CPU upgrade

[shirazjr]

So I bought a nvidia GTS 450, it runs fine and all but sometimes I get major hiccups which I think I shouldn't with this card playing games like Sniper: Ghost warrior, is it my processor that's causing the hiccups?

CPU

CPU Type
Pentium dual-core

Installed Qty
1

CPU FSB
800MHz

CPU Speed
E5200(2.50GHz)

L2 Cache Per CPU
2MB

CPU Socket Type
LGA 775

CPU Main Features
64 bit Dual Core Processor



I would gladly upgrade to a better CPU if possible but I have no idea where to start from, do I have to upgrade the motherboard as well? Could you guys recommend something for a budget gaming system?

 

[Herr_Koos]

Yes, your CPU is probably holding the card back.

You have two choices:

1) Look up the CPU support list of your current mobo and pick a better Socket 775 CPU.
2) Switch to a new CPU/Mobo/RAM on a new platform.

 

[Wolygon]

I do not believe the CPU is holding the card back and thus a CPU upgrade is not worthy. Check your gaming settings and put them down, the GTS450 is not that great of a card. You cannot tell a CPU bottleneck just by grabbing out crysis and cranking it to max.

Can you OC your processor? If so in the future this will also give you more time until you need to upgrade.

 

[wolfram23]

I'd like a better definition of what you mean by hiccups. If you mean it plays nice and smoothly, then will just freeze momentarily, then continue that isn't a CPU problem. Well, it could be but I think it's actually not enough RAM. How much RAM do you have? With not enough, it forces file paging usage, so you get a "hiccup" whenever the game needs to access information on the HDD. I had this issue with STALKER: Call of Pripyat and 4gb RAM after downloading a couple mods. With 8GB RAM, problem went away (that game can use almost 3gb on it's own lol)

 

[enzo matrix]

add some RAM if needed, 4GB ddr2 800 in dual configuration if not already.
and if 64-bit you might think of going more.
try overclocking your cpu, turn down high gaming settings.
try that then report back.

Good idea with the RAM. With 2GB, if I turned up settings to gamer in crysis warhead, I got major random framedrops when turning or looking around, especially going to a new area. The RAM usage was too high and it was writiing data to the hard drive.

OP, complete system specs would help us to help you.