Processor and 2x HD3870x2 Question

Evileye · May 20, 2008, 04:57 PM

Hi all,

I have heard a few rumblings on other forums about Processor Speed effecting Crossfired Cards.

I have adequate Power supply to run 2 HD3870x2's, but where I'm concerned is my CPU......an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition.
It's been reported that my Processor is too slow to bennifit from a Duel HD3870x2 Crossfired set-up.

Is there any truth to this rumor or are they all just jealous ?

mkk · May 20, 2008, 05:27 PM

Some games are much more CPU demanding than others and that's what the major factor is. To get the most out of a dual 3870X2 setup or a single 3870X2 you might need to lower a games settings for geometrical detail or advanced physics. A 3870X2 could still supply its bandwidth for using high antialiasing settings in high resolutions, but on some games there may be dips in the framerate because of the CPU not quite keeping up. A 3.2GHz Athlon64 X2 isn't that bad, it's just that for instance an Intel Core 2 Duo at about the same clock would perform significantly better in games. And since they can regularly reach higher clock speeds with relatively simple overclocking methods they get extra attention.

Unless your monitor/LCD screen can run in some of the more extreme resolutions above 1920x1200 I doubt that two 3870X2's would be of much use, with any CPU.

Oh, and of course people would surely become jealous of your dual 3870X2's either way.

**kris23** · May 20, 2008, 08:37 PM

nobody here is jealous of your 6400+

were all running Quads and heavily OCed Core 2s

but yea on a more serious level, the X2 isnt bad, it just depends on the game and how much of the CPU is available to the GPUs, if you are playing Crysis and have all the stuff maxxed, the CPU will have its hands full, no Dual can run all those complex operations at once, a Quad is needed.

it really depends on the game but if you want BALANCE, get a Quad of some sort, a 9850 BE is better

Evileye · May 20, 2008, 09:55 PM

Well I appreciate the Feedback
And oh yes....Jealous was somewhat tongue and cheek

I agree my CPU is lacking. Wish I could afford a QX9xxx
Guess Ill have to settle for a Phenom.

Many thanks for the input

**kris23** · May 20, 2008, 10:55 PM

very few people can afford the Q9XXX series let alone the QX series........

a Phenom isnt THAT bad, i mean, its good and CAN OC through AMD overdrive....

just need good cooling and youre good.

Judas · May 21, 2008, 11:00 AM

The Q6600 is by far one of the most favorite and rather cost effective cpu's out there... benefitting from being quad core and the massive amount of cache on there....

H3X4D3C1M4L · May 29, 2008, 12:12 AM

A Phenom is by no means a bad chip. The Spider platform I think is very well thought out and AMD is getting a hard rap just because Intel is on top right now.

You can always get the cards then just upgrade the CPU later if need be. As it is, graphics cards these days are really powerful and unless (like mkk said) you play at very high resolutions there's really no need for more than 1.

Freulein · May 29, 2008, 01:36 PM

you can find a very interesting cpu comparsion on these page Computerbase-Cpu

written in german but the resluts are multilingual.

(kern/e= core)

you can see even a singlecore -cpu can handle most of the games.

i think amd 6400 x2 and 2x ati 3870x2, an wonderful combination.

PandaZ3 · Jun 1, 2008, 06:18 AM

I just have single 3870 and a 6400 and feel fine with mine, I know a X2 3870 would be a good bit more impressive, but I'm okay for now. I do have a AM2+ platform so I could go up to a Phenom, but so few games really use more than what I have, I don't own or plan to own Crysis. I was a single core hold out for a long time and really only went dual core to appease the lingering doubts. What single core can you buy for newer faster machines, they are gone. The 939 San Diego 4000 is the fastest Single I own. It does well, but it is a 2.4 default, the 5000 Black AM2 is a X2 at 2.6 default. Single cores are just memories now.

Your 6400 is fine for 99% of whats out there.

chris.bannister · Jul 10, 2008, 05:35 PM

Hey guys. The AMD processor in question is a great proc, however with two 3870x2 cards, you will experience problems with bottlenecking at the processor level. Kinda funny I know, that you can bottleneck a freakin proc!!! Tells you how far along we have come in the past few years. Good news is you can pickup a AMD Phenom x4, or x3 for around 220 USD. (Really cool part, you may even be avble to do this without replacing the mobo, if you have the AM2 proc slot!)

**ChaosMinionX** · Jul 13, 2008, 11:21 AM

Since you already have an AM2 socket, might as well stick with AMD and go Phenom....

However... if you got the money to buy a new motherboard, and to buy a new processor I would 100% say go Intel right now.

Best bet would be a Q6600 and a P35/P45 motherboard, but since you got 2 HD3870X2s get a X38/48 board.