What kind of low end performance can I expect?

I have an
i5 520M
320GB 5400rpm Hitachi
4GB RAM
Intel 5700MHD Integrated Graphics

What kind of gaming performance can I expect? Can I play Mass Effect, Dragon Age at minimum settings?

If not, can anyone recommend good RPGs my system could handle (in the vein of Jade Empire, KOTOR I/II, Fable, etc.)

Thanks in advance

 

Minimum, no. One thing to look for "integrated graphics".... They can't run games.
I recommend upgrading the card. To simply put, integrated is the lowest form of graphics you can get. Also for gaming, you can play games thats year 2000 and below. And you can't run any of those games listed.

 

Jade Empire requires a GeForce 6200 or better. The 5700MHD isn't a blazingly fast GPU, but it's roughly equivalent to a Radeon 3200/4200. The chip on the i5-520M is the fastest version of it, so it can clock surprisingly high. It scores about 1700 in 3DMark06. That puts it WELL above the "recommended" requirements for Jade Empire (an X600, which gets ~300 in 3DMark06). Jade Empire should run pretty well. Fable will also be easily handled. Look at the games in that link to get an idea about how it will perform. You will see performance slightly better than what those benches say since your chip is clocked higher than most.

Don't listen to ryukenden. He's wrong. You will be able to play many of your games at minimum settings, at 800x600 or possibly even higher detail depending on the game. Heck, FEAR 2 gets 45FPS at minimum settings. Half-Life 2: Lost Coast (released in 2005, ryukenden) will get 45fps on high settings, 1024x768. Dragon Age could be a little much for your system, but Mass Effect should run alright at very low settings.

 

No, get your facts straight. He can run Kotor I/II, Jade Empire and many games that are after 2000.

@OP
Your card can probably run most games 2006 and before at medium settings. Some games after 2006 can be run at low, such as Spore. Fable will be very playable, although I'm not positive at which settings.

 

Thanks pitabred and insane, really enlightening. The advice about games is pretty reassuring too. I'm not much of a gamer, just thought I would pick up ME and Dragon Age because they looked interesting.

I just pulled up some videos of the 4500MHD (predecessor) playing Dragon Age at ~25 FPS, so I'm not as concerned now.

As for Fable, KOTOR, Jade Empire, etc. I've already played those games, I was just wondering if others on this forum knew about similar tactical RPGs that were good (and playable on my system).

 

Best thing I can recommend is try to find demos before committing to a purchase. The performance of games can vary widely on the Intel chips due to the fact that game companies don't really tune for it like they do ATI/Nvidia cards.

Unfortunately, I don't play many RPG's. Mostly FPS's and RTS's, as well as the odd indie game

 

To put it simply, and as the other post have mentioned, you are at (almost) the very bottom, and the culprit is your GPU. A GPU with integrated graphics even for some people doesn't even qualify in the gaming performance scale.

In any case you may have luck with KotoR I. If you like that you can try the Neverwinter Nights games (1st and its expansions), you should be able to run it.

 

How does the 5700 stack up against the x1400?

 

almost at the bottom? You gotta be kidding me. You'll play Dragon Age at lowest with a few settings a notch higher. STALKER, COD MW and MW2, NFS Carbon all nicely playable.

 

As "Pitabred" and "insanechinaman" mentioned, your gpu can handle Jade Empire, Kotor 1/2 relatively easy.

Dragon Age though is a different story though and it will probably require of you to run in a lower resolution at reduced detail (maybe medium details at 800x600).
You will simply have to experiment with the settings as far as new games go (but as I said, for new games, you should be ok with reduced details and lower resolution).

I think that most games released up until 2006 will run without problems maxed out (possibly) on your machine and integrated gpu (and for the period after 2006, it depends largely on the types of games you focus on ... there are games today that do not have high requirements).

 

Try "Torchlight" .. Its fun and nice rpg.

 

u might want to get something else.. i had horrendus experiences with intel GMA with gaming.. most games but worked but some just need a dedicated.. invest the money now and get a dedicated card... u won't regret it.

 

Thanks again melthd and Deks, useful information. Most info is confirming what you guys are saying so I'll probably go out and get the games. No dealbreaker if they don't play.

Also, thanks for the Torchlight suggestion, it looks good.

Any other suggestions are welcome, I like RPGs with good storylines

 

For RPGs you could try the Neverwinter Nights series, good RPGs with and nice story.