Is my computer still up to snuff?

Apr 20, 2008
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I just got back home from a year long schooling in the military. I left my computer here and will be getting it back in a couple days. here are the specs:

Q8200 @ 2.8ghz
4GB Patriot DDR2 800
Gigabyte EP45-DS3L ATX
Sapphire Radeon 6870 1GB
WD Black AALS 640GB HDD OS/Base Programs
WD Blue 1TB Steam/Data
Antec TP Trio 550w (3x 18a 12V)
Antec P180 ATX
Acer 22" 1680x1050 TN

What I'd like to know is if its capable of playing high end games still. I had no issues playing BFBC:2 on all high (no AA). Are games like Battlefield 3, Skyrim and other new games out of reach? What can i expect to be able to play and not play? I haven't been in the loop on new hardware and games. My upgrade budget is nearly nothing, but I'd like to know where it currently stands.
 

lehtv

Elite Member
Dec 8, 2010
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On 1680x1050, I think you can still play BF3 and Skyrim on high settings. These are on highest in-game quality settings, 1680x1050, on an i7-920 @ 3.8GHz based system:

skyrim_1680_1050.gif


bf3_1680_1050.gif


BF3 hates antialiasing with AMD cards. Turn it off for a big fps boost.

You should be able to tweak Skyrim to run even better and look better, with mods and lowered object/actor/item etc. distances.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
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Yes, at 16x10 or 14x9 you should be able to play anything with very good graphics, just without AA.

I'm playing Star Wars TOR on an E8400 @ stock 3 GHz with 4 GB and just a 6850. I've also played Borderlands, Fallout New Vegas, etc.
 

aaksheytalwar

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2012
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People underestimate the importance of a CPU. Your games will stutter, lag and be unsmooth at med-high settings irrespective of rez with these titles, irrespective of the GPU. You will only notice the difference once you upgrade your CPU. Most people only check FPS and comment, but if you use each graphic card with just a different CPU like me, you would be in a better position to feel the difference :)
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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People underestimate the importance of a CPU. Your games will stutter, lag and be unsmooth at med-high settings irrespective of rez with these titles, irrespective of the GPU. You will only notice the difference once you upgrade your CPU. Most people only check FPS and comment, but if you use each graphic card with just a different CPU like me, you would be in a better position to feel the difference :)

Care to back that up with some data? Are you aware that graphics quality setting have little to nothing to do with FPS if you are indeed CPU bound?
 
Apr 20, 2008
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So I take it I'll be CPU bound? I usually played older games (source really) but I'm open for some newer ones. I was hoping my gamble on getting a quad to overclock would be better than the similarly priced dual core at the time (E8400).
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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So I take it I'll be CPU bound? I usually played older games (source really) but I'm open for some newer ones. I was hoping my gamble on getting a quad to overclock would be better than the similarly priced dual core at the time (E8400).

Depends on the game, but yeah the 6870 is a pretty competent card at 1680x1050. Skyrim and BF3 multiplayer (not so much singleplayer) really like a fast quad with lots of L2.