My minecraft install is modded...
Played for about a week to get the hang of it, then modded it.
1.8.7 when I started playing, rolled back to 1.7.10 for a mod, and Minecraft is at version 1.9.X or 1.10 now... (I'm still running my modded world at 1.7.10)
Been a while since I played it... Been re-installing/updating the PC lately, so I have to re-do Java, Forge for Minecraft, etc.
As for graphics, both Early Access games, and Minecraft....
My first computer was a Tandy 1000RL, no hard drive, 1, 3.5inch Double Density Floppy drive (720KB disk, not the 1.44MB disk.),
16 color Tandy Graphics Adapter (TGA), which, for most games "Simulated CGA".
That's
4 colors, count 'em, 1. 2. 3. 4. @ 320x200 resolution on a 14 inch CRT. DOS 3.3, and Deskmate GUI on the ROM... (which by the way, both still work,
even the Keyboard and Mouse. When I had a mouse or keyboard stop working on a new PC,
and either no $ or means of getting to the store to purchase a new one, I would pull out the Tandy's and be able to continue using my newer PC,
until I could get a new one.)
So lower graphics aren't an issue, my only concern with lower graphics is if it runs at a lower frame rate than a game with "better" graphics...
I.e. game is basic 3d (maybe even 'sprites' for the entities) @ 1024x768 resolution running at 30fps, but something like Crysis running at 70FPS @ 1920x1080.
(This assumes that the games are the same level of complexity "behind the scenes".)
Barracuda