Is a 3.2Ghz E2xxx still a good gaming CPU?

[cusideabelincoln]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
Ichigo, an E2160 @ 3.2 GHz is only as fast as an Athlon X2 6400+.

What??? How fast is an A64 X2 6400 - 3.2Ghz? You're saying that an AMD64 is just as fast as a C2D? You know that's not true. C2D has like 30% IPC advantage over an AMD64 at the same clock speed. Even with 1MB L2.

Edit: From those benchmarks you linked, an UNDERCLOCKED E6320 @ 1.6Ghz is equal to an AMD64 X2 @ 3Ghz. There are no 1MB L2 cache C2Ds listed in those benchmarks. Even if the 1MB L2 C2D has a 15% performance disadvantage compared to the 4MB L2 C2D, it's still going to blow away an AMD64. For example, if you consider a 3.2Ghz E2xxx to be equal in performance to a 2.66Ghz 4MB L2 C2D like the E6700, then compare that to the AMD64 6400+ @ 3.2Ghz. 72 FPS compared to 57FPS, it blows it away! In fact, it's faster still than a Phenom 9950!

In short, you're way incorrect. Especially from trying to use that linked benchmark as proof.

Look at the performance of the E2220 to 4800+ 2x1M:
http://www.matbe.com/articles/...processeurs/page29.php

Both run at 2.4 GHz. The Pentium Dual core is no where near the 30% advantage you claim it has, even when you compare the other Pentium models to other Athlon X2s. In gaming applications, they are pretty much on equal terms. There is no huge advantage for either chip, so upgrading from an Athlon X2 to an Pentium Dual-Core is just stupid if one is looking for immediate gaming performance gains.

And boom, here are more benchmarks showing the performance per clock between Athlon X2s and Pentiums:
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3051&p=6

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
Look at the performance of the E2220 to 4800+ 2x1M:
http://www.matbe.com/articles/...processeurs/page29.php

Both run at 2.4 GHz. The Pentium Dual core is no where near the 30% advantage you claim it has, even when you compare the other Pentium models to other Athlon X2s.

That's because the application is cache-bound. The AMD64 chip has twice the cache, and thus equal performance. Compare the A64 X2 5000+ 2.6Ghz 2x512MB L2, it scores two fps less than the X2 4800+ 2.4Ghz 2x1MB L2. In applications that are not cache-bound, or in tests in which the CPUs have equal cache, then the IPC benefit will show through. For example, compare the E2200 with the X2 5000+, the 2.4Ghz outruns the 2.6Ghz by two FPS. So clearly, the C2D IS faster than the AMD64.

 

[lifeobry]

i think this 100 CPU round up is appropriate for the issues at hand

http://www.matbe.com/articles/...processeurs/page24.php

 

[harpoon84]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
Look at the performance of the E2220 to 4800+ 2x1M:
http://www.matbe.com/articles/...processeurs/page29.php

Both run at 2.4 GHz. The Pentium Dual core is no where near the 30% advantage you claim it has, even when you compare the other Pentium models to other Athlon X2s.

That's because the application is cache-bound. The AMD64 chip has twice the cache, and thus equal performance. Compare the A64 X2 5000+ 2.6Ghz 2x512MB L2, it scores two fps less than the X2 4800+ 2.4Ghz 2x1MB L2. In applications that are not cache-bound, or in tests in which the CPUs have equal cache, then the IPC benefit will show through. For example, compare the E2200 with the X2 5000+, the 2.4Ghz outruns the 2.6Ghz by two FPS. So clearly, the C2D IS faster than the AMD64.

Games are very cache sensitive though, which is the main reason why the E21x0s struggle somewhat compared to the higher end C2Ds. That being said, it is still faster than X2s per clock in games, but not by a huge amount, around 10% or so.

 

[Tempered81]

I wish that 100cpu article was 103 cpus 😉

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: lifeobry
i think this 100 CPU round up is appropriate for the issues at hand

http://www.matbe.com/articles/...processeurs/page24.php

See, that game is not so cache-bound. Look at the E2160 (1.8Ghz, 1MB L2), as compared to the AMD64 X2 4400+ (2.2Ghz, 2x1MB L2). The E2160 is faster by 2FPS, even though it runs at a slower Mhz, and has half the cache memory.

Clearly, the C2D is faster than the AMD64.