Hardware advice - in particular graphics card

[rufuskins]

As some may be aware my laptop has developed a permanent girly pink screen. Rather than spend money on getting it repaired I have brought forward my plans to get a desktop on or about my retirement date.

I have a monitor that is currently linked to the laptop to allow me to use it, and hence that is not required in the desktop package. Rather than go for something off the shelf or a made up package from a proprietary source, I am having something made up by my niece's partner who does this sort of thing at a not unreasonable price - typically item cost only.

I would like to be relatively specific in my final specification that takes account of my current finances and the fact that it needs to be MSTS orientated. I will not be using RW nor am I likely to use OR - based on personal choice.

At the moment I see the basic requirements as follows, but it must be remembered that I am a novice on the hardware side, although I do not know which or whose is the best:-

1. Minimum 4GB RAM
2. Minimum 500GB SATA HD capacity
3. Minimum 2.5GHz processor
4. CD/DVD Reader/Writer
5. Graphics Card = ??????????????????????
6. Operating System - considering going back to XP bearing in mind MSTS orietated (what's the score with MSTS and W8?)
7. Sound Card = ?????????????????????
8. Minimum 4 No USB 2.0 ports - suitable for existing pens and external storage HDs
9. Any other items that would be considered mandatory?

I would therefore welcome any suggestions. I can then look them up on the internet and relate the prices to my budget.

Alec

[danielw2599]

I wouldn't bother with a separate sound card, on board is usually good enough. What is you budget for the entire build and for the graphics card? What other games will you be playing on it?

[rufuskins]

Thanks for the early reply. My total budget is £200-250, which only needs to pay for the "tower" and its innards!

MSTS is the only major "game" that I "play"; occasionally doing online jigsaws for variation and brain use or relatively simple games like "Jewel Quest".

Alec

[gswindale]

Hi Alec,

If MSTS is your main choice, then any current basic graphics card should be fine.

I'm running on what is either a Radeon 4540 or 5450 (can't remember which and at work at present) which is quite old now and can run RW on reasonable (for me) settings as well as MSTS.

As for OS; I will try and dig out my "consumer preview" of W8 at some point this week and give it a test.

You may need to do a bit of digging around as if your original copy of XP was an OEM version; then you may not be able to transfer it onto the new PC.

[danielw2599]

For your budget and use I'd look at a Nvidia 430. Its a budget card at around £35-40 and seems to get pretty good reviews.

[rufuskins]

Geoffrey and Daniel

Thanks for the comments, I will add these to my matrix. I will see what the XP discs say - assuming i can find them.

Alec

[ianmacmillan]

If you use TSM, avoid Nvidea cards.

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=78948

[rufuskins]

Ian

Thanks for the tip. I have 3D Crafter and Google Sketchup 8 at the moment, but actually creating models from scratch is not currently on my "to do" list, except perhaps some buildings for a personal route.

I will be running trains on MSTS, completing my various repaint projects, creating activities and building a route, which will almost certainly be fictional but simple.

Alec

[john13]

Hi

It might be worth seeing whether you can have your hard disk partitioned and set up the new machine as a 'dual boot' system - with your MSTS set-up on the 'XP' side and everything else in Win7 or Win8.
The XP system wouldn't need internet access ( ?? ) nor lots of the other clutter you'd have in a 'standard' windows system. I think others on here have done this to help performance.

Cheers

John

[rufuskins]

Once again thanks John

More ideas to add to the mix.

Alec