Is 2.2 Ghz processor enough for latest games?

[senthurpandian]

Hi,

I am using the below configuration. I am planning to upgrade my PC to only watch HD Movies and Latest Games in full HD and ultra graphics.

1. Please let me know whether my Motherboard and Processor is good enough to watch HD Movies and Latest Games.
1.a. I am expecting to play movies and games in 1920x1080 resolution
2. Also please let me know the difference I may experience (as a user) with ATI 6670 / ATI 6770 / ATI 6790 / GTX 550 (1 GB Graphics)
(Basically, I would like to go for a budget graphics which will play games well)

Current configuration:
Motherboard: Gigabyte 780G (onboard ati radeon HD3200)
Processor: AMD Athlon X2 4200+ (2.2 GHz)
RAM: 2GB + 1GB (667 Mhz)
Monitor: Samsung 17” sync master

Planning to upgrade to below components:
Samsung: 23” LED 1920x1080 support
Graphics: AMD HD 6790 or NVidia GTX 550 (1 GB)

Thanks in Advance.

 

[pro-gamer]

welcome to tomshardware,

first of all i am sure your current cpu cannot handle any latest games on medium and you are talking about ultra setting.as you mention those card's but your cpu can bottleneck them but i think that hd 6670 will be fine or even 6770 but if you can do this you cannot able to play any latest game on ultra only in low.2gb is nothing for games and you are running (667mhz) how cheap! nowaday games require 4gb ram with ddr3 1333mhz or 1600mhz will be more better.
in the last, latest games also require quad-core cpu's.

 

[amuffin]

welcome to tomshardware,

first of all i am sure your current cpu cannot handle any latest games on medium and you are talking about ultra setting.as you mention those card's but your cpu can bottleneck them but i think that hd 6670 will be fine or even 6770 but if you can do this you cannot able to play any latest game on ultra only in low.2gb is nothing for games and you are running (667mhz) how cheap! nowaday games require 4gb ram with ddr3 1333mhz or 1600mhz will be more better.
in the last, latest games also require quad-core cpu's.

^+1

 

[senthurpandian]

Thanks for your reply,

I built this machine 3 years back. Just now thought of upgrading. But couldn't invest more to get a full computer built now.

What is the performance I can expect from the below config?

Motherboard: Gigabyte 780G (onboard ati radeon HD3200)
Processor: AMD Athlon X2 4200+ (2.2 GHz)
Graphics: AMD HD 6790 or NVidia GTX 550 (1 GB)

 

[we1shcake]

if you can find one a gtx 4601gb can be great value, also if your gaming id reccomend picking up a phenom x4 it should work in your mobo

 

[jitpublisher]

Thanks for your reply,

I built this machine 3 years back. Just now thought of upgrading. But couldn't invest more to get a full computer built now.

What is the performance I can expect from the below config?

Motherboard: Gigabyte 780G (onboard ati radeon HD3200)
Processor: AMD Athlon X2 4200+ (2.2 GHz)
Graphics: AMD HD 6790 or NVidia GTX 550 (1 GB)

Its going to really struggle running any modern game even on medium settings. Its not just that it is only 2.2ghz, it is an outdated processor design as well. A new Phenom for example at the same ghz of 2.2 would be anywhere from 15-30% faster clock for clock. It is generally accepted that with even a modern recent CPU, 3ghz is pretty much what you need to be looking at.
Any of the video cards you are looking at would barely perform at the levels you are talking about even with a quad core Phenom running at 3ghz. I would suggest first getting a motherboard/CPU combo and upgrading that old tired platform. A fast GPU isn't going to help you much on the platform you have, while it will be better than onboard, its still not going to be much of a gamer on that platform.

 

[thesnappyfingers]

MSI GTX 460 fermi 149.99 before MIR, 129.99 after MIR. Beats the gtx 550.

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=55409&vpn=N460GTX%20HAWK&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar&promoid=1287

Like stated ultra settings are not going to happen with this card, or the 550, or with your cpu.

You need a cpu upgraded and gpu upgrade

Edit- The 460 is still a great card, it will increasingly becoming difficult to find.

 

[jitpublisher]

Oh, and you know something, I have a AM2+ socket 920 Phenom Quad core, (its 2.8ghz but will run quite easily at 3.0ghz) and a 965 Black edition Quad AM3 socket processor if you may be interested in buying. Would sell either one of them very reasonable, make me an offer. The 965 is mounted on a GA-MA790X-UD4P with 4 gig of 1066 memory if you are interested in a complete bundle, and like I said, I would let them go cheap, make me an offer.

 

[andywork78]

If you looking for max .. i mean really max setting.. must need upgrade
but just play game with don't care realistic i think it ok cpu and very nice gpu upgrade you looking for.

 

[koogco]

I have the AMD Athlon X2 5600+ (2.8 GHz)
and a Ati 5770
At this point I need to upgrade to play many of the new games properly, because my CPU cannot keep up.
For instance, in Deus Ex my GPU would be able to get around 40 FPS at max graphics but my CPU is unlikely to get more then 5-10 FPS. (all according to tomshardwares performance analysis and best guess)
With an AMD 6790 this would get even worse, as the GPU actually strain the CPU a little, thus better GPU = even less FPS.
What you really need is not just a GPU with more Ghz, you want a newer arcitecture that runs games faster. Sandy Bridge is a great example, the I3 2100 is fairly cheap. You could also go for an AMD such a the 955 but that promises very little for future upgrades.

Your current CPU would seriously limit the GPU's you are talking about.

 

[stingstang]

I have a nearing 4 year old q9550 quad core running at 3.75ghz. My radeon 4870 1gb is at par with the 6790 you're looking at, and my RAM is DDR at 1150 mhz. If we're talking about anything aside from battlefield 3, then we're in business. SC2 will play on the hardware you have plus the 6770 or 6790 with reduced settings. What's hurting you most will be the CPU.

 

[pro-gamer]

the gtx460 can be bottleneck by your cpu so the better would be hd4850.

 

[we1shcake]

get the 460, and upgrade the cpu when you can, no point deliberatly buying poor hardware

 

[senthurpandian]

Thanks guys, all your advises will help me for sure. I am now planning to upgrade the whole set. I will get back to you on this regard with my new specs.

 

[pro-gamer]

that's what i told you above...

 

[we1shcake]

i think you can keep the mobo, it should support the phenom procs, keep the ram to, just a cpu and gpu

 

[senthurpandian]

Oh, in that case, can you please let me know the performance of the below config?

Motherboard: Gigabyte 780G (onboard ati radeon HD3200)
Processor: Phenom II Quad X4 - 965 BE
Graphics: NVidia GTX 460 (1 GB)
RAM: 3GB (667 Mhz)

 

[pro-gamer]

fine!

 

[senthurpandian]

Oh, cool. With this will I be able to play Battle Field 3 in 1600x900 resolution with nice graphics settings?

 

[pro-gamer]

of course you can.

 

[senthurpandian]

Oh, are you sure, the game wont lag?

Will I be able to have ultra settings with 720p resolution?

 

[pro-gamer]

not on ultra with single gtx460 bt you will be fine at high setting..

 

[pro-gamer]

but i think on ultra you should be getting 24~30 fps with single gtx460

 

[we1shcake]

never drop the resolution play at your monitors native, high res low setting looks better than low res high settings

 

[pro-gamer]

never drop the resolution play at your monitors native, high res low setting looks better than low res high settings

completely wrong!
high setting is the only thing that makes the view of the game beautiful.