Game Information

PC Gaming Video: Meeting the Demands


If you have an interest in playing PC games that were made at least in the past couple of years, you've probably seen the serious video demands these games now have. It's not only that you need a fast system that can handle all of the information in today's games, but you need a major performance video card to handle computer game video too.

For some weird reason, the video demands of these games have far surpassed everything else. If you're even looking at the idea of playing today's PC games, you probably have no interest in turning down the resolution and graphics quality in the game so you can play it on an okay system. If you want to play these games the way they were intended, you'll need some serious computer game video processing power.

Other parts of the game, like sound and hard drive space aren't really a concern anymore because most people's hard drives are getting bigger, (or they run the game off a DVD) and most PC sound cards seem to be all about on the same level. It seems the average is 5.1 channels anyway.

But the problem starts when you go look at the types of cards out there to choose from, the kind of card that you can even get comes down to how your PC was built from the beginning.

PCI express is the new standard for PC video, but many hardware authorities are still saying that there aren't really any games or programs out there that use the super data transfer speeds that it has.

Of course, in time, this will change, so it really comes down to a short/long-term investment question: Do you want a machine that will tear up the high-end games for years to come, or upwards of the next year and a half? If you want to go with the former, you'll have to pay out a little. Also, if you want a PCI express card, you had to have either started with a motherboard with this kind of socket on it, or you have to look at swapping out your board.

Most people for now are still going to fit into the AGP 8X category. AGP has been used for years up until fairly recently, when systems all started coming with PCI express instead. You should make sure you get your hands on at least a good AGP 8X video card with lots of video memory (256 megs) and you won't know the difference.

The big feuding video card brands have been ATI and nVidia for some time now, although nVidia is now basically leasing out their GeForce chipsets to other manufacturers, like Chaintech. For a while, it's really been a toss-up as to which brand is better, the cheap level cards are going to all be the same across brands. According to recent reviews, however, ATI's newest top-level Radeon X800 series card is supposed to be better than nVidia's most recently released high-end card.

But rather than deal with the hassle of matching up video card socket types and worrying if what you've got will stay current, you might want to just go with one of the high-end system builders out there. Alienware is one of the most widely known ones; their systems are some of the fastest and most powerful on the market. Having your system already put together is one advantage, but Alienware tests different motherboard and video card combinations to find the optimal configuration for gaming.

By paying a little careful attention to brand names, video memory, price, and how they all fit together with your unique needs, you can get a system that can handle some serious computer game video for any game you throw its way.

Phil Moyers, owner of Build-Your-Own-Computer-Plan.com shows computer novices how to save a ton of money by putting together fast, high performance PC's of their own with handpicked, quality parts. Learn more about meeting computer game video demands.


MORE RESOURCES:

Canoe.ca

Stern considers NBA games in London possible before 2012 Olympics
The Canadian Press, LONDON - 1 hour ago
LONDON — NBA commissioner David Stern said Sunday the league likely would play regular-season games in London before the British capital hosts the 2012 ...
NBA begins expansion into China Examiner.com
AEG and NBA China Form Joint Venture MarketWatch
NBA Commish: London On Radar for Regular Season Game Cleveland Leader
BBC Sport - Basketball 24/7
all 223 news articles


Boston Globe

A Latino edge for 2016 Games?
Chicago Tribune, United States - 10 hours ago
In a 25-minute showcase, officials reiterated that they have stayed true to the global template for a successful Games with a compact set of venues, ...
Ueberroth goes on offensive in IOC money dispute The Associated Press
The Buzz: Ueberroth goes on offensive Kansas City Star
Next president may sell Chicago 2016 bid to IOC International Herald Tribune
Newsweek - USA Today
all 158 news articles


New York Daily News

ALCS notebook: Games will be cooler in Boston
Kansas City Star, MO - 19 hours ago
The teams have today off, just workouts, before Monday’s game three — and maybe the Rays can use the time to get used to the weather change. ...
All around the Trop, signs of the times SportingNews.com
Big games, and an identity, for the Trop MLB.com
Rays 9, Red Sox 8: Tampa Bay walks off with a win Providence Journal
New York Times Blogs - Ottawa Citizen
all 696 news articles


Seattle Post Intelligencer

OT: College Football games discussion, Oct 11th
SF Illustrated - 1 hour ago
OK started a fresh thread to discuss this weekend's games- there are some really good ones on the schedule for tomorrow with oklahoma-texas (#1 versus #5! ...
Video: No. 5 Texas Upends Top-ranked Oklahoma AssociatedPress
On top of their games Houston Chronicle
Saturday's top TV games San Francisco Chronicle
Fort Worth Star Telegram - USA Today
all 1,614 news articles


TSN.ca

Phils' Manuel won't miss any NLCS games to attend services for mother
ESPN - Oct 11, 2008
Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel will not miss any NLCS games to attend the funeral of his mother, June, who passed away before Game 2 on Friday ...
Phillies Notes: Phils' Manuel won't miss any games Philadelphia Inquirer
Manuel won't miss any games Cherry Hill Courier Post
Manuel, Victorino won’t miss any games The News Journal
Contra Costa Times - Philadelphia Daily News
all 672 news articles


NOTEBOOK: Big games agree with Youkilis
Newsday, NY - 13 hours ago
BY KAT O'BRIEN | kat.obrien@newsday.com Youkilis went 3-for-4 in Game 1 Friday, marking his third straight three-hit game in ALCS play. ...
Francona tweaks the lineup Boston Globe
all 41 news articles


odishatoday.com

C’wealth Youth Games begins
Hindu, India - 1 hour ago
LEADING THE WAY: Ace swimmer Virdhawal Khade was India’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games on Sunday. ...
EDITORIAL All the best C’wealth Youth Games envoys ThisDay
National Games changed city's face Times of India
Commonwealth Youth Games The Statesman
MyNews.in - Hindustan Times
all 77 news articles


Times Online

Olympic Games not losing its shine despite worldwide credit crunch
Daily Mail, UK - 1 hour ago
‘The Games are resilient and people rally around them because of the good that they do. It is a big,big brand,’ said Michael Kontos, a senior adviser. ...
Cricket's inclusion is key to Indian Olympic Games popularity Courier Mail
Sprinter Chambers welcomes IOC re-test move AFP
IOC to retest all doping samples from Beijing Games Reuters South Africa
USA Today - The Press Association
all 832 news articles


dBTechno

TGS 08: Microsoft Holding Off on Delisting XBLA Games
1UP.com, NY - 4 hours ago
But at the Tokyo Game Show earlier this week, Xbox Live corporate vice president John Schappert told IGN that won't be the case. ...
Xbox 360 New Xbox Experience Preview 2: Games Marketplace Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows
Educational games coming to the Xbox Seattle Post Intelligencer
XBLA may not delist games after all Ars Technica
eFluxMedia - Game Daily
all 197 news articles


CTV.ca

Pan Am games bid kickoff 'hit right notes'
Toronto Star,  Canada - 14 hours ago
After formally throwing Toronto's hat into the ring to host the 2015 Pan American Games, organizers have less than a year to bring home the big prize. ...
Toronto's formal bid for Pan Am Games received well in Mexico ... The Canadian Press
Rival to Canada drops out of PanAm Games bid Globe and Mail
Toronto closer to getting Pan Am games 680 News
Hamilton Spectator - CTV.ca
all 134 news articles

Games - Google News

home | site map
Web Site Development - Search Engine Marketing: Dream Team Media