Gaming With AGP Graphics: Overclock That CPU!

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Test Settings And Benchmarks

Once again, we're using Windows XP 32-bit in order to compare apples-to-apples versus our previous Athlon X2 3800+ tests.

Note that the Athlon X2 3200+ is designated as a CPU at 2.0 GHz, and the overclocked Athlon 64 X2 4200+ as a CPU at 2.6 GHz in the charts in order to save some space.

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Test System Configuration
CPU 1Athlon 64 X2 3800+Socket 939, 2.0 GHz, 2 x 512 KB Cache200 MHz FSB, 1000 MHz HT
CPU 2Athlon 64 X2 4200+Socket 939, 2.2 GHz o/c to 2.6 GHz, 2 x 512 KB Cache237 MHz FSB, 948 MHz HT
MotherboardASRock 9393Dual-SATA2ULI 1695 chipset, BIOS v2.3
RAM 1Patriot EP PC-3500 (CL2.0-3-2-5)  (1 x 1 GB) DDR-400 at DDR-333 CAS 2.5-3-3-7Kingston KVR PC-3500 (CL3.0-3-3-8) (2 x 512 MB) DDR-400 at DDR-333 CAS 2.5-3-3-7Samsung PC-2700 (CL2.5-3-3-7) (1 x 512 MB) DDR-333 at DDR-333 CAS 2.5-3-3-7
RAM 2A-Data PC2-6400 (CL2.0-3-2-5)  (2 x 2 GB) DDR2-800 at DDR2-744 CAS 5-5-5-15
GraphicsRadeon HD 4650 AGP - 600 MHz GPU, 400 MHz Memory, 1 GB DDR2Radeon HD 4650 PCIe - 600 MHz GPU, 400 MHz Memory, 512 MB DDR2Radeon HD 3850 AGP - 668 MHz GPU, 829 MHz Memory, 512 MB DDR3Radeon X700 AGP - 425 MHz GPU, 432 MHz Memory, 256 MB DDR2
Hard DriveWestern Digital WD1200JB 120 GB, 7,200 RPM, 8 MB cache, UltraATA/100
SoundIntegrated Audio
NetworkIntegrated 100 Mb Networking
PowerNextherm PSU460 460W, ATX 12V, EPS 12V
Software
OSMicrosoft Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP2
GraphicsRadeon HD 4850 PCIe, Radeon HD 3850 AGP: Catalyst 9.6Radeon X700: Catalyst 9.3Radeon HD 4650 AGP: 8.62-090423a080042EAti2mtag 6.14.10.6959 / XP
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Benchmark Configuration
3D Games
Left 4 DeadVersion 1014, Custom THG Benchmark Test Set 1: Medium Settings, High paged memory Test Set 2: Medium Settings, High paged memory, 4x MSAA, 8x AF
CrysisPatch 1.2.1, DirectX 9, 32-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: Low Quality, Medium Textures, Shadows, Shaders, Water, Sound Test Set 2: Low Quality, Medium Textures, Shadows, Shaders, Water, Sound, Physics
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.In-game benchmark Test Set 1: Lowest Settings, DirectX 9 Test Set 2: Highest Settings, DirectX 9
World in ConflictPatch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo Test 1: High Details, No AA / No AF Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF
Fallout 3Custom THG Benchmark Test Set 1: Medium Settings Test Set 2: High Settings, 4x MSAA, 8x AF
Far Cry 2DirectX 9, 32-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: Low Quality Test Set 2: Medium Quality, HDR Enabled
117 Comments Comment from the forums
  • megamanx00
    Yeah, playing Crysis on low aint too fun :D. Still a 3850 with a 2.6GHz X2 is enough for mostly medium details at like 1024x768 or 1280x1024. Anyway yeah getting anything more than a 2600XT for an old AGP system requires an overclocked dual core. Would have been nice to see some numbers from an overclocked dual core P4, since there are a few of those on AGP out there, but I'm sure the results would have been pretty pretty sad ^_^.
    Reply
  • masterjaw
    This is a memorabilia on how AGP-based systems struggle to perform well with recent games. Still, an overall upgrade would still be way better than buying one of these old timers and try to suspend the inescapable destruction.
    Reply
  • jamesedgeuk2000
    "Still, an overall upgrade would still be way better than buying one of these old timers and try to suspend the inescapable destruction."

    Yes because buying a new motherboard AND cpu AND memory AND gfx card is cheaper than buying a gfx card and overclocking your cpu isnt it?
    Reply
  • manjyomethunder
    jamesedgeuk2000"Still, an overall upgrade would still be way better than buying one of these old timers and try to suspend the inescapable destruction."Yes because buying a new motherboard AND cpu AND memory AND gfx card is cheaper than buying a gfx card and overclocking your cpu isnt it?
    In the long run yes, seeing as the AGP Radeon 4650 is twice the price of the PCI-Express version anyway, so there's some money saved right there anyway. In the case that you have one of these ridiculous Socket 939 ASRock boards with the AM2 daughterboard...I mean really? You'd rather buy an overpriced GPU, new RAM and an outdated CPU so that you don't have to buy an ENTIRELY new motherboard? It's not even worth it.
    Reply
  • amdfangirl
    Interesting daughter board... sure it might not bottleneck tho?
    Reply
  • masterjaw
    jamesedgeuk2000Yes because buying a new motherboard AND cpu AND memory AND gfx card is cheaper than buying a gfx card and overclocking your cpu isnt it?
    IIRC, I said better not cheaper. Sure thing, you could save some money by buying AGP chips for your aging components. Spending $100 for an AGP card that is way below the performance of the equally-priced 4850. Is it worth it? No. For the mean time, you could survive playing at low settings but how long will your system hold on? By the time your system quits, you might be even thinking if you should've saved that $100 and just upgraded the whole system for the long run. This AGP cards recently released are just a remedy, not a solution. Still a full upgrade is an imminent path that those with old systems must take.
    Reply
  • marcos669
    Well, this is better tomshardware, but isn´t still enough, put the AGP cards in an Asrock AliveDual-esata2 or the AM2NF3-VSTA,with athlon 5xxx or 7xxx and DDR2-800 memory, and you will see 3850 AGP can be much more competitive and Crysis can be Played in High settings.

    I think i would be a good idea, but the web y your, of course, but it will be fine for this people that say the 3850 AGP is not fine, the would see they are completly wrong.
    Reply
  • rickzor
    Aww this is my motherboard! Although i dont use the daughterboard but instead a use the pci-e on the motherboard (yes it comes with both, pci-e and agp) with a gf9600gt, and a powerful athlon 64 3500+ overclocked to 2.5ghz.
    It's my main computer.
    Reply
  • rickzor
    Aww this is my motherboard! Although i dont use the daughterboard but instead a use the pci-e on the motherboard (yes it comes with both, pci-e and agp) with a gf9600gt, and a powerful athlon 64 3500+ overclocked to 2.5ghz.
    It's my main computer.
    Reply
  • rickzor
    doublepost.
    Reply