Unofficial "Will my PC run Skyrim" thread #6

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:29 am

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1213791-unofficial-will-my-pc-run-skyrim-thread-5/

If anyone had a question from the previous thread that did not get answered before the post limit lockdown, feel free to repost it here.

This thread is the catch-all discussion thread for questions concerning computer hardware and its capability of running The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Please post all system spec queries here, as all other threads on this topic are liable to be closed.

The general rule of thumb here is that we are comparing the systems you post with the official system specs for the Xbox 360, which is the platform the game is primarily being designed for. These specs (in basic) are:

CPU: IBM Xenon @3.2GHz (Three cores)
Memory: 512Mb DDR3 (this memory is shared by the CPU and GPU and is bandwidth-accelerated by an onboard eDRAM chip)
GPU: Xenos graphics chip @ 500MHz
>DirectX 9.0c
>Shader Model 3.0
>No dedicated VRAM (it shares the system RAM)

What this means is that although the game will likely not be very demanding graphically (at least, before factoring in the increased texture resolutions and various other graphics features the PC gamers will get), it will likely put a heavy load on the CPU, and it is recommended to have at least a quad-core, although dual cores will probably not have too much issue so long as they have a reasonable clock speed (about 2.8 GHz on a modern dual-core should do).

We then take into account the fact that the game will likely not be as well optimized on the PC due to varying hardware setups. We also take into account the different optimization techniques required for PC setups due to the existence of, for instance, dedicated GPU memory. This means we are expecting Skyrim to require a decent processor of at least dual-core architecture with a reasonably fast clock speed, and GPUs with at least a 512Mb dedicated framebuffer and reasonable core clocks and memory clocks, as well as at least 4Gb of system RAM. If you meet these requirements, you should be able to run Skyrim; maybe not at the highest graphics settings without incurring a large performance hit, but you should be able to run it.

MODS EDIT:
General notice to begin with: at this point the system requirements are not yet known. Anything is speculation and conjecture at this moment. Asking about the requirements can yield an educated guess at best.

- From now on we're going to use this as the system requirement and speculation thread for both PC-systems and laptops.

- People can post questions related to their system in this thread.

- We'll also use this thread for general speculation regarding the anticipated and expected system requirements; be it minimum, recommended and optimum.

- This thread can also be used to ask about possible and potential upgrades that people plan or may want to make.

- Other threads will be closed and referred to this one. Once this reaches 200 posts, we'll continue in a new one and leave a link to the old thread.

- Once the official system requirements have been made public by Bethesda, we can change the topic to 'Will my system run Skyrim?'.

- Since this is unofficial, there are no guarentees and the administration may decide to change the course of this thread.

- We will appreciate it if you could link to this (and any subsequent) thread in new threads people make about hardware requirements. And, that you use the report fuction to report these new threads to the moderators.

Ok, let's see how it goes. :thumbsup:

Thanks in advance. :)

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Laura Samson
 
Posts: 3337
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:36 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:00 am

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 which struggles with most new games (Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2...). If I don't intend to mod, should I get it for PS3 instead of PC?
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Darrell Fawcett
 
Posts: 3336
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 12:16 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:05 am

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 which struggles with most new games (Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2...). If I don't intend to mod, should I get it for PS3 instead of PC?


Wait... you can actually run both those games on that!?!? How is that possible!?!?
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Peter P Canning
 
Posts: 3531
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 2:44 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:44 am

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 which struggles with most new games (Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2...). If I don't intend to mod, should I get it for PS3 instead of PC?

It won't make even a scintilla of a difference whether you wanted to "Mod" anything. If you want to actually "play" any Bethesda game newer than Morrowind, you'll need something with a lot more performance than a Radeon HD 2400, which can only CRAWL when faced with modern 3D games.
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Chenae Butler
 
Posts: 3485
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 3:54 pm

Post » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:33 pm

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 which struggles with most new games (Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2...). If I don't intend to mod, should I get it for PS3 instead of PC?


If your CPU is good enough, and you've a PCI Express 2.0 port, I suggest you just buy a new GPU.
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Carlitos Avila
 
Posts: 3438
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:05 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:43 am

If your CPU is good enough, and you've a PCI Express 2.0 port, I suggest you just buy a new GPU.

The odds are 50% that it is a "Mobility Radeon" and therefore welded shut beyond any ordinary access for upgrades to video.
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Stryke Force
 
Posts: 3393
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:20 am

Post » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:18 pm

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 which struggles with most new games (Arkham Asylum, Just Cause 2...). If I don't intend to mod, should I get it for PS3 instead of PC?

Well...i wuld have to recomend PS3 this time, or a new GPU/computer.
Alltough it might even run on minimum settings it will propably not be an enjoyable experience, i'm guessing frame rates under 10.
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tegan fiamengo
 
Posts: 3455
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:53 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:57 am

Hi, i've been told by one of the mods to post this here;

Just bought this and I'm wondering if it will run Oblivion in any way or form. I appreciate high settings are completely out of the question, but will the game run better or on par with the console versions? I also know the Nvidia card isn't any great shakes either.

laptop specs -

Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3Ghz)
RAM: 6GB RAM
Hard Drive: 750GB HDD
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Optical Drive: DVDSM
Graphics: nVidia Geforce GT520M (1GB Dedicated)

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Samsung_RC520-S02UK_Core_i5_Laptop_NP-RC520-S02UK/version.asp

How would it handle both Morrowind and FO3?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, cheers!
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Taylah Illies
 
Posts: 3369
Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:13 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 1:11 am

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 922 MID TOWER GAMING CASE

Processor (CPU)
Intel? Core?i5-2500k Quad Core (3.30GHz, 6MB Cache) + HD Graphics

Motherboard
ASUS? P8Z68-V: USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, NVIDIA?SLI?, ATI?CrossFireX

Memory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG DDR3 DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 4GB)

Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

2nd Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

Memory - 1st Hard Disk
1TB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 16MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
10x LG BLU-RAY RE-WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW (£69)

Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT

Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W ENTHUSIAST SERIES? TX850 V2-80 PLUS? BRONZE (£99)

Processor Cooling
TITAN FENRIR EVO EXTREME HEATPIPE CPU COOLER (£39)

Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)

Network Facilities
ONBOARD GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps PCI-E CARD (£19)

USB Options
6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD

Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)

Office Software
FREE Microsoft? Office Starter 2010 (Limited functionality Word & Excel)

Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL

Monitor
IIYAMA E2271HDS 22" LED WIDESCREEN, HDMI/DVI-D HD 1920x1080 (£139)

DVI-D & HDMI Monitor Cables
1 x 2 METRE GOLD PLATED V1.4 HDMI CABLE (£8)

Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)

Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)

Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Quantity 1

This is most likely the final set up I'm trying for a build, i might however switch the hard disk to one with x4 CACHE and switch the mother board to the pro version. So will this run Skyrim on ultra settings?
User avatar
Hope Greenhaw
 
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:44 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:08 pm

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 922 MID TOWER GAMING CASE

Processor (CPU)
Intel? Core?i5-2500k Quad Core (3.30GHz, 6MB Cache) + HD Graphics

Motherboard
ASUS? P8Z68-V: USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, NVIDIA?SLI?, ATI?CrossFireX

Memory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG DDR3 DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 4GB)

Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

2nd Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

Memory - 1st Hard Disk
1TB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 16MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
10x LG BLU-RAY RE-WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW (£69)

Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT

Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W ENTHUSIAST SERIES? TX850 V2-80 PLUS? BRONZE (£99)

Processor Cooling
TITAN FENRIR EVO EXTREME HEATPIPE CPU COOLER (£39)

Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)

Network Facilities
ONBOARD GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps PCI-E CARD (£19)

USB Options
6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD

Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)

Office Software
FREE Microsoft? Office Starter 2010 (Limited functionality Word & Excel)

Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL

Monitor
IIYAMA E2271HDS 22" LED WIDESCREEN, HDMI/DVI-D HD 1920x1080 (£139)

DVI-D & HDMI Monitor Cables
1 x 2 METRE GOLD PLATED V1.4 HDMI CABLE (£8)

Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)

Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)

Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Quantity 1

This is most likely the final set up I'm trying for a build, i might however switch the hard disk to one with x4 CACHE and switch the mother board to the pro version. So will this run Skyrim on ultra settings?


Nope.

Edit - You have two of the best cards in that setup. If it can't run it on highest settings, may god help us all.
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Enie van Bied
 
Posts: 3350
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:47 pm

Post » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:11 pm

Nope.

Edit - You have two of the best cards in that setup. If it can't run it on highest settings, may god help us all.


is that Nope it wont run it? or judging by the edit, is that basic the do all and end all of what will run Skyrim?
User avatar
:)Colleenn
 
Posts: 3461
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:03 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:52 am

Case
COOLERMASTER HAF 922 MID TOWER GAMING CASE

Processor (CPU)
Intel? Core?i5-2500k Quad Core (3.30GHz, 6MB Cache) + HD Graphics

Motherboard
ASUS? P8Z68-V: USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, NVIDIA?SLI?, ATI?CrossFireX

Memory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG DDR3 DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 4GB)

Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

2nd Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON? HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX? 11, Eyefinity 4 Capable

[snip]

This is most likely the final set up I'm trying for a build, i might however switch the hard disk to one with x4 CACHE and switch the mother board to the pro version. So will this run Skyrim on ultra settings?


Nope, this is so overkill that Skyrim upon launch will laugh at this system's incredulous 'higher than thou' specs and immediately shut off.
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Kortniie Dumont
 
Posts: 3428
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:50 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:19 am

Erm... for people that aren't very good with pc parts could someone explain me where i can find out what kind of hardware is in my computer? I'd also like to know if my computer would be up to running skyrim with some ridiculously heavy graphics mods on it.
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Sam Parker
 
Posts: 3358
Joined: Sat May 12, 2007 3:10 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:23 pm

Hi, i've been told by one of the mods to post this here;

Just bought this and I'm wondering if it will run Oblivion in any way or form. I appreciate high settings are completely out of the question, but will the game run better or on par with the console versions? I also know the Nvidia card isn't any great shakes either.

laptop specs -

Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3Ghz)
RAM: 6GB RAM
Hard Drive: 750GB HDD
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Optical Drive: DVDSM
Graphics: nVidia Geforce GT520M (1GB Dedicated)

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Samsung_RC520-S02UK_Core_i5_Laptop_NP-RC520-S02UK/version.asp

How would it handle both Morrowind and FO3?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, cheers!


It will handle Morrowind no problem, there's no doubt about that. As for Oblivion and fallout your probably looking at low settings possibly medium on Oblivion. http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-520M.43104.0.html As you can see the 520m is definitely a lower end card. You will definitely have trouble running Skyrim on this PC if you were planning on getting it, if it even runs.
User avatar
chloe hampson
 
Posts: 3493
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:15 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:07 pm

Erm... for people that aren't very good with pc parts could someone explain me where i can find out what kind of hardware is in my computer? I'd also like to know if my computer would be up to running skyrim with some ridiculously heavy graphics mods on it.

Google knows the answare. If you try to google the following "what components are in my computer" you might find something like http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080829193706AA98kUQ or http://forums.techarena.in/tips-tweaks/1012712.htm, or just try youtube.
User avatar
Ashley Tamen
 
Posts: 3477
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:17 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:41 am

Erm... for people that aren't very good with pc parts could someone explain me where i can find out what kind of hardware is in my computer? I'd also like to know if my computer would be up to running skyrim with some ridiculously heavy graphics mods on it.

If its a PC. Control Panel->System->Device Manager will get you started to show your hardware specs.
User avatar
gemma
 
Posts: 3441
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:10 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:17 am

For someone who is learning about computers, do you recommend trying to build the PC in my sig myself or going with a local store that could provide tech support at a greater price but more convenience? This is the only thing I'm debating as prepare to put down some money. Any feedback from someone who also considered this and did one or the other would be appreciated. I just want a PC capable of running Skyrim near max settings and that will have longevity for future gaming.
User avatar
Flutterby
 
Posts: 3379
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:28 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:49 am

Nope, this is so overkill that Skyrim upon launch will laugh at this system's incredulous 'higher than thou' specs and immediately shut off.


So yes, it will run Skyrim, and is so overpowered to the point its actually an egotistical system and Skyrim will be offended by it..... mission accomplished then :)

But seriously a straight answer would be nice, just saying if it will Skyrim in HD on ultra with no lag or other issues without overclocking.
User avatar
Oceavision
 
Posts: 3414
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:52 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:23 am

I made a few edits to my specs(I havent yet purchased anything), please tell me the best advice:

GPU: from GTX 460 to Geforce GTX 570 1280gb 320 bit (read the rest of the list and suggest witch is a better fit)
CPU: Intel i7 950 bloomfield 3.06ghz 130w quad core processor
Ram: From Corshair Vengeance 16gb (4x4) to Crucial Ballistix Sport 8gb (4x2)
Mother Board: Do you have to have a certian mother board thats compatible with these?
The one I chose was an MSI brand, here is more info:
Number of Memory Slots:
2×240pin
Memory Standard:
DDR3 1333
PCI Express 2.0 x16:
1
Onboard Video Chipset:
None
Audio Chipset:
Realtek ALC887

Max LAN Speed:
10/100/1000Mbps
SATA 3Gb/s:
4
CPU Type:
Core i7 / i5 / i3 (LGA1155)
HARD-RIVE: Seagate Baracuda: 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6.0Gb/s, Cache 32mb
Disc drive: ( only chose one) Sony for CD ROM and DVD ROM
POWER SUPLLY: Corshair enthusiest series 850w "high performance power suply"
My last Question is that of the casing, how am I going to know what kind Of case can fit all this?

User avatar
Trista Jim
 
Posts: 3308
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:39 pm

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:45 am

Hi, i've been told by one of the mods to post this here;

Just bought this and I'm wondering if it will run Oblivion in any way or form. I appreciate high settings are completely out of the question, but will the game run better or on par with the console versions? I also know the Nvidia card isn't any great shakes either.

laptop specs -

Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3Ghz)
RAM: 6GB RAM
Hard Drive: 750GB HDD
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Optical Drive: DVDSM
Graphics: nVidia Geforce GT520M (1GB Dedicated)

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Samsung_RC520-S02UK_Core_i5_Laptop_NP-RC520-S02UK/version.asp

How would it handle both Morrowind and FO3?

Your CPU is fine, your RAM is fine, your GPU does meet the minimums for Oblivion (but those were wrong, officially), so I'm thinking of the real, PRACTICAL minimums, so Medium Settings there at medium resolutions, and you are above the Recommended level for Morrowind, so high settings there.

FO3 has fairly lenient minimums for a game only three years old (almost three), so I will run a side by side check at GPU Review, but I doubt it will fail there.

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=650&card2=354

As you can see, the bandwidth is very poor, so when running games, only 128 MBs worth of all that RAM will be available, which will create some odd results. That 520 is an example of marketing hype, a trick that I call the " Big RAM Scam".

However, it does match the minimum, so you should be able to run FO3 on Low Settings at Low Resolutions. As someone else pointed out, it is doubtful that your graphics card can handle Skyrim. But in that regard, we are forced to make some assumptions based on experience, and the developers could throw us a curve.
User avatar
Rudy Paint fingers
 
Posts: 3416
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:52 am

Post » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:17 pm

For someone who is learning about computers, do you recommend trying to build the PC in my sig myself or going with a local store that could provide tech support at a greater price but more convenience? This is the only thing I'm debating as prepare to put down some money. Any feedback from someone who also considered this and did one or the other would be appreciated. I just want a PC capable of running Skyrim near max settings and that will have longevity for future gaming.


Putting together is easy for someone who never has in the past. The hardest part is getting parts that are compatible which is pretty easy to be honest due to it only includes motherboard, CPU, and RAM everything else such as HDD, PS, GPU is pretty much universal. The hardest part in putting together the PC itself is the LEDs, of the PC due to they are small and need to be in the right pin to work everything else pretty much obvious due to its size and its color coated.

This video is somewhat old but it was the one I used when I built my first PC and everything is pretty much the same across all PCs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUY0tP5jYIo 2 hour long though so its not quick viewing.
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Tamara Primo
 
Posts: 3483
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:15 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:48 am

So yes, it will run Skyrim, and is so overpowered to the point its actually an egotistical system and Skyrim will be offended by it..... mission accomplished then :)

But seriously a straight answer would be nice, just saying if it will Skyrim in HD on ultra with no lag or other issues without overclocking.

i dont think any one can promice it can run on maxes dettings but high-ultra settings are allmoast granted. And i wuld vote for for the i5 rather than the amd.
User avatar
adame
 
Posts: 3454
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:57 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:41 am

I made a few edits to my specs(I havent yet purchased anything), please tell me the best advice:

GPU: from GTX 460 to Geforce GTX 570 1280gb 320 bit (read the rest of the list and suggest witch is a better fit)
CPU: Intel i7 950 bloomfield 3.06ghz 130w quad core processor
Ram: From Corshair Vengeance 16gb (4x4) to Crucial Ballistix Sport 8gb (4x2)
Mother Board: Do you have to have a certian mother board thats compatible with these?
The one I chose was an MSI brand, here is more info:
Number of Memory Slots:
2×240pin
Memory Standard:
DDR3 1333
PCI Express 2.0 x16:
1
Onboard Video Chipset:
None
Audio Chipset:
Realtek ALC887

Max LAN Speed:
10/100/1000Mbps
SATA 3Gb/s:
4
CPU Type:
Core i7 / i5 / i3 (LGA1155)
HARD-RIVE: Seagate Baracuda: 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6.0Gb/s, Cache 32mb
Disc drive: ( only chose one) Sony for CD ROM and DVD ROM
POWER SUPLLY: Corshair enthusiest series 850w "high performance power suply"
My last Question is that of the casing, how am I going to know what kind Of case can fit all this?
User avatar
FLYBOYLEAK
 
Posts: 3440
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:41 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 1:31 am

i dont think any one can promice it can run on maxes dettings but high-ultra settings are allmoast granted. And i wuld vote for for the i5 rather than the amd.


great :)
only possible stat diffrences are:
Motherboard
ASUS? P8Z68-V PRO: USB 3.0, SATA 6GB/s, NVIDIA?SLI?, ATI?CrossFireX?
and
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
1TB WD CAVIAR GREEN WD10EARS, SATA 3 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE

and i might swap out the 10x blu ray for a 4x, but i dont know if any of these changes are worth it. the mother board adds £20, the hard disk adds £5 and the blu ray would save me about £30.
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Hearts
 
Posts: 3306
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:26 am

Post » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:14 am

It will handle Morrowind no problem, there's no doubt about that. As for Oblivion and fallout your probably looking at low settings possibly medium on Oblivion. http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-520M.43104.0.html As you can see the 520m is definitely a lower end card. You will definitely have trouble running Skyrim on this PC if you were planning on getting it, if it even runs.



Your CPU is fine, your RAM is fine, your GPU does meet the minimums for Oblivion (but those were wrong, officially), so I'm thinking of the real, PRACTICAL minimums, so Medium Settings there at medium resolutions, and you are above the Recommended level for Morrowind, so high settings there.

FO3 has fairly lenient minimums for a game only three years old (almost three), so I will run a side by side check at GPU Review, but I doubt it will fail there.

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=650&card2=354

As you can see, the bandwidth is very poor, so when running games, only 128 MBs worth of all that RAM will be available, which will create some odd results. That 520 is an example of marketing hype, a trick that I call the " Big RAM Scam".

However, it does match the minimum, so you should be able to run FO3 on Low Settings at Low Resolutions. As someone else pointed out, it is doubtful that your graphics card can handle Skyrim. But in that regard, we are forced to make some assumptions based on experience, and the developers could throw us a curve.


A huge thank you to both of you for going out of your way replying to my post.

One last question - what are the settings for Oblivion on the console versions - low or medium? I've got the game for the 360, which i've played to death, but would like to try some of the mods. However, no point switching over to the PC version if it's going to be a lesser experience.
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sas
 
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Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:40 am

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