Guild Wars 2

Recently I have been thinking about upgrading my CPU in order to get better performance in games, as well as WVW. I currently own a Athlon II x4 640 3.3 Ghz oc, and I am aware that upgrading my CPU will require a motherboard as well. I’ve been looking into the fx 8350 despite all the numerous claims of how it completely sucks in this game compared to the 3570k and other similar intel CPUs. However, I just can’t seem to justify paying that much more for a 3570k and a new mobo, as currently tigerdirect has the 8350 at $186, and I don’t live near a microcenter store.

So my question to any fx 3850 owners, is how does your chip result and more specifically in WVW? If anyone would be willing to show some videos or screenshots of your frame-rate in and out of zergs, I would greatly appreciate it. I really enjoy WVW in this game and would love to be more helpful and large scale battles but as it stands my CPU is holding me back.

I’m also willing to hear any additional advice and comments, just please refrain from
fan boy comments and the like. I have looked at numerous benchmarks and sites showing performance, but not so much as how the 8350 runs in guild wars 2 and WVW.

Ps: I am running a 64-bit OS, 1 GB PNY 560 TI, with 8 GB CORSAIR 1600 DDR3 memory.

The 8350 is a great cpu. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
If your going to get that processor make sure you get a very good cooler(not stock) and try to overclock it since GW2 demands raw frequency horsepower to run at an acceptable rate.

Thanks for the reply storm. I currently am using a oc certified thermaltake CPU cooler, so I just play on using that one and try and overclocking the 8350 to at least 4.5 ghz or so. Do you have the 8350? What’s your fps look like in pve and Wvw?

Kryptio.3169:

Thanks for the reply storm. I currently am using a oc certified thermaltake CPU cooler, so I just play on using that one and try and overclocking the 8350 to at least 4.5 ghz or so. Do you have the 8350? What’s your fps look like in pve and Wvw?

I dont own the new series of fx just have the 8120 I cant really say that I’m perfectly happy with the previous gen but if you make up your mind for that FX8350 make sure your certified cpu cooler is compatible(and you own the brackets etc) with am3+ boards if you are changing the board aswell or you are going to be spending some more money for the cooler that may very well end up the same price point of 3570k(kinda couldnt understand whether you are going to change mobo for both or just for 3570k)

No I don’t unfortunately. I have an x6 1055t oc to 3.5
I know from other people that I have talked to that own the FX8350 that their frames in everything except WvW and Zerg Dragon events are good when oc to 4.5+
The issue with GW2 and WvW is that the game uses only 3 heavy threads. Those threads need significant horsepower to maintain good fps in zergs.
I know people who have i7 3930x cpus oc to almost 5ghz that dip below 30fps in WvW during heavy zergs.
Don’t let that discourage you though. GW2 isnt well optimized at the moment and hopefully in the future the game will use more threads and use them more efficiently(optimized).

i5 3570K and a motherboard is not really more expensive $309
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SZ0E1K/?tag=pcpapi-20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138351&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID
If the memory you are using is 1.5Volt you can reuse it. So you are looking at 20 more bucks for the processor and about the same price or cheaper for the motherboard. That is a good motherboard I have used it.

muslumgurseks.4951:

Kryptio.3169:

Thanks for the reply storm. I currently am using a oc certified thermaltake CPU cooler, so I just play on using that one and try and overclocking the 8350 to at least 4.5 ghz or so. Do you have the 8350? What’s your fps look like in pve and Wvw?

I dont own the new series of fx just have the 8120 I cant really say that I’m perfectly happy with the previous gen but if you make up your mind for that FX8350 make sure your certified cpu cooler is compatible(and you own the brackets etc) with am3+ boards if you are changing the board aswell or you are going to be spending some more money for the cooler that may very well end up the same price point of 3570k(kinda couldnt understand whether you are going to change mobo for both or just for 3570k)

Very good point, i didnt even realize i may run into compatibility issues with my cooler going from AM3 to AM3+. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. How is the fan that comes with the 3570k? If I factor an overclock cpu fan it wont be much different price wise compared to the 3570k. I’ll have to take that into consideration.

Well I’m using an AM3 cooler ( Akasa Venom Voodoo) on my 990fx board and it is compatible but it does not exhaust to the back of the case instead it does to top so if you have a top exhaust in your case it wont be a problem. And for 3570k’s cooler it sucks balls but I’m pretty sure your am3 cooler is compatible with that aswell if you havent lost it’s brackets.

zerk.9701:

i5 3570K and a motherboard is not really more expensive $309
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SZ0E1K/?tag=pcpapi-20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138351&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID
If the memory you are using is 1.5Volt you can reuse it. So you are looking at 20 more bucks for the processor and about the same price or cheaper for the motherboard. That is a good motherboard I have used it.

Thank you zerk. Seems to be a pretty good deal. I like knowing that with this cpu, games will run much better in regards to single threading. I was originally leaning toward the intel, but ive almost always had AMD products and wasn’t looking to dish out 220 for the CPU :/ but this gives me another alternative.

Kryptio.3169:

muslumgurseks.4951:

Kryptio.3169:

Thanks for the reply storm. I currently am using a oc certified thermaltake CPU cooler, so I just play on using that one and try and overclocking the 8350 to at least 4.5 ghz or so. Do you have the 8350? What’s your fps look like in pve and Wvw?

I dont own the new series of fx just have the 8120 I cant really say that I’m perfectly happy with the previous gen but if you make up your mind for that FX8350 make sure your certified cpu cooler is compatible(and you own the brackets etc) with am3+ boards if you are changing the board aswell or you are going to be spending some more money for the cooler that may very well end up the same price point of 3570k(kinda couldnt understand whether you are going to change mobo for both or just for 3570k)

Very good point, i didnt even realize i may run into compatibility issues with my cooler going from AM3 to AM3+. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. How is the fan that comes with the 3570k? If I factor an overclock cpu fan it wont be much different price wise compared to the 3570k. I’ll have to take that into consideration.

First, regarding 8120 vs 8350, piledriver is a significant improvement over bulldozer (for gaming especially). Second, regarding the 3570k cooler, no CPU will come with a cooler that you will want to use for a serious overclock. In most cases I’d say Intel’s stock coolers are worse than AMD’s if anything.

I haven’t seen him around in quite a while, but Jazhara Knightmage had an 8350 @4.6 and said he got ~25-30fps minimum in WvW zerg fights. This was prior to the culling update, so you’d have to lower some of those settings slightly to maintain those numbers, but that’s going to be the case regardless of your CPU.