These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

EVE General Discussion

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

Ideas For A Lower End System To Run Eve
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Lily Armatin
Doomheim
#1 - 2015-01-11 09:57:45 UTC
I'm looking for some recommendations on an affordable entrance to a gaming system to run Eve. My old PC crapped the bed. I'm thinking some along the lines of CPU driven graphics paired with a regular PCIe card. Even if I start with a lower end PCIe card.

My thought right now is:


Any input?
Koenaika
B.L.O.O.D.M.O.S.E.S.
#2 - 2015-01-11 10:47:14 UTC
> CPU driven graphics paired with a regular PCIe card

What are you expecting to gain from this? It's true that AMD cards can do a SLI-style split between a dedicated card and the CPU integrated graphics, but the performance gains are pretty minimal. (Plus you get all the restrictions of SLI, such as fullscreen only which sucks for eve.)

Amd cpu with integrated graphics is maybe a good choice for an absolute minimal-cost system or HTPC, but once you add a real graphics card you're paying $130 for a meh CPU with onboard gfx you don't really use.


Right now the amazing bang-for-buck choice for a inexpensive system is the Pentium G3258 "Anniversary Edition", it is super cheap and unlocked for overclocking. For $70 all you need is a good heatsink and you can crank that to over 4ghz easy, great for a gaming pc. With a $150-200 range video card you're set for Eve and damn near anything else.
Lily Armatin
Doomheim
#3 - 2015-01-11 17:50:23 UTC  |  Edited by: Lily Armatin
This is the type of input I am looking for. It has been a long time since I bothered to spec out anything for gaming. I basically discounted the non-APU stuff simply because I thought it wouldn't cut the mustard at all. I'm definitely looking for a platform I can start with and then expand as cash becomes available.

I will have to see if there are boards that will run the Pentium processor as well as allow for an upgrade into the i3/5/7 line at some point. The virtualization features would be nice for some home lab testing of non Eve stuff.

Update: It does at least have VT-x so it won't be ultra terrible for a VM or two (Link to Intel Spec Sheet).

That said, what are some ideas on a proper video card that fit that price range (100-200) that will run Eve? Preferably it would have DisplayPort so I can use my DisplayPort hub to put it up on my 2 x 22" monitors easily.

** Also, I did not know the SLI like features would require Eve in full screen. That would have been a huge let down as I prefer Eve windowed w/a browser up on the second display.
Unsuccessful At Everything
The Troll Bridge
#4 - 2015-01-11 19:08:27 UTC
Lily Armatin wrote:
.

I will have to see if there are boards that will run the Pentium processor as well as allow for an upgrade into the i3/5/7 line at some point. The virtualization features would be nice for some home lab testing of non Eve stuff.

Update: It does at least have VT-x so it won't be ultra terrible for a VM or two (Link to Intel Spec Sheet).

.


The CPU linked above is a LGA1150, therefore upgradeable to i3/i5/i7. A quick browse on Newegg.com will show you your multitude of choices for upgrading said socket.

Since the cessation of their usefulness is imminent, may I appropriate your belongings?
ashley Eoner
#5 - 2015-01-11 20:16:19 UTC  |  Edited by: ashley Eoner
Koenaika wrote:
> CPU driven graphics paired with a regular PCIe card

What are you expecting to gain from this? It's true that AMD cards can do a SLI-style split between a dedicated card and the CPU integrated graphics, but the performance gains are pretty minimal. (Plus you get all the restrictions of SLI, such as fullscreen only which sucks for eve.)

Amd cpu with integrated graphics is maybe a good choice for an absolute minimal-cost system or HTPC, but once you add a real graphics card you're paying $130 for a meh CPU with onboard gfx you don't really use.


Right now the amazing bang-for-buck choice for a inexpensive system is the Pentium G3258 "Anniversary Edition", it is super cheap and unlocked for overclocking. For $70 all you need is a good heatsink and you can crank that to over 4ghz easy, great for a gaming pc. With a $150-200 range video card you're set for Eve and damn near anything else.

If you're going to do the G3258 thing then you should get the CPU ASAP because places are selling out and god knows how long Intel will let that batch run for. Also do try to get a z97 board so you can upgrade to an unlocked higher cored 1150 CPU in the future. While Asus and some others allow for OCing on non z boards it's only because Intel is allowing them to do it for now. All it takes is a single windows based update pushed by Intel to disable that feature in the future.

The z97 pro4 motherboards from Asrock are cheap but reliable and can handle future CPU upgrades. Also as I said you won't have to worry about a sneaked in update disabling your ability to overclock.
Foxicity
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#6 - 2015-01-11 20:22:44 UTC
Confirming G3258s are amazing processors with amazing overclockability. Despite having the Pentium name their cores perform like i-line processors. They're the lowest end of the newest batch but run just like an i3 that doesn't have hyperthreading. As such they outperform AMD's Vishera Blacks in single-threaded applications. They're great for single-threaded games but can choke on new multithreading optimized games (not eve lol) but BF4 and Watch Dogs will have issues for example.
Gitahh
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#7 - 2015-01-11 20:28:15 UTC
Lily Armatin wrote:
I'm definitely looking for a platform I can start with and then expand as cash becomes available.

I will have to see if there are boards that will run the Pentium processor as well as allow for an upgrade into the i3/5/7 line at some point. The virtualization features would be nice for some home lab testing of non Eve stuff.



I have the perfect build for you. Link: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/69h6mG

This is a great build that I put together that has lots of room for upgradability, and what I think is the best is that there is not a single part in this that is low quality. The Pentium G3258 is a great CPU for the price, and it uses the same socket as the i3/i5/i7 family. The 750 ti is a very cheap but efficient video card that will run just about everything at 1920 by 1080 at full settings.

If you have any other questions I will be glad to answer them!
Lily Armatin
Doomheim
#8 - 2015-01-11 21:21:11 UTC
Awesome thanks everyone. That is a solid price point for something that will run an Eve client at decent settings which is exactly what I was after. I figured all of us nerds thinking together would create something better than I could think up on my own and I was right.

Also, first time I have ever seen that PC Part Picker web-site. I like it.
ashley Eoner
#9 - 2015-01-12 20:15:36 UTC  |  Edited by: ashley Eoner
Foxicity wrote:
Confirming G3258s are amazing processors with amazing overclockability. Despite having the Pentium name their cores perform like i-line processors. They're the lowest end of the newest batch but run just like an i3 that doesn't have hyperthreading. As such they outperform AMD's Vishera Blacks in single-threaded applications. They're great for single-threaded games but can choke on new multithreading optimized games (not eve lol) but BF4 and Watch Dogs will have issues for example.

It's a haswell CPU so of course it performs on a core by core basis the same as an i3 i5 or i7 hasswell based CPU. They share the same core design.


The ONLY game that is multithreaded enough to matter is battlefield and a cheap FX CPU won't run it much better anyway. You'd have to spend well over 2x the money to see any real improvement in performance over the G3258.


Gitahh wrote:
Lily Armatin wrote:
I'm definitely looking for a platform I can start with and then expand as cash becomes available.

I will have to see if there are boards that will run the Pentium processor as well as allow for an upgrade into the i3/5/7 line at some point. The virtualization features would be nice for some home lab testing of non Eve stuff.



I have the perfect build for you. Link: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/69h6mG

This is a great build that I put together that has lots of room for upgradability, and what I think is the best is that there is not a single part in this that is low quality. The Pentium G3258 is a great CPU for the price, and it uses the same socket as the i3/i5/i7 family. The 750 ti is a very cheap but efficient video card that will run just about everything at 1920 by 1080 at full settings.

If you have any other questions I will be glad to answer them!


The motherboard is a bad choice. For that much you could get a z97 pro4 from ASrock and not worry about intel killing your overclock.

Intel has stomped on such things in the past (see Microsoft's release of an intel patch for b85 boards) and I have no doubt they are monitoring the current situation.
Unsuccessful At Everything
The Troll Bridge
#10 - 2015-01-12 20:34:01 UTC
ashley Eoner wrote:
For that much you could get a z97 pro4 from ASrock and not worry about intel killing your overclock.


That is a fantastic Mobo.

One thing to avoid is the 'open box' deals or 'refurbished' mobos as I and others have gotten ones with bent CPU pins and such, and many sellers wont refund or return the items, leaving you to RMA with the manufacturer. Its a universal issue and not limited to brand at all. ive never once had the issue with a brand new board (although its not unheard of, this is a mass produced item).

Since the cessation of their usefulness is imminent, may I appropriate your belongings?
ashley Eoner
#11 - 2015-01-12 20:56:21 UTC  |  Edited by: ashley Eoner
Unsuccessful At Everything wrote:
ashley Eoner wrote:
For that much you could get a z97 pro4 from ASrock and not worry about intel killing your overclock.


That is a fantastic Mobo.

One thing to avoid is the 'open box' deals or 'refurbished' mobos as I and others have gotten ones with bent CPU pins and such, and many sellers wont refund or return the items, leaving you to RMA with the manufacturer. Its a universal issue and not limited to brand at all. ive never once had the issue with a brand new board (although its not unheard of, this is a mass produced item).

I actually am building a system today based off the g3258 with the asrock mobo. I've used Asrock boards in many builds since the early days when Asrock was just Asus' way of getting into the cheap motherboard market. Although Asrock was spun off it's still owned by the same people who own Asus.


I stay away from open box stuff when it comes to most computer hardware.