Is a computers processor important for running multiple games at once?

[AssaultRifle]

Hey Seven Forums. I'm not that great with computers so I thought I would ask you guys for help. I am currently thinking about purchasing this computer:

Newegg.com - iBUYPOWER Gamer Extreme 556D3 Phenom II X2 555(3.2GHz) 4GB DDR3 1TB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

The graphics card is a very nice card from what I read, and I should be able to play most games with maxed settings at 1900x1200. However, sometimes I like to open up several Maple Story clients at once (Maple Story is a video game, here is the system specs for it:http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7011/40230978.jpg) so I can use each one for different things. I want to open AT LEAST 3 of them without lagging. On my current set-up, I can run 2 fine, but 3 starts to lag. On the PC above, should I be able to run 3 of that game?

Also, does running multiple game clients rely on Processor of Graphics Card power? Could somebody explain this to me?

 

[Bluehippo]

It should be able to run 3 of them. And I think running multiple game clients compared to one game client requires more processor power than graphics. Since the total area of the screen is the same, the graphics power should be the same as if you were running one game. But the processor and ram need to be better to run multiple. (not absolutely sure though)

 

[Krispy1]

thats a pretty good dual core cpu.you shouldnt have anyproblems

 

[Bill2]

I think its better understood in terms of bottlenecks.

Your gaming experience will be limited by the weakest link in the CPU/GPU/RAM setup. So if RAM is insufficient, gaming will lag because of swapping.

If your GPU is inadequate, then irrespective of how much info the CPU processes, the GPU will not be able to render it all.

And if the CPU is the bottleneck, no matter how fast the GPU, obviously the CPU is simply not sending enough frames for the GPU to render.

But most machines are GPU limited, because any decent Core2Duo should be able to produce more than enough frames for the GPU to render.

 

[Everlong]

I think it more depends on how you're going to play them as well. If you have them minimised and just alt+tab between them, then it's more your GPU and RAM as well. When I used to play Star Wars Galaxies with 1GB RAM. Running two clients can easily take up 1GB RAM, and alt+tabbing between clients was slow and could sometimes take a while. When I got 2GB, then it was a lot faster and smoother when switching.

If you have all 3 clients open at once, then the CPU will matter a lot more, as well as the GPU and RAM still.

But either way, the PC you're thinking of buying will be able to handle it fine.

 

[Bluehippo]

If running one game client it'll definately be gpu limited, but three game clients might not be. For example if you are switching between them using alt+tab, you see only one game at once. So therefore the gpu is doing the same amount of work as if you are running one game. But the cpu and ram does 3 times the work. So in conclusion it might not be gpu limited anymore.