Choosing a Gaming CPU: Single + Multi-GPU at 1440p, April 2013
by Ian Cutress on May 8, 2013 10:00 AM ESTSleeping Dogs
While not necessarily a game on everybody’s lips, Sleeping Dogs is a strenuous game with a pretty hardcore benchmark that scales well with additional GPU power. The team over at Adrenaline.com.br are supreme for making an easy to use benchmark GUI, allowing a numpty like me to charge ahead with a set of four 1440p runs with maximum graphical settings.
One 7970
Sleeping Dogs seems to tax the CPU so little that the only CPU that falls behind by the smallest of margins is an E6400 (and the G465 which would not run the benchmark). Intel visually takes all the top spots, but AMD is all in the mix with less than 0.5 FPS splitting an X2-555 BE and an i7-3770K.
Two 7970s
A split starts to develop between Intel and AMD again, although you would be hard pressed to choose between the CPUs as everything above an i3-3225 scores 50-56 FPS. The X2-555 BE unfortunately drops off, suggesting that Sleeping Dogs is a fan of the cores and this little CPU is a lacking.
Three 7970s
At three GPUs the gap is there, with the best Intel processors over 10% ahead of the best AMD. Neither PCIe lane allocation or memory seems to be playing a part, just a case of threads then single thread performance.
Four 7970s
Despite our Beast machine having double the threads, an i7-3960X in PCIe 3.0 mode takes top spot.
It is worth noting the scaling in Sleeping Dogs. The i7-3960X moved from 28.2 -> 56.23 -> 80.85 -> 101.15 FPS, achieving +71% increase of a single card moving from 3 to 4. This speaks of a well written game more than anything.
One 580
There is almost nothing to separate every CPU when using a single GTX 580.
Two 580s
Same thing with two GTX 580s – even an X2-555 BE is within 1 FPS (3%) of an i7-3960X.
Sleeping Dogs Conclusion
Due to the successful scaling and GPU limited nature of Sleeping Dogs, almost any CPU you throw at it will get the same result. When you move into three GPUs or more territory, it seems that having the single thread CPU speed of an Intel processor gets a few more FPS at the end of the day.
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TrackSmart - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
I sympathize. I have similar hardware (Phenom II X4 processor) and I've been looking for a good reason to upgrade, but can't really find one. Regardless, those crazy motherboard + processor deals at Microcenter sure are tempting!frozen ox - Thursday, May 9, 2013 - link
This. I have an overclocked AMD Phenom X4 830 with an overclocked Asus 6850 and not much $$...dang it, honestly i'll just get in trouble with my wife for spending $$ to upgrade a PC that in her eyes works perfectly fine. I can probably get away with the GPU, as I can swap that out much quicker without her noticing.Spunjji - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
Actually, you're looking at an Athlon X4 740 / 750k. That's the top end of the Trinity line-up with the GPU disabled and an accompanying price cut, but with the same cache structure and motherboard chipsets as the Trinity systems tested here.HisDivineOrder - Thursday, May 9, 2013 - link
Seems like it's up to the sale, but I'd be more tempted by the FX 6350 over the FX 4350 given the pricing on Newegg.More cores is more better, especially if you're making the sacrifice to use the 990FX chipset without PCIe 3.0 (and the FM1/2 chipsets also lack this anyway).
That said, I'd probably wait for a good sale on the FX 8350 and just go with that if I were considering AMD at all.
I wouldn't (and didn't) mostly because I'm one of those quirky desktop users who wants to use as little power and produce as little heat as possible to reduce fan noise yet after speeeeed. When I was looking (last year), AMD didn't really offer me much in the way of CPU's or GPU's.
I live in hope that AMD will pop out something Volcanic or Steamroll the competition, but sense seems to suggest they won't.
SirZ - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
Celeron 300ALOL
mwildtech - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
WTF, you should dismiss this comment all of his are shit.Kabij2289 - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
Great review once again Ian :)But I noticed a typo on Metro 2033 4x 7970 "16x/18x/8x/8x" :)
IanCutress - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
Thanks :)kbnj123 - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
On your CPU chart you have the Intel i7 3960X and 3930k listed as Ivy Bridge architecture. These should be Sandy Bridge-E if I'm not mistaken.IanCutress - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - link
Thanks :) Copy/paste error :facepalm: