Where is my bottleneck?

[BrainTweek]

I'm trying to figure which part of my PC is giving me the biggest bottleneck for game performance.

Gigabyte 8PE800 Ultra 845 PE
Intel Pentium 4 2.4ghz
512 mb Crucial DDR333 unregistered and unbuffered
ATI Radeon 9700 Pro 128mb (only able to run 4X AGP with this motherboard)
Western Digital 160 GB 8MB cache Caviar ATA 133

I play Half Life 2 at 1024 x 768 with most of the setting on low.

It runs fine that way but if I try to increase detail or resolution the frame rates get so low it's unplayable.

My guess is the motherboard is causing most of the bottleneck with only AGP 4X and the 845 chipset.

Anyone have an opinion?

 

[Major_A]

The difference between 4X and 8X is maybe 1-5 fps. When is the last time you installed your motherboard chipset drivers?

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df/Product_Filter.asp?ProductID=816

*EDIT*
my system
2.4B @ 2.8
1GB RAM
9800 Pro
I get 94.7fps in the VST @ 1280X1024 with everything on High and Reflect World.

I have a feeling that chipset driver will help things out.

 

[BrainTweek]

Thanks for the suggestion, did the chipset update.

73 fps VST.

1280 x 960
Model and Texture detail Medium
other options high and no aa


I guess that ain't bad for the hardware I have.

You think adding another 512mb going to get me anymore FPS?
I am looking to upgrade something to boost it for gaming but I only want to spend 100 to 150.
So I thought the motherboard might be the best choice, but then again I want to switch to AMD Athlon 64 so that will cost me alot more that 150.

 

[darktiger]

Your system is fine...As for what you need for a better game play is another 512meg ddr stick, and maybe a better videocard like a 6600gt or a 6800nu...

 

[paulmr]

three letters


RAM

seriosly upgrade to atelast 1 gig of RAM the difference is amazing.....

 

[Upward Index]

Are you using Catalyst 4.12 ?

 

[ryuji]

512 mb of pc2700 of course... get some nice tccd and you can overclock using 1:1
personally im eyeing the g.skill 4400 on newegg.. this summer im going to pick some up

 

[BrainTweek]

I'll start with some RAM then a video card.
Eventually I reallly do want to switch to AMD Athlon 64.
I will use this old turd untill some more money comes in.


Thanks for the help.

 

[ciggy50]

hmm , well sell me that old "turd" of a vid card when yr ready

 

[BrainTweek]

If I plan on upgrading motherboard and Processor shouldn't I just buy PC3200 RAM now?

It should run fine on my 333fsb board untill I upgrade.

 

[Nineball]

Yeah, buy the DDR400, for future upgradeability. That's the most intelligent thing to do IMO.