What is the best CPU for games like CIV4?

[Ariminio]

I will buy a new computer soon, and I am wondering what CPU to chose. I only need high performance for games, but not 3D shooters, but games like Civ4, for which the CPU is most important, turn times and such.
So I am wondering what to chose, in general it seems that Phenoms are the best price for power, but I looked at tomshardware Fritz 11 chess tests (how relevant would that even be for civ4?), and the I7 Intels are like 20% better there for only 100$ more.
Or are these both useless for Civ4 and better buy some dual core?



PS: Isnt it crazy that I buy a computer for a five year old game.

The tomshardware chess test:

http://www.tomshardware.de/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2009-update-1/Fritz-11,1406.html

 

[Genocidicbunny]

I dont trust THG much anymore.

A quad-core is useless for Civ 4, but it may be useful for 5. The Core i7/i5 range is pretty high up there in terms of performance, but they also carry a premium on the motherboards and memory. Remember, you can't just plop a cpu into any motherboard, you need to have one with the proper socket. LGA1366 and 1156 motherboards are generally more expensive than AM3 ones

 

[Murky]

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_msr.htm

Minimum System Requirements

Operating System:
Windows® 2000/XP/Vista

Processor:
1.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent

Memory:


256 MB RAM (Windows 2000) / 512 MB RAM (Windows XP)

Hard Disk Space:


1.7 GB Free

CD-ROM Drive :
4X Speed

Video:


DirectX 9.0c-compatible 64 MB video card with Hardware T&L support ( GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better)

Sound:


DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card

DirectX®:


DirectX® version 9.0c (included) or higher

Recommended System Requirements

Operating System:
Windows® 2000/XP/Vista

Processor:


1.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent

Memory:


512 MB RAM

Hard Disk Space:


1.7 GB Free

CD-ROM Drive :
4X Speed

Video:


128 MB Video Card w/ DirectX 8 support (pixel & vertex shaders)

Sound:


DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card

DirectX®:


DirectX® version 9.0c (included) or higher

Supported Operating Systems

Windows 2000
Service Pack 1 or higher WITH Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher

Windows XP


Home or Professional w/ Service Pack 1 or higher

Windows Vista


It is very important that you ensure that you are using the latest drivers and versions of all of your software. While doing this you might encounter some specific conflicts with the minimum specifications for Civ4.

For example, if you have an ATI video card and you are using Windows XP you must (it says recommends but when problems are present and no solutions present themselves it is sometimes necessary to make recommended a requirement) have Service Pack 2 installed to meet the requirements of the ATI driver.

[Back to Support Index]

 

[NBAfan]

A faster single-core will work better then a slower muti-core for Civ4. I would get a muti-core for the future though.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

You cannot get a fast single-core processor anymore, they just don't exist. I would never recommend anything below a dual-core either.

 

[Murky]

You cannot get a fast single-core processor anymore, they just don't exist. I would never recommend anything below a dual-core either.

What about the Intel Pentium 4 530 Prescott 3.0GHz? Wouldn't that be fast enough?
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819116027

 

[Zelig]

What about the Intel Pentium 4 530 Prescott 3.0GHz? Wouldn't that be fast enough?
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819116027

No, that's going to be about half the speed of a single core of a dual core processor you can get for the same price.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

If you want to be 4 years behind the curve maybe. But no, a 2ghz C2D is more powerful than that P4.
There is no support for that processor and you cannot find a decent motherboard for Socket 478 anymore as it is beyond EoL.

Its as good as saying it does not exist.

 

[Murky]

If you want to be 4 years behind the curve maybe. But no, a 2ghz C2D is more powerful than that P4.
There is no support for that processor and you cannot find a decent motherboard for Socket 478 anymore as it is beyond EoL.

Its as good as saying it does not exist.

What if you already have a socket 478 mb but have a slower processor?

 

[Perfection]

Any new computer that isn't powered by like a frickin' atom should do it.

 

[Zelig]

What if you already have a socket 478 mb but have a slower processor?

Well, the best 478 processor released was the Celeron D 350, and as it goes for $20, it could be a decent upgrade.

 

[Macha]

Any new computer will be able to handle it, though I'd advise against a netbook as they have small, often non-standard resolutions that'll make life difficult.

As for Atom processors, a 1.6Ghz Atom would leave a 1.2Ghz P4 in the dust. (and probably a 1.8Ghz P4 as well), so although I wouldn't reccomend it to be played on any machine likely to include an Atom, it won't provide a problem.

 

[Perfection]

Well, I'm sure the atom could run it, but it'd probably not run with all the fancy bells and whistles.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

What if you already have a socket 478 mb but have a slower processor?

You're fighting a losing battle if you're trying to upgrade that.

 

[civ_king]

for Civ IV? something with Core clockage above 3 GHz, something above 4 GHz is good
maybe a Pentium D 805 if you can get one with matching motherboard (overclockage up to 4.1GHz)
you'd need watercooling though, but it's dual core

or you might go X2 3800+

 

[homeyg]

I will buy a new computer soon, and I am wondering what CPU to chose. I only need high performance for games, but not 3D shooters, but games like Civ4, for which the CPU is most important, turn times and such.
So I am wondering what to chose, in general it seems that Phenoms are the best price for power, but I looked at tomshardware Fritz 11 chess tests (how relevant would that even be for civ4?), and the I7 Intels are like 20% better there for only 100$ more.
Or are these both useless for Civ4 and better buy some dual core?



PS: Isnt it crazy that I buy a computer for a five year old game.

The tomshardware chess test:

http://www.tomshardware.de/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2009-update-1/Fritz-11,1406.html

Personally I would choose a CPU that is able to run CIV4

 

[Zelig]

for Civ IV? something with Core clockage above 3 GHz, something above 4 GHz is good
maybe a Pentium D 805 if you can get one with matching motherboard (overclockage up to 4.1GHz)

No, a Core 2 Duo at ~2.4GHz is going to be faster than a Pentium D at 4GHz.

 

[Ariminio]

Guys, I'm not wondering about being able to handle Civ4 at all, I'm wondering what the best processor is for Civ4 with HUGE maps and 20 AIs. Not just being able to run it, I can do that now, but being able to run it like playable, with 2 secs turn times. Are these processors able to do that? Does the I7 make a difference over the Phenom in that regard?


Or are 3s turn times a dream for which civ4 is just too enormously programmed for, maybe with computers 10 years from now?

 

[NBAfan]

Guys, I'm not wondering about being able to handle Civ4 at all, I'm wondering what the best processor is for Civ4 with HUGE maps and 20 AIs. Not just being able to run it, I can do that now, but being able to run it like playable, with 2 secs turn times. Are these processors able to do that? Does the I7 make a difference over the Phenom in that regard?


Or are 3s turn times a dream for which civ4 is just too enormously programmed for, maybe with computers 10 years from now?

The Civ4 engine is very inefficient so you will not have very fast turn times with that many Civs.

 

[Zelig]

The Civ4 engine is very inefficient so you will not have very fast turn times with that many Civs.

I dunno, close to 2 seconds doesn't seem unreasonable with a top of the line i7. My 5 year-old Athlon X2 does 18-civ huge map turns in ~10 seconds, and from the top of my head, a 3 GHz i7 should be close to 3x faster per core.