You really don't need "upgraded if needed". Do the job right in the first place. You'll pay less too. Neither one of these is a "starting point". It sounds like they're just trying to sell you second-hand crap. If they won't build a computer for you, find another shop.
Computer Hunting Questions
- Thread starter BlackDiamond1964
- Start date
You really don't need "upgraded if needed". Do the job right in the first place. You'll pay less too. Neither one of these is a "starting point". It sounds like they're just trying to sell you second-hand crap. If they won't build a computer for you, find another shop.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
This is the stuff I'm interested in hearing, but why do you say that neither of these are good starting point? I'm interested in the details of your thoughts.
I'll be looking at all options before any monies are exchanged.
This machine will definitely run Trainz and will give you many years of pleasure. Digital Storm machines are made well, but I agree are expensive. Fellow Trainzer here, Steamboateng (Mike) has an "older" machine made by them and it really is made well. He has never had any issues with his machine. You can probably build a machine for a lot less yourself. Check out www.newegg.com for example and choose the same parts. The caveat is you'll have no warranty and will have to assemble the machine yourself if you have the time. The process is not difficult though and is done quite easily.
What you don't want to do is cut yourself short. Purchase what you can afford that will give you the best return on your investment and suit your needs. You got a good life out of your previous hardware, and I'm sure it will suit someone else who has a much older machine. We do this often in my house. My previous PC went to my dad who is still using it as a graphics workstation. The thing is many times people will build a low-end machine, thinking they're saving money. The problem is in the end they end up spending more, a lot more than starting with high-end components out of the gate due to the corners cut in various places such as the power supply, video card, and even the motherboard.
John
Those machines are designed for workstation use, not gaming. It's not so much that they're Xeons, but without knowing specifically which models, you'd probably be better with a couple less, faster cores than more slower ones. That's already the case with existing versions of Trainz. All else being equal, I tend to doubt T:ANE will do better on more, slower cores versus a couple less, much-faster cores. Especially since N3V is, presumably, developing and optimizing T:ANE with typical gaming machines in mind. AFAIK, there are only one or two Trainzers who run workstation-class machines; the rest of us run normal gaming rigs, so you can guess for yourself who the target market is.
Also, the Quadro 2000 and the GT740 are not particularly good GPUs in any case and, as cool as Raptor or SAS drives might be, they're not SSDs. Why throw a couple hundred more bucks into a 'starter' machine?
While I like Lenovo and Dell - they make good, reliable machines - they are not top performers even in their class. And, considering your intended purpose, I have to wonder about this shop - it seems like they either don't understand what they are selling, or are trying to pawn off some secondhand crap on the first sucker who walks in the door.
Also, the Quadro 2000 and the GT740 are not particularly good GPUs in any case and, as cool as Raptor or SAS drives might be, they're not SSDs. Why throw a couple hundred more bucks into a 'starter' machine?
While I like Lenovo and Dell - they make good, reliable machines - they are not top performers even in their class. And, considering your intended purpose, I have to wonder about this shop - it seems like they either don't understand what they are selling, or are trying to pawn off some secondhand crap on the first sucker who walks in the door.
Speaking of reusing PCs, if you really, REALLY want to do the job right (this is not for everybody though), here are three options. First, you can run your new gaming machine, whatever it may be, offline/standalone. Use your existing machine as an internet/email machine, and let it deal with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls, and all that other junk that completely saps a computer's performance. You can connect your two machines with a KVM switch that allows you to share a single monitor, mouse and keyboard. You can move content downloaded from the DLS via memory stick. A second option, which does not strictly require a second machine and a KVM switch, and is only applicable if you're more of a techie, you can set up a second boot partition (ideally, on a second hard disk or SSD) that is internet-enabled, and boot into that one when you have to download stuff via CMP; your default partition that you would boot into would not have internet capability. This is what I do and have done for a number of years. A third way is to dispense with the internet partition. As will the other two scenarios, you won't have anti-virus software, firewalls, etc. installed, and normally run with the internet disconnected, but you connect your internet cable as-needed to download from the DLS, then disconnect immediately. This is not the safest approach, and one I generally discourage, but it requires very little technical skill to implement, unlike the second option.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Thanks for all the information. If I had the time I would build a computer myself...just for the learning experience if nothing else. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time so I'll have to get someone else to put it together. I do like the Digital Storm specs but I'm not crazy about having expensive items like that shipped via a FedEx of UPS. I recently had some bad experiences with having expensive furniture shipped to me. Plus, I don't like the fact of having calling some tech support line if things go bad. The Digital Storm computer is still on the list but it's been pushed to the bottom.
I'll stop by the computer shop before work tomorrow. The owner is supposed to be there and I'll see what he has to say and go from there. I'll take my Trainz specs along with me so knows what's needed. Because of this thread I seem to have a better idea on what I'm looking for now, compared to when I started and knew very little.
I'll stop by the computer shop before work tomorrow. The owner is supposed to be there and I'll see what he has to say and go from there. I'll take my Trainz specs along with me so knows what's needed. Because of this thread I seem to have a better idea on what I'm looking for now, compared to when I started and knew very little.
Good luck with whichever way you go with this. Shipping sadly depends a lot upon the packing. Overall I have had good luck with both, even used to ship stuff myself in the past including $15,000 lasers, and $100,000 imaging equipment all over the world. A big part of this has to do with how the stuff is packed. The other thing too is this is now past the holiday rush so there is less of a chance of things getting lost or crunched.
Regarding the specs. Bring the specs of your dream machine rather than the base specs of Trainz. The computer guy has no clue about the program, it would be nice if he does but that would be a rare thing, and he'll under spec the machine.
John
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
After giving it a lot of thought, I'm going to go with DigitalStorm to get my computer. I'm afraid that I might get talked out of what I really want and need buy the local store. This could happen to me without me even realizing that it happened! I know this because it's happened before.
Another reason for this is the plain old convenience of ordering what I want without having to shop around the town. It's also been mentioned many time on how reliable these units are.
I'm not crazy about having something that expensive being shipped to me but like John said, it might be better now that the holiday season rush is over...fingers are crossed.
Lastly, I figure it's about time I splurge on myself and spend some money for something top notch.
I'm going to take another day or two to make sure that the specs on the computer I purchase are exactly what's needed... before I send the "Build Button"
Any last advice?
Another reason for this is the plain old convenience of ordering what I want without having to shop around the town. It's also been mentioned many time on how reliable these units are.
I'm not crazy about having something that expensive being shipped to me but like John said, it might be better now that the holiday season rush is over...fingers are crossed.
Lastly, I figure it's about time I splurge on myself and spend some money for something top notch.
I'm going to take another day or two to make sure that the specs on the computer I purchase are exactly what's needed... before I send the "Build Button"
Any last advice?
If anything, I'd increase the memory to the maximum the motherboard can handle. At the current prices, this might only be $250 or $300 retail, and a lot less when you build the machine. The reason I say this is if you go to 16 instead of 8GB, you might only get 4x4GB DIMMs. Then in the future you might want to upgrade the memory, and you'll end up with old memory that can't be used anywhere, or in my case having had this happen before, memory left over that wasn't in spec for another machine so the machine never saw the full memory installed.
I agree! Get your endorphin and dopamine boost and splurge on yourself!
John
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Thanks, I'll look into that. I believe the option to upgrade the motherboard is there.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
My DigitalStorm order is just about ready, but before I submit it, I still have one last question about monitors. What type is best for gaming? Does it matter?
NorthBridge
New member
A bit late. But I recommend you look at "Toms hardware guide" & make an informed choice. Computers are like cars. You can spend lots & get something thats very little better than one at half the price. Toms hardware guide will help you in every aspect of you PC. Your lucky that Pc's are cheaper were you are than in the uk. If your buying ready built then go for reputation & customer service as a percentage of all components are faulty. Though the worst PC I ever had was a big brand that was so badly designed it overheated in twenty minutes. I learned how to build my own after that one! The manufacturer was too greedy to install a big enough case fan. Just a few pounds was all it needed to sort it out.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
The Bolt II has been ordered. Here are the final specs.
DigitalStorm Bolt II
Processor
Intel Core i7 4790K 4.0 GHz (Codename Devils Canyon) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard
ASUS Z97I-PLUS (Intel Z97 Chipset) (Mini-ITX)
System Memory
16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply
700W Digital Storm Bolt II Edition ****Upgraded from 500W
Optical Drive
External USB - DVD/CD 8x Multi-Drive (Writes and Reads DVDs, CDs) ****Downgraded from Blue Ray player
Storage Set 1
1x SSD (250GB Samsung 840 EVO) **** Upgraded from 128MB
Storage Set 2
1x Storage (1TB Seagate)
Graphics Card
1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX) ****upgraded from GTX 970
CPU Boost
Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking ****Downgraded from Overclocking 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Sound Card
Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling
240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
Chassis Fans
High Static Pressure - Corsair Air Series SP120 Fans (2x 120mm)
Windows OS
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Audio
Logitech 2 Piece (Black Edition) Amplified Speaker Set
Keyboard
Corsair Vengeance K70 (Mechanical Gaming Keyboard) (Black/Metal Finish)
Warranty Plan
option
Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)
Separate Purchases*******
Monitor
Samsung 27" LED Monitor with HDMI (S27C390H Black)
Mouse
Roccat Kone XTD Gaming Mouse
Backup
Western Digital 2TB My Passport external Drive
I think I'm ready to do some serious Trainzing now.
DigitalStorm Bolt II
Processor
Intel Core i7 4790K 4.0 GHz (Codename Devils Canyon) (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard
ASUS Z97I-PLUS (Intel Z97 Chipset) (Mini-ITX)
System Memory
16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply
700W Digital Storm Bolt II Edition ****Upgraded from 500W
Optical Drive
External USB - DVD/CD 8x Multi-Drive (Writes and Reads DVDs, CDs) ****Downgraded from Blue Ray player
Storage Set 1
1x SSD (250GB Samsung 840 EVO) **** Upgraded from 128MB
Storage Set 2
1x Storage (1TB Seagate)
Graphics Card
1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB (Includes PhysX) ****upgraded from GTX 970
CPU Boost
Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking ****Downgraded from Overclocking 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Sound Card
Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling
240mm Radiator Liquid CPU Cooler (Extreme-Performance Edition)
Chassis Fans
High Static Pressure - Corsair Air Series SP120 Fans (2x 120mm)
Windows OS
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Audio
Logitech 2 Piece (Black Edition) Amplified Speaker Set
Keyboard
Corsair Vengeance K70 (Mechanical Gaming Keyboard) (Black/Metal Finish)
Warranty Plan
option
Life-time Expert Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty (3 Year Labor & 1 Year Part Replacement)
Separate Purchases*******
Monitor
Samsung 27" LED Monitor with HDMI (S27C390H Black)
Mouse
Roccat Kone XTD Gaming Mouse
Backup
Western Digital 2TB My Passport external Drive
I think I'm ready to do some serious Trainzing now.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
It was around $2800. I have a feeling that anything I get may be obsolete in 5 yrs. Hopefully this computer will have a little longer shelf life.
The next question is what kind of project should I try to tackle with all this puter power?
NorthBridge
New member
Wow. Just one thing. Trainz is smoother on Windows 8. But you can upgrade from 7 to 8. With an SSD you may get away with it. Think you probably spent a bit more than you need to. But it's nice to have top kit!
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I downgraded to Windows7 Pro because everybody told me to stay away from Windows 8 (8.1).
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Yes, you are absolutely right. I based my decision about the operating system on many bad comments about windows 8 and the lack of any good comments. I figure it best to be safe then sorry. If need be I can upgrade to windows 10 down the road.
Research is the key
The problem with saying "what should I get" is that everyone thinks different. Lots will say you need an SSD, I wouldn't, I think they are useless and expensive just to have windows start up in 20 seconds and that is all it does (yeah, programs start faster but they don't run faster). Go to Tom's Hardware and read the reviews and bench marks posted there. Here is the link for GPUs; http://www.tomshardware.com/t/graphics/ and CPUs http://www.tomshardware.com/t/cpus/
I run Trains 12 on my Asus ROG G551jm laptop and it runs better than on my desktop which has a quad core 2.7ghz OC to 3.3, 16 gb hyper-x ram and AMD HD6850 video card and a piece of junk Western Digital Black 1TB. The laptop is a dual core I7-4710 2.4ghz with 8gb basic ram and 5400rpm spinner so those who say a laptop can't run trains are wrong. Running Win8.1 also speeds things up big time, the game runs like crap on my laptop with Win7, but flies with Win8.1 and startup time is about 15 seconds (note no SSD).:hehe:
Of course, as stated at the beginning, this is just my opinion. And don't ask buddy in the store, he will sell you a goat and call it a horse.
The problem with saying "what should I get" is that everyone thinks different. Lots will say you need an SSD, I wouldn't, I think they are useless and expensive just to have windows start up in 20 seconds and that is all it does (yeah, programs start faster but they don't run faster). Go to Tom's Hardware and read the reviews and bench marks posted there. Here is the link for GPUs; http://www.tomshardware.com/t/graphics/ and CPUs http://www.tomshardware.com/t/cpus/
I run Trains 12 on my Asus ROG G551jm laptop and it runs better than on my desktop which has a quad core 2.7ghz OC to 3.3, 16 gb hyper-x ram and AMD HD6850 video card and a piece of junk Western Digital Black 1TB. The laptop is a dual core I7-4710 2.4ghz with 8gb basic ram and 5400rpm spinner so those who say a laptop can't run trains are wrong. Running Win8.1 also speeds things up big time, the game runs like crap on my laptop with Win7, but flies with Win8.1 and startup time is about 15 seconds (note no SSD).:hehe:
Of course, as stated at the beginning, this is just my opinion. And don't ask buddy in the store, he will sell you a goat and call it a horse.