CPU Impact to Single + Multi GPU - Mega review

[OBR]

1. part Single GPU GFX:

CPU in test (overclocked at 3600 MHz)



Q9550: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (425 MHz x 8.5), MEMs 1700 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq FSB 425 MHz (1700 MHz).

E8400: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (405 MHz x 9), MEMs 1620 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq FSB 405 MHz (1620 MHz).

Phenom II X4 920: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (260 MHz x 14), MEMs 1044 MHz timing 18-5-5-5-2T. Freq HTT sběrnice 2340 MHz (4680 MHz).

Core i7 920: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (180 MHz x 20), MEMs 1440 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq QPI 6,4 GHz, freq unCore 2880 MHz.

Full config with screens: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...1&limitstart=1



Games:



DirectX 9.0: Fallout 3, Dead Space, Brothers In Arms, Race Driver GRID, Half Life 2 Episode Two, Call Of Duty 4, Call Of Duty 5, Mass Effect, Left 4 Dead, GTA IV, Tomb Raider Underworld. DirectX 10: Crysis Warhead, STALKER Clear Sky, Far Cry 2, Bioshock, World In Conflict, Devil May Cry 4, Company Of Heroes, Unreal Tournament 3. OpenGL Enemy Territory.

Drivers:



20 Games: like this ...




FPS


in Percents ..

Games tests starts here: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...1&limitstart=3 ... click down to "Nasledujici" = Next ...

Results of first part ... Single GPU GFX



Average performance in percents ...



Average performance in all resolutions ...

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2. part Multi GPU GFX:

CPU in test (overclocked at 3600 MHz)



Q9550: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (425 MHz x 8.5), MEMs 1700 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq FSB 425 MHz (1700 MHz).

E8400: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (405 MHz x 9), MEMs 1620 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq FSB 405 MHz (1620 MHz).

Phenom II X4 920: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (260 MHz x 14), MEMs 1044 MHz timing 18-5-5-5-2T. Freq HTT sběrnice 2340 MHz (4680 MHz).

Core i7 920: Freq CPU 3600 MHz (180 MHz x 20), MEMs 1440 MHz timing 24-8-8-8-2T. Freq QPI 6,4 GHz, freq unCore 2880 MHz.

Full config with screens: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...1&limitstart=1



Games:



DirectX 9.0: Fallout 3, Dead Space, Brothers In Arms, Race Driver GRID, Half Life 2 Episode Two, Call Of Duty 4, Call Of Duty 5, Mass Effect, Left 4 Dead, GTA IV, Tomb Raider Underworld. DirectX 10: Crysis Warhead, STALKER Clear Sky, Far Cry 2, Bioshock, World In Conflict, Devil May Cry 4, Company Of Heroes, Unreal Tournament 3. OpenGL Enemy Territory.

Drivers:





20 Games: like this ...




FPS


in Percents ..

Games tests starts here: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...1&limitstart=3 ... click down to "Nasledujici" = Next ...

Results of second part ... Multigpu GPU GFX



Average performance in percents ... Radeon HD4870 X2



Average performance in percents ... GeForce GTX 295



Details: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...&limitstart=24

Average performance in percents ... GeForce GTX 280 SLI



Radeon HD4870 X2



Details: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/index.php?o...&limitstart=23

GeForce GTX 295

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3. part Single GPU GFX + Multi GPU GFX:
With processors at default Freqencies ....

Release date: 17.2.2009 with Core i7 920 @ 2,66 GHz, Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2,83 GHz, Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3,0 GHz, Phenom II X4 920 @ 2,8 GHz, Athlon 64 X2 6400+ @ 3,2 GHz, Celeron 420 @ 1,6 GHz ... stay tuned.

[Hornet331]

farcry2 is kinda interesstening, in singel gpu ci7 loses, but totaly destroys everything with 2 or more gpus.

[Miss Banana]

Wow, great job!
Loads of info, and I am looking forward to the K8 vs PII comparison.
thanks

[OBR]

farcry2 is kinda interesstening, in singel gpu ci7 loses, but totaly destroys everything with 2 or more gpus.

Multi GPU unveils real potential of Core i7, but FC 2 is strange game with strange behaviour

[Hornet331]

Multi GPU unveils real potential of Core i7, but FC 2 is strange game with strange behaviour

does fc2 behave the same on a ati single gpu?

[OBR]

It is not i GPU, but mystery of this is in SMT (HT) if i disable SMT, fps are the same like on Core 2 Quad. If is SMT on, fps drops down ... (on Single-GPU setup)

[Firestrider]

Wow I would think the Phenom II would get demolished given Intel's processors have more performance/clock in some other benchmarks but this doesn't seem like the case for games.

[demonkevy666]

this phenom II needs more NB speed. 2.8ghz is easily reachable on air.
they can keep the HT speed at 1.8 ghz it's not going to change anything much.
I7 3.6ghz but what is it's NB running ?

[cirons]

This is an awesome review, it is interesting to see that even though the core i7 is the fastest processor, at really high resolutions with AA all of the systems are nearly identical.

Makes me feel a whole lot better about my PII 940 I just ordered.

[Xello]

Multi GPU unveils real potential of Core i7

You mean Core i7 unveils real potential of Multi GPU Either way works i guess

Yep this is the third or fourth such review i've seen confirming this, there are some drastic increases when using 2 or more gpu's and i7

It makes sense and should really go without saying, but always good to have some empirical stuff on hand.

[herderien]

it's interesting to see it's multi GPU and not necessarly SLI or CF (ie 4870x2 an GTX295)

i'm really happy with my 4870x2

[CH33TAH]

Awesome review...very useful information. I did a similar sort of analysis with GTX 280 SLI and Qx 9650. Instead of changing CPUs I changes the clock speeds. It only includes 2560 X 1600 benches though. I plan on disabling two core via BIOS and retesting. I have also planned lower resolution runs.

GTX 280 SLI and QX9650

[Gilhooley]

Cool :-) The third part was also nice. An oc'd X2 didnt do bad at all on single gpu at higher res..

[StickyRICE]

That was a good read!

[lowfat]

Definitely interested how it performs at stock.