Lowest Dual Core system vs high-end singe core

[AirForceElite]

Currently I am using:

AMD 64 3200+ @2.0Ghz (no OC)...
2x 512MB of PC3200 DDR Corsair RAM (no OC)
Asus K8V SE Deluxe mobo
ATI Radeon 9800 PRO 128MB 128-bit Video card (no OC)
40GB and 80GB PATA (IDE) hard drives.
No sound card, all running at stock speeds. System is 3 year old.

Thins I usually do on my comp: DVD burning, DVD ripping, ms word, firefox, photoshop, winamp, iTunes....you know the usual stuff. I don't play any games, so that saves me a lot of money by not having to buy expensive video card.

Now, I want to get very very cheap Dual Core system, but I am not sure that whatever money I will spend for it (under $500) is worth the increase I will get.

The reason why I am making this thread is because Dual Core processors are really cheap nowadays. Especially low-end AMD X2 1.6GHz, which is very very cheap.
I am not sure there is a difference, I tried to go to BestBuy and play with their Dual Core systems, but I didn't see any difference.

For example, a 2.16GHz C2D system had same response times as 1.6GHz C2D, which also had same response times as my AMD 64 3200+ system that I am typing this from. Or Microsoft Word took the same amount of time to open on all 3 systems, so did WinAmp, and Internet Explorer.
Of course I realize that there must be some differences (probably in gaming and other intensive programs), but with the tasks that I am doing that I mentioned above, am I supposed to see any difference?

If yes, where exactly do I see a difference?

 

[Zuddud]

I'm no expert, but from what I've read you will see the biggest difference in the dual cores when multi-tasking. So if you were running winamp, word, and firefox simultaneously, each of them would be much snappier than normal. It wouldn't seem like winamp was draining your performance as much.

 

[AirForceElite]

Originally posted by: Zuddud
I'm no expert, but from what I've read you will see the biggest difference in the dual cores when multi-tasking. So if you were running winamp, word, and firefox simultaneously, each of them would be much snappier than normal. It wouldn't seem like winamp was draining your performance as much.

The thing is I dont have much problem multitasking.
I multi task a lot, but my computer does the job.
I mean when I have photoshop + firefox + IE + msn + aim and i click on MS word... it opens up in..i dont know 4-5 seconds.

Does it mean with dual core it will open in 2 seconds...so essentially i am paying $500 to upgrade for that 2 second difference.
I realize there is no "straight" answer to my questions, i am just trying to see if Dual Core will be worth the money i spend on it (i am on very tight budget)

 

[RebateMonger]

For "most people", PCs were plenty fast five years ago. Certain tasks, such as video editing, high-end photo editing, and high-end gaming benefit from the latest-and-greatest CPU.

If you are happy with what you are using, then don't upgrade.

 

[Hulk]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
For "most people", PCs were plenty fast five years ago. Certain tasks, such as video editing, high-end photo editing, and high-end gaming benefit from the latest-and-greatest CPU.

If you are happy with what you are using, then don't upgrade.

Well said. In addition most people value their time and don't want to wait around while decompressing one file, rendering a video, and printing a large document while researching on the net and composing a document. I am multi-tasking like this all the time and would absolutely hate to go back to a single core system. When I sit down at the computer I expect to get things done and quickly.

If you work sequentially and don't edit video or photos then you should be fine with one of the older cpu's.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
For "most people", PCs were plenty fast five years ago. Certain tasks, such as video editing, high-end photo editing, and high-end gaming benefit from the latest-and-greatest CPU.

If you are happy with what you are using, then don't upgrade.

Yea, that's pretty much the truth. I went from a P4 3.06(Intels first cpu with Hyperthreading, more primitive than recent iterations of the technology) overclocked to 3.50ghz to a C2D E6600 overclocked to 3.33ghz and saw no difference in day to day computing. I demolished all of my old benchmarks, but for eveyday things...no change. I game, so the extra power helps with newer physics heavy games, but if it weren't for that my old P4 would be more than enough.

Since you're on a tight budget, I'd just keep what you have. It's getting a little old, but as long as it suits your needs, that's all that's important.

 

[AirForceElite]

Originally posted by: lxskllr


Since you're on a tight budget, I'd just keep what you have. It's getting a little old, but as long as it suits your needs, that's all that's important.

Pretty much what I expected to hear from this forum, but wanted to double check.

Out of curiosity, if I wanted to upgrade to very cheap dual core system, how much would it run me?

--No monitor, no speakers, no super fancy case, no insanely high ram speed, no sound card.
I live in Canada so newegg.com is out of the question.

But realistically speaking, can I get cheapest Dual Core system (I assume AMD X2), 1GB of DDR2 Ram, Mobo for Dual Core CPU, 160GB of Sata hard drive. Integrated video card (or dedicated but fanless, since i dont play any games, i want very silent system)
So how much would that approx. cost me? in Canadian dollars

 

[lxskllr]

Scanning Newegg quick, I think you could do it for $350-$400 CAD. If it were me though, I'd save up my money and get a really nice system this time next year. There's no point in upgrading half-assed. I want something noticeably better when I upgrade my machine, not just a marginal improvement.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

what socket are you on?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: tanishalfelven
what socket are you on?

All of the different variations of Asus' K8V are/were Skt. 754. It's the A8V's that were Skt. 939.

 

[AirForceElite]

Originally posted by: tanishalfelven
what socket are you on?

Socket 754 ClawHammer

 

[Quasmo]

Did you get your setup from the AMD tech tour?

 

[AirForceElite]

Originally posted by: Quasmo
Did you get your setup from the AMD tech tour?

i dont know what that is.
I build it myself if thats what you meant