Processor (CPU) Comparison

Our CPU comparison takes 4 mainstream processors and tests them together in our game scenarios. While most CPU tests are done at low resolutions - to get an idea of how they fair against one another - we chose instead to see how they would perform at settings a user is most likely to use, and what benefits one has over the other.

Test System:
OS: Windows Vista SP1 x64
RAM: Corsair XMS2 2GB Dual Channel DDR2
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus X38 / ASUS M3A32-MVP Deluxe
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 9800GTX 512MB

For these tests we used a 9800GTX so as to hopefully eliminate a GPU bottleneck, however, as is visible in the results, the game graphics are very much GPU bound.

Our beach test shows a rather steady incline, though interestingly, we see the Intel dual core out performing the AMD Quad core. The difference between Intel CPU’s is roughly 5%, showing that while the game does use quad cores it definitely does not appear to take full advantage or utilize all cores evenly. However, all of these CPU’s make the cut and while the AMD systems provide lower numbers they can still keep up.


The intro shows much of the same linear pattern just much higher frames.


Tarantia is where we expected to see the CPU’s show their true colours and they did. Both of the AMD CPU’s failed to meet par, though, the X4 9750 was a hairline away at high settings so we would feel comfortable giving it a tentative pass. While the Intel E6600 just squeaked by it was not without a few drops which made certain areas of the city rather tedious to get through. The Q6600 not only took top spot, it eliminated nearly all the quick drops throughout the city allowing for much more seamless game play and appeared to distribute the load somewhat between all 4 cores, mind you, not evenly.