Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: KenP on April 19, 2008, 04:30:09 pm
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Hi,
Can you clever clogs out there clarify something for me.
I like playing some Computer Games. The latest ones specify a Processor speed of 2Ghz up ro 3.5Ghz
if i look at new machines they tend to have dual processors up to 1.8Ghz, is this equivalent to 3.6Ghz at games specification.
I'm looking at a game like Oblivion.
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Short answer is no.
but it's a bit more complicated than that.
99.95% of computer games can only use 1 core currently. So you only get 1.8Ghz. They don't double up ( and never will, the most you'll get is 33-66% extra processing ability ). So if you have a 1.8Ghz chip which is dual core, you'll only get 1.8Ghz of "speed" out of it for the next couple of year or so (coding for more than one chip is fiendish - the hardware is currently WELL in front of the ability for the coders, especially game coders, to actually use it well )
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Ghz ratings are currently very messed up at the moment. All Ghz ratings that you see on the side of a games box are based on Pentium 4 speeds. So things like 3Ghz etc.
However, the newer chips from Intel (like the Core 2 Duo ) and pretty much any chip from AMD now work in a different way. Instead of working at blistering speeds, they work slower, but do more per process. So a 1.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, or new AMD chip, is going as fast, or faster, than an older 3Ghz Pentium 4 chip and is equivilant or better than 3Ghz.
If you post which chip you have/are thinking of getting, I can give you a better comparison.
Steve
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My son just built himself a game PC (mind you he's just nicked my 500GG HD and 24/96 audio card so I get my own music PC out of it!)
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 is what he used, on an Asus P5K Premium mobo. 4GB of RAM and a bl***y big cooler and quality PSU. (Can't remember the details on these)
It flies and just rubs his previous setup's nose (and my PC's) in the ground. He did print out his benchmarks but I can't find them right now.
He's also overclocked it by over 40% without any additional cooling or tweaking voltages. It hasn't missed a beat so he might take it further up the scale.
I think that shows what the previous poster said is true, it's not just the GHz speed you should think about, as the CPU's are different beasts these days.
Andy
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My wife has just told me that in no way can I afford a new laptop and afford to eat for the rest of the year !!!!!!
Guess that closes the subject