Log in

View Full Version : CPU vs. GPU programs

Sephtyan
October 15th, 2012, 01:21 AM
I just recently, ah... "acquired" a PS2 emulator for the PC. I feel pretty confident that my system can run any PS2 game as far as graphical capability goes, seeing as I can at least half-assedly run Crysis 2 (by half-assedly I mean that the lag is minimal enough on medium graphics to be able to get a headshot with only .5 seconds aim time). I realize that there's a bit more as with a console emulator you also need to run the console BIOS and audio/video compatibility plugins, etc. etc.

I tried playing one of my favorite PS2 games, and I noticed an extremely tiny amount of lag. Someone who wasn't listening to the audio and had played the game before on the console wouldn't have noticed the difference in performance. I noticed that there was an extremely slight choppiness to the audio, and an almost ridiculously minute video lag whenever something exploded.

Just because I had some spare time on my hands, I decided to see if I could increase the efficiency of the emulator without too drastically lowering the quality. After properly configuring the emulator settings (all the way down to the "only-mess-with-these-if-you-know-what-you're-doing" options), I tried playing it again. This time the lag was pretty severe. After a bit of infohunting, I found out that my system was playing the game through the integrated graphics card rather than my Nvidia GPU. I have a desktop gadget that allows me to see both my CPU status and GPU status in depth and independently of each other. When I right-clicked > run with graphics> Nvidia high-performance processor... nothing happened differently. The program apparently insisted on running through my integrated graphics rather than the GPU built specifically for gaming. I find it odd that it would give me the option to open a program with my choice of graphics card if it doesn't actually change which graphics card the program uses.

If anybody could explain (and I'm shouting out to all the computer-people in the house) either how to run a program with a certain GPU, or why my system won't allow me to choose when it gives the illusion of choice, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I have a G780 Lenovo running Win7 Home Premium, Intel i7 dual-core (logical quad-core) 2.9 GHz CPU, and Nvidia GeForce GT 630M with CUDA GPU.
TheMatrix
October 15th, 2012, 11:01 PM
It's a laptop, I'm assuming?

Usually, if you plug in your AC adaptor, then the graphics will automatically switch to the dedicated. Otherwise, there is am obscure setting somewhere in Control Panel where you will need to set that.
Alternatively, set the graphics settings as high as they can go, and CUDA should automagically detect that you need the dedicated processor.

Why don't you just get a PS2, though? It's worth the investment, even if it is "out of date" by now :P
Infidelitas
October 15th, 2012, 11:47 PM
Why don't you just get a PS2, though? It's worth the investment, even if it is "out of date" by now :P

I'd do this. You can pick them up fairly cheap now, and it is so much better than an emulator
Sephtyan
October 18th, 2012, 03:05 AM
Can't carry an emulator around with me to play on the bus/train/thingwithwheels (or in the middle of class).

Another thing is the novelty of having a PS2 whenever I want. Novelty items are a thing to beware, mark my words.
Infidelitas
October 18th, 2012, 03:44 AM
Can't carry an emulator around with me to play on the bus/train/thingwithwheels (or in the middle of class).

Another thing is the novelty of having a PS2 whenever I want. Novelty items are a thing to beware, mark my words.

Cant properly play it at all if your computer doesn't run it properly :)
Skyhawk
October 18th, 2012, 07:18 AM
*snip*

I hear ya on the poor performance with the HD (probably 4000, since you have the GT 630) integtated graphics, but that's a little bizarre. I have the HD graphics 3000 with the i5-2430m (literally the 2.4GHz variant of your i7, i think the i7 has a little more cache) and I can run GTA IV on lowest settings without lag (except for a short burst of lag when I'm loading the other parts of the city, slow hard drive y0) and I'm sure that's more demanding than a PS2 emulator. (Think about it, I can play a PS3 console port, but you can't play a PS2 port with a newer generation?)

To force Optimus to use the GT 630m, open up the driver software and add the PS2 emulator to the list of exclusions or whatever they call it. If it sounds like it's forcing it to run, put it in that list. I don't use NVIDIA's drivers, so I don't know what the Optimus looks like.

Lots of people have had issues with the switchable graphics, because the software can't detect shit. ;)