F.E.A.R.

We see only very minor improvements by using a dual-core CPU in FEAR, most likely due to the same situation we saw in Call of Duty 2 -- the CPU is waiting on the video cards, which are being pushed very hard by F.E.A.R.

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory's results are illustrative of the difference the CPU can have in game performance on a single card vs. SLI systems. Without SLI, the single 7800 GTX is dragging us behind, and the CPU being used has no relevance to performance. Once we throw in another 7800 GTX, the CPU can finally stretch its legs and show us whether dual cores bring any benefits.

Remember that with a single card, plunking down a second core into the system did absolutely nothing. With SLI, there are clear performance improvements at the lower resolutions where we still manage to avoid hitting the video cards' limits. Once we get down into the very high resolutions, the dual core advantage is diminished to nothing, because the balance of power transitions over from the CPU back to the 7800s.