Best processor for EQ2?

[Thunndar316]

<p>I am about to build a new PC and I am looking for advice on what would be the best processor to run this game and get a really good framerate.</p><p>I can't afford a $1000 cpu, looking for something under $500 that will let me raid with graphics up high.</p><p>Thanks</p>

[vochore]

<p> if eq2 is the only thing you will be playing then get the absolute fastest dual core processor you can "an amd black edition that you can overclock to 4 ghz or better"</p><p>but if you plan on doing anything other then eq2 1 of the new 6 core processors will do great.</p><p><a href="http://www.guru3d.com/article/phenom-ii-x6-1055t-1090t-review/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.guru3d.com/article/pheno...t-1090t-review/</a></p><p>check out this review at guru3d and you can get the top of the line black edition here.</p><p><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16819103849</a></p><p>for about 300 bucks.</p>

[Thunndar316]

<p>Yeah I really don't do anything more intensive than playing EQ2 so I want the processor best suited to run this game.  I want to be able to play with high graphics settings and get good framerates so I will check out the AMD.</p><p>Any tips on a video card?</p>

[Amanathia]

<p>Imho I'd get an Intel i5 750 or i7 875k.  If you want AMD go with a 1090t, no reason not too imho--clocks higher than any other AMD chip.  The Intel chip will be faster in EQ2 though, but the AMD chip plays it very well.</p><p>Video card...AMD 5850 or 5870 or NVIDIA 460 or 470.  Avoid the AMD 5830 and NVIDIA 465.  For lower end get AMD 5770, they rock.  Avoid Crossfire and SLI for this game.  Uhmmm, you should read my video card guide post.</p>

[Thunndar316]

<p>Well, I considered the i5 and someone else told me I should get the fastest dual core possible.  So confusing.</p>

[Gaige]

<p>No reason to buy dual core anymore, get an i7 900 series or i7 800 series and overclock, most of them will do 4Ghz on air which is plenty for EQ2 and everything else.</p>

[Amanathia]

<p><cite>Thunndar316 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Well, I considered the i5 and someone else told me I should get the fastest dual core possible.  So confusing.</p></blockquote><p>For EQ2 you want the fastest single-threaded performance possible.</p><p>On the AMD side you STILL want to get the 1090T if you can afford it, because the thuban chips overclock higher due to the slightly tweaked design and process.  Ie, you'll be able to get a 1090t to 4ghz with no problem--4.2 will likely be doable on water.  A phenom x2 might only hit 3.7-3.8.</p><p>So while EQ2 can't use 6 cores (it can't even use two, it uses all of one and then if you are lucky about 15-20% of another), per core the 1090t (or 1055t) will be able to clock higher, so it's what you want.</p><p>On the Intel side of things you might think "well, the 32nm dual core i3 and i5 chips overclock to a higher ghz than the i5 quad or i7 quads, so they'd be the best for this game." This is, unfortunately, wrong.  Too bad, too, because the price on those i3's sure is nice!</p><p>Why isn't this the case?  The i3 and i5 dual cores don't have an on-die memory controller.  The processor actually accesses RAM through another chip on the package.  So the i3 and i5 dual cores actually have a 32nm CPU and a 45nm graphics card/chipset on them.  If you were to take the package apart you'd see two chips.</p><p>Not having the on-die memory controller puts memory performance in the toilet compared to the i5 and i7 quads.  So on the Intel side you want the fastest clocked quad possible.  Or the 980x (or it's Xeon equivelent) if you have the cash.</p><p>Hyperthreading does not help this game at all (I've tested it extensively) so the i5 750 is a better buy than the i7 860.  If you have the cash though, go for the 875k for easy peasy overclocking.  (If you know what you're doing you can probably get the 860 to overclock just as well, but the 875k makes it easy for noobs to do it, which is good imho).</p><p>So, pick one of the following for great EQ2 performance:</p><p>AMD side:</p><p>1. 1090t</p><p>2. 1055t</p><p>Intel side:</p><p>1.  i5 750</p><p>2.  i7 875k</p><p>3.  i7 920/930 (if you want 1366 for some reason)</p><p>4.  i7 980x (if you have a lot of money)</p>

[Thunndar316]

<p>Wow, I just have to say thank you for all the great feedback.</p><p>Even Gage <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p>