Minimum Specs for steam games: Teach me to Pee-cee.

[icarusfall]

So, I haven't played PC games since shareware was a thing in 1994. Overwatch is the first time I've played an online game - on my PS4.

I have this 2016 macbook that only has a 1.2 gig processor, and 8 gigs of RAM. I buy a couple games on steam to test it out, all of which have minimum requirements of 2+ gig processors. They play fine on it. What is happening? Is the min required just a guess? I don't understand. I got Oxenfree, Sunless Sea, and Torchlight 2. They all play great despite their description saying they wouldn't. What's up?

[Diff-chan]

Yea minimum reqs are more or less a guess. But it's also because modern processors do not scale to megahertz. Quite often, today's slower processor does more per clock cycle than yesterday's faster one.

[gamevet]

Yeah, if the minimum specs say something like a Intel Dual core or an AMD 2 core CPU @ 3 Ghz, an Intel i5 at 1.5 Ghz would probably be faster than those old dual core CPUs.

[No One]

PC games are becoming more and more dependent on GPUs, too. I'd assume a Macbook is running an APU (an integrated CPU/GPU combination) that's more than capable of running the games you listed.

[gamevet]

PC games are becoming more and more dependent on GPUs, too. I'd assume a Macbook is running an APU (an integrated CPU/GPU combination) that's more than capable of running the games you listed.

Yes and no. DX12 and Vulcan will take some of the load off of the CPU and put it on the GPU, but there are some high end games that demand a really strong CPU to run smoothly. I've ran into a couple of games that just pushed my overclocked i5-2500k to its limits. That's why I have a 4790k now. You wouldn't want to pair a GTX 1080 with an i5 either.

[Satsuki]

I've found some issues with using a Macbook on steam, mostly due to there not being a lot of support for something if it DOESN'T work. But it will play most things, especially older games, no problem.

[icarusfall]

So, where's the ceiling on these specs? Obviously, I can't play new AAA titles, but what's a reasonable game example that'll max it out?

1.2 GHz Intel Core m5
8 GB 1867 MHz LPDDR3
Intel HD Graphics 515 1536 MB

[Korian]

Are you looking for 60 frames per second?

[icarusfall]

No, just for the games to be playable.

[gamevet]

So, where's the ceiling on these specs? Obviously, I can't play new AAA titles, but what's a reasonable game example that'll max it out?

1.2 GHz Intel Core m5
8 GB 1867 MHz LPDDR3
Intel HD Graphics 515 1536 MB

It's not too bad. The Intel Core M5 actually has a boost clock up to 2.9 Ghz. The Intel HD graphics 515 is pretty much around the performance of the PS3 though.

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