Playing Arma3 on an AMD R3 2200G APU - Rogue One

[oldbear 390]

 

 

The context :

Since last "Play Arma3 with a R3 1300X" post, still looking for a  "Minimum Recommendable" in order to play a minimum configuration based rig, I bought a Ryzen3 2200G

The official  "Minimum" requirements for Arma3 is allowing to display the game and to work on the editor but does not allow to have a correct gaming experience.

It must be clear for everyone, it is no longer possible play Arma3 with a Core 2Duo E6600 and a GeForce 9800 GT.

 

So here is the last Ryzen3 2200G testing episode  ... switching from 8GB to 16GB* and from 720p to 1080p.

 

Test configuration :

 

Notes :

RAM is a Corsair Vengeance LPX 16Go (2x8Go) DDR4 3000MHz C15 XMP 2.0 kit.

EZ is the ASUS OC for the noobs mode pushing CPU frequency from 1600 / 3700 MHz to 3850 MHz on all cores.

 

Running YAAB :

 

Note :

"Standard" in the test is NOT related to Standard mission test parameters,  it's the  "Standard" preset as given by game "Autodetection".

 

In game :

 

For the test I am playing my 2vs1 test mission on our Clan game server:

 

 

Using the # 1 Profile @ 3000 MHz for RAM and the Asus EZ mode, the performances although metrically substantially close to the 8 GB layout are significantly different in game, the game is fluid, without stuttering. Obviously, with a graphic quality in "Standard", it's rather ugly, but I have to admit after having played many hours before I decide to post that this rig without graphics card is playable in 1080p.

 

* Previous episodes on French CanardPC forums : Jouer à Arma3 avec un AMD APU R3 2200G - Rogue One

 

[bars91 956]

I'm running a somewhat similar rig.

 

AMD 2400G APU w. Vega 11

2x8gb of RAM 2666 MHz

SSD only (no HDDs)

 

A3 runs like a charm.

 

PS: and yes, it can run Crysis 😎

[BRPVP 69]

What is the fastest i can go with DDR3?

[oldbear 390]

Hi, I don't know and the answer must be found or discuss elsewhere, sorry.

This topic is dedicated to playing AMD with an entry level AMD APU.

Since A8-9600 release all AMD APUs are using DDR4.

[domokun 515]

1 hour ago, BRPVP said:

What is the fastest i can go with DDR3?

Feasibly DDR3-2400.

But I think that JDEC specs go as high as DDR3-3200.

[oldbear 390]

A new episode : Ryzen 3 2200G + RX550 + 16 GB DDR4 @ 1080p

As I had said in the previous episode "... Obviously, with a graphic quality in "Standard", it's rather ugly ...".

So a RX 550 Sapphire Pulse has been added to the test.

 

 

This is how it looks just out of the box, without lifting the hood and going into the BIOS. The CPU goes up to 3.7 GHz in Max Boost, the RAM is at the base frequency of 2133 MHz.

Using YAAB, the "classical" test in urban environment loaded in IA, you can see the successive gains,  first by using the RAM in profile # 1 in the BIOS @ 3000 MHz then using the EZ mode of ASUS , this "OC for Dummies" pushing the 4 cores up to 3.85 GHz.

 

 

In game, here in MP on my  "2vs1" test mission, in the last configuration (EZ + RAM @ 3000), FPS level is in the 25 and 35 FPS range, a few times more, rarely less, the graphic quality is good and overall the gaming feel  is frankly good.

 

 

Note: testing, I observed a particularly high level of the GPU usage, regularly between 70 and 90% but also in long sequences to almost 100%.I know from experience that since the release of Visual Update and the 64-bit client the impact of the graphics card in the performance level has increased significantly. I will have to do some tests with a much more efficient than the RX 460 and GTX 670 used in previous tests.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by oldbear
English is not my maternal language, but you had already get it

[Groove_C 267]

As you speak about GPUs that have 2 and 4 GB models, please specify if a 4GB is used, because it can a little bit increase FPS and also have more stable/lower frame time, because less files' swapping (GPU -> RAM).

GTX 670 > RX 460 > 550.

[oldbear 390]

For the moment, with the GPUs I am using to do my tests, I did not identify any variation of the FPS, of a stable and reproducible nature I can clearly link to the amount of vRAM.

- RX 550 2 GB

- RX 460 4 GB

- GTX 670 2 GB

 

The main effect of having a more powerful GPU is to play in higher graphic quality, of course a marginal effect exists allowing a better overall efficiency of the configuration.

The main factors that lead to performance improvements of this R3 2200G in game are,
- the increase of the frequency of the processor,
- the increase of the RAM frequency,
- the use of a discrete graphics card.

 

The main cause of variation that I have poorly mastered is the modification of the screens on which I carried out my tests.
My initial equipment was based on a pair -one for the game, one for the tools- of 720p monitors recovered here and there, recently I used the 1680×1050 display of my  #2game rig and very recently I add a 1080p Iiyama monitor specifically for testing purposes.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by oldbear
I am not really a bear, but feeling like an old one now

[Groove_C 267]

r3 3200G and r5 3400G will have 300 MHz more and will be soldered and not with cheap thermal paste, like r3 2200G and r5 2400G.

But it will be Zen+, not Zen 2.0.

But lower temp and 300 MHz is also good for the price.

[oldbear 390]

Episode 3  : Ryzen 3 2200G + RX570 + 16 GB DDR4 @ 1080p

 

Mostly for testing purpose, I bought a Sapphire Pulse RX570 on a bargain ...

 

Using YAAB as usual, Video parameters are on "Ultra", with custom AA&PP tweaks from the  Old Bear method ™ 😎, and Standard settings for the test.

 

 

In game, in MP, again on my  "2vs1" test mission, Ultra quality 25/35 FPS. 40/80% GPU usage.

 

 

I enjoy playing Arma3, had to stop playing after 2 hrs in order to post here 😥

 

[Groove_C 267]

I think that 1080p ultra is to much for RX 470, for vRAM and RAM.

1080 very high is visually almost not different and a little bit more FPS.

 

For 1080p ultra there should be an RX 480.

[oldbear 390]

I believe there is a confusion between "Ultra" global setting meaning 3800m high level view distance and Quality parameters in "Ultra" meaning a discrete GPU usage.

The R3 2200G is unable to allow playing in "Ultra" global setting whatever the GPU

The R3 2200G + RX 460 combo is allowing playing Arma3 with some Quality parameters such as Textures and Object Texture set at  "Ultra" level on a 1080p monitor, as long as Global Visibility is limited.

I know, I am just doing it ATM.

😎

Edit (after playing nearly 2 hours) :

1° YAAB. Switching from RX 550 2GB to RX 460 4GB was fast on the bench table.

So 3 runs and I add new scores :

 

 

Note :  Custom for the last 3 tests means that for these runs, I had tweaked the AA&PP part by disabling the "blur and bloom" items as I am always doing in game.

 

 

2° In game, again playing my test mission on our Clan dedicated server.

After an intense fighting  sequence, we are holding the HQ, that Nyx was a pain in the ...

 

 

Here how it looks from the tools point of view :

 

 

The R3 2200G is nearing it' limits but run well.

The RX 460 is doing the job.

Ultra settings for Textures and Objects textures is allowing a good visual quality

Global View distance limitation to 1500 m helps to get a good FPS level.

 

 

[bars91 956]

Interesting read.

 

I'll throw in my "data":

 

2400G rig was assembled for LAN party purposes.

But while testing, I actually found it to be rather capable with a good SSD and cheap'ish 2666 DDR4 sticks.

 

It can easily push 3-4k vd on Altis and 2k on Tanoa in normal-high settings.

 

My main rig is a 2015 build on 970 GTX, 4770, 8GB DDR3 and can push stable 30ish fps all maxed w 10k vd.

SSD/HDD combo so some stutter here and there and loud af compared to the AMD rig.

 

IMHO for A3 a good DDR4 + SSD combo makes all the difference.