Single threaded program, best with Dual- or Quad-core?

MeandI

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Hi

Ive looked over several articles and charts to figure out which processor would solve my problem, but I am still in sixes and sevens.

I am trying to get my program to perform better; right now I have a Intel Pentium D 830 2,0ghz Dual core, and I would like to buy a new processor to improve my programs performance.

My program is single threaded, and very data heavy, it is a statistical program, which almost only makes use of integers.

I've looked at

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 $269.83

and

Intel Core i7 920 $274.9

Which to choose? Or should I consider other processors?

I really hope some bright person can help me :)

Regards
 

MeandI

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Thanks for your answer, very much appreciated!

But why is it, I thought when it came to single threaded applications a faster CPU was better? Sorry my noob question :)

Edit: Forgot to tell, maybe its worth mentioning, that my program will be the only program running on the PC.
 
My answer is correct only if you have other background applications running as well. The difference between the E8600 and i7 really is minimal for single threaded applications (the i7 automatically overclocks a bit if only one core is busy). If you have absolutely nothing else running and you don't plan on updating that application, then go with the E8600 as you'll save money and it might be a bit faster.
 
At that small difference in clock speed I think the i7's inherent advantages would pull it out ahead.
To be fair you probably should compare 3.2Ghz i7 to 3.8 E8500. I see no advantage to getting the E8600 over the E8500 (or E8400 for that matter).

3Ds Max ver 8 has single threaded modeling and multi-threaded rendering.
In single threaded applications you should see a shakeout similar to this benchmark:
wb-3dsmax-dx.gif


For multi-threading applications you'd expect a result more like this:
wb-3dsmax-render.gif
 

MeandI

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Hey, thanks a lot for both your work guys!

Yea Ghislain you are right if there would be background applications, my bad, I should have written it in the start that there wouldn't be any background applications.

CHEERS WR2!
I am definitely going for a E8600 now.

Now when we're at it I can't stop asking you, if its okay :)

I got a Asus P5N32 Sli - Deluxe. I had, and still have BSODS once in a while, when multitasking, but I've come to live with it. And it works fine as long as I don't got a ton of programs open, and not alt-tabbing all the time. My plan was to make a clean install on that pc with this processor, but my question is, should I try another motherboard?
 

MeandI

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I'll go for the E8500 then, but the E8500 isn't on the chart, is there a big difference or is it mainly the same?

I first thought it was the ram too, but I changed it 3 times and its still the same. Now it has come to my knowledge that P5N32 Sli has had a lot of child diseases, which actually grew to adult diseases.. I've read on several forums that people have had their Hdd, Ram and/or Graphics card fried/destroyed cause of the motherboard, and then the rest have had a okay/good experience with it. That's why I am a bit anxious if it'll hold or not, cause I've changed all my parts in the computer, except PSU and Motherboard, and it still isn't completely stable. But I am like, if it works (somewhat), don't change it.

That was why I was concerned about the processor fitting my old motherboard.

Ah just found out the FSB on P5N32Sli deluxe is like this:
"Front Side Bus
- 1066/800/533MHz"

So you were right :)

I'll try the motherboard you linked combined with the cheaper E8500.

P.s. I think the BSODS is caused by faulty RAM slots.
 
E8400 3.0Ghz / E8500 3.16Ghz / E8600 3.33Ghz.

If the E8500 had been on those charts it would have slipped right into where you'd expected it based on the clock speed.

What do you have for DDR2 memory?
 

MeandI

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Yea thats true, I've just experienced black sheeps in the lines before. So better safe than sorry ;-)

I started with some OCZ Gold 2x1 gb, can't really remember the cl or model sorry.

Now I got Corsair CM2X1024-5400C4 2x1+2x0.512gb.
 

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