Where is the bottleneck? GFX, CPU or RAM?

dubcat

dubcat

dubcat

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Hi there - i've performed some minor upgrades to my pc and I can happily report that I am now able to play warhammer to an acceptable level. This should allow me to hold of from a MAJOR upgrade until Nehalem is affordable.

I currently have
- an MSI K8N SLI socket 939 mobo with
- an AMD 64 X2 4200+ cpu
- 2MB of DDR 400Mhz CL2 (although the motherboard is running it at CL2.5) RAM
- ATI xt850 GFX (256mb) card

I was wondering where the biggest bottleneck in this system is?

Reason I ask is that if it's the graphics card I might swap it out for a 4870 if it means I can run at a better resolution/settings in Warhammer as I could reuse this card in my next upgrade. I'd also have to swap out the PSU of course. Or is it the case that the rest of the system is so old that changing the gfx card would not make THAT much of a difference? Would I be better off just getting an 8800GT for this system and then selling it when I do my big upgrade?

Dub
 
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Would an upgrade of the card make a huge difference though or would the other parts of the system become a bottleneck very quickly instead?
 
The issue is the 2MB of ram you have installed :p

Seriously, the graphics card is your bottleneck. A 8800GT 512MB would be a huge boost from your current setup, for a small price.

However it you want a graphics card that'll last you until you upgrade the rest of your rig then get a 4850/4870. This would then mean your bottleneck is your CPU, however it'll still be a massive upgrade :)

What PSU have you got?

**Edit - If you can, a small overclock on the CPU (200MHz+) would make a big difference.
 
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Hmm ok thanks mate - ill have to have a think about which way i want to go wtih this - i'll overclock the CPU for sure though. I ran task manager while playing warhammer and one of the cpu's is almost maxing out and the other is high too - so i guess a small overlcock would help.

I have an enermax noisetaker - but no idea how much power it can handle. Will take a look when i get home but im guessing it'll need replacing.
 
The whole system is one big bottleneck :p.
But for warcraphamer you wont need anything more than slapping 1950XT in what u got. 2nd hand 8800GT will do as well, they are about 40-50quid now.
 
I have an X2 4400+ at stock, with 2GB of RAM as well..

I wen't from an X1900xtx to an 8800GTS 512mb (G92) and I noticed a nice performance jump :)

If you have the cash, get a card like mine, or an 8800GT, as they are good cards as well, and cheap nowadays.

Then maybe change the cpu if you find on of the cheap...but it's doubtfull nowadays to get a cheap 939 cpu, as they are a tad sparse :p
 
Delvis said:
I have an X2 4400+ at stock, with 2GB of RAM as well..

I wen't from an X1900xtx to an 8800GTS 512mb (G92) and I noticed a nice performance jump :)

If you have the cash, get a card like mine, or an 8800GT, as they are good cards as well, and cheap nowadays.

Then maybe change the cpu if you find on of the cheap...but it's doubtfull nowadays to get a cheap 939 cpu, as they are a tad sparse :p
Click to expand...

Thanks man - there is nothing like personal experience being shared and I much appreciate it.

I have been looking for a nicely priced 8800 GT or GTS but they go for silly money on the auction sites and there are always 20 to 40 ppl watching members market so I always get pipped to the post :) If I could get one for 40 quid id jump at it - even 50 quid to be honest. After that they start to get close enough to a brand new 4850 that I'd just consider getting that. Oh but then my mischevious mind starts to think if you are going for 4850 just get 4870... arrgh time for the medication me thinks :)
 
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