New 7800 GT Underperforming

[imported_MichaelT]

Hey,

Recently i bought a new 7800 GT 256mb PCI-E, at the same time i also bought a new 500w psu and another 2x512mb corsair xms ram to total my system to 2gb.
Anyway...i thought it would be able to handle bf2 all on high, 4xaa, 1280x1024 but my framerate hardly can hit above 50 most of the time(only in quiet spots). Usually sticking around the 25-30's. SF is even worse!

I've tried latest drivers and the drivers from the cd and still not much improvement.
Cleaned out old drivers with driver cleaner

My Audio settings are only software:Medium:NO EAX

I decided to download and run 3dmark06 and the graphics tests were running terrible
, comparing it on their site...i find people with similar systems with double the score.
My score at first was around 2859 but a quick email to BFG meant i got a reply telling me options to set in my Bios. I started getting abit better peformance after changing those settings(only abit, 3m06 around 3600 though!), previously i had to disable onboard to get that performance but now disabling it adds nothing.

Even if i drop all settings to medium the framerate isnt staggering, parts of the game with alot of activity take me down to 15-20fps.

So i decided to take the 2 xms sticks, the fps seemed a little better but definitly what it should be. I switched with the old sticks and its the same. Ive tried defragging.

Atm im thinking there could be a problem with my CPU temperature, in the Bios its around 60/65 C, i have a monitoring program and even with case open and playing a game it will only be increased/decreased by a few degrees. Thats weird right? I have tried reinstalling BF2 on a diff drive, D drive. Did nothin'

Thanks in advance for any help.
Mike

 

[framerateuk]

What are you system specs?

On the machine in my sig i get 3700 from 3DMark 06, which seems about right when comparing it to similar systems.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Intel P4 3.20 GHZ, 2 Gb Ram (4x512), BFG Tech 7800 GT, 200gb ATA, Acer 17" LCD Monitor, Acer I91M Mobo

Whats your view on my cpu temps?

 

[framerateuk]

That 3DMark 06 looks about right to me.

As far as your temps go, i dont use an intel cpu but those temps arent overly high. Ive seen processors running hotter than that.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

I cant really think of anything else that could be slowing it down, in Fear i can hardly run max settings, but can run high well. Anyone got any ideas what it could be if it isnt the CPU?

 

[TraumaRN]

If you are using soft shadows in FEAR TURN THEM OFF...they look crappy and add a massive drag on your GPU

 

[Bobthelost]

You might want to check your 05 scores, there's this whole thread http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...adid=1709525&STARTPAGE=7&enterthread=y on how well 7800GTs perform with it so you'll be able to get more of a view of how it should be performing.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Heres my 3d05 score:

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/84/2dmark053es.jpg

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Everyone in that thread seems to be leading me alot, the game im bothered about is BF2 though it should run alot better from talking to people with the same card.

 

[Bobthelost]

6300 Hmm, that is low... You are running things with all settings set to program dependant and high performance aren't you? I don't play games at high performance but for benchmarking it's how the cards are normally set around here.

If you look at the CPU score in details what are you getting?

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Tried high-performance, never made too much diff but ill run it again . Just compared it to someone elses and it shows my cpu score as 4417.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

With quality setting changed from 'quality' to 'high performance' i get 6512 3dmarks:

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/3079/3dhighperformance1uz.jpg

 

[TraumaRN]

Is there any possibility this is due to the processor? I mean I'm not trying to sound like a fanboy but um with the setting in my sig I usually get around 8250 in 05....

Try overclocking that card and see what you can get, you said it's a BFG are the stock setting 425/1050??

 

[imported_MichaelT]

You mean you think my processor might be overheating?

What do you suggest i overclock the BFG to (complete noob here )

 

[TraumaRN]

I'm suggesting that P4 might be a bottleneck for performance. Altho at the risk of sounding like a fanboy I'll let someone with a better knowledge of CPU's explain.

Do you know how to use coolbits? If so download that, and at first use it to 'detect optimal settings' let it decide the setting and run 3D05 for us again.

Sorry I cant post more gotta drive the g/f to class, be back in a bit

 

[imported_MichaelT]

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WARNING: THE SOFTWARE UTILITY YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENABLE ("UTILITY") MAY CAUSE SYSTEM DAMAGE AND VOID WARRANTIES. THIS UTILITY RUNS YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OUT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: HIGHER SYSTEM VOLTAGES, ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES, EXCESSIVE FREQUENCIES, AND CHANGES TO BIOS THAT MAY CORRUPT THE BIOS. YOUR COMPUTER'S OPERATING SYSTEM MAY HANG AND RESULT IN DATA LOSS OR CORRUPTED IMAGES. DEPENDING ON THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE WARRANTIES MAY BE VOIDED, AND YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE ANY FURTHER MANUFACTURER SUPPORT.

============= Ahhhhh! Do I have to lol? I only bought the card a week or so ago, dont wanna void the warranty.

 

[xTYBALTx]

Doesn't BFG cover overclocks? Or is that just eVGA?

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Warranty terms:

>> Was not modified or damaged by overclocking, tampering, user error, accident, disaster, abuse, misuse, power supply, power application, alteration, repair, modification, a fix or replacement by someone other than BFG Technologies.

 

[Bobthelost]

XFX does, but i don't know about BFG. Your CPU could be what's pulling your score down, i get 5k with my 4400 @ 2.58Ghz.

You don't have to overclock, but i'm running my 7800GT overclocked and i get around 8200 in 3dmark05.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

So when you say it could be my cpu pulling the score and performance down, do you mean the temperature its running at? Or just the fact its an Intel p43.20ghz? Im not bothered as much about my score in 3dmark, im only bothered about my performance on games. So as long as my BF2 runs well i dont care if i get 1000 points in 3d05. Ive seen people with slower intel processors who claim to run the game fine.

 

[Bobthelost]

Just that it's an old slow CPU.

 

[heartofalion28]

Originally posted by: MichaelT
Warranty terms:

>> Was not modified or damaged by overclocking, tampering, user error, accident, disaster, abuse, misuse, power supply, power application, alteration, repair, modification, a fix or replacement by someone other than BFG Technologies.

As long as its a small overclock and there is not volt modding or scorch marks you should still be able to RMA it.

Lion

 

[imported_MichaelT]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Just that it's an old slow CPU.

Yeah i understand it isnt great, but i am sure that is not my problem. Just the fact ive seen people with worse cpus say their performance is great in BF2. Its also said that BF2 is not as much cpu dependant, it just need a good gpu and alota ram.

 

[imported_MichaelT]

What would i get out of overclocking it though when my BF2 isnt running as it should on the supplied stock speeds, should work fine as it is without oc'ing. Its a high end card and should be able to handle all high 1280x1024 4xaa pretty well.

 

[TraumaRN]

Well I'd recommend you go here to Toms Hardware for their CPU charts to see why you might be getting crappier performance in BF2....

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=240&model2=215&chart=71