[Caffeine_Powered]

This is not a question about the game

If my description didn't make sense then here's a bit more in depth, and a story that explains it....

Well I went to the the store to buy the sequel to a PC game a friend of mine had gotten me addicted to (Half-Life, Buying Half-Life 2), before I went to buy it I made sure that my PC had the specs to handle it...I looked at the sticker on the outside of the PC, it stated I had a 3000 + Mhz Processor, and 512 MB RAM....and my video card (VIA/S3G UNIChrome IGP) was able to handle it. It all checked out, everything seemed to be going alittle to smooth..Got home, loaded the thing up and it loaded fine..Turned it on, Turned on fine...Got to the main menu, the graphics in the back ran fine..Loaded it and the first cutscene the graphics and sound got all choppy...so I go back to main menu turn all settings down and still same thing...

so I update graphics card, etc etc...Later I run this scan that the sight has for the game and it turns out that the sticker on the outside of my comp was "lying?"...according to the thing I have 448 MB RAM and 2158 Mhz Processor (game needs 512 RAM and 2400 Mhz Processor).....

Double Checked it with Run>DXDIAG

and it confirmed that I had 448 RAM but said I have a 3000+ Processor (2.2 Ghz [outside said 2.16 Ghz])

so my question to the geekstogo staff is what happened to the rest of my RAM and Mhz of processing?

(something I noticed 2.16 Ghz translates to about 2160 Mhz if I'm correct, 2.2 Ghz goes to about 2200 mhz)

Screenshots of things I'm talking about

People walk through backround at different times with no problems at all-



Part of the Results or the scan thing



DXDIAG

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Well, the good news is that your computer itsn't missing anything. Your processor is an AMD Athlon XP 3000+, that runs at 2167 MHz. Your computer is just rounding off the last few digits to give you 2.2 MHz. Athlon processors don't run as fast as the number they are listed as. That is the 'equivilant' speed, since more advanced processors may not necessarly have as high a clock speed but perform better. The number is for you to tell if your processor will meet minimums. Your processor is fast enough, so don't worry about that one.

Your memor is all there too. You have an Integrated Graphics Processor, and it shares the system memory. Your IGP uses 64 MB and you have 448 MB for system use. 64 +448 = 512 So, yes, your computer has a total of 512 MB.

Depending on your computer, you should be able to add an actual graphics card. I would need to know more about the make and model before I could tell you what to get, but you would be able to add either an AGP or a PCI graphics card to give you the umph you need to play Half-Life 2.

Can you give me the make and model of your computer?

[fructose]

Well, the good news is that your computer itsn't missing anything. Your processor is an AMD Athlon XP 3000+, that runs at 2167 MHz. Your computer is just rounding off the last few digits to give you 2.2 MHz. Athlon processors don't run as fast as the number they are listed as. That is the 'equivilant' speed, since more advanced processors may not necessarly have as high a clock speed but perform better. The number is for you to tell if your processor will meet minimums. Your processor is fast enough, so don't worry about that one.

Your memor is all there too. You have an Integrated Graphics Processor, and it shares the system memory. Your IGP uses 64 MB and you have 448 MB for system use. 64 +448 = 512 So, yes, your computer has a total of 512 MB.

Depending on your computer, you should be able to add an actual graphics card. I would need to know more about the make and model before I could tell you what to get, but you would be able to add either an AGP or a PCI graphics card to give you the umph you need to play Half-Life 2.

Can you give me the make and model of your computer?

[Caffeine_Powered]

Your memor is all there too. You have an Integrated Graphics Processor, and it shares the system memory. Your IGP uses 64 MB and you have 448 MB for system use. 64 +448 = 512 So, yes, your computer has a total of 512 MB.

Depending on your computer, you should be able to add an actual graphics card. I would need to know more about the make and model before I could tell you what to get, but you would be able to add either an AGP or a PCI graphics card to give you the umph you need to play Half-Life 2.

Can you give me the make and model of your computer?

The bold I had kind of thought was true and half hoped it wasn't....

I hope I'm answering the question when I say the make and model of my computer...

its in my signature....

HP Pavilion a420n

[fructose]

Yup, that's what I need.

Ok, it looks like you can get an AGP card for your computer. There are still plenty of pretty decent AGP cards out there, even though PCI-e cards are starting to dominate the market. You can go to NewEgg.com, and find a whole slew of AGP cards that range from $20 to $1200. I would recomend a card in the $100-150 range for decent performance. Getting anything faster won't really help since the rest of your computer will be causing a bottleneck.

[Caffeine_Powered]

Yup, that's what I need.

Ok, it looks like you can get an AGP card for your computer. There are still plenty of pretty decent AGP cards out there, even though PCI-e cards are starting to dominate the market. You can go to NewEgg.com, and find a whole slew of AGP cards that range from $20 to $1200. I would recomend a card in the $100-150 range for decent performance. Getting anything faster won't really help since the rest of your computer will be causing a bottleneck.

yea that makes sense


I was actually gunna ask would it be a better investment to just get more ram, I think a 256 upgrade is about the same prise?

Just wondering.....


I'll check it out


EDIT-
I'm having a bit of trouble locating the AGP Cards you were talking of, it gives me the option of AGP 2X/4X or AGP 4X/8X

Edited by Caffiene_Powered, 22 August 2006 - 11:17 AM.

[fructose]

Without the dedicated Graphics card, you'll be suffering S3 makes decent integrated graphics processors, but they are nothing compared to a card.

You should notice a difference once you install the card. Your games will run smoother and your system will be slightly faster with the extra 64MB of ram.

More ram won't hurt, but you'd get much more bang for the buck if you get a graphics card.

[Caffeine_Powered]

Without the dedicated Graphics card, you'll be suffering S3 makes decent integrated graphics processors, but they are nothing compared to a card.

You should notice a difference once you install the card. Your games will run smoother and your system will be slightly faster with the extra 64MB of ram.

More ram won't hurt, but you'd get much more bang for the buck if you get a graphics card.

I appreciate the insight

Now the AGP Cards you were talking of, it gives me the option of AGP 2X/4X or AGP 4X/8X which one should I pick?

Is there any particular one you recommend?

[fructose]

You want a 4X/8X card. I have a Sapphire Radeon X800GT, and it works great, but anything in the Radeon X series or Geforce 6 series should be fine for you.

[Caffeine_Powered]

You want a 4X/8X card. I have a Sapphire Radeon X800GT, and it works great, but anything in the Radeon X series or Geforce 6 series should be fine for you.

Well will the thing with the processor effect the game?

[fructose]

You mean the 2167 MHz vs 3000+? No. That's just how AMD advertises their processors. Games now days don't require a 3 GHz processor, but rather a 3 GHz 'class' processor, meaning the clock speed isn't important, but rather how well it performs.

[Caffeine_Powered]

I think I'll get my Card at best buy because thats where I go for everything (good warranties and close to my house and best buy pts)

my friend had a question he wanted to know if this was a good graphics card

http://www.bestbuy.c...d=1093468058401


I was actually thinking of getting the one you had....because I figured you've "tested" it and it was good...

tell me what you think or do you think....

[lorothrigs]

I got a good 256 MB card from nVidia for about 100, it was well worth it.

nVidia GeForce 6200 256 MB

http://www.nvidia.co...ce6200_agp.html

http://www.bestbuy.c...d=1108124982622

Edited by lorothrigs, 22 August 2006 - 10:26 PM.

[fructose]

The Radeon card is a decent card. It's a little old, but in the graphics card world, anything more than 6 months old is past it's prime. It should do fine for your friend if he's looking for a good entry level card.

[Caffeine_Powered]

The Radeon card is a decent card. It's a little old, but in the graphics card world, anything more than 6 months old is past it's prime. It should do fine for your friend if he's looking for a good entry level card.

when you say Radeon do you mean the one I was thinking of getting (yours) or the one my friend wnated to ask you about (the link)..or both?

[fructose]

Yeah, I mean yours. Radeon and GeForce are the two major graphics processors around, so people will often refer to a card by it's processor type and not necessarly the manufacturer.