MPC built the 500$ machine capable of playing Crysis in HD.

By handpicking the right parts, Maximum PC intends to prove it is possible to build a 500$ machine capable of handling Crysis at an acceptable frame rate.

They in fact did it, and by seeing the results, this seems to render obsolete the claims that you need a 2000$ pc to play Crysis.

This article is not the ultimate argument however, at 500$ you have only the box, they assume you can salvage keyboard, mouse and Windows install key from your current/old PC. This also does not come with any game controllers.

Still, it seems to indicate that a 500$ PC is capable of handling all current PC game titles at 1080p which is awesome for budget players.

[FantasyStar]

$175 for a 4870?!?! Goddamit!

[moses]

You can find them for about 130$ on newegg, they have great prices.

[evrfighter]

WAIT! according to n4g users. This is impossible! EVERYBODY knows it costs 2-4k to play Crysis on a pc

[Fishy Fingers]

Not sure why there is a headline change?

Still for a budget rig that's not bad performance. I take it their benchmark FPS are the highest achieved, because I dont believe that could maintain an average FPS of 36 at 1900x1200, even on Dx9 (high settings).

[TheIneffableBob]

The 4870 is a beefy card. If my 8800 GTS 512 can do 30 FPS at 1680x1050, the 4870 should be able to do 36 at 1920x1200.

[Ju]

My 9600GT/512 and X4-II(4GB/2.8GHz) can't run it decently with neat settings at my max resolution on my 27". Have to tone it down quiet a bit, so I doubt this one can. Its still playable, though, and my config can max GeOW at 1920x1200 and The Last Remnant. So, its not that bad (Except that the fan drives me crazy). BTW: Got the complete pre-built PC (w/o Gfx, though, that was $96 extra) for $599 through a Costco special.

[GamerPS360]

with 4870 ?? good luck :)

[Timesplitter14]

mine cost me about 900$ and it runs crysis on maximum settings, except for the AA (I put it at 2x. I can live with that).

Just buy your parts at the right time (holiday deals online) and you won't have to go over 1000$

[jjesso1993]

really like everything in this pc might give a go at building but changing to quad core and bit more memory 4gb found all that for £470

[phosphor112]

I'm linking you to the $150-240 range...to compensate for exchange rates.

http://www.tomshardware.com...

[onijutsu]

other than the graphics can someone please explain why crysis is a good game?

Gamers are a superficial bunch aren't they...

[moses]

The game is pretty much like playing an interactive action movie throughout, Warhead much more so. The realistic graphics make the game MUCH more involving since almost everything is dynamic, and the engine is a beast. The original game is an above average shooter, Warhead was definitley up there, and even better games being developed by modders with the Cry Engine 2.

[TheIneffableBob]

In my opinion, Crysis is a good game because it has good gameplay.

Don't try and spout opinion as fact, onijutsu.

[Ju]

No, I can't. That's why I hit the disagree :)

I pretty much disagree with everything :) I don't think the engine is a beast. It can render pretty pictures, but eats way to many resources. Its a game engine, not a simulation, got damn. And then, the gameplay is so oldschool that even UT3 plays better. Pretty, but that's about it, IMO. (ha, now hit it :)

[evrfighter]

Actually except for a few vocal ppl on n4g. PC gamers don't claim Crysis to be the best shooter out on the pc. But it's a good game. Seriously The dev's converse with the community and there's new maps/mods being released all the time. At one point pre-launch crysis. It was widely believed that the graphics for this game would make it one of the best shooters of all time.

It did decent but not what most expected.

In fact the same scenario happened with console gamers and a game called Killzone 2. Except those fans have to pay for their maps...

gameplay>graphics

[Lich120]

Exactly, I had felt the need to post a few weeks ago pricing out a comp for 700 that can easily play crysis on max (its basically my build). They took it a step further and priced it at 500. Either way, you're getting better visuals than you'll get on any console. I know graphics aren't everything but they're nice and add to immersion. So as a PC gamer, I appreciate these articles peoples they actually do inform alot of people who think gaming machines are ridiculously over priced.

On a side note, crysis was a good game for much more than just the visuals.

[majorsuave]

The thing with Crysis is not that it`s the best game around.

It is often used when referring to PC configs because it is the game that stresses the most a PC. If Max PC says they built a machine that runs it at 36FPS at 1900X1200, it means this machine will play every other current PC games at an acceptable rate (read often more than 60fps) on a HDTV at 1080p. This might be different at the max res of a 30" monitor.

Crysis is just a benchmark.... play crysis ? yes? then everything else should run.

[xg-ei8ht]

I think you'll see better games using the cryengine.

Crysis Warhead was better, but still not good enough story or gameplay wise.

[ballsofsteel]

whats the point of this? anyone who isn't a blind fanboy know you can make a superb gaming PC for 500-700 dollars but the problem is not many people can or want to make it. making a PC takes a lot time and work and still there are alot of little problems that can get in the way. i know a lot of people also want a name backing up their PC in case anything ever happens and they're willing to pay more for it. this doesn't really prove anything. only idiotic fanboys would think that all gaming PC's cost 1K-2K

[FantasyStar]

Actually to be fair. Not fanboys. Just the misinformed. After one's built like the Nth rig, one starts to realize that some components just aren't as important as other components when it comes to PC gaming. Hence why this $500 rig has a high-end GPU(yes 4870 is pretty much top of the line on AMD/ATI's lineup) but medium-end CPU and even lower-end RAM. Cause anyone with a shred of PC gaming knowledge that spans last 3-4 months knows that most PC games are GPU-intensive, not CPU. And 2GB of RAM is definitely a sweet spot for 16x10.

I could go into more about how much RAM bought should equate to the preferred resolution, but well. You probably know all this already. Just making a point that it's no so much fanboys, but just the fact that fanboys are often the most outspoken misinformed. IMO, if someone doesn't want to know a thing about PC gaming: they deserve to spend 1-2k foolishly on that Alienware-POS, while I'll spend my $500 and bank the other $500+ in my 3rd Xbox 360 with some left over. (sadly, but the games are too good to resist otherwise)

[Ju]

You just answered that yourself, didn't you ? Quote "After one's built like the Nth rig, ". That's the point. A lot of people just don't want to do that. I was hoping I wouldn't need to do that, but in fact, I had to add a new Gfx board, and replace the PSU, because it turned out, the one built in was 300W only, and the 9600GT wants at least 400W (and requires a separate power line). So, if you go cheap, you need to touch the metal. If you go with the same with a brand (e.g. HP or DELL) it costs you 500 more easily. And then you still don't get what you exactly want...

Its not a big thing - for me personally. But would you take your car apart because you didn't like the wheels it came with or the stereo ?

[evrfighter]

Go into any pc gamer forum and ask them what name brand pc they bought. Almost all of them will tell you to build one.

You don't get it.

You seem to think everyone on the pc can be lumped together and while this would help your argument if it were true. It's completely wrong.

The common pc user won't buy a pc for gaming and so they buy brand name. Then you have the pc gamer. The pc gamers that buy brand name are in the MINORITY. Almost all of them have their pc built. Not necessarily by themselves but the majority actually DO build them.

"but the problem is not many people can or want to make it"

You're describing the common pc user. Not the pc gamer. You're statement being true. Is only true for the group that DONT commonly frag. Here we are on a gaming web site. Who do you think reads these articles?

There are pc gamers here that would like these "it takes $2-4k to play crysis" lies to stop.

[FantasyStar]

evrfighter has a small point. The average PC gamer will already know how to build their own rigs. The casual PC gamer will have bought name-brand. Casual PC gamers just happen to be hardcore console gamers as well. Speaking from experience of course.

On a personal note, if I didn't like what came with my car: I'd take it apart and toy around until I get what I want. It just so happens I have extensive experience working as a auto-mechanic. Even if I didn't have the skills; I'd start learning within reasonable means.

[2Negativecool]

You need 2,000 to be able to show it off a little bit and enjoy it the way it was meant to be played. Whoever thought you needed 2 thousand dollars of PC just to play it was smoking copious amounts of stupid.

[GamerPS360]

spent 1300. Built from scratch. have 2 4890 crossfired with 8gb ddr2 800mhz. x3 720 be processor (4th core unlocked). It eats crysis. I can prob. run 2 crysis at the same time with maxed out. No more update for next 5 yrs, I hope.

[xg-ei8ht]

Its not more advanced it's open world.

If you want to talk gameplay, GTA4, has the most gameplay elements in a game.

I enjoyed crysis, but never found it gripping.

Was abit like killzone2, looked amazing, but lacked a certain substance.

Dead Space is much better game.