Bottleneck?

[MDK22]

Hey guys looking at my system specs I was wondering if you guys could tell me where the biggest bottleneck is in my system. I run xp. From what i can tell i think it is my CPU. I am just looking for some verification. I wish I could overclock it but, I have to rma it its a bad chip. So I was wondering if i should upgrade then rma it and probably just sell the new replacement.

I don't have alot of money so I am thinking about upgrading it to the 5000+ BE with the Xigmatech HDT. Also what do you think i could get for clocks with my setup ambient room temp is normally 68-72F. Also if anyone has a old x1950xtx cf edition card they would be willing to sell for cheap <$50 US it would be nice.

The max i really want to spend is $150 US.

 

[panchoman]

biggest bottleneck= hdd

but that cant be helped lol

im not sure how much a new cpu would really help though..

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

I would upgrade the video card before the HDD, but that's me.
OC that CPU though, it's got at least 2.6Ghz in it.

 

[panchoman]

hdds are always the bottleneck when it comes to standard usage cause they cant relay info fast enough to cpu etc, like i said that cant be helped.

i would up the video first though, i hardly get a difference in 3dmark when i raise my x2 4600's speed with an x1950pro

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

If he only wants to spend $150 though he could get an 8800GT, I've seen some on the egg lately for $149 after rebates.

 

[panchoman]

If he only wants to spend $150 though he could get an 8800GT, I've seen some on the egg lately for $149 after rebates.

and then the cpu becomes a giant bottleneck

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

That's why he needs to OC his CPU, I'm willing to bet he can get 2.75 out of it.
Here are a couple cards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130082
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127328
Both are 8800GTS and have 320MB, the GT cards I seen for $149 were all 256MB

 

[panchoman]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161218
also not a bad buy

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

Or he could even get any 9600GT, from what I've used of mine they're great cards too.

 

[panchoman]

9600's are just an 8800gt downgraded ( the bus gets downgraded to like 256 bit i think)

 

[MDK22]

That card if you read the reviews is a pos. Also a cheap x1950xtx cf ed would put me at that graphics level and since im not planing on vista any time soon it would be a waste. I am more interested in CPU. Also yes it is blatantly obvious that hdds are the main bottleneck. But until solid state actually reads/writes faster then a reg hdd were bottleneck. I think with that cooler as5, 120mm 110cfm and the BE i might be able to get 4ghz. If im wrong correct me but i believe this would boost my performance greatly. I am just trying to validate that. I really think the cpu is holding back the gpu. As supposedly this card can get upwards of 170-190 frames in call of duty 4. You have to remember the xtx runs wicked fast.

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

9600's are just an 8800gt downgraded ( the bus gets downgraded to like 256 bit i think)

I think they also closed a couple pipelines and then OCed the core of it.

 

[MDK22]

yes a 9600gt is worse then an 8800gt. The benchmarks if you look around prove that. Also the x600 should never replace an x800 unless you go up 2 series. aka 10600 vs 8800. Anyway can you get back on point please.

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

That card if you read the reviews is a pos. Also a cheap x1950xtx cf ed would put me at that graphics level and since im not planing on vista any time soon it would be a waste. I am more interested in CPU. Also yes it is blatantly obvious that hdds are the main bottleneck. But until solid state actually reads/writes faster then a reg hdd were bottleneck. I think with that cooler as5, 120mm 110cfm and the BE i might be able to get 4ghz. If im wrong correct me but i believe this would boost my performance greatly. I am just trying to validate that. I really think the cpu is holding back the gpu. As supposedly this card can get upwards of 170-190 frames in call of duty 4. You have to remember the xtx runs wicked fast.

I've never seen anybody get 4Ghz on an AMD chip.

 

[Squirrely]

9600's are just an 8800gt downgraded ( the bus gets downgraded to like 256 bit i think)

Both are 256bit. On an 8800gt, the 256mb version still has a 256bit bus, just it really bogs down when its at high res and AA enabled. Other than that, at low res, it does just about on par with the 512mb version.

But I would personally get a 9600gt. They are great cards for the price.

 

[panchoman]

the BE will take you like 3.5-3.6 ish at best i think.. dont expect anything near 4g with air cooling. btw you do know that you might be able to get like 3.2 ish with your current cpu? (2.8 if you have an f2)

 

[cdawall]

he has a xfire mobo why is everyone recommending NV cards? get a 3870 and later get another one

maybe a 5000BE brisbane or 6400BE windsor

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

the BE will take you like 3.5-3.6 ish at best i think.. dont expect anything near 4g with air cooling. btw you do know that you might be able to get like 3.2 ish with your current cpu? (2.8 if you have an f2)

That's if his Xfire 3200 will let him raise the bus that much

 

[panchoman]

That's if his Xfire 3200 will let him raise the bus that much

?

@x the 5000be is the way to go, 6400be sucks

 

[OzzmanFloyd120]

The chipset on that mobo.

 

[MDK22]

This board is one of the best ati cf overclocking boards the chipset is great for ocing as for the 4ghz i have seen 3.4-3.6 on air but then again they are not using the same airflow setup i have also back when i had my x850 pro oc to pe and my 2.8ghz intel i had the highest clocks on both on stock and after market air. as for the 3870 its either it or a BE so im leaning towards the be and if you read all of my post not just skimmed it panchoman you would see i have to rma the cpu and its a windsor and thats what im getting back they dont oc as well as the brisbane you are thinking of. This is still besides the point as its a bad chip and it needs to be replaced as i mentioned in the beginning meaning im probably getting back a recertified chip ie used and its not going to oc well because of that.

if you wanna look at the ocing of my board check these out:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/11629/15

http://www.firingsquad.com/features/amd_contest_winner_overclocking/page4.asp

The cpu can hit 3.2ghz easily. Although like i mentioned earlier they dont use the exact same setups i do also the fact that there have been a bunch of bios updates might help out.

 

[cdawall]

The chipset on that mobo.

no it doesn't suck you just have to know what you are doing i can get 280HTT out of my 3200Xpress just fine without really even trying give me a couple hours and i could get 320HTT out of it

also if he grabbed a 6400BE he doesn't exactly need a high bus 220-240 does just fine @ 16x

 

[Rurouni Strife]

MDK22, get the RMA for that CPU done. Considering the model number, they might send you a Brisbane back (since it does come in the same model, I have a 4200 Bris). If you get a Windsor, awesome and OC it. If you get a Brisbane, awesome and OC it. Both should OC fairly well, espically since you have a good mobo. If you get it to 2.6 to 2.8 (which is a mild OC) that should even out your system with that 1950XT. You really shouldn't have to upgrade that video card to a 9600GT/3870 or above unless you feel like it. It's only a modest increase w/ the exception of maybe Crysis. 1950 XT's should do you fine till Nvidia/ATI new stuff comes out. If you feel the need to get a BE, then do it but that shouldn't really be necesscary. Why spend more money than you have to?

 

[MDK22]

I decided to get the 5000+ BE simply because i play alot of hl2 games and they are more processor based then anything else. I got the xigmatech 1238 and some as5 for it. So my next question is can i lap that heatsink.

 

[AsRock]

Well hope it works out for you. I do think a v card would of been better. What makes me say that is i should of get a better v card than the 2900XT instead of getting Core Duo setup. BUT i did not want to touch another NV card from what the last one was like.