How do I find out if my processor meets a game's requirements ?

[Pistachio]

I want to know how processor models are compared. I have an AMD FX4170 quad core 4.2GHz, GTA5 recommends AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHZ (8 CPUs). Minimum is AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor 2.5GHz

Without downloading a program to tell me, how are models compared? How do you know which are better?

 

[charltjr]

It can be very difficult because technology changes so much between generations. It gets even worse with some of the AMD stuff because their names are even more random than Intel's.

Easiest way is usually just to google it or go to www.cpubenchmark.net and use their comparison charts, it's a long way from giving you the full story but it's more than good enough as a general guide.

Looks like you're somewhere between the minimum and recommended CPU specs, so you should be OK as long as your graphics card is beefy enough.

 

[Pistachio]

Ok thanks for that. I've got a 3GB graphics card but the game is still playing like crap on minimum settings. I'm trying to find out what I would be best to upgrade

 

[LeeRS]

This is what done it for me and pc gaming. Constantly having to upgrade to play newer games. Even it the bits were a couple of months old.

I do miss pc gaming though.

 

[iain187]

What does this tell you?

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri

 

[charltjr]

I've had the same PC for about four years, haven't had to upgrade a thing. PC gaming hasn't really moved on that much in terms of power needs recently, although that's about to change with 4k gaming and the next gen consoles.

3Gb doesn't really mean much in terms of graphics cards, exactly what card is it?

I'm running a core i5 with a small overclock and a 1.5Gb GeForce 570 GTX, GTA 5 runs well although I can't turn everything up.

 

[Pistachio]

What does this tell you?

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri

That my processor isn't good enough

I've had the same PC for about four years, haven't had to upgrade a thing. PC gaming hasn't really moved on that much in terms of power needs recently, although that's about to change with 4k gaming and the next gen consoles.

3Gb doesn't really mean much in terms of graphics cards, exactly what card is it?

I'm running a core i5 with a small overclock and a 1.5Gb GeForce 570 GTX, GTA 5 runs well although I can't turn everything up.

It's a Sapphire HD 7950

 

[charltjr]

Yeah that card should be fine, so I guess it must be the CPU if you can't play it even at minimum settings.

GTA V is very demanding all round to be fair.

 

[Pistachio]

Damn I think I'll need a new motherboard too then

 

[charltjr]

Might be cheaper just to buy a used console and play it on that TBH, assuming you get on with the controllers.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Just buy the game and if you're not happy with the graphics you have to run it on to play, upgrade then?

If you're gaming on a budget it doesn't make sense to buy stuff in advance- you might find it plays just fine at the settings you want.

 

[Pistachio]

I've got it on xbox and pc. It plays ok on the pc but as soon as I start driving fast it becomes unplayable

 

[Darren S]

This is what done it for me and pc gaming. Constantly having to upgrade to play newer games. Even it the bits were a couple of months old.

I do miss pc gaming though.

It's not that bad. Ironically, it's the consoles that keeps the PC market in check from being a runaway process of constant upgrades. As games have to be produced cross platform (for the majority of the time) - it makes little sense to get three 980Ti cards running in conjunction when one alone could easily max-out the requirements of a game. That however is the beauty of PCs for me - the fact that you actually can, should you so wish.

My spec is used very regularly for PC gaming. It's a 2010 motherboard running a 2008 vintage CPU and with a couple of 2013 graphics cards chucked in. Going back to the OP - GTAV is very hungry on the graphics memory. Although I have a total of 8GB graphics memory available (same as a PS4) - my PC, has that split between two graphics cards and further between the two GPUs on each card. Effectively, I have just 2GB for GTAV to utilise and it does suffer if I turn up all the bells and whistles.

Now if only Rockstar would help me out and get around to releasing that fabled DX12 patch.......