PC Sale Confusion

[Nitrous]

Hey all, I have been looking for a PC/laptop recently as my parents said I could get a new one.

My current PC is 3.2 GHz - Intel Pent. 4 HT. Its a few years old (4 or 5).

I have been trying to look for a new PC/laptop, something that's preferably faster. But I have seen a few PCs with a Dual Core or Quad Core that say XXX GHz and am confused whether its' total speed or individual core speed. :?:

I am not the most brilliant at explaining so here's my problem copy and pasted:

# Intel Core 2 Duo Processor U7600
# (1.2 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 2 MB Cache)

That's what it says, so I a wondering whether it is 1.2 GHz overall or 2.4 GHz (with each processor being 1.2GHz). :?:

Thanks for any help. :D
Nitrous
xxxxx

P.S. Before, I get slated I know buying a PC isn't ALL about speed. :)

[Maxi]

The processor speed is still 1.2Ghz. The difference is that a Dual Core has two 'cores', and can calculate two things at a time, and is much, much more efficient at doing calculations than an old P4, even at lower speeds. Regarding pc/laptop issue, if you want to game on your new pc I don't recommend a laptop, unless you just wont the lottery or need it for work or something. :P

[Nitrous]

Thanks a lot Maxi. I was going to get the laptop for school work though. Not gaming, my current PC is good enough for gaming I think.

But computer games graphic engines nowadays are advancing with quite a bit of pace, so best if I prepare myself more the future I guess, so I am getting a PC, preferably the new Quad Core range. :)

[Welshie]

For a million reasons, 2x1.2 Ghz cores will almost never give you as good performance as one 2.4 Ghz core, Core speed no longer seems to be growing as fast, but instead processors get more cores and still higher bus speeds etc etc. Unfortuunately this means a bit more reading for your average numpty ;)

[BlackWolf]

First of all 2x1.2 cant be 2.4 for 2 reasons.
1. Something must also divide those calculations to those both cores. So basicly it could be 2.3 and use that 0.1 to tell commands.
The major reason 2. Is that games, programs etc are not made to use multiple cores. Untill very recently (like year or so) has programs and games started to support multiple cores. Atm 2 cores is best they do (but in some extreme cases). Basicly even some games tell they support 4 cores 2 of those are doing like nothing.
Unfortunatedly 2 cores are clocked at higher speed than 4 (due hardware reasons) and it makes Duals to actually beat Quads on certain games.

Now to 2nd thing. Dual cores and Quad cores are new architechture. They do more operations one single run with one core than old processors like P4. For that reason you cant really compare core speeds.
For example 1GHz 386 would be beated by same speed 486 by about 25-50%, same way pentium 1 beated those, P2 beated P1, P3 beated P2, P4 beated P3 and finally duals and quads beats P4.
(Taking all works on same MHz speed)
Theres coming new versions of Pentiums at these summer / autumn and those are beating nowdays quads and duos by same 25-50% due their new architechture.

And in the end i can say theres been couple posts of new comps on this same sub forum in recent history, in both i and Maxi have been posting some good quides what to get.
Both Nvidia and Ati are publishing their new GPUs in very very near future (during this month or so). And both are giving really good speeds compared to old ones. So for now i would wait like month or two and get new comp then.

[Maxi]

A Core 2 Duo 2Ghz is better than the old P4's @ 3Ghz. ;)