Is an 8 thread CPU enough for gaming for the next few years?

[almighty15]

Easily, especially as PC is having a big push now for higher CPU efficiency with Mantle and DX12 that will ultimately result in a longer CPU lifespan.

 

[Nasher]

The "next gen" consoles have shared system resources. It may look good on paper, but the end result is basically a low end gaming PC.

 

[Rroff]

I think a 4 core / 8 thread i7 is a potentially good longer term investment for gaming - HT seems to work quite well to replace those extra low speed cores in the games that are closer to the console version in how they work. Bare in mind though that some of those console cores will be used to run internal systems and/or hardware assistance for features that don't exist or are done purely in hardware on the PC and not dedicated to the game.

For a long time I didn't really see a need to move on from 4 cores with my old Q9550 and infact swapped back to it from a 3770K at one point as I just didn't see the benefit but lately some newer games that are designed to work with multithreading are quite a bit smoother on the i7 (turning HT off similiarly will degrade the smoothness) even when the raw performance numbers framerate wise isn't much if any different.

 

[Hotwired]

You could not be more wrong, the CPU in the new consoles has such a weak IPC coupled with such a low clock speed that any Quad core clocked at 3.2Ghz will stomp all over the console CPU's.

How can you even compare PC and Console cpu's as equals.

Games are optimised for the very specific hardware in the consoles.

For the PC the game has to work with whatever hardware combos people are trying to run it on.

 

[gpuerrilla]

It is good news for PC users with multi core CPU's as most games will now utilise them should the demand need it (developers incorporating it).

Comparing a console to a PC is not really going to get anywhere apart from continuing to add to thread stagnation.

 

[Martini1991]

How can you even compare PC and Console cpu's as equals.

Games are optimised for the very specific hardware in the consoles.

For the PC the game has to work with whatever hardware combos people are trying to run it on.

I do agree with your post, however it's not quite that simple this time around. The consoles being much much closer to PC's, and then with the more efficient API's we've got.

AMD's Mantle (Which, I don't think will last the test of time frankly depending on DX12, but it's here now and it's working well for those who are able to use it to its purpose) and then DX12 (Which is nothing but noise yet)

 

[almighty15]

How can you even compare PC and Console cpu's as equals.

Games are optimised for the very specific hardware in the consoles.

For the PC the game has to work with whatever hardware combos people are trying to run it on.

Easy, common sense.... And the fact that you can run pretty much ANY 360 and PS3 port on a decent dual core when they had more cores/threads then that.

CPU's on consoles don't get any where near the performance boost from being in a closed box environment like GPU's do.

And I can compare them as equals because they're using PC CPU's this time round.

 

[Doogles]

I think the PS4 is similar..

So you think it'll be possible to stick with the CPU/Mobo/Memory I have now for next 3-4 years and still play the latest games?

If you didn't mind lowering settings I would say for the next 6 years at 1440p easily. 8800GTX can still run modern games...

 

[~>Dg<~]

90 percent will just be ports so no worry for many pcs at same spec as current gen consoles.