1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Graphics BF3 + Q6600

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by chewbaccas_nan, 25 Oct 2011.

  1. chewbaccas_nan

    chewbaccas_nan Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 Jun 2011
    Posts:
    762
    Likes Received:
    11
    I posted a thread about this on the Electronic Arts forum, but not really having much luck, people are just saying buy a whole new system, well we all know that, but we don't all have £100's to spend on a new system.

    So I'd like to know what graphics card I could get to play Battlefield 3 on higher settings rather than low.

    My specs are:

    Q6600 stock
    3Gb Ram
    8800GT
    win 7 32bit

    My res is only 1400x900 though, so i thought along the line of a GTX 460 or HD 6850/70 but would they be bottlenecked (perhaps the hd 6870 might)?

    I have thought about overclocking the cpu but I'm not really overly confident as I've never done it before!

    Cheers
     
  2. Exangels

    Exangels What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    13 Oct 2011
    Posts:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    why not get a 560ti? and upgrade to 64bit
     
  3. Cerberus90

    Cerberus90 Car Spannerer

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    7,666
    Likes Received:
    208
    I can't see anything really being bottle-necked by a Q6600.

    Especially if you OC it a bit.

    Also I'd go up to 4GiB of RAM and get a 64bit copy of windows.

    My 460 seemed to play the BETA alright at high settings. A 560 might be a better option as its a bit newer.
     
  4. Sn:99.3% Cu:0.7%

    Sn:99.3% Cu:0.7% What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    2 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    31
    Likes Received:
    2
    +1 for the 460 and if you can stretch to the 560.

    Do you have a budget on what you could spend?
     
  5. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

    Joined:
    16 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    13,022
    Likes Received:
    618
    Should be fine, clock it up to 3.2Ghz though. A 6870 or a 460 GTX would be great!
     
  6. Sn:99.3% Cu:0.7%

    Sn:99.3% Cu:0.7% What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    2 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    31
    Likes Received:
    2
    Also what cooler have you got on the Q6600? is it stock? if so might want to spend a few £'s on better cooling when going down OC route
     
  7. chewbaccas_nan

    chewbaccas_nan Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 Jun 2011
    Posts:
    762
    Likes Received:
    11
    Just an intel cooler, I thought about getting the arctic cooler freezer 7 pro
     
  8. modd1uk

    modd1uk Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 Sep 2006
    Posts:
    3,554
    Likes Received:
    447
    Better coolers out there.

    On a budget the Cooler Master Hyper 212+ =)
     
  9. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

    Joined:
    10 Aug 2011
    Posts:
    1,235
    Likes Received:
    49
    +1 on the Hyper 212+
     
  10. chewbaccas_nan

    chewbaccas_nan Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 Jun 2011
    Posts:
    762
    Likes Received:
    11
    Yeah I've heard the hyper 212+ is a great cooler. But when overclocking how are you supposed to know when to up the voltage?
     
  11. modd1uk

    modd1uk Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 Sep 2006
    Posts:
    3,554
    Likes Received:
    447
    When it starts BSOD'ing out the ass ;). Or crashing, general instability. If you cant achieve such a thing on certain settings and voltage is the thing you have left to change then you go with that.
     
  12. Margo Baggins

    Margo Baggins I'm good at Soldering Super Moderator

    Joined:
    28 May 2010
    Posts:
    5,649
    Likes Received:
    268
    God i hate people. Since when did a q6600 become a bad chip?! I know its not the newest tech, but clocked @ 3.2ghz - 4ghz they are still reasonable.
     
  13. Ljs

    Ljs Modder

    Joined:
    4 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,234
    Likes Received:
    117
    If you haven't already, read a few guides (preferably ones written buy an actual site, not by some random forum user somewhere) - these will give you a rough estimate of what voltages you can/should use and what to aim for.

    From there you just need to have a little bit of a play around really, see if you can find a sweet spot and what you are comfortable with when it comes to temperatures.
     
  14. modd1uk

    modd1uk Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 Sep 2006
    Posts:
    3,554
    Likes Received:
    447
    What motherboard are you using ? it might be a none oc' cheapo board...
     
  15. Bede

    Bede Minimodder

    Joined:
    30 Sep 2007
    Posts:
    1,340
    Likes Received:
    40
    A reasonable OC on the Q6600 should be quite easy to achieve - I wouldn't go for a record-breaker because that will quite dramatically decrease the life expectancy of your chip. A new 4gb kit will cost you £25, an 8gb kit £45 - it's up to you, personally I would get the 8gb kit as it's a small expense that makes a dramatic difference. Finally, as you say, a 6850/70 willl do the job at that resolution quite happily I think. If you're not planning on getting a new screen any time soon, then get the 6850; if you think you might get a 1080p screen in the future then perhaps a 6870 would be better.
     
  16. chewbaccas_nan

    chewbaccas_nan Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 Jun 2011
    Posts:
    762
    Likes Received:
    11
    Its an asus P5N-E Sli
     
  17. Landy_Ed

    Landy_Ed Combat Novice

    Joined:
    6 May 2009
    Posts:
    1,428
    Likes Received:
    39
    I used to have one of those. Weak memory controller, never managed to get decent stable overclocks with an E6850 on that board + 4x1Gb sticks without upping the memory voltage a bit, but it was fine with 2 at stock voltage.
     
  18. chewbaccas_nan

    chewbaccas_nan Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 Jun 2011
    Posts:
    762
    Likes Received:
    11
    I've got 3x1gb sticks, one of the slots is dodgy and wont boot if there's a ram stick in there.
     
  19. Cerberus90

    Cerberus90 Car Spannerer

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    7,666
    Likes Received:
    208
    Don't think I've ever heard a good word said about the Asus P5N motherboards, :D

    If your concerned with voltages, you could always just not touch them. Then just OC to what you can with stock voltage, you should still be able to get a fair bit out of it.

    Is it a G0 stepping one?

    My 3.2GHz OC is running at essentially stock voltage, although I've got a high VID chip so the voltage is high to start with at 1.325V.
    I just had to enable load line calibration to reduce vdroop.
     
  20. Action_Parsnip

    Action_Parsnip What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    3 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    720
    Likes Received:
    40
    Overclock the snot out of that Q6600, the best advice that can be given here imho. I got my Q6700 to 3.475ghz. Bad Company 2 appreciated that ALOT. Frostbite 1.5/2 is a VERY cpu cycle-hungry engine.
     

Share This Page