3500+ with a 6800GS 256MB or 3200+ with a 7800GT 256MB

[Night201]

Looking to play Call of Duty and similar type games.

What's the slowest CPU you'd pair up with a 7800GT (at what point does the CPU slow down the card)?

 

[Elfear]

Definetely go with the latter solution. A better graphics card will serve you better than a minor bump in clock speed. There are only a few games that will likely benefit from a faster cpu if you play at high res (which you should if you have a 7800GT) and even those will see a very small increase (i.e. unnoticeable) going from 2.0Ghz to 2.2GHz. The 7800GT is probably 50-75% faster in games than the 6800GS.

 

[Night201]

I figured that. Thanks!

 

[PrayForDeath]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Definetely go with the latter solution. A better graphics card will serve you better than a minor bump in clock speed. There are only a few games that will likely benefit from a faster cpu if you play at high res (which you should if you have a 7800GT) and even those will see a very small increase (i.e. unnoticeable) going from 2.0Ghz to 2.2GHz. The 7800GT is probably 50-75% faster in games than the 6800GS.

Couldn't say it any better.

 

[SPARTAN VI]

Definitely the 3200+ 7800GT combo. You can easily make up the 200MHz gap (or more) using stock cooling/volts.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: PrayForDeath

Originally posted by: Elfear
Definetely go with the latter solution. A better graphics card will serve you better than a minor bump in clock speed. There are only a few games that will likely benefit from a faster cpu if you play at high res (which you should if you have a 7800GT) and even those will see a very small increase (i.e. unnoticeable) going from 2.0Ghz to 2.2GHz. The 7800GT is probably 50-75% faster in games than the 6800GS.

Couldn't say it any better.

WORD

 

[Bartokomus]

<insert vapid agreement with other posters>

 

[BobDaMenkey]

3200+ is a really good overclocker as well. I have a friend who runs his at 2.4ghz.

I support the 3200/7800 combo.

 

[gtx4u]

um... wtf?.... it's $175+$210=3dmark05 5500 vs $125+$300= 3dmark05 6800 isn't this obvious?

 

[SPARTAN VI]

6800 3dmarks is low for a 7800GT... My 3dfuzion 7800GT scored 7710 in 05 at 430/1100

 

[gtx4u]

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI
6800 3dmarks is low for a 7800GT... My 3dfuzion 7800GT scored 7710 in 05 at 430/1100

he's gonna go with a 3200+venice, u have a 3700 diego there is at least a 90 dollar price difference.... not to mention the performance.

 

[Hikari]

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI
6800 3dmarks is low for a 7800GT... My 3dfuzion 7800GT scored 7710 in 05 at 430/1100

Um, the OP is thinking of a 3200+ and 7800GT, obviously yours is faster.
EDIT: I need to refresh more often.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

get the 7800gt and the 3200 (dont go any lower than the 3200....you want the x10 mulitpiler)

get the 3200 and just overclock. i set my ram to 166 ratio, set the FSB to 250, set the HT to x4....and now my 3200 is running 2.5Ghz and its sweet! id gues 2.5 puts it between the 3800 and the 4000 so

and i havent actually bothered to find my max yet..hopefully ill be able to push near 2.7ghz, plus the 7800 will last you longer than the 6800GS

 

[CraigRT]

7800GT even with a 3000+ would pummel any CPU / 6800 in games.

 

[SPARTAN VI]

I was under the impression that CPU/RAM carry little wieght in 3dmark05. That's why there are two seperate scores one CPUmarks, and 3dmarks. Am I mistaken?

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI
I was under the impression that CPU/RAM carry little wieght in 3dmark05. That's why there are two seperate scores one CPUmarks, and 3dmarks. Am I mistaken?

You're right that the CPU/RAM don't carry a lot of weight in the score, they do make a difference though. Seems like a 650MHz oc bumped me approximately 300pts in my overall 3DMark05 score.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI
I was under the impression that CPU/RAM carry little wieght in 3dmark05. That's why there are two seperate scores one CPUmarks, and 3dmarks. Am I mistaken?

No, you're entirely correct. gtx4u doesn't really know what he's talking about .

3dmark03 and especially 01 are much more CPU dependent.

 

[bdoople]

I think the decision is obvious. You can easily overclock well past the 3500+ and buy the 7800GT. Hell.. you could even go for a 3000+. 2.6Ghz on air is not at all unhearof on the 3200+ or 3000+. The only reason to get a higher clocked CPU really (IMHO) is increased L2 cahce. Aside from that, it's all relative.

 

[dingetje]

go for the 3200+ with a 6800gs..best value...bothe the 3200+ and the gs card oc well

 

[Piuc2020]

Who the **** cares about 3DMark05 anyways, its a terrible benchmarking tool and no one should use it to measure a card's power, as a reference maybe but unless you point me to a game using the 3DMark05 engine it still means squat. I could care less if I had an FX-60 overclocked to 4.0ghz and SLI 7800GTXs 512MB clocked at 700/2000 and still got a single mark in 3dmark 01. Thats how much I trust and care about 3dmark05.

Sorry, got a little carried away.

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: Piuc2020
Who the **** cares about 3DMark05 anyways, its a terrible benchmarking tool and no one should use it to measure a card's power, as a reference maybe but unless you point me to a game using the 3DMark05 engine it still means squat. I could care less if I had an FX-60 overclocked to 4.0ghz and SLI 7800GTXs 512MB clocked at 700/2000 and still got a single mark in 3dmark 01. Thats how much I trust and care about 3dmark05.

Sorry, got a little carried away.

True, it is a little hard to play 3DMark05 but it does serve a purpose and, in my opinion, gives a pretty accurate view of a card's overall perfromance in relation to games.

Sorry to get off topic OP.