How much of an Improvement will a better cpu make?

Angry23 · 02-13-2012, 04:54 AM #1

Alright so I setup this awesome emulator on the HTPC (after a fresh Win7 install)
The specs are:
Athlon 64 X2 6400+ 3.2ghz (stock speeds)
MSI 785GTM-e45
4gb DDR2 1066
Radeon 4850
Connected via HDMI

My question is, how much of an improvement will say a Athlon II X4 make? Will the more cores help. I ask because, at the moment, the Athlon X2 6400+ gets thrown to 100% load on both cores, and earlier today, Wii sports was running kinda jerky and it hadnt done that before. I looked and the only thing going on in the back ground was windows update d/ling updates.

So, could I get by with an AThlon II X4, or should I up to say a Phenom II x2 or X4?
The motherboard supports up to X6 Phenom IIs, but Im not sure the power plan in this board can actually handle one.

My other option, is a dualcore 1155 Sandybridge cpu, something like a G620. I have a board and memory for it.

Anyway, great Emulator here, its saved me from the kids while the actual Wii is off getting repaired.

**Starscream** · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2012, 05:15 AM by Starscream.)

i5-2500K for good results. Anything less is not worth the time or effort.

Angry23 · 02-13-2012, 05:22 AM #3

Even for only 720p?

If thats the case, how would a Core i7 920 and 6gb of ram hold up?
That is whats serving as my main rig, Id rather make a 2500k my main rig and move the 920 over to HTPC and Wii duties.

scummos · 02-13-2012, 05:24 AM #4

(02-13-2012, 05:22 AM)Angry23 Wrote: Even for only 720p?

The resolution you can play a game in does not really depend on the CPU at all, you just need an appropriate graphics card.

Angry23 · 02-13-2012, 05:26 AM #5

(02-13-2012, 05:24 AM)scummos Wrote:
(02-13-2012, 05:22 AM)Angry23 Wrote: Even for only 720p?

The resolution you can play a game in does not really depend on the CPU at all, you just need an appropriate graphics card.

Gotcha, Thanks for that.

So, before I make the HTPC faster than my main rig, heh, will a Core i7 920 clocked at 4ghz cut the mustard?

**dannzen** · 02-13-2012, 05:59 AM #6

yes mine i7 920 runs with 3.8 more than enough for most games

**NaturalViolence** · 02-13-2012, 06:33 AM #7

Quote:i5-2500K for good results. Anything less is not worth the time or effort.

I would have to disagree. Sure an i5 2500K is the best you can get but that doesn't mean lesser upgrades aren't worth it. The pentium G850 should do very well with dolphin and it's only $90: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116397

Even a phenom II would be a HUGE upgrade over his current POS athlon x2.

Angry23 · 02-13-2012, 07:42 AM #8

(02-13-2012, 06:33 AM)NaturalViolence Wrote:
Quote:i5-2500K for good results. Anything less is not worth the time or effort.

I would have to disagree. Sure an i5 2500K is the best you can get but that doesn't mean lesser upgrades aren't worth it. The pentium G850 should do very well with dolphin and it's only $90: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116397

Even a phenom II would be a HUGE upgrade over his current POS athlon x2.

Thats not bad at all. I will definitely check the G850 out. Im trying to do some network upgrading in the house as well, but it looks like I could fit the G850 in the budget.
Yeah, I ripped Wii sports resort a few min ago and all said and done,the little athlon is barely holding 35fps.

**Starscream** · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2012, 08:07 AM by Starscream.)

You'll regret it later when you try to play something else and it runs slow. You can thank certain people in this thread for steering you away from the 2500k at a later date.

**NaturalViolence** · 02-13-2012, 08:39 AM **#10**

Translation: "If you don't upgrade to the absolute best hardware available then there is no point in upgrading at all. You'll regret the better performance you could have had in some games with hardware you can't afford. Even if the affordable upgrade more than doubles your performance over your current hardware you'll still regret it."