8800GT Worth It With Athlon64 3500?

D

ddarko

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
271
My system is an Athlon64 3500 with 2GB of RAM and a 512MB 1900XT video card. I'm using it with a 30" Apple LCD. It's about 2.5 years old, old enough that card reviews don't benchmark at this speed anymore so it's hard to get benchmarks with new cards. The system run what I play - I don't play first person shooters because I get nauseous. Mostly, I play strategy games - either real time or turn-based - and Guild Wars. My system can handle these types of games, even running at 2560x1600 resolution.

However, I downloaded the World in Conflict demo and it ran like a dog on my system so I'm wondering if getting a 8800GT will help. I'm thinking my processor may be too much of a bottleneck. I don't want to change my CPU because there aren't many simple upgrade choices for a 939 system; I'd have to do a wholesale upgrade and for that, I want to wait until Phenom gets up to speed or Nehalem comes out next year. So in the interim, would a 8800GT make a difference or a waste of money?
 
aldamon said:
This card is very close to the 8800 GTX, which has been out for a year. This article should help. I'm sure you can find others like it and maybe even one with your exact CPU in it.

http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=618

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I read it but I'm not sure how much I can rely on it for my setup. All the CPUs used in the benchmarks are dual core; my processor is a single core. Also, the article is mostly focused on whether the 8800GTX or GTS is the better choice. It doesn't benchmark against the older generation of cards so it doesn't address my concern whether my CPU will bottleneck a 8800GT/GTX. Obviously, an 8800GT/GTX is faster than a 1900XT with a fast CPU but with an single core Athlon64 3500? But thanks for the link.
 
ddarko said:
whether my CPU will bottleneck a 8800GT/GTX.
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You already know the answer to this. Yes. Of course. Just crank up the resolution a bit.

ddarko said:
Thanks for the link. I read it but I'm not sure how much I can rely on it for my setup. All the CPUs used in the benchmarks are dual core; my processor is a single core.
Click to expand...

Your 3500+ is 2.2 GHz, right? So is the X2 4200+ in that article. I don't think dual-core is going to make much difference in the games they listed. Like I said, if you're skeptical, find other articles. 8800 tech has been out for a year.




 
Yes, he didn't answer your question :p. I think that 3500+ will bottleneck you, how much is uncertain. I used to have an old 3400+ paired with my 6800GT, a modest step up from my P4 2.4Ghz and 9800Pro. I'd get a new CPU/MB. The 8800GT is a good deal if you want to spend $250+.
 
People throw around the word "bottleneck" a whole lot, sometimes way too much.

The GT will work fine for you and will yield impressive results even with your single core Athlon 64. 99% of the existing gaming library consists of games that are not multi-core aware anyway. And as for the speed of your processor? Sure... you'd get better gaming performance with something more current such as Intel's Core 2 architecture but you'll be fine for now with your current CPU. Just crank up the AA/AF and enjoy the eye candy...
 
Miscommunication said:
Yes, he didn't answer your question :p.
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OP's original question is if the card is "worth it," which is a subjective question. I can say yes. You could can say no. He's still nowhere near answering it for himself.

I linked to a CPU scaling article. The results are there. Now he can decide if that kind of performance is worth it or not on his own.



 
Thanks for the replies. I know I won't be able to tap the full potential of an 8800GT with my processor so in that sense, I know a "bottleneck" is unavoidable, no matter what. What I'm trying to figure out is if my system is already maxed out with a 1900XT such that adding a 8800GT won't increase frame rates. If 8800GT gives me the same performance at the same resolution as an 1900XT, then it doesn't make sense for me. Or if I get an 8800GT and increase the resolution and add more eye candy, will I discover my CPU can't handle the increased demand and my frame rates drop into the teens? If that's the case, I'd stick with my 1900XT.
 
I know you said you don’t want to change your CPU but if you do have a bottleneck Newegg has the 939pin 4200+ for $63.50.
 
I'm in a similar situation in that I have a AMD 3700+ s754 ClawHammer and plan on getting a 8800GT. I have one of the few s754 MB with a PCI-e slot, actually it's a SLI board by EPoX.

I just sold my 7900GTX 512MB and am currently waiting for the 8800GT's to come down in price as the current demand is driving up the price. I hope to pick one up for under $230.

I know my CPU will be a bottleneck to some extent but the price/performance of the 8800GT is worth it, in my opinion.
 
buy the 8800GT for now, than in a year, get a new CPU/MB.. than you'll be good for another while
 
oneshort said:
I know you said you don’t want to change your CPU but if you do have a bottleneck Newegg has the 939pin 4200+ for $63.50.
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I'm with this guy. Get the card and a cheap 939 X2. Newegg is almost giving them away.
 
ddarko said:
My system is an Athlon64 3500 with 2GB of RAM and a 512MB 1900XT video card. I'm using it with a 30" Apple LCD. It's about 2.5 years old, old enough that card reviews don't benchmark at this speed anymore so it's hard to get benchmarks with new cards. The system run what I play - I don't play first person shooters because I get nauseous. Mostly, I play strategy games - either real time or turn-based - and Guild Wars. My system can handle these types of games, even running at 2560x1600 resolution.

However, I downloaded the World in Conflict demo and it ran like a dog on my system so I'm wondering if getting a 8800GT will help. I'm thinking my processor may be too much of a bottleneck. I don't want to change my CPU because there aren't many simple upgrade choices for a 939 system; I'd have to do a wholesale upgrade and for that, I want to wait until Phenom gets up to speed or Nehalem comes out next year. So in the interim, would a 8800GT make a difference or a waste of money?
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? No cheap upgrade choices?

I just recently upgraded from a 3700+ to a 4200+ X2 for 70 dollars.

Popped it in, overclocked it to 3 ghz on stock voltage.

Talk about an upgrade...
 
w00t69 said:
Are you kidding? No cheap upgrade choices?

I just recently upgraded from a 3700+ to a 4200+ X2 for 70 dollars.

Popped it in, overclocked it to 3 ghz on stock voltage.

Talk about an upgrade...
Click to expand...

What I meant was that I hadn't considered an upgrade from 3500 to 4200 to be enough of a performance boost but you and others are suggesting otherwise? Hmm, something to reconsider. Also, my general rule is to avoid upgrades that are locked into the 939 platform, like a processor upgrade. I've already spend a decent amount of money adding more memory, swapping out the video card once already and another hard drive on this system and I'd like to be able to take any future upgrades with me to the next system.
 
ddarko said:
What I meant was that I hadn't considered an upgrade from 3500 to 4200 to be enough of a performance boost but you and others are suggesting otherwise? Hmm, something to reconsider. Also, my general rule is to avoid upgrades that are locked into the 939 platform, like a processor upgrade. I've already spend a decent amount of money adding more memory, swapping out the video card once already and another hard drive on this system and I'd like to be able to take any future upgrades with me to the next system.
Click to expand...

My Advice is this.

Upgrade to the 8800GT, its a great card you can't go wrong, and of course can be used in any potential upgrade.

Test the 8800GT with your current rig.

It ALL depends on what resolutions you play in. The higher you go the more likely you GPU will bottleneck in general before your CPU. At lower resolutions like 1024x768 or 1280x1024 the CPU will definately be a bottleneck BUT if you are 50+FPS in most games you prob wont care. Having said that your CPU will prob bottleneck most resolutions to different degree with a 8800GT.

If you don't like your results upgrade processor, or overclock, or upgrade overclock.
 
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