Does CPU Cache really matter?

[Temi_D]

Hi guys
I do A LOT of screen recording and transcoding. I mainly use hypercam and the DIVX codec. About 4-5 months ago, I completed the system in my sig with the E6300 CPU that has 2MB of cache. The thing is that when i record at high resolutions, i.e 1920x1080+, many frames are skipped so the playback is faster than normal.

Also in task manager, my cpu usage is no where near 100%, usually 70-80% (while gaming and screen recording at the same time), so the problem isnt cpu speed neither is RAM and hdd speed. So the only other limiting factor i could think of was the CPU cache.

Does cache really make that much of a difference? Do i need a CPU with bigger cache like the E8xxx or Q9xxx CPUs? help!

 

[Temi_D]

ive also tried camtasia and camstudio with similar results. I get the correct FPS at lower resolutions, its just when im recording at really high ones that it all starts go go wrong

 

[Temi_D]

Now i have to choose between getting a new Q9550 cpu ~ £170 or
Get a new Core i7 setup: 2.88GHz i7 930 (when its out), X58 mobo, 6GB ddr3 RAM ~ £500