Archbishop: Graphics card upgrade "knackers" performance

Cohaagen · 01-29-08, 07:29 PM

I decided to put off building a new box for another six months and replaced my Geforce 6200 PCI with a brand new 8500GT (also PCI) instead. The card is surprisingly good, particularly so considering all the peevish naysaying virgins who claim that even £10 spent on a PCI card is £10 wazzed up the wall...it chews through HL2: Episode Two (full detail/HDR/x2AA/x8AF and about 45fps average), Portal (same), S.T.A.L.K.E.R., CS3 and Illustrator, Autocad and a few other things I've been running.

Problem is, GWX now runs like a three-legged dog. Even with AA and AF off I barely get 10fps on bridge/external - I was getting 30+ before with the 6200 with both of those on.

P4 Northwood 2.8
1.5gb RAM
Sparkle Geforce 8500GT PCI, 256mb DDR2 (box-clocked at 450/900/400)
Forceware 169.21 (the latest)
nearly zero fragmentation and no crap (ie. Norton) running in background

I am completely stuck. The 6200 is on eBay so I can't fall back on that option. I've changed nothing else except the card, so I'm stumped as to what the problem may be. No artifacts or anything weird on screen...very strange. If anyone has had a similar problem, I'd really appreciate a helpy-out here. As much as I love HL2, the card is a step down for me if it can't run SH3.

01-29-08, 07:29 PM	#1
Cohaagen Frogman Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: UK Posts: 296 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Archbishop: Graphics card upgrade "knackers" performance I decided to put off building a new box for another six months and replaced my Geforce 6200 PCI with a brand new 8500GT (also PCI) instead. The card is surprisingly good, particularly so considering all the peevish naysaying virgins who claim that even £10 spent on a PCI card is £10 wazzed up the wall...it chews through HL2: Episode Two (full detail/HDR/x2AA/x8AF and about 45fps average), Portal (same), S.T.A.L.K.E.R., CS3 and Illustrator, Autocad and a few other things I've been running. Problem is, GWX now runs like a three-legged dog. Even with AA and AF off I barely get 10fps on bridge/external - I was getting 30+ before with the 6200 with both of those on. P4 Northwood 2.8 1.5gb RAM Sparkle Geforce 8500GT PCI, 256mb DDR2 (box-clocked at 450/900/400) Forceware 169.21 (the latest) nearly zero fragmentation and no crap (ie. Norton) running in background I am completely stuck. The 6200 is on eBay so I can't fall back on that option. I've changed nothing else except the card, so I'm stumped as to what the problem may be. No artifacts or anything weird on screen...very strange. If anyone has had a similar problem, I'd really appreciate a helpy-out here. As much as I love HL2, the card is a step down for me if it can't run SH3.