Processor Speed

[jfriley]

Which is considered faster, a 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.4Ghz, or an Intel Core i5 M430 @2.27 GHZ?

I am asking because my MSI GX640, which has the last of these three processors, keeps crashing when i try to play Fallout 3. When I contacted Bethesda tech Support, they sent me this reply "Your processor speed of 2.27GHz is below the minimum requirements for this game."

I just bought this computer last May, with the intention of playing games. Back then I was told the only better processor out there was the Core i7, so I find it hard to believe Computers built four years ago with Pentium 4s can run this thing, but system cannot.

Thank You

 

[geofelt]

I think tech support is feeding you a bunch of hooey.
A game will not crash when running with a slow cpu, it will just run slower.

Your cpu is considered a high end cpu, much better than the previous 2.4ghz processors.
That is because the i5 does more work per cpu cycle than the P4 or core2 duo.
Here is a ranking chart:
http/www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5+430M+%40+2.27GHz

 

[jfriley]

Thanks. Its frustrating to have a company's support team give such a half-assed answer like that.

 

[WR2]

Some comparisons using Passmark CPU benchmark scores:

Intel Pentium 4 2.40GHz = 315
Intel Pentium 4 3.80GHz = 641
Intel Pentium D 3.60GHz = 997
Intel Core2 Duo E4600 @ 2.40GHz = 1377
Intel Core2 Duo E8400 @ 3.00GHz = 2246 Desktop CPU
Intel Core i5 430M @ 2.27GHz = 2353 Laptop CPU

 

[jfriley]

I shot back what you guys were saying to Bethesda, here is their response:

We are only able to troubleshoot issues on systems that meet the specified requirements of the game.

In addition to the processor speed not meeting the requirements, your Windows 7 is not a supported operating system.

Dual core processors combines two processor execution cores, each with their own cache and cache controllers, into one chipset. While this is effectively two processors in one, the speed is not multiplied by 2. Dual core processors allow the system to more effectively multi-task.

Each core can handle a single thread of data. A thread is a single stream of data from one application to the processor. A single core processor can handle only a single thread at a time, though the operating system switches rapidly between the threads to allow you to run more multiple applications.

With dual core, the processor can handle two individual threads at one time. This greatly improves performance on systems that are running multiple applications.

One thread of data cannot access more than one core at once, so the speed is not multiplied. For example, an Intel Core 2 processor at 1.8GHz will have 2 separate cores each at 1.8GHz. Two individual applications will be able to access 1 core each at 1.8GHz.
If an application is able to take advantage of dual core, then the application can create two separate threads and each thread will individually access 1 core. No thread of data will be faster than the 1.8GHz core it is accessing, thus this is the maximum processor speed.

One thread of data will not be able to access both 1.8GHz cores at once for a total of 3.6GHz.

Gotta love tech support.

 

[WR2]

It's kinda scary to read that.
The best way to measure the 'speed' of a CPU is not by the speed of the clock cycle but by how many instructions per second (IPS) it can perform.

As measured by SiSoft Sandra Dhrystone (MIPS) Dhrystone ALU:

Pentium P4 2.4 GHz = 4644 MIPS or 4644 MIPS per core
Core i5-430M 2.26Ghz = 29298 MIPS or 14649 per core. Taking hyper-threading out of the picture as in a single threaded application you'd have ~7324 MIPS.

Nearly as important the dual core CPUs won't need to share application, overhead and housekeeping CPU cycles like the single core CPU has to do.
When you compare IPS the clear winner is the i5-430M, by far supeior to any Pentium 4, no matter the Ghz clock speed.

 

[jfriley]

Thanks. I don't know what else to do with these morons. They've basically told me becasue I have Windows 7 and such a "crappy" processor, they can't help me.

 

[dalauder]

Your processor isn't the cause. Does it still crash after a clean reinstall (clear registry and everything)?

 

[WR2]

You've already tried running that game in different Compatibility modes, right? Using Windows 7 or Vista Compatibility Mode
It looks like some are able to get the game running. Fallout 3 on Windows 7 @ SevenForums

A single threaded game like Fallout 3 should be kicking your i5-430M into Turbo Mode, running a single core @ 2.53Ghz. Core i5 430M review.
You can check that out by running CPU-Z

Seems clear to me why those guys haven't managed to fix the Fallout 3 incompatibility (both 32bit and 64bit Win7).