System Requirements?

[Willem]

CPU: Dual core 2.0 ghz

There's no need to require a dual-core, it will just work better if you have it.

ATI X800, NVidia 6600 or better

There's no way. I was running Civ 4 on a X800 and it really wasn't that great for the game already. There's no way it will run Civ 5 all that well. And the 6600 is an antique, it's bound to require at least a 7000 series card.

 

[civ_king]

That's irrelevant. The question was what programs you have that need that much RAM. Just because they're 64 bit doesn't mean they can use up tons of it. 12 gig should be more than enough for the vast majority of programs that will be coming out, unless you're doing something like 3D or video rendering on a commercial level.

IPhotoshop?

 

[Willem]

IPhotoshop?

You don't need 64 gig of RAM for that one. Unless maybe you're designing a mural that will go on the side of a two-story building.

 

[civ_king]

You don't need 64 gig of RAM for that one. Unless maybe you're designing a mural that will go on the side of a two-story building.

I know, but how much will you need in 5 years?

300 pixels/inch needs some RAM for big items

 

[X_nemesis_X]

integrated video = crap

It is used for non-gaming purposes, like work situations where graphics have little or no meaning. The power/$ ratio usually makes it somewhat expensive, and it cannot be upgraded like a normal slot card. Just because a certain computer part is new, does not mean its good. Integrated video will always be the pariah of gaming, or another nail in the pc's coffin.

In general u're right! Currently I'm using an i3-530 with its integrated gpu (waiting for the next nvidia cards below the 480gtx / 470 gtx). My i3 runs with 3.65mHz instead of 2.93mHz. I can play cIV with any settings. I can also play Empire Total War or sims 3 for example. Refering to multimedia - the integrated gpu is excellent, but concerning gaming it has its limits.

In comparison to the i5-6xx the i3-530 has a very good price/performance ratio. I'd rather buy an i3 and an extra grafik card. Don't waste extra money on integrated grafik. An additional cheap grafik card is ALWAYS faster.

 

[Willem]

I know, but how much will you need in 5 years?

In 5 years we'll might see DDR4 RAM cards with 8 gig on each one. There's no point thinking that far ahead when you're considering an overkill option. Look at what you need right now.

 

[V. Soma]

the i5-6xx the i3-530 has a very good price/performance ratio.

I am to choose btw i3 530 and Radeon 5850
OR
i5 750 and Radeon 5770.

What do you think is better for civ5?

Better CPU?: then i5 750 and 5770
Better GPU?: then i3 530 and 5850

Hard to tell, but perhaps the CPU...

 

[CTH]

I would go for a better CPU, the graphics will be good enough and late game things (like many cities and alot of units, and AI) will stress the CPU more than the GPU (most likely at least). I am pretty convinced that the 5770 is more than enough to run CIV 5 with max graphics turned on. I dont build that on anything else than that it is a pretty powerful graphic card and that CIV 5 is not a enormously graphic heavy game (compared to a FPS for example, that 5770 can run fairly well)

 

[civ_king]

take the i5, civ is more clock speed than GPU dependent

 

[V. Soma]

thanks folks... so it seems I "have to" get i5 750 paired with 5770 (or 5750 - less wattage cost)

EDIT: also just numeric aesthetics: i5 750 goes well with Radeon 5 750

 

[X_nemesis_X]

It'll depend in what way ciV will support quads...the i5-750 is a good quad core, but anyway he makes a pretty couple with a 5770

To my mind the 5850 is too expensive. I always go for the best price/performance ratio.

If you're just upgrading for ciV wait for an intel quad core with 32nm structure (the i3 has it, the i5-750 does not). CPUs with 32nm structure are really interesting for oc, because of very low temp!!! Besides they're energy-saving as well.

 

[Willem]

It'll depend in what way ciV will support quads...

By the sounds of it, it won't. There was a dev comment floating around about how Civ 5 will use dual-cores and require only a 256 meg video card. So most of the systems being discussed here are going to be way overkill. About the only thing someone might want to consider is making sure they have a DirectX 11 capable video card.

 

[civ_king]

By the sounds of it, it won't. There was a dev comment floating around about how Civ 5 will use dual-cores and require only a 256 meg video card. So most of the systems being discussed here are going to be way overkill. About the only thing someone might want to consider is making sure they have a DirectX 11 capable video card.

I'm pretty sure those will be slightly above minimum specs, they said it would support up to 8 threads

 

[deanej]

I really wish Firaxis would have developed for DX 10 instead of 11; I only have a DX 10 capable card and I don't want to be stuck in DX 9 mode!

 

[Willem]

I really wish Firaxis would have developed for DX 10 instead of 11; I only have a DX 10 capable card and I don't want to be stuck in DX 9 mode!

Yes that would have been nice, I'm in the same boat. It looks like DirectX 10 is pretty much dead though, I don't think anyone has ever developed a game for it. At least not to my knowledge.

 

[Drago Askani]

Yes that would have been nice, I'm in the same boat. It looks like DirectX 10 is pretty much dead though, I don't think anyone has ever developed a game for it. At least not to my knowledge.

Lots of games have DX10 effects, company of heroes, dawn of war 2, dragon age, the thing is they only added extra effects since they pc game base is so heavily invested in dx9 Operating systems. With vista having been garbage for gaming compared to xp dx 10 never had a chance. But win 7 is so good I think we will see a strong adoption of Dx 11 over the next few years.

 

[GenMarshall]

I'd hope the minimum RAM would be 2Gigs.

 

[Willem]

I'd hope the minimum RAM would be 2Gigs.

It's bound to be a 32 bit program so 2 gigs is pretty high for the minimum. That's the most RAM a 32 bit program can ever use. So it will probably be 1 gig.

 

[civ_king]

It's bound to be a 32 bit program so 2 gigs is pretty high for the minimum. That's the most RAM a 32 bit program can ever use. So it will probably be 1 gig.

2Gigs is per program, however if you only have 2 GB of RAM you program will be much worse

 

[Willem]

2Gigs is per program, however if you only have 2 GB of RAM you program will be much worse

True, but aside from Vista the OS and any background processes aren't going to use up that much RAM. Maybe around 500 meg, still leaving maybe 1.5 for the game. There's no way that they're going to have the minimum that close to the maximum amount the game can use in the first place. They might have 2 gig as the minimum for Vista, but not the other two OSs.