Dual core or quad core

[HPriller]

I was thinking of picking up a new gaming laptop capable of playing this game and was wondering if a dual core or quad core would be preferable for performance.

The CPUs in question are Intel I7-2620M or I7-2720-QM

[Max]

Repost in the Hardware/Software section and you'll most likely get more responses.

[Krupinski]

Just ordered this over the weekend...



Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz
• 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 800GB 7200RPM Dual Hard Drive (SSD 160GB + 640GB 7200RPM)
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner

[M0nkey_Man]

Just ordered this over the weekend...

(Image removed from quote.)

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz
• 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 800GB 7200RPM Dual Hard Drive (SSD 160GB + 640GB 7200RPM)
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner

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[100Coogn]

I've always seen on these boards that Dual Core was the way to go.  I myself am using a Quad Core, but I don't see much difference in the overall performance of the game.
Upgrading my GPU did help though.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Coogan

[dhart]

Get a 6 core.......

[Tigger29]

If this game is the most intensive thing you plan to do with the system, then a Dual core will be just fine.  If you plan on using it for video editing, etc. then a quad core will be better.

With all things being equal, Aces High will perform better with a faster dual core as compared to a slower Quad Core.. but this doesn't take into consideration other things you plan to use the computer for.

If my choices for the same price were say a 3.4Ghz Dual Core vs. a 2.4Ghz Quad core, I'd probably choose the Dual Core, but if the speed difference or cost difference were more minute, I may opt for the quad core.

Example.. a 3.4 Quad only $20 more than a 3.4 Dual.. I'd probably go Quad.

[HPriller]

If this game is the most intensive thing you plan to do with the system, then a Dual core will be just fine.  If you plan on using it for video editing, etc. then a quad core will be better.

With all things being equal, Aces High will perform better with a faster dual core as compared to a slower Quad Core.. but this doesn't take into consideration other things you plan to use the computer for.

this was my suspicion.  the CPUs in question I believe are 2.2 and 2.7 GHz respectively but it's hard to know what exactly that means as these things have so called 'burst modes' now that push em up to 3.3ghz or more.  I was wondering if anyone did any kind of benchmarking on this game for CPU comparisions it has been my experience that this game is fairly heavily dependant on CPU so it would be interesting to see how the different options compare given the same other parts.

[Killer91]

I'm pretty sure AH will only use two cores even if you have a quad core. I may be wrong but I almost positive I read this somewhere on this BBS.


Anyone??

[curry1]

I'm pretty sure AH will only use two cores even if you have a quad core. I may be wrong but I almost positive I read this somewhere on this BBS.


Anyone??

I believe you are correct hardly any games can really use quad core processing to its potential.

[Chalenge]

Faster CPU is better. Doesnt matter about Dual or Quad core for AH.

[Krusty]

I believe you are correct hardly any games can really use quad core processing to its potential.

Not quite... While AH only uses 2, other games will and do use more. Especially games from the past 2-3 years. I know BFBC2 uses 4 cores off my 8-core CPU, and windows 7 64 bit uses up a chunk of still another while gaming. (it's 4 core i7 with HT enabled, effectively 8 cores). Other games will continue to move this way. Especially the intensive CPU-eating types like, (guessing) FarCry 2 where it has dynamic flames and wind dispersion patterns for the brush fires.

For AH purposes, 2 cores is fine. You may miss the other cores if you play other games or if you plan to keep that CPU for 5 years or so (meaning software will advance ahead of your CPU over those years).

[icepac]

I'll bet that laptop battery life is short with the the 6850 or any X8XX series ati card....since they draw twice the current of any X7XX series card ( 5770).

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I'll bet that laptop battery life is short with the the 6850 or any X8XX series ati card....since they draw twice the current of any X7XX series card ( 5770).

Laptops do not have a real 6850 in them. It's a neutered mobile version that draws a fraction of the power and delivers a fraction of the performance.

[icepac]

Cool.........guess I didn't check the ati graphics processor wiki before I posted that.

I'm sure it will be fine for AHII since it runs sweet on a asus 4a785-m (integrated ati hd4200)with phenom II black edition 555. (unlocked the other 2 cores but running now on 2 because I haven't needed them as of yet).

The only "game" I have run into that really benefits from more than 2 cores is FSX and it seems FSX is more about the general processor itself than the GPU (assuming GPU is of any decent performance).