New computer question/vmk question

[sleepingbeautymama]

I was not sure where to post this so I hope it's in the right place. We are thinking of getting a new computer. Our current computer is 4 or 5 years old and it's big and bulky. We are wanting to buy a smaller computer and put it in our kitchen. I found one at Sam's but wonder how this compares to our current computer.

Also wondering what do I need in a computer to improve my speed in VMK? I know when I play quests, I can go as fast as possible, answer questions immediately and still not win. I am sure it's because the rooms load slower for me than other people. Also Haunted Mansion and pirates is a nightmare for me so I don't play them often. What makes it work better...processor, memory, dsl? Anyhow the computer I'm looking at is at Sam's. Here's the website showing the specs. http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=535&item=362557&prDeTab=1#A
The computer I currently have is a Gateway Intel Pentium 4 1800 mhz 1.79 ghz, 768 mb ram. I want to be sure that what I am buying is a lot better than this and I really do not know enough about computers to know. I don't want to buy something and find out it makes no difference with my games. If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much

 

[anya.sparrow]

Well, the dual core processor is a lot better. The memory is a little better, but the difference between 768 and the new computer (1024?) will not be a huge jump for you..

Other variables: your internet provider (I have cable and it is very fast), and if the computer you are using is connected via ethernet cable or wireless.

Also, before you make the new computer commitment... make sure you have "cleaned up" your current computer with spybot, adaware, antivirus, etc.

If you need any advice, see all of Mal's posts or feel free to ask .

Good luck

 

[mtlhddoc2]

actually the difference between 768 and 1024 (1 gig) is ZERO - and that is because Gateways do not report system used memory - he has 1 gig but his computer doesnt tell him that. The RAM will have no effect on his speed. What will have the biggest effect is System bus speed and processor speed - a 4ghz processor or a combined 4-5ghz dual core processor will greatly improve his computers processing speed, but ultimately, will probably not improve VMK all that much. What WILL help the most is a faster hard drive (that computer has a 7200rpm HD) and an upgraded video card in the new computer. That one comes with a low end NVidia GeForce with 128mb of onboard cache. That right there will improve his speed considerably. But really, you want your vid card to have 256mb or better of onboard cache such as the NVidia FX 5200 (Steer clear of Radeon vid cards if playing toontown, and they also may have issues with VMK)

all that being said - that computer is a bit overpriced since it is a recently decommissioned model. also, be careful when buying a LightScribe DVD burner because they require special DVDs which are more expensive. one of the biggest pluses to taht sams club pc is the 19inch widescreen monitor - they typically run about $200 when purchased seperately.

Also, if you play Toontown - stay far far away from Vista for the moment. It does not work on Vista properly (we just got a brand new Vista computer)

 

[ElectricLime]

Memory is key. Get lots of memory. The system you're looking at comes with 1 gig, which isn't bad, but for Vista you'll want more - at least a gig and a half, even two gigs if you can afford it.

The next most important thing is your connection speed, but you probably don't have a lot of control over that. Just make sure nobody else at home is online at the same time you are.

None of the other factors matter that much. Use any half-decent computer these days to play VMK, and the processor, disk, and video will spend the majority of their time sitting around waiting for data over the network.

VMK is not a 3D game. Old graphics cards will handle it fine; new graphics cards won't improve its performance.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

VMK is not a 3D game. Old graphics cards will handle it fine; new graphics cards won't improve its performance.

Well, I upgraded my Video card *from on board video to NVidia FX 5200 with 256mb on board cache and I run VMK much much much faster than I did yesterday. I didnt touch my ram (1 gig) or my processor (3.2ghz) and now my home PC is almost as fast on VMK as my work pc (my work PC has a T3 line as opposed to cable modem and has only a 2.4 ghz processor but the same 1gb of RAM but it also has a top of the line video card with 1gb of on board cache)

For the record, I am a senior PC tech with 15 years of experience. The video card will make a world of difference since, no matter how much RAM you have, your PC is only as good as your hard drive write speed and your system bus. Upgrading from a 5400rpm hd to a 7200rpm hard drive will dramatically increase your system performance, as will upgrading the system bus to 200 or 400 mhz (the bus controls how fast your computer transmits commands, think of the bus as being a road and the # of mhz as being the speedlimit). This more important than any amount of ram simply because of the fact that RAM, while important, and even nessecary, only is used by active memory modules. What is really really important for games like VMK and Toontown which backload files into your virtual memory is hard drive speed. Also note that computers running XP or below, simply do not recognize any amount of RAM over 1gb - Vista will support up to 4gb of RAM. With games such as VMK which rely heavily on stored files, having a video card with 256mb of on board cache will allow your PC to "remember" graphics better. With no, or little video cache, your computer has to reload the images from the hard drive each time you re-enter a room or whatever. And trust me, VMK dumps TONS of images on your hard drive.

You may also want to consider upping your virtual memory from teh default to the max

 

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

I have to say that if i had to pick the single most important upgrade necessary to speed up VMK is a newer video card. As doc mentioned VMK is so graphics inetensive (not necessarily 3d but just a lot of graphics) that the more ram you have onthe video card the better off you are.

As far as the lightscribe burner goes I believe that you can use regualar dvds but you can not burn images onto the disk face itself unless you buy the special lightscribe dvds

Another drawback that I see to the pc listed is that it has only 1 PCI slot and it is being occupied already. This would present a problem if you ever wanted to upgrade your sound or video card

Also be aware that this system only comes with MS Works, NOT Office so if you use Office now unless you plan on tranfering the contents of your hard drive or have the MS Office disk you will need to purchase that also.

 

[Maleficent2]

actually the difference between 768 and 1024 (1 gig) is ZERO - and that is because Gateways do not report system used memory - he has 1 gig but his computer doesnt tell him that. The RAM will have no effect on his speed. What will have the biggest effect is System bus speed and processor speed - a 4ghz processor or a combined 4-5ghz dual core processor will greatly improve his computers processing speed, but ultimately, will probably not improve VMK all that much. What WILL help the most is a faster hard drive (that computer has a 7200rpm HD) and an upgraded video card in the new computer. That one comes with a low end NVidia GeForce with 128mb of onboard cache. That right there will improve his speed considerably. But really, you want your vid card to have 256mb or better of onboard cache such as the NVidia FX 5200 (Steer clear of Radeon vid cards if playing toontown, and they also may have issues with VMK)

all that being said - that computer is a bit overpriced since it is a recently decommissioned model. also, be careful when buying a LightScribe DVD burner because they require special DVDs which are more expensive. one of the biggest pluses to taht sams club pc is the 19inch widescreen monitor - they typically run about $200 when purchased seperately.

Also, if you play Toontown - stay far far away from Vista for the moment. It does not work on Vista properly (we just got a brand new Vista computer)

Just a note I have ATI on my laptop and have NO issues playing VMK at all.

for $50 more I would go with this computer:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=535&item=360773&prDeTab=2&pCatg=5824#A