What makes an 3.5 GHz quad-core i5 better than an 4.0 GHz octa-core FX-8000 series

script9

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Dec 14, 2011
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Hello. I am currently looking for a CPU and motherboard in my budget of 1700 kr (340$). I looked at
Intel Core i5-4690K and AMD FX-8350. Now I don't know anything about CPUs other than more cores/threads and GHz is better, I don't know what more cache does, and how important things are, therefore I am asking for your advice. Here are my 2 questions:

1. Why is the i5 better than the FX-8350, when the FX has double the cores and GHz?
2. What CPU & Motherboard could I use? (I looked at ASUS M5A97)

P.S. I don't want to overclock :)

 
Solution
In the recent past, you had 1 core cpus. So everything written was designed to be single threaded. Then came dual core, triple, quad, hexa and octo cores, but the vast majority of programs were still single threaded, because that's what most people still had for a cpu. Many programs today, like Skyrim, are still heavily single threaded.
AMD decided that core count could make cpu's stronger, whereas Intel concentrated on single thread performance. In certain areas, Intel can't even come close to the sheer computational power of 8 core floating point calculations, and AMD dominates the field, however, for most home users, most programs being heavily single threaded, Intel is king, even with fewer cores, because only 1-3 cores are seeing...

ABagOfFritos

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There's a lot more to a processor than its speed and core count. There is also the manufacturing process, the thickness and quality of the wafer the processors came from, heat dissipation, etc.

Intel is simply better at manufacturing higher quality processors at a thinner standard, allowing them to generate less heat as well as dissipate that heat more efficiently.

In a nutshell, this is why 4 cores from Intel at a slower speed will be superior to 8 cores from AMD at the same or higher speed.
 

script9

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Ok, is there any time where this isn't the case. Maybe a 400 dollar AMD vs Intel?

 

Karadjgne

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In the recent past, you had 1 core cpus. So everything written was designed to be single threaded. Then came dual core, triple, quad, hexa and octo cores, but the vast majority of programs were still single threaded, because that's what most people still had for a cpu. Many programs today, like Skyrim, are still heavily single threaded.
AMD decided that core count could make cpu's stronger, whereas Intel concentrated on single thread performance. In certain areas, Intel can't even come close to the sheer computational power of 8 core floating point calculations, and AMD dominates the field, however, for most home users, most programs being heavily single threaded, Intel is king, even with fewer cores, because only 1-3 cores are seeing heavy usage.

Simply, for games like Skyrim, a moderately fast i3 will hold its own against an 8320, but in games like BF4, which make good use of 8 core tech, the 8320 will beat a similarly clocked i5, only being tied or beaten by an i7's 8 core hyperthreading.

 
Solution


Lol nope. Intel's $400 i7s (5820K) will blow the FX 9590 out of the water. Intel has a lot more IPC than amd which is why this is the way it is.
 

Karadjgne

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Just a clarification, you already OC. Factory settings for my i5-3570K is 3.4GHz. That's it. If I decide to apply 'turbo' in any sense, then I have just exceeded the factory default speed. That's OC. In my case, turbo is 3.8GHz, but I changed that and now 'turbo' is set to 4.4GHz. Idle is still 1.6GHz, as set as factory default, but in any stress usage I see 4.4GHz instead of 3.4GHz. It's OC, just not full time OC as some do.

So yes, you probably already OC, you just didn't realize you were doing it as turbo is default 'ON'
 

Karadjgne

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A good combo is one that fits your needs. If the mobo has the features, software, connections and capabilities you want/need, and it's paired with a cpu that fits your needs, then its a good combo.

So if that Gigabyte G1 has all you want, and the cpu is all you need, then yes, it's a good combo.
 

DubbleClick

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Waitwhat?
An fx 8 core has less floating point power than an i5. What fx chips are strong in is integer calculations, but even there an i7 clocked 15% lower than the fx already beats such.
 

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