PART 1 - Core i5 3570k vs FX-8350 Gaming without AA Linus Tech Tips

The video presents a head-to-head GPU-free CPU performance showdown between two popular gaming processors: the AMD FX-8350 and the Intel Core i5-3570K, both overclocked, tested across a selection of titles on Windows 7 without anti-aliasing. The host outlines a careful test-bed setup including matching motherboards, a GTX 660 Ti GPU, regular DDR3 memory, and a fast SSD to minimize storage bottlenecks, with the cooling headroom provided by an h100 to sustain higher overclocks. The 8350 is configured around 4.6 GHz while the 3570K runs around 4.2 GHz, choices based on what a typical enthusiast could achieve rather than the absolute maximum. The first segment focuses on CPU-bound scenarios like Starcraft 2, known for CPU-intensive workloads, where the 3570K generally edges out the 8350, delivering higher minimums and better consistent performance though both CPUs remain playable. Across Far Cry 3 and Crisis 3, the story broadens with CryEngine 3 titles showing more nuanced behavior; the 8350 often closes the gap or trails by modest margins depending on the game and the specific workload, highlighting how multi-threading can influence outcomes in newer engines. The video then touches Battlefield 3, Skyrim with many mods, Dirt 3, Witcher 2, Metro 2033, and Crisis 2, consistently showing the 3570K outperforming the 8350 in several scenes while sometimes the 8350 maintains competitive average frame rates, albeit with occasional dips that suggest real-world variability. The host summarizes that newer engines appear to leverage more cores, which helps multi-core CPUs like the 8350, yet in the current lineup of titles the 3570K remains a strong, often superior choice for most present games, with future titles potentially shifting the balance as multi-core optimization improves. The video teases follow-up content comparing anti-aliasing and Windows 8 platform performance to broaden the comparison and guide readers toward informed hardware decisions for budget gaming builds, while maintaining a practical focus on real-world playable framerates rather than theoretical peak numbers.

Topics · hardware review · cpu comparison · gaming performance · overclocking