Worse performance after CPU upgrade

[OVerLoRDI]

Not sure if this belongs in the CPU or GPU forum, but I have a feeling it is GPU driver settings related.

So I recently swapped out my Phenom II X4 that I was running at 3.5ghz for a 2500k (stock for now). Based on previous research, and the consensus of members here, my 6970 crossfire was cpu limited by the Phenom II. Both cards are running at 960mhz with powertune +20%

I ran unigine excited to see what kind of jump I'd get with a better CPU.

Phenom II X4: 83.2 fps, score: 2095
Sandy 2500k: 64.5 fps, score: 1626
These are at 1920x1200 2xAA w/ normal tessellation.

I am 100% sure the settings used are the same, I saved the html read out for each and compared. The driver version is different, I believe the Phenom II X4 bench was done with Cats 11.7, and the Sandy is with Cats 11.8. I have the latest CAPS installed.

I was expecting AT LEAST the same performance as the Phenom II, not a noticeable amount less.

No changes were made to the CCC driver defaults in both cases, except for overclocking and powertune settings.

Any ideas what could be wrong? I'm going to also try Metro 2033 since I saved some bench results from the Phenom II and see if the issue is just with unigine.

Edit: Ran Metro 2033
Phenom II: 54/208/6 (avg/max/min)
Sandy 2500k: 75/247/13

Apparently the problem is isolated to unigine. Which is weird, but not at all a real problem.

 

[Grooveriding]

Safe to assume you did a complete reinstall of Windows from scratch after the new CPU and installed MB drivers ?

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Safe to assume you did a complete reinstall of Windows from scratch after the new CPU and installed MB drivers ?

Correct.

Also double checked and both cards are getting 8 pci-e 2.0 lanes, so that isn't the issue..

 

[Qbah]

You more than doubled you min and got almost a 50% increase in avg. Yea, I'd say you were CPU limited before

Unigine scores are weird. Check if you're not forcing AA in CCC or something.

 

[NoQuarter]

Perhaps on the 11.7 drivers the tessellation slider in CCC was turn down and in the 11.8 drivers the tessellation slider was turned up?

 

[nemesismk2]

Perhaps on the 11.7 drivers the tessellation slider in CCC was turn down and in the 11.8 drivers the tessellation slider was turned up?

yeah that is my thought too, I suggest going back to the 11.7 driver

 

[Crap Daddy]

As far as unigine goes it rather tests the cards than the CPU, am I right?

 

[Grooveriding]

Perhaps on the 11.7 drivers the tessellation slider in CCC was turn down and in the 11.8 drivers the tessellation slider was turned up?

Yeah this is a good observation. And seeing as you did a full reinstall your video driver settings would of been reset. Could also check to make sure vsync was not enabled in unigine or you weren't using a different setting, the tessellation setting can show huge variances depending on where it is at.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Perhaps on the 11.7 drivers the tessellation slider in CCC was turn down and in the 11.8 drivers the tessellation slider was turned up?

Possible if AMD changed the defaults for the drivers.

I am VERY pleased with the Metro performance, and if I notice anything weird in other games I'll be concerned, but for now the problem seems to only be with Unigine.

 

[WMD]

Possible if AMD changed the defaults for the drivers.

I am VERY pleased with the Metro performance, and if I notice anything weird in other games I'll be concerned, but for now the problem seems to only be with Unigine.

Driver updates may fix or break xfire performance. Test using same driver or with one card in lower resolution.