A few CPU question.

1. How important is the CPU with the GPU? I keep seeing all this awesome graphics cards with what looks like a weak CPU.

2. When a CPU speed is rated at like a 1.8 or a 2.0, is that going to be the actually speed? Like for instance I have a AMD X2 4200, rated at a 2.2 Ghz but if I remember correctly the actually speed was much faster.

3. If AMD are rated higher that what they actually state would an Intel do the same? And if so what would an Intel Core 2 Duo rated at a 1.8 Ghz actually speed and performance be?

Thanks in advance, I am trying to get back in the loop of PC hardware.

Sounds like you're unsure of how well certain processors actually perform.

Gigahertz are not a good measurement of how good a processor is anymore. An Athlon X2 clocked at 2.0GHz easily bests a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 (or D, for that matter), whereas a Core 2 Duo clocked at 2.4GHz easily bests an Athlon X2 clocked at 3.0GHz. Gigahertz are only good for comparing processors in the same line - so yes, a 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo is better than a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo, but either chip is better than a 2.6GHz Athlon X2.

So, to answer your questions:

1: Depends on the CPU and GPU in question. A 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor is not a significant bottleneck on any single graphics card on the market.

2: Are you talking about the model number? AMD used a system of approximation, where the model number was basically the equivalent of Pentium 4 clock speed. So an Athlon X2 3200+ was approximately equal to a Pentium 4 clocked at 3.2GHz, despete the Athlon only being clocked at 2.0GHz. When dual-core processing comes into play, that's a whole other monster as well - you can't just add the core speeds up on your processor to 4.4GHz, it doesn't work like that. You simply have two 2.2GHz Athlon 64 processors working side-by-side in your computer.

3: An Intel Core 2 Duo clocked at 1.8GHz performs at approximately the same level as an Athlon 64 X2 5000+, which is clocked at 2.6GHz (and according to AMD's nomenclature, approximately equal to a Pentium 4 clocked at 5.0GHz, but that's most likely not as accurate as it was three or four years ago).

I think I am kind of getting it. But for save measure I want to give two examples.

There are two laptops, one of them has a Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 CPU with a GeForce 8600M GS 512MB graphics card. The other has a Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83 CPU with a GeForce 8700M GT 512MB graphics card. I guess I am still in the past because I keep looking at the CPU speeds and always focusing on the 2.5 because to me that looks faster. Which one of the two would out perform in gaming?

For gaming, the laptop with the 8700M GT will provide a better gaming experience. The 8600M GS had its texture and shader units crippled compared to the 8600M GT, they both got cut in half. The 8700M GT is just clocked a little higher.

I'd shoot for a balance if at all possible though - see if you can get an 8600M GT and a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo. 2.5GHz is overkill for a laptop Core processor, and the 8700M GT is overpriced for the performance it gives.

For gaming, the laptop with the 8700M GT will provide a better gaming experience. The 8600M GS had its texture and shader units crippled compared to the 8600M GT, they both got cut in half. The 8700M GT is just clocked a little higher.

I'd shoot for a balance if at all possible though - see if you can get an 8600M GT and a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo. 2.5GHz is overkill for a laptop Core processor, and the 8700M GT is overpriced for the performance it gives.

RayvinAzn

I am actually talking to a rep about trying to get the 8700 GT or better and then I may lower the CPU to kind of even out the price but right now as it stands the two laptops are almost identical in price. But if I couldn't then I was thinking of the laptop with the higher CPU because I need it for more than just gaming.

I am actually talking to a rep about trying to get the 8700 GT or better and then I may lower the CPU to kind of even out the price but right now as it stands the two laptops are almost identical in price. But if I couldn't then I was thinking of the laptop with the higher CPU because I need it for more than just gaming.

Spiritgod

Cut back to the 8600M GT, and then keep the processor at around 2.2GHz or so, that would be an ideal combination if you ask me.

[QUOTE="Spiritgod"]

I am actually talking to a rep about trying to get the 8700 GT or better and then I may lower the CPU to kind of even out the price but right now as it stands the two laptops are almost identical in price. But if I couldn't then I was thinking of the laptop with the higher CPU because I need it for more than just gaming.

RayvinAzn

Cut back to the 8600M GT, and then keep the processor at around 2.2GHz or so, that would be an ideal combination if you ask me.

What would be the difference between 4MB and 6MB of L2 cache, performance wise?

What would be the difference between 4MB and 6MB of L2 cache, performance wise?

Spiritgod