Questions about CPU speed

[IntelCore]

Hi, im buying a new laptop so I can play CIV 5 and decrease my productivity levels. (And for work, 3d design). I have a few questions, and would really appreciate any answers.

Is a 2.5 ghz processor noticeably faster than a 2.2 ghz? (f.eg i5)

Is a quad core processor usually a lot faster than a dual core? Is f.eg 2 ghz quad faster than 2.5 dual for most applications?

On an unrelated note, would 6 GB RAM in a 64bit windows 7 be quite a bit faster than 4GB? And is it harder to find software for a 64bit windows?

Would you go for the increase in clocking speed (0.3 Ghz), or RAM (2GB)?

Thanks a lot for any answers!

 

[johnb35]

Is a 2.5 ghz processor noticeably faster than a 2.2 ghz? (f.eg i5)

You'll see a very slight speed difference in 300mhz.

Is a quad core processor usually a lot faster than a dual core? Is f.eg 2 ghz quad faster than 2.5 dual for most applications?

The quad core will be faster only if the application running supports 4 cores.

On an unrelated note, would 6 GB RAM in a 64bit windows 7 be quite a bit faster than 4GB? And is it harder to find software for a 64bit windows?

I think a lot of users go overboard on memory that they think they need. Start with 4gb and see how much ram you use when you multitask or play high demanding games.

Would you go for the increase in clocking speed (0.3 Ghz), or RAM (2GB)?

Getting more ram would be better if actually needed.

 

[IntelCore]

You'll see a very slight speed difference in 300mhz.


The quad core will be faster only if the application running supports 4 cores.


I think a lot of users go overboard on memory that they think they need. Start with 4gb and see how much ram you use when you multitask or play high demanding games.



Getting more ram would be better if actually needed.

Hello, thanks a lot for the help!

In other words, the difference between these specs is rather small. They make the price difference between 600 and 800 pound. (Choice of laptops is very limited here in Norway as rules for import are retarded, and prices are high)

Almost every laptop in this price range has 4 GB RAM; 500 GB HDD, 2-2.4 GHZ processor and 1 GB graphic card. Its pretty hard to decide with so little variance. Anything else I should be taking into account that can be read from the specs? before going to the shop and touching it

 

[911aaron]

You will most likely not notice the difference between a 2.5ghz and 2.2ghz processor while using your computer.

Some programs and applications are designed to make use of 4 cores, but most programs are currently made to only utilize 2 cores. As of now, 2 cores are the standard and should suffice for most peoples needs. In a few years, 4 cores will probably become the new industry standard, but by then you may be considering to purchase a new computer anyways. If your on a budget, you should probably get the dual core processor. if money is not an issue, get the quad core.

If your deciding whether you should get 6gb or 4gb of ram, consider how much multitasking you do and how memory intensive the programs you use are going to be. As the poster above mentioned, i also recommend starting off with 4gb and upgrade to 6gb if you find yourself in need of more memory.

I would probably get the 2gb ram instead of the extra .03ghz.

if your gonna be playing alot of games or using graphic intensive program, you may want to look in depth at the graphics card inside the laptop. Most laptops have integrated video, which is usually not enough to play most modern games.

 

[spynoodle]

Honestly, you'll probably notice almost no difference between 2.2GHz and 2.5GHz. The thing that matters most when comparing processors that close is the hard drive. Most CPUs are plenty fast nowadays, unless you totally cheap out. You may notice a slight difference with more RAM, which I think is mostly page-file related, which is also affected by the hard drive. The tough thing with OEM computers is figuring out what kind of hard drive it uses. In order to firgure out the speed of the hard drive, you must find the model # of the drive, then find the platter density and rotation speed. This is REALLY difficult with OEM computers. Still, try your best to figure out these points.