How can I tell if my video card is getting enough power?!

Hi all,


See the title. More specifically, IF my card is not getting enough power, can that actually cause low FPS in games?


I have checked and the card does not underclock itself (not according to Rivatuner at least..it says it's still@550 core, 1400 mem), both in games and when I run 3DMark06:

3dMark06 score: 4209 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score 2133
HDR/SM3.0 Score 2124
CPU Score 771

Is this score proof enough that my card is getting enough power/is not being underpowered? Or 3DMark06 is perhaps not a very demanding benchmark - real games are more demanding, like BF2142 (see below)?


Reason I ask is that most games run great, but I was kinda expecting higher FPS in BF2142, espec on 64 player maps. Mostly it's around 20-60fps (pretty much regardless of what video settings I use). Especially on maps like Fall of Berlin (64 players) it seems to be on the low side..


Rig:

AMD 64 3000+ (@2009Mhz)
1024Mb+512Mb DDR 400
Gainward Bliss 7800GS+ 512Mb (G71@550 core, 1400 mem, 24 pipes)
3 HDs
1 DVD-RW
SB Audigy 2
Socket 754 AGP
PSU Antec TruePower 380W


Thanks guys for your help,



/ Attackboll

all indicate CPU bottleneck, especially on maps with many players, check you CPU usage, pretty sure it will be thru the roof all the way!

Signs of a weak PSU are instability, crashes, BSOD and so on.

Yeah I realize I'm CPU-limited in some games, didn't think BF2142 was one of them tho - not to the extent it would force the system down to like 20FPS at least.. :?:

It's only BF2142 that behaves like this...BF2 on 64 player maps: 35-75 FPS. You think BF2142 is more demanding on the CPU, than BF2 is?


/ Attackboll