Please help me understand ....

[EffBee]

... single core vs multi core CPUs.

I am just starting to spec out a new rig for myself. Nobody seems to be buying single core processors anymore. I don't feel comfortable with AMD anymore even though my current PC is a venerable Athlon XP 2400+ so i will go intel.

The issue is dual core vs quad core and which one.

I use my PC for internet access, a bit of boring old MS Office and similar, and LOTS of gaming. This year I have played Lotro, Vanguard, Oblivion, and many older favourites like rise of nations, C&C generals and MOO2. I watch the occasional DVD on it and very rarely will listen to music.

I am not into overclocking so will not buy a slower processor even it can overclock to the performance of a more expensive processor.

Now, it sems to me that most of the games I play will only use one core. Is this right? If so I should be buying a processor with 2 or 4 fast cores and not focus on the overall potential of the TOTAL combined power of all the cores on the chip. Can anyone comment on this?

Am I right in thinking that the individual cores on any intel dual or quad core processor will each be much more powerful than my existing Athlon XP 2400+?

Am I right that for my usage a dual core processor with the most powerful individual cores I can afford will be better than a similarly priced Quad core processor with probably less powerful cores?

Thanks in advance.

 

[EffBee]

How much are you willing to spend on the CPU itself?

Also highly consider overclocking, it really is very straight forward, their's plenty of guides out their and plenty of people here on the forums that are willing to help.

I'm willing to spend about £150 give or take, say, £50 for the processor. I would hope to put togther a system excluding screens for £900 to £1200 but I buy ludicrously expensive Lian-Li cases.

Things that are important to me are 1) Stability , 2) Low Noise, 3) Zero ongoing hassle, 4) Long component life, 5) Low heat output (I want a PC not a radiator!)

As a buying philosophy I am very happy to pay a bit extra for components which are known to overclock well, then run them at stock on the expectation of decent stabilty.

 

[EffBee]

Thank you for your replies.

I'll look at individual intel products in detail now.

Given that it seems individual cores on dual and quad devices are MUCH better than my current old single core processor, seems sensible to go for quad core processor somewhere around the £150 to £200 mark.

Just need to do a bit of hunting on the web to make sure there are no backwards compatibilty problems with older software and multicore processors.

Thanks again.

 

[EffBee]

Thank you Corasik. I'll take all that on board.

I haven't thought much about videao cards yet (although I think it'll be an Nvidia 8xxx something). I tend to think about the components starting from the processor then go through mobo, memory, case and power, etc...