Well, I bought Skyrim over Christmas, and just got internet so I've tried everything to get the damn thing to work.. Absolute min gfx do nothing.

 

What is my comp lacking tbh?

 

My specs:

AMD Sempron 2.20GHz processor

2gb(x2) dualcore RAM

64-bit W7 op sys..

 

 

The hell is wrong with this? I can max everything nearly in Guild Wars and play with hardly any lag.. Skyrim will look like crap and still lag like it's running on a comp from the 80s.

 

EDIT: Hell, my cpu usage even says it's at about 58%, and RS goes up to 85-90+ always, still doesnt lag like Skyrim

Are you running integrated graphics? If so there's your problem.

If not, i'm not sure if AMD have an optimus program like Nvidia but it could be that it's not picking up Skyrim as needing the dedicated GPU. But my bet would be with the first thing I said.

Are you running integrated graphics? If so there's your problem.

If not, i'm not sure if AMD have an optimus program like Nvidia but it could be that it's not picking up Skyrim as needing the dedicated GPU. But my bet would be with the first thing I said.

How would I know, or change from integrated gfx?

 

And what's strange is my graphics controller or something, is NVidia..

I just updated the driver today, thinking it'd help..

 

EDIT: Herp. I get you now.

 

Integrated gfx card..idk..

Man that sucks, I think you're right. Built into motherboard probably.

I swear I had an actual graphics card, but I could be wrong. It doesn't list it in comp specs, so..

 

Well what would be a decent one to get for my comp? That's compatible with all that, and it's an HP desktop.

In terms of graphics:

What is you graphics card specs?

If its a laptop you will have integrated and that'll be the problem.

If you have a desktop, are the monitor ports in with all the usbs, keyboard, sound etc in the top segment, or are they separate in one of the lower slots? (eg are they intergrated or do you have a graphics card)

D'uhh..

 

Speaker and mic ports, then ethernet, modem, usb ports above that, and above that are mouse and keyboard, with monitor on top.

 

 

It's integrated innit..

 

EDIT: Well, I just found something, browsed through hardware and found this: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 <-display adapter apparently?

 

Wrong thing amirite? Right place to look? I don't see anything else that I could consider being a gfx card or whatever my comp'd list it at.

 

 

However, my comp got *basically* hit by a lightning strike and it at least fried the modem, the modem doesn't show up on my comp anymore.

Would I be able to see a gfx card inside my computer, near the fan/below the fan?

I think I read somewhere that you can plug in a superior graphics card (that is if your motherboard has the slot) and it will override the current one (the integrated one)?

I think I read somewhere that you can plug in a superior graphics card (that is if your motherboard has the slot) and it will override the current one (the integrated one)?

Yeah that's what I was thinking, and I would say my comp has it. I just want to know the absolute cheapest and/or best deal gfx card that will work with Skyrim.

 

Also, Skyrim is run with DirectX, for some reason my computer has EXTREMELY bad problems running directx. Maybe I should update it, is that possible?

The more I post, the dumber I feel.

Download this, run it and screen shot it here. That'll tell us the motherboard and what PCI slots it has (and whethere or not there is a GPU but that's been pretty much established). What PSU is in it? Open up the case and have a look.

Yeah the NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 is an integrated graphics; one of the system reqs for skyrim is:

Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512 MB of RAM

 

So pretty safe to say integrated is your issue; for installing an independant graphics card you are looking for a slot like this:

 

On the lower parts of your motherboard, depending which slots you have (there's varying sizes, though the long one is the standard), you can use almost any independent gpu and the computer should use it automatically.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/speccyn1.png/

 

 

Been a while since I used forums, dunno if these will work.

So then, I'm looking at newegg.com, and I can't tell wtf is gonna work with Skyrim and what isn't..I'm sure most would, is that all it req's is a card that is DirectX 9.0c compliant?

So then, I'm looking at newegg.com, and I can't tell wtf is gonna work with Skyrim and what isn't..I'm sure most would, is that all it req's is a card that is DirectX 9.0c compliant?

Pretty much as your board has a PCI-E slot, all depends on what PSU you have now. Open up the case and have a look.

I just realised you're atd. Also, got about a 3 inch slot, pretty positive its for a gfx card. Black, looks like those two in that pic.

>what PSU

As in? And uhm, is it pretty straightforward when installing? Plug in and install any drivers?

I just realised you're atd. Also, got about a 3 inch slot, pretty positive its for a gfx card. Black, looks like those two in that pic.

>what PSU

As in? And uhm, is it pretty straightforward when installing? Plug in and install any drivers?

:mrgreen:

PSU = Power Supply Unit. Big box type thing in your case with cables coming out of it.

I'm guessing if it's a prebuilt then it's going to be around the 200W mark and is going to be a cheap generic one that won't stand up to many graphics cards so that'll limit your options.

Yeah, it's basically that. Plug in, let windows install its own generic drivers and then update.

Oh I get you, yeah, 220W max :|.....

 

 

But hey, now I understand better how to build comps.

 

One last thing though, if I were to spend ~$1000 usd on a computer, how much better would you say a comp would be at the same price if you built it from the ground up? %-wise I guess.

Oh I get you, yeah, 220W max :|.....

 

 

But hey, now I understand better how to build comps.

 

One last thing though, if I were to spend ~$1000 usd on a computer, how much better would you say a comp would be at the same price if you built it from the ground up? %-wise I guess.

 

Quite a lot better, although HDD prices will lower the gap.

Building your own gets you:

• 
   
  
• Decent motherboard for overclocking, SLI, PCI 3.0.
  
• Decent graphics card.
  
• Decent PSU that can power future upgrades.
  
• May be able to slip in an SSD, not sure on american pricing though.
  
• Good case with airflow.
  

 

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but basically you build the computer for what you're going to use it for. "Gaming" prebuilts often come with an i7 2600k or an old i7 with a dead socket which is not needed and underpowered graphics cards that can't be upgraded because of the PSU.

Building the computer is generally the right thing to do, as you get a hell of a lot more quality for the same price, and much higher specs most of the time.

 

Also, the Sempron processor you have is also a single core CPU, so I doubt that you'd be able to play Skyrim with that CPU if you eliminate the bottleneck caused by the integrated graphics.

Also, the Sempron processor you have is also a single core CPU, so I doubt that you'd be able to play Skyrim with that CPU if you eliminate the bottleneck caused by the integrated graphics.

 

Wow, can't believe I missed that. My mind assumed athlon+ after reading AMD and immediatly jumped to the GPU... :oops:

The reason you can't play Skyrim is because your computer is ancient, to put it bluntly. You could upgrade your graphics card, but that's pretty much out of the question because of your PSU and also your CPU will bottleneck it anyway. It isn't worth trying to upgrade that, just buy a new one. With regards to your question about build/buy, definitely build. I can not and probably will never recommend a prebuilt for anything over $350. They do not give you quality components a vast majority of the time, and also they horribly mismatch parts, for example giving you a 2600k with a 6670 card, just stupid. We can help you with a build, just say the word. It's really easy, it's just like somewhat delicate lego.

The real benefit of building your own computer is being able to control every aspect of whats going into your system, and future proofing your investment to be working strong for the coming years. Also if you do decide to build your own computer you'd gain invaluable knowledge in terms of hardware, which is a strong benefit along with having a new gaming desktop to play with.

 

Imo go with a new build. There are people here who know what they're doing and have helped many before you, you'd be in good hands.

Build costs are miles cheaper in terms of hardware.

For example my mac book cost around about £1000

My desktop pc (without counting the recently added SSDs cause obv they costy) ran me to a cost of about £1200 and that's for case, all the internals, blu-ray drive, tv tuner card, 17 inch lcd monitor, mid-high end mouse and keyboard a wifi printer, a reasonable sound system and a big graphics tablet. Its got about twice the processor power and twice the RAM, about 4 times the graphics power and a heck of a lot more storage space.

Build costs are miles cheaper in terms of hardware.

For example my mac book cost around about £1000

My desktop pc (without counting the recently added SSDs cause obv they costy) ran me to a cost of about £1200 and that's for case, all the internals, blu-ray drive, tv tuner card, 17 inch lcd monitor, mid-high end mouse and keyboard a wifi printer, a reasonable sound system and a big graphics tablet. Its got about twice the processor power and twice the RAM, about 4 times the graphics power and a heck of a lot more storage space.

Then again comparing a Windows based desktop to a Macbook isn't the best comparison either, Macs are crazy overpriced.