What OS to install for a new gaming rig?

LithiumKid1976

hi guys,
ive ordered my self build parts, and was just wondering what OS people are using for thier gaming rigs?

ie xp, xp64bit
Vista, Vista 64bit
Linux

the mother board i have will support 64bit, plus it will have 6GB ram, so i would be looking at one of the 64 bit options..

any suggestions welcome.

domrush

get a cheap one then upgrade to windows 7 at end of year

Spear

LithiumKid1976 wrote: »

hi guys,
ive ordered my self build parts, and was just wondering what OS people are using for thier gaming rigs?

ie xp, xp64bit
Vista, Vista 64bit
Linux

the mother board i have will support 64bit, plus it will have 6GB ram, so i would be looking at one of the 64 bit options..

any suggestions welcome.

Linux is free, so you can install that regardless. So it's really only a choice between XP and Vista, and XP is 7 years old and unsupported, with no DX10.

PogMoThoin

I'm running Vista 64, I've tried 7 but it doesn't perform as well as Vista yet, needs time for the drivers to mature and for it to be tweaked for gaming performance. You mention 6Gb ram, therefore You need to run 64bit to be able to use it all.

CutzEr

I would go with Vista x64, just get a basic version though. Then upgrade to 7 in the coming months

z0oT

I've XP and Ubuntu on my gaming rig at the moment. XP being the one for games.

One thing you could do is grab the release candidate of Windows 7 which I think you can use up until the end of June or something next year, and then choose whether or not to buy it.

PogMoThoin

z0oT wrote: »

I've XP and Ubuntu on my gaming rig at the moment. XP being the one for games.

One thing you could do is grab the release candidate of Windows 7 which I think you can use up until the end of June or something next year, and then choose whether or not to buy it.

With Xp You'd not have directx10 which any modern graphics card is capable of.
Also although fully functional from april next yr Windows 7 will log You out every 2 hours to nag the **** out of You so You buy it

Blazer

Better off to use Vista 64bit at present.
Win 7 gaming is good however for online gaming punkbuster have not updated their code hence you get kicked 10 secs into the game 100% of the time.

Stevo105

Im running Windows 7 RC 64bit with no issues

Games im playing

BF2 1.41 zero kicks with punkbuster
left4dead
ArmA 2
race driver GRiD
Supcom
Mount and Blade - great game
GTA4


BF2 need to be run in compatibility mode "vista sp2" and set to run as admin same with punkbuster, this is the only tweeking i needed to do

partyatmygaff

Definitley avoid XP 64 bit its old outdated and very unsupported.

Get windows 7 RC1 off Microsoft for free and run it until you have to buy it.

Effluo

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Definitley avoid XP 64 bit its old outdated and very unsupported.

Get windows 7 RC1 off Microsoft for free and run it until you have to buy it.

I'd also be inclined to go for this option.

Just make sure however that any peripherals for your pc has the drivers....

It'll save you a bit as when the windows 7 upgrade and eom packs are eventually released they will be the same price

LithiumKid1976

Thanks guys,
Ill see how vista 64bit performs on it, but will prob go to win 7 later.

...and maybe even give xp a run out....


Thanks for your suggestions

Stevo105

LithiumKid1976 wrote: »

Thanks guys,
Ill see how vista 64bit performs on it, but will prob go to win 7 later.

...and maybe even give xp a run out....


Thanks for your suggestions

you must have alot of time on your hands....thats alot of messing about. installing all the drivers drivers, reinstalling games and patch both the OS and the games.

I'd rather just install Windows 7 RC 64bit and do the upgrade in june 2010

Nehaxak

I wouldn't bother with Vista, yes it looks nicer than XP for sure but really, it's absolute rubbish compared to XP for gaming. Stick with XP 32 and see what the future brings with Windows7.
I'd also install Win7 though as a dual boot rather than Vista but still, XP32 as your main gaming platform.

Stevo105

Nehaxak wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with Vista, yes it looks nicer than XP for sure but really, it's absolute rubbish compared to XP for gaming. Stick with XP 32 and see what the future brings with Windows7.
I'd also install Win7 though as a dual boot rather than Vista but still, XP32 as your main gaming platform.

Nehaxak....i rebuild my gaming machine recently. I went from windows XP 32bit to windows 7 64bit and i havent looked back. im getting better Frame rates (could be down to the full 4gb being used) and i have Directx 10 candy.

PogMoThoin

Gaming performance on 7 64bit isn't anywhere near what it is on Vista 64, I get 10fps less in Crysis and Warhead on Windows 7 64bit compared to Vista 64bit with the same graphics driver. I have an image of my current Vista OS partion (just Vista, no games) and another with Windows 7 installed with all the same drivers so I can ghost to Windows 7 in 10 mins and go back to Vista in 10 mins also. Huge gaming performance drop in all games (Grid, left4dead, FarCry2, Stalker CS, so its not just Crysis), I've tried a few different graphics drivers but makes no difference, its 7 thats not performing as well as this tweaked Vista. I'm using the same install of the game in each test, they're installed in their own partion. From what I've read the release candidate is tweaked for stability not performance. I'd hold out on 7 for the time being, it should improve when Microsoft let it, for now they're being cautious. Graphics drivers for 7 need to mature also, like what happened with Vista at first.

cian1500ww

Will it be possible to just upgrade the Windows 7 RC to the retail 7 when it comes out or will a clean installation be needed ?

PogMoThoin

cian1500ww wrote: »

Will it be possible to just upgrade the Windows 7 RC to the retail 7 when it comes out or will a clean installation be needed ?

Upgrade should work but its always better performing and a much cleaner OS to wipe and reinstall as the upgrade leaves lots of stuff in a mess.

Solitaire

Pretty sure Microsoft is insisting (read: forcing) clean installations by preventing any upgrade path. Guessing they don't want to have issues with tons of people having botched upgrades due to unforseen issues with the RC. Only the Vista upgrade path is being kept open.