Finally got a new GFX card to play Skyrim but the lag is killing me...

[CaptainCautious]

I just upgraded my system with a Nvidia 9800 gt 512mb card so it can play more games. It came wih an ASRock motherboard with on board GPU simulation that I suspected was draining the processor and preventing me playing games. Well the Walking Dead point and click adventure works now on high GFX setting with a great framerate, but skyrim seems to still be out of reach. I have installed and played the game and I get into the game fine, but occasionally the action will lag for up to 3 seconds.. Is there anything I can do?

 

Heres my DxDiag stuff:

 

System:

Windows XP Home

AMD Athlon 64 3200+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz

2046 RAM

Page file 1289MB used, 2650MB Available.

 

Display

Nvidia GeForce 9800 gt

driver date 12/05/2013

 

Sound

Via HD Audio Output 2

 

Thanks in advance,

Dean

 

[Rennn]

Eh, how much did you pay for the 9800? Because it's getting so old that the price has actually been increasing the last few years. Old cards that used to be high end, like the 9800 GT, actually increase in price after a certain point, because they become collectible to people who want to play their older games on matching rigs. (no offense) If you paid more than $50 for it, you didn't get a good deal for modern gaming performance.

 

For the moment, you can make sure your drivers are up to date, and look at this guide to maximize visuals while minimizing lag.

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweak-guide#1

 

What settings are you on? Low?

[ripple]

That's sort of funny, considering Skyrim burnt out my old 9800 GTX+ several months ago, which not really up to par for handling Skyrim.

 

Your rig is not meeting the minimum requirements (which is listed on Steam or box of the DVD version). You'll need at least a GPU with 1GB vram, and ideally, up your system ram to 4 GB (since you have a 64-bit OS, Skyrim would be able to utilize up to 3.2 GB ram, in theory).

[Rennn]

That's sort of funny, considering Skyrim burnt out my old 9800 GTX+ several months ago, which not really up to par for handling Skyrim.

 

Your rig is not meeting the minimum requirements (which is listed on Steam or box of the DVD version). You'll need at least a GPU with 1GB vram, and ideally, up your system ram to 4 GB (since you have a 64-bit OS, Skyrim would be able to utilize up to 3.2 GB ram, in theory).

 

Not really true. Skyrim only requires 512mb of VRAM, it simply recommends 1GB for higher settings. In addition, it also requires only 2GB of system RAM, which he has. The Skyrim Wiki lists a 512MB 9800 GT as running Skyrim best on medium settings, which is roughly what I would expect from an older card like that.

 

Source:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:System_Requirements

Edited July 8, 2013 by Rennn

[prod80]

Your game should run just fine on Low~Medium settings... you maybe have to lower shadows due to your CPU (Shadows run of the CPU not GPU in Skyrim). Just dont try and run mods, especially texture changes... :wink:

[ripple]

 

That's sort of funny, considering Skyrim burnt out my old 9800 GTX+ several months ago, which not really up to par for handling Skyrim.

 

Your rig is not meeting the minimum requirements (which is listed on Steam or box of the DVD version). You'll need at least a GPU with 1GB vram, and ideally, up your system ram to 4 GB (since you have a 64-bit OS, Skyrim would be able to utilize up to 3.2 GB ram, in theory).

 

Not really true. Skyrim only requires 512mb of VRAM, it simply recommends 1GB for higher settings. In addition, it also requires only 2GB of system RAM, which he has. The Skyrim Wiki lists a 512MB 9800 GT as running Skyrim best on medium settings, which is roughly what I would expect from an older card like that.

 

Source:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:System_Requirements

 

I was under the impression we are talking about a 'modded setup', because having spent over a month playing with all sort of 'performance mods' and ini tweaks when I had my old 9800 GTX+, I can say from experience that 512 vram is just not going to cut it for a fairly modded setup because most mods involving custom textures, like 'Immersive Armor/Weapons', or 'cloaks..' mods, typically come in 1024 - 2048 or higher resolution that needs to be reduced with something like 'Texture Optimizer' if you wish to sustain playable framerates at the most taxing game moments. But I guess a non-modded setup or even a lightly-modded setup would be fine on this spec with low graphic settings.

Edited July 8, 2013 by ripple

[CaptainCautious]

Eh, how much did you pay for the 9800? Because it's getting so old that the price has actually been increasing the last few years. Old cards that used to be high end, like the 9800 GT, actually increase in price after a certain point, because they become collectible to people who want to play their older games on matching rigs. (no offense) If you paid more than $50 for it, you didn't get a good deal for modern gaming performance.

 

For the moment, you can make sure your drivers are up to date, and look at this guide to maximize visuals while minimizing lag.

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweak-guide#1

 

What settings are you on? Low?

Hi! I paid £40 for it, so I guess that's not too bad, maybe I can sell it for more later when the price goes further up! It is recommending medium setting but I have everything set to low. Disabling shadows does seem to have helped. I am encountering a new problem though...

 

When I got to the first town in the game the buildings seemed very low graphics and there were no NPC's anywhere. I could walk through all the buildings but then when I left and came back it loaded correctly and the town was a lot busier and less walkthroughable. Then when I went to the second area the same thing happened.... meaning I fell through the bridge.... Havernt got that one to load properly yet... Im guessing this is my CPU giving up on the game?

 

Thanks for the help and advice, no offense taken, I working on a very limited budget with a new but limited motherboard, im not going to break any overclocking records or get the best textures... I just want the game to be playable!

 

Cheers