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    Core 2 Duo vs AMD Athlon 64

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by frodobagins, Jul 30, 2006.

  1. frodobagins

    frodobagins Notebook Geek

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    Ive just read this review and it says that the core 2 duo is better at gaming than the AMD.(they used HL 2 as a guinea pig). I thought the graphics card and not the processor was the main contributor to gaming performance
     
    frodobagins, Jul 30, 2006
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  2. frodobagins

    frodobagins Notebook Geek

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    frodobagins, Jul 30, 2006
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  3. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    That is right - a powerful processor doesn't do anything for your video performance if you have an integrated card. The graphics card is the main focus of a gaming machine - CPU/RAM are secondary. I wouldn't use a Celeron or Sempron for gaming of course, just proving a point.
    Although I would never take any hardware reviews from Cnet, they have (as well as everyone else) concluded that hands down, the Core 2 Duo is the best microprocessor available today, period. It does beat the AMD's soundly in gaming, an area where Intel used to get trounced in. Intel's back this time with a winner.
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, Jul 30, 2006
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  4. miner

    miner Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    They are using lower res where the cpu is more involved. Basically in order to show the superiorty of the C2D, they are limiting the effect of the graphics card. This is common procedure when testing a CPU since that is what you want to know about(difference in performance of the CPU not the graphics card). But when you try to play a game at the max or higher quality settings, then you will be limited by your graphics card. Like this review here...
    http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTEwOCwzLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
     
    miner, Jul 30, 2006
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  5. Paul

    Paul Mom! Hot Pockets! NBR Reviewer

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    Well, CPU does make a difference in modern gaming. Crysis for example will be optimized for dual core processors such as the Core 2 Duo or the Turion 64 X2. F.E.A.R. is another good example. It has settings for CPU properties such as sound a physics properties. While the GPU determines mostly what you see in terms of quality of picture, the CPU will more determine how you experience what you see in terms of atmosphere (sound, physics, etc.). However, hands down, the Core 2 Duo spanks everything that is offered at the moment (minus high end workstation and server processor such as the the Xeon).
     
    Paul, Jul 31, 2006
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  6. Jalf

    Jalf Comrade Santa

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    The CPU can certainly become a bottleneck in games, but that mostly happens if you have a really high-end GPU. For most of us, the GPU is a more immediate concern. If you have a lousy GPU, it'll cripple your games. If you have a lousy CPU, it'll give you somewhat lower framerates.

    But the CPU still matters. :)
     
    Jalf, Jul 31, 2006
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  7. Thaenatos

    Thaenatos Zero Cool

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    well the cpu will change things by handling sound cpu cycles better. When you play a game that explosion or whiz of a bullet takes cpu cycles and a core duo handles it much better then amd's king. Yes the video card handles the visual aspects and does all the priority things, but there are other things that affect performance in a game and thats where the cpu picks up.

    Currently intel is king of the hill, the de crowning of amd will hopefully spark a compitition for best gaming cpu and we will benifit even more :D.
     
    Thaenatos, Jul 31, 2006
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  8. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    Well it meant I could pick up an X2 for £100ish
     
    Meaker@Sager, Jul 31, 2006
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