Core 2 or P4

Assuming the Pentium 4 is single-core, you will see two times faster performance with Core

2 Duo 2.4 GHz. If the Pentium 4 is dual-core, Core 2 Duo will still be faster, but not by as

much.

I can get my hands on a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 for about half the cost of a 2.4GHz

Core 2 Duo. The question is, is the Core 2 Duo going to do encoding and

rendering faster than the 3.2GHz P4? Is the difference noticable in PSCS2?

I switched and the 2.4 blows away the 3.2

 

Check www.TomsHardware.com or lots of other sites for comparisons, many with PS performance data. You also need to remember that the mobos are faster on the C2Ds

I am running a Core 2 Duo 2.4 with 2GB DDR2 800 RAM on a P5B motherboard (1ghz FSB), and this thing smokes the old setup. The old setup was a P4 3.4ghz with 2gb DDR2 667 on a 800mhz FSB motherboard.

Core 2 Duo will not outperform P4 by 2x but it will outperform significantly.

The clock speed is not all any more to judge the performance of the different architecture CPU. The performance of Core 2 Duo will be even better, if the application is written to benefit from multi-thread execution or parallel computation.

<p><i>Core 2 Duo will not outperform P4 by 2x but it will outperform significantly.</i></

p>

 

<p>Actually if you are doing 3D rendering or batch photo processing with something like

Bibble, you should see exactly 2x performance increase.</p>

It all depends on your application. If it takes advantage of dual processing you should see an increase in performace (though not a double). Remember that HT P4s (like the one you mentioned) show up as two processors and can also speed things up IF the sotware is written accordingly.

 

For some applications, DUAL processors run the program SLOWER than a single core. That's a fact. Unless your application is expressly written for and to take advantage of dual core architecture you will run slower because it will use ONE cpu only. Thus, check before deciding.

 

>>you should see exactly 2x performance increase.<<

 

But, you likely don't in reality - I have a p4 3.4 and a 64x2 4800 machine and I don't see DOUBLE fast performance from the dual core PC. Not in CS2, C1PRO, Illustrator or Painter. Even in batch processing. There is no signifcant difference between my two machines.

 

Look into the MAD 64x2 - you can still find some of the 'older' 4800 version for very little money and they are excellent processors for multi-meida application. Even the new AM2 version is great...and not that expensive.

You don't see a difference because you're comparing it to AMD's chip. The speed increase from a P4 to C2D is not just the result of two cores, but the overall architecture with efficient 65 nm, clock cycles and power.

 

It's worth getting the C2D chip.