Running GTA4 on my computer.

[rushlink 54]

Ok, so i have been using this computer for a while, its great for everything but GTA4.

Here's my current specs.

AMD Athlon 64 x2 4200+ (2.2ghz / 1mb l2 cache)

Nvidia GeForce 9800GTX (512mb? could be 1gb, i forget)

4gb ram

Now im running the changes specified in another thread (with commandline.txt or whatever), and that increased my FPS by probably 5fps average, i think -- that is running the benchmark (which says 18-23fps, which btw is totally wrong compared to actual gaming results, lol)

I always set GTA4 to high priority, and all my other settings on low :(

Today i tried setting the affinity of all other programs (apart from steam) to core 1, and steam to core 0&1. Now that starts up all the GTA stuff to both processors, and everything else was thrown onto the processor that GTA seemed to use less of.

That gave me 4 more fps average. (22-27fps).

Yesterday i ordered a new processor - AMD Athlon 64 x2 6000+ (3ghz / 2mb l2 cache)...

Is that going to allow me to run the game without having to set all my settings to low and stuff?

Im pretty sure that the processor is the bottleneck here, am i right?

Thanks!

[Guest Foxmoca]

Not really no... Honeslty, you should buy an AMD Athlon II X4 3.0Ghz 640. It should be compatible with your MB and its what im using with an Asus EAH5750 Formula (ATI HD5750 overclocked).

It runs pretty smooth and the CPU is not that expensive. But yeah, you should get a quadcore... Btw, what operative system are you using?

[Guest Foxmoca]

I just made some research, that CPU is not AM2 but its AM3 slot. Since AM2 is very old, you should make an upgrade to an AM3 motherboard with some DDR3 RAMS, with that, you wouldnt even need a quadcore CPU, but yes, you have to spend a little bit of money for a new MB, CPU and RAM, and probably a PSU. And that 9800GTX might be a problem too... I do know that you might have no money to spend on a new PC, but i strongly suggest you to do it, since yours, for the actual gaming of today, is a little bit old...

[rushlink 54]

WAIT HOLD ON! my computer is a SR5505F (compaq P......). It said AM2, but does it support AM3, for sure??

That would be EPIC.

You have me excited :D

And my PSU is upgraded idk like 800 watts or something, lol. In a pinch at best buy (i blew the last one up), and i had to get a new one!

im using win 7 with aero turned off. And nope, not much money to spend on the computer. haha $150 max i think :)

Edited September 12, 2011 by rushlink

[unr3al 1,124]

-Both of those processors are awful, especially the first "new" one listed. You're investing money into not just outdated, but severely outdated technology. I wouldn't even invest into an AM3 motherboard now either, because there will be new ones when AMD's new Bulldozer CPU lineup comes out, a completely different architecture than the Phenom II, which is AMD's current flagship CPU.

-Note that your CPU appears to be a Socket 939 processor, different than a socket AM2, which is also different than a socket AM2+/AM3 which is what the newer AMD chips use. Not something you can bring into the modern age, as your CPU model is not made anymore.

-Both the graphics card and CPU will act as bottlenecks to each other. People can buy a $700 video card, but if they have a crappy CPU, they wont be able to take advantage of it. And vice versa. That graphics card is also old (although it was powerful for its time, around 2006-2007). I'd upgrade both CPU & GPU at once. For the machine you run, not worth it. I'd look into a completely new build.

-Your RAM was fine.

-Not a good sign if you can't run AERO, and you're worrying about the 1 - 3% performance advantage processor affinity will give you. To put it bluntly; It's a Compaq. Not just an HP retail PC, but a Compaq. Their entry level computer for budget conscious consumers (be it for financial reasons, or for giving grandma her first computer to do "the internets" with). They are not built with performance or upgrades in mind. It's disposable. Really, I'd start saving. Graphics cards worth spending money on won't show their full potential on your system, and even getting a minor FPS boost immediately by blowing a couple of hundred on a good graphics card will only stave off the inevitable.

Edited September 12, 2011 by unr3al

[unr3al 1,124]

You'd have to do an entirely new system. A Core i7 from Intel and a Athlon from AMD have different sockets they use to plug into the motherboard, so it would also require a new motherboard and a new video card, also forcing you to buy a new operating system unless you actually have XP on a disc and are positive you don't want the capability of using more thean 3GB of RAM.

[unr3al 1,124]

It's fine. Are you insistent on liquid cooling? Generally it's not necessary unless you want absolutely no fan noise or if you plan on overclocking everything. Provided you have good case airflow, can cooling is fine.