Gaming bottleneck

T

themaindrum

Posts: 6   +0
Hi

Can I get some ideas about upgrading my pc. I was gonna go with cpu + motherboard but im not sure wether this is the problem. Basically at certain times in gta4 and bf3 the framerate goes down significantly. and maxing the latest games like batman and sleeping dogs makes them unplayable. here is my spec:

amd phenom II 945 quad
ddr3 memory 8 gig branded
biostar ta785ge 128m motherboard
nvidia gtx 670 2gig
1tb sata hd 7200rpm

I currently run nvidia surround as well, this system works great but I want solid framerates in bf3 and gta4 at all times on max which shouldnt be too much to ask surely? I want this system to run gta5 flawlessly which is why im considering upgrading. I know a solid state drive would help but would this make that big a difference?

Oh yer windows 7 64 bit as well
 
(btw: what's the cpu clock rate? Your ISP connection DSL vs Cable?)

Let's look at your Internet.
get a command prompt and let's do some tests:
find the domain name of one of the games that suffers (I'll use xxx.xxx in the examples below
enter PING XXX.XXX
  • (copy and paste the results in your follow-up)
also TRACERT XXX.XXX
  • and paste those results too
 
Ok cpu details:


[FONT=Verdana]* AMD Phenom II X4 Quad core - 4 cores running at 3.0Ghz.
* Stepping: C2
* 4 x 512kb (2mb) L2 cache.
* 1 x 6144kb (6mb) L3 cache.[/FONT]


CPU / Microprocessor
Market segment Desktop
Family AMD Phenom II X4
Model number ? 945
CPU part numbers HDX945FBK4DGI is an OEM/tray microprocessor
HDX945FBGIBOX is a boxed microprocessor
Stepping codes AACYC AC CACYC AC
Frequency ? 3000 MHz
Bus speed ? 667 MHz Memory controller
One 2000 MHz 16-bit HyperTransport link
Clock multiplier ? 15
Package 938-pin organic micro-PGA

Here is command prompt thing:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\geez>PING BF3-SERVERS.NET
Pinging BF3-SERVERS.NET [77.111.207.90] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Ping statistics for 77.111.207.90:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 22ms, Maximum = 36ms, Average = 25ms
C:\Users\geez>

TRACERT:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\geez>PING BF3-SERVERS.NET
Pinging BF3-SERVERS.NET [77.111.207.90] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Ping statistics for 77.111.207.90:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 22ms, Maximum = 36ms, Average = 25ms
C:\Users\geez>

I dont wanna copy all of it becuase theres some ip stuff there. btw my dns settings are google default, in other words preferred dns server 8.8.8.8 and alternate 8.8.4.4 if that makes a difference.

Im running bt infinity btw with download speed of 37.5 meg/sec which is surely good enough, thanks for help btw
 
themaindrum said:
I currently run nvidia surround as well, this system works great but I want solid framerates in bf3 and gta4 at all times on max which shouldnt be too much to ask surely?
Click to expand...

That's way too much to ask, a single GTX 670 will just about run BF3 at max setting on a single screen. If you're running Nvidia Surround (I'm assuming it's over 3 monitors) then there's 3 times the pixels to push so you'll need 3 times the GPU power. If you're serious about running BF3, Batman and Sleeping Dogs at max settings on Surround then you'll need at least another 670, a new mobo which can run SLI and probably a new CPU.

For reference I run 2 7970's in CF (which has similar performance to 670 SLI) and still have to turn down the AA in BF3 and Sleeping Dogs to get smooth gameplay at 5760x1080.

GTA4 is just a poorly optimised console port, hopefully GTA5 will be better.
 
themaindrum said:
C:\Users\geez>PING BF3-SERVERS.NET
Pinging BF3-SERVERS.NET [77.111.207.90] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=42
Ping statistics for 77.111.207.90:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

TRACERT:I dont wanna copy all of it becuase theres some ip stuff there.

C:\Users\geez>PING BF3-SERVERS.NET
Pinging BF3-SERVERS.NET [77.111.207.90] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 77.111.207.90: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=42
>> DUPLICATED FROM THE ABOVE << :(
C:\Users\geez>
Click to expand...
Ok then. The 22-36 ms is ok, but without the tracert data, I can't vouch for your ISP or the path to the game server.

I assert you're most likely suffering from game server overload rather than anything on your system per se.
 
Thx for help, im just gonna make do with what I've got for the moment and maybe just buy a new computer -gpu for gta5. I remember when 400 pound would get you a pc that plays everything on max, now even a 1000 pound pc may struggle a little or a lot. thx for help anyway, I really thought a 670 should be capable of more. looks like an all round future upgrade is the likely solution.

thx again
 
Just play on a single screen or turn down the settings if you want to play in Surround, any level of AA will be a killer at that resolution and especially on Sleeping Dogs which uses SSAA.
 
Nvidia surround is just too good, its not for everyone though, I will turn settings down. if I had an awesome computer with only a gtx670 would I get the same results? in other words could my pc's gaming performance be improved without a graphics upgrade? I know its not easy to answer its just a a guy I spoke to said I probably got a bottleneck. im thinking of going intel, would an i5 with better motherboard or possilby a solid state drive be worth a purchase? maybe even better and extra ram? or just get a new pc when I need to? I dont want to buy a mb and cpu combo and be dissapointed with barely any change in gaming performance.

thx for posts
 
in other words could my pc's gaming performance be improved without a graphics upgrade? I know its not easy to answer its just a a guy I spoke to said I probably got a bottleneck. im thinking of going intel, would an i5 with better motherboard or possilby a solid state drive be worth a purchase? maybe even better and extra ram? or just get a new pc when I need to? I dont want to buy a mb and cpu combo and be dissapointed with barely any change in gaming performance.
Click to expand...
To get more performance running the Nvidia surround. You will need more GPU power. Sure, you may see some improvement if you upgrade your CPU and MOBO but, it will not be anything super significant. As Slh28 said, you want more GPU power. To see better FPS using Nvidia surround you will want to add another 670 atleast. In your case.. you may need to update your MOBO just to utilize more then one GPU.

I wouldn't waste money on a SSD or RAM if you are looking to increase gaming performance. Neither of those things will get you more FPS. 8GB of RAM is plently and a SSD will only make loading screens process a bit faster in regards to gaming.

Ultimately, for more FPS you will need:

New MOBO - One that is crossfire/SLI ready
Another GPU or stronger single SPU maybe a 690? if you was to just get 1 GPU. If not, I would probably just add another 670.
New PSU - IF yours isn't of quality build and is atleast 700watts. Now, in terms of preferred wattage for a SLI setup. That number can change from GPU to GPU. Other members here will know more in terms of how strong of a PSU you will need to run a SLi 670 setup.
 
An overclock on that cpu would not hurt and the video card as well but surround gaming takes to much horsepower to run on 1 card at good pace.
 
Thats great, maybe I will just upgrade the motherboard and get a second gpu then at some point, I'll see if I can get an alternative to my current mb as its only crossfire enabled and not sli (got sold a crossfire mb with a gtx275, annoying).

thx for help again btw
 
themaindrum said:
Thats great, maybe I will just upgrade the motherboard and get a second gpu then at some point, I'll see if I can get an alternative to my current mb as its only crossfire enabled and not sli (got sold a crossfire mb with a gtx275, annoying).

thx for help again btw
Click to expand...
If you're going to upgrade to an SLI capable mobo then you might as well upgrade the CPU, I wouldn't invest any more in that Phenom II system. You can keep the same RAM and everything else.
 
I would suggest an i5 3570k cheap and powerful actually more powerful in gaming than any of AMDs cpus something to think about.
 
Ok, any suggestions on motherboard choice, my current is a biostar ta785ge 128m motherboard, it would be great if I could just do a simple swap but im doubting wether I could. im not to clued up about the hardware connections and components which is another good reason for an upgrade. I have tried to find a compatible mb that allows an i5 and runs with all my current hardware but its too complicated for me especially as alot of it does not make sense (which is tragic considering the time I spend on computers). I can post a detailed list of my specs if you need it, if it will take too long just abruptly tell me to s*d off!!
 
Any Z77 motherboard will be compatible with an i5 3570K and the rest of your current hardware. Just make sure it supports SLI (pretty much all of them do).
 
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