8800 GTS/GTX and single core Athlon people

[wunkley]

Got my 8800GTS today. I'll be brief as I'm about to have my tea after messing round with it all day, and I'm slightly drunk!

First up - I'm running a single core Athlon 939 3500+ overclocked to 2.4 so roughly equivalent to 3700+, 2 gigs ram etc, and perhaps importantly an Antec 480 watt Truepower psu (that 'only' has 22 amps on the 12v rail, recommended is 26 I know). I've swapped out the 7800 GTX 512mb I was running (and paid £500 for last year )

So...

- bit dissappointed with regards to benchmarks.

3dmk 06 with 7800gtx 512 - used to get 4700
3dmk 06 with 8800GTS - getting 5922

This is no where near what I was expecting. How much influence does a dual core cpu have on this benchmark???

Games are a different story though (or at least some are). Oblivion is the best example - the performance is amazing with the 8800GTS. Am running at 1680x1050 and can use 4xAA and 16AF and have much better framerates than with the 7800gtx. Will go into more details later...

Basically I'm trying to find out if my CPU is holding this card back or not gaming at 1680x1050. As it's clocked at 2.4 and hardly any games utilise dual core, is it worth considering a CPU upgrade yet, I thought not....

Also, is there any way my power supply is not supplying enough 'juice' and that's affecting the benchmarks? There are no signs of it struggling, crashing or anything and I've even overclocked it to GTX speeds and it seems to be ok!

Any advice much appreciated

 

[wunkley]

With a dual core CPU id imagine you'd get at least a 1000 more points in 06.

What you get in 05?

In 05 I'm getting around 11,100. That sound about right? With my 7800 GTX 512 I got 9,400. Again not a big leap at all! I need to see some benchmarks/ reviews from people using single core athlons, but there aren't any which is a bit rubbish. You think theyd throw one in wouldn't you? Please someone reassure me it's not my power supply!

My 3500+ is 512 cache yes. Does 1Mb make that much difference, I thought not?

I would consider getting a 4000+ single core, or even an X2 4400+ or above, and then trying to overclock it more, but I fear my motherboard (Asrock 939 dual sata2) might hold me back. On my current set up I had a nightmare getting a decent overclock (only managed 200Mhz). Could this be cos my 3500+ is a newcastle core?

Arrrg. Don't want to throw any more cash away yet if I can help it, and some games are a definite leap over my 7800GTX 512 (Oblivion deffo, fear is also vastly better in the main but still dips low). The whole core 2 duo route is tempting me but it means new MB, new ram, new processor (obviously) which is a pain in the arsewallet...

 

[wunkley]

So are my 3D mark scores with my new 8800 GTS about right for my system do we think? -single core Athlon 64 512k clocked at 2.4ghz:

3Dmk06: 5,922
3Dmk05: 11,100

I know 3dmark isn't the be all and end all by any means, but it is a good constant to see how you're doing, and I get the feeling my scores are too low? They're just not much of a leap from my 7800GTX 512 at all...

 

[wunkley]

3dmark2006 is definitely affected by CPU. I'm running a 2.5ghz Venice with an overclocked 7900GTO and only get around 5250. There's plenty of people with dual core systems getting over 6k even with lower clocked cards.

I'd recommend doing some testing in games - the likes of Oblivion and FEAR should benefit hugely from your upgrade.

I mentioned earlier, FEAR and Oblivion especially both have a significant boost for me now. (I game at 1680x1050 by the way - 20" widescreen monitor's default).

The fact you can run Oblivion with HDR + AA now, and 16xAF at 1680x1050 and have 30 fps+ (and often double that even outside) at all times is almost worth it alone.
It's just the 3dmark thing bugging me. Last time I upgraded I saw my score virtaully double in 3dmk05 (went from a 6800GT to a 7800 GTX 512). I was kind of hoping for the same, though I knew it wouldn't be near double with my CPU in 3dmk06.

 

[wunkley]

What about oblivion then? .

Good point.

Am toying with the idea of getting a single core 4000+ and trying to clock it to 2.8. Anyone here have any experience of the Asrock 939 dual sata2 board and clocking the 4000+ (have looked in the cpu board...)

 

[wunkley]

Hi

Buy the 4000+ you wont regret it.

You could sell your cpu for 35, meaning it would only cost you 35 for the upgrade.

It would get ya few more fps in games 10ish maybe more like 15-20 if your lucky, if you could get it near 3ghz, which would be easy.

Ive got the dual sata2, get the latest bios, otherwise fsb is limited to 274, meaning you will only be able to get your 4000+ to 2.74ghz. Get the latest bios the restrictor is disable and youd be able to get 3ghz if you get a nice chip.

Will be faster in games and might see you more points in 3dmark but forget bout 3dmark it means nothing, its real world performance what matters.

That's great, thanks for the advice. Have just ordered one (£75 with delivery from 'someone else'), and you're right I can sell my current one for about £30 so it's worth having a go for the sake of 40ish quid. I'll think about upgrading the motherboard, ram and cpu to a conroe system probably next year, when I actually need to...