Summary of "TESTED: Does core count HELP or HURT gaming performance?"
TESTED: Does core count HELP or HURT gaming performance?
Storyline / Overview
The video explores how the number of CPU cores affects gaming performance. Jays $0.02 revisits a topic he last covered years ago with an older CPU (3770k) and Battlefield 3, but this time uses a more modern Intel Core i7-8700K to test gaming performance across different core counts (6 cores/12 threads, 4 cores, and 2 cores) without overclocking. The goal is to determine if increasing core count truly benefits gamers or if it has diminishing returns, especially when paired with a high-end GPU and different resolutions.
Gameplay Highlights & Testing Setup
- CPU Tested: Intel Core i7-8700K at stock settings, hyper-threading enabled
- GPU: Nvidia Titan XP, stock with fan curve adjusted to avoid thermal throttling
- Memory: DDR4 running at native 2133 MHz
- Resolutions Tested: 1080p and 4K
- Games & Benchmarks Used:
- Heaven Benchmark
- Metro Last Light
- Dirt Rally
- Far Cry 5
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Shadow of Mordor (with HD texture pack)
- Hitman
- Time Spy
- Fire Strike
- Method: Used built-in benchmarks for consistency, all settings maxed out
Key Findings
1080p Results
- Noticeable FPS difference between 2-core and 6-core setups in some games
- Metro Last Light showed a large drop from ~212 FPS on 6 cores to ~143 FPS on 2 cores
- Hitman showed a significant 50 FPS drop between 6-core and 2-core configurations
4K Results
- Minimal difference in FPS between 2-core and 6-core configurations
- GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions, making CPU core count less impactful
4-core vs 6-core
- Very close performance, often within margin of error
- Hard to distinguish any real-world difference
FPS Caps & Panel Refresh Rates
- Tests conducted on a 60Hz G-Sync panel
- Most results were above 60 FPS, so differences would likely be unnoticeable with V-Sync or G-Sync enabled
- Higher refresh rate monitors (144Hz, 200Hz, 240Hz) might reveal more noticeable differences between core counts
Additional Insights (Gameplay & Real-time Testing)
- Real-time gameplay tests showed dips and stutters more clearly than benchmark averages
- Background tasks (e.g., Steam updates, multiple Chrome tabs) can impact CPU load and cause dips/stutters, which benchmarks don’t reveal
- Multi-threaded games like Far Cry 5 benefit from more cores, showing fewer and less severe dips with higher core counts
- Lower core counts (2 cores/4 threads) experienced more frequent low FPS dips and stutters during gameplay
Strategies & Tips
- For gaming at 1080p, having more cores (4 or 6) can improve performance and reduce dips/stutters in CPU-intensive titles
- At 4K resolution, investing in a higher core count CPU is less critical because the GPU is the limiting factor
- If using a 60Hz monitor, FPS differences above 60 are less noticeable due to refresh rate caps
- For high refresh rate monitors, core count matters more
- Consider the impact of background tasks on gaming performance, especially on CPUs with fewer cores/threads
- Pairing your GPU with the right monitor refresh rate is often more important than focusing solely on CPU core count
Future Considerations
- Jays $0.02 is open to testing AMD CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 2700 or 2700X) with similar core count scaling to compare results
- The CPU market is competitive and improving, which benefits gamers
- He hopes for similar competition in the GPU market
- Upcoming events like Computex may reveal new hardware impacting these findings
Featured Gamer / Source
- Jays $0.02 (host and tester)
Summary
This video demonstrates that while more CPU cores can improve gaming performance and reduce stutters at 1080p—especially in CPU-heavy games—the difference diminishes significantly at 4K where the GPU becomes the bottleneck. For most gamers using 60Hz monitors, core count beyond 4 cores may not be a major concern, but those with high refresh rate monitors or multitasking needs should consider more cores. The video encourages viewers to consider pairing their GPU and monitor appropriately and invites suggestions for future AMD CPU testing.
Category
Gaming
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