Is LE or SE better for my potato?

[gonelmo1]

specs: Intel core i5 3360m, 4gb of ddr3 single channel, intel HD graphics 4000 (ik its trash).

I'm planning to get some performance mods but which would run better without mods and with mod?? I'm new to all of this.
 

[jfraser]

SE, no question. 

[Nuascura]

FWIW I used to run a MacBook Pro 2013 model with Intel Iris Pro 5200. I may be misremembering but I think that was the model and iGPU setup. Skyrim LE ran perfectly fine for my standards at the time, and I could mod reasonably okay with 1k-2k textures. For reference, ESO was also barely satisfactory. However, when Skyrim SE launched and I tried to load it up, the game would often never get past the Bethesda logo and so lead to a perpetual black screen with the chanting in the background. You could get past with some sort of weird trick, but the game didn't perform well even when compared to ESO (which was more demanding than Skyrim LE at both of their lowest settings). Take that as you will. I'm not sure if Skyrim SE has changed for that generation of Intel iGPUs. But regardless, you can still take advantage of Steam's refund policy and try out SE.

Edited February 18, 2025 by Nuascura

[Demonwise]

Hmm... with that setup while the game itself would be fine, I am more worried about the overhead of the rest of the system. 

 

2 hours ago, gonelmo1 said:

specs: Intel core i5 3360m, 4gb of ddr3 single channel, intel HD graphics 4000 (ik its trash).

I'm planning to get some performance mods but which would run better without mods and with mod?? I'm new to all of this.
 

 

What version of Windows are you running? 10... 11? Windows 10 technically only requires 2GB of ram but Win 11 requires 4GB with a strong recommendation for 8GB ram. The overhead that the rest of your system requires may be so much that the game will have issues even with no mods and settings set to low. I don't know.

[belegost]

3 hours ago, Demonwise said:

Win 11

Win 11 will not run on it.

Source: I have slightly better CPU and MS outright stated that it does not qualify for Win11 upgrade when they were rolling it out.

 

OP:

SE. I have a 13 year old potato myself and I'm modding the shit out of my SE installation. Just make sure you turn down any heaters in the room and open the window during winter. Unless you like sauna.

Edited February 18, 2025 by belegost