[octoberasian]

Version 1.1 - Last updated 7/5/2010

This is going to be, hopefully, a helpful guide to those wondering if they can or cannot run Final Fantasy XIV, the new MMORPG from Square-Enix.
Everything is based on the system requirements posted for the BETA version of Final Fantasy XIV.

Part I. System Requirements. (http://na.finalfanta...bout/game_info)

Spoiler

(My recommendations in bold.)

Operating System (32-bit or 64-bit)

Windows XP SP3
Windows Vista SP2
Windows 7

Note: The service packs listed are recommended to be installed first before installing the game, as these service packs provide various security and bug fixes from Microsoft.

CPU

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0 GHz)
AMD Athlon X2 (2.0 GHz)
Recommendations below.

RAM

Windows XP: 1.5 GB or higher

Recommended: 3 GB minimum (32-bit); 4 GB or higher (64-bit)
Note: You can have 4 GB installed for 32-bit Windows XP, but ONLY 3.5 GB will be read.

Windows Vista/7: 2 GB or higher

Recommended: 4 GB (32-bit); 6 GB minimum or higher (64-bit)
Note: 4 GB in Vista/7 is fully usable in 32-bit versions of the OS.

Reasons: Take into consideration the OS (32-bit or 64-bit), system files and the drivers plus Final Fantasy XIV running, and other programs running in the background at the same time-- IM software, anti-virus/anti-spyware software, etc.

HDD (Hard drive)

Installation: 15 GB
Download (My Documents location): 6 GB

--------------------------------------------------------
Total Disk Space (minimum): 21 GB

Recommended: At minimum, a 250 GB or 300 GB hard drive. At best, a 500 GB or 640 GB hard drive.

Reasons: Assuming one hard drive installed in the computer with either of the following OSes installed:

• 2 to 4 GB occupied for Windows XP;
• 4 GB to 10 GB occupied for Windows Vista;
• or 10 to 20 GB occupied for Windows 7

Then, take into consideration hard drive space for programs in Program Files (and Program Files (X86) if 64-bit OS), and other files (music, pictures, documents, etc.)

Graphics Card

Nvidia GeForce 9600 or higher with 512 MB VRAM or more
ATI Radeon HD 2900 or higher with 512 MB VRAM or more

Recommendations below.

Sound Card

DirectSound compatible sound card (DirectX 9.0c or higher)

Internet Connection

Broadband internet connection or higher

Screen Resolution

1280x720 or higher; 32-bit color or higher

DirectX

DirectX 9.0c

Others

Mouse, Keyboard, Gamepad (optional)

Part II. How to check the hardware of your current system.

The normal way is to go to Device Manager and look at the individual devices of your computer that is installed.

The best method is to use one of two programs: CPUID and Speccy. Both are freeware programs and easy to use.

By knowing the hardware of your current system, you can compare them to the system requirements for Final Fantasy XIV above.

CPU-Z - http://www.cpuid.com...ares/cpu-z.html

Spoiler

CPU-Z is mostly for providing details about your CPU and RAM, but also tells you what type of motherboard and video card is installed in your computer.

Speccy - http://www.piriform.com/speccy

Spoiler

Speccy provides much detailed information including temperature, hard drive(s) installed, and the peripherals connected to your computer.

What to look for?

When you find out information about your computer's hardware or the computer you are about to purchase, take note of the three important facts (other than price):

• CPU
  • Make and model. (i.e.- Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, E8400 is model and Core 2 Duo is the make)
  • Speed (i.e.- Any number before "GHz" is the speed of the CPU such as 3.2 GHz or 2.4 GHz)
• RAM
  • Look at the total capacity (i.e.- 6.0 GB or 1.5 GB, etc.)
• Video card/GPU
  • Make and model. (i.e.- ATI Radeon HD 5750, Radeon HD is the make and 5750 is the model)
  • Video memory (VRAM). (i.e.- 512 MB VRAM or 224 MB shared, etc.) The higher the VRAM means higher resolution games and larger, detailed textures and 3D geometry.
  • PCI-Express. This is the connector, or interface, the video card uses to connect to the computer. Avoid older, out-dated connections such as AGP and PCI.

After taking those three into account, use it to compare to the following sections found below.

Part III. FFXIV Benchmark

Now, that you know your hardware, it is time to test it with the Final Fantasy XIV Benchmark.

The benchmark is available here at the following websites:

North America - http://www.finalfant...a/benchmark/na/
Europe - http://www.finalfant...a/benchmark/eu/
Japan - http://www.finalfant...a/benchmark/jp/

You can test your system using the benchmark provided and see how well you score. It also allows you to test in two resolutions:

• LOW - 1280 x 720 (720p)
• HIGH - 1920 x 1080 (1080p)

NOTICE: DO NOT USE THE BENCHMARK'S SCORES AS A WAY OF DETERMINING WHETHER YOUR COMPUTER CAN OR CANNOT RUN FINAL FANTASY 14.

When you run the benchmark, take notice of how the graphics and audio are running in the benchmark demo as it is running on your computer.

Take note of the following:
- Consistent frame rate - Does the animation seem smooth or do they seem jittery and jumpy?
- Smooth transitioning from one scene to the next - Does one scene transition to the other without pausing or skipping?
- Stable audio voices and effects - Do the audio-- voices, effects, and music-- work without sounding scratchy, off cue, or pausing or skipping frequently?

Do this on both LOW and HIGH. If your computer cannot handle HIGH, try LOW.

Uragirimono, on 04 July 2010 - 04:33 PM, said:

Just FYI the benchmark they released for FFXIV is utter garbage. You can get a score of 200 from it and run the alpha just fine. You can get a max score and run it sluggishly.

Just match the system specs vs yours. Don't rely on the benchmark.

At the end of the benchmark, your system will be scored using the following scale:

[8000 and over] Extremely High Performance

Easily capable of running the game on the highest settings.

[5500–7999] Very High Performance

Easily capable of running the game. Should perform exceptionally well, even at higher resolutions.

[4500-5499] High Performance

Easily capable of running the game. Should perform well, even at higher resolutions.

[3000-4499] Fairly High Performance

Capable of running the game on default settings. Consider switching to a higher resolution depending on performance.

[2500-2999] Standard Performance

Capable of running the game on default settings.

[2000-2499] Slightly Low Performance

Capable of running the game, but may experience some slowdown. Adjust settings to improve performance.

[1500-1999] Low Performance

Capable of running the game, but will experience considerable slowdown. Adjusting settings is unlikely to improve performance.

[Under 1500] Insufficient Performance

Does not meet specifications for running the game.

Notes:

If you receive a low score on a very good PC, then that is the benchmark's fault. Read the NOTICE above regarding the benchmark. The benchmark may erroneously give your computer a LOW score.

Before proceeding, read first:

If you notice the CPU and GPU list below, and it's probably not complete, but don't expect to run FFXIV on the following based on the system requirements:

• Any netbook or thin-and-light laptop
  • Lower speed processors - less than 2.0 GHz
  • Integrated GPU - Nvidia Ion, Intel GMA, low-end/low power ATI or Nvidia GPU
  • Low memory - No more than 4 GB, 1 or 2 GB normally
• Any single-core CPU older than 5 years
• Any computer older than 5 years, especially those built before 2008
• Any budget CPU such as Celeron (Intel) or Sempron (AMD)
• Any DESKTOP dual core CPU below 2.0 GHz-- this is the cutoff
• Any DESKTOP quad core CPU below 2.0 GHz; and any LAPTOP quad core CPU below 1.6 GHz
• Any single core CPU clocked below 3.6 to 3.7 GHz
• Any LAPTOP dual core CPU below 2.0 GHz
• ALL low-voltage, ultra low-voltage, and CULV processors
• Any Nvidia video card made before February 2008 (9600 GT release)
• Any ATI video card made before May 2007 (2900 XT release)
• Any GPU made by Intel, Via, SiS, Matrox
• Any BUDGET DESKTOP GPU made by ATI (2900, 3850, 4670, or 5570 are the lowest you can go in their respective families)
  
• Any BUDGET DESKTOP GPU made by Nvidia (9600, 240, or 330 are the lowest you can go in their respective families)
• Any INTEGRATED GPU built by ATI or Nvidia with no dedicated memory to itself
• Any LAPTOP GPU lower than a desktop-equivalent performance of a Nvidia 9600, 240, 330, or 465; or ATI 2900, 3870, 4670, 5570
• Any BUDGET desktop computer (full system excluding monitor) under $650 USD
• Any laptop computer below $1100 to $1200 (approximate for mid-range laptops with dedicated GPU)
  

[octoberasian]

NOTE:
The following charts for CPU and GPU are approximations on their actual performance. Your experience will vary.

However, these recommendations are to have at least PLAYABLE performance for FFXIV.

Part IV. CPU-- What would make the cut? What won't?

I will use the base CPU listed by Square-Enix as the lowest you can use to run Final Fantasy XIV.

The CPU will be designated by their model and I will use their equivalent performance using the following chart found here as a BASIS: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/

Again, the minimum CPU required for Final Fantasy XIV:

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0 GHz) - 1168 Passmark (Core 2 Duo E4400)
AMD Athlon X2 (2.0 GHz) - 1153 Passmark (Athlon64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ @ 2.2 GHz)

Consider upgrading from (if your PC or laptop is upgradeable) or avoiding (in a new or current computer system) the following CPUs if it falls into the following...

... from Intel:

Spoiler

• Atom series (ALL) including Atom D, Atom K, Atom N, and Atom Z series
• Celeron (has no suffix) 1.70 GHz to 3.33 GHz
• Celeron M (ALL)
• Celeron D (ALL)
• Celeron 420 to Celeron 900
• Celeron E1200 to E1400
• Mobile Intel Celeron series (ALL)
• Mobile Intel Pentium 4-M series (ALL)
• Mobile Intel Pentium 4 series (ALL)
• Core Duo L, Core Duo T, Core Duo U series
• Core Solo series (ALL)
• Pentium 4 series (ALL)
• Pentium 4 Mobile (ALL)
• Pentium D except for those at 3.46 GHz and 3.73 GHz
• Pentium Dual E2140 to E2180
• Pentium Dual T series (ALL)
• Core 2 Duo E4300, E6300, and E6320; P7500
• Core 2 Duo L7100 to Core 2 Duo L9300 series
• Core 2 Duo T5200 to Core 2 Duo T5750
• Core 2 Duo T7100 to Core 2 Duo T7300
• Core 2 Duo U7500 to Core 2 Duo U9600
• Core 2 Solo series (ALL)
• Core 2 U7500 to Core 2 U7700 (non-dual core)
• Xeon 2.00 GHz to Xeon 3.60 GHz (single core)
• Core 2 Solo and Duo CULV versions *
• Core i3, i5 and i7 CULV versions *

* These processors are no faster than 1.333 GHz at the highest and run on very low power. They are typically found in thin and light laptops and high-end netbooks. These processors not recommended for gaming.

... from AMD:

Spoiler

• Athlon (single core) series (ALL)
• Athlon64 2800+ to 4000+ (single core)
• Athlon64 FX series (single core)
• Athlon64 X2 Dual Core 3600+ to 4000+
• Athlon64 X2 Dual Core BE-2350
• Athlon64 X2 Dual Core TK series (ALL)
• Athlon Dual Core 4050e and QL-65
• Athlon II Neo K125 and K325
• Athlon II X2 250u
• Athlon L110
• Athlon LE series (ALL)
• Athlon MP and MP 1700+
• Athlon Neo MV-40
• Athlon Neo X2 Dual Core 6850e, L325 and L335
• Athlon QI and TF series (ALL)
• Athlon X2 Dual Core 3250e, BE-2300 and BE-2350, L310 and QL series (ALL)
• Athlon XP (ALL)
• Athlon64 X2 Dual Core 3800+
• Athlon Duron series (ALL)
• Geode NX series (ALL)
• Opteron 144 to 150, and 252 (single core)
• Sempron series (ALL)
• Sempron Dual Core 2100
• Sempron LE, M, and SI series (ALL)
• Turion 64 Mobile MK, ML, and MT series (ALL)
• Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL series (ALL)
• Turion Dual Core RM-75
• Turion II Neo K625 Dual Core
• Turion Neo X2 Dual Core L625
• Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile ZM series (ALL)
• Turion X2 Dual Core RM-70 to RM-77
• Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core Mobile ZM-80 and ZM-82
• Athlon Dual Core 4050e and 4450e
• Dual Core Opteron 165, 170, 175, 1210, 1212
• Mobile Athlon XP and Athlon XP-M series (ALL)
• Mobile Athlon Duron series (ALL)
• Mobile Athlon Sempron series (ALL)

Look for CPUs to upgrade to (in an old system) or to have (in a new or current system) with the following...

... from Intel:

Spoiler

• Core 2 Duo E4400 to E4700, and E7600
• Core 2 Duo E6400 to E8600
• Core 2 Duo L9400 and L9600
• Core 2 Duo P7350, P7370, and P7450
• Core 2 Duo P7550 to P9700
• Core 2 Duo T5800 to T6670
• Core 2 Duo T7400 to T9900
• Core 2 Extreme (ALL)
• Core 2 Extreme Q and X series (ALL)
• Core 2 Quad Q6600 to Q9650
• Core 2 T6600
• Core 2 X6800
• Pentium Dual E2200 and E2220
• Xeon 3.75 GHz
• Xeon 3040 to 3065
• Xeon 5130 to 5160
• Xeon E3110 to E5640
• Xeon L5240
• Xeon W570, W3503 to W5590
• Xeon X3210 to X5680
• Pentium Dual Core E2210 to E6600
• Pentium Dual Core T4200 to T4500
• Core i3 series (ALL)
• Core i5 series, including i5 M and i5 Q series (ALL)
• Core i7 series (ALL), including i7 720QM, 820QM and 920XM
• Core i7 Q, L, M, and X series (ALL)

Note: CULV versions of Core 2 Duo, i3, i5 and i7 series. should not be considered or included.

... from AMD:

Spoiler

• Athlon64 FX-60 and FX-62 Dual Core, and FX-74
• Athlon64 X2 4200+ to 6400+
• Athlon Dual Core 7450 to 7850
• Athlon Dual Core 4450B to 5400B
• Athlon II M320 and M340
• Athlon II P320 Dual Core
• Athlon II X2 215 to 250, and 255
• Athlon II X2 4400e, B22, and B24
• Athlon II X3 400e to X3 445
• Athlon II X4 600e to 6400e
• Athlon X2 BE-2400
• Athlon X3 425 and 435
• Athlon X4 620 and 630
• Opteron 6128
• Phenom Triple Core 8250 to 8750
• Phenom Quad Core 9100e to 9950
• Phenom FX-5000 Dual Core
• Phenom II N620 Dual Core
• Phenom II N830 Triple Core and N930 Quad Core
• Phenom II X2 545 to 555, and B53
• Phenom II X3 705e to 720, and B75
• Phenom II X4 05e, 805 to 820
• Phenom II X4 905e to 965, and B25 to B95
• Phenom II X6 1035T, 1055T, and 1090T
• Phenom X2 Dual Core GP-7730
• Phenom X4 Quad Core GP-9500
• Athlon64 X2 Mobile TL-66 and Tl-68
• Turion Dual Core ZM-80
• Turion II Dual Core Mobile M500 and M520
• Turion II N530 Dual Core and P520 Dual Core
• Turion II Ultra Dual Core Mobile M600 to M660
• Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core ZM-84 to ZM-87
• Dual Core Opteron 180, 185, 280 and 290
• Dual Core Opteron 1214, 1216, 2212, and 2220
• Quad Core Opteron 1352 to 1356
• Quad Core Opteron 2378 and 2380
• Six Core Opteron 2431

[octoberasian]

Part V. Video Card-- What will run FFXIV? Even if just playable?

For video cards, this will be a little more detailed. I will add "(FFXI)" so you can see what GPUs USED to or can CURRENTLY run Final Fantasy XI but will or will not run Final Fantasy XIV. Keep that in mind.

GPU requirements for FFXIV:

• Nvidia GeForce 9600 with 512 MB VRAM or higher
• ATI Radeon HD 2900 with 512 MB VRAM or higher

Now, some terminology and wordplay explanation here:

Spoiler

• Memory (VRAM)
  
  A video card's memory determines two important features-- the resolution you can play a game at; and how large (and detailed) the textures and 3D details and features can be.
  
  The higher the amount, the better performing and better looking the game will be. Do not consider any card less than 512 MB VRAM as is required by SE.
• Bandwidth
  
  Bandwidth is the video card's data bus and pathway from the GPU to the memory. It is how much data is sent to-and-from both locations per second in MB (megabytes) or GB (gigabytes) per second. The higher the number, the higher the price is, typically.
  
  Avoid video cards with 64-bit data paths.
  
  Consider video cards with AT LEAST 128-bit data paths, or 256-bit recommended. (Odd-numbered or higher bandwidth such as 192, 384, 512, 640 and higher are better as well but will cost more.)
• TurboCache (Nvidia) and HyperMemory (ATI)
  
  Both TurboCache and HyperMemory are technologies used by Nvidia and ATI, respectively, that have the computer system allocate a certain amount of system memory for the GPU on top of the current GPU's VRAM (if it is included).
  
  Be advised as this takes away from the system RAM. If FFXIV requires at least 1.5 GB (XP) or 2 GB (Vista/7) and the GPU takes away 256 MB of that, then you'd be left with much less system RAM for the OS, programs and the game itself. (Hence, why I recommended higher RAM amounts above.) Shared memory is and always will be a performance drain on the entire system.
  
  Do not consider a system that uses either of these two technologies.
• SLI (Nvidia) and Crossfire (ATI)
  
  SLI (Nvidia) allows you to connect two to four Nvidia graphics cards together to work as if they are one video card.
  
  Crossfire (ATI) allows you to connect two to four ATI graphics cards together to work as if they are one video card.
  
  Some games support two or more video cards, and many games do not take advantage of it. If you have the money, then go for it. However, a single video card is and will always be the preferred choice for normal gamers in terms of stability and performance. Until both drivers and software (games) catch up and improve, having two or more video cards IS NOT necessary unless you are a hardcore PC gamer.
• AGP and PCI
  
  If you still have this in your computer, upgrade.
  
  AGP and PCI are out-moded and out-dated, and are the older expansion slots used by video cards (AGP and PCI).
• PCI-Express
  
  Modern-day expansion slot for attaching/installing your video card to the computer. The slots themselves have varying speeds from X1 to X16 which determine their data bandwith and electrical connection. PCI-Express provides 75W maximum to any card connected to them. Video cards exceeding this specification will require external power from the PSU (power supply unit).
  
  Graphics PCI-E slots are X8 or X16 typically. Lower end computers or lower-end motherboards will usually be X8.
• Integrated versus Dedicated
  
  Integrated GPUs tend to be slower performing and almost always share memory with the system RAM. Avoid these for FFXIV. Especially be weary of mobile GPUs that have a small amount of dedicated memory but will still pull some from system RAM to increase its total VRAM. Avoid these as well.
  
  Dedicated GPUs will usually be faster and will always have dedicated memory that does not share system RAM. These are harder to find and more costly in laptops.

AVOID the following GPUs/video cards:

Spoiler

All Intel GMA and MediaAccelerator chips.
Intel Extreme Graphics 950 and lower
Intel Extreme Graphics 965 (FFXI) *
Intel Extreme Graphics X3000 series (FFXI) **
Intel Extreme Graphics X4000 series (FFXI) ***

* Required a driver update to enable hardware transform & lighting.
** Plays FFXI but all characters and NPCs had missing textures.
*** FFXIV Alpha client crashes and will not load if you have this in your system.

All Via and SiS GPUs.

From ATI:

• Radeon 9000 (FFXI) to 9800 (FFXI)
• Radeon X300 (FFXI) to X1900 (FFXI)
• Radeon HD 2400 (FFXI) and HD 2600 (FFXI)
• Radeon HD 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600 (FFXI) series
• Radeon HD 4100, 4150, 4200, 4300 (FFXI), 4400 (FFXI), 4500 (FFXI) series, 4650 (FFXI)
• Mobile Radeon HD 5145 to 5470 (FFXI)
• Mobile variants of the 9000 series (FFXI)
• Mobile variants of the X-series (FFXI)
• Radeon X1100/1120
• Radeon Xpress and IGP GPUs
• Mobile Radeon 2000 series (ALL)
• Mobile Radeon 3000 series up to Mobile Radeon 3850 (FFXI)

From Nvidia:

• Nvidia 2MX (FFXI), 4MX (FFXI), 3Ti (FFXI), 4Ti (FFXI)
• Nvidia GeForce FX5000 series (FFXI)
• Nvidia Go 6100/6150/6150e/6200
• Nvidia GeForce 6000 series (FFXI)
• Nvidia GeForce 7000 series (FFXI)
• Nvidia GeForce 8200 to 8600 series (FFXI)
• Nvidia GeForce 9200 (FFXI) up to 9500 (FFXI)
• Mobile variants of the GeForce FX Go-series (FFXI)
• Mobile variants of the 6000 Go-series (FFXI)
• Mobile variants of the 7000 Go-series, including laptops with 7200, 7300, 7400, 7500 (FFXI), 7600 (FFXI), 7800 (FFXI), 7900 (FFXI) GPUs
• Mobile variants of the 8200 to 8600 series (FFXI)
• Mobile 9100 to 9600M (FFXI)
• GeForce 102M to 110M
• GeForce 210M, 305M to 330M
• GeForce GT 120M to 220M (FFXI)
• GeForce GT 120 to 220 (FFXI)
• GeForce GT 300 to 320 (FFXI)

Upgrade to or look for the following video cards:
(Desktop-equivalent means its approximate closest performance for a mobile GPU.)

Spoiler

From ATI:

• Radeon HD 2900XT
• Radeon HD 3850 and 3870
• Radeon HD 3870X2
• Radeon HD 4670 and 4770
• Radeon HD 4830, 4850 and 4870
• Radeon HD 4870X2
• Radeon HD 5570, 5670, 5750, 5770
• Radeon HD 5830, 5850, 5870
• Radeon HD 5970
• Mobile Radeon HD 3870X2
• Mobile Radeon HD 4850, 4870, 4870X2
• Mobile Radeon HD 5650 to 5870

From Nvidia:

• (GeForce 8800 GT, 8800 GTS, 8800 GTX) *
• GeForce 9600-series (ALL)
• GeForce 9800-series (ALL)
• GeForce 8800M (GTS/GTX) *
• GeForce 9800M (GS, GT, GTS, GTX)
• GeForce 240, 250, 260, 275, 280, 285, 295-series
• GeForce 260M (Desktop-equivalent: 9800 GT), 280M (Desktop-equivalent: 9800 GTX), 285M (Desktop-equivalent: 9800 GTX+)
• GeForce 335M
• GeForce 480M (Desktop-equivalent: 465/470GTX)
• GeForce 465 GTX, 470 GTX, and 480 GTX

* Note: Even though the 8800 series is not included in the system requirements, you may be able to run FFXIV on three specific models-- 8800 GT, GTS and GTX. Also, take into consideration the fact that Nvidia has re-branded many video cards, and either kept the core design the same or improved them in power consumption and heat dissipation (TDP).

For example, the 250 GT is a 9800 GT, which is also an 8800 GT. The 9800 GTX/GTX+ is a 250 GTS, where the 9800 GTX is a 8800 GTS/GTX. Keep these in mind that when you buy a video card, it may have a GPU core based on a previous generation. The newest GPU architecture from Nvidia is the GF200 for the 400 GTX-series: 465 GTX, 470 GTX, and 480 GTX.

[octoberasian]

Part VI. Shopping Help.

This section is just for shopping tips when looking for a new computer or building a new one. Also, keep in mind any examples here are just that-- examples. Use them as a template when looking for a new computer.

General guidelines when looking into purchasing a new computer or upgrading:

1. Realistic budget.

If you set out to look for a new computer to play Final Fantasy XIV and gave yourself a budget of no more than $300, then you are being very unrealistic. At $300, you are looking at a low-end netbook, low-end desktop, or a 120 GB PS3 Slim at $299 (and having to wait until March 2011 to play).

Therefore, always set a realistic budget. You could build a decent computer yourself for around $400 to $500 if you already have a monitor, keyboard, mouse, DVD drive, and a hard drive.

Name brand computers with non-integrated video cards and a decent processor will usually start at $600 or $700 without a monitor. That is typical from Dell or similar name-brand manufacturers.

Expect to spend $1000 to $2000 on average for a mid-range PC, as you add a mid-range to high-end video card along with a better mid-range or high-end dual core or quad core CPU, with 4 GB or 6 GB of RAM.

You'll exceed $2000 if you are going for high-end parts like a quad core CPU and a high-end video card, or two video cards.

If you don't have the money right away to purchase new parts or a new computer, save a little each week or each month. Be sure to set the lowest, realistic amount you can spend on a computer and a maximum you can afford so you have some "wiggle room" if you want better performing parts in your computer.

Only go for high-end parts if you are really into 3D gaming, tend to overclock or tweak your system specs, and/or are a gaming enthusiast and, of course, have the money for it.

But, above all, be realistic with what you want in your computer.

Read guides on the Internet regarding on how to build your computer and what to shop for. (Google is your best friend here.)

- Best Graphics cards for the Money - March 2010 (Thank you, dyire.): http://www.tomshardw...-card,2569.html

- Tom's Hardware - How to Build a PC: http://www.tomshardw...wn-pc,2601.html

- TechSpot Buying Guide (June 2010): http://www.techspot.com/guides/buying/

2. Determine what you will use the computer for other than Final Fantasy XIV.

If you are going to be mainly playing 3D games on your computer alongside Final Fantasy XIV, look for a PC (desktop or laptop) with the following:

• Fast CPU of no less than 2.4 GHz with dual cores; quad core would be nice but not many games take advantage of multiple threads/multiple cores... yet.
• 4 GB of RAM at minimum; 6 GB of RAM recommended with a 64-bit OS
• A spacious hard drive-- 500 GB at minimum
• A motherboard dedicated for overclocking and system tweaking. These are boards typically above $150 to $200+ USD. Higher-end boards will be pushing $300 or more.

If you are going to use your computer just for Final Fantasy XIV, you can dial down the system specs and go for something average and spend less on your computer, thus saving yourself money.

If you are looking to do some graphics editing on your PC alongside FFXIV, look into more memory and a fast CPU, especially a quad core.

But, above all, look to the first point above and be realistic with your spending goals. Determine what you will be doing on your computer and go from there.

3. Name brand versus Build-it-yourself.

This pretty much boils down to whether you want a warranty or not.

Name brand PC makers like Apple or Dell, and many others, have (expensive) warranty options that cover everything from parts and labor to replacement parts and in-home service (like Dell's).

When stuck with building your own PC, you are left with only the manufacturer's warranty which typically lasts anywhere from 90 days to 1 year, sometimes 3 years. Other manufactuers tend to offer step-up programs or lifetime warranties. If you are in this position, always, and I can't emphasize this enough, register your hardware with the manufacturer on their website or mail in the registration card. And, always keep the receipt and the UPC labels in case you need them in the future.

So, in a typical "pro vs. con" scenario, it would look like this:

Building your own computer

Pro
- Freedom of choice in the parts you can install
- Tweak to your heart's content and customization
- Ability to stay within budget and keep the prices low

Con
- Lack of warranties and services that name brands offer
- Lack of knowledge on how to build your own PC

Buying name brand

Pro
- Better warranties and services
- Build quality (varies by manufacturer...)
- Ability to easily find the PC you want that suits you
- Price will be somewhat lower than building your own since name brands buy in bulk

Con
- Price may typically be higher than building your own because many times you're paying for the "name" of the PC or marked up prices for them to make a profit
- Lack of customization and choice of parts unless you go to someone like FalconNorthwest, Alienware, or CyberpowerPC, etc.
- Talking to customer and technical support

Shopping examples.

Example 1: Alienware

Spoiler

• Budget - $2000

First off, avoid M11x due to the CULV processor. CULV processors consume less power and run at low frequencies, and are typically found in thin-and-light laptops or high-end netbooks. They are not meant for heavy 3D gaming. SE requires 2.0 GHz from a dual core CPU.

Secondly, go for the M15x due to the better graphics GPU-- the Mobility Radeon 5850 or the GTX 260M, which is the equivalent power of a 9800 GT for the desktop. Compare this to the M11x and its 335M. Though the GPU should be capable of playing FFXIV at decent settings, you will not always be using that GPU. Under Nvidia's Optimus, the GPU is only on when it needs to and switches to the lower powered, integrated GPU to be energy efficient. The GT 335M is also equivalent to a GT 320 for the desktop, and its performance should be between a 9600 GT and a 9800 GT, whereas the GTX 260M is closer to a 9800 GT in terms of performance.

Thirdly, to keep within budget, stay away from custom colors. Here, they're $99 more.

Fourth, keep the i3 350M. It's already dual core and is 2.26 GHz, which is above the 2.0 GHz required for FFXIV.

Next, stick to Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Unless you need the extra features of Professional or need it for work, don't go for it.

Now, we come to the warranty. Typically, the rule of thumb is that a laptop or desktop PC will last about 2 to 3 years if you expect to keep ONE computer for that long. Technology tends to advance every 6 months to 1 year. I would recommend going for the 3 year warranty here for the extra $299. If you are the person that can afford upgrading every year, stick to the basic 1 year warranty.

After this is the GPU, and you want one that will be beefy enough to run FFXIV but still be able to do so without it stuttering. The default Mobility Radeon 5730 is equivalent to a desktop HD 5570 in terms of specs, it just has a lower clocked memory. I suggest spending $150 extra for the Mobility Radeon HD 5850 which is roughly a lower clocked desktop variant of the HD 5770.

Next up is the LCD screen size. If you are expecting to watch HD movies in 1080p and play FFXIV at HIGH at 1080p, spend an extra $100 for the 1920x1080 LCD screen here.

As much as I recommend 6 GB RAM or more for 64-bit OSes, but if you are just going to use the computer for FFXIV and nothing else, stick to the 4 GB and add an additional 2 GB memory module later on when you have the money.

The hard drive is next and if you are not into downloading HD movies or playing large games that require tens of gigabytes of hard drive space, stick to the 250 GB for now and upgrade later to a larger capacity. Remember, we are trying to stick to a $2000 budget. Avoid SSDs unless you are filthy rich (and not telling me about it... ).

If you are wanting to watch Blu-ray movies, get the Blu-ray reader but it'll cost you. For now, stick to the DVD drive.

As for accessories, let's not splurge there.

Ending price: $1798 USD.

After tax and shipping, it comes to $1954 USD, and we magically stayed within our $2000 budget. This is one example.

Example 2: Build your own

Spoiler

• Budget - $2000

Ok, starting from scratch and I have the know-how to build my own PC but can only spend $2000. Let's look back at what we need to run FFXIV at minimum: (off the top of my head)
- Dual core 2.0 GHz CPU
- 2 GB to 4 GB RAM
- Windows XP (let's skip this since it's EOL-- end of life); so Windows Vista or 7
- 20 GB for FFXIV
- 9600 GT from Nvidia or 2900XT from ATI at minimum

Now, I ask myself: "What else will I do with the PC besides FFXIV?" Well, I've played Anno 1404 on my old PC and want to play Starcraft II and Diablo III (whenever that comes out...) So, I'm going to need a pretty decent video card and a good amount of space for the hard drive. So, this will be a gaming box for me.

Let's start with the three expensive components of a computer besides the LCD monitor-- CPU, RAM, and video card. The next expensive part is the motherboard.

For these four, and some searching and reading around the Internet, I'll add the following:
CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz, $139.99
RAM - G.Skill 6 GB (2 GB x3), $149.99
Video Card - Gigabyte ATI Radeon HD 5830, $199.99
Motherboard - Biostar TA890FXE, $139.99

Total = $629.96

Now we add a hard drive and DVD-RW drive:
Hard drive - WD 640 GB, $69.99
DVD-RW drive - ASUS DRW-24B1ST, $22.99

Total = $722.94

To put them all together, we need a case and a power supply unit (PSU):
Case - CoolerMaster RC-690, $69.99
PSU - Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650W PSU, $89.99

Total = $882.92

We need a keyboard, mouse, and a pair of speakers:
Keyboard - Microsoft Wired Keyboard 500, $12.99
Mouse - Logitech G500, $59.99
Speakers - M-Audio Studiophile AV 30, $69.99

Total = $1025.60

Now, we finish it off with a monitor and an OS:
Monitor - Acer H223Hbmid 23-inch, 1080p LCD monitor, $199.99
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Full, $179.99

Total = $1405.58

After tax and shipping: $1574.36 and still have some money leftover for FFXIV Collector's Edition

I could add a better sound card or speakers, but this will be about as average/mid-range you can get.

Example 3: Customizing with CyberPowerPC.com

Spoiler

• Budget - $1000 to $1500, but keep it as close to $1000 before tax/shipping if possible

Gamer Xtreme 2200:



Case: Apevia X-Dreamer 3 Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Side-Panel Window & Temperature Display (Black Color with Black Ring & Blue LED Fan)
Internal USB Extension Module: None
Neon Light Upgrade: None
Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans
Noise Reduction Technology: None
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-750 2.66 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1156
Freebies: None
Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
Cooling Fan: Asetek 550LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Advanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) [+18]
Motherboard: Asus P7H55 Intel H55 Express Chipset DDR3 LGA1156 ATX w/ 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB2.0, SATA-II, 1 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 3 PCI
Motherboard Expansion Card: None
Memory: 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3/1333MHz Dual Channel Memory [-4] (Corsair or Major Brand)
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+82] (Major Brand Powered by ATI)
Video Card 2: None
Video Card 3: NoneDedicated PHYSX Card: None
Multiple Video Card Settings: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
Power Supply Upgrade: 600 Watts - XtremeGear Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready
Hard Drive: 500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-1] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: None [-63]
Hard Drive Cooling Fan: None
External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None
USB Flash Drive: None
Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: None
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
3D Vision Glasses: None
LCD Monitor: 22" Widescreen 1920x1080 Sceptre X226W 5ms (Viewable 21.5 inch) LCD (Black Color) w/ Built-in D-Sub & DVI Input [+188]
2nd Monitor: None
3rd Monitor: None
Speakers: Logitech Z313 2.1 DT speaker [+48]
Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
Modem: None
Mega Notebook/Netbook/Server Bundle: None
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
Gaming Gear: None
Extra Thermal Display: None
Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: None
External Wireless Network Card: None
Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
Bluetooth: None
Flash Media Reader/Writer: None
Video Camera: None
Headset: None
Printer: None
Cable: None
Power Protection: None
Surge Protector: None
IEEE1394 Card: None
USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
Floppy: None
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)
Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None
Office Suite: None
Ultra Care Option: None
Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Rush Service: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS


Total = $1302.62 after tax and shipping to California.

[Dyire]

so can i use intelGMA 950 to run this ijust got 2 ram in there and i have 4 sticks total and cna play conterstikre and iwas wonder if i could ply 14 with this or do i have to get more ram??? plz help

[octoberasian]

Dyire, on 04 July 2010 - 03:22 PM, said:

so can i use intelGMA 950 to run this ijust got 2 ram in there and i have 4 sticks total and cna play conterstikre and iwas wonder if i could ply 14 with this or do i have to get more ram??? plz help

Hahahaha... No.

[Uragirimono]

Just FYI the benchmark they released for FFXIV is utter garbage. You can get a score of 200 from it and run the alpha just fine. You can get a max score and run it sluggishly.

Just match the system specs vs yours. Don't rely on the benchmark.

[octoberasian]

Uragirimono, on 04 July 2010 - 04:33 PM, said:

Just FYI the benchmark they released for FFXIV is utter garbage. You can get a score of 200 from it and run the alpha just fine. You can get a max score and run it sluggishly.

Just match the system specs vs yours. Don't rely on the benchmark.

Thank you for that, Ura. I'm going to quote you for that above. I would have to honestly say I agree with you.

[thunderblazeFF14]

I have 3.41ghz quadcore cpu, 16gb ram, 1.8gb gpu, can I play, or do I need to start overclocking?

[Vigilous]

So, in short, if you don't have one of these, you're humped:

[thunderblazeFF14]

Vigilous, on 04 July 2010 - 07:58 PM, said:

So, in short, if you don't have one of these, you're humped:

guess that's a no.

[renzuko]

so, is 14 supposed to be hd for pc...cuz i was contemplating leaving out the new hd monitor out of the equation, cuz i got a monitor 2 years ago, thats about 3 inches smaller then what you suggested, and not hd lol >.>

[thunderblazeFF14]

renzuko, on 04 July 2010 - 09:31 PM, said:

so, is 14 supposed to be hd for pc...cuz i was contemplating leaving out the new hd monitor out of the equation, cuz i got a monitor 2 years ago, thats about 3 inches smaller then what you suggested, and not hd lol >.>

If you're going to buy a new monitor, get a 120hz one.

http://www.newegg.co...monitor&x=0&y=0

http://www.newegg.co...9-001-_-Product

There's two entry level ones, 3D ready.

This post has been edited by thunderblazeFF14: 04 July 2010 - 09:35 PM

[renzuko]

im in canada, a 3d monitor out in the us, is like half the price of the only 3d monitor that showed up on my search on newegg canada

http://www.newegg.ca...22CVF-_-Product

[thunderblazeFF14]

renzuko, on 04 July 2010 - 09:41 PM, said:

im in canada, a 3d monitor out in the us, is like half the price of the only 3d monitor that showed up on my search on newegg canada

http://www.newegg.ca...22CVF-_-Product

Keep watching it, price has been dropping on it.

I'm going to get a 3D monitor for FFXIV, need a 2nd monitor anyway for when I dual box, going to have 2 desktops set up so I can PL myself

This post has been edited by thunderblazeFF14: 04 July 2010 - 10:22 PM

[Vangoh32]

Let's talk about prices here, what can someone low budget like me get for a PC that doesn't lag like hell. Whenever I'm doing campaign on FFXI I can't even face to the horde of npcs/mobs/pcs without freaking dcing 'cause I get the message of "your display card has stoped working, but it has recovered" kind of message? I got little time before the release of the game and I want to know how much should I have for it. I'm not sure if I can go more than 700 bucks....hopefully less....I'm just that low on cash.

[renzuko]

im gettin seriously pissed...i searched windows 7 64 bit on the canadian site, clicked stuff only made by microsoft, and only operating systems, and this is the result page

http://www.newegg.ca...ating%20Systems

i click the same stuff on the american newegg site, and this is what i get

http://www.newegg.co...ating%20Systems

same amount of results, but all the copys of windows home 64 bit are replaced by french professional 64 bit on the canadian site -.-;;

[thunderblazeFF14]

Vangoh32, on 04 July 2010 - 10:39 PM, said:

Let's talk about prices here, what can someone low budget like me get for a PC that doesn't lag like hell. Whenever I'm doing campaign on FFXI I can't even face to the horde of npcs/mobs/pcs without freaking dcing 'cause I get the message of "your display card has stoped working, but it has recovered" kind of message? I got little time before the release of the game and I want to know how much should I have for it. I'm not sure if I can go more than 700 bucks....hopefully less....I'm just that low on cash.

Well, if you want a decent computer...look to spend around the following:

Assume:
Motherboard: 100
PSU: 100
CPU: 180
GPU: 150
Win 7 oem: 100
HD: 50
Memory Modules: 100
Dvd drive: 20

Total: 800

If you don't have a case, throw on an extra 50-100.

Somewhere around there, probably forgetting something.

If you want me to list actual parts, I could for you, but I'd suggest just watching newegg --- keep in mind, prices fluctuate each week. A PC i spent around 2,000ish making in October, would be cheaper to make today.

This post has been edited by thunderblazeFF14: 04 July 2010 - 11:59 PM

[Vangoh32]

thunderblazeFF14, on 04 July 2010 - 11:46 PM, said:

Well, if you want a decent computer...look to spend around the following:

Assume:
Motherboard: 100
PSU: 100
CPU: 180
GPU: 150
Win 7 oem: 100
HD: 50
Memory Modules: 100
Dvd drive: 20

Total: 800

If you don't have a case, throw on an extra 50-100.

Somewhere around there, probably forgetting something.

If you want me to list actual parts, I could for you, but I'd suggest just watching newegg --- keep in mind, prices fluctuate each week. A PC i spent around 2,000ish making in October, would be cheaper to make today.

wow that's too damn expensive and I don't know shit about computers....guess I'll be asking a friend or whoever around here see if I can get it cheaper...

[octoberasian]

Vangoh32, on 04 July 2010 - 10:39 PM, said:

Let's talk about prices here, what can someone low budget like me get for a PC that doesn't lag like hell. Whenever I'm doing campaign on FFXI I can't even face to the horde of npcs/mobs/pcs without freaking dcing 'cause I get the message of "your display card has stoped working, but it has recovered" kind of message? I got little time before the release of the game and I want to know how much should I have for it. I'm not sure if I can go more than 700 bucks....hopefully less....I'm just that low on cash.

Intel

CPU - Core i3 530
RAM - A-DATA 4 GB DDR3 (2 GB x2)
Video Card - PowerColor Radeon HD 5670 (512 MB VRAM)
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium OEM
DVD-RW - ASUS DVDRW
Motherboard - ASRock H55M-LE
Case - Antec Three Hundred
HDD - WD 640 GB
PSU - Enermax 500W

Total = $690.72

After Tax/Shipping to California = $760.68

AMD

Remove the Core i3 530 and motherboard, then add an AMD Athlon II X3 440 and an MSI 870-G45 motherboard, you get the following:

Total = $625.87

After Tax/Shipping to California = $690.30