Running into a wall with my GPU?

Vartan · 10-08-2009, 03:51 PM #1

Hello there! Smile

I have a couple questions relating to my system and how much of it I can utilize for a better Dolphin experience.

I've got an Intel Core i7 920 overclocked to 4.20 GHz, and 12 GB of RAM overclocked to 801 MHz (from 500-something - details in my sig Tongue

) My GPU is a GTS 250 that has it's clock speed OC'd to 760 MHz. I'm using the Direct3D 9 plugin in Dolphin.

After I overclocked my CPU from 2.66 to 4.20 GHz, I saw a huge improvement in many aspects of Dolphin game play. For example, the Faron woods area in Twilight Princess were laggy before, but now they're running at full speed (yay!).

But I have trouble with a couple areas, most notably Hyrule Field. My FPS goes down to 17-25 FPS (sometimes if I'm lucky, to 27 FPS). No matter what config I choose I can't seem to get past those speeds.

While it isn't my greatest concern, as ZTP is definitely playable at these speeds, and it only happens once in a while, can it be that I'm running into a wall with my GPU and that to get things optimally working I'll need to upgrade it?

Even if it's not related with Dolphin, I still plan on replacing it in the future, but I'd like to know what would be the best for Dolphin. Maybe I could just add another GTS 250 and do SLI?

I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

Thank you! Smile

**abfab126** · (This post was last modified: 10-08-2009, 07:46 PM by abfab126.)

such a great cpu , and a weak GPU ^^

Get a 5850 - 5870 or wait for gt300 to come out !

anyways , it wont change your performances in Dolphin .

jedikevin20 · (This post was last modified: 10-08-2009, 10:49 PM by jedikevin20.)

(10-08-2009, 07:45 PM)abfab126 Wrote: such a great cpu , and a weak GPU ^^

Get a 5850 - 5870 or wait for gt300 to come out !

anyways , it wont change your performances in Dolphin .

Not really a Weak GPU by the longest. Middle of the row. Its exactly half of your video card abfab. Definitely capable of anything out today and way beyond whats needed for dolphin as you stated. If you went sli with another it would be the same as a 9800 GX2 in performance. Considering price it wouldn't hurt since you already have one. I got my gts 250 on a 48 hr sale from tiger direct for 80 dollars. If you can get your brand GTS 250 for cheap it would be well worth it. If you planned on paying full price I would suggest you just hold off and wait.

Chaoscode · 10-08-2009, 10:53 PM #4

no hardware is gonna make that part of the game full speed, if you want it to run faster better warm up on the coding skills Smile

8bitbob · 10-08-2009, 11:35 PM #5

(10-08-2009, 03:51 PM)Vartan Wrote: Hello there!

I have a couple questions relating to my system and how much of it I can utilize for a better Dolphin experience.

I've got an Intel Core i7 920 overclocked to 4.20 GHz, and 12 GB of RAM overclocked to 801 MHz (from 500-something - details in my sig ) My GPU is a GTS 250 that has it's clock speed OC'd to 760 MHz. I'm using the Direct3D 9 plugin in Dolphin.

After I overclocked my CPU from 2.66 to 4.20 GHz, I saw a huge improvement in many aspects of Dolphin game play. For example, the Faron woods area in Twilight Princess were laggy before, but now they're running at full speed (yay!).

But I have trouble with a couple areas, most notably Hyrule Field. My FPS goes down to 17-25 FPS (sometimes if I'm lucky, to 27 FPS). No matter what config I choose I can't seem to get past those speeds.

While it isn't my greatest concern, as ZTP is definitely playable at these speeds, and it only happens once in a while, can it be that I'm running into a wall with my GPU and that to get things optimally working I'll need to upgrade it?

Even if it's not related with Dolphin, I still plan on replacing it in the future, but I'd like to know what would be the best for Dolphin. Maybe I could just add another GTS 250 and do SLI?

I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

Thank you!

I have a i7 920, but I had to turn off hyper threading to gain a great increase in speed on dolphine with dual core enabled, if you dont disable hyperthreading then dolphin uses one core and one virtual core(thread).

Vartan · (This post was last modified: 10-09-2009, 07:55 AM by Vartan.)

(10-08-2009, 07:45 PM)abfab126 Wrote: Get a 5850 - 5870 or wait for gt300 to come out !

anyways , it wont change your performances in Dolphin .

I actually was planning on waiting for the gt300. I have Windows 7 x64 RTM and would love a card that works with DirectX 11. Is it worth the wait?

(10-08-2009, 10:42 PM)jedikevin20 Wrote: Not really a Weak GPU by the longest. Middle of the row. Its exactly half of your video card abfab. Definitely capable of anything out today and way beyond whats needed for dolphin as you stated. If you went sli with another it would be the same as a 9800 GX2 in performance. Considering price it wouldn't hurt since you already have one. I got my gts 250 on a 48 hr sale from tiger direct for 80 dollars. If you can get your brand GTS 250 for cheap it would be well worth it. If you planned on paying full price I would suggest you just hold off and wait.

So the GPU isn't limiting my performance, Dolphin uses less than what my GPU has?

I wonder if it's effective costwise to get a cheap GTS 250 and SLI it and when the gt300 comes buy that...... nah.....

(10-08-2009, 10:53 PM)Chaoscode Wrote: no hardware is gonna make that part of the game full speed, if you want it to run faster better warm up on the coding skills

C++, eh? I think I can pitch in at some times. C++ isn't my favorite or most used language, but I can code in it. Big Grin

Don't know about making everything superfast. Tongue

(10-08-2009, 11:35 PM)8bitbob Wrote: I have a i7 920, but I had to turn off hyper threading to gain a great increase in speed on dolphine with dual core enabled, if you dont disable hyperthreading then dolphin uses one core and one virtual core(thread).

Really? I'll try that out right now. Thanks.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice!

(now I'm looking for someone to buy me my card.... nah, just kidding Tongue

)

Update:
Holy shit, 8bitbob. I just disabled HyperThreading and was in Hyrule Field at 93-100% speed - even in the largest areas.

Thank you a ton.

Now I guess the question is, what GPU setup is best?

**boogerlad** · 10-09-2009, 11:27 AM #7

ht is only useful for encoding or rendering.

~~Heavy~~ · 10-10-2009, 02:11 AM #8

Where do I disable hyper threading?

8bitbob · (This post was last modified: 10-10-2009, 03:42 AM by 8bitbob.)

(10-10-2009, 02:11 AM)Heavy Wrote: Where do I disable hyper threading?

Goto into BIOS, usually by pressing Del on your keypad on boot.

ps this is only if your have a I7 920 or above cpu Smile

Unknownforce · 10-10-2009, 04:43 AM **#10**

(10-10-2009, 03:42 AM)8bitbob Wrote:
(10-10-2009, 02:11 AM)Heavy Wrote: Where do I disable hyper threading?

Goto into BIOS, usually by pressing Del on your keypad on boot.

ps this is only if your have a I7 920 or above cpu

well, you could disable it on a P4 cause a P4 was the only other process or to have hyper threading, but it would make you only have one thread then, because the P4 is a single core CPU Wink