Processors

[A Nerd]

What processor would be better for gaming? Duel core or quad core? I have noticed that some processors of the duel variety cost the same as a quad. I have a core 2 duo and wanted to upgrade to a core 2 quad for gaming purposes. Would this be a good idea or should I just get a better duel core?

[Furunculus]

quad, particularly going forward.

[A Nerd]

Thanks. I just got an unexpected bill in the mail today however, I am going to have to put off the processor for some time. It is nice to know what I need and I have one picked out! :D Thanks again!

[Boohugh]

The answer depends on what games you play. If a game supports multi-core processors (which many older games do not) then quite often it's still limited to 2 cores anyway due to their programming, so a quad core processor won't necessarily bring about greater performance, especially if it is lower clocked than the dual core one. The list of games that would use all 4 cores of a quad core processor is surprisingly small. However, as time passes, more and more games are programmed to start using more cores, so if you intend to keep buying brand new PC games then a quad core will provide more future proofing.

One thing you may want to consider is if a processor upgrade is really going to affect performance that much anyway. With a core 2 duo, it's more likely most of your games are limited by your graphics card than the processor (there are exceptions, with the TW series being one as it seems very processor intensive). One further thing to consider is if you wouldn't be better off upgrading your motherboard and processor at the same time. The new Sandybridge processors are light years ahead of the old core 2 duo's in terms of performance, so it may be cheaper and provide a bigger performance boost to buy a new motherboard and a less powerful Sandybridge processor than it would to buy an older, higher range core 2 processor, although more effort on your part to replace your motherboard.

[A Nerd]

Interesting. Hmmm...I guess this upgrade is going to need more thought! Thanks!

[HopAlongBunny]

Things change so fast. If you are delaying the upgrade ask again when you go ahead with it.

I bought a core 2 duo as a stop-gap when my old one gave up...still runs everything i play; more titles are coming out "optimized" for multi-core, but i think i'm still good for a year :) (I play S2TW on high settings btw)

[Whacker]

AMD has great pricing but are losing the performance game big time.

For the same cost as AMD's best current offering, you can get an Intel 2500K and a nice Asus mobo, and get a one-click stable, safe overclock on the stock Intel cooler of about 4.0 - 4.2 ghz. Even without the OC it's still a great cpu.

Really wish AMD would catch up again so the price wars resume in earnest.

[Lemur]

Really wish AMD would catch up again so the price wars resume in earnest.

Agreed. Also, I am a sentimental fool who loves to give his money to the underdog, so I wish AMD would kick into high gear so's I could support them in good conscience.

Still, they have the cheapest six-core solution around. Now if only that translated into gaming performance ...

[Xiahou]

Last I checked, at comparable performance levels, AMD is still priced very favorably to it's Intel counterparts. The problem is, if you're looking at high-end cpus there just isn't anything offered by AMD that's really comparable to Intel. If you're not shopping high-end, AMD is still an attractive alternative.