CPU for Metroid Other M

[Rukumouru]

(05-05-2013, 04:03 PM)admin89 Wrote:

Quote:a jump from 3.6GHz to 4.2GHz gave me pretty much no performance increase

You must leave 4 cores active . Although Dolphin is a dual core application , you still gain 10->20% speedup from background processing
For Example : Phenom II x4 3.0GHz is almost as fast as Phenom II x2 3.4GHz in Dolphin

My performance with 3 or 4 cores is exactly the same, as I already tested. I guess one extra core is enough for background processing (as this system is a fresh format and I had absolutely zero extra applications running in the background).

Performance takes a significant hit when going down to 2 cores, but remains pretty much the exact same with 3, 4 or 6 cores.

Any more ideas?

[Rukumouru]

New tests with 4 cores enabled under Dolphin 3.5 x64:

4 cores @ 3.0 GHz => 33-34 FPS
4 cores @ 3.2 GHz => 36-37 FPS
4 cores @ 3.4 GHz => 38-39 FPS
4 cores @ 3.6 GHz => 40-41 FPS
4 cores @ 3.8 GHz => 40-42 FPS (drops to 40 only ocassionally, fluctuates mostly between 41-42)
4 cores @ 4.0 GHz => 40-42 FPS (Yes, we stop seeing an increase suddenly. WTF?)
4 cores @ 4.2 GHz => 40-42 FPS (Absolutely the same story as 3.8G and 4.0G)

I've seen this exact pattern before, when trying to overclock my CPU for Crysis. For some reason, my CPU sees minimal gain from 3.6 to 3.8, and no gain whatsoever after that.

So i've decided to try another angle (CPU-NB overclocking) to see if it helps. I will update this post with the results in a few minutes.

[LordVador]

Try this:
- Use 4 cores
- Use one of the latest builds (as of 3.5-1154)
- Check "DSP on Thread" in sound settings

[Rukumouru]

(05-06-2013, 02:26 AM)LordVador Wrote: Try this:
- Use 4 cores
- Use one of the latest builds (as of 3.5-1154)
- Check "DSP on Thread" in sound settings

The latest builds give me horrible sound stuttering even when using HLE. Neither 3.0 nor 3.5 give me any sound stutters with the same settings and FPS.

I'll give it a try after I'm done with the CPU-NB overclock. It increases performance in Phenoms and many people overlook it.

[Rukumouru]

UPDATE:

Tried overclocking the CPU-NB up to 3GHz.

4 cores, 3.9GHz, (3.0GHz CPU-NB) => 40-42 FPS.

Overclocks confirmed stable through 10 Intel Burn Test passes.

Also tried using the latest Git Master revision with DSP ON THREAD enabled. Same result (40-42 FPS) but with TONS of audio stuttering.

I don't know what else to do

[admin89]

Upgrade your CPU to i5 3570k and overclock to 4.2GHz...I guess
But still 40 FPS minimum is too slow , I expect at least 50FPS with that Phenom

[Rukumouru]

(05-06-2013, 10:11 AM)admin89 Wrote: Upgrade your CPU to i5 3570k and overclock to 4.2GHz...I guess
But still 40 FPS minimum is too slow , I expect at least 50FPS with that Phenom

Runs at 50-60 fps mostly. It only drops to 40 during very intensive combat scenes in ice environments and when using Diffusion Beams (area charge shot). When there aren't enemies, it almost always runs at 60.

Apparently the Wii also drops a bit in framerate during heavy combat especially in the ice areas. Not as much or as often, maybe, but it does drop.

I have two questions about NTSC vs PAL:


1) Since PAL50 mode requires 50 VPS to run at 100% instead of 60 VPS, does this mean it is easier for my CPU to run it at 100% emulation speed?

2) Is it normal that when using PAL50 in Metroid: Other M, I have 60 FPS and 50 VPS with 100% emulation speed? (Playing with frame limits, vsync, screen refresh rate and VBeam emulation does NOT change this. Anything that makes the FPS forced to 50 will lower VPS and emulation speed)

[NaturalViolence]

1. Yes
2. I don't think so. The only way it could be running at 60 fps 50 vps is if it's dropping every 6th frame.

[Rukumouru]

(05-06-2013, 11:49 AM)NaturalViolence Wrote: 1. Yes
2. I don't think so. The only way it could be running at 60 fps 50 vps is if it's dropping every 6th frame.

Well that's what's happening to me right now, and I have tried several Dolphin revisions. None of them seem to be any different.

If FPS is 60 but VPS is 50, is it still being easier on my CPU? to get 100% speed? (I have more than enough GPU power for Dolphin, so if I am still getting the CPU advantage, I don't mind).

Thank you guys A LOT for taking the time to answer my questions. I tried the search (and google) but couldn't find definitive answers.

[NaturalViolence]

I honestly have no idea how PAL games are handled since I'm an American so naturally all of my games are NTSC. Either the fps counter is inaccurate, it's rendering 60 fps but dropping every 6th frame (I doubt it), or it's rendering 50 fps and duplicating every 5th frame (more likely).

In any case it should still be faster.