Hesitation during gameplay - RAM, CPU, or Video Card

[Primus462]

-P4 3.0 GHz HT
-Intel 915GEV Mobo
-BFG 7800 GT OC 256MB DDR3
-2x512 PC5400

While playing GUN or DOOM3, there is sometimes a hesitation during gameplay. It happens in DOOM when a hell-fiend is a bout to appear or in GUN when I enter a new part of town. I'm running both games at 1600x1200 and they are "beautiful." The frames rates are great, so I don't think it's the video card.

What should I do: increase Memory, turn down resolution, or get a new processor?

I've tried OCing the processor, but apparently doesn't allow this. I can adjust the Memory settings, but it won't let me change the FSB speed.

Thanks.

 

[kitchenshark]

The hesitation is the HDD being accessed. If you've got an older/slower HDD, the accesses during loads inside a level are noticable. A defrag could help a bit but won't completely make up for a really slow disk.

 

[Primus462]

I never thought about that. I can't recall what kind of HDD it is, but I bought it last year. I think it's a Western Digital...possibly a Caviar. It is SATA, but I don't remember the speed.

 

[baracuda73]

If it is a WD Sata drive that shouldn't be your problem. The BFG card might be though I have 3 friends with them and they all had them replaced on warrenty not the 7800 mind you the 6800 ultra oc version. only other thought is updating drivers for vid and chipset.

 

[kitchenshark]

Hmmm, one other thing I've thought about is this. It is possibly the RAM too, because the HDD has to hold whatever the RAM can't. And one other thing, that very slight hesitation when the HDD is accessed will probably never go away completely. I still get it no matter how hard I tweak stuff, just a fact of life that I live with. Although the hesitation was very much minimized with a Western Digital Raptor 10k RPM SATA I have the 36Gb model and use it for my system drive with my apps and games. I have a second slower HDD for my important data.

 

[Primus462]

I just updated my drivers yesterday and have only had the video card for 2 weeks. I had thought about upgrading the hard drive. I would think a $350 video card should be able to these games.

 

[kitchenshark]

I would tend to agree with Primus about the video card. That's a monster... heh

My system specs:

MSI NEO2-FIR
AMD 3200+ Winchester
Zalman 7000Cu Heatsink
2Gb of Patriot Low latency 2-3-2-6
GeForce 6600GT 128mb AGP 8x
Western Digital Raptor 10k RPM 8Mb cache SATA 36Gb
Maxtor 7200 RPM ATA133 120Gb
Antec 550watt PSU

This setup will generally run things very well for me in DOOM with medium quality at 1280x1024. I do still get that hesitation you speak of during the levels. The faster HDD did definitely have a performance help though.

 

[Primus462]

So, then which should I try first--> new HDD or more RAM? I think they would end up costing around the same amount.

 

[kitchenshark]

I would consider an upgrade to the fastest hard drive available first.

Please though, you're making the final decision, this is only my opinion. I say that because I've had people ask me for recomendations before and then come back and yell at me because the results weren't as good as they expected. It's only my personal experience that I can tell you. Heh, in other words, your mileage may vary.

 

[Primus462]

BTW, kitchenshark, that's a pretty sweet setup you have. I think I'm going to try and free up some space and then defrag. Don't worry, I won't come back and yell at you if replacing the HDD doesn't work.

Thanks for your help.

 

[kitchenshark]

Thanks. And you're welcome.

 

[Flakes]

do any of your friends have similar computers? i would try ram first considering the game only needs to access the HDD when the RAM is full therefore it is RAM and not HDD problem run MEMTEST on your current setup if it reports any problems any problems at all then the RAM is faulty.

i would recommend some low latency RAM. what i would do is go down to a friends house and ask to borrow there RAM just to do a test on yours, then it would stop you wasting your money.

 

[Primus462]

I am still trying to grasp this latency thing. I think the Kingston HyperX I have is running at 5-5-5-12. I also tried lowering it, but it wouldn't boot up. I did run memtest just the other day and there were no errors.

What kind of memory would you recommend? Would doubling it help or do I just need to get some ram that has a lower latency?

Is the RAM I have not very good?

And none of my friends are even into computers. I don't know anyone who has a machine I could try it out in.

Thanks.

 

[Flakes]

5-5-5-12 i would of said is slow i had some confusion about RAM timings a while back they are a pain but the lower the numbers the better, unfortunatly i cant really help you out that much here im more of an AMD person then a Intel and as i understand it some of the memory requirements and settings are different.

ok 5-5-5-12 is very slow, ok ive just had a look at the Kingston website and it looks liek your RAM should be set at 4-4-4-10-1 at 1.85v if its the DDR2 stuff liek i say im more AMD then Intel but an intel buff should be able to give you a hand.

http://www.kingston.com/hyperx/products/khx_ddr2.asp