What is my computer's bottleneck?

[Geometry]

So I decided to hook up my old computer and give it a try as I would like to host a little server on my current one.When I set it all up with FTB, it was barely getting 30 fps in a new world. Optifine doesn't really help either and I have most of the settings on low.And I also get random lag spikes. Here are my specs:
AMD Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition @ 2.6ghz (quad core)
4gb DDR2 RAM (2gb allocated to ftb)
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 (512mb each= 1gb total)
7200 rpm 1tb hdd
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit

Nothing else is hogging up all the resources and I getting around 25-30 fps on average while I get 10-15 in a Redwood forest biome. I know this is quite an old system , but I expected a bit better. What's my bottleneck here? Or is it possible something with FTB itself? The log also doesn't seem to be showing an errors. What could it be???

 

[wildc4rd]

Almost certainly the CPU, FTB is just an utter CPU hog!

 

[Geometry]

Almost certainly the CPU, FTB is just an utter CPU hog!

That is the best CPU that's compatible with the AM2+ socket, which my motherboard currently has, so I can't really upgrade anymore.
What would you suggest? Is the clock speed too low? I may look into overclocking it in that case.

 

[Poppycocks]

You won't get much out of it even with clocking. OTOH, 30 fps ain't that bad - until such a time as you start building, after that it's 1-6. Might as well look into a new rig.

 

[wildc4rd]

From what I gather, running optifine adds chunk loading to multi core which will help a little, other than that its down to clock speed/architecture. So yes, if you can clock it any, it will certainly help.

 

[Geometry]

From what I gather, running optifine adds chunk loading to multi core which will help a little, other than that its down to clock speed/architecture. So yes, if you can clock it any, it will certainly help.

Ok, I will look into it. Thanks

 

[kysoto]

Id say ram since FTB ultimate likes to have 3 gigs.

 

[Geometry]

Id say ram since FTB ultimate likes to have 3 gigs.

I don't see how RAM would affect my FPS unless I have like a dozen chunkloaders.

 

[DaRude]

I don't see how RAM would affect my FPS unless I have like a dozen chunkloaders.

Indeed, ram is only good to prevent memory limit crashes, but 4gb is more than enough. You could possibly get a minor boost if you upgraded to faster ram, but I doubt you'd actually notice a difference.

I'd just try to overclock if I were you, unless you want to spend some $$$ on new hardware. If so, go for a new CPU + motherboard, preferably Intel.

 

[kysoto]

well getting an SSD would also help. expensive, yes but totally worth running your OS off of.

 

[Fuzzlewhumper]

I wish when I had bought my computer, I wish I had gotten fewer but faster cores, instead I have a bunch of slow ass cores.

 

[kysoto]

if you are going to make a new computer id highly suggest going intel. they currently are destroying AMD in performance. the memory controllers are also a lot better.

 

[ThemsAllTook]

well getting an SSD would also help. expensive, yes but totally worth running your OS off of.

SSD is totally the way to go. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes for everyday computing. The difference for Minecraft isn't as dramatic, but it definitely helps.

 

[SatanicSanta]

30FPS should be fine, that's what I get usually, around 50FPS on a good day.

 

[Geometry]

30FPS should be fine, that's what I get usually, around 50FPS on a good day.

It's not fine on a new world; once I start getting machines and whatnot, It would probably drop to around 15.

 

[SatanicSanta]

It's not fine on a new world; once I start getting machines and whatnot, It would probably drop to around 15.

I usually get 30FPS in Vanilla, sometimes even 15.