[SOLVED] Best configuration (Core 2 cpus)

[MichaelNowik]

Hi
I have to choose between a Core 2 Duo E6400 (2,13 ghz) with 4 gb DDR2 and a Core 2 Quad Q8300 (2,5 ghz) with 2gb DDR2.

What combination of parts has most power?

Edit: Is it possible to benchmark the systems in Linux, then I can see for myself the best combination?

 

[geofelt]

What is the intended purpose of this pc?

Clearly, the Q8300 is the stronger processor.
Your choice will depend on how much ram you need.
You can look up the passmark performance numbers to compare the processors, but that will assume that you have adequate ram.
A lack of sufficient ram will show up as degraded cpu processing if a task has to wait for resolution of a page fault.
2gb is insufficient for almost anything these days except to run old apps.

 

[InvalidError]

The Quad is far more powerful: one generation newer, 45nm instead of 65nm for much higher power-efficiency, higher clocks, twice as many cores. However, having 2GB of RAM is going to hurt very bad. Unless you can upgrade the memory to 4-8GB of appropriate DDR2 for a reasonably low cost, you may be better off getting the Duo instead

Unless you have a specific reason why you need to get a Core2-era system, I would look for something like an i5-2400 through i7-3770 instead, lots of those on the used market. You can get whole systems including 8GB of RAM for under $200 and any of those would be another 60+% faster than the C2Q.

 

[MichaelNowik]

What is the intended purpose of this pc?

Clearly, the Q8300 is the stronger processor.
Your choice will depend on how much ram you need.
You can look up the passmark performance numbers to compare the processors, but that will assume that you have adequate ram.
A lack of sufficient ram will show up as degraded cpu processing if a task has to wait for resolution of a page fault.
2gb is insufficient for almost anything these days except to run old apps.

I need it as a guest-pc in a home. Okay.

The Quad is far more powerful: one generation newer, 45nm instead of 65nm for much higher power-efficiency, higher clocks, twice as many cores. However, having 2GB of RAM is going to hurt very bad. Unless you can upgrade the memory to 4-8GB of appropriate DDR2 for a reasonably low cost, you may be better off getting the Duo instead

Unless you have a specific reason why you need to get a Core2-era system, I would look for something like an i5-2400 through i7-3770 instead, lots of those on the used market. You can get whole systems including 8GB of RAM for under $200 and any of those would be another 60+% faster than the C2Q.

Okay.

 

[geofelt]

If you add 2gb to the Q8300 and replace any HDD with a ssd, it will be plenty good for guest internet access.