Is Core2Duo worth it?

[blueprint]

I am looking to upgrade my core components becuase Vista is now unacceptably slow.

I wanted to go Intel, but the Pentium D930 3.0ghz is cheaper than a mid range Core2Duo. Are these /really/ quicker?

It seems you get better value with the Pentium Ds. They are, after all the same 775 socket and have high speeds.
I was going to get an ASUS P5B and some DDR2 to use with it.
I just don't know if I'll gain anything by paying more to go Core2Duo

Cheers.

[magneticman]

E4300 can overclock like crazy and is about £80

C2D is well worth it...

[redddraggon]

C2D definitely better than the pentium,

more efficient, cooler, better overclockers.

C2D is the way forward.

[MadduckUK]

really, honestly. why not put vista back in the box and wait it out, even if you did upgrade think how fast xp would be with the new stuff?

just rambling really.

[blueprint]

yeah i did think of going back to XP, but it'd be a waste of the money I've shelled out on Vista.

Also, I wasn't going to overclock, so I wouldn't go for a CPU for its overclock-ability.

[MadduckUK]

well if you dont have a copy of xp i guess that kills my idea, nevermind. second hand x2 3800 and another gig of ram? people seem to be getting very acceptable results with that kind of system

[blueprint]

I think another gig of RAM would go along way. I said to my friend I'd buy his 2x 512 sticks which would mean I could put them in the two vacant slots on the motherboard. I will try find a 2nd hand X2 like you suggest.

Would it be acceptable to use up all 4 slots on the motherboard with two matched pairs?

[redddraggon]

I think another gig of RAM would go along way. I said to my friend I'd buy his 2x 512 sticks which would mean I could put them in the two vacant slots on the motherboard. I will try find a 2nd hand X2 like you suggest.

Would it be acceptable to use up all 4 slots on the motherboard with two matched pairs?

Motherboards must have 4 memory slot for a reason... surely

my mobo works fine with 4 modules, I think it's only during overclocking that difficulties might arise

[blueprint]

I just hope my OEM version of Vista will let me upgrade the hardware

[redddraggon]

I just hope my OEM version of Vista will let me upgrade the hardware

If you are changing the mobo you might have a problem, but I'm sure activation over the phone will sort it out.

[blueprint]

is that all legit and everything? Will I have to pay more over the phone to upgrade from my OEM?

[floppybootstomp]

Core 2 duo's are great. Streets ahead of the old Pentiums.

I have an E6600 (2.4Ghz) with 2Gb RAM in the machine I use mostly for video and audio editing.

My main rig (used for work and gaming) is based around an AMD XP3800 single core (2.4Ghz).

The only difference I can tell between the two is that the Pentium Dual Core excels on multi tasking and renders video footage very fast indeed. The AMD single core can sometimes lag a little if I have a few applications open at one time.

The C2D was originally my main system but it seems there's an issue with dual core CPU's and the online version of Call Of Duty 2. Sometimes the game will freeze between maps, it's quite common, apparently, and was happening to me.

As that's my favourite game I built a new system based around what I consider to be the best single core CPU available right now.

But I figure there will come a time when single core CPU's will be extinct, dual core the norm and quad core the luxury end.

Oh, and from what I've read so far about Vista, it's a great big pile of poo

Using XP Pro SP2 here and Suse 10.2.

[acrobat]

Yes, the C2D is still the way to go, even if you don't overclock. Its just so much faster than the pentium d's or any other chip really.

It really is worth the money, and the E6600 seems to have had a huge price drop since I bought mine. At its current price, I wouldn't think twice about buying one. Its good value for sure. Make sure you have 2 gig of ram though too, if you want to make the most of it (and run Vista). And if you haven't defragged your hard disk, that might help Vista along a bit too. (and make sure you have latest drivers for everything - sound card, video card, bios, motherboard, lan, everything).

[Agent]

The question you should be asking is "Is Vista worth it?"

[amdavies]

Intel are releasing, reportedly, two new chips based on core 2 duo tech at the beginning of June. The E2140 will be a 1.6GHz part and the E2160 will be 1.8GHz.
Both of these should compare reasonably well to a vanilla E4300 but at around £50-55 and £60-65 RRP, these will probably start taking the budget end of the market away from the Pentium Ds and current Celerons (which are being phased out).

http://xtreview.com/addcomment.php?id=2374

Intel are also reportedly looking to replace their current Celeron chips with a new single core line of processors based on C2D tech that should come in at around £40-45

http://dailytech.com/Intel+ConroeL+P...rticle6882.htm


So, the eternal upgrade question springs up again - if you need it now, buy the best you can. If you don't need it now, wait.

[aidanjt]

To put it bluntly, NetBurst (the core architecture of the Pentium 4 and Pentium D) is a power sucking, nuclear heat generating, slow pile of junk in comparison, and coming from a recently former P4E owner, I should know.

Really, the only job I could think of to make this CPU struggle would be to render massively complex model enviornment with 3DS Max, blender, or relivant software.