Quite an annoying little problem.

[Menech]

Hi everyone,

Basically I have a couple of questions to ask you guys, Well first let me explain my problem. Am currently using an old Dell XPS 700 I bought 3 years back for 500 quid. I have never regretted buying the system it's amazing I love almost everything about it.

Well I was playing all my games happily at 1920x1200 with a E6700 and 4890, until about a month back I ran the FF14 benchmark scoring a terrible 2600 on low. Basically that means the game was playable on low resolution but I only just in that bracket. However I recently bought a Q6600 and stuck that in my motherboard. This however is where the issues start.

First of all my motherboard according to Dell doesn't support Quad cores. my case is also BTX so swapping it out for a new mobo is out of the question. I have however got a Q6600 running in my board without issue. I can use Processors with 1066 fsb without problem, I can't however use Quads with 1333 fsb. Using N-tune I am able to push my FSB slightly.

I can run my computer stable at 2.62ghz I am using 4 gig of DDR667 ram. I have already tried overclocking with DDR800 (best my mobo can support) And sadly I still can't take my FSB much past 290. My friend recently decided to go crossfire and really wanted duel 4890's I sold him my 4890 at full price, I was happy with the card but at that price the deal was to good to pass up. So I added a little money to my fund and bought an 5850. (from overclockers of course)

And it should arrive tomorrow, Basically my question is now that I have this graphics card which could be slightly already CPU limited. Luckily I game at a high res. Is there anything else I can really do to improve performance? Would investing in some better memory then my Kingston 667 4gig be of any use or is there anything else I can do?

If am I get about 3000 on high I will be happy I already think that's possible but if there's anything else you would recommend me doing to improve performance until my next PC it would be great to have your opinion.

PS: with my quad core on low I was able to score 3700, am hoping my high score should be similar to that as the card should be able to run easy at that higher resolution.

 

[scotty365]

Hmmm...

If I was in your situation I would get an ATX case and ATX mother board that supports all your other hardware (eg PCI-e, LGA 775 etc..). Also ensure you have a suitable PSU and as your graphics card and CPU will need feeding (they are plenty good enough for gaming I would keep them). I would then look at getting better memory if I wanted to get the best out of my system and overclock it.

This is just an opinion on how I'd like to do it - the Dell mother board and PSU would bother me!

Scotty

Oh, and get a good CPU cooler!

 

[Menech]

Thanks I really do intend to change to a new computer keeping only my GPU from this rig around January. It's a little annoying honestly I really do love my XPS700 it's the best PC I have ever had I had built quite a few before hand. The CPU cooler in my system is already pretty decent it's the XPS700 cooler not a stock cpu cooler.

But to be honest it doesn't make a difference I can't push this processor any further. I guess I will just have to make do until January. Btw if you guys fancy testing your PC to see what it can do I would recommend you run the FF14 benchmark yourself.

Am most likely going to get shot down for saying this but FF14 is sort of like the new crysis when it comes to PC hardware.

http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/media/benchmark/na/

 

[xRowan]

Thanks I really do intend to change to a new computer keeping only my GPU from this rig around January. It's a little annoying honestly I really do love my XPS700 it's the best PC I have ever had I had built quite a few before hand. The CPU cooler in my system is already pretty decent it's the XPS700 cooler not a stock cpu cooler.

But to be honest it doesn't make a difference I can't push this processor any further. I guess I will just have to make do until January. Btw if you guys fancy testing your PC to see what it can do I would recommend you run the FF14 benchmark yourself.

Am most likely going to get shot down for saying this but FF14 is sort of like the new crysis when it comes to PC hardware.

http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/media/benchmark/na/

Around January you say. Well if you are from the UK VAT increases on the 1st of January. Just thought I would let you know

 

[Menech]

He, thanks for the info Rowan but I honestly don't think a 2.5 percent tax hike will mean me paying more then, not with hardware prices dropping all the time and the January sales.

 

[Tealc]

I have a HD4890 matched up with a Core i7 920 at 3.6Ghz and I get a score of about 2700 on high and 4420 on low.

My CPU utilisation was low (10-30% -averaged 16% in Resource Monitor) throughout so it's GPU limited for me. I also noticed that CPU activity was spread quite well across 4 cores, so it looks like this game benchmark benefits from quad core, although on dual core you may just see CPU usage increased on those cores.

 

[Menech]

I have a HD4890 matched up with a Core i7 920 at 3.6Ghz and I get a score of about 2700 on high and 4420 on low.

My CPU utilisation was low (10-30% -averaged 16% in Resource Monitor) throughout so it's GPU limited for me. I also noticed that CPU activity was spread quite well across 4 cores, so it looks like this game benchmark benefits from quad core, although on dual core you may just see CPU usage increased on those cores.

Nope your correct the first time the game really does work well with Quad cores. A Q6600 at 2.6ghz gave an 800-900 point increase over an E6700 at 2.6gz.

Am just waiting for my 5850 to arrive today then I will post my cores on low and high. Although I imagine am going to be CPU limited instead.

 

[Menech]

My card came and am scoring 3600 on low and high which means am CPU limited but I already excepted that to be the case.

Either way at least I know I can happily play FF14 on 1920x1200 now.

 

[mrtckane]

the q6600 is a fabulous, almost sexy processor which will reach 3.4ghz on air with ease if placed on a good board, like the gigabyte ds3r for example (my old set up).

i ran this with 8gbs of kingston hyperX, it was 800mhz but clocked to 1066 without much trouble.

if i were you i'd go with the suggestion of a new case and mobo and maybe some newer ram, though i reckon you'd get away with your current ram for the time being.

just my two pence there.


edit: i do think it's your ram stopping you from inceasing your fsb.

 

[Menech]

the q6600 is a fabulous, almost sexy processor which will reach 3.4ghz on air with ease if placed on a good board, like the gigabyte ds3r for example (my old set up).

i ran this with 8gbs of kingston hyperX, it was 800mhz but clocked to 1066 without much trouble.

if i were you i'd go with the suggestion of a new case and mobo and maybe some newer ram, though i reckon you'd get away with your current ram for the time being.

just my two pence there.


edit: i do think it's your ram stopping you from inceasing your fsb.

Sadly I tried using DDR800 ram with my processor and came back with the same results. Good eye though I thought that myself.

I think the general problem is there ain't enough power going to my CPU like I said my XPS shouldn't support Quad cores Dell told me repetitively luckily I decided to _!_ to there advice and give it a go.

But when I start to push the FSB my CPU starts to need more power. If I take my FSB above 290 which gives me 2610ghz my system resets it's self if I do anything do graphic intensive.

And your advice about changing my mobo I figured honestly I would just wait to around January and get something similar to this.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-038-OB&groupid=43&catid=339&subcat=

PS: I have to use Ntune to overclock, my motherboards "overclocking features" that's what Dell calls it has a single option, Overclock On or Off.