CPU and video card performance

[timberwolf1]

Hi,

I've been looking for information about how the CPU will affect the performance of different video cards, specifically, as it pertains to gaming.

My current gaming system is a p4 2.0GHz with a 400MHz FSB with a GeForce4 TI4600 that I have had for about 2 years. I was thinking about buying a completely new system, something like a p4 3.2 800MHz FSB with the latest video card (FX5950 or RADEON 9800).

What I am curious about is how much CPU power is required to drive the latest video card? Obviously, I could just buy a faster video card and get some more FPS or better anti-aliasing.

Hopefully, I am making sense. So, if anyone has any links to articles that talk about this sort of thing. Or, if Tom *hint* would like to run a few tests to show the affect of the CPU on video performance, that would be great.

I realize there are other factors: AGP speed, amount of AI a game uses, etc. But, anything that would show some sort of comparison would really help.

Gary Hendricks
<A HREF="http://www.digital-music-guide.com" target="_new">www.digital-music-guide.com</A>

 

[ric449]

Well, with direct x 9 gaming performance is a lot more graphics card intensive than processor intensive. So I recommend you get a lower speed processor (go for a 2.8GHz p4, they are the best price to performance ratio right now) and spend the money you save on a powerful graphics card.

<A HREF="http://ricserv.servebeer.com" target="_new"> My website </A>

 

[speeduk]

I say its always a good idea to have a good overall package as not all games are purely gfx intensive. A game like X2 benefits hugely from faster processor and memory just as much as a better 3d card.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=7584476" target="_new"> My rig </A>

 

[ric449]

Yeah, if the game is not completely directx9 compatible it will be more processor intensive. But either way, a 2.8GHz pentium 4 is a great processor.

<A HREF="http://ricserv.servebeer.com" target="_new"> My website </A>

 

[Unolocogringo]

Not too sure how this helps.

But I was running a P3 1.26 512k cache at 166fsb 1583mhz with 512mbram and a ti4200. 10600 3dm01 1580 3dm03.
Swaped out the videocard before christmas for a 5700ultra and my scores were 10500 3dm01 and 3700 3dm03.


My sound card did not like XP which I also upgraded to at the same time.

So the wife says just build a new comp and upgrade everybody elses for christmas. Woohooooo

So I got!!!
Asus P4P800
P4 2.6c
512mb pair dual channel Corsair XMS PC3500
WD 400jb
400wt Fortron p/s
And I used the 5700 ultra.

Wow new scores 17700 3dmo1 4790 3dm03
soy in my case a big improvement. My P3 score were close to a P4 2gig or Athlon 2000+

I aint signing nothing!!!

 

[pauldh]

Take a look <A HREF="http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030217/cpu_charts-22.html" target="_new"> HERE </A> and you'll see how your CPU compares to a P4 3.06B. This review was from before the Launch of the 800 bus "C" chips. A P4 2.8C would beat out the P4 3.06 scores in this test. If you have a Willamette P4 running SDRAM, your performance would be far lower than the PC800 performance. Even though it was an old test and doesn't have P4 C and E chips, or A64 chips, at least it gives you a picture of how a R9700Pro is affected by CPU speed.


ABIT IS7, P4 2.6C, 512MB Corsair TwinX PC3200LL, Radeon 9800 Pro, Santa Cruz, TruePower 430watt

 

[pIII_Man]

what board were you running the tully in?

If it isn't a P6 then it isn't a processor
110% BX fanboy

 

[SidVicious]

By any means don't upgrade now !

That's a very good 'rig you got there, I strongly suggest you wait for Intel and AMD to respectively settle with their socket 775 and 939 before considering changing your CPU/Mem/GPU/MB

Intel is about to phase out their current socket 478 motherboard & CPU and AMD is making a last run for socket 453 and 754 MB and processors.

There are a lot of good things about to hit the market in the comming months. By all means look around, read the tech rumors/gossip/reviews/benchmarks flying around the web and wait for that new stuff to be tried, tested and debated before buying, you won't be sorry.

The last thing you want is to get stuck with a dead-end, unupgradable computer.

Fok Speling Misstake

 

[Unolocogringo]

Asus TUSL2 C . Wire moded for 1.65v on boot. Also running "Stuff PCR" to force 4/way interleave on memory and force AGP 4x which the 815 chipset turns off when overclocked.

I aint signing nothing!!!