Will this graphics card max Skyrim?

[Aegrus]

I'm building a pc to max Skyrim, though with little or no Antialiasing. I intend to buy a Radeon HD 6950 2gb. If it is not bottlenecked by other parts and it has an adequate power supply, will it be able to run Skyrim maxed?

Could it run Skyrim maxed if it were overclocked?

If it could not do either of the above, can someone suggest a graphics card that could max it for 250 USd or less?

Below is a link to Skyrim's reccomended settings, but I don't think maxed requirements have been released. Hopefully you guys can field some guesses for as to what max settings could require.

http://www.systemrequirements.in/system-requirements-for-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim.html

 

[NoSoup4You]

No one knows, but almost certainly yes you will be able to max it out with that card.

 

[Wuzup101]

We won't know for a few more days. I would assume that the 6950 2gb will allow you to pretty much max everything out (with the exception of maybe some AA) at 1920x1200 or lower resolution (maybe even higher).

 

[Leyawiin]

Being a GTX 260 or HD 4890 will get you "high", barring an obscenely high resolution you should be able to get "ultra" out of that card.

 

[gmaster456]

That card is fine. Skyrim is a Multiplat and a Bethesda game at that.

 

[Stuka87]

A 6950 is far more powerful than the recommended GPU. Skyrim is a console port, which very rarely require a powerful GPU to get highest settings.

 

[toyota]

A 6950 is far more powerful than the recommended GPU. Skyrim is a console port, which very rarely require a powerful GPU to get highest settings.

I never understand why people say this because there are PLENTY of ports that need a beefy gpu to play on highest settings.

 

[Leyawiin]

I never understand why people say this because there are PLENTY of ports that need a beefy gpu to play on highest settings.

This isn't going to be one of them. Glorified Bethesda manipulated Gamebryo engine and a console port to boot. I'd bet money it'll just be a little more demanding than Fallout New Vegas. Biggest thing you'll have to worry about is CPU induced slowdowns when multiple enemies attack you or if there are a bunch of NPCs clustered together somewhere.

 

[Via]

The 6950 is 14 levels higher on Tom's GPU charts than the equivelant Xbox 360 GPU.

Unless the PC version is horribly unoptimized or neutered it should max everything.

 

[toyota]

The 6950 is 14 levels higher on Tom's GPU charts than the equivelant Xbox 360 GPU.

Unless the PC version is horribly unoptimized or neutered it should max everything.

yeah but most pc gamers will be playing at higher detail settings and at over twice the resolution and wanting twice the framerate. it adds up pretty fast. consoles have a gpu no better than an 8600gt but the games can easily be optimized way better than for pc no matter how much effort they put in.

 

[Via]

... 14 levels.

That's a lot.

 

[toyota]

... 14 levels.

That's a lot.

it also not a direct comparison and does not translate in 14x the performance no matter how much time is spent "optimizing" it for pc.

 

[StrangerGuy]

The 6950 is 14 levels higher on Tom's GPU charts than the equivelant Xbox 360 GPU.

Unless the PC version is horribly unoptimized or neutered it should max everything.

It happens more often than you think.

 

[Via]

I had to use a Geforce equivelant, but this is basically how the GPU power stacks up (PC vs. 360):

http://www.hwcompare.com/6196/geforce-8600-gts-vs-radeon-hd-6950/

There's really no excuse for a 6950 2GB to not be able to max anything that can run on a console.

 

[Stuka87]

I never understand why people say this because there are PLENTY of ports that need a beefy gpu to play on highest settings.

I actually cannot think of any console ports that require a high end GPU. Which ones did you have in mind?

 

[toyota]

I actually cannot think of any console ports that require a high end GPU. Which ones did you have in mind?

since people keep claiming this stuff for years so I am talking about console ports that cannot be maxed on my previous gtx260. here are just a few. heck for some of these I have to turn down some settings and go without any AA and still cannot get 60 fps for an average. even my gtx570 cannot max GTA 4 or Red Faction Armageddon and stay above 50 fps the whole time and thats without AA.

Red Faction Guerrilla
Red Faction Armageddon
Splinter Cell Conviction
GTA 4
Ghostbusters
Dragon Age 2
FEAR 3
Mafia 2

 

[lehtv]

GTX260 wasn't a high-end GPU, GTX285 and 295 were.

GTX260 was released in July '08.

Red Faction Guerrilla - Sept '09
Splinter Cell Conviction - May '10
GTA 4 - Dec '08
Ghostbusters - June '09
Dragon Age 2 - March '11
FEAR 3 - June '11
Mafia 2 - Aug '10

You were using a GPU that was midrange, and for most of the titles it was also dated. Of course it can't max out these games.

 

[toyota]

GTX260 wasn't a high-end GPU, GTX285 and 295 were.

GTX260 was released in July '08.

Red Faction Guerrilla - Sept '09
Splinter Cell Conviction - May '10
GTA 4 - Dec '08
Ghostbusters - June '09
Dragon Age 2 - March '11
FEAR 3 - June '11
Mafia 2 - Aug '10

You were using a GPU that was midrange, and for most of the titles it was also dated. Of course it can't max out these games.

you missed the point. at one time gtx260 was in the same position as the gtx570 is in now so yes it was considered a high end card 2-2.5 years ago. and people were saying even then console ports do not need a high end gpu. the gtx260 could not run highest settings on those games for sure with a great framerate. so much for the claim of not needing faster gpus because of console ports.

some of those newer even games stress my gtx570 pretty good an cannot be run on highest settings with a good framerate the whole time so even today some of the console ports get MORE demanding even though consoles have not changed at all.

to be clear my point is that we do keep needing faster gpus every year to max some console games.

 

[Puppies04]

If it is not bottlenecked by other parts and it has an adequate power supply,

What CPU and PSU are you running it on?

 

[lehtv]

you missed the point. at one time gtx260 was in the same position as the
gtx570 is in now so yes it was considered a high end card 2-2.5 years ago.

GTX 570 corresponds to GTX 275. And 2-2.5 years ago, most of the games you listed weren't released yet. Do you expect GTX 560 will be fast enough to run console ports on max settings a year from now?

 

[toyota]

GTX 570 corresponds to GTX 275. And 2-2.5 years ago, most of the games you listed weren't released yet.

sigh, the freaking gtx275 was not even out until TEN months later. so thats wrong and you still have missed the point.


the point is that we do keep needing faster gpus every year to max some console games. for example almost every sequal gets more and more demanding on the pc. I bet gta 5 will be more damnding than gta 4.

 

[lehtv]

That doesn't make GTX260 high end. And even if it was high end, most of the games you listed would still not have yet been released. I could ask the question - do you expect GTX 570 will be fast enough to run console ports on max settings a year from now? Let alone two? Some of the games you listed were released nearly 3 years after the release of the supposedly high-end GTX260.

 

[toyota]

That doesn't make GTX260 high end. And even if it was high end, most of the games you listed would still not have yet been released. I could ask the question - do you expect GTX 570 will be fast enough to run console ports on max settings a year from now? Let alone two? Some of the games you listed were released nearly 3 years after the release of the GTX260.

do you really have trouble comprehending this?

consoles came out over FIVE years ago. can you run all current console ports maxed on every high end cards from even 3 years ago? NO you cant and some get more demanding EVERY year despite the fact that consoles are unchanged.

 

[lehtv]

Eh? You could definitely run console ports on console framerates on console image quality and console resolution with 5 year old PC hardware.

 

[toyota]

Eh? You could definitely run console ports on console framerates on console image quality and console resolution with 5 year old PC hardware.

wow. the guy I replied to was talking about HIGHEST settings. jeez, please pay attention to the points I am trying to make.

AGAIN even cards that were high end 2.5-3 years ago cannot run some console games smoothly on highest settings. gee how can that be when consoles hardware has been the same for over 5 years? AGAIN that's because some console games manage to get MORE demanding every year so even my gtx570 can be pushed hard with some newer console ports.

so AGAIN just saying a high card can run a game on highest settings just because its a console port was not always accurate a couple years ago and not accurate now.