Getting more output than expected from what was anticipated.
Getting more output than expected from what was anticipated.
Recently a friend received a 5800x and I was asked to run it through a stress test with his R7 2700. I checked its performance and found it running much better, averaging 165-170 frames per second with stable times. Over the past couple of years, I’ve often been missing out on solid performance in his favorite game, Hunt: Showdown. With the 2700 I was getting around 130 FPS, but now it’s consistently higher. I’m starting to wonder if there’s been an issue with the R7 2700 over the last three years that I wasn’t aware of.
CPU power is essential for executing game logic and transmitting draw calls to the GPU. If the CPU lacks sufficient strength, both tasks will slow down, restricting GPU performance since it must wait for data processing. Monitor GPU load with tools like MSI Afterburner while gaming. If the load stays under 90-100%, your CPU is handling the workload. The observed situation clearly supports this conclusion.
AMD has made significant improvements over the past few years. The 5800X offers faster clocks, supports quicker RAM and double the L3 cache, and the 5800X3D highlights how much L3 cache can enhance performance. If you're considering an upgrade, going for a 5700X or 5800X3D would be a smart choice.
I have a GTX 1080 and I'm not sure if that's the whole issue. I'll check that video to learn more.
I considered a few possibilities. It might have been a subpar seat on the other CPU, especially since I'm only using a GTX 1080. Alternatively, it could be that the system is high-end enough to cause a bottleneck. On the old CPU, I noticed its usage never reached 100%, while the GTX 5800 XT caps around 60%. I initially thought background tasks might be the reason, but now I’m less convinced. I wonder if my assumption about newer cores being less impactful is correct—this seems likely based on what others shared.
The 5800x performs significantly better than the 2700x, yet I doubt a 2700x would limit a GTX 1080’s performance. It might be thermal throttling or clock speed reductions due to overheating.
The most probable reason is that the 5800x at 60% usage matches the performance of the 2700 at 70% usage. Still, overall scores for multi-core CPUs can be deceptive. A 70% workload on an 8-core processor might indicate some cores are operating at full capacity. If the game doesn’t utilize additional cores, then only those cores’ output matters. A faster CPU can significantly improve results. Background processes usually don’t affect much because the game runs higher priority. An 8-core chip should also provide space for heavier tasks without hurting the game. Many variables are involved here. The 5800x supports higher clock speeds and offers more performance per cycle (IPC). As mentioned, games often benefit from larger L3 caches, and the 5800x provides double that of the 2700. Rather than guessing, I recommend checking the GPU load with MSI Afterburner while playing. This could confirm whether the 2700 is the bottleneck.