95 replies to this topic

[Durant Carlyle]

For gaming, your CPU hasn't been top of the line since the 2500K/2600K came out (almost 3 years ago). And we're already two generations beyond the 2500K/2600K.

For general-purpose office programs, 2500K/2600K beats your CPU on most tests.

It's really only in specialized multi-threaded categories like archiving and encryption, some image editing, video transcoding and rendering, where your CPU shines (unless you use Quick Sync built into the 2500K/2600K and newer CPUs for transcoding, in which case Quick Sync wins).

You can keep your CPU. But you will need to overclock it for CPU-bound games (which MW:O definitely is). It has taken a long time to get multi-threaded games this far. They're not likely to make games that really take advantage of a six-core CPU like yours, simply because Average Joe won't spend the big scratch needed to get a six-core CPU -- especially when a four-core CPU (with eight threads using Hyper-Threading) is so cheap. By the time Average Joe does have a six-core, you'll need a new one anyway.

Grrzoot, on 01 December 2013 - 09:44 AM, said:

i would really just get a new cooler and overclok it. on the i series intel made it very easy to do and those chips all come at stock well under what they can perform at. It will only cost you a cooler and maybe a couple hours of research to get good performance out of it.

This would be my advice as well.

And start saving your pennies for that next upgrade.

[ArmageddonKnight]

If ur CPU and motherboard are capable, its a waste NOT to overclock. Its effectivly free performance.
As stated above, generation 1 i series CPU have been outdated for a while. The last leap in performance was from Generation 1 to Generation 2, since then its been very smal lsteps ~5%. So any 2nd, 3rd or 4th gen i series CPu will be a good increse in performance from what u have.
So any of the following.

i5:
2500k, 2550k, 3570k, 4670k < 4C/4T
i7:
2600k, 2700k, 3770k, 4770k < 4C/8T
LGA 2011 i7:
3820, 4820K, < 4C/4T
3930k,4930k, 3960x,3970x,4960x. < 6C/12T

FYI: The current info is that the next new CPU's from intel (Broadwell) will again only be ~5% increase in performance, so no need to worry about waiting.

Untill u have enough for the upgrade, i sugest OC'ing ur current CPU.

Edited by ArmageddonKnight, 01 December 2013 - 10:08 AM.

[Flapdrol]

and the i7 980 he has is 32nm, so more efficient clock/clock than other 1366 cpu's, also clock quite a bit further.

[Sybreed]

can someone explain to me how this:

http://ark.intel.com...8-GTs-Intel-QPI

is inferior to this:

http://ark.intel.com...-GHz?q=i7-2700k

Help me understand here, cause from my point of view, my 980 is superior.

[Iqfish]

You are comparing one of Intels old High end i7 to less old normal i7.

Intel has a line of i7 with 4 cores, the 4770K for example, and a Line of i7's with 6 cores like the 4930K.

The problem with your processor is not that it has 6 cores, the problem is, that it is just old and so it is limiting your GPU.

ArmageddonKnight, on 01 December 2013 - 10:08 AM, said:

i5:
2500k, 2550k, 3570k, 4670k &lt; 4C/4T
i7:
2600k, 2700k, 3770k, 4770k &lt; 4C/8T
LGA 2011 i7:
3820, 4820K, &lt; 4C/4T
3930k,4930k, 3960x,3970x,4960x. &lt; 6C/12T

Edited by IqfishLP, 01 December 2013 - 02:22 PM.

[ArmageddonKnight]

http://www.cpubenchm...ngleThread.html

Take a gander. Single thread performance of all CPU's. Single thread performance matters most in gaming currently. Remember that link shows 'stock' performance and doesnt take into account if the CPU has the abillity to OC.

Im not saying the 980X is bad ..its just not as good stock for stock vs newer cheaper options. If u can OC that sucker then u should be fine, i mean its an extreme edition it should have been OC'd as soon as u got it ..its a waste otherwise

Edited by ArmageddonKnight, 01 December 2013 - 02:36 PM.

[Sybreed]

ArmageddonKnight, on 01 December 2013 - 02:34 PM, said:

http://www.cpubenchm...ngleThread.html Take a gander. Single thread performance of all CPU's. Single thread performance matters most in gaming currently. Remember that link shows 'stock' performance and doesnt take into account if the CPU has the abillity to OC. Im not saying the 980X is bad ..its just not as good stock for stock vs newer cheaper options. If u can OC that sucker then u should be fine, i mean its an extreme edition it should have been OC'd as soon as u got it ..its a waste otherwise

aright, that was more useful info... I'll wait a little before changing my CPU anyway.. I've already put almost a grand on a 3d card after all...

edit: My mistake was thinking that, 2 years ago, going 6 cores was a smart move. Apparently it wasn't.

Edited by Sybreed, 01 December 2013 - 03:57 PM.

[Durant Carlyle]

A good comparison with many programs and games. Shows both stock-clocked performance and overclocked performance.

[ArmageddonKnight]

Just be aware that many many many reviews fail to use CPu bound games when testing CPU gaming performance..kinda dumb but i understand why ..most gams that are mainstream and well known are not CPu bound, its just coincidence.

Also CPU bound games can tend to be a PITA to test using a system that can be repeated without to much variation, simply becouse CPu bound games tend to be multiplayer/MMO's so trying to have a repeatable test scenario is next to impossible.

[Bullseye69]

Hopefully we will see some gain in FPS when Direct X 11 goes into the game. It a shame that mechwarrior online run like this it not a whole lot of detail on the screen and no physic or structures that are destructible in game. Compared to battlefield 4 where stuff is blowing up building falling down and I get better performance out of that game is sad really with my old CPU. This game would rock if they could boost the frame rates across the board buy about 10 and stop the drops. To me my system get better frame rates when the huds and the cockpits not showing which makes no since since it having to draw the mech in 3rd person mode you would think the frame rates would go down. Still love the game but cry engine might not have been the way to go if they can't increase the performance out of it.

Money does not grow on tree believe me I have looked and having to replace a motherboard, processor and ram just to play one game get expensive even if you go cheap route on the parts.

Just built new system for family cost going to be about $1250 to $1300 but he never have to buy another case and if he want better in a couple of years he can add another graphics card or upgrade the processor. Big box retailer using the same parts wanted about 1450 to 1600 using the same parts so saved him a little and it was done right.

Tried this game using a old HD7770 running medium detail and 1440 res got a fps 38 to 45 and that was with a not so good card running direct x 9, I think his R9 280X will rock most game especially if he runs 1600 res with everything on high he should do well I hope.

Tried to games with the R9 280X at 1600 res which is the max my monitor can handle and very high detail never dropped below 48 frames a second for both games. Now if that was just my system instead of family member, if you have a good processor and even hd7770 or 7870 graphics card you would do good at the 1600 res and probley high detail setting if not high then defintely medium you should have no problems under direct X 9 just hope direct X 11 uses the GPU more than the CPU.

Edited by Bullseye69, 09 December 2013 - 05:17 AM.

[Sybreed]

Egomane, on 29 November 2013 - 05:41 AM, said:

Most games do not use 6 cores. MWO is no exception to this.

Your CPU is the one thing limiting you and you should get yourself a new CPU-Cooler and start overclocking. You'd be surprised how much more performance you'll gain with just a few hundred MHz more on your chip.
I'd suggest the Noctua NH-U14S (air), be quiet! Dark Rock Pro2 (air) or a Corsair H110 or similar (closed loop watercooler).

Just got a Noctua NH-C14! Will install it this friday and bump this old CPU to acceptable performances!

[Goose]

Someone should'a said something:

http://www.maximumpc...and_install_cpu

http://www.maximumpc...mal_pastes_face

[Egomane]

Sybreed, on 03 December 2013 - 02:31 PM, said:

Just got a Noctua NH-C14! Will install it this friday and bump this old CPU to acceptable performances!

It's a different and older design then the one I recommended (top->down vs. front->rear), but it should get the job done as well.

A top->down cooler blows cool air from above the CPU onto it and distributes the warm into the whole case. That is... if you case is a desktop case and not a tower. If it is a tower, the air will be drawn in from the side and then distributed. If you have side mounted fans, or the option to mount some of them, near the CPU, this would be advisable, so you get cool air from outside the case (I guess).

I do not have much experience with how to adjust airflow with top->down coolers, except for some office PCs and systems with stock cooler that were never meant to be overclocked. So I might be off in my above assessment of what would be advisable here.

A front->rear cooler usually get his air from the front of the case and blows it at the exhaust at the rear. I say usually as some of them can actually be rotated to blow the air in one of four directions. The only real variation used however is the one where this type of cooler is rotated to blow the air out at the top of the case (if it is a tower with top side exhausts). In most cases there is a premounted fan supporting the cooler in his task.

The thermal compound delivered with the Noctua is actually quite good. There is no need to get another one. You might want to give it a few days to settle before going for maximum possible overclock. While doing so, try to stress your CPU a little, maybe slowly increase the amount of overclocking.

This review of your Noctua will help you a bit in mounting the cooler and show you how it performs:
http://www.guru3d.co...ler_review.html

What programs you will need to overclock:
- CPUz for details on your CPU status
- CoreTemp to control the temperatures reached by the CPU under load
- Prime95 to really stress your CPU

I'll look for an overclocking guide and some numbers for your CPU (acceptable heat, voltage and such) tomorrow, if you want me to. I need some sleep now. Maybe someone else will be so nice and do that in the meantime.

[Sybreed]

thx! The guy at the store said it was the one recommended for my CPU/Motherboard, I didn't dare argue, he sounded like he knew his stuff

I already have 2 of 3 of those programs installed. When I had problems with the water cooling, I had to test different parameters to make sure it was the CPU and nothing else, so prime95 and CPUz are installed.

I remember having issues with CPUz... the program seemed to crash pretty often if I recall. Thx for the advices, much appreciated.

Edited by Sybreed, 03 December 2013 - 05:14 PM.

[Sybreed]

Goose, on 03 December 2013 - 03:45 PM, said:

Someone should'a said something:

http://www.maximumpc...and_install_cpu

http://www.maximumpc...mal_pastes_face

the guys at the store said they'd install everything themselves to save me the trouble

[Egomane]

Ok! As promised, here are some overclocking numbers for your CPU.
- Most of the time an overclock to at least 4.0 GHz should be possible.
- Keep a good eye on your voltage setting. 1.35 volt seems to be an acceptable number with the processor, but it may vary from chip to chip.
- Setting the volts to high can limit your overclocking as much as keeping it to low. You need to experiment a bit there to find the sweet spot of yours.
- You should aim for temperatures below 75 degrees celsius on full load, even though the CPU only throttles itself at 100°.
- Genral advise: Both high voltage and high temperatures will degenerate your chip over time. So if you want to go for longevity you throttle back one step or two after you found the maximum possible OC.

Here are full specs on the chip directly from Intel:
http://www.intel.com...cumentation.htm

One question:
Did you tell the guy at the store that you plan to overclock your CPU when you asked for a fitting cooler?

[Sybreed]

Egomane, on 04 December 2013 - 08:30 AM, said:

Ok! As promised, here are some overclocking numbers for your CPU.
- Most of the time an overclock to at least 4.0 GHz should be possible.
- Keep a good eye on your voltage setting. 1.35 volt seems to be an acceptable number with the processor, but it may vary from chip to chip.
- Setting the volts to high can limit your overclocking as much as keeping it to low. You need to experiment a bit there to find the sweet spot of yours.
- You should aim for temperatures below 75 degrees celsius on full load, even though the CPU only throttles itself at 100°.
- Genral advise: Both high voltage and high temperatures will degenerate your chip over time. So if you want to go for longevity you throttle back one step or two after you found the maximum possible OC.

Here are full specs on the chip directly from Intel:
http://www.intel.com...cumentation.htm

One question:
Did you tell the guy at the store that you plan to overclock your CPU when you asked for a fitting cooler?

Thank you good sir, I'm pretty new at this and need all the info I can get. Worst case scenario, I got a friend who's pretty knowledgeable in that department, but he lives 800 miles across.

And yes, I did tell the guy that I planned to overclock my CPU!

Edited by Sybreed, 04 December 2013 - 09:47 AM.

[Goose]

Goose, on 29 November 2013 - 04:58 PM, said:

http://forums.overcl...howtopic=189122

[Sybreed]

Goose, on 04 December 2013 - 03:53 PM, said:

thx!!

Ugh, tried reading the guide, did not understand most of it

Edited by Sybreed, 05 December 2013 - 12:48 PM.

[Goose]

Don't rush it: Climb. Don't pick a big, impressive number and roll the dice …