New proc worth it?

[ifander]

I was planning on buying a new s.939 cpu either this month or for christmas, an X2 4200+ (Manchester), but now I don't know if it's worth it.. how long would it last me in terms of performance? I multitask a lot, which is why I want a dualcore, but the way processors are going theese days, this upgrade won't bring me much of an improvement, I feel like I'll have to go with Intel's newest or AM2 (when some decent models come out) next year anyway... Would I be better off waiting and switching to Core2Duo instead (or AM2)?

[Darthtanion]

Re: New proc worth it?

I just recently made the switch to Core 2 Duo and the processor lives up to its reputation. I haven't even begun really playing with it (overclocking and tweaking) yet and the performance is noticeably better. It multi-tasks like no other processor currently available and has the two cores you are looking for. The lower end models can be had for under US$200 and a reasonably priced motherboard can be found in several online stores, but you'll pay a premium if you are aiming toward an enthusiast board.

I've been a stolid AMD user for several years now (since the T-Bird 1000) and I'm glad I made the change to Intel. Yes AMD will have something better out in the future, but right now the Core 2 Duo is where you need to be.

[ifander]

Re: New proc worth it?

I've looked at some comparisons online (namely Toms Hardware's CPU-charts) and I must say the difference between my current CPU and the X2 4200+ is minimal, even negative in single-core games due to my current overclock. And buying a new CPU for an end-of-life platform sounds pretty weird to me. In the end I'll be replacing my rig while only having it for a couple of years (I bought it 13 months ago), but I don't think simply upgrading the CPU will do me much good. On the other hand, buying an E6600 with 2 gigs of decent RAM and a decent mobo (the MSI P965 Platinum seems nice and well-priced) won't be cheap...
Anyway, basically, what you're saying is that I should save up some cash and go Core2Duo?

[Yawgm0th]

Re: New proc worth it?

Unless you have an application that would greatly benefit from having a multiprocessor system, I wouldn't bother upgrading that computer. By the time multi-core processors are really important for gaming and regular use, any socket 939 X2 would basically be entry level.

If you were to upgrade now, a Core 2 Duo system would make sense as you could easily upgrade to Core 2 quad. Unless you have performance issues now or need a multiprocessor system, though, I'd recommend you wait until at least Q2 or Q3 of 2007. That's when more multithreaded games will be coming out, as well as new processors and platforms.

At the very least, don't upgrade at all until you've switched to a DirectX10 video card. The only thing holding you back in games right now is that video card. You'd need SLI/Crossfire or a DirectX10 card to put any limitation back on your CPU.

[wayout44]

Re: New proc worth it?

Actually I'll beg to differ at this time.

If your running an anti-virus, temp monitoring, sharing/downloading files, etc all at the same time as running a game (benchmarks look good but don't they always kill services that arn't don't needed?) then that upgrade would actually be good.

Games might be a few frames down at the top end but you'll actually get better average frame rates with most games now plus be able to run an app or too in the background at the same time as well as seemless changes between running apps when required with much less lag.

Also next year is likely to bring a few other more surprises in hardware so I'd go with the upgrade at this time with that system as you'll like what just having 2 cores can do with little outlay.

[Yawgm0th]

Re: New proc worth it?

Actually I'll beg to differ at this time.

If your running an anti-virus, temp monitoring, sharing/downloading files, etc all at the same time as running a game (benchmarks look good but don't they always kill services that arn't don't needed?) then that upgrade would actually be good.

True, but most antivirus, temp monitoring, etc. won't take up much processor time, assuming they're not just Idle. Filesharing will take a performance hit regardless of processing power. Network gaming is pretty much out of the question, and any intensive file-sharing program is going to be more limited by the RAM than the processor anyway.

Games might be a few frames down at the top end but you'll actually get better average frame rates with most games now plus be able to run an app or too in the background at the same time as well as seemless changes between running apps when required with much less lag.

Also true, and that's one of my primary reasons for having a dual-core myself. But unless he has a specific need to run apps in the background while gaming, it's an expensive upgrade that won't do anything. More importantly, 1GB of RAM is hardly sufficient to run a game as well an any remotely intensive application.

[ifander]

Re: New proc worth it?

I know I'll get improved general performance if I get an X2, but I don't really want to invest in a platform which is pretty dead... then I'd be better off saving up for a 8800 GTS or similar, like Yawgm0th said. At least that will last me for a while.