Best way to make my HTPC new game ready

tjohn · 08-20-10, 07:00 AM

I'm remodeling my den and when done I'll have a new sammy 55" led 240hz tv that I'd like to be able to play pc games on from my htpc. Looking at my config in sig I didn't have this in mind when I built it and the on board video is not good enough. Is just sticking in a new card going to be good enough??

TJ

ragejg · 08-20-10, 07:18 AM

Do yourself a huge favor and try to unlock your CPU, it needs it especially for games.

My x4 @ 3.1 with a GTX 460 is JUST enough for 1920x1080 gaming, as is my x3 @ 3.5 rig with an HD 5830.

Revs · 08-20-10, 07:32 AM

I think your problem is gonna be the PSU. Is there room to fit a larger one in?

tjohn · 08-20-10, 08:23 AM

I didn't know the regors where unlockable? What setting in bios is that?

Yeah I'm worried about my psu.... my case is very cramped now. I don't even know if I'm gonna fit a nice gtx470 in there

What the minimum psu for that 650?

Gonna have to do some measuring I reckon!

tjohn · 08-20-10, 08:30 AM

Looks like all the AMD Regors are native dual core, so no chance of unlocking

Thinking of a whole new build..... thinking....

frenchy2k1 · 08-20-10, 01:09 PM

no need for a new build, just change the proc to a X3 or X4. There is little to gain from a newer motherboard/memory.

Limitations for games will be graphic card. What do you plan to play on it? What is your budget? What will fit in your case? How big of a PSU can you fit?

You'll have to accept that you will most probably NOT fit a top of the line GPU in your HTPC. This is not a good fit there... Then again, a 4850 used to play most of last gen games at 1080p for me, so a 5770 may be enough. Check which games you want to play and at what details.

Do you really want a space heater under your TV?

tjohn · 08-24-10, 09:37 AM

I'm going get a new case, one that will fit full height cards for starters. I'll keep the mobo and ram and upgrade the proc, psu, and video. The video and psu I'm ok with getting, but which proc should I go with??

08-20-10, 07:00 AM	#1
tjohn Paleo Pennsylvania Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 721	Best way to make my HTPC new game ready I'm remodeling my den and when done I'll have a new sammy 55" led 240hz tv that I'd like to be able to play pc games on from my htpc. Looking at my config in sig I didn't have this in mind when I built it and the on board video is not good enough. Is just sticking in a new card going to be good enough?? TJ __________________ Main Rig == ASRock Z68 Pro Gen3 \| I7 2600K @ 4.6 \| G.Skill Ripjaws 16 GB \| CMV8 Cooler \| Crucial C300 RealSSD 128GB \| EVGA 570GTX \| CM HAFX \| Win7 x64 HTPC == Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT \| AMD X2 240 Regor \| A-DATA 2X4 PC3 10600 \| WD 1TB \| LG Blue-Ray \| Corsair 400W PSU \| Lian Li PC-C37B \| Win7 x64 Home Server == Gigabyte GA-MA785GM \| AMD Sempron 2.7GHz 45W \| G.SKILL 2X1 DDR2 667 \| WD GRN 1 TB x3 \| Seasonic 380W 80+ Bronze \| Antec 300 case \| Windows Home Server Toshiba U405-S2830 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1200x800 \| C2D T8100 2.1 Penryn \| 4 GB DDR2 677 \| Wireless N \| Intel X3100 Vid \| 250GB HDD \| Win7 x64 HP dm3 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1366x768 \| AMD Athlon Neo X2 \| ATI Radeon HD 3200 \| 4GB DDR2 \| 320GB HDD \| Wireless N \| Bluetooth \| Windows 8 Developer Preview

08-20-10, 07:18 AM	#2
ragejg nV News Alumni Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Finger Lakes of Hell, NY Posts: 5,399	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready Do yourself a huge favor and try to unlock your CPU, it needs it especially for games. My x4 @ 3.1 with a GTX 460 is JUST enough for 1920x1080 gaming, as is my x3 @ 3.5 rig with an HD 5830. __________________ 2010-2011 Reviews: GTX 570 \| GTX 580 \| GTS 450 \| GTX 460 \| GTX 465 Pre-2010 Reviews: 6600 GT \| XMS 4400 DDR \| SilenX Cooler \| 6800 \| 5900 XT \| Personal Cinema \| 5900 NU ______________________________________________ Phenom II x6 1090t @ 4.0 ghz \| Asus M498TD-EVO Am3 SLI nForce 980a \| 2x EVGA GTX 560 SLI \| 2x4gb DDR3-1333 \| Antec EarthWatts EA650 PSU \| 60gb Mushkin Calisto Enhanced Sandforce SSD \| 2x WD2500KS RAID 0 \| Sunbeam Tuniq 3 case \| 24" Asus 19x10 LED LCD \| 26" Panasonic 720p TV \| Sidewinder X5 mouse \| Logitech MX5500 & Revolution mouse \| Altec Lansing 5.1 THX-Certified audio \| Win 7 Ultimate \| desk \| couch "Stars must die so that I may live. I... stepped out of a Supernova."

08-20-10, 07:32 AM	#3
Revs Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: UK Posts: 6,362	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready I think your problem is gonna be the PSU. Is there room to fit a larger one in?

08-20-10, 08:23 AM	#4
tjohn Paleo Pennsylvania Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 721	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready I didn't know the regors where unlockable? What setting in bios is that? Yeah I'm worried about my psu.... my case is very cramped now. I don't even know if I'm gonna fit a nice gtx470 in there What the minimum psu for that 650? Gonna have to do some measuring I reckon! __________________ Main Rig == ASRock Z68 Pro Gen3 \| I7 2600K @ 4.6 \| G.Skill Ripjaws 16 GB \| CMV8 Cooler \| Crucial C300 RealSSD 128GB \| EVGA 570GTX \| CM HAFX \| Win7 x64 HTPC == Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT \| AMD X2 240 Regor \| A-DATA 2X4 PC3 10600 \| WD 1TB \| LG Blue-Ray \| Corsair 400W PSU \| Lian Li PC-C37B \| Win7 x64 Home Server == Gigabyte GA-MA785GM \| AMD Sempron 2.7GHz 45W \| G.SKILL 2X1 DDR2 667 \| WD GRN 1 TB x3 \| Seasonic 380W 80+ Bronze \| Antec 300 case \| Windows Home Server Toshiba U405-S2830 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1200x800 \| C2D T8100 2.1 Penryn \| 4 GB DDR2 677 \| Wireless N \| Intel X3100 Vid \| 250GB HDD \| Win7 x64 HP dm3 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1366x768 \| AMD Athlon Neo X2 \| ATI Radeon HD 3200 \| 4GB DDR2 \| 320GB HDD \| Wireless N \| Bluetooth \| Windows 8 Developer Preview

08-20-10, 08:30 AM	#5
tjohn Paleo Pennsylvania Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 721	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready Looks like all the AMD Regors are native dual core, so no chance of unlocking Thinking of a whole new build..... thinking.... __________________ Main Rig == ASRock Z68 Pro Gen3 \| I7 2600K @ 4.6 \| G.Skill Ripjaws 16 GB \| CMV8 Cooler \| Crucial C300 RealSSD 128GB \| EVGA 570GTX \| CM HAFX \| Win7 x64 HTPC == Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT \| AMD X2 240 Regor \| A-DATA 2X4 PC3 10600 \| WD 1TB \| LG Blue-Ray \| Corsair 400W PSU \| Lian Li PC-C37B \| Win7 x64 Home Server == Gigabyte GA-MA785GM \| AMD Sempron 2.7GHz 45W \| G.SKILL 2X1 DDR2 667 \| WD GRN 1 TB x3 \| Seasonic 380W 80+ Bronze \| Antec 300 case \| Windows Home Server Toshiba U405-S2830 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1200x800 \| C2D T8100 2.1 Penryn \| 4 GB DDR2 677 \| Wireless N \| Intel X3100 Vid \| 250GB HDD \| Win7 x64 HP dm3 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1366x768 \| AMD Athlon Neo X2 \| ATI Radeon HD 3200 \| 4GB DDR2 \| 320GB HDD \| Wireless N \| Bluetooth \| Windows 8 Developer Preview

08-20-10, 01:09 PM	#6
frenchy2k1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 446	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready no need for a new build, just change the proc to a X3 or X4. There is little to gain from a newer motherboard/memory. Limitations for games will be graphic card. What do you plan to play on it? What is your budget? What will fit in your case? How big of a PSU can you fit? You'll have to accept that you will most probably NOT fit a top of the line GPU in your HTPC. This is not a good fit there... Then again, a 4850 used to play most of last gen games at 1080p for me, so a 5770 may be enough. Check which games you want to play and at what details. Do you really want a space heater under your TV? __________________ As the universe is curved, there cannot be a straight answer...

08-24-10, 09:37 AM	#7
tjohn Paleo Pennsylvania Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 721	Re: Best way to make my HTPC new game ready I'm going get a new case, one that will fit full height cards for starters. I'll keep the mobo and ram and upgrade the proc, psu, and video. The video and psu I'm ok with getting, but which proc should I go with?? __________________ Main Rig == ASRock Z68 Pro Gen3 \| I7 2600K @ 4.6 \| G.Skill Ripjaws 16 GB \| CMV8 Cooler \| Crucial C300 RealSSD 128GB \| EVGA 570GTX \| CM HAFX \| Win7 x64 HTPC == Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT \| AMD X2 240 Regor \| A-DATA 2X4 PC3 10600 \| WD 1TB \| LG Blue-Ray \| Corsair 400W PSU \| Lian Li PC-C37B \| Win7 x64 Home Server == Gigabyte GA-MA785GM \| AMD Sempron 2.7GHz 45W \| G.SKILL 2X1 DDR2 667 \| WD GRN 1 TB x3 \| Seasonic 380W 80+ Bronze \| Antec 300 case \| Windows Home Server Toshiba U405-S2830 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1200x800 \| C2D T8100 2.1 Penryn \| 4 GB DDR2 677 \| Wireless N \| Intel X3100 Vid \| 250GB HDD \| Win7 x64 HP dm3 Laptop \| 13.3" - 1366x768 \| AMD Athlon Neo X2 \| ATI Radeon HD 3200 \| 4GB DDR2 \| 320GB HDD \| Wireless N \| Bluetooth \| Windows 8 Developer Preview