What kind of CPU to you need to fully utilize the Nvidia 8800 GTX?

Question

I was toying w/ getting a 8800 GTX. Would a Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 (2.66 GHz) fully realize the potential of the video card. Or, does the CPU become the bottleneck. I know the two will work great together. However, the GTX might outpace the E6700. Perhaps a GTS will do?? If the video card out performs the CPU, then any future video card upgrades are meaningless w/out the an upgrade to the CPU??

Answer 1

Unless the CPU is in a completely different category (i.e. pairing a top end processor with embedded graphics, or a top end graphics card with a celeron) the performance of the card and the CPU should largely not influence each other

for virtually all games, GPU performance and the total amount of system memory is more essential for high performance than how powerful your CPU is

Answer 2

You have the right idea. The best way to fully utilize the potential of any component is to get the best of its complement, in this case, the CPU. Right now, Intel has released the QX6800, so if you've got the money and want the best, go with that. You also have to realize that the CPU is not the only bottleneck. The motherboard and RAM are also components you should invest in high quality if you want performance. I wouldn't say that any future video card upgrades are meaningless, because regardless, they are going to improve your performance (they are at the point of programmability and can take load off of the CPU if the program you are using is designed to utilize that). However, if you're looking to tag up an E6700 with an 8800GTX, that's a perfectly fine combination and has deadly potential. SLI'ed 8800GTX's can handle any current game at the moment, and unless you're using 2560x1600 resolution on a 30" monitor, you pretty much wasted your money.

Answer 3

I can only speculate, but having asked the same question for my 7950gx2, from what I read, I'd say that cpu wouldn't be a serious bottleneck, esp. if you overclocked it a bit. I ended up with amd x2 3800+ and overclocked it to 2750 without even making it sweat. You might consider this cpu, cuz it's only 99 bucks or so now! I haven't read specs on the one you mention.

Answer 4

Core 2 Extreme X6800 would be best if your budget permits.

I think you will be fine with E6700. If it gets bottlenecked, just overclock it. It's got plenty of headroom especially on an Asus P5W mobo.