The following requirements were published in X-Universe News issue 18 in July 2005 and should match what is printed on the game packaging:
Minimum Requirements
Operating System: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP
CPU Type and speed: Pentium IV (or AMD equivalent) 1.7 GHz
Memory: 512MB RAM
Hard drive space: 2GB of disk space
Graphics card: 128MB 3D DirectX 9 compatible card (not onboard) with Pixel Shader 1.3 support
Optical media: DVD-ROM drive
Recommended Requirements
Operating System: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP
CPU Type and speed: Pentium IV (or AMD equivalent) 2.4 GHz
Memory: 1GB RAM
Hard drive space: 2GB of disk space
Graphics card: 256MB 3D DirectX 9 compatible card (not onboard) with Pixel Shader 2.0 support
Optical media: DVD-ROM drive
Which graphics cards support pixel shader 1.3/2.0?
The following list shows the capabilities of the cards. It is not a list of cards specifically supported for X³. However, if your card is not on the list then there is a good chance that it won't be able to run X³. For example cards such as the GeForce4 MX series (commonly the MX440 and the MX4000) are definitely not capable of running the game.
Code: Select all
Make Model DX VS PS
------- ------------------ --- --- ---
ATI Radeon 8500 8.1 1.1 1.4
Radeon 9000(M) 8.1 1.1 1.4
Radeon 9100(M) 8.1 1.1 1.4
Radeon 92x0(M) 8.1 1.1 1.4
Radeon 95x0 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon 9600(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon 9700(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon 9800(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X300(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X550 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X600(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X700(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X8x0(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
Radeon X1xx0 9.0 3.0 3.0
Radeon HD2x00(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
Radeon HD3xx0(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Radeon HD4xx0(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Radeon HD5xxv(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Radeon HD51xx(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Radeon HD54x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD55x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD56x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD57x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD58x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD59x0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD6xx0(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Radeon HD7xx0 11.0 5.0 5.0
nVidia GeForce4 Ti4x00(M) 8.1 1.1 1.3
GeForceFX 5xx0(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
GeForce 6xx0(M) 9.0 3.0 3.0
GeForce 7xx0(M) 9.0 3.0 3.0
GeForce 8x00(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
GeForce 9x00(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
GeForce Gxx 1xx(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
GeForce 2xx 10.1 4.1 4.1
GeForce G 2x0(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
GeForce GT 2x0(M) 10.0/1 4.0/1 4.0/1
GeForce GTS 2x0 10.0 4.0 4.0
GeForce GTS 2x0M 10.1 4.1 4.1
GeForce GTX 2xx(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
GeForce 3xx(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
GeForce GT 3xx(M) 10.0/1 4.0/1 4.0/1
GeForce GTS 3x0M 10.1 4.1 4.1
GeForce GTx 4xx(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
GeForce GTx 5xx(M) 11.0 5.0 5.0
Matrox Parhelia 8.1 1.1 1.3
XGI Volari V3XT 9.0 2.0 2.0
Volari V5 9.0 2.0 2.0
Volari V8 9.0 2.0 2.0
Volari 8300(M) 9.0 2.0 2.0
S3 DeltaChrome Sx 9.0 2.0 2.0
DeltaChrome F1 9.0 2.0 2.0
GammaChrome Sxx 9.0 2.0 2.0
Chrome S2x 9.0 2.0 2.0
Chrome 2300(M) 9.0 4.1 4.1
Chrome 4300(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Chrome 43x(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Chrome 440(M) 10.1 4.1 4.1
Chrome 530 10.1 4.1 4.1
SiS Xabre II 9.0 2.0 2.0
Mirage 3+ 9.0 2.0 2.0
Intel GMA 900 9.0 2.0* 2.0
GMA 950 9.0 3.0* 2.0
GMA 3xx0 9.0 3.0* 2.0
GMA X3000 9.0 3.0 3.0
GMA X3100(M) 10.0 4.0 4.0
GMA X3500 10.0 4.0 4.0
GMA 4500 10.0 4.0 4.0
GMA X4500 10.0 4.0 4.0
GMA 500 10.1 4.1 4.1
GMA HD 10.1 4.1 4.1
HD 2000 10.1 4.1 4.1
HD 3000 10.1 4.1 4.1
HD P3000 10.1 4.1 4.1
* Partial support
Will my PC be able to play X³?
This is an impossible question to give definitive answers to, for several reasons:
- Every PC is different and there are far too many different hardware/software combinations and hidden variables to be able to say with any certainty how well a particular game will perform on a particular PC.
- Performance is far more subjective than people realise. What you personally consider "good" performance may be mediocre for someone else or vice versa. A statement along the lines of "it will run well" or "it won't run well" is therefore meaningless.
Ultimately, however, the only real test will be the game itself, so if you want to get a truly accurate picture of your system's performance with the game then you will just have to try the game itself or the rolling and/or playable demos that are available on the downloads page.
Note: In the light of the above, please do not post "how well will my PC be able to run X³?" questions in this Technical Support forum. If you want to discuss the merits of different components to buy for X³ then please do so in the Off Topic forum.