Wondering over specs for TS12

[trainut]

Hello, all! My computer and Trainz specs are very bad right now, so I've decided to upgrade to Trainz 12, and get a brand new PC. Even though the one I picked out clears the recommended requirements, I've had experiences in the past (ahem, TS2009) that even when my computer clears the requirements, it still stutters and lags, so I want to get a couple opinions on whether these specs will do, and if it will stutter. Here are my new computer's specs:

Computer Model: Dell XPS 8300 Desktop
Processor: Intel i5-2300 at 2.8GHz, with 6MB cache
RAM: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz, 4 DIMMs
Hard Drive: 1TB 7200RPM SATA HDD at 3GB/s, 16MB cache
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5450 1GB DDR3
Sound Card: THX TruStudio PC
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

To me they look pretty good, but I need more than my opinion. So if you can, please respond.

Thanks in advance,
trainut

 

[tomurban]

Should be as smooth as glass.

tomurban

 

[whitepass]

Only bad thing is Dell, they sold two million known bad computers.

 

[trainut]

Should be as smooth as glass.

tomurban

Great, thanks. What's really great about that though is the specs I posted were for the low-end version of that computer!

Only bad thing is Dell, they sold two million known bad computers.

Actually, I have 3 Dells and none are bad, but thanks anyway for the warning.

 

[RRSignal]

I'm not an ATI guy but I think that video card isn't good; in fact, a quick search says it's at or close to bare minimum spec. Look for a much better card.

Consider also building your own. Dell makes decent machines, but, like most OEMs, they load them down with loads of cr@p. In fact, if you want the best bang for your buck, use your current machine as an email/internet machine and build a gaming rig with no pre-installed anti-virus, firewall, internet connection, etc. Just throwing this out there, but you will need a better card no matter what.

 

[mrscsi]

I'm not an ATI guy but I think that video card isn't good; in fact, a quick search says it's at or close to bare minimum spec. Look for a much better card.

Consider also building your own. Dell makes decent machines, but, like most OEMs, they load them down with loads of cr@p. In fact, if you want the best bang for your buck, use your current machine as an email/internet machine and build a gaming rig with no pre-installed anti-virus, firewall, internet connection, etc. Just throwing this out there, but you will need a better card no matter what.

I'll agree with you on the card, but there's nothing wrong with the later version Dells. I bought mine at a time where if I bought a core I 7 920, with four gig of RAM a 500 gig hard drive and an ATI 4850, case, power supply, DVD drive, keyboard and mouse AND Windows Vista 64-bit premium it would've cost me a whole lot more than $999

So I got a year of antivirus thrown in, don't see much downside in that.

The only real downside to my PC, was the power supply it was rather lite but what you want for 999 bucks with the OS?

In the 2 1/2 years since, I maxed out the RAM upgraded to Windows 7 (at a discount by the way because my machine was eligible) replaced the power supply with a larger unit and retired the 4850.

2 1/2 years later I'm into the thing total for about 1500 but I don't think you could still build an X 58 based I 7 with what I have in it with the OS for 1500

So I agree with the original poster there's really no downside to Dell overall, as long as you understand some of the components may be a bit lite.

 

[trainut]

I'm not an ATI guy but I think that video card isn't good; in fact, a quick search says it's at or close to bare minimum spec. Look for a much better card.

Consider also building your own. Dell makes decent machines, but, like most OEMs, they load them down with loads of cr@p. In fact, if you want the best bang for your buck, use your current machine as an email/internet machine and build a gaming rig with no pre-installed anti-virus, firewall, internet connection, etc. Just throwing this out there, but you will need a better card no matter what.

Well, then what kind of video card specs besides the memory would I need to look at, and do you recommend a certain one?

 

[tomurban]

You could try 2012 with the 5450 and see how it goes. If you are not happy with the performance, you can always do the upgrade. 2012 is supposedly less demanding on system resources than the earlier versions.

tomurban

 

[trainut]

You could try 2012 with the 5450 and see how it goes. If you are not happy with the performance, you can always do the upgrade. 2012 is supposedly less demanding on system resources than the earlier versions.

tomurban

OK, I will. Thanks for the tip! And that's good that it's less demanding, because I plan to use that new computer as my school, web/email, and video editing computer, and also my Trainz computer (which is why I need 1TB of HDD space).

 

[RRSignal]

Well, then what kind of video card specs besides the memory would I need to look at, and do you recommend a certain one?

I took a look and the HD5770 is an option on that PC. That should be more than adequate for Trainz. The problem with waiting-and-seeing is that Dell and other OEMs often use the minimum power supplies they can get away with so it would be better to get the card with the machine than upgrade afterwards; upgrade later and you very likely may need to upgrade the PSU too. The nVidia GT420, FYI, listed as an option is very underpowered and I think the 5870 would be overkill; you certainly don't need a >$300 card.

 

[mrscsi]

You could try 2012 with the 5450 and see how it goes. If you are not happy with the performance, you can always do the upgrade. 2012 is supposedly less demanding on system resources than the earlier versions.

tomurban

May be less demanding on system resources, but I don't think I'm GPU or CPU.

If anything it may be a little more demanding on those two. Now it's not incredibly more demanding than 2010, but you throw the switches all the way to the right and she'll draw a little GPU power, I can assure you that

 

[trainut]

I took a look and the HD5770 is an option on that PC. That should be more than adequate for Trainz. The problem with waiting-and-seeing is that Dell and other OEMs often use the minimum power supplies they can get away with so it would be better to get the card with the machine than upgrade afterwards; upgrade later and you very likely may need to upgrade the PSU too. The nVidia GT420, FYI, listed as an option is very underpowered and I think the 5870 would be overkill; you certainly don't need a >$300 card.

So with all my listed specs except the 5450 card is replaced by the HD 5770 card, it'll run TS12 as smooth as glass in all circumstances?

 

[RRSignal]

It should. The TS12 beta (I bought the program but haven't received it yet) runs nicely on my far-lower spec system. The i5 is a good CPU. The 5770 is a really nice GPU from the specs (remember, I'm not an ATI guy) and 4Gb is the most Trainz can currently use.

 

[trainut]

It should. The TS12 beta (I bought the program but haven't received it yet) runs nicely on my far-lower spec system. The i5 is a good CPU. The 5770 is a really nice GPU from the specs (remember, I'm not an ATI guy) and 4Gb is the most Trainz can currently use.

Perfect! I'll go ahead and get those specs then. Time to start saving!


Thanks, everybody, for all the help!
trainut

 

[William0d0]

I took a look and the HD5770 is an option on that PC. That should be more than adequate for Trainz. The problem with waiting-and-seeing is that Dell and other OEMs often use the minimum power supplies they can get away with so it would be better to get the card with the machine than upgrade afterwards; upgrade later and you very likely may need to upgrade the PSU too. The nVidia GT420, FYI, listed as an option is very underpowered and I think the 5870 would be overkill; you certainly don't need a >$300 card.

My GTS450 is giving me great performance running TS12 at 1920 * 1080 with the sliders all the way to the right.

I think my i5-2500(k) is driving the game more then the GPU.

 

[Beattie]

My icore3 3.2ghz runs trainz very well just need to make sure a good graphics card matches with this cpu and you have a great gaming computer

 

[trainut]

My GTS450 is giving me great performance running TS12 at 1920 * 1080 with the sliders all the way to the right.

I think my i5-2500(k) is driving the game more then the GPU.

Thanks for the advice, but I think I'll stick with an ATI Radeon HD 5770.

My icore3 3.2ghz runs trainz very well just need to make sure a good graphics card matches with this cpu and you have a great gaming computer

That's great, then my i5 is perfect!

 

[nfotis]

Hello,

I hope that the original poster will forgive me for hijacking the thread, but here it goes:

I am thinking of buying a used computer with the following specs:
- CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 (2.67 GHz)
- 2 GB RAM (4*512 MB sticks)
- Nvidia GF 7950 GTX (fanless)
- Windows 7 x64
- 80 GB SATA HD

My monitor is a 22", with resolution 1680x1050
Should this be enough for running Trainz 12 in the most complex routes?
What you would upgrade from such a computer?
(RAM, GPU, CPU)

Cheers,
N.F.

 

[RRSignal]

The GPU is definitely weak; you can get something much more modern for around $50, maybe less on a good sale or rebate. As for the 80Gb hard drive...are you sure it's only 80Gb? If so, you're going to have a tough time fitting the OS and much more than a minimal install of Trainz on it as the OS may eat about 1/4 of that disk. A memory upgrade would be nice if you can do it, since the ability to use more than 3-3.5Gb of memory is the only major advantage of a 64-bit OS.

I'm curious to know the maker or motherboard of that machine: The components make me wonder about the age and upgradeability of it.

 

[winjmoore]

Hard Drive: 1TB 7200RPM SATA HDD at 3GB/s, 16MB cache
cache to small
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5450 1GB DDR3
overall no really high enough
Sound Card: THX TruStudio PC
??? sounds like onboard sound with software to improve