How to get the best performance with 'low' budget (in S-3D)?

Post by **LukePC1** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:02 am

Hi guys,

I'm trying to play crisys at a decent frame rate (20FPS for the beginning).
I collected several information with the crisys benchmark and experienced the low impact of resolution to the FPS (it appeared as none).
Also better textures don't effect the FPS much.

Question:
What components bring most performance in low Resolution?
I most of the time I think the graphicscard has too many piplines to use them all in low resolution.
--> so they should either be faster clocked or
--> the CPU/system Memory should be faster to delay the frames less.

An other possibility is too little system memory, so the system whaits, untill the necessary files are loaded
--> more Ram should help

Maybe it can be found out, which part of the hardware is the bottle neck, by overclocking a little, but I'm not experience with that

Most important for high FPS might be:
Good CPU (clock) --> e.g. a 6000+, but slower grapics card...
Many pipelines --> e.g. a 7900gs 20pipes @ 450
High GPU clock --> e.g. a 7600gt 12pipes @ 600

Post by **Freke1** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:24 pm

Hi

Overclocking the graphic card is easy, just download and install the reg file NVTweak:
http://www.3d.wep.dk/download.html , rebooot and go into the Nvidia driver under Clock Frequency settings. Don't overdo it though. Artifacts and heat can/is the result.

Overclocking the CPU/RAM is a bit more complicated. Go into Your BIOS and increase the FSB frequency. Be prepared to reset Your BIOS via a jumper if it wont boot. I strongly recommend googling "overclocking" and "OC". Heat and unstable computer can/is the result. Make sure You know the max CPU temp and monitor it under 8hours max test a hot summer day. The warrenty can be a problem if You overclock.

I usually overclock my graphics card 10% and the CPU 4%.

Post by **LukePC1** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:33 am

Thanks for the answer.
In the moment my GPU says it's 44°C warm (but it's got nothing to do) - so there might be plenty of room to play around a little. Unfortunatly I stopped playing the hardware-hungry games (not smoth and inovative enough).

I don't think there's much need to overclock right now, but it might be helpfull in the long term. I might try it in the Summer

The other purpose of this thread - besides OC - was/is to find out, which PC-Parts boost the system most. What's to consider when buying a new PC?

Example:
Is a 3000+ with a 7900gtx faster than a x2 5000+ with a 7900gs?
I know a fast CPU boosts (might boost - depends on the game) FPS, but is it considerable?
I think S-3D is a good example, because if you don't own a iZ3D, you're most likely to run a low resolution (which is not mentioned in most Graphics-Test). On top of that postProcessing is disabled, so that the CPU in fact might slow down everything

My Idea is to overclock or underclock some parts, to find out, which one is the 'break'...

Post by **Freke1** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:04 am

It would be interesting to see which part is the most crucial

Also why different games drop differently in fps when S-3D is activated.
BF2: from 90 drop to 45
Call of Duty 4: from 40 drop to 6
so maybe different bottlenecks in different games?

Post by **Neil** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:55 am

Hi Guys,

The first thing I look at is the hard drive light. If it is going on every second, and the screen is "hitching" with the hard drive, then desktop RAM is the culprit.

If the hard drive light is off more often than not, then the GPU is to blame.

If the GPU is fast (e.g. an 8800 series GPU), and the HD light is off, and the game is slow, then it's the CPU. I think much too much attention is given to CPUs because I find they have very minimal impact on game performance.

In the case of stereo drivers, the speed can have NOTHING to do with the hardware. If the driver doesn't interact with the game the way it is supposed to, it can slow to a crawl because of incompatibility. With the IZ3D drivers, for example. Up until the most recent versions, Rainbow Six Vegas didn't work at reasonable speed until the drivers were updated.

Regards,
Neil

Post by **LukePC1** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:13 pm

Well the CPU can make quite a difference. Also in games!

Look here

If you compare eg. a 6000+ vs a 3000+ the faster one has nearly double the Frames!
Unfortunatly this doesn't proof anything, because the have the fastest GPU's build in. Additionally this can't be the fact for every game

Does someone know a good site with Benchmarks of entire Systems - and with usual S-3D resolution (e.g. Xga)? Who cares, if a 8800GTX can run the game, if it costs as much as my whole Computer? Or if my monitor can only show 1024x in S-3D??? Or if I've got to turn out any additionall PostP*****

I want just as enough Performance for as least money as possible. Look at it in a positive way

Post by **gisabun** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:12 pm

LukePC1,

The cheapest bet is getting extra memory and/or a recent hard disk. Prices have dropped quite a bit in RAM because Microsoft expected a lot of people to switch to Vista [for those not buying a new system] and it didn't happen. So there is a memory surplus.

Speediest hard disk setup would RAID two [identical] hard disks - if your system supports RAID with non-SCSI drives. Other than that, then get a newer hard disk if your current one ain't new.

You may also find an improvement by installing a second copy of XP on your system and use it exclusively for gaming. Don't install any anti-virus or anything else. Just games and related drivers and updates. Disable any access to the Internet [disable the NIC]. Your current system is loaded with applications, services, AV, maleware removers, etc. Let's not forget that it probably needs to have it's hsrd disk defragmented.

Post by **LukePC1** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:43 am

Yeah, I've got a lot of little programs here. Some of them in auto-Start

I doubt they need too much performance, though (maybe 1%?).

Maybe I'll have to try a little...

By the way: increases RAID (0) the reaction time of the plates? Maybe due to syncronisation of the plates? Currently I'm using two non identical ones - but same size. I always thought they just decrease loading Time and don't affect gameperformance...

I try to defragment every now and then, but my plate is rather full most of the time (don't want to delete crap)

I tested Futuremakr 03 with low resolution.
1) 7900GS @ 450/660 --> 10732 3D marks
2) 7900GS @ 301/440 --> 7787 3D marks

I was trying to run it wis 2/3 of the standard clock. But 10732 /7787 = ca. 72,6% (66,66666 expected)
--> A slower Card slows the system, but FPS are not proportionally to clock... (with that tool)

I've messed up the settings of crysis. It doesn't look alright (and the frames are higher due to missing objects)