i3 530 @ 4.0

[Spikesoldier]

What card would you pair with an i3 530 duallie @ 4.0?

It currently has a HD 3870 512MB GDDR4, clocked at 800/1170.

I also have 4GB of DDR3, am on a P55 platform, and the monitor's native resolution is 1680x1050.

Don't mind the budget, I simply want to have the ideal graphics card given the CPU power and resolution. I prefer all the eye candy turned up, but will sacrifice graphics quality for better framerates.

Probably the most demanding game that I would play on this machine is SC2 or BF BC2.

Thanks for your input.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

A gtx 460.

 

[dualsmp]

My i3 530 @ 4.0Ghz is paired with a GTX 460 SC 1GB. Seems like a pretty nice match.

Crysis 2 at 1920@1080 at hardcore setting was in the low 40fps range. None of the CPU threads were pegged when I checked task manager, though utilization was pretty high (maybe between 75-80&#37.

 

[Spikesoldier]

My i3 530 @ 4.0Ghz is paired with a GTX 460 SC 1GB. Seems like a pretty nice match.

Crysis 2 at 1920@1080 at hardcore setting was in the low 40fps range. None of the CPU threads were pegged when I checked task manager, though utilization was pretty high (maybe between 75-80%).

I would say you are CPU bottlenecked there. Remember two threads are from HT so if you are getting 75-80 averaged across all four, I would imagine both physical cores pegged and the rest coming from what marginal gains HT can give.

 

[dualsmp]

I can do a quick benchmark and post task manager if you want to take a look.

 

[LagunaX]

You have no Major CPU or ram bottleneck.
Your psu can handle anything.

gtx 460 and hd 6850 are comparable priced and performance cards.

Here is an old screenie of my 4.6ghz i3-540 + an amd 6870:

 

[dualsmp]

There is my CPU utililization. Crysis 2 1920x1080 Hardcore. It was a little over 43 fps on the church demo (cw2_church).

 

[cusideabelincoln]

There is my CPU utililization. Crysis 2 1920x1080 Hardcore. It was a little over 43 fps on the church demo (cw2_church).

The CPU does look pegged to me, especially considering two of those threads are Hyperthreaded.

That's also how my CPU utilization graph looks when I play TF2, and I know my video card has more breathing room since my GPU utilization is on average 50%.

 

[dualsmp]

Anyone know the order in taskmanager between real cores and HT virtual cores?

 

[dualsmp]

The CPU does look pegged to me, especially considering two of those threads are Hyperthreaded.

That's also how my CPU utilization graph looks when I play TF2, and I know my video card has more breathing room since my GPU utilization is on average 50%.

You could be right however I think Crysis 2 is more of a 4 core game to begin with. I have the ability to crank the CPU higher, but for now I'm on the stock heatsink so I won't push it until I get something more robust.

 

[edplayer]

best deal at the moment:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130570


using the new customer coupon and selling the software you should get the card for $65 net or less.

 

[Spikesoldier]

Anyone know the order in taskmanager between real cores and HT virtual cores?

IIRC when I had my 530 as my main:

0 1 2 3

CPU's 0 and 2 are the real cores.