Minimum processor and RAM requerements for gaming?

Hello,

I am going to be purchasing a laptop soon, and would like to know what the minimum requirements are to play games that have good graphics.

My current idea is:

2.0 Ghz processor - an Intel Core 2 Duo - Santa Rosa
2Gigs of RAM
A Nvidia type graphics card, like a 8600 Go???

But is the Processor a huge part of it? Or is it more the Card or Ram???

Thanks!!! I want to keep the price low, thats why.

 

Mostly GPU and RAM. But a faster CPU helps. (correct me if I'm wrong since I'm not a gamer)

 

Nice looking game = most important Strong GPU good/average CPU...
Your cpu is very good GPU on the other hand is the best in 15"laptops but nowhere near to run current "nice" looking games at max that being R6Vegas, Bioshock, World in conflict... but it can run them very playable on medium...
If you want max out games forget laptop go get a desktop with minimum x1900xtx/7900GTX

 

Well I don't need to run them at maximum level just medium is ok

 

Than you are fine for the time coming...

 

Good advice in comments above. I'd like to add that if you want the best performance that will last you a while you should make sure the 8600 GPU is a GT, some notebooks have a 8700 GT that is even better btw. Also make sure the GPU memory is GDDR3, not DDR2. There is a significant difference in performance between those two. 256Mb would be nice, but 512Mb would be very nice. Thats what you want if you want a notebook with 3D power, but it will be a pricy one.....

 

If you are going to "play" lastest FPS games and want it to last a little longer, then you need at least a 8600mGT. Still, you are low likely to play them with maxed settings with it...

If you are not a FPS fan and dont play them, i belive the 8400mGS may serve you... also if you are on low budget.

2GB is nice for playing, but for lower gaming and low budget 1GB should "do".

Most games aren't veery processor demanding, as long as your processor is not a crap it should do.

 

Would a 1.4ghz pentium dual core in a laptop (their budget line) hinder game performance if you had it offset w/ a 8600m GT?

 

It can, but not by much.

Any Core 2 Duo will be sufficient for most games; unless want to run some of the up coming titles like Alan Wake with insanely complex physics engines. In Alan Wake you need a quad core CPU to get the maximum physics realism, even the fastest Core 2 extreme cant cut it…that’s crazy…. )

Anyways, generally speaking, GPU is the most important factor for gaming.

 

i dont believe except for the Dell M1730 and a few other companies can make notebook gpu powerful enough to play the lastest game at max setting with AA HDR etc...
But for minimum specs on new games at playable framerates, i would say 8600gt. Every game now requires 2 gigs (or 3gigs) to run well, especially on vista.

World in Conflict is a major gpu memory hog, atleast 384mb, nothing less. Crysis and unreal tournament, dont even think about it.

 

Good thing to remmeber though is that the lower "quality settings" you are going to plan run the game the better CPU you will need, that is because CPU will work harder and you can lose astonishing 60FPS when playing with t7700 vs t5200.
So a midrange CPU is not bad to consider if you want to be little future proofed.