Hardware & Technical Basic PC Spec for ED

Metalstardust

M
Hi

First my background. In my younger days I played Elite on an Acorn Electron (Reached Elite Status).
I am now ready to plunge back in and play ED.

I have built PC's before and my work background is System Engineer on IBM i. So I am technical but not when it comes to PC's.
The ever changing PC specifications confuse the hell out of me.

I need a new PC to run ED but not sure if I should buy a ready built system or build one.

So my question is what would be the bare minimum system I should be looking at?
Just so ED runs without freezing up, juddering graphics etc.

From what I have been reading an Intel i5 CPU with 8GB memory should be fine.
SSD HD
I used to love Gigabyte motherboards. Still good?

What is really confusing me is the GPU. What is the minimum spec to run all the features without switching anything off.
I think my monitor will be fine. It's a iiyama ProLite X2377HDS. So would want to drive this at high res.

Is this the kind of minimum spec I should be aiming for. Would this run ED?

Dell Alienware X51


Metalstardust
 

Surfinjo

Surfinjo
Strongly advise starting off with the best MB you can find, PSU about 850W, an SSD.

With that basis you can expand as your funds allow.

I am using a GTX 760. There is a handy comparison chart which casts different cards according to their relative level of power. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Something around the GTX 760 mark is what you need, but you can go a small bit lower.

Sound is a matter of preference. After a life time spent in such pleasures as listening to Tubular Bells on headphones in 1972, to working in the building industry for the last 20 years of my working life, my hearing is rather more whistle than clarity, so I use a basic card costing about £20..

Control, after your keyboard and mouse, whatever joystick you fancy. I use a Seedling Black Widow with a plug in keypad, re-labled for the dock/purchase controls.

Monitor to suit budget and video card. Most are pretty good. Some are better than others. Never buy one with integrated speakers. These will break quickly.

This is a good place to start. Very reliable and not expensive. They also repair inhouse. Since you worked for IBM you many live near the S Coast, in which case you might be able to drive there. http://www.novatech.co.uk/barebonebundles/
 
Last edited:

sun_tzu

S
I started a thred a few posts down and got good advice
Basically ati r9 270 will run it ok
280 will run it very well
290 if using multi monitors
I went for a 280 with motherboard and psu that will allow me to run two in crossfire if I want to update (plus a case with lots of fans)
 

Surfinjo

Surfinjo
Something important, I forgot.

Not all manufacturers are equal

Many will have a few years of good service with Gigabyte gear, but it is cheap because they cut corners.

For the very best quality look for ASUS.

Other will suffice, but sticking to that brand, a bit more to pay, but you won't go wrong.
 

Space Dandy

Space Dandy
Surfinjo said:
Strongly advise starting off with the best MB you can find, PSU about 850W, an SSD.

With that basis you can expand as your funds allow.

I am using a GTX 760. There is a handy comparison chart which casts different cards according to their relative level of power. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Something around the GTX 760 mark is what you need, but you can go a small bit lower.

Sound is a matter of preference. After a life time spent in such pleasures as listening to Tubular Bells on headphones in 1972, to working in the building industry for the last 20 years of my working life, my hearing is rather more whistle than clarity, so I use a basic card costing about £20..

Control, after your keyboard and mouse, whatever joystick you fancy. I use a Seedling Black Widow with a plug in keypad, re-labled for the dock/purchase controls.

Monitor to suit budget and video card. Most are pretty good. Some are better than others. Never buy one with integrated speakers. These will break quickly.

This is a good place to start. Very reliable and not expensive. They also repair inhouse. Since you worked for IBM you many live near the S Coast, in which case you might be able to drive there. http://www.novatech.co.uk/barebonebundles/
Click to expand...

Eh don't listen to this.

~ First you need to figure what your budget is.
~ Second you need to know what the pc is going to be used for as that may change what you should get. i5 or i7..
~ Third do you want to OC your cpu? Expensive MB are due to being made for heavy overclocks or having all the latest gadgets that most people never use.
~ Fourth there's no need for a huge 850w psu unless you plan on using more than one gpu in xfire or sli. Quality here is better than a huge watt #
~ Fifth most MB have pretty good sound integrated and that can easily be added later on.
~ Sixth dell alienware..... your paying much for the name, is always better to build your own if you are able to.
~ i5 will be fine, so will 8gb of ram.



Here is what I am using right now on my 47" hdtv 1080p

case: Coolermaster HAF932
PSU: Antec EA 750watt
RAM: 2x2g G-SKILL DDR3-1600mhz 9-9-9-24
Mb:Gigabyte GA-P55-UD4P
CPU: i5-750 @4ghz
GPU: gtx msi N760 TF 2GD5/OC
cooling: Noctua NH-D14
storage: seagate 600 240GB SSD, 500GB x7200rpm HDD

Has been running for 5 years or so and only upgraded the gpu and add a ssd. Use to have dual xfx 5770. Next I need to upgrade my ram to 8 or 16gb. Then I will look into a mb/cpu upgrade or so.

Wife has a newer build, i5-3570k with the msi z77a gd65 mb and msi gtx 760 gpu with a seasonic psu and it has been really good so far. My 5 year old is using all old junk I had laying around and one of my 5770 so he can watch comics online and play DDO.

My cpu stock is 2.66ghz and has been doing 4ghz OCed since I built it and is still going strong.

You may want to aim a somewhat higher depending on your budget.
 
Last edited:

Metalstardust

M
Thanks guys for the info. I am fast getting my self up to speed (Pun intended) with the latest PC hardware developments.
Starting to build a kit list of parts. (Yes I will build it myself)

Quick question. Input devices.
Can you play ED with keyboard only?
Is it playable with keyboard/mouse?

I played the original totally with keyboard.
Am I going to have to drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and use a joystick?
 

kile

K
While you can play with keyboard only and keyboard/mouse only, you should really consider getting a joystick or a HOTAS (joystick with separate throttle). Spending money on a joystick will make a huge impact on the gaming experience. Probably more than the difference between a mid-range and high-end graphics card.

Everybody's raving about Saitex x52, x52 Pro, and the x55 Rhino, but if you don't want to spend that much (understandably), you could get a Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas X. Or if you don't think a throttle would be useful, get a Thrustmaster T.16000M. It's said to be very accurate.
 

Surfinjo

Surfinjo
I'm using the Speedlink Black Widow with a USB Keypad for the navigation and docked controls.

Total cost about £30. It feels especially satisfying getting killed when you have good equipment! :D
 

Space Dandy

Space Dandy
Metalstardust said:
Thanks guys for the info. I am fast getting my self up to speed (Pun intended) with the latest PC hardware developments.
Starting to build a kit list of parts. (Yes I will build it myself)

Quick question. Input devices.
Can you play ED with keyboard only?
Is it playable with keyboard/mouse?

I played the original totally with keyboard.
Am I going to have to drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and use a joystick?
Click to expand...

The game is meant to be played with a joystick, using mouse and KB only is kind difficult. I think you could get away with using just a joystick and kb. I suggest you stay away from saitek x52 or 52pro, they are really cheap junk for the price they are sold at.

If you do want to try a joystick I would go for the t16000m, it is low cost but not cheap, it uses the same hall sensors as the warthog so is quite accurate

Some people suggest the hotas x because it's near same price and you get a stick and throttle but the stick is meh with a bad deadzone and not as accurate as the t16000m.

My old stick is kaput and I am going to get a t16000m and will play KB and stick for now and maybe later on get ch fighter stick to dual stick.
 
Last edited:

Alex988

A
Metalstardust said:
Thanks guys for the info. I am fast getting my self up to speed (Pun intended) with the latest PC hardware developments.
Starting to build a kit list of parts. (Yes I will build it myself)

Quick question. Input devices.
Can you play ED with keyboard only?
Is it playable with keyboard/mouse?

I played the original totally with keyboard.
Am I going to have to drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and use a joystick?
Click to expand...

Hey, http://www.logicalincrements.com/ is a very good place if you need a quick overview about some good systems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom