Core2Duo or Core2Quad???

[go4saket]

Hi guys!

I want to buy a new desktop and am really confused in a few matters. I am sure you guys can help me out with it. Although the list of my doubts is some what long, but please try to help me as much as possible.

1. What is the basic difference between C2D & C2Q. As I am not much into multitasking, should I go for a C2D or C2Q. I generally do one thing at a time and here is C2Q going to give better performance than C2D. Please also provide me with some links where in I can learn a bit more about the difference between C2Q & C2D.
2. I saw that Intel Q6600 is 2.8 GHz. Does this mean that all four cores have a speed of 2.8 Ghz. or is it the total of all four.
3. How does a higher L2 Cache help in a computers performance.
4. I heard that Intel is soon going to launch 45nm processors against the present 65nm. Does this "nm" part has any effect in the overall speed of the machine or is it just for voltage. Moreover, should I wait for the new 45nm or is it ok to go for 65nm.
5. Now the most important one, should it be Intel or AMD. Whichever it may be, please also mention the model of the processor and if possible, a good motherboard also for the same.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Help~Is~Here]

Before answering all those questions, if you can wait for like 2~3 months, then I would advise you to wait, because there is a whole new batch of processors and chipsets coming out from both AMD and Intel stables.

 

[infra_red_dude]

[*]What is the basic difference between C2D & C2Q. As I am not much into multitasking, should I go for a C2D or C2Q. I generally do one thing at a time and here is C2Q going to give better performance than C2D. Please also provide me with some links where in I can learn a bit more about the difference between C2Q & C2D.

basic difference is the no. of cores. pluz each core has its own cache. so more cache.. more perf.

[*]I saw that Intel Q6600 is 2.8 GHz. Does this mean that all four cores have a speed of 2.8 Ghz. or is it the total of all four.

each core operates at that speed.

[*]How does a higher L2 Cache help in a computers performance.

cache is like a bridge between the main memory and the proc core. so more the better. plus cache works at a higher speed than ram (almost the speed of the proc. and hence faster)

[*]I heard that Intel is soon going to launch 45nm processors against the present 65nm. Does this "nm" part has any effect in the overall speed of the machine or is it just for voltage. Moreover, should I wait for the new 45nm or is it ok to go for 65nm.

that diff. in the fabrication is mostly aimed at lowering the power consumption and hence the heat dissipation. however, theoretically it helps in putting in more electronic components in the same region.

[*]Now the most important one, should it be Intel or AMD.

it all depends on ur budget. on the lower end side (for a low budge system) i'd recommend amd while if u are ready to spend moderate amount i'd suggest the core2 line of cpus.

 

[gaurav_indian]

Is C2Q available in India?

 

[Help~Is~Here]

^^ Com'on man, don't tell me you don't know the answer to that. If not, yes Q6600 is available.

What is the basic difference between C2D & C2Q. As I am not much into multitasking, should I go for a C2D or C2Q. I generally do one thing at a time and here is C2Q going to give better performance than C2D. Please also provide me with some links where in I can learn a bit more about the difference between C2Q & C2D.

Basic difference is 2 core and 4 cores for the C2D and C2Q respectively. Since you are not going to do much multitasking and neither are you going to see a huge performance boost in everyday applications with the C2Q, you can safely go for the C2D series. No, if you are not multitasking or running processor intensive applications like video encoding/decoding, you are never going to see a performance difference.
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_2

I saw that Intel Q6600 is 2.8 GHz. Does this mean that all four cores have a speed of 2.8 Ghz. or is it the total of all four.

Four cores run at 2.8GHz, but it doesn't mean you are going to get 4x2.8GHz performance. You can think of it like a battery connected in 'parellel', it's still going to output the same volatage even if you increase the total no. of batteries although the batteries have individual similar charges.

How does a higher L2 Cache help in a computers performance.

The CPU cache is hitting serious problems with application performance however, as of now, the more the cache, the more the performance. Cache is like a storage next to your CPU core which means that your CPU doesn't have to wait for the data to be collected from the memory in which case it will have to wait for several hundred cycles as memory latencies are everincreasing. So, cache provides a quick accessible backup to the processor of all the commonly used functions by your CPU core. All older less regularly used functions are going to be sent back to the main memory because you don't have more than 4MB cache taking the case of a C2D.
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_cache

I heard that Intel is soon going to launch 45nm processors against the present 65nm. Does this "nm" part has any effect in the overall speed of the machine or is it just for voltage. Moreover, should I wait for the new 45nm or is it ok to go for 65nm.

Well, it's basically going to make the chip smaller and cheaper, because the tinier the manufacturing process gets, the more no. of chips Intel can put on a single wafer of silicon. It is going to bring a difference in the temps and voltage sometimes but not in speed unless they are manufacturing a new model processor.
*www.intel.com/technology/silicon/45nm_technology.htm

Now the most important one, should it be Intel or AMD. Whichever it may be, please also mention the model of the processor and if possible, a good motherboard also for the same.

Well, like I said first, it's better you wait another 2~3 months and by then a huge array of new processors will be released and a lot of dust will settle down making things clearer.

 

[Faun]

checkout:

deltapage.com
computerwarehousepricelist.com (download the xls file at top right corner)

Hey one question Quad core 2.66Ghz is priced at 12k, so is it worth to go for quad core considering its price.

 

[Harvik780]

checkout:

deltapage.com
computerwarehousepricelist.com (download the xls file at top right corner)

Hey one question Quad core 2.66Ghz is priced at 12k, so is it worth to go for quad core considering its price.

I read at the nvidia forums that currently core2quad wont give performance boost in games,but one should never believe what one says.I suggest u wait as the intel site suggests that core2quad processor available currently only support 1066MHz fsb.New line of quad core processors are coming out soon with 45nm fabrication and will support 1333MHz FSB.Anandtech has given info on the new line of processors from Intel and Amd.Also if u overclock the core2quad 6600 then u can easily leach out performance of ur 800Mhz DDR2 ram in Dual channel.

 

[Help~Is~Here]

Hey one question Quad core 2.66Ghz is priced at 12k, so is it worth to go for quad core considering its price.

The Quad Core processor from intel is not realy "Quad Core". It's just 2 C2D processors combined together. So, if one of the C2D needs to talk to the other C2D, it needs to come out of the CPU core, get onto the FSB and then go back into the other C2D, this not only eats up your FSB but also decreases the performance of what a qaud core should really be. As soon as Intel releases the true Quad core on a single chip, then you can consider going for that. Because the C2Q as of now are like the fake Dual core Pentium D processors that Intel sold. Intel infact is so good at marketing that it even makes virtual cores appear as real physical cores to the customer! So, don't go with the hype of "Quad Core" when it is not really a true Quad core. I would suggest either you wait for intel to come out with true Quads or wait till AMD brings out theirs. AMD on the other hand has never tried to fool the consumer. When it calls it processor a dual core, it really is a dual core. And AMD was the first one to bring out true dual core procs, and they are going to be the first ones to bring out true quad cores. I'm quite sure once the Quad AMD procs get released this september, they will beat the sh** out of the C2Qs like the X2's bet the sh** out of the Pentium Ds.

I read at the nvidia forums that currently core2quad wont give performance boost in games,but one should never believe what one says.I suggest u wait as the intel site suggests that core2quad processor available currently only support 1066MHz fsb.New line of quad core processors are coming out soon with 45nm fabrication and will support 1333MHz FSB.Anandtech has given info on the new line of processors from Intel and Amd.Also if u overclock the core2quad 6600 then u can easily leach out performance of ur 800Mhz DDR2 ram in Dual channel.

Don't tell me that you are not aware that it's been atleast a month since Intel released the 1333MHz G0 stepping Q6600 procs. And yes, it is already available in India but tough to find as most of them just want to finish the existing stock of 1066MHz B3 stepping Q6600s

 

[mavihs]

A I'm quite sure once the Quad AMD procs get released this september, they will beat the sh** out of the C2Qs like the X2's bet the sh** out of the Pentium Ds.

Till when r they going to release it in India???

 

[..:: Free Radical ::..]

The Quad Core processor from intel is not realy "Quad Core". It's just 2 C2D processors combined together. So, if one of the C2D needs to talk to the other C2D, it needs to come out of the CPU core, get onto the FSB and then go back into the other C2D, this not only eats up your FSB but also decreases the performance of what a qaud core should really be. As soon as Intel releases the true Quad core on a single chip, then you can consider going for that. Because the C2Q as of now are like the fake Dual core Pentium D processors that Intel sold. Intel infact is so good at marketing that it even makes virtual cores appear as real physical cores to the customer! So, don't go with the hype of "Quad Core" when it is not really a true Quad core. I would suggest either you wait for intel to come out with true Quads

True. Don't trust either AMD or Intel though.
Wait till October (November in India) for the Penryn. They are also going to launch new mid range C2Ds like E4600. Then the E300, E4400 prices will drop by a grand and hopefully we also get true quads. Don't know how the Penryn's will OC though, since the smaller fabrication process makes them all the more sensitive to heat, so heat dissipation / proper cooling should have to be a priority if you OC.
I'll wait till the second batch of Penryns have settled down and we know of their abilities. Go for the E4600 though, if you can't wait longer.

 

[nish_higher]

I'm quite sure once the Quad AMD procs get released this september, they will beat the sh** out of the C2Qs like the X2's bet the sh** out of the Pentium Ds.

man is it gonna be for real??i mean i've not heard of amd getting new procs out..maybe i was sleeping..do u have a link??

 

[Help~Is~Here]

Till when r they going to release it in India???

Well, their global launch I guess is set to be somewhere close to September 12th. So, I guess it should be available with your local dealer around september end. But not sure whether they are going to delay the launch again like they have been doing all along.

However, as far as Quad Cores are concerned, I wouldn't at all recommend anyone going for the Quad Core procs as of now, because honestly, there is hardly any software available that could use the full potential of the procs. So, all you can really do is keep overclocking these hardware and satisfy yourself by the numbers that you see when you benchmark these processors. As of now, these processors are nothing more than a hobbyist hardware. There is nothing in it for the laymen. Please don't come back and argue about the performance difference. All you seriously get is a <5~7 percent increase in performance for current day applications and that is seriously not worth for the layman.

So, till sofwares can acutally catchup with present day hardware, stick to the normal low priced processors you can get. i.e Unless you want to show off to everyone that you have a C2D or a C2Q by throwing additional amount of money for something that you are really not going to use. Hell, even a 2.8HT would do everything a C2D or C2Q can do, the only difference is the negligle performance difference for a layman althtough those numbers might make a lot of difference to enthusiasts.

man is it gonna be for real??i mean i've not heard of amd getting new procs out..maybe i was sleeping..do u have a link??

*www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=amd+quad+core&meta=


And this link will show you the difference between AMD Quad and Intel Quad
*multicore.amd.com/us-en/quadcore/

I must remind everyone that AMD is just releasing it's server processors in September. The desktop processors are expected to be released about within 15~30 days from the launch of the server opteron processors.

 

[Harvik780]

Don't tell me that you are not aware that it's been atleast a month since Intel released the 1333MHz G0 stepping Q6600 procs. And yes, it is already available in India but tough to find as most of them just want to finish the existing stock of 1066MHz B3 stepping Q6600s

No i was following the intel site.I wonder what's the cost of the q6600 go stepping 1333Mhz processor.I'll upgrade the processor and GPU in next year july.And is the penryn been released and is it being made by 45nm process.This was what i was talking about,i didn't mention it cause of its weired pronunciation.
Here's the link i followed-
*www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=2972&p=1

 

[Help~Is~Here]

No i was following the intel site.I wonder what's the cost of the q6600 go stepping 1333Mhz processor.I'll upgrade the processor and GPU in next year july.

13.5K to 14K.

You have already decided to wait till july next year?? GOD alone knows what new technology will be available then which will leave us all confused whether to upgrade or not. I wouldn't suggest such long waiting periods to upgrade unless you did one recently

 

[Harvik780]

And is the penryn been released and is it being made by 45nm process.This was what i was talking about,i didn't mention it cause of its weired pronunciation.
Here's the link i followed-
*www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=2972&p=1

 

[Help~Is~Here]

And is the penryn been released and is it being made by 45nm process.This was what i was talking about,i didn't mention it cause of its weired pronunciation.
Here's the link i followed-
*www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=2972&p=1

Nope, it's not released. It's expected in November. This has nothing to do with the Q6600 G0 with 1333MHz. The Q6600 G0 stepping as I mentioned before is already available and it's manufactured with the existing 65nm process.

 

[go4saket]

Is Penryn or the new processors with 45nm be cheaper than the C2D or C2Q...

 

[Harvik780]

Is Penryn or the new processors with 45nm be cheaper than the C2D or C2Q...

As told by @help is here it has not been released yet,so u'll have to wait and watch.

 

[Help~Is~Here]

Is Penryn or the new processors with 45nm be cheaper than the C2D or C2Q...

Like mentioned before, it not yet released, however, smaller nm manufacturing certainly means lesser price. It's because in the 45nm process, you can put more no. of chips on a single piece of silicon, which ideally means more processors for lesser price. Hence it should pass onto the consumers but don't expect a huge price cut, the price drops if any will be a negligble amount. Take for example the case of the XBox360. When microsoft started manufacturing the 45nm chips, the price for them meant that now they could manufacture 2 chips at the price of one, however, the actual benefit that was passed on to the customer was no more than $30~$50 reduction. It will take some time for companies to pass on the benefit completely to the end user.

 

[NIGHTMARE]

Core2Quad