Will My CPU Play This? (How to find out(Theoretically(With Intel)))

[Starelementpoke]

If you've built a computer before a question that has floated through your head is whether your CPU will be powerful enough to run so and so and this and that game. Here's how to figure out.(If you've got an Intel cpu from 2007 and up.)

 

The Math

It's decently well known that Intel has stated that improvements between CPU generations have a 5-10% IPC improvements.(From 2007 and up) Using this, we can theoretically make a theory to determine what your CPU should be clocked to, to play a game. Lets use Fallout 4 as an example. On Steam, it recommends a Core I5 2300 at 2.8GHZ or better. The 2300 being from the Sandy Bridge Architecture, we can use this to determine what clock speed we have to set a CPU at to run a game. Let's take a last generation I5, from the Clarkdale architecture. Assuming the max 10% improvement, we can take the recommended 2.8 and divide it by 10 = .28. Now since the Clarkdale is only last generation, we theoretically only need to add a 10% overclock to compensate for the generation gap. So 2.8+.28=3.08, meaning the Clarkdale I5 must be clocked at 3.08 ghz in order to play Fallout 4. Congrats! You've just figured out what you need to do to make your CPU play this!

 

Works In Reverse

This can also work with using an more contemporary generation of cpu. Lets take Haswell for example. It being 2 architectures up from sandy bridge, it should show a 20% IPC improvement. (Assuming the max 10% improvement.) Taking the 2.8/10=.28*2=.56. Taking 2.8-.56=2.24. Meaning a haswell I5 will run Fallout 4 clocked at 2.24ghz! (Theoretically)

 

The Point

There is none. Kinda just felt like doing this. But this might might help you if you have an older cpu, and don't plan on upgrading. So yeah.

[skyress3000]

but... steam recommended hardware thingies are completely false

also this should be a tutorial on how to use parentheses correctly

[themctipers]

.. good to know if my i7 dies of heat..

back to good ol i5 760!

[EvilLemur]

there is one issue Ghz means nothing with out IPC. and thats whats harder to calculate other than that, this is a good rough estimate.

[Kobathor]

there is one issue Ghz means nothing with out IPC. and thats whats harder to calculate other than that, this is a good rough estimate.

Ghz is the clockspeed, IPC is "instructions per clock." So, if you apply the math to an older CPU you'll get the same amount of instructions at a certain clock speed.

[Starelementpoke]

but... steam recommended hardware thingies are completely false

also this should be a tutorial on how to use parentheses correctly

I know. I used it because it was an easily accessed and easily worked with number. And if you want to give me a tutorial on parentheses, be my guest. Wrote this during history.

[AMDisTheBEST]

Go to steam and check your CPU against those listed in the minimum and recommended requirement. You don't need to do hardcore math to figure it out.