[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

[QUOTE="MaoTheChimp"]

When the CPU or GPU is not getting enough power, they do NOT lose performance, they either become unstable or crash.

This is seen when overclocking the CPU; when you set the frequency too high at a specific voltage, it becomes unstable. The same is seen when overclocking the GPU; it artifacts to a certain point and ultimately fails. No performance loss is seen aside from the obvious instability.

An easy way to check that it's a CPU bottleneck? Underclock the CPU. It's impossible to damage the CPU by doing this, and the performance drop will be directly proportional to the drop in frequency when under load (aka. a CPU intensive area).

MaoTheChimp

Sorry man, an insufficient PSU CAN cause poor GPU performance and/or crashing. Just because you have never personally experienced something doesn't mean it's not possible. Artifacting and crashing aren't the only signs of an underpowered GPU. I had a PSU that did a great job powering my 2 8800gt's until I suddenly started getting poor performance in games.. No artifacting, no crashing. Around the same time my PSU started making a high-pitched whining noise, and then it died.

Pardon me if I'm doubting you, I'm still not convinced. Even if the PSU did supply insufficient voltage, the VREG's on the card and mobo will address this issue. If the PSU under-currents the components, the system will crash. If the voltage ripple is out-of-spec, the system will crash (or if you're unlucky, it will damage the components to varying degrees). There is absolutely no way that anyone will lose performance from a under-powered or out-of-spec PSU; it's just plain and simple logic. And I have yet to find an article or test which is contrary to what I believe. If you find a legitimate test, I'll stand corrected, but right now I'm still unconvinced.

Im just about to go test that at best buy

Ok, im going to go buy some good psu from best buy like corsair or ocz or thermaltake or something. Ill put that in and report back with the results. If it works then ill probably return that psu to best buy (EXPENSIVE), and then i will question the validity of this psu's performance and ask what i could get for under $60 that will run good.

Online PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019

Other PSU - you guys decide thanks

its not a defective card because everything else works just good.

i had no drivers to uninstall because i had integrated graphics before, and all my drivers are up to date

my psu is LSP ultra 650pro 650w psu

I got the radeon hd 4890 for christmas. I set up everything and go to play tf2. I set everything to the highest setting(8xAA, 16xAF). I get in the game and check my fps in the resupply room while nobody is around. I get 70fps. I naturally thought that my cpu was bottlenecking pretty bad(amd athlon 4450e+ 64x2 2.3ghz), so i turned down all settings to medium with no aa or af. I get 80fps. I start to walk outside to where all the fighting is going on. And then suddenly my Fps drops to 10-15! So i try out css and garrysmod and got the same deal. I thought it was just major cpu bottlneck, so I made a thread for a new mobo and cpu. I then found out the people have the same problem even with quad cores and really hightech rigs.They get the same exact fps type deals 60-100fps out of action 10-25fps in action. It just doesn't happen with the 4890 it happens with a lot of graphics card including nvidia. I googled this to see what was up and found TONS of forums and clicked on them all. They all had the same question but it never got answered. So i am asking you gamespot. How do i fix this terrible fps?

TL;DR- Low fps-Good graphics card whats wrong? (its not anyones system cause as stated above its on many graphics cards and people experience it with thousand dollar rigs and such)

I have the same problem, bro with the same numbers at the end of their name(you copycat). Except i have a 4890.

I've decided to upgrade my motherboard and processor of my hp compaq presario. It has an amd athlon 4450e 64x2 2.3ghz processor and i have no idea what the motherboard is. so i have a few questions. Also my windows 7 installation disc came from the hp upgrade free windows 7 upgrade thing. On the disc it says "for use only as an upgrade to a qualifying hp windows 7 upgrade option pc." I already upgraded and have windows 7 on my hard drive so yeah....

1. if i upgrade to this new motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595will i be able to keep my windows 7 without reactivating and reinstalling, cause someone said that it would work if you had the same brand and i have amd processor so..?

2. if i cant get the motherboard option to work how do i find out if a phenom processor will work with my current hp motherboard?

*EDIT* i just looked at my catalyst control center and it said this:

System Type:X86-based PC
System Model:NC696AAR-ABA SR5710Y

dont know if that will help or not

Ok so i decided to buy that 2nd combo deal. Now when i install all that stuff what will happen to windows 7? Will i have to reinstall it and reactivate it or what?

I just got the hd radeon 4890 and a 650w psu for my computer:http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4555150&CatId=5140

So i already know my cpu will bottleneck my graphics card - which it did, and my motherboard cant overclock. So i was looking to buy a cpu and motherboard that'sgood for under $250(which is really pushing the money) OR just a CPU that i just wont overclock for under $150 max price.

Here's what i found and was wondering if this was pretty good for the price and if it will break.(i had an emachines who's motherboard overheated and broke).

Also will all this stuff fit in that case(my psu and graphics card fit) but im not sure if the bigger motherboard and cpu will be able to squeeze itself in there.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.305373

You can answer here or if you want to read about my computer history you can read on cause i feel its worth telling.

I bought a $269 compaq presario back in december. That is the computer parts i mentioned above. I was amazed at it compared to my old pentium 3 933mhz computer. I never thought i would get into computer gaming. I then realized i could play games like tf2 and css on the lowest settings. It was sooo much more better than xbox even if it had **** graphics atm. I decided that i would go and get a new card to play these games on higher settings. So i bought my psu and hd 4890. I played the games and thought i could put everything on the highest settings. I couldn't. I was surprised because i thought the 4890 could run little games like tf2 and css on full settings with like 250fps. I kept frame rate spike dropping. I asked my friend and he said to overclock my cpu. I found out i couldn't so i decided to just get a new cpu. Then i realized that it would be dumb just to do that so i also debated on the motherboard option to. That's when i decided to dive into the world of extremely good computer gaming. I feel stupid though for spending $269 ona computer just to replace every part besides the hard drive and ram.