Write down the complete configuration
Make a list: processor, video card, RAM, video memory, system version and drive. The names "Core i5" or "GeForce" without a model do not provide an accurate comparison. Write RAM and VRAM separately. For a laptop, also save the exact device model: a similar GPU name does not guarantee equality with a desktop card. Add your monitor resolution and selected game mode.
Read the conditions next to the numbers
See if the list is related to quality, resolution and target FPS. In WARDOGS the minimum is specified with scaling, and in Bodycam the requirement lines do not give a single target FPS. Therefore, the universal promise of 60 FPS cannot be derived from the word “minimum”. Notes on SSD, dual-channel memory and image technologies apply to comparisons as well as component models.
Compare identical modes
Native rendering, scaling and frame generation are different conditions. Write down which option was used in the test, and do not mix indicators without this mark. For your test, choose a repeatable route and change one parameter at a time. Mark short dips separately from the average frame rate. This will make it clearer what effect a specific change has.
Consider the version and source
Check the card for exactly your version of the game and the date of the requirements. The old release and Remastered may have different system, memory and graphics modes. If two official sources disagree, do not compile a mixed list from them: indicate the source and its conditions. Save the link to the current store listing next to the configuration. After the patch, first update the information, then repeat the same test.
Table for deciding on settings
For each game, fill in five fields: my configuration, target mode, source requirements, actual result, next change. If a demo version is available, it will help you test it on your PC. Do not make a conclusion about the necessary purchase based on one average FPS without measurement conditions. First use the available settings and find out which scene or setting is causing the problem.
Sources and checks
Guides are automatically translated from Russian; interface labels may differ. The Russian edition is the original.