Billly10

Hi,

I'm new to the forums...

System Specs:
ATi X1900XTX
AMD 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd to 3.00 Ghz)
OCZ 2GB (2x1024Mb) Gold edition RAM (PC 8800) 1100 Mhz
ASUS M2N-SLI (not deluxe) only 800Mhz support for RAM

With this system i can get good framerates on pretty much all recent games on Maximum or near maximum settings (Except Crysis -.-)

at 1280x1024 resolution i get about these frame rates:
F.E.A.R: 50-60 FPS No AA AFx2
Team Fortress 2: 60-80 FPS All maximum settings
Oblivion: 50-60 HDR no AA obviously (all maximum incl. Draw distance)
Fallout 3: 50-60 all high settings no AA default draw distances
Call of Duty 4: 40-60 FPS no AA everything else maximum

But for some reason with 3dMark 06 at default settings (all maximum 1280x1024 no AA) except for the AF which i set to x 2, i got horrible frame rates!!! On the first test with the soldiers assaulting that base thing, I got around 15-20 FPS average it NEVER went above 30 FPS this is very poor and the graphics aren't even THAT good. I'm very confused about why this is giving my PC so much trouble...


Any explanation is appreciated thanks

~Bill

emosun

Welcome to tsf.

Also welcome to the world of 3dmark. Everyone laggs in 3dmark. Its not designed to be streamlined and perfect looking. Its designed to push your computer to the maximum. The only people that get higher then 30fps in 3dmark are the ones that have the latest most powerful hardware. Dual videocards and quad cores and so on.

Not really ment to play smooth like a game , its ment as a stress test. Nobody really watches the framerates , they just want to know the score at the end which is what really counts.

Billly10

Hey there,


Thanks for the info. But for some reason i cant run the CPU tests what happens is when i run them my monitor shuts off (only the display still a green light and power is on) and starts making wierd *** noises. Its a really old CRT max res 1280 1024... (so obviously i cant get a score)

Can you give me an estimate of what my score would be?

I'm thinking about upgrading to a GTX 260, is it worth the investment with my system specs? Or will the rest of the PC restrict the full performance of the card?

Also thank you for replying. All the other crappy tech help forums took like 2-3 days to respond with other questions i had and some didnt reply at all.

Thanks!

emosun

I would say your rig would get a 6000/7000 max. The gtx 260 might get it to the 10000/11000 area. But the gtx 260 uses much more power then an x1900. And for the price of a 260 I would probably get a 3870x2 , course that uses even more power.

Billly10

Im an ATi fan, mostly cause the first awesome card i had was them (x1900) BUT the only reason i wouldnt get the 3870x2 would be because in most benches im seeing

http://www.pczilla.net/upload/200806160143283542.gif
http://www.pczilla.net/upload/200806160143283542.gif

...the GTX260 wins

AND i get the gtx 260 for 220$ with free far cry 2 (i dont care much about the far cry 2 offer)
while the 3870x2 is around 240-250$ and its not as good...?

And my PSU has only 2 6 Pin pci-power adapters... i think the 3870x2 needs an 8 pin one right? (the psu is 680Watts)

So i think im gonna go with the GTX 260 and can you give me an idea of how much better the FPS will be...Because im expecting to see like 20-30+ FPS boosts when i get one of these new cards, is that possible with no other upgrades to my system?

Thanks

EDIT: The first benchmark pic was on Bioshock

emosun

What the exact make and model of the 680w powersupply.

Billly10

http://www.chowbig.com/su680waatxpo.html here, i dont know anything about power supplies... thanks


EDIT: and by the way i just realized... i was looking at the GTX 280 when i saw it beat the 3870x2 ... the 3870x2 beat the GTX 260 in both my bad ^.^

Another EDIT!!!: Does my Motherboard support PCI 2.0??? is that the same as 16x?v ='(

emosun

Yea , suntec isn't a very good brand , it's also only 72% efficient when your really need an 80+ cert psu for a gtx 260 or a 3870x2. It's probably ok on an x1900 because it makes up for it in wattage but not the newer high end cards.

I just checked your motherboard and it should support pci-e 2.0 cards.

Billly10

So... Ill need a new PSU then? -.- lol

emosun

For these newer high end cards yes. I wouldn't run them on that suntec. I dealy you want a 650w or higher for the gtx 260 and a 750w or higher for the 3870x2 or the gtx 280. Also must have 26amps on the 12v rail or higher and be 80+ cert. Quality brands include thermaltakes toughpower, pc power and cooling , coolermaster , corsair , or silverstone.

Billly10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371015 I would like to get this one but my second choice is

this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152035


... if i can get away w. #1 i would love that...buuut whatever

magnethead

:puke:

Don't skimp on the PSU.

The earthwatts is a mediocre PSU. In general we don't reccomend them, basically because neither we nor toms hardware have done a long term test with one, among other more legit reasons.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171023

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171024

Billly10

Those are expensive, have any 60 and under? =(

magnethead

not to be contradictory but what i posted are the absolute minimum recommended for quality power supplies (again, earthwatts PSU's have not been tested under 3 year stresses yet).

Here at TSF, we have a very strict PSU guide: For us to reccomend a PSU, it has to have a standing history equivelent of supporting a graphics-intensive system consiting of an 8/9/GTX series nvidia card or a 2000 level or higher ATI card for 3 years (to meter capacitor aging).

On a cheap PSU, the capacitors will tend to "fall over" between 18 and 24 months. PSU's we recomend are known to last between 30 and 60 months under typical graphics-heavy load.

Read the power supply info/selection link in my sig.

edit: Although, this might fit your budget

Billly10

Youuuuu my friend are silly , had me goin there for a sec and yeah ill look into one of the ones you have recommended

Thanks ^.^

EPIC EDIT: WOAH one of the aforementioned PSUs that you recommended me has MAIL IN REBATE and its 50$!!! WOW getting that NAO!!!

EDIT AGAIN: FREE SHIPPING!!!