Graphics Requirements for Games

[rowech]

How can I tell if my computer meets graphic requirements for various games? It used to be simply VGA or EGA I think they were...long past that now it seems!

[Tasan]

Its handy to know what kind of video chipset on your video card you have in your machine. Usually either Nvidia or ATI, and then a 3-4 digit number after that, like Nvidia 8800, or ATI 1950. Then, the game box will usually list the cards that are OK. Normally, the higher the number, the newer the card. Nvidia comes in (generally these days) 5000s, 6000s, 7000s, 8000s, 9000s, and then newly the 200s, with the lower 1000s being older, all the way to the 200s which are the newest. ATI comes in 1000s, 3000s, 4000s, oldest to newest.

*edit You could possibly have older ATI 9000 series cards in older machines. Those are lesser than the ATI 1000s. Confusing, I know.

[Big Fo]

Can you run it? (http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest) lets you select one of many games and tells you if you can that game plus what parts you have in your PC.

[rowech]

Thanks to both...the website interests me as it's exactly what I'm looking for but I'm always worried about such sites.

[DaddyTorgo]

i had forgotten about that website - so useful. guess i could actually run Civ IV...

[gstelmack]

Heh. Site tells me I fail on Crysis Warhead because of my video card, even though I have above the listed min requirements for it.

[Izulde]

My laptop's video card apparently sucks. :( Meets minimum requirements but fails a lot of recommended requirements because it doesn't have Video HW Transform and Lighting or Vertex Shader.

[rowech]

Izulde....that's what I have found out. I tried the medieval II demo which crashed upon starting which is why I asked the question in the first place. Yet, the site tells me I meet all requirements for the game.