How power hungry are Total war games ?

nightrider1470 · 28 May 2011 at 15:28

I am building a PC to play these games as I just love them, I know when building new its best to go sandybridge but I am on a budget and wondering if the older i5 CPU`s overclocked would be plenty to play these games with huge battle ?, as well as future total war games

I know I will need a decent graphics card but do I really need snadbridge to allow huge battles ?

233 · 28 May 2011 at 15:38

well i have a 9450 running at 3.4ghz with a 6970 and it plays fine with max detail at 1920-1080

HAz · 28 May 2011 at 15:44

my old core 2 e6600 at 3.3 runs them just fine.

QlimaxUK · 28 May 2011 at 15:53

sandybridge is more of an 'alternitive' for GPU but if your getting a good GPU then you wont 'need' a sandybridge

GPU > SB @ graphics

Raumarik · 28 May 2011 at 15:56

Agree with QlimaxUK. OP - it's more about graphics card, RAM and HDD speeds(cut down load time) for total war games

a decent RAID setup or SSD helps tremendously.

HAz · 28 May 2011 at 15:56

QlimaxUK said:
sandybridge is more of an 'alternitive' for GPU but if your getting a good GPU then you wont 'need' a sandybridge

GPU > SB @ graphics

I thought it was a very cpu dependant game no?

nightrider1470 · 28 May 2011 at 16:01

Yer thats what I was thinking as the more soliders you choose the more CPU power it takes to render them especially when in the middle of a large battle

?

PGdude · 28 May 2011 at 16:49

I'm running a Q6600 at stock and not having issues with large armies in Shogun 2.

Jono8 · 28 May 2011 at 16:52

If you want maximum unit sizes, maximum details, and to be able to zoom in on two full stacks fighting you WILL need an uber PC. (Talking about the latest one Shogun here).

Ofcourse many people have varying views on what "running fine" means.

If you don't mind scaling back the detail a bit and having slightly smaller unit sizes e.t.c. then it will run ok on modest rigs.