Official System Requirements

[BeCivilized]

BUT YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT 3 YEARS OLD. Oh sure, the physical age of the unit is, but the technology you bought is older than that. Your system would not have been very impressive even 3 years ago. I am sorry but it is true. You don't have to like it, but I don't want my game looking like crap because 3 years ago you bought 2 year old technology and expected miracles. FYI, PC at 5 years of age is OLD. And that's the age of your rig, regardless of the physical date of purchase.

Tell Dell that, not me. I bought it new 3 years ago for almost $1000; if you like to pay a lot of money for a new computer appliance every other year, that is your prerogative. I expect my expensive appliances to work for longer than that. I don't intend to replace this machine for another 3 or 4 years. I guess it's my loss, not to be able to play a game (this is only a game after all), or money in my pocket. The computer works fine for everything else, except high end games, but if I were a hard core gamer I wouldn't be doing it on PC, it would be console. And I wouldn't expect to buy a PS4 to play current games yet.

 

[Guardian_PL]

Tell Dell that, not me. I bought it new 3 years ago for almost $1000; if you like to pay a lot of money for a new computer appliance every other year, that is your prerogative. I expect my expensive appliances to work for longer than that. I don't intend to replace this machine for another 3 or 4 years. I guess it's my loss, not to be able to play a game (this is only a game after all), or money in my pocket. The computer works fine for everything else, except high end games, but if I were a hard core gamer I wouldn't be doing it on PC, it would be console. And I wouldn't expect to buy a PS4 to play current games yet.

Yet another Dell user. Seriously, Dell and gaming?
Oooh and you also said that for gaming you're using a console. Well, then there's nothing to complain about, right? Everyone is entitled to make their own life choices, you've made yours :]

 

[trevort]

Tell Dell that, not me. I bought it new 3 years ago for almost $1000; if you like to pay a lot of money for a new computer appliance every other year, that is your prerogative. I expect my expensive appliances to work for longer than that. I don't intend to replace this machine for another 3 or 4 years. I guess it's my loss, not to be able to play a game (this is only a game after all), or money in my pocket. The computer works fine for everything else, except high end games, but if I were a hard core gamer I wouldn't be doing it on PC, it would be console. And I wouldn't expect to buy a PS4 to play current games yet.

It's not an appliance it's a computer. Appliances don't change much over time. Computers do. A dishwasher is an appliance. Appliances are meant to last for years. A dishwasher you bought yesterday hasn't changed much from one bought 10 years ago. Computers on the other hand, change quite rapidly. The computational power increases so, in turn, software developers create software to take advantage of the increase. Sure, any given computer can function for many years. But eventually they wont be able to run the latest software. Be it games, browsers, or whatever.This quote from wikipedia sums it up nicely.

"Moore's law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware. The number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years. The trend has continued for more than half a century and is not expected to stop until 2015 or later. The capabilities of many digital electronic devices are strongly linked to Moore's law: processing speed, memory capacity, sensors and even the number and size of pixels in digital cameras."

It appears to me that Dell pulled a fast one on you. Sure it was brand new. It was brand new outdated technology. Kinda like buying a never driven 1997 model year car in 2010. To make sure you don't get taken again, do lots of research and don't buy a stock configuration. And don't think of computers as appliances.

 

[aMoralAtheist]

Tell Dell that, not me. I bought it new 3 years ago for almost $1000; if you like to pay a lot of money for a new computer appliance every other year, that is your prerogative. I expect my expensive appliances to work for longer than that. I don't intend to replace this machine for another 3 or 4 years. I guess it's my loss, not to be able to play a game (this is only a game after all), or money in my pocket. The computer works fine for everything else, except high end games, but if I were a hard core gamer I wouldn't be doing it on PC, it would be console. And I wouldn't expect to buy a PS4 to play current games yet.

Learn to build your own. I spent 950 for a quad core 4gb ram and ati 5850 plus blu ray player, usb 3.0 and sata 6.0Gbps support etc. Thats the issue man.

 

[trevort]

Yet another Dell user. Seriously, Dell and gaming?
Oooh and you also said that for gaming you're using a console. Well, then there's nothing to complain about, right? Everyone is entitled to make their own life choices, you've made yours :]

I have a Dell. The only thing wrong with mine is that I need a new video card.

Spoiler :

I have a Sapphire Radeon HD 5670 ordered to replace the stock ATI Radeon HD 2600 xt.

This is my third Dell. The second one was a pre-configured piece of junk that I bought from a local reseller. I'll never buy like that again. I don't think the problem with BeCivilized is necessarily that it is a Dell, but that he got taken for a ride by Dell. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[civ_king]

40 Gb isnt going to hold Windows + video games, You would need 80 Gb as a minimum, I would prefer at least 120 Gb and the cost per GB is too much.

I would be better off buying another two Samsung F3s and raiding them. I have a pair now, but they arent in raid because I dont want to risk losing my data.

Or I could buy a single 2 Gb drive as a backup one, and raid the current F3s.

Oh, or actually, my current two Sammy F3s raided fr video games, a 2 TB drive for backups, and a Sata III 80 Gb SSD for windows. That would be perfect. I'll wait for my current old parts to sell first and see if I have enough after. I could definately get the 2 Tb drive and raid the F3s though.

Hmmmm, £86 for a 2 Gb 7200 rpm drive on offer:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-063-HI&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=

And £114 for a crucial 64 Gb Sata III for windows and a couple of games:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-007-CR&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=

I have 4 hard drive slots, and would need an SSD bracket too. Then I reinstall Windows onto the SSD, back everything up onto the 2 Tb, format and raid my 1 Tbs for my games.

Some of us really only play Civ, so 40GB is enough for a boot drive (that reminds me I need to declutter my Civ IV computer, it is up to 57GB )

 

[BeCivilized]

It's not an appliance it's a computer. Appliances don't change much over time. Computers do.

I guess we disagree. I'm old school, I'm older, and I remember playing Civ 1 on my 386, I still play BOTF and SMAC. I'm not willing to pay a thousand or more dollars for a video game machine every 2 or so years. I see a computer as an appliance, as do I think most computer users (excluding a few hard core gamers here), and most of what we do is browse the internet and write email, maybe a little bit of word processing. My 2002 computer (that I built) can still do that. Upgrading to new machines when the old ones do those functions seems like a waste of my hard earned money, a racket, as I am not a hard core gamer--less than 20% of my computer use is for games. If it's going to cost thousands of bucks to keep up with computer gaming tech, I'm not for that at all, you can have it, and computer gaming is doomed. Maybe Gen Y can throw out computers every 2 years...

Like I said, it will be a bargain bin purchase for me, in about 3 years when the "Complete" version comes out and my "new" outdated computer can run it, and I'll continue to play games that are old (like Civ IV) on my "old" Dell and be happy. I will try the demo though and see how poorly it runs.

 

[tokala]

If it's going to cost thousands of bucks to keep up with computer gaming tech, I'm not for that at all, you can have it, and computer gaming is doomed. Maybe Gen Y can throw out computers every 2 years.

The average age of us Civers is probably well above 30, and most will not use a dedicated "gaming" computer. For keeping up with the hardware requirement of that demographic, it will be suffficient to invest something like $600 every 5 or 6 years and change the video card after half this time for maybe $50-100. The trick is to buy good value for money, and not just assume that X amount of cash will buy you a decently performing machine.
If you do not want to waste your time by trying to find out what "good value for money" might be, the easiest way is to ask people that do, some of those a frequenting CFC

And changing a video card is not more complicated than changing a light bulb, in contrast to appliances, computers are modular machines

 

[SirSaab]

And changing a video card is not more complicated than changing a light bulb, in contrast to appliances, computers are modular machines

It's harder than that. To be fair, when's the last time you had to check whether a current driver version is going to brick your GE compact florescent... Or render your coffee machine useless because it's not compatible?

 

[tokala]

It's harder than that. To be fair, when's the last time you had to check whether a current driver version is going to brick your GE compact florescent... Or render your coffee machine useless because it's not compatible?

Lightbulb:
1. check out which screw base standard, size and wattage you need
2. switch off circuit braker
3. open lamp
4. replace bulb
5. close lamp
6. switch on circuit braker

Video Card
1. check out which form factor, interface type and wattage your need
2. uninstall old driver
3. unplug computer
4. open case
5. replace card
6. close case
7. plug in computer
8. install new driver

Okay, I conside defeat, it IS more complicated
You won't brick your computer by properly installing a new driver. And "compatibility" is an issue with lightbulbs as well

 

[PieceOfMind]

@tokala

Off topic but...
don't unplug your computer (the cord provides grounding for the case), but do switch it off at the power supply.

 

[tokala]

@tokala

Off topic but...
don't unplug your computer (the cord provides grounding for the case), but do switch it off at the power supply.

To be more precize: Unplug, press the power button to unload any charges still in the capacitors, ground yourself, than start tinkering with the machine

 

[PieceOfMind]

And what's the easiest way to ground yourself? Touch the case which is grounded by having the cord plugged in. Alternatively, connect your wrist strap (if you use one) to the power supply which happens to be grounded because it's plugged into the wall.
My point is, leave the cord plugged in.

 

[SirSaab]

In the spirit of the current derailing of this thread, a question has come to my mind:

How many Civ Fanatics does it take to change a lightbulb?

 

[bhavv]

It's harder than that. To be fair, when's the last time you had to check whether a current driver version is going to brick your GE compact florescent... Or render your coffee machine useless because it's not compatible?

Really? I find it more difficult to change a lightbulb than a graphics card now.

I've been using the same energy saver light bulbs for over a decads, and upgrading the PC regularly for the same time, and now the PC uprages are easier than a lightbulb upgrade.

 

[BeCivilized]

I've looked at changing my video card (again, since I already changed it once, resulting in major improvements to Civ IV) and found that I would need a new PSU. My Dell comes with 305 watts total and no 6 or 8 pin connector for the extra power most good boards need. Granted there is probably some more money I could spend on this "outdated" computer, but I've already added a hard drive, 2 Gb RAM, a printer, Media Center remote control, and a better graphics board than this POS came with. I'd be better off with a new machine, I know, but I'm not interested in $1K or $1500 for a new machine just so I can play this game. I'm not interested in Crysis 2, after all, just this game.

Upgrading components is not like changing a light bulb, unless changing a light bulb requires a degree in Computer Science (which I have, in programming, not hardware). Ironic that I should take the "not so fast" attitude with computer hardware upgrades, given the field I work in. I'll build the next machine I buy, sure, but it will be obsolete as soon as I get the thing together.

I appreciate the responses and helpful information I've been given here though.

 

[bigeeze]

Yeah I'm kind of in the same boat as you BeCivilized. I have a Compaq Desktop that's a couple of years old. It's good for absolutely everything I do. I'm not a PC gamer with one exception. CIV! So my problem is my Compaq has a pretty crappy Nvidia 6150SE integrated video card. I'm hoping when the demo comes out it will work on the lower graphics setting. If not I'm looking at at least $200 for a new card and power supply. Plus $50 for the game. $250 just for CiV. I'm guessing it'll be worth it.

 

[tokala]

I've looked at changing my video card (again, since I already changed it once, resulting in major improvements to Civ IV) and found that I would need a new PSU. My Dell comes with 305 watts total and no 6 or 8 pin connector for the extra power most good boards need.

That's the reason I'm advertizing the HD 5570 all over the board, as it will literally run in anything that has an PCIe Slot and delivers a very reasonable performance for its (low) price. You do NOT need a new PSU for a 30W video card, as that is about what your old one is drawing
Ever tried to measure what your system draws from the wall outlet? I would be very surprised if it reaches even 200W under load.
Heck, you could probably even run a (80W) HD 5770 with an adaptor for the necessary 6pin connector. The myth that you need a powerful PSU for any kind of "gaming" GPU is that, a myth. You don't need to take my word for it, here is an article from a professional who is testing PSUs for a living.

The Dell PSUs are usually of solid quality.

If all you guys are playing is Civ and the likes, there really is no need to pony up more than $100, and if you take care to select a halfway energy efficient card, those will not require more than a 300 W PSU, even when paired with a fairly powerhungry CPU (which the X2 3800 is not).

 

[trevort]

That's the reason I'm advertizing the HD 5570 all over the board, as it will literally run in anything that has an PCIe Slot and delivers a very reasonable performance for its (low) price. You do NOT need a new PSU for a 30W video card, as that is about what your old one is drawing
Ever tried to measure what your system draws from the wall outlet? I would be very surprised if it reaches even 200W under load.
Heck, you could probably even run a (80W) HD 5770 with an adaptor for the necessary 6pin connector. The myth that you need a powerful PSU for any kind of "gaming" GPU is that, a myth. You don't need to take my word for it, here is an article from a professional who is testing PSUs for a living.

The Dell PSUs are usually of solid quality.

If all you guys are playing is Civ and the likes, there really is no need to pony up more than $100, and if you take care to select a halfway energy efficient card, those will not require more than a 300 W PSU, even when paired with a fairly powerhungry CPU (which the X2 3800 is not).

The Sapphire Radeon HD 5570 is available on Amazon for $85 with a $10 rebate from Sapphire and free shipping. The Sapphire Radeon HD 5670 uses 74 watts and is available on Amazon for $99.99 with a $15 rebate from Sapphire and free shipping. The HD 5570 would be the best bet for someone concerned about having enough wattage out of the PSU. A good source of information is Legit Reviews.

 

[tokala]

Or you can get a Powercolor HD 5570 with the same specs as the Sapphire from newegg for $60 after rebate.

Power consumption of the 5570 with an overclocked i7 (!) : 175 W