Processor Performance and Games
- A modern Quad-Core CPU (Core i7)
What impact does the processor performance have on the latest games? Which clock rate and how many cores should a CPU have? These and further questions are clarified in the following focus.
The Story of Multi-Core CPUs
The times in which the CPU manufactures AMD and Intel tried to force the clock rate of their processors into new dimensions have been coming to an end since a few years. As of a certain point in time, the predominant CPU architectures were thermically exhausted and there was no way around new technologies. The multi-core processors were born. And thus, AMD and especially Intel do not primarily exceed themselves with the maximum MHz rate, but in the number of CPU cores instead. Gaming developers allowed themselves to take a very long time to slowly jump onto the multi-core train and then technically readjusted their names accordingly. Meanwhile, optimizing to two cores shows good taste in most top games. Some games even use the power of four or more cores sensibly. The technology behind it: various components of a game, such as physics, sound or AI are divided into several so-called "threads" and are then distributed on the existing cores.
Purchase Advice for Gamers
Whilst a single-core CPU was more than sufficient in the past, gamers should take at least a dual-core CPU because many current games don't run smoothly on just one core anymore. A few games, as already mentioned, also benefit from more than two cores but they aren't usually required for a smooth refresh rate (with a few exceptions like GTA IV). This trend will naturally be intensified in the next few years so that demanding gamers and users who value a highest possible future viability should take quad-core CPUs right away. Occasional gamers can still take dual-cores without fearing a high velocity loss. One disadvantage of quad-core processors isn't only a higher price but also a higher temperature – and thus usually a higher noise development. The CPUs clock rate is of course still vital but other areas of the architecture, such as FSB and cache, shouldn't be ignored either. So a CPU with a higher L2 cache and a lower rate can very well still be faster in gaming than a CPU with a high rate but lower L2 cache.
The Power of the Graphic Card
It should be mentioned that it's not the processor but the graphic card that decides over the performance of most games. This means that even the fastest CPU can't change anything with an average graphic card. Strong processors are first worthwhile with an upper middle class or upper class graphic card. Therefore, you should always make sure that the processor and the graphic card work well together. Hence, a dual core CPU with a maximum of 2.00 GHz is fully sufficient for graphic cards within the Radeon HD 4570, or the GeForce 9600M GT/GT 130M range for gaming novices. In return, occasional or less demanding gamers with graphic cards on a level of a Radeon 4650/4670 or a GT 240M/GTS 250M will be satisfied with dual cores up to 2.5 GHz. First enthusiasts with efficient graphic cards, such as the GeForce GTX 260M/280M or the Radeon HD 4850/4870 can benefit notably from quad cores. Tip: Gamers should predominantly look at the built-in graphic card's performance capabilities and then first look closer at the processor.
Clock Rate vs. Number of Cores
To pass a practical judgment on how much impact the clock rate and the number of cores have on the latest games, we reached to the integrated benchmark from DIRT 2 (last update: end of 2009). We opted on a powerful desktop system with a Radeon HD 4870 (512 MByte) and a 4 GByte DDR2 RAM so that the graphic card wouldn't prove to be the bottleneck, and so to influence the results negatively, and also to have the largest scope of intervention on the CPU (bios). Intel's Core 2 Quad Q9450 (standard rate: 2.67 GHz) was employed as the CPU. The Q9450 has a 12 MByte L2 cache and is manufactured in the 45nm process. Due to this, it comes closest to the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 (2.53 GHz, also a 12 MByte L2 cache and 45 nm), in comparison. We sent the Q9450 with differing clock rates (2.2 GHz & 2.5 GHz & 2.8 GHz) repeatedly, in sequence through DIRT2's benchmark, whereas we disabled two or three cores successively via bios in order to simulate a dual or single core CPU. The graphic details were set to the limits. The result turned out as expected: DIRT 2 is always unplayable with only one CPU core. A clock rate increase had a notable effect, but isn't able to lift the refresh rate to an adequate level. The refresh rate is doubled with a dual core CPU and DIRT 2 can be played enjoyably. A clock rate increase is also measurably noticeable. In comparison to two cores, DIRT 2 once again ran by about 50% faster with a quad core CPU. This time, the core barely had an impact on the velocity.
- Performance Comparison DIRT 2
The Right CPU for every Gamer
Conclusively, we classified diverse CPU ranges in a list of various performance categories as a decision aid.
Usually to slow for modern games:
- Intel Atom (single core)
- Intel Celeron M
- Intel Pentium M
- Intel Core Solo
- Intel Core 2 Solo
- AMD Sempron
- AMD Turion 64
Starter Class:
- Intel Core Duo
- Pentium Dual Core
- Intel Core 2 Duo (less than 2 GHz)
- AMD Turion 64 X2
- AMD Turion X2 Ultra
Middle Class:
- Intel Core 2 Duo (more than 2,00 GHz)
- Intel Core 2 Extreme (dual core)
- Intel Core i3
- Intel Core i5
Upper Class:
- Intel Core 2 Quad
- Intel Core 2 Extreme (quad core)
- Intel Core i7
Further information about CPU ranges or processor can be found in the processor comparison and in the processor benchmarks.
Verdict
Current games can definitely benefit from quad core CPUs. Dual core CPUs are, however, still efficient enough for the average gamer for the time being. Whilst the clock rate as of four cores (in optimized games) is rather insignificant, you should consider the prospect of higher clock rates of dual cores. Single cores are, independent of the clock rate, completely overtaxed by newer games and should be avoided even by undemanding gamers. One thing is definitely certain: multi-core processors are the future, the number of cores will likely even increase greatly in the next years.
