Intel Processors Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 Which one is best

[Wicked1]

Ok, so I have had a Core 2 Duo for a couple of years and I am pleased with it's performance, but I can not find anything that compares the C2D to the newer i3, i5, or i7 as far as speed etc.

I went to the Apple store and messed around with the new MBP and even the iMac's but I can not really tell the difference, also how does it enable power boost on the Macs, I do not believe this is something that is user enabled?

Anyone know of any links or videos that show comparisons?

 

[spinnerlys]

Maybe bechnmarks can help: http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/
or
MacBook Pro 15″: Core i5 Vs Core 2 Duo


What were your search terms? I got plenty of results via "c2d vs i5" or c2d vs i7".

Turbo Boost.
Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors also feature Turbo Boost. If you’re using processor-intensive applications like Aperture 3 or Final Cut Pro that would benefit from an extra performance kick, Turbo Boost dynamically increases the speed of one or both cores, taking a 2.66GHz MacBook Pro all the way up to 3.33GHz.

from http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/performance.html

or

ntel® Turbo Boost Technology¹ is one of the many exciting features that Intel has built into latest-generation Intel® microarchitecture codename Nehalem. It automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base operating frequency if it's operating below power, current, and temperature specification limits.

from Intel® Turbo Boost Technology


video: MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo Versus Core I7 Reboot from http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=macbook+core+2+duo+vs+i7&aq=f

 

[mark28]

Maybe bechnmarks can help: http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/
or
MacBook Pro 15″: Core i5 Vs Core 2 Duo


What were your search terms? I got plenty of results via "c2d vs i5" or c2d vs i7".



from http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/performance.html

or


from Intel® Turbo Boost Technology


video: MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo Versus Core I7 Reboot from http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=macbook+core+2+duo+vs+i7&aq=f

An iMac (Late 2009) - Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 3.33 GHz (2 cores) is slower than a i5 MBP?

 

[snaky69]

Ok, so I have had a Core 2 Duo for a couple of years and I am pleased with it's performance, but I can not find anything that compares the C2D to the newer i3, i5, or i7 as far as speed etc.

I went to the Apple store and messed around with the new MBP and even the iMac's but I can not really tell the difference, also how does it enable power boost on the Macs, I do not believe this is something that is user enabled?

Anyone know of any links or videos that show comparisons?

That's because there is no difference to notice when you're simply messing around. The speed difference will be seen when using processor hungry apps, say with rendering in final cut, photoshop, number crunching in a big database in matlab, etc.

For those things, the new processors are indeed much faster, for day to day computing, you probably won't notice much.

 

[AdamRock]

i5 would be the best, i7 wouldn't be that noticeable unless you do some hardcore stuff

 

[maflynn]

For many common tasks, i.e., surfing, documents etc, you'll not see any appreciable difference between a core2duo and an i5. Only when you start working on applications like Aperture, and Photoshop does the higher horse power show up.

Personally, I prefer the smaller form factor (and price) over the larger faster 15" MBP

 

[gnasher729]

Ok, so I have had a Core 2 Duo for a couple of years and I am pleased with it's performance, but I can not find anything that compares the C2D to the newer i3, i5, or i7 as far as speed etc.

I went to the Apple store and messed around with the new MBP and even the iMac's but I can not really tell the difference, also how does it enable power boost on the Macs, I do not believe this is something that is user enabled?

Intel's processor naming is quite confusing. There are very different models of i3, i5 and i7 (Core 2 Duos are very comparable), so you have to look closer.

In general, more cores means more power; hyperthreading means a little bit more power, i3/i5/i7 are a bit faster than Core 2 Duo with same specs, and more GHz is more speed. In practice, many people will never, ever notice the difference because the Core 2 Duo is just fast enough.

"Power Boost" works automatically. What it does is make the processor run faster if only one core is used; or if only two of four cores are used (because unused cores means less heat is produced which means Intel can run the chips at higher speed). Which is nice if you have software that runs long enough to make you wait, but is too stupid to use more cores. In reality, the software would run a lot faster if it was written to use all cores on your computer.