Gaming computer specs questions

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101374

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#1 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
I'm considering upgrading my PC, but because I'm always traveling away from home because of work and school I'm hesitating about getting a whole new system. My current setup is: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (3.00Ghz) 4Gb RAM (Kingston P2-6400 400hz) Geforce GTX 570 1280 ram. The computer is running Windows 7 32bit and WinXP on separate hard drive. As you can see, its an outdated system. The last upgrade was for the graphics card which I got about two years ago. I only use this PC to play games, the Win7 partition has BF3 only installed on it and CoD BlackOps II and will home the BF4 once its out. WinXP has couple few other games. My motherboard (intel DP35DP) limits my processor upgrade options. If available (which I highly doubt), I can upgrade to a Core 2 Quad processor and Xeon 3000 Sequence processor. The ram, I can upgrade to DDR2 800 and boost it up to 8 gb (along with Win7 upgrade to 64bit). I'm not sure about the ram availability, but I hope its not as difficult as the processor. The easiest upgrade (in terms of availability) is the graphics card. I'm hesitating between the GTX 680, 780, and 690. My question now... considering that I'm only using the computer for gaming and i'm only playing one game and have the least possible tasks running in the background... will I need a processor upgrade? Or will my current processor do and all I need is just a better graphics cards to handle the new games? I've been unable to enjoy BF3 with highest graphics settings and I had to lower resolution and disable some settings for things to be acceptable... but still does not feel as smooth as normal gameplay. What about the ram? do I really need more than 4gig? I also considered getting a new setup: i7 3940k (with Asus P9 mobo) or i7 4770 (MSI Z87-G45 mobo) 16 gig ddr3 kingston hyperX ram) but this setup would cost almost the same price as the display card (the GTX 780 and 690). Someone just told me that getting the new setup and sticking to my current display card might be better than getting a new display card and sticking to my current system. So there you got my confusion... tell me your opinion please. I hope I could hear from you very soon. Thanks in advance.
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04dcarraher

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#2 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

Your best option would be to upgrade the core of the pc cpu/mobo/ram. Keep the GTX 570 until BF4 comes out then upgrade to what you need. Get an i5 4670k , 8gb of DDR3 and a ASUS Z87 motherboard. DDR2 really hurts your performance in modern games because there is not enough bandwidth. With an i5 setup with your GTX 570 you will be able to play BF3 on a mix of high and ultra settings. also what PSU do you have?

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way2funny

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#3 way2funny
Member since 2003 • 4570 Posts

I would get 8gb of ram and a better CPU. Your graphics card is fine and will be fine for a bit

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101374

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#4 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
Get an i5 4670k , 8gb of DDR3 and a ASUS Z87 motherboard. 04dcarraher
Could you please elaborate more on the processor bit? I've came across one internet post that said something about i7 being pointless for gaming and that i5 should be enough? I think its got to do with having multiple graphics cards. I only plan to have a single graphics card cuz I wish to play with only one screen.
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04dcarraher

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#5 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts
i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread.
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101374

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#6 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread. 04dcarraher
so is that of any use for my gaming? or is it useless?
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04dcarraher

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#7 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts
[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread. 101374
so is that of any use for my gaming? or is it useless?

its a hit or miss most games dont correctly use HT.
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7MZ000

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#8 7MZ000
Member since 2005 • 209 Posts
Over clock the CPU and get a couple more sticks of RAM and system should last for a couple more years.
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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#9 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

Over clock the CPU and get a couple more sticks of RAM and system should last for a couple more years.7MZ000

 

No....

 

A CPU upgrade will give you a huge benefit in performance, that C2D is bottlenecking your 570 like heck.

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way2funny

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#10 way2funny
Member since 2003 • 4570 Posts

i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread. 04dcarraher

The bigger main difference is that the i7 has more cache, which is why I prefer it.

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04dcarraher

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#11 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread. way2funny

The bigger main difference is that the i7 has more cache, which is why I prefer it.

2mb is not that huge with the lower end i7's the up tier i7's sure. but then your paying $500+
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way2funny

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#12 way2funny
Member since 2003 • 4570 Posts

[QUOTE="way2funny"]

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]i5 vs i7's the main difference between them is the hyper threading, which means that on the i7 there is two threads on each core and the core processing usage on the 1st thread determines how much of the core's resources for processing can go to the 2nd thread. 04dcarraher

The bigger main difference is that the i7 has more cache, which is why I prefer it.

2mb is not that huge with the lower end i7's the up tier i7's sure. but then your paying $500+

i5 to i7 . 2mB is huge. You are gaining 1/3rd more cache. And yes you pay more but thats because cache is expensive. And your not paying 500+ dollars, an i7 4770k is ~$320 which is ~100 more dollars than the i5 equivelant. Cache is important especially if the game you play does the physics calculations on the CPU (physics related workloads are core and cache sensitive). The difference in many games is probably negligable but to say 2mB of extra cache is not that huge when a CPU only has 6mB isn't correct. The BIG reason the i7's preform better (in single or multithreaded general purpose applications) isn't just hyperthreading, its mostly the cache. Ram is a big bottleneck, which is why cache even exists.

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#13 commander
Member since 2010 • 16217 Posts

I'm considering upgrading my PC, but because I'm always traveling away from home because of work and school I'm hesitating about getting a whole new system. My current setup is: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (3.00Ghz) 4Gb RAM (Kingston P2-6400 400hz) Geforce GTX 570 1280 ram. The computer is running Windows 7 32bit and WinXP on separate hard drive. As you can see, its an outdated system. The last upgrade was for the graphics card which I got about two years ago. I only use this PC to play games, the Win7 partition has BF3 only installed on it and CoD BlackOps II and will home the BF4 once its out. WinXP has couple few other games. My motherboard (intel DP35DP) limits my processor upgrade options. If available (which I highly doubt), I can upgrade to a Core 2 Quad processor and Xeon 3000 Sequence processor. The ram, I can upgrade to DDR2 800 and boost it up to 8 gb (along with Win7 upgrade to 64bit). I'm not sure about the ram availability, but I hope its not as difficult as the processor. The easiest upgrade (in terms of availability) is the graphics card. I'm hesitating between the GTX 680, 780, and 690. My question now... considering that I'm only using the computer for gaming and i'm only playing one game and have the least possible tasks running in the background... will I need a processor upgrade? Or will my current processor do and all I need is just a better graphics cards to handle the new games? I've been unable to enjoy BF3 with highest graphics settings and I had to lower resolution and disable some settings for things to be acceptable... but still does not feel as smooth as normal gameplay. What about the ram? do I really need more than 4gig? I also considered getting a new setup: i7 3940k (with Asus P9 mobo) or i7 4770 (MSI Z87-G45 mobo) 16 gig ddr3 kingston hyperX ram) but this setup would cost almost the same price as the display card (the GTX 780 and 690). Someone just told me that getting the new setup and sticking to my current display card might be better than getting a new display card and sticking to my current system. So there you got my confusion... tell me your opinion please. I hope I could hear from you very soon. Thanks in advance. 101374

1. Upgrading the graphics card will bottleneck that cpu.

2. You will see massive improvements with a (good) quad in battlefield 3

So simply put, upgrade the cpu first. You can try to get your hands on a used lga 775 cpu like Core 2 Extreme QX9775, QX9770, QX9650 or Core 2 Quad Q9650.  Watch out you get these cheap though, like 100$ bucks max otherwise you might as well buy an amd phenom II x4 965 and a amd motherboard for 150$.

If you got the money, you can go sandy bridge , ivy bridge or haswell. The i7-3940k is an amazing cpu but the 3930k is ok too you know, the performance per dollar rises with cpu's til the i7-3930k after that it drops again. So buying the i7-3940k (you can save a few buck with buying the i7-3930k) wil give you a good build for the future only the gtx 570 can fall a bit short (especially with next gen games) but you can always upgrade that later on.

You can't really go wrong with any of the quad (or hexa) sandy & ivy bridge cpu (or haswell) If you want the best performance in any game right now, you can sell your system and buy an i5-4670k or an i7-4770k and buy like a hd 7950/7970 or gtx 760/770 as a gpu (depends on your budget and which cpu you choose). For bf3 this won't matter (or it is you want to play on a res above 1080p). The gtx 570 is more than enough for bf3, the e8400 isn't.

Be carefull , recent cpu's need win 64 bit.

greetings

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LordEC911

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#14 LordEC911
Member since 2004 • 9972 Posts

Again, people giving advice and saying his processor is bottlenecking his GPU without asking what resolution/settings he is playing at...

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04dcarraher

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#15 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

Again, people giving advice and saying his processor is bottlenecking his GPU without asking what resolution/settings he is playing at...

LordEC911

Dont matter what  resolution your running when the game takes advantage and some what needs a quad core cpu. Because then the cpu is the bottleneck for the game.  Also the fact that he is running DDR2 is a big issue for demanding games because of the lack of bandwidth. His cpu may not necessarily be bottlencking his gpu per say but if his cpu is at full tilt like for  BF3 MP then yes its holding him back.

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LordEC911

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#16 LordEC911
Member since 2004 • 9972 Posts

[QUOTE="LordEC911"]

Again, people giving advice and saying his processor is bottlenecking his GPU without asking what resolution/settings he is playing at...

04dcarraher

Dont matter what  resolution your running when the game takes advantage and some what needs a quad core cpu. Because then the cpu is the bottleneck for the game.  Also the fact that he is running DDR2 is a big issue for demanding games because of the lack of bandwidth. His cpu may not necessarily be bottlencking his gpu per say but if his cpu is at full tilt like for  BF3 MP then yes its holding him back.

 

Ummm... what?

Yes resolution matters a lot.
DDR2 vs DDR3 doesn't really matter...

Will he get more performance with a new CPU? Yeah sure, some but it won't be a huge difference. Again, it depends on his resolution. 

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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#17 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]

[QUOTE="LordEC911"]

Again, people giving advice and saying his processor is bottlenecking his GPU without asking what resolution/settings he is playing at...

LordEC911

Dont matter what  resolution your running when the game takes advantage and some what needs a quad core cpu. Because then the cpu is the bottleneck for the game.  Also the fact that he is running DDR2 is a big issue for demanding games because of the lack of bandwidth. His cpu may not necessarily be bottlencking his gpu per say but if his cpu is at full tilt like for  BF3 MP then yes its holding him back.

 

Ummm... what?

Yes resolution matters a lot.
DDR2 vs DDR3 doesn't really matter...

Will he get more performance with a new CPU? Yeah sure, some but it won't be a huge difference. Again, it depends on his resolution. 

 

I am unsure of the crack you are on, the GTX 570 is equivelent to 2x GTX 285's in SLi, a C2D will bottleneck both like a bitch.

 

 

My Phenom II x4 at 4.2ghz held the GTX 480 back in some games.

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101374

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#18 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
Thanks to everyone for their constructive comments... Based on the above discussion and another at a different forum which also took the same route as this one, I have just placed an order for the following: Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.4 GHZ 8 MB Cache BX80646I74770 Gigabyte Z87 LGA 1150 CrossFireX HDMI DVI ATX Motherboard (GA-Z87-D3HP) Kingston HyperX Beast 16 GB Kit (2x8 GB) 2400MHz DDR3 PC3-19200 Non-ECC CL11 DIMM XMP Desktop Memory KHX24C11T3K2/16X I'm keeping my current display card for the time being. My current power supply is Cooler Master GX 650W. I believe it should be enough for the new setup, correct? I think I'm getting a cooler master case as well. And thats it. What do you think so far?
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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#19 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

Thanks to everyone for their constructive comments... Based on the above discussion and another at a different forum which also took the same route as this one, I have just placed an order for the following: Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.4 GHZ 8 MB Cache BX80646I74770 Gigabyte Z87 LGA 1150 CrossFireX HDMI DVI ATX Motherboard (GA-Z87-D3HP) Kingston HyperX Beast 16 GB Kit (2x8 GB) 2400MHz DDR3 PC3-19200 Non-ECC CL11 DIMM XMP Desktop Memory KHX24C11T3K2/16X I'm keeping my current display card for the time being. My current power supply is Cooler Master GX 650W. I believe it should be enough for the new setup, correct? I think I'm getting a cooler master case as well. And thats it. What do you think so far? 101374

 

Fantastic desicion.

 

Cannot really go wrong at all, especiall from a Core 2 Duo :)

 

The PSU is not the best, but it will do the job, at least it will not fry anything.

 

Here is a review for you to keep peice of mind pal.

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/GX650W_Bronze/  (so long as it is the V2 made by enhance)

 

My Silverstone PSU is a large Enhance design (ST1000-G Evolution) which i rock in my other rig powering a couple of 480 and an i5 CPU, really strong and solid PSU's. Your PSU is if it is a V2, has the same Enhance design.

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superclocked

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#20 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
Thanks to everyone for their constructive comments... Based on the above discussion and another at a different forum which also took the same route as this one, I have just placed an order for the following: Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.4 GHZ 8 MB Cache BX80646I74770 Gigabyte Z87 LGA 1150 CrossFireX HDMI DVI ATX Motherboard (GA-Z87-D3HP) Kingston HyperX Beast 16 GB Kit (2x8 GB) 2400MHz DDR3 PC3-19200 Non-ECC CL11 DIMM XMP Desktop Memory KHX24C11T3K2/16X I'm keeping my current display card for the time being. My current power supply is Cooler Master GX 650W. I believe it should be enough for the new setup, correct? I think I'm getting a cooler master case as well. And thats it. What do you think so far? 101374
If you're not planning on overclocking, then that's a great selection. Personally though, I would go for a K series CPU and a motherboard that can overclock. That motherboard doesn't have a very robust power delivery system for the CPU. A 3+1 power phase setup is rather pathetic. Not trying to insult, just being honest...
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04dcarraher

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#21 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]

[QUOTE="LordEC911"]

Again, people giving advice and saying his processor is bottlenecking his GPU without asking what resolution/settings he is playing at...

LordEC911

Dont matter what  resolution your running when the game takes advantage and some what needs a quad core cpu. Because then the cpu is the bottleneck for the game.  Also the fact that he is running DDR2 is a big issue for demanding games because of the lack of bandwidth. His cpu may not necessarily be bottlencking his gpu per say but if his cpu is at full tilt like for  BF3 MP then yes its holding him back.

 

Ummm... what?

Yes resolution matters a lot.
DDR2 vs DDR3 doesn't really matter...

Will he get more performance with a new CPU? Yeah sure, some but it won't be a huge difference. Again, it depends on his resolution. 

When your cpu is holding back the game's performance resolution does not matter so much unless your playing at insanely low resolutions. However DDR2 vs DDR3 with modern games O yes it does matter alot..... DDR2 at 800mhz only moves 6400 MB/s While DDR3 1333mhz moves over 10,600 MB/s and 1600mhz moves 12800 MB/s With games that prefer quads or higher that C2D is holding him back let alone that DDR2.
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04dcarraher

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#22 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts
Thanks to everyone for their constructive comments... Based on the above discussion and another at a different forum which also took the same route as this one, I have just placed an order for the following: Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.4 GHZ 8 MB Cache BX80646I74770 Gigabyte Z87 LGA 1150 CrossFireX HDMI DVI ATX Motherboard (GA-Z87-D3HP) Kingston HyperX Beast 16 GB Kit (2x8 GB) 2400MHz DDR3 PC3-19200 Non-ECC CL11 DIMM XMP Desktop Memory KHX24C11T3K2/16X I'm keeping my current display card for the time being. My current power supply is Cooler Master GX 650W. I believe it should be enough for the new setup, correct? I think I'm getting a cooler master case as well. And thats it. What do you think so far? 101374
Good choice, that cpu along with your GTX 570 will run games much better.
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#23 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="LordEC911"]

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"] Dont matter what  resolution your running when the game takes advantage and some what needs a quad core cpu. Because then the cpu is the bottleneck for the game.  Also the fact that he is running DDR2 is a big issue for demanding games because of the lack of bandwidth. His cpu may not necessarily be bottlencking his gpu per say but if his cpu is at full tilt like for  BF3 MP then yes its holding him back.

04dcarraher

 

Ummm... what?

Yes resolution matters a lot.
DDR2 vs DDR3 doesn't really matter...

Will he get more performance with a new CPU? Yeah sure, some but it won't be a huge difference. Again, it depends on his resolution. 

When your cpu is holding back the game's performance resolution does not matter so much unless your playing at insanely low resolutions. However DDR2 vs DDR3 with modern games O yes it does matter alot..... DDR2 at 800mhz only moves 6400 MB/s While DDR3 1333mhz moves over 10,600 MB/s and 1600mhz moves 12800 MB/s With games that prefer quads or higher that C2D is holding him back let alone that DDR2.

I'm really not trying to be a jerk here, but my setup uses DDR2 RAM, and it runs every game at a solid 60 frames per second. Granted, it's 1100MHz DDR2 with very tight timings (5-5-5-15-24), but it's still DDR2.. BRB, gonna measure my RAM bandwidth to see how much better it is than standard DDR2 800MHz RAM...
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101374

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#24 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts

Fantastic desicion.

 

Cannot really go wrong at all, especiall from a Core 2 Duo :)

 

The PSU is not the best, but it will do the job, at least it will not fry anything.

 

Here is a review for you to keep peice of mind pal.

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/GX650W_Bronze/  (so long as it is the V2 made by enhance)

 

My Silverstone PSU is a large Enhance design (ST1000-G Evolution) which i rock in my other rig powering a couple of 480 and an i5 CPU, really strong and solid PSU's. Your PSU is if it is a V2, has the same Enhance design.

AMD655
Thank you very much for providing me with the link. Actually i don't know whether or not my power supply is v2 and made by enhance or not. I was also considering Corsair 800w or 850w... but for budget reasons i decided to stick with my current one. if my PSU is not v2, do you recommend getting the corsair?
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101374

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#25 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
That motherboard doesn't have a very robust power delivery system for the CPU. A 3+1 power phase setup is rather pathetic. Not trying to insult, just being honest...superclocked
I selected that processor because I don't intend to OC. About the motherboard... are you sure it is not good enough? I can modify my order now as I made it on amazon. please reply quickly with the model that you suggest is better.
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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#26 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

[QUOTE="AMD655"]

Fantastic desicion.

 

Cannot really go wrong at all, especiall from a Core 2 Duo :)

 

The PSU is not the best, but it will do the job, at least it will not fry anything.

 

Here is a review for you to keep peice of mind pal.

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/GX650W_Bronze/  (so long as it is the V2 made by enhance)

 

My Silverstone PSU is a large Enhance design (ST1000-G Evolution) which i rock in my other rig powering a couple of 480 and an i5 CPU, really strong and solid PSU's. Your PSU is if it is a V2, has the same Enhance design.

101374

Thank you very much for providing me with the link. Actually i don't know whether or not my power supply is v2 and made by enhance or not. I was also considering Corsair 800w or 850w... but for budget reasons i decided to stick with my current one. if my PSU is not v2, do you recommend getting the corsair?

 

Is there any way you can take a picture of your power supply?

 

Make sure to get the label in the image with 12v reading etc :)

 

If it turns out to be a V1, i would definitely secure a better PSU, which i will help you out with :)

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#28 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"][QUOTE="LordEC911"]

 

Ummm... what?

Yes resolution matters a lot.
DDR2 vs DDR3 doesn't really matter...

Will he get more performance with a new CPU? Yeah sure, some but it won't be a huge difference. Again, it depends on his resolution. 

superclocked

When your cpu is holding back the game's performance resolution does not matter so much unless your playing at insanely low resolutions. However DDR2 vs DDR3 with modern games O yes it does matter alot..... DDR2 at 800mhz only moves 6400 MB/s While DDR3 1333mhz moves over 10,600 MB/s and 1600mhz moves 12800 MB/s With games that prefer quads or higher that C2D is holding him back let alone that DDR2.

I'm really not trying to be a jerk here, but my setup uses DDR2 RAM, and it runs every game at a solid 60 frames per second. Granted, it's 1100MHz DDR2 with very tight timings (5-5-5-15-24), but it's still DDR2.. BRB, gonna measure my RAM bandwidth to see how much better it is than standard DDR2 800MHz RAM...

Here is an example of DDR2 vs DDR 3 with CSS, now imagine running a modern game like BF3 64 player MP and how much more demanding that is compared to CSS.  DDR2 800mhz will cut down your potential framerate enough where your performance is nowhere near what the system is suppose to be able to do

15201537351l.gif

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#29 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts

[QUOTE="superclocked"][QUOTE="04dcarraher"] When your cpu is holding back the game's performance resolution does not matter so much unless your playing at insanely low resolutions. However DDR2 vs DDR3 with modern games O yes it does matter alot..... DDR2 at 800mhz only moves 6400 MB/s While DDR3 1333mhz moves over 10,600 MB/s and 1600mhz moves 12800 MB/s With games that prefer quads or higher that C2D is holding him back let alone that DDR2. 04dcarraher

I'm really not trying to be a jerk here, but my setup uses DDR2 RAM, and it runs every game at a solid 60 frames per second. Granted, it's 1100MHz DDR2 with very tight timings (5-5-5-15-24), but it's still DDR2.. BRB, gonna measure my RAM bandwidth to see how much better it is than standard DDR2 800MHz RAM...

Here is an example of DDR2 vs DDR 3 with CSS, now imagine running a modern game like BF3 64 player MP and how much more demanding that is compared to CSS.  DDR2 800mhz will cut down your potential framerate enough where your performance is nowhere near what the gpu is suppose to be able to do

15201537351l.gif

There's obviously a performance difference, but it's not big enough to affect my framerates at 60Hz. My memory is a good bit slower than DDR3... wnxb.png
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#30 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]That motherboard doesn't have a very robust power delivery system for the CPU. A 3+1 power phase setup is rather pathetic. Not trying to insult, just being honest...101374
I selected that processor because I don't intend to OC. About the motherboard... are you sure it is not good enough? I can modify my order now as I made it on amazon. please reply quickly with the model that you suggest is better.

Brb, don't order it yet. I'll find you a much better one for the same price or less...
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04dcarraher

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#31 04dcarraher
Member since 2004 • 23824 Posts

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]

[QUOTE="superclocked"]I'm really not trying to be a jerk here, but my setup uses DDR2 RAM, and it runs every game at a solid 60 frames per second. Granted, it's 1100MHz DDR2 with very tight timings (5-5-5-15-24), but it's still DDR2.. BRB, gonna measure my RAM bandwidth to see how much better it is than standard DDR2 800MHz RAM...superclocked

Here is an example of DDR2 vs DDR 3 with CSS, now imagine running a modern game like BF3 64 player MP and how much more demanding that is compared to CSS.  DDR2 800mhz will cut down your potential framerate enough where your performance is nowhere near what the gpu is suppose to be able to do

15201537351l.gif

There's obviously a performance difference, but it's not big enough to affect my framerates at 60Hz. My memory is a good bit slower than DDR3...

Trust me DDR2 800mhz vs DDR3 can cut your potential framerate by 15 fps average in modern games like BF3 MP. And if your gpu on a DDR3 system with same cpu gets 60 fps with DDR2 800 expect only 45-50 fps.

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#32 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]That motherboard doesn't have a very robust power delivery system for the CPU. A 3+1 power phase setup is rather pathetic. Not trying to insult, just being honest...101374
I selected that processor because I don't intend to OC. About the motherboard... are you sure it is not good enough? I can modify my order now as I made it on amazon. please reply quickly with the model that you suggest is better.

Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMING
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#33 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
Brb, don't order it yet. I'll find you a much better one for the same price or less...superclocked
i already placed the order... it will ship maybe tomorrow or later today? I can modify my order or cancel it... im waiting for replies.
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#34 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMINGsuperclocked
that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/
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#35 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMING101374
that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/

and its out of stock
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#36 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMING101374
that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/

Nah, the MSI Z87-GD45 is much, much better.. It's in a whole different league...
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#37 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"]Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMINGsuperclocked
that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/

Nah, the MSI Z87-GD45 is much, much better.. It's in a whole different league...

well, its out of stock... this is available http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-Z87-GD65-GAMING/dp/B00D12OBYK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375062701&sr=1-2&keywords=Z87-GD45+GAMING
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101374

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#38 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"][QUOTE="101374"] that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/

Nah, the MSI Z87-GD45 is much, much better.. It's in a whole different league...

well, its out of stock... this is available http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-Z87-GD65-GAMING/dp/B00D12OBYK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375062701&sr=1-2&keywords=Z87-GD45+GAMING

please keep in mind that i will not be overclocking.
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#39 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"]Here ya go :) MSI Z87-GD45 GAMING101374
that was my first choice... i changed it later thinking they are both the same :/

and its out of stock

In that case, get this one... MSI Z87-G43 It's much better as well. And it's cheaper, too...
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#40 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"]Nah, the MSI Z87-GD45 is much, much better.. It's in a whole different league...101374
well, its out of stock... this is available http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-Z87-GD65-GAMING/dp/B00D12OBYK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375062701&sr=1-2&keywords=Z87-GD45+GAMING

please keep in mind that i will not be overclocking.

That's too expensive for someone that's not overclocking. Go with the MSI Z87-G43. It's much better than the board that you originally picked, and it's cheaper, too...
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#41 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"][QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="101374"] well, its out of stock... this is available http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-Z87-GD65-GAMING/dp/B00D12OBYK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375062701&sr=1-2&keywords=Z87-GD45+GAMING

please keep in mind that i will not be overclocking.

That's too expensive for someone that's not overclocking. Go with the MSI Z87-G43. It's much better than the board that you originally picked, and it's cheaper, too...

could you please explain to me why this motherboard is better than the one i have already chosen (GA-Z87X-UD3H). also if anyone else reading this, i need to gather more opinions on this subject so please feel free to give your opinion as well ;p
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#42 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"][QUOTE="101374"] please keep in mind that i will not be overclocking.

That's too expensive for someone that's not overclocking. Go with the MSI Z87-G43. It's much better than the board that you originally picked, and it's cheaper, too...

could you please explain to me why this motherboard is better than the one i have already chosen (GA-Z87X-UD3H). also if anyone else reading this, i need to gather more opinions on this subject so please feel free to give your opinion as well ;p

The GA-Z87X-UD3H is an excellent board. But, your original post said GA-Z87-D3HP :P Simple typo, no big deal. Go with the GA-Z87X-UD3H. The GA-Z87X-UD3H is much better than the GA-Z87-D3HP...
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#43 mastershake575
Member since 2007 • 8574 Posts

The Z87 G43 is a great motherboard (crossfire support, good reliablility , and decent overclocking abillities for only $120). You said your not overclocking so the overclocking features won't really matter.

If you want to run either a single video only or dual AMD cards then its good to go since it has Crossfire support. If you want to run dual nvidia cards then you will want the Z87 G45

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#44 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
The GA-Z87X-UD3H is an excellent board. But, your original post said GA-Z87-D3HP :P Simple typo, no big deal. Go with the GA-Z87X-UD3H :)superclocked
NO! That was not a simple typo! I wanted the UD3H, but I have mistakenly clicked on the D3HP. I was thinking I have ordered teh UD3H, but I did not. you got to notice this mistake because I copied the model directly from amazon order page... thanks God I did this... or else I would have ended up being stuck with the wrong motherboard! I just updated my order ... now I have the GA-Z87X-UD3H... i hope. lol
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#45 101374
Member since 2005 • 48 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]The GA-Z87X-UD3H is an excellent board. But, your original post said GA-Z87-D3HP :P Simple typo, no big deal. Go with the GA-Z87X-UD3H :)101374
NO! That was not a simple typo! I wanted the ED3H, but I have mistakenly clicked on the D3HP. I was thinking I have ordered teh D3HP, but I did not. you got to notice this mistake because I copied the model directly from amazon order page... thanks God I did this... or else I would have ended up being stuck with the wrong motherboard! I just updated my order ... now I have the GA-Z87X-UD3H... i hope. lol

im glad we caught this in the last minute... amazon has shipped my already already! thats fast. lol now i'll receive two separate shipments one for the mobo and the other for the rest.
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#46 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="superclocked"]The GA-Z87X-UD3H is an excellent board. But, your original post said GA-Z87-D3HP :P Simple typo, no big deal. Go with the GA-Z87X-UD3H :)101374
NO! That was not a simple typo! I wanted the UD3H, but I have mistakenly clicked on the D3HP. I was thinking I have ordered teh D3HP, but I did not. you got to notice this mistake because I copied the model directly from amazon order page... thanks God I did this... or else I would have ended up being stuck with the wrong motherboard! I just updated my order ... now I have the GA-Z87X-UD3H... i hope. lol

Well, I'm really glad that you noticed in time to change it. The GA-Z87X-UD3H is superior in almost every way possible...
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#47 superclocked
Member since 2009 • 5864 Posts
[QUOTE="101374"][QUOTE="superclocked"]The GA-Z87X-UD3H is an excellent board. But, your original post said GA-Z87-D3HP :P Simple typo, no big deal. Go with the GA-Z87X-UD3H :)101374
NO! That was not a simple typo! I wanted the ED3H, but I have mistakenly clicked on the D3HP. I was thinking I have ordered teh D3HP, but I did not. you got to notice this mistake because I copied the model directly from amazon order page... thanks God I did this... or else I would have ended up being stuck with the wrong motherboard! I just updated my order ... now I have the GA-Z87X-UD3H... i hope. lol

im glad we caught this in the last minute... amazon has shipped my already already! thats fast. lol now i'll receive two separate shipments one for the mobo and the other for the rest.

lol, sounds good.. You're going to love the new setup. I'm jealous :P
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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#48 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

Here is a CPU benchmark i ran with my Phenom II at 4ghz vs the i5 2500k at 4ghz.

 

Prepare for a massive shock.

 

 

The intel system is running 3K resolution.

The AMD is only 1080p.

 

Both games are maxed, and the same GPU in use at the same frequencies.  

 

Intel 3K (actually higher than 3K, but it is not 4K, so more like 3.5k 3180x1770)

 

8esPmzM.jpg

 

 

 

AMD 1080p

 

C92E0E16F010E3FE5DBFB5A473A332E962763595

 

 

 

The final result was 140fps average for AMD (the image is old and from my Steam profile)

 

 

CPU's definitely bottleneck.

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LordEC911

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#49 LordEC911
Member since 2004 • 9972 Posts

I am unsure of the crack you are on, the GTX 570 is equivelent to 2x GTX 285's in SLi, a C2D will bottleneck both like a bitch.

 My Phenom II x4 at 4.2ghz held the GTX 480 back in some games.AMD655

Amazing that people still don't know what a bottleneck is.

 

LoL at using that CSS benchmark. Congrats on picking a super low resolution on a extremely CPU dependant engine and still only get a 4FPS difference. Thanks for proving my point.

 

And again with the Street Fighter bench. Please never try to dissect system performance again.

 

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deactivated-58e448fd89d82

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#50 deactivated-58e448fd89d82
Member since 2010 • 4494 Posts

[QUOTE="AMD655"] I am unsure of the crack you are on, the GTX 570 is equivelent to 2x GTX 285's in SLi, a C2D will bottleneck both like a bitch.

 My Phenom II x4 at 4.2ghz held the GTX 480 back in some games.LordEC911

Amazing that people still don't know what a bottleneck is.

 

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2012/05/01/intel-core-i5-3570k-cpu-review/6

 

 

Of course...

 

Pushing a GPU to it's limits, vs not pushing it to it's limit IS a bottleneck.