New Computer

[76mm]

It looks like I'll be moving soon and setting up a new household, so I'll be in the market for a new computer to play CMx2 on.  I took a quick look on Amazon just to see what is out there, and found lots of huge space-ship looking boxes, which I'd prefer to avoid.  CMx2 is really the only 3D game I play, so I'm not as well-versed in these issues as I should be, so I was hoping some of the forum members could give me some words of wisdom on a few issues:

1)  I guess it is hopeless to expect to be able to play CMx2 (including with large maps & unit counts) on any kind of laptop?

2)  Are there at least any smaller form-factor gaming computers out there, without flashing lights, etc.?

3)  I guess the most important thing is the graphics card?  Currently I've got a Geforce GTX 580, and I can't say that I've ever been very impressed with the graphics in CMx2, mainly the blur line is very prominent; I've tried tweaking various settings but have never been able to get it right.  What are people using with more success?

4)  What are the other important factors?  How much RAM?  I guess no real point in multi-core (there seem to be lots of quad core out there)?  SSD?  

Thanks in advance for any tips.

[kevinkin]

I will be looking for a new PC soon too. I run exclusively on a Dell laptop purchased for 700 USD a year and half ago. It is a nice laptop for business stuff but not a gaming computer. I do not play large battles and I am happy with the default settings re: graphics. So this works perfect for me. I do not believe CM needs a video card - others can confirm this - my laptop does not have one. More and more laptops are shipping with cards these days.  The big thing is RAM and speed if I recall. In the end CM does not required an expensive PC and you can run it on a a nice portable system. If fact, I plan to bring mine on vacation Sunday just for CM since my phone can support everything else these days.
The software seems to be getting "better" since RT runs better than SF on my system. The fact they run so well is remarkable. Kudos to Battlefront. 

Kevin

PS I would post my specs but they would be irrelevant to what is on the market now. 

 

Edited January 27, 2016 by kevinkin

[Schrullenhaft]

1)  I guess it is hopeless to expect to be able to play CMx2 (including with large maps & unit counts) on any kind of laptop?

You can play the CMx2 series on a decent laptop and a number of players here do just that. However some laptop configurations do NOT do well with CMx2. For good performance with larger battles you will want something that is considered a 'desktop replacement'. In other words power saving and portability features (low weight, thinness) take a back seat to higher performance. A laptop with 'discrete video' (a dedicated video chip with its own memory) would be preferred and pretty much 'required' since there are a lot of problems with using Intel integrated video. On top of this you might be limited to using only the drivers provided by the laptop manufacturer (for Intel integrated video) and that can potentially result in a non-working situation for CM if Intel integrated video is your only option. For CM's purposes Nvidia would be preferred over AMD for graphics.

 2)  Are there at least any smaller form-factor gaming computers out there, without flashing lights, etc.?

With small form-factor (SFF) computers you run into a somewhat similar situation as you do with laptops. Many of them, in order to save space, will have low wattage power supplies (limiting video card upgrade options - if those exist), integrated video, limited upgrade options, etc. There are some gaming-oriented SFF computers, but they tend to have "unique shapes and lights". One example is this ASUS (which may not exactly be a SFF computer):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883221131

When it comes to video upgrades, if a PCI Express slot is even available, many SFF computers will be limited to lower performing cards that have a 'low profile' and require less power (due to the power supply and the smaller form factor of the video card itself not supporting more powerful GPUs).

 3)  I guess the most important thing is the graphics card?  Currently I've got a Geforce GTX 580, and I can't say that I've ever been very impressed with the graphics in CMx2, mainly the blur line is very prominent; I've tried tweaking various settings but have never been able to get it right.  What are people using with more success?

A CPU with a high clock speed is probably the most beneficial item for CM. A decent graphics card does have an effect on the game, but there appears to be a certain point of diminishing returns with graphics performance, especially towards the high-end. In other words a really high-end video card may have a very small (or possibly NO discernible) performance benefit over a mid-grade or lower tier high-end video card.

You have probably experimented with all of the valid settings to extend the 'blur line' out as far as it can go. I do NOT think that there is a hardware solution out there that will extend it further than what you have seen already. My assumption is that this is a limitation within the CMx2 engine for graphics memory management purposes (or something along those lines). I don't know if a patch/upgrade can change this with the current engine or if it can only be addressed during an engine rewrite in the future.

4)  What are the other important factors?  How much RAM?  I guess no real point in multi-core (there seem to be lots of quad core out there)?  SSD? 

CM is a 32-bit program on the PC, so it will only use a maximum of 4GB of address space in a 64-bit operating system environment. 8GB or more should be fine, with more memory being useful for other uses on the computer (not directly benefiting CM). When it comes to CPUs, more cores will have no effect on CM. However the loading code for CM IS multi-core now - so there may be a mild speed up in loading scenarios with multi-core CPUs. Otherwise there is no direct benefit for CM. A higher clock speed is more beneficial for CM (if other features were equal). A good size L2 and maybe L3 cache helps (though picking a CPU based on cache sizes isn't really recommended) - it is usually some of the lower end CPUs where the cache size may be reduced a bit compared to more 'mainstream' members of a CPU family that you would want to avoid most of the time. SSDs have a minimal impact on CM. More time appears to be spent setting up a scenario in the CPU and memory than is spent in reading the data from the hard drive/SSD (at least that appears to be the case). However SSDs for laptops are very nice option since they usually use less power and generate less heat (particularly when compared to a higher performance hard drive) and they make overall performance for everything else on the laptop much more enjoyable. If you get an SSD, try to get the largest one you can generally afford. Otherwise opt for 7200 RPM hard drive (since some models may have 5400 or even 4500 RPM hard drives).

[A Canadian Cat]

Great summary there @Schrullenhaft. I would only add get an NVidia graphics card over an AMD card.

As for finding a machine you might have more luck if you find a local computer store and spec it out. I asked around and found a place recommended by a couple of friends. Their usual market is local small businesses but they were happy to set up a gamking machine in their usual plain case.

[76mm]

Wow, thanks so much for the responses!  I am especially grateful for the info re performance on laptops and not necessarily being able to eliminate the blur line--I'd have been pretty bummed out if I'd paid $$$ for a big honking computer without any real benefit.  

One of the 'puters I'm looking at is the Surface Book, which can have a Nvidia GeForce graphics card.  Anybody have any experience with a Surface Book?

 

[Bulletpoint]

Wow, thanks so much for the responses!  I am especially grateful for the info re performance on laptops and not necessarily being able to eliminate the blur line--I'd have been pretty bummed out if I'd paid $$$ for a big honking computer without any real benefit.  

 

That's what I did, and several others too. I'd say it seems like the most important thing for CM is high single-core performance, so likely the best performance would come from buying a stationary computer with a CPU that can be overclocked a lot, then installing a hige beefy cooler and turning up the clock speed as far as it will go.

[76mm]

Thanks, that's helpful.  

I'm still wavering, but right now I'm leaning towards some kind of mid-range desktop ($1,000-1,200?); if I got a laptop I would want a desktop monitor anyway, and with my iPad, etc. I don't really need a mobile computer. 

[A Canadian Cat]

I would go with a desktop too.  Whenever you buy a component for a notebook it either costs a little more (to be made to fit in a smaller space) or has a lower capability (so it puts out less heat).  You can save $ and get better performance from wisely specifying a desktop computer.