well, I'm working out what to get in a new PC and the question of dual Vs quad has reared it's multi-headed self up (but would that be 2 heads or 4?) at first I automatically fell into the more = better mind set, but after a good number of hours researching, I'm leaning the opposite way. thinking instead that for my needs (basic all around computing) I'd be better off with a dual core with higher GHz. a good dual core(namely the Intel Core 2 Duo E8600), with lower power needs, heat output, noise etc and strong all around performance would seem like the right choice for me, BUT... would a similar priced/quality quad core be a better investment? since even though not many programs are optimized to really take advantage of more then 2 cores right now, that is likely where things are headed. so I thought I'd bring this question to (wo)men wiser then I on the subject, and hopefully get a feel for the current opinions on it. do you think the potential long term benefits of a quad core outweigh the more immediate better fit of a simple high GHz dual core? [p.s, extra credit for opinions on the GeForce 9600 GT GPU Vs the 9800, and tips on decent audio options]
Just get a dual core. By the time a lot of software can actually take advantage of quad core, the processor will be obsolete anyway. Quad core has been around for a long time and most software still can't take advantage of it (even now).
Duals still dominate most tasks and they will always OC higher than their quad counterparts with less cooling and power usage required. The exceptions are encoding and rendering.
ok, so clearly people agree that a dual core is the way to go for anyone who's not going to be doing lots of rendering etc, and that it's not going to change anytime that soon. Thanks. @Chai: no, I wasn't planning on overclocking, which is why I was thinking I'd go with the E8600 over the E8500(which is what I looked at originally), E8500 has 3.16 GHz, and the E8600 is 3.33. that seemed worth the price difference to me. (plus I'll be buying through a friend with a work discount, so the price difference should be even less)
If you are interested in the performance difference of the various Intel Core 2 CPUs, dual core or quad core, take a look here - Tech ARP - Intel Core 2 Processor Performance Comparison Guide Rev. 2.7
