CPU bottlenecking my 5850?

3

/337

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Messages
449
I currently have a core2duo e6550 which I built a few years back. I just picked up a new 5850 GPU to replace my 8800gt. Now playing in BF:BC2 it feels like I'm still studdering and my CPU cores show 99% most of the time. Would I see a big improvement going to a new CPU? What do you guys think?
 
I'd say yes.

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Thanks for the responses guys, I'll have to debate a core2quad or if I want to dump the cash in a i7.
 
Hm. I believe BF:BC2 is quad core enabled and does use more CPU than most FPS.

I am a bit surprised that your CPU is holding you back THAT much however.

Can you try over clocking it?
 
yes your cpu is a pretty large bottleneck for a 5850 in many games. the higher the DX level in BC 2 the more strenuous it is on cpus too. you can can go into the settings.ini and force DX10 and I guarantee you it will run better. you could force DX9 too but theres a small chance of graphical error here and there such as a flickering texture.
 
That CPU doesn't cut it anymore, it's absolutely a bottleneck, make the jump to i7 and it'll be like night & day I assure you.
 
My opinion, go to Q9550, going full out new PC i7 (or i5) for one game (as far as i know, it seems that BF-BC 2 is the only one utilizing quad core and i doubt more will follow soon). But if you got the money, why not i guess.
 
NathanP2007 said:
My opinion, go to Q9550, going full out new PC i7 (or i5) for one game (as far as i know, it seems that BF-BC 2 is the only one utilizing quad core and i doubt more will follow soon). But if you got the money, why not i guess.
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well for what Q9550 costs its really not worth it to stay on his platform. by the time he sells his other stuff an i5 quad/mobo/ram upgrade will cost hardly any more in the end than just getting the Q9550. believe me I know because I am in almost in the same situation and have been pricing stuff.
 
You're right about that Nathan. OP, do disregard what I said I am behind on sleep today.
 
Get a Q9550. I run all my games maxed at 1080P usually with ample amounts of AA and AF, and BFBC2 runs buttery smooth with no frame rate drops. Only games with less-than-desirable performance at stock were GTA 4 and the GTA 4 EFLC, but an overclock fixed that.
 
master noran said:
Just pick up a q9550. There is no reason to go i7 for gaming. Plain and simple.
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friend'scatdied said:
Get a Q9550. I run all my games maxed at 1080P usually with ample amounts of AA and AF, and BFBC2 runs buttery smooth with no frame rate drops. Only games with less-than-desirable performance at stock were GTA 4 and the GTA 4 EFLC, but an overclock fixed that.
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see below :p

cannondale06 said:
well for what Q9550 costs its really not worth it to stay on his platform. by the time he sells his other stuff an i5 quad/mobo/ram upgrade will cost hardly any more in the end than just getting the Q9550. believe me I know because I am in almost in the same situation and have been pricing stuff.
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cannondale06 said:
see below :p
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True, but isn't it still gonna cost more than selling the E6550 and getting the Q9550? Not that many people are in the used market for a P35 motherboard, E6550 and DDR2 RAM, which makes me worry about the resale value for them.

Would've been a different story if the gaming performance difference between the Q9550 and i5-750 was actually a big deal.
 
friend'scatdied said:
True, but isn't it still gonna cost more than selling the E6550 and getting the Q9550? Not that many people are in the used market for a P35 motherboard, E6550 and DDR2 RAM, which makes me worry about the resale value for them.

Would've been a different story if the gaming performance difference between the Q9550 and i5-750 was actually a big deal.
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well yes but probably only around 100 bucks difference to get a superior overall platform. the i5 clock for clock is better and it shows in some very cpu intensive games. if the Q9550 was cheaper then I would agree but if he has to pay retail price its better to go i5 route imo.
 
cannondale06 said:
well for what Q9550 costs its really not worth it to stay on his platform. by the time he sells his other stuff an i5 quad/mobo/ram upgrade will cost hardly any more in the end than just getting the Q9550. believe me I know because I am in almost in the same situation and have been pricing stuff.
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I got my Q9550 brand new (E0 stepping) for $235 on ebay. And a few weeks ago i saw Tiger direct have Q9550 on sale for $210! Needless to say i was pissed lol. And i hear at microcenter or what ever stores you all love but there isnt one in WA state :( , has them for cheap too all the time. So i say Q9550 if you can get one for $200-230. But honestly thats coming from a guy (me) that had a E5200 OC to 3.5ghz and was running all his games full settings , res 1680x1050 and was getting highest frame rates his games could offer. Granted i wasnt playing BF:BC2 which like i said seems to be the ONLY quad-core utilizing PC game, but i was playing stuff like COD4, Bioshock, Flashpoint DR.
 
cannondale06 said:
well for what Q9550 costs its really not worth it to stay on his platform. by the time he sells his other stuff an i5 quad/mobo/ram upgrade will cost hardly any more in the end than just getting the Q9550. believe me I know because I am in almost in the same situation and have been pricing stuff.
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Not realy.

He should pick up the Q9550 for 180$ at MC, then sell what he has for a CPU for like what? 50?

That's 130$.

Can't get **** for 130$ as far as new mobo cpu ram.
 
mrnoob123 said:
Not realy.

He should pick up the Q9550 for 180$ at MC, then sell what he has for a CPU for like what? 50?

That's 130$.

Can't get **** for 130$ as far as new mobo cpu ram.
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amen.

BTW thanks, now more pissed theres no MC near me lol. 180$ ?! dang.
 
NathanP2007 said:
amen.

BTW thanks, now more pissed theres no MC near me lol. 180$ ?! dang.
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I know lol.

People are like:

You can sell you're mobo for 700$ and the RAM for 800$ do you can upgrade to a i7-980X and X58 mobo and 12gb DDR3 for 7$!!!!!!!!
 
mrnoob123 said:
Not realy.

He should pick up the Q9550 for 180$ at MC, then sell what he has for a CPU for like what? 50?

That's 130$.

Can't get **** for 130$ as far as new mobo cpu ram.
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he could sell his other stuff PLUS I said IF he had to pay full retail for the Q9550 the i5 route would be better.
 
cannondale06 said:
he could sell his other stuff PLUS I said IF he had to pay full retail.
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For you're reading plessure:

I know lol.

People are like:

You can sell you're mobo for 700$ and the RAM for 800$ do you can upgrade to a i7-980X and X58 mobo and 12gb DDR3 for 7$!!!!!!!!

That was my last post.
 
NathanP2007 said:
Granted i wasnt playing BF:BC2 which like i said seems to be the ONLY quad-core utilizing PC game, but i was playing stuff like COD4, Bioshock, Flashpoint DR.
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A few other games besides BFBC2 off the top of my head that takes advantage of quad-core CPUs:
- Far Cry 2
- Supreme Commander series
- GTA 4
- Empire Total War IIRC
- Arma II
- L4D series
 
Yeah it sucks that the nearest Microcenter is 4 hours away :(
Money isn't a huge issue, I just like to space out my toys. I was playing it OK yesterday but I realized it started running pretty bad after I put on dx11, I'll have to revert back for the time being. All I would really need to buy right now if I went to a new i5/i7 route is mobo/proc. I may just wait and look for a really good deal to pop up. Thanks for the input guys, as usual you are all awesome. :D
 
/337 said:
All I would really need to buy right now if I went to a new i5/i7 route is mobo/proc. I may just wait and look for a really good deal to pop up. Thanks for the input guys, as usual you are all awesome. :D
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Wait, you already have some DDR3 RAM lying around?

Yeah personally I would not bother with a Q9550 upgrade unless it was at $180. Any higher and it seems to be a bit of waste money considering that you can switch to an AMD platform while retaining DDR2 RAM for not that much more than the a Q9550 priced higher than $180.
 
Danny Bui said:
A few other games besides BFBC2 off the top of my head that takes advantage of quad-core CPUs:
- Far Cry 2
- Supreme Commander series
- GTA 4
- Empire Total War IIRC
- Arma II
- L4D series
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If you say so then i believe you as far as the list is concerned. Everyone i know that plays L4D plays on xbox, as for the others, well idk anyone that plays any of those (not saying tons of people dont). Id say popular FPShooters really hit people harder for their systems then those games...hence the thread creators issue is with BF:BC2. Ya know? If MW2 had utilized quad cores then there would be a billion threads like this guys, but only that short list do. And in following the Video game industry you dont exactly see it moving towards using more and more advanced technology. Its moving more and more towards just using xbox 360 ports.

Anyways, Q9550 next time your near MC or keep your eye out for Tigerdirect sale.
 
NathanP2007 said:
If you say so then i believe you as far as the list is concerned. Everyone i know that plays L4D plays on xbox, as for the others, well idk anyone that plays any of those (not saying tons of people dont). Id say popular FPShooters really hit people harder for their systems then those games...hence the thread creators issue is with BF:BC2. Ya know? If MW2 had utilized quad cores then there would be a billion threads like this guys, but only that short list do. And in following the Video game industry you dont exactly see it moving towards using more and more advanced technology. Its moving more and more towards just using xbox 360 ports.

Anyways, Q9550 next time your near MC or keep your eye out for Tigerdirect sale.
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MW2 does utilize the CPU.

It's totally CPU bound.

An Athlon and a GTX 480 trifire loses to a i7 and a 5770.

(3,678,899 frames to 2,789,968 frames per second :LOL:)
 
mrnoob123 said:
MW2 does utilize the CPU.

It's totally CPU bound.

An Athlon and a GTX 480 trifire loses to a i7 and a 5770.

(3,678,899 frames to 2,789,968 frames per second :LOL:)
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Might utilize the CPU but does it utilize Quad Core CPU's heavily?
 
/337 said:
Yeah it sucks that the nearest Microcenter is 4 hours away :(
Money isn't a huge issue, I just like to space out my toys. I was playing it OK yesterday but I realized it started running pretty bad after I put on dx11, I'll have to revert back for the time being. All I would really need to buy right now if I went to a new i5/i7 route is mobo/proc. I may just wait and look for a really good deal to pop up. Thanks for the input guys, as usual you are all awesome. :D
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Make a WTB thread here on the forums. You could easily get a EO stepping q9550 for $180 shipped.
 
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