I’d like to upgrade my PC a little bit this spring so that I can play GTA5 (when it comes out).
Here’s my current specs: Motherboard: ASUS PQ5 PR0 CPU: Intel Core Duo 3.2ghz Graphics: Radeon 4870 OS: Windows 7 32-bit RAM: 4GB
I do have experience building PC’s and have built 3 systems myself, It’s just that it’s been a while and I don’t know what the current technology is up to. I’d like to stay under $500 but I am not sure how much of an upgrade I will need. I’ll probably wind up buying a part or two a month, maybe a motherboard the first month, CPU the second, etc, until I have everything.
If I have to upgrade most or all of the parts listed above I might just go full on New PC but that might take until the end of the summer or later. If I go that route I am considering getting an Antec case, they are really spiffy.
To reach the minimum specs you’d need to get a quad core CPU. You might find one used somewhere for your motherboard’s socket (LGA775). Otherwise you’d need buy a new motherboard and CPU and at that point you might as well start thinking about changing the whole lot. Does you GPU have 1 GB of ram?
Keep in mind that developer given hardware requirements are notoriously unreliable. It’s really hard to say what the actual reqs will be until people get their hands on the game. The GTA4 port was really terrible and even performs badly on modern systems.
EDIT: You also need to update your Windows to 64-bit.
You have the right idea about needing a new CPU and motherboard. You’ll also need a new GPU and new RAM since you’re on DDR2. Getting that done for $500 is tricky.
This isn’t quite right. The game has it’s limitations, mired as it is with DX9 tech. It’s absolutely CPU bound, and not very well multithreaded.
But in terms of a port - it was pretty good. Decent amount of options on PC, and you could easily double the view distance of the console versions even on modest hardware.
The myth of the bad port comes from the heavy hit view distance takes on CPU performance past about double or so the view distance of the console versions.
At about that setting, mid range hardware could pretty much max out all the other graphics bells and whistles. Not all PC gamers are super smart and savvy when ti comes to these things though, and if they can’t max out a setting with high end hardware, will proclaim the port to be trash.
I believe the same team responsible for Max Payne PC is on board for this one, and Max PAyne was an excellent port on PC. Ran well, and was WAY better looking on PC than consoles (as it should be!).
To the OP: You have to change just enough things to meet recommended system reqs that I’d suggest just saving up and building a new PC.
Tiny console sized build. An i5 CPU + mobo and say a 750ti should have you playing at better than PS4 settings for something in the order of $550. In the future you can the upgrade your GPU, or invest a couple of hundred dollars more on a GTX 970.
I do have GTA 4 and have not had too many problems with it. I think I got it about 6 moths or so after the PC release, and most of the bugs were worked out. The only issue was, I was trying to get 100% and would tab out to look at my pigeon/stunt jump map. Sometimes doing this would make the ground disappear and be replaced by a solid gray sheet. Other than this it ran really smoothly on my computer.
I am confused because Uosdwis R. Dewoh’s reply seems to indicate that I can just upgrade my CPU to a quad core, and in the next post Palooka says I need a mobo, CPU, and graphics card.
I am seriously thinking of just starting a new PC build as Kinthalis suggested. If I buy a part or two a month or as cash flow permits I should be able to finish it by the end of summer. I’m going to start doing some research on motherboards with the idea that I can get a decent CPU like an i5, but can upgrade it later on without having to buy a new motherboard.
Are Antec’s computer cases still considered good, or are there new challengers to the throne? I almost went with an Antec Nine Hundred for my current comp and still sort of regret not getting it.
It took me multiple attempts over like 4 months to get GTA 4 to work. First I couldn’t get it to do anything but crash upon starting, then I would get up to signing in to Rockstar Social Club, then it would get stuck on an endless “loading” slideshow. Eventually I found the problem to be Games for Windows Live. What a worthless piece of shit (GFWL, not GTA 4)!
You can get a quadcore that meets the quoted minimum specs without buying a new motherboard, such as a Q6600. The difference between us is that I think a Q6600 (or any LGA775 CPU) is old and busted.
Antec cases are all right. Corsair cases are kind of overpriced or have weird design decisions to cut costs. I like Fractal Design cases. The NZXT s340 is probably the top budget case.
You’ll want to reuse your case though, if you want to keep it under that $500 budget.
I would be very careful about getting a second-hand Q6600. They were a favourite of overclockers. I would strongly suggest you take the opportunity to upgrade. Something like an i5-44xx or i5-45xx CPU and a Geforce GTX 970. Do note that AMD are widely expected to be releasing a new GPU shortly which will drive prices down.
