Korean Job Discussion Forums

[suadente]

So, I'm bored with my computer. I want to do an upgrade, and then use the parts from the old PC to make an OSX86 machine, just for kicks.

Current System:
CPU: AMD 64 X2 3800+ (2ghz, 512k)
Main: Asus M2N-E
Video: 8600 GT 256
RAM: 1GBx2, 512x2, all 800
LAN: Realtek 8135
OS: Vista 64 Ultimate, sometimes Kubuntu

I'm a fan of AMD, an won't switch to Intel until they offer a chip that's ridiculously fast, cheap, and boasts a built in automatic cherry jello dispenser.

Anyways, is Quad Core worth it? Has anyone seen any reviews that show that it's substantially faster, and worth the price? Would it be better to get a quad core, 2.2 ghz, or a dual core 3 ghz?

What would you go with? I'm kind of thinking that a Dual core cpu would be better, since software hasn't been optimized for multi cores yet. I know, even with dual core, it's not 100% efficient. I figure that Quad core would be even worse (in terms of unused processing power). But, I must admit that I'm falling behind, I'm not the CPU buff that I used to be. (And I still know very little about video cards.)

Speaking of which, I don't really play computer games, but once in a while I do. And, I also want to try out SLI and get myself another video card, just to see what kind of difference it makes.

I kind of want to keep my RAM, and just buy two more gigs instead of 4.

So, what do you think? First, which CPU? Then, what about the system overall: New CPU and board, 4 gb of 800mhz memory, dual video cards, running in SLI, Solid State drive in a year or so, once they become reasonable, am I just wasting money? Are there any substantial bottlenecks or weaknesses in my plan?

[TheChickenLover]

Fast dual core is more than enough. There is literally no software that can utilize 4 cores. By the time that software does come out in say 5 years time, there will be much faster cpu's out there.

I bought a E6850 dual core & it screams. A cheap buy @ $220.

My home has a 'command centre' of 20" X 30" x 20' 3 keyboards & 3 mice on my right hand. 5 nTOPIA lines in my home as well.

My main gaming rig

30" 0.25pitch monitor
Intel E6850 cpu
Asus P35K mainboard
4 X 1GB DDR800 RAM
2 X XFX 8800GTX cards (767Mb ram each)
800W power supply
Western Digital Raptor X 150GB drive (10,000 rpm)
Wireless keyboard/mouse
The usual LG dual layer DVD writer
Vista Ultimate (incorporated for Jan 2008 activated)
karman/kardon soundsticks (with the awesome subwoofer)

It literally flies when I play eve-online. 2560x1600 resolution with ultra high detail @ 110fps in high load mode.




Chicken

[ttompatz]

I have both a dual core (e6750 machine) and a quad core (q6600 machine).
They both run on gigabyte s-series p35-d3sr mainboards with 4 gigs of RAM.

If you are single tasking or not using software designed / optimized for multi-core use, then a dual core will perform in a similar fashion to the quad.

In my own experience, with hard use and significant multi-tasking the quad outperforms the dual significantly all the time.

I like the ability to do video capture from my camcorder, encode the video and write a different video to a DVD at the SAME time without getting errors or writing coasters.

All the while running apps like BOINC at full throttle in the background.

This is the life of my quad core.

Others here have had similar experience with their quad core machines.

[TheChickenLover]

The sad & weird part is most games actually run a little slower on a quad core.

Go figure

Chicken

[suadente]

[spliff]

If you're not doing intensive multitasking I'd go w/ a top end dual and over-clock it to 3.4 or 3.6. Also, I'd go w/ 4gs of ram in 2g sticks dual channel. You'll have a perky response time on your word docs then...

[suadente]

Is there anything in life better than when Word is Perky?



So, back to Ram then, if I do go with a 3 ghz dual core, will 800 mhz ram slow me down, or would it be ok?

And, what's wrong with 4 sticks of 1 gig ram, both sets running dual channel?

Drew.

[kprrok]

[Voyeur]

I guess it depends on the price points.

For the average user, I think that if for some reason your choice is between a dual with a substantially higher clock and a much slower-quad then take the dual.

OTOH if you are doing the kind of hard non-gaming multitasking mentioned above, or if there is little differnce in the outlay and clock speeds of the quads and duals then hell, get the quad.

[JustJohn]

[Binch Lover]

[TheChickenLover]

[eamo]

I don't think there's a better deal right now than an overclocked E6750. For 173,000 it's the cheapest, most overclockable C2D with 4MB cache.

Next step up would be an Intel E8200. 6MB cache. 192,000

Then, an Intel Q6600. 4MBx2 cache. 231,000

These 3 chips, when overclocked, will perform roughly as well as chips twice their price.

[tractor]

@chickenlover

nice command center.

have you thought about getting a usb switch for your all your keyboards and mice?

[TheChickenLover]

I use mostly wireless setups. I don't mind different keyboards so much as switching between computers can be more a pain than anything. The two on the left are my gaming machines, the right screen is the mac mini server. Using multiple keyboards is actually not a prob at all.

Chicken