So like the title says i'm getting some pretty bad FPS while playing Skyrim. I start a new game and its pretty choppy but I thought maybe once all the intense action is finished it'll pick up. So I finally get into the barracks and have control over my character but still the game is very choppy. I looked up videos for people using the same graphics card as me and they appear to be running things quite smoothly. My drivers are up to date, as is the game itself, and I don't have anything running in the background so i'm stumped. Here are my computer specs in case it helps:

Windows 7 Professional 32-bit Service Pack 1
Intel Core 2 CPU 6420 @ 2.13GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz
4096MB RAM
DirectX 11
NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT

Game Settings:
Detail - Low
Resolution - 1680x 1050
Antialiasing - 2 samples
Anisotropic Filtering - Off
FXAA - Off
View Distances - All Low

Let me know if you need more info.

EDIT - I would also like to add that when I press esc and the game menu opens, suddenly everything runs very smoothly. As soon as I leave the menu it drops again.

You haven't much to complain about, with such low-end hardware:

The officially published requirements were wrong when announced, and commented on from the start.

Corrected Skyrim Minimum Requirements

* Windows 7/Vista/XP PC (32 or 64 bit)
* Processor: Dual Core 2.3 GHz C2D or equivalent CPU
* 3GB System RAM
* 6GB free HDD Space
* Direct X 9 compliant video card with 512 MB of RAM (and
sufficient performance to actually put that VRAM to use)
* DirectX compatible sound card
* Internet access for Steam activation

The minimum video card actually able to do anything with 512 MBs of VRAM is an HD 4670, which is no longer easily found in its original version, so an HD 5570 is probably what you have to accept at a reasonable cost. The nVIDIA minimum for running 512 MBs properly is far too expensive in comparison.

If you give that puny graphics card room to breathe by lowering the screen resolution to something more appropriate for an entry level antique video card, you may be happier.

I see, I had no idea the video card was the problem. Strange that others have been able to play it smoothly with the same card. When it comes to hardware i'm clueless.
Or did you mean it was the processor causing the problem?

Both, neither is anywhere near good enough, Even if you updated your graphics card that cpu would not be able to drive it.

Sorry dude but you need a new cpu + gfx card and likely a new motherboard and power supply aswell before you get a playable framerate.

edit: if you drop the resolution and move all graphics options to there lowest point, coupled with a few texture replacers and ini tweaks it may be playable but would look awful.

Ouch, well thanks for the help. Looks like i'll be spending a good chunk of money.

Even though i'm a PC gamer with a fair bit of cash invested in a decent rig, In this instance unless your planning on playing alot of PC games and want them to look there best, Personally i would buy a second hand 360 + skyrim.
It will be a whole lot cheaper than bringing your PC up to spec and the 360 version is more than decent.

Actually I was looking forward to using mods from the steam workshop so it cant really be helped. Also yes, I do play many other PC games and i'm thinking it wont be long before I cant play anything new.

Ahh well at least it's a worthwile investment then.

Hi Bodkin,
You should run no antialiasing.
With no antialiasing you may be able to increase your view distances a little bit...
(This is more important than antialiasing.)
CPU/memory etc. are okay, should work, but your vidcard is old and slow.

His CPU may be ok for that card but will bottleneck any half decent card with Skyrim.

You set your screen resolution way up beyond what a 9400 GT is designed to handle, that's the start. The CPU is slightly below the point I consider the least usable at your resolution, so I suppose you would need to double-jump beyond a minimum video card to avoid having the CPU get in the way. If you get a Radeon 5770 or 6770 (or whatever the equivalent Geforce is), and upgrade the power supply, that would probably work, but next year, that won't be enough for whatever else is out there ready for release.