I have a computer on which the graphics card is nvidia geforce 8300 which is less than the minimum spec, but otherwise the system appears to be up to spec (AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core 6000+ 3.00GHz).

the game loads and plays but only with jerky and delayed movement - lips also move somewhat later than speech is heard!

I am thinking of up-grading the graphics card to Radeon 4850, but (i)is this actually likely to be a purely graphics card issue and (ii) is installation of the Radeon card likely to give me any other problems?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Those are certainly symptoms of an inadequate graphics card.


The card is certainly part of the problem if not all of it. Whether you have any other issues contributing to the slowdown (too many background programs running, antivirus slowing things down, etc.), I can't be sure.


As long as you can uninstall the old Nvidia drivers and install the Radeon drivers without issue, the card should work. You might consider getting a newer card though, since the Radeon HD4000 series is now 2 or 3 generations old. Also make sure the power supply in your computer is adequate for whatever card you buy.

Many thanks for that swift and helpful response: if I want a more modern but relatively inexpensive graphics card to do the job, what would you suggest?

By way of comparison, I can get the Radeon 4850 for 80 euros (we are in France), equivalent to just over $100.

(No other programs running and Avast antivirus probably not impeding).

What is your power supply and the brand and model of your computer? My experience with this game is that even with all the settings at their lowest, that video card probably won't be able to play it. I had to reduce a couple of settings to play it with my Nvidia GTX 260 with 1 GB of video RAM and 4 GB of system RAM.

Thanks for that warning Draclvr: I was considering the Radeon 4850 because that is listed under recommended requirements for the game (not just minimum) as is the Nvidia GTX 260.

The computer is a Packard Bell (now a few years old) which came bundled with an Nvidia 8500 GT graphics card, and i was quite surprised that the game would even load as Nvidia 8800 is given as the minimum requirement.

Not sure what the power supply is or where to find out...

I'm also wondering whether the processor is struggling to cope and could be part of the problem (ie is dual core enough?).

If you could post the model name and/or number, someone can look up your specs. System RAM might be important too.

It was a supermarket special bundle which does not appear to have a model name/number, and to make life more interesting all the info is in French! The disk is 457 Gb with 3 Gb memory.

Then you'll have to take a close look at your power supply and the details on it. You will probably have to take the side off to look at it.

I think the real power supply question will be whether there is any difference between Nvidia 8500 and Radeon 4850, in which case I may need to add to the power supply (currently outputting variously 3.3 and 5 volts DC with max 115 watts and 12 volts DC with max continuous 250 watts from a 240 volt ac input).

At present , the largest difference , is that the Radeon HD 4850 requires a 6 pin pci-e cable from your power supply . In place of a 6 pin pci-e cable , an adapter can be used (a 2 part 4 pin molex to a 6 pin pci-e adapter such as this one : Here )

An upgrade to your psu would be a recommended action anyhow . As Jenny100 has already stated , the HD 4850 is , now , 3 generations old . That inside of itself is not a bad thing . However , with the HD 4850 , you may only be able to play the game on low settings .

Thanks for that additional input. The later generations of graphics cards might well make my computer feel its age!

With an upgraded power supply and a new generation video card, your computer may take on a whole new life, not show its age. You already have the basics and you might get several more years out of it as far as game playing goes.

Thanks Draclvr, I hope so because this is the computer in our French house for holidays and possible eventual retirement and it has to double up as PC and gaming machine!

At home I have an Xbox 360 to avoid having to upgrade an even older computer still adequate for other home use.

For the amount spent purchasing an xbox 360 , an upgrade to the psu & gpu could be had , possibly with a small amount of money left over . From the knowledge I have , Microsoft may be introducing a new version of the xbox 360 next year . As I further understand it , it may not be backward compatible with current games . Of course , that may change in the coming days . I am only attempting to make a comparison . I have family who have an xbox 360 , which I have enjoyed many an afternoon on !

Just to let you all know that my new video card (Radeon HD 4850 with IGb memory and Vapor-X cooling) arrived today and Geralt is up and running! Thank you all for your help.

BTW CD it came with the necessary power cable, also a crossfire bridge in case I get really adventurous and want to try operating with more than one card at a time...

I am a little puzzled because the recommended power supply is 450 watts, but it seems to be managing fine on my 250 watt supply.

It may operate just fine for awhile, but I would not want to stress my system with a grossly underpowered power supply. If you try to play Witcher 2 like this, watch diligently for overheating. That puny little power supply is not only being called upon to power that video card, but also all the other components on your system. Be very careful if you don't upgrade it. Sometimes they just overheat and die all by themselves, but it's not unheard of for them to blow the entire motherboard.

Agreed , Draclvr ! With that "puny little power supply" , I'm amazed that everything wasn't fried when it was started for the first time !

I agree with Draclvr and Creeping Doom. The biggest risk with using an underpowered power supply is that it can take other things out with it. And you may not have any advance warning.

Looks like a new power supply is next on the list, although confusingly, I read somewhere that this card actually uses an absolute maximum of 110 watts...!

The card is not alone though. There's everything else your computer has to power -- the motherboard, the RAM, the hard drives and CD drive, and everything else, including what you plug into the USB slots. The power supply probably barely powered what came with the computer. The card is in addition to that.

And I would not put it on a list; I would shut the computer off and not use it until the new power supply is installed. That so-called maximum wattage used by the card may not reflect what it needs when stressed by a game like Witcher 2. There is a reason the minimum power supply required for this card is 450 watts.

A highly recommended course of action ! Do not go cheap on a new psu . When dealing with a new psu & video cards , it is especially important to pay attention to the amp amount on the +12 volt rails . The more the better . So as not to stress the new psu too much , a quality 550 watt or even 600 watt psu would work well . It may seem like overkill , given that your video card calls for 450 watts , but it is better to have too much power , than not enough .

I'm also a firm believer in a high quality power supply. I've replaced far too many "el-cheapo" power supplies for people.

Snow permitting I will receive my 550 watt Akasa power unit on Monday or Tuesday, having managed to just about cope with internet shopping in French!

Thanks again to all of you for your helpful comments.

Hope you don't get buried too deep! Akasa is not a brand sold in the US, so I hope it's a good one for you.

I will echo that sentiment . From what I was able to locate in my research , which was not a lot , Akasa is a company based in Taiwan that has previously made heatsinks and cases . I obtained that information from a 6 year old review .