Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Nvidia > Replace 2x6800GS with 8800 for my AMD 4200+?

Replace 2x6800GS with 8800 for my AMD 4200+?

Forum Graphic & Displays : Nvidia - Replace 2x6800GS with 8800 for my AMD 4200+?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
wilfrid   09-04-2007 at 11:31:04 AM

Dear all,

Recently I realise that I am not getting a good framerate for the new games that are in the market. Bioshock, for instance, I can only achieve an average frame rate of 20 with widescreen format and good quality setup. I am wondering if it is time to replace my 2 SLi configured nVidia 6800GS with the new 8800 card. If so, will my AMD64x2 4200+ be good enough to support the 8800 card?

On a separate notes, my experience with SLi has not been entirely positive. The performance gained doesn't seem to be that drastic and not many games I play actually make good use of it. I am not sure if I should have 2 8800 cards this time round. What do you think?

Regards.


Message edited by wilfrid on 09-04-2007 at 11:34:12 AM
Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
spuddyt   09-04-2007 at 11:36:42 AM
- 0 +

I think your processer shouldn't bottleneck an 8800 majorly, but I can't say the same for sli (I asked a similar question a while ago and was told that CPU wouldn't)

Reply to spuddyt
wilfrid   09-04-2007 at 11:53:43 AM
- 0 +

Ya, I have been hearing a lot of dividing views on what are the recommended processors out there to unlock the decent potential of the 8800 card. I did not replace my 2x6800 with 7 series because the performance gained may not be that huge. But seems that with 8800, it is a different story. Again, just guessing.

Reply to wilfrid
andybird123   09-04-2007 at 11:58:48 AM
- 0 +

that CPU is way more than enough for an 8800GTS, and you'll get a good boost above that going to a GTX... other CPU's would give you a further boost to FPS, but you're talking 10-20FPS extra when your X2 is already giving you 100+ (e.g. no visible difference)

http://www.legionhardware.com/docu [...] id=672&p=9

Message quoted 2 times
Reply to andybird123
wilfrid   09-04-2007 at 12:13:50 PM
- 0 +

andybird123 wrote :

that CPU is way more than enough for an 8800GTS, and you'll get a good boost above that going to a GTX... other CPU's would give you a further boost to FPS, but you're talking 10-20FPS extra when your X2 is already giving you 100+ (e.g. no visible difference)

http://www.legionhardware.com/docu [...] id=672&p=9



OMG ... I do like that graph! That looks awesome. Now I wonder what would the frame rate be like for a 2x6800 for the same test just for comparison.

Time to save some money for the 8800 card.

Reply to wilfrid
Cleeve   09-04-2007 at 08:03:37 PM
- 0 +

I'd be surprised if your 4200+ is holding it back at all.

Sounds strange to me, maybe a driver issue with SLI in Bioshock?

Try disabling SLI - how does one 6800GS perform by itself? What resolution are you playing at?


As far as SLI, it's largely a waste. You're better off with a single higher-end card and less hassle. A single higher-end card will uaually perform better than two lesser cards in SLI mode anyway.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by Cleeve on 09-04-2007 at 08:05:45 PM
Reply to Cleeve
wilfrid   09-05-2007 at 02:42:44 AM
- 0 +

Cleeve wrote :

I'd be surprised if your 4200+ is holding it back at all.

Sounds strange to me, maybe a driver issue with SLI in Bioshock?

Try disabling SLI - how does one 6800GS perform by itself? What resolution are you playing at?


As far as SLI, it's largely a waste. You're better off with a single higher-end card and less hassle. A single higher-end card will uaually perform better than two lesser cards in SLI mode anyway.



Hi,

The resolution I am running is 1680x1050. I just did another test last night trying to disable SLi. I think while my past experience with SLi was not positive, without SLi, the framerate I am having was below 10 (while having it, the framerate is about 20). I turned off vSync as some of the threads suggested and got about 24 with SLi. Lowering the resolution sticking with widescreen format doesn't help much.

I guess you are right, getting a single higher end card may be better for me. I was just wondering if my AMD 4200+ would be suitable for the 8800 card.

Reply to wilfrid
lostandwandering   09-05-2007 at 04:26:19 AM
- 0 +

If it's an X2 I say you are fine. Will you lose a few frames because its not an X6800? Yeah, but it will still be better (a lot) than what you have. Higher res' tend to be more GPU intensive, so it will take some of the pressure off of the 4200+.


Message edited by lostandwandering on 09-05-2007 at 04:27:07 AM
------------------------------ LAPTOP: Sager NP5760|T7200|2gb DDR2-667| 100gb 7200rpm HDD| 512mb 7950GTX|17'' WUXGA

Desktop: Core2 E7200 | Corsair 2gb DDR2-800 | Gigabyte EP35-DS3L | 250gb Seagate Barracuda | MSI GTX260 (192 SP) | Corsair VX550 | Antec 300 case
Reply to lostandwandering
San Pedro   09-05-2007 at 04:43:52 AM
- 0 +

Go for it. I don't hear many people complaining about their 8800s.

Reply to San Pedro
lunyone   09-05-2007 at 05:12:58 AM
- 0 +

andybird123 wrote :

that CPU is way more than enough for an 8800GTS, and you'll get a good boost above that going to a GTX... other CPU's would give you a further boost to FPS, but you're talking 10-20FPS extra when your X2 is already giving you 100+ (e.g. no visible difference)

http://www.legionhardware.com/docu [...] id=672&p=9


Nice graph!! Going to use this for some forums, because I always get the complaint that a e2140 and a 8800gts isn't going to be good. It looks like, by the graphs, that the e2140 and 8800gts is a good budget setup, or even a low end x2 AMD would be good too.

Reply to lunyone
amnotanoobie   09-05-2007 at 10:55:22 AM
- 0 +

Your 4200 is more than adequate for the job. That topic has made a lot of people confused. With the amount of processing power the card's got, you really wouldn't notice the 15fps difference. I really don't see how a person could get their's moneys worth on a $300 card by adding another $100-$400 on a processor upgrade.

Reply to amnotanoobie
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Nvidia > Replace 2x6800GS with 8800 for my AMD 4200+?
Go to:

There are 876 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.282 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them