[katsomaya Sanchez]

Never got a complete response so I'll leave this here again. I'm a bit concerned since its not a dedicated gaming machine, but I won't be able to switch rigs for awhile most likely. My specs are:

Late 2009 iMac (running Windows 7 64bit through Bootcamp)

Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 3.06GHz
4GB RAM
Radeon Mobility HD 4670 (256 MB)
1920x1080

[Sarah MacLeod]

Never got a complete response so I'll leave this here again. I'm a bit concerned since its not a dedicated gaming machine, but I won't be able to switch rigs for awhile most likely. My specs are:

Late 2009 iMac (running Windows 7 64bit through Bootcamp)

Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 3.06GHz
4GB RAM
Radeon Mobility HD 4670 (256 MB)
1920x1080

You'll have to drop the screen resolution two notches down, roughly. You have neither the VRAM nor the memory system bandwidth for High Resolution. Other than that. you are go for mostly Medium.

[Allison C]

You'll have to drop the screen resolution two notches down, roughly. You have neither the VRAM nor the memory system bandwidth for High Resolution. Other than that. you are go for mostly Medium.

What would you advise I do, then? I won't be able to get a new computer for quite some time, and I absolutely cannot play an Elder Scrolls game on anything other than full screen. It crushes the immersion for me.

[Darlene DIllow]

What would you advise I do, then? I won't be able to get a new computer for quite some time, and I absolutely cannot play an Elder Scrolls game on anything other than full screen. It crushes the immersion for me.

Just drop the options down and play at a lower resolution if needed - can still be full screen.

[Miss K]

Just drop the options down and play at a lower resolution if needed - can still be full screen.

But won't that still leave an ugly black border around my game?

[Patrick Gordon]

But won't that still leave an ugly black border around my game?

Depends how you set up your display, but it doesn't have to.

[Ross Zombie]

But won't that still leave an ugly black border around my game?

As long as it's the correct ratio, no.

[luis dejesus]

Okay, I've spent some time putting together a list of what will likely end up in my new rig come January (I'm planning to order most of the parts in the last week of December or so), and the below is the machine I'll be running when I finally get around to playing Skyrim on the PC. I'm providing names and links to the pieces, so you can read the specs if you like.

For completion sake, I'm including EVERYTHING I'm buying, including the monitor:


RAM: http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-PC3-12800-1600mHz-CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B/dp/B004QBUL1C/ref=pd_cp_e_3
Monitor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HFCDLY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Heatsink: http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_b
Processor: http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Processor-Black-Socket/dp/B0056D5AMY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323432808&sr=1-1
Video Card: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-PCI-Express-Graphics-01G-P3-1370-TR/dp/B003ZMTPEW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323495034&sr=1-1
Motherboard: http://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-GA-970A-UD3-AM3-SATA-Motherboard/dp/B0055Q88EO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323436158&sr=8-3
Power Supply: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-W0388RU-Power-Supply-ATX12V/dp/B002RWJGHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323435278&sr=8-1
Hard Disk Drive: http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Cache-Desktop/dp/B00461G3MS/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323434642&sr=1-5
Computer Tower: http://www.amazon.com/GAMMA-Classic-Interior-Chassis-Black/dp/B002UDK9U6/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323433521&sr=1-4

What do you guys reckon? This rig gonna have what it takes to play Skyrim in High or Ultra?

[Bethany Short]

Thank you for your help. I am still checking around just to see if I can get a better price. Does anyone know if the Radeon HD 6520g will play Skyrim well on a Quad Core. I couldn't find this video card mentioned anywhere..

[KU Fint]

What do you guys reckon? This rig gonna have what it takes to play Skyrim in High or Ultra?

Definitely not Ultra. You should be able to play High and may get a better experience adjusting the options - for eg turning shadows down, but you might be able to increase other sliders, for eg. grass distance.

Thank you for your help. I am still checking around just to see if I can get a better price. Does anyone know if the Radeon HD 6520g will play Skyrim well on a Quad Core. I couldn't find this video card mentioned anywhere..

On low-medium settings? Probably no problem. Your previous choice of 6750M is MUCH better.

[kennedy]

Okay, I've spent some time putting together a list of what will likely end up in my new rig come January (I'm planning to order most of the parts in the last week of December or so), and the below is the machine I'll be running when I finally get around to playing Skyrim on the PC. I'm providing names and links to the pieces, so you can read the specs if you like.

For completion sake, I'm including EVERYTHING I'm buying, including the monitor:


RAM: http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-PC3-12800-1600mHz-CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B/dp/B004QBUL1C/ref=pd_cp_e_3
Monitor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HFCDLY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Heatsink: http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_b
Processor: http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Processor-Black-Socket/dp/B0056D5AMY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323432808&sr=1-1
Video Card: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-PCI-Express-Graphics-01G-P3-1370-TR/dp/B003ZMTPEW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323495034&sr=1-1
Motherboard: http://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-GA-970A-UD3-AM3-SATA-Motherboard/dp/B0055Q88EO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323436158&sr=8-3
Power Supply: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-W0388RU-Power-Supply-ATX12V/dp/B002RWJGHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323435278&sr=8-1
Hard Disk Drive: http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Cache-Desktop/dp/B00461G3MS/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323434642&sr=1-5
Computer Tower: http://www.amazon.com/GAMMA-Classic-Interior-Chassis-Black/dp/B002UDK9U6/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1323433521&sr=1-4

What do you guys reckon? This rig gonna have what it takes to play Skyrim in High or Ultra?

It would max the game. Some things I would change though....

Dirt Cheap, but excellent RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

Better PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151096

For the price of the GTX 460, you should be able to get a GTX 560 instead. Even GTX 560 Ti can get close to the low $200 mark sometimes. Unless I'm reading into this wrong and you already have the GTX 460

[Jennifer Munroe]

Hey Tigs, what are the requirements for a card to be considered "ultra" level? I'm able to play on ultra everything (except shadows, haven't tried) with a 550 1GB. I don't know what my FPS is (don't wanna dl fraps) but the game is playable and I only get nasty FPS drops aimed at certain locations and even then it doesn't really detract from the game. Maybe it could be placed at the bottom end of the Ultra list as well?

[Lady Shocka]

That's a much better price for what appears to be essentially the same sort of RAM. Thanks for the link, Tig.

As for the video card, I've already got the GTX 460, I put it in my PC not so long ago so I'm not quite ready to drop more money to upgrade yet. I'll probably put more RAM and a better video card in later in the year.

[Mrs Pooh]

Hey Tigs, what are the requirements for a card to be considered "ultra" level? I'm able to play on ultra everything (except shadows, haven't tried) with a 550 1GB. I don't know what my FPS is (don't wanna dl fraps) but the game is playable and I only get nasty FPS drops aimed at certain locations and even then it doesn't really detract from the game. Maybe it could be placed at the bottom end of the Ultra list as well?

Ultra's more about CPU than graphics - as long as you've got a relatively recent graphics card.

[Laura Richards]

I'm considering spending about $40 extra and getting the Phenom II X4 965 instead of the Phenom II X4 960T. Would there be a significant change in performance of the game if I got the 965 instead of the 960T?

Edit: Actually, it looks like the 965 can only run up to DDR3-1333 RAM, it doesn't support 1600. Looks like I'll stick with the 960T.

[Lifee Mccaslin]

One last question. Apparently, though my video card only has 256MB of dedicated memory, I've got an approximate total memory of 2028MB. How much impact will the non-dedicated memory have? I understand having dedicated memory is preferable, but I'm still curious.

[Tyler F]

One last question. Apparently, though my video card only has 256MB of dedicated memory, I've got an approximate total memory of 2028MB. How much impact will the non-dedicated memory have? I understand having dedicated memory is preferable, but I'm still curious.

If you had some type of graphics card that does borrow main memory, it usually means that the card is already quite bad and has a very narrow memory system bandwidth, so if you were to be using Higher Resolutions that demand more RAM than 256 MBs, it might try taking some, but would never have the opportunity to use it, because it would already be too slow and unable to handle the RAM within the time constraints of game video animation.

You will excuse me if your handle here strikes no chord, and I remember nothing about any prior advice that I or anyone else has offered to you. The low MBs graphics card that I recall was a Radeon X1600 Pro, that only had 128 MBs.

[sharon]

If you had some type of graphics card that does borrow main memory, it usually means that the card is already quite bad and has a very narrow memory system bandwidth, so if you were to be using Higher Resolutions that demand more RAM than 256 MBs, it might try taking some, but would never have the opportunity to use it, because it would already be too slow and unable to handle the RAM within the time constraints of game video animation.

You will excuse me if your handle here strikes no chord, and I remember nothing about any prior advice that I or anyone else has offered to you. The low MBs graphics card that I recall was a Radeon X1600 Pro, that only had 128 MBs.

You'd replied to some other questions that I had about my computer, and I thank you for that. My computer is a 2009 iMac with a Radeon HD Mobility 4670 video card with 256MB of dedicated V-Ram.

[kennedy]

You'd replied to some other questions that I had about my computer, and I thank you for that. My computer is a 2009 iMac with a Radeon HD Mobility 4670 video card with 256MB of dedicated V-Ram.

None of the Windows PC versions of the HD 4670 that I have any knowledge of came with the mechanism included to borrow main memory, however, my Apple experience predates the change to X86 hardware, so if the firmware is different for an Apple PC, I would not have heard of it (and i really doubt it would be there if it hadn't been proven first on Windows PCs).

[Doniesha World]

None of the Windows PC versions of the HD 4670 that I have any knowledge of came with the mechanism included to borrow main memory, however, my Apple experience predates the change to X86 hardware, so if the firmware is different for an Apple PC, I would not have heard of it (and i really doubt it would be there if it hadn't been proven first on Windows PCs).

Weird, because any diagnostics I run on my computer tell me that the total video memory is 2028MB even though I'm positive that the card only has 256MB.

I apologize if I am missing something, I am very new to PC gaming and haven't quite nailed down how everything works yet.

[Emily Martell]

Weird, because any diagnostics I run on my computer tell me that the total video memory is 2028MB even though I'm positive that the card only has 256MB.

I apologize if I am missing something, I am very new to PC gaming and haven't quite nailed down how everything works yet.

You may be seeing a conflict between a real graphics card and an onboard video chip that is embedded in your motherboard's chipset. I'm not insulted and you need not offer me an apology. I am well aware how feeble this mode of communication is, and I know that my own pragmatic nature sometimes comes across as bluntness that some people feel uncomfortable with. I don't worry about it, and you should roll with the punches the same way, get what value is offered, and try to deal with ugliness as other folks' problems, not your own.

[Emily Martell]

I already asked about my rig here a few days ago, but I have another question about it that I feel the people in this thread will know how to answer. For review, here are the specs:

Asus laptop
Processor: i5-2430M 2.4ghz (turbo boost to 3.0 ghz)
RAM: 6 gb DDR3
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 540M
Resolution: 1366 x 768

I know that it will run on medium/high, but I want to get the highest performance out of it that I can. So my question is: Where is the bottleneck? If it is my gpu, then there isn't much I can really do about it it. If it is my cpu, would disabling hyperthreading give me much of a boost? If it is my RAM (considering the LAA patch), would a flash drive for readyboost help any?

Thanks.

[Sista Sila]

I already asked about my rig here a few days ago, but I have another question about it that I feel the people in this thread will know how to answer. For review, here are the specs:

Asus laptop
Processor: i5-2430M 2.4ghz (turbo boost to 3.0 ghz)
RAM: 6 gb DDR3
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 540M
Resolution: 1366 x 768

I know that it will run on medium/high, but I want to get the highest performance out of it that I can. So my question is: Where is the bottleneck? If it is my gpu, then there isn't much I can really do about it it. If it is my cpu, would disabling hyperthreading give me much of a boost? If it is my RAM (considering the LAA patch), would a flash drive for readyboost help any?

Thanks.

Most of the time you will be bottlenecked by the graphics chip, however in towns and places with lots of shadows you might start being bottlenecked by the CPU with some game settings. That's performance in terms of framerate. Loading times might be bottlenecked by your hard drive speed if it's a laptop with a slow mechanical drive. RAM will not be bottlenecking you at all.

As you change the game settings you can move the bottleneck around - for example reducing/turning off AA will reduce the load on the GPU and might allow you to increase other settings. Dropping shadows down will reduce the load on the CPU, and also might allow you to increase other settings.

[[Bounty][Ben]]

Most of the time you will be bottlenecked by the graphics chip, however in towns and places with lots of shadows you might start being bottlenecked by the CPU with some game settings. That's performance in terms of framerate. Loading times might be bottlenecked by your hard drive speed if it's a laptop with a slow mechanical drive. RAM will not be bottlenecking you at all.

As you change the game settings you can move the bottleneck around - for example reducing/turning off AA will reduce the load on the GPU and might allow you to increase other settings. Dropping shadows down will reduce the load on the CPU, and also might allow you to increase other settings.

Thanks for all of those answers. I don't know my hard disk transfer rate (and can't seem to find it on my computer), but the Windows Experience Index gave my hard disk a 5.9 for disk transfer rate if it means anything. My only other question is: will disabling hyperthreading help my performance for skyrim on a dual-core? With windows processes and an antivirus running in the background, I obviously have at least four threads going on in my pc at any one time, so should I leave it on?

[Shae Munro]

How well would this processor do?
Core i7-2670QM 2.2GHz (Turbo 3.1 GHz)
I asked before but people asked about the turbo so here it is. What would you say? Thanks.