just got a cheap Dual Core Intel CPU + Board, I'm impressed

[Leythos]

I just got a cheap intel board and 2.66ghz Dual Core CPU to play with.
The CPU has 1x2MB cache, does not have Hyper Threading, but is a retail
version. The board is a cheap board (don't remember the model and I'm
not near it), was about $119 for it.

I also bought a cheap $59 PCIe card with 128MB RAM for the board as it
doesn't have onboard video.

In testing between my P4/3.2ghz with a AGP8x Radeon and 1GB RAM, playing
GuildWars at 1280x1024, the slower Dual Cure 2.66ghz and cheaper video
card has smoother graphics and no stutter.

I mention this because the P4 machine/board was more than twice the cost
of the Dual Core parts, not to mention the cost of the AGP card being
about $200 vs the PCIe card at $59.

I've not had time to do any benchmark testing, but the game seems to
indicate that the Dual Core is a winner so far.

 

[Kerry Brown]

It may have more to do with PCIe than the CPU.

 

[Whatsit]

I just got a cheap intel board and 2.66ghz Dual Core CPU to play with.
The CPU has 1x2MB cache, does not have Hyper Threading, but is a retail
version. The board is a cheap board (don't remember the model and I'm
not near it), was about $119 for it.

I also bought a cheap $59 PCIe card with 128MB RAM for the board as it
doesn't have onboard video.

In testing between my P4/3.2ghz with a AGP8x Radeon and 1GB RAM, playing
GuildWars at 1280x1024, the slower Dual Cure 2.66ghz and cheaper video
card has smoother graphics and no stutter.

I mention this because the P4 machine/board was more than twice the cost
of the Dual Core parts, not to mention the cost of the AGP card being
about $200 vs the PCIe card at $59.

*When* was the AGP card $200? Yesterday, or 3 months ago?

 

[Doug]

I am so happy for you that I danced a jig.

Doug
-

 

[Leythos]

It may have more to do with PCIe than the CPU.

Yes, I know that, but the AGP card is new, it was just bought for the P4
after I had issues with performance on the system in the same game.

I know that PCIe is faster, but I didn't expect a cheap $59 card to
show-up my $200+ card on a machine with a slower CPU too.

 

[Kerry Brown]

It'd be impossible to pin it down to one thing but I've noticed that PCIe
cards are generally much faster than than AGP cards. The CPU would certainly
play a part but I'd say the faster bus is the main difference. It's always
hard to compare apples and oranges

 

[Leythos]

It'd be impossible to pin it down to one thing but I've noticed that PCIe
cards are generally much faster than than AGP cards. The CPU would certainly
play a part but I'd say the faster bus is the main difference. It's always
hard to compare apples and oranges

Yep, I agree, but I didn't expect as much out of the system, so I'm
impressed that it gives this level of performance.

This means I can purchase cheaper systems for my kids and they can play
the higher level games