Oddly low performance, help please?

[Lord Garon]

 

I agree with you, my Phenom II performs well in any multithreaded game. I can usually keep 60 fps in Metro LL and Planetside 2, as a comparison.

However, most of my favorite games rely on only 1 or 2 cores. I need to dramatically increase single-core performance. Overclocking doesn't work too well, unfortunately. It's proving almost impossible to keep stable on my mobo.

 

What do you think of this CPU as a replacement? 8 cores is a bonus, but mostly I'm looking for improvements in single core performance.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284

 

 

There's a single core benchmark here. I think AMD is focusing on multi-threaded applications vice single core performance. It may be hard to find a socket compatible processor with significantly more (upgrade cost effective) single thread performance than your Phenom. The FX 4300's seemed to be a bit faster than the 8350, probably because of reduced inter intra-chip bus lengths. But, the 8350 is a beast in any case.

 

There is a lot of talk regarding AMD and current/future console gaming hardware. I think there is an argument to be made for AMD chipset performance and console game ports to the PC (probably the primary source of PC games). The console games will be highly optimized for AMD hardware and this will undoubtedly impact game performance on a port to PC's. To what extent, its hard to say. But the combination of console ports and an AMD APU with Crossfire support for a discrete AMD video card can't be ignored. AMD is positioned to dominate PC gaming, we'll have to see if they pull it off. I might seriously consider an APU upgrade, if your mobo supports it. They do well in single thread performance relative to the FX series. When the new gen console ports hit, you can drop in an AMD video card and have a state-of-the-art gaming PC. Hopefully. If everything works without a hitch. If my crystal ball is working okay. If ...

Edited October 12, 2013 by Lord Garon

[Rennn]

 

When the new gen console ports hit, you can drop in an AMD video card and have a state-of-the-art gaming PC. Hopefully. If everything works without a hitch. If my crystal ball is working okay. If ...

 

 

On the contrary, AMD cards aren't well optimized for DX11, tessellation, or PhysX, unlike Nvidia cards. My 660 is getting better performance in new games than more expensive AMD equivalents like the 7950. When I upgrade again, mostly likely late into the PS4's life cycle, it'll be another Nvidia card. (assuming AMD Mantle doesn't start dominating in a few years, and assuming OpenCL doesn't start beating PhysX)

 

It looks like I'll need to get a new motherboard after all. If that's the case, then I'll be getting a CPU with superior single-core performance, because as mentioned, most of my favorite games are only capable of using 1-2 cores. An Intel 3570k with an aftermarket cooler is the best option for the $200 price point.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Rennn

[Werne]

An Intel 3570k with an aftermarket cooler is the best option for the $200 price point.

Then you'll need new RAM too, Ripjaw is 1.5V RAM which can work on Nehalem but Ivy Bridge needs 1.35/1.25V RAM modules. Also, if you won't be overclocking you don't need the K, you can take a 3570 and save some money.

[Lord Garon]

 

 

When the new gen console ports hit, you can drop in an AMD video card and have a state-of-the-art gaming PC. Hopefully. If everything works without a hitch. If my crystal ball is working okay. If ...

 

 

On the contrary, AMD cards aren't well optimized for DX11, tessellation, or PhysX, unlike Nvidia cards. My 660 is getting better performance in new games than more expensive AMD equivalents like the 7950. When I upgrade again, mostly likely late into the PS4's life cycle, it'll be another Nvidia card. (assuming AMD Mantle doesn't start dominating in a few years, and assuming OpenCL doesn't start beating PhysX)

 

It looks like I'll need to get a new motherboard after all. If that's the case, then I'll be getting a CPU with superior single-core performance, because as mentioned, most of my favorite games are only capable of using 1-2 cores. An Intel 3570k with an aftermarket cooler is the best option for the $200 price point.

 

 

I was just talking about AMD hardware in the new consoles and a potential impact on PC gaming because of it. I'm really not familiar with DirectX support in current AMD cards and didn't mean to imply anything in that regard.

 

Yeah, Intel seems to have a lock on per-core performance. My G2030 and Intel 77 mobo are surprisingly fast. It is my plan to get an i5 in the near future, as well. I'll take anything from a 2550 on up, whatever cheap 2nd or 3rd gen processor is available at the time. Its all relative to me and I don't need an absolute best anything. In fact, I prefer slightly older hardware; the bugs are usually worked out.

 

Good luck on your upgrade. I hope you find what you're looking for, and it appears you have.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Lord Garon

[spz2]

The cause of your problem is likely to be of other nature than that of your CPU . And certainly not that the CPU is outdated . One likely culprit could be faulty graphics drivers , especially if they were not installed on a clean system in the first place . So the rest i will copy paste from a thread i answered just some time ago , try this : "Try a diferent catalyst driver , though be careful , these pieces of software often have lefovers when unistalled the usual way . I know for sure that to be the case for Nvidia , i'm not sure about AMD , do some digging on the internet . Some basic universal rules would apply to radeon like to Nvidia , for example disable all third party programs interfering with you graphic card ,overclocker apps, monitoring apps and so on , whatever you use in conunction with your graphics card disable it all before unistaling the driver. Also unistall all the stuff that came with the driver first and after that the main graphics driver, restart PC.... Then use a driver cleaner and select the proper filters , more than one filter needed because first you have to wipe out traces of other things that came with the main driver. I run Driver Sweeper Driver Fusion , and DriverCleanerDotNet ( best of the bunch ) , i run all of these in case one misses something. The i run CCleaner . Now it's safe to install a new version of Catalyst , sigh , i know ....But it's worth the trouble i can assure you , better this small hassle than a complete windows reinstall right ?"

[spz2]

Also as far as i've read from other posters here ... again , i don't know about AMD cards but with the Nvidia drivers comes a setting "threaded optimization" which comes with a default "auto" which is just perfect as forcing it on would hinder performance in single core games and by forcing it off it would do the oppposite in games that take advantage of multiple CPU cores. I figure AMD cards should have it also since it seems like such a "no brainer setting" to have. Dragon Age Origins also sucks in 4 CPU cores as it is a CPU hog , it's very strange indeed, any other things , out of place besides low frame rate in these games ? Do you have this issue iin all games of just the ones mentioned ? Upgrating your CPU will be money thrown out the window because that is not a bottleneck , unless the CPU is defective by some extreme circumsstance , i say extreme circumstance because even if one of the billion transistors stops working the CPU will be toast and will fail to boot your system in the first place. More likely candidates for failure would be motherboards or even graphic cards , but motherboards more often , your system may still work with them defective but with issues .... Even a dual core will suffice for that card , i'm not joking , when it comes to gaming GPU's take most of the load , and by that i mean a 100 $ Cpu would be right for a 500$ card , 1/5 that's the optimal ratio in my opinion .