FFXIV Hardware Requirements

[shaddix]

So is the consensus that the nVidia line runs this better than equivalent ATi stuff? I'll probably be making some changes soon and since this will be one of the only games I play, it'll affect the choices I make.

other way around ati>nvidia for 14 so far, might change though.

@Ferr: quad core i5 will give you better performance than a quad core phenom ii

[TStupified]

On a side note, if you're planning to get ASUS M4A87TD EVO (might be many others aswell) motherboard with some CPU paired up with a rather large CPU cooler (Coolink Corator DS for example), do not get the Kingston HyperX ram models (KHX1600C8D3T1K2/4GX here) that have a rather high heat spreaders attached to them, because like I found out when I was assembling my rig, THEY DO NOT FIT.

To be more specific, the heat spreader in the memory is like a bit under 0,5 inch too high to fit to the memory slot 1, right under the CPU cooler and it's apparently impossible to enable dual channeling by using slots 2 and 4 with this mobo, so fuck my life, I have to switch these rams (which I btw waited for like 2 weeks to arrive) and wait a little bit more to finally get my new PC going.

And to try to not look like an idiot who doesn't check the dimensions of the components before buying them, the online hardware store where I ordered the ram had an ordinary HyperX picture in the ram description, so what can I expect.

Rant off. :[

[Doombard]

Your GPU is the one they have on the absolute minimum system requirements, on which they still do not promise smooth gameplay on the lowest settings, so yeah, your GPU is starting to get old.

Also a bit more specific info of your CPU would be appreciated, even though I'm still quite sure that it's mostly down to your GPU why you can't run the game very well.

Eh I left out rest of info just because I couldn't see how it would affect game. Runnin Vista 64bit temps are ok. This comp is just the 2nd comp in house other desktop runs game smooth. I just use it when wife has work to do that needs main comp. Got any upgrades in the $100-$200 range?

[shaddix]

Eh I left out rest of info just because I couldn't see how it would affect game. Runnin Vista 64bit temps are ok. This comp is just the 2nd comp in house other desktop runs game smooth. I just use it when wife has work to do that needs main comp. Got any upgrades in the $100-$200 range?

Do you have anti-aliasing turned on? DoF or AO on? What resolution are you running?

[TStupified]

Eh I left out rest of info just because I couldn't see how it would affect game. Runnin Vista 64bit temps are ok. This comp is just the 2nd comp in house other desktop runs game smooth. I just use it when wife has work to do that needs main comp. Got any upgrades in the $100-$200 range?

Well if we're looking at GPU upgrade only, I'd consider getting something like ATI Radeon HD5770 for that budget. It offers a nice performance for money when it comes to low budget cards, especially for FFXIV where Nvidia cards seem to be struggling with fps atm.

[Doombard]

Yeah I might actually wait a bit to upgrade since my 40'' lcd broke today (on a side note, don't ever buy a poloroid tv). I turned buffering down to 50% and its workin fine now. Only thing is it looks like i'm playing an early ps1 game lol.

[Sigurd]

I was planning on building a PC for this, but due to RL, i will be moving around alot now and will need to plan for a laptop instead. Having said that i've been looking at the alienware M11X and M15X. I know the m15x is preferable, but the m11x gives me more portability.

My question is, having a CULV procesor (Intel® Core™ i7 640UM (4M Cache, 1.2 GHZ with 2.266 GHz Max Turbo Frequency)), will an m11x even be able to run it at all? i dont mind sacrificing for mobility, but if it wont even run well at all, ill just go for the m15x.

[Amele]

I was planning on building a PC for this, but due to RL, i will be moving around alot now and will need to plan for a laptop instead. Having said that i've been looking at the alienware M11X and M15X. I know the m15x is preferable, but the m11x gives me more portability.

My question is, having a CULV procesor (Intel® Core™ i7 640UM (4M Cache, 1.2 GHZ with 2.266 GHz Max Turbo Frequency)), will an m11x even be able to run it at all? i dont mind sacrificing for mobility, but if it wont even run well at all, ill just go for the m15x.

since you're going for desktop replacement get the one with desktop parts.

that said I'd rethink the no desktop thing - a computer is basically 5 parts, tower, monitor, headset, mouse, keyboard. (and four cables: DVI, 2 power cables, ethernet cable) which fits neatly into three boxes.

If you get a plastic/aluminium mid-tower the case won't even be that heavy. around 30pounds probably.

the only reason this really wouldn't work is if you can't keep multiple boxes with you (storage, living in new places every few days) or can't get wired internet readily and will be resorting to playing in wifi hotspots.

[Sigurd]

I should've been more clear, when i meant RL making me move around, i meant being in different cities every 1-2 weeks or so, and no matter how easy i make it to transport the desktop essentials, it will still be a pain to haul a box around like that. So the frecuency of movement is more the problem.

I'm leaning towards m15x, but id like to know if m11x is even capable of running the game to see if its still an option available for me.

[Cooleko]

It is easy to compare the performance of the 640 and the minimum specs listed by SE.

in PCMARK, the 640 scores 4500 and the high end Core 2 Duo scores 8000.

this means that processor is terrible compared to the minimum specs listed by SE.

There is a reason we have said over and over, do not buy a laptop for ffxiv...

now, if you are moving every 2 weeks, is it really that hard to move a smaller desktop and a monitor rather than a laptop?

EDIT: Just looked up the M15x too, its PCMARK is 6500

[Cooleko]

I'll add a second thing for you as well. a laptop will overheat running ffxiv in its current state. it was using both of my GPUs at 100%

my gtx480s had 100% usages with high settings (it is watercooled so temps only 45c)
my gtx 285 had 100% usage with lowest of settings (running 85c with fans @100%)

a laptop graphics card is underpowerd compared to probably even the 285 and there is no cooling for them (aside from the tiny fans). You would be screwed... Now, the graphics will one day be optimized so the temps will come down, but it may not come down enough for laptop use until the next generation of laptop hardware.

[shaddix]

Wasn't there an Asus laptop that could take desktop CPUs? Also had decent OC capability as well.

[Senji]

There are a lot of prebuilt and barebones laptops that take desktop cpus, but the problem in them is the underpowered gpu.

[Resin]

other way around ati>nvidia for 14 so far, might change though.

@Ferr: quad core i5 will give you better performance than a quad core phenom ii

Wasn't there some issue where ATi cards had character's faces distort in the light when zooming in? Or was that across both platforms?

[Sigurd]

There is a reason we have said over and over, do not buy a laptop for ffxiv...

now, if you are moving every 2 weeks, is it really that hard to move a smaller desktop and a monitor rather than a laptop?

Only real solution is that i setup desktops at both places i´ll be moving between, which is beyond my budget. Since i will be traveling via air, carrying even a small desktop and a monitor so frequently seems both risky and tedious. Unfortunatly i was hoping i could find a laptop solution for release untill my situation becomes more stable down the road in order to buy a desktop. I was really hoping the m15x could at least do decently enough on low settings if i bought it with very good GPU and processor :s . If it´s unrunable i guess i´ll have to wait

[shaddix]

Only real solution is that i setup desktops at both places i´ll be moving between, which is beyond my budget. Since i will be traveling via air, carrying even a small desktop and a monitor so frequently seems both risky and tedious. Unfortunatly i was hoping i could find a laptop solution for release untill my situation becomes more stable down the road in order to buy a desktop. I was really hoping the m15x could at least do decently enough on low settings if i bought it with very good GPU and processor :s . If it´s unrunable i guess i´ll have to wait

What is your budget? You should be able to spec a machine with a GTX460 or 5830 + phenom II X4 for under 800 bucks including monitor.

@Res: dunno, I never read anything about it.

[Gentaro]

I bought 2 complete systems (for me & my girlfriend) for ~1600€ - this is about the same you pay for the alienware notebook. Don't be so picky with a monitor and it should be in your budget

[Sigurd]

Id say my budget is somewhere in the $1600 range similar to the price of a decent spec m15x... but im thinking if a laptop flat out wont cut it, ill just buy a PC now, keep it in one spot and just play on and off untill the situation stabalizes, which it eventually should. Keeping an eye out for a good deal and getting 2 is a solution if i can get 2 decent rigs around $800 (maybe i can afford 1k each) in the case that the moving around prolongs. In any event, thanks for the advice, really helps clarify things

[Sutien]

Will this run it ok?

Acer Aspire AS7552G-5488 Notebook - AMD Phenom II Quad-Core N930 2.0GHz, 17.3" HD 1600x900, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, ATI RADEON HD 5650 1GB, DVD-writer, Wireless BGN, Gb LAN, Webcam, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

I'd like to correct my original post. My friend in fact has the same laptop mentioned here and scored a 1700 on the benchmark on low.

[Darwinion]

Also, as a slightly off topic question, is the G15 keyboard worth it? The difference between G15 and G19 doesnt seem worth while but as ive not tried the G15, is it worth it over a standard keyboard?

I have the old G11 (doesn't have any LCD screen) and I love it! But the whole point of these keyboards is the programmable G-keys. They seem to be putting less and less on these keyboards at they release new ones. My G-11 has 18 G-keys. The G-15 I saw recently in my local PC World only has 6. Six?! That sucks! Even the latest all singing and all dancing G-19 keyboard only has 12.

There are Mode keys on all these keyboards where you can switch between three different palettes. It's just like switching between macro books in FFXI. So basically you get 3x the number of programmable keys. But of course you don't want to be switching between macros like that in a busy situation. I basically keep Mode 1 for WHM, Mode 2 for RDM etc. etc.

Personally I would take a look at the G-13 gamepad and use a standard keyboard. That gamepad is basically an extended version of the G-keys on their keyboards but it has 25 G-Keys. Much more flexibility there. And it's cheaper too! Plus it has a little thumbstick that may prove useful in FFXIV but only time will tell. From what I've been reading don't assign the thumbstick to W,A,S,D (or whatever the movement keys are). Set an analogue gamepad up in Windows and then assign the thumbstick to that gamepad. Works much better I hear.

However, don't get sucked in by any fancy LCD screen on these things. (The G13 has one though). They are nice and fancy yeah, but are really superfluous. More G-Keys is better!