New Rig, not sure it's running right.

**Consultant** · 07-29-09, 10:12 AM

I've been on my new rig for 4 or 5 days now and I am worried that some software settings might be holding my rig back from it's maximum potential.

Here's the particulars.

ASUS P6T SE Motherboard
Intel Core i7 920
6GB DDR3 1600
Saphire 4870 1GB

I ran the FutureMark Vantage free trial version and got the following numbers.

3dMarks: 10145
CPU Score: 17108
Graphics Score: 8933

When I play TF2 or L4D, the visual quality looks really good and the picture is great, but I get a little tearing when I move quickly. I run with motion blur off and all other settings at the recommended levels (Highest everything and Trilinear Filtering) and I use vSynch ON to avoid tearing and lock FPS at 60.

What are your thoughts? I dont know much about newer systems and I have done some reading, but I still feel a little unqualified to say that "all is well" or if "something is wrong".

When I ran Vantage, and the ORB came up and compared my scores, my little tick-mark on the scale was at the very bottom of 34 similar systems to my own.

Something seems wrong.

My thoughts...

My PSU is "only" 600 watts - but everything i read before I built the system said that would be enough.

I have not reformatted the HDD.

Any opinions as to whether or not I have anything to worry about?

Am I getting my money's worth out of this thing?

**Captain Coors** · 07-29-09, 10:17 AM

What do you mean you did not reformat the HD? Did you pull over your old HD and stick it in the new build? I wouldn't do that personally if so.

Is it a good HD or a bottom feeder with a small cache/mediocre write speed?

Don't lock fps at 60 with the fps_max, vsync automatically does that for you. Might cause oddities. fps_max is for people who don't use vsync.

Turn of automatic updates for windows/antivirus etc and manually do them when you aren't gaming.

**yungryder** · 07-29-09, 10:32 AM

Must I quote myself?

**Hocus Pocus** · 07-29-09, 10:36 AM

Yeah its a bad idea to introduce a new mobo to an old HD. Also what do you mean lock at 60fps?

If you got a new card let it fly.

**Mad_Hatter** · 07-29-09, 10:53 AM

The reason your scores are probably low is more than likely because you have all your settings turned up in CCC. Or could be a driver issue. Lower settings = better performance which will give you higher scores.
Make sure you turn your resolution down, and turn off AA and stuff like that.

Actually that Vantage score isn't all that abnormal. Have you overclocked your processor?

**~~Syrringe~~** · 07-29-09, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

The reason your scores are probably low is more than likely because you have all your settings turned up in CCC. Or could be a driver issue. Lower settings = better performance which will give you higher scores.
Make sure you turn your resolution down, and turn off AA and stuff like that.

Actually that Vantage score isn't all that abnormal. Have you overclocked your processor?

I think its just a driver issue with his gpu. If you get tearing like that...roll back to the previous release and see how that works...I had to do that with my Gtx 275 (yes i know we're comparing ati and nividia here), but this sounds like the same issue I had recently. Sometimes the newest drivers arent always the best solution for YOUR particular setup....everyone is different.

**RhysJD3** · 07-29-09, 11:16 AM

Vsync runs at specific frame rates/frequencies to control buffering and other stuff. I believe it runs at 120/60/30/15. It will only run at those FPS but during game it will drop down and then back up. So if you're running at 60 FPS then your video card can't cut it during a specific area/scene, it will drop it automatically to 30. Not 59, not 55, not 50, it will go to 30. If you lock the FPS, it will only screw up vsync.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=928593