Is it my CPU or my Video card?

[xenomta 128]

I'm trying to find out whats making my Arma slow.

I want it so I can ACTUALLY play Arma, I know I can't replace the CPU but I'm not sure if its the CPU that needs replacing.

My performance is sluggish, like, I move the mouse and 5 seconds later my character turns. But, when I look up into the sky where no objects are, it runs REALLY fast, like normal, but when I look at the terain it goes slow, which leads me to believe that its my Graphic card that needs replacing.

CPU: Pentium® Dual-Core CPU T4300 @ 2.10GhZ

Video card: Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family

( this is what can you run it says )

So what do you guys think?

Edited August 27, 2012 by Xeno

[bobstefanio 24]

Well the video card is an integrated card I'm guessing this is a desktop and you actually have no card in it. The processor could do with an upgrade but definitely the video card is your problem you actually have to get one. The processor could do with an upgrade but It might do the job for now.

If it is a baught desktop then let me know what make and model if its a custom desktop take a screen shot of the system tab and the display tab of a dxdiag (Click "Start" go to "Accessories" and click "Run" in the run box type DXDIAG and hit enter)

Edited August 27, 2012 by bobstefanio

[xenomta 128]

its not a desktop, its a laptop.

[seepra 9]

bobstefanio, T3400 is a mobile CPU, it's a laptop.

Even though your CPU clock-speed/core count is "enough" by the specs, your CPU is very slow, it's the architecture and can't be helped, sorry. That GPU is also integrated into it, not an efficient dedicated mobile or desktop GPU, and as such it's mostly meant for rendering 2D graphics or very simple 3D stuff (even if the specs say it would run this and this, it can TRY, but it's way too slow to do it properly.

To put it briefly, you're boned. I can recommend you some new laptops if you'd like, or you can do research based on CPU/GPU combinations at notebookcheck.net

[bobstefanio 24]

Sorry guys I misread the original post and didnt google the card my derp. I taught he said he was going to upgrade the CPU not that he couldnt. hehe.

[Fleshhelmet 2]

I would have to second this... There is no hope for this machine. You need a whole new computer. If your on a tight budget maybe you can look for refurbs on www.newegg.com or www.tigerdirect.com. If you want more of a gamble there is always craigslist or ebay lol.

I personally build my own. Which is not that hard to do if you try and suppress your self doubt and try to learn something new. :)

[xenomta 128]

I'm 15 and don't have a job, so I don't think it'll be possible to buy a new laptop all together. I could try and sell my current one + a small notebook and then buy a new one.

thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it.

[xenomta 128]

http://www.tigerdire...Sku=A180-140300

Do you think this would run DayZ? Could I get something cheaper thats better? Or would a desktop be better for me?

Edited August 27, 2012 by Xeno

[bobstefanio 24]

No that wouldn't run it either.

[Inista 5]

For a cheap gaming machine you should take a desktop. Maybe you can build one up for around €500. If you want the same performance on Notebook i think you have to spend min. the double.

[drawx 24]

http://www.tigerdire...Sku=A180-140300

Do you think this would run DayZ? Could I get something cheaper thats better? Or would a desktop be better for me?

desktop is always better and cheaper to play games on.

[seepra 9]

While the i3 CPU would run the game okay, your laptop needs a mobile GPU, the CPU/mainboard integrated HD4000 won't do it.

From NVIDIA Geforce-series, GTS 360M, GT 450M, 550M, 630M 640M, 650M, GTX 460M, 560M, 660M and the such will run it acceptably with varying settings. The mobile Radeon naming scheme isn't as simple and I haven't looked into them, but parallel within 10% of 3D Mark Vantage performance to GT 650M's performance would be the Radeon HD 6850M, 6870M, 6720G2, 6755G2, 6740G2, 7730M, 7770M... The older Radeon HD5000/6000 and Geforce 400/500 series might be found on discount laptops, but some of the 600-series are quite affordable too.. It's going to run you some $700-900 anyway, I believe but don't quote me on it.

Just make sure you've got an i3, preferably i5/i7 CPU, and check the GPU from notebookcheck.net. If it runs Metro 2033 or Crysis at mid-quality graphics it's going to run ArmA II with middle/high easily too. The AMD mobile CPUs are slightly sluggish in comparison to newer Intel's, hence why I don't mention them, but if there's a good discount and good GPU in them, why not (just stay away from C-50, C-60, E-350, E-450 and other "APU" solutions)

Edited August 28, 2012 by seepra

[AMDftw 1]

The AMD mobile CPUs are slightly sluggish in comparison to newer Intel's, hence why I don't mention them, but if there's a good discount and good GPU in them, why not (just stay away from C-50, C-60, E-350, E-450 and other "APU" solutions)

errrrrrrr!!!

you can buy a AMD quad core or dual core laptop and play just fine. Alot of the new AMD APU have 64xx-77xx integrated with he CPU now. it helps with video and gaming rendering. You can even buy "ok dualcore AMD APU's with good gpu power. AMD my not have the CPU power to intels but integrated gpu out beats Intel so-called APU. The "C" and "E" you can game on BUT won't play ARMA2. My wife plays SC2 and Assassins creed on a Asus laptop with a "e" APU. she gets 20-30 fps on a 55in tv screen.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834214872

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834215390

Just because my SN is AMDftw doesn't mean i'm a fan boi. I currently game on a Intel system.

[heliman (DayZ) 26]

Doubt you could sell it atm, but perhaps 20 years from now if the world still exists maybe a museum might find a place for that. Atm your stuff could be sold for a can of mountain dew on the streets.

[Delta Smoke 01 765]

Arma 2 is one of the most demanding games available atm. A 2ghz CPU is no where near enough, and the integrated gfx also is nowhere near up to scratch. Get a new system mate :)

[seepra 9]

errrrrrrr!!!

you can buy a AMD quad core or dual core laptop and play just fine.

Yes you can, but unfortunately both AMD desktop and mobile processors have been for generations slower than Intel, clock-for-clock. They're viable options yes, I just had difficulty finding the recent A8 and A6-series quadcore APUs that would NOT rely solely on the APU for graphics (besides the CPU clock speeds are very slow and under the 2GHz mark, making CPU intensive games crawl). If you can find one with a decent separate mobile GPU, then of course, especially if it's for a good price, but as far as CPU "torque" goes, i5 and i7 are faster, and ArmA II is a very CPU intensive engine, and as such I'm going to recommend it (we can start flinging benchmark links at each other if you'd like).

And hey, my desktop has an AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, overclocks like a champ and ain't gonna bottleneck in a good while, yet I would not get myself an AMD CPU laptop for gaming, unless it was considerably cheaper than an Intel/AMD or Intel/NVIDIA solution. (Furthermore, I have grown a strong distaste towards AMD for their latest fuckup called Bulldozer/FX-series. However they RnD'd a faster clockspeed octocore in the 2012 with less performance than a 2008 quadcore, I don't know. I sure as hell don't feel like finding out either.)

My wife plays SC2 and Assassins creed on a Asus laptop with a "e" APU. she gets 20-30 fps on a 55in tv screen.

Size matters jack, it's the resolution which can be set to anything other than the actual physical resolution of the screen. Seeing that the E-450 barely runs Source games at high@1920x1080, I would not hold my breath to hear the settings she's running the games at.

I tend to be an asswipe about hardware admittedly, but I'm being conservative because I don't want a fellow gamer to end up with a barely-running game, it's better to actually invest some to be able to play most games for a while. And I always direct people to notebookcheck and review sites to make their own minds about performance/price, in the end, not according to my own opinions.

[digitaltomato 0]

Could someone tell me if it's my processor or graphics card that needs updating first? It's not exactly the best pc in the world, but it can do quite a bit:

Processor: AMD FX6-6100 Black Edition 3.3Ghz

Graphics card: nVidia GTX 550Ti 1gb VRAM

Ram: 8gb

[JarethJams 87]

Could someone tell me if it's my processor or graphics card that needs updating first? It's not exactly the best pc in the world, but it can do quite a bit:

Processor: AMD FX6-6100 Black Edition 3.3Ghz

Graphics card: nVidia GTX 550Ti 1gb VRAM

Ram: 8gb

You shouldnt worry with the specs you have. I run a 550ti and a similar cpu with a little more power than yours and i do pretty well. No lag at all.

[Drogur (DayZ) 169]

I'm trying to find out whats making my Arma slow.

I want it so I can ACTUALLY play Arma, I know I can't replace the CPU but I'm not sure if its the CPU that needs replacing.

My performance is sluggish, like, I move the mouse and 5 seconds later my character turns. But, when I look up into the sky where no objects are, it runs REALLY fast, like normal, but when I look at the terain it goes slow, which leads me to believe that its my Graphic card that needs replacing.

CPU: Pentium® Dual-Core CPU T4300 @ 2.10GhZ

Video card: Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family

( this is what can you run it says )

So what do you guys think?

First I would check how hot the CPU and GPU gets.

Heating can cause the symptoms you describe.

When did you clean the inside of that laptop?

[CrazyAngelDude 2]

Could someone tell me if it's my processor or graphics card that needs updating first? It's not exactly the best pc in the world, but it can do quite a bit:

Processor: AMD FX6-6100 Black Edition 3.3Ghz

Graphics card: nVidia GTX 550Ti 1gb VRAM

Ram: 8gb

GPU.

[CrazyAngelDude 2]

First I would check how hot the CPU and GPU gets.

Heating can cause the symptoms you describe.

When did you clean the inside of that laptop?

Don't even give him hope. Integrated graphics won't run ARMA 2/DayZ.