Dual Core 2 or Quad Core?

[messiahfg]

Hey,

I am looking at upgrading my E8400 Dual Core 2 3.0Ghz to a 2.66 Quad Core with 12MB cache.

Do you think I will notice a massive difference justifying the cost involved?

[The Joker]

Well i think you'd notice a difference.
I had a Amd 6000+ 3ghz dual core cpu and I recently upgarded to a Amd phenom x4 9950 black edition 2,66ghz quad core, and I can see a major improvment.
I know its not intel but if there's a difference between the 2 amd cpu's there will be a difference between the 2 intel cpu's.

[mcryan]

Yeah I agree. I think you will notice a difference. 4 Cores running at 2.66 will surely get more done than 2 cores running at 3.00.

But then again, why do you want to do the upgrade? Is the Dual Core 3.00 too slow for you?

[Tinman]

Nice question.

In terms of gaming, you will see no improvement on the quad core, bar a few games that claim to maximize quad core efficiency. I would not actually be surprised if an overclocked E8400 outperformed a a Quad core in certain instances.

The E8400, E8500 and E8600 are excellent gaming CPUs with impressive overclocking headroom. If I owned any of those CPUs I would not feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.

Rather wait a few months, prices are dropping and Intel will be launching new i7 over the next year, which will push current i7s down.

Thats just my 2c

[goldendeath]

Nice question.

In terms of gaming, you will see no improvement on the quad core, bar a few games that claim to maximize quad core efficiency. I would not actually be surprised if an overclocked E8400 outperformed a a Quad core in certain instances.

The E8400, E8500 and E8600 are excellent gaming CPUs with impressive overclocking headroom. If I owned any of those CPUs I would not feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.

Rather wait a few months, prices are dropping and Intel will be launching new i7 over the next year, which will push current i7s down.

Thats just my 2c

I agree

i picked up my E8500 a few months ago and its a fantastic CPU. The E8400 is not far behind, so I would not see the point in upgrading anytime soon.

Unless you use it for stuff other than gaming, like 3D modeling etc

[ChameleonDevil]

Yep, dual core with pure speed > quad cores for gaming.

I [still] have my 6400+ X2 Black Edition (runs @ 3.2ghz), and with games that does not support quad cpus (only a few still, am I right?) , the clock speed is far better than a lower clocked quad (im not comparing to Core 2 duo - which are way better!)

As for games that support quad (thinking of Supreme Commander), the quad performance are way better than dual.

I would say, if you are only a gamer, then your current cpu is better, wait until a similar [or higher] clocked quad core is more affordable...

But doing other stuff the quad will improve performance....

[mcryan]

Nice question.

In terms of gaming, you will see no improvement on the quad core, bar a few games that claim to maximize quad core efficiency. I would not actually be surprised if an overclocked E8400 outperformed a a Quad core in certain instances.

The E8400, E8500 and E8600 are excellent gaming CPUs with impressive overclocking headroom. If I owned any of those CPUs I would not feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.

Rather wait a few months, prices are dropping and Intel will be launching new i7 over the next year, which will push current i7s down.

Thats just my 2c

Well Tinman knows his stuff :D

I do agree though, I don't think the upgrade will show enough of an improvement to justify it. The i7's will come down in price and with those you will notice a big increase in performance.

[messiahfg]

I am a little bit of an upgrade whore actually :|

A sickness really. But I do a lot of compiling and development and also run virtual machines (hence the reason for 8GB of ram) so that would also be a reason to do the upgrade.

[Voicy]

Nice question.

In terms of gaming, you will see no improvement on the quad core, bar a few games that claim to maximize quad core efficiency. I would not actually be surprised if an overclocked E8400 outperformed a a Quad core in certain instances.

The E8400, E8500 and E8600 are excellent gaming CPUs with impressive overclocking headroom. If I owned any of those CPUs I would not feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.

Rather wait a few months, prices are dropping and Intel will be launching new i7 over the next year, which will push current i7s down.

Thats just my 2c

What Tincan said.

I upgraded from my old AMD athlon 3000+ not even to an E8400, but just the E7400 dual core... it's working massively well and was around R1600 incl. I just cant justify spending >R2k for a CPU when you could see a much bigger difference by upgrading the GPU instead.

[The Joker]

I am a little bit of an upgrade whore actually :|

A sickness really. But I do a lot of compiling and development and also run virtual machines (hence the reason for 8GB of ram) so that would also be a reason to do the upgrade.

Aaahhh...Then i'd definitly go the quad core route!!
I suffer from the same sickness mate:D

[Voicy]

I'm too poor to suffer from that sickness... much like my love for cigars. I only get to smoke cubans when my one mate comes down and brings some with him or flashes his fancy cards here and gets 'em.

[lilDeath]

Once you go quad damage, you never go back.

[messiahfg]

Well I got my mrs a new mobo and screen card. "Hopefully" her CPU won't work in it and then I can give her mine and upgrade :D

*holding thumbs* will see if her CPU works tomorrow night when the memory and fan arrive :P