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Getting the most out of i5 set-up (slightly dissapointed)...... help please

Rafkoo

Rafkoo

Rafkoo

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Joined
17 May 2011
Posts
91
Gents

I’ve got a core i5 that I recently specc’d on here (full details below).

Windows 7 including all updates and SP1
Gigabyte mobo drivers installed
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor
Gigabyte Z68MA-D2H Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard
Coolermaster Elite 330 Case With Coolermaster eXtreme Power 500W PSU
Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 32MB Cache
HITACHI COOLSPIN HDS5C3020ALA632 2TB Internal 3.5 SATA Hard Drive -
Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit
Sony Optiarc AD-5260S 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black)
VGA cable rather than HDMI (BSOD on boot when tried to run via HDMI..:confused:)



I’ve been using it for a few months and all is good – quite happy with performance, although I’ve never really pushed it (don’t do much gaming at all).

I recently downloaded a game in beta development (Kerbal – can be found here: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/ - absolutely awesome and I thoroughly recommend it!! :D )

So I tried to run it at 1920x1080, thinking that my i5 won’t even break a sweat….. and despite the game (seemingly) not being very graphically intensive….. it was a bit choppy, slow frame rates etc…. and I have to turn the resolution down to 1280x720 in order to for it all to run smoothly…. And even then, when I start building bigger and bigger rockets (in the game) – it begins to slow down again....:(

So….. I’m wondering what I should be doing to get the most of my i5 and the integrated graphics capabilities that I have? Should I be running something in the background? I haven’t overclocked it or done any tweaking since I put it all together and installed Windows/drivers etc.. but I’m guessing that overclocking won’t help THAT much in terms of the graphics….??

When I specc’ed the below, I certainly didn’t think I’d have any difficulties in running most games…. Let alone something relatively simple which I’ve downloaded from the net. :rolleyes:

Any advise/guides appreciated to help with boosting the graphics capabilities and making the most of the core i5 please? :)

Many thanks
Raf
 
Martini1991 said:
You expected too much out of the IGP. Add a GPU, that's actually meant for games.
Click to expand...

Really....? I'm not expecting that much..... and surely what's the point of the IGP if you can't play games using it..... lat alone a simple beta game....:( ....

I still think there's probably somethign I haven't dones with my set-up for it to even a) use the IGP at all, b) get the most out of it....

Advise and pointers as to how I should be running it (or tweak) most welcome. :)
 
Well it all points to the fact that the igp on the SB chip is not capable of delivering the fps in this game.

However I thought for such a game the Intel IGP's had improved.

Maybe not, but if you where to add a proper graphics card in there your be fine.

If you dont play AAA pc titles and just want to play casual flash games something dirt cheap like a 5570

(Has 400 processing cores, compared to only 160 on the 6450)
 
Well you could overclock the graphics and you'd get a slightly better performance, but the IGP is only really used so you have something to look at. It will 1080p videos however, so it makes it good for use as a HTPC.
 
HD playback is perfect, no issues 720 or 1080p

What's the best way to OC the graphics? Is there a simple guide someone could point me to please?
 
Rafkoo said:
What's the best way to OC the graphics? Is there a simple guide someone could point me to please?
Click to expand...

It wont do anything to suddenly turn games into smooth, high details, visual art pieces, a discrete graphics card is the only way.
 
Rafkoo said:
Really....? I'm not expecting that much..... and surely what's the point of the IGP if you can't play games using it..... lat alone a simple beta game....:( ....

I still think there's probably somethign I haven't dones with my set-up for it to even a) use the IGP at all, b) get the most out of it....

Advise and pointers as to how I should be running it (or tweak) most welcome. :)
Click to expand...

The main point of most integrated graphics is just so you can actually see something on the monitor without buying a separate graphics card.

And as a follow on from that you are using the integrated graphics otherwise you'd be sitting staring at a blank screen.

You have unrealistic expectations of the integrated graphics.

People don't spend hundreds of pounds on graphics cards for gaming for no reason.
 
What other said but on top of that the game your playing is in development and in alpha (according the the link), could be coded poorly have a poor engine or bad support for differing components or all three and more.
 
There are a number of reasons why you could be having a less than perfect experience. Some games are more graphic card dependant than others, and by the sounds of it the game is. IGP is not a ideal solution if you are going to game. That being said Martini has it right Llano is certainly a surprise package with it comes to onboard graphics. However nothing currently can compare with a dedicated graphic card. If you want to game you will need one.
 
Righto thanks gents - apprecaite the feedback and advice - I wasn't aware that the IGP in these SB processors wasn't really up to the job of gaming. My bad.

Understood that OCing the graphics won't suddenly make my experience "wonderful" - but is there a simple guide as to how to go about doing it...? Also a general i5 on a z68 board OC guide would be handy.... ;)

Thanks a lot everyone, very good of you to take the time. :)
 
Martini1991 said:
You'd only get a few FPS in OC'ing the IGP. Best off buying an actual GPU lol.
Click to expand...

Understood.... am very aware of the limited increase in performance I will achieve by OCing IGP or CPU.... I would however like to try it, as for the incredibly limited amount of gaming I will be doing on this machine, I'm not prepared to (at this stage in the very least) invest in a graphics card.

Thanks for the input though. ;)

Anyone answer my initial query....(without telling me to get a dedicated GPU).... “how I can get the most out of my i5 set-up…?” :cool:
 
Not to worry mate it is very easy to over-clock your GPU.

Install the Intel Management software and then install ET6. http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/utility.aspx Both can be found on the link I posted. In ET6 there is the option to increase your GPU core speed. It would be a good idea to slightly increase gpu voltages too. You can work out how much you need. Basically your screen will artefact when you have gone to high with the over-clock.

One other thing you could do is increase the total amount of ram that is available for the GPU to use. That you can set in the bios or use the TouchBIOS.

Give me a day or so and I will put together a graphic over-clock guide and post it here on the forum.
 
Rafkoo said:
Understood.... am very aware of the limited increase in performance I will achieve by OCing IGP or CPU.... I would however like to try it, as for the incredibly limited amount of gaming I will be doing on this machine, I'm not prepared to (at this stage in the very least) invest in a graphics card.

Thanks for the input though. ;)

Anyone answer my initial query....(without telling me to get a dedicated GPU).... “how I can get the most out of my i5 set-up…?” :cool:
Click to expand...

Run CPU extensive tasks?... I don't know what you're asking, the actual question is...... I don't think there's a word.

Overclock the CPU if you want more out of the CPU.
 
HiVizMan said:
Not to worry mate it is very easy to over-clock your GPU.

Install the Intel Management software and then install ET6. http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/utility.aspx Both can be found on the link I posted. In ET6 there is the option to increase your GPU core speed. It would be a good idea to slightly increase gpu voltages too. You can work out how much you need. Basically your screen will artefact when you have gone to high with the over-clock.

One other thing you could do is increase the total amount of ram that is available for the GPU to use. That you can set in the bios or use the TouchBIOS.

Give me a day or so and I will put together a graphic over-clock guide and post it here on the forum.
Click to expand...


Nice one - thank you very much for the kind offer! :)

I have ET6 installed - but I'm not sure it actually works correctly... have tried to use it to OC but windows is still showing 3.3Ghz after restart (haven't looked at it via CPU-Z yet though).

Thanks again!
 
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