Will this computer run Doom 3 at full potential?

[Christerray]

Yeah, you guys have probably answered all these questions...but I want to know, since i'm dropping a good $1,700 into the Dell made PC. I can't decide if she's good enough, if it is a good goal to set for me...so, without further adeu...


Dell Dimension 8300 Series:
Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology 3.2GHz w/800MHz FSB

Operating System:
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional

Memory:
1GB Dual Channel DDR SDRAM at 400MHz (2x512M)


Hard Drive:
80GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive (7200 RPM) (When I'm done with games, they get deleted. So, 80gb is plenty)


CD orDVD Drive:
Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + FREE UPGRADE! 8x DVD+RW Drive


Monitors:
17 in (16 in viewable,.27dp) E773c CRT Monitor (Don't tell me to get bigger, I currently have a 14 incher)


Video Card:
New 128MB DDR ATI RADEON? 9800 Pro Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI (Is she powerful enough, or should I spend an additional 300 for the 256?)


Sound Card:
Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 (D) Card with Dolby® Digital 5.1 capability (No speakers, using headset)


Keyboard:
Dell® Enhanced Multimedia Keyboard


Mouse:
Logitech® MX? 500 Optical Mouse (8 buttons, baby)

[gatewatcher]

No. Your keyboard doesn't have enough memory, your mouse needs 25 more buttons, you need Linux, and these dells come with NOEDAR 9800 gpus but you'll need to spend the extra for the 512 DDXR memory.

[Amaster]

Im afraid doom 3 requires an ATI FireGL X2-256t. You can buy it directly from the ATI web site.
That will allow you to run the game at minimum settings.

[Christerray]

Serious? I need to get that card?

I wanted to buy a friggin pc built by professionals for this game. I didn't wanna toy with it myself. Argh!


EDIT: Or, you're yanking my cranker cause i'm a newb. C'mon guys, seriously. I just need to know. I know it's annoying as crap, and I was annoyed by people like me, but all I need to know is if it's good enough.

[Amaster]

*sigh*

No, Im not serious.

If you look around the doom3 forum you'll see numerous threads which cover this topic.

Better yet you could have looked at the sticky topic at the top of this very forum

[gatewatcher]

While you're at it, Carmack has already said the pentiums are very slow compared to the AMDs. He himself reccomended the AMD 64s shown here : http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-426&depa=0

[Christerray]

Yeah, I did check the sticky before posting. But I'm talkin about the 128 mostly. Will it be good enough, or do I need the 256?


*Feeling like a total dips**t*

[Job]

Uh, you'll need better than a 17" monitor to play Doom 3 at a resolution above 640x480. A 19" is required for 800x600 and for 1024x768, you'll need a 21" monitor.

[Christerray]

You sure, man? I was playing 1024x768 on a 15 inch crt. God, I must be friggin braindead...


Or, i'm being ripped on again. Blah. Fine, forget I asked it ;.;

I'll take my chances with the 128. Meanies.

[Darkstalker]

The FAQ says:
Excellent: 2.5Ghz+ CPU, even more RAM, GeForce4, Radeon 9700 or higher.

If the radeon 9700 is said to perform great I don't know why you're scared that the 9800 will perform badly. The 128 will be ok but if you have the money for the 256 then go for it.

Oh and people are toying with you if you haven't figured it out because we're getting tired to be asked the same questions over and over again.

[Christerray]

Thanks Dark.

I'm pretty new to system building and stuff, since the comp i'm running now is a 1.6 gig I built myself, but really didn't know crap about graphics cards and the like. That's why i'm confused. I heard the higher the graphic card ram, the better resolution performance. I'm only planning on running the game at one above 1024x768, but if my card allows it, i'll go higher...

And I don't mind you're ripping on me. I deserve it for being a dip. I appreciate your help, though. I'll go crucify myself, now.

[Job]

Haha, yeah we're just kidding with you. But really, judging from what yous aid your setup is, you'll be just fine.

[Christerray]

Eh, I deserved it. It was either here, or G4TV. And since none of those people know what they're talking about...

(ie Half-Life 2 is gonna PWN Doom3! HAW HAW! Doom 3 is teh sucks.)

[Intel17]

Yes, that system will b e enough for you to fully experience doom 3 and enjoy it. Welcome to the forums.

[Lutrov71]

Doom3 requires too much. I think more than half the people who but it will not be able to play it.

[Intel17]

Lutrov71,
VERY Unlikely.

ID software is out to make money from everyone, not just people with super fast PC's.

Heres wat i reckon you'll need for Doom 3.

P4 1.3 or equivalent
GeForce 3 card (because that was the target card)
and 256MB ram (which is what id said)

[gatewatcher]

nubs

[Intel17]

Not everyone is technically versed, so we should help people who dont know and hope they benefit from it. If you dont want to reply dont insult them at least.

[AndrewB]

Intel17 said:

Heres wat i reckon you'll need for Doom 3.

P4 1.3 or equivalent
GeForce 3 card (because that was the target card)
and 256MB ram (which is what id said)

Wrong.

[Intel17]

Well the specs I gave are for 640x480 little detail.

Heres what i think will be needed for medium (decent) details.

P4 2.0 or AXP2000+
512MB Ram
Radeon 9600 pro class Video card

[AndrewB]

Even wronger.

[Intel17]

How so? Id stated Around 1GHz CPU, 256mb ram and GF2 card for minnimum details. To be safe you gotta bump them up a bit. And As for my reccomended one, it seems perfectly reasonable.

[AndrewB]

Carmack said the game could run on full details on a P3 700, 128MB memory, and GeForce256 or Radeon 7000+, and the recommended should be 1GHz, 256MB, and GeForce3 or Radeon8500+. He hasn't said anything new since then.

[Intel17]

umm nothing these days runs full detail on a GeForce 256 let alone a next gen game like Doom 3. Carmack said a GF3 was a target card and Todd Hollenshead said a 1GHz CPU, 256mb ram and a Geforce 2 is a minnimum.

[AndrewB]

Again, it WILL run with full details on said system. Perhaps not playably, but the first-generation GeForces and Radeons will be able to display all effects.

I don't see why anyone with a GeForce4 TI or Radeon 9000 or better would have anything to worry about.

[Intel17]

A GeForce 256 does not support Pixel shader 2.0 (fragment shaders) hell they dont support pixel shaders AT ALL. a Geforce 256 would not display full visual quality even ar 1fps.

[AndrewB]

Correction: they don't support shader ACCELERATION. Carmack has them rendered anyway.

[Intel17]

No. Why do you think Carmack made many different codepaths. the NV10 codepath does not support pixel shaders and looks worse than the ARB2 (open GL 2) path.

[AndrewB]

You don't know what the bloody heck you're talking about.

[Wobbo]

Intel17 said:

No. Why do you think Carmack made many different codepaths. the NV10 codepath does not support pixel shaders and looks worse than the ARB2 (open GL 2) path.

Wrong, Carmack specifically stated that the game will look EXCACTLY the same on all machines, just at differetn speeds for any particular resolution

AndrewB has been excactly on target

Pixel shader 2.0 Is NOT being used in doom3, in fact the geforce 256 does EVERYTHING doom3 needs