Isn't Dual Core Future-Proof?

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Hello everyone. I recently bought this new computer: went with the E8400 + P5Q Pro board, and i'm pretty happy with it.

The thing is, there seems to be this ongoing debate about whether it is better to buy a Dual Core and have maximum gaming perfomance now, or buy a Quad and be ready for the future.


My question is this: I know dual cores have been around for a couple of years now, but do these people really think they are at the end of their cycle? I mean... most dual cores seem pretty powerful for whatever apps and games out there new, and I think they will be ready for the future as well.

Don't you think Dual Core CPUs will be around for quite some time? I'd say they will, for at least another 2 years. I think that is the time that current Dual Core CPUs (including mine) will start to show their age. Dual core CPUs are still very powerful (in my opinion) and I don't really think (and hope) that they will be out of juice for apps and games anytime soon.

Realistically thinking, when do you think Dual Cores will become obsolete? (i.e. not having enough juice for games, apps, or just plain unsupported by games and apps as well.)

Thoughts?

Cheers!
 
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Guest

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The move to multi-threading is already starting to happen... now it doesn't make sense to buy a dual core in my opinion... quads are only about 50 bucks more than a good quad... so I'd get the quad... in fact i did... and i noticed a significant improvement across the board going from dual to quad

did you create an account just to start this? most people start if they have a question...

it almost seems like your advertising something even though your not specifically promoting anything...
 
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NuclearShadow

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I honestly don't see any system requirements requiring a quad for a long time when it comes to video games. While quads are great for multi threaded apps it just doesn't make sense for games at the moment.

Games are also much more dependent on the video card today rather than the CPU so even if all games started supporting 4 cores or even more the performance difference won't be a large gap.

Then you face the problem of new hardware coming out. By the time the quad is really needed the ones we use now may not even be compatible with the new motherboards. You may be thinking "Why would I need a new mobo?" Well who says the future videocards will be compatible with your old motherboard. My advice is to only use a quad if you use apps that utilize it but if your more of a gamer then stick to the dual cores for now.
 
jdw_swb

jdw_swb

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People on these forums have been saying that quads will become more important for around 2 years now....and i'm still hearing the same story now.

By the time quad cores are truly relevant in the mainstream programs abd games...all your current quads will seem archaic to to faster and more efficient models available at that time.

Get an E8400 now.....OC to around 3.4-3.6 (easy to do) and most users will find they have enough power for their needs.
 
Zorg

Zorg

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Hello everyone. I recently bought this new computer: went with the E8400 + P5Q Pro board, and i'm pretty happy with it.... Don't you think Dual Core CPUs will be around for quite some time?...
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Isn't it a little late for that question?

You got a good computer and it will last you for a long while, depending on how demanding you are.

You will know when it is no longer fast enough, and the time that will take is different for everyone.

Relax and enjoy your new rig.
 
Homeboy2

Homeboy2

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i got and e8500, overclocked to 4.3 on stock voltage, will run anything i want , i figure it will continue to do so until i upgrade to the 32nm version of Nehalem.
 
chaosgs

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They wont be obsolete till 2016, P4's still run applications and FEW games just fine. I have noticed cpu's only obsolete 10 years after they come out, IF THEY LAST THAT LONG (lifespan). But for gamer's cpu's only last 1-4 years max and Gpu's 1-2 years, maybe 3.
 
Homeboy2

Homeboy2

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But dont use the term "Future proof" its as absurd as the term "Bullet proof vest" there is no such thing. "Future resistant" makes more sense
 
rambo117

rambo117

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i agree, you can NEVER be "futureproofed" in the technological world. just doesnt happen.

to the poster: you have a really nice dual core and that will probablly outperform most quads but when more and more multithreaded apps start coming out, the age of dualcores will start to come to an end and the rise of the quadcores will come:p. (LOTR xD)
 
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MarkG

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I know dual cores have been around for a couple of years now, but do these people really think they are at the end of their cycle?
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Once Nehalem is out, dual-cores will be the bottom end of the range, and even then they'll be able to run four threads with reasonable performance; the mid-range will be quads that can run eight threads, and the high-end will be octos that can run sixteen threads.

So if you want a computer that can run future software with decent performance for a few years to come, I'd get a quad even if it's a bit slower than a dual-core on current software that doesn't use many threads.
 
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pasoleatis

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Hello everyone. I recently bought this new computer: went with the E8400 + P5Q Pro board, and i'm pretty happy with it.

The thing is, there seems to be this ongoing debate about whether it is better to buy a Dual Core and have maximum gaming perfomance now, or buy a Quad and be ready for the future.


My question is this: I know dual cores have been around for a couple of years now, but do these people really think they are at the end of their cycle? I mean... most dual cores seem pretty powerful for whatever apps and games out there new, and I think they will be ready for the future as well.

Don't you think Dual Core CPUs will be around for quite some time? I'd say they will, for at least another 2 years. I think that is the time that current Dual Core CPUs (including mine) will start to show their age. Dual core CPUs are still very powerful (in my opinion) and I don't really think (and hope) that they will be out of juice for apps and games anytime soon.

Realistically thinking, when do you think Dual Cores will become obsolete? (i.e. not having enough juice for games, apps, or just plain unsupported by games and apps as well.)

Thoughts?

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Buy the quad when you need it. Chance it are that you are going to change anyway at least once or twice the proc before it will happen

PL


Buy the quad when you need it. Chance it are that you are going to change at least once or twice the proc before it will happen

PL
 
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Guest

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if you can overclock a quad as far as you can a dual core... why not just get the quad?

thats what i did... sure i can't get an extra 300 mhz on it... but does that really matter?
 
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techpro

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Intel Dual core or Intel Quad core, it's got to be better than AMD's crappy CPU's. AMD really have become embarrassment at the moment and their Phenom sucks!!

 
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Guest

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yeah for the moment... but perhaps not in the future... please don't start a flaming thread...
 
resonance451

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Nothing is "future proof". If you have to kill yourself, do it to get that term out of your head.

A dual-core system will last you in some form or another for a good five or six years. Then the requirements will start ramping up. The most important thing is to buy a component at the end of its production cycle; all the bugs have been worked out, the architecture is mature, and you're getting it at a great price. So any of the 45nm dual or quad core processors are a good choice for a system that will last a number of years. But you can't expect it to last forever regardless. Even my beefy qx9650 system won't last a decade, so you can't expect your system to work forever.

I love quads myself, but don't run out and buy one to replace your dual as if the apocalypse were imminent. You have a good setup that will last you years if you take care of it.
 
jerreece

jerreece

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I think I hate Flame Threads more than Future Proof threads.
 
eodeo

eodeo

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duo = scam for people that know little about stuff.
quad= the way to.

both intel and amd figured that pumping mhz will give them diminishing returns. Adding cores is what GPUs have done for a long time now and CPUs are finally catching up.

Duos arent bad. However even while not 2x better than duos at the moment, quads are better even now. Who doesnt have some sort of messenger and other random crap running in background. extra cores will make stuff run faster later and they make stuff run faster now for the average user that has tons of apps silently running even today.
 
resonance451

resonance451

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I'd suggest you get a clue on what you're talking about before you post. CPUs and GPUs are not the same thing, and the reason clock speeds have not increased is because heat is a computer's greatest enemy. Releasing higher-clocked processors would account for more heat, when instead multiple cores can give increased processing power, especially when handled efficiently.

Dual core systems will do great for those that have them. If one has the budget for a quad, that is my preference, but I wouldn't call them a scam.

Think before you post next time.
 
zero3one

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Wouldn't that make a duo core more so then?
 
JAYDEEJOHN

JAYDEEJOHN

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I think you may have that wrong, as faster cpus make for faster everything. Its just that theyre hitting a wall in speeds, otherwise, youd never have these threads if duos could easily reach 5Ghz, then quads would still be history. This is mainly a misconception, and both AMD and Intel are going quad for server and speed limitations. For gaming, which is slow to multithreading anyways, the compelling reasons to go quad are small if at all at this point
 
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