# CPU Bottleneck?



## stovex

Hi,

Is the Intel core 2 quad Q8200 at stock clock so 2,33GHz are bottlenecking my Radeon 4890? Because when I check for benchmark very high in crysis its look like I have the same fps and guys who are making the benchmark have a processor at stock or overclocked up to 3GHz and up.

Thanx you for all your answer.


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## linkin

No, a Qaudcore + 4890 should handle crysis very nicely. What RAM are you using? 800mhz? 1066mhz? 1600mhz? it can make a big difference, It also depnds on whether it's DDR, DDR2 or DDR3


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## stovex

Crysis is just a exemple. I just wanna know if my quad core Q8200 at 2,33ghz(stock clock) bottleneck my Radeon 4890 so limit its performance. I also have 6GB DDR2 at 800mhz. I have a 22inchs widescreen monitor maximum resolution 1680x1050. If DDR2 800mhz is not so good with the quadcore + the 4890 I will buy 2x2GB DDR2 1066mhz

Thanx You for your reply


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## CardboardSword

I'm inclined to say your ram is the bottleneck. The Q8200 isn't exactly a weak processor, and if you OC'd it, you'd get even better results. Why haven't you done so? OEM mobo or just not confident enough in your skills?


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## stovex

I cant overclock I have a Dell Inspiron 530 PC but if my GB ram are the bottleneck is 4GB DDR2 1066 will be fine?


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## Fatback

stovex said:


> I cant overclock I have a Dell Inspiron 530 PC but if my GB ram are the bottleneck is 4GB DDR2 1066 will be fine?



No your RAM is not the bottleneck that I can tell you. There is little to know difference between 800Mhz and 1066MHz you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I also don't think your CPU is the bottleneck the Q8200 is a good CPU and shouldn't bottleneck the 4890. Maybe it is your 4890 is there a possibility it is damaged or maybe your CPU is damaged. Have you overclocked your 4890 maybe you should try it. Also are you positive your RAM is running at 800MHz you should download CPU-Z and see what your RAM is running at. Lastly make sure you don't have speedstep on this is a feature in the bios that down clocks your CPU when it is not being used if it is on you should turn it off and see if that helps.


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## stovex

Ok guys, I want to clarrified something. I didnt say I have bottleneck I just asking if the Q8200 bottleneck the Radeon 4890. But I appreciate your answer guys. Evrything run at the speed it should, ram,GPU,CPU. Just thinking if the Q8200 CAN bottleneck or limit a radeon 4890, because in a forum it said yes and you need to overclock the Q8200 to 3GHz but in the same forum more said no the Q8200 at 2,33GHz stock speed. So I asking here because I trust more this forum then other.

Thank You guys!


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## StrangleHold

Well it goes both ways. In reality does a Q8200 bottleneck a 4890? Compared to what? To a lowerend processor no it doesnt. But at the same time overclocked to 3.0, sure you would get a few more FPS out of a game. It really depends on how you want to look at it.


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## stovex

Well ok, just want to know if the Q8200 at stock speed so 2,33GHz again is limit the performance of the radeon 4890 in a way. I mean, with this processor do I get the real performance of the Radeon 4890 or I dont? So if I dont if its overlcocked to 3GHz do I will get the full performance of this card?.


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## 87dtna

Honestly I think the clock speed is a bottleneck even if it is a quad.  At stock clocks with gaming, I would take an E8400 dual core anyday over a q8200 in combination with a 4890.

Now if you do overclock the Q8200 to 3ghz, thats a whole different ball game.  Although, I'd still prefer an E8400 because it has 2 more MB of cache and it can overclock over 4ghz.


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## Tiffany

Yes, there will be a bottleneck. WHY? Simple. Until you can get your ram to match the MOB's ram, and your CPU's clock, you will always be competing with it. Both cpu/gpu work together. Getting both to match is almost imposible. So, there is one example of bottlenecking, lol!


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## numberzero

stovex said:


> I cant overclock I have a Dell Inspiron 530 PC but if my GB ram are the bottleneck is 4GB DDR2 1066 will be fine?



No, you will have to buy new lt


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## stovex

I am confused now...

Again like in a another forum more said "no there is no bottleneck in performance" and little said "yes there is a bottleneck". I should try myself a benchmark of crysis in very high with stock clock and overclocked 2,33GHz>2,66Ghz>3GHz evrytime a jump of 15% overclocking and see at what speed the fps stop goes up.


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## Fatback

stovex said:


> I am confused now...
> 
> Again like in a another forum more said "no there is no bottleneck in performance" and little said "yes there is a bottleneck". I should try myself a benchmark of crysis in very high with stock clock and overclocked 2,33GHz>2,66Ghz>3GHz evrytime a jump of 15% overclocking and see at what speed the fps stop goes up.



As good of an Idea as that is it won't work. First you have a stock CPU cooler and overclocking your CPU is going to cause it to over heat. Second you have a dell and dell does not have any overclocking features on there motherboard. You should run 3Dmark06 and see what score you get I'm thinking it should be around 15,000-18,000.


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## stovex

I know I cant overclock but soon I will change my CPU cooler, motherboard + the case. You said with this card I should get 15k to 18k points on 3dmark06 if I get under that that mean my Radeon 4890 is limited by my CPU?


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## Fatback

stovex said:


> I know I cant overclock but soon I will change my CPU cooler, motherboard + the case. You said with this card I should get 15k to 18k points on 3dmark06 if I get under that that mean my Radeon 4890 is limited by my CPU?



Will it might be a combo of your CPU and your RAM that could be bottle necking. What kind of power supply do you have it could be possible your card is not getting enough power to unleash its full potential.


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## stovex

3DMark Score 11957 3DMarks this is my score its looking bad? I think so way far from the 15k and 18k. But in categorie common system the guy have a i7 920 2,66ghz 2Gb ram and GTX 295 and get 17k. and my power supply is this one http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...r_and_cooling_silencer-_-17-703-016-_-Product


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## Fatback

stovex said:


> 3DMark Score 11957 3DMarks this is my score its looking bad? I think so way far from the 15k and 18k. But in categorie common system the guy have a i7 920 2,66ghz 2Gb ram and GTX 295 and get 17k. and my power supply is this one http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...r_and_cooling_silencer-_-17-703-016-_-Product



With the rig in my sig I get right above 11,000 so your score seems pretty low. Your PSU should be able to handle the 4890 just fine. I'm stuck here I have built systems that have worse CPU's with the 4890 and they where not bottle necked and got a 3dmark06 score around 15,000. It very well could be your CPU or RAM but I don't see it.


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## 87dtna

If you have a dell, I'm quite certain it will only have the older 1.0 PCIe slot, not a 2.0.  Maximum bandwidth for that slot is well below what a 4890 can do, and is causing low scores.


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## stovex

yes I have only the 1.0 pcie slot so that can make a big difference in the 3dmark06 score? soon I get a new motherboard with a 2.0 pcie slot so maybe the low score performance will be solve?


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## 87dtna

Yes, huge difference.  There's your bottleneck!


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## stovex

ok well I think problem is solve Thank You for all your help guys I appreciate!


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## 87dtna

Yup, no problem.  I'd have said that from the start but it didn't come out that you had a dell mobo until the second page there.

BTW, I still believe once you get a 2.0 slot that then the CPU will be your bottleneck because of the clock speed.  If you can overclock it to atleast 3ghz, then you'll be doing real good.  6gb of ddr2-800 ram is no bottleneck, unless that ram has some high timings.  What timings are you running it at?


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## stovex

the timing of my ram is 6 6 6 18 and row refresh cycle time 52 and command rate 2T information get from cpu-z


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## 87dtna

Hmm, OK those are some slow timings for 800 ram.   You should upgrade to this-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

It's 1066 memory with a cas latency of 5.  Thats a pretty large improvement over 800@6, even if it's 2gb less.  Heck, just get 8gb of it and you're all set!


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## stovex

Thank You for your help man. But I dont buy from newegg I buy of another place is it the same GB of ram this one? http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15380BD6771&vpn=F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK&manufacture=G.SKILL


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## 2048Megabytes

87dtna said:


> It's 1066 memory with a CAS latency of 5.  Thats a pretty large improvement over 800@6, even if it's 2gb less.  Heck, just get 8gb of it and you're all set!



8 gigabytes of RAM?  4 gigabytes of random access memory is more than enough.


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## 87dtna

2048Megabytes said:


> 8 gigabytes of RAM?  4 gigabytes of random access memory is more than enough.



Probably will be.  Depends on what you're doing with your PC.  There are instances where more than 4gb will be needed.


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## stovex

4GB is more then enought for me. I only gaming and visit some website in internet.


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