Best Hardware Configuration

[Trugaard]

I am looking at buying a new desktop specifically for DDO. I would like to know everything I should look for in terms of hardware, that would enable me to play at the highest possible settings with the highest possible performance. I'm looking for a setup that a designer would want on his computer, if he were a gamer.

Please include OS and Graphics Cards. I wait patiently for your response. (I frequently say that to my current computer, ha!)

[Impaqt]

ANy Modern PC should be able to run DDO at a breakneck speed. The game was designed around DX9c and depending on your Monitor resolution, most of the current gen Video cards can do max graphic settings pretty easily.

My Current Rig consists of

AMD Dual COre Overclocked to 2.8Ghz (Older Socket 939 Opteron)
DFI Motherboard
2 Gigs of High Speed Ram (Most important if you ask me)
eVGA 8800GTX Video Card
30" Dell Monitor 1920x1200 Res

I;ll soon be upgrading my MB/Processor to a Intel Setup.

Currently I still run XP Pro on my Gaming rig..... My next onbe will be Vista though.. To many DX10 games onthe horizon I want to take advantage of.

(Ifits Just for DDO though, I would stick with XP Pro)

[BGP]

No computer expert but I had a large coupon for a Dell outlet XPS system.

Here is the rough summary:

XPS 410 Mini-Tower:
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6700 (2.66GHz, 1066 FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
4 GB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz Dual Ranked (4 DIMMs)
250 GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200 RPM)Video

I upgraded my video card to a 512 nvidia Geforce 8800 gtx

I typically run in the 70-80 FPS on Very High.

One thing I would do different is I would now go with XP. Vista is still unstable and drivers aren't available for some other items I would like to use with it (i.e. a Music Bridge)

Also got a DVD burner and 22" screen. Total (before video upgrade) was around 840. I don't hate dell like some and have had no issues with any XPS system I have have worked with. The coupon was another 40% off but that is because I had made some sizable business purchases and they were trying to get me to update about 16 more PC's.

Good luck.

[Trugaard]

Thats a helluva deal, I don't know where to find something like that for only 840

[Osharan_Tregarth]

Thats a helluva deal, I don't know where to find something like that for only 840

Well, one of my guildies recommends this company... I haven't tried it myself, so, as always, your milage may vary.

http://ibuypower.com/mall/lobby.htm

My gf just ordered one of the new xps 630 comps from dell.... Unfortunately though, I don't have a 40% off coupon to use.

https://ecomm2.dell.com/dellstore/ba...-6ddf5ff25154&

[BGP]

Oh ya, I did add in 2 gig of ram. My fault, was at my office and didn't think about that until later.

Remember, the video card was aftermarket. The lcd was on a discontinued model too. (The new model had just been released)

I just watched the Dell outlet deals until they dropped when a new model came out. It worked well for me.

Watch their site and if you time it right, you can get one. One of my old guildys got one a couple weeks later too.

[Impaqt]

Thats a helluva deal, I don't know where to find something like that for only 840

Its quite easy actually....

60 Case and power Supply
100 Motherboard
150 Processor
80 2 gigs ram
80 Big Hard Drive
110 Windows Vista
50 Optical Drive
50 Keyboard and Mouse
200 22" Flat Panel
---
$880

Just add a Video card and your all set

[Trugaard]

AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4000+ CPU
Asus M2A-VM AMD 690G Chipset MB
2048MB DDR2-800 Memory
160GB SATA-II Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB Video Memory
20x DL DVD+/-RW Drive
6-Channel Surround Sound
600Watt Subwoofer Speakers
10/100/1000 Network LAN
Xion Hydraulic Gaming Tower Case

Is this good or should all or some be changed?

[Impaqt]

Dont forget the Power Supply! THat looks like a sharp case, but I dont see a Power Supply listed with it anywhere...

ALso, I'd spring for a few more bucks on a Motherboard.... Micro Boards w/ Onboard video are nice for basic workstations, but wouldnt do that for any sort of gaming rig.

[Trugaard]

Power Supply, got it.

On Motherboards I'm a tard so, what about these two:

MSI K9A2 CF-F AMD 790X CrossFire Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Dual Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, Dual PCI-E MB
Asus M2N-SLI NVIDIA nForce 560 SLI Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, Dual PCI-E MB

[Impaqt]

The MSI is a good board,

I like this GIgabyte as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128081

[Freeman]

...
NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB Video Memory
...
Is this good or should all or some be changed?

Don't get this card if you want to play games. At a minimum, you should get an 8600GT. Some version of the 8800 would probably be best to get to complement the rest of the computer, but I don't recall the different versions of that card off the top of my head.

[Zor_Prime]

If you are going with an X-Fire board you should consider the Radeon 3850. I run a single (for now) and it smokes. If you go with an x-fire board, consider ASUS...but that MSI isn't too bad at all.

That case is neat but I don't really care for the clearances. I love the p-series Antec cases. They have a nice wall dividing the PS from the rest of the case. And if you can, get a modular PS...they are, however, more expensive.