Will my old cpu bottleneck a mid range graphic card?

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Family Ng

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Jul 25, 2013
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10,510
I have a Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8200 (4M Cache, 2.33 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB)

1) Will it bottleneck an ati 7870 2gb?
2) will a 520w psu be sufficient?
3) Should i upgrade to an fx-6350 (no plans on OC) because of its age..?

EDIT: Just for gaming that dont require much..
Counterstirke global offensive and nba 2k14
 
Solution
geofelt
To help clarify your options, run these two tests:

a) Run your games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely cpu limited.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 50%.
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.


Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
set to 50% and see how you do.


If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade...
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Sangeet Khatri

Sangeet Khatri

Honorable
May 26, 2013
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1. Yes it would bottleneck that card. The max it should be able to handle would be 7790 or maybe 7850.
2. Yes, a 520W PSU should be enough.
3. Yes, you should consider an upgrade if possible but then you would need new Motherboard. And also what is showing its age?
 
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geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,298
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To help clarify your options, run these two tests:

a) Run your games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely cpu limited.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 50%.
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.


Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
set to 50% and see how you do.


If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.

My guess is that a 7870 would be good, assuming it is a significant jump in graphics power over your current card.
You might prefer a stronger GTX760 which is about the strongest card that will run on a 500w psu.

If you go the cpu/motherboard route, I would not go with a FX-6350. Few games will use more than 2-3 of it's 6 cores. That price point is where the faster Intel cores prevail for the gamer.
Here is an older report of some comparisons: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-processor-frame-rate-performance,3427-9.html
 
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Solution
F

Family Ng

Honorable
Jul 25, 2013
4
0
10,510


"Showing its age"
Not sure what you mean by that, but I was considering a budget upgrade to fx-6xxx
 
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