Is this a great Trainz gaming PC for about $500?

[JonMyrlennBailey]

Even for the most advanced version of Trainz on the market?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9ONbUAbGs0

I will be using my Samsung SmartTV, 1080p, 40" HDTV LED television set as a monitor. Connection via HDMI.
Surround Sound system optional.

Ideally I should still get a solid 60 FPS with game settings maxed out: anti-aliasing set on highest
setting, shadows and loads of hardware-taxing 3D content on the route.

 

[cascaderailroad]

Well ... Let us know just how well that $500 PC works out for ya' !

Lotsa' Luck

Try saving some more money up to buy @ $850 to $1000 in parts

Or a $2700+ laptop

See: http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?134988-How-to-buy-Where-to-buy-a-Gaming-Laptop

 

[cressjl]

You can purchase better components for less directly from EVGA. Also, he doesn't say how many memory modules you will need; one is not enough for gaming. The processor isn't that great, either. The hard drive might be okay if it is 7200 RPM, but I have had real problems with WD Blue failures. I now only use one as a mirror drive to backup my system, and this is because I received it as a warranty replacement.

The biggest omission would be all cables. This is a significant cost. For instance, I could not tell if the HDMI is accessible from the backplane on the video card; you might need a cable and header.

I have built a computer from the ground up for sound recording and playback. It worked well for the time, until I replaced it with a SoundBlaster Elite-outfitted Dell system. This is not for the faint-of-heart, though, and in the end, I was convinced that there are other options out there that are just as good, without all the build aggravation.

 

[simulatortrain]

Ideally I should still get a solid 60 FPS with game settings maxed out: anti-aliasing set on highest
setting, shadows and loads of hardware-taxing 3D content on the route.

Add a 0 to your price.

It'll run, and probably above minimum, but you're asking a lot.

 

[hminky]

Bought this a couple of years ago and added a Nvidia GTX960:

[TABLE="width: 0"]
[TR]
[TD]AMD FX-8350 4GHz Eight-Core AM3+ Processor

AMD STANDARD COOLING FAN

Asus M5A97 LE R2.0 Socket AM3+/ AMD 970/ Quad CrossFireX/ A&GbE/ SATA3&USB3.0/ ATX Motherboard

8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel

Toshiba / Seagate / WD 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB CACHE SATA 6.0Gb/s

FULL HD 1080p DUAL PORT PCI-EXPRESS VIDEO (ONBOARD)

REALTEK 6-CHANNEL DIGITAL SOUND ONBOARD

REALTEK 10/100/1000 Gigabit Network Card (onboard)

(SPECIAL) Antec NEW SOLUTION SERIES VSK-4000 Black SGCC steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

LOGISYS 480 WATT POWER SUPPLY

i-Micro 2.0 Channel Multimedia Speakers

Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit (OPTIONAL FREE WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE IF YOU WANT TO)

3-Year Limited Warranty Plan with Lifetime of free USA based Support...Custom Hand Wiring For Ultimate Air Flow, Assembled in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

FED-EX GROUND SHIPPING "FREE" (1-7 BUSINESS DAYS)[/TD]
[TD="align: left"] 1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"] $604.99[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] $604.99[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Sub Total:	$604.99
Sales Tax:	$0.00
Handling Fee:	$0.00
Shipping By:	$0.00
Order Total:

[TD="colspan: 2"] Free Standard Ground Shipping [/TD]

[TD="class: total-sum"]$604.99[/TD]

GTX 960:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...78&gclid=CLHdmf-Lv9ACFYWfNwodJ9kFew&gclsrc=ds

It will run most routes a 60FPS on low shadows.

Got it from here:

http://www.computerlx.com/default.aspx

Harold

 

[johnwhelan]

A bit dated, the GTX 1050 is cheaper and offers better performance. It just needs a PC wrapped round it, your existing one might do fine. Check the power consumption but you might even be able to squeeze in a GTX 1060 and that one is quite respectable. Far full shadows etc a GTX 1080 would probably be recommended. Don't forget the cost of Windows 10.

Cheerio John

 

[clam1952]

Might want to look at the same guys $600 PC which is a bit more like it, i5 and GTX1060 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr0X9Rz2A_E

Not that I'd trust anything posted on YouTube as being a good recommendation!

 

[hminky]

A bit dated, the GTX 1050 is cheaper and offers better performance. It just needs a PC wrapped round it, your existing one might do fine. Check the power consumption but you might even be able to squeeze in a GTX 1060 and that one is quite respectable. Far full shadows etc a GTX 1080 would probably be recommended. Don't forget the cost of Windows 10.

Cheerio John

GTX 960 was hot two years ago, would go with a GTX 1060 now.

Harold

 

[martinvk]

Beats me how some want to cheap-out on hardware and then complain when game performance leaves a lot (everything) to be desired. That's like showing up at a stock-car race with the family sedan and wondering why everyone is passing you.

 

[Vostrail]

Reality check:
With an i7 Skylake processor, GTX1080, Samsung 950 pro boot SSD and 850 evo Tane data SSD, I generally get very good performance with display settings max'd and a draw distance of around 6000m.

However, there are still some highly detailed routes / sessions that can bring my frame rate down to 15 fps in places. Now I'm running at 1440p resolution but my point is that TANE and other genuine simulation programs are not comparable with GTA5 and the various 'triple A' games that YouTubers will constantly reference. So simulatortrain's response above is right on the money (pun intended) if you are serious about turning up all the eye candy.

John

 

[cressjl]

...my point is that TANE and other genuine simulation programs are not comparable with GTA5 and the various 'triple A' games that YouTubers will constantly reference...

Excellent point.

 

[pkoester]

I don't think you will get the desired results, honestly...

...keepin' it real, here's what I use, which will actually allow me to maximize (or maximise) the settings to the highest levels:

https://www.amazon.com/G752VT-DH74-17-Inch-Gaming-Laptop-GeForce/dp/B015ZG9D74
ASUS ROG G752VT-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop, Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M 6 GB VRAM, 24 GB DDR4, 1 TB, 256 GB NVMe SSD

[TABLE="class: a-lineitem"]
[TR]
[TD="class: a-color-secondary a-size-base a-text-right a-nowrap"]Price:[/TD]
[TD="class: a-span12"] $1,259.97 & FREE Shipping[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Works as good as a desktop. Basically, consider it a mobile workstation, with built-in UPS battery backup.

As for my actual 'desktop', that is a homebrew build:

Storage = Samsung 850 Pro 1TB
GPU = eVGA's GTX 980 SC w/AC 2.0
CPU cooler = HYPER 212 EVO
CPU = Intel's i7 4790K (runs at 4.4 Ghz by default with the following motherboard)
MoBo = ASUS Z97-A/USB 3.1
Soundcard = Creative Sound Blaster Z
RAM = 32 GB of Corsair Vengence @1866mhz
PSU = Cooler Master Gold 1200w
Case = Antec 1200

I am not going to bother mentioning the DVD/CD-RW/Blue-ray, since most stuff is streaming or download. It is a cheap LG model, gets that rare job done when needed.

That setup runs ANYTHING at max settings. Yeah, I could upgrade more stuff, by why bother? I got 7 years out of my previous build, I probably get the same or more out of this one.


Anyways, bottom line, you are anticipating a lot from a system that seems mid-caliber, at best, in my opinion.

Goal for a system, to me...

i7 CPU minimum (K series will allow safely increase of speed if desired)
SSD storage
GPU, I say GTX 900 series as a minimum (maybe AMD R-480?) as I know that works good, obviously 1060 & up would be better.
On-board sound will get you by.
16 GB of RAM minimum should be a safe bet.
The PSU (power supply unit) should be better than average, and I recommend you avoid cheap ones, I am just suggesting it from experience. $100 or so, for a starting point.

I've used a PC parts picker web site before, maybe pricing is better now. Try it, it usually puts compatible parts together, to avoid conflicts.



Doing just the basic parts, and recycling the case (assuming you have one) and O/S:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/tyGMTH

 

[pkoester]

If you still want a laptop, and shop at Walmart, this might, and I do mean might work

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-Ins...8GB-Solid-State-Drive-and/47431721#about-item

it seems to have decent specifications, you just need to use an external or add an extra internal (if it supports that) to get storage capacity.

 

[blueodessey]

That SSD @ 256 for OS and Trainz I think is bit on the small side, I'm run WIN10 and SSD 1TB I have 600GB left on SSD, I only run T:ANE, I deleted Trainz 2016 and TS-12 Modules in favor of a True 64 Bit.....Also check processor @ 8 Cores and see if Trainz is written for that many Cores, will it use them?

Lots of Software is not written for these many Cores, so you buy it but don't use it......Don't take me at my word alone, due your own due diligence if your paying that kind of money for a system.......Best of luck........