Your advice on new PC ( for VSK3/4) - advice pls?

[tornado1]

I's sure like your advice on what specs my replacement computer should have. I do some amateur dest top publishing incl. photoshop manipulation. But I'd like to get it with enought jam to do really get the best out of VSK. I am trying to learn to team race. I am on a cable connection.

1. Desktop -- what do you think about Dell Dimension XPS Gen 5
(Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with HT Technology up to 660 (3.60GHz, 800MHz, 2MB cache)
or
NEW Intel® Pentium® Extreme Edition Dual Core Processor with HT Technology (3.20GHz, 800MHz FSB, 2MB cache).
Up to 4 GB3 DDR2-533MHz SDRAM for multitasking multiple applications. Upgradable to 4 GB3 DDR2-667MHz SDRAM.
2. Will Dual Core give any benefit? is it worth waiting for?

3, How much RAM? is 1 Gig enuf? ( more is v. expensive.

3. Is their supplied Card good enuf? --
NEW PCI Express Graphics at 256MB PCI ExpressTM x16 ATI RadeonTM X850 XT Platinum Edition graphics card.
4.Monitor – what is the best response time that will show off VSK best with quick playability? Other cards better for VSK?
5. Joy-stick are you guys using a joystick?
6. Is it worth while to install Team-Speak. Some Aussies and Italians seem to use it during team races?

Any advice greatly appreciated.
Bob

[murphs]

that setup should be more than enough, its much better than what i run and i can max out all the graphics settings

many vsk clubs use team-speak so it is worthwhile downloading

[CAN Knot]

I would definitely go for the dual core processor. They are not that much more expensive than single core processors and you get way more bang for your buck. However, I would look around and see if you can find a builder that uses AMD processors. Currently the AMD dual core processors blow the Intel processors out of the water.

RAM: Get as much as you can. 1GB seems to be the minimum right now and Photoshop will be really happy with 2GB or more

[Skiffie]

Re: question 5 - I have a poll at VSK Australia which has tried to delve into who uses what.

So far...
10 have responded saying they use only keyboard (some have modified key mapping)
2 have responded saying they use keyboard and mouse
1 has responded to using keyboard and joystick

Comments are that the joystick gives very fine steering control, better than keyboard.



Edited By Skiffie on 1125888621

[admiral 1]

enough jam to really get the best ......

vsk 3 or vsk 4 ?

a) its going to be running on these computers :
Steam Survey though not neccesarily for vsk4 all of these are gaming machines. There's your market. With either of what you intend to get you end up in the top 1% Can you afford to stay in the top 1%?

You can spend 2000 Euro now, be on top for 3-4 months, become mediocre in a year, year and a half, and be out dated and obsolete in 3 years.

Or you can spend 650 Euro once a year, or 325 Euro every 6 months,
or 162,50 every quarter. Actually then you'll find yourself in the top 10%, give or take you can pick up the right graficcard at the right time for the right price. (imagine getting the newest 325 Euro top graficcard every 6 months...)

Anyway it should be clear that the later model will keep you on a consistant level.. (there always will be faster computers then yours, but not that many...) Whereas when you purchase a computer every 3 year, you might end up frustrated the more you progress in your "upgrade-cycle".
When money is no objection, go for the dually AMD's (dually for your production software) put it in a SLI capable motherboard and get 2 of the nvidia 7800 gtx'es and have fun. Put in the afstest Ram you can get (actually need no more then 512 for VSK3 and some). Then when vsk4 comes out go and and get the newest greates and fastest and inform me of that feat. Maybe i can convince my wife that's the way to go too. :p

:beer:



Edited By admiral 1 on 1125941787

[CAN Knot]

I use a joystick, keyboard, and mouse!

I use the joystick during prestarts, mark roundings, or any time I'm sailing in close quarters. What I like about the joystick is you can "feel" how much rudder you are applying or how much you've trimmed/eased the sails, and I find the controls respond much more quickly to the joystick than the keyboard. I have the joystick buttons mapped to do sail changes, hoist/drop the spinnaker, move the camera around and zoom in/out.

I use the keyboard when trimming for speed. The controls may react faster to the joystick, but I find the keyboard gives me much finer control over sail trim and rudder position.

I use the mouse to look around. Using the right mouse button to take a quick look around and the mouse wheel to zoom in and out can't be beat.

[Skiffie]

I use a joystick, keyboard, and mouse!

Just HOW many hands do you have to do all of this?? :p

[AndersDK]

Does anyone use steering wheel?
Has anyone expiriences with it?

[murphs]

i have one, have set it up for vsk3 but i really didnt find it any better than the keyboard

joystick would be better

[Aquabat]

Also ...

has anyone used one of those track pads things that are on most laptops ... do they work well ?

[CAN Knot]

Just HOW many hands do you have to do all of this??

And don't forget one hand for the cold beer and another for the lit cigarette!!! It gets busy here at times. Obviously, I'm not using them all at once :;):

has anyone used one of those track pads things that are on most laptops ... do they work well ?

I haven't actually tried using the track pad on my laptop when sailing simply because I would imagine that it would suck really badly. I'll try it later (have to install VSK on this laptop first) and tell you just how badly it sucked.

[admiral 1]

track pads ..... let me know if you can get a boat to sail a straight course

If you want the ultimate (unfortunatly no longer available. Might try e-bay.) : take a look at this baby:
tiller & sheets

[tornado 1]

Thanks to everyone who posted. Your comments on all this are helpful. Can Knot and Admiral’s approach were interesting too.
Too bad dual core is still so new, as you gotta shell out more bucks to be an early adopter. ( also harder to conceal the true cost from your wife)

Thx again, will start pricing out and lookin for a supplier.

[Skiffie]

And don't forget one hand for the cold beer and another for the lit cigarette!!!

See, you need one of those hats with the two can holders and the straw, one less hand to worry about!

[CAN Knot]

Too bad dual core is still so new, as you gotta shell out more bucks to be an early adopter.

Not really. A dual core AMD-3800 is US$350 and a single core AMD-3800 is US$250, so for $100 more you get (almost) twice the CPU. Also, a dual core processor will likely last you longer than a single core processor, so the cost per years of service is likely less.

On the other hand, if you wait a little while longer I wouldn't be surprised if the introduction of dual core processors drives the price of single core processor through the floor in the near future...