Gaming on a less powerful system

[scavengerspc]

There are plenty of reasons for using a lower power PC.
Maybe its a laptop, or a parents\kids computer. Or maybe you just cant afford anything higher level right now.

Lets list our less capable systems, some basic specs (CPU, motherboard, Ram and GPU). Just list the game or benching program used, some bench results or just some FRAPS runs.

I will edit this post to add games and their benchmarks as I get a chance to test them.

In my case I will list my HTPC:

Intel Pentium 2160 Dual Core Wolfdale 1 meg cache @ 2.8 Ghz (From 1,8 ghz stock).
Ultra cheap Asrock G31 motherboard with very basic OC features.
2 gig DDR2 memory.
$57 Radeon HD 6570. 1 Gig DDR3 128 bit.

Zombie Shooter 2 and Alien Shooter 2 runs measured with FRAPS.
4x aa 16x af 720P
Both could hang around 260 fps with a low of 89 and an average of 209.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (4x aa 16x af) 720P according to FRAPS was at its max framerate of 90 fps for most of the time with a low of 68 and an average of 85.

MSI Kombustor 2.2: http://www.ozone3d.net/msi_kombustor...0.php?id=53209

Dave

[caveman26]

you would have to test your games at stock speeds as ppl with the same setup might not want/or can hit the same o/c as you

[HL2-4-Life]

Originally Posted by caveman26

you would have to test your games at stock speeds as ppl with the same setup might not want/or can hit the same o/c as you

Exactly! Going from 1.8ghz to 2.8ghz would yield a substantial boost in framerate. Basically, by doing this, you have eliminated a probable cpu bottleneck and invalidated the point which you are trying to make. Lower to stock speed and bench....

[scavengerspc]

You can overclock the ♥♥♥♥ out of a Pentium 4. And its still a Pentium 4.
Even low end can be tweaked, and if its not possible then results are still results.

And I am not trying to make a point with this thread really. Just let people show what they are getting out of what they have is the deal.

Dave

[seseorang]

Not everyone is going to be able to overclock. Some cheaper set ups will not include it. Stock is a must. It serves as a minimum reference point

[HL2-4-Life]

Heck, I built an FX4100 + Asus M5A97 EVO rig to see if the much despised BD CPU can handle games, it did so admirably....and it was cheaper than any i5/P67 combo I could come up with. In fact, I liked it so much, I sold them and replaced them with an FX8120 + Asus Crosshair V Formula setup and it is sa-weet! But the point I'm trying to make is that a cheap AMD CPU plus mobo combo can do the job well enough, at a lower cost.

[Mr SmokesAlot]

My single core lasted until last year just fine. Newer games however started requiring multi core so I had to upgrade. As long as you have a low end gaming grade graphics card and a dual core at least, you'll be fine.

Games are absolutely playable on non gaming grade graphics cards, however they will have garbage framerate for the most part.

/me starts to wonder why people buy i7's for gaming

[CrawlingChaos]

The Pentium g850 is an excellent CPU for gaming, and only runs about $80-90. And is also 1155 socket, SandyBridge architecture.

My rig is essentially a Nvidia 2 gig 560, paired with the G850 and i run BF3 at max with FPS of upper 50's.

[HL2-4-Life]

Originally Posted by CrawlingChaos

My rig is essentially a Nvidia 2 gig 560, paired with the G850 and i run BF3 at max with FPS of upper 50's.

By 'max', do you mean 'Ultra' setting with 4xMSAA?

[Blinkie]

Originally Posted by CrawlingChaos

The Pentium g850 is an excellent CPU for gaming, and only runs about $80-90. And is also 1155 socket, SandyBridge architecture.

My rig is essentially a Nvidia 2 gig 560, paired with the G850 and i run BF3 at max with FPS of upper 50's.

I don't think so Tim.

[cannondale06]

Originally Posted by CrawlingChaos

The Pentium g850 is an excellent CPU for gaming, and only runs about $80-90. And is also 1155 socket, SandyBridge architecture.

My rig is essentially a Nvidia 2 gig 560, paired with the G850 and i run BF3 at max with FPS of upper 50's.

sorry but that is bull unless you are at low res. and in multi player your cpu would not let you average upper 50s no matter what resolution you are at.

[venomblade89]

Originally Posted by HL2-4-Life

By 'max', do you mean 'Ultra' setting with 4xMSAA?

Yea, definitely not. There are so many people with varying definitions of "max". I'd like to know this as well. Also, what res? 50fps at ultra preset with a 560, impossible, well maybe at 720p and below.

[HL2-4-Life]

Originally Posted by venomblade89

Yea, definitely not. There are so many people with varying definitions of "max". I'd like to know this as well. Also, what res? 50fps at ultra preset with a 560, impossible, well maybe at 720p and below.

The term 'max' has been bandied about so often, it has become almost meaningless as various peeps differ on their definition of it. When I say I play BF3 maxed out, I do mean each and every ingame option has been maxed to the hilt. My single HD7970 can do BF3 @1920x1200, Ultra setting + 4xMSAA, post AA, whatever that can be maxed, is maxed out. That is my definition of 'max'. For Metro 2033, even with 2x HD7970, I would say 'near max' even though I have it at Very High, Tessellation + DoF + 4xMSAA @1920x1200, that's because I have disabled Advanced PhysX. If one option isn't enabled or maxed out, it obviously isn't 'max'.

[CrawlingChaos]

Originally Posted by cannondale06

sorry but that is bull unless you are at low res. and in multi player your cpu would not let you average upper 50s no matter what resolution you are at.

Wrong... Res is 1600x900. And yes it does.

To answer the gentleman above, no i do only run with 2x AA, not 4x.

EDIT: SYSTEM:

Intell Pentium G850 (sandy bridge)
FoxConn Rattler MOBO
Nvidia 2 gig 560
Creative SB fatality soundcard
8 gigs corsair DDR3 1333
2 WD 500gb 7200RPM HD's (SATA)
1 seagate 500 gb 7200 rpm HD (SATA)
1 LG DVD RW

[Blinkie]

Originally Posted by CrawlingChaos

Wrong... Res is 1600x900. And yes it does.

To answer the gentleman above, no i do only run with 2x AA, not 4x.

EDIT: SYSTEM:

Intell Pentium G850 (sandy bridge)
FoxConn Rattler MOBO
Nvidia 2 gig 560
Creative SB fatality soundcard
8 gigs corsair DDR3 1333
2 WD 500gb 7200RPM HD's (SATA)
1 seagate 500 gb 7200 rpm HD (SATA)
1 LG DVD RW

My missus' rig has an overclocked i5 760 (thats a quad core) and a 6870, so pretty much the same GPU, but a much more powerful CPU, and at 1440 x 900, with BF3 at full settings, it usually got 40-50FPS.