Duo or Quad? Processors

[Xelios]

@ Xelios: no, games might not utilize more cores, but doesn't more cores mean the ability to process more data at the same time, so it lets you run more applications more smoothly?

Only if you have 3 or 4 apps running simultaneously that would all load the CPU near 100% by themselves. So, for example, encoding a video, rendering a 3D scene and playing Half Life 2 all at the same time. How often does that happen?

Most programs never go near full load on a single CPU, or if they do it's a quick half second burst of processing. If they each are only using a little bit of CPU time you could have 30 applications open on a single core with no slowdown at all, at least none caused by the CPU.

 

[Challenger78]

Challenger I'm in the UK so things are very diff here. But I brought mine from an American company called CyberPower. They give you a very good choice on all the components and in the UK there PC have won a number of awards. I personally have a Q6600.

As for the 64 But debate my last computer brought 3/4 years ago was 64 Bit and it gave me a lot of problems for almost no benefit (it was ahead of its time by a long way). So on buy again I went for 32 Bit for the easy life, although I am sure things are much better these days. If you were going for 4 GB ram then you would have to have 64 Bit so unless you want all this ram I would go for 32 Bit.

My single core is ok for now, however for gaming I might just upgrade my motherboard and get a Core 2...

 

[Stryder]

Most programs never go near full load on a single CPU, or if they do it's a quick half second burst of processing. If they each are only using a little bit of CPU time you could have 30 applications open on a single core with no slowdown at all, at least none caused by the CPU.

You have to remember that it's not just about the programs you run but the OS as well. While with Linux/BSD systems it's possible to go bare bones and not install servers/services you don't require, on the intensive GUI's like Vista there are a lot of subcomponent process services that run as servers. (For the non-technical minded a server is actually a program that 'Serves' a purpose not just an entire machine designated as a server.)

Basically when you load a game, you still have the OS ticking over at a lower priority. In fact Multicore (and Multicpu) systems can have greater stability for dealing with bloated OS's and high end games (or media manipulation, Draftswork/Modelling, Rendering etc).

 

[Xelios]

That's true. In bloated OS's like Vista all those extra services and background programs do add up.

It's not that having 4 cores offers no advantages over only 2, I just think the 0.6 GHz more on the Dual Cores offers more of a performance gain in most situations.

 

[s0meguy]

Only if you have 3 or 4 apps running simultaneously that would all load the CPU near 100% by themselves. So, for example, encoding a video, rendering a 3D scene and playing Half Life 2 all at the same time. How often does that happen?

Most programs never go near full load on a single CPU, or if they do it's a quick half second burst of processing. If they each are only using a little bit of CPU time you could have 30 applications open on a single core with no slowdown at all, at least none caused by the CPU.

Er... Right now I have a hyperthreading 2.5 ghz and I can barely run 2 semi-heavy applications. I just don't want to have any problems with this anymore... Also I play a game called eve online where its handy if you can run 2 or 3 clients at once (smoothly).

 

[Xelios]

Hyperthreading is a different thing altogether. I also played EVE Online for a while and almost always ran two clients at once on my Athlon 3700+, the only slowdown came in large battles. Keep an eye on your CPU statistics in taskmanager next time you run two clients, if it's constantly near 90% then the slowdown is probably the CPU's fault, if it's not it might be something else in your system. Memory, hard drive or graphics card for example.

 

[Stryder]

The way I use to run EVE clients together, I'd run one in full graphics mode while the others were pushed to very limited settings. (No sound, Laser fire & effects off)

Not sure how much it's changed since the Graphics engine overhaul. It's been a while since I used two or more clients on the same machine, I tend to use a second machine for my alt now.

[Eve note:]
Read the Biog for Stryder Unknown (Just character search) in EVE to find me. Just don't go asking for ISK... I haven't got any I'm a poor Carebear stuck in 0.0 hehe. (At least for now anyway) I just hope you're I.R.O.N. friendly.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Er... Right now I have a hyperthreading 2.5 ghz and I can barely run 2 semi-heavy applications. I just don't want to have any problems with this anymore... Also I play a game called eve online where its handy if you can run 2 or 3 clients at once (smoothly).

How much RAM do you have? I don't have any problems with my AMD 64 FX -53 at 2.6 Ghz with 6 GIGS of RAM.