PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteGears of War: E-Day showed unusually strong CPU scaling in Tom’s Hardware’s test of 25 processors, but the results depend heavily on resolution and graphics settings. At 1080p High with an RTX 5090 Founders Edition, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivered 42% higher performance than the Ryzen 5 7600X. Low Core Mode, meanwhile, reduced performance across the tested normal CPU configurations; its benefit appeared only in a special test with two cores disabled.
Why E-Day’s CPU results stand out
Tom’s Hardware’s 1 October 2026 comparison found that this Unreal Engine 5 game can put substantial pressure on the processor. The outlet observed CPU utilization of 80% to 90% during loading on its test system and measured a 42% performance advantage for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D over the Ryzen 5 7600X at 1080p High. Those figures describe that test, not a guaranteed result on other hardware or game builds.
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The comparison covered 25 Intel and AMD CPUs. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 7 7800X3D led the tested group. Tom’s Hardware also found that Intel’s Raptor Lake and Arrow Lake processors outperformed AMD CPUs other than the X3D Zen 4 and Zen 5 models in its test. That is a ranking within one benchmark setup, not a general verdict on either manufacturer’s processors.
Performance continued to scale beyond six or eight cores in the tested conditions, but it eventually plateaued around 150 FPS. A faster CPU therefore does not guarantee an equivalent frame-rate gain once another limit becomes dominant.
#1 Best Overall
- The world’s fastest gaming processor, built on AMD ‘Zen5’ technology and Next Gen 3D V-Cache.
- 8 cores and 16 threads, delivering +~16% IPC uplift and great power efficiency
- 96MB L3 cache with better thermal performance vs. previous gen and allowing higher clock speeds, up to 5.2GHz
- Drop-in ready for proven Socket AM5 infrastructure
- Cooler not included
Why resolution and graphics settings change the comparison
Tom’s Hardware used an RTX 5090 Founders Edition at 1080p to make CPU differences easier to see. It tested only a handful of processors at 1440p and omitted 4K CPU testing because its graphics analysis found the game GPU-bound at that resolution. CPU differences narrowed as settings and resolution increased.
The CPU test used an in-game scene because it ran slightly faster than the game’s built-in benchmark; Tom’s Hardware described the built-in benchmark as a reasonable approximation. The outlet chose High as a compromise setting. In its tests, CPU separation was smaller at Ludicrous and more apparent at High and Ultra. At 1440p, its test suite and settings encountered a GPU-bound ceiling around 130 FPS.
Rank #2
- Pure gaming performance with smooth 100+ FPS in the world's most popular games
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, based on AMD "Zen 5" architecture
- 5.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 38 MB cache, DDR5-5600 support
- For the state-of-the-art Socket AM5 platform, can support PCIe 5.0 on select motherboards
- Cooler not included
These results depend on the tested scene, game and driver versions, graphics card, memory, settings, and system configuration. The test disabled Virtualization-Based Security, enabled ReBAR and XMP/EXPO, and disabled specified automatic overclocking features, with platform-specific exceptions described by the outlet. Those choices document its methodology; they are not universal setup recommendations.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDoes Low Core Mode improve performance?
Not in Tom’s Hardware’s ordinary tested configurations. The game’s System menu describes Low Core Mode as a setting that may improve performance on low-core-count devices and handhelds. When the outlet enabled it across all 25 CPU configurations, performance fell in every case, including on the quad-core Core i3-14100. It also did not improve 1% lows.
Rank #3
- Can deliver fast 100 plus FPS performance in the world's most popular games, discrete graphics card required
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
- 4.2 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 19 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
- For the advanced Socket AM4 platform
The exception: a deliberately reduced two-core test
Tom’s Hardware then disabled two cores on the Core i3-14100 in BIOS. Average performance fell from 89 FPS with four cores to 36 FPS with two, and the two-core setup showed broken texture streaming, persistently low-resolution assets, and pause or reload operations that hung for more than 30 seconds. Enabling Low Core Mode in that specific two-core test resolved the observed streaming and long-pause problems and raised average performance by 30% compared with the two-core baseline.
The outlet inferred that Low Core Mode changes the game’s asset-streaming system; that is its explanation, not a confirmed statement from the developers. It did not test mobile processors or handhelds, so the results do not establish how the option behaves on those devices. The evidence points against enabling it on the tested ordinary configurations; a constrained older system may behave differently, but this benchmark does not guarantee a benefit.
Rank #4
- Processor provides dependable and fast execution of tasks with maximum efficiency.Graphics Frequency : 2200 MHZ.Number of CPU Cores : 8. Maximum Operating Temperature (Tjmax) : 89°C.
- Ryzen 7 product line processor for better usability and increased efficiency
- 5 nm process technology for reliable performance with maximum productivity
- Octa-core (8 Core) processor core allows multitasking with great reliability and fast processing speed
- 8 MB L2 plus 96 MB L3 cache memory provides excellent hit rate in short access time enabling improved system performance
What the published CPU tiers do—and do not—tell you
PC Gamer’s 1 October 2026 article reproduces system requirements attributed to The Coalition. The table lists CPU recommendations alongside graphics, memory, storage, resolution, frame-rate, and upscaling targets. A processor tier alone cannot establish whether a whole PC meets a target.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Published tier | CPU options | Graphics and memory | Target and storage |
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| Minimum | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6850K, or Core i5-10400 | 6 GB VRAM; 12 GB RAM | Medium, 1080p at 60 FPS using DLSS, FSR, TSR, or XeSS; 115 GB storage |
| Recommended | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel Core i5-11600K | 8 GB VRAM; 16 GB RAM | High, 1440p at 60+ FPS using DLSS, FSR, TSR, or XeSS; 115 GB storage |
| Ultra | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D or Intel Core i7-14700K | 12 GB VRAM; 16 GB RAM | Ultra, 4K at 60+ FPS using DLSS, FSR, TSR, or XeSS; 115 GB storage |
PC Gamer reports that the published requirements also call for an SSD and a hardware ray-tracing-capable graphics card. The CPU examples should be read as parts of their full tiers, not as standalone guarantees of a given frame rate. The same article reports support at launch for DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR 4, and Intel XeSS 3.0; upscaler support and version details can change, so confirm current game documentation before relying on them.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Next‑Gen Platform Support: Compatible with Intel 800 Series Chipset‑based motherboards with LGA1851 Socket enabling PCIe 5.0/4.0 and high‑speed DDR5 memory (up to 7200 MT/s).
- High‑Performance Core Configuration: Features up to 24 cores (8 P‑cores + 16 E‑cores) for demanding gaming and creator
- Ultra‑Fast Boost Clocks: Reaches up to 5.5 GHz max turbo frequency for top‑tier responsiveness and performance
- Built for Enthusiasts: Unlocked for performance tuning when paired with Intel Z‑series chipsets, making it ideal for overclockers and power users.
- Robust Power & Thermal Design: Engineered with 125W base power and 250W max turbo power to sustain high‑intensity
How to use the benchmark when assessing your PC
- Match the conditions. Compare average performance at the same resolution and graphics preset, and consider 1% lows where available. A 1080p High CPU comparison does not predict a 4K result.
- Check the graphics limit. If the GPU is already the bottleneck at your chosen resolution and settings, a faster CPU may produce a much smaller difference than the 1080p test showed.
- Assess the complete requirement tier. Check the GPU’s ray-tracing capability and VRAM, system RAM, SSD storage, target resolution and frame rate, and whether the listed upscaling methods suit your configuration.
- Treat Low Core Mode as a troubleshooting option, not a general performance switch. The tested normal configurations lost performance with it enabled. The observed improvement came from the unusually constrained two-core test, and handheld behavior remains untested.
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