Dual Core faster than single care??

[Walter R.]

I now use a 6 year old computer with a Pentium 4, 1.5GH.

It's getting obsolete although working just great with Win XP SP2. I am
confused: Should I buy a dual core or single core processor? I don't really
do any multi-tasking, an area where a dual core would excel. I use my
computer mostly for the internet, writing the occasional letter, e-mails,
newsgroups, that's all.

Should I save myself some money and get a single core P4, 3GB processor, or
would I benefit from a dual core system??

Thanks for any input

 

[philo]

I now use a 6 year old computer with a Pentium 4, 1.5GH.

It's getting obsolete although working just great with Win XP SP2. I am
confused: Should I buy a dual core or single core processor? I don't really
do any multi-tasking, an area where a dual core would excel. I use my
computer mostly for the internet, writing the occasional letter, e-mails,
newsgroups, that's all.

Should I save myself some money and get a single core P4, 3GB processor, or
would I benefit from a dual core system??

If you are running heavy photo-editing apps such as PhotoshopCS2...
then yes, you'd want a dual core cpu.
Probably quite good for video editing too.

Since you did not mention the need for that...there is absolutely no need to
upgrade...
your P4 , as you've mentioned is working fine.
There is no need at all to get anything else!

 

[Rod Speed]

I now use a 6 year old computer with a Pentium 4, 1.5GH.

It's getting obsolete although working just great with Win XP SP2. I am confused: Should I buy a
dual core or single core processor?

Since you upgrade at a low rate, makes sense to get a
Core 2 Duo now to give you more future on a new machine.

I don't really do any multi-tasking, an area where a dual core would excel. I use my computer
mostly for the internet, writing the occasional letter, e-mails, newsgroups, that's all.

Then you dont really need to upgrade at all.

Should I save myself some money and get a single core P4, 3GB processor, or would I benefit from a
dual core system??

Core 2 Duo will give you more future.

 

[mike]

I now use a 6 year old computer with a Pentium 4, 1.5GH.

It's getting obsolete although working just great with Win XP SP2. I am
confused: Should I buy a dual core or single core processor? I don't really
do any multi-tasking, an area where a dual core would excel. I use my
computer mostly for the internet, writing the occasional letter, e-mails,
newsgroups, that's all.

Should I save myself some money and get a single core P4, 3GB processor, or
would I benefit from a dual core system??

Thanks for any input

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Save yourself a LOT of money and don't upgrade.
Now is a really bad time to upgrade. Wait until the Vista dust settles.
mike

 

[kony]

I now use a 6 year old computer with a Pentium 4, 1.5GH.

It's getting obsolete although working just great with Win XP SP2.

If it's doing the jobs you run ok, then it was only obsolete
as a new, for-purchase system, not as an owned, viable
system.

I am
confused: Should I buy a dual core or single core processor? I don't really
do any multi-tasking, an area where a dual core would excel. I use my
computer mostly for the internet, writing the occasional letter, e-mails,
newsgroups, that's all.

Then why are you thinking of upgrading? A computer at half
that performance could do these tasks but for the slightly
increased demands of WinXP/SP2.

Dual core would be of more benefit for heavy multitasking or
multi-threaded applications, but we can't very well predict
how you'd use this system in the future, remembering that
you have used the present system for 6 years and any upgrade
might be used for a similarly longer term... so in that
case, dual core makes more sense if the slightly higher cost
isn't a problem.

Should I save myself some money and get a single core P4, 3GB processor, or
would I benefit from a dual core system??

You're talking about upgrading the motherboard too? If so,
and possibly memory and video card, it makes more sense to
go with the newer architecture Core2Duo, dual core, over the
P4 even ignoring the dual vs single core factor. IOW,
unless you can find the P4/3GHz parts dirt cheap it would be
more cost effective in the long run from performance and
upgradablity factors to get a newer set of parts.

 

[CBFalconer]

.... snip ...

Save yourself a LOT of money and don't upgrade. Now is a really
bad time to upgrade. Wait until the Vista dust settles.

On the contrary, eschew Vista. Read the following links.

--
<http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt>
<http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423>

"A man who is right every time is not likely to do very much."
-- Francis Crick, co-discover of DNA
"There is nothing more amazing than stupidity in action."
-- Thomas Matthews

 

[Walter R.]

I am thinking of a new computer because my video card is kind of obsolete
(Nvidia TNT2 Model 64). When my computer boots, it makes a mess of the
displays until Windows is fully functional. This happened after I switched
to a 19" LCD monitor.

Also, I only have a CD burner, but no way to even read a DVD.

Thanks

 

[Noozer]

I am thinking of a new computer because my video card is kind of obsolete
(Nvidia TNT2 Model 64). When my computer boots, it makes a mess of the
displays until Windows is fully functional. This happened after I switched
to a 19" LCD monitor.

Shouldn't be a problem. You should be able to pick up a video card for <
$80. What kind of system do you have and does is have an AGP slot?

Also, I only have a CD burner, but no way to even read a DVD.

DVD writers can be had for under $40 these days.

Both should be able to go into your PC without an issue. Definately a lot
cheaper than a whole system especially if the PC is doing everything you
need now.

I'd avoid a new PC for at least six months to allow for Vista drivers to
come out for existing hardware and find out which companies (read HP here)
are going to screw their customers into needing to buy new hardware.

 

[Walter R.]

Thanks

You are right. I will be looking for a fairly low cost video card with 128
mb memory. The dvd should be no problem, indeed.

 

[kony]

I am thinking of a new computer because my video card is kind of obsolete
(Nvidia TNT2 Model 64). When my computer boots, it makes a mess of the
displays until Windows is fully functional. This happened after I switched
to a 19" LCD monitor.

Also, I only have a CD burner, but no way to even read a DVD.

Thanks

Given the low end TNT2 M64, I'm now wondering if the whole
system is a bit low end. For example how much memory do you
have? Point being, if you have to change *enough* parts to
modernize and gain features you want, it may be just as well
to replace the whole system but of course substantially more
expensive.

I'd just find it hard to swallow paying for an AGP video
card upgrade for a system that age, particularly when you
aren't trying to use it for gaming, just a glitch that any
newer integrated video should be able to handle acceptibly
(though ideally if your monitor has DVI input you'd opt for
a video card OR motherboard integrated video with DVI out
also.

The other benefits of a new system for your uses would be a
faster hard drive (unless you've replaced that already), and
perhaps as important to some people is a hard drive with all
it's lifespan remaining opposed to one that's six years old
which is already beyond it's safe use-by date.