How to Get the Most out of a Low End Graphics Card
Choose your frame rate benchmark., In the video menu of the game, turn on all options you consider necessary, turn everything unnecessary off., Test the resolutions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your frame rate benchmark.
This will be what you consider to be an acceptable level.
Generally, you should aim for 60FPS or higher, as it is a nice smooth frame rate but 30+ will work in a pinch. -
Step 2: In the video menu of the game
Using Modern Warfare 2 as an example, use shadows, because you want all the help you can get spotting enemies.
Enable sync every frame, as with a lower end graphics card, tearing can easily occur.
However, specular mapping, for example, leave disabled.
You're not going to waste the limited graphics power you do have to make your guns shinier. , Basically, you use a frame rate benchmarking tool (e.g.
Fraps) to show your performance in-game.
You increase the resolution, until you find one too high, and it goes below what you consider an acceptable frame rate (established earlier).
Once you reach that level, go one resolution lower.
This will be the highest acceptable resolution.
It is VERY important to make sure this is 1024x768 or higher.
Low resolutions are often handled by the CPU rather than the GPU, and this can lower performance, unless your CPU is powerful enough to EASILY handle running the game and rendering it. -
Step 3: turn on all options you consider necessary
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Step 4: turn everything unnecessary off.
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Step 5: Test the resolutions.
Detailed Guide
This will be what you consider to be an acceptable level.
Generally, you should aim for 60FPS or higher, as it is a nice smooth frame rate but 30+ will work in a pinch.
Using Modern Warfare 2 as an example, use shadows, because you want all the help you can get spotting enemies.
Enable sync every frame, as with a lower end graphics card, tearing can easily occur.
However, specular mapping, for example, leave disabled.
You're not going to waste the limited graphics power you do have to make your guns shinier. , Basically, you use a frame rate benchmarking tool (e.g.
Fraps) to show your performance in-game.
You increase the resolution, until you find one too high, and it goes below what you consider an acceptable frame rate (established earlier).
Once you reach that level, go one resolution lower.
This will be the highest acceptable resolution.
It is VERY important to make sure this is 1024x768 or higher.
Low resolutions are often handled by the CPU rather than the GPU, and this can lower performance, unless your CPU is powerful enough to EASILY handle running the game and rendering it.
About the Author
Jacqueline Reed
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Jacqueline Reed brings 8 years of hands-on experience to every article. Jacqueline believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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