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What am I doing wrong?

DrezeksDrezeks Member Posts: 51


I just recently built a system mostly from scratch because my computer broke as I shipped it across the coast, and since rebuilding it I haven't been able to play games at the level I would expect from what I have.


Mobo: xfx 780i


Processor: Intel core 2 quad cpu Q8200 @ 2.33 GHz (not overclocking this right now)


4gigs ddr2 ram


Geforce GTX 260, evga


::at 1440x900:: [edit]


I built it expecting to be able to run WoW with max settings, AoC at least with gpu ran shadows, and EQ2 at least on high. WoW on max settings in shadows in Northrend I run at ~25FPS and clipping well below that in action. AoC I could only play at medium with shadows off -- although this may have been a drivers issue. And EQ2 I can't get above low settings, and shadows are a definite no.




Is my computer underperforming, and if it is do you guys have any suggestions?

Comments

  • CleffyCleffy Member RarePosts: 6,412


    Your computer is underperforming.  In nVidia control panel, make sure all the settings are set for the application to decide.  Make sure V-Sync is set to off.

  • VooDoo_PapaVooDoo_Papa Member UncommonPosts: 897


    well, you opted for a quad core cpu @2.33 ghz that doesnt have turbo boost which means non threaded apps/games will suffer.  For gaming, you really should have purchased the e8500 with the lga 775 motherboard you have (and would have cost the same).  Its significantly faster than the q8200 for non threaded apps and games (for comparison sake, a Q9650 performs about the same as an E8500 in games). 


    Just do a quick google and search "E8500 vs. Q8200 gaming benchmarks" and you'll see what I mean.


    I guess to make long stories short, I think you're hitting about what you should be with the GTX 260 and a 2.33ghz cpu.  Contrary to popular belief, Blizzard has been tweaking wow's graphics a lot.  If you get 25 FPS in northrend, thats pretty good with your system.

    image
  • AmazingAveryAmazingAvery Age of Conan AdvocateMember UncommonPosts: 7,188


    What driver version are you using?


    At the nvidia website I would run the autodetect drivers for the mobo and the GPU and update both see if it picks up anything different.



  • DrezeksDrezeks Member Posts: 51

    Originally posted by VooDoo_Papa


    well, you opted for a quad core cpu @2.33 ghz that doesnt have turbo boost which means non threaded apps/games will suffer.  For gaming, you really should have purchased the e8500 with the lga 775 motherboard you have (and would have cost the same).  Its significantly faster than the q8200 for non threaded apps and games (for comparison sake, a Q9650 performs about the same as an E8500 in games). 


    Just do a quick google and search "E8500 vs. Q8200 gaming benchmarks" and you'll see what I mean.


    I guess to make long stories short, I think you're hitting about what you should be with the GTX 260 and a 2.33ghz cpu.  Contrary to popular belief, Blizzard has been tweaking wow's graphics a lot.  If you get 25 FPS in northrend, thats pretty good with your system.


    Thats really interesting, too bad I dropped the money I did I suppose. I just purchased my mobo+cpu on a friends recomendation--assuming he knew more than me. Thanks for the heads up.


    As for drivers,  last time I updated my GPU driver I had to rollback because my computer kept crashing. (and it wasn't a beta driver)

  • TheHatterTheHatter Member Posts: 2,547


    Have you tried messing with your sound quality?


    Sounds weird, but you don't have a sound card meaning it's all going through your CPU. It may not bring you up to what you should be getting (around 120fps in Dal at max settings), but it will give you some boost.

  • KyntorKyntor Member Posts: 280


    I think you are underperforming a little bit too.  I am getting a better framerate with a worse video card at higher resolution.  I do have a better CPU, but WoW relies more on your GPU than your CPU.


    The first think you should do is make sure that windows is recognizing all of your RAM.  Next you should check your download speed and make sure you don't have something wrong with the network card on your computer.  Then you might want to run your computer through some of the benchmark software for GPUs and CPUs and see where yours stack up.  From these results, you should hopefully have a little better handle on the problem.

    "Those who dislike things based only on the fact that they are popular are just as shallow and superficial as those who only like them for the same reason."

  • VooDoo_PapaVooDoo_Papa Member UncommonPosts: 897

    Originally posted by TheHatter


    Have you tried messing with your sound quality?


    Sounds weird, but you don't have a sound card meaning it's all going through your CPU. It may not bring you up to what you should be getting (around 120fps in Dal at max settings), but it will give you some boost.


     hatter, come on.  Nobody is getting 120 FPS with max settings in dalaran.  The 5970 gets between 35 and 70 fps in dalaran, and that board is leaps and bounds above a GTX 260.


    I honestly think the OP is under the impression that his rig should be outputting a lot more than what it is.  He's likely to squeeze maybe 5fps if hes lucky, but in all honesty that CPU with a GTX 260 is performing about as well as it should be (hate to say it)

    image
  • dfandfan Member Posts: 362

    Originally posted by Kyntor


    I think you are underperforming a little bit too.  I am getting a better framerate with a worse video card at higher resolution.  I do have a better CPU, but WoW relies more on your GPU than your CPU.


    It's other way around.

  • dirtyjoe78dirtyjoe78 Member Posts: 400

    Originally posted by VooDoo_Papa

    Originally posted by TheHatter


    Have you tried messing with your sound quality?


    Sounds weird, but you don't have a sound card meaning it's all going through your CPU. It may not bring you up to what you should be getting (around 120fps in Dal at max settings), but it will give you some boost.


     hatter, come on.  Nobody is getting 120 FPS with max settings in dalaran.  The 5970 gets between 35 and 70 fps in dalaran, and that board is leaps and bounds above a GTX 260.


    I honestly think the OP is under the impression that his rig should be outputting a lot more than what it is.  He's likely to squeeze maybe 5fps if hes lucky, but in all honesty that CPU with a GTX 260 is performing about as well as it should be (hate to say it)


     Hatter is correct to some degree here if you do not have a dedicated sound processing board and your sound is running through your board your CPU is processing all the sound and in a lot of games you get a nice boost out of having a good solid above board sound card.  I tested this theory with Crysis back when it was almost impossible to get crysis to run good on anything a good soundcard will offload the sound processing from your cpu freeing up CPU cycles and giving you better overall performance.

  • VooDoo_PapaVooDoo_Papa Member UncommonPosts: 897

    Originally posted by dirtyjoe78

    Originally posted by VooDoo_Papa


    Originally posted by TheHatter


    Have you tried messing with your sound quality?


    Sounds weird, but you don't have a sound card meaning it's all going through your CPU. It may not bring you up to what you should be getting (around 120fps in Dal at max settings), but it will give you some boost.


     hatter, come on.  Nobody is getting 120 FPS with max settings in dalaran.  The 5970 gets between 35 and 70 fps in dalaran, and that board is leaps and bounds above a GTX 260.


    I honestly think the OP is under the impression that his rig should be outputting a lot more than what it is.  He's likely to squeeze maybe 5fps if hes lucky, but in all honesty that CPU with a GTX 260 is performing about as well as it should be (hate to say it)


     Hatter is correct to some degree here if you do not have a dedicated sound processing board and your sound is running through your board your CPU is processing all the sound and in a lot of games you get a nice boost out of having a good solid above board sound card.  I tested this theory with Crysis back when it was almost impossible to get crysis to run good on anything a good soundcard will offload the sound processing from your cpu freeing up CPU cycles and giving you better overall performance.


     


    well, ya I definitely agree about how resources on his system are being handled.  I just dont want the OP to think hes going to get 120 fps in dalaran maxed out @1440x900 ;with his rig because hes overlooked a bios or driver setting.  Its not feasible. 

    image
  • noquarternoquarter Member Posts: 1,170


    Originally posted by dirtyjoe78

    Originally posted by VooDoo_Papa

    Originally posted by TheHatter


    Have you tried messing with your sound quality?

    Sounds weird, but you don't have a sound card meaning it's all going through your CPU. It may not bring you up to what you should be getting (around 120fps in Dal at max settings), but it will give you some boost.

     hatter, come on.  Nobody is getting 120 FPS with max settings in dalaran.  The 5970 gets between 35 and 70 fps in dalaran, and that board is leaps and bounds above a GTX 260.

    I honestly think the OP is under the impression that his rig should be outputting a lot more than what it is.  He's likely to squeeze maybe 5fps if hes lucky, but in all honesty that CPU with a GTX 260 is performing about as well as it should be (hate to say it)

     Hatter is correct to some degree here if you do not have a dedicated sound processing board and your sound is running through your board your CPU is processing all the sound and in a lot of games you get a nice boost out of having a good solid above board sound card.  I tested this theory with Crysis back when it was almost impossible to get crysis to run good on anything a good soundcard will offload the sound processing from your cpu freeing up CPU cycles and giving you better overall performance.


    True, but modern CPUs you'll see almost no difference using onboard sound vs dedicated sound card, there's just too many free CPU cycles for it to matter especially on a quad core, since sound processing is one thing that is always in a separate thread.

  • KyntorKyntor Member Posts: 280

    Originally posted by dfan

    Originally posted by Kyntor


    I think you are underperforming a little bit too.  I am getting a better framerate with a worse video card at higher resolution.  I do have a better CPU, but WoW relies more on your GPU than your CPU.


    It's other way around.


     It depends on the system.  The 260 should be able to hand most of what WoW throws at it. 

    "Those who dislike things based only on the fact that they are popular are just as shallow and superficial as those who only like them for the same reason."

  • pythipythi Member UncommonPosts: 63

    Originally posted by Drezeks


    I just recently built a system mostly from scratch because my computer broke as I shipped it across the coast, and since rebuilding it I haven't been able to play games at the level I would expect from what I have.


    Mobo: xfx 780i


    Processor: Intel core 2 quad cpu Q8200 @ 2.33 GHz (not overclocking this right now)


    4gigs ddr2 ram


    Geforce GTX 260, evga


    ::at 1440x900:: [edit]


    I built it expecting to be able to run WoW with max settings, AoC at least with gpu ran shadows, and EQ2 at least on high. WoW on max settings in shadows in Northrend I run at ~25FPS and clipping well below that in action. AoC I could only play at medium with shadows off -- although this may have been a drivers issue. And EQ2 I can't get above low settings, and shadows are a definite no.




    Is my computer underperforming, and if it is do you guys have any suggestions?


    I'm going to say that you are well below under preforming if you cannot run EQ2 above the lowest settings AOC I have had no issues running while I was in its beta with a 9800GT I belive a 6600 Dual core Intel. Looking at your hardware I can almost positivly say that it should run all above no problem assuming you do not have any faulty hardware, While I skimed over this thread the Q8200 is a underpowered CPU but that is also powerful enough to run the games that you play at decent settings with a good frame rate. I would be interested to see what you find is the problem. I will say this getting a sound card will NOT improve your frame rate more than even possibly 5% or 2-3 fps taking into account a 70 fps cap.

    Exocide

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