you have direct control over it by adjusting EVERY. SINGLE. GRAPHICAL. OPTION. IMAGINABLE. then I found myself constantly tweaking, trying to see if that was better or worse, re-tweaking, looking up what settings other people used, finding out the game was just buggy or badly optimised...ugh. Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

I screw with computers all day as a job, the LAST thing I want to do when I'm relaxing is do the same thing. I know some people love it, and when I was younger it didn't really bother me. The older I get, the less I have any interest at all in messing with it. IMO, there is not a significant difference anyway between most games on the new consoles & PC - especially if you're running the PC connected to your TV, which is the only way I would do it since I'm not dropping down from my 55" just so I can up the resolution a bit.

Anyway, not trying to rain on anyone's parade that enjoys that, I know there IS a difference and again I know some ppl love that stuff. For me, the benefits aren't worth the hassle. YMMV

[kamikazekeeg]

If you want a pre-built PC, it's probably best to look at Newegg and just browse good reviewed ones on there, but stay away from certain brand ones such as Alienware.  Well known for being incredibly overpriced. Fancy, they can work well, but you are generally paying for a name.  Then again if you got some seriously disposable income and it doesn't matter to much at that point.  Alienware doesn't hurt, it's just for the budget minded of folks lol

I would also slightly agree with Argyle, is there is opportunity for your fancy built computer to have issues with a game not running well or needing to have graphic options tweaked to make it work as good as it can, but I've found that there aren't a lot of games I come across that I don't have do to much for.

I would say it mostly depends on the kinds of games you are wanting.  Like I can't go back to a shooter on console to any serious degree.  They are the WORST on console.  Usually no dedicated servers and the controller is garbage compared to mouse and keyboard.  But if you like mostly...platformers...or maybe RPGS...or just kinda a variation of all that, it would probably be best to just stick with new console like PS4 and Wii U.  You'll get most of it and it's more easy to work with.  For me, I play a lot of stuff like shooters and kinda different games that just aren't there on console or better on PC.  Like Skyrim and Fallout on PC are significantly better experiences because of the modding scene.

[bobster]

I'll just throw my two cents in. Some of the perks of playing on PC are the incredible deals you'll find on games between Steam sales, Amazon sales now a days, and Humble Bundle. Also while they are few and far between at this point, there are games that are made specifically with PC in mind that blow away their console counterparts. I'm thinking the Elder Scroll series and the Witcher series stand out for me. Also Fallout like kamikazekeeg mentioned.

While Argyle definitely has a point, I find that really only applies to the latest and greatest AAA games that come out. Which coincidentally enough, tend to run buggy even on consoles at this point when they aren't first patched. For a good majority of the games, indie and the like, there's little if any tweaking that needs to be done. Also, with programs like the Geforce experience put out by Nvidia, it can optimize the settings for most games for you since it knows what your build is.

As far as drivers are concerned, that's definitely less of an issue since Windows 7 and up. I find a lot of the people that hate PC gaming is because they were involved in it back in the 90s and early 2000s when it did in fact suck.

At this point it's really all preference. I play as many games on the PC as I can to support those companies that are still doing it. Adding the fact that you can use a XBox or PS3/4 controller on the PC helps even more. Right now I'm playing Assassin's Creed 4 on the PC and couldn't be more happy.

[tafk]

Just started playing Final Fantasy Tactics yesterday. Holy crap this game is awesome. And it's also pretty challenging. Loving this man.

[disgaeniac]

Just started playing Final Fantasy Tactics yesterday. Holy crap this game is awesome. And it's also pretty challenging. Loving this man.

PS1?

PSP?

FFT's another one of those 'classics' that I haven't gotten around to playing yet (though, I do have both the PS1 & the PSP versions) -and- from what I've heard & read...it seems like the PSP version is the definitive one & the way to go.  Plus, if I went w/ the PSP one - I could still play/display it on my big screen

That said, considering my genre(s) of choice - I'm sure that I've already played many games that are a lot like it

[tafk]

Just started playing Final Fantasy Tactics yesterday. Holy crap this game is awesome. And it's also pretty challenging. Loving this man.

PS1?

PSP?

FFT's another one of those 'classics' that I haven't gotten around to playing yet (though, I do have both the PS1 & the PSP versions) -and- from what I've heard & read...it seems like the PSP version is the definitive one & the way to go.  Plus, if I went w/ the PSP one - I could still play/display it on my big screen

That said, considering my genre(s) of choice - I'm sure that I've already played many games that are a lot like it

PS1, I don't know why PSP would be preferred but I'm loving the PS1 version. Only bad part is I can't skip cutscenes if I lose a battle but thats fine with me.

[bobster]

Just started playing Final Fantasy Tactics yesterday. Holy crap this game is awesome. And it's also pretty challenging. Loving this man.

PS1?

PSP?

FFT's another one of those 'classics' that I haven't gotten around to playing yet (though, I do have both the PS1 & the PSP versions) -and- from what I've heard & read...it seems like the PSP version is the definitive one & the way to go.  Plus, if I went w/ the PSP one - I could still play/display it on my big screen

That said, considering my genre(s) of choice - I'm sure that I've already played many games that are a lot like it

PS1, I don't know why PSP would be preferred but I'm loving the PS1 version. Only bad part is I can't skip cutscenes if I lose a battle but thats fine with me.

The PSP has a better translation than the original. I know there's more than that, but the original can be pretty bad in parts. Regardless of that though, it's still a great game.

[foxhack]

I picked up Arkham Origins again, I'm in the start of the New Game Plus mode. I just got to Deathstroke. I realized that I was missing the Deathstroke achievement - the one where you have to beat him without missing a counter.

Well, thirty tries and a couple of training bouts later, I whooped his ass in New Game Plus mode without missing once, and I didn't have to spam him with the grappling hook to do so. The toughest part isn't beating him, it's dealing with the crappy mouse button detection that sometimes doesn't register when you press the button and instead brings up a tool. :|

[insektmute]

As someone who hasn't gamed on a PC in...decades, I'm always curious & wonder about all the ads that I'm always seeing for those "Alienware" pre-built gaming computers.

Also, more recently - I've started seeing ads (by, presumably, the same company) for a "pre-built home console".

Is this stuff really anything special *OR* is it just marketed at the lazy, the unknowing & ignorant; completely UN-Tech-savvy folks (like myself), who'd rather 'pay' than 'learn' how to build everything, from the ground up, themselves?

I'm not about to out & buy myself one...If/when I ever decided to buy/make myself a gaming PC, or if I ever got tired of consoles & finished playing all of dem gamez in da backlog (which, in & of itself, renders doing so an impossibility); I'd certainly talk to people like Erik, Greg, Foxy, etc here who either game on PC's a lot, work in related fields, and - simply put...know wtf they're talking about

So, anyone have, tried, and/or know anything about these Alien gadgets -n- gizmo's?

I'll preface this by saying that I've been building computers since I was in my early teens, and outside of a cheap laptop I received as a gift, I've never deliberately bought a pre-built computer.

Alienware cultivated a pretty good reputation for awhile, but their cachet has diminished quite a bit since Dell bought them. Looking back, I suspect their reputation was really more the result of marketing than anything else - you couldn't turn a page in PC Gamer back in the 90s without seeing their ads.

That being said, about the only brand I'd ever consider would be Asus, and if I ever get another laptop, it'll be from them. Their PC components are absolutely fantastic, and judging from reliability reports, their laptops are at the top of the pile as well. They tend to be a little more expensive than HP, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, and Dell, but they're also the only company out of the lot who make their own products. The rest all outsource their stuff, primarily to Foxconn, and while they've occasionally made components for the enthusiast market, I doubt you could find even one person who takes them seriously.

[retroone]

Anytime I get the chance I am going to be play The Last of Us Remastered. Why? Because I am the Last of Us to play it!

[exonerator]

I was gifted The Shivah on Steam earlier today. It's really good, even though it's quite short, but I guess it's worth the $2 it's on sale for right now. I'd recommend it. It's also easy to 100% if you're an achievement hunter.