Computer processor question!

dcmoody23 · Oct 17, 2010

Is there anyone out there running a 3.08GHz intel core duo processor? I'll be running photoshop cs5 and lightroom 3 pretty near constantly, and I'm wondering if that processor would be able to take it like a champ or quit, die, slowww down on me. I have my eyes set on a 2.8 i7 quad core

, but if the 3.08 duo would get the job done then I really don't see spending that extra $450 on my computer .. (and the i7 has a better graphics card, along with some things I don't really care about bumping that price up $405.

Thoughts?

Vinny · Oct 17, 2010

Why don't you download the trial versions of both and see how they run. More important then the processor is the amount of memory and which OS you are running. I believe both CS5 and Lightroom 3 run 64 bit on Windows 7 and apparently having more ram than 4Gb speeds up CS5 at least, not sure about Lightroom.

For a video card look into one of the Nvidea or ATI cards that CS5 supports since CS5 uses their processor to run some calculations - that is an inexpensive upgrade - $100 or so. Also, I7 may not be compatable with the Core Duo motherboard, memory speed ...

dustin0479 · Oct 17, 2010

Save for the i7. I just got mine and it is insane. We have Mac's at work and with the i7, 6gigs of ram and 1gig video card i would easily put it up agains a Mac!

dcmoody23 · Oct 17, 2010

This is going to be in a mac.. I'm deciding which to buy. Does the graphics card really even matter? I was convinced that was only to enhance gaming, which I do none of. In the case it does matter, then I'll have to reconsider the ATI radeon HD 4850 w/ 512mb memory (which comes with the quad core i7 processor).

EDIT: Just checked the compatibility list, and the 4850 IS suppoorted, with no known issues (in testing before release of the photoshop cs5)

rpm · Oct 17, 2010

hahaha you're still deciding.

quad core > duo core no matter if the duo core seems to be slightly faster. the difference between the two is less than 500mhz that is nothing really in the grand scheme of things...esp since software will be optimized more and more towards multi-core processors, having more won't slow you down and the i7 will outperform a Core Duo severely. its really unfair to compare the two. you'd have to compare an i5 dual core with an i7 quad and even then its apples and oranges. also the i7 has HT which means 4 physical cores and 4 'theoretical' cores (forgetting the proper term) - it almost acts essentially as 8 cores. but its not so dont go saying it is lol it simply performs close to it but at the expense of heat and a lot of it lol

dcmoody23 · Oct 17, 2010

Yeah man, I was all set with my barebones until I found out how ridiculously expensive nice 27 inch displays are. I'm so sick and tired of the whole deciding thing that I just bit the bullet and purchased my Refurb 27 inch imac with the 2.8 quad core intel i7. I'm legit more sorry than you'd ever know for wasting so much of your time, haha, but I've learned A LOT from you and am very confident with the purchase I just made that I got what I wanted. I just couldn't pass up the amazing display of the apple and the customer service .. I'm not deleting the PC that I had built though. The iMac is going back if it doesn't meet my standards, and I'm custom building.

Anyway, That's a bunch for all of your help. It's so unlike me to make a purchase like this, especially on a whim, but I decided that if I didn't buy soon I'd go crazy from trying to find the perfect equipment and deal.

Gah, I still don't know if I made the right choice, but ohh well.

rpm · Oct 17, 2010

the Mac will prob meet your standards, there's absolutely nothing wrong with them at all

i personally just love my custom builds, makes me feel like im in control, like driving a manual over an auto. but i wont lie id get an apple display for my PC if there wasnt such a premium on it lol..enjoy your purchase and def go for the quad hands down

Vinny · Oct 18, 2010

Of course in a month or so Intel will come out with new chips to replace whats here now. When I bought my PC, I got an I5-760 that replaced a few month old I5-750 in my new computer. The 760 is a little bit faster than the 750. That's the problem with buying technology ... always is outdated LOL!!!

I'm sure you'll love the Mac, I've heard nothing but good things about Apple products.

BuS_RiDeR · Oct 18, 2010

PS or LR will run fine on a Core2 Duo....

More importantly, make sure you have a minimum of 2 GB of RAM... if you are running Windows in 32-bit mode it will only run 3GB of RAM (most versions)... 64-bit Windows generally accepts more, depending on the version.

Also important MAY be your video card. If you are using a stand alone video card (not on the motherboard) you should be fine.

Derrel · Oct 18, 2010

YOU will be the slowest link, by far...

tommypalloj · Oct 18, 2010

Don't bother spending money getting something with two or more separate processors, since no program knows how to split tasks between the two just yet so it will not make a difference. Yes it is faster on paper, but the software has to know how to allocate it all at once. I would save up for the i7. I run the Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB of RAM and the standard nVidia video card on my Mac and I use CS5, Lightroom, and AutoCAD in 3D without a single hiccup. I also am using a 13.3" screen too, which helps a bunch.

dcmoody23 · Oct 19, 2010

I did. I got the i7 quad core iMac with a 27" screen - refurbished for $1700.. Seems like a lot, but the screen is why I bought it, and the i7 quad core should be plenty fast for anything I ever use it for.
Thanks a lot for the responses

DerekSalem · Oct 19, 2010

Vinny said:
Why don't you download the trial versions of both and see how they run. More important then the processor is the amount of memory and which OS you are running. I believe both CS5 and Lightroom 3 run 64 bit on Windows 7 and apparently having more ram than 4Gb speeds up CS5 at least, not sure about Lightroom.

For a video card look into one of the Nvidea or ATI cards that CS5 supports since CS5 uses their processor to run some calculations - that is an inexpensive upgrade - $100 or so. Also, I7 may not be compatable with the Core Duo motherboard, memory speed ...

Huge difference in Lightroom as well. I'm running a Core 2 Quad Extreme @ 3.6Ghz (with 12Mb of L2 cache), 4Gb of high-performance ram, and a GTX 260 Core 216 OC'd pretty high...and Lightroom 3 performs a bit slowly after 5 minutes once it caps out my RAM (it literally uses around 3.7Gb of RAM after a few minutes). After a minute or 2 it speeds up again (once LR best utilizes the amount of ram).

And no, i7 are not compatible with the same motherboards that Core 2 Duos use. Completely different sets. Guessing you know that though.

rpm · Oct 19, 2010

nice overclock, what you using to cool it? those extreme chips get hot. water? or high end air?

rpm · Oct 19, 2010

Vinny said:
I got an I5-760 that replaced a few month old I5-750 in my new computer. The 760 is a little bit faster than the 750. That's the problem with buying technology ... always is outdated LOL!!!

that is being a bit compulsive and you prob didnt even notice an increase in performance from your older cpu. real world would have less than 20% (prob less. way less) overall performance increase to your PC...pointless really. you should have just overclocked what you had...

that isn't what id consider something being 'outdated'. your older chip was far from outdated.