Will a quad be good for my purposes?

[Wedge1]

I would like to learn to use a Linux system while not giving up Windows altogether (too many applications rely on Windows). Is it possible to run both simultaneously, say, via virtual PC'ing or virtualization technology? If so, would I benefit more from multiple cores? i.e., couldn't i have more than one virtual PC running?

 

[Toadster]

Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

 

[GFORCE100]

Originally posted by: Toadster
Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

Is that Zalman cooling the quad really all that well?

Seems hard to believe.

How how does the temp go when Prime95 is run on all four cores? Surely it must be well beyond 70C?

 

[porschetr]

What about Photoshop and rendering (Solidworks, Catia etc) programs?

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: GFORCE100

Originally posted by: Toadster
Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

Is that Zalman cooling the quad really all that well?

Seems hard to believe.

How how does the temp go when Prime95 is run on all four cores? Surely it must be well beyond 70C?

Yeah, I have an TR Ultra120 (not eXtreme) and it barely keeps up with the quad... so I can't believe a Zalman 9500 is. I used to have a Zalman 9700 and it could barely keep up with an overclocked E6400 @ 3.2GHz.

 

[JAG87]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: GFORCE100

Originally posted by: Toadster
Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

Is that Zalman cooling the quad really all that well?

Seems hard to believe.

How how does the temp go when Prime95 is run on all four cores? Surely it must be well beyond 70C?

Yeah, I have an TR Ultra120 (not eXtreme) and it barely keeps up with the quad... so I can't believe a Zalman 9500 is. I used to have a Zalman 9700 and it could barely keep up with an overclocked E6400 @ 3.2GHz.

then you definetely problems. an ultra-120 xtreme and 2 fans on it, and its barely keeping up with a 2.7 ghz q6600? dude I can run 3.46 ghz on my 9700NT and it does just fine. try lapping dude. you obviously have a bad heatsink base or IHS.

 

[Wedge1]

I have the Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 7, but I do not plan on overclocking if I go quad. I am at the point where I want Vista, need XP for compatibility purposes, and would like to learn about Linux and perhaps get away from Windows altogether in the future. I'm hoping quad core would help me to transition this much easier by way for virtualization. Yes ocassionally i play a game, but that is usually quake 3. It still rules.

 

[nullpointerus]

I heard Intel's C2Q will drop to $266 on the 22nd of this month--go for it!

 

[Diogenes2]

Originally posted by: porschetr
What about Photoshop and rendering (Solidworks, Catia etc) programs?

For any advantage, your apps have to fully utilize all cores..

I use Vegas Video Studio, and my Quad renders at least twice as fast as my C2D did ..

 

[GFORCE100]

Originally posted by: JAG87

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: GFORCE100

Originally posted by: Toadster
Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

Is that Zalman cooling the quad really all that well?

Seems hard to believe.

How how does the temp go when Prime95 is run on all four cores? Surely it must be well beyond 70C?

Yeah, I have an TR Ultra120 (not eXtreme) and it barely keeps up with the quad... so I can't believe a Zalman 9500 is. I used to have a Zalman 9700 and it could barely keep up with an overclocked E6400 @ 3.2GHz.

then you definetely problems. an ultra-120 xtreme and 2 fans on it, and its barely keeping up with a 2.7 ghz q6600? dude I can run 3.46 ghz on my 9700NT and it does just fine. try lapping dude. you obviously have a bad heatsink base or IHS.

Running doesn't mean running all four cores to the max. If you call running at 3.46GHz playing a game or running 3DMark06 then your temps aren't what they would be if you ran Orthos or Prime95.

 

[PCTC2]

BTW, read "not eXtreme"? It idles fine (44 in 31C Ambients) and it can do daily work. But F@H and Prime95 push it to 70C at 2.7GHz. I rather not push my core past 85C. I've only got 15C of headroom. I can run higher overclocks with good temperatures, but I refuse to believe your Zalman could keep a quad @ 3.46 below 80C under load. Unless you live in Antarctica or managed to get a G0 stepping Engineering Sample, both of which I highly doubt..

And my old Zalman... my E6400 was running 3.49. Both lapped. Running 40C idle and 58C Orthos Load in 20C ambients. My Ultra120 was able to keep it at 37C/50C.

 

[nullpointerus]

Originally posted by: Diogenes2

Originally posted by: porschetr
What about Photoshop and rendering (Solidworks, Catia etc) programs?

For any advantage, your apps have to fully utilize all cores..

I use Vegas Video Studio, and my Quad renders at least twice as fast as my C2D did ..

I'm not sure if you covered this, but with a quad-core chip you could do several single-core/dual-core things at once--just as long as they're not hard-drive intensive.

 

[JAG87]

Originally posted by: GFORCE100

Originally posted by: JAG87

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: GFORCE100

Originally posted by: Toadster
Virtual PC's are a great way to utilize multiple CPU cores, and yes - you can run multiple OS'es on one system - just make sure you have lots of RAM!

Is that Zalman cooling the quad really all that well?

Seems hard to believe.

How how does the temp go when Prime95 is run on all four cores? Surely it must be well beyond 70C?

Yeah, I have an TR Ultra120 (not eXtreme) and it barely keeps up with the quad... so I can't believe a Zalman 9500 is. I used to have a Zalman 9700 and it could barely keep up with an overclocked E6400 @ 3.2GHz.

then you definetely problems. an ultra-120 xtreme and 2 fans on it, and its barely keeping up with a 2.7 ghz q6600? dude I can run 3.46 ghz on my 9700NT and it does just fine. try lapping dude. you obviously have a bad heatsink base or IHS.

Running doesn't mean running all four cores to the max. If you call running at 3.46GHz playing a game or running 3DMark06 then your temps aren't what they would be if you ran Orthos or Prime95.

when i say running I mean 4 threads of prime stable. with an ultra 120 xtreme he should be able to do way better than 2.7

 

[Shapeshifter]

My new quad core system, with im assuming a stock intel heatsink/fant combo, but it doesn't look like ones in review really...

I get 50-55C idle, at full load on all 4 cores, it goes up to 79C! I really need to get better cooling for it.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: nullpointerus

Originally posted by: Diogenes2

Originally posted by: porschetr
What about Photoshop and rendering (Solidworks, Catia etc) programs?

For any advantage, your apps have to fully utilize all cores..

I use Vegas Video Studio, and my Quad renders at least twice as fast as my C2D did ..

I'm not sure if you covered this, but with a quad-core chip you could do several single-core/dual-core things at once--just as long as they're not hard-drive intensive.

Unless you throw more spindles at it too!