Is my CPU slowing my games? Would a CPU upgrade help?

[Gimpymoo]

Current Setup:

A64 3000+ @ Stock - 1.8Ghz
2 x 1GB Crucial Value RAM
ATI x1950 PRO 512MB
MSI Neo4 Platinum
Vista Ultimate 64bit

Currently gaming at 1680x1050

Looking at getting a X2 4200+ and another 2GB RAM.

Would this give me a quick and dirty performance boost? If so, would it be a little or a lot?

 

[gurusan]

The CPU certainly could be upgraded...but at that resolution the GPU is doing most of the work...

Why not overclock your single core?

 

[theforce]

I would say overclock your current processor and see how it goes. The "boost" you will get from going to an X2 4200+ would be very small. You could benefit in windows and in applications that use the 2 cores. There is an increasing number of games coming out that support two cores so you might see a nice boost in those games. Adding another 2GB of RAM shouldn't benefit you much in games since there aren't any games that use 2GB of RAM. It should even make things worst because if you are running on 1T now then adding 2 more sticks in there would force it to run on 2T making things a tad slower. If you are desperate on getting a tad faster CPU then go for the 4200+ since it's dirt cheap right now but don't spend your money on that additional 2GB of RAM.

 

[snowdog]

What games do you play?
In some games it would be a massive boost while in others it would hardly help.

 

[Gimpymoo]

Thanks for the replys.

I plan to soon be playing rFactor and Race 07 with a bit of PES.. not sure if any of these support multiple cores.. I very much doubt PES does but the demo runs soo bad.. maybe its just another bad 360 port which is just one of many being dumped on the PC at the moment.

I was unsure if the CPU was holding back the VGA card but maybe it is simply the VGA card being pushed a tad too far. A great value for money card it is, I may look at the ATI 2900's for a gaming boost.