Microsoft KB Archive/907884

= The minimum system requirements for Age of Empires III =

Article ID: 907884

Article Last Modified on 11/14/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Age of Empires III
 * Microsoft Age of Empires III : The WarChiefs

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SUMMARY
This article lists the minimum system requirements that a computer must have to run Microsoft Age of Empires III. Additionally, this article lists the supported and unsupported video hardware devices.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.



Method 1: Verify that the computer meets the minimum system requirements
The following are the minimum requirements for a computer to run Age of Empire III:
 * Microsoft Windows XP
 * A computer that has a 1.4 gigahertz (GHz) processor
 * 256 megabytes (MB) of system RAM
 * A hard disk that has at least 2 gigabytes (GB) of available space
 * A 32x speed CD drive
 * A 64 MB video card that supports Hardware Transform and Lighting
 * An audio card and speakers or headphones
 * A Microsoft mouse or a compatible pointing device
 * A 56.6 kilobytes per second (KBps) or faster Internet connection for online play
 * DirectX 9.0c

Note These are the minimum system requirements that a computer must have to run Age of Empire III. You may experience increased performance on computers that exceed these requirements.

Note To install Microsoft Age of Empires III Expansion: The War Chiefs, you must have Age of Empires III installed.

Step 1: Start the DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Windows Vista

To start the DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows Vista, click Start, type dxdiag in the Start Search box, and then click OK.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

Windows XP

To start the DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows XP, click Start, click Run in the Open box, type dxdiag, and then click OK.

Step 2: Collect computer details
 On the System tab, view the processor details and the memory details. Click the Display tab. In the Device area, note the name of the video card and its approximate total memory. Click Exit.



Game Advisor
To determine whether the computer that you are using can run Age of Empires III, visit the following Game Advisor Web site:

http://gameadvisor.futuremark.com

You can use the Game Advisor to download a small piece of software that scans the system that you are using. This software will help you determine whether a computer has the correct hardware for the game that you want to play. If you do not have the hardware that you need, the Windows Game advisor provides links to hardware providers that can help you upgrade the system.

To start scanning the system, click Start.

Supported video hardware
Age of Empires III requires a minimum of 64 megabytes (MB) of memory for video hardware. Additionally, the video hardware must support Hardware Transform and Lighting. Your hardware must pass a system check when you start the game. If your video hardware did not pass the system check, you receive one of the following error messages that indicate that Age of Empires III does not support the video hardware:

Your video hardware is below the recommended minimum requirements for Age of Empires III. If you wish to upgrade your computer, please contact your computer manufacturer for any necessary assistance.

Age of Empires III requires at least a 64 MB video card. This computer appears to have a less than 64 MB video card. If you wish to upgrade your computer, please contact your computer manufacturer for any necessary assistance.

Unsupported video hardware
The following list contains video hardware, chips, and chip sets that are not supported by Age of Empires III. For more information about how to upgrade your video hardware, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/expert/dunn_03august11_vc.mspx

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For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

907881 Known graphics issues in Age of Empires III

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For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

907881 Known graphics issues in Age of Empires III

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For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

907881 Known graphics issues in Age of Empires III

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Supported processor
Age of Empires III requires a minimum of a 1.4 gigahertz (GHz) processor. Additionally, the processor must support Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE). Processors such as the 1.4 GHz Athlon Thunderbird do not support SSE. Your hardware must pass a system check when you start the game. If your hardware does not pass the system check, you will receive the following error message that states that Age of Empires III does not support the processor:

Age of Empires III requires a processor that supports the SSE instruction set. This computer does not appear to support SSE, so the game will not attempt to run.

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