What should be my next upgrade?

[delsaber]

Hi All

Just got COD4:MW2 and found my old system is now struggling!

been looking around for various items but with a limited budget im not sure what to upgrade.

should i replace just the gpu? processor? or will i need to replace a few items to get cod running more smoothly as its quite laggy currently.

current spec:
intel e5200 cpu
4gb 800mhz RAM
xfx 8800gt alpha dog edt
500w psu (i think)


any advice or help would be great!!!

thanks in advance

 

[englandr753]

I don't understand why your system is laggy. It should be plenty:

Scroll half way down and choose "check your specs"

http://www.game-debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=565&game=Call%20of%20Duty:%20Modern%20Warfare%202

Your system specs are plenty for this game. Does your system run smooth? You probably have other issues such as the need to reinstall the operating system if the system itself is laggy with other tasks.

Although you could get better gaming performance by upgrading, I don't see a real need for it so save your money and try to reinstall your operating system and update all of the drivers.

Actually check the drivers to ensure they are up to date then reinstall the OS if that doesn't do the trick...

 

[delsaber]

Hi and thanks for quick reply.

i just came back after doing some research and was going to comment that other people seem to be running mw2 on max with my card with very little lag.

just started playing single player and its pretty horrible. going to try get the code to test the fps but ill try find drivers to see if that solves anything and its running horribly!

 

[delsaber]

I get these results . they didnt have my processor so went up one on that.

System Specs
We reckon your rig will run this game well
CPU Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz
GRAF Geforce 8800 GT
RAM 4 GB

CPU GRAF RAM
75%
This CPU is good enough to play 75% of games released over the past 12 months 94%
This graphics card is good enough to play 94% of games released over the past 12 months 100%
This RAM is good enough to play 100% of games released over the past 12 months

 

[englandr753]

Your cpu was on the list, you have to scroll down further to see it. It scored you 91 on the cpu which was the weakest part followed by the graphics card at 94. It gave you an all systems go on playability. Your cpu is listed as a Pentium Dual Core E5200 2.5Ghz.

Your system will run that game fine.

You are about an even steven on the need for a cpu and gpu upgrade. You 1st need to find out what motherboard you have and locate the cpu support list. If it supports a core 2 duo then I would consider going with that. Go to www.cpuid.com and download cpuz to get the model of your motherboard if you don't know it.

 

[delsaber]

just doing a fraps test. something must be wrong because even the infinity bit lags badly on load!

ill double check drivers again next

 

[delsaber]

ok so fraps results over 60 seconds were 11fps min 83fps max and average 42 which is really too bad is it? :S

i have windows 7 on my laptop. might install it on pc too if it will let me? assuming it will as i have the disc and might help things

 

[englandr753]

Something is wrong, your hardware isn't that bad performance wise and should be playable in most games depending on settings. Check your temps as well to make sure nothing is overheating.

Install real temp and see what you get. Check both your gpu and cpu temps...

http://majorgeeks.com/Real_Temp_d6098.html

 

[rsmith13]

When was the last time that you defragged your hard drive?

 

[delsaber]

ok so updating drivers seems to have worked. mate had this pc while i was away at uni and he obv didnt download drivers like he said lol.

got 60 fps doing the same test so thats more like it. still bit laggy in places but may be psu or gpu holding that back a bit.

thanks for help mate!

 

[delsaber]

i will give it a defrag as my mate probs didnt do one. he just played wow on it.

temps are 79-82 roughly so not sure how good that is???

hard drive is very old 80gb one but runs at 5,400rpm so shouldnt be an issue?

 

[Kithzaru]

With any 80gb drive you might want to check how full it is. WoW takes up like 17gig by itself ICC. You really don't want to use the last 5-10% of your HDD or it will really start to slow down.

Assuming the HDD is not full, then no that really shouldn't give you an issue. You may want to consider running a virus check or malware check. You could have a bug in there eating away at system resources.

 

[Shadow703793]

Anyways, +1 for running virus scan and patching the game.

 

[Shadow703793]

temps are 79-82 roughly so not sure how good that is???

Is that for GPU or CPU?

In either case, those are pretty hot temps.

 

[jerreece]

If you're running 79-82C on CPU that's your problem. That's very hot.

If it's your GPU, it's pretty warm, but not necessarily major. I'd still want to look at cooling that down though. GPUs can stand higher temps than CPUs generally.

Also, with an 80GB hard drive, it's probably old school tech (and IDE connection type). So any time the game is trying to load data into memory/cache it's going to slow things up as it waits on the hard drive.

Wouldn't hurt to update things there.

I'd say Defrag, and check out your temperatures first though.

 

[hundredislandsboy]

What resolution are you playing? Do you have all settings to max and highest AA?
I have an e5200 on a G31 mobo and overclock the CPU to 3.3 Ghz. You should try to OC to increase your framerates.

 

[delsaber]

ok thanks everyone for the replies!

im now doing another virus scan to see what that brings up.

the disc frag has been done

and i checked the hard drive and it does have the old ribbon cable which i think is IDE like you mentioned. pretty sure i want SATA right?
i may just buy this http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/320-GB-Samsung-HD322HJ-Spinpoint-F1-SATA-300-7200-rpm-16MB-Cache-89-ms

also he installed vista on it (previously XP) and its not a "legit" copy so im thinking about putting XP back on it?

i downloaded speed fan and it gives these results (some with flames next to them so im assuming they are too hot!!);

GPU: 49C
TEMP1: 27C
TEMP2: 66C (ON FIRE!)
TEMP3: -2C (ASSUMING ITS TESTING FOR QUAD CORE WHERE THERE IS NONE?)
TEMP: 4C
CORE 0: 76C (ON FIRE!)
CORE 1: 76C (ON FIRE!)

the computer had a side fan and top fan for cooling as well as the ones built in on the cpu and psu

 

[delsaber]

What resolution are you playing? Do you have all settings to max and highest AA?
I have an e5200 on a G31 mobo and overclock the CPU to 3.3 Ghz. You should try to OC to increase your framerates.

i think thats the same MOBO as the one i have although my e5200 has been kept to 2.5ghz. What settings do you use?

the settings are:

1680x1050 rez
2x AA
sync frames : NO
yes to all the rest (shadows, smoke edges, ragdoll etc)

the only worry i have about overclocking is that it will generate even more heat and eventually fry the cpu. If it turns out the CPU is the problem i may get a new one but i heard good things about the e5200 and i quite like it. Also the shouldnt be any reason for it to die on me as its only a year or so old.

 

[delsaber]

BTW i run it through steam even though i didnt buy it from there as i assume its a must?

the infinity ward bit has a second or two lag at start but assumed its because the "steam community" window shows briefly

 

[delsaber]

ok virus scan finished and said no errors so thats another box ticked.

speedfan says that fan1 is spinning at 1722rpm which sounds pretty high and no other fans are on but ive checked and the side and top fans are working :S

 

[Shadow703793]

72C is VERY HOT for CPU.

Re seat the cooler.

Also, try RealTemp, SpeedFan is not accurate unless calibrated.

 

[delsaber]

72C is VERY HOT for CPU.

Re seat the cooler.

Also, try RealTemp, SpeedFan is not accurate unless calibrated.

ok i will try re seat the cooler.

got rid of speedfan and installed real temp and its showing 77c ish for cpu and 49c for gpu so sounds like might be a CPU issue.



sooooo tempted to scrap the lot and go all out getting a new system! lol. must resist!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shadow703793]

^Re seat cooler.

 

[hundredislandsboy]

i think thats the same MOBO as the one i have although my e5200 has been kept to 2.5ghz. What settings do you use?

the settings are:

1680x1050 rez
2x AA
sync frames : NO
yes to all the rest (shadows, smoke edges, ragdoll etc)

the only worry i have about overclocking is that it will generate even more heat and eventually fry the cpu. If it turns out the CPU is the problem i may get a new one but i heard good things about the e5200 and i quite like it. Also the shouldnt be any reason for it to die on me as its only a year or so old.

The settings are in BIOS. 12.5 multiplier times 267 bus speed. If you're running that e5200 at stock speed, it's holding back your videocard's full potential. Consider installing an Artic Pro Freezer 7 (what I use) to help with cooling.

 

[delsaber]

ok thanks again for this guys.

ive reseated the cpu fan and it did seem a little off how it was sitting.

ran cod4:mw2 from start up (temps late 50s) and it ran it really well!! (average 67fps with a lowest of 43 wheres before the lowets hit the teens) but after the test i checked real temp and it was in the 80s! with a peak of 93C!!!

so really it does seem like a cpu issue. not sure what to do really, options seem like;

a) buy a new cpu

b) buy a cooler like the artic pro one suggested

c) buy new system

d) move to the north pole to keep temps down. a little drastic but i like my high fps's!! lol