What graphical settings aren't reliant on CPU?

[PJemus]

I have just built an HTPC from second hand parts for around $110nzd
The system contains a 7970, a 128gb SSD, 8gb of pc2-6400u, and a 2.93MHz core2 duo.

I have noticed that many console ports work fine, especially codemasters games, but games like project cars fail to run. I want to play gta V, and it works fine at 720p with lowest settings, but looks pretty shotty. I want to know what settings I can increase in GTA or other games that will not cause much usage on the CPU.

edit: I didnt know Steam was frozen in the background and was using 90% of my cpu while I was testing gta. I will have to test it again later.

[LukzForEver]

Resolution. The more resolution the more gpu needs to work. 

[PJemus]

Just now, LukzForEver said:

Resolution. The more resolution the more gpu needs to work. 

read the question again

[Zodiark1593]

GTA V won't run well on a Core 2 Duo at all. You'll want to step up to a Q6600 at the very minimum, preferable with a significant overclock.

 

Though resolution and AA won't hit the cpu much. Effects like shadows can impact the cpu pretty greatly though.

[Metallus97]

Annything of the graphics settings. Allthou your CPU is not enugh for most modern games (like GTA)

[Majestic]

The CPU in modern graphical pipelines is only really doing a couple of things. Predominantly handling the drawcalls, gamelogic (player interactions, phsyics), and audio.

 

Where you will get the most reduction in CPU load is by lowering world geometry. Meaning object quality and draw distance. Shadows, depending on the type, can also have an impact because it requires geometry to know where the shadows land. If it's done on a GPU shader less so.

[LukzForEver]

Increase texture detail. Increase resolution. 

[Stefan Payne]

On 5.8.2018 at 6:48 PM, PJemus said:

I have just built an HTPC from second hand parts for around $110nzd
The system contains a 7970, a 128gb SSD, 8gb of pc2-6400u, and a 2.93MHz core2 duo.

That is a weird setup that makes little sense.

You absolutely should replace it as soon as possible because the C2D is too old.

 

If we go back to 2007 and go back another 11 years we have 1996.

Nobody would really think they could use a CPU from 1996 with 2006 games because at the time, the best you could get was maybe a 200MHz Pentium. The P54C, not the P55C...

Source:

http://processortimeline.info/proc1996.htm

Pentium MMX and AMD K6 came in 1997 by the way...

 

On 5.8.2018 at 6:55 PM, Majestic said:

The CPU in modern graphical pipelines is only really doing a couple of things. Predominantly handling the drawcalls, gamelogic (player interactions, phsyics), and audio.

That is false.

The CPU does a couple of things like Lighting, AI Stuff (Pathfinding and so on), Physics simulation, Hit Detection and other things as well. You must not underestimate the performance cost of those things! 

 

Depending on the amount, it can absolutely stall the CPU...

On 5.8.2018 at 6:55 PM, Majestic said:

Where you will get the most reduction in CPU load is by lowering world geometry. Meaning object quality and draw distance. Shadows, depending on the type, can also have an impact because it requires geometry to know where the shadows land. If it's done on a GPU shader less so.

Yes but we are talking about Core 2 DUO, not even the Dual Duo...

And today that piece of hardware is just too old and weak to really be useful for gaming as there are already some games refusing to start on less than 4 Threaded CPUs...

[Zando_]

11 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

-snip-

Well he did say he built it for $110 (NZD too, so about 72 USD according to Google), so good luck getting a better CPU at that price. OP, I'd advise getting a decent Core 2 Quad if you can, having the extra 2 cores should help. Believe it or not CPUs this old are just fine, I have a 1st Gen Mac Pro with 2x 2.66GHz Xeons (basically enterprise level Core 2 Duos, IIRC it's LGA 775 as well), and I've seen gameplay of a boi playing GTA V with these CPUs just fine, I forget what GPU he had though. 

[Stefan Payne]

53 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Well he did say he built it for $110 (NZD too, so about 72 USD according to Google), so good luck getting a better CPU at that price.

Easy, for that money you can get a 6 core without an issue and other great CPUs.

Though the Boards is another story. But you were talking about a CPU

You can get some awesome CPUs for really little money, if you're lucky and have a Board...

 

Then again: 50€ or so for a Pentium with 150MHz or sou wouldn't be that amazing in 2006.

You'd get that for 15 - WIth Board and RAM. Because it was mostly useless.

 

Though I've gotten myself an i3-4150 a couple of months ago - with an ITX Board of course for only 75€ (don't know if it was with or without shipping)...

That's a far better deal than a C2D from '06.

 

And that Core i3 system is already 5Years+...

 

53 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

OP, I'd advise getting a decent Core 2 Quad if you can, having the extra 2 cores should help.

I'd not because there are Games that won't even start because they need SSE4.2 so that isn't a great option either.

 

So its wasted money for nothing...

Its better invested in saving on a CPU that can actually run all modern games without too much hassle.

 

53 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Believe it or not CPUs this old are just fine, I have a 1st Gen Mac Pro with 2x 2.66GHz Xeons (basically enterprise level Core 2 Duos, IIRC it's LGA 775 as well), and I've seen gameplay of a boi playing GTA V with these CPUs just fine, I forget what GPU he had though. 

I have a 2,5GHz Core 2 Duo Mobile on my Video PC and its OKish but it can't even do 1080p Youtube reliably and also has Problems with some 1080p movies. That's why I'm planning on replacing that thing in the next couple of Months or so.

So no, Core 2 Duo are not "just fine", they are only somewhat, barely, usable but NOT fine...

 

And that you can still use them isn't really a good thing!

Remember, 10 Years ago Core 2 Duo came, 10 Years before that Pentium 10 Years before that we are talking 80386 was just released - the 16/20MHz ones. 10 Years before that we are talking about 8085 and MOS 6502, 2,5MHz Zilog Z80.

 

The 8086 CPU with 4,77MHz wasn't introduced before 1978!

 

 

And now you come and tell that using more than 10 Year old processors is fine?

 

Its not fine and shows that there is a problem in IT that you can still use such old things today!

That wasn't the case up until a couple of years ago and every generation got 20-50% more performance - at least.

 

And now you go crazy if you see +5%...

Ähm....

[Zando_]

3 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

-snip-

I really don't get why you keep referring to 20 year old CPUs as reasons you shouldn't use a 10 year old CPU. That's like telling me I shouldn't drive my 2002 Mountaineer because a mercury from the 1970s is worse (going with a longer timeframe because cars age slower than CPUs). Kinda.... no point to that logic, at least not one you can apply to this situation (due to the exponential growth of CPU power a 10 year old CPU is magnitudes more powerful than a 20 year old CPU, thus it can remain a viable option for a low spec system). 

 

Now yes, LGA 775 has pretty much at the end of it's useful life, the CPUs are not very good compared to modern ones, but that doesn't mean they're completely horrible. Like I said, I've seen gameplay of a guy running GTA V fine on very similar CPUs (the Xeon variants of the Core 2 Duo/Quad) with a decent GPU. They can run games just fine if you temper your expectations or play older/easier to run titles. 

 

As for the CPU itself, I was referring to him spending $110 on the ENTIRE rig, not just the CPU. And if he bought a newer CPU then he'd need a new mobo, RAM, PSU, etc. Whereas you can pick up a Core 2 Quad off eBay for $9 or so (just checked, average price is $9-12). Will it outperform a new CPU? Hell no! But is a new CPU also worth over 10 times the price? Because in order to run a newer CPU he'd need all the other parts accompanying that and it'd be well over $90. So if he wants a bit more performance for cheap, a decent C2Q is the best choice, and costs basically nothing, since $10 isn't really much. 

[Majestic]

13 hours ago, Stefan Payne said:

That is false.

The CPU does a couple of things like Lighting, AI Stuff (Pathfinding and so on), Physics simulation, Hit Detection and other things as well. You must not underestimate the performance cost of those things! 

 

Depending on the amount, it can absolutely stall the CPU...

Yes but we are talking about Core 2 DUO, not even the Dual Duo...

And today that piece of hardware is just too old and weak to really be useful for gaming as there are already some games refusing to start on less than 4 Threaded CPUs...

What the fuck? I said it handled drawcalls, gamelogic and Audio. All of those things you mention fall into those categories. Don't correct people when your understanding is clearly on the base-level. 

[Stefan Payne]

Quote

The CPU in modern graphical pipelines is only really doing a couple of things. 

Wich implies that the CPU doesn't really do any work at all and it mostly depends on the GPU - wich is not true.

 

Especially if we are talking about ancient Core 2 Duo things that are easily utilized to 100%...