What is the highest video card that would make sense with an E8400 CPU?

[nine9s]

I had a GTX 280 die. My CPU is an E8400. I have 4 GB of ram and I am using Windows 7 64bit. I use 1680X1050 resolution. Right now I am using a friend's PNY GTX 460 1GB O/C version. It seems good but I see GPU usage usual under 50% - not sure if the Fermi under GPU problem or not. I am using the 260.99 drivers.

Will the E8400 be a bottleneck for most new cards today? What is the highest video card that would make sense with an E8400? I am considering buying the GTX 460 I am using but wondering about it typically only showing 30 to 50% of GPU usage (seems to be many reporting similar problems with Fermi cards), so I am thinking about getting an ATI card. Would the 5850 or 6870 make sense with an E8400 or would an E8400 be a bottleneck and not get much more performance out of them? Also, what about the upcoming GTX 560?

 

[RussianSensation]

At lower resolutions like 1680x1050, the CPU bottleneck will be felt more compared to say an i5-2500k. However, on the plus side, you won't need a very powerful GPU to have good gameplay. Perhaps you should consider grabbing a $110 GTX460 768mb. The 768mb should be sufficient for 4AA 1680x1050. Then in 12-15 months, you may want to get a new processor / mobo. Then, I would grab a much faster videocard. Also, I doubt the GTX560 will be cheaper than $199. HD5850 for $160 is also a great buy for your targeted resolution.

GTX560 should launch in 9 days. You can just wait and see what price it debutes at.

 

[Attic]

I'd look to a GTX460. Your 50% gpu usage, is vsync enabled? That does show a pretty big CPU bottleneck.

Is your CPU oc'd, are you looking to overclock it?, because the 8400 is suppose to be a great overclocker.

I have read that AMD does a better job with CPU power. But I cant recall the source, perhaps xbitlabs.

 

[nine9s]

I have read that AMD does a better job with CPU power. But I cant recall the source, perhaps xbitlabs.

By that you mean the AMD performs better when CPU is limited?

 

[nine9s]

Is your CPU oc'd, are you looking to overclock it?, because the 8400 is suppose to be a great overclocker.

No it is stock. I might try a 20% increase to 3.6 Would a 20% overclock makes much of a difference?

 

[Termie]

I'd stick with the GTX460-768. At your resolution with your processor, it's the best deal, and you'll get little benefit from much more GPU horsepower. I'm quite limited by my e8400 in many modern games with my GTX460.

 

[nine9s]

I'd look to a GTX460. Your 50% gpu usage, is vsync enabled? That does show a pretty big CPU bottleneck.

Actually, it was in a way. I was playing Aion and had it in full-screen windowed-mode which did not have any graphics tearing. I just switched to full screen mode and now I have tearing (so no vsync) and now my GPU usage shows 99% a lot. So I guess in full screen windowed-mode the GPU was not fully working and now is.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I have a 460 1gb OC with 8400 and CPU is not a bottle neck. I would think 8400 should be good enough for more powerful cards...

I'm just glad I didn't go with anything more powerful/expensive cause 460 maxes out all the games I play at 1900x1200 (BC2, MW2, SC2, F1 2010 and Fifa 2011)

 

[96Firebird]

My E8400 @ 3.6GHz and GTX 460 1GB is working well for me. I only get lower GPU usage in BFBC2, and I always thought it was due to the video card drivers and not because of the CPU bottlenecking. I haven't tried many newer games though, maybe I'll look into how much the CPU is a bottleneck...

 

[nine9s]

My E8400 @ 3.6GHz and GTX 460 1GB is working well for me. I only get lower GPU usage in BFBC2, and I always thought it was due to the video card drivers and not because of the CPU bottlenecking. I haven't tried many newer games though, maybe I'll look into how much the CPU is a bottleneck...

Please reply with what you find if you test if CPU is bottlenecking.

 

[Skurge]

I'd look to a GTX460. Your 50% gpu usage, is vsync enabled? That does show a pretty big CPU bottleneck.

Is your CPU oc'd, are you looking to overclock it?, because the 8400 is suppose to be a great overclocker.

I have read that AMD does a better job with CPU power. But I cant recall the source, perhaps xbitlabs.

This article.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/cpus-and-games-2010.html

 

[nOOky]

I'd say GTX460 or HD6850, or better if you decide to get a larger monitor ; )

 

[nine9s]

This article.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/cpus-and-games-2010.html

That article was written before the 6800s, but i assume it would hold true for them also?

 

[happy medium]

A gtx 460 is perfect for a e8400 @ 1600x1050, even the 768mb model.

 

[Skurge]

AMD cards are easier on the CPU. Get one of those, something like a 6870 and then carry it along to your next build.

 

[Termie]

That article was written before the 6800s, but i assume it would hold true for them also?

Yes, it would apply to the 6800 series as well.

I'm surprised that people still say that dual-cores don't bottleneck modern games. According to Xbit, at 1680x1050, the OP's resolution, a GTX480 is bottlenecked by an i5-750 versus an i7-975 in every single game! 11% in Crysis, 16% in Far Cry 2, 17% in Stalker, 17% in Just Cause 2, 28% in HAWX, 31% in BC2, 31% in MW2, 35% in Dirt 2, 45% in Resident Evil 5. Only Metro 2033 and Mass Effect 2 have less than a 5% bottleneck. I mean, come on. And that's comparing two Intel quad-cores. A comparison between a dual-core and an i5/i7 quad-core isn't even a comparison at all.

OP - I've done some benchmarking on my e8400 system using both BC2 and Dirt 2, and I can tell you that I'm capped by my CPU until I get to 1920x1200/8xAA in both games. You don't need anything more than a GTX460-768 right now. But if you want to spend more, I would recommend the 6850 simply because, as others have noted, the AMD GPUs seem to be easier on CPUs.

 

[happy medium]

My e8400 played every game I threw at it just fine. Does my quad core play them better? sure it does,but the e8400 gave me very playable framerates for all 37 of my games. Note: I dont play MMO's or adventure crap.

Is a e8400 gonna give you trouble in a handfull of games, probrobly BUT with those games even a e8400 @3.6 would, because they are not made for a dual core cpu.

The question should be "will my e8400 bottleneck quad core only games"?
Yes all 5 of them.
Will my e8400 bottleneck dual core games with a 110$ gtx460 768mb @1600x1050?
Absolutely not!
Go grab one!

 

[Skurge]

Evidence above doesn't agree with you mate.

 

[MentalIlness]

probrobly

 

[happy medium]

I can't believe anyone would say a e8400 would bottleneck a gtx460 768mb.


Lets just take the gpu out of the equation.

What games will a e8400 @ 3.0 and a gtx580 not be able to play smoothly @ 1600x1050?
I know there is 5 or 6 games worth playing that "actually require" a quad core to play above 30fps. What are they?

I'll start.....
GTA IV?

 

[happy medium]

Right now I am using a friend's PNY GTX 460 1GB O/C version.

Sorry I missed this part.

Easy solution, take the same games you have been playing, turn all the details to ultra high and 4x aa, 16xaf @1600x1050.
Check your game play and fps with FRAPS.
Then turn all the details (and resolution if you can) to the lowest possible detail and use no AA or AF.
If you framerate goes up at the lower details, you have no bottleneck.

If you playing any modern games ,I'd bet your framerates go up when the details are lowered.

 

[Skurge]

Sorry I missed this part.

Easy solution, take the same games you have been playing, turn all the details to ultra high and 4x aa, 16xaf @1600x1050.
Check your game play and fps with FRAPS.
Then turn all the details (and resolution if you can) to the lowest possible detail and use no AA or AF.
If you framerate goes up at the lower details, you have no bottleneck.

If you playing any modern games ,I'd bet your framerates go up when the details are lowered.

Do you understand the meaning of bottleneck? He didn't ask if they are playable, he wants to know what card won't be held back by his E8400. Why buy a GTX460 when the card will be pegged at the same framrates as a 5770?

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/bbc_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/cod2_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/cwh_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/farcry2_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/scop_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/me2_nv.png
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/cpu/cpus-and-games-2010/dirt_nv.png

These are the best ones.

The i5 and the phenom x4 are twice as fast as an e8400 in those games, with a 5870 (which is less CPU Dependant than an nV card). I don't understand why you keep saying it won't be a bottleneck when it when benchmarks and someone with that exact CPU and a 460 768 says it does bottleneck him.

You really shouldn't be misleading the OP like that. If you want to recommend that card. Go right ahead, nothing wrong with that, but telling the OP something like that just isn't true.

Whats going to happen when he tries to play metro 2033 and gets completely unplayable framerates when all the reviews tell him, he will be getting playable ones with the card he just bought?

Or COD-BLOPS with his minimums in the toilet.

 

[Termie]

Do you understand the meaning of bottleneck? He didn't ask if they are playable, he wants to know what card won't be held back by his E8400. Why buy a GTX460 when the card will be pegged at the same framrates as a 5770?

Exactly.

Here are my BC2 benchmarks on my e8400@3.3 and GTX460@800:

1680x1050/medium/1xAA/4xAF/HBAO off
Min Max Avg
31 53 42.017

1680x1050/high/4xAA/8xAF/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
32 56 42.75

1920x1080/high/4xAA/16xAF/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
34 55 42.767

1920x1200/8xAA/16xAF/high/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
26 57 37.183

I should note that I get zero effect from running my GTX460 @800 versus at stock clocks, so that's another clue.

OP - as Happy suggested, you can do tests like this yourself using FRAPS. It's quite easy. I'm grab a few benchmarks with Dirt2 and post them a bit later.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Exactly.

Here are my BC2 benchmarks on my e8400@3.3 and GTX460@800:

1680x1050/medium/1xAA/4xAF/HBAO off
Min Max Avg
31 53 42.017

1680x1050/high/4xAA/8xAF/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
32 56 42.75

1920x1080/high/4xAA/16xAF/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
34 55 42.767

1920x1200/8xAA/16xAF/high/HBAO on
Min Max Avg
26 57 37.183

I should note that I get zero effect from running my GTX460 @800 versus at stock clocks, so that's another clue.

OP - as Happy suggested, you can do tests like this yourself using FRAPS. It's quite easy. I'm grab a few benchmarks with Dirt2 and post them a bit later.

Yep...same here.

 

[96Firebird]

I can do some benchmarks @ 3.6GHz with a GTX460 1GB @850 and see how they compare. I can only do 1680x1050 and 1920x1080 though. Does BC2 have a built-in benchmark?