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The millions of virtual citizens of Blizzard's hugely popular MMORPG, World of Warcraft, celebrated the recent launch of the game's latest expansion pack — World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Those of the game's 12 million-plus subscribers who meet only the minimum RAM required specifications of the new title, however, might want to look into upgrading their RAM and hard drives in order to maximize their Azeroth experience.

The minimum requirements for Cataclysm are not extreme compared to most games, but they are a jump from the last expansion pack, 2008's Wrath of the Lich King. Cataclysm requires 1GB of RAM, higher than the 512MB minimum by Wrath of the Lich King. However, as many gamers know, meeting only the minimum RAM requirement can lead to a choppy, frustrating gaming experience, especially as systems struggle to keep pace with the game's memory demands in highly populated areas.
 
Memory is not the only issue facing Cataclysm players, however. The game is also a hard drive hog, taking up 25GB of space. In comparison, Wrath of the Lich King used 15GB of hard drive space. For many gamers, the hard drive requirements will be the most difficult requirement to overcome. "There are no real surprises in store — the requirements are really very low, it's just the hard drive that takes a bit of a kicking," wrote Russell Barnes of TotalPCGaming.com when the specifications were announced.
 
If your hard drive is already filled to the brim and you are in need of an upgrade to play Cataclysm, now might be a good time to consider investing in a new SSD. SSDsare faster and more efficient than traditional hard disc drives.
 
An upgrade will be worth it. Reviews of the game have been strong, indicating that it is yet another superb entry in Blizzard's flagship franchise.
 
"Simply put, it is World of Warcraft 2.0. Everything seems to fit in — overhauled graphics, new landscapes, additional quests," GamingXP wrote in its review.
 
If you're a WOW fan, you won't want to miss out on Cataclysm, especially due to a computer that is slow or out of space. The game is sure to be one of the biggest releases of the year and you owe it to yourself to make sure you have the hardware to run it.

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For more information on Crucial Performance Memory, you can check out our Ballistix site. Or, watch our Ballistix playlist on YouTube.

The PC specifications for Bethesda's highly-anticipated shooter game have been released, setting a level of requirements that should be reachable for most PC users, according to a recent TechSpot report.

Baseline specifications

The base specifications for any game are those that are absolutely required for the title to run on a computer. The specifications do not designate standards to run the game at high-performance levels. Specifications do not even ensure stable performance with moderate graphics settings. Instead, they provide the absolute essentials needed for the game to run on a user's system.

In the case of Rage, minimum specifications include an Intel Core 2 Duo processor or AMD equivalent, 2GB of memory and a Radeon HD 4200, GeForce 8800 or equivalent graphics card. The game also requires 25GB of storage space.

According to the news source, these minimum specifications are at a level that most users will be able to reach with few upgrades. However, anybody running a solid state drive as a boot drive may need to invest in a device with plenty of storage space to handle the program, the report said.

Recommended specifications

The recommended specifications give users a better idea of what they need to really enjoy the game. Typically, a computer that just meets recommended specifications will experience smooth performance with at least medium visual settings. However, users looking to run the title on high graphics settings may want to use the recommended specifications as a guide and try to upgrade their computer to go beyond them.

For example, Bethesda recommends users have 4GB of DRAM to run Rage. But the experts at Crucial recommend 8GB or more will take users beyond medium graphics settings and allow them to run the game with high-performance options turned on. Furthermore, the recommended specifications say users need some form of quad-core processor. Investing in a high-quality quad core CPU will also help enable more robust settings. The same goes for the video card, where Bethesda recommends a Radeon HD 5550, GeForce 9800 GTX or higher.

Making the appropriate upgrades

The report points out that these specifications are not particularly high, especially for a game from such a well established company. However, supporting at least 4GB of memory means that users will also need to run a 64-bit operating system, the report said. As a result, any efforts to make hardware upgrades to support Rage and similar titles may also require new software if users are not running an operating system capable of supporting hardware.

PC gaming's trajectory

Currently, the PC gaming market is in something of a rut when it comes to encouraging performance. Because most games are designed for consoles and PCs, they are limited in their core design. Most current consoles have just 512MB of DRAM. As a result, the games are unable to leverage the full potential of PCs. This makes now an ideal time to upgrade a computer. Now, DRAM and video cards are so inexpensive that users who could not previously afford the hardware needed to run games with high settings can now take advantage of the capabilities of their PC hardware.

Rage's specifications are an ideal example of this. Early screenshots and videos shows the game features a fairly solid graphics platform from a technical standpoint. However, those visuals have to work on consoles and the PC. Therefore, PC users running a decent video card and 8GB of DRAM or more can unleash some of the game's highest settings without necessarily having to invest in enthusiast-level equipment.

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For more information on Crucial Performance Memory, you can check out our Ballistix site. Or, watch our Ballistix playlist on YouTube.

For gamers, Crysis was one of the most memorable titles of 2007 in more ways than one. German developer Crytek’s second game was widely acclaimed upon its release, winning several awards, including Game of the Year from PC Gamer and Best Shooter and Best PC Game of 2007 from Gamespot.com.

With the accolades, however, came some reservations about the game's technical requirements. Crysis was one of the most technically demanding games of all time when it was released and its recommended specs, which include 12 GB of hard drive space, 2 GB of RAM and the equivalent of an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS card, are still demanding by today’s standards. Even these specs don’t allow gamers to run Crysis at its highest graphical settings.
 
In Gamespot’s review of the game in 2007, Jason Ocampo wrote “it's doubtful that a system has been built yet that can run the game at ultra-high resolutions with all the graphical sliders maxed out.”
 
That still seems to be the case. Simon Williams of Brighthub.com recently wrote “Crysis remains the most technologically demanding video game ever made,” adding that “there is still presently no CPU and graphics card combination that can run the game on its highest settings at 1080p and v-synced 60FPS.”
 
While Crytek has moved away from PC exclusivity, the developer still stresses the technical superiority of PCs over consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360.
 
"PC is easily a generation ahead right now,” said Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli to Edge Magazine. “With 360 and PS3, we believe the quality of the games beyond Crysis 2 and other CryEngine developments will be pretty much limited to what their creative expressions is, what the content is.”
 
While the company has said that Crysis 2 will not be as demanding on this generation of computers as Crysis was to its crop, the game is still likely to require a fairly hefty system to run.
 
While the fact that Crysis 2 will be a cross-platform game has led to rumors that it will be easier on computers than its predecessor, don’t expect its developers to go soft simply because they are now designing games for consoles as well. These days, you’ll need at least 2 GB of RAM and 25 GB of hard drive space to play World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, a game with a reputation for being easy on gamers’ machines.
 
Crytek is at the forefront of PC gaming technology and, to be ready for that technology, you will need hardware to match the requirements of the gaming industry. RAM is vital to running high-end games and there has never been a better time to invest in dynamic random access memory. DRAM prices have dropped 55 percent from their peak levels and are expected to continue falling. This should lead to reduced prices for consumers.
 
According to Jill Beissel of AllUSB.com, the drop in prices will lead to superior computers being built for the marketplace - perfect for gamers looking for an upgraded machine but unsure about building their own gaming rig.
 
“Instead, computer vendors will offer higher quality specs in order for vendors to preserve a certain price point. Your wallet may not see a difference, but when you go to use your system, you will notice improved functionality,” she wrote.
 
Crysis 2 is slated to be released on March 11, 2011. PC gamers in particular will want to be able to take full advantage of a game that is sure to be gorgeous and that will undoubtedly look better on a PC than on the years-old Xbox 360 and PS3 technology. You are going to want your computer ready to play this game.

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For more information on Crucial Performance Memory, you can check out our Ballistix site. Or, watch our Ballistix playlist on YouTube. 

Often, technology publications will dabble at the inexact science of building a barebones gaming PC. In one of the latest attempts at this, a recent ZDNet project created a gaming rig that costs less than $550 and emphasizes the importance of DRAM when building, customizing or upgrading a gaming computer.

The benefits of a barebones PC outline

The idea behind a barebones gaming PC project is to create a computer that is capable of playing contemporary games with relatively moderate graphics settings, quality performance and minimal cost. While ZDNet's experiment clearly shows that gamers can get by with a computer costing less that $550 if they build it themselves, it also provides some deeper insights into a gaming computer's equipment needs.

By establishing the lowest possible spending necessary to still obtain the performance needed to play games, a barebones gaming PC establishes a clear baseline of what a computer needs to function while performing almost any video-intensive tasks.

Beyond displaying the baseline that high-performance computers should start from with any component options, the ZDNet barebones PC also establishes how to prioritize spending on any components when building, customizing or upgrading a computer.

The barebones PC and DRAM

The ZDNet barebones gaming PC featured 8 GB of DDR3 1600 memory. The particular product selected cost just $85. This choice tells us a few important things about PC DRAM for high-performance environments.

The first lesson is that the DRAM needs to be high-capacity. Running the operating system along with games and other applications requires significant DRAM capacity. This project gives users important insight into DRAM capacity needs that cannot be obtained by simply looking at a game's specification requirements.

The ZDNet report recommended 8 GB of DRAM simply because a gaming computer needs that much memory to store the large quantities of short-term data used to run games. However, most game specifications simply tell you what you need to run that game on reasonable settings, and do not typically take maximizing performance into account. For example, Dungeon Siege III, a highly-anticipated action role playing game that released on June 21, claims to require at least 1.5 GB of DRAM, while recommending users have at least 2 GB of memory. The Dungeon Siege III recommendations give users a clear idea of what will let them play the game, while the ZDNet barebones PC gives insight on what will help users get the most out of the game.

The report also goes out of its way to show that DDR3 memory with speeds of at least 1600 Mhz is important for gaming. It may be tempting to skimp on memory and purchase a cheap DDR2 unit with slower speeds, but the report said such speeds are necessary to make the RAM fast and stable enough for quality gaming use.

The DRAM unit's price is also worth noting. Users can purchase high-performance memory that is four-times greater than the recommended requirements of a current game for just $85. In many ways, DRAM is the most cost-efficient upgrade simply because memory has become so inexpensive in nature. The report shows that DRAM is not an area to skimp, even when building a barebones PC, because high-performance memory can be purchased at a relatively low cost.

Conclusion

Gamers need to invest in high-performance and high-capacity DRAM to get the most out of their games, but this barebones PC shows what non-gamers should consider as well. In many cases, current barebones gaming PCs are an image of what average computers and laptops will be in just a year or two. Therefore, every user should take DRAM seriously when building, customizing or upgrading a computer.



Twelve years later, he's back.

Duke Nukem, the legendary video game hero, returns to the Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC in Duke Nukem Forever, slated for release on May 3.

Duke Nukem first arrived on PCs in July 1991. Since then, one of video gaming's most iconic characters has been blowing up aliens, flirting with damsels in distress and creating carnage in a steady stream of releases for myriad gaming platforms.

Whether they are long-time fans of Duke or newcomers to the franchise, the upcoming release represents a chance to experience the brash, action-filled world surrounding Nukem with current generation technologies. For some PC gamers, their current computers may not be enough. What's more, the people at publisher 2K Games and developer Gearbox have yet to release the official specifications for the title.

Stay tuned to Crucial.com — we’ll announce the specifications as soon as we see them.

Until then, understanding what the game's visual engine has to offer and knowing what similar titles require can help users identify the right upgrades to make.

Duke Nukem Forever is built on the foundation of Unreal Engine 2.5. However, it is widely rumored throughout the industry that the developers at Gearbox have drastically modified that foundation with custom engines for physics and other aspects of the visuals to be close to Unreal Engine 3.

Unreal Engine is among the most popular graphics systems in the video game industry, and is especially popular for first- and third-person shooters. It features powerful development tools that help game creators design titles that operate on multiple platforms, something that is especially critical in the current generation, in which games regularly release for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. The Unreal Engine 3 features powerful animation tools capable of separately rendering objects based on a variety of controllers, and has no restrictions on how many animations can operate simultaneously or blend together.

The powerful animation tools available in Unreal Engine 3 are joined by advanced physics engines, real-time shaders, cascade effects, high-performance rendering and a Kismet visual scripting system. All of these features combine to create a powerful visual system that could tax older computers, forcing the game to slow down or not function at all if hardware is not up-to-date.

To figure out the hardware needed to successfully run Duke Nukem Forever, users would be best off comparing it to other recently released Unreal-based titles. Typically, multi-platform releases will feature a fairly standard range of graphics requirements. As a result, many titles that released for the PC and consoles in the past few years are fairly comparable to what users should expect from Duke Nukem Forever, with the most recent games serving as the closest representation of what hardware a game will require.

Among the most relevant titles to compare to Duke Nukem Forever are Borderlands, Mass Effect 2 and Bulletstorm. Each of these games used some form of the Unreal Engine and was released on multiple platforms. While all three titles require a varied amount of RAM, typically between 1 and 1.5 GB, all three recommended at least 2 GB of memory. Both Bulletstorm and Mass Effect 2 require multi-core processors and Borderlands demands a 2.4 Ghz or equivalent CPU. Bulletstorm, the most recent of the three titles, actually recommends a quad-core CPU. In terms of disk space, Borderlands requires 8 GB of memory, Bulletstorm demands 9 and though Mass Effect 2's requirement is not listed, it is definitely larger than both of the others.

Based on Borderlands, Mass Effect 2 and Bulletstorm, users should anticipate needing at least 2 GB or RAM, plenty of free disk space and a powerful, multi-core processor to run Duke Nukem forever without sacrificing play quality.

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For more information on Crucial Performance Memory, you can check out our Ballistix site. Or, watch our Ballistix playlist on YouTube.