Poll: Graphic card or processor

[Professor James]

A little backstory, see when I started playing games on my PC, I noticed that I couldn't play any games unless they're 6 years old, and even then on the lowest setting. I was wondering if this was my processor which is an dual core Intel Celeron 2.0 Ghz, or my graphics card, which is a Nvidia Geforce 7050.
So anyway on the thread,what do you think is more important, a processor or a graphics card

 

[Professor James]

I think my processor is more of the problem due to it being only 2 GHZ

 

[Anarchemitis]

Programs render 1 of two ways, Software rendering or hardware rendering. Hardware means the program is streamlined to run through standardized architecture (eg: GPUs in cards) in order to give a high speed response to inputs. Video games on computers and consoles are use hardware rendering.

Software means that the program is emulative of the factors that need calculation. 3D Programs such as Maya, Softimage XSI or 3DS Max when they render, use software rendering to shove things like Radiosity, Alpha sampling, anisotropy or whatever-have-you through the pipeline to result in the final image. While in-program viewports use hardware rendering in order to get prompt input-response for scene and model interaction, the final result is ultimately software rendering, through the computers main Processor.

While lots of juicy Graphics cards would get what you need for gaming, sheer brutal number crunching from a brawny processor is what one would need to render things quickly when 3D modeling. That's how I stand on when and what I need for my computer parts.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Celerons are garbage, and is what is killing your performance the most. I truly doubt a vide card swap would help you at all: your processor will bottleneck anything you try.

Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to do a complete motherboard swap. And new RAM. At that point, you might as well get a whole new computer.

To answer the other question... video cards are typically more important for gaming, with some exceptions (Supreme Commander comes to mind). But when you have a shitty processor, nothings possible.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

I think this may be a simplistic explanation... and I love this video anyways.


I would say, though, that your primary issue is that your CPU just needs upgrading severely, but both could go the way of the dodo for progress.

 

[Professor James]

Programs render 1 of two ways, Software rendering or hardware rendering. Hardware means the program is streamlined to run through standardized architecture (eg: GPUs in cards) in order to give a high speed response to inputs. Video games on computers and consoles are use hardware rendering.

Software means that the program is emulative of the factors that need calculation. 3D Programs such as Maya, Softimage XSI or 3DS Max when they render, use software rendering to shove things like Radiosity, Alpha sampling, anisotropy or whatever-have-you through the pipeline to result in the final image. While in-program viewports use hardware rendering in order to get prompt input-response for scene and model interaction, the final result is ultimately software rendering, through the computers main Processor.

While lots of juicy Graphics cards would get what you need for gaming, sheer brutal number crunching from a brawny processor is what one would need to render things quickly when 3D modeling. That's how I stand on when and what I need for my computer parts.

Could you maybe say that in layman's terms.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Could you maybe say that in layman's terms.

Big fancy 3D programs need to use powerful processors to render videos and images quickly.
Big fancy video games need to use powerful graphics cards to get decent framerates.

 

[Crazie_Guy]

It depends entirely on the game. If you are playing bioshock on full settings, you're gonna need a good graphics card. If you're playing Sins of a Solar Empire with a full house and a few scores of planets, you better have one hell of a processor. But really, they are both very important, although generally a GPU will go farther since most games lean heavily toward the graphical side.

 

[Professor James]

Celerons are garbage, and is what is killing your performance the most. I truly doubt a vide card swap would help you at all: your processor will bottleneck anything you try.

Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to do a complete motherboard swap. And new RAM. At that point, you might as well get a whole new computer.

To answer the other question... video cards are typically more important for gaming, with some exceptions (Supreme Commander comes to mind). But when you have a shitty processor, nothings possible.

how many GHZs do you recommend?

 

[DefunctTheory]

Celerons are garbage, and is what is killing your performance the most. I truly doubt a vide card swap would help you at all: your processor will bottleneck anything you try.

Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to do a complete motherboard swap. And new RAM. At that point, you might as well get a whole new computer.

To answer the other question... video cards are typically more important for gaming, with some exceptions (Supreme Commander comes to mind). But when you have a shitty processor, nothings possible.

how many GHZs do you recommend?

Anything in the iX intel series should do nicely.

 

[KiKiweaky]

Most new games want MOAR graphics.... Then again I have an i7 so I'm rather safe when it comes to my cpu. They're pretty expensive though which is

 

[RoboGeek]

when upgrading your cpu you must remember that you cant just buy any cpu and stick it in because it will not work,you must make sure that your motherboard is compatible and in most cases its usually if your upgrading a processor you need to get a new motherboard as well. the new i processors are pretty impressive for gaming but you will defiantly need a new mo-bo to use them i have a 3.00ghz dual core in my machine and it runs everything on high.