Effect of CPUgens on standard GPU performance
Effect of CPUgens on standard GPU performance
Hey everyone, I'm having trouble locating details about CPU generations and their impact on FPS. My setup is an i5 6500 and a Vega 56, and I notice my CPU might be struggling in some games at 1440p. Should I consider replacing the CPU or just upgrade the GPU? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
The i5 6500 is quite outdated now, but it offers a noticeable improvement over older systems for both everyday use and gaming. For better performance, upgrading to something like the 12600 or 5600X would make a big difference.
The purpose of using high-end CPUs in benchmarking is to minimize CPU limitations, allowing the GPU to operate effectively. It’s recommended to replace your CPU before purchasing a new GPU, as the latter will likely face bottlenecks even at 1440p resolution. Given that your CPU is nearly ten years old and lacks hyperthreading, a system upgrade would be beneficial.
Interestingly, I have a Vega 64 that's been used in various systems as a donor card. It's still decent but not too far behind. The i5 struggles with it, especially in newer titles, because of its single-core design. Most games now require at least 8 threads to run smoothly without lag. Your i5 only has 4 cores. This need is increasing and will likely rise to 12 threads once the next-gen consoles launch. Upgrading your CPU could significantly improve gaming stability. What's your current RAM speed?
The thread count seems too high. Performance mainly depends on CPU utilization, and threads only offer limited extra benefit beyond the available cores. If we compare similarly sized chips, a 6-core 6-tread CPU should generally outperform a 4-core 8-tread one. This is more theoretical unless you're working with older Coffee Lake models. For high-end gaming, spending more on a recent 8+ core CPU makes sense if budget permits. A modern 6-core processor could still deliver significant gains and offer better value. If you locate one affordable enough, consider a 6th or 7th generation i7 as a cost-effective upgrade. Only do this if the price is reasonable; otherwise, it won't substantially extend performance without major effort.
Raw power is definitely there. But consistent gameplay? A 2600k still outperforms a 9600k. In fact, games have largely stopped being tuned for CPUs with fewer cores than their original specs within just a couple of years after Ryzen was released. That’s why a 9600k often feels like it doesn’t deliver smooth performance, while an older 4770k can reliably hit around 60 fps without any stuttering. The 9600k usually has higher average FPS, but the drops to 0.1 or 1% are usually in the single digits, whereas the 4770k avoids that issue entirely. Interestingly, even AMD’s FX “8” cores provide more stable gaming, albeit with noticeably lower frame rates. It’s not a huge improvement, but they still manage better because they can handle more threads.
It's becoming a bit out of place, so I'll stop here. We don't need to stress about it anymore. I'll reach out later if you'd like to keep going.
It seems hard to find any newer CPUs under 6 threads that aren't similar to Celeron Pentium. The problems usually disappear because they weren't built for gaming.
Thanks for the feedback! I’m thinking about upgrading to a 7700k but the price seems too steep—200€ plus shipping makes it not worth it. Right now I have 2400MT/s RAM, so I’ve been checking options: AM5 7600x, Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX with 32GB (around 150€ extra), and an AM4 setup with 5600x MSI B550 or Gigabyte B550 AORUS ELITE AX. I’m also looking at a 34+8000 cooling solution, plus around 3600cl16 RAM and a cooler for about 500€. I can’t pick anything yet; the next upgrade might be in about six years. Should I go with AM5 now and wait for a better CPU deal later, or stick with the AM4 and upgrade the GPU next year? I’m on the AM4 side and planning to spend another 300€ on a new GPU next year. Thanks for your help, Mayo!
I think 5700X is worth it compared to 5600X since the price gap isn't huge and I need more performance for future games. I’d like to see at least two years of use, maybe longer. While Zen 4 is nice, I don’t think it’s worth skimping on the number of cores right now—even if upgrades later might help. Right now it doesn’t offer enough value, and I believe a new GPU would be better. I used to have a Vega 56 too, and you can definitely boost settings more with newer models if prices don’t rise!