Quad-Core versus Dual-Core. What do YOU think I need?

[wedgeman]

I have had all three versions, many dual core, the i5, and the i7 versions.

For general web, email, photos, music use, a faster speed core two duo chipset will outperform aor i5 or i7 any day of the week.

Yes, this defies common assumptions, but it is true. I currently have an i5 2.6, and it is significantly slower than my c2duo 2.8 on most of my every day uses.

I have tried these in multiple configurations, but my general configuration is maximum available RAM, and a 1 TB hard drive. The faster processor speed makes the difference for application switching, and minor normal, everyday processing steps.

I have done stuff such as large rendering projects with Photoshop, and audio recording projects, and I use light room quite regularly. The difference where a newer chipset helps, is when you were doing serious, heavy-duty processing, such as video editing, video rendering, and large, i.e. 20+ track audio recording work.

If I were a college student, I would pick up a used 2.5, or 2.6 core two duo, and be very happy with it. I would put the extra pennies into the largest, fastest hard drive I can find, the most ram I can stuff into the machine, and a good time machine backup system.

I also do programming, and database development, and neither of these see a significant improvement on the newer chipsets.

When you can buy a fast core two duo system for $900-$1200, it does not make sense, to spend twice the money on a newer chipset when you will not gain more than 2% in additional capacity or capability

 

[KohPhiPhi]

Dual core = word processing, internet, email, facebook games, basic photo editing (remove red eyes);

I seriously wonder what some of your are thinking, really. You can do word processing, Internet, Email, Facebook, basic Photoshop, etc with a 7-year old single core laptop. Heck, you can even do all that just fine with a $400 netbook and 2Gb.

A Dual Core is WAY MORE than enough for the OP's needs.

 

[Xcallibur]

Generally speaking and this is completely vague but:

Dual core = word processing, internet, email, facebook games, basic photo editing (remove red eyes); 4GB RAM is plenty

Quad core = video editing, Virtualization, gaming, video encoding, professional photoshop, program development; 8-16GB RAM depending on need.

There is a lot more to processors than how many cores they have, your vague list of capabilities for a dual core are a joke, even older single cores can easily edit photos, certainly capable of a lot more than removing red-eyes!

 

[nuckinfutz]

Standard rule of thumb is to buy as much computing power as you can afford. The software will indeed catch up to your Mac someday.

 

[thekev]

Standard rule of thumb is to buy as much computing power as you can afford. The software will indeed catch up to your Mac someday.

Software has been a bit stagnant. Recently it's been more about gpus and ram than cpu speed bumps. On the laptop end Sandy Bridge was a decent bump though as the laptops did improve considerably due to new features, and a lot of programs just don't scale well. Many of them will use all available cores in some functions, yet much of the program won't scale well at all.

 

[Xcallibur]

Standard rule of thumb is to buy as much computing power as you can afford. The software will indeed catch up to your Mac someday.

Within reason though, the 15" is 50% dearer, so quite a big increase in price, for what some people will not notice a difference between!