Valve Steam system statistics

[kinney]

Interesting article. Thanks for the link.

They dont state anything that most of us could draw up after viewing the results along with using our knowledge of the gfx industry.

I'm surprised the average processor being used is as high as it is (1.7-2.0ghz).

I use a 1.46ghz (1700+).

2.3-2.7ghz is also really popular (17%)..

Half Life is definitely not from the 2.3+ Ghz (or 1.7-2.0) era and interesting that people are upgrading their CPU, but finding their Geforce 4ti/MX to be sufficient.
I do find those cards to be pretty high on bang for buck, hence their popularity.
Many are upgrading to a R300+ though as well according to the statistics.

I think we are getting good statistics here on the "average computer" or gamer and Valves study would be invaluable research material for any developer for minimum or target sys requirements.

Essentially, modes that allow a 1+ghz computer with a GF4MX to play, and R300 with a 2ghz to flex a bit.

My opinion on the 9700 Pro has been stated in another thread.. but I see that card as the 'defacto' performance for some time to come.
Meaning, either that or faster.
It will set the mark for some time, just as the TNT did, GF2 did and the GF4 did for periods of time.

That will be up to question depending how big the performance increase the next gen has and how well it sells.
The 9700 Pro (and 9800 Pro) could very well be beaten if the number of NV40 (or next ATI) blows them out of the water.

Thank you btw for not posting your CS sentiments.. we already know them anyway.
And frankly these bitter banters seem rather out of place and irrelevant, the game is popular because people like it.
LOL, no one forces people to play games.. and the dont do so unless they enjoy it. End of argument.
I very much enjoy firing up a game of Tetris, replay through the Quest for Glory series, Kings Quest series or Space Quest series, or and old D&D game.. not because I'm forced to go there.. but because I enjoy the humor, gameplay and fun factor...
I dont know how many people with a 486 spend even 5 hours a week playing Wolfenstein 3D or Doom simply because that is all they can play... they upgrade if they like a newer game.
Its the beauty of the PC, backwards compatibility.
I mean sheesh... people shouldnt care so much if people are enjoying themselves or drawing false conclusions from that fact.

----
Reject religon, embrace Jesus
Support the terrorists, vote democrat
NV/AMD/IBM axis of evil team leader
RESIDENT FORUM WARRIOR

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Thank you btw for not posting your CS sentiments..

Yes well it's really not relveant to the thread really, and thus no place for it.

we already know them anyway.

Hey, now you're taking advantage of my good disposition. :tongue:

I'm surprised the average processor being used is as high as it is (1.7-2.0ghz).

I'm not really. I'd love to see how the questionaire asked the question or if it polled CPU info from the system. I wouldn't be surprised is so many people either mistook an XP1700+ in your case or XP2000+ in my case to mean 1.7GHZ or 2.0GHZ and not the truer 1.46 and 1.675. PErhaps it was pride, well they say 1.7 and 2.0, but mine just as good as a 1.7 or 2.0 (especially Celeron). Who knows, I don't find these very scientific especially since they are asking CS us... oops, said I wouldn't go there.

The thing is the graphics card disparity does make some sense. For me I didn't really game much until Morrowind hit and then the Graphics and Game play made me go 'HOT DAMN!'. However most people need to upgrade their CPU to do things like home video editing, MP3 riping/editing/burning, and other cpu intensive things. If their graphics card pulls it off (especially something not to labour intensive) hen that's fine, why upgrade, when I only play a couple of games, etc. I would have been among those if I didn't find a game I liked as much as others like their 'pet' games. I do approach my view differently, but we won't cover that agan either.

I wouldn't worry about the NextGen forcing a Redefining of the 'base', but it may redefine the high-rollers. Heck whichever one can double the performance of the R9800 in labour intensive gaming (without any holes or drawbacks elsewhere of course) will get a very positive nod from me. Even now Morrwind can push even the best cards if you have a lot of action going on with everything turned up at very high res. I feel my card chugging from time to time, and I'm still not hitting 16x12 due to the small font size. So I think even Morrowind and other games will benifit from the NEXT GEN in that sense. The main thing is to enjoy the games, and like I said if the next gen don't work with Morrowind, well then I will simply have a morrowind only PC. It's not like it would be hard to do even that (I could even run it with the R9000 from my editing system, let alone something better).


I did find the Survey kinda funny in it's crossover answers and somewhat vague descriptions.

So for my system/setup/lifestyle-choice or whatever:
Do I put 256 to 512mb or 512mb to 1gb? Ah I'll just do both.
Do I put 1.5 to 1.7ghz because that's the stock speed, or 1.7to 2.0ghz because I usually run the bus with a very slight OC (135-7), or do I put 2.0 to 2.3 because my system when overclocked is a 2100+ (or 2200+ or above when really OC'd) and is the 'equivalent' of a 2.1+ ghz P4?
Now my network speed is 1500 down, but only 400 up, what do I put? Do I average the two?
And I have dual boot, so what's my OS?
Now processor count, is that the number I own, the number in this rig, the number in my most populous rig?
Language? For Communicating, or for gaming? I find Friisian or Gaelic works best for gaming, makes people thinnk I'm drunk, which isn't far from the truth half the time I'm gaming.
OtherSettings, well I didn't know NTFS was a setting so much as a format, but I guess it would be smart to use that with XP, but I still prefer NTSC for better picture quality.

Man, I'm so confused. This surveys really befuddle me more than enlighten me. I think it's time to break out the Old Coleco and watching the soothing blinking LEDs as I play a game of hockey! Go Red Dot Go!




- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

 

[kinney]

Hehe.
It pulls it from your system. It pulls everything but the internet bandwidth question. I assume the same way msinfo does.
I took a look at what it took from my system and mine was listed as a "1.46ghz" system, not 1700+.

Do I think the 1700+ should be in with the 1.7ghz P4 results?
Very much so. But they are not.
Thats very much up for debate as some of the Athlon offerings are equal or better than the equivilent.. and some are lower (XP 3000+).
With cache and crappy software dependant tweaks like HT/SSE2,3.. along with everything else thrown into the issue it gets fuzzy when it comes to performance.

But I suppose MHZ a fairly roundabout judge of performance... even tho the margin is getting farther and farther (A64 2.2ghz vs. a 3.0+ ghz Prescott).
With AMDs processors supporting AMD64 and Intels not so far, yet another performance boost that will be widely accepted by all OS's and apps (already has really), we'll be seeing that cant be quantified in MHZ terms..

I find Friisian or Gaelic works best for gaming, makes people thinnk I'm drunk, which isn't far from the truth half the time I'm gaming.

GAELIC IS #1!!!!!! RAAHHH!!!!

----
Reject religon, embrace Jesus
Support the terrorists, vote democrat
NV/AMD/IBM axis of evil team leader
RESIDENT FORUM WARRIOR