Understanding Minimum Vs Recommended Game Requirements
Minimum requirements are the lowest specs that game developers have confirmed a game will run properly by their standards while recommended requirements are measured based on default values that developers want a game to be played at for the best gaming experience.
If you like to play games at higher settings, go by the recommended settings. Minimum requirements allow you to run games bare-bones or slightly higher but you may not be able to max out the graphics.
Normally, when setting recommended and minimum requirements, game developers dont test their games on outdated or low-end hardware because they assume their customer base will have better/current hardware.
Usually, the minimum and recommended settings are usually listed on the game developers official website. For instance, the system requirements for Call of Duty are listed here.
Sites like Can You Run It, Game-Debate, or PC Games Benchmark help you figure out the minimum and recommended system requirements for a particular game.
How Can I Get My Software
Home Delivery: Choose your software and have it delivered, just like you would any other item.
Collect in store: Reserve online and collect your software in any of our stores.
Buy now and download straight away. Just click Buy Now for Download on the product page of any applicable software. If you delete the software or reset your PC just log into your Currys PC World account to download it again.
Processors And Ram Arent As Important
Gaming PCs typically pack a powerful central processor and high-speed memory, but they take a secondary role behind the graphics card when running a system at 4K. They are the hardware that feeds your monstrous graphics card what it needs to display games and certain applications at 4K resolution, so youll want to make sure they arent a bottleneck.
When it comes to selecting a CPU to pair up with your graphics card, youll want to ensure that its fairly recent, though it doesnt need to be top end. If youre opting for an Intel CPU, make sure its from the last few generations at least an eighth-gen chip and from the Core i5, Core i7, or Core i9 range of processors.
If youre looking at AMD CPUs, dont go for anything pre-first-generation Ryzen, and preferably opt for the latest Ryzen 3000 series as they offer the best bang for the buck and highest overall performance. That is until Ryzen 5000 CPUs release on November 5. Although well need benchmarks to make a final judgment, its clear that upcoming processors like the 5900X will offer substantial performance improvement over Ryzen 3000.
For a look at some specific CPUs we recommend, here are our guides to the best gaming CPUs and the best Intel and AMD CPUs available today. You can also read our AMD vs. Intel argument, which essentially compares their current and future presence in the desktop and laptop markets.
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Computer Security At Cornell
Keeping personal computers secure takes far less time than recovering from a security breach. If a computer is compromised, the user will likely lose access to it for at least a few hours, and possibly several days. Users may also lose any work done since the last computer back up. If the security problem puts sensitive data at risk, or if a computer is lost or stolen, the effects can be far-reaching. Any unsecured computer puts the entire network of users at risk. Please review Cornell’s recommended antivirus software.
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How To Pick The Best Laptop For You
So, what makes a laptop worth buying? First, it needs to offer excellent value for money. That means budget laptops below the $400/£400 price point need to still offer good performance and build quality.
Meanwhile, ultra-expensive devices need to justify their high price tags with best-in-class performance, premium build quality and lengthy battery lives.
If you want something to work on, a laptop with a modern processor, at least 8GB of RAM and a large screen are worth considering.
For gaming, you’ll want a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card and fast and responsive screen.
Check out our guide on what you should look for when buying a new laptop at the end of this page for more in-depth advice on buying a laptop.
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If You Play Pc Games A Gaming Pc Helps You Play More
Weve already learnt that you dont need a gaming computer to play PC games, but do you need a gaming computer to play the PC games that you really want to play? Quite possibly.
Gaming PCs come equipped with more powerful hardware, typically processors and graphics cards. For a gaming PC designed for the popular Esports and streaming battle royale game, Fortnite, the Chillblast Fusion Fiend comes equipped with a capable AMD third-generation Ryzen 3 3100 and an Nvidia GTX 1650 Super for excellent 1080p gaming ability.
A gaming computer designed to play an older AAA game like GTA V would need more capable hardware, which is why the Chillblast Fusion Sorcerer comes equipped with An AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and an Nvidia RTX 3060 a much more powerful hardware specification. That added cost also gets you double the memory and much faster and more expansive storage.
For AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077, its advisable to have an even more powerful system and Chillblast offers plenty of options to make it look as good as it can, whilst still offering comfortable and smooth frame rates.
The Chillblast Fusion Wolf is such a system. Compact, attractive, but supremely powerful, this system packs an Intel Core i7 10700K and pairs it with an Nvidia RTX 3070. This system will pump out high frame rates in any game you throw at it, but if you want even more performance, theres plenty to be had.
Once Youve Found Out What Your Computer Specs Are
OK, youve made it to the end, and all thats left to do is either post your ad online with your newly discovered PC specs or decide whether or not you want to upgrade anything in your current PC. If upgrading is the route you want to take, its definitely worth mentioning that it isnt as simple as popping out your GPU and replacing it with the latest and greatest.
Everything has to work in harmony with a PC, so the Motherboard must be able to accommodate the new GPU. If it does, great! However, is the CPU powerful enough to get the most out of it? Do you have enough RAM to run the games and software youve bought the GPU for? Is the PSU powerful enough to even run the GPU?? These are all the questions you need to ask yourself when thinking about upgrading hardware in your PC.
Similarly, the same can be said for the CPU, RAM, and so on.
If this sounds like a little too much work, why not check out our articles on the best PC builds and our guide to building a PC. We have a whole list of fantastic builds that take away the stress and thought of doing your own independent research.
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Checking The Cpu And What Speed It Is
The first thing most people want to know when looking into computer specs is what processor said computer has, and luckily for us, its one of the easiest bits of information to find. If you are running Windows 10, you are two mouse clicks away from this information.
To find what CPU your computer has, do the following:
- Right-click the windows tab in the bottom left-hand corner of your desktop
- In the menu that pops up, select, and click System.
- Under Device Specifications> Processor you will see listed what CPU is in your computer
As we said, this really is one of the easiest things to check on any computer.
Choosing The Best Gaming Laptop: Key Features
- Display.Size, resolution, and refresh rate can all impact your gaming experience. Do you want to prioritize a high resolution or high refresh rate screen, or do you plan to use an external monitor?
- CPU and GPU.Compare component specifications like core count and clock speed, and check benchmarks for an at-a-glance comparison between different product lines.
- Memory and storage.Recognize the difference between SSDs and HDDs, and determine how much RAM you need for the way you plan to use your system.
- Design. Lighter laptops may travel better, but more powerful hardware might be a higher priority when playing demanding games at home.
- Ports and inputs. Plan for the number of peripherals you anticipate using, including external storage and audio. Do you need more flexibility, more space, or extra high-speed ports?
Lets take a closer look at the features youll encounter when looking for a gaming laptop, starting with the first thing you see when you open it up: the screen.
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Whats Up With My Memory Speed
If you buy a kit thats rated at 2400 MT/s, you should make sure youre getting all the speed you bought! Always check the memory speeds after building your rig since you might need to enter the BIOS and load the memory profile. The Ballistix® M.O.D. Utility and other third-party apps can show you the speed at which your system is using your memory.
Best Gaming Laptops In 2021
The best gaming laptops manage to squeeze the power of a gaming desktop PC into a machine you can tuck under your arm and take with you. Well slightly less power maybe, but not far off. The benefits of having a portable gaming machine speak for themselves as wellthey can be a better option to bulky desktop PCs in plenty of areas. They’re not as easy to upgrade, but that’s about the only downside to modern laptops.
The newest models pack all the features you’ll find in big desktop gaming rigs too, including powerful multicore CPUs, the latest Nvidia RTX 30-series and AMD Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs, as well as speedy NVMe SSDs, oodles of RAM, and quality, super high-refresh screens. You can even enjoy mechanical keyboards on some models, although we’d still recommend having a proper keyboard and mouse for serious gaming suggestions.
There’s actually some good news for laptops in these silicon-starved times as well, in that they’re often the most immediate way of securing the best gaming hardwarehello GeForce RTX 3080. Stock levels are healthy too. And while high-end gaming laptops can be pricey, there are plenty of more affordable options out there too. If you’re on a tight budget, be sure to check out the best cheap gaming laptop deals.
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Here Are The Battlefield 2042 System Requirements
- CPU: Core i5 6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- RAM: 8 GB
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 560, 4 GB
- PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
- FREE DISK SPACE: 100 GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4096 MB
- CPU: Intel Core i7 4790 / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or better
- RAM: 16 GB
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, 8 GB
- PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
- FREE DISK SPACE: 100 GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 8192 MB
Which Type Of Laptop Is Best For You
General laptops: Where the best cheap laptops are found, devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. Thats not to say they cant be fast, but youll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than $600 or £400.
Ultrabooks: Where youll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800.
2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. The Surface Book 2 might be a ways off, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are available right now. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 on a touchscreen.
Chromebooks: Where youll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than $300 or £200 and some can even withstand a slight tussle.
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How Many Cores Do I Need
Every laptop we sell has at least a dual-core processor. This allows it to handle several things at once so you can move quickly between different windows, with more apps and tabs running at once. Quad-core processors are great for running demanding software quickly, such as photo editing and music production programs. Modern creative software is optimised to run best with multi-core setups.
What Else Do You Need To Up Your Game
Given that high-end components tend to drain battery life, don’t plan on taking any of these gaming rigs too far from a wall socket very often. Cutting-edge ports like USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 are beneficial now, and will only be more so down the road, but look for at least two ordinary-shaped USB 3.0 ports so you can plug in an external mouse and a hard drive for your saved media files.
If you want to attach a VR headset to your GeForce GTX 1660 Ti-or-better rig, look for the right loadout of ports to accommodate it. You’ll need a well-placed HDMI or DisplayPort video out and enough USB ports for a possible hydra-head of cabling. Other video ports, like DisplayPort or mini-DisplayPort , will be helpful if you want to play games on an external display, but they aren’t absolutely necessary if your laptop’s screen is large enough.
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Checking How Big Your Hard Drive Is
Checking your hard drive is probably the easiest thing to find as far as specs go. Most will already know how to do this, but for people who dont, heres a really simple method to see how much space you have left.
To find how much Storage your PC has, just follow these steps:
- Open a folder and click the This PC tab on the left-hand side
- Navigate to the Local Disk where it should say how much space your storage has plus what is free
- Right-click the Lock disk and select Properties if more info is required
Its as simple as that really. If you go into Properties you will see a chart which shows total space and free space. It will also give you an exact figure for how many bytes your storage has, but its the same as what you see underneath Local Disk .
If you want to find out whether or not you HD is SSD or not, you can simply open up your disk defragment and optimize drive tool. Underneath Media type, it will tell you whether it is Solid State Drive or not. SSD would be the better of the two if you were wondering!
How We Test Laptops
We know that buying a new laptop can be a huge investment, so every laptop in this list has been extensively tested by us. When we test laptops, we use them in our day-to-day lives to see who they perform. We look at their design, including how stylish they are, or if they are thin and light enough to carry around with, and how comfortable they are to work on.
When it comes to performance, we use a mix of real-world tests and synthetic benchmarks to see how powerful these laptops are. This means using Windows 10 and running various apps and seeing how fast they load, noting down any problems.
These days, the webcam and microphone in a laptop is also incredibly important, so we take time to test out these as well. When it comes to gaming laptops, well run more benchmark tests, as well as fire up games to play on them as well
Battery lives are also important, so well keep track on how long we can use the laptop without needing to charge. We also run our own battery life benchmark that plays a looped 1080p movie until the battery dies. We also run the PC Mark 10 battery life benchmark, which replicates real-world usage, such as web browsing and document creation. These tests give us an excellent idea of how long the batteries in these laptops last.
We then take everything weve learned about the laptop and compare it to its price, to see if it offers the best value to customers.
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Look Up The Refresh Rate
Checking the refresh rate of the display of any possible laptop is well worth your attention if youre a gamer.
Having a higher refresh rate might give you an edge in online gaming since it makes the game run more smoothly and quickly.
A reaction time of fewer than 5 milliseconds and a refresh rate of at least 144 cycles per second are the ideals to strive towards. Laptops with refresh rates of 300Hz are increasingly becoming more common.
Finally, the angle of vision is critical.
IPS laptop displays provide the largest viewing angles and the most comfortable viewing experience.
An IPS display laptop is preferable over a non-IPS laptop if youre not going to be using it in its native environment all the time.
This Is The Kind Of Pc You Need To Compete With The Xbox Series X According To The Medium Specs
ByMatt Hansonlast updated 27 July 2020
Competing with the Xbox
Of all the Xbox Series X game reveals weve seen so far, The Medium is one of the most interesting, and now Steam has published its minimum and recommended specs, which show what kind of PC youll need to play this next-gen game on.
The good news is that the minimum recommended specs arent that demanding, which means most people with a halfway decent PC will be able to play this game rather than having to fork out for an Xbox Series X.
These are The Medium specs released on Steam:
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