New Graphics card, need help please

[fran1]

Well its not that, but i do have another question would i have been better off to buy the GTX 650 Ti?

No, your only going up 2 in the chart (link below).
We're back to the mobo again, your card can't run to it's full potential unless the mobo is pci-e 3, and the psu supplies enough power on the 12 volt rail.
Your a bit like me except you ask before brainstorming off and buying it.
I've got 30 amps on a 12volt rail for the gpu but my card cannot utilize that because my mobo is only pci-e 1.
I've got 2 SSD's running at half transfer speed because i didn't check my mobo wasn't sata 3.
Balance what you have, get rid of the high buffer count assets and your frame rates will improve.
I run at 20-25 fps with a poorly thought out set up.

forgot link

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

 

[trainz4]

this is the only thing i can find on my MOBO

1 x PCI Express (x16) slot, 1 x PCI Express (x1) slot, 1 x 5.25" bay, 2 x 3.5" bays

 

[fran1]

Make sure it's using the x16 slot. You don't say whether 1, 2 or 3 ( pci-e ? )

 

[trainz4]

it doesnt list it. are there any utilities i can use to find that out

 

[fran1]

Not that I know.
What mobo is it ?
As I said before replace high buffer count (over 100) assets, they're fps killers.

 

[leo655annst]

Get GPUZ it will give you all the information you need for the card. This will give you the bus speed of the MB

For CPU info use CPUZ.

 

[trainz4]

CPU Info
AMD A6-5200 APU (FT3 socket looks like) it doesnt look like i can upgrade either unfortunately.

 

[trainz4]

Ive heard upgrading my ram to "Dual Channel" rather than a 4GB and 2GB stick would help performance a little bit.

 

[clam1952]

That APU isn't wonderful however it's better than the Athlon II x3 445 I have on my lowest spec PC and that runs TS12 reasonably with a GTS450. We need your motherboard make and model, then we can come up with a probable answer to the problem or even a simple solution.

 

[trainz4]

it looks like "DX4375G" FT3 Socket A6. its a AMD Board, it came in the gateway i bought "DX4375G-uw20"

 

[clam1952]

That would be this then.

Gateway DX4375G-UW20 Desktop PC:

Key Features and Benefits:

• AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 processor
  2.00GHz, 2MB Total Cache
• 6GB DDR3 SDRAM system memory (expandable to 16GB)
  Gives you the power to handle most power-hungry applications and tons of multimedia work
• 500GB SATA hard drive
  Store 333,000 photos, 142,000 songs or 263 hours of HD video and more
• 16x SuperMulti DVD drive
  Watch movies, and read and write CDs and DVDs in multiple formats
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
  Connect to a broadband modem or wired broadband router with wired Ethernet
• AMD Radeon HD 8400 Graphics

Additional Features:

• 1 memory card reader
• 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 6 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x line-in jack, 1 x line-out jack, 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet port, 1 x microphone jack, 1 x VGA port, 1 x HDMI port, 2 x PS/2 ports
• 1 x PCI Express (x16) slot, 1 x PCI Express (x1) slot, 1 x 5.25" bay, 2 x 3.5" bays

Software:

• Genuine Microsoft Windows 8 Operating System
• Microsoft Office Trial
• Norton Internet Security trial
• Gateway Recovery Management

Support and Warranty:

• 1-year limited parts and labor warranty
• Restore discs are not included (unless specified by supplier). We recommend you use the installed software to create your own restore and backup DVD the first week you use the computer.

What's In The Box:

• Power cord
• Gateway multi-media keyboard
• Gateway optical mouse
• Quick Start Guide

When you added the GTX650 did you completely remove the existing graphics drivers and disable if required onboard graphics in the bios? Gateway are not renowned for things like a proper manual so I'm guessing about disabling the builtin graphics.

 

[gawpo50]

it looks like "DX4375G" FT3 Socket A6. its a AMD Board, it came in the gateway i bought "DX4375G-uw20"

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+A6-5200+APU
Above site lists your cpu benchmark. As you will see, it is a pretty poor benchmark, comes right in at the bottom of the list.

Reviews for the motherboard will say it is ok until you try and run intense games with it. It is more an office type of computer, not a games rig. And AMD don't make motherboards.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can really do with it.

Peter

 

[Stationbeem]

Just a thought, you have "Norton" installed. That is a rescource greedy program. It may be impacting on your system.

I may be wrong, but it is a thought.

Regards Dave.

 

[trainz4]

I took norton off, i disabled my onboard graphics long ago as my GT610 wouldnt function because of it, the only thing remaining is the AMD Catalyst Install manager i dont know if that should do anything with that because it uninstalls the chipset drivers, so im not really sure what to do there.

I realize its not a gaming computer, i dont have the money for that, i needed a computer now (im a professional photographer) when i bought it i could "wait and piece together". I would just like to be able to use trainz at a reasonable level, but whenever i turn everything down i only manage around 8 FPS when everything is up i average around 12-30.

 

[fran1]

"Amd catalyst control center is basically a control panel for amd/ati graphics cards"

You haven't got either so get rid of it.
Have you tried getting rid of those high buffer count assets yet.

 

[trainz4]

ah okay its gone, yeah i have, it did improve somewhat, im going to replace my current pofig trees to Clams, those are really nice, and change some of the grasses around as well

 

[fran1]

Each time you replace an asset with a buffer count of over 100 you will see a slight improvement in fps.
The trees wont improve fps.
Good weather fog, have some of that.

 

[trainz4]

I have the fog turned all the way down. something that REALLY helped was bumping my refresh rate on the computer and game to 85 MHz as i could not go any higher