quad core vs dual core...

[tazman]

Is the price difference worth it for the perfomance difference for a DAW?

Thanks,

Rob

[peeder]

Originally Posted by tazman

Is the price difference worth it for the perfomance difference for a DAW?

Thanks,

Rob

Be more specific...

[tazman]

An E6600 is about $225, a Q6600 is about $540. Is the latter worth the extra cash? Even compared to an E6700 at $320?

[peeder]

Originally Posted by tazman

An E6600 is about $225, a Q6600 is about $540. Is the latter worth the extra cash? Even compared to an E6700 at $320?

In crunch-per-dollar, the performance isn't worth it, because you're paying ~150% more for ~60% more performance in the best case.

However, if the E6600 is inadequate for your needs, and you're SOL without enough performance, then the E6600 is worthless to you at any price.

What your needs are and what entire system will cover them is something you'll have to investigate... People made music ITB with chips measured in megahertz...

[sharky]

Gotta do a lotta searching on this one.

I think it is very dependent on platform, DAW, RAM, etc.

[tazman]

I am currently running and AMD 3200+ and my DAW is based on SONAR 6. The machine has done great for the past 3 years, but with some of the new plug-ins I am using, during mixdown I am starting to have to freeze some tracks and that gets frustrating on some of the larger mixes (20+ tracks).

A friend of mine has an E6400 and he said it is mind blowing fast and I will be bringing one of my projects to his studio and see how it fares.

With AMD about to release their quads I am trying to decide on whether to do the upgrade, but maybe get a 1.8Mhz or 2.0Mhz (~$190) dual core for now (with the mobo capable of handling the quads, liek an ASUS P5B-E) and in 6 months upgrade the CPU to a quad, assuming the prices will drop, or just go for broke and get the quad 2.40Ghz now and be done with it.

It will have either 2 or 4 gigs of RAM.

I will probably be doing the upgrade in the next 4-8 weeks.

Thanks,

Rob

[slaves666]

I'd save your money, get the dual now, and upgrade in 12 months to a quad when the prices drop.

[tazman]

that's what I am thinking. The only concern is if they change the socket specs or something which would force me to get a new mobo as well. It doesn't look like they will...

Rob

[tazman]

rumor has it that in July the quads should be down around $300... Maybe it's worth to wait a while

[slaves666]

the Asus P5B deluxe line mobo is Quad ready. Check to be sure, but that is what I am going to build. You will need more RAM however, so be sure to get quality easy to find RAM.

[tazman]

RAM wie I am looking at: Corsair TWIN2X2048-5400C4PT 2GB DDR2-667 XMS2-5400 Xtreme Performance Memory w/Platinum Heat Spreader Retail

4 gigs. I have seen that going faster that 667Mhz is really not worth the extra cost. I fugured I will just fill all the slots and be done.

Motherboard I am looking at the P5B-E, which is quad ready as well.

I was also told that the quads should be done in the $280-$350 range by July. I am definately going to wait a bit and see...

[kuanding]

why not go for gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P?

it uses better components than ASUS boards and it's made in Taiwan.

[thebearingedge]

Originally Posted by tazman

I am currently running and AMD 3200+ and my DAW is based on SONAR 6. The machine has done great for the past 3 years, but with some of the new plug-ins I am using, during mixdown I am starting to have to freeze some tracks and that gets frustrating on some of the larger mixes (20+ tracks).

A friend of mine has an E6400 and he said it is mind blowing fast and I will be bringing one of my projects to his studio and see how it fares.

With AMD about to release their quads I am trying to decide on whether to do the upgrade, but maybe get a 1.8Mhz or 2.0Mhz (~$190) dual core for now (with the mobo capable of handling the quads, liek an ASUS P5B-E) and in 6 months upgrade the CPU to a quad, assuming the prices will drop, or just go for broke and get the quad 2.40Ghz now and be done with it.

It will have either 2 or 4 gigs of RAM.

I will probably be doing the upgrade in the next 4-8 weeks.

Thanks,

Rob

Going to a brand new quad core system sounds like a huge leap from your current setup. If you are able to almost get by on a 3200 then it seems like going 65nm quad will be overkill.

Yes?

[mr. moon]

I just replaced my "old" Core 2 Duo e6600 rig by rebuilding it as a Core 2 QUAD Q6600 system (see specs in my sig) ...performance increase is un fukkin' real! For example, a test project which ran at an average of 68% CPU hit on the Core 2 rig now runs at less than 30% (average). Oh, I forgot to mention that my Core 2 rig was overclocked up to e6700 specs, and the Quad is not overclocked at all.

I have also heard that there will be a big price break on the Quad in July, so I'd suggest you just hold tight and wait until then!

-mr moon

[jdvmi]

Yes, the Quad is going to drop to under $300. That is a GREAT price since this thing was over $800 in Feb. If you subsribe to soundonsound, in this months issue they have an article on processors and talk about the price drop in July.

[AB3]

Is an octocore coming out? Why the price drop?

Originally Posted by jdvmi

Yes, the Quad is going to drop to under $300. That is a GREAT price since this thing was over $800 in Feb. If you subsribe to soundonsound, in this months issue they have an article on processors and talk about the price drop in July.

[jdvmi]

Quoting SoundOnSound

"Intel's new Penryn CPU, expected during Summer 2007, which features a smaller 45nm (nanometre) die than previous ranges. This measurement is the average size of a memory cell, and the smaller size used in this new range allows Intel to cram 40 percent more transistors into the Penryn than onto the 65nm cores of the current Conroe Core 2 Duo and Quad range. There's also the possibility of higher clock speeds.

The desktop Penryn models will have a 6MB L2 cache, compared with the 4MB of the Conroe range, as well as about 50 new SSE4 instructions, which should improve video and audio performance (although applications will need updating to benefit from them). However, they are likely to require new motherboards with changes to the BIOS and voltage regulators."

[dubrichie]

Originally Posted by jdvmi

Quoting SoundOnSound

However, they are likely to require new motherboards with changes to the BIOS and voltage regulators."

AAAAAAAAAAAH F F S!

i just built my new DAW machine on an Intel S975XBX2 with an E6600, intending to drop in a quad in a few months.

you're telling me that i'll need a new mobo to use these Penryn yokes?

damn.

ain't that just a kick in the nuts.