Ever since I got my laptop (it's by no means a gaming laptop, it has an Intel GMA 4500 with 64MB of VRAM), I figured my games would run faster if I windowed them at 800x600 resolution with everything set to the lowest settings. I got around 10-15 FPS in HL2 on average.
Ever since HL2 was ported to the OB engine, I had noticed my frame rate had dropped. I didn't think much of it (better engine, higher reqs). I tried to play Garry's Mod at my windowed usual and the Spawn menu was ridiculously small. I thought "whatever" and switched the resolution to my native 1366x768 with every graphical setting at its recommended value for my computer. This was on the map gm_bigcity, a memory hog of a map.
As soon as I switched, my framerate jumped UP from about 15 FPS to 25 FPS. Intrigued, I loaded up HL2 into the Highway 17 chapter (big open level) where I usually get around 8-15 FPS, and I got around 22 FPS.
I am confused as to how this is even possible. Can someone help me understand why this might happen?
At lower resolutions the games become really CPU dependent wheres at Higher resolutions the games become GPU bound. If you have say a lower end CPU and GPU the best solution in somewhere in the middle (As in your case).
If you could go higher resolution (say 1600x1200) then the game would seriously slow down again.
[QUOTE=James1o1o;22828148]At lower resolutions the games become really CPU dependent wheres at Higher resolutions the games become GPU bound. If you have say a lower end CPU and GPU the best solution in somewhere in the middle (As in your case).
If you could go higher resolution (say 1600x1200) then the game would seriously slow down again.[/QUOTE]
Considering my screen isn't any bigger than 1366x768, I don't think that would be a problem. :D
I've heard that windowed mode can decrease the framerate, but i'm not sure beacuse i always play my games fullscreen.
[QUOTE={ABK}AbbySciuto;22827864]
Ever since HL2 was ported to the OB engine[/QUOTE]
What? Did it really happen?
[QUOTE=James1o1o;22828148]At lower resolutions the games become really CPU dependent wheres at Higher resolutions the games become GPU bound. If you have say a lower end CPU and GPU the best solution in somewhere in the middle (As in your case).
If you could go higher resolution (say 1600x1200) then the game would seriously slow down again.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Higher resolution = more pixels to render = higher workload = lower framerate.
[QUOTE=pebkac;22832593]Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Higher resolution = more pixels to render = higher workload = lower framerate.[/QUOTE]
Granted yes but not if the GPU wasnt being used much in the first place. Only if your really pushing the GPU to the limit in the first place would raising the resolution reduce the framerate.
[QUOTE=James1o1o;22832968]Granted yes but not if the GPU wasnt being used much in the first place. Only if your really pushing the GPU to the limit in the first place would raising the resolution reduce the framerate.[/QUOTE]
But you made it sound as if increasing the resolution actually increased the framerate.
[QUOTE=pebkac;22833045]But you made it sound as if increasing the resolution actually increased the framerate.[/QUOTE]
It can do though to a certain degree. But only in a case like the person above would this ever be true.
[QUOTE=pebkac;22832593]
What? Did it really happen?
[/QUOTE]
I think Source Engine 15 is considered the Orange Box engine. That, and the fact that achievements aren't supported under the (former) EP1 engine. Now, CSS, HL2, and EP1 all have achievements, so that tells me they upgraded them to the Orange Box engine.
But, I could be wrong.
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