for current games presently, is having dual core worth the extra money?

[jjyiz28]

everything being equal except the CPU, which would be better for games??

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 dual core (512*2) L2

or

AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Orleans 2.4GHz Socket AM2 512 L2 single core

the price on the windsor is only slightly more expensive, and both CPU's won't be used for overclocking.

also, presently are their any games that takes advantage of dual core???

 

[myocardia]

Today, you don't need dual core, for gaming. But, expect ~75% of all future games to be requiring a dual core. There's no way I'd build a system today, and not put a dual-core processor in it.

 

[hectorsm]

Go with the 3800+.

Since the prices for dual core are reasonable I would suggest going with dual core. Today video card drivers do use dual core in games(not fully). Future games will make better use it .

If you didn't mind overclocking I would had suggested the Opteron 165 ($155.99 @ Newegg). Mine is running at 2.8Ghz at stock voltages. Either way... dual core is a better choice in my opinion.

 

[jjyiz28]

very nice opteron chip. but pay a little more and get a e6300, that could O/C just as high and perform better as well. anyways, by future, that could mean anything. 1 year from now, most games will make use of dual core, or 5 years from now most games will make use of it ,, who knows. . my guess is by the time most games are ready for dual core, there will be better and faster CPU's to take advantage of it.

 

[hectorsm]

I thought about that. But it would had cost me about about $400 more just to get high quality memory and mobo needed for a high overclocking with the e6300. Maybe next time I will make the switch.

I thought I read somewhere were it said that the first games using two cores will appear next year. Anyway, you should still get a boost in games just by the fact that video drivers are able to use the second core to a limitted extent.

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: hectorsm
I thought about that. But it would had cost me about about $400 more just to get high quality memory and mobo needed for a high overclocking with the e6300. Maybe next time I will make the switch.

I thought I read somewhere were it said that the first games using two cores will appear next year. Anyway, you should still get a boost in games just by the fact that video drivers are able to use the second core to a limitted extent.

400$ more?? i don't think so. $30 bucks more for conroe, around $30 more for giga 965P express, and the same ram you are using, so its $60 more for conroe system with an o/c that will most likely be faster than the opteron setup.

yea i think i read UT2007 will make use of dual core, with a tentative release date of ETA Q1 2007. but it seems so far only a few game companies are working on making their system use dual core, i dunno, maybe its more difficult to program for dual core, etc.

 

[BoberFett]

Maybe he already has a motherboard and memory he'll continue to use and just upgrade the processor?

 

[cmdrdredd]

If you can handle the small cost increase then yes. Future games will definately use dual cores. Unless you plan to upgrade again within a year I say your next upgrade should be dual core.

 

[Arkaign]

Oblivion, COD2, Quake4, etc.

Some definite dual-core advantages already, even for games that do not use the SMP code @ all, it helps to be able to multitask more (background windows processes, Antivirus, etc)

If you already have a single-core and it's working decently, that's cool. But to buy a new proc/mobo that isn't dual-core these days is pretty silly, unless you're really trying to shave every last penny off the budget.

 

[harpoon84]

As of *this moment* only a few games make use of dual core (as Arkaign mentioned above).

However, in the near future, many titles will be optimised for dual core and you'd be kicking yourself if you didn't have a dual core then.

Besides, you can always overclock your dual core if you want better single threaded oerformance, but no amount of overclocking a single core will make it perform like a dual core.

 

[hectorsm]

[/quote]

400$ more?? i don't think so. $30 bucks more for conroe, around $30 more for giga 965P express, and the same ram you are using, so its $60 more for conroe system with an o/c that will most likely be faster than the opteron setup.

yea i think i read UT2007 will make use of dual core, with a tentative release date of ETA Q1 2007. but it seems so far only a few game companies are working on making their system use dual core, i dunno, maybe its more difficult to program for dual core, etc.[/quote]

My ram is DDR1 so I can't use it unless I go with a very cheap poor overclocking mobo. My budget was a little tight so I decided to put my money in the video card instead since the processor has less influence in games. Later, possibly next year I will upgrade to conroe.

It was ~$30 more for the processor + ~$50 more for Gigabyte DS3(at the time) + $290 DDR2 Memory. Total = $370. These were the prices a few week ago at Newegg.

 

[t3hPwnag3]

I definitely agree with hector

the vid card is the most critical component for today's games. most modern cpu's do excellent on da video games.