Quote Originally Posted by gosh View Post
If minimum frame rates depends on the cpu and the game is threaded and advanced it will most likely produce higher MIN FPS.
This is not true.... you seem to think that AMD is better at mutlithreaded code... it has a better 'scaling factor' from single threaded to more threads... this is true in some cases, but the absolute performance is still won by Intel.

Example, Cinebench is a nifty quick and easy example:

QX9650@2.5 GHz


Phenom 9850 @ 2.5 GHz


Single Thread
QX9650 = 2707
Phenom = 2065

Multithreaded (4 threads)
QX9650 = 9322
Phenom = 7793

Speed up
QX9650 = 3.44
Phenom 9850 = 3.77

So, how to read this data -- the phenom speedup factor is indeed higher, the benefit of native over MCM, however for multithreaded work the QX9650 (AT THE SAME CLOCK) is still 19.6% faster ... 4 threads, clock for clock, the 9650 is almost 20% faster, it finishes the computational task 20% faster than Phenom ...

Your 'amd is better' at multithreading needs context around it. For absolute performance, it still comes up short. Same thing in games, in CPU limited game tests Intel will be faster ... in all games I have benched this is true.

Does this mean Phenom is a slow, worthless CPU ... nope, of course not. Compared to prior generations, Phenom is a fast, good CPU -- Intel is simply faster, however, because of this Phenom is also cheaper -- AMD has priced the Phenom appropriate to the price/performance curve and makes it a compelling buy.

Even in gaming, scaling wise, Intel scales just fine with thread count:



Albiet, low res -- intentionally setting to the CPU limited regime on a 8800 GTX. I can do the 4870 X2 scaling at 1920x1200 if you like, the answer will be the same.

Jack