Ok so here's how I turned my laptop from a 0-3fps lagfest to a steady 30 fps :D As I once bought a laptop for office purposes it does not really have a good gpu in it, it does however have a decent cpu. The specs are below.. Microsoft released a beta of windows 7 which comes with a beta of directx 11. To maintain backwards compatability the cpu can execute parts of the API in case your gpu can't. This was not possible on directx9. You can benefit from this backwards compatibility if you have a decent cpu and a lowend gpu by installing windows 7. specs: Processor ● Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7100 ● 1,80 GHz, Level 2 cache 2 MB Video ● Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 Here are a few notes: 1) I would like to note though that the result will probably vary from system to system. 2) Also directx 11 will be released for windows vista eventually too. 3) The third note is that windows 7 is a beta and directx 11 as far as I know too! Use it at your own risk. Don't use it on production systems. so discuss
Zomg now I wish i got a decent cpu in my pos laptop I have the same GFX and emp makes it cry on all low.
That sucks for you :/ I am pretty happy now though as it's with all games and I finally am able to play empires wherever I am for the first time in my life :D
I'd love to try windows 7, just that it'll only be available for 120 days and that there probably still won't be any drivers for my periphials as with vista.
##### OFFTOPIC ##### well I've had no problems installing drivers made for vista on windows 7.. I've only encountered 2 problems that won't work and 1 that is a bit bugged. Daemon tools and alcohol 120% won't work and securew2 won't install the profile for wlan, wired works though and there is a workaround. also the beta is publicly available @ http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx #################
I'm guessing this is Microsoft's revenge for Intel's GMA not being able to handle Vista. It's surprising that it turns out well for Empires too, given that using the CPU for rendering was an idea that was so quickly and forcefully abandoned by games. On the other hand, this is Empires we're talking about. Seeing someone pit an I7 against Crysis should be amusing.
I've read in a couple reviews of the beta that it actually has a good few drivers included, or at least a major improvement over vista.
all of my laptop hardware was supported by windows 7 or it had to be downloaded through windows update. Even my ricoh card reader has drivers which no other OS was able to do for me (including ubuntu 8.04 and fedora 10)
Hmm I have a Core duo 1.6mobile 2mb cache and a x1400 I don't think it would help it much Is it possible to set it to 1 core?
My problem is I can't connect to the web for updates. I'm stuck with an unsupported wireless adapter. Anyway, the beta just finished downloading. I'm going to try and see if it works. /edit Well, the installation went pretty good. I could use my old drivers in 32-bit windows 7. I think I'll stick with this for a while. Only problem it has that it can't access my old primary HD which all my files are on. I guess I'll need to fix some driver issues still.
That fixed it. Anyway, dx11 hasn't really given me a performance boost, but overall it's pretty slick.
The beta was just a stripped vista from what i saw from running it in vmware, or virtual pc.. forgot what i used. All improvements, bug fixes, and optimizations will also trickle down to vista just like how all fixes to vista made everyone think windows 7 is somehow an amazing optimization,... it's just vista with service pack 2 installed lol. Look when vista sp 3 comes out, vista gets a "less resource hungry sidebar"... although i run mine all the time (got 10 gadgets right now open) with no fears of loosing fps or whatever... hmm dx 11 sounds interesting... good thing vista is getting it also...lol. I think i read that m$ will not be releasing a 64 bit version of window 7 right away which is really odd since it's already finished (i.e. vista ultimate 64 bit that i'm using right now with no problems ever for many months lol).
