techy question - new computer

Buying a new computer, pretty much solely for FM, with general internet use as well but my question is based on FM only...

What's more important in order for FM to run as fast as possible... ie, click on a players name and have his attributes on the screen within a split second.

Processor.. (i3/i5 etc) or memory (4gb ram/8gb ram etc)

Or are they both of equal importance?

Which one most affects the System Performance star rating when creating a new save?

Thanks

LTN

What's your budget?

Both are important, the cpu is central to a smooth running FM but it is less so if you go for cheap low frequency RAM.

What's your budget?

I was looking on PC Specialist in the £300 - £800 option - so i guess £800 max

Both are important. With an £800 budget you should be able to get a decent computer that'll run FM extremely well.

Desktop or Laptop? I do like my lappy - portable play around the house - or hooked up to tv or just snuggle up in bed.

Anyway - a laptop like this would be awesome for FM http://www.dabs.com/products/samsung-rf711---core-i7-2670qm-8gb-ram-1tb-hdd-blu-ray-17-3--windows-7-home-premium-laptop-7WJB.html?refs=51220000-54600000&src=3

And a Desktop like this would also be awesome - http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=d00x8530&c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&model_id=xps-8500

or this - http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=d00x8531&c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&model_id=xps-8500

You will probably get a better deal on some of the Custom Build PC sites in the UK

But no reason with £800 you can't get a good Laptop or Desktop with

i7 processor

4gb + RAM

Graphics Card

Easily get a fine computer for £800.

Hi after having a little look on the website you said, I can not really help but feel they might be a tiny bit over priced?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=43&catid=1951

Try that.

With the Intel Ivy Bridge cpu's having just been released it might be worth waiting for a few weeks to see where the prices end up on the Sandy Bridge i7's, always a chance of getting a huge amount of bang for your buck as suppliers try to shift the old stock.

Look for some discounts on the i7-3000 series cpu's.

Thanks everyone for their help. So it sounds like I7 and 8gb RAM will be pretty much ideal for FM.

Can I ask as well, how important is the Graphics card? I watch matches in 3D but is the Graphics Card just something that makes it looks better (ie less pixelated) or will a better graphics card make it faster/smoother as well as just displaying better?

Hi after having a little look on the website you said, I can not really help but feel they might be a tiny bit over priced?

Thanks for that advice. I've read a few people on here waxing lyrical about PC Specialist which is why I headed there, it's meant to have a good reputation, but I do kinda agree with you after window shopping around on it.

Dont underestimate the graphics card... you really want to make sure you get dedicated graphics (i.e. not intel graphics) with 1gb dedicated memory as a minimum - more the better as with any of these things to give you as much longevity as possible...

If the only game that will be played on the PC is FM there is no need to buy a dedicated graphics card so long as the OP goes for one of the 2000 series i7's.

Yeah, especially if it's a desktop. Can always upgrade the graphics card should it ever become necessary.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=43&catid=1951

Try that.

Stay away from overclockers!

I have a gaming PC and it is my main hobby and even after some 15 years of PC gaming I still love it,I have learned many things in those years but the most important when it comes too PC gaming and buying a new PC is where you buy it from.

Overclockers has a great site too look for set ups and components but their after sales and customer relations are just terrible,honestly they are so bad I was tearing my hair ouy talking too them once.

I thought it was my bad luck but talking with a lot of my on-line gaming friends it seems it is the norm with this company.....stay well clear!

Stay away from overclockers!

I have a gaming PC and it is my main hobby and even after some 15 years of PC gaming I still love it,I have learned many things in those years but the most important when it comes too PC gaming and buying a new PC is where you buy it from.

Overclockers has a great site too look for set ups and components but their after sales and customer relations are just terrible,honestly they are so bad I was tearing my hair ouy talking too them once.

I thought it was my bad luck but talking with a lot of my on-line gaming friends it seems it is the norm with this company.....stay well clear!

Weird because I had a problem with the PSU blowing and they were great. Couldn't complain about them.

Thanks everyone for their help. So it sounds like I7 and 8gb RAM will be pretty much ideal for FM.

Can I ask as well' date=' how important is the Graphics card? I watch matches in 3D but is the Graphics Card just something that makes it looks better (ie less pixelated) or will a better graphics card make it faster/smoother as well as just displaying better?[/quote']

This game will not use 8gb RAM. Get 8gb if you want but you won't ever use that much.

Get the best CPU you can afford and a mid-range graphics card and you will be set for a few years - anything else is overkill.

This game will not use 8gb RAM. Get 8gb if you want but you won't ever use that much.

Get the best CPU you can afford and a mid-range graphics card and you will be set for a few years - anything else is overkill.

Where as it might not use the 8gig of RAM yet(due to being 32-bit) We do not know if Sega/SI are producing a 64-bit version for next year. It would be annoying to me I know if I bought a 4gig due to thinking "it wont use 8gig" then 6 months down the line a 64-bit version is announced.

If you can afford the extra 4 gig, then you may as well, surly?

Thanks everyone for their help. So it sounds like I7 and 8gb RAM will be pretty much ideal for FM.

It's LOADS. An i3 processor with 4gb of RAM would work too.

But seen as FM is a "data processing" game - guess what' date=' the better the processor the better the gaming experience, in this case.

i3 - low range

i5 - mid range

i7 - high range

But you can get some of the newer i3 processors that are better than the older i5 processors and similarly you can get one of the newer i5 processors that would be better than an older i7 processor.

If you google the processor numbers the first hit should be for Arc Intel - where you can COMPARE the processors you find, and find out their release dates, speeds etc.

Can I ask as well, how important is the Graphics card? I watch matches in 3D but is the Graphics Card just something that makes it looks better (ie less pixelated) or will a better graphics card make it faster/smoother as well as just displaying better?

Graphics card will do all of the above. With the Sandybridge processors (the latest in i3, i5, and i7) graphics handling is managed within the Processor. If you don't have a standalone graphics card - then the processor will be playing the graphics and processing the game at the same time.

You will have a good advantage with having a standalone graphics card.

Remember - you're not buying a game for FM12 or FM13 but this computer should be able to last you a few generations of the game, and be able to handle the updates that SI make to the game each year.

My last laptop lasted 6 generations of Football Manager. And I bought a new computer for FM12, well just because of different circumstances, not particularly for FM12. But when buying the computer I didn't scrimp on parts - as I wanted my computer to last me at least 6 years.