Windows 7 or XP for gaming? Plus help.

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  1. Posts : 799
    Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
       #1

    Windows 7 or XP for gaming? Plus help.


    I have a bit of a dilemma here. I'm trying to decide whether or not to pick Windows 7 or XP for some gaming. Other things like browsing and multimedia too, of course, but mostly gaming.
    I'm getting a new-to-me computer this coming Friday. Specs are:

    P4 3.1ghz (hyperthreading, dunno if that matters much.)
    2 gigs of DDR3 RAM.
    ATI Radeon x1650 Pro with 512mb RAM.

    Quite frankly, I've never had a PC capable of playing any games >2003, so the idea of being able to play some good games is very enjoyable.
    • What newer games could this machine run with a decent framerate? (High or low settings doesn't matter)
    • Which OS should I choose for best performance?

    (note: if I run Win7, I'd of course be using the classic theme while I play. I'd also be using slipstreamed versions of either OS I choose.)
    I know from experience that XP is really great on performance, but I've been told that 7 is really good for gaming. I'm not sure, though.

    I'll take any help/suggestions I can get, this is new territory for me.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 467
    Seven ultimate 32bit
       #2

    If I was you check out Dark Messiah of might and magic....
    - http://www.google.co.za/search?q=dark+massje&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:{referrer:source?}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRE_en#q=dark+messiah+of+might+and+magic+youtube+gameplay&hl=en&rls=com.micro soft:en-US:%7Breferrer:source%3F%7D&rlz=1I7GFRE_en&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=vid&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=tRCsTbH_HoqTs wa2rtWaCA&ved=0CD8QqwQ&fp=275e0625c65ba6c7

    And without a Core2duo it has to be oblivion...
    - http://www.google.co.za/search?q=dark+massje&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:{referrer:source?}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRE_en#hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-US%3A%7Breferrer%3Asource%3F%7D&rlz=1I7GFRE_en&tbm=vid&q=oblivion+youtube+gameplay&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq =oblivion+youtube+gameplay&pbx=1&fp=275e0625c65ba6c7

    Another awesome game for you would be DungeonSiege2
    - http://www.google.co.za/search?q=dark+massje&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:{referrer:source?}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRE_en#hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-US%3A%7Breferrer%3Asource%3F%7D&rlz=1I7GFRE_en&tbm=vid&q=DungeonSiege2+youtube+gameplay&aq=f&aqi=&aq l=&oq=DungeonSiege2+youtube+gameplay&pbx=1&fp=275e0625c65ba6c7

    But I'd go xp to save you some RAM.. Not all the games is accepted by win7

    Assassins Creed would be a good go aswell..
    If you could get a Core2 in there you should check out.. Black ops

    - http://www.google.co.za/search?q=black+ops+youtube&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:{referrer:source?}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRE_en#q=black+ops+youtube&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:%7Breferrer:source%3F%7D&rlz=1I7GFRE_en&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=vid&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=qBSsTZa4BI_1s gaR0ISBBw&ved=0CEMQqwQ&fp=275e0625c65ba6c7

    Sorry for the posting I'm actually not sure how to paste the HTML.

    Hope this helped. And njoy the gaming.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 799
    Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    This button () Lets you post links. :P

    Thanks for the game suggestions, I'll definitely look those up.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 467
    Seven ultimate 32bit
       #4

    I don't want to be funny but I still don't see that button.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 144
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
       #5

    I you want a good machine that does media along with games. I would go with the Win 7. But you should upgrade your RAM to 4Gb then you could run WIn7 64bit. You will get more out of you processor and when you decide to upgrade your gpu (which if your a gamer you will) you will be rip raring ready to rock. If you do go 7 make sure to turn off all the Aero fetures, which would be off if you ran classic view. This set up will give you more options. Also with digital media win 7 make it very easy to share that media to your whole house. And there are some real cool media centers that you can use also. My personal favorite is XBMC. It is free for download and will blow you away in functionality. You will want a new Vid card when you start getting into HD movies also because you will probly get into decoding your rips. Hope all this helps in your decision.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 799
    Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Indeed it will. I'm probably going to go ahead and do Win7.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 273
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #7

    If you're going to start leaning towards new games, I'd go with Windows 7. Companies that make PC games are only going to write in support for so long (like everything else).
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 799
    Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Found some interesting info. Apparently, the graphics card isn't officially supported by Windows 7.
    I got it from one of those video game benchmark sites; they did a review on a long list of cards and mine was on there.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #9

    What others have said is true XP is better for gaming as it saves RAM and Win7 can have compatibility issues. But even before you get to that i would consider at least a Core2Duo as even a 3.1GHz P4 will not perform very well when running games.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 389
    w7
       #10

    I have never heard of a p4 that can do ddr3 much less ddr2- all p4 I know of is normal ddr only- maybe pc800.

    a ati 1650 is a pretty low end card and can not even do sm3 and I think they made them for both pcie and normal apg 8x slots- pcie is 16x slots. So if your specs are near right and it is p4 and normal ddr and normal pci slot its gaming performance will not be great in either xp or w7 and more than likely xp is about all it can or should do- but xp support is near over or soon will be- xp only supports sp3 any more. Your system would have fits playing games on a high res monitor if normal p4 performance.

    IMO w7 is a better gamer but w7 is more quirky than xp in everything multi media. But is somethings w7 does well and mostly because the systems are more powerful and more system ram. My w7 rig is a better gamer even in dx9 games but again because it is a more powerful system and more ram.

    Also if it is a p4 depending on how old its chip sets etc are vista nor w7 may support it at all. If to old surely vista nor w7 will auto install or update drivers etc and you may not be able to even install some or most drivers etc manually if the hardware is to old and trying to use vista or w7.

    If free that system is maybe something and if you are going to use xp- other than that you might want and more new system that uses at least ddr2 and has a pcie slot for a video card. It does not have to be the most new stuff which would be ddr3 etc- but has to be new enough if you plan to use vista or w7 or vista or w7 will not support the hardware..

    All and all quirky stuff aside- I still think w7 is better than xp or for gaming anyway- and vista and or w7 is pretty much forced on us. Time - things change with time- but are not necessarily better- but if support is ended for older stuff what can you/we do. We have to move on and buy newer stuff. Fools will argue newer is better just because it is newer- they make the same arguments over crt and lcd or what ever. They are as wrong as the day is long- but you can not argue with them.

    Hope you figure it out and your exact specs for that said system exact mobo and cpu and memory and vid card etc. Folks could better help ya. Again I have never heard of a p4 that can do ddr2. Something does not sound right- you should check into it..

    See ya..
    Last edited by ezeht; 19 Apr 2011 at 05:48.
      My Computer


 
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