Looking to upgrade. How much/will I get an improvement?

tuanming · 01-11-2011, 08:49 AM **#11**

(01-11-2011, 08:07 AM)skizzo Wrote: well i do a lot of audio work in programs that rely solely on processing things in real time with the CPU like Pro Tools. so i was wondering if I i got an even more bad ass setup for doing that kinda stuff if i would also improve my Dolphin experience. honestly i got the cheapest GPU card i could find with two outputs so i can work in Pro Tools with two screens. because at the time i didnt plan on gaming on this computer....that has since changed though. (since im obviously here )

thanks for the feedback everyone! but id still like to pick your brains a bit....

so will the better processor show minimal...if any improvements in Dolphin? (especially if i dont upgrade my graphics card?) or would spending the cash on a a better GPU card make it better in a more substantial way? is it safe to assume upgrading both would make the system better for Dolphin performance?

i dont use my Mac Pro for anything other than music/audio and gaming with Dolphin really.

Your CPU and Ram is already badass, but you graphic sucks ass!

skizzo · 01-11-2011, 09:29 AM **#12**

(01-11-2011, 08:39 AM)NaturalViolence Wrote:
Quote:so will the better processor show minimal...if any improvements in Dolphin?

Sure it will show improvement. I just think that's a lot of money to blow for not enough gain. Since the two cpus are the same architecture this is one of those rare cases when you can actually compare their capabilities using clock rates. You're looking at 2.93 vs. 3.6 GHz maximum clock rates. That's a 22.5% increase, of course that doesn't guarantee that that's how much of a performance gain you'll get with dolphin, use that as a maximum theoretical performance increase.

Quote:or would spending the cash on a a better GPU card make it better in a more substantial way?

Definitely. Especially if you plan on using higher than native resolutions. I mean come on, don't you want to play GC/Wii games in 1080p? If not then why bother with getting a video card for dolphin when you can buy a real wii for only a little more.

Quote:is it safe to assume upgrading both would make the system better for Dolphin performance?

Yes.

thanks for advice. though like i said it will make my audio programs run even smoother and let me handle more things that are super CPU hungry, pretty much anything that is sample based like the many drum machines and virtual instruments that i have bands coming to me with. though im running them quite well already, i just kinda want "the best" lol dont we all! but yea im looking at around $1500 for such an upgrade, so your advice is steering me away from that route based on the price. since im positive a "bad ass" GPU card to couple my CPU will be much cheaper.

so now im curious as to how the improved graphics card will improve Dolphin? like say Donkey Kong Country Returns runs at like 51 FPS 90% max for me at this point in time...its usually more like mid 80's % on average. will it give me an increased speed....or just improved graphics? this might be a bad example since it may be a game that doesnt run 100% yet on Dolphin. thanks again man!

tuanming · 01-11-2011, 09:41 AM **#13**

DKCR at what resolution? A GTX 460 run DKCR at a solid 60 fps in 1920x1080 resolution with 3x efb scale (only tested at the beginning of the game). You can use that as a reference.

skizzo · (This post was last modified: 01-11-2011, 10:25 AM by skizzo.)

honestly im not noticing a speed up, or slow down from running Dolphin at different resolutions. both of my monitors are set to 1600x900, which i thought was the best my GPU card could do....but its actually my monitors....they are LG W2040T widescreens and thats their max. so i set Dolphin to either play fullscreen in 1600x900 or in windowed mode at the standard 640x480. ive never noticed a game to run better/worse from playing in one or the other however.

that GTX 460 card is deff an upgrade from mine. i just didnt think my GPU card was what was holding things back as most other threads i read say that faster clock speeds and i think QPI will be more of the factor. if i can get better play speeds, as in more FPS and closer to 100% speed i will prolly go get a better GPU card instead of a better CPU based on price alone...because i was just hoping for it to be a "win win" situation with improving my audio programs AS WELL as Dolphin, but my audio stuff runs pretty good, im just obsessed with having the best.....so if a better GPU will do almost the same improvements at a cheaper price that makes more sense.

thanks for all this quick feedback btw!

tuanming · 01-11-2011, 10:58 AM **#15**

Without the Core i7, you will get shitty fps in Dolphin with a geforce 120gt.

http://www.macworld.com/article/131185/2009/04/2009_gaming_benchmarks.html

skizzo · (This post was last modified: 01-11-2011, 11:02 AM by skizzo.)

this is prolly the best card i can upgrade to...

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC743ZM/A

my two current monitors are hooked up via a dual link DVI cables, one of them having a mini-display port to dual link DVI adapter on them. so i dont want something i will have to buy more adapters for etc.

would this card be a better purchase all around for Dolphin performance rather than the more powerful CPU i originally stated i wanted to upgrade to?

good link! that is eye opening

**NaturalViolence** · 01-11-2011, 12:23 PM **#17**

Quote:thanks for advice. though like i said it will make my audio programs run even smoother and let me handle more things that are super CPU hungry, pretty much anything that is sample based like the many drum machines and virtual instruments that i have bands coming to me with. though im running them quite well already, i just kinda want "the best" lol dont we all!

A 22% maximum improvement does not justify an expensive cpu upgrade no matter how you look at it.

Quote:honestly im not noticing a speed up, or slow down from running Dolphin at different resolutions. both of my monitors are set to 1600x900, which i thought was the best my GPU card could do....but its actually my monitors....they are LG W2040T widescreens and thats their max. so i set Dolphin to either play fullscreen in 1600x900 or in windowed mode at the standard 640x480. ive never noticed a game to run better/worse from playing in one or the other however.

As long as efb scaled copy is off your internal resolution (the resolution that the gpu renders the scene at) does not change. When you change your fullscreen/windowed resolution in dolphin all you are changing is the output (external) resolution. The scene is rendered at the efb scale and then just stretched to a higher resolution, therefore gpu load does not change. efb scale, pixel lighting, pixel depth, and SSAA or MSAA are all options that affect gpu load.

Quote:would this card be a better purchase all around for Dolphin performance rather than the more powerful CPU i originally stated i wanted to upgrade to?

If you plan on using an efb scale greater than 1x and/or AA yes.

tuanming · 01-11-2011, 12:29 PM **#18**

(01-11-2011, 11:00 AM)skizzo Wrote: this is prolly the best card i can upgrade to...

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC743ZM/A

my two current monitors are hooked up via a dual link DVI cables, one of them having a mini-display port to dual link DVI adapter on them. so i dont want something i will have to buy more adapters for etc.

would this card be a better purchase all around for Dolphin performance rather than the more powerful CPU i originally stated i wanted to upgrade to?
good link! that is eye opening

You will see day and night differences!

Cyris · 01-12-2011, 06:23 AM **#19**

(01-11-2011, 08:07 AM)skizzo Wrote: well i do a lot of audio work in programs that rely solely on processing things in real time with the CPU like Pro Tools.

since you do alot of audio work you maybe want to get a dedicated sound card to relieve the load off your CPU even though your CPU can probably do the work fine but your playback will be better especially when you start to buy those studio monitors if you go that far.

**NaturalViolence** · 01-12-2011, 06:46 AM **#20**

Quote:since you do alot of audio work you maybe want to get a dedicated sound card to relieve the load off your CPU even though your CPU can probably do the work fine but your playback will be better especially when you start to buy those studio monitors if you go that far.

At the moment the only backend that pc audio cards can hardware accelerate is openAL, and even then it's very limited (pretty much just pcm mixing and post-processing, occasionally decoding if the application is set up using the proper api). Anything else would require a wrapper with an api hook. If he wants it for audio quality sure. But buying an audio hard to try and relieve cpu load from decoding is stupid in this day and age.