FPS lag

[flawless]

I recently bought a new tv which i use for my computer. It is a 37" LED tv. Now that i have a better tv i am able to play games on a higher/the highest resolution. when i went to play a game on the highest resolution i got alot of fps lag and it was not playable. Do you think this is caused by my graphics card not being powerful enough?

 

[Nikkeli]

Your graphics card indeed looks like it's pretty old and hasn't got the power to handle today's games, be it bit older games too, especially in HD/full HD.
It's definitely not your cpu, it's fine.

You could try updating graphic drivers from ati, if they are not up to date (10.6 version if im not mistaken).

If that doesn't work it's probably that your card lacks the punch.

Can you list the games that it happens in?

 

[mickey megabyte]

basically, the higher the resolution = more pixels = more work for the graphics card every second = lower framerate


for example:

1280 x 1024 = 1,310,720

1920 x 1080 = 2,073,600 which is over one and a half times more, so framerate will be 0.63 slower, if my maths is correct.

 

[flawless]

Your graphics card indeed looks like it's pretty old and hasn't got the power to handle today's games, be it bit older games too, especially in HD/full HD.
It's definitely not your cpu, it's fine.

You could try updating graphic drivers from ati, if they are not up to date (10.6 version if im not mistaken).

If that doesn't work it's probably that your card lacks the punch.

Can you list the games that it happens in?

I've only tried it on league of legends so far. The other game i play doesn't support higher resolutions.

 

[flawless]

Will i need to buy a new graphics card to fix this problem?

 

[mickey megabyte]

yes - get the best you can afford - you really do get what you pay for in this field - but avoid the extreme top end of the market.

if you want to stick with ati - a hd5850 card has very good bang for buck. if you can afford more, get a 5870.

 

[flawless]

yes - get the best you can afford - you really do get what you pay for in this field - but avoid the extreme top end of the market.

if you want to stick with ati - a hd5850 card has very good bang for buck. if you can afford more, get a 5870.

Ok thanks. Do i have to consider the size and power of the graphics card? I'm sure i read some where that they come in different sizes and may not fit in the case.

 

[mickey megabyte]

as far as i know, it's only the really expensive double-gpu cards that are big, physically.

as far as power consumption goes, the new ati cards are very good in that respect, and don't need a lot of juice.

do you know the power rating (in watts) for your psu - a decent 500w power supply should be enough. the 5 series cards are much less power hungry than the previous generation.

 

[flawless]

I don't know the power rating, do you know how i could find that out?
Also, how can i be sure that my computer can handle the new graphics card?
When i search for the 5870 about 7/8 different graphic cards show up. How can i decide which is the best for me?

 

[mickey megabyte]

the 5870 card has a certain chip made by ati/amd. card manufacturers buy these chips from ati and stick them onto their cards.

it's a bit like searching for a quad-core intel machine, and finding lots of companies making them.

the 7/8 cards you see will be pretty much alike, although some may have a bit more onboard memory, or quieter fans, or maybe other features.

as far as the power rating for your psu, i don't know how you're going to find out apart from opening up your case and looking for a sticker on the psu itself, or consulting the paperwork/manual that came with your pc when you bought it. i would be very surprised if it wasn't at least 500w - but it's always a good idea to make sure before you spend money on a new graphics card.

 

[flawless]

the 5870 card has a certain chip made by ati/amd. card manufacturers buy these chips from ati and stick them onto their cards.

it's a bit like searching for a quad-core intel machine, and finding lots of companies making them.

the 7/8 cards you see will be pretty much alike, although some may have a bit more onboard memory, or quieter fans, or maybe other features.

as far as the power rating for your psu, i don't know how you're going to find out apart from opening up your case and looking for a sticker on the psu itself, or consulting the paperwork/manual that came with your pc when you bought it. i would be very surprised if it wasn't at least 500w - but it's always a good idea to make sure before you spend money on a new graphics card.

Ok, Thank you for your help.

Edit: Is there anything else i need to consider like compatability with my motherboard? I have no clue about graphic cards so sorry if this is completely stupid.

 

[mickey megabyte]

no problem, that's what we're here for.

you know where the forum is if you have any more questions.

 

[stormy13]

as far as the power rating for your psu, i don't know how you're going to find out apart from opening up your case and looking for a sticker on the psu itself, or consulting the paperwork/manual that came with your pc when you bought it. i would be very surprised if it wasn't at least 500w - but it's always a good idea to make sure before you spend money on a new graphics card.

400W tops,

http://www.acersupport.com/acerpana...manuals/S.G_Aspire M3710_M5711_M7711_BOOK.pdf

 

[mickey megabyte]

well done stormy - how did you know he had that machine?

flawless, in that case (sorry for the pun), you will have to budget for a new psu as well - welcome to the wonderful world of upgrading!

 

[stormy13]

He has the model number for his Acer shown as the case in his specs.

A new power supply shouldn't be a problem fit-wise as it looks like it uses a normal ATX PSU. The one thing I would be looking at it if something like a 5870 (or any Nvidia card of the same size) will fit front to back, as from the few inside images I have seen the drive cage could be in the way.

 

[Nikkeli]

By the way, as we're talking about 5850 and such, now that GTX 460 is released it's very good choice as it's cheaper than 5850 but 1GB version comes very close, especially if overclocked, plus its silent, cool and it has the power too.

So consider that as an option too, 5870 is in different scale though, it's high end.

edit: if you're unsure which to pick, you can dig up some reviews on the cards.

 

[flawless]

well done stormy - how did you know he had that machine?

flawless, in that case (sorry for the pun), you will have to budget for a new psu as well - welcome to the wonderful world of upgrading!

around how much will a new psu be?

He has the model number for his Acer shown as the case in his specs.

A new power supply shouldn't be a problem fit-wise as it looks like it uses a normal ATX PSU. The one thing I would be looking at it if something like a 5870 (or any Nvidia card of the same size) will fit front to back, as from the few inside images I have seen the drive cage could be in the way.

Ok i will look into it. thanks.

 

[flawless]

By the way, as we're talking about 5850 and such, now that GTX 460 is released it's very good choice as it's cheaper than 5850 but 1GB version comes very close, especially if overclocked, plus its silent, cool and it has the power too.

So consider that as an option too, 5870 is in different scale though, it's high end.

edit: if you're unsure which to pick, you can dig up some reviews on the cards.

Yeh i'm not really sure which one to pick because i really don't know much about grapics cards. I just want one that is good enough to run most games on the highest settings.

 

[Nikkeli]

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB & GTX 460 768MB Review

Here's review on 768mb and 1GB versions of GTX 460 5830 and 5850 and few others.
What you should look at is the game tests, not just 1 game or the game you like or play, but few of em to get wider picture what the card is capable of.
Then overclocking if you're into that, and power consumption if you care about that and conclusion, to me it looks best choice.

 

[mickey megabyte]

there's always a lot of debate about which is the better of amd/ati or nvidia graphics cards.

you've already got an ati card and drivers installed, making it a bit simpler to stick with ati, if you ask me. others may disagree

of course, it's your money and buy whichever you like. you won't be dissatisfied whichever you chose.

as far as a 500w psu, about $50? i'm not sure, as i'm in england.

you may need to ask for some help installing it though, have you a friend or neighbour who is knowledgable in this area? installing the card is pretty simple, but the psu will be a bit trickier,as there are more plugs/leads to deal with.