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How much will an old (3700+)cpu hold back a new card?

sirrahkin

sirrahkin

sirrahkin

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27 Oct 2004
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Hi folks, currently i have an AMD 3700+/2g ram/xp/7800GT/20" ws running @ 1680x1050. With WAR coming out soon, I was debating whether to upgrade my graphics card but wondered at what point my cpu would render newer cards pointless? So would i be better off getting a slight upgrade, 8800 for eg or simply go for one of the GTX's?
I have no idea how much the cpu affects the graphics preformance, if at all, but figured it would be a waste of cash spending on the latest card when a slightly older one would perform just as good.
Many thanks for any advice posted.
 
Well in relation to the gtx2xx or 4xxx series cards i would say that cpu will hold them back massively. Hell i have a q9450 and that is going to hold back my 4870X2 so yours definately will i am afraid.
 
Q9450 wont hold it back!!, especially when clocked ;)

3700+, ahh I remember that CPU nearly 2yr ago now, it even held back my GTS640 :p
 
I just upgraded from an ATI1900XT to a 8800gt and 3dmark doubled but in the real world it's made next to no difference apart from things looking better and thats with an AMD x2 4800.
 
It'll hold it back but that doesn't mean you won't notice a huge increase in performance over your 7800GTX. Don't let the fact that it won't be optimum hold *you* back from a nice cheap upgrade :) You can always make do with a 75% performance GPU for a bit and upgrade your cpu at a later date.

Make sure you clock your CPU though. You should be able to hit 2.7-2.9 ghz on it.
 
Sel said:
I just upgraded from an ATI1900XT to a 8800gt and 3dmark doubled but in the real world it's made next to no difference apart from things looking better and thats with an AMD x2 4800.
Click to expand...

In real world then something is wrong as the 8800GT is a lot faster!
 
willhub said:
In real world then something is wrong as the 8800GT is a lot faster!
Click to expand...

I did a few test and found the following :-

AMD X2 4800 Nvidia Drivers 175.


3Dmark06 4900 to 8790
GTR2 88 to 82
Crysis 59 to 65
COD4 105 to 115
Rfactor 74 to 134

Battlefield2 two is crap now as it has black shadows all over the place.

I only run at a res of 1280x1024, so maybe at a higher resolution the result might favour the 8800 more.
 
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8800GT I got 13200 with a C2D at 3.4.

Seems odd an X1900XT was getting 59fps in Crysis, was this all high?

1280x1024 all high I got 47fps with an 8800GT where an X1900XT would be crawling along.

CPU might be holding you back.
 
They should be ****** big time those cards gone down like 100-200 quid. 4870X2's will be down soon I rekon.
 
willhub said:
8800GT I got 13200 with a C2D at 3.4.

Seems odd an X1900XT was getting 59fps in Crysis, was this all high?

1280x1024 all high I got 47fps with an 8800GT where an X1900XT would be crawling along.

CPU might be holding you back.
Click to expand...

With Crysis it's mostly medium settings and I only used Fraps to get the speed at a non hectic part of the game. Mostly I got 24 -32 and now get about 26 -36.

I'm sure it's the CPU holding it back and didn't expect anything else as it wasn't much different when I upgraded to the 1900xt from an 800XT, again only rFactor and BF2 showed any masssive performance gain.
 
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Aekeron said:
Sounds like dodgy drivers too - black shadows all over the shop in BF2?

Those scores are very low even for an X2.
Click to expand...

I have checked the net and it does seem a problem related to some of the 8800gt cards with lot's of different possible fixes, the only one of which works for me is if I set texture level to low. That makes the game look awfull so isn't much of a fix.

I can play BF2142 with no problems, I'm also only running the at CPU a fraction over the stock speed just using the predefined Motherboard overclock.

Sorry yes 1900xt to 8800GT
3Dmark06 4900 to 8790
GTR2 88 to 82
Crysis 59 to 65
COD4 105 to 115
Rfactor 74 to 134
 
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Learn how to overclock manually and get that CPU ramped up :D. Your only option to get more out of that 8800GT is to buy a new CPU, buy a new screen (bigger resolution) or overclock. Only one of them are free ;).
 
sirrahkin said:
Hi folks, currently i have an AMD 3700+/2g ram/xp/7800GT/20" ws running @ 1680x1050. With WAR coming out soon, I was debating whether to upgrade my graphics card but wondered at what point my cpu would render newer cards pointless?
Click to expand...

War was one of the reasons I decided to move from a 3200+ and 6600GT. I dont think a single core will cut it for War from what I've heard.

AMD 939 X2's go for silly money 2nd hand (I lucked out and got mine free), so I'd suggest going the whole hog and getting a new Intel chip, board and ddr2.
 
J.D said:
Learn how to overclock manually and get that CPU ramped up :D. Your only option to get more out of that 8800GT is to buy a new CPU, buy a new screen (bigger resolution) or overclock. Only one of them are free ;).
Click to expand...

I've tried but all that happens is that I corrupt windows, not only that I carn't even find half the stuff people are talking about. I carn't even find the multiplier on this mother board.

I do intend to get a new PC in the New year, I did have to replace the 1900xt as it was dying a slow and lingering death and didn't want another ATI card.
 
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