Question about speed

[C2B]

Recently I build a new setup consisting of an i5 processor. Overclocking him got me (with turbo-boost) to 3.5 Ghz on all 4 cores. I decided to disable two cores since pcsx2 doesn't benifit from more than 2 cores too much. (Even now)

This got my turbo-boost up to 4 GHz per core. Now, (without speedhacks enabled) I still get minor slowdowns in games like Zone of the enders 2, MGS3 and SOTW for example. Granted it goes down to 48-50 fps at max.

So, I just wanted to ask if this is understandable and nothing else is blocking my speed.

[RPGWiZaRD]

What's your graphic card and emulator configuration? It certainly sounds too little for such CPU, I've got a i7-860 @ 4.1GHz HT disabled but 4 cores activated and I've yet to see any game on PCSX2 that would be even close to 60 fps, most of the time I'm in the 150 - 250 fps range if disabling fps limit.

I've got the first two games and dunno what SOTW stands for but can't test atm as I'm at parents place. Last time I tested MGS3 however I remember I was above full speed with my E8400 @ 4.0GHz.

[SonicXPS2]

Nothing is blocking your speed.The game is the causing this.
Some games even with Quad Core they still reach a mindblowing 15 fps.
So it depends on the game you are playing (and if its fuly fixed or not)

[C2B]

What's your graphic card and emulator configuration? It certainly sounds too little for such CPU, I've got a i7-860 @ 4.1GHz HT disabled but 4 cores activated and I've yet to see any game on PCSX2 that would be even close to 60 fps, most of the time I'm in the 150 - 250 fps range if disabling fps limit.

I've got the first two games and dunno what SOTW stands for but can't test atm as I'm at parents place. Last time I tested MGS3 however I remember I was above full speed with my E8400 @ 4.0GHz.

I have fullspeed too, like I said it's minor. It happens during cutscences mostly (not FMV's). SOTW is Shadow of the Colossus, btw.

[tohdom]

try with 3 cores, please

[RPGWiZaRD]

Well at least I remember Zone of Enders 2 being extremely GPU intensive so if you're using too high internal res in GSdx in Zone of Enders that might be it. You didn't mention what gfx card u have. As for Cutscenes in MGS3 could also be the case, if I remember correctly, had to use "native res" on my previous GPU 8800GT to avoid being gpu limited in those cutscenes.

BTW if it says 99% CPU in the titlebar of pcsx2 window in windowed mode, you're GPU limited so it's easy to check.

As for Shadows of colossus it's not the most GPU intensive game but certainly not the least GPU demanding either, should be a little less than those 2 others in those cases but the requirement is still above the average game at least.

So mention your gfx card, what "internal res" you've set in GSdx settings and check what amount x% CPU it mentions in PCSX2 titlebar window (when the slowdowns happen) and we should be quite a lot more clever I think. If you have an Radeon card there's some small possibilities you might use an incompatible driver etc that's causing these slowdowns, it was very common some time ago but haven't heard of it for quite a long time now tho.

PS, I just wondered how you got SOTW into Shadows of Colossus, I thought you meant prolly SOTC but wasn't sure so.

[C2B]

Could be, though even at internal res the little slowdowns are still there. Well, currently it's a gtx260. But a HD5870 is on it's way. Will see how it fares then and report back.

[RPGWiZaRD]

Well a GTX 260 should be more than enough unless you're trying to use some 1920x1200 internal res or whatever. I'd still check the reported "CPU usage" (that's actually more like GPU usage) and you can rule that one out though.

Another plausible theory I have is that when you disable those 2 cores in bios, PCSX2 might actually try to use a cores that's disabled so it actually runs like it would use only 1 core but I'm not sure if pcsx2 is coded that way so it will detect if it can use 2 cores correctly or not and then automaticly switch to singlethread mode (if it didn't do that then it wouldn't work at all and prolly crash immediatly).

You didn't mention your configs tho, could be you're not running in dualcore mode for starters and no speed hacks etc enabled but it still feels like 60 fps should be achievable with such CPU to me as long as recompilers (EErec and VUrec are enabled).

[rama]

SotC is extremely gpu bound guys. It'll get slower just going from 640*480 to 800*600, and yeah, this is with a gtx260

[C2B]

You didn't mention your configs tho, could be you're not running in dualcore mode for starters and no speed hacks etc enabled but it still feels like 60 fps should be achievable with such CPU to me as long as recompilers (EErec and VUrec are enabled).

Nope, with no speedhacks, microvu and everything else set to normal.

Wanted to avoid speedhacks at all cost.

Anyway, in the case of ZOE2 it's gpu related 99% Usage.