Gaming Bioshock: Upgrade PC or buy a Xbox 360?

[robi]

Okay, so here is the situation. I'd really like to play Bioshock, and from what I can tell my old PC can't cut it.

Specs:

Athlon 64 3700+
1 GB RAM
Geforce 6600 256mb pci-E

I mostly play games on my Wii so I haven't had a need for any upgrade. At this point I was looking to build a new PC and just start from scratch but my iBook G4 gets more use than my desktop does so I didn't want to waste too much money when I could use it to buy an intel MacBook Pro. However, I'm not ready to spend that much money.

Or I could buy an Xbox360, maybe even mod it.


Right now I'm thinking about upgrading my video card and getting extra memory, but I still am considering a xbox360, there are a good number of good looking games on there. (thus I'd be one of those Wii60 people I guess)

If you were in my situation what would you do?

 

[science]

Wii60 is the way to go, especially if you don't use your desktop very often. This way you have a PC, 360, Wii, and Bioshock instead of a PC, Wii, and Bioshock

 

[ZeWarrior]

thats more expensive though^ Video cards are cheap nowadays and so is ram and harddrives, I would upgrade the PC if you want your a real gamer.

 

[cubin']

360 would be easier and let you play a hell of a lot of good games coming out. PC upgrade would be cheaper but wouldn't last as long.

Look at the upcoming list of xbox360 games and see if any interest you. If it's just for bioshock I'd upgrade the PC.

I've got a AMD 3000+, 1gigRAM, 7800GT and this lets me play bioshock on almost highest settings smoothly. Although the resolution is pretty low.

 

[kellyan95]

Most good 360 games are coming out for PC, I say go with that

X1950Pro for $140
2GB of ram $80
X2 4200+ for $110? (Haven't price checked)

Your PC will be just as good as the 360

 

[leetdude_007]

I would stick with a computer. You can do so much more with it. And you don't have to drag in all of those restrictions.

I'm personally waiting for the DS version of BioShock.

 

[Mangofett]

Bioshock crashed on my PC, many are having this problem too, if you have Vista, BEWARE.

Get the Steam demo, first.

 

[cory1492]

I for one am more comfortable using the larger TV to play games than the PC, so the choice would be pretty cut and dried if I had to make it...: get a hdmi enabled gfx card and a big 1080i LCD TV to hook it to

(at least I know if my PC goes berserk I won't be waiting 4+ weeks for a possibly faulty repair/replacement).

 

[Jiggah]

The game runs fine on my Vista install. I got it through Steam. Oddly enough, the demo wasn't doing so hot on Vista. For some reason, the sound was cut out when playing in game, but the full game ran just fine...go figure. I'm going to have to say, this is by far one of the best optimized game I've seen in a long time or maybe I'm just to into the game when playing and don't realize the slowdowns...meh.

 

[Reduxed]

try it on steam demo first

(beware this takes tons of space)...

 

[cubin']

I for one am more comfortable using the larger TV to play games than the PC, so the choice would be pretty cut and dried if I had to make it...: get a hdmi enabled gfx card and a big 1080i LCD TV to hook it toÂ

(at least I know if my PC goes berserk I won't be waiting 4+ weeks for a possibly faulty repair/replacement).

big tv + couch = ownz0r. You get used to controls for FPS after a while.

PCs can do more but they're more fiddly and if you already have a pretty good PC it won't do much more at all.

 

[roguetrip]

cheaper for a 360 in the long run! but the experience might be better on the PC.

I played the demo on my PC and ran great!

System:
WinXP SP2
AMD X2 4200+ @ 2.64GHz
A8N-32SLI Dlx
2GB DDR400 Mushkin
2x 7800GT's in SLI 500core/600mem 1.5volt mod
320gig Seagate 7200.10 Sata 2.0
21" CRT monitor
750watts woth of power!

It never dipped below 30 and had average framerate of 45fps @ 1280x1024 all settings except DX10

 

[mooyah]

cheaper for a 360 in the long run! but the experience might be better on the PC.

Yep, agreed. I played through the 360 version first and it played really well but a mouse and keyboard on PC just controls so much better than analog sticks. If its only for Bioshock, I'd go for a beefed up PC but a modded 360 plays the game too and opens up a whole library of games to you.

 

[skarthebloodchild]

cheaper for a 360 in the long run! but the experience might be better on the PC.


Yep, agreed. I played through the 360 version first and it played really well but a mouse and keyboard on PC just controls so much better than analog sticks. If its only for Bioshock, I'd go for a beefed up PC but a modded 360 plays the game too and opens up a whole library of games to you.

You can still use at 360 mouse and keyboard i think.
But i would still prefer to update my pc and not buy a 360.

 

[stop_loading]

pc obviously

with pc you got crysis, with 360 you got RRoD

 

[robi]

Thanks for all the help guys, before I posted this I was asking myself of the forums I visit, which one should I post in? heh

I ordered my new computer parts tonight. I was really close to getting a 360 but I decided against it in the end. Especially since a lot of 360 games are going to XP/Vista (one good move from microsoft)

I remembered that back at my parents house my younger sister is using a 1Ghz Pentium 3 (i think) so I figured I could give her my old motherboard/cpu etc.

For $575 USD I got the following from NewEgg if anyone's interested..

Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (my old system was socket 939, this is AM2)
Gigabyte Motherboard
2 x 1GB DDR2 SD-RAM
EVGA geforce 8600GTS 512MB
320GB SATA drive
BioShock

plus since it's over 500 dollars I have 6 months to pay it off with "NewEgg.com Preferred Account"

Needless to say I'm pretty excited. I originally wanted a Core 2 Duo but I went back to AMD to save money. Also I figure I'd support the BioShock guys, especially since the cracks available don't see to work for everybody. Also to save money I'm sticking with the onboard sound for now. X-Fi looks neat but there is no Linux support yet.

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[roguetrip]

. Also I figure I'd support the BioShock guys, especially since the cracks available don't see to work for everybody.

I know one of the cracks work, but its worth it to buy it anyways! Even with it installing a rootkit, securom 7 and install 5x5 method

 

[platypusrme427]

I know a way to get the game working on your PC......you ready?





BUY THE GAME!!!!!!! Seriously, if you have a decent pc, it will run fine. Especially if it's a DX10 card.

 

[squall3031]

pc obviously

with pc you got crysis, with 360 you got RRoD

EXACTLY!!!!

RROD sucks!!! I plan to buy a PC just for gaming only. But I want to wait until good video card prices to come down first. And everything else for that matter. He he he.

 

[superkrm]

Thanks for all the help guys, before I posted this I was asking myself of the forums I visit, which one should I post in? heh

I ordered my new computer parts tonight. I was really close to getting a 360 but I decided against it in the end. Especially since a lot of 360 games are going to XP/Vista (one good move from microsoft)

I remembered that back at my parents house my younger sister is using a 1Ghz Pentium 3 (i think) so I figured I could give her my old motherboard/cpu etc.

For $575 USD I got the following from NewEgg if anyone's interested..

Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (my old system was socket 939, this is AM2)
Gigabyte Motherboard
2 x 1GB DDR2 SD-RAM
EVGA geforce 8600GTS 512MB
320GB SATA drive
BioShock

plus since it's over 500 dollars I have 6 months to pay it off with "NewEgg.com Preferred Account"

Needless to say I'm pretty excited. I originally wanted a Core 2 Duo but I went back to AMD to save money. Also I figure I'd support the BioShock guys, especially since the cracks available don't see to work for everybody. Also to save money I'm sticking with the onboard sound for now. X-Fi looks neat but there is no Linux support yet.

Again, thanks for the help.

i would have stuck with the 939 board

upgraded the processor to an opteron
not a necessity but it comes with one of the best stock coolers out there retail

grab another gig of memory

grabbed a nice d9 card like x1950pro or xt

or if u gotta do d10 which i think is pointless right now
u gotta do it right get a 8800