Goal: Achieving Hardware Efficiency for Botting Purposes
Your computer will require better or different hardware in certain areas, depending on what you use your computer for. For example, gamers often prioritize their graphics cards, spending the most on that while they cut back on other parts of their computer. Those who edit and produce videos often prioritize their processor. By making these priorities and decisions, these users are picking their hardware in the most efficient ways and getting what they need at the lowest costs.
Botters have their own unique needs when it comes to hardware. As of yet, we haven't come to any firm conclusion on the most efficient way to optimize our hardware for our needs. This is probably due to two primary reasons. Firstly, botters compose of a very small demographic. Compared to the millions of gamers out there, we're outnumbered and as such, our needs don't receive much attention. Secondly and probably most importantly, very few people have botting in mind when it comes to building a computer. People usually build a computer aimed toward gaming and then pick up on botting at a later time.
So this thread seeks to find the answers for hardware efficiency regarding botting. We'll start with some frequently asked questions that this community's members will comment on and try to answer. As we solve each question, I will update this post to reflect our findings. If you have a question that is not addressed by the FAQ, feel free to post it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- For the processor, should I choose Intel or AMD? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
It's a general consensus among gamers that Intel is the much superior option. This is primarily due to the fact that standard gaming does not utilize the extra cores provided by AMD's processors. The fewer but superior cores of Intel are much preferable to gamers. However, botters, unlike ordinary gamers, can actually utilize all of the extra cores provided by AMD. As such, AMD is not an option that should be easily dismissed. Then again, if you're striving for maximum processing power, then it would be Intel - no contest. Intel's i7 3930k and i7 3960x are much superior to anything AMD has to offer; the only problem is the price of these two processors.
- If I decide with Intel for the processor, do I need hyperthreading? [SOLVED]
If you plan to run a numerous amount of botting clients, definitely. When you run enough processes, the extra threads provided by hyperthreading will be of great use.
- Is faster (higher frequency) memory worth the extra cost?
Generally speaking, having more memory is preferable to having fast memory if you can only pick one. I am not sure about how much having fast memory will help you.
- How important is the graphics card? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
It's important but not nearly as important as the processor. The processor is most often the bottleneck. I would prioritize it right after the processor.
- Is Video RAM important when choosing a graphics card? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
Yes. Extra vRAM is meant for gaming at higher resolutions and enhancing graphic details. Seeing as how you will be running a massive amount of botting clients, probably on more than one monitor, extra vRAM is very helpful.
- For the graphics card, Nvidia or ATI? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
Virtually all Nvidia and ATI cards have a near-equal counterpart from the other brand. Just pick whichever one is offering you a better price at the time.
- Is a solid state drive worth the investment? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
From my own experience, a solid state drive will only improve performance when you have enough clients running. It would only improve it barely, too. It doesn't matter how fast your SSD is when you're only going to get bottlenecked by the server or your Internet connection.
- Are multiple monitors worth the investment? [SOLVED]
With a low amount of bots, you won't gain much from it. But when you have enough botting windows that you cannot fit them all onto one screen, you should really invest into another monitor. It's helpful to maintain your sanity as you trade items or gold among your accounts.
- Seeing as how a botting computer would be operating virtually 24/7, should energy-efficient or green hardware components be prioritized? [UP FOR DISCUSSION]
It obviously would not matter if you're not paying for your own electricity. Let's see what others have to say regarding this.
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If this thread is successful, I'll do my best to maintain it.