Signs you are CPU limited rather than GPU?

[DJ12]

I have recently upgraded my graphics card and decided to start playing Return to Castle Wolfenstien and no matter what levels of AA I apply it runs at a constant 91 fps. This would imply the game is CPU limited on my system wouldn't it?

Are there any other ways you can tell what is the limiting factor in certain games?

 

[CarstenS]

In some games there's also an artificial frame-cap in place. I think, wolfenstein is one of them. Try the console and typ in com_maxfps 1000.

Other examples include Call of Duty (1 & 2); Half-Life 2 (probably other Source-Engine-Games as well), LOTR:BFME 1&2 (capped at 30), C&C3 also capped at 30 fps.

 

[Davros]

ha it runs at a constant 91 for me quake3 does as well

 

[CarstenS]

Try the in-game consoles - seems like you got com_maxfps enabled at some low refresh rate.

 

[Albuquerque]

That or you have VSYNC enabled and your monitor's refresh rate just happens to be ~90hz.

 

[DJ12]

In some games there's also an artificial frame-cap in place. I think, wolfenstein is one of them. Try the console and typ in com_maxfps 1000.

Other examples include Call of Duty (1 & 2); Half-Life 2 (probably other Source-Engine-Games as well), LOTR:BFME 1&2 (capped at 30), C&C3 also capped at 30 fps.

Finally got around to checking it and it was that.

I get about 300 fps now, and in normal running it still seems to be the same no matter what level of AA I apply although in some of the outdoor sections with lots of objects on the screen it does drop down more with 6x AA applied. (about 130 fps it stays about 200 with no AA)

 

[Sc4freak]

Just keep in mind that some games - such as C&C3 and LOTR:BFME are so poorly designed that they do not implement framerate independant logic. That means, game speed is directly tied to framerate.

In C&C3, an FPS of 300 means your game is running 10x faster (your soldiers and tanks would be zooming across the map)

 

[docdwayne]

Just keep in mind that some games - such as C&C3 and LOTR:BFME are so poorly designed that they do not implement framerate independant logic. That means, game speed is directly tied to framerate.

In C&C3, an FPS of 300 means your game is running 10x faster (your soldiers and tanks would be zooming across the map)

I must say that is really quite leem

 

[digitalwanderer]

What is your system? What CPU? What GPU?

The whole over powered GPU/under powered CPU thing is something I'm looking into right now, I got an A64 3500+ @ 2.4Ghz and a 2900XT....

 

[Davros]

why ? your cpu probably exceeds the recommended spec of every game ever released!

 

[DJ12]

I have the same processor, and I find myself CPU bound in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2 (Adding AA and AF makes no difference to my FPS) Even reducing the level of detail the textures use makes little difference (maybe 5 or 6 fps more)

Although it's getting long in the tooth now, my system is still far better than the recommended specs for the game.

I do run XP64 but that shouldn't make that much difference surely.

 

[Davros]

I think im cpu limited in quake 3 at 1280x1024 max details i cant get more than 1000 fps

 

[neliz]

What is your system? What CPU? What GPU?

The whole over powered GPU/under powered CPU thing is something I'm looking into right now, I got an A64 3500+ @ 2.4Ghz and a 2900XT....

I decided to shell out a zillion euros to go from that 3500+ to an Opteron 165

 

[Davros]

Is that wise

"The performance picture for the Opteron 165 is more complex. More often than not, the 165 scores higher in the benchmarks than its closest real competitor, the Pentium D 930, but the Opteron 165 doesn't have nearly the dominance that the Opteron 180 does"

 

[neliz]

Is that wise

"The performance picture for the Opteron 165 is more complex. More often than not, the 165 scores higher in the benchmarks than its closest real competitor, the Pentium D 930, but the Opteron 165 doesn't have nearly the dominance that the Opteron 180 does"

The opteron was dirt cheap and it overclocks really really well and it ment not buying a new motherboard.

 

[digitalwanderer]

I decided to shell out a zillion euros to go from that 3500+ to an Opteron 165

Why the Opteron? I was looking at the 4200+ Manchester for $73.50 and it seemed like a much better deal.

What do you know that I don't, damn it!

 

[AlNom]

Why the Opteron? I was looking at the 4200+ Manchester for $73.50 and it seemed like a much better deal.

What do you know that I don't, damn it!

Bigger cache + overclockability I think.

 

[neliz]

Yeah, the cache did it for me and the overclock ability and *great* stock cooler..