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CPU & RAM upgrade for higher FPS?

Texel

By Texel
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Texel

Texel

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Current system specs:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 @ 2.5GHz

4GB DDR2 memory

Radeon HD 6870 (1GB)

Windows 7 SP1 64bit

Game Settings: Everything on High (shadows off), 4xAA, 1920x1080 (native monitor resolution).

 

For the most part my frame rate is always above 35FPS, probably more around the 45-50FPS mark.

However when in areas with a lot of people like Imperial Fleet, I get between 5-20FPS.

 

I realize in dense areas this will happen because there is far more background calculations going, but I thought it is handled by the CPU since reducing my graphic settings to Low and disabling AA doesn't improve my FPS much at all.

 

I've started monitoring CPU usage which never seems to go above 70%, and Memory usage is at about 3GB (~2GB of it being used by SWTOR). If the game isn't even using all of the resources available to it, would upgrading to an i7, new mainboard and 16GB DDR3 ram help increase my FPS in this situation?

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Texel

Texel

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I have the same GPU, with a I5-2500K (Not OC'd yet) and 8 GB Ram, and I consistently get between 90-105 fps. If there is a lot going on, I might drop down to 60-75.

 

Same game settings and resolution?

Edited by Texel
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myrmexaw

myrmexaw

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I have the same GPU, with a I5-2500K (Not OC'd yet) and 8 GB Ram, and I consistently get between 90-105 fps. If there is a lot going on, I might drop down to 60-75.

 

can we get your setting ingame so we can adjust because i have a better computer than the op and i suffer the same dilemna he has.

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rmack

rmack

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Current system specs:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 @ 2.5GHz

4GB DDR2 memory

Radeon HD 6870 (1GB)

Windows 7 SP1 64bit

Game Settings: Everything on High (shadows off), 4xAA, 1920x1080 (native monitor resolution).

 

For the most part my frame rate is always above 35FPS, probably more around the 45-50FPS mark.

However when in areas with a lot of people like Imperial Fleet, I get between 5-20FPS.

 

I realize in dense areas this will happen because there is far more background calculations going, but I thought it is handled by the CPU since reducing my graphic settings to Low and disabling AA doesn't improve my FPS much at all.

 

I've started monitoring CPU usage which never seems to go above 70%, and Memory usage is at about 3GB (~2GB of it being used by SWTOR). If the game isn't even using all of the resources available to it, would upgrading to an i7, new mainboard and 16GB DDR3 ram help increase my FPS in this situation?

 

You system is bottle necked from your mobo and ddr2 memory. 16gb of ram is a waste unless you mult-task a lot of programs or run a very high resolution.

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Marmerus

Marmerus

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Posted (edited)
Current system specs:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 @ 2.5GHz

4GB DDR2 memory

Radeon HD 6870 (1GB)

Windows 7 SP1 64bit

Game Settings: Everything on High (shadows off), 4xAA, 1920x1080 (native monitor resolution).

 

For the most part my frame rate is always above 35FPS, probably more around the 45-50FPS mark.

However when in areas with a lot of people like Imperial Fleet, I get between 5-20FPS.

 

I realize in dense areas this will happen because there is far more background calculations going, but I thought it is handled by the CPU since reducing my graphic settings to Low and disabling AA doesn't improve my FPS much at all.

 

I've started monitoring CPU usage which never seems to go above 70%, and Memory usage is at about 3GB (~2GB of it being used by SWTOR). If the game isn't even using all of the resources available to it, would upgrading to an i7, new mainboard and 16GB DDR3 ram help increase my FPS in this situation?

Just get a used aftermarket cooler and overclock your CPU.

 

i7 will not give you any performance over a i5.

 

8gb is more than enough for all of todays games. 16gb will not help you at all.

 

And finally your GPU is not a fast one. Its a budget GPU so you can't expect to run games flawlessly.

You system is bottle necked from your mobo and ddr2 memory.

You don't know much about computers. The difference between DDR2 dual channel and DDR3 is not that big.

Edited by Marmerus
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Mattjew

Mattjew

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Yeah you have some bottlenecking somewhere. I don't think a new CPU will help, or RAM either.

 

I run an i7 2600k 3.4 Ghz, 8gb DDR3, AMD HD 6850. I get up to 110 fps when questing with everything on high and shadows, and 60-70ish in really busy places.

 

The GPU gets to 50 degrees Celsius...my i7 gets around the 50's too.

 

 

Is your FPS really a big issue?

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Mattjew

Mattjew

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Just get a used aftermarket cooler and overclock your CPU.

 

i7 will not give you any performance over a i5.

 

8gb is more than enough for all of todays games. 16gb will not help you at all.

 

And finally your GPU is not a fast one. Its a budget GPU so you can't expect to run games flawlessly.

 

That GPU will run this game flawlessly. It's something else

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Texel

Texel

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You system is bottle necked from your mobo and ddr2 memory.

 

I was thinking this which is why I didn't try a Crossfire setup.

My confusion is why is my CPU usage and memory usage not at 100%. I would assume it would be if its bottle necked...

 

Is there software that I can use to see if my GPU is under performing due to it being bottle necked?

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ludakot

ludakot

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Could be the CPU, 2.5 is more like a 2008 gaming computer speed, we're in 2012 now! You should be getting higher fps than that though, I get 20-30fps in warzones on:

 

2GB DDR2 ram

AMD Phenom X4 9950 2.6ghz

Geforce 9800GT 512MB

 

I'm also looking to upgrade, I was planning on a card similar to yours as well as overclocking my CPU to 3.0+ and getting an extra 2gb of ram. But after seeing your performance I'm a little worried it might be a waste of money.

Edited by ludakot
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Cavi

Cavi

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RAM won't do anything for FPS, don't waste money increasing it.

 

What you could look at doing, is OC'ing your CPU. That might help you significantly, and give your GPU a little more room for more processes. Grab an aftermarket cooler (does the cooler master hyper 212+ have LGA775 brackets?)

 

And finally your GPU is not a fast one. Its a budget GPU so you can't expect to run games flawlessly.

 

What? That GPU is not a budget GPU. Just because you might be running something better than that, spending double the money for it, doesn't mean you can make asinine comments such as those.

Edited by Cavi
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Marmerus

Marmerus

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What? That GPU is not a budget GPU. Just because you might be runnin gsomething better than that, spending double the money for it, doesn't mean you can make asinine comments such as those.

Does not matter what comments I make. Its still a budget GPU for mid and low end systems.

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Cavi

Cavi

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Does not matter what comments I make. Its still a budget GPU for mid and low end systems.

 

If you're going to talk "mid-range", that card fits right in, but you can't use the term "budget gpu" as well in the mid-range. Budget GPUs are less than $100.

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Chinwhe

Chinwhe

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You system is bottle necked from your mobo and ddr2 memory. 16gb of ram is a waste unless you mult-task a lot of programs or run a very high resolution.

 

I have similar issues as the OP, but I'm doubting very much it's a DDR2/mobo bottle neck. I'm running 2 PCs:

 

1)

Intel Q9450 @ 3.0Ghz

4Gigs DDR2 800mhz RAM

1500mhz FSB mobo

Nvidia GTX 560 S.C. 1Gig Vram

Vista 64bit (lateest version S.P.)

 

2)

Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.4Ghz

4Gigs DDR3 2000mhz RAM

2000mhz FSB mobo

Nvidia 9800 GTX 512mb Vram (OC'd to match the GTX 560 in all but memory bandwidth @ 74GB/s vs 130GB/s)

Windows 7 64bit

 

Both machines are running the same resolution (1920x1080), Vsync off, same settings in game, and both get the same FPS. From 20fps to 90fps mostly in the 40/50's. In certain places both stay in the low 30's (like parts of Coruscant).

 

Both machines also run DX10/DX11 games such as LOTRO at well above 100fps (average), EVE online at max no FPS issues.

 

If it's the DDR2 and mobo causing a bottleneck I don't get why my newer machine performs the same, nor why when I under-clocked my older Q9450 back to 2.66Ghz 1333mhz FSB I saw no performance hit what so ever. Nor when I OC'd my GTX 560 did I see a performance gain... I breifly ran my Q9450 @ 3.4GHz and also saw no gains, (however I have yet to test the system stabluity at that speed).

 

Something doens't make sense.

Edited by Chinwhe
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rmack

rmack

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I was thinking this which is why I didn't try a Crossfire setup.

My confusion is why is my CPU usage and memory usage not at 100%. I would assume it would be if its bottle necked...

 

Is there software that I can use to see if my GPU is under performing due to it being bottle necked?

 

When you get that spike of FPS your cpu and mobo can't process information fast enough for the GPU to render it. If you lag all the time with high settings i'd bet its your GPU (if the hardware is somewhat ok). If your in a area with not a lot of people around and things dont lag (unless you jump in a area with a lot of people). I'd bet it's a cpu, mobo and ram bottle necking. So anything faster then like a gtx 260 or so is somewhat of a waste and will be bottle necked (can't process information fast enough to really take full effect of that new card).

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ArrowCool

ArrowCool

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Does not matter what comments I make. Its still a budget GPU for mid and low end systems.

 

I respectfully disagree with you. The 6870 is by no means a "budget" GPU, nor am I saying is it on par with a GTX580.

 

Granted I own one, so you may think of me as biased, but quite honestly I am a NVidia guy.

Edited by ArrowCool
correct spelling
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Kourage

Kourage

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Bloom & Shadows off. Might want to try 2xAA, not sure. Also, lowering the resolution has helped some people. Set the process priority to high, perhaps. you can also set Windows display features for performance. More RAM shouldn't really help, unless you have other processes hogging up resources.
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