Dual Core? Worth it for gamers?

[Diplo]

I'm half-thinking about upgrading soon-ish and been wondering whether dual core is the way to go or not. From a purely gaming point-of-view it seems to me like AMD single-core solutions are not only cheaper but out-perform their dual-core counterparts in most games (as they are clocked faster). For instance, this Anandtech comparison:

Am I right in thinking that this is because current-generation games were never written with the concept of being multi-threaded? Is this likely to change soon or will games never scale particularly well to multi-core systems due to their very 'serial' nature? Will current-gen consoles (being multi-core) have a knock-on effect for developers of PC games? If so, will this happen with life-span of current generation CPUs?

Also, if you disregard games and concentrate on other applications, is dual core worth it there? I'm thinking from a price/performance ratio. Anyone any first-hand experience?

 

[suryad]

Till a few days ago I would have recommended non-dual core solutions for gaming. But now I would recommend dual core esp since game devs are releasing multi core patches for existing games. I am quite convinced Valve will be releasing such patches soon as has the devs of Quake. Heck isnt the next gen Unreal Engine supposed to be multithreaded as well? If I were you I would get a 4800 for gaming.

 

[Diplo]

If I were you I would get a 4800 for gaming.

If you'll pay for it I would be delighted

 

[digitalwanderer]

Hanners did a dual-core gaming write-up recently....

 

[Blacklash]

I don't regret getting this dual core one bit. It does very well in and out of gaming.

Price vs preformance would be overclocking a X2 3800 or 4200. You don't have to have 2.7 or greater to have a worthwhile return. Anything from roughly 2.46 and up should push games very well.

I have found for some reason my dual core with 2GB ram handles MMO games very well. I have fewer and less drastic slow downs than I did with my single core when many objects are suddenly loaded or drawn.

For example, going from a small building interior to load the "outside" area of a city, or large groups of other players loading suddenly do to rapidly closing with them etc. Games in question would be; EQ 2, WoW, SWG, Lineage II, and Anarchy Online.

This has been consistent across use of both nVidia and ATi video cards.

 

[digitalwanderer]

I'm still holding off on going dual-core. My mobo supports it, but my lil 3000+ Venice is still doing me proper in gaming.

Mebbe when the prices fall thru the floor on some of them.

 

[Farid]

Simple questions call for simple answers

Am I right in thinking that this is because current-generation games were never written with the concept of being multi-threaded?

Yes.

 

[ANova]

I would wait a little while longer. Software is only starting to support dual core and the new Intel and AMD processors will be coming out around quarter 3.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Am I right in thinking that this is because current-generation games were never written with the concept of being multi-threaded? Is this likely to change soon or will games never scale particularly well to multi-core systems due to their very 'serial' nature? Will current-gen consoles (being multi-core) have a knock-on effect for developers of PC games? If so, will this happen with life-span of current generation CPUs?

I expect future titles will be taking multi-threading into consideration a lot more as the proliferation of dual-core chips has increased.

 

[digitalwanderer]

I would wait a little while longer. Software is only starting to support dual core and the new Intel and AMD processors will be coming out around quarter 3.

I was gonna guess Aug/Sept would be a good time for picking up a dualy, so I think I agree with you.

It depends on what the prices do, but I think after the summer they'll be a whole bunch cheaper and we'll start to see games come with multi-threaded support as a given.

 

[Sxotty]

Mebbe when the prices fall thru the floor on some of them.

Me too

I think perhaps when socket M2 comes out I might buy a x2 3800 which I could get for maybe as little as $100.00 I want to get a CPU that is <200 for sure though and most likely <150 for my next one... have the same venice as digi though now.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Me too

I think perhaps when socket M2 comes out I might buy a x2 3800 which I could get for maybe as little as $100.00 I want to get a CPU that is <200 for sure though and most likely <150 for my next one... have the same venice as digi though now.

Great minds are cheap alike, you look like you're thinking the same 'xact way I am.

I'm holding out for under $150 for at least an X2 3800, hopefully a 4200.

 

[hoom]

I'm hoping to last out till I can get a dual core thats got a faster core than my current single core 2.2ghz for a price that I'm prepared to pay, hoping that AMD gets their 65nm coming out before too late.

 

[Moloch]

I'd like to see a histogram comparing various cpus in gpu limited situations.. like hanners did but it's nice to know the min framerates and how long it was there cuz really that's what's important once you get above about 40 fps in most games.

 

[Geo]

I've got to think the consoles are going to help quite a bit in getting multi-threaded gaming kick-started on the PC in 2006. There is always plenty of reason to wait longer if you can wait. . .but I wouldn't buy anything but a dual-core from here on whenever you buy (unless, of course, you run into a Heckuvadeal somewhere that you just can't resist). Just picked up an X2 4200 myself when our personal situation required an upgrade more or less immediately.

 

[Skrying]

I actually decided against a new rebuild this time of year because of the consoles an dual core, I think by the time next winter roles in we'll be seeing a lot of really interesting things and that's when I'll be ready to build (if there's no refresh a month or way or something like). In all honesty my Venice 3000+ (at 2.7Ghz mind you) and just a every day 6800 is doing damn fine for me right now, couldnt be happier.

 

[Pete]

Some gristle to ponder. Quake 4, at least, shows some dual-core promise.

 

[Cartoon Corpse]

socket m2 in june/july timeframe?

geez i don't want to wait that long.

at least there's single and dual option with 939.

now im torn between a stellar rig...say $4G's now (maxed everything)...with a 'live with it attitude' for a few/several years...or a middle of the road upgrade...$1-2G's with an eye towards doing it again in a year or two...keeping an eye out for the next quantum leap.

from my (antique) 1.4Gz, 1Grdram, 9700pro setup. i've lived with for 4 years now.

anyone else in this delimma?

 

[Sxotty]

anyone else in this delimma?

Everyone else is in that dillema unless they have infinite money.

The answer is to either buy the 4g rig now and sell on ebay in 6months to get another awesome rig, or look for sweet deals on a lower end one and constatnly upgrade.

I got a 12pipe x800 for $70 bucks a few days ago, and that will provide a decent experience for awhile. I will get another card for like $70 in the future and give mine to a brother for christmas, two birds one stone.

 

[digitalwanderer]

socket m2 in june/july timeframe?

geez i don't want to wait that long.

at least there's single and dual option with 939.

now im torn between a stellar rig...say $4G's now (maxed everything)...with a 'live with it attitude' for a few/several years...or a middle of the road upgrade...$1-2G's with an eye towards doing it again in a year or two...keeping an eye out for the next quantum leap.

from my (antique) 1.4Gz, 1Grdram, 9700pro setup. i've lived with for 4 years now.

anyone else in this delimma?

Sort of, I really want to upgrade my CPU but I don't want to spend a lot on it so I'm sort of screwed for the moment. I figure come July/August 939 dual-cores should be in my pricerange.