Best CPU for GTA IV

Hardware Hub CPU
1

Okay, so currently this is my build...it's shit xD

Dual Core E2180 @ 2.0Ghz
2GB Ram (Unknown brand)
Hitachi HDP725050GLA360Â (500GB)
630i Foxconn motherboard
XFX 9800 GT XXX (OC'ed)
Coolermaster HAF 932
Ultra LSP550 550 Watt PSU
HP w1907 19" Monitor

(I like to have a sweet case to make my beast look amazing! LOOL kidding)
Anyways...I Have quite a few games that I have bought...and they all run just fine maxed out. When I got GTA I had the shittiest gaming experience in my whole entire life. . . .  Looked it up and realized that this game is a horrible port and needs atleast a Quad core to run wiht OKAY settings.. this was all in January by the way.
So I still play GTA IV on my current computer with my friend and It runs horribly, I really want this game to run good. My FPS usually dies down when I crank up the view distance/vehicle density/detaildistance. I would say I play with 26 frps..but drops sometimes. (online it gets horrible!)

So basically what I am wanting to know is what is the best CPU/Motherboard to buy to run this game pretty good without looking like shit. Soon I will have $150 and that is definatley not enough..I know that ..I will save up more though..
Without getting an i7 what is the best CPU/Motherboard that I can get without breaking the bank.

sorry I gave a little too much detail...help would be greatly appreciated....thanks in advance.

I know the 9800 GT isn't a beast..but it is to me! lol

also I have no problem with AMD

2

Ok well i have gta and an i7 and tbh the cpu hardly gets used mabey on 10% utilisation from when i was monitoring it through Everest.

however my graphics card (4870x2) gets maxed out constantly but i havew a playable 50fps frame rate at 1920x1200.....Now my friends gtx295 doesnt do so well so it might be that the game prefers ati gfx than Nvidia......

mabey consider moving to ati??

could also upgrade your cpu to a q9550 and oc it a bit

3

i have a q6600 and a HD4870 1G .. the game runs decently at 1680x1050..

4

Well, since you already have Nvidia.
A Phenom II 940 w/ a Asus M4N72-E 750a Mobo aint a bad choice
Or if you want to stay Intel a Q9400 w/ a EVGA 750i

5

So what do you mean by decently? How many FPS?

6

Im using a GTX265 and a Q6600 both overclocked I may add, and I run the game at 40-80FPS all maxed out

7

Say you were me, would you just order the Phenom 955? or just the 940? ...is there really a big difference, even if you overclock?

8

Of course theres a big difference. I would get the 955.
 It overclocks a bit higher, higher core clock. and its AM3, it accepts DDR3 or DDR2, and more future proof. But DDR3 is currently only avaible on AMD Chipset based mobos.

9

wow..that is really good man!...i thought the Q6600 wasn't that powerful of a cpu... Didn't they take it off the market?

10

Its still there, but its not worth it anymore cause it cost more than before, because production stopped. Like sometimes 260 CAD. The Q6600, doesn't really compare with the Phenom II 940/955 or Q9400/9550

11

I have it OC'd to 3.4, under the Xigmatek Dark Knight, but yeah I think they took it off the market, you might still be able to find it if you look hard. and im running it at 1680x1050, with draw distance and everything alll maxed out on Windows Vista

12

well i have a Q6600 @ 3.0Ghz and a Inn03D 9800GTX and it runs good for me very smooth

13

Oh nice! Well...do you know how many FPS you usually get?

14

to be honest, GTA IV runs silky-smooth on my Phenom II X3 720

15

for this game you want a quad. id get a phenom 2 940, a q9550 or a phenom 2 955. your needs and preferences and budget will help figure out which would be best. they are all good. the q6600 is not a bad processor but at 200 dollars i would stay away from it and the q9400 as well. the q9550 is only like 20 dollars more than it.

16

Sweet, thanks for the info man. So hard to choose one!

17

2 CPUs for GTA IV:
Intel: i7 920
AMD: X4 955 BE

18

Yeah AMD X4 955...i really..really want... i7 just..can't afford at the moment.

19

Anyone think this is a good deal?
Â

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4685733&CatId=4297

20

Not bad, but to me [color=#00ccff][b]Gigabyte[/b][/color][color=#33cccc][b]Â [/b][/color]or [color=#ff6600][b]Asus[/b] [/color]motherboards > [color=#008080][b]MSI [/b][/color]

Does MSI or any other motherboard manufacturer for that matter have [color=#ffcc00][b]2 oz of copper[/b][/color] in their top boards like Gigabyte & Asus?

With AM3 dual Channel Ram: (couldn't find any g. skill at tiger)


This is what I am buying soon:

You can swap out the ram for the [color=#ff0000]red [/color]g skill which does (1600mhz) I just placed the[color=#ffffff] [/color][color=#3366ff]darker[/color][b][color=#ffffff] [/color]blue[/b] to match the board

Almost the same setup except the ram: (Tiger)

You can always go for UD4:

If you rather have Asus they have the [color=#ff6600][b]M4A79T Deluxe[/b][/color], same exact price [color=#ffcc00][b]($179.99)[/b][/color] as the UD5 @ newegg. If you ballin a little harder, they got the [color=#ffcc00][b]$200[/b][/color][color=#ff6600][b] Asus Crosshair III formula[/b][/color] if you want thier best. Theres cheaper AM3 builds but these are the best in my vision.

I originally wanted the Core i7, but I would have to buy the D0 stepping in order to overclock it at lower volts, or overclock it higher with more stability. You would either have to gamble with newegg or tiger, or just find a retailer that guarantees the D0 stepping, but that also might translate into a higher cost for the chip. (Stack that price up-)Â

My goal is 4.0ghz. If I don't get there then shyt oh well, but at least I have goals in my life, what about you?. if I really didn't need the overclock I wouldn't do it.

[color=#ffcc00][u]Why I pick Phenom II Over Core i7:[/u][/color]
-Core i7 and it's components cost more (Intel doesn't care if it's depression part 5, gimmie my monies!...Intel and Mac are related.)
-Phenom II BE's have unlocked multipliers for overclocking which makes sleeping look like an overnight job.
-Core i7's run a lil hotter then the Phenom II's.
-I will reach at least 3.8ghz with no problem.

Don't need any more reasons, Core i7 is still at the top for now but saving cash & doing things easier with amd for almost the same performence, why not-

Intel's Gigabyte UD5:

You could stick the UD3 in there and it would still be more then the Phenom builds-