With a tablet form factor and laptop internals, Microsoft's Surface Pro is capable of running more than just lightweight apps, it can play full PC games. While hardly a graphical powerhouse, its Intel HD 4000 processor is more than enough to run a generous array of games. But can it run this week's marquee release, Sim City? Read on to find out.

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Getting Around the Origin Problem

Finding the Right Settings

Resolution: 1280x720 60Hz

Lighting: Low

Textures: Low

Shadows: Low

Geometry: Low

Animation Detail: Low

Tilt-Shift: Less

Anti-aliasing: Off

V-Sync: Off

Using the Touchscreen and Accessories

Despite running a full build of Windows 8, the current public release of EA's Origin software does not support the Surface Pro. Users have flocked to the company's forums with complaints of receiving an error message whenever trying to run Origin games on their Surface Pro. Fortunately, developers are already on the case but in the meantime, they're asking Surface Pro users to install a beta build of a forthcoming update to get players online sooner rather than later. If you're a Surface Pro owner, you can read more about the issue and download the updated client here . With the Origin beta installed, all you'll otherwise need to get started is roughly 10GB of available storage — which can be in short supply depending on which Surface Pro model you own.As we mentioned, the Surface Pro is not intended to be a gaming machine, so you'll have to level your expectations accordingly. In order to maintain a solid 30 frames-per-second, Sim City's graphics settings need to be as follows:While certain settings can be raised, we've found that those listed above is the 'sweet spot' for keeping performance stable, especially as cities expand and action events, like natural disasters, kick in. We also recommending using the game's built-in framerate capping tool. While the settings above can offer higher framerates, performance can vary rapidly during a game.One unique benefit of playing Sim City on the Surface Pro is its touchscreen display. Although the game may not have been designed with touch interfaces in mind, it supports tap, swipe, and pinch gestures when using the Surface Pro. Users can tap buildings to pull up contextual menus, swipe and drag to alter their perspective, and use inward and outward pinching gestures to zoom in and out.Even with its touch capabilities, the only really effective way to play Sim City on the Surface Pro is with a keyboard and mouse. Microsoft's optional $129.99 type cover accessory works particularly well, and its built-in trackpad can even be used in place of a mouse. A USB or Bluetooth mouse can also be used, assuming you have a flat surface to work on.

Scott Lowe is IGN's resident tech expert and Executive Editor of IGN Tech. You can follow him on Twitter at @ScottLowe and on MyIGN at Scott-IGN