How can I check if my computer's powerful enough to run a certain game?

Question

Is there a service that I can use to check if my machine will be able to run a certain game?

Answer 1

For Windows 7 / Vista you can use the Windows Experience Index score.

Or, for a more precise estimate, you can use "Can You Run it?":

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri

This runs as a Java Applet that will actually benchmark your system and compare it to the performance of the game.

Answer 2

Demos, though increasingly rare (and massive) can be a good way to verify compatibility. Just remember that a prerelease demo may be poorly optimized compared to the final game.